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KARACHI: The government on Wednesday raised Rs778 billion against the treasury bills (T-bills) auction target of Rs800bn, with minor changes in the cut-off yields for different tenors.

The State Bank of Pakistan reported that massive bids of Rs1.844 trillion reflected ample liquidity in the banking sector.

The government slashed the rate for three-month tenor by 20 basis points to 13.69 per cent while the yield on benchmark six-month T-bills was kept unchanged at 13.5pc.

However, the yield on 12-month papers increased by 10bps to 13.19pc.

Compared to the secondary market, the cut-off yields for three-, six- and 12-month T-bills were higher by 47bps, 36bps and 17bps, respectively.

The government is borrowing less than the investors’ expectations mainly because of the higher liquidity available in its accounts.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

ISLAMABAD: The Space and Upper Atmo­sphere Research Comm­ission (Suparco) annou­nced on Wednesday its collaboration on a groundbreaking lunar exploration mission in partnership with China’s Chang’e 8 mission, set to launch in 2028.

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s space programme, as Suparco’s indigenous rover will be part of the mission to explore the lunar surface,” said a press release issued the commission.

The collaboration underscores the strong bilateral relations between Pakistan and China and their shared vision for advancing space exploration. Suparco’s rover, weighing approximately 35 kilogrammes, will join the Chang’e 8 mission, which is part of the larger International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) initiative.

The rover will land on the Moon’s south pole, an area renowned for its challenging terrain and potential for groundbreaking scientific discoveries. The mission’s objectives include exploring the lunar surface, conducting scientific experiments, and testing new technologies for future lunar and planetary exploration.

Key experiments will include the study of lunar soil, the mapping of the lunar surface, and the testing of sustainable technologies for human presence on the Moon.

Suparco’s rover, equipped with state-of-the-art scientific instruments, will play a crucial role in collecting data that could pave the way for future lunar missions.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

TEHRAN: International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi arrived in Iran on Wednesday for discussions on Tehran’s nuclear programme, a week after Donald Trump’s election as the new US president.

Grossi, who is the director general of the UN agency, was greeted on Wednesday evening at the airport by Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran or AEOI.

Grossi is set to meet on Thursday in Tehran with AEOI chief Mohammad Eslami as well as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was chief negotiator in the nuclear talks between Tehran and the major powers that resulted in the 2015 deal formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA.

The deal, reached after 21 months of negotiations between Iran and world powers, gave Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme to guarantee that it could not develop a nuclear weapon — something it has always denied wanting to do. Three years later, then-president Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the agreement and reimposed heavy sanctions against Iran.

European powers pushing for resolution against Iran at IAEA

‘Comprehensive report’

European powers are pushing for a new resolution against Iran by the UN atomic watchdog’s board to pressure Tehran over its poor cooperation, diplomats say.

Such resolutions risk further diplomatic tension with Iran. The resolution would task the IAEA with issuing a so-called “comprehensive report” on Iran’s nuclear activities in addition to its regular quarterly ones, which would describe in more detail and put further focus on problem areas like Iran’s continued failure to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites.

The aim is to force Iran back to the negotiating table to agree new restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

“Our concerns about Iranian nuclear activity are well known. It feels a natural point to be asking the IAEA for a thorough report. That then provides a basis to deal with Iranian behaviour,” a European diplomat said, one of five who said France, Britain and Germany are pushing for a resolution.

The United States has not been the driving force behind the resolution but is still expected to back it, as happened with the last resolution against Iran in June, diplomats said. The European powers seeking a resolution, known as the “E3”, are discussing the draft with the outgoing US administration.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

“It’s been horrible; I’ve been sick on and off for the last 10 days,” said 29-year-old Natasha Sohail, who teaches A-Level students at three private schools in Lahore. She is asthmatic, and last week, her condition worsened with a vertigo attack and fever. “It’s criminal what is happening here,” said an incensed Sohail, referring to the “band-aid measures” taken by the Punjab government.

