PM PUSHES POWER SECTOR PRIVATISATION, L AYS OUT VISION FOR TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN DA ANISH UNIVERSIT Y
R I M E Minister Muhammad
Shehbaz Sharif on Monday un-
derscored his government s focus on structural reforms in the power sector and the promotion of modern, technology-driven education, directing swift action on the privatisation of electricity utilities while outlining an ambitious roadmap for Daanish University
Chairing a high-level meeting on the power sector the prime minister directed the relevant authorities to expedite the privatisation process of power distribution companies (DISCOs) and generation companies (GENCOs) stressing that a competitive electricity market was the only sustainable solution to Pakistan s chronic energy problems The prime minister was briefed that concrete steps had been initiated to privatise three power distribution companies Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) and
Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) and that Expressions of Interest (EoIs) would be published shortly
He also instructed that ongoing and planned development projects aimed at improving the power distribution system be completed on a priority basis to enhance service delivery and reduce losses
To modernise the electricity system, Prime Minister Shehbaz directed the initiation of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) through public-private partnerships with strong private-sector participation He was informed that concept clearance for the project had already been approved and that a feasibility study was currently under way The meeting was told that the PC-I for the 500kV Ghazi Barotha–Faisalabad transmission line was at the approval stage a key project expected to strengthen the national grid Officials further briefed the prime minister that technical feasibility to shift imported fuel-based power plants to Thar coal had been completed while work on a railway line to transport Thar coal to power plants was progressing
FO condemns drone attack killing six Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers in Sudan
ta f f C
r r e s p o n d e n t
The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday strongly condemned what it termed a “heinous” attack on United Nations peacekeepers in Sudan s Kadugli area which resulted in the deaths of six Bangladeshi personnel and called for those responsible to be brought to justice At least six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed and eight others injured when a drone struck a UN base on Saturday in the disputed Abyei region between Sudan and South Sudan according to Bangladesh s armed forces In an official statement the FO said Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the heinous attack against UN peacekeepers in Kadugli, Sudan, noting that the victims were serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (Unisfa) The FO expressed Pakistan’s deepest condolences to the government and people of Bangladesh over the loss of lives and said the country stood in solidarity with
The prime minister was also updated on the operationalisation of a competitive electricity market and informed that, due to continuous efforts, line losses had declined compared to the previous year The meeting was attended by Federal
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and resettlement, by December 31, 2025 District administrations were instructed to demolish illegal constructions within the reservoir area by December 31 2025 The National Grid Company (NGC) and Power Division were directed to finalise the power evacuation plan, while the Power Division will coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and EAD to arrange financing For commercial funding preference will be given to concessional long-term financing from multilateral and bilateral sources, international capital markets, and sovereign wealth funds, with the Ministry of Finance and EAD leading the process The prime minister also directed that financial closure of future projects must be completed before commencement
Ahad Khan Cheema and Sardar Awais Ahmed Leghari, Adviser Muhammad Ali, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, and senior officials from relevant departments
Talal Chaudhr y acc uses PTI of running paid social media propaganda campaign
from within Pakistan
He said fake social media accounts, many of them run from abroad, were being used to disseminate content against Pakistan, with payments made to generate tweets and coordinated online trends
volved and that institutions were actively reporting fake profiles to the platforms concerned, whose parent companies are also based overseas
troops long deployed in volatile regions, including Abyei Earlier, Bangladesh s armed forces said separatist armed groups carried out the drone attack on the Kadugli Logistics Base between 3:40pm and 3:50pm local time on Saturday
of expression must be exercised within the limits prescribed by the Constitution and the law
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad Chaudhry alleged that online messaging, tweets and trending campaigns were being run through paid arrangements “Each message, each tweet and every trend is being paid for ” he said adding that the majority of such accounts were created using fake identities and were not operated
