Govt cuts price of diesel by Rs5, keeps petrol unchanged

Due to fluctuations in global oil prices, the federal government has announced a reduction in the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs5 per litre effective Monday, May 1, 2023. HSD is commonly used in transport and agriculture sectors, and this decrease in price will have a positive impact on farmers who are already facing higher oil prices during the Kharif crop season. The government charges a maximum rate of petroleum levy (PL) up to Rs50 per litre on petrol, high-speed diesel, and HOBC to boost revenue. However, it passed on the relief to consumers by reducing the price of HSD. Following the fresh price cut, diesel will be sold at Rs288 per litre compared to the earlier price of Rs293. While it was expected that the government would also reduce the price of petrol by Rs3.86 per litre, the existing price of petrol at Rs282 per litre has been maintained, denying relief to consumers. Read more: Govt likely to cut petrol price by Rs3.86 per litre Petrol is used by motorbikes and cars and is an alternative to CNG. Due to gas shortage and higher prices of LNG, CNG retail outlets had shut down during the recent winter season, forcing consumers in Punjab to depend on expensive petrol use for motorbikes and cars. Furthermore, the government has also reduced the price of kerosene oil by Rs10 per litre. Kerosene oil is mainly used in remote areas of Pakistan for cooking purposes, especially in the northern part of the country where LPG was not available. The Pakistan Army is also a key user of kerosene oil. The government has also decreased the price of light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs10 per litre as well, and it will now be sold at Rs164.68 per litre compared to the old price of Rs174.68 per litre. LDO is mainly used in the industry. The prices are based on Platts, and the dollar had witnessed a decline of Rs2.57 from 286.66 to Rs 284.09 during the last fortnight. Overall, these price reductions are expected to bring relief to consumers and farmers, who have been struggling with high oil prices in recent times.

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Bigwigs discuss Punjab politics in major PML-N huddle

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has directed his party's coalition government to reduce inflation, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assuring him of a relief package for the people soon, Express News reported. The direction came during a high-level meeting on Sunday of senior PML-N leaders in Lahore in which they discussed significant matters related to Punjab province, including politics, economics, and law and order. The prime minister and other senior officials were present during the meeting, while Nawaz Sharif took part from London via video conference. The former prime minister emphasised that negotiations with the opposition were meant for the betterment of the country and its people. However, he pointed out that no one was taking guarantees of those who had caused losses to the country and its institutions by tarnishing their reputation for their own personal interests. Read more: Imran agrees to same-day polls, but there is a caveat He stressed the need to take immediate steps to solve the problems of the people and reduce inflation, which has been a major concern for the public. Nawaz gave directions to take the coalition partners on board to make a decision regarding the election's date and other key political matters. The PML-N supreme leader stated that, despite working tirelessly to propel the country forward on the path of progress, the enemies of Pakistan and its people have impeded progress during the last three and a half years, adding that the nation will not forgive them. Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz emphasised that there are individuals who are resisting progress and the people must protect themselves from such individuals. He stressed that the country and the nation should be the primary focus, and for the past year they have been working diligently with their allies to promote the betterment and progress of the country. The premier further announced that the public will receive good news about relief measures soon, and that the relief package will alleviate difficulties faced by the masses.

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EPTL seeks Rs30 billion dues from government

The government’s outstanding dues to Engro Power, a coal-fired power generation company in Thar, have reached Rs68 billion, compelling the firm to seek the payment of Rs30 billion of this amount. Engro Powergen Thar Limited (EPTL) and Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) through an urgent letter to the government's Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guarantee (CPPA-G) has sought the urgent payment of Rs30 billion so that its outstanding dues scheduled at the end of May could be paid. EPTL Chief Financial Officer Wang Pu said  the amount of the company’s pending payments by the CPPA-G had increased to an alarming level. The power company is facing a financial crunch because of the lack of payment of its enormous amount of dues. This is creating more difficulties for the company in making payments to its suppliers and lenders. In a recent communique, the EPTL CFO, referring to the previous correspondence with the CPPA-G, reminded it that the company had already informed the government about the payment of Rs30 billion due on June 1 this year. He added that in response to the initial letter dated January 26, only Rs2.02 billion had been paid to the EPTL so far. The CFO further wrote that the company urgently needed Rs28 billion to avoid defaulting on its loans due on June 1 this year. He continued that between February and April this year, his company had raised the issue of dues six times with the CPPA-G and demanded emergency payments so that the remaining amount could be paid before the deadline. According to the letter, the company required Rs30 billion to repay its debts, apart from other regular expenses to run the power plant efficiently, including fuel, operation, maintenance costs, and insurance on which a sum of Rs7 billion was spent every month. The sum of Rs30 billion being sought by the EPTL immediately is only required to repay its debts. The amount of Rs7 billion for fuel, operation, maintenance, insurance and other expenses to run the power plant is in addition to this sum. EPTL was formed in 2014 to set up a 2x330MW power project in Sindh’s Thar Block II. The project successfully achieved commercial operations date on July 10, 2019. EPTL is a pioneering project in generating electricity using indigenous lignite coal from the Tharparkar district. It is the first company to have demonstrated proof of concept and successfully produced up to 660MW of electricity linking it to the national grid.

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PML-N holds consultation over talks

  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday presided over a meeting at his residence with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders to chalk out his party’s position for the next round of talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) discussion slated for Tuesday. Despite a botched raid at PTI President Parvez Elahi’s residence that drew condemnation from left, right and centre, PTI chief Imran Khan has announced that his party would attend the next meeting, kindling hopes of a political breakthrough. Imran reiterated his demand of either dissolving the remaining assemblies before May 14—a date set by the apex court for holding elections for the Punjab Assembly— to send the country towards simultaneous elections. The PML-N also stood its ground, saying that it will not concede to one person’s demand of holding elections at his whims, claiming that doing so would erode public confidence in the electoral system. Prime Minister Shehbaz met his party leaders at his residence to deliberate on the issue, said Special Assistant to the PM Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. The actual number of participants remained a mystery but almost all media houses reported that PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif—who has been living in London—as well as PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar attended the meeting via video-link. Senior party leaders—Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Muhammad Ahmad Khan and Ataullah Tarar—also attended the moot. Tarar, however, denied these media reports, terming them fabricated. Talking to The Express Tribune, he said routine meetings took place at PM Shehbaz’s personal residence but Nawaz Sharif did not attend any meeting. Talking to the media before the in-question meeting that was denied by the party’s deputy general secretary, SAPM Malik said they would discuss the ongoing political situation. He said the parleys between government and opposition will only bear fruit if sanity is allowed to prevail. He also said they will not accept one person's demand of pushing the country into elections. “Accepting his (Imran Khan) demand would mean eroding public confidence in the electoral system of the country.” Referring to the article of the Constitution that talks about holding elections within 90 days, he said just one article of the Constitution cannot be read in isolation, rather it has to be read with the overall scheme of things. The SAPM said that Article 224 talks about caretaker governments throughout the country. He said the only way forward is to rectify the mistakes of the past. He added that the court needs to correct the wrongs done during a case pertaining to article 63A. Regarding the raid at Elahi residence, he said that these raids have been going on for six years. “They were not justified then and they are not justified now.” He also said the raid on Elahi’s residence should not become a reason for any new deadlock. Tarar said various options were under discussion, which also include holding simultaneous elections ahead of time. When asked about many parties in the alliance being not ready to consider the option of early elections, Tarar said he was not fully aware of his party’s position on the issue.

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Muggers injure man

A man was shot and injured by unidentified suspects when resisted a robbery bid in Gujjarpura. The victim, Javed, was heading somewhere in his car when two unidentified suspects intercepted him and attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Javed resisted and the suspects turned violent and shot him twice. Police have registered a case against the suspects.

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Imran agrees to same-day polls, but there is a caveat

