PM HAILS ARMED FORCES’ ‘HISTORIC VICTORY’ IN MARK A-E-HAQ, DECL ARES MAY 10 ‘NATIONAL DAY OF RESOLVE’
g PREMIER SHEHBAZ PAYS GLOWING TRIBUTE TO FIELD MARSHAL A SIM MUNIR FOR ‘ WISE AND COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP ’
g SAYS PAKISTAN CRUSHED ENEMY AGGRESSION DURING OPERATION BUNYANUM MARSOOS WITHIN HOURS, DECLARING MAY 10 A S ‘ MARKA-E-HAQ DAY ’
g PRAISES PAF, NAVY AND ARMED FORCES FOR DEFENDING SOVEREIGNTY WITH ‘ HISTORIC RESPONSE,’ CREDITING TRUMP FOR HELPING PREVENT WIDER REGIONAL WAR
g REAFFIRMS PAKISTAN ’S DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT FOR KA SHMIR AND REGIONAL STABILITY
15 policemen mar tyred in suicide assault on Bannu Police post
immediately launched an operation at the site and managed to pull three police officers alive from the rubble before continuing search and rescue efforts through the night Police said that following the explosion terrorists launched a coordinated assault on the checkpoint opening heavy fire and attacking from multiple directions Multiple blasts were heard in the area, triggering fear and panic among local residents
“During the assault the militants used quadcopters along with heavy weaponry a senior administrative official in Bannu told AFP on condition of anonymity Police sources said communication with the Fateh Khel police post
was briefly lost following the attack Bannu police identified the martyred personnel as Rehmat Ayaz, Sanaullah Niaz Ali (driver) Habib Saadullah Jan (driver) Kamran son of Khan Sikandar Kamran Noorullah Kamran Abid Jani Imran Kaleemullah, Sadiqullah, Munir Alam Khan, Rahatullah Khan and Farooq The injured were identified as Mujrim Feroz Hayatullah and Qadarullah The powerful blast also destroyed an armoured vehicle stationed at the checkpoint while nearby buildings suffered extensive damage due to the intensity of the explosion An emergency was declared in local hospitals following the attack DIG Sajjad Khan visited the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital late Saturday night to inquire about the condition of the injured personnel and review the medical treatment being provided
g PRESIDENT SAYS INDIA LAUNCHED UNPROVOKED AGGRESSION USING PAHALGAM INCIDENT AS PRETEXT
g CREDITS PAF FOR DOWNING EIGHT INDIAN AIRCRAFT AND DEFENDING NATIONAL AIRSPACE, CALLING IWT SUSPENSION ‘ HYDRO-TERRORISM ’
RAWALPINDI A s A d N i z A m i Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Sunday warned that any future misadventure against Pakistan would invite extremely “dangerous, far-reaching and painful” consequences for the enemy Our enemies should know that if any attempt is made in the future to carry out a misadventure against Pakistan, then the impact of war would not be limited but extremely widespread dangerous far-reaching and painful Field Marshal Munir said while addressing the main ceremony marking the first anniversary
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Pakistan to raise
through first-ever Panda Bond next week
tion including Pakistan s reconciliatory role During the interaction, the Bangladeshi minister appreciated Pakistan’s position regarding the United States–Iran conflict A key focus of the meeting was economic cooperation with both countries agreeing to enhance collaboration in trade, business and cultural sectors It was also decided to increase exchanges of delegations to strengthen commercial and cultural ties
Naqvi highlighted investment opportunities in Pakistan while discussions also included arrangements for a possible future visit of the Bangladeshi minister to Pakistan
The meeting was attended by Bangladesh Foreign Ministry Secretary Muhammad Nazrul Islam Director General South Asia Ishrat Jahan Director Shamima Yasmin and Pakistani High Commissioner Imran Haider
The engagement comes during Naqvi’s two-day visit to Bangladesh and follows his meeting with Bangladeshi Interior Minister Salahuddin Ahmed a day earlier
During that earlier meeting, both sides signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in combating drug smuggling narcotics trafficking and drug abuse The agreement also included enhanced coordination between agencies to disrupt illicit supply networks Both countries agreed to improve intelligence sharing on drug trafficking groups, expand joint training programmes and adopt modern technology for enforcement purposes A secretary-level joint working group between the two interior ministries was also agreed upon to institutionalise cooperation The recent developments are part of a broader shift in Pakistan–Bangladesh relations following political changes in Dhaka in August 2024 after which bilateral engagement
Sthem a great lesson ” He said meaningful international efforts treaties and binding arrangements were necessary for peaceful coexistence while also referring to concerns over water True, without successful international effort or a successful international treaty or bindings we won’t be able to live on this globe But there is also a higher power Today we hear things such as the Indian Prime Minister planning to block
scribed as the unprovoked attack by Israel and the United States on Iran Dr Hasan said millions of people had been displaced by wars and crises worldwide, but described the suffering of Palestinians as the most brutal She said Israel s actions in Gaza and the West Bank had killed and injured thousands and had also targeted universities schools hospitals and healthcare facilities while blocking humanitarian aid food sanitation and water and using starvation as a weapon of war She said rebuilding Gaza and restoring life and dignity there would take generations, calling it a grave moral tragedy
still provided a degree of security and stability He said its decline recalled earlier historical breakdowns that preceded the two world wars He said the present era differed from earlier systems because the balance of power was now shaped by nuclear weapons rather than conventional military means Referring to the Doomsday Clock established in 1947 by scientists including Albert Einstein and J Robert Oppenheimer from the University of Chicago he said it measured how close the world was to catastrophe based on the potential use of nuclear weapons, technological advances and climate change Ambassador Akram said the world was farthest from “Armageddon” in 1991 when the clock
