How Islamabad's elite are destroying Bani Gala

How Islamabad's elite are destroying Bani Gala:

Once known for its quiet, scenic beauty and multitude of bird species, Bani Gala is now faced with a problem that threatens to destroy the area: rich people wanting to build palatial houses, and the real estate agents and land grabbers that follow behind.

The hills have now become a lucrative business venture, with buyers lining up to purchase property at prices that are lower than the rest of Islamabad. Much to the chagrin of locals, houses are being constructed at the cost of the environment, particularly the large-scale, unplanned cutting of trees.
Even though Bani Gala constitutes a rural part of Islamabad, it now exudes the air of an upscale neighbourhood. Many influential politicians, military generals, judges, bureaucrats and businessmen have residences in the vicinity. The once quiet hills are now covered with poorly constructed roads leading up to giant concrete constructs that are peppered across the landscape.
The area shot to fame in 1992 when an operation was conducted by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on the house of nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan which was allegedly built on encroached land. Later in 2003, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan bought around 300 kanals of land in Bani Gala, and started living there after building a lavish house.
"In Bani Gala, the real boom in property business came about with the arrival of Imran Khan, and its now expanding every day," says local property dealer Raja Jawad.
Even though official records are not available for the number of trees and plants that have been chopped down for construction, long-time residents of Bani Gala say the number must run in thousands.
"If you compare Bani Gala's on-ground situation to how it was five years ago, you will find a massive change in the environment, which is a direct result of unending construction," says a local Waseem Abbasi.
Another factor contributing to rapid deforestation is the presence of influential land grabbers who have managed to encroach large chunks of land adjacent to the Korangi River in Bani Gala's Morah Noor area.
The encroachers cut down trees and dump waste into the river, which is one of the major water reservoirs for the nearby Rawal dam that supplies water to the twin cities. 
The water flowing from these illegal settlements and livestock pens threatens to completely contaminate the Korangi River, impacting wildlife and those reliant on water from the dam.  
The CDA's satellite images of Islamabad's different zones show that encroachments in the federal capital, including Bani Gala, have risen by 70 per cent in the last 10 years.
Earlier in 2014, the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency issued a notification for a complete ban on unapproved new structures in Rawal Lake’s catchment areas. Despite the notification, construction continues unabated. 
“Every passing day, one can see new houses built adjacent to the catchment area of Rawal dam and nobody dares stop these violators who come in their four-wheel Prados and land cruisers, says a bitter local Sher Ali who built his house two years ago in Bani Gala.
"If Islamabad's local administration and CDA really want to preserve nature, they should enforce a complete ban on tree-cutting in the area, and mafias should be restricted from engaging in deforestation because it is a punishable act under the law, says senior citizen and resident of Bani Gala's Mohra Noor area, Muhammad Gulzar. 
For its part, the CDA says it is monitoring the situation.
"Even though most of the land is privately-owned, the CDA can still take action against rapid deforestation under the Forest Act; we have not turned a blind eye to these environmental issues, says CDA member planning Syed Mustafeen Kazmi.
He adds that the CDA's forest wing has on occasion taken action against tree-cutting under the Forest Act.
A visit to Bani Gala however suggests little is being done. The CDA forest department's check posts are locked and appear abandoned.

 

SC seeks Imran Khan’s response to CDA claim

SC seeks Imran Khan’s response to CDA claim:


ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s answer to the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) claim that his 300 kanal estate to be one of 122 buildings raised illegally in the Banigala area.  

An SC bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar also asked the CDA and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration to submit comprehensive data on the allotment of land at the banks of Rawal Lake during the last 20 years. The court wondered why the administration and police had failed to act against illegal buildings when they were being constructed.

“Let the CDA and ICT apprise the court about laws which were prevalent at the time when different structures were being made in the area which according to them were unauthorised,” the court observed, and also sought the CDA’s response about the regularisation of legal and illegal constructions in the area.

The court also sought assistance from Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf in helping the court understand the Islamabad zoning laws as well as the boundary of the Botanical Garden, and observed that building bylaws should be enforced throughout the capital.

In a fresh report before the SC, the CDA has asserted that 122 illegal or unauthorised buildings are either under construction or have been completed, in violation of the ICT Zoning Regulations, and are thus required to be demolished.

The report also highlighted that Mr Khan’s residents was on the list of 122 illegal constructions.

The SC was hearing a case related to high levels of encroachment on the Botanical Garden and unplanned and unregistered plazas in the Banigala area. The court took suo motu notice of the case based on a letter by Mr Khan himself, inviting the court’s attention towards unchecked and unplanned construction in the Banigala area, massive denuding due to large-scale tree felling and the pollution of Rawal Lake by sewerage.

In his letter, Mr Khan had criticised the unplanned and unregulated buildings cropping up in Banigala with no sewerage or waste disposal systems in place. If left unchecked, the refuse from these buildings would find its way in Rawal Lake, which stores drinking water for Rawalpindi residents.

During the proceedings, Justice Umar Ata Bandial said the court could not order the demolition of all 122 constructions and, since the law should treat everyone equally, pulling down one residence could not be ordered.

Babar Awan, the counsel for Mr Khan, also asked on Wednesday why the CDA report reached the media beforehand, describing the matter as a “breach of confidentiality”.

The court also asked the administration to inform the court on the measures needed to enforce a sewerage and refuse collection system in the area.

Zafar Ali Shah, representing 12 Banigala residents, moved an application during the proceedings to become party in the matter, highlighting the prohibition on the construction of any infrastructure within a two kilometre radius of Rawal Lake, including the national park and Botanical Garden area where illegal constructions have been raised.

The counsel argued that the 2km area also encompasses buildings such as the Supreme Court, Prime Minister’s Secretariat and Convention Centre, and criticised CDA officials for accepting bribes before granting permission for construction in the prohibited area.

