DNA

BAKU – In the framework of its new aggression against the Republic of Azerbaijan the armed forces of Armenia are deliberately targeting the civilian population and infrastructure of Azerbaijan in violation of fundamental norms and principles of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as Armenia’s relevant international obligations.

As a result of Armenia’s artillery and missile attacks, 24 Azerbaijani civilians were killed, 121 injured, more than 300 residential buildings and civilian objects destroyed.

Missile attacks on Azerbaijan’s second biggest city Ganja, industrial city of Mingachevir, as well as the Khizi and Absheron regions of Azerbaijan, targeting densely populated areas and critical infrastructure from the territory of Armenia is an intentional provocation designed to enlarge the zone of hostilities and bring the third countries into the conflict.

Azerbaijan disposes of solid facts on Armenia’s shelling the Azerbaijani civilians and infrastructure from Armenia’s own territory, namely from Gorus, Sisian, Vardenis, Jermuk, and Berd towns of Armenia.

This evidence collected with the participation of local and international experts, including the foreign journalists on the ground, will be presented to the relevant international organizations.

We urge Armenia to obey norms and principles of international law, including its obligations under the international humanitarian law, and implement the demands of the UN Security Council resolutions for immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

We reiterate that Armenia’s leadership bears full responsibility for the results of the counter-offensive measures to be taken by the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan in order to ensure the security of its civilians and residential areas deep inside the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan.

DNA

Islamabad, OCT 5 – Sardar Masood Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has said that 73 years of Indian aggression has not deterred the passion and commitment of the Kashmiri people for ascertaining their right to self-determination.

“Kashmiris are the most courageous people on the face of this earth; and it is, therefore, our core responsibility to save our Kashmiri brothers and sisters from Indian aggression. We here in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir are free and we cannot leave Kashmiris at the mercy of the barbaric Indian occupation forces”, he said.

The President made these remarks, as chief guest, at the launch of the book titled “La Makan”, a collection of poetry, authored by Ms. Ghazala Habib, Chairperson Friends of Kashmir International.

The event was also attended and addressed by Speaker AJK Legislative Assembly Shah Ghulam Qadir, former Minister Dr. Muhammad Amjad, senior journalist Mr. Mazhar Barlas, President National Press Club Mr. Shakeel Anjum, former President PFUJ Afzal Butt and prominent poet Mr. Ronaq Hayat.

The AJK President praised the efforts of the Friends of Kashmir and especially Ghazala Habib for raising the Kashmir issue in the US, especially in the State of Texas. He said that she has established inroads into the US civil society, engaged US Congressional leaders and has provided Kashmiris with an opportunity to tell their tragic story of repression and torture.

He added that our diaspora community has proven to be a strong force in the advocacy of the Kashmir issue. He also expressed his gratitude to the National Press Club for always proactively raising the Kashmir dispute and opening its doors to the Kashmiri people.

Masood Khan said that since 1947 the people of Kashmir have been striving for freedom from occupation and this passion has not dwindled. For 73 years, India has tried every trick in the book to woo the Kashmiris by economic blandishments, political manoeuvring and even brute force; but to no avail. Even today, he said, the Kashmiris still chant to slogan “Pakistan Zindabad”.

President Masood Khan said that apart from diplomatic and political efforts we have to make this movement a people’s movement, a global civil rights movement that would shake the conscience of the whole world.

Masood Khan while speaking about plans to transform Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) into a province, said that Pakistan will never take any step which will, in any way, weaken the existing status of Jammu and Kashmir or the case of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

The government of Pakistan, he said, respects the UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir and it would not compromise on the stance they have adopted on the Jammu and Kashmir issue.

He urged the members of the National Press Club to visit GB and meet their counterparts at the press clubs, leading political figures and the general public to help understand the situation. He reiterated that the people of GB wholeheartedly support the Kashmir cause and strive for their freedom from Indian occupation.

“This is a national challenge that we will resolve through conversations, deliberations and mutual consensus. No force can upset the love and unity between the people of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan”, he said.

India, said the President, issued fake maps last year and they had challenged the territorial integrity of Pakistan. “The issue of Kashmir is a matter of national security and Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir. No compromise has or will be made on the Kashmir issue. Rise up and save your Kashmiri brothers and sisters, who in the face of unprecedented Indian aggression still chant the slogans of freedom and yearn to be a part of Pakistan”, said Masood Khan.

