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Pakistan’s maritime security workshop evolves into event of national significance

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Pakistan's maritime security workshop evolves into event of national significance

ISLAMABAD, NOV 25 /DNA/ – It is a matter of great satisfaction for me to observe the evolution of Maritime Security Workshop (MARSEW) from its humble beginning in 2017 to an event of national significance with the organization of 7th edition of MARSEW at Pakistan Navy War College. The Workshop has provided a shared platform to maritime stake holders for raising awareness about maritime potential of Pakistan and dilate upon ways and means to harness this untapped domain. The Workshop also brings together some of the most insightful minds from the govt, military, academia, media and industry, with a common goal: to deepen our understanding of maritime security in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

As the global maritime landscape evolves, our immediate neighborhood, the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is facing unprecedented challenges including geo-political contestation and nuclearization. The growth of international trade, the rise of transnational threats and the rapid pace of technological advancements have created both opportunities and risks in the IOR. In this background, securing our maritime domain is not merely a national priority but a necessity, requiring cooperation, innovation, and vigilance. Besides security challenges in the maritime domain, our rich maritime resources offer great potential for economic prosperity. The country’s economic future is inextricably linked to the sea which serves as mankind’s last reservoir for sustenance. Despite the fact that oceans and seas are regarded as the common heritage of mankind, claims and counter claims over seas resources are spawning friction as never witnessed before. The ongoing developments within the IOR have a direct bearing on Pakistan’s maritime security. In this context, exploitation of Blue Economy for socio-economic prosperity enabled by secure maritime environment necessitates our focused attention.

I am confident that this Workshop will inspire new perspectives and lead to actionable drive that reinforces our commitment to maritime security and related economic prosperity. Together, let us work towards a secure and stable maritime environment that benefits not only our nation but the global community at large. I wish all the MARSEW participants an insightful interaction and a pleasant stay with their host, Pakistan Navy War College.

Wildlife monitoring tech used to harass, spy on women in India

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Wildlife monitoring tech used to harass, spy on women in India

PARIS, Nov 25 (AFP/APP): Camera traps, drones and other technology for monitoring wildlife like tigers and elephants are being used to intimidate, harass and even spy on women in India, researchers said on Monday.

    In one particularly egregious example, a photo of an autistic women relieving herself in the forest was shared by local men on social media, prompting villagers to destroy nearby camera traps.

   Trishant Simlai, a researcher at the UK’s Cambridge University, spent 14 months interviewing some 270 people who live near the Corbett Tiger Reserve in northern India.

  For women living in villages around the reserve, the forest has long been a space for “freedom and expression” away from the men in a “heavily conservative and patriarchal society”, Simlai told AFP.

   The women sing, talk about taboo subjects such as sex, and sometimes drink and smoke while collecting firewood and grass from the forest.

  But the introduction of camera traps, drones and sound recorders as part of efforts to track and protect tigers and other wildlife has extended “the male gaze of the society into the forest”, Simlai said.

      On multiple occasions, drones were deliberately flown over the heads of women, forcing them to drop their firewood and flee for cover, according to a study led by Simlai published in the journal Environment and Planning.

– ‘We are afraid’ –

“We cannot walk in front of the cameras or sit in the area with our Kurtis (tunics) above our knees. We are afraid that we might get photographed or recorded in a wrong way,” a local woman was quoted in the study saying.

A forest ranger told the researchers that when a camera trap took a photo of a couple engaging in “romance” in the forest, “we immediately reported it to the police”.

    In perhaps the most troubling example, a photo of an autistic woman from a marginalised caste relieving herself in the forest was inadvertently taken by a camera trap in 2017.

Young men appointed as temporary forest workers shared the photo on local Whatsapp and Facebook groups to “shame the woman”, Simlai said.

“We broke and set fire to every camera trap we could find after the daughter of our village was humiliated in such a brazen way,” one local told the researchers.

