g PREMIER SHEHBAZ LAUDS PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYING MR TRUMP PROVED, BEYOND ANY DOUBT, HE IS A MAN OF PEACE, ADVOCATING FOR TRADE AND INVESTMENT
g MENTIONS SHARED DEMOCRATIC VALUES BETWEEN TWO NATIONS, CITING WISDOM OF US FOUNDING FATHERS, THEIR ALIGNMENT WITH IDEALS OF PAKISTAN ’S FOUNDER
Pakistan, India ‘ought to work together ’ to combat menace of terrorism: Bilawal
regional peace, emphasizing that “if the premier spy agencies” of both Pakistan and India “sit together” there could be a significant decline in terrorist activities in the region Bilawal in a strongly worded press conference at the United Nations,
At the UN he held several meetings with ambassadors from the Security Council (UNSC) members, including the US, France, and the current president of Guyana “Narendra Modi is essentially a Temu copy of the Israeli Prime Minister Bilawal drew parallels between India s actions in Kashmir and Israel s settler model in Palestine, saying “Narendra Modi was the Butcher of Gujarat, then of Kashmir, and now he seeks to trample the ancient Sindh civilization He criticised New Delhi s unilateral changes in Kashmir saying they were inspired by Israel s occupation tactics India is unfortunately learning from the worst examples,” he added
Ministr y of
repor t
Citing
In a significant diplomatic victory Pakistan has been named vice-chair of the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) Counter-Terrorism Committee, tasked with overseeing implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) concerning international anti-terror efforts according to an official statement issued by Pakistan s mission to UN on Wednesday Islamabad has played an active role in promoting the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and made significant contributions to international peace and security, including its role as one of the leading troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions across the world It was elected to the UN Security Council in June 2024 and replaced Japan in the Asian seat Pakistan had been one of the worst victims of terrorism for over two decades as the country loss more than 80,000 lives and thousands more injured
Pakistan has time and again raised the issued of India sponsoring and backing terrorist groups such
as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) to carry out attacks inside Pakistan Ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours plunged to the lowest levels following recent standoff over killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, that the New Delhi blamed on Islamabad Pakistan categorically rejected the allegation while offering a transparent probe int the incident and drew the international community s attention to Indian proxies involved in terrorism inside the country According to a statement issued by Pakistan s Permanent Mission to the UN today, Pakistan has also been appointed as Chair of the UN Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) which oversees the implementation of the sanctions measures on the Taliban In further recognition of its diplomatic engagement Pakistan has also been appointed Co-Chair of the Security Council s Informal Working Group (IWG) on documentation and working methods, as well as
the country, the statement concluded The ISPR asserted that security forces remain fully committed to rooting out all Indian-sponsored terrorist elements from Pakistani soil Yesterday Pakistan security forces killed seven terrorists associated with Fitna al Hindustan in two separate IBOs in Balochistan As per details security forces conducted IBOs in Machh and Kalat against the Fitna al-Hindustan , resulting in the killing of seven India-backed terrorists Last month, security forces killed nine terrorists “sponsored” by India during a series of operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa according to the ISPR Last month DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry accused India of activating its assets to intensify terrorist attacks in Pakistan presenting irrefutable evidence of Indian statesponsored terrorism directed by Indian military personnel “Post-Pahalgam, because of the designs of terrorism that they have they tasked all their assets
Soho Square Pakistan
According to a
Minister ’s Office, the solar shift is part of a larger restructuring agenda that also includes the resumption of previously suspended train services The Bolan Mail has recently been relaunched as a daily service while Dera Ghazi Khan Express and Khushhal Khan Khattak Express have also resumed operations Meanwhile, concrete sleeper factories in Sukkur, Khanewal, and Kohat are being outsourced under public-private partnership models The same approach is being applied to railway-run hospitals schools colleges and rest houses located in major cities including Karachi Lahore Peshawar Quetta Multan and Sukkur The Royal Palm Golf and Country Club in Lahore is being auctioned, and the government has hinted at developing a five-star hotel on the premises Efforts to digitise Pakistan Railways are being fast-tracked with a comprehensive overhaul of the IT Directorate already underway Several subsidiaries
