Facebook ordered to release anti-Rohingya posts for genocide case

A US judge has ordered Facebook to release posts the social network removed over their role in inciting government-backed violence against the Rohingya people in Myanmar.

In his ruling on Wednesday, Washington DC district court Judge Zia Faruqui criticised the company for refusing to provide the records to countries pursuing a case against Myanmar in the International Court of Justice. Facebook had resisted releasing the content on the grounds of US privacy law.

But the judge ruled that the deleted posts would not be covered under the protections for users’ personal communications.

“Locking away the requested content would be throwing away the opportunity to understand how disinformation begat genocide,” Faruqui wrote in his ruling, saying Facebook “taking up the mantle of privacy rights is rich with irony.” Facebook has been accused of being slow to respond to abusive posts portraying Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims in sub-human terms, helping to drum up support for a military crackdown that forced more than 740,000 members of the persecuted minority to flee the country in 2017.

In August 2018, United Nations investigators called for an international probe and prosecution of Myanmar’s army chief and five other top military commanders for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. On the same day, Facebook banned the top generals from its platform. The Gambia has taken majority-Buddhist Myanmar to the UN’s top court in The Hague, accusing it of breaching the 1948 UN genocide convention.

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OIC calls upon world to note compelling evidence in Pakistan dossier of India's heinous crimes

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday called upon the international community to "take immediate cognisance of the compelling evidence" contained in a dossier issued by Pakistan on September 12 against India's heinous crimes in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The foreign ministers of the contact group met on the sidelines of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York today.

They called upon the world powers to "hold India accountable" for the crimes committed by Indian occupation forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to a joint communique released after the meeting, the session was chaired by the Secretary General of the OIC.

A report was shared by the secretary general and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), besides a briefing given by Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi, as well as foreign ministers of other states and representatives of the Kashmiri people.

Earlier, Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in his address to the contact group during a breakfast meeting, called for a "just" and "equitable" resolution to the Kashmir dispute for peace in South Asia.

The foreign minister underscored the need for the international community to be "very clear on Indian transgressions and hold India accountable".

"Since August 5, 2019, over eight million Kashmiris continue to face lockdown, military siege, arbitrary detentions and unprecedented restrictions," said Qureshi.

"Indian occupation forces are committing unspeakable atrocities to silence the voice of the Kashmiris and break their will to resist occupation," he added.

The foreign minister said the most recent example was treatment of mortal remains of Geelani, when a contingent of India’s occupation forces "entered his family home and snatched his body, denied him last rites and buried him in a nondescript place".

"There can be no peace in South Asia until the just and equitable resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute," he stressed.

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Pakistan welcomes Afghan cabinet expansion as ‘positive step’

Pakistan on Thursday welcomed the expansion in the Afghan cabinet as a “positive step” and called for more such actions by the Taliban for stability in the war-ravaged country.

“We have taken note of the expansion in the interim cabinet with representation of different ethnic and political groups. This is a positive direction, and we hope they continue to take steps leading to lasting stability in the country,” Foreign Office spokesman Asim Iftikhar said at the weekly media briefing.

The Taliban had earlier in the week expanded the interim cabinet by naming a number of deputy ministers, some of whom belong to ethnic minorities like Hazaras. Most of the newly-inducted deputy ministers are, however, hardliners. Moreover, no woman was included in the cabinet yet again.

The international community has been unrelenting in its demand for an inclusive government in Afghanistan and has linked recognition of the new set-up to the fulfilment of the demand.

International development assistance has been stopped in the absence of recognition for the Taliban government. Afghanistan has traditionally heavily relied on foreign assistance. Therefore, discontinuation of the assistance has raised fears of an economic collapse.

The FO spokesman recalled that Pakistan continued to urge the international community on the imperative of constructive engagement and timely mobilisation of humanitarian assistance to avert a humanitarian and economic crisis in Afghanistan.

“Ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan is a shared responsibility of the international community,” he underscored.

Mr Iftikhar said that Pakistan continued to engage with the interim authorities.

He also recalled that special representatives of China, Russia and Pakistan visited Kabul for meeting the Taliban leadership and other leading Afghan figures. The trip, he said, highlighted the importance of coordination among the regional stakeholders to promote the shared objectives of a peaceful, stable, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan.

He emphasised the need for continued coordination among the regional countries.

“It is all about coordination and consultation. The regional countries have shared concerns and interests vis-a-vis the developments in Afghanistan,” he stressed, adding that Pakistan would continue engagement and consultations with the international community, particularly the regional countries.

Commenting on the US silence on the Modi government’s atrocities in Occupied Kashmir and against religious minorities in India, the spokesman denounced it as Washington’s “double speak” and “double standards” on human rights.

“We have consistently maintained that human rights have to be respected and upheld universally, without any distinction or political motives,” Mr Iftikhar maintained.

President Biden had at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly said: “We all must call out and condemn the targeting and oppression of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities when it occurs in — whether it occurs in Xinjiang or northern Ethiopia or anywhere in the world.”

However, the US president avoided explicitly mentioning human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir that have been documented and reported by the United Nations and other international organisations. Neither did he speak about oppression of religious minorities in India.

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Pakistan, China agree not to alter tariff on power deals

Pakistan and China on Thursday agreed to keep unchanged the tariff and tax policies relating to power sector contracts and arrest and prosecute the attackers of July 14 Dasu bus tragedy at the earliest.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, it could not finalise arrangements for over $6 billion Mainline Railway Track (ML-1) and a framework agreement on industrial cooperation pending for a long time.

The Chinese has been agitating build-up of power sector dues going beyond $1.4bn (about Rs230bn), creation of a revolving fund for automatic payments and an increase in withholding tax rates after the agreements were signed.

Pakistan has been seeking changes in tariff structure for independent power producers to reduce financial burden in line with tariff discounts secured from other IPPs to address the circular debt pressure.

Speaking at a news conference after the much-delayed JCC meeting, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, who co-chaired it, said the two sides had agreed to the need and importance of enhanced security not only for CPEC projects but also Chinese labourers working in Pakistan, following the Dasu incident. Both sides agreed to “arrest those guilty of heinous crime and get them sentenced by courts at the earliest”.

The JCC, which is required to meet twice a year, had not met since November 2019. Its earlier meeting due on July 16 was cancelled at the last moment and the rescheduled session held through video conference.

Ning Jizhe, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China co-chaired the meeting.

Asad Umar said the Chinese side raised the issue of security and the Pakistani side agreed that spectrum of economic cooperation was expanding, SIZs were coming up, investments were flowing in and Chinese workers were working in many areas, even outside the CPEC, and hence the need for security had also increased. He said work on the Dasu hydropower project had not resumed yet but that was not part of the CPEC.

The minister said Pakistan and China had an unprecedented and different type of relationship and all issues had to resolve in that special spirit of cooperation. He said China stood by Pakistan at every difficult time, including more than once on financial difficulties.

He said that on the directives of the prime minister, the ministries of finance and energy were to look into a clear path, whether it was through a revolving fund or some other method, to ensure payment of dues to Chinese IPPs. He said the dues stood at $1.4bn or Rs230bn as of now.

Responding to question on ML-1, the minister agreed that there was more than one issue on finalising the financial arrangement for the multi-billion-dollar project, including the combination of foreign currencies and interest rates. He said the Chinese side wanted part financing in Renminbi and part in dollar, while Pakistan wanted it mostly in dollar being its currency of international trade.

In reply to a question about delay in signing a framework agreement on industrial cooperation being the key to second phase of the CPEC, the minister said events had taken over the need for framework agreement as three special industrial zones had been set up, hundreds of investments were flowing in and now was the time for more targeted sectoral approaches rather than a generalised framework agreement.

