NEWS

• Karachi has become a paradise for criminals and brutal killers; in the last 8 months, 60,000 crimes were committed, and 90 citizens were brutally killed for resisting robbery. In the report of the police department on street crime and robbery incidents in Karachi from January 1 to August 31, it has been admitted that around 60,000 incidents have taken place in 243 days this year so far. From January 1 to August 31, 18 thousand 810 mobile phones were stolen, 39 thousand 215 motorcycles and 1 thousand 96 vehicles were stolen, while 13 businessmen were given extortion slips and 6 were kidnapped. The police recovered only 356 mobile phones, 2,285 cars and motorcycles. According to the report, during the past eight months, more than 90 citizens were killed and hundreds were injured while resisting robberies; another 422 people have lost their lives in various other crimes. e report said that the. (Jang, Jasarat)

• Increasing Street Crimes is becoming a grave concern for Pakistan. The Police have a ‘Black Book’ of dangerous criminals. This black book has details of such accused who have bounties on their heads. These accused are not usually wanted in counter terrorism cases, because their details are in a separate book. Black Book usually has details of proclaimed offenders wanted in crimes like kidnapping, ransom, gang-war, molestation of children and sexual assault against women. Besides names and details of dacoits and robbers in Kacha Area and other dangerous street criminals are also kept in the Black Book. For past some years the Punjab Police has been claiming apprehending dangerous accused using latest technology. The Punjab IG Police Dr. Usman Anwar has formed special teams, who have arrested notorious fugitive criminals hiding in foreign countries with the help of the Interpol.  In the Police Black Book, there are names of criminals who are on the run for more than 25 years. The Police have failed to arrest them. In the Punjab Police Black Book there are names of 22 proclaimed offenders of Lahore.  One of them, Bashir aka Bashri has a bounty of Rs.1.6million, but the Police do not even have a picture of him. The Police only knew that this person speaks Pashtu and Punjabi. Zulfiqar aka Zafar Iqbal wanted since 2005, Shahzad aka Ladla absconding since 2004, Arshad aka Niyazi wanted since 2000, Shabbir aka Shabbira on the run since 2008, and many more are such dreaded criminals about whom that the police have no information or even identity details, and the Punjab Police Black Book is silent on them. Out of 22 proclaimed offenders, the Black Book has no entries of at least 11 criminals at all. This situation is almost same across Pakistan.   The Sindh Police Black Book has names of 156 proclaimed offenders. The book claims that the accused having the maximum head-money is wanted by Larkana Police whereas the accused with the minimum reward is wanted by the Karachi Police. As per the Karachi Police it is looking for only two dacoits who are extremely dangerous. Abdul Rahman alias Ghulam Rasul is wanted in 41 cases and Aftab aka Musa is wanted in multiple cases. Police as failed to nab them even with the aid of latest technology.

• Street crimes are going on blatantly since the inception of Pakistan. With increasing population, street crimes are also increasing and the situation is getting worse. In Lahore city alone, 300 to 400 of street crimes are occurring on daily basis. These include shop robberies, house robberies, and vehicle theft. The Police Department does many meetings and newer experiments to control the street crimes but to no avail. Lahore has now surpassed Karachi in street crimes. The Lahore Police seem to have no writ or dominance over criminals. Due to inadequate investigation and case filing by the police, many criminals come out of jail soon. Punjab interim chief minister Mohsin Naqvi has started unscheduled visits to different police station to see and ensure if the ‘Thana culture’ has really changed.  

• The Sindh caretaker minister for law, Umar Soomro, visited Kashmore and Kandhkot and discussed with local officials about the state of law and order in the area.  Later, speaking to the media, he said operations will soon take off in interiors. During a meeting with Hindu Panchayat, he was told about poor performance by police. On this occasion, the minister said he had talked to SSP, Sukkur about release of Priya Kumari and said though it was two years to her kidnapping, he was confident she would be released. The minister said he would talk to SSP, Sukkur next week to seek a progress report. At Kandhkot, members of Hindu community told him that they were leaving because of panic and a sense of lack of safety at Kandhkot. About 90% Hindus have already left Kandhkot. According to the caretaker minister, conditions are in very bad shape, at Kandhkot and Kashmore; children and women are being kidnapped. The minister said there are two kinds of crimes taking place. Dacoits rule the roost in interiors and kabila chiefs support them in the cities. He said operations will surely take off in interiors by Rangers and Police. (Pahenji Akhbar, Sept.14)

