REJECTED DRAFT AMENDS DUE TO CONCERNS OVER EXPANDED MILITARY ROLE: FA ZL
A M I AT Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl
Chief Maulana Fazlur
(JUI-F)
Rehman on Friday said he re-
jected the government s proposed constitutional amendments, which is limiting fundamental rights and expanding the military’s role
The draft includes provisions that could significantly impact the judiciary allowing the government to transfer judges or reassign cases if a decision is unfavourable This would undermine the system, even affecting High Court judges,” the JUI-F chief stated while speaking to the media in Multan on Friday
Fazl revealed that the government s proposal sought to establish a Federal Constitutional Court and had initially included provisions for extending judges’ tenure and increasing the number of judges However the government later withdrew these suggestions but retained the idea of creating the new court
We told the government that this is merely a headline; show us the actual draft
Despite total refusal by Jamiat Ulemae-Islam (JUI-F)
happen, we will still work to gather the necessary numbers ” Bhutto-Zardari explained that the concept of constitutional courts is rooted in the Charter of Democracy a historic agreement between the PPP and the PML-N He underlined
This
lier
would
In an
after Bilawal
JUI-F’s
with a private TV channel on Friday evening Bilawal highlighted the importance of consensus-building with JUI-F to move forward with the proposed constitutional reforms “We want everyone on board for these amendments ” he said “In our meeting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman we made efforts to reach an agreement However if that doesn t
first, and then we will discuss,” he said The JUI-F chief disclosed that the government was initially reluctant to share the draft with his party even though a copy had been provided to the Pakistan People s Party (PPP) Eventually, they gave us a copy, but I cannot say for sure whether both copies are identical We do not know if there have been additions or subtractions in the new version he remarked After legal experts reviewed the draft, Fazl expressed disappointment, stating that while the Constitution protects every citizen’s rights, the proposed amendments grant exemptions to the military and restrict the scope of fundamental rights Fazl also voiced his concern over the growing trend of exchanging interests in politics, which he believes has become the norm “We have always conducted politics based on principles and for the nation rejecting all proposals that were against human rights or only served to protect the government he stated The JUI-F chief acknowledged that the idea of a Federal Constitutional Court is included in the Charter of Democracy, given the Supreme Court s current backlog of 60,000 cases and the overall 2 4 million pending cases across the country However he pointed out that when the draft was handed to them the government did not have the majority to pass it and the approval hinged on JUIF s support We made it clear that we are not satisfied and cannot support this draft,” he asserted Fazl mentioned that the PPP Chairman met with him and they agreed to draft their own versions of the amend-
warned that if the government refused permission to the party for the Lahore rally then we will turn the rally into a protest During informal conversation with journalists at Adiala jail on Friday, the former premier said, If the rally is stopped, the entire nation will protest at Minar-ePakistan" "For
endorsed by the Supreme Court, but is being blocked once again "Despite the guarantee, containers were placed and obstacles set up at the Islamabad rally" "Has anyone in the world ever given time to end a rally? We were deceived regarding the Islamabad rally the PTI leader questioned If the Deputy Commissioner of Lahore does not permit the rally, we will protest at Minar-e-Pakistan," he stated The PTI founder alleged that even during Musharraf's martial law era, the media and political rallies were not banned from expression "Musharraf s election was free and fair compared to theirs and he also did not impose bans on the media and rallies Speaking more on permission regarding rallies, he said, "Whatever their requests are, they are being heard, and ours are being rejected"
ments which would then be shared with each other to reach a consensus Legislation is the job of parliament, and we will not tolerate any restrictions on this However if the balance of power between institutions is not maintained it could lead to the country s destruction he warned He emphasised that every institution should operate within its constitutional limits “If institutions work within their boundaries everything will proceed smoothly; otherwise the country will weaken Fazl said
Six soldiers mar tyred, 12 ter rorists killed in Nor th, South Waziristan operations: ISPR
RAWALPINDI S
Six soldiers embraced martyrdom while 12 terrorists were killed during fire exchange with security forces during two operations in North and South Waziristan districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) the military s media wing said on Friday
According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the security forces on Thursday detected the movement of seven terrorists trying to infiltrate the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan s Spinwam area
The infiltrators were surrounded, effectively engaged and after an intense fire exchange, all seven khawarij were sent to hell ” the ISPR said adding that a large quantity of weapons ammunition and explosives was also recovered from the slain terrorists In a separate incident, a group of terrorists attacked a security forces checkpoint in South Waziristan’s Ladha area the statement added Own troops fought bravely
foiling the attempts of intrusion, and killed five khawarij, the statement said “However during an intense exchange of fire six brave sons of the soil having fought gallantly paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat
The statement said that sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other khariji present in the area as security forces were determined to eliminate the menace of terror-
ism from the country Such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve ” the ISPR said On September 6 four terrorists were killed when they tried to attack the Frontier Corps headquarters in KP s Mohmand district In August, three soldiers were martyred and five terrorists were killed after security forces foiled an infiltration attempt at the PakistanAfghanistan border in the province s Bajaur district