and units including Pakistan Railways Advisory & Consultancy Services, Railcop, the Freight Transport Company, and the Project Implementation Unit have been dissolved as part of institutional streamlining Additionally, the recovery of railway land worth Rs10 billion has been reported In collaboration with the Punjab government several infrastructure projects are under execution These include a proposed high-speed train service between Lahore and
Ministr y of Commerce expresses doubts over $60b expor t target by 2029: repor t
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
The ministry is also addressing inefficiencies in the domestic market including streamlining the clearance process for imported inputs essential for export industries Existing export facilitation schemes are being revamped for better targeting and the Ministry is pursuing expedited refund claims to support exporters The ministry also emphasised sector-specific roadmaps for agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, mining, and textiles, with a focus on increasing non-textile product exports Progress has already been made in the manufacturing mining and agriculture sectors, which are showing growth in both value and share of total exports However, the Ministry acknowledged that foreign direct investment (FDI) industrial relocation and mineral exploration are critical factors in achieving the target External challenges such as US tariffs and the global market slowdown continue to pose significant risks to the export sector The Ministry of Commerce remains at the forefront of efforts to improve Pakistan s export competitiveness but achieving the $60 billion target by 2029 will depend on overcoming a series of complex hurdles
Pakistan desires to strengthen economic par tnership with Belarus: PM
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
The delegation included Belarusian Ambassador to Pakistan Andrei Metelitsa, Commander of the Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense Major General Andrei Yulianovich Lukyanovich and officials from the Belarusian defense ministry
The prime minister said that cooperation with Belarus in information technology and d
strengthened He recalled that during his visit to Belarus this year, several memorandums
expand bilateral relations
Apprising the delegation of Pakistan s stance regarding the recent tension in South Asia, he said that Pakistan offered India an impartial investigation into the Pehelgam incident, but instead of responding positively, India demonstrated aggression by attacking Pakistan and targeting civilian populations
it was trying to impose on the region We can t leave the fate of
or
billion people in the hands of non-state actors and terrorists, allowing them to decide on a whim that two nuclear-armed powers should go to war ” He also reminded the international community of India s past admission During the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, the Indian government acknowledged its involvement in terrorist activities in
confirmed He has been in our custody since 2017 At the UN the Pakistani delegation
resulting in the martyrdom of innocent civilians
The prime minister said that on May 10 Pakistan responded befittingly to Indian aggression in self-defense Conveying President Lukashenko s good wishes to the prime minister, the Belarusian defense minister said that they desired peace and stability in South Asia He said that the delegation’s visit was aimed at further advancing the progress on MoUs and agreements between the two countries The minister appreciated Prime Minister Shehbaz s personal interest in strengthening bilateral relations and also thanked him for the warm welcome and hospitality The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Federal Minister for Defense Production Reza Hayat Haraj, and relevant senior government officials
the UNSC members, including some of
y developments in South Asia, following India’s recent military aggression and unilateral actions The meetings on Tuesday included the permanent representatives to the UN from the US, Guyana [the UNSC president for the month of June], France and officials from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) France is one of the closest allies of India and the meeting of the Pakistani delegation with the French Ambassador to the United Nations was significant keeping in view that the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) shot down French-made Rafale jets on the night of May 6 and 7 An official handout said that Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont met with the Pakistani parliamentary delegation Bilawal apprised the French envoy of the
grave consequences arising from India s baseless attribution of the Pahalgam attack to Pakistan without any credible investigation or evidence The delegation briefed the French ambassador regarding the alarming security developments in South Asia following India s recent military aggression and unilateral actions in violation of the international law that threatened the fragile strategic balance in the region The PPP chairman maintained that Pakistan had fulfilled its responsibilities by taking decisive action against all militant groups but India had failed to respond meaningfully to Pakistan s concerns To this day, India has not taken any serious step to address our reservations regarding cross-border terrorism ” He emphasized Pakistan’s willingness to engage in dialogue We are ready to discuss all issues All our cards are on the table he said
