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CENTRE IMPOSES EMERGENCY, GOVERNOR’S RULE IN KP; ARMY DEPLOYED, NEW CS APPOINTED
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PRESIDENT SIGNS SUMMARY ON PM’S ADVICE AFTER FEDERAL CABINET APPROVES EMERGENCY AMID WORSENING SECURITY SITUATION
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PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION CITES SURGE IN TERRORIST ATTACKS, THREATS TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND ALLEGED FAILURE OF PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT TO CONTAIN LAWLESSNESS
ARMY DEPLOYED UNDER ARTICLE 245 TO ASSIST ADMIN ISLAMABAD
SALEEM JADOON
HE federal government on Sunday imposed emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after President Asif Ali Zardari signed a summary on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, following the federal cabinet’s approval of the recommendation amid the province’s deteriorating security situation. “The president signed the summary following the federal cabinet’s decision, the prime minister’s advice, reports from relevant institutions on the law and order situation, and the failure of negotiations with government delegations,” a statement issued by the President’s Office said. It added that the president had signed the advice, approving the move under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution of Pakistan. According to a government gazette notification, President Zardari imposed an emergency in KP under Articles 232(1) and 234(1) of the Constitution, with the presidential proclamation taking immediate effect. The proclamation cites an extraordinary increase in terrorist incidents and violent activities across the province as the basis for the emergency, stating that the attacks pose serious threats to the lives and property of the public. It says terrorist attacks on infra-
structure, government installations and law enforcement agencies have increased, while alleging that the provincial government has failed to effectively address the threats posed by terrorism and lawlessness. The proclamation further states that a report submitted by the KP governor identified a failure of the constitutional system in the province, adding that the situation had gone beyond the control of the provincial government. It describes the prevailing situation as a threat not only to KP but also to Pakistan’s overall security. Under the measures set out in the proclamation, the federal government may direct the KP governor to assume all or some of the powers of the provincial government. The governor would exercise those powers and perform the duties assigned by the federal government, according to the notification. The proclamation also provides for the powers of the KP Assembly to be exercised by Parliament or a body authorised by it. Under the notification, the KP chief minister, provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants and advocate general would immediately cease to hold their offices. The proclamation states that the emergency has taken effect immediately. The announcement came shortly after the federal cabinet recommended imposing emergency rule in KP amid the prevailing security situation.
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Govt accuses PTI of ‘nexus’ with terrorists ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Sunday accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of having a “nexus” with terrorist groups, as the federal government defended its decision to impose an emergency in the province, citing the deteriorating security situation and alleged provincial government inaction against militancy. The allegations came at a joint press conference by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry shortly after the Centre imposed an emergency in KP, citing the provincial government's alleged failure to take effective measures against terrorism. The federal government and the PTI, which was in power in KP, had remained at odds over several issues, particularly the counterterrorism policy, which was among the principal reasons behind the breakdown of their October 3 talks.
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02 news
Monday, 12 October, 2026 | lahORe
FPCCI CALLS FOR INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICITY TARIFF BELOW 9 CENTS TO BOOST EXPORTS
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PROFIT
WEB DESK
HE Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has urged the government to reduce electricity tariffs for all industrial consumers to below 9 cents per unit, saying a uniform reduction is needed to improve export competitiveness, increase industrial output and reduce reliance on imports. FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh said the reduction in industrial electricity tariffs from 16 cents to 12 cents per unit over the past two years was a positive development, but maintained that further cuts were necessary to provide sustainable relief to industry. He said the existing 12-cent tariff, the Incremental Consumption Package and the proposed Optional Two-Part Time-ofUse (ToU) Tariff were temporary measures that did not address the broader issue of industrial electricity costs. Sheikh called for extending tariff reductions to all industrial consumers, including B3 and B4 categories, which he said continued to bear cross-subsidy costs despite receiving electricity at higher voltages and being relatively less expensive to serve. He maintained that reducing tariffs
for these categories alongside other industrial consumers would benefit both businesses and the electricity system. The FPCCI president also expressed reservations over the proposed Two-Part ToU Tariff, saying high fixed capacity charges and disruptions to logistics caused by the ongoing war made the arrangement unworkable for industry under prevailing conditions. Under the proposed structure, industrial electricity bills would comprise a fixed monthly capacity charge per kilowatt and variable charges based on consumption during non-solar, solar and peak hours. The mechanism is intended to encourage greater industrial electricity consump-
Sindh proposes $9.15m floating farming project for 100 villages
APTMA urges Punjab govt to suspend 0.9% infrastructure cess on industrial imports PROFIT
WEB DESK
ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Sindh government has proposed a $9.15 million climate-resilient floating agriculture project to develop 400 hectares of flood resilient cropland across 100 waterlogged and flood prone villages in lower Sindh by 2029, aiming to improve food security by 30%, train 10,000 farmers and strengthen the livelihoods of communities vulnerable to floods and prolonged waterlogging. According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the project, titled Climate Resilient Floating Agriculture Systems for Waterlogged and Flood Prone Areas of Lower Sindh, seeks to introduce floating farming techniques using organic rafts to grow vegetables, herbs and grains in areas where conventional cultivation is constrained by excessive water. The proposed initiative is expected to benefit 12,500 people directly and 50,000 indirectly, offering an alternative farming model to communities facing recurring agricultural losses and livelihood disruptions due to floods and waterlogged land. Under the programme, 10,000 farmers would receive training in floating agriculture and climatel smart, flood resilient farming techniques, while women are expected to make up 20% to 30% of the targeted trainees. The project also envisages supporting women-led farmer groups through training and seed capital to expand livelihood opportunities and strengthen household food security. Its key interventions include establishing floating cultivation systems, promoting climate resilient agricultural practices and providing targeted support to vulnerable farming communities. The Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Department (ECC&CDD) of Sindh has been designated as the executing entity, while the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), National Agriculture Research Centre, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam and Sindh Agriculture Department are listed as supporting organisations. The project aims to establish 400 hectares of resilient cropland and extend floating agriculture to 100 villages by 2029, with improved food security and more sustainable livelihoods among its principal objectives. The proposed initiative is among the projects processed for inclusion in the World Bank Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan for fiscal years 2026–2035.
CITY NOTES M.A. NIAZI
EMIND me not to fly again. The shenanigans on the recent FlyDubai flight to David Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. have convinced me. 9/11 was bad enough. Planes hijacked and crashed into the WTC. But at least the hijackers were passengers. Here you had the co-pilot trying to kill the pilot do that he could crash the plane into a terminal at the Tel Aviv airport He was stopped only when he was overpowered by passengers who broke in. I wonder what alerted them. Did someone leave the intercom on? Anyway, I’m a peaceable sort of fellow, and I don’t go on a plane in the hope of having a dust-up. Especially if the choice is either the dust-up or being dead. One of the more telling details is that the copilot tool boxing lessons to get in the groove. I’m not sure I know how he thought boxing would be relevant. His boxing skills didn’t help him fight off those passengers, which is the only way they would help him. Or maybe that was his backup plan for how to take out the pilot. The whole episode takes us back a good
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tion during periods of high solar generation and address the imbalance between daytime supply and evening demand, commonly referred to as the duck curve. However, Sheikh said industries had already optimised their operations around daytime and solar hours, leaving limited scope to shift additional consumption from nighttime to daytime. He added that self-generated solar electricity remained cheaper than grid supply even under the proposed solar-hour rates, limiting the tariff's ability to attract industrial consumers back to the grid. Sheikh also cautioned that selective tariff concessions could redistribute electricity costs among consumers rather
than deliver an overall reduction in industrial energy expenses. Regarding the Incremental Consumption Package, he said the scheme offered concessional electricity rates only on consumption exceeding a consumer's historical baseline, while existing consumption continued to be billed at prevailing rates. The FPCCI president acknowledged the government's efforts to introduce both schemes and thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Power Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari for the reduction in industrial electricity tariffs. He also appreciated the Power Minister's engagement with industry through three consultation sessions but said concerns raised by businesses over the TwoPart ToU Tariff during the past six months should be incorporated into future policy decisions. Sheikh maintained that a broader industrial tariff reduction would support production and exports, adding that he did not expect the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to oppose such a measure. He said FPCCI was prepared to contribute private-sector energy expertise to future tariff policy development, stressing that the objective should be to expand Pakistan's overall industrial output rather than shift production and electricity costs between industries.
The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has urged the Punjab government to suspend the 0.9% Infrastructure Development Cess on industrial imports, warning that the levy could increase manufacturing costs, weaken export competitiveness and discourage investment in the province. In a letter dated October 9, 2026, addressed to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, APTMA Chairman Asad Shafi raised concerns over the levy on imports carrying a Punjab address, irrespective of the province through which goods are cleared. The association said the levy, communicated through a Pakistan Single Window (PSW) email on October 1, would increase costs for Punjab-based manufacturers already facing high energy tariffs, financing expenses, taxation and subdued demand. APTMA particularly objected to the application of the Punjab cess on imports cleared through ports in Sindh, where the Sindh Infrastructure Cess is already collected. The association maintained that
imposing the additional levy on the same consignments would amount to double taxation and place Punjab-based industries at a competitive disadvantage compared with manufacturers in other provinces. According to APTMA, the cess would increase the cost of imported raw materials, industrial inputs and capital machinery for businesses operating in Punjab or maintaining registered offices in the province. The textile sector would be particularly affected due to its reliance on imported cotton, man-made fibres, dyes, chemicals, spare parts and machinery required for production and export orders. The association warned that higher input costs could squeeze manufacturers' margins, disrupt
textile value chains and make it more difficult for exporters to retain international buyers. APTMA also cautioned that the measure could discourage industrialisation in Punjab by increasing the cost of doing business and creating disparities in operating expenses between provinces. The association maintained that the proposed levy was inconsistent with the government's stated objectives of promoting exports, reviving industrial activity and attracting investment. APTMA called on the provincial government to halt collection of the cess through Pakistan Single Window until consultations are held with industry representatives and chambers of commerce.