Netanyahu is playing these days but grace to Allah the brave soldiers of Pakistan under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir and the Government of Pakistan under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif, who taught
PM hails
Myanmar and
caused deaths displacement and widespread suffering She also referred to what she de-
armed forces’‘historic
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He also praised Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu and the Pakistan Air Force for destroying enemy aircraft and exposing what he called the enemy’s false claims
“I congratulate Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar and his falcons ” he added The prime minister also commended Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Pakistan Navy personnel, saying their preparedness and operational posture prevented the enemy from approaching Pakistan’s maritime boundaries PM Shehbaz thanked Pakistan’s friendly and brotherly countries for supporting Islamabad during the conflict particularly Donald Trump, whom he credited with playing a historic role in restoring peace to the region “If the flames of war between two nuclear powers had intensified further the consequences could have been catastrophic he said But President Trump acted decisively to stop the war without delay History will always remember his role The prime minister also expressed gratitude to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other friendly countries for their support He particularly thanked the leadership and people of China describing Beijing as Pakistan s reliable and trusted friend that
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
S: The first keynote address was delivered by Ambassador Zamir Akram, Adviser to the Strategic Plans Division, Government of Pakistan He said the world was facing a “perfect storm” and described the current moment as one in which the international system created after World War II was breaking down According to Ambassador Akram although that order had been imperfect, it had
states or are potential possessors of nuclear weapons
victory’ in Marka-e-Haq, declares May 10 ‘national day of resolve’
once again extended full political and moral support during difficult times
“The friendship between Pakistan and China is deeper than the oceans higher than the Himalayas and sweeter than honey he remarked The premier said Pakistan was also continuing sincere diplomatic efforts aimed at establishing peace in the region In this regard, Pakistan not only facilitated a temporary ceasefire between Iran and the United States but also played a key role in bringing them to the negotiating table for the first time since 1979 he said These sincere efforts for lasting peace in the region and the world are continuing
The prime minister commended Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar for his diplomatic efforts and congratulated Field Marshal Asim Munir for his dedication and leadership throughout the process PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan s continued support for the people of Gaza, Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, saying Islamabad had consistently raised its voice against human rights violations at every international forum Pakistan has provided full diplomatic political and moral support to its brothers and sisters and will continue to do so until the people of Palestine and Occupied Jammu and Kashmir breathe in freedom and peace ” he said The prime minister also recalled Pakistan’s sacrifices in the
“Marka-e-Haq was not merely a traditional war between two countries or militaries, but a decisive battle between two ideologies in which by the grace of Allah truth prevailed and falsehood was defeated he said Quoting a Quranic verse on truth and falsehood he stated that the May 2025 conflict was not a sudden incident, but part of India s false and widening pattern of exploitative tactics ” He cited what he described as “false flag operations of 2001 2008 2016 and 2019 ” saying they reflected repeated attempts to impose an illegitimate war on Pakistan through allegations exaggeration and war rhetoric Each time not only did Pakistan expose the enemy s flawed assumptions, but also inflicted a decisive defeat In this war as well, India once again fell victim to its obsolete and self-delusional thinking,” he said Field Marshal Munir said the objective of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos was to expose “enemy behaviour under which to divert attention from internal failures it creates war hysteria by blaming Pakistan for every self-inflicted incident He added that India mistakenly believed it could alter the regional balance of power and establish dominance through aggression against Pakistan and diplomatic isolation ” “But global and defence experts know that India’s ambitions proved far greater than its stature and capabilities he said adding that Pakistan s armed forces would never be intimidated by power or dominance
He paid tribute to the martyrs of Marka-e-Haq, including women, elderly and children who lost their lives in Indian strikes “All martyrs of Marka-e-Haq and their families are our crown Their sacrifices are guarantors of our independence and lasting obligation ” he said The army chief expressed gratitude to the president prime minister federal cabinet political leadership and all parties for what he termed their political wisdom and leadership during the conflict
He said Pakistan s entire political and institutional structure delivered a unified message that “no compromise on sovereignty territorial integrity and national honour is acceptable ”
war against terrorism, saying officers and personnel of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies continued to lay down their lives in operations against Fitna alKhawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan
He assured that the government would provide all possible resources for the education and training of youth so they could contribute effectively to the country s development and progress
