54 TERRORISTS KILLED AS FORCES THWART
Aits citizens said the press release
Mentioning the National Security Council meeting that took place earlier this week to discuss a response to India downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, the ISPR highlighted how “distracting Pakistan’s security forces from their focus on the war against terror seems to be the strategic intent of India to allow a breathing space to FAK which is
reeling from the onslaught of our Armed Forces resolute offensive against them
The ISPR commended the exceptional professionalism, vigilance, and preparedness demonstrated by security forces in preventing a “potential catastrophe”
It asserted that the security forces of Pakistan “remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation s frontiers and to eradicate the menace of terrorism
Such bold and decisive actions further
T2025
Ministr y urges changes to SOPs to ease maize expor t challenges
g THE MINISTRY SHARES DATA SHOWING A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN EXPORTS TO VIETNAM, FROM $26 81M IN JULY 2024 TO $0 23M IN SEPTEMBER
exports and has called on the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) and other relevant authorities to take immediate action to resume maize exports In a letter addressed to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR), the ministry highlighted the significant drop in exports to key international markets including Vietnam Saudi Arabia France China Somalia and Madagascar during the current fiscal year compared to the previous year The ministry expressed particular concern about the complete cessation of maize exports to Vietnam since September 2024 Vietnam was Pakistan s largest maize export destination last year with exports valued at $211 million It has been observed as well as reported by maize exporters, REAP, and Pakistan s Trade and Investment Officer in Hanoi that the primary reason for the abrupt decline of exports to Vietnam is the self-imposed restriction on maize exports by the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) following the detection of Trogoderma granarium (khapra beetle) in some consignments bound for Vietnam in July 2024,” the ministry explained The ministry shared data showing that exports to Vietnam had fallen significantly from $26 81 million in July 2024 to $7 73 million in August and $0 23 million in September, with no exports since the beginning of the current fiscal year on July 1, 2024 The ministry emphasized that it fully recognizes the
importance of complying with international phytosanitary requirements but it has also been advocating for a balance between regulatory efforts for compliance and export facilitation
“Exports are, after all, of paramount importance to Pakistan’s economy promotion of which is the prime objective of the government However it has been noted that despite understanding of MOC and MNFSR at higher levels to avoid blanket bans and to instead adopt corrective measures for SPS compliance for exports to Vietnam in July 2024, the process of taking remedial actions by DPP in this regard has been considerably delayed the letter states The delay in taking corrective actions by the DPP resulted in the suspension of essential export procedures for maize to Vietnam effectively halting millions of dollars in exports to one of Pakistan s
largest markets When the Ministry of Commerce raised the issue with the DPP on March 19 2025 the DPP responded by issuing a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on March 26 for maize exports However the ministry noted that by then significant damage had already been done to the continuity of exports The DPP did not provide any explanation for the cessation of export permits for maize to Vietnam nor did it clarify the reason for the self-imposed export ban Additionally certain provisions in the newly issued SOPs raised concerns Notably, Clauses 9 and 14 of the SOPs appear to suggest mandatory double fumigation with methyl bromide (MB) which contradicts the decision taken during the 62nd meeting of the Agricultural Pesticides Technical Advisory Committee (APTAC) which states that: Duplicate MB treatment must be avoided for consignments already fumigated and found free from quarantine pests the letter stated
Two notable books on social linguistics and terrorism
SYED AFSAR SAJID
The two books mentioned in the title have recently been published by Oxford University Press in Pakistan The first encompasses a socio-linguistic study of Gilgit-Baltistan whereas the second relates to Saudi Arabia’s role in the war on terror ‘LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN’ Author Ijlal Hussainpur a noted education policy expert is a founder director of the Silk Road Centre, which is engaged in promotion of cultural heritage, education, and civil society He holds a PhD in Asian Studies and an MPhil in Pakistani Linguistics The instant book is purported to be a pioneering research study intended to explore three key aspects of language research in Pakistan: first the evolution of linguistic diversity in Gilgit-Baltistan region; second, the use of
in
and
COMMENT
An eminently reasonable demand
but the PM’s call for an independent investigation will go unheard
ON the face of it, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made an eminently reasonable demand Indeed while speaking to the passingout parade at the Pakistan Military Academy (a peculiarly appropriate occasion under the circumstances), his suggestion was more a proposal, that India have an independent and neutral probe into the Pahalgam massacre offering to cooperate fully with such a probe His Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, has claimed that he will pursue the perpetrators to the last If he was sincere he would accept the Pakistani offer However the inconsistencies in the FIR of the incident indicates that he has much to hide Therefore, the proposal is likely to fall on deaf ears That is what India has done in the past