Punjab approves Rs10b flour subsidy amid rising wheat prices PROFIT
WEB DESK
The Punjab government has approved a Rs10 billion subsidy to ensure the availability of flour at affordable prices, while deciding to increase the quota of subsidised wheat supplied to flour mills at Rs3,800 per maund. The decision was taken during an emergency meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif via video link to review rising wheat and flour prices across the province.
The meeting expressed concern over artificial increases in wheat and flour prices and agreed to take measures to maintain uninterrupted supplies and prevent further price escalation. The chief minister directed the relevant authorities to ensure the availability of wheat and flour at affordable rates across Punjab. Under the approved measures, the government will increase the allocation of subsidised wheat to flour mills at Rs3,800 per maund, alongside the Rs10 billion subsidy aimed at maintaining affordable
flour supplies. Maryam Nawaz expressed concern over the impact of rising food prices on households and directed officials to utilise available resources to ease the financial burden on consumers. She reiterated the provincial government's commitment to ensuring the continued availability of affordable flour and low-cost roti. The meeting also emphasised the need for effective market interventions to address artificial price increases and maintain the availability of essential food items.
Muqam welcomes Governor’s Rule in KP, calls for restoration of peace ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Federal Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Engineer Amir Muqam on Sunday welcomed the announcement of Governor’s Rule and a state of emergency in the province, terming it a step towards restoring peace, ensuring public safety and improving administrative affairs. In a statement issued here, he said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deserved peace, development, prosperity and good governance. He congratulated the people of the province on what he described as their deliverance from political confrontation, unrest, conspiracies and incompetent governance. He said those who had pursued politics against public interest must now answer for their performance and the law and order situation in the province. Amir Muqam stressed that all attention should be focused on the complete eradication of terrorism, establishment of lasting peace and provision of immediate relief to the people. He said the sacrifices of police and security agencies were unforgettable and called for ensuring support for the families of martyrs and medical treatment for the injured. He maintained that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was not the personal fiefdom of any political party and that the province’s resources should be spent on public welfare. He said education, health, employment and public development should be the priorities of the provincial government. The minister said the Pakistan Muslim League-N would play its role in promoting peace, development, prosperity and the rule of law in the province. He urged the public to remain peaceful, abide by the law and refrain from activities that could incite unrest.
Pakistan’s ambassador commends Lahore’s cultural, literary legacy NEW YORK
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, attended the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) at the Asia Society in New York. He was accompanied by Aamer Ahmed Atozai, Consul General of Pakistan in New York. The ambassador, in his inaugural remarks, traced Lahore’s rich cultural heritage, literary traditions and enduring contribution to Pakistan’s intellectual and artistic landscape. Drawing on his long personal association with the historic city, ambassador Sheikh observed that nothing quite matched Lahore in its glory, vibrancy and cultural significance. Ambassador Rizwan Sheikh highlighted Lahore’s immense and continuing contribution to Pakistan’s literature, drama, theatre, film and performing arts, describing the city as a fountainhead of creativity and intellectual discourse. He also recalled the historic significance of the Lahore Resolution, adopted in 1940, describing it as a legendary piece of political literature which transformed into reality affording the ideological foundation for the eventual creation of Pakistan. Drawing a parallel with the United States, Ambassador Sheikh remarked that Lahore in Pakistan was comparable to New York in America—a city that embodied cultural dynamism, intellectual vitality and national identity. The festival brought together distinguished writers, intellectuals and artists, celebrating arts and literature and promoting cultural understanding between Pakistan and the international community.
The shadows of 9/11
quarter of a century, and makes us relive some of the ethical conundrums posed by the original incident. First of all, in suicide bombings, the bomber is OK with killing himself (or herself, in a few cases). But what about the other passengers. On the Air Dubai flight, it is possible that some passengers were in broad sympathy with what the co-pilot was trying to do. But I don’t think they appreciated the method or the timeline, and most of all their own involvement. Like the 9/11 passengers. A lot of them were probably unsympathetic with the hijackers, let alone their methods. Another person who was perhaps inspired by 9/11 was Nidal Malik Hasan, the psychiatrist of Palestinian extraction who was a major in the US Army, who killed 13 soldiers after he started killing people with his service revolver, at Fort Hood. He was responsible for ensuring that soldiers were mentally fit to go to Afghanistan. He is to be the first American soldier to be executed by firing. I would also think he would have been the ranking Palestinian in the US Army. 9/11 seems to have messed up the minds of all these professionals. Psychiatrists. Pilots. Who next? Will some lawyer lose it and start spraying the courtroom with
an automatic weapon carried under his robes? Or will some teacher liven up a math lesson by emptying an Uzi on a bunch of unsuspecting children? Well, children are not all that innocent, are they? Ask French teachers like the deputy head of a school who got roughed up by the kids last Tuesday. The students are rioting out there because they feel the schools are broken. The government solution of 3000 more teachers falls short of what the students really want: abolition. It’s not only French schoolchildren who are protesting, but also Indian young people, votaries of the Cockroach Janata Party, which are protesting against the Chief Election Commissioner But then, there are other weird things going on. The West German BND, their equivalent of the ISI or RAW has had a former head arrested for espionage. When August Henning was chief of the BND between 2008 and 2015, it seems, he passed on secrets to China and Russia, including material that had been shared by other agencies, like the CIA. One source says that he didn’t spy for Russia or China, but Azerbaijan (who then passed it on). Frankly, that’s even more dis-
graceful. We’ve had a similar contretemps with a former ISI chief, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed. But he was only accused to misusing his office to benefit his brother’s housing society, not to spy for Turkmenistan. Or Vanuatu. I see they’s given out Nobel Prizes, and they’ve been unfair again. No Peace Prize for Trump. Instead thry’ve given it to some woman South African judge who ruled that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, which is a direct insult to Donald Trump. The award also made me aware that Tamilorigin Indians also live in South Africa. I al-
ways thought they were all of Gujerati-origin. And they wasted the Literature Prize on some Canadian woman poet who has retold some of the Greek myths, instead of giving to some like Kanye West, whose work tells it like it is about murder and mayhem in the Hood. And Trump is still waiting for the Medicine Nobel, for curing covid-19 by drinking bleach. FOOTNOTE TO THESE NOTES: the inevitable has happened in KP. I won't say anything yet, except to note that, imposed or not, Imran remains behind bars.
PRESIDENT SAYS PAKISTAN CAPABLE OF DESTROYING TERRORISTS, THEIR PATRONS Monday, 12 October, 2026 | LAHORE
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ISLAMABAD
staff report
RESIDENT Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday warned the “illegal and unrepresentative” Afghan Taliban regime that mistaking Pakistan’s patience, caution, and responsible behavior for weakness would be a “grave folly,” stressing that Pakistan possessed the full capacity to eliminate infiltrating terrorists and destroy their patrons. The president, in a statement, paid rich tribute to the security forces for successfully foiling an infiltration attempt by ter-
rorists along the Pak-Afghan border in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and commended the operational readiness and professional expertise of the security personnel, who eliminated 12 Khwarij terrorists and Afghan Taliban militants during the operation. He expressed deep grief over the martyrdom of Naib Subedar Hidayat Aman, who laid down his life in the line of duty while thwarting the cross-border infiltration attempt. He paid glowing tribute to the martyred soldier for setting an inspiring example of valor and bravery in protecting the nation’s frontiers.
Federal govt sets up Area Development Secretariats in KP 11 districts
Extending his heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved family, President Zardari prayed for the elevation of the martyr’s ranks in paradise and for fortitude for his family to bear the loss. He said that the Afghan regime’s continued patronage and facilitation of terrorist elements posed a serious threat to regional peace and stability. He reiterated that Pakistan could not only eliminate these infiltrating terrorists but also completely neutralize their sponsors. Advising the Taliban regime in Kabul, the president said that it would be better for the group to review its policies in its own interest.
KP IGP puts police on ‘red alert’ to deal with possible ‘violent protests’ PESHAWAR
staff report
ISLAMABAD
staff report
The federal government has ordered the establishment of Area Development Secretariats in 11 designated districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to improve security, governance and development. According to the notification, the secretariats will be established in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan and South Waziristan. The notification directs the immediate establishment of the secretariats to ensure peace, security, better governance and development in the designated districts. The Area Development Secretariats will operate under the supervision of an Area Representative and Development Council, comprising prominent personalities from the designated districts. The council will be headed by a chairman. The chairman, vice chairman, spokesperson and members of the council will be appointed for a specified tenure, according to the notification. An additional chief secretary will head the secretariats and also serve as the administrator of the designated districts. All officers and personnel posted in these districts will fall under the administrative control of the secretariats. The prime minister will order further postings and transfers in the designated districts on the recommendation of the administrator. The administrator will exercise all administrative and legal powers of the provincial government in the designated districts, including authority over governance, security, development and oversight of institutions. According to the notification, the administrator will also be authorised to issue necessary instructions to the civil administration, police and military authorities. The administrator will issue orders concerning the operational and administrative affairs of the Area Development Secretariats and will also have the authority to order the allocation and transfer of funds. The notification states that security arrangements will be improved through coordination with the armed forces and provincial institutions. Departments may also be reorganised to ensure public safety and the provision of essential services. Orders issued by the administrator will carry the same legal authority as those of the provincial government, the notification states. It further provides that certain specified constitutional provisions and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rules of Business will not apply to the designated districts. The federal government’s notification will take effect immediately.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed has placed district police on alert for possible violent protests and sabotage in the event of the federal government imposing an emergency in the province, directing officers to prioritise public safety and exercise extreme caution in the use of force. A notification issued by the inspector general’s office laid down operational guidelines for managing demonstrations, warning that miscreants and anti-state elements could exploit protests to trigger violence, damage public property and carry out sabotage activities. Under the directives, district police officers (DPOs), sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs) and station house officers (SHOs) have been instructed to personally supervise protests within their respective jurisdictions and ensure adequate deployment of personnel to
maintain law and order. The deployment plan includes antiriot squads equipped with protective gear, verified supplies of tear gas guns and shells, and special unarmed teams tasked with identifying and apprehending violent protesters. Plainclothes personnel are also to be deployed to identify suspected troublemakers and saboteurs. Armed personnel, according to the notification, should be deployed only at important or appropriate locations in extremely urgent situations.