• The Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh, Justice Retired Maqbool Baqir, has ordered the suspension of internet service in the Kache, where law enforcement agencies have stepped up operations against bandits who hold people hostage. These directives from the Sindh caretaker Chief Minister came a day after the Sindh caretaker Minister for Law and Human Rights Mohammad Umar Soomro had issued a stern warning, saying that if any landlord or politician is found to have connections with the dacoits then legal action will be taken against him. During today’s briefing of the Provincial Supervisory Cabinet, it was informed that 218 people have been abducted so far this year. 207 of them have been successfully released. IG Sindh told in the meeting that preparations for a decisive operation against the dacoits in the Kacha areas of Sukkur and Larkana division have been completed. Police pickets have been set up in Sukkur and other adjacent waste areas and 3,000 jawans including special commandos have reached the Kacha area. (Urdu Point, Daily Pakistan, Dawn Daily, Ummat)

• Sindh Interim Cabinet has approved a consolidated operation against drug mafia and street criminals in Kachay area with the help of the Army and Rangers. Those areas where dacoits are active in cyber and digital communication will be cut off. The Interim Provincial Cabinet had a met under the presidency of Interim Chief Minister Justice (R) Maqbul Baqar. (Jang)

• Legal experts have given their views on the latest letter from the President to the election commission suggesting the poll date.  Former attorney general Ashtar Ausaf said giving suggestions is different from giving election schedules. Speaking on a TV program, he said the President has no mechanism and no modalities for holding polls. In order to remove any confusions, all concerned stakeholders must be consulted. According to another expert, Hafiz Ahsaan said it does not fall within the President’s mandate to give advice on such matters to the election commission. He went on to say “The way the President is asserting his authority, law does not allow it”. The election commission and the law ministry have already given their views to the President. Former attorney general, Irfan Qadir said it was not for the President to interfere with the working of the election commission. He also said judiciary cannot interfere in affairs between PM and President. (Kawish, Sept.14)

• The Election Commission of Pakistan has ignored President Arif Alvi’s advisory letter to hold elections on 6th November. It was said that the ECP is not going to consider this letter treating it as an unsolicited exercise. The ECP is firm on its decision that the President has nothing to do with elections schedules because after the enactment of the new law, ECP is endowed with the power to decide election dates. (Jang)

• Explosion took place at road side in Mustang, Balochistan leaving 11 persons injured including JUI leader and PDM spokesman, Hafiz Abdullah, who was going in a convoy for a meeting at Mangochir. The bomb seems to have been planted there and it went off leaving JUI leader, his driver and some others injured. JUI spokesman said Hafiz has received minor injuries and there is nothing to worry. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack;  the Jamiat Ulema e Islam (F) has been targeted by the ISIS Khorasan group in the past. (Himalya Today, Sindh Express)

• Central President of National Party and former Chief Minister of Balochistan, Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch, and Central Secretary General, John Mohammad Buledi strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Jamiat Ulema e Islam leader Hafiz Hamdullah and his associates and demanded the immediate arrest of the terrorists. Expressing their heartfelt sympathy and solidarity with the leadership of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, they prayed for the recovery of all the injured and said that it is the responsibility of the government to provide better medical facilities to the injured. (Qudrat Daily)

• The Central Secretary General of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari said in a press conference   that Jamiat Ulema Islam has called tomorrow a shutter-down strike in Quetta against the Mastung blast. There have been three suicide attacks on Maulana Fazal ur Rahman. Dozens of Jamiat scholars have been martyred in the past. More than 80 Ulema and activists were martyred in Bajaur. We are not ready to back down from our ideology. Behind these attacks are the forces that were involved in bringing Imran Khan to the government. Pakistan could not take advantage of the CPEC as much as it should have. World powers want to create chaos in Pakistan. We strongly condemn the Mustang incident. (Qudrat Daily)

• The Amir of Jamaat Ahle Hadith, Maulana Hafiz Abdul Ghaffar Ropari, Maulana Abdul Wahab Ropari, and others in a joint statement condemned the attack on Maulana Hafiz Hamdullah, the central leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam. The attack is a conspiracy to worsen the situation in the country. The government has failed to protect the Ulema.   The economy is on the brink of collapse and the nation is in a state of panic due to killings and constant attacks on security forces. They demanded that the government should immediately arrest the terrorists who attacked the Ulema and arrange security for the safety of all the Ulema. (Nawaiwaqt)

