FARUKH SHEHZAD

WATCH VIDEO: Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan visit to Pakistan in March 2022

Munaza Kazmi

In Pakistan when we talk about snow, it’s obviously Murree. The scenic snow-white valley of huge hills and mountains laden with tall greentrees covering themselves in thick silvery snow. 

The curvy roads, pleasing sounds of birds, thrill of the rare sight of a leopard, appetizing smells coming from the stalls, the dramatic sunset, cozy feel from just looking at the cup of tea, and the tranquility of cold night which stills every business of life.

Murree a mountain resort town, located in the Galyat region of PirPanjal Range, with the average altitude of 2,291 meters. From Islamabad to a distance of more or less 2 hours,its Murree, to which locals call “The Queen of Mountains”,that however is very comfortable due to the construction of Express way, which comes with bump less road, opening of various small cafes and petrol pumps, hence you don’t need to pack bags of snacks.

Murree as a town constructed in 1851 and was a popular tourist station built in order to escape from the heat of summers by the British Raj. 

It is known for its scenic landscapes of mountains laden with huge pine trees,crisscrossed with springs and rivulets and dotted with meadows and orchards. Moreover, on a clear day you can have good view of the snowy peaks of Kashmir, also the roof of Nanga Parbat.

Talking about the tourist attraction of the area, includes the Wildlife Park, Mall Road that is more or less loaded with every commodity of life, however with a slight increase in price, and delicious local foods. 

Then comes Patriata, famous for chairlift that gives a bird-eye view of the hills and of the valley. Next is Ayubia, that is located on the highest attitude and provides the tourist with a fine view of Islamabad. 

While in Ayubiayou can also find the chairlift, which is really a fun and a big bazaar selling traditional cloaks, jewels, dry fruits and local specialties. 

A little further if you go, is Burhan, in local language it stands for “Burning Jungle”, since in the autumn when the trees standing in festive golden clocks, the last rays of the sun falling on them makes a mirage of fire burning in the jungle.

History and culture, that is a major theme of tourism had also built itself ages long in Murree. 

The Colonel era buildings including somechurches, old homes, schools and colleges can still be found. Let’s say, an Anglican church, built in 1857, located at the center of the town, is a recommended place to visit, moreover it is still in operation.

Long, you will encounter several little alleys, some old Victorian style houses, now functioning mostly as hotels. the governor House an imposing building built in the 19th century, is another work of art and offer several tales to the visitors.

For accommodation, there comes various options from 2-star to 5-star luxury hotel, hence you can tailor your stay according to the needs while enjoying the beauties of nature.

However, I laced up for Burhan Murree on the beginning of last day of last year to celebrate the New Year’s Eve with the love and warmth of family, the day was clear, hence we had a full opportunity to sight the farthest of the mountains, the Kashmir Hills, the peak of most celebrated Nanga Parbat.

As I mentioned above about the Express way, it was really a comfortable along scenic all the way, we parked our car twice on the way, just to look around the natural beauty. 

Meanwhile, we stopped at “ChaayeKhana” for warming up ourselves with a hot cup of tea, there are several different cafés, small general stores, a couple of Banks with ATMs, quite convenient.

The distance of hours felt as minutes, when you’re with your loved ones on top with such amazing scenes. On the way we witnessed the dramatic journey of Sun, hiding itself behind the mountains wearing bright orange rays, that slowly melting in the dark tranquil sky.

However far is the destination, once you get one, you will reach to the end, hence we reached at Pearl Continental Burban around 6 o’clock. 

The hotel was fully packed with lot of smiling faces, enjoying bounty of God, wearing their best outfits, eating finest of food and spending a memorable time. 

The air was festive, lot of Christmas Trees, reflecting neon lights, jingling of bells, songs of Happy New Year, all made it the night of ecstasy, which give rise to a snowy silvery New Year’s Day. 

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Munaza Kazmi holds MPhil in Management Sciences (Bahria University Islamabad, 2020). She’s a travel writer, an author, & co-author of scientific contributions in national & international publications. Her main areas of research include tourism & quality management.

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KARACHI, FEB 19: Australian all-rounder James Faulkner, who is part of Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL), announced on Saturday his premature withdrawal from the tournament, alleging that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had failed to honour his contractual agreement with respect to payments.

However, in a strong denial of these allegations, PCB termed Faulkner’s attitude as “reprehensible and insulting” and banned him from future participation in any PSL tournament. 

The board further said that the Australian cricketer caused “deliberate damage” to the hotel property he was staying at and had to pay for it before leaving.

