In a letter, Republican
and
principles of justice and fairness ” Pakistan vowed to continue working closely with Saudi Arabia and the international community to advocate for the rights of Palestinians and push for a just, comprehensive, and lasting solution to the conflict Pakistan also urged the international
S ta f f R e p o R t
Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar received a telephone call from Foreign Minister of Iran Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and exchanged views on the situation in Middle East with a particular focus on the continuing plight of Palestinians in Gaza During the telephonic conversation the two ministers exchanged views on the situation in Middle East with a particular focus on the continuing plight of Palestinians in Gaza according to state-run PTV News Dar emphasized that the Palestinian land belongs to the Palestinian people and the only viable and just option is the two-state solution, in accordance
the IMF has found that a much broader range of institutional reforms is needed if countries are to establish and maintain private sector confidence and thereby lay the basis for sustained growth
According to the statement, IMF identified that promoting good governance in all its aspects including ensuring the rule of law improving the efficiency and accountability of the public sector, and tackling corruption are essential elements of a framework within which economies can prosper In 1997 the IMF adopted a policy on how to address economic governance embodied in the Guidance Note The Role of the IMF in Governance Issues To further strengthen the imple-
mentation of this policy the IMF adopted in 2018 a new Framework for Enhanced Engagement on Governance (Governance Policy) that aims to promote more systematic, effective, candid, and evenhanded engagement with member countries regarding governance vulnerabilities including corruption that are critical to macroeconomic performance Under this policy and framework, IMF offers to undertake Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment (GCDA) with member countries to analyze and recommend actions for addressing corruption vulnerabilities and strengthening integrity & governance in IMF member countries
Following the analysis GCDAs prioritize and sequence recommendations for systematically addressing the vulnerabilities Since 2018 twenty GCDA Reports were finalized and include Sri-Lanka, Mauritania, Cameroon, Zambia, and Benin Ten Diagnostics are ongoing and several are under consideration by IMF So similarly under the EFF 2024 program, there is a structural benchmark that with IMF capacity development support, Government of Pakistan will undertake a GCD Assessment to analyze critical governance and corruption vulnerabilities and identify priority structural reforms moving forward This GCDA report will
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i g h l i g h t s n e w C o o P e r at i o n P h a s e
The Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has declared at least 28 brands of bottled water unsafe for human consumption due to microbiological or chemical contamination raising serious health concerns for consumers across the country The findings were part of a routine quality assessment conducted by the council, which tested various bottled water brands against national safety
including arsenic, sodium, potassium, and bacterial contamination Among the flagged brands ten including Miran Drinking Water Pak Aqua Jel Bottled Water Neo Aab-e-Dubai Eltsen, Pure Water, Aqua Health, Oslo, and More Plus were found to contain sodium levels exceeding the
substances
cials from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) explained that logistical challenges made the export of by-products more feasible The committee was also informed of increasing interest from Chinese companies in setting up additional donkey slaughterhouses across Pakistan, further bolstering the export infrastructure Rana Muhammad Hayat pointed out the declining domestic use of donkeys due to modernisation suggesting that selective breeding programs should be promoted to maintain a healthy donkey population for economic purposes Currently, Pakistan s donkey population stands at approximately 5 9 million, with China being a significant market for donkey products including e-jiao a popular ingredient in traditional Chinese cuisine and medicine
from China These byproducts are primarily used in the production of e-jiao, a traditional Chinese remedy made from collagen extracted from donkey hides The establishment of this facility marks a significant development in Pakistan s burgeoning export sector for donkey-derived products During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Food Security chaired by Rana Muhammad Hayat it was revealed that Pakistan and China have signed an agreement for the export of donkey byproducts A Chinese company has already begun operations in Gwadar, signalling the growth of this niche export market, as confirmed in the press release issued following the meeting When questioned about why live donkeys were not being exported offi-
The export initiative, which had previously faced delays due to protocol issues, has now been resolved, paving the way for smoother trade relations According to Reuters the rising demand for e-jiao in China has contributed to large-
scale slaughtering of donkeys globally E-jiao, touted for its health benefits such as improved blood circulation and immune support, has seen increased demand among China’s elites and middle class further fuelling this trade Historically produced in Shandong province where 90% of China s e-jiao is sourced, the industry now faces a severe shortage of donkeys, with the country’s donkey population having fallen more than 80% since 1992 This shortage has led to China seeking to source donkey skins from countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan In 2022 a shipment of donkey skins from Pakistan was seized in Karachi, highlighting the ongoing illegal trade in donkey hides Muhammad A Kavesh director of the South Asia Research Institute at the Australian National University noted that most donkey skins shipped from Pakistan to China are part of an undercover trade Donkeys, unlike pigs and cows, are slow to reproduce Female donkeys, known as Jennies have a long gestation period of 11 to 14 5 months and typically give birth to a single foal making it challenging to establish a consistent farming system capable of meeting the annual demand for 5 9 million donkey skins required for e-jiao production Experts estimate it could take more than two decades to build a sustainable supply chain
The growing demand for e-jiao combined with the logistical and reproductive challenges of donkey farming highlights the complex and controversial nature of this trade, which continues to shape the global market for donkey-derived products S l a u g h te r h o u s e i n Gwa d a r b e g
