REPORT TO US CONGRESS STAMPS PAKISTAN’S
BATTLEFIELD SUCCESS IN MAY CONFLICT WITH INDIA: PM
g
g EMPHA SIZES PAKISTAN AIR FORCE AND ARMY FORCED INDIA ‘ TO ITS KNEES ’ IN JUST FOUR DAYS
s
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday hailed Pakistan s military prowess and global recognition, citing repeated mentions by US President Donald Trump of “the downing of seven brand-new Indian aircraft by Pakistan” as proof of Islamabad s battlefield success and strategic strength
Addressing a foundation-laying ceremony for a Danish School in Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), PM Shehbaz said the latest report submitted to the US Congress “stamped Pakistan’s
stance
oured Pakistan through the
of
The report presented to the US Congress acknowledged
s
success over India during the four-day war in May 2025, noting that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and the army had employed Chinese-made weapons and successfully downed Indian fighter jets including French-made Rafales PM Shehbaz emphasized that within four days, Pakistan had forced India to its knees, and Trump s repeated praise in public speeches further val-
t The head of the UN Security Council’s 1267 al-Qaeda sanctions committee has sounded a sharp alarm over the serious threat posed by the Afghan Taliban-backed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) warning that the group has mounted multiple high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan territory, some of which incurred mass casualties Ambassador Sandra Jensen Landi, Denmark s deputy permanent representative to the UN, noted in her briefing to the Security Council that the TTP with an estimated 6 000 fighters continues to receive both logistical and substantial support from the de facto Taliban authorities She delivered the assessment as the 15-member Council heard updates from the heads of three subsidiary bodies dealing with Da esh/al-Qaeda sanctions, UN counter-terrorism efforts and measures to prevent weapons of mass destruction from reaching non-state actors a session that underscored how terrorism is evolving globally particularly in Africa where malign actors are exploiting new technologies Responding to the report, Pakistan s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Usman Jadoon, reaffirmed Pakistan’s role as a frontline state against terrorism, recalling the country’s “invaluable sacrifices” more than 80 000 casualties and billions of dollars in economic losses and stressing that al-Qaeda was decimated largely due to Pakistan s efforts Our valiant security forces and law enforcement agencies continue to counter the terrorism threat emanating from Afghanistan where entities like ISIL-K, TTP and its affiliates, BLA and its Majeed Brigade are thriving under the patronage of their hosts and backed by our principal adversary and net destabilizer in the region he said pointedly without naming India
held at the PM House,
idated Islamabad’s battlefield performance Turning to education, PM Shehbaz highlighted the role of Danish Schools in transforming opportunities for children
nationwide He said students at these institutions receive free education, accommodation uniforms and merit-based support
KP CM says his remarks ‘taken out of contex t ’ as ECP seeks Army deployment for NA-18 by-polls
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Thursday clarified his remarks regarding the NA-18 by-election after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sought deployment of the army and civil armed forces over concerns that his statements had threatened election officials and could disrupt the polls scheduled for November 23 Speaking to journalists outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi CM Afridi said his statement during a political gathering at Chamba on Wednesday had been “taken out of context,” insisting he was not campaigning for any candidate and only urged that there should be no rigging in the by-election
The ECP had flagged CM Afridi’s speech as “provocative language against district administration police officers and ECP officials In separate letters to the Ministries of Defence and Interior, the electoral body noted that his statements could “unduly influence officials” and “hinder their effective performance Regrettably he used offensive language which amounts to harassing and unduly influencing them, the letter read, while also highlighting that a fugitive was accompanying him during the speech with no action taken by authorities CM Afridi also criticized authorities for repeatedly denying him access to PTI founder Imran Khan, saying he had been refused a meeting seven times since assuming office “Not only are we denied access to Imran Khan but his sis-
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Thursday highlighting Pakistan s attractive investment prospects across key sectors like agriculture, textiles, housing, and information technology, urged leading European com-
ters were also manhandled and injured by the authorities ” he added
The ECP s concerns stem from Afridi s warnings during the Chamba rally where he cautioned local actors in Haripur that any attempt to manipulate voters’ mandate would have serious consequences “If the people’s mandate is tampered with the consequences will not be good
Any attempt at rigging will create a serious situation, he stated, urging voters to support PTI candidate Shehrnaz Khan, wife of former National Assembly opposition leader Omar Ayub He also warned that justice was being denied and democratic norms undermined saying, The situation now leaves only one option and we will definitely adopt it,” without specifying what the option might be
panies to seize these opportunities by making investments in the country The deputy prime minister, addressing a dinner reception he hosted in honor of Members of the European Parliament at Pakistan House during his visit here said that Pakistan attached special importance to its multilateral and bilateral relations with the
