ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan categorically denied Tuesday that Pakistan would recognise Israel — a few days after the UAE established formal relations with Tel Aviv — stating that Islamabad won’t do so until Palestinians are not given their right to a “just settlement”.

“Whichever country wants to do it [recognise Israel], our stance is very clear. Our stance was cleared by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 1947-48,” said PM Imran. “Which was that we will never recognise Israel till the Palestinians do not get their rights.”

He said that Pakistan will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel till the Palestinians do not get a separate state of their own, which the people of Palestine accept, based on the Two-Nation Theory.

The premier said that if Pakistan agreed to recognising Israel and gave up its principled stance then it will have to stop raising the issue of Kashmir as the situation in the disputed area was the same.

“Hence, Pakistan cannot recognise Israel,” he stated.

Karachi would have progressed if not for ethnic politics of ’80s: PM Imran

The premier said Karachi would have progressed if not for the ethnic politics of the 1980s.

Earlier today, Khawaja Izharul Hassan, a leader of the ruling PTI’s coalition partner, the MQM-P, had said a committee to resolve Karachi’s problems was not a solution.

It was reported late last week that the federal and Sindh governments had agreed on forming a committee comprising representatives of the city’s three main stakeholders — the ruling PTI, PPP, and the MQM-P — to address the metropolis’ longstanding civic issues.

In his comments today, the premier said looking at the port city in its current state was painful. “The MQM-P founder spread hatred among people [of Karachi] and divided them; he wreaked havoc in Karachi.”

“The situation in Karachi is dire,” he added.

He said he has approached the courts on the issue of local government system in Sindh.

“I intervene in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because we have the PTI’s government there,” the premier explained, adding that if the Centre intervened in Sindh, the provincial leadership “will make a fuss”.

“We are going to do whatever we can for Karachi,” he vowed.

PM’s ‘struggle’

Speaking about his political career, PM Imran said his “whole life had been spent in struggle”. “I was nine years old when I started this struggle,” he added.

“Those who do not know how to struggle falter,” the PM underlined.

Referring to the time he was voted into office, he said Pakistan was close to defaulting, the public institutions were destroyed and the rupee weakened.

“Depreciation of the rupee leads to inflation,” he said, adding that the government was paying instalments for the loans the rulers of the past had obtained.

He said that while he was attempting to make the country a welfare state, the elites gathered and are trying to overthrow the government.

Comprehensive power policy

With regard to power, the premier said electricity in Pakistan was costlier but sold at a cheaper rate, noting that “we are producing the most expensive electricity in the world”.

If electricity prices had not been revised upwards, the country would have had to take loans, he noted.

A comprehensive power policy is set to be introduced in a couple of weeks, he added.

‘Endured COVID-19 criticism’

Speaking of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the prime minister said many people talked about how he did not understand the crisis.

“Our party and the Opposition leaders kept saying that everything should be shut down during the corona [virus pandemic],” he noted. “A strict lockdown was imposed in Sindh; that was their [provincial government’s] right after the 18th Amendment.”

“We had to endure a month of criticism during corona,” he said. “I told Bill Gates that we saved our lower class by imposing a smart lockdown,” he added.

‘I will fight the sugar mafia’

Speaking of the inquiry into the sugar crisis, the premier said Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) had “threatened Wajid Zia, warning him to stop whatever he was doing”. He said that it thought that the government would buckle if the sugar prices rose.

“I will fight the sugar mafia,” he added.

The PM noted that sugar sales in Punjab doubled in July but it emerged that it was being sent from Punjab to Sindh.

“The PTI is not in power in Sindh so they are hoarding sugar there,” he explained. “The Sharifs, the Zardaris, and many other politicians own sugar mills.”

“They can blackmail me as much as they want but I will not let off the hook unless and until they abide by the law,” the premier said, adding that the public institutions would make a decision on the sugar inquiry report.

PM Imran also mentioned his longtime friend and fellow party member, Jahangir Khan Tareen, saying he “did the most with me in my struggle over the past seven to eight years”.

