Three more A JK ministers quit as PM urged to step down over ‘failure to defend refugees’ rights’
MUZAFFARABAD/ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t Political turmoil deepened in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday as three more ministers resigned from the cabinet with two of them demanding that Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq step down for his failure to safeguard the constitutional rights of Kashmiri refugees The latest resignations came from AJK Finance Minister Abdul Majid Khan Food Minister Chaudhry Akbar Ibrahim and Sports Youth and Culture Minister Asim Sharif Butt The first two announced their decision at a joint press conference at the Muzaffarabad Press Club while Butt sent his resignation directly to the prime minister Earlier this week, Information Minister Pir Mazhar Saeed had also stepped down,
t Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday castigated the Afghan regime for failing to respond to years of Pakistan s diplomatic outreach and warned that Kabul had effectively become “a proxy of India” blaming a nexus of foreign and militant actors for recent crossborder terrorism and clashes In a post on X Asif said India Afghanistan and Fitna al-Khawarij a
and affiliated militants, while 23 Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom in the clashes The latest development comes hours after Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters that Islamabad and Kabul were engaged in constructive dialogue aimed at a peaceful resolution to ongoing border ten-
108 terrorists ‘ backed by afghan taliban’ neutralised in
t
Security forces have killed 108 terrorists linked to the Afghan Taliban over the past four days including 88 in just the last 48 hours as Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign intensifies amid a fragile ceasefire along the border with Afghanistan
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) six terrorists belonging to Fitna alKhawarij were killed when security forces foiled a suicide attack on a military camp in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali area on Friday One soldier embraced martyrdom and six others sustained injuries during the exchange Five terrorists attempted to enter the camp following the explosion but were instantly neutralised in a prompt and decisive response the military s media wing said
Security sources said one suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the camp triggering a blast while five others tried to storm the compound but were gunned down before breaching it Security forces did not suffer further losses in the incident,
four days
officials confirmed Reiterating the nation s resolve, the ISPR said: “Under the National Action Plan the people the armed forces and security agencies remain steadfast in defending the country until the last foreign-backed terrorist is eliminated, Insha Allah Widespread operations across KP Separately eight terrorists were killed in an intelligencebased operation (IBO) in the Sultan Khel area of Lakki Marwat district, following credible intelligence reports about the presence of proxies linked to the Afghan Taliban Security personnel surrounded the area through aerial and ground surveillance before engaging the militants
A cache of weapons and explosives was recovered from the slain terrorists, officials said A clearance and search operation was later launched to prevent regrouping
In a related clash members of the Lakki Marwat Peace Committee exchanged fire with militants, killing five terrorists, including TTP Gul Bahadur faction commander Armdi
Another IBO in Datta Khel resulted in the killing of six terrorists including Fitna al-
Khawarij commander Mehbub alias Muhammad, after security forces monitored the group’s movements for over a week
Three others were injured Meanwhile in Bajaur security personnel intercepted a vehicle carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives allegedly smuggled from Afghanistan The explosives were meant for a major attack in a civilian area but were destroyed before detonation the ISPR said “Azm-e-Istehkam” in motion
The latest series of operations fall under Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, the government’s ongoing counterterrorism campaign launched to eradicate terrorism and extremism through coordinated efforts by the armed forces intelligence agencies, and law enforcement bodies
The operation also seeks to address ideological radicalisation and mobilise public participation to curb extremist tendencies nationwide Fitna al-Khawarij is the state-designated term for militants associated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) introduced last year to expose the group s violent ideology and distortion of Islamic teachings
the call” for another protest after Friday prayers Intelligence reports had earlier warned of potential violence if the TLP mobilised again while police had prepared a plan to detain the group s leadership Bokhari also played two videos purportedly from Lahore and Rawalpindi showing normal city life, saying it proved that
ISLAMABAD
PakiSTan’S
g DECISION AIMS TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT AND BOOST MINERAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROVINCE
of the Youth Policy, with Chief Minister Bugti congratulating officials for organizing successful events such as the National Youth Summit and the Cultural and Tourism Festival in Islamabad Other notable decisions included the approval of the Balochistan Land Lease Policy 2025 to ensure transparent and sustainable land use and the creation of a Journalists Housing Colony for Gwadar Press Club members Chief Minister Bugti concluded the session by reaffirming his government’s commitment to public welfare, transparent governance, and institutional reforms aiming to make Balochistan economically stable peaceful and empowered
affirmed the government s commitment to reform
The finance minister highlighted Pakistan s efforts to ensure foreign investor confidence, stressing the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to improve the country’s competitiveness in global markets In another key meeting Minister Aurangzeb met Mr Liao Min Deputy Finance Minister of China He briefed Mr Liao on the recent SLA with the IMF and provided an update on Pakistan s Panda
Bond issuance in the Chinese market
The minister also sought China’s support for Pakistan s membership in the New Development Bank while encouraging increased Chinese investment in key sectors such as technology, agriculture, and minerals
The finance minister also met Mr Lutfey Y Siddiqi Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh to discuss regional economic cooperation Minister Aurangzeb reiterated Pakistan s commitment to closer ties with Bangladesh, particularly in the information technology sector, which both sides identified as a key driver of economic transformation and job creation for young graduates