PAKISTAN GAVE ‘CALIBRATED AND SHOCKING RESPONSE TO INDIA: PRESIDENT ZARDARI: Speaking after the prime minister, President Asif Ali Zardari described Marka-eHaq as “one of the most important chapters” in Pakistan’s national history He said India resorted to unprovoked aggression on the basis of a false flag Pahalgam incident and launched airstrikes on Pakistan s civilian areas and places of worship without justification, while its media disseminated fabricated narratives to mislead public opinion “To this aggression, Pakistan delivered a calibrated and shocking response under the dynamic leadership of CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir he said President Zardari maintained that despite possessing full military capability, Pakistan exercised restraint and responded in a “mature and measured” manner as a responsible and peace-preferring state He said the Pakistan Air Force (PAF)
Field Marshal Munir said Pakistan also achieved success on the diplomatic front with its representatives effectively presenting the national position internationally
He praised the media, journalists, and youth for countering enemy propaganda, cyber warfare and psychological operations ” “The conflict was not won only on the battlefield, but across every segment of society,” he said
Highlighting national unity he said that when tensions escalated every ideological and individual identity transformed into Pakistaniyat adding that citizens stood united like an iron wall alongside the armed forces
In this battle, not only did the armed forces defeat the aggressor beyond imagination, but joint operations of ground, naval and air forces forced the enemy into retreat,” he said He praised the Air Force for setting “a unique example of modern aerial warfare claiming it downed enemy aircraft and destroyed multiple installations
He also commended the Navy for keeping enemy naval assets at a distance and praised forces along the Line of Control for repelling aggression and inflicting losses on enemy positions He said India suffered “significant human and economic losses” and claimed Pakistan successfully targeted more than 26 military targets after which India sought a ceasefire through international mediation Defeated India expressed the desire for mediation through American leadership, which Pakistan accepted in the interest of regional peace, he said
FUTURE CONFLICTS TO BE MULTI-DOMAIN:
Field Marshal Munir said Pakistan’s defence against external aggression was absolutely invincible stressing commitment to regional balance and deterrence
Our focus is peace not aggression but maintaining peace requires constant preparedness for war, he said
He noted that future wars would involve “multi-domain operations” incorporating cyber, electronic warfare, drones long-range systems and artificial intelligence
He said steps were being taken to align the armed forces with modern warfare including the establishment of Defence Forces Headquarters expansion of the space programme, and formation of the Army Rocket Force Command He also cited induction of Hangor-class sub-
demonstrated during Marka-e-Haq that it was second to none “Our pilots faced a larger adversary, but with extraordinary skill and confidence they defended our skies he said recalling that Pakistan downed eight Indian aircraft a moment that became a defining symbol of national resolve and pride He also praised the Pakistan Navy, saying it through operational readiness and combat capability, successfully defended our maritime frontiers ” The president said Pakistan’s victory reflected national unity and sent a clear message to the world that the country remained united, vigilant and resolute like a wall He described India s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam incident as “hydro-terrorism ” President Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s diplomatic support for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir stressing that the dispute must be resolved in accordance with United Nations resolutions He also called for an end to what he described as “India-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan through Afghanistan” and the use of Afghan soil for cross-border terrorism Concluding his remarks the president said the diplomatic efforts of CDF Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had enhanced Pakistan s global image as a “regional stabiliser”, particularly in relation to its mediatory role in the US-Iran dialogue
marines modern fighter jets and the Fatah missile series as examples of modernization However he stressed that defence preparedness was not limited to weapon systems alone but also required new thinking, training, and research
PAKISTAN’S DIPLOMATIC SUCCESS: Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir said Marka-e-Haq had produced significant positive outcomes for Pakistan s foreign policy and diplomatic standing asserting that the world now viewed Pakistan as an invincible power The number of our friends in the world today is much higher compared to the past,” he said, adding that even countries and circles that once criticised Pakistan were now acknowledging and praising its role The army chief described last year s Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia as a major diplomatic milestone for Pakistan He also highlighted Pakistan s balanced, unbiased and responsible diplomacy , particularly its role in hosting “historic negotiations” between the United States and Iran Field Marshal Asim Munir thanked the US and Iranian leadership particularly Donald Trump for “trusting Pakistan with this difficult task
‘ONLY ONE DEMAND FROM AFGHANISTAN’:
The army chief said India had intensified what he termed “state-sponsored terrorism and the strategy of supporting it” “It has realised that it is impossible to defeat Pakistan on the traditional battlefield Subsequently it has once again resorted to the disgusting tactic of terrorism he said He further alleged that terrorist activities were also being carried out from the soil of Afghanistan Pakistan has only one demand from Afghanistan: to stop supporting Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan on India’s directives, and to completely eliminate terrorist centres and safe havens on its soil ” Field Marshal Munir said He commended the country s law enforcement agencies security personnel and citizens particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan for their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism over the past two decades
