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Islamabad, Oct 23 (IANS) Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman is expected to travel to Islamabad next month on a crucial visit Pakistan is hoping will lead to yet another financial bailout package from the oil-rich Arab nation, the media reported.

Though officials are tight-lipped and not sharing details of the visit, sources confirmed to The Express Tribune that the two countries were in touch to prepare for the visit.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited the Saudi de facto ruler on a visit to Pakistan when he visited Saudi Arabia in July.

The visit comes at a time when the coalition government led by Shehbaz is facing an imminent long march of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and when Saudi Arabia is involved in a diplomatic row with the US over the recent cut in oil supplies by major exporting countries.

Pakistan in a surprise and significant move took a public stance on the US-Saudi row and backed Riyadh's position, Express Tribune reported.

"To me it was quite unprecedented and surprising when Pakistan took a public position on an issue where we don't have any direct role," commented a policy expert, who previously worked with the government to bring investment in the country. He requested not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

But the statement in favour of Saudi Arabia at this juncture may help Pakistan get the much needed financial support from Riyadh.

The US has been furious over the OPEC+ move to cut oil supplies by 2 million barrels a day despite request by President Joe Biden to the contrary.

Biden warned that Saudi Arabia will have to face consequences of the decision and that his administration would revisit the 80-year long bilateral relationship with the Arab country.

Against this backdrop, the visit of the Saudi crown prince would be closely watched.

Sources said the government was keen to revive the multi-billion dollar investment plan that Saudi Arabia had agreed to do in Pakistan when MBS visited Islamabad in February 2019, Express Tribune reported.

--IANS
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Ashis Ray
London, Oct 23 (IANS) Conservative UK politician of Indian descent Rishi Sunak has confirmed he is standing for the leadership of the ruling Conservative party and in effect the prime ministership of Britain.



Taking to Twitter, he said: "The United Kingdom is a great country but we face a profound economic crisis."

He added: "I want to fix our economy, unite our party and deliver for our country."

Prominent Pakistani origin Conservative MPs are backing Sunak for the prime ministership of the UK. Whereas prominent Indian origin MPs are supporting Boris Johnson.

Among those who have lined up behind Sunak are Sajid Javid, who has served as home secretary and chancellor of the exchequer in the British government in the past, and Rehman Chishti, who has been a junior minister before.

The lawmakers in the Johnson camp are Priti Patel, who was previously home secretary, Alok Sharma, who has been a cabinet minister in the last two UK governments, and Shailesh Vara, who has has the longest stint as an MP among Conservative lawmakers of Indian descent.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, a cabinet minister in the outgoing Liz Truss government and former prime minister Johnson's enthusiastic supporter, told The BBC that the latter "will clearly stand".

It was not clear, though, if Johnson had obtained the endorsement of 100 MPs, a minimum requirement to qualify for the contest, which Conservative Home website documented Sunak comfortably had.

( can be contacted at ashiscray@gmail.com)

--IANS
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Islamabad, Oct 23 (IANS) The death toll from this season's monsoon rain and floods since mid-June has risen to 1,731 along with 12,867 injuries in Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.

According to a report released by the NDMA on Saturday night, 645 children and 350 women were among those who lost their lives in separate rain or flood-related incidents in the South Asian country so far.

The southern Sindh province was the worst-hit region, where 792 people were killed, followed by the southwestern Balochistan province with 336 deaths, while the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the eastern Punjab provinces reported 308 and 223 deaths, respectively, Xinhua news agency reported.

Over 33 million people and 85 districts across Pakistan have been affected by the floods, it added.

Rescue and relief operations by the NDMA and other government organisations were underway in the flood-hit areas.

--IANS
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Beijing, Oct 23 (IANS) History has been made in China after it was confirmed that President Xi Jinping will remain in power - breaking with a decades-long precedent that limits the terms of Chinese leaders, local media reported.

Having ruled China for 10 years already, he will now stay on for at least another five-year term - and he could, in theory, make himself leader for life, Sky News reported.