The minister emphasized the importance of continued knowledge-sharing between the two countries to foster regional growth
In addition to these meetings Senator Aurangzeb participated in the World Economic Forum s (WEF) Future of Growth Initiative dialogue where he discussed how technological advancement, particularly through AI and satellite imagery, can promote inclusive and sustainable growth
He highlighted AI-led monitoring systems in Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) which have enhanced productivity and service delivery especially for smallholding farmers Senator Aurangzeb also addressed the JP Morgan Investment Seminar, briefing investors on Pakistan’s recent fiscal, monetary and external sector developments He underscored the positive economic momentum driven by macroeconomic management and reforms and reiterated the government s ongoing commitment to sustainable economic growth
FBR to begin electronic monitoring of textile spinning units from November 1
Produc tion of registered mills to be tracked through video analytics under S ales Tax Rules
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced that it will begin electronic monitoring of production in registered textile spinning units through video analytics starting November 1 According to S R O 1963 (I)/2025, the FBR has exercised its powers under sub-section (1) of Section 50 and Section 40C of the Sales Tax Act 1990 to implement the monitoring mechanism The move will be carried out in accordance with Rule 150ZQR
S enate panel approves National Agri-Trade and Food S afety Authority Ordinance
to act against terrorist groups operating from its soil Officials in Islamabad have repeatedly cited a surge in attacks launched from Afghan territory, particularly by the TTP According to security reports, the latest round of clashes erupted on October 12 when Taliban forces and TTP fighters launched an unprovoked assault on Pakistani border posts Pakistan s military responded with what officials described as precision strikes targeting strongholds in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and in Kabul These operations they said were “limited targeted and purely defensive in nature
PM Shehbaz: Ball now in Kabul s court
Following the ceasefire announcement
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan was ready to engage in dialogue with the Taliban government on “reasonable and justified terms ” emphasizing that the “ball is now in Kabul’s court” for a permanent cessation of hostilities
The prime minister lauded Pakistan s armed forces for their professional conduct
The Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research on Thursday unanimously approved
(NAFSA) Ordinance 2025, merging the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) and the Animal Quarantine Department (AQD) to bring Pakistan s agricultural trade framework in line with international standards according to a news report The meeting, chaired by Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan, was attended by Senators Danesh Kumar, Poonjo Bheel, and Hafiz Abdul Karim Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain briefed the committee on the objectives of the new authority describing the DPP as one of the most corrupt departments under his ministry and confirming that most of its staff had already been dismissed “The Prime Minister does not want any of the ousted officials back in the organisation New hiring will be carried out after the new Authority is established ” the minister said A representative of the Law Ministry added that the ordinance explicitly bars reinstatement of dismissed employees R e s p
ments in the DPP, Hussain said he would not allow po-
with
due to non-compliance with
by the European Union in 2024 further highlighted deficiencies in the DPP and AQD, with repeated SPS
international markets
The ministry emphasised that a unified independent regulatory body like NAFSA is necessary to address these shortcomings and improve compliance with global bio-security and food safety standards
Earlier, the Federal Cabinet approved the draft NAFSA Bill on April 15, 2025, and the President promulgated the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Ordinance (Ordinance No VI of 2025) on May 2, 2025
The new authority will regulate agricultural imports and exports implement SPS and food safety standards prevent pest and disease outbreaks and certify products for international trade
Industrial bodies urge PM to freeze retrospec tive gas lev y amid shutdown fears
and for safeguarding national sovereignty in the face of unprovoked aggression “Our patience should not be mistaken for weakness he was quoted as saying adding that Pakistan had consistently demonstrated its commitment to regional peace despite repeated provocations FO STRESSES DIALOGUE, RESPONSIBILITY UNDER DOHA PROCESS During his weekly press briefing FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan reiterated Pakistan s desire for a peaceful stable and regionally connected Afghanistan, while stressing that Kabul must fulfil its commitments under the 2020 Doha Agreement “Pakistan greatly values dialogue and diplomacy and continues to work towards a mutually beneficial relationship with Afghanistan he said However, Khan cautioned that Islamabad will take all possible measures to safeguard its territory and the lives of its people ”
He added that Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns over the presence of Fitna alKhawarij (TTP) and Fitna al-Hindustan a term used for India-backed militant networks in Balochistan operating from Afghan territory Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable action from the Taliban regime against these terrorist elements,” the FO spokesperson underscored TERRORISM NOT AN INTERNAL ISSUE
The FO has strongly rejected the Taliban foreign minister s statement describing terrorism as Pakistan s internal issue, saying that Islamabad has repeatedly presented evidence of “Fitna al-Khawarij” and “Fitna alHindustan ” In a statement the FO said Pakistan is
concerned over the provocations by the Afghan Taliban Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan It asserted that Pakistan acted in its right of self-defense emphasizing that its targets and defensive responses were not directed against the Afghan people
said that a 48-hour ceasefire was observed at the request of the Afghan Taliban reaffirming that Pakistan believes in dialogue He categorically rejected Afghan Foreign
made during his visit to India, reiterating that Pakistan has repeatedly presented evidence of Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna alHindustan
He noted that Pakistan had hosted over four million Afghan citizens and expressed hope that the Taliban government would take effective action against terrorism He added that Pakistan s measures regarding the presence of Afghan nationals were being taken in accordance with national law
