G O V T, P T I AT T E M P T T O W O O B A C K M E N G A L T O A C T A S ‘ B A LO C H I S TA N ’ S V O I C E ’ I N N A
TLater speaking to the media after the meeting Sanaullah said: We requested him to remain a part of Parliament and to continue his struggle in the same way as he always has in the ambit of the law and the Constitution to talk about Balochistan’s rights and deprivation and the bravery with which he has fought the case of the people of Balochistan Sanaullah said Mengal had registered out review petition and hoped that it would be accepted by the veteran politician
“We respect him immensely and he has a very powerful and strong voice and role for
Balochistan s rights and deprivation and it should remain present in Parliament Sanaullah said the concerns that Mengal had expressed were a “keepsake” with the delegation and would be forwarded to the concerned quarters
‘NOTHING MORE TO SAY NOW’ Meanwhile, Mengal himself had a different view about the meeting Questioned on whether the government delegation convinced him to review his resignation he said:
“They tried to convince me but I think I convinced them I have no intention [of taking back my resignation]
Reiterating his concerns, he said he had raised the issues of injustices in Balochistan such as missing persons, resources, violence
Cour t issues non-bailable arrest warrant for KP CM Gandapur in Liquor and Arms Case
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t A District and Session Court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur in Arms and Liquor recovery case At the outset of the hearing, Civil Judge Shaista Khan Kundi rejected Gandapur ’s plea for exemption from appearance on medical grounds The judge ordered the Bhara Kahu Police SHO to arrest Gandapur and present him before the court on Thursday (tomorrow) Earlier the court summoned KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur in the Arms and Liquor recovery case The court also sought replies to nine questions from Ali Amin Gandapur, directing him to appear before the court in person It is important to note here that the police claimed to have recovered weapons and liquor from Ali Amin Gandapur ’s car on 30th October 2016 According to the police, Ali Amin Gandapur ’s car was stopped and searched at a check-post on Rukhsana Bangash Road when he was going to the residence of Imran Khan in Bani Gala The police searched the car and claimed to have recovered the weapons and ammunition from the vehicle The weapons were displayed at Bara Kahu police station of Islamabad, which included four Kalashnikovs, ammunition, tear-gas fire gun and bullet proof vests ATC POSTPONES HEARING ON PRE-ARREST BAIL PLEA
In a related development the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has postponed the hearing of Gandapur s pre-arrest bail plea in a terrorism case until September 10 The hearing, presided over by Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, was adjourned without any proceedings Gandapur ’s counsel Raja Zahoorul Hasan submitted a medical certificate to the ATC citing the Chief Minister s health issues including leg pain due to a recent slip during a flood relief tour in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa The defense requested a postponement stating that Gandapur was unable to attend the court proceeding due to his medical condition The court accepted the request and adjourned the hearing until September 21
Opposition
and dead bodies with every government and its allies but they can t seem to understand” despite his plain and clear language
He said he had nothing more to say now PTI leaders ask Mengal to rejoin struggle within Parliament
Meanwhile a PTI delegation led by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub also visited Mengal to convince him rescind his resignation
Expressing serious concern over the current situation in Balochistan the PTI leaders asked Mengal to rejoin the struggle within Parliament
The delegation alleged that the government had made the current National Assembly a “rubber stamp” that was subject to
censorship and did not show any seriousness despite repeated discussion of Balochistan s problems The people of Balochistan will not be left alone in this hour of difficulty, Ayub said The delegation led by Omar Ayub Khan included Asad Qaiser Sahibzada Hamid Raza Akhundzada Hussain Yousafzai Amir Dogar and Rauf Hassan The PTI delegation requested Sardar Akhtar Mengal to withdraw his resignation, urging him review the decision on the resignation from the National Assembly He said the government repeatedly talked about the issues of Balochistan but did not show any seriousness on the part of the government Omar Ayub regretted that the situation in Balochistan was serious, but no one wants to understand the real problems of Balochistan On the other hand, Veteran PPP politician Raza Rabbani in a statement termed the Mengal s resignation a distress signal from Balochistan It is yet another reminder that Balochistan, rich in resources but impoverished by neglect continues to be marginalised and ignored “The nationalist leaders like Mengal, chose the path of mainstream politics over separatism hoping that their participation in the parliamentary process brings the plight of their people to the attention of the federation He called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to bring Mengal back to Parliament as a “priority” “The state must listen to him and other nationalist leaders who have chosen the path of dialogue over violence The issues that have pushed the Balochistan to the brink must be addressed
Fa zl coun ts on p a rl ia m en t’s
r
ole to
re in i
n B a lochi sta n, KP s ecur ity cha l len g e s
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana
Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday said that Pakistan has become a battleground for the proxy war between the United States and China, urging parliament to hold a dialogue with people of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” to address their security concerns Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly today Fazl emphasized he still believes if the parliament is requested to step forward and talk to the people of Balochistan and KP, then the situation can be normalised Highlighting that there were now “obstacles to completing the megaprojects” planned under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Fazl claimed that no development work was possible anymore in the entire region from Dera Ismail Khan to Balochistan He pointed out that the government s writ in Balochistan and KP had ended due to unrest” and that “armed elements are ruling there and collecting taxes” “They are visiting the villages patrolling the streets and are armed with rocket launchers and special equipment he added The senior politician called upon the Parliament to take action after taking the opposition into confidence and hold a dialogue to end the restlessness” caused by terrorism Referring to the August 26 attacks the JUI-F chief said the parliament was not taking matters seriously and went on to criticise the treasury and opposition benches for their frequent heated exchanges