Referring to the CDA report, the counsel regretted that such illegal constructions were built after greasing the palms of CDA officials.

At this, the chief justice regretted that bribery allegations were embarrassing for the court, and the hearing was then postponed until the first week of June.

Teenager killed in shelling by Indian border guards in AJK: police

Teenager killed in shelling by Indian border guards in AJK: police:

A teenager was killed and three others were injured when India’s border security guards shelled different villages in Azad Jammu and Kashmir overnight, police said on Thursday.

 

“A mortar shell pierced through the concrete roof of one house in Sabzkot village at about 2am, killing one and injuring two others while they were asleep,” said Chaudhry Zulqarnain Sarfraz, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Kotli district.

Sabzkot village is located in the closest proximity of Charhoi sector in Kotli district.

The deceased was identified as Rizwan, 18, and the injured were his 14-year old sibling Kamran and 80-year old grandmother Wilayat Begum. They were rushed to district headquarters (DHQ) hospital in the neighbouring Mirpur district, the SSP said.

He said another person – Raja Aziz, 75 — was injured in the Tayin village of Khuiratta sector, also in Kotli district.

The SSP said there had been intense shelling through the night, but the intensity had receded in the morning.

The Samahni sector of Bhimber district also came under shelling, but no casualty was reported from there, a police official in Samahni said.

Samahni sector is adjacent to Charhoi sector of Kotli district.

On May 6, four persons from the same family were injured in Nakyal sector of Kotli district after a shell had landed on their house in the Dharoti Mohra village.

Tensions are once again running high between Pakistan and India at the heavily militarised LoC, particularly after India alleged earlier this month that Pakistan army troops had killed two Indian soldiers and mutilated their bodies in Buttal sector (Indian Krishna Ghatti Sector).

Pakistan denied the charge, saying such an act was against the values strictly adhered to by the army.

 

Will energy shortage be overcome?

Will energy shortage be overcome?

Pakistan continues to face an average shortage of 4,000 megawatts in the power sector owing to a substantial disconnect between installed power capacity and actual generation.  

Due to energy shortage, industrial and commercial entities have installed back-up diesel generators, while households use battery-powered Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) apparatus, often at significantly higher costs.

Small and medium-sized indus­trial and commercial enterprises and households which cannot afford these high-cost alternatives have frequently been at the rough end of the stick.

Despite hydropower being the cheapest source of electricity for Pakistan, the prohibitively high capital costs to supplement the existing hydro resources has distorted the hydro-thermal ratio in the power generation mix and resulted in a significant increase in energy cost.

In the absence of cutting edge technology and transmission network challenges, the indigenisation cost of solar and wind-based power is untenable.

Pakistan has also been looking forward to electricity imports from central Asia to mitigate pressing power shortages.

Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA) through which Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will supply 1,300MW of electricity to Pakistan during the summer season, was formally launched last May. The fragile security situation in Afghanistan has already led to upward cost revisions in the project which will ultimately have an impact on the final tariff.

However, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s plans — to add to the national grid and overcome the acute electricity shortage by 2018 — have been boosted by the large funding received under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework.

The project has essentially provided coal-based (especially Thar coal) energy financing which Pakistan was seeking to replace costlier generation. Reportedly, 19 energy projects valuing $34bn have been identified as ‘early harvest’, prioritised by the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee.

Primarily coal-based power projects, with a cumulative capacity of about 5,000MW, would be operational during 2018. The government expects that this generation, added to the output from some other non-CPEC projects, will all but overcome the envisaged 8,000MW demand-supply gap.

There are apprehensions that major power projects may not come on stream as per announced schedule due to a variety of factors including technical, physical, and financial limitations.

There are also questions about how well the weak and unreliable Transmission and Distribution (T&D) system will cope with this new influx of energy and whether there is enough infrastructural support to transmit it across the country.

Currently the system is barely able to cope with the existing power generated. Transmission lines, cables and transformation copper parts are dilapidated due to inadequate upgrading, repair and maintenance; while most transformers are over-loaded with little or no maintenance by the cash-strapped government-owned distributors.

To improve system resilience, under the CPEC, an 878 kilometre long 4,000MW transmission line is to be constructed for power dispersal from south Pakistan to Lahore and Faisalabad in the North. This key link in the transmission infrastructure is expected to be in place by end-2018 at the earliest.

Power sector analysts, however, believe that the timelines of power generation and transmission have not been coordinated effectively.

No new infrastructure initiative is planned to transmit power to energy-starved Balochistan which currently does not have the capacity to absorb energy beyond 500MW.

Also the government´s desperation to end power shortages has led to investors being offered far too generous tariffs, saddling consumers with some of the most expensive electricity in the region.

While new generation projects can help alleviate the physical shortfall once completed, they have been negotiated without being subjected to competition to provide electricity at an optimum cost. The government has in fact offered up to 34.5pc annual return on equity contributions under the CPEC and loans have been obtained at 6pc interest rate, excluding insurance cost.

The energy sector will continue to be a major focus in the lead-up to the 2018 elections since resolving this crisis figured prominently in PML-N’s manifesto.

Due to almost 5pc greater electricity generation by independent power producers (IPPs), the average duration of load-shedding in urban areas has currently been reduced to 2-5 hours per day, as compared to the 6-10 hours when PML-N assumed control.

However, chunks of rural areas continue to remain off-grid and those that are connected suffer through prolonged power outages.

The government is still looking for quick fixes to the mega crisis. Since taking office, the government has repeatedly stated its intent to overcome load shedding in time for the next poll, likely in May 2018. However, the PM’s regular stock taking of the progress notwithstanding, the inadequate and obsolete T&D network and partial progress in addressing the deep structural issues casts a shadow over the viability of the timeline.

