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  • Army Chief to be member of govt’s Special Investment Council

    Army Chief to be member of govt’s Special Investment Council

    The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) will be a member of the government’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) tasked to find untapped potential and attract foreign investment during the economic crisis.

    The military will play a key role in SIFC as a coordinator and Army Chief will be the member of SIFC, Arab News has reported.
    Pakistan is facing one of its worst economic crisis due to delay in securing funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while inflation reached historic highs.

    “Employing a whole-of-the-the-government approach, the coalition government has decided to set up a Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) with a mandate to frame economic policies that ensure policy predictability, continuity & effective implementation to revive the economy,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Twitter.

    The main purpose of the plan is utilizing Pakistan’s untapped potential in major industries including energy, minerals and mining, agriculture and livestock, IT and defense production through both domestic development and foreign investments.
    The military will have a significant presence in SIFC, with the army chief as a member of its apex committee. The director general of the body’s implementation committee will also be an army official.
    Shehbaz Sharif said that the key goal of SIFC is attracting investment from friendly countries. He further added that “collective wisdom” is essential to tackle economic challenges.

  • Pakistani Army does not have constitutional and legal authority to be involved in commercial actives, rules LHC

    Pakistani Army does not have constitutional and legal authority to be involved in commercial actives, rules LHC

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has declared the agreement between the Pakistani Army and the caretaker Punjab government regarding the transfer of one million acres of land on lease as unconstitutional, Urdu News has reported.

    The court has ordered the province’s Board of Revenue to remove the ownership of the land from the military and transfer it back to the government, and submit a report to the court within 15 days.

    In a detailed judgment, Justice Abid Hussain Chatha of the LHC also stated that the Pakistani Army does not have constitutional and legal authority to be involved in corporate farming and similar activities.

    The detailed decision outlines the background of the agreement between the Punjab government and the military, which started in 2021, where the government was leasing 10 lac acres of land to the army for a period of twenty years.

    The military had proposed to engage in corporate farming on this land in order to “fulfill the country’s food necessities.” The court has detailed in its judgment regarding the progress made in relation to this proposal, stating that in April 2022, a recommendation was made to present this deal for discussion on the floor of the Punjab Assembly.
    However, when the present government came into power, they swiftly completed the action with great speed and allocated one million acres of land to the military.
    The Public Interest Litigation Association, an organisation comprising several reputable lawyers, challenged the allocation in the High Court. During the first hearing, the court issued a stay order, halting the military from utilizing the land.

    However, after several months, the arguments of both parties were heard.
    The court has now ruled that the caretaker government does not have the constitutional and legal right to make such decisions.

  • Modi to celebrate International Yoga Day on UN’s Lawn during U.S. visit

    Modi to celebrate International Yoga Day on UN’s Lawn during U.S. visit

    In celebration of the ninth annual observance of International Day of Yoga, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi will be leading a yoga session on the north lawn of the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday morning.

    Modi, a practicing Hindu, often presents himself as devoutly religious. Considering yoga has its origins in ancient Hindu religious practices, the exercise seems a fitting ode to both his faith and culture.

    But there are other, more important concerns surrounding his crucial visit to Washington.

    Congresswoman boycotts speech

    Earlier today, United States’ Congresswoman Ilhan Omar published a tweet ahead of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s speech to Congress. She stated she will not be attending the address, holding a briefing with human rights groups instead to discuss ‘Modi’s record of repression and violence.’ 

    She accused his government of repression of religious minorities, emboldening Hindu nationalist groups, and targeting journalists/human rights advocates ‘with impunity’.

    At the beginning of June, top lawmakers in the U.S. had invited Modi to address Congress on the 22nd of June, during his visit to Washington, DC. Addressing Congress is a rare opportunity that is granted only to the country’s closest allies.

    Biden asked to raise concerns

    A letter was sent to U.S. President Joe Biden on the eve of Modi’s visit to Washington, asking him to raise concerns around democratic norms and human rights in India with its prime minister. 

    A total of 75 American Senators and Representatives have signed the letter. The U.S. lawmakers that drafted it said they were concerned about religious intolerance, press freedoms, internet access and the targeting of civil society groups. 

    They cited “a series of independent, credible reports” reflecting “troubling signs” in India, as reported by Reuters. 

    “We do not endorse any particular Indian leader or political party — that is the decision of the people of India — but we do stand in support of the important principles that should be a core part of American foreign policy,” said the letter.

    A strategic ceremony

    According to BBC, the discussions between the two states not only have potential to infuse new energy into India-U.S. relations, but also have an impact on the global order.

    As China’s influence continues to grow in the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. needs India’s influence more than ever, viewing it as a counterbalance to China’s. While India is reluctant to claim this tag, China is one of the main catalysts driving India-U.S. relations.

    Human rights advocates worry that geopolitics might overshadow humanitarian issues. U.S. rights groups have planned protests against Modi’s state visit to Washington, citing India’s deteriorating human rights record, as reported by Reuters.

