Tag Archives: east

Italy

Saudi Arabia hands over the G20 presidency to Italy as the Riyadh summit ends | Instant News


RIYADH: After successfully completing the G20 summit in Riyadh on Sunday, Italy took over the forum’s annual rotating presidency from Saudi Arabia during the ceremonial ceremony.

The two-day summit, the 15th forum meeting, brings together economic leaders who account for about 85 percent of global gross domestic product to discuss the most challenging socio-economic issues.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman officially handed over the presidency of the G20 to Italy, which will chair next year’s summit of leaders.

Delivering a short speech to mark the occasion, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the decision had been taken that the focus of the world’s premier forum for economic cooperation would continue to be “people, planet and prosperity.”


The King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman delivered a speech during the second session of the G20 summit, which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, in Riyadh. (Photo by AFP / Saudi Royal Palace / Bandar Al-Jaloud)
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He told fellow G20 leaders on the summit’s closing day: “To achieve a safe and sustainable world, we must first restore the balance between people and nature. On this basis, we will then support economic recovery, advance women’s empowerment, and tackle poverty and inequality, both new and old, so that nothing is left behind. “

The G20 will “facilitate the energy transition and combat climate change, take advantage of the great opportunities that come from digitization and enhance the multilateral trading system, based on the principles of transparency, non-discrimination and inclusiveness, to adopt a multilateral approach that is correct and efficient,” he added.

Conte underlined the importance of joint efforts towards a better future. “The target will only be achieved if we work together, unite as a global community with intentions, cooperation and solidarity,” he said.

“If there are very clear lessons that we have learned in recent months, no country can win the global challenge alone. This pandemic clearly shows that we cannot do it alone, ”he added.

“In today’s world, which is so intertwined and interdependent, multilateralism is not one of many options – it is the only viable option.”


Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte attended the virtual summit. (Twitter Photo)

Conte said he was confident that Italy could count on the support of all G20 member states during his presidency, which will culminate in the 2021 G20 Leaders Summit on October 30-31 in his country.

The G20 presidency rotates among member countries. Each presidency usually concludes with the G20 Leaders Summit, a powerful gathering of heads of state which debuted in 2008. Saudi Arabia became the first Arab country to take on the role in December 2019.

The normal G20 calendar was changed due to restrictions imposed across forum memberships in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Leaders and ministers have held virtual meetings since March to coordinate the international response to the crisis and put the global economy on a recovery path.

In his closing remarks at the end of the summit in Riyadh, King Salman said the G20 countries had succeeded in sending a message of hope and assurance to their citizens and the global community.

IN NUMBER

  • $ 11 TRILLION – Combined G20 support for individuals, businesses during the pandemic.

Referring to the latest statement, he said: “It is my honor to announce that the G20 members have adopted this communique. This is what the world expects of us. Today’s achievements are the culmination of our joint efforts throughout this challenging year. “

He added: “Our collective and individual action will be critical in addressing the immediate global challenges we face. Going forward, through empowering people, safeguarding the planet and shaping new frontiers, we will work to lay the groundwork for achieving the central theme of our presidency: Realizing the opportunities of the 21st century for all. “

King Salman said the G20 countries have upheld their commitment to work together to face the pandemic and to protect lives and livelihoods.

“We have adopted important policies that will achieve recovery towards a resilient, sustainable, inclusive and balanced economy,” he added.

“This policy will also maintain momentum for the global trade system to work for all, and create the conditions for achieving sustainable growth.”

King Salman said that although this is the first time Saudi Arabia has held the presidency, it is able to “answer the challenges” amid the pandemic with the support of member states.

“Due to its unique stature regionally and internationally, connecting three continents and located at the crossroads of emerging and developing markets, the Kingdom will continue to play a key role in the G20 to achieve global cooperation and find solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges,” he added.

The summit’s final statement said: “We, the leaders of the G20, are meeting for the second time under the Saudi presidency, united in our belief that coordinated global action, solidarity and multilateral cooperation is more needed now than ever to overcome current challenges and. realizing the opportunities of the 21st century for all by empowering people, protecting the planet and shaping new frontiers. “


In his closing remarks at the G20 Riyadh summit, King Salman said that although this is the first time Saudi Arabia has assumed the presidency, it is able to “rise to the challenges” amid the pandemic. (Arab News photo by Basheer Saleh)

G20 leaders also vowed to “make no effort” to ensure fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and drugs worldwide.

