NAQVI VOWS TO PURSUE NEW PROVINCES, SAYS DECISION MUST REST WITH PEOPLE In partnership with
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Sunday, 6 September, 2026 | 23 Rabiul Awwal, 1448
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INTERIOR MINISTER CALLS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE RESTRUCTURING TO IMPROVE GOVERNANCE
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 162 | 8 Pages | Islamabad Edition
NAQVI SUPPORTS ISLAMABAD PROVINCE, STRESSES CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS
Kh Asif accuses PPP of 'double standards' on new provinces ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
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LAHORE MIAN ABRAR
NTERIOR Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday reaffirmed his support for the creation of new provinces and administrative units, saying he would continue advocating the idea regardless of whether he remained in office. Addressing the National Policy Dialogue held here, Naqvi said the creation of new administrative units should be decided by the people rather than governments, political parties or individuals in positions of authority. “Whether I remain in office or not, I will not back down from this,” he said, stressing that the will of the people was more important than the will of those holding office. Naqvi urged political leaders and the public not to become emotional over the issue, saying the cre-
ation of new provinces was neither an immediate nor a hurried process. “This is not something that is going to happen tomorrow or the day after,” he said. The minister argued that Pakistan’s growing population and governance challenges required a rethink of the existing administrative structure. He questioned whether provinces had cities comparable in administrative and economic significance to Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta. “If new administrative units are necessary for the betterment of the people, and the people also want them, then there should be no obstacle to their creation,” he said. Naqvi emphasised that any restructuring would have to be carried out within the constitutional framework and should not be imposed by a government or political party.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of adopting a “twofaced policy” on the creation of new provinces and administrative units, saying he believed there was “something more” behind its stance that he would explain “when the time comes”. In a post on X on Saturday night, the minister said the PPP appeared supportive of a separate Saraiki province in Punjab but adopted a different position when the debate shifted towards creating multiple provinces or administrative units. “When the matter of a Saraiki province in Punjab arises, the PPP supports it or shows a soft corner on this issue. And when the talk turns from four to multiple provinces or administrative units, the talk for Sindhudesh begins,” he said.
“A single person, a government or a political party should not dictate to the people on this issue. We must let the people choose for themselves,” he said. He proposed that the public should first be informed about the
“I see something more behind this two-faced policy of the PPP. I will explain it when the time comes,” he added. Mr Asif said the debate over administrative restructuring should not undermine national unity, stressing that “we are, first and last, Pakistanis”. He maintained that devolution of power was already a constitutional principle under the 18th Amendment but had not been implemented in its true spirit. “Devolution is a constitutional principle settled through the 18th Amendment, which has not been respected,” he said, calling for its implementation “with honesty” in view of prevailing circumstances. The defence minister argued that democracy could deliver meaningful benefits only when power was devolved to the grassroots level.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03 potential benefits and drawbacks of creating new provinces and administrative units before being allowed to decide the matter. Clarifying his earlier call for a “reset”, Naqvi said he was not advocating the dismantling of the admin-
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NFC CONCERNS SHOULD NOT BLOCK DEBATE ON NEW PROVINCES, MINISTER SAYS
Kamal renews call for new provinces KARACHI
STAFF REPORT
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Saturday renewed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) demand for the creation of new provinces, while criticising the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) over what he described as the lack of basic facilities across Sindh. Speaking to the media after inaugurating Pakistan’s first International Travellers Vaccination Centre at the Federal Government Dispensary at Karachi airport, Mr Kamal said the MQM-P had not withdrawn its demand for additional provinces. “Absolutely, MQM-P has not backed away from the demand for provinces. Whenever there is talk of provinces, we have said we will support it,” he said. Mr Kamal compared the administrative structures of major cities, noting that Karachi had been divided into seven districts while Lahore and Peshawar each had one district. He alleged that the PPP had created districts along
istrative system but seeking to correct a system that, in his view, had failed to deliver adequately over the past 79 years. He said Pakistan was now the world’s fifth-most populous country, yet meaningful devolution of power
ethnic lines. “Did Karachi break apart? No,” he said, questioning what he described as a selective approach towards the issue of administrative restructuring. “Sweet things are welcomed, while bitter things are rejected,” he remarked. He said there was no reason why Sindh could not be divided into additional administrative units. “Make Sindh 1, Sindh 2 and Sindh 3 — what is the problem with that?” he asked. Criticising the PPP’s prolonged rule in Sindh, Mr Kamal said the party had been in government for 18 years but had failed to provide basic public services. “There are no basic facilities; they cannot even manage a sewer,” he said, adding that authorities had failed to protect children from dog bites and accidents involving open sewers. He further claimed that residents in parts of Sindh were being forced to consume contaminated water despite the spread of multiple diseases.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03 remained limited. While new districts and tehsils were routinely created, he questioned why greater authority was not transferred to the grassroots level.
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02 | SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
Sunday, 6 September, 2026 | ISLAMABAD
NEWs 03
PAKISTAN PLANS 38 PPP PROJECTS WORTH $6.5B, PUSHES AHEAD WITH 27 PRIVATISATIONS
sunday, 6 september, 2026 | islAMAbAD
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PROFIT
STAFF REPORT
AKISTAN plans to bring 38 federal projects worth around $6.5 billion to the market under publicprivate partnerships while advancing the privatisation of 27 state-owned assets, officials said on Friday. The PPP pipeline covers roads, railways, aviation, healthcare and industrial infrastructure, while the privatisation programme includes power distribution companies, major airports, insurance companies and specialised banks.
Officials disclosed the plans at the National Strategic Dialogue on PPPs and Privatisation in Islamabad, where the Pakistan PPP Monitor was launched. Pakistan has completed 154 PPP transactions involving investment of nearly $36 billion since the 1990s, according to the monitor. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said private businesses would have to lead the country’s next phase of economic growth, with the government focusing on preparing viable projects that could attract investment. He said PPPs and privatisation could
mobilise capital, improve efficiency and reduce the burden on the public sector. Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali said the government could not finance and manage Pakistan’s future infrastructure requirements through public expenditure alone. He said PPPs could attract private capital and technical expertise for infrastructure and public services, while privatisation could transfer the ownership or management of commercial entities to investors capable of improving their performance. Asset monetisation could also be used to introduce private financing, technology and
accountability into sectors where the state lacked sufficient resources, he added. Muhammad Ali called for the completion of the government’s privatisation agenda and an expansion of the PPP pipeline, saying successful transactions were needed to demonstrate progress to investors. Asian Development Bank Vice President for South, Central and West Asia Yingming Yang said well-designed PPPs could supplement limited public resources, improve services and ensure the long-term maintenance of infrastructure. He reaffirmed the ADB’s support for Pakistan’s efforts to increase private sector
Kh Asif accuses PPP of 'double standards' on new provinces
Weekly inflation rises 0.65% as onion prices surge over 26% PROFIT STAFF REPORT
Pakistan’s short-term inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), increased by 0.65% during the week ended September 3, driven mainly by a sharp rise in onion prices, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). On a year-on-year basis, the SPI increased by 8.35% compared with the corresponding week of last year. The largest weekly increase was recorded in onion prices, which jumped
by 26.30%. Prices of tomatoes rose by 2.55%, potatoes by 0.96%, petrol by 0.90%, wheat flour by 0.88% and chicken by 0.85%. Other increases were recorded in pulse mash, garlic, mustard oil and highspeed diesel. Meanwhile, banana prices declined by 2.54%, followed by pulse moong by 0.69%, liquefied petroleum gas by 0.45%, sugar by 0.18%, eggs by 0.11%, pulse gram by 0.06% and gur by 0.05%. Of the 51 essential items monitored by the PBS, prices of 17 items increased, seven declined and 27 remained un-
OGRA raises wellhead gas prices by up to 10% for second half of 2026 PROFIT
STAFF REPORT
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has notified higher wellhead gas prices for several fields for the second half of 2026, with the revisions indicating an average increase of 8– 10%. The revised prices will apply from July to December 2026 and have been determined against the pricing base used during the first half of the year. Wellhead gas prices are revised semi-annually using the average oil price recorded during the preceding six months. Accordingly, prices for the July-December period are being calculated using average oil prices from January to June 2026. Arab Light crude averaged $92.2 per barrel during the first half of 2026, up 35% from an average of $68.4 per barrel between July and December 2025. According to a report by Topline Securities, the increase in crude oil prices is expected to translate into a 10–11% rise in wellhead gas prices for fields operating under Petroleum Policy 2012. The comparatively smaller increase reflects the sliding-scale pricing mechanism prescribed under the policy. OGRA has so far issued price notifications for only a few fields, while notifications covering the remaining fields are expected to follow. The brokerage noted that prices for some fields are calculated using oil-price averages for the December-May 2026 and June-November 2025 periods, which may result in slight variations between individual fields.
changed during the week. The weekly increase was highest for the lowest expenditure group, comprising households spending up to Rs17,732 per month, whose SPI rose by 0.91%. The indicator increased by 0.83% for the second quintile, 0.71% for the third, 0.68% for the fourth and 0.58% for the highest expenditure group. On an annual basis, onion prices were 162.75% higher, while LPG prices increased by 53.61%, diesel by 37.70%, petrol by 31.01% and electricity charges for the lowest consumption quintile by 25.24%.
Wheat flour prices rose by 16.86% year-on-year, followed by chilli powder by 16.37%, bananas by 16.07%, mutton by 16.03%, beef by 13.31%, fresh milk by 8.21% and plain bread by 8.09%. By contrast, potato prices declined by 31.61% from a year earlier, chicken by 23.50%, sugar by 19.38%, eggs by 18.18%, powdered salt by 13.96%, pulse gram by 12.95%, pulse masoor by 12.16% and pulse moong by 7.19%. The SPI, based on 2015-16 prices, tracks the movement of 51 essential items collected from 50 markets across 17 cities.
