PM L AUNCHES RS1.2TR ‘HISTORIC BREAKTHROUGH’ TO WIPE OUT ENERGY CIRCUL AR DEBT
g SHEHBAZ STRESSES ‘ COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE,’ SAYING CONSORTIUM OF 18 BANKS BACKS RS1 225TR FINANCING FACILITY WITH SIX-YEAR REPAYMENT WINDOW
g CLAIMING RETIREMENT OF DEBT SERVICE SURCHARGE, IPP SETTLEMENTS, AND PHL LOAN CENTRAL TO POWER SECTOR REFORMS
g PM CREDITS TASK FORCE FOR TOUGH IPP NEGOTIATIONS, ACKNOWLEDGING ‘ VITAL SUPPORT’ BY ARMY CHIEF
pM S hehbaz arrives in Washington for key White House talks with president trump
a much-anticipated meeting with US President Donald Trump a highprofile engagement expected to reset Pakistan-US ties amid shifting regional dynamics and recent strains in Washington’s relations with New Delhi state media reported State broadcaster PTV reported that the prime minister accompanied by a delegation, landed at Andrews Airbase where he received a red-carpet welcome from senior US Air Force officials His motorcade then departed under tight security for the White House where the meeting with President Trump is scheduled for 4:30pm local time (1:30am PST Friday) Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir is also part of the delegation
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
According to officials the two leaders are expected to discuss matters of mutual interest, regional stability, counterterrorism cooperation, trade, and global developments The meeting comes weeks after Pakistan and the United States finalized a trade agreement imposing a 19% tariff on Pakistani goods and just days after PM Shehbaz s extensive engagements at the 80th UN General Assembly session in New York During his UNGA trip, the prime minister attended multilateral summits of the Muslim bloc held side meetings with international financial institutions and joined President
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Thursday that terrorists were receiving “state patronage” in Afghanistan from where they continue to launch attacks on Pakistan
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad Bugti claimed that militants had been provided with safe havens and training facilities across the border He added that several of those recently killed in operations in Pakistan had Afghan origins The Taliban government must honour the Doha agreement, in
which they pledged not to allow Afghan soil to be used against any country ” Bugti said His remarks echo repeated complaints from Islamabad that militant groups use Afghan territory to carry out violence inside Pakistan Kabul has consistently denied such allegations Bugti also shared information about an intelligence-based operation in Chagai a day earlier which resulted in the deaths of two men and the surrender of another He said one of those killed was a lawyer linked to the May 8 attack on Pakistan Air Force personnel in Dalbandin According to Bugti the man had been under surveillance for
several months When security forces surrounded his home and urged him to surrender he opened fire A Federal Constabulary soldier was martyred in the exchange which lasted two to three hours Eventually, two terrorists were killed and their companion surrendered,” he said He further alleged that efforts were underway to unite militant outfits in Balochistan claiming that the campaign was supported by India s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) “This is an intelligence-based war foisted on us, aimed at destabilising Pakistan ” he remarked
(LPC) President
Arshad Ansari, moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday against notices they received from the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) The petitioners Arshad Ansari Sheikh Mujahid Latif Sheraz Nisar Ahmed Faraz Yasir Shamoon and Waseem Sabir made the NCCIA director deputy director and inspector from Lahore as well as the agency s director general in Islamabad, respondents in the case According to the petition, the journalists had performed their professional duty by covering criminal cases and highlighting flaws in police administration They specifically pointed to their reporting on the creation of the Crime Control Department the appointment of Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Faisal Kamran without merit, and what they described as the rising crime rate in the provincial capital
The journalists alleged that these reports prompted DIG Kamran to retaliate by “launching malicious social media campaigns against petitioners through retired police officials The petition further stated that on September 18, a premeditated complaint based on false and fabricated contents was filed with the NCCIA in an attempt to malign and defame them
Subsequently the NCCIA deputy director issued two notices to the journalists summoning them for personal appearances The first notice was served on September 20 followed by a second on September 24 directing them to appear the very next day, September 25 The gap between both notices is merely three to four days, which clearly indicates misuse of authority aimed at maligning the petitioners,” the plea stated It argued that the NCCIA’s actions amounted to harassment and an attempt to silence critical reporting on police performance