“We are taking immediate and extraordinary action to address the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated health, social and economic impacts, including through the implementation of unprecedented fiscal, monetary and financial stability measures,” the statement said.

“We recognize the role of extensive immunization as a global public good. We laud the Saudi presidency for initiating discussions on the need for long-term solutions to address gaps in global pandemic preparedness and response. “

Along with tackling the pandemic, the statement calls for protecting the planet and continuing to act against climate change.

“Preventing environmental degradation, conserving, using sustainably and restoring biodiversity, conserving our oceans, promoting clean air and clean water, responding to natural disasters and extreme weather events, and addressing climate change are among the most pressing challenges of our time,” the statement said. the said.

During the leadership of Saudi Arabia in the G20, there were 170 meetings involving the ministers of finance, trade and investment, health, education, energy, climate, anti-corruption, agriculture, environment, employment, tourism, digital economy, water and foreign affairs.

In addition, civil society and business groups are represented by eight engagement groups: Business 20, Youth 20, Workforce 20, Think 20, Civil 20, Women 20, Science 20, and Urban 20.

They held eight summits and issued eight final statements with the aim of bringing the views of civil society and the private sector to the table for policymaking.

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Indonesia: @Lujen

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pakistan

Pakistani police who arrested rapist say wife, daughter ‘real hero’ | Instant News


KARACHI: A Pakistani police officer who was applauded for arresting a rape suspect, in an incident that sent shockwaves across the country earlier this month, praised his wife and daughter for being “real heroes” in the case after they risked their lives to help him catch criminals that.

“They are my true heroes: my daughter and my wife. They are doing a noble job, ”said the officer, Mohammed Bux Buriro, told Arab News in an interview earlier this week.

The gruesome attack took place in the remote district of Kashmore, in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, when a woman from Karachi – some 600 kilometers away – arrived with her four-year-old daughter to accept a job offer from a suspected rapist. , Rafiq Malak.

Malak, who was supposed to help her, locked up and reportedly raped the two of them for several days and only allowed her mother to leave after promising that she would take him another woman. The four-year-old was held hostage as he awaited his mother’s return.

After being released, the woman reported the crime. Buriro said he was sitting in a police station in Kashmore when he arrived “with tears in his eyes” and described his plight.

Without hesitation, the assistant sub-inspector set out to find the girl, even though it cost the lives of his own wife and daughter.

“I told my wife to set him up. I said to him, ‘If I am at home, I will guide you; otherwise keep talking to him, ‘”he said, when they were in contact with the rapist.

It is dangerous, too, because the ultra-conservative tribal region bordering Balochistan and Punjab is notorious for honor killings.

“Our district does not have female policemen, but even if there were, I would not risk her life,” said Buriro, explaining that a woman can be killed simply by talking to a man who is not a member of her family.

“Our society is a dirty society where a woman is looked at with dirty eyes; he is considered inferior, “he said.

For two days, Buriro’s wife was engaged to Malak by talking to him on the phone but was unable to catch him.

On the third day, 9 November, their teenage daughter, Reshma, trapped Malak into a trap acting as bait.

Reshma told the rapist that she was going to travel from Karachi and then met him at a park in Kashmore.

With Reshma talking to Malak, Buriro was on guard, ready for action.

He told Reshma that if Malak tries to run away he must try and stop him.

“When he asked her to take off her head scarf, it grabbed him by the neck,” said Buriro.

His team members were at the scene and immediately arrested the man.

During the interrogation, the rapist revealed details of the location where he had hidden the child.

But when officers started looking for the girl in different parts of the house, they were unable to track her down.

They finally managed to find him after Buriro saw him moving under the dirty cloth. He cried when he realized that it was the girl.

“It’s very difficult to see a child like that; my whole team was crying, “he said.

After the rescue operation, Buriro received a lot of praise, from top police and public officials to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“I am very happy that the prime minister called a small employee like me and gave me that importance,” said Buriro, recalling his conversation with Khan.

“He stood up and saluted me with both hands.”

