CIVIL , MILITARY LEADERSHIP TAKES 'MUTUAL AND SINGUL AR DECISION' TO WIPE OUT TERRORISM: PM
g
g REITERATES INDIA FUNDING, ARMING MILITANTS BEHIND ATTACKS IN
g SAYS LASTING PEACE IN BALOCHISTAN VITAL FOR PAKISTAN'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY
g CIVIL, MILITARY LEADERSHIP PLEDGES TO STRENGTHEN STATE'S WRIT AND DEFEAT INTERNAL, FOREIGN-BACKED TERROR NETWORKS
Cabinet Committee rejects
further consultations and submit a revised proposal for consideration according to an official statement The Petroleum Division had sought exemption for specified energy-sector SOEs from the application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS-9 and IFRS-14) However, the committee maintained that any such relaxation would be inconsistent with the StateOwned Enterprises Act 2023 Sources said the two gas utilities had already benefited from a similar exemption over the past three years The Finance Ministry s Central Monitoring Unit (CMU), which oversees SOEs under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reform framework, strongly opposed extending the concession Burdened with gas-sector circular debt of around Rs3 44 trillion SNGPL and SSGC argued that adopting IFRS-9 and IFRS-14 would require them to recognise large unrecoverable liabilities significantly eroding their equity despite maintaining sufficient cash flows to sustain operations
The Petroleum Division had proposed allowing the companies to continue preparing their financial statements under the previous Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) citing the regulated nature of their business
ISLAMABAD M I A N A B R A R
Pakistan and Croatia on Thursday agreed to inject fresh momentum into their bilateral relationship by expanding cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, labour mobility defence and maritime sectors while reaffirming their shared commitment to multilateralism international law and the peaceful resolution of disputes
The understanding was reached during talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Croatia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman who is on a one-
day visit to Pakistan
Addressing a joint press conference Dar said both countries occupied strategically important geographical locations and could leverage their positions to unlock "enormous potential" for economic growth and regional connectivity
He said he briefed the Croatian foreign minister on the capabilities of Karachi Port and discussed the possibility of establishing collaborative arrangements between the ports of the two countries describing connectivity as central to sustainable development regional stability and global economic integration Dar termed the bilateral discus-
Pakistan and Qatar have made fresh contacts with the US and Iran to halt further military strikes and return to negotiations “as per agreement ” Pakistani government sources told Anadolu on Thursday Pakistan together with Qatar is in touch with Washington and Tehran to persuade the two sides to end hostilities and return to negotiations as per agreement, a source close to the mediation process said
The source was referring
and
sions "warm constructive and wideranging" saying both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of relations and agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, information technology, education, defence, climate change, tourism infrastructure labour mobility and seaport development
The two countries also agreed to operationalise the existing memorandum of understanding on political consultations between their foreign ministries by holding regular meetings Pakistan offered to host the inaugural round of consultations in the last quarter of 2026 or the first quarter of 2027
KP ASKS CENTRE TO DEFER TA X EXEMPTION WITHDRAWAL IN MAL AK AND, MERGED DISTRICTS
PSX extends losses as Middle East tensions keep investors on edge
Lahore holds candlelight vigil in memor y of Ayatollah Khamenei
Members of the legal fraternity, civil society and people from different walks of life gathered at Lahore's GPO Chowk on Thursday to hold a peaceful prayer and candlelight vigil in memory of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei paying tribute to his legacy and expressing solidarity with the people of Iran following his assassination in US and Israeli airstrikes The solemn gathering was marked by collective prayers for the eternal peace of Ayatollah Khamenei's soul and for his place in Jannat al-Firdaus, while participants lit candles as a symbol of respect mourning and unwavering solidarity with the Iranian people The tribute ceremony was organised under the auspices of the Pakistan Global Initiative and was led by noted human rights activist and social leader Advocate Makhdoom Muhammad Waseem Qureshi Addressing the gathering, Qureshi paid glowing tribute to the late Iranian leader, describing his death as a profound sacrifice for his nation and its civilisation "The martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei stands as a monumental sacrifice for his nation and the preservation of Iranian civilization Qureshi said Much like his noble ancestor Imam Hussain (AS), he embraced martyrdom rather than surrender before the forces of falsehood His sacrifice is a testament to resilience that will be remembered by the world for generations to come " During his address Advocate Qureshi also commended Pakistan s leadership for what he described as its proactive role during the recent regional tensions He specifically praised Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their diplomatic efforts and Pakistan's role in facilitating mediation between Iran and the United States saying the country's engagement reflected its commitment to promoting regional stability and lasting peace Raisa Adil appointed new Principal Information Officer
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T The federal government on Thursday appointed senior Information Group officer Raisa Adil as the new Principal Information Officer (PIO) with immediate effect According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Raisa Adil, a BS-20 officer who had been serving as Executive Director General of the External Publicity Wing (EPW) has been transferred and posted as Executive Director General/Principal Information Officer at the Press Information Department (PID), Islamabad The notification said the appointment has been made in her own pay and scale and will remain effective until further orders
Govt avoids Rs16b claims by supplying loc al gas to two fer tiliser plants
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Referring to the recent wave of violence in Balochistan the prime minister said the country s top civil and military leadership had assembled in the province after "very serious incidents took place in the past four days", resulting in the martyrdom of policemen soldiers and civilians
He noted that security forces had killed 54 terrorists while responding to the attacks and during subsequent intelligence-based operations, reaffirming the government s resolve to continue the campaign against militancy