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said that if the government dissolves the National Assembly by May 14 and goes towards elections, we are ready to accept the condition of holding simultaneous polls in the entire country, but malice is evident in the matter of dissolving the assembly after the budget. Addressing the senior PTI leaders on Saturday, the former prime minister said, “If you [the coalition rulers] want to pass the budget, first win the election and the people will give you their mandate.” Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry, Shibli Faraz, Senator Azam Swati, Ijaz Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Mahmood Khan and others were in attendance. During the meeting, the former prime minister was given a detailed briefing on the dialogue process with the government, while various proposals and future courses of action also came under discussion. Read PTI rejects ‘attempts to sabotage’ election talks with govt The meeting strongly condemned the late-night raid at the residence of central party president and former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. Sources said that the leadership present at the meeting opined that the police operation could be a conspiracy to abruptly end the talks with the government. The participants believed that if the party called off the dialogue, the government might get an opportunity to fight their case for delaying the elections in the Supreme Court. The leaders also suggested that the talks with the government should not linger on but if their proposal was not accepted, the dialogue could be called off. However, the leaders expressed their opinion that talks with the government should continue. While talking to the media, PTI Central Punjab General Secretary Azhar confirmed that the negotiations with the government would continue, adding that no one was against it. Meanwhile, the PTI leaders also condemned the late-night raid on the residence of Elahi, terming it the worst kind of political victimisation. A team of Punjab police and Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) raided Elahi's residence, but after the six-hour long operation, they failed to apprehend the former chief minister. The action drew strong criticism from the PTI, which had already been voicing concerns against the arrest of its workers and leaders. After meeting the family of Elahi, PTI Vice Chairman Qureshi pointed out to the media that the former CM was on bail and still the police raided his house to arrest him, adding that without any search warrant, the sanctity of his house was violated. “I am lost for words and strongly condemn the government action,” he added. He praised the PTI president and his family for showing courage and determination while facing state brutality. He said that everyone knew that when PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif faced a difficult time, Elahi provided relief to his family instead of giving them a tough time. “The PTI was passing through a tough time. Not too long ago, the residence of PTI Chairman Imran’s also came under an attack when his wife was alone in the house,” he recalled. Qureshi told the media that during the meeting with the coalition government, he said that on the one hand, they were negotiating and on the other, their workers were being arrested. “What is happening?” He said, “After we raised this issue with the government team, the workers were released.” PTI Senior Vice President Fawad in his tweet also condemned the police action, saying that the attack on Elahi's house, the detention of PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur despite securing bail, and the arrests of the party workers were making the negotiation process meaningless. “If the government’s negotiation team cannot maintain a cordial atmosphere for talks, despite giving their assurances, how can it take big decisions? In the meeting under the PTI chairman, we will decide whether to continue the talks or not,” he added. Soon after hearing the news, Elahi's son Moonis took to Twitter to slam the police action, saying that the Punjab police had arrived at their residence to arrest his father, though he was granted bail in the case. PTI senior leader Senator Ali Zafar was baffled by the raid on Elahi's house, saying on the one hand, the negotiations were in progress in a cordial atmosphere and the two parties were making progress and on the other hand, a police operation was carried out. “I do not understand its purpose,” he added. “The attack on Elahi's house was against the norms of democracy as the sanctity of his house and women were violated. Today, we will decide whether to attend the negotiation meeting on Tuesday,” he added. Read More Federal govt denies involvement in late-night raid on Elahi's residence In a statement, PTI Central Punjab President Dr Yasmin Rashid also condemned the attack, saying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was resorting to the worst kind of revenge politics. “The imported government is showing extreme brutality against its opponents. The Punjab Police has crossed all limits of oppression and injustice at the behest of the government.” Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party senior leader and Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan condemned the raid on the house of the former Punjab CM. While talking to the media, he said that launching raids on the residence of leaders of a specific party like that of Elahi would make political matters worse. He averred that a negative tradition of oppression and new ways of fascism seen during the raid at Elahi's residence were being introduced, adding that this incident must be taken seriously as barbarism had caused massive loss to the government and its allies. He also stated that it seemed like the government was trying to derail negotiations while efforts were also being made to influence the courts in the crucial matter of holding Punjab and K-P elections within 90 days of dissolution of the two provincial assemblies. “The Supreme Court did not change its order and the elections will be held on May 14,” he added. So far, the government and the PTI leaders held two rounds of talks and the third one was scheduled for Tuesday. After months of political bickering, the ruling coalition and the PTI leaders sat across the table for talks on April 27 that had rekindled hopes for breaking the ongoing political and constitutional impasse in the country. In the first formal interaction since the removal of former prime minister Imran Khan through a vote of no-confidence in April last year, leaders of the coalition parties and the PTI met at the Parliament House. Both the sides contemplated on developing a consensus on simultaneously holding general elections across the country. The efforts to find common ground through dialogue continued on April 28 as not only the talks remained on track but the leaders of both sides refused to let their differences come in the way of forging a consensus on general elections. During the discussions, the PTI sought an early date for the dissolution of the National Assembly as well as the remaining two provincial assemblies – Sindh and Balochistan –so that elections could be called on a single day in July this year. The government side, however, said that the government should complete its constitutional term, adding that the elections could be held in August or September. It had sought time for seeking an opinion of the allied parties’ leadership by Tuesday. Among other things, the PTI wants the government not to present the budget but the latter is insisting on it. The PTI already dissolved the Punjab and K-P assemblies in January in an attempt to force the federal government to call early general elections in the country. However, the party hasn’t been able to achieve the desired result even after the 90-day constitutional limit of holding the elections lapsed and despite the Supreme Court’s intervention into the matter. Read Also Resignations of PTI MNAs cannot be withdrawn: Ashraf During the talks, the PTI team told the government side that the date of the polls in Punjab –ordered by the Supreme Court on May 14 – could be extended after the government gave the date of dissolution of the national as well as the two remaining provincial assemblies. However, the government hasn’t yet agreed to give a date for it. Both sides also talked about giving constitutional cover to the past and some future events as the 90-day constitutional period of holding elections in Punjab and K-P after the dissolution of assemblies had already passed. At the talks, the government side comprised Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ayaz Sadiq, Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Yousaf Raza Gilani, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Kishwar Zehra and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Tariq Bashir Cheema. The PTI was represented by Vice Chairman Qureshi, Fawad and Senator Zafar. The next meeting of the two sides will be held on Tuesday at 11am at the Parliament House.

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PML-N holds consultation over talks

  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday presided over a meeting at his residence with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders to chalk out his party’s position for the next round of talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) discussion slated for Tuesday. Despite a botched raid at PTI President Parvez Elahi’s residence that drew condemnation from left, right and centre, PTI chief Imran Khan has announced that his party would attend the next meeting, kindling hopes of a political breakthrough. Imran reiterated his demand of either dissolving the remaining assemblies before May 14—a date set by the apex court for holding elections for the Punjab Assembly— to send the country towards simultaneous elections. The PML-N also stood its ground, saying that it will not concede to one person’s demand of holding elections at his whims, claiming that doing so would erode public confidence in the electoral system. Prime Minister Shehbaz met his party leaders at his residence to deliberate on the issue, said Special Assistant to the PM Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. The actual number of participants remained a mystery but almost all media houses reported that PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif—who has been living in London—as well as PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar attended the meeting via video-link. Senior party leaders—Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Muhammad Ahmad Khan and Ataullah Tarar—also attended the moot. Tarar, however, denied these media reports, terming them fabricated. Talking to The Express Tribune, he said routine meetings took place at PM Shehbaz’s personal residence but Nawaz Sharif did not attend any meeting. Talking to the media before the in-question meeting that was denied by the party’s deputy general secretary, SAPM Malik said they would discuss the ongoing political situation. He said the parleys between government and opposition will only bear fruit if sanity is allowed to prevail. He also said they will not accept one person's demand of pushing the country into elections. “Accepting his (Imran Khan) demand would mean eroding public confidence in the electoral system of the country.” Referring to the article of the Constitution that talks about holding elections within 90 days, he said just one article of the Constitution cannot be read in isolation, rather it has to be read with the overall scheme of things. The SAPM said that Article 224 talks about caretaker governments throughout the country. He said the only way forward is to rectify the mistakes of the past. He added that the court needs to correct the wrongs done during a case pertaining to article 63A. Regarding the raid at Elahi residence, he said that these raids have been going on for six years. “They were not justified then and they are not justified now.” He also said the raid on Elahi’s residence should not become a reason for any new deadlock. Tarar said various options were under discussion, which also include holding simultaneous elections ahead of time. When asked about many parties in the alliance being not ready to consider the option of early elections, Tarar said he was not fully aware of his party’s position on the issue.

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Resignations of PTI MNAs cannot be withdrawn: Ashraf

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that the resignations of lawmakers belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have been approved and cannot be withdrawn. Speaking in Express News programme Centre Stage on Saturday, Ashraf said that resigning and then trying to withdraw the resignation later is not a joke and PTI members should have thought twice before taking such a drastic step. "PTI members should think about what they really want. The resignations cannot be withdrawn now after the speaker’s approval as there is no way to do so [in the Constitution]," he added. He stated that the assemblies of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cannot be restored too, as there is no other way to withdraw the resignations. "I do not know any way to restore the assemblies of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa," he maintained. Read more: Pervez Elahi booked on terror charges hours after late-night raid The former prime minister also criticised PTI members for insulting assembly members after resigning, saying that resigning and withdrawing is not a child's play. He also mentioned that PTI members went to court to get their resignations accepted, but later went back to court asking for their resignations to not be accepted. Ashraf also condemned the recent raid on former Punjab chief minister Pervez Elahi's house, saying such incidents should not happen. He stated that no decision has been made to call judges to the privilege committee. Talking about the letter he wrote to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, he said that he conveyed the emotions of the members of parliament to Supreme Court judges as the custodian of the House. Also read: Ashraf urges judges to stop ‘undermining’ parliament Ashraf further reiterated that if something happens that undermines the dignity of parliament, then it can be discussed. He also stated that members are allowed to speak in parliament as they wish. He emphasised that neither he nor the court can judge the conversation of the members in the House. Ashraf declared that only the National Assembly possesses the power to spend election funds, adding that neither the Senate nor the President of Pakistan has the authority to do so. He further said that the responsibility to spend funds is solely entrusted with the members of the National Assembly.

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19 ‘hoarders’ arrested in Lodhran

The district administration carried out an operation against wheat smugglers and sugar hoarders in the area on Friday. Nineteen suspects were arrested and 2,520 metric tons of wheat was confiscated. The Administration also imposed a fine worth Rs89,500 on the suspects. Deputy Commissioner Syed Mashhad Raza Kazmi also paid surprise visits to different areas of tehsil Lodhran, including Pul Sikandari, Mujahidabad, Chak 21 MPR, Sakhra chowk and Ash Mor Gailaway to stop wheat hoarding. Assistant Commissioner Ashraf Saleh, District Food Controller Zaheer Mayo and other officials also present with the DC. The DC also seized 2,351 tons of wheat. The DC said that 18,100 bags of wheat were taken into government custody while a collective fine worth Rs89,500 was imposed on people hoarding wheat and sugar. He added that these operations will continue until the wheat procurement target set by the caretaker Punjab government is met. Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2023.

