ATTOCK, JUNE 27 (DNA) – Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Haman Resource Development Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari Saturday said the incumbent government was striving hard to install gas connections at Dhok Lohara (Jand) and its allied areas to fulfill the promise made by Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf (PTI) during the last general election.
“I assure the people of Dhok Lohara that they will have gas connections by the end of this year,” Zulfikar Bukhari pledged this while announcing more development schemes such as facility of a hospital and a technical and vocational college for the area.
The SAPM said the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) would start installing gas meters in the village by July this year.
Before the government of PTI, he said, the area was deprived of the basic facilities like clean drinking water, health and education.
However, the political leadership of area took cognizance of the dwellers’ basic issues and initiated development work to uplift the living standards of people, he added.
Zulfikar Bukhari urged the people to strictly follow the SOPs (standard operating procedures) to ensure safety of their lives amid the global pandemic.
He said the government had been making all-out efforts to curb the coronavirus spread.
“The month of July will be the most crucial in view of coronavirus so we all have to take extra precautionary measures to combat the virus.” SNGPL Managing Director Amir Tufail said the areas, fell within 5 kilometer radius of the sui gas fields, would be provided gas at top priority under the approved policy.
Earlier, the special assistant reviewed progress on re-carpeting of Jand to Khunda road.
The construction of 38 km stretch was promised by the SAPM with residents of Jand last year.
The officials of National Highway Authority apprised Zulfikar Bukhari about the ongoing upgradation of road.
“There will be no compromise on quality of work,” the SAPM warned. DNA
PIA has grounded 141 pilots whose licences are suspected to be fake with immediate effect.
PIA CEO Arshad Malik has informed the Ministry of Aviation and all ambassadors about this. Seventeen pilots had already been grounded.
Airblue has also grounded nine pilots who had dubious licences.
PIA came under strict scrutiny after a flight carrying 99 passengers crashed in Karachi on May 22. Ninety-seven people were killed and later, an initial investigation report held the pilots responsible for the accident.
On June 24, Federal Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar revealed the many problems that have been persistent in PIA. He called for major changes in the airline if it wants to reach the same level as its glory days in the 1960s.
“More than 90% of people in Pakistan get their driving licences without even appearing for the exam,” Sarwar said during a National Assembly session.
“The same has started happening for pilots too. Pilots were being hired on a political basis and were carrying fake licenses.”
Islamabad – A high level international panel of experts expressed their deep concerns over the China-India flaring situation on the Ladakh border. Speaking to a webinar on “China-India escalation in Galvan valley – implications for the region and global peace”, the experts said India is aspiring to emerge as a US proxy element against China and other forces in the region.
China’s response to India in Galvan valley Ladakh would strongly impact the Indian aggressive plans in the region including to be accepted as a stronger force.
India is on to support the US ‘curtail China’ strategy that would result negative implications for the region. India can engage China into armed conflicts on a comparatively longer border besides increasing violation of Line of Control (LOC) on the Kashmir border.
The experts said: Befitting response to India on the high-altitude borders would not only protect the Chinese investment in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the region but also help Pakistan for its strategic and development initiatives in the northern parts including Siachen.
Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) organized the international webinar on Saturday. The main speakers included Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, chairman Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and chairman Pak-China Institute, Defense and international relations expert Lt General (retd.) Talat Masood, well-known senior journalist and correspondent daily Dawn from Washington DC Anwar Iqbal, Researcher and Analyst with BRI Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University in Beijing Zoon Ahmad Khan, and researcher on China-US relation faculty member at the National Defense University (DU) Dr Sameera Imran. Webinar was hosted by the Devcom-Pakistan and DTN Director Munir Ahmed.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said India is more interested in showing its muscles in the region while the US is trying to avoid conflicts and wars. But, US-China economic conflict is getting up that would lead to a serious situation in the region where India would like to play its role against China. India still have a bitter taste of 1962 war with China in mouth and the recent misadventure has added more bitterness. India’s aggressive plans to add Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to its map have been shattered because of the humiliation it faced in the Galvan valley escalation. The situation however has added some more hope to Pakistan on Kashmir issue, being China becoming third country to the longstanding issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Lt General (Retd.) Talat Masood said its not time to flare up security situation on the borders that would destroy all the economic and social development in the region. India shall understand that China is not weaker or lenient like Pakistan and have ability to sufficiently dent the Indian plans and vested interests. Even Pakistan has improved its strategic and defense capacity. India must have noticed in February this year that it could have befitting response from Pakistan.
