PAKISTAN, US HAIL TIES AS ‘TRUE AND SPECIAL REL ATIONSHIP’
g SAYS PAKISTAN-US TIES ARE EVOLVING INTO A BROADER STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP, RECALLING CLOSE COOPERATION AT KEY MOMENTS WITH WA SHINGTON
g CREDITS US ROLE IN KEY HISTORICAL MOMENTS INCLUDING AFGHANISTAN WAR AND TERROR ERA
over alleged seditious remarks A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kamran Khan Malakhail and Justice Gul Hassan Tareen passed the order while hearing a petition filed by the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief, who has sought the quashing of the first information report (FIR) During the hearing Chief Justice Malakhail questioned the legal route adopted by the petitioner He observed that Achakzai is an elected member of the National Assembly and enjoys parliamentary immunity, and said the matter should have been taken up in Parliament The chief justice also asked why the petitioner had not first approached the relevant trial court before moving the high court Achakzai s counsel then presented arguments on the political and legal grounds of the petition maintaining that the case had no sound legal basis The FIR had been lodged on the complaint of an individual After hearing the initial defence arguments, the bench issued notices to the state and ordered a complete halt to all police and judicial action in the matter until the next hearing
F R E P O R T
moments in history, including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s and the global war on terror from 2001 to 2021 He further said that last year following India s unprovoked aggression after the Pahalgam incident it was the timely and decisive intervention of then US President Donald Trump that helped secure a ceasefire between Pakistan and India on May 10
The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday categorically and unequivocally rejected media reports claiming that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar shared any intelligence regarding Iran’s nuclear programme during a recent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Addressing the weekly press briefing, FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the claims were “entirely baseless and speculative,” adding that they appeared aimed at undermining ongoing diplomatic efforts and the broader process of dialogue and engagement
He said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 29 during his brief visit to Washington where the two sides discussed bilateral cooperation as well as regional security issues He added that Rubio had also appreciated Islamabad s role in advancing peace in the Middle East ”
S TA F F R E P O R T Pakistan on Thursday said its position on the Abraham Accords remains unchanged and reaffirmed support for a free, sovereign and independent Palestinian state At the weekly press briefing in Islamabad Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the past two weeks had involved very active diplomatic engagements despite the Eid holidays He outlined recent visits by Prime Minister Shehbaz
The spokesperson firmly stated that “no intelligence was shared during the course of this dialogue ” stressing that the discussions focused on regional peace, stability, and the importance of pursuing diplomatic solutions to ongoing challenges
ISLAMABAD
Tunder the Government of Punjab before being assigned to the regulator The notifications have been issued by the Establishment Division and will be published in the next issue of the Gazette of Pakistan
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Finance Adviser
Muzammil Aslam said that the federal government had sought Rs1 7 trillion in fiscal space from the provinces through proposed changes in resource sharing under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, along with provincial contributions to fertiliser subsidies and higher provincial tax collection Addressing a press conference in Islamabad Aslam said the Centre wanted to review the NFC Award and reduce provincial shares from the federal divisible pool He said the federal government was not satisfied with its 42 5% share, while provinces currently receive 57 5% of the divisible pool According to Aslam the issue was discussed a few months ago in a meeting on the divisible pool chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb He said the Centre proposed excluding customs duty and federal excise duty from the pool of taxes and revenues shared between the federal and provincial governments Aslam said no consensus was reached in the meeting and the discussions ended inconclusively He claimed the federal government had sought Rs200 billion from KhyberPakhtunkhwa, Rs700 billion to Rs800 billion from Punjab Rs500 billion from Sindh and around Rs100 billion from Balochistan The remarks came as the
federal budget announcement was delayed amid discussions over resource distribution and expenditure allocations among coalition partners
The federal government had earlier planned to present the budget this Friday, but the announcement was postponed due to lack of consensus on resource distribution Delegations of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz met again on Wednesday to address differences over budget-related matters