Lahore also has the distinction of being the world leader in the poor air quality index (AQI), with some neighbourhoods touching over 1,200 on the AQI this month. The AQI measures the level of fine particles (PM2.5), larger particles (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) in the air. An AQI of 151 to 200 is classified as “unhealthy”, 201 to 300 “very unhealthy” and more than 300 as “hazardous”.

For the past eight years, since Sohail was in college and since smog became an annual phenomenon, Sohail has relied on anti-wheezing drugs and inhalers. At home, there are four air purifiers to help her breathe cleaner air.

She’s not alone.

“The hospitals are crowded with tens of thousands of patients suffering from respiratory and heart diseases being treated at hospitals and clinics over the last few weeks,” said Dr Ashraf Nizami, president of the Pakistan Medical Association’s Lahore chapter. “The psychological toll the poor air is taking on people remains under the radar.”

Punjab’s senior minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb, revealing the government’s anti-smog action plan, informed journalists that Lahore endured 275 days of unhealthy AQI levels over the past year, with temperatures rising by 2.3 degrees.

After Lahore’s AQI exceeded 1,000 last week, authorities closed all primary and secondary schools. Punjab’s Secretary for Environment, Raja Jahangir Anwar, warned the closure could continue if air quality doesn’t improve. “Young children are vulnerable, and we want to avoid an emergency,” he said, adding that online learning, like during the COVID pandemic, can be adopted again.

Living in a world of air purifiers

Aliya Khan, 37, a mother of two boys — aged five and one, with the older one suffering from asthma — had installed four imported air purifiers in her home four years ago, each costing Rs31,000. They bought a fifth this year at Rs60,000. “It cost us a fortune, but that’s not all; the filters must be replaced every year, which costs Rs10,000 per machine,” she said.

The private school her five-year-old attends lacks air purifiers in classrooms, leaving parents with no choice but to pool together and buy one for their child’s classroom.

Khan, a development consultant, says air purifiers work best if the home is packed tightly to keep the air from outside entering. “Our windows and doors are poorly insulated and with elderly parents, domestic help and two kids — the air purifiers struggle to maintain their effectiveness.”

Smog brings business for some

Business picks up for 37-year-old Hassan Zaidi as soon as Lahore is covered in smog. He’s currently fulfilling an order for “hundreds of air purifiers” for a foreign school in Lahore.

A computer engineer with a passion for product design, Zaidi started building air purifiers in 2019 for his family after his baby daughter developed a cough. He purchased an imported air purifier, took it apart, and quickly realised that with the right materials, it was no “rocket science” to build one himself.

He claimed his “work better, look better, and cost just Rs25,000.” These air purifiers restart automatically after power outages, are nearly silent, and are easy to repair. The filter costs Rs2,400 and needs replacing each season. Each unit is good for a 500 square feet room if fully sealed.

Authorities take action

Anwar said the government has introduced several measures to reduce emissions and improve air quality, adopting a whole-of-government approach with all departments working together for the first time.

Authorities have already banned barbecuing food without filters and use of motorised rickshaws.

The government distributed 1,000 subsidised super-seeders to farmers as an alternative to burning rice stubble and took legal action against over 400 farmers who violated the burning ban. “This carrot and stick approach will be very effective,” endorsed Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, the executive director of the Islamabad-based think tank, Sustainable Development Policy Institute.

Anwar said super seeders will convert residue into mulch, improving production and speeding sowing. Penalising a few farmers will deter others from breaking the law.

“But the government’s own figures show agriculture contributes less than 4 per cent to smog,” pointed out Hassan Khan, a farmer in Punjab, and added, “Why waste so much time and expense on it; why not focus on the bigger polluters like the transport industry?”

Another measure the government took involved demolishing over 600 of the 11,000 smoke-emitting brick kilns that hadn’t switched to zigzag technology, including 200 in and around Lahore.

