ISLAMABAD, MAY 02 (DNA) – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan on Saturday jumped to 18,114, media  reported. According to National Command and Operation Center, record 1,297 cases were reported across the country in last 24 hours, taking the tally to 18,114.

These include 6733 cases in Punjab, 6675 in Sindh, 2799 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1136 in Balochistan, 340 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 365 in Islamabad Capital Territory and 66 in Azad Kashmir.

With 32 coronavirus deaths in last 24 hours in the country, the total number of deaths has crossed 400 mark and now recorded at 417. According to the NCOC, 4,715 patients have so far recovered while 12,982 patients are still under treatment at the various hospitals.

The country has conducted 1,93,859 coronavirus tests thus so far. Nearly 3.3 million people worldwide – including more than 1 million people in the United States – have been infected with the coronavirus, and the number of deaths from the outbreak continues to rise.

The global death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 230,000 yesterday. A total of 230,309 deaths have been registered from 3,218,415 cases, the tally showed. Europe is the worst hit continent with 137,714 deaths, while the United States has registered the most for one country with 61,717.

Almost 90%of the fatalities from a pandemic which first appeared in China in December have occurred in Europe and the United States. =DNA

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Sindh thrusting incompetence upon FG, says information minister Faraz

DNA

Parliamentarians and civil society show their concern in an online discussion

Islamabad – Participants of an online discussion on the emerging controversy on the 18^th Amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan termed the statements of some politicians and ministers as undue fiddling with the unanimous national consensus. It would be like opening up the Pandora’s Box again just to undermine the provincial autonomy. Government or some state institutions, whoever is behind the lobbying campaign against the 18^th Amendment, should not insult the collective national agreement of all the political, religious and nationalists parties that were present than in the parliament. However, change may be made to develop and improve the mechanisms of deliverance of social services and resources to the grassroots level and to strengthen the system of local governments.

Devcom-Pakistan (Development Communications Network) organized its weekly online discussion on Saturday. Some prominent politicians and civil society representatives including Mehrun Nisa, Tahir Hanfi, Hanif Sabir, Haares Munir and Umme Nasim expressed their opinion on the consequences of fiddling with the 18^th Amendment.

Introducing the topic, Director Devcom-Pakistan Munir Ahmed said the 18^th Amendment in the Constitution was a historic decision of all the parties present in both houses of the parliament in April 2010. It was second historic consensus after the unanimous decision of all parties to adopt the 1973 Constitution. The 18^th Amendment not only gave autonomy to the provinces but also wiped off the dictatorial changes. We need to respect the decision of elected parliament that represents 220 million people rather than going for the whims and wishes of some influential. There is a dire need to promote federalism by strengthening the federating units to reach out to the grassroots.

Former Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani said: Some non-political elements are intentionally trying to develop a chaotic move through the government that would flair up divide between the Centre and provinces. The state is not interested in the actual provincial autonomy given in the 18th Amendment. It is not the government behind the emerging move because it lacks political vision and brain on the essence of the 18^th amendment. However, some pro-state elements are more interested to repeal or just rollback it to curb provincial autonomy; particularly they want to change the composition of National Finance Commission (NFC) award by cutting the share of the provinces. The consequences of fiddling with the most important part of the constitution would be disastrous for the national integrity.

Rabbani believed that the state wants its complete authority and command over the federating units with strong Centre having dictatorial command over all the resources and Units than strengthening the federation. The same approach had already separated major part of the country – the East Pakistan in 1971.

He said Pakistan was facing several dissenting elements and separation movements when a fair National Finance Commission award was constituted under the 18th Amendment by taking on board all the nationalists and dissenting elements too. The federalism won on the table resulting more tranquility and harmony for political cohesiveness as 102 clauses of the constitution were amended including 58 (2-B) – the President of Pakistan’s prerogative to dissolve elected assemblies at his own will. Over the last ten years, we have seen decline in the dissenting elements and the nationalists are taking part of the mainstream politics; democracy is taking its roots in the public, a democratic system is evolving, and some tolerance is emerging in the citizens.