POLICE TOLD TO PROTECT SENSITIVE INSTALLATIONS The IGP directed SHOs to identify vulnerable locations along protest routes and ensure sufficient security at sensitive installations and public facilities. These include police stations and offices, government buildings, petrol stations, banks, shopping centres, major roads and highways, and other sensitive sites that could be targeted during unrest. The notification also outlined the
legal powers available to police to regulate demonstrations and prevent breaches of peace. It said DPOs could require organisers to obtain a licence for an assembly or protest under Section 84 of the KP Police Act, 2017, or other applicable laws and regulations, where a breach of peace was considered likely. Under the guidelines, DPOs, SDPOs and SHOs may intervene when a procession violates the conditions of a licence issued under the law. Authorities can order such processions or assemblies to disperse in accordance with the applicable legal provisions. An assembly that refuses to comply with a lawful dispersal order under the relevant provisions of the KP Police Act may be treated as unlawful, the notification said. Police officers have also been authorised to regulate streets and public places temporarily, including by erecting barriers to restrict the movement of people and vehicles where security considerations require such measures.
Centre imposes emergency, governor’s rule in KP; Army deployed, new CS appointed CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
The cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz, reviewed the deteriorating law and order situation in the province and received a briefing on the growing threat of terrorism. In view of the gravity of the situation, the cabinet recommended that the prime minister advise President Zardari to invoke his constitutional powers under Articles 232 and 234 to impose emergency rule in the province. The advice was subsequently forwarded to the President’s House.
ARMY DEPLOYED IN KP Following the imposition of emergency in the province, the federal government issued a formal order authorising the deployment of army troops to assist the civil administration. According to the order, the deployment has been approved under Article 245 of the Constitution for the period covered by the presidential proclamation issued on October 11, 2026, under Articles 232 and 234. The deployment is aimed at protecting citizens’ lives and property, as well as government installations, the order said. It added that the army would assist the civil administration in maintaining law and order and safeguarding citizens
across the province. The KP governor, in consultation with the General Headquarters’ Directorate of Military Operations, will determine the number of troops and the resources to be deployed, according to the order. The deployment order will be published in the next issue of the Gazette of Pakistan, Part II.
DR FAKHR ALAM IRFAN APPOINTED KP CHIEF SECRETARY The federal government on Sunday appointed Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan as the new chief secretary of KP. According to an official notification issued on Sunday, Irfan, a Grade-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), was previously serving as secretary of the Power Division under the Ministry of Energy. His appointment as KP chief secretary takes immediate effect and will remain in place until further orders, the notification stated. Separately, the federal government notified the placement of Muhammad Yahya Akhunzada at the disposal of the KP government, according to an official notification. A Grade-20 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, Akhunzada was previously serving as an additional secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office. He has also served as additional political agent for South and North
Waziristan, secretary of health, information and education in KP, and commissioner of Dera Ismail Khan. Akhunzada hails from Charsadda district of KP. According to the notification, his services have been placed at the disposal of the KP government under Section 10 of the Civil Servants Act, 1973. The appointment will remain effective until further orders.
ZARDARI, SHEHBAZ REVIEWED POLITICAL, SECURITY SITUATION The developments followed a meeting between President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday, during which they reviewed the country’s overall political and security situation, with particular attention to KP, where the PTI launched its long march on October 4. According to sources, the president and prime minister reached an understanding on the possibility of imposing governor’s rule or an emergency in the province. However, the final decision rested with the federal cabinet, and no formal announcement had been made at the time of reporting. The Presidency’s media wing said the meeting discussed the overall political and security situation. It added that separate sessions of the National Assembly and Senate had been agreed upon for October 13.
Govt accuses PTI of ‘nexus’ with terrorists CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
The federal government and the PTI, which was in power in KP, had remained at odds over several issues, particularly the counterterrorism policy, which was among the principal reasons behind the breakdown of their October 3 talks. Addressing the media in Islamabad, the information minister said all cabinet members who attended Sunday's meeting believed that the PTI-led provincial government had developed an understanding with terrorist groups. “All cabinet members were of the view that the PTI government in KP is hand in glove with terrorists and has an unholy alliance with terrorists,” he alleged. Citing reports from the Intelligence Bureau and law enforcement agencies (LEAs), Tarar claimed that militants exercised influence over the administration of several districts. “Terrorists have a clear say in how each district will be run,” he alleged. He argued that while political parties other than the PTI had faced terrorist attacks in the region, the PTI enjoyed what he described as “secure access and passage” because of its alleged alliance with such groups. “What is the reason that even police stations of some districts have been sublet to the Taliban?” Tarar asked, arguing that the issue went beyond administrative inaction or incompetence and involved the alleged “empowering” of terrorists. The minister further alleged that a power-sharing arrangement between terrorist groups and the PTI-led KP government was gradually taking shape, beginning in the southern districts and extending into other parts of the province. He said the alleged “unholy alliance and
the nexus between them”, under which several districts had effectively been outsourced to terrorists, had contributed to the martyrdom of people and attacks on civilian infrastructure. “I say this publicly that these [Taliban] are foreign-funded people who want to bring our country to destruction,” he said, describing what he alleged was the provincial government's facilitation of such elements as a “constitutional breakdown”. Tarar also referred to a recent bill concerning police appointments, alleging that the KP government intended to “hire individuals from terrorist groups in the police”. “They were gradually dragging the entire province towards destruction, irrefutable proof and evidence of which is available,” he claimed. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned groups gathered in parts of KP — apparently referring to PTI supporters participating in the party's long march — to disperse, saying they did not have any “provincial protection”. “Whoever is caught, complete legal action will be taken and that person themselves will be responsible for it. We will deal with them strictly, so it is my request that please disperse,” he said. Responding to a question, Naqvi said the federal government intended to restore law and order in the province and would take whatever measures were necessary to normalise the situation. “We have to restore law and order in KP, and we will take whatever action is needed for that, and we will normalise the situation as soon as we can,” he said. Asked about reports of arrests of KP ministers, Naqvi said preventive detention could be used where necessary to maintain law and order, while individuals wanted by the authorities would be arrested. Responding to a question about mili-
tancy in Balochistan, the interior minister said counterterrorism operations conducted there in recent months had brought about a “difference” in the security situation. Explaining the emergency measures in KP, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the federal government had established an Area Development Secretariat (ADS), overseen by the governor, to directly administer 12 districts that were “nearly in a war situation”. He said Parliament assumed the legislative powers of the provincial assembly while the latter remained non-functional.
KP ADVISORY COUNCIL FORMED The information minister also questioned the performance of the PTI-led provincial cabinet, welcomed what he described as the province's “riddance from this group” and outlined the composition and responsibilities of the newly established technocratic KP Advisory Council. The 11-member council has been constituted by the federal government as part of the emergency measures under Article 232 of the Constitution, according to an order seen by Dawn. It will assist the governor in exercising the functions of the KP government on behalf of the federal government. The Centre also appointed Advocate Sanaullah as the province's advocate general through the order. Former prisons chief Kifayatullah Khan, whom Tarar described as “very competent”, will oversee home affairs. Tariq Mahmood Pasha, a former chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and an aide to then-finance minister Ishaq Dar, has been appointed adviser for finance affairs. MNA Samar Haroon Bilour has been appointed information adviser, while retired Lt Gen Nigar Johar has been assigned re-
sponsibility for health affairs. Former advocate general Amir Javed has been given the law portfolio, while former senator Osman Saifullah Khan will advise the governor on energy and power. Asif Rafiq Afridi has been assigned communication and works, while Maulana Tayyab Qureshi will oversee religious affairs. Tarar said the selected advisers either held doctorate degrees or had extensive experience in public service. The other appointments include Dr Muhammad Irshad, a former FBR chief with a PhD in finance, as adviser for industries and commerce; Dr Sarfraz Ali Shah, who holds a PhD in economics, as adviser for mines and minerals; and Dr Syed Amir Abdullah, who holds a PhD in international relations, as adviser for education. The Cabinet Division's order stated that, following the proclamation of an emergency, the KP government “cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution”. Exercising its powers under Article 232, the federal government ordered the immediate establishment of an Area Development Secretariat under the superintendence of an Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC). The arrangement is intended to “restore law and order, safeguard the security of the citizens of Pakistan and ensure good governance and development” in 12 designated districts: Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan, South Waziristan (Upper) and South Waziristan (Lower). According to the order, the ARDC will be a representative council comprising notables from the designated districts and will be headed by a chairman. Its members, chairman, vice chairman and spokesperson will
NEWS 03
KP Governor’s rule: Kamran Murtaza expresses surprise over Federal govt ’s move ISLAMABAD
staff report
Senator Kamran Murtaza, a senior leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) (JUI-F) and a legal expert, has expressed surprise and serious reservations about the federal government’s decision to impose a state of emergency and Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, describing the move as a sign of a failed strategy and a hasty decision. Speaking on the matter, Senator Murtaza revealed that the government had acted in undue haste, disregarding political and democratic norms. He noted that negotiations had been progressing positively through backchannel contacts and that the parties were close to reaching an agreement. The government’s sudden change of course at a time when matters appeared to be nearing resolution was, he said, deeply concerning. He stated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had agreed to withdraw several key demands and had given JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman a clear mandate and the green light to finalize the negotiations. A conference call with PTI leaders had taken place the previous night, and Maulana Fazlur Rehman had remained awake throughout the night in an effort to move the process forward. After failing to establish contact with the government overnight, he personally approached government representatives the following morning to brief them on the developments. Senator Murtaza further explained that the points agreed upon by the parties the previous day were fully in line with the federal government’s expectations and demands. In light of this progress, he said, the government’s sudden and unilateral decision to impose a state of emergency and Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was baffling, inexplicable, and unexpected, particularly because the deadlock had already been broken. He added that taking such a significant step without consulting or informing the other party had raised serious questions about the government’s intentions and cast doubt on its commitment to resolving the political impasse through dialogue.
