COAS MUNIR REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO JOINTLY REALISE PAK-JORDAN VISION OF
g FIELD MARSHAL MUNIR UNDERSCORES ‘ STRONG DEFENCE PARTNERSHIP ’ BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND HA SHEMITE KINGDOM, HIGHLIGHTING ROBUST MILITARY-TO-MILITARY COOPERATION
g JORDANIAN DELEGATION VISITS JOINT FIRE AND MANOEUVRE EXERCISES AT TILLA FIELD FIRING RANGES, WITNESSING PAKISTAN ’S MULTI-DOMAIN DEFENCE CAPABILITIES
g PRESIDENT ZARDARI CONFERS NISHAN-I-PAKISTAN ON KING ABDULLAH II, WHILE KING CONFERS ORDER OF THE BEJEWELLED GRAND CORDON OF AL-NAHDA ON PAKISTANI PRESIDENT
g KING ABDULLAH ALSO VISITS GIDS, BRIEFED ON INDIGENOUS DEFENCE PRODUCTION, TECH INNOVATION, AND FUTURE COLLABORATION AVENUES
CDWP SIGNS OFF ON SEVEN SCHEMES, SENDS T WO
ICCI highlights youth as key drivers of economic activit y Chamber president stresses suppor t for young innovators and entrepreneurs
PAKISTAN SEEKS ‘DIGITAL NATION’ STATUS, ATTRACTS
$700 MILLION IN IT INVESTMENTS
Barrick board weighs breakup plan, potential sale of Reko D iq and Afric an assets
comment on market speculation The sources said talks are ongoing and no final decision has been made If implemented the plan would effectively reverse Barrick s 2019 merger with Randgold Resources and could see the company divest assets acquired under former CEO Mark Bristow One source said a sharper focus on North American
NAB institutional reforms produce unprecedented results, deliver record recoveries
National Accountability Bureau s (NAB) institutional reforms have produced unprecedented results with newly released data showing a dramatic rise in recoveries enhanced transparency measures and structural improvements across the organisation
According to official statistics, NAB recovered Rs 883 58 billion over a period of 23 years from its establishment in 1999 to February 2023 In stark contrast during the last two-and-a-half years from March 2023 to October 2025 NAB achieved record recoveries of Rs 8 397 75 billion marking a 947% increase, nearly 10 times higher than the cumulative recoveries of the previous 23 years During this period NAB operated with a budget of Rs 15 33 billion meaning that every single rupee spent generated Rs 548 in recoveries Overall NAB s total recov-
eries now stand at Rs
billion with another Rs 2 000 billion expected by the end of the current year Officials stated that these reforms were introduced under the amended NAB law to enhance the institution s efficiency, transparency, and accountability Key reforms include the establishment of new complaints cells at the NAB Headquarters and regional bureaus as well as sub-offices in Gwadar and Chaman For research and specialized training the Pakistan Anti-Corruption Academy (PACA) has also been launched To ensure fairness accused persons
remain confidential until a final decision is made Meanwhile special Accountability Facilitation Cells have been set up
The bureau has also introduced a complete e-office system digital witness statements, and AI-driven analysis of financial evidence A high-level committee has been formed to identify and rectify errors or gaps in cases Following these reforms, the volume of initial complaints dropped significantly from
Pakistan welcomes Iran’s mediation bid as Islamabad–Kabul tension persists
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
So, obviously, we will not shy away from mediation,” he said Pakistan has persistently asked the Kabul administration to take decisive action against terrorist elements using Afghan soil to stage attacks inside Pakistan a charge the Afghan Taliban deny Earlier this month, the third round of talks between Islamabad and Kabul held in Istanbul with Turkiye and Qatar as mediators collapsed without agreement after both sides failed to bridge deep differences over preventing cross-border terrorism The dialogue followed deadly clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier in October
Zardari PM Shehbaz and other federal ministers were present at the ceremony, while
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari were also in attendance His Majesty King Abdullah II is a visionary leader and a statesman of exceptional statesmanship who has championed the cause of moderation, justice and dialogue amongst nations ” the citation for the award said Under His Majesty s sagacious leadership the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has emerged as a beacon of stability, tolerance and prosperity in the region, it added His unwavering advocacy for a just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian question and his efforts towards reaching the Gaza peace agreement have earned him profound international acclaim and recognition His Majesty has been a steadfast friend of Pakistan By virtue of his personal engagement, the bilateral relations
Petticoat influence