Apparently some elements are pointing their fingers on the deliverance of education and health that could be improved by pushing the Inter-provincial Coordination Committee. The government should convene regular meetings of the Committee and the meetings of Council of Common Interests (CCI) that shall actually take place after every 90 days to review the progress on the common agenda of the Centre and provinces.

Mian Raza Rabbani believes that the defined mechanisms should be implemented in letter and spirit and if there are some lacunas in the implementation, the opposition would cooperate in the best interest of democracy and citizens. No move against the 18th amendment would be tolerated rather resented strongly. The state should realize that strong provinces would not only wipe off the deprivations of the citizens but also turned to be a strong backbone of the Centre.

Senator Sitara Ayaz said nothing could be said until the government brings anything in black and white in the parliament. The proponents of change in the said amendment have no idea what exactly they want. Seemingly they are trying to drive out the attention of the masses from the present crises that government has failed to cope with. The Centre has also failed to comply with its own obligations under the 18^th Amendment. NFC award is the bone of contention while payments of royalties to the provinces are yet not on the agenda of the Islamabad. Some practical changes can be made in the amendment but cannot be reversed at all.

Senator Lt General (Retd) Abdul Qayyum said parliamentarians have a strong relation with the constitution. They can change any amendment any time but with rationale, consensus and an overwhelming majority of two-third. Constitution is a living document and we all shall be open to good suggestions to make the constitution more productive. If there are some problems with the deliverance of the provinces, the lacunas should be identified and remedial shall be done instead of talking or talking any step against the historic effort that regained the 1973 constitution close to its original.

He said that he has suggested some amendments in the process of appointment of members in the Election Commission of Pakistan to avoid delays and to improve the efficiency of the process. They are with the relevant committee for consideration.    —

DNA

A senior Indian diplomat was summoned to register Pakistan’s strong protest over the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) in Hajipir and Sankh Sectors, on 1^st May 2020, resulting in serious injuries to an innocent civilian.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces, a 30 years old innocent woman, Nasreen Akhtar w/o Rafique, r/o village Khwaja Bandi, sustained serious injuries.

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. In 2020, India has so far committed 940 ceasefire violations.

Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and are also against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct. These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security. It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).        

Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB. The Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.

ISLAMABAD, MAY 01 (DNA) – The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) held the soft launch of its Centre for Middle East & Africa (CMEA).

Additional Secretary Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan, Ali Javed, and Director General Middle East, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan, Syed Zahid Raza were also present on the occasion.

CMEA aims to promote and provide quality research, analysis, policy input and dialogue on issues related to the Middle East and Africa.

The Centre’s functions include observing latest developments, contributing in-depth research and analysis, organizing and promoting dialogue and debate on political, security, economic, and social aspects of the Middle East and Africa countries, with the focus on relevance for Pakistan.

Ms. Amina Khan, Director CMEA, in her introductory remarks underscored the importance of studying different regions and countries in order to better understand their respective challenges and responsibilities. She said that in the case of Pakistan, it is important that research becomes focused on regions that are significant for Pakistan’s foreign policy, and also on those that are ignored despite repeated slogans of their high potential, in particular, the Middle East and Africa region.

Ali Javed said that there is a lot of opportunity in the African region that needs to be tapped into. All conferences and seminars should translate into concrete establishment of ties between the two sides. He outlined the shortcomings of the Nairobi trade fair and pointed to countries such as Tunis and Morocco which have shown interest in establishing commercial links with Pakistan.

He also spoke of the importance of celebrating ‘Pakistan-Africa Friendship Day’, the need for greater facilitation of information between different government departments and expressed his hope that CMEA would deliver in this regard.

Zahid Raza said that the Middle East region is of immense importance to Pakistan especially in terms of the huge Pakistani Diaspora which resides there. He outlined the complex interplay within the regional countries of the Middle East which require Pakistan to tread very carefully to safeguard its interests.