The spokesperson said Pakistan hopes that one day the Afghan people will be governed by their true representatives
The Foreign Office also rejected the joint statement issued during the Afghan interim foreign minister ’s visit to India, in which Indian-occupied Kashmir was depicted as part of India It clarified that the joint communiqué signed in India amounts to denying the rights of the people of occupied Kashmir and confirmed that the Foreign Secretary had briefed foreign diplomats on the situation following the recent aggression by the Afghan Taliban ESCALATION AND ACCUSATIONS
The recent hostilities began on the night of October 11 when Afghan forces opened
fire on Pakistani posts along the border,
sparking a series of skirmishes that lasted several days The clashes marked one of the most serious confrontations between the two neighbours since the Taliban s return to power in 2021 Afghan authorities, however, accused Pakistan of violating their sovereignty, claiming that its airstrikes had targeted civilian areas in Paktika province near the Durand Line and in parts of Kabul Islamabad has refrained from directly acknowledging the operations, framing its actions as legitimate self-defense against crossborder terrorism A Foreign Office statement last week indirectly addressed the issue saying that Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations were focused on eliminating threats emanating from militant groups using Afghan soil to target Pakistan s security forces and civilians DIPLOMATIC FRICTION Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained strained since the Taliban leadership repeatedly dismissed Pakistan s concerns about the TTP presence in Afghanistan Last week Pakistan strongly criticised Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi for remarks made during his visit to India, where he suggested that Pakistan should “resolve its internal issues itself ” The FO retorted that terrorism was not an internal problem and accused the Taliban government of deflecting responsibility It reiterated that militants from Fitna alKhawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan continue to find safe haven in Afghan territory HUMANITARIAN AND POLITICAL BACKDROP
COMMENT
IT almost seems as if the two combatants in what was not a very intense war seem to have become tired The most potent symbol of the cost of the conflict can be seen in the logjam in the Afghan Transit Trade, with containers piling up at Karachi port, as well as rotting fruit and vegetables at crossing points on the land border, with traders claiming billions in daily losses Qatar has stepped in, offering its services as mediator Fresh from brokering the Israel-Hamas truce, it is now intervening in the Pakistan-Afghanistan confrontation It has excellent contacts with the Taliban, having hosted their political office while they negotiated with the USA, as well as with Pakistan It may well represent the intervention that US President Donald Trump offered when he met Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Sharm Al-Sheikh summit, for the closeness of Qatar and the USA is symbolized by Qatar hosting important US Centcom facilities in Doha Pakistan and Afghanistan are brotherly countries, religiously and ethnically, and the Taliban especially have close ties to Pakistan, which they used for safe haven even as they fought the USA That said, it should be noted that the conflict has arisen because the Taliban are providing the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan safe havens which have allowed it to carry out operations in Pakistan, and destabilize two provinces The problem is basic: while Pakistan follows national interests, the Taliban follow theology That they do not consistently follow it is to be seen by the growth of their ties with India, which has taken an implacably hostile stance against Pakistan, symbolized by Acting Foreign minister Amir Khan muttaqi s visit to New Delhi, when India agreed to reopen its mission in Kabul What would be the purpose of the mission apart from activities against Pakistan, using the TTP and the Balochistan Liberation Army?
So long as Pakistan is the kind of state it is, it must realize that it has probably sent across the message that the Taliban must not support its enemies, that they must not feign innocence and say that terrorism is an internal problem of Pakistan s The Taliban are presuming too much on their ties with the Pakistani establishment, and must have realized by now that enough is enough Talks are indeed the only way of settling matters, but the Taliban must realize, as they should have by now, that meaningful talks can only take place if the two sides realize that force will yield no results
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Wfrom expected trajectories, releasing strange exhaust, and fueling the chorus insisting it was no ordinary celestial wanderer For some, it was a harbinger of hope for others a reason for dread and for many more simply the social media again whipping fantasy into fear As the reports multiplied so too did the speculations Atlas, they said, was not just a ball of rock and ice, but a thinking structure, a body with a mind It seemed to accelerate and decelerate as if under command Its tail expelled jets that some described as more like controlled emissions than the natural outgassing of frozen material more astonishing still were claims about its makeup: pristine water ice, carbon dioxide, nickel, oxygen, and other minerals necessary for sustaining life If comets are the ancient archives of planetary chemistry, Atlas was presented as something more a vault stocked with the ingredients of creation In some theories it carried not just the seeds of life but the nursery for colonizing mars a shortcut to a dream that has eluded humans for decades If Elon musk and the world s brightest engineers struggled with turning mars into a second Earth, perhaps, suggested some, Atlas itself had arrived as a ready-made supply ship Atlas said some was accompanied by smaller supporting objects a fleet of escorts that moved in formation responding to commands rather than cosmic coincidence This was not a comet, they whispered, but a convoy A mothership traveling with attendants, guided by alien intelligence or unknown propulsion, rewriting the laws of motion Such talk might once have been dismissed as the stuff of pulp science fiction But the sheer spectacle of the idea amplified through social media algorithms gained its own velocity Platforms that thrive on engagement saw a surge of clicks, comments, and shares, making Atlas less a scientific observation than a cultural phenomenon Into this storm stepped Avi Loeb the controversial Harvard astrophysicist who previously ignited debate by suggesting that the earlier interstellar visitor, oumuamua, could have been alien technology Writing about Atlas, Loeb pointed to its retrograde orbit, its alignment with the ecliptic, and its unexplained acceleration as evidence that we should at least remain open to the extraordinary We should
