PM REAFFIRMS FULL FEDERAL BACKING FOR BALOCHISTAN'S DEVELOPMENT, VOWS EQUAL PROGRESS FOR ALL PROVINCES
g PM ANNOUNCES RS300BN KARACHI, CHAMAN DUAL CARRIAGEWAY, VOWS TIMELY COMPLETION
g INDIA BLAMED FOR FUELLING TERRORISM; KABUL URGED TO PREVENT MILITANT SANCTUARIES
g BALOCHISTAN'S DEVELOPMENT ESSENTIAL FOR PAKISTAN'S PROGRESS, SAYS SHEHBAZ
g FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EXPANDS SCHOLARSHIPS, LAPTOPS AND FA STTRACKS KACHHI CANAL PROJECT
ISLAMABAD
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said India’s role in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan was ‘absolutely clear ’ and called for a united national response to the threat of militancy
Addressing participants of the Balochistan National Workshop in Islamabad, the prime minister said India was backing terrorism in Pakistan He also said Balochistan’s leadership had consistently placed the federation above personal interests and added that the province s people had played an important part in the creation of Pakistan
Shehbaz said Punjab had made a generous contribution to Balochistan’s share under the National Finance Commission Award and added that national development depended on balanced contributions from all four provinces He further said work was in progress on the KarachiChaman dual carriageway project Referring to the country’s security
Emphasising good governance the prime minister said Pakistan s challenges could only be overcome through transparency accountability and efficient institutions Referring to the security situation, Shehbaz Sharif accused India of sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan and said the country must confront the threat with unity and determination He added that Pakistan had repeatedly urged Afghanistan s interim authorities to pre-
Pakistan rejects India's Kashmir claim at UN, calls for resolution under UNSC mandate UNITED NATIONS S TA F F R E P O R T
Pakistan on Friday firmly rejected India s assertion that Jammu and Kashmir is its integral part or an internal matter", telling the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that the territory remains an internationally recognised dispute that must be resolved in accordance with UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people Exercising Pakistan s right of reply during a UNSC open debate on strengthening mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes, Counsellor Saima Saleem said Jammu and Kashmir s disputed status could not be altered through unilateral claims "Jammu and Kashmir is neither a so-called integral part of India nor its internal matter " she said adding that India s assertions could not rewrite history change the territory s internationally recognised status or conceal decades of alleged human rights violations and denial of the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination Responding to remarks made by the Indian representative during the debate, Saleem accused New Delhi of attempting to undermine the discussion through denial distortion and misrepresentation of facts She noted that India itself had brought the Kashmir issue before the Security Council but later disregarded its resolutions "Security Council resolutions do not have an expiry date," she remarked, stressing the importance of adherence to international law for maintaining global peace and security The Pakistani diplomat also criticised India's record in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) alleging arbitrary detentions extrajudicial killings enforced disappearances political repression and restrictions on civil liberties Drawing a contrast with Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), she said residents there exercised political rights and enjoyed freedom of expression, whereas dissent in IIOJK was allegedly suppressed
situation the prime minister said 90,000 people had embraced martyrdom in the fight against terrorism He also noted that a sessions judge had been killed in Mastung a day earlier
The prime minister said the Afghan Taliban administration had completely failed to prevent terrorists from using Afghan soil for attacks on Pakistani civilians and security personnel He maintained that terrorism had been eliminated by 2018 but later resurfaced under what he described as an organised conspiracy Shehbaz said the sacrifices of the people of Balochistan would not be wasted and added that Pakistan had registered important successes in recent days Turning to diplomacy he praised Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for their role in efforts to mediate between the United States and Iran
vent the use of Afghan territory for terrorist activities against Pakistan but had yet to receive the desired response
in Cholpon-Ata
CHOLPON-ATA,
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday called for renewed diplomatic efforts to preserve the commitments enshrined in the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) stressing the need for dialogue, restraint and de-escalation by all sides as the conflict between the United States and Iran continues to intensify FM Dar made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers
gyzstan according to a statement issued by the Foreign
(FO) The meeting took place against the backdrop of renewed hostilities between Washington and Tehran with both countries exchanging strikes over recent days The United States has targeted Iranian military facilities along the country s southern coast, while Iran has responded by attacking US military bases in Gulf countries According to the FO the two foreign ministers reviewed the evolving regional sit-
–, Wang Y i review bilateral ties, regional cooperation
CHOLPON-ATA
B R A R Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday held a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), reviewing bilateral relations regional developments and cooperation at multilateral forums According to the Foreign Office, the two ministers held a warm and productive exchange of views with Dar thanking Wang Yi for appreciating Pakistan s diplomatic efforts to promote regional peace and stability, as highlighted during the SCO-CFM proceedings
dispute with Washington was “not
about mediation but about the US approach He reiterated that Iran would not yield to pressure threats or bullying and would continue pursuing what he described as the country s principles, including protecting the Iranian people and Iran’s interests in the Strait of Hormuz “As long as
ald Trump’s temporary 10% global tariff expired following a 150-day period Goods already in transit will remain exempt until 12:01 am EDT on July 28
Announced through a Federal Register notice on Thursday, the tariffs apply to 99 4% of US imports, although a range of products has been excluded