A statement by the Board of Investment (BoI), however, said it was mutually agreed by the Pakistani and Chinese sides at the JCC that “the Draft Framework Agreement on Industrial Cooperation under CPEC will be finalised and signed before the next JCC meeting”. It said that “Framework Agreement was initiated by the Board of Investment and it was shared with the Chinese side after fulfilling all codal formalities in November 2020”.

Asad Umar said the framework agreement on cooperation was signed between Ningbo Port and Gwadar Port, besides lease deed of Gwadar Expo Centre, during the meeting.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) on the Karachi Comprehensive Coastal Development Zone (KCCDZ) project was also signed. The MoU will pave the way for resolution of infrastructure issues plaguing Karachi, besides fostering maritime development, and providing job opportunities through generation of sustainable economic activity based on transfer of technology to the country’s maritime industry.

Moreover, the minister said that a new joint working group on IT and science and technology was set up. He said that phase-2 of the CPEC was even more promising as it broadened the scope of cooperation and focused on industrial, scientific and technological and agricultural cooperation.

During the meeting, the conveners of joint working groups on energy, transport infrastructure, Gwadar, socioeconomic development, security, long-term planning of CPEC, industrial cooperation, international cooperation, science & technology, and agriculture cooperation made presentations highlighting the progress on their specific areas and future plans of actions.

The matters discussed during the JCC meeting included: 700MW Azad Pattan hydropower project, south-north gas pipeline, policy framework for Thar coal gasification, strategic underground gas storages, national seismic study of sedimentary area, joint prospecting, exploration, development and marketing of metallic minerals, Dir motorway project, Peshawar-D. I. Khan motorway, clean and green Gwadar movement project, Karachi coastal comprehensive development zone, potential cooperation in copper-gold mine exploration, stone processing and other areas of mutual interest.

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Qureshi meets Blinken, urges engagement with Taliban

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York on Thursday on the sidelines of the 76th United Nations General Assembly session.

The meeting, which lasted almost an hour, began at 1pm New York time at the Palace Hotel in the city, according to Blinken’s schedule on the website of the US Department of State.

This is the first meeting between the two top diplomats and as the foreign minister’s statement after the meeting showed, it focused on Afghanistan.

Secretary Blinken is scheduled to give a press briefing at 4:45pm local time and may talk about this meeting as well.

Mr Qureshi said that close engagement between Pakistan and the United States had always been mutually beneficial and a factor for stability in South Asia. He reiterated Pakistan’s desire for a balanced relationship with the United States that was anchored in trade, investment, energy and regional connectivity.

According to the official Pakistani statement, the foreign minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating efforts for an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan. Pakistan, he said, also believed that “only a stable and broad-based government in Afghanistan, which reflects its diversity and preserves the gains made by the country since 2001, would be able to ensure that Afghan territory is never exploited by transnational terrorist groups ever again”.

Mr Qureshi noted that a new political reality had emerged in Afghanistan, adding that “while the Taliban should be held to their commitments, the international community has a moral obligation to help the Afghan people deal with the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.”

He hoped that the world would not repeat the mistake of disengaging with Afghanistan as it did in the 1990s.

But diplomatic sources in Washington say that the Biden administration is not yet ready to engage with the Taliban and is waiting to see if Kabul’s new rulers keep their promises to expand their government to include non-Taliban members and to respect universal human rights.

Mr Qureshi also raised the Kashmir issue in the meeting, highlighting the grave human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and underscored the importance of resolving the Kashmir dispute for lasting peace and stability in South Asia.

Secretary Blinken appreciated Pakistan’s support for the evacuation of US citizens and other nationals from Afghanistan, and its continued efforts for peace in the region.

In a tweet on his official site, Mr Qureshi said that in his meeting with Secretary Blinken he reiterated Pakistan’s focus on a relationship anchored in trade, investment, energy and regional connectivity.

“Shared with Secretary Blinken the importance of the international community holding the Taliban to their commitments; also, for the same community to recognise its moral obligation to help the Afghan people with the growing humanitarian crisis,” he wrote.

“The world should not repeat the mistake of disengaging with Afghanistan consistently. There is no military solution and Pakistan is committed to facilitating inclusive political settlement.”

He added that “Pakistan has long desired high-level contacts with the US leadership, particularly after the collapse of the US- backed government in Kabul”.

Mr Qureshi, who is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly session, has held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from around the world. He used his meetings and other engagements to urge world leaders to stay engaged with Afghanistan’s new rulers.

Although Pakistan has been urging the world to stay engaged with Afghanistan’s new rulers, it has not yet publicly backed the Taliban’s call for a seat in the UN General Assembly.

By Thursday, it was obvious that Afghanistan’s new rulers are unlikely to speak at or represent their country in the current session of the UN General Assembly. Representatives of the previous Afghan government, which collapsed last month when the Taliban captured Kabul, still occupy the Afghan mission at the United Nations. On Tuesday, they attended the session that US President Joe Biden addressed.

On Sept 15, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres received a letter from the currently accredited Afghan ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai, stating that he and other members of his team will represent Afghanistan at the 76th UNGA.

On Sept 20, the Taliban-controlled Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs also sent a communication to Guterres, requesting to participate in the current UNGA. A Taliban leader, Ameer Khan Muttaqi, signed the letter as the new Afghan foreign minister

In the letter, the Taliban also announced nominating their spokesperson Suhail Shaheen as the new Afghan envoy to the UN.

Afghanistan is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Sept 27.

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Pakistan will have to take difficult decisions in future due to IMF: SBP governor

Pakistan will have to take tough decisions in future due to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, says State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Reza Baqir.

He made this remark during his speech at a conference on business leaders Wednesday.

The SBP governor said Pakistan had overcome the threat of COVID-19 and the positivity rate of the infection is now "much lower than the global rate", The News reported.

The Pakistan government, he said, made sure of quick disbursement of financial assistance during the coronavirus pandemic. Loans of Rs2 trillion were given to business persons, Rs430 billion were spent on new investment and Rs240 billion were allocated for loans on easy conditions, the publication reported.

Baqir said the income of people has increased as the growth rate has increased from a minus level to 4%.

Foreign remittances, too, increased by 27% during the last fiscal year and the trend continues this year as well, he explained.

The SBP governor also met Prime Minister Imran Khan and briefed him over the progress being made with the Roshan Digital Accounts.

During a briefing on a Roshan Digital Account programme, he said that as many as 204,000 accounts have so far been opened by overseas Pakistanis and that a 1,000 accounts are being opened on a daily basis. He said that so far, they have received $2.3 billion in the accounts.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that increase in the number of accounts under the programme is a sign of confidence from overseas Pakistanis in the incumbent government.

On August 18, it was reported that the Roshan Digital Account (RDA) programme has crossed a major milestone and hit the $2 billion mark as overseas Pakistanis continued to pose trust in the central bank’s initiative that was launched in September last year.

Last month, the SBP received $2.75 billion from the IMF as part of the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation announced by the fund recently.

“SBP has received US$2.75 billion from the IMF, as part of SDR allocation announced by IMF recently,” the central bank had tweeted.

Pakistan was due to receive the amount on August 23 from IMF's general allocations of $650 billion that had been approved to boost global liquidity amid the coronavirus pandemic across the globe.

The amount was directly transferred to the SBP, which has further improved the country’s foreign exchange reserves and is expected to have good impact on the economy.

The Board of Governors of the IMF had approved a general allocation of SDRs equivalent to $650 billion on August 2, 2021 — to boost global liquidity.

According to the IMF statement, the allocation would benefit all members, address the long-term global need for reserves, build confidence, and foster the resilience and stability of the global economy.

