ISLAMABAD, AUG 05 (DNA) – After India’s illegal abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, Pakistan employed aggressive diplomacy to raise the issue of Kashmir on all international forums.

On August 5, 2019, India trampled on its own constitution and ended the special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan raised its voice for the voiceless Kashmiris all over the world, including in the United Nations, the OIC and the World Economic Forum.

In protest, Pakistan deported the Indian High Commissioner, ended trade with India and barred its own High Commissioner from going to India. Prime Minister Imran Khan contacted the heads of every country, including China, Germany and the United States, informing them of India’s unconstitutional move.

At the direction of the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi not only made telephone calls but also wrote letters to several leaders all across the globe. The President of the UN Security Council was also requested to review Indian actions in occupied Kashmir.

It was after decades that the Kashmir dispute became part of the Security Council’s agenda. Five months later, at the second meeting of the Security Council, the situation in Kashmir was again reviewed.

On September 27, 2019, Prime Minister Imran Khan fought the case of Kashmiris with full force in the UN General Assembly. Due to Pakistan’s tireless efforts, US President Donald Trump made repeated offers to mediate on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and later in the World Economic Forum in January.

At the request of Pakistan, several OIC meetings were convened and the Kashmir issue was discussed. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) supported the internationally recognized status of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the resolutions of the Security Council.

Kashmir Day was celebrated every Friday by Pakistanis both nationally and internationally. A highway from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad was renamed from Kashmir Highway to “Srinagar Highway”. In the new political map, Pakistan declared Occupied Kashmir as a disputed territory while the UN Secretary General also passionately raised the issue of Kashmir during his visit to Pakistan. =DNA

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DNA

KARACHI, AUG 5 – Businessmen Panel on Wednesday hailed the Federal Cabinet decision to approved a new political map of Pakistan, which was a giant step as it reflected desire of the whole nation as well as business community of the country.

Secretary General (Federal) of the BMP and FPCCI Former Chairman Standing Committee, Chaudhary Ahmad Jawad said the new map also shows Siachen as a part of Pakistan. “We are challenging their India illegal occupation and claiming our right to the area through the map.

He said the continuation of brutality and oppression by the Indian forces in the IIOJK and the overall peace and security situation in the region, a press release said.

He said all the Kashmiris had unanimously rejected the illegal and unilateral step of August 5 last year by the Indian government.

Similarly the incumbent government had effectively exposed the Hindutva policies of the extremist Indian government and the human rights violations at the global fora.

He said the real face of the Indian government had been fully exposed before the world.

Jawad has said the Indian government’s policy of hatred had threatened peace in the entire region. The Indian government wanted to change the demography of the IIOJK, which was even a blatant violation of the international laws but now their attempt seems to be in vain.

“The entire business community of Pakistan is also criticising the Indian government for usurping the rights of the minorities in India,” he added.

The SG BMP also said Kashmiris are writing the history of courage, bravery and determination with their continued grapple for freedom in the face of immense pain, disappointment and inaction. Pakistan would forcefully raise their voice globally until the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) got their right to self-determination.

He hailed government decision to rename the Kashmir Highway, which connected the Federal Capital with Kashmir and other provinces, after Srinagar. “We are looking at Srinagar. That is our destination,” he remarked.

New Delhi is providing a breeding ground for more freedom fighters who will take that right through force”. he added.

Jawad also exposed another Indian government attempt to isolate us in SAARC region through SAARC apex trade body. Now India started the lobbying with other member countries to dysfunctional the SAARC CCI in a real way because they don’t afford the presidency which relates to Pakistan for the period of two years.

DNA

KARACHI, AUG 5 – Businessmen Panel on Wednesday hailed the Federal Cabinet decision to approved a new political map of Pakistan, which was a giant step as it reflected desire of the whole nation as well as business community of the country.

Secretary General (Federal) of the BMP and FPCCI Former Chairman Standing Committee, Chaudhary Ahmad Jawad said the new map also shows Siachen as a part of Pakistan. “We are challenging their India illegal occupation and claiming our right to the area through the map.

He said the continuation of brutality and oppression by the Indian forces in the IIOJK and the overall peace and security situation in the region, a press release said.

He said all the Kashmiris had unanimously rejected the illegal and unilateral step of August 5 last year by the Indian government.