     Aiming to avoid the cameras, some women have started roaming farther into the forest, which has the highest density of tigers in the world.

The women also sing less than they used to, which was used to deter animal attacks.

One local woman — who spoke about fear of cameras forcing her into “unfamiliar spaces” in 2019 — was killed by a tiger earlier this year, Simlai said.

– ‘New ways to harass women’ –

Another woman took advantage of the constant surveillance.

   “Whenever her husband would beat her, she would run in front of the camera so that her husband did not follow her,” Simlai said.

     Overall, “these technologies are actually very good” and are revolutionising conservation efforts, Simlai emphasised.

    But he called for more consultation with local communities about the technology, as well as more transparency and oversight from forest authorities, and sensitive training for local workers.

    “A lot of that can be done by conservation organisations that — in the first instance — introduced these technologies to the government,” Sim added.

      Rosaleen Duffy, a conservation expert at Sheffield University in the UK, told AFP that “sadly” she was not surprised by this research.

   “What surprises me is conservationists who imagine that technologies can be introduced and used in a social, political and economic vacuum,” she said.

    “The cases in this research are not accidental,” Duffy pointed out. “They were actively using the drones to provide new ways of continuing to harass women.”

         While this technology can be a powerful tool to conserve wildlife, “there must be clear rules for what they can and cannot be used for, and clear consequences for anyone misusing them”, she added.

Pakistan, Belarus FMs reaffirm commitment to promote mutually beneficial cooperation

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Pakistan, Belarus FMs reaffirm commitment to promote mutually beneficial cooperation

ISLAMABAD, Nov 25 (DNA): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Monday met his Belarusian counterpart Maxim Ryzhenkov here, wherein two sides underlined the importance of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to promote mutually beneficial cooperation.

In the meeting, the two foreign ministers discussed bilateral and regional issues and the agenda and the programme of the visit of President Lukashenko to Pakistan, who is scheduled to arrive here later in the day, according to a Foreign Office press release.

The two sides expressed satisfaction over the momentum of bilateral exchanges and high-level visits between Pakistan and Belarus and expressed the hope that President Lukashenko’s visit would further boost bilateral relations.

The ministers also discussed key regional and global developments, including the situation in the Middle East. They expressed their support for a peaceful resolution of conflicts and underlined the need for a coordinated approach to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The two sides emphasized the importance of enhanced cooperation in international and regional organizations to advance mutual interest and jointly address global challenges.

KP govt delegation succeeds in ceasefire agreement in Kurram

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KP govt delegation succeeds in ceasefire agreement in Kurram

PESHAWAR, Nov 25 (APP): A delegation formed by the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Kurram situation has successfully concluded a two-day visit to the district to assess the situation and managed to implement a seven-day ceasefire agreement between the two sides.

Upon its return to Peshawar, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations, Muhammad Ali Saif, announced that both parties have agreed to a seven-day ceasefire accord.

He stated that an understanding was reached regarding the exchange of prisoners and deceased individuals.

The delegation, during its visit, held separate meetings with representatives of Shia and Sunni communities, emphasizing that this development marked significant progress toward resolving the issues.

Saif said that the KP government was taking pragmatic measures to defuse tensions in the district.

He said in the first phase the delegation played a crucial role in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides, prisoner exchanges, and a dignified handing over of dead bodies, adding that the two sides agreed on all the conditions.

Saif reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to restoring peace and stability in Kurram and described the delegation’s efforts as a significant step toward long-term resolution.

Dar-Ryzhenkov meeting sets stage for Belarus President’s Pakistan visit

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Dar-Ryzhenkov meeting sets stage for Belarus President's Pakistan visit

ISLAMABAD, NOV 25: /DNA/ – Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar welcomed the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Belarus, Maxim Ryzhenkov, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.
 
Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister Dar and Foreign Minister Ryzhenkov discussed bilateral and regional issues and the agenda and the programme of the visit of President Lukashenko to Pakistan. They underlined the importance of Pakistan-Belarus relations and reaffirmed commitment to promote mutually beneficial cooperation.
 