underway to eliminate any other India-backed terrorists found in the areas The successful IBOs come as armed forces have intensified efforts to eradicate terrorism under the Azm-e-Istehkam operation Terrorist attacks have seen a sharp increase in Pakistan, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban regime came into power A police report noted that KP alone recorded over 600 terror incidents in which at least 79 police personnel were martyred alongside 138 civilians during the first eight months of 2025 The violence spread to other regions of the country, including Islamabad, where a suicide bombing on November 11 resulted in the martyrdom of 12 and 36 others were injured among them lawyers and petitioners Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul and the international community to address the presence of terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan, including those of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Despite Pakistan’s
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan to introduce first national women entrepreneurship polic y to expand financing, boost female-led businesses
beneficiaries living in high-risk disaster zones The announcement came during an event in Islamabad jointly organised by SMEDA and the FPCCI to mark Women s Entrepreneurship Day More than 21 Women s Chambers of Commerce and Industry from across the country participated underscoring the growing role of women in Pakistan’s economic landscape Addressing the ceremony Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan said the government would soon unveil the National Women Entrepreneurship Policy He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had placed women at
the centre of economic decision-making and stressed that women entrepreneurs were already contributing meaningfully to sustainable growth A key feature of the policy is the Women Entrepreneurship Portal, being developed with support from the FCDO The AI-enabled platform will connect women to business support organisations regulators and mentorship opportunities Under the ADB s $2 2 million Women Inclusive Finance Programme, additional initiatives include digital engagement for non-smartphone users multilingual training content reskilling programmes for homemakers and rural enterprise support A dedicated institutional hub and special cell are also planned The policy further includes a product development support initiative that will establish a design cell at SMEDA in partnership with leading fashion and textile universities
Pakistan shows forest restoration gains at COP30 side event
OFIT N e w s D e s k
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Malik on Thursday outlined Pakistan s forest restoration and ecosystem recovery efforts during a COP30 side event focused on the Upscaling Green Pakistan Programme (UGPP) Addressing the session through a recorded video message, the minister said global climate discussions remained centred on greenhouse gas emissions and the need to expand natural systems capable of absorbing carbon He noted that forests were essential for both mitigation and
ON HUMAN RIGHTS, LABOUR STANDARDS AND GOVERNANCE
COMMENT
Signs of the economy picking up?
Will the uptick in large -scale manufac turing last?
TH E growth of large-scale manufacturing in the first quarter of the current fiscal year is the first growth in that sector for some time As this includes both import-substitution and export industries, without growth in large-scale manufacturing, there would not only be no pick-up in GDP growth, but exports would not increase There would be no path opened for any relief of the country’s debt trap from which escape requires large trade surpluses It cannot be described as healthy for the economy, but there has been an increase in foreign loan inflows in the first quarter by 33 percent which has led to profit repatriation by foreign firms jumping by 39 percent in four months
There has been a decline in inflation, but there has not been an increase in growth This implied that while those in employment would not find it as hard to make ends meet but there were not enough new jobs being created to absorb all of the job-seekers entering the market It should be noted that large-scale manufacturing would drive this job creation, which would also be crucial because the youth bulge needs economic growth if it is to be absorbed in the workforce The general consensus has been that the past start-stop cycles have so eroded business confidence, that the current escape from default has not been taken as a new beginning, but as the upside of a cycle that will end in another bust This view cannot be dismissed out of hand as every escape from default has meant greater baggage, and the naysayers feel that the baggage will be too heavy this time However, one of the metrics of an improvement was always largescale manufacturing and the recovery might not seem much at 4 08 percent but considering that it indicates growth after decline, it is positive
However, one swallow does not a spring make, a single quarter ’s growth does not a recovery make, not one which will lead the business community to mobilise and make the kind of investment that sustained and adequate growth needs The government has every right to feel that it must be doing something right, but it cannot afford to rest on its laurels The main question that remains to be answered is whether this is the first sign of a change or whether it is a oneoff aberration
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Alisten to any random participant asking a question at the end of a session The chances are that he will deliver his own speech before coming to his question Then he will go to great lengths to explain his question, and then ask the same question again, only in different words this time He will not stop even then, unless his mic is muted or snatched away This compulsion is understandable when it is somebody who rarely gets an opportunity to voice his opinions and observations It is much harder to be sympathetic to those who on account of their profession or social standing, regularly get such opportunities Like the tone-deaf, the man given to longwindedness has absolutely no clue that there is something wrong with him It is a malady that must be vigilantly guarded against because it is very easy to fall in love with the sound of one s own voice and the brilliance of one s opinions Moreover, it is a lifelong battle– something that is never quite won
As to why so many people go on and on without saying much is because they have an unjustifiably favourable opinion of their views as well as their powers of expression– the confidence in their ability to come up with the right words extempore Typically they are wrong on both counts Individuals who are interesting as well as eloquent enough to be pleasing to the ear for long periods of time happen to be extremely rare Most mortals would be well advised to be as brief as possible and to