Fr o m october 20 to 23, Beijing will convene the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Chinaan event that has already drawn global attention for what it signals about China s future direction more than a routine political gathering, the Fourth Plenum represents a moment of strategic reflection and recalibration as the leadership reviews the achievements of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) and sets the groundwork for the 15th (2026–2030) What makes this meeting significant is not the prospect of dramatic shifts but rather the reaffirmation of a steady, pragmatic vision that has enabled China to weather global uncertainty and maintain momentum as the world’s second-largest economy
The agenda of the plenum- “New Productivity,” “China’s Large market ” and “High-Level opening Up - reflect both confidence and clarity These themes embody China s dual commitment to innovation-driven growth and inclusive modernization while underscoring a strategic understanding of the shifting global order rather than reacting to external pressures, Beijing is positioning itself to shape them, guided by a developmental philosophy that favours stability longterm planning and national rejuvenation China s achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan are tangible Economic output has expanded steadily despite global turbulence, with total gains expected to exceed 35 trillion yuan (about US$4 9 trillion)
In contrast to earlier eras, the government refrained from setting rigid GDP targets emphasizing instead the quality sustainability and inclusiveness of growth This shift away from quantity toward quality marks a decisive transformation in China s development path The results are visible: greater investment in high-tech manufacturing, breakthroughs in renewable energy, and a stronger focus on ecological civilization China now leads the world in solar and wind capacity, electric vehicles, and green finance- demonstrating that growth and sustainability can coexist in a developing economy The shift toward high-quality development is not a constraint but a strategic evolution that aligns with the country s long-term goals The emphasis on New
consider the possibility that Atlas is technological ” he argued suggesting that its peculiar behavior could not easily be reconciled with the standard toolkit of cometary physics Loeb s position lent academic weight to what others were too quick to label fantasy Yet many astronomers recoiled Natural explanations, they insisted, remained the safest bet Comets do outgas in strange ways; icy jets can mimic controlled propulsion; dust tails and solar radiation can disturb paths more than simple equations predict We must resist the temptation to let imagination outrun data said Professor Karen meech To her, Atlas s chemistry and behavior, though unusual, were still within the margins of cosmic possibility Extraordinary claims she reminded us demand extraordinary evidence Still in the slipstream of scholarly debate a flood of less measured voices took hold religious preachers framed Atlas as a sign written in scripture, a herald of judgment or renewal Conspiracy theorists insisted that governments knew more than they admitted, withholding proof of alien fleets Entrepreneurs of fear churned out videos and posts monetizing curiosity and anxiety What had begun as an astronomical observation became a mirror reflecting our own social media ecosystem
The deeper danger lay not in Atlas itself, but in what its story revealed about us People shared and reshared the most speculative claims rarely pausing to check their sources Platforms rewarded the loudest not the most accurate Anxiety spread like static especially among those predisposed to mistrust official explanations As studies from the American Psychological Association have shown, misinformation, once lodged in the mind, is resistant to correction In the digital age a comet can be transformed into a spaceship by nothing more than collective imagination and the correction even if it comes arrives too late to erase the impression This is not the first time our species has faced such a moment In 1938, orson Welles s
Productivity reflects a vision that technological progress and industrial upgrading are the twin engines of future prosperity Artificial intelligence, advanced materials robotics and clean energy technologies are rapidly becoming the new cornerstones of China s modernization drive This effort is anchored in a belief that innovation not speculation should define the nation s economic trajectory Equally important is the renewed focus on domestic consumption as a sustainable growth driver The government’s campaign to “vigorously boost consumption is not a remedial measure- it is an intentional strategy to cultivate a more balanced economy driven by the purchasing power of its 400-million-strong middle class Digital platforms, improved logistics networks, and financial inclusivity have already transformed China’s consumer landscape E-commerce fintech and urban services are generating new economic ecosystems that benefit both producers and consumers By nurturing domestic demand Beijing is reducing dependence on volatile external markets and ensuring that the benefits of modernization reach ordinary citizens At the same time, China’s decision to continue liberalizing services and equity markets underscores its commitment to openness - albeit on its own terms The leadership has repeatedly emphasized that opening up must be high-level meaning structured reciprocal and compatible with national priorities recent measures, including the lifting of equity restrictions in telecommunications, healthcare, and appbased services, illustrate this selective openness It signals that China welcomes foreign participation but insists on mutual respect and shared benefit In an era of geopolitical fragmentation this is a form of globalization rooted in equality rather than dominance Critics often view the balance between market dynamism and state guidance as a contradiction, but for Beijing it is a strength The decision on october 9 to curb “disorderly” price competition, for instance, is not a rollback of market principles but a reminder that competition should serve the public good not undermine it China s market reforms have always been designed to operate within a broader social framework- where economic freedom coexists with public responsibility and long-term national objectives The government s approach ensures that innovation thrives without descending into the chaos of unregulated capitalism which has destabilized many Western economies Energy security and resource resilience will also occupy a central place at the plenum China s efforts to expand its oil reserve sites and diversify energy sources highlight both prudence and foresight The global energy landscape is volatile, but Beijing’s consistent investments in renewables, nuclear power, and grid modernization demonstrate its commitment to self-reliance and green transition By 2030 China aims to have non-fossil fuels account for 25 percent of total energy consumption- a goal that will significantly reduce vulnerability to global supply disruptions While the Fourth Plenum will not unveil the full text of the 15th Five-Year Plan, its statements will set
