JCP Constitutes 7-member Constitutional benCh with JustiCe Khan as head
Omar Omar Ayub oppose bench
tISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
H E newly-formed Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), in its maiden meeting on Tuesday constituted the sevenmember constitutional bench and appointed Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan as its head as mandated by the recently enacted 26th Amendment Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi presided over the first JCP meeting to form the constitutional bench in a 7-5 split decision
The constitutional bench constituted for a period of 60 days and to be headed Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, will comprising of Justices Ayesha Malik, Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Athar Minallah, Hassan Azhar Rizvi Musarrat Hilali and Jamal Khan Mandokhail as its members
CJP Justice Afridi had called the meeting last week after National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq sent names of parliamentarians for the formation of JCP following consultations with the Senate chairman and parliamentary leaders As per the 26th Constitutional Amendment the Judicial Commission comprising 13 members is responsible for making appointments to the Supreme Court, high courts, and the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) The 26th Amendment envisaged the formation of constitutional benches in the apex court to take up cases requiring interpretation of the Constitution On October 21 the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment sailed through parliament after the ruling coalition succeeded in rallying two-thirds of lawmakers’ support
Justice Aminuddin Khan Fed-
Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attorney General
Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, Member of the National Assembly Sheikh Aftab Ahmad
chairman welcomed the participants and congratulated them on their nomination for the JCP
the outset, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub objected
The amendments changed the procedure for the selection of the chief justice of Pakistan while also paving the way for formation of constitutional benches in the Supreme Court Earlier, the committee consisted of five SC judges (including the CJP as its chairman) the attorney general for Pakistan the federal law minister a former chief justice and a the Pakistan Bar Council s nominated senior advocate
that the committee has decided on a full court to hear these constitutional petitions with the initial hearing date set for November 4 However, Chief Justice Yahya Afridi has refrained from convening the requested session, leading to heightened tensions within the judicial ranks According to report, the dispute began on 31 October, when Justices Shah and Akhtar formally addressed a letter to Chief Justice Afridi urging him to hold a meeting under the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act 2023 The two senior justices requested the meeting specifically to address the petitions contesting the 26th amendment, which involves changes to judicial authority and tenure With no response
According to a press release issued after the meeting, the first meeting of JCP convened with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi in the chair The meeting was attended by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah Justice Munib
Pakistan desires to strengthen Iran ties through high-level exchanges, mutual cooperation: PM
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed that Pakistan desired to further strengthen its brotherly relationship with Iran through maintaining regular highlevel exchanges and enhancing mutually advantageous cooperation across all spheres of shared interest
The prime minister, in a meeting with Foreign Minister of Iran Seyyed Abbas Araghchi who called on him here reiterated Pakistan’s unequivocal support to the Palestinian people in their just struggle for self-determination and statehood He strongly condemned and expressed grave concern over Israel’s ongoing genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people Welcoming Foreign Minister Araghchi on his first official visit to Pakistan as Foreign Minister of Iran, Prime Minister Shehbaz conveyed
his sincere regards and good wishes to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Massoud Pezeshkian The prime minister also emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza provision of unhindered humanitarian assistance and, above all, grant of the inalienable right to self-determination to the Palestinian people, as guaranteed to them by the relevant resolutions of the UN as well as OIC The prime minister also reiterated strong condemnation of Israel s attack against Iran on October 26, 2024, while reaffirming support for Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity
A National Assembly session was adjourned indefinitely on Tuesday after Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan criticised the steamrolling of six bills and his remarks were against last night’s swift legislation were expunged from the record Shortly after the session began Ayub representing the PTI-led opposition criticised the steamrolling of six bills a day ago calling it a shameful incident and branding the ruling coalition a government of thieves Deputy Speaker Mir Ghulam Mustafa Shah promptly intervened ordering the remarks removed from the record On Monday the government passed crucial legislation includ-