Days after his conversation with Buriro, Khan announced that his government would introduce “strict” and “holistic” anti-rape laws to address “loopholes” in existing legislation.

“Talked to ASI Buriro and praised the initiative & courage of his daughter & daughter in arresting Kashmore rapist,” Khan tweeted on November 14th.

“The nation is proud of them & he has raised the image of the police in a positive way. Next week we’ll bring in a strict holistic anti-rape law that closes all loopholes. “

Pakistan has imposed harsh penalties for rape – 10-25 years in prison for rape and life or death imprisonment for gang rape – although these are rarely enforced.

The latest incident, however, was condemned by the United Nations as well, with officials from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Islamabad expressing “deep shock” at the crime.

“UNICEF strongly condemns the heinous attack on a child,” said Aida Girma, UNICEF’s representative in Pakistan, in a statement released a week ago.

“While it is very encouraging to see the police succeed in rescuing the child and arresting one of the suspected perpetrators, greater efforts should be made to develop mechanisms that help prevent child sexual abuse.”

The UN agency reiterates that “every child has the right to be protected from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse.”

“UNICEF will continue to work with federal, provincial and community authorities to implement effective prevention mechanisms and improve child safety,” the statement said.

In September, the gang-rape of a woman in front of her young children and along one of the country’s safest highways sparked angry outcries as activists and citizens demanded the government do more to stem violence against women, including ensuring the perpetrators asked to be accounted for. in a country that has seen more than 3,500 rapes this year alone.

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Switzerland

Zurich Insurance is close to a $ 4 billion deal for a unit of MetLife | Instant News


Live in Abu Dhabi and go to work in Riyadh? Starting your two hour trip in Jeddah to Dubai? Day trip from Riyadh to Makkah?

This futuristic notion could become a reality in the era of hyperloop, fast transit technology that will change everyday life in the Middle East, and around the world, over the next decade.

Harj Dhaliwal, managing director for the Middle East and India at Virgin Hyperloop Group, is more confident than ever that hyperloop technology is the future transport system after the first successful test of passenger transport on a desert route in Nevada in weeks. then.

“The US Secretary of Transportation (Elaine Chao) said hyperloops were the most interesting thing that happened to transportation today, and you have to agree with him. Once this technology is proven, high speed rail will be a thing of the past, “he told Arab News.

Derived from Dhaliwal, quite a claim. His career, initially focused on transportation projects in the UK, has developed into sophisticated rail systems in the Middle East, including the Etihad Rail project in the UAE and the Riyadh Metro in Saudi Arabia, for the US group Parsons. But the hyperloop will change the basics of travel forever, he believes.

“Why would anyone want to invest billions in technology that was basically a steel wheel on a steel rail, effectively 150 years ago, when they had hyperloop potential?” He asked.

Dhaliwal acknowledged that railways will still have a role in the region – in the movement of heavy bulk goods and petrochemicals, for example – but hyperloops are the technology of the future, and no more so than in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this year, the company signed an agreement with the Kingdom’s transport ministry to study the potential for a hyperloop, which involves building a test line facility and other technological infrastructure.

The agreement could mark a closer financial relationship between Saudi Arabia and Virgin Hyperloop, which has so far raised $ 400 million from investors including DP World, a UAE port and logistics company, but which needs more resources to fund the next stage of its evolution.

Saudi Arabia will be one of three strategic centers for the Hyperloop, with others in India and the US. The company recently announced plans to build a $ 500 million testing and certification center in West Virginia.

“We envision a similar facility in Saudi Arabia to connect the Kingdom and the wider Middle East, but also to act as a hub for manufacturing, technology and materials. Europe is not too far (from Saudi Arabia) and you can export technology and materials there, “he said.

The strategy is in line with the objectives of the Vision 2030 diversification plan, he said, which seeks to build a technology-based economy that is less dependent on oil revenues and creates high-value jobs for Kingdom citizens.

BIO

Born: England 1964

Education: Bachelor of engineering, Nottingham Trent University

Career

  • Various roles in UK transport projects

  • Project director, Qatari Diar

  • Senior vice president, Parsons Corp.