The measure was imposed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 allowing the administration to retain a tariff floor on most imports after the US Supreme Court struck down Trump s earlier reciprocal duties in February Those tariffs, ranging from 10% to 50%, had been introduced under national emergency powers as part of efforts to reduce the US trade deficit Section 301 has
previously survived legal challenges and is expected to expose the latest action to less litigation risk Pakistan was included among 18 countries assigned a 10% tariff The group also includes Argentina Bangladesh Britain, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Trinidad and Tobago
The European Union Taiwan Japan South Korea and Switzerland were assigned rates that when combined with existing most-favoured-nation tariffs, bring their total duties to either 10% or 12 5%
Another 38 countries, including China and Vietnam were subjected to a 12 5% rate Vietnam issued a decree this week detailing tighter restrictions on imports made with forced labour China has faced US accusations concerning the detention of Uyghur minorities in labour camps, allegations rejected by Beijing US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Washington had enforced a forced-labour import ban for nearly a century and expected trading partners to adopt similarly strict measures Greer has previously said countries that negotiated trade agreements with Washington containing tariff ceilings
would not see the forced-labour duties push rates above those agreed limits Trump administration officials have informed Chinese counterparts that they intend to restore second-term tariffs on Chinese goods to the 20% level agreed in a trade truce with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November 2025, without exceeding that threshold Before Friday’s action the tariff rate on Chinese goods had fallen to 10% excluding the 25% duties imposed during Trump s first term on industrial products The move drew objections from several US trading partners European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the tariffs came as a shock and questioned
Dar
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Highlighting Balochistan s historical significance the prime minister said the province's Baloch and Pashtun people had played a vital role in the creation of Pakistan with several princely states voluntarily joining the federation in 1947 and 1948 Although Balochistan was the country's least populated province, he said, its vast geographical expanse and dispersed settlements required substantially greater resources for development
He recalled that under the 2010 NFC Award the other provinces particularly Punjab had voluntarily agreed to double Balochistan s financial share Punjab alone he noted had contributed Rs11 billion annually amounting to Rs150 billion so far The prime minister said nearly 27,000 tube wells in Balochistan were being converted to solar power under a Rs75 billion project with the federal government contributing Rs50 billion He added that the N-25 highway long associated with fatal accidents was being upgraded into a dual carriageway through savings generated by lower international oil prices Expressing sorrow over the killing of Mastung Sessions Judge Abdul Hakeem, Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the sacrifices made in the fight against terrorism noting that around 90 000 Pakistanis had laid down their lives He said terrorism which had largely been defeated by 2017-18 had resurfaced due to an organised conspir-
acy while Pakistan continued to press Afghanistan to act against militant groups operating from its territory He praised the armed forces and law enforcement agencies for their sacrifices and
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
These sacrifices of our brave soldiers further reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation at all costs ” the statement added The latest attack comes only days after security forces killed 24 terrorists in Bannu district and adjoining areas during a series of intelligence-based operations
According to an earlier ISPR statement, there had been a recent surge in terrorist attacks, including assaults on police and suicide bombings in Bannu, prompting security forces to launch extensive joint intelligence-based operations to dismantle terrorist networks and their support infrastructure Accordingly, in the last 24 hours, following fierce fire exchanges in Bannu district and adjoining areas 24 khawarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij have been sent to hell, the military had said In May, at
least 15 police personnel embraced martyrdom in a suicide attack on the Fateh Khel police post in KP’s Bannu district after terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the installation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has witnessed a sharp rise in terrorist violence over the past year
According to the Annual Security Report 2025 released by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) the province experienced a significant escalation in violence with fatalities increasing from 1 620 in 2024 to 2 331 in 2025 Amid the resurgence of militancy particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan where security personnel and law enforcement agencies have frequently come under attack, the state has further intensified nationwide counter-terrorism operations to dismantle militant networks and restore security
THREE MARTYRED IN TANK TERRORIST ATTACK
LAID TO REST WITH FULL STATE HONOURS
Meanwhile funeral prayers for two police constables and a forest guard who embraced martyrdom in a terrorist attack on the Manjhi Khel check-post in Tank district, were offered with full state honours at Police Lines Tank, with senior government and police officials paying tribute to their sacrifice and reaffirming the province’s resolve against terrorism
According to an official statement Police Constable Bilal Khan Police Constable Tila Muhammad and Forest Guard Noor Azam
THE government has set an ambitious target of halving the population growth rate currently 2 55 percent to 1 25 percent by 2035 This was decided in a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister who has backed publicly the idea that the National Finance Commission Award should not award provinces a share based on population which had been the sole criterion until the 2012 Award The NFC that year admitted that other criteria should be included shares were regulated accordingly The federal government has come up with the idea of removing population as a criterion for the distribution of the NFC within the provinces with population control and health and education outcomes