THE world is at an inflexion point at the same time as the world’s biggest polluter is in denial mode The 30th Conference of the Parties known as COP30 is taking place in Belém in Brazil with the biggest change from COP29 being the return to the Presidency of the USA of Donald J Trump Trump did three things which militated against the purposes indeed the basic assumptions of the Belém meeting First he reopened drilling for oil with the cry Drill baby drill! Second he once again withdrew the USA from the Paris Agreement of 2015 at COP21 Third, he said during his address to the UN General Assembly last month that climate change was “the greatest ‘con job ever perpetrated on the world/” The withdrawal from the Paris Agreement may be the most problematic because it merely piles on the uncertainty It was largely to assuage US concerns that the Paris Agreement was reached but when Trump was elected to his first term in 2016, he withdrew the USA That meant that the global effort to stop climate change by pulling back greenhouse gas emissions was to go ahead without the world’s greatest GHG emitter (both historically and currently) In 2021 the USA returned to the Agreement after Joe Biden beat Trump but now it is withdrawing once again Indeed, so strongly does Trump feel about the wrongness of all attempts to stop climate change that he has not sent an official US delegation to COP30 The reopening of drilling might explain the roots of his antagonism to climate change Polluting activities (like drilling for oil) are conducted by the rich which is Trump s core constituency not to mention the oil interests which want to make money even at the cost of the environment One of the great debates in environmental circles is about development versus the environment India is at the forefront, followed closely by China as well as other Third World countries which are wary of placing caps on their GHG emissions because they wish to industrialize further Trump is arguing in favour of those in the developed countries who wish to develop the USA further That is perhaps why he is one of those who deny the science of global warming and climate change It is worth noting that he and other deniers do not adduce contradictory scientific evidence but merely attack the scientists who say climate change is happening and the scientists who say it is The oil industry is as assiduous in climate change denial as the tobacco industry ever was in saying smoking did not cause illness However, the tobacco industry has given up that effort after some highly publicized court trials in the USA Trump seems to have changed tack a little During his first term he said that global warming was a Chinese conspiracy to stop America becoming great again In his latest broadside Trump did not blame anyone in particular, though he was clearly blaming
it because one is too ignorant to notice the hostages one gives (in the form of obvious errors) to one’s listeners No wonder people keep talking hours on end on topics they have no clue about In sharp contrast knowledge of a subject has a way of making one circumspect and cautious while talking about it It is this discipline and exercise in care and caution that over the years approaches something like wisdom Having for many years been a witness to its unfortunate effects in everyday life as well as in a domain I am most familiar with that is education I am convinced that longwindedness is a much bigger issue than being a mere irritant While marking exam papers one often sees it being used as a conscious ploy to hide ignorance or confusion: The student clearly does not know what to say So, he writes a lot without saying anything, and hopes that his tactic goes unnoticed In most cases however it is not deliberate For example what most student presentations have in common is that they start at a pleasantly leisurely pace which is sustained for a while Soon, however, it becomes impossible to ignore the constraints of time, which means that the rest is then rushed Almost always the root of the problem is either the inclination to say too much or the failure to plan ahead (or both)
Teachers are equally given to verbosity if not more Ironically the more an instructor knows his subject, the greater the temptation to turn up for the lecture unprepared The convenience of not having
the scientists However, the denial makes him show his age Only an old man has the temerity to tell scientists there wrong A US Senator once famously said Don t try and confuse me with the facts Another said There are lies damn lies and statistics This was before climate denial, but the spirit is the same The problem with denial is that it kicks the can down the road No country has yet gone under the waves though several island-nations are threatened The USA itself is experiencing extreme weather events like forest fires and hurricanes with greater feequence/ So is Pakistan with two of its worst ever floods coming in the last three years The weather is not changing It s just getting worse Trump and other climate-change deniers reject the consensus of the scientific community Denial is not just a form of wish fulfillment but is also a means of denying the calls for climate justice That is the concept that those who caused the damage are the ones who should pay for the costs of combatting it mitigating it and protecting against it
One of the problems has been that the effects of climate change have fallen most heavily on Third World countries which are already struggling and whose governments have already not provided that much infrastructure The loss of a road in Europe may mean the loss of the best route between two places but that of one in Africa may mean the loss of a lifeline for the terminus community, as
i o n a l a f f a i r s , t h e e c o n o my, e d u c a t i o n , t h e j u s t i c e s y s t e m I n s h o r t , e v e r y
