Page 28 - Pakistan Link - September 25, 2020

P28 – PAKISTAN LINK – SEPTEMBER 25, 2020
UMRAH FROM P19
residents or citizens of Saudi Arabia.
Rather than the more than 2 million
pilgrims the kingdom hosts for the
annual event, as little as 1,000 took
part after being tested for the virus
and quarantined.
Saudi Arabia on Monday began
easing some restrictions on interna-
tional flights for the first time in six manufacturing new narcissistic il-
months.
The kingdom allowed Gulf Arab
nationals and foreign residents of Sau-
di Arabia abroad to enter the country,
provided they are not infected with
the coronavirus. The kingdom also al-
lowed for some residents of Saudi Ara-
bia, such as Saudi students with schol-
arships abroad and foreign embassy
staff, to exit and enter the kingdom.
Despite taking early and sweep-
ing measures to contain the virus,
Saudi Arabia has recorded more than
330,000 cases, including more than
4,500 deaths. - AP
HOUSES FROM P18
development.
According to Directorate of
Archaeology Director Dr Abdul
Samad, the two houses although
owned privately, hold great historic
value, which is why the government
has decided to take them under their
wing and preserve their heritage.
As per the director, his depart-
ment has allocated over Rs 50 mil-
lion for the repair and restoration
of some 13 historic buildings, other
than the said houses of veteran Bol-
lywood actors. “Other than this, res-
toration work at Peshawar’s ancient
Mahabat Khan Mosque is already
underway,” the director told The Ex-
press Tribune.
FAUCI FROM P18
“How the virus might damage
heart muscle is just one question re-
searchers are now probing,” reports
Science Mag. “Other studies are fol-
lowing people during and after acute
illness to learn how common heart
inflammation is after COVID-19,
how long it lingers, and whether it
responds to specific treatments. Re-
searchers also want to know whether
patients fare similarly to those with
myocarditis from other causes,
which can include chemotherapy
and other viruses. In more than half
of virus-induced cases, the inflam-
mation resolves without incident.”
“So the situation is not wrapped
up about what is the full impact of
this, which means we have to take
it very seriously,” says Fauci. “Even
among people who are obviously in
trouble and die. There’s other people
that we need to be concerned.” As
for yourself: if you feel any of the
symptoms above, contact your medi-
cal professional immediately, and to
stay safe during this pandemic, wear
a face mask, social distance, avoid
crowds, wash your hands and don’t
visit places you’re most likely to
catch Covid.
NARCISSISM FROM P11
Greek civilizations were extremely fer-
tile as well. Relatively speaking, sci-
ence in Islam was a latecomer that
began with the translation of Greek
works about 150 years after the death
of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Mus-
lims added many new and brilliant
ideas but their science is just one part but on Aug 5 that year India illegally
of pre-modern science.
Some signs of hope are finally
emerging in the Arab world. The ab-
ject failure to modernize — except
very superficially — is making GCC
countries realize that insularity won’t
work. Several are moving up the
learning curve and absorbing univer-
sal values by allowing wider media
access and more personal freedoms
for citizens, particularly for women.
While the trend towards recognizing
Netanyahu’s Israel smacks of defeat-
ism and sells out Palestinian interests, in Jammu and Kashmir three times therapeutics and diagnostics will
the decrease in anti-Semitic propa-
ganda augurs well for all.
Bucking progressive trends in
the Arab world, Pakistan is busy
lusions. Lacking the will to address
urban chaos (as in Karachi) or to
generate significant employment, it
seeks solace through concocting a
Turkic-Islamic past and heaping ado-
ration upon the fictionalized Ertugrul
drama series. Now watched daily by
millions, it is a new form of escapism.
Evidence for a further closing of
the Pakistani mind is starkly visible.
Absent from our school curriculum
is the study of world history, philoso-
phy, epistemology, or comparative re-
ligions. In PTI’s Single National Cur-
riculum, rote learning has massively
increased, as has religious content.
The brains of our schoolchildren are
being programmed for a world other
than the one they live in.
(The writer is an Islamabad-
based physicist and writer. Dawn)
SAN FROM P18
contact us at saninfo@sansocal.org. If
you would like to help us ensure that
our community votes this year, you
can make a donation here.
It doesn’t matter what your po-
litical leanings are - the 2020 Election peace in their war-torn country,” he for failure.”
is an important opportunity for our
entire community to raise its voice
and be represented.
PM FROM P1
of upping the military ante against
Pakistan in a nuclearized strategic en-
vironment,” he said.
Mr Khan informed the world
body that despite constant Indian
provocations and ceasefire violations
along the Line of Control (LoC) and
the Working Boundary targeting in-
nocent civilians, Pakistan had exer-
cised maximum restraint. “We have
consistently sensitized the world
community about a ‘false flag’ opera-
tion and another ill-conceived misad-
venture by India,” he added.