• President of Jamiat Ahle Hadith Pakistan, Allama Hisham Elahi Zaheer has strongly condemned the attack on the central leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and spokesperson of PDM, Hafiz Hamdullah, and said that our peace policy is being considered as weakness and we are being punished for standing with Pakistan and the Constitution. Terrorists have no religion; they are not human beings but savage beasts whose only punishment is death. Religious leaders and workers are being targeted for a long time. He said that we are standing with the state, so it is the responsibility of the state to ensure the safety of selfless people. (Nawaiwaqt)

• After reaching an agreement during long talks between senior officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan, positive indications are seen regarding the reopening of the Torkham border, which has been closed for the past one week. Although no official statement regarding the re-opening of the border has come out till the filing of this report, reports of the re-opening of the border possibly on Friday (today) are circulating on social media. Customs and immigration officials stationed at the Torkham border also responded positively to the possible re-opening but requested not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the matter. They have been directed to report to their respective workplaces at the Torkham border on Friday morning. They said that it is likely that pedestrian traffic will be restored first, then goods stuck on sides will be allowed to go. Official sources familiar with the week-long talks between Islamabad and Kabul said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Afghan Interim Government has assured the Pakistani authorities that ‘Afghan soil will not be used  against Pakistan.  (Dawn Daily)

• The leaders of different political parties, organizations, and traders in Panjgur, stood in support of the ‘Border Bachao Tehreek’. Addressing a crowded press conference, they gave an ultimatum that if the border is not opened for business activities by September 18, the route to CPEC will also be blocked for all types of traffic. They said that due to the closure of the border, millions of people have been forced to starve. They said that the closure of the border is equivalent to the economic massacre of the people. (Qudrat Daily)

• A grand protest demonstration was organized by Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, Zhob District. The protest demonstration was led by the Provincial President of the party, Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan. Speakers stated that by reducing Pashtun population by more than three million in the bogus and fraudulent digital census, Pashtun hostility was once again demonstrated.  To protest this, the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party has started a protest from Chaman. The gathering of the people in Chaman, Quetta, Pashin, Khanuzai and in Zhob Sherani proved that the people of the Pashtun homeland are against this census. (Urdu Point)

• The Taliban government is adamant about getting additional income by extracting copper from the mine called ‘Mes Aynak’, but the problem is that this mine is located in an ancient historical place. And some archaeologists don’t want to dig in the area where an ancient Buddhist city once stood.  This area is more than 40 kilometers southeast of Kabul in Logar province. The copper mine here is believed to be one of the largest unmined copper mines in the world. And there is at least fifty billion dollars’ worth of copper. Aynak is located on the ruins of an ancient Buddhist city of the same name on the Silk Road. And looking at the structures and artifacts discovered there, archaeologists believe that the inhabitants there used to extract copper two thousand years ago. Observers say that the Taliban, to reduce the economic impact of international sanctions, wants to extract copper from there.  Azarkhsh Hafizi, former head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s International Relations Committee and an economist, told Voice of America that the Taliban need money. Hafizi said that Afghanistan has been dependent on international aid since the development and modernization of the country began in the 1920s. But now that international funding has stopped, the Taliban are looking for new sources of funding. During a visit by an official of the China Metallurgical Corporation, Shahabuddin Dilawar, the Taliban’s minister of petroleum and mining, described the project as extremely important and said that extracting copper from the mine was one of the Taliban’s top priorities. They are determined to begin work on the project as soon as possible. The Taliban say they have formed a committee to relocate the antiquities found there, whose presence stands in the way of starting the project. However, there are still concerns regarding the preservation of this historical site. (Urdu Voice of America)