B L I C M A N D AT E
ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t
The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has announced the division of Punjab into four administrative zones appointing key office-bearers for Northern and Western Punjab as part of efforts to strengthen party organization
According to a notification from the Party Secretariat, MNA Gul Asghar Baghor has been appointed as President of North Punjab while former Provincial Minister Chaudhry Zaheeruddin will serve as President of Western Punjab Additionally, Mian Farrukh Manika has been designated as General Secretary of Western Punjab, and Mian Junaid Zulfiqar named as Vice President of IPP Punjab
Federal Minister and IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan officially handed out the appointment notifications to the new officials During the event, Khan emphasized the importance of delivering the party’s message of prosperity, development and peace to every district in the province
He highlighted that the IPP s focus would be on public service rather than politics, pledging continued support to the federal and Punjab governments for the country’s betterment “Our aim is to make Pakistan economically strong and place it among the developed nations he remarked
Several notable figures including Atiq Ghuman from Hafizabad, Rana Usman from Lahore, Mian Hamza from Gujranwala, and Rana Raheel from
Rahim Yar Khan met with Abdul Aleem Khan at the IPP Punjab Secretariat A delegation from the Istehkam Students Federation Punjab (IPSF) led by President Muhammad Afzal also held discussions with Khan The delegation included IPSF General Secretary Muhammad Saleem Vice President Rana Naeem and Finance Secretary Naqash Afzal Central IPP leaders Rana Nazir Ahmed Khan, Shoaib Siddiqui, Malik Zaman Naseeb, Rana Javed Iqbal, Taskin Khakwani and Arif Awan Advocate were also present at the gathering They congratulated Abdul Aleem Khan on completing one year of government service and acknowledged his contributions as Minister for Privatization, Board of Investment, and Communications
Muzaffarabad rally honors Kashmiri mar tyrs, vows to continue freedom struggle
A grand conference and rally were held in Muzaffarabad to honor the martyrdom anniversaries of Shaheed Muhammad Afzal Guru and Shaheed Maqbool Butt The event, organized by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) and the Liberation Cell commemorated the sacrifices of the two Kashmiri freedom fighters Muhammad Afzal Guru was executed in New Delhi s Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013, while Muhammad Maqbool Butt met the same fate in the same jail on February 11 1984 Both martyrs bodies remain buried within the premises of Tihar Jail The conference, aimed at renewing the pledge to continue the freedom struggle in Kashmir, saw participation
from Hurriyat leaders, political and social activists, religious groups, student organizations, and people from various walks of life
Former prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider Khan graced the event as the chief guest, while Deputy Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Sheikh Aqeel-urRehman presided over the gathering
During the conference a resolution was unanimously adopted to reaffirm the Kashmiri people s determination to pursue their legitimate right to freedom Speakers at the event paid rich tributes to Shaheed Afzal Guru, Shaheed Maqbool Butt, and other martyrs of Kashmir They condemned the executions as extrajudicial killings driven by hostility and prejudice against Kashmiris
Recalling Guru s execution on charges related to the Indian Parliament
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Pakistan shall continue to support the establishment of a sovereign independent and contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital Dar added Dar also conveyed Pakistan s support for convening of an extraordinary OIC meeting of Foreign Ministers to deliberate upon this issue The two ministers agreed to maintain close contact on these developments in the days ahead Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also in a phone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty late Saturday called for the immediate emergency meeting of OIC over Gaza During the phone call the two top Iranian and Egyptian diplomats discussed bilateral ties, and recent developments in the region especially the situation in Palestine and Gaza Araghchi pointed to the position of Egypt in supporting the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and described the illegal US plan to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip as a part of a conspiracy to annihilate Palestine in a colonial manner and as a serious threat to the stability and security of the region
attack, the speakers criticized the decision of the Indian Supreme Court, which, they said, aimed to satisfy the collective conscience of the Indian people rather than delivering impartial justice The speakers highlighted how international judicial institutions ridiculed the verdict for its biased motivations They further deplored the denial of Guru’s family’s right to meet him before the execution and the refusal to return his mortal remains to his heirs
Reiterating their unwavering resolve the speakers asserted that the Kashmiri people would continue their struggle for complete independence from Indian rule, following in the footsteps of their martyrs
The conference concluded with a pledge to carry forward the legacy of these freedom fighters until the mission for Kashmiri liberation is achieved
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Representatives from 60 countries attended the conference Delivering the keynote address, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed applauded Pakistan Navy s efforts in promoting a collaborative approach to tackle complex maritime security challenges He also highlighted Navy’s contributions towards raising awareness about Blue Economy and supporting the socio-economic uplift of coastal communities at the national level Under the overarching theme, Secure Seas, Prosperous Future, the AMAN Dialogue features multiple panel discussions and deliberations by Chiefs of Navies and heads of delegations on a wide range of topics, including maritime security maritime cooperation blue economy and the impact of technology on maritime security The dialogue provides an exclusive platform for global naval leadership supported by renowned academia to devise strategies for a secure maritime future On the sidelines of the AMAN Dialogue, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, held interactive meetings with Heads of Navies and Coast Guards attending the event
Is there more to the PM’s optimism than mere politics?
