COAS REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO NATIONAL SOVEREIGNIT Y, UNIT Y, RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
S TA F F R E P O R T
H I E F of Army Staff (COAS)
General Syed Asim Munir on Friday reaffirmed country’s commitment to national unity religious tolerance and the protection of the country s sovereignty while emphasising that the nation s path forward is grounded in the principles of faith, unity, and discipline
Addressing the audiences at the Defence and Martyrs Day ceremony the army chief paid tribute to the martyrs of Pakistan and prayed for the elevation of their ranks stating that the sacred blood of the martyrs had nourished the soil of the homeland
He said, “The Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan know how to defend their sovereignty and will never allow malicious intentions to succeed He further emphasised that complete faith in Pakistan s bright future is an inseparable part of the country s national identity
The army chief expressed his deep
admiration for the unwavering spirit of the Pakistani nation which stood shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces and law enforcement agencies to confront and resist the forces of evil “The people of Pakistan are a resilient and brave nation he remarked
Reflecting on Pakistan s long battle against terrorism General Munir acknowledged the continuing sacrifices being made in this struggle, vowing, InshaAllah, the sacrifices will continue until the terrorists are eradicated ” he stated He specifically honoured the immense sacrifices made by the Pakistan Army law enforcement agencies and the brave people of Pakistan, particularly those from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan He cited the unmatched courage and resilience these regions showed in the fight against terrorism General Munir highlighted several key national successes including the unified stance against the extremist ideology of Khawarij, the Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative, effective management of the western borders, the merger of tribal areas into the province, and the economic and social development initiatives in K-P and Balochistan He credited these achievements to the resolve of the state and the sacrifices of Pakistan s martyrs and veterans General Munir paid heartfelt tribute to the martyrs of Pakistan, stating, We breathe in free air today because of the sacrifices of these martyrs ” He empha-
Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-
Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on Friday claimed he was being intimidated through the court martial proceedings of former spymaster Gen (r) Faiz Hameed, saying using Faiz Hameed’s trial for intimidation is a clear indication of political malice
Any trial without the inclusion of retired Gen Bajwa will be a malicious move, the former premier said while speaking to journalists at Adiala
legedly benefited from the amendments being likely to face cases again
sised that the martyrs are the identity of the nation, and their families are a source of pride for the country The army chief assured the nation that no force in the world could defeat the people of Pakistan In addition to honouring the martyrs
General Munir also recognised the immense bravery of the individuals wounded in battle and the veterans who served as a shield against enemies of the state
However, a month later, the apex court had been seized with a number of ICAs moved by the federal government as well as by private citizens Zuhair Ahmed Siddiqui who was an accused in a corruption case but not a party to
FBR issues new procedures to collec t FED
Pakistan’s fruit and juice exports to China soar: Frozen orange juice leads the way
g E x p o rt
PR OFIT N
w s D e s k
Pakistan’s fruit and juice exports to China have seen remarkable growth this year with a significant increase reported in the January-July 2024 period
According to the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) exports of frozen orange juice from Pakistan reached unprecedented levels, highlighting the rising demand for Pakistani produce in the Chinese market Ghulam Qadir Commercial Counsellor at the Pakistan Embassy attributed this surge to the benefits of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the dedicated efforts of the Pakistani government and exporters to diversify and expand their international reach He emphasized that China’s increasing appetite for high-quality nutritious fruits and juices has opened up
lucrative opportunities for Pakistani producers
From January to July 2024 the export of fruit juices and related products to China exceeded $1 546 million, marking a 226% increase compared to the same period last year Frozen orange juice alone accounted for over $1 54 million of these exports Qadir stated He also noted the growing popularity of Pakistani fresh mangoes in China, with Chinese enterprises importing 4,214 kilograms of mangoes in the first seven months of this year The popularity of Pakistani mangoes was further boosted by a gesture from Pakistan s Prime Minister who gifted mangoes to the Chinese leadership and enterprises
The commercial counsellor highlighted that this robust export growth underscores the vast potential for further collaboration and trade between