The minister said he would present documents and evidence during the briefing clarifying that the material was not compiled by the government but provided by the relevant social media platforms themselves
Most of these accounts are operated from outside the country They are fake accounts created under false names, and this evidence has been obtained directly from social media platforms,” he said Chaudhry claimed the authorities had traced the accounts in-
He further alleged that the content circulated through these accounts was being used to support militant organisations including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) We have been fighting terrorism for a long time and are on the front line against it, yet these fake accounts are being used to support the BLA and TTP he said
The minister added that the interior ministry would continue its efforts to counter online disinformation and what he described as organised digital campaigns aimed at undermining national security
ISLAMABAD
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the repeated offloading of passengers travelling abroad and ordered the formation of a committee to examine the issue Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis
Chaudhry Salik Hussain said on Monday In recent months several incidents have been reported in which passengers were offloaded at different airports despite holding valid travel documents These actions followed a nationwide crackdown on migrant smuggling launched after the 2024 Greece boat tragedy that claimed the lives of several Pakistanis In a statement the minister said the prime minister had constituted a
Tmillion In its order, the tribunal disposed of the long-pending appeal filed by the association and directed the PPA to deposit the reduced fine within 15 days of receiving the decision The case dates back to 2010 when the Competition Commission penalised the Pakistan Poultry Association and its members for colluding on poultry product prices in violation of Section 4 of the Competition Act The enforcement action led to prolonged litigation over alleged cartel behaviour in the poultry sector During the hearing counsel for the association stated that the appellant had no objection to the appeal being decided in accordance with a 2022 Supreme Court judgment in a comparable matter in which the apex court had taken a more lenient view on penalties Relying on that precedent, and with the consent of the appellant, the tribunal reduced the fine, holding that the facts of the present case were largely similar to those considered by the Supreme Court The tribunal disposed of the appeal without reexamining the merits of the cartelisation findings thereby maintaining the Competition Commission s determination of a violation
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to assess the quality and authenticity of its import statistics after identifying discrepancies estimated at $30–35 billion over seven years linking the requirement to its ongoing programme with the country The News reported In its latest staff report issued after approving a $1 2 billion tranche under the Extended Fund Facility, the IMF said weaknesses were found
Inflation pressures persist as food prices in Lahore stay above official rates
Lahore consumers continued to face inflationary pressure as prices of essential food items remained well above officially notified rates despite government market checks and enforcement measures Chicken prices offered little relief The official rate for live
PSW ALLOWS POSt-cLEARANcE PAyMENt
Of SiNDh iNfRAStRUctURE cESS
25 000 nearly matching the
cost of a conventional three-phase meter Similarly the price of a singlephase smart meter has been reduced by Rs 7 000 He clarified that these prices are exclusive of applicable taxes
According to the minister, improved planning by the Power Division and positive changes in the Pakistan Engineering Council’s regulations encouraged strong participation from international companies He said that the removal of entry barriers combined with bulk procurement of smart meters by all power distribution companies, led to significant cost reductions due to economies of scale and lower raw material and supply costs
He added that continuous monitoring and the introduction of clear competitive standards for smart meters also played a key role in driving prices down Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari said the estimated annual sav-
process for the winding up of Morafco Industries Limited Separately, the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination was asked to resubmit its proposal regarding the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation The revised submission is to include a detailed plan covering staffing governance arrangements and PTDC s role in supporting the national tourism strategy The committee underscored that any reconsideration of earlier decisions must be backed by a clear business case and be consistent with the government s broader reform and rightsizing agenda for state owned enterprises, particularly in the context of concerns over delays in reforms, legislative amendments and planned SOE divestments ahead of the next IMF review CCoSOEs approves SOE board changes, seeks revised PTDC,
by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom-
