Auto parts replaced under warranty not taxable

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has ruled that the auto parts replaced under the warranty given by the manufacturers are not taxable as the cost of the replacements is incorporated in the original price of the vehicle that already includes the sales tax.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza reached this conclusion, allowing a sales tax reference by M/s Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) Ltd against a judgement of the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

The applicant, a car manufacturer, received a show cause from the additional collector (Legal), Large Taxpayers Unit, Lahore, alleging evasion of sales tax under different heads, including the “supply” of auto parts against the warranty claims.

The tribunal upheld the stance of the department, dismissing an appeal of the manufacturer.

High court says cost of replacement is incorporated in original price that already includes ST

The manufacturer, through a counsel, argued that the cars made by the applicant are sold with warranty for replacing defective parts within a specified time and that such parts are supplied free of charge and no separate amount is charged or recovered from the customer.

The company’s counsel explained that the costs of the parts replaced under the warranty are included in the cost of the vehicle. In other words, he said, the warranty is included in and attached to the sale price of the vehicle.

As consideration is missing in such a transaction, it does not come within the purview of “taxable supply”, he added.

The lawyers for the government and the FBR supported the judgement of the tribunal, which declared that warranty replacements are distinguishable supplies on which sales tax is payable.

Justice Mirza, the author of the LHC judgement, relied on the judgements of Indian jurisdiction and observed that the warranty assured the customers of replacement of defective parts within the agreed period or the mileage, free of charge.

In the present situation, the judge noted that the auto parts are supplied free of charge to the customers by the applicant/the car manufacturer under warranty and at the time of such replacement no separate consideration is charged for the reason that consideration of such parts formed an integral part of the price of the contract which is received at the time of sale.

“It is thus axiomatic that sales tax charged and paid on the contractual consideration at the time of supply of motor vehicle included such tax on auto parts to be replaced under the warranty,” the judge maintained.

The judge held that in the absence of monetary consideration in such a transaction, it does not fall under the definition of “supply” as contained in the Sales Tax Act 1990 at the relevant time. Justice Mirza concluded that the replacement of auto parts under the warranty did not form part of the supply of taxable goods and the reliance taken by the respondents on the definition of “taxable supply” is not apt.

The judge concluded that the tribunal and the forums below did not dwell upon the question of replacement of auto parts by the applicant in correct legal perspective and erroneously held that the supply of auto parts under the replacement warranty was a distinguishable transaction without making any effort to say what that means.

Justice Muhammad Raza Qureshi was the other member of the bench.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2023

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Series win

It had been a while since Pakistan last won a Test series. However, on Thursday, Pakistan thrashed Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs inside four days in the second Test in Colombo, handing the hosts their heaviest defeat at home and clinching the series 2-0; their first series triumph since December 2021 when they downed Bangladesh.

Winning both matches of the series, the first of Pakistan’s World Test Championship cycle for 2023-24 sent them to the top of the nascent table, with the team’s approach raising hopes that Babar Azam’s charges will do better in the longest format of the game this time round.

Pakistan struggled in the last two cycles of the WTC but its performance in Sri Lanka was much better, with the team management introducing the “Pakistan Way”; an ideology similar to England’s “Bazball”.

Upping the scoring rate while batting was a key aspect that helped Pakistan dominate. There were standout innings too with Saud Shakeel and Abdullah Shafique notching double centuries in the first and second Test respectively.

Player of the series Salman Ali Agha scored a century and a half-century across the two Tests, while Imam-ul-Haq’s unbeaten 50 anchored Pakistan’s chase in the opening Test in Galle, which they won by four wickets.

Spinners Abrar Ahmed and Nauman Ali picked up 10 wickets apiece in the series; the latter’s 7-70 in the second Test fuelling Pakistan’s romp.

After the series, Babar highlighted that his charges had raised their game. It is a bright start for Pakistan, which finished seventh in the last WTC cycle, but sterner challenges lie ahead.

Pakistan’s newfound approach will face its acid test when they travel down under in December for their next Test series against recently crowned WTC winners Australia.

Pakistan have lost their last 14 Tests in Australia but if they play as well as they did in Sri Lanka, they may have a chance to end that dismal record.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2023

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Bilawal in attendance as Benazir Bhutto’s wax figure unveiled at Madame Tussauds in Dubai

A wax figure of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was unveiled at the Madame Tussauds museum in Dubai on Sunday.

According to Gulf News, Benazir’s wax figure is the first of a Pakistani personality at the museum’s Dubai location.

The photo shows former prime minister Benazir Bhutto when she was sown in as the premier on Dec 2, 1988.

It features the ex-premier in a green shalwar kameez and white dupatta, the outfit she donned when she was sworn in as the first woman prime minister of Pakistan on December 2, 1988.

Benazir’s son and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari attended the unveiling of the figure along with other dignitaries and diplomats.

Speaking at the ceremony, Bilawal said his mother was a “symbol of democracy, freedom and equal rights for women across the world” and portrayed the progressive face of Pakistan.

“We have a close attachment to this city and country. We are immensely grateful that the memory of our mother, Benazir Bhutto, is being honoured here in the form of this wax statue,” he added.

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Bilawal landed in Dubai earlier today on a one-day official visit.

During his visit, the foreign minister would also discuss the entire spectrum of bilateral relations between Pakistan and UAE in a meeting with his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Foreign Office said.

He would also offer condolences to the UAE leadership on the demise of Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed, brother of UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also undertook a trip to the UAE to condole the death of Sheikh Saeed.

In a statement issued a day earlier, the FO had said that Bilawal’s trip “reflects Pakistan’s robust engagement with the UAE and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two brotherly countries”.

“Both countries are committed to steadily strengthening fraternal ties and deepening mutually rewarding economic partnership,” it had added.

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Debating caretaker set-ups

THE framers of the original 1973 Constitution had apparently visualised Pakistan as a normal democratic state, and therefore, did not include any provision for a caretaker government during elections. Even the part-real and part-perceived rigging in the 1977 general election did not justify the institution of a system of caretaker governments.

But the martial law government led by Gen Ziaul Haq, in its typical non-political and over-simplistic way of ‘solving’ political problems, injected the system of caretaker governments into Pakistan’s Constitution in 1985 through the Revival of Constitutional Order (RCO).

The first caretaker government under this provision was selected by the military ruler Zia in 1988 in his discretion after he prematurely dissolved the National Assembly and dismissed the elected governments.

Apparently incensed by the act of defiance by his handpicked prime minister, Muhammad Khan Junejo, Zia appointed only ministers directly reporting to him, without a caretaker PM. Since Zia himself was a party against Junejo and the PPP, whom he had deposed in 1977, the caretaker government led by Zia, and after his death, by Ghulam Ishaq Khan, was heavily partisan.

Since then, Pakistan has seen seven caretaker prime ministers, out of which only three — Moeen Qureshi in 1993, Mir Hazar Khan Khoso in 2013 and Justice Nasirul Mulk in 2018 — may be considered neutral while others had explicit political leanings and did not contribute at all towards making the elections free and fair.

