g PREMIER SAYS MARTYRS DREW A LINE WITH THEIR BLOOD WHILE DEFENDING COUNTRY AND THIS LINE COULDN ’T BE VIOLATED
g APPRECIATES BLOOMBERG REPORT WHICH RANKED PAKISTAN A S THE SECOND -BEST EMERGING ECONOMY AFTER TURKEY
g STRESSES ACHIEVEMENTS ON ECONOMIC AND DIPLOMATIC FRONTS WILL COME TO NAUGHT IF TERRORISM NOT ELIMINATED
Sharif Thursday said
federal cabinet meeting here on Thursday, the premier gave details of the recent incidents during which army officers and Jawans embraced martyrdom while conducting operations against terrorists of Fitna al-Khawarij He said he along with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir high ranking military officers and Jawans on Wednesday attended the funeral prayers of Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Tariq and Major Tayyab Rahat They were among the eleven army
Seven khwarij neutralized, Army Major mar t yred in Daraban
A Pakistan Army officer, Major Sibtain Haider, embraced martyrdom while seven terrorists belonging to the Indian proxy Fitna al-Khwarij were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Intelligence-Based Operation (IBO) in Dera Ismail Khan s Daraban area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military s media wing said on Thursday In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said “Security forces conducted an IBO on 8 October 2025 in the general area of Daraban on the reported presence of Khwarij belonging to the Indian proxy, Fitna al Khwarij During the operation, security forces effectively engaged the terrorists’ hideout, resulting in the killing of 7 Indian-sponsored Khwarij However during the intense fire exchange 30-year-old Major Sibtain Haider a resident of Quetta paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat the ISPR said, adding the brave officer was leading his troops from the front and fought gallantly “Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed Khwarij who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies as well as the killing of innocent civilians, the statement said Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored Kharji found in the area, as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of Indiansponsored terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave sons further strengthen our resolve, the statement added Later, the funeral prayer of Major Sibtain Haider Shaheed (age: 30 years, resident of District Quetta) who embraced martyrdom in the general area of Daraban Dera Ismail Khan was offered at Chaklala Garrison in Rawalpindi Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir the information minister, military and civil officers, and the public attended the funeral
ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t
The Supreme Court s eight-member Constitutional Bench (CB) on Thursday raised crucial questions about whether it had the judicial authority to order the formation of a full court as arguments continued on challenges to the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment a law that redefined judicial powers appointments and tenure Senior lawyer Munir A Malik argued
ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p
men who embraced martyrdom in Orakzai while fighting against terrorists of Fitna al-Khawarij, he added He said Lt Colonel Junaid wrote a new chapter of bravery as during the operation led by him 19 terrorists of Fitna al-Khwarij were eliminated During another operation against Fitna al-Khawarij Major Sibtain Haider embraced martyrdom he said adding he talked to the parents and family members of the martyrs who said their sons gave their lives for the country and gained martyrdom He said brave officers and Jawans of Pakistan army were laying down their lives for the country during their operations against Fitna al-Khawarij every day The martyrs were leaving behind their children as orphans while saving the future generations of the country he remarked He said facilitators were protecting the terrorists who were coming
from across the border He stressed that the situation had reached a critical point and the terrorists will not be spared The martyrs drew a line with their blood while defending their country and this line could not be violated he continued The sacrifices of the martyrs will be remembered forever he remarked
He said achievements of the country on the economic and diplomatic fronts will come to naught if terrorism was not eliminated Talking about his meetings during the United Nations General Assembly session he said Pakistan had a consistent stance on Palestine for the last 77 years The Palestine issue remained a cornerstone of Pakistan s foreign policy, he said, adding Pakistan always wanted that an immediate ceasefire should be reached in Gaza and people of Palestine should be given their right to self-determination
Sohail Afridi’s nomination meant to ‘promote and protect’ ter ror networks, claims Tarar
o R t
Information Minister Ataullah Tarar on Thursday accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan of being the chief sponsor of terrorists, alleging that he facilitated their return and shelter in Pakistan during his tenure and continues to support their network through loyalists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
The PTI founder s nomination of Sohail Afridi as KhyberPakhtunkhwa-designate aims at “completely supporting and promoting” terrorists and their facilitators ” Information Minister Atta Tarar said while addressing a joint press conference in Islamabad alongside Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Information and K-P Affairs Ikhtiar Wali Khan
