ISLAMABAD: Amid question marks over countrywide uniform electricity tariff and more than Rs65 billion annual extra payments to independent power producers (IPPs), the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has become legally dysfunctional in the absence of majority of its members.

On Friday (Nov 23), the term-in-office of Nepra Chairman Tariq Saddozai expired when the regulator was already short of two members from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Thus, Nepra lost its mandatory three-member quorum required to take decisions. Currently, it has only two members — from Punjab and Balochistan — in the five-member authority.

This comes on the heels of a public hearing scheduled for Monday (today) at the request of the power division seeking uniform application of consumer tariff approved by the government last month, with Rs1.27 per unit average increase. The tariff hike approved by the Economic Coordination Committee of the federal cabinet could not have been notified so far due to legal complications, creating around Rs1bn financial gap for power distribution companies (Discos).

Public hearing scheduled for today on uniform application of consumer tariff approved by government last month

Secondly, Nepra was in the process of lowering returns on investment and return to the IPPs of all fuels when it was told last week that the successive governments since 2005 had been paying $485 million undue returns to the power producers on account of double accounting of exchange risk cover. The regulator could not reach a conclusion after it lost the quorum.

Sindh and KP have nominated their members to Nepra about three weeks ago, but senior officials of the power and cabinet divisions have failed to seek their approval from the cabinet that has met four times since then, according to informed sources.

They said Nepra had also twice reminded the cabinet and power divisions about the looming vacancy of the post of the chairman and the resultant quorum issue, with the request to initiate the process for appointment of a new chairman or extend the tenure of Mr Saddozai to address legal lacunae, but in vain.

Interestingly, the Sindh government has nominated Rafique Shaikh, a general manager of K-Electric, as its member to the regulator without declaring his conflict of interest. The KP has nominated Arbab Mohammad Arif, currently posted as registrar Supreme Court of Pakistan. Both, the nominations are pending approval.

The sources said the government might give a few additional days to Mr Saddozai on Monday to secure quorum, but this move would be questionable.

They said two senior officials of the power division had convinced outgoing chairman Saddozai to admit the request for uniform tariff even though there was conflict of opinion whether or not such a request was permissible under the amended Nepra act. However, no presiding officer was nominated by the former chairman to preside over the public hearing, creating a legal gap.

It was, however, opined that even if one of the two remaining members could preside over the hearing, the legal authority to reach any conclusion on the subject could only be made by a minimum of three members or two members and a chairman, and no less.

Four other shortcomings have also been highlighted by the regulator. All 10 Discos have different shareholding patterns, varying from federal government to employees of Discos. Therefore, a uniform request by the power division does not merit for a uniform tariff decision under the amended act.

Also, the government has filed the request claiming public interest, but it has also been underscored that all companies have individual tariffs, including an average Rs9per unit for Islamabad and Rs22 per unit for the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company. In this case, a uniform rate may be considered in public interest of Hesco consumers, but against the interests of Islamabad-based consumers.

Since all distribution companies are not separate licence-holders, the federal government cannot seek a review for uniform rates when the regulator has already determined consumer tariff for all Discos separately.

At a consultative session on reduction of returns to power sector investors, KRAFRAC Consulting reported that returns allowed to power sector companies in Pakistan were “indeed high” and several incentives (offered there) are not available in other countries. “The most important reason (for high returns) is the double counting of compensation for expected exchange rate movement,” says a position paper released by the regulator.

It was reported that Nepra allowed rates of return with implied compensation for any adverse currency exchange rate movement, but the then government in 2004-05 issued instructions to “allow all investors a separate coverage” for the exchange rate losses, causing a “windfall return” at an additional average of 4.85pc per year without any additional risk to investors.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

SUKKUR: Chief of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that acquittal of Aasia Bibi indicates that the country has still not got freedom.

Speaking at a public meeting on Sunday, he said the decision was imposed to please western countries.

He alleged that the current rulers were servants of the United States and Europe, instead of the people of Pakistan, but “we will not allow them to make Pakistan an American colony at any cost”.

He condemned the arrest of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan activists.

Maulana Asadullah Bhutto of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Allama Nazir Abbas Naqvi of the Shia Ulema Council, Awais Noorani of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Rashid Mehmood Soomro and others also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

QUETTA: Provincial Health Minister Mir Naseebullah Marri has declared nutrition emergency in Balochistan and said the provincial government planned to expand its campaign for combating malnutrition, being conducted in seven districts, to other parts of the province.

He expressed these views while talking to the media after an annual progress review meeting of the Balochistan Nutrition Programme for Mothers and Children (BNPMC).

He praised BNPMC manager Dr Amin Khan Mandokhail for his dedication to serving the poor.

He said the Balochistan government might work in collaboration with the federal government, UN agencies and NGOs to address malnutrition among the lower strata of society.

Highlighting the severity of the problem, Mr Marri said the challenge facing the province was enormous, adding that under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Balochistan government would make all its possible efforts to resolve the issue of malnutrition and stunting.

However, he said, technical and financial support was needed from the Centre, as well as development partners.

Fight against malnutrition and disease affecting the heath of mothers and children was his government’s motto, he added.

The progress review meeting was attended by Director General of Health Services Dr Shakir Ali Baloch, BNPMC provincial coordinator Dr Amin Khan Mandokhail, representatives of Unicef and WHO and relevant stakeholders.