The law gave the power of taking sou motu notice to a three-member committee comprising senior judges including the chief justice It further aimed to have transparent proceedings in the apex court and includes the right to appeal Regarding the constitution of benches the law stated that every cause matter or appeal before the apex court
party in both the national and provincial assemblies, for all constitutional and legal purposes The ECP had already notified 39 of the lawmakers as PTI MNAs but was undecided on the remaining 41 The list from the NA Secretariat issued on September 18 (Wednesday), reflects the actual party position after the July 12 verdict showed the 80 MNAs to be part of the SIC The list showed eight seats for PTI-backed independents It said that there were a total of 336 seats in the NA with 313 lawmakers and 23 vacant or disputed seats that were to be allocated to the PTI The disputed seats were originally allotted to the PML-N, PPP, and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) after the ECP ruling in March that the SIC was not entitled to claim reserved seats Meanwhile the positions for the other parties are as follows: PML-N (110) PPP (69) Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (22) JUI-F (8) Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (5) Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (4) and one each for the Pakistan Muslim League-Zia, Balochistan
recent visit to China marking a significant step in furthering Chinese investment in Pakistan According to the MoU, RUYI will establish textile parks in Sindh and Punjab, where around 100 Chinese textile firms will be invited to invest Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China noting that bilateral economic
ties were strengthening with each passing day He welcomed the RUYI Group s investment in Pakistan’s textile sector and recalled that the company was the first investor in the Sahiwal Coal Power Plant developed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Briefing the prime minister the RUYI Group chairman said that the textile parks would aim to boost textile exports and make Pakistan a hub for textiles and garments The parks powered by solar energy will be developed as zero-carbon and automated
Gold prices surge to record high
ISLAMABAD I N p
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday chaired the meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari (virtual) Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives Mr Ahsan Iqbal
Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Mr Ali Pervaiz Malik, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Governor SBP, and Chairman SECP, along with Federal Secretaries and senior officers from the concerned Ministries and Divisions attended the meeting Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb shared with the ECC meeting an update on the current economic situation and macroeconomic stability achieved across all sectors of the economy He said the currency was now in stable position with foreign exchanges at a 26month high at the back of “very resilient and strong remittances flows”
He said the IT exports had also stabilised at about 300 million monthly figure which was a great news for our export sector He also lauded a steady growth in the RDAs with 165 million dollars inflows received last month
The Finance Minister called the reduction in inflation to a single digit as a big story hoping that inflation would further come down when the
September data is released
He described the situation with Current Account as very encouraging and noted the surplus of $75 million achieved in August He hoped that with softer oil prices a softer dollar and an aggressive rate cut which had already been reduced by 450bps the current account situation would continue to be in a good position Senator Aurangzeb also spoke about the rejection by the government of all bids for treasury bills on Wednesday, saying the move was aimed at conveying the message that the government was under no desperation to borrow and if it were to borrow it would borrow at its own terms
He urged the banking system to focus on lending to the private sector He said the 450bps cut in policy rate and the resultant ease in borrowing would help the government reduce its single largest expenditure of debt servicing and create room for the banking sector to step up and lend aggressively to the private sector
The Finance Minister also referred to the IMF Board meeting scheduled on 25th, saying that with the prayers of the nation and efforts made by the Prime Minister in association with bilateral partners, our local teams, administration and all our institutions, we would hear a good news on 25th and move on from there
He noted that macroeconomic stability was not an end itself but a means to an end He called it the basic hygiene and the building blocks that provide foundation to the whole edifice We would move in the right direction on the basis of this approach, and ensure gradual stability in the micro sectors as well, he added
games Among the 18 games analyzed Minecraft Roblox and Among Us were the most frequently attacked with Minecraft alone facing over three million breach attempts Cybercriminals exploit the widespread use of mods and cheats, frequently distributed via third-party sites, allowing them to disguise malware as legitimate add-ons and infiltrate the systems of unsuspecting young gamers
EV sales in EU plunge 44%