"I apologise to Pakistan Cricket fans. But unfortunately, I've had to withdraw from the last two matches and leave the @thePSLt20 due to @TheRealPCB not honouring my contractual agreement/payments," he said on Twitter.

"I’ve been here the whole duration and they (the PCB) have continued to lie to me," he said.

In a subsequent tweet, he added that "it hurts to leave as I wanted to help to get international cricket back in Pakistan, as there is so much young talent and the fans are amazing."

"But the treatment I have received has been a disgrace from the @TheRealPCB and @thePSLt20," he said, expressing the hope that "you all understand my position".

PCB's rebuttal

Not long after Faulkner's announcement, the PCB dismissed the allegations levelled against the board as "false and misleading".

"The PCB and Quetta Gladiators have regretfully taken note of Mr James Faulkner's false and misleading accusations and will shortly be releasing a detailed statement on the matter," said a tweet by the board.

Later, the PCB and Quetta Gladiators issued a joint statement denying allegations of non-payment, claimed that Faulkner was guilty of misconduct and announced that he would be banned from future PSL drafts.

The statement, posted on the PCB's website, said the allegations of non-payment and mistreatment of Faulkner were "baseless" and pointed out that no player had ever complained about the non-fulfillment of the PCB's contractual obligations in seven years of the PSL.

According to the statement, Faulkner's agent had confirmed in December last year the details of a bank account in United Kingdom (UK) for the transfer of payment.

But in January 2022, the statement said, "for reasons best known to Mr Faulkner, his agent sent revised banking details of his onshore account in Australia".

However, the contracted 70 per cent of the all-rounder's fee had already been transferred to his offshore bank account in the UK by that time, and the receipt of this payment was acknowledged by Faulkner, the statement added.

"Accordingly, payments due to Mr Faulkner as per his contract are fully up to date," the PCB maintained in the statement. 

It added that "the remaining 30 per cent of his contractual payment only becomes due 40 days after the completion of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2022, which now remains a matter to be reviewed in line with his contract."

"In spite of the money being transferred and received in his account, Mr Faulkner continued to insist that a second duplicate payment of the same amount be made to his account in Australia," the board said. "This meant Mr Faulkner would have been paid twice."

The board claimed that Faulkner "threatened and refused" to participate in the match between Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans on Friday, "until his money demands were met".

"The PCB, as a responsible organisation, engaged with Mr Faulkner early [on] Friday afternoon in an attempt to reason with him. Despite his reprehensible and insulting behavior during the conversation, Mr Faulkner was assured that all his grievances would be addressed," the board said.

It added that Faulkner, however, refused to “reconsider his decision to take the field in a crucial match for his side, let his team down and demanded that his travel arrangements be immediately made”.

"During this time, the PCB was also in constant contact with his agent, who was regretful and apologetic."

The PCB also alleged that prior to his departure on Saturday morning, the Australian all-rounder "caused deliberate damage to the hotel property and as a result had to pay damages to the hotel management".

"The PCB later also received reports and complaints from the immigration authorities that Mr Faulkner had acted inappropriately and abusively at the airport," the board added.

“In wake of the above, and taking serious note of Mr James Faulkner’s gross misconduct that was an attempt to bring the PCB, Pakistan cricket and the HBL Pakistan Super League into disrepute, it has been unanimously agreed by the PCB and the franchises that Mr James Faulkner will not be drafted in future HBL Pakistan Super League events,” the board announced.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 19: Zong has taken the industry by storm with its recently launched TV Commercial starring some of the most prolific Social Media influencers who unveil the new tagline for the brand- Let’s Get Digital.

Embracing the digital revolution and leading it from the front, Zong 4G has stretched the conventional boundaries and has proved to be the youth’s brand of choice for their digital needs.

As a brand that truly understands the ever-evolving needs of its customers and adapts quickly to meet them, the new clutter-breaking TV Commercial showcases how Zong 4G is resonating with the youth’s feelings and empowering them on an emotional level.

Transitioning seamlessly from its former tagline ‘A New Dream’, Let’s Get Digital represents Zong’s digital journey and how effectively it built a solid foundation that caters to the nation’s ever-changing connectivity needs.

 “At Zong, we understand that leading the nation to a digital future requires much more than just basic infrastructure.

Rather it also needs a digital partner, which enables the digital lifestyle and provides them with unmatched digital experience.”Shared Zong’s official spokesperson.

“We are the youth’s preferred digital partner because we connect with them like no other and understand their ever-changing connectivity needs.”