Devcom-Pakistan Director Munir Ahmed said Pakistan should support China unconditionally against India’s unprovoked aggression. China’s strong response would physical and politically halt India’s wild and weird plans to maneuver the region for the US strategic interests. This time all the US allies would be gathering the region against China, and apparently India would be the facilitator. Pakistan, China and other like-minded nations should have a joint strategy prepared and put in place before its too late.
Journalist Anwar Iqbal said: The present US government wanted to curtail the increasing trade and global influence of China at any cost. Many countries want to be part of the US interventions against China, and India is one of them. It may not be a planned strategy, but India want to be the US proxy against China by engaging China on its 3500 km border in one conflict or other. Having nod of the Asia-Pacific group in the UN Security Council for nonpermanent membership, India intends to play as superior than any country of the region even more powerful than China.
He said the US government could not control China’s trade despite all efforts even during the pandemic. In no time, the US markets were flooded with the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and other Covid-19 kits manufactured in China despite China had suffered severely by the pandemic. The US government and their allies should understand that China could not be defeated in global trade and development interventions until their labour market is competed.
Zoon Ahmad Khan Said that the US and their allies feel threatened from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that is a mega intervention to improve the economic conditions in different parts of the world through improved connectivity and network. China’s policy is to reduce conflicts and build up harmony among the countries and regions for more prosperity. However, US-India collaboration wants their hegemony in the region and want to engage China into conflicts to weaken its economic initiatives.
Dr Sameera Imran said the greater south Asian region needs more balanced approach towards providing everyone fair opportunities to play. We cannot deny the US interest and investment in the region. Pakistan needs to extract its benefit by adopting balanced strategies knowing that the region is quite volatile in terms stakes and vested interests of different powers in the neighborhood.
Muhammad Rafiq og Mohammad Iqbal er tildelt medaljen for edel dåd for sine handlinger under angrepet på Al-Noor moskeen i Bærum 10. august 2019. Rafiq og Iqbal avverget angrepet mot moskeen og forhindret tap av liv.
Tildelingen skjedde statsråd 23. juni. Muhammad Rafiq er tildelt medaljen for edel dåd i gull. Rafiq utmerket seg med en ekstraordinær innsats i overmanningen av gjerningsmannen, og utførte en usedvanlig fremragende redningsdåd.
Mohammad Iqbal er tildelt medaljen for edel dåd i sølv. Iqbal innsats var avgjørende for at gjerningsmannen ble overmannet.
– Rafiq og Iqbal havnet i en forferdelig dramatisk situasjon, der deres mot og snarrådighet avverget det som kunne blitt et mye verre angrep. Jeg takker dem for innsatsen, sier næringsminister Iselin Nybø (V).
Den offisielle overrekkelsen av medaljene er under planlegging og vil skje over sommeren.
ISLAMABAD, JUNE 27 – Congratulations to Norwegian-Pakistani gentlemen Muhammad Rafiq and Mohammad Iqbal who are awarded the prestigious Medal for Heroic Deeds for their brave efforts to stop the terrorist attack against the Al-Noor mosque in Norway last year.
BEIJING, June 27: The root cause of the serious military stand-off and casualties in Galwan Valley is that India took unilateral actions against the agreements reached by both sides over the years.
This was stated by former Chinese defense Attache in South Asia and former UN senior Military Observer Cheng Xizhong in an article published by China Economic Net on Saturday. He pointed out that last August, India amended its constitution and changed the status of Kashmir. Last October India announced the establishment of “the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir” and “the Union Territory of Ladakh”.