The petition contended that powers are being misused by the respondents, and notices are being sent maliciously at the behest of others just to tarnish the reputation of journalists ” It also pointed out that no clear rules or regulations
KARACHI/LAHORE s ta f f r e p o r t A fresh war of words erupted between coalition partners
PML-N and PPP on Thursday as Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif accused the PPP of “politicising” flood relief in Punjab while PPP Chairman Bilawal
Bhutto-Zardari insisted that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) remained the only effective mechanism to reach out to the flood-affected communities
Speaking at the launch of the electric bus project in Dera Ghazi Khan CM Maryam dismissed the idea of routing flood aid exclusively through BISP “Nowadays people are talking about distributing aid through BISP but they only give Rs10 000 I will give flood-affected people Rs1 million, she declared, terming the PPP s approach a simplistic solution She argued that Rs10,000 was insufficient for fami-
lies who had lost homes livestock and crops “I want to rebuild damaged houses and compensate destroyed crops but BISP does not provide enough money she said While acknowledging PPP as an ally at the Centre, Maryam said the party was politicising Punjab s flood crisis Without naming Bilawal, she urged him and former president Asif Ali Zardari to guide their spokespersons “If God forbid a disaster hits Sindh Punjab will stand with it I ask them to stop politicising floods in Punjab she remarked Reacting to criticism over not seeking international aid, she reiterated: I am Nawaz Sharif s daughter, and I will not beg for charity How long will Pakistan continue to extend its hand before the world? The NFC Award gives billions to provinces where is that money
PAKISTAN TO HOST MARITIME WEEK IN NOVEMBER, MINISTER CALLS FOR URGENT GLOBAL ACTION TO PROTECT OCEANS
Rs1 349 6 billion in local funding By July 2025, the road authority had already spent Rs1,073 8 billion, reflecting significant progress on the projects Among the schemes nearing completion are the dualization and improvement of Old Bannu Road
current fiscal year, according to official documents The schemes, which were approved last year under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) were initially estimated at Rs1 111 8 billion but the cost was later revised to Rs1 406 3 billion The revised allocation includes Rs56 7 billion in foreign assistance and
Fertilizer consumption rises 53% in August
vulnerable regions and customize preparedness and response strategies based on localized risks such as floods cloudbursts glacial melt GLOFs and landslides Dr Malik also pointed out the fragmented nature of the current disaster response system and called for its integration into a unified, streamlined framework He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working closely with NDMA and other stakeholders to ensure an effective and coordinated disaster management strategy
launches Rs1.2tr ‘historic
to wipe out energy circular debt
CONTINUD FROM PAGE 01 Ministers senior officials energy regulators international partners, and CEOs of leading power sector organizations attended the event at the Prime Minister ’s House in Islamabad “This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that circular debt which has been swallowing our national resources is being addressed in a structured and effective manner the premier remarked The prime minister highlighted the contributions of the Power Division, Petroleum Ministry, and the Task Force, paying special tribute to former caretaker energy minister Mohammad Ali Secretary Power and Lieutenant General (R) Muhammad Zafar Iqbal for their tireless negotiations with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) He also acknowledged the role of the financial sector, praising Zafar Masood, President of the Bank of Punjab, along with teams from Meezan Bank, Habib Bank, and other commercial banks for their pivotal support The State Bank of Pakistan and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) were also lauded for facilitating the execution of the plan PM Shehbaz underscored that the initiative received the behind-the-scenes support of Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, which gave strength to the government’s reform agenda
“This is Team Pakistan’s success ” he emphasized adding that even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had acknowledged the reform progress Yesterday I met the IMF Managing Director who praised Pakistan s commitment and speed of implementation This is unprecedented recognition,
he said He urged stakeholders to continue working with “courage and confidence” to resolve energy sector challenges Our macroeconomic indicators business climate and reforms are receiving international recognition If we maintain this momentum Pakistan will surely emerge from its difficulties, he concluded At the signing ceremony, federal ministers for Power and Petroleum as well as advisers on Privatization were present Representatives from COCPPA Meezan Bank and Habib Bank formally endorsed the agreement on behalf of the financial sector Lieutenant General (R) Zafar Iqbal, head of the Task Force, highlighted the difficult but successful negotiations with IPPs while senior offic
