BIL AWAL SAYS ENGAGING MAUL ANA KEY TO ADVANCE AS L ATTER REJECTS DRAFT AMENDS
g KPBC
ISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
PP Chairman Bilawal BhuttoZardari on Wednesday stated that constitutional amendments were not possible without the support of the JUI-F chief while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council warned the proposed 26th Constitutional Amendment could undermine independence of judiciary and provincial autonomy Speaking to a private TV channel, Bilawal underscored the importance of building consensus with JUI-F to advance proposed constitutional reforms, saying the PPP would prepare a new draft of constitutional amendments
The draft of the constitutional amendments doing rounds in the media is not correct, and the PPP would prepare a new draft”, he claimed Bilawal revealed that JUI-F chief
Maulana Fazlur Rehman was also busy preparing the draft saying: “We will reach a consensus with Maulana on a single draft JUI-F is drafting its own amendments, and engaging Maulana is critical to moving forward , the PPP chairman emphasized “Our effort is to create consensus and it is important to engage with Maulana Fazlur Rehman If he agrees it won t take more than a month or two to proceed Bilawal said The PPP leader highlighted that the government has already addressed several concerns raised by his party and he expects mutual acceptance of proposals from all sides
Bilawal also mentioned the government s proposal to set the Supreme Court judges age limit at 67 with a three-year tenure, while JUI-F
Amendments must not violate Constitution’s core features, war n lawyers
ISLAMABAD
Supreme Court Bar Association
(SCBA) President Shehzad Shaukat, during the All Pakistan Lawyers Representative Meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday highlighted that while the parliament holds the authority to amend the Constitution any such changes must align with its fundamental principles Reading the joint declaration of the SCBA and the Pakistan Bar Council, Shaukat underscored, “No amendment should conflict with the core features of the constitution ” He also announced the formation of a committee composed of representatives from various lawyers councils to review the proposed amendments and ensure they are constitutionally sound
The declaration called for transparency in the amendment process demanding that the final draft be shared with the lawyers representatives before its approval Furthermore, it asserted that only elected representatives of the
legal community have the right to call for strikes Regarding the proposal to establish a constitutional court, the declaration stressed that this matter should proceed only after consultation with the legal community It also urged the Supreme Court to schedule a hearing on the SCBA s petition challenging the court s decision on Article 63-A Shaukat expressed his disappointment at the absence of some dissenting lawyers from the meeting, stating, “It would have been constructive if those with differing views had attended and questioned the Federal Law Minister directly
Responding to the declaration, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar acknowledged the lawyers’ suggestions, assuring that they would be presented to the parliamentary committee “Your suggestions are valuable and I will ensure they reach the parliamentary committee The goal of the judicial reforms is to guarantee justice for the common citizen,” he said
FO lodges protest against Afghan Consul General’s disrespect of Pakistan’s national anthem
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Pakistan s Foreign Office has lodged a formal protest with the Afghan government and their Embassy in Pakistan condemning the disrespectful behavior of Afghanistan s Consul General at an event in Peshawar calling the act reprehensible The Foreign Office summoned the Afghan Chargé d Affaires and lodged a strong protest
Investigation Agency (FIA) He also criticised the ECP for focusing on PTI while allegedly overlooking the activities of other political parties Gohar voiced optimism that the next hearing on October 2 would proceed without any further hurdles from the ECP and reiterated PTI s commitment to the process Additionally, he announced PTI s lawyers movement against constitutional amendments, marking the party’s continued efforts to challenge legal changes affecting its organisational framework
commission meeting later this year in Russia would provide an opportunity to enhance trade and economic relations between the two countries
He added that their goals and visions for development and economic ties within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are well aligned particularly regarding connectivity climate agenda, food security, energy transition, and energy security Moreover, Pakistan and Russia agreed to
ADB PLEDGES $2BN ANNUAL LOAN SUPPORT TO PAKISTAN
Pakistan Customs has foiled an attempt to smuggle over 15,465 mobile phones, mostly Android, valued at Rs446 million from China into Pakistan through the Khunjerab Pass The smuggled goods including iPhones and other non-duty-paid items were seized and a case has been registered Customs officials at Sost Dry Port received a tip-off regarding a truck, numbered GLTE 1257 carrying smuggled mobile phones and valuable goods a report submitted to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said The
Legal proceedings initiated against three IPPs over power restoration delays
M o n i to r n g D e s k The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has initiated legal proceedings against three independent power producers (IPPs) for their failure to restore power to the national grid following a nationwide blackout in January last year Show-cause notices have been issued to the 1,320MW Sahiwal Coal Power Project the 450MW Rousch Power Plant and the 134MW Saba Power Project The action follows detailed investigations into the plants inability to synchronize their generating units with the national grid within the required timeframe This failure contributed to prolonged outages across the country after a major power breakdown occurred on January 23 2023
Nepra’s probe committee scrutinised explanations from the IPPs and cross-checked them with data from the National Power Control Centre (NPCC) and the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) Based on the findings, the regulator decided to proceed with penalties for the plants’ inability to meet their contractual obligations
