PM, TURKISH DEFENCE MINISTER REAFFIRM $5B TRADE GOAL , VOW CLOSER STRATEGIC TIES
g PREMIER SHEHBAZ MEETS YA SAR GÜLER, HAILS HISTORIC TIES AND DEFENCE COLLABORATION WITH TÜRKIYE
g EXPRESSES SATISFACTION OVER POSITIVE TRAJECTORY OF BILATERAL TIES, REAFFIRMING UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN COOPERATION IN DIVERSE FIELDS
While warmly welcoming the Turkish defense minister and members of his delegation, the prime minister underscored the historic and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Türkiye, that are deeply rooted in shared history culture and mutual respect a Prime Minister ’s Office news release said He expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and reaffirmed Pakistan s unwavering commitment to further strengthening cooperation with Turkiye in diverse fields including trade investment technology and defence
ISLAMABAD
Turkish
Güler is currently on a visit to Pakistan as co-chair of the Pakistan-Türkiye Joint Ministerial Commission
Recalling his recent interaction with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of SCO Council of Heads of State meeting in China, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to build closer Pak-Turkiye relations through frequent engagement at all levels including at the leadership level
Both sides reaffirmed their strong and abiding support for each other ’s core national interests and agreed to continue working closely to further elevate the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye The meeting was followed by a dinner hosted by the prime minister in honour of the Turkish defense minister and members of the Pak-Turk Joint Ministe-
residential area and endangered civilian lives “On behalf of the people and Government of Pakistan I strongly condemn the unlawful and heinous bombing in Doha by Israeli forces targeting a residential area and endangering the lives of innocent civilians he said The Prime Minister extended Pakistan s deepest sympathies and solidarity to the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim
rial Commission PM Shehbaz instructs FBR to trace tax-evading individuals and firms Earlier in the day Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to rely on its own staff and also involve the private sector to trace tax-evading individuals and firms
bin Hamad Al Thani the Qatari Royal Family, and the people of Qatar during this challenging period He described the strike as “totally unjustified,” calling it “a brazen violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar” and warned that such actions threaten regional peace and stability Pakistan stands firmly with the State of Qatar as well as with the people of Palestine against Israel s aggression, PM Shehbaz emphasized Following the attack, Hamas officials confirmed casualties with Suhail al-Hindi a Hamas political official telling
JEWELLERY EXPORTERS
SubCommittee Convener Shahida Akhtar Ali expressed her displeasure, stating that earlier action could have prevented the lapse She directed the Finance Division to expedite the recovery process and report progress during the committee’s next sitting
Following a surge in sugar prices consumers across Pakistan are now facing higher costs for flour and roti, as wheat and flour prices continue to climb The situation has been further worsened by the recent flash floods in Punjab, which disrupted supply chains putting additional pressure on food prices nationwide As per reports tandoor operators in Karachi have raised the price of various roti varieties by an average of Rs2 per piece This increase is expected to have a significant impact on low- and middle-income groups especially daily wage earners who rely on local eateries for affordable meals In addition to rising roti prices in Karachi, negotiations between the government, district administration, and the All Bakers’ Organisations to increase roti prices have failed Under the Pakistan Nanbai Association bakery organizations from Rawalpindi Islamabad and all 43 districts of Punjab have announced that they will independently raise the prices of roti, naan, paratha, and roghani naan starting from Tuesday, September 9 The announcement has triggered a response from the district administration who have called for an emergency
meeting with the Bakers Organisations However, the bakers leaders have gone into hiding to avoid arrests and have refused to meet with officials Shafiq Qureshi the central president of the Pakistan Nanbai Association stated that the price of red flour which was Rs5 435 per 79 kg sack until August 31, has now jumped to Rs9,200 in mills and Rs9,700 in the open market Similarly, fine flour, which was previously priced at Rs6 200 per sack is now being sold for Rs9 800 to Rs10 400 in the market As a result the price of Surkh Patiri bread has risen to Rs20 from Rs14, and naan and paratha prices are also expected to increase by Rs5 Meanwhile, in Karachi, flour prices have also climbed Some branded flour millers have raised the cost of a fivekilogram bag of fine flour to Rs700 up from Rs500 in August and Rs600 in September This price hike comes despite the new wheat crop having arrived earlier this year Retailers report that large traders may be capitalizing on high demand for old flour stocks further driving up prices Market analysts suggest the wheat shortage is not related to the recent floods in Punjab and other areas, as the new crop was harvested in March and April However, stockists and hoarders are reportedly holding substantial wheat
stocks, waiting for further price hikes triggered by supply-demand dynamics Salman Mian Araieen, a member of the All Sindh Sheermal Tandoor Roti Association noted that tandoor operators who previously sold naan for Rs22-23 per piece have raised the price to Rs25 Chapati prices have also increased, now costing Rs14-15 per piece, up from Rs11-12 Despite the rise in flour prices, some tandoors have refrained from fully passing on the increase waiting for a potential reversal Araieen pointed out that the cost of a 50 kg bag of fine atta has risen by Rs1,900 in just one month, now costing Rs5,700, up from Rs3,800 However, prices for sheermal and taftan remain steady even as sugar prices have climbed to Rs200 per kg from Rs180 and ghee prices surged from Rs6 500 to Rs7 900 for a 16kg tin Sheermal and taftan prices are currently at Rs70-90 per piece, depending on weight and quality If flour prices continue to rise, an additional Rs10 per piece may be added to these items
