N T I R E N AT I O N S TA N D I N G W I T H ‘ B R AV E A R M E D F O R C E S ’ A G A I N S T A N Y T H R E AT : P M
g PM SHEHBAZ LAUDS ISI ’S CRITICAL ROLE IN SAFEGUARDING NATIONAL INTERESTS AND ENABLING INFORMED NATIONAL SECURITY DECISION-MAKING
g COA S GEN MUNIR, ISI CHIEF AND SERVICES
CHIEFS ALSO ATTEND BRIEFING
g DESCRIBES NIFTAC A S A QUINTESSENTIAL NATIONAL PLATFORM FOR COLLABORATIVE THREAT A SSESSMENT AND RESPONSE
g PM ALSO VISITS NEWLYESTABLISHED NIFTAC, FORMALLY INAUGURATES ITS STATE-OF-THEART HEADQUARTERS
g PREMIER VISITS ISI HQ, BRIEFED ON COUNTRY ’S PREPARATIONS FOR INDIA ‘ THREAT ’
Pakistan open for foreign investments under improved regulator y framework: PM
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday assured the USPakistan Business Council (USPBC) delegation that Pakistan is open for new foreign investments and highlighted the government’s efforts to streamline the regulatory environment enhance transparency and eliminate bureaucratic hurdles through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) The prime minister extended a warm welcome to a high-level delegation from the US-Pakistan Business Council part of the US Chamber of Commerce, during a significant meeting held here and called for stronger economic ties between the two nations a Prime Minister ’s Office news release said The delegation included Charles Freeman, Senior Vice President Asia at the US Chamber, Esperanza Gomez, President of the US-Pakistan Business Council, and representatives from major American firms including Abbott and Apple PM Shehbaz lauded the Council s
in D i a began to use its unilateral abeyance of the indus Water Treaty by stopping waters of the chenab to fill up three of its own dams, the Baglihar, Pakal Dul and Sajal Dams The three dams have a storage capacity of 1 2 million acre feet, and if the water of all three is released after theory fill up the result would be flooding in the area irrigated by the chenab it is worth remembering that these projects were objected to strenuously by successive Pakistan governments for the last several decades india s declaration of suspension was initially poohpoohed by a section of Pakistani irrigation experts on the ground that india simply did not have the capacity to stop the waters guaranteed to Pakistan under the iWT
However, while it seems that stopping the indus Water altogether and using them for its own irrigation may be beyond india s ability at the moment and may well lie in the future it can indulge in causing damage to Pakistan in fact, the damage it can inflict is likely to be quite severe, as it can hold back the waters throughout the monsoon, and release them as soon as they reach flood level
That way india can subject Pakistan to repeated floods whenever it wants Knowing the BJP this is likely to be further weaponised, with its military forces launching an attack in the flood area in coordination with the artificial flood so that the devenders are caught in the rushing floodwaters
The way the BJP strutted after its 1998 nuclear tests particularly the way then indian Home minister L K advani chortled that Pakistan would have to behave itself, indicates that it would like to keep this indus Waters as a bludgeon to beat Pakistan on the head with in 1998 Pakistan itself carried out nuclear tests and it was wonderful to see how india piped down after that However, there seems to be no quick response now in 1998, Pakistan braved international condemnation for the tests, but now it cannot carry out any action which would violate the iWT because it wants to hold india to it However What india perhaps did not realize is that iWT follows international customary law of upper and lower riparian s, which still applies The indian action is already outrageous if it is not stopped now, it will only grow worse
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
EDUcaTiOn is the soul of a nation, the beacon that lights the way to progress and prosperity it is through education that civilizations ascend societies thrive and humanity moves toward greater enlightenment a nation lacking a strong educational foundation is like a body without a soul, directionless, vulnerable, and unable to fulfil its true potential Throughout history the most successful nations have been those that invested deeply in education cultivating minds that fuel innovation economic growth, and social cohesion Yet in Pakistan, a land rich in potential and cultural heritage, the education system remains plagued by inefficiencies, neglect, and systemic flaws that threaten the country’s very future The vision of a truly educated and progressive Pakistan remains out of reach as millions of children are deprived of quality education due to financial hardship, gender disparities, and outdated curricula in an era where education fuels national progress and innovation countries that once lagged behind have surged ahead by placing education at the heart of their development strategies Unfortunately Pakistan remains trapped in a cycle of educational decline according to the United nations Development Programme (UnDP), Pakistan allocates a mere 1 7 percent of its GDP to education one of the lowest figures globally and far below the recommended 4-6 percent This chronic underinvestment has led to crumbling school infrastructure an acute shortage of qualified teachers, and alarmingly high dropout rates
