NINE TERRORISTS NEUTRALIZED, 3 OFFICERS INJURED IN HANGU JOINT OPERATION: POLICE
ADB exper ts visit Karachi-Rohri rail section to assess
Five Khawarij killed,
At least five terrorists were killed and eight others were arrested in a joint operation carried out by police, the CounterTerrorism Department (CTD), and other security agencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Malakand district on Sat-
‘funding feasibilit y’ for ML-1 first package
LAHORE/KARACHI
s ta f f r e p o r t
Pakistan Railways is considering financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the muchtalked-about and long-delayed Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway track upgrade and for the purpose, experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), along with railway officials inspected the 480-kilometer KarachiRohri section according to an official statement According to a statement from the railways headquarters the ADB s fact-finding team including its chief transport planner, along with railway officials, inspected the 480-kilometer track line on the KarachiRohri section The ambitious ML-1, a 1,687-kilometer Karachi–Peshawar rail track upgrade is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and will cost $6 7 billion The upgrade involves track doubling advanced signaling and higher-speed trains and is expected to boost cargo and passenger capacity The upgrade will not only ease access to Reko Diq but also ensure uninterrupted and faster transportation of Thar coal It is to be noted that the Karachi-to-Rohri track upgrade is part of the first package of ML-1 Experts from the Asian Development Bank inspected the Karachi to Rohri railway line today the PR said in a statement, elaborating that the ADB s Chief Transport Planner Sangyoon Kim, conducted the 480-kilometer track inspection alongside the chief engineer (open lines) of Pakistan Railways
“ADB’s fact-finding specialists will prepare a report on the readiness of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project following which a final decision regarding the project s financing will be made, the statement stated Initially, the project was approved by the Economic Coordination Committee in 2020 but has repeatedly stalled, mainly due to a paucity of funds ISLAMABAD s ta f f r
p
r t Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit the United States next week to attend the high-level signature events of Pakistan’s Un Security Council
urday, according to police According to the police, the operation was carried out in the Sakhakot and Mehrday areas of tehsil Dargai in the Malakand district while acting on a tip-off about the presence of the terrorists of Finta al-Khawarij According to Dargai Tehsil Assistant Commissioner Waheedullah Khan, a major operation was carried out in the
operation: local official
Mehrday and Sakhakot areas Police and CTD took part in the successful operation,” the AC said “Five terrorists were eliminated and two were injured while eight were captured alive ” The AC added that the arrested terrorists were transported to the CTD center, while the injured were moved to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Dargai
Monsoon fury claims over 200 lives as NEOC issues another alert across Pakistan
s ta f f r e p o r t
At least 202 people including 96 children lost their lives in various rain-related incidents since the start of the monsoon season in late June across Pakistan, while the national Emergencies Operation Center (nEOC) has issued another wideranging impact-based weather alert warning of potential flash floods urban inundation and glacial water surges from July 19 to 25, (Saturday to Friday) According to the national Disaster Management Authority’s (nDMA) nEOC on Saturday the alerts cover vulnerable districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Punjab Sindh, and Islamabad, where heavy rains are expected to disrupt daily life and pose serious risks to low-lying and mountainous communities According to the nDMA data Punjab topped the monsoon death toll with 123 deaths Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 40 deaths, Sindh 21, Balochistan 16, and Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir reported one each
The causes of death varied widely with at least 118 killed due to house collapses 30 from flash floods, and others due to drowning, lightning strikes, electrocution, and landslides, the nDMA report said Over 200 dead as relentless monsoon rains wreak havoc across Pakistan
The rains have injured more than 560 people, including 182 children, it said
On the other hand the nDMA has directed disaster management authorities to remain on high alert expedite drainage clearance and prepare emergency teams for rapid response Citizens are strongly advised to avoid high-risk travel, remain indoors during intense downpours and follow official guidance via the nDMA Disaster Alert App The alerts cover potential flash floods and urban flooding across different regions of the country, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Punjab and Sindh
