FARUKH SHEHZAD

ISLAMABAD, MAR 8: A delegation of senior opposition lawmakers submitted the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan with the National Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said.

The confirmation from her came after a delegation of opposition lawmakers, including Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz Sadiq, Shazia Marri and Marriyum Aurangzeb, had reached Parliament House in Islamabad.

PPP leader Naveed Qamar said the motion, which calls for the requisition of a National Assembly session, had signatures of more than 100 lawmakers. According to NA rules, in order for a session to be requisitioned to vote on a no-confidence motion, signatures from at least 68 MNAs are required.

In order to make the no-confidence motion against the prime minister successful, the joint opposition requires the support of 172 MNAs. After the filing of the motion, the NA speaker has between three to seven days to summon a session of the NA to conduct voting.

Last year in March, the premier had voluntarily sought a trust vote following an upset in Senate elections. In a show of strength, he had secured 178 votes – six more than required – to win the vote of confidence from the National Assembly.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 7: Prime Minister Imran Khan received a telephone call from European Council President Charles Michel on Monday and reiterated the call for finding a solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict through "dialogue and diplomacy".

The premier posted the update on Twitter, saying he shared concerns over the continued military conflict, highlighted its adverse economic impact on developing countries and stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire and de-escalation.

"I emphasised the importance of humanitarian relief and reiterated [the] call for a solution through dialogue and diplomacy. We agreed that countries like Pakistan could play a facilitating role in this endeavour. I look forward to close engagement to promote shared objectives," he said.

Later, in a detailed statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said PM Imran expressed "deep concern" over the military conflict and stressed that further escalation would have a negative impact on the region and the world.

"The prime minister added that he had been persistently highlighting the adverse economic impact of conflict on developing countries," the statement said.

Emphasising that Pakistan had maintained a principled position that it would only be a partner for peace, the premier stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire as well as the importance of humanitarian relief for civilians in Ukraine.

"The prime minister underlined that Pakistan had friendly ties with Russia and Ukraine and had remained in close contact with both sides. The prime minister expressed the hope that the dispute would be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

"The two leaders agreed that countries like Pakistan could play a facilitating role in these endeavours and that both sides would remain closely engaged to promote shared objectives," the statement said.

Meanwhile, the premier underscored the importance of Pakistan's relations with the EU and conveyed that he was looking forward to his visit to Brussels to meet the bloc's leadership. "He also extended an invitation to Michel to visit Pakistan," the statement said.

PM lashes out at EU envoys

The prime minister's interaction with Michel comes a day after he lashed out at a statement by European Union ambassadors calling on Pakistan to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

In a joint letter written to Pakistan last week, the ambassadors of 23 countries had asked Islamabad to support a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s aggression and demanding its immediate withdrawal.

“Have you ever acknowledged Pakistan’s support in the 'war against terror' which claimed 80,000 lives and caused other collateral damage,” he asked while addressing a public meeting in Mailsi town of Vehari district on Sunday.

“Has anyone of you severed trade relations with India or objected to its unlawful actions?” he questioned, adding, “are we slaves and act according to your wishes?”.

The prime minister said Pakistan did not want any confrontation with any country and wanted to have good relations with all — Russia, the US, China and Europe.

“Islamabad is not in any camp. We are neutral and make efforts that the Russia-Ukraine war should come to an end at the earliest as it is a great loss to the world,” he said.

The premier also chided the EU ambassadors for not even appreciating Pakistan’s role in the Nato war.

Last week, the UNGA passed a non-binding resolution, demanding the immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine. Out of five South Asian nations, only Nepal voted for the resolution while Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka decided to abstain.