The breakdown resulted in a complete power outage across the country with restoration taking around 20 hours Following the incident, Nepra launched an inquiry, which involved visits to power stations grid sites and the examination of key documents
The investigation revealed that the IPPs failed to comply with NPCC instructions in a timely manner, causing significant delays in restoring the power system
The Sahiwal Coal Power Project
argued that the start-up procedures during a blackout differ from normal operations citing the need for extra time to normalize the plant s components However, Nepra found these explanations unsatisfactory, noting that the required blackout procedures had not been finalized on time a lapse dating back five years
Similarly Nepra identified shortcomings in the responses of Rousch and Saba Power, concluding that the plants failed to include necessary procedures to address power system recovery
As a result Nepra has commenced formal legal action giving the IPPs an opportunity to defend their cases in writing and present evidence They will also be granted a personal hearing before the regulator imposes any penalties for their role in the extended power outages across the country
Ikramullah Khan appointed as Chairman of Bank of Khyber
Bilawal says engaging Maulana key to advance as latter rejec ts draft amends
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman completely rejected the government’s proposed draft on constitutional amendments terming it unacceptable
E S T I O N E D: Meanwhile JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman completely rejected the government s proposed draft on constitutional amendments, terming it unacceptable Speaking to the media during an informal conversation at the residence of PTI leader Asad Qaiser, Fazl revealed that the government’s original draft had been entirely dismissed after review He questioned the credibility of the process stating Now they are claiming it wasn t even their draft What kind of game was being played?
The government and opposition delegations had previously met with Fazlur Rehman to seek his support for the amendments but he clarified that the proposed draft was not acceptable under any circumstances
The JUI-F also refrained from commenting on the alleged statements of PTI Chairman Imran Khan from Adiala Jail Former President Arif Alvi and senior PTI leader Raoof Hasan also attended the luncheon hosted by Asad Qaiser Maulana Fazl visited Asad Qaiser ’s house following an invitation from the latter the previous day as both sides warm up for each other
S: The former president met with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence in Islamabad earlier on Tuesday to discuss the government’s proposed constitutional amendments, a move seen as part of the broader efforts to break the deadlock over crucial political reforms
The meeting was attended by key figures including PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Maulana Attaul Haq Darvesh, Maulana Asad Mahmood, Akhunzada Hussain, and Abdul Jalil Jan According to sources, the discussions focused on re-
viewing the proposed amendments aimed at reforming the constitutional framework Alvi extended his congratulations to Fazlur Rehman for presenting his stance on the amendments during earlier parliamentary discussions
The meeting came at a critical time, as the ruling PML-N-led coalition faces resistance in pushing through its secret constitutional amendment package Fazlur Rehman a key political ally in the past has emerged as a significant obstacle refusing to back the government s proposed amendments despite intense lobbying Sources disclosed that PTI founder Imran Khan had given Alvi a special task, potentially signalling that the PTI is closely monitoring developments and may seek to influence the outcome The constitutional amendments, which have been shrouded in secrecy aim to address a range of political and legal issues including reforms to the judiciary and the process of appointments in higher courts The amendments also seek to adjust the balance of power within the federal system J U I-F’S F I R M S TA N C E: The ruling coalition, led by PML-N, suffered a setback on Monday when its efforts to table the amendment bill collapsed after Fazlur Rehman refused to support the government s package Despite marathon parliamentary sessions over the weekend including back-to-back sittings of the National Assembly and Senate, the government failed to secure the required votes to pass the bill
Fazlur Rehman has remained firm in his refusal, citing concerns over the secretive manner in which the government has handled the process His party JUI-F holds crucial votes in both the National Assembly and the Senate making his support essential for the coalition to pass the amendments Without JUI-F s backing, the government is unlikely to secure the two-thirds majority required to pass a constitutional amendment The opposition, mainly led by former prime minister Imran Khan’s PTI slammed the proposed reforms calling them unconstitutional and saying that no draft of the proposed changes had been shared with them or the media
Amazon names Samir Kumar as new India head
COMMENT
TH e thousands of pagers which exploded all over Lebanon could have only been caused by Israel, and may well be the signal of an impending Israeli attack after Hezbollah’s recent escalation of violence with Israel following the latter ’s attack on Gaza after the October 7 attacks by Hamas
The purpose of the attack is clearly aimed at Hezbollah’s communication ability thus degrading its ability to respond to any Israeli attack Hezbollah had recently abandoned mobile phones, the previous staple for internal communication because it believed they were being tapped by Israeli intelligence, which had led to the location and killing of a number of Hezbollah commanders
Therefore, the number of those killed, initially nine and expected to go up, because some of 2800 injured are critical does not really matter What does matter is that the medical facilities of the small country are already stretched thin, and may well be driven to breaking point by any Israeli attack which will not only cause military casualties which will be the responsibility of the Hezbollah structure, but also many civilian casualties who will turn to the already overburdened healthcare network The Israeli action indicates a kind of Israeli desperation, for it would create not just a second but a third front for the Israeli forces which are engaged in not just Gaza but also the West Bank However, this multiplication of conflict is good for the netanyahu government, which needs the unifying factor of a war to remain in office