radio dramatization of H G Wells War of the Worlds sparked panic in listeners who mistook fiction for news Today, Atlas plays a similar role, only the amplifiers are global, instantaneous, and relentless The risk is not simply that we misunderstand one comet but that we normalize a culture where conjecture is sold as fact fear is a business model and science becomes drowned by noise The lesson is not that we should shut down wonder or forbid speculation Wonder is the soul of science The lesson is that wonder must be married to honesty It is one thing to ask if Atlas is a probe and another to declare it is It is one thing to invite curiosity another to inflame fear Scholars like Loeb remind us that bold ideas have their place, but they must be framed as hypotheses, not headlines The media must learn to distinguish between the known, the possible, and pure invention And platforms, if they are to remain responsible guardians of global conversation must find ways to check the flood of monetized rumour without strangling free inquiry Atlas may one day fade from our skies absorbed into the long list of cosmic visitors that passed through unnoticed It may shatter, evaporate, or leave quietly into the galactic night But the story it triggered will remain as a test of how humanity responds when faced with mystery
We need a culture that prizes credible information that nurtures critical thinking that separates speculation from deception Governments and civil society must press platforms to curb deliberate misinformation Educators must teach skepticism as a civic skill And as individuals, we must pause before sharing ask where claims come from and remember that not every dazzling tale deserves belief In the end Atlas may be no more than a lump of ice and rock obeying hidden but natural laws The real wonder and the real danger lies not in the comet, but in the stories we build around it
The writer retired as Press Secretary the President and is former Press Minister at Embassy of Pakistan to France and former MD Shalimar Recording & Broadcasting Company Limited
We need a culture that priz es credible information, that nur tures critical thinking, that separates speculation from deception Governments and civil society must press platforms to curb deliberate misinformation Educators must teach skepticism as a civic skill And as individuals, we must pause before sharing, ask where claims come from, and remember that not ever y dazzling tale deser ves belief
Facade of progress in academia
merely demotivate individuals, it slowly institutionalises mediocrity
The latest obsession on campuses is to attach the label of artificial intelligence (AI) to almost anything overnight traditional programmes are being renamed or merged to include AI in their titles
Departments that once offered conventional degrees are rebranded as if they have suddenly
Underlying
laid our societ y bare
Qamar Bashir
I n d i a ’ s a m b i g u o u s n u c l e a r w e a p o n s p r o g r a m m e
IN D I A pursues a nuclear doctrine of credible minimum deterrence and a no-first-use (NFU) policy However, this narrative masks the fact that India’s nuclear programme is the fastest growing in South Asia India has repeatedly leveraged its civilian nuclear cooperation and technology transfers for its nuclear weapons programme India s nuclear programme is also replete with incidents of theft and sale of fissile material, as well as safety and security concerns associated with its nuclear facilities During the 1960s New Delhi covertly diverted fissile material and resources from a civilian nuclear reactor into its weapons programme David Albright, a physicist and the founding president of the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), explained in his 1998 article The Shots Heard Round the World carried by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists that the plutonium used in the 1974 explosion was produced and diverted from the Canada-India reactor Utility Services (CIrUS) nuclear reactor provided by Canada under a 1956 bilateral agreement The heavy water used in the reactor was supplied by the USA for peaceful purposes Enabled by the transfer of technology and fuel supplied explicitly for peaceful uses under the Atoms for Peace initiative, India detonated a nuclear device, codenamed Smiling Buddha, in 1974 at its Pokhran test site At the time, the Indian leaders described the detonation as a Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) for non-military applications such as earth-moving operations mining and canal digging However, in 1997, Dr raja ramanna, former Director of the Bhabha Atomic research Centre (BArC), admitted that the PokhranI test was indeed a nuclear weapons test and was “not all that peaceful ” India’s diversion of its civilian nuclear programme for weapons development nuclearized the South Asian region and undermined the global non-proliferation efforts India s nuclear test of 1974 led to the creation of the Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG) in 1975 In 2007, the US signed a Civil Nuclear Agreement with India, also known as 123 Agreement India was granted a waiver in 2008 by the NSG Prior to the waiver India’s draft separation plan was accepted by IAEA under which 14 of its 22 operational nuclear power plants were placed under IAEA safeguards, while the remaining eight were kept outside of it India’s 14 safeguarded reactors are facilitated and kept operational through bilateral agreements that it has signed with various nuclear supplier countries after receiving the NSG waiver According to the International Panel on Fissile materials (IPFm) the remaining eight unsafeguarded nuclear reactors provide India with the technical flexibility to divert locally processed fissile material for strategic and military purposes IPFm also notes that India does not accept safeguards on the Prototype Fast Breeder reactor (PFBr) and the Fast Breeder Test reactor (FBTr), both located at Kalpakkam
