Ex-Lawmaker and “Fearless” Afghan Shot to Death

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Ex-Lawmaker and “Fearless” Afghan Shot to Death

Ex Afghan lawmaker and bodyguard killed in late-night Kabul attack.

In the US-back government that the Taliban overthrew in August 2021, Mursal Nabizada an Afghan serves as a member of parliament. As per Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran, “Nabizada and one of her bodyguards shot dead at her house.”

A brother of the former congressman was also hurt in the attack, which happen over the course of the night between Saturday and Sunday, he further states by adding that “the security forces have initiated a serious inquiry into the event.”

Former lawmaker Mariam Solaimankhil wrote on Twitter that Nabizada was a “fearless warrior for Afghanistan.” She referred to the woman as “a true pathfinder — strong, vocal who stood for what she believed in, even in the face of danger.”

She said, “Even though she was given the choice to leave Afghanistan, she decided to stay and fight for her people.

A member of the European Parliament named Hannah Neumann tweeted in response to the murder, “I am heartbroken and enraged and want the world to know!”

“She  murdered in the dead of night, while the Taliban establish their system of gender segregation in broad daylight.”

Nabizada, 32, a Kabul-based member of parliament since 2018, was a native of the eastern province of Nangarhar.

 

 

Why Russian Delegation is Arriving in Pakistan Tomorrow?

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Why Russian Delegation is Arriving in Pakistan Tomorrow?

 

Pakistan to discuss oil, LNG deal and $3B Pakistan Stream Gas project.

A Russian delegation of 80 people will arrive in Pakistan on January 17 for three days of bilateral talks under the Inter-Governmental Commission forum (IGC).

“For the IGC talks, the Pakistani side will be led by Federal Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. To import Russian oil and LNG on a GtG basis, both countries must first negotiate an IGA (inter-governmental agreement), as was done in the case of the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline Project (PSGP), formerly known as the North-South Gas Pipeline Project,” they said.

The draught of the PSGP shareholding and facilitation agreement was not finalized when former Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Moscow on February 24, 2022.

Both sides wanted to sign the PSGP agreement during the Imran-Putin meeting, but it did not happen due to a disagreement between experts from both sides on some clauses of the shareholding agreement.

Currently, the G7 countries have imposed a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian crude oil, as well as a ban on Russian ships transporting oil.

In exchange, Moscow has stated that it will prohibit oil sales to countries that join a Western price cap on the country’s crude.

During the negotiations, the Pakistani side must discuss the shipping cost, premium by shipping trader, insurance cover, and mode of payment.

The IGC agenda, on the other hand, focuses on trade and investment cooperation in areas such as agriculture, energy, customs, industry, education, science and technology, information and communication technologies, communication, roads and postal service, railways, and finance.

A resolution to Pakistan’s debt to Russia will also be discussed.

Both parties will also discuss potential areas of cooperation in electric power, hydropower, renewable energy sources, and oil and gas production.

Low-cost crude oil

Musadik Malik, Minister of State (Petroleum Division), announced on December 5, 2022, that Russia had agreed to provide discounted crude oil, gasoline, and diesel to Pakistan.

“Our trip to Russia proved to be more fruitful than expected,” Malik said. He also stated that Russia lacked LNG.

“Discussions with Russian private firms for LNG imports are underway, and we have also engaged Russia’s state LNG producers,” Malik said.

According to the State Minister

Significant progress has been made in talks with Moscow about pipeline projects.

During its visit to Russia, Pakistan requested a 30-40% discount on Russian crude oil, but the Russians said they couldn’t offer anything right now because all volumes were committed.

During discussions on gas pipeline projects, Moscow asked Pakistan to honor its commitment to the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline (PSGP), which will run from Karachi to Lahore, Punjab.

The Pakistani team proposed changing the PSGP project’s model in their response.

The Russian side stated

The project’s model had already been decided under a GtG (government-to-government) arrangement, with the exception of some clauses of the shareholding agreement, which would be finalized soon.

 

World Bank Diverts $615m for Flood-Relief Work

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World Bank Diverts $615m for Flood-Relief Work

World Bank reallocates $615 M from project to flood-affected areas.