“With the new tagline, we’re telling Pakistan just that: we’re the digital partner in the country. This is proven by the fact Zong is the one that is carrying the largest share of the data traffic in Pakistan and hence we want Pakistani to embark on the journey of digitalization with us.

We are excited about the new TVC and hope that our customers will be able to connect with it,” the spokesperson added.

Over the past years when digital connectivity has become imperative for economic growth, Zong has played a pivotal role in connecting Pakistan and providing a strong foundation for its economic and digital uplift.

As a brand that truly understands the needs of its customers, last year saw Zong become the only brand to partner with the likes of Google Maps, YouTube, PUBG, Punjab Skills Development Fund and SehatKahani.

As a true enabler of digitalization, Zong 4G is powering more than 60% of Pakistan’s Data traffic through its seamless connectivity solutions.

With the new tagline, Zong is now ready to take the nation to the digital future it has been creating for over a decade. 

‘Let’s Get Digital’ is also more relevant as Zong continues to spearhead the ICT-powered digital transformation in Pakistan and be a key enabler of the government’s Digital Pakistan agenda.

Zong is the No.1 choice of the nation. Its leadership in digital innovation has been recognized on many occasions which is an affirmation that Zong 4G has been at the forefront of providing unrivalled digital solutions, matchless connectivity, and the most advanced customer care.

For over a decade, Zong has led the country’s ICT-powered digital transformation in the country, taking the lead on many fronts.

From pioneering 4G in Pakistan to testing 5G for the first time here, and from free YouTube and Google Maps to industry-leading My Zong App, Zong continues to lead Pakistan to a digital future that the nation envisions.

Leveraging on state-of-the-art technology, the company is providing unmatched data connectivity to Pakistanis and continues to be customers’ foremost preference in Pakistan.

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• Our goal with this device is to bring education to every household in Pakistan at an affordable price.

Islamabad, FEB 18: Knowledge Platform, a leading ed-tech organization in Pakistan, has launched Pakistan’s first educational device in collaboration with GSMA and CreditPer, a leading digital lending platform that provides easy access to digital credit to under-served and un-served market segments. 

Launching such a device and facilitating access to it on easy installments via CreditPer is a game changer that is expected to eliminate the digital divide in education in Pakistan. 

This device offers everything a student required to study. One can easily get the device of their choice recommended by Knowledge Platform, on installments through CreditPer with instant financing options.

The device comes pre-loaded with learning solutions powered by Knowledge Platform, a library of content including videos, games, and assessments and mobile data 

Only 1 million out of 49 million school-going (grade 1-12)students in Pakistan have access to dedicated educational smart devices. This means that~98% of students are significantly affected and disadvantaged when it comes to education and learning opportunities.

Knowledge Platform, a pioneer in ed-tech, has therefore stepped up to bridge the digital divide in education with Pakistan’s first-ever educational device. 

The device comes with Learn Smart Pakistan’s state-of-the-art learning solutions, which include curriculum-aligned digital content for K-12 students. 

It is also preloaded with Parhai Buddy (Pakistan’s first AI-powered learning coach), Exam Prep Master (Learn Smart Pakistan), 1-on-1 competitions, and teacher-led trainings. 

To increase mobile adoption, CreditPer is offering easy installment plans to meet unique individual needs. 

To increase internet adoption in the region, we have also partnered with Jazz Telecom to come up with an Edu-data sim containing a subsidized internet package at PKR. 150 per month.

The project has been recognized, and nominated for the Global Mobile Awards, by the GSMA as a best mobile innovation for the emerging markets and is considered an outstanding contribution to the UN SDGs.

Mahboob Mahmood CEO, Knowledge Platform said “We are honored to be the change makers in the ed-tech industry. Affordable devices and internet access are key barriers to online education. 

With the launch of this educational tablet, we have moved a step closer to our goal of bridging the digital divide. 

Through this deal with CreditPer, the device is available on installments to people with low-income streams, providing them access to personalized learning, digital content, games, assessments, and data. 

Over the years, the way education is practiced has evolved rapidly and it is good to see tech companies joining hands to transform education.”

“CreditPer is on a mission to bring affordable and accessible credit for every Pakistani to improve their lives, and this partnership with Knowledge Platform as Pakistan’s leading education technology organization, helps us in the pursuit and fulfillment of this mission. 

Parents will be able to order the Knowledge Platform education device, access Learn Smart Pakistan’s learning solutions& Parhai Buddy (Pakistan’s first AI-based learning coach), and Jazz mobile connectivity, all from the comfort of their homes and places of work. 