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Preservation of historical artefact site urged

In a recent visit to the Department of Archaeology in Kenthala, Khanpur, Field Officer Syed Gul Kailash urged the Additional Deputy Commissioner Haripur Imran Khan Jadoon to impose Section 144 to stop the ongoing construction. He suggested that the archeology department should transfer the ownership of the site to the ancient Khanpur department to ensure its safety. He gave this suggestion while visiting the site along with SRO Hazara Division, Syed Gul Kailash, Additional Deputy Commissioner Haripur, Imran Khan Jadoon, Assistant Commissioner Khanpur, Sikandar Khan and Side Supervisor of Archeology Department, Raja Adnan. The additional deputy commissioner has pledged full cooperation from the district administration in this regard. On contacting SRO Archeology Department, Hazara, Syed Gilani Kash said that protecting historical sites is the responsibility of both the department and the public. Due to a lack of awareness, many problems arise during excavations, and valuable artefacts go missing, which hinders the department's performance. Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2023.

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Annual inflation reaches record-high of 46.82%

Inflation slightly increased by 0.15 percent on a weekly basis while it reached a record-high of 46.82 percent on an annual basis. In the recent week, 21 essential commodities became expensive and seven became cheaper in the country, while the prices of 23 remained stable. According to the weekly inflation report released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), during the recent week ending on April 27, 2023, the segment of the society earning more than Rs44,175 per month was the most affected by inflation as the inflation rate stood at 48.23 percent for them. The prices of 21 essential items, including potatoes, flour, eggs, daal mash, daal channa, beef, mutton, jaggery, chicken, washing soap, bread, rice, fresh milk and fresh yoghurt, increased during the past week. Seven items, including onion, rice, mustard oil and LPG, become cheaper. The prices of 23 essential commodities remained stable. The price of potatoes went up by 8.22 percent, flour by 2.65 percent, chicken by 1.75 percent, rice by 1.01 percent, plain bread by 1.13 percent and jaggery by 1.23 percent. Tomatoes became cheaper by 19.20 percent, onion by 1.40 percent, sugar by 1.19 percent, LPG by 1.09 percent, lentils by 0.98 percent and mustard oil by 0.39 percent. During the week ending April 13, the rate of inflation in the country has been 46.821 percent compared to the same period last year in terms of the Sensitive Price Index (SPI). 41.54 percent is the annual inflation rate for those earning up to Rs17,732 per month, 46.39 percent for those earning between Rs17,732 and Rs22,888, 46.36 percent for those earning between Rs22,889 rupees and Rs29,517, 46.55 percent for those earning between Rs29,517 and Rs44,175 and 48.23 percent for those whose income exceeds Rs44,176 rupees per month.

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Ex-CMs file plea against caretakers

Two former chief ministers have approached the Supreme Court, seeking direction to restrain the caretaker chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from doing official work and that the top court should regulate day-to-day operations of the provinces till general elections are held and democratically-elected governments are installed. In this regard, a constitutional petition was filed by Pervaiz Elahi and Mahmood Khan through Khawaja Tariq Rahim advocate two days ago. Talking to The Express Tribune, a senior member of the legal team believes that the petition should not have filed as it might affect the hearing of the main case regarding holding of the Punjab Assembly election on May 14. The petition contends that the caretaker chief ministers, after the period of 90 days, do not have any lawful authority to hold or to continue with their offices as per the Constitution. “Even otherwise trust cannot be reposed in them due to their acts of misfeasance and malfeasance, which is a subject matter of numerous other petitions pending before the superior courts,” it adds. The petition states that all public functionaries and bodies, vested with constitutional and statutory powers, have to ensure that their powers are directed only to maintaining the rule of law situation and the Constitution as per Article 5. “The same is lacking herein.” "The blatant violation of the Constitution has created a constitutional crisis of immense proportion which cannot be resolved by any state institution alone nor any provision of the Constitution provides an answer thereto. The Apex Court is the only institution as per the past precedents, as per its unique powers inter alia under Article 189 and 190 of the Constitution, to provide the relief.” The PTI legal team, however, is in two minds over the issue. The petition states that the constitutional calamity is being made worse by perpetual unlawful resistance by the respondent federal government and its ministries led by the prime minister; aided and assisted by the respondent ECP. "The saga is evident in the various proceedings being pursued before this august court. The hostile and adverse, public and in chamber, venom being spit out by the members of the respondent Federal Government does not require any deliberation herein. They are in cahoots to frustrate the rule of the Constitution within the country despite the fact that they are bound by their oaths taken under the Constitution to uphold the rule of law.” “The petitioners are aggrieved of the violation of their and citizens/voters of Punjab and K-P rights, fundamental and guaranteed, under the Constitution to be governed by a lawful government and not by usurpers who have no sanctity of their existence under the Constitution,” it adds. The petition states that the existence and continuance as ostensible caretaker chief ministers, is a fraud on the Constitution; they are liable to be removed forthwith. The petition states that caretaker governments in Punjab & KPK cannot continue to operate beyond the mandatory period of 90 days as stipulated in Art. 224 of the Constitution. "The federal government by refusing to provide finances and expenditures to be incurred on the holding of elections to the provincial assemblies of Punjab & KPK is blatantly violating the mandatory provisions of the Constitution. "The cabinet and the Prime Minister by refusing to sanction the funds on flimsy grounds can violate and defeat the provisions of the Constitution and are not liable to be dealt with in terms of Articles 5 and 6 of the Constitution. "Since the Constitution does not entitle any extension in the tenure of the caretaker Governments, this Court in terms of Article 184(3) read with Article 187 is bound to act in a manner which would ensure the compliance with the Constitution as well as holding of fair and free elections in Punjab and K-P. "Suitable actions and steps to deal with the Constitutional impasse occasioned by the failure of the Respondents (Federal Government) to hold the elections within 90 days and whether the continuation of the caretaker Governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa  would be valid and legal," says the petition. Meanwhile, Advocate General Punjab Shan Gul believed that the caretaker government could continue until elected governments are formed. He stated that the duration of the caretaker government was implicitly extended in the Haji Saifullah case. In the same manner, as has been done through the order passed in C.P. No. 05/2023 whereby the date of the election was taken forward to 14.5.2023. "In 2013, SCMR 1205 at paragraph 15, it has been held that a caretaker government is put in place to run the affairs of the state during the interim period and which is till the return to power of a duly elected government. Therefore, the caretaker government remains in office during the currency of the entire interim period and till return to power of the duly elected government.” “Even otherwise in 2008 when Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto lost her life the caretaker setup was allowed to function till a duly elected government was put in place,” he added. “Also, it has now become a constitutional convention that the caretaker government stays in place till a duly elected government takes over,” he opined.

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Siraj proposes holding elections after Eidul Azha

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Sirajul Haq has suggested holding elections across Pakistan simultaneously after Eidul Azha amid a deadlock in negotiations between ruling coalition and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Speaking at a ceremony at JI Central Headquarter Mansoorah in Lahore, he emphasised the need for political parties to reach a consensus on the election date for the betterment of the country and the nation. He urged the ruling coalition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and opposition PTI to set aside their differences to achieve a consensus. "If both sides take two steps back then a resolution can be achieved," he maintained. Siraj said that JI wanted polls to happen across the country simultaneously. Haq stressed that the power to make the final decision lies with the people, who are the true heirs of the country. He highlighted the critical role of the youth in the upcoming elections and how their participation will be crucial to the nation's betterment in the current crisis. The JI leader also called for the election of leadership that will bring peace and happiness to the country. He further said that his party's youth would surprise everyone during the next polls. Also read: Negotiations only if govt willing to dissolve assemblies now, says Imran Earlier in the day, the second round of talks between the opposition PTI and the ruling coalition to break the ongoing political and constitutional impasse in the country ended, with both sides agreeing to continue negotiations next week. "We have taken a break so that we may talk to our leadership and they discuss it with their coalition partners. We have agreed to meet again on Tuesday at 11am," PTI senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters. According to those privy to the development, the opposition has demanded a date for the dissolution of the assemblies before the upcoming budget. According to the sources, PTI has insisted that the government announce a date for the dissolution of the assemblies before the budget, which could immediately reduce political tensions, and that the negotiation process be completed within a week.

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Ex-COAS' views on army's combat worthiness quoted out of context: ISPR

The military’s media wing clarified on Friday that a former army chief's “off the record” claims about Pakistan army’s "combat worthiness" were “quoted out of context” in the media. “Recently, there have been discussions in media on Pakistan army’s combat worthiness in view of the condition of certain weapon systems on its inventory,” stated the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The military’s media wing added that the “views of former army chief on future threat to Pakistan, which he shared with media persons in an off the record interactive session, have been quoted out of the context”. “Army assures the people of Pakistan that we always took and will continue to take pride in our operational preparedness and utmost combat worthiness,” the ISPR further added. The statement maintained that "Pakistan’s Armed Forces always did and will continue to keep their weapons, equipment and battle hardened human resource ever ready for the defence of the motherland." Read 'Safe, foolproof and free': PMO dismisses nuclear rumours The ISPR’s statement comes as former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa reportedly, in an off the record interview, stated that Pakistan Army lacked weapons due to financial crunch. Earlier this month, it was reported that incumbent Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir visited the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), where he was briefed on the progress of ongoing projects and the latest developments in defence production. According to the ISPR, the army chief was briefed during his visit on the technical capabilities of the HIT, the progress of ongoing projects, indigenisation efforts, and recently undertaken modernisation measures. The COAS also visited various factories of HIT and witnessed the manufacturing, rebuilding, and upgradation of tanks, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), enhanced protection solutions, remote weapon systems, and indigenous 155mm artillery gun barrels for the Pakistan Army.