ing six bills from the National Assembly within 24 minutes and then from the Senate in just 16 minutes despite vociferous protest by the PTI-led opposition The bills sought to extend the tenure of the chiefs of the country’s three armed forces and increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court (IHC)
g CJP, Justice Shah, Justice Akhtar, Senator Shibli Faraz and MNA
g dIsCussIons Center on enhanCIng eConoMIC grow th and sustaInable InvestMents In pakIstan
a
ment in export performance He
announced that inflation has
single-digit levels, showcasing the
fectiveness of the government’s economic management In line with the government s
sion for sustainable economic growth Senator Aurangzeb discussed ongoing structural reforms designed to improve market conditions and create an inviting environment for both domestic and foreign investments These reforms are crucial for attracting capital and building investor confidence in Pakistan s economic landscape Olanrewaju expressed a strong interest in increasing investments in climate transition infrastructure, stressing the
summit: Rs2.7 billion allocated for Islamabad’s beautification
k
The Ministry of Interior has requested Rs2 70 billion for the arrangements and beautification of Islamabad in preparation for the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit held last month This was disclosed by the Finance Division on Monday The two-day meeting, which included participation from 12 countries such as China India Iran and Russia also featured bilateral discussions between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and several visiting delegations In a summary presented to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), the Interior Ministry outlined the expenditures related to the summit Following in-depth discussions the ECC instructed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Ministry of Interior to conduct a third-party verifi-
cation of costs before resubmitting the summary for further consideration
Additionally the ministry sought a Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) of Rs650 35 million for costs associated with the summit, repairs to Safe City cameras and maintaining law and order in Islamabad The ECC directed the ministry to reallocate funds from its budget for FY 2024-25 for these expenses
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MoIB) also presented a summary requesting a TSG of Rs95 822 million to cover outstanding dues related to the SCO summit The ECC similarly advised reallocation of funds from the MoIB s budget with a promise of supplementary funding if necessary at the end of the fiscal year
In another matter, the ECC approved the Circular Debt Management Plan for FY 2024-25 submitted by the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) aimed at reducing liabilities in the
power sector and enhancing financial sustainability
The meeting also addressed an additional request from the MoIB for a TSG of Rs536 1 million to support essential digital initiatives, with similar reallocation instructions issued as before The Ministry of Industries and Production raised concerns regarding the export of sugar from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa The ECC allowed an additional export of 500,000 metric tons of surplus sugar, confirming that local consumption needs would continue to be met through supplies from surplus-producing provinces like Punjab and Sindh Lastly the ECC approved a transfer of Rs151 787 million from the Ministry of Housing and Works to the Supreme Court of Pakistan for building repairs and maintenance, and authorized the signing of a Sale Purchase Agreement (SPA) for POL products between Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and SOCAR Azerbaijan
ISLAMABAD A P P Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday highlighted Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change-related disasters calling for global support to combat the challenges confronted by the country on this front
He sought the international assistance while addressing the opening session of 4th Pakistan Water Week 2024 hosted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) which focused on Building a Climate-Resilient Future: Pathways for Water and Food Security in Pakistan The minister emphasized the nation s proactive role in addressing global water and food security issues highlighting the urgency for collaborative global action He spoke candidly on Pakistan s vulnerability to climate change despite its minimal contribution to global carbon emissions Pakistan stands on the frontlines of a crisis caused largely by others, and the poorest among us are paying the highest price ” he remarked recalling the devastating floods of 2022 which left millions of Pakistanis suffering He stressed that international cooperation was essential in supporting Pakistan s adaptation efforts, which have already impacted millions across the country
Acknowledging global efforts to address water crises Ahsan Iqbal praised international initiatives such as the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Decade of Action for Water (2018–2028)