to prepare beforehand is too tempting It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that they can do it onthe-spot Because they do not plan they cover little despite saying a lot miss the crucial stuff and spend time on comparatively trivial matters instead, repeating themselves excessively Comprehensiveness and coherence both suffer as a result In class as in life in general there is always less time at one’s hand than one wishes for There are always more things one wants to teach than the time allows That is where brevity helps Because it is achieved via the crucial act of getting one s priorities right Teachers would do well to occasionally remind themselves that every lecture is a performance, which like a good stage play needs a script The script ensures that the available time is optimally spent Like experienced stage performers with practice they learn how to be interesting and spontaneous while adhering to the script Let me end by recounting the episode when Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar received a letter from a college principal The principal had invited him to deliver a speech at his institute and wanted to know the date that suited him Jauhar wrote back asking how long he was supposed to speak for The principal replied that it was completely up to the Maulana because there was no time restriction for him Jauhar told him that he needed a week of preparation if it was going to be a 15-minutes speech But if it was open-ended then he was ready any time
The author is a connoisseur of music literature and food (but not drinks) He can be reached at www facebook com/hasanaftabsaeed
There is the episode of when Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar received a letter from a colleg e principal. The principal had invited him to deliver a speech at his institute , and wanted to know the date that suited him. Jauhar wrote back, asking how long he was supposed to speak for.
Waterless Gwadar
HASAN AFTAB SAEED
Ta fiscal stabilization mechanism and a guarantor of national cohesion ensuring that federal responsibilities are met without undermining provincial development
It is crucial to emphasize that arguing for a larger federal share is not equivalent to denying provinces their lawful entitlements or developmental requirements The provinces continue to be central to service provision in education, health, infrastructure,
and agriculture
Their role must be further strengthened, but not at the expense of weakening national defence What is needed is an equilibrium one where provinces are motivated to generate their own revenues through improved tax collection governance reforms, and expenditure optimization The federal government, in turn, must reduce non-essential and luxurious spending, eliminate wastage and exhibit fiscal accountability however there is a distinct difference between trimming unnecessary expenditures and reducing defence budgets and the latter is simply not a viable option for Pakistan, given its security challenges
Comparative data on defence spending at global and regional levels presents a stark picture Pakistan allocates a notably smaller fraction of its GDP to defence than India both in proportional terms and in absolute numbers India s defence budget is many times larger than Pakistan s, and this disparity continues to grow Furthermore, India is investing extensively in cyber warfare, space technology missile systems drone capabilities and artificial intelligence domains where Pakistan must also keep pace to maintain credible deterrence
In this scenario, any proposal that Pakistan should curtail defence spending to accommodate other fiscal demands is strategically myopic and risks inviting existential dangers Deterrence by its very nature must be proactive and credible A weakened military stance will encourage adversaries and undermine the strategic balance that has been cautiously preserved for decades
Moreover, the modernization and advancement of Pakistan’s defence capabilities is not a luxury it is an imperative emerging threats such as hybrid warfare cyber attacks fifth-generation warfare and drone incursions demand sophisticated technological countermeasures, high degrees of intelligence integration, and substantial investment in research and development The function of the Pakistan armed forces is no longer limited to conventional warfare; they are engaged in border security counterterrorism peacekeeping disaster response and internal stability
All these roles require funding planning and strategic vision, which are dependent on a robust and predictable defence budget Therefore, any fiscal framework that restricts the federal government’s ability to address these needs is intrinsically flawed There is also an ethical and political dimension The federation of Pakistan is accountable for protecting the territorial integrity and political sovereignty of all its provinces and territories The armed forces
are not exclusive to one province or region they are a national institution that defends every part of the country As such it is only reasonable that before provincial allocations are determined the defence and strategic needs of the nation should be fully met This does not imply depriving provinces of their equitable share, but rather structuring the NFC Award in a manner that reflects both the actual realities and the strategic essentials of the country A need-based award would serve this objective more effectively than a rigid formula based predominantly on population statistics derived from outdated census data The time has arrived for Pakistan to embrace a fiscally rational and strategically prudent approach to resource distribution This entails revisiting the NFC formula to include national needs such as defense spending debt obligations and strategic development all while preserving sufficient and fair transfers to the provinces It is not an issue of the centre versus the provinces; it is a question of collective national survival, development, and sovereignty The federal government must steer the discussion on this matter with transparency evidence and a spirit of cooperative federalism Concurrently the provinces must acknowledge that the strength of the federation ensures their own security and prosperity Without a robust and adequately funded federal government particularly a competent defense establishment the entire federation becomes susceptible Pakistan must reshape its fiscal discourse surrounding the NFC Award to ensure that it addresses both developmental and strategic requirements The security environ-
Therefore, while it is entirely reasonable for provinces to demand their fair share of national revenues for education, health, infrastructure, and pover ty reduction, these demands must be situated within the wider context of the federationÊs responsibilities, most impor tantly the defence of the nation.
