Pakistan termed on Thursday the decision of the US to impose sanctions on National Development Complex and three commercial entities as “unfortunate and biased”.

In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said the latest installment of sanctions defies the objective of peace and security by aiming to accentuate military asymmetries.

“Such policies have dangerous implications for strategic stability of our region and beyond,” the ministry said.

On Wednesday, the US said it was imposing new sanctions related to nuclear-armed Pakistan’s long-range ballistic-missile programme, including on the state-owned defense agency that oversees the program.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement that the measures slapped on the National Development Complex and three firms were imposed under an executive order that “targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.”

Meanwhile, the FO said that Pakistan’s strategic programme is a sacred trust bestowed by 240 million people upon its leadership.

It further said that the sanctity of this trust, held in the highest esteem across the entire political spectrum, “cannot be compromised”.

“We also regret the imposition of sanctions on private commercial entities. Similar listings of commercial entities in the past were based on mere doubts and suspicion without any evidence whatsoever,” the FO said.

“While claiming strict adherence to non-proliferation norms, licensing requirement for advanced military technology to other countries have been waived off in the past.

“Such double standards and discriminatory practices not only undermine the credibility of non-proliferation regimes but also endanger regional and international peace and security.”

US imposes sanctions on National Development Complex and other entities

A State Department factsheet said the Islamabad-based NDC has sought to obtain components for the country’s long-range ballistic missile program and missile-testing equipment.

It said the NDC “is responsible for the development of Pakistan’s ballistic missiles,” including the Shaheen family of missiles.

The other entities slapped with sanctions were Affiliates International, Akhtar and Sons Private Limited and Rockside Enterprise, all located in Karachi, the factsheet said.

It said the companies worked with the NDC to acquire equipment.

“The United States will continue to act against proliferation and associated procurement activities of concern,” Miller said.

The sanctions freeze any US property belonging to the targeted entities and bars Americans from doing business with them.

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted the Pakistan-sponsored flagship resolution on the “Universal Realisation of the Right of the Peoples to Self-determination”.

Adopted by consensus, the resolution was supported and co-sponsored by a large number of countries from different regions around the world.

Foreign Office (FO) in a statement said, the resolution reaffirms the inalienable right of all peoples to self-determination, including those living under foreign occupation, colonial domination, and alien subjugation.

It stresses that the full realisation of this right is essential for the protection and advancement of human rights worldwide.

For over four decades, Pakistan has tabled this annual resolution to draw attention to the ongoing struggles of peoples denied their right to self-determination, particularly those living under oppressive occupations.

The resolution highlights the plight of people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine, reinforcing international support for their legitimate aspirations for self-determination.

The unanimous adoption of this resolution reflects the collective will of UN member states and strengthens the principle of self-determination, as enshrined in international law, including the UN Charter and the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights, and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It also reaffirms the global commitment to justice, peace, and equality.

By reaffirming these principles, the resolution sends a strong message of solidarity to peoples across the world, who continue to struggle for freedom and independence from foreign occupation and domination.

This resolution not only calls for an end to foreign intervention and aggression but also stresses the importance of respecting the rights of peoples under occupation.

Pakistan’s steadfast leadership on this issue ensures that the right to self-determination remains a central pillar of global discourse, offering hope to millions of people around the world who continue to fight for freedom and independence.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: To reduce the rapid population growth and bring it to a sustainable level, implementation of the National Action Plan, formulated under the decisions of the Council of Common Interest (CCI), must be ensured. If the current population growth rate continues, Pakistan will face significant challenges in its economy, education, health, and human resource sectors by 2050.

This was stated during the Media Coalition Meeting organized by the Population Council with the support of UNFPA. Journalists from across Pakistan, representing leading media outlets of the country, participated in this National Media Coalition meeting.

In his welcome remarks, Dr Ali Mir, Senior Director at the Population Council, emphasized the critical need to achieve a balance between population growth and available resources to ensure Pakistan’s sustainable progress. He stated, “Media can play a vital role in highlighting the challenges posed by rapid population growth through investigative journalism. Particular focus is needed on women’s reproductive health and their limited access to family planning services, which remain key areas for attention.” Dr. Mir emphasized the urgency of implementing CCI decisions, warning that neglecting these measures would exacerbate Pakistan’s existing

challenges.

He highlighted the media’s pivotal role in raising awareness about the consequences of rapid population growth and urged journalists to use their reporting to influence governments, advocate for policy improvements, and enhance family planning services.

Presenting key findings from the Population Council’s latest report “Pakistan @ 2050,” Dr Saima Bashir, Manager Research at the Population Council, outlined two potential future scenarios for Pakistan. In Scenario 1 (Business-as-usual), if the current population growth continues unchecked, the population will reach approximately 386 million by 2050. In Scenario 2 (CCI Decisions Implementation), by successfully implementing the Council of Common Interest (CCI) decisions and reducing the growth rate, the population could be limited to 338 million.

Dr Bashir underscored the significant implications of these scenarios, noting that under the current trajectory, Pakistan would require 115 million new jobs by 2050. However, effective implementation of CCI decisions could reduce this demand to 97 million.

She explained, “In terms of economic growth, if fertility rates are brought down to 2.2%, the GDP growth rate could increase to 5.1%, compared to 3.4% if the current trend continues. Additionally, per capita monthly income, which would remain Rs 27,000 under the current situation, could rise to Rs 36,000 with effective CCI implementation.” Dr. Bashir emphasized that decisive and immediate action is essential to achieve sustainable economic and social progress.

Speaking at the National Media Coalition meeting, Ikram Ul Ahad, Deputy Manager Communication, Population Council, underscored the urgent need to address rapid population growth, which is adversely affecting the economy, health, environment, and education indicators. He highlighted the negative impacts of repeated pregnancies on women’s health, which not only affect their lives but also disturb the balance between population and resources. “Rapid population growth exacerbates the effects of climate change, disproportionately affecting the poor and marginalized segments of society”, he added.

In his concluding remarks, Dr Ghulam Farid Khan, Programme Analyst at UNFPA, stated, “The Media Coalition, established under the decisions of the Council of Common Interest (CCI), serves as a platform to ensure accountability and facilitate the implementation of the National Action Plan agenda.” He praised the coalition for empowering media professionals to hold leaders and policymakers accountable by addressing gaps in service delivery, resource allocation, and policy execution. He underscored the media’s crucial role in driving accountability and promoting solutions to Pakistan’s population challenges.

The participating journalists reaffirmed their commitment to evidence-based reporting to help stabilize the population growth rate at a sustainable level.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif today arrived in Cairo on a three-day visit to Egypt. Minister for Public Business Sector of Egypt Mohamed Shimi along with senior Egyptian and officials of the Pakistan Embassy in Cairo received the Prime Minister upon arrival at the airport.

The Prime Minister will lead the Pakistan delegation at the 11th Summit of the Developing Eight (D-8) countries. The theme of the 11th D-8 Summit is “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy.”

At the Summit, the Prime Minister will underline the importance of investing in youth and SMEs for building a strong and inclusive economy; creating jobs; advancing innovation; and promoting local entrepreneurship.

The Prime Minister will also attend the Special Session of D-8 on the Humanitarian Crisis and Reconstruction Challenges in Gaza and Lebanon to deliberate on the situation resulting from Israeli aggression in the Middle East.

ISLAMABAD: Senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah has called upon the government to make substantial advancements in issuing carbon bonds finance mechanism to tackle growing climate change challenges.

Justice Shah was speaking at a roundtable discussion on post “COP29”dialogue organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), here on Tuesday.

The senior puisne judge told the audience that Pakistan faces an urgent need to develop vigorous climate mechanisms to tackle the growing challenges of climate change. He said that Pakistan has yet to make any significant development regarding green carbon bonds. He believed these tools could play a vibrant role in climate financing.

Government should explore sukuk bonds as a suitable option for climate financing, he said, adding, Islamic climate finance emerging globally in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia who have already implemented green sukuks, while Saudi Arabia has also set a remarkable example in this regard.

Justice Mansoor pointed out that the recent federal budget has drawn criticism from various quarters for failing to sufficiently allocate resources for climate change funds. He, however, said that there is no organisedagenda to monitor or manage such funds effectively.

With regards to climate justice, senior Supreme Court judge said the judiciary is expected to play a pivotal role in ensuring climate justice.

Justice Mansoor also urged to set climate courts not in Pakistan but internationally under the jurisdiction of International Court of Justice (ICJ). He added that climate change and financing should be declared as basic human right with inclusive multi-sector approach. Courts may push the government to take actionable steps on climate change and ensure the voices of affected communities are heard, he said, adding the courts could oversee the transparent utilisation of incoming climate finance.

Justice Shah said that analysts have termed climate finance as the “new climate justice” in the context of bridging the gap between developed and developing states. He pointed out that Pakistan has suffered immense losses exceeding $20 billion due to recent climate disasters but the country received very little as compensation. The developed nations have pledged climate funding of $100 billion annually but the promise still needs to be fulfilled for Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan should prioritise climate diplomacy and develop a comprehensive framework to address the serious challenges posed by climate change.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has issued 84 visas to a group of Indian Yatrees (pilgrims) for their visit to the sacred Shri Katas Raj Temples, also known as Qila Katas, in Chakwal District of Punjab.

The religious rites are scheduled to take place from December 19-25, 2024.

Expressing his views on the occasion, Charge d’ Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich wished the pilgrims a spiritually rewarding yatra and a fulfilling journey.

He said Pakistan’s government and people always welcome Hindu and Sikh pilgrims to freely perform rites at their religious places.

He said Pakistan has been doing its best to provide all the required facilities and fool proof security to the pilgrims and Hindu temples and Sikh Gurdwaras.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

Mining the earth for natural resources is a profitable business strategy employed by many nations, including China, Italy, Turkey, Spain and Brazil.

The contribution of the mineral sector is multifarious: trade promotion, facilitation in natural resource exploitation, improvement of per capita income, increased employment, expansion of the communication base for economic activities, enhancement of income level, and acceleration of economic growth.

Several developed countries have been exploiting their original mineral resources by using them as intermediate goods and finished products. Many of the countries are importing minerals from other countries, refining them, adding value, and then exporting them.

Pakistan is endowed with huge reserves of minerals covering an outcrop area of 600,000 km due to its unique geological condition. Fortunately, Pakistan has been blessed with all types of rock from pre-Cambrian to recent with exceptional geological and geomorphological features.

There are 92 known minerals, of which 52 are commercially exploited. They include coal, copper, gold, chromite, mineral salt, and several other minerals. Baluchistan is especially blessed with copper, gold, lead, zinc, iron ore, magnetic sands, and stones.

Reko Diq in Balochistan is one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold deposits, with an estimated cumulative revenue of over USD 100 billion over 50 years. We have seen a significant contribution of the mineral sector to our country’s GDP and have the potential for further growth. According to the National Account Statistics, our mineral sector saw a growth of 4.9 percent in FY24.

We are still far away from achieving the full potential of our mineral sector. A number of gaps exist in exploitation and marketing of mineral. To tap its mineral wealth, Pakistan must develop uniform and investment-friendly, national and provincial mineral policies with a smart regulatory framework.

Moreover, mining is an industry where initiatives to attract the interest of global investors are compulsory.

The successful revival of the Reko Diq project shines as the country’s beacon of hope in this area.

Apart from that, the establishment of a new federal initiative, the Special Investment Facilitation Council, to de-risk the project investment is important: however, the settlement of the Reko Diq project through international arbitration and legislative support remains a cautionary indicator for foreign investors. It is anticipated that the SIFC will be able to prevent such events and act as a pivotal concierge service for future mining projects in the country.

An enhanced mandate for the SIFC must guide both the federal and provincial regulatory regimes in terms of facilitation in this challenging area.

As discussed above, the formulation of a new national mineral policy with an appropriate regulatory framework for the facilitation of investment, particularly foreign investment is required by provincial directorates of mines & minerals by aligning provincial mineral policies with the new national mineral policy.

Estimation and mapping of mineral reserves and deposits using modern scientific methods such as geo-modeling and 3D modeling, in consultation and partnership with PCSIR, GSP, etc., may be done.

The development of mine access roads for the existing and potential mineral-rich areas by the provincial government, with the lead role of the Directorate of Mines and Minerals, may be done collectively by the provincial-federal governments.

On the other hand, for rising in the mining sector, an essential step involves determining which minerals hold the greatest value and potential.

Once that has been done, the government will need to design a comprehensive policy to cover the entire minerals value chain. This would include i) upstream—the exploration and extraction of minerals; ii) midstream—processing and refining; and iii) downstream—manufacturing the products for the end user.

Overlooking a single piece of this chain could derail the anticipated outcomes for the entire sector.

Additionally, the government’s role in regulating and managing the supply chain, including ensuring transparency in mining activities, tax collection, and environmental protection, is vital for the sector’s sustainable growth.

Policies that promote efficient transportation, processing, and export of minerals can directly impact Pakistan’s economic performance.

However, with the mineral sector falling within the ambit of the 18th Amendment, the provinces should build their own capacity for geological and geophysical studies, leading to the extent of feasibility studies. Moreover, mining projects should be advertised internationally, and each one should be given to the company that gives the best offer and has the potential as well as proven financial and technical capacity to carry out the project. The bidders should have on-ground activities already in the mining sector in other parts of the world.

Summing up, we are not at the stage where mining will bridge the import-export gap, enhance GDP, help social well-being, or fund government spending in the short term. It’s a myth until we reach downstream manufacturing, a decades-long goal. We don’t want to be a resource-exporting country forever; instead, we want to develop the whole value chain of minerals.

Nevertheless, we must avoid turning untapped mineral economy hopes into another CPEC—promising but unfulfilled. For tapping the mining to significantly benefit Pakistan’s economy, transparency is crucial, unlike CPEC, where it is missing. For the major part, Pakistan will still rely on its agriculture and industry sector, where the latter could be improved by bringing untapped into tapped minerals development into the economic framework.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has arrived in Cairo to attend the 21st Council of Foreign Ministers of Developing-8 (D-8).

The DPM/FM will also join the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the D-8 Summit and special session of D-8 on Gaza and Lebanon.

Prime Minister Sharif will leave for D-8 Summit on Wednesday (today).

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Dar, Tuesday, participated virtually in the 7th Ministerial Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), hosted by CICA Chair Azerbaijan in virtual format.

The meeting focused on enhancing regional cooperation, promoting peace, and advancing sustainable development in Asia.

The deputy prime minister/foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the CICA’s vision of achieving common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in Asia. He highlighted CICA’s immense potential in addressing the region’s key challenges including political disputes, conflicts, and endemic poverty that continue to hinder collective progress.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

On expiry of my term as Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) in August 2005, I paid a farewell visit to the Secretary Ministry of Science and Technology. His parting words were “You did lots of good work but never paid heed to our desires”. My reply was straight; “My focus was on meeting the objectives of my organization”. I took his words as a tribute of my efforts for the advancement of technology in the country.

Over the years, most organizations in the land of the pure have collapsed as no one is willing to stand up to the external pressures from above.

Institutions must be protected and strengthened not used as a stepping stone to capture higher positions or enjoy extensions for the people on the top. In the decade of the sixties Prof Hamid Ahmed Khan was the Vice Chancellor (VC) of Punjab University (PU). After a successful stint as Principal Islamia College he was elevated as the VC of the oldest and the largest university of the country.