He commended platforms like the UN Water Conference, Stockholm World Water Week, and Africa Water Week for promoting knowledge sharing and innovation “Pakistan is an active participant in this global movement striving to lead in water conservation and climate adaptation despite our vulnerabilities he affirmed Highlighting Pakistan s rich irrigation infrastructure, which spanned over approximately 17 million hectares The minister acknowledged the system’s pressures from population growth industrialization and environmental degradation He revealed that while agriculture consumed over 90 percent of Pakistan s water resources, inefficient irrigation methods led to significant water losses,
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet approved a sale purchase agreement for the supply of petroleum products between Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) The committee met under the
current fiscal year (July-June) Notably, this surge is occurring without the usual boost from the Eid, underscoring the resilience of financial inflows from overseas Pakistanis Analysts attribute this sustained momentum to a stable exchange rate and the successful crackdown on informal remittance channels particularly the hundi system The influx of remittances through official channels including banks and regulated exchange companies has fostered greater trust in the financial system and encouraged overseas workers to send money through formal means
As remittances continue to flow robustly, their impact on the current account balance cannot be overstated With the expected October figures, the SBP’s projections indicate a promising outlook for Pakistan’s economic stability providing essential support to households and contributing to the country s foreign exchange reserves
The forthcoming release of the official remittance numbers will be closely monitored by economists and policymakers alike, as the figures could signal a pivotal shift in the country s economic landscape
COMMENT
Cut bigger than expected
TH E State Bank of Pakistan’s Monetary Policy Committee continued its policy of cutting its benchmark interest rate, with its biggest-ever cut, of 250 basis points, bringing the rate down to 15 percent As it is, inflation in October at 7 2 percent was slightly higher than in September, when it was 6 9 percent This indicated that the reduction in inflation which has been coming down all year may have bottomed out However the MPC must have seen that there were few signs of it ramping up again, so it gave in to the pressure of the business community, which called for a reduction between inflation and the benchmark so as to encourage growth That would mean that the cut should spur growth creating jobs which will also coincide with the political aims of the government Textile exports have grown so far this financial year, indicating the growth potential in the sector, provided interest rates stay low
One of the corollaries of the rate cut is that the cost of debt servicing will go down As SBP Governor Jameel Ahmed said at a post-meeting session with analysts the rate cut would mean a reduction of Rs 1 3 trillion in debt servicing costs in this fiscal year It should be noted that the rate started out at 22 percent and has come down appreciably The savings will help the government in the first review of the IMF s latest package, and may help because of the failure of the FBR to meet its collection target, which has resulted in less flows to the provinces and their failing to meet their targets for surpluses
One of the threats to inflation is the price of oil So far, it has favoured the government, with OPEC+ having refined from the supply cut that will drive up the price Another important factor for the MPC has been the falling inflation worldwide, from Iran and Turkiye, to the USA That means a greater disposable income in consumers’ pockets which will mean greater sales of Pakistani textile imports If that happens, the greater growth would men a further slowing of inflation, and led to further rate cuts The MPC needs to bring down its benchmark rate to the point where it offers a more reasonable rate of real return Bringing the rate in one swoop down to the 5-7 percent recommended by industry might not be possible but if inflation stays under control it might target to be achieved next year
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
TH E Middle East conflict and this year s US presidential election are impacting one another in important ways We re seeing an internal debate unfolding within the Democratic Party, coupled with a hardening of views on the Republican side As a result there’s little hope that whoever wins there will be any significant change in US policy toward the Middle East region Israel s war in Gaza has caused a rift within the Democratic coalition During the last decade, several mass movements have arisen in the US in response to women’s rights, “black lives matter,” immigration, and gun control All of these have erupted as partisan issues pitting Democrats against Republicans The mass movement in support of Palestinian rights and a ceasefire in Gaza is the latest of these mobilizations and is made up of the same progressive