Naqvi vows to pursue new provinces, says decision must rest with people CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
“Governments and policies change. New budgets and projects are presented. But our delivery is questionable in the end,” he said. Naqvi said basic services, including education, healthcare, clean drinking water and access to justice, should be available to every citizen. He acknowledged that successive governments had failed to ensure adequate provision of these facilities across the country. Arguing for greater empowerment at the local level, he cited mayors such as Zohran Mamdani, Sadiq Khan and Recep Tayyip Erdogan as examples of political leaders who had gained experience through effective municipal administration. He said people capable of efficiently running mayoral offices could be better equipped to govern larger administrative structures. The minister also expressed support for making Islamabad a province, arguing that the capital had a unique administrative and financial position. He pointed out that Islamabad did not have a share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and said the Capital Development Authority was managing the city largely through land sales. Naqvi also questioned the existing NFC formula, saying it could encourage population growth in provinces because a larger population meant a greater share of resources. “Is this not a ticking bomb foretelling impending collapse? Shouldn’t we alter this approach?” he asked. Criticising the state of education, the minister said some fifth-grade students were unable to read simple sentences, arguing that stronger local governments and empowered mayors were needed to address problems at the grassroots.
He said the sheer size and population of the country made it impossible for a handful of officials to effectively manage every part of Pakistan. Naqvi said that despite his determination, he had been unable to visit all districts of Punjab during his tenure, citing the scale of the province and the limitations faced by officials. “It is humanly not possible,” he said, warning that Pakistan could not progress if changes to the existing system continued to be resisted. Referring to the country’s founding principles, Naqvi said Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had warned against provincialism and groupism, stressing the importance of national unity over linguistic, tribal or regional affiliations. Meanwhile, the debate over new provinces has intensified in Sindh, with MQM-P reiterating its support for the creation of additional provinces and administrative units. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said his party had not withdrawn its demand and would support the creation of new provinces whenever the issue was taken up. MQM-P had earlier called for a national dialogue among political parties on the issue, arguing that population growth, weak governance and the concentration of political power had made further administrative devolution necessary. The development comes amid strong opposition from the Sindh government and ruling PPP. The Sindh Assembly recently unanimously passed a resolution rejecting any proposal to divide the province or alter its territorial boundaries. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has also opposed the idea, saying any decision concerning the province would be taken by members of the Sindh Assembly rather than individuals outside the province.
Embassy of Pakistan in Ankara hosts grand reception to mark Pakistan’s Defence and Martyrs’ Day ANKARA AGENCIES
The Embassy of Pakistan in Ankara hosted a grand reception to mark Pakistan’s Defence and Martyrs’ Day, underscoring the deep-rooted military and strategic brotherhood between Pakistan and Türkiye. Turkish Minister of National Defence H.E. Yaşar Güler graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The event witnessed an extraordinarily strong representation from the Turkish Armed Forces, including
Chief of Turkish General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Commander of Turkish Land Forces General Metin Tokel, Commander of the Turkish Navy Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, and Commander of the Turkish Air Force General Rafet Dalkıran. Other prominent dignitaries in attendance included former Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Recep Akdağ, Deputy Foreign Minister Hacı Ali Özel, foreign military attachés, senior Turkish officials, and members of the Pakistani diaspora.
The commemoration commenced with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an, followed by the playing of the national anthems of both nations. Students from the Pakistan Embassy International Study Group (PEISG) delivered special performances, while documentary videos showcasing the solemn significance of Defence and Martyrs’ Day were presented to the audience. Addressing the gathering, Minister Yaşar Güler extended warm felicitations to the nation and paid rich tribute to the sacrifices of Pakistan’s martyrs and vet-
erans. Reaffirming Ankara’s unwavering support, Minister Güler highlighted the historic bonds between the two countries, describing Pakistan as a key strategic partner and praising the rapidly expanding bilateral cooperation in defense and security. Minister Güler also highlighted the recently forged "Makkah Defence Alliance" between Türkiye, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, terming it a historic milestone aimed at bolstering strategic synergy, collective deterrence, and long-term regional stability.
Kamal renews call for new provinces CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Referring to constitutional amendments, Mr Kamal said amendments had been made to the Constitution associated with Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and claimed that people in Sindh were now demanding a change in the existing system. Asked about the possibility of a 28th Amendment, he said he had no information on whether such an amendment was being considered. The MQM-P leader also criticised the 27th Amendment, claiming that its stated objective had been to devolve powers to streets and neighbourhoods, but that the PPP had opposed it. Mr Kamal claimed that 80 per cent of the population from Karachi to Kashmore lacked access to clean drinking water. He contrasted what he described as Pakistan’s
role in addressing major international issues with persistent failures in basic governance. “On one hand, we are stopping the Third World War, while on the other hand children are dying from dog bites,” he said. On the newly inaugurated International Travellers Vaccination Centre, Mr Kamal said vaccination was essential for Pakistanis travelling abroad, particularly those visiting Saudi Arabia. He said travellers would be administered vaccines, including influenza and polio, with their vaccination records linked to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). A computerised vaccination certificate would be issued to travellers, while the entire process had been digitised to eliminate the need for cash payments at the centre, he said. Mr Kamal said meningitis and influenza vaccinations would be administered and recorded in the NADRA database. Travellers
would be able to visit a designated counter at the airport and obtain their computerised certificates. He said Pakistani CNIC numbers would serve as medical record numbers under the new system, while vaccination fees would be paid online. According to the minister, all airports across the country would eventually be connected to the system, allowing NADRA to verify vaccination certificates. He claimed that fake vaccination certificates had previously been issued for between Rs4,000 and Rs5,000, stressing that a meningitis vaccination certificate was required for those travelling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah. Mr Kamal also said many Pakistanis were being deported on medical grounds and that information about passengers returning after deportation was being maintained through flight health desks.
participation in development projects. The dialogue was attended by federal and provincial officials, development partners, financial institutions, investors and private-sector representatives.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
“The point is simply this: what the current system has done with the accumulation of obsolete powers. It needs to be corrected with honesty,” he said. Mr Asif suggested that the existing administrative structure could be reorganised by making use of the country’s 36 divisions or devising another geographical framework. “Label the provinces or administrative units whatever you like. You have 36 divisions—use them or devise some other administrative geographical scheme,” he said, adding that “the devolution of powers is inevitable”. The remarks came amid an increasingly heated political debate over the creation of new provinces and administrative units. The issue gained momentum last month after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called for additional provinces or administrative units, arguing that structural reforms were necessary to address weaknesses in the country’s governance system. The proposal drew strong opposition from the PPP leadership in Sindh. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah rejected the suggestion that the province’s governance system had collapsed and warned against creating tension over the issue. He said the Constitution provided a clear mechanism for creating new provinces, requiring a two-thirds majority in the provincial assembly concerned before a province could be divided. The Muttahida Qaumi MovementPakistan (MQM-P), meanwhile, backed the creation of additional provinces and administrative units and announced plans for a broader national dialogue on the issue. MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal argued that Pakistan’s growing population, poor governance and concentration of political authority had made further administrative devolution necessary. He said the creation of administrative units in Sindh was not aimed at Sindhis but intended to give people greater control over their own affairs. MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar also supported the proposal, saying additional administrative units were necessary for the country’s development, stability and survival. He warned that failure to address the existing system could fuel unrest in different parts of the country. PPP leaders, however, have continued to oppose any division of Sindh. Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah criticised the MQM-P’s demand, saying the province would not be divided and accusing the party of political frustration. Sindh Labour and Human Resources Minister Saeed Ghani also rejected
FBR expands refund checks to expedite pending sales tax payments to exporters PROFIT
STAFF REPORT
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has revised its sales tax refund process by introducing four additional validation cycles aimed at expediting the clearance of deferred or pending refund claims of exporters. The tax authority issued SRO 1498(I)/2026 on Friday, making further amendments to the Sales Tax Rules, 2006. Under the revised mechanism, refund amounts that remain uncleared or unverified after eight validation checks, including the initial check, will be subjected to four additional validation cycles by the system. These additional checks will be conducted once every week for the portion of a refund claim that remains uncleared or unverified, according to the notification. If any amount remains unresolved after all four additional validation cycles have been completed, it will subsequently be processed under the STARR module. A tax expert said the additional checks were intended to facilitate exporters by giving pending claims further opportunities to clear the system’s validation requirements before being transferred to the STARR process. He added that the FBR had introduced the changes in consultation with exporters.
Meanwhile, the Sindh government hit back at Mr Kamal’s remarks on the creation of new provinces. Sindh government spokesperson Sumeta Afzal Syed said provinces could not be created at the discretion of an individual or political party and accused the MQM-P leader of attempting to divert attention from his political difficulties by promoting a divisive narrative. “Mustafa Kamal, before referring to the Constitution, please read the Constitution as well,” she said. Ms Syed said Sindh was not anyone’s political fiefdom where its geographical boundaries could be altered at will. “Making provinces is not the authority of any individual, party or those who came to power on a charitable mandate,” she said. She stressed that the creation of a new province had to follow the constitutional
procedure and require approval from the relevant provincial assembly. “Ask the prime minister to create a South Punjab province on the basis of the resolutions approved by the Punjab Assembly,” she added. Ms Syed described calls for dividing Sindh as “hypocrisy” and alleged that MQM-P lawmakers adopted different positions inside and outside the provincial assembly. “The Sindh Assembly has already passed its resolution, and the people of Sindh have already made their decision,” she said. She accused the MQM-P of repeatedly raising the issue to create political unrest, saying Sindh could not be treated as a “signboard” on which its map could be redrawn at will. “First prove your mandate, end the contradiction within your party, and then give lectures,” she said. Ms Syed also referred to a case involving Mr Kamal in Lines Area, alleging that the matter had been proven and accusing him of using the controversy to protect himself.