Terming brick kilns the “low hanging fruit,” Dr Parvez Hassan, senior advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and president of the Pakistan Environmental Law Association, who, in 2003 and again in 2018, was appointed the chairperson of the Lahore Clean Air Commission and the Smog Commission by the Lahore High Court to come up with the smog policy, did not approve the “arbitrary decision of dismantling” the kilns. In his view, supporting the kiln owners with “available concessional financing for conversion to zizag technology” would be a more effective way.

He added that it was well known that the transport (oil), cement and textile sectors were the bigger polluters, but they were very influential. “Power in Pakistan has always meant being above the law,” he said, adding that the “general lack of political will and effective capability to monitor compliance” also acted as roadblocks.

“No country in the world has succeeded in good environmental policies unless it has first built a capacity to implement! The journey must begin with capacity building!”

However, Anwar said, action has been taken with visits to 15,000 industrial units, sealing 64 mills, and demolishing 152 factories.

With 43pc of air pollution in the province caused by unfit vehicles, Anwar also held the transporters responsible for the smog. He shared that Lahore has 1.3 million cars and 4.5 million two-wheelers, with 1,800 motorcycles added daily. He also mentioned that the traffic police had been ordered to impound vehicles without fitness certificates. Last month, a fine of Rs16.09 million was imposed on over 24,000 substandard vehicles across the province.

“Getting a vehicle fitness certificate in Pakistan is as easy as a blind person getting a license to drive!” said a petroleum expert who requested anonymity. “We need to clean the fuel, scrap old vehicles, and make vehicle emissions testing mandatory,” he added.

Imran Khalid, a climate governance expert, emphasised that improving fuel quality alone wasn’t enough; vehicles and engines also need upgrades to fully benefit from better fuel. He noted that while Euro 5 fuel is available in Pakistan, it’s not widely accessible, and Euro 6 is the standard in India. “I haven’t seen any survey on how many cars in Pakistan have Euro 5 compliant engines,” he added.

“I think it would be far more effective to invest in mass transit, but there is no talk of this issue; we keep making more motorways, widening roads, and bringing in more vehicles on roads in the cities instead of investing in railways and commuter rails,” said farmer Khan.

The petroleum expert urged the government to approve the refinery upgrade policy, which has been delayed for two years, adding that upgrades will take up to five years.

Despite various actions, people in Lahore remain unconvinced, calling them too little, too late.

“The measures announced by the government should have been operationalised at least six months before the smog season and the 24/7 enforcement of these priorities should be rigorously monitored by a dedicated team with support of the public through awareness campaigns,” pointed out advocate Hassan.

Nizami called for year-round efforts against air pollution, questioning why no one is held accountable for cutting millions of trees for unplanned housing while the focus remains on controlling stubble burning.

The Pakistan Air Quality Experts (PAQx) group, a coalition of 27 professionals from public health, environmental science, law, and economics, has written to the prime minister, suggesting the establishment of a “comprehensive, nationwide real-time air quality monitoring network” for informed decision-making and responsive policymaking.

Anwar defended the smog plan, stating it’d been in progress since April and required public cooperation, including staying indoors and wearing masks. Punjab’s senior minister, Marriyum Aurangzeb, warned that failure to wear masks could lead to a complete city lockdown.

“I don’t see the plan working as the air quality is getting from bad to worse,” said Sohail.

Nizami criticised the government for making a lot of noise but taking little action. “It’s shameful how they’ve shifted health responsibilities to the private sector,” he said.

Sohail suggested cloud seeding for artificial rain, noting its positive impact last year. Nizami also supported using artificial rain to clear the haze.

Anwar explained that cloud seeding required the right clouds and humidity. “But we are quite ready and as soon as the timing is right, we will do it,” he promised.

Climate diplomacy

While 70pc of smog in Lahore is locally generated, nearly 30pc comes from India. Manoj Kumar, a scientist with the Finnish Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, noted that the Indo-Gangetic Plain formed an “interconnected airshed,” affecting air quality, but local sources played a major role in Lahore’s pollution levels.

The chief minister is keen to start talks with her Indian counterpart. “Maryam Nawaz will soon send a letter to the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab, expressing her willingness to visit India and invite him to Pakistan,” said Anwar.