The break with tradition makes him the most powerful leader in China since Chairman Mao and his vision has become increasingly unchallengeable.

The confirmation came at the end of the week-long 20th Party Congress of the Communist Party of China.

It is a once-every-five-year event with the central purpose of selecting the people who will sit at the top leadership roles for the next five years.

This includes the two groups seen as the apex of political power in China - the 25-strong Politburo and the Politburo Standing Committee that is currently made up of seven people, including the president.

The new standing committee was revealed as President Xi led them on stage in rank order. His leadership of the procession served as the confirmation he will remain as the general secretary of the party. His official confirmation as president will happen in March, Sky News reported.

The two-term limit on Chinese presidents was introduced in the early 1980s in the wake of Chairman Mao's death.

Mao's nearly 30-year rule bought great chaos, violence and instability to China - and the idea was to move to a more "collective leadership" model and ensure power could never again be so centralised in the hands of one person.

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But in 2018, President Xi successfully removed the two-term limit from the constitution - paving the way for the consolidation of his power we have seen this weekend.

There have been other constitutional amendments made this week to further highlight the "core" status of President Xi at the centre of the Party, Sky News reported.

Changes to the Politburo Standing Committee also suggest he has become increasingly unchallengeable.

Two figures in particular, Li Keqiang and Wang Yang, are notable in their demotion from the standing committee. Both are young enough to serve another term and are reportedly more reform-leaning, but neither are considered to be arch President Xi loyalists.

With two other retirements, there were four new faces on the top team. All four are men considered to be within Xi's inner circle. All have worked closely with him at various points in his career and are likely considered highly trusted, Sky News reported.

It represents Xi stuffing the standing committee with his closet allies and seems to offer little in the way of an olive branch to other wings of the party.

There also was no obvious successor in the standing committee line-up. A designated successor is usually anyone on that team who is young enough to serve one term in waiting and two terms as leader all before the retirement age of 68, but there was no one of that age.

This indicates Mr Xi may indeed intend to stay on for a further 10 years or longer, Sky News reported.

His consolidated position matters enormously in China and around the world because it means his vision for the country is here to stay.

Under his leadership China has become increasingly rich and strong. His ultra-nationalist vision has made it more assertive of the foreign stage and unapologetic about its ascendency.

But in his ten years in power President Xi has also centralised much of the power within the state and the party under his control. He has purged rivals and stifled dissent.

People in China are increasingly heavily surveilled and censored, while journalists, lawyers and civil society groups have largely been silenced, Sky News reported.

Experts say it would now take a political earthquake to unseat him, something that feels increasingly unlikely.

--IANS
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Islamabad, Oct 21 (IANS) The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is set to announce its verdict on Friday in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference, seeking the disqualification of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The election supervisor has issued notices to all the parties for this purpose to be present at its secretariat in Islamabad either personally or through their lawyers, The Express Tribune reported.

The main question in the matter is whether a lawmaker could be disqualified on account of concealment of assets in his annual return.

The Commission also sought "foolproof security" from the district administration, asking it to deploy police inside and outside its premises for the full day to "avoid any untoward incident".

The ECP had reserved the verdict in the case on September 19.

Toshakhana, a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division, stores precious gifts given to the head of states, MPs, bureaucrats and officials by heads of other governments, states and foreign dignitaries, The Express Tribune reported.

According to Toshakhana rules, gifts and other such material received by persons to whom these rules apply shall be reported to the Cabinet Division.

The reference had been moved by the Pakistan Democratic Movement against the PTI chief on August 4 for not "sharing the details" of the Toshakhana gifts and proceeds from their alleged sale.

Despite the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) ordering it to do so, the PTI, while in government, had been reluctant to disclose the details of the gifts presented to Khan since he took office in 2018.

It claimed that it would jeopardise international relations.

--IANS
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Phnom Penh, Oct 21 (IANS) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Friday that the country has not reported any Covid-19 deaths since April this year.

