50 KILLED AS MULTIPLE TERROR ATTACKS ROCK BALOCHISTAN; 21 TERRORISTS KILLED
g ISPR SAYS 21 TERRORISTS KILLED; 14 PERSONNEL MARTYRED IN CLEARANCE OPERATIONS
g 23 PA SSENGERS KILLED IN MUSAKHAIL AFTER IDENTITY CHECK; BLA CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
Four killed, 10 injured in
Razmak explosion
different incidents in Kalat district on Sunday night, said police Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen shot dead gunned down Umer Sherani a close aide of Chairman National Democratic Movement (NDM) Mohsin Dawar S TA F F R E P O R T
Ter
not Balochs behind killings of Punjabis: CM Bugti
not disgruntled (naraaz) Balochs, but terrorists who killed Pakistanis “Balochs did not kill Punjabis, but terrorists are behind this inhumane act ” In a press conference held in Quetta on Monday Bugti announced that checkpoints would be reinstated across
PM, Commander Ground Forces of PL A China discuss bilateral ties,
defence relations
COA S reiterates how much Pakistan values brotherly relations with China
Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir on Monday welcomed General Li Qiaoming Commander of the People s Liberation Army Ground Forces at General Headquarters According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) the meeting between the two military leaders provided a forum for in-depth talks on issues of shared interest regional security military training, and ways to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation Gen Asim Munir thanked the dignitary and reiterated how much Pakistan values its brotherly relations with China The COAS underscored the robust relations between the Pakistan Army and the People s Liberation Army, highlighting the ongoing bilateral military cooperation as a testament to the enduring brotherhood between the two nations The visiting dignitary expressed admiration for Pakistan s concerted efforts in combating terrorism and extremism, acknowledging the unwavering professionalism and ded-
ication of the Pakistan Army COAS General Syed Asim Munir expressed his gratitude to the dignitary, reiterating that Pakistan deeply cherishes its fraternal ties with China Earlier upon arrival at the General Headquarters General Li Qiaoming paid respects at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada by laying a floral wreath, and was presented with a guard of honor by a smartly turned-out contingent of the Pakistan Army in a ceremonial display of respect and hospitality On the other hand Commander of the Ground Forces of the People s Liberation Army (PLA) of China, General Li Qiaoming called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif here on Monday The prime minister extended a warm welcome to General Li and underscored that Pakistan and China are All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners and trusted friends PM Shehaz Sharif highlighted that the deep-rooted ties between the two nations enjoy broad public political and institutional support in Pakistan making them indispensable for the progress and development of both countries
(MoM)
merging ministries or reducing the number of divisions within them The federal government needs to concentrate on good governance and will only
manage institutions with strategic value he added The minister also highlighted that these measures are intended to cut expenditures, noting that the government has recently decided to halt the offering of new
crease is overshadowed by
(YoY)
reflecting ongoing challenges within the
on the
days of
numbers from the
indicates that
currently
According to Topline Pakistan Research the MoM growth in dispatches is largely attributed to a low base in July 2024, which was marked by partial strikes by dealers and traders across the country In July, sales totaled 2 46 million tons well below the previous sixmonth average of 2 99 million tons This August the average daily domestic sales are expected to reach 86 000 tons per day, which is notably lower
than the August 2023 average of 122 000 tons per day
The YoY decline in local cement dispatches is driven by a slowdown in construction activities mainly due to the higher cost of construction inputs and the rising prices of cement bags Prices in the North and South regions have surged by 29% and 19% YoY respectively according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) A significant development in August was the court-issued stay order obtained by Punjab-based players regarding increased royalty
YoY
Company (DGKC) is
a 19% MoM growth in exports, while Lucky Cement (LUCK) and Attock Cement Pakistan Limited (ACPL) are anticipated to see MoM declines of 3% and 48% respectively This mixed performance brings Pakistan’s total cement sales for August 2024 to approximately
TIME TO SHUN POLITICS OF HATRED, FOCUS ON PROGRESS, SECURITY OF PAKISTAN: TESSORI
To another question the Sindh
ernor acknowledged the commendable work of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and expressed his prayers for further success He praised the efforts of the Army Chief, who, he said was working tirelessly not only to protect the borders but also to ensure economic stability He called on everyone to pray for the removal of obstacles to Pakistan s development Governor Tessori mentioned that it was a privilege to attend the Urs celebrations of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh He prayed for Pakistan’s economic stability and progress expressing hope that as a nation Pakistan will continue to advance globally He also highlighted the responsibility of those in public office to address the people s issues
Earlier, the Sindh governor participated in the Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hajveri During the event Punjab Auqaf Secretary Dr Syed Tahir
