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Contents
JULY 2022
FEATURES
10
GVS Snapshot
20
PTI Punches a Pack on Punjab By-Elections
Twenty provincial constituencies were on the ballot in by-polls;
through its sweeping victory, the PTI looks likely to ascend back to
power in any free and fair general elections.
22
22
Veni, Vidi, Vici – I came, I saw, I Conquered
Lt. Gen. (r) Tariq Khan
Looks at Punjab's by-elections and appreciates how Imran Khan
unflinching and tirelessly continues on a journey - on a road - that
many others would have given up by now and achieved unprecedented
results hitherto not seen since 1971.
28
Media Suppression: Another Era of Terror Launched in
Pakistan
Najma Minhas
Managing Editor GVS takes a brief look at the media suppression that
has reached another high level in the last couple of weeks with the
arrest of anchor Imran Riaz Khan under treason and public mischief
cases.
31
Policing Organized Crime
Kamran Adil
Deputy Inspector General Investigation Lahore sheds light on
the emerging challenges of policing organized crime that is often
misunderstood and confused with white-collar crime.
34
Removing Structural Inefficiencies
Dr. Gohar Ejaz
Patron in Chief of APTMA highlights that despite its immense
potential, Pakistan is currently underrepresented in the high-added
value textile sectors. He explains how structural inefficiencies and the
28
lack of implementation of reforms are two primary reasons hindering
the country's potential.
38
Pakistan's Single Window: Digital
Revolution 54
Shahid Sattar & Amna Arooj Five Battles to Look Out for as
Executive Director APTMA critically Pakistan Prepares for 7 T20Is
analyses the establishment of the National Against England
Single Window System designed to provide
unique benefits to the current stakeholders
involved in cross-border trade. He highlights
the need to also integrate indirect textile
56
exporters on this newly established digital From APS to Oxford: A Journey of
system to ensure more widespread economic Hardship & Perseverance
growth within the country. GVS looks at the journey of Ahmad Nawaz, a
survivor of the 2014 Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) attack on the Army Public School in
41 Peshawar, recently selected as the President of
FBR's Revenue Collection Exceeds the Oxford Union.
56
Target in FY-22
58
43 European Split over the Ukraine
FATF: Politically Propelled War
Financial Enforcer A brief review of the recent poll conducted by
the European Council for Foreign Relations
Tahama Asad (ECFR) reveals that diverging public
A researcher looks at the geopolitical angle preferences are starting to arise over the EU
of the institution and the security risks this stance on the Russia-Ukraine war.
creates for concerned countries targeted
under realpolitik considerations.
60
48 A Double-edged Sword: Mr. Biden's
IMF Reaches Staff-Level Pilgrimage to Jeddah
Agreement with Pakistan Dr. James Dorsey
31
Pakistan finally secured a staff-level Senior Fellow at the National University of
agreement with the International Monetary Singapore's Middle East Institute critically
Fund to restore the stalled $6 billion analyzes why Mr. Biden's visit is likely to
assistance package. We describe the prove a double-edged sword for the United
conditions it needs to fulfill under this to get States. He explains how this visit by the
the green light from IMF's DC headquarters. US President is part of a broader and more
complex geopolitical puzzle with multiple
Gulf and Red Sea littoral states attempting
50 to hedge their bets and play rival global and
regional powers against one another.
Beg, Borrow & Repeat: A Tale of
Pakistan’s Obsession with the IMF
51
Property for Everyone in Every
58 64
KP Government and NLC Ink Deal
for Pakistan’s First Digital City
Vicinity
Senior Director Sales in Zameen.com
Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar explains how the 66
country's economic uncertainty has affected HBL Acknowledged Internationally
the real estate market and how Zameen.com
for Its Outstanding Services
has transformed the real estate sector.
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Editorial
T
he IMF program seemed to be back on track,
friendly countries were talking about helping
Pakistan again, and PDM government pol-
itics seemed set to continue when Punjab
by-elections happened and introduced a new span-
ner into the works. PTI won a resounding majority
in the twenty seats with outright wins in fifteen and
one, which it lost by just 50 votes and is contesting
the result. PML-N only won four seats (including
the currently contested PP-07 seat).
The crushing defeat faced by PML-N in Pun-
jab, considered its traditional stronghold – especial-
ly in central Punjab (losing three out of four seats in
Lahore) – has once again led to the widening of polit-
ical cleavages within the PML-N party. Two separate
camps become visible again; between those supporting
Shehbaz Sharif and those considered in Maryam Nawaz
Sharif's camp. Javed Latif, considered to be part of the
latter camp, conducted a strongly worded critical press con-
ference the day after the by-elections, admonishing those in
the party who had decided to take power in such dire circum-
stances, stating that "we have committed suicide by taking the
reins of power and for who and on whose saying?"
With political uncertainty back again, the PSX stock mar-
ket fell by more than 1000 points and the Rupee depreciat-
ed to over Rs.220 against USD in the interbank market. The
market was worried that although a staff-level agreement has awaiting the onsite visit that will take the country formally off
been reached with the IMF, its Executive Board is yet to give the Grey list; Tahama Asad looks at the geopolitics of the in-
a green signal, and this was dependent on the federal govern- stitution and the security risks this creates for the concerned
ment's promise to further hike gas and electricity prices which countries. We also interview Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar from
it may not undertake if it decides to go for snap elections. Zameen.com to understand how the country's economic uncer-
With the sweeping victory of PTI in Punjab, it now has tainty has affected the real estate market.
sufficient votes to bring in its Chief Minister in the July 22
election to be held (unless, as Pakistan's history has shown in
the past and unknown powers prevail otherwise). PTI is ex- We hope you will share your feedback as ever.
pected to use its CM (Pervaiz Elahi as the current favorite) to
dismiss Punjab Assembly. Speculation abounds that Pervaiz
Elahi was keen on staying in power as CM for a couple of
months, although he has said on national TV that he will dis-
miss Assembly as and when ordered by Imran Khan.
Pakistan politics is in a state of turbulence and what we
write today becomes redundant in a couple of hours; howev- Subscribe to our GVS News Youtube channel:
er, we have given a brief overview of this issue. Lt. General
Tariq Khan (retd) looks at Punjab's by-elections and appreci-
ates how Imran Khan unflinchingly and tirelessly continues on
a journey - on a road - that many others would have given up
by now and achieved unprecedented results hitherto not seen
since 1971. I take a brief look at the media suppression that
has reached another high level in the last couple of weeks with
the arrest of anchor Imran Riaz Khan under treason and public
mischief cases. Kamran Adil looks at the emerging challenges
of effective policing of organized crimes.
We continue looking at the economy and the issues it
faces. Dr. Gohar Ejaz looks at what the government needs to Najma Minhas
do to remove its structural inefficiencies and how to increase
Pakistan's presence in high value-added sectors. Shahid Sattar Managing Editor
looks at Pakistan's introduction of the national single window @MinhasNajma
system and how this digital revolution will help to increase Editor@GlobalVillageSpace.com
border clearance performance and trade. Given everything
that has happened, FATF now seems eons ago, but we are still
P
TI stunned PML-N by winning 15 seats in the crucial by-
elections on 20 seats that got vacated after the disqualification
of PTI members who had voted for Hamza Shehbaz for Punjab
chief minister’s office. PTI won five seats in central Punjab,
five in the north, and as many in south Punjab. Imran Khan’s party
lost one seat in Lahore, three in south Punjab, and one in the north
in the by-elections held in 14 districts of the province. The ruling
PML-N could win only four seats, as it had fielded turncoats in all the
constituencies, except in Lahore, where PTI renegade Aleem Khan had
decided against contesting the by-election. PTI chairman Imran Khan in
a tweet, thanked party workers and voters of Punjab for defeating, what
he called, not just PML-N candidates but the entire state machinery. He
also thanked the PTI allies — PML-Q, Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen,
and Sunni Ittehad Council. “The only way forward from here is to
hold fair and free elections under a credible ECP. Any other path will
only lead to greater political uncertainty and further economic chaos,”
PTI WINS BY-ELECTIONS

Mr. Khan said. As the electoral scoreboard got clearer, PML-N vice
president Maryam Nawaz tweeted that her party should accept the
results with an open heart and bow before people’s decision, adding
IN PUNJAB that winning and losing is part of politics. She also advised her party to
identify its weaknesses and work hard to remove them.
10 GVS Magazine July 2022
Pakistan Likely to Be Removed
from FATF's Grey List by October
P
akistan will have to wait a little longer to get its name removed from
the FATF Grey List as the watchdog announced that the country's
removal would only be finalized after an on-site visit by the FATF
staff. Pakistan has mostly complied with the organization's targets,
and it is optimistic that the visit will only be a formality. It is important
to note that an on-site visit is a prerequisite to being removed from Grey
List for any country, so this announcement does not indicate that FATF is
not fully satisfied with Pakistan's progress. FATF President said an on-site
inspection by FATF in Pakistan would be done before October, and a formal
announcement on Pakistan's removal would follow. FATF praised Pakistan
for implementing the organization's action plans – a clear indication that
Pakistan is moving closer to getting off the Grey List. The Paris-based
group added Pakistan to the list in 2018, severely restricting its international
borrowing capabilities. The Grey List is composed of countries with a high
risk of money laundering and what FATF considers terrorism financing but
which have formally committed to working with the task force to make
changes. Being on the international watchdog's Grey List can scare away
investors and creditors, hurting exports, output, and consumption. It also
can make global banks wary of doing business with a country. A Pakistani-
based independent think-tank, Tabadlab, has estimated it has cost the
country's economy $38bn since it was put on the Grey List in 2018.
he former Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs Ali
T Haider Zaidi and former Chairman of the Federal

Board of Revenue Syed Shabbar Zaidi underscored
the efforts of Sultan Ali Allana, Chairman of
Habib Bank Limited, for providing valuable contribution
to accomplish the herculean task of bringing Pakistan to its
final stage of on-site visit for exiting FATF's grey list. Former
Federal Minister Ali Haider Zaidi acknowledged the HBL
Chairman's support as the latter hired leading international
experts to guide Pakistan's FATF team. The former Federal
Minister tweeted, "While many contributed brilliantly towards
our success in FATF, I must especially acknowledge HBL's
Chairman Sultan Ali Allana, who hired and paid millions of
dollars to top international consultants required to guide our
Pakistan team in helping us get through FATF. Well done HBL
Pakistan." The ex-FBR Chairman also lauded Mr. Allana and
his team for providing financial and technical support for FATF
HBL’s Chairman Wins by tweeting, "Mr. Sultan Allana & his team of HBL provided
financial & technical support in getting compliance for FATF.
I congratulate Mr. Allana and his team for service to Pakistan.
Praise for Pakistan’s Time has come for the private sector to come up for the support
of state of Pakistan intellectually and expertise." It is always
FATF Achievement important to highlight the selfless contribution made by great

individuals who have done so much for Pakistan and continue
to do so, such as Sultan Ali Allana.
July 2022 GVS Magazine 11

First Ever Software
Technology Park
in Swat Becomes
Operational
he first-ever software technology park set up in Swat under a public-private partnership (PPP) has become
T operational. Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) has set up the software technology park in collaboration
with Vertex Tower. The office space of the Software Technology Park set up in Mingora Swat is 17,950 square
feet, and companies have started taking offices there. According to PSEB officials, eight to ten companies can
avail office space in this software technology park at a subsidized rate. IT companies will get a 25 percent, rental subsidy
and one-year free internet facility if they apply for the PSEB 25 STPs project. The Software Technology Park in Swat
will benefit youth in remote areas, including Mingora, Char Bagh, Bahrain, Shangla, and others. Once fully operational,
the park will provide employment to more than 300 people. With the establishment of the Software Technology Park in
Mingora, the local IT experts will be able to work closer to home, and large companies will be able to set up their own
site offices and reduce their costs. The operationalization of the park will also improve the connectivity infrastructure as
telecom and internet providers will have to cater to growing demand.
Boris Johnson
finally steps down
as UK's PM
fter a series of misconducts, Boris Johnson's time as Prime Minister was finally over. His resignation
A makes him the third consecutive prime minister to step down, after Theresa May and David Cameron.
The British Prime Minister stepped down on Thursday, July 7, following months of discontent from his
governing party over his judgment on many subjects, including his account for how sexual misconduct
allegations within the Conservative Party ranks are handled. There was also immense pressure due to high-
profile government officials quitting, as well as calls from other Conservative Party members, telling him to quit.
The calls for Johnson’s resignation intensified in the hours after Treasury chief Rishi Sunak and Health
Secretary Sajid Javid resigned. Within these hours, more than 50 other members of government resigned.
Speaking in front of 10 Downing Street, he claimed that the process of finding a new Prime Minister started immediately.
Until a new leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister is found, Johnson plans to continue serving, a ploy
many believe is just to ensure he stays in office as long as he can. This statement was followed by backlash, including
by Labor Party leader Keir Starmer who said, “[he] needs to go completely. None of this nonsense about clinging
on for a few months," and former Prime Minister John Major who said in a letter, “[for] the overall wellbeing of the
country, Mr. Johnson should not remain in Downing Street.” Currently Rishi Sunak former Chancellor is leading the
odds to become the new Conservative Party leader. If he wins he will be the first South Asian PM for the country.

EU Grants Ukraine
Candidate Status
T
he European Union agreed to put Ukraine on a path towards EU membership, acting with uncharacteristic
speed and unity to pull the embattled country further away from Russia’s influence and bind it more closely
to the West. Meeting at a summit in Brussels on June 23, leaders of the EU’s 27 nations mustered the required
unanimous approval to grant Ukraine candidate status. This sets in motion a membership process that could take
years – or even decades. The move came just one day short of the four-month anniversary of President Vladimir Putin
ordering his troops into Ukraine for what Russia insisted was not a war but a “special military operation.” The EU also
gave candidate status to Moldova, another former Soviet republic that borders Ukraine. Ukraine applied for membership
less than a week after Moscow invaded on February 24, 2021. EU’s decision was unusually rapid for the EU and its go-
slow approach to expansion, but the war and Ukraine’s request for fast-track consideration lent urgency to the country’s
cause. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted his gratitude and declared: “Ukraine’s future is within the
EU.” However, it is worth noting that EU candidate status does not give an automatic right to join the bloc and does not
provide any immediate security guarantees.
President Biden
Visits Saudi Arabia
During his First Visit
to the Middle East
uring his first visit to the Middle East, President Joe Biden traveled to Saudi Arabia on a trip to reset relations
D with a country he had called a pariah after the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in
2018. During his visit, President Joe Biden met with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the
man he once pledged to shun for human rights violations, and shared a cordial fist bump as he tried to reset
an important diplomatic relationship, bolster Mideast security and increase the global flow of oil. The visit was aimed
to reset ties with the Gulf Arab oil giant, demonstrate U.S. commitment to the region, and counter the rising influence
of Iran, Russia, and China, but thorny optics overshadowed the Saudi leg as Biden avoided appearing to embrace a
crown prince implicated by U.S. intelligence in the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a charge Saudi authorities deny.
Interestingly the trip saw small warming of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel after Riyadh said it would open
its airspace to all air carriers, paving the way for more overflights to and from Israel. During his two-day visit to the
kingdom, President Biden also attended the GCC+3 summit, where he laid down his Middle East strategy and assured
allies that The United States “will not walk away” from the Middle East and leave a vacuum to be filled by Russia,
China, or Iran.