Cheng Xizhong contended that the so-called “the UnionTerritory of Ladakh” is subject to China’s territory. India’s move has not only broken the peace and tranquility of the China-India border, but also led to the escalation of tensions in South Asia.
Since the beginning of May, there has been military confrontation over Galwan Valley in the western part of the China-India border. It is, in fact, an issue that can be easily dealt with, which is, the Indian troops go back to where they have come from and never come back, he added.
He recalled that early this month, both countries reached a consensus at the first round of military meeting. However, India broke the agreement and assaulted Chinese troops on June 15. Chinese troops fought back and the vulnerable Indian troops fled in a hurry.
In the dark night, they jumped into Galwan River and got drowned. The lives of border forces are precious and China doesn’t want to see such tragedy.
He was of the view that whether the tensions will be eased after the recent round of corps commander meeting, and whether the issue of military confrontation in Galwan Valley will be resolved, depends on the follow-up decisions of the Indian government and the follow-up actions of the Indian military.
”We sincerely hope that India would learn from this lesson written in blood and would not touch the bottom line of China in any way. If the Indian troops invade Galwan Valley again, the Chinese troops will certainly drive them back.
China hopes that India could continue to exercise strategic sobriety, and China’s policy has never changed that it does not see India as a foe.
The choices of Narendra Modi’s administration are very important for the future development of the China-India relationship: will it stick to the past stance of “not choosing sides”, or, will it stick to “strategic self-determination”? There is no doubt that this will also be a key consideration when China makes its policies towards India,” he added.
ISLAMABAD, JUNE 27 – Pakistan has conveyed its readiness to the Indian side to reopen Kartarpur Corridor on 29 June 2020 on the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh.
The Kartarpur Corridor was inaugurated on 09 November 2019 by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The opening of the Corridor on the eve of the 550th Birth Anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak fulfilled the long awaited desire of Sikh devotees of the international community.
The Kartarpur Corridor is a true symbol of peace and religious harmony. This landmark initiative by the Government of Pakistan has been immensely appreciated by the Sikh community all over the world including India. The first Guru of Sikhism, Baba Guru Nanak Saheb, had spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur.
The Corridor was temporarily closed on 16 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the religious places are gradually opening up around the world, Pakistan has also made necessary arrangements to reopen Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Sikh pilgrims.
To ensure adherence to the health guidelines, Pakistan has invited India to work out necessary SOPs for reopening of the Corridor.
Center for Economic Research and Reforms under the
Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Given the high likelihood of the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak, countries still face a choice between the people and the economy. Today the task of reducing the spread rate of infections directly contradicts the task of limiting the depth of the economic recession accompanied.
In other words, a slowdown in the process of reaching the peak of infection can occur only when the economy will not operate at full capacity. In this case, the removal of workers from their jobs, social distancing of consumers reduces economic activity, which affects economic growth negatively, and through the channel of economic expectations – to the levels of investment and consumption.
Estimations show that without government intervention (containment policy), with an initial mortality rate of 2 % and reproduction rate of 50% in an overloaded health systems 1% of the world’s population can die (76 million people). However, if the quarantine and self-isolation policies are activated for a short period of time (a month or two) and 50% or more people may not be able to work, GDP may decrease by 6.5-10%.
It should be emphasized that most countries choose the intervention policy in order to smooth the epidemiological curve (the first wave was in February-April, the second one is possibly in coming autumn) in order to avoid beds and mechanical ventilation devices shortage problem in infectious diseases hospitals.
Therefore, economic recession during the fight against the spread of COVID-19 is recognized as a necessity, and at the same time, it can cause long-term economic damage, because many firms and banks may go into bankruptcy, job places may be reduced and large number of people may fall below the poverty line, and national balances loose balances. Consequently, governments can and should try to smooth out the curve of economic downturn, through their anchors of economic intervention.
Impact of pandemic on the macroeconomic balances of Uzbekistan.