Why is Trump lying about talks with Iran?
The falsehood was his claim that the United States was actively negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program
tial truth carried little persuasive weight The falsehood was his claim that the United States was actively negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program We re talking to them he said when asked whether he believed Iran wanted to sign a new agreement with Washington earlier this year, efforts were underway to craft a new nuclear accord to replace the 2015 Iran deal which Trump had abandoned during his first term Iranian officials indicated they were prepared to reassure Americans that they were not pursuing nuclear weapons if sanctions reimposed after Washington s withdrawal from the JCPOA were lifted They also insisted Iran would not cease uranium enrichment Reports suggested, however, that Tehran might be willing to offer greater concessions than it did under the JCPOA so Trump would end up with a better pact than he had dismantled Those negotiations were rendered moot when they abruptly halted on June 13 the day the U S assisted Israel in launching a 12 day bombing campaign against Iran s nuclear, civilian, and military infrastructure A sixth round of nuclear talks had been scheduled to take place in Oman only days later, on June 15 Trump later confessed was “in charge of” the war and during his meeting with Bin Salman the president said he had done the right thing
Trump s claim that he was again in talks with Iranian officials was almost immediately repudiated by Iran s Foreign Ministry Spokesman esmail
ment mandates that defence not only be maintained but also reinforced and technologically upgraded This can only occur if the federal government is allotted ample financial resources to meet its constitutional and security obligations A need-based NFC Award, rooted in current fiscal realities and strategic exigencies, is the sole way forward for a strong, united, and secure Pakistan in an increasingly hostile region In numerous developed nations the federal government assumes a central role in ensuring balanced financial allocations to provinces or states while simultaneously managing its own expenditures in a responsible manner These governments strive to preserve a strong sense of national unity and economic equity by distributing resources fairly across diverse regions One of the primary strategies employed is to allocate financial shares to states or provinces based on need, population, and economic disparity, ensuring that less wealthy areas obtain adequate support to finance public services, infrastructure, and development initiatives Countries such as Canada and Germany serve as concrete examples where the federal framework includes fiscal equalization mechanisms
These mechanisms ensure that more affluent provinces contribute to a pool that aids less prosperous regions, enabling a more balanced national economic environment
Simultaneously developed countries often exhibit fiscal discipline by curbing non-development and luxury expenditures at the federal level This involves reducing unnecessary bureaucratic costs, extravagant official benefits, or redundant government programmes that do not contribute substantially to economic growth or public welfare Instead budgetary emphasis is redirected toward essential services productive investments and strategic national interests By controlling non-essential spending the federal government not only sets an example of efficiency but also releases funds that can be reallocated to development, innovation, and support for inter-state initiatives Regarding national priorities developed countries generally place strong emphasis on defence and technological advancement The USA is a prime example, where a considerable part of the federal budget is directed toward sustaining a capable and modern military, as well as funding advanced research in defence technologies Similarly nations like South Korea and Japan invest heavily in technological innovation supporting both national security and economic competitiveness These investments are not viewed merely as expenses but as strategic imperatives that enhance national resilience and global stature Defence spending is meticulously managed to ensure national security while investment in
science and technology underpins long-term economic vigor and leadership in innovation
The approach of these developed countries demonstrates a balanced and
F r e e do m o f r e l i gi o n v s bi g te ch
TBaghaei There is no process of negotiation between Iran and the United States,” Baghaei told reporters in Tehran “As the foreign minister [Abbas Araghchi] has said many times talking to a side that does not believe in mutual respect and takes pride in military aggression against Iran has no logical justification he added The half truth Trump offered on Tuesday was that Iranians want a deal It would be a nice thing to have a deal with Iran,” he said, adding that Tehran wanted a deal “very badly ” It is in fact obvious that Iran favors an agreement said Amir Ali Abolfath an expert on American affairs Iran signed the JCPOA asked the U S to return to it after Trump withdrew, engaged in several rounds of revival talks with the european signatories, and even began new negotiations with Washington this year It wouldn’t have done all this if it did not want a deal ” he explained “Where Iran and the U S disagree is not whether an agreement should be signed but what provisions it must contain The U S continues to insist that Iran cease uranium enrichment It is also now demanding that Iran negotiate limits on its missile program Both of these demands are non starters for Iran,” Abolfath said But why does Trump feel the need to lie about his contacts with Iran and present the obvious as a diplomatic triumph? The answer may lie in his frustration and the realization that he cannot change the situation: he cannot make Iranians yield, nor can he revise his Iran policy to secure a genuine win win outcome
