on Friday The delegation expressed concerns over what they described as discriminatory policies that are threatening the stability of the steel industry They emphasized the need for a well-defined policy framework that includes the rates of all
taxes, which they believe would help the
operate
During the meeting SAPM Haroon Akhtar Khan acknowledged the issues raised by the steel manufacturers particularly regarding tariffs and reassured them that the government is actively working to support the sector While the manufacturers urged the government to reduce import tariffs on finished steel goods, Khan clarified that the current downturn in the industry is not due to regulatory duties or government-imposed barriers Instead he explained that the decline is a result of reduced demand in the market Haroon Akhtar Khan emphasized that the government is committed to supporting the steel industry and is working in line with the Prime Minister ’s vision to reform the tariff policy He
SAPM also assured the manufacturers that the government plans to gradually phase down additional customs duties and adjust regulatory duties over time He emphasized that the government is continually refining its policies to ensure the steel industry receives the necessary support
In conclusion, Haroon Akhtar Khan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to both balancing the national
Nepra announces elec tricity tariff cuts for Discos and K-Elec tric consumers
NA Finance Committee slams FBR for bypassing parliament with tax ordinance
the committee remained unconvinced We re waiting for it to come to us as a bill Then we’ll scrutinise it thoroughly,” Qamar said The development signals a potential standoff between the legislature and the tax authority over bypassing legislative scrutiny and fast-tracking tax recovery measures without broader consultation
Deputy
the meeting
The President lauded the exceptional professionalism and bravery of the Armed Forces of the country for giving a befitting response to Indian unprovoked aggression and missile attacks The President reaffirmed that Pakistan, as a responsible and peace-loving nation had demonstrated considerable restraint in the face of Indian provocations
India military says committed to non-escalation only if Pakistan reciprocates Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh has stated that India s military remains committed to deescalation only if Pakistan reciprocates as soaring tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours push them to the brink of all-out war Singh spoke at a press conference on Saturday alongside Indian Army s Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri after Pakistan launched retaliatory strikes on Indian targets
offensive intent to further escalate the situation The Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to nonescalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military ” Colonel Qureshi admitted that Pakistan s retaliatory had damaged equipment and injured personnel at five Indian airbases Udhampur Pathankot Adampur Bhuj and Bathinda after targeting more than 26 places Meanwhile, the United States has stepped up diplomatic efforts, with Secretary of State
peace in South Asia the premier said adding that the country believed the step marked a new beginning in resolving issues that have plagued the region and hindered its journey toward peace, prosperity and stability Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr
“Along the Line of Control, Pakistan has attempted multiple air intrusions using drones and has conducted shelling with heavy calibre artillery guns heavy exchanges of artillery mortars and small arms fire have continued in the Kupwara Baramulla Poonch Rajouri and Akhnoor sectors Pakistani military movements have been observed in forward areas, indicating
closed the Wagah land border, revoked Pakistani visas, and announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty on April 23 Pakistan labelled any disruption to the treaty as an “act of war” and subsequently sealed the Wagah crossing on its side The situation further deteriorated on May 6 and 7 with explosions reported
and Kashmir and also another three-yearold girl and 16 other civilians in Bahawalpur close to a mosque Once limited to discriminatory laws and hate speech, India s growing Islamophobia has now spread to include actual missiles The BJP's campaign to demonize Muslims both inside India and across the border was continued with this intentional cold-blooded attack on a symbol of Islam Modi s fascist regime has made it clear that this is a war against Islam, not terrorism And India cried "aggression" when Pakistan shot down five Indian jets, with three of them being Rafale jets made by France that were attempting to violate international law using its sovereign right to self-defence The same India that just bombed civilians who were sleeping Indian media outlets last night bombarded television screens with startling headlines: "India Has Entered Pakistani Territory," "Full-Scale Invasion Underway " and even ridiculous assertions that key Pakistani military installations had been neutralized in a troubling escalation of manufactured bravado These are scripted war fantasies for the national audience, not reports India has shed its secular exterior under Narendra Modi exposing the ruthless teeth of a Hindutva government drunk on power and motivated by religious supremacy This is not just a viewpoint; it is a reality that is evident in India s streets, where dissenters are imprisoned, Muslims are lynched, and Kashmiris are brutalized His philosophy is dominance, not diplo-