It would particularly help the most vulnerable countries struggling to cope with the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

 

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Chinese FM says economic sanctions on Afghanistan must end

China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the various unilateral sanctions or restrictions on Afghanistan should be lifted as soon as possible.

Economic sanctions on Afghanistan must end, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement, citing Wang at a virtual G20 foreign ministers' meeting on Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Afghanistan's foreign exchange reserves are national assets that should belong to the country's people and be used by its own people, and not be used as a bargaining chip to exert political pressure on Afghanistan, he said.

While most of the countries have adopted a wait-and-see approach to engagement with the Taliban, China has said it is ready to deepen “friendly and cooperative” relations with the Taliban following their takeover. It has also expressed willingness to maintain communication with the leaders of the new Taliban government in Afghanistan, calling its establishment a "necessary step" in reconstruction.

Last month, Hua Chunying, a spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, had said, "The Taliban have repeatedly expressed their hope to develop good relations with China, and that they look forward to China's participation in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan."

“We welcome this. China respects the right of the Afghan people to independently determine their own destiny and is willing to continue to develop ... friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan,” she had added.

That followed Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen saying China had played a constructive role in promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and was welcome to contribute to the rebuilding of the country.

"China is a big country with a huge economy and capacity — I think they can play a very big role in the rebuilding, rehabilitation, reconstruction of Afghanistan," Shaheen had told CGTN television in an interview.

Moreover, a Taliban spokesperson was quoted by the media as saying that they wanted to have Afghanistan incorporated in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

China, along with Pakistan, the US and Russia, is a member of the ‘Extended Troika’ that has been working for peace in Afghanistan.

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Asad Umar stresses need to ramp up security as Chinese investment in Pakistan rises

Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar stressed on Thursday the need to increase security for projects backed by the Chinese, as the country's investment in Pakistan rises.

"The investment through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is increasing. Chinese investors are investing in [projects] besides special economic zones," the federal minister said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad after a meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on the CPEC.

The federal minister noted that the need for ramping up security had increased after the Dasu incident, where at least 12 people, including nine Chinese nationals working on the hydel project, were killed when a bus carrying them fell into a ravine following an explosion.

In a press conference in August, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) were involved in the Dasu incident.

Umar, shedding light on the government's steps taken in this regard, said that the Centre has devised a strategy to ramp up security for China-backed projects.

The federal minister said China had also stressed on ramping up security on projects backed by investors from their country.

Umair noted that neighbouring countries were envious of the CPEC.

"Pakistan and China remain committed to the CPEC," he said, adding that the Ministry of Interior had set up a special cell for monitoring the security situation in the country.

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Pakistan records 58 more corona deaths, 2,357 fresh infections

Pakistan has registered 58 more COVID-19-related deaths across the country during the past 24 hours,  on Thursday.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the nationwide death toll rose to 27,432 after 58 patients succumbed to the deadly virus.
A total of 48,151 samples were tested during this period, out of which 2,357 turned out to be positive, showing a national positivity rate of 4.89 per cent as compared to yesterday’s 4.56 per cent.

The NCOC data showed that there are a total of 4,561 active cases in the country. So far 1,143,605 people have regained their health back from the pandemic.

Yesterday, England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty had said that children were currently driving transmission of COVID-19 at the moment, and that without vaccination, almost all 12- to 15-year-olds would get infected at some point.

“There is definitely substantial transmission happening in this age group. In fact, the age group we’re talking about is the one in which the highest rate of transmission is currently occurring, as far as we can tell,” Whitty told lawmakers at a session about the decision to offer COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 12-15.

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Afghanistan says wants to host Pakistan for ODI series

Newly appointed Afghanistan cricket chairman Azizullah Fazli said on Wednesday he would visit Pakistan later this week to invite the side for a one-day series.

The war-torn nation has steadily risen in international cricket over the past few years, with stars such as the world's top spinner Rashid Khan, but there have been calls for a boycott of the men's team after the Taliban's takeover last month.

The change of government has called into question the future of Afghanistan's participation in Test matches, as under International Cricket Council regulations, nations must also have an active women's team.

The Taliban are yet to announce a policy on women playing sport, but a senior official has said it would be “not necessary”.

Avoiding commenting on the latest developments, Fazli said he planned to visit other regional cricketing powers.

“I am taking a tour of Pakistan from September 25 and then will go to India, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates to meet officials of cricket boards,” he told AFP over the phone from Kabul.

Fazli said he would meet new Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja, “and offer to host Pakistan for the series which we were due to play in Sri Lanka in September”.

The three-match one-day series between Pakistan and Afghanistan was cancelled over logistical problems and a Covid-19 outbreak in Sri Lanka. It was part of a one-day league which is a qualification process for the 2023 World Cup.

“We are seeking to improve Afghanistan cricket so that will come with cooperation from other countries,” Fazli added.

Raja confirmed Fazli would visit Pakistan.

Fazli, in his second term as chairman after serving the board from September 2018 to July 2019, said he was committed to improving facilities in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan are in Group 2 of the Super 12 stages of the Twenty20 World Cup due to start from October 17 in the UAE.

Australia has threatened to cancel a Test match with Afghanistan in Brisbane in November unless the Taliban allow women to play cricket.

The new rulers on Tuesday sacked Hamid Shinwari as Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive, replacing him with Naseeb Zadran Khan, linked to the Haqqani network, which is responsible for some of the worst attacks in the country's history.

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Afghan Taliban want to address General Assembly: UN

Who should represent Afghanistan at the United Nations this month? It’s a complex question with plenty of political implications.

The Taliban, the country’s new rulers for a matter of weeks, are challenging the credentials of their country’s former UN ambassador and want to speak at the General Assembly’s high-level meeting of world leaders this week, the international body says.

The question now facing UN officials comes just over a month after the Taliban, ejected from Afghanistan by the United States and its allies after 9/11, swept back into power as US forces prepared to withdraw from the country at the end of August. The Taliban stunned the world by taking territory with surprising speed and little resistance from the US-trained Afghan military. The Western-backed government collapsed on Aug 15.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres received a communication on September 15 from the currently accredited Afghan Ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai, with the list of Afghanistan’s delegation for the assembly’s 76th annual session.

Five days later, Guterres received another communication with the letterhead “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” signed by “Ameer Khan Muttaqi” as “Minister of Foreign Affairs,” requesting to participate in the UN gathering of world leaders.

Muttaqi said in the letter that former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was “ousted” as of Aug 15 and that countries across the world “no longer recognise him as president” and therefore Isaczai no longer represents Afghanistan, Dujarric said.

The Taliban said they were nominating a new UN permanent representative, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, the UN spokesman said. He has been a spokesman for the Taliban during peace negotiations in Qatar.

Senior US State Department officials said they were aware of the Taliban’s request — the United States is a member of the UN credentials committee — but they would not predict how that panel might rule. However, one of the officials said the committee “would take some time to deliberate”, suggesting the Taliban’s envoy would not be able to speak at the General Assembly at this session at least during the high-level leaders’ week.

In cases of disputes over seats at the United Nations, the General Assembly’s nine-member credentials committee must meet to make a decision. Both letters have been sent to the committee after consultations with General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid’s office. The committee’s members are the United States, Russia, China, Bahama, Bhutan, Chile, Namibia, Sierra Leone and Sweden.

Afghanistan is scheduled to give the last speech on the final day of the high-level meeting on Sept 27. It wasn’t clear who would speak if the committee met and the Taliban were given Afghanistan’s seat.

When the Taliban last ruled from 1996 to 2001, the UN refused to recognise their government and instead gave Afghanistan’s seat to the previous, warlord-dominated government of President Burhanuddin Rabbani, who eventually was killed by a suicide bomber in 2011. It was Rabbani’s government that brought Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of 9/11, to Afghanistan from Sudan in 1996.