NADRA explains procedure for Proof of Life Certificate for pensioners ISLAMABAD
staff report
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has clarified that banks have no role in the approval or updating of the Proof of Life Certificate (POLC) related to pension payments. During a NADRA podcast, a question was raised about what pensioners should do if their Proof of Life Certificate is not accepted or updated by a bank or pension controller. Responding to the question, a NADRA spokesperson explained that the process takes place directly between the pension recipient and the relevant institution responsible for disbursing the pension. According to the spokesperson, some individuals have raised concerns about why their POLC is not being accepted or updated by their bank or pension authority. In this regard, NADRA clarified that banks have been excluded from the entire process under the Proof of Life Certificate system. The clarification further explained that the actual transaction in pension-related matters takes place between the pension recipient and the pension-disbursing institution, while the bank remains entirely separate from this process. Therefore, pensioners do not need to submit their applications through their banks. According to NADRA, pensioners can submit their applications directly to the relevant authority or department responsible for issuing their pensions through NADRA’s mobile application.
be appointed in a manner and for a duration determined by the authorities. The ADS will be headed by the additional chief secretary of the designated districts, who will serve as their administrator. “Officials of the provincial government and of other bodies or authorities posted in the designated districts shall be placed under the operational and administrative control of ADS. Any further postings/transfers to the designated districts may be ordered by the prime minister on the recommendation of the administrator, from time to time,” the order stated. It further stipulated that the administrator would perform all functions and exercise all executive, administrative and law-enforcement powers vested in or exercisable by the provincial government in the designated districts. Under the order, the administrator may establish organisational structures for governance, security and development in selected districts, with authority over district administrations, law-enforcement agencies and all line departments. The administrator may also issue binding orders to civil, police and military authorities; direct the operational, organisational and administrative functions of the ADS; order the allocation and transfer of funds; and coordinate with federal agencies, the armed forces and provincial bodies on law enforcement and security. Other powers include reorganising departments and taking necessary measures to ensure public safety, economic stability, relief operations and the provision of essential services, as well as taking any further steps considered necessary for effective governance, maintenance of law and order and service delivery.
04 COMMENT
The rise and fall of political power
Monday, 12 October, 2026
Governor’s rule
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An inevitability but still a step backward
HE imposition of Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa was perhaps an inevitability, making the refusal of KP CM Sohail Afridi to call off his Long March on Islamabad seem an act of political wisdom rather than an unproductive sideshow. The federal government has objected to the Long March, but has not quoted it as the reason for the imposition of Governor’s Rule. The reason that it gives is the fight against terrorism, in which there have been some recent outrages exceeding the usual level of militant activity in the province, where it seems an insurgency is taking place. Clearly, the PTI has reacted unfavourably, with party Chairman Gohar Ali Khan vowing that the party would mount legal challenges, and would consider boycotting the proceedings of the Senate, the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies. These should reflect how the PTI, though out of office, is very much present as an opposition in the rest of the country. Its parliamentary colleagues in the Pakistan Tehrik Tahaffuz Ain Pakistan will also have to decide which, if any, of these actions they will participate in. One of the most immediate problems the government will have to face is the legal challenge. Meanwhile, the PTI Parliamentary Committee has held a meeting, and drawn a comparison with Balochistan. That is not unreasonable, for where KP faces one insurgency, Balochistan faces two. There are two underlying issues. First, Balochistan has not had a terrorist attack of the magnitude of Kohat or Dera Ismail Khan in recent weeks. Also, it is not just the intensity of the insurgency, but the level of cooperation given by the provincial government. Clearly the federal government has not the same level of difficulty with the Balochistan government as it does with that of KP. However, when all is said and done, the imposition of Governor’s Rule is not anything to be celebrated by anyone. If unjustified, it is a violation of the popular mandate; if justified. It means that democracy itself is flawed for throwing up such an irresponsible government. The federal government must keep in mind that it cannot maintain the Emergency indefinitely, and does not have more than six months, and those too two months at a time, to resolve the situation. It should not be forgotten that the purpose of the Emergency is to bring peace and stability to the province, and that is the standard by which history will evaluate it.
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The KP Emergency as a case study
Dr Zafar Khan SafDar
AKISTAN’S political history is marked by leaders who appeared to command an unassailable position, only to discover that political influence can diminish as quickly as it grows. Popularity, institutional relationships and governing authority do not always move together, and alliances that once appear durable can eventually fracture. The imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, brings this recurring pattern into focus. For Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI), the loss of provincial authority represents a major political setback. It also raises a broader question about the relationship between popular leadership, institutional support and the durability of political power in Pakistan. The federal government has justified its intervention by citing deteriorating security and the provincial administration’s alleged failure to cooperate in combating militancy. PTI, meanwhile, has condemned the move as an assault on its democratic mandate. Both the security situation and the constitutional implications deserve careful scrutiny. No provincial government can escape its responsibility to protect citizens, particularly when police officers and security personnel continue to lose their lives. At the same time, national security concerns cannot, by themselves, settle questions about the necessity, legality or proportionality of extraordinary federal intervention. Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution provide distinct frameworks for emergency measures and the failure of constitutional machinery in a province. The legal basis for invoking these provisions, the scope of the resulting powers and the arrangements for administering provincial affairs must be assessed against the relevant constitutional requirements. The deployment of the armed forces under Article 245 is a separate constitutional matter. Such consequential decisions require transparency, parliamentary oversight and respect for the safeguards designed to prevent exceptional powers from becoming instruments of routine political administration.. Yet the significance of this moment extends beyond the immediate confrontation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Khan’s rise reflected genuine public frustration with corruption, economic inequality and the perceived failures of established political parties. For many supporters, he represented an alternative to a political order they believed had become resistant to change. His critics, however, have argued that his ascent also benefited from favourable relationships with powerful state institutions. The precise extent and nature of that support remain subjects of political debate, but the subsequent deterioration of those re-
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Beyond easy answers Founding Editor
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Editor Pakistan Today
Editor Profit
Making AI a Catalyst for Learning in Pakistan’s Universities
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Dr MuhaMMaD Bilal Tahir
ECHNOLOGY becomes educationally valuable not when it removes effort, but when it strengthens curiosity, judgement and collaboration. This distinction should guide Pakistan’s universities as artificial intelligence moves from the margins of academic life into the mainstream of higher education. The question confronting university leaders is no longer whether AI belongs in education. It is whether its integration will produce graduates who think independently, exercise sound judgement and solve meaningful problems— or simply become more efficient at generating answers. A recent UNESCO discussion at its headquarters, bringing together 700 students and experts, highlighted a vital lesson: digital access alone does not guarantee learning. Students need guidance to question information, verify sources, recognize bias and take responsibility for their intellectual development. Technology can expand human capabilities, but it cannot replace human reflection. Pakistan has taken an important step towards integrating AI into higher education. Recently, the Higher Education Commission announced a mandatory three-credit-hour AI course for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, beginning with the 2026 academic session. However, introducing a course or revising a curriculum does not automatically transform learning. The real challenge is ensuring that AI develops intellectual capabilities rather than simply helping students generate assignments and obtain ready-made answers. Students must learn not only how to use AI, but when to question it and when to work independently. Consider a physics student investigating renewable energy. AI can explain photovoltaic principles, suggest research questions and help organize observations. However, the student must still conduct experiments, analyze data and interpret findings. The educational value lies not in obtaining instant explanations, but in learning to ask meaningful questions and pursue evidence. Universities should therefore design AI-supported assignments that encourage investigation, experimentation and problem-solving, making AI a starting point rather than the conclusion of learning.
AI-generated responses may contain inaccuracies, unsupported claims or biased assumptions. Students must distinguish convincing language from reliable evidence. A research student, for example, should verify AI-suggested references against original publications. Engineering students could evaluate AI-generated designs against safety standards, technical specifications and costs, while business students could scrutinize the assumptions underlying AI-generated market analyses. Such practices develop the ability to assess evidence, recognize limitations and take responsibility for decisions. In fields where errors have serious consequences, AI may assist analysis, but accountability must remain with qualified professionals. A university project addressing campus energy consumption could bring together students from physics, engineering, business and environmental sciences. AI might suggest possible solutions, but students would collectively assess their feasibility, costs and environmental impact. Through discussion and evidencebased decision-making, they would develop communication, teamwork and interdisciplinary understanding. Universities should deliberately embed such collaborative projects into AI-enabled learning. Otherwise, the convenience of individual digital tools may weaken the human interaction essential to developing empathy, communication and collective problem-solving. For Pakistani universities, the next stage must connect policy with measurable educational improvement. Every programme should identify what students must demonstrate: critical thinking, responsible AI use, subject-specific problem-solving, source verification and collaborative competence. Teachers need practical professional development in AI-assisted pedagogy, assessment design, academic integrity and data protection. Training should be continuous, discipline-specific and supported by institutional leadership. Assignments should reward reasoning, not simply polished outputs. Research logs, oral examinations, supervised problem-solving, laboratory demonstrations and reflective statements can help establish what students genuinely understand. Universities should establish baseline indicators and periodically examine
AI should not make learning effortless. It should make intellectual effort more purposeful— and human potential more powerful.