r e P a k i s t a n w i l l s t a n d , f o r t h a t r e a s o n A l w a y s I n o p p o s i t i o n t o a g g r e s s i o n I n o p p o s i t i o n t o l i e s A n d a g a i n s t w a r , i f n e c e s s a r y
macy His goal for India is conquest not cohabitation And he has transformed India from the largest democracy in the world into its biggest propaganda factory in this insane quest for power
The role of India's Ministry of Defence, whose press releases have turned into a key component of the disinformation campaign is arguably the most terrifying aspect of the entire situation Their declarations are now ideological manifestos intended to provoke incite and deceive rather than icy, strategic military updates Average Indians rejoiced in what they were told was a victory, nationalist influencers praised the "strike " and memes ridiculing the deceased child went viral Indian news outlets have turned into echo chambers of nationalism that propagate hysteria without taking responsibility India's Media changed the story to "We were attacked" as soon as an Indian fighter jet was shot down But When the missiles struck homes in Pakistan earlier The anchors exclaimed It was a misfire And later their statements contradicted when they referred to downed Indian drones as "unidentified objects Modi's war cabinet wrote the script, media operatives performed it, and the Indian public was led to believe it to be true
The Indian media has never questioned: Where is the evidence of Pakistan s alleged attack? They haven t mentioned India s flagrant disregard for the Geneva Conventions Articles 48, 51, and 52, which forbid attacking civilians, employing excessive force, and carrying out attacks that aren't necessary from a military standpoint
Early on May 8 India boldly escalated the situation by launching Israeli-built Harop drones into Pakistani airspace On what basis? No one saw, no one confirmed, and no radar detected the alleged Pakistani "raid " This wasn't a response It was a planned action to incite intensify and force Pakistan to respond Nevertheless Pakistan exercised restraint The drones were shot down to protect Pakistan s sovereignty, not over Indian territory What if the roles were reversed? What if
Free speech in crisis as questions are silenced in India
Notably, all journalists arrested this year are associated with independent YouTube media channels Vandalism
defamatory content about the state s Rural Development Minister Jaykumar Gore Interestingly, the chief ministers of the s
to reform its economy and increase its foreign reserves In addition to this arrangement the IMF also approved another $1 4-billion to Pakistan on Friday under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility for tackling climate challenges The
“Anant Ambani’s wedding costed more than the IMF loan to Pakistan!” Rashmi Samant, a known Hindutva figure, wrote on X M o d i ' s w a r c a b i n e t w r o t e t h e s c r i p t , m e d i a o p e r a t i v e s p e r f o r m e d i t , a n d t h e I n d i a n p u b l i c w a s l e d t o b e l i e v e i t t o b e t r u e
istan s duplicity – but also will not disrupt global economic order rashly, Sarma wrote in a post on X The IMF does not allow board members to cast a “no” vote at all, he asserted But this line of reasoning did not settle the debate The BJP s opponents and critics pointed to instances from the past when other countries sought to stop IMF funding for their rivals In 2016, the Russian government had announced that it would be voting against IMF aid to Ukraine
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Congress leaders were indulging in reckless propaganda Abstaining, he claimed, is the “only legitimate way to register disagreement” at the board meetings according to IMF voting procedures This was a firm yet mature diplomatic signal showing India will not support Pak-
Citing the example of Russia Hartosh Singh Bal the executive editor of The Caravan magazine contended on X that the Modi government was trying to spin its abstention because it lacks heft and allies to mobilise diplomatic pressure against Pakistan ‘DIPLOMATIC SETBACK’
The funding in question is part of a $7billion Extended Fund Facility arrangement that the IMF approved for Pakistan in September 2024 as part of the country s efforts
PakIStan aRmY dedICateS al-Fateh mISSIle StRIkeS
ChIldRen maRt YRed In IndIan aGGReSSIOn
Omar Ayub strongly criticizes govt ’s 'delayed response' to Indian aggression; Pays tributes to martyred and PAF officers
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Following the announcement of a ceasefire between Pakistan and India, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Mr Omar Ayub Khan strongly condemned the federal government’s failure to respond promptly and decisively to Indian aerial attacks across Pakistani air bases India carried out a shameful and unprovoked aerial assault on Pakistan throughout the night, yet this imposed and cowardly government waited four days before issuing any official response ” Mr Omar Ayub Khan stated This criminal delay led to the loss of precious lives and the blood of our brave martyrs is on the hands of imposed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his puppet administration ” Reiterating the national security doctrine under PTI leadership Ayub said Prime Minister Imran Khan was clear: we will respond first and deliberate later That strong deterrence kept our adversaries in check
