We lost in Afghanistan, admits top US general

In a stark admission during a hearing, the top US military official admitted that America "lost" the 20-year in Afghanistan and the "corrupt" Ashraf Ghani regime had lost people's trust and collapsed sooner than expected. "It is clear, it is obvious to all of us, that the war in Afghanistan did not end on the terms we wanted, with the Taliban in power in Kabul," General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee.

"The war was a strategic failure," Milley told a committee hearing about the US troop pullout from Afghanistan and the chaotic evacuation from the capital Kabul.

"It wasn’t lost in the last 20 days or even 20 months," Milley said.

"There’s a cumulative effect to a series of strategic decisions that go way back," said the general, the top military advisor to President Joe Biden, who ordered an end to the 20-year US troop presence in Afghanistan.

"Whenever you get some phenomenon like a war that is lost -- and it has been, in the sense of we accomplished our strategic task of protecting America against Al-Qaeda, but certainly the end state is a whole lot different than what we wanted," Milley said.

"So whenever a phenomenon like that happens, there’s an awful lot of causal factors," he said. "And we’re going to have to figure that out. A lot of lessons learned here."

The top military official also admitted that the Ashraf Ghani government was involved in corruption and the people had no trust in it.

Milley listed a number of factors responsible for the US defeat going back to a missed opportunity to capture or kill Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora soon after the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan.

He also cited the 2003 decision to invade Iraq, which shifted US troops away from Afghanistan, "not effectively dealing with Pakistan as a (Taliban) sanctuary," and pulling advisers out of Afghanistan a few years ago.

Biden, in April, ordered a complete pullout of US forces from Afghanistan by August 31, following through on an agreement reached with the Taliban by former president Donald Trump.

Milley and General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of US Central Command, told a Senate committee on Tuesday that they had personally recommended that some 2,500 troops remain on the ground in Afghanistan.

McKenzie told the committee that he had warned that a complete withdrawal would lead to the collapse of the Afghan military and the Afghan government.

"That is in fact what happened," McKenzie said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden had received "split" advice about what to do in Afghanistan, which the United States invaded following the September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington.

"Ultimately, it’s up to the commander-in-chief to make a decision," Psaki said. "He made a decision that it was time to end a 20-year war."

 

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Karachi Tax Bar Association seeks extension in income tax returns deadline till Dec 31

The Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) on Tuesday appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan for an extension in the last date for filing of income tax returns for a period of three months, that is, until Dec 31.

Meanwhile, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is optimistic that it will receive more than two million returns by the deadline of September 30, which could become a ‘historic moment’ for the tax machinery in case it’s achieved. The FBR had received approximately 1.4m tax returns till Sept 28.

The KTBA pointed out that fulfillment of 90 days’ time was provided under the law to file the return of income under section 118 of the Ordinance. It further highlighted unavailability of FBR Portal for 15 days. “90 days’ time should only start when a flawless and error-free return of income in line with the provisions of the ordinance is uploaded on Iris portal, which per se is yet to be notified,” the association said.

FBR hopeful about two million returns by Sept 30

The KTBA further said the FBR Portal, both e-FBR and Iris “remained hacked and disabled from August 14, 2021” and it was intermittently not working properly till the end of August 2021 which again denied taxpayers 90 days’ seamless time prescribed under the law to file the return of income.

On Tuesday, the FBR issued a circular to facilitate taxpayers in filing their tax returns in the last two days with extended hours for filing of returns as well as payment of taxes. This is in addition to the extensive nationwide awareness campaign engaging national heroes, urging people to file their returns to improve tax compliance in the country.

This year, the FBR notified the tax returns from July 2021 to meet the 90-day (three-month) requirement under the tax law. Until now, the FBR has clarified that the last date will not be extended. The FBR has also engaged cellular companies to send SMS to taxpayers to remind them about filing of their tax returns.

Last year, the government had not extended the last date for filing of tax returns beyond Dec 8, 2020. It is worth mentioning that people can file their tax returns beyond the last date, but will have to pay fine which in the current year will be Rs1,000 per day.

Without fine, a commissioner can also grant 15 days’ extension on specific request by the individual taxpayer.

The KTBA in a letter, a copy of which was shared with media through WhatsApp, mentioned that letters were earlier sent to chairman of FBR for seeking extension in the return on the plea to correct the flaws in the notified return.

It further said that the KTBA feels its responsibility that the taxpayers are not at all in a position to meet the deadline of filing the Return of Income by September 30, till such time all the flaws and formulae errors are removed and the return of Income is flawless and error-free.