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lationships has undoubtedly changed the environment in which PTI operates. Pakistan’s earlier experience with Altaf Hussain offers a useful, though imperfect, comparison. Once a dominant force in Karachi’s politics, Hussain commanded considerable organisational influence and the loyalty of a substantial political constituency. From London, he continued to shape the discourse surrounding his movement for years. Over time, however, his political influence weakened, and the organisation associated with his leadership lost much of its former dominance. Khan’s political circumstances are different. PTI has a national constituency, a distinct electoral history and a political presence that cannot be reduced to the experience of any other leader. Nevertheless, the comparison illustrates a broader vulnerability in personality-centred politics. When a party becomes excessively dependent on one individual, its institutional development can suffer. Personal popularity may mobilise supporters, but it does not automatically guarantee organisational resilience, effective governance or lasting political influence. A movement’s strength ultimately depends on whether it can sustain public confidence and function through institutions rather than rely entirely on its leader. PTI’s confrontational approach has also presented difficulties. Political defiance can energise a committed constituency, but it cannot replace negotiation, administrative competence or sustained engagement with competing institutions. A provincial government has obligations extending beyond its party’s political struggle. It must protect citizens, maintain public services and cooperate in addressing security threats. Disagreements between federal and provincial authorities should be resolved through constitutional mechanisms and political dialogue, not allowed to undermine the responsibilities of government. The federal government, in turn, must recognise that constitutional authority carries corresponding obligations. Extraordinary intervention in an elected provincial administration requires a convincing legal and public-interest justification. Its implementation must remain within constitutional limits, and the government must demonstrate that the measure is directed towards restoring effective administration rather than
changing the political balance. Any perception that constitutional provisions are being used selectively against political opponents could deepen mistrust and weaken confidence in democratic institutions. Pakistan has repeatedly experienced tensions between political leaders and powerful institutions, often after relationships that once appeared mutually advantageous have deteriorated. Such episodes have contributed to political instability, weakened party development and encouraged the belief that electoral competition alone does not determine who exercises authority. When political arrangements depend excessively on informal understandings rather than established rules, their breakdown can have consequences for the entire system. Ordinary citizens, already burdened by economic uncertainty and insecurity, are left to bear much of the cost. The central question is not whether Imran Khan’s political future has ended. It is too early to make such a definitive judgement about a movement with an established national following. The more important question is whether Pakistan can move beyond a model in which political fortunes are shaped by shifting relationships between elected leaders and powerful institutions. Institutional support cannot permanently substitute for public legitimacy, just as public popularity cannot exempt any leader from constitutional responsibilities and effective governance. Pakistan needs political parties that can build durable institutions, resolve internal disagreements and develop leadership beyond a single personality. It also needs state institutions that remain within constitutional boundaries and do not determine the fortunes of political parties. Elected governments must answer for their performance, while extraordinary constitutional powers must be exercised with restraint, transparency and accountability. The rise and fall of political leaders is part of political life. The real test of a democracy is whether the rules remain stronger than the individuals who seek to command it. Leaders change, alliances fracture and governments come and go. What must endure is a constitutional order that neither political popularity nor institutional power can place beyond its limits.
The writer has a PhD in Political Science, and is a visiting faculty member at QAU Islamabad. He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo.com and tweets @zafarkhansafdar
The rise and fall of political leaders is part of political life. The real test of a democracy is whether the rules remain stronger than the individuals who seek to command it. Leaders change, alliances fracture and governments come and go.
Editor’s mail
student work, assessment results, faculty readiness, responsible AI practices and access disparities. Student feedback should inform improvements, rather than serve merely as a compliance exercise. Findings must lead to documented action. If students struggle to verify sources, teaching methods should change. If faculty lack confidence, targeted training should follow. If access is unequal, institutional support must be strengthened. Subsequent assessments should establish whether these interventions have worked. Quality assurance becomes meaningful when evidence leads to improvement, and improvement is subsequently verified. UNESCO’s discussion also highlighted the challenges of digital inequality, declining concentration, privacy and algorithmic influence. These are not distant concerns; they are realities of students’ everyday lives. A student relying on a smartphone and limited mobile data may struggle to access AI-powered learning available to peers with better connectivity. Another may spend hours scrolling through social media, mistaking repeated exposure to information for genuine understanding. Similarly, a student who uploads unpublished research, personal records or confidential university documents to an AI platform without considering data protection may unintentionally compromise sensitive information. Algorithms can also create information bubbles, repeatedly presenting familiar viewpoints while limiting exposure to alternative perspectives. These examples demonstrate why digital literacy must extend beyond operating technology to understanding its consequences. For Pakistan’s universities, responsible AI integration must therefore combine equitable access, privacy protection, media literacy and meaningful human engagement. Students should learn to question algorithmic recommendations, verify online claims, protect personal information and recognize when technology is distracting rather than supporting their learning. Universities must also ensure that students from resource-constrained backgrounds are not excluded from emerging educational opportunities. The ambition must extend beyond producing graduates who know how to use AI; it must be to develop researchers, professionals and citizens who can use it with curiosity, sound judgement, ethical responsibility and creativity. Ultimately, educational success should not be measured by how quickly students complete assignments, but by whether they can investigate unfamiliar problems, distinguish evidence from misinformation, challenge assumptions and collaborate across disciplines to develop solutions that matter to society. AI should not make learning effortless. It should make intellectual effort more purposeful— and human potential more powerful.
The writer is Director, Institute of Physics, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545
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Merit under the veil
EDUCATIONAL institutions stand upon two pillars; merit and integrity. When either is weakened, the entire structure of learning begins to lose strength. In Pakistan’s system of Divisional Public Schools and Colleges, governed by boards of governors (BoGs) under the chairmanship of commissioners, the promise of merit-based appointments has long been held as a principle of excellence. Yet, recent trends suggest a quiet drift away from transparency — a silence that deserves attention. Across several divisions, appointments to senior posts have reportedly been made without public display of merit lists, declared criteria or open notification of results. While administrative discretion is important, secrecy in such processes undermines the very merit that these institutions claim to uphold. Transparency does not weaken authority; it strengthens legitimacy. Article 19-A of the Constitution grants every citizen the right to access information regarding public decisions. The Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013, was enacted precisely to prevent the veil of confidentiality from covering public acts. When institutions funded, supervised or regulated by public officials make decisions without disclosure, they risk losing public confidence, and, more dangerously, discourage honest educators who still believe in fairness. Restoring trust requires that every BoG selection process be made visible, accountable and auditable. PROF JAM MUKHTAR HUSSAIN MULTAN
Elite austerity
LIKE millions of others, I do wish that in 2026 the ruling elite of Pakistan may move towards adopting the level of austerity that has been promised frequently. It is time to exhibit the commitment and patriotism in letter and in spirit. We must realise that our salvation and survival as a nation lie in following the vision of the Quaid-i-Azam that Pakistan was created to be a modern democratic welfare state. Pakistan was definitely not created to be a state destined to revive and practice the legacy of the British Raj through allotment of state lands and titles to the elite. The destiny of the people must only be decided by the people who live in this country, not by those who have split loyalties. The country has suffered enough. MALIK TARIQ ALI LAHORE
Taj tale twisted
EVERY time India seeks to revive nationalist sentiments, it seems to find new ways to glorify the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The latest attempt comes in the form of the Tejo Mahalaya theory — a claim that the Taj Mahal was once a temple. The idea was originally proposed by P.N. Oak, an Indian revisionist historian known for his extremist interpretations of the past. In his writings, Oak alleged that Shah Jahan had purchased the monument from Maharaja Jai Singh, and transformed it into a tomb for Mumtaz Mahal, his beloved wife. However, this assertion has been repeatedly rejected by the Indian judiciary. Two separate petitions have already been dismissed by the higher courts, both confirming that the Taj Mahal is, indeed, a Muslim-built structure. The responsibility of historians is to uncover and preserve truth, not to bend it according to their religious or political convenience. The attempt to reinvent the Taj Mahal’s identity is more than just a historical dispute; it is part of a broader effort to redefine India’s cultural and religious narrative. Such efforts, however, can neither diminish the Mughal legacy nor erase the architectural brilliance that stands as a testament to a shared past. HASNAIN AHMAD THAHEEM LAHORE
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COMMENT 05
UNGA 81 vs. Trump-Xi Monday, 12 October, 2026
Has the world’s real power shifted from New York to Washington?