Pakistan’s Ambassador Munir Akram had also asserted in the UN that Islamabad supported all efforts to restore peace in Ukraine. “We are advocating a ceasefire and negotiations. If we had joined the Ukraine resolution, we would have no political space for diplomacy between the two sides,” he had asserted.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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The Board of Management, Quaid-e-Azam House Museum (Flagstaff House) to be led by Murad Ali Shah

Karachi, Mar 7: The Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, by agreeing to be the Chairman of the Board of Management Quaid-e-Azam House Museum, convinced the board of his commitment to the cause of continuing the legacy of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. 

The Board of Management (BoM), Quaid-e-Azam House Museum (Flagstaff House) – Institute of Nation Building constituted under Sindh Government Notification dated 06th April, 2021, has been authorized to carry on various activities.  The Board is constituted of notables and leaders of their field. This was shared at a press conference held at the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum, Karachi.

Commodore (R) Sadeed A. Malik, Secretary General BoM, in his welcome address, introduced the Members of the Board of Management appointed under Government of Sindh Notification dated 06th April 2021. He said that on the conclusion of the events from 17th to 19th March other events will follow.

In his address, Mr. Liaquat Merchant, Senior Vice-Chairman BoM, shared with the audience some of the activities that will be planned as per the notification. These included establishment of a public library to be called “Jinnah Library"; an audio-visual centre which will display films / documentaries on Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Pakistan Movement and other leaders of Pakistan movement; expand the Museum, which will house the relics and belongings of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The Heritage site will be preserved and maintained by the Sindh Government.

 “We will arrange and hold educational and debating-elocution competitions / programs for senior school students; hold art exhibitions; arrange seminars, talk shows and other similar literary events for the benefit of the citizens and younger generation on the aspects leading to creation of Pakistan”, added Mr. Merchant.

Mr Ikram Sehgal elaborated on the Auditorium and stated that a State of Art Auditorium behind Quaid-e-Azam House Museum (Heritage site) is under consideration and the Board of Management awaits approval of the Technical Committee, Heritage Commission of Sindh for carrying out soil testing after which building plans for an underground Auditorium behind Quaid-e-Azam House Museum will be submitted for approval to the Heritage Commission under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994 and Rules of 2017. A Concept Paper relating to the Auditorium was prepared and submitted by Akeel Bilgrami Karachi’s reputed architect.

After more than a decade the annual popular event for Karachi school students is being resumed by the Board of Management, Quaid-e-Azam House Museum.

Mrs. Ameena Saiyid who heads the Education Programmed Committee said, the Jinnah Declamation Competition 2022 will be held on 17th, 18th and 19th March, 2022 at Quaid-e-Azam House Museum. Invitations to participate have been issued to 45 Karachi based schools. The elimination contest will be held on 17th& 18th March, while the Final event will be held on 19th March. The topics for students to speak on are: Jinnah’s Pakistan, Pakistan and the Muslim World – Inter-action and Benefits and Pakistan Resolution 1940. Attractive prizes will be given to the first three winning students. Other programmes which will contribute towards Nation Building Exercise will be organized and held on a regular basis.

Judges for the final on the 19th include, Mrs. Nadira Panjwani (Panjwani Charitable Foundation & Trust), Mrs. Naseem Merchant (The Jinnah Society), Mrs. Ameena Saiyid (Lightstone Publishers), Dr. Huma Baqai (IBA, Karachi) and Mr. Arshad Saeed Hussain (Oxford University Press, Karachi-Pakistan).

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LAHORE, MAR 7: The group of lawmakers led by estranged PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen converged at his Lahore residence on Monday as the opposition charged ahead with its plans to table a no-confidence motion against the government.

Interestingly, PTI leader Abdul Aleem Khan, a former Punjab minister and a close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan, was among the participants.

According to sources, Tareen — who is currently in London seeking medical treatment — will address the meeting via video link. Reportedly, the Tareen group comprises 30 PTI MPAs from south Punjab and eight MNAs.