PR I M E M I N I S T E R Shehbaz Sharif told a function in Islamabad to mark the one-year anniversary of his government s reelection that the task of stabilizing the economy had been achieved, and it was now time for it to take off Mr Sharif can be excused a certain indulgence in hyperbole, because that has been the basis of his appeal to the electorate a year ago: that the PTI government had badly messed up in economic management and his government had come to the rescue That it might be remembered was part of the government’s appeal to the establishment With the PTI still up in arms about the government’s legitimacy it was a repetition of the Shahbaz government’s main charge against the PTI
There have been good things happening to the Pakistan economy, notably the slowing down of inflation, but the government now would like the political benefit before it is too late With the slowdown in inflation likely to continue for another couple of months after a year of deflation, why is the common man not feeling the benefits? Though interest rates have been halved, growth does not seem to have picked up, thus creating additional employment One reason is that both consumers and investors have been bitten badly by the latest bout of inflation and the more canny among them see another bust coming soon Mr Sharif needs to realize that there are two problems that need fixing: government finances and exports As government deficits need to be financed from foreign borrowing debt is created which could be paid off if there was a trade surplus But because we must import fuel edible oil and pharmaceuticals So now the government must borrow even more The country is well and truly in the debt trap, letting in the IMF
The government has got to face these harsh realities It would like to get off the constricting IMF programmes, but that might mean implementing the very measures that has caused so much resentment and popular suffering Perhaps one of the big differences between the PTI and PML(N) is not
M A Niazi
N T E R N AT I O N A L Monetary Fund’s (IMF’s) flagship report ‘World Economic Outlook [WEO] Update’ and titled ‘global growth: divergent and uncertain which was released in January 2025 takes a rightly cautious approach with regard to economic outlook globally, as it highlighted divergent growth possibilities overall, as follows: ‘The global economy is holding steady, although the degree of grip varies widely across countries Global GDP growth in the third quarter of 2024 was 0 1 percentage point below that predicted in the October 2024 WEO after disappointing data releases in some Asian and European economies Growth in China, at 4 7 percent in year-over-year terms, was below expectations Growth in India also slowed more than expected, led by a sharper-than-expected deceleration in industrial activity Growth continued to be subdued in the euro area (with Germany’s performance lagging that of other euro area countries) largely reflecting continued weakness in manufacturing and goods exports even as consumption picked up in line with the recovery in real incomes In Japan, output contracted mildly owing to temporary supply disruptions By contrast, momentum in the United States remained robust with the economy expanding at a rate of 2 7 percent in year-over-year terms in the third quarter powered by strong consumption One reason that explains this with quite significance is the continued over-board emphasis on austerity policies to reduce inflation, whereby the policy rate cut is overall much slower than it should have been given a much fast pace at which inflation has come down This is all the more true for developing countries like Pakistan where although inflation is a little more than 4 percent policy rate is still 12 percent! It is, therefore, important that Pakistan rain-in overboard austerity policy stance, so that it can ease pressure on aggregate demand, and using much better governance-, and incentive structures, through pursuing reform policy much more aggressively through a more creative fiscal policy especially on the aggregate supply-side helps increase economic growth on one hand and more sustainably reduce inflation through reducing the build-up of inflation through cost-push-, and imported inflationary channels Increasing economic growth is exceedingly important – as per the January 2025 WEO update Pakistan’s economic growth is projected to grow by a paltry 3 percent in FY2024-25 and 4 percent in Fy2025-26 given a high population growth rate of around 2 4 percent and high proportion of youth
B a l o c h i s t a n ’ s H e a l t h c r i s i s
Dialysis is a life-saving procedure for patients with kidney failure requiring them to undergo treatment once twice or even thrice a week to alleviate severe pain In Quetta this crucial procedure is fraught with risks due to obsolete machines and insufficient medical expertise It is no surprise that
in Quetta fear seeking medical attention even for minor ailments The lack of trust in the local healthcare system has forced people to endure long and costly journeys for treatments that should be readily available in their own city This reality not only burdens the patients but also reflects the government s failure to prioritize healthcare in the region
According to a report by UNICEF, Quetta city has 63 public health facilities serving a pop-
or existence of youth bulge in overall population Hence the global policy of Neoliberalism especially in developing countries and more so in those developing countries which this policy flows with all the vigour due to being under IMF programme needs to move away from its policy of primarily using policy rate to reduce inflation, and in the process paying a lot of economic growth sacrifice, in particular in developing countries, which have all the more scope to use fiscal policy to reach better price discovery Moreover over-use of policy rate continues to constrain economic growth well after policy rate has possibly come down due to the continued impact through monetary policy transmission unravelling over a number of months Not all countries though are following the path of over-cautious policy of keeping more than needed squeeze over aggregate demand whereby both China and India have given stimulus to the economy; China by following the policy whereby more than a trilliondollar stimulus is being provided and India in its recent months has reined in fiscal austerity measures, where taxes are being
One reason that explains this with quite significance is the continued over-board emphasis on austerity policies to reduce inflation, whereby the policy rate cut is overall much slower than it should have been given a much fast pace at which inflation has come down.