Some tandoor owners are reportedly considering discontinuing the sale of Rs20 naan as the price no longer covers their costs Araieen mentioned that the price of a 40 kg wheat bag has now reached Rs3,943, a record high not seen in 72 weeks last observed in April 2024
and sustainable agriculture sector in Pakistan Ac umen Pakistan briefs Finance Minister on $90 million
Farmers
urge swif t govt ac tion to
mitigate flood damage, demand revival pack age
cluding essential crops like rice, cotton and millet
izers and pesticides Akhtar Farooq Meo of Kissan Board Pakistan stated that farmers incurred losses amounting to Rs536 billion due to damage to cotton rice sesame maize and fodder crops He also warned that many towns are facing shortages of perishable goods which could lead to a potential food crisis Khalid Hussain Bath, President of Kissan Ittehad Pakistan (KIP), said that nearly 2 5 million acres of cultivated land had been destroyed in-
He emphasized the severity of the damage noting that thousands of villages across Punjab were devastated Bath also criticised the Punjab government s failure to purchase wheat from farmers in recent years, leaving them with little to no financial support Dr Zafar Hayat President of the Farmer Bureau of Pakistan (FBP) expressed the need for immediate action to ensure farmers can prepare for the next crop season without undue financial strain He highlighted the significant stress already placed on farmers due to the government’s failure to announce a wheat support price or purchase grain earlier this year
According to the initial estimates published by brokerage house Arif Habib Limited (AHL), the economic cost of the 2025 floods is estimated at around Rs409 billion ($1 4 billion) equivalent to 0 33% of Pakistan’s GDP Agriculture has suffered the most with losses exceeding Rs302 billion ($1 0 billion), accounting for nearly three-fourths of the total impact
and 0 24% of GDP Millions of acres of farmland have been submerged with Punjab bearing the heaviest losses Approximately 1 3 million acres of rice sugarcane cotton, and maize were flooded along Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers Sindh reported nearly 80% of Bahawalnagar ’s cotton crop destroyed, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw around 3 200 acres affected in districts including Buner Battagram and Swat Early assessments suggest agricultural output in affected areas may fall by 15–20%, potentially reducing GDP by 0
COMMENT
it is to be noted that the first firm to enter Pakistan after the imposition suspension and re-imposition of tariffs by US President Donald trump is a mining firm, not an oil exploration company as President trump in his own wooly way suggested A US firm is already in the mining industry Barrick gold but as a partner with Argentinian firm Famagusta, in the Reko Diq project this is an entry into an area where Pakistani potential coincides with a pressing high-tech need Rare earths are the new oil for their essentialness in virtually all high-tech manufacture is making them ever more desirable Pakistan possesses these materials in exploitable quantities, but their demand has been absent now it seems things are different it must be remembered that President trump has tried to obtain guaranteed supplies of these rare earths even as China has established a lead in the market for them forcing President trump to back off on his more extravagant anti-China steps, to ensure that the USA continues to have access to supplies of rare earths he did not mention Pakistan s potential as a provider of rare earths but spoke of its potential as an oil producer Pakistan will probably have to take into account the Chinese reaction to this US move China cannot be pleased at the erosion of one of its tools of leverage in the complicated economic tango
then the War on terror, it has been exploitative and transactional the government must realize that it is merely beginning something its successors will have to put up with Pakistan is trying to get back into the USA s good books but this should not be at the cost of national sovereignty As the history of Central and South
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
US government needed reform with a scalpel; Trump used a
Nothing good will come of the chaos that has already been created by the trump Administration in just a few months it s taken a wrecking-ball to institutions agencies, and programmes the Administration has taken dramatic steps to: gut the federal work force; withhold billions of dollars in research grants intended to address health and a range of other scientific concerns; eliminate foreign aid programmes and the entities that deliver them; dismantle governmental health institutions; slash programmes that provide health care and food to the poor and disabled; wreak havoc in international trade relations by imposing, then withdrawing, then reimposing tariffs based on whim or personal vendetta; and create fear and panic in cities across the country with the dramatic expansion of immigration enforcement that has included the hiring of thousands of unvented individuals many of whom have an ideological bent and are eager to get a gun and badge to carry out their agenda And this is only a partial list of the trump Administration’s destruction A case can easily be made that reform was needed in many of these areas it must be acknowledged that waste or redundancy is somewhat inevitable in programmes or agencies that have been in existence for decades or more And there can be hesitancy to terminate programmes that have either outlived their usefulness or never had their intended impact But needed reforms are always best done with a scalpel not a sledgehammer By using the latter approach the Administration has not only done significant damage to the government, but has also eroded the public s trust the wholesale gutting of staff, cutting of research grants, elimination of programmes, and exaggerated claims made in denigrating these programmes cannot easily be remedied by the next Administration Expertise has been lost unmet needs will only multiply and some elected officials will be hesitant