The Islamabad High Court has issued notices to the respondents on
within the statutory meaning of maladministration under Section 2(3) of the law The counsel for the petitioners told the court that instead of dealing with administrative failings or abuse of authority the proceedings moved into areas tied to tax assessment liability determination appellate functions, audit systems, withholding tax compliance, digital tax mechanisms and the FBR’s internal regulatory processes The petitioners argued that such matters are specifically excluded from the ombudsman’s jurisdiction under Section 9(2) of the Ordinance which bars intervention in issues relating to assessment adjudication and determination of tax liability where remedies such as appeal, review or revision are available under the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 They contended that the ombudsman’s exercise of jurisdiction in these matters was coram non judice ultra vires and without lawful authority making the proceedings void ab initio The petition also challenged consolidated presidential orders dated December 17 and 21, 2025, issued under Section 32 of the Ordinance According to the petitioners’ counsel although the President acknowledged the existence of a jurisdictional bar under Section 9(2) the observation that the ouster clause was not absolute was legally inconsistent, self-contradictory and contrary to the plain wording of the statute The counsel argued that where Parliament has expressly excluded jurisdiction no executive authority can dilute reinterpret or partly negate that exclusion The petitioners further maintained that both the ombudsman s recommendations and the presidential orders were affected by legal defects, including misreading, nonreading and misconstruction of Sections 2(3), 9(1) and 9(2) of the Ordinance They submitted that the proceedings did not involve any actionable maladministration as defined in Section 2(3) which requires elements such as negligence, abuse of authority, undue delay or failure to act by public officials Instead, they said, the impugned actions concerned policyrelated fiscal matters and statutory tax processes governed by a complete adjudicatory framework under tax laws The petitioners also argued that the proceedings undermined the independence, finality and statutory sanctity of tax adjudication mechanisms, including decisions by Commissioners Inland Revenue (Appeals) and other competent forums In their view the Federal Tax Ombudsman had created a parallel oversight structure and crossed into areas reserved for tax authorities under the law
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COMMENT
Suggestions and vetoes
Is there any point in making pre -budget proposals?
HO W long are the pre-budget proposals which are meant to influence decision-making going to be directed at the government by the various trade bodies, when it can no longer make decisions, but has to get approval for everything from the International Monetary Fund? The government should keep in mind that the proposals are made by the executives of the trade bodies to satisfy their constituencies not as any academic exercise and it is only the willingness of the government and reluctance of the IMF, to receive their proposals that keep the proposals submitted to the government
An example of how the wishes of a business association can run counter to that of the IMF came with the Pakistan Business Council’s recommendation that customs duty cuts should not be abrupt This runs directly at the heart of the IMF’s desire that they be abolished in one go The Council also asked for proper supply of electricity, and at a lower rate than at present That was also one of the demands of the Pakistan International Business Forum Both organizations also recommended continuity of policy Actually, if the government could establish that that continuity would not be broken they would remove one of the main grievances of the business community Meanwhile, though, the government has to engage in a round of pre-budget talks with the IMF, starting Wednesday The government is not off the hook yet, but can see light at the end of the tunnel This is not the last budget under the current programme the government must submit for approval as next year ’s will fall just before the current programme expires next September At the beginning of the programme Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was emphatic that this would be the last IMF programme, but now he is silent on the subject, lending credence to the whispers that that will be another programme There has been some mention of an extension to the present one It is almost as if the Finance Ministry hopes that more of the same prescription will get Pakistan out of its foreign exchange difficulties The alternative, that the IMF has got its economics wrong, is too horrible to contemplate It would mean that the sac rifices that the whole nation has made have been in vain That should have been obvious from how the programme lacked a component that would lead to great exports
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Topment as a China problem deflects attention from what Mearsheimer ’s offensive realism would predict that India is not merely balancing against a peer competitor but actively maximizing its relative power position across the broader extra-regional dynamics, threatening global strategic stability India’s behaviour fits the offensive realist template almost textbook-style According to offensive realism great powers never feel secure enough The structure of the international system anarchic with no central authority to enforce agreements, compels states to accumulate as much power as they can Survival is the first priority, but the route to survival is through dominance not equilibrium States do not stop arming once they achieve parity; they keep going because they cannot know with certainty that today s balance will hold tomorrow