Repor t on Bushra Bibi ’s influence provokes the PTI
THE Economist report on Bushra Bibi’s influence on her husband, PTI founder Imran Khan, hardly breaks new ground Some of the persons carefully left anonymous are easily guessed at The people carefully not mentioned and others duly identified have sought a political future in the Tehrik Istaehkam Party However, one of the interesting revelations is that Mrs Khan’s interference was behind the rift with the military which the party is still trying to live down and which it ascribes to US interference Be that as it may, the PTI has reacted strongly, and said the report did not mention the various ways in which political persecution was being carried out The party and the publication both ducked the question of how far can an elected official be influenced by the person who is closest to him and how far this is compatible with an oath of office Indeed it is not just elected officials, but appointed ones, like superior court judges, or promoted ones, like senior officials who have to decide how much their spouses are to be told about what they are up to However who is to be the spouse s repository? A friend, like Farah Gogi? What if the spouse uses her influence to impact governmental decisions This is not a question that has arisen with Mr Khan The Prime Ministers before hjim have all been evaluated on this standard Where does a healthy influence transform into petticoat influence? It should be remembered that in the instances of Nurat Bhutto vans Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif their respective entrances into politics only occurred when their husbands were arrested and came under the shadow of the hangman’s noose Mrs Bhutto actually witnessed her husband’s hanging, while Mrs Sharif died while her husband was in jail
While the PTI might reject the report, it has helped the party paper over the complete failure to rally the public against the 27th Amendment, With lawyers still following a wait-and-see policy, the protests have yet to pick up momentum It is also not clear that the public is upset enough either with the government generally or the 27th Amendment, to come out onto the streets The PTi has still not finished its soul-searching over its failure to spring Mr Khan from jail despite a number of attempts both by protests and closed-door negotiations THe petticoat influence of Mrs Khan has not extended to that, though the report does take potshots at her for trying to run the party while Mr Khan is imprisoned
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
The upper limit for temperature increase has been crossed
GOVERNMENTS failing to shift to a lowcarbon economy will be blamed for famine and conflict abroad and will face stagnation and rising inflation at home, the UN s climate chief warned on Monday at the start of the Cop30 climate talks “Not one single nation among you can afford this as climate disasters rip double digits off GDP ” he said “To falter whilst megadroughts wreck national harvests sending food prices soaring makes zero sense economically and politically To squabble while famines take hold, forcing millions to flee their homelands – this will never be forgotten as conflicts spread ”’ – An excerpt from a November 10, Guardian published article ‘“It will never be forgiven”: UN climate chief warns world to act or face disaster Ten years ago was made the historic Paris Agreement in which it was decided that efforts will be made to keep the global temperature rise below 2°C, and ideally below 1 5°C According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ‘The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change It was adopted by 195 Parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris France on 12 December 2015 It entered into force on 4 November 2016 Its overarching goal is to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature in-
crease to 1 5°C above pre-industrial levels ” However in recent years world leaders have stressed the need to limit global warming to 1 5 C by the end of this century That s because the UN s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that crossing the 1 5°C threshold risks unleashing far more severe climate change impacts, including more frequent and severe droughts heatwaves and rainfall ’ Having said that global temperatures did cross 1 5 C but according to scientists for climate change to bring irreversible changes the threshold will have to be crossed over some years A November 10, Guardian published article It will never be forgiven”: UN climate chief warns world to act or face disaster ’ pointed out in this regard ‘Temperatures have already surpassed the 1 5°C threshold agreed under the 2015 Paris treaty for the past two years but only if that continues for several more years will the rise be judged permanent and a breach of the treaty Some scientists argue it could still be possible to bring down temperatures to the threshold again, or close to it, through measures such as cutting the powerful greenhouse gas methane and by a rapid switch to low-carbon technologies It is indeed a shame that the pace of tackling climate change is so slow that in just a few years since the 2015 Paris Agreement the global warming threshold of 1 5°C was crossed Therefore, one of the main agenda items of the ongoing Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting the one currently taking place in Brazil being