• US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome’s visit to Balochistan’s coastal city of Gwadar is considered important in the context of regional politics. This is the first visit of any US diplomat in recent times to Gwadar, an important city for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. The visit comes at a time when the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor project has been announced at the recent G-20 summit in India. Analysts say that the American ambassador’s visit to Gwadar should not be seen in the context of Pakistan-China relations in a negative way, but in the context of promoting trade between the countries and seeking better opportunities at the global level. According to the statement released by the American Embassy, Ambassador Donald Blome reviewed opportunities for development, trade and commercial relations. He met political leaders, representatives of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry and leaders of the government and private sector besides Port Authority officials.   Analyst Huma Baqai says that there is nothing wrong with the US Ambassador’s visit and that no one should have any problem with the infrastructure that Pakistan and China have built in Gwadar. Huma said that Pakistan now wants to avoid camp politics; Pakistan wants to have relations with all the countries of the world keeping in mind only its interests. According to Huma, this practice was started by India, which at one time maintained its relations with Moscow and Washington; now Pakistan also wants to maintain relations with America while maintaining friendship with China. Haroon Sharif said that the corridor project connecting India, the Middle East and America has only been discussed at the G-20 summit. It remains to be seen how much time will be required for its completion and what will be the global situation at that time. Huma said that the trade route announced at the G-20 is still far from construction, and the project should not be seen as a competition to CPEC. Huma added that America has played an important role in Balochistan.  America has been playing an important role in education, health and natural disasters in Pakistan. So, Ambassador Donald Blome visit should not be seen in the context of CPEC. (Urdu, Voice of America)

• The Special Court of Official Secrets Act has rejected the bail applications of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi.  However, the Special Court   accepted Asad Umar’s pre-arrest bail application in the cipher case. PTI lawyer argued that no one in history has been subjected to political revenge as much as Imran Khan, who is a patriotic Pakistani. More than 180 cases were registered against him. Shah Mehmood’s lawyer Shoaib Shaheen said that the police had not presented any documents in the case filed against his client. (Himalya Today Daily/Aeen Daily)

• Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court has approved the bail of former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Ilahi.  Judge Abul Hasnat Mohammad Zulqarnain, who heard the bail plea, said that nothing was recovered from Chaudhary Pervez Ilahi during his remand, and he is not even named in the FIR. The court ordered his release on a bond of Rs 20,000. It should be noted that on September 8, the court sent Parvez Ilahi to jail on a 14-day judicial remand. (Dunya Daily)

• Senior journalist and analyst Asma Shirazi while speaking in Geo’s program “Today with Shahzeb Khanzada” has said that there are going to be very important changes in the political situation of Sindh. Senior journalist and analyst Shahzad Iqbal said that the real problem for the People’s Party is level playing field and facilitation. People’s Party has come to know that it is not in the good books. It is clear that only one party will be facilitated. Senior journalist and analyst Asma Shirazi said that the PML-N and the PPP are operating under political expediency. The People’s Party knows that the elections cannot be held in 90 days, but they have taken this stand for public support. It is possible that the PML-N and the People’s Party will ask the Election Commission to announce the date of the elections in the next few days. If the situation remains the same, then the game will not remain in the hands of political parties. Asma Shirazi said President Alvi came under pressure from his PTI party and its chairman in the matter of amendments to Army Act and Official Secrets Act. As a result, the President made a tweet which increased the confusion. (Jang)

• JUI(F) and MQM-P have decided to form an alliance against PPP in the larger interests of Sindh. JUI delegation led by Rashid Soomro visited MQM-Pakistan’s headquarters at Bahadur Abad and had meeting with MQM-P Rabta committee members. Deputy convener, MQM, Farooq Sattar told media that MQM, GDA and JUI will not allow anyone play Sindh card. He also said JUI was popular in interiors. He also said now this myth will be broken that there was no alternative to PPP in Sindh. Rashid Soomro also addressed media saying GDA, JUI and MQM have decided to come together and they have also decided that they will not work or represent any particular section in society but instead they will work and represent everybody from Kashmore to Karachi. MQM leader Farooq Sattar said that the time has come to change the political situation.   Farooq Sattar said injustice was done with the people of Larkana, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Kashmore, and Karachi. He said that the innocent people are being oppressed under the guise of nationalism. We are the ones who are keeping our hands on the heads of the people of Sindh. The people of Sindh are not orphans. There is lawlessness and unrest in the whole of Sindh at this time. General Secretary Jamiat Ulema Sindh Rashid Mahmood Soomro said that the people of Sindh will not fight for any tribe or family. All nationalities and all people are the same for us. From Karachi to Kashmore, the rights are being violated equally. If there are weapons in Karachi, then in Kashmore the bandits have anti-aircraft guns. They said that the Election Commission should remove all our concerns. If the Election Commission does not remove our concerns, then all the parties will decide on a common plan of action. (Qudrat Daily, Sindh Express)