  • Managing director, Middle East and India, Virgin Hyperloop

Dhaliwal sees the hyperloop playing an important role in linking several mega-projects planned under the reform plan, such as a technology metropolis under construction at NEOM in the northwest of the Kingdom, a sprawling theme park planned in Qiddiya south of Riyadh, and a maritime hub. in the Economic City of King Abdullah on the Red Sea.

He has also collaborated with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, near Jeddah, on the detailed aspects of hyperloop technology.

“We are working on understanding the Kingdom’s transportation requirements. Along with diversifying this increases the opportunities for a company like us to work in partnership with it as it looks to be a leader in the technology sector.

“There are many spin-offs in other technology areas, such as batteries, electric vehicles, solar power and artificial intelligence. It’s not just about transportation from A to B, there are endless opportunities for growth in manufacturing and knowledge, ”he added.

The Nevada test was an important milestone in technological development.

Jay Walder, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop, said: “This is a historically significant step. I don’t think you can overstate it. This is the moment of dawn. I believe this will change the world. “

Dhaliwal takes a more modest view. “That is the culmination of two years of work. Since we started, a lot of people have asked me when people will actually ride it. So, we’ve proven that levitation in a vacuum environment works, and we can safely transport passengers in pods in a floating vacuum, “he said.

Other competing groups are also developing vacuum tube travel similar to hyperloops, and running tests in various parts of the world, but the Nevada trial is the first to bring a human in a pod inside a closed tube. The original idea for this technology came from Elon Musk, billionaire Tesla.

Two Virgin Hyperloop employees traveled the 500 meter test track in 15 seconds, reaching a speed of 172 kph.

“It doesn’t feel that different from the acceleration in a sports car,” said one person. Its speed is limited by the length of the test run, but Virgin Hyperloop has ambitions to move people and goods at speeds in excess of 1,000 km per hour.

That’s roughly the same speed as a commercial jet yacht at 30,000 feet, and it’s no surprise that Dhaliwal used airplane flight terminology – banking, rolls and pitch – to describe the performance of a moving vehicle.

Safety at such speeds is a major concern, and Dhaliwal and other Virgin Hyperloop executives spend considerable time discussing with regulators and certification officials as they work to prove the technology is viable for passengers.

There is no global standard for hyperloop travel, so the technology and associated infrastructure develop its own developed rules, mainly combining US and European regulations, along with local requirements in the Middle East.

“As a company, we have done what we have to do to get regulators and authorities to talk to the industry,” he said.

While all the attention was on the important first passenger journey, Dhaliwal also highlighted the hyperloop’s cargo carrying capabilities, especially when speed and efficiency are prized for the transport of high-value and perishable goods.

“Pods can combine to create convoys, which are by far the most efficient way to transport goods at high speed, and then separate electronically, then assemble again to continue the next part of the journey,” he said.

The ability to move high-value goods is one of the things that attracts DP World, the majority shareholder of Virgin Hyperloop. The UAE company has plans for a sophisticated logistics system at its Jebel Ali hub, and among other centers in the Middle East and elsewhere through its CargoSpeed ​​operations. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of DP Dunia, is also chairman of the Virgin Hyperloop.

Virgin, a business run by entrepreneur Richard Branson, is a minority investor and is also represented on the board. “Virgin is an intrinsic part of the business and we still have a lot of support from them,” said Dhaliwal.

At some stage, Virgin Hyperloop will be looking to add to the $ 400 million investment it has raised so far for expensive businesses building and operating more test facilities and, ultimately, for the first working service, although this is a long way off, perhaps at the end of the decade. .

“The amount we’ve raised is incredible for a startup that’s only six years old, but, yes, we’re going to need more investors and partners. We can always use more, “he said.

With its emphasis on advanced technology and job creation, the Virgin Hyperloop looks natural to Saudi Arabian investors. The Public Investment Fund, the Kingdom’s growing sovereign wealth fund that is behind the mega-project, has prioritized high technology and automation in its plans to help diversify the economy’s strategy.

“We are involved with the government in Saudi Arabia and with people who are running big projects. If there are investment opportunities, we will be very interested in developing them and that is what we are aiming for, “said Dhaliwal.

Assuming hyperloop technology lives up to its promises – and the Nevada passenger tests are a big step in that direction – it could be a game-changer in Saudi Arabia’s logistics and transportation, as well as a critical element in the Vision 2030 diversification plan.