During the Presidential Elections of early 1965, the ruling party of the President Ayub Khan wanted to hold a public rally at the famous University Grounds located near Chauburgi.

A new cricket pitch had been laid at the venue. In the best interests of his institution, the VC demanded a security deposit of Rs 400,000/= to cover the cost of relaying the ground in case of damage. The President was furious when he was denied permission. The VC had to pay a heavy price for his dissent. Extension was denied, he was sent home, to be replaced.

Air Marshal Nur Khan as Chairman of PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) was on board a flight to Karachi which developed some fault. He rushed to the cockpit to intervene but was sent back by the captain. After the plane landed safely, the captain was invited for dinner.

The Air Marshal apologised for the undue interference and appreciated the professionalism of the man in control. Autonomy of institutions and command of individuals comes with respect and responsibility. It is always lonely at the top but those who get there must stand tall and firm to ward off any external threats.

While most civilian institutions are in disarray, the institutional strength of the Armed Forces remains intact mainly because they have stood up to outside tinkering.

Towards the end of his term, General Jahangir Karamat the COAS (Chief of Army Staff) was sent home in the nineties to be replaced by a relatively unknown officer in the hope of subservience. General Pervez Musharraf proved to be his own man. When differences occurred between the Prime Minister (PM) and COAS, the force decided to protect their institution at all costs. When the PM decided to remove the COAS, he was booted out and captured. The institution prevailed over the whims of an individual.

Some institutions cannot function without autonomy with universities being on the top of the list. Till the decade of the eighties, the autonomous status of seats of higher learning was respected despite the encroachments and pressures by the higher authorities and establishment politicians.

As student leader in the decade of seventies, my experience with the then VC Prof Dr Khairat Ibne Rasa was excellent. He was a fatherly figure but firm on merit. He heard both sides and then took fair decisions. In my final year I was victimised for my progressive views as President of the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology Students Union. I was stopped from taking the final exams despite meeting all academic requirements.

The Pro VC Prof Dr M.D. Shami was approached. I still remember his words; “If you meet the requirements no one can stop you from appearing in the exams, even if you are jailed I will make sure that you take the exam there”. I not only appeared in the exams but also topped in the entire engineering examination of the university held in the year 1976. It was a fine display of autonomy and strong leadership which ensured fairness. Unfortunately, those days are over now.

For the advancement of the much-needed technology in the country, PSF was created as an autonomous body in the year 1973, through an act of parliament. The Chairman once appointed by the President could not be removed before the expiry of the term.

The foundation had its own Board of Trustees for policy formulation and an Executive Committee for day to day running. It was only attached to the Ministry of Science and Technology for purposes of co-ordination with the government.

The foundation could formulate and implement its own policies in best interests of advancement of technology in the country. When the third usurper took control of the country in the year 1977, he wanted to appoint his own man as Chairman. A Presidential Ordinance was issued under which the Chairman could be replaced by him whenever desired. It was an attack on the autonomy of the foundation. The democratic gains of the seventies were all neutralized in the decade of the eighties and nineties.

In the formative years of Pakistan, the founding fathers worked hard in building institutions. WAPDA, PIDC, PIA, Railways, PCSIR, PAEC were all functional in the first decade. Autonomy together with strong, honest leadership was the norm. Only vibrant institutions can ensure sustainability of nations. It is time to return to the drawing board to rebuild all over again for the Republic to grow and prosper.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet, in its meeting held here on Tuesday, accorded approval for Pakistan to sign the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation, commonly known as the Singapore Convention on Mediation.

This marks a significant step towards facilitating international dispute resolution and strengthening Pakistan’s legal framework for cross-border trade and investment.

Adopted on 20 December 2018, the Singapore Convention was opened for signature in Singapore on 7 August 2019 and subsequently, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York under Article 11 of the Convention. It officially entered into force on 12 September 2020 following the ratification by three countries, including Qatar.

Singapore convention on mediation: SC suggests country should become signatory

The Convention aims at facilitating the recognition and enforcement of international mediated settlement agreements (iMSAs) across jurisdictions, eliminating the need for prolonged court proceedings.

To date, 57 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Iran, Qatar, as well as major global economies such as the United States and China, have signed the Convention. Fourteen countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, and Japan, have already ratified it, underscoring its growing acceptance in international trade law.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

With wedding season underway in full force in Pakistan, event planners, florists, photographers and designers are working overtime to cater to the busiest event season of the year.

As the world continues to recover from Covid, wedding celebrations are also fast returning to pre-pandemic scale.

For those still in the market for last-minute festive-wear or looking to plan ahead for next year, here is a selection of bridal designers that have continued to impress.

Sania Maskatiya

The new bridal collection ‘Amara’ just debuted, and will be delivered in 2025. Offering a mix of both contemporary and traditional, their expertise lies in impeccable embroideries, classic colors and premium fabrics.

They have now expanded to Dubai with bridal appointments throughout the year and also offer a menswear line for grooms.

Bridal outfits begin at Rs500,000.

Misha Lakhani

Newer than her contemporaries, Misha Lakhani has established herself as a bridal designer both in Pakistan and globally.

She sticks to her signature ethereal style, working with diaphanous chiffons and silks, layered together with delicate embroideries, and offers them in both traditional and contemporary silhouettes.

Bridal outfits begin at Rs600,000.

Ali Xeeshan Theatre Studio

For the bride who wants a lot of color, pattern and drama, Xeeshan is likely to deliver.

Best known for his use of bold patterns, dramatic silhouettes evoking the Mughal-era, his bridals stand out in a crowd.

He also offers a wide variety of pret and luxury pret outfits for the bridal party.

Bridal outfits begin at Rs500,000

Sana Safinaz

These pioneers have been offering premium bridals at relatively competitive costs for over two decades.

Offering meticulously contemporary designs, their design ethos has remained original while adapting to fun new silhouettes and trends. An excellent choice for experimental customers who do not mind pushing the boundaries of cuts and design.

Bridal designs begin at Rs300,000.

Nida Azwer

This veteran designer, known for her use of flora and fauna as well as menageries in her designs, juxtaposes deep jewel tones against sumptuous three-dimensional silvers and golds.

Best known for her bridals as well as luxury pret, she also has a more casual and affordable ‘Nur’ line, for those looking for resort-wear.

Bridal designs begin at Rs700,000.

At least two cops were martyred while three others injured on Tuesday when terrorists attacked a police checkpost in the Gunangar area of Shangla district’s Chakesar Tehsil in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Aaj News reported.

The injured police personnel were moved to the district headquarters hospital in Battagram, while police cordoned off the area and began a search.

Pakistan has seen an increase in terrorist attacks since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021, with the Pakistani chapter of the movement carrying out attacks mostly targeting security forces.

On Monday, a police officer guarding polio vaccinators was killed after unidentified men opened fire, police said.

“The attack resulted in the death of the police officer at the scene, while one polio worker was injured,” a senior police official told AFP.

The police officer was travelling with two vaccinators when they were attacked by motorcyclists.

ISLAMABAD: The 10th anniversary of the tragic terror attack at Army Public School Peshawar that claimed the lives of more than 140 people, 134 of them schoolchildren, was observed on Monday to pay tribute to the martyrs amid calls for continuing the war against terrorism till complete elimination of this menace from Pakistan.

Special prayers and Quran Khwani were held for the martyred students and teachers of Army Public School.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed firm resolve to continue war against terrorism till complete elimination of this menace from Pakistan.

In his messages President Asif Ali Zardari said the day of December 16, 2014 reminded the nation to get united against terrorism and increase their efforts to eliminate this menace. He said on 16th December, 2014 the terrorists attacked the future of our children and nation.

On this day, he said the terrorists mercilessly killed our citizens including our children, adding the terrorists showed their animosity towards public by attacking teachers and children. Attack on the children was cruel and against humanity, he added.

The President said the tragedy of APS made it clear that agenda of the terrorists was to create chaos and anarchy in the country. The day of December 16 left unerasable imprints on the collective memory of the nation, he continued.

Zardari said that our sympathies were with the heirs of the innocent children. This day reminded of the sacrifices of the nation in the war against terrorism, he remarked, adding the incidents like APS tragedy exposed the real face of terrorists and Khawarij and the Pakistani nation would not let the terrorists succeed in their nefarious designs.

The APS tragedy united the nation against terrorism. The history was a witness that Pakistani nation did not lose courage in the face of tragedies, he stressed. He said the political leadership of Pakistan also sacrificed in the war against terrorism, adding, “Today we pay tribute to the brave soldiers, security organizations and citizens for their sacrifices against terrorism. We will not let go in vain the sacrifices of our children, leaders and the citizens.”

He reiterated the determination to root out the remains of terrorism and extremism from Pakistan. “The international community have to make collective efforts to eradicate terrorism,” The President concluded.

In his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the whole nation was standing against coward terrorists as a wall of fortified steel and will remain standing and would not forget the tragedy of attack on Army Public School, Peshawar on December 16, 2014.

In his message, the prime minister said today 10 years had passed after an unforgettable tragedy and loss of lives at Army Public School and “our heart is still in grief and we are shedding tears of blood”.

It was a tragic event which brought grief to our hearts, he remembered.

On December 16, 2014 coward, cruel and barbaric terrorists entered Army Public School and while causing death and destruction took away lives of 144 innocent children, he recalled.

He said most of the children who fell victim to this barbarity were small children who departed the world leaving people in grief.

Their lives, dreams, hopes and future were taken away from them, he said adding, “We cannot forget the loss of these children despite the passage of all this time.”

The prime minister said the small children faced unprecedented barbarism and cruelty and embraced martyrdom. The pain of the families and parents whose loved ones and children were taken away from them, could not be mitigated, he added. He said the nation should keep in mind that the fitna of Khawarij and other terrorists and anti state elements had nothing to do with the religion or the social values. These terrorists targeted innocent Pakistanis to achieve goals at the behest of enemies of the country, he added.

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson has confirmed the death of four more Pakistanis in boats capsized in South of Greece, bringing the total toll to five so far in the tragedy.

“We announce with deep sorrow that, as per the latest information shared by the Greek authorities, four Pakistani nationals have been identified among the dead in Saturday’s incidents of capsized boats in the south of Crete Island of Greece,” said the spokesperson in a statement issued here on Monday.

She said that our Mission in Athens is in contact with the Greek authorities to facilitate the survivors and repatriate the dead bodies.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday night released the list of 47 rescued Pakistanis. The list is based on the interviews conducted by the Embassy of Pakistan in Athens and the information shared by the Greek authorities.

According to initial reports, 47 Pakistanis were among those rescued following Sunday’s incidents of capsized boats in the south of Crete Island of Greece. One Pakistani was confirmed to be among the dead till late last night.

The Embassy of Pakistan in Athens is in contact with the Hellenic Coast Guard and with the Coast Guard of Chania, which are directly dealing with the search and rescue operation, said the Foreign Office.

The embassy officials have reached the Crete to meet with the rescued Pakistanis and provide them with any assistance required.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has activated its Crisis Management Unit to facilitate Pakistanis in Greece.

Pakistani nationals in Greece and their families are encouraged to contact the CMU at the following: Phone No:051-9207887; Email: [email protected].

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari virtually attended the 3rd China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Monday, a dialogue Beijing says is aimed at connecting governments, financial institutions and businesses to promote regional integration in the development of the blue economy.

Over 200 delegates from 20 countries and international organizations are participating in the event, which is themed: “Future of the Blue Indian Ocean Development, Practices of the Global South” and taking place from December 15-17.

China says the forum represents its concrete actions in supporting development cooperation for the Global South, with the aim of advancing the Global Development Initiative and driving development for countries in the Global South, particularly nations in the Indian Ocean and small island developing countries. The forum is also meant to be a key driver for the sustainable development of the blue economy.

Govt prioritising the blue economy, says PM

However, as China has significantly expanded its engagements in the Indian Ocean region over the past three decades, concern has risen among American and Indian strategists that its growing naval presence, together with its use of so-called “debt-trap diplomacy,” might provide it with meaningful military advantages far from its shores.

“Zardari has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promote regional marine cooperation and ensuring peace, progress and sustainability in the Indian Ocean region,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said after the president addressed the forum virtually.

“President stressed the need for collective action to harness the ocean’s potential while addressing the pressing challenges of climate change, pollution, and ecosystem degradation.”

Zardari said Pakistan was ready to partner with all stakeholders to promote marine cooperation and ensure that the Indian Ocean region remained a “bastion of peace, progress, and sustainability.”

Pointing to Pakistan’s efforts to enhance its blue economy, Zardari said it had formulated the National Maritime Policy, launched The Living Indus Initiative, a program by the government of Pakistan and the United Nations to restore the ecological health of the Indus River, and started other initiatives focusing on sustainable fisheries and marine conservation.

The development of the southwestern Gwadar Port under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would transform the port city into a regional connectivity hub to drive trade and maritime economic growth, Zardari added.

“He praised Pakistan’s partnership with China, under the Belt and Road Initiative, emphasizing its role in knowledge exchange, technological advancement and marine conservation,” Radio Pakistan said.

“The President commended China’s Global Development Initiative and CIDCA’s efforts to embed sustainability in the Forum’s goals. He expressed appreciation for the inclusion of capacity building and island nations in the Forum’s agenda, saying that it aligned with Pakistan’s vision of transnational collaboration and environmental stewardship.”

China has an extensive network of military satellites but just one dedicated military base, and no air cover from land or sea, for Indian Ocean naval deployments.

In its October annual report on China’s military, the Pentagon lists 11 potential Chinese bases on the ocean’s fringes, including Pakistan, Tanzania and Sri Lanka. Those locations reflect Chinese diplomatic and commercial outreach under Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative.

But these have not emerged as hard military assets, with neither a permanent Chinese army presence nor publicly known guarantees of access in a conflict.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) demanded to implement the Hamoodur Rahman Commission’s report for a better and stronger Pakistan.

SCBA President Mian Muhammad Rauf Atta on behalf of entire legal fraternity and the Association’s 27th Cabinet paid tribute to the fallen heroes of 1971 for their valour and bravery and to the innocent martyrs of 2014 for their resilience and priceless sacrifice against the menace of terrorism.

In a press release issued on Monday, Atta said; “Today marks the anniversary of two agonising and heart-wrenching tragedies in our nation’s history. On this day in 1971, we suffered the wound of East Pakistan (Fall of Dhaka), and yet again on this very date in 2014, we endured the trauma of the APS massacre, where hundreds of our innocent children and staff members of Army Public School were martyred by terrorists in Peshawar.”

Dec 16 reminds nation to unite against terrorism: President

Both 1971 and 2014 remain painful events in our national tale. The former reminds us of the need for political introspection, and the latter reminds us of the extreme sacrifices we made in the war against terrorism.

“Albeit we, as a nation, take pride in overcoming the ordeals of 1971 and 2014, it goes without saying that the price we paid on both occasions was hefty and irrecoverable.”

He stated; “That both of these tragedies teach us the same lesson: A house divided against itself cannot stand.” We need to foresee that our enemies want us to be politically, socially, and economically unstable and polarized. They do not want us to prosper, progress, or live in peace and harmony. We must not give them such an opportunity by creating political havoc, as is happening nowadays.”