The Taliban have said they want international recognition and financial help to rebuild the war-battered country. But the makeup of the new Taliban government poses a dilemma for the United Nations. Several of the interim ministers are on the UN’s so-called blacklist of international terrorists and funders of terrorism.

Credentials committee members could also use Taliban recognition as leverage to press for a more inclusive government that guarantees human rights, especially for girls who were barred from going to school during their previous rule, and women who weren’t able to work.

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Those who take advantage of corrupt system are against EVM: PM Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan says that those who take advantage of corrupt systems are the ones who are opposing the electronic voting machine (EVM) system, which he believes will solve a big problem of Pakistan's electoral process.

Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad on Wednesday, PM Imran Khan said that three years of the PTI government were "very difficult".

"I learned a lot in that period. Until you give up, you won't lose. Try to reach new heights and never have fear," the premier advised.

The prime minister said that one should never compromise on their vision, but only improve on it.

"It is necessary for a captain to keep a check on his team. I have seen my cabinet under difficult times and I have seen who get nervous when," he said.

Imran Khan said that he has not learned as much in his short life as he has learned in these three years as prime minister of Pakistan.

He shared that he tells all federal ministers that the more hard work they put in, the greater heights they'll reach.

Speaking about the EVM system, the premier said a "mafia" is opposing it because they do not want to see change and development. "What [personal] benefit will using the EVM bring to us?" the premier asked.

He said that every election in Pakistan becomes controversial. He questioned why there is no uproar over the elections in Germany and other similar countries. He also gave an example of the electoral system in US, saying that the uproar in elections disappeared in the US because of the use of a good electoral system.

The premier said that in every election since 1970 in Pakistan, whoever loses says that the polls were rigged. "We will solve this problem [of rigging] through the EVM system," he highlighted.

He further said that the EVM system is simple - the election is held, you press a button and get the results. "In our country, all the problems start after the end of polling. There is a small section who take advantage of the corrupt system. They are our greatest enemy," he said.

It is very necessary for us to push ourselves in our last two years, he said, referring to the PTI government. "We have come here after a very difficult time. We have to work hard this year," he said.

Earlier this month, the ECP had listed down 37 reservations, including one that said that EVMs are “hackable” and can be easily tampered with.

During a meeting of the Senate committee on September 8, the election commission listed down the challenges the system could face if the machines are rolled out in haste.

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In General Assembly address, Erdogan urges settlement of Kashmir issue under UN resolutions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called for a solution to the decades-old Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan on the basis of the United Nations resolutions.

Addressing the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), he said in a wide-ranging speech to the 193-member assembly: “We maintain our stance in favour of solving the ongoing problem in Kashmir for 74 years, through dialogue between the parties and within the framework of relevant United Nations resolutions.”

President Erdogan has consistently raised the Kashmir issue at the annual sessions of the UNGA.

At the 75th session, the Turkish leader had said: "The Kashmir conflict, which is also key to the stability and peace in South Asia, is still a burning issue. Steps taken following the abolition of the special status of [occupied] Jammu and Kashmir further complicated the problem."

His espousal of the Kashmir cause has evoked strong protests from India, which claims that Jammu and Kashmir is its "internal matter".

Meanwhile, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, secretary general of Washington-based advocacy group World Kashmir Awareness Forum, welcomed President Erdogan's reference to the Kashmir issue, saying his words have given the Kashmiri people encouragement.

President Erdogan's message, he said, is aimed at the promotion of dialogue among all parties to the dispute.

"This is the only means of achieving a genuine and lasting peace in this volatile conflict," Fai said, adding that Kashmiri people have suffered too long.

"They demand and they deserve peace," he added.

Over 100 world leaders are participating in the UNGA debate in person, with attendance in the assembly's iconic hall scaled down as a precaution against the coronavirus pandemic.

 

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CAA decides to suspend PIA's airport services due to non-payment of dues

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has decided to stop the provision of airport services to Pakistan International Airline (PIA) owing to non-payment of dues.

According to a notification issued in this regard, PIA will not be given bridges to board passengers from November onwards.

"Moreover, PIA will not be able to get power supply for the aircraft," the CAA said.

It is pertinent to mention that the national carrier owes Rs127 billion to the aviation authority.

The notification added that PIA has been banned from collecting airport charges from passengers as the CAA will collect airport charges from the passengers directly, starting October 1.

The notification read: "Despite promises, PIA has not paid a monthly instalment of Rs250 million.

 

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ADB projects Pakistan's economy to grow by 4pc in FY22

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected Pakistan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to reach 4 per cent in the fiscal year 2021-22 (FY22) as business activity gradually resumed in the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the Asian Development Outlook 2021, the growth forecast witnessed recovery in private investment as consumer confidence and business actively improved amid the ongoing vaccination rollout and various economic stimulus measures announced in the budget for 2021-22.

The report noted that investment was expected to strengthen as global sentiment improves and the International Monetary Fund-supported stabilisation program continues to progress.

On the supply side, the outlook for agriculture is encouraging in view of the government’s ambitious Agriculture Transformation Plan.

"The plan aims to achieve food security for a growing population by expanding land under cultivation, revamping extension services, boosting water-use efficiency, developing postharvest storage and food processing plants, augmenting bank credit, and introducing the ‘Kissan Card’ as a digital wallet for the direct and swift transfer of subsidies for seed, pesticides, and fertiliser."

Similarly, steady normalisation of global merchandise trade, improved market sentiment and stronger business and consumer confidence was expected from the continuing rollout of Covid-19 vaccination programme and an accommodative monetary policy, according to the report.

It also said that enhanced growth in agriculture and industry and an expected improvement in domestic demand were projected to raise growth in the services sector which will add to improvement in growth in FY22.

"Inflationary pressures will likely come from ongoing economic recovery and rising global oil prices but should be tempered by expenditure reform and the government's commitment not to borrow directly from the central bank."

The ADB report said the risk of inflation being higher than forecast derived from any unusual increase in oil prices or from potential currency depreciation in the wake of any early winding down of the ongoing IMF programme.

The fiscal deficit is projected to narrow to the equivalent of 6.9pc of the GDP in FY22, which is still higher than the target set earlier under a medium-term fiscal consolidation program supported by the IMF.

"Growth in revenue is projected to accelerate with the rapid pickup in domestic economic activity and higher imports," the report said.

Expenditure is also projected to rise in FY22 as the government has budgeted substantial increases in subsidies and in social and development spending to protect the vulnerable and fortify growth and economic recovery.

Pakistan’s public debt outlook is sustainable in the medium term. "With primary and fiscal deficits, high borrowing costs, and currency depreciation, public external debt reached $95.2 billion in the fiscal year 2021," the report said.

However, the government has been implementing a medium-term debt strategy for fiscal years 2020-2023.

"The maturity structure of public debt has improved by re-profiling public debt into longer-term instruments. With strong economic growth prospects for FY22 and beyond, public debt remains on a downward path over the medium term," it said.

As domestic demand picks up and international oil prices rise, the current account deficit is seen widening to the equivalent of 1.5pc of GDP in the fiscal year 2022.

Likewise, export growth is expected to accelerate, supported by a projected upturn in economic activity in Pakistan’s major trade partners.

Exports will further benefit from continued initiatives to reduce the cost of doing business and especially from the government’s newly introduced export facilitation scheme, which allows the duty- and tax-free acquisition of inputs: intermediate goods, plant, and machinery.

Imports are expected to rise in the fiscal year 2022 in response to domestic economic recovery, higher international oil prices, and rationalisation of customs and regulatory duties in the budget of the fiscal year 2022-23.

The report further said remittances were likely to remain elevated, supported by the ‘Roshan Digital Accounts’ initiative, and would continue to narrow the current account deficit.