EDITORIALS

• Yesterday’s explosion in the Mastung district of Balochistan, in which 11 people, including the central leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), Hafiz Hamidullah, were injured, indicates that religious and political parties are a special target of terrorists.   The May suicide attack on Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Siraj ul Haq’s caravan in Zhob, in which he was unharmed, and the July suicide attack on the convention of Jamiat Ulema e Islam (F) in Bajaur, in which around 60 were killed, reinforces this fact. Behind these attacks, anti-national elements may be trying to spread chaos in the country. After the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 and the return of the Taliban to Kabul, there was hope that Pakistan would not have any threat from Afghan territory. But contrary to its promise, the Afghan government is not only providing safe havens to the outlawed TTP militants but is also providing them with NATO’s abandoned weapons, which are being used against Pakistan. Afghan Taliban must realize their promise to Pakistan and the favors Pakistan has done to them. (Edit-Dunya Daily)

• Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir is currently on a visit to Turkey. The purpose of the visit is to enhance military and defense cooperation between the two brotherly countries. He held meetings with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, the Commander of the Turkish General Staff and the Commanders of the Turkish Army and Air Force. General Asim Munir appreciated the efforts of the Turkish Army to maintain peace and stability in the region and praised the operational preparations of the Turkish Armed Forces. Turkish leaders also acknowledged the contribution of Pakistani army engineers during the Feb earthquake in Turkey. The Army Chief was awarded the Legion of Merit by the Minister of Defense and Commander in recognition of his services to promote defense ties between the two countries. On this occasion, the Army Chief said that the relations between Pakistan and Turkey are fraternal, which will always remain strong. Turkey has supported Pakistan on many occasions even in difficult situations and Pakistan has also left no stone unturned in repaying the friendship. Pakistan now needs to learn from the example of Turkey on steps revive its economy. (Edit Nawaiwaqt)

• Instead of ensuring rule of law, caretaker government in Sindh seems to working in the footsteps of its predecessor. It has handed over the task of getting Sagar Kumar released from kidnappers to some kabila sardars. It is learnt that after police failure in getting Sagar Kumar released, caretaker Sindh minister for law has sought help of one Kabila chief to get Sagar Kumar released in two days. Help is also being taken by the government from the elites in the interiors. What is all this, if not falling in the footsteps of preceding government? Of late, there is reshuffle in the Sindh police and large-scale transfers. But all these changes at the SSP level are a mere eyewash. We have been saying time and again that peace can return only when supremacy of rule of law is established by breaking nexus amongst criminals, police and their facilitators. Everyone knows about such nexus and all that got exposed during Kashmore dharnas. The dacoits cannot stand against administration provided administration has the will to eliminate dacoits and expose their facilitators. (Pahenji Akhbar Edit, Sept.14)

• Sindh is facing multiple issues these days and unemployment is topping the list. Sindh is also being discriminated against in the distribution of resources. The influx of outsiders into Sindh is giving rise to several issues here including law and order problem and even food scarcity. Several food items are also being smuggled to Afghanistan. There are also reports of foreign refugees being involved in narcotic pedalling and movement of illegal arms in Sindh. People at high places have also been saying that there is a possibility of involvement of Afghan refugees in terror attacks in the country and also in Sindh. PPP chief Bilawal said that arms left behind by Americans in Afghanistan are now reaching Sindh’s interiors via Karachi. In this connection, we can say that one of reasons for dacoits getting stronger in interiors could be because now they have modern weapons with them. Now that these American weapons are reaching Sindh interiors, whom to blame for it especially when we know that these weapons have to cross borders at two levels, one at national level border from Afghanistan into Pakistan then at provincial level right up to interiors of Sindh?  Just when the caretaker government is trying to improve law and order in the province, will Sindh authorities put pressure on the caretaker government in Islamabad for expelling illegally staying Afghan refugees? We strongly believe that as long as it does not happen, there are very dim chances of law and order improving in Sindh. Hence, federal and provincial governments should give attention to this serious issue without any more delay. (Kawish Edit, Sept.14)

