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NEW PROVINCES DECISION RESTS WITH PARLIAMENT, SAYS SANAULLAH
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Sunday, 13 September, 2026 | 30 Rabiul Awwal, 1448
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PML-N LEADER SAYS DISCUSSIONS ON MAJOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS SHOULD NOT BE CONFINED TO SPEECHES, SOCIAL MEDIA, BUSINESS FORUMS OR SEMINARS
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 169 | 8 Pages | Islamabad Edition
SAYS PARLIAMENT ONLY FORUM WHERE ANY ISSUE WOULD BE DEBATED AND ITS OUTCOME DETERMINED
STRESSES EVEN A REFERENDUM TO ASCERTAIN g SAYS PML-N CURRENTLY DELIBERATING PUBLIC OPINION ON NEW PROVINCES ON THE ISSUE AND WOULD FORMULATE WOULD REQUIRE PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL ITS POLICY AFTER THE DEBATE
MQM-P renews push for new province in ‘Urban Sindh’ KARACHI STAFF REPORT
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LAHORE STAFF REPORT
DVISER to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Saturday that any decision on the creation of new provinces would ultimately be taken by Parliament, urging political parties and provincial leaderships to debate the issue at the appropriate forum. Speaking at a press conference, the PML-N leader said discussions on major constitutional and administrative matters should not be confined to speeches, social media, business forums or seminars. “In my humble opinion, this debate should have been started in Parliament,”
he said, responding to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s recent remarks in favour of creating new administrative units. Mr Sanaullah said Parliament was the forum where the issue would be debated and its outcome determined. “In any circumstance, the decision of whether any province will be created or not will be made in Parliament, and by Parliament,” he reiterated. He noted that Mr Naqvi himself had linked the creation of new provinces to public demand. If the people wanted new provinces, “no one can stop it”, he said, adding that determining public opinion was ultimately a matter for Parliament. Mr Sanaullah said the PML-N was currently deliberating on the issue and would formulate its policy after the de-
CJP Afridi vows to shield judges from external pressure, ensure speedy justice ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Chief Justice Yahya Afridi on Saturday said the entire judiciary stood united to ensure judges remained “free from external pressure” and procedures had been put in place to protect judicial officers from such pressure. “The Code of Conduct has been amended to free judges from external pressure as the entire judiciary stands with judges to ensure their independence and provide speedy justice to the public,” CJP Afridi said while addressing a national conference on judicial reforms and the provision of speedy justice to the public in Islamabad. He described district courts as the “backbone of the justice system” and called for stronger coordination between district courts and high courts. The Chief Justice said he was proud of the subordinate judiciary, noting that judicial officers were performing their responsibilities despite difficulties. He added that empowering subordinate court judges was a judicial objective aimed at securing public confidence. “Public trust is not inherited; it is earned through integrity,” CJP Afridi said. He said timely delivery of justice was essential and that the requirements of the judiciary would be met to establish a comprehensive justice system across the country. He also urged judicial officers to perform their duties honestly.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Saturday renewed its push for new provinces, asserting that the case for a separate administrative unit in urban Sindh was stronger than anywhere else in the country and warning that a transparent census and corrected voter lists could force the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to confront the demand itself. Speaking at a seminar titled “National Dialogue”, organised by the MQM-P Graduate Forum Pakistan at a local hotel, party chairman and Federal Education Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the demand for new provinces dated back to the APMSO era, well before the formation of the MQM. “Pakistan is our motherland, while provinces are merely administrative units,” Siddiqui said, arguing that provinces should be divided on the basis of population to improve gover-
bate reached a stage where a concrete outcome could emerge. He also clarified that the matter had not yet been formally brought before the federal cabinet. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he said, would issue appropriate
nance and facilitate development. He maintained that although the existing provinces had been formed largely along linguistic lines, the MQM-P was seeking new provinces on administrative grounds. Of all demands for new provinces across the country, he said, the case of urban Sindh was “the strongest and most justified” because the region carried a major share of Pakistan’s economic burden while continuing to face deprivation. Siddiqui further claimed that if an honest and transparent census were conducted in Sindh and voter lists were properly corrected, the PPP itself would be compelled to demand the creation of a new province. Senior MQM-P leader Dr Farooq Sattar said the country’s four provinces were effectively controlled by a handful of families, while the status quo had survived despite the devolution of powers to the provinces under the 18th Amendment.
directions once the issue was taken up. Even a referendum to ascertain public opinion on the creation of new provinces would require parliamentary approval, he added.
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Pakistan condemns drone attack on Saudi oil pipeline ISLAMABAD
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Pakistan on Saturday strongly condemned drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, reaffirming its full support for the Kingdom’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security. In a statement, the Foreign Office termed the attacks on the vital energy infrastructure “reprehensible” and said targeting civilian infrastructure was a flagrant violation of international law and Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty. The ministry warned that the attacks posed a serious threat to regional peace, security and stability, and reiterated Pakistan’s solidarity with the Saudi leadership, government and people. “Pakistan has been and will continue to make earnest efforts for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region,” the Foreign Office said. Saudi Arabia halted operations of the East-West pipeline after several drones struck the facility on Thursday in the Riyadh and Madinah regions. The Saudi Energy Ministry said the shutdown was a
precautionary measure while emergency and technical teams assessed the pipeline’s safety. Saudi authorities said the drones were launched from Iraq, causing injuries and material damage. Also known as Petroline, the approximately 1,200-kilometre pipeline is operated by Saudi Aramco and runs from Abqaiq in the Eastern Province to Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. The strategically important pipeline enables Saudi Arabia to transport crude from its major pro-
duction areas in the east to refineries, storage facilities and export terminals on the Red Sea, reducing reliance on routes through the Strait of Hormuz. The attack comes amid escalating regional tensions and repeated threats to Saudi energy and maritime infrastructure. Yemen’s Houthis have previously targeted Saudi energy interests and control areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key global shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
BRICS backs peaceful conflict resolution, rejects Gaza displacement NEW DELHI
AGENCIES
BRICS leaders on Saturday called for intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent and peacefully resolve conflicts while firmly opposing any forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. The call was part of the New Delhi Declaration, unanimously adopted on the opening day of the two-day BRICS summit in the Indian capital. Expressing deep concern over continued violence in Gaza despite the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, the leaders rejected policies aimed at forcibly removing Palestinians from the territory and warned against arrangements that could undermine their inalienable rights or legitimise or prolong occupation.
The declaration reaffirmed that a just and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could only be achieved through peaceful means and must guarantee the legitimate rights of Palestinians, including their right to self-determination and return. BRICS also rejected unilateral measures seeking to alter the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem, calling for respect for the sanctity of religious sites and the right of all people to access holy places and practise their faith without hindrance. The bloc condemned attacks on installations and personnel of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), stressing that such attacks constituted violations of international law. Against the backdrop of
growing global polarisation and mistrust, BRICS urged countries to address security challenges through political and diplomatic measures aimed at reducing tensions and preventing conflicts. The leaders stressed the need to tackle the root causes of conflicts and encouraged regional organisations to play a more active role in preventing and resolving crises. They also voiced concern over the rising risk of nuclear conflict and called for greater efforts on disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation. The declaration expressed serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities, stressing that nuclear safeguards, safety and security must be maintained even during armed conflicts.
The BRICS leaders also criticised the growing use of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures, warning that such actions distort international trade and undermine World Trade Organisation rules. They expressed serious concern over trade-restrictive measures and condemned unilateral coercive measures, including economic and secondary sanctions, which they said were contrary to international law and could have far-reaching consequences for human rights, health, food security and development in targeted countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping called on BRICS to play a greater role in promoting peace in the Middle East, saying the ongoing conflict did not serve the common interests of the international community.
PPP-PML-N rift persists despite coalition talks LAHORE
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Differences between the leaders of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) persisted on Saturday as the coalition partners’ coordination committees met to address outstanding issues and repair their strained working relationship. The meeting, held after months of friction during the acrimonious election campaigns in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, reportedly witnessed heated exchanges, with both sides blaming each other for the growing trust deficit. The PPP delegation comprised former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Hassan Murtaza, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Ali Qasim Gilani. The PML-N was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and Khawaja Saad Rafique. The PPP complained that it was paying a heavy political price for the federal government’s shortcomings, citing runaway inflation, rising petroleum prices, the continuing agricultural crisis, load-shedding and delays in local government elections. The PML-N, however, accused its coalition partner of behaving more like an opposition party and exploiting public grievances for political gains, despite the PPP being aware that the government had limited control over factors such as international oil prices and inflation. According to participants, the meeting witnessed heated debate at times, but tempers eventually cooled as both sides acknowledged that they had no alternative but to continue working together to safeguard the political system. The PML-N invited Punjab Inspector General of Police Rao Abdul Karim to brief the PPP on its concerns regarding police matters and assured the party of its share in development schemes.
No dialogue with terrorists, says Balochistan CM QUETTA
STAFF REPORT
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Saturday ruled out dialogue with those who had taken up arms against the state, saying the fight against terrorism would continue until the “last terrorist” was eliminated. Addressing the country’s media anchors, senior journalists and other representatives via video link from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Mr Bugti said there would be “no dialogue in any case” with elements involved in armed violence against the state. He said it was not possible to control the entire province while sitting in Quetta and stressed that the war against terrorism would continue until the last terrorist was eliminated. The chief minister said the civil and military leadership was united in its resolve to combat terrorism, adding that there was “no ambiguity or confusion” on the issue. He acknowledged the difficult circumstances in which security forces were performing their duties in Balochistan and said state institutions were working in complete coordination to counter the terrorist threat. Before his interaction with journalists, Mr Bugti received detailed briefings on the provincial government’s strategy for social and economic development, governance, service delivery and the effective utilisation of development funds. Officials also briefed him on efforts to ensure that development projects delivered tangible benefits to the people. A separate briefing on the minerals and mining sector covered its potential, ongoing projects and measures aimed at developing the sector and making better use of Balochistan’s mineral resources. The Ministry of Interior and Tribal Affairs briefed the chief minister on the law and order situation, the Provincial Action Plan, police reforms and progress on integrating the Levies Force into the police.
02 NEWS
Sunday, 13 September, 2026 | ISLAMABAD
Federal govt considers arrangement to give gilgit-Baltistan share in nFc award
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PROFIT
MONITORING REPORT
HE federal government is considering an arrangement to give Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) a share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) award as consultations continue over the region’s constitutional, legal and financial status, Federal Law Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Friday. GB currently receives annual financial grants from the federal government, while successive regional governments have sought a share in the NFC award. The issue was discussed at a meeting of the GB Issues Working Group chaired by Tarar, which reviewed possible constitutional options, financial and administrative matters, previous reports and proposals to strengthen the region’s financial resources. Tarar said broader consultations would be held on GB’s future administrative and constitutional arrangement, with all relevant stakeholders taken on board. The law minister directed the working
group to develop practical proposals and prepare an interim report with recommendations for the main committee. GB Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Advocate and Leader of the Opposition Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman have been invited to its next meeting. Tarar said reaching an agreed constitutional and legal solution would re-
quire more time and national consensus. Separately, the GB Assembly unanimously approved a proposed interim financial arrangement with the federal government modelled on the existing arrangement between the Centre and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Chief Minister Amjad Hussain told
the assembly that the federal finance division had concluded that GB could formally become part of the NFC only after a constitutional amendment, as the region is not currently a constitutional part of Pakistan. Until such an amendment, the finance division proposed adopting an AJK-style arrangement, subject to approval by the GB Assembly and its adoption by the federal government. Amjad Hussain said GB faced a financial shortfall of around Rs17 billion against an estimated requirement of Rs320 billion. Under the proposed arrangement, the federal government would provide Rs250 billion to the region. The chief minister said the arrangement should remain conditional on an eventual constitutional amendment and GB’s inclusion in the NFC. Meanwhile, a high-level committee constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal is also examining GB’s financial, governance and development issues. The committee is considering a resource-sharing mechanism based on NFC principles aimed at providing fair and predictable fiscal transfers to GB.
