BY MALEEHA LODHI War on truth Even though Israel faces global isolation, US backing enables it to AS Israel’s military onslaught on Gaza intensi- fies, targeting and assassinating journalists is part of its genocidal campaign. Last week, four Al Jazeera journalists were killed in cold blood, among them Anas al-Sharif, the most prominent face on the global television network who had courageously been reporting on the catastrophic war and famine conditions in Gaza. The journal- ists were killed in a drone attack on a makeshift media tent outside Al-Shifa hospital. Targeting journalists is a war crime but Israel has acted with impunity and has long shown contempt for international humanitarian law or norms. The Israeli military has been carrying out deliberate assaults on journalists since its war on Gaza began nearly two years ago. According to the UN, 242 journalists have been killed in that period, which is described as the highest number in any conflict. [srael’s military claimed responsibility for the murder of Anas al-Sharif saying he was a “Hamas terrorist” — a patently false allegation that Al Jazeera vehemently denied. Labelling journalists as militants is a disingenuous tactic Israel has always used. According to the Israeli-Palestinian news outlet “4972 magazine’ Israel’s military has a special unit charged with identifying journalists to ‘smear’ as Hamas members and target them. The killings of journalists sparked global out- rage. UN Secretary General Anténio Guterres denounced it and the UN’s Human Rights Office called it a grave breach of international law. Journalists’ bodies and human rights organisa- tions, including Reporters without Borders, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee for the Protection of Journalists all issued strong condemnations of these extrajudicial murders and called for accountability and international action to stop Israel. There have been worldwide protests over the killings. Clearly, Israel’s intent is to silence voices and prevent media coverage of the atrocities and war crimes it is committing in Gaza as well as the mass starvation it has subjected Palestinians to. Suppressing the truth is a time-old practice of occupying forces, but itis alwaysin vain. Despite Israel’s ban on the international media from reporting from Gaza, the world knows exactly what’s happening there, thanks to brave local journalists who have risked their lives to report the atrocities. Pictures of starving children have been on television screens across the world and video footage of Israeli soldiers firing on desper- ate aid-seekers have gone viral on social media. This, in fact, is the most documented genocide in history. Israel has stepped up both its military offen- sive and its war on truth ahead of its planned takeover of Gaza City leading to the full occupa- tion of Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his plan for the military capture of Gaza City earlier this month with Israel’s military given the go-ahead to launch an offensive to achieve this objective. This prompted worldwide condemnation with UN officials warning it would lead to “unimaginable suffering” and “another calamity”, which would reverberate across the region. Arab states, Pakistan, the EU and many Western countries denounced the impending move. In an emer- gency meeting of the Security Council on Aug 10, China, the UK, France, Russia and other members voiced opposition to the plan and called on Israel to reverse its decision. The only exception was the U8, which backed Israel. The shift in global especially Western opinion against Israel is palpable. It is being driven by the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and Israel’s use of starvation as weapon of war. Asa BBC correspondent put it, “Starvation appears to be an inflection point for European countries — amoral impetus to drive their divergent diplo- macy.” Last week, the foreign ministers of 27 countries, including over 20 European nations, issued a joint statement demanding that Israel allow unhindered aid into Gaza. More Western nations are moving towards rec- ognition of a Palestinian state. Australia has fol- lowed France, Canada and the UK, who announced plans to recognise Palestinian state- hood, even though the UK has qualified that by saying it will refrain from doing so if Israel moves towards ending the war. France’s decision is particularly significant as it is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. These announcements are aimed at raising diplomatic pressure on Israel but haven’t been enough to continue its genocidal war. stop it from continuing the war. As of now, 147 of the UN’s 193 member states recognise the state of Palestine. The US, of course, remains opposed to recog- nition, saying that would reward Hamas. This echoes Tel Aviv’s stance. The US position on a two-state solution, which it long supported but is now ambivalent on, isolates it from the rest of the international community and bucks the global consensus reflected in several Security Council resolutions. Mike Huckabee, the American ambassador in Israel said in June — and wasn’t contradicted by the administration — that he did