PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz were released on Friday from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail on five-day parole for the funeral of the former’s mother.

The funeral of Shehbaz and Nawaz Sharif’s mother, Begum Shamim Akhtar will be held at Sharif Medical City, Raiwind in Lahore tomorrow. Her body is being brought back from London to Lahore, where she will be buried next to the grave of her husband, Mian Sharif, at the family’s Jati Umra estate.

Earlier this week, the PML-N had requested at least a two-week parole for party president Shehbaz and his son Hamza to participate in the last rites of Begum Shamim. Hamza has been in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau since June last year, while Shehbaz was arrested in September in a money laundering and assets beyond means case.

In an application to the Lahore deputy commissioner, PML-N Deputy Secretary General Attaullah Tarar said both Shehbaz and Hamza were leaders of the opposition in the National and Punjab assemblies, respectively.

He sought their release on parole for a period of at least two weeks to receive condolences and participate in Begum Shamim’s last rites at their Model Town and Jati Umra residences.

Begum Shamim passed away in London on November 22. She was in her 90s and had been unwell for a month or so, sources in the party had said, adding that she had also twice visited a hospital in London for a check-up.

She had travelled to the United Kingdom in February against the advice of her doctors to see her ailing son, Nawaz, who is being treated for heart and kidney ailments in London.

Both Nawaz and Shehbaz could not attend the last rites of their father back in October 2004 as they were in exile in Jeddah and had rejected a conditional offer by then military dictator Pervez Musharraf in this respect.

ISLAMABAD, NOV 27 (DNA) – Capital Development Authority (CDA) has started work on infrastructure Development on residential project Park Enclave 2 and 3.

Survey work for Park enclave has been completed whereas earthwork for roads and street lights is underway. The developmental work and fencing of the site of Park Enclave 3 is underway.

According to detail, upon the special directions of the Chairman CDA, Aamir Ali Ahmed the developmental work on a neglected housing project, park enclave, has been started. In this regard, Rs 96 million were approved few months back for establishing gas supply network in Park enclave 1.

On the other hand the developmental work and restoration of infrastructure in Park enclave 2 is also underway. The survey work of the project has been completed whereas the earthwork of roads and streets is underway.

The survey for tube wells to meet the facility of water has also been completed. The developmental work in Park Enclave 3 is also underway. The PC1 of the project has also been approved. The auction of plots has been completed. 1047 plots were auctioned.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, NOV 27 (DNA) – Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on November 26, for the combined consumption group, witnessed decrease of 0.92 percent as compared to the previous week.

SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 141.74 points against 143.05 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 7.48 percent. The weekly SPI with base year 2015-16=100 is covering 17 urban centers and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

Sensitive Price Indicator for the lowest consumption group up to Rs17,732 witnessed 1.01 percent decrease and went down from 150.95 points in last week to 149.42 points during the week under review.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,732-22,888, Rs22,889-29,517; Rs29,518-44,175; Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and above Rs 44,175 per month also decreased by 1.05 percent, 0.99, percent; 0.97 percent and 0.83 percent respectively.

During the week, prices of 10 items decreased, 11 items increased while that of 30 items remained constant. The items, which recorded decrease in their average prices, included tomatoes, onions, chicken, sugar, gram pulse, mash pulse, moong pulse, masoor pulse, wheat flour and potatoes.

The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices, included bananas, eggs, firewood, garlic, cooked daal, cooked beef, gur, mutton, beef, mustard oil and milk (fresh).

Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change during the week under review included rice (Basmati), rice (Irri 6/9), bread, curd, milk (powdered), cooking oil, vegetable ghee (both loose and tin), salt, chillies, tea (packet), tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, energy, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, LPG Cylinder, telephone call and toilet soap.