constituent groups The key difference between the pro-Palestinian movement and the others is that instead being a strictly partisan effort, it has been an intra-party affair pitting key elements of the Democratic coalition against the party s leadership Polling shows that for the first time more Democrats sympathize with Palestinians over Israelis want an immediate ceasefire, and support suspension of military aid to Israel They are also disinclined to see the USA militarily involved in conflicts in the Middle East and the world These attitudes are especially pronounced among young voters and non-white voters key components of the Democratic coalition This tension within the Democratic Party is real and may cost the party votes in some states While changing attitudes within the Democratic Party resulting from the war have caused some to become alienated from the party’s historic ties with Israel, this shift is also beginning to have an impact on policy Record numbers of Democratic members of Congress have signed on to bills and letters urging a ceasefire or calling for limits on US arms shipments to Israel Republicans, on the other hand, remain dominated by the Christian right and remnants of the neoconservative movement, both of which share a Manichaeistic world view that is uncritically supportive of Israel’s role in the region and the world Despite the costs in
US lives treasure and prestige resulting from the disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, both of these ideological currents continue to see the USA as the driving force for good in the world Regardless of the outcome of the election, the rift will continue to grow both within the Democratic Party and between the two parties I don t expect that a Harris Administration would make any immediate or dramatic shift in its approach The still-dominant Democratic foreign policy and political consultant establishments are cautious and out of touch with the changing dynamics within the electorate and the diminished capacity of the USA in the world But I do expect that eventually they will be forced to recognize and make some accommodation to the political pressures building from below Trump, on the other hand, is Trump I expect his Administration would be as unconventional and as unpredictable as it was the last time around That said, despite his desire to avoid entanglement in foreign wars he would not deviate from nor would he challenge his supporters beliefs in US primacy and the righteousness of Israel s behaviours But the extent
Ttionate attacks on Gaza in response to the October 7 attacks and its subsequent attacks on Iran s satellites across the Middle East have further fuelled speculations about a looming conflict between Iran and Israel, raising serious concerns for regional stability Iran has launched several missiles at Israel after its strike against Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah In retaliation Tel Aviv has claimed to inflict a decisive blow on Tehran Under the given strategic ambiguities and fog of war, what implications would it bring for Pakistan if Iran and Israel got locked in a violent conflict? What might be the impact of a possible Iran-Israel conflict on Pakistan ? In the event of a conflict Pakistan would face significant diplomatic challenges With heavy reliance on US aid and financial assistance, any support for Iran could result in US sanctions, including the suspension of critical loans On the other hand Pakistan’s strategic partnership with China particularly in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) further complicates the situation China s dependency on Iranian oil, accounting for approximately 8 5 billion of its imports, could lead Beijing to pressurize Islamabad to either support Iran or remain neutral Regardless of the outcome Pakistan would inevitably face significant geopolitical and economic consequences Pakistan is likely to face significant security challenges in the event of a conflict With its shared border with Iran, Balochistan would be vulnerable to heightened border tensions If a full-fledged war breaks out, Pakistan could also see an influx of refugees particularly Iranian Baloch adding further strain to an already overburdened system coping with Afghan refugees This would exacerbate the existing economic and social pressures Not just that, but the chances of increased sectarian violence could rise, further destabilizing the region The ongoing insurgency in Balochistan could become more complicated as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) might take advantage of rising border tensions to expand its influence into Iran, particularly as it claims the
Iran-Israel conflict: Regional implications