Pakistan and China in the agriculture sector Wei Ling Chen Regional Director of Direct Access a Chinese enterprise shared that her company imported three to five tons of Pakistani mangoes this year Before committing to the imports, MERAPC Solutions conducted extensive research discovering that Pakistan the birthplace of mangoes boasts over 300 varieties They selected Sindhri and Chaunsa, known for their superior quality, to introduce to the Chinese market “To ensure the best quality we partner with high-quality mango orchards focusing on the best varieties planting techniques picking and packaging Although Pakistani mangoes may not have a uniform size or bright, glossy skin, their natural growth process gives them a pure, delicious mango flavor ” Chen explained
the project as per the stipulated timelines has directed the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) and concerned construction company to sit together and settle all issues once for all so that further progress could be made on the project without any delay He was chairing a meeting of Energy and Power department, held here on Friday at Chief Minister ’s Secretariat Additional Chief Secretary Home and Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Abid Majeed High Ups of Energy and Power department PEDO and representatives of an international firm working on BHPP attended the meeting LAHORE s tA f f r e p
Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif reached Cantt on Pakistan s Defense Day to commemorate great sacrifices of our heroic martyrs She laid flowers on the martyrs’ memorial and prayed for the elevation of their ranks in the Heaven In her speech on the occasion she said it is a matter of
guests who attended the ceremony Their presence he said uplifted the spirits of the officers soldiers veterans and families of martyrs I am grateful to all who joined this solemn occasion and stood by the side of our brave forces and their families,” he added General Munir urged the nation to embrace unity and solidarity, stating, “We must demonstrate brotherhood harmony tolerance and patience in societal and social affairs He called for an end to religious intolerance and stressed the importance of fully safeguarding the rights of minorities as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan Addressing the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, General Munir described it as not just a national issue but one of regional and global significance He paid tribute to the Kashmiri people for their ongoing struggle for independence saluting their resilience Sustainable peace in South Asia is tied to the resolution of the Kashmir issue, he added He also expressed Pakistan s gratitude to the martyrs of Kashmir, who have laid down their lives for their cause Shifting focus to international affairs the army chief described the ongoing conflict in Palestine as a significant humanitarian issue condemning Israeli aggression and exploitation of Palestinians as violations of human rights and international law He assured that Pakistan would remain active on the diplomatic front, advocating for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the brutalities faced by Palestinians
Ear thquake jolts Swat,
TH E federal government s domestic debt
increased by Rs 537 billion in July, reflecting a high level of financial indiscipline, as more money was spent than came in This means that the failure of the Federal Board of Revenue to collect its targeted Rs 1,554 trillion, falling short by Rs 111 billion in July and August contributed but was not the sole reason This also means a very dangerous situation, where domestic debt servicing will eat up all the revenue of the federal government, leaving it to rely on borrowing for civil and military administration The failure of the FBR to meet targets does not only mean problems for the federal government, but also for the provincial governments, which receive as their share under the National Finance Commission Award of actual collections not of the projections made at the time of the Award or at the time of the presentation of the Federal Budget
The federal and all provincial governments have to face the problem of meeting expenses right at the beginning of the financial year, even if revenue targets are being missed The gap is filled by ways and means advances which are borrowings from the State Bank of Pakistan which basically prints the money needed The money gets to the banks through open-market operations, and if too much money is printed, it sets off an inflationary cycle The interest rate is raised to allow the State Bank to absorb excess liquidity, and that is the stage of the cycle we are presently at One major reason for the crisis is that the governments have had to borrow at 22 percent Inflation has come down, but the interest rate has not followed The immediate problem would be the lowering of the interest rate
However, that will only help in the problem of handling debt servicing The problem of the incurring of debt will remain One of the problems with the government going borrowing is that the private sector gets squeezed out The private sector is already taking a battering because of the interest rate, the same private sector the government looks to grow the economy, provide jobs and pay taxes The government cannot carry on forever the present mentality, which is based on annual targets The mentality is based on missing the early monthly targets either in revenue collection or the borrowing plan then scrambling to catch up for the rest of the year That is a surefire formula for missing annual targets too
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late)
Gterconnected economies, cultures, and societies has significantly shaped the modern world As nations and regions have become more entwined the effects of globalization have rippled across borders bringing both opportunities and challenges Pakistan, a developing country with a relatively low carbon footprint, is no exception Despite contributing minimally to global carbon emissions Pakistan finds itself grappling with the multifaceted impacts of globalization This article explores how globalization affects Pakistan highlighting the paradox of its low carbon footprint juxtaposed with significant environmental and socio-economic challenges