"This is a success that resulted from our joint efforts in the fight against Covid-19," he said.

Hun Sen added the Southeast Asian nation reported zero Covid-19 cases for the first time on Friday after daily infections had been detected since late June.

"Today, Cambodia found no even a single case of Covid-19," he said.

However, Cambodia is not Covid-19-free yet, as it still has 53 active cases, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, attributed the success in the pandemic fight to the kingdom's strong leadership and high vaccination rates.

The kingdom has so far administered at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccines to 15.21 million people, or 95 per cent of its 16 million population, the MoH said, adding that 14.57 million of the population, or 91 pe rcent, have been fully inoculated with two shots.

Also, 10.26 million, or 64 perc ent, have got a third dose, and 4.47 million, or almost 28 per cent, received a fourth dose, and 1 million, or 6.2 per cent were inoculated with a fifth shot, the Ministry said.

--IANS
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Islamabad/New Delhi Oct 21 (IANS) Exaggeration and dramatics are Pakistans traits. So, it is hardly surprising when a fleeting, off-the-cuff remark of US President Joe Biden was greeted with hysteria.

The US envoy in Islamabad was summoned for a dressing down at the Foreign Office. Political parties vied with each other in denouncing Biden for describing Pakistan as one of the "most dangerous nations" in the world.

These theatrics looked like a bad joke because for the past few months Pakistan has been sending its senior ministers and the Army Chief to Washington for "resetting ties".

The US has since issued a clarification on Biden's statement which said nothing about the country being among the "most dangerous nations", but expressed satisfaction about Pakistan's capability to make its nuclear arsenal safe from the hands ofterrorists.

The clarification is an indication of US desire to let bygones be bygones and not to continue with the controversy over the safety of Pakistani nukes. the fourth largest in the world.

Like always, the naive Americans have conveniently overlooked the fact that while the Pakistan army may have the keys to the nuclear stockpile, many Pakistani scientists working on its nuclear programme (as also the middle order in the Army) are sympathetic to Islamists and their extreme views.

In fact, soon after the US invasion of Afghanistan at least two top pro-Taliban nuclear scientists of Pakistan were sacked to please the White House. Pertinent to point out that America's inability not to look beyond the nose is paving the way for Pakistan's exit from the 'grey list of the FATF, the UN agency on money laundering and terrorism financing.

The number of religious extremists in the Pakistan army can be assumed to be large. For one thing, the so-called professional army of Pakistan has Jihad in its curriculum. A clearer indication has come from the on-going tussle between former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the establishment, which is a euphemism for the GHQ. Although Khan is depicted as a critic of the army the fact is that he has problem only with the top brass.

Reports in public domain say middle level officers and the soldiers are pro-Imran because of his anti-American rhetoric. Some of these officers would soon be elevated to higher posts and be able to have a decisive say in matters that the army decides, including the destiny of the civilian rulers.

It is not difficult to guess as to whether the promotion of the pro-jihad army officers would make Pakistan less or more 'dangerous'. It will certainly mean a step closer to Islamisation of Pakistan Army, a project initiated by dictator, Zia-ul-Haq, in the wake of Afghan jihad against the Soviet Army, and in pursuit of his own plan to make India bleed for its sin of facilitating the Bengali speaking East Pakistan emerge as a sovereign Bangladesh.

Pakistan appeared to be wilting after ties with the US had plummeted to the bottom, following 9/11 but it was a short phase. Because, post-pullout of Afghanistan with bruised ego, the US has begun to again see Pakistan as an indispensible ally in the region. Mending fences with the 'epicentre of global terrorism' (Pakistan) has again become US priority with or without the Biden guffaw.

The US overtures are eagerly awaited by Pakistan even as anti-Americanism thrived in the country, especially after the former cricketer became the Prime Minister. He has since been ousted but anti-Americanism has only grown further, somewhat to the embarrassment of the present ruling dispensation, which is willing to walk the extra mile to please Washington and be rewarded with trophies like F-16s.