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Majid burfat
HE 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly was expected to be the centre of world diplomacy. Yet the most revealing diplomatic development has taken place far from the UN chamber. While world leaders gathered in New York to debate wars, sanctions, Palestine, Iran, Ukraine, climate change and reform of the international system, the two most powerful economic and strategic rivals of the 21st century shifted the global spotlight to Washington. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the White House, while the extraordinary reception given to Xi on his arrival has already become one of the defining images of UNGA week. The contrast is not merely symbolic. It exposes the widening gap between the UN’s formal authority and the actual distribution of global power. At the United Nations, speeches have reflected a deeply divided world. US President Donald Trump defended his policies and projected US power while warning Iran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded with an emotional defence of diplomacy and sovereignty, while accusing Washington of using coercion rather than genuine dialogue. The Gaza war, the Iran conflict, Ukraine and the demand for reform of the UN Security Council have again exposed the growing gap between the principles of multilateralism and the realities of great-power politics. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also used his final UNGA address to call for an end to wars, stronger international cooperation and better global governance of artificial intelligence. Yet these appeals raise an uncomfortable question: how much influence can the UN exercise when the most consequential decisions are increasingly made outside its halls? Then came Washington. Xi Jinping’s arrival in the USA produced an extraordinary display of diplo-
matic respect and military ceremony. President Trump personally travelled to Joint Base Andrews with First Lady Melania Trump to receive Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan. A long red carpet, US and Chinese flags, military bands, a 21-gun artillery salute and a B-1 bomber flyover transformed the airport into a stage for a message far bigger than ceremony. It was a blunt demonstration that, despite their intense rivalry, Washington recognises Beijing as a power that cannot be ignored, isolated or treated as a secondary player. The symbolism is especially striking because Xi’s visit comes more than a decade after his last visit to the White House. Trump and Melania Trump are hosting Xi and Peng Liyuan for a full state arrival ceremony involving hundreds of US military personnel, followed by talks and a state dinner. The official programme itself demonstrated the importance Washington attaches to the relationship. But beneath the spectacular pageantry lies a much harder reality. The two leaders are not meeting because their differences have disappeared. They are meeting because the cost of confrontation has become too high for both sides. This is not reconciliation. It is a temporary pause in a dangerous contest. Trade is the immediate test. Washington and Beijing have agreed to extend their fragile trade truce, reportedly until January 10, giving negotiators more time to work towards a broader economic arrangement. But tariffs remain, and so do disputes over rare earths, technology, agriculture and market access. Any agreement reached under these conditions will be less a peace settlement than a tactical arrangement designed to prevent economic escalation. Rare earths may prove particularly important. China retains enormous influence over the mining and processing of these min-
erals, which are essential for advanced electronics, automobiles, aerospace and defence industries. Washington wants to reduce this dependence, but that cannot be achieved overnight. This gives Beijing a powerful bargaining advantage and exposes the vulnerability of the US industrial base. Artificial intelligence is another emerging battlefield. Both countries want technological leadership, yet neither wants an uncontrolled AI crisis to create a security catastrophe. A crisis-communication mechanism may therefore be more realistic than a grand AI agreement. Taiwan remains an even more sensitive issue, with Washington seeking to preserve its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific while Beijing continues to regard Taiwan as a core national interest. On this question, the language of cooperation is likely to conceal rather than resolve the underlying confrontation. Iran and the wider Middle East also hung over the summit. Washington wanted China to use its economic and diplomatic influence to help manage the Iran conflict, while Beijing has its own interests in energy security and regional stability. The war has therefore become another point where US and Chinese interests overlap without becoming identical. Neither side wants regional chaos, but neither is prepared to surrender its influence. This is why the Trump-Xi encounter should not be mistaken for a new US-China friendship. It is better understood as managed rivalry. Both sides are competing for economic, technological and strategic advantage, but both also understand that uncontrolled confrontation could damage the global economy and their own interests. The meeting is therefore not evidence that tensions are ending. It is evidence that the rivalry has become too dangerous to manage through confrontation alone. And that brings us back to UNGA 81. The most revealing picture of this year’s General Assembly may not be inside the UN
UNGA 81 has therefore produced a remarkable diplomatic split-screen: emotional speeches in New York, extraordinary ceremony in Washington, and a much deeper struggle over who will shape the international order of tomorrow. The answer may already be visible. The UN still speaks for the world, but Washington and Beijing increasingly decide how the world will be governed. chamber at all. It may be the image of Trump and Xi standing together on a Washington tarmac, surrounded by military honours, artillery fire and national flags. New York represents the world’s aspiration for multilateral cooperation. Washington represents the hard reality of great-power bargaining. The uncomfortable truth is that the UN remains the world’s most important diplomatic forum, but it is no longer the primary arena where the most decisive questions are settled. The organisation can debate wars, condemn aggression and demand reform, but the final calculations are still made by states
Artificial intelligence is another emerging battlefield. Both countries want technological leadership, yet neither wants an uncontrolled AI crisis to create a security catastrophe. A crisis-communication mechanism may therefore be more realistic than a grand AI agreement. Taiwan remains an even more sensitive issue, with Washington seeking to preserve its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific while Beijing continues to regard Taiwan as a core national interest. On this question, the language of cooperation is likely to conceal rather than resolve the underlying confrontation.
with the economic, military and technological power to impose their preferences. The question for the future is not whether the UN will remain important. It will. The real question is whether multilateral institutions can regain enough authority to influence the decisions that great powers increasingly prefer to negotiate directly. If they cannot, the UN risks becoming a stage for speeches while real power is exercised elsewhere. For countries such as Pakistan, the lesson is equally important. In a world increasingly divided between competing power centres, foreign policy cannot depend merely on statements or symbolic alignments. It requires economic strength, strategic relevance, diplomatic credibility and the ability to engage with competing powers simultaneously. Neutrality without capacity is weakness, while alignment without leverage is dependence. UNGA 81 has therefore produced a remarkable diplomatic split-screen: emotional speeches in New York, extraordinary ceremony in Washington, and a much deeper struggle over who will shape the international order of tomorrow. The answer may already be visible. The UN still speaks for the world, but Washington and Beijing increasingly decide how the world will be governed.
Sylvester Stallone was never supposed to make it
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‘I thought of life as a boxing ring. When you decide to get in there, ‘life’ will hurt you if you don’t fight’ L A TIMES
Marc Weingarten
N “The Steps,” Sylvester Stallone traces his rise from a violent, impoverished childhood in New York to Hollywood, powered by persistence despite scant resources and repeated rejection. The memoir leads up to “Rocky”: With $106 in the bank, Stallone rejected lucrative offers for his script unless he could star, a gamble that ended with the movie finishing as the top-grossing film of 1976 and earning
a best picture Oscar. One thing is obvious upon reading Sylvester Stallone’s memoir “The Steps”: He’s no nepo baby. No one ever gave him a leg up, or pulled favors on his behalf. This breezy and insightful book, which takes the movie icon from the slums of New York to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, triumphant on Oscar night, is a sobering reminder of just how far Stallone had to go to make it. It’s also a primer on perseverance and tenacity, both of which the movie icon needed in abundance to find his way. Young Sly was a prime candidate for a life of thuggery, reared by parents who had no business raising kids. Sly and his parents lived in a tiny cold water flat in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, at a time when that neighborhood was a breeding ground for gangs and prostitution. “You learned to mind your own business, and to never walk down the sidewalk, but rather in the street, to avoid being pulled
into an alleyway and robbed,” Stallone writes. The bath was a dining table; a piece of plywood was laid over it for meals. Frank Senior was a barber who dreamed of being a singer, a nasty cur who beat his two sons and verbally whittled them down to a nub. (Sly’s brother Frank Jr., four years younger, was born in Maryland and the boys grew up primarily in Philadelphia). Their mother, meanwhile, was a beautiful narcissist who was convinced she had missed her chance at a Hollywood career by marrying Stallone’s father and being saddled with two kids to raise. For Stallone, this was the scar that never healed. Despite his parents’ showbiz failures, Stallone was convinced that he was destined for success as an actor. He managed to bum his way to Europe, where he hoped to get a proper education at an institution in Switzerland called the American College, a sanatorium that had been converted into a junior college. But he left without graduating and attended the University of Miami for two years studying drama before dropping out “a few credits short of graduating.” Stallone backpacked some more across Europe, then moved back to New York, where he lived on $34 a week in a flophouse apartment “smaller than the minimum size for jail cells recommended by the Bureau of Prisons today.” Suffice it to say, Stallone didn’t land a cushy white-collar gig upon his return to the city. Instead, he shoveled lion poo at the zoo and worked in a deli, where he was arrested for a physical altercation and briefly found himself in “The Tombs,” New York’s notoriously violent house of detention. With no contacts or resources in entertainment, he looked for acting work in the hardest possible way: flipping through the yellow pages, finding talent agents, and knocking on their doors with his headshot in hand. In order to feed himself, Stallone took a job as an usher at the Baronet and Coronet Theatre, a movie house on Third Avenue and 59th Street. It turned out to be the valuable education he didn’t get in Switzerland. “Whichever movies were showing, I decided to really study them,” he writes. “I wouldn’t grab a nap between shows or grab a smoke in the alley, like other ushers. I would use the time constructively and start to break down why the good films were good and bad films were bad.” Soon, he was sneaking a tape recorder into the theater, so he could study the dialogue. It was a fortuitous time to pay close attention to film: Among the movies that Stallone deconstructed were “MASH,” “Love Story,” “Billy Jack,” “The French Connection” and “Patton.” Meanwhile, Stallone endured an avalanche of rejections from agents who felt his slurry speech and asymmetrical mouth were liabilities — the very traits, of course, that would mark him as an original in a few short years. Taking the blows like a champ, Stallone used his informal film education to write screenplays, “using a frayed record album cover as a lap desk.” If acting wouldn’t pry the door open, maybe writing would. He writes one script after another. None of
them free him from the flophouse. Then, a break. Stallone lands a small but crucial speaking role in the 1974 film “The Lords of Flatbush” alongside an unknown Henry Winkler. Emboldened, with a small mountain of spec scripts in the trunk of a junker car his father sold him, Stallone and his future wife Sasha Czack make their way out West to try their fortunes in L.A. He finds work in a few Roger Corman films, most notably “Death Race 2000” alongside David Carradine. On the set of the movie “Capone,” a drunk Ben Gazzara implores Stallone to “drive your own cab” and be the boss of your own destiny. Stallone would take that advice to heart, but it almost cost him his career. The story of how “Rocky” got made has been oft-told, but let Stallone’s riveting retelling of the saga here stand as the definitive version. Broke and blocked in the winter of 1975, his spec scripts having failed to be produced as films, Stallone, during one of his many dark nights of the soul, decides to transmute his struggles into a compelling filmic narrative featuring a down-and-out boxer. “After all, my story is just the story of any person who has ever dreamed of doing something special or unexpected with their lives but was never given a chance,” he writes. “I thought of life as a boxing ring. When you decide to get in there, ‘life’ will hurt you if you don’t fight.” He goes all-in on his idea, pounding out the script “like a maniac.” He writes the first draft of “Rocky” in three days. It’s all wrong.
