I S L A M A B A D , R I YA D H E N T E R H I S T O R I C ‘ M U T U A L D E F E N C E PA C T, ’ P L E D G I N G J O I N T R E S P O N S E T O A N Y A G G R E S S I O N
g AGREEMENT REFLECTS SHARED COMMITMENT OF BOTH NATIONS TO ENHANCE THEIR SECURITY, ACHIEVE SECURITY AND PEACE IN REGION AND WORLD
g SAUDI CROWN PRINCE, PREMIER SHEHBAZ EXCHANGE DOCUMENTS OF ‘ STRATEGIC MUTUAL DEFENSE AGREEMENT ’ (SMDA) AFTER ITS SIGNING AT YAMAMAH PALACE g IT AIMS TO DEVELOP A SPECTS OF DEFENSE COOPERATION BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES AND STRENGTHEN JOINT DETERRENCE AGAINST ANY AGGRESSION
ued well-being of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the continued progress and prosperity for the brotherly people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia In turn the Saudi crown prince extended warm wishes of good health and well-being to PM Shehbaz, the PM s office said, adding that he wished for further progress and prosperity for the brotherly people of Pakistan According to a Foreign Office (FO) statement At the gracious invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid a state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday ” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received the prime minister at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh where both sides held an official session of talks in the presence of both countries’ delegations, the FO said adding that the premier was welcomed by the Saudi crown prince and presented with a guard of honour HYDERABAD/MULTAN/LAHORE s ta f
p
t A medium-level flood in the Indus River has wreaked havoc across parts of Sindh and Punjab breaching embankments inundating farmland and inflicting heavy damage on crops with over 2 2 million acres submerged in Punjab alone
The rice crop has borne the brunt, with losses estimated at more than 1 million acres of standing production Cotton sugarcane and maize have also been badly affected with farmers warning of financial ruin Torrential rains worsened the devastation in Obaro where cotton harvests worth millions were destroyed In Sindh s Kandiaro and Manjhot, several zamindari embankments collapsed, allowing floodwaters to rapidly engulf villages and farmland Entire settlements such as Ghulam Nabi Brohi were cut off with roads washed away and families forced to flee Residents of more than five villages have begun migrating on their own, while others remain trapped without official evacuation
According to the Sindh PDMA, at least 181,159 people have been affected, with 528 relief camps and
“Premier Shehbaz Sharif expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Saudi Crown Prince for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to him and his accompanying delegation, the statement read It added, “the Prime Minister also conveyed his best wishes for the contin-
for Islamabad The statement added that the agreement was signed on the basis of the historic partnership extending for nearly eight decades based on the bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity shared strategic interests and close defense cooperation” between Islamabad and Riyadh According to the PMO s statement the two sides and their delegations reviewed the historic and strategic relations between both countries, along with a number of topics of common interest
184 medical camps established More than 471 000 animals have been moved from vulnerable areas The Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) reported that high flood levels persist at Guddu (523,842 cusecs) and Sukkur (518,120 cusecs) barrages, warning the situation will remain critical for the next 36 hours Kotri Barrage has reached medium flood with peak levels expected in 7–10 days
P U N J A B’S TO L L R I S E S TO 118 S I N C E J U N E 25: In Punjab, the Relief Commissioner confirmed that at least 118 people have died in flood-related incidents Authorities say water levels are receding at most rivers including Sutlej Jhelum Ravi and Chenab though a medium flood continues at Ganda Singh Wala and a low flood at Sulemanki and Islam headworks
The Punjab Chief Secretary announced a survey across 28 districts to assess crop and infrastructure losses, while additional tents and rations have been sent to hotspots such as Uch Sharif The province has reported widespread destruction of rice sugarcane corn and cotton with farmers in Hafizabad Sialkot Narowal Gujranwala Gujrat and Multan demanding tax and irrigation fee waivers
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah pledged to assist farmers in every possible manner, endorsing federal plans to seek UN aid He noted Sukkur Barrage was at peak level but expressed hope of a decline within hours At the federal level Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired a meeting with NDMA officials directing an initial loss assessment within 10 days He warned that climate change was driving more frequent disasters and underlined the need for international support Meanwhile, the NDMA said over 5,000 tents had been dispatched to Muzaffargarh In Sargodha, officials confirmed vaccination of 152 565 animals with only three reported deaths so far
P P E A L S F O R
D: Acting President Yousaf Raza Gilani urged philanthropists and international donors to step up assistance, particularly for South Punjab Farmers in Arifwala and Qubula, still waiting for compensation called on the government to declare disaster areas and waive tubewell bills The PMD has forecast more rain and thunderstorms in Punjab KP and Balochistan through September 19 with potential impact on river catchments and already strained flood-hit regions