In this regard, he hoped that CMEA could provide quality input and constructive engagements which would help shape Pakistan’s foreign policy in this region – at an individual country level as well as Middle East as an entity.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Director General ISSI, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry stated that the Government of Pakistan is working on establishing ties with the African countries as a top priority. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is very keen in this respect. This in itself symbolizes the importance the African region has for Pakistan. He hoped that CMEA would deliver on this front and work closely with the government in this regard.

In his concluding remarks, Chairman BOG, ISSI, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood highlighted how over the years Pakistan has helped African countries especially during their period of decolonization.

The African continent is one which is increasing in importance.  He said that CMEA should develop greater linkage with African community in Pakistan and keep them abreast of all developments pertaining to Pak-African relations. = DNA

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EJAC, HCBA denounce India’s anti-Kashmiri employees move

SRINAGAR, MAY 01 (DNA) – Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) and High Court Bar Association (HCBA), have strongly opposed the Indian government’s move of shifting the services matters of the employees in the territory to Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in Chandigarh, India, for redressal of their grievances.

The EJAC President, Fayaz Ahmed Shabnam, in a statement issued in Srinagar termed the move quite unfortunate and said that such an order was totally unjustified and was unacceptable to the employees of the occupied territory. He said that such an order was unwarranted and would further complicate the situation of thousands of employees whose cases were pending in courts for a very long time.

“Such an order will not only delay justice to the employees but will also be too costly for the employees as the majority of the service related cases belong to the lower ranked employees and daily wagers who on a meager salary hardly make their two ends meet” he said.

Shabnam also pointed out that Srinagar-Jammu highway is usually closed for most of the time due to landslides or other issues and the airplane tickets are skyrocketing and thus in such a scenario to reach the Tribunal on a given date or time will be almost impossible for the employees.

He urged the Indian government to revoke the order and instead establish the tribunal in occupied Kashmir so that the employees would get speedy and cost effective justice.

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee of HCBA at a meeting held through teleconferencing said that the move would create hardships for the employees of occupied Kashmir seeking dispensation of justice.

The location of the tribunal at Chandigarh would generally deprive all classes of employs from getting their grievances redressed due to incurring of heavy expenses in proceeding to Chandigarh and hiring legal services would be beyond their means outside occupied Kashmir and it would result in complete denial of the right to approach the court for redressal of their grievances, the HCBA members said.

They impressed upon the authorities to provide circuit benches for dealing with service matters at Srinagar so as to mitigate the sufferings of service class.

The CAT Chandigarh will deal with matters like services, employment, pension etc. Earlier, the services matters of the government employees of occupied Kashmir were being adjudicated by Kashmir and Jammu wings of High Court of the territory. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, MAY 01 (DNA) – Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan in his sharp reaction over the statement of a Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy regarding the resettlement of 0.5 million pundits in occupied Kashmir, has said that we welcome the pundits who are Kashmiri subjects but will Swamy talk about 200,000 Muslims of Jammu who were ruthlessly martyred by RSS, Indian National Army and Dogra Army in November 1947.

While describing Swamy’s statement a plethora of lies, he said that butchers like Swamy cannot hide the ongoing repression, barbarity, and terrorism in Kashmir behind the pundits’ issue.

In a statement Friday, the AJK president asserted that the Kashmiri Hindus were evacuated at the behest of the then puppet Governor of Occupied Kashmir Jagmohan in 1989-91 under a strategy designed to give a religious colour and to malign the Kashmiris movement for the right of self-determination.

The fact is that the Kashmir movement has nothing to do with Hindu-Muslim divide because both the nations have been peacefully living here over centuries. However, he added, the BJP and RSS have now brought both the nations eyeball to eyeball against each other.

The AJK president said that the Indian Army martyred 33 Kashmiri people and injured 150 others in occupied Jammu and Kashmir during the month of April, while only nine Kashmiri people had lost their lives because of coronavirus during the same month. This suggests that Modi virus is more dangerous and disastrous than coronavirus for the people of occupied Kashmir.

Sardar Masood Khan said that 570 branches of BJP and RSS in 39 countries including Muslim states with more than six million activists are promoting violence and hatred. In India itself, hooligans of both these fanatic groups are targeting Christians, Dalits, Sikhs and Muslims. There is a need to keep watch on the network of both these groups abroad which provide financial resources for violent activities.

The AJK president expressed concern over the statement of a British Labor party leader Keir Starmer in which he had said that we must not allow issues of the subcontinent to divide communities in the UK and that Kashmir was a bilateral issue between Pakistan and India.

“Kashmir is not a bilateral issue between Pakistan and India, but it is an international issue which is still on the agenda of the UN Security Council,” declared Sardar Masood Khan adding that Britain owes dual responsibility because this issue had erupted during the English government in the subcontinent, and at the same time, it is on the Security Council agenda, and being a permanent member of the Security Council, it is the moral and legal responsibility of Britain to play its role in the peaceful resolution of the issue. = DNA

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FAO introduces walk-in tunnels for off-season vegetable production in KPK tribal districts

PESHAWAR, MAY 01 (DNA) – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has introduced tunnel-farming in the tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with support from USAID as part of its efforts to promote effective-modern ways of agricultural production in the wide-range climate of the region. Seventy-five walk-in tunnels are installed in Khyber, South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Orakzai District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The activities were initiated before the onset of COVID-19, and as such provided a welcome and timely relief to local farmers who can now enjoy the harvest at a time when their lives and livelihoods are disrupted due to the lockdown.

These farmers were provided walk-in tunnel structures and high quality certified vegetable seeds that were cultivated and are now ready to be harvested. This activity is part of a restoring subsistence and promoting modern commercial agriculture program in the tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which aims to promote sustainable agriculture enterprise development by establishing market structures and services, developing value chains, expanding markets, and building capacity of both men and women farmers.

Before the onset of COVID-19, FAO steered extensive off and on-job trainings for the farmers and arranged external exposure visits to introduce them to tunnel farming. The familiarization with modern technology targets capacity-building and increased profitability from agricultural activities.

Now during the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown, producing and harvesting vegetables under tunnels will enable farmers to have enough agri produce for a diversified diet for self-consumption as well as for selling in their neighborhoods and local markets.  FAO is also supporting these tunnel farmers in developing linkages with local and national markets.

“The poorest and most vulnerable groups have higher likelihood to experience higher negative effects of the current pandemic and related lock down. This includes subsistence farmers as well as smallholder farmers’ enterprises. Modernization of Agriculture practices and digital technology to provide real-time information to farmers on prices or to support the supply chain can be effective resilience and mitigation measures in time of shocks such as COVID19,” said Minà Dowlatchahi, FAO Representative in Pakistan.

FAO will continue to support farmers with modernization and agro-technology in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Merged Districts to boost higher value production, food security and agro-livelihood opportunities. Walk-in tunnels help increase productivity – reducing the yield gaps and also help achieve sustainable increases of agro-food through improved agriculture practices. = DNA

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LAHORE, MAY 01 (DNA) – Ameer, Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan, Senator SirajulHaqhas said that the rulers were playing with fire by including the Qadyanis in the Minorities Commission as the nation would offer any sacrifice to protect the Khatam e Nubuwwat.

Addressing the Juma congregation at the Mansoora mosque, he said that the Qadyanis were rebels because they did not accept themselves as a minority as declared by the constitution.

“We will not accept a Commission with a  Qadyani member,” he declared. He said the nation would not spare the elements patronizing the Qadyanis in any manner. He said the JI would take up the issue in the Senate and the National Assembly, 

SirajulHaq said that before including the Qadyanis in the Minorities Commission and granting them the rights at par with the other minorities, the government should make the Qadyanisaccept themselves as a minority.