Sistan province of Iran as part of a Greater Balochistan The border situation could provide an opportunity for the BLA to further its agenda in the region In case of war the BLA stands to benefit raising serious concerns about Pakistan s capacity to manage the insurgency amidst heightened regional instability The key question is whether Pakistan, already grappling with internal conflict, can afford these added security risks In the event of war, Pakistan would face severe economic implications Iran’s control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz could disrupt vital trade routes The future of projects like CPEC and the Iran-Pakistan pipeline would be jeopardized further undermining Pakistan s economic stability Iranian oil is transported to Pakistan in huge amounts via different means, so if forced to source energy from alternative markets, Pakistan would incur higher costs worsening its already struggling economy A blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran would not only impact Pakistan but also trigger a global economic domino effect destabilizing energy markets worldwide Pakistan may also face significant societal pressures due to the strong public sentiment toward Palestine and at the same time it may leave Islamabad in the dilemma to balance between the West and Iran Domestically there would be growing pressure from various segments of society, particularly from the Shia minority, to support Iran It will be interesting to see how the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) responds to the situation, with Pakistan’s position
being particularly important As a key member and the only nuclear state in the OIC, Pakistan’s role could be crucial in shaping its stance and actions in addressing the growing tensions in the region Public opinion shaped by a sense of solidarity with Iran s stance may push Pakistan to support Iran complicating Pakistan s ability to navigate its already delicate geopolitical position Pakistan must adopt a proactive strategy It should urge international powers, competing states and global institutions to force adversaries to show responsible and restrained behaviour Islamabad must also persuade the international community to check the disproportionate attacks of Israel in Gaza and Lebanon as it is fueling the geopolitical tensions Clear communication with key stakeholders, such as China and the USA, is essential to ensure understanding of Pakistan’s stance, emphasizing the broader implications of instability Finally Pakistan must take robust precautionary measures to secure its borders especially in Balochistan Effective border management is essential to prevent any external actors from destabilizing the region or taking advantage of the situation to disrupt the peace in Balochistan Sadia Zahra is a Researcher Fellow at Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN) from Quetta She is a graduate of Public Administration BUITEMS She can be contacted at Sadiaalianjum@gmail com Sadia zahra@bttn org pk She tweets @Sadia Anjumm
Info access advocacy
SADIA ZAHrA
Noah, the ark, and the flood
innocence is
and
in
of
s,
unbeknownst to the
and the
stripped of their
Hebraic immemorial knowledge about Noah s time also explains that he did not enter the ark when
rains first began to fall and in fact only finally entered when the waters reached his knees The deluge had come and the wellsprings of the deep began to open Sages debate whether his hesitancy was due to a challenge of faith or whether he held on to continue warning whoever could hear However this question may be settled some faulted Noah for not beseeching God Almighty enough on behalf of the people, his contemporaries, to save them and their world What lesson can workers for sustainability learn who already so honestly worry about our time who may have spent years building their mission ark who may have
The theme of this portion of the story is that the people, the public, any witnesses or observers, and anyone willing to listen had years of warning that a calamity, in this case utter destruction, was on its way. Of course, many of us can relate to this idea in our own lives and situations when something less positive comes upon us, and we look back to how many signs appeared of what ultimately befell How many times could we have corrected our action, and in how many ways might we have adjusted or done something differently?
Focus on reclaiming stolen wealth
Tlaundered each year through mobile financial services, according to the TIB chief What’s even more worrying is the fact that the Bangladesh Bank Anti-Corruption Commission and the Office of the Attorney General allegedly used to facilitate the laundering of money So, instead of these institutions working to prevent serious financial crimes, they actually ended up enabling them This goes to
Tshow to what extent our various governance institutions were corrupted by the former regime Further aiding these criminals were certain countries that by introducing golden visas and second home options made it easier to launder money This is precisely how a former Bangladeshi minister was able to purchase over 300 properties abroad, which is suspected to be only the tip of the iceberg Although it may be possible to recover some of this laundered wealth, the complexity of the process makes it extremely challenging And this is where we believe the interim government should urgently focus its efforts Bangladesh should immediately enact a law and seek to sign agreements with other countries for the repatriation of the smuggled money State agencies such as the ACC the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) the National Board of Revenue (NBR) the attorney general and the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) should pursue a coordinated approach to achieve this goal Moreover, the government should immediately begin reforming these institutions to prevent future laundering of wealth For example the agencies currently working to retrieve the laundered wealth took absolutely no action against major launderers during AL rule Therefore, going forward, these institutions must be strengthened and granted the independence needed to carry out this important work And corrupt individuals who worked within these institutions should be held accountable for their inaction or illegal activities