R I M E M I N I S T E R Shehbaz Sharif ’s affirmation that Pak-China friendship was ‘higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the oceans may be a somewhat worn expression but is certainly not a worn sentiment Mr Sharif went to the heart of the matter when he said that CPEC II would bring about Pakistan’s transformation He made this statement the same day as Foreign Office spokeswoman Mumtaz Baluch rejected the report on a website that Pakistan was giving Gwadar as a naval base to China While Mr Sharif was addressing the economic impact of the relationship, Ms Baluch addressed the geostrategic aspect of the relationship Mr Sharif made his remarks at the event hosted (a little prematurely) by the Chinese Embassy to mark the 75th anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, and they encapsulated much China s Brick and Road Initiative has as its centrepoint CPEC Now that CPEC I is nearing completion, CPEC II is in the pipeline, to take Pakistan s economy into the phase of development A series of industrial zones a high-speed railway and a second port should help catapult the country into the kind of prosperity that China itself enjoys From a geostrategic point of view, this will also be the first time ever that the Chinese will have a presence albeit a peaceful one across the Indus The implications for India’s hegemonistic designs and the USA s confrontation with China are immense One of them is a sneaking suspicion among US circles that China seeks naval bases and that one of them is Gwadar China so far has only one naval base outside the mainland, and that is in Djibouti, allowing the Chinese Navy to operate freely around the Horn of Africa, protecting transcontinental shipping lanes US experts fear that the Chinese wants other bases in the Indian and Pacific Ocean for any impending clash or confrontation with the US Navy, presumably backed by its QUAD partners, India, Australia and Japan in the South China Sea Pakistan does not want to spoil relations with the USA, but it has to be realized that it is too important a nation to be taken for granted with such impunity The USA has not contributed towards Pakistani economic development beyond a voice in multilateral institutions which have merely got Pakistan more firmly in a debt trap It may not have given China any bases, even though as if it is not that it gave the USA bases when it invaded Afghanistan
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
PO V E RT Y extends beyond limited financial resources and an inability to meet basic needs; it also includes restricted access to social services assets and political representation While income is a common measure of poverty it is not always the most comprehensive Modern development economics emphasizes assetbased policies that focus on savings, investments, and wealth accumulation These strategies promote personal growth and skill enhancement aiming to foster financial independence and more effectively alleviate poverty by prioritizing long-term financial stability Poverty a global societal issue and economic challenge, is a significant issue in Pakistan, with 39 4 percent of the population living below the poverty line (World Bank-2023), a persistent issue spanning socioeconomic and regional divides, highlighting the country’s profound implications for its citizens Pakistan faces significant challenges in poverty reduction compared to its South Asian neighbours such as India and Bangladesh India has seen a significant decrease in poverty from 21 9 percent in 2011 to 13 4 percent in 2020, while Bangladesh has seen a decrease from 31 5 percent in 2010 to 24 3 percent in 2021 Pakistan’s poverty rate has shown less dramatic improvement during 2018-2023 due to political instability governance issues and regional disparities Balochistan the largest province of Pakistan with 44 percent of the total area, is characterized by severe poverty and underdevelopment, with 71 percent of its population living below the poverty line The region’s geographical isolation, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-political unrest contribute to the cycle of poverty making it challenging for residents to break free from systemic disadvantage As per recent studies conducted by both government and donor agencies Balochistan remains the most impoverished province in Pakistan, accounting for approximately 12-14 percent of the country’s total poor population This persistent disparity highlights a pressing need for targeted interventions to address the challenges faced by this region Three studies highlight this poverty: the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics estimates that nearly 51 percent of households in Balochistan live below the income poverty line, accounting for 12 percent of the total poor households in the country; the Pakistan Multidimensional Poverty Index Report 2022, which shows that 71 percent of Balochistan’s population lives in multidimensional poverty accounting for 14 percent of Pakistan s total multidimensionally poor population; and the Pakistan National Human Development Report 2020 on Inequality, produced by the UNDP, which shows that Balochistan is over-proportionately represented among the poorest 20 percent
R e v i t a l i z i n g r e s e a r c h c u l t u r e i n P a k i s t a n
thinking among students A strong brain requires strong analytical skills, which are highly necessary for the research culture in Pakistan The education system in Pakistan is full of flaws research takes place at the M Phil and PhD levels and the first four years are based on coursework repeating the same courses being covered in Master level programmes Approval of topic and synopsis takes a few months in academia Similarly, there is a big gap between research scholars and supervisors The scholars always need assistance from their supervisors to guide them but supervisors do not have time for their scholars The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan should bind research scholars to undergo rigorous research training to develop their concepts at MPhil and PhD levels Inadequate training in research methodologies and limited opportunities for hands-on research training impact the research culture There is a big gap between policymaking and researchers in academia The HEC can bridge the gap between policymakers and researchers at the university level HEC must reform campus research culture and impart training to scholars in industrial and policymaking research
Similarly there is a brain drain as trained people are migrating on a large scale to other countries for better livelihood, funding and other facilities; such large migration creates dearth in quality research Those who come back from advanced coun-
compared to the province s share in the overall national population distribution The Balochistan government s five-year initiative launched in 2022, aims to address critical areas including water security, energy sufficiency, infrastructure, connectivity, and agricultural development
However major cities like Quetta and Gwadar face significant challenges with projects such as the Mangi and Halak dams delayed due to issues with power sources and funding A key factor in Balochistan s underdevelopment is its low urbanization rate, with only 14 38 percent of the population living in urban areas