munications These included the appointment of a chairman of the board and the filling of a vacant independent director position at Pakistan Reinsurance Company Limited, the reconstitution of the board of directors of State Life Insurance Corporation and the appointment of members to the board of Ignite Company The committee also endorsed the nomination of the chief executive officer of Zong as a director on the board of the Universal Services Fund Company representing mobile cellular licensees for a term running until June 2026 On restructuring matters, the committee directed the Ministry of Industries and Production to submit a detailed proposal in consultation with the Law Division setting out the
TBlatant violation of the constitution
country Expects individuals and parties not to dis-
NO B O D Y in his right mind likes the permeating ambience of confrontation between the Army and PTI which unfortunately is a sequel to false and misleading narrative propagated by the latter and its founding chairman against the former particularly its leadership as well as unrelenting support and sympathy for TTP in complete disregard to security imperatives of the state What DG ISPR said in his presser about the founding chairman of PTI, his disposition towards the Army state institutions and the methodology to build anti-state narrative can hardly be contested
The truth of the matter is that PTI since exit of Imran Khan from power through constitutional process on 10th April 2022 has never behaved like a political party and whatever it has done constitutes blatant violation of constitution and laws of the land
Perhaps a reference to Articles of constitutions prohibiting the PTI like conduct is imperative to put the things in proper perspective Article 5(1-2) of the constitution says: Loyalty to the state is the basic duty of every citizen Obedience to the constitution and law is the inviolable obligation of every citizen wherever he may be and of every other person for the time being within Pakistan It means that all organizations and entities including political parties have to carry out their functions and activities strictly in accordance the constitution and law Any action inconsistent with the constitution and law descends into anti-state activity
Article 19 of the constitution concerning freedom of speech says” Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression and there shall be freedom of the press subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court or incitement to an offence ” The fact is that nowhere in the world there is unbridled freedom of speech or freedom of press The states have to make it sure that all entities operating within its boundaries remain within the ambit of constitution and the laws enacted by the parliament The foregoing Article of the constitution while allowing freedom of speech and freedom of press bars actions against the security and integrity of the
turb public order and stay within limits of decency and morality Seeing through the prism of these constitutional requirements no anodyne analyst of intellectual can honestly take an issue with contents of the presser by DG ISPR It is an undeniable fact that the PTI has persistently tried to target the Army and its leadership, attacked Army installations and monuments of the martyrs to orchestrate a coup within the Army has sought foreign interference written to IMF not to extend fund facility to Pakistan its founder has written articles in the foreign media to denigrate and malign the Army, his sisters in their interviews with the India media have gone two steps ahead of him in grilling the Army and portraying it in the most dismal colours and above all its government in KPK has been vociferous in opposing the intelligence based operations against the terrorists who pose an existentialist threat to the country The foregoing actions of the party confirm anti-state posture of the party and its founder being a security risk for the country DG ISPR while pointing out the anti-state activities of the party and the indiscretions committed by the founding chairman actually acted in consonance with the mandate of the Army under Rules of Business to clarify misinformation respond to attacks on national institutions and inform the public about security issues and the threats faced by the country This is not politics as alleged by the detractors of the
r d t h e r e i s a d e l u g e o f P T I a l i g n e d p a g e s ,
P T I c o n t r o l l e d h a s h - t a g s a n d o w n f a n - e c h o s y s t e m s w h i c h a r e
n o t t h e p u b l i c r e a c t i o n s a s b e i n g c l a i m e d I t i s P T I Ês i n t e r n a l
t r o l l f a r m a m p l i f y i n g i t s o w n m e s s a g e s . I t i s a s i n i s t e r w
A n e w a g e o f A r t i f i c i a l I n t e l l i g e n c e : T r u m p l a u n c h e s t h e ‘ G e n e s i
Itegrated nationwide infrastructure According to the White House the initiative aims to bring all major American scientific and research centers onto a unified AI platform, enabling breakthroughs particularly in energy, biology, climate science molecular research and national security at a pace demanded by the emerging age of digital power The administration asserts that this platform will possess such breadth and coherence that it could redraw the map of future innovation in a matter of years, compressing processes that traditionally required decades The U S Department of Energy has been assigned a central role in this endeavor As outlined in the mission s roadmap the department is expected to establish the foundational technological architecture within three to nine months a timeline regarded as extraordinarily ambitious Integrating a national scientific infrastructure of this magnitude equipping it with world-class computational systems and activating it as a seamless AI network represents an immensely complex technological feat Yet U S policymakers openly acknowledge that the global AI race is accelerating so swiftly that any delay in decision-making could be tantamount to technological regression The language employed in Trump’s execu-