to reestablish or provide funding for programmes that this Administration has convinced a sizable
TTourist humiliation
derpowered Agriculture which contributes nearly 19 percent of gDP and employs more than a third of the workforce is acutely exposed Flood-related damages in 2022 reached $3 7 billion, while subsequent dry spells cut into yields and rural incomes the iMF has estimated that climate-linked disasters are
Medium-sized reservoirs could deliver geographically distributed benefits faster than mega-projects alone Projects such as DiamerBhasha and Mohmand are essential, but their long gestation periods underline the importance of parallel investments in smaller, regionally balanced dams and canal improvements infrastructure and Detection gaps: the absence of modern flood detection systems compounds these challenges Pakistan s warning network relies on outdated telemetry and limited Doppler radar coverage, with coordination between agencies often fragmented in contrast, Bangladesh has reduced flood mortality by more than 70 percent over three decades through community-based alerts real-time hydrological monitoring and investments in shelters this season entire communities in Sindh and Punjab reported being submerged without notice the costs extend beyond property damage: school closures, healthcare disruptions, and lost working days reduce productivity and weaken human capital investing in modern forecasting tools integrated with provincial disaster management authorities would not only save lives but also reduce reconstruction costs that repeatedly drain fiscal resources Economic Costs of inaction: Floods function as recurring negative economic shocks Direct losses include destroyed crops livestock housing and infrastructure indirect costs arise from disrupted supply chains reduced labour mobility and inflationary pressures the World Bank found that the 2022 floods alone pushed over eight million Pakistanis into poverty, showing how disasters can simultaneously undermine growth and social protection Economists call this “disaster-induced fiscal drag Relief and reconstruction crowd out development priorities while uncertainty discourages private investment in the absence of widespread insurance markets, households bear the brunt, reducing consumption and reinforcing poverty traps With a tax-to-gDP ratio still under 10 percent recurring flood shocks risk
locking Pakistan into a cycle of vulnerability and underinvestment toward a Strategic Response: Reframing water management as an economic priority is essential three interventions stand out First, fiscal planning should earmark a dedicated share of development expenditure for water storage flood defences and detection systems Second stalled projects such as Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams must be complemented with medium-scale reservoirs and canal rehabilitation to ensure regional equity and quicker results third, a modern flood detection system combining satellite data, Ai forecasting, and community-based dissemination should be integrated into disaster management frameworks to build resilience across provinces these interventions are not only about preventing disaster they also unlock economic multipliers: more reliable irrigation supports higher-value crops, improved water availability reduces energy bottlenecks, and greater certainty encourages private investment in agriculture and industry in economic terms adaptation is not a cost but a growth strategy Pakistan s greatest economic threat no longer comes from abstract fiscal numbers or global commodity shocks it arrives each monsoon in the form of rising waters, fractured infrastructure and displaced families the country cannot afford to treat floods as seasonal misfortunes they are a structural challenge that erodes fiscal stability slows growth and deepens poverty Water management must therefore be understood not simply as an environmental concern but as the cornerstone of economic resilience the choice before Pakistan is clear: continue paying the mounting costs of recurring disasters or invest in the infrastructure and foresight that will turn water from an enemy into an engine of stability
Suleman Zia is a transnational educational consultant, freelance columnist and policy analyst based in Lahore
Ratta system
c h o e s o f H i t l e r ’ s M i n d s e t i n M o d i ’ s I n d i a
The parallels are unmistakable
and even publicly sanctioned culminating in the horrific events of Kristallnacht or the Night of Broken Glass, in November 1938
institutions within India
Adolf Hitler who was the leader of the Nazi Party and Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, is universally regarded as one of history’s most abhorrent figures His infamous regime was defined by an ironfisted authoritarian grip widespread systemic violence a relentless and fanatical pursuit of racial purity and a pervasive allencompassing totalitarian control
The horrific acts committed under his direct leadership were far from accidental consequences of war or simple governmental missteps; instead they were the calculated and deliberate implementation of a virulent ideology deeply rooted in extreme racism fervent antisemitism, and an unshakeable, yet utterly false, belief in Aryan supremacy This destructive ideology was meticulously cultivated and disseminated, laying the groundwork for unprecedented human suffering Among Hitler s most enduring and chilling legacies is the Holocaust a meticulously planned state-sponsored and industrial-scale genocide that systematically orchestrated the murder of an estimated six million Jews This atrocity was not a sudden explosion of violence but was meticulously preceded by years of escalating antisemitic rhetoric and discriminatory policies designed to progressively strip Jewish people of their rights and systematically marginalize them from German society