Perhaps one of the most dangerous aspects of this operation, which is irresistibly reminiscent of Q , the James Bond character who headed the Secret Service’s development of secret technologies, is that it could lead to the spreading of the war ever since October 7, Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers have been trading fire, with hundreds being killed Hezbollah is a strong ally of Iran, to the extent that some regard it as a mere proxy While Itan has avoided involvement in the conflict Israel seems bent on provoking it It has attacked its mission in Damascus, and assassinated the Hamas leader on Iranian soil Israel has been exploiting the mindless backing of the West in its criminal enterprises, The USA has already indicated that it will not stop Israeli escalation In short, it will overlook this piece of Israeli bad behaviour and go along with whatever trumped-story it will use to ruin the peace of the world
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
to keep himself blissfully unaware of it It is easy to spot rationalizing at play from two unmistakable giveaways
The first is inconsistency The implications of the argument are invariably inconsistent when arguments are pressed into service to support prior beliefs for example, rejecting something due to emotional reasons or material considerations This is so because if the same reasoning is applied across the board, many of the cherished beliefs will have to be abandoned similarly which is hardly acceptable to the rationalizer
The second dead giveaway is the abysmal nature of the arguments The cart being before the horse the arguments often are such that cannot possibly lead to the conclusions The rationalizer rarely has the luxury to consider the quality of the arguments he employs Because his preferences are arbitrary the material available to him is often poor In his desperation he is happy with whatever straw comes to hand by way of justification of his beliefs– anything that even looks like an argument (no matter how irrelevant or pathetic) will do as far as he is concerned With the rationalizing scheme in mind (or in the subconscious), the choice of tools at this person’s arsenal
tifying the rational animal thesis It is true that some individuals are extremely rational But they are the exceptions that prove the rule– the rule being that an overwhelming majority of humankind does not answer to the description of rational animals
Rationalizing animals, on the other hand, is an apt description of man For starters, contrary to popular belief human beings do not generally operate in a manner where evidence or argument leads them to their conclusions or their stance on any given issue Instead as a rule decisions are made first even if subconsciously Reasons come later, plenty of which can always be found with minimal effort In most cases then, practice points to the exact reverse of the evidence-warranting-conclusions sequence
Why certain positions are taken in the first place is a complex matter though All our beliefs come with implications of their own Some stances are hard to let go of on account of their familiarity stemming from a long commitment to them To accept that one s parents and early mentors were wrong is a particularly hard idol to smash Some positions, on the other hand are difficult to adopt because they are thought to be held by one’s enemies Beliefs that would necessitate a change in one s decades-old habits are generally rejected out of hand Vested interests of various types are usually associated with siding with one side or the other on any given issue
The test associated with deciding what is right or wrong, appropriate or inappropriate, moral or immoral is multidimensional multilayered and extremely stern no wonder most of us end up rationalizing our preferred stances instead of arriving at rational ones based on the evidence at hand
Rationalizing is extremely convenient of course, since it helps avoid conflict But avoiding, as opposed to resolving, conflict always comes with a price This is readily recognisable by others even if the man who is rationalizing manages to or pretends
In the 1960s social critic Paul Goodman offered a parable to describe what had gone wrong with American higher education He wrote: Millennia ago there were wise people who knew many things that they were eager to share Young people came to them and asked ‘Would you teach
and which students were with which teachers The problem today is that the clerks are running the show deciding who will teach what they will teach and who is qualified to learn
The lesson conveyed by this parable is relevant to understanding worrisome developments unfolding on US college campuses Israel’s assault on Gaza following Hamas’s attack of October 7 spawned a nationwide revolt of the young While organized groups helped mobilize demonstrations demanding a ceasefire and Palestinian rights, the breadth and depth of the effort was more akin to a spontaneous eruption In this regard, it was not unlike earlier spontaneous protest movements that sprang up over the past decade: the Women s March; the Welcome immigrants demonstrations that filled US airports in response to the Muslim ban ; the student-led March for our Lives after repeated mass shootings; and the Black Lives Matter movement that erupted after the murder of George Floyd The ceasefire/pro-Palestinian movement had much in common with these earlier efforts Its politics skewed left it was youth-led and racially, ethnically and religiously diverse The difference was that a main locus of its activities was college campuses It began with demonstrations, teach-ins and
vigils But as the war continued into the spring and the world became aware of the mass killings and devastation inflicted by Israel– and the Joe Biden Administration s unconditional support in the face of the enormity of human loss and suffering– the intensity of the student response grew as well This gave birth to the “encampment movement” that rapidly spread to hundreds of campuses across the country