The Washington-based lender announced this week at the Climate Resilient Pakistan Conference in Geneva that it would contribute $2 billion to flood relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts in flood-affected areas.

However, it is not new money because the World Bank has already approved projects or because funds were diverted from schemes that were moving slowly and the lender was considering canceling those loans.

Of the $2 billion pledged by the World Bank at the Geneva conference, $615 million was taken from schemes that had already been approved but were facing delays in implementation.

At the Geneva Conference

World Bank Vice President for South Asia Region Martin Raiser also emphasized this point.

He stated that $357 million was repurposed from the existing portfolio for immediate relief, supporting cash transfers, tent procurement, and emergency needs, as well as small urgent rehabilitation works.

In addition, Raiser informed the gathering of lenders and donors that another $258 million was mobilized from existing projects for reconstruction, bringing the total amount of repurposed funds to $615 million.

In addition, on December 19, 2022, the World Bank approved $1.3 billion in projects to aid in the recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction process.

These operations, some of which were carried out under emergency procedures, were in line with the priorities and principles outlined in the government’s Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction framework, also known as the 4RF framework.

Pakistan received a total of $9.7 billion in pledges at the Geneva conference, including $2 billion from the World Bank in various forms.

Shehbaz Sharif, the jubilant Prime Minister, had addressed a news conference at his house after returning from Geneva, saying that the pledges had exceeded the government’s expectations and that if he had revealed the internal very low expectations, people would have gone crazy.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar stated that loans accounted for more than 90% of total pledges.

According to Raiser, the World Bank also intends to approve new projects in Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab that will bring additional resources to support reconstruction across all affected districts of the country.

World Bank

In September of last year, the World Bank announced for the first time that it would provide $2 billion for flood-related activities, and in December, a month before the Geneva conference, it approved $1.3 billion in projects.

In August of last year, the World Bank identified at least nine troubled projects that could have resulted in loan cancellations totaling more than $730 million, including $400 million in concessionary financing.

These projects were canceled due to the poor performance of Pakistani authorities.

Economic Affairs

At the time, some in the Ministry of Economic Affairs claimed that they would not allow the World Bank to repurpose the existing portfolio, not realizing that the lever was in the hands of the lender due to Pakistani authorities’ poor performance.

It was reported that $615 million had been diverted from projects that were behind schedule. The cancellation of IDA lending was viewed as a serious issue because countries frequently fought for access to cheaper long-term loans, even if they had the financial muscle.

The World Bank is funding 54 operations in Pakistan totaling $13 billion in IDA and IBRD loans. However, 67% of the portfolio remained unpaid, compared to 61% for federal projects last year.

Foreign-funded projects were always behind schedule and frequently restructured due to implementation issues.

Delayed Projects

Projects such as the Punjab Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Scheme, the Punjab Resource Improvement and Digital Effectiveness, the Punjab Agriculture and Rural Transformation Programme, the National Transmission Modernisation Project, the Pakistan Hydromet and Climate Services Project, and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Economic Corridor were all delayed.

It was criminal to lose cheaper project financing, especially when there was little time left due to a heavy reliance on budget support loans.

According to a new report issued by the Economic Affairs Ministry, Pakistan signed new agreements worth $15.7 billion in the fiscal year 2021-22, with 62% of those for budget support and building foreign exchange reserves.

These commitments included Eurobonds and time deposits from Saudi Arabia, as well as multilateral and bilateral development partners.

According to the ministry, only 16% was project financing, while the remaining 14% was commodity financing.

 

Lotte Chemical to Sell Pakistani Unit for $156 Million

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Lotte Chemical to Sell Pakistani Unit for $156 Million

Lotte Chemical to sell 75.01% in Pakistani affiliate for higher-value.

Pakistani chemical business Lucky Core Industries will acquire the entire 75.01 percent ownership in Lotte Chemical Pakistan Limited (PSX: LOTCHEM), a division that primarily manufactures purified terephthalic acid (PTA).

The South Korean corporation will consolidate its operations focusing on cutting-edge materials and ecologically responsible goods by selling the 192.4 billion won ($156 million) stake to a local chemical company.

The proceeds from the sale are predicting to strengthen the company’s advanced materials division, improve the development of environmentally friendly synthetic chemicals, and modernize the current chemical products used as plastics’ feedstock.