o b a l f i n a n c i a l a r c h i t e c t u r e i n t e r m s o f m o r e b e n e v o l e n t l y d e a l i n g w i t h d e b t , c o m i n g u p w i t h a m u c h - i m p
T h e P r o s p e c t o f N u c l e a r W a r
The Manufac ture of Darkness in the Pursuit of Light
of which are controlled by the Usa and Russia alone The rest of the globe either shelters under their nuclear umbrellas or aligns ideologically against them
THROUGHOUT human history, the equilibrium of power has always determined the trajectory of civilizations From the crude stones of the prehistoric hunter to the mechanized engines of the Industrial Revolution mankind has continuously sought new means of survival through strength Yet, when the mysteries of the atom were unraveled in the early 20th century and when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were obliterated in 1945, humanity reached a fateful juncture where power and annihilation became the two faces of the same coin
In 2025 as the world stands amid the tense nuclear posturing of six threshold powers the USA, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea, The question arises: can humankind transform its scientific ascendancy into a force for peace or will this very knowledge become the architect of its own extinction?
The journey of nuclear power has never been merely an arms race; it has been a mirror reflecting the global political psyche The USA, by employing the atomic bomb in 1945, became the first nuclear power and the self-proclaimed guardian of global leadership The former ussr (now Russia) conducted its first nuclear test in 1949 igniting the Cold War and a bipolar world order Britain France and China soon joined the nuclear club redefining the geometry of global power In South Asia, the 1998 nuclear detonations brought India and Pakistan into this perilous fraternity, while North Korea’s 2006 tests challenged the very architecture of international deterrence
As of 2025 the world possesses an estimated 13 000 nuclear warheads over 90 percent
Nuclear science today is no longer confined to radioactive decay or the enrichment of uranium Modern research has opened new and more ominous frontiers Hydrogen bombs, nano-fission technologies and plasma fusion have exponentially amplified the destructive potential of warfare Artificial Intelligence now permeates nuclear command and decision systems with autonomous defence mechanisms capable of executing retaliatory strikes faster than human cognition Cyber warfare and quantum communication networks have introduced a terrifying possibility: future wars may not begin with the press of a button but with the alteration of a line of code Thus the menace of nuclear war has transcended the physical battlefield and infiltrated the digital and algorithmic realm The geopolitical landscape of our age has fractured into two colossal blocs On one side stand the USA Europe and Japan champions of democracy and market liberalism On the other side are China Russia Iran and North Korea advocates of centralized power and strategic authoritarianism The flashpoints separating them are Ukraine, Taiwan, the Middle East, and South Asia, which have become volatile theatres where any miscalculation could ignite a global conflagration The India–Pakistan rivalry the U S –China technological cold war and the Russia–NATO confrontation together constitute a triad of existential threats to world peace Yet, nuclear arms are not merely instruments of defence; they are economic burdens of staggering proportions In 2025, the global defence expenditure is estimated at $2 4 trillion of which 70 percent is consumed by just ten nations led by the USA China Russia India and the United Kingdom These military budgets surpass global spending on health, education, and environmental protection combined Trillions of dollars are diverted toward maintaining and modernizing arsenals designed to deter a hypothetical adversary This militarized dependence has ensnared the world economy in a web of fear compelling poorer nations to surrender their developmental autonomy in favour of military allegiance
The greatest casualty of a nuclear conflict would, of course, be humanity itself Scientific