“In this regard, we want to assert that had the findings of the Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report been implemented in true spirit, we as a nation would have been in an even better position today. However, it is never too late, and we reiterate the need to implement the recommendations of the said report.

“We assert that the need of the hour demands a National Political Reconciliation Plan as much as it demands the implementation of the National Action Plan in its true letter and spirit. We are of the view that by sowing the seeds of political unity, we shall reap the fruits of economic stability and security.

Let no one be mistaken: those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The forum of the SCBA is open for all stakeholders so as to move towards much needed national political consensus.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

KARACHI: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), under the Ministry of Commerce, hosted a high-level meeting with a nine-member Malaysian delegation led by Dato Syed Abu Hassan, as part of efforts to enhance bilateral trade in agro and food products.

The meeting, chaired by Zubair Motiwala, Chief Executive, TDAP, and Sheryar Taj, Secretary TDAP, focused on strengthening trade ties, particularly in the export of rice, meat, fruits, vegetables, and fisheries to Malaysia.

Dato Syed Abu Hassan highlighted the Malaysian government’s commitment, under the directive of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, to increase imports of agro and food products from Pakistan. He emphasized that this initiative is part of Malaysia’s Special National Action Council to ensure subsidized food supplies for its population, including the procurement of 100,000 metric tons of rice under the “Madani Rice” scheme.

During the meeting, TDAP assured the Malaysian delegation of its full support in facilitating business-to-business (B2B) engagements with leading Pakistani exporters. Secretary TDAP emphasized that Pakistan has a robust capacity to meet Malaysia’s growing demand for high-quality agro products, particularly rice, halal meat, seafood, and fresh produce.

Rice Exports: Pakistan’s rice exports to Malaysia surged to $339 million in 2023-24, reflecting growing demand and Pakistan’s ability to supply premium varieties such as basmati and white rice. The Malaysian side expressed interest in expanding imports to address domestic needs.

Halal Meat and Fisheries: Discussions explored increasing the share of Pakistan’s halal beef and seafood in Malaysia’s market. TDAP assured efforts to meet Malaysia’s stringent quality standards to ensure sustained exports in these sectors.

Fresh Produce: Malaysia’s demand for potatoes, onions, and tropical fruits such as mangoes and kinnows was highlighted as a key growth area for Pakistan’s agro exports.

Trade Facilitation: The meeting underscored the importance of leveraging the Malaysia-Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA) to reduce tariffs and improve market access for Pakistani products.

Zubair Motiwala reaffirmed TDAP’s commitment to boosting Pakistan’s agro-export potential, stating, “Malaysia remains a key trading partner in Southeast Asia. We will work closely with stakeholders, including exporters and regulatory authorities, to ensure compliance with Malaysian standards and maximize export opportunities.”

Dato expressed confidence in Pakistan’s agricultural potential and appreciated the efforts of TDAP and the Ministry of Commerce in fostering trade relations. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation through enhanced trade delegations, capacity-building initiatives, and market intelligence sharing.

The meeting concluded with a shared vision to not only increase bilateral trade but also explore avenues for long-term economic collaboration in the agro-food sector.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

LAHORE: Senior Supreme Court Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah on Monday talked in detail on Pakistan’s worsening climate crisis, urging immediate and robust action. In its speech at LUMS, he highlighted the urgent need for climate diplomacy and substantial financial support to mitigate the country’s vulnerability to climate change.

He was speaking at a conference titled ‘Pathways to Development Gateways at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). The topic of the discussion was ‘Climate Justice: Legal and Policy Challenges in the Face of a Climate Emergency’.

He called for immediate and robust action to combat Pakistan’s escalating climate crisis, emphasizing the critical need for climate diplomacy and financial support.

Justice Shah said despite iconic rulings in environmental cases since the 1990s, the implementation of these decisions remains a significant challenge. He highlighted that while Pakistan contributes minimally to global emissions it ranks as the 8th most vulnerable country to climate impacts, facing extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heat waves. However, climate action in Pakistan suffers due to a lack of political will and financial resources.

“Courts in the Global South are expanding the scope of climate justice by addressing issues such as irrigation, urban planning, and industrial pollution.”

Justice Shah stressed the pivotal role of climate finance in ensuring equitable climate justice. He pointed out that global funds like the Green Climate Fund, which promised $100 billion annually, have only delivered 25% of the pledged amount, leaving developing countries like Pakistan grappling with inadequate resources.

“Climate finance is not just a policy tool; it is a right, he stated, “Without it, fundamental constitutional rights, including the right to life, are at risk. The judiciary must recognize climate finance as essential for vulnerable communities to live with dignity.” He warned of a potential “climate apartheid” if the financial gap between developed and developing countries continues to widen.

Justice Shah commended the government for its participation in global climate events, such as the recent Baku summit, but criticized its inability to finalize a cohesive climate policy. “Statements alone will not address the crisis,” he remarked. “We need mechanisms for individuals to access climate funds, especially those affected by droughts and floods.”

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah showed its concerns over Pakistan’s lack of progress in combating climate change over the past seven years, calling for urgent steps to implement climate diplomacy and finance initiatives.

Justice Shah pointed out that despite Pakistan’s efforts at international forums, including Baku, the country has achieved little in addressing the climate crisis. “The last seven years have seen no tangible work on climate change,” he remarked.

He highlighted that courts have issued several directives to tackle the crisis, yet their implementation on the ground remains insufficient. Justice Shah stressed the critical importance of climate finance, describing it as a fundamental human right and a beacon of hope for Pakistan. “Climate finance will provide security and climate justice to our people,” he said. “Constitutionally, we must prioritise climate finance to safeguard human rights and ensure a sustainable future.”

He underscored Pakistan’s vulnerability as the eighth most-affected country by climate change, declaring the situation a “climate emergency”. He acknowledged the judiciary’s consistent commitment to treating climate-related cases with the seriousness they deserve but lamented administrative delays and unfulfilled promises.

Referring to the 2017 Climate Change Act, Justice Shah criticised the lack of progress in establishing a climate authority and creating a dedicated fund. “A fund was supposed to be created under the 2017 Act, but it wasn’t even mentioned in the budget. The authority hasn’t been formed, and we’re still chasing illusions,” he said. Justice Shah also expressed frustration over the government’s limited financial resources and lack of focus on climate emergencies. “Right now, it seems the government does not have enough money to address the issue,” he noted. “We need a coordinated strategy to tackle climate emergencies, but the urgency is missing.”

He urged policymakers to recognise climate finance as a constitutional necessity and to take decisive action to ensure climate justice for future generations.

Another speaker Saad Gulzar, sharing research stressed that farmers’ punishment on crop burning led towards a pattern where other farmers remained cautious from stubble burning in the future.

In another session, Dr Ali Cheema, Vice Chancellor LUMS talked about land reforms. He said there is a trivial of property and legal system where generations after generations fight to get the inheritance of joint property. Dr Cheema said the way forward of property reforms was to change the law.

Federal Ombudsman Fauzia Viqar in the session of land reforms stressed one of the problems of property rights lies with the person’s socioeconomic factors, so, it is not the gender but it is more about how powerful you are. She said women have unfortunately inherited disadvantages still which flow complicated through the system.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

Recent political developments allude to a mindset characterized by impulsive decision-making, overenthusiasm, spontaneous actions, and acute desperation typical of combat activity.

‘Taare Zameen Par,’ a 2007 blockbuster film by Indian actor Aamir Khan, features an academically underperforming dyslexic child. In one of the film’s scenes, the school art teacher, played by Khan himself, draws the attention of the child’s father towards the ‘common pattern’ reoccurring in his child’s academic assignments, replete with egregiously repetitive errors in his written compositions in particular. Curious to relate, but this analogy can help us discern the common yet alarming pattern found in the error-ridden functioning of the current hybrid regime in Pakistan.

Perpetuating the charade of a democratically elected setup, the praetorian rule in the country has somehow managed to press on. However, its shameful performance in almost all areas of governance and administration is best delineated by a consistent pattern that remains relatively unchanged, including its role in manipulating elections, putting a squeeze on the judiciary, reducing the Parliament into an ordinance factory and the election commission into an enslaved consort, enforcing media censorship, imposing social media restrictions together with the installation of firewall and intermittent internet shutdowns, and now banning the former ruling party for its alleged affinity to the ‘anti-state’ elements. Such a hyperactive desperation of the powers that be can even abruptly result in a ZAB-like ending for the PTI chairman.

Particularly since the ‘constitutional’ toppling of the PTI government in April 2022, what we have seen in common is a desperate urgency by the powers that be to get things done by any means. Ensuing the subsequent rise of the PDM government and extending the caretaker setup at the expense of gross constitutional breach, along with the slapdash governance today, the typical pattern behind the current mess-up in state affairs suggests there is a young, immature, and restless mind similar to that of an obstinate teenager who loves to intervene in matters above his reach, intellect, and, of course, ability.

And in the wee hours of February 09, such a willful display of obstinacy reached a peak with the most coercive manipulation of ‘Form 47,’ the term now enjoying a proverbial status of sorts. As it has transpired, a coterie of unelected, totally inexperienced, and shallow non-statesmen is hell-bent on calling the shots and is now at the end of its tether to achieve its ambitious targets. To make things worse, it cares a damn about the public sentiments and doesn’t even realize how callously and ferociously it has been forcing uncalled-for misery on general people.

For the citizens of Karachi and Lahore, for instance, April 23 was yet another reminder of the state’s disregard for the never-ending plight of its people. Both cities, with a combined population of over 150 countries, were shut down at the interior ministry’s directive on less than half-day notice prior to the arrival of the Iranian president.

Mind you! It was not a trademark shutter-down strike called by the erstwhile MQM. However, the abrupt closing down of the largest economic centres of a cash-strapped country that too on the second business day of the week was, indeed, an out-of-the-box masterstroke, which could only be played by a mafia-style administration that revels in enforcing its dominance and power over the so-called electorate.

The ubiquitous pattern emerging out of the nationwide chaos alludes to the unfortunate reality that those who are pulling the strings are, in fact, gambling with governance in general and with the future of the country in particular in a forlorn hope of reviving the struggling economy through a heuristic, cut-and-try improvisation but with no accountability or liability whatsoever.

Their excessive predilection for messing with Pakistan cricket is another pertinent and glaring example of the my-way-or-the-highway modus operandi that best describes the working of the holier-than-thou establishment. The dichotomy is that the same people working day and night to uproot the menace of terrorism from the country have also been entrusted with the responsibility of helping Pakistan cricket stand on its feet. It is no wonder that the word ‘surgery’ was used time and again to improve the country’s failing cricket structure. Interestingly, the same people fixated on dividing a particular political party into different factions will now end the alleged grouping in the cricket team.

Depriving the overwhelming electorate of its legitimate mandate overnight in favour of the incumbent regime to the passing of the most inhuman fiscal budget at the stroke of a pen, such a frenzied slew of political developments alludes to a mindset characterized by impulsive decision-making, gratuitous overenthusiasm, and spontaneous actions, together with acute desperation typical of combat activity.

A regime that regards dissenters as nothing more than traitors and state enemies must carry out some soul-searching above all else. The predictable pattern, dotted with a flurry of unconstitutional moves taken in the guise of national interest, along with a slanted, ill-conceived interpretation of social uprising, portends the absolute disaster.

Without considering the nuanced dynamics of realpolitik, the ‘governance on war footing’ model in place sounds adventurous and thus needs reconsideration since it could lead the establishment to take more disastrous measures with no room to reconcile or undo them. Success is a marathon, not a sprint. However, the unelected men on a mission are just running the risk of sabotaging the entire governance apparatus for imaginative and hasty gains without bringing in much-needed political stability laced with long-term reforms and clear-cut future planning.

(The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the newspaper)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Vowing harshest punishment for the human traffickers, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday sought a detailed report from Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi following the capsizing of a boat carrying illegal migrants, including many Pakistanis, near Greece’s southern island of Gavdos.

The incident occurred when a boat, overloaded with illegal migrants, capsized on Friday. So far, 39 men — primarily from Pakistan — have been rescued by cargo ships operating in the area and transferred to the island of Crete. However, the total number of people missing remains unclear.

Sharif emphasised the need for concrete measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. He condemned human trafficking, saying it is a heinous crime that devastates countless lives annually.

He described traffickers as a “cruel mafia” that exploits vulnerable individuals with false promises of a better future.

The prime minister stressed that those responsible for the trafficking network must be identified and punished severely to deter further incidents.

Meanwhile, on PM’s directives, Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, has ordered a nationwide crackdown on human smuggling networks.

Naqvi has directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to launch immediate operations against the human trafficking mafias responsible for the incident. He underscored the urgency of eradicating such networks that have destroyed countless families. The FIA will be working in close coordination with other law enforcement agencies to tackle the growing issue.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Directorate General Customs Valuation Karachi has revised customs values on the import of meat & bone meal (feed grade) from Brazil.

In this regard, the directorate has issued a new valuation ruling (1924 of 2024).

Background of the issue revealed that the existing Publication Valuation Reference was related to three origins only; i.e., Paraguay, Oman and Kuwait.

Customs values on import of Cereal Foods in bulk packaging revised

Whereas, the Directorate received a letter from Collectorate of Customs Appraisement (SAPT) regarding incorporation of Brazilian origin in current PVR given the substantial import from Brazil; therefore, in pursuance of analysis of import data, current market trends the difference in market prices and customs values, an exercise for the determination of customs values of subject goods was initiated under Section 25 and 25A of the Customs Act. 1969.

During the exercise, importers contended that that the existing customs values are on higher side given the international prices of subject goods.

They further contended that the item is an internationally traded commodity, whose prices fluctuate based on production, demand and supply.

They argued that the goods have always been imported at prevailing international prices with declared values rising in line with market trends indicating no intention of under-invoicing. Overall, the value ranged from $275 to $570, and the current value of $360 reflects the prevailing market conditions.

The importers claimed that the Export GDs, import through LCs and bank contracts confirm the accuracy of the declared values. Most importers are industrial exporters using the product for in-house consumption in the animal feed industry and among the largest players globally, with no history of under-invoicing.

Regarding Brazilian origin products, the importers argued that due to their large production and supply, offer better prices in the international market. Finally, they suggested that the data including export records can be verified to support the authenticity of the declared values. The issues pertaining to the valuation of subject goods was deliberated upon in detail in the afore-referred meetings.

Ninety (90) days’ clearance data has been retrieved and the same has been scrutinized.

Subsequently, market inquiry has been conducted and examined in the light of this Directorates Office Order, it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government announced today that the price of petrol will remain unchanged, while the rates of other petroleum products will be reduced for the fortnight commencing December 16, 2024.

The Finance Division stated that the price of petrol will stay at Rs 252.10 per litre. However, the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) will decrease by Rs 3.05 per litre, kerosene oil by Rs 3.32 per litre, and light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs 2.78 per litre.

Petrol will retain its price of Rs 252.10 per litre. High-speed diesel (HSD) will be reduced from Rs 258.43 to Rs 255.38 per litre, kerosene oil from Rs 164.98 to Rs 161.66 per litre, and light diesel oil (LDO) from Rs 151.73 to Rs 148.95 per litre.