“The person sitting in jail is the chief sponsor of terrorists he said adding that those behind recent unrest and security incidents received direct support from the former premier “These facilitators will not succeed in destabilising Pakistan ” The
eight-judge CB headed by Justice Aminuddin
PAKISTAN TO INTRODUCE NEW LICENSING POLICY FOR BIL ATERAL BUSINESS CHAMBERS
g AGRICULTURE SEC TOR HIT HARDEST, ACCOUNTING FOR RS439B OF TOTAL LOSSES; FUND RE VIE WS SITUATION, WITH FURTHER TALKS SCHEDULED TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES
the cotton crop destroyed, and significant losses in rice, sugarcane, and maize production The services sector faced Rs257 billion in losses with the transport and storage subsector seeing the highest damage of Rs150 billion The industrial
KEY SUSPECT IN RS40B KOHISTAN FINANCIAL SCAM NABBED: REPORT
February this
Justice Mandokhail told Malik that whether willingly or not, Supreme Court judges have accepted the 26th Amendment, suggesting that the debate now was largely procedural Following Malik’s arguments, former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Abid Shahid Zuberi began his submissions contending that a full court could be constituted with available judges and that it was not necessary for all 15 to sit When Justice Hilali asked whom the CB could order to form a full court, Zuberi said directives could be issued to the Practice and Procedure Committee which forms benches for cases B A C K G
Aisha Steel Mills, International Steels to challenge hefty CCP fines for c ar telization
steps as needed
The announcements come after the CCP found both steel manufacturers guilty of cartelization and price-fixing, imposing a massive penalty of Rs 648 3 million on ASML and Rs 914 2 million on ISL The commission’s order concluded that the two companies had engaged in the most egregious form of cartelization coordinating pricing strategies and exchanging sensitive information, which distorted competition in the flat steel market
The fines represent 1% of each company’s annual turnover for the financial year 2021-2022 The CCP s investigation which began in 2021 found evidence that the cartel operated for over three years, from July 2020 to December 2023
The filings were made in compliance with the Securities Act 2015 and the PSX Rule Book to inform all stakeholders of the material development
PM Shehbaz vows to crush terrorism perpetrated from across border
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
He said Pakistan was among the eight Islamic countries whose leadership held a meeting with US President Donald Trump on the issue of Palestine The Islamic countries also issued a joint statement that condemned the genocide carried out by Israel and demanded an immediate ceasefire he explained During the meeting he said he thanked President Trump for playing a crucial role in stopping war between Pakistan and India Referring to the deal reached between Hamas and Israel as part of efforts to achieve peace, he said President Trump stated that the West Bank will never be annexed by Israel He commended Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and his cabinet members for their diplomatic accomplishments
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Our forces have proved their mettle both at home and abroad and it is our moral duty to stand firmly beside them, he said Paying tribute to the fallen heroes, the minister said their sacrifices had brought dignity and honour to the nation
We can proudly say that our Armed Forces have once again demonstrated their strategic superiority India still bears the scars of its defeats, he remarked He noted that Pakistan s growing international recognition from the Gulf region to major powers such as the United States was a result of the armed forces sacrifices and the resilience of its people At the recent United Nations session, there was a renewed pride in Pakistan s stature, he observed Expressing grief over the martyrdom of two officers and nine soldiers in recent terrorist attacks Kh Asif urged the nation to honour their memory through unity Recalling his meeting
and said due to their efforts Pakistan had gained more prominence in the comity of nations He said respect of Pakistan in the world enhanced after its armed forces under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir defeated India He said his recent meeting with President Trump in Washington was fruitful and productive and both sides discussed diverse bilateral issues, including trade and counterterrorism He said China was a close and trustworthy friend that stood with Pakistan on every difficult occasion adding Pakistan will never forget the assistance extended by China He said Pakistan had historic ties with Saudia Arabia for centuries, and now the relationship was further expanded with the signing of a security pact between the two countries, and a committee was working for a fol-
low-up on the agreement The Prime Minister appreciated his cabinet colleagues and associates for amicably resolving issues related to Azad Kashmir He also mentioned the hospitality extended to him and his delegation by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during his recent visit to Malaysia During the visit Malaysia announced to import meat worth $ 200 million from Pakistan, he added While appreciating the efforts of his cabinet members and government officers for the progress of Pakistan he alluded to the Bloomberg report which ranked Pakistan as the second-best emerging economy after Turkey He expressed satisfaction over the fact that remittances from overseas Pakistanis stood at $3 2 billion in September 2025, which was an increase of 11 3 percent as compared to the same month last year