PIA has turned a pre-tax profit for the first time in the first half of the current calendar year Which is the first such profit since 2004 It had managed a profit in the last financial year, but only after tax adjustments This might look suspiciously like fattening up the animal before sale, except for the fact that this has never been done before by the government which may have preferred to sell off profitable assets but which has never before ‘salted the mine , as the saying goes To give the impression that the asset being sold is more valuable than it is Besides, the government could have gone around buying tickets, which is the real reason for the profits
There have been two factors behind the improvement in results The first is the resumption of landing rights to destinations in Europe after a long process of convincing European aviation authorities that the matter of pilot licensing had been sorted out That meant that the traffic of overseas Pakistanis would resume as a revenue stream More important was the fact that the airline was freed of legacy debt, which had been assumed by the government which meant that the previous losses which had led to that debt have now been borne by the taxpayer Another factor must be the stopping of featherbedding When PIA was routinely profitable, governments had felt that PIA meant jobs for the boys, and indiscriminate recruitments were carried out The argument now becomes one of whether a national asset should be auctioned off It does seem wrong to sell off a source of revenue But then as past bitter experience showed the government has to bear the losses The basic premise is that the government should get out of the business of doing business, and if it has any need for the national airline performing special tasks, like serving unprofitable routes, that can be arranged through the regulator
The Civil Aviation Authority has had a cozy relationship with the PIA but in an aviation environment where all airlines are in the private sector it must develop a more aggressive approach After PIA is privatized, it will serve as the main government agency in
the sale
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
IN the USA, democracy is held sacred, yet the question lingers uncomfortably: who really governs this nation Congress the embodiment of representative debate or the president who issues executive orders at a breakneck pace? Nowhere is this tension more alive than in the story of migration both of people and of power itself whose routes are shaped by promises, implemented under seal and tested by the courts
When Donald Trump took the oath for his second term in January 2025 the air crackled with urgency a promise that the long stalemates of Congress would no longer stall the USA s progress In just 147 days, he signed his 163rd executive order already surpassing the 162 orders President Biden issued in his entire four-year term By the end of August, that tally had climbed to 198 Coupled with his 220 first-term orders he had in fewer than five years issued more directives than any modern president Only Franklin D Roosevelt surpassed his total and FDR s presidency spanned a global depression and climate of war
The executive pen, once a tool of occasional recalibration, had become Trump’s primary method of governing as if power itself had picked up a suitcase and migrated swiftly from Congress to the Oval Office
Many of these orders moved along the path of public endorsement Campaign promises that had galvanized voters slashing immigration, limiting foreign trade, remodeling federal architecture were delivered with immediate force Endorsed by rallies and ballots, these promises took shape: tariffs were imposed immigration enforcement tightened Washington s monuments and streets cleaned up and classical architecture mandated for new federal buildings It was governance by immediate mandate enacted before Congress could deliberate Yet these rushed crossings hit legal checkpoints
One order targeted birthright citizenship stripping citizenship from children born in the USA to non-citizen parents Courts swiftly struck back: judges across the country blocked it arguing the constitutional protections of the 14th Amendment could not be overturned with a signature Federal circuits remain divided,
the issue escalated toward the Supreme Court stalled in multiple hearings a charge halted gate by gate Another directive aimed at expanding expedited removal allowing deportations without judicial hearings for immigrants anywhere in the country The Justice Department warned of expedited processing for up to a million deportations per year But a district judge ruled that violating due process would be unconstitutional and several states filed lawsuits Detention centres overflowed protests erupted and the eruption of legal action forced a partial retreat Trump s rapid implementation had collided with America s entrenched legal norms These legal battles multiplied Orders banning transgender individuals from military service, cutting funding for gender-affirming care and revoking passports with non-binary markers were met with court injunctions Judges held fast to equal protection and free speech labeling some orders as discriminatory The result: a patchwork where federal policy differed starkly across regions, depending on the rulings in local courts Democracy, in its procedural wisdom, slow-marched through lawsuits and hearings But even as rolling injunctions slowed or blocked dozens of orders Trump s economic narrative flickered bright In the second quarter of 2025 US GDP growth was revised to 3 3 percent above the initial 3 percent estimate and marking a dramatic rebound from a 0 5 percent contraction in the first quarter Consumer spending rose,