“As such we are hopeful that you will kindly instruct the chairman FBR to extend the date of filing of Return of Income at least up to Dec 31, 2021 and oblige,” President KTBA Muhammad Zeeshan Merchant said.

He said the FBR is completely ignoring the part of the tax advisors and tax consultants who are in fact the partners of the FBR in helping to achieve their targets. “We at the KTBA feel that if the date is not extended, the target in the mind of FBR cannot be achieved,” Mr Zeeshan said.

It further said it is habitual at the FBR to amend and modify the return of income till last moment without notifying the same to the stakeholders which creates bad impression on the part of the FBR.

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Shahbaz Sharif reacts to NCA probe, says govt failed to prove corruption allegations

Reacting to the UK court’s verdict about the unfreezing of his and his family's bank accounts, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday said that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) could not prove corruption of even a single penny against him and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Shehbaz Sharif said that the ruling PTI’s ministers have been levelling allegations of corruption worth billions of rupees but could not prove any wrongdoing against him and his family.

The PML-N president said that he was sent to jail twice during the last three years. He said that when the government failed to prove corruption against him and his children they approached the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA).

The NCA had conducted a probe in which it examined his financial transactions over the past 20 years and found no evidence of money laundering or criminal activities against him, the PML-N leader said, adding that finally the UK agency has asked the court that they wanted to end investigations against him and the UK court approved the request.

“Will UK court let us go unpunished if we had committed corruption?” he asked.

Criticising the prime minister, the PML-N leader said, “NAB-Niazi nexus is a fixed match and FIA is working on the government’s directions.”

Shehbaz said that he lodged a defamation case against the Daily Mail and asked it provide evidence against him. But the Daily Mail is yet to submit evidence in the case. In order to fabricate a fake story, meetings of the reporter, David Rose, had been arranged with imprisoned people.

Those who are pretending themselves to be sadiq and ameen spent millions of rupees to defame him.

“Sideling the Sharif’s family is the only agenda of the PTI-led government,” the PML-N president said, adding that the rulers had only wasted the nation’s time.

PM Imran Khan and his supporters have been levelling fake allegations against him and his family for last over three years. He asked, “Has there been any doubt after the verdict of the UK court?

UK court unfreezes bank accounts of Shahbaz, his family

Earlier, on September 27, a UK court had ordered the unfreezing of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and his family's bank accounts for lack of evidence of corruption and money laundering.

The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) had unfroze the bank accounts of former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and those of his son, Suleman Sharif, on Monday.

The NCA had conducted a 17-month long probe in which it examined Shahbaz Sharif's financial transactions over the past 20 years. In it, no evidence of money laundering or criminal activities against the PML-N president or his family were found.

The NCA had submitted the investigation report of the bank accounts at the Westminster court in which it said that Shahbaz and his son were not involved in money laundering practices in Pakistan, Dubai and the UK.

The NCA had requested the UK court for an extension when it first began probing the case, stating that it needed more time to complete the probe against Shahbaz in multiple countries.

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Shahbaz Sharif reacts to NCA probe, says govt failed to prove corruption allegations

Reacting to the UK court’s verdict about the unfreezing of his and his family's bank accounts, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday said that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) could not prove corruption of even a single penny against him and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Shehbaz Sharif said that the ruling PTI’s ministers have been levelling allegations of corruption worth billions of rupees but could not prove any wrongdoing against him and his family.

The PML-N president said that he was sent to jail twice during the last three years. He said that when the government failed to prove corruption against him and his children they approached the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA).

The NCA had conducted a probe in which it examined his financial transactions over the past 20 years and found no evidence of money laundering or criminal activities against him, the PML-N leader said, adding that finally the UK agency has asked the court that they wanted to end investigations against him and the UK court approved the request.

“Will UK court let us go unpunished if we had committed corruption?” he asked.

Criticising the prime minister, the PML-N leader said, “NAB-Niazi nexus is a fixed match and FIA is working on the government’s directions.”

Shehbaz said that he lodged a defamation case against the Daily Mail and asked it provide evidence against him. But the Daily Mail is yet to submit evidence in the case. In order to fabricate a fake story, meetings of the reporter, David Rose, had been arranged with imprisoned people.

Those who are pretending themselves to be sadiq and ameen spent millions of rupees to defame him.

“Sideling the Sharif’s family is the only agenda of the PTI-led government,” the PML-N president said, adding that the rulers had only wasted the nation’s time.