emphasized upcoming reforms including the
COMMENT
and RSF
IT was no doubt a happy coincidence, but a coincidence nonetheless, that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly a day ahead of the scheduled arrival in Islamabad of an IMF team to carry out the second biannual review of the $7 million Extended Fund Facility As well as the first review of the $1 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility It may be mentioned that the RSF was granted after Pakistan passed its first review last March It is tied to Pakistan being on an IMF programme, and is liable to be terminated as soon as Pakistan fails the review of its main programme Mr Sharif pressed upon Ms Georgieva the need of the IMF to make allowances in this review, and going forward, to allow for the effects of the recent floods on virtually all the Quantitative Performance Criteria set by the IMF However, the QPCs seem to be holding up, nonetheless which gives the government a degree of confidence that it will be able to manage to pass the review and obtain the next tranche of the EFF There are three areas where the IMF may have to decide about deviations from plan First are failures to meet the inflation and growth targets Then the primary balance targets, both because of relief and rehabilitation expenditures and because of expected revenue collection shortfalls Finally, there will be strain on foreign exchange reserves caused by the failure to export as much rice as planned, and the need to import wheat and sugar There will be an additional burden, that of rebuilding all the infrastructure and social capital destroyed by the floods Pakistan is clearly facing an existential crisis To insist on financial and fiscal targets in the face of immense loss does not make sense Worse for the IMF it could drive the country into reneging on its commitments There is every sign that the government has borne the huge political cost of obeying the IMF sedulously It should be noted that it is not a matter of giving the masses relief, but of ensuring the relief and rehabilitation of a large but limited number of people affected by the floods The goal is not prosperity or even previous levels of poverty, but survival The IMF must not pretend business is as usual It must recognize that the country is facing an emergency
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
On silliness
TH E Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Military Agreement really does not create any new commitments between the two countries but it represents a reversion for Pakistan to a bygone era, when it was part of CENTO, and earlier SEATO It was allied to the USA during the Afghan Jihad, but never hosted any US forces, cooperation being limited to increased training and courses as well as supply of military equipment to all three Pakistani services The USA was provided with the Jacobabad Air Base during the anti-Taliban campaign, but no US forces joined Pakistan in any combat operations Indeed, the only interaction was confrontational, when US helicopter gunships fired on Pakistani positions at Salala
The agreement has not evoked much reaction in Pakistan because it is reasonably clear that it does not represent a departure However it has caused consternation in India, as well as in Israel, though more in the former than the latter India s concern does not seem to be so much directed at the military prowess of Saudi Arabia as against what it says about the Indian efforts to create a close relationship
The most recent high point was the visit there in 2013 by Indian PM Narendra Modi Saudi Arabia is one of India s biggest suppliers of oil Also Saudi Arabia is one of Pakistan s most consistent friends, and a member of the Organization s Contact Group on Kashmir; thus making it more malleable to Indian interests would mean an undermining of Pakistan and its support for the Kashmir cause Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan has said the agreement is not directed against any country That is an impossibility for a military agreement, as opposed to any other agreement A trade agreement between two countries may have implications for another, but it need not be directed at it However even if a military agreement is for the sale of equipment that has to be used against another The supplier may specify that the equipment is not to be used against a third party That the buyer may ignore that in the event of conflict is almost inevitable This was shown by the 1965 Indo-Pak War, when Pakistan ignored the promise the USA had extracted not to use the equipment it supplied against India However India has little reason to fear the products of the Saudi defence industry While Pakistan is no industrial giant its defence industry makes it likelier that Saudi Arabia will buy Pakistani products for its armed forces However, there would arise the question of interoperability of equipment This is the first time that two countries which import arms have entered into a defence equipment Arms suppliers might have reservations While Pakistan is not under any embargo there might be a problem for Saudi Arabia which uses a lot of US-made equipment and which has committed to buy more