The largest cities, including Khuzdar, Turbat, Quetta, and Chaman have not expanded sufficiently to meet the needs of their populations This limited urban growth combined with the province s small and dispersed population challenging geography and high service delivery costs impedes overall economic development Balochistan is rich in natural resources such as mineral deposits and extensive rangelands Despite this capital, the province struggles with low household incomes limited industrial activity and scarce employment opportunities Though
Ensuring law and order through effective law enforcement, counter-insurg ency strategies, and community engag ement is essential for creating a stable environment conducive to economic activity By addressing political instability, regional disparities, and implementing sustainable solutions, Balochistan can work towards a more prosperous and equitable future for all its residents
tries aspire to promote a research culture in the country Still the stakeholders and bureaucratic style of leadership creates hurdles for them to extend such skills
The social and cultural barriers are other crucial factors that hinder research culture in Pakistan; there is a lack of a research mindset in the country, and many people in Pakistan consider research as secondary to professions like medicine law and engineering
The language barrier is another factor that impedes research culture owing to the fact that all quality research is published in English, which is the second language for all Pakistanis; this can also create restrictions and communication gaps in the international community Most Pakistanis are conducting research for degree programmes which is dumped on library shelves A person who spends two or three years on research ends up on the shelves, and nobody dares to open it for practical experiences
Most graduates from Pakistani Universities need more international collaborations, like symposiums and conferences Several Pakistanis are sending their abstracts and proposals for international conferences and ultimately they are denied participation because their findings are not scientifically addressed
Last but not least, ChatGPT and other research tools, such as Quilbot and other AI applications have made the quality of research culture in Pakistan decline Institutions must avoid and ban these applications and discourage students from using them Otherwise it will have negative consequences for the country in the future In order to address these challenges, the government of Pakistan must implement systematic reforms in education and R&D Greater investments in education and research training will undoubtedly lead this nation to a prosperous future
The writer is Deputy Director Library at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad He can be reached at writetoabidhussain@gmail com
ChatGPT and other research tools, such as Quilbot and other AI applications, have made the quality of research culture in Pakistan decline . Institutions must avoid and ban these applications and discourag e students from using them.
Political figures v ying for academic positions
Ad overload
A
Clash of accountabilit y
G
E
and general Thucydides rightly said that the strong people do what they have to do, and the weak people accept what they have to accept
The words came to my mind recently when the sergeant-atarms and his four subordinates were suspended by the speaker of the National Assembly for the arrest of opposition members from the premises of the legislative house by some unidentified people
There is no doubt that the speeches made during the recent so-called power show by the opposition were highly and utterly objectionable as well as condemnable but the step taken in knee-jerk reaction was equally condemnable and just not acceptable in democratic setups
But what amazes me is that the man who made the atmosphere so poisonous was subsequently invited, perhaps for a cup of tea, and then delivered to his home district safely, while small fries, like the security staff, were suspended from service With all the limitations of his office, the least the speaker
is to
Abid HussAin
saults on workers and labourers, working for the CPEC projects in Balochistan These terror entities also abducted and killed many Chinese nationals
WH E N the Taliban fighters in August 2021 seized power taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban-led government clarified that Afghan soil would not be used for any terrorist groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Al Qaeda or ISIS among others for terror attacks against neighbouring countries including Pakistan But regarding some terror attacks, sources suggested that some militants of the TTP which is based in Afghanistan have entered Pakistan from Afghanistan Hence the military leadership had warned Kabul to check this infiltration Pakistan s armed forces and primary intelligence agency ISI have successfully broken the backbone of the foreign-backed terrorists Peace has been restored in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces and in Karachi as well as in other vulnerable regions
But terrorist attacks continued in the KP and especially Balochistan which is central point of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) This shows that the CIA-led Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad are destabilizing Pakistan and want to damage the CPEC project which is part of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative or BRI which Washington and New Delhi have already opposed
RAW is also using some terrorist outfits such as ISIS and the Balochistan Liberation Army-linked Majeed Brigade which claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist as-
Meanwhile the Afghan Taliban skirmished with Pakistani security forces at the Pakistani territory from across the Chaman border on 10 December 2022 and fired mortars at civilian areas, martyring at least seven people and injuring 17 persons But despite Kabul’s apology unprovoked heavy shelling by the Afghan Border Force killed at least one person and injured at least 16 people on 15 December 2022 at the same border area
The clashes erupted after the Afghan Border Force tried to prevent the Pakistani authorities from repairing part of the fence along the border Pakistan in order to prevent the movement of militants and ensure better border management has fenced a nearly 2600-km-long frontier Islamabad was hoping for improvement in bilateral ties after the return of the Taliban to Kabul But despite promises Afghanistan failed to tackle the banned TTP and frequent border incidents highlight the challenges faced by both sides in improving ties