Globalization has woven Pakistan into the fabric of the global economy The country’s integration into international markets has opened avenues for trade, foreign investment and technological advancements However this integration has also exposed Pakistan to the vulnerabilities associated with global economic fluctuations and environmental challenges On one hand, globalization has driven economic growth in Pakistan by increasing access to international markets The country’s textile and garment industry for instance has thrived due to its ability to export goods to global markets Additionally foreign direct investment (FDI) has played a crucial role in modernizing various sectors including telecommunications, energy, and infrastructure This influx of capital and technology has contributed to job creation and improved living standards for many Pakistanis
On the other hand, the globalization of trade and investment has also made Pakistan susceptible to external shocks Global economic downturns such as the 2008 financial crisis have had ripple effects on Pakistan s economy leading to slower growth increased unemployment, and reduced investment
Moreover, the country s reliance on exports makes it vulnerable to fluctuations in global demand and competition from other low-cost producers
One of the most pressing issues of our time is climate change and globalization has played a significant role in exacerbating environmental degradation However, Pakistan presents an interesting paradox in this context The country has one of the lowest per capita carbon footprints in the world, yet it is disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change
Pakistan’s low carbon footprint can be attributed to several factors First the country s industrial base is relatively underdeveloped compared to other emerging economies resulting in lower greenhouse gas emissions Second, a significant portion of Pakistan s energy comes from hydroelectric sources, which are cleaner compared to fossil fuels Lastly, the country’s per capita
income remains low limiting the consumption of goods and services that contribute to carbon emissions
Despite these factors Pakistan is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change The country experiences extreme weather events with increasing frequency, including floods, droughts, and heatwaves
These events have devastating effects on agriculture which is the backbone of Pakistan s economy and employs a large portion of its population The floods of 2010 for instance affected over 20 million people and caused damages estimated at $10 billion Similarly, heatwaves have become more common, leading to health crises and reduced agricultural productivity Globalization has exacerbated these environmental challenges in several ways The expansion of global trade has increased the demand for Pakistan s agricultural products leading to overexploitation of natural resources For instance the intensive cultivation of crops like cotton, rice, and sugarcane for export markets has led to water scarcity, soil degradation, and loss of biodiversity Moreover, the construction of infrastructure projects often funded by foreign investment has led to deforestation and habitat destruction further contributing to environmental degradation
While globalization has brought economic opportunities to Pakistan, it has also widened the gap between the rich and the poor The benefits of globalization have not been evenly distributed, leading to increased income inequality and social tensions In urban areas the influx of foreign investment and the growth of export-oriented industries have created new job opportunities and improved access
C y b e r s e c u r i t y – i m p e r a t i v e f o r
P a k i s t a n ’ s d i g i t a l l a n d s c a p e
Tto a further decline in overall internet performance Compounding these challenges, a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack launched on August 15 from India further strained internet traffic The timing of this incident amidst existing bandwidth limitations made the situation even more critical Besides this in the past two years (2023 and 2024), Pakistan faced an alarming 34 million cyber-attacks, highlighting the severity of the cybersecurity crisis The cyber security challenges in Pakistan mirror those found in other regions including hacking identity theft cyberbullying and cyberstalking Additionally issues such as spoofing financial fraud digital piracy and attacks from viruses and worms are prevalent There are also significant concerns related to malicious software, breaches of intellectual property rights money laundering denial of service attacks electronic terrorism and vandalism Notably spyware attacks surged by 300 percent in the first quarter of 2024 alone These attacks were not limited to any single sector but had affected various domains The public sector saw a 22 9 percent increase in attacks, IT companies 15 4 percent, and the financial and industrial sectors had also been targeted with increases of 14 9 percent and 11 8 percent respectively Alarmingly human actions accounted for 25 percent of these incidents indicating significant vulnerabilities in cybersecurity practices The impact of cyber-attacks extends beyond businesses and government institutions The Cyber Harassment Helpline Report 2023 from the Digital Rights Foundation recorded 2 473 complaints averaging 206 per month The situation is further exacerbated by rising