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Device used to send threat to New Zealand team belonged to India: Fawad

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Wednesday that the device used to send a threat to the New Zealand cricket team belonged to India.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the minister said that the entire situation started due to a fake post by someone claiming to be Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant Ehsanullah Ehsan.

Fawad said that in August, a fake post was created under Ehsan's name which told the New Zealand cricket board and government to refrain from sending the team to Pakistan as it would be "targeted".

He said that following this post, the bureau chief of The Sunday Guardian, Abhinandan Mishra, published an article claiming that the team may face a terror threat in Pakistan citing the fake post by Ehsan.

According to its website, The Sunday Guardian was founded by politician MJ Akbar, who served as the minister for external affairs in the Modi-led BJP government till 2018.

"Interestingly, [Mishra] has strong links with [former Afghanistan vice president] Amrullah Saleh," he said.

He said that on August 24, New Zealand opener Martin Guptill's wife received an email threatening her husband from ID with the username "Tehreek-i-Labbaik".

"When we investigated further, we discovered some facts. Firstly, this email is not affiliated with any social media network [...] and only one email has been generated from this account," he said.

The minister added that the email was sent via ProtonMail, a secure service. "The details [of the email] are not available and we have requested Interpol to assist us and tell us how it was generated."

Despite these events, the New Zealand cricket team did not cancel the tour at this point and travelled to Pakistan. "As the interior minister said, the security we provided outnumbered the number of people in their forces," he said.

Fawad said that once the Black Caps arrived, the interior ministry issued a detailed protocol programme for them and the teams began focusing on the practice sessions. The New Zealand team participated in the practice sessions "without any issues," he said.

However, on the day of the first match New Zealand officials said that their government had concerns of a credible threat and cancelled the tour, he said.

"Pakistan Cricket Board officials, the interior ministry security team, everyone went to them and asked them to share the threat ... [but] they were as clueless as us."

He said that a day later, a second threatening email was sent to the New Zealand team using the ID, Hamza Afridi.

He said that when authorities probed the email, they discovered that it was sent from a device associated with India. "It was sent using a virtual private network (VPN) so the location was shown as Singapore."

He said that the same device had 13 other IDs, nearly all of which were Indian names. "All IDs were made using the names of Indian actors and celebrities. Only the name Hamza Afridi is different to show that this email was generated from Pakistan.

"His name was used deliberately to show that a terrorist threat is present in Pakistan."

He said that the user of the particular device had been identified as Omprakash Mishra from Maharashtra. "The device used to send the threat to the New Zealand team belonged to India. A fake ID was used but it was sent from Maharashtra."

The minister added that the interior ministry had registered a case and had requested Interpol for assistance and information on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik ProtonMail and the ID of Hamza Afridi.

"This whole threat was primarily generated from India."

He said that the West Indies team was travelling to Pakistan in December. "A threat has already been issued to the team," he said, adding that this was also issued via a ProtonMail account.

"This is unfortunate. We believe this is a campaign against international cricket. The International Cricket Council (ICC) and other bodies must take notice," he said, adding that it was apparent that a fake threat was created by India to cancel the New Zealand tour.

He also called on the New Zealand government to share the specifics of the threat they had received. He said that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi — who is currently in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly — had also lodged a strong protest with New Zealand.

"We hope that they will share their stance."

Commenting on England's decision to follow in the footsteps of the Kiwis, Fawad said that British High Commissioner Christian Turner had made it clear that the United Kingdom government's advisory for Pakistan was not being changed.

"So if the government has no reservations, who is the English Cricket Board [to cancel the tour]? To claim that players are tired is a shoddy excuse," he said.

He added that he had asked Pakistan Television to evaluate the financial losses it had suffered. "We are working on this and if our legal team permits, we will sue the ECB," he said.

'Bereft of reason'

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said that if anyone thought Pakistan would be isolated from NZ's tour cancellation, "they are bereft of reason".

"We can not be isolated and the day of the New Zealand [tour cancellation], I said that England's team would not come as well," the interior minister said.

"Cricket is our passion but disappointment is [equivalent] to disbelief. A day will come when the teams of the world will come to Pakistan," Rashid said.

He said the entire situation had been "blown up" and had told the information minister earlier that the matter should now be closed, adding that "we have other big problems [to focus on]."

Rashid claimed that "India frees many people from prison on bail and then trains them. It is not desisting from [promoting] terrorism in Pakistan."

Recounting Pakistan's sacrifices, he said the country had thwarted terrorism before as well. "Peace is our stance and it will be established in the country."

He said Pakistan had played a "historic role" and had evacuated over 10,000 people from Afghanistan including Nato forces, IMF and World Bank personnel and Americans.

"India has been disappointed that Pakistan couldn't be made a scapegoat and it's thinking that there would be civil war [in Afghanistan] and so much killing and slaughter that there would be a rush of refugees here — not a single refugee has come."

He said the Torkham and Chaman borders were functioning normally and more people were going to Afghanistan from Pakistan than those coming here.

"Everything is peaceful. This is all a drama and the gloved hands behind this drama will be unsuccessful.

"Pakistan is a great nation and has great security agencies and army. There is an elected government and no one can isolate us. We will move forward," the interior minister stressed.

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Taliban ask to address UN Assembly, name Suhail Shaheen new envoy

The Taliban's new foreign minister has asked to address world leaders at this week's United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, a UN spokesman said Tuesday.

The ambassador of the Afghan government ousted by the Taliban last month has also requested to speak, with the UN yet to decide who will represent the country at the world body.

A nine-member credentials committee will now rule on the duelling requests, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told AFP, but it is unclear whether the committee will meet before the end of the convocation on Monday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres received a letter from Taliban-appointed Amir Khan Muttaqi "requesting to participate" in the high-level debate, Dujarric said.

It was dated Monday September 20 -- the day before the session got underway -- and listed Muttaqi as "Minister of Foreign Affairs," he added.

The letter did not specify whether Muttaqi wanted to travel to New York to speak or whether the Taliban would submit a recorded video message, as many leaders are doing this year due to Covid-19.

The letter also indicated that Ghulam Isaczai "no longer represents" Afghanistan at the United Nations.

He was the ambassador to the UN of the Afghan government ousted from power in August as US military troops exited the country, ending their 20-year war.

The letter said that the Taliban had nominated their Doha-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen as Afghanistan's permanent representative to the UN.

The note, which had the letterhead "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs," said that former president Ashraf Ghani was "ousted" on August 15, the day he fled the country.

"Countries across the world no longer recognize him as president," the letter said, according to the UN.

The UN spokesman also said that Secretary-General Guterres had received a separate letter from Isaczai, dated September 15, containing the list of Afghanistan's delegation for the session.

That letter listed Isaczai as Afghanistan's permanent representative, Dujarric said.

"These two communications have been sent by the secretariat, after consultation with the office of the president of the General Assembly, to the members of the credentials committee of the 76th session of the General Assembly," he said.

The committee is made up of Russia, China, the United States, Sweden, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Chile, Bhutan and the Bahamas.

The committee has in the past refrained from making a decision and instead referred it to the General Assembly for a vote, a diplomatic source told AFP.

No government has yet recognized the Taliban government, first demanding that it meet commitments on human rights, but some have made positive noises.

"The pragmatic, political view is that there is a new reality. And if you want to ignore that, that's your choice," Shah Mahmood Qureshi, foreign minister of the Taliban's historic backer Pakistan told reporters Monday, stopping short of calling for legal recognition.

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National T20 Cup assumes greater importance for Pakistan’s World Cup preparations

With New Zealand’s last-minute abandonment of their series against Pakistan followed by England calling off their tour next month, the national team’s cricketers will now fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup at the National T20 Cup, which has been shifted from Multan to Rawalpindi.