PSX to remain sensitive to geopolitical upheaval; IMF review, monetary policy key catalysts: report PROFIT
NEWS DESK
FBr raises penalties for fake invoices, digital non-compliance PROFIT
MONITORING REPORT
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has increased penalties and introduced new enforcement measures against sales tax registered persons involved in fake invoices, digital non-compliance and violations of production monitoring requirements from July 1, 2026. According to sales tax budget instructions for 2026-27, penalties under Section 33 have been revised to discourage noncompliance, with the FBR saying existing amounts had not been rationalised for a long period. A registered person failing to integrate their business or record sales and production through the FBR’s computerised system will face a Rs1 million penalty. Continued non-compliance for one month after the first penalty can result in a second penalty of up to Rs5 million. Business premises may also be sealed. The FBR has also introduced penalties targeting fake or “flying” invoices. A registered person found, after notice and adjudication, to have issued invoices for fictitious transactions or supplies that did not take place will face a penalty equal to the value of the invoices, including sales tax. Such persons will also be placed on a publicly accessible “Simulated Invoice Issuers Register”. Input tax credits claimed against invoices issued by a listed person will be automatically reversed and treated as inadmissible from the date of listing. Removal from the register will require full payment of the penalty and default surcharge, along with satisfactory demonstration of compliance. Registered persons whose input tax claims cannot be matched with corresponding output tax declared by suppliers will face a penalty equal to 20% of the unmatched input tax, in addition to reversal of the inadmissible credit and payment of default surcharge. A separate 20% penalty will apply where a taxpayer fails within 60 days to reverse input tax claimed on invoices issued by a person placed on the Simulated Invoice Issuers Register. The FBR has also expanded enforcement under Section 40C covering production monitoring systems, video analytics and other prescribed monitoring mechanisms. Taxable goods subject to monitoring requirements cannot be manufactured, removed, transported or supplied without prescribed tax stamps, stickers, labels, barcodes or compliance with the applicable monitoring system. The amendments also allow authorities to seize and confiscate non-compliant taxable goods as well as the vehicles used to transport them.
Pakistan’s equity market is expected to remain sensitive to geopolitical and domestic policy developments in the near term, with three brokerages identifying the US-Iran conflict, the upcoming IMF review and monetary policy decision as key drivers of sentiment. While strengthening economic indicators and progress on domestic reforms could support a recovery, any de-escalation in the Middle East, particularly a potential USIran deal, could ease pressure on elevated international oil prices and improve market sentiment. Weekly reports from AKD Securities, Arif Habib Limited and Intermarket Securities showed the benchmark KSE-100 Index falling 4,817 points, or 2.75% week-onweek, from 175,329 to 170,512 as renewed US-Iran tensions and higher oil prices kept investors cautious. The index is now down 2% in CY26. The broader KSE-All Share Index declined 3% to 103,204 points, while the KSE-30 fell 2.8% to 50,839 and the KMI-30 lost 2.8% to settle at 243,246. The BKTI declined 3.2% to 47,510, while the OGTI fell 2.7% to 34,789. KSE-All market capitalisation fell 3.1% to Rs19.016 trillion, equivalent to around $69 billion. Market activity also weakened, with average daily volumes declining 16.6% to 639.1 million shares and average traded value falling 18.7% to $97.3 million. A separate measure of KSE-All average daily turnover showed activity falling 17.5% to 801 million shares from 970.84 million shares in the preceding week. The market remained under pressure as escalating attacks along key shipping routes involving the US and Iran, coupled with Houthi
attacks on Saudi energy facilities, heightened global energy concerns. Brent reached a four-month high of $109 per barrel before declining on Friday, supporting a slight recovery in equities on the final trading day. Arab Light crude stood at $106.84 per barrel, around 15.8% higher over the week. Commodity data also showed WTI at $99.27 per barrel, up 8.52%, while spot Brent stood at $120.28 per barrel, up 19.5%. Natural gas fell 5.89% to $2.74 per MMBtu. Gold declined 2.02% to $4,340.33 per troy ounce, silver fell 3.08% to $64.17 and copper slipped 1.85% to $14,222.85 per tonne. Coal, meanwhile, increased 0.63% to $128.30 per tonne. Higher international oil prices also translated into an increase in domestic fuel prices. Petrol rose by Rs21.8 per litre to Rs370.8, while high-speed diesel increased by Rs23.72 to Rs398.4 per litre under the new daily pricing mechanism. Petroleum levy, IFEM and OMC margins remained unchanged. Despite the pressure from energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty, some domestic economic indicators strengthened during the week. Workers’ remittances increased 17% year-on-year to $3.7 billion in August from $3.1 billion in the same month last year and rose 1% monthon-month. During the first two months of FY27, remittances reached $7.3 billion, up 15% year-on-year. Total liquid foreign exchange reserves increased 5.3% week-on-week to $23.7 billion. State Bank of Pakistan reserves rose 7% to $18.3 billion, while reserves held by commercial banks remained broadly stable at $5.4 billion. Import cover improved to 2.74 months from 2.56 months. The rupee appreciated marginally by 0.03%, closing at Rs277.32 against the US dollar compared with Rs277.41 a week earlier. Six-
month KIBOR stood at 11.99%, up 13 basis points week-on-week. Oil production improved 1.8% week-on-week to around 68,400 barrels per day, mainly due to higher production from Adhi, KPD and Sharf. Gas production rose 2% to 3,088 mmcfd, supported by higher production from Mari and Uch and the revival of Shewa production at 68 mmcfd. More detailed production data showed oil output at 68,462 barrels per day as of August 31. KPD production increased 9% week-on-week and Adhi rose 4%, while Nashpa and Pasakhi declined 1% and 2%, respectively. Gas output increased 2%, with Mari and Uch each rising 1%, while Kandhkot declined 3%. The cement sector recorded Rs138 billion in profits during FY26, up 13% year-on-year, supported by a 7% increase in dispatches to 50.5 million tonnes, utilisation of around 60% and a 33% decline in finance costs. Within AKD's coverage universe, cement profitability increased 18% year-on-year, mainly due to higher total offtakes and other income. Kohat Cement reported fourthquarter FY26 earnings of Rs3.3 billion, or earnings per share of Rs3.6, compared with Rs2.4 billion and EPS of Rs2.6 in the same period last year, marking a 40% increase. Revenue rose 10% to Rs9.6 billion from Rs8.7 billion, while gross margins expanded to 40.8% from 31.2%. Operating expenses doubled to Rs525 million. Interloop reported fourth-quarter FY26 profitability of Rs3.8 billion, or EPS of Rs2.7, up 43% year-on-year from Rs2.7 billion and EPS of Rs1.9. Revenue reached a record Rs55.6 billion, equivalent to $199 million, up 16% from Rs48 billion, or $170 million. The company also announced a final cash dividend of Rs2 per share, taking its full-year payout to Rs4 per share.
Pakistan launches Rs10b project to modernise air traffic systems at Karachi, Lahore airports PROFIT
MONITORING REPORT
A Rs10 billion project has been launched to modernise air traffic management infrastructure at Karachi and Lahore airports, including the installation of new air traffic management and voice com-
munication systems, according to a news report. Under the Pakistan Airports Authority project, Jinnah International Airport in Karachi and Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore will receive modern air traffic management systems, while their air traffic control centres will also be upgraded.
The project will additionally install voice communication and control systems at both airports. The technical bid opening process has been completed. Financial bids of companies that qualify in the technical evaluation will be opened in the next phase, according to sources.
chinese firm wins $11.7m contract to upgrade four sepco grid stations PROFIT
MONITORING REPORT
Chinese firm Jiangsu Ankura Intelligent Electric Co Ltd has secured an $11.728 million contract to upgrade four Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco) grid stations from 66kV to 132kV under a $40 million Asian Development Bank (ADB)financed programme. The contract covers grid stations at Radhan, Thari Mir Wah, Nara-II and Padidan under package SEPCO-EPC-001. Its value comprises $6.612 million and Rs1.432 billion. Implementation is under way, with the advance payment for the foreign-currency component already disbursed. Letter of credit processing, design submissions and soil investigations are also in progress. The upgrades form part of a wider Sepco investment programme financed through ADB Loan No 4567-PAK aimed at modernising the utility’s transmission and distribution infrastructure. Other components include procurement of 1,200 Advanced Power Management System units, installation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure covering 50,000 units and bifurcation of 40 11kV feeders. The programme also includes consultancy services for implementing the grid-station upgrades and separate consultancy support for the metering, power management and feeder bifurcation projects.
Pakistan, Qatar explore trade route through middle east, türkiye to europe PROFIT
NEWS DESK
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs Ahmad bin Mohammad Al Sayed have discussed the potential for connecting Pakistan and Qatar through broader trade routes extending across the Middle East towards Türkiye and onward into Europe. The talks, held on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Summit, focused on regional connectivity and potential transit and trade opportunities through the Middle East and Central Asia. The two sides also discussed bilateral trade and reaffirmed their commitment to identifying new areas of economic cooperation and expanding existing trade volumes. Khan and Al Sayed exchanged views on developments in the Middle East and their wider regional and economic implications. The commerce minister appreciated Qatar’s commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region, while the Qatari minister acknowledged Pakistan’s contribution towards regional peace. The meeting was part of a series of bilateral engagements held by Kamal Khan during the summit, which also included separate talks with counterparts from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh covering trade, food security, technology and connectivity. In discussions with Sri Lanka’s Minister for Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, both sides explored greater utilisation of Pakistan’s first-ever Free Trade Agreement and ways to expand bilateral commerce. The two ministers also discussed business-tobusiness and people-to-people exchanges, infrastructure and connectivity, as well as artificial intelligence, cyber security and digitalisation. Khan thanked Sri Lanka for supporting the reclassification of Pakistani kinnow to improve market access, while the Sri Lankan side appreciated Pakistan’s cooperation regarding pineapples, avocados and king coconut. Food security and the impact of Middle East tensions on developing economies and international trade also featured in the discussions. Separately, Khan met Bangladesh’s Minister of Commerce, Industry, Textile and Jute Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, with talks focusing on expanding trade and industrial cooperation. Khan cited Pakistan’s rice exports to Bangladesh as an encouraging example of growing bilateral commerce and identified textiles as another area with significant potential for diversification. The Bangladeshi side expressed interest in sharing expertise and experience in industrial development. Both sides also discussed climate change, food security, cyber threats and the growing use of artificial intelligence. Khan congratulated Bangladesh’s new government and appreciated its reform ambitions and economic progress, while the Bangladeshi side acknowledged Pakistan’s commitment to regional solidarity and peace.