Over the last two weeks Fazl has met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif President Asif Ali Zardari and a PTI delegation as both sides attempt to win over support of the senior politician One party (opposition) goes to the extent that they start talking about separation [from Parliament] On the other side as well (government) they made statements such as we are ready to deal with them with force and we are ready to go to every extent for the state s protection Fazl said The importance of politicians is being eliminated today Renowned, knowledgeable, experienced, and senior [political] leadership is being sidelined ” he said adding that new politicians replacing them have no experience Empower politicians Hand over matters to them the JUI-F leader remarked Becoming Faisalabad s clocktower and Amrat Dhara (cureall) yourself can perhaps be a wish but never the solution to the issue,” Fazl quipped
all parties believe in the supremacy of the Constitution He announced the formation of a committee that will start working immediately to arrange the APC If our demands are not met, we will launch nationwide protests,” Achakzai warned but added that if the APC is held “we won’t
the verdict a “grave mistake” and explaining that it forced them to postpone their rally “But our rally on September 8 is final he said adding that the Pakistani people will show their support for Imran Khan A committee, headed by Sahibzada Hamid Raza and
entrenched elite families ” Raoof Hasan reiterated that their rally would go ahead as planned regardless of any obstacles posed by the administration Hamid Raza will lead the rally, Hassan said, adding that the APC will also address other national issues He called Akhtar Mengal’s resignation “alarming”
PPMA STRONGLY REFUTES ALLEGATIONS AGAINST QUALIT Y OF PAKISTANI MEDICINES
ing
TDossier (CTD) format recognized globally and extensive evaluations such as a six-month stability test for generic drugs Moreover, the PPMA pointed out that WHO-qualified laboratories conduct random testing, and any drugs found to be out of
specification are promptly recalled, with strict actions taken a standard
N e w s D e s k
The cotton industry in Pakistan is reeling from a dramatic 60% drop in production across Punjab and Sindh by the end of August raising serious concerns within the textile sector This shortfall is compelling the industry to import lint from international markets, straining the country s already limited foreign exchange reserves A discrepancy of over 0 3 million bales between the figures provided by Punjab s Crop Reporting Service (CRS) and the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) has added to the confusion, leaving industry players uncertain about their procurement strategies moving forward
The PCGA reported that only 1 226 million bales had reached ginning factories nationwide by August 31 marking a steep 60% decline from the 3 04 million bales
produced during the same period last year
This significant drop in cotton output is attributed to several factors: a reduced trend in early sowing, a prolonged heatwave in June and July causing fruit shedding, heavy rains in August, attacks by whitefly and pink bollworm shrinking crop acreage the absence of a government intervention price market manipulation by vested interests declining crop profitability, and a lack of government support for research and development
Sindh’s production plunged by 61%, with only 0 773 million bales produced compared to last year’s 1 972 million bales during the same period Punjab saw a 58% decrease with just 0 453 million bales reaching ginning factories down from 1 068 million bales last year
The Punjab CRS reported a slightly different figure, claiming the province harvested 0 759 million bales still over 30% less than the previous year s production
Dr Abdul Qayyum Director-General of CRS explained that the agency calculates production at the
tions in their purchases because of the political perception PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta told Reuters in a July 11 interview, adding that boycotts are impacting those particular geographies” such as Lebanon, Pakistan and Egypt “We will manage through it over time,” he said “It’s not meaningful to our top line and bottom line at this point PepsiCo s total revenue from its Africa Middle East and South Asia division was $6 billion in 2023 earnings releases show The same year, Coca-Cola s revenue from its Europe, Middle East and Africa region was $8bn, company filings show In the six months following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel that triggered the catastrophic invasion of Gaza that has killed over 40 000 Palestinians PepsiCo beverage volumes in the Africa Middle East and South Asia division barely grew, after notching up 8pc and 15pc growth in the same quarters of 2022/23, the company said Volumes of Coke sold in Egypt declined by doubledigit percentage points in the six months ended June 28 according to data from Coca-Cola HBC which bottles there In the same period last year volumes rose in high single digits Coca-Cola has said it does not fund military operations in Israel or any country
businesses in several countries in the Middle East Western beverage brands suffered a seven per cent sales decline in the first half of the year across the region, market researcher NielsenIQ says In Pakistan, Krave Mart, a leading delivery app, has seen local cola rivals such as Cola Next and Pakola soar in popularity to become about 12pc of the soft drinks category founder Kassim Shroff told Reuters this month Before the boycott the figure was closer to 2 5pc Shroff said Pakola which is ice-cream soda flavoured, made up most of the purchases before the boycott He declined to provide figures for Coca-Cola and PepsiCo sales Consumer boycotts date back at least as far as an 18thcentury anti-slavery sugar protest in Britain The strategy was used in the 20th century to fight apartheid in South Africa and has been widely wielded against Israel through the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement Many consumers shunning Coca-Cola and PepsiCo cite US support of Israel over decades, including in the current ongoing conflict with Hamas