The national event will be held in two phases with the first at the Pindi Stadium, the venue for the three-match One-day International series against New Zealand, from Sept 23 to Oct 3 and the second at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where the Kiwis were due to play five Twenty20 Internationals, from Oct 6-13.

“The event starting later this week has become even more important and critical as members of the Pakistan squad for next month’s ICC T20 World Cup will be in action,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a news release announcing the tournament. “With each player to get, at least, 10 matches, they will aim to strike form and fitness that can help them to be in their best shape when they arrive in the United Arab Emirates on 15 October.”

PCB chairman Ramiz Raja said that it was up to the players to show the world that they were not distracted by the events of last week, when New Zealand decided to recall its team from Pakistan due to a security threat just minutes before the first ODI was to start on Friday.

“Following the postponement of the New Zealand series, the National T20 provides an opportunity to our elite cricketers to maintain their focus and composure, show the world that they have not been distracted by the events of last week and continue with their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” Ramiz was quoted as saying in the news release.

“The participation of our finest cricketers in the National T20 will also enhance the reputation, value and significance of the tournament, while providing the next generation of cricketers a chance to rub shoulders with the national stars and learn the art of preparing and performing at the highest level.”

Later on Monday, England announced that its men’s and women’s teams will not be touring Pakistan due to security concerns.

Players of the national team for the World Cup have been divided into the six Cricket Association teams. From that squad, four will be captains of their sides including Pakistan skipper Babar Azam (Central Punjab), wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sohaib Maqsood (Southern Punjab) and Shadab Khan (Northern).

Former Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed will lead Sindh while opener Imam-ul-Haq has been named captain of Balochistan.

Other members of the Pakistan’s World Cup squad playing the National T20 Cup are Azam Khan, Khushdil Shah (both Southern Punjab), Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hafeez (both Central Punjab), Imad Wasim (Northern), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Asif Ali, Haris Rauf, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Nawaz (all Northern) and, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Shaheen Shah Afridi (both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).

Travelling reserves with the World Cup squad, Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab) will also be in action.

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Justin Trudeau re-elected Canadian PM but fails to get majority

Canadians returned Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to power on Monday in hotly contested elections against a rookie conservative leader, but he failed to gain an absolute majority, according to projections by television networks.

Trudeau called the snap election last month, hoping to parlay a smooth Covid-19 vaccine rollout — among the best in the world — into a new mandate to steer the nation's pandemic exit and pass his agenda without opposition support.

But after a bumpy five weeks of campaigning, his voice was raspy and he appeared set for a repeat of the close 2019 general election that resulted in the one-time golden boy of Canadian politics clinging to power yet weakened after losing his majority in parliament.

At 49, Trudeau had faced tougher political bouts and still came out unscathed.

After six years in power, however, his administration is showing signs of fatigue, and it was an uphill battle for him to convince Canadians to stick with his Liberals after falling short of high expectations set in his 2015 landslide win.

“You are sending us back to work with a clear mandate to get Canada through this pandemic,” Trudeau told supporters in Montreal.

“I hear you when you say you just want to get back to the things you love and not worry about this pandemic or an election.”

Trudeau 'lied to us'

Throughout the day, long lineups outside polling stations were observed by AFP journalists in several major cities.

Douglas O'Hara, 73, casting a ballot in Trudeau's Montreal electoral district of Papineau, said earlier that he was “very disappointed” with the prime minister.

Although he believes Trudeau “did a half-decent job” managing the pandemic, he recalled that the leader had pledged not to go to the polls until the outbreak had subsided.

“Then as soon as he gets a chance (when) he thinks he's going to get a majority, he calls an election,” O'Hara said. “I really believe he lied to us.”

In Ottawa, Kai Anderson, 25, said Canada's pandemic response was her “number one” issue. “I think the prime minister did a good job managing the pandemic,” she said.

Liz Maier, 72, of Vancouver said she too hoped for a Trudeau win for “consistency in leadership” during the public health crisis.

Entering the final stretch of the contest, Liberals and Conservatives — the two main political parties that have ruled Canada since its 1867 confederation — were virtually tied, with about 31 per cent support each in public opinion polls, and four smaller factions nipping at their heels.

Pollster Tim Powers predicted a Liberal minority win.

“But is that a win for him?” he said, noting that Trudeau had hoped for more than just a plurality of seats.

“In the end, this election was ultimately for nothing,” University of Winnipeg politics professor Felix Mathieu told AFP, pointing to the projected seat count for each party as being similar to the split in the last parliament, with most incumbents re-elected.

'Anti-vaxxer mobs,' China 'counterstrikes'

The campaign saw the contenders spar over climate actions, indigenous reconciliation, affordable housing, mandatory Covid-19 inoculations and vaccine passports.

At rallies, Trudeau was dogged by what he described as “anti-vaxxer mobs,” including one that threw stones at him.

The 48-year-old Conservative leader Erin O'Toole, meanwhile, was knocked for his backing of Alberta and two other Tory-led provinces' loosening of public health restrictions too soon, with Covid outbreaks now forcing their overwhelmed hospitals to fly patients across Canada for care.

He also fumbled over gun control and was warned by Beijing, according to Chinese state media, that his proposed hard line on China — Canada's second-largest trading partner, with whom relations have soured over its detention of two Canadians — would “invite counterstrikes”.

Overall, commented Max Cameron, a politics professor at the University of British Columbia, “this hasn't been a polarising election. There's actually a lot of clustering around the middle.”

O'Toole, a relative unknown who became Tory leader only last year, had tracked his party to the political centre, forcing the Liberals to compete for votes on the left with the New Democrats and Greens, as well as the separatist Bloc Quebecois.

The Conservatives, however, also saw their support clawed by former foreign minister Maxime Bernier's far-right People's Party.

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NAB orders immediate sale of Nawaz Sharif's properties

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has ordered the immediate sale of properties belonging to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and has issued a letter to the concerned deputy commissioners in this regard.

In the letter, Director-General of NAB's Lahore office, Shahzad Saleem, stated that for the first time in the country's history, the decision to recover fines from a former prime minister has been implemented.

The country's accountability watchdog maintained that it had initiated proceedings to recover an £8 million fine — equivalent to Rs1.85 billion — from Nawaz in the Avenfield apartments case. Aside from the imposition of fines, in July 2018, an accountability court had sentenced Nawaz to ten years of imprisonment.

In the letter, the deputy commissioners have been apprised of all the details of Nawaz Sharif's saleable properties, including bungalows situated at Lahore's Upper Mall Road and agricultural lands in Sheikhupura and other areas.

The proceeds from the sale of properties would be used for the development of the country, the letter said, adding that if the full amount of the fine is not recovered, a search for further assets of the convict will be carried out.

In 2016, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released leaked documents of Mossack Fonseca, a private law firm based in Panama, which disclosed details of offshore companies incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands.

Per the documents, Nawaz Sharif owned two offshore companies, namely, Nescoll Limited and Nielson Enterprises Limited. These companies bought apartments no. 16, 16 A, 17 and 17 A, in Avenfield House, Park Lane, London, in 1993, 1995, and 1996.

NAB claims that the apartments were purchased by Nawaz and his children through “corrupt, dishonest or illegal means" because in 1993 Sharif’s children had no source of income.

"The father is a natural guardian of his children, thus the stance taken by the accused [Sharif] that the children were dependents of their grandfather could not be substantiated," the Bureau was quoted as saying in an IHC judgement.

NAB had also accused Maryam Nawaz Sharif of producing bogus trust deeds, dated 2006, which were also signed by her husband retired Captain Safdar as a witness. As a result, an accountability court convicted Sharif to 10 years in jail, Maryam to seven, and Captain Safdar to one year in jail.

Later, a judgment by the Islamabad High Court, written by Justice Athar Minallah, suspended the sentences of all three accused.

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Pakistan mulling legal action against England, New Zealand cricket boards

Pakistan will consult legal experts to take action against the England and New Zealand cricket boards after they cancelled tours citing “security” issues which cost the Pakistan Television (PTV) millions of rupees, Information Minister Fawad Chauhdry said Tuesday.

In a tweet, he said that consultations would be held with lawyers for taking legal action against the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the New Zealand Cricket (NZC).

 The minister said that an international lobby was working against Pakistan.

He said those who want to force Pakistan to surrender before them never succeed and they should end their misconception as early as possible.

His remarks come a day after the England Cricket Board had announced that it was cancelling its Pakistan tour citing security concerns in the country. Earlier, New Zealand had backed out of the cricket series citing a “security alert” from their government just before the start of the first ODI in Rawalpindi on Friday.His remarks come a day after the England Cricket Board had announced that it was cancelling its Pakistan tour citing security concerns in the country. Earlier, New Zealand had also backed out of the cricket series citing a “security alert” from their government just before the start of the first ODI in Rawalpindi on Friday.

In a blistering response to the cancellation of tour by the ECB on Monday, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja had said had he was extremely disappointed with England. "…it was quite expected as the western bloc gets united in an attempt to back each other, unfortunately. England withdrawal is unjustified, Pak cricket will prevail," he had said in a video statement.

“You may take any decision on the pretext of security threat/perception. Earlier, New Zealand stepped out without sharing [with the PCB] about the nature of the threat they were facing. We know about our battle-hardened security agencies and their standards. It was a setback that they [Kiwis] just took an aeroplane and left without sharing any details of threat with our agencies."

Now, this [England decision] was expected as the western bloc does the same, he had said.

"But this is a lesson for us because we go out of our way to accommodate and pamper these sides when they visit. We are the best hosts. And when we go there, our players undergo strict quarantines and tolerate their admonishments. And, this holds out to us a lesson. Now, we will only go as far as our interest takes us,” he had asserted.

Ramiz Raja had also vowed to get compensation from the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) at all costs in connection with the financial loss the PCB suffered due to the Kiwis pull out of the Pakistan tour.

As regards the New Zealand withdrawal, Pakistan has initiated formal correspondence with New Zealand seeking compensation for losses relating to the abandonment of the tour, he had said.

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FM Qureshi wants world to support Afghanistan, unfreeze assets

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called upon the international community to support Afghans at a critical juncture through different steps, including unfreezing their assets, as according to him, there is still hope for peace in Afghanistan.

"Afghans have faced war in the last four decades so the international community should not leave Afghans alone now," said the foreign minister while interacting with the United Nations's press representatives.

"A peaceful Afghanistan will benefit the whole region. Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan because if the Afghanistan situation deteriorates, Pakistan will be [the] most affected."

Qureshi said Pakistan has been hosting more than three million Afghan refugees for the last four decades with limited resources and without financial support from the international community.

Pakistan's economy can no longer bear the burden of refugees, he added.

Qureshi said his country gave all-out support for the evacuation of citizens, diplomatic staff and media representatives of different countries from Afghanistan.

To address the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, Qureshi said the international community must move forward and take steps to ensure the support of Afghans.

The federal minister said Pakistan, like other neighbours, seeks a comprehensive coalition government in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan believes that the reconciliation process in Afghanistan cannot be completed without the formation of a government that has a representation of all political parties.

The initial statements made by Taliban leaders are encouraging, said Shah Mehmood Qureshi, adding that respecting international opinion and keeping its promises is in the best interest of the Taliban as they seek recognition by the world.

"I don't think anybody is in a rush to recognise them at this stage and the Taliban should keep an eye on that as they have to be more sensitive and more receptive to international opinion."

"In my opinion, unfreezing the frozen assets of Afghanistan for [the] Afghans may serve as a major step for confidence-building that could also incentivise positive behaviour," he said.

"On one hand, you're raising fresh funds to avert a crisis and on the other hand money that is theirs -- belongs to them -- they cannot use. I think freezing the assets is not helping the situation. I would strongly urge the powers that be that they should revisit that policy and think of an unfreeze."

The United States froze $9.5 billion in Afghan central bank assets and international lenders have stayed clear of Afghanistan, wary of providing money that could be used by the Taliban.

Qureshi said several positive aspects also emerged during the current transition in Afghanistan. The absence of bloodshed and civil war during this recent change is a positive aspect, he said, adding that the statements made by the Taliban regarding the end of the war, amnesty, respect for basic human rights and protection of women's rights are encouraging.

On Pakistan-India relations

The federal minister also highlighted the Imran Khan-led government's good intentions towards India. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan, after taking office, invited India to take one step towards peace which Pakistan will reciprocate with its two steps.

However instead of accepting the offer, India took unilateral and unconstitutional steps in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, which further complicated the situation, the federal minister said.

"We want peace. Even today, India has an option. If it wants peace in the region, it should stop the ongoing atrocities on Kashmiris and reverse all unconstitutional measures of August 5," he said. He said voices are being heard today from within India against its Hindutva policies.

Pakistan seeks partnership in peace efforts in the region, he said.

Among those who met the foreign minister were representatives of The Associated Press Edith Lederer, AFP's Shaun Tandon, Al-Arabiya Al-Jadeed's Ibtisam Azem, Newsweek's Tom O’Conner, Bloomberg's David Wainer, Tass - Russian news agency's Vladimir Kostyrev, Nikki's Wajahat Khan and Kaori Yoshida, Anadolu News Agency's Betul Yuruk, and the Associated Press of Pakistan's Iftikhar Ali.

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Pakistan records 81 more corona deaths within a day

81 more people succumbed to the novel coronavirus while 1,897 new patients were reported across the country during the past 24 hours.

According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the nationwide death toll rose to 27,327 after 81 patients died of the virus.
A total of 46,231 samples were tested during this period, out of which 1,897 turned out to be positive, showing a national positivity rate of 4.1 per cent.

The NCOC data showed that there are a total of 4,846 active cases in the country.
On Sept 20, the NCOC allowed COVID vaccine jabs to be administered to breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women.

In fresh directives, the country’s top platform managing response to COVID-19 said that the COVID vaccine is safe and effective for breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women.

“The vaccine could be administered at any phase of the pregnancy,” it said adding that it does not affect issues pertaining to giving birth to a child in a mother.

 

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England cancels Pakistan tour after New Zealand pulls out

The England Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday decided to cancel its tour to Pakistan days after New Zealand had pulled its team out at the last minute ahead of its series due to "security" concerns.

Expressing regret, ECB said, "we understand that this decision will be a significant disappointment to the PCB", who have worked tirelessly to host the return of international cricket in their country.

The ECB, however, said the "mental and physical well-being" of its players and support staff remains their highest priority, and this was even more critical given the times "we are currently living in".

England's men and women teams were due to play two Twenty20s in Rawalpindi on October 13 and 14. The women's team are also due to play three ODIs in Pakistan on October 17, 19, and 21.

The ECB said it had a "longstanding commitment" to tour Pakistan as part of the Men's Future Tours Programme in 2022, as it had agreed to play two additional T20 World Cup warm-up games in October, adding a short women's tour with double headers alongside the men's games.

"The ECB Board convened this weekend to discuss these extra England Women's and Men's games in Pakistan and we can confirm that the Board has reluctantly decided to withdraw both teams from the October trip," the board said in a statement.

"We know there are increasing concerns about travelling to the region and believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted COVID environments," the statement added.

The ECB said there was an "added complexity" for its men's T20 squad, as it believes that touring under "these conditions" would not be ideal preparation for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, where performing well remains a top priority for 2021.