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Sudan evacuation speeds up, 149 stranded Pakistanis return

The evacuation of stranded Pakistanis from conflict-hit Sudan picked up pace on Friday with 149 nationals safely reaching Karachi via a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) passenger aircraft.  The airlift was commenced following directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, said a statement.  The PAF chief ordered the service's transport fleet to carry out a swift evacuation of Pakistanis stranded in Sudan. The 149 Pakistani nationals reached Karachi via Jeddah on a PAF Airbus aircraft. Meanwhile, a PAF C-130 with 110 people will land later today. The air force made efforts to repatriate stranded Pakistanis in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pakistan embassies in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. PAF aircraft are evacuating nationals from Port Sudan New International Airport. Evacuated families expressed their gratitude to the government of Pakistan and appreciated the PAF for their timely rescue amidst the rapidly deteriorating situation in the northeastern African nation. Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said 700 nationals have been evacuated to safety in Sudan, where heavy fighting has killed hundreds of people and sparked an exodus of foreigners. "Today, another convoy carrying 211 Pakistanis dispatched from Khartoum has arrived in Port Sudan," he said in a statement. Read 37 Pakistanis safely reach Jeddah from Sudan port: FO "With the latest convoy, the total number of Pakistanis who have been evacuated to safety has reached 700." Pakistanis were being housed near the port before their onward journey, he tweeted earlier this week. The ministry said around 1,500 Pakistanis were present in Sudan, whose safety and security were being closely monitored. Fighting broke out in Sudan on April 15 between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). At least 459 people had been killed and more than 4,000 injured as of Tuesday across Africa's third-biggest country, according to UN agencies. The fighting also destroyed hospitals and limited food distribution in a nation heavily reliant on aid. A three-day US-brokered ceasefire brought some calm to the capital Khartoum, but witnesses reported fresh air strikes and paramilitaries claimed to have seized a major oil refinery and power plant.

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Siraj slams caretaker govts over poll failure

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq on Thursday slammed the caretaker governments in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, saying that they failed to fulfil their constitutional duty of conducting elections within 90 days of dissolution of the assemblies. Addressing a news conference, the JI chief said that stemming from the decision of a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, an election was announced in Punjab, but it also got controversial because all stakeholders were not on the same page. Siraj highlighted how the federal government had its own narrative, the apex court its own order, and the Election Commission of Pakistan was pointing out its own difficulties. He lamented that the province was in severe turmoil. He said that terrorism had increased in K-P, while the rupee depreciated, and the national debt increased. “We believe that heading to the election is the only solution to the problem,” he added. He claimed that the caretaker governments were doing everything they should not be doing. “We don’t want Pakistan to become Libya nor Syria due to the political chaos,” the JI chief said, adding that bread was out of the reach of the common man due to an increase in its price.

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Newborn baby kidnapped

A newborn baby was kidnapped from the Civil Hospital. Zainab Bibi, a resident of Sialkot, had given birth to a child last night. Her motherin-law had been present at the hospital to look after her. The alleged woman kidnapper made her acquaintance with the mother-in-law presumably with the intention of making her appear harmless to her targets. According to Zainab Bibi, this very woman kidnapped her child while she and her mother-in-law had fallen asleep. The CCTV camera footage shows a woman picking up a baby at the gynaecology ward and concealing it in her chadar. The kidnapper had also been wearing a mask. Naturally, Zainab Bibi is grief-stricken, and all she wants is to have her baby back. Her husband lives in Saudi Arabia.

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AC’s guard ‘linked’ to smuggling mafia

One of Assistant Commissioner Bhakkar’s guards turned out to be a facilitator for the smuggling mafia. This was revealed in a secret report received by the Deputy Commissioner on Thursday. DC Bhakkar removed the guard from service immediately. Political figures in Bhakkar strongly urged the DC to take action against the guard. All officials of the Punjab government are making efforts to meet wheat procurement targets, while the connection of the guard to AC Bhakkar, which cultivates wheat over a wide area, has raised eyebrows within the district.

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PTI disputes trust vote result

The PTI on Thursday disputed the number of votes garnered by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the vote of confidence, saying the premier had lost the trust of parliament as 20 votes were cast by their dissident members, while terming the victory a “big defeat” for the premier and the coalition government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz had taken vote of confidence from the National Assembly with 180 lawmakers reposing “full confidence” in him. The unexpected move came days after Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb denied that the prime minister had decided to take a vote of confidence from parliament. The resolution for the vote of confidence moved by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, stated: “The National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan reposes its full confidence in the leadership of Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, as the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.” Responding to the development, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry claimed that the premier had lost the confidence of the House, as 20 lawmakers, who voted in his favour, were disgruntled legislators of the PTI. “(PM) Shehbaz Sharif has lost confidence of the majority of members [of parliament]. Vote of 20 members of the assembly cannot be counted in the prime minister’s favour as they belong to the PTI. Therefore, Shehbaz Sharif gained the support of only 160 members instead of 172,” the PTI leader tweeted. “Today’s vote (of confidence) is a big defeat for Shehbaz Sharif and PDM,” he continued. The National Assembly has a total of 342 seats and a party needs at least 172 votes to form the government. PTI Chairman Imran Khan was ousted from the office of premier through a vote of no-confidence on April 9 last year. Following the development, all PTI lawmakers resigned en masse before the scheduled voting began for electing a new prime minister, except the 20 dissident party members. Also read: PM Shehbaz wins surprise vote of confidence in NA Eventually, the dissident MNAs' votes were not needed in Imran's removal, as the opposition managed to gather together support from government-allied political parties. The PTI then sent references against the dissident members to the Election Commission of Pakistan, seeking their disqualification for violating party discipline and defecting. However, the election supervisor decided against de-seating them and dismissed the references. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday took a dig at the PTI leaders, saying they lacked mathematical skills, and clarified that the number of votes for PM Shehbaz would have been 181 if the speaker had also cast his vote. Today, neither was there any RTS (Result Transmission System), nor any secret ballot or any hidden cameras were found, he said.

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Proposals sought from govt entities for FY23-24 budget

For the preparation of the provincial budget for the new financial year 2023-24, the government has invited budget proposals from all the institutions and departments of the Rawalpindi district. Meanwhile, autonomous bodies including Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Pakistan Housing Authority (PHA), education board, and Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC) have also been instructed to immediately freeze the non-developmental expenses and to increase taxes and utility service charges to meet their expenses. According to sources, the authorities have also instructed the development agencies not to include projects of more than Rs300 million in the budget proposals. Mega development schemes will be allowed to be started from the funds allocated in the district's annual development programme after the budget of Punjab is approved. The provincial finance ministry has also instructed the education, health, local government and social welfare departments to present budget proposals with austerity. Sources said no special or extra funds will be given to any institution in the new provincial budget.   Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2023.

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Efforts afoot to end acrimony among judges

While tensions between the judiciary and parliament are increasing over the question of holding of elections for the Punjab Assembly on May 14, serious efforts are under way to end divisions within the Supreme Court. Currently, the SC is divided into two groups, with eight judges on one side while seven on the other. Two positions in the Supreme Court have been lying vacant. However, there is also a realisation in the apex court that some minimum consensus should evolve on the working of the court which is badly affected since Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial started the suo motu proceedings for holding elections for the Punjab Assembly. According to some sources, a retired chief justice is also busy in trying to effect a reconciliation between the two groups of the judges. Acrimony among the top court judges increased when a larger bench took up Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s plea against a presidential reference that accused him of hiding his family members’ assets from the tax authority. During the proceedings, the apex court judges had expressed their views through judicial orders, speeches and letters—things that negatively affected the relationship among the top court judges. Since the start of the suo motu proceedings on holding timely elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) provinces, the gulf between two groups of the SC judges has significantly widened. However; a senior lawyer said he hoped that now the SC judges will reach some consensus. “I believe that both sides should work towards easing mistrust.” It is learnt that Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan will appear today [Thursday] before a three-judge bench led by CJP Bandial that is hearing the case with regard to delay in Punjab polls. The AGP will tell the court about the outcome of a meeting of the ruling political parties. In the latest development, it is learned that Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani would form a five-member committee in an effort to evolve a consensus on holding the elections for the provincial legislatures and the National Assembly on the same day. The AGP will also inform the court about this development as well. Also read: Can't release poll funds without constitutional procedure: Dar The sources revealed to The Express Tribune that the government is also considering filing a review petition against the SC order for the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to release Rs21 billion to the ECP for holding elections for the Punjab Assembly. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has nominated Shah Mahmood Qureshi to hold dialogue with the government. The PTI wants elections before the retirement of the incumbent CJP while the coalition government is interested in deferring elections till October. On Thursday, the bench will take up the matter related to evolving consensus on holding elections on the same day. The matter related to release of Rs21 billion to the ECP for holding polls in Punjab and the K-P provinces will be taken up on Friday. Bench 1 delisted following CJP’s indisposition Just a day before the end of the deadline set by the apex court for political parties to reach consensus on a date for holding elections in the country, the roster for Bench 1 of the Supreme Court was revised due to the 'indisposition' of CJP Umar Ata Bandial. On Wednesday, the SC Public Relations Office issued a statement regarding revision of the roster. "It is to inform that the Court Roster regarding Bench-I for Wednesday, 26th April 2023, has been revised due to the indisposition of the Hon'ble Chief Justice of Pakistan." Earlier, the SC had asked all political parties to evolve a consensus on a date for holding elections for the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies simultaneously. The court had noted that otherwise its April 4 order regarding the Punjab Assembly elections would come into force. The Registrar’s Office also released the list of the cases to be heard by different benches. On Wednesday hearings were to be conducted by three benches—by Bench 2, comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Aminuddin Khan; by Bench 3, comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Ayesha Malik, and Justice Shahid Waheed; and by Bench 4, comprising Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi. Interestingly, one section of judges dominated the three benches after the revision of the roster for Bench 1. Earlier Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Athar Minallah were part of the bench led by CJP Bandial. Two senior judges, Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, were also not part of any bench on Wednesday. There is already a debate under way on when a three-judge committee will start working after the notification of the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act 2023, which reduces the CJP’s powers to take suo motu action and constitute benches. An eight-judge larger bench of the apex court led by CJP Bandial already suspended the legislation. A source close to the retired judge is also optimistic that a consensus among the Supreme Court judges would be evolved on the working of the court soon.