ulation of approximately 1 01 million, with 20 percent of Union Councils lacking any public health facilities
A study highlighted that 88 8 percent of patients in Quetta found the cost of medicines to be high emphasizing the financial barriers to healthcare access These statistics underscore the critical need for comprehensive healthcare reforms in the region Urgent reforms are necessary to address the healthcare crisis in Quetta Balochistan The government must prioritize upgrading hospitals with modern medical equipment and ensure the availability of essential medicines Life-saving procedures like dialysis should be performed with state of the art machines and healthcare providers must be trained to handle a range of medical issues through better medical education programs The health card system should be expanded effectively implemented and made more accessible by removing bureaucratic hurdles and increasing awareness Hospitals in Quetta must maintain a reliable supply of essential medicines and equipment with streamlined distribution The people of Quetta deserve competent medical care and affordable treatments and the government must take responsibility and act before more lives are lost due to neglect
This writer is a graduate of Economics and librarian at BTTN, Quetta He can be reached at hamzan039@gmail com
a strong emphasis on modularity and code reuse
TReact Native ensures near-native speed by utilizing a bridge method to connect JavaScript code with native components A development framework s flexibility and performance are greatly influenced by its architecture The architecture of Flutter is layered Its central component is the Flutter engine, which is C++-based and handles input, generates graphics and makes platform-specific APIs easier to communicate with High performance is guaranteed by the compilation of Dart into native code Furthermore Flutter s widget-based methodology removes the need for platform-specific components, enabling it to provide a unified user interface React Native facilitates communication between native components and JavaScript code by means of a bridge Although this architecture guarantees that developers can use native modules when needed performance bottlenecks may be introduced by the bridge particularly in complicated applications In keeping with its JavaScript heritage React Native s architecture places
When choosing a cross-platform framework performance is crucial especially for apps that need fluid animations and quick interactions Flutter has a performance advantage due to its direct compilation to native ARM code and dependence on Dart Flutter lowers latency and guarantees a flawless user experience because it communicates with native components without the need for a bridge It is appropriate for graphically demanding applications because of its rendering engine Skia which produces steady 60 fps or even 120 fps animations Although React Native works well for the majority of use cases applications with intricate logic or animations may experience slower performance due to their reliance on the JavaScript bridge Performance can be enhanced by optimizations such as the use of Hermes, a JavaScript engine designed specifically for React Native When compared to Flutter React Native apps may still occasionally lag A framework s uptake and project schedules are greatly influenced by how simple it is for developers to understand and utilize Dart may be comparatively simple for developers who are accustomed to object-oriented programming languages like Java or C++ Newcomers can find plenty of resources in Flutter ’s lively community and comprehensive documentation Productivity is increased by the hot reload feature which allows for quick visualization of changes
However, developers used to a different methodology may find the widget-heavy framework overwhelming Because JavaScript is so widely used, React Native’s use of it makes it available to a wider audience It will be especially easy for those who have worked with React or web development before React Native has a hot reload capability just like Flutter For novices however integrating native modules and navigating the bridge architecture can be difficult The ecosystem s robustness can have a big impact on how quickly and how well a framework develops With so many plugins and packages on Pub dev the Flutter ecosystem is expanding quickly Flutter is actively maintained by Google so developers should anticipate regular updates and enhancements However compared to more established frameworks, Flutter might feature fewer thirdparty libraries due to its relative infancy With a vast array of libraries and tools, React Native has a well-developed ecosystem Developers have more options and flexibility
thanks to its interaction with well-known JavaScript libraries and frameworks Developers must carefully consider their selections because third-party libraries can differ in terms of quality and upkeep Third-party solutions, forums, and tutorials are guaranteed to be available when there is a robust developer community Compared to React Native Flutter has a smaller yet very active community Community-driven events and content have increased as a result of Google s commitment in Flutter and its rising popularity React Native one of the first crossplatform frameworks, has a sizable and established user base Stack Overflow, GitHub repositories, and forums are easy ways for developers to solve common issues The particular needs of a project determine which framework is best Applications that need unique user interfaces fluid animations or cross-platform compatibility including desktop and web are best suited for Flutter Flutter has been effectively employed by businesses like Alibaba and BMW for their applications When code reuse and quick prototyping are top concerns, React Native performs exceptionally well It is appropriate for enhancing legacy applications due to its capacity to
The final decision between Flutter and React Native is based on the longterm objectives, team experience , and project needs Businesses and developers can make wise decisions to produce high-quality apps quickly by being aware of the subtleties of these frameworks
TH E 47th president of the United States is a danger to his country Britain and the world Who would have thought that sentence would ever be written? And yet, less than three weeks into Donald Trump’s second term it is barely controversial to many people looking on from shellshocked democracies beyond America s shores By his destructive, vindictive, illegal and irrational actions, Trump sets himself beyond the pale In place of American exceptionalism, the world must now learn to manage and if necessary confront a gross American objectionablism
Proof of these assertions is to be found in the White House s daily outpourings Seeking revenge against those who tried to punish his attempted 6 January 2021 electoral coup, Trump is weaponising the justice department by executive order Political opponents FBI agents prosecutors media outlets and journalists are in his sights In contrast about 1 500 convicted Capitol Hill rioters have been pardoned He has even had the gall to withdraw the security clearance of his predecessor, Joe Biden, citing mental incapacity
Trump is treating federal government agencies like enemy territory to be stormed and purged of deep state so-called woke and liberal elements To this end he has recruited the sycophantic billionaire, Elon Musk, and teams of youthful, unaccountable acolytes to physically take over offices and computer systems suspend lock out or sack civil servants and seize control of programmes and budgets The treasury the education department the federal election commission and independent government watchdogs are all under the hammer wielded, principally, by Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” Nor has the CIA and the wider “intelligence community” escaped Trump s vendetta It too faces mass firings under the proposed leadership of Tulsi Gabbard a Russia apologist Putting the anti-vax conspiracy theorist, Robert F Kennedy Jr, in charge of health and human services demonstrates how little Trump really cares about ordinary people’s welfare Trump’s arbitrary often unlawful orders indulge other far-right obsessions Diversity equity and inclusion polices in particular transgender rights, are under siege He has demanded a halt to the rollout of EV charging stations, declared open season on wildlife and the environment by relaxing oil and gas drilling regulations and withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement He even wants to ban paper straws preferring plastic From an immediate international perspective, Trump s decision to eviscerate USAid, the world s biggest foreign aid provider, and the attempted sacking of nearly all its staff is the most savagely objectionable misdeed of all
His freezing of USAid s $42 8bn budget spells death or renewed suffering for millions of dependent people, from Sudan to Bangladesh to Ukraine The US accounts for about $4 in every $10 spent globally on humanitarian aid To the instant human toll, as Britain’s former prime minister Gordon Brown points out must be added a loss of US global influence that will benefit authoritarian rivals China and Russia The era when American leaders valued their soft power is coming to an end, Brown wrote His view was echoed by foreign secretary David Lammy who described Trump’s mindless aid vandalism as a “big strategic mistake” Trump s egotistic rampage is causing widespread additional international damage and confusion His on-off tariff wars with China, Canada and, prospectively, the EU; his militarisation of migration policy along the US border with Mexico; his imperialistic vow to seize Greenland by force from Nato ally Denmark; and his disdain for the UN typified by his withdrawal from the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council, are all decisions underscoring his broader contempt for the multilateralist, rules-based international order Nothing more damningly illustrates that contempt than yet another outrageous executive order sanctioning the international criminal court (ICC) Trump s ICC attack was prompted in part by a wish to protect Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister and court-indicted war crimes suspect, who was feted at the White House last week He used this occasion to unveil his most absurd most dangerous idea to date: a forcible clean-out of the 2 million inhabitants of Gaza and a USowned Riviera real estate development amid the ruins of their Palestinian homeland This wheeze is too ignorant, too insulting and too inhumane to be taken entirely seriously Yet that has not stopped Israeli and US rightwingers using it as potential justification for wrecking the ceasefire resuming the war and laying the ground for annexations in Gaza and the West Bank Trump, the convicted felon, proves each day that he is unfit for the high office he holds He aims to destroy the fundamentals of American democracy: the separation of powers civil and voting rights secularism free speech and equality under the law He is a menace to global peace, stability and prosperity Pushback has begun, largely through the courts Yet a few defiant judges cannot win this huge rapidly developing struggle The Democrats stunned into virtual silence must wake up Meanwhile Britain and the western democracies must take a united stand So far, Keir Starmer and his ministers have been too circumspect They must be bolder and braver in their criticism and in upholding
the objectionable is setting the world on fire
MA N Y years ago, while working on a social history of sport, I came across some news reports of a Test match played in Lahore in 1955 The cricket itself was boring in the extreme It was one of five draws in a five-match series between India and Pakistan, with runs scored at less than two an over What was far more interesting was the social context For this was the first time since 1947 that the city of Lahore had been allowed to recapture its multicultural past As many as 10 000 tickets for the Test were set aside for citizens of India, who came across the Wagah border every morning and returned to Amritsar the same night This constituted what one eyewitness termed “the biggest mass migration across the frontier since Partition
The Test began on January 29 1955 The next day the Dawn newspaper spoke of how, as the turnstiles opened, Ladies, Sikhs, Hindus and the local population waited patiently and decently for their turn in the serpentine queue lines running two to three furlongs in length sometimes even more The city itself was in a gay holiday mood The early morning bustle was reminiscent of the Shalimar Mela, excepting that the composition of the crowd was of a higher order ”
The report continued: “Sikhs were particularly conspicuous and were the centre of attraction wherever they went They were recipients of unsolicited greetings and unexpected welcome Some of them even cried when they embraced their old friends in the city ”
The report published by Dawn was anonymous yet the writer was evidently a Pakistani Muslim based in Lahore His sentiments were echoed by a Hindu journalist from distant Madras himself untouched by the horrors of Partition, who commented that great fraternisation among the Pakistanis and the Indians was witnessed everywhere during the Test match days”
I was reminded of those yellowing news reports when reading Manan Ahmed Asif s recent book Disrupted City: Walking the Pathways of Memory and History in Lahore The author grew up in Lahore, leaving it 30 years ago to study and work overseas However, he returns to his hometown often, and aims in this book “to tell the history of this city without being held hostage to the nation-state that inherits it In narrating this history he combines personal memories
In 2017, Google released Flutter, an open-source UI software development kit (SDK). From a single codebase , developers may create natively compiled desktop, web, and mobile applications.