“Some consumers are deciding to make different op-
In response to a Reuters request, PepsiCo said neither the company “nor any of our brands are affiliated with any government or military in the conflict” Palestinian-American businessman Zahi Khouri founded Ramallah-based Coca-Cola bottler National Beverage Company which sells Coke in the West
MARYAM NAWA Z INAUGURATES KEY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN L AHORE
and Division, IGP tells cops
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
He wondered whether the “government had the ability and power to make decisions on its own There cannot be a bigger mistake than considering the Parliament, political parties, and politicians unnecessary for the country,” the JUI-F leader said Stressing that terrorism had become an extremely serious issue Fazl said In some areas even Pakistan s national anthem cannot be sung and the country s flag cannot be hoisted in some schools today He said he would continue to criticise the government and have differing views but his services were available if the country needed them
Calling the missing persons issue “ex-
tremely important the JUI-F chief said, People s loved ones have been missing for 20 years and they are not told whether they have died or are alive in jail or have fled
“Wherever they are it is the government s responsibility to inform their family of their location he asserted
Fazl affirmed that the people of each of the four provinces had the right to that region’s resources
“The people should be assured that the Constitution will be followed and under the 18th Amendment these resources are yours The state has no right to go and occupy them
I want the nation to trust the army but such actions are eroding that trust,” he said, alleging that a person arrested a year before the Army Public School attack was among those hanged over the incident
Afghanistan in January where he met
“fully successful and apprised the foreign office and the authorities” of his discussions there Referring to the alleged involvement of Afghan nationals
checkposts located all the way from Quetta to Besham” Where were we? he asked stressing the need for the
Fazl
Agreement (GSPA), signed in 2009 under French law, designates the Parisbased arbitration court as the forum for resolving disputes between the two nations The court does not recognize US sanctions In 2019 Pakistan and Iran revised their contract, stipulating that Pakistan would complete its portion of
A K I S TA N may not have had all that much to do with developing 5G technology, but it is ready enough to jump aboard the bandwagon
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority plans to auction off the requisite bandwidth to the mobile phone companies during the fiscal year, with March next as a more specific target So far, the PTA has received five proposals on how to hold the auction of fresh bandwidth At present, mobile operators use 274 MHz of bandwidth but will need another 300 MHz to launch 5G services Both 3G and 4G were introduced in Pakistan through a bandwidth auction in 2014 and even a decade down the line, the change has not been fully processed
However, there are a number of developments which have made it essential that 5G technology be adopted/ When 4G was coming in, the big thing was cloud computing which seems tame compared to what is being offered 5G is supposed to use the greater speeds and ability to handle more data to operate the Internet of Things, in which devices communicate with each other, enable Virtual Reality and robotics, and enable autonomous driving (though many consider that part of robotics) It is important globally that 5G roll out smoothly, for it is one of the few things China and the USA still agree on It should perhaps not be forgotten that 3G 4G and now 5G are basically just industry standards However if the USA and China began to develop separate industry standards, it would mean the bifurcation of the world, and the inoperability of devices in a different environment That would mean that Chinese products could not be used in the USA and vice versa while other countries would be forced to choose a standard to follow so that they could use one side’s products at least
Even as the PTA prepares to auction off 5G spectrum, it will have to keep an eye open on 6G technology, which is to be rolled out towards the end of the 2030s However, this too will be an enabling technology, and at this point it has not been identified which fields are expected to play a bigger role Apart from the need to maintain the quality of life there is also a coinciding of Pakistan’s intention to increase its IT exports It should not be forgotten that 5G and 6G rollouts, and increased IT exports depend on reliable internet and reliable power neither is available, though it is encouraging that both a government goals
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi
Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
O n w e d d i n g s a n d m a r r i a g e s
big day, as it is increasingly referred to now It is indeed a happy event for her because it marks the start of an era which becomes better with every passing day invariably at the cost of the hapless husband In this part of the world shadi can refer both to marriage and to the wedding ceremony This may superficially be attributed to the lack of precision in many of the languages here Upon reflection however, one cannot help realizing that this apparent deficiency is quite fitting as far as the man is concerned, because he is happy only for a day Not so much for his bride however for whom the wedding day is the start of lifelong bliss She only goes from strength to strength as time passes Children who grow up notoriously quickly are ready at the drop of a hat to defend their mom who, as far as they are concerned, can do no wrong Especially sons, about whom one keen observer (a husband and father) is known to have remarked that it was goons not sons that mothers raised The excitement of the woman and her folks– the dancing the singing the gaiety– on and around the wedding day makes a lot of sense because she knows that a driver, a mechanic, a plumber, a troubleshooter, an odd-job man, a pillow, a punching bag– all rolled into one– is going to be at her disposal 24/7, 365 days a year (366 days every fourth year) Most significantly for her she expects and often gets him to play the role of the perfect scapegoat Because thenceforth every failure and setback will be due to his and his fault alone Every success, on the other hand, will be attributable to her wisdom He will take total responsibility, willingly and as a matter of pride much as Hindu widows were reported to perish embracing