The Charter of Democracy signed by PPP leader Benazir Bhutto and PML-N head Nawaz Sharif in 2006 endorsed the system of caretaker governments but Section 31 of the Charter explicitly called for a ‘neutral’ caretaker government, a phrase conspicuous by its absence in the constitutional provisions even after the 18th and 20th Amendments extensively overhauled the constitutional scheme of caretaker governments.

The caretaker government system in Pakistan is being viewed with increased scepticism.

The caretaker government system in Pakistan is being viewed with increased scepticism since the 90-day mandate of the caretaker governments in the Punjab and KP was exceeded in April this year. The two governments not only continue to function but also, contrary to the provisions of Section 230 of the Elections Act, 2017, take long-term policy decisions.

The public trust in the caretaker governments was further undermined when the political parties opposed to Imran Khan publicly confessed that their nominated representatives were included in the caretaker government of KP under an agreed quota system.

The partisanship of the KP caretaker government can also be gauged by the fact that one of the caretaker ministers addressed a political party’s public meeting recently and the Election Commission had to order his dismissal.

Two other extraordinary developments in the context of caretaker governments system in Pakistan took place recently, which further made future caretaker governments controversial even before being constituted.

The recent amendment in Section 230 of the Elections Act, 2017, which enhanced the powers of the appointed and unelected caretaker government runs counter to the preamble of the Constitution which states that “… the state shall exercise its powers and authority through the chosen representatives of the people”.

The second development related to proposing the name of Senator Ishaq Dar, the current finance minister, a senior leader of the PML-N and a close relative of Nawaz Sharif, as caretaker prime minister.

Although it was an unofficial proposal as formal proceedings will not commence until the National Assembly is dissolved, it was a sufficiently serious manoeuvre to invite emphatic public opposition from Raja Riaz, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, and Minister Khawaja Asif and another senior PML-N leader.

Senator Dar may be amply qualified to become prime minister because of his competence and long experience but his partisanship and close association with one political party make him absolutely unsuitable as a caretaker PM.

There have been widespread speculations after these two developments that probably the next caretaker government may continue for a period longer than 90 days, which also means that elections may be deferred.

These speculations remind one of Bangladesh’s experiences of caretaker governments from 1996 to 2011 which, although begun as a constitutional arrangement, morphed into an extra-constitutional military-backed technocratic government which lasted for about two years and could exit only after considerable international pressure forced them to hold elections in December 2008 and hand over power to the elected government.

The Bangladesh parliament, chastened by the experience of a prolonged caretaker set-up, and encouraged by the ruling of the country’s supreme court declaring the caretaker system to be unconstitutional, finally wound up the caretaker system in 2011 through the 15th constitutional amendment passed by the 345-member legislature with an overwhelming majority of 291 to one, in a vote boycotted by BNP, the main opposition party.

Prime Minister Hasina Wajid told parliament after the vote: “This is a historic moment for democracy. We can’t allow unelected people to oversee national elections.”

Pakistan is faced with two choices when the next National Assembly is elected. The first option is that it can reform the system to make sure that the caretaker system is strictly neutral. This choice, however, seems to be more utopian than realistic.

The second option, probably a more practical one, is to wind up the prevailing flawed caretaker system because a majority of caretaker set-ups established in the past 35 years were neither neutral nor could their presence guarantee free and fair election in most of the cases.

In addition, there has been the intrusion of political parties in various caretaker governments, which were supposed to be neutral and this trend seems to be on the increase.

Probably, Pakistan can take a cue from its erstwhile eastern wing and review its experience of caretaker governments. We can also learn from the Indian experience where the elected government continues during the election but with drastically reduced powers under the strict watch of their election commission.

The writer is president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency.
president@pildat.org
Twitter: @ABMPildat
YouTube: @abmPILDAT

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2023

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Fluid & resilient

THE militant landscape is nothing if not resilient, adapting to the changes in its environment and the pressures exerted upon it by counterterrorism forces. Law-enforcement agencies must therefore constantly stay one step ahead if they are to even reduce its lethality, let alone eliminate it.

The 32nd report of the UN’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team offers insight into how militant outfits readjust their strategies; where Pakistan is concerned, political developments in Afghanistan are having an impact whose long-term consequences could be devastating.

For instance, the document notes that in Africa’s Sahel region, Al Qaeda and the militant Islamic State group “compete for resources, territory, and hearts and minds” which leads to violent conflict between them.

However, there is “greater fluidity in Afghanistan where relationships and affiliations have a longer history and are more complex. The distinctions between members of Al Qaeda and affiliated groups, including TTP, and [IS-Khorasan] are at times blurred at the edges”.

Thus, in this region, militants may identify with more than one group, with a tendency to align themselves with the “dominant or ascending power”.

The Afghan Taliban’s assumption of power is giving increased operational space to the TTP in Afghanistan, and the spike in cross-border attacks by the banned outfit against Pakistan is compelling evidence of this.

Although pressure by the government here did compel Kabul to relocate certain TTP elements away from the border area, the Taliban’s refusal to take coercive measures against the group could add another layer of complexity to the situation.

According to the report, evidence suggests that “other sanctioned terrorist groups are using support to TTP as a means to evade control by the Afghan Taliban”.

It adds, this could even lead to a range of foreign outfits coalescing under the TTP’s umbrella; already, there are indications that Al Qaeda is providing “guidance” to the TTP for carrying out attacks inside Pakistan, and that TTP fighters have access to training camps of foreign terror groups in Kunar province.

Al Qaeda and IS have also given considerable autonomy to groups affiliated with them; decentralising terror networks enhances their operational effectiveness and ability to tackle CT measures.

Perhaps that is why in Pakistan, one has of late been witnessing attacks by little-known outfits claiming to have links with one or the other of these major terrorist entities.

There is also the Jamaatul Ahrar, with its on-again, off-again relationship with the TTP, whose members are suspected of involvement in several recent acts of terrorism.

The Punjab CTD yesterday claimed to have arrested in several intelligence-based organisations 17 suspected militants belonging to various banned groups. We cannot afford to let up. On no account must violent extremist groups get the opportunity to hold Pakistan hostage again.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2023

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Meta plans retention ‘hooks’ for Threads as more than half of users leave app

Meta Platforms executives are heavily focused on boosting retention on their new Twitter rival Threads, after the app lost more than half of its users in the weeks following its buzzy launch, CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees on Thursday.

Retention of users on the text-based app was better than executives had expected, though it was “not perfect”, said Zuckerberg, speaking at an internal company town hall, the audio of which was heard by Reuters.

“Obviously, if you have more than 100 million people sign up, ideally it would be awesome if all of them or even half of them stuck around. We’re not there yet,” he said.

Zuckerberg said he considered the drop-off “normal” and expected retention to grow as the company adds more features to the app, including a desktop version and search functionality.