In this regard, the head of the Pakistan diplomatic mission Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani in Kabul narrowly survived an assassination attempt on 2 December 2022 Next day Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and Taliban foreign ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi condemned the attack on the Pakistan embassy, saying that Taliban security agencies would investigate
And the Afghan Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad had been called in over the “extremely serious lapse in security” and that he told them that security had been beefed up at Pakistan s mission It was not immediately clear who was behind the assault, which came just days after Pakistan s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar visited Kabul to meet Taliban authorities to ease tensions along the border The attack occurred at a time of heightened security concerns in areas bordering Afghanistan after the TTP on November 28, last year ended the ceasefire agreed with the Pakistan government in June and ordered its militants to stage attacks across the country Despite receiving humanitarian and economic support from Pakistan the Taliban government has failed to rein in the TTP from carrying out attacks The tribal areas of North Waziristan close to the Afghan border have suffered from attacks at regular intervals in which many Pakistani soldiers have been martyred Taking cognizance of the recent terror attacks on police in KP in Lakki Marwat Bannu Cantt Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Bannu holding several security personnel hostage, exchange of firing a deadly suicide blast at a mosque in the Peshawar Police Lines martyred many persons of the security forces, including civilians after a briefing given to the Apex Committee which includes civil and military leadership that the banned outfit TTP was indeed the mastermind of the attacks The meeting decided to take up the matter with the interim Afghan government, with a clear message
that Pakistan would no longer tolerate crossborder terrorism
In this connection a high-level Pakistani delegation led by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif along with ISI chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum and other senior officials from the defence and foreign ministries visited Kabul on 22 February 2023 with the main agenda of countering terrorism and the use of Afghanistan soil by the TTP militants In this respect major concerns of Pakistan s were communicated to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, such as TTP s ideological alignment with the Tehreek Taliban Afghanistan and legacy of coexistence, TTP hideouts or shelters in Afghanistan unaccountable movement and activities of TTP with deliberate facilitation of IEA Notably GDI the Afghan intelligence agency, briefed the Pakistani delegation and accepted the problem of terrorism originating from Afghanistan soil They also presented details of the solution but were found unsatisfactory lacking in addressing the key security concerns of Pakistan
Then ISI gave irrefutable evidence of TTP presence and location of its leadership in Afghanistan Therefore, IEA leadership could not deny the facts on-ground and could not muster the courage to address the evidence given by Islamabad in connection with TTP presence in their Press Release IEA accepted and agreed to work for regional peace and to control TTP elements inside Afghanistan
In this context, the Pakistani leadership communicated in unequivocal terms that Pak-
istan’s goodwill should not be taken as a sign of weakness and tangible actions be taken against TTP militants It also expressed serious concerns over provocations by Afghan forces along the Pakistan-Afghan border Pakistan also rebutted the IEA stance of mishandling of Afghan nationals at various border-crossings They were told that the Afghanistan side repeatedly failed to ensure provision of border crossing protocols for Afghan citizens some of whom
The many lives of Malayalam soft-porn
all over the country who have moved there for work the Malayalam softporn controversy put the Kerala-based community on tenterhooks The debate and protests over obscenity and censorship assigned the Malayali community with the moral responsibility of taking a strong stance to guard their regional cinema from becoming associated with sex films In the protests aftermath a Delhi-based Malayali association organised a film discussion forum to showcase Kerala films in the right perspective and a seminar titled Sex and Violence in Indian Cinema that was attended by art cinema proponents like Adoor Gopalakrishnan The South Indian Chamber of Commerce alleged that these concerns about South Indian films emerged from Bombay cinema s step-motherly treatment of regional cinemas which did not get the visibility and loan provisions available for purposeful films funded by Film Finance Corporation (FFC) It was not just Malayalam films that bore the brunt of allegations that they were pornographic; the South Indian film industry in general received such rebuke Thus the circulation of Malayalam soft-porn in other parts of India was always preceded by notoriety – a trend that started with the distribution of Avalude Ravukal (Her Nights) as a sex film because of the way it was marketed outside Kerala
The term “Malayalam soft-porn” thus raises questions about what constitutes regional cinema in India’s multi-lingual context Malayalam cinema’s association with unbridled sex unsettled regional filmmakers who saw it as licensing both a dismissive attitude toward regional cinemas from South India and a forceful homogenisation of all the South Indian film industries as the other of mainstream Indian cinema – something encapsulated by the catch-all label “Madrasi films ”
Journalistic reportage of the time gestures to the sexualised imagination of South Indian cinema – Malayalam films in particular – that peddled the notion that an infectious South was threatening the chaste character of the country This devalued status partly explains why pseudonyms were so widely used in soft-porn production to guard the film crew’s identity