with the mother of a martyred soldier, he said, She told me with unwavering faith that if she had more sons, she would have sacrificed them too for Pakistan This spirit is our true strength ” Referring to cross-border terrorism the minister recounted his earlier discussions with Afghan authorities during his visit to Kabul three years ago We candidly told them that their soil was being used for terrorism against Pakistan and urged them to dismantle these sanctuaries he said
He revealed that Afghan officials had sought financial assistance to relocate militants to western provinces, but Pakistan demanded firm guarantees they would not return a condition Kabul failed to meet
He proposed sending a delegation to Afghanistan within a day or two to press for decisive action against terrorist safe havens operating from across the border
During the session, the House also offered Fateha for the 11 soldiers martyred in Orakzai district Deputy
Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah requested MNA Ali Muhammad Khan to lead the prayer Former Speaker Asad Qaiser, representing PTI paid rich tribute to the martyrs reiterating that his party stood with the armed forces in the fight against terrorism We consider this country our own, and the Armed Forces are ours We salute their sacrifices, he said MNA Amir Dogar highlighted that over the past 25 years Pakistan particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan had lost nearly 90 000 lives to terrorism including soldiers police, and civilians The entire nation stands united behind its armed forces in this fight for Pakistan’s stability and survival ” he added
JUI-F lawmaker Shahida Akhtar also called for a unified stance against terrorism saying political rivalries must be set aside The martyr s death is the life of the
House
and
G a n d a p u r g o e s
Gandapur
TH E resignation of Ali Amin Gandapur as Khaiber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister is being ascribed by many to his having upset both Imran Khan s wife, Bushra Bibi, and his sister, Aleema Khan However, the real cause of the removal is probably his failure to spring PTI Rehbar Imran Khan from jail It is to be noted that Mr Gandapur was perhaps setting himself up for removal, for his efforts to get Mr Khan released seem to have been something he volunteered to do rather than a task imposed on him His attempts at negotiations with the establishment his attempts to lead rallies, all fizzled out last October, when a crowd of demonstrators was dispersed in Islamabad and Mr Gandapur was widely accused of having run away abandoning the party workers to their fate Mr Gandapur s opposition to any further operation in KP was a black mark against him for the establishment and did not help him as he presided over the province descending into a spiral of lawlessness
It is that lawlessness which provided Mr Khan the grounds for demanding Mr Gandapur ’s resignation However the fate of Mr Gandapur means that Mr Sohail Afridi the new CM is accepting a poisoned chalice Mr Gandapur s two previous predecessors, Mr Pervez Khattak and Mr Mahmood Khan, are no longer in the party Mr Afridi begins with the party office separated from the executive an indignity Mr Gandapur had undergone in January It might be said that Mr Gandapur had done well to pull along so long However it does appear that the party has a problem in its stronghold It has held office there now for 12 years having won three elections on the trot It is possible to see it as a victim of its own success, but perhaps now that it has selected a CM who has been involved in politics all of it in the PTI Having been a student leader, he graduated to the PTI s Youth Wing, and is a first-time MPA, and is also the first MPA from the former tribal areas to become CM
The tribal areas, and the militancy there represent a challenge The news of Mr Gandapur s sacking came the same day as an intelligence-based operation in Orakzai Agency proved one of the deadliest clashes in Pakistan s anti-militancy battle, with a lieutenantcolonel and a major among 11 Armymen martyred, with 19 terrorists killed Apart from other administrative and developmental issues the province needs peace Can Mr Afridi deliver it? The coming days will tell
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
OV E R the years I have met some extremely intelligent men Barring rare exceptions all of them had an equally silly side to them as well In fact, often I could not help thinking that they had two brains with contrasting processing capabilities and that they effortlessly switched between the two depending upon the topic at hand How such a smart man could stay so blissfully unaware of the foolishness of some of his ideas has always perplexed me I have often wondered whether this switching is compulsive; or is it merely convenient I have known researchers who can read a dense 12-page scientific paper in minutes and without as much as breaking a sweat They immediately grasp its significance in the overall literature on the subject the gap it addresses its methodology, its results and their implications They clearly have no shortage of reading comprehension skill To the contrary, they are blessed with a surplus of it And yet, if the reading material happens to be a religious text it appears that they have suddenly jettisoned all that reading comprehension prowess and for good measure all their common sense as well At any rate, such is the nature of their observations (read criticisms) that ensue