concerns about online safety for children with 1630 cases of child abuse reported in just six months, involving 962 girls and 668 boys Such figures highlight the broader societal impact of inadequate cybersecurity measures Despite these challenges there are opportunities for improvement The government is taking steps to enhance its cybersecurity framework Plans are underway to upgrade the web management system to better address cybersecurity threats and manage internet content This includes blocking unauthorized applications and websites However these measures have faced criticism for causing internet slowdowns and economic losses The installation of a firewall has been wrongly blamed for the decline in internet performance Whereas reasons mentioned before substantiate that the slowdown in internet traffic is not directly connected to the firewall’s implementation It is crucial to understand that the firewall is not merely a tool for regulation but a necessary deployment aimed at fortifying the digital frontiers of Pakistan which falls within the legitimate rights of any sovereign state Another significant challenge is the lack of strong cybersecurity laws and regulations in Pakistan The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Bill 2024 aims to address this gap by creating a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA) This new authority will replace the existing PECA 2016 and oversee social media platforms The recently established National Cyber Crime Investigation and Agency (NCCIA) will operate under the DRPA taking over cybercrime responsibilities from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) The NCCIA will focus on tackling cybercrimes and enforcing new regulations once the DRPA is officially enacted Cybersecurity is a critical concern for Pakistan’s businesses, individuals, and government The current measures are insufficient to cope with the escalating threat of cyber-attacks which pose significant financial and reputational risks By implementing the proposed reforms and strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure, Pakistan can build a safer digital environment and support its growing digital economy The road ahead involves not just upgrading technology and legal frameworks but also fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness among users and institutions
The writer is a freelance columnist
Cybersecurity is a critical concern for PakistanÊs businesses, individuals, and government. The current measures are insufficient to cope with the escalating threat of cyber-attacks, which pose significant financial and reputational risks.
The reluctant taxpayers
Redefining parenting
School van attack
The debt mountain can crush
countr
AhmAd
La massive increase of 119 percent According to a survey conducted by Gallup Pakistan two-thirds of Pakistan’s population including doctors and other professionals expressed the desire to seek opportunities overseas and almost half of these individuals had no intention of returning Two sets of factors play a significant role in the brain drain The first ones are pull factors, defined as the factors that compel a person to leave his country in pursuit of better opportunities in another country The second ones are push factors defined as the factors that incentivize a person to leave his country to go there and pursue better opportunities Regretfully, Pakistan is infamous for its pull factors A country with huge external debt current account deficit taxing salaried class for conferring privileged on political tycoons tailoring budget deficit in almost all budgets presented in decades proves to be no less than an incarceration for the salaried class So, they leave
the country for better opportunities In the case of highly skilled persons the situation is even worse, and the recently released data in the Pakistan Economic Survey 2023-2024 reveals that highly skilled persons in pursuit of employment increased to 45 687 in 2023 from 20 865 in 2022 marking
Three potatoes for $40:
The face of hunger in Gaza
Tis still too scarce to care for the more than two million inhabitants of this Palestinian territory Before the war which began in October 2023 these potatoes cost about two shekels about 54 cents According to the latest figures from the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC), an independent and globally recognized tool that measures food security and nutrition and involves several UN organizations 96% of Gaza’s entire population faces high levels of acute food insecurity The latest results indicate that some 495,000 people are suffering from catastrophic levels of food insecurity, and the risk of famine persists throughout Gaza Three peppers and two heads of garlic cost about 50 shekels about $13 50 in the northern part of the Strip where prices are especially high because very little humanitarian aid arrives there A kilo of cucumbers has reached as high as $100 No one can buy vegetables at