This tension was palpable when I interviewed Ravi Kottarakara Chair of the South Indian Chamber of Commerce during the Indian Cinema Centenary Celebrations in Chennai in 2013 He perceived my work as delegitimising regional cinemas rich traditions by appending Malayalam to soft-porn For Kottarakara, the combination of soft-porn with the regional marker “Malayalam” contributed to the stereotyped depiction of “Madras films” as the harbinger of sex and violence The perceived “devaluation” of the regional in these responses points to two versions of the region – some of my respondents were specifically speaking about Malayalam films when they uttered the phrase regional cinema, whereas others spoke of a larger category of “South Indian cinema” that had to constantly mark its difference from Bollywood
The region as it is invoked in these reactions exposes a built-in boundedness that can elicit protectionist measures to safeguard regional interests Regional cinemas have always tried to protect their distribution-exhibition interests from the influx of content from Hollywood and Hindi cinema For instance the South Indian state of Karnataka had an informal ban on dubbing films from other languages until the Competition Commission of India intervened and passed an order allowing dubbing in 2018
The ban, instituted by private trade-related bodies associated with Kannada film and television in the 1980s, also draws from the pro-Kannada cultural movement Intended to support local creativity the ban against dubbing paved the way for an alternative culture of re-making films in Karnataka The remaking protocols meant that films in other languages could not be dubbed into Kannada, but Kannada films could be dubbed into other languages to be distributed outside Karnataka and overseas
This is significant because soft-porn filmmakers took advantage of this arrangement very early on by making original content in Kannada and then dubbing it into other languages Aadipapam (The First Sin 1988)
a film that is often seen as a direct precursor to the softporn wave of the 1990s, was produced in Karnataka
The director of the film, P Chandrakumar, used a subsidy instituted by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce that was originally meant to promote Kannada filmmakers Curiously while Aadipapam went on to become hugely popular as a Malayalam soft-porn film today it essentially means a version that is dubbed from Kannada Thus, even when linguistic and regional specificity are invoked, they can unsettle the logic of protectionism that undergird them
The regional status of soft-porn surfaced in my fieldwork when a handful of my respondents based in the Middle East narrated their experiences of watching soft-porn on video tape – a format that allows for relative safety as it can be watched in the privacy of the home In different cultural contexts in the 1980s, video was perceived as a “bad” cultural object that was seen as “creatively impoverished” because of its association with porn
In the Indian context video was also the harbinger of piracy; in the 1980s, video was reported to be the format with the latest releases from Hindi and regional cinema, as well as a reasonable selection of pornography ” Video porn co-existed with celluloid pornography and encouraged the production of direct-to-video films sold through video libraries
Affordable and easy-to-use magnetic tape allowed pornography to circulate widely and to be easily reproduced, which made it a lucrative investment that turned quick profits U-Matic and Betamax tapes featuring adult content were sold in video libraries in India and Dubai, along with clandestinely sold copies of Screw that were passed around among patrons on the lookout for foreign magazines
Many of my respondents recounted how they came across Malayalam soft-porn films among the pirated CDs that were sold by door-to-door salesmen in Dubai and Sharjah, and in Dubai’s Karama market, which was famous for counterfeit goods In Bahrain Malayalam soft-porn was available for rent in places like Gold Souq a neighborhood in Manama where phone card shops also sold video films
Describing his encounter with Malayalam soft-porn in Bahrain, one of my respondents, Narayanan, recounted that erotic magazines such as Muttuchippi were available in stationery shops that sold Malayalam newspapers and magazines Sometimes the magazines were published with a Gulf-Malayali audience specifically in mind
The Sex Education Encyclopedia published by Moral Books in 1978 included a separate announcement for Gulf Malayalis that listed the details of book marketers based in the UAE, Kuwait, Doha, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia Many adult magazines such as Honeymoon Guide also advertised soft-porn films and featured catchy quotes and images from the films to directly reach out to prospective viewers in the Gulf
The adult magazine Cross Fire featured storylines exploring the double lives of Malayali women who were recruited to work as maids in Dubai but ended up performing sex work Like the narrative tradition of firstperson used in Rathikathakal, many of these stories feature women directly addressing the readers as they write about their experiences in the Gulf
In the censorial atmosphere of the Middle East it was common practice to label porn films as mythological films or home videos to minimise risk if caught by the Mutawa, the special police unit that enforces religious observations and public morality Recounting an early encounter with soft-porn in Dubai another respondent Thampy stated that when he was approached by a vendor who tried to sell him soft-porn films he was too scared to even look at the CDs: It was as
melodrama and thriller to hide erotic content from the authorities while leaving it open for those who possessed the cultural and contextual knowledge to decode them In contrast to the back room section of American video stores that Dan Herbert describes as cordoning off adult video from the rest of the inventory Gulf-Malayali video
Kathryn C Hardy’s argument that the “region that is constantly on the move ” Darshana Sreedhar Mini is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Communication Arts University of Wisconsin-Madison She is the co-editor of South Asian Pornographies: Vernacular Formations of the Permis-
SAVE INDUS TREAT Y
sajjad shaukat
Malaysia community with a shared future
v e l The Chinese president said China is ready to strengthen high-level exchanges with Malaysia enhance strategic communication, and support each other on issues concerning each country s core interests and major concerns