China opens its doors for inclusive global trade par tnerships
IN an era where the winds of protectionism howl across the global economic landscape, threatening to uproot the fragile edifice of multilateralism, China’s 2025 International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) has emerged as a symbol of stability and positivity Held from September 10 to 14 in Beijing this event was not merely a trade expo
ample discussions highlighted practical implementations like Brunei s Muara Port upgraded into a modern logistics hub with dual-currency financing in RMB and Brunei dollars facilitated by the Bank of China, which handles around 80 percent of the port’s peak transactions Such arrangements not only cut costs but provide real-world stability as seen in the bank s broader network: by the end of 2024 it operated 543 overseas branches across 64 countries with cross-border RMB settlements surpassing CNY 43 trillion, marking a 35 percent year-over-year increase Beyond bilateral bonhomie, CIFTIS 2025 amplified multilateralism’s promise Co-hosted forums including the Global Trade in Services Summit with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development delved into healthcare digital innovation, and cultural exchange These discussions were not abstract; they yielded tangible outcomes, from French medical collaborations to Saudi-Singaporean digital ventures in Xiong’an Notably the fair emphasized emerging trends in local and regional currency settlements across regions like Latin America where ICBC completed China s first fully deliverable forward RMB–Brazilian real transaction in May 2025, enabling direct hedging against exchange rate risks and filling gaps in small-currency markets Tech-driven initiatives such as Tencent’s June 2024 pilot of the multilateral central bank digital currency bridge (mBridge) project showcased faster lower-cost cross-border clearing pointing to digital infrastructure s role in supporting diverse currencies Broader global shifts were also evident: BRICS nations increasingly trade in rubles rands reais and rupees; ASEAN uses baht and ringgit for bilateral deals; and Africa s Export-Import Bank facilitates intra-regional transactions in local currencies The fair s venue, Shougang Park, once a steel mill, now embodies this adaptive spirit- blending heritage with high-tech displays that highlight practical applications of emerging technologies
This emphasis on innovation and sustainability was particularly encouraging As climate imperatives loom, CIFTIS spotlights services that drive green transitions - smart storage, new energy and beyond China’s Belt and Road Initiative extended this ethos weaving servicebased connectivity into its infrastructure web empowering partners in Africa and Southeast Asia through knowledge transfers In contrast to zero-sum tariffs - such as the US threats of up to 60 percent hikes - this approach fosters inclusive growth where emerging players like India and Brazil can thrive alongside established powers bolstered by stable currency mechanisms that enhance efficiency and risk management Yet the fair s true genius lies in its cultural dimension Forums like the World Conference on Tourism Cooperation promoted exchanges that humanise trade, bridging civilisations through shared experiences The resurgence in travel services drawing visitors to sites like the Temple of Heaven signals that trade is not just economic arithmetic but a cultural dialogue In an age of fragmentation, such initiatives rebuild trust, proving that prosperity need not come at another ’s expense Challenges persist, of course The services trade deficit signals room for domestic enhancements in finance and consulting while external pressures demand vigilance But China s responses - easing foreign access, boosting R&D, and stimulating consumption via measures like August s interest subsidies- demonstrate foresight Private indicators, such as the Caixin/S&P Global Services PMI at 52 1 in August affirm this sector ’s buoyancy amid manufacturing contractions CIFTIS 2025 was more than an event; it is a manifesto for a collaborative future As protectionism casts shadows, China s open doors illuminate a path where global trade flourishes through inclusion, innovation, and mutual respect For nations weary of confrontation this fair offers not dominance but partnership- a blueprint for shared progress in a multipolar world In embracing it we might yet salvage the promise of globalisation, turning potential divides into bridges of enduring prosperity
The writer is a freelance columnist
Madrasas need serious oversight
to establish child protection committees, ensure transparent reporting channels and provide psychological support for affected children Public awareness campaigns and teacher training are also essential to create a safer educational environment A society that fails to protect its children undermines its own future Through effective law enforcement and genuine institutional accountability we can ensure that spaces of learning truly become spaces of safety and growth