trucks of humanitarian aid entered Gaza In April, they exceeded 5,000 It takes 24 shekels, about $6 50, to buy two eggs in northern Gaza The report of the IPC the thermometer that measures hunger estimated that to buy food more than half of Gaza households sell their clothes and a third collect and sell garbage More than 20% of the people interviewed by the agency s experts said they go whole days and nights without food According to the UN Food and Agriculture Agency (FAO) between 60% and 70% of Gaza s livestock have been killed by the war and at least 65% of the arable land is unusable A bag of powdered milk and a kilogram of sugar cost 300 shekels, about $81 These are products that hardly anyone can afford at the moment in Gaza Were Gazans hungry before this war? The Strip had been under an Israeli blockade since 2007 when the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas seized power Before October two-thirds of Gaza s population received food aid, in the form of food or subsidies But acute child malnutrition was less than 1% Between 53% and 59% of Gazans were living in poverty before this war which has killed more than 40 000 Palestinians according to Gaza s health ministry sources Jam date jelly and a bottle of grape molasses can cost about $77 at the moment in Gaza These are luxury goods, very hard to find And also, the question is who has that kind of cash in Gaza at the moment For months now the banks have not been working there is no cash coming into the Strip and it is getting more and more complicated to send a transfer and especially for the person to whom it is addressed to be able to receive and cash it “The bills are old, the paper is worn and torn and many people no longer accept some bills ” explains Zaqut from Al Mezan This situation this lack of everything pushes people to the limit especially the poorest he adds A bottle of olive oil and a bottle of cooking oil cost 125 shekels, about $32 In July and August, the WFP only managed to get half of the 24 000 tons of food aid needed to reach its targets into Gaza As a result it had to reduce the content of the food parcels it distributes WFP insists on the urgent need to repair the roads, badly damaged by the war, in order to be able to deliver humanitarian assistance to all those in need Most of them are impassable and the situation will worsen with the coming rains and floods
I’ve been thinking about a famously orange-skinned former presenter of trashy TV programmes who lives on a luxurious coastal estate He has a history of racist and Islamophobic remarks of blaming asylum seekers for bringing disease into the country and ranting about the supercilious metropolitan elite” He swept into a rightwing political party and refashioned it in his image presenting himself as the antidote to politics-as-usual whipping up culture wars and using the platform to boost his planet-sized ego I am, of course, describing the British former politician Robert Kilroy-Silk After he was sacked from his presenting job by the BBC for a crudely racist rant in the Sunday Express in 2004 he joined Ukip (the forerunner of Nigel Farage s Reform UK) energising it and captivating the media with his culture war polemics against the EU, immigrants and “the political establishment” His unnatural hue inspired the viral video Mr Tangerine Man But when Ukip could no longer contain his ego he broke away and started his own political party in 2005, Veritas (widely dubbed Vanitas), which quickly crashed and burned Thank goodness there are no such characters on the world stage today! I could just as well have been think-
tinged TV presenter and culture warrior who like a certain other politician went to extreme lengths to
T h e s e 2 1 s t - c e n t u r y d e m a g o g u e s a r e n ’ t m a v e r i c k s
We are nonplussed ever y time one emerges, as if
been written about any of the rightwing populists we face today: Trump, Farage, Viktor Orbán, Benjamin Netanyahu, Narendra Modi the leaders of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Germany the National Rally in France the Brothers of Italy and – lately – Jair Bolsonaro and Boris Johnson Mayer s descriptions of the demagogues of his period are uncannily familiar These leaders created the impression “that they seek fundamental changes in government society and community But in reality because they relied on the patronage of incumbent elites to gain power (think, today, of media moguls like Rupert Murdoch, Elon Musk and Paul Marshall, and various billionaire funders) they sought no major changes in class structure and property relations In fact they ensured these were shored up They need to revile incumbent elites and institutions without foreclosing cooperation with them So their project “is far more militant in rhetoric, style and conduct than in political social and economic substance” For this reason Mayer explains how rightwing populists expose and overstate the cracks in a crisis-torn society, but fail to account for them in any coherent and systematic way” They direct popular anger away from genuine elites and towards fictional conspiracies and minorities They variously blame these minorities (whether it be Jews Muslims asylum seekers immigrants Black and Brown people) for the sense of inadequacy and powerlessness felt by their supporters; helping “humiliated individuals to salvage their self-esteem by attributing their predicament to a plot” and giving them immediate targets on which to vent their frustrations and hatreds The fake firebrands often, Mayer remarks, also issued rampant broadsides
patterns to the emergence of extreme-right demagogues: patterns that repeat themselves with remarkable fidelity By learning and understanding them, we can better defend ourselves I’ve spent part of my summer reading Arno Mayer the great historian who died in 2023 His book Dynamics of Counterrevolution in Europe 18701956 published in 1971 could have
GUARDIAN
Elon Musk challenges suspension of X in Brazil