consumption enabling utilities to detect anomalies and unauthorized usage quickly Advanced grid technologies enhance the monitoring and control of the distribution network, reducing opportunities for theft K-Electric in Karachi has already deployed smart meters on its PMT network and for industrial customers IESCO and LESCO are following suit by deploying smart meters after raising funding from different financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) However, legal and regulatory measures are extremely crucial to deal with power theft This includes stringent penalties for offenders streamlined legal processes and better enforcement mechanisms In 2023 550 FIRs were registered in police stations in Karachi Power theft was estimated to be 8 2 million units of electricity, amounting to PKR 418 million An FIR was also lodged against an illegal network operator stealing electricity from KE to power 150 shops in the Hub area Last year the leaked utility court documents showed that K-Electric had Rs 40 million in pending dues, with the top 21 accounts owing Rs 30 million collectively Between 2019 and 2023, KE registered 951 cases, with 630 still awaiting trial Non-bailable arrest warrants have been issued in 35 cases Before the 2016 amendments to the Criminal Act KE filed 588 FIRs for theft of which 587 were successfully prosecuted and settled Collaboration between law enforcement agencies and distribution companies must be bolstered with a comprehensive and strict legal framework, so that offenders can be prosecuted swiftly and decisively
the burning pyre at their husbands’ funeral– not out of compulsion but for the sake of honour and glory Unless he is extraordinarily resilient post-wedding he is going to find himself continuously on a knife s edge– suspected of unfairly favouring his parents at the cost of his wife by the latter, and vice versa In contrast, his wife will be in the fortunate position of being morally superior in comparison with everybody: the hubby, the in-laws and, if need be, her own folks as well He will not be able to enjoy anything without the wife at his side– he will be made to rue the day he is careless enough to show that he is having a good time on his own Sadly he cannot appear to have a good time in the company of the wife either Because either variety of enjoyment on his part would equally defeat the purpose of marriage as
What, then, is with all the excitement, the hype , the merriment, the decorations, the lighting, the music, and the g eneral fanfare on the par t of the groom and his folks on and before the occasion of the formerÊs wedding? This euphoria and elation are absolutely beyond comprehension Even if it is the groomÊs first shot at marital bliss, he ought to know what is in store for him from the obser vation of ÂhappilyÊ married men all around His parents, experienced folks that they are , must know it even better It makes no sense therefore for them to be over the moon; or over anything for that matter
Engaging with local communities and raising awareness about the consequences of power theft can foster a culture of compliance Over the last fiscal year, K-Electric set up 309 facilitation camps which collectively assisted 94 000 customers in clearing their outstanding dues and also applying for new connections to become regularized customers More such awareness campaigns can help highlight the impact of theft on service quality and sustainability Power distribution companies are also businesses and cannot continue to provide uninterrupted electricity if they are not receiving commensurate payment for its usage They have to resort to loadshedding on economic grounds to manage the gap between supply and demand created due to theft The situation has reached a critical point where reports indicate that the Power Division is redefining loadshedding to be conducted based on Aggregate Technical & Commercial Losses This policy places a greater onus on the communities and the distribution companies supplying them electricity to reduce the losses and counter electricity theft Strengthening the governance structures within the power and public sector is vital This includes improving transparency reducing corruption and enhancing accountability at all levels
Pakistan can enhance the performance of its energy sector by combining technological regulatory and community-based approaches into one robust and efficient power policy that caters to the nation’s economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability, simultaneously
The writer can be reached at hadiazaid2021@gmail com
Three years under Taliban
I T H A S been three years since the Afghan Taliban seized control of Kabul, denying over a million girls access to education Their rise to power is questionable, as they fought against the local administration after making a deal with the United States The Taliban do not represent the will and aspirations of the Afghan people and dissent against their rule is being suppressed This suppression suggests that the Taliban are serving the interests of powerful nations, which seek to exploit Afghanistan s resources and strategic location The actions taken by Taliban perpetuate backwardness and instability, paving the way for another invasion or unrest in the region Reports indicate that they are providing a haven to international terrorists
The Afghan people must recognise this reality and develop a strategy to protect their country from further long-term unrest It is essential for the people of Afghanistan to take control of their future and work towards a stable and sovereign nation, free from the influence of external powers and terrorist organisations ANWAR SAYAB KHAN BANNU
Pakistan’s Spor ts Culture
AT a recent dinner party of expatriates, the topic of the 2024 Olympic Games came up Someone remarked that it was matter of shame that a country of 240 million people could send only seven athletes to the global event Many agreed, but no one thought of blaming the ones who deserve to be blamed for such a situation
Our televangelists consider it a sort of Armageddon when a girl runs or swims in sportswear They get outraged focussing on perceived immodesty and ignoring her entire athletic performance This attitude effectively alienates half of the country s population from participating in sports