Additionally, they will also be enjoying swift loan approvals and product delivery from via CreditPer, thus being empowered to better equip their children for online learning. 

At CreditPer, we are honored and thrilled to be a part of this initiative to help eliminate the challenges (of device affordability) faced by a majority of Pakistani students. ”Says Owais Zaidi, CEO CreditPer.

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Karachi, Feb 17: Getz Pharma, in collaboration with Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), has announced the launch of the first three courses on their brand new online medical learning platform MEDACE. 

‘MEDACE’ is an initiative by Getz Pharma aimed to facilitate medical professionals acquiring access to certified online courses. 

The online platform is designed to enhance and improve their knowledge and practice, and aims to become the one platform for medical community where they can learn from the CME courses, watch webinars and videos as well as read blogs on recent medical updates to enhance their medical knowledge. 

Medical professionals can sign up for any number of certified courses throughout the year.

The launching ceremony was addressed by Dr. Jahanzeb K. Khan, Director Medical Affairs, PV and Clinical Research, Getz Pharma; Dr. Shahid Shamim, Professor of Surgery & Additional Director, Dow Institute of Health Professional Education; Dr. Yousuf Kamal Mirza, Consultant Physician & Hon. Professor of Medicine at Aga Khan University Hospital, Tabba Heart Institute & Medi-link Clinics; Prof. Bader Faiyaz Zuberi, Dean Medicine & Allied Sciences, DUHS. 

Speakers from Getz Pharma and DUHS appreciated the collaborative efforts that have made this platform a reality. 

Doctors lauded the efforts of Getz Pharma in initiating this service, which will enable the medical fraternity across Pakistan to gain access to new and improved treatments, medical innovations and disease information. 

Dr. Jahanzeb Kamal, said that MEDACE will connect young doctors with experienced ones in order to share knowledge to improve the practice via CME Courses; Webinars Lecture; Videos; Articles & Blogs. 

“Getz Pharma has taken scientific initiatives to develop locally accredited learning courses in collaboration with Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi.  These courses have indigenous contents delivered by native experts covering local unmet medical educational needs”, he added.

The purpose of this initiative is to enable healthcare professionals to learn and adopt various approaches towards treating their patients. Identifying risk factors and differentiating patient symptoms for better treatment outcomes and optimizing patient care and importantly providing healthcare professionals a platform where they can develop courses for young doctors so that they can enhance their knowledge and experience with local experts.

As a research-driven pharmaceutical company, Getz Pharma takes an active role in supporting healthcare professionals. Getz Pharma is proud to launch this online learning platform MEDACE, which will serve as a tool for learning and collaboration within the medical fraternity. The first three courses were developed with the help of DUHS.

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ISLAMABAD: Feb 16: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad today held a signing ceremony of Exchange of Notes for a USD 3.45 million grant project aimed at strengthening the operational capacities of border management authorities to contribute towards comprehensive migration management in Pakistan. 

The event – held at the IOM Office in Islamabad – was attended by H.E. Mr. WADA Mitsuhiro, the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Ms. Sarah Benazir, Section Officer – Migration Management Cell, Ministry of Interior of Pakistan, Mr. Qazi Saleem Ahmed Khan, Director HR & HA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan and Ms. Mio Sato, IOM Chief of Mission in Pakistan.

As a remittance-dependent economy and a country hosting some 3 million Afghans, migration continues to play a key role in Pakistan’s development and constitutes a key priority for the Government in the forthcoming period, which is committed to strengthening overall migration management, as evidenced through various programmes and policies.

The support of the Government of Japan will enable IOM to contribute to the Government of Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration, through implementation of efficient and effective border and migration management practices. 

Under the project, IOM will provide specialized and tailored capacity building support to immigration and border officials on effective management of borders, supplemented by the provision of document verification technology, and infrastructure and IT equipment at key points of entry. 

Efforts will also include training on identification, screening, and referral of victims of trafficking and vulnerable smuggled migrants.

 “Migration is a multi-faceted issue in Pakistan, presenting a number of challenges and opportunities. It is only through holistic approaches that meaningful progress will be made towards comprehensive migration management in the country, efforts towards which IOM remains committed” said Mio Sato, IOM Chief of Mission in Pakistan. 

“I would like to express my thanks to the Government of Japan for its steadfast support for IOM’s efforts in Pakistan, as well as the Ministry of Interior of Pakistan, with which we have enjoyed close cooperation for a number of years.”