Imran is very clear in claiming that Pakistan doesn't need the US because of its all-weather friendship with China. He is going around the country telling the people that the US is keen on befriending Pakistan because of "our influence over the Taliban lords" presiding over the destiny of the Afghans.

The anti-American backlash instigated by Imran is popular but may not threaten the incumbent Shehbaz Sharif regime in the short run at least. It will undoubtedly upset the regime, which wants to restore ties with the US to the old level. It is not sure if total dependence on China will serve Pakistan's interests. But such is the pressure of public opinion in Pakistan that repairing ties with the US will have to be done cautiously.

The onus of improving mutual ties seems to lie on the US from a Pakistani perspective. And the US appears to share such a perception.

This is clear from the 'pro-Pakistan statements in two days', according to a front-page headline in Karachi daily, The News International, on October 20. "The US has in a couple of days issued statements expressing confidence in Pakistan's commitment and ability to secure its nuclear assets", the report said and quoted the State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel as saying: "The counterterrorism effort is part of our common interests."

Put differently, the Biden-Speak that Pakistan "may be one of the most dangerous" countries in the world because it has "nuclear weapons without any cohesion", is lost in transit. And the hope of US insisting that Pakistan give up its terrorism export as a trade off is lost.

This has led to US looking the other way as nearly bankrupt Pakistan continues to flirt with the India-centric terror outfits, aiding and training them.

For Pakistan it is a signal that the US military aid, frozen by Donald Trump, would be resumed.

Apparently, the US has no second thoughts about sharpening the Pakistan military machine even when it considers the country to be among the 'most dangerous nations' in the world. Sounds somewhat strange!

--IANS
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By Arul Louis
United Nations, Oct 21 (IANS) Amid growing pressure for reforming the UN Security Council to reflect the 21st century world, General Assembly President Csaba Korosi has appointed two diplomats to head the renewed negotiations process.


Permanent Representatives Tareq M.A.M. Albanai of Kuwait and Michal Mlynar of Slovakia will take over as the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) as the reform process is known, Korosi's spokesperson Paulina Kubiak said on Thursday.

When he took over as the Assembly president last month, Korosi vowed: "I'll do my best to forward this process."

A small group of countries have so far blocked the reform process by preventing the adoption of a negotiating text which has meant that the IGN functions without a proper agenda or a record of the negotiations.

Korosi said that a negotiating text was "long overdue" and the new heads of the IGN will be requested to produce a "concrete" one.

He said that he will ask the co-chairs "to be as impact-oriented as possible, to start negotiations on concrete proposals, concrete text".

Four of the five permanent members of the Security Council, except for China, have backed the reform by expanding its permanent membership to include India.

The call for reforms echoed often in the General Assembly chamber during the high-level meeting last month as leader after leader, from US President Joe Biden to Marshall Islands President David Kabua, spoke of the need to bring the Council to face contemporary realities.

African nations are spearheading the push for reforming the Security Council as most of its mandates relate to that continent, which does not have a permanent slot.

At a meeting of the Security Council last week dealing with Africa, representatives of nations from there were joined by several others, including India, in stressing the need to rectify this anomaly.

South Africa's Permanent Representative Mathu Joyni said that with its current structure the Council did not reflect the realities.

French Permanent Representative Nicolas de Rivere urged text-based negotiations to enable reforms for better representation of Africa at the Council and to give it permanent sets.

India's Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj said: "Africa's continuing denial of representation in the permanent category of membership in this Council in an historical injustice that needs to be corrected sooner than later."

In June, the General Assembly rolled over the deadlocked negotiations to the current session in what has become an annual ritual.

Albanai and Mlynar will be inheriting from their predecessors, Permanent Representatives Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani of Qatar and Martin Bille Hermann of Denmark, one small advance in the IGN process.

The are bequeathing a revised version of what is known as "Elements Paper on Convergences and Divergences" outlining views on Council reforms that was created in hopes of breaking the endless cycle of repetitive discussions.