From the early stages the campus anti-war protests were confronted by a number of malign actors who sought to silence or discredit the dissent Charging that administrations weren’t acting to quash the protests, a number of pro-Israel donors and trustees at some elite universities withdrew their financial support While most of the early protests were selfpoliced there were often instances where students on both sides of this emotionally charged conflict engaged in hurtful or threatening behaviour At this point, a second group of malign actors entered the fray
A few prominent pro-Israel Jewish organisations drummed up an exaggerated campaign charging that the entire protest effort was at its core anti-Semitic and should be stopped to protect Jewish students who felt threatened or excluded They published reports, conducted a huge media campaign and testified before Congress making their case While some examples they used were clearly hurtful the bulk of the instances they cited were not by any reasonable standard anti-Semitic This effort was enough to provide the impetus for a third group of malign actors: Republican members of Congress For the GOP, this was “a perfect storm” The cast of villains were “elite” universities with their spoiled upperclass students those who oppose Israel and Democrats who tolerate or even encourage disruptive behaviour Ivy League university presidents were sum-
moned to testify before congressional committees, where they were badgered and confronted by deceptive and misleading questions designed more for media hits than information The pressures placed on these presidents after they bungled their confrontations before different committees resulted in many feeling compelled to resign Republicans sensing victory and smelling blood in the water went further in their campaigns of harassment– threatening funding for colleges that didn’t act as the GOP saw fit and demanding more oversight They also moved from maligning the movement as anti-Semitic to also supporting terrorist ideology
Confronted by these multi-layered challenges and fearful of the pressures from donors and congressional meddling, many universities reacted by inviting in police to dismantle the protests– often using brutal force In a few weeks police arrested more than 3 000 students nationwide with universities suspending many and banning several student groups from operating on campus
When students and faculty returned to their campuses this month they discovered that college administrators had been hard at work during the summer revamping policies with regard to both allowable protest activity and acceptable speech While there were some differences from campus to campus, the new regulations had enough in common to lead researchers to uncover an industry of “security consultants” who had been brought in to advise on changing campus policies and practices
The new procedures place limits on time place and duration of protests and require that sponsoring groups secure permission for protest activity and, in some instances, the content of signs to be used
Some faculty have been required to submit their curriculum for review (not only by administrators but by requesting members of Congress) More problematic has been the fact that all of these changes have been made without involvement of the schools faculty or student senates or the established faculty/student judicial committees Instead of dealing with infractions internally, they involve external police enforcement
While many have expressed concern that these policies are similar to McCarthy-era repression and intimidation equally worrisome is what all of this means for the future of the university And this is where Goodman s parable is relevant, because what we have is a situation where the clerks driven by fear political pressure and donors have engineered a power grab bypassing the established structures of governance and have securitised campuses restricting both academic freedom and freedom of expression And all of this was done to
Mental health impact of digitalization
Polarized politics
Iare vulnerable most of the time It is imperative to note that they are part of that generation that has grown up in the digital era, and they are always online in one way or another, whether on social networks or other online platforms There is no denying that such platforms create unprecedented chances for communication and education and therefore are potential breeding grounds for the NKW agents Concern has been raised on the effects of NKW on youths of Asian states Thus, the potential of NKW for the formation of the future of these nations as the generation’s consciousness is formed by the stories they read and actions determined by ideologies they choose is immense The purpose of this article is to discuss NKW as well as elaborate how the youth of Asian states are experiencing this form of warfare that has led to a new kind of face for war The youth of Asian states are dealing with the appearance of the new and more dangerous kind of war which is much more covert and manipulative than the conventional kinetic wars Hybrid warfare, developing into cyberwar, informational war, and the wielding of mind influence, has turned into one of the effective soft weapons through which states shape the minds and actions of the youth
Innocent souls as youths possess curiosity and flexibility of mind can easily be used or manipulated in non-kinetic engagements These social platforms as an essential part of their lives, are used as tools of disseminating disinformation and propaganda In cyberspace, state-sponsored individuals can easily spread posts that suit the subject’s emotions thus taking advantage of the weakness of young and vulnerable persons The effects of such continuous manipulation are cumulative as the clients are either radicalized or develop mental disorders Again, the youth find themselves in the middle of a game they do not understand; they are just being used for a purpose They are formed by the kind of stories they read or the kind of stories they are a part of and by the ideologies they embrace The Asian region in particular has since transformed into a theater of non-kinetic operations due to its geopolitics China’s BRI India’s digital economy growth and South East Asia’s social media vulnerability have made it easy to take advantage of Politicians businesspeople civil servants and other stakeholders re using these platforms to advance their agendas against the sovereignty of youths