As an example, consider a typical objection to verses 67:3 and 67:4 of the Quran from such an individual The verses challenge the readers to find a fault in the creation of the heavens and the earth The objection goes something like this: In this universe innocent children get sick and die, injustices go unpunished, evil often prevails and good folks suffer And your God thinks it is perfect!’ He knows the importance of context of course but that is when he is using Brain 1 With Brain 2 on he misses (or decides to ignore) 67:2 (just one verse above) that states the purpose for which God has created life and death: namely to test human beings In this context (which is only one verse above), could any other arrangement be better than the universe as we know it? Despite the fact that death is explicitly mentioned in the
he would passionately insist that death and disease cannot be
US President Donald Trump had a meeting with 800 generals and admirals, as well as their senior enlisted men, at Quantico Marine Base which while unprecedented was not illegal At the same time it raised hackles for two evoked two disturbing parallels one with Nazi Germany where just such a 1935 gathering was used by Adolf Hitler to take a personal oath of loyalty, and to ancient Rome Ancient Rome never really had such a gathering, but it was there that there was blurring of the line between the civil and the military which ultimately led to the demise of democracy It should not be forgotten that one of the Roman Republic s most inalterable principles was the oneyear term limit on all offices, including that of consul Yet that principle was sacrificed when the threat was great enough, that of the Teutons In those rougher times the consuls were not just executive chiefs but also military commanders The soldiery consisted of ordinary citizens and there was a special class of knights those who could provide a horse and its equipment which they were supposed to ride into battle Because Rome was beset by two major enemies, the Cimbri Teutons in Italy itself and King Jugurtha of Numidia, continuity of military command was felt necessary and so Marius was elected consul five times between 104 BC and 100 BC
He then went into semi-retirement but made a comeback during the Social War and was elected to the consulship yet again in 86 BC, when he died
There was at that time in Rome, as in the USA today, a deep rift between those who might roughly be called conservatives and those who might be called ‘liberals’ Marius is also credited with professionalizing the military and thus raising units whose loyalty was more to a general rather than Rome
Those soldiers depended on their generals to get them the land grants they sought, and by the time of Julius Caesar, whose paternal aunt was married to Marius, troops could be used by a general to fight other generals and even to take control of Rome Caesar was the first Roman commander to violate the rule of no troops being allowed into Rome itself When successful commanders were voted a triumph which was essentially a procession, the commander would keep his army outside Rome, and enter alone after he was voted the triumph This ban on troops in Rome is reflected in the USA where cities and counties all have their own police forces and where the calling in of the military is a serious matter potentially subject to judicial review
When the US President send troops in to aid the civil power, he does not use long-service soldiers, but the state’s National Guard Every state has its own National Guard, which cosists of reservists, whose commander-in-chief is the governor However the federal government can borrow National Guard units and deploy them to restore order if need be This means
T w o b r a i n s
its
that any troops called in to keep order belong to the
same state as those who are rioting That is provided the governor has not given permission to the Federal government to send in troops from another state
However, Trump seems to want the National Guard called into cities which have Democratic mayors He also seems to call troop in where mayors are either black women or both So far the troops have been called in in Washington Los Angeles and Portland Oregon while there are plans to call them in Chicago, Baltimore, San Francisco and Memphis The Republican Governor of Lousiana wants troops for such cities as Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport
There seem to be three problems which attract Trump s attention: homelessness high crime rates or difficulties for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials It should be noted that either African Americans are being targeted, or Hispanics In fact, Trump seems to be pussyfooting around the means which would get him to be able to stage a takeover The principle of civilian control over the military is a strong one in the USA However it has been remarked that the deployments are beginning to make Americans used to having troops on the streets
Someone have linked US support for the ongoing violence in Gaza as ultimately making Americans used to troops calling the shots If there are legal challenges as by Portland which has got a stay against deployment till October 19 Trump is mulling the use of the 1807 Insurrection Act The only protection against men with guns may be other men with guns Externally the USA is not threatened by any Army Internally, while there are a lot of guns floating around, they are in the possession of either right-wing militias or apolitical criminal gangs The last barrier is the military officers themselves and their belief in the need for legitimate civilian control This applied to Rome too but support for military men was not just
And the spec tac ular switching bet ween them A n o t h e r R o m e f a l l i n g ?