From the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast India has staged false-flag operations which it has blamed on Pakistan, and then treated with deafening silence all Pakistani offers to cooperate in the investigations After the Samjhauta Express attack there were the 2008 Mumbai attacks Then there was the 2016 Uri attack, followed by the 1019 Phulwama attack The same drama is being repeated over the Pehelgam attack India has tried to use these offers to drag into Indian purview individuals it wants to take into custody, not merely because it suspects them to be behind terroristic activities but so that it can cover up its failures before its public with Pakistani bogeymen India should realise that the use of the attack to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty cannot be taken lightly, and thus an investigation is necessary and while meeting Indian needs of independence, should also meet Pakistani needs for neutrality This implies that before a selection is made of the actual investigators, both sides should agree on a body to select them fro m such as the Indian Supreme Court, Indian Police Service officers, or even Jammu and Kashmir Police officers
While a joint team of police officers from both India and Pakistan might be best suited to track the crime, Indian need to conduct all investigations itself must not be ignored There is a more sinister force at work, however, that the Indian government does not want a genuine probe because it already knows the whole story, which it itself scripted, so that it could lay the blame on Pakistan
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
S
mother tongue
THE Pahalgam attack of April 22 which claimed the lives of 26 tourists in Indian-occupied Kashmir, has once again raised disturbing questions about India's handling of terrorism-related incidents In a now-familiar pattern, India wasted no time in blaming Pakistan without presenting a shred of credible evidence The nature timing and circumstances of this attack bear the unmistakable hallmarks of a falseflag operation: a long-favoured tactic used by New Delhi to deflect global scrutiny, generate domestic political mileage, and demonize Pakistan on the international stage India’s track record is riddled with such incidents The 2007 Samjhauta Express bombing is a case in point Sixty-eight people mostly Pakistanis were killed India hastily pointed fingers at Pakistan only for its own investigating agencies to later reveal that Hindu extremist group Abhinav Bharat, including figures like Lt Col Purohit and Swami Aseemanand, were responsible Aseemanand himself confessed in 2010 that the attack was orchestrated by his organization Independent voices like Teesta Setalvad and Anand Teltumbde demanded a fair investigation but the Indian government sought to bury the truth The 2008 Mumbai attacks followed the same trajectory Before the gunfire had even subsided, India accused Pakistan Despite Islamabad’s repeated calls for a joint and transparent probe New Delhi flatly refused Indian police official Satish Verma later testified that certain attacks were orchestrated by the government Observers flagged inconsistencies including the ease with which attackers navigated the city, their media access, and the unusual state response American journalist Alex Jones even called it a "pre-planned inside job " The 2016 Uri attack came at a politically opportune moment serving as a pretext for India s so-called surgical strikes a narrative that remains unverifiable to this day The 2019 Pulwama bombing which killed over 40 Indian troops, occurred just weeks before India s general elections Subsequent leaks of WhatsApp messages between Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami and BARC’s former chief Partho Dasgupta revealed Goswami’s elation stating “This attack guarantees our election win The evidence strongly suggests that Pulwama was another cynical false
j e c
IN the modern era education has become an essential necessity for people to live prosperous lives and nations to progress Without an educated population nations not only lag behind in the spheres of development but have to deal with crimes, poverty, and the citizenry s indifferent attitude towards their respective political systems
Developed countries’ primary focus lay on education to build nations and attain the heights of wellbeing Therefore in developed countries education is provided in the mother tongue as learning in the mother tongue builds a child s cognitive development, helps a child to create an emotional connection with the environment and improves communication skills It helps in learning a second language more easily and preserves and promotes the cultural identity of a community However such an approach in the education system of Pakistan is non-existent Teaching the local language or teaching in a local language is out of question as policies regarding the incorporation of indigenous languages in curriculum has never been considered in the power corridors No heed has so far been paid to the preservation of indigenous communities rights including the right to preserve an indigenous culture and be educated in the