The PFBr alone can produce up to 140 kg of weapons-grade plutonium each year, enough for producing 35 nuclear warheads According to data shared by Reaching Critical Will India s eight unsafeguarded nuclear reactors have the capacity to produce up to 200 kg of weapons-grade plutonium per year Considering 4 kg of plutonium per weapon as estimated by IPFm, India can add approximately 50 nuclear warheads annually to its existing nuclear arsenal In 2017 in a discussion paper for Harvard University s Belfer Center Dr mansoor Ahmed concluded that India had the capacity to produce up to 2,686 nuclear weapons from existing fissile material stocks As a result, India’s sizable and growing stockpiles of weapon-grade plutonium and HEU underpin its ever-expanding nuclear weapons programme and form the basis of its position on the Fissile material Cut-off Treaty (FmCT) in the Conference on Disarmament (CD) India opposes the Fissile ma-
terial Treaty (FmT) that aims to include existing stockpiles of fissile material in addition to the cut-off of future production India however supports FmCT to freeze the existing asymmetries in its favor According to the 2024 assessment by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) India currently possesses an estimated 700 kilograms of weapons-grade plutonium and approximately 5 3 tons of weapons-grade Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) The Stockholm International Peace research Institute (SIPrI) Yearbook 2025 estimated that India s nuclear arsenal increased from 164 in 2023 and 172 warheads in 2024 to 180 in 2025 The report by SIPrI also highlights that India s stockpile growth remains embedded in a complex and only partially safeguarded infrastructure, which complicates credible international verification This persistent ambiguity raises questions about the effectiveness of existing safeguards in ensuring that nuclear fuel supplied for civilian purposes does not enable expansion of India s weapons programme
The Cold War alignment also contributed to India’s latent nuclear capabilities India’s nuclear submarine programme benefitted significantly from strategic cooperation with the former USSr In 1988 India leased a Soviet Charlie-class nuclear-powered submarine (K-43), which operated as INS Chakra until 1991 Subsequently in 2012, India leased an Akula-class nuclearpowered attack submarine (SSN) from russia under similar arrangements Although these transfers were framed as training exercises for the Indian Navy they arguably contravened the spirit of global non-proliferation norms by enabling India to accelerate its indigenous nuclear naval capability without full transparency or international oversight
Despite India’s eight nuclear reactors that remain outside IAEA safeguards and its history of diversion of nuclear technology for weapons development, it continues to receive preferential treatment from the West
The NSG waiver of 2008 permitted New Delhi to engage in international nuclear trade despite its non-signatory status to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) This arrangement effectively freed up India s domestic nuclear fuel for accelerating its weapons programme by fulfilling civilian reactor needs through external supply The Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement of 2007, further institutionalized this dual pathway by not mandating full-scope safeguards on India s entire nuclear complex Serious concerns have also emerged regarding India s internal nuclear safety and security architecture According to
e d a s I N S C h a k r a u n t i l 1 9 9 1 .
S u b s e q u e n t l y i n 2 0 1 2 , I n d i a l e a s e d a n A k u l a - cl a s s n u cl e a r- p o w e r e d a t t a ck
s u b m a r i n e ( S S N ) f ro m R u s s i a u n d e r s i m i l a r a r r a n g e m e n t s .
Th e re n o w n e d c o n s u l t a n t, b u s i n e s s m a n a n d w r i te r b e l i e ve s t h at t h e b e s t way to e n d t h e c r i s i s wo u l d b e f o r t h e h e a d o f s t ate, w h o m h e c o n s i d e r s
‘u nwo r t hy ’ o f t h e o f f i c e h e h
i s h P r i n c e
A n d r e w ?
Ovirtues and the limits of the state’s governmental apparatus He was once Emmanel macron s advisor and fixer But today he loathes the head of state and what he represents for France
Question Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was reappointed by President Macron just a few days ago What’s your prognosis for his second administration?
Answer We can say that it’s already outlived the first which only lasted 14 hours [after key cabinet members were named] But I don t think it will get very far The noconfidence motion will be decided by just a few votes, especially within the very divided Socialist bloc Even if Lecornu survives, he won’t make it to the budget debate The situation is hopeless The entire so-called “reasonable” political class seems to have agreed on one thing: how to accelerate the National rally s (rN) rise to power (the far-right party led by marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella) The rN doesn t even need to move; everyone works for it It s unworthy [of governing the country] And macron is unworthy and the leaders of the major parties are either unworthy, or ridiculous
Q You say that Macron is “unworthy ” Why?
A Because he has racked up senseless political mistakes The dissolution of the [National] Assembly was madness He should have [appointed a] leftist prime minister immediately after the [2024 legislative] elections, in order to demonstrate to the National Assembly that he had no parliamentary basis for governing Instead, he took four months to appoint michel Barnier sabotaging everything from within Then he allowed François Bayrou to be imposed as prime minister And finally he appointed Lecornu one of his closest collaborators He didn t understand that, to survive, he had to cede power But he s incapable of doing so, because he thinks he s better than everyone else It’s a Shakespearean ending
Q You advised Macron at the beginning of his term And now you
lande, by comparison, was an honorable president macron, on the other hand, is the worst And the worst thing is that I don’t know if the institutions will recover from this crisis
Q Is France becoming more and more like Italy?
A more like the Italy of the past not the Italy of the present Today s Italy has stable unchallenged power [In France] we live in [a state of] hyper-parliamentarism without its culture We don t know how to negotiate, we don t seek compromises France lacks the subtlety of change We don’t have the culture of political adaptation that Italy has always had
Q Do you no longer advise President Macron?
A No I m not answering him anymore But if I still had to give him advice, I would tell him to step down
Q Do you think that his resignation as requested by Édouard Philippe, Macron’s former prime minister would be beneficial for France?
A Given the current state of non-governance the only way to reactivate the institutions would be an early presidential election
Q If the second Lecornu government were to fall, what would Macron do?