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) worked out the consumer prices of petroleum products in view of the fluctuations in the international market in the last fortnight ending on December 15.

Petroleum levy (PL) on both petrol and HSD is Rs 60 per litre whereas exempted petroleum products from general sale tax.

In the first half of December 2024, authorities raised both petrol and diesel prices. Petrol recorded a rise of Rs3.72 per litre while high-speed diesel prices increased by Rs3.29 per litre.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the European Union (EU) have acknowledged that since the grant of GSP status in 2014, the bilateral trade and economic relations have made significant strides.

The EU reiterated its position on the abolishment of death penalty and emphasised the need to pursue the reform process of the mercy petition.

Foreign Office (FO) issued the joint statement on Friday after the 14th Pakistan-EU Joint Commission meetings held in Islamabad.

Ambassador of EU pays courtesy call on PM

The EU is Pakistan’s second-largest trading partner, with the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) arrangement contributing significantly to the growth of bilateral trade. Both sides acknowledged the importance of a robust multilateral trading system and exchanged views on recent developments at the multilateral (WTO), pluri-lateral, and bilateral levels.

The Pakistan-EU bilateral trade relations were discussed at length, covering a wide range of topics including market access challenges for both sides. Among other areas of specific interest, cooperation on the implementation of the GSP+ was prominent.

The Joint Commission was co-chaired by Dr Kazim Niaz, secretary Ministry of Economic Affairs of Pakistan and Paola Pampaloni, deputy managing director for Asia and the Pacific in the European External Action Service.

The discussions took stock of recent political developments, including electoral processes in both Pakistan and European Parliament.

Pakistan and the EU recognised the importance of their cooperation and sustained engagement, particularly in areas such as trade, migration, human rights, political, economic and development cooperation with a focus on the Global Gateway strategy.

Both sides agreed to continue cooperation on emerging challenges of food, energy security, and climate change.

The two sides reviewed the post-elections political developments in Pakistan and the EU. They agreed on the need for continued efforts to strengthen the electoral process. The EU reiterated the importance of political pluralism, democratic values, independent media, vibrant civil society, judicial independence, and international human rights standards, which are key for democratic elections.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the protection of all human rights, including women and children’s rights, labour and migrant rights, as well as fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression and opinion including growing problem of disinformation.

Pakistan presented its reform agenda, including in the framework of the National Action Plan on Human Rights, National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, as well as actions towards the full implementation of 27 international conventions related to GSP+. Pakistan and the EU also exchanged views on freedom of religion or belief and the rights of persons belonging to minorities and vulnerable groups and concerns about anti-Muslim hatred. Both sides reiterated the importance of continued dialogue on these shared concerns.

The EU remains committed to providing information on its upcoming legislative developments to facilitate Pakistan’s compliance with EU’s regulatory framework. Pakistan and the EU reiterated the importance of continued collaboration to promote sustainable growth and trade development.

Pakistan welcomed the EU’s continuous support to Pakistan’s Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (4RF), in a Team Europe approach.

The EU presented the details of the projects for the period 2025-2027 following the Mid-Term Review of the MIP and updated on the EU’s policy framework and the Global Gateway.

Pakistan appreciated the recent visit of the European Investment Bank in Pakistan held in September 2024 and agreed on the opportunity to enhance engagement within the framework of the Global Gateway by identifying new investments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

EDITORIAL: In yet another example of how the government’s high-handed approach towards controlling of digital technologies has had costly real world consequences for millions of citizens, Pakistan was ranked among the lowest 12 percent globally for mobile and broadband internet speeds in October.

According to Ookla’s Speed test Global Index released on December 9, the country has been ranked 100 out of 111 countries in mobile internet speeds, and 141 out of 158 countries in broadband speeds.

These findings come as little surprise given that since the beginning of 2024, internet freedoms in the country have eroded at a steady pace. From the banning of X to instituting internet outages during politically sensitive periods – such as the general elections and opposition protests – and now with efforts to install the notorious firewall in the last few months, internet speeds have plummeted, severely impacting businesses, freelancers and ordinary citizens alike.

A closer look at Ookla’s findings reveals that Lahore and Karachi lead the country in internet speeds, with Lahore achieving a median mobile data speed of 24.38mbps and Karachi recording the fastest fixed broadband speed at 19.28mbps.

These figures, unsurprisingly, pale in comparison to global leaders, where mobile data speeds in the UAE reach an astounding 428.53mbps and fixed broadband in Singapore soars to 316.99mbps, highlighting how far behind we are in the race for digital connectivity.

The fact is that harnessing the potential of modern digital technologies demands an ecosystem that fosters innovation, creativity and the foundational infrastructure necessary to transform raw talent into tangible progress that yields economic dividends. And reliable internet speeds are the basic building block of this digital infrastructure, essential for effectively supporting a modern knowledge-based economy.

As pointed out by the chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association recently, our information technology sector routinely suffers losses of more than USD 1 million per hour on account of internet shutdowns, while earlier estimates from August had put down the cost of installing the national firewall and the consequent internet slowdowns at USD 300 million.

Additionally, data provided by Statista, a global online platform specialising in data gathering, had estimated that internet shutdowns had cost Pakistan over Rs65 billion in 2023, affecting 83 million people and lasting 259 hours, while the country ranked seventh globally in economic losses from internet disruptions, with total costs amounting to USD 237.6 million. As 2024 draws to a close, we can be sure that the economic losses attributable to the government’s obsession with controlling people’s online activities are bound to be much higher for this year.

It is abundantly clear that our regulatory regime vis-a-vis digital technologies is being designed by individuals who have little understanding and experience of what is needed to thrive in the global digital environment. Actions such as slowing down of internet speeds and throttling of VPNs stifle experimentation and innovation in cutting edge fields like Artificial Intelligence.

This will limit our workforce’s ability to compete in the global market, hamper foreign exchange inflows and drive a substantial brain drain as top talent, disheartened by the lack of opportunities at home, seeks more innovation-friendly environments abroad.

Ironically, the very industry the government is pinning its hopes on to boost the economy, enhance foreign reserves and drive exports is being systematically undermined by its own actions, either through a lack of understanding or simple indifference to the consequences of its actions.

The powers-that-be must understand that we are heading towards a future marked by squandered talent, a disillusioned youth and entire industries being rendered uncompetitive, all because of their dictatorial urge to suppress the digital space. No amount of investment in IT cities, like the one being developed in Punjab with much fanfare, will ever compensate for the lack of a supportive ecosystem that values innovation and safeguards digital freedoms.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

The World Bank approved $240 million in financing for the Second Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP-2). The project is aimed at providing safely managed water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in Karachi.

According to a statement released by the World Bank on Friday, KWSSIP-2 will be co-financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with $240 million. In addition, there will be a government contribution of $250 million and expected private sector and commercial finance of $269 million.

“Safely managed WASH services are the foundation of public health and quality of life and are central to addressing the stunting crisis in Pakistan,” said Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan.

“KWSSIP-2 will expand the scope of investments in bulk water augmentation, water treatment, wastewater treatment and reuse, water distribution, and sewer network rehabilitation. About half of all beneficiaries will be women, 58% will be youth (age 15–24), as well as over half a million people in Katchi Abadis (informal settlements).”

World Bank likely to approve $240m KWSSIP-2 tomorrow

According to the global lender, the project builds on KWSSIP-1 and will finance and expand on several investments to strengthen Karachi’s water supply, sewerage, sanitation, and treatment infrastructure throughout the city.

In addition, it will improve water and wastewater infrastructure and help expand safe drinking water and sanitation services in several Katchi Abadis (informal settlements), which will benefit over half a million people.

World Bank stated that in the long-term, the project would lead to reduced cost of using alternative water sources, reduced time spent collecting water, and health benefits from reducing waterborne diseases.

“KWSSIP-2 will also continue to address the gender gap in employment, representation, and leadership at the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) through gender-inclusive recruitment plans to hire more women in technical and decision-making positions,” said Khairy Al-Jamal, Task Team Leader for the project.

“It will support technical training for women, institutionalize an internship program for women graduates and create pathways for them to find employment within the utility, and support promoting women employees to higher-grade positions.”

$425m national transmission modernisation project: World Bank rates implementation as ‘moderately satisfactory’

The project will provide a safely managed water supply to nearly 16 million people and sanitation services to nearly 7.5 million people in Karachi by 2030. It will also improve the performance and financial sustainability of KWSC and promote private-sector partnerships in the delivery of WASH services.

This project is the first phase of the World Bank’s Pakistan Urban WASH Services Programme that aims to reach 33.5 million people with safely managed WASH services by 2035.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has arrived in Istanbul on a three-day official visit to represent Pakistan at the Stratcom Summit 2024.

During his stay in Istanbul, the minister will meet Turkey’s Head of Communications, Professor Fahrettin Altun, to discuss bilateral cooperation in the fields of media and communications.

The minister is also scheduled to visit the headquarters of TRT World and Albayrak Media Group.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

This is apropos a Business Recorder news item ‘40pc of world’s Shariah-compliant financial experts hail from Pakistan’ carried by the newspaper yesterday.

According to the news reports, the country has firmly established itself as a key player in the global Islamic banking sector, with nearly 40 percent of the world’s Shariah-compliant financial experts hailing from the country.

‘’This recognition comes from Sheikh Ibrahim Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), highlighting Pakistan’s growing influence in shaping the future of Islamic finance worldwide,’’ the news report further said.

But a question that needs a clear answer is: what is the future of Islamic finance? In my view, it does have future in Islamic countries, including Pakistan. That is why perhaps we witness so many Islamic finance experts, including revered Mufti Taqi Usmani, in our midst. It is said that over 25,000 experts are related to Islamic Finance Industry (IFI) in Pakistan.

No doubt, Islamic finance has experienced continuous growth in three decades or more, with continuous expansion of total Islamic finance assets as well as sophistication of Shariah-compliant products.

Unfortunately, however, it represents only 1 percent of the conventional finance while there exists little or no hope that the Shariah-compliant products would be replacing interest-based products in near or even distant future, although growth of Islamic finance is much faster than conventional finance’s.

Samina Malik (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has strongly condemned Israel’s occupation of Syrian territories, highlighting the destruction of critical Syrian infrastructure during Israeli attacks.

Addressing journalists during the weekly briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated that Pakistan firmly opposes Israel’s aggression and supports a peaceful resolution in Syria through dialogue under United Nations resolutions.

She confirmed that Pakistan is actively working to ensure the safety and evacuation of its nationals in Syria. Over 300 Pakistanis, including pilgrims, have been safely repatriated from Syria, and the government is continuing to assist those still in the region. The spokesperson also expressed gratitude to the Lebanese government for facilitating swift visa issuance during the evacuation process.

On the ongoing crisis in Gaza, Pakistan reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire, welcoming the recent UN General Assembly resolution advocating a halt to hostilities and unhindered operations of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

The briefing covered significant diplomatic developments, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s participation in the “One Water Summit” in Saudi Arabia. At the summit, the prime minister stressed the need for global action on water sustainability and proposed a six-point agenda, focusing on equitable water access, climate-resilient funding, and conflict prevention mechanisms.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar represented Pakistan at the 28th ECO Council of Ministers Meeting in Iran. During the session, Pakistan signed the ECO Charter of Clean Energy Centre and reaffirmed its commitment to regional economic connectivity and clean energy initiatives.

In Moscow, Pakistan and Russia held the 9th Intergovernmental Commission meeting, signing eight agreements to enhance cooperation in energy, trade, education, and technology.

The spokesperson also addressed the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), condemning property seizures and suppression of Kashmiris. Pakistan vowed to continue supporting Kashmiris’ right to self-determination under UN resolutions.

Responding to media queries, Baloch emphasised Pakistan’s ongoing dialogue with Afghanistan to address terrorism concerns and confirmed that diplomatic ties with North Korea remain intact, though the embassy in Pyongyang was closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She also clarified that no invitation had been received to attend former US President Donald Trump’s inauguration and expressed condolences over the passing of Khaleelur Rehman Haqqani, the interim Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

The briefing concluded with updates on Pakistan’s participation in upcoming international forums, including the D-8 Summit in Egypt, where Pakistan will focus on youth empowerment and SME development. The Foreign Office reaffirmed its commitment to addressing global challenges through constructive dialogue and collaboration.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has outlined the “apocalyptic” impacts of climate change on its population and economy, highlighting the 2022 floods that submerged one-third of the country, affected 33 million people, and resulted in reconstruction costs estimated to exceed $ 16 billion.

Attorney General, Mansoor Awan presented Pakistan’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), said a press release issued here.

Quoting the UN Secretary-General’s 2022 address to the UN General Assembly, the Pakistan representative noted: “Pakistan contributed less than 1% of global GHG emissions but its people are 15 times more likely to face death from climate-related impacts than other States.”

Pakistan suffers ‘$100bn loss’ due to climate change

Pakistan emphasized three key points by stating that the Paris Agreement under the UNFCCC was the primary framework for addressing climate obligations.

Climate obligations must align with equity and CBDR-RC, encompassing provisions for climate finance, mitigation, and cooperation, Pakistan delegate said adding that disputes regarding treaty obligations must be resolved through mechanisms established within those treaties.

Moreover Pakistan argued that the obligation of prevention, rooted in due diligence, operates alongside treaty obligations and forms part of the applicable law. Pakistan representatives explained that due diligence requires a case-specific assessment of potential harm.

They pointed to several conventions, including the UNFCCC, the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, as evidence that the obligation of prevention applies to diffuse harm, like GHG emissions. They added that many of the States contesting its applicability to GHG emissions are parties to these Conventions.

Rejecting claims that the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement constitute lex specialis, Pakistan argued that these treaties do not override stricter obligations under general international law.

They emphasized that the obligation of prevention is triggered once a State possesses or ought to possess the “requisite knowledge” of the harmful effects of its activities. In the context of GHG emissions, they underscored that claiming ignorance is no excuse.

“We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and undoubtedly the last generation that can do something about it,” Pakistan representatives concluded.

KARACHI: Pakistan’s aviation sector is poised for a significant breakthrough as discussions progress with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resume flight operations, expected to commence in the second quarter of 2025.

In an exclusive interview with Business Recorder, Director General of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Nadir Shafi Dar revealed that Pakistan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the FAA and is settling pending financial obligations. DG CAA anticipated that the FAA officials would hopefully be expected to visit Pakistan during February-March 2025 for assessment purposes.

“FAA will follow similar criteria to the recent European Union assessment, which yielded positive results,” Nadir Shafi Dar stated.

Pakistan’s PIA to resume flights to Europe on Jan. 10 after 4-1/2 year ban

“I believe we are well-positioned to pass their assessment, which would facilitate our upgrade from Category II to Category I status in the United States.”

The progress of restoring direct flights to Western countries is attracting international investors to pour investment in Pakistan’s aviation sector.

According to DG CAA, investors are actively exploring opportunities through various channels, particularly following Pakistan’s successful clearance for European Union operations and anticipated approval for UK flights.

The development signals a broader expansion phase for Pakistani airlines, necessitating fleet modernization from narrow-body to medium and long-haul aircraft.