PM Imran Khan and his supporters have been levelling fake allegations against him and his family for last over three years. He asked, “Has there been any doubt after the verdict of the UK court?

UK court unfreezes bank accounts of Shahbaz, his family

Earlier, on September 27, a UK court had ordered the unfreezing of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and his family's bank accounts for lack of evidence of corruption and money laundering.

The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) had unfroze the bank accounts of former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and those of his son, Suleman Sharif, on Monday.

The NCA had conducted a 17-month long probe in which it examined Shahbaz Sharif's financial transactions over the past 20 years. In it, no evidence of money laundering or criminal activities against the PML-N president or his family were found.

The NCA had submitted the investigation report of the bank accounts at the Westminster court in which it said that Shahbaz and his son were not involved in money laundering practices in Pakistan, Dubai and the UK.

The NCA had requested the UK court for an extension when it first began probing the case, stating that it needed more time to complete the probe against Shahbaz in multiple countries.

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China’s power cuts may foreshadow shortages of global goods

Global shoppers face possible shortages of smartphones and other goods ahead of Christmas after power cuts to meet official energy use targets forced Chinese factories to shut down and left some households in the dark.

In the northeastern city of Liaoyang, 23 people were hospitalised with gas poisoning after ventilation in a metal casting factory was shut off following a power outage, according to state broadcaster CCTV. No deaths were reported.

Factories were idled to avoid exceeding limits on energy use imposed by Beijing to promote efficiency. Economists and an environmental group say manufacturers used up this year’s quota faster than planned as export demand rebounded from the coronavirus pandemic.

A components supplier for Apple Inc.’s iPhones said it suspended production at a factory west of Shanghai under orders from local authorities.

The disruption to China’s vast manufacturing industries during one of their busiest seasons reflects the ruling Communist Party’s struggle to balance economic growth with efforts to rein in pollution and emissions of climate-changing gases.

Beijing’s unprecedented resolve in enforcing energy consumption limits could result in long-term benefits, but the short-term economic costs are substantial, Nomura economists Ting Lu, Lisheng Wang and Jing Wang said in a report on Monday.

They said the impact might be so severe that they cut their economic growth forecast for China to 4.7pc from 5.1pc over a year earlier in the current quarter. They cut their outlook for annual growth to 7.7pc from 8.2pc.

Global financial markets already were on edge about the possible collapse of one of Chinas biggest real estate developers, Evergrande Group, which is struggling to avoid a default on billions of dollars of debt.

Manufacturers already face shortages of processor chips, disruptions in shipping and other lingering effects of the global shutdown of travel and trade to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Residents of China’s northeast, where autumn temperatures are falling, report power cuts and appealed on social media for the government to restore supplies.

The crunch comes as global leaders prepare to attend a UN environmental conference by video link on Oct 12-13 in the southwestern city of Kunming. That increases pressure on President Xi Jinping’s government, as the meeting’s host, to show it is sticking to emissions and energy efficiency targets.

China is one of the world’s biggest emitters of climate-changing industrial gases and consumes more energy per unit of economic output than developed countries.

The ruling party also is preparing for the Winter Olympics in the Chinese capital, Beijing, and the nearby city of Shijiazhuang in February, a period when it will want clear blue skies.

Scores of companies have announced power rationing could force them to delay filling orders and might hurt them financially.

Apple components supplier Eson Precision Engineering Co. Ltd. said Sunday it would halt production at its factory in Kunshan, west of Shanghai, through Thursday in line with the local governments power restriction policy.

Eson said the suspension shouldnt have a significant impact on operations.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a question about the possible impact on iPhone supplies.

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Selectors in limbo as players of World Cup squad fail to spark in National T20 Cup

The national selectors are faced with a conundrum. Some players picked for the Pakistan’s Twenty20 World Cup next month are not finding form at the National T20 Cup. But those who are being tipped to replace them in the UAE-bound squad haven’t been performing either.

The National T20 Cup, underway in Rawalpindi, had assumed greater importance in terms of Pakistan’s preparations for the World Cup, which begins from Oct 17, after New Zealand abandoned their tour earlier this month due to security concerns and England followed by calling off their tour next month.

But below-par performances from the likes of batters Azam Khan and Sohaib Maqsood, pacer Mohammad Hasnain and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz have given rise to rumours that the quartet could be replaced by Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Shah­­nawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir.

Opener Fakhar Zaman, who was named as a travelling reserve, is also being tipped to make the first-team squad.