CDWP clears seven projects worth Rs116b, sends Rs94.3b schemes to ECNEC PROFIT
NEWS DESK
The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has cleared seven development projects worth around Rs116 billion across taxation, information technology, agriculture, higher education, sports and water sectors under the government’s Uraan Pakistan initiative. The CDWP, chaired by Planning Minister and Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal, approved five projects worth Rs21.590 billion, while recommending two projects with a combined cost of Rs94.301 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for further consideration. Among the two projects referred to ECNEC is the Federal Board of Revenue’s Rs57.109 billion “Transforming and Digitalising Revenue Administration (TADRA) Project”, proposed to be financed through foreign funding under Asian Development
Bank technical assistance through a softterm loan. During the meeting, Iqbal called for clearly defined and measurable outcomes from the project, particularly regarding revenue generation, improvement in the tax-toGDP ratio and expansion of the taxpayer base. FBR told the forum that the investment would contribute towards increasing the tax-to-GDP ratio to 13.5% by 2029 and bringing more taxpayers into the tax net. The project was recommended to ECNEC on the condition that the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) thoroughly review its business model. The second project referred to ECNEC was the Rs37.192 billion PakSat-2 Satellite System. Iqbal said development of Pakistan’s space programme was an important pillar of Uraan Pakistan. The CDWP separately approved the Rs3.623 billion “Development of GEOSPATIALx COMPLEx (Geo-AI Development
& Innovation Hub)” project. Olive cultivation project approved In the food and agriculture sector, the forum approved a revised Rs5.015 billion project for the “Promotion of Olive Cultivation on Commercial Scale in Pakistan Phase-II”. Iqbal said the initiative, originally launched in 2014 under Vision 2025, should be managed through a professional and results-oriented approach with greater privatesector participation. He directed authorities to incorporate the expertise of private-sector players already engaged in successful olive cultivation to accelerate commercial production. The minister also highlighted the potential of the Kallar Kahar-Islamabad and wider Potohar belt for olive cultivation. The project envisages expanding olive farms in Balochistan and the newly merged districts, while Iqbal called for olive plantations to be targeted across one million acres.
Higher education project revived The CDWP also approved a revised Higher Education Commission project for the establishment of the Dr Ashfaq Ahmad Khan Centre in Basic Sciences. The project had originally been approved in March 2018 as part of eight National Centres of Technologies but remained incomplete due to land-related issues. Iqbal noted that the other seven centres covering Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Big Data and Cloud Computing, GIS and Satellite Technology, Automation and Robotics, Applied Mathematics, and Livestock and Genomics had been completed. He constituted a committee comprising the Planning Commission’s Member Infrastructure and Member Science and Technology to update the proposed centre to incorporate emerging fields and rationalise its cost after an eight-year delay. HEC was also directed to identify suitable universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Sindh and Balochistan for establishing similar centres, one in each province. Iqbal also directed HEC to implement laboratory upgrades at five engineering universities, saying universities needed to become engines of innovation and build ecosystems for the commercialisation of research. Rs5.76 billion Sports Complex revamp cleared The CDWP approved a Rs5.758 billion project for revamping and refurbishing facilities at the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad. The project covers civil and external development works, refurbishment of existing facilities, establishment of the SA Games Secretariat, electrical upgrades, rehabilitation of the HVAC system, plumbing and firefighting systems, and installation of security and surveillance infrastructure. Iqbal directed that the project's summary be submitted to the prime minister for in-principle approval.
NEWS 03
Sunday, 13 September, 2026 | ISLAMABAD
PAKISTAN, HONG KONG SEEK DEEPER TRADE TIES, DISCUSS RESUMPTION OF CATHAY PACIFIC FLIGHTS
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PROFIT
STAFF REPORT
AKISTAN and Hong Kong have agreed to deepen trade and economic cooperation, with Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan calling for stronger engagement in services, aviation and finance and urging the resumption of Cathay Pacific flights to Pakistan. The commerce minister met Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee Ka-Chiu on September 11, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthen economic cooperation and people-to-people linkages. Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau and Pakistan's Consul General in Hong
Kong Riaz Ahmed Sheikh were also present at the meeting. During the talks, Khan called for greater cooperation in trade in services, aviation, finance and business-to-business connectivity. He particularly urged Hong Kong to explore the resumption of Cathay Pacific flights to Pakistan, saying improved air connectivity could support business, tourism and commercial exchanges between the two sides. Khan also highlighted the Pakistani diaspora in Hong Kong and its contribution to Pakistan's economy through remittances and stronger people-to-people connections. The minister reiterated Pakistan's commitment to its longstanding relationship with China while stressing the importance of expanding the country's trade and economic partnership with Hong Kong. Lee, mean-
while, appreciated Khan's address at the Belt and Road Summit earlier in the day, particularly his emphasis on international cooperation, connectivity and shared economic prosperity. The Hong Kong chief executive also thanked Pakistan for its role in promoting peace and contributing to regional stability, saying reduced tensions and greater stability were important for global economic growth. Lee highlighted the longstanding relationship between Pakistan and China and acknowledged its contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative. He also appreciated the efforts of Pakistan's Consulate General in Hong Kong to promote exchanges between the two sides. Both sides reaffirmed their intention to strengthen cooperation and explore additional areas of mutual
economic interest. Khan also invited Lee to visit Pakistan. Separately, the commerce minister met Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau to discuss expanding bilateral trade and economic engagement. Yau appreciated Khan's support for the Belt and Road Initiative during his summit address. Khan proposed deeper institutional and commercial engagement through exchanges of business delegations, improved aviation connectivity and greater cooperation in finance, services and trade. The meetings formed part of Pakistan's efforts to translate its longstanding relationship with China and Hong Kong into stronger commercial linkages, increased business interaction and additional opportunities for trade and investment.
SBP injects Rs11.27tr into banking system through conventional, Islamic OMOs PROFIT STAFF REPORT
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) injected a combined Rs11.2735 trillion into the banking system through conventional and Shariah-compliant open market operations (OMOs) on September 11, 2026, according to results released by the central bank. The SBP accepted Rs10.6705 trillion on a facevalue basis through its conventional reverse repo purchase operation and another Rs603 billion through Shariah-compliant Mudarabah-based OMOs. In the conventional OMO, banks offered a total face value of Rs11.10025 trillion across seven-day and 14day tenors, against which the SBP accepted Rs10.6705 trillion. The realised value of the accepted amount stood at Rs10.39526 trillion. For the seven-day conventional operation, the central bank received seven quotes ranging from 11.57% to 11.54%. Banks offered Rs295.5 billion in face value, with a realised value of Rs290.626 billion. The SBP accepted the entire Rs295.5 billion face value, with a realised value of Rs290.626 billion, at an annual rate of return of 11.54%. All seven quotes were accepted. The bulk of the conventional liquidity injection came through the 14-day tenor. The SBP received 36 quotes ranging from 11.56% to 11.51%, carrying a total offered face value of Rs10.80475 trillion and a realised value of Rs10.521366 trillion. Of this, the central bank accepted Rs10.375 trillion in face value, equivalent to a realised value of Rs10.104634 trillion, at an accepted annual rate of return
of 11.51%. All 36 quotes were accepted, although part of the amount at the relevant rate was accepted on a prorata basis. The SBP document states that Rs4.759 trillion was offered at 10.51%, of which the central bank accepted Rs4.32925 trillion on a pro-rata basis. This figure is reproduced as stated in the SBP document; the same document lists the 14-day quote range and accepted rate as 11.56%-11.51% and 11.51%, respectively. Separately, the SBP conducted a Shariah-compliant Mudarabah-based OMO injection on the same day, accepting the entire Rs603 billion offered on a facevalue basis. The realised value of the Islamic injection amounted to Rs593.678 billion. Under the seven-day Shariah-compliant operation, two quotes were submitted in a range of 11.56% to 11.55%. The offered face value was Rs11 billion, with a realised value of Rs10.920 billion. The SBP accepted the full Rs11 billion at an annual rate of return of 11.55%, with both quotes accepted. For the 14-day Islamic OMO, seven quotes were received in a range of 11.56% to 11.54%. Banks offered Rs592 billion in face value, carrying a realised value of Rs582.758 billion. The central bank accepted the entire Rs592 billion at an annual rate of return of 11.54%, with all seven quotes accepted. Taken together, the conventional and Shariah-compliant operations involved accepted face values of Rs11.2735 trillion. On a realised-value basis, the combined amount accepted stood at Rs10.988938 trillion, comprising Rs10.39526 trillion through conventional OMOs and Rs593.678 billion through the Shariah-compliant operation.
RDA attracts $259m in August, total inflows reach $13.9b PROFIT STAFF REPORT
Pakistan received $259 million in inflows through Roshan Digital Accounts (RDA) in August 2026, taking cumulative inflows under the scheme to $13.906 billion by the end of the month, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Monthly inflows increased the cumulative total by 2% from $13.647 billion in July 2026. According to Topline Securities, the $259 million received during August was below the sixmonth average of $290 million but remained higher than the long-term monthly average of $193 million since the RDA's inception in September 2020.
Of the total cumulative inflows, $2.130 billion has so far been repatriated, while $8.767 billion has been utilised locally. Consequently, the total net repatriable liability stood at $3 billion at the end of August. Of the outstanding liability, $2.048 billion was invested in Naya Pakistan Certificates (NPCs), comprising $716 million in conventional NPCs and $1.332 billion in Islamic NPC instruments. Roshan Equity Investments stood at $155 million, while another $729 million remained as balances in RDA accounts. The number of RDA accounts also continued to increase, reaching 966,144 in August from 956,790 in July, representing a month-on-month increase of 9,345 accounts.
New provinces decision rests with Parliament, says Sanaullah CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Commenting on the Sindh Assembly’s resolution opposing the division of the province, Mr Sanaullah said the PPP had “overreacted” to the debate. Turning to differences between the PML-N and PPP, Mr Sanaullah said the rift between the two coalition partners had, by and large, been resolved. The minister, who is also a member of the core committees constituted to address differences between the two parties, said any remaining issues would be settled amicably as both sides were committed to maintaining the coalition. “Ideally, the core committees should meet every month,” he said, adding that the schedule had been disrupted because of elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. With the elections now over, he expressed hope that the committees would meet more regularly to address any outstanding or emerging issues. Mr Sanaullah attributed much of the recent tension to emotionally charged election campaigns in GB and AJK, saying the conclusion of the campaigns had also eased friction between the coalition partners. The PPP, which governs Sindh
and is a coalition partner at the Centre, has strongly opposed proposals to carve Karachi out as a separate province. PML-N leader Khawaja Asif had also recently described Parliament as the appropriate forum for debate on new provinces, while saying devolution of power was inevitable. Meanwhile, opposition parties, including PTI, have announced consultations to convene an all-parties conference on the creation of new provinces, law and order, the economy and other national issues. Asked about the planned marches towards Islamabad by Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) on Sept 20 and PTI on Sept 27, Mr Sanaullah said the government respected peaceful political protests. He described JI’s previous political activities as largely peaceful and said the party had generally conducted its activities in accordance with constitutional and legal requirements. He said the government had already held negotiations with the JI and listened carefully to its demands. The PML-N and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he added, also wanted fuel prices and electricity bills to be reduced and were working towards the same objective.
However, Mr Sanaullah expressed reservations about the PTI’s planned long march, saying the government had “no expectation” that it would remain peaceful. Referring to statements by PTI leaders, he alleged that if the party intended to come to Islamabad to overthrow the government, violence could follow. “Our assessment is that it could be a replay of May 9,” he said, warning that such a situation would be “very unfortunate”. Mr Sanaullah said the matter was also pending before the courts and the government was awaiting their decisions before finalising its strategy. “One thing is certain: violence cannot be allowed,” he said. Govt considering measures to provide relief to public in petroleum prices Rana Sanaullah has said that the government is seriously considering measures to provide relief to the public in petroleum prices. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had recently held detailed discussions on electricity, loadshedding, and ways to reduce petrol prices. “The government is seriously considering the matter of petroleum prices, and, God willing, we will provide relief to the people,” Rana Sanaullah said.