not think a sovereign Palestinian state is still a goal of US foreign policy. If this is the case, then it marks a significant shift in American policy under President Donald Trump. Again, it would be in line with Israel’s complete rejection of a Palestinian state and imply backing Netanyahu’s vision of a ‘Greater Israel’, a notion that has recently been condemned by the OIC. Despite Israel’s growing global isolation, Netanyahu can ignore that as well as violate international law and continue its ethnic cleans- ing policy because he can count on unwavering US support. Trump’s oft-repeated desire for a Gaza ceasefire rings hollow as he has done noth- ing to pressure Israel in this direction. Throughout the war, Washington has extended military, diplomatic and financial support to Israel. It has also backed the militarised aid-dis- tribution system Israel set up, which has been rejected by the UN and is widely seen as ‘death traps’; over 1,400 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food at these sites. All this with no real effort to restrain Netanyahu, has given Israel a licence to do what- ever it wants in Gaza. The US has also not dis- suaded Tel Aviv from its disastrous plan to take over Gaza City and eventually reoccupy the entire Strip. Washington and the self-proclaimed ‘man of peace’ are fully complicit in the cata- strophic situation in Gaza. And the world, for all its condemnations and moral outrage, has been unable to mount real pressure on the US to change course. @ The writer is a former ambassador to the US, UK and UN.National drift “wT A VY Ehave drifted quite a way from Mohammad Ali i* / Jinnah’s vision for Pakistan; there has been no Y W shortage of commentary reminding us of this over the past many years. Yet just how far we have moved from the Quaid himself only became clear this Independence Day, when, in the enthusiasm to celebrate the occasion as a military victory parade, the government ‘forgot’ to picture Mr Jinnah and other national leaders on an official advertisement issued to commemorate the event. The law minister, who said he had been ‘heart-afflicted’ by the oversight, was himself unaware of the omission until the opposition raised the matter in the Senate on Friday. Had the omission of the nation’s founding father from an Independence Day communication been so inconspicuous? The government, together with various state institutions, should introspect. Cities nationwide were plastered with banners and posters honouring and congratulating the present-day leadership on the occasion. The politicians could have done much more to highlight the contributions of the founders of the nation. Independence Day was traditionally an occasion to celebrate the country and its freedom, and its spirit should remain dedicated to the country’s founding vision, and to the people whose sacrifices made Pakistan possible. Our armed forces did indeed achieve commendable results in the recent conflict with the country’s eastern neighbour. However, a celebration of these should perhaps have been left to the upcoming Defence Day, which would have offered a much more suitable occasion. One is also compelled to comment on some of the national awards and accolades that were conferred on Independence Day. Is it suitable that, year after year, exclusive honours are distributed freely among political loyalists rather than genuine achievers? According to the law minister, the prime minister’s entire war cabinet received awards because they ‘spent many sleepless nights to remain available for emergency decisions’. Eight more allied lawmakers, also from the ruling parties’ camp, received awards for travelling around the world as part of a post-hostilities diplomatic offensive. It is a mercy that the prime minister turned down an award for himself. One wonders what need there was to celebrate politicians in this manner. This Independence Day might have been remembered as a moment to reaffirm Mr Jinnah’s vision. Instead, it became an occasion for the powerful to honour themselves.Hockey’s woes | “ HE national sport continues to suffer. Years of y mismanagement have plunged Pakistan hockey into ~k astate of disrepair that has seen not only players go unpaid but the national team unable to fund its participation in international tournaments. Those tournaments do not surpass the FIH Pro League — the competition where the game’s elite feature, a place where Pakistan have long aspired to be. Once the undisputed kings of world hockey, they are now unable to dine with the world’s best. Sporting reasons aside, they do not have the finances to do that. And while the cash-strapped Pakistan Hockey Federation is asking for funding to the tune of Rs350m, the government seems to have lost faith in it. The lack of trust has not come overnight. The Pakistan Sports Board, the national reguwatory body for sports, has repeatedly asked the PHF to submit statements of all its bank accounts and to show where previous grants from the PSB were spent. It is a condition for the disbursement of further funding, which the PHF should meet. Pakistan did not qualify for the Pro League on the field. Instead, they were only extended