Only Imran Khan can lead Pakistan out of crisis and unite the nation his immediate release is critical for Pakistan’s stability ” The opposition leader lauded the Pakistan Armed Forces for their professionalism particularly praising the Pakistan Air Force airmen, Navy sailors, and all operational staff Despite the COVID19 lockdown, our government acquired and activated advanced force-multiplier weapon systems in just three years This credit goes to Prime Minister Imran Khan and
then-Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, he added Mr Omar Ayub Khan also telephonically contacted the family of Shaheed Squadron Leader Usman Yousaf who was martyred defending Bolari Air Base near Hyderabad Speaking with his brother, Taimoor Yousaf, Ayub paid tribute to the hero s supreme sacrifice, stating, “Our martyrs are our pride May Allah elevate their ranks and grant strength to their families The entire nation stands united in their grief
Wang Yi: President Xi's Russia visit pushes bilateral ties, builds broad intl consensus
in an interview with Breitbart News said the Iranians had stated that they do not want a nuclear weapon and the United States will "take them at their word" on this point "If that’s how they feel, then their enrichment facilities have to be dismantled They cannot have centrifuges They have to downblend all of their fuel that they have there and send it to a faraway place and they have to convert to a civil programme if they want to run a civil programme," he said The fourth round of indirect negotiations, initially scheduled for May 3 in Rome, was postponed, with mediator Oman citing "logistical reasons"
In a separate statement on Friday Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said that after coordination with both Iran and the US the fourth round of negotiations was set to take place on Sunday in Muscat Araqchi said his planned visit to Qatar and Saudi Arabia on Saturday was in line with "continuous consultations" with neighbouring countries to address their concerns and mutual interests about the nuclear issue
MOSCOW A F P
President Vladimir Putin vowed on Friday that Russia would win in Ukraine as the Soviet Union had in World War II, as he sought to rally support at a Moscow military parade put on before key allies Putin sat with China s President Xi Jinping watching a procession of thousands of troops some of whom fought in Ukraine and an array of weapons including new tanks and drones to mark the defeat of the Nazis 80 years ago
More than two dozen world leaders were in Moscow for the occasion Since launching the Ukraine offensive in 2022, Putin has drawn parallels between the Soviet war effort and his own military campaign that has killed many thousands and seen Moscow occupy a fifth of its neighbour The whole country society and people support the participants
barrier against Nazism Russophobia and antiSemitism Moscow claims it launched its offensive to "de-Nazify" Ukraine narratives rejected by Kyiv, the West and independent experts At home Russia has banned criticism of its offensive and hundreds of thousands of Russians have fled their country Security was tight ahead of the parade, with Moscow fearing it could be targeted by Ukraine Snipers were positioned on a luxury shopping mall that runs alongside Red Square and mobile
meeting scheduled Asif told ARY News
Earlier today in a press conference held in New Delhi Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stated that India remained committed to de-escalation, but only if Pakistan took reciprocal steps The briefing was held alongside Indian Army Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri Colonel Qureshi confirmed that Pakistan s strikes had caused damage to equipment and injuries to personnel at five airbases Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur,
an act of war and subsequently sealed the Wagah crossing on its side The situation further deteriorated on May 6 and 7, with explosions reported in
OVER 70,000 VOLUNTEERS COMPLETE CIVIL DEFENSE TRAINING IN 03 DAYS ACROSS PUNJAB
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has paid a glowing tribute to the Pakistan Armed Forces stating that Operation Bunyan-umMarsoos is the most successful military operation in world history
She said the operation has showcased Pakistan's defence capabilities and professional excellence to the global community Azma Bokhari emphasized that the Pakistan Army has once again proven itself to be among the world s most professional and capable armed forces “The achievements of our
armed forces will be written in golden letters, she remarked She further stated that India mistook Pakistan’s patience for weakness but the resolute and responsible leadership of Pakistan responded to Indian aggression with maturity and strength For the past four to five days, India has been attempting to escalate tensions through lies and propaganda, but the Pakistan Army silenced the enemy with a decisive response in just four hours she said Pakistan responded to India in broad daylight an act that reflects our confidence and transparency, she added “Alhamdulillah, all of