But what about the other half? Why can the country not field a decent number of athletes from among them? First of all, people s health and wellbeing are not matters of priority for the state Sports facilities and infrastructure are virtually non-existent In Canada, every
HaSaN afTaB SaEEd
Another politically incorrec t column
Hadia arif
Hyd ro p owe r t u n n e l s w i l l d e s t roy t h e Va l l e y
TH E lush valley of Swat is famous for its snow-capped mountain sceneries, pastures, meadows and greenery all around Swat is not only
for
and natural beauty but it has
important centre of Gandhara civilization There are almost 400 sacred ancient Buddhist sites scattered in the valley With such rich historical heritage Swat is the centre of attraction for tourists across the globe Lower Swat is celebrated for its historical landmarks, cultural treasures and archeological sites whereas upper Swat is famous for its natural mesmerizing beauty and tranquil ambiance There are tourists spots fancy hotels and markets in the whole of Tehsil Bahrain which comprises 60 percent of the area of District Swat This tehsil is famous for its multilingual population and tall mountains coverec with pine trees lakes streams and above all the largest river of Swat the River Swat River Swat originates in the lap of the Hindukush from glaciers in the high valleys of Swat like Gabral, Ushu, Makiyal, and Shetangoot However, it is mainly formed at the junction of Gabral and Ushu rivers in Kalam There are many small rivers all over Swat but the most famous of them is the Swat Flowing throughout the valley the Swat irrigates almost 160 000 acres of agricultural land, and finally falls into the Kabul at Attock Khurd The name of the valley has been named after the word Suvastu (Sanskrit name) meaning ‘river of clear blue waters’ Thus the river has vital historical and cultural significance It also plays an important role in the beauty of Swat as most of the
tourists flood the valley due to the fresh wavering water of the Swat Recently, the river has been under a risk of pollution and contamination due to the excessive hotels and other buildings built at the bank of the river The rising population, tourists’ thrown garbage and flash flooding also pose grave threats to the river s health
But the most serious threat is three different hydropower projects designed to be constructed at this river between Madyan and Kalam The whole area of almost 50 km will have tunnels and river Swat water will be flowing through these tunnels These hydropower projects under PEDO an independent power producing company are designed to build a tunnel in Kalam and open it in Asrait where a powerhouse will be located Fr,om Asrait it will be diverted into another tunnel which will be opened near Kedam A powerhouse will be in Kedam as well The third tunnel is supposed to be built in Kedam diverting most of the river into this tunnel and it will be opened in Kalagay near Madyan This means all the way from Madyan to Kalam river Swat will be flowing into a tunnel and there will be no water in the river especially during wintertime as most of the water in winter reduces in the river It will have great repercussions for the local economy as well as the environment The river flowing through invisible tunnels will attract no tourists to the hotels built at these places, including Bahrain town which is the geographical centre of the valley and has many hotels and markets for tourists There are several tourists points and hotels in Laikot Pushmal Mankiyal and Kedam
which due to the water ’s divergence will be of no attraction for the visitors Moreover most of the locals migrate to cities in search of livelihood and return in summer as there are plenty of job opportunities in the hotel industry and in agriculture but due to the havoc of these hydropower projects they will not come back to their land and may live the town forever According to a survey almost 12 000 locals have already left this area due to insuffidient opportunities of work
The environment and biodiversity will be impacted in many ways Due to less water in winters, there will be no life in the river Smells and garbage in the otherwise beautifully flowing river at this area will be all that is left The famous trout fish will vanish from this region Temperature in the region might increase with water being turned into the tunnels
The authorities have not consulted the local population in the development of these projects The directly impacted people have been appeased by promises that they will be compensated for their lands but the rest of the population has strong reservations and not even been invited to the process That s why they have been staging protests and rejecting these hydropower projects So far, several meetings of the elders, social activists lawyers and students have been carried out against these projects under a movement known as Darya Bachao movement
On August 23 a protest was staged against Pedo and the government in Bahrain Bazar, Yhousands of people gathered and chanted “save Swat, save river”, “PEDO SHEDO Namanzoor” (we reject Pedo shedo projects) Elders and leaders addressed the crowd and emphasized their commitment to saving the river at any cost They said they will
continue to protest in the future if the government didn t back down from these projects All the locals are on the same page regarding the rejection of these hydropower projects They say they will not allow these hydropower projects as they pose serious detrimental effects to tourism disturb biodiversity, will cause environmental degradation, and ruin the beauty of the valley Upper Swat is facing a form of neo-colonization Many industrialists have bought lands from the locals and have constructed hotels and other commercial buildings These locals have been appeased by giving them jobs for some time in the places being built on their former lands Then the locals are expelled, and they do not have anything
t h e f t a n d r e o r g a n i z e t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n s y s t e m i n s t e a d o f b u i l d i n g o t h e r b i g p r o j e c t s a t t h e c o s t o f i n d i g e n o u s a n d a l r e a d y m a r g i n a l i z e d c o m m u n i t i e s Ê r e s o u r c e s . M o r e o v e r, t h i s m o n e y c a n b e u s e d o n b u i l d i n g w i n d e n e r g y o r s o l a r e n e r g y p l a n t s o r o n d a m s i n u n p o p u l a t e d v a l l e y s o f t h e h i g h l a n d s .