tive order vividly captures the intensifying global contest By characterizing artificial intelligence as the “decisive arena of global technological competition the order recognizes that global power will increasingly depend not merely on military strength or economic volume, but on mastery of AI, autonomous research, quantum computing, and the ability to build cohesive national data ecosystems Within this framework the “Genesis Mission” is not merely an administrative reform or technological upgrade; it is fast becoming a pillar of future U S geopolitical strategy This strategic concern is magnified by the rapid advances of China, the European Union, South Korea, and Japan nations already surging forward in AI research China, in particular, benefits from a vast digital population a highly coordinated state strategy and immense investment giving rise to a formidable AI ecosystem This has intensified pressure on Washington to accelerate its scientific momentum Political considerations aside, Trump s Genesis Mission” thus appears poised to become a central axis of global technology diplomacy in the years ahead
One of the mission s most striking dimensions is its attempt to transform research from a secluded, institution-bound activity into a shared national asset Under this initiative, federal research agencies, universities, laboratories, private-sector AI experts, and even startups will gain access to an expansive national AI network The goal is to eradicate the operational barriers created by fragmented systems disparate resources and uneven algorithmic capabilities According to technology experts, such harmonization of research networks may lay the foundation for a new Amer-
One of the missionÊs most striking dimensions is its attempt to transform research from a secluded, institutionbound activity into a shared national asset Under this initiative, federal research agencies, universities, laboratories, private-sector AI experts, and even startups will gain access to an expansive national AI network.
ican scientific model
Another transformative element is the mission s ambition to reconfigure the very formula of scientific inquiry, delegating the research process increasingly to autonomous systems In this paradigm, AI will not merely analyze datasets but will generate sophisticated research questions design experimental models interpret results and drive the entire cycle of discovery at a pace far beyond the limitations of human labor This vision is being described as the emergence of a super-speed laboratory, capable of producing results within moments that once demanded years of human effort
Predictably the initiative has also faced criticism Some experts warn that creating such an extensive digital network at breakneck speed may introduce new security vulnerabilities Entrusting vast scientific datasets to AI systems could increase the risk of errors or systemic drift Likewise, incorporating private corporations into this network could subject sensitive scientific agendas to commercial imperatives Nevertheless critics concede that if the United States lags in this global race it may forfeit technological leadership within a few years
The word Genesis itself encapsulates the philosophical essence of the mission: a new creation a new beginning and a new order within the scientific world The initiative seeks to elevate the pace of scientific advancement to a level at which research becomes a continuous largely autonomous process one in which discovery transcends temporal constraints and the state cultivates a technological environment capable of reaffirming American leadership on the world stage It is still premature to predict how effectively the Genesis Mission will revitalize American power Yet it is clear that this executive decision marks the dawn of a new era an era in which technology will no longer remain confined to tools and computers, but will govern the trajectories of nations the speed of economies and the structure of global politics In this context Trump s initiative may well represent the first definitive line in the strategic blueprint that will shape the scientific contests of the twenty-first century
The writer is a freelance columnist
Stalking isn’t love
Judging by the sprint
dr MuhaMMad Tayyab khan singhanvi
Malik MuhaMMad ashraf
Afull transition to electric public transport and no new imported coal Delivering on these pledges would lower emissions growth, cut fuel import bills, and reduce air pollution the global system has begun to recognize the asymmetry between contribution and impact At COP27 in egypt nearly 200 countries agreed
The macroeconomic imprint is rising. The World BankÊs Countr y Climate and Development Repor t for Pakistan finds that climate chang e could shave 4 5–9 percent off GDP by 2050 under different scenarios The 2022 floods alone g enerated over 30 billion dollars in damag es and losses, pushing millions into pover ty. For a countr y already navigating balance of payments pressures and debt obligations, climate shocks act as a tax on growth that compounds over time unless resilience improves