Kumar praised the Punjab chief minister’s initiative, emphasising that long-term, coordinated efforts between both countries could lead to improved air quality through a unified approach. But the efforts should not stop at the Punjab regions alone, as the airshed is shared and goes beyond India.

Anwar said Pakistan is considering hosting a “regional climate conference in Lahore soon.”

Header image: Smog near the Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) in Faisalabad, a city about 120km from Lahore and the third most populous city after Karachi and Lahore. Credits: Khalid Mahmood/Wiki & handout.

This article was originally published in Inter Press Service and has been reproduced here with permission.

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Wednesday said his government is committed to providing maximum opportunities to girls to excel in education and sports.

He said that perseverance was key to success in life and that striving forward with determination and high spirits ultimately led to success.

He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of All Pakistan Inter-Boards Girls Cricket and Tennis Championship held at the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Peshawar, according to a statement issued from the chief minister’s secretariat on Wednesday.

The competitions commenced on Nov 9, featuring teams from KP and various other educational boards from across the country.

Mr Gandapur welcomed the participants from other provinces and emphasised the importance of organising sports alongside academic activities.

“The purpose of holding such events is to polish the skills of our youth, and get them prepared for practical life ahead,” the statement quoted Mr Gandapur as saying. “Challenges are part of the journey to success and should be faced head-on,” he added.

“A person becomes great when he dreams big,” he said while quoting PTI founder Imran Khan, adding that one must set ambitious goals and move forward with courage.

The chief minister congratulated the Lahore Board’s cricket team on its victory, and affirmed the importance of investing in youth.

Mr Gandapur also announced cash prizes of Rs50,000 for each participating team.

He also distributed trophies and shields among the players.

In tennis, the Lahore Board secured the first position followed by Mardan, while Peshawar Board and Punjab Board of Technical Education, Lahore, shared the third position.

Similarly, the Lahore Board clinched the first position in the cricket tournament, while Peshawar remained the runner-up.

The chief minister also inaugurated a newly-constructed gymnasium at the Peshawar BISE, which has been established at a cost of Rs160 million. The facility includes boxing, karate, taekwondo, wrestling rings, a table tennis court and a fitness gym.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Intern­ational Airlines (PIA) will transport 35,000 Haj pilgrims to the holy land under a government scheme in 2025.

A spokesman for PIA said the Ministry of Religious Affairs and PIA have signed an agreement, under which the national flag carrier will operate special flights from six cities — Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Multan and Sukkur — to transport 35,000 Haj pilgrims to the holy land in 2025.

The agreement was signed by PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal Aamir Hayat and additional religious affairs secretary Dr Syed Ata-ur-Rehman.

The PIA CEO reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to provide best possible services to the Haj pilgrims.

The federal cabinet recently approved the Haj Policy for 2025, setting the cost for pilgrimage between Rs1,075,000 and Rs1,175,000. The sacrifice amount of Rs55,000 will be in addition to Haj expenses. This year’s Haj quota for Pakistan is 179,210, divided equally between government and private sector. Children under the age of 12 will not be allowed to travel for Haj.

The “Road to Makkah” facility will be available at Islamabad and Karachi airports. Haj group organisers will sign service provider agreements with the ministry of religious affairs, and these organisers will be closely monitored for provision of services.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

QUETTA: Unknown armed men attacked the camp of a road construction company in Duki district on Wednesday, setting fire to machinery and kidnapping three labourers working at the site.

Police officials said the armed men stormed the camp, which was set up for the construction of a road linking Duki to the Chamalang coal mines field. The attackers cordoned off the camp, ransacked it and set fire to the construction machinery and other equipment.

“Machinery was completely gutted in the fire,” said a senior police officer, adding that the armed men, while fleeing the scene, also abducted three labourers at gunpoint. The kidnapped workers belong to Kuchlak.

The Duki region has been experiencing such incidents for several months. Last month, 21 coal miners were killed and six others injured when unknown armed men attacked the coal mine area in Duki. In addition, several trucks transporting coal to Punjab and other parts of the country were set on fire along the Duki-Loralai road and other areas.