Govt notifies amended Brownfield Refinery Policy, paving way for $5b upgrades PROFIT
STAFF RPORT
The government has notified the amended Brownfield Refinery Policy 2023, paving the way for around $5 billion in long-delayed refinery upgrade projects aimed at enabling domestic production of environment-friendly Euro-V specification petrol and diesel. The 42-page policy, incorporating amendments made in February 2024 and August 2026, was formally notified on September 10, 2026. Under the policy, local refineries are required to establish Refinery Upgradation Accounts within 45 days of the notification. Separately, senior government officials said the country's five refineries are expected to sign their Upgrade Agreements (UAs) by October 1, 2026. A high-level signing ceremony is expected to be held with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in attendance. The October 1 deadline is particu-
larly significant for refineries because failure to sign the agreements will trigger further reductions in the deemed duty available on high-speed diesel (HSD). Refineries that missed the previous October 22, 2024 deadline are already facing a reduction in HSD deemed duty from 7.5% to 5%. According to officials, Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) and National Refinery Limited (NRL) are consequently facing daily financial impacts of around Rs7.5 million and Rs10 million, respectively. Under the amended framework, refineries that fail to sign their Upgrade Agreements by October 1 will see the HSD deemed duty reduced further to 2.5%. The deemed duty will be withdrawn entirely on November 15, 2026, creating progressively greater financial pressure on refineries to commit to their upgrade projects. According to Topline Securities, the amount withheld following the reduction of deemed duty from 7.5% to 5% will be deposited into the respective refinery accounts in four equal instalments.
04 COMMENT
The Global Data Center Race
Houthi Gains
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The advance on the Bab El-Mandab means trouble all round
An Opening Pakistan Cannot Afford to Miss
HE Houthi gains against the Yemeni government and Saudi forces have not been so much surprising as upsetting. The USA has not intervened with airstrikes, which is probably sensible, as it would like to avoid mission creep, but it is probably not going to be a stance it can maintain for long, especially if the Houthis succeed in interdicting the Bab El-Mandab, because that will close the Saudi oil that is being exported. To the effects of the closure of the Hormuz Strait will be added the effects of the closure of the Bab ElMandab. The world oil price crossed $1005 a barrel on Friday, and could go further up. Meanwhile, Houthi attacks hit Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, which has gained in importance after the western route was shut down, thus creating more pressure on oil supply. Pakistan will also be adversely expected, for it was depending on the western Saudi route to replace what it had lost in the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis have announced that only Saudi vessels would be interdicted, which means traffic from the Suez Canal would not be affected. However, it is clear that that option will only be restricted by the ability of the Houthis to do so, and the setting up of permanent facilities on the Yemen coast will be problematic, as they will then be natural targets for anyone trying to keep the Bab El- Mandeb open. The latest Pakistani attempt to keep the USA and Iran negotiating has thus gained in urgency. With the latest price hike, following about a week of daily rises, the petrol price has gone up To a record high. This process of negotiations has stalled indefinitely, because Iran is refusing to cave in. The USA has not path to forcing Iran to accept its terms, but if it does not enforce them, it faces an irreparable loss to its prestige. Its failure to support Saudi Arabia against the Houthis will further damage its reputation for reliability among allies whose confidence has already been shattered by the impression of the USA bumbling in the current crisis. None likes to be the bearer of bad news, but someone must gather the courage of telling the USA that the apparent policy of pushing Iran economically and hoping to get past the mid-term elections that way, is simply not going to work.
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S President Donald Trump has issued a blunt warning to US communities resisting artificial-intelligence data centres: reject them, he argued, and they risk becoming “backwards and poor.” In his August 31 statement, Trump presented data centres as essential infrastructure for economic prosperity, technological leadership and competition with China. His language was confrontational, but the strategic concern behind it deserves serious attention. Artificial intelligence and robotics are likely to be among the most consequential technologies of the coming decades. The countries controlling the computing power required to train and operate advanced AI systems will gain economic influence, scientific capabilities and national-security advantages. Data centres are therefore becoming to the digital age what ports, railways, power stations and industrial zones were to earlier periods of development. China recognized this reality early and began constructing not merely individual data centres but an entire computing ecosystem. Its “East Data, West Computing” programme connects demand in the populous and commercially developed east with land, energy and computing facilities in western regions. By mid-2024, China had invested more than $6 billion directly in eight national computing hubs, with the wider investment stimulated by those hubs exceeding $28 billion. The clusters contained more than 1.95 million server racks. China’s approach incorporates electricity generation, high-capacity transmission networks, fibreoptic connectivity, cooling systems, equipment manufacturing and workforce development. Five of its eight national computing hubs are in western China, where comparatively inexpensive land and abundant wind and solar resources can reduce operating costs. Computing requirements generated in eastern technology centres can consequently be transferred to facilities thousands of kilometres away. With a futuristic approach, China built capacity ahead of immediate demand, while setting aside the cost of underunderutilization in the initial stage. This strategy worked and now these 10 principal national data-center clusters had an overall utilization rate of approximately 63 percent in early 2024. This encouraged China to improve national scheduling, connectivity and coordination. By 2025, China reportedly had 10.43 million standard computing racks in use, while its major hubs
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Editor Pakistan Today
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IBRAHIM AFTAB
AKISTAN'S housing crisis is usually reduced to a simple equation: more people, fewer houses. But a house is more than a roof and four walls. Can we solve the problem by building structures without asking what actually makes those structures livable? As our cities expand at breakneck speed, we need to rethink what makes a home worth living in. The scale of the shortfall is well documented. The World Bank estimates Pakistan's housing deficit at roughly 10 million units and growing, with nearly half of that gap concentrated in urban areas. In a country adding a new household every few seconds, that number keeps climbing rather than shrinking. But even a fully closed housing gap would not resolve the deeper problem: affordability. A house without access to infrastructure, public transport, sanitation, and nearby jobs does not serve its purpose either. Pakistan's 2023 census recorded an average household size of 6.3 people, among the highest in the region, and World Bank research on urban housing found that a large share of city households live in overcrowded units within informal settlements, or katchi abadis, that lack adequate infrastructure and services. Picture six people sharing a single room: what privacy remains, what space is left for children to study, and how does an elderly parent live with dignity in that space? Overcrowding compounds into a public health problem. Informal settlements with poor water and sanitation infrastructure raise transport costs, restrict mobility, and increase exposure to waterborne disease. There is also a life-cycle dimension to the crisis that gets little attention: a house bought at 35 needs to remain accessible and livable at 70. Most of Pakistan's existing housing stock, built without ramps, rails, or ground-floor essentials, was never designed with aging residents in mind. Underneath both problems sits finance. Pakistan's mortgage penetration is among the lowest in the region; mortgage debt equals only a fraction of a percent of GDP, compared with several percentage points across much of South Asia. Several factors compound this: some
QAMAR BASHIR
were increasingly devoted to intelligent computing. China is, in effect, making a long-term wager: capacity that appears underused today will become strategically indispensable as demand for AI services accelerates. The International Energy Agency estimates that Chinese data centers consumed more than 100 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024 and that their consumption could double by 2027. China can accommodate such growth because it has simultaneously expanded power generation. At the end of 2025, its installed solar capacity exceeded 1,200 gigawatts and its wind capacity reached approximately 640 gigawatts. The United States possesses superior companies, advanced semiconductors, enormous capital and many of the world’s best AI researchers. Nevertheless, it is encountering a different problem: translating technological leadership into physical infrastructure. Data-centre projects are facing resistance from communities worried about electricity prices, water consumption, industrial noise, loss of agricultural land and tax concessions offered to wealthy technology companies. Residents also question the employment benefits. A hyperscale facility can create thousands of temporary construction jobs, but its highly automated operation may provide relatively few permanent positions. These concerns cannot simply be dismissed as hostility to progress. US data centers consumed approximately 4.4 percent of national electricity in 2023, and researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory projected that their share could reach between 6.7 and 12 percent by 2028. A 2026 analysis identified at least 46 American AI data-centre projects delayed or cancelled following community opposition. The backlash has crossed party lines and encouraged municipalities to introduce moratoriums or stricter conditions. Trump is correct that rejecting digital infrastructure indiscriminately could weaken American competitiveness. Local communities are equally justified in demanding that private companies should not transfer their electricity, water and environmental costs to ordinary citizens. The workable solution is a new social contract: developers must finance required grid upgrades, disclose resource requirements, reuse water wherever possible and generate or procure additional electricity. Requiring companies to build dedicated generation can protect households and even add surplus power to the grid. It will, however, increase capital costs. American AI services could become more expensive if every project must separately negotiate land, power, water and local approval while Chinese competitors operate within coordinated national industrial plans. Europe faces comparable constraints. Its difficulty is not necessarily an absolute shortage of electricity but insufficient grid capacity in established data-centre centres such as Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin. The European Investment Bank estimates Europe’s installed data-centre capacity at about 11 GW, with 15–20 GW in the development pipeline. In Dublin, grid pressure produced a de facto restriction on new connections and requirements for on-site generation. Planning procedures, high energy costs and environmental rules can further slow construction. This combination creates an opportunity for
A Roof Is Not a Home
True housing security is not just about units built; it is about whether families can afford a home, finance it, and reach the jobs and services that let them thrive in it. Filling the numerical gap with more units, without addressing affordability, finance, and access, will not solve Pakistan's housing crisis. What the country needs are homes that let people grow old with dignity· not just structures that count toward a target Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965
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Karachi – Ph: 021-32640318 I
countries able to offer politically acceptable sites, reliable energy and competitive costs. Pakistan should consider positioning itself as one such destination. Pakistan possesses important advantages: a large and young population, an English-speaking technology workforce, relatively inexpensive land and labour, growing digital demand and a geographic position connecting South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Middle East. Its government has already adopted a Cloud First Policy and approved a National Artificial Intelligence Policy. A domestic data-centre industry could improve cloud availability, strengthen data sovereignty, develop specialized engineering skills and attract foreign investment. Nevertheless, Pakistan cannot sell ambition alone. Electricity is its central challenge. Data centers require continuous, high-quality power; outages of even seconds can be costly. Pakistan should therefore identify dedicated “digital infrastructure zones” where investors can construct captive solar, wind, hydro, gas or nuclear-supported generation, combined with batteries and reliable grid connections. Any surplus electricity could be supplied to neighbouring communities under transparent agreements. Water policy must be equally rigorous. Pakistan is already water-stressed, so offering unlimited cheap water would be economically and environmentally irresponsible. Facilities should be directed toward locations where they can employ closed-loop cooling, treated wastewater, air cooling or other low-water technologies. Projects must undergo credible environmental review and guarantee that household and agricultural supplies will not be displaced. The government must also establish dependable data-protection rules, cybersecurity standards, tax certainty, streamlined approvals and international connectivity through diversified fibre and submarinecable routes. Pakistan must compete through reliability and sound policy— not merely low wages or weak regulation. Security, political continuity and contractual enforcement will matter as much as land prices. The objective should be a negotiated partnership with companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle and major international data-centre operators. Pakistan could offer prepared sites and coordinated approvals in return for locally generated power, workforce training, university partnerships, environmental safeguards and minimum domestic investment commitments. China’s experience demonstrates that successful computing infrastructure depends on an ecosystem, not a warehouse filled with servers. The US and European experience demonstrates that ignoring local costs produces resistance and delay. Pakistan should learn from both: plan with China’s strategic horizon while protecting communities through transparent and enforceable standards. The opportunity is real, but it will not remain open indefinitely. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology, energy authorities, provincial governments and investment agencies should jointly prepare a credible national data-centre strategy and begin presenting bankable projects to global investors. If Pakistan acts quickly and responsibly, the worldwide struggle to accommodate AI infrastructure could become a powerful source of technology, skills, electricity investment and long-term national prosperity. The writer retired as Press Secretary the President, and is former Press Minister at Embassy of Pakistan to France and former MD, Shalimar Recording & Broadcasting Company Limited
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A perilous presidency
Rethinking Pakistan's Housing Crisis
households avoid interest-based loans on religious grounds; banks remain reluctant to lend given weak foreclosure protections; and incomplete land and property documentation makes it difficult for lenders to underwrite mortgages with confidence. The result is a formal housing finance sector too small and too cautious to meet demand, leaving most families dependent on personal savings, informal credit, or family support to build or rent a home— a strategy increasingly untenable amid high inflation and stagnant real wages. None of this is unfixable, but it does require treating housing as an economic and social system rather than a construction target. Three shifts matter most. First, digitise land records and strengthen property rights so lenders can underwrite mortgages with confidence and borrowers can prove ownership without costly litigation. Second,
Sunday, 13 September, 2026
build a legal framework that balances lender protection with tenant rights, so that expanding formal credit doesn't come at the cost of due process for vulnerable renters. Third, tie new and existing housing, including informal settlements, to public transport, schools, clinics, and job centres, rather than treating shelter and access to services as separate policy problems. True housing security is not just about units built; it is about whether families can afford a home, finance it, and reach the jobs and services that let them thrive in it. Filling the numerical gap with more units, without addressing affordability, finance, and access, will not solve Pakistan's housing crisis. What the country needs are homes that let people grow old with dignity— not just structures that count toward a target. The writer is a freelance columnist
Picture six people sharing a single room: what privacy remains, what space is left for children to study, and how does an elderly parent live with dignity in that space?
Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545
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TALKING about the unprovoked attack by the United States against Venezuela to topple its democratically-elected government, American comedian/actor John Mulaney recently compared the Donald Trump presidency to a horse that has broken loose inside a hospital. “It has never happened before. No one knows what the horse is going to do next, least of all the horse. He has never been in a hospital. He is as confused as you are,” he quipped. It is a funny analogy, but legitimately worrying. Trump is unstable, vengefully angry, self-centred, self-serving, and willing to take the world for a most brutal spin just for the sake of making his way into the historical ‘greatness’ books. On Nov 6, 2024, Trump had publicly stated: “Many people have told me that God spared my life (from two assassination attempts) for a reason. And that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness.” Then again, Germany’s Adolf Hitler had also escaped assassination attempts, and may have also mused that something Divine or mystical had spared his life. If anything, Trump, like Hitler, is a great evil unleashed onto a largely powerless world. FRANK STERLE JR WHITE ROCK, CANADA
Fragile internet lifeline
IT Secretary Dr Zarar Hashim admitted on Thursday that the disruption in Pakistan’s internet services, caused by damage to undersea cables, may take four to five weeks to be fully restored. The statement, though candid, should alarm anyone who understands the centrality of connectivity in today’s world. Four weeks of weak or unstable internet is not merely an inconvenience — it is a national handicap. From banking transactions to online education, from e-commerce to health services, Pakistan’s digital life depends almost entirely on vulnerable undersea links. This latest outage has once again exposed the fragility of our infrastructure and the absence of viable alternatives. In a country aspiring to build a digital economy, such prolonged disruptions are simply unaffordable. The irony is that alternatives already exist. Five major international satellite internet providers — OneWeb (Eutelsat Group), Amazon’s Project Kuiper, SpaceCell (SSST), Starlink and Telesat — are ready to roll out services in Pakistan. These platforms promise fast, reliable internet delivered from space, bypassing the chokepoints of terrestrial and undersea cables. Countries worldwide are embracing them not only for speed, but for resilience. Yet in Pakistan, their launch remains stuck in bureaucratic limbo. Regulatory indecision, licensing hurdles and institutional turf wars have delayed what could be a transformative leap for connectivity. The longer we stall, the more we deny our citizens, students and entrepreneurs’ access to the global digital economy. The undersea cable outage must serve as a wake-up call. Satellite internet should not be treated as a luxury but as an essential backup for national security, economic stability and social progress. Rather than fearing disruption to existing telecom structures, policymakers must recognise that resilience and competition are in the best interests of the people. Pakistan can either continue patching up a fragile system or boldly embrace the future by welcoming satellite internet. The choice is clear — but the question is, do we have the will to make it? RUKAIYA ASHRAF ABBASI KARACHI
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COMMENT 05
The Houthi Aspect of the Axis of Resistance Sunday, 13 September, 2026
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The theatre of the Iran-IF conflict may shift NAQI AKBAR
HE Wednesday and Friday counteroffensive by the Yemeni Houthi rebels and the rout of the Saudi-backed forces, including Syrian irregular units, in the major Saudi-backed Yemeni governmentheld territory, the missile barrage on major airports and airbases inclusive of the one at Taif, seems to have radically altered the power equation in the Middle East after weeks of attrition between the USA and Iran. in the shape of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to the available information, the major oil terminal south of the Holy city of Madina is in flames. Similarly, many small islands in the precincts of Bab al Mandab are in Houthi control. It may be pointed out that the IranianUS theatre has been restricted to the area of the Hormuz Strait and the southern provinces of Iran. For the Iranians, any target has been the retaliatory barrage destination, from where the Iranians were able to detect the attack, be it the Salam Air Force Base in Kuwait and most frequently the Salti AFB in the outskirts of the Jordanian capital Amman. With the Iraqi resistance largely under pressure from the Iraqi government and Hezbollah in complete shambles fighting for its very existential survival, it has only been the dark horse of the resistance, the Houthis, which has been able to hit at the US and IDF interests in the region. Data shows that much of the ballistic missile strikes on Eilat port in Israel have origi-
nated from Yemen. Furthermore, the Yemeni group has shown no signs of being infiltrated by the Mossad or CIA. That single factor convincingly proves the point that despite the fact that the Iranian and Houthi interests converge at some point, as compared to the Iraqi group like PMU or mobilization units or the Lebanese Hezbollah, the Houthis are technologically advanced and are fiercely independent in their actions. If their actions look like being coordinated with Tehran, it looks more like a case of ‘telepathic coordination’ than anything to do with actual coordination. Another point worth noting is that in the case of the pager episode with the Lebanese, forensic evidence quietly points to the Iranian-compromised connections. If that had been the case, the ragtag Houthis might have been infiltrated long ago by the interested intelligence agencies of the region and effectively neutralized. The above preamble is important for a better understanding of what is going on in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. The Houthis for all practical purposes have been driven by the contradictions they were faced with since the start of the Yemeni civil war in 2011-2015. It may be pointed out that the accidental Arab Spring created a situation genuine or manipulated in many Arab nation states. Tunisia was the first to fall in December 2010, followed by Egypt, where the spring proved to be short lived; back to the status quo in 2013. In Syria, the calls for democracy soon degenerated on both sides of the divide into a violent struggle for control between the secularists led by the Baath and surprisingly supported by the Iranian theocracy and the religious opposi-
If the current Saudi debacle continues, it is a foregone conclusion that the war between the IDF and the IRGC might shift its theatres. The Hormuz Strait attrition might look secondary in face of a greater crisis in the Red sea area. The containment of the Houthi onslaught is likely to be on the nerves of the regional states, especially the conservative monarchies. Towards that dragging of nonrelated stakeholders having so far treaded a delicate balance cannot be ruled out
tion armed to teeth by the conservative Arab monarchies, not to ignore the IDFsupported DAESH-linked groups. One such territory which retained the original colours of the spring was Yemen. The Yemeni modern nation state was the secular successor of the Zaidi Monarchy, which was overthrown by the Free Officers led by Ali Mohammad Saleh, who with the support of the Nasserist Egypt was able to overthrow the Zaidi dynasty; the dynasty drawing lineage from Imam Hussain’s grandson Zaid, whose father was Imam Hussain’s lone surviving son Zain ul Abideen. The leftist takeover was not without its fall outs, with the Yemeni state having been divided into South and North Yemen, with the British having taken over the former as a colony. The fall of the leftist government through a series of demonstrations created a political vacuum which was grossly mishandled by the stakeholders. The Houthis were one of the important regional federating units in the Yemeni state; which meant that any constitutional arrangement was supposed to take into consideration their interests. However, what happened was to the contrary. It may be pointed out that the 1979 revolution in Iran radically altered the red flag classification of many regional states, who started to see Iranian intervention behind every bush. The same Saudis who in the late 1960s wanted the Zaidi dynasty to continue and even flew combat sorties to ward off the left-leaning Egyptian air force jets were suspicious of the descendants of the Zaidi dynasty, the Houthi rebels. Instead of cobbling them together in a government in exile, the Saudi went by the faulty perception that everything Shia was dangerous. The same trend was also observed in the case of Bahrain too. Returning to the Yemeni jigsaw, the Houthis were left out of the spoils of regime change in Yemen. The disgruntled Houthis by a very rational logic looked elsewhere to curry favor and it was all natural that they found a common cause with the Iranians, which proved to be a longterm partnership. The decision of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman to launch a ground and air offensive against the Houthis was inspired by the fact that in one go, not only the Houthis be routed in the combined offensive, but the Iranian influence at the Saudi doorsteps would be neutralized for good. The use of the Saudi and Emirati Air force with no fear of being accused by ‘collateral damage’ accusations allowed them to follow a scorched earth policy. Given the fact the Houthi units remained a ragtag army with a lack of the sophistication as-
Korean troops for the Iran war?