This war against terrorism will continue until the last fasaadi (vicious) terrorist in Pakistan is eliminated," he said Reiterating Pakistan s allegations against India, the prime minister claimed there was "no doubt that our eastern neighbour is fully involved in this fitna (evil) in all aspects
They are providing money to these terrorists and their groups, as well as providing weapons These terrorists in Afghanistan collectively conduct attacks in Balochistan and KP he said
He further remarked Likewise there are also some khariji hands about which I do not want to say anything further here," echoing recent
remarks by the military spokesperson that India and forces with India were behind the recent attacks
Prime Minister Shehbaz said the activities of Fitna Al Khawarij (FAK) were aimed at undermining Pakistan s international standing and diminishing the respect the country had earned globally "whether they are the diplomatic successes or the four-day war of May last year "
The government uses the term Fitna al Khawarij (FAK) to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates
Paying tribute to the sacrifices of the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and civilians, the prime minister said brave soldiers and officers had laid down their lives in defence of the country
The brave soldiers and officers of the armed forces rendered sacrifices and sacrificed their blood, along with law enforcement agencies and innocent civilians," he said
He expressed confidence that the unwavering support of the nation for the armed forces and law enforcement agencies would ultimately lead to the complete eradication of terrorism
The prime minister stressed that lasting peace in Balochistan was indispensable for Pakistan s overall stability development and prosper-
ity adding that attempts by hostile elements to derail the country s progress would not be allowed to succeed Expressing concern over the recent terrorist attacks, he acknowledged the determination and professionalism of the law enforcement agencies engaged in combating what he described as Indian-sponsored terrorism in Balochistan
He underscored the government's policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms saying every effort would be made to safeguard the lives and property of the people of Balochistan
Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed that Pakistan would crush both internal and externally backed terrorist networks attempting to undermine the province s peace and security
He also assured that the federal government, in close coordination with the Balochistan government, would continue supporting all efforts aimed at eliminating terrorism strengthening the writ of the state and enabling the people of the province to pursue a future of peace, development and opportunity
The prime minister concluded his address by praying for the elevated ranks of those martyred in recent terrorist incidents
WH I L E the USA and Iran trade missiles for a second night on Thursday, the mediators of the Memorandum of Understanding establishing the ceasefire have scrambled into action Pakistan and Oman has started contacting both sides and urged restraint calling for de-escalation This shows that their primary concern is the same as that of the rest of the world, which is the operation of the Hormuz Strait The latest round of hostility had in fact originated with the Hormuz Strait, with Iran firing upon tankers it said had not sought permission to pass through them, and the USA trying to take out the Iranian shore installations through which it interdicted passage
The USA had tried this particular method of opening the Strait but had failed mainly because it had been unable to pinpoint the Iranian shore installations which allowed it to carry out the blockade Unless the USA used the ceasefire to develop a more accurate intelligence picture of those installations, there is no reason to believe that its bombing would be in any way more effective than before The Strait is still key to the entire world economy which had faced steadily climbing oil prices ever since the first US and Israeli attacks on Iran including the one killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28 There was a temporary ceasefire on April8 which became permanent on June 17, after the two countries Presidents signed a Memorandum of Understanding on how to proceed further There have been breakdowns before during negotiations, starting with Israel s attacks on the Hamas team in Qatar Iran has experienced two rounds of talks followed by attacks the first last summer and now this winter It is almost as if the USA has barely launched a summer attack now The rest of the world will watch now as the Strait is blocked once again
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
A pointless ceasefire
WH I L E US and Iranian negotiators get down to the nitty gritty of the talks Iran held the funeral of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Teheran Qom and Mashhad That funeral became subject to a tug-of-war as the USA used its diplomatic clout to stop high state officials from attending However this seems not to have worked with even Saudi Arabia sending a delegation headed by its deputy foreign minister not to mention that four countries sent heads of state or government while another six sent senior government leaders China and Russia were represented at this level as was India which means the USA was not particularly successful in its efforts One of the four was Pakistan one of the six Saudi Arabia There was clearly some realignment taking place as it seemed that the USA was going to reduce its footprint in the region It would not eliminate it entirely but it would prefer a more indirect role and especially would like to prevent Iran from controlling the straits of Hormuz The problem is the new security architecture that the USA favours which needs Iran to end its opposition to Israel The USA has not made
nearly did, when US President Donald Trump threatened on April7 that a whole civilization will die tonight However, it did not, which meant that nuclear weapons were off the table That might explain why certain US voices have speculated about how Israel might try to sabotage the talks which are taking place One method, by assassinating the Iranian leaders gather for Ayatollah Khamenei s funeral, has passed, but the second, using its own nuclear weapon on Iran, is still on the table It would go against the assumed Israeli no-firstuse doctrine, though a case might be made for a use of the Samson Option, in which it would use the nuclear option if it faced an existential threat An Iranian nuclear weapon is just such a threat, as an Iran about to achieve a nuclear weapon renders the Israeli nuclear weapon no deterrent Iran has shown it can successfully hit Israel with its missiles, which have carried conventional payloads So if it could deliver a nuclear payload, would that not incentivize the Samson Option?