Meta is looking at adding more “retention-driving hooks” to entice users to return to the app, like “making sure people who are on the Instagram app can see important Threads,” said Chief Product Officer Chris Cox.

A company spokesperson declined to comment on the meeting.

The executives’ comments came a day after Meta wowed investors with a rosy revenue growth forecast, a sign of a comeback for a company that faced deep scepticism over its hefty spending on the metaverse last year as ad sales plummeted.

The disclosure sent Meta’s shares surging 8 per cent on Thursday.

Zuckerberg told employees on the call that he believed the company’s work on the augmented and virtual reality technology that would power the metaverse was “not massively ahead of schedule, but on track.”

Meta, he added, needed to get started investing in that work ahead of rivals such as Apple, Google and Microsoft, given their years of experience building operating systems for existing products.

“That way, we have all the tools ready for when this is ready for prime time,” he said, predicting that mass adoption of metaverse technologies would take place in the 2030s.

Zuckerberg and Cox also highlighted the company’s release of an artificial intelligence model called Llama 2 this month, which it made freely available for commercial use to any developer whose services had fewer than 700 million users.

The model has received more than 150,000 download requests in the week since its release, Cox said.

Responding to a question on the proposed “cage match” against Elon Musk, Zuckerberg said he was “not sure if it’s going to come together.”

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Unrepentant Asif asks PTI members to ‘apologise first’

ISLAMABAD: Offeri­­ng an ‘apology of sorts’ for his remarks, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif said on Thursday that he would only say sorry on the condition that PTI members repented the alleged abusive lang-uage they had used for Maryam Nawaz and Faryal Talpur.

Speaking on the floor of both Senate and National Assembly a couple of days after making the offensive comments that drew the ire of PTI women lawmakers, Mr Asif claimed he did not need to apologise as his “comments were taken out of context”.

“My remarks were not against female members of PTI,” he claimed.

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The defence minister maintained that he was responding to observations made by PTI Senator Ali Zafar, who alleged that the government was bulldozing legislation.

“I was reminding him of the days when the PTI government passed 54 bills within minutes,” Mr Asif said.

“My remarks were not gender specific. I referred to both male and female members of PTI as ‘remnants’ and ‘garbage’,” he said, repeating the offending terms.

On Tuesday, the minister used sexist and derogatory remarks referring to women from the opposition PTI in a joint session of parliament, referring to them as “remains” and “ruins” of the party, “which had to be cleaned.”

However, on Thursday the defence minister conceded that he did get carried away in his speeches, giving the example of the time when he referred to vice chancellors as ‘dacoits’ but later had to withdraw his remarks and apologise.

However, he drew attention towards Imran Khan’s speeches, where the PTI chief had publicly used what he called “foul language” for PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz and Asif Zardari’s sister, Faryal Talpur.

“PTI set the standards of vulgarity in political speeches. Imran Khan appreciates such language. Why do PTI members condone such offensive language from their leader?” he asked rhetorically.

Apart from PTI members, the minister also faced criticism from the ruling coalition in both houses. Senator Humayun Mohmand said he would not stay in the Senate unless Mr Asif apologised for his unwarranted remarks.

JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza also slammed Mr Asif and conceded that unsuitable remarks were passed from the treasury benches against women parliamentarians. “I apologise, even if nobody else does,” he said, requesting the defence minister to tender an apology.

Later, Public Accounts Committee Chairman Noor Alam Khan also lamented the use of derogatory language for women parliamentarians by the defence minister on the floor of the National Assembly.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2023

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Wasted talent

THERE used to be a time when ‘tea trolley’ (borrowed from the title of Rehana Alam’s book) marriages were arranged by the families of prospective couples. It was not uncommon for those who were about to tie the nuptial knot to be strangers to one another; it followed that they had no say in the matter of their own marriage. In fact, this cultural practice still persists in many households.

Today, we are faced with a bizarre situation: girls outnumber boys in medical colleges — 70 per cent are girls — but half the number do not enter the medical profession after graduation and opt for the stereotypical role of a homemaker assigned to them by a patriarchal society. This also happens to be a time when there is an acute shortage of doctors in the country.

It seems to pose an ethical dilemma since the common belief is that female medical graduates who do not work are not interested in doing a job, and that they join medical college to enhance their worth in the marriage market. As a result, they encounter public disapproval as the general opinion is that they should pay society back the benefit they had received from the subsidised education offered in public medical colleges.

I decided to visit Dr Farhat Moazam, professor and founding chairperson of the Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Culture, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation. Founded in 2004, it is now a WHO-designated bioethics centre. Under Dr Moazam, who won the Hastings Centre Bioethics Founders’ Award in 2022, CBEC has conducted Master’s and post-graduate diploma programmes and certificate courses for hundreds of participants. Her qualitative research on Pakistani medical students (co-authored with Sualeha Shekhani) has been published in the journal Medical Education (UK).

It is often said that women study medicine to enhance their marriage prospects.

Dr Moazam began by saying it is most unfair to blame the female students because it is our patriarchal society which creates this situation. No support is forthcoming to the young female doctors. Our medical training system is inadequate, substandard and the trainees are poorly paid.

Marriage is central to our societal values. The girls who participated in interviews and focused group discussions conducted by Dr Moazam also conceded that marriage was their preference although it left them little control over their lives. Thereafter, they had to accept the role assigned to them of the homemaker and mother.

In the absence of support from family and society — few institutions provide for day-care centres for young children of working mothers — female medical graduates simply don’t work. A hospital job is, after all, tough and time-consuming. No girl can handle a medical job, her home and her baby singlehandedly. Dr Moazam also points to the poor training facilities and their insufficient numbers in teaching hospitals.

The CPSP only conducts specialisation examinations. As for the stipends, they are not enough to support a family. If all the students who pass their MBBS were to decide to seek training, large numbers would be turned back. As a matter of fact, many male medical graduates are also known to be dropping out for this reason. Another significant finding of the CBEC research is that the number of male applicants to medical colleges is falling. Men do not find the medical profession financially satisfying in the early years.

Then what is the solution to this challenge? Dr Moazam suggests changes to the medical training system. There is a need to enhance the capacity of the teaching hospitals so that no young doctor is denied the training which is a prerequisite for the CPSP exams. The standard of training should be upgraded and the emoluments increased so that young doctors get decent wages. Every institution where women work should be required to have a child care centre on its premises.

A proposal worth trying out is to have a number of shared jobs, which means one job should have two women working for the position on a part-time basis. This would reduce the number of hours a woman is required to work every day though it will take them longer to obtain their degree requirement. All this is possible if the authorities are serious about finding a solution to the problem of the shortage of doctors. Dr Moazam insists that more research is needed on these issues to ensure that the changes introduced are meaningful and feasible.

Underpinning these reforms should be a change in the general mindset. Only then will the family step in to facilitate a young doctor who wants to work. It would also ensure stability in the life of the working mother’s child.

www.zubeida-mustafa.com

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2023

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Kim oversees North Korea military parade showcasing new drones, ICBMs

Flanked by visiting Russian and Chinese officials, Kim Jong Un oversaw a North Korean military parade featuring new drones and Pyongyang’s nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles, state media reported on Friday.