Pakistan s aircraft are safe, and our armed forces have successfully exposed the Indian military and its narrative within a matter of hours ” Azma Bokhari also lauded the Pakistani media saying it deserves recognition for upholding journalistic integrity and effectively countering Indian misinformation The same Indian media that had been spreading lies for five days is now acknowledging Pakistan’s superiority ” she said Concluding her statement she remarked that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi s war hysteria has backfired, and the world has now recognized India s aggressive ambitions and propaganda tactics
also highlighted the efforts of the UAE s visionary leadership, particularly President H H Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in promoting cooperation through various agreements and MoUs across diverse sectors Chairman Gilani extended his deep appreciation to Dr Altayer for hosting the meeting on short notice and reaffirmed the profound historical religious and cultural ties between Pakistan and the UAE He emphasized the deep commonalities between the two brotherly nations, underlining their shared stances in global fora and their people-to-people connections across generations Highlighting that diplomacy today is economy Gilani commended the UAE s critical economic partnership with Pakistan particularly in trade investment, and development assistance
in across India
Following the recent Pahalgam incident, Kashmiri journalist Hilal Mir was arrested by Indian authorities over a social media post In addition, the accounts of BBC Urdu, several Kashmir-based media portals and independent outlet Maktoob Media have been blocked
The PCI criticized these actions, noting that social media plat-
form X (formerly Twitter) failed to provide clear reasons for the bans violating basic principles of transparency and accountability The statement stressed that such measures unfairly target media organizations and individuals
Calling the bans arbitrary the PCI demanded their immediate reversal, emphasizing that such crackdowns run counter to the principles of press freedom and undermine public interest
“We strongly urge the government to act with transparency and allow journalists and media organisations to operate without restriction, the statement concluded
Celebrations in Rawalpindi as soon as news of Pak Army ’s counter-attacks on enemy heard
As soon as news of Pakistan Army’s counter-attacks on the enemy was heard celebrations were in full swing in Rawalpindi
Citizens came out on the streets and expressed their unwavering commitment to the Pakistan Army
The people decided to put aside fear and panic and stand by their protectors which was demonstrated in different areas of the city especially in the garrison zone
A large number of citizens gathered on the main highways and public places and raised slogans in favour of the Pakistan Army and expressed their love and trust in the Chief of Army Staff General Syed
Asim Munir Dozens of people waved the Pakistan Air Force flag near the Noor Khan Air Base and chanted slogans of “Long Live the Pakistan Air Force” while a large crowd of people came out on the streets in the Cantt area and an unprecedented demonstration of national unity was seen
There was great enthusiasm among the youth They termed the recent Operation Bunyan-al-Marsoos' of the Pakistan Army as an act that shattered India s pride
The youth expressed happiness over the attacks in which Indian military installations, including Pathankot Air Base, Brahmos Missile Depot, Adampur Air Base and Uri Supply Depot were successfully targeted
They said these installations were being used for attacks on Pakistani territories, the elimination of which was part of the strategy to effectively stop the enemy’s aggression
The citizens termed the destruction of India s latest S-400 air defence system as a manifestation of the professionalism and technological superiority of the Pakistani forces and appreciated the strategy of the military leadership They said they salute the courage sacrifices and professionalism of the Pakistan Army Slogans of Pakistan Zindabad and Pakistan Army Payandabad echoed throughout the city, which is a clear proof that the Pakistani nation stands by its forces in every difficult time
The Group of Seven (G7) nations on Friday urged India and Pakistan to immediately de-escalate rising military tensions and engage in direct dialogue following deadly cross-border strikes and clashes that have claimed dozens of lives We urge maximum restraint from
PAKISTAN ONLY RESPONDED TO UNPROVOKED INDIAN AGGRESSION IN SELF DEFENCE UNDER UN CHARTER: TARAR
FL Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that Pakistan was neither aggressor nor provocator it only responded to unprovoked Indian aggression in self-defence under the United Nations Charter
In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation, he said Pakistan was a responsible country which had shown great restraint in the wake of Indian unprovoked attacks for past four days India targeted the civilian population in Pakistan and killed innocent people including women and children who had nothing to do with anything, Attaullah Tarar maintained Pakistan, he added, retaliated in accordance with the UN charter and it did not target any civilian population in India We completely deny we refute the Indian allegations of targeting the civilian population We have not attacked any civilian population, Tarar said
