Tand 7 2025 according to a PM Office press release The Cabinet also decided to retain the service of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu upon completion of his tenure recognizing his significant contributions to Pakistan s air defence The meeting recalled that India launched an unprovoked and unjustified war, targeting civilian areas and inflicting casualties among innocent men women and children The government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of General Syed Asim Munir (Nishan-i-Imtiaz Military)
to the rank of field marshal for ensuring the security of the country and defeating the enemy based on the high strategy and courageous leadership during Marka-eHaq and Operation Bunyanum Marsoos the PMO said after a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Recalling the events of the military conflict with India the statement further said that COAS Munir led the
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Inter-Services Public Relations Director General (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Tuesday that both Pakistan and China are working together for regional peace while remaining united in the fight against terrorism He made these remarks in an exclusive interview with the China Media Group Prosperity always comes through peace and stability,” he added He further said, “After Allah, we rely most on ourselves When our determination is firm as we have already demonstrated and the international community also plays its role
Talking about global dynamics, he stated that all nations today face major challenges including climate change and population growth He went on to say Major countries have big visions as the world is focusing on the progress of humanity ”
Slamming India’s hegemonic behavior he said “In such times should one country attack another based on baseless accusations and false narratives? Should a nation try to impose its dominance on neighboring states?”
“Terrorism’s aim is to halt progress The world must recognise the development China has achieved in a short time despite its large population The people of Pakistan too aspire to move toward growth and stability,” he maintained “The Pakistani nation has never bowed down in
ing efforts to address its external financing needs, according to a news report The loan is expected to be finalised by June 2025 following the ADB’s approval of the facility by the end of May In addition to this loan Pakistan is seeking loans of up to $350 million from commercial banks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to meet its external financing requirements Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb led virtual meetings with Sharjah Islamic Bank Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Ajman Bank to discuss their potential support for Pakistan s development goals These discussions are seen as a key part of revitalizing the loan portfolio with UAE-based banks Minister Aurangzeb expressed gratitude to Standard Chartered Bank and Dubai Islamic Bank for facilitating the in-
teractions with the UAE banks He also acknowledged the ADB s role in providing support to Pakistan s fiscal strategies, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration for Pakistan’s fiscal and development goals
The finance minister briefed the UAE banks on Pakistan s progress toward macroeconomic stability highlighting that the country is on track to close the fiscal year 2025 with a current account surplus, primary surplus, and forex reserves of nearly $14 billion providing three months of import cover He noted the easing of inflation to 0 3% and a significant reduction in the policy rate which contributed to a more favorable economic outlook
Further discussing the country s fiscal strategy, the minister assured the banks of the government’s commitment to long-term reforms including restructuring stateowned enterprises implementing privatisation programs and rightsizing the federal government He emphasized that the stability Pakistan is experiencing now is a result of necessary but difficult reforms On the revenue front, Minister Aurangzeb revealed that Pakistan aims to achieve a tax-to-GDP ratio of 10 6% by June 2025, with a target of 11% for the next fiscal year The government is focusing on reforming the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) including end-to-end digitization to broaden the tax base and enhance compliance Pakistan has
SIFC facilitates $2.3 billion in foreign investment since inception, NA informed
The original IGCEP included 14 984 MW of new projects but after revisions the new plan includes only 7 017 MW of projects prioritising hydropower projects like Dasu and Mohmand Dams, and focusing on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and nuclear power
The shift towards indigenous resources will reduce Pakistan’s reliance on imported fuels like coal and natural gas helping save billions of dollars in foreign exchange annually The Ministry of Water Resources has been tasked with ensuring that strategic
as The prime minister also emphasized the importance of promoting renewable energy to protect the environment and reduce Pakistan s dependence on imported fossil fuels He stated that structural reforms in the power sector would continue with the aim of reducing electricity costs eliminating circular debt, controlling line losses, and eradicating corruption within Distribution Companies (Discos)
hydropower projects are completed on time and within budget Regular progress reports will be submitted to the Prime Minister to monitor the status of these projects Additionally, a high-level committee has been formed to address issues related to the petroleum sector including the synchronization of LNG demand with the power sector s needs and measures to address gas sector challenges such as circular debt and tariff reforms
A separate feasibility study on imported coal-fired power projects has been assigned to the Power Division with a three-month deadline for completion The study is expected to contribute to further efforts to optimize the power sector and address energy challenges in the coming years
Iservices
Zardari into
promote General Syed Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal during a high level meeting here at the President House Federal Law Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar Defense Minister Khawaja