Provincial ministers Nauman Langrial, Ajmal Cheema as well as MPAs Khurram Leghari, Abdul Hai Dasti, Lala Tahir Randhawa, Salman Naeem, Aslam Bharwana, Saeed Nawani, Zawar Hussain, Bilal Warraich, Amin Chaudry, Qasim Langah were among those that gathered at Tareen’s residence.

Punjab chief minister’s former adviser, Awn Chaudry, was also among the attendees and was hounded by reporters as he made his way inside.

Speaking to reporters camped outside, Chaudry asked them to “let some of the suspense remain”, adding that whatever will happen will be for the best.

“Are you with the opposition or with the government?” asked one journalist.

“Whatever will happen will be for the best,” he reiterated with a smile. He added that the members of the group would welcome Abdul Aleem Khan, saying that he was their “brother”.

“Is (Punjab chief minister Usman) Buzdar going or staying?” asked another reporter.

“Have some patience. Watch and see what will happen,” he said, moving inside.

The meeting of the Tareen group comes as the Pakistan Demo­cratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of opposition parties, is in the process of finalising a no-confidence motion against the prime minister, claiming to have the support of enough lawmakers in the parliament to make the ouster a success.

Last month, the PML-N had confirmed the party was in touch with the disgruntled group to seek its support to oust the government. At the same time, the group had also met at the residence of PML-Q leaders, who are a key ally of the PTI government in Punjab and centre.

Speaking to reporters at the time, Tareen said the purported no-confidence motion had not been tabled yet and it was not clear whether it would be at all.

To a question about any contacts with the opposition, he said the group had gathered after a long time and it was yet to be seen how it should play its role in the current political scenario.

He further maintained political leaders stayed in touch with each other, adding the group would hold more huddles to discuss their future strategy.

Tareen said they also talked about inflation during the meeting, but nothing specific about the no-confidence motion. “It is premature to discuss this issue,” he had said, urging the premier to provide relief to the masses.

Subsequently, it was reported that PM Imran reached out to Tareen in what appeared to be a bid to ensure he hadn’t lost his old friend to the opposition.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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ISLAMABAD, MAR 7: The senior journalist Imran Yaqoob Khan has said that Prime Minister Imran has decided that he will not accept electables in the upcoming elections.

Senior journalist said that Imran Khan has decided to give tickets to PTI members only in the next general elections no matter he wins or lose the elections whenever it takes place in 2022 or 2023.

According to him, As now more than 3 years have gone and PM Imran started to realise that decision of choosing electables was not good.

He expressed these views while talking in his program on G News Network GNN.

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Vehari, MAR 6: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday warned the opposition to be prepared for what he would do to them once their planned no-confidence motion against him fails.

Pakistan Demo­cratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of opposition parties, is currently in the process of finalising the motion against the prime minister, claiming to have the support of enough lawmakers in the parliament to make the ouster a success.

At a public gathering in Vehari district’s Mailsi tehsil today, the prime minister delivered a hard-hitting speech and addressed the planned opposition manoeuvre against him.

“I came into politics 25 years ago to fight against them (his political rivals). I will fight them until [my last breath]. I will face them and I am completely prepared for whatever [they throw my way],” he said.

“But to the gang of thieves I say this: Are you ready for what I will do with you once your plans for a no-trust motion fail?”

The prime minister then named his main political rivals individually and questioned their credentials and motives. “First there is criminal number one Nawaz Sharif,” he said, stating that the PML-N supremo gave a performance worthy of Bollywood when he was handed a prison sentence by the Supreme Court.

“If PML-N workers are listening, pay attention: how can a geedar (jackal) become a leader? Have you ever heard of a leader being someone who runs away with his tail between his legs?” PM Imran said, adding that this was the second time that Nawaz had fled the country, with the first being during the tenure of former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Turning his guns towards PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, he said that the best way to learn about the younger Sharif was to ask Maqsood chaprasi (peon), whose account was allegedly used by the Sharif family to launder money.