A nuclear war would not mark the extinction of one nation or race, it would signify the obliteration of humanity itself The true spirit of science and knowledge can only survive when it safeguards life rather than annihilates it Otherwise, history will once again whisper its tragic verdict: “Man split the atom but never his own hatred”
projections indicate that even a limited nuclear exchange say in South Asia would instantly claim 50 to 100 million lives The Earth s temperature could drop by 1 5°C, crops would perish, rainfall patterns would collapse, and the atmosphere would become toxic The ensuing radiation genetic mutations and environmental poisoning could cripple entire generations Consequently environmental scientists have begun to describe the coming epoch as the PostHuman Survival Era
Since 1946, the United Nations Security Council has adopted over 150 resolutions concerning nuclear disarmament yet none has achieved full implementation Despite the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) the major powers remain obstinately devoted to their strategic doctrines International agencies like the IAEA have been reduced to mere supervisory roles incapable of enforcing compliance Until the global order is rebuilt upon genuine equity and transparent justice nuclear peace will remain nothing more than a temporary intermission between crises
South Asia today stands as the most perilous nuclear flashpoint on Earth The military equilibrium between Pakistan and India rests precariously upon the principle of deterrence yet border skirmishes miscalculations and political provocations continually threaten to destabilize it Both nations have developed tactical shortrange nuclear weapons that make the prospect of accidental escalation even grimmer economic strain, water scarcity, and domestic unrest could in moments of crisis propel either state into an irrevocable decision
The nuclear dilemma however is not merely a question of science or statecraft it is a crisis of conscience Humanity has mastered the forces of nature but remains impoverished in moral wisdom From a philosophical standpoint the issue is “man versus his own creation ” The atom once a symbol of enlightenment has become the emblem of oblivion This age represents the triumph of intellect and the bankruptcy of conscience Unless humankind harmonizes its ethical awareness with its scientific genius, the next chapter of history may well be written without man himself
The cartography of modern geopolitics demands that the world transcend the paradigm of deterrence and embrace a framework of cooperative survival Nuclear energy must serve civilization, not destroy it, by fueling industries, healing the sick, and powering progress The endurance of humanity depends not upon the possession of science but upon the discipline of its moral use If the global powers were to redirect even 10 percent of their military budgets toward education and healthcare and collectively adopt a binding Global Nuclear Peace Accord, the world might yet transform the atom of fear into the light of peace A nuclear war would not mark the extinction of one nation or race, it would signify the obliteration of humanity itself The true spirit of science and knowledge can only survive when it safeguards life rather than annihilates it Otherwise history will once again whisper its tragic verdict: Man split the atom but never his own hatred The writer is a freelance columnist
Learning and living in China
Dr OMer JaveD
s remarks stand in contrast to the government s Make in India push raising questions about the effectiveness of India s defence-production drive In a separate interview with Bloomberg, the CDS acknowledged that India had lost several fighter jets during its recent armed clash with Pakistan Without revealing exact numbers he said the mistakes that led to the losses were quickly identified and corrected allowing the air force to resume longrange operations within days The confrontation in May was the most serious military escalation between the two countries in decades It followed an attack on tourists in IIOJK’s Pahalgam area, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan an allegation Islamabad denied India responded with cross-border strikes that killed civilians prompting Pakistan to launch Operation Bunyanum Marsoos During the exchange Pakistan shot down several Indian aircraft, including Rafale jets, along with multiple drones After 87 hours of hostilities, the conflict ended on May 10 following a ceasefire deal brokered by the United States
A sylum overhaul in UK to impose 20-year wait for permanent settlement
Britain said it would make refugee status temporary, and the wait for permanent settlement would be quadrupled to 20 years under the country’s most sweeping overhaul of policy on asylum seekers in modern times
The Labour government has been hardening its immigration policies above all on illegal small-boat crossings from France in efforts to stem the soaring popularity of the populist Reform UK party, which has driven the immigration agenda