BRASILIA ag e n c i e s Elon Musk and the social media platform X are intensifying their opposition to a recent suspension by the Brazilian Supreme Court led by Justice Alexandre de Moraes The suspension was implemented after X failed to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, necessary for handling content moderation requests under Brazilian law Musk has resisted complying with de Moraes’ orders to remove disinformation leading to the platform’s ban Musk and X have mobilised their resources to criticise de Moraes alleging that his actions undermine democratic principles and free speech This includes the creation of the Alexandre Files account on X, which has been used to share documents and posts criticizing de Moraes’ judicial decisions The account has gained significant attention accumulating over 124 million views and 377 000 followers Some of the shared documents contained sensitive personal information, leading to concerns about privacy violations Experts have criticised Musk s por-
Chinese Premier Li Qiang Friday called on China and Africa to work more closely to elevate economic and trade cooperation to higher levels China-Africa economic and trade cooperation serves as a cornerstone of bilateral collaboration and provides strong support for jointly advancing modernization Li said in a speech at the opening ceremony of the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs held in Beijing Li noted that the two sides should further strengthen market alignment China, he said, will expand market access unilaterally to the least developed countries and widen the green channel for African agricultural exports to China China also stands ready to work with Africa to enhance mutual opening up and speed up the process of negotiating and signing of framework agreements on jointly developing economic partnerships, he added Li called for further promotion of industrial integration, expressing China’s willingness to deepen cooperation with Africa in industrial chains to jointly safeguard the stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains He also stressed the need to further enhance the innovation-driven momentum, noting that China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Africa in areas such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence and new energy, thereby fostering new drivers of development and exploring more new growth points About 1 000 people were present at the opening ceremony of the conference including African leaders attending the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and business representatives from both sides Chinese FM says 2024 FOCAC summit achieves complete success’ hinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated on Thursday that the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has achieved complete success
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, made the remarks when meeting the press together with Senegalese Foreign Minister Yacine Fall and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Congo Jean-Claude Gakosso Elaborating on the major outcomes of the summit Wang said bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China have been elevated to the level of strategic relations
The overall characterization of China-Africa relations has been elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era Wang said
Six major proposals to advance China-Africa modernization have been put forward Wang said
A blueprint for action to advance China-Africa cooperation has been mapped out, he said, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced 10 partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation for the next three years
CORPORATE CORNER
JBS Consulting and SAP join hands
The 1,860-km-long Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway from Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia serves as a reminder of the longstanding relationship between China and Tanzania Over its 48 years of operation the railway has transported over 30 million tonnes of cargo and carried more than 40 million passengers, becoming a vital artery that ensures the economic operation and development of Tanzania Zambia and surrounding areas On Wednesday leaders of the three countries jointly witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the revitalization project of the TAZARA railway, aiming to further improve the rail-sea intermodal transport network in East Africa In the new era China has continued to bring new opportunities to African countries and remained committed to the overall direction of mutual trust, mutual benefit, mutual learning and mutual assistance in growing China-Africa relations
Delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on Thursday Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed that China and Africa are getting stronger and more resilient together, delivering tangible benefits to Chinese and Africans, and setting a stellar example of a new type of international relations Xi announced that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China are elevated to the level of strategic relations and that the overall characterization of ChinaAfrica relations is elevated to an allweather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC in Beijing, China, September 5, 2024 /Xinhua President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC in Beijing China September 5 2024 /Xinhua FLOURISHING CHINA-AFRICA COOPERATION Since its establishment in 2000, the
FOCAC has continuously promoted the leap-forward development of China-Africa relations setting a prime example for South-South cooperation and international cooperation with Africa Over the past 24 years, China-Africa practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results, and exchanges in various fields have been unprecedentedly active China-Africa trade volume has increased from $10 5 billion in 2000 to $282
SZABIST Islamabad concludes HR Management Training Program
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