Similarly the incumbent government had effectively exposed the Hindutva policies of the extremist Indian government and the human rights violations at the global fora.

He said the real face of the Indian government had been fully exposed before the world.

Jawad has said the Indian government’s policy of hatred had threatened peace in the entire region. The Indian government wanted to change the demography of the IIOJK, which was even a blatant violation of the international laws but now their attempt seems to be in vain.

“The entire business community of Pakistan is also criticising the Indian government for usurping the rights of the minorities in India,” he added.

The SG BMP also said Kashmiris are writing the history of courage, bravery and determination with their continued grapple for freedom in the face of immense pain, disappointment and inaction. Pakistan would forcefully raise their voice globally until the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) got their right to self-determination.

He hailed government decision to rename the Kashmir Highway, which connected the Federal Capital with Kashmir and other provinces, after Srinagar. “We are looking at Srinagar. That is our destination,” he remarked.

New Delhi is providing a breeding ground for more freedom fighters who will take that right through force”. he added.

Jawad also exposed another Indian government attempt to isolate us in SAARC region through SAARC apex trade body. Now India started the lobbying with other member countries to dysfunctional the SAARC CCI in a real way because they don’t afford the presidency which relates to Pakistan for the period of two years.

DNA

KARACHI, AUG 5 – In an urgent meeting held in Karachi led by Secretary Commerce Sualeh Ahmad Farooqui, Chairman PAJCCI, Zubair Motiwala presented the grave condition of Pakistan-Afghanistan Trade and Transit status which has further aggravated amid COVID 19.

Motiwala highlighted that Afghanistan is only country with which Pakistan enjoys a trade surplus and at this point of grave economic crises, the lost business with Afghanistan can bring fruitful results. He iterated that actual trade quantum is $5 billion, with a potential to reach $10 billion, but due to negligence and trust deficit it is stuck at $1.6 billion.

While deliberating the state of affairs, Motiwala established that due to PAJCCI’s insistence, it is ensured to keep the border operational for five days, nonetheless, the speed of clearance, procedural delays, shortage & delay in issuance of trackers, exorbitant demurrage and detention charges and load of stuck consignments have limited reaping of the benefits and the target of cross-border movement is still not met. He reinstated that such delays and lack of facilitation drains the effect and pose a grave situation that is not only financially devastating but also deteriorates the socioeconomic ties for the future. He strongly demanded that border may be kept fully operational for at least two weeks, 24/7 to eliminate the backlog and ensure provision of required items to the people of Afghanistan specially prioritizing perishable items.

PAJCCI also sought that the dependence on a single tracking company be reduced, as this gridlock can only be resolved by opening up avenues for other competitive entities to enter the landscape which would make the mechanism more productive and would facilitate businesses to opt out of varying alternatives. Additionally PAJCCI urged an immediate intervention in context of waiving / refunding demurrage / detention charges applied on stuck containers due to COVID 19 in order to safeguard businesses from incurring extreme financial losses due to such undue penalty which was beyond their control. He also highlighted that 100% scanning requirement is undue and the alternative of “Profiling Mechanism” may be adopted whereby parties with regular and clear history may be exempted from this while only parties with some exceptions may pass through scanning (that too should not exceed 20% as APTTA required 5% only).

Chairman PAJCCI strongly urged both the governments to segregate business and trade ties from political tensions, and allow economics to function freely and help politics rather than politics obstruct the free flow of economic activities and urged that both the Governments should keenly follow-up the matter and develop measures of a long term nature, for ensuring overall economic stability in the region.

Zubair Motiwala also emphasized greatly on the significance of reaping untapped potentials in Central Asian Markets, but emphasized that such efforts can only be effectively substantiated by prioritizing the resolutions of Af-Pak pending economic issues. He also highlighted difficulties faced by Pakistani businesses in terms of undue delays and excessive charges while crossing Afghanistan to reach CIS countries. Additionally, he highlighted the dire need to revisit APTTA and consolidate the same as further delay would cause a significant blow and enhance mutual distrust and financial loss.

Acknowledging the dire need of an immediate solution to matters in hand, Secretary Commerce, ensured his commitment on behalf of the Government and sought a comprehensive proposal from PAJCCI on behalf of all stakeholders pertinent to bilateral trade, transit and mutual investment regime. He further asked PAJCCI to recommend a framework for trilateral engagements between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. He implied that the Government of Pakistan has taken up these matters with the other side and shortly expecting to negotiate the same across the border and with PAJCCI’s relevant input the framework can be devised keeping mutual benefits in view.