According to PBS analysis, the decrease in prices was mainly due to fall in prices of food items i.e. tomatoes (10.26%), onions (8.48%), chicken (8.28%), sugar (4.78%), pulse gram (0.75%), pulse mash (0.73%), pulse moong (0.49%),pulse masoor (0.25%), wheat flour bag (0.20%) and potatoes (0.17%) with joint impact of (-1.01) into the overall SPI for combined group of (-0.92%). = DNA

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DNA

ISLAMABAD – On the day of Jinnah Institute’s Ideas Conclave 2020, sessions were held with leading international diplomats, journalists and economic experts discussing issues in both the South Asian region and beyond.

The third session of the Conclave titled, “Realigning the Region” brought together former ambassadors Maleeha Lodhi and Janan Mosazai of Afghanistan, Professor Marvin Weinbaum from the US, and Indian journalist Siddharth Varadarajan together to discuss challenges in Afghanistan’s peace process. Speakers saw that this is a question affecting those within the country as well as the entire region. “There are deep divisions that still exist in the region; any agreement made in Doha can be jeopardised by continued differences between countries in the region whose results will be disastrous for all countries beyond Afghanistan,” observed Ambassador Janan Mosazai.

Ambassador Lodhi explained that the changing face of geopolitics in the world was a significant factor beyond the Covid crisis, leading to greater uncertainty for the future of the Afghanistan. “The world is passing through an unsettled phase not just because of Covid but because of international power shifts in flux, a rules-based international order framed under the weight of so-called ‘strong men’ acting unilaterally, trying to re-write the rules of the game,” stated Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi.

Moderated by Ammara Durrani, Senior Fellow Jinnah Institute, the session saw all participants agree that international powers should not leave Afghanistan to its own means after a hasty pullout. “(The) US will not walk away from Afghanistan as it did in the 90s, which created a host of challenges for everyone. Back then, China and Iran were different entities to what they are now, and the US is attentive to this. But its commitment is certainly reduced, and the international community takes its lead from that stance. As for Indo-Pak relations, the BJP government led by Modi has made things more difficult for resolving the Kashmir issue,” said Professor Marvin Weinbaum.

The third and final day of ‘Jinnah Institute’s Ideas Conclave 2020’ commenced with a conversation on ‘Inequities in Wealth and Development’ where experts discussed the current state of the economy in Pakistan, the impact of Covid-19, and what path of recovery should be adopted considering the rising levels of inequality.

Speakers of the session included former Provincial Minister of Finance, Aisha Ghaus Pasha, General Secretary PMLN Sindh, Miftah Ismail, Executive Director IBA, S. Akbar Zaidi, and Associate Professor of Political Economy at QAU, Aasim Sajjad Akhtar. The session was moderated by Assistant Editor at Dawn Newspaper, Khurram Husain.

Akbar Zaidi explained that despite poverty levels going down in South Asia, inequality continues to be on the rise because it is far more difficult to remedy due to structural issues. “Poverty can be addressed with simple transfers of wealth. But inequality needs looking at ownership of assets and networks; the continued conflation of ‘poverty’ and ‘inequality’ as terms by official decision makers has prevented an examination of factors that cause inequality”, he added.

Commenting on the obsession with achieving growth, Dr. Aisha Ghaus Pasha said that growth needs to be pursued in an inclusive fashion which has been prevented thus far due to elite capture of the state. She said this was an unfortunate posture of all governments to patronize elite groups, who sustained inequality and rent seeking. She stressed on the need to “design a fiscal policy that helps create a new social contract that compels the elite to give up what they have, and to constrain the space for rent seekers.” Moreover, Dr. Aisha Ghaus Pasha pointed out that agriculture has not been prioritised as it should be, although Pakistan’s industrial production is agriculture-based. “Greater focus on labour-intensive areas, protection of social development expenditure and more direct taxes”, were some of the recommendations put forward by Dr. Pasha.

Dr. Aasim Sajjad Akhtar remarked that inequality has been growing across the globe, which is a “consequence of clear distinct political choices that have been influenced by big business interests.” He stressed that 23 million out of school children in Pakistan will grow up with structural disadvantages, including the lack of a political voice and negotiating power in this country. Inequalities like that will not be wished with cash transfers or social protection programs, therefore governments have to look beyond devising poverty reduction programs in the hope that its impacts deeply entrenched inequality.