The participants regretted that 2011 Balochistan figures portrayed a dismal picture in which 40 per cent of children under five years are underweight, 52pc stunted, 61pc have Vitamin-A deficiency (maternal) and 74pc Vitamin-A deficiency (child), 49pc Anemia (maternal) and 57pc Anemia (child). They said that the recent wave of drought and water unavailability had increased the ratio of poverty disparity in the far-flung areas of the province where majority of population was food insecure.

It is critical to expand and improve the nutritional status of children under five years and that of pregnant and lactating women by improving the coverage of effective nutrition interventions with a priority focus on malnourished among the poor and other disadvantaged, including women, nutritionally vulnerable groups, ethnic and religious minorities, and socially marginalised occupational and settler groups in all districts of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: As the World Bank once again extended the deadline for Dasu hydropower project funds utilisation, the government has finally managed to convince most of the project affectees to surrender their lands to facilitate the launch of main civil works without further delay, it emerged on Sunday.

Officials privy to the development said that a majority of the landowners gave an undertaking to a Hazara division commissioner-led committee that they would not demand an increase in compensation amount and for change of land category in future.

Located on the Indus River, some 240km upstream from Tarbela dam, in the Kohistan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the 4,320MW Dasu hydropower project is being funded by the World Bank. For a third time, the deadline for utilisation of the project funds, which were approved in 2014, has been extended by a year due to slow progress attributed mainly to the issue of land acquisition.

“During ongoing extensive efforts, the teams formed by the committee held a series of meetings with the landowners / affectees by involving local politicians and notables. At the meetings, most of the participants were unanimous that there were some lacunas in the process initiated in the past to acquire land for the project. However, the teams noted their current demands and asked them to submit in writing on stamp papers with the undertaking that they wouldn’t demand more in future,” a senior official told Dawn. He added that a majority of the landowners handed over the affidavits to the committee members.

World Bank deadline for use of funds extended by one year

The official explained that a comprehensive report would be submitted to a steering committee that would finally forward the same to the federal government. It would be up to the federal government to accept the demands, approve and release funds in this regard.

The committee constituted over two weeks ago had been asked to compile and submit a report about the meetings, affectees’ demands, financial impact (in case of acceptance of demands) and recommendations within 15 days or so. However, it may take another month to file the report as it is currently looking into legal issues under the land acquisition act, powers conferred to the government officers under the law for resolving such issues, executives’ jurisdiction, limits of the project steering committee, award of compensation to the affectees etc.

“The situation is improving gradually, as the teams have succeeded in convincing many affectees. You can say that there are positive signs related to land acquisition,” added the official while requesting anonymity.

Another official said Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) actually needed a total of 9,875 acres for the entire project. Of this, he said, it urgently required around 1,987 acres for civil works and a colony, while the remaining 7,888 acres were needed for the reservoir and other purposes.

While 740 acres of the total 1,987-acre priority land had been acquired last year, he said, adding that the committee managed to receive undertakings from the landowners for the acquisition of most of the remaining 1,247 acres.

He said the committee played a leading role in resolving the land acquisition issue. “Hopefully, the ongoing efforts would bear fruits, as Wapda will soon get the land it requires for the project with immediate effect,” he said.

In view of the delay in start of works, the World Bank recently extended the deadline for utilisation of funds, approved in 2014. This will be the third one-year extension till Nov 20, 2019 through an amendment to the financing agreement between Pakistan and the World Bank.

The total financing of the bank is $588.44 million and an IDA guarantee of $460m with IDA allocation of about $115m.

According to a WB report, only 5.6pc of the allocation has been disbursed. It stated that land acquisition had still only reached 740 acres out of the 1,987 acres required for the construction.

The report stated that frequent interruption of work by project affectees delayed payments by Wapda to revenue staff and to project affectees. Other factors, it added, including lack of control on illegal construction, poor safety management by contractors and consultants as well as delayed decisions by Wapda on procurement or contract management contributed to slow progress on land acquisition.

A WB mission recently agreed to a number of short-term actions to expedite land acquisition and project implementation. These actions were discussed and agreed upon at the project steering committee meeting, which was jointly chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and federal minister for water resources earlier this month, and also at a wrap-up meeting with Wapda and the ministry of water resources on Nov 12.

According to the report, the government requested the World Bank to extend the deadline for utilisation of funds till Nov 20, 2019, and reconstituted the project steering committee with federal minister as its chair.

Despite these issues, the report stated some important progress on the project was observed with the access roads reaching the main colony area and the 132kv grid station. The contract for the construction of the colony has been signed, while access roads to diversion tunnels are complete and the main batching plant has been set up.

Excavation work for diversion tunnel, critical path activity, was also expected to start, but any further delay in land acquisition would result in a corresponding delay in commissioning of the first phase of Dasu hydropower project, the report pointed out.

While the total size of the project is 4,320MW, due to capital constraints faced by the government and Wapda, the project was proposed to be developed in two stages each further divided into two phases of 1,080MW.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council has condemned “in the strongest terms” Friday’s terrorist attacks in Karachi and Orakzai tribal district.

In a press statement, the Security Council expressed appreciation for the swift response by Pakistani authorities.

The Council members stressed that “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” constituted one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

“Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed,” they said, underscoring the need to hold the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorist acts accountable.