He added that the family had figured out a “technique” to play on both sides of the wicket. “The absconder and his daughter say bad things about the army and Shehbaz polishes every boot he sees.”

Giving a word of advice to the PML-N president, the prime minister said that times had changed. “Whatever you do, you will have to give an answer as to how Rs16 billion was deposited into the accounts of your servants.”

He said that Shehbaz was scared of jail time and, therefore, was trying to rush the no-trust move.

Commenting on PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, the premier said that he was infamously known as “Mr 10 per cent” during the tenure of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. He added that international publications and books had detailed the history of Zardari and Nawaz’s corruption.

“The same Zardari was jailed twice by Nawaz on corruption charges,” he noted.

Talking about Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, he said that he would not call him Maulana as it was a title reserved for educated, honest and pious people.

“He brought madressah children to a protest. When the media asked the children why they were at the protest, they said: ‘Because Imran Khan is a Jewish agent’ […] Fazlu what is the need for the jews to hatch a conspiracy against Pakistan when we have you and your gang of thieves?”

“Why do the Jews need to hatch a conspiracy? You are enough,” he said, also accusing Rehman of “making money in the name of religion”.

Responding to the prime minister’s tirade on Twitter later in the day, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz questioned why he was “falling apart and sounding hysterical”.

“The game has only just begun dude and you have already lost it! Show some sportsman spirit, man!” She also noted how one “loses their sanity when they see power slipping from their hands.” She went on to say that the premier first used abusive language against opposition leaders and followed it with stating that the state of Madina was the basis for morality.

Meanwhile, Shehbaz said that the PTI government was “never short of ludicrous ideas to mask its incompetence, corruption and mega failures”.

“People are suffering because of the flawed policies, not any conspiracy. You always find justifications for everything when you live in a bubble of your own,” he said.

PM lashes out at EU for asking Pakistan to condemn Russia

PM Imran lashed out at European Union (EU) countries for asking Pakistan to vote against Russia during the recently held special session of the United Nations General Assembly, asking if they considered Islamabad their “slave”.

The premier was referring to a letter penned by EU envoys earlier this week, urging Pakistan to vote against Russia during the UNGA session.

“Did you write the same letter to India?” the prime minister asked.

“When India violated international laws in occupied Kashmir, did any one of you sever ties with India or halt trade? Are we your slaves that we would do anything you say?” he thundered.

PM Imran said Pakistan would not support any country in war, but would “take a step ahead in backing everyone yearning for peace”.

“We have friendships with the United States, Russia, China and Europe. We are not in any camp. Since we are neutral, we will try collaborate with these countries to endeavour for an end to this war in Ukraine,” he said.

He laid emphasis on maintaining Pakistan’s sovereignty, saying that no drone attack took place in the country since he became the prime minister.

“Even if anyone tried to launch a drone attack I will ask the Pakistan Air Force to shoot that drone down.”

South Punjab province

The premier also announced that his party would soon table a constitutional amendment bill in the parliament to make south Punjab a separate province.

“Now we will see if the PPP and the PML-N support this move,” he said.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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LAHORE, MAR 6: Nadeem Afzal Chan, a former special assistant to the prime minister and a senior PTI leader, announced on Sunday that he would be rejoining the PPP, stating that his decision to join the ruling party was "wrong".

Chan had quit the PPP for the PTI in April 2018 and contested the general elections on the party ticket from NA-88 (Sargodha -I), but lost. His brother Gulraiz Afzal Chan is currently a PTI member of the Punjab Assembly from PP-68 constituency of Malakwal.

He had resigned as the prime minister's spokesperson in January last year, reportedly over the delay in the visit of PTI leaders to Quetta’s Western Bypass where the families of the Machh massacre victims were staging a sit-in, demanding justice.

He was also the tehsil nazim of Malakwal in 2001 and his clan was affiliated with the PPP since the early 70s.

Addressing a press conference alongside PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in Lahore, Chan said that he was a "political worker" and had started his political career around 22 years ago with the PPP.