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China vows joint efforts for regional stability

China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) is willing to work with the Pakistani military to deepen and expand cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, a senior official said on Wednesday. According to China’s defence ministry, Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia spoke as he met with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir during a visit to the PLA headquarters in Beijing. Earlier, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, said in a statement that the army chief visited the PLA headquarters for talks on bilateral military cooperation and other matters of mutual interest. This is the first visit by Gen Asim Munir to China since he took over the command of the Pakistan Army in November last year. Experts termed the visit crucial against the backdrop of key geo-strategic developments in the region and beyond. The ISPR said that the COAS was given warm welcome and presented with the guard of honour at the PLA headquarters. The welcome ceremony was followed by a detailed meeting with the commander of the PLA Army. Also read: China to conduct military exercise in South China Sea on April 27 “Matters of mutual security interests and military cooperation were discussed. Both military commanders reiterated the need for maintaining peace and stability in the region and enhancing military to military cooperation,” the ISPR said. The army chief also witnessed a demonstration of the operational capabilities of the PLA troops and praised the high standards of training and professionalism displayed by the soldiers, the military’s media wing added. According to the ISPR, the army chief would hold further meetings with military leaders in China to enhance the long-standing relations between the two militaries. However, it was not immediately clear whether Gen Asim would meet the President Xi Jingping or not. The visit to China by the army chief is being closely followed by Western diplomats in Islamabad since it will determine Pakistan’s future strategy in view of the growing tussle between Beijing and Washington. Pakistan has tried to maintain a balance in its ties with the big powers but many observers believe that eventually the country may have to take sides. Haroon Sharif, former chairman of Board of Investment, who worked in the past with China, is of the view that with $30 billion bilateral debt and future stakes, Pakistan cannot turn its back on China. The US, Sharif said, has realised this after using the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program as leverage over Pakistan. But observers believe that China will not extend free dole outs to Pakistan as it is concerned over certain issues including security of Chinese nationals and stuck up money of the Chinese run power projects. On top of it, China is worried over the growing political instability in Pakistan. Experts are of the view that China would be keen to hear views of the army chief on all these issues.

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‘Political instability’ takes a toll on human rights

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed its concern on Wednesday over the ongoing political and economic turmoil in the country and its serious impact on the human rights situation. In its annual report, the HRCP stated that the both previous and the current governments failed to respect the supremacy of parliament, while the tussles among the legislature, executive and judiciary undermined institutional credibility. The report, titled ‘The State of Human Rights in 2022’ noted that political victimisation continued throughout the year, with colonial-era sedition laws being weaponised to stifle the voice of dissent. Dozens of journalists and opposition politicians were arrested, with ensuing claims of custodial torture – though in the same year that the parliament passed a bill, criminalising the use of torture. The agitation that followed the successful vote of no-confidence against former prime minister Imran Khan saw law-enforcement personnel clashing with protesters in various parts of the country, with the right to freedom of assembly being violated. Read more: What political upheaval in Pakistan means for rest of the world The year saw an alarming resurgence in terror attacks—the highest in five years – with 533 lives lost, the report said, adding that the state continued to fumble in addressing militancy despite warnings. The HRCP also noted an uptick in enforced disappearances, particularly in Balochistan, with 2,210 reported cases remaining unresolved even as a bill criminalising the act was passed by the National Assembly. The report stated that relief and rehabilitation of over 33 million people affected by the climate change-induced floods in the country, fell woefully short, which underscored the need for “empowered, well-resourced local governments” in every province and territory. The HRCP expressed grave concern over escalating threats to freedom of religion or belief. While the number of police reports on blasphemy charges fell, the report noted, the incidence of mob lynching appears to have risen. The Ahmadiyya community came under particular threat, with several places of worship and over 90 graves desecrated, primarily in Punjab, the report said. Violence against women continued unabated, with at least 4,226 instances of rape and gang-rape compounded by an abysmally low conviction rate for perpetrators. Additionally, the scale of violence and discrimination against transgender persons – the theme of this edition of the report – was compounded by the conservative backlash against the hard-won Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018. In a year that began to see the country’s economic situation unravelling, the report noted that the rights of workers and peasants were sorely neglected. Although the minimum wage was increased, the state has yet to acknowledge that this fell below the threshold of a living wage. Additionally, while around 1,200 bonded labourers were freed in Sindh, the district vigilance committees constituted in 2022 remained largely dysfunctional. The death toll in the country’s mines also remained very high, at 90 workers. The HRCP demanded immediate action by the state on these issues if it was to move towards a pro-people approach to politics, law and governance.

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Road crash-sparked inferno kills 7

At least seven people were killed after a gas cylinder exploded in a van that collided with a truck near Pansera on Jhang Road. Twenty other people, including three women and a child, were injured. Only two of the deceased could be identified immediately because of severe burn injuries. Rescue workers took out the bodies from the vehicle and handed them over to the police who shifted them to the tehsil headquarters hospital. The Gojra-Pansera road was closed for some time after the accident as rescue teams from Faisalabad and Gojra doused the fire. Of the injured, 11 were shifted to the Allied Hospital and others to private health facilities in the area. Local officials said the passenger van was going from Dharmapura stop in Gojra towards Pansera when it rammed into the truck going in the same direction. The officials said it appeared that the truck driver might have dosed off. After the accident, the cylinder in the van burst with a loud explosion and a fire broke out that engulfed six passengers sitting in the van and one person travelling on the truck. The two victims identified were Muhammad Akram and Dastgir, residents of the 46GB area. The five other bodies were not identified and were taken to the Nawan Lahore Hospital by the rescue teams. Rescue officials said the injured included 50-year-old Shahzad, a 45-year-old son of Sultan, 17-year-old Sulaiman, 65-year-old Afzal, Sabir, 46-year-old Iftikhar of Gojra, Babra Yasmin and Basharat. Also read: 14 killed in Punjab road accidents According to rescue service sources, two people died in the accident due to head injuries. Rescue teams retrieved four charred bodies from the van and one from the mini-truck. Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi sought a report on the accident from the Faisalabad commissioner and regional police officer. Motorcyclists cautioned After a detailed review of the data of accidents reported during the Eid holidays, Rescue 1122 Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer requested motorbike drivers to adopt road safety measures and reduce their speed limit to 50 kilometres per hour. They should follow the traffic laws and always drive in the extreme left lane, he added while presiding over a meeting in Lahore. He also appealed to the parents that they should never allow their underage children to drive a motorbike or car. The participants were informed that at least 83 people had died in road traffic crashes during the holidays. According to the data compiled by Rescue 1122, a total of 26,939 emergencies were reported in the province during the five holidays, of which 8,305 were road crashes, 14,994 medical emergencies with 533 deaths, 765 crime incidents, 569 fire emergencies, 623 delivery emergencies, 559 falls and slipping cases, 965 miscellaneous emergencies and 159 animal rescue operations. The district emergency officers shared that the highest number of emergencies had taken place in Lahore, where they numbered 14,837, while the lowest number had been reported from Murree.

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PTI lawmakers protest after being denied permission to attend NA session

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf on Wednesday declared that members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who have resigned, would not be allowed to participate in today’s proceedings, following consultation with constitutional experts. The Election Commission of Pakistan’s notification regarding the resignations of PTI members has been suspended by the Sindh High Court, as confirmed by the National Assembly spokesperson. However, the spokesperson also clarified that the Sindh High Court had not yet made a decision regarding the speaker’s ruling on eligibility of the resigned PTI members to participate in National Assembly proceedings. Read more: Fawad moves SC against Punjab, K-P caretaker governments According to the rules of the National Assembly, resigned members of the PTI are now considered out of the lower house of parliament and are not permitted to enter the House, said a spokesperson for the NA. The spokesperson also noted that the rules prohibit the entry of strangers into the National Assembly. Meanwhile, PTI members of National Assembly from Karachi staged protest over the speaker's ruling outside the Parliament House. Police forcibly prevented nine PTI MNAs from Karachi from entering the building, leading to scuffles between the law enforcement officials and the PTI parliamentarians. The lawmakers claimed to have a court order allowing their entry into parliament, but were denied access. In response, the PTI MNAs staged a sit-in protest in front of the NA building and vowed to continue their protest until they are allowed to attend the session.