04 COMMENT
No poverty, Crime or War
More US war crimes
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More evidence comes in that the US strike on a wedding was no accident
Elon Musk’ Brave New World
AKISTANIS have lived through the type of experience that Iran had on Tuesday, when one of its bombs struck a wedding on Tuesday in Kuhestak, South Iran, killing four people and injuring several others during the War on Terror, with the blessings of the Musharraf government, on 21 November 2013, in the Thall area of Hangu district, KP, a drone strike was carried out against a madressa dastar ceremony for students who had completed their hifz, killing six. There was another strike on a madressa in Tank district on 25 December 2025, but luckily none of the six children injured died. Iran experienced the pain of schoolgoing children being killed by enemy bombs, when on the day that the current war started, a girls’ school was hit in Minab, with 175 children and teachers killed. Though Pakistan has not hasd a wedding hit, there was one hit in Afghanistan in November 2008, in which 37 people, mostly women and children, were killed. To this must be added the strike in San, Mali, in which 10 people were killed. Only the most rabid US supporter would shrug off these deaths as ‘collateral damage’. There are attempts to dismiss the strike as the result of a ricochet from the actual target, a telecom tower in Kuhestak, which weapons experts who have examined the relevant footage have told a news agency. The damage also appeared to have been caused by a US munition, was not not caused by an Iranian air defence missile, which was also being blamed by the US Centcom, who has to deal with the possibility that their troops committed a war crime. That there will be a cover-up, is assured by the failure to take any criminal action against the culprits of the 2004 Au Ghraid prison abuses in Iraq. Only a court ruling in 2024 awarded civil damages to three victims against the civilian contractor running the jail. The USA has shot itself in the foot. The first day of the War saw the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the Minab schoolchildren, which led to the Iranian nation uniting behind the hardliners who refuse to surrender. The reformists, who advocate peace at any cost, were weakened, They will be further weakened by this strike, especially if the evidence of US Culpability continues to pile up.
H
Qamar Bashir
UMAN civilization has always been built around struggle. People have laboured to secure food, shelter and safety. They have pursued education, endured hardship and developed skills not only to survive, but also to gain dignity, recognition and self-actualization. Alongside this material journey has run a spiritual one: the search for meaning and purpose beyond physical comfort. For most people, however, earning a livelihood has consumed the greater part of life. Elon Musk now asks us to imagine a radical departure from that history. In a recent conversation with Joe Rogan, he described a “benign scenario” in which artificial intelligence and robotics generate sustainable abundance and a “universal high income.” Work would become optional, poverty could disappear, and every person could have access to excellent medical care and virtually all desired goods and services. Rogan called it an ideal socialist utopia— ironically produced not by a workers’ revolution, but by advanced capitalist technology. The idea sounds extraordinary, yet its underlying logic is simple. If intelligent machines can perform most physical and cognitive tasks faster, more accurately and at lower cost than human beings, the productive capacity of the economy could expand enormously. Humanoid robots could work in factories, construct roads and buildings, handle cargo at ports, cultivate farms, drive vehicles, maintain infrastructure and perform dangerous jobs without fatigue. AI systems could manage offices, logistics, design, accounting and countless other digital operations. Musk has argued that highly productive robots could multiply economic output many times over. Operating around the clock, they could produce more food, housing, medicine and consumer goods at lower cost. Human beings would no longer need to exhaust themselves merely to put food on the table. A singer could devote life to music, a researcher to discovery, a parent to family, and a spiritually inclined person to reflection and service. Work might continue, but as a choice rather than a condition of survival. This is the attractive face of sustainable abundance. It could also reduce many social pressures associated with deprivation. Financial desperation
Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami
Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
contributes to theft, exploitation and some forms of violence. Safer autonomous transport could sharply reduce accidents caused by fatigue, intoxication and human error. Precision agriculture and automated supply systems could limit waste and improve food security. Competition over scarce resources, a recurring source of domestic conflict and international rivalry, might also become less intense. But technology does not distribute its own benefits. That is the decisive weakness in every effortless version of this dream. A billion robots may produce unprecedented wealth, but who will own the robots, the AI models, the energy systems and the data on which they depend? If ownership remains concentrated among a handful of corporations and technologically dominant countries, abundance at the level of production could coexist with extreme scarcity for everyone else. Factories can overflow with goods while people remain poor if they lack income, entitlement or political power. Universal high income, therefore, cannot arise from automation alone. It would require a new social contract governing ownership and distribution. Citizens might receive an AI dividend, hold shares in national automation funds, or gain guaranteed access to housing, healthcare, education, energy and digital services. Tax systems may have to shift from labour toward the returns generated by automated capital. Otherwise, workers could lose wages and purchasing power long before abundance becomes broad enough to rescue them. Musk himself has warned that the transition may involve considerable trauma and disruption. Digital and office-based occupations are especially exposed because AI can already perform many computer-based tasks, while complex physical work will generally take longer to automate. The road to a post-work society may therefore pass through unemployment, anxiety and political instability. Promising eventual prosperity will not satisfy families who lose their livelihoods during the transition. Governments must prepare protections before disruption reaches its full force, not after social damage has become irreversible. There is also the profound question of meaning. Employment is not merely a mechanism for paying bills. It provides routine, identity, community and a sense of contribution. Freedom from compulsory labour could release immense creativity, but it could also produce loneliness and purposelessness if society fails to develop new sources of belonging. Education would have to shift from preparing people for jobs toward cultivating judgment, creativity, character and civic responsibility. Human worth must no longer be measured by salary, yet neither should passive consumption become the purpose of life. Nor would abundance automatically eliminate crime, war, government or courts. Human conflict is driven not only by material need, but also by power, ideology, fear, jealousy, identity and ambition. Even a wealthy world would need institutions to protect rights, settle disputes and prevent powerful actors from controlling technology against the public interest. AI may improve administration, but handing all authority to algorithms could create surveillance and domination rather than freedom. Human judgment, democratic accountability and law would remain essential.
Bring capability, not currency M. A. Niazi
Babar Nizami
Editor Pakistan Today
Editor Profit
What China is doing to BRICS
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Dr imraN KhaLiD
ASHINGTON has spent two years threatening 100 percent tariffs over a BRICS currency that no member has tabled and that India has repeatedly disowned. The threat lands on nothing. What is actually being built inside the group has almost nothing to do with replacing the dollar, and it is moving faster than the commentary suggests. New Delhi hosts the 18th BRICS summit on 12 and 13 September at Bharat Mandapam, with 11 members plus partner and outreach states. Three days earlier, a much smaller gathering convenes in Xiamen: an investment matchmaking event under the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution, the innovation centre that has spent this year connecting manufacturers across member states. One event will be graded on whether leaders can agree a paragraph on Iran. The other will decide what this group is worth to its members in ten years. Grade BRICS by what it constructs, not by what it declares. The construction is easiest to see in finance, and it is duller and more useful than the headlines allow. Intra-BRICS merchandise exports rose from $84.2 billion in 2003 to $1.17 trillion in 2024, growing at 13.3 percent a year while world trade grew at 5.7 percent. Vladimir Putin put intra-bloc trade above a trillion dollars in June. Yet that commerce still amounts to only about 5 percent of world trade, which is the real story: the group is trading far below its own weight, and closing that gap requires payment plumbing rather than manifestos. That plumbing is being laid. The New Development Bank is preparing its first rupee bond, a tranche of $400 to $500 million, having already issued in yuan and rand, and has set a target of 30 percent of its lending in members’ own currencies. Sanjay Malhotra confirmed in August that members are examining links between fast payment systems and central bank digital currencies, and framed it in the least ideological terms available: cross-border payments cost too much, and there is scope to reduce that cost. Nobody involved is pretending this is a currency union. S. Jaishankar has said India has no interest in undermining the dollar and that no BRICS currency proposal exists. He is right,
and the US threat is aimed at a project that was never launched. Cheaper settlement in rupees, yuan, riyals and dirhams is not an assault on anything. It is what any exporter would want. There is also a plain prudential case for diversification that has nothing to do with hostility to the USA. The Supreme Court struck down the tariffs imposed under emergency economic powers in February, and collection stopped within four days. Duties that a court can void overnight are not a stable basis on which to plan a decade of factory investment. Countries that build a second set of rails are not being provocative. They are being sensible. The more consequential work is industrial, and here China’s contribution is difficult to match. Twenty-nine countries signed the agreement establishing the World AI Cooperation Organization in Shanghai in July, with the UN Secretary-General present at the signing. At the same conference, Xi Jinping pledged 5000 artificial intelligence training places for developing countries over five years. Alongside it came a BRICS public product matrix and a study of industrial intelligence across ten sectors, which is essentially a set of upgrade pathways a mid-sized manufacturer in Sao Paulo or Addis Ababa can follow without hiring a consultancy. The China-BRICS AI development centre’s industry network now reaches ten countries and 25 institutions. Compare that with the prevailing Western approach to advanced technology in the developing world, which is chip export controls and licence conditions. Li Lecheng described future industries as a symphony rather than a solo. That is diplomatic language, but the underlying offer is concrete: training, tooling, standards and joint ventures made available to countries that were never going to be sold the frontier. India’s own conduct is the strongest evidence that this works. Mechanical and electrical goods account for roughly 60 percent of Indian purchases from China, and Indian imports crossed $130 billion in the last fiscal year. Delhi’s response has been to reduce friction rather than raise it. New rules from March allow investment from firms with up to 10 percent Chinese ownership through the automatic route, and India’s rejection of anti-dumping recommendations rose to 41.5 percent in 2025-26 from 6.1 percent the previous year. Direct flights resumed after five years. The border
question is unresolved and the commercial relationship has been repaired regardless, which is a more mature separation of files than most Western capitals manage. Others show the same pattern. South African trade dependence on the bloc has climbed from 18 percent in 2021 to 36 percent this year. Russian fertiliser underwrites Brazilian harvests while Brazil supplies the grain and ore the group needs. Ethiopian coffee reaches buyers it could not previously reach. The Middle East contribution is best described accurately, since inflated claims invite easy rebuttal. The foreign ministers meeting in Delhi in May produced no joint statement on the war on Iran, and the Carnegie Endowment has documented the divergence honestly. What the bloc offers instead is material. Xi arrived in Cairo on 2 September for his first state visit in a decade, where a manufacturing zone at Ain Sokhna holds close to 200 companies, 3.8 billion dollars of investment and about 10,000 jobs, and where Huawei is competing against a consortium of Nvidia, AMD and Microsoft for an AI data centre. Egypt is not asked to abandon Washington, Paris or Moscow. Countries that are given industrial capacity without a loyalty test tend to stay. That refusal to demand alignment is why the group keeps growing while alliances built on obedience keep fraying. China assumes the chair in 2027 with the strongest hand any incoming presidency has held. The task is not to convert BRICS into a bloc. It is to keep the rails open, keep the training places filled, and let the arithmetic do the persuading. The writer is a freelance columnist
That refusal to demand alignment is why the group keeps growing while alliances built on obedience keep fraying. China assumes the chair in 2027 with the strongest hand any incoming presidency has held. The task is not to convert BRICS into a bloc. It is to keep the rails open, keep the training places filled, and let the arithmetic do the persuading.