“This expansion requires significant investment in infrastructure, including new aircraft and simulator facilities for pilot training,” Dar explained. “As a vertically integrated industry, our airlines also need investment in crew development.”

The DG CAA expressed optimism about the sector’s growth prospects, both domestically and internationally. He noted that while previous investment plans were hampered by economic challenges, particularly foreign reserve shortages, the situation has improved significantly.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

A special court in Islamabad on Thursday indicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the Toshakhana-II case, Aaj News reported.

Special Court Judge Shahrukh Arjumand framed the charges on the couple.

FIA has accused Imran and his wife Bushra Bibi of receiving the Bulgari jewellery set from Saudi Arabia and failing to submit it in Toshakhana.

The FIA has said that according to the records, the items are valued at Rs71.5 million but the accused got it valued at Rs5.8 million from a private firm.

Both Imran and Bushra have denied the charges.

In October, the court had approved Bushra’s bail who was then released.

On November 20, the Islamabad High Court approved the former prime minister’s bail in the said case.

However, the PTI founder still remains incarcerated in other cases.

Last week, Imran and other party leaders were indicted in a case related to attack on General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on May 9, 2023.

Along with the PTI founder, charges were also framed against Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Sheikh Asad Shafiq, Raja Basharat, Zartaj Gul, and 100 others accused.

KARACHI: Haleon Pakistan plans to start manufacturing multivitamin brand Centrum in the country for domestic sales and export, its CEO said, as the company seeks to boost sales amid lower inflation.

The Pakistan unit of British consumer healthcare firm Haleon plans to expand its pain management offerings next year by adding the Panadol range for menstrual pain and migraines, CEO Farhan Muhammad Haroon told Reuters in an interview.

“Pakistan has a Rs24-billion ($86.30 million) Vitamin Mineral Supplement market. This does not include the grey market. We already make up Rs7.5 billion ($26.97 million) of the market through our (vitamin) products CAC-1000 Plus and Qalsium-D,” said Haroon.

“With the launch of Centrum, we plan to capture 7 to 8% of remaining market immediately, which is a sizeable portion of the category.”

Pakistan’s Citi Pharma, Martin Dow partner with Chinese firm for biotech manufacturing

Haroon said the company plans to sell Centrum in smaller bottles so customers do not have to worry about high upfront costs, as purchasing power has diminished in the country after inflation hit a multidecade high of around 40% last year. In November, Pakistan’s consumer price index inflation slowed to 4.9%.

Haroon said in the first stage of the Centrum launch, expected in the first quarter of 2025, the product will be imported, and in the second stage it will be made locally with market specific variants to suit needs of Pakistanis and other export markets.

“We already export our calcium and vitamin D supplement CAC-1000 Plus and topical pain relief product Voltral Emulgel to Vietnam and Philippines, we will be ready to export to 19 countries in the next 1-1.5 years,” he said.

Haleon Pakistan sees at least 10% of its sales coming from exports in the next two years, up from 5%-6% during its peak in 2022, Haroon said, adding that it had invested $10 million last year to enhance local production capabilities.

ISLAMABBAD: A high-level delegation of the Senate of Pakistan has arrived in Dallas, tasked with advancing efforts to secure the early release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani national currently incarcerated in the United States.

The Pakistani delegation is led by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt. Senator Butt’s visit comes as part of the Pakistani government’s sustained diplomatic initiative, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to obtain Dr Siddiqui’s release on compassionate grounds.

The delegation, which includes top Pakistani officials, has been working tirelessly to engage key US stakeholders and raise awareness about Dr Siddiqui’s case.

Senator Butt, nominated for this crucial mission by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, shall be meeting with Dr Siddiqui at the facility where she is being detained, offering her support and solidarity.

The delegation expressed optimism that the ongoing discussions would pave the way for a favourable outcome. “Our efforts are focused on securing Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s compassionate release and reuniting her with her family,” said Senator Butt. “The Prime Minister is personally committed to this cause and is leaving no stone unturned in seeking justice for Dr Siddiqui.”

During her visit, Senator Butt has engaged with several US officials, emphasising the importance of the strong, long-standing relationship between Pakistan and the United States. “Pakistan highly values its bilateral relations with the US,” she remarked. “We hope that this case can serve as an opportunity to further strengthen our diplomatic ties, while also demonstrating compassion and justice.”

The delegation is expected to continue its meetings with senior US government officials, advocating for Dr Siddiqui’s case, which has captured the attention of both the public and diplomatic communities in Pakistan. The outcome of these discussions holds great significance for the future of Pakistan-US relations and for the well-being of Dr Siddiqui and her family.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

KARACHI: Relational, a European-based leading business software provider, and Dellsons Group have announced a strategic partnership aimed at introducing Relational’s innovative business software solutions in Pakistan’s financial sector.

In this regard, the partnership was formalized with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a ceremony attended by senior executives from both organizations.

Through this partnership, Dellsons Associates will leverage its extensive network and market expertise in Pakistan to introduce Relational’s cutting-edge fintech products and services to commercial banks and the financial sector across the country.

Chairman Dellsons Group Ibrahim Amin shared immense enthusiasm for the collaboration and said that partnering with Relational allows us to bring world-class fintech solutions to the Pakistani market, supporting our goal of advancing the local economy through technology-driven solutions. “This collaboration will pave the way for both companies to reach new heights, and we are excited to work with Relational to achieve shared success,” he added.

On this development, the President and CEO of Relational, John Papaevgeniou said that Pakistan is an emerging economy with an evolving financial sector.

“Dellsons’ deep knowledge of the Pakistani market and their commitment to fostering innovation align perfectly with our mission to provide state-of-the-art interrelated business software solutions worldwide. Together, we look forward to making an impact by empowering businesses in Pakistan with the advanced technology they need to thrive,” he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The outgoing High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan, Ambassador Muhammad Ruhul Alam Siddique, paid a farewell call on the prime minister on Wednesday, said a press release issued on Wednesday.

The high commissioner is returning to Bangladesh, on completion of his four-year tenure in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appreciated the remarkable contributions made by the high commissioner for promotion of Pakistan-Bangladesh relations.

He stressed that Pakistan greatly valued its relations with Bangladesh, which were rooted in shared history, common faith and cultural similarities.

While conveying his warm wishes to Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus, the prime minister remarked that the existing goodwill between Pakistan and Bangladesh needed to be translated into tangible cooperation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

KARACHI: The saga of next year’s cricket Champions Trophy drags on, with sources saying Thursday that no agreement has been reached on a proposed “hybrid” format allowing India to play their matches outside host nation Pakistan.

The eight-team tournament hit a snag last month when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told the International Cricket Council (ICC) that their side would not compete in Pakistan over security fears and political tensions.

Sources speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP the PCB has agreed to the hybrid model – but only on condition that every ICC tournament taking place in India until 2027 follows the same format, with Pakistan not going to India.

Under the hybrid model, Pakistan will host the group matches but its high-profile clash with India will be played in Dubai.

ICC talks continue on fate of Pakistan Champions Trophy

The final would be held in Dubai or Lahore depending on whether the Indian side make it through.

But the BCCI is objecting to the tit-for-tat condition on its own hosting and to the proposal to play the final in Lahore if India do not qualify, the sources said.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is in Dubai, where the ICC has its headquarters, to finalise the arrangements, sources said.

The stand-off means the ICC is still unable to announce the schedule for the February 19 to March 19 event.

Indian cricket board yet to communicate decision on travelling to Pakistan for Champions Trophy: Naqvi

The arch-rivals only meet in ICC multi-national events, with the last bilateral series held when Pakistan toured India in 2012-13.

India last toured Pakistan to feature in the 2008 Asia Cup and have not played a bilateral series across the border for 18 years.

Pakistan were also forced to host last year’s Asia Cup on a hybrid model, with India’s matches and the final hosted in Sri Lanka.

India are set to co-host the next Twenty20 World Cup with Sri Lanka in 2026 in addition to the Champions Trophy in 2029 and co-host the 2031 World Cup with Bangladesh.

In the last few years, Pakistan has hosted the world’s top teams, emerging from cricketing isolation that began after a militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 in Lahore.

Pakistan has not hosted an ICC event since the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.

The Government of Japan has announced a new $3.1 million grant to procure essential oral vaccines as part of its continued support to polio eradication efforts in Pakistan, the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) reported on Wednesday.

Pakistan will use these funds to procure more than 20.22 million doses of vaccines to support polio campaigns in 2025, NEOC said.

Pakistan has so far reported 59 polio cases this year.

Of these, 26 are from Balochistan, 16 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 15 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.

The new funding is part of the continuous support from Japan to the Polio Eradication Programme since 1996, it added.

“To date, the grant and loan contribution from the Government of Japan has amounted to approximately $242.2mn to support the polio programme in Pakistan through UNICEF.

“Japan has supported Pakistan to eradicate polio for nearly 30 years despite hindrance such as floods, COVID, and terrorist attacks.”

Charge d’ Affaires ad interim of Japan to Pakistan, Shuichi Takano was quoted as saying that Japan renewed its commitment to continue to promote routine immunisation including polio vaccination in Pakistan as 2024 marked the 70th anniversary of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Pakistan.

PM Shehbaz vows polio eradication from Pakistan as toll reaches 41 in 2024

With the current surge in polio cases in the country, the government is determined to implement an “extensive and strategic action plan” in 2025 aimed at eradicating this life-threatening disease among children.

“Each national immunisation drive targets over 45.4 million children under the age of five, with more than 400,000 frontline workers, predominantly women, playing a crucial role in ensuring the Polio Programme’s outreach,” the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) said.

2024: unvaccinated children account for 60% of polio cases, official says

Prime Minister’s Coordinator On Health Dr Mukhtar Bharath chaired the first meeting of the steering committee to improve the children’s vaccination programme.

According to a statement released by the Ministry Of National Health Services Dr Mukhtar Bharath said 60% of this year’s polio cases involved children who had not received any routine immunisation vaccines and this led to an increase in the severity of diseases among children, PTV News reported.

Dr Bharath directed federal and provincial authorities to take immediate action and ensure the delivery of vaccines for polio and other diseases to every child.

ISLAMABAD: inDrive, a leading ride-hailing and delivery service, has achieved a remarkable milestone in Pakistan with its B2B deliveries tripling in 2024 compared to the previous year. This surge reflects a significant shift in the logistics landscape, driven by a rising demand for swift and reliable courier solutions across diverse industries.

An in-depth analysis of 5,000 user comments about delivery experiences has unveiled key insights into the evolving needs of Pakistani consumers.

Among the most requested delivery categories, food and beverages lead the list at 27 percent, closely followed by clothing and accessories at 24 percent.

Medicine, electronics, and documents also emerged as notable categories, accounting for 13 percent, 12 percent, and 8 percent of deliveries, respectively. The findings underline the extensive role inDrive plays in catering to varied consumer and business needs.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, on Tuesday, condemned in strongest possible terms the Israel’s recent aggression against Syria and its illegal seizure of Syrian territories.

The statement labelled this act as a severe breach of international law and a direct assault on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson in a statement highlighted Israel’s continuous defiance of international law and UN Security Council Resolutions. It described the aggressive actions as a dangerous escalation in an already fragile region, further destabilising the Middle East (ME).

The statement says, “Israeli recent provocative actions are a dangerous development”.

Reiterating its unwavering support for Syria, Pakistan reaffirmed its stance against any acquisition of territory by force.

The FO statement underscored the importance of adhering to UN Security Council Resolution 497, which declared the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights “null and void and without international legal effect.”

Pakistan urged the global community, particularly the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take immediate steps to stop Israeli impunity and ensure accountability for its repeated violations of international law. Pakistan called for decisive actions to prevent further destabilization in the volatile region.

The Foreign Office reiterated Pakistan’s consistent position that peace in the Middle East remains unattainable without Israel’s complete withdrawal from Occupied Palestine and other territories, including the Syrian Golan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has already established of its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to facilitate Pakistani nationals currently in Syria amidst the evolving tense situation in the region.

The MoFA has urged Pakistani citizens in Syria and their families to contact the CMU for support and assistance. The following contact details have been provided for the CMU: Phone: 051-9207887; Email: [email protected].

Furthermore, the Embassy of Pakistan in Damascus is actively working to facilitate Pakistani nationals on the ground. The Pakistani Embassy has also provided its contact details for urgent communication: Cell/WhatsApp: +963 987 127 822/+963 990 138 972; email: [email protected].

The ministry reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of Pakistanis abroad and encouraged affected individuals to utilise the available resources.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to arrange special flights to bring Pakistanis home from Beirut, a parliamentary committee was informed by the Foreign Office on Tuesday.

There are more than 700 Pakistani families living in Syria, and the Pakistan embassy staff in Damascus is in contact with them, it was informed.

The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs met Tuesday with Senator Irfan Siddiqui in the chair, and was given detailed briefing by Secretary Foreign Affairs Amna Baloch on the critical situation in Syria.

Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs that urgent measures are being taken for the immediate evacuation of Pakistanis trapped in Syria.

Out of the 180 pilgrims evacuated, 170 have been allowed to leave Syria for Lebanon.

Since Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s contact with his Lebanese counterpart, the Lebanese government has been providing visas to Pakistanis at the border.

Deputy Minister Ishaq Dar has spoken to the Turkish foreign minister about the security of the Pakistanis.

The committee urged the government as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide Pakistanis with necessary facilities.

The chairman committee acknowledged the efforts of the prime minister along with the Foreign Ministry on evacuation of Pakistanis.

The meeting deliberated upon the condemnation of Israel's recent legislation targeting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and measures taken to facilitate visa processes for Pakistanis in key countries such as the UAE, Qatar, and Turkey.

The ministry asserted that the law, which seeks to restrict UNRWA’s presence in Jerusalem, violates multiple UN resolutions, including General Assembly Resolutions 302 and 194, which recognise the agency’s role and the Palestinian refugees’ right of return. The committee joined the global chorus condemning Israel’s actions, reiterating its unwavering support for Palestinian rights and UNRWA’s mission.

The committee also received updates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the efforts to streamline visa processes for Pakistanis seeking employment and travel opportunities abroad.

A key agenda item was the ministry’s response to the US House Resolution 901, which expressed support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan.

The resolution, passed in June 2024, drew criticism from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its lack of understanding of Pakistan’s political dynamics. In response, Pakistan’s Embassy in Washington circulated a counter-resolution adopted by Pakistan’s National Assembly, which rejected the US stance, calling it based on “unsubstantiated allegations”.

The Foreign Office reaffirmed its position that the US should focus on strengthening bilateral ties and supporting Pakistan’s ongoing democratic reforms rather than issuing “unconstructive resolutions”. The ministry also highlighted its efforts to engage the US Congress in a more balanced and informed discussion on Pakistan's democratic progress and human rights advancements.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

KARACHI: Pakistan is likely to get a go-ahead from British aviation authorities to resume flight operations by first quarter of 2025.

Talking to Business Recorder, Nadir Shafi Dar, DG, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) confirmed that British aviation officials would conduct a crucial inspection visit to Pakistan in January 2025. Prior to this, both parties are scheduled for an online meeting in the third week of December 2024.

“The officials from the Department for Transport and Civil Aviation Authority UK will visit in the third week of January, 2025,” Dar said and expressed optimism about receiving operational clearance within weeks of their assessment.