The two sides expressed satisfaction at the momentum of bilateral exchanges and high level visits between Pakistan and Belarus and expressed the hope that President Lukashenko’s visit will further boost bilateral relations.
 
The Ministers also discussed key regional and global developments, including the situation in the Middle East. They expressed their support for peaceful resolution of conflicts and underlined the need for a coordinated approach to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
 
The two sides emphasized the importance of enhanced cooperation in international and regional organizations to advance mutual interest and to jointly address global challenges.

The Controversial IPPs: Will There Ever Be Accountability?  

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The Controversial IPPs: Will There Ever Be Accountability?  

Naira Eshaal

There is an increase in the rise of electricity prices every new day. There are many families who are looting and plundering the people day in and day out. The per unit price of electric units has exceeded Rupees 70. The issue of electricity prices creates a panic in the hearts and minds of the people. There is more than 43,000 Megawatts installed power generation capacity in Pakistan. 28,811-Megawatt electricity is generated from thermal sources while 10635 Megawatt is produced from water sources, 1838MW is produced from wind. 360-Megawatt electricity is produced from nuclear sources.

822 Mega Watt is produced from solar energy. Half of the electricity is produced by IPPs and according to some analysts these IPPs are the actual apple of discord. Even some experts draw an analogy of these plants with the East Indian Company. Just like East India Company had established its foot in like manner these proved to be the blood suckers for Pakistan’s economy. There are 42 IPPs in Pakistan. All these are thermal facilities.

The first company was Hub Power Company. According to the agreement it was said that Pakistan whether buys electricity or not, as per power capacity of the plant the Government of Pakistan will pay to the owner asper dollar rate. In the coming days whatever agreements were carried out with the IPPs, Per Unit and capacity payment burden went on increasing. The circular debt in the energy sector exceeded 5.422 trillion rupees and the capacity payment to IPPs have crossed Rs 2.25 trillion. Many families own these power plants. On one side is the fact that most of them have an involvement in politics and on the other side is the miserable condition of the masses of Pakistan.

Machinery and fuels are getting expensive. 34 crore units are provided free to the government employees annually in Pakistan. Much of the electric theft is there. Many rich people and industrialists are involved in these. KESC which is often regarded as a success story, one must not forget that the actual subsidy to KESC by the government has crossed Rs 193 billion.

Often the people are protesting against this because eventually this all leads to exorbitant electric prices. Industries are getting closed because of expensive electricity. Domestic use and industrial use of electricity has also seen a decline. The government is facing a great crisis in paying to these IPPs. The rapid rise of solar energy by domestic, agricultural consumers and the people involved in industry is a direct response to the expensive electricity.

It also tells upon the broader global shift towards renewable energy resources. Among renewables solar amounted to 3.2 percent of the generation mix. The Thar Coal project has been lingering on for so many years. In such situations it is no wonder that Hub power company has said that in Pakistan the use of electricity is getting lesser and lesser. According to HUBCO in 2023 electricity use witnessed a reduction to the tune of one sixth. Now HUBCO will make one fifth of its total capacity but it will get the payment to its maximum capacity as per agreements.

 There were wrong policies in Pakistan coupled with poor governance and mismanagement. No one thinks in the collective interest of Pakistan. Individual interests have been pervasive. The result is that such fallacious agreements are drafted which only benefit their owners and the loss is borne by the people. However, since these agreements are backed by the sovereign guarantees and now if the government terminates them then no international company will come in Pakistan in future and there will be a loss of credibility.

 In comparison to Vietnam and Bangladesh in every plant in Pakistan there was over invoicing to the tune of 4times as compared to the wind plants there as regards their capacity. These plants mostly operated on thermal plants despite the fact that Pakistan had vast coal reserves. It led to a strange vicious circle. Today all know that these IPPs did not produce the electricity as per their optimum capacity. The maintenance and insurance has been borne by the government of Pakistan.

