NEWS

• Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir has said that the war of the Pakistan Army will continue until the complete end of terrorism. “Sacrifices of the martyrs will not go in vain. Complete peace will be established in Pakistan soon”, he said, according to ISPR. General Munir visited the front lines on the Pakistan-Afghan border in South Waziristan and interacted with the soldiers. He paid floral tributes at the martyrs’ memorial in Wana and visited the formation headquarters. The Army Chief was briefed on training and security matters, and about development work in the newly formed districts. General Munir appreciated the anti-terrorism efforts of the formation. He highlighted the importance of coordination between various state institutions and people in the collective war against terrorism. He added that development works are necessary for lasting peace, and stability in the merged districts. (Jasarat, Jang)

• Hearing the petitions related to the recovery of missing persons, the Sindh High court stated that the JIT report should be submitted in the court within six weeks. The bench noted that Pathan Zahrani went missing four years ago and now his son Irfan Ali Zahrani has also been taken away. Pathan’s wife has knocked at the court doors for relief. (Jasarat)

• Security has been put on high alert in Peshawar. Strict checking is being done at all the entrances and exits of the city. An official statement issued by the City Police Chief, police teams are checking unregistered vehicles, illegal number plates, and black glasses. (Jasarat)

• The Neelum- Jhelum hydropower project may become operational in September next year. Work on the project was halted in July 2022 when there was a problem in its three-and-a-half-kilometer-long tunnel. A senior official of the Ministry of Water Resources said that the project was supposed to be operational by June. But after clearing the obstruction in the tunnel, the project will be operational only by September instead of June this year. (Jang)

• Police killed 2 suspects while conducting a search operation against terrorists in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The shootout took place near Bagwani Chowki. Modern weapons and four hand grenades were recovered from the accused, who, according to the police   were planning a major operation in Dera Ismail Khan, which was thwarted by the agency. (Jang)

• CTD Investigation, conducting an intelligence-based operation in Karachi, arrested a terrorist of the outlawed TTP Tariq Gidar group. He is a key associate of the group’s commander. (Urdu Point)

• Begging has taken the face of a formal industry and profession as groups of beggars have reached Peshawar and across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from Punjab especially for the month of Ramadan. The operation against beggars failed as women beggars have booked rooms a rent of Rs.2000 for a month in Peshawar. (Aeen)

• Unscheduled load shedding has increased in Quetta and Interior Balochistan. People are facing lot of difficulties as a result. There is no response to complaints from the authorities. (Qudrat)

• Kashif Hydari, the District Leader of the National Party, has stated that the problem of electricity load shedding in Hazara Town and adjacent areas is getting worse day- by- day. Due to the unannounced load shedding, the business community and domestic consumers are facing serious problems. If the problem of load shedding is not resolved before Ramadan, they will be forced to protest strongly. (Urdu Point)

• The Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Ameer ul Azeem has stated that the people of Gwadar are being bullied with the help of China and CPEC. Maulana Hidayat Rahman of Haq Du’s movement is not against China and CPEC. The Chief Secretary’s notification of the closure of hundreds of blocks in Balochistan is beyond understanding. He expressed these views while addressing a press conference at Turbat Press Club. (Intekhab)

EDITORIALS

• Neither the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) nor the Council of Common Interests (CCI) is taking note of high-handedness being meted out to Sindh on water issue even as Punjab keeps violating agreements, and keeps taking Sindh water share by indulging in irregularities. Sindh environment and Sindh agriculture are not getting water down the Kotri stream. Under what head theft of 11.5 lakh cusec water from two canals of Punjab done during last five and half months be accounted?  Any system that can detect water theft is not allowed to function for long and is ultimately brought to standstill. Sindh members in IRSA are not listened to; water distribution to provinces is not done as per 1991 water treaty despite the fact that this treaty was signed during Nawaz Sharif government. Now also, the federal government is being led by ML(N). The PPP must take up water issues with the Prime Minister. PPP should see to it that theft of Sindh share of water in Punjab stops. When PPP government in Sindh can threaten to withdraw support to federal government on issue of irregularities in the digital surveys,  why it cannot go to that extent in protecting Sindh’s water share?  Because any attempt to steal Sindh waters is an attempt to affect Sindh prosperity. (Pahenji Akhbar Edit, March 14)

• The ruling and opposition parties will have to be more serious about political stability in the country. Then only other institutions can be made to do their job. Also, only then  other departments, be it for export boost or price control can be expected to show results.  Opposition too will have to play its positive side in larger national interests. Or else condition will not get better. (Kawish Edit, March 14)