Just last week, four coal-laden trucks were attacked and set on fire, and a truck driver was killed in the assault. Due to the ongoing violence, many mine owners in the area have been forced to close their mines for security reasons.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

AFTER Pakistan floated the idea of ‘climate diplomacy’ to tackle cross-border pollution in light of smog which has engulfed vast tracts of India and Pakistan, a US official indicated on the sidelines of COP29 that the White House may throw its weight behind any initiative taken in this regard.

Last month, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed her government’s intention to approach India to jointly counter the air pollution, which mostly comes from vehicular and industrial emissions, and is exacerbated in winter due to stubble burning.

Talking to Dawn on the sidelines of COP29 in Baku, Ali Zaidi — national climate adviser to the Biden administration — said the US was “100 per cent supportive” of partnership-based approaches to tackle problems that cannot be solved in isolation.

“In the US, we have this thing called the ‘good neighbour rule’, which governs smog. It actually was developed when we witnessed exactly this phenomenon in the US. So you know when it comes to cross-border pollution and cross-border issues, we are 100pc suportive of partnership-based approaches to tackle problems that cannot be solved on their own,” he said in response to a question about smog, which has made life unbearable for millions in Pakistan.

The White House official said the US was already active in the Hindu Kush — often referred to as ‘The Third Pole’ for housing the most glaciers in the world outside the polar regions — to better coordinate the mitigation response, because environmental impacts from glaciers do not isolate themselves to one jurisdiction.

“I think the regional solutions are a necessary complement to this sort of multilateral dialogue,” he said, referring to the COP summit.

The adviser said regional cooperation among relevant parties to address climate change would have more impact than putting “another ornament on a 1,000-page document (COP)”.

In response to a question about the failure of the world to help Pakistan after the 2022 floods caused damages to the tune of $30 billion, he said the global community needed to reinvent its approach to rebuilding from disasters, particularly by investing in pre-disaster mitigation.

According to the White House official, the US took a really long time to reengineer its thinking domestically in terms of building resilience into the recovery.

He favoured approaches that ran “consistent with the financial position” of states that needed to do rebuilding, saying there was a need to mobilise more countries to move more capital to help with adaptation and mitigation in these vulnerable countries.

In response to a question about the loan-laden climate finance framework, he said, “If you are targeting projects that have very clear cash flow and a strong counterparty then debt works just fine.”

He agreed some concessionary capital did need to come in depending on the technological aspect, the richness of the resources and the maturity of the market, while referring to India’s solar projects.

Vulnerable areas need significant grant-based aid, but there is still a need to figure out how to monetise risk reduction associated with adaptation finance and that’s why it was difficult to do. These places are going to soak up more grant-based finance, he said.

Speaking about the Trump-led US administration all set to take over from the Biden administration, he appeared optimistic, saying the states in the US will figure out how to provide the policy support even if the federal government stopped being part of it. About the US, he said it should remain part of the dialogue and be the author of the roadmap that will govern the contours of climate finance for decades to come.

Produced as part of the 2024 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organised by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Centre for Peace and Security.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

PESHAWAR / QUETTA: An important ‘commander’ of a banned organisation was among 16 terrorists killed and six others injured in gun battles, retaliatory attacks and operations carried out in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it was officially announced on Wednesday.

Security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) on the reported presence of khwarij (the military’s terminology for the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) in the Miramshah area of North Waziristan district between Nov 12 and 13, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The security forces effectively engaged the terrorist locations during the operation. Eight terrorists were killed and six others injured during the exchange of fire.

In the Kech area of Balochistan, four terrorists, including an important ‘commander’, were killed in a gun battle during an operation, the ISPR said.

Majeed Brigade man was responsible for choosing suicide bombers, says ISPR

In a statement, the military’s media wing said that on the night between Nov 12 and 13, security forces conducted IBOs in the general area Balgatar of Kech district on the reported presence of terrorists.