The Agni-V already covers every strategic target in neighbouring adversarial states (Pakistan and China) The MIRVed Agni-V test in 2024 (Mission Divyastra) demonstrated the capacity to deliver multiple warheads on a single platform at intercontinental ranges DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat confirmed in April 2026 that the design phase of Agni-VI is complete and that the organization is ready for full-scale development, pending government approval The system is designed to incorporate MaRV technology, advanced de-
WE rode the wave of freelancing through Upwork survived the dotdot-dot bubbles and watched the rise of a startup ecosystem centered in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad But nothing absolutely nothing has moved the tectonic plates of our career landscape quite like Generative AI Let’s discuss the realistic scenario for the Pakistani job market over the next 5 to 10 years This isn t about whether AI will take our jobs; it is about how the structure of employment in Pakistan is being rewritten in real-time For the last 15 years, a massive chunk of Pakistan’s tech employment has been built on arbitrage specifically, the difference between the dollar and the Pak rupee and the willingness of Pakistani engineers to work for $30 to $10 per hour or less doing what US engineers do for $100 per hour We are already seeing a shift in the export industry Tasks that used to require a team of five junior front-end developers or content writers are now being handled by one senior
uct Lead + 2 AI-Augmented Engineers In the Software Houses the body rental model (where Pakistani companies rent out engineers to foreign clients by the headcount) is facing an existential threat Clients are now asking: “Why do I need 10 engineers when AI can handle the boilerplate?” The value proposition is shifting from manpower to expertise The Pakistani companies that will thrive are those that sell solutions not hours They are hiring Architects people who understand system design, security, and how to integrate AI models (local or cloud) into legacy systems Pakistan produces hundreds of thousands of graduates every year In the past if you weren’t a software engineer your chances in the digital economy were slim AI is changing that now We are entering a phase where English proficiency + Domain Expertise + AI Tooling is becoming a viable career path, bypassing traditional coding A graduate with a degree in Accounting, Business, Economics Social Sciences or even a skilled tradesperson can now leverage AI to become a Prompt Engineer AI Workflow Specialist or Data Labeling Supervisor Pakistan has a young, English-speaking population Global AI companies (and local ones) need massive amounts of data labeling, model fine-tuning, and local language model (Urdu/Regional) development This creates
a hierarchy of 1 Project Manager + 5 Developers + 2 QA + 1 DevOps, the structure is shrinking to 1 Prod-
coys, and radar-absorbent coatings specifically to defeat the S-500, THAAD, and China’s HQ-19 interceptors These are not features a state pursues for minimal deterrence They are features a state pursues when it wants escalation dominance the capacity to fight through the adversary s defences at every rung For Pakistan, the implications are layered First, the technological ecosystem being built for Agni-VI, composite casings, cold-launch mechanisms adapted from the K-5/K-6 SLBM programme and road-mobile TELs does not exist in isolation These technologies feed back into the entire Agni family and into India s submarine-launched capabilities The conventional Agni-V variants reportedly under development, designed to carry 7,500-8,000 kg payloads, including bunker busters intended for “hardened facilities missile silos and command and control centres in China and Pakistan make the counterforce intent explicit The 2025 modifications were not designed with Chinese geography alone in mind; Pakistan s strategic depth, or lack thereof, makes the already fragile crisis stability more vulnerable in the region Secondly India’s stated doctrine of Credible Minimum Deterrence has become increasingly detached from its actual force posture A state genuinely committed to minimum deterrence does not need penetration aid to defeat terminalphase interceptors It does not need MaRVs It does not need an SLBM-derived road-mobile ICBM when its existing Agni-V already covers all relevant adversaries These are force multi-
pliers designed to ensure that India can strike under any conditions, against any defence architecture, not just China’s, but any architecture Pakistan might acquire or develop in the future India will continue expanding its nuclear capabilities regardless of whether Pakistan escalates or de-escalates because the driver is structural, not bilateral Pakistan s response, its Army Rocket Force Command, its full-spectrum deterrence posture, and its investment in tactical and theatre-range systems is a rational adaptation to Indian actions whose behavior reveals that it is not seeking stability It is seeking primacy Agni-VI is not the end of that trajectory It is a way forward for further offensive developments Ultimately, the Agni-VI is a strategic stalking-horse Its 10,000 km range is irrelevant to the border, but the MIRV and MaRV technologies it pioneers are existential threats By perfecting multi-warhead delivery and surgical precision India is signaling a shift from Minimum Deterrence to a counterforce first-strike posture designed to decapitate Pakistan s strategic assets These trickle-down technologies, integrated into regional platforms, collapse decision-making timelines and incentivize preemption revealing that New Delhi’s global ambitions are being leveraged to achieve absolute escalation dominance within the neighborhood
The writer is a Research Officer at the Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN), Quetta He can be reached at usama khalid uk456@gmail com
delivery and surgical precision, India is signaling a shift from „Minimum Deterrence‰ to a counterforce first-strike posture designed to decapitate PakistanÊs strategic assets.