‘wisdom’ based on cliches such as ‘All ideas are worth celebrating (no they are not!); Each person has his own truth (Then why preach it?); and Listen to your heart! (Even if it whispers to you utter craziness?) This sort of tolerance (for lack of a better word) is nothing more than a conscious or subconscious ploy to rationalize not subjecting one’s biases to scrutiny A further cause for concern is the rather steep increase in the already alarming number of rebels per square kilometre Consider such a specimen: he takes pride in challenging all established ideas, contemptuously rejecting each Sounds noble enough The problem, however, with this sort is that he invariably gives clear indications of having no idea what he is talking about His observations make it obvious that he has never bothered to read anything ever written on any issue that he ever addresses Since he typically believes that his criticism is completely original and outright brilliant, he does not for a moment consider the possibility that it may have been countered or shown to be utterly
The method employed by NATO was to jointly develop things like fighter planes Members already imported arms from one another What to speak of arms manufacturing potential it Coming back to the question of possible opponents while those entering into the agreement may specify potential opponents against which they will not act Saudi Arabia may tell Pakistan that it will not enter into any conflict with India and Pakistan may specify Iran
That might well prevent another widely-expressed fear from occurring of Pakistan extending its nuclear umbrella over Saudi Arabia Pakistan may have a nuclear bomb but that does not mean it can give anyone a nuclear umbrella In fact, it cannot give itself one A nuclear umbrella means a readiness and an ability to launch a nuclear attack against all comers That means the possession of intercontinental ballistic missiles which it doesn t have and of a second-strike capability guaranteed by nuclear submarines which it also doesn t have Pakistan has always said that its nuclear weapon is a deterrent against India, and that is correct In the unlikely event of India attacking Saudi Arabia, Pakistan could launch a nuclear strike against India It explicitly has reserved the right to first use against India but does this extend to any other state?
The only nuclear state with a remote chance of attacking Saudi Arabia is Israel Pakistan has repeatedly denied that it has any intention of using its nuclear weapon against Israel And how about Iran? Iran does not have a nuclear weapon, but it is not all that far from developing one despite the June bombings of its main nuclear sites by Israel and the USA While a special summit was held for Qatar the purpose of the negotiations there the conflict in Gaza,
The uncomfor table fact remains that when the bullets begin to fly, or the bombs to fall, mutual defence pacts fly out of the window, and countries make decisions based on national interests.
stupid on numerous occasions in the past
On the opposite end of the spectrum to the rebel (but no less irksome) is the perpetual visionary that keeps coming up with brilliant new ideas All his past ideas have without exception been plagiarized, stupid or both But that fact fails to temper his enthusiasm in the slightest when it is time for him to unveil his latest plan Like the rebel above his cocksureness (and the resulting cringeworthiness) is inversely proportional to his lack of knowledge of the first things about the issue he has taken up Gross overestimation of one s competence and understanding, being a very human failing, is hardly a new phenomenon But it seems to have come to a point where it has become virtually impossible for most fellows to speak for two minutes without contradicting themselves In fact many cannot help making self-conflicting statements in a single breath With the advent of the social media, the universal access to publication of undeliberated, unreviewed ideas may have something to do with it Why the cacophony of nonsense that went on even 20 years ago pales in comparison with what is heard today Or is it age catching up with this scribe? It could be both
The author is a connoisseur of music, literature, and food (but not drinks) He can be reached at www facebook com/hasanaftabsaeed
Gross overestimation of oneÊs competence and understanding, being a very human failing, is hardly a new phenomenon. But it seems to have come to a point where it has become vir tually impossible for most fellows to speak for two minutes without contradicting themselves. In fact, many cannot help making self-conflicting statements in a single breath. With the advent of the social media, the universal access to publication of undeliberated, unreviewed ideas may have something to do with it Why, the cacophony of nonsense that went on even 20 years ago pales in comparison with what is heard today Or is it age catching up with this scribe? It could be both
Beyond par t y lines
Digitise document verification
