DECADES IF IT BLOCKS PAKISTAN’S WATER:
it forgot that it could not do this to the people and armed forces of Pakistan He said the world saw how the entire Pakistani nation stood like a Bunyanum Marsoos, an iron wall, against the Indian aggression “India cannot deter, coerce or make Pakistanis bow down
event hosted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in Islamabad, Khan addressed members of the diaspora community urging them to act cohesively and strategically at this critical moment The recent India-Pakistan confrontations have reminded the world that Kashmir remains a dangerous flashpoint between two nuclear powers,” he said,
emphasizing that renewed international interest offers an opportunity to press for a peaceful resolution Khan praised the diaspora s previous successes particularly after India revoked Article 370 in 2019, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status That move galvanized the global community The diaspora’s efforts led to two human rights resolutions being passed in the European Parliament in 2020 he noted However he lamented the loss of momentum in recent years blaming factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and internal disunity within the diaspora We now have another opportunity, following the recent armed confrontation between India and Pakistan on May 10 But we must act as one he said He commended grassroots activists like Faheem Kiani, Muhammad Ghalib, and
Zafar Qureshi, as well as organizations such as Tehreek-e-Kashmir for their tireless work “These are individuals who work without seeking fame
Saif demands NFC meeting, warns of fallout from delays over overdue fund share
r a s s a u l t e d s t a ff m e m b e r s a n d s
v e
e l y d a m a g e d a p o l i c e m o b i l e u n i t d u r i n g t h e r a i d T h e f a c i l i t y i s r u n b y S i n d h P o l i c e o ff i c e r A b d u l K h a l i q A n s a r i A t t
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs
Rana Sanaullah has assured that the upcoming federal budget will provide tangible relief to the common man as Pakistan continues to move beyond economic crisis toward recovery and growth
Speaking to media following a high-level meeting at Governor House Karachi on Sunday, Rana Sanaullah said that the government having proven national unity and strength during recent tensions with India now aims to channel that spirit into stabilizing the economy
The way the nation stood united on May 10 to respond to India shows that our defense is strong Now we must apply the same unity to economic prosperity ” he said The meeting was attended by Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori and MQM-Pakistan leaders including Dr Farooq Sattar Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Nasreen Jalil, and Faisal Sabzwari Also present were Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Awais Leghari, and other key members of the financial team Rana Sanaullah said that the economic team under the leadership of Finance Minister Aurangzeb and guidance of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is preparing a budget that includes meaningful relief for ordinary citizens He also expressed optimism that the budget, developed in consultation with coalition partners and the business community, would meet public expectations
Meena Baloch highlights rapid development in Kech, focus on youth and women
Highlighting specific initiatives in District Kech particularly in Sub-Tehsil Mand she mentioned several key projects including the improvement of healthcare and education infrastructure, provision of clean drinking water, installation of solar systems for women, construction of a common room for female students at Turbat University, and road development from M-8 to Meri Kalat
Affairs Meena Majeed Baloch shared these views during a media briefing held on Sunday Advisor Baloch emphasized that various development projects are being rapidly implemented across all districts, with a clear focus on public welfare She said the provincial government’s top priorities include health education dignified employment for youth addressing women s issues and ensuring the provision of basic necessities of life Many projects in these sectors, she noted, have already moved into the execution phase
Meena Baloch further stated that the government is actively working to provide respectable job opportunities to unemployed youth This includes efforts to send skilled laborers abroad and offer contractual employment within provincial institutions to help reduce public frustration She said that promoting employment opportunities is vital to uplifting communities and creating a more hopeful future for young people In response to a question she explained that the
government is making hospitals more functional and transferring administrative powers to the grassroots level This includes empowering District Health Officers (DHOs) to directly procure medicines at the district level She cited operational improvements at District Headquarters Hospitals in Dera Bugti and Kharan as examples of effective policy implementation Advisor Baloch also highlighted the construction of an ICU at Turbat Teaching Hospital and the reconstruction of the Rural Health Center building in Mand as major healthcare achievements Additionally she reiterated the government s commitment to promoting agriculture in the Makran Division and ensuring the efficiency of cross-border trade
She concluded by announcing special funding for the Mulla Fazil Club in Sub-Tehsil Mand signaling the government s ongoing investment in community and youth development