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa low to moderate rainfalls are expected to continue up to July 25 with an increased risk of flash flooding in the upper catchments of major rivers River Kabul at nowshera and its tributaries, such as the Swat, Panjkora Bara and Kalpani nullah may experience rising water levels due to glacial melting and rain-induced in-
flows There is a heightened flood risk in low-lying areas and disruption in transportation especially in hilly and mountainous regions
In Islamabad and Punjab, strong monsoon currents are expected to penetrate central and upper regions from July 21 to 24 bringing moderate to heavy rainfall across Rawalpindi Lahore Sialkot Sargodha Faisalabad Multan Khanewal, Sahiwal, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Kot Addu, Taunsa, Rajanpur, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan Urban flooding is anticipated in major metropolitan cities due to heavy downpours especially in low-lying zones
Sindh is forecast to receive low to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms between July 19 and 24, affecting districts such as Karachi, Hyderabad Sukkur Jacobabad Thatta Badin Larkana Jamshoro nawabshah and Mirpurkhas
ISLAMABAD
the National Accounts, with the base year shifting from 2015-16 to 2025-26 The new base year is expected to be implemented by 2027-28 As part of the effort PBS will initiate fieldwork for four major surveys in July 2024, including
trict, however, led the province with
130 037 bales with other districts like Mirpur Khas and Nawabshah also contributing While ginning factories in Punjab are operating at higher numbers, with 98 factories compared to 86 in Sindh the overall decline in cotton production across both provinces remains a major issue The drop in cotton production is most concerning in Rahim Yar Khan, a traditionally major cotton-producing district in Punjab, where arrivals have plunged by 99 35% from 2 310 bales last year to just 15 bales this year The situation is worsened by the fact that the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has yet to make any cotton purchases this season, leaving an unsold stock of 47,771 bales
Aproject will be developed under a public-private partnership framework, aiming to support sustainable aquaculture practices while enhancing Pakistan s marine economy Experts at the meeting noted that Pakistan s coastal waters offer ideal conditions for aquaculture, making the country well-positioned for farming a variety of marine species The Minister emphasized the importance of expanding the aquaculture model to Balochistan taking advantage of its vast coastal belt to further develop the sector He also directed the KoFHA to submit a comprehensive execution report within 10 days to accelerate the process Additionally, the Minister announced the relocation of the Marine Fisheries Department’s sub-office to the Gwadar Port Authority premises to streamline coordination and decision-making in blue economy initiatives This move is expected to enhance the efficiency of projects related to marine development In a separate meeting, Minister Chaudhry reviewed the progress on land allotment and lease policies for the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) with officials reporting that the Survey of Pakistan has been engaged to identify and demarcate PQA-owned land The revision of the PQA
PSX likely to maintain positive trend as strong corporate earnings expec ted to drive equities:
for FY25 increased by 18% YoY clocking in at $3 8 billion compared to $3 2
With
years, Pakistan posted a current account surplus of $2 1 billion compared to a deficit of $2 1 billion during the same period of last fiscal year Alongside Pakistan’s IT exports
an increase of 2 3% YoY
toral developments, fertilizer offtakes
for the second consecutive month,
by 21% YoY during June 2025 Additionally auto financing for June 2025 reached PKR 277 billion up 1 98% MoM marking an increase for the seventh consecutive month Moreover SBP-held reserves increased by $23 million WoW, ending the week at $14 5 billion as of July 17, 2025 On the currency front, the PKR depreciated against the greenback during the week, closing at PKR 284 87/US$ Other major news during the week included: 1) Telecom sector welcomes ADB’s call for lower taxes 2) PakistanAfghanistan trade hits US$1 0 billion in 1H CY25 3) Banking sector deposits rise to PKR 35 498 trillion in June 2025 4) China says ready to deepen ties with Pakistan in agriculture, industry, and mining, and 5) Cabinet approves 15% hike in EOBI pensions Sector-wise, Vanaspati & Allied Industries, Property, Miscellaneous Fertilizer and Investment Banks/Investment Companies/Securities Companies were among the top performers up 14 9%/12 7%/12 4%/11 1%/7 3% WoW On the other hand Jute Woollen Textile Spinning Engineering and Leather
The future is electric
Is the Prime Minister ready to walk the talk?
