Karachi industrialists announce shutdown on December 4

• Ask govt to take back unprecedented hike in gas tariffs
• Production suspension to cause $47m per day export loss

KARACHI: Industrialists in the economic nerve centre of Pakistan have announced a complete production shutdown on Monday (Dec 4) to force the caretaker government to reverse the unprecedented hikes in the gas tariffs.

They estimate a per day export loss of $47 million from the port city.

Businessmen have already displayed protest banners at the offices of all trade associations, demanding the government to immediately bring down the gas rates to Rs1,350 per mmBtu approved by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) instead of the high tariffs of Rs2,100-2,600 per mmBtu.

This was announced by various industrial bodies at the third press conference held at the Site Association of Industry (SAI) on Thursday, which was attended by the office-bearers of various industrial associations and value-added textile sectors.

Businessmen Group Vice-Chairman Jawed Bilwani said that based on the country’s total exports of $9.6 billion during the July-October period, the cumulative per day exports stand at $79m in which the share of Karachi is 60pc or $47m per day.

He claimed that all the trade bodies from Sindh and Balochistan are extremely perturbed over the exorbitant hike in gas tariffs which has made it impossible to keep the wheels of industries running.

Lasbela Chamber of Commerce and Industry from Balochistan along with Nooriabad and Kotri chambers have also joined our protest and assured to fully endorse all the strategies adopted by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to deal with the situation, he said.

He said the business community appeals to the government to bring down the gas tariff to Rs1,350 per mmBtu which has been determined as 100pc cost of gas by Ogra and includes approximately 22pc profit of SSGCL as well.

“The industries are ready to pay gas at the rate of Rs1,350 per mmBtu but not the subsidies being provided to other sectors,” he said, adding that the business community would continue to raise a stronger voice via media until their legitimate demand to bring down gas tariff is fulfilled by the government.

The new gas tariff has burdened the industries with cross-subsidy for undeserving and unfair support to fertiliser, domestic and power sectors, he said.

Surprisingly, Mr Bilwani said, gas to fertiliser sector is being provided at a much lower rate, making no sense as this sector enjoys a profitability of around 20-22pc and it also receives a subsidy in gas tariff which was very strange and beyond anyone’s understanding.

SAI President Muhammad Kamran Arbi urged the government to hold a meeting with the industry stakeholders to reach a consensus on the gas price since the existing tariff has outgrown the manufacturing costs.

The business community still awaits the promised winter package for incremental consumption of electricity wherein it was agreed to provide electricity at a reduced tariff of Rs20 per unit on incremental consumption during four winter months, the SAI chief said.

KCCI Senior Vice-President Altaf A. Ghaffar said that the industries of Karachi were already suffering from the high cost of manufacturing. Therefore, the government must immediately withdraw the hike in gas tariff to bring it down to an acceptable level.

SAI Chief Coordinator Saleem Parekh said that exports should continue without hindrance. The SMEs are closing down whereas the big industries may follow suit.

The country’s economy will see a hit from the halting exports, he warned, adding that the industry is unable to fetch higher prices for their products on the world markets due to costlier gas.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2023

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US plans lunar landing 50 years after last Apollo mission

WASHINGTON: More than 50 years after the last Apollo mission, the United States will try once again to land a craft on the Moon on January 25, said the head of what could be the first private company to successfully touch down on the lunar surface.

The lander, named Peregrine, will have no one on board.

It was developed by American company Astrobotic, whose CEO John Thornton said it will carry NASA instruments to study the lunar environment in anticipation of NASA’s Artemis manned missions.

Several years ago, NASA opted to commission US companies to send scientific experiments and technologies to the Moon — a programme called CLPS.

These fixed-price contracts should make it possible to develop a lunar economy, and provide transport services at a lower cost.

“One of the big challenges of what we’re attempting here is attempting a launch and landing on the surface Moon for a fraction of what it would otherwise cost,” said Thornton on Wednesday at a press briefing at his company’s base in Pittsburgh.

“Only about half of the missions that have gone to the surface of the Moon have been successful,” he said. “So it’s certainly a daunting challenge. I’m going to be terrified and thrilled all at once at every stage of this.”

Takeoff is scheduled for December 24 from Florida aboard the inaugural flight of the new rocket from the ULA industrial group, named Vulcan Centaur.

The probe will then take “a few days” to reach lunar orbit, but will have to wait until January 25 before attempting landing, so that light conditions at the target location are right, Thornton said.

The descent will be carried out autonomously, without human intervention, but will be monitored from the company’s control center.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2023

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No change in petrol price but diesel rate slashed by Rs7

The caretaker government on Thursday retained the existing price of petrol at Rs 281.34 per litre but slashed the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs7 per litre for the next fortnight.

According to a notification by the finance ministry, high-speed diesel will be available at Rs289.71 per litre from December 1. The prices of Kerosene and Light Diesel Oil were also decreased by Rs3.82 and Rs4.52.

After the cut, Kerosene will be available at Rs201.16 per litre while Light Diesel Oil will be sold at Rs175.93.

The development follows an IMF review and a global decline in oil prices.

Global oil prices tumbled midweek when Opec+ —the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and allies including Russia — postponed to Nov 30 a ministerial meeting to iron out differences on production targets. Brent crude futures were down 37 cents, or 0.4pc, at $80.21 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures lost 29 cents, or 0.4pc, to $75.25.

Previously, the interim government had reduced the prices of all petroleum products by Rs2 to 9 per litre owing to lower prices in the international market.

As a consequence, the ex-depot price of high-speed diesel (HSD) fell below Rs300 per litre after more than two months. As such, the ex-depot price of HSD was set at Rs296.71 per litre.

Earlier, the ex-depot price of petrol was fixed at Rs281.34 per litre.

Moreover, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Energy Ministry held talks to review the progress under the Petroleum Development Levy on petroleum products today.

The government already has in place Rs60 per litre petroleum levy — the maximum permissible limit under the law. The government has set a budget target to collect Rs869bn as petroleum levy on petroleum products during the current fiscal year under the commitments made with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The total PL collection crossed Rs222bn in the first quarter ending September, even though its per litre rates had increased slowly over the period on petrol and kept almost unchanged.

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Killings of kids in Jenin mar attempts to extend truce

ISTANBUL: A massive banner proclaiming ‘Humanity is dying in Gaza’ is displayed in the stands during the Champions League football match between Turkish side Galatasaray and Manchester United at the RAMS Park, on Wednesday.—Reuters

• Five premature babies found dead in paediatric hospital
• Another group of prisoners released; three said to be killed in earlier Israeli strikes on Gaza

GAZA: With just hours of peace left, mediators scrambled to extend a truce between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday.

But progress on the truce deal was marred by the killings of two Pales­t­i­nian children by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

Late on Wednesday night, AFP reported that another group of Israeli prisoners had been handed over to the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip. The release is the sixth under the extended humanitarian truce. At least 10 prisoners were expected to be freed on Wednesday under the terms of the truce agreement.

But the handover was overshadowed by the Hamas announcement that a number of Israeli prisoners, including a baby, had been killed during the earlier Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

Before a temporary truce, Israeli soldiers had blocked access to the intensive care unit at Al-Nasr paediatric facility in Gaza. The health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told AFP that “five premature babies have been found dead at a hospital in Gaza City.” He added, “the occupation (Israeli) forces left five premature babies” who were found “partly decomposed”.

Israeli bombardment has since reduced much of Gaza to a wasteland, with more than 15,000 people confirmed killed, 40 per cent of them children.

Many more are feared buried under the ruins, the Palestinian health ministry said. Another 160 bodies had been pulled out of rubble during the past 24 hours of the truce, and around 6,500 people were still missing.

West Bank killings

Palestinian authorities said in a statement that “Adam al-Ghul, eight years old, and Bassem Abu el-Wafa, 15 years old, were killed by bullets from the occupier”.

CCTV footage circulating online and on television news shows a child being struck by a bullet and falling in the street, sending other children fleeing. Other images show a 15-year-old child also being hit by a bullet and falling, then appearing to call for help as more shots hit the ground around him.

The child can be seen struggling on the ground in apparent agony for at least half a minute.

An official with the Palestinian Red Crescent said the children had been on a side street of central Jenin’s main thoroughfare, an area theoretically off limits to the Israeli military as it is under the sole control of the Palestinian Authority. The Hamas announcement said that baby Kfir Bibas, 10 months old, had been killed in an earlier Israeli bombing, along with his four-year-old brother Ariel and their mother.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2023

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ECP rejects ‘baseless, misleading’ reports of election delay

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday rejected what it said were “baseless and misleading” reports about a delay in the upcoming general elections.