the invitation by international hockey’s governing body after New Zealand, which won the second-tier FIH Nations Cup after beating Pakistan in the final, withdrew due to the high cost of participation. The PSB and the government are now mulling over the PHF’s demand to ensure Pakistan’s presence at the Pro League. It is a double-edged sword: on one end is the PHF’s chequered history, on the other a chance for the team to play consistently against top-ranked sides. From a purely sporting perspective, the government should support the team — the move could potentially revive Pakistan hockey — but it should make it binding on the PHF to improve its governance and show financial accountability. It should also ensure that the PHF immediately clears the dues of the players who participated in the Nations Cup.| BY UMAIR (a SEVENTY-EIGHT years of statehood and the prospect of regional peace in the subcontinent remains as distant as ever. After a brief passage of possibility in the early 2000s, diplomatic polarisa- tion and state and non-state conflict has returned as the norm. Recent social and political transfor- mations in both India and Pakistan are cause for further divérgence between state officials and between common citizens. In India, the rise and entrenchment of aggres- sive right-wing nationalism has had several stark consequences for the region. Its ‘self-assured’ turn in foreign policy and posturing as a civilisa- tional power has reduced the space for amy con- cessions on cross-border issues. This posturing remains mostly for the domestic electorate. But by linking the idea of national success to displays of hard power — surgical strikes, cross-border interventions, supporting non-state actors — the space for critical viewpoints on foreign policy issues is closed down further. Of greater concern is the widespread societal acceptance this particular brand of politics now receives in the country. The BJP’s successis based on selling the idea of economic growth (even in its skewed, top-biased nature) combined with cul- tural purification. The latter involves portraying Indian Muslims, first, as cultural deviants left by an external, invading force and, secondly, as betrayers due to their association with the crea- tion of Pakistan. This formula of otherisation may eventually reach its limits, but it has proven to be fairly suc- cessful in helping BJP and other Sangh affiliates retain their popularity in north India. There are few political campaigns where Pakistan is not mentioned in some explicit or implicit manner, often to distract from development-related inadequacies. One outcome of this regressive politics for the region is that Pakistan appears as the external projection of domestic problems associated with Muslims. In the right-wing imagination, the coun- try’s very existence is a persisting reminder of their professed ‘dual traumas’ — that of Mughal rule, and of Partition that violated (imaginary) territorial unity. In this light, the BJP has gone all in on commemorating Aug 14 as ‘Partition Massacres Day’, using the tragic events of seven decades ago not to build compassion or empathy, JAVED A higher ideal but as political currency in the present. What makes the situation more unfortunate is that large swathes of India’s media ecosystem, including entities that nominally position them- selves as liberals, continue to toe the state’s line on foreign policy issues. Amplification of jingois- tic discourse, even by nominally independent observers, further cultivates an environment in which polarisation becomes the norm. With social media blockades shutting off people-to-people digital contact Gn-person contact was done away with years ago), any societal push for normalisa- tion of ties seems entirely implausible. Driven by different circumstances, the situa- tion in Pakistan is non-conducive to regional nor- malisation in its own way. The domestic situation remains highly stifled, with the establishment’s Adventurism that puts the lives of people living along the borders at nuclear-tinged risk is still a distinct possibility. rule prevailing and the space fer popular politics increasingly non-existent. Given the hierarchy of decision-making currently in play, security and foreign policy are shaped by concerns of military strategy, rather than any other motivation, The situation is further compounded by Pakistan’s internal security troubles — both in the northwest and in Balochistan. The portrayal of beth issues as primarily problems of Indian external interference, rather than being domesti- cally driven, narrows the space for thinking through alternative solutions. In the process, it shuts off the possibility of diplomatic engagement that doesn’t involve the notion of terrorism and militancy. The recent conflict in May has not helped on this front either. A regime struggling for legiti- macy due to its ongoing battle with the PTI was given a renewed lease in the face of India’s hostile aggression. The strong military response, and its associated geopolitical dividends currently being reaped by the Pakistani state, provided valida- tion of the hawkish military view on India. Such validation means