The government said it would take inspiration from Denmark’s approach one of the toughest in Europe where growing anti-immigrant sentiment has led to increased restrictions in many countries and widely criticised by rights groups
Temporary status subject to review
As part of the changes, the statutory duty to provide support to certain asylum seekers, including housing and weekly allowances will be revoked the Home Office (interior ministry) said in a statement issued late on Saturday
The department led by Shabana Mahmood said the measures would apply to asylum seekers who can work but choose not to, and to those who break the law It said that taxpayer-funded support would be prioritised for those contributing to the economy and local communities
The Home Office also said that protection for refugees would now be temporary regularly reviewed and revoked if the home country was deemed safe
Our system is particularly generous compared to other countries in Europe, where, after five years, you re effectively automatically settled in this country We will change that,” Mahmood told Sky News on Sunday
She added that under the changes a refugee’s status would be reviewed every two-and-a-half years during a much longer path to permanent settlement in this country of 20 years
Mahmood said she would provide further details of the changes on Monday, including an announcement on Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights
The government has said it wants to stay in the ECHR but change how the Article 8 provision covering the right to a family life is interpreted Mahmood said it was being applied in a way that is designed to frustrate the removal of those that, under our immigration rules, would not have the right to be in this country ” The government’s tougher approach has drawn criticism More than 100 British charities wrote to Mahmood urging her to “end the scapegoating of migrants and performative policies that only cause harm saying such steps are fuelling racism and violence
suggest immigration has overtaken the economy as British voters’ top concern Over the summer, protests took place outside hotels housing asylum seekers at public expense A total of 109 343 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year ending March 2025 a 17 per cent rise on the previous year and 6pc above the 2002 peak of 103,081 Mahmood said the government would look to open more “safe and legal” routes for asylum seekers, as she believed Britain should play its part in helping those fleeing danger UK GOVT INSPIRED BY DENMARK, OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
The Home Office said its reforms would look to match and in some areas exceed the standards of Denmark and other European countries, where refugee status is temporary, support is conditional and integration in society is expected Asylum seekers are granted temporary residence permits under Denmark s approach usually for two years and they must reapply when these expire They can be repatriated if their home country is deemed safe, and the path to citizenship has also been lengthened
The Home Office said Denmark’s more restrictive immigration policies had reduced asylum claims to a 40year low and resulted in the deportation of 95pc of rejected applicants Denmark s reforms implemented while it remains a signatory to the ECHR, have drawn sharp criticism Rights groups say the measures foster a hostile climate for migrants, undermine protection and leave asylum seekers in prolonged limbo
Britain’s Refugee Council said on X that refugees do not compare asylum systems while fleeing danger and that they come to the UK because of family ties some knowledge of English, or existing connections that help them start anew safely
fully completed while earthwork, roadwork, and construction of Ramp Two walls continue around the clock Chairman Randhawa accompanied by Member Engineering Syed Nafasat Raza and other officers expressed satisfaction with the pace of work He emphasized strict adherence
A JK PM REJECTS ‘FRIVOLOUS’ NO-TRUST CHARGES, VOWS DECISION WITHIN 48 HOURS
Voting on no-confidence motion against A JK PM being held in A JK LA today
MUZAFFARABAD
S ta f f R e p o R t
The voting on the much-awaited noconfidence motion against Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq would be held today (Monday) in the AJK Legislative Assembly
The AJK Legislative Assembly secretariat has issued the agenda in this regard Meanwhile Faisal Mumtaz Rathore PPP nominee for the top slot has secured the support of two additional members from the forward bloc
Talal Ch signals ‘possible new’ constitutional amendment to maintain ‘stability’
FAISALABAD
S ta f f R e p o R t
Minister of State for Interior Talal