it
blows
(for that would
faulty fuse) No engineer with Brain 1 operational, that is All bets are off when Brain 2 is calling the shots, which happens much less frequently in worldly matters– God be praised Coming back to our intelligent reader (who has by now given free rein to his Brain 2) he first associates with the word perfect all sorts of ideas that have nothing whatever to do with anything, and then declares that the world (with all its meanness, misery and misfortune) can be anything but perfect! Then he is apt to look at you as if he has made the most brilliant observation in the history of thought A familiar villain on such occasions turns out to be nothing other than logic While logic is a great thing, it is rather easy to go overboard while exercising it As long as Brain 1 is in control, men with any sort of exposure to literature know better than mistaking language for logic So, when reading a literary work (or even a newspaper) a man would never take words like sunset and sun dawn literally (or scientifically) And he would be sensible enough to know that the word all men (for example) could refer to, on one end of the spectrum the whole population of the world, to all individuals in a small group on the other (with everything in between) And that it is the context that tells which is it So he rarely makes a mistake But no sooner does Brain 2 take over than the same man suddenly starts having great difficulty accepting that a book that is claimed to have originated with God is scientifically so rudimentary as not to know that the sun never sets, or rises for that matter Or that ‘all men’ must mean all
men in the world for all times to come unless the author explicitly excludes certain groups and epochs The difficulty works the other way around too, for you (second person singular) in the present tense could very well be referring to all the readers till eternity – an understanding suddenly lost when reading a religious text
At this point let me make it clear that this is in no way meant to be an attack on atheists and sceptics alone Theists are every bit as guilty of taking verses out of context going overboard with logic, and taking things literally when they are figurative Since in everyday conversations, they usually do not display such failings they can be accused equally justifiably of possessing two brains and alternatively switching them on and off It is worth mentioning here that religious texts, like any other work of literature (and indeed like everyday conversations), use language literally as well as figuratively They employ all the familiar literary devices: the metaphor, the simile imagery you name it It is a mistake to take everything literally or everything figuratively (as many tend to do) The context makes it clear which is which but only when Brain 1 is firing on all cylinders
It has been said that the human brain is the most complex thing in the whole universe Arguably it is also the most useful Having said that possessing more than one brain can be a big problem For best results develop one and apply that to every problem regardless of its domain
The author is a connoisseur of music literature, and food (but not drinks) He can be reached at www facebook com/hasanaftabsaeed
It has been said that the human brain is the most complex thing in the whole universe . Arguably,
Unlocking strategic minerals
HASAN AFTAB SAEED
TThe youth, who make up nearly two-thirds of the population see little of their experience reflected on screen Their linguistic diversity economic struggles and social aspirations are missing from main-
stream drama, replaced by a narrow portrayal of urban domestic life This creative gap is compounded by Pakistan’s fluid cultural identity in a globalized world Our storytelling tradition has always balanced conservatism and expression but the most powerful narratives were those that negotiated this balance with honesty
Zindagi Gulzar Hai resonated with audiences abroad because it captured a universal story through a distinctly Pakistani lens Its success in India the Gulf and among diaspora communities showed that authenticity not imitation travels best Today that authenticity is difficult to find Regulation has also played a role in narrowing creative expression The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) established to uphold ethical and cultural standards has often restricted the space for experimentation Its reluctance to approve unconventional or socially complex content discourages producers from tackling real issues such as gender inequality, mental health, or class mobility What results is an entertainment landscape that is safe but stagnant A modern regulatory framework should safeguard decency while protecting artistic freedom allowing creators to reflect the complexity of the society they depict
Economically, the consequences of this stagnation are significant According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the entertainment and media sector contributes less than 0 8 per cent to the country s GDP far lower than comparable economies such as Turkey at 1 7 per cent or South Korea at 3 per cent
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has estimated that Pakistan’s film and drama sector employs nearly 200 000 people directly and
over a million indirectly Yet much of this employment remains informal, low-paying, and without professional progression In an economy facing a fiscal deficit and youth unemployment above 10 percent creative industries could provide a sustainable source of jobs exports and soft power if their potential were recognised through targeted policy The global entertainment economy now revolves around streaming Platforms such as Netflix Amazon Prime and Disney+ have changed both how stories are told and how they are financed Pakistan has lagged in this transformation While neighbouring India exports billions of dollars in digital content annually, Pakistan has yet to establish a formal digital production pipeline A handful of dramas have appeared on Netflix but the absence of consistent partnerships or investment strategies reflects structural neglect Netflix alone invested over $400
Many Nepalis accept suffering, inequality and poor governance as fate beyond human control There is a strong tendency to prioritise family, kin, or local community interests above common or national interests
Nepotism, cronyism and favouritism have become a religion, devaluing merit and normalising corruption