p a g a n d a i n f a v o r o f i m p a r t i a l i n v e s t i g a t i o n s I f I n d i a ’ s d a n g e r o u s t a c t i c s g o u n c h e c k e d , S o u t h A s i a ’ s p e a c e w i l l r e m a i n a t i c k i n g t i m e b o m b o n e t h a t t h r e a t e n s n o t j u s t P a k i s t a n , b u t t h e e n t i r e w o r l d T h e s t o r y o f S w a t i s n o t S w a t ’ s a l o n e , r a t h e r t h e r e s t o f n o r t h e r n P a k i s t a n h a s s i m i l a r i s s u e s i n e d u c a t i o n w h e r e e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s h a v e b e e n d o m i n a t e d b y P a s h t o - s p e a k i n g o r U r d us p e a k i n g t e a c h e r s l e a v i n g t h e c h i l d ’ s c o g n i t i v e d e v e l o p m e n t u n c e r t a i n T h e p r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t n e e d s t o p a y h e e d t o s u c h d i s c r e p a n c i e s i n t h e e d u c a t i o n i n t h e n o r t h a s w i t h o u t m e a n i n g f u l e l e m e n t a r y e d u c a t i o n t h e p e r i p h e r i e s w i l l n o t b e a b l e t o s t a n d u p a n d c o m p e t e i n t h e g l o b a l m a r k e t S u c h a n i n e f f i c i e n t e d u c a t i o n - h a s a l s o e x a c e r b a t e d t h e m a r g i n a l i z a t i o n o f t h e s e a l r e a d y m a r g i n a l i z e d c o m m u n i t i e s i n t h e n o r t h o f P a k i s t a n India follows an old ascripta
flag leveraging a young Kashmiri, radicalized by Indian oppression, while laying the blame squarely on Pakistan This was quickly followed by the Balakot airstrike and Pakistan’s downing of an Indian jet events that unraveled India s narrative Pakistan has consistently condemned all acts of terrorism and called for independent investigations It has presented dossiers and concrete evidence to the United Nations, exposing India s use of anti-Pakistan rhetoric for domestic and electoral gain Islamabad has repeatedly warned that New Delhi’s ultimate goal is to divert global attention from its brutal crackdown in Kashmir using blame games propaganda and manufactured crises as tools India s use of false flag operations to fuel Hindu nationalist sentiment aligns closely with the political doctrine of the RSS and BJP Journalists and human rights activists in India have long acknowledged that the state often orchestrates such events to inflame public opinion and suppress dissent In light of the Pahalgam tragedy Pakistan’s position is clear: such incidents demand critical scrutiny Are they designed to internationalize pressure on Pakistan stifle the Kashmiri voice or serve Hindutva s expansionist agenda? Is this also an attempt to compel Pakistan into compromising on principled positions like its unwavering support for Palestine? How is it plausible that terrorists can infiltrate a region with 1 2 million Indian troops deployed travel over 500 kilometers
Attempting a homogenized society imperils cultural diversity and paves way for social and religious polarization In Pakistan, the education system suffers from many flaws ranging from an outdated national curriculum inefficient examination system untrained teaching staffs to defective infrastructure The curriculum is designed in such a way that it does not respect the diverse cultures of the country It does not integrate local relevancy, rather it disregards social and political rights of local communities languages and cultures mostly in the northern areas of Pakistan
Swat being a multilingual area faces the same vulnerabilities There are Gawri, Torwali, Gujri and Ushojo communities in upper Swat Children from these communities have their respective mother tongues They do not understand Pashto and Urdu Even after attending primary school they cannot speak a word of Pashto
Notwithstanding district demographics of Swat indicate 28 75 percent literacy ratio with only 13 45 percent female Before reaching class 5 38 percent students drop out of schools
The true extent of Swat’s education problems goes far beyond these troubling statistics The upper regions of Swat have a comparatively less educated population depriving them of teaching jobs in the education department
Those students who do some education in the upper regions cannot outscore the lower regions’ educationally facilitated students in job recruitment formulas where the weightage is given to higher and professional degrees apart from the test marks Consequently only Pashtospeaking teachers are sent to middle and high schools in the upper regions of Swat
These Pashto-speaking teachers do not understand Torwali, Gawri and other languages spoken in these regions whereas primary and middle school students do not understand Pashto and Urdu Resultantly Math Science and English subjects becomes difficult to teach for teachers due to linguistic barriers A Pashto-
speaking teacher who has been teaching for three years in the highlands of Swat, said, I once sent a class 7th grade student to fetch a chair from the staffroom, but he returned with a cup of tea saying it is cold ” These students cannot comprehend simple Pashto sentences Ubaid another Pashto-speaking teacher in middle school said Discrepancies in language hinders the comprehension of a complex topic He further stated that, teaching a digestive system to grade 8th students was so difficult for me since I didn’t know Torwali names for organs involved in digestive system and these Torwali students could not understand Pashto and Urdu names
Teaching English and Urdu poetry also involves specialized vocabulary and alien teachers to local culture and language who do not have an understanding of them results in an ineffective instruction since they are not aware of local idioms similes and metaphors Moreover lack of a common language between a teacher and students leads to misinformation and misunderstanding, hinders comprehension and retention of knowledge and results in education becoming a futile activity
Language barrier also leads to cognitive load as a Torwali or Gawri student would have to understand four words for a single object