SABIHA KASHIF KARACHI
Honour languages
NO language comes into existence on its own; every language has its own history and culture Take Saraiki for example It is an Indo-Aryan language with its own history and associated culture spoken in South Punjab as well as in parts
Dr
imraN KhaLiD
TDepartment are met with either silence or contradictory information Reports have surfaced that even employees with accounts at the “lucky” banks have not all been paid, pointing to potential errors in data processing or system integration This has left public servants running from pillar to post their trust in the government as an employer steadily eroding Two critical institutional failures underpin this fiasco First, there is an alarming lack of training and competence at the District Accounts Office level The MPG system driven by complex APIs and real-time processing demands a level of technical expertise that appears to be absent among many officials The chaotic rollout suggests that staff were either inadequately trained or entirely unprepared to troubleshoot issues that inevitably arise during the adoption of a new system Second and perhaps more egregious is the absence of a dedicated support mechanism for affected employees In an
in a trial phase and that issues will be resolved by September offers little solace
to those struggling to meet their financial obligations today Such statements, while perhaps technically accurate, underscore a profound lack of preparedness and empathy further fueling confusion and frustration
human toll of
failure cannot
must act with urgency and decisiveness The following measures are critical:
1 ESTABLISH A DEDICATED
HELPLINE: The government must immediately set up a well-publicized 24/7 helpline to address employee queries and log complaints This helpline should be staffed
which it
and
and
the
, refused
The West soon recognised the Jordanian annexation of the West Bank, though not of East Jerusalem Due to western hostility to the APG, and complicity in the division of Palestine between Israel and King Abdullah I of Jordan to prevent any Palestinian sovereignty the APG faded and dissolved itself in 1953 In 1988 the Palestine National Council - the Palestinian parliament in exile, an organ of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) - unilaterally declared “independence” in Algiers in support of the first Palestinian Uprising (1987-1993) which the PLO would ultimately crush as the price it pledged to pay for signing the 1993 Oslo Accord While dozens of countries rushed to recognise that non-existent independent state the United States adamantly refused
The US had, in fact, been the party responsible for blocking Palestinian independence in 1947, when it strong-armed several countries to change their votes at the last minute and support UN General Assembly Resolution 181 - the Partition Plan Thanks to American efforts that plan awarded most of Palestine to the minority Jewish colonists whose state the US recognised readily in May 1948 The US also made sure not to recognise the APG, a strategy it maintained by denying recognition to the PLO’s declaration of independence in 1988
AFTER OSLO: After the 1993-94 Oslo Accords which created the Palestinian Authority (PA) negotiations with Israel on the core issues - independence borders Jerusalem and the return of refugees - never materialised, despite the passage of an agreed five-year interim period ending in May 1999 When no “final status” talks were even started, PA President Yasser Arafat threatened to declare the independence of Palestine in the entire West Bank East Jerusalem and Gaza - territories where the PA exercised either extremely limited or no actual control Amid American threats and warnings from pro-American Arab governments, Arafat backed down Subsequent PA attempts to be recognised by the UN as a state were met with the threat of a US veto and of cutting off US
abdul RahMan Malik
to Reuters questions A State Department official said Washington continues to support any efforts that will bring lasting stability and peace between Israel, Syria and its neighbours ” The official did not answer questions on whether the US wanted to announce a breakthrough during the General Assembly
TRUST DEFICIT AT TALKS
Israel has voiced hostility to Syrian government, pointing to President Ahmed alSharaa’s former links with fighter groups and has lobbied Washington to keep the country weak and decentralised
But the US has encouraged talks keen to expand the countries that signed peace deals with Israel under the Abraham Accords during Trump’s first administration
Exploratory contacts began in Abu Dhabi following Sharaa’s April visit to the Emirates which have ties with Israel The two sides then met in the Azerbaijani capital Baku in July
Days later, discussions were plunged into disarray when Syrian troops deployed to the southwestern Sweida region to quell sectarian violence between Bedouin and Druze militias Israel said the deployment violated its enforcement of a demilitarised zone and bombed the defence ministry in Damascus Sharaa accused it of seeking pretexts to interfere in Syria s south A US-brokered ceasefire ended the violence and a month later bilateral negotiations resumed in Paris marking the first time Syria publicly acknowledged holding direct talks with its longtime foe
However, the atmosphere in the room was tense, with a lack of trust between the two sides, according to two Syrian sources and a Western diplomat