Chan said he had some family-related compulsions in switching from the PPP to the PTI, adding "my decision to join the PTI was wrong."

He said that he had told PM Imran that he was and will remain a supporter of Bhutto. "In this regard, I think that I have come home. I am extremely happy, everyone knows how happy I am," he said.

"There are many PTI leaders, who hail from the families of old PPP stalwarts, but I witnessed what they went through," he said, thanking the PPP leadership for giving him "respect" and ending with "Jiye Bhutto".

Meanwhile, the PPP chairman welcomed Chan on his return to the party. He said that any worker who had ever raised the slogan of "Jiye Bhutto" or waved the party flag was welcome to the join the PPP. "If this is my party then it is also yours."

Bilawal said opposition parties were striving to ensure transparent elections were conducted so that a democratic government could solve the myriad of issues the people were facing.

The PPP chairman went on to say that the government was facing unprecedented pressure due to the opposition's plan to move a no-confidence motion. "This is the tool that has shaken the entire government to the core and forced it to reestablish contact with its own people."

Bilawal said governments were more likely to succumb to the pressure of a no-confidence motion than any other mode of protest. "It is a difficult task, but we have to endeavour and it is worth the risk. We have to challenge this government," he said.

"No one can guarantee an all-out victory in this struggle and it will be really good if we succeed, but in case of [defeat], we will not sit quiet and will keep pushing the government to go home," he stressed.

Bilawal said former president Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be meeting soon to finalise the line of action against the government.

Meanwhile, Senator Sherry Rehman welcomed Chan back to the PPP, saying "Old jiyalas are coming back to the party."

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Courtesy Dawn News

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MOSCOW, MAR 6: A promised ceasefire in the besieged port city of Mariupol collapsed amid scenes of terror but a pro-Russian official said safe-passage corridors would open again for city residents on Sunday, while Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that the ongoing resistance is putting Ukrainian statehood in jeopardy and likened the West’s sanctions on Russia to “declaring war”.

With the Kremlin’s rhetoric growing fiercer and a reprieve from fighting dissolving, Russian troops continued to shell encircled cities and the number of Ukrainians forced from their country grew to 1.4 million.

By nighttime on Saturday, Russian forces had intensified their shelling of Mariupol, while dropping powerful bombs on residential areas of Chernihiv, a city north of Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said.

Bereft mothers mourned slain children, wounded soldiers were fitted with tourniquets and doctors worked by the light of their cellphones as bleakness and desperation pervaded. Crowds of men lined up in the capital to join the Ukrainian military.

The government has ordered men between the ages of 18 and 60 to stay and be available to fight. Some, like Volodymyr Onysko, have volunteered.

“We know why we are here. We know why we defend our country,” Onysko told Britain’s Sky News. “We know what we are doing, and that’s why we will win.”

Eduard Basurin, the head of the military in separatist-held Donetsk territory, said safe passage corridors for residents of two cities in the region — Mariupol and Volnovakha — would be open again on Sunday.

He did not give any details on how long the corridors would remain open, nor whether there would be a ceasefire to facilitate the evacuation of the two cities. He made the comments on Russian state television.

Russia’s defence ministry said the country had struck and disabled Ukraine’s Starokostiantyniv military airbase with long-range high-precision weapons.

“The Russia armed forces continue to strike the military infrastructure of Ukraine,” Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

“On the morning of March 6, strikes were carried out by high-precision long-range weapons. The Ukrainian air force base near Starokostiantyniv was disabled.”

He said a Ukrainian-controlled S-300 missile system had also been destroyed by Russian rocket forces. He said Russia had downed 10 Ukrainian planes and helicopters over the past 24 hours.

Putin continued to pin the blame for the war squarely on the Ukrainian leadership and slammed their resistance to the invasion.