PIA to resume flights to Europe on Jan 10

“The evaluation will follow similar criteria to the recent European Union assessment, which yielded positive results. These favorable outcomes have strengthened Pakistan’s position for resuming UK flight operations within the next few months, Dar said.

Before the suspension, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operated 21 weekly flights to the UK, including 10 to London, 9 to Manchester, and 2 to Birmingham. PIA officials anticipated a significant boost in revenue once services to Europe and the UK resume.

The potential resumption could substantially improve the connectivity for Pakistani passengers, traveling to UK and Europe.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

KARACHI: Pakistan’s largest conglomerate Engro Corp, through its strategic partnership with Veon, is eyeing expanding telecom tower-sharing coverage in Pakistan and exploring different use cases in telecom infrastructure.

“Pakistan is a very large market in terms of telecom, which keeps growing larger,” Samad Dawood, vice chairman of Dawood Hercules Corp, which owns 40% of Engro Corp, told Reuters.

“This infrastructure business, with scale, allows us to utilize telecom infrastructure better in Pakistan and eventually also serve international markets as well,” said Dawood, identifying countries from “the Atlantic coast of Morocco to Central Asian states” as potential markets.

Jazz, VEON and Engro Connect announce strategic partnership

Engro and Dutch telecommunication and digital services company Veon announced last week plans to pool and manage their infrastructure assets in Pakistan.

The companies plan expanding tower-sharing coverage to other operators and looking into to other use cases, which could include electronic vehicle charging and drone landing.

Under the partnership, Engro will pay Jazz, Veon’s digital operator in Pakistan, $188 million and guarantee the repayment of Deodar’s intercompany debt of $375 million.

This remains subject to corporate and regulatory approvals. Deodar, under Veon, has a total tower count of 10,500 in Pakistan, while Engro’s existing tower count under Engro Enfrashare is 4,063 towers according to Topline Securities.

Earlier this year, Engro’s Dawood said restructuring would allow the firm to tap into broader economic opportunities, citing a challenging macroeconomic environment as a reason for the company’s restructuring.

Pakistan is navigating a challenging economic recovery path, having completed a $3 billion IMF bailout in April and now undertaking a $7 billion, 37-month bailout, approved in September, to ensure macroeconomic stability.

However, Dawood now says that things have changed, which have led to Engro’s largest transaction in Pakistani rupee terms.

“The actions taken in Pakistan over the last few quarters, along with hard decisions for macroeconomic stability, have led to this deal,” he said, adding that interest rates and inflation falling, combined with Pakistan’s ongoing IMF programme, have also helped.“

Pakistan slashed interest rates to 15% in November from a record high of 22% earlier this year.

Inflation has slowed down to 4.9% in November, from a multi-decade high of almost 40% in 2023.

“The incoming macro stability and IMF’s seal of approval has a huge impact on foreign financiers to look at Pakistan as an invest-able market,” Dawood said.

KARACHI: Instead of encouraging the people to leave the country, Pakistani intellectuals and influential figures should inspire Pakistan’s youth with messages of hope, resilience, and hard work to transform the country into a developed state because this country has huge potential for our youth to rule the world, speakers said on Sunday.

Speaking at the launch of Jahan-e-Masiha Adbi Forum’s 26th thematic calendar, they cited examples of transformational leadership from great figures like Mao Zedong, Franklin D Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Vladimir Lenin, and said the youth must focus on transforming Pakistan into a developed nation rather than seeking to leave.

The calendar, themed “Daikh Taqrir Mein Pinha Hai Jahan-e-Tameer” (The Transformation of World is Hidden in Speeches), features iconic speeches by 12 global leaders. It carries messages that resonate with hope, perseverance, and hard work.

The event, held at a local hotel in Karachi, brought together healthcare professionals, literary figures, and academics in a celebration of intellectual growth and cultural enrichment.

PharmEvo’s Deputy CEO, Syed Jamshed Ahmed, highlighted the unique approach of the calendar, saying, “These speeches serve as reminders of what visionary leadership and collective effort can achieve. They teach our youth to strive for resilience and greatness.”

Syed Jamsahid Ahmed also reiterated PharmEvo’s commitment to ethical practices, saying, “We don’t engage in conventional promotional activities like gifting mugs or organizing foreign trips. Instead, we focus on literature, Mushairas, and these thematic calendars to inspire the community.”

This calendar marks the 26th consecutive year of Jahan-e-Masiha Adbi Forum’s thematic calendars. Former Director of Quaid-e-Azam Academy, Khawaja Razi Haider, praised the effort, calling it a masterpiece that requires a year of research to produce.

“These calendars are not just artefacts but sources of authentic knowledge and inspiration,” he said.

Managing Director of PharmEvo, Haroon Qasim, expressed pride in the calendar’s message and design.

“The speeches included in this calendar convey lessons of persistence and character, which are needed more than ever. Over 25 years, our calendars have carried messages of hope and hard work to inspire the nation,” he added.

Haroon Qasim also highlighted PharmEvo’s contributions to healthcare and society, noting the company’s WHO - prequalified status and export of medicines to 33 countries.

The event also paid tribute to renowned poet Ajmal Siraj, who recently passed away and featured a Mushaira (poetic symposium) with literary stalwarts such as Khawaja Razi Haider, A H Khanzada, and Ambreen Haseeb Ambar. The evening blended art and medicine, creating a space for reflection and cultural appreciation.

Healthcare professionals attending the event praised the Jahan-e-Masiha Adbi Forum and PharmEvo for promoting a culture of intellectual and ethical excellence. They noted that Pharmevo’s efforts, including over 50 literary publications and countless book fairs, have significantly enhanced Pakistan’s soft image globally.

The event concluded with calls for hope and perseverance, urging the youth to work towards a brighter future for Pakistan, echoing the calendar’s underlying theme that transformation begins with dedication and visionary leadership.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

Mercury—an element long known for its toxicity—has earned a notorious spot on the World Health Organisation’s list of top ten chemicals of concern for public health. While it naturally exists in the environment, human activities like burning coal, industrial production, and artisanal gold mining have magnified its presence.

But surprisingly one of the lesser-known culprits contributing to this toxin is the cosmetics industry.

From anti-aging creams and eye makeup to skin-whitening lotions and nail polishes, mercury has found its way into a wide range of beauty products.

In Pakistan, the increasing cultural preference for fair skin has created a thriving market for skin whitening products, many of which contain dangerous concentrations of mercury. This widespread use is raising the alarm about mercury’s impact on both health and the environment.

Mercury is not only harmful when ingested or inhaled but also poses significant risks when absorbed through the skin. Prolonged exposure to mercury can lead to serious health issues such as kidney damage, skin scarring and discoloration (dermatitis) and even a compromised immune system.

Long-term use may result in Central Nervous System complications such as headache, insomnia and possible mood swings. Pregnant women exposed to mercury can end up having children with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities.

The Minamata Convention named after the city in Japan where mercury poisoning caused a major health crisis in the 1950s and 60s was adopted by the United Nations in 2013 and entered into force in 2017. As a signatory to the Convention (after ratification in 2020), Pakistan is legally bound to limit mercury emissions and prohibit its use in consumer products, including cosmetics.

Initially, the Convention prohibited the manufacture and trade of cosmetics with inorganic mercury content above 1ppm except eye area cosmetics where mercury is used as a preservative. But in 2023, there was an amendment in the mandate, banning the manufacture and trade of all cosmetics, even with traces of mercury (except eye area cosmetics).

Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination has been the custodian of Minamata Convention compliance in Pakistan ever since it came into force. Research conducted by MoCC&EC, in collaboration with SDPI, has focused on assessing the mercury content in skin whitening creams, the health risks they pose, and the regulatory frameworks needed to control them.

A 2018 study of 59 local and international products found that only three products adhered to the standard mercury limits (<1ppm), while the rest contained excessive mercury levels (0.74–44,292ppm). It was in response to this study, as well as the investigative report published by BBC in 2017, that the former Minister for Climate Change, Zartaj Gul made an official statement on the crackdown of such carcinogenic products in 2019, particularly exposing some notorious local brands.

The Minamata Initial Assessment Report of 2019 revealed that the share of cosmetics industry in mercury release into the air and water bodies was the highest among all categories of goods (55%). Pakistan was also found to be one of the leading manufacturers and exporters of mercury containing skin whitening creams (34% share) when the active international NGO, Zero Mercury Working Group, conducted surveys in Africa in 2022-23 on products purchased online.

It is clear from this evidence that despite international commitments and national efforts by the Government of Pakistan in successfully phasing out mercury in products such as compact fluorescent lamps and chlor-alkali industries, mercury-laced skin whitening products still remain widely available in Pakistani markets, with little enforcement of existing laws and regulations.

Manufacturers of mercury-based skin whitening creams continue to exploit loopholes in the regulatory system. Some produce creams in violation of local standards, while others import products from countries where mercury use in cosmetics is still legal or less regulated. These products are often sold in local beauty supply shops and street markets, making them accessible to millions of desperate consumers.

The rise of illegal online trade in non-FDA approved cosmetics has played a significant role in the spread of mercury-laden creams where many websites and social media pages advertise these products without proper scrutiny, reaching a vast audience without accountability. This unchecked market is a ticking time bomb, with consumers unknowingly exposing themselves to products with deceptive labeling regarding the true harmful ingredients.

Pakistan is in a need of strengthening the relevant institutes in the institutional framework in order to achieve three main objectives; advocacy, regulation and research.

Prominent names include Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority for strict market surveillance, product inspection, standardization and quality control of industrial practices and Pakistan Association of Dermatologists for mediation in policymaking and public health awareness about the harmful effects of mercury for the coming generations.

The most significant barrier to effective implementation lies not in the lawbooks or enforcement agencies but our societal mindset. In South Asia, fair skin is often associated with beauty, success, and higher social status. This deeply ingrained preference for lighter skin is amplified by social media and television, promoting colorism, which then fuels the demand for skin-whitening products.

Advertisements, often promoting these creams as miraculous solutions for achieving fairer and more acceptable skin tone, contribute to the never-ending demand. Changing the stereotypical mindset of our society through extensive awareness campaigns is the most integral step in this movement, an idea that will surely take many years to be fully inculcated in our society, but can definitely be mediated through creativity and persistence.

Only through a combination of multi-stakeholder involvement, regulatory action, public awareness, and cultural change can we hope to protect the health and well-being of millions.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

The Population and Housing Census of 2023 has generated a lot of useful information on key indicators. The statistics are available at the regionally disaggregated level down to the districts.

The objective of this article is to construct the Human Development Index (HDI) of the four Provinces of Pakistan, with the magnitude of key indicators from the Census.

The Human Development Index, as developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has the following three components:

• Education

• Health

• Income

The 2023 Census provides estimates for each Province of the following indicators of education:

• Literacy Rate

• Gross Primary Enrollment Rate

• Gross Middle and Secondary Enrollment Rate

• Gross Intermediate and Graduation Enrollment Rate

• % of In-School Children

As an example, there is a significant divergence in the literacy rate among the provinces. The highest literacy rate in 2023 was in Punjab at 66.3 percent, followed by Sindh at 57.5 percent, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa at 51 percent and Balochistan, 42 percent.

The national literacy rate is reported by the Census at 61 percent. Based on the findings of earlier surveys, there appears to have been only a marginal increase in the literacy rate since 2019-20. In fact, it has increased only in Punjab. Apparently, the biggest decline is in Balochistan from 46 percent to 42 percent.

There is also substantial variation in the percentage of children in-school, aged from 5 to 16 years. It is relatively high at 73 percent in Punjab and the lowest in Balochistan at 42 percent. The corresponding magnitudes for Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are 53 percent and 62 percent, respectively.

Turning to the indicators of the health status in the provinces of the population, there are two indicators as follows:

• percent of Population with Disability and Functional Limitation

• percent of Population above the age of 60 years (as a proxy for life expectancy)

The first health indicator of population with disability and functional limitation is the lowest in Balochistan at 8.5 percent, followed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa at 11.5 percent, Sindh at 11.6 percent and Punjab at 14.1 percent.

However, the opposite ranking is observed in the percentage of population above the age of 60 years. It is the highest in Punjab at 10.3 percent and the lowest in Balochistan at 5.5 percent.

There are five indicators that have been used to get the relative position with regard to per capita income in the provinces. The size and quality of housing on average of households is a good proxy of per capita income. In addition, per capita income is generally higher in the urban areas than in the rural areas and within rural areas, larger settlements are likely to witness more economic activity.

Therefore, the indicators used for per capita income from the Census are as follows:

• Size (in Rooms) of the Average Housing Unit

• Quality of the Average Housing Unit, measured by percentage of pucca housing units

• % of Urban Population

• % of Population in large Rural Settlements, with population above 2000

• % share of Urban Population in the Primate City

Sindh has the highest ranking in three indicators, especially those related to the extent and type of urbanization. Punjab has the highest ranking in the housing indicators. For example, 81 percent of the housing units in Punjab are pucca, as compared to 58 percent in Sindh, 56 percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and only 20 percent in Balochistan.

The index values in the Human Development Index and in the components of each province is given in Table 1.

Punjab has the highest index value in education, followed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Perhaps surprisingly, Sindh now has the third position in access to education of the population.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has the highest rank in health, followed closely by Punjab and Sindh. As expected, Sindh has the highest index value in per capita income, due to the concentration of economic activity in Karachi. Here again, there is a surprise that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has the lowest index value.

Overall, Punjab emerges as the province with the highest HDI of 0.550. Sindh comes next with a HDI of 0.505, followed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan with HDIs of 0.442 and 0.312, respectively.

Both Punjab and Sindh can be considered as at the medium level of human development of above 0.5. However, both Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are at a low level of the HDI.

A Provincial ranking of the HDI was presented by the UNDP in its Pakistan Human Development Report of 2020 for 2018-19, with data mostly from Surveys carried out by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

A comparison of the Rankings in 2018-19 and 2023 reveals that Punjab has replaced Sindh as the Province with the highest HDI. Sindh is now ranked second. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan continue to have the third and fourth rankings, respectively. Also, the divergence between the highest and the lowest HDI has increased over the last five years among the provinces. Balochistan has fallen further behind.

============================================================================
                                    Table 1
                  Human Development Index of the Provinces
============================================================================
                            Punjab      Sindh      Khyber-       Balochistan
                                                 Pakhtunkhwa                
============================================================================
Education                    0.747      0.487      0.556               0.227
Health                       0.485      0.481      0.510               0.376
Income                       0.459      0.549      0.305               0.356
Human Development   Index    0.550      0.505      0.442               0.312
============================================================================

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

EDITORIAL: Pakistan’s struggles with establishing the rule of law for the most vulnerable members of its population has meant that legal protections for the country’s 107 million children continue to be woefully inadequate.

Despite a range of child right laws being passed during the last decade, these have still not resulted in the establishment of a wide-ranging child protection ecosystem that is equitable, empathetic and child-centred.

Supreme Court’s Justice Mansoor Ali Shah’s observations on this pressing national concern on December 7 at the unveiling of an initiative focusing on justice for children highlighted the urgent need for reformation of societal attitudes and systemic reforms to ensure that the rights of millions of Pakistani children, and specifically those languishing in the prison system, are effectively upheld.