Negotiators are following a phased process modelled on deals Israel reached with Egypt that paved the way for a land-
mark normalisation of relations in 1980 That involved the return to Egypt of the Sinai peninsula, seized by Israel in the 1967 war Six sources briefed on the talks said Israel would be unwilling even in the longterm to return the Golan which Trump unilaterally recognised as Israeli in his first term Instead, Israel floated a proposal to the US special envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, that it could withdraw from southern Syria in return for Sharaa relinquishing
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s home voicing fears that the escalating assault could cost their loved ones lives Religious and political leaders worldwide also raised alarms Pope Leo XIV condemned the suffering of Palestinians saying they were “forced yet again to leave their land and renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire In Europe, the European Commission proposed sanctions against Israel, including suspending trade privileges and targeting extremist ministers and settlers Israel has warned the EU against the measures which currently lack full support among member states The EU move followed a UN Commission of Inquiry report accusing Israel of genocide, citing deliberate attacks on children, sexual violence by security forces, and systematic destruction of Gaza’s cultural educational and religious institutions Israel rejected the findings as false and distorted Th o u s a n d s
to destroy Hamas s last major base and secure the release of hostages, ignoring growing international condemnation Meanwhile the United Nations has now verified that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza while more than 20 major aid organisations, including Oxfam and Save the Children, warning that the “inhumanity of the situation is unconscionable ” The calls for intervention come ahead of next week’s UN General Assembly in New York Palestinians escaping the bombardment continue to head south in convoys of donkey carts, overloaded trucks, rickshaws and on foot Many travel along the coastal road to al-Mawasi, a so-called “humanitarian zone” designated by Israel On Wednesday the army said it would also open the central Salah al-Din road for 48 hours offering a second route south
But soaring transport and shelter costs are making flight impossible for many Lina al-Maghrebi, a mother of three from Gaza City s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, told the BBC she sold her jewellery to pay for the journey “It took us ten hours to reach Khan Younis and we paid 3 500 shekels for the ride she said The line of cars and trucks seemed endless Humanitarian groups warn the designated safe areas cannot accommodate the influx Some displaced families who made the trip said they found no space to pitch their tents and returned north
According to the Israeli army about 350 000 people have left Gaza City since the offensive began though UN estimates put the figure at 190,000 At least 650,000 remain in the city Israeli media reported that the military is employing remotely controlled vehicles loaded with explosives to target Hamas positions Meanwhile families of Israeli hostages demonstrated outside
community with a shared future to new levels and contribute more to regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity, he said He called on the two sides to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, jointly advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and work together to implement the Global Development Initiative the Global Security Initiative the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative The two sides should accelerate regional openness and cooperation, jointly build the Version 3 0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, and continue to implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with high quality he added Han also called for joint efforts to expand bilateral cooperation in emerging industries continuously and to maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains He urged both sides to enhance civilizational exchanges and mutual learning, facilitate personnel exchanges, and implement more projects that will benefit people’s livelihoods Han pointed out that China will adhere to high-standard opening up to provide more opportunities to the world and promote common development among all countries through its own high-quality development He hopes that all parties will make full use of the ChinaASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit to share opportunities and jointly promote a better future Prime Minister of Myanmar U Nyo Saw Vice President of Laos Bounthong Chitmany Cambodia s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers Vongsey Vissoth, Malaysia s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Fadillah
U N p a n e l a c c u s e s Ne t a nya h u, I s
AGENCIES
A United Nations Commission of Inquiry has concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and that senior leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bear responsibility for inciting it In its strongest assessment yet, the commission said widespread killings, forced displacement, obstruction of humanitarian aid and destruction of infrastructure including medical facilities meet the legal criteria for
CM MARYAM L AUNCHES ELECTRIC BUSES, FLOOD
A zma extends condolences over passing of D r Z iaullah K han Bangash’s wife