Ubaid said a student has to understand four words for flower in four different languages i e flower, Phool, Pusho and Gul It creates cognitive burden and discourages students from schooling
The story of Swat is not Swat’s alone rather the rest of northern Pakistan has similar issues in education where educational institutions have been dominated by Pashto-speaking or Urdu-speaking teachers leaving the child s cognitive development uncertain The provincial government needs to pay heed to such discrepancies in the education in the north as without meaningful elementary education the peripheries will not be able to stand up and compete in the global market Such an inefficient education has also exacerbated the marginalization of these already marginalized communities in the north of Pakistan
The writer is a freelance columnist
War economy
h a d a c c e p t e d t h i s m o n e y T h e o n l y a c t i o n t h e u n i v e r s i t y h a s t a k e n t h u s f a r i s t o s h u t d o w n i t s o w n d a t a b a s e T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a a t S a n t a B a r b a r a ’s E n g i n e e r i n g a n d S c i e n c e s C e n t r e f e a t u r e s i t s t i e s w i t h t h e d e f e n c e c o n t r a c t o r RT X C o rp o r a t i o n a s a s u c c e s s s t o r y o n i t s w e b s i t e B e s i d e s c o m p
Usman Torwali
tariffs reminiscent of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act (1930) reductions in foreign aid, disregard for longstanding allies and provocative territorial propositions served not so
departure from historical trends as the culmination of latent structural transformations in US grand strategy Trump s foreign policy direction while dramatic functioned primarily as an accelerant to pre-existing currents rather than a novel strategic for-
mulation The shift toward unilateralism is driven by a combination of strategic fatigue structural economic transformations domestic political pressures and evolving global power dynamics This trajectory necessitates a critical inquiry: not whether the United States will continue to act unilaterally but the manner and strategic rationale by which such behavior unfolds The imperatives underpinning this strategic shift are no longer purely theoretical Understanding their causes is essential for crafting a coherent and sustainable policy framework Left unmoderated, the unilateral turn threatens to destabilize the global order and diminish the foundational pillars of US hegemony Yet if properly channelled these forces may offer the potential for a recalibrated foreign policy that maintains key liberal principles while jettisoning the overextensions associated with liberal internationalism Despite recurring narratives of US decline, the USA retains substantial structural advantages Its consumer market rivals the aggregate demand of the Eurozone and China and it dominates the international financial system: over half of global trade and approximately 90 percent of international financial transactions are denominated in dollars This economic centrality underpins Washington’s capacity to enforce punitive sanctions Moreover the US economy is relatively insulated from global economic disruptions with exports constituting only 11 percent of its GDP, substantially lower than the global average The technological and financial sectors also underscore US preeminence with US firms capturing a dominant share of global
venture capital and profits in strategic industries such as semiconductors, aerospace and biotechnology Though the USA depends on China for certain industrial inputs (like base chemicals rare earths and generic pharmaceuticals) the asymmetry of dependence strongly favours Washington particularly in high-end technologies and energy security Militarily, the USA possesses unparalleled global reach, capable of projecting force across vast distances It maintains defence agreements with approximately 70 nations encompassing a third of global economic output and a fifth of the world s population This extensive network of alliances intelligence cooperation and logistical superiority provides Washington with the strategic flexibility to reshape or even disengage from international norms and frameworks Conversely a recalibrated approach anchored in selective engagement could permit Washington to shed the unsustainable burdens of liberal hegemony while preserving the foundational strengths of a liberal order rooted in openness, rules-based governance and strategic alliances The US economy remains relatively insulated from global trade fluctuations with exports constituting only 11 percent of its GDP primarily within the North American region In key sectors such as venture capital, energy, food production and advanced technologies including semiconductors, aerospace and biotechnology U S dominance remains unparalleled far exceeding that of its strategic competitors While the USA is reliant on China for