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Mutual security, military cooperation discussed during COAS China trip

Army chief General Syed Asim Munir on his first day of official visit to China discussed matters of mutual security interests and military cooperation, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported on Wednesday. According to the ISPR, the COAS was given a warm welcome and presented with the guard of honour at the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Headquarters. “[The] COAS reviewed the smartly turned out contingent which was later followed by a detailed meeting with the Commander of PLA Army. Matters of mutual security interests and military cooperation were discussed. Both military commanders reiterated the need for maintaining peace and stability in the region and enhancing military to military cooperation,” the military's media wing reported. The army chief also witnessed a demonstration of the operational capabilities of the PLA troops and praised the high standards of training and professionalism displayed by the soldiers. Read Army chief embarks on maiden Gulf trip The COAS will hold further meetings with military leaders in China to enhance the long-standing relations between the two militaries, the ISPR furthered. A day earlier, the army chief had kicked off his four-day maiden visit to China, being seen by many as crucial against the backdrop of recent geo-strategic developments. This is his first visit to China since he assumed the charge as army chief on November 29. For some observers, it is a bit unusual that the army chief’s visit took some time to materialise. It is common for the new army chief in Pakistan to undertake a visit to China within weeks of his appointment. The delay this time is attributed to the internal situation in Pakistan as well as the transition in China.

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Bench hearing polls delay case delisted due to CJP's 'indisposition'

Ahead of the Supreme Court mandated deadline for political parties to reach a consensus on a new date for elections in Punjab on Wednesday, the roster for Bench 1 of the apex court was revised due to the 'indisposition' of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial. The CJP’s bench was delisted along with all cases before it. The SC Registrar issued a notification delisting the cases but did not specify the reasons. "It is to inform that the Court Roster regarding Bench-I for Wednesday, 26th April 2023, has been revised due to the indisposition of the Hon'ble Chief Justice of Pakistan." Earlier, the apex court had asked all political parties to evolve a consensus on the date for holding simultaneous general elections of the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies expeditiously; otherwise, the court noted, its order regarding the Punjab Assembly elections on May 14 would come into force. For today’s SC hearings, a new bench consisting Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Aminuddin Khan was constituted to hear all the cases. The top court's Registrar’s Office released the list of cases the new bench would hear. Read Audio scandal: Can SC put a stop to leaks' culture? Today’s hearings would be conducted by three benches: Bench 2, comprising Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Aminuddin Khan; Bench 3, comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Ayesha Malik, and Justice Shahid Waheed; and Bench 4, comprising Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi. The present composition suggests that one section of judges holds the majority in three benches after the revision of the roster for Bench 1. Earlier Justice Mandokhail and Justice Minallah were part of the bench led by CJP Bandial. Two senior judges, Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, were also not available for the bench on Wednesday. There is already debate regarding whether the three senior judges committee will start working after the notification of the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act 2023, which clips the CJP’s powers to take suo motu action and constitute benches. However, an eight-member larger bench of the apex court led by CJP Bandial already suspended the legislation.

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Nagar Mahal stands strong after 90 years

A majestic pre-partition building in Bahawalnagar, called Nagar Mahal has been attracting attention due to its rich history and impressive architecture. The 90-year-old building is in Minchinabad town, 35 kilometres from Bahawalnagar, and was built by two wealthy brothers of the Agarwal clan, Sheikh Nagar Mal and Bhajan Lal, who had a business empire in two different countries. The mansion was constructed in the 1930s and was intended to showcase the wealth and connoisseurship of the Agarwal family. Celebrated travel writer Salman Rashid visited the haveli and described it as an aesthetic masterpiece. He noted that behind the low outer wall and gateway, the house is hidden by a row of guest rooms. A high arched doorway leads into the first courtyard of the mansion, which sets the pace for the aesthetic high waiting to be experienced. Around the courtyard, the rooms are arranged behind a veranda in a regular square. The arches of the openings to the veranda strictly follow the later Mughal design and are richly painted with floral and curvilinear designs. The top of each arch carries a human likeness, perhaps of members of the Agarwal family. While the ground floor stringently follows the vernacular vocabulary, the upper floor is an Italian delight. The Agarwal brothers could only enjoy the mansion for just over a decade and a half, as they left in the great transmigration of 1947, abandoning Mahal Nagar Mal which later came to be occupied by the Sukhera family. The Sukheras have since lived in it and kept the lore of the mansion alive. The property was worth no less than Rs2.5 million in the 1930s, a royal sum indeed, according to a spokesperson for the Sukhera family. The family has preserved the historical building at their own expense.   Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2023.

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Census work extended till 30th

The seventh population census exercise was extended for five more days particularly in the districts or cities where a negative or very slow growth rate had been observed, sources said on Tuesday. The approval for extension of census field work was given in a meeting held on April 15, which attended by the Chief Census Commissioner, Chief Statistician, and other senior officials of the PBS, they said. The districts, where the field work had been extended till April 30, are: Quetta, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi Central, Karachi South, West, East, Korangi, Multan, Khyber, Hyderabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Jhelum, Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Attock Chakwal, Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Abbottabad, and Tank. “Negative or a very slow growth rates have been observed in these districts and cities, a sources told The Express Tribune. “The verification process will also be ensured in these areas,” the source added. According to the PBS, 235,388,000 people have been counted across the country, so far. They include 116,034,900 individuals in Punjab; 52, 135,748 in Sindh; more than 39.2 million in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), and over 15.5 million in Balochistan. However, census work in 19 districts, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi, is still incomplete. “Census work is also pending in Karachi, Hyderabad, and Quetta,” the sources added. The census work did not take place during the Eidul Fitr Holidays, which ended on Tuesday. Now, the last phase of digital population census field operations will begin on Wednesday (today).

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MQM-P decries irregularities in census process

  The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) expressed serious reservations on the ongoing seventh population census on Tuesday, saying that despite raising the matter at the higher level, the correct figures were not being presented. A meeting of the MQM-P Rabita Committee, chaired by its Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, criticised the “non-serious attitude” of the government toward the census process. In the meeting, serious reservations were expressed about the figures of the census released so far. The committee expressed concern over the non-serious attitude of the rulers toward the census, the party said. It added that despite the meetings with relevant authorities, including federal ministers, and providing them proofs of irregularities in the census process, correct statistics were not being presented. The meeting took various decisions regarding the future plan of action on the injustice towards the citizens of Sindh, especially Karachi, in the census. It added that after consultation on the plan of action, people would be informed through the media. Various organisational matters and the current political and economic situation of the country were also discussed in the meeting, which attended by senior deputy convenors Syed Mustafa Kamal, Dr. Farooq Sattar and Nasreen Jalil, deputy convenors Anees Qaimkhani, Abdul Waseem, Kahf Alwari and others.

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Imran condemns arrest of his security chief

Condemning his arrest, former prime minister Imran Khan has claimed that his security in-charge, Iftikhar Rasool Ghumman, has been “deliberately targeted” in bid to weaken his security and to spread fear among the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) hierarchy. The PTI chairman, who survived an assassination bid in November last year while he was leading his party’s long march to Islamabad, also claimed that Ghumman was still in the custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). “He [Iftikhar Ghumman] was an overseas Pakistani who left everything and came to Pakistan to help in our mission for Haqiqi Azadi [real freedom]. Read more: Terror outfit planning to target Imran during electioneering: report “He has been deliberately targeted to weaken my security and also to spread fear amongst the PTI hierarchy. We know who is behind all this,” Imran wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. My security in charge Iftikhar Ghumman is still in FIA custody. He was an overseas Pak who left everything & came to Pak to help in our mission for Haqiqi Azadi. He has been deliberately targeted to weaken my security & also to spread fear amongst PTI hierarchy. We know who is… — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 25, 2023 The FIA was quick in its response as it rejected Imran’s claim that Ghumman was still in the agency’s custody. In a brief statement issued to the media, it said Iftikhar Rasool Ghumman was nominated in an FIR No 06/2023 of the Anti-Money Laundering Circle of the FIA Lahore. “He was arrested on April 12, 2023. Moreover, he was an absconder of the FIA Human Trafficking Circle Lahore for the last 22 years in FIR No 291/2001,” the statement read. According to the FIA, Ghumman was remanded in judicial custody on April 15 and that he is presently in Camp Jail Lahore on the order of a court. “It is clarified that he [Ghumman] is not in the FIA’s custody,” the statement said.

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Two monkeypox cases detected in Pakistan

Two cases of monkeypox have been detected in Islamabad, originating from Saudi Arabia, according to officials who confirmed the development on Tuesday. The identity of the victims has been kept confidential, and samples were sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad, which confirmed the presence of the virus. Following the detection of the virus, hospitals in Sindh have been advised to take proactive steps for the management of suspected or confirmed cases. An advisory issued by Directorate General Health Services Sindh stated that the hospital administration is required to establish a designated separate area with five to 10 rooms for isolation of monkeypox cases within 24 hours. The area should include appropriate infection control measures, such as negative pressure, hand hygiene facilities, and personal protective equipment to provide safe and effective care for patients. It also said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported cases of monkeypox in 110 member states across all six WHO regions since January 2022. "As of April 25, 2023, there have been 87,113 laboratory-confirmed cases and 130 deaths reported to WHO." Read more: Govt takes step to prevent monkeypox outbreak The public has been urged to be vigilant for the detection of any suspected cases and ensure preparedness to launch response activities for curtailing the transmission of monkeypox disease in Sindh, it added. Monkeypox is a rare disease that is similar to smallpox and can be fatal. The disease was first discovered in 1958 when outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research. The virus can be transmitted to humans from animals such as rodents and primates, and human-to-human transmission can also occur through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or respiratory droplets. Symptoms of monkeypox include acute illness with fever >38.3⁰C (101⁰F), intense headache, lymphadenopathy, back pain, myalgia and intense asthenia followed one to three days later by a progressively developing rash often beginning on the face (most dense) and then spreading elsewhere on the body, including soles of feet and palms of hands, and travel history of epidemic countries where monkey cases are reported. The authorities are advising the public to seek medical attention immediately if they develop these symptoms and have a travel history to affected areas. "The situation is being closely monitored, and further updates will be provided as the situation develops," it further said.