LI B E R A L S have engaged in a lot of catastrophic thinking during this year of elections Many feared that authoritarian and populist politicians from Hungary s Viktor Orban to India s Narendra Modi, would consolidate their gains by increasing their shares of the vote According to Freedom House s February 2024 Freedom in the World analysis, the world has been in a phase of democratic backsliding for nearly two decades exacerbated by the rise of authoritarian great powers such as China and Russia hot wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and the ascendance or advancement of populist nationalists in countries that seemed to be securely democratic Germany, Hungary, India, and Italy For liberals who want to preserve a world safe for democracies, perhaps the most alarming point came in mid-July when Republicans confirmed former President Donald Trump as their party s presidential nominee and ultra-MAGA JD Vance as his running mate But liberals fears that this year would reflect the global triumph of illiberal populism have so far been proved wrong Although authoritarian ideologies have made clear gains in several countries, democracy in many parts of the world has shown surprising resilience and may yet prevail in the United States Their belief in the trend of democratic decline has led many liberals to wring their hands and ask despairingly whether they can do anything to reverse it The answers to this question are simple and boring: go out with your fellow citizens and vote or, if you are more actively inclined, work hard to mobilize like-minded people to help democratic politicians win elections Liberal democracy is all about personal agency and there is little evidence that traditional political engagement no longer works THE YEAR OF ELECTIONS: The year of elections is so named because an all-time-high number of
vowed to end his country s strong support for Ukraine Slovakia’s pro-Western president, Zuzana Caputova, declined to run for a second term and was succeeded this June by Fico’s ally Peter Pellegrini who like Fico is more sympathetic to Russia Although populists made gains Slovakia remains a deeply polarized nation; in May a would-be assassin shot Fico because of the prime minister s opposition to military aid for Ukraine In November 2023, Javier Milei defeated Sergio Massa in the second-round presidential vote in Argentina Many in the United States understood Milei to be an Argentine Trump given his antiestablishment personal style and embrace of the former U S president But Milei was riding a wave of popular disgust with the ruling Peronists, who had led the country into deep economic stagnation Although many populists embrace a strong state bent on enforcing conservative cultural values, Milei is a genuine libertarian The early success of his economic stabilization program allowed him to retain his popularity despite having a weak base in the Argentine National Congress The chief danger Milei poses is not that he will move in an authoritarian direction but that he will go too far in weakening the Argentine state Early 2024 saw mixed results for democracy In January, Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party defeated the pro-Chinese Kuomintang and Finland remained in a solidly democratic camp On the other hand the following month El Salvador s Nayib Bukele was reelected president with a remarkable 85 percent of the vote a reward for having dramatically decreased crime by using extrajudicial means to incarcerate a large part of the country’s gang leadership In running for a second term, Bukele flouted the Salvadoran constitutional prohibition against consecutive reelection; he may well remain in power for years to come The trend toward rewarding strongmen continued with the election of Prabowo Subianto to the Indonesian presidency Human rights groups have accused Prabowo, a former special forces commander, of committing war crimes during Indonesia s occupation of Timor-Leste in the 1980s and 1990s
In Bangladesh the corrupt Awami League party led by Sheikh Hasina held on to power in January amid countrywide protests against her rule Her success however would prove to be transitory as renewed protests after the election led Hasina to flee the country in early August Whether Bangladesh can reclaim a democratic mantle is not certain, but it is clear that a huge number of citizens were fed up with a ruler who had been in power for 20 of the last 28 years
POPULIST REMEDIES REJECTED: The middle of the year brought two important elections in South Africa and Mexico, that did not fit easily into the populist-versusliberal framework In South Africa, the African National Congress, which had dominated the country’s politics since it transitioned to democracy in 1994 lost 71 seats and its majority in the National Assembly Voters held the ANC accountable for its corrupt stewardship of the country and did not turn wholeheartedly to populist remedies Another pivotal election was in India, where the vote occurred in stages between mid-April and early June Prime Minister Modi a charter member of the populistnationalist club who had weakened his country’s media, courts and civil liberties was expected to increase the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party s majority in India s lower house the Lok Sabha Instead the BJP lost its majority and was forced to enter into a coalition with other parties Its losses were particularly great in its former northern Indian heartland, where it shed 49 seats, including 29 in the poor state of Uttar Pradesh
UNSETTLING SHIFTS: Elections to the European Parliament took place in early June Populist parties such as the Freedom Party in Austria, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) in France the Alternative for Germany the Party for Freedom in the Netherlands and Giorgia Meloni s Brothers of Italy all made gains Across the 27-member bloc the biggest losers were the Socialists and the Greens This shift was unsettling but did not amount to the earthquake that some had predicted Center and centerright parties such as Germany’s Christian Democratic Union and Poland’s Civic Platform hung onto or even increased their vote shares Poland’s Law and Justice party lost seats as did Fidesz in Hungary where a dissident party member Peter Magyar split the vote by forming his own party following a corruption scandal in Fidesz The European Parliament election s two most disturbing results came in France and Italy Le Pen’s RN party swamped French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition winning more than twice the vote share This caused Macron to declare a snap national election at the end of June The RN gained 37 seats and the leftist alliance the New Popular Front added 32; for a moment it looked as if the RN s young standard-bearer, Jordan Bardella, was headed toward the prime minister s office But in the second round of voting in early July, the center and left parties withdrew their weaker candidates and the RN was once again locked out of power This happened only because the left-wing parties cooperated to streamline their candidates the boring but necessary work of politics that previous coalitions had failed to do In Italy, the situation is less promising In the European Parliament elections, Meloni’s populist Brothers of Italy increased its vote share substantially, and her right-wing coalition holds a comfortable majority in the Italian parliament Meloni who became prime minister in late 2022 initially portrayed herself as a centrist Early in her tenure she broke with pro-Russian populists such as Orban and Fico by expressing strong support for Ukraine, and many commentators speculated that she would back European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for a second term But after the EU parliament vote she shifted to the right and her party voted for only conditional support for Ukraine and opposed von der Leyen s reelection