“When I came to Virgin Hyperloop, I had a vision for a connected Bay, to create a ‘virtual territory’ where time and distance are no longer a barrier to work and development. The vision has not diminished, ”said Dhaliwal.

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Marshall islands

North Korea will offer the world a glimpse of its prowess | Instant News


North Korea will offer the world a glimpse of its prowess

An image taken from North Korean state TV shows what appears to be the country’s new missile at a military parade, Pyongyang, October 2020. (AP Photo)

In the next two months, testing of North Korea’s newest long-range missile or nuclear weapon ICBM type could occur. Such activity is a Pyongyang tradition. The move came shortly after the inauguration of Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. In this cycle, the thinking is that Pyongyang will choose to conduct tests sooner rather than later.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week held a Politburo meeting, making a public appearance with his sister, Kim Yo Jong, who is a deputy member of the Politburo, in attendance. The timing is key, given the ongoing global pandemic, which has seen North Korea start taking active action against the coronavirus disease. For that, the leadership sees a strategic opportunity. For Pyongyang, America is in a weak position.
North Korea continues its nuclear weapons program and some countries know they are miniature nuclear devices to fit the warheads of its ballistic missiles, while also working with light water reactors. Pyongyang has not carried out a nuclear test since September 2017. That may change soon.
When North Korea revealed its new heavyweight intercontinental ballistic missile at the October 10 military parade, its immediate reaction was that it would test its long-range system soon. A rare nocturnal military parade celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the country’s ruling party, is a spectacle North Korea and viewers around the world must see. Pyongyang wants to show its strength and place in the world. Now, just a month later, developments in the US have helped build some strategic assistance into that picture.
As such, North Korea is likely to send a message to US President-elect Joe Biden that it is a standalone country. During negotiations with the Trump administration, North Korea continued to improve its missile systems and delivery. Arms control is not possible with this regime, given the strong desire of indigenous peoples to become a world power using the “Juche” ideology as a cultural driver. North Korea is achieving a more global role by relying on gimmick, much like Iran with its nuclear program.
The US is already testing its ability to counter these North Korean developments. The Aegis-class destroyers operating near Hawaii this week fired Standard Missile-3 Block II A models, directly hitting mock ICBMs launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The two were flying at hypersonic speeds – a true technological feat – with missiles fired from cross-sea platforms.
This test demonstrates how to defeat ICBM-class targets as part of a layered defense architecture for the US homeland. There are already 44 interceptors in silos in Alaska and California. The distribution of the systems by US naval vessels helps deploy missile defense capabilities by throwing “nets”. This factor is important, as North Korea continues to build missiles with a hypothetical range capability to hit the US mainland. The US missile test is intended to illustrate to North Korea that any further development of its technology base will drain its resources during the pandemic.
The next American administration will be very tough on North Korea. Biden criticized Trump’s engagement with Kim, which, according to the president-elect, weakens US sanctions. Biden called Kim a “thug” and was critical of North Korea during his 2020 presidential election campaign.

Pyongyang is likely to send a message to US President-elect Joe Biden that it is a standalone country.

Dr. Theodore Karasik

The Biden White House also has to contend with another North Korean development: multiple independent targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) technology. Pyongyang’s Hwasong-16 is an MIRV-equipped missile that has the potential to carry multiple nuclear warheads, each capable of striking a different target. The idea is for North Korea’s nuclear-tipped MIRV to overwhelm ballistic missile defenses after launch and in a descending phase. US officials need to think quickly to counter this possibility.
Overall, the administration’s next rhetoric and actions will tell what happens next in terms of US ally alignment. Japan is deeply involved, given that Tokyo is building part of a new American ICBM. Relations with South Korea have also improved due to North Korea’s actions. Pyongyang’s current assertiveness helps unite America’s allies rather than allow them to fight each other. But North Korea is likely to soon give the world an idea of ​​its greatness through visual confirmation or an earthquake of the nuclear site.