COMMENT
‘New normal’
FOREIGN Office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan rejected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi s claim that there was now a new normal’, made in his speech the other day, that India would respond to terrorism by military action on the grounds of national sovereignty and territorial integrity Those are good grounds but India has paid scant attention to them itself In the recent confrontation, it was the first to escalate matters by its Operation Sindoor The vigorous defence made by Pakistan, in which the Pakistan Air Force downed three of its vaunted Rafales among five planes, and its later Operation Bunyan bim Marsoos in which the PAF destroyed a S400 air defence system as well as hit several other sites including Brahmos missile stockpiles, made it clear to India that it had bitten off more than it could chew The the dog-eat-dog world which Mr Modi seems to inhabit, countries are both bound by international law, and can do what they want However, for that one needs the sort of military might that India clearly does not have Perhaps Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was going too far when he said at the Yasum-i-Tashakur ceremony on Friday that Pakistan had won, for while Pakistan established that it could defend itself, and India established it could not act with impunity against Pakistan, Pakistan did not establish that could force its will on India not that it tried to
However water remains a problem specifically the Indus Waters Treaty which India has held in abet\yance That particular problem has not only not been solved, but India has given instructions to its irrigation engineers to expedite plans to take water off the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab On the front burner is the Ranbir Canal, which would quadruple its present flow Until that issue is resolved there will be no victory to claim
Mr Sharif had a valid point to make He offered the hand of friendship saying that Pakistan wanted India to be a good neighbour He was showing more statesmanship than Mr Modi has shown, probably because he can afford to After all, it is the sort of thing one expects a nation’s leader to say when he is speaking from a position of strength, especially when his country has no ambitions to play the regional hegemon There is certainly the danger that India might violate the ceasefire but it unlikely so sound a drubbing has India received
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
ADr Omer JaveD
LTHOUGH implementation of drastically increased tariffs by the USA on virtually all trading partners in early April was halted later on– except a uniform 10 percent tariff on all trading partners that continues to hold– the level of uncertainty that this has created for economic outlook globally has been intense
Having said that since China retaliated significantly as a result of immense increase of tariffs from the USA– whereby against the increase in tariffs on China by the USA to 145 percent overall, China retaliated in virtually the same way, and placed tariffs on the USA of 125 percent– there was no pause on tariff implementation on China, as the pause was only for those countries apparently that did not retaliate in a significant manner In the recently released World Economic Outlook report by the International Monetary Fund and titled A critical juncture amid policy shift , the economic counsellor of the IMF, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, highlighted with regard to the relevance of the tariff related announcements from USA for global economy including that of the earlier economic related projections of the IMF He pointed out in this regard The April 2 Rose Garden announcement forced us to jettison our projections– nearly finalized at that point– and compress a production cycle that usually takes more than two months into less than 10 days Shortly after the January 2025 WEO Update the USA announced multiple waves of tariffs on major trading partners and critical sectors culminating on April 2 with a set of nearly universal tariffs While many of the scheduled tariff increases are on hold for now, the combination of measures and countermeasures has hiked US and global tariff rates to centennial highs However the context for such increases is very different Unlike in the previous century the global economy is now characterized by a high degree of economic and financial integration with supply chains and financial flows crisscrossing the world, whose potential unwinding could constitute a major source of economic upheaval
For this reason, we expect that the sharp increase on April 2 in both tariffs and uncertainty will lead to a significant slowdown in global growth in the near term While this is our central scenario– or reference forecast – many possible paths exist reflecting the
F o r c e d r e t u r n i s n o t j u s t i c e b u t c o n t r o l
A legal remedy that was imported