At least four new North Korean military drones were towed on trailers through Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square at the parade late on Thursday, state media images showed, while another drone appeared to conduct a flyover overhead.

Standing between Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chinese politburo member Li Hongzhong in the VIP viewing stands, Kim smiled and saluted as thousands of soldiers marched past, trailed by the country’s most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), which are banned under UN sanctions.

The event, featuring Kim’s first-known foreign guests since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, was to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, which ended open hostilities and is celebrated as Victory Day.

Kim “extended warm militant greetings” to the parade, the official Korean Central News Agency said, and North Korea’s defence minister Kang Sun Nam made a speech.

The United States has no chance “of survival in case they use nuclear weapons against the DPRK”, Kang said, referring to the North by its official name.

He warned that any attempts by the United States to use armed force against the North would cause an “unimaginable and unforeseen crisis”.

The parade featured an array of new weaponry, including some first unveiled at a defence expo on Wednesday in Pyongyang, visited by Kim and Shoigu.

North Korea’s new underwater nuclear attack drone, called the “Haeil”, appeared at the parade for the first time, Seoul-based specialist site NK News reported.

“The strategic reconnaissance drone and the multi-purpose attack drone which was newly developed and produced… made circular flights in the sky above the Kim Il Sung Square,” KCNA said.

The “excitement and great joy of the spectators reached its height” when the nuclear-armed country’s newest ICBM — the solid-fuel Hwasong-18, tested in April and July this year — was paraded through the square, KCNA said.

The tests were roundly condemned by Seoul, Washington and Tokyo, and violated UN sanctions banning the North from any tests using ballistic missile technology.

‘Send the US a signal’

The parade is a key part of “promoting Kim Jong Un’s ruling legitimacy and internal unity in this economically challenging time”, Yangmo Ku, a political science professor at Norwich University, told AFP.

But this year, with the inclusion of high-level guests from Moscow and Beijing, Pyongyang is also sending America “a signal that under strengthened ties with Russia and China, North Korea is militarily ready to cope with strategic threats from its enemies”, he said.

“All these acts mean the emergence of the new Cold War surrounding the Korean Peninsula,” Ku added.

Beijing is North Korea’s most important ally and economic benefactor, their relationship was forged in the bloodshed of the Korean War in the 1950s.

“China’s representation at North Korea’s parading of nuclear-capable missiles raises serious questions about Beijing enabling Pyongyang’s threats to global security,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

Russia, another historic ally, is one of a handful of nations with which Pyongyang maintains friendly relations, and experts said it was noteworthy that Moscow had sent Shoigu to the anniversary celebrations — a rare visit by a Russian defence chief in the post-Soviet era.

Kim has been steadfast in his support for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, including, Washington says, supplying rockets and missiles — a charge Pyongyang has denied.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin sent a speech, read out by Shoigu at an anniversary event, according to KCNA, in which Moscow’s leader hailed North Korea for its “firm support for special military operations against Ukraine”.

Easley said that “given Russia’s need for ammunition for its illegal war in Ukraine and (Kim’s) willingness to personally give the Russian defence minister a tour of North Korea’s arms exhibition, UN member states should increase vigilance for observing and penalising sanctions violations”.

The inclusion of foreign guests at this year’s celebrations is a post-pandemic first and hints at new flexibility towards enforcing border controls.

North Korea has imposed a rigid Covid-19 blockade since early 2020, preventing even its own nationals from entering the country.

It only resumed some trade with China last year and allowed new Beijing envoy Wang Yajun to take up his position this year. He is the first known senior diplomat to cross into North Korea since the border closure in January 2020

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UNGA resolution

AS attempts by bigots and provocateurs to attack Islam’s sacred symbols continue unabated, efforts are also being made at international fora to denounce these despicable acts, and forge a global consensus against hate speech targeting religious sanctities. The latest development in this regard occurred at the UN General Assembly recently, when a resolution was adopted deploring “acts of violence against persons” on the basis of their religious beliefs, along with acts “directed at their religious symbols, holy books … or places of worship”. The resolution was sponsored by Morocco and co-sponsored by Pakistan, while other Muslim states, including Malaysia and Egypt, also helped in the effort. Spain, on behalf of the EU, tried to water down the text, but the majority of states voted against any amendments. This follows the adoption of a resolution condemning religious hatred passed at the UN’s Human Rights Council. Pakistan had spearheaded that effort. These moves come in the wake of vile attempts to attack Islamic symbols in various European states, specifically the burning and desecration of copies of the Holy Quran in Sweden and Denmark.

Efforts to counter such hateful behaviour must continue at all forums. Clearly, the reaction of Muslim states and other countries that believe in universal respect, is having an impact. Some media reports have quoted the Swedish foreign minister as saying that legal efforts are underway to prevent future attempts at desecrating the Quran. Certainly, Western states must use all the tools at their disposal to prevent the repeat of such atrocious behaviour, as hiding behind notions of freedom of expression to justify it is unacceptable. After all, burning the Quran and attacking Islamic sanctities is just the first step. The next step is the actual murder of Muslims, as the Quebec City and Christchurch mosque killings testify. The criminals involved in these atrocities come from the same ideological gene pool as those involved in desecrating Islamic symbols.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2023

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Control.pk

THE PDM government, much like the PTI government before it, has proven that our politicians have little interest in protecting civil liberties if there is something to be gained from surrendering them.

Two bills, aimed at bringing under state control online media and digital platforms — the last remaining spaces where most Pakistanis can still freely express themselves — received the federal cabinet’s nod of approval on Monday.

The innocuously titled ‘Personal Data Protection Bill’ and ‘E-Safety Bill’ are, critics say, much more sinister in intent than their titles suggest. Internet rights activists have slammed the government, with a statement circulating on the internet, co-signed by industry pioneers as well as prominent digital rights activists, lawyers and journalists, stressing that “legislation prepared in secrecy and passed in haste disregarding input and clear reservations, serves no protective purpose but reeks of nefarious designs to further curb the rights and liberties of citizens”. The signatories to the statement believe that “these bills must not be passed”.

Separately, the Asia Internet Coalition has especially criticised the Personal Data Protection Bill, saying it “falls short of international standards for data protection and creates unnecessary complexities that will increase the cost of doing business and dampen foreign investment”.

The managing director of the organisation also pointed out that “the bill creates additional barriers to digital trade at a critical time, when Pakistan’s economic growth demands paramount attention”.

The question naturally arises: how does the PDM government, which has pinned much of its economic turnaround hope on growth in the country’s nascent IT industry, square its vision with such measures that, if they do not kill the nascent IT industry, will surely cripple it?

It defies understanding, and it is unsurprising that the reaction to its secretive new laws has been swift and condemnatory. The government clearly has no clue about how to empower the industry and unlock its potential.