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Sunday, 6 September, 2026
The greatest danger is that the developing world may enter this new age as a customer rather than a participant. Countries such as Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, along with nations across Africa, Asia and Latin America, cannot afford to watch from the sidelines while others control the infrastructure of intelligence. They must invest urgently in education, computing capacity, reliable energy, robotics, research and local-language AI. They should also cooperate regionally, share scientific resources and negotiate international rules that prevent a permanent technological caste system between nations. Sustainable abundance is therefore neither fantasy nor destiny. AI and robotics may make it technically possible to liberate humanity from much of its compulsory labour, but only political wisdom can make that liberation universal. The real challenge is not simply teaching machines to produce more. It is ensuring that the wealth they produce belongs, in some meaningful measure, to all humanity. Musk’s vision of sustainable abundance should therefore be welcomed not as a fool’s dream, but as a serious and achievable direction for humanity. It comes from no ordinary dreamer, but from an innovator who has repeatedly transformed seemingly impossible ideas into working realities— from electric vehicles and autonomous mobility to reusable rockets, space exploration and Starlink’s global communications network. His record does not guarantee that every prediction will materialize exactly as imagined, but it gives the world compelling reason to take this vision seriously. Rather than resisting it or dismissing it with competing speculation, governments, scientists and technology leaders should study what Musk has achieved, invest in their own innovators and create many more minds capable of pursuing equally audacious solutions. If this endeavour gathers global momentum, AI, robotics and sustainable energy could help build a cleaner and more peaceful world— one with less poverty, crime, conflict and competition over scarce resources, and with greater space for creativity, family, service and spiritual growth. Humanity should not fear such a future; it should begin preparing, cooperating and innovating to make sustainable abundance a shared reality for present and coming generations. 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
Editor’s mail
Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
Land is borrowed, never owned
DURING a recent visit to the Ravi River in Lahore, I heard stories of how the recent flood had taken back what once belonged to the river. Fields that had been turned into housing schemes were swallowed overnight. It was a reminder that the river, once thought tamed, was only waiting for its moment to return. That same story could easily unfold hundreds of kilometres south — not along a riverbank, but on the Arabian Sea’s restless shores in Karachi, where the sea seems to be inching forward. In coastal settlements around Karachi, the water creeps further inland each year. Areas that were once playgrounds, courtyards and open spaces are submerged during high tides. What was once a seasonal nuisance has now turned into a constant threat, with seawater pushing into the city. The rise of the concrete jungle as a consequence of unplanned urbanisation has made matters worse. Just as encroach- ments squeezed the Ravi, Karachi’s shoreline has been steadily eaten up by real estate projects. Luxury housing blocks rise where mangroves once stood. These mangroves were not just trees, they were the city’s armour, absorbing waves, sheltering fish nurseries, and shielding coastal communities. Now, with the protective green belt disappearing, every storm tide reminds Karachi that the sea is not passive. Like the Ravi, it has a memory. Who will pay the price? When land along Clifton and Defence Housing Authority (DHA) is reclaimed, it is celebrated as ‘development’. But when the sea reclaims land in Korangi Creek, Rehri Goth or Machar Colony, it is called a ‘disaster’. The reality is that the sea makes no distinction — it simply moves where space is left for it to return. Scientists warn that by 2050, parts of Karachi, like Korangi Creek, Hawkesbay and even sections of DHA Phase-VIII, could be permanently underwater if sea levels continue to rise. But the warning is not abstract. The advance of the sea is already visible, step by step, and tide by tide. There must be a way forward, and there, indeed, is. Those at the helm must rethink the city’s relationship with the Arabian Sea. Protecting mangroves, halting reckless reclamation, and planning with climate change in mind are not luxuries; they are survival strategies. KUNDAN KUMAR KARACHI
Rights lost to convenience
THE Sindh government never misses an opportunity to highlight its selfproclaimed commitment to promoting inclusivity for people with disabilities. Also, adding yet another feather in its cap, it has introduced the controversial e-challan mechanism with astronomical fines even for minor traffic violations. Against this backdrop, I see a strange contradiction whenever I commute on my two-wheeler to office every day. Along Sharea Faisal, I have repeatedly witnessed motorcyclists freely using ramps meant for physically-challenged people using wheelchair to help them cross from one side to another. The misuse by motor-cyclists, as can be seen in the accompanying picture, to suit their convenience is rampant because traffic officials prefer to ‘ignore’ it. Now, when the ‘ever-efficient’ Karachi traffic police have installed highpowered CCTV cameras backed by artificial intelligence (AI) to issue e-challans to those violating traffic rules, I wonder why traffic police and their cameras have not been able to capture this gross violation and misuse of pedestrian bridge meant for special people. There are U-turns available at Nursery and Baloch Colony flyovers, but motorcyclists prefer to use the ramps, blatantly violating traffic rules. This paints a gloomy picture. While the rights of the physically-challenged people are being trampled upon in front of the ‘law’, if there is any, the e-challan seems to be a scheme to punish only those who happen to commit some minor offence even inadvertently. It looks as if the government has failed in safeguarding the rights of the special people, who need more of our empathy, accessible infrastructure and support, and in holding real traffic offenders who do not give a hoot about any law. M RAFIQUE ZAKARIA KARACHI
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COMMENT 05
Running a client hard state in the post-colonial world
Sunday, 6 September, 2026
P
Economic prosperity is the root of independence naqi akbaR
aKiStan continues to be in the news; for brokering a deal between the uSa and iran; for being the star component of many defence pacts around the globe and in the region. But when it comes to the relations between the rulers; the establishment and the ruled; it cuts a sorry figure. every new budget statement is a challenge for all tiers of the government and the administration. However, despite these perils, the state and the government is turning itself into a hard state; where few things can be debated or questioned, let alone overturned. a historical and operational analysis of the situation might not throw up the remedies to the problem; as identifying the problem can itself be perilous. However, a cautious probe can reflect on what has been the state of affairs of the country since its inception and as to why it has failed to come up to the current challenges. pakistan, a product of the colonial withdrawal in the world after the end of the Second World War, when the prime global power, the uK was too exhausted to hold on, was soon repackaged into the neocolonial arrangement whose first name was the Baghdad pact, later renamed cento. later these arrangements were repackaged sometimes under the afghan Jihad pact, a war on terror pact and these days it ranges from anti money laundering issues to fatf arrangements; not to ignore a mute agreement of perception with the pentagon on majority of issues. Due to the overbearing preoccupations of the nation state with fighting, initially the cold War when Marxism had to be contained, later graduating into a full-blooded afghan Jihad, then later the same Jihad had to be dismantled under the title of War on terror. that preoccupation resulted in a bad impact on the nation states like pakistan, where welfare of the masses or the economic growth imperatives for that state took a back seat. Since 2001, the pinch was felt more as the financial assistance from the super infrastructure whose client state pakistan was designated to be, dried up. practically it was a ‘on your own’ phenomenon for pakistan soon after the end of the afghan war in 1989-90. the democratic decade from 1988 to 1999 was not characterized by any big global war, rather it was the period which was ideally suited for economic recovery and reconstruction. a regional review will reveal that in iran the late leaders Rafsanjani and Khamenei coalition was responsible for the setting up of the trade-related infrastructure like the
train linkages with china and the ex-Soviet states. on the far west turkiye too were engaged in economic reconstruction. it was the reconstruction slogan which brought the current set of islamists to the seat of power in ankara and they are still going strong. compared to that pakistan continued to suffer from the national security hang-up syndrome. a look into the period reveals that instead of disengaging from afghanistan and leaving it to its own devices, it promoted a fundamentalist government at war with a variety of ethnicities as well as sects of islam; all at the altar of the need to promote strategic depth. the end result was that the state was carrying out unrelated works and avoiding the push for economic revival and growth. it was no coincidence that when 9/11 unfolded pakistan; instead of the much-blamed iran was pinpointed as the centre of all the mischief in the world. Here it is ironic to observe that the same iRGc generals were coordinating with uS generals in afghanistan when the same uS generals looked with suspicion at the pakistani so-called cooperation in the War on terror 2001 onwards. the much-trumpeted paris club payments rescheduling did not do miracles as the nature of the state did not change fundamentally. practically pakistan for all practical purposes got stuck in the pentagon-led regime syndrome like the Kemalists who dominated in turkiye from the 1950s to the 1980s, and the Shah of iran till 1979; the post-1979 iran is another story and a subject of intensive debate. the two instances of turkiye and iran stood on the premise that a state has to be armed to teeth; a state whom regional states fear but are not ready to trade with in a peaceful manner. in the case of turkiye, there were conflicts with regional states, while trade partners were distant europe. in the case of iran; it was perpetual conflict with Baathists in iraq over Kurdistan, thwn there was the Dhofar rebellion suppression by imperial iranian forces in oman in an apparent bid to suppress a Marxist movement in oman and Muscat. However, the
post-1973 oil revenue covered up many inherent contradictions in the system. coming back to pakistan, the foundations for that type of state were first laid during the Zia and the Musharraf regimes along with the 9/11 episodes allowing the comeback of that national security state in pakistan. true, after 2008, all the parliaments completed their tenure, but the foundations of a national security state under the smokescreen of ‘one page’ ‘hybrid ‘were being laid down. afterall, not a single political government covered a full five-year tenure. the results were visible at the formal onset of that arrangement in 2018, where a cursory look at the peaceful foreign borders revealed that pakistan was literally in conflict with every neighbor. india as a result of historical reasons at the top of the list. the uS withdrawal from afghanistan in 2021 added that country too. Regards iran, it has not been in the good books of the pakistani military establishment, as the stances taken by the estab-
lishment handles on X and their review over the last three years can reveal. it was not before the start of hostilities between iran and uSa and not to ignore the iDf that pakistan jumped into the fray, with everyone reading between the lines that the entry of the south asian state was not for peace but on behalf of the pentagon and centcoM calculations. Despite a very good rapport between the slain leader of iran and the pakistani military and political leadership, amongst whom, every leader was granted the audience to meet, even the late iranian Supreme leader was very much conscious of the limitations of the pakistani deep state and with that reality it maintained a strategic distance from the pakistani establishment. His exit from the scene makes things easy for the americans as well as pakistanis; not to ignore the lightweight iranians; as the reformists were heads over heels for making a common cause with the pakistani leadership for the benefit of the uS calculations.