reasons: (1) to avoid fulfilling marital obligations such as paying maintenance or dower, (2) to pressure a wife to abandon her legal claims, and (3) to delay court proceedings and financially burden her The law becomes a strategy to paint the woman as unreasonable or disobedient undermining her credibility and weakening her claims to dower (mehr) and financial support This misuse was directly addressed in the Supreme Court judgment, Mst Tayyeba Ambareen v Shafqat Ali Kiyani (2023 SCMR 246), where the Court held that RCR must not be used “to gratify the urges of male chauvinism ” The Court emphasised that such claims must be made in good faith with the sincere aim of resolving marital discord through fulfilment of responsibilities, not as a tool to undermine a wife’s legal rights This misuse makes it clear: RCR is not about reconciliation It is about control It preserves an imbalance of power in which a woman s choices safety and dignity are made secondary to the institution of marriage Forcing a spouse to return to a hostile or unhappy home achieves nothing It only deepens marital discord and trauma A court decree cannot reunite a mentally and physically separated husband and wife As the old proverb goes you can bring a horse to water but you cannot make him drink Legal coercion cannot revive emotional trust safety, or intimacy, where these no longer exist Moreover, this coercive remedy blatantly violates multiple constitutional protections First, it infringes upon Article 9, which safeguards the right to life and liberty A woman’s right to liberty includes the ability to make decisions about her safety and personal wellbeing Compelling her to return to a potentially unsafe environment undermines the State s duty to protect and not endanger its citizens Second, it undermines Article 14, which guarantees the right to dignity and privacy Legally threatening a woman to return to her husband undermines her autonomy and could subject her to emotional psychological or even
unpredictability surrounding future trade policy and the varied impact of tariffs across different countries through a diverse set of channels ’ In the same report IMF highlighted the likelihood of significant slowdown in economic growth which is based on information available as of April 4 (including the April 2 tariffs and initial responses) that IMF indicated as its reference forecast It pointed out in this regard ‘global growth is projected to drop to 2 8 percent in 2025 and 3 percent in 2026 down from 3 3 percent for both years in the January 2025 WEO Update corresponding to a cumulative down grade of 0 8 percentage points and much below the historical (2000–19) average of 3 7 percent
Having said that, the IMF seemed to have virtually no space for the need of well targeted protectionist policies, especially in the wake of the misgivings about the neoliberal oriented global trade policies as were quite evidenced from serious cracks that appeared in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic
Moreover the world is in the tight grips of polycrisis, and for instance, requires a significant level of domestic industrial base, in particular in developing countries, which due to the already high level of protectionism that they faced during colonial times from their colonizers in particular meant that they lag far behind in terms of industrial production especially heavy industry and high technology-based industry like producing vaccines The former is all the more important, given the high likelihood of the Pandemicene’ phenomenon at the back of a related, and fast unfolding climate change crisis A recent ‘The Boston Globe’ article ‘Tariffs are dumb right? highlights that there is a need for a well-
n i a l t i m e s f r o m t h e i r c o l o n i z e r s i n p a r t i c u l a r , m e a n t t h a t t h e y l a g f a r b e h i n d i n t e r m s o f i n d u s t r i a l p r o d u c t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y h e a v y i n d u s t r y , a n d h i g h
t e c h n o l o g y - b a s e d i n d u s t r y , l i k e p r o d u c i n g v a c c i n e s T h e f o r m e r i s
a l
physical abuse Third RCR violates Article 15 which guarantees the right to freedom of movement and residence within Pakistan When the law compels a woman to return to the marital home, it restricts her ability to decide where she lives and moves, effectively limiting her constitutional right to choose a place of safety and dignity A woman who leaves a toxic marriage should not be forced by a court order to return to a location that endangers her well-being Freedom of movement cannot be selectively applied it must include the freedom to leave
Article 8 of the Constitution is unequivocal: any law inconsistent with fundamental rights is void The constitutional promise of equality dignity and freedom is not only contradicted but also directly opposed by RCR Ironically the very country that birthed this remedy England, abolished it over five decades ago under the Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Act of 1970, recognising its incompatibility with the principles of liberty and mutual respect Pakistan’s continued retention of this law reflects a regressive stance on gender justice and undermines the gains made in recognising women s constitutional rights
A healthy marriage is built on mutual respect, shared goals, and above all, consent It cannot be sustained through coercion Maintaining a law that forces women back into homes they have chosen to leave is a disservice to justice and human dignity The time has come to abolish the remedy of restitution of conjugal rights not only because it is ineffective, but because it violates the very freedoms that our Constitution is meant to protect
The writer is a lawyer based in Lahore
A healthy marriage is built on mutual respect, shared goals, and above all, consent It cannot be sustained through coercion Maintaining a law that forces women back into homes they have chosen to leave is a disservice to justice and human dignity The time has come to abolish the remedy of restitution of conjugal rights not only because it is ineffective, but because it violates the very freedoms that our Constitution is meant to protect.