The concern which the PM expressed at the meeting which had been recently formulated by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has been that too many people would strain resources A school would become overcrowded a new hospital would need staff and no matter how much you threw at a constantly growing population it would always be outstripped by new population growth This does not count the problem of climate change where decreased water means straining already limited food resources The target set by the PM might seems small a reduction of 1 3 percent in five years but it should be bored that population growth has barely gone down half a percentage point in half a century That means the population control mechanism is not working The government should keep in mind that population control is the result of a couple’s own decision and such efforts as China’s notorious one-child policy or the forced vasectomies in 1970s India have either not worked or had unintended and unexpected demographic consequences
If the government feels able to deliver an adequate population control policy perhaps it will pay more attention to some of the other areas of development There appears a direct correlation between population growth and state provision of healthcare and education At the moment resources put into population control will mean resources diverted from such things as roads and bridges The plea for provinces to control population welfare by the Sindh government is a reminder of how strongly it tried to use numbers claiming at the 2017 census that its population had been undercounted While
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Ain a women s diet before and during early pregnancy Yet healthy diets remain out of reach for 80 percent of our population Beyond this, about half of women of reproductive age in Pakistan are folate-deficient, increasing the risk of babies born with neural tube defects
THERE is perhaps no easier task today than to criticize the Pakistan Army A comment on social media a television debate or a casual conversation is often enough to pass judgment on an institution whose members spend a lifetime carrying burdens that most citizens will never experience Opinions are formed in moments, yet the commitment demanded by the uniform is measured in years of relentless discipline, selfless service and an unwavering readiness to lay down one’s life for Pakistan
Before judging the uniform it is worth understanding what it truly represents The Pakistan Army is not an institution built on privilege It is built on sacrifice No one enters the Pakistan Military Academy in search of comfort, material rewards, or post-retirement benefits Every cadet begins the journey knowing that military service demands absolute discipline unwavering loyalty and complete devotion to Pakistan From the very first day of training the possibility of making the supreme sacrifice is accepted as an inseparable part of the profession The philosophy of martyrdom is not the pursuit of death It is the willingness to sacrifice one’s life, if duty demands in defence of the country its people and its values Military service is inspired
life lost in the defence of the nation? There is no reward that can compensate for such loss The same misunderstanding exists about military promotions Many assume that advancement is simply a matter of seniority The reality is entirely different Every promotion in the Pakistan Army is earned through rigorous examinations demanding professional courses continuous assessments
That is where food fortification comes in Food fortification adding essential vitamins and minerals to everyday staples like wheat flour rice oil and salt is one of the most effective public health interventions available, working to prevent billions of nutrient deficiencies each year It works quietly, consistently, and at scale to reach families regardless of income education or geography
Compared with the lifelong cost of treating neural tube defects surgery rehabilitation mobility support and lost productivity the return on investment is extraordinary Pakistan has made incredible strides to implement and scale food fortification Almost 100 percent of edible oil in the country is fortified, and iodized salt is expanding with improved inspection and quality assurance systems
Wheat flour is the most recent addition to Pakistan s food fortification efforts While several provinces have introduced mandatory standards, achieving meaningful and sustained public health impact will require the adoption and enforcement of national legislation to ensure uniform coverage across the country A nationwide mandatory wheat flour fortification programme could deliver significant health gains, including reductions in neural tube defects and other conditions, like anemia, that are related to a lack of essential nutrients
Pakistan cannot afford to rely on incremental progress Accelerating impact will require the establishment of mandatory national standards for wheat flour fortification alongside continued
strengthening and enforcement of existing salt and edible oil fortification programmes Together these measures would help build a more consistent and effective national approach to addressing widespread nutritional gaps
As physicians, we believe deeply in the power of prevention because it is more powerful than any procedure we could perform Our responsibility does not end when we leave the operating room It extends to speaking up when we see suffering that can and should be prevented
That is why we recently attended the World Health Assembly in Geneva not to showcase surgical techniques, but as physicians engaging directly with Ministries of Health to advocate for preventive action that improves nutrition reduces the burden of disease and helps ensure that fewer babies ever require surgical care Pakistan has already demonstrated leadership through the fortification of salt and edible oil; the next critical step is to build on this foundation by implementing national wheat flour fortification as a strategy to prevent neural tube defects and other avoidable conditions
Every delay has a human cost more children undergoing preventable surgery and more families carrying avoidable burdens This is a crisis we can stop
Dr Almas Khattak is a public health global surgery and health systems professional currently serving as Research Director at Medical Teaching Institution Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar
Dr Tariq Khan Hashim is Professor and Head of the Department of Neurosurgery at Northwest School of Medicine Peshawar Pakistan