It is obvious that the need for these legislative interventions has not arisen from any pressing public concern. This much is evident from the manner in which the two bills were quietly drafted, tabled before the cabinet, and hurriedly passed. Even the government’s allies, it seems, were unaware of their existence.

Observers fear it is the state that has been unable to shut down the unbridled ridicule and criticism it has lately been receiving online, which is pushing these laws. To them, it wants the same control over online publishing platforms that it has over traditional media.

The PTI learnt after its ouster that, had it not been for the Islamabad High Court striking down very similar rules and laws it had introduced towards the tail-end of its tenure, it would have quickly been crushed by the state. The PDM should not repeat the same mistake.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2023

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Pakistan crush Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs, sweep series

Spinner Noman Ali claimed seven wickets on Thursday as Pakistan hammered Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs inside four days of the second Test to sweep the series 2-0.

Having conceded a lead of 410, Sri Lanka’s defeat was only a matter of time and left-arm spinner Noman spun a web around the batsmen at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground as Pakistan romped home inside four days.

Angelo Mathews remained unbeaten on 63 but Sri Lanka, who managed 166 in the first innings, were all out for 188 in the second.

Earlier, Pakistan batted two overs on day four, allowing Mohammad Rizwan to complete his half-century before declaring on 576-5.

Agha Salman remained unbeaten on 132 after opener Abdullah Shafique’s career-best 201 had laid the foundation for Pakistan’s mammoth total.

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Ishaq Dar says China has rolled over $2.4bn loan for two years

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that China has rolled over a $2.4 billion loan to Islamabad for a period of two years, a boost to the country’s economy as it tries to build its foreign reserves after clinching a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“Chinese Exim bank rolled over principal amounts totalling $2.4bn which are due in [the] next two fiscal years,” he said in a post on social platform X, formerly Twitter.

“Pakistan will make interest payments only over the next two years,” Dar said, meaning the waiver is only for the principal loan amount.

A source at Pakistan’s finance ministry told Reuters that over $600 million of the loan was maturing this fiscal year, and that Islamabad has already received a confirmation of the rollover.

“In principle, China and Pakistan have close cooperation in economic and financial sectors, and we will continue to advance cooperation with Pakistan to support the country in achieving stability and development,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

The development comes a little over a week after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that China had rolled over a $600 million loan to Pakistan, helping shore up the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

This was in addition to over $5bn in loans that longtime ally China had rolled over for Pakistan in the last three months, according to the premier, helping Pakistan avert a default as negotiations to secure the IMF bailout dragged on.

Beijing has pledged over $65bn in building infrastructure in Pakistan as part of a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Pakistan secured a last-gasp $3bn IMF bailout on June 30, which later disbursed an initial upfront instalment of about $1.2bn.

This was followed by a further $2bn of financial support from Saudi Arabia and $1bn from the UAE, shoring up the central bank’s reserves, which had dropped to a critical level of barely enough to pay for a month of controlled imports.

The central bank said last week that foreign exchange reserves almost doubled, rising $4.2bn to $8.7bn during the week ending July 14.

The next two reviews of the IMF deal will pass through political uncertainty ahead of general elections due later this year that will be followed by a government transition.

The IMF team this month met the leadership of all political parties, including former prime minister Imran Khan, to seek a continuation of its bailout objectives irrespective of who comes to power.

A joint session of the country’s parliament on Wednesday passed legislation to enable a caretaker administration which will take over after the government of PM Shehbaz retires next month to take policy decisions on bilateral and multilateral agreements, the government said in a statement.

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SBP updates instructions on importing cash dollars

KARACHI: The central bank has updated its instructions for foreign exchange companies for importing US dollars, allowing them to import cash dollars against the value of their export consignments of permissible foreign currencies within five working days through reputed cargo or security companies.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has updated these terms by adding a paragraph — titled ‘Import of Cash US Dollars through Cargo/Security Comp­anies’ — to Chapter 5 of the Exchange Companies Manual.

It said that this arrangement would initially be in place until Dec 31, 2023, and would be subject to the condition that total cash dollars imported by an exchange company during this period shall not exceed 50 per cent of the value of its export consignments.

It said the exchange companies should include such an arrangement in their deal with the overseas entity. The system-generated deal ticket shall also include particulars of the amount to be imported as cash dollars, if any, out of the total export consignment.

“Exchange companies, at the time of import of US dollars in cash through their cargo/security companies, shall give prior written intimation to the Director of Foreign Exchange Operations Depar­tment, SBP Banking Services Corporation, Karachi, and copy the same to the SBP-BSC staff at SBP-Customs Joint Booth at designated airports,” it said.

“They will also provide original deal ticket of foreign bank/exchange company clearly showing the amount of cash US Dollars imported, along with Annexure-8, which shall be signed and stamped by SBP-BSC officials at the booth after verification,” the new paragraph said.

Besides, the foreign government’s customs and/or other export documents in original must also be submitted at SBP-Customs joint booth, which shall also be stamped by SBP-BSC officials.

A copy of these signed and stamped documents must be kept in the record by the exchange company for on-site inspection by the State Bank’s inspection team.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2023

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Pakistan ranked 99th on Hunger Index

ISLAMABAD: The Global Hunger Index (GHI-2022) has ranked Pakistan at 99th position out of the 121 countries.

The report’s Pakistan chapter, which was laun­ched on Tuesday in Islam­abad, reveals the country’s score has dropped from 38.1 in 2006 to 26.1 in 2022, yet the hunger level is considered serious.

Zero score indicates a country has no issue of hunger.

“The current edition of the GHI reveals that armed conflicts, climate change, and the coronavirus pandemic are intensifying each other; as a result, up to 828 million peo­ple were forced to go hungry. As things stand, 46 countries will not even achieve a low level of hunger by 2030, much less eliminate hunger entirely. In Africa, South of the Sahara and South Asia are once again the regions with the highest rates of hun­ger. South Asia, the reg­ion with the world’s highest hunger level, has the highest child stunting rate and by far the highest child wasting rate of any world region,” it was infor­med through a statement.

In the latest GHI, Pakistan has ranked 99th out of the 121 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2022 GHI scores. With a score of 26.1, Pakistan has a level of hunger that is serious.

The GHI is a pre-reviewed annual report, jointly published by Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide and shall raise awareness and understanding of the struggle against hunger.

Aisha Jamshed, Country Director of Welthungerhilfe, said her organisation worked to assist food insecure communities and build resilience in cooperation with the civil society, government and private sector.

In his remarks, Local Government and Community Development Department (LGCDD), Punjab, Director Shafat Ali shed light on issue in focus, i.e. to ensure citizen’s participation, action, oversight, and consider local context in transformation of food systems.

It was urged that stakeholders at all governance levels must harness local voices and capacities. Communities, civil society, small producers, farmers, and indigenous groups with their local knowledge and lived experiences should shape how access to nutritious food is governed.