• There are reports that the Sindh cabinet has decided to launch an army operation against dacoits in Sindh interiors. At the same time, Rangers have been extended permission to stay six months more in Karachi. Caretaker chief minister has also directed the Sindh Police IG for decisive, effective operations against street crime which has shown a spurt in Karachi during the last six months. Federal and Sindh governments have been making such announcements in the past too, but all that has led only in temporary peace and some lull. The fact of the matter is there is no part of the country which can claim rule of law. This is also evident from weapons left behind by American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, landing in Sindh’s interiors for use by dacoits there. How do such weapons reach Sindh’s interiors travelling hundreds of kilometers and crossing borders? It is also a fact that those whose primary duty is to give protection to people and their belongings have failed in their duties. We need a lot of reforms in the police setup. Police must realise that they have to deliver as per laws of land. Once police start abiding by law, all will go well in Sindh. (Sindh Express Edit)

• Our former rulers have brought the country to the brink of economic collapse. The sign of economic collapse is the extreme shortage of foreign exchange. There are only two ways to increase the foreign exchange reserves – one remittances of migrants and two increase in exports, but according to official data, both exports and remittances are declining. Reforms in the entire industrial and commercial sector are also necessary to increase exports, but the industrial sector has suffered a decline due to the agreements made with the IMF. Electricity tariffs, gas costs, and petrol prices have increased production costs. Conditions have become unfavorable for genuine commercial and industrial activities. Exports cannot be increased by artificial and demonstrative measures. The largest export sector is textile and allied industries, but the sector is witnessing a decline. The closure of industries is also creating employment problems. An increase in exports is essential to stabilize foreign exchange reserves, but achieving this goal is not possible without reforms in the entire economic and social sphere. (Edit Jasarat)

• Another hike in petrol and diesel prices looks certain. Reports say price of diesel will increase to 320 rupees per liter. And that petrol price will touch 325 rupees per liter. This increase will have a cascading effect on food prices and transport costs. Ever since the previous government signed an agreement with the IMF, the dragon of inflation has been devouring the lives of the poor. Do the rulers know about the price of pulses and rice in the market? And now the poor person has lost two-time meal of rice and pulse. Therefore, our request to the caretaker government to do positive things to avoid an increase in the price of petrol. (Edit, Daily Khabrain)

• On the one hand, the smuggling of Iranian oil through Balochistan is having a negative impact on the country’s economy, and on the other hand, there is the problem of Afghan transit trade. This is the main reason for the establishment of black market in Pakistan and a major cause of damage to the economy. Afghan authorities and businessmen provide wrong information on the import of goods to Pakistan customs, resulting in significant discrepancies between the reported and actual value of the goods, and later the same transit trade goods return illegally to Pakistan. Three-fourths of the goods escape customs duty. Pakistan is suffering a loss of three billion dollars annually from the illegal trade of Afghanistan. As per statistics, Afghan imports increased by 67% under transit trade. Afghan imports, which were 4 billion dollars last year, increased to 6.71 billion dollars in 2022-23. The goods imported to Afghanistan include artificial fiber, electrical equipment, electronics equipment, tyres, tubes, and tea. These imports have recorded an increase of 35%, 72%, 80% and 59% respectively. Due to extravagant increase in these imports, there is a significant decrease in imports of these items in Pakistan. A report has revealed that Rs300 billion worth smuggling is taking place under the guise of transit trade. According to domestic exports are affected by illegal trade. The government should adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards smuggling.  The need of the hour is to align Afghan transit trade with international norms. (Jang Edit)

• An automated digital system is being introduced in Pakistan this month to bring faster clearance of cargo ships, reduce trading costs and save movement time. The new approach will give a boost to the transport, warehousing and freight forwarding sectors associated with the logistics sector. Under this system, all seaports and the terminals there on will be connected. Especially at the ports of Karachi, Bin Qasim and Gwadar, the clearance of cargo ships will be accelerated, which will provide extraordinary convenience to overseas traders. The new system is part of a single window that will provide logistics-related information. Pakistan has eight major ports for international trade activities. At present, Karachi accounts for 60% of the national commercial activities which indicates an extraordinary pressure on it. Amidst the country’s deepening economic crisis, a major development came a few months ago when a business group in Abu Dhabi announced a major investment in the sector, including the construction of terminals at Karachi and Port Qasim. Meanwhile despite serious efforts to make Gwadar a global trade center, the pace of expansion of urban and business infrastructure there is very slow. According to the government data, foreign investment in the last financial year has decreased by 21% to just one and a half billion dollars. It would be better to attract foreign capital into ports sector through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). (Jang Edit)