The National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, scheduled for Wednesday to approve development budgets and macroeconomic targets for the Centre and provinces was also postponed Aslam said the Finance Ministry could not prepare the budget within its available fiscal space and had asked provinces to contribute to fertiliser subsidies and impose additional taxes He said the Finance Minister asked the four provinces to generate Rs430 billion through additional taxes saying the federal government had no room to impose further taxes According to Aslam, provinces told the Centre that they also lacked space and tax areas to raise such revenue He said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was initially asked to impose Rs35 billion in additional taxes He added that the province later received a letter asking it to raise Rs65 billion through additional taxes, but the provincial government had not accepted the demand
Aslam also said the federal government had asked Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa to contribute Rs2 billion to fertiliser subsidies while Punjab was asked to contribute Rs55 billion For the current fiscal year, the provinces total share had been estimated at Rs8 2 trillion
TH E Power Division on Thursday strongly refuted a media report claiming that the government planned to increase fixed electricity charges to discourage industrial consumers from shifting to solar energy, terming the assertion “factually
Dawood Equities seeks approval to launch Islamic Brokerage Window
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and human dignity “The story of America is one of hope and optimism grounded in the belief that a better tomorrow can be shaped through hard work and perseverance he said adding that under President Trump s bold and visionary leadership the United States continues to advance peace, progress and prosperity while inspiring confidence and dynamism in global affairs Prime Minister Shehbaz noted that President Trump had brought “energy and resolve” to US international engagement and pursuit of its interests He also acknowledged longstanding American support for Pakistan s development, including assistance in the green revolution through UC Davis, the construction of the Tarbela Dam, and the establishment of institutions such as LUMS in Lahore, as well as financing critical infrastructure projects that continue to serve the country He thanked Washington for its cooperation across multiple fields and noted that thousands of Pakistani graduates from US universities along with scientists, teachers and researchers, continue to contribute significantly to Pakistan s economy, academia, public service and entrepreneurship He added that the United States hosts some of the world’s leading hospitals where medical professionals from across the globe including many Pakistanis are working together to save lives and restore hope The prime minister also highlighted the nearly one million Pakistani-Americans living in the United States, describing them as a vital bridge between the two countries along with the presence of around 80 US companies operating in Pakistan He further said that Pakistan is proudly and sincerely playing a mediatory role between the United States and Iran, expressing gratitude for the trust placed in Islamabad by both sides He thanked Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for his role in ongoing peace efforts and noted that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar recently visited Washington to discuss regional and bilateral cooperation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio As I speak, these efforts continue with the support of Iran and the United States, and we pray that lasting peace is achieved as soon as possible,” he said
Govt to c ut c ustoms duties on specialised machiner y, abolish lev y on reefer containers g DUTIES ON RAW MATERIALS OF CANCER MEDICINES WILL
thorities concerned to ensure the effective implementation of the National Tariff Policy and modernise tariff-related institutions to facilitate investment, trade and industrial development
The PM said achieving exportoriented development targets remained the government’s foremost priority according to a Prime Minister s Office news release
construction sector, while duties on reefer containers and semi-trailers would be abolished to promote the logistics sector and improve supply chain efficiency In a major relief measure for the pharmaceutical industry customs duties on key raw materials, particularly those used in the production of cancer medicines, will be eliminated to support local manufacturing and improve access to essential medicines
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reviewed the overall economic growth and the implementation of the National Tariff Policy 2025-30 He directed the au-
During the meeting, officials briefed the prime minister on the implementation framework of the National Tariff Policy 2025-30
The briefing highlighted that tariffs across various sectors would be reduced gradually under the policy to support export-driven economic growth and enhance Pakistan s competitiveness in international markets
Prime Minister Sharif emphasised that an active and transparent National Tariff Commission was essential for promoting industry trade and investment in the country
He instructed the commission to play a proactive role in facilitat-
ing investors and industrialists and called for institutional reforms based on international best practices
The prime minister also directed the commission to adopt modern technologies, including information technology and artificial intelligence to improve efficiency transparency and service delivery He reiterated that tariff reforms and institutional modernisation would play a key role in enhancing exports, attracting investment and sustaining long-term economic growth The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar and senior government officials