The Council called upon all UN member states to cooperate for this purpose.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Aitzaz Ahsan said on Sunday that Nawaz Sharif might get jail term because of ‘flawed’ defence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

“Nawaz Sharif as prime minister had given a ‘confessional’ statement on the floor of the house (National Assembly) regarding his family’s assets and businesses abroad. And now he’s confessing [in the accountability court seized with the assets-beyond-means case] that he’d told a lie in the house by seeking immunity from prosecution under Article 66 for his speech instead of denying his statement,” Mr Ahsan told the media at a reception here on Sunday.

Article 66 of the Constitution provides immunity to member(s) of parliament from court proceedings for anything said or any vote given there.

PPP leader terms PTI government’s 100-day plan clamour for diverting public attention from real issues

A constitutional expert, Mr Ahsan claimed that the immunity under Article 66 was not available for telling lies in the house. Questioning legal abilities of Mr Sharif’s counsel, he wondered at the soundness of the legal advice being given to the client as, according to him, the former prime minister had been given a flawed advice in the Qatari prince’s letter issue too.

Clarifying that he would not be happy to see anyone go behind bars, he however predicted that going by the legal merits Mr Sharif was set to be imprisoned on the basis of the ‘confessions’.

Mr Ahsan alleged that former NAB chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry had attempted to rescue the ex-ruling family by distorting many facts in the references which, otherwise, were very simple to be adjudicated.

Responding to a question about the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government’s 100-day plan, the PPP leader said it was just the clamour for diverting public attention from real issues as no government could give worthwhile results within this short time.

He explained that the kind of projects announced by the PTI government were practicable in a society where the presidential system of governance was in vogue as the president there was empowered to take certain administrative steps without getting support of parliament. But, he said, in the case of Pakistan where parliamentary system was in practice, the incumbent government would not be able to do anything because it didn’t enjoy majority in the Senate.

Mr Ahsan said the PTI’s claims related to ‘change’ were far from reality as it was incapable of bringing any change. He said the PTI government was now facing embarrassment as its “bragging” on multiple issues was being exposed one after another. “The PTI must not have boasted of its likely exaggerated performance after coming to power,” he added.

At the same reception, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Tehmina Daultana said the Sharif family and the PML-N were in troubled waters, but referring to Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam’s conspicuous silence, she clarified that “the silence doesn’t mean we’ve accepted defeat”, a hint to the duo’s stance on supremacy of the civilian government. “We’re observing the situation and giving time to the PTI but without compromising our stance,” she said.

Responding to the PPP leader’s assertions, Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan of the PTI said he respected Mr Ahsan as his elder but the lawyer seemed to be politically and mentally disturbed because of [a case against] PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

A joint investigation team is probing Mr Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur’s alleged money laundering through fake bank accounts.

The PTI leader said Mr Ahsan was pointing his anger towards a wrong target.

About criticism of the PTI’s 100-day plan by both the PPP and PML-N, he claimed that his party’s 100-day governance was better than 50,000 days’ rule of the two parties because “the people are seeing that the government’s direction is right at prosperity, austerity and good governance fronts”.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday chaired a meeting of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) and took important decisions to revive the crippling economy and overcome poverty.

The meeting approved a grant of Rs5 billion for Prime Minister’s Naya Pakistan Housing Programme (NPHP). It also accorded approval to utilisation of $40 million for poverty alleviation.

The money is already available under the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (IFAD) 40-year zero per cent loan arrangement.

IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialised agency of the United Nations.

Talking to Dawn, a participant of the meeting said the prime minister had approved a grant of Rs5bn for the NPHP and it was decided that $40m loan, available under the last year’s IFAD programme, would be spent for overcoming poverty in the country.

Economic Advisory Council okays utilisation of $40m IFAD fund

The EAC meeting, held at the prime minister’s Banigala residence, approved policy recommendations for a medium-term structural reforms framework for the economy. It also approved a social protection framework for vulnerable segments of society.

The framework is aimed at overcoming the challenges of poverty, health, stunted growth and education and enabling the youth to realise their potential and extricate themselves from generational poverty traps.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance Asad Umar, Minister for Planning Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, PM’s adviser Dr Ishrat Hussain, State Bank Governor Tariq Bajwa, Finance Secretary Arif Ahmad Khan, former SBP governor Syed Saleem Raza, Professor Dr Naved Hamid of Lahore School of Economics, economist Sakib Sherani, LUMS Associate Professor Dr Faisal Bari, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics Vice Chancellor Dr Asad Zaman, Sustainable Development Policy Institute Executive Director Dr Abid Qayyum Sulehri, Adviser/Executive Director General (IERU) Dr Khaqan Hassan Najeeb and other senior officials.

The meeting was briefed on policy recommendations for mobilising finance for development, increasing exports, strengthening small and medium enterprises (SMEs), carrying out tax reforms, job creation impact of major policy actions and social protection priorities in the light of deliberated proposals of the EAC working groups.

The policy recommendations were finalised to focus on acceleration of under-utilised areas, including agriculture, housing, SMEs in terms of incentives, reliance on export-oriented and labour-intensive growth, reversal of anti-export bias, enhanced system automation and use of technology, transparency in trade regime, facilitating importers, job creation through skill development, ease of doing business through business-friendly environment while focusing on productivity and moving on technology sophistication.