IMF team to begin reviews for EFF
FI
lack of ownership by school leaders weak professional collaboration among teachers, and limited teacher preparedness These challenges slow down the progress towards an equitable education system It is a fact that a country like Pakistan is faced with multifaceted economic and sociopolitical challenges The situation is almost the same in different low and middle income countries In these countries resources are limited and specialized professionals are scarce, therefore, innovative and contextsensitive models are needed to make inclusive education a reality Several international examples illustrate how existing systems can be reimagined to strengthen inclusive practices In Montenegro, for instance, the Ministry of Education re-designated three special schools as Resource Centres transforming them into national hubs mandated to support inclusion rather than substitute for it This paradigm shift moving away from a special school mentality was not without resistance Educators feared losing their jobs and doubted the feasibility of inclusion However, through pilot projects and outreach, mindsets gradually changed Staff in these centres began to see themselves not as segregated caregivers but as partners in each child’s education working hand in hand with families and mainstream teachers
Similarly in Armenia the Open Society Foundation began engaging with schools in the early 1990s to pilot special school resource centres The initiative drew on the expertise within the special education system to support mainstream schools, ensuring that children with diverse special education needs could receive appropriate assistance This approach also helped bring special schools into the fold of inclusive education rather than leaving them on its margins As noted by Lani Florian in her 2021 book, the value driving such reforms is a clear expectation that special schools should be reframed as resources for inclusion Across Europe and beyond countries that have transformed special schools into resource centres are demonstrating how existing expertise can be repurposed to build stronger, more inclusive education systems These international experiences serve as important reminders for countries like Pakistan: inclusive education does not always require building entirely new systems it often requires rethinking and redesigning the structures we already have In Pakistan, a notable example in this regard, is the Rising Sun Education and Welfare Society, a non-profit organization that has been actively supporting inclusive education for over 16 years now Rising Sun has trained thousands of mainstream school teachers and administrators across Punjab Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sindh Balochistan Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir Its team of experienced professionals not only provides teacher training but also assists
Pakistan has come a long way since the early days when inclusive education was little understood The progress made so far through greater awareness, government commitment, and the proactive role of private organizations and non-profits offers hope that the country is moving steadily toward an education system where diversity is valued, and all learners are given the opportunity to thrive
How Ar tificial Intelligence could kill us all
If
and the achievement of superintelligence is now Mark Zuckerberg’s explicit goal
from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war” As a clarion call, If Anyone Builds It Everyone Dies is well timed Superintelligent AI doesn’t exist yet but in the wake of the ChatGPT revolution investment in the datacentres that would power it is now counted in the hundreds of billions
This amounts to the biggest and fastest rollout of a general purpose technology in history,” according to the FT’s John Thornhill Meta alone will spend as much as $72bn (£54bn) on AI infrastructure this year and the achievement of superintelligence is now Mark Zuckerberg s explicit goal Not great news, if you believe Yudkowsky and Soares But why should we? Despite the complexity of its subject, If Anyone Builds It Everyone Dies is as clear as its conclusions are hard to swallow
Where the discussions become more technical mainly in passages dealing with AI model training and architecture, it s still straightforward enough for readers to grasp the basic facts
Among these is that we don’t really understand how generative AI works In the past computer programs were hand coded –every aspect of them was designed by a human In contrast the latest models aren t crafted , they re grown We don t understand, for example, how ChatGPT s ability to reason emerged from it being shown vast amounts of human-generated text Something fundamentally mysterious happened during its incubation This places a vital part of AI s functioning beyond our control and means that, even if we can nudge it towards certain goals such as be nice to people , we can’t determine how it will get there That’s a problem, because it means that AI will inevitably generate its own quirky preferences and ways of doing things and these alien predilections are unlikely to be aligned with ours (This is it s worth noting entirely separate from the question of whether AIs might be sentient or conscious” Being set goals, and taking actions in the service of them is enough to bring about potentially dangerous behaviour ) In any case Yudkowsky and Soares point out that tech companies are already trying hard to build AIs that do things on their own initiative, because businesses will pay more for tools that they don’t have to supervise If an “agentic” AI like this were to gain the ability to improve itself it would rapidly surpass human capabilities in practically every area Assuming that such a superintelligent AI valued its