The ECP and President Arif Alvi had agreed earlier this month on February 8, 2024, as the date for polls — an announcement that stirred activity in the camps of major political parties.

Earlier today, media reports said that a request was submitted to the ECP to postpone the general elections, citing security concerns in Balochistan and the recent wave of terrorism.

A statement issued by the ECP on social media platform X said: “The news in media circles about a delay in the elections are completely baseless and misleading. The ECP strongly rejects them.”

It added that a report about voters’ list not being completed was “completely false”.

The ECP said it had decided to approach the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority against “peddlers of fake news” so legal action could be initiated against them.

It added that it had summoned the recordings and transcripts of news reports from various channels in this regard.

The printing of final electoral rolls began last week as the ECP concluded hearings on objections to the new delimitation of constituencies.

During a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, it was announced that the final report on redrawn constituencies would be published on November 30, as planned.

The ECP also finalised a code of conduct for the elections in consultation with political parties which would be formally notified soon.

The commission was told that the training plan for district returning officers, returning officers, and polling staff was ready and that timely training of the related election officials would be ensured.

Similarly, necessary arrangements for printing ballot papers and purchasing election materials were completed, meaning the Election Commission was ready to hold the elections.

The ECP meeting had expressed satisfaction over election arrangements made so far and ordered that a complete mechanism be put in place for the timely delivery of electoral rolls to returning officers.

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PTI bickers over Imran’s ‘choice of successor’

• Marwat claims incarcerated ex-PM has decided not to contest intra-party polls
• Party ‘disowns’ statement, says schedule for internal elections yet to be decided
• Barrister Ali Zafar says PTI chief has nominated ‘someone’ to contest in his stead

ISLAMABAD: The Pakis­tan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) found itself embroiled in fresh controversy on Tuesday after it denied a statement by one of its own senior leaders, who had claimed that Imran Khan would not contest the upcoming intra-party polls for the slot of party chairman and that he had picked someone to contest in his stead.

While the party did not dir­ectly name newly-insta­lled Senior Vice President Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, it was clear that the clarification thr­o­ugh its official social media account was aimed at remarks made by him earlier in the day.

Speaking to reporters outside Adiala Jail on Tuesday after a meeting with Mr Khan, Mr Marwat stated that the PTI chief had decided to sit out the intra-party polls due to legal constraints and his disqualification in the Toshakhana case.

“Khan sahib himself has decided that he will not contest the polls for the office of PTI chairman,” he had said, adding that this decision was taken with consensus.

However, Mr Marwat also pointed out that the decision could be reversed as soon as his disqualification was set aside.

But just hours later, the PTI’s central information dep­artment issued a statement “strongly denying” spe­c­­ulation in the media over the issue. It also denied the claims by a “senior party leader” about Imran Khan not running for the post of chairman in intra-party elections.

“Discussions are ongoing on all important issues regar­ding the holding of intra-party elections,” the party statement said, adding that no decision had been made yet with regards to Mr Khan withdrawing from the election for party chairman or nominating another leader in his place.

The party said that as soon as the leadership reached a conclusion on when to hold intra-party elections, the date and the selection of candidates, the details would be released to the media.

But Mr Marwat, the party’s new face in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stuck to his guns in the face of party’s denial, and in response, took to X (formerly Twitter) to say: “Whatever I have said in my media talk about the intra-party election is correct. The decisions were taken by the PTI chairman in the presence of Senator Ali Zafar, Barrister Gohar Umair Niazi and myself,” he said.

“I fail to understand who is behind the contradiction and why the misleading statement was issued. The media are advised to verify my statement with the above persons,” he added.

Separately, speaking to Geo News on Tuesday night, PTI Senator Ali Zafar confirmed that he had indeed met Mr Khan earlier in the day and that there was no confusion within the party.

Mr Zafar claimed that Mr Khan had tasked him to hold consultations and then give his opinion on the situation, so the former premier could make his decision.

“Two to three decisions were made together with him. Firstly, he asked what is the legal status of the ECP’s order to hold intra-party elections so I told him that it is illegal and we should appeal, so the decision was made to appeal it.”

Secondly, Mr Zafar said, the PTI chief had asked whether the party should go ahead with elections despite appealing the ECP order, to which the senator said they should be held.

“I sense the perception and the party leadership does too, that the ECP is somehow trying to not give the PTI the symbol of the bat.”

Mr Zafar said the PTI chief had supported his opinion to hold elections and agreed with it.

A decision was reached that if need be, and if any concerns arose that the ECP would raise an objection if Mr Khan contested the elections, “it is better that we hold elections at the moment, in which Imran Khan doesn’t contest, and we nominate someone else [for party chairman],” he said.

Mr Zafar pointed out that a final decision was yet to be taken on the matter, adding that he would announce the “exact decision” today (Wednesday).

“If he [Imran] nominates someone else and a final decision is taken, then elections will be held,” Mr Zafar said.

The senator added that two to four names were being considered for the role, and that Mr Khan had already picked one of them.

“I cannot disclose it because it was our decision to first have legal consultation, if Mr Khan won’t contest then we will announce the name tomorrow,” he said when asked for a name.

He said Marwat was correct in what he was saying and was present in the meeting with Imran. But he diplomatically added that the PTI statement was also correct since “the final decision will be announced tomorrow.”

In yet another statement on Tuesday, PTI said that all new joinings in the party should now be routed through the secretary general.

“Senior Politicians/Notables on National/Provincial or Regional level should be routed to Party’s Central Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan for the approval of the Chairman PTI Imran Khan,” a circular stated.

Syed Talal Ahsan in Karachi, Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad and Mohammad Asghar in Rawalpindi also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2023

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Ex-Punjab IGP skips Faizabad commission again

ISLAMABAD: Former Punjab police chief Arif Nawaz failed to appear before the commission constituted to probe the Tehreek-i-Labbaik sit-in at Faizabad in 2017, for a second time, on Tuesday.

Official sources told Dawn that the three-member commission had summoned Mr Nawaz along with former Islamabad police chief Sultan Azam Temuri and former Rawalpindi division commissioner Nadeem Aslam Chaudhary.

Mr Nawaz has cited his engagements in the Federal Public Service Commission interviews for not being able to appear before the commission.

Mr Temuri and Mr Chaudhary appeared bef­o­re the commission at its office in the Interior Ministry on Tuesday, the sources said, adding that their statements were recorded.

Former IGP Temuri told the commission that he was appointed the capital’s police chief on December 8, 2017, while the TLP sit-in started on October 24 and ended on November 27 that year. During that period, he was the Gujranwala regional police officer.

He said that cases registered in connection with the sit-in were followed by the police under the government’s directives, keeping in view its agreement with TLP.

Mr Temuri recommended the formation of a dedicated anti-riot force to deal with sit-ins.

Besides, a contingency plan, SOPs and prior preparation should be done to deal with such demonstrations.

The commission also asked about the preparations in place to deal with the sit-in and the actions taken, the sources said.

Mr Temuri was questioned about the failure to intercept the protesters on their way to Islamabad and those who facilitated the TLP for the sit-in.

After recording statements of the two former officials, the commission adjourned the proceedings till Wednesday (today) when former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is due to appear.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2023

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Resolve corporate disputes through mediation: LHC

ISLAMABAD: The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi bench issued a landmark judgement on Tuesday on the “doctrine of expeditious resolution” of corporate disputes through mediation.

The judgement, authored by Justice Jawad Hassan, explained the methodology of settling commercial disputes through alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

Justice Hassan handed down the decision on a petition filed by Faisal Zafar and others regarding a dispute related to the management of a pharmaceutical company.

Ahmer Bilal Soofi represented the petitioners.

He argued that the management had committed “certain illegalities” in running the company’s affairs, including non-payment of salary to its employees, non-payment of electricity bills, non-compliance with guidelines given by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and impracticality of the agreement under the consent decree.

The court concluded that the matter could be resolved through “early neutral evaluation” (ENE) — a form of alternative dispute resolution in which the two parties concerned invite a third one to give an opinion on the merits of their case.

The court observed that the concept of corporate dispute resolution through mediation in commercial matters was not alien to the system.

“It is now a universally accepted method being followed as less expensive, less time-consuming, less cumbersome and ultimately a fruitful mode, commonly known as ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution)” adding that mediation not only saves time and money but also reduce the load of work in courts.

