Gold edges higher.

LONDON: Gold edged higher on Thursday in response to a lower dollar and also uncertainty about the outcome of a tight US presidential race.

“Risk-off sentiment has helped gold above $1,300 yesterday ... and as long as uncertainty around the outcome of US elections continues, we can see support,” Saxo Bank head of research Ole Hansen said.

Spot gold, lower initially, rose 0.2pc to $1,298.91 an ounce at 1537 GMT. It touched a one-month high of $1,307.76 in the previous session, before retreating as Federal Reserve signalled it could raise interest rates next month.

Among other precious metals, silver fell 1.1pc to $18.23, retreating from a high of about $18.73 on Wednesday, its best level since Oct. 4. Platinum was up 0.6pc at $991.40 and palladium dropped 0.8pc to $623.25.

SMS-based tutoring system for public schools’ students soon.

LAHORE: Showing sensitivity to the students need for after-school academic assistance, the Punjab is set to launch an SMS-based Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) in public schools through two different programmes starting from Nov 15, this year.

Under the programmes, the Class-VIII students will be able to get answers to their questions related to English and Maths subjects through the ITS. Similarly, the system will also be launched for the Class-IV and V students at a later stage by April 1, Dawn has learnt.

Under the e-learning initiative of the SMS-based Information and Technology University’s Centre for Technology in Education (CTE), technical and financial assistance of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and Department for International Development (DFID), UK, respectively, Punjab’s 30 public schools would formally be connected with the system, enabling the students and their parents to get assistance in having answers of their academic questions.

The programme’s pilot project, which has already been implemented in 30 public schools a couple of months ago, is helping improve the students’ learning outcome.

The project delivers quality educational content for science and mathematics using LED screen and tablet PCs.

“Currently in its initial phase, the project has already improved the performance of some 1,800 students, and will soon expand operations across the country, with the stated aim of reaching 100,000 students by December 2018,” claims Amna Raja, Project Manager, DFID e-learn initiative.

The CTE was established to serve as a world-class applied research centre, with a view that provision of quality education was critical to meaningful progress in Pakistan, she told Dawn on Thursday.

She said the funds were arranged through the donor supporting the “Ilm Ideas 2 Education Innovation Fund’’ as part of the wider UK Aid support to Pakistan. The Ilm Ideas 2 project has been awarded to Mott MacDonald Ltd. It is managed by the Mott MacDonald’s team based in Islamabad, she added.

According to project brief, its primary objective is to improve learning outcomes through technology-mediated study materials.

Talking to Dawn, PITB’s Director General (IT Solutions) Waqar Naeem Qureshi said the department was set to launch the SMS-based Intelligence Tutoring System in 100 public sector schools by April, 1, 2017 in association with the school education department.

“This programme is exclusively for the grade-4 and 5 students, whose parents will receive a call during evening hours to review their children’s study on a daily basis, Similarly, the parents or the students themselves can get assistance through a dedicated SMS service,” Mr Qureshi said.

He said the system would guide the students to reach the answer for themselves. “The system will drop hints four times in order to enable a student to get the answer. And if the student fails, the system wouldn’t respond to further query,” he added. He said the PITB had prepared the software, applications etc and started contacting the telecom companies to implement it.

Talking to Dawn, the ITU Vice Chancellor and PITB Chairman Prof Umar

Saif claimed the system was being introduced in Pakistan for the first time. “And the system is also unique, in view of its coaching method,” he said, adding the technology would be expanded gradually.

PTI believes in ‘solo flight’  

LAHORE: Showing scant regard to the concerns of its allies regarding taking them into confidence in its decision to call off the Nov 2 Islamabad ‘lockdown’, a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf senior leader says his party believes in ‘solo flight’ and it cannot be dictated by ‘small’ parties.

“We did solo flight and continue doing so as the small (allied) parties cannot dictate us,” Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mahmoodur Rasheed told Dawn here on Thursday.

He said the PTI took its own decision and as far as its allies in the Panamagate protest were concerned, the PTI had stood by the members of its allies arrested by police.

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Allies say they should have been taken on board before calling off protest

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Mr Rashid’s ‘hard’ stance on PTI’s allies has come in the backdrop of exchange of harsh words between PAT leader Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and PTI information secretary Naeemul Haq outside the Supreme Court building, Islamabad.

The PTI leadership especially its chief Imran Khan faced criticism from party workers for calling off the Nov 2 protest ‘abruptly’. Earlier, both PML-Q and PAT had refused to participate in PTI’s Raiwind rally despite efforts of Imran to woo them.

PML-Q information secretary Kamil Ali Agha said although the PTI had taken the decision to call off the Nov 2 protest on its own, “it should consult its allies in the future.”

Talking to this reporter, Mr Agha claimed more than 800 PML-Q workers were arrested as they were at the forefront of the Panamagate protest. “We have no objection to PTI’s decision to call off the protest. But we have a reservation that PTI should have taken its allied parties into confidence before making the final decision.”

The PML-Q Senator said the Supreme Court had taken up this challenge which it should have done six months ago. “Now it is hoped that the Panama Leaks case will meet its logical end,” Mr Agha said.