After an intense exchange of fire between the troops and the terrorists, a high-value target, terrorists’ ringleader Sana alias Baru was killed along with three other terrorists.

The ISPR said that Sana was the focal recruitment agent, especially for suicide bombers, for the so-called Majeed Brigade wing of the banned Balochistan Liberation Army in Kech district and was highly wanted by the law enforcement agencies.

Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the killed terrorists.

Sanitisation operations were being conducted in Miramshah and Kech to eliminate any other terrorists found in the areas, the ISPR said, adding that security forces were determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country and thwart attempts to sabotage peace, stability and progress of Balochistan.

Earlier in the day, four terrorists were killed in two encounters conducted by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel in Malakand, officials said.

Arms and ammunitions were seized after the gun battles, they added.

In the first encounter, three terrorists were killed when the CTD personnel retaliated against attackers in the Sher Khana Palai area. The dead militants were identified as Rizwan alias Bodagay, Salman, and Abdur Rehman alias Shadmani.

Rizwan was wanted by the police and security forces for his involvement in various terrorism-related cases, and was also involved in the firing incident at the historic Churchill Packet, they said.

Deputy Inspector General CTD Hassan Raza told a press conference in Batkhela that his department had received information on Oct 23 that some terrorists had sneaked into the country from Afghanistan and they were planning to carry out subversive activities in different districts of Malakand Division, including Bajaur, Malakand and Swat.

He said that terrorists attacked a CTD team, which had placed barricades on a road at the Sher Khana Palai area to check their movement. In a retaliatory action, the CTD personnel killed three terrorists.

The CTD personnel recovered three Kalashnikovs, hand grenades, pistols and live rounds from the dead militants.

During the other encounter, security forces killed a terrorist, identified as Abdullah.

DIG Raza, flanked by SP Malakand Amjad Ali Khan, stated that the killed terrorists, who belonged to the Sher Khana Palai area, were wanted by the police and security forces for their involvement in several terrorism-related cases. He said a search operation continued in the area.

Gohar Ali Gohar in Malakand also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

LONDON: In a dramatic turn of events at the Old Bailey, Urfan Sharif confessed to the murder of his 10-year-old daughter, Sara Sharif, admitting in court that he “takes full responsibility” for her tragic death.

Sharif detailed the brutal treatment he inflicted upon the girl, acknowledging he beat her with a cricket bat and metal pole, leading to her death on Aug 8, 2023, days before her body was discovered in their Surrey home.

The confession came during cross-examination by Caroline Carberry KC, who asked him bluntly if he had killed her by beating. “Yes, she died because of me,” Sharif responded. He revealed that he had struck Sara “severely” over several weeks, reportedly because he was angered by her frequent episodes of soiling herself and vomiting.

Sharif, 42, his wife, Beinash Batool, 30 and his brother Faisal Malik, 29, all facing charges related to what prosecutors have described as a “campaign of abuse” against Sara. The trio fled to Pakistan shortly after Sara’s death, with Sharif later calling the British police to confess he had “beat her up too much”.

A handwritten note, found near Sara’s fully clothed body, further documented Sharif’s admission, stating: “I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it.”

Medical examination reports presented to the court were harrowing. Sara’s postmortem revealed 71 external injuries, including fractures, burns, and bite marks.

When confronted with images of Sara’s injuries, Sharif appeared unable to look, repeatedly saying, “I accept everything,” as Carberry questioned him on the details of his alleged actions.

The prosecution presented a disturbing video clip from Aug 6, showing Sara dancing just two days before her death. Despite this glimpse of her lively spirit, Sharif admitted to brutally beating her that same evening.

The defence team for Sharif later sought a private consultation with him in court, delaying further proceedings.

The trial, however, continues, with Sharif and co-defendants maintaining not guilty pleas to the charges of murder and causing or allowing the child’s death.

Cross-examination

During the hearing, Carberry asked: “Do you accept that you had been beating Sara severely over a number of weeks?” He replied: “Yes, ma’am.”