despite the eU’s €100 billion trade surplus with new Delhi may prove fragile if modi pivots eastward History whispers warnings india s non-alignment tradition dates back to 1955 at Bandung, indonesia, birthplace of the non-aligned movement Jawaharlal nehru balanced Washington and moscow buying miGs while courting eisenhower today’s multipolar game is fiercer: A system of Us China russia europe and india as a wildcard Putin woos modi with BriCs solidarity and shanghai Cooperation Organisation ties Xi Jinping watches as the West fractures its own alliances the Quad – Us, india Japan Australia – holds against China in the south China sea but if india drifts into a moscow-Beijing orbit that front crumbles Despite its seemingly absurd policies, America grasps this peril acutely trump s team knows: Without india, the China game is lost before it starts economically, Delhi’s markets can rival Beijing’s Geopolitically india patrols the malacca strait and checks Houthi disruptions in the red sea the new Us national security strategy mentions india 17 times: A comprehensive global partner for tech, defence, and countering eurasian competitors trump’s entourage in Delhi last week floated a mega-trade deal echoing modi’s call for make in india hubs Lose india and the indo-Pacific becomes a Chinese lake Washington cannot go it alone Yet trump s 50 per cent tariffs on indian goods sting badly steel, aluminium, textiles, chemicals, all affected bitterly Washington’s protectionism tied to russian oil purchases creates friction And this could be the perfect moment for europe to step in Brussels has already ignored trump on Ukraine maximalist demands sank his peace plan if europe can defy America there why abstain from exploiting the rift here? trump shuts doors europe can open them Go for good deals in the tariffs-affected sectors revive the Free trade Agreement talks with urgency remove barriers on pharmaceuticals, it, textiles Joint semiconductor ventures instead, europe sleepwalks into isolation naïve sanctions on russia price moscow s Urals crude at a bargain for indian buyers who resell refined products globally – with €10 billion in eU imports last year alone, as we end up funding the very war we decry there are, of course, smarter options india plays the long game modi’s “multi-alignment” courts everyone the multipolar world is here and this swing player tips the balance of power and influence so wake up, Brussels, and make the best of the situation Court Delhi, counter russian and Chinese agendas, forge bonds of mutual gain America needs india to cage the dragon europe needs it to secure its future if the eU wants to remain relevant globally it should start acting so
n d to b e s e l l i n g c l a s s i f i e d m ate r i a l f o r p e r s o n a l g a i n , t h e re wa s n o l aw u n d e r w h i c h t h e g o ve r n m e n t
c o u l d p u n i s h t h e i n d i v i d u a l ; r at h e r, t h e y c o u l d o n l y d i s m i s s
t h e m u n d e r p ro c e d u r a l m i s h a n d l i n g o f o f f i c i a l d o c u m e n t s
H e n c e, J a p a n wa s f re q u e n t l y c a l l e d a ‘s p y ’s p a r a d i s e’
Pr i m e m i n i s t e r sanae takaichi is seeking to step up Japan s intelligence capabilities, and earlier this month Japanese media reported that her administration is aiming to submit legislation next year to create a national intelligence Bureau if created the bureau will operate alongside the existing national security secretariat
Ultimately, this is an evolutionary measure that seeks to break down government intelligence silos and improve the information being provided to the highest levels of government the action was already signaled in the coalition agreement between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan innovation Party two months ago, and while the plan will likely draw some criticism from left-leaning media and opposition the bill will probably pass parliament without too much fuss the context goes back to 2013 when then-Prime minister shinzo Abe passed legislation to create a U s -style national security Council it was the culmination of a decades-long effort by LDP-led administrations to break up the notoriously siloed Japanese bureaucracy particularly in the areas of security and foreign policy so they created a national security Council composed of select Cabinet ministers and government officials, with a secretariat to coordinate policy among the various ministries
At the same time the Abe administration recognized that Japan needed to strengthen its intelligence protection in part because they were so far behind the Five eyes countries the United states, Australia, Canada, new Zealand, and the United Kingdom in guarding sensitive information this is where the special secrets Protection Act came in this bill was intended as a first step to strengthen Japan s intel protection but the government had to create the underlying legal framework first so, the Abe administration orchestrated the passage of this new law, albeit accompanied by protest that was largely fanned by inaccurate media reporting At the time media critics denounced the scope of the bill as being too vague without acknowledging that specifics were