There is growing anxiousness among PML-N leaders about the extent to which the government will be able to tackle load shedding before they hit the road for the general election campaign.

The government is low on credibility as regards its pronouncements about solving energy constraints. Only one-fourth of the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) budget for water and power projects has been released in the first eight months of the ongoing fiscal year.

The Thar coalfields were declared a ‘game changer’ last April with the potential to generate 100,000MW of electricity. The same is true for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) agreement with Qatar. The outcomes that have followed have been decidedly modest and show the sheer opacity under which the entire power sector operates.

Even information on the basic nature and intensity of the energy crisis as shared by concerned authorities is often inconsistent. Transparency is needed in every area of the sector so that a reliable picture can be built of its state of affairs.

According to a Nationwide Public Opinion Poll, conducted last August by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) on assessing citizens’ views on ‘quality of governance’ in Pakistan, only 38pc of the respondents expressed satisfaction with the performance of the federal government to improve the electricity situation. A much higher proportion (58pc) believes that the present government is unlikely to solve the energy crisis.

K-Electric cites low gas pressure as Karachiites complain of prolonged power cuts

K-Electric cites low gas pressure as Karachiites complain of prolonged power cuts:

The main provider of electricity to Karachi, K-Electric, on Wednesday issued a press release citing low gas pressure as a reason behind the "brief disruption of power" many citizens within the metropolis are experiencing for the past two days.


K-Electric's press release came at least seven hours after the Sui Southern Gas Company ─ a government-run organisation managing country's natural gas assets ─ issued a tweet, saying because of low line pack pressure, supply of compressed natural gas will remain suspended on Thursday.  

The power supply company tweeted the press release as patrons from various areas in the city took to Twitter to complain about the unannounced power cut over the last two days.

In its press release, K-Electric stated, "Power supply in some areas was interrupted briefly due to the tripping at one of the units of [the company's] power plants that occurred on Tuesday and low gas pressure on Wednesday."

"To manage the load, select areas of the city faced intermittent interruption in power supply," it added.

K-Electric further stated it is rotating the "load management spells... and kept [them] brief in duration to minimise the inconvenience", adding that it is working with relevant authorities to restore the gas pressure during the day.

However, some citizens continue to experience prolonged power cuts, seemingly lasting longer in some areas than others. 

In its reply to the irate customer, K-Electric said, "Loadshedding is being carried out in the city to manage the power shortfall."

To another patron inquiring about the loadshedding schedule, the company said, "It is being conducted temporarily and as per system requirement." 

After repeated prodding by citizens regarding the power cut timings, the company issued various responses, once saying, "The estimated time [between power cuts] cannot be shared."  

However, the company has been in constant touch with its patrons via Twitter, asking whether it is a voltage issue or complete power outage. In case of the latter, it is asking patrons to inform K-Electric whether the power keeps going out on intervals once restored.

Lack of 'anticipated planning'

Reports from various parts of the country earlier this week suggested six to eight hours of load-shedding in major urban centres and up to 18 hours in the rural areas.

The reports followed a meeting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had in April, in which he had told the federal cabinet and the departments concerned that he wants to see an end to electricity loadshedding by Decem­ber this year and will not hesitate to take action against the officials found responsible for gaps in power supply.

The prime minister in the meeting was also told that there was no unscheduled loadshedding even now as hydropower generation had improved and power cuts averaged below five hours. This was in addition to uninterrupted power supplies to the industrial sector.

An official statement said the prime minister expressed displeasure over the current loadshedding schedule. He said it was the government’s responsibility to provide relief to the masses.

“Anticipated planning has not been exercised by the relevant ministries and their organisations for which responsibility must be fixed,” the prime minister was quoted as saying in the statement.

 

TV, social media ban in IHK shows India has lost control over Kashmir: Hurriyet leaders

TV, social media ban in IHK shows India has lost control over Kashmir: Hurriyet leaders:

 The All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC) on Tuesday condemned an Indian government ban on the airing of 34 Pakistani and Saudi TV channels in held Kashmir, terming the move a 'strangulation of the freedom of expression' and an indication that New Delhi had lost control over the Kashmiri people.

 

The state government in India-held Kashmir had earlier this week initiated action against different TV channels after concerns that the content in these channels may 'incite violence' and 'disrupt the law and order' situation in the disputed region.

The channels banned air news, entertainment, food and cuisine, religion and sports programmes.

The APHC, in a statement issued in Srinagar said: "It is quite strange to ban those channels which are specific to Quran and religious programmes. It is tantamount to a direct interference in religious matters."

The statement called the ban 'deplorable' and claimed that: "It is a step towards the creation of a Hindu Rashtra," the Kashmir Media Service reported.

"These steps reflect their future course of targeting the Muslim community and Islam. Its repercussions may perhaps be severe if the decision is not revoked by authorities,” the statement said.

The forum, which is led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, termed the ban 'shameful' and said: "The real purpose behind all these actions is to isolate the Kashmiri population."

A spokesman, quoting Farooq, said: "The authorities do not want the reality of Kashmir to be highlighted internationally. They do not want the people of Kashmir to have access to information other than what India filters into Kashmir through its state and corporate-run media," he added.

"The restrictions on social media and TV channels in Kashmir have been imposed at the behest of the communal forces of India," Mirwaiz said in the statement, cautioning that such restrictions could further deteriorate the situation in the territory.

Other Hurriyet leaders, including Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Masroor Abbas Ansari, in separate statements said the ban is evidence that New Delhi has 'lost control' over the Kashmiri people.

The ban has come nearly two weeks after the Indian government imposed an unprecedented ban on 22 social networking sites in IHK on April 26.