there is little reason to consider alternatives. Instead, this brief period of public appeal is a way to shore up more power and fur- ther drive home the prevailing way of approach- ing the region. On the societal front, Pakistan fares somewhat better than India. Given the demographics, there is no active demonisation of any domestic group via its association with India, other than politi- cians slinging mud on each other. People here are generally curious about the other country, and cultural consumption of movies, TV and music remains fairly robust. People-to-people contact in Punjab, via religious tourism, remains an impor- tant source of quelling polarisation on this side. On that front, Pakistani authorities deserve credit for not sacrificing this type of contact at the altar of state-level politics. But all that amounts to naught in the present. The rise of right-wing forces in India has pulled the rug from under the feet of the pro-regional peace segment in Pakistan. The latter remained critical of their own state for its military pursuits, while advocating for greater normalisation and acceptance of a shared cultural heritage. Instead, now, the blanket refusal to engage from the other side, and the increasing volume of dehumanising discourse about Pakistan and its citizens in the online realm, make advocating for any form of peace and integration far more difficult. For the foreseeable future, it appears that the militarised logic of security will dictate relations between the two countries. Adventurism that puts the lives of people living along the borders at nuclear-tinged risk is still a distinct possibility, and polarisation between societies — a mass of 1.5 billion people — will remain the norm. But it is precisely amid such bleak prospects that one must remain wedded to an ideal higher than perpetual war. Both countries and their peo- ple are here to stay. Peace may not seem likely any time soon, but it is certainly more preferable as a way of existence than one of complete and utter insecurity. m The writer teaches sociology at Lums. X: @umairjavNo easy path r N recent months, the economy has offered some welcome signs of stability: inflation has slowed sharply, reserves have climbed ~L. above $14bn, the current account is in surplus, and the fiscal deficit has been reined in. These improvements — achieved mainly through IMF-prescribed austerity policies — have prompted global rating agencies to lift Pakistan’s sovereign rating, hinting at a restoration of market confidence in its economy. But the weaknesses are still obvious. Large-scale manufacturing shrank by 0.74pce last year, Missing even the government’s modest growth target of 3.5pc. This is not an isolated setback. Big industry has been stuck ina cycle of low growth or contraction for three year's on the trot. That LSM, which contributes around 8pc to GDP, has failed to achieve sustainable momentum for three years running should set off alarm bells for policymakers as it is yet another reminder of the structural weaknesses weighing on the fragile national recovery. The year-on- year growth of 4.14pc in LSM output in June — the fourth straight month of positive numbers — offers hope. Yet, the simultaneous month-on-month decline of 3.67pc underscores the brittleness of this recovery. This volatility indicates deeper, unresolved issues: higher than regional energy prices, weak investment on elevated borrowing costs, high tax burden on the corporate séctor, policy unpredictability and ‘informal’ curbs on imports, including raw materials, due to a dollar liquidity crunch. The recent positive spurts in big industry output, therefore, should not be mistaken for a turnaround. The slower growth in LSM output mirrors the overall low growth of GDP, which expanded by just 2.7pc last year after swinging between contraction and modest growth in the previous two fiscal years. In its last monetary policy statement, the State Bank rightly underlined the need for steadily executing structural reforms to consolidate recovery, deepen macroeconomic stability and achieve sustainable growth. The recent macro improvements — reflected in lower inflation thanks to a global drop in oil and commodity prices, reduced fiscal deficit achieved largely through curtailed development spending and austerity measures and a build-up of foreign exchange reserves supported by debt rollovers by friendly countries, modest multilateral inflows, rising remittances and strict import controls — are fragile at best. These improvements depend on external and temporary support, such as debt rollbacks, limited multilateral financing, remittances, etc, rather than durable fiscal and productivity reforms, leaving the economy only a small shock away from crisis. That Pakistan’s rating remains in speculative territory despite the upgrade from rating agencies is a reminder that markets still view the risks as high. The question is: can policymakers use this breathing space to push through reforms that improve productivity, cut energy costs and attract investment? Without this, the economy will remain where it has been for years: underperforming, vulnerable and dangerously reliant on stopgap