Due to the sale of the Pakistani unit, Lotte Chemical will no longer sell PTA. In 2020, Ulsan, South Korea’s domestic PTA production line shut down.

Even if Novatex Limited changed its mind last week about buying 75% of the Pakistani subsidiary of the South Korean corporation, the sale is still proceeding as per schedule. LOTTE Chemical Pakistan’s 1.13 billion voting shares were the subject of initial interest from Novatex Limited.

Lotte’s stock was up Rs. 0.65 or 2.36 percent Monday, trading at Rs. 28.2 on the stock exchange, with 2.59 million shares changing hands.

PTI Wants PML-N to Join Consultation Process

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PTI Wants PML-N to Join Consultation Process

PTI urge PML-N to join consultation for Punjab caretaker CM selection.

According to PTI sources, the names of Dr. Salman Shah, Pervaiz Hassan, and Shoaib Suddle were discussed during a consultative meeting here on Sunday.

The PML-N, on the other hand, is considering Justice (retd) Khalilur Rehman Ramday, former bureaucrat Nasir Mahmood Khosa, former Chief Justice of Pakistan Jawwad S Khawaja, and former Chief Secretary Azam Suleman for the position.

Furthermore, there are reports that the PML-N will not participate in the consultation process and will instead allow the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to choose the caretaker CM.

PTI Chairman

During the meeting, PTI Chairman Imran Khan directed the formation of divisional parliamentary boards within two days.

These boards will compile a list of all candidates who have been shortlisted and submit it to the central parliamentary board.

The meeting also decided to blacklist party members who left the party during a difficult time.

“When it comes to selecting candidates, Imran believes that women and minorities should be given special consideration. “

Their contributions to the party and community will be considered, he says.

PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that, according to Article 224-A of the Constitution, the chief minister and the leader of the opposition must reach an agreement on the name of the interim chief minister.

If the two leaders are unable to reach an agreement, the two names proposed by each side will be sent to a parliamentary committee.

If the parliamentary committee cannot agree on a name, the names will be forwarded to the ECP, which will appoint one of them as chief minister.

“The commission has no authority to name anyone who is not on the list,” the PTI chief clarified.

Meanwhile, in a press conference, Fawad invited the opposition to a consultation on the interim government. He stated that his party would put forward two candidates for caretaker chief minister.

Imran refuses to meet with his estranged leaders

PTI Chairman Imran Khan refused to meet with any estranged leader of his party on Sunday, directing them to respond to a show-cause notice served on them for failing to follow party instructions on Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s vote of confidence.

Fawad revealed that disgruntled party members were attempting to approach the party chairman, but this was unnecessary.

They should respond to the show-cause notices by explaining their position to Asad Umar, the party’s Secretary General.

Faisal Cheema, Momina Waheed, and Khurram Laghari were among those served with show-cause notices for voting against Chief Minister Elahi. On Sunday, disgruntled PTI members attempted to approach the party’s chairman to explain their position.

PTI workers are resentful of defected members, and protests are taking place in their constituencies against them for abandoning the party at a critical juncture.

 

GDA Alleges PPP ‘Rigged’ Elections

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GDA Alleges PPP ‘Rigged’ Elections

PPP allegedly manipulated elections, intimidating opposition voters.

The results of the local government elections were contested by Sardar Abdul Raheem, the general secretary of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and the Pakistan Muslim League Functional (PMLF). In his declaration, he asserted that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) continued its longstanding practice of cheating polls in Sindh’s second round of local body elections.

The Pakistan People’s Party falsified the election results by intimidating opposition voters with the help of the police, the local government, and the Election Commission. “We condemn the rigging of the elections,” emphasized Sardar Abdul Raheem.

The polling stations were taken the night before the election, which is evidence that the results were falsified.

As per Sardar Abdul Rahim, PPP MPA Taj Malah and his armed guards raided the polling stations in Badin and tortured GDA agents and voters.

He claimed that the police and government did little to prevent attacks on GDA voters in Matyari, Saeedabad, and other places by members of Zardari’s party.

He said that the PPP had cast their votes in Hyderabad and Karachi the night before the elections.