How Hindu festivals are being abused to spark violence and hate
COMMUNAL violence has been the bane of Indian society with increasing intensity While in the pre-colonial era it was an occasional ethnic strife from the period of British rule, it started to become a regularly occurring phenomenon
The communal historiography, looking at history through the prism of religion of the ruler introduced by the British was the solid base of the emergence of narratives that formed the ground for various communal streams, Muslim and Hindu
These streams devised their own mechanisms to create a ‘social common sense’ and instigate violence in the communities based on religion While this phenomenon has seen an exponential rise during the past three decades scholars journalists activist-researchers have made serious efforts to understand the newer mechanism to communalise the majority community and also the newer ways of initiating violence
A dogged journalist Kunal Purohit in a path-breaking book H-Pop- Inside the Secretive World of Hindutva Popstars brings to our notice how popular culture is being shaped by songs that are spreading hatred against the heroes of the national movement such as Gandhi Nehru in particular and against Muslims He warns us that Hindutva pop stars are adding intense hatred particularly in the North Indian scenario
Another important book is Weaponization of Hindu Festivals, by Irfan Engineer and Neha Dabhade (Pharos Media) Both these activists-researchers are part of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism by legendary Asghar Ali Engineer
This centre has constantly been monitoring and studying the nature and intensity of communal violence
In the wake of the violence being orchestrated around Hindu festivals, particularly Ram Navami the author duo has focused on the mechanism as to how festival celebrations have been made intimidatory and aggressive to the Muslim community mostly leading to violence and polarisation
As far Hindu festivals and their celebrations are concerned, from centuries they have assumed a sort of culturally integrating character The major example of this is that most Hindu festivals were celebrated not only in the Mughal courts but were also jointly celebrated with Muslims I do recall the Ram Navami procession in my childhood was a time to be joyous and go around the city in a procession in a festive mood
This book is based on an in-depth inquiry into the violence instigated by religious processions as a part of celebrations of festivals Ram Navami in particular in 2022-
2023 It seriously analyses the incidents following the inquiry by the teams in which they participated The violence covered in the book relates to Howrah and Hooghly (2023), Sambahji Nagar (2023), Vadodara (2023), Biharsharif and Sasaram 2023, Khargone (2022), Himmat Nagar and Khambat (2022) and Lohardagga (2022)
This book is relevant as its observations can be of great help in preventing this violence by ensuring that the pattern which is coming into being should be prevented for maintaining peace among communities Irfan Engineer, in the introduction, points out, “Even a small Group of Hindu nationalists masquerading as ‘religious procession could insist on passing through minority inhabited area and provoke some youth using political and abusive slogans and playing violent songs and music, hoping that a reaction, a stone would be thrown at them The state would do the rest by arresting a large number of members of a minority and demolishing their homes and properties within days without any judicial procedure (Page 24) What needs to be understood for prevention (of violence) is that most of the time these processions, which are well armed; deliberately decide to pass through Muslim majority areas with loud music and provocative and abusive slogans It has become a pattern that someone will climb over the mosque and replace the green flag with saffron flag and the crowds down below dance and applaud Such a phenomenon has seen a boost particularly after 2014 with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government coming to power at Centre The Khargone incident is very revealing in this regard A minster of the Madhya Pradesh government said stones were thrown on the procession, which came from Muslim households, so these households are to be turned into stones Now these hooligans and organisers of such programmes feel that it is their
NEWSCLICK
The stor y of Noah bears themes that relate to sustainable development
TRUMP AND HARRIS IN DEADLOCK AS WORLD WATCHES PIVOTAL US ELECTION OUTCOME
Israeli strikes kill at least 16 people in G aza
at his office in Karachi During the meeting the two ministers discussed national issues as well as matters related to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Sindh, among other topics Minister Mazhar Saeed Shah was accompanied by Maulana Ejaz Mehmood, Malik