UniceF estimates that 22 8 million children in Pakistan are currently out of school, the secondhighest number in the world Girls particularly in rural areas are disproportionately affected facing barriers rooted in poverty cultural norms and a severe lack of female educators if immediate and comprehensive reforms are not undertaken, Pakistan risks falling further behind in a world that is advancing at an unprecedented pace
Beyond accessibility the quality of education in Pakistan is deeply concerning The obsolete curriculum fails to equip students with the skills needed for the modern world While developed nations embrace artificial intelligence, robotics, and data science, Pakistan’s system remains rooted in rote memorization, discouraging creativity critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential in today s knowledge-driven economy as a result graduates are often ill-prepared for competitive job markets and struggle
Am e r i c a n voters want an end to the war in Gaza and for President Trump to withhold US aid if necessary to pressure israel to end it During last year s campaign, Donald Trump promised big changes in US middle east policy He said that the Gaza war never would have happened had he been president; promised he would end it; boasted it was his pressure that forced israel to accept a ceasefire; and then as president proposed the evacuation of Palestinians from Gaza to make way for a riviera-like resort Just before the 2024 election, we polled US voters and found overall support for ending the war and using US aid to israel as leverage to press them to end the occupation of Palestinian lands and end the war in Gaza This was true for strong majorities of Democrats with some republicans also agreeing We are now more than three months into President Trump s second term and israel has ended the ceasefire, renewed its bombing campaign, instituted anew the mass forced “relocation” of civilians, and reimposed the blockade of food and
domestic policies on allegations of antisemitism, crackdown on universities and deportation of students involved in pro-Palestinian anti-israel protests Here are the findings: The poll finds that voters sympathy for israel remains somewhat higher than for Palestinians But by a significant 46 percent to 30 percent margin, american voters feel that US middle east policy is too onesided in favor of israel, with 39 percent of republicans agreeing and 37 percent disagreeing This represents a substantial shift from 2024 when only 33 percent of republicans agreed that policy was too pro-israel against 43 percent who said it was not By a two to one margin, american voters also agree that President Trump should apply greater pressure on israel to end its occupation of Palestinian lands and allow Palestinians to create an independent state of their own ” While this agree/disagree ratio largely tracks last year s results the major difference in this year s findings is the substantial increase in republicans who agree that the president should apply such pressure on israel in 2024, the agree/disagree split for republicans was 37 percent to 40 percent now 49 percent agree that greater pressure
pressure israel to change its behaviors This was one of the key findings in the poll released april 30 by the arab american institute Foundation The Foundation commissioned John Zogby Strategies to poll 1000 american voters to assess their attitudes toward the Trump administration s policies toward israel s war in Gaza What comes through quite clearly is that between november 2024 and april 2025 the overall responses did not change significantly What has changed is that israel is losing favour with republicans who now want President Trump to take a stronger stance to rein in israel s behaviour This, however, does not translate into a lack of GOP voters support for the president s
to meet evolving industry demands Poor governance further deepens the crisis corruption nepotism and political interference divert resources meant for improving infrastructure and teacher training Teacher recruitment often lacks transparency, leading to the hiring of underqualified individuals while widespread mismanagement allows phenomena like ghost schools institutions existing only on paper to thrive additionally the education system fails to promote social cohesion or responsible citizenship The curriculum often presents a narrow, biased view of history and neglects critical subjects like civic education human rights and environmental awareness in a world where inclusivity tolerance and global understanding are increasingly vital Pakistan s education model lags behind, reinforcing outdated narratives rather than cultivating a progressive, harmonious society a comparative analysis with countries that have successfully overhauled their education systems shows that Pakistan s challenges are not insurmountable china through decades of consistent investment transformed itself into a global economic