measures.STAR Trek is an iconic sci-fi series from the 1980s. Set in the 24th century, it show- cases astounding technological leaps. One unmissable character is a humanoid robot called Data. Although immensely capable, he’s unable to experience emotions; any attempt returns comical failures. Meanwhile, humans have spread to other planets. In one episode, one such planet is visited by a powerful character Ardra. A contract is said to entitle her to ownership of both the planet and its inhab- itants. The people submit to her, convinced of her power and authenticity; however, the protagonist, Captain Picard, demands arbitration. Confident of success, Ardra agrees but only if Data is the arbiter. Her reason: the artificial intelligence (AI) within him “is incapable of deceit and bias”. Hold that thought! We may not yet have a Data, but we are unmistakably in the age of AI. It can con- duct surgeries, decide lawsuits and drive cars. But imagine having your chest ripped open by a robot which, although well-cali- brated and immune to fatigue, overesti- mates your pain threshold because of your skin colour. Now switch to a courtroom, where an AI judge — invited by the hon- ourable Supreme Court — hands down a life sentence without explaining the deci- sion, as the commercial licence prohibits disclosure. The scene shifts again: you are in a self-driving car, thoroughly tested in the US but unable to recognise a donkey cart in Pakistan, and it accelerates instead of stopping. These are no improbable hypotheticals. Allearns from human experiences fed to it during training; amy exceptions result in biased decisions that can be inconvenient, life-changing, even fatal. For example, in 2016, a passport application of an Asian manin New Zealand was rejected because Al declared the eyes in his photo were closed. They weren’t. They were only smaller. The applicant had ‘no hard feel- ings’ against the robot. Glenn Rodriguez, though, wanted to be released from jail after an exemplary 26-year record. However, the proprietary AI system COMPAS denied his parole application; and the board had no idea why. Later research showed that COMPAS deemed him high-risk simply because he was black. In 2016 again, a self-driving Tesla crashed into a truck because it mistook its white side for the sky. The driver died. The point is not to scare anyone, it is to raise awareness. AI holds immense poten- tial, but its ability to mimic or even surpass human accuracy across a range of situa- tions can inflate trust in its safety and ethi- cality, ignoring the fact that the learning process behind this impressive perfor- BY RAJA MUHAMMAD ATIF AZAD The age of Al mance is not faithful to human cognition and neurobiology. Also, modern AI systems are complex, with properties that may only be discovered long after their creation. ‘They can embed systemic human bias and perpetuate it at scale: due to limited medi- cal access, dermatological data grossly underrepresents people with darker skin tones. This leaves even doctors with little evidence to test the efficacy of costly treat- ments — and AI risks reinforcing such under-treatment. Accordingly, legislation such as the EU AI Act classifies systems impacting human welfare, opportunities and safety as high-risk to stamp the impor- tance of the responsible use of AI. For an ethnically, environmentally and socioeconomically diverse Pakistan, this presents challenges and opportunities. Bias is multidimensional and cannot be estimated or even defined without engag- ing stakeholders in a cross-spectrum man- ner. Therefore, this is an opportunity for researchers from both the technical and social sciences to collectively engage com- munities and develop contextually aware and demographically Al’s -7: representative AI sys- ability to tems for Pakistan. By mimic embracing this appro- ach, Pakistan can str- human ategically cultivate AI accuracy solutions that are in- herently fairer and more effective for its unique sub-populatio- ns, directly address- ing existing health- care inequalities and ensuring equitable outcomes in areas like criminal justice and economic opportunities. ‘To enable broader societal uptake and understanding, it is also important to develop conversion courses that allow people from all academic backgrounds to engage with Al. Experience from the UK shows that such courses attract stu- dents from diverse fields and foster stakeholder engagement directly within the classroom. Fairness, equity and justice are divine ideals, yet they are fundamental to human dignity. The quest for them has now turned to machines. But will artificial intelligence succeed where biological intelligence has failed? This question brings empirical eth- ics into the spotlight. Regardless, the road to the elusive ideal of true justice is paved with the fundamentals of transparency, integrity and inclusivity. = can inflate trust in its safety. The whiter is professor of artificial intelligence at Birmingham City University.BY HUMA YUSUF Plastic deadlock AFTER days of negotiations, UN-brokered efforts for agreement on a new plastics treaty collapsed on Friday. The failure of what was meant to be the most important