  • Dr. Theodore Karasik is a senior advisor for Gulf State Analysis in Washington, DC He is a former RAND Corporation Senior Political Scientist who lived in the UAE for 10 years, with a focus on security issues. Twitter: @tkarasik

Disclaimer: The views expressed by the authors in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect the point of view of the Arabic News

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pakistan

Pakistan will roll out 5G connectivity in 2022 after a ‘tough, clear’ test call | Instant News


KARACHI: Pakistan will launch 5G mobile connectivity in the country in December 2022 after a successful test call between Islamabad and Beijing earlier this month.

Information Technology and Telecommunications Minister Syed Aminul Haque on Sunday told Arab News that the November 4 test had been “an extraordinary experience. The sound was loud and clear, and the video (quality) was good too.

“I think December 2022 is the ideal date (to launch 5G services) because it will take one to two years to upgrade infrastructure and increase fiber optic penetration across the country,” he said.

Once implemented, it will place Pakistan among several emerging market countries – such as Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, India and Sri Lanka – to launch ultra-fast mobile internet services in the next two years.

“This means that when the cutting edge technology comes to Pakistan, it will make great economic progress,” added Haque.

According to a June report by the GSM Association (GSMA), an industry body that represents mobile network operators from around the world, 5G services are expected to grow from “no connection in 2018 to 2.8 billion in 2025.”

About $ 67 billion will be spent on mobile networks in South Asia between 2019 and 2025, with $ 3.5 billion in Pakistan alone, according to the GSMA report.

Haque said that since 5G connectivity works on fiber optic networks, “the government is working on these basic requirements” to facilitate the process.

“We are in touch with relevant stakeholders to improve and modernize infrastructure. We will launch 5G in 2022 and prepare for the (spectrum) auction, “he said.

The minister took part in a trial call – which uses 5G NSA (non-standalone access) technology – between China Mobile Communications Corp., Beijing and Zong in Islamabad.

5G NSA usually relies on 4G network facilities to provide more speed and higher data bandwidth, while a 5G-capable smartphone can connect to 5G or 4G services, depending on network conditions.

The NSA arrangement allows operators to leverage existing network investments in communications and cellular cores, instead of deploying new cores for 5G.

In a statement after the trial, Zong’s chairman and CEO, Wang Hua, said: “5G is almost used on a large scale globally, and its commercialization is growing. Our 5G test call brings Pakistan a step closer to the 5G era where the possibilities are endless for users. “

There are 169 million mobile phone users in the country with 85 million subscribing to 3G / 4G services, according to the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority.

Notable players include Jazz, supported by Netherlands-based Veon Ltd; Telenor Pakistan, supported by the Norwegian state-controlled Telenor; Zong, owned by China Mobile; and Ufone, which is controlled by Pakistan Telecommunication Co. Ltd.

The GSMA predicts that by 2023, the economic contribution of the mobile industry in Pakistan will reach $ 24 billion, contributing 6.6 percent to total gross domestic product.

Meanwhile, mobile phone operators have said that 5G services will “revolutionize” Pakistan’s socio-economic landscape once it is launched in the country.

Maheen Akhtar, head of public relations at Zong, told Arab News: “4G is changing lives and 5G is changing society. It will stimulate socio-economic growth, promote smart connectivity and cloud network synergies, and support the transformation of traditional industrial, digital and intelligent networks.

“It will also create new opportunities for social development and promote open sharing and overall use of resources, rational allocation and efficient collaboration,” he said.

Haque said that with “4G penetration at a speed of 2 million users per month,” it is expected to take the lead in Pakistan by 2022, reaching 129 million connections by 2025.

While the rollout of 5G connectivity could represent even greater success for Pakistan’s telecommunications sector, it could also be a cost concern for some of the countries that have the highest paying taxes and fees for consumers and mobile operators among developing countries in Asia.

Consumers pay about six types of levies while operators pay 11, including a corporate income tax of 30 percent. The tax directory issued by the Federal Revenue Council for the 2017 tax year lists Telenor and Jazz among the top corporate taxpayers in the country.

Haque, however, pointed out that “taxes will be cut through policy measures” in the coming weeks.

“What is certain is that I think the tax should be minimal,” he said, adding that the ministry, in consultation with all stakeholders, had “made a policy that has been endorsed by the ECC (the economic coordinating committee) and after that it will enter the Cabinet.

“You will see in the next few weeks a clear tax policy will come out through tax breaks,” he said.

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