Ecnec okays Rs143bn development projects

Ecnec okays Rs143bn development projects:

 ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) and Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Wednesday cleared a total of nine development projects with an estimated cost of about Rs143 billion. 

 

In a meeting presided over by the Minister of Finance Ishaq Dar, the council approved two projects with a total estimated cost of Rs28.5bn. These include the Gwadar Airport Project worth Rs17.6bn and the World Bank-funded Financial Inclusion and Infrastructure Project worth Rs14.32bn ($137 million).

A committee led by Secretary Planning and Development was directed to rationalise the cost and scope of the financial inclusion project.

The committee noted the project’s objectives were in line with the aims of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy currently being implemented by the government to achieve universal financial inclusion in the country. The project was cleared by the CDWP. 

A committee was also constituted to design another project and work out cost estimates of Expressway at Gwadar Port so that formal negotiations with China could begin for loan and implementation.

The committee held detailed discussions on the construction of an expressway on the east bay of Gwadar Port. The project will be financed through an interest free loan from the Chinese government under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The project envisages construction of 18.981 km 4-lane divided expressway with embankment for 6-lanes structures, integrating Gwadar Port with the Makran Coastal Highway as well as with the free zone and future container terminals.

The committee approved the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway Link (4-lane) via Narang Mandi to Narowal at a cost of Rs14.2bn with the instructions that the implementation must be ensured in the given time period. The project aims at construction and dualisation of 73.35 km of new and existing road to provide connection of Lahore-Sialkot motorway with Narang Mandi, Baddomalhi and Narowal.

CDWP clears seven projects

Separately, the CDWP led by Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal cleared a total of seven projects with an estimated cost of Rs143.5bn. These include two projects of about Rs2.6bn the CDWP approved. It referred the remaining five projects to Ecnec for approval because of their higher financial impact.

Under the current mechanism in vogue, the CDWP has the powers to approve projects with less than Rs3bn cost. It also has the mandate to examine projects of higher costs on technical grounds and refer them to the Ecnec for formal approval.

As such, the CDWP approved two projects of Rs2.6bn including the Rs486m project to set up a National Centre for Artificial Intelligence. Mr Iqbal instructed the project cost should be rationalised to a maximum of Rs200m. He said the project would help train future teachers of international caliber and move Pakistan forward in the fields of technology and research fields.

Another project of the HEC worth Rs1.6bn for Establishment of New Generation Geodetic Datum of Pakistan was also approved by the CDWP.

The project is expected to encourage research and innovation in the areas of economy and society and its linkages would promote cooperation between science and technology, public institutions and government agencies.

Govt, army draw a line under Dawn probe saga

Govt, army draw a line under Dawn probe saga:

 ISLAMABAD: The standoff between the military and the civilian government over the recommendations issued in the wake of an inquiry into a Dawn story finally ended on Wednesday after the army’s spokesperson announced the decision to withdraw its controversial tweet.

 

The April 29 tweet by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor had rejected the prime minister’s directives on the recommendations of the report of the inquiry committee, set up to probe the publication of a Dawn story regarding a top-level meeting of civil-military leaders.

Following Maj Gen Ghafoor’s press conference, the interior ministry released a statement, recounting the recommendations of the committee and concluding that the issue had been “settled”.

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•ISPR DG withdraws tweet rejecting PM Office notification •Announcement preceded by lengthy meeting between COAS, PM and aides •Interior ministry issues fresh statement, says the issue ‘stands settled’

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The developments were preceded by a meeting between Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif earlier in the day. The lengthy conclave was also attended by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

“Recommendations, as contained in para 18 of the inquiry committee report, duly approved by the prime minister, have been implemented, which has settled the Dawn leaks issue. Accor­dingly, the tweet of April 29 stands withdrawn,” the ISPR DG told reporters during Wednes­day’s briefing.

Defending himself against criticism faced in the wake of the tweet, Maj Gen Ghafoor explained that the tweet was not directed against any institution or individual.

He said the military expected the notification to be in line with the recommendations of the inquiry committee, but it was not, which prompted the press release and tweet.

“What followed it was something regrettable,” he remarked.

Regretting how society had become polarised over the issue — with some backing the army and others calling for the DG ISPR’s resignation over ‘insubordination’ — Maj Gen Ghafoor said the interior ministry’s latest order had filled in the gaps in the recommendations.

He praised the government for removing the misunderstandings that had prevailed over the past few weeks, adding that the army was a strong institution that was committed to working with all institutions to serve the best interests of the country.

“Pakistan Army believes in democracy like all other Pakistanis and will continue to work to strengthen democracy in the country while remaining [within the ambit of] the Constitution,” he said.

Asked if the army would demand further action against those responsible for the leak, he said the prime minister was the final authority and his orders should be implemented.

He avoided a volley of questions about the alleged involvement of the prime minister’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz, saying the committee had deliberated thoroughly and named all those responsible, keeping all aspects in mind.

In an apparent reference to criticism over his use of Twitter, he explained: “Tweets [are] the fastest means of communication in today’s age; my tweets should be treated as press releases.”

Interior ministry statement

The statement issued by the Interior Ministry on Wednesday said: “Since action on orders of the prime minister has already been completed by the respective ministries and divisions, the issue of Dawn [leaks] stands settled”.

There isn’t much that is new in the statement; it reproduced the four recommendations of the inquiry committee on the Dawn story, already contained more or less in the earlier notification from the PM Office.

The only new part of the interior ministry ‘notification’ was an endorsement of the removal of Senator Pervaiz Rashid as minister for information.

On April 29, the PM Office had issued directives to remove Tariq Fatemi, special assistant to the prime minister on foreign affairs, from his post over his alleged role in leaking information to Dawn.

The committee’s report — the contents of which have not been made public so far — also contained recommendations on the matter.