industrial base components the asymmetry is more consequential for Beijing, which remains dependent on Western markets, technological ecosystems and food and energy imports Militarily the USA is unique in its capacity to project power across vast distances It sustains security commitments with over 70 nations encompassing a fifth of the global population and a third of global economic output, thereby reinforcing its strategic leverage over global security and rule-setting processes The imperative for a unilateral turn is further compounded by a growing disillusionment with the legacy institutions of the liberal international order Originally designed to confront the ideological and geopolitical threats posed by Soviet communism and post-war instability, the liberal order succeeded in securing Western prosperity and political liberalism However its foundational rationale has become obsolete Nations that once relied on US security guarantees such as Germany, Japan, Canada and various Western European states have reduced their defense expenditures, expanded welfare programmes and pursued economic entanglements with China and Russia rendering them ill-prepared to contribute meaningfully to global stability Ironically, efforts to integrate former adversaries into the liberal order have inadvertently empowered them Russia and China have exploited the openness of Western institutions to further revisionist agendas engaging in coercive diplomacy territorial aggression and economic statecraft Russia leverages financial networks
Don’t rule out a US -Iran nuclear deal just yet
Amid heightened geopolitical tensions, renewed talks between the United States and Iran may hold unexpec ted potential Despite decades of hostility, Iran’s struggling economy and US President Donald Trump’s quest for a legac y- defining diplomatic achievement could create the conditions for a deal
up to its commitments? And to what extent
would a closed-off Iran be willing to open itself up to outside experts tasked with assessing compliance?
for illicit capital flows, energy as a tool of geopolitical coercion and disinformation to erode democratic resilience China for its part has employed massive industrial subsidies to dominate strategic manufacturing sectors and used market access as leverage to pressure adversaries It has weaponized its participation in global institutions to subvert liberal norms, turning the openness of the liberal order into a vector for strategic subversion Simultaneously globalization has fragmented authority within international institutions, producing gridlock and weakening US influence The proliferation of sovereign actors since the mid-20th century has diffused power within forums like the UN the WTO and the World Bank often to the detriment of coherent US-led global governance
Domestically, the economic consequences of globalization have been deeply uneven Industrial decline, job losses in manufacturing sectors and regional economic disparities have engendered profound socio-political consequences including rising social distress and growing support for populist and protectionist policies Electoral mechanisms that amplify rural and deindustrialized constituencies have further entrenched these preferences in national policymaking
Two transformative forces demographic change and automation are reshaping the global strategic landscape
The urgenc y is real, as Iran has steadily inched closer to assembling the components needed to build one or more nuclear weapons
THIS is hardly a golden era of diplomacy A ceasefire – let alone a lasting peace – between Russia and Ukraine remains a distant possibility and neither Israel nor Hamas seems to view a long-term truce in Gaza as a priority The one bright spot on the global diplomatic chessboard may be the relationship between the United States and Iran
Yes, you read that correctly: the same US that Iran’s ruling clerics have called “the Great Satan” since the Islamic Revolution nearly half a century ago The same US that supported the Shah until his ouster in 1979 The same US that killed Qassem Suleimani
commander of Iran s powerful Quds Force, just five years ago Iran, for its part, is the same country that held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days from late 1979 to 1981 The same Iran that backs Hamas – the group responsible for the terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7 2023 – and the Yemeni Houthis targeting the US military and international shipping And the same Iran that has reportedly explored options to assassinate US President Donald Trump and members of his first administration
So why would Iran be interested in signing a new agreement with Trump who unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – the nuclear accord between Iran and some of the world s major powers – during his first term?
Two reasons stand out For starters, it would help Iran avoid a direct military attack by Israel and/or the US – something it proved ill-equipped to defend against as recently as October when Israel successfully targeted its missile and drone manufacturing sites and air defenses With Iran s weak and ailing economy on the ropes, a new agreement could provide much-needed sanctions relief and potentially ease domestic political pressure on the regime But what s in it for Trump? He clearly
wants a dramatic diplomatic achievement He tried and failed with North Korea in his first term, and has so far come up emptyhanded in his attempts to negotiate an end to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza A nuclear accord with Iran may well be his best chance Moreover Trump has publicly pledged that Iran will not develop or acquire nuclear weapons on his watch The urgency is real, as Iran has steadily inched closer to assembling the components needed to build one or more nuclear weapons To be sure there are good strategic reasons for Trump to pursue a deal with Iran If both diplomacy and military force fail and Iran succeeds in developing a nuclear weapon, the result could be a nuclear arms race across the Middle East A nucleararmed Iran could also deploy its many proxy forces – including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis – with even greater impunity There are however many questions that must be answered before an agreement can be signed First what nuclear materials would Iran be permitted to retain or produce? Specifically, would it be allowed to enrich or keep enriched uranium, and if so, how much and to what level?