O
n the morning of June 22, an earthquake of
6.1 magnitude killed over 1,000 people in
Afghanistan and injured hundreds of people.
The damage toll kept rising as information
trickled in from remote mountain villages. According
to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck
about 44 kilometers from the city of Khost, near the
Pakistani border, at a depth of 51 kilometers. Tremors
were felt in Pakistan's northern and upper regions,
including Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Kohat, Swat,
Rawalpindi, Buner, Pakpattan, and Mianwali, and
it was felt in India as well. However, there were no
immediate reports of damage or casualties in Pakistan
and India. In a statement, Pakistan's Foreign Office
extended its deepest condolences and sympathies over
Earthquake the loss of precious lives and damage to property caused

by the earthquake in Afghanistan. The very next day,
Kills More Than

Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority
dispatched relief goods for earthquake victims in
Afghanistan. The consignment of eight trucks included
1,000 People in tents, tarpaulin, blankets, and medicines. The disaster

comes as Afghanistan has been enduring a severe
economic crisis due to the sanctions imposed on it in
Afghanistan response to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in

August last year. Amid this tragic situation, an Afghan
foreign ministry spokesman said that the Taliban would
welcome international help.
US Supreme
Court Overturns
Landmark Roe vS.
Wade Abortion
Ruling
T
he U.S. Supreme Court, on June 24, overturned the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade ruling that recognized
women's constitutional right to abortion. This decision will dramatically change the lives of millions of women
in America and exacerbate growing tensions in a deeply polarized country. In a 6-3 ruling, the court upheld a
Republican-backed Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The reverberations of the
ruling will be felt far beyond the court's high-security confines - potentially reshaping the battlefield in November's
elections to determine whether Biden's fellow Democrats retain control of Congress and signaling a new openness
by the justices to change other long-recognized rights. The decision will also intensify the debate over the legitimacy
of the court, once an unassailable cornerstone of the American democratic system but increasingly under scrutiny
for its more aggressively conservative decisions on a range of issues. The ruling restored the ability of states to ban
abortion. Twenty-six states are either certain or considered likely to ban abortion. Mississippi is among 13 states
with so-called trigger laws to ban abortion with Roe overturned. Women with unwanted pregnancies in large swathes
of America now may face the choice of traveling to another state where the procedure remains legal and available,
buying abortion pills online, or having a potentially dangerous illegal abortion.

SBP Challenges
Shariat Court's
Interest Ban in
Supreme Court
T
he State Bank of Pakistan approached the Supreme Court against the Federal Shariat Court’s decision to shift to
an interest-free economy. Salman Akram Raja filed the petition on behalf of the SBP, while four other private
banks also appealed against the FSC’s decision with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Law, Banking Council
chairman, and others listed as parties. In its appeal, the State Bank of Pakistan appreciated the spirit and the intent
that led to the substantive provisions of the judgment delivered by the Shariat Court on April 28, 2022. However, it sought
clarifications, as there are certain discrepancies in the judgment. The central bank’s appeal stated that the FSC did not heed
the orders of the Supreme Court remand order and declared the rules related to savings certificates as un-Islamic, and thus,
ordered to amend the rules. The banks requested that the appeal against the decision of the Shariat court be allowed and
the extent of the points raised in the decision be amended. Earlier, the FSC declared that the prohibition of Riba (interest)
was absolute in all its forms and manifestations according to the injunctions of Islam and in accordance with the Holy
Quran and Sunnah. Therefore, it should be eliminated from the country in five years. The decision came after the matter
pended for 20 years.
Bangladesh Unveils
Bridge Shunned By
The World Bank A
Decade Ago
I
n 2012, the World Bank canceled a $1.2 billion loan to build Bangladesh’s longest bridge citing corruption as the
main reason, which according to the Bangladeshi government, was never proven. Days later, Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina vowed to build the bridge with its own funds. Eight years after work began, Sheikh Hasina, on June 25,
inaugurated the bridge spanning more than six kilometers across the Padma River that cost $3.87 billion. The bridge
will connect 80 million people -- half the country’s population. The multi-purpose bridge has four lanes for traffic on the
top deck. An under-construction rail track on the bottom deck is expected to eventually be connected to a trans-Asian
railway network. Fifty years ago, newly independent Bangladesh was synonymous with poverty. Today the tiny South
Asian nation is being feted for beating its bigger and richer regional peers on key economic and social indicators such as
gross domestic product per capita and gender equity. It is scheduled to exit from the Least Developed Country status in
2026. The government-funded bridge shows its appetite for infrastructure spending amid a need to create jobs for its 67
million labor force and reduce pandemic-fueled inequalities. The bridge is estimated to increase the South Asian nation’s
GDP by more than one percentage point.

Saudi Crown Prince
Awards King
Abdulaziz Medal to
COAS Gen Bajwa
hief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa was conferred with the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent
C Class, an order of merit named after Saudi Arabia’s founder. According to the ISPR, the medal was conferred
upon COAS Gen Bajwa by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz for his “significant
contributions in defense cooperation” between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The army chief visited Saudi Arabia
on an official tour, during which he called on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and General Fayyadh Bin Hamed
Al-Ruwaili, Chief of General Staff (CGS) of the Saudi Armed Forces at Jeddah. Both sides discussed matters of mutual
interest, bilateral defense and security cooperation, and regional peace and stability during the meetings. The COAS said
Pakistan “values its historical and brotherly relations with the kingdom and acknowledges its unique place in the Islamic
world.” The two sides agreed on enhancing defense cooperation in the domains of joint training, air defense, counter-
terrorism and communication, and information. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Twitter, congratulated the army chief
for receiving the honor. “Heartiest congratulations to Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on conferment of King
Abdulaziz Medal for his contributions to strengthening defence ties between our two brotherly countries. It is a great
honour for the people and the armed forces of Pakistan,” wrote the Prime Minister.
FWO & NHA Team up

To Install E-tolls
At Motorways
T
he Frontier Works Organization has signed an agreement with the National Highway Authority to install an
e-tolling system on motorways. According to details, Muhammad Azhar, Member Finance from NHA, and Brig
Asif Siddique (retired), Director IT from FWO, signed the agreement. Federal Minister for Communications
and Postal Services, Asad Mahmood, was the chief guest on occasion. The e-tolling systems on the motorways
will ensure a smooth flow of traffic, save time, and speed up business activities. Connecting and coordinating all the toll
plazas on the motorways will save time, and a smooth flow of traffic will be ensured. Moreover, the e-tolling systems
will also help compile accurate data on toll tax collection through modern technology, i.e., electronic collection instead
of manual payment of toll tax. Speaking on occasion, Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Asad
Mahmood said that the duration of the agreement for the collection of motorway toll tax through an electronic system
is seven years, which can be extended for another three years. In addition, FWO recently signed an agreement with the
Pakistan State Oil to establish fuel stations along Mansehra Naran Jalkhad Road and along Karakoram Highway (KKH).

FIFA lifts ban on
Pakistan Football
Federation
orld football's governing body, FIFA, has finally lifted the ban on Pakistan Football Federation. A press
W release issued by the Bureau of the FIFA Council stated, "The Bureau of the FIFA Council decided on
June 29, 2022 to lift the suspension that was imposed on the Pakistan Football Federation in April 2021
due to undue third-party interference." The decision was made after FIFA received confirmation that the
Normalization Committee of the PFF had regained full control of its premises and was in a position to manage its finances.
Chairman Normalization Committee, Haroon Malik has congratulated the entire nation on the development, saying his
team has worked hard to undo the ban that has haunted footballers and fans in the country. The lifting of the ban means
that the Pakistan football team can participate in international events and friendlies, and normal football activities will
finally resume in the country after a hiatus of over a year. Pakistan got banned in April last year after the Ashfaq group
illegally occupied PFF headquarters. The Normalization Committee's mandate has now been extended by a year, and it
has been tasked with conducting elections, resumption of football activities, and gaining possession of PFF's assets.
Pakistani-American
gets highest US
civil award
K
hizr Muazzam Khan, a Pakistani-born American Muslim has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
the highest US Civil Award, by US President Joe Biden. He rose to fame after challenging former US President
Donald Trump on his knowledge of the American Constitution. Khan is the founder of the Constitution Literacy
and National Unity Center. He is among the 17 individuals from across the US who will receive the award this
year. The White House, in an announcement, declared that “The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest
civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of
the US, world peace, or other significant societal, public, or private endeavors.” The statement further added that “Khizr
Khan is a prominent advocate for the rule of law and religious freedom and served on the US Commission on International
Religious Freedom under President Biden.” Khizr Khan was born in a small village in Gujranwala, Pakistan, and moved
to the USA in 1980. Khan is also the father of the US Army Captain Humayun Khan, a recipient of a Bronze Star and
Purple Heart who lost his life Iraq war in 2004. Khan is the first Pakistani-American to receive this award.

JS Bank Launches Pakistan’s First
Account Opening Services on WhatsApp
J
S Bank, one of the fastest-growing banks in Pakistan, has
achieved the milestone of becoming the first bank in Pakistan
to provide account opening services on WhatsApp. This is
a major achievement as it will revolutionize digital banking
within the country. JS Bank recently launched a WhatsApp Bot
titled ‘JS BOT,’ which will facilitate customers in opening bank
accounts. Customers can open a complete checking account with the
touch of a few buttons. Customers now enjoy unprecedented ease
by simply texting ‘Hello’ to 0348-7003000 through their WhatsApp
to open their accounts in a few simple steps. With the introduction
of JS BOT, the bank has delivered another industry-first initiative
to deliver a superior customer experience backed by technology.
This is not the first time JS Bank contributed to Pakistan’s fintech
innovation. Earlier this year, JS Bank launched a mobile app ‘Zindigi’
which provides a customizable digital banking experience. The app
lets clients open a new bank account without visiting a branch.
Moreover, in November 2021, JS Bank successfully launched its
end-to-end digital account opening facility titled JS Blink, allowing
customers to open a complete checking account by downloading JS
Mobile or visiting the JS Bank's website.
Textile sector’s gas

suspension to cause
$1 billion in loss
T
he All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has warned that the textile sector could face $1 billion in loss
if gas is not supplied to the export-oriented industry. APTMA’s Patron-in-Chief Dr. Gohar Ejaz wrote a letter to
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in which he informed him that an over 50 percent drop in the exports of textile
products was feared in July on account of the suspension of the gas supply to the sector from July 1, 2022, to
July 8, 2022. “Gas/RLNG to the industry has been suspended from July 1 to July 8, following that, there would be Eid
holidays from July 9-14, and a shutdown of 15 days will translate to a loss of at least $1 billion,” the APTMA chief wrote.
Gohar Ejaz explained that the drop in output would lead to a real risk of losing orders permanently as well as loss of repeat
business due to delays in the delivery of orders. It is important to note that the textile industry has significantly contributed
to Pakistan’s economy. According to the data by APTMA, Pakistan’s textile exports surged 28 percent to $17.67 billion in
July-May of the last fiscal year, the highest ever for the period under review. The interrupted gas supply to the industries
has been affecting the exports that will impact the achievement of the $26 billion targets for the next fiscal year besides
increasing unemployment.

PTI’s Ehsaas Program
The study highlights the importance

of "good leadership, building strong
institutions, effectively using data
and technology, and of using an
integrated, inclusive approach to
anti-poverty."
Throughout Pakistan's history, various governments have

initiated poverty alleviation programs to tackle poverty, but
none competes with the Ehsaas Program in its scale of suc-
cess. The program provides a variety of services to vulnerable
Pakistanis, including cash transfers, targeted subsidies, and in-
creased health and nutritional coverage. The program has been
successful in assisting many of the most vulnerable people in
Pakistan and is considered a world-leading anti-poverty effort.
As of May 2020, over 4 million households had benefited from
the Ehsaas Program.
The study done by Stanford University explores the var-
Stanford University Appreciates ious policies, programmatic, and implementation reforms un-
dertaken during the PTI's tenure, with a focus on the lessons
PTI’s Ehsaas Program these reforms offer for global policymakers. In particular, the
study highlights the importance of "good leadership, building
strong institutions, effectively using data and technology, and
The study done by Stanford University explores the of using an integrated, inclusive approach to anti-poverty."
The findings indicate that "these reforms have enabled Eh-
various policies, programmatic, and implementation saas to successfully scale impact, increase transparency, and
reforms undertaken during the PTI's tenure on poverty improve the efficiency of its interventions, whilst building trust
alleviation with a focus on the lessons these offer to amongst beneficiaries and program administrators."
global policymakers.
Selected Ehsaas Programs at a Glance
S
tanford University, which, according to the QS ranking
2022, is ranked third best in the world, has researched Amount Allocated
Program Name Beneficiaries
how the world can learn from Imran Khan's poverty / Disbursed
alleviation Ehsaas Program implemented by the PTI Ehsaas Kafalat 7 Million Women $620 Million
government from 2018 onwards. In the paper titled "Frame- Ehsaas Emergency
works for a Developmental Welfare State: Lessons From Pa- 16.8 Million Families Rs. 179.2 Billion
Cash
kistan's Ehsaas Program," Stanford University appreciated the Ehsaas Undergrad
142,000 Rs. 13.2 Billion
program. Scholarship
The Ehsaas Program - Khan's key initiative toward a wel- Ehsaas Nashonuma 220,000 Rs. 8.50 Billion
fare state was aimed at improving the living conditions of the
Source: Frameworks for a Developmental Welfare State: Lessons from
poorest and most vulnerable segments of the population, and Pakistan's Ehsaas Program, Stanford University
it continued to do so as even after his ouster - the incumbent
government has been implementing the Ehsaas Program due to
its popularity. During his first-ever visit to Pakistan earlier this year, Mi-
Pakistan has always been a poor country. At the time of crosoft's co-founder Bill Gates termed the Ehsaas Program a
its independence from British colonial rule in 1947, the econ- 'state of the art' initiative aimed at alleviating poverty and ex-
omy was predominantly rural and highly unequal. More than tending help to the country's marginalized communities.
half of the population lived in poverty, and there were limited Citing the Stanford University study, PTI's chief Im-
provisions for education, healthcare, and formal employment. ran Khan stated that his government laid the foundation of a
Since then, poverty has remained a consistent feature of Paki- welfare state for the first time in Pakistan's history. Taking to
stan's economy, particularly due to low economic growth, poor Twitter, the former Prime Minister said that
governance, and vulnerability to external shocks (ranging from his government grappled with stabilizing a
environmental degradation and disasters to a declining securi- bankrupt economy, the International Monetary
ty environment). This has resulted in Pakistan having one of Fund program, covid-19 pandemic, and the
the lowest Human Development Index scores in Asia, and the commodity super cycle, yet it still managed to
world, indicating failure across multiple dimensions of human lay down the foundation of a welfare state. Online Version
development.

never faced unprecedented constitutional issues in the coun-
B
y-elections in Punjab on July 17 proved to be un-
precedented in Pakistan's history. PTI won seventeen try's history. The constitutional crisis was sparked when PTI
seats out of the twenty by-elections, with PML-N lost its majority in the Punjab Assembly in April, after 25 of
winning only two. Before the elections, there was its lawmakers sided with its rival, the PML-N, in the election
widespread concern expressed across PTI leadership that they for chief minister. In the by-elections, twenty provincial con-
would see massive electoral rigging against the party to ensure stituencies were on the ballot after the Election Commission
it loses. Fawad Chaudhury, PTI's former Information minister, unseated 25 MPAs for voting against party lines. Of the 25, five
warned of 'dandla' (indicting a bigger scale rigging than usual) lawmakers were on reserved seats and 20 on contestable seats.
that would need to stop PTI from winning. Even a day before Both the PTI and the PML-N dueled in these constituencies. It
the elections, Imran Khan expressed disappointment if the es- is essential to mention that in the last general elections held in
tablishment played any part in the polls to defeat the party. 2018, of the 20 MPAs who won the polls, ten contested as in-
PTI held several rallies post-Eid, and coming up to the dependent candidates and later joined the PTI due to the efforts
elections, Imran Khan talked of the activities of two significant of businessman and politician Jahangir Khan Tareen.
people playing a role from the establishment in rigging or trying Through a sweeping victory, the PTI now has sufficient
to defeat PTI. He termed them Mr. X and Mr. Y, situated in Mul- votes to bring in its Chief Minister in the July 22 election to
tan and Lahore. While he did not mention names, social media be held (unless, as Pakistan's history has shown in the past and
highlighted the role of two ISI sector commanders in these re- unknown power prevails otherwise). PTI is expected to use its
spective towns. Along with them, PTI highlighted that ROs and CM (whoever this may be - with Pervaiz Elahi still as the cur-
Punjab bureaucracy would be used to ensure that PML-N won rent favorite) to dismiss Punjab Assembly.
the election. Going into the polls, Analysts fully aware of the PTI fully charged up and motivated its voters, who are
potential rigging situation shared the on-ground scenario as PTI sold on Imran Khan's narrative of a foreign conspiracy and re-
winning 15-18 seats if a full and fair election was held. Dismiss- gime change. These voters gave a tough time to the PML-N in
al of Assemblies seems inevitable now, with a general election constituencies that all fall in urban/semi-urban areas by turning
expected to be called for October or November. up in large numbers on the day of the election. Many young
Both parties (PML-N vs. PTI) clashed to bag Pakistan's voters came, and voter turnout was unusually high for by-elec-
most populous and politically significant province, which has tions.