THE September 8 and 9 revolution led by Gen Z shook Nepal Fueled by blazing anger over the government s failure to eradicate corruption and further intensified by a social media ban, protestors took to the streets in different parts of the country The state responded with deadly force, claiming the lives of at least 75 people and injuring more than 2,300 What began as a spontaneous digital uprising led KP Sharma Oli to resign from his prime ministerial role and eventually the parliament was dissolved After an agreement between the army former chief justice Sushila Karki and the representative of the Gen Z protestors an interim government assumed power with the mandate to hold new elections by March 2026 The delirious psychology of this short-lived “Gen Z revolution” raises profound questions: Can such a momentous revolt truly remake a nation? What deeper obstacles lie beneath the country s persistent underdevelopment? This article argues that Nepal s transformation needs more than protests governments and elections It demands a long-term, multi-dimensional transformation of society, its culture and economy
ANATOMY OF NEPALI SOCIETY: One can easily blame Nepal’s underdevelopment solely on corrupt politicians and bureaucratic elites However critics often overlook deeper sociological challenges that shape the character of Nepali society Anthropologist Dor Bahadur Bista in his seminal work Fatalism and Development (1991) described a pervasive fatalism in Nepali society that limits and often discourages initiative and accountability The observation was
the lack of innovation in domestic industries The lack of an innovation-driven growth engine is also evident in global indices Nepal was ranked 107th out of 139 countries in the Global Innovation Index 2025, placing 9th among 10 countries in South Asia This poor ranking highlights Nepal’s limited progress in leveraging creativity technology and productivity to drive its economy Aside from some small-scale advances such as community forestry and hydropower projects Nepal has a limited number of home-grown manufacturing, technology, or agriculture innovations Traditional enterprises dominate the private sector, where research and development spending by both the private sector and the government is negligible If not innovation what has sustained Nepal’s economy? Remittances from migrant labour have been a lifeline for its finances With limited opportunities at home millions of working-age Nepalis have sought employment abroad from the Gulf and Malaysia to India and beyond Today, approximately one-fifth of the country s population consists of migrant workers These workers send home billions of dollars each year, which supports household incomes and the national balance of payments Nepal received around $11 billion in remittances in 2023 which in recent years has equated to over a quarter of its GDP The World Bank noted that Nepal was the world s third-largest recipient of remittances as a share of GDP in 2019 This influx of cash earned by Nepalis sweating in construction sites factories and domestic work overseas, has enabled the country to import consumer goods and fuel economic activity despite weak domestic production Thus, Nepal has become a consumer society with limited innovation, leaving its economy vulnerable to external shocks and conflicts Beyond remittances Nepal’s other potential growth drivers remain underdeveloped or uncertain There is potential for hydropower and tourism which have often
put aside But they have not given sufficient consideration to how languages are perpetuating inequity The privileged elite send their children to exclusive private schools where they become competent in English Such teachers are in short supply But because they have acquired the best credentials, their proficiency ensures they automatically become high achievers in their careers Since I have been more concerned about the majority s problems I have pleaded the case of the children who start their education in English without the support of a linguistically rich environment at home This will help their cognitive development The language-learning process should be structured in such a way that children develop a strong foundation in their first language before a second language is introduced A third should be introduced at a later stage, when the cognitive development of the child is robust enough to take the load
With the exception of a small minority of children who are bilingual even before they begin school the majority find it harder to learn another tongue if the first has not been developed by the early years This is why children from the underprivileged class who are monolingual Urdu or Sindhi speakers struggle with English at school On the other hand those who are bilingual from birth gain cognitive advantages that facilitate language learning
A child begins acquiring language from her environment soon after she is born Children have already gained three or four years of language experience in their mother tongue when they start school If English is to be the school language these children lose this advantage
The benefit goes to a small minority that is bilingual from the start by virtue of their parents being the better products of exclusive English-medium education
Such is the power of myths about language in Pakistan that a public demand has been created for English People believe that English is the magic wand that can open the door to prosperity Policymakers, the wielders of economic power, and the social elites have also perpetuated this myth to their own advantage The door of prosperity has been opened but only for a small elite In a multilingual country such as Pakistan where at least eight major languages compete for
Suleman Zia
MUHAMMAD ABDUL MOIZ
TWang Yi c alls for more robust, resilient and fruitful China-I taly ties
just, and lasting manner, and agreed to maintain communication on a political solution to the Ukraine crisis
’ to
SIA , Indian forces raid houses of Hurriyat leaders, activists in IIOJK
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held in the city of Gabala, Azerbaijan The event, chaired by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham
Aliyev was also attended by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov the President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev, and other high-ranking officials In line with the agenda, participants exchanged views on the current state and prospects of multifaceted cooperation within the Organization and discussed pressing issues of practical interaction among member countries
At the beginning of his speech, the President of Uzbekistan expressed sincere gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan for the excellent organization of the