The second issue concerns monitoring How would the US ensure that Iran is living
A third set of questions involves the scope of the agreement Would it be limited to nuclear materials, or would it also cover other essential elements like bomb components missiles testing activities or Iran’s support for regional proxies?
Fourth what would be the duration of the deal? Would it include sunset clauses like the JCPOA, or would it be open-ended?
And finally, what form would the agreement take? Iran may seek assurances that Trump and his successors on both sides of the aisle will stand by the accord possibly by insisting that Congress approves it There is a potential compromise that could give both sides what they need Iran would be permitted to maintain a small amount of low-enriched nuclear fuel suitable for civilian purposes only There would be extensive external monitoring In return Iran would receive some sanctions relief with the possibility of more relief if the agreement covered additional issues The agreement could be open-ended or run, say, through 2050 – or better yet, 2075 Congress, along with its Iranian counterpart, would be required to approve the deal
Such an outcome would set back – not just pause – Iran s progress toward producing nuclear weapons At the same time it would allow Iran to claim it had preserved a nuclear option while reaping economic benefits It would likely be well received by much of its population, which wants improved living standards and reduced international isolation
which tethered a nation’s fixed exchange rate to the full faith and credit of the
However
of which equated to one
of
Woods no body of nations ever convened to agree to the system of American backstopping of deficit-driven consumption that emerged in its wake Moreover, no group of nations has ever agreed to China’s tactical and subversive devaluation of its currency which distorts trade and capital account balances leading the world to today s massive trade imbalances The United States and its allies sacrificed a generation of innovation and intellectual property to China, giving rise to a weakened American middle class, social instability and populism As Americans fought distant wars in Iraq and Afghanistan over resources and terrorism our adversaries built up their military-industrial complexes with stolen intellectual property
Most importantly, Iran’s leadership wants to preserve the embattled system created by the 1979 revolution That objective has prompted major policy shifts in the past: in 1988 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini agreed to end the war with Iraq without achieving victory – a decision he likened to drinking poison – to save the Islamic Republic The same reasoning could be applied now Trump for his part could claim to have produced a more comprehensive pact than the one he discarded – and of considerably longer duration No doubt, some in Israel and the US would grumble that he gave up too much, but Trump’s political flanks are strong enough to see it through This deal would also allow him to avoid new military entanglements US-Iran relations are at a critical juncture The US faced a similar dilemma in the early 1990s, when it had an opportunity to strike North Korean nuclear facilities but ultimately held back, fearing that North Korea would retaliate by invading South Korea where tens of thousands of American troops were stationed The aftermath of the October 7 attacks has made clear that
I R A N P O R T B L A S T D E AT H T O L L R I S E S
O 4 0 A S F I R E S C O N T I N U E B L A Z I N G
TThe explosions also caused extensive damage to dozens of neighboring houses leaving several families homeless and in severe distress Indian troops intensify CASOs in IIOJK; Pahalgam operation enters 5th day On the other hand, a massive search operation launched by Indian forces’ personnel in the Pahalgam area of Islamabad district entered its fifth consecutive day today According to Kashmir Media Service the operation involves thousands of personnel from the Indian Army paramilitary forces and police Additionally two MI-17 helicopters from the Indian Air Force are providing continuous aerial surveillance over the dense forests of Baisaran and surrounding areas in Pahalgam Indian media reports said that the operation, which began on Tuesday evening is the largest land and aerial search operation conducted in the Kashmir Valley to date The Baisaran forests and its surroundings have been completely sealed off and door-to-door searches are ongoing Special Action Teams and para commandos are taking part in the operation Meanwhile, Indian forces continue their cordon and search operations across other regions of the Kashmir Valley and Jammu division The occupation troops have been raiding homes and harassing residents including women and children during these operations In the past few days hundreds of Kashmiri youth have been arrested s during the crackdown in various areas Indian police conduct raids at 63 locations across Srinagar Meanwhile Indian police conducted raids at 63 locations across Srinagar district in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated Ankara’s support for Palestinians expressing hope for swift aid delivery to Gaza and saying Hamas was ready for a truce in the Palestinian enclave, and now Israel should be forced to accept peace He emphasized that the Palestinian resistance movement was open to a lasting solution and that Israel should take steps accordingly too Fidan was in the Qatari capital for bilateral talks with top officials of the country, one of the closest allies of Türkiye in the region Earlier on Sunday he was received by Qatar ’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