computer scientist both of whom signed up to the statement that “mitigating the risk of extinction
We don’t understand, for example, how ChatGPT ’s abilit y to reason emerged from it being shown vast amounts of human- generated tex t S omething fundamentally mysterious happened during its inc ubation
is shutting us down What methods would it use? Yudkowsky and Soares argue that these could involve technology we can t yet imagine and which may strike us as very peculiar They liken us to Aztecs sighting Spanish ships off the coast of Mexico, for whom the idea of sticks they can point at you to make you die” – AKA guns – would have been hard to conceive of Nevertheless in order to make things more convincing
Nabila ChauDhry
nance system Recognizing China as a strong pillar of te United Nations and multilateralism Guterres said the United Nations highly values and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in firmly upholding multilateralism, the
Charter and international fairness and justice, promoting the cause of global development advancing the reform of the global governance system and expanding the Global South s representation in multilateral mechanisms, so as to better safeguard the common interests of the international community
Iran greets Pak-S audi defence deal as star t of ‘comprehensive regional sec urity system’
The Iranian president praised the defence deal while addressing the General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday “Iran welcomes the defensive pact between the two brotherly Muslim countries the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as a beginning for a comprehensive regional security system with the cooperation of the Muslim states of West Asia in the political security and defence domains, he said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had hinted on Friday that some countries were showing interest in building strategic defence agreements with Pakistan following the deal It s premature to say anything but some other countries want to enter into an agreement of this nature
FM Dar had told reporters in London, replying to a question about whether other states will join the pact or ink similar deals Iran and Saudi Arabia have often been on opposing sides of regional conflicts, including in Syria and Yemen The two regional heavyweights broke off
diplomatic relations in 2016 before re-establishing them in 2023 under a rapprochement deal brokered by China
The two Muslim countries have since been witnessing warming relations with high-level meetings of their leaders Saudi Arabia had condemned the Israeli strikes on Iran in May calling them “aggressions” and a “clear violation of international laws Riyadh had also expressed its great concern following the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities
TELLS UN TEHRAN WILL NEVER SEEK TO BUILD NUCLEAR BOMB
President Pezeshkian also said Iran has no intention to build nuclear weapons just days before international sanctions could be reimposed on his country over Tehran s nuclear ambitions I hereby declare once more before this assembly that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb We do not seek nuclear weapons
Pezeshkian said
On August 28 Britain France and Germany launched a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions that ends on September 27 accusing Tehran of failing to abide by a 2015 deal with world powers aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon The European powers have offered to delay reinstating sanctions for up to six months to allow space for talks on a long-term deal if Iran restores access for UN nuclear inspectors
CM MARYAM L AUNCHES SOUTH PUNJAB’S
E-BUS SERVICE, VOWS EQUAL DEVELOPMENT
is not a normal part of ageing; it is a progressive degenerative condition of the brain Early diagnosis, medical treatment and community support can significantly improve the quality of life for those affected and slow down the progression of the disease According to the World Health Organization (WHO) more than 55 million people worldwide are currently living with Alzheimer s and other dementias, a number that continues to rise steadily World Alzheimer’s Day serves as a critical reminder of the growing public health challenge these neurodegenerative conditions present and the urgent need for increased understanding compassion and action
Trainee Sindh Police DSPs
visit Capital Cit y Police Headquar ters
A delegation of 42 trainee Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) from the Sindh Police visited the Capital City Police Headquarters in Lahore on Wednesday The delegation was