COMMENT
TH E PTI had seemed a little out of it recently, but now it seems that it is trying to shake off the frozen-ness by firstly putting its house in order internally The appointment on Tuesday of former PM Imran Khan as patron-in-chief of the PTI is to be seen within that context The PTI has been a little out of it and has been in the news for all the wrong reasons mostly infighting within the party Parties out of office are subject to this jockeying for position but the PTI is finding its possession of office within one province something of a problem Leading party members are in opposition, while others enjoy the perks and privileges of power that are all that some seek, and are a necessary recognition that they can deliver, for those who actually want to do something KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur is a prime example of someone enjoying the sweets of office while the party leader is in jail PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan has announced that he will not be leading the next PTI movement Mr Gandapur was responsible for the fiasco at D-Chowk on November 24, though the PTI tried to salvage something by claiming that its workers had been killed by law enforcers firing Mr Khan s assumption of the position of patronin-chief must be seen as an attempt to evade the ban on convicts from holding office in political parties which led to the election of Mr Gohar Ali Khan as party chairman Indeed Mr Gohar Ali Khan had to clarify that he was not bering dismissed What view the Election Commission of Pakistan will take of the PTI having someone who can give the Chairman orders is not known However, it should be noted that the PTI constitution does not contain the office of a patron-in-chief Mr Khan has apparently posed his party a conundrum He is to lead the party from behind bars Even more than an election, a movement needs motivators present and able to receive information instantaneously, and give decisions at the same pace The PTI really has two dilemmas: Mr Khan is not just its best campaigner; he is its only campaigner Second, it has to reengage the support its lost during the recent Indo-Pak crisis when the government not only did not trip over its own feat but actually did quite well
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Tstatement comes after India s disgraceful defeat in the dogfight against Pakistan s air force He further added that I wanted to raise this question for the world: are nuclear weapons safe in the hands of a rogue and irresponsible nation?” Additionally this statement was made at a time when the situation was very sensitive between the two nuclear rivals On the other hand, the ceasefire agreement has not yet been processed, with constant delays Similarly, blatant statements from Indian leaders are making the situation worse, such as the one by Singh Pakistan strongly condemned India’s remarks on Pakistan s nuclear arsenal Additionally in response to the Indian minister s comments Pakistan s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that These irresponsible remarks reveal his profound insecurity and frustration regarding Pakistan’s effective defense and deterrence against Indian aggression through conventional means Pakistan s conventional capabilities are adequate to deter India without the self-imposed nuclear blackmail that New Delhi suffers It is to be noted that Pakistan has repeatedly expressed concerns over the continued “provocative and inflammatory remarks
IN a world drowning in data and dazzled by digital convenience where artificial intelligence shapes futures and billionaires contemplate colonizing Mars, there exists a forgotten strip of land where children do not ask for gadgets or games but for food, for water, for one unbroken night of sleep Gaza once a vibrant bustling urban zone along the Mediterranean is today not merely a war zone but the very embodiment of orchestrated human suffering It is not just the most deprived territory on Earth it is the hungriest cry in the human conscience, echoing through silence, unanswered Under the shadow of drones and missiles, Gaza’s skies no longer carry birds but metallic threats Its hospitals function without electricity its schools have become shelters and its homes are now indistinguishable from rubble Here the concept of famine isn t abstract or distant it is an everyday reality that gnaws at bodies, fractures families, and erodes hope The world calls it a humanitarian crisis, but in truth, it is a manufactured catastrophe the hunger the thirst the lack of medicine and safety they are not accidents of war but weapons in a deliberate strategy of oppression and erasure What is unfolding in Gaza is not merely a siege, but an intentional starvation campaign a war by other means, waged on the stomachs of innocents Mothers are boiling grass,