Shujaat Hussain Meets Zardari to Confer the Punjab Caretaker Regime

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Shujaat Hussain Meets Zardari to Confer the Punjab Caretaker Regime

PML-Q Shujaat calls Zardari for the talks on Punjab caretaker setup.

Asif Ali Zardari and Shujaat Hussain allegedly glanced at the political environment in Punjab after the assembly was abolished, based on an official statement. To examine the caretaker arrangement in Punjab, the two leaders also spoke with top Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) officials.

Moreover, the PML-Q leader congratulated Zardari on the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) triumph in the second round of Sindh’s local elections.

Both Chaudry Salik Hussain and Chaudry Shafay Hussain, federal ministers, were also present at the meeting, the release claimed.

Parvez Elahi, the leader of the PML-Q, on the other hand, revealed three nominees for a temporary chief minister of Punjab after meeting with Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Elahi stated that they had nominated Ahmed Nawaz Sakhera, Naseer Ahmed Khan, and Nasir Saeed Khosa for the position of caretaker chief minister of Punjab. He further say that one of these three names would be pick upon soon.

Resolving the Punjab Assembly:

After Baligh Ur Rehman, the governor declined to sign the summary issue for abolishing the parliament, the Punjab Assembly dissolve on Saturday.

As stipulated in the Constitution, the assembly dissolves within 48 hours regardless of the governor’s choice, and Elahi, who will serve as CM until a caretaker cabinet is constitute, forwarded the summary of dissolution last week.

Rehman, a PML-N member, decided against commencing the dissolution process and instead opted to let the Constitution run its course.

He tweeted, “I’ve made the decision not to participate in the actions that will disband the Punjab Assembly. The Constitution and the law should be permitt to run their course, in my perspective.”

Rehman sought the creation of a caretaker administration in letters to the Punjab Assembly’s leader of the opposition, Hamza Shahbaz, and the state’s chief minister, Elahi, after the assembly was dissolve.

 

How the People of Karak District Risk their Lives?

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How the People of Karak District Risk their Lives?

Karak residents risk lives for home cooking with unsafe use of gas.

It is worth noting that the Karak district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is known for its abundant natural gas and oil resources.

However, the government has yet to construct an adequate infrastructure system to supply gas to local residents and the surrounding areas.

People have devised improvised methods, such as extracting gas from a main supply line with a hose rather than drilling and then filling plastic bags like helium balloons to transport it from the field for use in home cooking.

“We’re carrying gas in these plastic bags despite the fact that we’re all aware of the risks,” Hazrat Janan, a resident, said.

Natural gas

Natural gas was discovered in the town of Banda Daud Shah years ago, but the government has yet to develop a system to supply gas to the surrounding region, forcing residents to use a risky method and risk their lives.

The residents have drilled a hole in the main line, installed a pipe, and moved it some distance away from where they fill the plastic bags.

The residents do not measure the gas in cubic meters, but rather with a plastic bag, filling it from here and there with locally made bags.

Outsiders who see these balloons may mistake them for children’s entertainment balloons, but they are actually large bags full of fuel for people to cook their dinner.

“We use this gas with a pump connected to the stove, and we put the bags right next to the fire while cooking,” Janan explained.

He went on to say that there have been numerous accidents involving this volatile gas in which people have been injured or even killed.

“In our village, one person was found killed and two ladies were burned in an event.”

“We now have our own gas that is natural however it isn’t safe to make use of it,” he lamented.

To prevent leakage, natural gas is introduced into the bags via a small valve inserted into the mouth of the bags.

The other end of the bags is tied to a stone on the ground to keep them from flying away like helium balloons.

On average, a bag takes 20-25 minutes to fill. A 2,000 rupee electric pump is sufficient to use the “bag gas” in their homes. They can cook food on home stoves using bag gas via this pump.

One bag of gas is sufficient for two to three hours of use

Janan explained, “We asked the government to build proper gas infrastructure in our area to protect our lives.”

Suhana Khattak, another Karak resident, says that while using these balloons is similar to putting explosives in their kitchens, there is no other way to do it in a homemade manner.

“Males and females bring these gas bags home, however sometimes we send our youth to create fuel home in these plastic bags,” she explained.