“The Government of Japan is ready to support Pakistan in promoting peace and security through this project in partnership with IOM. We view a safe and secure environment as a fundamental requirement for anyone to enjoy prosperity and peace. 

Improving migration management and protection is key to achieving such outcomes, and we look forward to this collaborative effort with MoI and IOM.” said WADA Mitsuhiro, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan. 

“IOM is a critical partner to the Government of Pakistan within migration management efforts, and we appreciate the support provided at both the operational and policy levels, as well as the close coordination during both design and implementation of programming” said Ms. Sarah Benazir, Section Officer – Migration Management Cell, MoI. 

“The Ministry of Interior is committed to and looks forward to close cooperation with IOM during implementation.”

IOM has operated in Pakistan since 1981 and has worked closely with the Government to ensure humane and orderly movement of people by devising practical solutions to shifting migration dynamics; protecting, assisting and supporting vulnerable migrant population; promoting international cooperation on migration issues; and serving as a key source of advice on migration policy, research, data and practice.

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ISLAMABAD, FEB 16: The historic hike in prices of petroleum products has drawn condemnation from opposition parties’ leaders, with PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif accusing the PTI government of being “insensitive and heartless” to the sufferings of inflation-hit masses.

The government last night notified an unprecedented increase in the prices of all petroleum products by up to Rs10 to Rs12 per litre for the next fortnight ending on Feb 28 “to pass on the impact of higher international oil prices” and application of additional petroleum levy, as committed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

These are the highest-ever prices of all the products and also perhaps the highest-ever increase in their prices in one go.

The government had last increased the petrol prices by Rs 3.01 to Rs147.83 on Jan 15.

Shehbaz, the PML-N president, hit out at the PTI-led government, saying “it is snatching people’s right to live”.

He urged the masses to “teach Prime Minister Imran Khan a befitting lesson in the next general elections”. Sirajul Haq, the Jamaat-i-Islami head, said his party “will not remain silent on this brutality”, adding that the hike was another example of the government’s “brutality” as he threatened a protest march towards Islamabad.

PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari criticised the rate hike and said the days of the “‘selected government are numbered”, adding that the citizens will not accept it at any cost.

Bilawal also said the long march planned by his party on Feb 27 will hold the government accountable for its policies. PML-N’s Ishaq Dar noted the rate hike was unaffordable for the public, saying it was the result of a “dictated devaluation in Pakistani rupee”. Meanwhile, PPP’s Nafisa Shah questioned how people would make their ends meet after the steep hike. Another PPP leader Naz Baloch, formerly a PTI member, said the price surge would directly result in a new high in inflation.

The decision for the unprecedented hike was announced yesterday by the Ministry of Finance after Prime Minister Imran Khan agreed to raise a levy on all petroleum products by Rs4 per litre to honour the commitment made with the IMF for smooth continuation of the ongoing Extended Fund Facility (EFF). However, the GST rate on all these products was kept unchanged at zero.

Petrol and HSD are two major products that generate most of the revenue for the government because of their massive and yet growing consumption in the country. Average petrol sales are touching 750,000 tonnes per month against the monthly consumption of around 800,000 tonnes of HSD. The sales of kerosene and LDO are generally less than 11,000 and 2,000 tonnes per month, respectively.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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MOSCOW, FEB 15: Russia said on Tuesday it was pulling back some of its forces near the Ukrainian border to their bases, in what would be the first major step towards de-escalation in weeks of crisis with the West.

The move came amid an intense diplomatic effort to avert a feared Russian invasion of its pro-Western neighbour and after Moscow amassed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders.

Following the announcement, Ukraine said that its joint diplomatic efforts with Western allies have managed to avert a feared Russian invasion.

“We and our allies have managed to prevent Russia from any further escalation. It is already the middle of February, and you see that diplomacy is continuing to work,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters.

The crisis — the worst between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War — reached a peak this week with US officials warning that a full-scale invasion, including an assault on the capital Kyiv, was possible within days.

In the morning on Tuesday, the Russian defence ministry’s spokesman said that some forces deployed near Ukraine had completed their exercises and were packing up to leave.

“Units of the Southern and Western military districts, having completed their tasks, have already begun loading onto rail and road transport and today they will begin moving to their military garrisons,” the ministry’s chief spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, told Russian news agencies.

It was not immediately clear how many units were involved and what impact the withdrawals would have on the overall number of troops surrounding Ukraine, but it was the first announcement of a Russian drawdown in weeks.