“It is the most updated way on resolutions based on the divine culture of peace,” said the judgement.

It said that “unlike court proceedings, mediation is a more informal and flexible approach, fostering open communication and creative problem solving.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2023

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2 terrorists killed in intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Kalat: ISPR

Two terrorists were killed by security forces during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Kalat district, the army’s media wing said on Tuesday night.

According to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted an IBO in the district’s general area of the Nagao Mountains over the reported presence of terrorists.

“During the conduct of operation, intense fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists, resultantly two terrorists were sent to hell, while a cache of arms, ammunition and explosives has also been recovered,” the ISPR said.

It added that the militants were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces and target killing of innocent civilians.

“Sanitisation is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area,” the ISPR said.

“Security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart attempts of sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan.”

On Sunday, eight terrorists were killed by security forces during an IBO in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district.

Earlier on Nov 16, four militants, including a “high-value terrorist”, were killed by security forces during an operation in the general area of Badaber in Peshawar district.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terrorist activities in recent months, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year.

In September, data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies said the number of militant attacks in August was the highest tally for monthly strikes in almost nine years.

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Qatar claims deal to extend Gaza truce by two days

• Palestinians demand Israel give news of those detained during operations in Gaza
• UN, White House welcome extension in humanitarian pause

CAIRO: Mediator Qatar said on Monday that a truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza had been extended by two days, while Palestinian authorities have demanded the Israeli military release information about who have been detained from Gaza during its assault on the territory.

“An agreement has been rea­ched to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip,” a Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson said in a post on social media platform X.

There was no immediate comment from Israel, but the White House welcomed the extension of the humanitarian pause in Gaza.

Hamas also said it had agreed to a two-day extension to the truce with Qatar and Egypt, which have been facilitating indirect negotiations between the two sides.

“An agreement has been reached with the brothers in Qatar and Egypt to extend the temporary humanitarian truce by two more days, with the same conditions as in the previous truce,” an official said in a phone call with Reuters.

None of the announcements spe­­c­ified how many prisoners would be released, but earlier the head of Egypt’s State Information Service, Diaa Rashwan, had said the deal being negotiated would include the release of 20 Israeli pri­soners. In exchange 60 Palesti­nian prisoners held in Israeli jails would be freed, he said.

The initial four-day truce was due to end on Monday night.

With the release of 11 Israeli prisoners expected on Monday, negotiations remain ongoing for the release of 33 Palestinians, Rashwan added.

It’s a “glimpse of hope and humanity” in the middle of the darkness and I strongly hope that these will enable us to increase even “more the humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza that is suffering so much,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

“As the Islamic Republic of Iran, we want and expect... that the crimes of the Zionist regime against the Palestinian people will be stopped completely,” said Nasser Kanani, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman.

The Qatari announcement came after US President Joe Biden, top EU envoy Josep Borrell and Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg all joined a global chorus urging the parties to extend their temporary break in Israeli bombardment.

Borrell called for the pause to be prolonged “to make it sustainable and long lasting while working for a political solution.” Borrell made the comments during a news conference held in Barcelona during the Union for the Mediter­ranean summit.

In a same event, Palestinian Foreign Minister al-Maliki said if truce was not extended, the death toll would double because Gaza’s population was now concentrated in the south of the strip.

Jordan’s foreign minister said that “Some among us are still refusing to call for a ceasefire... We dem­and it be implemented immediately.” “I call for an extension of the pause. This would allow for much needed relief to the people of Gaza”, Stoltenberg said.

Detainees

The head of the Palestinian Authority’s commission for prisoners, Qaddura Fares, said on Sunday that Israeli officials had told him at one point their side had made 105 arrests.

But he said Israel had not announced the number publicly and there was “no detail about what has become of these people”. “We fear they may have been killed after being detained and interrogated,” he told AFP.

They demanded the Israel to release information about more than 100 people thought to have been detained.

The UN humanitarian affairs office OCHA said in a report that Israeli forces had detained people walking to southern Gaza from the north on the Salah al-Din road during the Israeli operations and a truce that came into force on November 24.

Red Cross medical worker Ramadan Hossu said in a video released by his organisation that Israeli forces strip-searched and handcuffed him after detaining him on the road.

One displaced Gaza resident, Sahar Awwad, told AFP that Israeli soldiers detained her son Mohammed as he tried to leave southern Gaza on November 12.

“He was freed after nine days” after “undergoing torture,” Awwad said.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2023

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Pakistan, UAE sign ‘historic’ MoUs worth ‘multi-billion dollars’

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates on Monday signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) pertaining to investment cooperation that will unlock “multi-billion dollars” in funding from the Mideast state.

The development came in a meeting between caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi during the former’s week-long trip to the Middle East.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the MoUs in the sectors of energy, port operations, wastewater treatment, food security, logistics, minerals, and banking and financial services will unlock “multi-billion dollars of investment from the UAE into Pakistan and will help realise various initiatives envisioned under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC)”.

The prime minister termed the signing of MoUs as “a historic event that will usher in a new era of Pak-UAE economic partnership.”

During the meeting, PM Kakar expressed profound gratitude for the UAE’s firm support to Pakistan in the economic and financial domain.

“The UAE is home to 1.8 million Pakistanis, contributing to the progress, prosperity and economic development of the two brotherly countries,” the PMO said.

Regional and global developments were also discussed during the meeting with particular reference to the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in occupied Palestine.

The prime minister expressed Pakistan’s support for a just and durable solution to the Palestinian question anchored in international law and in line with relevant United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation resolutions.

The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s full support to the UAE’s presidency for the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2023 (COP 28), underlining its importance as an opportunity for meaningful progress towards effective and result-oriented global actions in key areas to mitigate climate impact, including the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund.

The two leaders reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen economic and strategic cooperation and underlined that Pakistan and the UAE had “historic and deep-rooted fraternal ties which had stood the test of time”.

Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir was also present on the occasion.

PM Kakar will next pay a two-day bilateral visit to Kuwait on November 28-29 where he will meet the top Kuwaiti leadership. Some MoUs are also expected to be inked during the visit.

PM Kakar will also participate in COP 28 in Dubai on December 1-2. The summit will continue till Dec 12, but he will attend the main session, along with many heads of state. Later, technical sessions will start, which will be attended by officials and not world leaders.

PM Kakar will return to the country on Dec 3.

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39 more Palestinians reunited with loved ones

RELEASED Palestinian prisoner Israa Jaabis receives an emotional welcome from her family at her home in Jerusalem, after she was freed as part of a prisoner-swap deal between Hamas and Israel, on Sunday.—Reuters

• Hamas returns 13 Israeli, three Thai and one Russian prisoner, says it is willing to extend truce
• Palestinian farmer killed by Israeli forces in refugee camp; 8 dead in West Bank

JERUSALEM: Israel’s pri­son service said 39 Pales­tinian detainees were relea­sed on Sunday under the terms of a truce agreement, while Hamas hand over 17 prisoners on the third day of a truce with Israel.

The release of some of the prisoners includes, 13 Israeli prisoners, three Thais and one with Russian citizenship.

Meanwhile, holding a news conference, President Joe Biden said a 4-year-old US citizen was also released. Biden said he hoped the pause in Israeli aggression against Gazans can go on as long as prisoners are getting released. He said he hoped more Americans would be released by Hamas although he did not have firm news.

In addition, a source close to Hamas said the group was willing to extend the current truce with Israel in Gaza for two to four days beyond its initial expiry on Monday.

“Hamas informed the media­tors that the resistance movements were willing to extend the current truce by two to four days. The resistance believes it is possible to ensure the rel­ease of 20 to 40 Israeli prisoners,” the source told AFP.

Farmer killed

The killing of a Palestinian farmer in the central Gaza Strip had earlier added to concerns over the fragility of the truce.

The farmer was killed when targeted by Israeli forces east of Gaza’s long-established Maghazi refugee camp, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

Meanwhile, the Hamas also said on Sunday that four of its military commanders in the Gaza Strip had been killed, including the commander of the North Gaza brigade, Ahmad Al Ghandour. It did not say when they had been killed. Qatar, Egypt and the United States are pressing for the truce to be extended beyond Monday but it is not clear whether that will happen.

Israel had said the ceasefire could be extended if Hamas continued to release at least 10 prisoners a day. A Palestinian source had said up to 100 prisoners could go free.