It would probably mean the closure of the Hormuz Strait for a long time The Gulf monarchies would also become radiation-contaminated, and it is possible that the monarchies might collapse in the generalized chaos that would follow The survival of the monarchies is one of the key factors which is not being paid enough attention The monarchies are focused on the survival of their ruling dynasties First the UK, then then the USA underwrote the security of these monarchies, in return for the free flow of oil The Pahlavi dynasty provided the same sort of deal to the USA, and thus the fall of the Pahlavis 46 years ago was a cataclysmic event, showing that the USA could not guarantee their survival However, since then, no monarchy fell during the Arab Spring, only presidents True, some of them were monarchical in nature, but none had inherited the office from a relative The dynasties are now contemplating a future without US security guarantees Who else can provide those guarantees? Can Iran? Iran is problematic because of a long civilisational clash between Arabs and Persians that dates back to pre-Islamic times Is Iran independent, or does its hegemony actually
is that the Iranian establishment seems divided between the pragmatists and the hardliners The former want a deal with the USA which would end sanctions and enable Iran to fight off the economic difficulties it is facing for while US triumphalism over the impending Iranian collapse have proven to be exaggerated no one should pretend that Iran is not in bad economic shape The latter do not want a deal and seem to calculate that the USA has blinked The USA is militarily stymied for its two remaining options are unpalatable One is a ground invasion which has been ruled out because the invading force would be slaughtered The USA’s bombing campaign has not achieved the kind of regime change it wanted but it cannot send in the ground troops needed for such change The other option is to use nuclear weapons which it
The Pakistan nobody talks about
b i g r a b b i t o u t o f t h e h a t t o a c h i
Dam illusion
workforce and contributes nearly a quarter of GDP, is overwhelmingly a rural enterprise
The remittances flowing from rural families who sent sons and daughters to Gulf states fund household consumption across thousands of villages The resilience with which rural communities absorb floods, droughts, and economic shocks, year after year without meaningful state support, is a form of invisible subsidy to a national economy that takes the output and ignores the deprivation Pakistan’s development conversation takes place in air-conditioned offices in Islamabad and Karachi in the language of macroeconomic indicators that aggregate away the lived experience of the majority GDP growth of 3 7 percent means something very specific to a family sitting in 45-degree heat with 16 hours of loadshedding no gas no clean water and a hospital too far away to reach in an emergency It means nothing Until rural Pakistan stops being a footnote in the national development narrative and becomes its primary subject stabilisation will remain exactly what it is: a comfort for those already comfortable and a statistic for everyone else
The writer is Ph D in Political Science and visiting faculty at QAU Islamabad His area of specialization is political development and social change He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo com and tweet@zafarkhansafdar
PakistanÊs development conversation takes place in airconditioned offices in Islamabad and Karachi, in the languag e of macroeconomic indicators that aggregate away the lived experience of the majority. GDP growth of 3.7 percent means something ver y specific to a family sitting in 45-degree heat with 16 hours of loadshedding, no gas, no clean water, and a hospital too far away to reach in an emerg ency
A gamble of alliances
Healthcare inequalit y
Pakistan has one of the highest maternal mor tality rates in South Asia, and delay is a massive reason why. A recent study found that women who died from pregnancy complications waited an average of 3 8 days before even deciding to seek care often because of money, distance, or needing a husbandÊs permission Then it took another 3 7 hours to actually reach a facility By then, conditions that are completely manageable with timely care haemorrhage, sepsis, hyper tensive disorders had already become fatal
approach including protocols for the AI labs to follow before releasing their most powerful models “The possibilities are wide open ” said an outside adviser deeply involved in the conversations Trump is reluctant to regulate as is clear from his approach across much of the Executive Branch But the power of Claude Mythos 5 and Fable 5 has roused many officials to favor a more robust less ad hoc approach
Restrictions on those models showed the administration’s hand: If national security becomes an issue complying with the government becomes mandatory as evidenced by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s letters to Anthropic A U S official told us: “The export controls were effective [in] ensuring Anthropic worked with the administration ” Mythos we were told again and again was a wake-up call that more guardrails are needed We’ve learned Trump officials are considering a new governing body for vetting AI with the possibility of including other nations