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If the request involves dispatching troops who could be drawn into battle, the answer should be an unequivocal no THE KOREA HERALD LEE BYUNG-JONG
HE South Korean military has participated in US-led wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Through these deployments, Korea suffered significant troop casualties and other collateral damage, while gaining material benefits as well as Washington’s confidence. The question now is whether Seoul will send military forces to support the US-Israeli war with Iran. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly asked Seoul to join US operations there in return for continued US security commitments to Korea. Korean officials are now hinting at some form of participation, although it remains unclear what that would look like. The issue may ultimately come down to whether the United States demands a combat-capable deployment. If the request involves dispatching troops who could be drawn into battle, the answer should be an unequivocal no. What the Korean government could
consider is limited participation in searchand-rescue operations or efforts to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Because Korea depends heavily on the flow of oil and gas through the strait, Seoul has both practical and diplomatic reasons to help secure the waterway. Even limited participation, however, could carry serious risks. Escorting or protecting Korean-flagged or Korean-chartered vessels with a Korean naval ship may initially appear relatively safe. But the mission could quickly escalate if Iranian forces launch an attack. In that case, what would the rules of engagement be? Should the Korean Navy immediately retaliate with comparable force, or avoid confrontation? The same dilemma could arise during a seemingly routine mineclearing operation in the waterway. Civilian evacuations and other humanitarian efforts could likewise face military provocations from Iran. If Korean forces operated under US command, the risks would become even greater. For all these reasons, sending military resources — even noncombat forces — to the region could impose a heavy burden on Seoul. The government would first have to con-
vince a skeptical public that such a deployment was necessary. Trump is increasingly portraying the issue as a test of the South Korea-US military alliance. He argues that Seoul has an obligation to repay Washington for stationing 28,500 US troops in Korea. Trump has also linked the issue to other bilateral matters, particularly the ongoing tariff negotiations that are critical to Korean exporters. The Korean government would therefore have to persuade both the public and the National Assembly that limited support for the US war in Iran is necessary to protect Korea’s economic and security interests. Public consent is especially important given Korea’s controversial participation in previous US-led wars. During the height of the Cold War in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Korea sent as many as 325,000 soldiers to Vietnam to fight alongside US forces. It was the largest foreign troop deployment there after that of the United States. President Park Chung-hee made the bold decision to demonstrate Korea’s loyalty to the bilateral alliance. Through the deployment, Korean companies benefited significantly from procurement and construction contracts, earning as much as $5 billion and helping drive
sociated with urban guerilla groups, it was generally thought that the group would soon be neutralized. That neutralization of the Houthis did not come the way Saudis have wished; and it turned out to be the other way round. The Houthis, who were at most equipped with AK47 assault rifles began to find the ammunition they needed the most, the various ranges of ballistic missiles to hit back at the Saudi military and business interests. Given the fact that the Houthi were able to operate the various ranges of ballistic missile and given the fact that they had no history of past affiliation with the Iranian military, especially the IRGC; a valid reason being that the Iranian theocracy follows the Twelver version of Shia Islam, while the Houthi follow the Fiver Zaidi school, their ability to operate such weapon system was itself a big question mark for Saudi Arabia and the USA. Fast forward to the developing scenario in the Gaza strip. The identification of the Houthi firepower with the resistance dates back to that period. Apart from the Iranian missile barrages which were restrained from time to time by the domestic political considerations of the ruling administration in Tehran, the Houthis proved to be steadfast and consistent component of the resistance, while not being a very apparent affiliation with Tehran in diplomatic terms. The Houthi positioning in the current geopolitical jigsaw, is not only because of its opposition to the Saudi establishment interfering with the Yemeni political question, but it also emerges as the credible resistance node, which has the
Korea’s economic development. The Korean military also gained valuable combat experience, while the bilateral alliance was further strengthened through joint field operations. Yet the costs of the deployment were also enormous. More than 5,000 Korean soldiers were killed and 11,200 wounded during the war. Reports of civilian massacres by Korean troops tarnished Korea’s image as a peaceloving nation. Although Vietnam has since become a close trading partner of Korea, memories of brutal and tragic front-line battles, along with calls for compensation, continue to cast a shadow over bilateral relations. Domestically, the deployment further solidified Park’s authoritarian grip on power, paving the way for his prolonged dictatorship. More recently, Korea’s participation in the US war in Iraq in 2004 also sparked controversy. Although the deployment was limited, it produced several negative repercussions. Korea sent approximately 3,600 soldiers, and the Zaytun Division operated in noncombat fields such as reconstruction, medical assistance and engineering. Nevertheless, the deployment provoked retaliation from Iraqi militants. One Korean aid worker was killed, and Korean soldiers were repeatedly exposed to threats. More importantly, the deployment was criticized both at home and abroad be-
Ansar Allah now commands Bab al-Mandab Strait
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The YAF has repeatedly demonstrated that it possesses the military capabilities needed to establish control and confront threats to Yemen’s sovereignty TEHRAN TIMES ALI MINABI
HE Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) have seized control of the country’s western coast, further consolidating their hold over the vital Bab alMandab Strait after capturing more than 5,400 square kilometers of territory from Saudi Arabia. In a sweeping ground campaign along Yemen’s western coast, the YAF entered Dhubab, a town located directly on the Bab al-Mandab Strait opposite Perim Island. Reports indicate Saudi-backed militants withdrew from the island as the YAF continued to advance, while life returned to normal in the port city of Mokha (liberated earlier), where government institutions resumed their regular tasks. A Saudi-backed official acknowledged to AFP that the YAF had secured the Bab alMandab Strait and seized Mayyun Island. The YAF has now advanced toward areas adjacent to the strategic Bab al-Mandab
Strait. The YAF also took control of Al Khawkhah and Hays in Hudaydah province, as well as the Khalid ibn al-Walid camp, the largest military base in the region. Footage released by YAF members shows the scale of weapons abandoned by Saudi-backed forces. It includes U.S.-made Oshkosh M-ATV mine-resistant vehicles, pickup trucks mounted with heavy weapons (technicals), armored vehicles, artillery pieces, and large quantities of ammunition and small arms. The capture of the Red Sea coast marks a major catastrophe for the United States and Saudi Arabia. Full control of the Bab alMandab Strait will strengthen Ansar Allah’s position over the vital maritime chokepoint. For Saudi Arabia, it undermines Riyadh’s influence and military objectives in Yemen. The Saudis will also find it increasingly difficult to export oil, with Ansar Allah controlling Bab al-Mandab and Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz. Together, these two strategic chokepoints constrain the Kingdom’s ability to move its oil to global markets, tightening supplies and putting upward
pressure on prices. The disruption to Saudi oil exports is already being reflected in the rising cost of oil on global markets. This is while the United States faces greater risks to shipping and protecting Israeli interests. The regime’s media outlets continued to follow developments. Israeli Channel 14 said that Ansar Allah’s control of Mokha port on the Red Sea coast “constitutes a strategic event that could have farreaching consequences.” During the military front in support of and in solidarity with Gaza amid the U.S.backed genocide in the Strip, the YAF’s threat in Bab al-Mandab had been directed only at Israeli and Israeli-affiliated ships. This was followed by American ships that attempted and failed to break the YAF’s Red Sea blockade on the regime’s vessels. Saudi Arabia has been carrying out heavy airstrikes against several provinces in an effort to reinforce its military buildup on the ground. Throughout the rapid YAF military advance, Ansar Allah’s political bureau affirmed that the western coastal areas are Yemeni territory and that Yemenis have the
right to reclaim them from Saudi Arabia. Ansar Allah has noted that the entry of the YAF into these areas was widely welcomed by residents. The YAF has been very clear that only Saudi Arabia, which has waged deadly air raids over the past decade and enforced a choking blockade on its civilian population, will be targeted by a maritime blockade at the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The YAF launched the major, multipronged military operation on September 3, with broad participation from the people and tribal forces. According to a statement by YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree on September 11, 2026, the operation was aimed at striking the “Saudi enemy’s” military build-ups and confronting the aggression and blockade that have continued for 12 years. It also came in response to the escalating attacks against residents, villages, and rural communities along the western coast. The statement pointed out that the operation was launched in response to calls from local residents to end the injustice and drive out Saudi forces and military build-ups seeking to bring Yemeni territory under occupation and control. Saree said the operation had concluded successfully, despite the “enemy’s” heavy air
capacity to make life miserable for the USA in the region. In the backdrop of these ground realities, it is safe to conclude that the current offensive by the Saudi armed units to neutralize the Houthis in a ground war are not just inspired by the Saudi corridors of power, rather the US stakes are higher and critical in that context. The ground offensive was designed to save the Americans any effort to bomb the Houthi strongholds and, in the media, treat it as a local affair. The current situation, the way it has developed, instead of looking like an effort to contain a localized insurgency has turned into a global debacle. The rout of the Saudi-backed units and the reported Houthi advances have not only changed the ground situation, but has strengthened what can be the Iranian situation in the region; without any evidence of the Houthis publicly owning the Iranians. As things stand, instead of solving the Bab al Mandab issue, the problem has escalated in a dramatic way. If the current Saudi debacle continues, it is a foregone conclusion that the war between the IDF and the IRGC might shift its theatres. The Hormuz Strait attrition might look secondary in face of a greater crisis in the Red sea area. The containment of the Houthi onslaught is likely to be on the nerves of the regional states, especially the conservative monarchies. Towards that dragging of non-related stakeholders having so far treaded a delicate balance cannot be ruled out. The writer is a freelance columnist
cause the Iraq War lacked clear legal legitimacy. The US invaded Iraq without UN authorization after failing to present a convincing case for the intervention. Korean public opinion was deeply divided over whether to send troops. This time, a similar degree of division and debate is likely to surround Korea’s possible participation in the Iran war. On the one hand, conservatives will call for a greater contribution to US operations as proof of Korea’s commitment to the alliance. After all, they will argue, the United States lost more than 36,000 service members while helping Korea during the Korean War. Because Korea depends heavily on the Strait of Hormuz, as well as on US trade and tariff policies, they will maintain that Seoul should help the United States win the war at almost any cost. On the other hand, liberals in Korea are generally critical of the US war in Iran, viewing it as an unjust conflict aimed at controlling global energy supplies while assisting its increasingly belligerent ally, Israel. More importantly, many progressives in Korea are dissatisfied with Trump’s unilateral and predatory foreign policy. As a member of the same liberal camp, President Lee Jae Myung would face the daunting task of persuading these critics if he decided to send military assets to Iran. Lee Byung-jong is a former Seoul correspondent for Newsweek, The Associated Press and Bloomberg News. He is a professor at the School of Global Service at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul. cover failing to influence its course. The operation resulted in the expulsion of Saudi military build-ups from six districts in the governorates of Taiz and Hudaydah, covering a total area of 5,400 square kilometers, which has now become secure and stable. The statement also said the operation achieved several results, including strikes against seven military formations belonging to the “Saudi enemy,” comprising 38 military brigades. Hundreds of their personnel were killed, captured, or wounded. The operation also led to the liberation of prisoners who had been held by “Saudi enemy mercenaries” for years along the western coast. Furthermore, the YAF carried out 32 operations to intercept Saudi warplanes and succeeded in shooting down nine aircraft. Saree emphasized that maritime navigation remains safe for all companies, with the exception of Saudi vessels, which had previously been declared subject to a ban. The YAF further emphasized that they would continue to uphold the equation of “blockade for blockade” and respond to military buildups and escalation with further escalation, until the aggression is halted and the blockade on the Yemeni people is lifted. The YAF has repeatedly demonstrated that it possesses the military capabilities needed to establish control and confront threats to Yemen’s sovereignty. It could also escalate its operations in the coming period if Saudi Arabia continues to conduct airstrikes or refuses to lift the blockade.
06 NEWS
BRICS MUST LEAD GLOBAL SOUTH TOWARDS FAIRER WORLD ORDER: XI NEW DELHI
MIAN ABRAR
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday said the BRICS cooperation mechanism had emerged as the world’s most influential platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries, urging member states to play a greater role in shaping a more just and equitable international order. Addressing the first session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Xi noted that this year marked the 20th anniversary of BRICS cooperation. Over the past two decades, he said, the grouping had continued to expand, demonstrating “remarkable vitality and dynamism." Xi described the two-decade journey as one of self-reliance and self-strengthening, saying BRICS countries had actively explored development paths suited to their renational conditions and spective demonstrated the strength of unity among emerging markets and developing countries. The past 20 years had also shown the value of solidarity in times of crisis, he said, noting that BRICS members had worked together to address challenges ranging from the global financial crisis and Covid-19 pandemic to climate change. The grouping had remained steadfast in safeguarding the common interests of the Global South while contributing stability and positive momentum to the international community, he added. Xi said BRICS had achieved a historic expansion, established a comprehensive and multifaceted cooperation framework and entered a new stage of high-quality development.