The following were observed based on preliminary results of the first quarter of 2020, compared with the previous year:
-a decline in the imports of consumer goods and medicines (according to the Chinese statistics, in the first quarter of 2020, China’s exports to Uzbekistan decreased by 14.3%);
-a decrease in migrant remittances (according to World Bank forecasts remittances will decrease by 20%, the number of citizens who could not go to work abroad amounted to 143 thousand people);
-slowdown in the import of technologies, semi-finished products and raw materials (due to the temporary delays in international transportation);
-a decrease in the export of goods and services ( as a result of a decrease in external demand and prices for basic commodities, according to Chinese analysis Uzbekistan’s exports to China in the first quarter of 2020, decreased by 31.2%);
-decrease of budget revenues (as a result of reduced economic activity);
-increase in unemployment (according to opinion polls 21% of people temporarily lost their jobs);
-decrease in demand for durable goods and services (as shown by a survey by the Center for economic research and reforms, 68 % of the population believes that now it is not the time to buy durable goods, against 13 %);
-decrease in saving and investment;
-an increase in the share of non-performing debts and bank liquidity;
-increase in social responsibility of the government and pressure on the budget, government debt (the government intends to attract loans of international financial institutions which amounts to $3.1 billion);
Given the interrelations and interdependence among sectors and agents of the economy, without an economic intervention policy, an economic recession can turn into a financial crisis (due to the problems in liquidity in the banking system), a debt crisis (due to an increase in additional debts) or a foreign currency crisis (due to the decrease in foreign trade).
How does Covid-19 affect main macroeconomic balances?
Government policy objectives and tools
The primary task of the government is to minimize the level of economic downturn and neutralize its negative consequences.
An analysis of world experience shows that macroeconomic tasks of many countries are aimed at stimulating, first of all, domestic demand, in particular:
– providing households with cash and partial compensation for mortgage/rent payments;
– providing temporarily dismissed or remotely working workers with salary for the period of quarantine;
– ensuring that firms have sufficient cash to pay employees, suppliers, to fulfill obligations to creditors and tenants, especially small and young enterprises, in order to avoid bankruptcies.
– support banks to avoid the transformation of the health crisis into a financial crisis.
Wherein, alternative stimulation tools can be:
Increased government spending on the public health sector (fiscal policy).
Tax exemption, tax reduction, tax holidays and other types of benefits (tax policy).
Announcement of tax credits and providing the population with temporary universal income and companies with cash grants (social policy).
Support new sectors of the economy that are not affected by the virus spread (industrial policy).
Most countries take measures in accordance with the point 3.
Recovery policy priorities
So far, the Republic of Uzbekistan has adopted 12 decrees of the President on counteracting the negative consequences of the pandemic for the population and enterprises, aimed at supporting strategic sectors, small businesses, ensuring the stability of the state budget, ensuring the provision of medicine to the population. Meanwhile, given the high level of uncertainty in the global economy, it is expected the adoption of additional regulatory acts in the form of pragmatic responses to the development of events.
Given the interconnectedness and interdependence between sectors and agents of the economy, as well as the limited financial recourses, it is important that state support of entities having the greatest influence on the recovery process. It is assumed that this effect depends on two main indicators: (i) the multiplier effect of the industry/agents on the entire economy and (ii) the depth and volume of the decline of the industry/agents because of quarantine measures. At the same time, state support, focused on these areas, has a relatively large direct and indirect (through increased activity in other sectors) stimulating effect on the entire economy.
I. Since the adverse effects of demand factors on the economy is more tragic than the effect of supply factors it is preferable to support ,to a greater extent, households (measures to increase household incomes and the creation of additional demand for locally produced goods and services) and to a lesser extent enterprises (measures to compensate rents and obligations to banks).
The analysis of the households shows that out of 80% of the population employed in the private sector 33% are self-employed (i.e. taxi drivers, hairdressers, builders), who completely lose their sources of income during the quarantine. Therefore, in particular, it is necessary until the end of the year to maintain the measures used to stimulate domestic demand through broad measures to support incomes (benefits to low-income households, motivation for self-employment, community service, implementation of additional infrastructure projects and others).