Although numerous laws govern juvenile justice in Pakistan, their implementation has remained slack, and characterised by not just an absence of ownership by relevant stakeholders, too often there also appears to be a fundamental lack of understanding – even among judges and especially those of the lower courts – of the purpose behind juvenile justice: to uphold the best interests of children, with a primary focus on rehabilitation and reintegration into society rather than on punishment.

As Justice Shah noted, there is an urgent need to sensitise judges of district courts regarding this aspect as the justice system has the tendency to treat children like ordinary adults, completely ignoring the special attention and care they require.

Pakistan’s criminal justice system, including its approach to juvenile justice, has significant shortcomings, which means that children in conflict with the law are routinely denied their fundamental rights, including access to rehabilitation-focused measures, fair trials and protection from harsh punitive actions. To compound these failings, the snail-paced speed of legal proceedings and inadequate training of law enforcement and judicial officers in handling juvenile cases result in prolonged detentions, violating the right to a swift and fair legal process, and exposing vulnerable children to the risk of abuse and neglect that can hamper their mental and emotional development.

Moreover, the lack of appropriate rehabilitation and education programmes in detention facilities further perpetuates their vulnerability, reducing their chances of successful reintegration into society.

Data from 2021 provided by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child put the number of juveniles in Pakistani prisons to be between 1,500 and 2,000, with the majority of these simply awaiting trial.

The seemingly small number of children in prisons shouldn’t mask the severity of the issue. Every single child in detention represents untapped potential and unrecognised talent, whose future can be shaped by providing the right opportunities for growth, education and rehabilitation, as well as the quick disposal of their cases. It is crucial, therefore, to establish more juvenile courts across the country – as mandated by the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018 – that focus on speedy resolution of cases. Currently, there are only nine such entities operating in the country, a clearly insufficient number.

As advocated by Justice Shah, more juvenile courts that provide children with a proper chance to be heard, receive appropriate legal protections according to their age and vulnerability, and avoid prolonged detention are the need of the hour.

The fact remains that child offenders are a product of their circumstances beyond their control. The cycle of grinding poverty, neglect, exploitation and lack of access to education forces them into criminal activities as a means of survival or escape.

Addressing these root causes through social support systems, educational opportunities and stronger enforcement of child protection laws is critical to breaking this cycle, along with an overhaul of the juvenile justice system so that it focuses on rehabilitation and addressing the underlying social factors of juvenile crime.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: In light of the ongoing turmoil in Syria, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the relevant authorities to instantly prepare a comprehensive action plan for safe evacuation of Pakistani nationals wishing to return from Syria through neighbouring countries.

During a meeting convened to take stock of the ongoing situation in Syria and secure evacuation of Pakistani nationals residing in the war-torn country, he emphasised the need for taking all possible measures to ensure their safe exit from Syria.

He directed the authorities to ensure the safety and security of Pakistanis living in Syria, and called for the mobilisation of all available resources to facilitate their safe repatriation to the country, along with their families.

He also directed the Pakistan Embassy in Damascus to establish an information desk and a helpline to facilitate the Pakistanis, adding “there should be no negligence in this regard, as safety of Pakistanis is our most priority.”

He issued directives that foreign affairs ministry’ crisis management unit and information desks at Pakistan’s Embassies in Syria and its neighbouring countries should remain operational round-the-clock until the security situation improves in the war-ravaged country.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar, the special assistant to the prime minister on foreign affairs Tariq Fatemi and senior officials from relevant departments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, here on Sunday and discussed matters concerning Champions Trophy and the country’s security situation.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appreciated Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi’s principled stance on the Champions Trophy.

Mohsin Naqvi informed the PM that the PCB is fully prepared to host the Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan.

The prime minister remarked that in the ICC, chairman PCB has represented the voice of 240 million Pakistanis.

Mohsin Naqvi stated that he wanted Pakistan and the game of cricket to win and looking forward to hearing good news about the Champions Trophy.

The PCB chairman told the premier that the PCB was ready to host the event and all preparations are complete in this regard.

The PM showed his complete trust in the PCB chairman and said, “You have represented the 240 million Pakistanis at the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting and the country’s honour and prestige must be our top priority.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has issued an urgent travel advisory for Pakistani nationals residing in Syria, following the escalating situation in the country.

Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistanis are advised to refrain from unnecessary travel to Syria until the situation stabilises.

There is crisis like situation in Syria and the region, she said.

The MoFA has also expressed concerns over the safety of its citizens currently in Syria. Pakistani nationals already present in the conflict-stricken country have been advised to adopt extra precautionary measures for their safety and security.

The MoFA has also emphasised the importance of staying in close contact with the Embassy of Pakistan in Damascus to ensure swift assistance in case of any emergencies.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

LAHORE: The UNESCO Reactive Monitoring Mission on Friday concluded its five-day visit to Lahore after assessing the monuments within Lahore Fort and evaluating Shalimar Gardens.

According to the Walled City Lahore Authority (WCLA), as part of the protocol for the World Heritage Site (WHS) Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens, the Reactive Monitoring Mission visited Pakistan from December 2 to 6.

The delegation comprised Kian Boon from ICOMOS, Nao Hayashi from the World Heritage Centre, and Jawad Aziz from UNESCO Pakistan. The mission was divided into two parts: the first two days focused on assessing the monuments within Lahore Fort, while the next two days concentrated on evaluating Shalimar Gardens.

A conclusive discussion was held at Arz Gah, Lahore Fort, on December 6. Kian Boon and Nao Hayashi expressed their appreciation for Pakistan’s hospitality.

On this occasion, valuable suggestions and measures were shared with the WCLA and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. They commended the measures taken by the authorities to protect the tangible heritage of Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens. Additionally, they praised the policies formulated by the government to safeguard the valuable monuments of Lahore within the province.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

Don’t have the exact date but print media first appearing in the form of newspaper dates back to the 17th century.

Over the centuries that it has existed it has faced many challenges but has come out of many a crisis and still to some extent flourishes in many parts of the world.

Personally, I cannot imagine a good morning starting without a cup of tea and a newspaper. Digital media no matter how sleek, modern and attractive it may be is still far behind as far as I am concerned in giving me the early morning news briefing that a printed newspaper can provide.

There are other advantages. A printed version gives you the licence to read sections that you prefer without having to scroll with one finger while ensuring that you do not drop any tea on whatever gadget you are using and ending your adventure right there and then.

A very distinct advantage is having the news stories carefully planned across various sections so everyone in the household can read according to their own taste. In some households, husband and wife have an unwritten agreement. One reads the headlines and follow-up stories and the other more interested in local news seeks out the local news page so the newspaper serves the interests of all readers evenly.

I joined an evening newspaper as a student reporter in the 70s. In those days students had great priority and were much better organized having a definitive say in matters political.

Student union elections in all colleges and universities were held on the same day and the city wore a festive look with all the colourful and innovative banners, posters and bill boards put up by various parties and candidates. My responsibility was the special issue my newspaper published on this day. That used to be a Herculean task as in those days modern print machinery was seldom found in a newspaper.

In use were old machines where operators would assemble words by hand and then tie them with a thread to be put in machines that would than do the printing. This was not a front line newspaper but the supplement would sell like hot cakes as in those days digital had not yet made its appearance though there was talk of one day finding newspapers on tablets which sounded like a fairy tale. It has been quite a journey since then.

The real journey of printed newspapers started during the 17th century and initially these were localized containing local gossip and events. This reminds me that even in Karachi there was once the famous Zuberi Gazette full of gossip and published from an anonymous location without disclosing name of its publishers.

Much awaited every month by the family. Signs of print media can also be traced back to ancient civilizations. This was in the form of clay tablets and papyrus scrolls that were used to record information. In the 15th century the real revolution in print media came about when a gentleman by the name of Johannes Gutenberg developed what is now known as the printing press. This was the turning point in the development of print media.

The printing press paved the way for the creation and mass production of printed materials. The rapid and economical production of books and other forms of written material, in turn, contributed to an increase in literacy and the dissemination of information. The rest is history with print media dominating the landscape which it still does in many parts of the world.

A real jolt to the print media came during the Covid pandemic crisis. Circulation of daily newspapers which was at a high at 55.8 billion in the US dropped to a staggering 24.2 billion but there has been a turnaround, recent research shows that print media advertising is expected to reach $32.6-billion in 2024.

Also magazine readership has remained steady within the past decade, even during the decline of newspaper circulation. Some studies have actually found 91% of adults were still reading magazines, and print media advertisements were also considered to be more trustworthy than digital.

Print media is still a popular mode of news and views in Pakistan, a country where apart from the print media in Urdu and English there is also print media in regional languages in the four corners of the country. I had helped a friend with his election efforts in the last elections and was surprised to find the number of various newspapers in his constituency that I had never heard of before and were reputed to influence different parts of his constituency. To those who think print media is on its way out I say think again. While digital media is in some areas losing its credibility print media is once again eyeing the space it vacates.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated government’s resolve to eradicate the scourge of terrorism from the country.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the 7th Maritime Security Workshop at Pakistan Navy War College in Lahore, he said that Pakistan has paid a heavy price of terrorism.

He said that eighty thousand people lost their lives while economy suffered losses worth billions of dollars during war against terrorism. Shehbaz Sharif said that previous PML-N Government had eliminated this menace in 2018, however unfortunately terrorism has once again sprung out.

Apex Committee meeting: no other choice but to crush terrorists, says PM Shehbaz

He vowed not to sit idle till the complete eradication of terrorism from the country. He said that several meetings of Apex Committee have been held to ensure maintenance of law and order.

Shehbaz Sharif said that great sacrifices are being offered by officers and jawans of the armed forces to ensure security of the country and their sacrifices will not go in vain.

Talking about Pakistan Navy’s capabilities, the Prime Minister said Pak Navy’s officers and sailors have commitment and capacity to deal with entire spectrum of threats making Pakistan Navy a formidable force capable of ensuring the maritime security of the country.

He said that Pakistan Navy is providing support to reap the benefits of the marine resources. He said that Pakistan’s development and progress is possible only through harnessing the blue economy.

The Prime Minister said that China is also providing support to Pakistan in maritime sector. He said that Pakistan will become more prosperous when Gwadar Port will become fully functional.

EDITORIAL: Water scarcity and mismanagement of water resources has increasingly become a critical global issue, exacerbating environmental challenges, hindering development and amplifying the effects of climate change, especially when it comes to growing desertification and the higher frequency of droughts occurring in many parts of the world.

With almost 70 percent of Pakistan’s land area consisting of arid and semi-arid regions, and a significant 30 percent of the population is directly impacted by drought-like conditions, these pressures are especially profound for vulnerable nations like ours.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif focused on these issues in some detail on December 3 at the One Water Summit being held on the margins of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Riyadh, where he underscored the increased vulnerability of the country’s rivers, glaciers and aquifers to the impact of climate change, while also pointing to the strain placed on water resources by a galloping population growth rate.

To compound an already dire situation, the calamitous floods of 2022 inflicted severe damage on Pakistan’s water resources and irrigation infrastructure, disrupting the well-being and economic stability of millions of people. The country is still grappling with the aftermath of this destruction and is engaged in to fully recoup and rebuild its damaged systems.

It is pertinent to note that what Pakistan is going through is no different from the water crises prevalent in many other parts of the world. According to a report released earlier in the year by the World Meteorological Organisation, 2023 was recorded as the driest year for rivers in over three decades, with hydrological cycles becoming increasingly unpredictable, causing disastrous floods in some regions, while others had to contend with challenges related to desertification.

And it is not just developing nations that are grappling with the result of this upending of natural environmental cycles as richer nations have proved to be equally susceptible. To emphasise the direness and the unprecedented scale it may be noted that as of November 5, this year; 49 of the 50 US states were recorded to have some level of drought, according to US government data.

With the UN now warning that global costs associated with drought run to over $300 billion annually, it is imperative that urgent measures are taken to address water scarcity issues. Global action that considers all aspects of water use, including conservation, treatment and distribution to ensure holistic and sustainable management of water resources has to become a critical priority.

Furthermore, investments in wastewater treatment, rainwater harvesting and desalination technologies must be harnessed to enhance water availability and reduce reliance on freshwater, thereby improving resilience to water scarcity.

Moreover, there must also be increased focus on modernisation of irrigation techniques and agricultural technologies that reduce water wastage and optimise water use in farming.

This is especially significant in the Pakistani context as irrigation practices in the country have for long overly relied on glacial melt water and unsustainable groundwater extraction, which is now jeopardising the future of the Indus Basin, endangering millions of livelihoods and threatening the survival of an entire ecosystem.

Ultimately, all these measures must be underpinned by two fundamental pillars: protection of natural ecosystems, like wetlands and forests, and international cooperation that focuses on sharing of water resources, exchanging knowledge and technologies for effective water management, and providing vulnerable nations with the requisite financial resources to implement sustainable water management practices.

Water scarcity has evolved into one of the most defining crises of our time, reshaping ecosystems, threatening livelihoods and challenging the very foundations of sustainable development for future generations. It is imperative, therefore, that the world acts now to protect and preserve this vital resource before the impacts of water scarcity become irreversible.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people in their pursuit of self-determination, freedom, and justice.

During a meeting, the prime minister discussed issues concerning mutual interest with Dr Zuhair Mohammad Hamadallah Zaid, Ambassador of Palestine to Pakistan, who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House.

Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s strongest condemnation of Israel’s genocide of innocent Palestinians, emphasizing the deteriorating circumstances since October 7, 2023, which have led to the deaths of over 43,000 individuals and injuries to more than 105,000 others.

The prime minister expressed his deep disappointment regarding lack of global accountability of Israel and reiterated the urgent need for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and unobstructed delivery of humanitarian aid to the suffering Palestinian people in the occupied territories.

He assured the ambassador that the entire Pakistani nation stood united in its solidarity with the brave Palestinian people and would continue to support them in every possible way.

The PM also stressed upon the need for a just and lasting resolution of the Palestine issue, based on the two-state solution, with the creation of an independent state of Palestine with pre-1967 borders and Al Quds as its capital, in accordance with the UN’s relevant resolutions.

Ambassador Zaid deeply appreciated Pakistan’s steadfast support to the Palestinian people during their present ordeal, as well as Pakistan’s principled position on the Palestinian question.

He thanked the prime minister for providing much-needed humanitarian assistance and offering scholarships to Palestinian medical students to complete their studies in Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

LAHORE: The Pakistan men’s selection committee has announced the squads for the upcoming South Africa tour, scheduled from 10th December 2024 to 7th January 2025 for three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests.

Babar Azam has been named in all three squads along with Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha, while Naseem Shah has been selected for the Tests and ODIs. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who also missed the last two Tests against England, has been picked for the white-ball matches as part of his workload management so that he is in his best fitness and form for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Also returning to the Test side is fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who last played in Jamaica in August 2021. Abbas, who has taken 90 wickets in 25 Tests, had a stellar Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, claiming 31 wickets in five matches. Naseem Shah has also been named in the four-man pace attack after missing the last two Tests against England. The 21-year-old, who has played 19 Tests since making his debut in November 2019, has taken four wickets to date for Lahore Whites against Peshawar in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match in Abbottabad.