Muhammad Asif and Planning Minister Prof Ahsan Iqbal were also present at the meeting, a press statement issued by the President House said PREMIER AND PRESIDENT CONGRATULATE GEN MUNIR President Zardari said that under the leadership of General Syed Asim Munir the armed forces successfully defended the country The president further said that General Asim Munir deserved promotion to the rank of Field Marshal for giving a strong response to Indian aggression successfully defending the country and demonstrating excellent military strategy Under General Syed Asim Munir s
leadership the armed forces have successfully defended the homeland Zardari was quoted as saying in a statement from the presidency He said the army chief deserved the promotion for effectively countering Indian aggression, successfully defending the homeland and employing excellent military strategy
He also congratulated Sidhu on the extension of his tenure Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a separate statement on X, extended heartfelt congratulations to General Asim Munir NI (M) on his promotion to the rank of Field Marshal lauding his leadership and the Armed Forces successful defence of Pakistan during recent operation Bunyanum Marsoos On behalf of the entire nation, I extend my heartfelt felicitations to General Asim Munir on his welldeserved promotion to the rank of Field Marshal the premier said in an official statement He praised General Munir s exemplary leadership during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, which, according to the statement, “crushed the enemy’s nefarious designs and brought great honour to our Motherland ” The Prime Minister noted that under
General Munir ’s command Pakistan’s Armed Forces staunchly defended the country s sovereignty and territorial integrity with unity, courage and the highest standards of military professionalism ” “Today, Pakistan salutes Field Marshal Asim Munir as well as our brave countrymen soldiers martyrs and their families the Prime Minister added Gen Munir dedicates honor to nation, armed forces, martyrs and veterans’ Accepting the honour, COAS Munir said he was grateful to God for receiving the position dedicating it to the entire nation the armed forces of Pakistan especially the civil and military martyrs and veterans I am grateful to the president of Pakistan, the prime minister and the cabinet for their trust,” he said in a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) adding that the honour was the trust of the nation for which millions of Asims have sacrificed themselves This is not an individual honour but an honour for the armed forces of Pakistan and the entire nation ” he said
Contain
TH e IMF conditions for the release of the second tranche of its current extended Fund
Facility contain mainly a reiteration of the original conditionalities, but the setting up as a separate ‘structural benchmark’ (as it itself calls these 11 new demands) of the publication of a government plan based on its Governance Diagnostic survey indicates that it is spreading from the economic side of government to all aspects one already knows that the IMF makes the national budget; that is what Prime Minister shehbaz sharif has said The benchmarks confirm this, for one of them is the passage of the Budget In short, what has been promised must be included in the Budget and then duly passed None of the tricks of the previous government, which dropped IMF suggestions if they were politically inconvenient, are to be practiced Now, it seems, not satisfied with its complete hold of the budget and the state Bank of Pakistan, it wants to get into areas where the money is actually spent The IMF should realize that it is setting itself up for failure If the economy cannot be fixed by the IMF from its present vantage point, it is hardly going to do so by expanding its area of influence
Another aspect of the IMF’s strategy is to lock into place the measures that it made Pakistan take by making Pakistan prepare and publish a financial sector strategy after 2027 by June 2026 when the next financial year ends The IMF also wants a resolution of litigation especially those cases involving captive power plants and undercapitalized banks It may be mentioned that Pakistan missed some of the targets that had been set when the eFF had been granted, but added that Pakistan was making progress
The Prime Minister has said repeatedly that this IMF programme will be the last Pakistan receives That may not be possible, for Pakistan is coming up to a period where it will need humungous amounts of foreign exchange to keep up with foreign debt servicing even now, the Finance Minister is in talks with banks in the Gulf for new loans The IMF does not seem to have solutions for how to
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today
Fo l l o w e r s of policy and political developments in Israel/Palestine must be struck by the degree to which the tactics employed are disconnected from desired ends and by how some leaders and movements obsession with their mistaken path distracts them while they dangerously march themselves and their followers off a cliff with specific attention to the tactics and behaviour of Hamas and Israel, three stories from
The means the Israelis have employed have resulted in thousands of deaths of their own people as well as their Palestinian victims And the accumulation of this lethal myopia has only created more Palestinian and Arab ang er. It has also resulted in greater insecurity and an ugly distor tion in their political culture The lesson: Focusing only on the tail or leg can g et you trampled on or impaled