Small businesses are expected to suffer the most, as they often own more vulnerable structures, have less access to insurance and other means of financing, less chances to choose their location, and have limited ability to mitigate consequences and provide preparedness for shocks. At the same time, in Uzbekistan, small businesses account for three quarters of employed population and more than half of GDP. Taking into account the importance of SME, it is suggested:
to develop financial support mechanisms for small business workers in regions highly dependent on the activities of small enterprises in order to ensure adequate demand for products;
to take measures to resume the activities of transport and non-food trade (especially computers and communication sectors) in accordance with rules of disinfection;
to consider to issue interest-free or government guaranteed loans to small businesses (with the exception of newly created enterprises);
comprehensive support for the activities of small exporting firms;
technical and technological support for possible types of remote work (business consulting, banking and finance, insurance, trade) and measures to expand the reach of digital technologies and the Internet.
III. Domestically oriented enterprises, whose buyers lose most of their income as a result of the quarantine, as well as enterprises producing durable goods (automobiles, electrical appliances, furniture) and strategic enterprises that incur loses before shocks occur. The leading sectors of the service sector will suffer the most losses from the current situation: tourism, catering, non-food goods trade, air transportation, rail and road passenger transport, non-food consumer goods production (textiles, shoes, electrical equipment, etc). In addition, the interconnection and interdependence analysis of the sectors of the economy shows that sectors with the highest multiplier effect and the least degree of dependence on imports include educational, financial, health, travel services, information support, research and development services, accommodation, development of computer programs, repair of household appliances and computers, forestry, agriculture, gas clothing. Consequently, active support of these sectors of the economy is offered.
IV. At the same time, it is important the behavior of the agents receiving financial support from the government. From this point of view, it is necessary to control the investment activity of enterprises and consumer behavior of the population. It is considered to develop indexes of business activity and consumer sentiment. In particular, the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) has already developed indices for changes in consumer sentiment, business climate and business activity. At the moment, the issue of developing such indices in regions of the country is planned to be studied.
At the same time, the relative combination of the roles of the private, public and non-profit sectors will allow us to study how various main sectoral groups can work effectively with minimal duplication of roles and without conflict.
In particular, under the Presidential Decrees, measures were taken to support the business, which provided funds in the amount of 3.7 trillion sums. Within the framework of the nationwide “Charity and Support” (Saxovat va Ko’mak) movement, which is designed to efficiently dispose sponsorship and charitable funds of enterprises, 101 thousand enterprises provided social assistance to a total of more than 361 thousand families. In addition, international organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations Development Project and others are actively conducting research to identify hot spots for the negative impact of the pandemic
Non-economic important tasks of the state that are crucial for economic recovery include restoring public order and market infrastructure, ensuring the availability of capital, labor, natural resources, uninterrupted provision of public services and spiritual/ethical values of the society.
China was quick to aid coronavirus-stricken Sri Lanka. Chinese magnanimity and speed in responding to the Indian Ocean island’s request contrasted starkly with Beijing’s more measured response to Africa’s needs, widely expected to be the pandemic’s next hotspot.
Geography was but one reason why China favoured the strategic island that straddles one of the Indian Ocean’s busiest shipping routes.
China was rewarding Sri Lanka for stalling military-related talks with the United States two years after the People’s Republic was accused of pursuing predatory debt trap diplomacy. Sri Lanka granted China in 2018 a far greater stake in its port of Hambantota at a moment that it was unable to service its debt to Beijing.
Sri Lanka has so far dragged its feet on signing a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States that would regulate the rights and privileges of visiting US military personnel.
The hold-up was prompted by Sri Lanka’s rejection of the terms of an associated US$480 million Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) development aid package on the grounds that it impinged on the country’s national security.
At the same time however, Sri Lanka has done nothing to challenge its Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) with the United States that governs the transfer of US logistics supplies as well as support and refuelling services for US military operations in the Indo-Pacific region.
The discrepancy in China’s approach towards Sri Lanka as opposed to Africa could revive charges that predatory debt diplomacy is a feature of China’s multi-billion dollar infrastructure, telecommunications and energy-driven Belt and Road Initiative that seeks to connect the Eurasian landmass to the People’s Republic.