West bank violence

Israeli troops killed eight Palestinians over a 24-hour period in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Five people were killed by Israeli army fire in Jenin, the ministry said, during an incursion by a large number of armoured vehicles into the city, which was recently the scene of the deadliest Israeli raid in the West Bank in almost 20 years.

Medical sources told AFP 15 people were wounded, while witnesses reported that an Israeli drone had carried out an air strike on Jenin’s refugee camp.

Other witnesses said on Saturday that the Israeli army had surrounded Jenin’s public hospital and the Ibn Sina clinic, and that soldiers were searching ambulances.

The Israeli army said it had arrested the suspected perpetrator of an attack that killed two Israelis in August.

A 25-year-old doctor was killed on Saturday outside his home in Qabatiya, near Jenin, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

A Palestinian was also killed in El-Bireh, near the city of Ramallah, and another during an Israeli army raid on a village south of Nablus, it said.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2023

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Biden may attach conditions to US aid to Israel

• Adviser Sullivan believes prisoners release a testament to effectiveness of direct presidential diplomacy
• Senator Bernie Sanders says ‘blank cheque approach’ by US must end

WASHINGTON: In a significant shift of tone, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan hinted on Sunday at the possibility of President Joe Biden attaching conditions to US aid to

Israel while his deputy Jon Finer added that US aid was never unconditional.

In interviews to various US television channels, Mr Sullivan stated that President Biden acknowledged the notion during a recent press conference. This development comes as health officials in Gaza report a staggering toll from weeks of Israeli attacks, with over 14,500 deaths and 1.7 million people displaced.

Pressed on whether President Biden would consider legislation attaching conditions to aid for Israel, Mr Sullivan did not rule out the possibility.

“He is going to continue to focus on what is going to generate results,” he said, pointing to the recent prisoner releases as a testament to the effectiveness of direct presidential diplomacy behind closed doors with both Israeli and Arab partners.

As pressure mounts from some Democrats expressing empathy towards Palestinians, President Biden’s openness to considering conditions on aid to Israel reflects a nuanced approach. During a recent press gathering, Mr Biden referred to the idea as a “worthwhile thought.”

Mr Sullivan emphasised the administration’s commitment to results-driven diplomacy, highlighting the ongoing efforts behind closed doors to address the crisis.

The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with the United States navigating a delicate balance between supporting the Israeli military action and recognising the humanitarian impact of the unrest.

As the Biden administration grapples with the complexities of the region, the possibility of attaching conditions to aid adds a new dimension to US-Israel relations, potentially reshaping the dynamics of American involvement in the ongoing crisis.

In another interview, Deputy National Security Adviser Mr Finer emphasised the principle that “no assistance that the United States provides to any country is unconditional.”

He said that while Israel had the right to defend itself, “those rights come with obligations and that obligation includes conducting this conflict in a way that distinguishes civilians from non-combatants in a way that is proportional.”

Mr Finer accused Hamas of committing “flagrant violations of international laws” but said that “this does not diminish Israel’s obligations, it is a facet of this conflict that makes the challenge extremely daunting.”

Responding to another question, Mr Sullivan revealed that 10 American prisoners remain in Gaza, with three of them qualifying for release under the latest deal due to being women and children.

Twenty-four prisoners were released on Friday in the first wave and an additional 17 were released on Saturday, including a 9-year-old Israeli Irish girl who was believed to be dead.

Just hours before 4-year-old American prisoner Abigail Idan was released by Hamas in Gaza, Mr Sullivan said “we have reasons to believe she would be released soon.”

In a piece he wrote for New York Times last week, Senator Bernie Sanders, said that alth­ough the US has provided Israel a “substantial” amount of aid in its war with Hamas, the “blank cheque approach must end.”

“The United States must make clear that … there are conditions to that friendship and that we cannot be complicit in actions that violate international law and our own sense of decency,” he wrote.

“That includes an end to indiscriminate bombing; a significant pause (for humanitarian assistance to (reach Gaza). the right of displaced Gazans to return to their homes; no long-term Israeli occupation of Gaza; an end to settler violence in the West Bank and a freeze on settlement expansion; and a commitment to broad peace talks for a two-state solution in the wake of the war.”

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2023

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‘Ticket fees’ major money spinner for parties

• Experts say amounts paid by aspirants form big chunk of most parties’ finances
• Politician argues fee is necessary to weed out ‘non-serious contenders’

ISLAMABAD: The upcoming elections are set to become a money-making venture for nearly all mainstream political parties as candidates are being charged ‘non-refundable fees’ for the award of tickets.

For example, PML-N and PTI have both fixed a fee of Rs200,000 each for aspirants seeking to contest elections on a National Assembly seat.

Although the practice has been decried as being ‘exclusionary’ for the common man, as it all but ensures that only those with substantial financial means can take part, there is no law forbidding it, which has become commonplace in Pakistan’s electoral politics.

These fees are separate from the nomination fees that are submitted to the Election Com­mission of Pakistan (ECP) alongside nomination papers. In fact, while the fees charged by various parties have incre­ased over the years (in step with inflation), most proposals put forward by the ECP to raise the nomination fees have been opposed tooth and nail.

In 2013, a draft electoral reform bill prepared by the ECP proposed an increase in the nomination fee from Rs4,000 to Rs50,000 for an NA candidate, and from Rs2,000 to Rs25,000 for a provincial assembly candidate. However, it was opposed by both parties as well as civil society, who saw it was a retrogressive step in the garb of reform.

At the time, critics were of the view that Pakistan’s electoral field has already been captured by the super rich and the so-called reform would marginalise the party workers, who lack financial resources.

But the reality is that one has to be rich if he or she aspires to get a party ticket.

Analysts also point out that big sums are often ‘donated’ to political parties by business magnates to enter power corridors, and observers feel that the fundamental right of citizens to run for public office is compromised when party tickets are awarded on the basis of financial status.

Largest source of income

Pakistan Institute of Legis­lative Development and Trans­pa­rency (Pildat) president Ahmad Bilal Mehboob told Dawn that the application fee for party tickets forms the largest source of income for political parties, as indicated in their audited statements of accounts over the past eight years.

“I personally think that charging an application fee may not be a bad idea as long as there is complete transparency, both from the party and candidates in their statements. I think an application fee of up to Rs200,000 is not unreasonable, but anything more than that will be excessive,” he remarked.

Mr Mehboob said the ECP should insist that each contributor to the election campaign, as well as the party in general, should be identified alongside their CNIC number.

“We hope that the newly revamped political finance wing of ECP will be able to scrutinise all sources of income and expenses of candidates and parties,” he said.

PML-N Senator Irfanul Haq Siddiqui justified the high cost of candidature, saying it was essential to filter out non-serious contenders.

Political parties need funds to effectively run their election campaigns and convey their agenda and manifesto to the masses to enable them to take informed decision, he added.

“We should be realistic while considering the pragmatic dynamics of the elections,” he emphasised.

Income of parties

Prior to the 2018 general elections, almost all mainstream parties generated funds far more than what they spent on campaigning.

According to statements of assets and liabilities submitted to ECP by political parties after the 2018 polls, the PTI took the lead in both arenas, making a quick buck and spending extravagantly.

It generated funds to the tune of around Rs600 million, and spent Rs360m in the election year. Incidentally, the amount spent by PTI was more than the income of PML-N and PPP put together.

According to the data, PTI received Rs334m as election fee and raised Rs193m through local donations and contributions. In addition, Rs65.81m had been collected from overseas Pakistanis in the form of donations, contributions and membership fee, with a major chunk of Rs49.26m coming from the United Kingdom.

The PML-N’s total income in 2018 was over Rs125m, with Rs119m as ticket application fee forming the major component. The party had earned Rs10.85m from tickets in 2017 as well. However, it did not receive even a single penny in donation in 2018 from party workers, who gave Rs9.28m in 2017 as donation.

The PML-N incurred an expenditure of Rs48.23m in 2018, out of which Rs36.93m was election expenses.

The Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), headed by former president Asif Ali Zardari, earned over Rs100m in 2018, with Rs93.72m being collected in ticket fees alone.

The party spent Rs13.16m in 2018. Though no specific poll-related expenses were mentioned in the statement of assets and liabilities, it spent Rs1.32m on advertisements and publicity.

Ticket fee increase

In 2018, PML-N had fixed Rs50,000 as ticket fee for the National Assembly (general), Rs100,000 for NA (reserved), Rs30,000 for provincial assembly (general) and Rs75,000 for provincial assembly (reserved) seats.