environmental treaty since the Paris Agreement is sad and terrifying, adversely affecting all people and our planet. At the very least, this dismal out- come should spark fresh conversations about plastic production and pollution, including in Pakistan. The world is now producing 460 million tons of plastic each year (of which only nine per cent is recycled), and the QECD pre- dicts that plastic use will triple by 2060, Callsto cap plastic production were rejected by oil-producing countries that hope to feed the global hunger for plastics (99pec of which are derived from fossil fuels) and reap prof- its in a world otherwise turning towards renewables and EVs. Other controversial topics included implementation finance for developing countries and more restrictions on the use of chemicals in _ plastic production. Pakistan’s climate minister reportedly called for developed economies to stop treating countries like Pakistan as “junk yards” for plastic waste, demanding more green financing for emerging economies and proposing plastic credits. Pakistan must remain a strong voice at international fora focused on environmen- tal issues and climate change. On the same day the plastics treaty hit an impasse, more than 220 people were killed in flash flood- ing in KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, the latest cli- mate change-related tragedy in our extremely climate-vulnerable country. Lest the link between a flash flood and the cel- lapse of the plastics treaty remain unclear: fossil fuel consumption in the production of plastics exacerbates global climate change, and the resulting frequency and intensity of climate-related natural disasters. But the climate minister’s indignation masked the reality of the plastic skeletons in the national closet. Pakistan is among the 10 largest producers of plastic waste, gener- ating 2.6m tons of plastic waste each year. As of 2020, we were using 55 billion single- use plastic bags each year. Pakistan also imports up to 80,000 tons of hazardous waste annually. According to the World Wide Fund. for Nature (WWE-Pakistan), 86pc of our plastic waste is mismanaged (think landfill leach- ing toxins into groundwater, burning plastic sullying urban air, beaches littered with plastic bottles, the Indus rushing macro- plastics into the Arabian Sea). Less than 10pc is recycled. There is also a social cost. Almost half of the waste dumped in the country’s landfills is meant to be sorted by informal waste pickers, who are poorly compensated, exposed to hazardous materials and who often include women and children. Their plight sits alongside the broader societal challenges linked to widespread plastic pol- lution, including severe health implications (disrupted hormonal and reproductive sys- tems, lung disease, cancer, etc) and disrup- tions to food systems, Despite all this and our robust participa- tion in the talks, Pakistan is unlikely to give up plastics amy time soon, especially consid- ering the economics. In 2020, there were more than 11,000 plastic processing and manufacturing companies in the country, contributing 15pc to GDP as well as 15pc of national tax revenues that year. More than 500,000 workers are directly employed in the plastics manufacturing sector. And with national plastic demand growing by 15pc each year, one can assume these numbers are Increasing. Rather than posture in the hope of attracting green finance, Pakistan needs to seriously rethink its relationship with ———__—_—_ plastic. On paper, we 3 are headed in the Pakistan right direction — we ; joined the World Eco- is ATIOILS, nomic Forum’s Global the 10 Plastic Action Part- nership in 2022 and largest launched a National producers Action Roadmap to : Reduce Plastic Poll- of plastic ution this year, which waste. commits to reducing mismanaged waste by over 75pc by 2040. But in the case of plastic pollution, inten- tions must be judged by actions. For exam- ple, repeated efforts to ban single-use plas- tic bags have faltered due to weak enforce- ment, a lack of public awareness on the ha- rms of plastic pollution, the fragmentation of plastic policies and legal frameworks at federal and provincial levels, and the pau- city of affordable, practical alternatives (ad- mittedly, more recent bans, such as the one in Islamabad, have met with greater success). Pakistan should go back to basics, ready for a sustainable approach to plastics. To start, we need an approach to waste collec- tion that is consistently applied across the country, including an expansion of collec- tion services and facilities for sorting and treating waste. Then come plans for recy- cling, disposal, upcycling, zero waste, Our road to less plastic pollution is long, and sadly strewn with PET packaging, plastic bags and bottles. = The writer is a political and integrity risk analyst. X: @humayusufGovt working to expand Raast, digitise economy: PM By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government is working ona priority basis to digitalise the economy and shift financial trans- actions to a cashless and digital system, Chairing a review meet- ing on cashless economy in Islamabad on Sunday, he directed all the provin- cial