Talks with Germany

If Western officials confirm that Moscow is taking steps to reduce its forces, it would ease fears of a major war in Europe that have been rising for weeks.

The first reaction could come from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was due in Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Support from Germany, a major economic partner for Moscow and importer of Russian gas, is crucial for the package of crippling sanctions that Western leaders say would be imposed in response to an invasion.

Ahead of Tuesday’s talks, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned that “the situation is particularly dangerous and can escalate at any moment.”

“The responsibility for de-escalation is clearly with Russia, and it is for Moscow to withdraw its troops,” she said in a statement, adding that “we must use all opportunities for dialogue in order to reach a peaceful solution”.

Comments from Putin’s foreign and defence ministers on Monday had already offered some hope of a de-escalation.

During a carefully choreographed meeting Monday with Putin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “there is always a chance” of reaching an agreement with the West over Ukraine.

He told Putin that exchanges with leaders in European capitals and Washington showed enough of an opening for progress on Russia’s goals to be worth pursuing.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu meanwhile told Putin that some Russian military drills launched in December were “ending” and more would end “in the near future”.

The Russian leader and his top aides have consistently argued that the current crisis is the result of the United States and western Europe ignoring Moscow’s legitimate security concerns.

Russia, which has repeatedly denied any plan to invade Ukraine, already controls the peninsula of Crimea that it seized from Ukraine in 2014 and supports separatist forces controlling parts of eastern Ukraine.

The Kremlin insists Nato must give assurances Ukraine will never be admitted as a member and roll back its presence in eastern European countries.

‘Crucial window’

Washington said Russia had strengthened its forces on the Ukrainian border over the weekend, but US officials insisted that “diplomacy continues to be viable”.

US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed in a call late Monday that “a crucial window for diplomacy” remained.

“The leaders emphasised that any further incursion into Ukraine would result in a protracted crisis for Russia, with far-reaching damage for both Russia and the world,” a Downing Street spokesman said.

Amid some claims from US officials that an invasion was being prepared for Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile declared it a “Unity Day”, urging Ukrainians to take the streets in peaceful demonstrations of solidarity.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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ISLAMABAD, FEB 15: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday launched Raast person-to-person payment system for instant digital transactions, saying it would create ease for the masses and bring them into the fold of formal economy.

Addressing the launch ceremony in Islamabad, he said the country’s 220 million-strong population could become a “great asset” if brought within the formal economy through digitalisation. On the other hand, if the country did not take advantage of technological advancements and the majority of the population remained outside the formal economy, then it would become a “burden”.

Sharing features of Raast, the premier said it would create ease for the common man, especially those who were afraid of going to banks because now they would be able to transfer money instantly through their mobile phones.

In addition, the digital payment system would bring people into the formal economy, he said. “A country progresses when the saving rate increases, we have amongst the lowest,” he said, adding that people would have to become part of the formal economy if the country was to progress and the tax to GDP (gross domestic product) ratio would have to be increased.

PM Imran said the government was reaching more people to bring them into the tax net, warning defaulters, “We are about to reach you because we are getting data very quickly.”

He noted the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) “highly successful experience” of involving overseas Pakistanis through Roshan Digital Accounts and advised the central bank to create a permanent cell to ease the process for them.

Terming overseas Pakistanis the “biggest asset”, he said they send remittances that support Pakistan and played a big part in increasing forex.

The system would also make it easier to give money to the lower segment of society as aid, he added.

Raast is part of Prime Minister Imran’s Digital Pakistan vision to include the poor segments of society in formal economy. It has been developed by the SBP in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Karandaaz, Pakistan.

‘Revolution for financial inclusion’

Speaking at the start of the ceremony, SBP Governor Dr Reza Baqir noted that the premier had directed the bank to find new ways for increasing financial inclusion. As a result, the SBP took initiatives to provide banking options to people who previously did not have them.

Baqir said the Raast person-to-person payment system would bring a “new revolution for financial inclusion in our country and make it easier for people to pay each other”.

Raast has four special points, he shared, elaborating that the payment would be done in seconds, there would be no banking fee, a person’s mobile phone number would be their Raast ID number and linked to their bank account and it would be available on every channel.

In addition, if a customer was not happy with a bank’s service, they could de-link it from their Raast ID and add another bank instead, he added.

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin also addressed the launch ceremony and appreciated the SBP’s hard work regarding digital banking and financial inclusion.

When the system became efficient, people would have to use banks which would increase the national savings rate and reduce money in circulation, he added.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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