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
He welcomed the continued engagement of the United States in peace efforts and its positive role” in supporting the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon while cautioning the media against publishing speculative and unwarranted reports The clarification came in response to claims by former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst Larry Johnson who quoting an unnamed source al-
leged that Dar had conveyed to Rubio information suggesting what Iran was “prepared to do to preserve its independence ” which reportedly alarmed the US Secretary of State US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also addressed related questions during a congressional hearing on Wednesday Responding to US Congressman Scott Perry who referred to reports suggesting that Dar had delivered a message that Iran was “prepared to demonstrate a nuclear weapon should the current escalation continue Rubio said he was not aware of any such communication I have not seen that reporting and I am not aware of any such message ” Rubio said adding that he would be surprised if such a message had been conveyed I would be aware of it if it was,” he further remarked The US-Iran standoff remains in a fragile ceasefire environment established in April followed by rare direct talks between the two sides, which were hosted by Pakistan Although large-scale strikes across Iran and the Gulf have subsided since then intermittent flare-ups have continued Tensions escalated further after exchanges of attacks earlier this week, including reported US
strikes near the Strait of Hormuz and a subsequent Iranian missile response, which allegedly caused damage at Kuwait’s airport and resulted in casualties Iran has repeatedly targeted areas in the Gulf region hosting US military installations since the conflict began ‘EU understands Pakistan’s right to defend itself amid Afghanistan tensions
During the briefing, the FO spokesperson said the European Union (EU) “understands Islamabad’s position including its right to defend itself amid rising concerns over cross-border security incidents and recent tensions involving Afghanistan Tahir Andrabi said that “no responsible state can remain passive when its civilians and security forces are repeatedly targeted, adding that Pakistan reserves the right to take all necessary measures to safeguard the lives and property of its nationals based on the principles of necessity and as a measure of last resort
He was responding to a question regarding EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas who had earlier referred to the grave humanitarian consequences of recent fighting between the two neighbouring countries and urged restraint
The spokesperson stressed that Pakistan’s ac-
tions were guided by the principles of distinction and proportionality, and that any “defensive action” was directed against legitimate targets under international law including sanctuaries and bases used for planning terrorism and launching terrorist attacks against Pakistan ” He further said “We will continue to take such actions when necessary and this remains part of our dialogue with our international interlocutors ” Earlier, Andrabi had stated that the EU understood Islamabad s position including our right to defend ourselves and take action against terrorist incidents, particularly those emanating from Afghanistan ” He referred to the joint statement issued during Kaja Kallas s visit which reaffirmed the importance of combatting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations ” while both sides expressed serious concerns over the presence of terrorist entities in Afghanistan and reiterated that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries
Responding to another question the FO spokesperson said there was no bar on Pakistan pursuing dialogue and diplomacy with Afghanistan ”
TTalking about money
FI N A N C E M I N I S T E R Muhammad Aurangzeb was to have delivered today one of the two most important annual policy statements the government can make the other being the President s speech to the joint sitting of Parliament at the beginning of the parliamentary year It is of interest to note that the Prime Minister is not involved in either, though he has to approve both, for they contain statements of policy It is also worth noting that in speaking on these two speeches members may raise any topic under the sun and are restricted to the content of the speech in question However such are the difficulties of governance that the speech had to be thrown forward to June 10 The President’s speech, which is modelled on the King’s Speech to Parliament is supposed to contain the legislative programme of the government for the coming year as the Houses are informed of the reason why they have been summoned There is no debate on the address Though drafted by the government, it was delivered by the head of state, and his words are not debatable (Well, the President is debatable, but this procedure was taken over wholesale from British parliamentary procedure where the fiction of monarchical infallibility is maintained )