Process gaps
Unif ying learning systems
“The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do ” Steve Jobs
HAVE you ever wondered how different the world would look if Gen Z with its fearless revolutionary mindset, hadn t stepped in not with capes, but with courage?
Born between 1997 and 2012, it is a generation often talked about but rarely truly seen Its members are defined not by obedience but by defiance choosing to stand against injustice and refusing to let society script their lives
They aren t here to erase tradition; they are here to protect the spirit of living, and to challenge the traditions that suffocate growth
REDEFINING THE RULES: If Gen Z members have one thing in common it s this: they don t just spot problems they demand better answers
It’s their approach to problems and society that truly sets Gen Z apart They are not easily manipulated by traditional narratives; they are free thinkers with firm beliefs questioning laws systems and norms that treat people unfairly
They are redefining the world through how they see it welcoming diversity, respecting different cultures, and refusing to label people based on outdated values
They know how to raise their voices and they are not afraid to stand by their principles
Take for example the recent protests in support of Gaza students from some of the world s most prestigious universities, many of them Gen Z, staged sit-ins and faced arrests without wavering in their commitment to justice They have proven that their activism is not performative it is deeply rooted in purpose
They advocate for issues often swept under the rug, like mental health not just for others, but for themselves too As the first generation raised entirely in the digital world they face struggles like FOMO negative body image and the crushing pressures of online life But instead of burying these challenges Gen Z openly discusses them acknowledging vulnerability while still pushing forward Through conversations, movements, and content creation, they are leading a cultural shift toward greater authenticity reminding everyone that healing
and self-acceptance are acts of strength
They are also the first generation native to the internet a space they have not only adapted to but mastered They are often wrongly labelled as lazy simply because they don’t always follow traditional career paths
But scroll through any online marketplace freelance platform or social media site and you ll find Gen Z running small businesses monetizing skills and building careers outside the old templates Where others see rebellion, they are quietly writing new rules for what success can look like
According to a 2023 Pew Research Center study 78% of Gen Z believe their generation will bring about significant societal change and they are proving it every day BRAVE VOICES, BREAKING BARRIERS:
You’ll find Gen Z women riding motorcycles, stepping into male-dominated fields, and challenging outdated ideas about what a girl should or shouldn t do But for them it s not just about being bold it s about normalizing freedom until it becomes everyday life Today, seeing a woman on a motorcycle or running her own business is no longer unusual because Gen Z refused to stop pushing until change became reality Their bravery isn t limited to personal ambition They are not confined to traditional paths like engineering or medicine nor limited to creative fields like art or filmmaking
You ll find them everywhere launching businesses, creating games, becoming scientists, astronauts, and activists doing what drives them not what society expects They raise their voices against injustice wherever they find it in classrooms workplaces and across social media When someone is wronged, you ll see Gen Z standing up without hesitation, defending others even when it’s uncomfortable They confront taboos head-on speaking openly about harassment workplace abuse and other issues that older generations often buried in silence
We saw this courage when students in Bangladesh took to the streets to demand fair
governance facing threats and crackdowns yet refusing to be silenced For Gen Z, change isn t just personal it s deeply human They don t fight only for their own freedom; they fight for fairness and dignity for all Whether it’s standing in solidarity with global movements or rallying for justice in their own communities Gen Z acts beyond national cultural or social lines Their courage is powered by empathy compassion, and a fierce belief that a better world isn t just possible it s necessary
ROOTS THAT RUN DEEP: Gen Z isn’t just focused on building the future they are deeply connected to their past Even when living thousands of miles away from home, you ll find them learning their languages, reconnecting with traditions, and honouring their cultures not to change them, but to understand and preserve them They don’t reject where they come from; they redefine it with pride