He
He said India itself targeted Sikhs holy city Amritsar to give impression that Pakistan had attacked that city We in Pakistan protest and serve their religious site in Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib and Kartarpur, he stated To a question, he said that Pahalgam
volvement in
22 incident Pakistan he said had offered cooperation in a fair and transparent investigation into the Pahalgam incident India made the Pahalgam incident
maintained He said Pahalgam attack was a security and intelligence failure as more than 700,000 Indian troops have been deployed in Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir(IIOJK) Local Muslim population has been subjugated by the Indian occupation forces he said Tarar said India had attacked Pakistan to which it had responded, though Islamabad showed all possible restraint during past few days India continued attacking civilian population and tried to target Pakistan's defense installations and Pakistan had to respond in self-defence To a question about steps for de-escalation he said it was India which started aggression and now India will have to take a step back India stated the aggression and now it is upto India to take a step back and deescalate the situation because they are the aggressors he categorically said To a question he said that the leadership of many friendly countries like the United States, Saudi Arabia, China, etc were in contact with Pakistan and had discussed
UN S ecretar y General welcomes India, Pakistan ceasefire announcement
to de-escalate the conflict” as India and Pakistan agreed to an immediate ceasefire Farhan Haq Deputy Spokesperson for the SecretaryGeneral talking to media said, We are monitoring but we welcome
efforts to de-escalate the
The US-brokered ceasefire came hours after India and Pakistan attacked each other s military facilities dangerously escalating the ongoing conflict Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti in a video welcomed the ceasefire and said India and Pakistan should resolve their issues and find ways
lish
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) highly praised the brave armed forces particularly the Pakistan Air Force backed by a resolute nation for their befitting and decisive response that brought rogue India to its knees PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, in a sharply-worded statement on Saturday said that RSS-driven India behaving like a wild elephant and testing Pakistan s patience and resolve was ultimately reduced to a trembling kitten He stated that Pakistan s armed forces taught this vampire', Narendra Modi, the lesson of a lifetime
Waqas stated that the warmongering Modi remained hellbent on plunging the entire region into the flames of war However, the nation s unity, firm stance, and iron-fisted response left the Butcher of Gujarat shellshocked crushing cowardly India s arrogance into dust He asserted that Modi got nothing but
humiliation and disgrace He added that the bloodthirsty monster quickly began acting like an obedient child, begging the world for a ceasefire
Waqas highly praised the armed forces particularly the Pakistan Air Force for their swift decisive, and powerful response to belligerent Indian aggression He affirmed that the entire Pakistani nation stands united and will always resolutely support its military in the face of any threat
He highly lauded PTI s social media warriors for decisively defeating India s war-mongering online activists in the ongoing fifth-generation warfare over the past three days
He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had contacted PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar to discuss the soaring tensions with India and brief him on Pakistan s response to the aggressor PTI CIS stated that during the phone call the PTI Chairman reaffirmed his party s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the country s sovereignty and national
dignity During the interaction he stated that the PTI Chairman also reiterated his party s demand for the immediate release of unlawfully incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan in order to send a strong message to belligerent India and the Butcher of Gujarat He added, PTI expresses deep sorrow and profound grief over the martyrdom of Squadron Leader Usman Yousaf and other innocent civilians and has directed its leaders and office-bearers to visit the families of the martyrs to offer condolences and lay floral wreaths at their graves in a solemn tribute Waqas declared that Pakistan s heroic Air Force has demonstrated undeniable dominance across all domains in crushing India s aggression He paid tribute to the nation s gallant defenders stating: These lionhearted warriors have cemented Pakistan s invincibility with their sacred blood - their sacrifice has etched eternal glory in our nation's history '" Waqas emphasized that the government should revisit its approach towards PTI immediately halt its vindictive and coercive policies, and release all political prisoners including Imran Khan, Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi Dr Yasmin Rashid Senator Ejaz Chaudhary Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed Umer Sarfaraz Cheema and all PTI workers without delay
World communit y hails ceasefire decision between Pakistan and India