PTI Snatches Punjab

Lt. Gen. (r) Tariq Khan

Lt. Gen. (r) Tariq Khan | Veni, Vidi, Vici - I Came, I Saw, I Conquered
Retired three-star general of the Pakistan Army take on the Punjab by-elections. He notes that Imran Khan
carried the people with him to victory by his sheer character, determination, and reputation. He gave them
purpose, resolution, and persistence and made them believe that they are a part of the game. As a result, people
felt obliged to contribute to a national cause. The sea of humanity at the polling stations prevented the government
from having the free hand it needed to win this election. He concludes that people of the government who have
conceded defeat and accepted a PTI victory ought to be commended, and it is now prayed that the country should
get on and move along as one people and one nation.
So Imran Khan stood his ground and made history. He many violations that were duly reported were neither investi-
stared down all the elements against him – alone. He was gated nor addressed. They fiddled with the voter lists and tried
unflinching in the face of deceit, treachery, and betrayal, not their utmost to make it as difficult as possible for the PTI voters
losing his composure nor his sense of decency. He displayed no to cast their votes. The living were declared dead and denied
frustration during this ordeal of an election where nerves were the right to vote, while the dead were declared alive and voted
tested and resolves challenged. He was not flustered, remained with impunity. What a crying shame!
unruffled, and was not intimidated by the one-sided show. The Provincial government posted people of their choice
A smaller person would have wilted in the face of the to posts with the intent to interfere in the election process and
array of State machinery and Government apparatus aligned in violation of the defined protocol. They shamelessly ordered
against him. I regret to say I, too, proved to be amongst those the arrests of prominent PTI leaders, arranged for others to be
smaller people; when I could find no light at the end of the tun- attacked on the streets, and yet banned many from entering the
nel, I gave up. People such as me looked for conflict and con- province. They ensured that transport was denied to PTI voters
frontation, and when we did not find any, we were disappointed and ensured that their movement was hampered and disrupted.
and disillusioned. Imran was proven right with his Statesman They even encouraged their own touts to stuff ballot boxes with
approach of avoiding physical conflict and instead galvanizing bogus votes.
people into a force to be reckoned with. I was neither surprised nor shocked at the blatant attempts
Never before has a hostile government been allowed to at rigging the elections by the sitting government. I was sure
chair a government, illegally through a judicial license, and that these elections would be conducted in a highly biased en-
permitted to conduct an election of this nature and magnitude vironment, and I know I was right on all counts. I was also cer-
where a conflict of interest was so blatantly served. The Elec- tain that with all these shenanigans, the PML-N would secure
tion Commission conveniently looked the other way so that the a huge victory and declare themselves the legitimate choice of
Participants at PTI’S power showdown at Alipur just ahead of Punjab by-election

Lt. Gen. (r) Tariq Khan | Veni, Vidi, Vici - I Came, I Saw, I Conquered
the people. I was sure that the people - weak, helpless, fatal- prevented fraud, scheming, and deceit by the sheer presence
istic, and disheartened would surrender themselves to the el- and the momentum of humanity. It is for the first time in Paki-
ements and resign themselves to providence in recognition of stan that the people themselves influenced the results. Such a
their own irrelevance and insignificance, doomed to be nothing thing happened in 1970 with Shiekh Mujibur Rehman, but he
but inconsequential pawns in this great fraud. never had to encounter the kind of opposition and hurdles as
However, I could not have been more wrong about my the PTI did, and Mujib won because the elections were actually
own country fellows – men and women. The masses rose like fair and free. Though a belligerent Bhutto, who had lost the
the phoenix from the ashes of doom, and under the clarion call elections, could not live with this and manipulated whatever he
of moral assertion, patriotism and principle, they spoke with could to prevent Mujib from taking away the premiership. But
one voice and ousted an aberration that ought never to have here is a very different case; it was the people who prevented an
been there. They rejected an artificial coalition; they dismissed election from being stolen.
a government that was never theirs nor could ever be theirs. Yet, whereas the people spoke, it was Imran Khan who,
They reacted and responded towards this charade where the by his sheer character, determination, and reputation, carried
single largest party was reduced to a minority in the national the people with him to victory. He gave them purpose, resolu-
assembly by artificial means and engineered methods. Yes, the tion, and persistence. People sensed being part of the game to
people had spoken - they have had enough. contribute to a national cause. Yet most of all, Imran showed
Now, a day after these by-elections, on the 18th of July, I all what a soul of an honest, selfless leader, a determined and
am amazed at some people who are appreciating what they are courageous head of a nation, looks like. Who would not follow
now calling free and fair elections. They were neither free nor him, especially when the alternative was a band of convicted
fair. The administration was overwhelmed by the masses who felons and people accused of theft, fraud, and scams?
The manipulation, conspiracies, and intrigues of the gov-
ernment were simply overwhelmed by the massive support that
the PTI had. The sea of humanity at the polling stations and
people at various government centers prevented the govern-
New Party Position in Punjab ment from having the free hand that they needed to win this
election. People of the government who have conceded defeat
and accepted a PTI victory ought to be commended, and it is
178
Pakistan now prayed that the country should get on and move along as
one people and one nation. Let’s hope that now a general elec-
Tehreek-e-Insaf tion is announced as early as possible so that a formal unified
government can take its place to run the country, and the un-
certainty ends.
The new government, when in place, must set about put-
167
Pakistan ting the economy right on a war footing, define a clear direc-
tion for foreign policy and specify the priorities for National
Muslim League (N) Security. Also, in time, in the interest of history and, to some
extent, some accountability, a white paper must be constructed
to illustrate how things unfolded and brought us to where we
10
are – divided, bankrupt, and almost isolated. It's a matter of
Pakistan national importance that matters be identified so as to begin
Muslim League (Q)

the process of reforms that this country needs so badly. In fact,
the new government, when it arrives, may like to establish a
reforms committee for the purpose. It will help in restructuring
the judiciary, the police, the constitution, accountability where
07
Pakistan
needed, administrative units, education, and many more issues
of vital national importance. With the envisaged huge majority
Peoples Party in parliament, the new government, when elected, would be
able to make radical changes and take difficult decisions with
relative ease.
IND Independent 06 Lt. Gen. Tariq Khan retired as a three star Gen-
eral from Pakistan Army. He previously led Pa-
kistan Army's Strike Corps at Mangla and has
led Frontier Corps to victory against TTP. He
01
Pakistan
had participated in the First Gulf War of 1991
and contributed towards the international effort
Rah-e-Haq Party in the War on Terrorism as Pakistan’s Senior
representative at CENTCOM, Tampa, Florida
from 2004 to 2005. Lt. Gen. Tariq has written
Source: Dawn and lectured extensively on the issues related to
Online Version
*Two seats in the house of 371 are vacant due to resignation of two PML-N Afghanistan, United States and Taliban.
MPAs days before the by-polls

Najma Minhas | Media Suppression
Managing Editor GVS takes a look at the recent media

clampdown in Pakistan. She notes that restrictions on
journalist freedoms are not unusual in Pakistan, but
images such as the popular Vlogger in police handcuffs
have not been seen since the 1980s when Gen. Zia ul
Haq had created an era of terror for the media and
political personalities.
Three months of tumultuous political upheaval and media

clampdown in Pakistan saw several journalists taking pre-ar-
rest bails from Islamabad High Court, including Arshad Sharif,
Imran Riaz Khan, and Sabir Shakir, on FIRs registered against
them across the country. Sabir Shakir, who left the country to Ayaz Amir
perform Umrah in May, did not return due to personal threats sion saying he could not hand over the custody of Imran Riaz to
of injury against him. The suppression against freedom of ex- the police, saying it was a flawed case and no arrest is warrant-
pression reached a zenith on July 5 when prominent journalist ed and ordered that he be freed. However, police from several
Imran Riaz Khan was arrested by Punjab police at Attock, at other districts of Punjab were there to take custody, including
the borders of Islamabad, and taken for physical custody at At- Lahore, Chakwal, and Toba Tek police.
tock police station. Imran Riaz Khan, a popular Vlogger with It was discovered that a total of 18 FIRs had been regis-
a subscription base of over 3 million, is watched regularly by tered against the anchor person across Punjab alone. He was
millions, admired for his straight-talking on issues, and partic- arrested by police from Chakwal from outside the courtroom
ularly in recent days over his views on the "foreign sponsored immediately after his release based on another 'sealed' FIR,
regime change operation."
Islamabad police informed Islamabad High Court that
he was arrested on cases beyond the jurisdiction of Islamabad
territory on what had been, until that point, concealed FIRs
against him. However, the judicial magistrate in Attock re-
fused the police request for physical custody and said the case
seemed not to be a district police case but that of cyber law, and
Imran Riaz Khan was taken to a special cyber law court – court
28 in Rawalpindi sessions court, there another judicial magis-
trate, Chaudhury Pervaiz Khan examined the case in a detailed
proceeding and wrote in a landmark decision that out of the
seven sections being applied of the PECA amended ordinance
on cyber law, five sections were redundant and not relevant to
Imran Riaz's case. Chaudhury Pervaiz Khan sent the case back
to Attock, where the judicial magistrate Tanvir Asghar heard
the case after midnight and wrote an eight-page detailed deci-
Dr. Moeed Pirzada
many related to treason cases, and his having hurt some ran-
dom person's feelings when making comments about the army
or other institutions of the country. He was taken from one
district to another district, and then finally, on the appeal of a
group of prominent anchor persons and other media persons
who reached out to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of
Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial, was asked to intervene in this
matter of great public importance. Media persons requested the
judiciary to intervene in the interest of freedom of expression
and human rights. Finally, Lahore High Court established a
special bench and proceedings on Saturday (Eid holidays had
already begun), and Imran Riaz Khan was released.
Subsequently, one of the petitioners against Imran Riaz
Khan, Saqlain Safdar, took back his FIR from Chakwal and
Imran Riaz Khan

Najma Minhas | Media Suppression
stan-based media rights watchdog that tracks violations against
journalists and attacks on freedom of expression on an ongoing
basis, showed that over 86 attacks against journalists, includ-
ing those working for digital media, occurred. The victims or
their families attributed most of these attacks allegedly to state
actors, and satirical references were made to being picked up in
black Vigo's on social media. Matiuallah Jan, Asad Toor, Absar
Alam, and in the last couple of weeks, senior journalists Ayaz
Amir and Sami Ibrahim were also attacked by 'unknown as-
sailants.'
What made the Imran Riaz case different was a prominent
former TV anchor and a journalist being publicly handcuffed
and paraded on TV on the pretext of treason, violating sever-
al sections of Pakistan's penal code, including defamation and
statements conducive to public mischief, as well as various
sections of the 2016 Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act. Iron-
ically for a journalist always identified as being pro-establish-
Matiullah Jan
ment and supporting the army.
said in an interview with Saddiq Jan that he had never heard
any of Imran Riaz Khan's Vlogs; he had been approached by
an unknown man and been asked to do the FIR, Saqlain did not
even have to go to the police station for the FIR, it was filed
without him being physically present, and he had no clue who
was the lawyer who went to court for the case against Imran
Riaz Khan on his behalf either.
Restrictions on Journalist freedoms are not unusual in Pa-
kistan, but images such as the popular Vlogger in police hand-
cuffs have not been seen since the 1980s when Gen. Zia ul Haq
created an era of terror for the media and political personalities.
The country has no freedom of speech provisions in its consti-
tution; it prohibits speech against state institutions, including
the Army and the Supreme Court. There is no free space for
public debate and expression, and individuals can be hauled
up in front of a court for apparent 'high treason,' 'contempt of
court,' or 'maligning institutions.'
Before Imran Riaz Khan's arrest, he had made several
videos criticizing and highlighting the military's alleged role in
Pakistani politics; the last one before his arrest was addressed
directly to the Army Chief Bajwa, asking him to answer his Source: Statista
questions in particular about why he was being harassed for not
supporting the current government, given, he was shown evi- Pakistan's Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEM-
dence of their corruption. After his release from prison, Imran RA), responsible for regulating and issuing broadcast, print,
Riaz Khan's doctors suspect he may have been poisoned, and and electronic media licenses, regularly warns electronic news
he was stopped from traveling to Dubai for tests. Overall, the broadcasters against airing content that ridicules state institu-
whole episode has left a very sordid episode in Pakistani media tions – this is generally eponymous for the judiciary and army.
history once again. Many channels over the years have been taken off air or fined
According to the World Press Freedom Index 2022 report, for transgressing its regulations. There is no doubt that Paki-
Pakistan dropped 12 points in the index, from 145 in 2021 to stani power wielders are frightened of free speech, and it is not
157 in 2022. The report issued by the Freedom Network, Paki- until all major parties develop a consensus over the importance
of freedom of speech that the country can move ahead.
Najma Minhas is Managing Editor, Global

Village Space. She has worked with Nation-
al Economic Research Associates (NERA) in
New York, Lehman Brothers in London and
Standard Chartered Bank in Pakistan. Before
TO READ OTHER launching GVS, she worked as a consultant
ARTICLES BY AUTHOR
with World Bank, USAID, and FES and is a
regular participant of Salzburg Forum. Na-
jma studied economics at London School of
Economics and International Relations at
Columbia University, New York. She tweets
Sami Ibrahim at @MinhasNajma.

Kamran Adil | Policing Organized Crime
Deputy Inspector General Investigation Lahore sheds light on the emerging challenges of policing organized
crime that is often misunderstood and confused with white-collar crime. He differentiates between the two and
highlights critical national and international law provisions that deal with organized crime.
T
ypologies of crime abound and evolve with societal ed upon itself the implementation of the UNCTOC in 2003.
structures and technological advancements. One cat- Bird’s eye view of the UNCTOC shows that it does not define
egory of crime that is often misunderstood is orga- 'organized crime'; instead, it defines 'organized criminal group.'
nized crime. Most often than not, it is confused with By choosing not to define organized crime, the UNCTOC has
white-collar crime. While the motivation for both is to seek provided the much-needed space for sovereign nations to use
profits, white-collar crime preys on legitimate businesses and their national definitions of the crime. Broadly, the UNCTOC
opportunism as compared to organized crime, which operates has required states:
through illegal businesses and uses violence. Given these con- To criminalize participation in an organized criminal group
fusions, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNO- (article 5); to criminalize the laundering of proceeds of crime
DC) has used a working definition of organized crime, which (article 6); to introduce measures to combat money laundering
states: (article 7); to criminalize corruption in all its forms (articles 8
“Organized crime is a continuing criminal enterprise that and 9); to take measures to introduce criminal liability of legal
rationally works to profit from illicit activities that are often persons (like companies, trusts, firms, and other forms of legal
in great public demand. Its continuing existence is maintained entities) (article 10); to take measures to introduce effective,
through corruption of public officials and the use of intimi- proportionate, dissuasive criminal or non-criminal sanctions
dation, threats or against legal persons
Criminality Map-Asia
force to protect its (article 10); to pros-
(2021)
operations.” ecute, adjudicate and
In the con- impose sanctions
text of Pakistan, related to offenses
policing organized introduced in UNC-
crime is emerging TOC (article 11); to
as a new challeng- introduce confisca-
ing area that seeks tion and seizure of
attention from pol- property linked to
icymakers. In or- organized crimes of
der to examine the money laundering
policing challeng- and corruption (arti-
es, it is important cle 12); to enter into
to first briefly and international cooper-
thematically ex- ation arrangements
amine how the for confiscation of
international and properties related to
national laws de- money laundering
fine organized
Asia overall score for and corruption (arti-
crime that must be
policed to protect Criminality cle 13); to introduce
5.30
universal jurisdiction
life, property, rep-
for offenses related
utation of people,
to corruption, mon-
and the image of
CRIMINALITY SCORES ey laundering, and
a country of Pa-
kistan's scale and
proceeds of crime
1 10
geography. (article 15); to opt in
Source: Global initiative against Transnational Organized Crime or provide for a legal
basis for extradition
International law of offenders related to the UNCTOC (article 16); to cooperate
With the ascendancy of international human rights law for the transfer of offenders related to offenses of UNCTOC
in the Post-Cold War era, globalization and international free- by entering into bilateral or multilateral agreements (article
doms reached new levels. This multilateral legal framework of 17); to introduce Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) regime for
enabling freedoms also provided opportunities for organized taking evidence, effective service of judicial documents, exe-
crime syndicates to grow. In response, since 2000, there has cuting searches, seizures, and freezing, examining objects and
been a steady introduction of international legal instruments sites, and other steps for affecting legal processes (article 18);
to tackle and police organized crime internationally. One of to consider entering into agreements for joint investigations
the chief legal instruments has been the United Nations Con-
(article 19); to use special investigative techniques (controlled
vention on Transnational Organized Crime (UNCTOC), which
delivery, electronic surveillance, and undercover operations) in
was passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000.
other jurisdictions (article 20); to transfer criminal proceedings
Pakistan, like many other nations, cautiously watched its
(article 21), to establish criminal records (article 22), to crimi-
growth and then, eventually, in 2010, ratified it and obligat-
nalize obstruction of justice (article 23), and protection of wit-