When free is costly
are free to attend, why the Lahooti Melo is an exception in terms of charging an entry fee The official grant of Rs14 million for the event should not be underestimated, especially considering the dire circum-stances faced by people across the province Organising a festival with an admission fee using public funds
Healing hear ts first
India’s Agni-VI
production turned the USA into one of the world s leading energy producers, rivaling traditional giants like Saudi Arabia and Iran
This surge was not merely about self-sufficiency; it was about positioning the USA as a dominant global supplier
Simultaneously attention turned toward other major energy reserves most notably Venezuela, home to the largest proven oil reserves in the world Through a combination of political pressure, sanctions, and strategic interventions, the USA effectively reduced Venezuela’s ability to operate independently in global oil markets thereby limiting alternative supply channels particularly those accessible to China
The next phase of this strategy unfolded in the Middle East, a region that has long served as the backbone of global energy supply Tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program whether viewed as legitimate concerns or strategic pretexts provided the context for heightened military engagement In this interpretation, the objective was not solely to neutralize nuclear threats or enforce regime change, but to influence a far more critical variable: the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world s most vital chokepoints through which nearly a fifth of global oil supply passes Any disruption in this narrow passage sends shockwaves across international markets By escalating tensions and contributing to instability in the region, the USA effectively created conditions under which oil flows could be restricted redirected or controlled When regional production facilities were damaged and shipping routes became uncertain, global economies especially those heavily dependent on imported energy were forced into a
required not just military strength, but economic leverage of equal or greater magnitude Energy particularly oil and gas emerged as the most potent instrument in this strategic contest The USA already endowed with significant natural resources, dramatically expanded its production capacity under the “drill, baby, drill” policy ethos Advances in shale extraction and aggressive domestic
SOI N C E the US-Israeli war on Iran erupted on Feb 28 discordant voices in our region and in Western media have grown louder questioning Saudi Arabia s position on a conflict the Kingdom had initially worked hard to prevent, and then made intensive efforts to stop and resolve diplomatically It did so without noise, theatrics, grandstanding or bluster seeking instead to pull the region out of this bloody conflict
This has been the hallmark of the Kingdom s leadership since the late King Abdulaziz founded the state The leadership has long embraced the principle that actions matter more than words While the flies of social media buzzed and shouted, the Kingdom was measured patient and active While the cheerleaders beat their drums the Kingdom managed affairs carefully and weighed its options The evidence is before us When Iran and others tried to drag the Kingdom into the furnace of destruction, our leadership chose to endure the pains caused by a neighbor in order to protect the lives and property of its citizens Had the Kingdom wanted, and it is capable of doing so, to respond in kind to Iran by destroying Iranian facilities and interests the outcome could have been the destruction of
Saudi oil facilities and desalination plants along the Arabian Gulf coast and even deep inside the Kingdom Had the Israeli plan to ignite war between us and Iran succeeded, the region would have been plunged into ruin and destruction Thousands of our sons and daughters would have been lost in a battle in which we had no stake Israel would have succeeded in imposing its will on the region and remained the only actor in our surroundings Through the wisdom and foresight of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman the Kingdom avoided the horrors of war and its devastating repercussions Indeed, together with Pakistan, it is now extinguishing the fire of fighting, helping prevent escalation and giving advocates of peace hope that they can feel reassured about the lives of their loved ones and the safety of their interests
As for the advocates of war they continue in their arrogance and cawing, perhaps unaware that the rug has been pulled from under their feet The crown prince did not allow Iran to divide the brotherly Gulf states He supported and stood in solidarity with all Gulf leaders, and placed the Kingdom’s trade and financing routes through its roads airports and ports at the service of them and their peoples
He also affirmed to all that their security is the Kingdom s security and that the Kingdom will support every step they take to preserve their security and stability The Kingdom will always remain true to its pact with its brothers This is how affairs are managed, and this is how foresight works With Allah’s blessing our caravan moves forward Let the dogs bark at the top of their voices and let our enemies bite their fingers in rage
As the late Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsen said: And if the envious speak of you, we never paid heed to the noise of their envy
Prince Turki Al-Faisal is the former directorgeneral of Saudi Arabia’s intelligence agency and a former ambassador He is also the founder and Trustee of the King Faisal Foundation and Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies
N 25 June 1950, North Korea’s Korean People Army crossed the 38th parallel launching a full-scale invasion of South Korea American President Harry S Truman calls his advisors and military officers into an emergency meeting What is telling about those who gathered that day was who was not invited to the critical meeting – the Central Intelligence Agency – was excluded from the proceedings A relative newcomer to the national security world the invasion was seen as the latest example of the CIA s failure to anticipate a major global event Criticism of the agency was widespread and many wondered what value they offered The problem was while everyone understood what intelligence work involved during wartime, making sense of what intelligence work ought to look like during peace time was a new challenge and the feeling was intelligence had to go beyond collecting information and towards anticipating new threats trends and how other countries would behave To take this challenge on the CIA turned to historians, linguists, economists, sociologists, geographers, archaeologists, political scientists and social scientists to develop its analytical intelligence Peter C Grace’s The Intelligence Intellectuals: Social Scientists and the Making of the CIA charts the rise of the agency s social scientists and the National Intelligence Estimate reports 7th December 1941 the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor shocked the United