Team Envision – PNEC-NUST join hands to strengthen communication and drive fuel-efficient climate action
KARACHI
s ta f f r e p o r t
Team Envision – PNEC-NUST and Xenith Public Relations (XPR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance their 360-degree communication efforts and strengthen the team s participation at the upcoming Shell Eco-Marathon 2026 The MoU officiated and signed between Ms Sereen Atif Faculty Advisor for the studentled engineering society at PNEC-NUST, and Mr Syed Raheel Nabi, Chief Executive Officer of Xenith PR aims to not only amplify the project s visibility but also reinforce shared values of innovation and climate consciousness Shell EcoMarathon a global program organized in different regions of the world is one of the world s leading student engineering competitions
ABHI par tners with TRAY to empower hospitalit y workforce in KSA
KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t MENAP-based fintech ABHI and TRAY, a leading cloud-based POS and business management platform in the Kingdom, have joined forces to introduce Earned Wage Access services for
BEIJING n e w S D e S k
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday described Pakistan’s relationship with China as a bond that has endured across generations saying it was rooted in history and carried forward by successive leaders of his family Speaking at Fudan University in Shanghai during a special session titled “Pak-China Friendship: Past, Present and Future” Bilawal said the ties between the two nations dated back over two millennia Over 2 000 years ago our histories intertwined along the fabled Silk Road, he said, according to a report published by Gwadar Pro The areas that now make up Pakistan served as a vital artery of the ancient Silk Road connecting China with the Middle East
Africa and Europe This was not just a trade route but a conduit of culture laying the foundations of what we now celebrate as our iron brotherhood
Bilawal highlighted how his family had played a central role in deepening relations with Beijing He recalled that his grandfather, former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was “the last foreign dignitary to be received by President Mao and helped lay the foundation of Pakistan s diplomatic partnership with China
His mother, the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto, “advocated passionately both domestically and internationally for the PakistanChina relationship while his father former president Asif Ali Zardari was credited with advancing the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including the transfer of Gwadar Port and the landmark signing of CPEC
agreements in 2013
Referring to his own tenure as Pakistan s foreign minister Bilawal said he had worked closely with Chinese leaders particularly then-foreign minister Wang Yi I believe, generation after generation, we have carried this relationship forward,” he told the audience Bilawal also underlined that Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the People s Republic of China We are particularly proud that while today everybody wants to be friends with China, we sought friendship with China even when no one else did,” he remarked Calling for greater involvement of young people in shaping the future of bilateral ties Bilawal told students and faculty: I am here to engage with you to speak with you and to encourage you to begin playing your role in taking this relationship to the next generation and the next level ”
disputes
C O M M E R C I A L TA R I F F: For cold storages engaged in short-term storage for retail and distribution without sig-
nificant value addition Earlier Nepra on June 2 2022 placed cold storage facilities under the Commercial Tariff category, a move that was later notified by the federal government on July 25 2022 However several cold storage operators objected to this decision arguing that the imposition of commercial tariffs significantly increased their operational costs They requested the application of industrial tariffs instead, citing the nature of their operations In response Nepra held a public hearing on June 6 2023 attended by various stakeholders including representatives from distribution companies (DISCOs) and the All Pakistan Cold Storage Association Meanwhile, multiple industrial consumers also filed a case before the Lahore High Court challenging
Nepra s decision regarding the tariff and Fuel Price Adjustment (FCA) On February 6, 2023, the Lahore High Court ruled that Nepra could not change the tariff type from industrial to commercial without first hearing from the affected consumers The Supreme Court later remanded the matter back to Nepra directing the authority to make an independent decision, unaffected by previous judgments Both Nepra and DISCOs agreed to this approach, which led to further deliberations within various ministries and forums While the decision was welcomed by some Amina Ahmed Nepra s Member (Law), raised concerns about potential ambiguity in the ruling She warned that inconsistent interpretations of the tariffs could lead to future conflicts and disputes
IHC issues written order on Justice Jahangiri ’s in ‘fake degree’ case
g NE W TARIFFS DISTINGUISH BET WEEN COLD STOR AGES BASED ON THEIR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES; DECISION FOLLOWS A SERIES OF LEGAL CHALLENGES AND PUBLIC HEARINGS ISLAMABAD
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued