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Bilawal stresses unity for national interest

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has emphasized the importance of unity, saying it was the responsibility of everyone to play their role and get the country out of the prevailing political and economic quagmire. Speaking at a Eid Milan gathering at Bhutto House Naudero (Larkana) on Sunday night, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that he was happy to be with his supporters throughout Ramazan and on Eid. “Today, Pakistan’s democracy, economy and the state are going through testing times,” he said. He said, “Hopefully, when we will be successful in this effort then I will be in front of you (public) for campaigning for simultaneous elections in all provinces”. The PPP chairman said that his party would soon be ready for the 2023 election campaign and the party workers would enjoy it. He reiterated that the PPP, once again, had the chance to play its role when the country was divided. He said that the Supreme Court seemed to be divided and the in-fighting among institutions would ultimately create negative impact on the common people. He also said that both the Supreme Court and parliament were at loggerheads and not ready to accept each other’s decisions, rendering the state unable to address the issues of the masses. He asked all the state institutions to resolve the public issues within their respective domains and minimize the problems of the general public. The PPP chairman said that his party was trying to persuade the allies to engage in dialogue, even with adversaries, by keeping the national interest supreme. Only those societies can make progress who can limit their political differences to elections only, he said, adding that if the political parties settled the issue of elections being conducted on a single day we would be in a better position to address the issues of the poor public. “We are still experiencing the ramifications of last year’s floods along with the negative effect of global recession on our economy,” he said. FM Bilawal said that the PPP always stood by the Constitution, the state, the people and provincial rights. He said that the conspirators should stop playing with the fate of the country and give chance to all the stakeholders to resolve national issues. Bilawal reiterated that elections should be held simultaneously in the whole country on same day, adding that the efforts of the conspirators were underway even today. The conspirators want political chaos in the country, he warned. The foreign minister said that PPP was trying to resolve the issues through mutual diplomacy and dialogue in order to save the country from massive damage. The gathering was attended by leaders including Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, PPP Women Wing President Faryal Talpur, PPP Sindh President Senator Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Federal Minister Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah. APP

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‘PM not taking confidence vote’

Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has not decided to take the vote of confidence. The information minister said in her tweet that there was no such consultation and there was no need for it. وزیراعظم نے اعتماد کا ووٹ لینے کا فیصلہ نہیں کیا،ایسی مشاورت ہوئی نہ اس کی ضرورت ہے۔ عوام، پارٹی،اتحادی جماعتوں کے متفقہ امیدوار شہباز شریف 11 اپریل 2022 کو قومی اسمبلی کے قائد ایوان کا ووٹ لے چکے ہیں۔ من گھڑت افواہ حقیقت نہیں۔ میڈیا بغیر تصدیق وزیراعظم سے متعلق خبریں نہ چلائے — Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) April 24, 2023 She said that Shehbaz is the unanimous candidate of the people, party, and coalition partners, and was voted to the leadership of the National Assembly (NA) on April 11, 2022. Marriyum said that this "fabricated rumour" is not true. She also asked the media to not run news about the prime minister without verification. Earlier in the day, reports claimed that the premier has decided to take the vote of confidence on April 27 and consultations had been completed in this regard. It is worth mentioning here that this rumour and its rebuttal come at a time when the institutions have apparently come face to face with each other and political tensions are at an all-time high.

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Helping hand needs help

Muslims from all over the world make a concerted effort to carry out various acts of kindness and engage in different forms of prayer in Ramzan as its is considered a blessed month. Charity and donations rise during this month of giving. In Pakistan, people opt to give charity in Ramzan in larger numbers compared to the rest of the year. Studies have shown that Pakistanis donate 72% of their annual total income to charity during the holy month, with Karachi being the nation’s most charitable metropolis. However, this year most of the non-profit charity and philanthropist organisations are quoting very low numbers of donations. With Pakistan on the verge of an economic collapse, drastic changes have been observed by those who head charity organizations. The number of people asking for help has increased whereas the number of hands that feed them has lessened. Donations dwindling Zafar Abbas runs the Jafriya Disaster Management Cell Welfare Organisation, commonly known as JDC Foundation. The non-governmental organisation (NGO) regularly sets up an eating area in a huge ground. They provide free food but they also want to offer dignity to the needy. So they place tables and chairs, put up fans and even chandeliers in order to create a pleasant atmosphere for those who come. The menu includes saalan, roti and biryani. Previously, Abbas says, they even catered extravagant dishes made with ostrich and camel meat. This Ramzan, the JDC suhoor and iftar meals have also been simple unlike what they would serve in the past. For those families who are unable to get to the JDC because of conveyance issues, volunteers deliver food to their homes. Around 20 to 25 volunteers take around 400-500 boxes of food to the doorsteps of the families who have signed up for delivery. According to the recent statistics of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on March 1, 2023, inflation soared to 31.5 percent— the highest since 1974. The average person, earning Rs50,000 a month could usually donate almost half of that amount in Ramzan. However, since the buying power of the common man has decreased, the average person is now unable to bear even their basic household expenses, let alone set money aside for charity. With the changing financial paradigm over the past year, the donation numbers have gone down drastically. Faisal Edhi, who now leads the world-renowned charity in his father’s name, says, “Donation has gone down but it is tricky. It hasn’t gone down in terms of money but [since our] purchasing power has halved, inflation has made things difficult. Anything that was costing us 5,000 rupees is now costing double.” He adds that the Edhi Foundation has savings for such times and things are under control, and the needy are being provided for even in these hard times. Increase in prices for everything from electricity to flour to fruits and add to it woes of unavailability of gas have all had impact. If you go by numbers alone, Abbas says, the amount of donations is not even 50 percent of what JDC have received in the first half of the month in the past. “Since [JDC] started working,” Abbas says, “we have not seen what we see today in terms of charity and donations because people who used to donate 50,000 to 60,000 rupees in Ramzan are unable to spare even 20,000 rupees now.” Remittances feel the pinch The NGOs and many other philanthropist organisations do not depend on local donors alone but also receive international funding, particularly from Pakistanis living abroad and Muslims across the globe. However, that too has gone down due to conversion rates and the drastic inflation of prices of essential food items. “The simple example is that an international donor who used to send us 100,000 rupees will send us the same but the buying power of that amount of money has changed,” Abbas explains. He adds, “With a 10kg flour packet costing between 1,400-1,700 rupees, how can we cater more than 15,000 people who come to us for food.” He started a campaign to elevate the system and help white-collar middle-class people who are the most affected by the current inflation. According to Maulana Bashir Farooq Qadri of Saylani Welfare, it is not just donations in the holy month that have declined but, in fact, the whole scenario of charity giving has changed. “People who used to donate are now helpless and ask for help. People who have someone earning abroad, for them paying extra bank charges is making it difficult to have some extra money [leftover for donations],” Qadri explains. If the majority of the people in Pakistan are suffering, he says, then how can you expect to provide for all. “Nevertheless, international donors have been generous and the situation is still better than what we expected, also people who live abroad send charity for their brothers in Pakistan which eventually helps organisation such as ours to make ends meet,” he adds. While charity plays a significant role in building a safety net for Pakistan’s society, more needs to be done to fully realise the benefits of long-term philanthropic development initiatives. Many institutions are working tirelessly in their capacity to provide education, health, food, and protection for those in need. “Saylani has provided supplies such as food, education, drinking water, and health facilities to the needy costing 10 billion rupees and we are expecting the same this year if not more,” Qadri informs. Other than that the organization also provides cooked and uncooked food supplies to 400,000 people every day in Ramzan and at least 200,000 people eat from their Dastarkhwan every day. The organisation provides clean drinking water to 25 million people across the country every day. The situation of donation and charity has not just impacted the food distribution but also the health sector where philanthropists help millions of people who are suffering from life-threatening situations. For instance, the JDC provides free dialysis treatment at several centres established across the city, in Samanabad, Gulshan, Lyari, Liaquatabad, Malir and Five Star. The running expense of each centre is four million rupees a month; the soaring dollar rates have doubled the running cost because all the medical kits are imported from Germany. “The monthly expense has now risen to eight million rupees while donations that used to increase in the holy month have gone down,” the philanthropist explains. Selfless city Danish Khan goes door-to-door to give his charity, cutting out the middleman for this act of generosity. “We [as a family] do charity during almost the whole year but the idea of donating in Ramzan is different,” he says “as according to the religion the reward for doing good deeds in Ramzan is more than on normal days so most charity is done in this month.” Despite other donations, the main source is Zakat which 2.5% of a person’s wealth taken out to give it to the poor. Khan doesn’t believe in NGOs and charitable organizations and thinks that it is his responsibility to do this service himself as much as he can. “It is not difficult to find poor people. In every locality there is a slum area and one can help people living there but the demand has increased on a larger scale. We used to get 100 packets of food, now there are 500 people asking for it,” he shares, adding that what charitable organizations are doing is also commendable because there is no system that can help this city survive otherwise. Many organizations on a smaller scale help people, such as the Omair Sana Foundation that has set up a tandoor where they sell roti for five rupees which costs them 28 rupees. Approximately 98% of the nation donates to charitable organization in some way or another, whether it's money, goods, or time. Above all, the city of Karachi never fails to amaze the masses when it comes to charity. “There is no doubt that the situation is not as good as it used to be but the people of this city have always stepped up when there is a difficult time. Similarly, this year, as the number of people approaching us for monetary help has increased the people who can, have helped tremendously as compared to last year,” shares Qazi Sadaruddin, spokesperson for Al-Khidmat Foundation, one of the oldest philanthropy organization operating in Karachi. The whole idea behind the increase of giving in the month is to show empathy, generosity and compassion towards fellow members of the Muslim community. You can donate in the form of Zakat, Sadaqa, and Fitrana as well as other moral and social consideration. “The problem that we see today is not for the upper class and lower class. The division now is among the middle class which has been further divided into several classes because someone who has an average 30,000-40,000 rupees salary can no longer fulfill the needs of his family,” he says. “The situation on the ground is not good but, yes, some generous donors have helped us cope with the decrease in donations and, yes, we have seen around a 15 percent increase in people who come to us for food, medical treatment or even basic grocery for their house,” Sadaruddin says. Every year, Al-Khidmat takes orphans on Eid shopping by providing them each 5,000 rupees voucher from which they can use for clothes, shoes, and anything they require. “Last year, we took 1,200 boys and girls while this year the number is around 1,700, so the charity in the city might be seen as low but people are still doing good as much as they can,” he says.