Action had also been ordered against Rao Tehsin, the principal information officer at the Ministry of Information “under the E&D Rules 1973” on charges levelled against him.

The PM’s Office had also recommended referring Dawn to the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) for “necessary disciplinary action”, but did not say what the charges against the Dawn Editor or Cyril Almeida — who wrote the story — would be.

The APNS was asked to develop a code of conduct for the print media, especially for stories that deal with “issues of national importance and security”.

The language of the statement suggested that the recommendations were in addition to the committee’s recommendations in Para 18 of the inquiry report.

Political reaction

In a series of messages from his Twitter accounts, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said the “issue was never [about] army & government”, but rather “national security”.

“The whole nation now needs to know what was ‘settled’,” he tweeted, saying that the nation was being kept in the dark over how the matter of a national security breach was resolved.

“Manner in which [the] issue [was] resolved shows clearly there is one law for the powerful and another law for the weak. [The] inquiry commission report must be made public,” he concluded.

Senate Opposition Leader Aitzaz Ahsan minced no words in his criticism of the decision, saying that the DG ISPR should have resigned rather than withdrawing his tweet. Speaking on a TV channel, PPP leader Saleem Mandviwala said the issue would be raised in today’s (Thursday) Senate session as well.

China invites India to join One-Belt-One-Road project

China invites India to join One-Belt-One-Road project:

 NEW DELHI: Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui has called on India to join its One-Belt-One-Road project and assured New Delhi that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would not impinge on anyone’s sovereign rights.

 

The Chinese embassy on Monday released the text of Mr Luo’s remarks made to an Indian think-tank on Friday.

“Some people in the West misread China and tend to think that the ‘Dragon’ and the ‘Elephant’ are inevitable rivals, and that China would not like to see India developing. This conception is wrong. We hope to see India develop well and we are more than happy to help India develop to achieve common development,” he said in an address at the United Services Institute.

Despite recent tensions between the two countries, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have opportunities to meet each other on the sidelines of summits to be held by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, G20 and BRICS.

“We need to properly manage differences. As two large neighbours, it is natural that we have some differences. Even family members may have problems,” Mr Luo said.

There was a need to set a long-term vision for China-India relations. “Here’s my suggestion. First, start negotiations on a China-India ‘treaty of good neighbourliness and friendly cooperation’.

“Second, restart negotiation on China-India free trade agreement. Third, strive for an early harvest on the border issue. Fourth, actively explore the feasibility of aligning China’s ‘One-Belt-One-Road Initiative’ (OBOR) and India’s ‘Act East Policy’,” he said.

The OBOR and regional connectivity could provide China and India with fresh opportunities and highlights for the bilateral cooperation. The OBOR is a major public product China has offered to the world. As close neighbours, China and India could be natural partners in connectivity and the OBOR.

“Now the GDP of India is roughly that of China in 2004, some 13 years ago. China leads India by 13 years, mainly because we started reform and opening up 13 years earlier,” Mr Luo said.

He said China and India differed in political systems and China enjoys stronger policy consistency. “India’s political system has its own advantages, but sometimes may cause fluctuations in its policies or at least in its pace of development. As soon as China set reform and opening-up as its centre task, the whole nation is in full sail.”

India still has reservations over the OBOR, saying that the CPEC passes through Azad Jammu & Kashmir, raising sovereignty concerns.

“China has no intention to get involved in the sovereignty and territorial disputes between India and Pakistan. China supports the solution of the disputes through bilateral negotiations between the two countries. The CPEC is for promoting economic cooperation and connectivity. It has no connections to or impact on sovereignty issues,” the envoy said.

He recalled that China and India have had successful experience of delinking sovereignty disputes with bilateral relations even earlier.

“In history, we have had close cooperation along the ancient Silk Road. Why shouldn’t we support this kind of cooperation today? In a word, China is sincere in its intention to cooperate with India on the OBOR, as it is good for both of us.”

The perception that China was partial to Pakistan over others was erroneous. “Some Indian media say that China always puts Pakistan first when handling its relations with South Asia countries. I want to tell you this is not true. Simply put, we always put China first and we deal with problems based on their own merits. Take Kashmir issue for example, we supported the relevant UN resolutions before 1990s. Then we supported a settlement through bilateral negotiation in line with the Simla Agreement. This is an example of China taking care of India’s concern.”

On promoting India-Pakistan reconciliation, China hopes that both sides could live together in peace.

“The development of China, India, Pakistan and the stability of the whole region call for a stable and friendly environment. Otherwise, how could we open up and develop? That’s why we say we are willing to mediate when India and Pakistan have problems. But the precondition is that both India and Pakistan accept it. We do this only out of goodwill. We do hope that there is no problem at all. When the Mumbai terrorist attack on Nov 26, 2008, took place, I was Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, and I did a lot of mediation at that time.”

China strongly opposes terrorism and is ready to work with India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the international community in fighting the menace.

Pakistan mulling response to ICJ move, says Aziz

Pakistan mulling response to ICJ move, says Aziz:

 ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said on Wednesday that Islamabad was still reviewing India’s position on Pakistan’s decision to execute Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Talking to reporters after an event in the capital, he said India had approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Jadhav’s execution, and that Pakistan was in the process of reviewing its stand, after which a formal response would be given in a couple of days.

The ICJ has asked the government of Pakistan to stay the execution of Jadhav after India moved the international court, accusing Islamabad of denying consular access to the Indian spy under the Geneva Convention.

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International court ‘stays’ Indian spy’s death sentence

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Mr Aziz said the government was also ascertaining whether the matter fell within the domain of ICJ or not.

However, according to statements released from The Hague, the ICJ will begin public hearings in the matter from Monday, May 15. “The hearings will be devoted to the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by India,” said a statement released by ICJ on Wednesday night.