Prime Minister Khan said the finalisation of these policies was essential for laying foundation of a sustainable, inclusive, job creating and export-oriented economic growth strategy as part of the government’s 100-day plan.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

QUETTA: A few days after Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo reportedly threatened to resign over his differences with Chief Minister Mir Jam Kamal Khan Alyani, senior leaders of the ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) in the province have begun efforts to resolve issues within the party.

A meeting between Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, CM Alyani, Speaker Bizenjo and other leaders of the party on Sunday decided to form a committee to look into the matter.

According to sources, Mr Sanjrani has assured Mr Bizenjo that his reservations will be removed.

Mr Bizenjo, who is former chief minister of Balochistan, reportedly said a few days ago that he was being left out of the decision-making process in the province and that he had decided to resign from his position.

His statement stirred a political controversy in the province, forcing the BAP’s senior leadership to discuss the issue.

The sources said that Mr Sanjrani had made it clear that Speaker Bizenjo would not resign and that the differences between the ruling party’s leaders would be removed through negotiations.

Mr Sanjrani said the speaker would continue to play his role for development of the province.

The sources said the Senate chairman had rejected the impression that there were groups in BAP and said the differences between the party’s leaders were only on working procedure.

He said all leaders of the BAP were committed to development of Balochistan.

They said CM Alyani had also assured Mr Bizenjo that his reservation would be removed.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Bizenjo said Mr Sanjrani would head the committee formed to resolve issues of the ruling party in the province.

He said negotiations would continue and another meeting in this regards would be held within two days.

Mr Bizenjo said that “we are tribal people and our relationship is based on mutual respect”.

The meeting held at the residence of Saeed Hasmi was also attended by Mr Hasmi, Manzoor Kakar and Mir Sarfraz Bugti.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

SIALKOT: District Police Officer (DPO) Abdul Ghaffar Qaisarani has suspended from service Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Tariq Mehmood of Qila Kalarwala police for allegedly dragging three women out of their house with their hair and torturing them for not producing a wanted proclaimed offender (PO) to police.

CCTV footage of the incident went viral on social media and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Amjad Javed Saleemi had taken notice of it.

A police team from Qila Kalarwala police station in Pasrur tehsil, led by the suspected ASI, raided a house in Dheera Sandha village to arrest the PO, but was unable to find him. The team forced their entry into the house and dragged out three women of a family from their hair, beating and abusing them, while the entire incident was captured by CCTV cameras.

Crimes Investigation Agency Deputy Superintendent of Police Sheikh Shahid Ikram conducted an inquiry and found the suspected police team guilty. The DPO also ordered strict departmental action against the suspended ASI.

HOUSING PROJECT: Provincial Minister for Auqaf Syed Saeedul Hassan Shah has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme was yielding encouraging results in the province, adding that the project would soon be launched in other provinces.

He claimed that the project was receiving a very positive response from the masses.

Addressing party workers here on Sunday, the minister said that the construction of houses would be ensured as per local culture of all provinces on the available state land, which would also reduce the cost of construction. The Punjab government had so far included one million kanals of state land in the ‘land bank’ across Punjab for the scheme.

He further said that the government would start construction of the houses in Lodhran, Chishtian and Okara during this year.

SECURITY: The RPO also visited the site of the proposed Kartarpur Corridor on Sunday and reviewed security measures ahead of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the corridor on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: Despite a protest call by a religious group at Faizabad on Sunday, the twin cities remained open throughout the day.

Moreover, a number of events were organised as scheduled in Islamabad, including a Meena Bazaar by the Pakistan Foreign Office Women’s Association (PFOWA) in which a number of embassies established stalls.

After the protest call by Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), containers were placed on greenbelts near the entry points of the capital but no road was closed.

Roads in twin cities remain open, events held as scheduled with no report of untoward incident

The TLP had planned the protest in connection with the death anniversary of those killed during its sit-in at Faizabad on Nov 25 last year. It had also demanded placing the name of Aasia Bibi on the Exit Control List (ECL).

However, a crackdown was launched against activists of religio-political parties before the protest during which a large number of people were arrested under Section III of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance. Even TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi was taken into custody.

An official of the district administration, requesting anonymity, said there were three main reasons – strategic, operational and tactical – that made it possible to keep the situation under control.

“Last year, it had become impossible to stop the protesters who held a sit-in at Faizabad and finally the matter was resolved after the resignation of the then federal law minister. However, this time the major benefit at the strategic level was that all institutions/stakeholders decided that they would not tolerate protesters and road blockades,” he said.

“Besides, no court gave stay in favour of the protesters to force us to hold negotiations with them, and no institution was in favour of the protest. This time we also got favour at the operation level. In the past the Punjab police allowed protesters to enter the capital to avoid law and order issue in the province. This time almost 2,000 people were arrested in Punjab.”

The official said in the past the administration took reactive steps after the arrival of protesters but this time an operation was launched four days before their arrival.

“Not only heavy deployment was made in advance but it was also made sure that no one would support the protesters. We directed all catering dealers not to provide food to the protesters. Seminaries were also told that their students should not participate in the protest. Moreover, we did not allow anyone from Islamabad to move to Liaquat Bagh due to which protesters could not gather at Faizabad or Liaquat Bagh,” he said.

Another senior officer of the district administration said a decision was taken to ensure that panic would not be created in the capital.