 These IPPs received huge subsidies and 1.217 trillion rupees tax relief was given to these plants from the mid-1990s till 2024.Keeping in view all these facts it is evident that such a colossal loss these IPPs caused to the economy of Pakistan. The licenses in their agreement reveal that capacity payment is dependable. The government of Pakistan can audit this capacity. The plants which have been operative since 1994, their audit must be done., These power plants can be retired early also paying them their arrears. In some way the demand for electricity can be increased by installing more and more industry. Businesses are getting closed in our country because of high dollar rates and tedious and prolonged procedures.

The government should give people facilities to start their business and install production houses and factories. The question arises that the Five IPPs which are going to be closed, with the combined capacity of 2400 Megawatts, will there be some recovery of the money they received in the name of maintenance, purchase of fuel and tax relief. Or in the name of national interest all will be forgiven and forgotten?

Zimbabwe humiliate Pakistan under DLS method

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Zimbabwe humiliate Pakistan under DLS method

Bulawayo, NOV 24: Veteran All-round Sikandar Raza Butt powered Zimbabwe to 80-run victory under DLS method against Pakistan in the rain-hit ODI series opener at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.

Pakistan were in all sorts of trouble against hosts Zimbabwe in the first ODI and could only reach 60-6 in 21 overs, before rain had started.

Chasing a 206-run target, the Green Shirts were struggling to gain momentum against the Zimbabwe bowlers. Kamran Ghulam (17), Saim Ayub (11), Irfan (7) Salman Ali Agha (4) Abdullah Shafique (1), Haseebullah Khan failed to show any significant resistance with the bat.

Before the rain delayed the match, Rizwan (19 off 43) and Jamal (0 off 5) were on the wicket.

Zimbabwe bowlers were outstanding with the ball and did not provide the Pakistani batters any room whatsoever.

The experienced names, Sikandar Raza, Blessing Muzarabani, and Sean Williams, picked up two wickets apiece.

Earlier, after inviting the hosts to bat first, the Men in Green were on top with the bowl as Zimbabwe was seven down for 125.

But it was the valuable partnership stitched by Sikandar Raza Butt and Richard Ngarava, plundering 62 off 69, which provided impetus to Zimbabwe’s innings.

Zimbabwe was bundled out for 205 inside 41 overs.

For Pakistan, debutant Faisal Akram (3-24) bowled beautifully, picking up three wickets.

Salman Ali Agha (3-42) also picked up three wickets.

Haris Rauf (1-36), Aamer Jamal (1-42), and Mohammad Hasnain (1-43) took a scalp each.

Pakistan will look to bounce back in the 2nd ODI against Zimbabwe, slated to be happen on Tuesday.

Belarusian ministerial team arrives ahead of President’s visit

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Belarusian ministerial team arrives ahead of President's visit

ISLAMABAD, NOV 24 /DNA/ – On the eve of the visit of the President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko, a Ministerial delegation of Belarus led by Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov arrived in Islamabad today. They were welcomed at the airport by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe) Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Belarus, Sajjad Haider Khan.

Pakistan in doldrums against Zimbabwe before rain delayed match

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Pakistan in doldrums against Zimbabwe before rain delayed match

Bulawayo, NOV 24: Pakistan were in all sorts of trouble against hosts Zimbabwe in the first ODI at the Queen Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.

Chasing a 206-run target, the Green Shirts were struggling to gain momentum against the Zimbabwe bowlers. Kamran Ghulam (17), Saim Ayub (11), Irfan (7) Salman Ali Agha (4) Abdullah Shafique (1), Haseebullah Khan failed to show any significant resistance with the bat.

Before the rain delayed the match, Rizwan (19 off 43) and Jamal (0 off 5) were on the wicket.

Zimbabwe bowlers were outstanding with the ball and did not provide the Pakistani batters any room whatsoever.