An earlier statement said that ICJ President Judge Ronny Abraham had “addressed [on Tuesday] an urgent communication to the prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan” which asked for Jadhav’s sentence to be stayed.

Also on Wednesday, military spokesperson Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said that Jadhav had been convicted in accordance with the law of the land and that the legal process was under way. He offered no comments on the ICJ decision and said the Foreign Office would respond to the international court’s missive.

India’s case before the ICJ revolves around Pakistan being a signatory to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR) and not fulfilling its obligations under Article 36 of the convention, which obliges it to inform India about Jadhav’s detention “without delay”, intimate the detainee of his rights and provide him consular access.

The Indian position is that Pakistan not only failed to inform India about his detention, but was also denying consular access.

In addition to being a signatory to the convention, Pakistan has also adopted an optional protocol that gives the ICJ jurisdiction over disputes that could arise over fulfilment obligations under the convention.

However, both India and Pakistan have identified reservations and exceptions in accepting ICJ jurisdiction.

India invoked a similar reservation in 1999 to get Pakistan’s petition over the downing of a navy aircraft dismissed.

At the time, the court had referred to the declarations of acceptance of the compulsory jurisdiction of the court made by both states, saying that India’s declaration contained a reservation, according to which “disputes with the government of any state which is or has been a member of the commonwealth of nations” are excluded from the court’s jurisdiction.

Pakistan also made similar exceptions at the time of adopting the additional protocol.

In addition, the two countries have a bilateral agreement on consular access, under which they have agreed to decide political and security-related matters on the merits of each case. Neither of the parties can, therefore, demand blanket access in such cases.

This bilateral agreement is not mentioned in India’s petition to the ICJ. It is important to note that bilateral accords take precedence over any multilateral framework, such as the VCCR.

In his remarks on Wednesday, Sartaj Aziz also disclosed that a Pak-Iran border commission had been formed and would hold its first meeting within a month. He said the commission consisted of four members from each country.

“Smugglers and other elements are present along the Pak-Iran border,” Aziz said, explaining that border issues between the two countries were not limited to terrorism. He downplayed the prevailing tensions with both Iran and Afghanistan, saying that the two countries were not Pakistan’s enemies.

All to play for as Pakistan chase history in final WI Test

All to play for as Pakistan chase history in final WI Test:

 ROSEAU: After the West Indies remarkable fightback to win the second Test of the series both sides have it all to play for in the series decider set to get underway on Wednesday in Dominica. 

 

Windsor Park will host only the fifth Test in its history and will be the stage on which the West Indies will seek to prove that their win last week in Barbados was no fluke.

This Test will be the big farewell for two legends of the game in skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan and while that will motivate Pakistan to achieve their first series win in the Caribbean, the West Indies will not want to roll over as they have a chance to claim their first series win over an established nation since 2005 with their last two series victories coming against Bangladesh.

Pakistan are desperate to put out of system the diabolical last day at the Kensington Oval when the result was down to yet another familiar collapse and would have brought back the ghosts of their spectacular implosion at the MCG against Australia last December. 

Much of the second Test was a dour affair with scoring rates hovering between two and three runs per over and both sides will be looking for improvements in all areas of the game in particular the fielding.

For the hosts Shannon Gabriel personified the West Indies recovery as he had a shocking start to the Test bowling six no-balls in a day before recovering to put in a match winning performance claiming 5-11 in the second innings.

Another big plus from the second Test would have to be Shai Hope finally making good on his promise as a Test batsman registering his first fifty and falling narrowly short of a maiden ton for the West Indies.

Hope has proven that he can translate his undoubted talent into performance in the longest format and the West Indies will want him to stand up and lead the young middle order. Gabriel is a traditional West Indian quick who conjures up images of the glory years but he needs to reign in his no-ball problem and become a consistent match-winner.

The West Indies batting still looks suspect and reliant on lower-order heroics from Roston Chase whose second Test century kept the West Indies in the Barbados fixture, but the same can be said for Pakistan who sport some world class batting talents in Babar Azam, who bagged a ‘pair’ in the Bridgetown Test, and veterans Younis and Misbah but need to find a way to prevent batting collapses.

The Pakistan bowlers have proven difficult for the West Indies to handle but it will be intriguing to see if teenaged leg-spinner Shadab Khan gets another run after an underwhelming Test debut.

Misbah and Younis both will surely be determined to drag Pakistan to victory at any cost. Mohammad Amir has been getting back to his best in this series and if his progress continues the West Indies could be in for a testing time in Dominica.

Teams (from):

WEST INDIES: Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Vishaul Singh, Shane Dowrich, Jason Holder (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Alzarri Joseph, Shannon Gabriel, Jermaine Blackwood, Miguel Cummins.

PAKISTAN: Azhar Ali, Ahmed Shehzad, Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Shan Masood, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Usman Salahuddin, Mohammad Asghar.

Balancing act

Balancing act:

 

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif’s visit to Pakistan last week was a snapshot of what diplomacy entails: highest-level interactions, prompt discussion of a border incident, reiteration of shared strategic objectives, and agreement on actionable goals.

The timing and tenor of the visit was important, coming after harsh words from Saudi Arabia’s deputy crown prince against Iran — a clear indication as any that Pakistan’s balancing act in the Middle East is only going to get more precarious. The prospects for Pakistan playing a mediating role between Tehran and Riyadh as a result of Raheel Sharif’s leadership of the Islamic Military Alliance appear stillborn.

Pakistan and Iran have too many shared concerns to let regional rivalries scuttle bilateral ties. The Jaishul Adl attack that prompted Zarif’s visit highlighted an urgent one — that separatist and militant groups operating in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan and Pakistan’s Balochistan provinces will take advantage of the porous border and sanctuaries provided on either side to continue to carry out attacks against both states’ security forces and assets. Other joint strategic concerns include the rise of the militant Islamic State group in the region, instability in Afghanistan and of course the potential for widespread sectarian violence.

