ISLAMABAD, JAN 26 (DNA) – Speakers of a panel discussion organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) here on Tuesday urged a consistent policy approach towards Kashmir by Pakistan. Speaking at the event titled ‘India under Modi’, former diplomat Amb Aziz Ahmed Khan called for a consistency of Pakistani stance on Kashmir in line with the UN Security Council resolutions.

Amb Khan was of the view that despite aggressive regional posturing by India and illegal draconian actions against the people of the India-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK), Pakistan needed to stick to putting diplomatic pressure on the Indian government to resolve the dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. He further called for engaging Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora abroad and a diplomatic push on the Western capitals.

President IRS Amb Nadeem Riyaz added that Pakistan needed not only to engage governments and diaspora but also the parliaments and think-tanks of Western countries. Speaking on India under Modi, Amb Khan was of the view that while former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee represented the softer version of Hindutva, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was implementing the hardline version of it. He shared that Modi had never even expressed regret over the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat while he was the chief minister of the state, let alone apologize for it.

Further alluding towards the hardline Hindutva ideology of the current Prime Minister of India, Amb Khan shared that while Modi proudly adorned headgears of various kinds in public, he was never seen wearing a Muslim skullcap, which spoke of his prejudice towards the Muslims.

Amb Khan further stated that while the Modi-led ruling BJP was benefitting from the weaknesses of Congress as the only other national-level political party, the farmers’ protest could force it to withdraw the three controversial farm laws. He expressed his concern over the ongoing delimitation exercise in India-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK).

He was of the view that it was aimed at creating seven new constituencies in Jammu to offset the majority of Muslim constituencies in the state assembly of IOJK.

Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal of the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) expressed his concerns over the aggressive regional policy of India under Modi. He was of the view that the Indian regional policy formulation was inspired by the mandalas concept enunciated by the Indian political philosopher Chanakya by virtue of which a neighboring country had to remain an unfriendly country by definition.

He also expressed his concern over the transformation of Indian nuclear posture towards Pakistan from deterrence to what he called ‘compellence’. Jaspal was of the view that India was now strongly allied with the US and was, thus, no longer a non-aligned country.

Dr Raja Qaiser Ahmed of QAU that the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was completely unconstitutional. He shared that any change to the article had to be endorsed by the incumbent government of the state of IOJK as per the Indian Constitution. He added, however, that for repeal of the article, the Constitution prescribed its approval by the Constituent Assembly, which no longer existed.

Therefore, he argued that Article 370 could not be constitutionally abrogated. He added that the Modi government had hatched a plan to endorse the abrogation through the Assembly of IOJK once it is elected after the demographic change in the state with migration of a large number of Hindus.

This, he maintained, would provide constitutional cover to the unconstitutional move of the BJP government and until then the Supreme Court of India would keep dragging its feet on the petitions for reversing the revocation of the article.=DNA

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KARACHI, JAN 26 – Pak-Qatar Family Takaful Limited (PQFTL) recently opened its new branch in Gulshan-e-Jamal, Karachi. The new branch was inaugurated by senior members of the regional team.

This new branch will create great convenience and provide a wide range of Takaful products & services to a vast number of consumers, living in Gulshan and its surrounding areas.

Mr. Azeem Pirani, CEO PQFTL said that he is very pleased to commence operations at the new branch and appreciated the regional team’s commitment and dedication to the long-term cause promoting Takaful across Pakistan.

He said that, Pak-Qatar Family Takaful being the first and the largest Takaful Company in Pakistan is committed to the long-term prosperity of Pakistan and Takaful industry as a whole.

Mr. Azeem further added that, the new branch in Gulshan e Jamal aims to deliver a complete suite of services to its participants. The branch is the result of PQFTL’s vision of providing financial protection through Takaful, to everyone.

It will be a one-stop shop for the Takaful needs of its members, and hopes to further augment their experience through this branch.

ISLAMABAD, JAN 26 (DNA) – Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal, Chairman, NAB said that the business community was the backbone of the economy as it was rendering great service to the country by promoting business activities, providing jobs, increasing exports and bringing foreign exchange to the country, therefore, NAB would never take any action to harass any genuine businessman, but will go after those who commit fraud with people.

He said that NAB has never asked any businessman about his source of capital and investment except for money laundering cases. He said that NAB never stopped any investment project as they were contributing to strengthen the country’s economy.

He said that he has already issued instructions to NAB authorities that no businessman should be called through telephone to NAB office nor should be humiliated in any manner. He said that he had appointed one full time Director each in NAB HQs and regional offices to deal with the complaints of the business community, but no complaints were sent to them. He urged that the business community should take advantage of the services of these Directors for redress of their complaints.

He said that ICCI get the list of cases of the business community to send to him and he would decide them within 30 days except for those cases, which were sub-judice in courts. He said he was ready to provide a desk of NAB in ICCI for better coordination. He expressed these views while addressing the business community during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI). NAB Spokesman Nawazish Ali Asim also accompanied him.

Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal said that NAB has transferred all tax related and under invoices cases of business community to FBR and no such case of business community was currently pending with his institution. He said that if any businessman has any complaint against NAB, he should approach the Director of concerned area while he was also available on the last Thursday of every month for listening to the complaints of people.

He said that NAB got returned around Rs.5 billion of stuck-up investment from two housing societies to people in Islamabad/Rawalpindi and Lahore. He said that during his tenure, NAB has recovered Rs.487 billion and filed 1235 references in court, but even one percent of these references was not against the business community. He said that NAB also recovered billions of dollars from the king makers. He said that NAB also recovered Rs.10-15 billion of wheat theft from one province. He said that NAB was working only to protect the interests of the Estate of Pakistan and would never take dictation from any authority nor will it be blackmailed by anyone. He said that only 25-30 judges were dealing with 1235 references in NAB courts and emphasized that the strength of NAB courts should be increased for speedy trial of corruption cases.

Speaking at the occasion, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry lauded the efforts of Chairman NAB for elimination of corruption and said that reducing corruption & promoting transparency would help in better growth of business and investment activities. He said that NAB’s positive role was acknowledged by Transparency International, World Economic Forum and many other international bodies, which showed its constructive services for the country.

He said that doing business in Pakistan was quite challenging and stressed that the government should focus on promoting ease of doing business to put the country on the path of sustainable economic growth. He emphasized that NAB should open its Facilitation Desk at ICCI to address the NAB related issues of the business community and issues related to any other government department which are creating unnecessary hurdles and delays and especially those public servants that are encouraging any form of corruption within those departments.

This would help the entire business community across Pakistan in resolving their issues with all relevant departments with the help of NAB. He further urged that the government should take the business community fully on board in the policy making process that would help in quick revival of the economy.

He said that SBP should facilitate IT businesses and exporters in international payment. He said that FBR should not withdraw cash directly from bank accounts of taxpayers without the right of appeal and process of investigation as it was shattering the confidence of the business community.

Fatma Azim Senior Vice President, Abdul Rehman Khan Vice President ICCI and Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi former President ICCI thanked the Chairman NAB for visiting ICCI and giving the business community an opportunity to highlight their NAB related issues.

The representatives of Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Sialkot, Bhawalpur, Karachi and other chambers of commerce & Industry also attended the meeting through video link and highlighted various issues for the attention of Chairman NAB who assured them that he would also visit other chambers to address the issues of the business community.=DNA

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ISLAMABAD, Jan. 26 (DNA): The Hakla-D.I.Khan section of CPEC western route (M-14) has triggered a massive wave of real estate investments in Fateh Jang tehsil, making it a new hotspot for housing schemes adjacent to new airport, says a report published by Gwadar Pro on Tuesday.

Fateh Jang is the first interchange towards D.I.Khan on CPEC western route after Hakla, which connects M-14 to M-1.

This tehsil also hosts the new Islamabad international airport while the $ 8.2 billion CPEC project of Pakistan Railways’ Mail Line-1 also passes through Fateh Jang.

According to the report, as the M-14 nears completion with June 2021 as the expected timeline for inauguration, Fateh Jang has gained enormous importance for urbanisation as people start relocating to areas around motorways and the CPEC route for better connectivity and future prospects including industrialisation.

The planned Rawalpindi Ring Road also intersects with the CPEC route near the new Islamabad airport, a further addition to the importance of this beautiful area.

With about 90% works of the 285-kilometre M-14 already done, several housing schemes have emerged near Fateh Jang interchange while the existing societies have accelerated development to attract investors.

Islamabad Cooperative Housing Society (ICHS) was once a forgotten scheme, but has now become an attraction as its main gate is located near the Fateh Jang interchange.

The Avenue-3 is also one of the several new housing projects to benefit from this interchange.

Another interchange expected on M-14/N-80 intersection and the Hakla interchange on M-1 will provide hassle-free connectivity with Islamabad to sector D-17 of the capital and the cooperative housing societies developed by various agencies of the federal government for their employees.

Investors believe that in the years to come, M-14 is going to give birth to a third major city in Fateh Jang tehsil near Islamabad.

Haider Khan purchased a vast stretch of land 8-kilometres away from Fateh Jang interchange on M-14 and is still looking for further deals. “Though not a territorial part of the capital, but due to the M-14 section of the CPEC, Fateh Jang is fast emerging as a new sister city of Islamabad,” he said.

“You can’t imagine the scale of development around Islamabad after the completion of M-14. As the Punjab government also plans to establish several industrial zones on the Rawalpindi Ring Road passing through Fateh Jang tehsil, this area is going to become a new business hub with the CPEC western route serving as the pivot,” said Saeed Shah, a construction contractor.

Sultan Abbas, a property dealer, said that it was becoming hard for ordinary citizens to own a house in a proper housing society near Islamabad due to exorbitant prices.

“However, M-14 is giving new hopes to those in search of shelter near Islamabad as it has expanded the city almost 30 kilometres towards the west,” he said.