Türkiye and Qatar are among the primary diplomatic actors in the region working for an end to the Palestine-Israel conflict Qatar is a frequent host of representatives of the two sides of the conflict meeting to end hostilities while Türkiye is engaged in a global diplomatic blitz seeking support to stop Israeli aggression and more aid delivery for millions
of Palestinians deprived of their basic needs
For his part, Foreign Minister Al Thani called for urgent action to force Israel to allow the entry of humanitarian aid into the blockaded Gaza Strip Qatar rejects the use of starvation and humanitarian aid as a weapon against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” he said at the news conference “We continue our efforts with our partners to end the war in Gaza he added Efforts must be made with allies to
compel Israel to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, the top diplomat stressed
The Qatari minister expressed deep concern over the collapse of the cease-fire agreement in Gaza and Israel s resumption of its assaults which have caused further casualties, destruction, and worsened the suffering of more than 2 million Palestinians ” More than 52,200 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023 most of them women and children
MUMBAI
A G E N C I E S A major controversy has erupted in Pimpri Chinchwad a city 15 km northwest of Pune in Maharashtra after municipal authorities issued demolition notices to 16 mosques in the Kadalwadi area sparking widespread anxiety and protests among locals The notices, pasted on Thursday afternoon, claim that the mosques were built without permission and must be demolished within 15 days The move has been sharply criticised especially since many of the mosques were built before 1995 when the area was governed by a Gram Panchayat and not a Municipal Corporation An emergency meeting of mosque
CM MARYAM REAFFIRMS RESOLVE TO MAKE PUNJAB
faculty, committed staff, talented students, and distinguished alumni Their unwavering efforts continue to propel the university moving forward demonstrating that excellence is limitless said the Vice Chancellor LUMS Law Clinic Launched: Bridging Legal Education with Public Service
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T In a significant step towards advancing clinical legal education and student-led public service initiatives in Pakistan the Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL) at LUMS officially inaugurated the LUMS Law Clinic The ceremony brought together legal educators public sector representatives faculty students, and members of the wider legal community The LUMS Law Clinic
and
The inauguration programme featured keynote remarks by Dr Sadaf Aziz, Dean SAHSOL, and Dr Ali Cheema Vice Chancellor LUMS Other speakers included Ms Angbeen Atif Mirza (Assistant Professor SAHSOL) Ms Maira Mumtaz (Clinic Instructor SAHSOL) along with contributions from Ms Kulsoom Saqib (Director General, Punjab Women Protection Authority), Dr Qadeer Alam (AIG Judicial, Punjab Prisons), and
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has said that the holding of the China Film Festival in Lahore is a breath of fresh air for Pakistan s film industry She added that China s collaboration with Pakistan in the film sector, much like its support in other fields, is highly commendable The Punjab government is eager to see the film industry progress alongside other sectors She expressed these views while attending the China Film Festival held in Lahore The Minister highlighted that cooperation between China and Pakistan in the field of cinema has the potential to bring the two nations even closer She emphasized that both countries could work extensively together in film and cultural domains, fostering deeper ties between their people Azma Bokhari further stated that the Punjab government is making significant efforts for the revival of the film industry As part of these efforts an eight-member committee has been formed to de-
vise strategies for the sector s development She mentioned that Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, has shown keen interest in the growth of the film industry and has announced special grants to support its advancement
The Minister noted that Pakistan and China could jointly produce feature films and animated films She proposed organizing collaborative workshops for emerging talents, actors, producers, and technical experts in Lahore and Beijing to enhance technical cooperation in
KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T The PropTech Club powered by Landtrack pk successfully hosted its second official Meet & Greet – Eid Milan Evening at The Lounge, DHA Phase 6, Karachi The invite-only event brought together a curated group of real estate stakeholders, tech innovators developers and thought leaders for an evening of conversation collaboration and forward thinking The event opened with a warm welcome from Atif Arfeen Founder of The PropTech Club who emphasized that the initiative is more than a networking platform it's a movement aimed at redefining Pakistan's real estate landscape through the adoption of technology and collective growth Two short films were showcased during the event: The Story of The PropTech Club chronicling the journey from a single idea at the PropTech Convention in Lahore to a growing national and international community What Technology Can Do in Real Estate highlighting the real, practical impact of AI, automation, and smart tools on builders, developers, and realtors From discussions on AI-led lead management and data-backed sales dashboards to the importance of community-driven innovation the evening served as a powerful reminder that Pakistan s real estate sector is on the brink of transformation led by those who are ready to innovate