It can therefore be argued that the effects of non-kinetic warfare among Asian youths are complex This is not to mention the risk of radicalization mental health problems erosion of social cohesiveness and economic costs Prolonged toxicity of such dis-
information and manipulation impacts upon the psychological health of a population and causes anxiety stress and depression Social connections are severed resulting in the emergence of cleavages and a loss of confidence in organizations In order to effectively combat the relatively new form of warfare that non-kinetic warfare is the Asian states need to develop an integrated strategy Counter narratives cyber security digital literacy and institutional trust comprise an important part of this approach It is possible to educate the youth on how to think critically and how to be safe when using digital technologies, as well as how to be media literate
Extending computer security preserving personal information and encouraging practices that can guard against web threats can save oneself from cyber theft Dissemination of the information, which is opposite to misinformation and disinformation, and propagation of the counter-narratives may help prevent people from being influenced by propaganda Building trust in institutions encouraging the improvement of transparency and accountability and in general, increasing the representation of the members will lead to a feeling of togetherness and the overall purpose of the community This way we realize a better, stronger, well-informed and one community for the younger generations of Asian states The risk is thus real and the influence of other non-kinetic warfare on the young people of the Asian states cannot be
It can be seen that the future development of NKW countermeasures is based on technology, education, and cooperation Thus, cooperating and suppor ting Asian states will be able to constitute an effective barrier against NKW and a better future for the next g enerations
overemphasized This means that it is the turn of the culture to do something to teach to shield and to equip For our youth and by extension, our nations, this is the only guarantee if we want to transform our future Given that the threat of non-kinetic warfare (NKW) is replete with Asian states, it is appropriate to consider future prospects in order to counter this phenomenon and avoid its catastrophic consequences Informing the young people about safety how to reason, and how to decode information they come across on the internet will go a long way in helping them This means that measures such as developing stronger cyber defense involving good security measures and boosting drills against cyber threats may be useful in stopping the cyber threats
Using counter-narratives is a way to challenge and neutralize the role of disinformation and propaganda to interpret the world However, an attempt can be made on using the AI tools to identify the NKW attacks and escape the clutches of the adversaries The integration of all regional actors to form cooperation and sharing of information with regard to the NKW threat possesses a better capability towards a common approach to threat elimination
Teaching people and communities how to
Thus,
LI K E many, my relationship with my body has been a complex and challenging one I have spent years dissatisfied with my body shape and size (where is the hour-glass option I ordered?) premature greying hair (is this what they mean by distinguished? ) facial marks (as if life was not challenging enough!) and body hair (is this even normal for women to have or did I accidentally join a different club?) Truth be told – the list is longer Fortunately academia gave me a platform to generate dialogue around this issue I can t be alone in this I thought surely others have bad body image days too and, thus, began my journey of offering an elective course on Body Image and Mental Health I was eager to revisit my undergraduate and postgraduate notes on eating disorders and body image issues dive into the empirical literature listen to the views and experiences of 20-year-olds and help them develop informed views Most importantly I wanted to help them recognise that most of us have internalised the societal standards of beauty without ever questioning it EARLY LESSONS IN BEAUTY: Consider these statements: “It’s my cousin’s wedding in eight months! I have to lose weight! If only I were more muscular and taller I would have been more popular in school But why the need to lose weight or to look taller and muscular? Why should one have to spend their precious time trying to look more attractive when one could be travelling, painting, learning new skills or better yet simply resting? The next time you feel the pressure to look thinner or muscular I urge you to pause and reflect Why give in
ideals of beauty and attractiveness The ideal man is usually portrayed as having a sharp jawline muscular chest and arms, and broad shoulders that narrow down to a lean waist The ideal woman is mostly portrayed as young and thin, with fair and flawless skin In both cases, media images set a standard that is far from the reality for most men and women For someone who is low on self-esteem and has never been comfortable in their own skin regular exposure to such images and the pressure to conform to these unrealistic standards can lead to increased body dissatisfaction and low body confidence DUAL PRESSURE: Body image scholars have pointed to an encouraging development in the media landscape: more women are being depicted in careeroriented and agentic roles Unfortunately more often than not the protagonists continue to embody the socially idealised body In other words, although women are shown breaking glass ceilings and defying traditional gender norms, the emphasis on physical attractiveness continues to persist The pressure to be both successful and beautiful can create feelings of inadequacy among viewers and reinforce negative stereotypes It is important to remember that the media isn t just a source of entertainment Time and again researchers have emphasised how the media shapes as well as reflects social reality Thus, media portrayals are also highly likely to shape our views of beauty Today social media seems to have intensified this influence and it can become a breeding ground for body image issues