Helene Paust, deputy head of Development Cooperation in German Mission (Pakistan), commended the work against hunger and addressed sector as well as political recommendations.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2023

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Sindh MPA Aslam Abro’s brother, nephew killed after assailants open fire on their vehicle in Karachi

Sindh MPA Muhammad Aslam Abro’s brother Akram Abro and nephew were shot dead on Wednesday after unidentified assailants opened fire on their vehicle in Phase 7 of Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA).

South Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Asad Raza told Dawn.com that the vehicle that came under attack belonged to Aslam but he was not travelling with his brother and nephew.

He said that the victims had left their residence located near Khayaban-e-Shamsheer for Jacobabad at around 11:15am. The SSP added that their vehicle, a silver Toyota Vigo, came under attack at around 11:35am in Phase 7.

SSP Raza said that four passengers were critically injured in the attack and were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where 68-year-old Akram Abro and 40-year-old Shahryar Akram succumbed to their injuries.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said they suffered multiple injuries on their head and torso with 30 bullet wounds on different parts of their bodies.

An official statement from the Defence police station confirmed the same, identifying the injured as Abdullah Abro, 40, and Irshad Ali Panhwar, 42.

SSP Raza earlier said that Panhwar also died from his injuries.

However, later in a clarification, the police said the news of the third death was fake.

South Deputy Inspector General of Police Irfan Ali Baloch took notice of the matter and said there would be an inquiry against the person who provided the wrong information to SSP Raza and a show-cause notice would be issued as well.

He said the inquiry would be completed by tomorrow.

The SSP said the critically injured Panhwar was a nephew of a known tribal chief in Jacobabad, Manzoor Panhwar, and the son of former Jacobabad district Naib Nazim, Asghar Panhwar.

SSP Raza said that the police had cordoned off the area and were checking the CCTV footage. He added that a team from the Crime Scene Investigation Unit had also been dispatched to the scene of the crime and evidence was being collected.

Aslam was elected to Sindh Assembly in 2018 on a PTI ticket but was expelled in 2021 for “violating the party’s instructions” during the Senate elections.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who is also the chairman of the PPP, strongly condemned the killing. In a statement, he termed the killing “sheer terrorism”.

“I hope that the accused involved in this act of terrorism will be brought to justice soon,” Bilawal said. He also offered his condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the recovery of those injured in the attack.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah strongly condemned the incident as well and expressed regret over the deaths.

“Such incidents cannot be tolerated at any cost,” he said and ordered the inspector general of police to submit a detailed report. Shah further said the culprits should be arrested immediately.

In a statement, the Sindh Bar Council (SBC) also strongly condemned the “brutal murder” of Akram, who it said was an advocate and hailed from the Jacobabad district.

In it, the SBC said the incident was a “complete failure of law enforcement agencies” and said it had “put a big question mark over their performance”.

It demanded that Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon and other authorities concerned to take immediate notice of the incident, arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice forthwith.

Initial probe findings

SSP Raza said the initial probe revealed that the suspects chased the victims when they left their residence. He said with the help of CCTV footage, one luxury car (Premio) was traced in which four suspects were travelling while two other suspects were riding on a motorbike.

He said they resorted to “indiscriminate firing” on the victims’ Vigo from three different directions with Kalashnikov and 9mm pistols, adding that investigators collected 45 spent bullet casings from the crime scene.

‘Tribal vendetta’

The SSP said MPA Aslam told the police that the family would lodge a first information report after the burial of his brother and nephew in Jacobabad.

Raza said the preliminary probe suggested that the incident was an outcome of a “tribal vendetta”.

He said investigators obtained some clues that Akram was the “actual target” of the killers, adding that the deceased had a “certain feud with two tribes in Jacobabad over some issues”.

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China’s Qin Gang scrubbed from foreign ministry website after dramatic removal

China offered no explanation for the sacking of foreign minister Qin Gang on Wednesday while scrubbing mentions of him from a government website.

Qin — who has not been seen in public for over a month — was removed from office by Beijing’s top lawmaking body on Tuesday after just 207 days in the job.

That followed weeks of speculation that the former Chinese ambassador to the United States and one-time confidant of President Xi Jinping had suddenly fallen out of favour.

As of Wednesday morning, any reference to the 57-year-old had been removed from the website of China’s foreign ministry.

A search for his name yielded no results and previous articles about his diplomatic appearances showed a message saying the page “does not exist or has been deleted”.

But his name did appear on other Chinese government websites, including of the State Council, the Ministry of Commerce and state media outlets.

The foreign ministry had for weeks refused to give any updates on Qin despite repeated questioning, after previously saying “health reasons” were to blame for his absence.

State media gave no reason for his dismissal, but one expert said the “digital erasure” of Qin suggested he had fallen from grace.

“If he were a comrade in good standing who had fallen ill I am not sure that would be happening,” China analyst Bill Bishop wrote in his Sinocism newsletter.

“Evidence is emerging suggesting this is indeed a political purge,” Neil Thomas, a fellow on Chinese politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute, a US think tank, said on Twitter, which is being rebranded as “X”.

‘Totally in the dark’

China had remained tight-lipped for weeks about the fate of Qin, who has not been seen in public since June 25, when he met Russia’s deputy foreign minister Andrey Rudenko in Beijing.

But that did little to stem an explosion of rumours online, some of which claimed the diplomat’s alleged affair with a prominent television anchor had landed him in hot water.

“People from the outside are totally in the dark and the episode illustrates that Chinese politics is becoming increasingly unpredictable and volatile, though under a calm surface,” Ho-fung Hung, an expert in Chinese politics at Johns Hopkins University, told AFP.

Originally from the northeastern city of Tianjin, Qin frequently rubbed shoulders with President Xi in an earlier role as chief of the foreign ministry’s protocol department.

Qin’s promotion over more experienced candidates, first to US ambassador and then China’s number two diplomat, was attributed to the trust placed in him by Xi directly.

And the sudden fall of the so-called “Wolf Warrior” diplomat shows that no official is immune to the vicissitudes of Chinese politics — no matter how close they are to the leader, one expert said.

“I think the main implication would be for Chinese officialdom, with the message being that no one is safe, however high they may have risen or however strongly they have been supported by Xi Jinping,” China law expert Neysun Mahboubi told AFP.

Qin has been replaced as foreign minister by top diplomat Wang Yi.

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SC rejects PTI chief’s plea seeking stay on trial court proceedings in Toshakhana case

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday rejected PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s plea seeking to stay a trial court’s proceedings in the Toshakhana case.

On Oct 21 last year, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had disqualified Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p) of the Constitution for making “false statements and incorrect declaration”.

In May, Islamabad Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Hamayun Dilawar had rejected Imran Khan’s challenge to the maintainability of the Toshakhana reference and indicted him in the case.

The trial court’s decision was challenged before the IHC, which remanded the case back to the former on July 4 to re-examine the matter in seven days in the light of legal questions to decide maintainability of the reference.