A prosperous state and economy are better positioned to ward off centrifugal currents as well as other social loopholes. Towards that a semblance of constitutional rule has proven to be the winning chip in the international arena. The policy prescription of maintaining an armed-to-the- teeth national security hard state might be the relic of the past, best discarded for good. Towards that end; conclusively a return to a nation state aiming for economic prosperity and growth is best suited to move forward.
the reason for that explanation stems from the fact that the pakistani nation state did not graduate itself and move on from the old thought process, that of being a client state, to deliver in the economic sense too. it failed to understand that the country has to get into the trade deals and customs unions not as a ritual but in a full-blooded manner. the impact of that failure to address the economic question has landed pakistan in dire straits. if it works hard as a client state in the military pacts, it runs the risk of alienating the allies as well as neighbours. But it is plagued by the fact that every next day the proverbial meal of the state is planned by the national security state and not guided by economic considerations. that harsh reality opens up the floor for the hard truth that the new social contract cannot be solved by dividing the administrative units more, rather it simply delves in the fact that the country creates a balance between many imperatives foremost amongst them the economic imperative. a prosperous state and economy are better positioned to ward off centrifugal currents as well as other social loopholes. towards that a semblance of constitutional rule has proven to be the winning chip in the international arena. the policy prescription of maintaining an armed-to-the- teeth national security hard state might be the relic of the past, best discarded for good. towards that end; conclusively a return to a nation state aiming for economic prosperity and growth is best suited to move forward.
Who really benefits from the DEPT. OF INTERIOR SETS ASIDE 2.3 MILLION ACRES FOR CIA chief’s Moscow trip? The writer is a freelance columnist
SATIRE
FUTURE TRUMPS TO ENJOY
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THE ONION
allinG the act a forward-looking attempt to preserve the nation’s most precious natural treasures for the president’s descendants, the Department of the interior announced Monday that it would set aside a 2.3-million-acre stretch of american land for future trumps to enjoy. “We’re proud to safeguard these beautiful forests, beaches, and mountaintops to ensure they can be appreciated to their fullest not just by trump’s children, but by his chil-
dren’s children,” said interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who stressed that keeping the acreage pristine would allow many generations of trump’s progeny to build golf courses, hotels, and hunting lodges in some of america’s most stunning locales. “for years, trumps have been increasingly siloed into D.c., new York, and florida. our hope is this will give them far more space to develop properties in the decades and, indeed, centuries to come.” interior Department officials confirmed they would take whatever measures were necessary to remove 340 million invasive americans from the newly established trump preserve.
FACIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF 1000-YEAR-OLD MAN
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NEWS BISCUIT Wally dug
efoRM uK leader nigel farage has called upon the police to arrest norman conquest on terrorism charges. He alleges that Mr conquest came to the uK illegally from europe, possibly Scandinavia, round about 1066. norman conquest’s skeletal remains were found buried at St peter’s church in Barton-uponHumber 50 years ago, with a newspaper dated 26 January 1079 found in his possession, along with a letter stating that he is on a waiting list for a hip replacement and would be contacted in due course. Researchers at the face lab at liverpool John Moores university have used the latest digital facial reconstruction techniques to recreate Mr conquest’s face. Kevin Booth from english Heritage said: ‘i was really surprised at how well technology was able to recreate norman conquest’s face pretty realistically.’ When asked how he knew that the face had been recreated ‘pretty realistically’, his eyes turned bright red and he growled, ‘Because i was
there.’ Mr farage later said, ‘as the Member of parliament for... clackerton, is it? i have certain privileges and i have taken the image of norman conquest and checked it against the uK Border Space force control database and there is no record of him arriving in this country legally, so i assume he arrived via a small boat in autumn 1066, invaded england and set-up home here. He probably didn’t pay any taxes either, so he has entered the country illegally and committed acts of terrorism against the anglo Saxons - the only true British people and hasn’t contributed to the country at all, so he should be found, arrested and sent back to where he came from.’ When it was pointed out that Mr conquest died close to a thousand years ago so that would be pretty difficult, Mr farage continued, “Well, you would say that, wouldn’t you? another example of the socalled establishment out to mess with the man on the street. Well, i am that man on the street and you shouldn’t mess with me - i could easily resign as an Mp and force another by-election in cacklington.’
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Ratcliffe’s hush-hush visit may be less about Moscow than helping turn Baltic alarm and Brussels money into new business for US arms makers
RACHEL MARSDEN
RT/ RachelmaRsden.com
peculation abounds over the reason for cia Director John Ratcliffe’s recent trip to Moscow. Which probably could have been an email. or a social media post. Just like everything else this administration does. oooh, don’t tell me! He went to demand that Russian president Vladimir putin not help iran! or he went to ask whether they’re still up for more speed dating to talk peace in ukraine! or maybe just to talk about swapping prisoners. Which happens fairly regularly. and doesn’t require a personal visit. or maybe Ratcliffe just had a jonesing for that ice cream at the GuM mall in Red Square. Who really knows. So i’d like to personally take the opportunity to add to the theories, which can only really be evaluated sometime down the road in hindsight. the thing that strikes me the most about this trip is the sudden secrecy. Specifically from an administration with a penchant for blabbing about everything. if trump wanted to tell putin or Russian intelligence something, he’d do it himself on truth Social. instead, he was uncharacteristically vague, calling the trip semi-routine. When is this guy tight-lipped about anything? it’s so far out of character for the american president that one is almost obligated to look for a motive for the secrecy. So with that in mind, it seems reasonable to ask whether there is any financial or political constituency that stands to benefit from the message being sent by this unusually secretive trip. Well, it turns out that it just happened to take place at the same time as the european union was meeting to set its new 7-year budget, and eastern european Baltic nations were making a massive push for cash from Brussels. You know what they say: if you have a pet that starts in with some nasty habits, like chewing the furniture to get your attention, then you really have to nip that in the bud real quick. otherwise, there’s a risk that, next thing you know, your other pets will learn from it and start gnawing on the couch or the table legs, too. So here you have europe, that’s been sitting there while Kiev says ‘gimme money’, and ‘i deserve it because i’m defending all of europe
for you. oh, and even better, actually, defending DeMocRacY for you lazy bums’. and instead of whacking it on the nose and going, ‘no, BaD! Brussels just goes, ‘Wanna treat?’ So now, what do you know, here comes latvia, who’s been watching this whole charade, seeing that ukraine goes from begging to getting tossed a bone every single time, and now they too are like, ‘Woof, woof, i’m defending all of europe for you. Where’s my money? 7 Billion euRoS, specifically’. and it’s not like latvia is even bothering to come up with its own twist on ukraine’s pitch. it’s not like they’re saying, ‘ukraine’s pitch to Brussels is, ‘look, we’re being invaded. You’d better give us what we want because we’re the only thing standing between putin showing up in europe with a neck pillow for an interrail tour of europe.’ So we, latvia, need to come up with something else. especially since we aren’t actually being invaded – we just need some emotional-support money’. no, instead, they’re just basically saying the exact same sort of thing minus the existential threat – that latvia is the bouncer at the Baltic door keeping putin on the other side of the velvet rope. Surely it can’t possibly have anything to do with the fact that latvia’s economy could use the kind of economic boost that can only come from having Brussels dump a ton of cash into its defense industry, right? Because everything’s going so well for latvia economically, ever since this conflict in ukraine went hot in 2022 and Riga cut itself off from Russian trade: from just over €2 billion a year back then, to just €193 million last year – an almost 90% reduction in the value of trade between the two countries, according to latvia’s own foreign affairs ministry. and now energy prices are going back up again, too – an 83% spike in gas prices since the beginning of this year in latvia, and 24% over just the past month. an established trend since the eu cut everyone off from Russian fuel and now trump’s cutting everyone off from fuel from the Middle east with his apparently endless ‘mine’s bigger’ standoff with iran. oh look, here comes lithuania now, too. What a surprise! another guy watching from the cheap seats and going: ‘Hang on. We’re also next to Russia. We have security problems, infrastructure costs, and defense bills. Where is ouR cash handout?’ turns out that lithuania has just gone di-
rectly to Brussels with the invoice, essentially saying: You keep telling us the eastern flank is crucial to european security. Wonderful. please prove this commitment using the traditional european unit of measurement: euros. When it comes to eastern europe, the eu’s seven-year budget plan is starting to look like a group dinner where everyone suddenly remembers that the guy at the end of the table has a corporate credit card. But the real question is whose bills would Brussels ultimately be paying? Surely it’s just a mere coincidence that major beneficiaries of latvian and lithuanian defense spending include trump’s america, as the largest supplier of major conventional arms to latvia and lithuania, according to the most recently available Stockholm international peace Research institute (SipRi) arms transfer data. all this comes after the western press reported that the cia director flew to Moscow this week to tell Russia not to attack nato countries. Which is actually great marketing for the cause of eastern european countries shaking down Brussels and basically launching a grant program. they’re behaving now as though a potential future hypothetical Russian attack on nato is serious enough to justify enormous new expenditures, but the benefit of Brussels’ largesse risks going to Washington as the top weapons supplier. the trip is remarkably convenient for governments seeking to turn fears about Russia into a case for vastly increased european defense spending – and for the american defense industry that stands to benefit from a big chunk of that spending. But hey, who really cares if everyone’s barking out for treats when you’re Brussels and all you ever need to do is reach into the pockets of the taxpayer. even if you then run straight back to uncle Sam with it and drop it in his lap.
Rachel Marsden, a columnist, political strategist, and host of independently produced talk-shows in French and English.