if not used mindfully FILTERED REALITIES: What we see on social media are often filtered realities – many influencers, celebrities and regular users often present idealized version of themselves – that may have been achieved through filters, editing or surgery Besides, social media algorithms typically promote content that receive high levels of engagement Often such content includes images that conform to the societal standards of attractiveness This constant exposure can lead to a culture of comparison and a pressure to look perfect – making one feel inadequate, unworthy and anxious – especially, if one believes that they fall short of these standards A study on ‘fitspiration’ posts on social media even found that exposure to such images was related to increased negative mood states and decreased body image satisfaction among their viewers THE WAY FORWARD: Both traditional and newer forms of media can be a force for good For example, movies such as Wonder and Dum Laga Ke Haisha play a pivotal role in promoting greater sensitivity towards body image issues Similarly the rise of body positive posts on social media has given greater visibility to the body positivity movement and its emphasis on body diversity and self-acceptance
IN his signature black turtleneck and blue jeans, Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the first multitouch iPhone in 2007 with the proud declaration “Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything That s great marketing copy and even better when it turns out to be true
The touchscreen smartphone is now our ubiquitous companion, and with each new product release, phone makers unveil new innovations supported by longer-lasting batteries and mightier chips When connected to the cloud, these minicomputers become even more game-changing allowing us to capture and share our life and our creations with the world Or so the breathless promoters say Most users though probably take these incremental changes for granted They have become so entrenched in our daily lives that their disruptiveness is often forgotten
Undoubtedly, photography has grown to become one of the core functions of smartphones Over time camera specs have become more prominent both in terms of the hardware and the underlying software that intelligently and silently adjusts the aperture shutter speed and focus in real time In fact, shoppers often see mobile phones as cameras first, with browsing and messaging as secondary features Mobile photography and videography have caused undeniable disruption Most notably, it’s made everyone a creator capable of dispensing viral content eyewitness reports clever TikToks impromptu comedy sketches The marketing of smartphone makers often celebrates the cinematic creativity in the hands of both pros and amateurs It has democratized the visual arts and rerouted the networks of promotion and distribution
Some say that the smartphone’s photographic innovations have plateaued but last month Google raised eyebrows with the release of the Reimagine tool introduced with the Pixel 9 series of phones Harnessing the Promethean technology of AI the software allows users to alter textures, materials and styles of objects While Adobe Photoshop granted mortals similar powers way back in 1990, this is different The bar to image manipulation has been dropped very low The tool has safeguards against harmful or offensive prompts but users have reportedly been able to skirt around them The increasing availability of easy-to-use software could end up hardwiring skepticism into our perceptions The belief in a staged moon landing lives on in the doubters who no longer see a new photo as a reliable depiction of reality and cry It s AI!
Media are now having to call in photo forensic experts to verify photos of say political rallies
while Disney has introduced greater diversity with characters like Moana and Luisa and Mattel has released more realistic and diverse versions of Barbie the idealised body promoted by the early Disney princesses and Barbies, and internalised by many children at a young age are difficult to undo For
At a time when body dissatisfaction, body dysmorphic disorder, and eating disorders are on the rise we must be intentional and conscious of our media diet Watching TV shows movies and web series that promote body diversity (e g Orange is the New Black Gippi) following accounts or hashtags related to body acceptance, and participating in discussions about the impact of media on body image (e g , conversations on Reddit communities that are focused on body acceptance, body confidence and positive body image) might be a good place to start Experts also suggest keeping track of social media content or accounts that trigger one s body image issues – and it might be in our best interest to unfollow or mute such accounts Please also remember to be kind to yourself on days when you feel negatively about your body Do not consider a bad body image day to be indicative of a setback in your journey towards self-acceptance These are the days when you need to remind yourself that
Image manipulation has been around for a while Photo retouching and composites in the 19th century were not uncommon Long before Photoshop and Instagram filters photographers used a variety of methods to manipulate the truth Although the beautification process of yesterday was considerably labor intensive, no doubt it was motivated by the same desire that modern-day Snapchat users have when they give themselves plumper lips or smoother complexions Even the portrait painters that predate photographers recognized the importance of flattering a patron Around 1865 a printmaker collaged the head of Abraham Lincoln onto the body of South Carolina politician John Calhoun The photo
SyEd laiquE HaidEr
JAPAN TIMES
UN VOTES TO END ISRAEL’S PRESENCE IN PALESTINIAN
WITHIN 12 MONTHS
and ally of Israel – has long opposed unilateral measures that undermine the prospect of a two-state solution The ICJ advisory opinion is not binding but carries weight under international law and may weaken support for Israel A General Assembly resolution also is not binding but carries political weight There is no veto power in the assembly Each country has a vote and the world is watching us, Palestinian U N Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the General Assembly on Tuesday “Please stand on the right side of history With international law With freedom With peace Israel s UN Ambassador Danny Danon criticized the General Assembly on Tuesday for failing to condemn the October 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian Hamas militants that sparked Israel’s assault on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip He rejected the Palestinian text saying: Let s call this for what it is: this resolution is diplomatic terrorism using the tools of