However the government comes in when a minister (here the Parliamentary Affairs Minister) moves a resolution of thanks, in which the President is thanked in the most obsequious and fawning terms for having graced the House with his presence and deigned to address the members That resolution may then be debated That resolution is supposed to be a measure of confidence in the government The government s failure to get it passed by the National Assembly should mean the fall of the government That is not necessarily the case in Pakistan, unless it is made a matter of confidence by a party leader
However the British tradition has been maintained of the debate ranging over the entirety of government policy Members may refer to the absence of any mention of their pet peeve in the Speech and hold forth on whatever bee has got into their bonnet It is an opportunity for backbenchers who are constrained by party discipline to hold forth The Budget Speech is made by the Finance Minister and is both an accounting about how the
much of the mythology of secrecy about the budget as a whole The Supreme Court has torn down the wall of secrecy because until it ruled that changes in taxation would only be applicable if the law was changed, as soon as the taxation proposals were announced, they would be implemented There
was thus an incentive to bring in the budget early so that there could be a few days of collecting taxes at the new rates and on the new items Now, however, the collection only begins on July 1 for those items which are implemented through legislation However much taxation such as the rates for customs duties is levied on the basis of executive orders So those executive orders are issued around the time the taxation proposals are announced so those taxes are levied Though most people pay attention to the taxation proposals, the Budget Speech is supposed to be a statement of government policy for the year As so much of government is supposed to be about economic management that is inevitable but there are other policy areas where the Budget Speech may be used to make a point Exempting solar panels from taxation is one way of encouraging solarization, so that is done through the Budget, and if it is part of the government’s policy, the Finance Minister is likely to mention it The
Healing family ties
Abaseen Yousafzai represented a later generation that preserved the intellectual and ethical grace of Pashto literature well into the late 20th century, reminding audiences that poetry is a responsibility, not a performance From the same soil rose Samandar Khan Samandar whose kalam flowed with the rhythm of zikr and longing His verses felt like whispered prayers carrying forward the Sufi inheritance into contemporary expression And in literary gatherings, the thoughtful presence of Qalandar Momand added philosophical rigor to poetic beauty ensuring that language remained a vehicle for truth rather than vanity
This Pashto tradition blended seamlessly with the wider Sufi inheritance of the subcontinent In Punjab, alongside the ever-living recitation of Saif ul Malook, figures like Saifuddin Saif kept the Sufi idiom alive in modern poetic expression, while scholars such as Mian Bashir Ahmad Farooqi carried its spiritual grace into gatherings discourse and lived example through the late 20th century The kalam of Bulleh Shah was sung in gatherings as remembrance
From Sindh came the eternal melody of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and the bold humanism of Sachal Sarmast In the modern era poets like Shaikh Ayaz Ustad Bukhari and Tanveer Abbasi carried that Sufi inheritance forward expressing Shah Latif s spiritual humanism through the language of contemporary love, resistance, humility, and reflection well into the late twentieth century Balochistan offered the dignified voice of Gul Khan Naseer, whose poetry braided land, faith and honour into a single identity The region s spiritual and literary temperament was also shaped by figures such as Jamaluddin Ja-
mali while poets like Atta Shad and Azat Jamaldini carried forward Balochistan s reflective humanist and spiritually infused literary tradition into the modern age Many of these figures lived into the 70s, 80s, and 90s They walked among ordinary people, attended modest gatherings, and spoke in hujras, shrines and drawing rooms They did not require amplification to be heard Their presence itself reminded people that closeness to Allah was possible without wealth display or authority Their common thread was Sufism not as a label, but as a way of being Love of humanity was inseparable from love of God They rejected arrogance, sectarian hatred, and hollow ritual They emphasized inner purification over outward show In their company religion felt gentle vast and welcoming One remembers how gatherings once revolved around poetry recitation zikr and quiet reflection Elders quoted verses the way messages are forwarded today There was reverence for knowledge, humility in speech, and patience in disagreement Even political differences did not erase personal respect because society’s moral vocabulary had been shaped by people who taught adab before argument Yet their words remain Ghani Khan still whispers Hamza Shinwari still invites depth Ajmal Khattak still calls for dignity Samandar still echoes zikr Bulleh Shah still questions identity Shah Latif still sings of longing They wait to be read not as literature but as guidance We had lived the era of saints The tragedy is not that they are gone The tragedy is that we have stopped living by what they taught
The writer has a PhD in Political Science, and is a visiting faculty member at QAU Islamabad He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo com and tweets @zafarkhansafdar
Nuclear past repeats
Dr ZAfAr KhAN SAfDAr
protest or pressure tactic?