06 neWS
US MILITARY SAYS IT DESTROYED 3 IRANIAN OIL TANKERS AFTER MISSILE ATTACKS
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PENTAGON
AGENCIES
S Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that its forces struck and disabled three Iranian crude oil tankers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles toward two US Navy warships in regional waters In a statement shared on X, CENTCOM said an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple Iranian attacks, adding that no American personnel were injured. According to the statement, US forces permanently disabled the M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask. They also destroyed the unladen M/T Kylo, also known as the “Noxen,” in the Gulf of Oman after its crew was ordered to abandon ship. CENTCOM said the vessels were part of
a “multibillion-dollar shadow network” allegedly used to finance the IRGC and its regional proxies. “Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost -- taking out three of yours,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said. “We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” he added. US STRIKES IRANIAN OIL TANKER NEAR KHARG A US missile struck an Iranian oil tanker near Iran's Kharg Island on Saturday, according to Iranian media. The tanker involved was a “small vessel,” Iran’s Student News Agency reported. It said no casualties were reported. Kharg Island is vital to Iran’s oil export system, handling roughly 90% to 95% of the country’s crude exports. US President Donald Trump previously threatened to take control of the island.
Regional tensions have escalated since US-Israeli attacks on Iran began February 28, with Tehran responding with missile and drone strikes against Israel and US interests across the region. Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 concerning freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, but its implementation has stalled amid disagreements over security arrangements in the strait. High-ranking US military officials subjected to polygraph tests over information leaks: CBS US investigators in August administered polygraph tests to 50 military officers and civilian officials following leaks concerning depleted American munitions stocks, according to multiple media reports on Friday. The probe targeted personnel with the Joint Staff, a group of senior military leaders advising the president, focusing on leaks regarding shortages of long-range missiles and Patriot interceptors due to the war with Iran,
The New York Times reported. A CBS News report revealed that the FBI was not involved in conducting the tests, as the military utilised its internal investigators. Not all senior leaders were tested; the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, was excluded from the sweep. US President Donald Trump is report-
US envoys Witkoff, Kushner arrive in Moscow for talks on peace in Ukraine MOSCOW
AGENCIES
US special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Moscow on Saturday for talks on how to end the war in Ukraine, where they were met by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev. A motorcade, carrying Witkoff, Kushner and Dmitriev, left Moscow's governmental airport and headed towards the city, a Reuters witness said. Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS news agency that President Vladimir Putin would meet Witkoff and Kushner in the Kremlin later on Saturday. US President Donald Trump suggested on Friday that the US had a fresh concrete proposal aimed at ending the war, which is now in its fifth year. He did not, however, elaborate on what that proposal would be. Russian envoy Dmitriev, who told Reuters in June that he had remained in contact with the US negotiators during a pause in their visits to Russia, took part in all their previous meetings with Putin alongside Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov.
He also played a role in negotiating US sanction waivers for Russian oil this year. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that the two men would fly to Ukraine on Sunday after visiting Moscow. In an X post on Saturday, Zelensky said Russia hit two Ukrainian airports ahead of US envoys' visit to Kyiv. Peskov said in a statement posted on the Kremlin's channel in Max Messenger that Putin had ordered the military not to strike Kyiv for three days, starting at midnight on Saturday, in connection with Witkoff and Kushner's visit to the Ukrainian capital. A VAST GULF IN POSITIONS The Russian Defence Ministry reported 53 Ukrainian drones in Russian airspace on Saturday, significantly fewer than the average seen in recent months. Moscow is celebrating City Day on Saturday, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part in open-air festivities across the city. A vast gulf remains between Russia and Ukraine on how to end the 4-1/2year-old war, the deadliest in Europe since World War Two. A source close to the Kremlin,
speaking before reports emerged of a possible trip by President Trump's envoys, said Putin was still intent on capturing more territory. "There is no chance of reaching an agreement regarding the front line until Putin finishes securing the remaining part of the Donetsk region," the source told Reuters, adding that the Kremlin leader was confident — based on reports from his commanders — that this would happen by the end of the year. KREMLIN'S POSITION 'UNSHAKEABLE' Western military analysts see such a possibility as remote, given Moscow's slow rate of progress. Ukraine refuses to surrender land that it has successfully defended at huge cost, and rejects such terms as tantamount to surrender. The Kremlin said on Friday the position that Putin set out in a speech two years ago - that Ukraine should cede the entire territory of four regions claimed by Russia and abandon its plan to join NATO — was "unshakeable". Since the last peace talks in February, each side has intensified long-range air attacks deep inside the other's territory, while the war at sea has also esca-
lated. On the ground, the front lines have remained largely static, with Russia making only gradual gains in its attempt to take the whole of Ukraine's Donbas region. Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have led to a summer of fuel shortages and rising prices for Russian motorists, while some 30 attacks on giant warehouses belonging mostly to Wildberries, the country's biggest online retailer, have affected the consumer economy. A Russian drone attack hit the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in Kyiv on Friday — the 10th consecutive day of heavy attacks on the capital — and Zelensky vowed to retaliate. Four days earlier, the US move to welcome Russia back to a meeting of G20 countries while denying some journalists access to the gathering dismayed some finance leaders. The two-day meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, came as the global economy was being buffeted by an energy shock triggered by the US-Iran war, faced rising tensions over China's huge goods trade surplus and was braced for how an investment surge in AI would ultimately play out.
Heavy arms stolen from India’s Secunderabad cantonment; Analysts warn of potential false-flag use ISLAMABAD AGENCIES
A major security lapse and scandal has surfaced within the Indian military following the theft of a heavy cache of weapons, pistols, and thousands of live ammunition rounds from the highly secured armoury of the Madras Regiment in the Secunderabad Cantonment, according to media reports. The break-in occurred within an extremely high-security zone, where perpetrators broke the locks of the battalion magazine, storehouse, and internal storage boxes to loot the armaments. According to reports, the stolen arms include four AK-203 rifles, six 9mm pistols, and one bore pistol. The thieves also made off with five AK-203 magazines, three 1B1 magazines, twelve 9mm pistol magazines, and one bore pistol magazine. Heavy arms stolen from India's Secunderabad cantonment; Analysts warn of potential false-flag use The stolen ammunition cache consists of 720 rounds for the AK-203 rifles and 1,120 rounds for the 9mm pistols.
Military officials estimated the total market value of the stolen arms and ammunition at approximately 1.5 million Indian rupees. Despite the gravity of the incident, neither the Indian Army nor the police have issued a detailed official statement so far. The Madras Regiment is considered one of the oldest regiments in the Indian Army. The fact that a massive theft occurred despite round-the-clock heavy se-
curity and surveillance has raised critical questions regarding the Indian military’s security protocols and internal oversight. Defense analysts pointed out that incidents of theft, financial irregularities, bribery, and forged documentation are well-documented within Indian defense institutions. Heavy arms stolen from India's Secunderabad cantonment; Analysts warn of potential false-flag use
They highlighted previous instances of systemic corruption in the Indian armed forces, noting that in 2021, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) named 17 military personnel in connection with bribery and illegalities during recruitment drives. Analysts also referenced the infamous Adarsh Housing Society scandal, in which high-ranking military officers and influential individuals illegally seized valuable land meant for war widows. Furthermore, in August 2026, Lieutenant Colonel D. Maji was implicated in procurement irregularities amounting to Rs30 million. Observers stated that bribery, financial corruption, and misuse of authority have become commonplace in the Indian Army. In light of past defense corruption cases, experts urged that investigations into the Secunderabad heist must focus on potential internal facilitation and insider collusion. Defense analysts warned that weapons bearing military markings could potentially be used in future attacks, staged encounters, or false-flag operations orchestrated to serve specific narratives.
Sunday, 6 September 2026 | ISLAMABAD
edly furious about the unauthorised disclosures. No officials failed the polygraph questions designed to determine if they leaked information to the media, according to CBS News. Investigators were also concerned about whether a government official was potentially operating as a foreign spy because access to the specific munitions data was highly restricted, it said.
Child deaths linked to measles near 1,000 in Bangladesh DHAKA
AGENCIES
Bangladesh health authorities on Saturday reported four more child deaths linked to measles and measles-like symptoms in the past 24 hours, pushing the total death toll to 991 since mid-March. Of the fatalities, 100 were confirmed measles deaths after one more child died in the past 24 hours, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Health Ministry. A total of 464 deaths were recorded in the Dhaka division alone. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry reported 843 new cases involving measles-like symptoms and 74 new confirmed infections, bringing the totals to 163,105 symptomatic cases and 19,641 confirmed cases. Since mid-March, 143,214 infected children have been admitted to hospitals across the country. Of them, 137,921 recovered and were discharged, according to the DGHS. The densely populated South Asian country of around 175 million people has been struggling to contain the outbreak amid low vaccination coverage, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Chery Master Pakistan to launch 400km-range Chery Q EV at PAPS 2026 KARACHI
STAFF REPORT
Chery Master Pakistan is set to expand its new-energy vehicle portfolio with the launch of the allelectric Chery Q at the Pakistan Auto Show (PAPS) 2026 on September 18, as electric vehicles continue to gain ground in the country’s automobile market. The company will announce the vehicle’s price and open bookings at the auto show, positioning the Chery Q as an urban-focused electric vehicle aimed at consumers looking for a practical additional car for everyday commuting. The launch comes amid rapid growth in Pakistan’s new-energy vehicle market. According to figures shared by the company, the NEV segment grew by 392% during FY2025-26 and now accounts for around 15% of the overall automobile market. Chery Q is powered by a 42.7 kWh battery offering a claimed driving range of up to 400 kilometres under the NEDC cycle and efficiency of up to 9.4 kilometres per unit. The vehicle measures 4,195 mm in length with a 2,700 mm wheelbase, combining an urbanfriendly footprint with relatively spacious interiors. Its technology package includes Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems with 21 assistance features, Automatic Parking Assist, a 15.6-inch 2.5K display, mobile connectivity and Vehicle-to-Load functionality. The company is also seeking to tap into Pakistan’s rapidly expanding rooftop solar market by positioning electric mobility as a way for households to put surplus solar generation to more productive use. According to estimates shared by Chery Master Pakistan, a conventional petrol vehicle driven around 20,000 kilometres annually could consume approximately Rs488,000 worth of fuel.
Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations rooted in shared culture, history: Amb Alisher Tukhtaev ISLAMABAD
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Uzbekistan envoy Ambassador Alisher Tukhtaev has described Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations as being in one of the most active periods in their history, rooted in shared culture, faith, traditions and centuries-old links. The envoy expressed these views while addressing an exceptional gathering held to mark the 35th Independence Day of the Republic of Uzbekistan here. Addressing the gathering here in a local hotel, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan Mr Alisher Tukhtaev welcomed federal ministers, diplomats, parliamentarians, business leaders and distinguished guests, describing their presence as a reflection of the “friendship, respect and strong partnership” between Uzbekistan and Pakistan. Uzbekistan gained independence in 1991 following the determination of its people, but its statehood and civilization, the ambassador noted, stretch back more than 3,000 years. The country takes particular pride in its contribution to world civilization through renowned scholars and thinkers including
Muhammad al-Khwarizmi, Ahmad al-Fergani, Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Abu Ali ibn Sina, Mirzo Ulugbek and Alisher Navoi, while the legacy of Amir Temur remains an important symbol of statehood and development. The ambassador said Uzbekistan was building on this rich heritage while pursuing an open, modern and prosperous future. Over the past decade, under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country has undertaken wide-ranging reforms focused on human dignity, economic development and social welfare, he said. According to the figures presented, Uzbekistan’s poverty rate has declined from 35 per cent in 2017 to around 4 per cent today, while more than 650,000 families have gained modern homes. He said that expansion of preschool and higher education has also been a major priority, with the number of university students reaching 1.6 million. The country is simultaneously investing in science, innovation and modern technology while promoting its Islamic and cultural heritage. The envoy said the Centre of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent and renovated memorial complexes dedicated to eminent
Islamic scholars are being developed as centres for research and for highlighting Islam’s peaceful and humanistic values. Recent high-level exchanges have given bilateral relations fresh momentum. The creation of the High-Level Council of Strategic Partnership has provided a new framework for cooperation, while 30 bilateral documents were signed during President Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Pakistan in February. Alisher said that Uzbekistan also welcomed Pakistan’s decision to confer its highest civil award, Nishan-e-Pakistan, on President Mirziyoyev, calling it a powerful expression of Pakistan’s respect for the Uzbek leader and the special bond between the two nations. On the bilateral trade, he said that the two countries have set an ambitious target of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion within five years, with efforts focused on investment, banking cooperation, trade houses and improved movement of goods. The Ambassador said that air connectivity is also expanding and direct passenger services now link Tashkent with Islamabad and Lahore, while cargo flights have been launched. With additional routes, including
Karachi, weekly flights are expected to reach nine by October 2026. The proposed Uzbekistan-AfghanistanPakistan railway was highlighted as a particularly important project, with Uzbekistan viewing it as a potential bridge between Central and South Asia capable of boosting trade, creating jobs and promoting regional peace and prosperity, he said. Congratulating Pakistan on assuming the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Economic Cooperation Organisation, the ambassador pledged Uzbekistan’s full cooperation in
promoting regional connectivity, stability and sustainable development. The reception also showcased Uzbek culture, cuisine, music and traditional hospitality, offering guests a glimpse of the country’s rich cultural identity. Concluding the address, the ambassador expressed hope that the friendship between Uzbekistan and Pakistan would endure for generations. “May peace, progress and prosperity always are with the two brotherly countries,” he said, concluding with a tribute to Uzbekistan, its people and the enduring friendship between Uzbekistan and Pakistan.
Sunday, 6 September 2026 | ISLAMABAD
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
07
1965 INDo-paK War: the War trophy SECOND TO NONE: A STANDARD from chaWINDa to ISLamabaD ACROSS GENERATIONS
I
COL (R) SAYED GB SHAH BOKHARI
T is nearing midnight September 9, (1965), location Chawinda, a village near Sialkot. Indian and Pakistani forces are locked in the biggest post-World War II Tank battle. I am perching on a stool before a Battle Map, in my bunker, browsing over the ongoing battle situation, when I received a message from my Commanding Officer, Lt Colonel Mohammad Amin through Dispatch Rider, Sepoy Payo Jaan. The message, inter alia, reads:- “Captain Bokhari! GHQ has instructed us to rush up to Islamabad, one captured Indian tank. The tank must reach Gujranwala Railway as soon as possible, for onward journey by rail to the Capital.” A thought flashed across my mind, that the government must have come up with the idea of displaying an Indian trophy in Islamabad, to prove Pakistan was on the winning side of the War. An Indian tank for public display in the serene ambient of Islamabad would definitely upswing morale of the nation, I pondered. Searching for an Indian tank in the battle field was no problem. In the previous four days of battle our 6 Armoured Division, under the heroic command of Major General Abrar Hussain (later awarded Hilal-e-Jurrat) had turned the area into junkyard of damaged tanks, the Indian tank conspicuous by their outnumbers. During the search my mission was to pick a piece, least damaged and the formation insignia, and other Indian markings conspicuously visible. With my battle torch that beamed out barest minimum light, and with four Jawaans the search begins. The flashes emanating from de-
scending shells catapulted by the Indian artillery guns lit the area casually that facilitated the search. Going from one destroyed tank to another, I finally picked one British-made Centurion tank in almost show case condition, slightly pock marked by Pakistani-fired medium machine gun bullets. On this tank Indian Army marking were fully intact. The condition of the tank made me perceive; the Indian tank crew had abandoned this tank in the face of unprecedented resistance from Pakistani forces. It was, indeed, a novelty to retrieve a destroyed arsenal in the thick of an ongoing battle. The retrieval operation had become knotty. The terrain had become difficult to negotiate. The Indian guns disgorging artillery shells of various caliber had caused deep craters on the ground, besides raising a permanent film of blinding dust; the metal chains of opposing tanks going in pursuit of each other had literally furrowed the surface; darkness of the night was another factor to hinder our operation. Consideration for personal safety against crisscross fire or cluster of bolts raining from the blue, had become of no consequence. Working my way with the assistance of an ARV (Armoured Recovery Vehicle), night September 9-10, we dragged the Indian tank to a clump of trees in the nearby Pasroor graveyard. When we finally loaded the tank over a tank-transporter of the famous 22 Supply and Transport Battallion, ASC, the new day September 10 was about to dawn. It was an ideal time for the Indian Gnat aircrafts,then hovering over the sky, to shoot at an unusually conspicuous target, a tank perched over a giant
tank-transporter; albeit, not knowing the “target” was their own arsenal. Interestingly, in the last four days of the battle we learnt by experience, that after dawn the Indian aircrafts seldom revisited the Pakistani air space for fear of a dog fight with Pakistani shaaheens. Our journey from the Chawinda battle field to the Gujranwala railway station begins at 8 am. My Willy’s jeep leading as vanguard and the captured Indian Centurian tank perched over a huge tank-transporter vehicle following me, cruised on the mettle road that linked Pasroor with Gujranwala. The stretch of a short journey spanning over a mere 40 miles, soon turned out to be a historical event highlighting the extraordinary fighting spirit of the Pakistani nation. The civilian population who lived in the vicinity of the PasroorGujranwala Road had not seen, since September 6, flow of military vehicles homeward: the specific route earmarked for replenishment of supplies for War soldiers was another one. Surprisingly, our vehicle movement backwards from the battlefield, did not seek unusual attention from the surrounding population.
The writer was a Captain during 1965 War. He, after retirement, served as Director (Public Relations) WAPDA, Editor of an English daily Frontier Post, Member Federal Board of Film Censor, Islamabad and contributed articles in English, Urdu, Pashto to leading local/ international newspapers/ magazines and, regularly, appeared on Radio/TV talk shows. He can be contacted on 03009599392 and northpole716@gmail.com.