“If they continue to do what they are doing, they are calling into question the future of Ukrainian statehood,” he said on Saturday. “And if this happens, it will be entirely on their conscience.”

He also hit out at Western sanctions that have crippled Russia’s economy and sent the value of its currency tumbling.

“These sanctions that are being imposed, they are akin to declaring war,” he said during a televised meeting with flight attendants from Russian airline Aeroflot. “But thank God, we haven’t got there yet.”

Escalating situation

Russia’s financial system suffered yet another blow as Mastercard and Visa announced they were suspending operations in the country.

Ten days after Russian forces invaded, the struggle to enforce the temporary ceasefires in Mariupol and Volnovakha showed the fragility of efforts to stop the fighting across Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials said Russian artillery fire and airstrikes had prevented residents from leaving before the agreed-to evacuations got underway. Putin accused Ukraine of sabotaging the effort.

A third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine will take place on Monday, according to Davyd Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation. He gave no additional details, including where they would take place.

Previous meetings were held in Belarus and led to the failed ceasefire agreement to create humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of children, women and older people from besieged cities, where pharmacies have run bare, hundreds of thousands face food and water shortages, and the injured have been succumbing to their wounds.

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko said thousands of residents had gathered for safe passage out of the city of 430,000 when the shelling began and the evacuation was stopped. Later in the day, he said the attack had escalated further.

“The city is in a very, very difficult state of siege,” Boychenko told Ukrainian TV. “Relentless shelling of residential blocks is ongoing, airplanes have been dropping bombs on residential areas. The Russian occupants are using heavy artillery, including Grad multiple rocket launchers.”

Russia has made significant advances in the south, seeking to cut off Ukraine’s access to the sea. Capturing Mariupol could allow Russia to establish a land corridor to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

Meanwhile, the head of the Chernihiv region said Russia has dropped powerful bombs on residential areas of the city of the same name, which has a population of 290,000. Vyacheslav Chaus posted a photo online of what he said was an undetonated FAB-500, a 500-kilogramme bomb.

“Usually this weapon is used against military-industrial facilities and fortified structures,” Chaus said.

In a speech to Ukrainians, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pointed to “the 500kg bombs that were dropped on the houses of Ukrainians. Look at Borodyanka, at the destroyed schools, at the blown-up kindergartens. At the damaged Kharkiv Assumption Cathedral. Look what Russia has done.”

The West has broadly backed Ukraine, offering aid and weapons and slapping Russia with vast sanctions. But the fight itself has been left to Ukrainians, who have expressed a mixture of courageous resolve and despondency.

“Ukraine is bleeding,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a video released on Saturday, “but Ukraine has not fallen.”

Russian troops advanced on a third nuclear power plant, having already taken control of one of the four operating in the country and the closed plant in Chernobyl, Zelenskyy told US lawmakers.

Zelenskyy pleaded with the lawmakers for additional help, specifically fighter planes to help secure the skies over Ukraine, even as he insisted Russia was being defeated.

“We’re inflicting losses on the occupants they could not see in their worst nightmare,” Zelenskyy said.

Russian troops took control of the southern port city of Kherson this week. Although they have encircled Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, Ukrainian forces have managed to keep control of key cities in central and southeastern Ukraine, Zelenskyy said.

Frenetic meetings

US President Joe Biden called Zelenskyy early on Sunday, Kyiv time, to discuss Russia sanctions and speeding US assistance to Ukraine.

The White House said the conversation also covered talks between Russia and Ukraine but did not give details.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Poland to meet with the prime minister and foreign minister, a day after attending a Nato meeting in Brussels in which the alliance pledged to step up support for eastern flank members.

Blinken also spoke by phone with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who said Beijing opposes any moves that “add fuel to the flames” in Ukraine, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Blinken said the world is watching to see which nations stand up for freedom and sovereignty, the State Department said.

In Moscow, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Putin at the Kremlin. Israel maintains good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, and Bennett has offered to act as an intermediary in the conflict, but no details of the meeting emerged immediately.