Chaudhry on Sunday claimed the ruling coalition remains open to introducing another constitutional amendment if needed to maintain stability” in the country, insisting that past amendments have strengthened parliamentary authority and national governance
Speaking at a media briefing in Faisalabad he asserted that both the 26th and 27th Amendments had brought stability and that any future amendments would be pursued in consultation with other parties
“The parliament will bring amendments whenever it wants and the parliament should do them The parliament should be seen as a parliament, Chaudhry emphasized His remarks come just three days after the 27th Amendment was signed into law following passage in the National Assembly and the Senate despite strong opposi-
tion from rival parties
Addressing the recent resignations of superior court judges, the state minister termed them “political ” He referred to the November 13 resignations of Supreme Court senior puisne judges Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah who had criticised the 27th Amendment as an assault on the Constitution and a weakening of the judiciary Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza of the Lahore High Court resigned a day later while departures from the Islamabad High Court remain possible Chaudhry stressed that constitutional amendments are the prerogative of parliament “Judges take oath under the Constitution; they are not a political party that they will resign if the Constitution is amended he said adding The Constitution will not be as per their wishes but of the parliament and the people of Pakistan He further pointed out that judges’ salaries and decisions are determined by parlia-
Paracha
that
commander and
members Investigations are ongoing with further arrests and revelations expected During interrogation, Sajidullah, alias Sheena, the handler of the suicide bomber, confessed that the group’s commander, Saeed-ur-Rehman, alias Daadullah based in Afghanistan and serving as the TTP’s intelligence chief for Nawagai Bajaur instructed him via Telegram to carry out the attack targeting law enforcement agencies
ment asserting that some resigning judges had been biased and delivered political judgments
The minister also criticised the alleged excessive use of suo-motu powers by the Supreme Court to influence political outcomes a power that has now been curtailed under the 27th Amendment Quoting former CJP Umar Ata Bandial s 2023 remark, he said, There have been many extensions of ‘good to see you ’ but the environment is not the same anymore ” On upcoming by-elections in Faisalabad Chaudhry said the PTI was boycotting contests where it faced considerable opposition Polls for two National Assembly seats (NA-96, NA-104) and three provincial assembly seats (PP-98 PP-115 PP-116) are scheduled for November 23 He suggested the PML-N is likely to win all five seats, citing PTI s boycott, the recent ban on Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), and PPP’s decision not to field candidates
Saudi Arabia bars unfit Pakistanis from Hajj 2026
RIYADH/ISLAMABAD
S ta f f R e p o R t
Saudi Arabia has imposed strict medical restrictions on pilgrims for Hajj 2026, including Pakistanis, and has implemented a policy to deport those found unfit after arrival Pilgrims deemed unwell will be sent back to their home countries, and any expenses incurred for repatriation will be borne by the pilgrims themselves
Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs confirmed that the Saudi Ministry of Health has set specific medical criteria for pilgrims intending to perform Hajj next year The restrictions include prohibitions on individuals with se-
vere heart conditions who cannot handle physical exertion as well as those suffering from serious lung or liver diseases
Additional health restrictions apply to pilgrims with severe neurological or psychological disorders, including dementia, weak memory, major disabilities and cancer Elderly individuals with age-related conditions such as Alzheimer s or Parkinson s disease are also barred from undertaking the pilgrimage Pregnant women, along with patients diagnosed with whooping cough, tuberculosis, or viral haemorrhagic fevers will not be allowed to participate in Hajj 2026
The Ministry of Religious Affairs noted that medical officers will
have the authority to prevent unfit individuals from travelling before departure Saudi monitoring teams will verify the authenticity of fitness certificates upon arrival allowing only those who meet the health requirements to proceed to the pilgrimage sites Action will also be taken against any doctors who issue fitness certificates to pilgrims who do not meet the required standards
In a separate development the second round of the Aalmi
Tableeghi Ijtema concluded at Raiwind on Sunday Roads leading to the venue were closed to regular traffic and one-way traffic was maintained on Raiwind-Lahore Road Sundar Road and Manga Road