  • President Arif Alvi approves Maternity and Paternity Leave Bill

    President Arif Alvi approves Maternity and Paternity Leave Bill

    On Tuesday, Pakistan’s president Dr. Arif Alvi approved the Maternity and Paternity Leave Bill, 2023, to be enacted as law. 

    Under the Bill, women employees of both public and private departments under the federal government’s administrative control will be entitled to avail maternity leave with full pay three times during service.

    The times have been stipulated thus: 180 days for the first time, 120 days for the second, and 90 days for the third. 

    Working men now also have the right to spend their first month as a father on paternity leave with full pay. However, male employees will only be entitled to a leave of 30 days three times during their employment period. 

    If a company is found in violation of the Bill, there is a risk of imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to 100, 000 rupees, or both.

    The bill was passed by Pakistan’s parliament last month, and had been in the works for several years after being initially moved by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Quratulain Marri in 2018. 

    The President gave his assent to the bill under Article 75 of the Constitution, which states that bills sent to the president are formally enacted as laws after his approval.

  • Justice Qazi Faez Isa will be the next CJP: Arif Alvi approves notification

    Justice Qazi Faez Isa will be the next CJP: Arif Alvi approves notification

    Justice Faez Isa will be the new Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) after a notification to that effect has been approved by the President of Pakistan, Arif Alvi.

    Justice Isa will assume the charge as the new Chief Justice on September 17, 2023, after the retirement of current CJP Umar Atta Bandial under Article 179 of the Constitution.

    The current head of the apex court, Justice Umar Atta Bandial, will reach the age of retirement on September 16, 2023.

    President Alvi will administer the oath to Justice Isa, making him the 29th senior judge to take the oath as Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).

  • No Holi festival in universities anymore

    The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has banned Holi celebrations in educational institutes throughout the country, citing a deviation from the sociocultural values and Islamic identity of Pakistan. The notification regarding the ban was issued by HEC on Tuesday.

    According to the notification, students are prohibited from observing the festival to uphold sociocultural values.

    “While there is no denying the fact that cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity leads towards an inclusive and tolerant society, that profoundly respects all faiths and creeds; albeit it needs to be done so in a measured manner without going overboard. The students need to be apprised to be aware of the self-serving vested interests who use them for their own ends far from the altruistic critical thinking paradigm.”

    The decision comes a few days after Holi celebrations were held on June 12 by students at Quaid-i-Azam University. The notification, while referring to the event, said that “it has caused concern and has disadvantageously affected the country’s image.

  • Babar Azam takes a dip in test rankings: Joe Root is the new Number 1

    Babar Azam takes a dip in test rankings: Joe Root is the new Number 1

    According to the new rankings of the International Cricket Council (ICC), England’s Joe Root has become the number one Test batsman in the world.

    After the first Test of the Ashes series, there has been a change in the ICC Test Player Rankings and England’s Joe Root has moved up five places to the first place in the rankings, replacing Australia’s Marnus Libuschen, with New Zealand’s Kane Williamson moving up two places to the second position and Marnus Libuschen to the third position.

    In the Test batsmen’s ranking, Travis Head is at the fourth position after a step up, while Pakistan captain Babar Azam remains at the fifth position.

    Similarly, Australia’s Steve Smith has dropped 4 places to sixth, Usman Khawaja has moved up 2 places to seventh and England’s Harry Brook has moved up to 13th place after 5 places.

    India’s Ravichandran Ashwin remains at the top of the ICC Test bowlers rankings.

    In the bowlers ranking, England’s James Anderson is second, Rabada has moved up one level to third, Pete Cummins has moved down one level to fourth, England’s Ollie Robinson and Australia’s Nathan Lyon have moved up one level to 5th and 6th respectively.

  • As the search continues, who are the two Pakistanis onboard the Titanic submersible?

    As the search continues, who are the two Pakistanis onboard the Titanic submersible?

    The OceanGate Titan submersible dominating global headlines lost connection and went missing an hour and forty minutes into its expedition on Sunday. 

    U.S. and Canadian navies, marine authorities and commercial deep-sea companies began a frantic search beneath the North Atlantic Ocean.

    It was confirmed through a statement by the Dawood family that Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son, Sulaiman, were onboard the vessel.

    But who are the Dawoods? 

    The Dawoods are a prominent business family primarily based in Karachi. Shahzada’s grandfather, Seth Ahmed Dawood, migrated to Karachi from Bombay when the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947.

    He and his brothers started Dawood Corporation Ltd. In the following decades, Dawood founded several businesses and chaired companies in a plethora of industries including cotton, textiles, paper, consumer goods, oil, logistics, insurance, jute, chemicals, motorbikes, home appliances, electronics, and fertiliser industries in East and West Pakistan.

    Seth Ahmed Dawood was a major figure in the industrialisation of Karachi. Pakistan’s former president Ayub Khan would often consult Dawood on trade and industry affairs.