And a Pakistan Cricket Board official did not attempt to play down the rumours.“Two changes can still be made to the World Cup squad.

The official reasoned that performances had to do with the pitches at the Pindi Stadium.

“The pitches were made for the One-day International matches against New Zealand and not for the T20 format,” the official said, with the National T20 having been shifted from Multan to Rawalpindi after New Zealand’s government had asked the team to leave Pakistan less than an hour before the start of the first of three ODI matches.

New Zealand were to play five Twenty20 Internationals at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium following the ODIs and the official was hopeful performances will pick up once the National T20 moves to Lahore from Oct 7.

“The pitches in Lahore will provide much more entertaining cricket,” said the official.

From Pakistan’s World Cup squad, only captain Babar Azam, wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan and pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi have shown good form in Rawalpindi.

With 135 runs in three matches Khyber Pakhtunkhwa skipper Rizwan is the leading scorer ahead of Babar (110) who is leading the Central Punjab team, while Rizwan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team-mate Shaheen is the leading wicket-taker with eight in three.

Sindh’s Hasnain, who has given away 80 runs while picking up four wickets in two matches, isn’t the only bowler in the World Cup squad who has been struggling.

Mohammad Wasim of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also picked up only four wickets from three matches while giving away 88 runs but his form with the bat is impressive as he is averaging 45.

Hasan Ali has picked up three wickets in three matches while Imad Wasim and Nawaz have two from two. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan, the captain of the Northern team, is yet to pick up a wicket after two matches.

Haris Rauf, though, has shown a bit of good form, picking four wickets for 46 runs in two matches.

As far as the batters are concerned, Azam has just 35 runs from three matches while Southern Punjab captain Sohaib, who was the player of the tournament at the last Pakistan Super League, has just 42 runs from three matches.

The two players whose inclusion in the World Cup squad saw chief selector Mohammad Wasim come under fire, Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah, have also had poor returns. Khushdil has 51 runs from three outings while Asif has 53 from two.

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FIA asked to investigate who made money from construction of roads: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been tasked with investigating which individuals had siphoned funds from road construction projects in the country.

Addressing a groundbreaking ceremony in Islamabad for the rehabilitation and upgradation of Balochistan's Jhaljao-Bela Road, the prime minister said the per kilometre cost for the project was cheaper than the cost in the PML-N's tenure despite inflation since then.

"I am thinking if we had made roads at the same rate as today, how much money we would have saved for more roads. This is the loss to the nation that when corrupt people come [in power], they actually steal the nation's wealth.

"I have tasked my team to fully investigate money stolen on [construction of] roads [...] I have also given the FIA the mandate to investigate and bring before the nation who is responsible and who made so much money," the prime minister said.

He added that people should know how much they lose out on due to corruption.

Regarding the project itself, the premier said it was very necessary for Balochistan. He said due to the vastness of Balochistan was, development could not be pursued there without first connecting the region.

He attributed a major reason for the lack of Balochistan's development to the approach of past governments.

"The government which [only] thinks of its five-year election will never develop Balochistan because in that [same] amount of money, it could spend on many places in central Punjab which have a high population and it thinks it is better for it to win the election."

The premier said if Balochistan was to be developed, it would have to be seen as an overall part of Pakistan and all areas of the country would have to be raised up similarly. "We can raise [them] when development is funnelled to those areas which have been left behind," he added.

He explained that raising neglected and backward areas up would not only benefit them but the entire country as well. "This thinking will only come when there is long-term planning in Pakistan [...] if you're just thinking about the election, then the country will never move forward," the prime minister said.

The premier also held the province's politicians responsible for the situation, saying they too thought about promoting development in their constituencies for the sake of electoral success instead of thinking about Balochistan.

Outlining his government's ideology, the prime minister said: "A country cannot become strong and move forward until there is equitable development which raises all [areas] of the country up. My government has tried since coming into power to help all those areas that have been left behind."

Scorecard

At the end of his tenure, the premier said he hoped to show a "scorecard", which would reflect that the federal and provincial governments had together achieved the kind of development in five years hitherto never done before in Balochistan's history.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Jhaljao-Bela Road project will "facilitate the movement of the people of Balochistan to other areas and increase their economic, social, industrial, commercial, agricultural, tourism and cultural activities."

It will also create around 3,000 job opportunities for locals, the statement added.

"Jhaljao-Bela Road is also of special importance for the development of trade relations with Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian states," the PMO said.

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