Identity matters deeply to them They want to be recognized for who they are and where they come from not out of arrogance, but because they know how much history, sacrifice, and meaning is carried in those roots Their sense of justice and empathy isn t born in a vacuum It s fueled by looking into the long struggles of those who came before them the ones who fought, endured, and dreamed so future generations could stand taller For Gen Z, preserving stories, traditions, and values is an act of resistance, of love and of hope They understand that personal stories are tied to greater struggles and that knowing your roots gives you strength to create change Take, for example, many young people in Pakistan today Living through difficult economic conditions, political instability, and social injustice it’s not uncommon to hear them voice their frustration sometimes questioning if all the sacrifices made to create the country were truly worth it But at the same time, they are the very first to de-
C a n a n yo n e s t o p E l o n M u
Starlink ’s internet ser vice is now in planes, in ships at sea, in deep jungles, tundras, and deser ts
fend their language their culture and their homeland when anyone speaks against it Their connection runs deeper than anger or disappointment it s a bond built on history, pride, and a longing for the country to live up to the potential it deserves Even when life feels uncertain and the future feels heavy their roots hold them steady and their dreams push them forward
THE SILENCE OF A SOCIETY NOT
BUILT FOR WORDS: There are silences that are louder than any noise silences that come from not being understood Gen Z today often finds themselves trapped in those silences trying to express feelings struggles and dreams in a world that wasn t built to hear them In many ways, Gen Z is growing up in a world where expressing yourself isn’t always easy especially in societies that were never built to hold these conversations Simple emotions often feel impossible to explain to older generations When Gen Z members struggles with their studies with their mental health, or with unseen pressures, they are often met with confusion or judgment not because their parents or elders don’t care, but because they were never taught to recognize these struggles To many mental health still feels invisible Hardships are measured by physical survival not internal battles Because of this deep generational gap, Gen Z often feels villainized simply for existing differently for living in a world of ease their ancestors fought to create, but which now feels isolating in new ways The unspoken pressure to meet old standards drowns many in silence Yet despite this Gen Z refuses to be voiceless When words fail, they find other ways to speak: through
Several Chinese companies are currently building satellite-internet services; the largest one has roughly 90 satellites in orbit at the moment
Starlink is already available in more than 100 countries
More than 5 million people have already signed up for Starlink, and it is growing rapidly
The space internet of the future may become the central way that we communicate with one another
Wasked the space historian Jonathan McDowell, who keeps an online registry of Earth s satellites, if any one person had ever achieved such dominance over the orbital realm and so quickly “This is unique he said Then after considering the question further McDowell realized there was a precedent but only one: Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, the Soviet engineer who developed Sputnik and its launch vehicle
“From 1958 to 1959, when no one else had any satellites in orbit, Korolev was the only guy in town ” Musk is not the only guy in town circa 2025 but the rapid growth of his space-based network may represent a Sputnik moment of its own Musk first announced his intention to build a space-based internet, which he would eventually call Starlink, in January
2015 He had plans to settle Mars, then the moons of Jupiter, and maybe asteroids too All those space colonies would have to be connected via satellite-based communication; Starlink itself might one day be adapted for this use Indeed Starlink s terms of service ask customers to affirm that they recognize Mars as a free planet and that no Earth-based government has authority or sovereignty over Martian activities ” Musk is clearly imagining a future in which neither his network nor his will can be restrained by the people of this world But even now, here on Earth, space internet is a big business Fiber networks cannot extend to every bit of dry land on the planet, and they certainly can’t reach airborne or seaborne vessels More than 5 million people have already signed up for Starlink and it is growing rapidly (You may end up using Starlink when you fly United for example ) In the not-toodistant future, an expanded version of this system or one very much like it could overtake broadband as the internet’s backbone A decade or two from now it could be among our most crucial information infrastructure The majority of our communications our entertainment our global commerce, might be beamed back and forth between satellites and the Earth If Musk continues to dominate the launches that take satellites to space, and the internet services that operate there he could end up with more power over the human exchange of information than any previous person has ever enjoyed Musk recognized that Starlink s early adopters would be in remote and rural areas, where cables may not reach, and there are few if any cell towers The U S is for now his biggest market and the U S government may soon become a major customer: President Donald Trump has just delayed a $42 billion federal effort to expand broadband services, especially in rural areas His administration has decided to make that project “tech-neutral,” such that cable hookups aren’t necessarily preferred over satellite which means that Starlink can compete for the money In the meantime Starlink s internet