‘Opposition seeking to get rid of NAB’

Referring to Pakistan’s anti-graft watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau, he said: “We’re not dictating [NAB’s actions].”

Speaking of the Opposition parties, the PM said their leaders had only one goal and that was to blackmail him. “Should I have given them NRO,” he asked rhetorically.

He said the Opposition parties wished to do away with clauses that would eventually bring an end to NAB. They were also blackmailing the government over legislation related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), he added.

Throwing a jibe at the PML-N vice-president, he noted that there was stone-pelting when Maryam Nawaz was going to NAB’s office in Lahore for an appearance.

“They go to the NAB as if Nelson Mandela is going to NAB.”

Accusations against Buzdar ‘a joke’

“We are strengthening the FIA [Federal Investigation Agency],” the prime minister said, adding that the accusation against the Punjab chief minister pertaining to alcohol licensing was a “joke”.

The chief executive of the biggest province, Punjab, was summoned over the alcohol licensing issue but excise department’s officials should have been called, he noted.

Summoning Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar led to suspicions, he lamented.

“Attacks are launched at Usman Buzdar and that makes me very sad,” he said. “He has become the chief minister for the first time and he is learning,” he said, adding that Punjab was making rapid progress.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 18 (DNA) – As Provincial Assemblies have just completed second parliamentary year, a PILDAT comparative assessment of performance of Pakistan’s 4 Provincial Assemblies shows that Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has outranked other Provincial Assemblies in passage of most legislation.

Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has passed 59 laws in second year, followed by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab which passed 41 laws. Provincial Assembly of Sindh has passed 24 laws while Provincial Assembly of Balochistan lags behind the other three by having passed only 8 laws during second year.

Comparative analysis on passage of laws as seen in each Provincial Assembly shows that except Balochistan Assembly, which has passed fewer bills than first year, there is an increase in legislative activity across other 3 Assemblies.

When looking at total number of laws passed by each Assembly during the two parliamentary years that concluded in August 2020, KP Assembly also leads ahead of other Assemblies by 89 total laws passed in two years. It is followed by Punjab Assembly that has passed a total of 58 laws in two years. Provincial Assembly of Sindh has passed a total of 36 laws while Balochistan Assembly has only passed 19 laws in total in two parliamentary years.

Comparative analysis on legislative activity contrasts sharply with budget allocation to each Assembly per member during the year. Balochistan, which has passed the lowest number of laws in two years has the highest budget allocation per member at about 23.1 million PKR. Sindh Assembly budget allocation per member stands at about 13.6 million PKR. Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget allocation per member is a little under 9.4 million PKR, while Punjab Assembly budget allocation per member stands at about 5.1 million PKR.

Compared to the first parliamentary year, each Provincial Assembly has held fewer sittings during the second year compared to the first year, presumably because of coronavirus pandemic. Provincial Assembly of Sindh leads in the second year by holding maximum number, 68 sittings, compared to other Provincial Assemblies. Its sittings, however, have decreased by 25%. It is followed closely by Punjab Assembly that has met for 67 days during the second year, with a decrease of 13% in sittings from first year. KP Assembly ranks third by holding 52 sittings, with a decrease of 15% from first year. Balochistan Assembly has met for only 33 days during the second year, with a decrease of 35% from sittings in first year.

Combined total of sittings held by each Assembly in two years also places Sindh Assembly ahead of others by having held 159 sittings, followed by Punjab Assembly that has met for 144 days in two years. KP Assembly has held a total of 113 sittings in two years. Balochistan Assembly has again retained its trend of falling behind the other 3 Assemblies by meeting just for 84 days in two parliamentary years.

However, number of sittings by each Assembly does not project the full picture. It is also important to analyse the duration for which each Assembly meets in terms of the hours put in by assemblies. A comparative analysis of time spent by each Assembly per sitting shows that the hours spent by each Assembly per sitting do not vary much between Assemblies. Rarely does a sitting held by an Assembly last more than 2.5 hours on average.