important
these actions rarely solve underlying problems and mainly leave ordinary citizens to bear economic losses after the committee declares success and withdraws Many believe the committee uses public suffering to maintain political relevance and present itself as the sole defender of the people A distinction is therefore made between genuine protest and pressure tactics: peaceful demonstrations legal challenges and organized sit-ins can demand accountability without harming the public, whereas road blockades, transport shutdowns and market closures deliberately pressure the government by making ordinary citizens suffer Critics argue that governments may sometimes accept demands simply to restore normal life rather than because the demands are justified, encouraging more strikes in the future and creating a cycle of repeated disruption and instability
The people of AJK are not fools and they have started to see through this cycle They have realized that every strike brings more hardship and no lasting solution And that JAAC leaders do not themselves suffer These leaders have their own sources of income, their own vehicles, their own homes and their own security They do not stand on the roads with the daily wage workers nor do they miss meals because of a strike When a strike is called they appear on television and at press conferences,
Another
is teaching them to hate the state, to hate the police and law enforcement agencies, and even Pakistan and its institutions
They portray every problem as a federal conspiracy and every difficulty as deliberate oppression They fill the minds of young people with anger, frustration and a sense of victimhood This is extremely dangerous because an
Despite this support, the Joint Awami Action CommitteeÊs announcement of a strike on June 9 has divided public opinion Supporters believe the strike is a peaceful way to highlight delayed development projects, lack of transparency, rising prices and poor healthcare in rural areas, while a much larger group argues that strikes only create hardship for ordinary people They point out that strikes shut down markets, schools, universities, transport and government offices, causing daily wage labourers and shopkeepers to lose income, students to face disruption, and patients to experience delayed treatment
on
it becomes entrenched over the long term – because of an agreement between Iran and the United States that the Gulf states embrace and that forces Israel to restrain itself – we may now be building our enemies’ launching pad for the next major war
Our conduct toward the Trump administration at this moment may one day be seen, historically, as a shift from a partnership between states to a small country’s dependence on a global power The difference is a matter of mindset but its implications are critical: a sovereign state is not a protectorate
The reported confrontation between Trump and Netanyahu is therefore troubling not merely as a diplomatic episode It symbolizes a deeper shift When a foreign leader can reportedly speak to Israel’s prime minister in such terms while simultaneously influencing Israel’s operational decisions the relationship begins to resemble dependency more than partnership
The same is true internally, in our own sense of ourselves Consider Trump s scandalous intervention in the criminal proceedings against the prime minister, which some on the extreme right greeted with applause Or the hoisting of American flags everywhere on Israel s Independence Day A troubling change is taking shape in Israel s understanding of its own independence
The difficulty is exacerbated when we assess, without naiveté, the depth of the bond with the United States Cultural changes in our country and theirs are undermining the closeness between the two societies and Israel is increasingly seen as a burden by broad swaths of the American public Will Israel s security remain a central consideration in American foreign policy after the Trump era? Does the special relationship have an expiration date two and a half years from now? And if so what must be done today?
A common answer is to make the most of the current window of opportunity But such a strategy assumes a stable foundation Trump is many things, but stable and predictable are not among them His abrupt reversals shifting priorities and highly personalized style of decision-making make him an uncertain basis for a long-term Israeli security doctrine Building strategy on such ground is like standing on a trampo-
E S H said on Thursday that it had blocked several alleged attempts by Indian authorities to force people across the border into its territory over the past 24 hours in a development that has again brought tensions over undocumented migration into focus and complicated efforts to improve bilateral relations
The two countries share one of the world s longest land borders, extending more than 4,000 kilometres across varied terrain, a factor that makes monitoring diffi-
cult Border Guard Bangladesh said it detected 10 attempted intrusions by Indian authorities in different sections of the frontier during the period According to Bangladesh s border force one of the incidents took place in the southwestern district of Jhenaidah, where personnel of India’s Border Security Force allegedly tried to move between 30 and 35 people towards Bangladeshi territory in a prison van after opening a border gate The BGB said its personnel intervened and compelled the vehicle to turn back In a statement, the Bangladeshi force said it would not permit any person or group to enter the country unlawfully through the
border Any move that breached accepted norms of international border management and bilateral understandings would be firmly opposed "NO INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER BANGLADESH ILLEGALLY THROUGH THE BORDER" The dispute comes amid renewed concern in Bangladesh over what officials rights groups and analysts have described as push-ins informal transfers of people into Bangladesh without verification of nationality or completion of repatriation procedures Last month, Bangladeshi border guards stepped up patrols and began public aware-
ness campaigns in parts of the border area over fears that India was illegally sending people into Bangladesh India s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party which is in power in the border states of Tripura, West Bengal and Assam, has said curbing undocumented migration
nvidia’s Jensen huang broadens s outh Korea outreach with T v and baseball appearances
The ReTuRn
The InvesToR
Why global c apital is looking at Pakistan again?