even if food miraculously arrives, hunger has already claimed its toll This is not collateral damage it is policy It is punishment It is the slow death of a people held hostage not just by an occupying power but by the failure of the world to act Internationally the silence is more deafening than the bombs The world watches, debates, issues sterile
by Indian leadership as a threat to the fragile regional peace In reply to Singh s question the MoFA spokesperson raised questions on India s involvement in repeated theft and illicit trafficking incidents involving nuclear and radioactive material in India He thinks that the IAEA and the international community should be worried about that instead In return he probed the measures taken by New Delhi for the safety and security of nuclear and other radioactive material In the past, there have been several mishaps on India’s account showing its poor safety standards in nuclear energy The spokesman cited certain incidents to remind India of their standing regarding the safety of nuclear energy Citing these incidents he recalled just last year five individuals with a radioactive device reported as allegedly stolen from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) were found in Dehradun, India Likewise, a gang of individuals was found in illegal possession of a highly radioactive and toxic substance californium worth $100 million Three incidents of theft of californium were also reported in 2021 In addition to the ones not cited, there is an endless list of incidents dating since 1994 when the first recorded incident of nuclear smuggling in India took place
To list a few incidents in June 1998 Police arrested a politician in the Indian state of West Bengal who they said was carrying more than 100 kg of uranium On 5 May 2021 more than seven kgs of Uranium were seized in the Indian state of Maharashtra, possessed by unauthorized people Similarly, on 3 June 2021, Indian security agencies arrested seven unauthorized people and seized 6 4 kg of uranium from their possession As per Indian Government officials in 2013 guerrilla fighters in northeast India illegally obtained uranium ore from a government-run milling complex in northeast India and strapped it to high explosives to make a crude bomb before being caught by police The list is very long Such incidents in India show that nuclear arsenals in India are unsafe and not under proper watch Shafaqat Ali Khan also expressed concerns regarding the black market in India He stated that These incidents also suggest the existence of a black market for sensitive dual-use materials inside India” He added that “Pakistan urges a thorough investigation of
statements of concern but takes no meaningful action The USA, a self-professed beacon of democracy and human rights, continues to fund Israel’s military machine veto ceasefire calls at the UN and defends the indefensible European nations whose own histories are steeped in lessons of genocide and fascism fail to recall those lessons as they offer weapons and blank-check diplomacy The global order that once promised to uphold justice has turned into a spectator ’s box for genocide They claim neutrality, but their neutrality has teeth it bites only the victims From the Arab and Muslim world the betrayal stings even more Nations that drape themselves in the cause of Palestine during summits and sermons now engage in backchannel normalization with the very state starving Gaza s children Egypt keeps the Rafah crossing sealed, while Saudi Arabia and others negotiate trade deals and alliances oblivious to the fact that each day their inaction deepens the grave Gaza is being buried in Where are the convoys? Where are the massive mobilizations once seen for far less? Where is the brotherhood the solidarity the rage? Has the weight of luxury dulled the pulse of
Let it be recorded: Gaza was not only star ved of food, but of justice . And in failing Gaza, we are star ving ourselves of our last thread of decency, our last claim to moral civilization
these incidents” and “calls upon India to ensure the safety and security of its nuclear facilities and arsenal
The cumulative incidents of nuclear trafficking in India have set alarms across the world Such disturbing developments in India regarding their nuclear arsenals make India in no position to question Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities and call it a rogue state One should focus on one s safety first rather than start a blame game India has always been involved in the blame game and false flag operations concerning Pakistan That is all India always does The MoFA also criticized Singh’s remarks as “ignorant of the mandate and responsibilities” of the IAEA tasked with verifying that nuclear programmes remain peaceful India s civilian nuclear facilities are subject to the IAEA safeguards under a 2008 agreement but its strategic programme is not A leading US non-proliferation watchdog, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, has a nuclear security index that gave India a low ranking for its poor safety and security of nuclear material This position has not changed since 2020 It has categorized Pakistan as the most improved country in the ranking for countries with weapons-usable nuclear materials India claims to be a responsible nuclear weapon state, but repetitive incidents of theft validate that nuclear material in India is unsafe For India it is important to secure nuclear material at home instead of commenting blatantly regarding Pakistan s nuclear arsenal Ms Nomeen Kassi is a research assistant at Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN), Quetta She is also Ms scholar focusing on India-Pakistan relations
