Why PTI protesters have much to learn from the past.

I have never pelted stones or fought with the police. As a Peoples Party jiyala in my youth, I was an active political worker.

I addressed hundreds of rallies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, organised meetings, participated in and led marches, and was at the receiving end of police batons dozens of times.

But I never threw a stone or a punch.

In my youth, we struggled against General Ziaul Haq’s martial law. The educated and well-off youth were not part of our struggle.

Today, it is different: the educated youth have been mobilised on a large scale and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) deserves the credit for this.

I am though concerned about how this political activism is manifesting. The teargas in the air and the containers on the roads repeat the story of violent protests. Pakistanis are, justifiably, expressing their discontent at the state of affairs.

But unlike the semi-literate, lower middle-class youth with whom I protested, I see the upper and middle-class youth active on the streets today. However, their activism doesn’t reflect the maturity of their privilege and education.

What I see are seemingly educated youth who are ignorant of how to be active in the political sphere.

I see PTI supporters throwing stones at the police and some even wrestling with law enforcement officers in Islamabad.

I see PTI-supporting lawyers in Lahore attacking cars and assaulting parents transporting children on motorbikes.

This is no way to be an enlightened political activist.

Our youth need mentoring. There is a way to be a jiyala or cheetah, and it does not involve throwing stones or punches.

Financial matters: govt’s review petition dismissed.
                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the constitution bars prime minister from exercising his discretionary powers in financial matters without the approval of the federal cabinet. 

The top court of the country, on August 18, had struck down a notification for withdrawing exemption on sales tax to the companies, importing cellular phones and textile goods in the country. 

It is pertinent to mention that SRO 682(I)/2013 had enhanced sales tax from 5 to 17 per cent on supplies of industrial inputs outside five export-oriented sectors including textiles whereas SRO. No 280 (I)/2013 and 460(I)/2013 had enhanced sales tax on the imported cellular phones. 

Withdrawal and modification (in the rate) of sales tax were challenged in the Islamabad High Court with a plea that such notifications had not been issued by the federal government in accordance with Section 3 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990. 

In response to the rejection of pleas by the IHC, the appellants challenged the verdict before Supreme Court to which the apex court on August 18, while announcing its 80-page reserved judgement, ruled that fiscal notification enhancing the levy of tax issued by the Secretary Revenue Division, or the Minister are ultra vires. 

The verdict also said, “Neither a Secretary, nor a Minister and nor the Prime Minister are the Federal Government and the exercise, or purported exercise, of a statutory power exercisable by the Federal Government by any of them, especially, in relation to fiscal matters, is constitutionally invalid and a nullity in the eyes of the law,” says the judgement. 

Consequently, the federal government urged the Supreme Court to revisit its verdict in the matter with a plea that a constitutionally powerful Prime Minister can exercise his powers to run the government affairs. 

Resuming the hearing of the federal government’s review petition in the matter, a three-judge bench led by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed that Rules of Business cannot overrule constitutional provisions. 

After hearing the arguments of Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana in the matter, the bench dismissed the review petition. 

Legal Eagles to fight Panama battle now.

Legal Eagles to fight Panama battle now.

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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslime League Nawaz (PML-N) and other parties to submit written response on Thursday regarding finalisation of Terms of References (TORs) to form a commission to probe the issue of Panama Papers leaks.

A five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard the petitions submitted against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Awami Muslim League (AML).

The apex court had earlier directed both the government and PTI to submit their comments after consulting with their respective leaderships on the formation of a commission and adjourned the hearing for two hours.

As the case hearing resumed, the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf expressed their consent for the formation of the commission.

The court asked the parties to present in writing their proposal for formation of the commission.

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali said the commission will report to the Supreme Court, adding that it will hold powers equal to the apex court.

“We are determined to resolve this issue. We will solve it and we will solve it as soon as possible. Now the highest forum in the country in regards to dispute resolution has taken up this matter, so now you hold your positions, please restrain,” Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, one of the five judges hearing the case told the court.

The bench further made it clear that the court will settle the issue of TORs by itself if any party failed to respond.

PM WELCOMES SC DECISION

Speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court, Minister for Defense Khawaja Asif said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has openly welcomed the formation of the commission on Panama Papers. He said the Prime Minister wants early conclusion of the case.

Asif said the PML-N has whole-heartedly accepted the court’s orders and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf should also take back the protest call.

He reiterated that there is no justification of the protest following the court’s proceedings on the matter.

Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique expressed the confidence that the PTI leadership will show maturity and take back the protest call for return of normalcy to the country.

Counsel of PTI Hamid Khan in his remarks said the PTI agrees to the formation of the commission.

US Election 2016: Hillary Clinton's English mining roots.

Image copyrightCAROLYN KASTER

Image captionHillary Clinton has spoken about her immigrant grandfather during the election campaign

If Hillary Clinton is elected president when millions of Americans vote next week, a small corner of England will be claiming links to the most powerful woman in the world. BBC News went to the mining region where her grandfather's journey started more than 100 years ago.

"There's a girl in my class who looks identical to Hillary Clinton."

It was the early 1990s, and this innocuous comment by a teenager, about the wife of the new President of the United States, would usually have raised no more than a passing interest.

But the teenager in question was the son of local historian Jack Hair, a man intent on uncovering the history of the town of Stanley, in County Durham, north-east England.

Mr Hair's curiosity piqued, he decided to speak to the girl's father who confirmed there was indeed a family link to Mrs Clinton, setting the amateur historian off on a mission to establish the then-First Lady's roots.

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.

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."

Samsung Reportedly Stops Production of the Galaxy Note7

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was inevitable is now finally rearing its head. According to news agency Yonhap in South Korea, Samsung’s home market, the company has temporarily halted production of its Galaxy Note 7 flagship.
The news comes after yet another Note 7 replacement caught fire, the fifth replaced phone so far to have been reported with the same fault in the United States alone. The phone caught fire while sitting on a table as its owner had lunch. Reports from elsewhere, including Taiwan mean the number could be higher.
The news agency claims that the halt in sales is in compliance with consumer safety regulations in South Korea, the US and China.”This measure includes a Samsung plant in Vietnam that is responsible for global shipments (of the Galaxy Note 7),” a Samsung official was recorded as saying to the agency.
Samsung at the time of the fifth incident released a statement where it said it was “working diligently” to find the cause of the issue and will share findings soon. It would have taken steps in compliance with the safety agencies if there’s an issue relating to product safety.
Earlier, the US carrier, T-Mobile ended the sale of all Note 7 replacement units and instead offered refunds, while AT&T and Verizon have also concluded their replacement programs for affected units. In a memo obtained by The Verge, Samsung is also said to have “temporarily paused” shipments of the phone to Australian carrier Telstra.
Samsung had previously recalled an unprecedented 2.5 million of the affected devices worldwide, but it seems that the problem is bigger than that. With calls for Samsung to axe the affected release, it is looking extremely likely that the solution would be harder to pinpoint.