The ECB acknowledged PCB's support over the last two summers, which it termed had been "a huge demonstration of friendship".

"We are sincerely sorry for the impact this will have on cricket in Pakistan and emphasise an ongoing commitment to our main touring plans there for 2022," it added.

The PCB was expecting the decision as it had scheduled the final of the National T20 Cup on October 13, the day England was to play the first match in Pakistan.

Responding to the development, PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said he was disappointed with England after the country's cricket board decided to back out of a scheduled October series.

"Disappointed with England, pulling out of their commitment & failing a member of their Cricket fraternity when it needed it most," the PCB chairman said in a tweet.

Not giving up hope, the newly-elected chairman said Pakistan would survive, as he mentioned that this was a wake-up call for the national team to become the best in the world so that other sides would line-up to play with them without making excuses.

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'He is speaking opposition's language': Swati on chief election commissioner

Railways Minister Azam Swati on Monday said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja was speaking the opposition's language to "mess around" with the government, which was standing its ground like an "iron wall".

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, Swati said: "Today, you [the CEC] are speaking the opposition's language ... and messing around with the government. We are standing as an iron wall so stop us if you can."

He said the government had to swallow a "bitter pill" on the CEC's appointment to preserve the sanctity of this "constitutional institution", referring to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). "I don't want to and won't reveal how you [CEC] were appointed," Swati said.

"If we didn't respect the ECP, we would have never appointed you," he said, adding that the government confirmed his appointment to abide by the Constitution and protect the ECP's dignity despite knowing that he was allegedly close with the Sharifs.

Swati said the government only wanted uncontroversial, fair and free elections and a system which "future generations can't point fingers at".

He questioned why the CEC had made no progress on pilot programmes as ordered previously by the Supreme Court or the parliament through the Elections Act 2017.

"I again remind you Sikandar Sultan Raja sahab that only the one who accepts defeat, loses. Come and see whether the law and the Constitution are greater or your own being."

The railways minister continued to lash out at the CEC and asked him on "whose instructions are you destroying such a great institution".

"I, this nation and overseas Pakistanis want to ask you this."

Regarding the notice sent to him by the ECP for his tirade against the institution, Swati questioned how many such similar notices had been sent to other political leaders from the opposition.

Responding to a question on whether the government was ready to sit down with the ECP, Swati clarified: "We don't have a quarrel with the ECP but with Raja Sultan."

According to the railways minister, the entire purpose of the press conference was to send this message: "Raja sahab you cannot violate the law or the Constitution [...] When the parliament passes its voice through a law then under the leadership of [Prime Minister] Imran Khan, we will [bring] a fantastic [electoral] system.

"You will buy the [electronic voting] machines and you will also do work. We will go to the Supreme Court if we need to."

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Pak vs NZ: Abrupt end to series a 'real shame': New Zealand captain

The effect of New Zealand's decision to cancel the Pakistan tour will not last long, said New Zealand captain Kane Williamson terming the sudden call a "real shame".

In an interview to Sportstar, the skipper said: “I don't know much about the details. Everything happened suddenly.”

"I don't know the details [of pullout]. It was a sudden call, but obviously, a real shame," he said, adding that cricket in Pakistan is an amazing thing and supported by the masses.

The star cricketer who is currently in Dubai for a cricket league, assured fans that he will try to find more details of the situation.

Williamson said: “Cricket is very popular in Pakistan and there is so much passion there and I think the guys will be gutted to not have started and played the whole series."

Shedding light on the much-awaited series, the 31-year-old right-handed batsman said: "I was very happy that the series is being played in Pakistan. I know our team was looking forward to the series.”

He, however, added that the decision to pull out was not players' alone and rested with the government.

"You want to be playing the game in all countries. It is an international game and there is so much passion for it around the world, particularly in Pakistan," Williamson was quoted as saying by the Sportstar.

The cricketer maintained that players' safety is paramount and when "you hear messages going through from the government, it is certainly above the players' heads."

“The players were ready to go to the ground, however, things changed all of a sudden,” Williamson reiterated.

“It will not have lasting effects. Soon there will be cricket in Pakistan,” the Kiwi skipper said.

On Friday, moments before the ODI series opener at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) board backed out of the much-awaited tour, citing a security alert from their government. The Pakistani authorities assured the team of complete security, but they insisted on calling off the series.

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Johannesburg mayor killed in car accident

The mayor of Johannesburg was killed in a car accident as he returned from campaigning with South Africa’s president on Saturday, just over a month after being elected, his office said in a statement.

Jolidee Matongo, 46, was returning from a voter registration drive in Soweto township ahead of local elections when the accident happened.

“It is hard to comprehend this tragedy, given the vitality and passion with which Mayor Matongo interacted with me and residents of Soweto so shortly before his death,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a tweet.

“Nothing could prepare any of us for this sudden loss, which has deprived our nation’s economic centre of its second Executive Mayor in two months.”

Matongo’s predecessor died from Covid-19 complications in July, and Matongo was elected on August 10. Gauteng province premier David Makhura, who was also at the Soweto voter registration drive, said the news had left him “shocked and shattered”.

“(Matongo) executed his duties with a cool and calm demeanour and remained committed to selflessly serving the citizens of Johannesburg,” he added.

Photos posted on social media by Ramaphosa and Matongo himself from earlier in the afternoon showed the two men walking around Soweto talking to residents, Matongo dressed in a bright yellow tracksuit with the African National Congress party’s logo on it.

Matongo was born in Soweto, according to the City of Johannesburg’s website, and became a member of the ANC Youth League after taking up student politics at the age of 13.

Matongo’s office said more details on the accident would be released “in due time”.

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Boxer-turned-politician Pacquiao to run for Philippines president

Philippine boxer-turned-politician Manny Pacquiao declared on Sunday he will run for president in 2022, ending months of speculation about whether the legendary fighter would seek the country’s top job.

“The time is now — we are ready to rise to the challenge of leadership,” said Pacquiao, as he accepted the nomination of a rival faction in President Rodrigo Duterte’s ruling party.

The eight-division world champion and beloved national hero made the announcement weeks after losing what could be his last professional fight against Cuban Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas. Pacquiao, who entered politics in 2010 as a congressman before being elected to the Senate, has long been expected to make a tilt for the country’s highest office.

The 42-year-old is deeply admired in the archipelago nation for his generosity and hauling himself out of poverty to become one of the world’s greatest and wealthiest boxers.

His boxing credentials along with fighting poverty and corruption are likely to be the key themes of his campaign.

“For those asking what are my qualifications, have you ever experienced hunger?” Pacquiao asked the national assembly held by the anti-Duterte faction of PDP-Laban.

“Have you ever experienced having nothing to eat, to borrow money from your neighbours or to wait for leftovers at a food stall? The Manny Pacquiao that is in front of you was moulded by poverty.” Pacquiao’s star power in a country famed for its celebrity-obsessed politics will put him in a strong position in the presidential race.

But it will not guarantee victory.

A public skirmish between Pacquiao and Duterte over the latter’s handling of the South China Sea dispute with Beijing and official graft could erode support for the boxer.

Duterte — who is allowed to serve only one term as president under the constitution — rivals Pacquiao for the affections of many Filipinos and declared last month he will run for the vice presidency.

A party faction loyal to Duterte also endorsed the president’s close aide, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, for the top job — but he hasn’t yet accepted.

Pacquiao would face a formidable opponent if Duterte’s daughter, Sara, were to run for president, which she is tipped to do.

A recent poll showed the Davao city mayor — who belongs to a different party than her father — with the most voter support, well ahead of Pacquiao and other potential contenders. The deadline for registering as a candidate for next year’s elections is October 8.

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