A stark example of this incremental dehumanization was the enactment of the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 These laws served as a foundational legal framework stripping Jews of their German citizenship and explicitly prohibiting marriages or sexual relations between Jews and individuals classified as Aryans Jewish individuals were then progressively and relentlessly removed from schools, professions, and public life while their businesses were boycotted or forcibly seized crippling their livelihoods By the late 1930s violence against Jews had become disturbingly normalized
This state-orchestrated pogrom witnessed thousands of Jewish businesses, homes, and synagogues destroyed in a wave of terror and tragically over 30 000 Jewish men were arrested and subsequently sent to concentration camps marking a significant escalation of persecution With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Hitler s genocidal ambitions expanded dramatically beyond Germany’s borders Jews from across Europe were rounded up forcibly deported and confined to overcrowded ghettos under appalling and inhumane conditions where starvation and disease were rampant Ultimately the Nazi regime implemented the Final Solution, a chilling euphemism for the organized, systematic extermination of the entire Jewish population
This horrific plan involved the rapid construction of dedicated extermination camps such as Auschwitz Treblinka Sobibor and Belzec designed solely for mass murder Victims were transported to these sites in cramped cattle cars and then murdered en masse in gas chambers, their bodies subsequently incinerated in vast crematoria Those who were not immediately killed upon arrival were subjected to brutal forced labor agonizing medical experiments deliberate starvation and severe beatings, enduring unimaginable suffering before their inevitable demise
Since Narendra Modi rose to power, first as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and subsequently as India’s Prime Minister in 2014 his tenure has been shadowed by a growing number of serious allegations of human rights abuses particularly targeting religious minorities and the populace of Jammu and Kashmir Many critics, including a range of credible international bodies and human rights organizations have accused him of either actively fostering or tacitly tolerating policies and actions that systematically marginalize vulnerable communities and progressively undermine established democratic
The accusations against Modi s tenure are often traced back to the 2002 Gujarat riots, which stand as one of the deadliest and most controversial outbreaks of communal violence in India’s recent history Triggered by the tragic burning of a train in Godhra that killed 59 Hindu pilgrims this event unleashed an immediate and devastating wave of anti-Muslim pogroms across Gujarat The brutality escalated with alarming speed and ferocity: houses, mosques, and businesses belonging to Muslims were systematically torched; mass rapes and murders occurred with numerous credible reports indicating that local police often stood idly by allowing the violence to unfold or even more disturbingly actively participating through deliberate inaction or complicity Investigations conducted by reputable organizations such as Human Rights Watch and others revealed that mobs utilized sophisticated computer-generated lists to specifically target Muslim properties suggesting a disturbing degree of premeditation and organized planning rather than spontaneous anger Many survivors recounted harrowing personal experiences where local police not only failed to intervene but in some instances allegedly joined the rioters or even opened fire on Muslims seeking sanctuary turning protectors into aggressors Sworn testimony from police officers, such as Rahul Sharma of Bhavnagar, further exposed allegations that officials attempting to intervene to uphold law and order were swiftly transferred or punished by the state government indicating potential political interference
Meanwhile investigative reports and commissions including the Nanavati–Shah commission and Amnesty International, highlighted concerns about how senior officials, including then-Chief Minister Modi, allegedly ordered police to “go slow” against the rioters and strategically moved key officers out of active duty to facilitate mob violence The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) vehemently con-
A unified, and sustained international effor t is needed to pressure the Modi government to halt all alleg ed human rights abuses against IndiaÊs minorities and the people of Indian Held Kashmir Silence and inaction in the face of such grave concerns only embolden authoritarian tendencies
WH E T H E R right or left Muslim or Christian anti-Semites speak of Jews as people who pull the strings in culture politics and especially finance They assume we are all united in this conspiracy In reality, not only is there no conspiracy, we Jews are also as divided among ourselves as any other people
In their long history, the Jewish people have maintained a permanent unified state for no more than 120 years – and that was three millennia ago It was then divided into two kingdoms before eventually being conquered and divided into separate entities Devastation followed in the early years of the first and second centuries, when Jews revolted against the might of the Roman Empire
Other divisions have developed over the centuries There were notable conflicts between Zionists and antiZionists and between backers of the USSR and America which continued well into the 1960s There were also splits between those who clung to ancient traditions those who looked to jazz up the old faith and others who just walked away
Today the split among Jews is largely three-way
There’s a zealot-like ultra-nationalist movement with considerable power and influence inside Israel which could be losing a majority of Israelis and even key Zionists in the diaspora Then there s a relatively small increasingly alienated but well-connected progressive faction which lines up against Israel Finally, there is the majority – that is, the rest of us who cleave to a middle ground