A He would have two options: dissolving the National Assembly and calling new legislative elections or submitting his own resignation He will choose dissolution But this would be a tragedy for France macron could survive institutionally with a National rally government, in a form of cohabitation But the prospect of seeing the rN in power terrifies me
Q Do you think the RN will win the next elections?
A It has a better chance in the legislative elections than in the presidential elections But only on the condition that the moderates present a single joint candidate: in that case, [the moderate] would reach the second round and could win If there were two moderate candidates [splitting the vote], we would run the risk of a runoff between [the left-wing] mélenchon and Le Pen or mélenchon and Bardella
Q The French situation is increasingly worrying for Europe
A If the French crisis worsens, the entire European Union will be destabilized And all of this could become irreversible, until the day we come under the tutelage of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the [European] Commission as Spain and Italy were [at one point] And then we ll be forced to make under pressure the reforms that we were unable to make on our own It s a possible scenario and I would even say a desirable one
Q Desirable? A Yes Because outside the government sphere the country isn’t doing so badly The savings rate is too high but that s a sign of wealth We have the most solid banking system on the continent Unemployment is falling and public services despite complaints are still functioning The substance of the country is healthy But we ll only respect the economic rules when a financial crisis forces us
as happened in Italy
RE A D I N G the extract from Virginia Giuffre s tragic memoir, I was struck again by the fate of each of those people involved in that infamous photograph taken at Ghislaine maxwell’s London house The teenage girl at the centre of
grinning woman in the background is in
herself exalting Donald Trump’s impeccable purity in the hope of getting moved to a nicer jail or even pardoned And the smiling lunk with his arm round the teenage girl – who he denies he had sex with later that evening – is living in a 30-room mansion on a 98-acre estate (which even his monarch brother reportedly doesn’t know how he pays for), joshing away at family funerals and just sort of riding it out each time another of his lies about this story is exposed That truly is the royalty bonus Don t call it a doghouse! It s a dogpalace Amazingly, even as I was typing that paragraph, a story dropped revealing that Andrew met the extremely senior Chinese Communist party official at the centre of the collapsed Beijing spy case at least three times remember the duke is already under fire for unwittingly hiring an alleged spy as his representative in China Is there anywhere he doesn t get? He s like the Forrest Gump of appalling decisions We are now, yet again, at the stage where “royal watchers” must speculate on what could be done about the endless slow-motion gilded-coachcrash
ZamZam ChaNNa
GUARDIAN
C hina, C anada c an be par tners of common development, says Wang Y i
CM MARYAM REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING GOVERNANCE, WORKERS’ WELFARE, AND PEACE
pendent and giving them a voice in household, community, and political decisions, she said
S
The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) convened the Third Meeting of its Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) at the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), under the gracious patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, President of the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) Jordan’s premier scientific institution and one of COMSATS founding Centres of Excellence The high-level meeting convened eminent TAC members including Prof Dr Wejdan Abu-Elhaija (PSUT, Jordan), Prof Haseena Khan (University of Dhaka, Bangladesh), Prof Rahmat SotudehGharebagh (University of Tehran, Iran), Dr Bolanle Ojokoh (Federal University of Technology Nigeria) Prof Dr Ishenkumba A Kahwa (The University of the West Indies Jamaica) and Dr Chabi A M S Djagoun (University of AbomeyCalavi, Benin), with Dr Jauad El Kharraz (ECCO Climate Change, Italy) and Mr Fernando Santiago Rodriguez (UNIDO, Vienna) joining virtually Deliberations focused on providing strategic guidance for COMSATS’ future trajectory reviewing the implementation of ongoing technical programmes and refining the Organization s strategic roadmap encapsulated in COMSATS Strategy 2025–2030 Central to the discourse was enhancing intra-network synergy among COMSATS 25 International Centres of Excellence through thematic research clusters integrated capacity-building initiatives and sustained inter-Centre collaboration calibrated to the evolving scientific and socio-economic imperatives of the Global South
The World Bank invited Pakistan s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to showcase its successful transformation efforts as a global case study in public sector reform during the World Bank Annual Meeting held in Washington D C Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Mr Muhammad Aurangzeb, Chairman FBR Mr Rashid Mahmood Langrial, Secretary Finance, Secretary Economic Affairs Division and other senior officials attended the Annual Meeting In his opening remarks the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue highlighted how Pakistan has successfully executed one of its most ambitious institutional transformations in its recent history rebuilding its tax system across people processes and technology under the direct guidance and ownership of the Prime Minister of Pakistan He underscored that the transformation plan is homegrown, encompasses all critical areas of reforms and enjoys full support of the Prime Minister and the Federal Cabinet The plan is already delivering clear early wins and visible markers of turnaround of revenue administration The Minister emphasized that
these reforms while already contributing to visible improvement in macroeconomic indicators alongwith revenue administration reforms, will lay the foundation for sustained and long-term economic growth
In his presentation the Chairman FBR showcased Pakistan s remarkable achievement in enhancing the tax-to-GDP ratio from 8 83% in FY 2023–24 to 10 33% in FY 2024–25, marking the strongest single-year improvement in 23 years He credited this turnaround to a homegrown dataled plan focusing on transparency efficiency and compliance The Chairman explained that the transformation journey
KP CM MOVES IHC TO MEET IMRAN KHAN, PINS LETTER TO