The prime minister said that
while his parents were born in the co-
lonial India, his was the first genera-
tion that grew up in an independent
Pakistan. “I want to make it clear that
any attempt by the fascist totalitarian
RSS-led Indian government to ag-
gress against Pakistan will be met by
a nation that will fight for its freedom G20 countries to realize that an eq- criminals fleeing their jurisdictions.
to the end,” he declared.
“The Security Council must pre-
vent a disastrous conflict and secure
the implementation of its own reso-
lutions [on Kashmir] as it did in the
case of East Timor,” he said.
The warning follows heightened
tensions between the two South Asian
neighbors that began last year when
India bombed an abandoned school
in Balakot. India followed up the
bombing with more aggressions that
ended only when Pakistan brought
down an Indian aircraft and arrested
its pilot, Wing Commander Abhinan-
dan Varthaman.
Pakistan returned the pilot on
March 1, 2019 as a gesture of peace,
annexed held Kashmir and since then
it has been constantly firing across the
LoC.
Referring to these incidents,
Prime Minister Khan told the 75th
UNGA that there would be no du-
rable peace and stability in South Asia
until the Jammu and Kashmir dispute
was resolved on the basis of interna-
PAKISTAN
tional legitimacy. harm us all.” tacts with the military leadership were
“Kashmir has been rightly de- And Rwanda’s president, Paul made public. The disclosures follow Mr
scribed as a ‘nuclear flash point’,” he Kagame, appealed to the universal Nawaz’s hard-hitting speech at the op-
said, noting that the UN Security desire for a return to normal: “En- position’s September 20 multiparty con-
Council has considered the situation suring equitable access to vaccines, ference in which he had lashed out at the
army, saying there was “a state above the
in the past year. speed up the end of the pandemic state in the country” and the conference’s
“It must take appropriate en- for everyone.” communique calling for an end to “estab-
forcement actions. It must also take Just two days into nearly 200 lishment’s interference in politics” and
steps to protect the Kashmiris from speeches by world leaders, it was “no role of armed forces and intelligence
an impending genocide by India,” he clear the urgent need for a vaccine agencies” in future elections.
said. would be mentioned by almost
Pakistan, he said, had always everyone. Considering the mind- Major Gen Babar said the COAS
called for a peaceful solution. But popping challenges ahead, that’s no during his two meetings with PML-N
for peace to prevail, India must re- surprise. leader and ex-governor Mohammad
scind the measures it has instituted “We’ve never dealt with a situ- Zubair “made it clear to him that their
since Aug 5, 2019, end its military ation where 7.8 billion people in [Sharifs] legal issues would be addressed
siege and other gross human rights the world are needing a vaccine at in court, while political matters were to
violations, and agree to resolve the almost the same time,” John Nken- be dealt with the parliament”.
Jammu & Kashmir dispute in accor- gasong, head of the Africa Centers
dance with the relevant UN Security for Disease Control and Prevention, The military spokesman added that
Council resolutions and the will of said this month. Mr Zubair was categorically conveyed
the Kashmiri people, he added. That has led to difficult ques- that the military should be kept out of
Afghan peace: The prime min- tions: Who will get vaccine doses political matters.
ister said Pakistan’s desire for peace first? Who is making private deals to
in the region was also manifest in its get them? This week’s speeches make Also appearing on television chan-
efforts to promote a political solution clear that such questions have exis- nels afterwards and later through his of-
in Afghanistan. “I have consistently tential meaning. ficial social media account on Twitter, the
maintained over the past two decades The vaccine quest must not be former governor did confirm his contacts
that there is no military solution to a “purely mercantile act”, Iraq said. with the military leadership while claim-
the decades-old-conflict in Afghani- Nor “an issue of competition”, Tur- ing that he had gone to discuss economic
stan,” he said. “The only way forward key said. issues. However, he admitted, Nawaz
was and is a political settlement “We must take the politics out Sharif and his daughter Maryam did
which involves the full spectrum of of the vaccine,” Kazakhstan said. come up for discussion.