THE ZEALOTS: Today a significant number of Jews particularly in Israel embrace an extreme concept of Zionism that parallels the ideas and ultra-nationalism that animated the original Zealots who fought the Romans nearly two millennia ago – and, in the process, extinguished the last strands of Jewish self-government Those Zealots decided total independence was non-negotiable, and some ringleaders slaughtered any Jew who wished to accommodate Rome
Those ancient Jews fought gallantly But they also fought against each other so that the blood of all sorts of dead carcasses stood in lakes in the holy courts themselves , as the ancient Roman-Jewish historian Flavius Josephus reported To this day, on the occasion of Tish B’Av, Jews mourn the ensuing destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD an event precipitated by refusing to surrender to the conquering Romans
Today s zealots notes author Jacob Siegel follow a similar ideological approach They embrace what is widely called revisionism, the notion that Israel s land is indivisible from the Mediterranean to Jordan
This faction largely controls the current Israeli government, favours the expansion of settlements, denies any prospect for a Palestinian state and fends off any attempt even by the United States to impose limits on its ultra-nationalist vision Although its members rely on the diaspora for political support and financial aid they are also antagonistic towards it
The mainstream of Zionism during the 1930s and 1940s was leftist, Western in culture, resolute and keen
demned the Gujarat government for its comprehensive failure to protect its citizens and ensure justice for victims, labeling it a grave failure Although courts later cleared Modi of direct legal charges due to insufficient evidence his critics firmly contend that the probes themselves were compromised and that the actual perpetrators of the violence largely remained unpunished undermining faith in the justice system Under Modi s national leadership since 2014, further accusations have emerged regarding policies and legislative actions that disproportionately affect vulnerable groups For instance newly enacted anti-cow slaughter laws have been widely criticized for disproportionately targeting Muslims and Dalits This legislative shift has been tragically accompanied by a dramatic surge in vigilante “cow protection” groups, composed of Hindu nationalist activists who have been implicated in numerous reports of lynchings brutal beatings and widespread mob violence against minorities often with disturbingly minimal intervention or effective response from state authorities Within India s complex federal structure, the controversial revocation of Article 370 and the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 was widely criticized Following these actions the government imposed a sweeping communications blackout and enforced strict curfews across the entire region, isolating the population Nearly 4,000 political figures, including former chief ministers, local politicians, and journalists were detained en masse under draconian preventive laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act Human rights organizations have extensively reported the widespread use of pellet guns to suppress protests, resulting in thousands being maimed or blinded with many suffering permanent disabilities Additionally countless documented cases of torture extrajudicial killings enforced disappearances, nighttime raids, and secret detentions have been reported, with many victims tragically never resurfacing Cultural suppression in IIOJK has also reportedly deepened: bookstores were raided over 650 Islamic books confiscated independent media outlets forcibly shut down and foreign journalists banned from accessing the region Kashmiri reporters, in particular, have faced severe repercussions, including passport revocations or detentions under laws typically reserved for terrorism in a crackdown on free expression and independent journalism Scholars like Yale s Dr Jason Stanley have explicitly drawn parallels noting what they describe as Hindu supremacists admiration for Nazi methods, including explicit statements
from some RSS leaders reportedly expressing desires to emulate Nazi treatment of Jews Academic analyses further argue that, similar to Hitler’s Germany, India’s ruling party is reportedly merging state and religion, actively pushing an exclusionary nationalist agenda that systematically marginalizes religious minorities The parallels drawn extend to specific tactics: internet censorship the proliferation of propaganda films such as The Kashmir Files which many critics contend incite dangerous anti-Muslim sentiment and controversial bans on documentaries like the BBC’s “The Modi Question” further echo elements of the Nazi-state s suppression of dissent and its sophisticated media control apparatus
Online discussions particularly on platforms like Reddit, frequently caution against minimizing historical atrocities but nonetheless acknowledge what they perceive as disturbing echoes in contemporary India citing concerns such as Dehumanization of Muslims like how Hitler did for Jews boycotts Modi infiltrated all government bodies ensuring dissent rot in jail These online sentiments reflect a broader unease among observers regarding the trajectory of human rights and democratic values in India Modi’s policies and actions in India bear unsettling parallels to those of Adolf Hitler For many among India s minority
T h e J e w s ’ c o m i n g c i v i l w a r
In their long histor y, the Jewish people have maintained a permanent unified state for no more than 120 years – and that was three millennia ago
The zealot Jews embrace the notion that Israel’s ‘land is indivisible’ from the Mediterranean to Jordan
to find a modus vivendi with the Arabs notably Jordan
In contrast the revisionist wing of Zionism – including paramilitary groups like the Irgun and the Stern Gang –showed few qualms about committing atrocities as well as indiscriminate attacks on occupying British forces
Today s zealots owe some of their success to the Palestinians’ refusal to compromise, preferring to resort to unmitigated terror This has helped turn the right-wing Likud now under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu into the dominant political force in Israel for most of the past half century