requesting that he direct the relevant authorities to arrange a supervised meeting with Imran Khan According to the letter it was necessary in the public interest that a periodical meeting of the KP chief minister be permitted under supervision of competent authorities” at Adiala Jail Afridi argued that the province home to over 45 million people faced pressing governance and economic challenges requiring consultation with his party s founder The seeking of direction is extremely essential, even presently the province of Punjab has stopped the interprovincial trade i e of wheat etc ” the letter stated urging judicial intervention to ensure his access
“I am the elected Chief Minister of the province and a representative of 45 million people Afridi wrote It is my constitutional and moral duty to take instructions from the Patron-in-Chief of my party, Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail He added that despite repeated communications with the Interior Ministry and the Punjab Home Department no meeting had been facilitated I request you to issue orders to the authorities including the Superintendent of Adiala Jail, to arrange my meeting with Imran Khan,” the letter said Absence from PM’s meeting on Afghan repatriation Afridi s legal and political moves coincided with his absence from a highlevel meeting on the repatriation of Afghan refugees, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad The session, attended by chief ministers of the three other provinces as well as the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir the chief minister of GilgitBaltistan senior military officials and federal cabinet members, focused on the safe and organised return of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan The KP chief minister, despite being in the capital opted
Third round of KP LG by- elec tions to
take
place on Oc t 19
The Provincial Election Commissioner of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Saeed Gul has directed authorities to ensure foolproof security and administrative arrangements for the third phase of local government by-elections scheduled for October 19, 2025, across seven districts of the province Chairing a high-level meeting at his office in Peshawar on Thursday the commissioner emphasised that voters must be able to exercise their right to vote freely, fairly, and without fear The meeting reviewed preparations for the upcoming local government by-polls and was attended by senior officials from the provincial government police and other relevant departments Director Elections Muhammad Nadeem Khan briefed the participants on the logistical, administrative, and security measures finalised for the electoral process The meeting was informed that
polling will be conducted in seven districts Kohat Dera Ismail Khan Abbottabad, Mansehra, Malakand, Shangla, and Upper Dir, where 12 village council seats are currently vacant All arrangements including the deployment of staff printing of ballot papers and establishment of polling stations have been completed According to the Election Commission, a total of 88,359 voters are registered to cast their ballots in this phase To facilitate the voting process 66 polling stations and 201 polling booths have been set up across the districts Security officials informed the meeting that 23 polling stations have been declared sensitive, while five have been categorised as highly sensitive based on security assessments To address these vulnerabilities enhanced security arrangements have been made including the deployment of additional police personnel and installation of CCTV cameras at all sensitive polling stations
The Provincial Election Commissioner was briefed that security forces, including police and district administration, will remain in constant coordination with the Election Commission to ensure a peaceful and transparent process All agencies will maintain real-time communication during polling and vote counting Saeed Gul emphasised that maintaining law and order and ensuring public confidence in the electoral process were the top priorities of the Election Commission It is our collective responsibility to ensure that voters can cast their votes in a safe and conducive environment, he said In addition to security arrangements, the meeting also reviewed administrative protocols Officials confirmed that control rooms would be established at both the provincial and district levels which will remain operational round the clock with dedicated staff to monitor developments and address any emerging issues
ATC issues non-bailable arrest warrant for Aleema Khan
RAWALPINDI s ta f f r e p o r t
The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC)
Rawalpindi on Friday issued a nonbailable arrest warrant for Aleema Khan sister of Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan after she failed to appear in a hearing of November 26 D-Chowk protest case
The court directed police to produce her on October 19
ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah remarked that Aleema’s repeated absences were obstructing judicial proceedings noting that the court was unable to record witness statements due to her nonappearance
Police sources said Aleema is likely to be arrested from Adiala Jail premises where she is scheduled to attend hearings in the Toshakhana II case
The court also issued a notice to her guarantor, seeking their presence on October 19 and questioning why Aleema’s surety bond
should not be confiscated
On September 18 the same court had granted interim bail to Aleema in the November 26 protest case observing at the time that there was no clear evidence against her She was required to submit surety bonds of Rs50,000 and appear regularly at hearings
The case registered at Sadiqabad Police Station includes charges of rioting vandalism stonepelting, and chanting anti-government slogans during the D-Chowk protest The court has summoned five witnesses for the next hearing scheduled for October 19
D-Chowk protest
On November 13 2023 Imran Khan had given a final call for nationwide protests to be held on November 24, demanding the restoration of PTI’s electoral mandate the release of detained leaders and the reversal of the 26th Amendment which he claimed empowered a dictatorial regime
The main demonstration took
place at D-Chowk, Islamabad, where PTI supporters from across provinces gathered Authorities later launched an operation to disperse protestors ending the sit-in on November 26, with the PTI leadership allegedly fleeing the scene Related cases
At least 29 protest-related cases were registered across Rawalpindi District including at Sadiqabad Civil Lines Taxila and Waris Khan police stations Imran Khan was accused in seven cases, while Bushra Bibi was named in all 29 FIRs The cases were filed under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA)
A total of 1 383 accused persons have since been granted bail, including Ali Amin Gandapur, Azam Swati, Salar Kakar, and Salman Akram Raja Bail approvals began in May 2024 and concluded by July 31 months after the arrests made between November 24 and 27, 2023