Yaqoob Ali Baloch cn be
with scholarly excavations of texts in Persian, Urdu, Punjabi and even Arabic Asif notes early in the narrative that “much of the diversity and multitude of the pre-1947 Lahore ended with the mass exodus of the city s Hindu and Sikh inhabitants and the influx of [Muslim] refugees from the parts of Punjab now governed by India ” He adds: “After that moment of disruption, it became a city in exile from its own past ” Cricket figures only fleetingly in Asif s book and that Lahore Test of 1955 not at all Yet his book provides clues to that intriguing reference to the crowd at the cricket match resembling that of the Shalimar Mela, albeit of a “higher order” The Shalimar Mela also known as Mela Chiraghan was once Lahore’s major festival It celebrated the life and legacy of a 16th-century Sufi saint named Shah Hussain who writes Asif in his book, decried those who were beholden to orthodoxy, consumed wine and intoxicants, sang, danced ecstatically, and often went unclothed” Shah Hussain’s closest companion and probable lover was a young Hindu man and the shrine where they were both buried became the site of pilgrimage for Hindus Muslims, and Sikh as well as an annual festival of lights that would remain the most important public procession in Lahore for hundreds of years” After Partition the festival lost its pluralistic character which observers nostalgically recalled when viewing the gathering at the Lahore Test of 1955 Manan Asif s book restores, to our understanding of his hometown, rich elements of its multi-layered, multi-religious, and multi-lingual past He provides crisp portraits of characters associated with the city such as the courtesan Anarkali the saint and mystic Data Ganj Baksh the warriorchief Ranjit Singh and many others The sketches are informative and nuanced, with one exception, that of Rudyard Kipling, whom the author portrays as a jaundiced imperialist That Kipling undoubtedly became in later life; on the other hand the descriptions of the Lahore of his youth in his novel Kim especially are vivid empathetic, and deeply insightful about the lives and struggles of ordinary folk From Asif ’s Disrupted City, we get a sharp sense of Lahore’s architectural heritage with accounts of buildings large and social famous as well as obscure woven into the narrative Now extinct or abandoned temples and gurdwaras figure alongside still active mosques, showing that, in a forgotten past, how much Lahore s skyline was shaped by Hindu and Sikh holy places” In another chapter Asif demonstrates that before 1947 much of Lahore’s economic life was shaped by Hindu and Sikh enterprise In an evocative scene, Asif writes of how, growing up in the increasingly Islamicised Lahore of the 1970s and 1980s, on his walk home from school, he would often pass an old house on whose ledge were written some faded words in Devanagari characters For many months he recalls I passed the gate with only a cursory
glance at the script Though no one had said it, I knew that lingering in front of the gate was not a good idea I could not read (nor learn how to read) Devanagari in Lahore I knew that the Devanagari script was Hindu and that a Hindu was a person who was trying to stab me in the back (per my social science textbook) Reading these lines, I began thinking,
(and atheistic) writers ) The presentation of India as an essentially “Hindu” country has been furthered in history and social science textbooks prescribed by governments run by the BJP This majoritarian worldview is amplified by Hindutva social media outlets, such that Hindus of all ages are urged to distrust Muslims of all kinds At another place in his book Asif speaks of how once popular festivals such as Mela Chiraghan and Basant were banished from the collective life of Lahoris because they conflicted with the tenets of the Wahabi-ised Islam promoted by the military dictator, Zia-ul-Haq In the Pakistan of the 1980s and beyond “joy spontaneity and collectiveness would become suspicious activities even as righteous wounded anger and bile would form the basis of commemorative acts It appears that a Hinduised India is closely emulating Pakistan’s example, by replacing collective joy and spontaneity with sectarian bile and vengeful anger The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has sought assiduously to erase signs of Hindu and Sikh influence from Lahore s past While Hindutvavadis
statements that aim to divert attention from the continuous crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian brothers in Gaza, including the ethnic cleansing they are subjected to Riyadh also commended the widespread condemnation from Arab nations highlighting a unified rejection of Netanyahu’s comments The Kingdom emphasizes that this extremist occupying mentality disregards
the Palestinian people s deep-rooted historical, emotional, and legal ties to their land, the statement said It refuses to recognize their right to exist and has relentlessly targeted them killing and injuring over 160 000 mostly women and children without remorse Saudi Arabia reaffirmed that Palestinians are not intruders or immigrants to be expelled at Israel s will Instead, it accused proponents of these extremist views of obstructing peace by rejecting Arab-led initiatives and systematically oppressing Palestinians for over 75 years in violation of international law and UN principles
The ministry insisted that Palestinian rights remain firmly established and cannot be erased,” asserting that lasting peace hinges on a return to reason and the acceptance of a two-state solution
labeled them “irresponsible” and a direct violation of Saudi sovereignty calling the Kingdom’s security a “red line ” Jordan’s Foreign Ministry described the remarks as inflammatory and a clear violation of international law, warning that such rhetoric undermines regional stability The UAE also denounced Netanyahu’s remarks as “reprehensible
Experts in global health voiced serious concern over the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) which distributes tens of billions of dollars worth of aid to a number of developing countries, including Pakistan, every year President Donald Trump s administration has announced huge cuts to the agency’s workforce and the immediate suspension of almost all of its aid programmes It has announced a 90-day freeze on funding for aid projects while it undertakes a review to ensure they align with President Trump’s priorities Trump is a long-term critic of overseas spending and has said it needs to be brought into line with his America First strategy Leading the denunciation of Trump s move to shutter the agency is former USAID chief Samantha Power She said it threatened America’s national security and standing around the world
“We are witnessing one of the worst and most costly foreign policy blunders in US history Ms Power who led the agency throughout former President
have warned of the spread of disease as well as delays to the development of vaccines
said Power Unless the dismantling is halted Ms Power wrote future generations will marvel that it wasn t China s actions that eroded US standing and global security but rather an American president and the billionaire he unleashed to shoot first and aim later ” On his part Trump has targeted USAID in particular saying the agency s spending is totally unexplainable and has singled out certain projects as examples of how the agency is, in its view, wasting taxpayers money Health experts, on the other hand,