China supports the principles of Malaysia Madani a policy framework of Malaysia that focuses on good governance and sustainable development and is ready to share governance experiences with Malaysia, strengthen the alignment of development strategies between the two sides, and work together on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation he said Xi added that China is ready to work with Malaysia to implement key projects such as the Two Countries Twin Parks between China and Malaysia and Malaysia s East Coast Rail Link, enhance cooperation in agriculture and poverty reduction, and explore the potential for collaboration in emerging sectors like new energy and the digital economy thus supporting each other s modernization processes He said, both sides should deepen the exchange and mutual learning between Chinese civilization and Islamic civilization, strengthen cooperation in higher education and joint scientific research enhance mutual understanding among the people and cultivate successors for the friendship between China and Malaysia As important members of the Asia-Pacific region, developing countries, and emerging market economies, China and Malaysia should play a demonstrative and
leading role, enriching the connotations and global significance of the China-Malaysia community with a shared future, said Xi He said China supports Malaysia’s role as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year and is willing to work together with Malaysia to promote East Asian cooperation and regional economic integration, enhance communication and coordination on major hot issues and international issues, and contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region
Russia warns of severe repercussions for Uk raine if Belarus is targeted
China, EU hold construc tive consultation on EV tariff disputes
hensive, in-depth and constructive” consultation on Thursday regarding the EU’s ongoing anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) according to a statement released by China s Ministry of Commerce
properly addressing economic and trade frictions through dialogue and consultation and to take proactive actions to
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the important consensus reached by the leaders of China France and the EU on
During the meeting between Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and European Commission Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis both sides clearly expressed their political will to resolve differences through consultations, the statement said The two sides agreed to continue pushing forward negotiations on price commitments and to spare no effort in reaching a mutually acceptable solution through friendly dialogue and consultation it added The European Commission initiated the anti-subsidy investigation without a formal complaint from EU industries, and the ministry characterized the rulings as “non-compliant unreasonable and unfair ” Although the Chinese side cannot agree with or accept this, it has consistently maintained the utmost sincerity and made efforts to resolve the issue properly through dialogue and consultation according to the ministry It stressed that the Chinese EV industry proposed a price commitment solution during the investigation and further improved it based on EU concerns, demonstrating the utmost flexibility and sincerity from the Chinese side Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao holds talks with European Commission Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis in Brussels, Belgium, September 19, 2024 /China's Ministry of Commerce Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao holds talks with European Commission Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis in Brussels, Belgium, September 19, 2024
It cautioned that China will resolutely take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises if the EU insists on implementing unreasonable tariffs China underscored that it has always exercised prudence and restraint in using trade remedy measures while upholding fair and free trade, the statement said China’s trade remedy investigations against the EU were initiated at the request of domestic industries fully complying with Chinese law and World Trade Organization regulations These investigations were conducted rigorously, adhering to legal standards with transparency and openness, the statement added China has the responsibility to safeguard the justified demands and legitimate rights of its domestic industries the statement noted The two sides also exchanged views on other trade and economic issues, according to the statement
PUNJAB CM SEEKS PL AN TO ADDRESS SPECIALIST DOCTORS SHORTAGE IN DHQ HOSPITALS
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T In an extraordinary medical achievement a team of 60 doctors in Ankara Turkiye successfully separated 11-month-old conjoined twins, Mirha and Minal, after a grueling 14-hour surgery The twin girls, born in Pakistan with their heads fused together had little hope for the future until their family sought assistance from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Their plea set in motion a remarkable journey of hope and collaboration
to give the girls a new lease on life
PCJCCI, Punjab Info and Culture Dept collaborate for China’s National Day celebrations
Pakistan-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) is conducting a very versatile, dynamic and cultural event to celebrate China s National Day on 26th September 2024, Thursday Moazzam Ghurki, President PCJCCI said that bilateral relationship between the two neighboring countries is characterized by feelings of mutual trust respect and goodwill towards each other; the PCJCCI has set a remarkable example of this goodwill since the beginning He underlined the celebration's significance in promoting diversity and multiculturalism between China and Pakistan, with CPEC serving as a robust pillar of connectivity President PCJCCI added that we highly admire and appreciate the development of China especially during the last four decades We believe it is all due to the visionary leadership of China and the
Desperate to find help the family contacted London-based paediatric neurosurgeon Dr Owase Jeelani who saw the possibility of safely separating the twins but found the cost of the procedure in the UK prohibitive Moved by their situation, Dr Jeelani reached out to President Erdogan who immediately ensured that the girls would receive the necessary treatment in Türkiye