States and was seen as a major intelligence blunder As the smoke plumed, social scientists began thinking about ways they could leave academia and apply their know-how to real world struggles Grace explains that the Yale political scientist Harold Lasswell who helped develop propaganda and psychological warfare for the US government thought social science would contribute to the larger ideological war of democracy against authoritarianism There were a number of issues that contributed to the intelligence failure but what was needed to rectify the problem was the development of something different –strategic intelligence While things like tactical and operational intelligence were well established and enabled militaries to take advantage of specific situations, trying to marry together different bits of information, facts and produce empirically-backed rigorous theories that could predict who an opponent was, how they will behave, what they want and how they will respond is a form of intelligence that did not exist at the start of the Second World War As the Central Intelligence Agency was created at the end of the Second World War one of its tasks was to develop this type of strategic intelligence The Office of Strategic Services, the OSS, from which the CIA was created, had begun to cultivate academics to produce this type of analysis As the book points out the problem for the CIA in the early years included the fact that something like creating a unit that does this kind of work barely existed before and nobody knew how to run one and make use of it Much of the agency s work up until 1950 was hampered
Qamar Bashir
SPANISH PASSENGERS START DISEMBARK ATION FROM SHIP HIT BY HANTAVIRUS
dents,
who boarded the ship the hygiene and environmental conditions are appropriate and they have not detected rodents, so transmission by exposure to rodents on board is not likely,” the report read Passengers will not leave the boat until their allocated evacuation plane has arrived Spanish officials said Passengers from the Netherlands will be the next group to leave the vessel, and their plane will also transport passengers from Germany, Belgium and Greece, Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said on Sunday After that passengers from Turkey
France the UK and the US will be evacuated, the minister added, speaking to reporters at the port of Tenerife “The final flight of the operation is departing from Australia It is the most complex flight and is scheduled to arrive tomorrow afternoon Garcia said adding that the final flight would pick up six people from Australia, New Zealand and other Asian countries Thirty crew members will remain on board and sail to the Netherlands, where the ship will be disinfected All passengers considered high-risk contacts: EU agency Europe s public health agency said ahead of the ship s expected anchoring on Sunday off the Spanish island of Tenerife that all passengers on the cruise ship were considered high-risk contacts as a precautionary measure
Passengers without
Aramco CEO warns 1 billion barrels lost will slow oil market recover y
West Pipeline to bypass Hormuz and transport crude to the Red Sea an asset Nasser described as a critical lifeline to mitigate the global supply crisis Despite shifts in shipping routes, Nasser reiterated that Asia remained a key priority for the company and was central to global demand
global inventories Aramco has used its East-
In March Aramco warned of catastrophic consequences for the world s oil markets if the Iran war continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz Nasser stated that the longer the disruption goes on "the more drastic the consequences for the global economy Further he had stated While we have faced disruptions in the past, this one by far is the biggest crisis the region's oil and gas industry has faced "
Israeli strikes in G aza kill three, medics say, testing fragile ceasefire
GAZA AG E N C I E S
Israeli strikes killed at least three Palestinians in Gaza on Sunday, including two members of the Hamas-run police force health officials said in violence that underscored the fragility of a USbrokered ceasefire
Medics said an air strike killed one person in the Maghazi refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, while another killed the head of the criminal police force in Khan Younis Wessam Abdel-Hadi and his aide according to Gaza s Hamas-run interior ministry Reuters has previously reported that Israel has heightened its attacks on Gaza's Hamas-run police force that the militants have used to re-establish governance in areas under their control
The Israeli military didn t immediately comment on either incident
Violence in Gaza has persisted despite an October 2025 ceasefire, with Israel conducting almost daily attacks At least 850 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect local medics say while Israel says militants have killed four of its soldiers over
the same period Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for ceasefire violations
More than 72,500 Palestinians have been killed since the Gaza war started in October 2023 Gaza health authorities say most of them civilians
were “seriously damaged” Other heritage sites also affected Other Unesco-listed locations damaged in the war include Chehel Sotoun Palace and the Masjed-e Jame in Isfahan along with the prehistoric sites of the Khorramabad Valley Hassan Fartousi,
CORPORATE CORNER
ZTBL President/CEO meets Auditor General of Pakistan
ISLAMABAD Staff report
Mr Tahir Yaqoob Bhatti President/CEO of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), paid a visit to Mr Maqbool Ahmad Gondal, Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), at his office in Islamabad
During
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Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Sunday inaugurated Marka-e-Haq Square in Rawalpindi as the Signal-Free Rawalpindi project achieved a major milestone with the completion of five underpasses, two overhead bridges and a pedestrian bridge in a record 179 days
The project completed 11 days ahead of the stipulated 190-day deadline is being described as Pakistan s first unique initiative of its kind aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving urban mobility
The stretch from Rawalpindi Kutchery Chowk to Rekhi Din area has been named Marka-e-Haq Square where prayers were offered after the unveiling of the commemorative plaque
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also visited the signal-free corridor, inspected the overhead bridge and adjoining roads, and reviewed the project from Annexy Chowk to GPO Chowk
Provincial Minister for Communications and Works Malik Sohaib Ahmad Bharth gave a detailed briefing on the project
According to the briefing, more than 200,000 vehicles will be able to pass daily through the signal-free corridor in Rawalpindi’s busiest and most congested areas, significantly
traffic flow
project also includes the city’s first state-of-the-art pedestrian bridge at Marka-e-Haq Square Officials informed the chief minister that two phases of the
sustaining the bank s financial growth