The Chinese president said the world was undergoing an accelerated transformation unseen in a century, while the Global South was rapidly gaining strength and the trend towards a multipolar world was “unstoppable”. At the same time, he warned, unilateralism and power politics were gaining momentum, placing multilateralism and the existing international order under pressure and widening deficits in peace, development, security and governance. Against this backdrop, Xi urged BRICS countries to “stand on the right side of history," become pioneers of the times and steer the international order towards greater justice and equity. He called for greater cooperation in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, saying BRICS members should seize the opportunities presented by innovation-driven development, promote opensource technologies and expand practical cooperation. China, he said, had proposed an initiative to promote new industrialisation through AI among BRICS countries and was ready to work with other members to achieve greater results in research, development and application while deepening cooperation in industrial and supply chains. Xi also invited BRICS countries to actively participate in the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization. The Chinese president called on BRICS to become a pioneer in safeguarding peace and stability, urging members to uphold a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. He opposed a Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, as well as violations of
national sovereignty and interference in the internal affairs of other countries. BRICS, he said, should play a constructive role in resolving regional hotspots and contribute to addressing both the symptoms and root causes of conflicts. China will work with fellow BRICS members to play a due role in bringing peace and tranquility to the Middle East and Gulf region,” Xi said. He also called for greater mutual learning among civilisations, urging members to promote harmonious coexistence, deepen cooperation in culture, tourism and education, and expand youth and people-to-people exchanges. Xi urged BRICS countries to lead efforts to reform and improve global governance in line with the growing trend towards greater democracy in international relations. He called for a more just and equitable global governance system and stressed the need to uphold the authority of the United Nations. BRICS should support a multilateral trading system centred on the World Trade Organisation and reject all forms of protectionism, he said. The grouping should also play a leading role in developing rules for emerging domains such as cyberspace, outer space and the
China urges stronger global action against terrorism UNITED NATIONS
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
China has called for stronger international cooperation to combat terrorism, urging the global community to address both the root causes of terrorism and emerging threats arising from the misuse of new technologies. Speaking at an open debate of the UN Security Council on counterterrorism, Sun Lei, charge d’affaires of China’s Permanent Mission to the UN, said global counterterrorism cooperation had deepened over the past 25 years, but the terrorist threat persisted and was assuming new forms. Before the meeting, Security Council members and participants observed a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks. The council subsequently adopted a presidential statement reaffirming that international terrorism remained one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. It also voiced concern over terrorists’ growing use of emerging technologies, including the internet, satellite communications, virtual assets and unmanned aerial vehicles. Mr Sun said terrorist threats were increasingly characterised by decentralisation, fragmentation and the misuse of emerging technologies, requiring stronger international coordination. He urged the international community to strengthen solidarity and cooperation under the central coordinating role of the United Nations and pursue measures addressing both the symptoms and root causes of terrorism. “The Security Council should promote the political settlement of hotspot issues, resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation, and eliminate the conditions that breed terrorism,” he said. China also opposed the politicisation and instrumentalisation of counterterrorism efforts, Mr Sun said, stressing that terrorism should not be linked to any particular country, ethnic group or religion. Beijing called for stronger action against terrorist organisations, tighter border controls, greater intelligence sharing and enhanced joint counterterrorism operations.
deep sea, while amplifying the voice of developing countries in global affairs. Emphasising that solidarity and cooperation remained the driving force behind BRICS, Xi urged members to remain sincere and candid with one another, seek common ground while respecting differences and take into account each other’s
Sunday, 13 September 2026 | ISLAMABAD
core concerns. He called for greater communication and dialogue to deepen mutual understanding, properly manage differences and ensure the steady development of BRICS cooperation. China will assume the rotating BRICS chairmanship and host the 19th BRICS Summit next year, Xi announced.
NEWS 07
Sunday, 13 September 2026 | ISLAMABAD
CORPORATE CORNER
Balochistan Govt distributes financial assistance cheques among families of 34 Sorenj Coal Mine Victims
SHANGLA/ALPURI
On the special directives of Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti and Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain, financial assistance cheques worth Rs. 500,000 per family were distributed among the families of the 34 miners who lost their lives in the Sorenj coal mine tragedy in Balochistan. The financial assistance was provided by the Government of Balochistan for the bereaved families.In this regard, a condolence and relief ceremony was held in Alpuri, Shangla, which was attended by distinguished officials from Balochistan, political and social figures, representatives of the Workers Welfare Fund, elected members of the assemblies. STAFF REPORT
CM MARYAM VOWS TO TRANSFORM PAKPATTAN AS DEVELOPMENT DRIVE GAINS PACE PUNJAB CM SAYS DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY OF EVERY CITY, VILLAGE GOVERNMENT’S FOREMOST OBJECTIVE
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LAHORE
SALEEM JADOON
UNJAB Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said on Friday that development and improvement of every city and village was the government’s mission, expressing satisfaction that Pakpattan, which had remained neglected for years, was now moving towards development. She said she was personally monitoring development projects in every city and area and was working day and night to transform Punjab into a better and the best province. The Chief Minister expressed these views during a meeting with members of the Provincial Assembly from Pakpattan, including Farooq Ahmed Maneka, Chaudhry Javed Ahmed, Imran Akram and Sardar Mansab Ali Dogar. Matters relating to public issues and needs were discussed during the meeting. The MPAs presented proposals regarding urban and rural development in Pakpattan and thanked the Chief Minister for launching electric buses and initiating various development projects in the district. The legislators termed the electric bus project a “game changer project of the decade” and expressed gratitude to
the Chief Minister and her team for the beautification of Pakpattan city. They also thanked the Chief Minister for establishing modern Nawaz Sharif Schools of Eminence in Arifwala and Pakpattan. The MPAs said the people were grateful to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for launching modern electric buses in the land of Baba Farid (RA). They said 15 environment-friendly electric buses were providing quality transport facilities to the people of Pakpattan. They said the 15 electric buses operating on three major routes were facilitating thousands of passengers. The services included routes from General Bus Stand
Azma Bokhari calls for proactive strategy to counter disinformation, hate content LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
The fourth meeting of the Information Steering/Review Committee was held under the chairmanship of Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari to review in detail the implementation of the revised National Action Plan in Punjab, progress made so far and the future course of action. Punjab Information Secretary Syed Tahir Raza Hamdani and representatives of the relevant departments attended the meeting. The Information Secretary briefed the meeting on progress made and measures taken in light of the decisions of the previous meeting. The meeting reviewed measures to strengthen inter-departmental coordination, ensure responsible dissemination of information and facilitate timely countering of misleading narratives. Steps to counter disinformation, hate content, negative propaganda and anti-state nar-
ratives were also discussed. Speaking on the occasion, Azma Bokhari said disinformation and negative narratives could not be countered through a merely reactive approach, stressing the need for a timely, fact-based, coordinated and proactive strategy. She said all relevant departments should work under a joint strategy with mutual coordination and complete harmony. The minister said the Information and Culture Department had played an effective
and proactive role in achieving the objectives of the National Action Plan, while Pakistan’s achievements during the Battle of Haq and the national narrative should also be highlighted effectively. Azma Bokhari said youth and students could be particularly vulnerable to misleading and negative content on digital and social media platforms, making the promotion of media literacy and responsible digital behaviour among them a need of the hour.
69 arrested as Lahore Police launches major crackdown on usury LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
Capital City Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyana said the crackdown against usurers exploiting citizens financially will continue, describing usury as a serious social evil and warning those involved in it did not deserve any leniency. He expressed these views in a statement issued on Saturday regarding the ongoing operation
against usury. The CCPO directed supervisory officers to ensure prompt action on complaints related to usury and to guarantee that investigations into such cases were conducted strictly on merit. Bilal Siddique Kamyana further said that the zero-tolerance policy against the usury mafia and their facilitators must be implemented with full force. He added that the objective of the ongoing crackdown against usury was to protect citizens from financial ex-
ploitation and to ensure the rule of law. Meanwhile, Lahore Police spokesperson said that 69 suspects had been arrested during the recent operation against usurers. He said that 78 cases had been registered against the accused involved in usury at various police stations across the city. According to the spokesperson, 24 usurers were arrested from Iqbal Town division, 21 from City division and 11 from Cantonment division.
Citizens, public representative s from various areas meet Memon KARACHI STAFF REPORT
Citizens and public representatives from various areas met with Sharjeel Inam Memon, Sindh’s Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit, apprising him of various issues and grievances concerning their localities. To ensure the immediate redressal of these public concerns, Sharjeel Inam Memon issued directives to the relevant departments and officials for timely action, instructing them to extend all possible cooperation in resolving the issues.
Pakpattan to Arifwala, Bunga Hayat and Noor Pur Sial. CM Maryam Nawaz directed the MPAs to keep a close watch on the quality, pace and transparency of ongoing development projects in Pakpattan. She said the development and prosperity of every city and village, including Pakpattan, was the government’s foremost objective. “I am pleased that Pakpattan, which remained neglected for years, is now on the path of development,” she said. The Chief Minister said she was personally monitoring development projects in every city and every area and was working round the clock to make Punjab
a better and the best province. CM Pays Tribute to Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed on Martyrdom Anniversary Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz paid rich tribute to the hero of the 1965 war, Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, recipient of Nishan-e-Haider, on his martyrdom anniversary. In a message, the Chief Minister said the martyrdom of a Shaheed becomes a message of renewed life for the nation. She said Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed displayed extraordinary courage and valour while defending the motherland, leaving the enemy astonished. “The entire nation is proud of Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed’s supreme sacrifice for the defence of the motherland,” she said. Maryam Nawaz said those who sacrificed their precious lives for the protection of Pakistan were the heroes of the nation. “The Pakistani nation takes immense pride in the great sacrifices of its martyrs,” she added. The CM said Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed demonstrated unparalleled courage and bravery during the 1965 war. “The nation will never forget the sacrifices of its martyrs,” she said. She said Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed laid down his life in defence of the motherland and became an everlasting symbol of courage, patriotism and sacrifice. “The martyrs of Pakistan are our pride and national heroes. The courage and bravery of Maj Aziz Bhatti Shaheed is an example worthy of emulation,” Maryam Nawaz said.
GOODS TRANSPORTERS RAISE 5% FREIGHT CHARGES AS FUEL PRICES SURGE
Sunday, 13 September, 2026
PRAYER TIMINGS
NEWS
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KARACHI
SALEEM JADOON
HE All-Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance (APGTA) on Saturday announced a five per cent increase in freight charges amid rapidly rising petroleum product prices, as the war between the United States (US) and Iran continued to push global oil prices higher amid supply constraints. The government increased the price of high-speed diesel by Rs5.28 to Rs403.32 per litre and petrol by Rs5.02 to Rs375.82, with the new rates effective from Sept. 12 through Sept. 14. The price hike was announced as Brent crude traded above $105 a barrel on Friday amid persistent concerns over Middle East supply disruptions and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The decision was announced by AllPakistan Goods Transport Alliance President Malik Shehzad Awan, who said
transporters across the country condemned the surge in petroleum product prices. “We announce a further five per cent increase in goods transport fares,” Awan said, noting that the government had increased diesel and petrol prices by Rs20 per litre and Rs24 per litre, respectively,
Karachi set for rain spell from September 14 KARACHI
STAFF REPORT
Karachi is expected to receive light rain and thunderstorms from September 14 as a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal moves westward, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. The weather system initially developed over the northwest Bay of Bengal and coastal parts of Odisha and is currently positioned over Chhattisgarh and adjoining areas. Its movement is expected to bring heavy rainfall and thunderstorms to several districts of Sindh, including Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal and Tando Muhammad Khan. Sanghar, Khairpur, Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Matiari, Shaheed Benazirabad and Jamshoro are also likely to receive rain with thunderstorms between September 14 and 16. In Karachi, the Met Office has forecast light rain and thunderstorms during the same three-day period. Before the rain arrives, the city is expected to experience hot and humid weather over the next two days, with maximum temperatures likely to remain between 36°C and 37°C. Separately, the PMD has also forecast rainfall in Punjab, where a westerly wave is expected to enter the upper parts of the country over the weekend and gain strength by September 14.