The writer is a freelance columnist
Rocky’s nobility, his goodness, is absent. He also has no goals in life, so Stallone makes him a “third-rate fighter who never really applied himself” and wants a second chance. What follows is the most famous game of brinkmanship in Hollywood history, grippingly recounted here by Stallone. Producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff are interested in Stallone’s script, and thus a shaft of light shines on his film writing for the first time. But he has a big caveat: The script can’t be sold without Stallone in the lead role. Winkler and Chartoff refuse and offer Stallone $60,000 for the script. “In LA County,” Stallone notes, “$40,000 was the average price of a home in 1975.” Still, he turns them down, despite having $106 in the bank. The offer jumps: $75,000. $160,000. $300,000. There is a come-to-Jesus meeting in the conference room of Winkler and Chartoff’s office. $360,000 for the script and for Stallone not to act. Stallone walks out. If the rest is history — Winkler and Chartoff relent, “Rocky” is the highestgrossing film of 1976 and wins the Oscar for best picture — it’s only because Stallone willed it so. Grit made the man; “The Steps” shows us how he did it. The Steps: A Memoir by Sylvester Stallone, William Morrow: 304 pages, $32.50
Weingarten is the author of “Thirsty: William Mulholland, California Water and the Real Chinatown.
Russian spies accused of weaponising poo SATIRE
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NEWS BISCUIT ScribbleS
USSIAN spies have reportedly been breaking into the homes of diplomats and journalists to intimidate them. Now, in a bizarre escalation of its hybrid warfare against the West, Russia has allegedly gone one step further - by sending agents into the homes of Finnish MPs to defecate. The latest incidents have raised questions about how Russian agents manage to produce a strategically timed bowel movement immediately upon entering a victim’s home. ‘It’s not as easy as people think,’ said one former intelligence officer. ‘You can’t just break into someone’s house, sit on the toilet and hope Putin sends you a miracle.’ According to intelligence sources, agents undergo months of specialist train-
ing, including a high-fibre diet, vast quantities of coffee, and several litres of prune juice to help them to produce bowel movements on demand. Security experts fear the Kremlin may soon deploy even more sophisticated forms of lavatory warfare, including leaving the toilet seat permanently warm, turning all the toilet rolls around so the paper hangs underneath, or worse still - using the last sheet of toilet paper with no replacement anywhere in the house. There are also fears that the Kremlin could escalate the campaign further, with agents reportedly being trained to leave a solitary pube on a pillow, to put the TV remote somewhere nobody can find it, and to deliberately load the dishwasher incorrectly. Finnish officials have advised MPs to keep their bathroom doors locked and have issued them with heavy-duty rubber gloves and a large can of industrialstrength air freshener.
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ARAGHCHI WARNS OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS FROM US-ISRAELI ATTACKS ON OIL FACILITIES
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TEHRAN/WASHINGTON Agencies
RANIAN Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that USIsraeli attacks on Iran's oil facilities and refineries have raised serious environmental risks. "When an attack causes soil contamination, destruction of water resources, and the creation of hazardous materials, its effects can persist far beyond the time and place of the attack," he said, according to Iranian news agency ISNA. "The environment can no longer be considered a silent victim of war. War and conflict not only target people's lives... but also water, soil, air, forests, agricultural lands, energy resources, natural habitats, and biodiversity." He said that "the destruction of water and soil resources, air pollution, the destruction of vegetation and ecosystems, and the emission of pollutants, wastes, and hazardous materials are among the consequences that can continue for years and even decades after the end of the conflict. "In recent years, we have witnessed in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran how military attacks, in addition to human casualties and the destruction of vital infrastructure, have left deep and sometimes lasting effects on the environment."
Araghchi added that "No government, institution, or actor should consider itself beyond international responsibilities." Iran nuclear technology "safe from external disruption: Chief of Iran Atomic Energy Organisation Iran’s nuclear technology is safe from external disruption and cannot be halted by threats, pressure, or attacks, Mohammad Eslami chief of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI), said, according to Al Jazeera. "We will secure our interests either through diplomacy or through combat," he said, according to ISNA. NATIONAL UNITY CAN FOIL ENEMIES’ ATTEMPTS TO WEAKEN IRAN: PEZESHKIAN Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
Bill Gates warns cyberattacks most imminent AI threat
CALIFORNIA ReuteRs
Bill Gates on Sunday warned that unregulated artificial intelligence poses a growing threat and predicted an escalation in AI-powered cyberattacks in the coming year. The Microsoft co-founder said the risk of AI "getting out of control" remained years away and emphasized that the immediate concern was "bad people" using existing systems without safeguard. "The front that we'll probably see most dramatically in the next year is cyberattacks," Gates said in an interview with ABC News. "The real danger right now is not the AI's getting out of control. We need to work on that, but that's years away in terms of the big impact that might have," he said. "It's really bad people using AI, particularly in AI where you can take out all the safeguards," he said, adding that increased restrictions were needed to prevent bad actors using AI for bioterrorism and cyberattacks. "But right now, you're allowed to take all those safeguards out. So when you have bad people, no safeguards, and then the latest models, that's where, over the next year, primarily in the cyber area, we are going to have a lot of negative surprises," he told ABC. Gates -- who warned in a lengthy August post that the world was dangerously unprepared for the upheaval brought by AI, especially to employment -- is the latest tech magnate to sound the alarm on the threats posed by the new technology. In his interview Sunday, he dismissed the idea -- advocated by US President Donald Trump -- that self-regulation by AI companies was sufficient to keep the world safe. "The idea that for the most dangerous technology humans ever invented, that that's the final word, that just the companies themselves are the only check that society has...it's clear we're not doing enough," Gates said.
stressed on Sunday that national unity and solidarity were essential to overcoming Iran's current challenges, saying no power could bring Iran to a standstill if its people stand together and reject exclusionary approaches, according to IRNA. He warned that internal exclusion and self-imposed restrictions could undermine national strength, saying the country can withstand external pressure if it avoids marginalising its own people. If Iranians did not undermine themselves through self-imposed restrictions or selective exclusion, the enemy cannot defeat them or bring them to their knees, he said, calling for opportunities that enable young people to develop their potential.
US MILITARY SAYS IT DISABLED VESSEL ATTEMPTING TO VIOLATE BLOCKADE US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on X on Sunday that the military disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday, after the ship’s crew "ignored repeated warnings" and "attempted to run the ongoing naval blockade against Iran." A fighter jet disabled the propulsion system of the Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica (also called the "Arika Sun”). According to CENTCOM, the vessel was "attempting to transit regional waters after having previously de-
parted an Iranian port." CENTCOM resumed the blockade against all ships entering or departing Iranian ports on July 14. According to CENTCOM tallies, it has disabled four commercial vessels and turned around 135 ships so far. CENTCOM further stated that "US forces destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' multibillion-dollar shadow network over the same period."
'US SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE' OVER MINAB SCHOOL ATTACK: GHARIBABADI Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi said in an interview with Press TV that Iran would pursue legal cases in domestic and foreign courts over the US-Israeli aggression against Minab's elementary school. "We must hold the aggressors accountable under international law. Those responsible for the Minab atrocity must answer for their actions before international bodies," he said, according to Press TV. He also criticised international silence regarding aggression against Iran, saying that "Two wars took place, yet the international system did nothing...the US and Israeli regime violated international law and humanitarian law during the 12day and 40-day wars."
Trump says Russia and Ukraine reach energy ceasefire 'effective immediately' WASHINGTON ReuteRs
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to what he described as an "energy ceasefire", hours after Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy had pushed back against US pressure for a unilateral end to strikes on Russian refineries. In a social media post, Trump said the energy ceasefire would take effect immediately, but did not elaborate further. In an interview with Axios, Zelenskiy said Trump's post was the first he had heard of the deal, though a senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that Ukraine was ready to agree to such a ceasefire if Russia was. Trump, whose war in Iran has been blamed for high diesel prices that are weighing on Republicans' prospects at next month's midterm elections, had previously announced an energy ceasefire in Ukraine in mid-September, though neither side ever confirmed such an agreement was reached. "Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. Earlier on Sunday, Zelenskiy had repeated Ukraine's long-standing position that it was willing to halt attacks on Russian refineries but only if Moscow ceased its own strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure. Any such deal would need to come with "real guarantees", Zelenskiy said. "The real cause of the war in Europe is Russia and Russia alone," Zelenskiy said. "It's possible to stop strikes on energy infrastructure as early as today, but Putin does not want to do so."