ON the face of it, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is all gung-ho about the introduction of electric vehicles what with the recent decision to give students doing well in the boards e-bikes as well as approving in principle a plan to lend money so that ordinary people can buy e-bikes However while there was much emphasis on getting EVs on the road particularly two-wheelers and three-wheelers, some of the looming problems were not addressed Actually, they should have been sorted out before attempting a transition as ambitious as is being done Pakistan wants to achieve 30 percent of all vehicles being EVs by 2030, in other words, in less than five years There is a definite advantage to the government of this conversion, for it would mean less consumption of fuel, and thus lower imports This would be a major saving on the import bill which saw petroleum products worth $15 billion imported last year itself down on the $18 9 billion the year before
However the government must keep in mind that no one is going to get an e-bike because it is in the national interest The consumer will do so because it is cheaper Mr Sharif was thus right to stress the need for quality and durability However, there was no real looking forward to improving the distribution of electricity It should be remembered that charging a vehicle takes more time than filling its petrol equivalent A lot of charging will take place in residential areas, where the DISCOs are hard-put to maintain supply already What happens when two or three ACs are running, while two or three vehicles are being charged? It is welcome that there is a new emphasis on motorcycles Not only are there very many but they are heavy polluters The winter smog is large cities will be alleviated Young louts will have to do silent wheelies on Independence Day and New Year ’s Day and there will be no silencer to remove However,
O bjec tives and challenges
hurdle, for the cost of battery replacement is so high that EVs have virtually no secondhand market The government must stay on top of the game for the prize is definitely worth it
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Aglaciers reports a 31 percent retreat over the past 30 years alongside a 1 6 C rise in temperature a clear warning of the looming instability confronting Pakistan Unfortunately, this rising temperature is turning these snow-capped mountain peaks into ticking time bombs with consequences cascading into multiple overlapping crises for Pakistan Ninety percent of Pakistan s agriculture gets its water from the Indus River system that is glacier-fed However, due to the disturbance in the ecology of the Himalayas glacial melt and cryospheric changes, Pakistan’s agricultural production is already decreased by 20 percent in the year 2022 according to the Food and Agriculture Organization Agriculture is the lifeline of Pakistan s economy It contributes 18 percent% of the country s GDP and absorbs 18percent of its labour force With glacier-fed flows becoming erratic, the crop calendar is collapsing Which is already leading to acute unemployment and
While shedding its hostile approach towards Iran, the US needs to embrace dialogue and diplomacy Further use of force can compel Iran to step out of the NPT The US-Israel aggression, failure of diplomacy and dialogue, and ineffectiveness of the NPT may strengthen Iran's resolve to get nuclear weapons as the only enduring solution to its security challenges
food insecurity, along with weakening of the economy Another critical consequence of the Himalayan meltdown is the increasing formation of glacial lakes and then of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and their associated devastation According to UNDP s GLOF II Project, Pakistan harbours over 3,000 glacierformed lakes, at least 33 of which are classified as hazardous These lakes form when glaciers retreat and leaved behind unstable water bodies that are dammed by fragile ice or loose debris These are literal time bombs capable of blowing at any moment, with extreme unpredictability and destructive power The collapse of the Hassanabad Bridge in Hunza in 2022 is a chilling example of how sudden and severe these floods can be As global and regional temperatures continue to rise the frequency and scale of GLOFs is expected to increase further heightening the risk of widespread flooding, infrastructural damage, and community displacement in Pakistan’s northern regions Beyond floods and infrastructure collapse, the melting glaciers are also threatening Pakistan s energy security Major dams in Pakistan including Tarbela Mangla and Neelum–Jhelum are heavily dependent on glacial flows from the Indus River system These dams form the backbone of Pakistan s energy infrastructure, as a significant portion of the country’s electricity comes from hydropower However the melting of Himalayan glaciers threatens this energy source in both the short and long term In the short run excessive glacial melt and flood-induced overflows can damage dam infrastructure and force emergency spillway releases This uncontrolled release of water can endanger downstream communities, especially during heavy monsoon rains Conversely during dry seasons reduced snow-pack means insufficient reservoir inflow causing a sharp decline in hydro-power generation just when energy demand spikes due to heatwaves In the long run, the situation is even more alarming According to WAPDA’s own Climate Risk Assessment Pakistan’s hydro power output could decline by 15–20% by 2040 due to re-