Kamran Adil | Policing Organized Crime
nesses (article 24); to enhance cooperation of law enforcement matters is also carried out with International Criminal Police
cooperation (articles 26, 27, and 28); to settle the inter-state Organization (INTERPOL) through the National Central Bu-
dispute by negotiations, arbitration, and in case of failure of reau of the FIA.
arbitration, reference to the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
(article 35). National law
Pakistan has steadily implemented most parts of the UNC- As discussed above, at the national level, Pakistan has
TOC. It has already criminalized corruption at both federal and many laws that are in conformity with the UNCTOC and even
provincial levels through the National Accountability Bureau predate the international legal obligations that come with the
Ordinance, 1999, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. signing of international instruments. These laws derive their
Its money laundering law (the Anti-Money Laundering Act, strength from constitutional foundations contained in articles
2010, along with counter-terrorism financing-related money 142 and 143 that make criminal law, procedure, and evidence
laundering as per the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997) is much elab- concurrent subjects and involve both the federal and provincial
orated and has a wider net. It already has its Extradition Act, governments to fight and police organized crime. Though Paki-
1972, which provides procedural safeguards and can be up- stan has not signed protocols annexed to the UNCTOC related
dated to include money laundering as an extraditable offense. to trafficking in persons of women and children and smuggling
Insofar as the Mutual Legal Assistance is concerned, it has the of migrants, it has introduced national legislation in the form of
latest Mutual Legal Assistance (Criminal) Act, 2020. Its leg- the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2018 and the Pre-
islation on international cooperation is specifically covered vention of Smuggling of Migrants Act, 2018. These legislative
in the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance and the An- steps by Pakistan show its commitment to aligning itself with
ti-Money Laundering Act. The legislative cover is supported by the international community’s priority areas.
implementing agencies like the Federal Investigation Agency
(FIA), the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Pro- Challenges of policing organized crime in Pakistan
vincial Anti-Corruption Establishments, and the Counter-Ter- Having stated the national and international framework
rorism Departments of the Provincial Police Organizations. In applicable to deal with organized crime in Pakistan, it would be
addition, international cooperation on the extent of criminal apposite to briefly outline the challenges of policing the orga-
nized crime, which are:
First, policing organized crime has yet to be mainstreamed
in Pakistan. While Pakistan has been doing fairly well in crim-
Pakistan's Organized Crime Index
inalizing organized crime, it has to do a lot insofar as the actual
(2021)
implementation is concerned. Its police, prosecution, judiciary,
6.28 and public safety administration have to put their acts together
to bring organized crime to the center of all their efforts. The
CRIMINALITY SCORE asymmetrical relationship of the provincial judiciary and pros-
29th of 193 countries
ecution departments with federal investigative agencies must
10 th of 46 Asian countries
be squared in a manner that all move in one direction instead of
2nd of 8 Southern Asian countries
working at cross-purpose.
Secondly, the technological component of policing or-
ganized crime must be legally covered so that police can use
CRIMINAL MARKETS 6.30 information technology-based information and evidence in an
HUMAN TRAFFICKING 8.00
effective and efficient manner. The lack of legal cover of IT-
based Policing (ITP) provides good grounds for legal defense
HUMAN SMUGGLING 7.00 for organized criminals. This compatibility of law and technol-
ARMS TRAFFICKING 8.00 ogy must be properly attended to.
Thirdly, political diplomacy has to be sensitized about the
FLORA CRIMES 4.50 latest trend of judicial diplomacy that places police/prosecutors
FAUNA CRIMES 5.00 as liaison officers in diplomatic missions. This placement helps
in better international cooperation.
NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE CRIMES 5.50
Lastly, international cooperation and organized crime are
HEROIN TRADE 8.50 not at the center of capacity-building strategies of police, pros-
COCAINE TRADE 3.00
ecution, and judiciary. This needs to be prioritized.
CANNABIS TRADE 7.00
SYNTHETIC DRUG TRADE 6.50
Kamran Adil is a senior police officer currently

CRIMINAL ACTORS 6.25
serving as Deputy Inspector General (investiga-
MAFIA-STYLE GROUPS 6.00 tion) Lahore. He studied law at Oxford University
and writes and lectures on international law.
CRIMINAL NETWORKS 7.50
STATE-EMBEDDED ACTORS 7.00
FOREIGN ACTORS 4.50
Source: Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime Online Version

Removing Structural
Inefficiencies Dr. Gohar Ejaz
Patron in Chief of APTMA, highlights that despite its immense potential, Pakistan is currently underrepresented
in the high-value textile sector. He identifies structural inefficiencies and the lack of implementation of reforms
as two primary reasons for Pakistan lagging behind regional competitors and specifies several measures that can
be adopted to accelerate the required paradigm shift.

Dr. Gohar Ejaz | Removing Structural Inefficiencies
Power supply quality to the textile

T
he textile sector continues to steer Pakistan’s economy
through difficult conditions, consistently outperform-
ing other sectors and adding value. Textile and gar- industry is largely compromised, which
is a serious concern for the industry.
ment exports increased by 23 percent year on year to
$15.4 billion in 2020-21 and are expected to go up to $20.5
billion by the end of FY-22.
There has been particularly impressive growth in the high-
Given that sophisticated machinery is
er-value bedsheet, knitwear, and woven garment exports, cou- involved in the production, inordinate
pled with a decrease in lower-value exports. Seventy percent
of textile exports were of items that had undergone extensive shutdowns, breakdowns, jerks, and
processing to make value-added products. This indicates a new interruptions have wreaked havoc and
resulted in huge losses to the industry
paradigm of demand for higher value addition that has taken
over textiles globally and in which Pakistan is still playing
catch-up. and to the national exchequer.
Despite its immense potential, Pakistan is currently un-
derrepresented in the high-value garments and fashion sector.
Pakistan's Textile Exports have wreaked havoc and resulted in huge losses
to the industry and to the national exchequer. The
output of textile units operating on electricity is
27.00
25.00 therefore hovering at less than 80 percent of in-
stalled capacity.
24.00 It is essential for the government to ensure
21.00
regionally competitive energy prices across Pa-
($ Billion)
21.00
kistan throughout the value chain, restore the pri-
18.00 ority of the textile sector in the supply of gas and
15.40 no-load shedding, and fast-track the applications
15.00 13.52 13.32 of pending industrial electricity connections.
12.45 12.45 12.53
This is not to say that things have not been
12.00 improving – growth despite the absence of a
FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22* FY23*
supportive environment has actually been quite
Source: APTMA
impressive. From 1947 to 2018, Pakistan could
only achieve $13 billion in textile exports, but in
just the last four years, textile exports have dou-
There are several measures that need to be adopted in order to bled. By the end of FY-23, we are hoping to achieve textile
accelerate the required paradigm shift. The current production exports of at least $ 25 billion.
of yarn and greige cloth that is not converted into higher-value The textile sector invested $5 billion last year through
products can add $12 billion per annum if converted into gar- TERF/LTFF, which has added to the export potential by at least
ments. $5 billion per annum. As a result of this investment, an addi-
In order to take advantage of this opportunity, the textile tional capacity of 1.25 million spindles, 6,000 air-jet looms,
industry needs to set up 1,000 garment plants, with each plant and 3 million square meters was installed.
consisting of 500 stitching machines at an investment of $7
million. Each plant would be able to produce garments for
Comparison of Pakistan's Textile Exports
exports of $20 million while generating employment for 700
(FY-21 vs FY-22)
workers. The total investment would be $7 billion, generating
annual incremental exports of $20 billion and providing em- Month
FY-21 FY-22 Change
ployment to 700,000 workers. 1,000 garments plants could be ($ Billion) ($ Billion) (%)
established near major textile-producing cities, i.e., Lahore, July 1.27 1.47 16%
Karachi, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Kasur, Multan, Sialkot, August 1.01 1.46 45%
Rawalpindi, and Peshawar. September 1.19 1.49 25%
However, enhanced exports rely heavily on a continuous
October 1.29 1.60 24%
and uninterrupted supply of gas and electricity to the entire
value chain at regionally competitive energy tariffs – which is November 1.28 1.74 35%
the main reason Pakistan’s entry into these markets has been December 1.40 1.62 16%
laggard. New projects and expansions have not been energized January 1.32 1.55 17%
since November 2021 due to the non-provision of energy. This February 1.23 1.69 37%
50 percent gas supply is completely insufficient to run the
March 1.36 1.63 19%
business normally, and as a result, 20 to 25 percent capacity
is closed. April 1.34 1.74 30%
Power supply quality to the textile industry is largely May* 1.06 1.69 59%
compromised, which is a serious concern for the industry. Giv- Total 13.76 17.67 28%
en that sophisticated machinery is involved in the production, Source: APTMA
inordinate shutdowns, breakdowns, jerks, and interruptions * Provisional

Dr. Gohar Ejaz | Removing Structural Inefficiencies
As for cotton, Pakistan has the potential

If the private sector is enabled to step in and take charge of
the shift to higher value-addition, it will be a game-changer for
Pakistan. For this to materialize, intermediate products must and capacity to produce 20 million bales
be available at affordable and internationally competitive rates.
The LTFF scheme would have to be extended to the entire val- annually. Under these circumstances,
ue chain since the whole value chain requires up-gradation and
modernization to meet export targets. Turnover tax must be re-
we are unable to understand why we
duced to 0.5 percent, and turnover tax loss should be carried should be spending $3-4 billion on the
forward.
Furthermore, implementing the Textile Policy 2025 is es- import of cotton every year when this
sential for creating the policy environment in which exports can be grown domestically.
can thrive. The Textile Policy 2025 was developed through
extensive consultations with the entire industry and provides
a comprehensive framework for the sector to expand exports
rapidly to enable a sustainable economy.
Coming back to the ultimate goal of value-addition, it is percent, including antidumping duty. This must be abolished if
important to emphasize that the international MMF to cotton our industry is to have any chance of being competitive.
ratio is 70:30, while in Pakistan, it has remained at 30:70 for As the Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) is now applicable on
the past several years, making it difficult to increase our share imports through DTRE etc., the overall impact of the PSF du-
of international textile trade significantly. ties is that our exports will be limited to cotton products only
We cannot dream of higher economic growth without while the world now seeks high-performance and innovative
moving into value-addition, particularly in the highly produc- apparel, which are only possible through the use of MMF ma-
tive textile sector, where the predominant focus is on cotton. terial.
Textile millers need to prioritize the use of specialized yarn and As for cotton, Pakistan has the potential and capacity to
tap into the growing market for sportswear and athleisure. Re- produce 20 million bales annually. Under these circumstances,
lying on short-staple fiber raw cotton is a myopic approach that we are unable to understand why we should be spending $3-4
essentially centers on a shrinking market while neglecting the billion on the import of cotton every year when this can be
high demand for MMF products. Meanwhile, the MMF tariff grown domestically. A focused, high-powered commission on
regime prevents Pakistan from aligning its products in tandem cotton must be established immediately.
with the rest of the world. The demand for MMF has grown ex- The sector's zero-rating must be reinstated, given that 80
ponentially owing to its convenience as a cheap material used to 90 percent of its products are exported, as the collecting and
in the production of the ever-relevant active-wear trend. refunding costs are more than the sales tax yields. There is a
However, the duty protection given to obsolete plants in total collection of Rs. 18 billion, while exporters suffer in the
Pakistan denies the Pakistani industry any chance to compete form of delayed, deferred, and pending refunds. According to
internationally or domestically in this booming market. This a recent IMF report, the cascading impact of GST has signifi-
brings us to the issue of polyester staple fiber, a raw material cantly harmed Pakistani exporters' competitiveness.
of the industry upon which it would be unreasonable to apply Export-oriented industries in Pakistan are 25 percent
any duties. Alarmingly, at present, there is a 7 percent customs more productive than non-export-oriented businesses, and their
duty on the import of polyester staple fiber. This racks up the productivity increases with an increase in economic activity.
total import duties, which subsequently fall in the range of 20 However, structural inefficiencies cannot be exported, so it is
essential to first mitigate them from all inputs. Since exports
Exports of Textile Group by Commodity in Pakistan are labor-intensive, expansion in this industry is a
(2020-2021) surefire way to ensure large-scale job creation, as well as an
increase in foreign currency to pay for required imports. The
problem does not lie in a lack of policy development but rath-
Commodity Value ($ Thousand)
er in the implementation of reforms. With a greater focus on
Raw Cotton 807 implementation, there can be a tangible impact on sustainable
Cotton Yarn 1,016,969 development and economic growth, thereby greatly enhancing
the position of the textile industry and Pakistan's exports by
Cotton Cloth 1,921,001
2030.
Cotton Carded or Combed 65
Yarn Other than Cotton Yarn 33,369
Knitwear 3,814,999
Bed Wear 2,771,787 Dr. Gohar Ejaz is the Patron-in-Chief
Towels 937,532 of APTMA, the premier textile industry
Tents, Canvas & Tarpulin 110,389 association of the country. He is a prominent
Readymade Garments 3,032,801 entrepreneur, philanthropist, and industrialist
Art, Silk & Synthetic Textile 370,417 who has worked for the betterment and growth
Madeup Articles (Excluding Towel & Bed
of Pakistan’s economy for over 30 years.
756,445
Wear) For his dedication, passion, and significant
Other Textile Materials 632,491 services to the community, he was awarded
Total 15,399,072 Sitara-e-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan.
Source: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Online Version

Cement Sector Oil and Gas Exploration Oil and Gas Marketing
FY-22 Earnings FY-22 Earnings FY-22 Earnings

Stocks Stocks Stocks
Previous Present Change Previous Present Change Previous Present Change
LUCK 98.0 90.6 -8% OGDC 37.3 31.8 -15% PSO 216.2 185.4 -14%
DGKC 12.4 11.1 -11% PPL 27.7 23.8 -14% APL 165.8 142.7 -14%
MLCF 5.3 4.7 -12% POL 86.8 74.3 -14%
FCCL 3.7 3.2 -14%
Fertilizers
Impact of the
KOHC 30.2 25.9 -14%
PIOC 10.6 9.3 -12%
FY-22 Earnings
Stocks
Automobile Assembling
Super Tax on Previous Present Change
Profitability
EFERT 15.0 12.9 -14%
FY-22 Earnings
Stocks FFC 19.4 16.7 -14%
Previous Present Change FFBL 8.9 7.7 -14%
INDU 249.6 216.5 -13%
Commercial Banks
HCAR* 15.2 13.1 -14%
Textiles
*FY-23 EPS FY-22 Earnings
Stocks
FY-22 Earnings
Chemicals Previous Present Change Stocks
HBL 24.5 20.2 -17% Previous Present Change
FY-22 Earnings
Stocks UBL 27.1 22.4 -17% GATM 13.2 11.9 -10%
Previous Present Change BAFL 10.2 8.4 -17% ILP 10.6 9.6 -10%
EPCL 17.4 15.3 -12% MEBL 24.2 20.0 -17% NML 32.7 29.4 -10%
LOTCHEM 6.9 6.0 -14% MCB 25.8 21.3 -17% NCL 34.3 30.9 -10%
Source: KASB Research