summit in Gabala This city has long been a key trade and cultural center along the Great Silk Road In recent years, thanks to your personal initiative, we have visited many regions of modern Azerbaijan We have witnessed the gradual improvement of the beautiful Karabakh and we see the tremendous creative work taking place in the cities of Shusha Khankendi and Aghdam
As your close friends, we are, of course, very pleased with these positive developments,” the Head of State emphasized It was particularly noted that the Declaration of Peace signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia opens up broad opportunities for the member states of the Organization to strengthen cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, transport, and humanitarian exchange The President of Uzbekistan also expressed gratitude to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov for his effective chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States and for his valuable contribution to elevating cooperation within the Organization to a new level Turning to the agenda of the summit, the Leader of Uzbekistan provided a brief assessment of the current international situation emphasizing that the present meeting is taking place amid complex geopolitical transformations and growing security challenges both globally and re-
gionally At the recent jubilee session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the speeches and approaches of world leaders once again demonstrated the absence of a unified position regarding the architecture of modern global politics and security ” the Head of State stated In this context the President of Uzbekistan once again emphasized the need for deep reform and improvement of the global governance system, strengthening the role of the United Nations and its Security Council and amplifying the voice of developing countries in international affairs It
CDA Chief reviews work at T- Chowk, R awat Flyover projec t
ISLAMABAD
In line with the direction of Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi the construction work is progressing rapidly on the T-Chowk Flyover project Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, visited the T-Chowk, Rawat Flyover project on Thursday along with relevant CDA officers, the contractor, consultant, and the project director, and reviewed the development activities in detail
During the briefing Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa was informed that 100% of the project s piling work has been completed Similarly 84% of the girder casting work and 60% of the safety wall construction have also been completed He was briefed that construction activities are continuing rapidly on a 24/7 basis Chairman CDA expressed satisfaction with the prgress of the development work He directed that a landscaping and horticulture plan be presented soon to enhance the project s aesthetics He instructed that the construction work should be further expedited so that it must meet all its timeline and targets Chairman CDA said that beautiful permanent LED lights
cumstances
At the MED–AI Health Summit held last week, healthtech startup MedIQ launched an artificial-intelligence suite it says makes the company Pakistan s first AI-powered health platform developed in collaboration with the Federal Sehat Sahulat Program
The suite was made using Human Centered Design based
people
Dr Saira Siddique MedIQ
CEO speaking at the summit With the MedIQ AI Suite, we re pairing enterprise-grade AI and human-centered design to em-
power physicians and improve patient access Government officials at the event framed the launch within a broader push for tech-enabled universal health coverage Federal Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal told attendees that AI could help bridge urban–rural gaps and support physicians in delivering “expert-level care to every patient ” Presiding Guest Muhammad Arshad CEO Prime Minister Health Program & Sehat Sahulat Program & Sehat Card highlighted Sehat Sahulat s technology backbone and said AI is already moving from promise to practice as the program expands telemedicine and intelligent patient services
Key capabilities highlighted at the summit: AI pre-consultation triage: voice assistant captures symptoms and recommends the right specialist 24/7 health companion: chat agent provides lifestyle tips and medical guidance between visits
• Face-scan vitals: heart rate, oxygen levels and other indicators logged to EMRs • Prescription clarity: digitizes printed/handwritten scripts and answers follow-up questions in real time AI scribe for doctors: automated transcription and clinical structuring of encounters
MedIQ says its platform already connects patients, providers, and payers, serving major insurers and 400+ corporate clients, with a network of 350+ hospitals and 4 000+ labs and pharmacies across 75 cities
Visitors including this reporter were left deeply impressed esp with the care and empathy demonstrated in localized regional languages
LAHORE: Dr Asif Mehmood Jaah presents his book
to President Lahore Chambers of Commerce
Mr Abuzar Shaad
IMF says ‘significant progress’ made toward reaching staff-level agreement in talks with Pakistan
The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
team led by Iva Petrova visited Karachi and Islamabad from September 24 to October 8, 2025, to hold discussions on the second review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the first review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) At
ment:
and on the first review of 28-month Arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF)
“Program implementation remains strong and broadly aligned with the authorities commitments Significant progress was made in the discussions in several areas, including sustaining fiscal consolidation to strengthen the public finances while providing needed flood recovery support; ensuring inflation remains durably within the SBP’s target
range by maintaining an appropriately tight and data-dependent monetary policy; restoring the viability of the energy sector by implementing regular tariff adjustments and cost-reducing reforms; and advancing structural reforms to reduce the footprint of the state, strengthen governance and transparency, foster a more competitive business environment and liberalize commodity markets Productive discussions were also held on the authorities reform agenda to strengthen climate resilience, including the completion of reform measures under the RSF “The IMF team and the authorities will continue policy discussions with a view to settling any outstanding issues ”