have made good progress in improving their education systems through stable policies and strong government support India has invested a lot in digital education skill development programmes and national policies like the New education Policy (NeP) 2020 which focuses on flexible and well-rounded education Bangladesh has made great improvements in primary school enrollment and gender equality with programmes like the Primary education stipend Programme (PesP) To improve education in Pakistan we need a stable education system that is not affected by political changes More money should be spent on education focusing on better school buildings, updated lessons, and teacher training Teachers should get good training, rewards for their hard work, and better working conditions to attract and keep skilled teachers especially in rural areas New ideas and methods should also be used to improve education including better ways of teaching and more modern ways to check students progress Pakistan can use Finland s creative teaching methods by focusing more on student-centered learning, reducing rote learning, and using better ways to evaluate students Investing in teacher training using technology and encouraging stress-free learning can improve education quality Also ensuring equal access to education supporting public-private partnerships, and using research-based strategies can help create longterm progress This progress should go beyond giving degrees and focus on teaching young people practical skills for a competitive future The writer is a freelance columnist
Nation stands united
Papacy for peace
IN the ever-tense theatre of South Asian geopolitics, the border between India and Bangladesh is not merely a geographical demarcation it is a canvas on which power prejudice and paranoia are recklessly painted And in recent weeks, that canvas has turned ominously dark In a move that defies diplomatic norms, humanitarian decency, and even India’s own legal fabric, New Delhi has begun orchestrating a disturbing wave of push-in operations forcibly dumping Bengali-speaking Muslims often indiscriminately and without verification into Bangladeshi territory These aren t simply administrative deportations; they are acts of psychological warfare disguised as immigration enforcement a crude display of regional muscle-flexing by a country still reeling from its diplomatic impotence over the Kashmir debacle When India realized its grandstanding on Kashmir had fallen flat when its bluster about surgical strikes and ‘integral territory’ failed to deter Pakistan’s aggressive posturing it turned its gaze elsewhere for a demonstration of dominance And who better to intimidate than Bangladesh the soft-spoken burden-bearing neighbour that had for years tolerated condescension in the name of cooperation? The result is a grotesque theatre at the border: poor men, frightened women, and children in rags many with Indian documentation in hand blindfolded and airlifted from states like Rajasthan and Gujarat only to be dumped like unwanted cargo at the edge of another nation s sovereignty Make no mistake this is no routine border enforcement This is not about controlling illegal migration It is about reminding Bangladesh once again about who calls the shots in South Asia In Delhi s warped logic the push-in operations are more than just tactical manoeuvres they are symbols of psychological pressure, designed to humiliate Dhaka, fracture its internal politics, and send a message to both domestic and international observers that India remains the re-
gional hegemon even when its northern borders are challenged by China and its western frontier burns with Pakistani defiance The facts are both disturbing and absurd Over 370 individuals have reportedly been pushed into Bangladesh between May 4 and May 15 alone Some were beaten, others arrived sick and malnourished Among them were elderly citizens pregnant women and even minors none of whom were afforded due legal process or any semblance of humanity The Indian Border Security Force (BSF), which is tasked with preventing crossborder crime, has now been repurposed into a deportation squad, escorting people in the dead of night to no-man’s-land and offloading them like sacks of rice No prior notification is given to Bangladeshi authorities No documents are exchanged No verification takes place It is as if sovereign borders have become little more than a dumping ground for India’s demographic anxieties More galling is the fact that many of those expelled appear to be Indian citizens themselves Bengali-speaking Muslims from states like West Bengal and Assam some possessing Aadhaar cards, ration cards, voter IDs have been rounded up, detained, and summarily deported Entire families have vanished overnight in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan with relatives later discovering that their kin were deported to a country they have never seen let alone claimed citizenship in This isn t immigration policy This is ethnic profiling under the guise of nationalism This is Hindutva’s bureaucratic lynching where the victim is not lynched by mobs in the street but by paperwork detention cells and chartered aircraft One detainee Obaidul Khandaker of Cooch Behar recounted how he was arrested without charge, despite presenting his Indian ID documents After ten days of detention and abuse, he was dumped at the Bangladesh border When he managed to return home he found his house vandalized and his belongings gone His story is not isolated In deten-
tion centres across India’s western states hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims are in limbo undocumented only because the state has chosen to erase their documents stateless only because the state has redrawn the meaning of citizenship
The Rohingya analogy is no longer farfetched India like Myanmar before it appears to be pursuing a demographic purification campaign by exporting its internal insecurities into neighbouring lands At least five Rohingya refugees, registered under UNHCR protection in India, were among those recently expelled into Bangladesh Some had their eyes covered during transit Others were handed to local smugglers who were paid to escort them through forest routes What does it say about the world s largest democracy when it mimics the tactics of military juntas? What does it say about its moral compass when refugee protection becomes a diplomatic liability rather than a humanitarian responsibility? And all of this unfolds as India s Foreign Ministry chooses silence There has been no official confirmation no explanation and certainly no apology The deportation of unverified individuals across an international border, without consultation, violates multiple international conventions including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and basic norms of sovereign respect Yet New Delhi proceeds with impunity aided by a world too distracted to care and a neighbourhood too exhausted to protest This isn’t the first time Bangladesh has been treated like a subordinate From watersharing disputes to trade barriers from the border