To be fair, only a handful of renegotiations of Chinese debt would suggest that China is using liability as a diplomatic tool.
Nonetheless, China’s willingness to grant Sri Lanka a 10-year US$500 million concessionary loan to deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic in addition to donations of medical supplies offered by China to countries across the globe is likely to raise eyebrows.
The risk is that countries in Africa as well as the Middle East like war-torn Syria and financially bankrupt Lebanon that no longer can count on assistance from Gulf countries struggling with economic woes of their own may feel that they have little alternative but to follow in Sri Lanka’s footsteps.
It is a risk that not only capitalizes on the United States’ already tarnished image but also China’s ability to maintain close ties to Middle Eastern nations without being sucked into the region’s myriad conflicts.
To be sure, there are stark differences between Indian Ocean nations and Middle Eastern states that are in some respects far more dependent on a US defense umbrella designed to protect them against Iran.
Like Sri Lanka, Middle Eastern states benefitted from close healthcare and pandemic-related cooperation with China and unlike the Indian Ocean nation, Gulf states face a financial crisis but not an immediate cash shortage.
Nonetheless, the risk for China of some countries feeling that their security and economic wellbeing is better ensured by a greater balancing of their relations with China and the US is that they will want to see China engaged in regional security arrangements to a degree that Beijing has so far been unwilling to entertain.
The risk is enhanced by US aspirations to reduce America’s commitment to the Middle East and focus attention on Asia and its rivalry with China.
The risk for Gulf states in the implications of China’s policy towards Sri Lanka is that China rather than being sucked into the Middle East and North Africa’s myriad conflicts could opt to reduce its engagement in the Middle East.
Countering Western perceptions of ever greater Chinese economic involvement, Xinchun Niu, director of Middle East studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), widely viewed as China’s most influential thinktank, argues that Chinese-Middle Eastern economic relations have past their heyday. Mr. Niu also suggested that the Middle East ranked low on the Chinese priority totem pole.
“China-Middle East countries is not a political strategic logic, it’s an economic logic. For China, the Middle East is always on the very distant backburner of China’s strategic global strategies… Covid-19 combined with the oil price crisis will dramatically change the Middle East. (This) will change China’s investment model in the Middle East… The good times of China and the Middle East are already gone… Both China and the Middle Eastern economies have been slowing down… In the future, the pandemic combined with the oil price problem will make the Middle East situation worse. So, the China economic relationship with the Middle East will be affected very deeply,” Mr. Niu said.
As a result, Gulf states, among the world’s foremost arms buyers and confronted with a need for far more incisive economic reform in the wake of the pandemic than many other nations, are likely to find a rebalancing of their big power relationships more difficult than Sri Lanka.
The success of Chinese policy towards Sri Lanka is nevertheless more than an isolated incident. It offers insights into what a more assertive Chinese policy could mean for the shaping of a new world order.
“When India or the West get involved in Sri Lankan affairs, there is suspicion as to what the motive is. Is it to divide the country? Is it (to) exploit, subjugate us?” said Jehan Perera of Sri Lanka’s National Peace Council. By contrast, he added, Sri Lankans view Chinese investment as “essentially benign (because) China has never been a historical enemy of this country.”
James M. Dorsey is an award-winning journalist and a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. He is also an adjunct senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute and co-director of the University of Wuerzburg’s Institute of Fan Culture in Germany
KABUL, JUNE 27 – US administration under President Donald Trump is close to finalizing a decision to withdraw more than 4,000 troops from Afghan soil by the upcoming fall.
According to the report, the US would reduce the number of its forces from 8,600 to 4,500 and that would be the lowest number since 2001 when the US forces entered Afghanistan. The move would pave the way for a US exit from what Donald Trump called “endless war” and he so far remains determined to achieve.
Yet the discussions are taking place against the backdrop of an uptick in violence from the Taliban against the Afghan government, despite the insurgent group signing a historic agreement with the US in February and as the Trump administration has appeared to hold back on its criticism of the Taliban.
While the decision yet to be final, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper also discussed the plan with NATO allies last week.