SZABIST University Islamabad Campus recently celebrated the successful completion of its Human Resources Management Certificate Course (CHRP), a comprehensive training program designed to equip professionals with the latest HR management skills and techniques The program held over four weekends attracted a diverse group of participants from various industries all eager to enhance their HR expertise The training sessions were led by distinguished professionals, including Dr Ahmed Ali Qureshi, the Focal Person for the course, Mr Shehran Shehzad, HR expert from Huawei, Mr Noman Ali HR expert from Qatar Charity and Mr Muhammad Ali Manager HR at SZABIST Islamabad Campus Their combined expertise provided participants with a rich learning experience that covered essential HR topics such as recruitment, performance appraisal, compensation management, and goal setting
its research and development unit Zohaib also led various Pakistani IT companies to expand their footprint in different countries, including GCC and European states
CASS Lahore honours legacy of PAF with reflections on its past and future
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
In celebration of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Day the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore hosted an engaging guest lecture titled From the Cockpit: Reflections from the PAF s Past for the Future The event, held on 5 September 2024, featured Wing Commander Salim Baig Mirza (Retd), a distinguished war veteran and revered fighter pilot who
IHC ASKS ADIAL A JAIL SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEST NO RECORDING DEVICES PUT IN VISITATION AREA
TH E Islamabad High Court
(IHC) on Friday directed the Superintendent of Adiala Jail to provide an affidavit confirming there no recording devices put in the visitation area of the prison and ensure privacy and security of the visitors
A single-member IHC bench, comprising Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan issued the directive during the hearing of a petition to a petition filed by the legal team of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan In the petition Faisal Fareed Chaudhry and Naeem Haider Panjotha submitted that jail authorities were obstructing them from representing Khan in an ongoing trial of the NAB reference
titled State vs Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi Faisal Fareed informed the court that he along with his co-counsel were prevented from accessing the jail courtroom on August 29, 2024, and September 2, 2024, despite previous court judgments affirming the right
assured that all lawyers are permitted entry into the jail However complaints were raised about long waiting times and lack of basic amenities like drinking water The jail superintendent responded that all necessary facilities are provided to the lawyers The court decided that lawyers vehicles will be allowed entry after a 10-minute security check A threemember commission will visit
NAB’s
eral Jehanzeb Bharwana Deputy Prosecutor General Naeem Singheera and Mian Umar Nadeem the investigation officer of 190 million pounds reference, were also present during the proceedings During the proceedings, the court questioned the jail’s representative, who
FBR set to raise proper ty valuation rates by up to
REVISED
– reached home after remaining missing from June 6 to Sept 6 He also prayed for the safe return of other PTI workers in his message In the post Mashwani expressed gratitude to Islamabad High Court (IHC) Judge Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb and Lahore High Court (LHC) Judge Shehbaz Ali Rizvi for not putting the case in limbo by delaying it and hearing it on merit He wrote, “We are grateful for the hard work and prayers of all Pakistanis especially our lawyers reporters social media activists and PTI workers The IHC regretted the state institutions callousness
whereabouts of Azhar Mashwani’s brothers were still not known and it s very dispiriting The Islamabad High Court (IHC) said that callousness of state institutions in recovery case of two brothers of Azhar Mashwani was very discouraging Justice Aurangzeb wrote that the deputy attorney
the FBR, will be forwarded to the Ministry of Law for approval before being formally issued These revised rates are expected to be implemented within
Preparations
the month marking the first update since September 2022 Additionally, the FBR plans to expand the number of cities included
in the next phase Currently the revised valua-
tion rates will be applied to properties in 42 cities including Abbottabad, Attock, Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Ghotki, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Gwadar, Hafizabad Haripur Hyderabad Islamabad Jhang Jhelum Karachi Kasur Khushab Lahore Larkana Lasbela Lodhran Mandi Bahauddin, Mansehra, Mardan, Mirpurkhas, Multan, Nankana, Narowal, Peshawar, Quetta, Rahim Yar Khan Rawalpindi Sahiwal Sargodha Sheikhupura Sialkot Sukkur and Toba Tek Singh
for hosting SCO meeting under way at brisk pace,
Tarar tells Senate
culture poverty alleviation, and youth empowerment Azam Nazeer Tarar said new initiatives proposed by the SCO-member countries will also be discussed during the event Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar told the House that work on one thousand-bed Jinnah Medical Complex in Islamabad has been started to provide better healthcare facilities to the patients and reduce the burden on the existing health
LHC judge recuses himself from hearing firewall, WMS case
S TA F
P O R T Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Faisal Zaman on Friday recused himself from hearing the petition challenging the implementation