Fast bowler Khurram Shahzad has also been named in the Test side after claiming 15 wickets for Pakistan Shaheens against Sri Lanka-A last month. Mir Hamza is the fourth fast bowler in the 15-man Test squad and is presently playing for Peshawar against Lahore Whites in Abbottabad. However, off-spinner Sajid Khan has missed out on selection despite his 19 wickets against England.

The selectors, after taking into consideration the centurion and Newlands conditions as well as South Africa as the opposition, have opted for only one specialist spinner in Noman Ali, who took 20 wickets against England and has 67 wickets in 17 Tests. Also earning the selectors nod for the first time in ODIs is Sufyan Moqim, the left-arm wrist spinner who has taken eight wickets in two T20Is, including five wickets for three runs in the second T20I.

The series will begin with the first T20I in Durban on 10th December, followed by the first ODI in Paarl on 17th December. The Test matches will be hosted at Centurion and in Cape Town on 26th December and 3rd January, respectively.

The T20I squad will depart for South Africa on Friday (December 6), after Thursday’s third T20I against Zimbabwe, while the ODI and Test players will depart for Johannesburg on 13th December. Pakistan men’s red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie will also arrive in Johannesburg on 13th December to supervise the pre-Test series camp.

Aqib Javed, member selection committee and interim white-ball head coach said, “We have adopted horses for courses policy to ensure all three squads are well-balanced and capable of performing strongly in South Africa. Leaving out Sajid Khan, despite his stellar performances against England, was an extremely tough and difficult decision. However, considering the pace-friendly conditions at Centurion and in Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas instead, who is an outstanding exponent of seam bowling.”

Aqib said, “Shaheen Shah Afridi’s exclusion from the Test squad is a strategic decision to ensure he remains physically and mentally fresh for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Similarly, Fakhar Zaman was not considered as he is yet to regain form and match fitness. Our aim is to maintain consistency in ODI selections as part of our ICC Champions Trophy 2025 preparations, while also giving emerging talent opportunities in T20Is alongside experienced players. For Tests, we have focused on assembling a squad that can adapt to challenging conditions and consistently compete at the highest level.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

Pakistan has an acceptable concept of minimum wage, just like many countries. The reason for imposing minimum wage is primarily to ensure that employers are compelled to pay minimum wage to their employees. In the past, the Federal Finance Minister would announce it in the Federal Budget presentation in the National Assembly.

Nowadays, after the 18th Amendment, all four Provinces have their own tripartite minimum wage Boards where a consensus evolved. Although the Finance Minister still announces the minimum wage, but only for Islamabad Capital Territory, but usually all four Provincial Boards match the newly announced minimum wage. The Minimum Wage mandated by the government or even by the Boards is not a guarantee of a just, living, or fair wage.

The leaders of Workers’ Federations continue to carp about non-enforcement of the minimum wage threshold, and rightly so. Employers shy away from paying these to most of the lower category of workers and this has created a challenging situation for business-oriented organisations.

A conservative estimate is that at least 40 percent of employers in the formal sector and over 85% in the informal sector do not pay minimum wage.

ILO has established a set of eight criteria for establishing a minimum wage. “It is important that these should be seriously considered by tripartite stakeholders before coming to an agreement. These are inflation (cost of living), prevailing economic conditions, current wage levels, employee productivity, worker’s decent living needs, the employment rate, employer capacity to pay, and social security benefits.” It goes without saying that in Collective Bargaining Agreements between employers and workers, the minimum wage may be higher than the National minimum wage.

In today’s tough economic situation, with prices of commodities rising, with utility rates hitting the roof, with transportation cost escalating, and the decrease in inflation rate still not filtering down to the markets, the need for more than the minimum wage is imperative. Employers counter this with their claim that enforcing minimum wage would result in retrenching a number of unskilled or semi-skilled workers.

To some extent this is correct because thousands are ready to work at lower than the minimum wage. The demand-supply equation is skewed against the workers, especially, unemployed workforce. The potential effect of minimum wage on employment is borne by unemployed workers or those who were retrenched due to the increase in minimum wage.

Psychologically, as well as financially, the employers generally resort to decreasing the number of unskilled workers by replacing them with fewer skilled workers or introducing new processes or methods that replace unskilled workers. Youth, especially newcomers, and women workers tend to be more vulnerable when minimum wage is rationalized.

However, there is scant empirical data to substantiate this argument. More often than not, enterprises gradually succumb to paying the minimum wage. As the economy grows and jobs are generated, employers have to compete for available labour, driving up wages. Some economists suggest that there should be no official minimum wage system.

The mechanism works best if wages are set by supply and demand, not by any other factor, such as the present prevailing system. If the government is not involved in fixing a minimum price for automobiles or even tomatoes, it should not mandate the lowest amount employers must pay workers.

In today’s tough economic situation, many industries are semi-paralyzed; closures, reducing shifts, no new investment, and difficulties in demand for their products as well as slowing down of account receivables. Increasing the selling prices of manufactured products has become counter-productive because high prices usually reduce demand for the products.

Many manufacturers are between a rock and a hard place. It is economic growth that increases tax revenue and enables the government to introduce social safety nets for the marginalized population. At the same time, industries and commercial enterprises move away from labour-intensive system and introduce technology in the organization.

This move also impacts demand for unskilled and low-income workers. SMEs are also becoming technology-savvy and, despite their penchant for not paying even minimum wage, they prefer to invest in technology.

A social activist has started a Whatsapp group titled “Justice for the Voiceless” in which he posts photos and interviews, mostly of uniformed guards working outside bank branches. According to him, these guards are paid about 50 percent less than the minimum wage and that too for a 12-hour shift. His complaint letters are addressed to bank presidents but what he should do is to vigorously pursue the cases of these guards with Federal Ministry of Interior as well as All Pakistan Security Agencies Association.

APSAA members are the ones paying these guards a pittance. APSAA website states that “few private security companies joined hands to form a common platform, with a view to looking after the welfare of their employees.” The only consolation is that most of these guards line up for free lunch and dinner that NGOs provide daily at designated places all over the city. Otherwise, these guards would go hungry or run out of money within 15 days.

Where do the many Workers’ Federations stand on the issue of minimum wage? Undoubtedly, they are very concerned and raise this subject in meetings as well as street protests, but now mostly rhetorical. It goes without saying that they should play a prominent role in ensuring widespread compliance by companies but there are so many issues that these Federations have to handle that the intensity of their protests is diverted.

Nowadays, these Federations as well as representatives of employers are engrossed in formulating a consensus on the draft of Sindh Labour Code whose architecture was the handiwork of an Australian consultant who probably has no idea of the culture and traditions of Pakistani industrial relations.

A retired bureaucrat and a labour economist assisted him, both well experienced, but they allegedly just seconded the recommendations of the foreign consultant. An essential Labour Code but that has created genuine grievances among social partners while government is just a silent bystander in this.

It is the social, moral, and economic obligation of all employers, formal or informal, to seriously consider the needs of workers and their families.

In informal discussions among employers, most of them are adamant that they will not pay minimum wage at this stage to unskilled helpers as well as chowkidars because of dwindling activity in their enterprises. They added that despite this economic situation, they are maintaining their labour strength. The general opinion is that the Sindh Labour Department should defer inspection of payment ledgers at least till end of June 2025. Meanwhile, just accept what American economist Thomas Sowell once said that “The real minimum wage is zero.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: There is a danger that the terrorist organisations may enhance their activities and re-enact a 9/11-type surprise as Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), TTP, IMU, ETIM, and a dozen other terror groups have deepened their foothold in Afghanistan.

Strangely, the Taliban regime is in a state of denial about the presence of these terrorist organisations, but the UN and independent organisations have frequently challenged the Taliban’s claims.

Former Pakistan’s special envoy on Afghanistan and senior diplomat Ambassador Asif Durrani stated this while speaking to a two-day conclave organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on Wednesday.

He said terrorist organisations have been present in the country even before and after the withdrawal of the US/ NATO troops.

“TTP and ISKP’s frequent attacks in Pakistan, in which Afghan nationals were involved, have been well documented. ISKP’s attacks in Iran, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan further highlight the absolute danger of terrorists using Afghan soil for their targets outside Afghanistan,” he revealed.

Even Afghan cities are not immune from ISKP’s savagery, where minorities are the special target of this terrorist outfit, Ambassador Durrani said, adding if the Taliban regime remains isolated, as was the case during Taliban 1.0, the danger is that the terrorist organisations may enhance their activities and re-enact a 9/11-type surprise.

Therefore, he hinted that leaving Afghanistan to its own devices would be a dangerous option for the world.

Durrani was of the view that Taliban Supremo, Mullah Haibtullah’s edict of banning girls’ education and women’s right to work has created a sense of harassment and helplessness in the country, especially amongst fifty percent women population of Afghanistan.

He said that internationally, such measures have been condemned across the board as repressive and denial of fundamental rights of women—a clear violation of the international human rights conventions to which Afghanistan has been a signatory.

Ironically, these edicts are projected by the Taliban authorities as by the Afghan traditions and Islamic tenets. The cumulative impact of the denial of educational and work rights to Afghan women has created hatred against the Taliban rule at the international level, forbidding governments, especially in the West, from doing normal business with the Taliban government. Durrani said theocratic regime’s behaviour has put 97 percent population of Afghanistan at stake.

It is important to note that soon after the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US imposed a freeze on US$ 9 billion of the Afghan accounts, which have not been released to date.

Speaking to the seminar via video link, former foreign minister and PPP leader, Hina Rabbani Khar said that she and her party strongly favours normalisation of relationship with India. She; however, stressed the need to resolve core issue of Jammu and Kashmir through bilateral talks. “If India shows flexibility, Pakistan should reciprocate”, she pointed out. The PPP leader said TTP is Pakistan’s red line.

Hina Rabbani said that she is the strong proponent of restoring Pak-India trade ties. Regarding Afghanistan, she added that despite general insecurity in Afghanistan, but there is a dire need to engage with the Taliban regime.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has deferred its liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract with Qatar for a year, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik said on Wednesday, adding that the country will now get LNG cargoes from Qatar in 2026 instead of 2025.

Annual power use in Pakistan, which gets over a third of its electricity from natural gas, has declined 8-10% year-on-year over the past three quarters, the country’s power minister told Reuters in November, primarily due to higher tariffs curbing household consumption.

Qatar LNG contract: Strategy being mapped out to seek review

The South Asian nation has deferred five LNG cargoes from Qatar and is also negotiating to defer five cargoes with other markets, he said, without disclosing the names of the countries.

The government, in November, announced a slash in electricity tariffs during winter in a bid to boost consumption and cut the use of natural gas for heating.

Many power utilities in Pakistan have had to curtail or even completely cease operations in winter months due to demand dropping by up to 60% from peak summer levels.

TotalEnergies sells 50% stake in Total PARCO Pakistan to Gunvor Group

In an interview with Reuters in June, Malik said that Pakistan is unlikely to buy LNG cargoes on the spot market until at least the beginning of winter in November due to oversupply and high prices.

The United States has said it wants to see the Government of Pakistan deal with peaceful protests respectfully.

During a press briefing, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller was asked about the recent protest held in Islamabad by supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which turned violent after protesters clashed with the police.

“Look, we don’t want to see – we want to see any protests be peaceful, and we want to see the Government of Pakistan, as is true with any government around the world, to not – to engage with peaceful protests respectfully, and to deal with them peacefully,” the US official replied.

Last week, the PTI started its march towards Islamabad, demanding the release of their party founding chairman Imran Khan.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the centre of Islamabad after a convoy, led by Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi, broke through several lines of security all the way to the edge of the city’s highly fortified red zone.

However, the PTI called off its protest after the police and Rangers cleared Blue Area as well as the D-Chowk after launching a late night crackdown.

Following the operation, the PTI claimed that hundreds had suffered gunshot wounds while thousands were arrested.

The government has denied the allegations.

Following the clashes, the US had appealed for restraint from Pakistani authorities and protesters.

“We call on protesters to demonstrate peacefully and refrain from violence and, at the same time, we call on Pakistani authorities to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and to ensure respect for Pakistan’s laws and constitution as they work to maintain law and order,” Miller had said while speaking to the media.

December 3rd, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, is a vital reminder of the importance of promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities across all spheres of society.

This day underscores that nations flourish when they nurture every segment of their population, especially the most vulnerable. In line with this global commitment, the “Himmat Card” initiative, led by Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, has profoundly enhanced the lives of persons with disabilities in Punjab, Pakistan.

Ensuring equal rights and providing special facilities and benefits to those in need is crucial, as special persons are an integral part of society, deserving the utmost attention and compassion.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the first female Chief Minister in the history of Pakistan, has been pivotal in alleviating the hardships faced by individuals with disabilities. From the outset of her tenure, she embarked on a mission of public welfare with sincerity, determination, and steadfastness, focusing on serving the people of Punjab. Her deep commitment to rehabilitation programmes for persons with disabilities has been evident in her leadership. Under her direction, Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal, Sohail Shaukat Butt, has swiftly implemented effective strategies for the care, rehabilitation, and education of special persons.

The Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal Department has launched significant initiatives, such as the second phase of the “Himmat Card” in December, providing assistive devices, formulating rules for the CRPD Council, establishing District Rehabilitation and Welfare Units (DRWUs), appointing inspectors for APWD 2022, initiating a sports calendar for special sports, and enhancing the functionality of disability boards.

The “Himmat Card” programme, initiated under the special instructions of Maryam Nawaz Sharif, provides quarterly stipends to special persons. In addition to financial support, the programme distributes wheelchairs, hearing aids, tricycles, Braille devices, and other assistive equipment.

Subsidised public transport facilities and loans will be provided in phases, aimed at easing the lives of special persons. The “Dhee Rani” programme has also registered nearly five thousand deserving girls for marriage, with the first phase set to marry 1500 couples collectively.

The Punjab government has allocated 500 million rupees for this phase, offering each couple a package worth 164,000 rupees and arranging lunch for 20 guests at the wedding ceremony.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif envisions making special persons valuable citizens of society. To achieve this goal, various programmes have been launched to equip special persons with skills to improve their future prospects. The Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal Department Punjab is working with renewed diligence and dedication to ensure the welfare of women, children, the elderly, and special persons, utilizing all available resources to promote balanced development in Punjab.

The Punjab government is also working on various programmes to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. These include establishing a provincial council, reserving a 3 percent quota in government jobs, offering a 50 percent fare discount through concessionary travel cards, and providing free education and medical facilities in special education institutions.

Additionally, opportunities for participation in sports and cultural activities are being provided to ensure that special persons can fully engage in social life.

Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal Sohail Shaukat Butt has taken commendable revolutionary steps since assuming office. He has diligently implemented Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision for the welfare of special persons, launching numerous projects and working tirelessly to ensure their success.

Under his leadership, the Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal Department has started several projects to protect the rights of special persons and improve their welfare. These initiatives have brought significant improvements to the lives of special persons, allowing them to fully participate in social life.

The revolutionary steps taken by the Punjab government for special persons, along with the tireless efforts and dedication of Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal Sohail Shaukat Butt, are commendable. These initiatives are not only enhancing the lives of special persons but also fostering positive change in society.

The Punjab government is committed to improving the lives of special persons and is making every possible effort to bring about positive change.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024