“In the past, it was a routine to block roads and suspend mobile phone and internet services but this time we decided that routine life would not be affected. Despite the protest call, we decided that the event of PFOWA should be held. Another event ‘Islamabad Eat’ was held at the Convention Centre and a large number of families participated in it.”

In the afternoon, the acting chief of TLP Shafique Amini announced to call off the protest. He said in consultation with TLP’s executive body it had been decided not to hold a protest. He demanded that in response the government should release the detained workers.

122 activists held in Rawalpindi

At least 122 TLP workers were rounded up after they scuffled with the police in different parts of the city. The number of people picked up by the police so far has increased to 450.

In addition, 82 activists were held in Jhelum, 57 in Attock and 14 in Chakwal as raids were underway in different areas.

Police used sticks and batons to disperse the TLP slogan-chanting workers who attempted to gather at Liaquat Bagh Chowk to block roads. Some of the activists were carrying stones and attempted to create law and order situation but riot police assisted by the Rangers foiled their attempt.

For some time the TLP workers were allowed to chant slogans near the DAV College Chowk but later the police started forcing them to disperse. Police in plainclothes as well as in uniform caught some of the activists one by one and bundled them into police vans.

Since the TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi was taken into ‘protective custody’, more than 425 workers were arrested in different cases during a crackdown across the Rawalpindi district. The crackdown was intensified ahead of the protest scheduled on Sunday in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

A majority of the TLP workers and activists rounded up by police were shifted to the Waris Khan police station. Of the 61 individuals picked by the police were shifted to Adiala jail on detention orders. However, the fate of 30 activists was yet to be decided as the police were preparing to register an FIR against them to arrest them formally.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has sought a complete report about the memorandum of understanding signed with certain non-governmental organisations to provide training to police officers.

The SHC also said that the report must contain complete details, including funds utilised by the department concerned as well as the amount paid to the NGOs and others and material provided to the officers who have been trained.

Justice Salahuddin Panhwar of the SHC said that these directions be communicated to the chief secretary of Sindh, the home secretary and the provincial police officer for compliance and to come up in court on Dec 18.

In October, the bench had directed the authorities concerned that since criminals were getting advanced, investigators should not only be aware of latest techniques/developments in securing evidence, but officers must also be equipped with necessary skills and use of such devices.

In compliance, a report on behalf of the provincial police officer was submitted about the steps taken to train the officers of the Sindh police.

The report said that training of trainers and advance courses were being conducted since 2011 in collaboration with NGOs while training programmes were also prepared by retired Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid to revamp the Sindh police.

Besides other training and enhancing professional expertise programmes, the basic investigation handbook had been made a compulsory part of police training syllabus in investigation while MoUs were also signed for this purpose, the report added.

After examining the report, the bench observed that things were required to be mechanised so as to show purposes of MoUs.

The police report made an impression that the Sindh police had already been equipping its officials with latest ways of investigation, therefore, the bench said that it would be necessary to have details of those programmes.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

RAWALPINDI: The number of child abuse cases (sexual offences against children under 10 years) reported to the police in Punjab till September this year stood at 1,109, worrying the police who have been directed by the government to treat the accused persons in such cases like those placed on the watch list of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

Anyone included in the watch list have to inform the respective police before leaving his hometown and upon his return.

The case record of all accused involved in child abuse cases - either in prison or released - should be kept with the concerned police station and compiled at the district headquarters level.

As many as 1,109 cases of sexual offences against children under 10 years reported to police in Punjab till September

Police have also been directed to seek a surety bond from such accused for their conduct.

Under the ATA 1997, every individual placed on the watch list or the fourth schedule is bound to inform the police before leaving their permanent resident and upon return. Surety bonds are also sought from such individuals for their peaceful conduct.

Police have also been directed to get help from Special Branch to carry out raids on bookshops, internet café and mobile phone shops selling obnoxious materials, naked pictures of child and videos. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Amjad Javeed Saleemi directed the police across the province to clearly mention ‘conviction in child abuse case’ if there had been any and also write down the reference of the child abuse case registered against any individual if the latter seeks a character certificate from the police.

The senior superintendent of police (SSP) or the superintendent of police (SP) investigation of every district will be the focal person for the investigation of child sexual abuse cases. Experts of Punjab Forensic Science Agency, who are available at each district, will ensure that all forensic evidences are collected.

The out-of-court settlement of such cases and dependence on only verbal evidence will be discouraged. If a mobile phone or any other electronic device is recovered from a suspect arrested in a child abuse case, it will be sent to the forensic science laboratory for analysis.

All the investigating officers dealing with such cases should behave politely with the heirs or parents of the victims of such crimes.

A police officer not less than the rank of sub-inspector should be assigned the investigation and attempts should be made with the assistance of prosecutions and judiciary to complete the trial.

During the trial of such cases, security of the victim and witnesses should be ensured.

The IGP directed the police to immediately register an FIR under the relevant section of the law after receiving a complaint about child abuse. And soon after such complaint is received, the victim and the accused, if arrested, should be shifted to hospital for medico-legal examination and details of torture marks and other evidence collected from the scene should be preserved carefully.

The IGP directed the divisional and district police chiefs to chalk out a strategy to check growing menace of child abuse cases.

Sexual abuse is a heinous crime which creates fear and panic in the society and its impact can last a lifetime. In most of the cases, sexual abuse is not reported to the police or prosecuted due to social stigma. Due to unreported abuse of children crimes, the police can’t maintain the figure of such crimes.