Sattar & Urooj | Pakistan Single Window
Executive Director APTMA critically analyses the establishment of the National Single Window System designed
to provide unique benefits to stakeholders involved in cross-border trade. He notes the system is necessary to
improve border clearance performance. However, he also highlights the need to integrate indirect textile exporters
on this newly established digital platform to broaden the sources of economic growth in the economy.
n global supply chains, one of the most difficult stages is
I
true collaboration across all border control authorities is nec-
the clearance from customs and other relevant agencies. essary to achieve meaningful trade facilitation improvements.
They are frequently held responsible for damaging devel- Keeping this in mind, the establishment of National Single
oping countries' ability to compete in global markets such Window systems, which has allowed manufacturers/industrial-
as that of Pakistan in terms of delays. As a result, the World ists and traders to submit all import, export, and transit infor-
Bank and other development agencies have focused their ef- mation required by regulatory agencies via a single electronic
forts on assisting border clearance reforms and modernization. gateway, rather than submitting and processing the same infor-
Despite many efforts, border administration inefficiencies con- mation multiple times to different government entities, includ-
tinue to significantly impact emerging countries' competitive- ing some that are automated and others that still rely heavily on
ness. paper, is one new and innovative approach to border processing
While many countries continue to place a strong premium and clearance. The single window system has a clear time-sav-
on improving customs performance, the truth is that it is merely ing advantage. The United Nations Economic Commission
one of the many border-processing offices and is frequently the for Europe (UNECE) and its Centre for Trade Facilitation
most updated. Furthermore, only around one-third of regulato- and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT), the World Customs
ry delays are caused by customs agencies. Customs authorities Organization (WCO), the United Nations Network of Experts
in most countries for Paperless Trade
Figure 1. Road Map for a Collaborative National Single Window
already use informa- and Transport in
tion technology (IT) Asia and the Pacif-
systems to process ic (UNNExT), and
One Stop Shop
declarations and risk (Paper and/or Hybrid) the Association of
management to en- Southeast Asian Na-
sure that all cargo Trade Promotion Regional tions (ASEAN) have
Portal OGA/NGO SW SW
are not scrutinized. all endorsed the con-
Individual
Additionally, they Agency SW cept.
are usually guid- Single window
ed by international Electronic Customs Declaration service is designed
standards set by the Formalities SW
to provide unique
World Trade Or- Global Supply National
benefits to the main
ganization (WTO) China and Single communities and
Chippers Window
and the World Cus- parties involved in
Logistics SW
toms Organization Port Management cross-border trade,
Port Community System
(WCO) in order to including the gov-
balance their con- Terminal Operator’s ernment, the ship-
trol responsibilities Systems ping and forwarding
Terminal Operator’s
with trade facilita- Systems Terminal Operator’s community, the ship-
Systems Global
tion goals. On the SW
pers and traders, and
contrary, many other Vessel Call Book and Bill finally, the banking
(Shipping Services)
border management and insurance com-
agencies just hav- munity.
en't modernized as The common
Source: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
much. steps faced on the
This disparity path to a single na-
has paved way for the focus of reform efforts to shift away from tional window are illustrated in the figure 1. It's worth noting
customs and toward the systems and procedures used by other that this is only one of many conceivable interpretations. Each
border management agencies, such as health, agriculture, po- economy charts its own path based on local characteristics such
lice, immigration, and many other organizations that regulate as resources, skills, experiences, and political will, inter alia.
trade flows. It is not uncommon for more than 30 distinct gov- Since the mid-to the late 1980s, some of the world's leaders
ernment entities to be involved in the processing and clearance in single-window trade facilitation have been actively altering
of products in many nations, such as that in Pakistan. It doesn't and upgrading their systems. This wasn't a simple task, and it
matter if customs declarations can be performed electronical- wouldn't have been accomplished without a long-term set of
ly if a slew of paper-based documentation must be delivered modifications and committed infrastructure. Owing to this, Pa-
to different authorities, scrutinized, and authorized before the kistan has engaged in broader and more efficient global com-
goods can be released. A comprehensive approach based on ef- mercial operations through the establishment of the Pakistan
fective information exchange, streamlining of procedures, and

Sattar & Urooj | Pakistan Single Window
Figure 2. Conceptual Representation of the National Single Window Environment and new solutions to make it easier to
comply with national legislation. It is
Information Flow and Systems
Port efficiently promoting simplification,
Shipping Line Airport CBRA online harmonization, and digitalization of
services via NSW trade-related processes to improve
Defense ease of doing business and compliance
Customs in Pakistan.
Broker The quality and precise nature of
Fisheries
the PSW is commendable; however,
Airline NSW it is recommended that a module be
Trade formulated for the extension of a dig-
italized platform to indirect importers/
Customs exporters so that they may seamlessly
Importer
Exporter avail the duty-free import for export
schemes. Such a module is necessary
Health to enhance the trade prospects of the
Commercial CBRA in-house country.
Bank systems
Agriculture To maximize the economic ben-
Central Bank FDA efits of export incentives, it is critical
that exporting enterprises eligible for
Source: National single window guidance note, ADB
incentives are well-integrated into the
Single Window (PSW). The advantages are substantial and local economy, with strong backward
long-term. links — that is, exporting companies are progressively sourc-
By digitizing Pakistan's cross-border trade and eliminat- ing their inputs from the local economy. Local input suppliers
ing paper-based manual processes, the PSW effort, led by Paki- to exporting companies are considered indirect exporters in
stan Customs (PC), intends to reduce the time and cost of con- some countries like Pakistan, and they receive incentives from
ducting business. Under the provisions of the PSW Act, 2021, the exporting corporations. This measure aids in the integration
the Federal Government has notified the PSWC, a public sector of exporting enterprises into the local economy by establishing
business constituted under Section 42 of the Companies Act, strong backward links. However, the PC Law does not contain
2017 by PC, as the 'Operating Entity' of the PSW system. PSW this provision. Therefore, it is recommended that through PSW,
intends to create an integrated electronic platform that allows indirect exporters, especially those related to the textile sector,
parties participating in international trade and transportation should be incorporated within the Customs Law and provided
to submit standardized information and documents through a with duty and tax drawbacks, as well as other export incentives.
single point of entry to meet all regulatory criteria for export, After the drawback system is fully and effectively in place, it
import, and transit. Section 3(3) of the PSW Act 2021 makes would be beneficial to include "deemed" export benefits in the
it mandatory for Customs and Other Government Agencies Pakistani trade regime.
(OGAs) listed in the Act's schedule to align their respective In the end, the PSW is a highly practical way of increas-
laws, regulations, procedures, processes, and other information ing border clearance performance. In certain ways, it might act
requirements related to the regulation of imports, exports, tran- as a 'Trojan Horse,' overcoming institutional barriers to col-
sit trade, and associated transport with PSW in order to ensure laboration and change. It was, however, not straightforward
the PSW system's maximum benefits to traders and public sec- to create and implement. The majority of the difficulties were
tor regulators. not related to technology but rather to getting
Another flagship project of the PSW is the Trade Informa- individual entities to work together to achieve
tion Portal of Pakistan (TIPP). TIPP is a website that provides a common goal. However, equally important is
the most up-to-date and comprehensive regulatory information the need to integrate the indirect textile exporters
on imports, exports, and transit trade for any item/HS code, as on this newly established digital platform as they
well as statistical data for international trade. can considerably boost the chances of economic
TIPP provides a number of advantages. It improves trans- success of the country. Online Version
parency and access to a wide range of data that might be critical

in making trade and investment choices. Pakistan was required Mr. Shahid Sattar, is the Executive Director
to construct a TIPP under Article X of the General Agreement & Secretary General of All Pakistan
on Tariff and Trade (GATT) Commitment to Transparency. Textile Mills Association (APTMA),
Following that, Pakistan agreed to implement the TIPP by 31
March 2022 under Article 1.2 of the WTO Trade Facilitation
largest exporting group in the country, has
Agreement (TFA). Each piece of data in TIPP has been gathered previously served as Member Planning
and verified from the 77 Other Government Agencies (OGAs) Commission of Pakistan and an advisor
listed in Schedule I of the PSW Act 2021. Thousands of linkag- to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of
es to legal documents (including necessary laws, rules, regula- Petroleum, Ministry of Water & Power.
tions, and orders), procedures, measures, commodities, forms,
fee schedules, and other regulatory content have been created
using Pakistan Customs Tariff (HS Codes). Amna Urooj is a Research Analyst at
The PSW and TIPP are a move toward a more digital Paki- APTMA. She holds an M.Phil in Public
stan, which is boosting the country's speedier, more inclusive, Policy from PIDE and is skilled in policy
and long-term economic growth. PSW is using technology research and analysis.

FBR's Revenue Collection Exceeds
Target of RS 6.1 Trillion in FY-22
T
he Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has created histo- to mention that FBR's POS System to document the retail sec-
ry by exceeding the revenue target set for the current tor has integrated a total number of 10,611 POS machines of
fiscal year and collected tax of Rs. 6,125 billion during 4,563 Tier-1 Retailers across the country.
July-June (2021-22). According to provisional figures Another watershed initiative by FBR to capture Large
released by the board, the collection exceeded the revised tar- Scale Manufacturing (LSM) across the country through Track
get of Rs. 6,100 billion by Rs. 25 billion, showing a massive & Trace System (TTS) has already started paying dividends.
growth of about 29.1 percent over the collection of Rs. 4,744 Sales tax collection from Sugar Sector during the current
billion during the same period last year. crushing season (December 2021 – March 2022) under Track
The gross revenue collection also increased from Rs. 4,996 and Trade System amounted to Rs. 26.03 billion as compared
billion during last year to Rs. 6,460 billion this year, showing to the corresponding period of the previous crushing season,
an increase of 29.3 percent. One of the critical features of this which stood at Rs. 19.9 billion, showing an increase of 31 per-
outstanding performance by FBR is reflected in the significant cent in four months only.
increase in direct taxes, which has registered a growth of 32 Similarly, sugar production during the current crushing
percent over the last year. season was recorded at 7.85 million tons as compared to 5.67
This is in line with the incumbent government's policy to million tons in the previous crushing season, depicting a 39.7
enforce taxation on income earned, thereby reducing the in- percent increase over the last year. The tobacco and Fertilizer
direct incidence of taxation. Furthermore, the net collection sectors will also be brought under the TTS during the first quar-
from Income Tax during the year is Rs. 2,278 billion against ter of Financial Year 2022-23.
Rs. 1,731 billion last year, whereas the sales tax of Rs. 2,525 Likewise, Pakistan Customs collected Rs.1 Trillion this
billion has been collected this year against Rs. 1,983 billion last year against Rs. 747 billion under the head of customs duty
year. The net collection from Customs Duty is Rs. 1,000 billion in FY 2020-21 against the assigned target of Rs. 960 billion
this year against Rs. 747 billion last year, while the collection and exceeded its target by Rs.40 billion, registering a sizable
from Federal Excise Duty is Rs. 322 billion this year against growth of 34 percent.
Rs. 284 billion last year. Similarly, the Directorate General of Intelligence & Inves-
Similarly, the net collection of Rs. 1,741 billion during tigation-IR showed appreciable performance from July 2021 to
the 4th quarter of the current financial year against Rs. 1,351 June 2022. During this period, 1,136 Investigation Reports and
billion collected in the 4th quarter last year represents an in- Red Alerts were forwarded to the field formations involving
crease of 31.7 percent despite many challenges. The year-on- revenue amounting to Rs. 321 billion. 89 FIRs were lodged
year growth of 29.1 percent is unprecedented, mainly as it is under Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010, where more than Rs.
realized on the heel of 31.7 percent growth in the 4th quarter. 66 billion were involved. Around 9,866 cartons were seized
These figures would further improve before the close of the day containing 98,660,400 cigarette sticks during the year. Like-
and after book adjustments have been taken into account. wise, the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation
The robust revenue performance is even more significant (Customs) seized 877 non-duty paid/tampered Seized vehicles
due to effective enforcement by field formations. It is pertinent during the year against 671 vehicles last year.

FATF
A Politically Propelled
Financial Enforcer
Tahama Asad
It seems that Pakistan may finally be reaching the light at the end of the FATF tunnel after its continuous
efforts to curb terror financing and money laundering. However, the author argues that the country
will remain under ongoing pressure as the global financial watchdog responds to geopolitical and
realpolitik considerations of other powers, creating a security risk for the targeted countries.
the US, are striving to wage economic war against Pakistan
U
pon scrutiny, it can be established that procedural
flaws in Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) work- using FATF, in order to advance their own strategic interests.
ing, mainly the mutual evaluation system, create
room for manipulation. This article attempts to shed FATF at a glance
light upon the potential politicization of the global watchdog FATF as an institution emerged in 1989 on the directive
while presenting the case of Pakistan, showing how countries of the G7 group of countries to counter the growing threat that
enjoying the upper hand in the diplomatic circle, i.e., India and money laundering posed to the global financial architecture.

Tahama Asad | FATF
There is a general impression

Currently, FATF is a 38 member body headquartered in Paris,
France. It is a policymaking organization whose mandate in-
cludes establishing standards for combating money laundering, that the global financial watchdog
terrorism financing, and those sponsoring the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction. FATF is a regulatory authority responds to geopolitical and
that enlists countries in three categories.
The first category comprises the countries which are clear
realpolitik considerations of other
from money laundering and have coped with terror financing, powers creating a security risk for
and such countries are included in the white list. The second
category comprises the countries with a high risk of money the targeted countries. In the case
laundering but which have formally committed to working with of Pakistan, it gets proven time
and again, notably in relation to
the task force to make changes. Such countries are added to the
grey list for increased monitoring. The third category compris-
es the countries that the FATF considers non-cooperative in the the US and India.
global effort to combat money laundering and the financing of
terrorism. Such countries are added to the blacklist.
FATF has drafted a list of 40 recommendations that serve
as an international standard on anti-money laundering and
countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). All states June 2022. Questions were raised regarding Pakistan's abili-
must align their national policies with the framework to prove ty and strategy in compliance with FATF, but finally, Pakistan
themselves responsible and avoid naming and shaming by the about to be removed is an example of national effort and shows
international financial watchdog. the synergy between the civil administration and the Pakistan
Army. Pakistan had met all 34 items on two separate action
General principles of FATF plans. It will now schedule an on-site visit to verify the sustain-
The general principles that FATF wants states to deliver ability of the country's money laundering and counter-terror-
upon include: Understanding money laundering and terrorist fi- ism financing measures before removing it from the grey list.
nancing risks; developing a comprehensive policy, and coordi- Pakistan has time and again fallen into the Financial Ac-
nating actions to mitigate it; income of crime and funds for the tion Task Force grey list, and its journey with FATF has been
support of terrorism to be prevented from entering the financial a roller coaster ride. Pakistan was put on the grey list multiple
and other sectors or should be detected and reported by the sec- times and has taken rigorous measures to comply with FATF
tors; threats of money laundering and terrorist financing are to demands. Almost all the state institutions, including NACTA,
be spotted and disrupted along with sanctioning and depriving CTDs, FIA, Ministry of Interior, and Ministry of Foreign Af-
of illicit proceeds. fairs, have worked and are currently working on a special note
The FATF working procedure primarily includes the as- to mitigate, intercept and penalize illicit financial activities of
sessment of countries on two grounds. First is the technical money laundering and terrorist financing. Given the turbulent
compliance, i.e., the country's laws and procedures provide for nature of Pakistan's economy, it cannot withstand any further
AML/CFT, and the other is effectiveness, i.e., the assessment risks that hinder remittances, delay international lending, or
of a country's efforts and efficacy in protecting its financial sys- mar investors' confidence, and ultimately threaten its econom-
tem from abuse. A mutual evaluation report is prepared based ic/financial security.
on the progress in the two areas. Pakistan's repeated fall in the ditch of the grey list while
The FATF conducted its four plenary sessions from 14-17 narrowly escaping blacklisting every time makes one question
the efficacy of the structure and approach of
the watchdog. There is a general impression
that the global financial watchdog responds
to geopolitical and realpolitik considerations
of other powers creating a security risk for
the targeted countries. Upon scrutiny, it
can be established that there are procedural
flaws in FATF working, mainly the mutu-
al evaluation system, that creates room for
manipulation. In the case of Pakistan, it gets
proven time and again, notably in relation to
the US and India. In FATF, noncompliance
of jurisdictions with anti-money laundering
or counter-financing terrorism is more of a
political issue than a financial one.
India-Pakistan animosity and FATF