it does not see as having ten-year scale potential For a Pakistani fintech ecosystem that already counts more than 40 million digital asset users and has just been brought under a formal regulatory architecture through the Virtual Assets Act
2026 the Alibaba investment is more validation than initiation The auction for 5G spectrum has drawn bids from leading foreign telecom operators worth more than half a billion dollars, with the bidding process itself signalling that Pakistan is back on the digital infrastructure map The spectrum award will be the foundation of the next decade of mobile data growth and the appetite at the auction is a forwardlooking indicator that the market reads the country's digital story as real The Saudi strategic alliance has moved from rhetorical to operational Three billion dollars of fresh deposits have been placed with the State Bank of Pakistan with a further five billion dollars rolled over until 2028 This is not the same as portfolio flow It is the kind of bilateral capital that backstops the entire macro framework and gives the central bank room to manage the rupee without the panic that characterised earlier cycles Corporate Pakistan is recording strong profit growth in the third quarter and the first nine months of FY26 Several sectors are delivering exceptional triple-digit earnings growth The Karachi-listed companies have benefited from interest rate normalisation easing inflation and a clearer policy horizon with the result that the Pakistan Stock Exchange has been among the top four global markets for the period Sovereign bonds have performed in line with the equity market story The successful 750 million dollar Eurobond Pakistan s first international issue in four years was placed despite geopolitical un-
certainty in the region The Panda Bond that followed was by market metrics the cheapest such issue Pakistan has ever placed The pipeline includes a renewal of the GMTN and International Sukuk programmes under a three-year plan What has changed
of
CORPORATE CORNER
Wellness Facilit y
LAHORE S TA F F R E
Ansari as well as Zia-ulRasheed Director General President House
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T
ram Shahzad Haider Deputy Commissioner Naveed Ahmed and other senior officers
A large number of administrative and police officials participated in the session, while representatives of the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Gujranwala Waste Management Company (GWMC) Highways Department Health Department and Education Department were also present to address public issues on the spot
BISP Chairperson, German Ambassador inaugurate 7th new mobile registration vans KARACHI STAFF REPORT Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Senator Rubina Khalid and H E Ina Lepel Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Pakistan, today inaugurated seven new Mobile Registration Vans (MRVs) at BISP Headquarters, Islamabad The seven MRVs have been provided by the Government of Germany through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with implementation support from GIZ in partnership with BISP With the addition of these vehicles, BISP's fleet of Mobile Registration Vans has increased from 25 to 32, further strengthening outreach to deserving families living in remote and underserved areas of Pakistan During the last two years more than 22 million households have updated their information through BISP s 647 Dynamic Registry Centres and 25 Mobile Registration Vans BISP's National SocioEconomic Registry (NSER) now comprises data of 38 7 million households, while 215 federal and provincial programmes have benefited from BISP's data-sharing mechanism Welcoming the Ambassador and representatives of the German Government GIZ and KfW Senator Rubina Khalid thanked Germany for its continued support in the field of social protection and development
She termed the Mobile Registration Vans a valuable contribution to BISP s efforts to ensure that no eligible household is left behind due to geographical barriers Senator Rubina Khalid emphasized the importance of integrating social protection programmes for better results enhancing beneficiary awareness through social media platforms, and promoting digital financial literacy She also highlighted the need for additional Mobile Registration Vans in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan to improve access to registration services in geographically challenging areas
Public hearings (Khuli Katcheries) are being held across Punjab on the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to ensure the swift resolution of citizens’ grievances and improve access to government services at the grassroots level As part of this initiative Chairperson of the CM Complaint Cell Saima Farooq presided over a public hearing in Gujranwala, where residents presented their complaints directly before senior officials and immediate instructions were issued for their redressal The hearing was held at Quaide-Azam Divisional Public School, Gujranwala, and was attended by Commissioner Muhammad Ali, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Khur-
Addressing the gathering, Saima Farooq said the primary objective of the public hearing was to provide prompt relief to citizens at their doorstep and ensure that their concerns were heard without unnecessary delays She said that 212 applications pertaining to various government departments were received during the session
Telenor Pakistan Collaborates with Career Pakistan to Nur ture Emerging Talent and Future Leaders