The final session of the Conclave, “Fineprinting Security: Journalists Discuss Conflict Reportage” was moderated by journalist Raza Rumi and featured veteran mediapersons Kathy Gannon, Amber Shamsi and Asad Hashim. The panellists spoke about reporters operating in conflict zones where ‘truth’ was often contested and media persons’ own safety was at stake.

They established the need to try and tell all sides of the story instead of a biased perspective, although this was often challenging, with media houses and the state dictating terms, particularly in countries like Pakistan and India. The idea of a ‘peace journalist’ was also dismissed by the speakers, who agreed that journalists were responsible to try and depict the facts without bias. “Our job as journalists is really to speak to all sides, and deliver information. We can build bridges and share platforms, but not necessarily be interlocutors or peace activists,” stated Amber Rahim Shamsi.

Speakers also established the difference between ‘media’ and journalism; where the former includes marketing and content for mass consumption while journalism was strictly limited to providing facts with an attempt to give well-rounded information. “Television journalism needs an overhaul in how it’s conducted across the world, especially for its potential to create hysteria. We see how that happens across India and Pakistan, explained Kathy Gannon. She added that the recent spate of harassment against women journalists online was a global phenomenon that must not be ignored, as online threats against life and person may well turn into deathly attacks offline.

All the sessions from Ideas Conclave 2020 are available for viewing at Jinnah Institute’s official YouTube page.

MULTAN, NOV 27 (DNA) – PPP stalwart and former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani said on Friday that former president Asif Ali Zardari’s daughter Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari will address the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) Multan rally slated for November 30.

Speaking to the media, he said PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari won’t be able to attend the public meeting to be held in Multan to mark the party’s foundation day after being diagnosed with the coronavirus.

“The Multan rally will be held come what may,” he declared, alleging the government is creating a law and order situation by trying to stop the party from holding a massive power show in the city.

It is worthwhile to mention here that the Multan district authorities have denied permission to the Pakistan People’s Party for a public meeting in Multan on November 30. The Deputy Commissioner Multan refused permission on a request submitted by PPP leader Natasha Daultana citing ‘current situation’ of the spike in COVID-19 cases.

“The health department has imposed a ban on large gatherings of more than 300 people,” the district official said in his response to the PPP request. “The permission for the public meeting will be a violation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to tackle the coronavirus pandemic,” the DC responded to the request. = DNA

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LAHORE, NOV 27 (DNA) – The notification of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz’s release on parole has on Friday been issued.

According to the notification, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and his son will remain free from November 27 to December 1 on five-day parole. PML-N had requested for fourteen-day parole.

The decision to release Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz has been made ahead of the funeral of Begum Shamim Akhtar, mother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, who died in London on Sunday.

Punjab Home Department said parole is a legal right of Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had earlier sent a request for the temporary release of Shehbaz and Hamza to the provincial cabinet for approval.

The dead body of Begum Shamim Akhtar is expected to reach Pakistan on Saturday and the funeral prayers will be offered on the same day. Her funeral prayers were also offered in London. Begum Shamim Akhtar will be buried beside her late husband, Mian Sharif, and arrangements in this regard have been finalized. DNA

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ISLAMABAD  :  Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday finalized Advocate Khalid Khursheed’s name for the position of the chief minister for Gilgit Baltistan.

On Thursday, PTI candidate Amjad Ali Zaidi had been elected Speaker of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly.

Polling was held for the post of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, in which Amjad Ali Zaidi of PTI and Ghulam Muhammad of Opposition contested for Speaker. The PTI candidate won the election with a total of 18 votes.

In the polling, 4 votes for PTI candidate Amjad Ali Zaidi were rejected while one vote for opposition candidate Ghulam Muhammad was also rejected. The opposition’s candidate managed to get 8 votes against Amjad Ali Zaidi’s 18.