He went on to accept attacking Sara with a cricket bat repeatedly and causing 25 fractures to her body.

Carberry continued: “I want to ask you about the occasions when you assaulted her with a cricket bat. What had she done to deserve such beatings in your mind?”

Sharif replied: “Nothing.”

She asked: “Why were you beating her so forcefully?”

He replied: “I was wrong.”

She continued: “Were you angry with her because in the summer of last year, she had started soiling herself?”

He replied: “Yes ma’am.”

She added: “And she had started vomiting, hadn’t she?” to which Sharif replied: “Yes, ma’am.”

Carberry asked: “And when she was sick you would get angry? And when she soiled herself you would get angry?” He replied: “Yes ma’am.”

He accepted causing injuries to Sara’s face and head by beating her with the bat and metal pole on 6 Aug.

Carberry continued: “You have pleaded not guilty to the offence of murder. Would you like that charge to be put to you again?”

He replied: “Yes ma’am.”

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

LONDON: Ruing ‘mistakes’ by petty individuals in the past, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that these errors had cost the country and democracy dearly.

Speaking at a workers’ convention at a local hotel, the PML-N chief said that if not for that ‘disturbance’, Pakistan would have been an Asian Tiger by now, or even a member of the G20 group of nations.

Although he did not name anyone in particular, it seemed from his words that he was addressing the judiciary, as he recounted incidents such as his removal from office in the Panamagate case.

“It was done for a personal agenda, not for the nation’s benefits. You know those faces… it’s unfortunate that they did it for their petty interests, for menial personal gains, they put the country on the line and kept sending prime ministers home,” he said.

He also regretted that a man like him was disqualified from politics for life, removed as president of the party and kept out of elections. “What were these decisions? What was the need? Who did this? Was it for the country or on a personal whim,” he asked, rhetorically.

In a series of references to what he termed ‘irregular conduct’ of judges, he recalled how one judge’s son had sought money in exchange for securing election tickets — a veiled reference to a purported audio recording where a voice alleged to belong to Najamus Saqib, the son of former CJP Saqib Nisar, could be heard asking a PTI ticket aspirant for money.

He also referred to a judge who was removed from office — a reference to former SC judge Mazahar Naqvi — saying, “Look at his assets, these are the people who have done this.

“It’s painful when I think of these things, one cannot criticise these actions enough. It is fortunate now that there is optimism in Pakistan, that it is coming out of darkness. One hopes that the country succeeds, the nation prospers. Had we not been thwarted, there would have been employment for everyone, housing for everyone.”

Mr Sharif was flanked by his daughter, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

Maryam’s health

In her remarks, Ms Sharif refuted rumours about her health. “I have been working very hard for the last 8-9 months. I have a thyroid issue, last year I had a surgery. People keep asking why can’t I be treated at a hospital in Pakistan,” she said.

She said that while all her treatment had been carried out in Pakistan, the particular malady she had, which she called “parathyroid”, could only be treated in two countries, in Switzerland or America not even England. “I don’t want to play the victim and talk about my illness,” she said.

The previous day, Ms Sharif had addressed the rumours surrounding her health, saying: “My treatment is underway, but I am fine.”

Khawaja Asif heckled

In a video that went viral on social platforms on Wednesday, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif could be seen being heckled on a London train by an unknown man.

The video shows the defence minister being filmed on a train by a man who later abuses him and calls him names, saying that he could be attacked by a knife.

Sources said the incident occurred a few days ago in London on the underground train service Elizabeth Line.

However, Mr Asif did not mention this incident at the workers’ event later on Wednesday night.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

• Hike in petroleum levy, imposition of GST on petroleum products not expected anytime soon
• Govt sees economic activity picking up next month due to stable rupee, lower policy rate
• Senate body points to issues in Islamic banking, fraudulent POS receipts, fake ATM notes
• 10pc levy on transport with Iran has left over 600 trucks stalled

ISLAMABAD: The Inter­national Monetary Fund (IMF) is reported to have expressed satisfaction over the increase in the tax-to-GDP ratio by nearly 1.5 percentage points, relieving the authorities from any push for additional tax measures through a mini-budget.