“When it comes to West Asia, U S policy is dictated by Israel Israel wants pressure to remain on Iran and hopes that one day it can topple the Islamic Republic and fragment the country said Foad Izadi a professor of American studies at the University of Tehran during an IRIB news segment It may not be in Washington s interests to confront Iran and maintain hostile relations But Trump can’t change course even if he starts to believe in this ” TEHRAN TIMES
h e episode that shook one of the most important voices of the conservative Catholic world in Italy during the summer of 2025 namely the blog Messainlatino it remains one of the most eloquent signs of the ethical fragilities afflicting today’s digital ecosystem The blog was taken offline for twelve days by Google-Blogger under the generic accusation of ‘hate speech ’ It was deprived without prior notice of its public space despite the editors attention and care in balancing full conformity of the content with Catholic doctrine and the utmost respect owed to individuals
The sudden removal occurring after the publication of a letter by Bishop Strickland against the female diaconate, following a series of reports and amid the already tense climate after the revelations concerning the Summorum Pontificum dossier highlighted how easily an algorithm can become an instrument of unjust censorship especially when quantitative judgment prevails over the assessment of facts
Today, however, the scenario has changed After three months of legal battle, the site’s curators fully prevailed in court: Google was found responsible for violating the editors’ freedom of expression and religion and has been condemned to pay legal expenses thus opening a new chapter in the protection of confessional content online This victory not only restores honor to a voice faithful to Catholic tradition, but also marks the beginning of broader developments, destined to affect the relationship between digital platforms and Christian communities that wish to serve the truth with frankness
It must not be forgotten that the case of MiL is not an exception nor a marginal quarrel born of a dubious post but rather the symptom of a broader flaw in a censorial system entirely delegated to an algorithm by a Big Tech company, almost by definition depersonalized It is no coincidence that this unjust censorship was denounced both at the national level, through a parliamentary question by Italian MP Maddalena Morgante and at the european level through a similar question by Italian MeP Paolo Inselvini
That said as stated by the public face of the blog in question Luigi Casalini in a recent interview the MiL case is destined to set a precedent Several specialized journals have already requested to study and thoroughly analyze the legal proceedings in order to draw conclusions useful both for scholars of digital governance and (perhaps above all) for legislators
The case was first and foremost configured as a significant procedural violation within the framework of the DSA, the new european regulation on digital services The shutdown of the blog, which occurred on July 11, 2025, was carried out without any specific justification, in clear contrast with the notice-and-action obligation established by european law According to this provision any decision to restrict or remove online content whether following user reports or algorithmic detection must be communicated to the affected user with clear and precise reasons as well as with the possibility of appeal
In this case, Google did not specify the contested content, did not initiate a human review process, and delegated the entire decision to an algorithm as evidenced by the unsigned email received by the site’s administrators This element represents the most evident point of friction with the principles of transparency and accountability that the european Union seeks to impose on what are commonly re-
ferred to as VLOPs Very Large Online Platforms Added to this was the difficulty encountered by the editors in finding a competent territorial contact between Italy Ireland and the United States which further highlighted the current shortcomings of the european architecture of ‘digital sovereignty,’ still unable to ensure effective and immediate interlocution between users and major extra-european operators
The ruling of the Italian court which sided with the blog should mark a turning point for the proper understanding of freedom of expression and freedom of religion in today s world of algorithmic digital moderation The judge, in fact, reaffirmed the primacy of the fundamental right to freely express one’s thought over automated decisions lacking justification recognizing that a censorial intervention without a precise indication of the contested content cannot be considered compliant either with the DSA or with the general principles of the european legal order