duced glacial input It poses a serious risk to a country already strangled by energy shortages, circular debt, and economic instability A decline in hydro power would force Pakistan to increase LNG and fossil fuel imports placing further pressure on its fragile economy and increasing carbon emissions creating a vicious climate-energy-economic cycle
The crisis doesn t end at Pakistan s borders The regional implications are equally alarming The glacier melt poses a grave threat to the already fragile regional peace In the absence of any Joint Glaciers Monitoring mechanism countries like Pakistan India and China can slide into diplomatic and military standoff over the construction of upstream dams like the Kishanganga dam between Pakistan and India, unregulated water diversion, and worsening water insecurity In order to address this grave issue a multipronged approach rooted in climate diplomacy early warning systems disaster preparedness and regional cooperation is required Pakistan must urgently invest in glacier monitoring mechanisms, robust early warning systems for GLOFs, and climate-resilient infrastructure capable of absorbing environmental shocks At the regional level the establishment of a Joint Himalayan Cooperation Authority involving Pakistan India and China is the need of the hour However India s growing weaponization of water resources, as reflected in its recent unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, signals a troubling trend In this context, Pakistan must be proactive vigilant and swift in both its policies and responses We must learn from the disasters of our past and act with foresight otherwise we will not
aNWarul Haq
Wali Ejaz NEkokara
COMMENT 05
ning
IN an age when artificial intelligence is no longer a concept of the future but an ever-present force shaping economies, education, governance, and even human perception, the absence of a finalised and enforceable AI policy in Pakistan is not just an administrative oversight it is an existential misstep While AI is redefining the global architecture of power and progress, Pakistan lingers on the margins with a draft National AI Policy that has remained unratified since May 2023 This drift in the face
and rolled out AI strategies linked with national priorities monitored rigorously
THE refusal by the Trump administration to release the files and videos amassed during investigations into the activities of the pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, should put to rest the absurd idea embraced by Trump supporters and gullible liberals that Trump will dismantle the Deep State Trump is part of and has long been part of the repugnant cabal of politicians – Democrat and Republican – billionaires and celebrities who look at us, and often underage girls and boys, as commodities to exploit for profit or pleasure
The list of those who were in Epstein s orbit is a who s who of the rich and famous They include not only Trump but Bill Clinton, who allegedly took a trip to Thailand with Epstein, Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, hedge fund billionaire Glenn Dubin, former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson former Secretary of the Treasury and former president of Harvard University Larry Summers cognitive psychologist and author Stephen Pinker Alan Dershowitz billionaire and Victoria s Secret CEO Leslie Wexner, the former Barclays banker Jes Staley, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak the magician David Copperfield actor Kevin Spacey former CIA director Bill Burns real estate mogul Mort Zuckerman former Maine senator George Mitchell and disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who reveled in Epstein’s perpetual Bacchanalia They also include law firms and highpriced attorneys federal and state prosecutors private investigators personal assistants publicists servants and drivers They include the numerous procurers and pimps, including Epstein s girlfriend and daughter of Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine Maxwell They include the media and politicians who ruthlessly discredited and silenced the victims and strong armed anyone including a handful of intrepid reporters seeking to expose Epstein s crimes and circle of accomplices There is a lot that remains hidden But there are some things we know Epstein installed hidden cameras in his opulent residences and on his private Caribbean island Little St James to capture his high-powered friends engaging in sexual romps and abuse of teenage and underage girls and boys The recordings were blackmail gold Were they part of an intelligence operation on behalf of the Israeli Mossad? Or were they used to ensure that Epstein had a steady source of investors who funneled
him millions of dollars to avoid being outed? Or were they used for both? He shuttled underage girls between New York and Palm Beach on his private jet the Lolita Express which was allegedly outfitted with a bed for group sex His coterie of famous friends, including Clinton and Trump, are recorded as traveling on the jet numerous times on released flight logs, although many other flight logs have disappeared Epstein s videos are in the vaults of the FBI along with detailed evidence that would rip back the veil on the sexual proclivities and callousness of the powerful I doubt there is a client list, as Attorney General Pam Bondi claims There is also no single Epstein file The investigative material amassed on Epstein fills many many boxes which would bury Bondi s desk and probably if collected in one room dominate most of the space in her office
Did Epstein commit suicide, as the official autopsy report claims, by hanging himself in his jail cell on August 10 2019 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City? Or was he murdered?