actually laid out in the addendum of the bill which specifically mentioned that punishable offenses include leaking sensitive information on weapons and ongoing diplomatic negotiations Critics went so far as claiming that the bill would be the beginning of fascist authoritarianism in Japan evoking memories of the Gestapo and Hitler What those critics failed to realize was that Japan simply did not have the legal basis in place to protect its own state secrets and, importantly, the classified intelligence they wanted from their security partners i for one was shocked to learn that Japan could not even legally conduct background interviews before giving access to classified materials if someone was found to be selling classified material for personal gain, there was no law under which the government could punish the individual; rather they could only dismiss them under procedural mishandling of official documents Hence Japan was frequently called a spy s paradise Over the past 12 years since the passage of the special secrets Protection Act, tokyo has been working to improve its intelligence protection but now it knows it needs to fix the practical problems in intelligence gathering and sharing One key issue is that the existing Cabinet intelligence and research Office is limited in its authorities and capacities Created in 1986, “CirO” has reported directly to the prime minister and is intended to aggregate key intel from relevant ministries and agencies the problem is they have not really accomplished that well over the years it has been more of a supplementary organization than a leading one so, the government’s idea is to replicate the success they had with the national security Council and its secretariat but whereas the nsC and nss handle policy the bureau and the council envisioned to preside over it will handle intelligence sharing Will these new organizations work? Unfortunately, the nsC/nss model is not perfectly transferable to the intelligence world Whereas the nsC and nss can simply rely heavily on the Foreign and Defense ministries with support from law enforcement agencies there are key conduits for information and intelligence that stretch further across the government the current plan to create a national intelligence Bureau is far messier with so many entities involved that
T h i s w i l l n o t s t o p t h e o p p o s i t i o n f r o m d e n o u n c i n g
t h e m o v e a s a n e f f o r t t o e l i m i n a t e t r a n s p a r e n c y w i t h i n t h e g o v e r n m e n t
are not accustomed to working together it will take consistent and assertive leadership from the top to bring them all together in producing meaningful outcomes it is worth noting that the establishment of such a bureau and the envisioned council would represent two of five intelligence initiatives agreed upon between the LDP and the JiP when they formed their coalition the other three include the following: Create an external intelligence Agency by the end of fiscal year 2027; create an organization for training intelligence officers across different ministries and agencies; and develop legislation related to the prevention
BRUSSELS SIGNAL
BONDI ATTACKER NAVEED AKRAM’S BACKGROUND IS INDIAN, REVEALS FORMER COLLEAGUE
Muslim who stopped Australia gunman in his tracks hailed as ‘hero’
public broadcaster ABC said the alleged assailant was Naveed Akram from the western Sydney suburb of Bonnyrigg, quoting an anonymous official, and other local media reported that police had raided his home According to the Australian media reports Naveed was apprehended at the shooting and taken to the hospital where he remains under police guard in a critical but stable condition His father Sajid who was reported to have owned a fruit shop died at the scene Australia s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed Sajid arrived in Australia on a student visa in 1998, which was converted to a partner visa in 2001 and that he has since held a resident return visa Burke also said Sajid s son Naveed is an Australian citizen born in 2001 According to reports, the pair had told family they were going on a South Coast fishing trip, with Naveed’s mother, Verena, saying he had gone to Jervis Bay with his father for the weekend and last spoke to the family on Sunday morning ‘Terrified’ Sydney man misidentified as Bondi shooter A Sydney man said he had received death threats and was “terrified” to leave
SALEEM
SHAIKH
The recently concluded COP30 climate summit in Belem Brazil highlighted both the urgency of the climate crisis and the limits of international consensus While world leaders agreed to scale up climate finance, the summit once again sidestepped the central issue of fossil fuels - the very driver of climate-altering global warming For countries like Pakistan already on the frontline of climate impacts COP30 offered both hope and stark reminders of the uphill battle ahead The summit s headline achievement was the pledge by wealthy nations to triple adaptation funding for vulnerable countries This is a vital recognition of the reality being confronted by developing nations like Pakistan where climate shocks such as glacial lake outburst floods heatwaves and floods inflict disproportionate harm despite the country s minimal historical emissions Yet the agreement s timeline -2035 for the tripling of the adaptation fund - falls short of the urgency demanded by climate science and climate action advocates As UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon
Stiell cautioned “I’m not saying we’re winning the climate fight But we are undeniably still in it and we are fighting back
Pakistan represented effectively at COP30 ensured its adaptation needs were recognised The country s leadership projected its NDC3 0 commitments and highlighted the challenges of translating national adaptation plans into actionable outcomes without adequate means of implementation While the summit adopted the Global Goal on Adaptation Pakistan successfully
argued for flexibility in using indicators according to national circumstances These are practical steps in a global context, where adaptation often remains overshadowed by mitigation in both discourse and finance
Another landmark development was the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund a longstanding demand of Pakistan as Chair of the G-77 and China The fund s pilot phase, Building Integrated Mechanism (BIM), represents a step toward compensation for the devastating impacts that low-emitting countries face Pakistan’s proactive engagement, including launching the Cross-Regional Glacier Resilience Initiative with the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) underscores the country s commitment to not just adaptation but also collaborative solutions
Yet, despite these gains, the summit s outcomes are a stark reminder of the structural inequities that persist in global climate governance Fossil fuels were conspicuously absent from the final agreement reflecting the influence of oil-rich nations and the absence of the United States full delegation Nearly three-fourths of global emissions since 2020 have come from coal, oil and gas, and the International Energy Agency predicts demand for these fuels will continue to rise through 2050 Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva advocating for a roadmap away from hydrocarbons was met with resistance that highlights the enduring geopolitical and economic barriers to a just energy transition China and India while advancing clean energy solutions, also signaled the growing importance of technology transfer and finance for developing economies
Pakistan must continue leveraging these global partnerships to scale up domestic
basic rights, noting that mass detentions frequently occur without transparent legal grounds or due process in the occupied territory The crackdown comes amid ongoing heightened cordon-and-search operations across the occupied territory Hundreds of coordinated raids, cordon-andsearch operations, and interrogations of individuals have taken place over recent weeks, reflecting a sustained and wide-ranging strategy by the occupation authorities Human rights groups say the wave of arrests further highlights the erosion of civil and political rights in Kashmir where arrests are often justified under the pretext of preventive detention through draconian laws They caution that such operations deepen mistrust among the population and exacerbate the already fragile socio-political environment in the territory
A Chinese military spokesperson on Monday urged the Japanese government not to hype up China s regular military training as a so-called security threat, saying that it will never work for Japan to evade the real issue, to divert attention or to recriminate Jiang Bin a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense made the remarks in response to a comment from Japan about a recent flight training of Chinese carrier-based aircraft Giving details of the incident, Jiang said that on December 6, PLANS Nangchang (101) of the naval task group led by PLANS Liaoning notified the Japanese side that the task group would conduct aircraft carrier-based
China ready to be Saudi Arabia’s most trustwor thy par tner in national development: Wang Yi
c o m
s t h e c r o w n p r i
c e t o v i s i t C h i n a n e x t y e a r t o a t t e n d t h e s e c o n d C h i n a - A r a b S t a t e s S u m m i t a n d t h a t C h i n a i s r e a d y t o w o r k w i t h G C C c o u n t r i e s t o s t r
Audiences
nutrition, stress management, and mindfulness practices By nurturing a resilient and engaged workforce PSO aims to strengthen its capacity to meet the evolving demands of the energy sector and deliver consistent value to stakeholders The initiative was kicked off by Pakistan s internationally acclaimed tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq, whose participation reinforces the importance of discipline focus and self-care Speaking about RISE he highlighted that maintaining an active and balanced Shaukat Khanum Hospital Honours Dr Neelam Siddiqui with a Memorial Plaque
s ta f f r e p o r t The Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre recently organised a ceremony to unveil a memorial plaque in honour of the late Dr Neelam Siddiqui a dedicated medical oncologist who served the institution for more than 20 years Her husband Dr Rashid Naeem Siddiqui unveiled the plaque in the presence of family members and colleagues, who gathered to celebrate her remarkable life and enduring legacy Tributes highlighted her unwavering commitment to patients and trainees noting that she continued consultations via teleclinic until just 48 hours before her passing Colleagues remembered her as the department s moral compass and an inspiring mentor to numerous trainees Chief Medical Officer Dr Aasim Yusuf described her as "our rock," while CEO Dr Faisal Sultan praised the "steel of determination" beneath her gentle exterior Head of Medical Oncology Dr Usman Ahmad Chief Nursing Officer Ms Rehana Elahi