The one large European country to hold an election without the threat that a rising populist party would gain power was the United Kingdom, where in early July, the Labour Party achieved a decisive victory over the Conservatives The Tories had been in power for 14 years under five prime ministers and had led the country into prolonged economic stagnation by among other things supporting Brexit When the Labour Party replaced its far-left leader Jeremy Corbyn with the more moderate Keir Starmer voters responded favorably Populist firebrands such as Nigel Farage were still around; his right-wing Reform UK party won 14 percent of the vote, more than the Liberal Democrats who secured 12 percent But Britain’s firstpast-the-post electoral system kept him far from power
DEMOCRATIC RESISTANCE: There are still a number of important elections to come: in Moldova, where the liberal President Maia Sandu is likely to win reelection, and in Georgia, where the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party has a good chance of retaining power But the most important election by far is the one
Usman Torwali
CORPORATE CORNER
Five children held over fatal attack on 80-year old dog walker in the UK
originally from the Punjab in India He loved his allotment loved his dog and loved his family I don t know why anyone would have wanted to do something like this to him He was just a very nice man who wouldn’t have done anything to provoke this Harjinder Mr Kalia s wife, added, It is just awful Bhim wouldn’t have harmed anyone Detective Inspector Emma Matts the senior investigating officer, announced that the case had now escalated to a murder investigation following Mr Kohli s death Officers are continuing to work at speed to establish the details of the
SEDF, SSIC join forces to drive ‘economic development’ in Sindh
KARACHI
s ta f f r e
r t
Sindh Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF) and Sindh Small Industries Corporation (SSIC) have officially partnered through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today The signing ceremony took place at the office of the Minister of Industries & Commerce Department in the Sindh
EX PERTS
PEAKERS at a seminar agreed that electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) are a significant part of the problems affecting the energy sector and the national economy They unanimously recommended that DISCOs require immediate but carefully planned reforms and restructuring to prevent further exacerbation of the energy crisis and the circular debt The seminar titled Privatization: The Only Solution for Electricity Distribution Companies, was organized by the Parliamentary Forum on Energy and Economy, a newly established crossparty group of National Assembly mem-
bers Ayaz Sadiq Speaker of the National Assembly emphasized the need for nonpartisan and thorough discussions on the issues surrounding DISCOs While he stated that the government should refrain from running businesses, including DISCOs, he also stressed the importance of an informed parliamentary and policy debate to anticipate and mitigate any negative consequences of privatization We need the right person for the right job whether it is in the government or in the private sector otherwise our situation
at Ivato International Airport was celebrated with a water cannon salute followed by an exclusive event attended by VIPs government officials industry guests and media Among the distinguished attendees were His Excellency Andry Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar, and the First Lady, who personally welcomed the Emirates delegation led by Adnan Kazim Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates Airline This historic event underscores the strengthening ties between the UAE and Madagascar The inaugural flight which operated with an almost full passenger load from Mahe, Seychelles, was commanded by Captain Bruce Pope and First Officer Solo Chuk, a Malagasy pilot with 14 years of experience at Emirates
Special attention to a power ful and healthy environment is necessar y, say medical exper ts
On the first day of the Health and Wellness Expo, four sessions of seminars were held Experts from various health and safety institutions highlighted the importance of human health to the participants emphasizing that a
and beautiful healthy environment can only be achieved when we focus on our health and when health and safety institutions play their critical roles These thoughts were expressed during the first day of the Health and Wellness Expo, held at a local hotel Representatives and medical experts from Dow Medical University, Aga Khan University, Sindh Healthcare Commission Rescue 1122 EFU Life Insurance Ltd MGN Digital AO Hospital The Health Foundation Cordoba Home Care Institute, Nursing and Healthcare South City Hospital Indus Hospital Pakistan Consumer Association High-Q Pharmaceuticals and other health and safety institutions shared their views in the
The experts and representatives of these institutions urged the public to attend such health events to benefit from medical experts’ advice They also stressed that medical professionals should provide patients with quality medicines that are easily accessible The
S han Foods' Kunri initiative contributes to a greener future with direc t suppor t to Pakistan's farming communities
In a remarkable step towards incentivizing sustainable agricultural and community uplift practices, Shan Foods has unveiled Growing Flavor, an initiative curated and developed within the Kunri Tehsil in Sindh to enhance environmental stewardship and drive economic benefits for the local communities
Climate change and global warming are exacerbating agricultural degradation diminishing food security and causing a significant impact on the livelihoods of professionals in the agricultural sector Shan Foods recognizes that sustainability is integral to business resilience and growth and as a member of the United Nations Global Compact aims to follow through on its commitment towards Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities Through its Growing Flavor initiative, the company is focused on revitalizing and enhancing ecological systems, ensuring that its teams, communities, and partners worldwide can thrive By implementing sustainable farming techniques and educational programs the FMCG giant further vows to combat environmental challenges and enhance agricultural yields embracing
innovative ways to propel its business as well as the planet towards a sustainable future
Since the launch of its pilot program three years ago the project has made remarkable strides in improving chili cultivation practices enhancing community welfare and fostering development in relation to sustainable agriculture With the focus being on sustainability, the framework focuses on uplifting local communities within Kunri Tehsil through up-skilling farmers by capacity building skill transfer and trainings focused on globally accepted
& post-harvest
The goal is to
models that
This is in line with ensuring growth is sustainable and there is a tangible positive social impact across the company’s operations” said Sammer Sultan co-chairperson at Shan Foods Fahad Patel General Manager Supply Chain at Shan Foods added Growing Flavor stands as a testament to Shan Foods commitment to agricultural excellence and community empowerment By empowering local farmers with the knowledge and resources they need, we are not only enhancing their livelihoods but also ensuring the sustainable growth of the agriculture sector in Pakistan "
Nestlé Pakistan conducts capacit y building training on ecotourism, waste management under KP Gov t’s TREK
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t
Important Meeting on Peace and Order chaired by IG Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi According to the details, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, chaired an important meeting at the Central Police Office Islamabad on law and order situation in Islamabad The meeting was attended by DIG Dr Syed Mustafa Tanveer AIG Special Branch Yasir Afridi SSP Operations Muhammad Arslan Shahzaib and SP Law and Order Hakim Khan The meeting reviewed the law and order situation in the federal capital The officers provided IG Islamabad with a detailed briefing on the security measures taken to ensure peace and order On this occasion IG Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said that all possible measures would be taken to ensure the protection of the lives and property of the citizens of Islamabad and to maintain peace and tranquility in Islamabad The protection of citizens lives and property is our top priority Citizens are also requested to cooperate with the Islamabad Police and report any suspicious activities by dialing emergency helpline Pucar-15 or through the ICT-15 app The Islamabad Police will leave no stone unturned to make the federal capital a cradle of peace he added
Honorar y Consul General of Sri Lanka visits Sundas Foundation
LAHORE s ta f f r e p o r t
The Honorary Consul General of Sri Lanka, Mr Yasin Joya visited Sundas Foundation where he met with children undergoing treatment for Thalassemia and other blood-related disorders During his visit Mr Joya distributed chocolates and gifts among the children Dr Adnan Gilani, Medical Director of Sundas Foundation provided a detailed briefing on the facilities offered by the foundation highlighting that over 7,000 Thalassemia patients, as well as patients with Hemophilia and other blood disorders, receive free treatment at Sundas Foundation In his speech Mr Yasin Joya praised Sundas Foundation for its exemplary work in treating Thalassemia, Hemophilia, and blood cancer He expressed a commitment to partnering with the foundation to expand its services to more cities across Pakistan Mr Joya also encouraged public support for Sundas Foundation to reduce the prevalence of these serious illnesses Mr Joya mentioned Sri Lanka’s donation of 30 000 corneas to Pakistan which has restored sight to thousands of people and assured continued support in the future Founder and President of Sundas Foundation Muhammad Yasin Khan thanked Mr Joya and the Sri Lankan people for their support, acknowledging the lifechanging impact of the donated corneas He also presented Mr Yasin Joya with a commemorative shield as a token of appreciation
ISLAMABAD
Islamabad: A beautiful view of the butterfly- shaped design prepared by CDA at D-Chow
ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Maulana Fazlur Rehman the head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) has written a letter to Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa urging him to expedite the appeals against the Federal Shariat Court s decision to eliminate the interest-based financial system
According to a JUI-F spokesperson the letter appeals for the swift resolution of various banks appeals challenging last year s ruling by the Federal Shariat Court, which mandated the transition to an interest-free financial system within five years The letter further states “The quick resolution of these appeals will enable the government to take necessary steps towards establishing a financial framework free from interest
The letter also commends Chief Justice Isa’s recent short ruling on the Final-
ity of Prophethood (PBUH) describing it as praiseworthy, and requests that a detailed verdict be issued soon to fully satisfy the Muslim population of Pakistan After the matter remained pending for 20 years the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) in 2022 finally declared that the prohibition of Riba was absolute in all its forms and manifestations according to the injunctions of Islam and in accordance with the Holy Quran and Sunnah Therefore, it should be eliminated from
the country in five years We are of the view that five years period is reasonably enough time for the implementation of our decision completely i e convert economy of Pakistan into equitable asset based risk sharing and interest-fee economy ” read a 298page judgment authored by Justice Dr Syed Muhammad Anwer and endorsed by two other judges Therefore, we would specify the 31st day of December, 2027 on which the decision shall take effect by way of complete elimination of Riba from Pakistan ” it added Different banks and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had later approached the Supreme Court seeking modification of the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) April 28, 2022 judgment
‘£190m reference’: AC announces reser ved verdic t on Bushra Bibi ’s acquittal today
The accountability court (AC) Islamabad on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a petition seeking the acquittal of Bushra Bibi in the £190 million reference case The court will announce the decision on Thursday (tomorrow) Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana presided over the hearing held at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi During the proceedings PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were brought before the court The PTI founder s lawyer Chaudhry Zaheer Abbas did not appear due to which cross-examination of NAB s investigating officer Mian Umar Nadeem could not be carried out Bushra Bibi s counsel, Usman Riaz Gul, presented arguments in favour of her acquittal in the £190 million reference NAB prosecutors – Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi and Amjad Pervez opposed the acquittal petition
After hearing arguments from both sides the court reserved its decision on Bushra Bibi s acquittal The ruling will be delivered on September 5 Additionally, the court declared a contempt of court petition against the NAB chairman ineffective The petition was filed by Bushra Bibi’s lawyer, following arguments over her acquittal
The cross-examination of the final NAB witness Investigating Officer Umar Nadeem is scheduled for Thursday (tomorrow)
It is pertinent to mention here that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has already granted bail to PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) settlement reference A two-member bench comprising IHC CJ Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri reserved the verdict a day ago after the completion of arguments In its short order today, the IHC ordered the authorities to release the PTI founder against the surety bond of Rs1 million NCA CASE
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had launched an investigation against Imran Khan and his wife and others for the alleged gain of hundreds of canals of land in the name of Al Qadir University Trust, which reportedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer
As per the charges the former prime minister and others accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion 190 million pounds at the time sent by Britain s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the government
The NAB filed a corruption reference against Imran and seven others, including his wife, in connection with the Al-Qadir University