The IGP asked the police to chalk out such a strategy under which children could be protected against abuse.

A senior police official told Dawn that two women police officers had been assigned the task to launch an awareness campaign in schools and colleges about exploitation of children.

When District Officer Child Protection Bureau (CPB) Ali Abid Naqvi was contacted, he said the bureau dealt with street children and begging and played a limited role in the protection of victims of sexual offences and torture.

He said the CPBR provided legal and medical aid to the victims of sexual abuse and also took legal custody of torture victims.

“If such cases of child abuse come to our notice, we provide them counseling,” he said, adding checking sexual offences against children was the job of the police.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Russian and Spanish climbers have their gear ready and are waiting to return to Pakistan to attempt what has been proven impossible so far.

According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), three expeditions are expected to arrive in Pakistan to attempt to summit K2, the world’s second highest peak, and Nanga Parbat.

Until 2016, Nanga Parbat and K2 were the only two peaks above 8,000 metres that had never been scaled in winters.

However, two years ago, climbers from Spain and Italy along with Ali Sadpara from Pakistan became the first mountaineers to scale Nanga Parbat, Pakistan’s “Killer Mountain” and the second highest peak after K2, in the winter.

Out of the 14 above 8,000 metres peaks in the world, K2 is the only one that has never been scaled in the winter.

Poles and Russians have continuously attempted to summit the 8,611 metres peak but have had to give up either due to loss of an expedition member or bad weather.

ACP Secretary Karrar Haidri told Dawn that in the winter a lot of things were determined by weather and luck. Several times, teams had the desire and fitness but all roads to the top remained closed because of heavy snow and avalanches.

Some of the climbers describe K2 as the worst place on earth. Others say no one can summit K2 in the winter on their first attempt but chances increase on the second try.

The ACP quoted Russian climber Artem Braun, who is among the 11-member Russian expedition planning to attempt K2 this year, as saying that it was all about weather and luck.

“Since everything is so difficult, you need to follow the classic route. Second, it takes a team of fighters to tackle such a challenge. And considering how many obstacles we’ve had to overcome just to launch this expedition, we are determined to give it 100pc because we will not get a second chance,” the ACP quoted the climber as saying.

Mr Haidri said the winter climbs on 8,000-plus peaks were the biggest sports challenges of modern mountaineering. Nonetheless, climbing K2, which is one of the hardest peaks to scale especially in the winter, is going to be very challenging. He said his office had received applications and forwarded them to security agencies for clearance of the expedition members before the climbing permits were issued.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

TAXILA: Gurdwara Punja Sahib echoed with religious slogans of Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh on Sunday morning as pilgrims from across the world poured into the third most sacred place of Sikh religion in Hassanabdal to celebrate the 549th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Over 3,800 Indian Sikh pilgrims, 148 from United Kingdom, seven from UAE and thousands of Sikh and Hindu devotees from various parts of the country, especially Fata and interior Sindh, arrived at the gurdwara to perform their rituals which include Akhand Path, Ashnan, Matha Teak and Kirtan.

Elaborated security measures were taken in and around the gurdwara where dozens of officials from the security agencies were deployed.

Talking to the media, leader of the Indian pilgrims Marjeet Singh lauded the role of the Pakistani government in opening Kartarpur corridor. He said with the opening of this corridor, the Pakistani government had won the hearts of millions of Sikhs living on the other side of the border. The number of pilgrims had also increased compared to last year, he added.

Raminder Singh, leader of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak committee, lauded the steps taken by the Pakistani government for the upkeep and restoration of gurdwaras, adding that the latest step of opening the corridor would further cement relations between Pakistan and the Sikh community.

He added that the opening of the Kartarpur corridor would be a gift for the Sikh community by the governments of both sides. He said over 10,000 Sikh pilgrims would visit Pakistan on the occasion. He stressed the need for opening more corridors between the two countries, especially in Kashmir.

Sohan Singh, contingent leader from the Bhai Mardana Sikh committee, said every religion taught love, tolerance and respect for humanity. He appreciated Pakistani government’s efforts for ensuring religious freedom for minorities and safeguarding sacred places and gurdwaras of the Sikh community.

However, leader of female contingent from India Manmohan Kaur expressed her displeasure over the mismanagement by the railways department as a result of which over 113 pilgrims were left behind at Nankana Sahib.

He said despite prior information, additional coaches were not attached to the trains. When the pilgrims protested, they were sent by buses after waiting for several hours in the cold weather. She said visa-free entry to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur would be a great facility for Sikh pilgrims.

Talking to mediapersons, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Deputy Secretary Shrines Imran Gondal said mismanagement was due to the negligence of the railway authorities and the pilgrims’ displeasure was communicated to the relevant authorities.

He said the government had decided to open a new cross-border corridor to allow Sikh pilgrims from neighbouring India to visit their gurdwara in Pakistan. He said this corridor would formally be inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 28 while Punjab Governor Mohammad Sarwar would host a reception in honour of the Indian Sikhs in Lahore on the 27th.

Responding a question, Mr Gondal said Indian pilgrims would visit Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore on November 26. They will also visit Gurdwara Rohri Sahib in Emanabad and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur on November 28 and then depart for their respective countries on November 30.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

QUETTA: Provincial Health Minister Mir Naseebullah Marri has declared nutrition emergency in Balochistan and said the provincial government planned to expand its campaign for combating malnutrition, being conducted in seven districts, to other parts of the province.