Stressing the need of the Islamic system in the country, SirajulHaq said that Islam did not simply believe in individual piety but called for evolving a system built on the Islamic teachings in every sphere of life.

He said the present system had given humanity nothing except exploitation and injustice and the JI wanted a system free from injustice, a system where in the poor could get equal opportunities for justice, education health, business and jobs.

It wanted the courts to decide cases in line withthe Shariah and an economy free from usury.  The JI is struggling for a social system wherein earning livelihood through Halal means was easy and Haram was difficult.

Meanwhile, the JI chief also visited the relief camp of the Al-=Khidmat Foundationat Gulshan e Ravi. He was accompanied by JI Lahore chief ZikrullahMujahid, Secretary General JI Youth Shahid Naveed Malik and JI Information Secretary Qaisar Sharif.

Talking tothe media on the occasion,SirajulHaqcommended the  Al_Khidmat and JI Youth volunteers for providing door to door ration including fresh vegetables to the deserving families affected by the lock down. He expressed the hope that these volunteers would continue their services with greater zeal and enthusiasm so that no household remained deprived of ration. He reminded them that service tohumanitywas the essence of piety. = DNA

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Security plan to be strictly implemented during Ramazan

ISLAMABAD, MAY 01 (DNA) – Islamabad Saddar Police have been directed to ensure effective policing measures in their respective area and strict implementation on security plan to be made during Ramazan.

These directions were made by Superintendent of Police (Saddar) Sarfaraz Ahmed Virk while chairing a meeting attended by Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs) and Station House Officers (SHOs) of police stations falling in Saddar Zone.

The meeting was held following directions of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Muhammad Aamir Zulfiqar  khan and DIG (Operations) Waqar Uddin Syed. It was decided to make security at Masajid in the area more effective and implementation on SOPs issued by the government for faithfuls to be ensured.

The SP (Saddar) Sarfaraz Ahmed Virk directed to place plastic barriers instead of concrete barriers at police pickets in Saddar Zone which should have reflecting tape on them and warning boards, having instructions of reducing speed, should be fixed 100 meters before pickets.

He directed to complete investigation of pending cases and conduct meetings with complainants for getting information about the accused. He said that investigation cases should not exceed utpo 15 percent of registered cases and information about shifting accused to the lock up should be shared with other police stations and Crime Investigation Wing of Islamabad police.

The SP (Saddar) directed to immediately respond to the calls received from Rescue 15 and take strict action against hoax callers. He also directed all SHOs to complete the record of their police stations and present compliance certificates. He asked SDPOs to conduct meetings with complainants of high profile cases and arrange their meeting with him.

The SP (Saddar) checked the crime rate of various police stations and directed to constitute special squads for arrest of proclaimed offenders. He directed all SDPOs and SHOs to brief policemen themselves performing duties at police pickets.

The SP (Saddar) said that performance of investigation officers would be checked on continuous basis as per directions of DIG (Operations) Waqar Uddin Syed.  Those involved in dereliction of duties would have to face disciplinary action, he maintained.

He also asked for effective crackdown against drug pushers, bootleggers and professional beggars. The SP (Saddar) said that Islamabad police has policy of zero tolerance against corruption and decent attitude – Phele Salam- Phir Kalam – should be adopted during interaction with citizens. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, MAY 01 (DNA) – Prime Minister Imran Khan has advised the youth to read book “Lost Islamic History” by Firas Al Khateeb during lockdown days.

The Prime Minister said the book is an excellent brief history of the driving force that made Islamic civilization the greatest of its time and then the factors behind its decline.

“A great read for our youth during lockdown days. An excellent brief history of the driving force that made Islamic civilisation the greatest of its time and then the factors behind its decline,” PM Khan said in his tweets on Friday.

Besides, the prime minister shared a video of the World Economic Forum (WEF) showing Pakistani people planting trees and wrote: “Killing two birds with one stone: giving people employment as well planting trees.”

Imran Khan said this plantation project is also providing employment to the people. = DNA