Pakistani scientist discovers new breakthrough in search for life beyond ear th
s ta f f r
t A Pakistani-born scientist may have uncovered signs of life beyond our planet Dr Nozair Khawaja, an astrobiologist at Freie Universität Berlin has identified organic molecules beneath the icy surface of Enceladus one of Saturn s moons This discovery provides fresh evidence suggesting that Enceladus could have the conditions required to support life
The study was published on October 1 2025 in Nature Astronomy Dr Khawaja’s research team analyzed data from NASA s Cassini spacecraft which had been exploring Saturn and its moons for over a decade before concluding its mission in 2017 The team specifically focused on the ice grains expelled by
Enceladus’s geysers which originate from the moon’s subsurface ocean These geysers eject a mixture of water gas and dust into space The results were groundbreaking Dr Khawaja s analysis revealed complex organic molecules, including ethers, alkenes, esters, and aromatic compounds He explained that these molecules contain oxygen bridges carbon-carbon bonds and carbon rings all of which are key intermediates in chemical reactions that could lead to the creation of life-sustaining molecules
Although these molecules could form through non-biological processes, their presence in such an environment suggests the potential for life in Enceladus s hidden ocean Enceladus possesses the three essential ingredients for life liquid water an
publishing further defamatory statements The ruling set an important legal precedent for online defamation emphasizing that social media posts are admissible as evidence in such cases The judgment further clarified that freedom of expression does not protect individuals who spread unfounded allegations Brigadier Naseer, after the verdict, expressed his satisfaction, stating, “The truth has exposed the lies and this verdict is a victory for truth ” This case marks a significant development in the ongoing legal and reputational battle surrounding Raja who has previously faced accusations of inciting hatred and other legal troubles related to his online content
Killing of polio worker
campaign According to the victim s cousin, Rehmanullah was on his way to duty when unidentified assailants opened fire on him His mobile phone, wallet, and motorcycle were found at the scene suggesting that robbery was not the motive behind the attack A local lawyer told reporters that this was the second killing in Ahsanabad within 20 days recalling that a young man named Mansoor had earlier been shot dead in an alleged robbery attempt He added that after that incident, police had filed 22 FIRs against residents who protested to demand justice The lawyer said that the latest murder
energy source and key chemical compounds Despite its small size just 505 kilometers in diameter the moon has been identified as a likely candidate for sustaining life The Cassini spacecraft s Cosmic Dust Analyzer also detected phosphates, one of the six elements crucial for life carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen phosphorus and sulfur (CHNOPS) Further evidence of hydrothermal vents on Enceladus s ocean floor similar to those on Earth where microbial life thrives, strengthens the case for the moon s potential habitability Dr Khawaja emphasized the significance of his team’s findings, noting that the organic samples were collected just minutes after being ejected ensuring that they were unaltered by space radiation This confirms that the molecules came
The Lahore High Court granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Ejaz Chaudhry in three separate cases related to the May 9 riots A two-member bench headed by Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi announced its reserved verdict on three bail petitions filed by Ejaz Chaudhry The bail was granted in cases registered at Model Town (FIR No 366/23), Naseerabad (FIR No 1078/23), and Gulberg (FIR No 1271/23) police stations The court had reserved its verdict yesterday which was announced on Wednesday granting bail to the PTI s former provincial president of Punjab During the hearing, Chaudhry s counsel, Mian Ali Ashfaq, argued that his client had been falsely implicated in three cases, including the torching of the PML-N office and a container in Lahore’s Gulberg area He contended that the trial court had failed to properly assess the facts of the cases while in the same matters the PTI founder had already been granted bail After reviewing the arguments, the LHC granted bail to Chaudhry in all three cases
On Tuesday, the LHC expressed strong displeasure over the prosecution’s failure to submit the case record in PTI leader ’s bail petition filed in connection with the May 9 riot cases During the proceedings the Additional Prosecutor General informed the court that he did not have the required record
The bench questioned the delay, noting that three months had passed despite a clear written
directly from the moon’s ocean
While the presence of life on Enceladus is not yet confirmed Dr Khawaja remains optimistic He believes that the moon remains one of the most promising places in the solar system to explore further We don t know if life exists there, but Enceladus remains one of the best places in our solar system to find out ” he said Dr Khawaja born in Wazirabad Punjab completed his Master s in Astronomy and Space Sciences at Punjab University before earning a PhD in Geosciences from Heidelberg University in Germany He later conducted postdoctoral research focusing on planetary habitability and extraterrestrial chemistry at the Institute of Earth Sciences in Heidelberg
order directing the submission of the record What have you been doing all this time? The court must be informed, the judges remarked, expressing dissatisfaction over the prosecution s conduct
The court observed that three separate cases were under consideration and ordered that the complete record be presented before the next hearing Ashfaq representing Chaudhry argued that his client was falsely implicated and arrested without any concrete evidence, allegedly over social media activity He stated that no recovery was made from Chaudhry and that he had been taken into custody from Islamabad during his detention period
Earlier the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore had rejected Ejaz Ch s bail pleas prompting him to file appeals in the Lahore High Court Mr Chaudhry had challenged the ATC s decision on August 9 in connection with cases relating to arson, vandalism, and hate speech during the May 9, 2023, protests that erupted nationwide after the arrest of PTI