He expressed these views while talking to the media after an annual progress review meeting of the Balochistan Nutrition Programme for Mothers and Children (BNPMC).

Read more: Dispatch from Balochistan: How mothers try to keep their newborns alive

He praised BNPMC manager Dr Amin Khan Mandokhail for his dedication to serving the poor.

He said the Balochistan government might work in collaboration with the federal government, UN agencies and NGOs to address malnutrition among the lower strata of society.

Highlighting the severity of the problem, Mr Marri said the challenge facing the province was enormous, adding that under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Balochistan government would make all its possible efforts to resolve the issue of malnutrition and stunting.

However, he said, technical and financial support was needed from the Centre, as well as development partners.

Fight against malnutrition and disease affecting the heath of mothers and children was his government’s motto, he added.

The progress review meeting was attended by Director General of Health Services Dr Shakir Ali Baloch, BNPMC provincial coordinator Dr Amin Khan Mandokhail, representatives of Unicef and WHO and relevant stakeholders.

The participants regretted that 2011 Balochistan figures portrayed a dismal picture in which 40 per cent of children under five years are underweight, 52pc stunted, 61pc have Vitamin-A deficiency (maternal) and 74pc Vitamin-A deficiency (child), 49pc Anemia (maternal) and 57pc Anemia (child). They said that the recent wave of drought and water unavailability had increased the ratio of poverty disparity in the far-flung areas of the province where majority of population was food insecure.

It is critical to expand and improve the nutritional status of children under five years and that of pregnant and lactating women by improving the coverage of effective nutrition interventions with a priority focus on malnourished among the poor and other disadvantaged, including women, nutritionally vulnerable groups, ethnic and religious minorities, and socially marginalised occupational and settler groups in all districts of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

LAHORE: Shadman police has registered a rape case against unidentified employees of Service Hospital for allegedly raping a patient.

According to the first information report filed by the 35-year-old woman, she had gone to the Services Hospital after feeling pain in her lower abdomen. She was admitted to the woman’s surgical ward-II on Nov 23 and taken to the operating theatre for surgery at 7:30am the next morning after being administered with anaesthesia.

She said after the surgery she was discharged the same day at 7pm, but later felt pain and started bleeding from her urinary tract. She said her sister took her to Sheikh Zayed Hospital where she was told that she had been raped.

She lodged a complaint at the Shadman police station stating that she had been raped by the hospital employees during surgery. Police registered a rape case against the employees of Services Hospital.

Model Town Superintendent of Police Ali Waseem Nasir told Dawn that a medical examination of the woman had been conducted and the samples sent to the forensic science agency. The test report would decide the course of investigation and determine whether the woman had been raped or not.

Talking to the media, the Services Hospital principal said the institute had initiated an inquiry of its own also.

ACCIDENT: A police constable was killed in an accident on Old Ravi Bridge on Sunday.

Police said Khalid Parwaiz of the Mujahid Squad was deployed at Old Ravi Bridge. He was trying to cross the road when a speeding motorcyclist hit him.

The constable suffered critical wounds in the head and was taken to Services Hospital where he died after a few hours of treatment.

Police shifted his body to the morgue and registered a case against the motorcyclist.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

LAHORE: Fine tickets are not reaching thousands of actual violators of traffic laws being captured by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) cameras under the e-challan system as there is no official record to show who owns the vehicles at present.

Though getting vehicles transferred in the name of a new buyer within a specific period of time is a legal requirement, the absence of any enforcement mechanism encourages many to avoid this legal obligation.

Officials say the practice has been going on since long, but the issue has surfaced only after the government started e-challaning the violators in September this year.

Under the new system, the fine tickets are sent to the addresses of the owners of the vehicles which are spotted violating traffic rules, including jumping the signal or stopping ahead of a zebra crossing, through the PSCA’s cameras.

As the authority started delivering the fine tickets, in many cases it transpired that these were not the addresses of the violators who presently owned the vehicles.

This results in a complex situation as the recipients of tickets are not bound to pay the fine, and the violators are not aware of issuance of any fine ticket.

In some cases, the fine slips are reaching the residences of the people who had sold the vehicles (now fined) even over a decade ago. During this period, the vehicles have changed many hands, making it impossible for the authority to detect who presently owns them.

According to the PSCA officials, over 15,000 such vehicles have been detected since the beginning of the e-challaning in Lahore. A majority of these vehicles are cars, indicating these are sold more frequently than any other vehicle. The rest include rickshaws and vans. Motorcycles are only a few as people do not sell these very often.

The officials of the excise and taxation department, which registers vehicles in the province, say the law provides for the transfer of ownership of vehicles within one month. But as the department has no mechanism to enforce this legal provision, people do not get vehicles transferred in their own names, mainly to avoid fees.

“Yes, the non-transferred vehicles are a problem for the law enforcement agencies and for the people (concerned) as well. A citizen complained to us that he sold a vehicle over a decade ago and is still facing income tax issues because it has not yet been transferred to the new owners, which appear (to be) several,” said PSCA spokesperson Tauseef Sabih.

A local doctor who requested anonymity said that he had received a fine ticket of a vehicle which he had sold before going abroad many years ago. “This time it is a fine ticket. There may be an intimation of a crime or accident involving the vehicle in future and despite not owning it (now), I may be required to prove my innocence,” he said.