• Whatever has happened at Zaman Park residence of Imran Khan should not have happened. PTI not only made mockery of law but also violated court orders and thus shown disrespect to judiciary. Hence, we would like to advise that if ultimately judiciary has to prevail and if we have to ultimately abide by court orders, then all these intimidating tactics will have to be given up. Also, it is the duty of government that it gives full security and clears all doubts and apprehensions of a popular leader.  If this is not done and if both the sides keep going to extremes, then our society will wear the look of divided house that will be no good omen for our country already facing lot of crises on several fronts. (Ibrat Edit)

• The Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced the polling date; this date is outside the constitutional period. He points out that the elections of Punjab will also be held outside the mandated period of the constitution. This means ignoring the rule of law and constitution has become a government tradition in the country. That is why the world does not trust the rulers of Pakistan. (Intekhab Edit)

• Today campaign to educate about digital census is going on across the country so that the reservations of political parties can be removed and the actual results based on the census can be brought out. The attack on the census team in Lucky Marwat is very sad. Earlier, there was an incident of firing on the police party assigned to the census team in Garha Mastan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as a result of which a security officer was martyred. The attacks on the census teams may actually be a nefarious attempt by anti-national elements to sabotage the census. It can also be a conspiracy of our eternal and insidious enemy. Indeed, the security forces have left no stone unturned in the operation against terrorists but it is not possible to deny the fact that somewhere in the security system there is a loophole, by taking advantage of which the terrorists are succeeding in committing such incidents. In this context, there is a need to review our security system. (Edit, Nawaiwaqt)

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to give cheap petrol to motorcycle and rickshaw drivers, for which proposals have been finalized. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting on relief to the poor during Ramadan. Past governments also announced to provide relief to the poor people through various programs including Langar Khana, Benazir Income Support Program, Ehsaas Program, and Cheap Bread Scheme but in all these schemes, the clever and cunning reaped the benefits. According to economic experts, the biggest problem of Pakistan in the present era is poverty. According to research data, the rate of poverty in Pakistan is increasing day by day. Experts who research the causes of terrorism consider poverty as one of its main causes.  Research shows that every third Pakistani is in the grip of poverty. It means, about 6 million people are living below poverty line. The national treasury is empty, there is nothing in it for people, but there is no account of expenditure which is being spent on the protocols and privileges of the elite and the ruling class. Through taxes, the blood of the poor is squeezed and spent on the ruling class and the elite. In view of the behavior of the previous government, the IMF has adopted a tough stance, and put forth hard terms and conditions in recent negotiations. At this time, national and economic stability is dependent on political attitudes, and some political elements are bent on destabilizing the country by spreading anarchy in the country. They should understand that stormy waves wash away everyone without distinction. (Edits – Daily Express, Daily Pakistan, Jehan Pakistan)

• Pakistan Government is making agreements with Iran for 100MW electricity to Gwadar Port> It is also negotiating a deal with Russia for petroleum products. Procuring petroleum products on 30% rebate from Russia would save $ 2bn annually. Both the pacts are important and essential for Pakistan’s economy. Hence the government should ensure that both the agreements take off before the advent of summer. (Aeen Edit)

COLUMNS

• Our concept of Islam is derived from our geographical and cultural sensibilities. The social attitudes of Muslim societies from Morocco to Afghanistan are not uniform. Whether a woman or a man, her and his social role is determined by circumstances. The real test of a Muslim is how to live as a servant of God in unfavorable social conditions. This challenge is for men as well as for women. Pakistan is facing big problems today. If we are to benefit from prophetic wisdom, we must first determine our priorities. The Prophet made economic stability a priority. He didn’t like usury and slavery but in the starting period he did oppose it for many years. If he had announced the abolition of slavery on the very first day, the social structure would not have been able to survive. On the one hand, he did not allow a new crisis to arise and on the other hand, he raised the moral level of the society so much that exploitative phenomena like slavery and usury became unacceptable. The same happened in the case of punishments. The economic conditions of the common man in Pakistan have become dire. It is not only to maintain the relationship between body and soul, but also to protect one’s moral existence. When the state is not fulfilling its responsibility, then this should be our first priority that we encourage the society in the manner of respite to divert the economic resources towards the needy. At this time, charity should be our first priority. When we consider the wearing of veil by women in educational institutions as a big step towards the Islamic formation of the society and are not sensitive to the violation of basic human rights, then we will not do any service to Islam or to the society. We also have to consider this basic concept that Islam did not come only for women. This is guidance for the children of Adam, which includes human beings beyond gender discrimination. If a woman is a test for a man’s faith, then a man is a test for a woman. Only by understanding this test of God’s law can we understand the current scheme of society. (Khurshid Nadeem, Duniya, Mar. 14)