Legacy of the September War
t
OMAY AIMEN
HERE are moments in a nation’s history when the ordinary rhythm of life is suddenly replaced by an extraordinary test of courage. September 6, 1965 was one such moment for Pakistan. Lahore had been passing through an otherwise routine Sunday when news arrived that Indian forces had crossed the international border and were advancing towards the city. What followed was not merely a military confrontation but a remarkable national mobilisation. As soldiers moved towards the front, civilians supported them with food, prayers and unwavering resolve. Lahore and Sialkot endured air attacks with remarkable courage, while patriotic songs and wartime broadcasts strengthened national morale. For millions, September 1965 became a defining moment of unity, sacrifice and resilience, demonstrating the extraordinary strength of a nation that stands together in defence of its homeland. The circumstances surrounding the war make the response of Pakistan’s armed forces even more significant. Tensions had already been rising following clashes in the Rann of Kutch and continued exchanges along the Kashmir front. Yet the scale of the Indian offensive across the international border required Pakistan to respond under immense pressure. Indian planners had expected surprise to provide them with a decisive advantage, while the political and military leadership in New Delhi anticipated a rapid advance towards Lahore. Instead, the attacking forces encountered determined resistance. Pakistani troops moved swiftly to their defensive positions, while the Pakistan Air Force responded with remark-
able speed and effectiveness. The PAF disrupted the Indian advance, while the Pakistan Army held its ground against a numerically superior adversary. The Pakistan Navy further demonstrated its reach by striking Indian facilities at Dwarka. While heroes such as Squadron Leader M M Alam became symbols of the war, thousands of servicemen fought with equal courage, many without ever being recognised by name. Together, the Army, Air Force and Navy demonstrated that preparedness, determination and strategic initiative can overcome numerical superiority. Yet perhaps the most enduring feature of 1965 was what happened away from the battlefield. The defence of Pakistan became a collective national effort. Citizens supported soldiers with food and supplies, communities endured blackouts and air raids, while Radio Pakistan, poets and singers strengthened national morale. Lahore and Sialkot, which faced intense attacks, became symbols of civilian courage and were awarded the Hilal-e-Istaqlal. The soldier at the front knew that an entire nation stood behind him. That unity remains one of the defining lessons of the September War: when Pakistan faced aggression, its people stood together with its armed forces. The passage of time has changed the nature of warfare, but it has not changed the fundamental responsibility of Pakistan’s armed forces. The India Pakistan rivalry has continued through subsequent decades, and the security challenges facing Pakistan have become more complex, extending from conventional threats to terrorism, militancy and information warfare. Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns over militant activity originating from Afghan territory and alleged hostile attempts to exploit instability inside the country. These challenges have required the armed forces to remain prepared on multiple fronts rather than concentrating exclusively on a conventional battlefield. The experience of 1965 established a principle that remains relevant today: Pakistan’s security cannot depend on assumptions about an adversary’s intentions; it must rest on preparedness, vigilance and the capacity to respond. This is where the significance of Marka-e-Haq in 2025 becomes relevant. The battlefield may have changed dramatically since 1965, but the underlying test did not. Whether facing a conventional
military threat or a more complicated combination of military, techand asymmetric nological challenges, Pakistan’s armed forces have continued to demonstrate their readiness to defend the country. 1965 showed one generation that Pakistan could withstand a major military challenge; Marka-e-Haq showed a new generation that this readiness has not disappeared with time. For the generation that lived through 1965, the memories remain deeply personal: the sound of air raid sirens, the anxiety of families waiting for news from the front, the excitement surrounding wartime broadcasts and the pride inspired by the country’s defenders. The younger generation may know much of 1965 through history books and stories told by parents and grandparents, but Marka-e-Haq is likely to remain its own living memory of national defence. That is the most powerful connection between the two moments. Sixty years may separate them, but the central message remains unchanged. India’s repeated calculations that military pressure can produce quick political results have encountered a country that remains determined to protect its sovereignty. Pakistan’s armed forces have fought terrorism, guarded the borders and maintained readiness despite the complexity of the threats surrounding the country. Whether it was the war of 1965 or Marka-e-Haq in 2025, Pakistan’s forces have made one point unmistakably clear: the country may desire peace, but it will always remain prepared to defend itself. The real tribute to the heroes of September 1965 is therefore not simply to remember their sacrifices once a year. It is to preserve the unity, discipline and national confidence that strengthened Pakistan during those seventeen days. Wars should never be romanticised, particularly between nuclear armed neighbours, but neither should history be forgotten. 1965 belongs to the memory of one generation; Marka-e-Haq belongs to another. What connects them is the enduring readiness of Pakistan to protect its homeland. The author is an independent researcher with a background in Political Science, specializing in national and regional security with a focus on critical strategic affairs. She can be contacted at omayaimen333@gmail.com and followed on X @OmayAimen
W
MALIHA MUGHAL
HEN Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah addressed the fledgling Royal Pakistan Air Force at Risalpur in 1948, his call for an efficient Air Force "Second to None" was remarkable because it came at the beginning, not the culmination, of an institutional journey. It was never a claim of permanent superiority, but a standard of professional excellence that every generation would have to interpret according to the demands of its own time. The history of PAF can therefore be understood as successive generations confronting the same demanding question: what does it take, in our time, to remain Second to None? For the generation that fought in 1965, the answer lay in professional skill, combat readiness and PAF's ability, as a young institution under courageous leadership, to convert individual excellence into collective effect. The F-86 Sabre became inseparable from the memory of that war, while pilots such as MM Alam and Sarfaraz Rafiqui became enduring symbols of courage and skill. Yet no pilot fought alone: controllers, technicians, engineers, planners and Command all shaped every engagement, working under the severe time pressure peculiar to air warfare. Leadership, professionalism and heroism worked in unison in a way that heroism gave the moment its names and faces, while leadership and professionalism turned individual courage into operational success. For that generation, "Second to None" meant showing that dynamic & selfless leadership,
rigorous preparation, discipline and institutional cohesion could generate air power greater than individual aircraft and airmen alone. The generations that followed inherited that standard but could not preserve it by repeating the methods that first demonstrated it. The Sabre belonged to one era; the Mirage and F-16 shaped others, while indigenous capability through JF17 marked another stage in national air power. This evolution reflected the foresight required to adapt to changing speed, range, sensors, weapons and doctrine. Here, "Second to None" for PAF could never mean fighting tomorrow by yesterday's assumptions simply because they had once succeeded; its more demanding meaning was to preserve the qualities that produce effectiveness while continually reinventing the means through which it is achieved. The present generation, under the visionary leadership of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, has anticipated the demands of this new era through deliberate preparation. While the technological distance between the Sabre and platforms such as JF-17 Block III and J-10C is substantial, the
deeper transformation has occurred around the aircraft itself: Airborne Early Warning systems extend awareness beyond a fighter's own sensors, data links distribute information across platforms and Command Centres, Electronic Warfare contests an adversary's perception of the battlespace and long-range weapons convert information advantage into operational effect. Cyber, Space, Artificial Intelligence, Unmanned Systems and Electromagnetic Spectrum further complicate air power, making it no longer aircraft against aircraft, but system against system, where a platform's effectiveness depends on the architecture linking sensors, shooters, commanders and information. A capable fighter strengthens a fleet; one connected to surveillance, air defence and command networks changes how the entire force can fight. Through this foresight, ACM Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu has demonstrated that for PAF in contemporary changing air warfare, being "Second to None" demands more than sophisticated aircraft; it requires mastery of integration, institutional adaptability and the ability to orchestrate every element of air power into a unified and decisive fighting system.
PM HAILS RS3B EXPORT INSURANCE RISK POOL TO BOOST SME EXPORTS
Sunday, 6 September, 2026
PRAYER TIMINGS
NEWS
P
LAHORE
SALEEM JADOON
RIME Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday welcomed the provision of export insurance coverage by the Export Development Fund (EDF) and the Export-Import Bank of Pakistan (EXIM Bank), particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), saying the initiative would help expand the country’s exports and strengthen its export-led economic growth. Chairing a meeting on the Export Development Fund, the prime minister said the Rs3 billion Risk Pool would broaden access to export credit insurance, particularly for SMEs, and enable the business community to enhance the volume of exports. He described the initiative as a highly welcome step towards promoting small and medium-sized businesses in the country and appreciated the EDF team for undertaking reforms aimed at strengthening the national economy. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that following its restructuring and re-
forms, the leadership of the EDF had been entrusted to private-sector professionals. He added that all funds available with the EDF were being utilised to facilitate the business community and support measures aimed at boosting economic activity. “These measures reflect the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to promoting the national economy and increasing
'London Plan' is ruling elite's survival strategy, says Muhammad Ali Durrani
Peace, prosperity of Balochistan people remain state's top priority: CDF Munir RAWALPINDI
STAFF REPORT
ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
exports,” the prime minister said, adding that such initiatives would help Pakistan emerge as a global hub for investment. He said the government’s measures were focused on fulfilling its commitment to promoting an export-led economy, with greater support for businesses and enhanced opportunities for expanding Pakistan’s presence in international markets. During the meeting, the prime min-
ister was briefed on the restructuring and reforms of the Export Development Fund. The briefing was informed that the entire Rs24 billion available with the EDF had been allocated for investment to facilitate the business community. The meeting was further informed that no additional expenditure would be made on infrastructure, while the EDF was undertaking initiatives relating to research, skills development and enhancement of competitiveness to support economic growth and facilitate businesses. The briefing also highlighted that measures were being taken regarding the extension of Pakistan’s preferential trade arrangement under the GSP Plus status to maintain the country’s access to the European market. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Muhammad Aurangzeb, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Jam Kamal Khan and Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Prime Minister’s Adviser Haroon Akhtar, EDF Board Chairman Umar Saeed and senior officials of relevant institutions.
Senior politician and former federal minister Muhammad Ali Durrani described the so-called “London Plan” as a “survival plan” by the ruling elite to save their wealth, power and hold on government. Addressing the media, Durrani said that ruling parties including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had already lost their vote-bank and now their ‘support bank’ was vanishing due to their self centered policies. “They have neither managed to fix the economy nor deliver anything meaningful to the people. The public is not on their side. If they also lose the establishment’s support, they will not be able to win the next election,” he added.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Saturday reaffirmed that the peace, prosperity and wellbeing of the people of Balochistan remain central to the efforts of the state, according to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The military’s media wing said the army chief made the remarks while interacting with commanders and commanding officers of field formations during his visit to Quetta Garrison. During the visit, the COAS was given a comprehensive brief-
ing on the prevailing security environment, operational preparedness and ongoing measures aimed at maintaining peace and stability across Balochistan.
Matters related to institutional coordination and support to the socio-economic development of the province were also reviewed, said the ISPR.
FAJR SUNRISE
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Punjab faces greater ‘security threat’ from neighbouring provinces: CM Maryam LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said the province faced a greater security threat from “neighbouring provinces than from neighbouring countries”, stressing that terrorism was entering Punjab through the “tri-border area and neighbouring provinces”. “Terrorism enters Punjab from tri-border areas and neighbouring provinces as everyone has their eyes on Punjab, but, thank God, Punjab remains safe,” the chief minister said while speaking at the launch of the firstof-its-kind Artificial Intelligence (AI) Intelligence Hub in Lahore. The chief minister stressed that, unfortunately, the security threat Punjab faced “comes less from neighbouring countries and more from my neighbouring provinces”. CM Maryam Nawaz said there had been a significant improvement in the law and order situation since her government came to power in 2024, identifying organised crime and religious intolerance among the major challenges facing the province. In an apparent reference to the now-banned Tehreek-iLabbaik Pakistan (TLP), she said some groups “spread hatred under the cover of religion” and were “political parties in reality”. She said religious events were now being held peacefully, compared to the situation of “religious polarisation” witnessed a couple of years ago. CM Maryam said Punjab had now become the country’s “most AI-enabled province” and had invested billions of rupees in technology and security measures to protect and strengthen the province. The chief minister said that when she assumed office, she discovered that terrorists possessed more advanced technology than the government, including night-vision cameras, and were carrying out attacks according to carefully devised plans. “Thank God, we now have a complete system in place,” she said, adding that cameras had been made bulletproof because terrorists used to target them. Thermal cameras and drones had also been deployed at checkpoints and joint checkpoints to strengthen security and protect people. CM Maryam recalled that attacks on checkpoints had previously resulted in the deaths of five people and, at times, as many as 10.
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