For the upcoming polls, the fee for a PML-N ticket has been revised upwards and now aspirants will have to attach a Rs200,000 bank draft with the application for an NA seat. Likewise, candidates seeking to contest a provincial assembly election will be required to pay Rs100,000 as ticket fee.

A similar fee structure has been fixed by PTI for intending candidates. In 2013, the PTI’s ticket application fee was as low as Rs27,000 and Rs17,000 for NA and PA seats, respectively. A special concession was offered to the youth below 35 years, who were required to pay just Rs7,000 with their applications for seats in both the houses.

However, the application fee was revised in 2018 to Rs100,000 and Rs50,000, respectively, for aspirants for national and provincial assembly tickets and has now been doubled for the upcoming general polls.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2023

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8 terrorists killed in intelligence-based operation in South Waziristan: ISPR

Eight terrorists were killed by security forces during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district, the military’s media affairs wing said on Sunday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the IBO was conducted in the district’s Sararogha area based on the reported presence of terrorists.

“During the conduct of operation, intense fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists as a result of which eight terrorists were sent to hell.

“The killed terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well the innocent civilians. Arms, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from killed terrorists,” the ISPR said.

It added that a sanitisation operation was under way to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area as the security forces were “determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country”.

On Wednesday, two soldiers were martyred after an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on a security forces’ convoy in the Razmak area of KP’s North Waziristan district.

On Tuesday, the ISPR had said that a soldier had embraced martyrdom in an IED blast in North Waziristan, while separate IBOs in Dera Ismail Khan and South Waziristan districts had left at least three militants dead.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government last year.

In September, data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies said the number of militant attacks in August was the highest tally for monthly strikes in almost nine years.

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3,000 Sikh pilgrims arrive to join Guru Nanak celebrations

LAHORE: Around 3,000 Sikh yatrees (pilgrims) arrived here from India through the Wagah border crossing here on Saturday to celebrate the 554nd birth anniversary of Sikh religion founder Baba Guru Nanak Dev Jee.

During their 10-day stay in Pakistan from Nov 25 to Dec 4, the pilgrims will visit Gurdwara Jana­masthan Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Punja Sahib Has­sanabdal, Gurudwara Sacha Sauda, Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore, Gur­­dwara Rohri Sahib Aime­n­abad and Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal.

Pakistan Sikh Gurd­w­a­­ra Prabandhak Commit­tee Pardhan Sardar Ame­er Singh welcomed the guests and demanded the resumption of the train service which had been stop­ped by the Indian authorities as it was vital to facilitate pilgrims. He said the ETPB had completed all the arrangements in consultation with the Praban­dhak committee.

Shiromani Gurdwara Pa­­rbandhak Committee (SGPC) Amritsar party leader Khushmindar Singh told the media that special love for Pakistanis compelled them to visit the country again and again. He said that Sikh pilgrims were contented with the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor. “We are grateful to the Pak­is­tan government, particularly the ETPB, for making arran­gements for protection of Gurdwaras in Pakistan,” he added.

Additional Secretary (shrines) Rana Shahid Saleem, in his welcome address, mentioned that the Evacuee Trust Prop­erty Board (ETPB) had made foolproof security arrangements besides accommodation and travelling facilities for Sikh pilgrims.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2023

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Fahad Haroon appointed SAPM on digital media

KARACHI: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has appointed Fahad Haroon as Special Assistant to PM on Digital Media.

According to a notification issued by the cabinet division in Islamabad on Saturday, the newly appointed SAPM will have status equal to the minister of state.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2023

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Security challenges not be mixed with politics: PM Kakar

• SIFC will continue to function despite who’s ruling, caretaker premier reaffirms
• Says state has no involvement in enforced disappearances

KARACHI: Caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has urged political parties not to intertwine security challenges with political matters.

During an interview on Geo News’ show ‘Naya Pakistan’ regarding the timing and equal representation of political parties in the upcoming elections, the prime minister remarked that the criticism they are facing indicates parties’ insecurity about their own campaign strategies.

“We’re not sabotaging anyone. the elections will happen and we will hand over the government to whoever wins. Meanwhile, I’d really like to point out that parties should stop playing ‘victim card’, as security challenges should not be mixed with politics at all. We’ve some challenges related to security that we’re trying to solve, other than that, everything is running smooth,” he said.

As the elections approach, numerous political parties have accused the caretaker authorities of showing favouritism towards the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and not ensuring an equitable playing field for others.

“We’re not playing favourites here. According to me, the caretaker government has good relationships with all the political parties. Most people are using ‘victim card’ to gain votes,” Mr Kakar said.

The host persistently questioned him about his stance on Sarfaraz Bugti’s recent interview, where he mentioned that if he were not a part of the caretaker setup, he would have joined PML-N.

“I am not a spokesperson for Sarfaraz Bugti. He is not reflecting any government policies so I don’t feel the need to defend, explain or forgive anything,” he said.

He also made it clear that PTI would have full liberty to conduct political activities as a part of their election campaign.

“PTI has full freedom to conduct all political activities. The only people who won’t be allowed to take a part in it would be the ones who had involvement in May 9 mayhem,” he said.

‘Good news’

Regarding the economy, he mentioned that the public would receive “positive developments” in the upcoming weeks. He praised the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), emphasising its role in maintaining policy consistency regardless of the ruling party.

“SIFC is a continued step, and all the initiatives it has taken too so far will be continued. It is growing in a raw and smooth way and it is the solution of Pakistan’s economic woes,” he said.

The prime minister, formerly a leader of the Balochistan Awami Party before assuming leadership of the interim government, stated that currently, he has no plans to join any political party. However, he affirmed that once the current setup concludes, he will indeed contemplate the possibility.

‘No state involvement’

Mr Kakar also addressed the issue of missing Baloch students, stating that the government will offer representation at the appropriate platform when feasible. He explained the circumstances of the students’ disappearance and emphasised the government’s ‘purported lack of involvement.’

“State has no hand in these disappearances. Most times, the security forces pick up the people who’re involved in activities which are against the law.

The backlash we’re facing right now because according to Baloch leaders, we’re ‘undertaker’ government not taking enough steps towards release of these people,“ he said, questioning the lack of public outcry when lawyers, doctors, and other respected citizens faced similar threats and violence in the past.

The high court issued summons to the prime minister, concerned caretaker ministers, and the secretaries of interior and defense. This action was prompted by the non-recovery of over 50 missing Baloch students by the specified Wednesday, the day they were instructed to appear in court.

The orders were issued by a single-member bench, presided over by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, following the recommendations of the Baloch Enforced Disappearance Commission.

In a recent interview, Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti expressed concerns about summoning the prime minister, stating that it was not suitable for the court to call the premier for every minor issue.

The prime minister, in today’s interview, supported Mr Bugti’s assertion, highlighting that the count of missing persons in Pakistan is the “lowest in the region,” emphasising it as both an aspect and a reality.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2023

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Four dead, dozens injured in south India stampede

At least four people were killed and dozens injured on Saturday evening in a stampede at a university in southern India, local officials and media reported.

The stampede occurred at an outdoor auditorium in the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) in southwest Kerala state, where a concert was planned.

In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Kerala state governor Arif Mohammed Khan said he was “deeply shocked and grieved to know about the sad demise of four students” at CUSAT.

“Heartfelt condolences to their families. Prayers for speedy recovery of injured,” he added.

State Health Minister Veena George said in a statement that four people were brought dead to the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital while four more were in critical condition, the PTI news agency reported, adding that over 60 people were injured.

A local police official said that a crowd outside the auditorium had rushed to seek cover from a sudden downpour when a number of people slipped on some stairs and were subsequently trampled, according to PTI.

One of the deadliest stampedes in recent history occurred a decade ago in India when at least 115 people were killed on the sidelines of a religious festival in central Madhya Pradesh state.

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Pakistan, Kuwait to seal $10bn investment deal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kuwait will soon sign seven memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for investments worth $10 billion in Pakistan through seven projects in multiple fields, including environment, mining, and food security.

In this regard, the federal cabinet, in its meeting held on Friday, approved seven MoUs to be signed during the upcoming visit of caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar to Kuwait.

Consequent to the efforts by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), both countries would sign MoUs on multiple projects, including the expansion of water reservoirs, mining facilities, conservation of mangrove forests in coastal areas, information technology and food security, the PM Office said in a statement.

PM Kakar and the cabinet members appreciated the efforts of the SIFC and the relevant ministries.

SIFC meeting approves initiatives to be pitched to friendly countries; PM appreciates Saudi support for Palestinians

The prime minister, who chaired the meeting, instructed to ensure cooperation with the provinces for the early and fair execution of the projects.