    Seth Ahmed Dawood with former president of Pakistan, Ayub Khan

    When Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971, Dawood lost his factories in Dhaka and Chittagong. Back home in Pakistan, the nationalisation process initiated by the government led to him losing his most profitable industrial projects. One of these projects, Dawood Petroleum Limited, became an official part of PSO (Pakistan State Oil) in 1974.

    In spite of the massive losses, Dawood continued to develop projects on a relatively smaller scale. The fertiliser business founded by the family in 1965 eventually grew to become one of the biggest companies in the country today: Engro Corporation.

    Engro operates through four divisions: Food & Agriculture, Energy & Related Infrastructure, Petrochemicals, and Telecommunication Infrastructure. Shahzada, who is lost somewhere at the bottom of the North Atlantic with his son, is currently the acting vice-chairman of the company.

    Pakistan’s philanthropists

    The family also set up a not-for-profit foundation called The Dawood Foundation. It has financially assisted Pakistanis affected by the 2005 earthquake and the catastrophic 2010 floods. 

    During the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Pakistan, Shahzada’s father Hussain Dawood, pledged one billion rupees on behalf of Engro Corporation and Dawood Hercules Group, another company predominantly owned by the family.

    Moreover, the foundation has funded a variety of formal and informal education projects, the most notable ones including Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi School of Business and the Mariam Dawood School of Visual Arts and Design at Beaconhouse National University.

  • Global 5G subscriptions set to surpass 1.5 billion by the end of 2023

    Global 5G subscriptions set to surpass 1.5 billion by the end of 2023

    The latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, released in June 2023, reveals that despite challenges posed by geopolitics and macroeconomic slowdown in certain markets, communication service providers worldwide are persistently investing in 5G technology. The report demonstrates that the adoption of 5G subscriptions in North America has surpassed previous expectations, with the region leading in global 5G subscription penetration at 41 per cent by the end of 2022.

    The study further indicates a consistent rise in 5G subscriptions across all regions, projected to reach over 1.5 billion by the end of 2023. Concurrently, global mobile network data traffic continues to escalate, with an anticipated monthly average usage per smartphone exceeding 20 GB by the end of 2023.

    Additionally, the report highlights sustained revenue growth in prominent 5G markets. Fredrik Jejdling, the Executive Vice President and Head of Networks at Ericsson, emphasises the positive impact of 5G technology on communication service providers, stating, “The global adoption of 5G technology has exceeded one billion subscriptions, resulting in favorable revenue growth for leading 5G markets. The increase in 5G subscriptions correlates directly with enhanced service revenue. Over the past two years, the introduction of 5G services in the top twenty markets has generated a seven percent revenue boost. This trend underscores the increasing value of 5G, benefiting both users and service providers.”

    Globally, approximately 240 communication service providers (CSPs) have introduced commercial 5G services, with around 35 deploying or launching 5G standalone (SA) networks. Notably, CSPs commonly offer various bundled packages that include popular entertainment services, such as television, music streaming, or cloud gaming platforms. Presently, about 58 per cent of 5G service providers offer such bundled packages in diverse formats.

    Moreover, the report identifies 5G as a catalyst for innovation in mobile service packaging. This is exemplified by the increasing number of CSPs offering Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services over 5G, with more than 100 providers, accounting for approximately 40 per cent of FWA service providers, currently delivering FWA over 5G. FWA is experiencing solid growth in terms of the number of mobile service providers offering it, the proportion of providers offering FWA over 5G, the proportion of CSPs implementing speed-based tariff structures, and the volume of traffic served, as both the number of connections and traffic per connection continue to increase. By 2028, it is projected that 5G will account for nearly 80 per cent of all FWA connections.

    The June 2023 Ericsson Mobility Report also includes four comprehensive articles exploring various topics, including the influence of traffic patterns on network evolution, the potential for differentiated services in 5G networks, the advancements facilitated by mobile networks in augmented reality (AR) adoption, and the readiness of mobile networks to deliver a superior quality of experience for new services.

  • Firdous Ashiq Awan lists out ‘Usman Buzdar ki corruption kay chand karnamy’

    Firdous Ashiq Awan lists out ‘Usman Buzdar ki corruption kay chand karnamy’

    Firdous Ashiq Awan, Central Information Secretary of the newly launched Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has in a tweet accused former Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar of doing corruption during his tenure as CM.

    Awan has listed out Budzdar’s alleged involvement in the following corruption scandals:

    •          5 billion to Farah Gogi’s account

    •          Encroachment of 9 kanals on government land

    •          50 Crore fraud in Multan City Housing

    •          30 lakh per capita from the shopkeepers of Taunsa

    •          420 million in bribes in commissioner and deputy commissioner appointments

    Awan further said that more cases of Buzdar’s corruption will be revealed soon.

    Last week, Aleem Khan made startling revelations in a TV show about former Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Firdous Ashiq Awan has served as special assistant to the former CM Punjab. Buzdar and Awan both have left the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    Firdous Ashiq Awan left PTI on May 26, accusing Imran of using people like tissue papers, and later throwing them away. Usman Buzdar has also left PTI after the May 9 riots.