NEWS: China has not agreed to further increase cooperation with Pakistan in the fields of energy, water management and environmental change under the CPEC, which indicates challenges in increasing bilateral economic tie -ups.  Minutes signed by CPEC’s 11th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) show that Pakistan abandoned its opposition to setting up of imported coal-fired power plant at Gwadar and responded to several Chinese demands to address Beijing’s concerns.  Although the JCC met in October 2022, its minutes were signed on July 31 this year, indicating differences between the two sides. It took almost a year to reach a consensus. Details show that China has not agreed with many of the measures proposed by Pakistan in the areas of energy, water management, climate change and tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and coastal areas. The final draft shared by Pakistan with Beijing and the final minutes signed by both sides differed on several counts. Former Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that these minutes were signed on July 31 during the visit of the Chinese Dy. Prime Minister. The 11th virtual meeting of the JCC was held on October 27, 2022 at the insistence of the PDM government to make progress on the CPEC. Details show that China excluded cooperation for promotion of cross-border tourism and coastal tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir from the final minutes of the 11th JCC. China also disagreed with Pakistan’s proposal to include water resources management, climate change and urban infrastructure development in the CPEC framework. China also rejected a proposal to establish a new joint working group on water resource management and climate change. When contacted, the Ministry of Planning said that it is a global practice that minutes of meetings between the two countries are signed only after due consultation and consensus by both parties. Pakistan has given a big concession to China on the matter of setting up a 300 MW Gwadar power plant based on imported fuel. Pakistan wanted to stop the project or relocate it to Thar to use local coal to save foreign exchange reserves, but China did not agree. China has not agreed to the inclusion of 100 MW KIU and 80 MW Phandar hydel power projects in the CPEC energy cooperation list and for Chinese investment. China also disagreed with the proposal to develop a policy framework for coal gasification for Thar’s coal-to-fertilizer projects. Similarly, there was no mention of the South North Gas Pipeline project in the final minutes. Pakistan had proposed Chinese participation in the strategic underground gas storage project but this too was not agreed. The Ministry of Planning emphasized that the signing of the minutes of the 11th meeting of the JCC is proof of the strong relationship between Pakistan and China. They also reflect the commitment of both parties to work together to achieve common goals. (Express Daily)

• There is reshuffle in Sindh police again. According to a notification, changes have been made this time in the Forensic Division, Traffic (West), Forensic Security Cell, SP-Special Branch, Sukkur, S.P. Head Quarters, Larkana, Hyderabad amongst other places in Sindh police. In the first round of reshuffle early this month, the IG was replaced followed by DIGs and SSPs. (Sindh Express)

• PTI Chairman, Imran Khan was shifted from the Attock Jail to Adiala Jail on the orders of the Islamabad High Court. Chief Justice Aamir Farooq. Hearing the plea of Imran, the CJ noted that all   the under-trial prisoners of Islamabad are in Adiala Jail. He inquired why Imran Khan was kept at Attock since the original order was to keep him in Adiala Jail in the Tosha Khana case. (Himalaya Today)

• The Election Commission has decided to maintain the current number of seats in the National and Provincial Assemblies.  According to the poll body, work on the preliminary delimitation of constituencies for the national and provincial assemblies has entered the final stages. The Election Commission will approve the preliminary constituencies list tomorrow and it will be released on Sept 27. Even after redrawing the constituencies, the seat strength will remain unchanged in the National and Provincial Assemblies.  In its statement, the Election Commission also said that suggestions and objections can be made to the new list of constituencies from September 28 to October 27. After addressing these representations, the final list will be released on November 30. (Himalaya Today)

• The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has strongly reacted to the caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar’s minus one formula of holding transparent elections without the PTI chairman and other arrested leaders. This statement is undemocratic. The HRCP said that the caretaker government should avoid making irresponsible, partisan statements outside its mandate. Instead, it should ensure an environment fit for free and transparent elections. The courts are yet to determine the crimes of Imran Khan and his leaders. Prime Minister should know that it will not be his or his government’s unilateral decision on how transparent elections are conducted. The PTI leadership has been systematically demobilized, and forcibly separated from the party in the form of mass arrests and re-arrests. Numerous cases are slapped against PTI leaders and activists. They are not allowed to hold public meetings or express their views. These steps are not conducive to a level playing field. The HRCP also condemned the treatment meted out to former Punjab Chief Minister and PTI President Pervez Ilahi, who is being repeatedly arrested despite High Court orders to release him. (Aeen Daily, Express Daily)

• Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir has hailed the contributions of the Christian community in national development, and appreciated their role in the defence of their motherland. According to a ISPR statement, the General had a meeting with   Bishop Rev. Dr. Azad Marshall along with a 13-member delegation of the Christian community at GHQ. They discussed matters of related to religious and interfaith harmony. The Army Chief appreciated the services of the Christian community   in the promotion of quality education, health care, and humanitarian services besides defence of the country. He expressed deep respect for the Christian community and stressed the need to promote interfaith harmony   to realize the true vision for a united and progressive Pakistan. The Army Chief said that Islam is a religion of peace. There is no room for intolerance and extremism in Islam and, no one can be allowed to take the law into their own hands in a civilized society. Members of the Christian community acknowledged the efforts of the Pakistan Army to combat terrorism and provide a safe environment for minorities in the country. (Aeen Daily, Tribune, Jinnah)

• PML-N senior and former federal finance minister Ishaq Dar has said that the consultations regarding the return of Nawaz Sharif have been completed. ‘Nawaz is going back to Pakistan on Wednesday’. Talking in London, he said that the narrative of PML-N is very clear: Pakistan has to return to the 24th economy status. If the people give a chance, under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan will develop again. Before PDM took over the reins of the government, there was a hundred percent risk of default for Pakistan. International and some internal forces wanted to make Pakistan another Sri Lanka but our resolve was to save Pakistan and we did it. (Qudrat Daily)

• Former Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has asked party leaders to cancel their plans to visit London to meet Nawaz Sharif, saying that   the program of Nawaz Sharif’s return home on October 21 is final. Talking to the media in the British capital, he said that the narrative of PML-N in the upcoming elections will be performance of Nawaz’s rein when he had ended load shedding and started the CPEC worth billions of rupees. Shahbaz said that inflation was at the lowest level during the PML-N rule. Nawaz Sharif will start the journey of development from the point where it was stopped. (Qudrat Daily)

• Pakistan People’s Party, PPP, leader, Manzoor Wasan, has said that just before the elections there will be a lot of trouble. Many people will be in jail and many will be out of the country. PPP did not need an umpire before and will not need it now. Our umpire is the people. Umpire in political lexicon is a word invented by PTI Chairman. Sometimes the umpire makes the PTI chief prime minister and sometimes he puts him in jail. He said that the PPP wants the election to be held on time. He said that if you want to do politics in Pakistan, you should be prepared to go to jail. PTI has no candidate to contest the elections. He said that the alliance of JUI, GDA, and MQM is not a threat to PPP in the Sindh. (Qudrat Daily)

• Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Punjab, Chaudhry Shafi Hussain has said that his party will enter the poll field in alliance with PML-N. In a statement, he said the two parties have formed committees to discuss seat adjustments. He said that PML -Q has no alliance talks with the PPP but hopes to make some gains in the Sindh as well. Chaudhry Shafi Hussain asked the  Election Commission not to delay polls beyond January and added that  everyone including the PTI chairman should get a chance to contest the election. (Qudrat Daily)

• Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Siraj-ul-Haq has said that national debt should be repaid by selling the assets of the looters of Pakistan wealth. Addressing an anti-price rise dharna in Quetta, he said for 25 crores people are unable to have two times meals a day. How should a poor person pay the inflated gas, electricity, and water bills? Siraj ul Haq said that bribes, and corruption were inherent in the power purchase agreements made with Independent Power Producers, IPPs. A unit of electricity is costing 56 rupees with the connivance of the rulers. Today the government wants to pay off the IMF debt by squeezing the blood of the people. Balochistan is greatly affected by poverty, unemployment, and corruption. When there is no inflation in neighboring countries, why is it there in Pakistan? JI Amir   said there are gangs of landlords and tyrants in the three parties of the country and we are standing against them. Zardari and Shahbaz Sharif told me to support them but I refused. We did not support PTI either because it is no different from the other two parties. Asif Zardari wants to make his son, Bilawal the Prime Minister. Likewise, Nawaz Sharif also wants to make Maryam Nawaz the Prime Minister? My concern is not how to my son the PM but how to make it easier for the poor people to live in the country. My demand: withdraw the increase in petrol and electricity prices. (Qudrat Daily)

• Pakistan has strongly condemned yet another incident of desecration of the Holy Quran in the Netherlands and demanded the European countries to take immediate action against such Islamophobic acts. In a statement, the Foreign Office said Pakistan strongly condemns the latest senseless and extremely aggressive act of desecration of the Holy Quran in front of the embassies of the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, including Pakistan, in The Hague. Deliberately provocative and Islamophobic actions have hurt the sentiments of Muslims across the world and such actions cannot be ignored under the guise of freedom of expression.  The authorities of the Netherlands have been informed of Pakistan’s concerns to take into account the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and Muslims around the world; they have been urged to take strong measures to stop such hateful and Islamophobic actions. (Dawn Daily)

• Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL)teams have disconnected 7,144 domestic and 43 commercial connections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during its campaign against illegal connections that started on the 8^th of September.  The company imposed heavy fines of 5 crore 52 lakh rupees. Meanwhile, the teams of Lahore Electric Supply Company have caught 21 people on charge of power theft and fined Rs 3.79 million. Yesterday the company recovered Rs 2 crore 35 lakhs from 763 defaulters. (Dawn Daily)

• According to the Public Relations Department of the Pakistan Army (ISPR), there was a fierce exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in the Thira area of Khyber district and three terrorists were killed. The operation was conducted on the intervening night of September 25 and 26 after receiving information about the presence of terrorists in that area. ISPR further said that a search operation is going on in the area to eliminate the terrorists. (Dawn Daily)

• The Caretaker Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Azam Khan, taking notice of the alleged decision of the local Jirga to demolish the house of journalist Mairaj Khalid Wazir in Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan, has directed the concerned authorities to give full protection to the family and to the home of the said journalist. (Urdu Point)

• Maiza Kakar, a lawyer, and human rights activist who provides legal support to Afghan refugees arrested in Karachi, says that the police are arresting Pashtuns along with Afghans. And if the government does not extend the period of registration cards for Afghans, then it should explain its policy. (Urdu Voice of America)

• Afghan Taliban have banned trade in foreign currency across the country.  10 days have been given to transfer business to local currency. (Jasarat)

• Addressing a party convention in Gujranwala, PML-N leader Atta Tarar said that Imran Khan will not come out of jail for many years, while the date of Nawaz Sharif’s arrival is irrevocable. He said that if the PTI government had not wrecked the economy, inflation would not have hit the people. (Daily Dharti, Daily Khabrain)

• Four women released in the Jinnah House attack case were arrested again. Sanam Javed, Afsha Tariq, Shama Shuja and Shah Noor were arrested in the second case of the attack on Jinnah House. (Daily Dharti, Daily Khabrain, Roznama Intekhab)

• The Caretaker Federal Minister for Planning and Development Mohammad Sami Saeed met US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome on Monday, and discussed issues of mutual interest. Sami Saeed appreciated the US support received by Pakistan in terms of development cooperation, bilateral trade and investment promotion. On this occasion, he highlighted the government’s efforts for economic recovery. (Roznama Intekhab, Daily Kashmir Express)

• Federal Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs Aneeq Ahmed says that the duration of the official Hajj is proposed to be reduced from 45 days next year. He stated this at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony yesterday. The Committee considered the recent letter written by Saudi Arabia proposing to reduce the number of Hajj operators in Pakistan from 905 to only 46. Senator Maulana Faiz Muhammad said that we have to solve the problem by talking with Saudi Arabia. Minister Aneeq Ahmed said Saudi Arabia was asked to review its decision, but they did not agree. Saudi Government had already imposed such restrictions on America and Europe.  And rejected their requests for a review. We will write a letter to the Saudi government on the request of the Standing Committee. The caretaker federal minister said that as WhatsApp calls cannot be made from Saudi Arabia, the government of Pakistan will give a SIM with Rs.4000 recharge from which free video calls can be made for 45 days. The Ministry is also considering a Hajj package of 18-20 days only for the 2024 season. (Jang, Express Daily)

• PML-N leader and former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi gave a signal about forming a new political party. In an interview, he said that he was not satisfied with the politics of PML-N. He said that today’s politics is full of abuse and vulgarity. We have a long history of problems and corruption from 2013 to 2018. There is no doubt that the 2018 election was stolen. People today do not consider it as a problem even though it is the root cause of all problems. First decide your path and then go for the elections. Otherwise, the election will give nothing but chaos. I am not a party official now and I am not involved in any consultation. If Nawaz Sharif becomes the prime minister, I do not see myself as a minister. There is a need and space for a new party as well. Former Army Chief Gen. (Retd.) Qamar Bajwa was an obstacle to PDM government. The PTI Chairman didn’t do a penny’s work during his tenure, but what did we do? (Jang, Qudrat)

• According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the total number of Afghan refugees in Pakistan is 42,29,000. There are three types of Afghan refugees who have been living in Pakistan for more than four decades. One type is legal migrants having registered document proofs. Second type is those who obtained Pakistan’s ID proof by illegally with the help of some Pakistanis. And the third type, biggest in number, are illegal Afghan refugees without any documents or any record either in the UNHCR or with the Pakistan Government. Return of these millions of refugees to their homeland is the need of the hour. This is also important because a large number of Afghan refugees are involved in drug smuggling and smuggling of goods under the guise of transit trade, which also contributes to terrorism in Pakistan from Afghanistan. Therefore, instead of unjustified rounding up of Afghan citizens by the state agencies, which is generally a source of bribery, the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan should, through mutual understanding, send these 4.2 million refugees back to their homeland amicably within a reasonable period. (Jang)