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Telenor Pakistan has collaborated with Career Pakistan to support a mentorship initiative aimed at nurturing emerging talent and developing future leaders across the country As part of the collaboration female leaders from Telenor Pakistan will volunteer as mentors engaging with a diverse pool of aspiring young professionals to help bridge gaps in access to mentorship, professional exposure, and leadership development opportunities Through this initiative mentors will work closely with students enrolled in Career Pakistan s Talk World Group and Career Woman Group fellowship programs The engagement will include inspirational talks at educational institutions, small-group mentoring sessions, and one-on-one interactions, offering guidance on career pathways, skill development, and navigating professional environments The sessions will be conducted on a monthly or quarterly basis depending on mentor availability and will take place either at educational institutions or at Telenor Pakistan s office spaces, ensuring meaningful, accessible, and immersive learning experiences for participants Speaking about the collaboration Areej Khan Chief People Officer Telenor Pakistan said: "At Telenor
Pakistan We believe that nurturing talent today is essential to driving innovation and shaping the future Through our collaboration with Career Pakistan, we aim to equip aspiring young individuals with the guidance, exposure, and confidence they need to unlock their potential and lead with purpose By investing in future leaders we are contributing to a more inclusive progressive and empowered tomorrow
She directed the relevant authorities to take immediate action on all complaints and ensure their timely resolution The chairperson stressed that effective follow-up and accountability were essential to delivering meaningful relief to the public Saima Farooq further said that the Khuli Katcheries were aimed at narrowing the gap between citizens and the administration, while strengthening public confidence in government institutions through direct engagement and responsive governance
She emphasized that the Punjab government was placing special focus on transparency accessibility and efficient grievance redressal, adding that such initiatives were helping ensure faster public relief and improved service delivery across the province
Young Pakistani siblings renew pledge for world's innocent children
LAHORE S
On the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, two young Pakistani siblings Ubaida Al Fiddhah Hafiah (11) and her brother Ghulam Bisher Hafi (13) have renewed their pledge to champion the cause of every child victimised by war and aggression According to a press release issued here on Thursday, the day, established by the United Nations General Assembly on August 19, 1982 through Resolution ES-7/8 in response to the mass killing of Palestinian and Lebanese children during the Lebanon War is observed each year on June 4 to acknowledge children s suffering worldwide and reaffirm the UN s commitment to their protection under the Convention on the Rights of the Child Two years ago, the siblings co-founded the 'Voice of the Voiceless' campaign to spotlight the crisis facing children in conflict zones of the world They launched their campaign with notes written with their own blood to highlight severity of the situation and plight of children whose blood was being shed mercilessly In Gaza, even if considered alone, the UNICEF reports that over 64 000 children have been killed or maimed since October 2023 including small babies and more than 56 000 have lost one or both parents On the solemn day they addressed an open letter to the UN Secretary-General the Security Council, UNICEF, and all governments with influence over the Gaza conflict calling for an immediate ceasefire, unconditional humanitarian access protection of schools and hospitals and accountability for crimes against children Their call extends equally to children suffering in Sudan Yemen Myanmar and every other theatre of conflict
‘Milestone in bilateral ties’: Nor wegian Parliament forms first ever Pakistan Friendship Group
In a significant development in bilateral parliamentary diplomacy, a formal Pakistan Friendship Group (PFG) has been established for the first time in the Norwegian Parliament, marking a historic milestone in Pakistan–Norway legislative relations The cross-party group brings together members from the Labour Party and the Progress Party including MPs Farrukh Qureshi, Trine Lise Sundnes, Kamzy Gunaratnam, Frode Jacobsen Erik Hager and Kristine Løfshus Solli as well as Progress Party MP Himanshu Gulati The group met at the Norwegian Parliament on June 2, 2026, where MP Farrukh Qureshi was elected Chair while MP Trine Lise Sundnes was chosen as Deputy Chair As of 2026, the Pakistani-origin population in Norway is estimated at around 46 000 to 48 000 comprising both first-generation immigrants and Norwegian-born citizens with Pakistani heritage The community, which began migrating in the late 1960s now represents one of the country s largest and most established nonWestern diaspora groups Welcoming the formation of the PFG Pakistan’s Ambassador Saadia Altaf Qazi in Norway described it as a landmark initiative fulfilling a long-standing proposal of the Embassy aimed at strengthening institutional engagement and cooperation between the parliaments of Pakistan and Norway She also appreciated the efforts of Chair Farrukh Qureshi and Deputy Chair Trine Lise Sundnes for mobilising cross-party support for the group s formation
The Embassy noted that Pakistan already maintains friendship groups in both Houses of the Parliament of Pakistan and reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the newly established PFG in Norway to deepen bilateral understanding, dialogue, and cooperation A significant portion of the Pakistani diaspora in Norway traces its roots to the Kharian area in Gujrat District of Punjab Over the years, the community has become well integrated into Norwegian society with strong representation in education academia and politics
PTI leaders denied meeting with Imran Khan at Adiala Jail again
OSLO/ISLAMABAD