SENATE PANEL RAPS FOOD MINISTRY FOR FLOUTING COURT
to
structed the
Tariq Khan, the
technical official of the department, in strict compliance with the court ruling The revelation that the ministry had ignored the court order despite several weeks of delay left the senators shocked According to documents shared in the meeting the court had explicitly ordered the government to appoint the senior-most officer Mr Tariq Khan as DG DPP
However the ministry continued to drag its feet citing procedural requirements Tariq Khan, who was also the petitioner in the case, was invited by the committee to brief lawmakers He told senators in clear terms that influential officials inside the ministry were deliberately blocking his appointment to protect their own interests The order is crystal clear but the ministry has chosen to ignore it he stated firmly Secretary MNFSR, Amir Mohyuddin, attempted to downplay the matter, claiming that the appointment process was underway ” But senators refused to buy his explanation Senator Aimal Wali Khan, waving a copy of the court order thundered: “The ministry has no option but to comply Otherwise contempt proceedings may follow against those responsible ” His remarks drew nods from fellow lawmakers who demanded immediate compliance The committee session took a sensational twist when members noticed former DG DPP Tahir Abbas sitting quietly in the meeting room His very presence stunned the senators since his appointment had already been declared illegal by the court Committee Chairman Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan visibly furious demanded an explanation from the secretary On what authority is he sitting here? Who allowed him to attend this meeting when the court has struck down his appointment? The secretary failed to give a convincing answer After some tense exchanges, Tahir Abbas was
asked to leave the committee room a move that underscored the gravity of the ministry s disregard for court directives Senator Saleem Mandviwala raised alarm that the prolonged absence of a legally appointed DPP head was crippling Pakistan’s agricultural trade Fruit and vegetable exporters represented by Waheed Ahmed of the Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association pleaded with the committee to resolve the issue urgently He told the senators that consignments were being delayed, international buyers were losing confidence, and Pakistan’s credibility as a reliable exporter was at stake He warned that if the leadership vacuum at DPP continued Pakistan’s exports would suffer irreparable losses The committee members alarmed at the testimony pressed the ministry further Eventually the secretary MNFSR assured that Tariq Khan s appointment would be finalised without any further delay The committee also took up the issue of suspended DPP technical directors who are facing departmental inquiries After listening to details Senator Mandviwala remarked that the suspensions appeared to be highly selective targeting relatively weaker officials while allowing influential insiders to escape accountability It seems that scapegoats are being punished while the real culprits remain untouched, he observed The committee eventually decided to establish a subcommittee to review all pending inquiries and determine whether justice was being applied fairly The Committee reviewed inquiry reports related to Dr Tariq Khan Ms Allah Ditta Abid and Sohail Shahzad all Ex-Directors (Technical) of DPP After hearing their pleas the Committee expressed serious concerns These are not light allegations Officers may have been made scapegoats, said Chairman Ahsan
Govt begins work on National Resilience Plan to tackle next
year ’s monsoon
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t Aleema Khan sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder
its full response The court adjourned the hearing until October 29 directing both sides to conclude arguments on the acquittal pleas The ruling on these petitions will decide whether the PTI founder and his colleagues face trial under Section 144 PTI activist Falak Javed handed five-day remand in A zma Bokhari
video case
LAHORE
s ta f f r e p o r t
A district court on Thursday handed over PTI social media activist Falak Javed Khan to the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on fiveday physical remand in a case concerning doctored videos of Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari circulated on social media Javed was arrested on Wednesday by the NCCIA and produced before Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo who heard the agency s request for 30 days of custody The magistrate instead granted five days, directing that she be kept in custody until September 30 and presented again with an investigation report The court order a copy of which is available records defence lawyer Mian Ali Ashfaq’s arguments that there was no evidence on record to justify Javed s arrest or remand He claimed the arrest involved illegalities in warrants and proclamations and said the case violated Section 40 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, which requires an independent forensic laboratory Ashfaq further argued that the NCCIA had acted both as complainant and investigating authority while the viral clip in question had already been deleted After that there is no need for remand the order quoted him as saying The prosecution countered that Javed was the principal suspect in the case, had failed to cooperate with investigators, and that her mobile phone needed forensic analysis They added that the cybercrime lab, though set up under the FIA, operated in compliance with PECA and its reports carried legal weight