She added that it is not safe and that those who do it are afraid of accidents, but there are no other options right now.

“We’re only using this gas to make tea and bread,” Suhana explained.

 

Why Afghan Government Orders to Close Beauty Parlours?

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Why Afghan Government Orders to Close Beauty Parlours?

Afghan Taliban mandates market beauty salons & women’s shops closure.

According to reports, the Afghan government has also ordered the closure of women’s shops in Mazar-i-market Sharif’s and has stated that women will be prohibited from working in malls.

The Taliban’s Vice and Virtue Agents in Baghlan had told landowners and dealers to stop renting out space to women’s hair salons and to close those businesses.

The Afghan government

The Afghan government has ordered the shops to close because men and women work together. Women are also barred from pursuing higher education or working in non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan.

Previously, the Taliban ordered all local and international non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan to stop employing women.

According to Afghan media

The Taliban government’s Ministry of Higher Education has ordered the suspension of female students at private and public universities in Afghanistan.

According to Afghanistan’s Minister of Higher Education, the education of girls in secular universities violates Islamic law and is contrary to Islamic traditions.

 

Dangerous Heavy Metals Found In Popular Dark Chocolate Brands

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Dangerous Heavy Metals Found In Popular Dark Chocolate Brands

Trader Joe’s & Hu dark chocolate found with cadmium, lead contaminant.

According to new Consumer Reports test results, dangerous heavy metals such as lead may be lurking in your favorite dark chocolate brands.

The consumer advocacy organization tested 28 different dark chocolate bars from well-known brands. They discovered that all but five of them contained high enough levels of contaminants that eating an ounce per day could put an adult over the safe level.

Lead

Levels of lead were found to be relatively high in chocolate from brands such as Tony’s, Lindt, Hershey’s, and Hu.

Its poisoning has been linked to cognitive impairment, particularly in children, because it can cause developmental issues and lower IQ.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it can also cause reproductive problems in adults, as well as high blood pressure and neurological issues.

Cadmium

Cadmium levels were found to be high in Lindt, Dove, and Beyond Good products, among others. According to the CDC, the mineral is carcinogenic, and long-term exposure has been linked to kidney disease and brittle bones.

A Trader Joe’s bar was discovered to have high levels of both lead and cadmium.

According to Consumer Reports

Dark chocolate contains more heavy metals than milk chocolate because it contains more cacao, the bean used to make chocolate, which can be contaminated either from the soil it is grown in or after the beans are picked.

The levels found in the testing do not violate any laws because there are no federal limits for lead and cadmium in most foods.

One major risk of heavy metals is that they can accumulate in the body over time, causing health problems as repeated tiny doses add up, According to the Cleveland Clinic.

As a result, it’s important to be aware of the risk, and there may be ways to reduce your exposure by choosing products with lower levels, such as some of the chocolate bars tested, according to Consumer Reports food safety researchers.

“That demonstrates that companies can make products with lower levels of heavy metals—and that consumers can find safer products that they enjoy,” said Tunde Akinleye, the Consumer Reports food safety researcher who led the testing project.

Several of the mentioned brands that Insider contacted for comment referred to a statement issued by the National Confectioners Association, which cites a settlement in California related to contamination concerns.

“The products cited in this study comply with stringent quality and safety requirements, and the levels provided to us by Consumer Reports testing are well below the limits established by our settlement,” according to the statement.

“Food safety and product quality remain our top priorities, and we remain committed to transparency and social responsibility.”

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate is often thought to be a healthier option, but watch out for contaminants.
Despite contamination concerns, there are valid reasons to indulge in dark chocolate on occasion.

It may be heart-healthy, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure thanks to beneficial plant-based compounds known as flavonoids.

Milk chocolate, on the other hand, contains fewer flavonoids and more additives such as sugar.

However, the nutrient-rich cacao may be the source of the contaminants discovered by Consumer Reports.

Some scientists are attempting to incorporate the health benefits of dark chocolate into sweeter milk chocolate varieties. According to the Consumer Reports researcher, moderation may be your best bet for the time being.

One ounce (30 grams) of dark chocolate equals one serving

“Having a serving few days a week, especially with a lower level product, means you can eat dark chocolate without worrying too much,” Akinleye explained.

 

 

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