chief secretaries to fully cooperate with the federal government in expanding the Raast digi- tal payment system to the district level. The prime minister expressed satisfaction over the progress made towards a cashless econ- omy and digital financial systems. The meeting was briefed that Pakistan will develop digital public infrastructure to create digital IDs for every citi- zen, integrating national identity cards, biometrics and mobile numbers. These digital IDs will enable secure and effi- cient payments. It was further said that the provincial govern- ments have shown signifi- cant progress in linking government-to-public and public-to-government pay- ments with the Raast sys- tem. The meeting was info- rmed that the federal development agencies have granted right of way for fibre connectivity, while discussions are ongo- ing with Pakistan Railways and the National Highway Authority to expand digi- tal infrastructure.Suspects held for ‘obscenity’ released A judicial magistrate orders the release of five individuals, including two transpersons, arrested for allegedly organising an ‘objectionable’ private party in Lahore, dismissing the case due to lack of evidence. The police had arrested two transgender persons, Ishal Hassan and Arooj Butt, along with three others Janan, Muhammad Ali, and Sawal Shahid on Saturday. Page 2 Squad named for Asia Cup, T20 tri-series The Pakistan selectors have backed emerging talent in the squad named for the upcoming T20 tri-series and Asia Cup. The absence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the 17-member squad confirms they remain out of plans for the shortest format, with Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub now seen as better top-order fits for modern T20. Page 18 Plas... = USINESSS FINANGAs monsoon wreaks havoc, only fraction of cars insured * Just 2.5pe vehicles have coverage, leaving millions of owners at risk * Experts urge government to make insurance mandatory SITUATIO NER By Aamir Shafaat Khan in Karachi WITH the country currently in the grip of cataclysmic monsoon rains, every passing day brings with it more reports of deaths and destruction. Among the losses to life and property, images of damaged veh- icles — either swept up by flood- waters or battered by falling debris — have become a common sight. Alongside lost homes, busi- nesses and civic amenities, dam- age to vehicles constitutes a major chunk of the losses incurred by people. According to insurance experts, however, the uptake for motor vehicle coverage in the country stands at a paltry 2.5 per cent. Take, for example, the freak var NON-CUSTOMS paid vehicles, such as those widely used across the Malakand division, are usually not insured.—AFP hailstorm that inflicted damages worth millions of rupees to vehi- cles across Islamabad earlier this year. According ta data from around 12 insurance and takaful operators (out of a total of 28 pro- viders), around 958 vehicle repair claims were received in the wake of the hailstorm from the federal capital and its adjoining areas in April 2025. Sources in the motor insurance sector put the gross claim amount at around Rs144 million. But this figure only includes these who had insurance and opted to go that route. Given the massive bills and long queues for repair work in the aftermath of the hailstorm, many vehicle own- ers chose to avail themselves of offers for discounted repairs offered by carmakers themselves, or took their business to their local ‘ustaad’. According to an insurance com- pany official, who asked not to be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media, his com- pany had served around 250 cus- tomers, with a total payment esti- mate of around Rs30 million dur- ing FY25 alone. Amajority of these claims came from Islamabad and its surround- ing areas, and most were for saloon or sedan vehicles. He highlighted that parts short- ages, such as the one created in the wake of the Islamabad hailstorm, put pressure on supply, leading toa price rise. This is exactly what was witnessed in the case of the dam- ages from the hailstorm, with workshops and technicians mak- ing hay due to the sky-high demand for parts such as windshields. The insurance official claimed Continued on Page 5BUNER: Locals assist rescue personnel as they try to remove heavy rocks and clear debris from buildings that were obliterated by the raging floodwaters AFP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa picks up the pieces after deadly deluge ¢ At least 323 dead, 150 missing in the province; PM orders ministers to supervise KP relief efforts * 657 lives lost nationwide since June 26; NDMA warns of more rain spells next month ¢ Food shortages, lack of utilities take hold as parts of GB remain cut off *« Flows in Punjab rivers subside to ‘low flood’ levels By Umer Farooq and Aamir Yasin PESHAWAR/ISLAM- ABAD: With more than 150 people feared missing, the recent catastrophic floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have claimed at least 323 lives, provincial authorities said on Sunday, as the nationwide toll from rain- related incidents since late- June rose to 657, As another two to three waves of heavy