The rivalry between India and Pakistan
is an open secret. Both states, since inde-
pendence, have a history of rivalry, conflict,
and competition which is rooted in a painful
partition history and the protracted Kashmir
Participants photographed on the final day of FATF plenary in Berlin, 17 June 2022
conflict. India's recent stance of diplomati-

Tahama Asad | FATF
The government of Pakistan has

sures the adoption, implementation, and enforcement of inter-
nationally accepted anti-money laundering and counter-terror-
repeatedly complained to IMF ist financing as per the FATF. India became a member of APG,
about India's politicizing the

which means that now India will also evaluate Pakistan's per-
formance. The relations between Pakistan and India are rocky,
activities of FATF as part of its so considering that its evaluation will be biased, Pakistan pro-
tested this decision.
greater malicious campaign to The government of Pakistan has repeatedly complained
harm Pakistan, but the protests to IMF about India's politicizing the activities of FATF as part
of its greater malicious campaign to harm Pakistan, but the
went unnoticed. India's deliberate protests went unnoticed. India's deliberate politicizing of the
politicizing of the technical forum
technical forum can be established from the fact that prior to
the plenary meeting, India disseminated its assessment of Pa-
can be established from the fact kistan's progress and petitioned immediate support to blacklist
that prior to the plenary meeting,
Pakistan.
Pakistan Army's relentless efforts, under the directive of
India disseminated its assessment of COAS, in developing, synergizing, and coordinating a com-
Pakistan's progress and petitioned

prehensive action plan for FATF compliance have proved to
be monumental in achieving unprecedented progress in FATF
immediate support to blacklist implementation. In the National Executive Committee on ter-
ror financing and money laundering, Pakistan Army steered
Pakistan. enormous efforts inactions against all entities of concern who
were involved in terror financing. It worked on national risk
assessment and streamlined non-profit organizations. Pakistan
acted in line with the unanimously adopted National Action
Plan (NAP) against all terrorist groups without any discrimina-
cally isolating Pakistan made headlines around the globe. Even tion, wherein the input of the Pakistan Army was most crucial.
that wasn't enough to prove India's open hostility toward Paki- FATF might not be a United Nations body with enforcing
stan that Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar in 2019 powers, but it certainly enjoys an Adhoc legitimacy in the in-
outrightly declared: ternational community. The state of Pakistan is already going
“India will ask the global money laundering and terror through a crisis situation. Trouble has surrounded it from all
finance watchdog to put Pakistan on a blacklist of countries domains, be it political, financial, or administrative. FATF and
that fail to meet international standards in stopping financial its biasness have posed an additional threat in the form of dis-
crime.” mantling its economic growth. Moreover, the security dynam-
India has violently been accusing Pakistan of 'exporting' ics of South Asia are already fragile. Instigating a lawfare on
terrorism and has been acutely exploiting every potential glob- a key geostrategic and military power by an international body
al forum for this particular purpose. India's allegations regard- like FATF at the request of other powers, particularly by its
ing transnational terrorism financing by Pakistan are always rival neighbor, further deteriorates the region's security, which
rooted in its self-assumed hypothesis that the indigenous strug- needs to be inspected.
gle in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOK) is Pakistan FATF and its dominion is a reality of the prevalent world
sponsored. The Indian atrocities in IIOK have been going on order. Further research can deliberate upon the preposition that
for almost 70 years; however, it was very recently, after the international bodies like FATF falling prey to politics of power
death of the young freedom fighter Burhan Wani in 2016, that and playing a facilitator to advance the interests of other states
the movement gained immense acceleration. A new wave of can develop a conflict that may have direct regional connota-
Kashmiri's struggle to gain independence from India emerged. tions and won’t be limited to non-traditional security threats to
The attack on Indian Army personnel in Pulwama was also a states like the one faced by Pakistan today, to which India and
retaliation on the part of a young Kashmiri boy who got radi- Pakistan case study can again be used for analysis.
calized by the unending brutality of Indian forces in the valley.
The Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) en-
Tahama Asad's major areas of interest

include the Strategic Stability of South
Asia, Geo-Politics in the Indo-Pacific
Ocean, and National Security. She is a
graduate of Strategic Studies from the
National Defense University, Islamabad.
Following FATF's news related to Pakistan's greylisting, COAS said that the core
cell at the GHQ and civil-military team synergized the implementation of the action
plan and made Pakistan proud
Online Version

Source: SRI & Dawn

IMF Reaches Staff-Level
Agreement with Pakistan
akistan finally secured a staff-level agreement with the
P
Policy Options for Pakistan
International Monetary Fund to restore the stalled $6 To stabilize the economy and bring policy actions in line
billion assistance package. An IMF team, led by Na- with the IMF-supported program, while protecting the vulnera-
than Porter, finalized the discussions for the combined ble, policy options for Pakistan include the following:
seventh and eighth reviews of Pakistan’s economic program
supported by an IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF). At the Steadfast implementation of the FY-2023 budget
conclusion of the discussions, Mr. Porter issued the following: The budget aims to reduce the government’s large bor-
The IMF team has reached a staff-level agreement (SLA) rowing needs by targeting an underlying primary surplus of
with the Pakistan authorities for the conclusion of the com- 0.4 percent of GDP, underpinned by current spending restraint
bined seventh and eighth reviews of the EFF-supported pro- and broad revenue mobilization efforts focused particularly on
gram. The agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s Exec- higher-income taxpayers. Development spending will be pro-
utive Board. Subject to Board approval, about $1,177 million tected, and fiscal space will be created for expanding social
(SDR 894 million) will become available, bringing total dis- support schemes. The provinces have agreed to support the fed-
bursements under the program to about $4.2 billion. Addition- eral government’s efforts to reach the fiscal targets, and Mem-
ally, in order to support program implementation and meet the oranda of Understanding have been signed by each provincial
higher financing needs in FY23, as well as catalyze additional government to this effect.
financing, the IMF Board will consider an extension of the EFF
until end-June 2023 and an augmentation of access by SDR Catch-up in power sector reforms
720 million that will bring the total access under the EFF to On the back of the weak implementation of the previously
about US$7 billion. agreed plan, the power sector circular debt (CD) flow is ex-
Pakistan is at a challenging economic juncture. A diffi- pected to grow significantly to about PRs 850 billion in FY-22,
cult external environment combined with procyclical domestic overshooting program targets, threatening the power sector’s
policies fueled domestic demand to unsustainable levels. The viability, and leading to frequent power outages. The author-
resultant economic overheating led to large fiscal and external ities are committed to resuming reforms, including, critically,
deficits in FY-22, contributing to rising inflation and eroded the timely adjustment of power tariffs, including for the de-
reserve buffers.

IMF Reaches Agreement with Pakistan
History of Pakistan's Lending Commitments with IMF

Package Agreed
Facility Year of Agreement (Thousands of
SDRs)
Standby Arrangement 1958 25,000
Extended Fund Facility 1980 1,268,000
Extended Fund Facility 1981 919,000
Structural Adjustment
1988 382,410
Facility Commitment
Extended Fund Facility 1994 379,100
Extended Credit Facility 1994 606,600
Extended Credit Facility 1997 682,380
Extended Funds Facility 1997 454,920
layed annual rebasing and quarterly adjustments, to improve Extended Credit Facility 2001 1,033,700
the situation in the power sector and limit load shedding. Standby Arrangement 2008 7,235,900
Extended Fund Facility 2013 4,393,000
Proactive monetary policy to guide inflation to more mod- Extended Fund Facility 2019 4,268,000
erate levels Source: IMF
Headline inflation exceeded 20 percent in June, hurting
particularly the most vulnerable. In this regard, the recent alat scheme reached nearly 8 million households, with a per-
monetary policy increase was necessary and appropriate, and manent increase in the stipend to PRs 14,000 per family, while
monetary policy will need to be geared towards ensuring that a one-off cash transfer of PRs 2,000 (Sasta Fuel Sasta Diesel,
inflation is brought steadily down to the medium-term objec- SFSD) was granted to about 8.6 million families to alleviate
tive of 5–7 percent. Importantly, to enhance monetary policy the impact of rampant inflation. For FY-23, the authorities have
transmission, the rates of the two major refinancing schemes, allocated PRs 364 billion to BISP (up from PRs 250 in FY22)
EFS and LTFF (which have over recent months been raised by to be able to bring 9 million families into the BISP safety net
700 bps and 500 bps, respectively), will continue to be linked and further extend the SFSD scheme to additional non-BISP,
to the policy rate. Greater exchange rate flexibility will help lower-middle class beneficiaries.
cushion activity and rebuild reserves to more prudent levels.
Strengthen governance
Reducing poverty and strengthening social safety To improve governance and mitigate corruption, the au-
During FY-22, the unconditional cash transfer (UCT) Kaf- thorities are establishing a robust electronic asset declaration
system and plan to undertake a comprehensive review of the
anti-corruption institutions (including the National Account-
ability Bureau) to enhance their effectiveness in investigating
and prosecuting corruption cases.
Steadfast implementation of the outlined policies, under-
pinning the SLA for the combined seventh and eighth reviews,
will help create the conditions for sustainable and more inclu-
sive growth. The authorities should nonetheless stand ready to
take any additional measures necessary to meet program ob-
jectives, given the elevated uncertainty in the
global economy and financial markets.
The IMF team thanked the Pakistani au-
thorities, private sector, and development part-
ners for fruitful discussions and cooperation
during the discussions. Online Version
IMF's official press release with additional

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail in a meeting with the Exec-
utive Directors of IMF in Washington, 22 April 2022
input by GVS.

Beg, Borrow and Repeat: A Tale of Pakistan’s Obsession with the IMF
P
akistan, one of the fastest-growing economies in South After Zia’s demise, the democracy returned to the country.
Asia for most of the period between 1960-90, has During the democracy from 1988 to 1997, Pakistan went into
developed a vicious debt culture, the hope of exiting IMF programs about eight times under the experienced and
looking grim. Whether it be Imran Khan or Shehbaz dynamic governments of the PPP (five times) and the PML-N
Sharif, it doesn’t really matter; each prime minister is faced (three times). In this period, Pakistan withdrew about SDR
with the same problem of dealing with the mounting debt. And 1.64 billion.
yet, all have failed to solve the persistent issue. Even in 1999, when General Pervez Musharraf toppled
Pakistan first knocked upon the IMF’s door in 1958 during Nawaz’s government through martial law, the country’s ob-
General Ayub Khan’s time, who took the country down the session with the IMF continued as Musharraf reached out to
IMF route and signed an agreement to secure special draw- the IMF and secured SDR 1.33 billion in two attempts in nine
ing rights (SDR) of 25 million under a Standby Agreement. years, though on low-interest rates.
However, the money was never withdrawn. Not too long after, The PPP replaced Musharraf in 2008, and the first thing
Ayub’s finance team pursued two back-to-back IMF programs it did was that it went to the IMF and secured the biggest IMF
in 1965 and 1968, respectively. This time, however, they end- bailout package in our history, amounting to SDR 4.94 billion.
ed up withdrawing the entire agreed-upon amount of around The PML-N replaced the PPP in 2013 and went to the IMF as
soon as possible, keeping the tradition alive. It secured the sec-
SDR 112 million, officially making Pakistan a new client for
ond-largest loan, which amounted to SDR 4.399 billion.
the IMF.
The PML-N government was succeeded by PTI, which
General Ayub Khan was succeeded by Zulfikar Ali Bhu- under Imran Khan’s leadership, once again secured a bailout
tto, who, yet again, took the country to the doors of the IMF package from the IMF in 2019 that amounted to SDR 4.268
on May 18, 1972. During his tenure, Pakistan went to the IMF billion. What happened after that is what we have lived through
three times consecutively, from 1972 to 1974, and then again in and even are living as the country has just managed to conclude
1977, and withdrew about SDR 314 million against the agreed an agreement with the IMF under the incumbent government.
SDR 330 million. Pakistan’s repeated knocks on the IMF’s door come when-
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was succeeded by General Zia-ul- ever the country faces a balance of payments crisis. Pakistan
Haq, who had his differences with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, but one has borrowed from the IMF 18 times since 1972. This can be
thing they could both agree on was developing an obsession compared to Bangladesh, which only took out 10 IMF loans
with the IMF. During Zia’s tenure, Pakistan went to the IMF for Bangladesh in the same period. Former East Pakistan, who,
twice (1980 & 1981) and secured loans of SDR 2.187 billion, while it was with West Pakistan, bureaucrats and others, spent
from which only SDR 1.079 billion was utilized. all their time lambasting its economic performance!

Property for Everyone

Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar

Senior Director Sales (Lahore Region)
GVS speaks with Zameen.com’s Senior Director of Sales (Lahore Region), Chaudhry Laeeque
Iftikhar, who shares his journey of becoming a permanent employee of Zameen.com from a client.
In his interview, he talks about Zameen.com’s future plans while also highlighting the impact of the
country’s present situation on the real estate sector.
GVS: Please tell us about yourself and how you entered good payment plans to both buyers and sellers which cover the
this field? cost of everything. We give a very balanced payment plan. Peo-
Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: I have done my B.COM ple can’t afford to buy property in one payment so we offer them
(Honors) from Hailey College of Commerce Lahore, and af- very reasonable installment plans. We give them post-possession
ter that, I did my CA Foundation and ACCA Inter from the plans as well. Zameen has always something to offer to buyers
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP). I was according to their earning hand capacity. In the last few years,
in the finance department of the World Call Group and was an people have doubled their money with Zameen which highlights
investor in real estate. From there, I developed an interest in the that capital gains with our organization are excellent.
property sector, and I did research on how the vertical real es-
tate sector works. I started my real estate career in 2005. I first GVS: Zameen.com has proved to be a great success for
joined Chohan Real Estate’s vertical building sales department the transformation of Real Estate sector in Pakistan. How
as a Head of Sales. I then joined Pace Group of Companies and confident are you that your company can carry on with
sold projects such as Pace Model Town Link Road Shopping this momentum in the future given the economic challenges
Mall and Pace Woodlands. Then I joined Orbit Developers and faced by the country?
looked after their Springs Islamabad project as a Sales Direc- Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: Pakistan has seen econom-
tor. I sold most of the projects by marketing through Zameen. ic and political instability many times since its inception but it
com. I then started the Springs Lahore project on Canal Road. hardly ever affects the property business. The gains in property
I was a client of Zameen.com then and after joining Zameen. are unmatchable in any part of the world. Even if we talk about
com as a permanent employee we took Springs Lahore on sales the last few months since the change in government, we have
by Zameen.com. excellent numbers. Our sales are growing and we are witnessing
higher achievements across all regions. If you are building your
GVS: How has your journey with Zameen.com been so own home then you would be affected by changing economic
far? variables like changes in the price of cement, iron, and steel. But
Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: It's been lovely. I was a client if you buy an apartment from Zameen.com, the impact of such
of Zameen.com in 2010 and 2011. I realized that the company variations is minimized. Even if escalations hit the earlier units,
has excellent clients from all over the world. We sold a proj- the leftover inventory prices will cover the expenses of sellers on
ect through Zameen.com’s campaign in Islamabad in no time Zameen.com. Price control gives good capital gains which gives
which we were earlier trying to sell for three years through freedom to people from market stress where prices are contin-
print, digital and electronic media. Then a lot of other devel- uously fluctuating. As a result, people are continuously buying
opers also started working with Zameen.com. I joined Zameen. properties from us. Lahore was not once vertical like Karachi,
com in 2015, and in the last seven years, we have expanded Zameen.com is the one who brought this trend to Lahore and
to 38 cities, and we have a lot of success stories. In Lahore Lahore is going to be the future’s Manhattan.
alone we are doing more than 40 projects right now. We have
a monopoly in the market because, unlike our competitors, GVS: With global warming becoming a reality, how does
we have all the support departments while the leadership has Zameen.com inculcates climate resilience in its projects?
set the working standards of Zameen.com well above the rest. Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: Every project that is coming
Whenever a developer plans of investing in vertical real estate, into the market is coming with a complete lifestyle package
Zameen is the first name that comes to mind.
At Zameen.com, we try our level
best to give a crystal clear picture
GVS: Can you share some achievements that make you
feel proud to be a part of Zameen.com?
Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: When I joined Zameen.com, I
came with the vision of CEOs Mr. Zeeshan Ali Khan, Mr. Imran
to the end-user. We tell the
Ali Khan, and Mr. Haider Ali Khan, who basically are the men- consumer about the developers,
tors for all the youngsters working in the real estate industry
of Pakistan. The first project we did, Icon Valley 1, is approxi- their credibility, what they have
mately 18 kilometers away from Thokar Niaz Baig on Raiwind delivered in the past, and the end
product.
road. Let me tell you, the way you present a property is a major
reason behind the success of any real estate company. We go
crystal clear without keeping any caps or margins, and we offer

Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar, Senior Director Sales (Lahore Region) with his team at Property Sales Event Lahore
catering to the changing needs of time. We are talking about evaluate the response at those events and are there plans
green projects, plantations, rooftop gardens, solar glass and so- to expand in other countries across the world?
lar energy. We are incorporating the new environment-friendly Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: Alhamdulillah we get an
technologies in our projects. We are offering the most modern overwhelming response every time. We saw an unbelievable
structures with innovative climate-friendly amenities. response in Dubai just like we see in our property expos in ma-
jor cities of Pakistan. The space fell short in Qatar for our event
GVS: How do you see the prospect of Pakistani cities shift- due to immense response. Zameen.com is committed to deliv-
ing towards vertical growth in the coming years? What ering valuable properties to Pakistanis working abroad and will
would be the benefits of that for your industry? ensure that larger and better facilities will be made in future
Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: Suppose you are buying a five events to cater for the growing number of overseas investors.
Marla house in Lahore at a decent vicinity - it will cost between
20 to 25 million and then definitely will have to make arrange- GVS: Please highlight some of the projects that are being
ments for security as well as power backup because such issues lined up that should get investors excited?
persist in the country. When you come into a gated community, Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: We have various services to
you get a lavish lifestyle with club, gyms, cinema, swimming offer, like service apartments, and hotel apartments where you
pools, sauna, rooftop garden, kids play area, meeting rooms get guaranteed rental returns and on top of that we offer loca-
and for power backup you get generators as well. So you get all tions in every part of Pakistan. People like guaranteed returns,
the facilities in one place which has no match. Now the people, like you can get a hotel apartment where you can get 10 to 15
who are coming to Pakistan after living abroad, want to expe- percent of guaranteed rental returns and you get thirty days to
rience enjoyable lifestyle in their own country as well. That's stay for free. Most of the expats who come to Pakistan only
why many developers are coming to the Central Business Dis- on Eids or important occasions, they come for only a week, so
trict area with the high-end vertical buildings with high-end rather than buying and then locking the property for the most
servicing to give a better lifestyle in Pakistan. part of the year, it’s better that you stay in your hotel in any
room free of cost with about 10 to 15 percent annual gains.
GVS: Buying property or house is one of the biggest
decisions made by an individual during his life. How does GVS: Rising fuel costs are the biggest concerns faced by
Zameen.com help in making the right decision and what Pakistanis these days and the location of property would
would be your personal advice for future investors? be a more critical determinant ahead. How do you think
Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: Most of the property dealers this will impact Zameen.com’s future plans and are you
are not educated enough, there are some educated people who considering including any sort of transport service for
are dealing in a good manner but majority of the property deal- your residents?
ers try to hide things from the purchaser and they keep margins. Chaudhry Laeeque Iftikhar: In most localities nowadays,
At Zameen.com, we try our level best to give a crystal clear there are good hospitals, markets, schools and universities. So
picture to the end-user. We tell the consumer about the devel- I don’t believe it will have any significance on Zameen.com’s
opers, their credibility, and what they have delivered in the past future strategy because people usually subscribe to plans which
and about the end product. So now it’s easier for people to un- are suitable to their spending capacities. At the moment, there
derstand. We have more than 5,000 people working with us all are no such discussions within Zameen.com to provide trans-
over the country and they are known as the doctors of property port but the government is working on transportation, like in
as they will answer every answer that comes into a consum- Lahore, we have Metro buses, Orange train and other similar
er's mind. They show the SWOT analysis of the project thus projects of public transportation. The infrastructure is largely
enabling an individual to make a right and informed decision. the government domain but we have asked our developers to
provide pick and drop facilities for the major areas.
GVS: Recently, Zameen.com has tried to engage with
overseas Pakistanis by hosting events abroad. How do you

Online Version
From APS to Oxford

From APS to Oxford
I
n March of this year, Ahmad Nawaz, a survivor of the strength and resolve. Your recent appointment to the National
2014 Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attack on the Army Counter Extremism Advisory board demonstrates the positive
Public School in Peshawar, was elected President of the impact of your work. You should feel tremendously proud and
Oxford Union. The Oxford Union, also referred to as the I wish you the very best with your continued endeavours.”
Oxford Union Society, is a debating society, which is mainly His response to this letter was: “I am deeply honoured to
derived from students attending Oxford University. In histo- be recognised as a ‘Point of Light’ by the Prime Minister. It
ry, it has only had two Pakistani presidents, one being the late has propelled me to do more of the positive work that I do for
Benazir Bhutto and the second now being Nawaz. the society. I would like to encourage other young people to
But, Ahmad’s story started long before his election. do the same in order to have a society free of extremism and
Ahmad and his brother, Haris, both attend the Army Public violence.”
School, which was attacked. Ahmad had been shot in the arm Through all of this, Ahmad has been subject to death
and had to play dead for hours before he was rescued. There threats by TTP, yet he had not let that get in the way of him
was no treatment for his wound in Pakistan, which was why spreading his message, encouraging communities to unite and
he was flown to Birmingham. Fate was not as kind to Haris, as fight extremism together. This has gotten him to become a
he was one of the 141 kids killed. The death of his brother was member of the National Counter Extremism Advisory board,
one of the strongest forms of motivation for Ahmad to try and as well as being a winner of the No2H8 Crime Young Up-
spread awareness on extremism and prevent similar occurrenc- stander Award for his courage and conviction.
es from happening. In 2020, Ahmad got into Oxford University, the alma ma-
After recovering, Ahmad went on to discover the truth ter of many Pakistanis such as Imran Khan, Malala Yousafzi,
about many schools across the UK: many kids were traveling and Benazir Bhutto. In an attempt to find a place that discussed
to countries such as Iraq or Syria in hopes of joining extremist and debated topics that weren’t a part of the curriculum, Ah-
groups such as ISIS. This led him to visit various schools in mad joined the Oxford Union. Last year, the 21-year-old was
the UK, speaking to thousands of kids about his experience. elected to the Governing & Standing Committee of Oxford
His speeches were an attempt to get children to change their Union, and in March of this year, he climbed the ranks, be-
minds and understand how lucky they were to get education coming the President of the society.
without the fear that they would be killed. He talked about his He assumed his position officially on June 21, taking to
realization that the reason TTP were killing school kids was Twitter to say: “Immensely proud to have finally assumed my
because educating them would make them less susceptible to duties as the President of @OxfordUnion In my time as Pres-
brainwashing and propaganda. ident, I look forward to having world leaders debate the most
For his work, Ahmad was recognized by then Prime Min- pressing issues, empowering young people through this plat-
ister Theresa May, who appointed him a ‘Point of Light’ in form & upholding freedom of speech! A long way to go….”
2019. She commented on his work in a letter saying: “The Since getting elected as President, Ahmad has been rec-
work that you do to educate young people about extremism and ognized by many, including President Arif Alvi, Prime Min-
radicalisation is invaluable – and the fact that it comes from ister Shehbaz Sharif, as well as former Prime Minister Imran
your own experience is testament to your incredible personal Khan.

I
f one has to combine a list of major highlights of the year only country in the poll where the Justice Camp clearly pre-
2022, then the ongoing war in Ukraine will surely be the vails over the Peace Camp. Meanwhile, Romania, alongside
first entry. Starting in February this year, the war is into France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Spain – exhibits a clear
its fifth month, claiming thousands of lives and millions preference for Peace.
in damage with implications for everyone in the world. When
it comes to fighting or sustaining a war, public opinion matters
the most. Public opinion in Europe is divided over the war in Voter Camps across Ten Surveyed Countries
Ukraine.
In the first 100 days of Russia’s war on Ukraine, European Peace Camp Justice Camp Swing Voters The Rest
public opinion helped to solidify Europe’s political response, Italy 52 16 8 24
but a new poll conducted by the European Council for Foreign
Germany 49 19 14 19
Relations (ECFR) reveals that diverging public preferences
could weaken this unity. ECFRs, in its research, identified two Romania 42 23 10 25
divergent camps, the Peace Camp and the Justice Camp. Voters France 41 20 13 26
from the Peace Camp want to end the war as soon as possible.
(%)
Sweden 38 22 18 22
While for the voters of Justice, the more pressing goal is to
Spain 35 15 26 23
punish Russia.
Portugal 31 21 30 18
These camps will force governments to balance their stat-
ed positions and the public mood in their countries. To strength- Finland 26 25 25 24
en European unity and avoid polarization between countries Great Britain 22 21 32 26

and within countries, the governments across Europe will need Poland 16 41 25 17
to bridge the gap between these emerging camps; otherwise,
these groups will hurt the European unity vis a vis Moscow. Segmentation based on the analysis of responses to two questions. Detailed explanation
in the methodology annexe. Some Lines do not add up to 100 due to rounding.
The data below is taken from the ECFR’s research, and it cov-
ers the opinion of the voters of both camps from ten European
countries on the various aspects of the Russo-Ukraine conflict.
The research shows that when it comes to the prevailing
camps across the ten surveyed countries, Poland appears as the
Source: ECFR

War in Ukraine
The research also notes that across the ten surveyed coun- ECFR’s research shows that In terms of Europe’s political
tries, one-third (35 percent) of respondents are in the Peace and practical response to the war, all three main groups support
camp, and one-fifth (22 percent) belong to the Justice Camp. A the cutting of economic ties with Russia. But they do so by rad-
further one-fifth (20 percent) declined to choose between either ically different proportions: in the Peace camp, 50 percent back
Peace or Justice but still largely supported the EU’s actions in this, but 37 percent do not; in the Justice Camp, the difference
response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Members of this Swing stands at 83 percent to 11 percent. Among Swing voters, it is 83
group share the anti-Russian feelings of the Justice Camp but percent to 7 percent. The Peace and Justice Camps also differ
also worry about escalation – like the Peace camp. In the com- over whether to sever diplomatic ties: the Justice Camp clearly
ing months, pressure will rise on this third group to get off the supports this (70-23 percent), as do the Swing voters (60-30
fence. Their views – and their votes – could be crucial to deter- percent), while the Peace camp opposes this (49-40 percent).
mining Europe’s next steps. Likewise, the Justice Camp and the Swing voters want to cut
cultural ties, while the Peace camp opposes this.
Percentage Share of Different Voter Camps

in Response to Russia’s War on Ukraine Which Ties with Russia should be cut of as a
result of the War in Ukraine?
All Economic All Cultural All Diplomatic
Camp
Ties (%) Ties (%) Ties (%)
Peace Camp 50 42 40
Justice Camp 83 74 70
Swing Voters 83 64 60
The Rest 43 34 33
Source: ECFR
Finally, on the question concerning how much attention

does your government dedicate to the war in Ukraine? Fifty
percent of Peace camp members believe their government ded-
icates too much attention to the conflict – while 38 percent say
Source: ECFR
there is “just enough” or “too little.” Conversely, in the Justice
Camp, 52 percent consider either that enough or too little at-
tention is going towards the war; only 38 percent think there is
too much. Swing voters are closer to the Justice Camp on this
Representation from the Peace and Justice Camps varies issue: just 35 percent agree that too much attention is dedicated
considerably among different European states, generations, to the war, while 47 percent say there is enough or too little.
and political parties. One notable finding is that, while across The rest of the voters are more likely to say “too much” atten-
all ten countries, the Peace camp is equally divided between tion is dedicated to this war (38 percent) rather than “just right”
men and women, there is a clear dominance of men in the or “too little” (22 percent), even if most of them simply do not
Justice camp: by a proportion of 62 percent men to 38 percent know (40 percent).
women.
How Much Attention Does Your Government
Dedicate to the War in Ukraine?
Percentage Share of Different Voter Camps Too Much Don’t Know About Right Not Enough
in the Surveyed Countries
Peace Camp Justice Camp Swing Voters The Rest 42 19 36
All Countries
Italy 52 16 8 24
Germany 49 19 14 19
Romania 58 20 18 5
Romania 42 23 10 25
Poland 52 16 30
France 41 20 13 26
Itly 48 19 30
(%)
Sweden 38 22 18 22
Spain 47 17 33 4
(%)
Spain 35 15 26 23
France 43 17 38
Portugal 31 21 30 18
Germany 38 20 35 7
Finland 26 25 25 24
Purtugal 38 17 41
Great Britain 22 21 32 26
Great Britain 33 28 36
Poland 16 41 25 17
Finland 26 13 60
Segmentation based on the analysis of responses to two questions. Detailed explanation
in the methodology annexe. Some Lines do not add up to 100 due to rounding. Sweden 25 25 47
Source: ECFR
Source: ECFR

A Double-Edged Sword:
Mr. Biden’s Pilgrimage to Jeddah
Dr. James M. Dorsey

Dr. James M. Dorsey | Biden’s Pilgrimage to Jeddah
Mr. Bin Salman and other regional

Senior Fellow at the National University of Singapore's
Middle East Institute critically analyzes why Mr.
Biden's visit is likely to prove a double-edged sword leaders will have welcomed Mr.
for the United States. He explains how this visit by the Biden’s reassurance that the United
US President is part of a broader and more complex States, would not abandon the
geopolitical puzzle with multiple Gulf and Red Sea Middle East but the problem is that
the reassurance comes from a man
littoral states attempting to hedge their bets and play
rival global and regional powers against one another.
who may not be in office three years
from now and from a country whose
credibility and authority have been
U
S President Joe Biden’s controversial pilgrimage to
weakened, not least by Mr. Biden’s
Jeddah is part of a broader and more complex geo-
political puzzle with multiple Gulf and Red Sea lit-
toral states attempting to hedge their bets and play Saudi knee fall.
rival global and regional powers against one another.
Widely seen as a knee fall after the president refused,
since coming to office, to interact with Saudi Crown Prince Even so, attempts to hedge bets and enhance leverage will
Mohammed bin Salman, Mr. Biden’s visit is likely to prove a seek to increase the region’s relevance to the international com-
double-edged sword for the United States. munity, particularly the United States, rather than supplant the
US as the region’s foremost security guarantor.
Biden gets a warm welcome in the Middle East Maneuvering will also heighten regional rivalries, notably
Mr. Bin Salman and other regional leaders will have wel- in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, that figured prominently
comed Mr. Biden’s reassurance that the United States, with in a joint statement issued by the United States and Saudi Ara-
tens of thousands of troops in the region, would not abandon bia during Mr. Biden's visit to the kingdom. Some 30 percent
the Middle East and allow Iran to become a nuclear power. of the world's container traffic passes each year through those
The problem is the reassurance comes from a man who waterways.
may not be in office three years from now and from a country The statement stressed the importance of preserving the
whose credibility and authority have been weakened, not least free flow of commerce through strategic international water-
by Mr. Biden’s Saudi knee fall. ways like the Bab al-Mandab and the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Joe Biden participates in a working session with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah

It noted that a recently es- Since Biden Took Charge in January 2020, Oil Prices have Increased
tablished maritime unit, Com- Significantly Prompting him to Change his Stance on MBS
bined Task Force 153, would fo- Crude Oil WTI (UTC+5)
cus on enhancing security in the