While it is not a negotiating text, it is at least a record that could be the building block for one.

A group of 13 countries known as Uniting for Consensus (UfC), which is led by Italy and includes Pakistan and Canada, has prevented the adoption of the negotiating text.

Frustrated with the decades-long delay in the negotiating process, India's Deputy Permanent Representative R. Ravindra has warned that if the negotiations proved ineffective, it may be time to look for alternatives.

He said in June" "For those of us who truly wish to fulfil our leaders' commitment to early and comprehensive Security Council reforms, looking beyond the IGN may now provide the only viable pathway."

The basic architecture of the Security Council reflects the post-World War II scenario with the permanent membership limited to the five countries that were on the war's winning side.

The reform was 57 years ago when four non-permanent members were added, bringing their number to ten.

At that time the UN membership was 113 but it has increased now to 193.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)

--IANS
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Ottawa, Oct 21 (IANS) In the memory of late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, who was killed earlier this year, the Canadian city of Brampton planted a tree.

Brampton was a second home to Moosewala, who went there in 2016 as an international student, and soon became a behemoth in the music industry delivering chart-topping hits.

"We planted a tree in the memory of the late Sidhu Moosewala earlier today at the Susan Fennel Sportsplex. His legacy lives on in our City," Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said on Thursday.

The tree was planted near a plaque, which read: "In loving memory of Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu / "Sidhu Moosewala" / Legends never die".

Brown, along with Moosewala's friends, remembered the late singer and said that the world lost him too soon.

"Moosewala was a legend... He was always interested in the issues of common people, he tried to make this world a better place. Unfortunately, god wanted something else," Bhupinder Sahu, a family friend, told a local media channel.

"Planting a tree in his memory would be the best thing for him, in his memory because it is going to stay here forever," Remedie Brar, a Brampton resident, said.

Brampton has also given the go-ahead for a mural commemorating the rapper with elaborate murals of the singer by Canada-based Sikh artist Jasmin Pannu.

The tragic death of the Punjabi rapper had sent shockwaves across Canada, the country where he rose to stardom. His debut album in 2018 made it to Canada's Billboard Albums chart.

He had also written a number 'B-Town' which was a tribute to the Canadian city.

Moosewala was born in 1993 in Mansa district of Punjab, and moved to Brampton in 2016 to attend Sheridan College.

Over 30 rounds were fired into Moosewala's vehicle on May 29 by occupants of two other vehicles. He reportedly sustained 19 gunshot wounds.

Punjab police recently arrested gangster Deepak Tinu, one of the main accused in the murder case. Tinu is a close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, also an accused in the killing.

Goldy Brar, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the murder.

--IANS
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Canberra, Oct 21 (IANS) Australia's Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Friday said the ongoing floods in the southeast region will harm the country's projected economic growth.

Ahead of handing down his first federal budget on October 25, Chalmers said modeling suggests floods in Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria will wipe 0.25 per cent off gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the final quarter of 2022, reports Xinhua news agency.

Thousands of homes and businesses have been affected by the floods, with more rain expected over the weekend.

The Treasury forecasts the floods will drive the price of fruit and vegetables up by 8 per cent over the next six months.

However, inflation is still expected to peak at 7.75 per cent.

Chalmers said the big ongoing contributor to inflation increasingly will be the impact of these natural disasters and the impact of higher electricity prices.

The ruling Labor government said its first budget since winning May's election will have a focus on addressing the rising cost of living.

It will include about A$1.5 billion ($877 million) in previously announced emergency payments for flood victims and a A$3 billion reserve fund to respond to future disasters.

"We don't know yet whether that A$3 billion will be sufficient but we consider it prudent," Chalmers said in a press conference in Canberra on Friday.

"This is just an initial estimate. The costs could be even more significant, but responding to natural disasters and building resilience in our economy will be absolutely central features of the budget that I hand out next Tuesday (October 25) night."

--IANS
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