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Ties with Iran must be stable.

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Iran’s proxy warfare approach in the Middle East makes it vulnerable to similar designs by Saudi Arabia and other rivals. It has marginalised ethnic and religious minorities such as the Baloch and the Ahwaz Arabs of Khuzestan that Tehran fears can be exploited and used as proxies against the state. But Pakistan cannot play any part — intentional or inadvertent — in facilitating such proxy conflict as that, in turn, would make it vulnerable to retaliation by proxy, with serious implications for the security situation not only in Balochistan but also nationwide as a result of increasing sectarian conflict in a macabre throwback to the 1990s.

It must not be forgotten that there is a precedent for Saudi Arabia and Iran to engage in proxy warfare along sectarian lines within the country, and that Iran has honed such practices over recent years in conflict zones ranging from Syria to Yemen and Iraq. We have so far been complacent, assuming Tehran is otherwise occupied and resource-stretched in the Middle East. But if it is pushed to defend its strategic interests in the face of what it increasingly perceives to be a hostile Pakistan, particularly one that is subservient to Saudi Arabia, Iran may find a way to retaliate.

Limiting the potential for proxy conflict will be a challenge for Islamabad and Tehran, primarily because the bilateral relationship itself is in danger of being hijacked by broader geopolitical dynamics: Saudi-Iran, Pakistan-India, China-India, US-Iran, US-China. Developments that should be opportunities for increased trade and connectivity — the opening of Iran’s economy, CPEC and Chabahar — are instead being reframed as competing initiatives that echo the rivalries at play in our region. Given that many of the geopolitical actors in the region have an appetite for unconventional warfare, the stage is apparently being set for the Pakistan-Iran relationship to fail.

But this form of conflict is arguably the most destabilising, operating at a sub-state level, can take the form of militancy, propaganda, illicit funding and co-option, and relying on co-opting and corrupting at the community level. Proxy conflicts shred societies, making everyone suspect. Pakistan is already suffering the ravages of such unconventional strategies, and cannot afford to pick new battles in this realm.

It doesn’t help that Pakistan’s domestic dynamics threaten its ability to manage good relations with Iran and other neighbours and allies. While Zarif’s visit was successful, Pakistan struggled on other fronts — clashes at Chaman, refusals by the Afghan leadership to visit Pakistan, continuing tensions with India, including clashes along the LoC, threats from India’s vice chief of army staff, and the Indian state’s refusal to secure the visit of Pakistani students, who were turned back following threats from the Shiv Sena.

Pakistan needs a robust foreign policy to manage growing tensions and even better diplomats to execute it. Rather than see improvements on this front, we have seen a further hollowing out of the Foreign Office, with dismissed Tariq Fatemi, a diplomat with a 35-year career, emerging as the latest sign of a service in collapse.

Pakistanis have quickly resigned themselves to the reality of a ‘hybrid’ democracy, one in which the security establishment defines policies and civilians implement them. But the hybridity does not seem to be working. Civilian-military tensions are raging, and as our institutions seek to rout each other, their ability to maintain a democratic facade and pursue diplomatic means is eroding. The variation in our engagements with our neighbours over recent days should make it clear that diplomacy is always preferable, but for that we need effective, empowered civil servants.

Iran warns will hit 'militant safe havens' inside Pakistan

Iran warns will hit 'militant safe havens' inside Pakistan:

 The head of the Iranian armed forces warned Islamabad on Monday that Tehran would hit bases inside Pakistan if the government does not confront militants who carry out cross-border attacks.

 

Ten Iranian border guards were killed by militants last month. Iran said Jaish-al-Adl, a militant group, had shot the guards with long-range guns, fired from inside Pakistan.

The border area has long been plagued by unrest from both drug smuggling gangs and separatist militants.

"We cannot accept the continuation of this situation," Major General Mohammad Baqeri, the head of the Iranian armed forces, was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

"We expect the Pakistani officials to control the borders, arrest the terrorists and shut down their bases."

"If the terrorist attacks continue, we will hit their safe havens and cells, wherever they are," he said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Pakistan last week and asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to improve border security. Pakistan assured Iran it would deploy additional troops along its border.

In 2014, Iran warned it would send troops to Pakistan to retrieve five Iranian border guards kidnapped by Jaish al Adl.

Pakistan said at the time that such action would be a violation of international law and warned Iranian forces not to cross the border.

Iran refrained from sending troops when a local cleric stepped in and resolved the situation.

Four of the guards were released a few months later, but one was killed by the militants.

Jaish al Adl is a militant group that has carried out several attacks against Iranian security forces with the aim of highlighting what they say is discrimination against minority groups in Iran.

The group claimed responsibility for attacks that killed eight border guards in April 2015 and 14 border guards in October 2013.

SBP, Iranian counterpart come up with transaction settlement mechanism

SBP, Iranian counterpart come up with transaction settlement mechanism:

 KARACHI: The central banks of Pakistan and Iran have finally devised a detailed mechanism to settle trade transactions between the two countries through banking channels.

 

Pakistan’s trade with Iran has been nominal for more than a decade. No banking channel existed between the two countries as Iran remained under international sanctions imposed by the United States and United Nations.

Hopes for better bilateral trade relations grew when the sanctions were lifted about two years ago.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Tuesday it has devised a payment settlement mechanism with the Bank Markazi Jomhouri Islami Iran (BMJII) to settle trade transactions between the two countries. 

While the two central banks are trying to develop trade relations, political relations have been marred by a recent statement by the Iranian military chief about a possible cross-border raid against alleged militant hideouts in Pakistan.