Silent repression
NoMeeN Kassi
Majid Nabi burfat
Eof gardens ” is regrettably now known as the “city of concrete ” There are currently about 14 million people living there across an area of more than 1 770 square km With cities growing and agricultural land being turned into residential and commercial sectors, Pakistan has seen substantial urbanization in recent years With half of Pakistan’s population expected to live in cities by 2050 due to migration from rural areas and a high pace of population increase planners face a significant issue as urban flooding rates rise Because of this unplanned and careless urbanization, wetlands and open places that naturally absorb water have been destroyed, increasing surface runoff when it’s raining a lot The natural flow of water is impeded by encroachments on natural drainage channels including rivers streams and canals Along with other extreme weather events like thunderstorms and hurricanes, urbanization itself contributes to excessive rainfall, which is one of the primary causes of urban floods in the majority of regions of developing nations like ours Pakistan is particularly susceptible to the consequences of climate change such as more frequent and intense rains Rapid and intense rainstorms brought on by shifting weather patterns exceed the current drainage infrastructure and result in urban floods Urban flooding during the rainy season exacerbates a sewage infrastructure that is already in ruins What will happen to all the extra water? Exactly nowhere! Because of altered weather patterns, increased precipitation, melting glaciers, and other factors climate change is one of the main causes of urban flooding Frequently the current infrastructure is overloaded resulting in flooding and waterlogging Simi-
larly rivers that overflow their banks may also be a major factor in the submersion of populated regions Urban sprawl and other human activities affect the environment The main causes of urban flooding in major cities include unsustainable development on natural drainage paths and riverbeds as well as the encroachment of open spaces and agricultural land Waterways are contaminated when natural areas are converted for development, which lowers ground absorption and speeds up surface flow, raising the danger of flooding Poor waste management techniques such as incorrect trash disposal and debris buildup in drains can impede water flow and cause localised flooding Authorities can take a variety of actions
to try to avoid rainfall-induced urban floods including halting the unchecked growth of cities and enhancing infrastructure in general Water and sewerage management authorities must upgrade the drainage system and subterranean pipes to prevent sewers from backing up during the monsoon season in order to prevent urban flooding brought on by rainfall Furthermore it may be wise to install new pipelines to separate wastewater and rainwater It would enable treatment facilities to appropriately handle water without being overloaded by contaminated runoff Additionally responsible government agencies
Karachi These floods cause infrastructure damage disturb daily life and endanger public health by spreading waterborne illnesses In order to internalise urban floods planners and the government must largely agree on how the city should develop and grow without compromising its natural drainage capacity nor causing harm to the environment Lahore previously known as the “city
H o w C h i n e s e d r o n e s c o u l d d e f e a t A m e r i c a
Militar y planners all over the world are scrambling to come up with defenses against the kind of raid that Ukraine just carried out
what we currently use are lumbering expensive systems like the MQ-9 Reaper: Each one of these giant drone planes costs $33 million During the recent U S conflict with the Houthis a conflict in which the U S was essentially defeated the ragtag Yemeni militia shot down at least 7 of these Reaper drones, and possibly as many as 20 America in total has only a few hundred The kind of drones used in the Ukrainian raid on the other hand are FPV drones that stands for first person view These are small battery-powered plastic copters equipped with explosives There are many types but here s one example: These drones cost from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars each, depending on the type Ukraine is currently producing thousands of these drones per day and says it expects to be able to produce over 10 000 although either the base drone (before weapons and other military hardware are added) or the parts used to make the drone typically come from China