The President later visited the newly established Kashmir Centre at the National Press Club. He said that this initiative will help further the cause of Kashmir as media representatives would be provided with a credible platform to advocate the Kashmir dispute.

DNA

BEIJING, Oct. 5 – Pakistan, and China are actively engaged in strengthening their bilateral trade in textile sector, as competitive partner, says China Economic Net (CEN).

A team of CEN’s reporting cell in its survey conducted during 2020 Autumn Joint Exhibition of China National Textile and Apparel Council in Shanghai noted that there was substantial growth of Pakistan’s cotton yarn export to China in the recent months.

Moreover, both sides were found eager to improve the existing arrangements to compete with each other for having better benefits for the cotton’s growers and the traders.

It was noted that Pakistan exported 54.613 million US dollars of cotton yarn in August, registering a year-on-year decline of 51.36%.
As data from China’s General Administration of Customs shows, China imported 41.836 million dollars worth of cotton yarn from Pakistan in August, which is 4.36 times the 9.592 million dollars in the same period last year, with a year-on-year increase of 336 percent.

Pakistan mainly produces low-count sirospun yarns, such as those of 8s or 10s, generally below 21s, which are mostly imported to south China’s Guangdong province to be made into denim, said Huang Xifeng, sales executive of import and export department at Litai Xingshi (Taicang) Holding Co. Ltd.

“We imported about 1,000 tons of cotton yarns from Pakistan every year. Our denim fabric is made of thick and low-count yarns, which are basically 10s or 8s, no more than 12s.” Yang Bin, director of Seazon Textile and Apparel Co., Ltd in Foshan, China, said in an interview with CEN.

Yang added that he has cooperated with Pakistan’s cotton yarn manufacturers for 10 years. “As for Pakistan’s cotton yarn, we only imported it from Explorer, a Pakistani manufacturer, with which we have cooperated for more than ten years.

Produced locally in Pakistan with American and Australian cotton as raw materials, it boasts the best quality of all. And yet, most of the other Pakistani producers adopt locally grown cotton, which may save RMB hundreds per ton.
Although Pakistani cotton is somewhat of inferior quality to that in America, Australia, and China, it can be made into denim,” Yang said.
Pakistani cotton yarn RMB 3,000 cheaper per ton than that of China with zero tariff

The main reason for the surge in import lies in the fact that Pakistan’s yarn export to China enjoys zero tariff, thus having a greater competitive advantage internationally.

That’s why we prefer Pakistani cotton yarn even when offered the same price,” said Ke Jiangwei, general manager of Xiamen Naseem Trade Co., Ltd, which has been importing Pakistani yarn for many years in China.

“It is not just tariffs, but the price that attracts us,” said Yang, adding that “as Pakistani yarn is much cheaper than the Chinese one, the largest gap reached RMB 2,000 to 3,000 per ton in the last two years, with a price gap of about 10%.

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic this year, domestic cotton yarn cannot sell well in China, thus narrowing the price gap to about RMB 1,000.”

“The sirospun of 8s in Pakistan was RMB 17,000 or RMB 18,000 per ton before, and now it has dropped to about RMB 16,000 per ton.

At present, the price of Pakistani yarn in China’s domestic market has rebounded. It has risen by more than ten percent compared with the price in May and June. It may have been sold for RMB 15,000 per ton before, and now RMB 16,500, or even RMB 17,000.

The price gap is as high as RMB 1,000-2,000 over the past three months,” Ke explained.
We mainly purchase cotton yarns in stock, and it will be too late to order them from Pakistan, he added.

He pointed out that 8s and 10s cotton yarns from Pakistan are currently in great demand in Lanxi City, east China’s Zhejiang Province.

A factory with more than 200 looms can manage 200-300 tons of cotton yarns,” He Hao, a salesperson from Shengzhou Shengtai Haobang Textile Co., Ltd. Company, said in an interview.
He suggested that Pakistan could try to produce cotton yarns with mixed cotton through a new technique called rotor spinning.

Pakistani cotton spinning products are what we need for a long time, so will continue to import them as long as they can be consumed in China’s factories and their prices are acceptable,” Ke said.