During the first nine months of 2016-17, Pakistan exported goods worth $24 million to Iran. Imports during the first eight months of the fiscal year were just $54,000. The bilateral trade volume is the lowest compared to the level of trade Pakistan enjoys with other regional countries.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Pakistan and met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the last week of March. They agreed to boost the trade volume to $5 billion by 2021. Their talks focused on increasing Pakistan’s electricity imports from Iran and reviving plans for a gas pipeline between the two countries.

The SBP said the mechanism will be available as an additional mode and does not restrict the use of other permissible mechanisms for the settlement of trade transactions. This mechanism will be available for the payment of goods and services traded between Pakistan and Iran.

Transactions eligible for the settlement under this mechanism will be denominated in the euro or yen and based only on documentary letters of credit (L/Cs).

As per the mechanism, the importer’s bank in Pakistan will credit the foreign exchange (ie amount due under the L/C) in the Nostro account of the SBP for onward payment to the exporter in Iran and inform the SBP about the same.

On confirmation of the receipt of funds in the Nostro account, the SBP will instruct the BMJII to pay the exporter’s bank for onward payment to the exporter in Iran.

On receiving payment instructions from the importer’s bank in Iran, the BMJII will instruct the SBP to make payment in Pakistan. The SBP, on receiving instructions from the BMJII, will credit the Nostro account of the exporter’s bank in Pakistan in foreign currency.

“Participating banks shall ensure that transactions conducted under this mechanism are not proscribed and do not involve individuals/entities proscribed under international sanctions,” said the SBP.

Murad swings into action to curb cheating in Inter exams

Murad swings into action to curb cheating in Inter exams:

 KARACHI: A day after he directed the authorities to launch a crackdown against the “cheating mafia”, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah visited two examination centres in the city on Tuesday as part of his strategy to curb copy culture.

 

Mr Shah had ordered the Counter-Terrorism Department to take action to prevent unfair means and leak of question papers during the ongoing intermediate examinations in various divisions of Sindh.

On Monday, Mr Shah paid a surprise visit to the examination centres established in Islamia College and Aisha Bawani College, where intermediate examinations were in progress in two shifts.

Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) chairman Prof Inam Ahmed, principal secretary Sohail Rajput and secretary of universities and boards Naveed Shaikh also accompanied him.

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Says ‘copy culture’ is eating into the vitals of the system

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Mr Shah did not take his mobile phone in any of the centres to abide by his own directives that no one would be allowed to carry a mobile phone in any examination centre.

He began his visit from the Islamia College where he went to every classroom and spoke to students taking the examination.

He told the students that adopting unfair means during examination would destroy future generations.

During his stay at Islamia College, the CM found a mobile phone with an invigilator. He expressed his displeasure and asked secretary Shaikh to issue a circular to all the examination boards that no invigilator, supervisor or board officials would be allowed to carry mobile phones inside an examination centre.

“They have to supervise examinations; why are they bringing their mobile phones inside,” he exclaimed, adding that strict action would be taken against those who violated his directives.

Later, he went to the Aisha Bawani College and visited the classes where examination was in progress.

He asked students if they had been given question papers in time.

“I don’t want to disturb you in your exams but I would urge you to work hard and qualify your examinations without any illegal support,” he said.

“Unfair means would destroy you and your future. This is as simple as that. The choice is yours and I am sure you would choose the best,” he said.

CM Shah warned an assistant commissioner who was carrying a mobile phone in his hand.

Talking to reporters, the CM said that the copy culture in the existing education system was like a termite “which is eating into vitals of the system”.

“I am taking stern measures to stop cheating during examinations for which I need support of parents, teachers, examiners and everyone from civil society to eliminate this menace,” he said. “This has to be eliminated by improving overall educational system right from primary to higher secondary.”

Principal’s vehicle attacked

The principal of the Government College of Education was on Tuesday allegedly attacked by angry students, who also damaged his car, after examination hours.

Principal Sohail-ur-Rahman alleged that he was attacked because he denied the students the use of unfair means during the exam.

Although the area police and officials of the BIEK sounded least bothered about his complaint, footage of his damaged car shown on news channels strengthened his allegation.

“Principal Sohail-ur-Rahman of the college situated in Federal B Area Block 15 approached us after the exam,” confirmed Jauharabad SHO Tariq Raheem. “After an initial probe we found that it was not an attack as the damage to the car was a result of mismanagement. No complaint was registered.”

The college administration, he explained, collected mobile phones of students before the examination and a chaos-like situation was created when the administration was returning the mobile phones to students.

“There were 600 students and handing their phones one by one was a tough task. The principal’s car was parked within the same area where the activity was going on. So in the rush and panic, it got damaged,” he said.

JIT examines SC verdict in Panama Papers case

JIT examines SC verdict in Panama Papers case:

 ISLAMABAD: The multi-agency joint investigation team (JIT), constituted to probe allegations against the prime minister and his children stemming from the Panama Papers, held another meeting in the Federal Judicial Academy here on Tuesday. 

 

Sources said that the team examined the detailed judgement issued by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case on April 20.

As per the verdict, the JIT comprises officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI). It is headed by FIA Additional Director General Wajid Zia and Amer Aziz of the SBP, Bilal Rasool of the SECP, Irfan Naeem Mangi of NAB, retired Brig Mohammad Nauman Saeed of the ISI and Brig Kamran Khurshid of the MI are its members.

The court has ordered the government to allocate Rs20 million to the JIT so that it can independently function and does not feel handicapped in its working.

Sources said that the departments concerned would bear the expenses of their representatives incurred within the country. Since the Supreme Court has empowered the JIT members to travel abroad to collect evidence, Rs20m will be spent on their foreign tour, according to the sources. They said that since Mr Mangi was out of country, he did not attend the meeting, but was likely to participate in the next meeting.