That said, total number of working hours spent by each Assembly during second year has also seen a decline from year one. However, Sindh Assembly leads in terms of having spent most working hours, over 168, during the second year. Punjab Assembly has spent a little over 140 hours in sessions during the second year. KP Assembly has met for a little over 113 hours during the year while Balochistan Assembly has held sessions for a little over 111 hours.

Attendance of each Chief Minister in each Assembly has declined considerably during second year. It appears that Chief Ministers have lost interest in Assembly proceedings as did the Prime Minister in Parliamentary proceedings. Chief Minister Balochistan, Jam Kamal Khan, leads others by attending 33% sittings of Balochistan Assembly. His attendance has decreased by 28 percentage points from 61% in first year. Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has attended 31% sittings of Sindh Assembly with a decline of 10 percentage points from his attendance in Assembly in first year.

At a distant third is Sardar Usman Ahmed Khan Buzdar, Chief Minister Punjab, who has only attended 7% sittings of Punjab Assembly with a decline of 9 percentage points from 16% attendance in first year. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr. Mahmood Khan, has only attended 6% sittings of the KP Assembly, with a decline of 9 percentage points from his attendance in KP Assembly during first year.

Leaders of the Opposition in each Provincial Assembly have shown better interest in Assembly proceedings than the Chief Ministers. Leader of the Opposition in the Balochistan Assembly has attended the highest, 70% sittings of the Assembly, while Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Mr. Hamza Shahbaz, has the lowest attendance of 10% during the second year, which is also because he is in prison for the past many months.

Despite its crucial importance, Budget sessions remain the most neglected in Provincial Assemblies. Not only that required reform has not taken place in improving and strengthening budget process in Assemblies, days allocated for budget sessions have declined in every Assembly except Punjab Assembly where the total days allocated for budget increased by a day to 13 from 12 days in first year.

In addition to the negligible time allotted in scrutiny of provincial budgets, Provincial Assemblies have also failed to pass a Public Finance Act which was passed as a Federal law in 2019.

While there should have been some movement forward in enhancing their transparency and access for citizens, each legislature fails to publicly share most information on its legislative performance on its website.

To uphold transparency and facilitate public access to performance of their elected legislators, Provincial Assemblies should take a cue from the Senate of Pakistan which released its own detailed performance report immediately after the completion of its parliamentary year in March 2020. =DNA

===============================

ISLAMABAD, AUG 18 (DNA) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday said Pakistan foiled Indian ploy to isolate Islamabad diplomatically, highlighted the Kashmir issue across the globe, made policy to maintain strong relationships with friend countries and worked for Afghanistan peace process.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi addressed a press conference along with other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on completion of the federal government’s two years to apprise the nation of its achievements and termed the aforementioned accomplishments as Pakistan’s big success.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said, “We have to remain aware of the intentions of our arch-rival – India. Good relations with neighboring countries are a part of our foreign policy. Relations of China, Nepal and Bangladesh with India are in front of all. All of the South Asian countries are victims of India’s expansionist approach.

“PM Imran Khan always stressed that peace in Afghanistan can only be achieved through political solution and the entire world is saying the same today. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acknowledged Pakistan’s role in Afghan peace process. Islamophobia exists across the world today.

“Coronavirus has changed the global scenario and PM Imran Khan talked about waiving of loans in such circumstances. “Imran Khan raised the Kashmir issue on international level and it was discussed thrice in one year in the Security Council against India’s wish. The premier’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly last year should be compared with the former governments.

“Reforms were made in the foreign ministry including eVisa and ‘FM Direct’ app. All ambassadors are directly in touch with me through the application.” Information and Broadcasting Minister Senator Shibli Faraz, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar, Adviser to the PM on Finance Dr. Hafeez Shaikh and Special Assistan to the PM on Poverty Alleviation Dr. Sania Nishtar were present on the occasion with the foreign minister. =DNA

===============================

ISLAMABAD, AUG 18 (DNA) – The religious scholars of various schools of thought and government have evolved consensus on standard operating procedures (SOPs) to curb the spread of COVID-19 during Muharram-ul-Haram processions and gatherings

The consensus was reached in a consultative meeting, chaired by Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sahibzada Noor-ul-Haq Qadri in Islamabad.