The current zealots are themselves broken into smaller factions, ranging from advocates for subtle territorial incrementalism, particularly in the West Bank, to support for the semi-permanent occupation of the region
Some such as national-security minister Itamar BenGvir a follower of the late Meir Kahane come close to a Jewish form of fascism Zealot Israel draws on Orthodox Jews for support who are growing faster than the other denominations This pattern can also be seen in the US, and in what many call the second Israel – a reference to the growing, exiled Jewish community, made up of roughly one million Mizrahi Jews, driven out of Arab countries and a massive influx from Russia
The zealots have few allies outside Israel Their notion of a truly self-sufficient Israel is fantastical The US they castigate as the empire is easily Israel s largest export market and is responsible for two-thirds of the foreign-direct investment in its tech sector Being a total satrap to Donald Trump leaves them, at the very least, exposed to the president’s latest whim
THE PROGRESSIVES : Most Jews continue to identify as Democrats in America much as they once backed Labour in Britain, the Liberals in Canada and the Socialists in France Left-wing Jews, like senator Bernie Sanders and those in progressive-dominated media and Hollywood, have already broken with Israel The author David Grossman and other left-wing scholars have even embraced the ritual denunciation of Israel as an apartheid state and an inherently genocidal regime In some ways the progressives really are the new Herodians, heirs to that ignominious tradition of speaking yes to power which marked the days of Mark Antony to the end of the Julian dynasty If pro-Roman Jews were seduced by classical Greco-Roman culture progressive Jews have been influenced by the relentlessly anti-Israel coverage of media outlets like the Guardian NPR the BBC Agence France Presse CNN MSNBC Reuters the New York Times and of course the state-controlled media of Russia and China Many left-leaning Jews seem more focussed on showcasing their virtue than seriously considering how Israel can deal with its murderous enemies They also reflect the fact that even before 7 October 2023 the majority of Jews disapproved of the current Israeli government Netanyahu a bungler whose failures on 7 October should have precipitated his downfall, is seen both by key Democrats and even many Jews as sustaining the war for his own political purposes His regime has been described by the great Is-
As many as 40 per cent of Jews may even vote for the openly anti-Zionist, pseudo -socialist Zohran Mamdani to be mayor of New York , the cit y with the largest Jewish diaspora in the world
Netanyahu’s regime has been described by the great Israeli historian, Benny Morris, as ‘the most corrupt’ regime in the Western world
raeli historian Benny Morris as ‘the most corrupt’ regime in the Western world – an undoubted exaggeration but with more than a grain of truth Amid the mainstream media s unrelentingly anti-Israel coverage, support for the Jewish State among Democrats has fallen precipitously and is fading across the board, according to recent polling Little wonder that universities, which were once major havens for Jews, have turned decisively against their Jewish students Although Jewish himself the head of the American Association of University Professors – the ultimate confederacy of dunces – now also favours boycotts of Israeli professors Today the majority of Senate Democrats, and even some candidates backed by Jewish-lobby giant AIPAC, oppose providing arms to Israel – a US ally in the midst of a war
The ‘progressive’ animosity towards Israel is such that as many as 40 per cent of Jews may even vote for the openly anti-Zionist pseudo-socialist Zohran Mamdani to be mayor of New York, the city with the largest Jewish diaspora in the world Starting in the 1950s, the USSR developed a strident form of anti-Zionism to appeal to third-world leaders, notably in the Middle East, employing graphic depictions of Jews in their propaganda that paralleled those of the traditionally anti-Semitic right All the essentials of modern anti-Semitism – the theory of settler-colonialism charges of genocide and apartheid, and the assertion that Zionism is racism –were largely forged in Moscow Stalin initially backed the Jewish State, although he later cracked down on Zionist agitation in Russia eliminating Jewish activists Stalin’s successors saw anti-Zionism as a wedge to use against the US particularly in the Middle East
Most demographers like the University of Miami s Ira Sheskin, see anti-Zionist Jews as a marginal group, albeit loud and portrayed sympathetically in the mainstream media Eitan Hersh, who has studied college campuses, thinks anti-Israel Jews are roughly 15 per cent of the student body
THE MOTLEY MIDDLE: Most Jews in Israel and the Diaspora are neither progressives nor zealots They want the same things other people want – security, prosperity and hope for the future Most Jews in the US, now constituting the vast majority of the diaspora, remain Democrats
The woke Jews may get the headlines but the majority is moving to the centre For years the Anti-Defamation League functioned largely as a subset of the Democratic Party warning mostly about the lunatic fringe right Now it realises it s not neo-Nazi neanderthals who are to blame for the attacks on Jewish students or demands for boycotts of Israel Nor is it primarily the descendants of the Brown Shirts who are torching synagogues trashing kosher restaurants or hassling people in towns and cities across Australia Canada the UK and Europe No it s the progressive left and Islamists
In the aftermath of 7 October and the subsequent surge in anti-Semitism, some Jews have taken their mezuzah off their homes and are increasingly cautious in wearing the Star of David on city streets This is happening in once great Jewish havens like London where the pro-Hamas Qataris reportedly own more property than the king and in Amsterdam and Paris too Like our forebears
Abdul bAsit Alvi
A C I T Y
China, Pakistan to jointly build CPEC 2.0, upgrade Free Trade Agreement: Amb Jiang Zaidong