Chinese FM responds to Japanese claim on PLA aircraft carrier activities
and
and
The
the Turkish coastal city of Izmir, where her body was recently repatriated before funeral services, said that no toxic substance was found in the blood
A cerebral hemorrhage and brain damage were de-
tected the report added The report said the entry wound was damaged and the bullet core was removed in the first autopsy performed in Palestine, and no definite opinion could be formed about the direction of the shot or the bullet core due to a lack of images of the scene of the incident
Eygi s body following the autopsy was handed over to prosecutors for examination as six metallic foreign objects were removed from the body, constituting evidence of a crime, according to the report
Taken as a whole, the report concluded that her death occurred as a result of fracture of the bones of her head hemorrhage between the membranes of the brain and brain tissue destruction due to firearm bullet injury Israeli killing of peaceful activist
Israeli soldiers opened fire on protesters during a Sept 6 peaceful demonstration in the occupied West Bank, and Eygi, who was taking part in the demonstration in support of Palestinians, was shot in the head and seriously wounded
Eygi was taken to a Palestinian hospital but died despite doctors best efforts Her body was laid to rest on Saturday in the Didim her hometown in Aydin Türkiye
Eygi was a human rights activist who was a volunteer of the International Solidarity Movement, which supports Palestinians through peaceful and civilian means against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories US citizen Rachel Corrie who was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer in 2003 also belonged to the same movement
GOVT CONSIDERS NEW STEEL MILL IN K ARACHI IN PL ACE OF OLD STEEL MILL
IESCO operations circles incharge will conduct e-court
SE IESCO Attock E-Kachery Phone No 051-4950343, For Chakwal Circle, SE IESCO Chakwal E-Kachery Phone No 0543-668500, For Jhelum Circle SE IESCO Jhelum E-Kachery Phone No 0544-9270377 Valuable customers are requested to
James Hampson said, “We believe that the arts have a crucial role to play in addressing the climate crisis Climate Futures: South Asia is an exciting opportunity for artists and cultural organizations to lead the way and drive forward innovative projects that will inspire change ”
Three terrorists
what are the salient features as laid down by the Supreme Court? Democracy, parliamentary form of government and independence of judiciary Another prominent feature of the 26th Amendment is the establishment of a new court the Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan ( FCC ) with a permanent seat in Islamabad For all intents and purposes, this will be the top court in the land if the amendment goes through and will have the highest judicial body interpreting the Constitution Its words will be the law So think of the FCC as essentially the same way as you have thought of the Supreme Court till now The FCC will consist of a Chief Justice and other judges as may be determined by an Act of Parliament, or, until such time, as set by the President of Pakistan The FCC ensures equal representation for all provinces The first Chief Justice of the FCC will be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, while the first judges of the FCC will be appointed by the President in consultation with the Chief Justice of the FCC For future appointments of the Chief Justice of the FCC the National Assembly Committee will recommend one of the three most senior judges of the FCC For future appointments of judges of the FC, Judges of the FCC will be appointed by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan In terms of eligibility criteria the candidate must be a citizen of Pakistan and meet one of the following professional qualifications: (i) having served as a Judge of the Supreme Court, (ii) having been a High Court judge for at least
killed during shootout near Nankana Interchange: CTD
Three suspected terrorists were killed and two others fled the scene after a shootout with the personnel of the Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) near Nankana Sahib Interchange on Wednesday
According to a spokesperson for the CTD, the terrorists opened fire on a CTD team during an intelligence-based operation near Nankana Sahib Interchange The spokesperson however clarified that the three terrorists were killed in crossfire from their own accomplices The CTD recovered three hand grenades detonators two rifles, bullets, explosive material, and other equipment from the scene According to CTD, the terrorists were planning a major attack in Lahore, which was foiled with this operation Earlier the Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested Aminul Haq a close associate of AlQaeda founder Osama bin Laden DIG CTD Usman Akram Gondal said that Amin al-Haq a key Al-Qaeda operative, was taken into custody yesterday He stated that the arrested Al-Qaeda operative s name was included in the list of terrorists wanted by the US and EU The CTD launched an investigation into the matter terming the arrest as a significant breakthrough DIG CTD Usman Akram Gondal added It is worth mentioning here that the CTD Punjab arrested 38 terrorists in 449 intelligence-based operations conducted across various cities of the province in July
‘Raid On Law yer’s