According to the SOPs, only licensed and traditional processions will be allowed and wearing of masks and use of hand sanitizers will be mandatory.

Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri told the Ulema present in the meeting that the enemies are busy fanning sectarian bigotry in country to cause unrest and urged them to frustrate the designs of such elements.

The federal government has asked the provincial governments to hold such meetings at their respective provincial capitals for ensuring congenial atmosphere during the holy month of Muharram-ul-Haram. =DNA

===============================

ISLAMABAD, AUG 18 (DNA) – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday chaired a meeting to review prices of basic commodities and action against hoarders in the country as 11 ships filled with over 600,000 metric tonnes of wheat would reach the country by the end of September.

According to sources, the prime minister chaired a meeting also attended by federal ministers, advisers, special assistants and chief secretaries of the four provinces, where he was briefed over the availability of the basic commodities and action against hoarders nationwide.

Imran Khan directed an indiscriminate action against hoarders and ordered strict measures for bringing down the prices of the basic commodities. The prime minister directed all those concerned to provide maximum relief to the masses by bringing down the prices of the basic products.

Meanwhile, sources revealed that under the initiative from the federal government to tackle the wheat crisis, two wheat-laden ships would arrive in the country on 24 and 28 August.

“They will bring upto 130,000 metric tonnes of wheat,” they said adding that nine more ships would reach the country by the end of the September, bringing 500,000 metric tonnes of wheat.

It is pertinent to mention here that in order to ensure the availability of wheat and flour in the country throughout the year at affordable prices, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on July 15 directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to accelerate efforts for wheat imports.

According to a press statement, ECC directed the food ministry to hold meetings with the major importers of wheat at the earliest and come up with proposals. =DNA

===============================

ISLAMABAD, AUG 18 (DNA) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will undertake a day-long visit to China on August 20. He will hold meetings with China’s top leadership during his Beijing visit, the sources said, adding issues of mutual interest, bilateral cooperation, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, Ladakh, and regional security will come under discussion in these meetings.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi will also deliberate Chinese President Xi Jinping’s likely visit to Islamabad in meetings with Chinese leaders, they said.

Earlier, diplomatic sources had said that dates are being finalised for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan.

It is expected that the Chinese president will make announcements for further investment plans for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, said the sources, adding that he is also likely to address the parliament during his visit.

In February, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had announced that the Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Pakistan, whereas, some sources claimed that the visit was likely in June. Prime Minister Imran Khan had invited President Xi Jinping to visit Pakistan last year in Oct. =DNA

===============================

ISLAMABAD, AUG 18 (DNA) – The federal cabinet on Tuesday lauded the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan on successful completion of two years of the PTI government.

Speaking in today’s cabinet meeting, the prime minister said his 24-year long struggle has not ended yet as he has gotten a lot to do for the weak segment of society. “Every weak Pakistani is the central point of our struggle,” he maintained.

“Sparing a thought for the weak segment is true faith,” he said, adding he wants to matrialise his vision of turning Pakistan into Medina-like welfare state and vowed to incorporate the idea of such a state in national curriculum, for which, he said, he has given instructions to Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood.

Initially, a uniform curriculum will be prepared for 8th and 9th grade students, he pointed out.

The prime minister said he achieved success through hard work in difficult times. “Come hell or high water, I will not leave people alone,” he pledged, maintaining that the true objective of his struggle is to improve living standards of commoners.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi apprised the cabinet on the government’s achievements on the diplomatic front and shed light on regional issues, including those related to India. Whereas, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar briefed the meeting about the government’s plans for the country’s growth.

He said the country was able to curb coronavirus with Prime Minister Khan’s successful strategy. He added the premier would play a long inning after having settled at the crease. =DNA

===============================