the four security centers : the Comprehensive Center for Countering Security Threats and Challenges and its Information-Security Center the Center for Combating Transnational Organized Crime and the SCO Anti-Drug Center
on the recently held 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War the Chinese envoy said that the Tianjin Summit was the largest in SCO history, attended by more than 20 foreign leaders and the heads of 10 international organizations
He said there were eight key outcomes of the Tianiin Summit including the adoption of the SCO Development Strategy for the next decade; A powerful call to defend the outcomes of the victory in World War II; A clear statement in support of the multilateral trading system; Establishment of
He said that a political decision was made to establish an SCO Development Bank while the launch of six practical cooperation platforms (energy, green industry digital economy sci-tech innovation higher education and vocational training) was also taken
He stated that six high-quality development action plans (sustainable energy, green industry, digital economy, AI, scitech innovation, and high-quality tradeeconomic cooperation) were adopted alongside a new breakthrough in SCO reform which included merging observers and dialogue partners into a single category of SCO Partners and admitting the Lao People s Democratic Republic as a partner
He said China s announced measures included implementing 100 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects in member states; Provide RMB 2 billion in gratis assistance to member states within the year; Extend an additional RMB 10 billion in
loans to members of the SCO The Inter-bank Consortium will be established within the next three years Double the number of SCO scholarships from next year; Establish 10 Luban Workshops in member states over the next five years; Offer 10 000 training places for human-resource development; Launch new ten-million-kW solar and windpower projects within five years; Invite all parties to use the ReiDou Navigation Satellite System; Encourage capable states to join the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) He said that within five years free treatment would be provided to 500 children with congenital heart disease, besides performing 5,000 cataract operations and conducting 10,000 cancer screenings The Ambassador said that the Tianjin Declaration of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO strongly condemned terrorism in all forms and manifestations and firmly rejected double standards in counter-terrorism He said it expressed deep concern over the contin-
uing escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and strongly condemned acts causing heavy civilian casualties and a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza
Elaborating on the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) proposed by President Xi Jinping the Ambassador said that five principles were the linchpins of the GGI: upholding sovereign equality, respecting international law, practicing multilateralism putting people first and emphasizing action orientation
He said that the Global Development Initiative focuses on promoting international development cooperation and also seeks to resolve international disputes through dialogue and consultation
“The Global Civilization Initiative is dedicated to increasing exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations It sets the direction principles and pathways for reforming global-governance institutions The four initiatives are complementary and mutually reinforcing, injecting positive energy into a world of turbulence and transformation and giving stronger impetus to human development and progress the ambassador said
Speaking about the Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War the envoy said that the event was held to remember history honor the martyrs cherish peace and open up the future He said the parade displayed the PLA s resolve and strength to safeguard world peace as China pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature and a military strategy of active defense
share the spirit of openness inclusiveness enterprise and self-reliance
question of Macao through friendly consultations, he said, adding that in recent years, important achievements have been made in cooperation across various fields setting a fine example of mutual respect and mutual benefit between countries with different social systems and national conditions Noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Portugal Xi said China stands ready to strengthen strate-
gic communication with Portugal and make greater contributions to the prosperity and progress of the two countries and the world through unity and cooperation He called on both countries to carry forward traditional friendship enhance mutual trust and support foster greater synergy between their development strategies, expand practical cooperation in innovation, green development, ocean, medicine, and other fields, leverage Macao’s unique role as a bridge make good use of mechanisms such as the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation Between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries and achieve higher levels of mutual benefit and win-win results
The world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation and humani t y o n c e a g
i c a l crossroads Xi said China stands ready to e n h
Portugal, jointly practice true multilateralism, uphold the authority of the United Nations, safeguard the free trade system, and work
CORPORATE CORNER
Azma Bokhari
and Developers (ABAD), Hasan Bakhshi, has demanded that Gwadar be made operational without delay, declared a tax-free zone and developed into a smart city through CPEC funding He also urged the restoration of law and order in the area and the inclusion of local communities in development projects Speaking at a press conference at ABAD House Karachi Hasan Bakhshi said that Gwadar is the key to Pakistan s progress and prosperity Gwadar has emerged as a golden opportunity in Pakistan’s history, but unfortunately, the expected benefits have not yet been realized If the government does not take immediate and effective steps to operationalize Gwadar the city will not be able to deliver the results that Pakistan urgently needs today Senior Vice Chairman of ABAD Syed Afzal Hameed, Vice Chairman Tariq Aziz