The immediate reinstatement of the blog constitutes an exemplary application of the principle of proportionality: when a restrictive measure is adopted without an adequate factual basis, the remedy must be full, prompt, and not conditioned by opaque internal procedures The order imposed on Google to cover legal expenses underscores that the responsibility of the provider is not merely technical but also legal and institutional: platforms especially when designated as VLOPs, are concretely accountable for the effects of their choices on the european public sphere It must not be forgotten, in fact, that such algorithmic errors could, in other circumstances cause significant economic damage
The impersonality of major digital operators generates a vacuum of responsibility that translates into a direct tension with the fundamental rights enshrined by the european Union In our case, the censorship was triggered at least according to what Google clarified during the trial by a combination of factors: coordinated reports from hostile users, an algorithm incapable of distinguishing between religious doctrine and incitement to hatred and an automatic
The
the urgent need for european and national legislators to clearly define the limits of religious hate speech Who today holds the formal authority to determine what constitutes hate speech in europe? It is evident that europe must initiate a process of regulatory standardization, capable of precisely delimiting the boundary between doctrinal teaching which includes the right to reasoned critique of others’ positions and verbal or written expression that is unjust because it harms individual dignity and honorability thereby safeguarding religious freedom without weakening protection against genuine hate speech
If the MiL case is not interpreted for what it truly represents a critical test of digital sovereignty and the protection of religious freedom the risk will not only be the censorship of individual content but the establishment of a dangerous precedent in which anonymous algorithms become the uncontested arbiters of fundamental rights in europe Gaetano Masciullo is an Italian philosopher author and freelance journalist His main focus is addressing the modern phenomena that threaten the roots of Western Christian civilization
Abdul bAsit Alvi
Board
49 officers promoted to Inspec tor rank as police fast-track reforms
SAUDI ARABIA’S $10B INVESTMENT PL AN FOR PAKISTAN UNCHANGED, SAYS FINANCE MINISTER
Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi on Wednesday reaffirmed his vision for a citizen-centric, technology-driven justice system while chairing the eighth interactive progress review session at the Supreme Court where he examined monthly reforms under the Reform Action Plan (RAP) and set directions for pending initiatives and upcoming milestones The session attended by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Chairman of the National Judicial Automation Committee (NJAC), along with senior officials, technical experts and section heads reviewed progress across judicial digitization case management IT integration financial oversight and public facilitation mechanisms
Other participants included the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Director General (Reforms), IT Advisor Hamayun Zafar, section heads of the Court, the Director General of the Federal Judicial Academy, and the Secretary of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP)
The Chief Justice reviewed progress achieved under the reform framework Of the 86 initiatives identified in the RAP, 36 have been completed, 45 are under implementation, and 13 are scheduled to begin shortly indicators of the judiciary’s sustained effort to modernize processes enhance institutional efficiency and strengthen public-facing services He examined updates on case disposal case categorization record digitization IT integration financial controls, audit mechanisms, and public facilitation initiatives Justice Afridi noted with satisfaction that case categorization is underway and that more than 126,000 records have been digitized out of the targeted 61 900 with the remaining work expected to be completed within the stipulated timeline He also initiated the standardization and quality assurance process Progress on automation including software enhancements, improved IT integration, and QR-coded certified copies was also reviewed For launching the E-Courts project, focused group discussions will be held at the Federal Judicial Academy in collaboration with the Ministry of IT and Telecom and the Pakistan Digital Authority to prepare a master plan for end-to-end digitization of all courts, from district judiciary to the Supreme Court Capacity-building sessions on data management and analysis initiatives were also discussed Reviewing the public facilitation component in detail the CJP acknowledged improvement in the system for receiving calls and complaints as well as the proactive outreach mechanism through which citizens are contacted for feedback Progress on ADR and mediation initiatives and updates on performance and security audits were also presented Underscoring the importance of transparency, he reiterated that financial discipline and regular audits are essential for accountable institutional governance
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Amir Dogar on Thursday reaffirmed that the party is standing firm and unanimous on its decision to nominate Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai for the post of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly insisting that the name was final and had been approved by PTI founder Imran Khan himself In a statement issued on Thursday, Dogar said the government had sent a letter raising objections to Achakzai’s nomination, but the PTI categorically rejected those concerns PTI decided to stick with the name of Mahmood Khan Achakzai for the opposition leader he said stressing that the decision was final and irrevocable The PTI had formally forwarded