Why so many? FPV drones aren t just useful for the kind of long-range surprise attack that Ukraine just carried out In fact, they’re steadily replacing every other type of weapon on the battlefield FPV drones can take out tanks including America’s best tanks They are now estimated to cause 70% of the casualties on the battlefield more than artillery the traditional god of war Here are some excerpts from a Bloomberg explainer: Tens of thousands of the relatively cheap and expendable machines are now buzzing back and forth over the front lines, pinpointing Russian positions, gathering intelligence to anticipate impending assaults colliding with enemy targets or dropping bombs on them
By early 2025 drones were accounting for 60% to 70% of the damage and destruction caused to Russian equipment in the war, according to UK-based think tank the Royal United Services Institute Military commanders around the world are taking note Taiwan is investing in mass-produced drones in anticipation of a possible conflict with China Israel has recalibrated the Iron Dome air defense system in the war in Gaza to account for maneuverable drones one of its biggest blind spots European governments embarking on their largest rearmament since the Cold War have identified drones and counter-drone systems as an investment priority The US Pentagon, which pioneered sophisticated and expensive drones sourced from big arms contractors is looking to buy cheaper ones designed by startups and deployed en masse Small light drones with multiple rotors have become the defining innovation of the war Known as first-person view drones, they are typically controlled in real time via a video feed by an operator who can “see” through an onboard camera using electronic goggles so they can fly beyond the line of sight Social media is full of videos showing the machines closing in on troops armored personnel carriers missile batteries and command posts until the moment of impact, when the picture turns to static Other rotor drones are used to drop grenade-sized explosives on targets and can be reused if they make it back safely
Bloomberg says that the parts used to make Ukraine s drone fleet are bought online , but that is a euphemism They are made in China
An FPV drone is basically: n some injection-molded plastic parts n some trailing edge computer chips (microcontrollers sensors, etc ) n an electric motor made of rare earth permanent magnets n a lithium-ion battery
The U S can still make plenty of trailing-edge computer chips but the rest of these items are all China China China China does a large fraction of the injection molding in the world about 82%, according to one 2024 estimate Currently, I know of no government plan to restore America’s lost capacity in injection molding In fact, Trump’s tariffs if they ever go into effect are expected to severely damage the U S injection molding industry by cutting American injection molding companies off from imports of the specialized equipment they need China also makes most of the electric motors in the world This is because China makes most of the magnets, and an electric motor is basically just made out of magnets The rest of the world is scrambling to add magnet production capacity but for the rest of this decade China will dominate: But this will be hard to accomplish The magnets for electric motors are made out of materials called rare earths which are almost entirely mined and processed in China
In fact, China recently slapped export controls on its sales of rare earths to the U S , causing chaos in a number of U S industries and probably contributing to Trump’s decision to pause his tariffs So far U S efforts
AsmA GhAfoor
Bitter S queeze on the Juice Industr y
being punished by a tax structure that rewards opacity Make no mistake: the government s
they’re part of our food security matrix They offer hydration micronutrients antioxidants and
Iran’s Khamenei says US nuclear proposal against national interest
not been publicly disclosed
The (nuclear) proposal presented by the Americans is 100% against the ideals of the 1979 Islamic revolution, Khamenei said in a televised speech
“If we have 100 nuclear power plants but don’t have enrichment they will be of no use to us because nuclear power plants need fuel to operate he said
If we cannot produce this fuel domestically, we have to reach out to the United States, which may have dozens of conditions ” ‘LESS THAN SATISFACTORY’
“Independence means not waiting for the green light from America and the likes of America Iran s enrichment of uranium has emerged as a major point of contention Trump said on Monday his administration would not allow “any” enrichment despite Tehran s insistence it is its right under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Khamenei said enrichment is key to Iran s nuclear programme and that the United States cannot have a say on the issue
On Monday Iran s lead negotiator Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks in Cairo with Rafael Grossi head of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency In its latest quarterly report last week the IAEA said Iran had further stepped up its production of highly enriched uranium In a separate report it also criticised less than satisfactory cooperation from Tehran, particularly in explaining past cases of nuclear material found at undeclared sites Iran currently enriches uranium to 60% far above the 3 67% limit set in the 2015 deal but still short of the 90% threshold needed for a nuclear warhead The reports came ahead of a planned
IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna later this month which will review Iran s nuclear activities Washington and other Western governments have continued to accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear weapons capability Iran insists its programme is for peaceful purposes only The 2015 deal provided Iran with relief from international sanctions in return for UN-monitored restrictions on its nuclear activities
Pillar of Global Governance in the Past Eight y Years
s ta f f r e p o r t
UNJAB Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday regretted that millions of innocent children in Palestine and Kashmir have unfortunately been falling victims of aggression and brutality by Israeli and Indian forces, saying the entire humanity feels heartfelt grief and sorrow over the innocent children’s smiles being turned into sighs
Chairman CDA leads soft launch of Gandhara Heritage & Citizen Center
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t
Chairman CDA, Chief Commissioner Islamabad and DG Civil Defense Muhammad Ali Randhawa chaired a soft launching ceremony of the Gandhara Heritage and Citizen Center at F-9 Park Islamabad as a chief guest The pre-launch event was attended by CDA Board members of administration finance environment planning and engineering, member technology along with representatives from hotel industry operators and investors The purpose of the soft launch was to operationalize the Gandhara Heritage and Citizen Center under a PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) model
delivery riders The campaign aimed to highlight the importance of riders and underscore the company s commitment to their welfare The weeklong initiative saw active participation from various partners and foodpanda teams, working together to provide safety awareness health-related services and a practical sense of care to the riders
Chairman CDA said that such projects are being initiated in Islamabad for the first time marking an unprecedented development To ensure the project s success, CDA is relying on top financial transaction advisors, including the Best firms Currently, the renowned architect Nayyar Ali Dada and other firms are collaborating with CDA and have developed a comprehensive model for making it functional He said that the revenue generated from such ventures will be reinvested in the welfare of Islamabad s citizens providing them with better facilities Funds will be allocated and utilised for the beautification, maintenance and upgradation of the assets generating the income including the improvement of F9 Park a vision fully aligned with the Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Interior Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi’s goal of maximizing revenue of CDA through its asset optimization
of June every year to encourage awareness and spur action for the protection of environment It is a global call to confront the escalating environmental crises under United Nations Environmental Programme This year s focus Ending Plastic Pollution emphasizes a profound threat to our planet particularly our precious maritime domain The scourge of plastic pollution respects no borders, relentlessly invading our lakes rivers and seas Beyond disfiguring our natural landscapes it degrades habitats cripples eco-systems and endangers countless species This insidious threat directly undermines livelihoods, food security, and the well-being of coastal populations worldwide This is not a distant threat; it is a clear and present danger
For Pakistan with its extensive coastline supporting millions and
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhwa said that the project will be executed professionally, prioritizing heritage, cultural significance and green spaces All revenue generated will be reinvested into the project He said that such initiatives also create employment opportunities and activate underutilized assets
harbouring a rich marine biodiversity the stakes are exceptionally high Our seas face relentless pressure from human activity with marine pollution, driven significantly by plastic, posing an existential risk to this invaluable national asset Pakistan with a thriving maritime economy is deeply impacted by the state of our seas Karachi harbour a critical maritime hub and ecological zone, continues to suffer from the indiscriminate disposal of solid waste, hazardous industrial
discharge, untreated sewage and plastic debris These pollutants not only degrade the marine environment but also hurt marine life threaten biodiversity and endanger human health Pakistan Navy in concert with maritime stakeholders is playing a proactive role in improving environmental conditions of Karachi harbour by taking various initiatives However the extent of pollutants being discharged and dumped into the sea is way beyond the scale of our efforts There is a need to adopt a two-pronged strategy; first to stem the waste disposal i e industrial effluents, oil spills and solid waste plastics being non-destructive and most detrimental that find their way into the sea invariably accentuated by rains and the second to collect waste that has already reached our ports and anchorage by investing and committing more resources to clean harbours and make them safer for our shipping and aquatic activities