rain are expected in early September, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed members of his federal cabi- net to personally supervise relief operations in the worst-hit KP province. Speaking at a news con- ference on Sunday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Asfandyar Khattak said that as per details col- lected by revenue staff in the Buner and Shangla dis- tricts, around 150 people are still missing. He added that rescue operations were underway and that five armed forces helicopters were at the dis- posal of the provincial gov- ernment. Over 60 schools destroyed, 414 damaged in KP rains, floods: Page 9 ‘Disaster refugees’ on the roof of the world: Footprints on Page 12 UN chief offers help to Pakistan amid rains: Page 12 Flanked by Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif and Dir- ector General Rescue-1122 Muhammad ‘Tayyab Abdullah, Mr Khattak said the provincial government hadreleased Rs1.5 billion for relief activities. Out of the initial release of Rs500m, the allocations included Rs150m for Buner, Rsi00m fer Mansehra, Rs50m for Bajaur, Rs40m each for Batagram, Swat, and Shangla, and Rs1i0m each for Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, and Kolai Palas, he added. The PDMA DG further said that 33 trucks of non- food items had reached Buner, eight had reached Swat, and seven had reached Bajaur, while addi- tional supplies were also being dispatched. More rain in Sept With heavy monsoon rains expected to persist until August 22, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Spokes- person Dr Tayyab Shah warned on Sunday that two to three more spells of heavy rain are expected to hit the country in September. He noted that this year, monsoon rainfall had been 50 to 60 per cent heavier than last year. This year’s monsoon sea- son ranks among the most destructive in recent mem- ory, he said. NDMA put the number of those who had lost their lives in rain-related incidents across Pakistan since June 26 at 657, with 929 injured. Of the total casualties, 171 were children, 94 women, and 392 men. KP province alone accounted for 390 deaths, including 288 men, 59 chil- dren, and 43 women, under- scoring the province’s dis- proportionate vulnerability to seasonal downpours and related hazards. In Punjab, 164 people including, 70 children, 63 men, and 31 women, have died in rain-related inci- dents since June 26. Sindh has recorded 28 deaths, including 14 Continued on Page 5Pakistan has ‘video proof’ of downed Indian jets, claims Naqvi ¢ Interior minister highlights intelligence agencies’ role in May conflict ¢ Insists key bases incurred no significant damage during Indian strikes e Senate chairman says international community rejected India’s narrative on Pahalgam By Amjad Mahmood LAHORE: Months after their flare-up, the India-Pakistan con- flict from earlier this year contin- ues to drive a blame game and claims of success from both sides. A case in point was Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who said on Sunday that Pakistan has vid- eos of the five Indian jets shot down during the May conflict. Although many international experts have backed Pakistan’s claim of shooting down Indian air- craft, New Delhi had maintained official silence on its losses until recently, except for a number of officials offering their own sepa- rate perspectives. Then, earlier this month, India’s air chief claimed shooting down six Pakistani aircraft sans evi- dence, ostensibly prompting the interior minister to respond. Addressing a seminar on the ‘Impact of Pakistan’s Military and Diplomatic Victories on Inter- national Media’ at Aiwan-i-Iqbal, Mr Naqvi said that while radar data had confirmed the downing of Indian aircraft, the government chose to withhold public announce- ments until physical evidence was obtained. He added that video clips from the sites were collected “within no time”, highlighting Pakistan’s intelligence capabilities. In the immediate aftermath of the aerial battle, photos had emer- ged from Indian-held Kashmir of the mangled fuselage of a fighter jet, said to resemble an Indian Rafale aircraft. Other photoes also circulated online, but many could not be verified at the time. “Some people do not refrain from slandering intelligence agen- cies, but during the conflict, Pakistan’s intelligence agencies performed exceptionally well,’ Mr Naqvi said. “Our institutions had informa- tion on India’s (plans) well ahead of time. We knew whatever they (India) planned, what aircraft they would use,” he said. The interior minister stated that no Indian missile hit the air- bases where Pakistan had valua- ble assets, and there was no sig- nificant damage from the Indian missile attack on the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, either. He said that only one airbase was damaged by an Indian attack, and a soldier was martyred, add- ing that he had been a witness to many events during the conflict. He insisted that Field Marshal Asim Munir provided “excellent leadership during the conflict”, adding that Pakistan could have inflicted more damage on India, but New Delhi could not even handle the damage they had Continued on Page 3