After
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Sunday described the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf s (PTI)
Swabi rally a flop show criticizing that the party failed to attract 5 000 people despite using official resources Talking to the media, Azma Bokhari said the people of KhyberPakhtunkhwa (KP) had rejected PTI founder s politics of unrest and chaos She alleged that government employees were made to mark attendance at the event, yet turnout remained low “Junaid Akbar has failed his first political test miserably while Ali Amin Gandapur once again resorted to crudeness to please PTI s founder, she remarked She further claimed that Punjab’s youth were benefitting from initiatives such as electric bikes and scholarships and that KP s young population deserved the same opportunities
She announced that PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz would soon introduce scholarships for students in the province Bokhari added that after the failed uprisings of May 9 and November 26, the public had grown weary of PTI’s protest-driven politics asserting that Pakistan was on a path to recovery under Sharifs leadership
On February 8, PTI staged a rally in Swabi KhyberPakhtunkhwa to observe Black Day marking one year since the general elections The party alleges that its mandate during the elections was stolen The rally was also attended by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minis-
Naqvi (LGG) secured the title with a total score of 151 (+7), narrowly edging out Rehan Babar (LGG) at 152 (+8) The PRO-AM event saw 27 professionals participating with Muhammad Zubair s team winning the top prize of Rs 50,000 Minhaj Maqsood’s team finished as runnersup while Shahid Javed Khan’s team claimed third place Kamram Zahoor was the winner in KGC Caddies Saleem Inayat in KGC Senior Professionals and Abdullah became title holder in KGC Professionals category Top five golfers according to PGF criteria were paid appearance money of PKR200 000 each among Muhammad Shabbir (Islamabad Golf Club) Muhammad Alam (Garrison), Muhammad Munir
(Rawalpindi) Minhaj Masqood (Rawalpindi) and Muhammad Zubair (Karachi) Similarly, PKR 75,000 each were paid as appearance money to Senior Pros: Muhammad Akram, Nisar Hussain and Muhammad Tariq PKR 150 000 were equally distributed among junior professionals Rehan Babar Muhammad Sahil and Shahbaz Ali Amjad Yousuf from Rawalpindi scored a spectacular Hole-in-One at Blue Hole #4, winning a Toyota Altis Tallat Ijaz achieved second Hole-in-One in the same category and was awarded
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram highly praised the nation for its resounding response to unlawfully incarcerated leader Imran Khan’s call to observe the first anniversary of the February 8 electoral fraud as a black day across the country
PTI CIS, in a statement on Sunday, commended the public for standing firm against the authoritarian regime’s oppressive and coercive tactics, demonstrating unwavering support for their beloved leader by holding a recordbreaking public gathering at Swabi
Waqas vehemently denounced the government s arbitrary detention of PTI leaders and workers and brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters, who were simply exercising their fundamental rights to voice their opposition to the mega poll robbery committed on February 8 2024 in broad daylight
He urged that the petrified mandate
stolen government to release all the PTI’s imprisoned leaders and workers forthwith emphasizing that an awakened nation cannot be intimidated or silenced through such brutal and inhumane tactics
PTI CIS stated that the nation has repeatedly given opportunities to the two self-centered dynastic political parties but they have consistently prioritized their own interests over the nation s well-being further enriching themselves at the expense of the people Waqas recalled that the PTI founder had long ago predicted that the Zardari and Sharif families were not in conflict for the sake of the country’s interests, but rather for their own vested political gains He noted that Imran Khan had foreseen how these political dynasties would eventually unite against PTI in a desperate attempt to salvage their dwindling political fortunes
PTI CIS stated that it had become evident as the PPP and PML-N entered into a marriage of convenience because of their interwoven interests adding
that they were playing rat-and-mouse game just to further protect their own interests and expand their power shares About PPP s oft-repeated threats to quit government
Waqas stated that it was nothing but a diversionary tactic to mislead the masses, as the government responded by reactivating NAB to reopen mega corruption cases against its leadership in a bid to silence the critics
PTI CIS said that stated that the bittersweet relations between the two political dynasties and the public mudslinging among their cronies were nothing more than an eyewash He emphasized that both parties were solely focused on safeguarding their own vested interests with no genuine concern for Pakistan s welfare or the wellbeing of its people He went on to say that the PPP and PML-N were two sides of the same coin, which is why they were united in their efforts to unleash a reign of terror aimed at dismantling PTI Their shared goal he emphasized was to keep Imran Khan along with the party s leadership
and workers, in arbitrary detention, suppressing dissent and undermining the democratic process Waqas vehemently criticized the non-elected government for subjecting PTI founder to inhumane treatment including solitary confinement and stripping him of all constitutionally and legally guaranteed privileges as a former prime minister
PTI CIS emphasized that despite the fascist regime s relentless coercion and brutality over the past two years have failed to work, as the nation and their beloved leader remain unbroken and resilient
Waqas stated that Imran Khan was the only leader whose life and mission were entirely dedicated to Pakistan while the other power-seeking politicians only returned to the country to rule and would flee on the first available flight once ousted from power
He made it clear that the PTI founder ’s proposed solutions were the only effective remedy for the country’s myriads of challenges
one be formed
Tarar expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Syed Hassan Asghar affectionately known as “Gudu Shah and paid tribute to all workers who had passed away He lamented that Nawaz Sharif was unable to be with his late wife Kulsoom Nawaz during her final moments a regret that would always linger The minister affirmed that addressing the problems of party workers was a top priority for the government He emphasized the importance of appointing a party worker as the head of the organizing committee should
Tarar assured that the recommendations of any organizing committee would be implemented, advocating for the establishment of a secretariat to maintain comprehensive records of party members and their affiliations He pledged to discuss this matter with the PML-N Lahore president
The federal minister also acknowledged the late Chaudhry Ateeq and Gudu Shah for their dedicated service to the party underscoring their valuable contributions
PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique and Pervaiz Rashid also addressed the gathering, echoing the importance of honoring the sacrifices of the party’s workers and leaders