The experienced names, Sikandar Raza, Blessing Muzarabani, and Sean Williams, picked up two wickets apiece.

Earlier, after inviting the hosts to bat first, the Men in Green were on top with the bowl as Zimbabwe was seven down for 125.

But it was the valuable partnership stitched by Sikandar Raza Butt and Richard Ngarava, plundering 62 off 69, which provided impetus to Zimbabwe’s innings.

Zimbabwe was bundled out for 205 inside 41 overs.

For Pakistan, debutant Faisal Akram (3-24) bowled beautifully, picking up three wickets.

Salman Ali Agha (3-42) also picked up three wickets.

Haris Rauf (1-36), Aamer Jamal (1-42), and Mohammad Hasnain (1-43) took a scalp each.

Verstappen wins fourth consecutive Formula One world title

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Verstappen wins fourth consecutive Formula One world title

Max Verstappen claimed a fourth consecutive Formula One world title under the lights of the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Dutchman came home in fifth place in a race won by George Russell of Mercedes as he became just the sixth man after Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost to claim four championships.

McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was Verstappen’s only title rival, finished in sixth place.

“Oh my god what a season, four times, thank you guys,” Verstappen told his Red Bull team on the radio.

“It’s a little more difficult than last year, but we pulled through. Thank you so much guys.”

Russell came home 7.313 seconds clear of seven-time champion and Mercedes teammate Hamilton, who had started from 10th on the grid.

The Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were third and fourth respectively.

Norris, in sixth, was 43 seconds adrift ahead of McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.

Nico Hulkenberg was eighth for Haas ahead of RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull.

Norris, who needed to outscore Verstappen by three points to keep his title hopes alive, took an extra point for the fastest lap, but his challenge was over.

On a dry, windy and milder night in the Nevada desert, the air and track temperature was 18 degrees as Russell made a perfect start from his fourth pole position to lead with Leclerc, from fourth, leaping to second off the grid.

Everyone except Fernando Alonso started on mediums, the Spaniard taking softs that lasted only four laps while, at the front, Leclerc made an early bid to pass Russell and Verstappen swept by Pierre Gasly for fourth.

Slithered in pursuit
The Dutchman, looking imperious, made more progress on lap nine by passing Leclerc for third as Norris overtook Gasly for fifth while Hamilton moved up to eighth.

Piastri was given a five-second penalty for a false start, from outside his grid box, as Sainz, Leclerc and Norris pitted for hards, followed by Verstappen and Russell on lap 12.

Hamilton profited from the frantic action to lead the race for a lap before the order settled with Russell leading ahead of Perez, who made an early stop, and Verstappen.

On lap 15, Perez waved Verstappen through to second behind Russell and Gasly retired with engine failure in his Alpine.

Hamilton, showing great speed, climbed to fifth by lap 20 behind the two Ferraris, leaving Norris struggling in sixth.

“The front right looks like it is about to go any lap,” reported Norris.

His title dream, like his tyres, appeared to be evaporating as McLaren slithered in pursuit, unable to find any grip.

By half-distance, Russell led Verstappen by 11 seconds with Sainz, complaining about his tyres, third ahead of Leclerc and Hamilton before, on lap 28, both multiple champions pitted.

Hamilton was hampered by Sainz, crossing in and out of the pit lane as Ferrari ordered him to stay out and swap places with Leclerrc. The Spaniard pitted a lap later, falling to sixth.

All this saw Norris rise to third before he pitted again on lap 31 falling to seventh while Hamilton, in the mood, cruised past Verstappen for second behind Russell.

Irked by suggestions that his “shelf life” was ending, Hamilton, on older tyres, trimmed Russell’s lead from 11 seconds to six in five vintage laps.

Verstappen, concentrating on the big prize, was passed by Sainz but kept Leclerc behind him with Norris 10 seconds adrift in sixth until lap 47 when the Monegasque passed him for fourth.

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