the film sector Additionally Azma Bokhari suggested holding joint film festivals in Lahore and Shanghai, allowing people from both countries to experience and appreciate each other ’s cultures more closely thereby opening new dimensions in bilateral relations Concluding her remarks Azma Bokhari praised the cultural friendship between Pakistan and China and expressed her firm belief that both nations would achieve historic milestones together in the fields of film and culture in the future
PAKISTAN RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT SAFET Y OF STAFF AFTER INDIANS ATTACK ON LONDON HC
India responsible for attack on Pakistani High Commission: Tarar
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Sunday alleged that India was responsible for an attack on the Pakistan High Commission in London, accusing New Delhi of using its extremist ideology” to encourage people to attack Pakistan’s foreign missions Pakistan’s High Commission in London was vandalised by a group of Indian protesters who threw saffroncoloured paint on the building s exte-
Memon urges end to protests after resolution of canal issue
this matter has been brought to the attention of the world community, which can conduct an inquiry and launch an investigation
However if things escalate no one can stop us he warned adding, if Modi chooses to escalate tensions, we will chase him all the way home ”
He said that Modi is known for spreading false propaganda repeating the same tactics used during Pulwama However Pakistan is strong enough to respond effectively
Karachi Memon urged protesters to keep demonstrations peaceful and clear roads to prevent further public inconvenience stating that the Sindh government remains open to negotiations with all stakeholders
PPP warns of quitting gov t if canal issue not resolved in CCI meeting
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and Sindh Energy Minister Nasir Shah has warned that the party may leave the federal government if the canal construction issue is not settled in the upcoming Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting Speaking to the media after meeting Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders, Shah said the canal issue has united all segments of Sindh and holds critical importance for the province He added that MQM-P has also assured its support to the PPP in both the Sindh Assembly and the National Assembly Shah expressed
in the incident had nothing to do with reality
He further said We paid the price for supporting America against the Soviet Union He said Pakistan does not want to increase the tension, nor does it want to take the initiative in any action Meanwhile Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated on Sunday that entire Pakistan is united with its armed forces and will give a strong response to Modi govern-
ment just like we responded in Pulwama incident In an exclusive conversation with a private news channel Khawaja Asif emphasized that the nation is united with its armed forces and will take a firm stance against any aggression
He cautioned that a conflict between two nuclear powers would pose a significant threat to regional and global peace
Khawaja Asif further said that
Responding to a query, he categorically stated that Pakistan’s nation and armed forces are ready to defend the country’s sovereignty and no compromise will be made on this principle
He also extended his appreciation to the Pakistani media for effectively countering the Indian media’s misinformation campaigns and bringing the truth to light
To another question the minister stated that Pakistan maintains regular communication and engagement with its neighboring countries
ISLAMABAD/SUKKUR
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)
Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has called for dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve ongoing disputes as tensions between the two countries continue to rise
In an interview with a private TV channel, Bilawal criticised India s rejection of Pakistan s offer for talks following the deadly April 22 attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) which left 26 people dead Islamabad has denied India s allegations of supporting cross-border terrorism linked to the incident
Bilawal voiced full support for the government s response and warned that if India terminates the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan would respond appropriately He noted that international law forbids obstructing water even during wartime and said India had weakened its own position by taking such an aggressive step
In response to the fallout, India downgraded diplomatic ties, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and closed visa services while Pakistan reciprocated with airspace restrictions and diplomatic expulsions Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered to participate in a neutral investigation into the attack
The PPP chairman also stressed the importance of maintaining agreements like the Shimla Accord and the Indus Waters Treaty adding that India s case on both Kashmir and water disputes is weak He highlighted that as nuclear powers, both countries face international pressure to avoid escalation pointing out that India s All Parties Conference had acknowledged internal security failures