The Balochistan government has constituted a special committee to investigate the presence of dangerous levels of fluoride in the region’s drinking water particularly in Quetta
The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department will lead the inquiry tasked with conducting a comprehensive assessment of fluoride concentrations Expert teams from the committee will collect random water samples from various locations for quality analysis to ensure accurate results Provincial Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran has emphasized the importance of following standard scientific protocols during the investigation There will be zero tolerance for negligence in providing clean drinking water ” Khetran declared The committee has been directed to submit its findings within four weeks identifying possible sources of
contamination and evaluating potential pollution threats to the water supply
This response comes in light of a concerning study led by Taimoor Shah Durrani, a PhD scholar from Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) Between 2022 and 2024, Durrani collected water samples from 100 tubewells across densely populated areas of Quetta
The research revealed that 52 percent of the drinking water supply contains dangerously high fluoride levels, described as a hidden poison contributing to bone diseases With public health at stake, authorities are urged to act swiftly Minister Khetran reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining water safety and ensuring clean drinking water for the population
g SENATOR ALI ZAFAR REQUESTS POSTPONEMENT OF MONDAY ’S
MEETING, CITING IHC JUDGES' SENIORITY DISPUTE AND TRANSFERS
t
Member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) has also written to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi seeking the commission s scheduled meeting on Monday (tomorrow) be postponed until the seniority issue of Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges is resolved in accordance with the law
Senator Ali Zafar, in his letter, highlights that four Supreme Court judges have already requested the postponement of the meeting
Furthermore it mentions that the transfer of judges has altered the seniority list of the IHC, raising concerns that these transfers may have been arranged to influence appeals related to PTI founder and Bushra Bibi
Senator Ali Zafar suggests that it would be appropriate to address the seniority concerns before proceeding with judicial appointments
Additionally he proposed that if the commission insists on holding the meeting,
then the recently transferred judges should not be considered for appointment A couple of days ago four judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, in a letter, demanded putting on hold the process of appointment of eight new judges to the apex court till the challenges to the 26th Amendment were decided The letter signed by senior puisne judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and justices Munib Akhtar Athar Minallah and Ayesha Malik was addressed to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) is scheduled to meet on Monday (tomorrow) to consider filling eight vacant seats of judges at the Supreme Court
The JCP approves judicial appointments and was reconstituted to include four members of parliament after the passage of 26th Amendment Act, 2024, which brought numerous changes pertaining to the judiciary The Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench has taken up a number of challenges to the amendment It is requested that the scheduled meet-
ing and the appointment of eight new judges be postponed till the challenge to the 26th Constitutional Amendment is decided one way or the other, or at least until the Constitutional Bench decides the applications for convening a full court to hear and determine that challenge and till the matter of the transfer of judges to the Islamabad High Court and their seniority is finally determined on the judicial side since we are given to understand that such challenges have been launched, the letter reads
The judges said the existing and continuing state of affairs and certain recent developments” had compelled them to make the request They pointed out that the challenges to the 26th Amendment were lingering and languishing before the Constitutional Bench
For diverse reasons, which to some are obvious to the point of being self-evident, these challenges needed to be dealt with by the full court urgently and immediately, and ought, therefore to have been so heard already
The request to convene a full court was brought on the record by some of us
Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is grappling with internal divisions following a recent organisational reshuffle, sparking protests and unrest among party workers The reshuffle, announced on Saturday, saw senior leaders Anees Qaimkhani, Aminul Haq and Dr Farooq Sattar appointed to key roles in the Central Organising Committee However this decision faced immediate backlash with party workers gathering at the Bahadurabad headquarters to demand greater transparency and consultation in leadership decisions Protesters chanted in favor of party convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui while expressing opposition to former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal, whose inclusion remains controversial Demonstrators also protested against Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori who was recently assigned as in-charge of the provincial parliamentary committee A video circulating on social media showed clashes between dissenting groups of workers, highlighting the tension within MQM-P Reports indicated that minor scuffles broke out between party members while accusations surfaced about leadership sidelining
earlier However, the matters were sent off to the Constitutional Bench, where a first formal hearing was held after a considerable delay Now the aforementioned meeting for induction of new judges has been scheduled surprisingly and rather hurriedly before the next date of hearing in the said matters before the Constitutional bench ” The judges said the development could “further imperil and erode the public trust and confidence reposed in the institution They pointed out that public trust in the judiciary presently hinged crucially on how pleas against the amendment were dealt with The induction of new judges, at this stage, who are clearly beneficiaries of the amendment, will weigh heavily on the faltering public trust enjoyed by the institution today and unnecessarily make matters more complicated they added The dilemma that will be created if the meeting goes ahead to reach its stated objective can be stated as follows If the Constitutional Bench accepts the applications and directs the convening of the full court to hear and decide the challenges to the amendment the question will then inevitably arise as to who will comprise the full court for such purpose This is so because if by that time eight
ation On one view the
would
clude the new appointees But they would have come in under the amendment itself This will inter alia give rise to a public perception of court-packing, which would severely damage the image of the highest institution of justice in the country as to its impartiality and independence “On the other view the full court for the purposes at hand could only be the judges on the