five years or (iii) having been an advocate of a High Court for at least 14 years and an advocate of the Supreme Court Retirement age for judges of the FCC would be 68 years unless the judge resigns earlier or is removed Judges of the Supreme Court who are appointed to the FCC shall serve for a fixed term of three years regardless of their age If such a judge is appointed as Chief Justice of the FCC their term will also be three years, or until they reach 68 years of age, whichever comes first Once the Chief Justice’s three-year term ends, they will retire, regardless of their age FCC is the court that will hear petitions under Article 184(3) This will be its original jurisdiction It will also have appellate and review jurisdiction If the proposed amendment becomes the law, all petitions, appeals, and review pending in the Supreme Court against orders and judgments passed by the High Court under Article 199 of the Constitutional shall stand transferred to FCC and shall be decided by it Executive and judicial authorities throughout Pakistan will be constitutionally required to act in aid of the FCC This was a provision applicable to the Supreme Court earlier This emphasizes the central role of a new court in Pakistan s legal framework and ensures that other authorities must comply with its decisions
The judges of the Supreme Court will be appointed by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan Regarding the appointment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court the 26th Amendment establishes a National Assembly Committee comprising eight members as far as practicable in equal proportion from each parliamentary party, nominated by
the Speaker of the National Assembly This Committee will by a majority vote of its total membership send a nomination from among the three most senior judges of the Supreme Court to the Prime Minister, within seven days prior to the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice The Prime Minister will then forward the name to the President for appointment
The Supreme Court retains appellate jurisdiction, but cases related to Article 199 (writ petitions) will now be handled exclusively by the FCC
Appeals can be made to the Supreme Court in cases where: The High Court has overturned an acquittal and sentenced someone to death or life imprisonment
The High Court has withdrawn a case from a lower court and convicted the accused
The High Court has punished someone for contempt of court
Appeals involving disputes over a minimum value currently set at 50 000 rupees, can also be made to the Supreme Court In other cases, not covered above, an appeal to the Supreme Court requires the Supreme Court’s permission (leave) to proceed
If a case involves significant questions of constitutional interpretation it will be transferred to the FCC The FCC will decide whether it or the Supreme Court has jurisdiction if there is any confusion
Appeals in the Supreme Court must be decided within 12 months of filing Appeals pending before the 26th Amendment must be decided within 24 months
Decisions of the Supreme Court are binding on all courts except the FCC
IHC bars trial cour t from a final verdic t in £190m case
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday refrained the trial court from a final verdict in the £190 million case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife
A divisional bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb issues the order while hearing an acquittal plea filed by former premier Imran Khan and his wife
The court also addressed objections raised by the Registrar ’s Office as both the parties sought the court to stop the trial court from a final decision until the IHC give a final verdict on the appeals
The petitioners argued that the trial court should not proceed with the case while it is under review by the High Court After hearing the arguments, the IHC barred the trial court from issuing a final ruling on the matter, granting the petitioners temporary relief
The £190 million case has drawn considerable attention due to its high-profile nature Imran Khan and his wife are seeking acquittal The court s decision ensures the trial will remain in limbo until the High Court concludes its hearings on the matter
Previously, Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court, challenging an accountability court's decision to reject their acquittal plea in the £190 million corruption case
The appeal filed by their legal team led by Barrister Salman Safdar and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry contested the court s 9th September ruling
In their petition the couple argues that their acquittal was justified based on merit claiming there is insufficient evidence to warrant a conviction
The appeal calls for the accountability court s decision to be overturned, with Khan and Bushra Bibi seeking to be absolved of all charges
A separate application for a stay order has also been submitted urging the court to pause proceedings until the appeal is addressed The £190 million case has been a point of contention with the couple claiming their innocence throughout
The case centres around allegations of misuse of authority and personal gain through government decisions and donations
The case is based on a meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by Khan in December 2019 during which a confidential deed was approved
The NAB prosecution argues that Imran Khan did not fully disclose the facts to the cabinet members and pressured them into approving the confidential agreement without proper scrutiny
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan on Wednesday marked a significant milestone in its space program with the successful test of the PakSat MM-1 satellite announced by Chairman of SUPARCO Muhammad Yousuf Khan
Speaking at the test ceremony, Chairman Khan noted that the project, which began with the launch of PakSat in 2001, is progressing with the development of the MM-1 satellite He also revealed that plans are in place for the launch of PakSat MM-2 in the coming years Khan emphasized that SUPARCO is aligned with the government s Digital Pakistan vision and is playing a key role in sectors such as food security and forestry The recent approval of Pakistan s Space Pol-
icy, he said, would further improve service delivery in the space sector Minister of State for Information Technology Shiza Fatima commended the SUPARCO team for their tireless efforts in the successful launch of the MM-1 satellite She acknowledged the challenges faced during the formulation of Pakistan s first National Space Policy and highlighted its potential benefits Fatima stressed the importance of connectivity in advancing various sectors noting that PakSat MM-1 could be instrumental in improving internet access in rural areas of Pakistan She further pointed out that better connectivity through the satellite could revolutionize digitalization in education and healthcare areas that have seen slow progress over the past seven decades