• Zen Shah is leading Sukkur-Karachi Padyatra. This march is a much-needed exercise to break years’ old fear in Sindh people. This march was an opportunity to expose Sindh rulers before the world about the evil intentions of PPP, their betrayal and their corruption. This padyatra is being well received enroute. This march has made people in Sindh to believe that there are still some people who think for Sindh and are prepared for sacrifices for Sindh. When Zen Shah fell ill during this padyatra near Sakrand, doctors advised him to stop walking and travel in an ambulance because he was running short of oxygen. But he said no to travel by ambulance. When I joined padyatra at Halan, I found several people from the middle class and even lower middle class in this padyatra. The actual leaders of padyatra looked to be people themselves who had come from different walks of life; there were some in wheelchairs too. When people in wheelchairs also move with padyatra that makes true success of padyatra; while moving towards Karachi, they kept appealing to people to participate   in Karachi dharna. Karachi is Sindh’s heart. (Pahenji Akhbar, Sufi Tariq Ali Khoso, March 14)

• Digital population survey has started across country and in Sindh, the process has kicked up a  big controversy like it happened during the 2017 population survey. Sindh government and the ruling party, PPP, have conveyed their apprehensions to federal government. The Sindh assembly has also passed a resolution.  Sindh’s nationalist groups have also rejected the census survey, saying that such surveys should be undertaken every ten years and not before. Thus, almost everybody in Sindh has expressed concern against these digital surveys, with some difference of degree. Following so much concern being shown in Sindh by people from almost every walk of life and also from the Sindh government, it would have made it difficult for the federal government to go ahead with surveys without satisfying Sindh’s objections and fulfilling all related legal requirements. According to the constitution, all provinces must get their rights. NADRA data also must be made part of continuing digital population surveys and writing of national computerized identity cards also must be made compulsory for these digital population surveys. This will enable counting of all people in Sindh. As per Sindh government’s basic demand, all deputy commissioners in Sindh’s 30 districts be given record of digital surveys that are underway. All political parties and nationalist groups will have to sit together on this important issue. PPP will have to approach other parties and groups for this purpose. Let there be an all-party conference to take them into confidence and we, the Sindh, should move ahead after making consultations on all related legal and constitutional aspects. A wider alliance should be formed on this key issue. (Sindh Express, Ali Mahmad Memon)

• The Pakistan rupee is getting depreciated every day vis-à-vis the US dollar. Inflation is literally neck-breaking making day -to -day life tough. The foreign reserves are also not at satisfactory level; according to experts if IMF installment is not released soon, Pakistan cannot avert default state for long. The global agencies are ready to help, but they are putting tough terms and conditions for their loans.  Even our friendly countries like Saudi, UAE and even Qatar now say “First make a pact with the IMF then we will give help”. In the past, we got aid from the world community for betterment of education and health facilities and for eradication of poverty. But the common man was not much benefited because of poor governance. Because not much was done to fight illiteracy and poverty, it led to the rise of fundamentalism in the country. Now, what should we do so that we can come out of IMF’s debt trap and help improve peoples’ conditions? Reply to this question is given by Benazir in her book “Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West”. She said that as long as middle class in a country is not made economically stable, neither country will make any progress nor can the country can move towards democracy. On page 285 of her book, she cited the example of Costa Rica, and said “there is democracy there because the rulers made the middle class economically stable, and gave a boost to literacy levels. But neighboring countries like Panama, Nicaragua and El Salvador were either under dynastic rule or ruled by dictators. According to Benazir, making the middle class economically stable and giving emphasis on literacy are two important factors for stability in a democratic set-up. As long as our rulers do not make our middle class stable enough, and as long as we do not give importance to spread of literacy, any number of loans will bring no relief to the common man.   (Kawish, Dr. Musrat Hussain Khwaja, March 14)

• The death of one Ali Baba alias Zille Shah, a PTI activist and a diehard fan of Imran Khan, who had always raised slogans in favor of Imran Khan outside his residence in Zaman Park, has exposed political parties’ insensitivity to their cadres. When the PTI appeared on country’s political horizon, it had come with new hopes, and people expected that this party would address peoples’ problems and hardships in day -to -day life. But, by using the issue of the death of a diehard fan for political purposes, PTI leaves people wondering as to what to expect from such a party now. PTI did nothing for people during three and half year in power. Nor are there any hope of the party doing anything for people even in future. (Ibrat, Pir Makram Al Haque) ###