Since the cameras recording activity in his cell the night were not functional, we do not know Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist hired by Epstein’s brother, who served as the chief medical examiner for New York City and who was present at the autopsy said he believes Epstein s autopsy suggests homicide
The Epstein case is important because it implodes the fiction of deep divisions between Democrats, who had no more interest in releasing the Epstein files than Trump and the Republicans They belong to the same club It exposes how the courts and law enforcement agencies collude to shield powerful figures who engage in crimes It lays bare the depravity of our exhibitionist ruling class, accountable to no one, free to violate, plunder, loot and prey on the weak and the vulnerable It is the tawdry record of our oligarchic masters those who lack the capacity for shame or guilt whether dressed up as Donald Trump or Joe Biden
This class of ruling parasites was parodied in the first-century satirical novel “Satyricon” by Gaius Petronius Arbiter, written during the reigns of Caligula Claudius and Nero As in Satyricon Epstein s circle was dominated by pseudointellectuals pretentious buffoons grifters con artists, petty criminals, the insatiable rich and the sexually depraved Epstein and his inner circle routinely engaged in sexual perversions of Petronian proportions, as The Miami Herald investigative reporter Julie Brown whose dogged reporting was largely responsible for reopening the federal investigation in Epstein and Maxwell documents in her book Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story As Brown writes, in 2016 an anonymous woman using the pseudonym “Kate Johnson ” filed a civil complaint in a federal court in California alleging she was raped by Trump and Epstein when she was thirteen, over a four-month period, from June to September 1994
“I loudly pleaded with Trump to stop,” she said in the lawsuit about being raped “Trump responded to my pleas by violently striking me in the face with his open hand and screaming that he could do whatever he wanted Brown continues: Johnson said that Epstein invited her to a series of underage sex parties’ at his New York mansion where she met Trump Enticed by promises of money and modeling opportunities Johnson said she was forced to have sex with Trump several times including once with another girl, twelve years old, whom she labeled Marie Doe Trump demanded oral sex, the lawsuit said, and afterward he “pushed both minors away while angrily berating them for the poor quality of the sexual performance according to the lawsuit filed April 26 in U S District Court in Central California Afterward, when Epstein learned that Trump had taken Johnson s virginity, Epstein allegedly ‘attempted to strike her about the head with his closed fists ’ angry he had not been the one to take her virginity Johnson claimed that both men threatened to harm her and her family if she ever revealed what had happened
The lawsuit states that Trump did not take part in Epstein’s orgies but liked to watch, often while the thirteen-year-old “Kate Johnson” gave him a hand job It appears Trump was able to quash the lawsuit by buying her silence She has since disappeared
In 2008, Alex Acosta, who at the time was the U S Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, negotiated a plea deal for Epstein The deal granted immunity from all federal criminal charges to Epstein four named co-conspirators and any unnamed potential co-conspirators The agreement shut down the FBI probe into whether there were more victims and other powerful figures who took part in Epstein’s sex crimes It halted the investigation and sealed the indictment Trump in what many consider an act of gratitude appointed Acosta as Secretary of Labor in his first term