service is now also in planes, in ships at sea, in deep jungles, tundras, and deserts In Gaza, medics have used Starlink while healing the wounded At times when the people of Myanmar and Sudan learned that the internet had been shut off by their autocratic governments they turned to Starlink Ukraine s soldiers use it to communicate on the front lines Musk s ability to deliver this crucial service the ability to coordinate action in conflict zones has given him unprecedented geopolitical leverage for a private citizen Reportedly Pentagon officials have already had to go hat in hand to Musk after he threatened to restrict Starlink s service to Ukraine s troops, who were using it to launch attacks inside Russia “He is not merely a mogul,” Kimberly Siversen Burke, a director at Quilty Space an aerospace-research firm told me This is someone who can flip a switch and decide the outcome of a war (Neither Musk nor Starlink responded to requests for comment ) Political leaders all over the world have come to understand that Starlink’s dominance will be hard to dislodge because SpaceX is so good at making satellites and getting them to space The company makes its satellites in a factory outside of Seattle Even in their bundled-up, larval form, they are enormous The newest ones weigh more than half a ton, and once their solar-panel wings unfurl, they measure about 100 feet across The company can reportedly manufacture at least four of these behemoths a day and SpaceX s reusable Falcon 9 rocket can hold more than 25 of them
them were carrying Starlink satellites Every one of Musk s commercial competitors, and also every nation s military combined, launched fewer rockets than he did Before the rise of SpaceX, the French company Arianespace had dominated the global satellite-launch market But its newest
rocket, the Ariane 6, has so far been a boondoggle, with development delays and a costly one-and-done design (The company expects to launch only 10 of them a year ) This is one reason that Europe has had a hard time fielding a serious competitor to Starlink despite a desire to reduce Musk s influence on future conflicts on the continent Europe is home to Starlink s largest commercial competitor, at least to this point, in OneWeb, a subsidiary of the French company Eutelsat OneWeb has more than 600 satellites compared with Musk s more than 7 000 and its hardware is less advanced As a result the internet service it provides is slower than Starlink s Separately, European Union nations have spent years planning the construction of a dedicated network of satellites for military and civilian use But this project was recently dealt a blow when Giorgia Meloni Italy s prime minister a friend of Musk s announced that she now prefers a deal with Starlink The governments of Germany and Norway are each working on their own sovereign fleets, but they’re nowhere near having them up and running The U S government too would have good reasons to avoid full dependence on Musk s company for access to the spacebased internet The American military has an orbital network of military-grade satellites that allows for secure government communications and reconnaissance But this too is a Musk product: SpaceX builds the satellites and ferries them to orbit The Pentagon s leaders know this is a problem or at least they once did During the end of the Biden administration, the U S Space Force published a new strategy that ordered policy makers to avoid overreliance on any single company But that was before the Defense Department came under the control of Trump whose victorious campaign re-
FAiqA KhAn
POPE LEO URGES UNIT Y FOR DIVIDED CHURCH, VOWS NOT TO BE ‘AUTOCRAT’
Member (Incharge)
RISAT-2B series
Several held in India over alleged links to Pakistan, remarks on militar y officers
NEW DELHI
A G E N C I E S Indian police have arrested multiple people in Haryana Punjab and Delhi including a travel vlogger and a university professor over their alleged connections to Pakistan or comments related to the recent escalation between the two countries, Indian media reported on Sunday The development follows a military confrontation between India and Pakistan over New Delhi’s allegations against Islamabad about a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam On the night of May 6-7 New Delhi launched a series of air strikes in Pakistan resulting in civilian casualties Islamabad responded by downing five Indian jets After intercepting drones sent by India and tit-for-tat strikes on each other s airbases, it took American intervention on May 10 for both sides to finally drop their guns as a ceasefire was reached