The body also endorsed the decisions of the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases, which it had taken in its meeting on Nov 14, as well as those of the Economic Coordination Committee meeting on Nov 15.

SIFC meeting

The caretaker prime minister also chaired a special session of the SIFC apex committee, which was also attended by the relevant ministers, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asim Munir and senior officials.

The special session was held to foster strategic partnerships with friendly countries, according to a PM Office statement.

The committee reviewed the existing level of collaboration and unanimously approved various initiatives to be broached with friendly countries and directed to fast-track implementation of various projects conceived under these initiatives.

The PM appreciated the efforts of relevant ministries for identifying prospective areas of collaboration and directed all stakeholders to realise envisioned long-term economic dividends.

The COAS assured unwavering resolve of Pakistan Army to support economic initiatives being undertaken by the government.

Strong ties with Saudi Arabia

Earlier, PM Kakar said Saudi Arabia always stood with Pakistan in difficult tim­es, extending support across diverse fields.

Talking to Imam-i-Kaaba Dr Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid on Friday, the prime minister said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were tied in the strong historical relationship, based on commonalities of religion, values, and traditions.

PM Kakar expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for providing development assistance to Pakistan in the fields of education and health. He also highlighted the exemplary support provided by the Saudi government to the Pakistani workforce in the kingdom.

The prime minister pointed out that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently expressed unconditional support for the Palestinians by convening an emergency session of the OIC.

During the meeting, PM Kakar strongly condemned the atrocities committed against Palestinians and the massacre of children in Gaza. He emphasised the need to open a corridor for the uninterrupted supply of humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza. On Islamophobia, the prime minister stressed the importance of educating the younger generation through documentaries on Islamic teachings, history, and culture.

The Imam-i-Kaaba described the ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as brotherly and exemplary. He praised the contribution of the Pakistani diaspora to the development and progress of Saudi Arabia, emphasising the importance of upbringing the younger generation in accordance with Islamic teachings.

Expressing gratitude, the Imam-i-Kaaba thanked Pakistan for the excellent hospitality extended to him during his visit to the country. The meeting was attended by interim federal ministers Aneeq Ahmed and Madad Ali Sindhi, PM’s Special Assistant Tahir Ashrafi, and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2023

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SHC warns of summoning PM in missing persons’ cases

• Bench orders authorities to use modern devices to locate ‘disappeared’ individuals
• Compensation to be paid to families after cabinet’s nod, court told

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday hinted at summoning the caretaker prime minister if police and provincial administration could not make any progress in recovery of missing persons.

The SHC warned the law enforcement agency and administration to produce the missing persons in court or else it would pass appropriate orders in this regard.

When the hearing began, a two-judge bench comprising Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito was informed that no progress was made in almost all the cases of missing persons fixed for hearing on Thursday.

Justice Phulpoto remarked, “The court may summon the prime minister if police and administration are powerless.”

The bench further observed that cases of the people who had gone missing from Karachi were pending for the past 10 years, but no progress had been made regarding their whereabouts.

It also deplored that there were numerous sessions of the joint investigation teams and the Provincial Task Force (PTF) for Missing Persons in these matters, but there was no positive outcome.

Justice Amjad Sahito remarked that the SHC had been hearing 10 to 15 petitions relating to missing persons on a daily basis for almost a decade. He observed that the court could have disposed of a number of other cases during this period.

The bench directed the home secretary and DIG-investigation to personally look into the matter of missing persons and use modern communication devices to locate their whereabouts.

On a previous hearing, the bench had also summoned the home secretary over a delay in providing financial assistance to the families of missing persons after a provincial law officer had submitted that compensation had been given in some cases to the families of missing persons while remaining cases were pending before the home department for consideration.

On Thursday, additional advocate general (AAG) contended that the home department had sent a summary to the chief minister regarding financial assistance to the families of 18 missing persons, who had been categorised as enforced disappearance cases.

He further submitted that the compensation would be paid to the families after approval of the provincial cabinet.

In 2021, the SHC had directed the federal and provincial authorities for extending financial assistance to families of missing persons in case a head of the family had gone missing and his relatives were facing a financial crisis.

In April last year, a provincial law officer had informed the SHC that one-time compensation of Rs500,000 for each family of 12 missing persons, whose cases fell within the category of “enforced disappearance”, was being provided.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2023

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PTI claims ex-lawmaker Amjad Khan Niazi ‘tortured’, police deny allegation

ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Thursday claimed that one of its incarcerated leaders, Amjad Khan Niazi, had been tortured by unidentified people, but police denied the allegation.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan claimed that unknown people took Mr Niazi, a former MNA from Mianwali, out of his cell to an undisclosed location after he had surrendered to the anti-terrorism court, and subjected him to brutal torture.

While condemning the torture, Mr Ayub said the incident had made the entire judicial system a farce.

He recalled that Mr Niazi surrendered before the ATC three days ago and gave a statement in the presence of police and media that his well-being would be the judiciary’s responsibility.

However, he lamented that Mr Niazi was taken out of his cell twice by unidentified people and taken to an unknown location where he was severely tortured.

Mr Ayub urged the judiciary to take immediate notice of the incident and open an inquiry to identify the culprits so that they could be held accountable, said a PTI press release.

The public relations officer to DPO Mianwali, Zarar Niazi, denied the torture allegation but was tight-lipped over the whereabouts of the ex-MNA, except confirming his nomination in various FIRs registered at City Police Station.

Amjad Niazi was nominated in FIR Nos 348, 349 and 355 registered with regard to the May 9 incident. The ex-MNA has been accused of attacking installations of PAF base Mianwali and setting on fire the local judicial complex.

After the May 9 incident, he went into hiding and only a couple of days ago had surrendered to the anti-terrorism court in Sargodha. The police brought him to Mianwali and shifted him to PS Chidroo the same day. Later, he was moved to some unknown place.

Khurshid Anwar Khan in Mianwali also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2023

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Facing melting glaciers, Hunzais fight for future

HASSANABAD resident Tariq Jamil shows ice taken from the Shisper glacier, which is being monitored by sensors.—Reuters

HUNZA: On the steep slope of a glacier jutting through the Hunza valley, Tariq Jamil measures the ice’s movement and snaps photos. Later, he creates a report that includes data from sensors and another camera installed near the Shisper glacier to update his village an hour’s hike downstream.

The 51-year-old’s mission: mobilise his community of 200 families in Hassanabad to fight for a future for their village and way of life, increasingly under threat from unstable lakes formed by melting glacier ice.After all the sensors are installed, village representatives will be able to monitor data through their mobiles, Mr Jamil says.

“Local wisdom is very important: we are the main observers. We have witnessed many things,” he added.

Hassanabad is part of the UN backed Glacial Lake Outburst Flood ( GLOF) II project to help communities downstream of melting glaciers adapt.

When glacial lakes overfill or their banks become unsound, they burst, sparking deadly floods that wash out bridges and buildings and wipe out fertile land throughout the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalayan mountain ranges.

Himalayan glaciers are on track to lose up to 75 per cent of their ice by the century’s end due to global warming, according to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Deve­lop­ment (ICIMOD).

HUNZA VALLEY: An automatic weather station monitors the Shisper glacier in Hassanabad village, one of the communities being supported by the UN-backed ‘Glacial Lake Outburst Flood II’ project, aimed at helping settlements downstream of melting glaciers adapt to climate change.—Reuters

Amid a shortfall in funding for those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, village residents say they urgently need increased support to adapt to threats of glacial lake floods.

Over the past three years, residents repeatedly evacuated just in time to avoid loss of life, and many fear a flood while they sleep. Others struggle financially as their land and homes were destroyed, most recently in 2022.

In Hassanabad, Jamil and 23 volunteers, trained in first aid and evacuation planning, actively monitor the glacier, consulting with experts each summer.

Seeking international funding, they aim to expand the barrier wall 20-fold. Additionally, they seek interest-free loans for rebuilding homes with stronger materials and enhancing mobile reception for improved monitoring feed access.

“The needs are enormous,” said Karma Lodey Rapten, Regional Technical Specialist for Climate Change Adaptation at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Pakistan is the only country to receive adaptation funding from the Green Climate Fund — the Paris Agreement’s key financing pot — to ease the risk of such floods.

The $36.96m GLOF II initiative, concluding this year, serves as a global model for regions confronting glacial lake flood threats, including the Peruvian Andes and China, following Bhutan’s collaborative efforts.

Since 2017, weather stations and sensors, managed by Islamabad and UNDP, monitor factors like rainfall and water levels. GLOF II employs village speakers for warnings and infrastructure like barriers.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2023

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Military top brass resolves to support interim govt in economic recovery, curbing illegal activities

The top brass of the army resolved to completely support the caretaker government’s initiatives for “sustainable economic recovery and curbing illegal activities”, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.

According to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir presided over the 82nd Formation Commanders Conference (FCC) at the GHQ today.

The conference was attended by corps commanders, principal staff officers, and all formation commanders of the army, it said.

“The forum resolved to fully support the government’s initiatives in various domains for sustainable recovery of the economy and curbing illegal activities, including smuggling, hoarding, electricity theft, implementation of One Document Regime, dignified repatriation of illegal foreigners and safeguarding of national database, etc,” the press release reads.

The forum highlighted that “an increasing sense of stability, certainty and optimism” was witnessed across the country despite challenges.

“The forum […] resolved that vested efforts towards the engineering of despondency will be defeated through perseverance and continued positive actions, with the support of the people of Pakistan, InshaAllah.”

The statement also quoted the army chief as “expressing satisfaction over operational preparedness and high standards of training and morale maintained by formations to deal with the emerging threat paradigm”.

The ISPR said the participants were briefed on professional matters, national security challenges, and measures being undertaken to counter traditional and non-traditional security threats.

“The forum took a holistic view of the ongoing counter-terrorism operations and resolved that all terrorists, their facilitators, and abettors, working on the behest of hostile forces to destabilise Pakistan will be dealt with the full might of the state.”

The statement added that “the forum expressed unequivocal diplomatic, moral, and political support to the people of Palestine and reiterated Pakistan’s principled stance supporting the two-state solution, based on pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as the capital of Palestine.”

The participants also expressed concerns over the continued repression of Kashmiris in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, condemning the unabated human rights violations by Indian forces.

“The forum reaffirmed that Pakistan shall continue to support Kashmiris politically, diplomatically, and morally,” the ISPR said. “Participants stressed that the only solution to the issue lies in providing the right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir according to relevant UNSC resolution.”

The ISPR concluded that the participants of the FCC affirmed that the army would continue defending and serving the nation in every possible way including the journey towards enduring stability and security.

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Bilawal asks veterans to quit politics, let youth take up country’s reins

CHITRAL: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday asked veteran politicians to call it a day allowing youth to take up the reins of the country.

“Youth form 70 per cent of the population and have the capability and passion to run the country along modern lines and thus, steering it out of the current morass,” the PPP leader told a public meetinghere.

Mr Bilawal said Pakistan was a country of fabulous resources and tremendous growth potential but its leadership that was well into old age impeded national progress, lacked vision, and focused its attention on settling scores with political rivals and amassing wealth after coming to power.

“They [veteran politicians] should either have a rest in their farmhouses or madrassas and pray for the welfare of the country and people acknowledging they can no more get along with modern times,” he said without naming names.

Says PDM-led govt ‘failed’ as his party’s allies wanted to take revenge from political rivals

The PPP chairman said the 18 months long PDM-led government “failed” as his party’s allies wanted to take revenge from political rivals leaving the country’s grave economic and foreign policy issues unresolved.

He claimed that during his party’s rule, Sindh had seen more development and progress than the other three provinces and that its healthcare system was on par with international standards with facilities in Karachi being accessed by people from across the country.

Mr Bilawal said massive floods hit all four provinces but the PPP-led Sindh responded to it well by carrying out relief and rehabilitation work on an unprecedented scale.

“We will construct two lakh houses for those who lost their homes to floods. Proper houses will be given away to slum dwellers,” he said.

The PPP leader said his party had proved to be only one with the “power and competence to fight poverty and natural disasters.”

He said the PPP wasn’t averse to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or any other party and it was just fighting against poverty, unemployment and inflation, which had made life of the poor hell.

Mr Bilawal said his party hoped that the people would elect it to power yet again to serve them on the basis of its past performance and “character.”

He asked the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to vote for the PPPin the Feb 8 elections to enable a jiyala (its worker) to be elected as the province’s chief minister and said if that happened, then the PPP government in the centre wouldn’t face any hurdle from the provincial government to the formulation of development plans.

The PPP leader said that if his party was voted to power, it would declare Malakand Division and tribal districts tax-free zones forever and not for a period of 10 or 20 years, while Chitralis would get “full” subsidy on wheat prices.

He also said the PPP government would increase the quota of Chitral area in the cash handouts given away by the Benazir Income Support Programme to the needy people so that the maximum number of women could benefit.

Mr Bilawal also said a special development package would be announced for the region with a special focus on infrastructure development.

He said that the “proper” implementation of the 18th Constitutional Amendment would save the country Rs100 billion every year and that amount could be spent on the youth’s development and their education and for providing them with employment, and increasing the people’s access to healthcare.

Earlier, former Sindh chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, PPP KP president Mohammad Ali Shah and local leaders Salim Khan and Amirullah Khan addressed the gathering.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2023

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Inquiry terms police raid on trader’s home in Karachi’s Orangi Town as ‘heinous crime’

An inquiry into a police raid on a trader’s residence in Karachi’s Orangi Town area has found that the operation was “conducted in an unprofessional manner with mala fide intentions”, terming it a “heinous crime”, it emerged on Wednesday.

Two officers privy to the development had told Dawn that a team of South police, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Umair Tariq Bajari, carried out a raid on the trader’s residence in Orangi Town on Sunday night.

The police team took away a hefty amount of cash, jewellery and the digital video recorder to remove the CCTV footage during the raid, according to the officers. However, they were exposed with the help of the footage of other CCTV cameras installed in the street.

The incident, which sparked an outrage on social media, had prompted Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Riffat Mukhtar to set up an inquiry team, led by West Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Asim Khan, tasking the inquiry body to investigate the conduct of the South police on Sunday night in Orangi Town, where they allegedly entered a house and took away money and jewellery.

The officials had said that DIG Khan had submitted a detailed report to the IGP and both South Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Imran Qureshi and DSP Bajari were removed in the light of the findings of the probe.

The DSP was remanded in physical custody for one day earlier today by a local court.

The inquiry report, obtained by Dawn.com today, said: “It is evident that the raid was conducted in an unprofessional manner with mala fide intentions. The deliberate concealment of actual facts and the casual approach towards such a task reflects that the officer DSP (UT) is directly responsible for this illegal/criminal act along with his staff and private informers.”

The inquiry officer also took the senior officers to task for their purported negligence in monitoring their subordinate officers.

Thus in view of all the “facts, evidence and statements”, the DIG recommended that strict departmental/legal action be taken against DSP Bajari for his “direct involvement in such a heinous crime along with private persons involved in criminal activities”.

It further said that the DSP was found involved in “similar illegal/criminal activities” in the jurisdiction of Darakhshan police station and suggested a “separate inquiry” against him regarding these actions.

The report also recommended strict legal action against the individuals who participated in the robbery at the house of the complainant, trader Shakir Khan.

It suggested that departmental action be taken against the DSP’s personal staff — police constables Khurram Ali and Faizan Ali — since they were attached with Bajari and involved in the raid.

“It is also recommended that appropriate action be taken against the District SSP South for not assigning the duty of conducting the raid to professionally trained police officers of District South Karachi,” the report concluded.

DSP remanded for a day

Earlier today, a local court remanded the DSP in a case about robbery during the raid.

The police brought DSP Umair Bajari to the court’s premises without handcuffs and produced him before a judicial magistrate for remand.

The investigating officer (IO) sought the DSP’s custody for questioning and further investigation of the case.

However, Bajari’s lawyer opposed the request and argued that neither his client was present at the crime scene nor any recovery was made from his possession.

The judicial magistrate handed over the suspect to the police on a one-day physical remand and directed the IO to produce him again at the next hearing along with a progress report.

The DSP and constables Khurram and Faizan, along with several other unidentified policemen and private persons, were named in a first information report (FIR) for allegedly raiding the house of the complainants on the night between Sunday night, holding their family hostage at gunpoint and taking away around Rs20 million and other valuables.

The case was lodged a day ago under Sections 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 365 (kidnapping), 395 (dacoity) and 452 (trespassing) of the Pakistan Penal Code at Pirabad police station.

The FIR further said that the suspects also took away the complainants, Shakir and his brother Amir, after the raid and subsequently released them near the Baloch Colony bridge.

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Elections or selection?