re seeing from Pakistani creators goes far beyond producing content for a local audience," said Farhan Qureshi Regional Director Business & Operations Google "They're crafting stories perspectives and entertainment that resonate
Faysal Bank Celebrates Inclusion for All at 11th Special Olympics Pakistan Unified Marathon 2025
Book on Maulana Zafar Ali Khan's Era of Journalism launched
PHC NULLIFIES 80 OMBUDSPERSON DECISIONS UNDER WOMEN’S INHERITANCE L AW
ATC L ahore sentences banned TLP ac tivist to over 35 years in prison for threats to ex- C JP Isa
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday sentenced banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leader Pir Zaheerul Hasan Shah to 35 years and six months in prison for issuing threats against former chief justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the verdict after concluding the trial in a case registered in 2024 Pir Zaheerul Hasan Shah who also served as vice emir of the now-banned TLP, was arrested on July 29 last year from Okara following the registration of a first information report (FIR) at Lahore’s Qila Gujjar Singh police station
The case stemmed from a speech delivered by Shah during a protest rally outside the Lahore Press Club, where TLP workers
Cour
t asks
had gathered to demonstrate against the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Mubarak Sani case During the protest Shah was accused of issuing death threats to the then chief justice The FIR also nominated around 1,500 TLP workers for allegedly issuing threats against the judiciary Charges against Shah were
framed under various provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) along with sections relating to the spread of religious hatred and anarchy pressuring and threatening the higher judiciary, interference in state affairs, and obstruction in the performance of official duties
During the hearing, the ATC found Shah guilty on multiple counts sentencing him to imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs600 000
In October, the federal government formally declared Tehreek-eLabbaik Pakistan a proscribed organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act following a series of violent protests A notification issued by the Ministry of Interior on October 24 stated that the government had reasonable grounds to believe that Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan is connected with and concerned in terrorism ”
D ucky Bhai to disclose social media access and income in c ustody c ase
LAHORE S ta f f r e p o r t
A Lahore court has directed YouTuber Saad ur Rehman popularly known as Ducky Bhai to submit an affidavit detailing his access to social media accounts and earnings while hearing a petition seeking custody of his seized digital assets and ATM cards
Judicial Magistrate Naeem Watto issued the order during proceedings on a superdari application filed by the YouTuber for the return of his belongings The National
Cyber Crime Investigation Agency informed the court that all items linked to the custody request remain in its possession
The NCCIA sought additional time to submit a detailed report explaining that the investigating officer was in Islamabad and the case file had yet to be returned The agency added that the investigation record was still with an official who had not handed it back During the hearing the court questioned how the YouTuber continued to operate his channel Ducky Bhai s counsel responded
that the primary account was under NCCIA control and that only an editor-level account was currently accessible The defence further argued that since all electronic devices were already in the agency s custody Ducky Bhai s credit cards and seized cash should also be returned Accepting the NCCIA s request, the court granted more time to submit its report and adjourned the hearing
The matter is part of an ongoing investigation in which the NCCIA has already registered a case against the YouTuber
A Pakistan Army soldier was martyred during a counter-insurgency operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa s Dera Ismail Khan district on Monday, while seven terrorists were killed, the military’s media wing said According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was carried out in the Kulachi area of DI Khan on information regarding the presence of terrorists affiliated with the Indian proxy Fitna-al-Khawarij a term used by the state for militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) “During the conduct of the operation own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and after an intense exchange of fire seven khwarij were sent to hell, the
of terrorism in the area The military said a sanitisation operation was underway to eliminate any remaining
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the ISPR said on
According to the statement the operations were carried out on December 12 and 13 in the Mohmand district and Bannu where militants linked to Fitna-al-Khawarij were eliminated in separate engagements Pakistan was ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025, with deaths from terrorist attacks increasing by 45 per cent compared to the previous year The index published by the Institute for Economics and Peace analyses global terrorism trends over the past 17 years