Asif Raza Hassan Asim Muhammad Arqam
‘Ustad Bashiruddin- A Restrained Grace’ and ‘Bleeding Borders ’
raised in Kasur Punjab He received his art education from the Mayo School of Arts Lahore and taught at the Mayo School and National College of Arts Lahore from 1953 to 1982
‘Need
& Security Studies (CASS) Islamabad Dr Usman W Chohan, Advisor for Economic Affairs
Meezan Bank inks agreement to join ITFC to suppor t private sector K A R A C H I: h the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, under the ITFC Letter of Credit (LC) Confirmation product This product facilitates trade flow by allowing exporters and issuing banks to gain assurance from ITFC to secure payment and thus eliminate credit risks It will support private sector clients including SMEs by working with local banks in Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries to facilitate various import transactions The agreement was signed by Nazeem Noordali, Chief Operating Officer of ITFC, and Syed Amir Ali, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Meezan Bank in the presence of executives from both
L1 1 Marine Aids to Navigation – Training For the first time, the said officer from corporate world has represented Pakistan successfully
QATAR, A ZERBAIJAN PLEDGE $5 BILLION INVESTMENT IN PAKISTAN: PM
g Qatar Investment Authority ’s delegation will soon visit Pakistan, prime minister briefs cabinet members on the outcomes of his recent visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar
Araghchi in Islamabad: Iran asser ts right to respond under UN char ter
TEHRAN A G E N C I E S Iran on Tuesday warned that it will “certainly” respond to Israel’s latest attack in a “well-measured” and “well-calculated” manner Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Monday for a two-day official visit that includes consultations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar During today’s joint press briefing with Dar Araghchi said Iran will certainly respond to the Oct 26 Israeli attack on appropriate time and manner, and in a wellmeasured and well-calculated way
Late last month, the Israeli military had launched strikes on military bases in Iran targeting about 20 sites over several hours across Ilam Khuzestan and Tehran Tel Aviv said the strikes were in response to attacks from Iran and its proxies Araghchi emphasised that Iran reserves its “inherent” right to “legitimately” respond to Israeli strikes in line with the United Nations charter He accused the Zionist regime of spreading terrorism from Gaza to Lebanon adding that the international community has failed to halt Israel s “genocide” of Palestinians Sharing a similar stance Dar re-
iterated the two countries call for establishing an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital
Calling the Israeli strikes a violation of Iran’s sovereignty and international law Dar affirmed solidarity with the Iranian people
He said, We reject the propensity by occupying powers to equate the right of self-determination with terrorism, which is nothing but a ploy to prolong their occupation and apartheid policies according to APP
The long-standing Palestinian issue and the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, which are based on the denial of the right to self-determination, must be addressed through peaceful means fully respecting the rights and aspirations of the affected populations in line with relevant UN reso-
lutions and the UN Charter Araghchi said the two nations are working on a joint strategy to present at the upcoming Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Tehran aiming to address the ongoing Israeli aggression
The two sides also agreed to collaborate in countering terrorism, which Araghchi described as a “common threat” to both nations He praised Islamabad’s “consistent” support for Gaza and the Palestinian cause Earlier Dar received Araghchi and his delegation at the Foreign Ministry where both ministers underscored the importance of strengthening ties through increased trade, energy cooperation and enhanced border management according to a statement by the Foreign Office
Two FC soldiers mar tyred in DI K han
the statement
as Sepoy Sher Rehman and Sepoy Syed Ameen
The statement further added that the FC soldiers valiantly fought against the Khwarji terrorist attack Sepoy Sher Rehman hailed from South Waziristan while Sepoy Syed Ameen was from Gadoon, Swabi The injured soldiers Havaldar Imtiaz, Sepoy Muhib Shah, Sepoy Sahib Din and Sepoy Fazal Kareem
After hearing arguments from both sides the ATC judge sent Azam Swati on a two-day physical remand The Taxila police rearrested the PTI leader in a case registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 Azam Swati was booked along with PTI founder Imran Khan President Islamabad Aamir Masood Mughal Khan and others in several more cases related to protest at Islamabad s D-Chowk In the case registered at Tarnol police station, 350 unidentified individuals have also been named, and the case has been filed under 13 different charges, including terrorism It is to be recalled that on November 27 last year the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had arrested Azam Swati in a case related to controversial tweets against state institutions