Afghanistan’s political actors.” “We need true globalization of com-
Mr Khan pointed out that Paki- passion,” Slovakia said. “Gen Qamar Bajwa is an old friend
stan “fully facilitated the process” The Dominican Republic de- and not only that I have met him many
that culminated in the US-Taliban ployed all-caps in a statement: “We times as a friend but our families have
peace agreement on Feb 29 this year. demand this vaccine be available also been meeting cordially over dinners
“Pakistan is deeply gratified that it to all human beings on the planet.” etc. In my most recent meeting with him
has fulfilled its part of the responsi- More gently, Mozambique warned economy, politics and, of course, Nawaz
bility. The Afghan leaders must now that “nationalism and isolationism Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, all came
seize this historic opportunity to in the face of a pandemic are, as far under discussion. No relief was ever re-
achieve reconciliation and restore as we are concerned, a prescription quested,” tweeted Mr Zubair.
said. No matter their reputation at Talking to one of the TV channels,
The prime minister urged Af- home or on the global stage, lead- Mr Zubair expressed his surprise over
ghan leaders to use the intra-Afghan ers are finding a shred of common the DG ISPR’s statement. “Such meetings
negotiations, which commenced on ground as the world nears a stagger- are secret. I don’t understand as to why
Sept 12, to work out an inclusive, ing one million confirmed deaths the army spokesperson needs to talk on
broad-based and comprehensive po- from the pandemic. [my meeting with the army chief] it,” he
litical settlement. The process must “The Covid-19 vaccine must be said.
be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, considered a global public good. Let us
and without any interference or out- be clear on this,” said Rodrigo Duterte, A senior PML-N parliamentarian,
side influence, he added... Dawn president of the Philippines... AP speaking on the background, said he
wasn’t surprised to hear about the party
VACCINE FROM P1 EXTRADITION FROM P1 leadership’s “backchannel contacts” with
But the absence of Washington, Britain and Pakistan do not have an the military establishment. He said it was
Beijing and Moscow means the re- extradition treaty, but have in the past pragmatic to have both private and pub-
sponse to a health crisis unlike any two years stepped up cooperation to lic channels. The Sharifs, he said, sought
other in the UN’s 75 years is short of successfully exchange several wanted the private channel through their close
truly being global. Instead, the three criminals. confidante who flaunted his personal
powers have made vague pledges of Mirza Shahzad Akbar, adviser to contacts with Gen Bajwa in the party.
sharing any vaccine they develop, Mr Khan on accountability, said Mr
likely after helping their own citizens Sharif ’s extradition could be demanded The Leaguer agreed with the per-
first. in return for further transfers. ception that Nawaz Sharif ’s scathing
This week’s UN gathering could “It would be difficult for the Brit- remarks about the army at MPC
serve as a wake-up call, said Gayle ish government if Nawaz Sharif being could be a result of the impression
Smith, president of the ONE Cam- a convict continues to stay in the UK, he got from the contacts that there
paign, a nonprofit fighting prevent- their own laws do not permit such an was no flexibility on the other side.
able disease that’s developing score- act,” he said, Dawn newspaper report- “Therefore, he would have gone for
cards to measure how the world’s ed. the second track, the public one,” he
most powerful nations are contribut- Britain and Pakistan have recently maintained.
ing to vaccine equity. sought to tighten legal cooperation and
“It’s not enough for only some agreed to work more closely to stop TODD FROM P1
uitable vaccine is the key to ending tune moment in our relationship to
this virus and reopening the global CALL FROM P1 work together on shared goals.”
economy,” she said. military spokesman Major General Babar
With weeks remaining before a Iftikhar in a TV talk show. The new US envoy said that co-
deadline for countries to join Covax, Both meetings, he said, were held on operation between the two countries
which is co-led by the UN’s World Mr Zubair’s request. was also essential for bringing peace
Health Organization, many heads of “In those meetings he (Mr Zubair) and stability to Afghanistan.
state are using the UN meeting as a talked about Mr Nawaz Sharif and Ms
high-profile chance to wheedle, per- Maryam Nawaz,” the director-general of “Peace in Afghanistan is in both
suade and even shame. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) our countries’ best interests, and ef-
Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo- said. fective US-Pakistani cooperation is
Addo, pointed out the illusory nature The disclosure by the DG ISPR came essential to achieve that objective,”
of borders and wealth: “The virus has just hours after PML-N’s senior vice-pres- he said.
taught us that we are all at risk, and ident and former prime minister Shahid
there is no special protection for the Khaqan Abbasi told a news conference in Ambassador Todd referred to
rich or a particular class.” Lahore that none of the party members a speech his boss, Secretary of State
The president of the Covid-free had held one-on-one meeting with the Michael Pompeo, made in Islamabad
Pacific island nation of Palau, Tom- army chief in the recent past. in 2018, telling his hosts how to reset
my Remengesau Jr., warned against This is the second time this week the relationship across a broad spec-
selfishness: “Vaccine hoarding will that opposition leaders’ secret con- trum — economic, business, com-
mercial.
But to do so, “we need ... to
develop a peaceful resolution in Af-
ghanistan that benefits certainly Af-
ghanistan, but also the United States
and Pakistan,” Mr Pompeo said.
Recently, several senior US of-
ficials acknowledged that Pakistan
played a key role in arranging a peace
deal between the US and the Taliban
earlier this year. .. Dawn
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