Trump contemplated pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell after she was arrested in July 2020, fearing she would reveal details of his decades-long friendship with Epstein according to Trump biographer Michael Wolff In July 2022 Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison
Jeffrey Epstein s closest relationship in life was with Donald Trump these were two guys joined at the hip for a good 15 years They did everything together,” Wolff told host Joanna Coles on The Daily Beast Podcast “And this is from sharing pursuing women hunting women sharing at least one girlfriend for at least a year in this kind of rich-guy relationship with each other s planes, to Epstein advising Trump on how to cheat on his taxes The legal anomalies, including the disappearance of massive amounts of evidence incriminating Epstein saw Epstein avoid federal sex-trafficking charges in 2007 when his attorneys negotiated the secret plea deal with Acosta He was able to plead guilty to lesser state charges of solic-
iting a minor for prostitution
The prominent men accused of engaging in Epstein s carnival of pedophilia including Epstein s attorney Dershowitz viciously threaten anyone who seeks to expose them Dershowitz, for example, claims that an investigation which he has refused to make public, by the former FBI director Louis Freeh proves he had never had sex with Epstein s victim Virginia Giuffre who was trafficked at 17 to Prince Andrew Giuffre one of the few victims to publicly take on her abusers, said she was passed around like a platter of fruit among Epstein and Maxwell’s friends, until at the age of 19 when she escaped She “committed suicide” in April 2025 Dershowitz has sent repeated threats to Brown and her editors at The Miami Herald Brown continues: [Dershowitz] kept referring to information that was contained in sealed documents He accused the newspaper of not reporting “facts” that he said were in those sealed documents The truth is I tried to explain newspapers just can t write about things because Alan Dershowitz says they exist We need to see them We need to verify them Then, because I said show me the material, he publicly accused me of committing a criminal act by asking him to produce documents that were under court seal This is the way Dershowitz operates What disturbs me the most about Dershowitz is the way that the media with few exceptions, fails to critically challenge him Journalists fact-checked Donald Trump and others in his administration almost every day yet for the most part the media seems to give Dershowitz a pass on the Epstein story
Epstein donated money to
Majid Nabi burfat
CM MARYAM REVIEWS DAMAGES IN CHAKWAL , ANNOUNCES RS1M COMPENSATION FOR VICTIM FAMILIES
A D azzling D ubai Adventure
CDA meeting takes key decisions to improve civil defense and volunteer ser vices
from flaky croissants to shakshuka We kick things off with a late lunch at the hotel; think mezze platters fresh salads and grilled meats But let’s be real I’m pacing myself because I ve heard whispers about tonight s dinner spot A Spectacle Like No Other We head to La Perle, Dubai s iconic aquatic circus The show is a jaw-dropping mix of acrobatics, diving and motorcycle stunts all set in a custom-built theater with a pool at its center The storyline is imaginative but the real magic is in the performances Acrobats soar through the air, divers plunge from dizzying heights, and motorcycles zoom around in a giant metal sphere It’s the kind of show that leaves you wondering How is this even possible?