The court noted that as this was the first remand further investigation and recovery were still required
The federal government has initiated work on a National Resilience Plan for 2025–26 to strengthen the country’s ability to withstand the next monsoon season and curb the devastation caused by natural disasters At a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik agreed on a strategy to improve disaster preparedness emergency response and recovery systems The National Resilience Plan must be outcome-focused, with clear measures to reduce losses in human lives, infrastructure, agriculture and livestock ” Dr Malik said adding that the effort must deliver tangible benefits to communities most at risk
The NDMA chairman underlined the need to map vulnerable areas and design responses to local conditions Floods, glacial lake outburst floods, cloudbursts, and landslides all demand tailored strategies Preparing for such specific risks is vital if we are to build resilience Lt Gen Malik observed Pakistan has suffered repeated shocks from extreme weather most dramatically during the 2022 floods, which displaced millions and inflicted billions in damages Officials say the new plan is intended to avoid a repeat by identi-
fying high-risk regions, integrating scattered response systems, and ensuring relief efforts are faster and more coordinated Dr Malik admitted that current mechanisms are fragmented and need restructuring We require a single streamlined framework that can respond quickly, effectively, and in a coordinated way, he said, pledging closer collaboration between the government the NDMA and other stakeholders
Pakistan’s HPV vaccination c ampaign faces parental skepticism
s ta f f r e p o r t Pakistan s recent rollout of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign aimed at protecting 13 million girls aged 9–14, has met with significant parental skepticism Amid rising concerns about its necessity parents have raised important questions regarding the relevance of this vaccination particularly in light of the country s existing health challenges While cervical cancer remains a global health concern, its direct impact in Pakistan is lower compared to other regions According to the World Health Organization s latest data for 2025 Pakistan ranks relatively lower in cervical cancer incidence in comparison to neighboring countries in South Asia In 2025, there are approximately 5 000 new cases of cervical cancer annually with a mortality rate of around 3 000 deaths each year due to the disease Despite this Pakistan s cervical cancer incidence rate remains below 6 per 100,000 women (who int)
A key concern among parents is the sudden introduction of a free HPV vaccine when Pakistan’s economy is already under significant strain Many wonder why the government has chosen to prioritize this vaccination drive particularly when the country faces more immediate health challenges, such as malnutrition, maternal health issues, and rising infectious diseases like dengue The government’s decision to launch the HPV vaccination program despite limited healthcare resources has raised questions about the allocation of public funds, especially given Pakistan s ongoing economic struggles
Critics argue that the funds spent on the HPV vaccination campaign could be better utilized for addressing more pressing healthcare needs, particularly in rural areas A 2025 health report from the Pakistan Medical Association suggests that significant portions of the population still lack access to essential medical services including basic vaccinations and maternal healthcare In these areas
prioritizing a vaccination program for a disease that, although impactful, is not the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Pakistan, raises questions about the best use of resources
In addition the country s cervical cancer screening rates remain abysmally low, with less than 10% of eligible women screened regularly Healthcare advocates argue that addressing these gaps could yield more immediate benefits in reducing cervical cancer deaths compared to rolling out a national vaccination campaign The main barrier to the success of the HPV vaccination campaign lies in overcoming misinformation and cultural hesitations among parents Many parents particularly in rural and semi-urban areas are concerned about the safety of the vaccine and its potential side effects Local studies, such as those conducted in Punjab and Sindh in 2025, report a 22% refusal rate for the vaccine with common concerns including its long-term effects and the perceived low risk of cervical cancer among young girls
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