Raza Bukhari performed the traditional turban ceremony for Governor Tessori On the occasion Kamran Tessori laid a floral wreath at the shrine and offered special prayers for the progress and prosperity of the nation Addressing the devotees Governor Tessori extended congratulations on the occasion of the Urs and expressed that he found spiritual solace at the shrines of saints He further emphasized that Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh preached the message of peace and harmony in the subcontinent, underscoring the need for following his teachings for peace and harmony in the society
Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori strongly condemned the Musakhel incident, calling the killing of 23 individuals in Razah Sham area of Musakhel highly alarming He described the act of forcing passengers off buses
and their subsequent murder as an appalling display of brutality He stated that those involved in the heinous act would soon face the consequences of their actions He emphasized that with public support, security forces would swiftly bring an end to these elements Meanwhile the Sindh Governor taking notice of murder of teenage girl after rape has directed the police to arrest the culprits According to details, gunny packed body of 12-year-old Kangna was recovered from garbage dump in Lucky Star, Karachi’s Saddar area The body was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) where medical report confirmed rape of the girl before murder Kamran Tessori sought report from the Additional Inspector General (AIG) Police, asking to ensure the accused did not go scotch free The governor said that he would himself pursue progress in the case and rapist cum murderers would be brought to book
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Kalat Assistant Commissioner Aftab Lasi was injured but is in stable condition, district commissioner Naeem Bazai had earlier confirmed to Dawn Meanwhile clashes along the Quetta-Karachi highway led to its closure with an emergency declared in hospitals Six bodies were found in the Bolan district, with four recovered from under a damaged bridge, according to SSP Dost Mohammad Bugti According to initial reports all individuals were killed last night SSP Dost told reporters in the Dhadhar city The deceased were shot dead Their identification process has not been completed yet,” the SSP said adding that the bodies were being shifted to Quetta for further identification process According to a list of the victims shared by a police surgeon at Quetta s Civil Hospital, Dr Ayesha Faiz, of the six victims, four hailed from Punjab 23 k i l l e d A f t e r i d e N t
In a separate incident at least 23 people were killed in the Musakhail district when armed men forcibly removed passengers from trucks and buses and shot them after verifying their identities on Monday morning according to an official According to Musakhail Assistant Commissioner Najeeb Kakar, armed men blocked the inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham area of the district and offloaded passengers
from several buses The perpetrators stopped buses vans and trucks one after the other on a highway connecting Punjab with Balochistan AC Kakar told AFP
Those killed were reportedly from Punjab, the official said AC Kakar added that the armed men also set fire to 23 vehicles including 17 trucks two passenger vans and four pick-up vehicles
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most active militant group in the province, claimed responsibility for the attack, marking it as one of the worst shootings in the region in recent years 14 s o l d i e r s m A rt y r
i s P r: According to a statement issued by the military s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), on Monday, 21 terrorists were killed as security forces and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) responded to the attacks while 14 soldiers laid their lives in the line of duty Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies immediately responded and successfully thwarted the evil design of terrorists and sent twenty-one terrorists to hell in ensuing clearance operations ensuring security and protection of local populace, the ISPR said in the statement However, during the conduct of operations, fourteen brave sons of soil, including ten security forces soldiers and four personnel of law enforcement agencies having fought gallantly made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat
It said that sanitisation operations are being conducted and the instigators perpetrators facilitators and abettors of these heinous and cowardly acts targeting innocent civilians, will be brought to justice Security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan in step with the nation remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace stability and progress of Balochistan and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve
statement issued by his ministry on social media platform X Interior Minister Naqvi vowed to bring forward the facts along with evidence after investigations into the attacks Later, while addressing the issue in a press conference in Lahore Naqvi vowed that terrorists would be responded to like terrorists [ought to be] instead of being referred to as naraaz (discontent) Baloch We have a good idea of who has planned this and who is behind it They have carried out all these attacks in a single day in a clear and well-thought-out manner Naqvi asserted He stated that the entire leadership has decided to respond to these fully The terrorists will be dealt with,” Naqvi said, adding that Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti was “absolutely right in saying that these people who have carried out the attacks are not upset Baloch but terrorists
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
This borrowing spree has been the lifeblood of its operations for the past six and a half years Is this a sustainable model? Far from it PIA s finance costs for 2022 alone amounted to a staggering Rs 50 billion a record high over the past six years Yet barely halfway into 2023 PIA has already incurred an alarming 74% of this cost It is this escalating cost of finance that prompted PIA to engage the government in a dialogue for financial
COMMENT
TH E violence that swept across Balochistan on Monday is a stark reminder of the persistent and brutal challenges facing Pakistan With at least 38 lives claimed by a series of coordinated attacks including the tragic deaths of 23 passengers in Musakhail, the province has once again been thrust into the grim spotlight of terrorism and unrest The attacks, which targeted Levies and police stations and spanned from Mastung to Quetta are a sobering indication of the heightened security threats that continue to plague the region
In the face of such violence, it is imperative to acknowledge and commend the swift and decisive actions of the Pakistani military The response, which led to the neutralization of 21 terrorists and the injury of several others reflects the courage and determination of our security forces Their bravery in confronting these threats head-on often at great personal risk, underscores their commitment to safeguarding the nation The nation will do well to remember the sacrifices made by the 14 security personnel that lost their lives responding to the attacks
However, while the military s commendable efforts are to be lauded the crisis in Balochistan also brings to light an urgent need for transparency Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s assertion that the government has a “good idea” of the perpetrators of these heinous acts is a critical point of concern In an era where the flow of information is rapid and often unchecked, the public has a right to be informed about the nature and sources of intelligence regarding these attacks
The government must prioritize clarity in its communications with the public A transparent approach not only reinforces public trust but also fosters
Ukraine strikes back
IN 2022, Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine primarily driven by its concern over what it perceived as a growing threat from NATO Moscow feared that Ukraine s increasing closeness with NATO could lead to a scenario where NATO forces might use Ukraine as a base to launch attacks against Russia To preempt this perceived threat, Russia decided to act quickly and aggressively The Russian government believed that Ukraine was weak and internally divided They assumed that a swift invasion would quickly overpower Ukrainian defenses leading to the collapse of the Ukrainian government and the subsequent occupation of the country by Russian forces Moscow expected that this operation would be over in a matter of days or weeks, allowing Russia to assert the United States or NATO could mount control over Ukraine before any significant response Time was a critical factor in Russia s strategy The longer the conflict continued the greater the risk that Western powers might intervene, either directly or indi-
Russia severely underestimated the resilience and determination of the Ukrainian forces and the Ukrainian people Instead of folding quickly under pressure Ukraine mounted a strong and effective defense stalling the Russian advance and turning the conflict into a prolonged and costly war The initial assumptions made by Moscow about Ukraine s weakness proved to be incorrect and the Russian military found itself bogged down in a drawn-out conflict that it had not planned for This miscalculation has had significant consequences for Russia The war has dragged on much longer than anticipated leading to heavy losses in both manpower and resources The Russian government has been forced to deal with the economic and political fallout of a war that has become increasingly unpopular at home Moreover, the extended conflict has given the United States and NATO more time to provide military aid and support to Ukraine further complicating Rus-
Is digital technology giving terrorists an edge?
raania SiDDiqui
DThe exact reasons behind UkraineÊs invasion are less critical than the fact that it successfully executed such an operation What is par ticularly notewor thy is how the world learned about this event The invasion likely occurred on August 6, yet Ukraine maintained operational secrecy for several days until President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly addressed it on August 10
on the day of judgment AQ has various discussion groups on Telegram and Facebook through which they teach people about Jihad and its Importance They also exchange ideas and information on how to construct bombs, establish cells, and execute attacks All these social media activities of Al-Qaeda are controlled by its media department named al-Sahab Media Production It publishes the content in multiple languages including Arabic, English, Urdu, and German AQ also receives most of its funding in the form of digital currency Al-Qaeda via use of digital technologies has become a Jihad franchise, connecting organizations like Algeria’s Armed Islamic Group Chechen rebels and Al-Q cells in Lebanon and Indonesia to Pakistan s Jaish-eMohammad Hence, it can be concluded that digital platforms have provided terrorists with an edge to expand their influence and reach to recruit more people into their organizations train them and send them off to fight in the name of Jihad and Islam To counter terrorism on virtual platforms globally there is a need to formulate strong sets of policies and strategies The writer is a freelance columnist
Soaring Utilit y Bills
be held accountable by Allah
AQ has various discussion groups on Telegram and Facebook through which they teach people about ÂJihad and its Impor tanceÊ They also exchang e ideas and information on how to construct bombs, establish cells, and execute attacks All these social media activities of Al-Qaeda are controlled by its media depar tment, named al-Sahab Media Production It publishes the content in multiple languag es, including Arabic, English, Urdu, and German.
Dr MuhaMMaD akraM Zaheer
Te d u c i n g c u r r e n c y i n c i
d p r o m o t i n g d i g i t a l p a y m e n t s
Currency in circulation has been a dominant factor in PakistanÊs economy, contributing to issues like tax evasion, money laundering, and the informal economy. The reliance on cash hinders the development of a documented economy, limits the scope for effective monetary policy, and slows down the adoption of innovative financial technologies. By reducing the reliance on physical currency, SBP aims to strengthen the formal economy, enhance tax collection, and pave the way for a more transparent financial system.
and necessar y for the future of PakistanÊs economy.
Why India’s claims of being vishwaguru are foolish fantasies
India’s claims to world leadership are foolish fantasies The problems our countr y faces, such as institutional dec ay, growing inequalit y, corruption and cronyism in governance, and per vasive environmental degradation, should provide a brutal realit y check Consider a recent statement jointly issued by some citizens of these three countries which asks that ‘the Government of India desist from inter fering in our respec tive polities’. The statement notes that ‘over the decades, inter vention by New Delhi’s political, bureaucratic and intelligence operatives in Colombo, Dhaka and Kathmandu, has contributed to the unending political instability in our countries and has empowered autocratic regimes’
was seen in the front of the frame striding down the steps of a grand building with the American president the French president, the British prime minister and others quietly and obediently (if not reverentially) following behind him Such propaganda was not without a certain effect; after India assumed the rotational G20 presidency in 2023 a friend heard someone say on the Delhi Metro: Aap ko pata hai ki Modiji sirf hamare desh ke nahin, lekin bees desh ke pradhan mantri hai? (Do you know that Modiji is not just the prime minister of India but of 20 nations altogether?) Shared my thoughts during Session 3 of the G20 Summit This Session focussed on the theme of One Future Emphasised on the need of the hour being to look beyond the idea of a Global Village and make the
sion of
com/KcypGXdLsP
a
(@narendramodi) September 10 2023 As it happens at around the
a subtle shift in nomenclature began to manifest itself in the ruling party s propaganda universe It was now being said that India was vishwamitra, a Friend of All This was a distinct downgrading of the Modi regime’s ambitions India was not yet in a position to teach the world but it was nonetheless uniquely placed to befriend every country in the world
Precisely why this new self-description of India entered the political discourse must remain a matter of speculation Was it because, unlike the adoring bhakt on the Delhi Metro, the regime’s spin doctors were aware that India’s G20 presidency was highly temporary and would lapse very soon? Or had our economy not held up to the soaring expectations people had of it? Or had the Chinese incursions along our border, and the prime minister s reluctance even to speak about them, made our claims of global leadership sound hollow?
Anyway the fact is that there was a distinct change in discourse Maybe in the outer
reaches of the bhakt universe – the fringes where it is believed that ancient Hindus invented aeroplanes as well as plastic surgery –the idea that India already was, or would soon become a vishwaguru still held sway But in the sober more realistic and more politically salient sections of the ruling party the term vishwamitra was being used ever more often In the wake of the Bangladesh crisis, however, it may be time to drop even this milder, less egregious, conceit For it appears that the citizens of the countries in our immediate neighbourhood do not regard India as a reliable or trustworthy friend Many Bangladeshis are suspicious of Indian intentions, largely because of the Modi regime s enthusiastic endorsement of Sheikh Hasina Wazed’s autocratic ways When, this past January, Hasina got reelected in a blatantly rigged election the Election Commission of India nonetheless praised the Election Commission of Bangladesh for its allegedly meticulous planning and arrangements made for the conduct of the election process
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: The sentiment that India has behaved arrogantly is visibly present in Sri Lanka and Nepal as well Consider a recent statement jointly issued by some citizens of these three countries which asks that the Government of India desist from interfering in our respective polities” The statement notes that “over the decades intervention by New Delhi’s political bureaucratic and intelligence operatives in Colombo Dhaka and Kathmandu has contributed to the unending political instability in our countries and has empowered autocratic regimes These charges are then given a certain specificity So of Bangladesh these writers remark: “New Delhi actively worked to prop up the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina over the last decade and received political and economic concessions in return Of Sri Lanka, they comment: Before and since the time of the IPKF, Sri Lanka has had to repeatedly wrestle with New Delhi’s encroachment in its politics In addition lately New Delhi authorities have been actively pushing Indian business conglomerates onto the island And, with regard to Nepal, they note: While India once intervened in Nepal s politics through proactive politicians and diplomats it now does so also through intelligence agencies and Hindutva activists of the RSS A significant coercive action
was the blockade imposed on Nepal in 2015, even as the country was reeling from an earthquake, following the promulgation of the Constitution that was not to New Delhi’s liking ” India s blockade is cruel & a breathtaking intrusion on Nepal s sovereignty: h t t p s : / / t c o / I u Z S L m G t B a pic twitter com/BEdDFxToqW New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) November 6, 2015
These characterisations are largely accurate I have spent time in Nepal Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and have friends and professional colleagues in each That India has acted as an overbearing Big Brother is a sentiment widely held by intellectuals and writers in all these countries, and there is much basis for it I am reminded here of the 19thcentury Mexican president who remarked: Poor Mexico so far from God so close to the United States of America Bangladesh Sri Lanka and Nepal are all beset with an array of economic and political challenges, which proximity to India has made more difficult to resolve That said, the distrust of Indian intentions well precedes our current government It was Rajiv Gandhi who sent the Indian Peace Keeping Force into Sri Lanka and it was Rajiv Gandhi again, who imposed a blockade on Nepal long before Narendra Modi did so Indeed, it may have been our first prime minister, who was also our first foreign minister, who set the tone in this regard The diplomat Jagat Mehta who served
with Jawaharlal Nehru, once observed that Nehru did not fully recognise, and the [Foreign] Ministry failed to advise him, that in the twentieth century nothing was as difficult as diplomacy between unequal neighbours ” The logic of history and of geography more or less ensures that India s relations with China and Pakistan will remain difficult Communist China has never accepted the McMahon Line, claiming it was signed under duress when their country was subject to Western imperial control The Chinese invasion of 1962 brief as it was has left deep scars on the Indian national psyche That Pakistan has for decades now sponsored terrorist actions in many parts of India (not just in Kashmir) makes an honest rapprochement with that country extremely difficult
SHARED HISTORIES: However in the case of our smaller neighbours such contentious issues do not exist On the contrary there are factors working in favour of harmonious relations India and Nepal have an open border and many cultural similarities India helped Bangladesh attain its liberation from Pakistan India and Sri Lanka have a shared colonial history and hence similar constitutional and educational trajectories If relations between India and these three countries have rarely been smooth, then surely it calls for introspection on the part of the larger and more powerful nation In the years 2007-’’08, when our economy was doing exceptionally well there was much talk about India becoming a super-
power I thought such claims highly premature and argued at the time that it would be wiser to attend to the social and political fault lines within than to presume to take on the world In Manmohan Singh’s second term the talk of India s imminent rise to global greatness largely subsided However in Narendra Modi s first
Shafqat mahmood awan
FAMILIES FLEE GA Z A AFTER NEW ISRAELI EVACUATION ORDERS AS CEASEFIRE HOPES FADE
A Z I Z B U N E R I
A R H A D Chamber of Commerce and Industry Fuad Ishaq expressed concern over the imposition of a 2 percent tax on export in the name of Infrastructure Development Cess saying the move has halted export consignments worth billions of dollars and rendered huge financial loss to exporters
Speaking at a news conference along with traders’ leaders manufacturers and exporters here at the chamber house on Monday Fuad Ishaq asked the provincial government to immediately withdraw the cess and stop shifting billions of exports from KP to other provinces
The SCCI vice president Ejaz Khan Afridi Anjuman-e-Tajran lifetime President Haji Muhammad Khalid Sultan Khawaja members of the SCCI executive committee Ghulam Hussain Affaf Ali Khan, Naeem Qasmi, APCEA former chairman Haji Ashfaq Ahmad, the chamber former senior vice president Imran
Khan Mohmand Nadeem Rauf Fazal e Wahid, Ishtiaq Paracha, Fahad Amin, Ihsanullah, traders, exporters and industrialists were present in a large number during the press conference
The SCCI chief said the situation is already dire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to government ill-conceived policies and anti-business initiatives
He added a step-motherly and discriminatory attitude with the hand of the provincial government would bring the rest of the business trade and export to an end
He said the anti-trade and export step was unfavorable for the national economy, which should be revisited Responding to a question, Fuad Ishaq said the government has already collected various duties/taxes on export consignments
He clarified infrastructure development cess on exports wasn t implemented in any other parts of the country, but the cess was imposed by KP government from 23 August 2024, which was completely
Aleem Khan, Belarus envoy discuss trade corridors, road network to boost regional connectivit y ISLAMABAD S
PARC Chairman: A Visionar y Leader in Agriculture honoured with Sitara-e-Imtiaz
Ambassador of Belarus to Pakistan H
Mr Andrei Metelitsa called on Federal Minister for Privatization Board of Investment and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and discussed issues of mutual interest and bilateral cooperation in various fields In the meeting, H E Mr Andrei Metelitsa highlighted the "Transport Week" to be held in Belarus in the coming month of September and its representation from Pakistan He invited Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan to participate in this inter country event in Belarus Ambassador of Belarus discussed with Federal Minister regarding Pakistan's participation in the "Joint Memorandum" of transport with Russia Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali has been conferred on Sitara-e-Imtiaz for his remarkable work in agriculture sector He earned his Ph D degree in molecular biology from renowned University of Liverpool, England, in the year 2000 Throughout his career at PARC, he has held key positions including Member Plant Sciences Division Director General of the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC) and Senior Director of National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB) Dr Ali's scientific contributions are as diverse as they are impactful, with over 360 publications in prestigious national and international journals Dr Ali's pioneering work has led to the creation of groundbreaking initiatives like the National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB), the Department of Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, and crop varietal development using genome-based breeding by design strategy for pyramiding multiple desirable genes
Ethiopian SX signs landmark agreements with Infotech Private Ltd
LOAN APPROVAL MAY DEL AY FURTHER AS PAKISTAN
NOT ON IMF BOARD’S SCHEDULE TILL SEPT 4
PT, JUI-F leaders to meet at Asad Qaiser's residence in Islamabad today
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-eIslam Fazl (JUI-F) have decided that their sub-committees will meet on Tuesday (tomorrow) at 2pm at the residence of Asad Qaiser in Parliament Lodges PTI will be represented by Barrister Gohar and Shibli Faraz while JUI-F will be represented by Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Kamran Murtaza in the meeting The decision regarding sub-committees was finalised after a consultation between JUI-F's negotiation committee and party head Maulana Fazlur Rehman
During this meeting with the JUI-F chief which included Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri Aslam Ghauri and Kamran Murtaza the discussions also covered Maulana Fazlur Rehman s recent meeting with President Asif Zardari It is worth mentioning that despite PTI's efforts, the sub-committees of both parties could not meet on Sunday as initially planned Last Friday PTI delegation was called on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl s (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to discuss mutual cooperation in the parliament PTI delegation comprised PTI chief Barrister Gohar Ali, Asad Qaiser, Shibli Faraz and Rauf Hasan while JUI-F Secretary General Maulana Ghafoor Hydari, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Aslam Ghori and Maulana Amjad Khan attended the meeting During the meeting two sides stressed the need for joining hands in the parliament After the meeting PTI Information Secretary Rauf Hassan said that both sides have agreed to move on with mutual consultations during legislation in National Assembly and Senate He said a sub-committee was being formed in Parliament which will give unanimous opinion on legislation JUI-F spokesman Aslam Ghauri confirmed that both political parties have formed a committee for legislation in the parliament Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai said that Mahmood Khan Achakzai s consultation was included for a meeting between PTI and JUI-F
Power consumers are likely to face an additional burden of Rs 47 billion as power distribution companies (DISCOs) have approached the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to recover pending costs This move comes on the heels of a recent announcement by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz regarding a reduction
Rs 10 80 billion for transmission and distribution losses, Rs 7 51 billion for system usage charges and marketing fees and Rs 4 billion for operations and maintenance The documents submitted by the DISCOs indicated that ten distribution companies have collectively requested Rs 46 99 billion The breakdown includes Rs 4,700 million sought by Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO), Rs 7,682 million by Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) Rs 5 017 million by Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) Rs 1 339 million by Islamabad
ISLAMABAD