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Hunger & misery in Balochistan: climate change takes a toll

The largest province of Pakistan, Balochistan is rich in natural resources, including minerals, oil, and gas. However, it is also home to a large population that faces numerous challenges, including food insecurity. In fact, three of Pakistan’s provinces — Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh — all suffer from malnutrition and poverty, with an alarmingly high prevalence of food insecurity. The impact of the pandemic compounded by natural disasters, such as last year’s flashfloods, and climate change have dealt multiple shocks to the populations of these provinces. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as floods and cyclones, are also causing significant damage to crops and infrastructure. Despite being an agricultural region, Balochistan is particularly characterized by low crop yields, lack of water, and limited access to basic amenities. As an arid and semi-arid region, with limited water resources, Balochistan is primarily dependent on rain-fed agriculture, which is characterized by low crop yields due to erratic rainfall patterns and poor soil quality. Moreover, the lack of modern irrigation systems, such as drip irrigation and sprinkler systems, exacerbate the problem of low crop yields. Mir Abdul Rauf Lehri, a farmer in Jaffarabad, grows wheat, rice and chickpeas. The floods last year destroyed his farmland. After a few months, he was able to grow some wheat but he is one of the few who have been fortunate enough. Low crop yields due to heavy rain and hailstorms have affected wheat availability. In Quetta, after the flood, the queues of people waiting to buy flour grew longer and increasingly desperate. Soaring food prices and livestock diseases have left the locals reeling to survive day to day. The province has a high poverty rate, with an estimated 71% of the population living below the poverty line. Poverty and inequality limit access to education and healthcare, which in turn affects nutritional outcomes. The prevalence of malnutrition in Balochistan is 48.6%, which is higher than the national average of 40%, according to the National Nutrition Survey of Pakistan. The survey findings also reveal that 30.6% of children under the age of five in Balochistan are underweight, compared to the national average of 22%. Anas Baloch, a resident of Sariab Road in Quetta, says that two years ago, a 350-gram roti cost 20 rupees; today a 270-gram roti is being sold at 30 rupees. Anas Baloch works as a supervisor at a private company and lived in a joint family comprising 24 members including 10 children. The family buys roti for dinner daily. Anas Baloch asks how the common man can survive in this current scenario when his daily needs are being affected. Without any increase in his salary, he is hard-pressed to reckon with the inflation rate that has increased by 200%. The people of Balochistan require some relief, he says, and the government’s immediate attention in the form of relief or subsidy. Naeem Khilji, president of the Bread Union Balochistan says that due to the increased flour rates and unavailability of gas, they are compelled to increase the rates. Balochistan is unable to grow enough wheat to meet its requirements. According to Lehri, the agricultural disaster caused by last year's floods did not create such severe wheat and flour shortage in Balochistan as the one resulting from the smuggling of wheat from Balochistan to Sindh this year. The provincial government imposed section 144 banning the transportation of wheat to other provinces. The wheat is being smuggled to Sindh and Afghanistan illegally as it is banned in Balochistan. Lehri says, “In Balochistan, a ban has been imposed on the transportation of wheat at the divisional level, due to which large quantities of wheat are going to Sindh from the districts of Jaffarabad, Usta Muhammad and Jhal Magsi, which are adjacent districts to Sindh,” from where the Food Department buys wheat. Badarudin Kakar, former senior vice-president of Quetta Chamber of Commerce argues, “According to the constitution’s Article 151, no ban can be imposed on food items and especially on interprovincial movement. But after the 18th Amendment, the powers are given to the provinces that have imposed ban on the movement of wheat in violation of the constitution. According to Balochistan Food Minister Zamrak Khan Achakzai, Balochistan is dependent on Punjab and Sindh for 85% of wheat requirement whereas, Punjab and Sindh have imposed a ban on wheat export. “Balochistan needs 1,250,000 sacks of wheat per month. However, due to the recent floods in Pakistan, no province is able to provide wheat to other provinces,” says Haji Hashim, president of the Flour Mills Association. Balochistan’s yearly purchase of wheat is around one million sacks from October to March which is only four percent to five percent of the total requirement and 95 percent of the requirement is met from the open market. Kakar says, “The yearly requirement of one person is 123 kg of wheat. 1.5 million metric ton of wheat is needed for the people of Balochistan.” He says that the open market must be regularized to stablise the wheat market in Pakistan. Fortification of staple diet A resident of Huda, Quetta, Abdul Jabbar Baloch says that the, government announced that 20kg of flour will be available for 1,500 rupees at subsidized rates. Disregarding the poor quality of that flour, it is not even available at this rate. People are instead forced to buy flour from the open market where a 20kg bag costs a whopping Rs 2,900. It is evident from the samples that the quality of wheat used to make the flour is severely compromised. People are not getting pure flour. The main reasons behind the substandard quality of subsidized flour are the absence of check and balance and mixing of hay in the flour. During distribution, and even prior to it, there is no system in place where the quality of the subsidized flour is monitored and subsequently evaluated. The poor will compromise on anything as long as they get it for free. Balochistan Food Authority (BFA) Director General Mohammad Naeem Bazai says, “Food is a fundamental human need and normally we tend to think that every edible item qualifies as proper food and we can eat it without worry. Well this is not the case. There are three things which are mandatory for an edible item to qualify as a proper food. Firstly, it should be healthy and shouldn’t have any negative impact on health. Secondly, it should be nutritious. And thirdly, it should have a taste. These are the international standards but unfortunately our socio-economic conditions are such that consumers do not have purchasing power and they cannot demand for quality food.” The Food Fortification Act, which exists only in Balochistan, the first province to take an initiative in this regard. As per the law, it is mandatory that fortification supplements be added in food items, including milk, flour and salt. The salt produced in Balochistan is 100% fortified. However, Balochistan produces 70% of the salt needed to meet its demand while the rest is bought from other provinces. As far as fortification of flour is concerned, flour mill owners have reservations regarding the increase in price of flour bags. The food department is sorting out this issue which is likely to be resolved soon as Rs8 per bag is not a big amount but the supplements are mandatory for health. Mineral and vitamin deficiencies cost Pakistan nearly US $3 billion in GDP losses annually, whereas fortification of staple food has a negligible additional cost. However, for the industry, the cost of fortification becomes substantial as it entails initial investments and purchase of micronutrient pre-mix in bulk. The latter is a recurring cost and Nutrition International is doing advocacy with the Government of Pakistan to remove taxes on import of premix. Habibur Rehman, communication officer for Nutrition International, says, “The Food Fortification Program in Balochistan will help to reduce and prevent micronutrient deficiencies through cost-effective and sustainable interventions such as staple food fortification. Adding the required vitamins and minerals to the staple diet will provide a viable solution to the problem of malnutrition without changing dietary habits or putting undue burden on the provincial government’s budget as the cost of fortification will be covered by the cost-transfer mechanism.” The BFA has evaluated the oil and ghee produced in Balochistan to be totally fortified, as well as the oil and ghee products coming from other provinces. It is the smuggled cooking oil – known as Malaysian or Iranian oil – which is not up to mark. Currently, there are 65 flour mills in Balochistan, but almost half of these are non-functional. Of the 35 functional mills, 27 flour mills are registered under the National Fortification Program. Nutrition International has provided free of cost micro-feeders to these mills along with fortification and quality control trainings for the technical staff of these mills. The initiatives display some vision and a plan of action, however, at the moment, the food department in Balochistan has not even started wheat procurement. If the authorities drag their feet in providing the people basic amenities and indeed their basic right, the wheat and flour crisis will continue in Balochistan and feeding families will get further out of reach. Mohammad Zafar Baloch is a freelance journalist based in Quetta. All facts and information are the sole responsibility of the writer   Deficiency Women of Reproductive Age Children under 5 {NNS 2018} Pakistan Balochistan Pakistan Balochistan Anaemia 43.9% 46.8% 53.7% 51.2% Iron 18.9% 23.8% 28.6% 32.6% Zinc 22.1% 21.4% 18.6% 19.2% Vitamin A 23.6% 30.1% 51.5% 57.8% Vitamin D 79.6% 76% 62.7% 37.1%   The data clearly shows a high prevalence of malnutrition among women and children of Balochistan.                       Source: The National Nutrition Survey 2018, conducted by the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination figures of malnutrition in Balochistan:

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