In May Mirha and Minal were shifted to Bilkent City Hospital in Ankara, where they were closely monitored The separation surgery, one of the most complex procedures undertaken by the medical team was conducted in two stages Led by Dr Jeelani along with Turkish surgeons Dr Harun Demirci and Dr Hasan Murat Ergani, the team embarked on a challenging journey
On July 19 the final surgery successfully separated the twins, who had been joined at the skull since birth Dr Aziz Ahmet Surel, the hospital’s coordinating chief physician emphasized the international collaboration that made the surgery possible describing it as a successful transfer of knowledge and expertise between Turkish and British teams
Resolving public grievances police top priority: SSP Operations
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Following the special directives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Ali Rizvi the SSP Operations /Investigation Muhammad Arslan Shahzaib said that the Islamabad Police is committed to resolve public issues on priority He said this while listening to the complaints and issues of the public as well as police officials during the Khuli Kachehri held at his office Senior police officers were also present on this occasion During the Khuli Kachehri, he listened to the complaints of the citizens and marked their applications to the concerned officers
of citizens problems
PDMA issues rain aler t for various Punjab distric ts
S TA F F R E P O R T Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab issued rain alert in various districts of Punjab including Lahore According to the details, from September 26 to October 01 heavy winds and thundershowers are likely to occur in most districts of Punjab Rains are forecast in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Ba-
hauddin Gujarat Gujranwala Lahore Sheikhupura Sialkot Narowal Hafizabad From September 27 rain with strong winds is also expected in Sahiwal, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Nankana Sahib, Chiniot, Faisalabad, Okara, Pakpattan, Kasur and Bhakkar Director General (DG) PDMA
Irfan Ali Kathia issued instructions to deputy commissioners across the province to remain alert The DG said that the relevant departments should be on alert to deal with the
emergency situation The district emergency operation centres of all the districts including the provincial control room have also been alerted, he added and said monitoring of the situation in the PDMA control room continues 24/7 People should stay away from dilapidated buildings he advised Take special care of children and never let them go near water that collects in low-lying areas Citizens can call PDMA s helpline 1129 for assistance
Prime minister orders third-Part y audit of fBr Projects
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
Mehmood Langrial and other senior officials attended the meeting
Gohar were arrested by Islamabad police following approval from National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq Barrister Gohar and Sher Afzal Marwat were apprehended outside, while Zain Qureshi and Sheikh Waqas Akram were taken into custody from inside the Parliament House
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday was been granted permission by the district administration to hold a rally at Lahore Ring Road Kahna on Saturday September 21
However this approval comes with the stipulation that PTI must adhere to 43 conditions
This decision follows a directive from the Lahore High Court which had instructed the district administration to make a ruling on PTI s request for a rally permit by 5pm
The Deputy Commissioner s office issued the No Objection Certificate (NOC), stipulating that the event would take place at Ring Road Kahna instead of the initially proposed venue of Minar-ePakistan The rally is scheduled to occur between 3pm and 6pm
Among the 43 conditions, one specifically requires KhyberPakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to issue a public apology for the “vitriolic” comments he made during PTI s rally in Islamabad on September 8
The terms also dictate that supporters from other cities must ensure their presence does not disrupt
highlighted his contributions to Pakistan “The man who made the country invincible in defense brought global respect gave us the 1992 World Cup and founded Al-Qadir University is being mistreated Everyone is witnessing how he is being treated now Faraz condemned the
local daily life and anti-state slogans will not be tolerated
Additionally, PTI members who are facing trial for hate speech related to the Islamabad rally are prohibited from appearing on stage Similarly no proclaimed offenders are allowed to participate and organisers are responsible for ensuring these individuals are arrested if present If they fail to do so, they may face charges for aiding and abetting those offenders
The conditions further restrict any broadcasting or public display of audio or video messages from proclaimed offenders or convicts during the event
The NOC also highlights the need for the organisers to take full responsibility for security arrangements around the rally venue noting overall security concerns and threat alerts from various sources as the rally is being held at the party s request
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan expressed gratitude for the NOC announcing that the party had received official clearance for the rally on September 21 I appreciate the district administration for issuing the NOC, Barrister Gohar said in a statement,
urging PTI workers and supporters from across the country to attend in large numbers
He also made a request to the authorities, asking that there be no roadblocks on the day of the rally so attendees can arrive on time and the event can proceed as planned Barrister Gohar urged everyone to gather peacefully and on schedule, asking party members to arrive at the venue by 1pm to ensure the event starts and finishes on time
“This message comes directly from our founding chairman Imran Khan encouraging all workers to attend he added in a final appeal, calling on the people of Lahore and Punjab to show up in significant numbers
Earlier in the day Punjab’s opposition leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar accompanied by several Punjab Assembly members, visited Minar-e-Pakistan only to find the gates locked and a heavy police presence preventing access to the site
In a precautionary measure the district administration had sealed off Minar-e-Pakistan by locking all gates and placing containers on access routes The site was also heavily guarded by a substantial police force