LONDON A G E N C I E S A 42 page research briefing released by the UK Parliament this week accuses India of adopting an increasingly aggressive posture toward Pakistan and cautions that the unresolved Kashmir dispute could ignite a nuclear war in South Asia The document traces the latest crisis from the 22 April killings in Pahalgam Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, to the cease fire brokered on 10 May It singles out India’s overnight air and missile strikes of 6–7 May as the decisive trigger for a rapid escalation that saw both sides ex-
change heavy fire until international mediators intervened
According to the briefing New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the Pahalgam incident without presenting evidence and launched cross border attacks that hit civilian areas and Pakistani military sites in both Pakistan and Azad Kashmir Islamabad which denied involvement and called for an independent inquiry responded with retaliatory strikes and vowed to meet any future aggression in kind
The confrontation widened as India suspended bilateral trade, sealed land borders and threatened to revoke the Indus Waters Treaty Pakistan responded with recipro-
cal measures and hinted at shelving the 1971 Simla Agreement Parliamentary researchers conclude that Pakistan showed restraint within the bounds of international law, while India relied on force, threats and accusations, exacerbating regional instability
The report criticizes India for ignoring United Nations resolutions on Kashmir and rejecting mediation offers from the United States the United Kingdom and other powers Analysts quoted in the study argue that invoking the Pahalgam attack fits a historical pattern in which India seeking to entrench its control of Kashmir frames the conflict as counter terrorism
A spokesperson for the White House’s National Security Council emphasized Trump was a friend to Israel We continue to work closely with our ally Israel to ensure remaining hostages in Gaza are freed, Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, and to strengthen regional security in the Middle East ” NSC spokesman James Hewitt said While publicly insisting US- Israeli relations remain strong Trump administration officials have privately expressed irritation with Netanyahu s refusal
ica has its own interests in the Middle East and it does not like him standing in its way, the sources added US patience has been strained not just by the Israeli prime minister s refusal to countenance a Gaza ceasefire but also his objection to US talks with Iran over its nuclear program, according to sources familiar with the matter Netanyahu’s office did not respond to requests for comment It has made no public statements on Trump’s regional visit
Pakistan Tanners Association (South Zone) delegation meets
Deshana Vesak Dansela and Vesak Bathi Gee and were attended by members of the Sri Lankan community and Pakistan friends of Sri Lanka To mark this sacred occasion, the Consulate General was decorated with Vesak lanterns, Buddhist flags, and lights
Fundraiser for Kiran Foundation held
The Sindh government has announced plans to establish a minitruck assembly line in Karachi in collaboration with China as Chinese investors have agreed to set up the plant in the port city On behalf of the Sindh government, Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has also announced that charging stations for electric vehicles will soon be established across Sindh He stated that these initiatives will greatly benefit various business groups and individuals The unveiling ceremony of the super mini truck was held in the Chinese city of Bozhou The event was attended by Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon Provincial Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah Group CEO of Budget Petroleum Investment Holdings Company (Hong Kong) Zahid Bashir, Chairman of Chinese company Chery Holding Yin Tongyue and other dignitaries Speaking at the launch ceremony Sindh Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit
Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the Super Mini Truck project is a remarkable example of PakistanChina industrial collaboration and technical cooperation, which will open new avenues of development and prosperity for both countries He stated that the Super Mini Truck developed in collaboration with the Chinese company Chery Holding and Pedi Technology Company Limited, is a revolutionary innovation The vehicle offers a solution to the logistics challenges faced in both urban and rural areas while also serving as a model of sustainable
and
cessible transport Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam
and commitment to the cause of preventive and responsive strategies aimed at timely protection of lives and properties during any emergency situations Further the Director General has directed that Civil Defence training be institutionalized as a regular feature, paving the way for a similar program to be launched for girl schools/colleges in Islamabad, as well as Universities fostering a culture of preparedness and safety across the country including Federal Capital Islamabad