Bennett’s office said he spoke twice with Zelenskyy afterwards.

In the wake of Western sanctions, Aeroflot, Russia’s flagship state-owned airline, announced plans to halt all international flights except to Belarus starting on Tuesday.

The death toll of the conflict was difficult to measure. The UN human rights office said at least 351 civilians have been confirmed killed since the February 24 invasion, but the true number is probably much higher.

Ukraine’s military is vastly outmatched by Russia’s, but its professional and volunteer forces have fought back with fierce tenacity. Even in cities that have fallen, there were signs of resistance.

Onlookers in Chernihiv cheered as they watched a Russian military plane fall from the sky and crash, according to video released by the Ukrainian government. In Kherson, hundreds of protesters waved blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and shouted, “Go home.”

A vast Russian armoured column threatening Ukraine’s capital remained stalled outside Kyiv.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said in the afternoon that the military situation was quieter overall and Russian forces hadn’t “taken active actions since the morning”.

The US Congress is considering a request for $10 billion in emergency funding for humanitarian aid and security needs.

The UN said it would increase its humanitarian operations both inside and outside Ukraine, and the Security Council scheduled a meeting for Monday on the worsening situation.

The UN World Food Programme has warned of an impending hunger crisis in Ukraine, a major global wheat supplier, saying millions will need food aid “immediately”.

Kyiv’s central train station remained crowded with people desperate to flee. “People just want to live,” one woman, Ksenia, said.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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RAWALPINDI, MAR 5: Pakistan declared their first innings at 476-4 on Saturday in the first Test against Australia after brilliant hundreds from Azhar Ali and Imamul Haq on the second day in Rawalpindi.

Ali scored 185 and Haq 157 as Australia toiled hard after Pakistan won the toss and batted on a flat, batting-friendly Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch.

The 37-year-old lofted spinner Nathan Lyon for his eighth boundary towards mid-wicket to complete his 19th hundred in his 92nd Test.

With that, Pakistan reached 312 without losing another wicket after starting the day on 245 for one.

He has been Pakistan’s mainstay in the Test batting line-up since making his debut in 2010, and boasts a triple hundred against the West Indies — the first since day-night Tests were introduced.

Haq was the slowest of the Pakistan pair on Saturday morning, adding just six runs in the first hour and not hitting a boundary until the 90th minute.

Haq was lucky to survive a caught-behind appeal on 143 off Lyon the Australians didn’t challenge when replays showed it hit the bat.

Meanwhile, Skipper Babar Azam made 36 while Mohammad Rizwan (29) and Iftikhar Ahmed (13) remained not out.

For Australia, Pat Cummins, Lyon and Marnus Labuchagne took a wicket apiece while Azam was run out.

Earlier today, the Australian and Pakistan teams paid tribute to legendary spinner Shane Warne with a minute’s silence as play resumed.

“It’s a sad way to start the day,” the television commentator said as players wore black armbands to pay homage to Warne, who died of a heart attack in Thailand on Friday.

The handful of early-morning spectators in the stands also stood in respect.

The Australians were playing in Pakistan for the first time since 1998, having declined to tour previously because of security issues.

Warne was widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time — a larger-than-life character whose tally of 708 Test wickets has been surpassed only by fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

His death is a double blow for Australia after another cricketing great, Rod Marsh, also died on Friday after suffering a heart attack.

Cummins admitted the team was shaken.

“Yeah, these are really tough times with, you know, both Rod and Shane gone,” the Australian skipper told the host broadcaster ahead of the day’s play.

“I just encourage everyone to talk about it.”

Cummins said Warne was popular around the world.

“You know, his showmanship and all those things that he brought to Australian cricket are probably my longer-lasting memories.

“I think playing across the world, you realise just it wasn’t only Aussies that felt that it was … in all corners.”

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Courtesy Dawn News

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