Subsequently, Imran had moved the SC and urged the apex court to set aside the IHC directive. He also sought a stay on the proceedings before ADSJ Dilawar until his appeal was decided. The PTI chief had moved his appeal through senior counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmad.

On Wednesday, a two-member bench, comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Musarrat Hilali, took up Imran’s plea.

Just before the hearing began, there was a ruckus outside the courtroom, at which the judges expressed their displeasure. They asked Imran’s counsel Khawaja Haris to resolve the matter outside the courtroom.

The judges emphasised the importance of respecting the court. The courtroom staff briefly left due to the ruckus, but returned once the situation was resolved.

At the outset of the hearing, Haris stated that two petitions were already pending with the IHC, one concerning the trial court’s jurisdiction and the other seeking the transfer of Imran’s trial from the court of ADSJ Dilawar.

ECP lawyer Amjad Pervez stated that the IHC order in the case had already been implemented and a hearing on a petition against the trial court order was scheduled for tomorrow.

Justice Afridi pointed out that since the two pleas were currently with the IHC, issuing directives to the trial court would not be appropriate. The court expressed hope that the IHC would hear all identical petitions filed by the PTI chief alongside this case.

The two-judge bench rejected the PTI counsel’s plea to halt criminal proceedings in the case, referred the case back to the IHC and disposed of the petition.

Speaking to the media outside the apex court, prime minister’s aide Attaullah Tarar criticised the PTI chief for his failure to record a statement under Section 342 (power to examine the accused) of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the case.

He alleged that Imran was using “delaying tactics”, by “taking stay orders at times, by expressing lack of confidence on the judges, by challenging the jurisduction [of courts] at times”.

Noting that the PTI chairman was present in Islamabad, Tarar asked why he was not appearing in the trial court if he could go to the apex court to stop the same case from proceeding.

The plea

The petition, brought by the PTI chief before the apex court earlier this month, argued that the IHC was not legally justified in remanding the same questions of law that formed the basis of the impugned order for re-determination by the same trial judge who had already given his judgement.

Moreover, Imran added, the IHC set aside the petitioner’s plea by remanding the matter back to the trial court for re-decision despite the fact that the petitioner had also applied for transfer of the complaint from the trial judge to any other court.

The petitioner contended the IHC had committed a jurisdiction error in remanding the case to the same trial judge against whom an application had been filed for transfer of the case.

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Body of missing Indian woman found in GB’s Kharmang district: official

The body of a 28-year-old woman, who had gone missing in the Indian-controlled area of Kargil, was found in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Kharmang district on Wednesday, according to Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Jaffar.

DC Jaffar told Dawn.com that the woman’s body was retrieved from the Kargil river today and buried in Kharmang.

He said the body could be returned to India — after contact between the foreign ministries of the countries — once the woman’s identity was confirmed through DNA testing.

Meanwhile, Qasim, a resident of Kharmang, said the funeral prayer of the woman had been offered and the burial was performed according to Islamic rituals.

Earlier, a pamphlet featuring the image of the woman was circulated by the Kargil police station from the Indian side. The pamphlet was also sent to the GB administration for the recovery of the body.

The pamphlet stated that the woman, identified as Belqees Banoo, was five feet tall and clad in green clothes along with a red sweater. It added that she went missing from her home in Akchamal on July 15.

Baltistan Awami Action Committee Chairman Najaf Ali, in a statement, said that due to the closure of the old Skardu-Kargil road, people in the surrounding areas of the Line of Control faced severe difficulties in such situations. He called for the re-establishment of historical routes to facilitate locals in both countries.

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‘Putting last nail in coffin’: Ruling allies oppose amendment to election laws for empowering caretaker setup

Senators from allies in the ruling coalition and the opposition PTI on Tuesday opposed a proposed amendment to Section 230 of the Election Act 2017, which relates to the functions of a caretaker government.

The PML-N on Sunday announced that an amendment was being introduced to empower the interim setup to have powers similar to that of an elected government. These powers would allow the caretakers to take important decisions.

“The interim setup will not be confined to day-to-day affairs of the government till elections are held. An amendment is being brought (to the Constitution) to empower the caretaker setup to take important decisions like an elected government does,” PML-N supreme leader’s spokesperson Muhammad Zubair earlier told Dawn.

The amendment is among several others being proposed to the elections laws ahead of polls scheduled to take place later this year.

The amendments were debated on in a joint Parliament session today.

Speaking on the matter, PPP Senator Raza Rabbani said he had no issue with the amendments in general but objection to changes to Section 230.

“There is a severe conflict of interest when it comes to amending Section 230 because there are countless judgements of the superior courts regarding the role of the caretaker government,” he said, adding that the said role was “very different” from that of an elected government.

“They come for a limited period of either 60 days or 90 days for the purpose of carrying out day-to-day business of the government.

“The government does not go into cold storage, but it goes into slow motion [after a caretaker setup takes the reins]. And it does so because of the simple fact that it is an unelected government and it cannot be put on the same pedestal as an elected government,” Rabbani said.

Referring to an amendment that would empower the caretaker government to take action on “urgent matters”, he pointed out that the term was very “vague and vast” which could include anything and everything.

“This means you, in actual fact, are giving unbridled powers to an unelected government which has been nominated for the sole purpose of holding free and fair elections and bringing it at par with an elected government.”

Rabbani said that extending the powers of the caretaker government would be akin to “putting the last nail in the coffin”.

Similarly, PPP Senator Taj Haider maintained that the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms had not discussed the amendment to Section 230. He also expressed concern that no amendment should go against the Constitution.

Senator Kamran Murtaza of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, another ally of the government in the Centre, also said that amendments to Section 230 were not under discussion in the parliamentary committee.

He said running the government was the job of “chosen representatives” and not “caretakers”, adding that any amendment to allow interim setups to rule for three or six or nine months would be going against the concept of the Constitution.

Murtaza said his party was not standing with the amendment pertaining to Section 230 and announced his party’s disassociation with it.

For his part, PTI Senator Ali Zafar echoed Murtaza’s views, adding that the parliamentary committee had a very “positive debate” but it had not discussed Section 230.

He said he had hoped that only the amendments and clauses discussed and decided in the committee would be presented in Parliament, adding that he was disappointed, angered and frustrated to see additional amendments which “suspiciously came out of from underneath”.

“I am very surprised and am asking for an explanation on how did this happened,” he said.

Amendments finalised in consultation with political parties: Tarar

However, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the proposed electoral amendments were finalised in consultation with all the political parties represented in Parliament.

The minister said a special committee led by Economic Affairs Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, having representation of various political parties, held a series of meetings for thorough deliberations on the amendments.

The members, including Syed Naveed Qamar, Fahmida Mirza, Chaudhary Tariq Bashir Cheema, Syed Aminul Haque, Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla, Agha Hassan Baloch, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Senator Haider, Senator Murtaza, Senator Manzoor Ahmed, and Senator Zafar actively participated in the discussions, he added.