PAKISTAN DECISIVE VICTORY IN CONFLICT WITH INDIA ONE OF THE GREATEST AIR BATTLES OF OUR TIME: UKRINFORM
TS haza Fatima credits PM’s leadership for economic recover y, digital growth
of Allah Almighty in securing the victory The Patron of the Supreme Centre also prayed for the well-being stability progress and prosperity of Pakistan reiterating the collective hope for a peaceful and prosperous future
4.7 magnitude quake jolts Swat and surroundings SWAT S TA F F R E P O R T A moderate
brink of economic instability to a path of sustainable economic growth and digital transformation Speaking to media representatives the minister said that just two years ago Pakistan faced the threat of default declining exports reduced investor confidence, and economic stagnation Through coordinated efforts across government institutions she said the situation has
The interest rate which stood at 23 percent has dropped to 11 percent, and inflation, once nearing 40 percent, is now below 5 percent, she said “Exports have increased and remittances from overseas Pakistanis have reached record highs driven by economic stability and coherent policymaking Highlighting progress in the digital sector, the minister said that Pakistan s IT exports, including freelance earnings and companybased services surpassed $3 5 billion between July 2024 and April 2025 Of this amount $3 14 billion came directly from IT services underlining the sector s growing role in the national economy Our trade surplus in the IT sector stands at approximately $2 3 billion the highest among all services sectors ” she stated Despite global economic headwinds she emphasized Pakistan s IT industry has demonstrated resilience, supported by improved macroeconomic indicators and investor-friendly reforms under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) She hailed the successful organization of Pakistan s first-ever Digital Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Forum in collaboration with the Saudi-based Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) as a landmark achievement The forum
brought together over 500 participants including 100 international investors, global tech CEOs, development professionals, and senior government officials Over 100 Pakistani IT firms showcased their services and products resulting in the signing of investment agreements worth $700 million These are not mere MoUs These are confirmed agreements that will have a lasting impact on the economy,” she said Shaza Fatima thanked the Ministry of IT Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry, and DCO for their contributions, while also acknowledging P@SHA Chairman Sajjad Syed for industry leadership
JI chief urges unity as Pakistan confronting ‘global hegemonic powers’
SWAT S Y E D S H A H A B U D D I N
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday reiterated his party’s “unwavering support” for the people of Kashmir and Palestine criticising successive Pakistani governments for what he described as a lack of decisive action on key national and foreign policy issues
Delivering a fiery speech at a large rally in Chakdara Malakand Division the JI chief said that Pakistan was currently confronting global hegemonic powers and that it was the duty of every citizen to stand against oppression
Addressing participants of the “Down with India and Israel” March he declared “the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people are not in vain as today we stand united in their support
Hafiz Naeem recalled the historical role played by residents of Malakand Division and the tribal regions in the early phases of the Kashmir conflict, saying their contribution had laid the foundation of the Kashmiris struggle for freedom
Also present at the rally were former JI chief Sirajul Haq, Malakand Division JI head Inayatullah Khan, and Palestinian representative Bilal Zuhayf who also addressed the gathering
The people of this region were the first to support the Kashmiri brethren in their fight for liberation, he lauded
He lashed out at India for its alleged involvement in the Pulwama attack and accused New Delhi of using the incident as justification for targeting mosques and civilians in Kashmir In response, Pakistan bravely
shot down Indian aircraft delivering a message of strength and resolve, he said Without naming them directly at first, Mr Naeem criticised former Army Chief Gen (r) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Prime Minister Imran Khan accusing both of failing to respond befittingly to Indian aggression
They opted for silence when action was needed,” he remarked, adding that Jamaat-e-Islami had consistently advocated unity and resistance in the face of such provocations The JI leader urged the current government to adopt a stronger and clearer stance against India and Israel
Referring to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza he said “This is the time to convey a firm message to Israel If the blockade is not lifted Pakistan must be prepared to show its military strength