Two policemen mar tyred, four injured in IED attack on APC in DI Khan
DI
Two police personnel were martyred and four others injured on Thursday when an improvised explosive device (IED) struck an armoured personnel carrier (APC) near Kari Malang on the Hathala–Galoti Road officials confirmed According to police an unidentified terrorist detonated the roadside bomb as an APC from the Takwara police post passed through the area Constable Saifur Rehman and Ramzan the APC driver lost their lives in the blast
Security forces immediately cordoned off the site and launched a search operation The attack occurred near Takwara village in the Hathala area approximately 35 kilometres from Dera Ismail Khan and 10 kilometres from Kulachi tehsil, on a route leading to South Waziristan The locality which houses the Hathala police station is considered a highrisk zone where police routinely patrol in armoured vehicles due to persistent security threats
Officials said the attack was carried out using a locally manufactured, high-intensity IED weighing between 8 and 10 kilograms Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the incident describing the attack as extremely
regrettable and condemnable” He vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice and emphasised that such cowardly acts would not weaken the resolve of the provincial government or its security forces The fight against terrorism will continue with even greater determination ” he said paying tribute to the sacrifices of the
JF-17 Thunder Block-III steals spotlight at Dubai Airshow 2025
RAWALPINDI
s ta f f r e p o r t
The JF-17 Thunder Block-III emerged as a “major focal point” at the Dubai Airshow 2025 drawing significant international attention according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Several countries have expressed interest in Pakistan’s battle-tested fighter jet which demonstrated its combat capabilities during conflicts with India in 2019 and 2025
The biennial airshow, held at Dubai s Al Maktoum International Airport from November 17-21, also featured aircraft from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) ISPR highlighted that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with a friendly country for the procurement of the JF-17 Thunder, marking a key milestone in Pakistan’s expanding defence and industrial collaborations Demonstrating increasing international confidence in Pakistan s aviation industry several countries expressed interest in acquiring the JF-17 Thunder, the ISPR statement said
Achakzai’s name to the National Assembly Secretariat last month after the slot fell vacant following the disqualification of Omar Ayub However the Secretariat maintains that Ayub s disqualification remains a sub judice matter and that Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has not yet announced the schedule for submitting names for the new opposition leader a prerequisite under parliamentary rules According to the National Assembly PTI Secretariat the speaker will make a formal announcement on the floor of the house allowing all parliamentary parties to propose their candidates Until then no nomination can be processed Dogar said Achakzai was nominated strictly after
to it
The PAF contingent at the airshow includes the advanced JF-17 Thunder Block-III and the Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, underscoring Pakistan’s growing expertise in indigenous military aviation
The JF-17 Block-III a 4 5-generation multi-role fighter is equipped with advanced radar systems and long-range, beyond-visualrange missiles capable of executing a wide range of combat missions
During the May conflict with India, the ISPR reported that the fighter’s supersonic missiles successfully destroyed an S-400 missile system in Adampur It was also used to con-
Dogar also pointed out that the opposition leader ’s seat had remained vacant for two months during which the 27th Constitutional Amendment was passed He argued that Achakzai was a constitutional member of the National Assembly and that the government had no legitimate grounds to question his eligibility
“This is our constitutional right The government must not delay the process,” he said Separately Barrister Gohar reiterated on X that Achakzai s nomination came directly from Imran Khan We will never review that decision No meeting with anyone else is taking place, he said Alongside Achakzai s nomination in the National Assembly, the PTI has named Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen’s Allama Raja Nasir Abbas for the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Senate a slot left vacant after Shibli Faraz s disqualification
duct precise strikes across the Line of Control in response to India s 2019 Balakot strikes On the sidelines of the airshow, Chief of the Air Staff Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu held high-level meetings with air chiefs from friendly nations He also engaged with UAE Defence Undersecretary Lieutenant General Pilot Ibrahim Nasser Al-Alawi and Air Force & Air Defence Commander Major General Rashid Mohammed Al-Shamsi to discuss enhanced cooperation in advanced training emerging aerospace technologies and operational coordination