The minister said the amendments were examined “clause by clause” by the committee members, whose written submissions were included in the final report.

Tarar asserted that all the amendments were prepared with consensus, reflecting a “harmonious approach from all the political parties”.

The law minister clarified various points raised by the senators on Section 230 and said that every amendment in the particular bill was discussed in the parliamentary committee.

It was agreed to have a detailed discussion on all amendments in the next sitting.

Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif supported the law minister’s statement, affirming that all electoral amendments were made with the consensus of all political parties present in Parliament.

He criticised the previous government for its practice of carrying out legislation without adequate consultation with political parties.

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Margins raised to appease petrol dealers

KARACHI: The federal government has agreed to increase the margin of petroleum dealers by Rs 1.64 per litre after a marathon meeting on Monday, in a bid to forestall a strike threatened by dealers.

This was the second round of talks between Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik and Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) representatives, along with other stakeholders of the oil industry and government departments.

According to sources, petroleum dealers expressed reservations over the proposed increase but gave in at the end of a marathon meeting which lasted several hours.

It was agreed that the dealers’ margin would be increased by 41 paise per litre in each of the next four fortnights instead of a one-time raise. This would raise the oil prices by Rs 1.61 per litre, in addition to the revision, if any, made by the government.

After the meeting, the PPDA chairman, Abdul Sami Khan, said dealers were not satisfied but agreed to avoid strikes.

He added the agreement between the dealers and the government also carried signatures of the Ogra chairman and director general.

Currently, the dealers’ margin is Rs6 per litre on petrol and diesel which would increase to Rs 7.64 after two months.

Last week, PPDA —which represents pump owners — called for a nationwide shutdown of petrol stations from July 22 if their margin was not raised.

However, after successful negotiations with the petroleum minister on Friday, the strike was deferred till Monday.

The dealers had been demanding an increase of Rs5 per litre to Rs 11. However, there were reports that the minister in last week’s meeting did not cede to this demand.

Sources said it was agreed that the increase in margins would be decided based on actual data, acceptable to all concerned stakeholders.

The government had also decided to collect petroleum dealers’ sales figures to ascertain their actual profit margin. It was not immediately known what was discussed in the July 24 meeting.

Dealers had also criticised the government for ‘not addressing their concerns’ on the issue of smuggling of diesel and petrol from Iran which, they claimed, had cut their sales by 30pc.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2023

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ICC bans India women’s cricket captain for two matches

India’s women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur was banned for two matches by the game’s apex body on Tuesday for her verbal swipe at umpires and on-field behaviour against Bangladesh.

Kaur was also fined 75 per cent of her match fee by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

She admitted “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision” and “public criticism in relation to an incident occurring in an international match”, the ICC said in a statement, adding that she accepted her punishment.

The team India all-rounder hit the stumps after being given out on 14 in the One-Day International on Saturday — which ended in a rare tie — and later called the umpiring “pathetic”.

She was heard telling her Bangladeshi counterpart Nigar Sultana to invite the umpires on stage after the post-match presentation, forcing the Bangladesh players to opt out of a joint photo session.

Kaur is one of the biggest stars in the women’s game in India, which launched a women’s equivalent of the money-spinning Indian Premier League earlier this year.

The 34-year-old is seen as an aggressive leader and dependable batter, and captained the Mumbai Indians to victory in the inaugural edition of the T20 tournament.

“I have been watching cricket for a long time, but have never seen anyone behave that way,” former women’s captain Diana Edulji wrote in her column in the Indian Express on Tuesday.

“She has set a bad example for her teammates,” Edulji said.

“It was deplorable to see Harmanpreet call the umpires to pose with the Bangladesh team, suggesting that they were part of the team and playing for them.”

Indian men’s World Cup winner Madan Lal also blasted Kaur.

“Harmanpreet’s behaviour against the Bangladesh women’s team was pathetic,” Lal tweeted.

“She is not bigger than the game. She got a very bad name for Indian cricket.” India’s own cricket authorities “should take very strict disciplinary action”, he added.

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Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood propel Pakistan after bowlers delight in 2nd Test against Sri Lanka

Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood smashed half-centuries to help Pakistan take the opening day honours after they bundled out Sri Lanka for 166 in the second Test on Monday.

Pakistan, who lead the two-match series 1-0, reached 145-2 at stumps, trailing Sri Lanka by 21 runs in Colombo.

Shafique, on 74, and skipper Babar Azam, on eight, were at the crease when bad light stopped play for the day.

Shafique put on a second-wicket stand of 108 with the left-handed Masood, who made 51, to put Sri Lanka on the backfoot with their attacking play.

Bowlers set up Pakistan’s dominance after leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed and fast bowler Naseem Shah shared seven wickets between them to dismiss the hosts in the second session.

“We are looking for a big lead and we want to win this game,” said Pakistan’s fast bowler Shah.

“For me, as a fast bowler, every wicket is important.”

In reply, Imamul Haq fell early for six, but Shafique and Masood hit back with a steady flow of boundaries as Pakistan went about with nearly six runs an over for a large part of their innings so far.

Shafique, who was dropped by Prabath Jayasuriya on 42 off his own bowling, reached his fifty with a majestic six off the same bowler.

Masood raised his fifty off 44 balls, but soon departed as fast bowler Asitha Fernando got his second wicket with Kusal Mendis taking a sharp diving catch at mid-wicket.

Shafique, who survived a close lbw call on 74, stood firm and along with Azam saw the rest of the day through as they went past Sri Lanka’s first-innings total.

‘Dictated terms’

Earlier, Pakistan wrapped up the Sri Lankan innings in 48.4 overs after the hosts elected to bat first.

“In these two Tests we have made a lot of mistakes in our batting,” said Sri Lanka’s assistant coach Naveed Nawaz, calling on his players to “come out of this rut and score runs”.

Sri Lanka were in early trouble at 36-4 after play started 30 minutes late due to overnight and early morning rain.

Dhananjaya De Silva, who made 122 and 82 in Sri Lanka’s first Test loss, attempted to hit back in a quickfire knock. He shared a fifth-wicket stand of 85 runs with Dinesh Chandimal, who made 34.

Shah, who took three wickets, broke the stand after he got Chandimal caught by Haq.

Abrar, who returned figures of 4-69, soon got going with two quick wickets, including de Silva’s, to dent Sri Lanka’s hopes of a turnaround.

De Silva reached his 13th Test fifty and then hit a six off Abrar before the spinner had his revenge by getting him caught at mid-wicket.

De Silva batted with freedom, hitting nine fours and a six in his 68-ball innings, until his departure.

“Pakistan’s two fast bowlers … challenged our batsmen to hit to the gaps. They dictated terms to our batsmen with their field setting and the bowlers’ accuracy,” added Nawaz.

Teams

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (captain), Shaud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Agha Salman, Noman Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed.

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka.

Umpires: Alex Wharf (ENG), Chris Gaffaney (NZL) TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS) Match referee: David Boon (AUS)

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