As the sun sets, we head to Sufret Maryam in Wasl 51, a culinary love letter to Levantine home cooking The restaurant’s cozy yet elegant vibe makes me feel like I’ve been invited to a lavish dinner party I already know we re in for a treat We start with lebna a creamy tangy yogurt dip served with warm, pillowy bread It s simple but so addictive that I have to stop myself from filling up on it Next comes the romaneye a slow-cooked lentil and eggplant dish with pomegranate molasses a sweet smoky and slightly tart flavor bomb
The star of the show? The lamoshet Maryam, a slow-cooked lamb shoulder marinated in Chef Salam’s secret spice blend The meat falls apart at the touch of a fork and the flavors are deep rich and comforting We also try the lamb chops, perfectly charred and juicy, served with a side of garlicky mashed potatoes For dessert, the coconut ice cream is a revelation creamy not too sweet with just the right amount of coconut flavor We wash it all down with herbal tea a soothing end to a meal that feels like a warm hug
B ook Review: B ooks on Iqbal
Waterpark Thrills and Sky-High
Dining
After a hearty breakfast (I load up on eggs pancakes and fresh fruit) we head to Aquaventure the world s largest waterpark The Leap of Faith slide is first on my list, a near-vertical drop through a clear tube surrounded by sharks Terrifying? Yes Worth it? Absolutely We spend the morning racing down slides and floating along lazy rivers By noon we re exhausted, sunburnt, and starving Wavehouse, located right by the waterpark, is the perfect spot to refuel The vibe is laid-back with surfers riding artificial waves in the background We gorged on honey spice chicken wings (sticky sweet and slightly spicy) and BBQ wings (smoky and tangy), plus a plate of crispy mozzarella sticks that disappear in seconds For mains, the juicy beef burgers hit the spot and the peach iced tea is refreshingly sweet We linger for a while soaking in the relaxed atmosphere and watching the surfers wipe out spectacularly In the evening, we head to At The Top, Burj Khalifa The elevator ride to the 124th floor is so fast my ears pop The view? Unreal Dubai stretches out below us a glittering maze of skyscrapers highways, and desert We snap a million photos all ready for our Insta gram feed And then dinner at CÉ LA VI, 220 meters above the city is nothing short of magical The restaurant s sleek modern design and panoramic views make it feel like we re dining in the sky We start with the avocado maki, a
benefit not only the uninitiated common reader but also the well-informed academic interested in the epistemology of Iqbal s ideas Dr Javed Iqbal Nadeem writes fluently in an erudite style; his observations and averments in these essays are diffused with scholarship and perspicuity The title of the book symbolizes the expanse value and validity of Iqbal s ideology transcending the barriers of time and space Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik recommends that we read the book as a manifesto of the intellectual reawakening of the entire Islamic world including our homeland Pakistan ‘Iqbal SitaroN se Aagay!’
Dr Haroon Rashid Tabassum also is a veteran Iqbal scholar The present book is an esteemed creative work as it embodies some thoughtprovoking essays on various aspects of Iqbal’s philosophy - like his ‘Faqr ’ his firm grasp of semantics his literariness his rich repertoire of knowledge and self-awareness his command of subjects as diverse as
linguistics, theology, civics, rhetoric, and psychology and his position as a devout Muslim thinker and the conceiver of the idea of Pakistan Besides an exhaustive authorial preamble covering the core aspects of Iqbal s ideas as well as poetics, the book enlists academic essays with topics such as the advent of a millennium of new ideas and actions Iqbal and universalism hundred years of the publication of Bang-i-Dara golden jubilee celebrations of Payam-i-Mashriq , Palestine and Masjid-e-Aqsa in Iqbal’s ideology, a review of Muhammad Ayub Sabir ’s (also a denizen of Sialkot) book viz ‘Soze-Mashriq training and characterbuilding in Iqbal s view the youth as Iqbal s Shaheen , Iqbal s staunch belief in the Finality of Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), Iqbal’s Pakistan in the 21st century, the Allahabad address and Iqbal’s political vision Iqbal s critical and creative consciousness Dr Rauf Khair (b 1948-Hyderabad State) as an avid admirer of Iqbal, a review of Tariq Mehmood Mirza’s (a Pakistani diaspora based in Australia) ‘Hayato-Fikre Iqbal a critical resume of another distinguished Iqbal scholar Dr Abdul Rauf Khan Rafiqi s (who hails from Chaman, Balochistan) PhD thesis on ‘Afghanistan may Iqbal Shanasi ki Rewayat’, and an apt critique
karachi: Kunwar Qutubuddin Khan
Cha rman of A -Rajput
ACCESSION DAY: PM REAFFIRMS DIPLOMATIC, MORAL , POLITICAL SUPPORT TO K ASHMIRIS
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan explore
agricultural par tnership for regional food securit y UNITED NATIONS s ta f f r e p
The United Nations highlighted the damages caused by monsoon rains in Pakistan that led authorities to declare disaster zones across parts of the