3 US, China contemplate controls: Chinese authorities have met with top tech firms over the past month to discuss restricting overseas access to the country’s most advanced AI models Reuters reported this week When we started asking around about the report we were surprised to hear the U S is kicking around ways to restrict Chinese access to U S models perhaps through export controls These conversations are very preliminary with little agreement about what measures could actually work This isn’t just about American competitiveness national security is at stake “AI is already deeply integrated into both countries’ intelligence and military which will change the geopolitical competition and the nature of warfare ” said an insider who talks with competing factions of the administration The bottom line: We’ve entered the Big Phase big government considering new rules big AI in a neck-and-neck race for frontier supremacy and the big global showdown of China vs USA Axios’ Zachary Basu
using unilateral regulation to forcibly cut apart mature global submarine cable industrial and supply chains replacing market rules with political intervention For Global South countries the range of available procurement channels for submarine cable terminal equipment is being narrowed If they choose equipment that Washington labels as high-risk or linked to “foreign adversaries,” they may find it difficult to connect to landing points under US control If they choose equipment from the US and its allies, they must bear high procurement, operation and maintenance costs, sharply raising the cost of building cross-border digital infrastructure and
Qatar pauses LNG output revival after tanker attack near Hormuz: report
CORPORATE CORNER
PUNJAB ON HIGH ALERT AS CM MARYAM UNVEILS SWEEPING HEAT WAVE, FLOOD DEFENCE PL AN
US envoy backs Punjab’s c ultural revival, hails CM M ar yam’s
United States Consul General in Lahore Stetson Sanders on Thursday lauded Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's public welfare initiatives and appreciated the provincial government s efforts to promote culture and the arts particularly the establishment of the Punjab Film City and the revival of the province s theatre industry, as both sides agreed to expand cooperation in the fields of culture, arts and creative industries
The appreciation came during a meeting between the US Consul General and Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari in Lahore, according to a statement issued by the Punjab Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) The meeting focused on matters of mutual interest enhanced cultural cooperation and the Punjab government s ongoing development and public welfare initiatives Punjab Information Secretary Syed Tahir Raza Hamdani and Political and Economic Advisor at the US Consulate Sadaf Saad also attended the meeting According to the statement the
welfare drive
two sides discussed the possibility of establishing a cultural partnership between American artists and the Alhamra Arts Council, as well as organising joint cultural and artistic activities in Lahore to further strengthen people-to-people ties Speaking on the occasion Azma Bokhari briefed the US Consul General on the flagship public welfare programmes launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif She said the Punjab government had introduced historic initiatives aimed at improving the lives of women students and farmers across the province
Gas supply continues across countr y: SNGPL
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Certain news items have been published in the media yesterday giving the impression as if a new wave of supply disruption/force majeure has hit the gas consumers which will lead to curtailment in gas supplies Such items don t reflect the ground realities while no change has been made to the gas supplies to consumers It is highlighted that the Force Majeure declared by Qatar Energy in March 2026 has been extended from time to time including the latest extension as conveyed vide SNGPL letter This is an ongoing situation and no new adverse development or curtailment in supplies has occurred, unlike the situation portrayed in the said news items The issue of gas supply has been meticulously managed under the guidance of the National Coordination & Management Council (NCMC) and the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) Indigenous supplies have been optimized and LNG cargoes are being regularly arranged to meet the Demand for all sectors Demand of household during cooking hours is being met Continuous supply of gas to the industry and Fertilizer has been ensured to help sustain economic activity while special emphasis has been put on maximizing gas supply to Power to mitigate electricity load shedding
She also informed the Consul General that construction of 170 000 homes was currently underway under the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar" housing programme, enabling thousands of families to fulfil their dream of homeownership the statement said Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation between the Punjab Information and Culture Department and the US Consulate Lahore in the fields of culture, arts and creative industries with a view to promoting cultural exchange and collaborative initiatives
Policymakers, global health experts urge evidence-informed decisions to strengthen health system