Officials of both the PSCA and the excise department say they are moving towards resolving this issue because it may invite serious implications even for innocent people not involved in any crime, only because the official record still shows them as the owners of such a vehicle. The e-challaning has started proving its utility by detecting this flaw in the system, they say.

Excise Director General Akram Ashraf Gondal said the department had asked the PSCA to start getting current data of the vehicles from it as an immediate measure to handle the issue. Till a few days ago the department was sharing old data with the authority.

He said as a long-term measure, the department was going to make it binding for the owners of all types of vehicles to get or show the transfer letters at the time of the payment of token fee. It had also recently requested the government to allow it to introduce bio-metric system for the sale and purchase of vehicles. This would force people to have the vehicles transferred in their names immediately after buying these because of the requirement of establishing identity of both the seller and the buyer through the matching of their fingerprints with the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) record.

Mr Sabih said locating the actual owner of a vehicle was not the PSCA’s responsibility, but the government had started nabbing multiple traffic rules violators no matter they were driving transferred vehicles. “The Dolphin Force has recently impounded a small car whose owner did not pay 30 fines. It was released only after the owner paid the entire fine,” he said.

“We all are figuring out how to remove the defects (in the new system),” he said.

He said out of 24 codes of traffic, the authority first enforced two -- jumping the signal and stopping vehicles ahead of a zebra crossing. Two others – over speeding and changing lines and lanes – were being introduced from Monday (today). The practice of impounding vehicles of habitual violators would also be intensified soon, he said.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party on Sunday expressed its dissatisfaction over the 100-day performance of the government and said that it even did not change its ‘flawed’ foreign and economic policies to improve relations with the neighbouring states and steer the country out of the financial crisis.

Speaking at a meeting of party’s central executive committee here, QWP chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao claimed that owing to failure of the rulers the country had become isolated and needed to change its foreign policy.

He said that the rulers even could not prove their capability to run the country’s affairs in the first 100 days. He said that the country’s economic situation was worsening with each passing day and the government was unable to overcome the prevailing crisis.

Reiterates his party’s demand for new social contract

Mr Sherpao said that the federal government even could not start delivering on its pledges. “The government has been unable to set its priorities to provide some relief to the people,” he claimed. He warned the rulers against making any bid to introduce presidential form of government, saying that parliamentary form of government should be strengthened by removing flaws without any delay.

He demanded that the conditions attached to the Saudi aid and details of the PM’s China visit should be made public. He suggested formation of supreme courts in the provinces and a constitutional court in the centre. Reiterating his party’s demand for introducing a new social contract, he said it would help ensure the rights of smaller provinces.

The QWP leader said that the federating units should be strengthened and warned against undoing the 18th Amendment.

Underlining the need for building new reservoirs, he said dams could not be built through donations. He said that the looming water crisis would take its toll on the country’s fledgling economy if corrective steps were not taken. However, he said that controversial issues should not be touched as it could lead to anarchy.

Mr Sherapo expressed his party’s concern over the fresh wave of terrorism and said that anti-state elements were bent on damaging the country’s interests, but the government was unable to devise an effective strategy for restoration of peace.

Party’s provincial chairman Sikandar Sherpao, general secretary Hashim Babar and other leaders also shared views about different issues and vowed to strengthen QWP’s organisational units in various districts.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

Firefighters are attempting to extinguish a blaze that has erupted on the eighth floor of Karachi's under-construction Bahria Icon Tower, DawnNewsTV reported on Monday.

At least three fire engines have reached the site of the blaze, the source of which is still unknown.

Sources within the fire brigade department earlier claimed that the fire had been contained, but eyewitnesses said that it had yet to be extinguished, with one Twitter user saying that the blaze had reignited.

The fire department said that firefighters are having difficulty reaching the inside of the building, since smoke has filled the glass-encased eighth storey.

More details to follow.

Deputy Chief of Mission of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan Lijian Zhao on Monday announced that a Chinese citizen had decided to donate one month's salary to the families of the policemen who were martyred in an attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi last week.

Zhao, while addressing a donation ceremony in Islamabad alongside Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, said the donor believed that Pak-China friendship was not simply empty words but "rooted in the hearts of the people of the two countries".

The Chinese official said they would like to give terrorists the message that their efforts at sabotaging Pak-China friendship will never succeed.

The deputy chief of mission said that the event was voluntarily organised by a community of Chinese citizens in Pakistan, and thanked those who were making donations.

"They are here today to try to show their love to the two policemen who sacrificed their lives in the attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi," Zhao said, adding that they also wished to show their regard for law enforcement officials and the government for their "heroic contribution" and "their love for the Chinese people".

Zhao also thanked the information minister for attending the event, saying it showed the "great importance attached to the initiative by the Pakistani government".

He had tweeted on Sunday highlighting a news report in a Chinese publication about donations for the martyred police officials. Zhao was reportedly among those who had contributed.

The information minister appreciated the Chinese initiative to collect donations for the martyrs of the consulate attack. He said the gesture clearly reflected the strong bonds between the two countries, Radio Pakistan reported.

Chaudhry claimed that inimical foreign elements are behind the attack, adding that these forces cannot sabotage deep-rooted and time-tested Pak-China relations.

He said that the world fully knows who stands for peace and stability in the region and who is trying to sabotage it.