PEC lauds courage, professionalism and unwavering resolve of Armed Forces ISLAMABAD S ta f f r e p o r t
On the first anniversary of Marqa-e-Haq –Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) proudly honors the courage professionalism and unwavering resolve of Pakistan s Armed Forces in defending the nation s sovereignty in May 2025 This historic operation stands as a defining moment in Pakistan s military history Under the leadership of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and the strategic command of Field Marshal Hafiz
LAHORE S ta f f r e p o r t Minister for Information and Culture Punjab Azma Bokhari has said that the entire nation is commemorating the first anniversary of Marka-eHaq,” a significant and proud chapter in the country’s history She noted that Indian aggression continued on May 9 and 10 to which the Pakistan Armed Forces responded with exceptional strategy,
courage, and professional excellence Azma Bokhari emphasized that the response delivered by the Pakistan Army with remarkable spirit intelligence and determination has been widely acknowledged across the world and now stands as a model example She added that every Pakistani feels proud to have one of the strongest and most capable armed forces in the world
The Information Minister further said that despite the sensitive situation
there were no visible signs of fear or panic among the public, as the nation had complete confidence in its defenders She emphasized that Pakistan’s brave soldiers know how to safeguard the country and have once again proven this through their actions Azma Bokhari affirmed that Pakistan will always remain strong and steadfast “Pakistan Zindabad We take immense pride in our armed forces and national security institutions she said
L ahore Photo exhibition marks anniversar y of ‘M ark a- e -Haq’
A photo exhibition marking the first anniversary of “Marka-e-Haq” was held at the Punjab Institute of Language Art and Culture (PILAC) under the auspices of the Pakistan Federal Union of Columnists (PFUC) on Saturday Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan inaugurated the exhibition as chief guest The event was attended by a large number of political figures journalists academics civil society members and students On that occasion, The University of Lahore (UOL) Chairman Awais Raoof PFUC Chairman Farrukh Shahbaz Warraich Provincial Minister
Adults aged
for Education Rana Sikandar Hayat, senior journalists Salman Ghani Najam Wali Khan and Isar Rana Those also present included ARAR Group of Companies CEO Hamayun Sarwar, Cheezious CEO Imran Ijaz, Chiltan Pure Pakistan CEO Najam Mazari, Shamaila Rana,
Uzma Kardar, Syed Hassan Murtaza, Jawad Ahmad veteran actor Rashid Mehmood Brigadier (R) Nadir Mir Brigadier (R) Syed Ghazanfar Ali and along with members of civil society, students, and a large number of people from different walks of life, attended the ceremony
in Pakistan strongly encouraged to get vaccinated against Shingles
KARACHI S ta f f r e p o r t
Families in Pakistan are being urged to take proactive steps to protect themselves and their loved ones from shingles a painful and potentially serious condition that can significantly affect quality of life particularly among older adults
Shingles, medically known as herpes zoster, is caused by the same virus responsible for chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus Once a person recovers from chickenpox the virus remains dormant in the body s nerve
cells and can reactivate years later resulting in shingles
Health experts say shingles is fairly common with around one in three people likely to develop the condition during their lifetime Older adults, especially those aged 50 and above, are considered to be at higher risk
The condition usually begins with pain itching tingling or burning sensations in a specific part of the body Within a few days, a rash appears, followed by fluid-filled blisters Unlike chickenpox, shingles generally affects only one side of the body and often appears as a band-
like rash around the waistline although it can also occur on the face or other areas
Other symptoms may include fever, headaches, chills, and an upset stomach While the condition may range from mild to severe, scratching the rash can lead to infection or permanent scarring
In some cases shingles can also lead to serious complications If the rash develops near the eyes, it may cause eye damage or even blindness Rarely, shingles may result in facial paralysis, hearing loss, or brain swelling, medically known as encephalitis
PAKISTAN, QATAR REAFFIRM ‘SHARED COMMITMENT’ TO ‘CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE’ FOR REGIONAL PEACE
Sharif and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani this week It also follows the Qatari Prime Minister ’s meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy on the Middle East Steve Witkoff during his visit to the United States Rubio said he discussed US support for Qatar ’s defence”, while Qatar ’s Foreign Ministry noted that “Pakistani mediation aimed at reducing escalation” also came under discussion
MIRANSHAH s ta f f r e p o r t
A large-scale security operation against militants continued for a third straight day in Shewa tehsil and nearby parts of North Waziristan with reports saying seven militants including two key commanders, were killed during search and clearance activities According to sources, security forces destroyed several militant hideouts as the operation expanded across multiple localities in the region In the Dorwazanda area of Shewa tehsil the Alam Khel Market was reported to have been almost entirely demolished during the operation Local residents said militants had allegedly been using the market as hideouts and as routes for movement
In the Anarkhel area, an alleged militant hideout and a residential compound were also destroyed with explosive material sources said They added that security forces had taken control of several important buildings and installations during the operation, including the Governor Model School, which militants were allegedly using for their activities Residents and local sources said door-to-door searches were continuing in Dorwazanda and adjoining areas while additional contingents of security personnel had been deployed Security forces also carried out raids at several suspected locations and reportedly recovered weapons and other materials
According to reports militants suffered heavy casualties
during the ongoing operation Sources claimed the militants killed were allegedly involved in attacks on security forces and police personnel as well as incidents of targeted killings Operations were also launched in the Sarkhani area, where intermittent firing and explosions continued to be heard, according to sources A curfew remained in force across the affected areas badly disrupting routine life and creating difficulties for residents
Several families were said to have moved to safer places, while business activity remained fully suspended Security officials said the purpose of the operation was to eliminate militant elements from the area and restore peace and stability