EDITORIALS

• World Bank has shown concern over Pakistan economy and said over nine crore people   are facing very tough times.  But the Bank’s suggestion that real estate and agriculture be taxed more will only add to inflation instead of giving people any relief. We think it is time authorities started giving relief to people and take measures to control price rise. The illegally staying Afghans should be sent back to their country; they are a big burden on our economy and also take away local peoples’ rights. The authorities need to be serious about this issue. (Kawish Edit, Sep.25)

• Several people in Punjab have lost their eyesight after taking a locally made injection. One of the victims is the brother of PPP leader Chaudhary Manzoor. This was for the first time that the injection made in Punjab has taken a big toll of people. There are a number of companies in Punjab which make spurious drugs and medicines and for them Sindh is a big market place. These spurious medicines are taken to medical stores without any   check   and no action is taken against any wholesaler or distributor. The injection referred to above was marketed as good for eye sight and for restoration of eye sight of diabetic patients. But, instead of doing any good to them, it has taken away the diabetic patients’ eye sight. Now, Punjab government has set up a five-member committee to look into matter. It would have been better if a judicial inquiry is ordered. Sindh has also been suffering because of use of spurious medicines. There are instances of kidneys getting affected because of spurious medicines. But no action is taken by the Sindh drug inspectors. (Pahenji Akhbar Edit)

• At a high-level meeting of police officials, the IGP has issued orders to deport illegally staying foreigners in Sindh. But such announcements are not new. And nothing concrete has been done to deal with the problem of illegal foreigners. There are certain forces in the Sindh, who want to exploit these illegally staying foreigners; there are forces that have big say in political matters. It is because of such forces that these illegally staying foreigners, who despite being a big economic burden, are not being sent back to their countries. According to UN High Commissioner’s statistics, about 3.7 million foreigners stay in our country as of 2023; some of them are registered, and some have settled without any permission and still more keep pouring into the country. Now that decision is taken at a higher level to deport such illegally staying Afghans, it will be a big obligation on Sindh if they are deported. If the administration sincerely wants to put an end to crimes and smuggling, then it must make proper arrangements to send these illegally staying foreigners back to their countries. This is the only way to restore law and order and peace in the region.  (Ibrat Edit)

• The Pakistani rulers do not recognize the Afghan government because of foreign pressure but they talk about recognizing Israel in the national interest. It is in Pakistan’s interest to recognize the government of Afghanistan. If there are relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan from a commercial point of view and also from a defense point of view, then one can check terrorism in Pakistan. Statements do not make much sense, Jalil Abbas who is the only caretaker foreign minister, should only work on formal matters. He is there to fill a seat; he shouldn’t speak much.  The nation considers the matter of recognizing Israel not as a matter of national interest. Inflation, unemployment, and unrest will be tolerated, but the nation will not accept the Israeli dagger in the heart of the Muslim Ummah. (Edit Jasarat)

• The regular announcement of the general election date has not been made yet. The Election Commission has only indicated the month which is January 2024. In this atmosphere of uncertainty, political parties have not started election campaigns. However, occasional political gatherings are taking place, which can take the form of regular campaign as soon as the election schedule is announced. Questions are doing the round as to whether    some parties or their leaders will be able to participate in the election and whether the election held without them be acceptable to the public. PML-N Leader Nawaz Sharif and PTI Chairman Imran Khan are two prominent political heavy weights.  Nawaz has some legal issues to deal with while there are serious cases against Chairman PTI and his party. The Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar in an interview said there can be transparent elections in the country even without Imran Khan in the fray. The jailed PTI members are involved in vandalism and arson and hence ruled out but thousands of party cadres who are not involved in illegal activities will be able to participate in the election. To a question, PM Kakar said that the talk of rigging the elections by the army is unreasonable. The present Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by Chairman PTI. Why would he allow the poll it to be rigged? PTI has reacted strongly to this statement of the caretaker prime minister. The spokesperson of the party said that the election without Imran Khan or his party will be unconstitutional which the nation will not accept. The results of artificial, undemocratic and unconstitutional methods of excluding some political leaders and parties with exceptional public support from elections are always disastrous. The PTI’s reaction to the Prime Minister’s statement may be an indication of the current political atmosphere of tension, and that bitterness may grow over.  If a decision is taken which is not acceptable to PTI and as a result of which PTI Chairman or some other top leader cannot participate in the elections, the election atmosphere can become messy. Hopes of political stability in the country will remain unfulfilled and if political stability does not come, economic stability will remain a mirage. (Jang Edit) ####