According to sources closely involved in ongoing discussions with the visiting IMF mission, the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) revenue collection target for the current fiscal year will remain unchanged at Rs12.97 trillion. Authorities have ruled out the need for additional taxes or a mini-budget, citing the IMF’s positive response.

Officials said that economic activity is expected to pick up by December in view of a stable exchange rate and a reduction in the State Bank’s policy rate, likely offsetting a tax shortfall of around Rs190 billion recorded in the first four months (July to October) of the fiscal year.

There would neither be any increase in the petroleum levy nor would general sales tax (GST) be imposed on petroleum products, the sources said after a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue presided over by PPP Senator Salim Mandviwalla.

They said the tax-to-GDP ratio had increased from 8.8pc to 10.3pc and the IMF was satisfied with this 1.5 percentage point improvement.

The sources reiterated the commitment given to the IMF that tax collection on agriculture income would start from the next fiscal year. They said that tax reforms were progressing and the draft Tax Laws Amendment Ordinance 2024 had been presented to the prime minister for approval. The ordinance contains a new family income tax return system and abolishes the concepts of non-filers and late filers.

The sources, however, hinted at tinkering with the Tajir Dost Scheme to effectively bring in traders into the tax net and said these were being discussed with the IMF mission during the ongoing meetings.

The IMF has been told that the FBR collected Rs12bn from retailers during the first quarter of 2024-25, although only 500,000 potential retailers were the target out of three million small shopkeepers.

‘Slow progress on Islamic banking’

Earlier, the Senate panel decided to call scholars of the Council of Islamic Ideology to have input on the working of Islamic banking operations in Pakistan, for which a special session would be arranged.

The central bank’s deputy governor told the panel that Riba was the main difference between conventional banking and Islamic banking.

Senator Farooq H. Naek pointed out that full implementation of Islamic banking was committed for 2027, but progress had been very slow. The SBP’s deputy governor emphasised the need for continued deliberation on Islamic banking and assured the committee that several banks were actively working towards compliance.

FBR Chairman Rashid Mehmood Langrial told the panel that FBR’s enforcement would be improved in the coming months after approval of a transformation plan, including enhancing the board’s operational expertise, organisational capacities and anti-smuggling measures.

Key discussions during the meeting included the contentious 10pc levy on transport and businesses between Pakistan and Iran, raised by Senator Manzoor Ahmad Kakar in a Senate session. The committee resolved to report to the house that the issue may be referred to the Standing Committee on Communications, noting that the levy, imposed with the federal government’s approval, did not pertain to the Federal Board of Revenue.

While FBR officials emphasised that this specific tax was not their responsibility, Senator Kakar raised concerns that Pakistani trucks were being unfairly taxed, with over 600 trucks currently parked due to the levy. The committee agreed to forward the matter to the Communications Committee for further deliberation.

The committee also discussed concerns raised by Senator Mohsin Aziz regarding the fee collected by FBR for point of sale (POS) services and its utilisation. The FBR chairman confirmed the introduction of a policy to penalise businesses that are issuing fake POS receipts, imposing fines of Rs500,000 and shutting down shops involved in such practices.

Senator Aziz highlighted weaknesses in enforcement, with some fake receipts circulating in the mar­ket, including a bill in Islamabad marked “tentative”. The FBR chairman acknowledged the issue and assured that enforcement mea­sures would be strengthened soon.

A key briefing by the SBP highlighted the performance of banking branches in smaller provinces, revealing that as of June 30, 2024, there were 3,334 banking branches operating in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, accounting for 20pc of the total nationwide branches. Additionally, 199 branches of microfinance banks were serving these regions, representing 13pc of the country’s total microfinance network.

Another pressing issue discussed was the problem of counterfeit currency dispensed from ATMs. Senator Kakar cited a case where a young man received fake Rs5,000 notes from an ATM. The CEO of a commercial bank assured the committee that security measures were being enhanced to address this issue.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

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