cloudbursts and flash floods killed dozens in a single day In a report published on its website the UN said that at least 63 casualties and 290 injuries were reported in the past 24 hours pushing the nationwide toll since the seasonal rains began on 26 June to over 120 fatalities, citing the National Disaster Management Authority The unfolding crisis – rising
rivers forecasts of further downpours, fragile rural homes collapsing and transport links severed – has revived stark memories of the catastrophic 2022 floods that submerged a third of the country and affected more than 33 million people Weather forecasters have warned of exceptional high flood levels of up to 450,000 cusecs at some locations along the Jhelum River One cusec equals one cubic foot of water – equivalent to 28 4 litres or 7 5 gallons – per second There are also fears of glacier lake outburst floods in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan regions, the report said Managed by the Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) the UN presence in Pakistan released an inter-agency monsoon contingency plan earlier this month
The plan lays out response triggers, sector roles and arrangements for floods storms and landslides – under the leadership of the Government
However pre-positioned aid supplies remain far below projected need, with key sectors such as protection, nutrition, and shelter and non-food items facing severe gaps
These shortfalls underscore the urgency of pre-positioning relief items and securing rapid financing if the rains intensify Amid the emergency the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Government of Pakistan this week launched a climate-risk project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Buner and Shangla districts
The initiative will establish early warning systems train communities in safe evacuation and strengthen local capacity for disaster response
“Recurring climate shocks are a driver of hunger and malnutrition threatening lives livelihoods and entire food systems said WFP Country Director Coco Ushiyama
agricultural ambitions The Sudanese ambassador in turn spoke about Sudan s demographic composition and the existing goodwill between the nations reaffirming his country s interest in enhancing bilateral cooperation He also highlighted Sudan s success in maintaining livestock health standards, which ensures disease-free meat exports to Gulf markets Pakistan’s support for Sudan’s education sector was also discussed with Mr Hussain offering assistance in securing additional seats for Sudanese students at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad
PAF aircraf t win t wo global awards at UK airshow
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
Fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) won top awards in two categories at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2025 in the United Kingdom RIAT, which runs from July 18 to 20, is one of the world s largest military airshows, has been running for over 50 years and powers the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust according to its website On Thursday a PAF contingent comprising state-of-the-art JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter aircraft and the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, landed at the Royal Air Force Base Fairford in the UK to participate in the prestigious RIAT 2025 a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations
(ISPR) said The JF-17 Block-III was awarded the “Spirit of the Meet Trophy” for its “striking livery and the incredible journey from Pakistan with non-stop air-to-air refuelling PTV reported According to ISPR s press release earlier this week, the JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighters executed successful Air-to-Air Refuelling operations en-route to the UK with the support of a PAF IL78 aerial refuelling tanker
Meanwhile, the C-130H Hercules was awarded the Concours d’Elegance Trophy” “These awards were given in recognition of the aircrafts’ excellent flying and technical skills PTV said It added that the JF-17C Block III represents Pakistan s advanced defence technology
“This success has honoured Pakistan’s aviation sector on an international level ” PTV called the success at RIAT a testament to the recognition of the capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force
In May, when Pakistan downed Indian jets as retaliation for latenight strikes during the PakistanIndia conflict the PAF formally acknowledged a month later that it
was the Kamra-based 15 Squadron that led the charge in shooting down them down The event is now considered one of the largest air-to-air engagements in South Asia in more than half a century There is a palpable sense of enthusiasm across the United Kingdom following the recent Pakistan-India conflict, as aviation enthusiasts and defence observers were eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the Pakistan Air Force s JF-17 Thunder Block-III the statement said The aircraft s combat-proven capabilities and operational excellence have garnered significant global attention, making its appearance at RIAT a highly anticipated highlight in the aero-