powerhouse South Korea, once devastated by war, prioritized education and is now a leader in technology and innovation Finland revolutionized its education system by focusing on critical thinking creativity and student well-being consistently ranking among the best globally Singapore too evolved from a struggling economy into one of the world s most prosperous nations through its relentless commitment to education and skills development even Bangladesh, once part of Pakistan has made significant strides in improving literacy rates and achieving gender parity in education These success stories highlight a clear truth: nations that prioritize education cultivate prosperity, innovation, and social harmony Pakistan must urgently reassess its priorities, recognizing that an uneducated population will only perpetuate stagnation inequality and
social unrest real and lasting change in Pakistan s education system is difficult but entirely within reach reform must begin with increasing the education budget to at least 4% of GDP, ensuring adequate resources for infrastructure, teacher training and modern curriculum development Teachers must be recruited on merit professionally trained and properly compensated as they are the foundation of quality education integrating digital learning and encouraging critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential for preparing students for a rapidly changing world Strategic partnerships between government and the private sector can also help address gaps and accelerate progress Promoting gender equality is critical initiatives like providing stipends for girls, ensuring safe transportation, and hiring more female teachers can dramatically increase female enrolment, especially in rural areas regional disparities must be addressed with equitable investment and attention Governance reforms are urgently needed to eliminate corruption and ensure that educational resources reach those who need them most education is not merely a goal, it is the engine of empowerment, innovation, and national strength Pakistan now stands at a pivotal crossroads Without bold action it risks falling behind in an era of technological and economic transformation Treating education as a matter of national security and economic survival is essential Only by reclaiming education as a national priority can Pakistan unlock the promise of its people and secure a prosperous, stable future for generations to come
The writer is Ph D in Political Science and visiting faculty at QAU Islamabad His area of specialization is political development and social change He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo com and tweet@zafarkhansafdar
Nukes without ner ve
Hajj preparations in full swing to provide a seamless pilgrimage experience in Makkah
a reflection of the rapid transformation reshaping today’s business and financial landscape He emphasized the critical need for finance leaders to foster agility adopt emerging technologies and proactively create strategic value within their organizations
Director General (DG) Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro is leading comprehensive preparations for the upcoming Hajj season in Makkah with arrangements reaching their final stages ahead of the arrival of pilgrims Accompanied by Makkah Coordinator Zulfiqar Khan, Director Hajj Makkah Azizullah Khan, and other officials, he conducted an inspection visit to residential buildings designated for Pakistani pilgrims During the visit he reviewed the living conditions dining facilities elevators and overall cleanliness standards Pakistani travel guidesHajj preparations in full swing to provide a seamless pilgrimage experience in MakkahEmphasizing the importance of ensuring a smooth and dignified pilgrimage experience DG Soomro issued directives to the team concerning the facilitation guidance and complaint resolution mechanisms for pilgrims We are committed to ensuring that all necessary facilities are in place before the arrival of pilgrims, he added during the visit The first group of Pakistani pilgrims is expected to arrive in Makkah on May 7 he confirmed DG Soomro noted that the Hajj operation is progressing successfully into its second phase underscoring the dedication of the mission to provide a seamless and well-coordinated pilgrimage experience
Iranian Consulate hosts farewell in honour of outgoing CG Hassan Nourian
for a
years and played an
role in strengthening Pakistan-Iran relations The representative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs also paid rich tributes to Iranian diplomat for his services Addressing the farewell ceremony Hasan Nourian said Iran and Pakistan are not merely a neighbors but brothers and shared a history rich with examples of cultural exchange, trade, religious bonds and mutual support during times of need He said both countries from early days of independence to the present our countries stood by each other with a sense of kinship that transcends politics Geographically connected and spiritually aligned Iran and Pakistan hold immense potential, Hasan said, adding that the future of this relationship lies not just maintaining diplomatic niceties