‘THE more the things change, the more they stay the same.’ That truism can be applied to Pakistan’s power politics. The same old game that we have witnessed many times in the past is being played out yet again on our political stage, with the characters only swapping roles.

While one former prime minister has been consigned to ignominy, another has been pulled out of disgrace and has returned as the favourite. The game of musical chairs is on.

With just a few months left for polls, the outcome, it seems, has already been decided. The field is now being cleared for a former three-time prime minister, who is bidding for a fourth stint, with the main challenger having been demolished.

Indeed, elections in Pakistan have never been considered completely free and fair but what is happening now has made a mockery of the entire democratic process.

It appears that another process of selection, with the most brazen pre-poll manipulation, is underway. That makes the legitimacy of the democratic transition extremely doubtful. What is happening now has perhaps not been witnessed even under military rule. The dismantling of the failed project has been turned into an exercise in vengeance.

While incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan has already been barred from the electoral process, a large number of PTI leaders and activists are either in prison or have been forced to quit the party. After being ‘disappeared’, they are brought before TV screens to renounce their association with the party.

This shameful spectacle has been going on for some time but even this atonement, it seems, is not enough: the quitters are also forced to join the newly established ‘king’s party’ if they want to be completely cleared. Even local-level party activists are not being spared. Meanwhile, a smear campaign has been launched against the PTI leader on a tamed electronic media.

It looks like that the stage is set for the return of a PML-N led government.

There is not even a modicum of media freedom left. The caretaker government is nothing more than a front for the powers that be and has gone beyond its mandate, which is limited to overseeing elections and ensuring they are fair and free.

In fact, the interim administration is now being used as an instrument to carry out pre-poll manipulation. This is the environment in which the next elections will be held.

Meanwhile, the return of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif after four years of self-exile under VVIP protocol indicates a change in the wind. Although he is still engaged in a complex legal battle to get rid of his conviction so that he can stand in the elections, he is already out in the field campaigning for his party.

True to our political tradition, several electables and groups have jumped onto the PML-N bandwagon. The widespread perception of the establishment’s support for it seems to have raised the party’s stakes.

Ironically, the PML-N has not only inducted many members of the Balochistan Awami Party but has also forged an alliance with the party, which, it had alleged, had been created by the establishment to undermine the PML-N government in the province.

Interestingly, the BAP, which is a conglomerate of tribal chiefs and local influentials, has also been part of the coalition cobbled together by the establishment to prop up Imran Khan’s hybrid regime.

The MQM, too, has entered into an ‘alliance’ with the PML-N. The development gives an indication of the post-election coalition set-up. While the main battleground is Punjab, the PML-N will still need the support of regional parties to consolidate its stake.

The formation of the king’s party under the banner of the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party has added a curious element to the plot. Founded by Jahangir Tareen, a former close aide of Imran Khan, the party almost entirely comprises PTI defectors.

While some electables from south Punjab have joined the party sensing that time was up for the PTI, many others have taken its cover to escape persecution. The project seems to be a part of political engineering to produce a ‘positive’ result in the elections. There are clear indications that the group will ultimately align itself with the PML-N-led coalition.

It looks like that the stage is set for the return of a PML-N led government. But things may not go as smoothly as planned, given continued public support for the PTI. Despite the crackdown and move to completely demolish its organisational structure, the party refuses to die.

Though in prison, Imran Khan still commands huge support. Moreover, the elections generate their own dynamics, affecting the situation closer to the polls. The fear of a possible backlash has probably been the reason why the establishment has been stepping up its crackdown against the PTI in recent weeks. But it will be difficult to rig the votes.

It is not surprising that the PPP leadership has also expressed concern over the fairness of the electoral process. It fears being marginalised in the ongoing power tussle that could limit the party to Sindh.

That also may be the reason why PPP leaders have stepped up their attacks on the PML-N. The party seems alarmed by the PML-N forming an alliance with the MQM and the Grand Democratic Alliance led by Pir Pagara. The situation is likely to get uglier as the election date approaches.

All this doesn’t bode well for the democratic process. A disputed election could further destablise the country, which is already facing multiple challenges.

The widespread perception of the party going to the hustings with the blessings of the establishment could badly damage the PML-N’s democratic credentials. The party can come to power with or without Nawaz Sharif being prime minister but it would be hard for it to bring stability to a fractured polity.

The very perception of being installed through tainted elections could inflict irreparable damage on the party and the country. It would be hard for the next dispensation to remove its tag of a ‘selected’ government. The country can’t afford yet another engineered political system.

The writer is an author and journalist.
zhussain100@yahoo.com
X (formerly Twitter): @hidhussain

Published in Dawn, November 22th, 2023

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Israel, Hamas agree to truce, 50 hostages to be released

Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day truce that would see the Palestinian group release dozens of hostages taken on October 7, both sides announced Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet approved the accord after a near-all-night meeting, in which he told reticent ministers this was a “difficult decision but it’s a right decision.”

A government spokesman told AFP that under the agreement at least 50 Israeli and foreign hostages would be released — women and children — in return for a four-day “lull” in military operations.

For every 10 additional hostages released, there would be an extra day of truce.

Hamas released a statement welcoming the “humanitarian truce”, which it said would also see 150 Palestinians released from Israeli jails.

The truce offers Gaza residents the prospect of a desperately desired, if brief, pause after nearly seven weeks of total war.

Sources had earlier told AFP the truce would include a complete ceasefire on the ground and a pause in Israeli air operations over southern Gaza.

The Israeli cabinet’s approval was one of the last stumbling blocks to the agreement coming into effect.

Qatar had helped to broker the talks.

Misgivings

Ahead of the vote, Netanyahu had faced a revolt from within his right-wing coalition, some of whom believe the agreement would give too much to Palestinian fighters responsible for the worst attack in Israel’s history.

Hardline Minister for National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir indicated he would vote against the agreement, saying it should include the release of Israeli soldiers.

Hamas raids on October 7 killed an estimated 1,200 people and seized 240 hostages, civilians and military, who are believed to be held in Gaza.

The bloody attacks sparked Operation “Swords of Iron” — Israel’s punishing air and ground on Gaza, which Palestinian authorities say has killed 14,100 people, mostly women and children.

But with dozens of families in Israel and beyond desperate to have their loved ones returned home, and the Israeli public gripped by the hostages’ fate, the government set aside any misgivings.

Israel’s powerful Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said before the crunch meeting that he had won assurances that the deal would not spell the end of the war to destroy Hamas.

“Immediately after we have exhausted this phase” he said, security operations would “continue in full force.” In a statement, Netanyahu’s office underscored that the truce did not spell the end of the war.

“The Israeli government, the Israeli army and the security forces will continue the war to bring back all those kidnapped, eliminate Hamas and ensure that there is no longer any threat to the State of Israel from Gaza,” the statement said.

‘Unbearable situation’

Earlier, Rafah resident Hamza Abdel Razeq welcomed any ceasefire would bring some respite for Gazans who have endured Israel’s bombing and expanding ground offensive.

“The people are really suffering,” he told AFP. “If they reach a five-day truce deal now, I believe it will pave the way for longer truces or even a total ceasefire.”

Another resident, Mahmud Abu Najm, added: “We… pray to God for its success because the people are enduring an unbearable situation.”

Large parts of Gaza have been flattened by thousands of air strikes, and the territory is under siege, with minimal food, water and fuel allowed in.

According to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad sources, the proposed deal would also allow for up to 300 trucks of food and medical aid to enter Gaza.

Israel has come under intense international pressure to implement a humanitarian ceasefire.

But in recent days it has pressed its offensive into northern Gaza.

The Israeli military said air strikes had hit “around 250” Hamas targets in the past day, destroying three underground shafts in the Jabalia area, which it said it had fully surrounded.

At Jabalia’s Indonesian Hospital, the Hamas-run health ministry said strikes had killed dozens, but there was no independent confirmation of the toll.

The Israeli army said later its troops had “directly targeted” the source of fire from within the Indonesian Hospital.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said three doctors, including two it employed, were killed in an Israeli strike on the Al-Awda hospital in Jabalia refugee camp.

Israel claims Hamas uses medical facilities to hide fighters and as bases for operations, making them legitimate military objectives while insisting it does everything possible to limit harm to civilians.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — the so-called BRICS group — on Tuesday called for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce in Gaza, during a virtual summit where the chair.

The chair of the meeting, South Africa, accused Israel of war crimes and “genocide”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded during the summit the release of civilian detainees and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, state media said.

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