Pakistan s leading telecom and ICT services provider Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has teamed up with renowned technology solutions provider, DWP Technologies to integrate software driven Enterprise and Mid-tier storage platforms from Dell Technologies to modernize its data center infrastructure A signing ceremony was held in Islamabad to formalize the partnership, attended by Jafar Khalid, Group Chief Technology and Information Officer PTCL & Ufone 4G and Rohail Bashir Chief Operating Officer DWP Technologies (Pvt ) Ltd along with senior management from PTCL Group, DWP and Dell Technologies As part of its ongoing digital transformation journey, PTCL is focused on upgrading its storage infrastructure to boost operational efficiency enhance performance and ensure scalability to meet the growing data demands of its network This modernization effort will streamline PTCL’s operations and solidify its position as a leader in the telecommunications sector The current mission-critical platform and ecosystem supporting PTCL and Ufone4G which spans three sites using enterprise replication services (SRDF), will remain fully supported and maintained throughout this initiative ensuring uninterrupted operations and business continuity
delivery and operational effectiveness It incorporates a three-site active-active metro architecture as part of an enhanced availability initiative allowing PTCL to maintain continuous service even during localized disruptions Additionally the platform is built with scalability in mind capable of accommodating the future needs of PTCL Group
The transformation also features significant operational benefits including drastic reduction in PTCL s Data Center footprint along with its power and cooling requirements leading to lower operational costs and greater energy efficiency Sharing his thoughts, Jafar Khalid Group Chief Technology & Information Officer PTCL & Ufone 4G said This collaboration marks a significant milestone in PTCL s digital
The upgraded infrastructure introduces several advanced features designed to elevate PTCL s service
China welcomes Pakistan, Afghanistan’s
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday rejected the results of the recent by-election to Punjab Assembly constituency PP-38 Sambarial and accused the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, of massive electoral fraud, vote-rigging, and intimidation of voters and polling staff ” Addressing a joint press conference at KP House in Islamabad on Wednesday PTI Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram alongside PTI s Punjab Chief Organizer Alia Hamza, described the by-election outright rigging and not an election ” He alleged that the entire electoral process was disregarded and law enforcement agencies rather than ensur-
ing order played a central role in disrupting the democratic exercise Waqas Akram detailed a series of incidents, stating that PTI polling agents were forcibly removed from polling stations, voters were harassed, and pre-filled ballot boxes were brought in and exchanged during the vote count
He further claimed that PTI s election camps were dismantled and that many polling stations were specifically targeted to engineer a favorable outcome for PML-N
“The counting process must legally take place in the presence of polling agents and their signatures on the final certified forms are mandatory Akram emphasized
But this was not followed Everything was pre-planned,” he added, as-
serting that the election was “rigged systematically and deliberately ”
He also recalled that PTI s late candidate who had previously contested from the same constituency had secured 58,000 votes, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the current low voter turnout
“Turnout was extremely low, PML-N workers were absent from the field and their camps remained empty This entire episode was a fraud and we refuse to accept these results he said
Speaking on the occasion, Alia Hamza claimed that the party had gathered substantial evidence of rigging and irregularities
She stated that these will be presented both in courts and to the public highlighting that PTI was committed to peaceful and legal methods to challenge the manipulated outcome “This was not just electoral manipulation; it was an assault on democracy itself ” she said
Despite all state-backed efforts to suppress us our resolve remains firm and our struggle will continue Sheikh Waqas praised Alia Hamza for leading a determined campaign and condemned the attempts to undermine PTI’s "Patron-in-Chief" stating that “the efforts to erase our leader from the hearts of the people have failed
He reaffirmed that PTI will continue its campaign for the release of the Patron-in-Chief, restoration of the party’s public mandate, and the reversal of the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment