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Two-day symposium at Aga Khan University brings together policymakers from all over Pakistan and family planning experts from five countriesKarachi:* Federal and provincial health leaders joined global experts in Karachi this week to press for a shift toward evidenceinformed and technology-driven health policymaking in Pakistan with policymakers researchers development partners academia and global health experts calling for artificial intelligence and stronger delivery systems to improve care The call came at a two-day symposium organised and hosted by the Aga Khan University (AKU) in collaboration with Exemplars in Global Health and Results for Development (R4D) which examined how policy lessons from countries including Kenya, Malawi, Bolivia and Senegal could be adapted to Pakistan The cross-country evidence highlighted that progress is achieved through a combination of factors rather than a single intervention
PAKI S TAN, UK S TEP UP FI NANCI AL CO O PERATI O N TO
B O O S T I NV ES TMENT AND CAPI TAL MARKET ACCES S
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Speakers at a seminar hosted by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) on Thursday credited the Communist Party of China (CPC) with transforming China into a global economic powerhouse through people-centric governance, longterm planning and merit-based leadership, while highlighting Beijing's growing contribution to global development
The seminar titled China s Remarkable Socioeconomic Transformation under the Leadership of the CPC and Its Growing Contributions to Global Public Good,” was organised to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the founding of the CPC Opening the event IRS President Ambassador Jauhar Saleem described China s development as one of the most remarkable transformations in modern history, noting that nearly 800 million people had been lifted out of poverty while per capita income had risen
from around $156 in the 1970s to nearly $13,400 today He identified meritocracy and people-centric governance as key drivers of China's success describing Pakistan and China as "partners in peace partners in progress and development partners Professor Gao Jian, Secretary General of Shanghai International Studies University, said China's modernization had followed a path rooted in its own national realities challenging the notion that modernization must necessarily mean Westernization He said Chinese governance under the CPC remained focused on collective public welfare rather than individual interests, with policies judged by the extent of public support and societal benefit
Former ambassador to China Masood Khalid outlined the CPC s evolution since its founding in 1921, highlighting China's systematic five-year planning model as a major factor behind its sustained economic growth He said successive Chinese leaders from Mao
Zedong to President Xi Jinping had laid the foundation for the country s peaceful rise and growing role in shaping Asia's future Former ambassador Moin ul Haque highlighted China's expanding engagement with the Global South saying Beijing had evolved from a recipient of international assistance into a major provider of global public goods He pointed to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Covid-19 vaccine assistance development financing scientific cooperation and educational opportunities as examples of China s international contributions
President Xi Jinping's vision of
plined party governance had enabled China to eradicate extreme poverty, expand its transport in-
Pakistan-Russia webinar strengthens momentum for cooperation in trade, education & energy
ISLAMABAD
A P P
The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad, in collaboration with the University of World Civilizations (UWCM) Moscow on Thursday convened the second event in the Pakistan-Russia Webinar Series, titled Pakistan-Russia: Strengthening Trade, Education & Energy Collaboration ” The webinar brought together senior policymakers diplomats business leaders and academics from both countries to examine practical opportunities for expanding bilateral engagement in trade, industrial development, energy, education and regional connectivity Building upon the success of the first webinar in the series in
June 2026 the second dialogue advanced discussions from geopolitical perspectives toward concrete geoeconomic initiatives Participants emphasized that sustained interaction between governments academic institutions businesses and policy communities is essential to unlocking the considerable potential of PakistanRussia relations in an evolving Eurasian landscape Opening the webinar Ambassador Jauhar Saleem President of the Institute of Regional Studies observed that Pakistan and Russia are entering a new phase of bilateral engagement in which economic cooperation, institutional partnerships and people-to-people exchanges can complement steadily expanding diplomatic relations
He stressed that policy dialogue must increasingly be accompanied by practical initiatives capable of generating long-term economic and strategic benefits for both countries Delivering the keynote address Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari highlighted Pakistan s commitment to diversifying its international energy partnerships and identified Russia as an important partner in energy security infrastructure development technological cooperation and long-term investment Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Alexey V Gruzdev reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to expanding industrial and commercial engagement with Pakistan and emphasized new opportunities emerging across Eurasia
reshuffles key officials;
LAHORE S A L E E M J A D O O N
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Federal Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik on Thursday agreed to strengthen federal-provincial coordination on climate resilience flood preparedness and disaster management ahead of the monsoon season, approving a series of measures,