Dr Tahirul Qadri’s PAT said it had no objection to PTI’s ‘solo flight and it would always be its ‘natural ally’ against the PML-N. “In the future the PAT will not join any PTI protest drive mere on courtesy call. We will go along with PTI in the future only after entering into some kind of written code of conduct,” PAT spokesman Noorullah Siddiqui told this reporter.

Mr Siddiqui admitted that relations between PAT and PTI had soured and any ‘joint venture’ in near future was not in sight.

Earlier, Dr Qadri had expressed his disappointment over Imran Khan’s ‘sudden’ decision to call off the protest and said “one should now only pray for the success of Panama probe because for all practical purposes it has been lost in the mist of commission formation and proceedings.

Liars cannot lead a nation.

 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told a charged crowd in Kahuta on Friday, days after the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) planned 'lockdown' of Islamabad on Nov 2 turned into a 'thanksgiving' rally.

"Someone who lies to you continuously cannot represent you," he said.

"They say 'Pakistan is progressing'," he said in a veiled reference to the opposition. "They know that gas and electricity are coming to these areas, that a two-lane expressway is being built. That's why they are posing obstacles, so that progress is halted and Pakistan is taken back to 50 years ago."

"The ones who hold rallies, their agenda is not one of success."

"The ones who try to stop progress, you will not let their designs succeed. You have halted their designs. You have shown them their true reflection. You already saw what happened a few days ago," he said referring to the PTI's planned Nov 2 'lockdown' which it vowed to continue until the PM resigned or presented himself for accountability amid allegations of corruption following Panamagate.

The PTI and the government have locked horns since the names of members of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family appeared in the Panama Papers and the political atmosphere in the capital had heated up as the date of the protest drew closer.

Only after the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the government and opposition to submit their Terms of Reference for formation of a judicial commission to probe Panamagate did tensions in the capital begin to diffuse.

"I do not wish to say anything, I am keeping my tongue in check. But you are aware of what expectations they had and what the outcome was," the premier said.

"We are hard at work... No one can point accusatory fingers at us. You have three and a half years of our work before you," Nawaz said today.

"The election is going to happen in 2018, but you are cheering for me now. And this is precisely what our opponents cannot stomach," the prime minister said.

"I also love you. I love you too," the PM said, in an oft-repeated endearment.

The prime minister encouraged others to join hands with the party for progress and development in Pakistan.

During his address, the prime minister announced several development projects promising that work on them would be initiated soon.

"I didn't come here empty-handed today. The regular development programmes will continue. This is only the beginning. There will be bigger things in the future," he promised.

He announced that the Rawalpindi-Kahuta road overhead bridge will be turned into a highway, and that all union councils in Kahuta and Kallar Sayidan would receive electricity and gas.

The premier also promised to convert the Kahuta Tehsil Hospital into a state-of-the-art hospital, relieving residents of the need to travel to Rawalpindi or Islamabad for treatment.

He announced that 12 high schools will be converted into higher secondary schools, especially for the education of girls.

"Girls often have to travel far to attend school. We want to bring schools to your doorsteps," he said, adding, "This development will bring a wave of progress in the region."

"It won't be long before a university is built here," he added.

Funds will also be invested into the development of 100 kilometres of roads in Kahuta and Kallar Sayidan, PM Nawaz said.

"This is your money, it should be used for your betterment. It is not my money."

"We will make this place beautiful," he said, in a bid to encourage tourism to the area.

"Thousands of people visited Murree, Naran, Kaghan," he said. "They should come here too."

The Prime Minister said that he has raised the Kashmir issue at the United Nations General Assembly for the past three years, adding that he "Will continue to speak about it. we are not afraid of anyone."

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Unable to Convince the World, India Stages Another Fake Surgical Strike Drama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CNN News 18 Global Exclusive, an Indian affiliate of CNN International, has aired a forged interview of SP Special Branch AJK, Mr. Ghulam Akbar, in which he has allegedly confirmed India’s surgical strike.
Tensions between both countries remain constant over the Kashmir issue. India refuses to back off and uses the power of their media to spread lies about Pakistan. The media has already spread lies about the alleged surgical strike that never took place, causing a state of confusion, even embarrassment to India.
It seemed as if things could not get any worse or lower. And yet it did.
Indian media, specifically the Indian affiliate of CNN, recently carried an interview with SP Ghulam, making up a story about a Pakistani police officer ‘confirming’ that surgical strikes took place.
Their desperation was exposed when it transpired that the reporter himself impersonated the Inspector General Police Punjab. The interview portrayed, quite falsely, that Pakistan accepted the allegations of occurrence of surgical strikes by India.
After the release of the interview, SP Ghulam categorically denied speaking to any Indian journalist. He also expressed his anger over his fake voice making rounds in Indian media.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that,

“Pakistan strongly denounces Indian media’s despicable act of fraud of airing of a fake program aimed at twisting and fabricating stories for domestic political consumption.
This is a clear indication that certain quarters in India are desperate to prove Indian false claim of surgical strike by hook or by crook.”

“We hope that CNN would take up the matter very seriously with the affiliate Indian TV channel and initiate action against the channel, as not doing so will be regarded as directly owning to this unethical and manipulative act,” added a government official.
The Indian media outlets have not responded well to the situation. Their claim remains that SP Ghulam did conduct the interview himself and it is totally legitimate. However that is not the case.