Clear Vision Crucial for Pakistan’s Future: Ibrahim Murad
Former Provincial Minister Ibrahim Hasan Murad emphasized that a clear vision and comprehensive policies are essential to steer Pakistan out of its current challenges and place it on the path of sus-
PRESIDENT Z ARDARI WELCOMES K A Z AKHSTAN’S ROLE
CONNECTIVIT Y PROJECTS TO BOOST TRADE
cilitating economic and cultural linkages During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Nurtleu informed the President that his visit was part of preparations for the upcoming State Visit of the President of Kazakhstan to Pakistan later this year President Zardari said that Pakistan is looking forward to warmly welcoming the Kazakh President and expressed confidence that the visit would open new avenues for bilateral cooperation and enhanced economic partnership The meeting was attended by a highlevel Kazakh delegation including Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev, Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan Yerzhan Kistafin First ViceMinister of Digital Development Innovation and Aerospace Industry Kanysh
Tuleushin and Vice-Minister of Agriculture Yermek Kenzhehanuly
From the Pakistani side the attendees included Deputy PM/FM Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, Parliamentary Leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party in the Senate Sherry Rehman and Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch President Meets Ambassador-designate to Kyrgyz Republic Separately, President Asif Ali Zardari also met with the ambassador-designate of Pakistan to the Kyrgyz Republic, Altamash Wazir Khan at Aiwan-e-Sadr Congratulating the envoy on his new assignment the President extended his best wishes and expressed confidence that Ambassador Khan would make dedicated efforts to further strengthen Pakistan’s fraternal ties with Kyrgyzstan President Zardari emphasized that Pakistan deeply values its close relations with the Kyrgyz Republic grounded in shared faith historical ties and cultural affinity He also underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, regional connectivity, and education, and hoped the new envoy would play an instrumental role in expanding Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations
Yasmin Rashid gets 10 years, K hadija S hah sentenced to 5 years in M ay 9 c ase
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Tuesday acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while sentencing PTI leaders Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, and ex-Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema to 10 years in prison over a May 9 riots case linked to the burning of police vehicles near Jinnah House PTI activist and fashion designer Khadija Shah received a five-year sentence The case stems from the unrest on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan from Islamabad High Court premises Rioters vandalised and torched government offices military installations, and at-
tempted to enter the Lahore corps commander ’s residence Sarwar Road Police had filed the case against the PTI leaders for allegedly setting police vehicles on fire near Jinnah House ATC Judge Manzer Ali Gill oversaw the trial,
which involved 51 accused, 12 of whom were declared absconders
The verdict follows a series of similar rulings in other May 9 cases with repeated acquittals for Qureshi and prison terms for other party leaders
not want to be part of what she termed fraudulent elections PTI patron-in-chief Imran Khan had barred the party from contesting any by-polls except in NA-129, Lahore, where Hammad Azhar son of the late MNA and former governor Mian Azhar is expected to
satellite capabilities This agreement follows PIESAT s previous collaboration with Pakistan, where in June 2024, the company had signed a 200 million yuan deal to support smart agriculture technology in Bahawalpur PIESAT a key player in satellite operation and application services, will support Pakistan in disaster mitigation, natural resource supervision, and environmental management, crucial sectors for the country’s longterm development and resilience In a separate agreement China s MAYCOM Group and Pakistan s TECNO Group have formed a joint venture (JV) worth $12 million to establish a fishmeal processing plant at Gwadar Port This project aims to process sardines and other fresh fish from the
Arabian Sea to produce feedgrade fishmeal and fish oil for the aquaculture markets in southeastern China The JV will operate in two phases,
First-
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
In a landmark move to protect future generations of Pakistani women from cervical cancer, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination in collaboration with WHO UNICEF Jhpiego and other development partners launched the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Campaign in Islamabad and Azad Jammu & Kashmir on Tuesday, according to Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) The nationwide initiative was formally announced during a media briefing titled Protecting Girls Preventing Cancer held at the Serena Hotel Islamabad The event was attended by senior government officials, health experts, development partners, and media representatives, and marked a significant milestone in Pakistan’s immunization program Officials at the event emphasized that the introduction of the HPV vaccine is a critical step toward combating cervical cancer, a disease that claims thousands of women’s lives each year in Pakistan Dilbar Khan Team Lead at Jhpiego underscored the vital role of media in ensuring the campaign s success Introducing the HPV vaccine is a milestone for Pakistan in protecting future generations of women from a preventable disease The media’s role in creating awareness and building trust is critical to its success ” he said Health officials including Dr Sardar Manzoor (PPM AJK) Dr Syeda Rashida (DHO ICT), and Dr Irsha Jokhio (DHS CDA), emphasized the importance of provincial and district-level ownership to guarantee equitable vaccine access across regions A technical session led by Dr Khurram Akram (FDI) with