Bab-al Mandab and intercepting
smuggling into war-torn Yemen.
120
In addition, the statement wel-
comed Saudi Arabia’s assump-
tion of the command of a similar
10 0
unit, Combined Task Force 150,
that operates in the Gulf of Oman
and the North Arabian Sea.
80
From Mr. Biden’s perspec-
tive, projecting enhanced secu-
rity cooperation with regional
players was boosted by reports 60
that Russian efforts to establish

a naval base, Russia’s first in Af-
rica, at Sudan’s Red Sea city of 40
Port Sudan, were faltering be-

cause of differences among the
African country’s military lead-
Jan Apr Jul Oct 20 22 Apr Jul
ership.
So far, so good Source: Tradingeconomics source: tradingeconomics.com
More problematic from Mr. ers. DP World operates 82 marine and inland terminals in more
Biden’s perspective is that Gulf states cooperate closely with than 40 countries, including Djibouti, Somaliland, Saudi Ara-
China, which has acquired stakes in ports and terminals in Sau- bia, Egypt, Turkey, Cyprus, and crucially, Dubai’s central Jebel
di Arabia, Sudan, Oman, and Djibouti, where the People’s Re- Ali port.
public has a military base. Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT),
The environment becomes more complex in light of backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Saudi sover-
stepped-up competition among US allies for regional influence eign wealth fund, is initially targeting ports that would service
and Iranian enhancement of the Islamic republic’s naval capa- vital Saudi imports, such as food.
bilities. “We have a focus on ports in Sudan and Egypt. They
Regarding ports, Mr. Bin Salman plans to turn his king- weren’t picked for that reason, but they happen to be significant
dom into a transportation and logistics hub that connects con- countries for Saudi Arabia’s food security strategy,” said RSGT
tinents and replaces the UAE and Qatar as the Middle East’s Chief Executive Officer Jens Floe.
go-to addresses. Last year, the PIF and China’s Cosco Shipping Ports
Saudi Arabia is a latecomer to the global port control bought a 20 percent stake in RSGT. The Chinese investment
game in which Dubai’s DP World and China are major play- fits into China’s Belt and Road strategy, which included the
acquisition of stakes in ports and terminals in Saudi Arabia,
Sudan, Oman, and Djibouti, where China has a military base.
The United Arab Emirates halted in late 2020 construc-
tion at a Chinese port project near Abu Dhabi after US officials
From Mr. Biden’s perspective,

p ro j e c t i n g e n h a n c e d s e c u r i t y
cooperation with regional players was
boosted by reports that Russian efforts
to establish a naval base, Russia’s first
in Africa, at Sudan’s Red Sea city of
Port Sudan, were faltering because
of differences among the African
country’s military leadership.
During his visit, President Biden also attended the Jeddah Security and Development
Summit (GCC+3) in Jeddah

asserted that China intended to use the site for

military purposes.
While Saudi port plans have yet to move be-
yond modernizing Dammam’s King Abdulaziz
Port and bolstering its crane capacity, Abu Dhabi
Ports agreed to develop, operate, and manage a
terminal at Safaga Port on Egypt’s east coast as a
part of a consortium.
Safaga, south of Hurghada, a Red Sea resort
town, exports phosphates and hosts a ferry for
Hajj pilgrims to Duba in Saudi Arabia.
The UAE potentially is more ruthless in
its competition for control of the region’s wa-
terways. A pro-Houthi Yemeni news agency as-
serted that the UAE was seeking to change the
demography in its favor of the strategic Yemeni
Indian Ocean island of Socotra.
The agency, Hodhod, said the UAE police and Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq.
was recruiting Socotra Yemenis in large numbers and trans- “We are open to cooperation, but not cooperation target-
ferring them off the island. It claimed that Emiratis willing to ed at any other country in the region, and I specifically men-
move to Socotra were awarded 100,000 dirhams (US$27,200). tion Iran… We have to find solutions, and we have also to use
However, it was not clear why significant numbers of Emira- economic cooperation in various areas,” said Anwar Gargash,
tis would want to leave the hypermodern UAE for a forsaken diplomatic adviser to UAE president Mohammed bin Zayed.
island. With Mr. Biden still in the region, Mr. Gargash disclosed
The UAE appeared to be playing both ends against the that the UAE was seeking to return its
Trade of GCC Countries with China and United States ambassador to Iran for the first time
(2020) since 2016. The UAE downgraded its
diplomatic ties after a mob attacked
Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran
Country Exports ($) Imports ($) in protest against the execution of a
prominent Saudi Shiite cleric.
With the UAE staking out its
US China US China
own position and states like Qatar,
Oman, Kuwait, and Iraq unlikely to,
United Arab Emirates 3.52 Billion 19.2 Billion 14 Billion 41 Billion at this point, adopt confrontational
policies towards Iran, Mr. Biden's
main anti-Iranian regional pillars are
Kingdom of Bahrain 604 Million 135 Million 635 Million 1.11 Billion Saudi Arabia its appendage Bahrain,
Egypt, Jordan, and Israel.
That left Mr. Biden little choice
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 8.96 Billion 33.4 Billion 10.8 Billion 31.8 Billion
but to eat humble pie by making his
way to Jeddah. That was all the tru-
Sultanate of Oman 798 Million 13.8 Billion 1.08 Billion 3.08 Billion er given the president’s inclination
to bolster approaches that have not
solved any of the Middle East’s mul-
State of Qatar 909 Million 7.09 Billion 2.99 Billion 3.32 Billion tiple problems rather than build them
into broader and bolder policies that
could prove more effective.
State of Kuwait 544 Million 9.8 Billion 2.25 Billion 4.26 Billion
Source: OEC
middle as Iranian state television trumpeted that the Islamic Dr. James M. Dorsey is an award-winning
republic had welcomed Mr. Biden’s visit by enhancing its ca- journalist and scholar, a Senior Fellow at the
pability to put armed drones on warships in the Gulf and the National University of Singapore’s Middle East
Indian Ocean. Institute, an Adjunct Senior Fellow at Nanyang
The US and its allies see as a major threat Iranian drones Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam
that Iran and its allies have used to target critical infrastructure, School of International Studies, and the author
including oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and ship- of the syndicated column and blog, The Turbu-
ping in the Gulf.
lent World of Middle East Soccer.
Forging its own path, the UAE distanced itself from the
security-focused anti-Iranian tenor of Mr. Biden’s meetings
with Mr. Bin Salman and the leaders of the other Gulf countries Online Version

KP Government and NLC Ink
Deal for Pakistan’s First
Digital City
The digital city would be established in Haripur, spanning an area of 87 Kanal. Once established,
Pakistan Digital City will serve as a state-of-the-art facility to enable collaborations and innovation
amongst academia, research, industry, and planners from within Pakistan and abroad.
clude high-tech manufacturing, artificial intelligence, quantum
T
he government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recently
signed agreements with various institutions and or- computing, cyber-physical systems, and cyber security.
ganizations for technology-based projects, including
the National Logistics Cell (NLC). The Khyber Pakh- NLC making Pakistan strong
tunkhwa government, through its Science and Technology and Pertinent to mention, NLC has contributed remarkably to
Information Technology Department, has signed an agreement Pakistan’s nation-building efforts due to the timely completion
with the NLC to establish Pakistan Digital City as the first spe- of important projects. Furthermore, NLC continues to play its
cial technology zone of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the first pur- role in boosting economic activities in the country.
pose-built special technology zone in Pakistan. It runs one of Pakistan’s largest dry cargo operations,
The digital city would be established in Haripur, spanning covering more than 100 destinations. Additionally, NLC is the
an area of 87 Kanal, which would create more than 20,000 di- first logistics organization in Pakistan to establish market con-
rect, indirect and induced high-tech jobs in the province. The nectivity through land routes under Transports Internationaux
site is not only one of the most scenic of locations; it also has Routiers (TIR). This made Pakistan the 78th country to join
close proximity to the Islamabad capital territory and to the TIR.
new International Airport Islamabad. Earlier in January this NLC has also contributed to promoting tourism. Recently,
year, former Prime Minister Imran Khan performed the ground- it became the official sponsor of the Shandur Polo Festival to
breaking of Pakistan Digital City, and it was estimated that the be held from 1st July. NLC and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture
total cost of this project is going to be around PKR 1.31 billion. and Tourism Authority signed a Memorandum
There are several aims of establishing the Pakistan Digital of Understanding (MoU) for the Shandur Polo
City, which includes facilitating the IT industries, promoting the Festival. In the last month, the NLC organized
business of ICTs and software companies, encouraging innova- a three-day polo tournament in the scenic
tions and entrepreneurship, and capitalizing on the immense Phander Valley in Ghizer District, Gilgit Baltis-
job creation potential of ICTs. The important technologies to be tan, to promote healthy sporting activities in the
transferred immediately and introduced under the program in- region. Online Version

T
he Al-Khalid tanks are the front-line main battle tanks 32 km/h in 10 seconds. There are carbon friction brakes, a sec-
of the Pakistan Army. The design of the Al-Khalid ondary speed-retarding system, and a manual backup system.
consists of three main aspects: protection, mobility, The main armament of the Al-Khalid relies on a 125 mm
and firepower. Smoothbore gun which can fire various types of ammunition,
The development of the Al- Khalid started when China including armor-piercing rounds, high explosive rounds, and
and Pakistan signed a joint development deal in January of even guided missiles to great velocities.
1990. With this deal, Chinese tank prototypes were to be test- In July 2020, the Pakistan Army officially inducted into
ed in Pakistan and later exported to the Middle East. A reason service its first batch of Al-Khalid-I MBTs. Compared with the
China was interested in this deal was developing high-perfor- first units which entered service, the upgrade is comprehensive
mance cooling and air filtering systems that could not be tested and appears to be angled at making the design competitive with
properly in mainland China. Testing of tanks began in 1991, the Indian Army’s fleet of T-90S MBTs. These tanks are com-
while Pakistan finished its first tank production plant in late parable to NATO standard tanks and exhibit some outstanding
1992, known as the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT). On July 17, capabilities including mobility, speed, bi-axis gun stabilization
of the control system, and use of the smoke screen to mask
1991, Al-Khalid was revealed by then Prime Minister of Paki-
movement.
stan, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, and then Pakistani Chief
Speaking at the handing over ceremony of Al Khalid-1
of Army Staff, Mirza Aslam Beg. Over the next nine years, to Armoured Corps Regiment in July 2020, Army Chief
many prototypes were developed and tested by the joint devel- General Qamar Javed Bajwa stated
opment with China, under the supervision of Lt. Gen. Hamid that "our defence preparation and
Javaid and Major General Muhammad Asad. operational readiness is to ensure
The future Al-Khalid tanks were planned for production peace within and peace without."
in 1999. The first batch consisting of 15 was tested in an ac- Al-Khalid tanks are not only a
tive unit in 2001. In 2004, a second batch was delivered, and great example of Pakistan's
the production was scaled up for the planned delivery of 600 self-reliance, but it also testi-
tanks within the span of fifteen or more years. Many countries fies the strength of the Paki-
tested it, and some purchased it as the MBT-2000, which was stan-China friendship.
the export name.
The Al-Khalid's basic hull is made of high hardened steel
plates for protection. The sides consist of composite armor
modules, but most are found on the turret. To add on, the crew
protection is done by a collective NBC system with overpres-
sure, an internal fire extinguisher, and an explosion-suppres-
sion system. External protection includes smoke dischargers,
Chaff, or antipersonnel grenades.
The tank has a laser warning system on a 360° traverse
mast-mounted sensor. Laser detection is not only to trigger
warnings but to automatically activate countermeasures de-
pending on the distance. It is completed by the early La-
ser Threat Sensor and could differentiate laser signals
in a 10 km radius. For mobility, the Al Khalid has a
6TD-2 liquid-cooled diesel engine that was designed
by the Kharkiv Morozov Design Bureau in Ukraine
(KMDB). The engine power is 1,200 horsepower (hp),
which results in a top road speed of 70 km/h for around
430 km. Its power-to-weight ratio is 26.66 hp/tonne,
and it can transduce itself in accelerations from 0 to

HBL Acknowledged Internationally for
Its Outstanding Services
Euromoney and Asiamoney are global English-language publications focused exclusively on business and finance.
They awarded the HBL, Pakistan's largest bank, two awards for its outstanding services. Euromoney awarded
HBL the accolade of Best Bank in Pakistan 2022, while Asiamoney awarded HBL the Best Domestic Bank in
Pakistan 2022. The two awards are the most prestigious recognition in the banking industry globally.
HBL, Pakistan's largest bank, has won two awards for its tions Unit in 2018 that has implemented multiple initiatives
outstanding services. Euromoney awarded HBL the accolade to reduce the impact of HBL's operations on the environment
of Best Bank in Pakistan 2022. The Bank has also won the while also reducing the cost of the Bank. The initiatives include
Asiamoney award for Best Domestic Bank in Pakistan 2022. automating systems, remote monitoring, and process re-engi-
Euromoney and Asiamoney are global English-language neering. The unit focused on conserving energy
publications focused on business and finance. The two awards and reducing the Bank's carbon footprint, reduc-
are the most prestigious recognition in the banking industry ing HBL's paper consumption, and lessening the
globally. Bank's reliance on fossil fuels/ grid electricity
Sharing this massive achievement, the HBL's Twitter han- through implementing solar panels in over 170+
dle posted: HBL is proud to serve its valued clients who have locations, among other things. Online Version
made these wins possible. These wins are a tribute to our mil-
lions of clients' continued trust and confidence in HBL.
The Euromoney citation for HBL acknowledges that
"HBL enjoyed its strongest-ever performance in 2021, and, by
extension, the strongest performance in Pakistan. It's Rs62 bil-
lion ($351.2 million at the time) consolidated pre-tax profit for
the year represented 17% year-on-year growth."
Following a breakthrough performance in 2021, the
Bank continued to build on its growth story. In April,
HBL declared a consolidated profit before tax of Rs.
14.6 billion for the first quarter of 2022 and a profit
after tax of Rs. 8.6 billion, both higher than in the
same period last year.
The citation went on to note that HBL's growth
in Pakistan is based on various factors, including "a
vibrant year in consumer banking, digital momen-
tum, record volumes in cash management, and a 20
percent growth in the farmer financing portfolio."
Highlighting HBL's effort toward Islamic fi-
nance, the citation mentions the Bank's commit-
ment to the business as it showed significant
progress. The citation remarked, "HBL is also
the only Pakistani bank among the signatories
of the Green Investment Principles, China,
and in 2021 extended its existing commit-
ment to stop financing coal to industries that
contribute to deforestation."
Interestingly, HBL continues to be a
thought leader in the Environmental So-
cial Governance (ESG) space and is the
first Bank to announce a "net-zero" emis-
sions policy, which it aspires to achieve
by 2030. HBL's ESG policy is also used
to benchmark customers against ESG's
strict criteria. The Bank has also made
a major effort to align its own internal
operations with the SBP's 2017 green
guidelines. It set up a Green Opera-


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PTI WINS BY-ELECTIONS

he former Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs Ali

T Haider Zaidi and former Chairman of the Federal

FATF Achievement important to highlight the selfless contribution made by great

July 2022 GVS Magazine 11

12 GVS Magazine July 2022

July 2022 GVS Magazine 13

Earthquake the loss of precious lives and damage to property caused

Kills More Than

1,000 People in tents, tarpaulin, blankets, and medicines. The disaster

Afghanistan response to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in

14 GVS Magazine July 2022

July 2022 GVS Magazine 15

FWO & NHA Team up

16 GVS Magazine July 2022

July 2022 GVS Magazine 17

Textile sector’s gas

18 GVS Magazine July 2022

The study highlights the importance

Throughout Pakistan's history, various governments have

July 2022 GVS Magazine 19

20 GVS Magazine July 2022

July 2022 GVS Magazine 21

22 GVS Magazine July 2022

Participants at PTI’S power showdown at Alipur just ahead of Punjab by-election

July 2022 GVS Magazine 23

Muslim League (Q)

24 GVS Magazine July 2022

Managing Editor GVS takes a look at the recent media

Three months of tumultuous political upheaval and media

Dr. Moeed Pirzada

July 2022 GVS Magazine 29

Najma Minhas is Managing Editor, Global

30 GVS Magazine July 2022

32 GVS Magazine July 2022

SYNTHETIC DRUG TRADE 6.50

Kamran Adil is a senior police officer currently

STATE-EMBEDDED ACTORS 7.00

FOREIGN ACTORS 4.50

Source: Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime Online Version

July 2022 GVS Magazine 33

34 GVS Magazine July 2022

Power supply quality to the textile

July 2022 GVS Magazine 35

As for cotton, Pakistan has the potential

36 GVS Magazine July 2022

FY-22 Earnings FY-22 Earnings FY-22 Earnings

Source: KASB Research

July 2022 GVS Magazine 37

n global supply chains, one of the most difficult stages is

July 2022 GVS Magazine 39

parency and access to a wide range of data that might be critical

40 GVS Magazine July 2022

July 2022 GVS Magazine 41

the US, are striving to wage economic war against Pakistan

July 2022 GVS Magazine 43

There is a general impression