DNA

Lahore: The Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front has rejected jump in prices of petroleum products for the second consecutive month despite the fact that inflation rate touched 9.30 percent in July mainly due to more than 65 percent record jump in fuel prices last month, warning the authorities that inflation above 6 percent could hurt economic growth. 

In a joint statement, with senior vice chairman Nasir Hameed and vice chairman Javed Siddiqi, Mian Nauman Kabir said that for the month of August, the government increased the price of petrol by Rs3.86 per litre, high speed diesel by Rs5 per litre, kerosene oil by Rs 5.97 per litre and light diesel oil by Rs6.62 per litre. 

Mian Nauman said that the high speed diesel is used mostly in the transport and agriculture sectors. Therefore, any increase in its price will lead to inflationary impact. Kerosene oil price has also gone up Rs5.97 per litre, which is used in remote areas where liquefied petroleum gas is not available for cooking purposes. So, any increase in its price will have an impact on the life of the poor. The price of light diesel oil has been hiked by Rs6.62 per litre, which is used in industries and its price goes up to Rs62.86 per litre against Rs56.24 per litre. 

Mian Nauman Kabir said that oil prices and inflation are closely connected in a cause-and-effect relationship. As fuel rates move up, inflation, which is the measure of general price trends throughout the economy, follows in the same direction upward. On the other hand, if the rates of fuel fall, inflationary pressures start to drop.  

He urged the government to take concrete measures for easing out inflation that has further increased due to rise in oil prices and other essential commodities. He said that inflation is on higher side due to the impact of government’s economic policies of soaring fuel rates, enhancing power and gas tariff, depreciating the local currency and imposing exorbitant duties on imported industry raw material. 

Mian Nauman called for putting the economy on a balanced and sustainable growth trajectory, addressing the underlying structural vulnerabilities, as low export growth, limited foreign exchange reserves, documentation of economy and higher food inflation are still major challenges to the economy. 

Referring the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, PIAF chairman said that the country’s overall inflation reached 9.30 percent year-on-year in July, which is the highest inflation rate since March 2020. In March 2020, the inflation rate was 10.20 percent but it declined in the subsequent months and had touched 8.59 during June. Once again it has increased to 9.30 during the month of July.  

The inflation increased mainly due to abnormal fuel price increase by the government on June 26. For the month of July the government had increased the oil prices by up to 66.09 percent and hiked the price of Motor Spirit by Rs 25.58 per litre (34.33 percent), HSD by Rs 21.31 per litre (26.59), Superior Kerosene Oil by Rs 23.50 (66.09 percent), Light Diesel Oil by Rs 17.84 per litre (46.78 percent). The massive increase in oil prices had resulted in increase in inflation. Similarly, during last week of July, the prices of vegetables and meat increased due to Eid-ul-Adha which has also contributed to high inflation during the month. For the month of August the fuel prices had been further increased by the government and experts believe that the inflation will further soar during the month of August. 

PIAF senior vice chairman Nasir Hameed asked the Ministry of Finance to devise a strategy to control and ease out the impact of inflation. He said that downward trajectory in crude oil in the global market should result in downward pattern in domestic prices. 

Nasir Hameed said that the outcome of stabilization policies, agriculture sector interventions, rigorous monitoring at federal and provincial levels and favourable weather can bring in better results in easing out inflation and sustain the economy towards growth and productivity. 

PIAF vice chairman Javed Siddiqi said provincial governments monitoring display of price list and quality of items in open market and effective measures of CCP to control cartelization and undue profiteering can also control the inflation to some extent.

JEDDAH: The OIC Human Rights Commission has strongly supported the UN experts’ call for urgent action to remedy the alarming human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).

In a series of tweets on Kashmir Siege Day on Wednesday, the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission endorsed demands of the UN experts to investigate all cases of human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and arbitrary detentions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The OIC General Secretariat also reiterates its call for the settlement of the conflict in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Youm-e-Istehsal is being observed today (Wednesday) to express solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiri people on completion of the one-year military siege of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).

Rallies are being taken out across the world to denounce Indian unilateral illegal actions against Kashmiri people.

On the 5th August 2019, the special constitutional status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir was scrapped by the Modi government.