Dar stresses deeper Pak-China strategic ties ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday stressed the need to further deepen Pakistan-China ties across trade, investment, connectivity, and other key areas, reaffirming the importance Islamabad attaches to the “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership." Dar expressed these views during a meeting with Pakistan’s ambassador-designate to China, Ali Asad Gilani, according to Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan. The deputy prime minister identified trade and investment, connectivity, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), agriculture, science and technology, education and people-to-people exchanges as priority areas for enhanced bilateral cooperation. He congratulated Gilani on his appointment and said Pakistan attached special importance to its time-tested and enduring relationship with China. Dar also appreciated Gilani’s services as Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) and expressed confidence that his diplomatic experience would help further strengthen the bilateral partnership. He wished him a successful tenure in Beijing. Gilani will succeed Khalil Hashmi, who has completed his tenure as Pakistan’s ambassador to China, a position he assumed in November 2023. A day earlier, Dar announced that Hashmi would return to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs next week after making an “important contribution” to advancing Pakistan-China relations. Dar said Gilani’s appointment reflected Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining and further strengthening its close and enduring friendship with China.
over the past four days. Goods transporters across Pakistan had gone on strike from Aug. 8 to 17 before announcing that they had postponed the protest after reaching an agreement with the authorities. Transporters had gone on strike
against the government’s move to revise fuel prices daily and urged the authorities to revise toll charges. Another key sticking point was the transporters’ demand that the government strictly implement existing regulations on axle-load management. The alliance announced on Aug. 17 that it had postponed the strike for 40 days, saying the government had agreed to all its demands, including that petroleum product prices would not be revised on a daily basis. “If the federal and provincial governments fail to implement the agreements they made with us, transporters across Pakistan will once again go on a nationwide strike,” Awan said, adding that the 40-day period would expire next week. He said that if increasing petroleum product prices was “unavoidable” for the government, it should provide relief from withholding, toll and other taxes to transporters. The government has not issued a response to Awan’s statement when this report was filed.
26 KP districts declared terror-affected for officers' risk allowance PESHAWAR
STAFF REPORT
The federal government has declared 26 of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s 35 districts as "terror-affected," making Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) and Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) officers posted there eligible for an extraordinary law and order and security risk allowance. According to a notification issued by the Establishment Division to the KP chief secretary, the allowance will amount to 250 per cent of the officers’ running basic pay and will be paid retrospectively from July 1, 2026. The allowance, titled the ‘KP Extraordinary Law, Order and Security Risk Allowance’, will be admissible to PAS and PSP officers serving in Peshawar, Khyber, Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mohmand, Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Kurram, Orakzai, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, North Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Upper and Lower South Waziristan, Swat, Buner, Shangla, Bajaur, Upper and Lower Dir, and Upper and Lower Chitral. However, Swabi and all districts of Hazara Division have been excluded from the allowance scheme. These include Abbot-
tabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Kolai-Palas and Upper and Lower Kohistan. The Establishment Division, in an Aug 18 letter to the KP chief secretary, said the allowance had been approved for PAS and PSP officers serving in “seriously disturbed KP districts” in view of the prevailing law and order situation and risks faced by officers and personnel. It said the districts eligible for the allowance would be identified by the Interior and Narcotics Control Division at the beginning of each financial year, with the Establishment Division notifying the relevant districts annually. The allowance will cease once an officer is transferred out of a notified district. According to the notification, officers will continue to receive the allowance during sanctioned leave of any kind, except extraordinary leave. It will not be admissible during suspension, while serving as an officer on special duty or during training of any kind. The allowance will also not be counted as part of emoluments for calculating pension or gratuity. The federal government will bear the cost. The decision comes as KP
has witnessed a sharp increase in terrorist violence over the past year, particularly in areas bordering Afghanistan and the merged tribal districts. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies’ Annual Security Report 2025, fatalities linked to violence in KP rose from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025. The resurgence in terrorism, particularly in KP and Balochistan, has prompted the state to intensify counter-terrorism operations, with security personnel and law-enforcement agencies frequently targeted. Recent data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies showed that mainland KP recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August, representing a 50 per cent increase over July. The merged districts also recorded 54 attacks during the month, marking a 126 per cent increase compared with the previous month. Against this backdrop, the enhanced allowance is aimed at compensating PAS and PSP officers serving in districts officially designated as seriously disturbed and exposed to heightened security risks.
Yemen urges global action to secure Bab al-Mandab ISLAMABAD
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Dr Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi has called for stronger international support to protect the Bab al-Mandab Strait, warning that the strategic maritime passage is vital to global trade, energy supplies and the delivery of life-saving goods. In a statement, Al-Alimi said Yemen’s efforts to defend its coasts, territorial waters and Bab alMandab against Houthi attacks were not only aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty but also contributed to international security and the safety of global maritime routes. He called for a more effective international partnership to strengthen the Yemeni state’s capacity to secure the strategic waterway. Al-Alimi said the Yemeni government would continue ef-
forts to protect citizens, restore state institutions, extend its authority across the country and secure its coasts and ports. He maintained that the latest escalation was initiated by the Houthi group and argued that restoring the state’s authority was essential for sustainable peace. He rejected the notion of a peace settlement based on state weakness while armed groups retained weapons outside government control, saying a capable Yemeni state was the best guarantee of lasting stability. The Yemeni leader also urged urgent international action, in coordination with the United Nations and donors, to provide shelter, food and healthcare to displaced people and support local authorities facing a renewed humanitarian crisis. He called for effective implementation of relevant UN Security
Council resolutions, particularly measures aimed at restricting the flow of weapons and financing to the Houthis. Yemeni Foreign Minister Dr Afrah Al-Zouba, during meetings with European Union representatives, similarly stressed that empowering legitimate state institutions to protect Yemen’s coastline and territorial waters was essential for the security of Bab alMandab, the Red Sea and international shipping. She said the vital passage must remain safe and open to global maritime traffic and should not be used as a tool of coercion by an armed group operating outside state institutions. Al-Zouba also highlighted the importance of the waterway for countries economically connected to it, including Pakistan, with which Yemen shares longstanding historical and fraternal ties.
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Pakistan on Saturday urged the UN Security Council to strengthen its counter-terrorism mechanisms and close gaps in sanctions regimes as a new UN assessment warned that terrorist groups were rapidly adapting their propaganda, recruitment and financing methods to reinforce operations, exploit local grievances, build legitimacy, facilitate fundraising and shape perceptions of authority. The new report by the Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) noted that terrorist propaganda had moved far beyond messaging and become embedded in the operational structures of terrorist groups, helping them recruit fighters, raise funds, plan operations and, in some cases, govern territory. The UN report specifically highlighted the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) as an example of how terrorist groups were increasingly using propaganda to reinforce operations, exploit local grievances, build legitimacy, facilitate fundraising and shape perceptions of authority. The report identified the TTP, along with Al Qaeda affiliate JNIM, Al-Shabaab and ISIL-K, among terrorist groups active in and around Pakistan and Afghanistan. It said terrorist groups were adapting their propaganda strategies faster than governments could respond, creating what it called an “acceleration gap” between terrorist tactics and the legislation and policies of member states. Against this backdrop, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Asim Iftikhar Ahmad told the Council that the terrorist threat had “evolved and mutated” since the 9/11 attacks and called for stronger international cooperation to counter it. He said the Council’s existing sanctions
regimes also needed to be strengthened to address gaps in the global counter-terrorism framework. Ahmed highlighted the growing use of artificial intelligence, drones, the dark web, virtual assets and cryptocurrencies by terrorist groups for propaganda, radicalisation, recruitment, networking, attack planning and financing. He pointed to continuing terrorist threats in Africa, the Middle East and Afghanistan, warning that extremist groups were exploiting modern technologies and cross-border networks to expand their reach. Expressing particular concern over terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, Islamabad’s envoy said more than 4,700 Pakistanis had lost their lives to terrorism over the past three years. He called for effective international action against groups including the TTP, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and
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Capital Police rescue foreigner from $100,000 ransom kidnapping, nine held ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police on Saturday safely rescued a foreign national who was kidnapped at gunpoint from Sector G-8 for a ransom of $100,000, equivalent to around Rs27.7 million, and arrested nine alleged kidnappers involved in the crime. In a statement posted on X, the capital police said that the foreign national was kidnapped at gunpoint from Sector G-8 earlier in the morning, following which the kidnappers demanded $100,000 for his release. SSP Operations Islamabad Qazi Ali Raza took immediate notice of the incident and constituted special police teams under the supervision of SP City Muhammad Khurram Ashraf to safely recover the abducted foreign national and arrest those involved. The teams employed modern technical resources and human intelligence to trace the kidnappers and launched an intelligence-based operation. During the operation, police safely recovered the foreign national from the jurisdiction of Sihala Police Station and arrested nine alleged kidnappers. The official said the accused had also allegedly robbed other staff members of cash, expensive mobile phones and other valuables at gunpoint during the incident. Police also recovered three vehicles allegedly used in the crime, along with the snatched cash and mobile phones, from the arrested accused. Further investigation was underway, while police were examining all aspects of the kidnapping-for-ransom case. SSP Qazi Ali Raza said strict legal action would be taken without discrimination against those involved in crimes threatening the lives and property of citizens, particularly foreign nationals. He said those involved in the serious kidnapping-forransom case would be brought to justice and punished in accordance with the law.
Parliamentarians call for improved healthcare for marginalized communities in KP PESHAWAR
STAFF REPORT
Women parliamentarians have called for strengthened HIV/AIDS prevention and response measures and greater access to inclusive healthcare services to improve the health and well-being of marginalized communities, particularly women and transgender people, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Speaking at a meeting of the Provincial AIDS Network, the parliamentarians stressed the need for comprehensive awareness and educational programmes, saying that according to a survey, more than 70 percent of respondents lacked basic knowledge about HIV transmission, increasing the risk of infection. The meeting was organized by Da Hawwa Lur (Daughter of Eve), a non-governmental organization working to promote gender equality. Female parliamentarians including Shazia Tehmas, Amina Sardar, Rehana Ismail, Aiman Jalil, Meher Sultana and Ashar Jan Jadoon attended the meeting, which was also participated by CEO Da Hawwa Lur Madam Khurshid Bano, transgender activist Arzoo and Association of People Living with HIV (APLHIV) representative Nayyar Mujeeb. In her presentation, Aleena, Public Health Associate at Da Hawwa Lur, briefed participants about recommendations contained in a Charter of Demands prepared by the organization to improve healthcare services in the province. She said the Charter of Demands would be submitted to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health for consideration and possible incorporation into provincial health policies to ensure inclusive healthcare for all segments of society. Speaking on the occasion, Programme Director Da Hawwa Lur Shawana Shah said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faced significant challenges in responding to HIV/AIDS due to low public awareness, inadequate healthcare facilities and persistent stigma and discrimination. She stressed the need for targeted policies and programmes to strengthen HIV prevention and treatment and improve the overall health and wellbeing of populations at greater risk of HIV infection.
Pakistan urges UN to close counter-terrorism gaps as threats evolve UNITED NATIONS
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the so-called Islamic State. ‘Anti-Terror Campaign Took a Heavy Toll on HRs, Fundamental Freedoms’ Meanwhile, more than 30 independent UN human-rights experts warned that the 25-year campaign against terrorism had also taken a heavy toll on human rights and fundamental freedoms while stretching the boundaries of international law. The two concerns — the rapidly evolving terrorist threat and the consequences of the international response to it — dominated a Security Council discussion marking 25 years since the Sept 11 attacks. The report identified artificial intelligence, gaming platforms and alternative online spaces among the emerging tools being exploited by terrorist organisations. It warned that young people were increasingly being targeted through social media, gaming platforms and online communities, while violent extremist groups were using
Published by Asad Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk
graphic material and online subcultures to facilitate radicalisation. Pakistan Paid an Enormous Price as Frontline State Against Al Qaeda Pakistan, Ambassador Ahmed said, had played a frontline role in the international campaign against Al Qaeda and paid an enormous price, with more than 90,000 Pakistanis, including civilians and security and law-enforcement personnel, killed in terrorist violence since the turn of the century. The Council observed a minute of silence for the victims of the Sept 11 attacks before members renewed calls for international cooperation against terrorism. US representative Michael Waltz recalled the 2,977 people killed in the Sept 11 attacks, including citizens from more than 90 countries, and paid tribute to the first responders who ran towards the burning World Trade Centre towers.