PROMISE OF ELECTIONS In a dramatic deterioration in their relations, Trump on Saturday had warned Zelenskiy that he had "better damn well stop" attacking Russian refineries, and had urged Ukrainians to replace him as their leader via new elections because he had missed several opportunities to strike a deal with Moscow. Appearing on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday, Zelenskiy responded that he would organise elections in Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 60-day ceasefire. Zelenskiy said it was "up to Ukrainians" to choose their leader, but noted that there needed to be an end to the fighting first. Ukrainian law prohibits elections under martial law for security reasons. "Please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organise elec-
tions," Zelenskiy said. The Ukrainian leader rejected being blamed for energy price rises, adding that "everybody in the world" knew that the war in the Middle East was a bigger factor. The steep rise in global diesel prices, which followed the outbreak of the Iran war in February, has become a political liability for Trump's Republican Party ahead of the midterms, when opposition Democrats could gain control of one or both houses of Congress. On Saturday, Zelenskiy had responded angrily to Trump's announcement of a diesel supply deal with Russia, saying it would embolden Moscow's attacks on Ukraine and lead to a greater loss of civilian lives. Analysts said Trump's diesel supply agreement with Moscow was unlikely to lead to sustained lower fuel prices as the volumes involved were too small. The diesel deal was also criticised by US lawmakers, including one of Trump's fellow Republicans, Representative Don Bacon, who said it was time to apply more sanctions, not lift them.
KYIV RESIDENTS ANGRY On the streets of Kyiv, several residents expressed anger at Trump's suggestion that Ukraine should find a new leader willing to make a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "No one has the right to tell us what to do, especially since elections cannot be held during wartime," said Sabina, a 40-year-old primary school teacher. "In my view, it is a betrayal by our partners," she said, describing Trump's remarks. Zelenskiy said he would continue discussions with European leaders on Sunday, and there were daily conversations around additional air defence packages, including ammunition for combat aircraft that are used to down Russia's jet-powered drones. On Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is due to participate in a European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting that is expected to discuss increasing sanctions pressure on Russia and advancing negotiations on Ukraine’s EU accession.
Monday, 12 October, 2026 | LAHORE
At least 139 migrants dead, including some children, after boat from Djibouti to Yemen capsizes, UN agency says DJIBOUTI ReuteRs
At least 139 migrants, including at least 15 children, have died and around 84 are missing after a boat carrying more than 300 people capsized while sailing from Djibouti to Yemen, the United Nations’ International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday. The boat, carrying 305 people, capsized near Guhere, north of Obock a port town in Djibouti during the night of Oct 8-9, the IOM said, citing survivor accounts. Around 82 people survived the shipwreck, the statement said. A spokesperson for the Ethiopian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Photographs shared by the UN agency showed worn-out sandals and sneakers washed up on the shore. “Our teams are on the ground alongside local authorities to provide emergency assistance,” said IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti Alexandre Coissac. “This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities,” Coissac said. Djiboutian authorities are continuing search and rescue operations, the IOM statement said, adding that local authorities are also providing medical care to survivors and arranging burials for the deceased. The Djibouti government could not be immediately reached for comment. The migrants were heading to Yemen, with the hope of eventually making it to wealthier Gulf nations, even as Yemeni nationals themselves flee their country, which is experiencing the most serious escalation in fighting between Saudi Arabia-backed government forces and the Houthis since a UN-brokered truce in 2022. “Despite the violence in Yemen, migrants are still making the perilous journeys hoping to make it to the Gulf countries,” the IOM statement said.
FIGHTING IN ETHIOPIA Fighting has also broken out in Ethiopia since last month in the biggest escalation of violence since the 2020-2022 Tigray war. An IOM official told Reuters that the UN agency had documented heavy migrant traffic along the so-called Eastern Route through Djibouti for several years. “People continue to use the route amid changing conditions in Ethiopia and Yemen, although the volume and direction of movement can shift over time,” the official said. Ethiopian migrants interviewed as part of the agency’s most recent situation report on Djibouti from Sept 20-30 said they had left their country due to difficult living conditions, including the impact of drought. “Some migrants also reported that they were fleeing conflict and forced recruitment by armed forces,” the report said. Multiple residents of Tigray, where fighting erupted on September 23, have told Reuters that they had seen Tigrayan rebels forcibly recruit young men into the defence forces. The rebels have denied conducting forced recruitment. The conflict has sparked fears of a return to all-out war with Ethiopia and Eritrea severing relations over alleged Eritrean support for the rebel alliance seeking to overthrow Ethiopia’s government. Eritrea has denied backing the alliance.
Polish security services meet after 'serious' threat to PM and defence minister LUBLIN PROVINCE, POLAND AnAdolu Agency
Polish security services convened a special meeting on Sunday after receiving information about a potential attack on Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, a spokesperson said. Special services spokesperson Jacek Dobrzynski said he could not go into details but authorities were treating the threat as "deadly serious". Earlier the Polish Interior Ministry announced Sunday that the police received a report about a possible assassination attempt targeting Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski and Tomasz Siemoniak, the minister overseeing intelligence services, had ordered the initiation of actions in this matter, Karolina Galecka, Interior Ministry spokesperson, said on US social media company X. Representatives of the country's security services were also expected to hold an emergency meeting. Government spokesman Adam Szlapka told private broadcaster Polsat News that "the matter is serious," adding that Tusk had been briefed on the threat on Sunday morning, according to broadcaster TVP World. He reaffirmed that Tusk remained in Warsaw and was continuing his official duties.
Role of Blue Economy in Sustainable Socio-economic Development of Pakistan DR SABA SAHAR HE oceans are no longer viewed merely as vast bodies of water. They are increasingly recognized as powerful drivers of economic growth and sustainable development. According to the World Bank, the term Blue Economy refers to “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem”. It spans wide range of sectors, including fisheries and aquaculture, ports and shipping, shipbuilding, marine renewable energy, offshore oil and gas, marine tourism and deep-sea mining. The Blue Economy was valued at around USD 2.85 trillion in 2024 and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 6.4 percent, surpassing USD 5 trillion by the early 2030s. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US marine economy contributed USD 476 billion to the national GDP in 2022, accounting for 1.9 percent of the economy while supporting 2.3 million jobs. The sector added more than 500,000 jobs between 2021 and 2024, underscoring the growing economic importance of the Blue Economy. According to China's Ministry of Natural Resources, China’s gross ocean product reached 11.02 trillion yuan (approximately USD 1.6 trillion) in 2025, accounting for 7.9 percent of the country’s GDP.
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China's Blue Economy has emerged as a key pillar of its economic growth. Through sustained investment in shipping, shipbuilding, fisheries, offshore energy, marine manufacturing, coastal tourism, and ocean technology, it has built one of the world’s largest and most dynamic maritime economies. Maldives heavily relies on ocean-based activities, with the Blue Economy contributing over one-third of GDP, driven largely by coastal tourism. Norway and Thailand represent diversified Blue Economy models, where ocean based sectors account for around 30 percent of national GDP, supported by fisheries and aquaculture, maritime tourism, and offshore energy. Similarly, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore derive around 7 percent of GDP from Blue Economy activities, and reflect service-oriented models centered on marine tourism, logistics, and re-export trade. According to Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Pakistan’s maritime sector has potential to generate over USD 100 billion annually if fully optimized. It is estimated that Pakistan could generate USD 8–10 billion from shipping, USD 7–8 billion from fisheries, USD 10 billion from aquaculture, and USD 5–6 billion from maritime tourism. Additional revenue could be realized through offshore renewable energy, ship recycling and the development of environmentally sustainable green ports. According to the Planning Commission's Blue Economy under URAAN Pakistan report 2026, Pakistan’s Blue Economy cur-
rently contributes only about 1% of GDP. The current contribution comes primarily from fisheries, coastal tourism, and maritime trade. Seafood exports account for approximately USD 450 million, while maritime tourism generates around USD 300 million each year. The report estimates that targeted reforms in fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, ports, shipbuilding and coastal industries could generate nearly USD 4 billion in additional economic impact by 2030. The Policy aligns with Pakistan’s Vision 2035 and the Sustainable Development Goals. Blue Economy holds vast and untapped potential to drive economic growth in Pakistan. With a 1,001-kilometer coastline, a continental shelf spanning approximately 290,000 square kilometers, and strategic location near major international shipping lanes, making it an important coastal state. Due to the geostrategic location of Pakistan, its ports have a special value for maritime trade. Pakistan’s maritime domain lies in the proximity of world sea lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malaca and Suez Canal which are the world’s busiest maritime transport shipping lanes and channels that provide an opportunity to Pakistan to link its maritime Blue Economy with the rest of the world. Ports are the lifeline of Pakistan’s economy. Approximately, 95 percent of Pakistan’s total trade volume moves through its three major ports: (i) Karachi Port Trust (KPT), (ii) Port Muhammad Bin Qasim; and (iii) Gwadar Port. The remaining trade takes
place through land borders. These ports are important not only for cargo handling, but also for strengthening connectivity, attracting investment and supporting Pakistan’s Blue Economy. Port Qasim set a record in May 2026 when it safely received and discharged the world’s largest LNG cargo ship from Qatar. The successful handling of the Q-Flex vessel carrying over 210,000 cubic meters of LNG, demonstrated the port’s capability and strength to accommodate larger cargo. Previously, LNG carriers carried cargoes up to 137,000 to 143,000 cubic meters of gas, but the Q-Flex vessel was loaded with nearly 50 percent more LNG. KPT also made a landmark achievement by recording the highest volume of annual cargo handling in the port’s 138-year history during 2025-2026. The Port handled an estimated 54.685 million tonnes of cargo. It also recorded container handling of 2.65 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), marking an important achievement for Pakistan’s national maritime capabilities. Furthermore, the development of Gwadar under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is considered as another important aspect that plays a key role in realizing the maritime capability of Pakistan. Its proximity to global markets across Africa, Asia, and Europe makes it a port of extraordinary commercial and strategic significance. In May 2026, the port handled its largest-ever cargo ship, Motor Vessel (MV) BI JIA SHAN, which arrived from China carrying more than 53,277 metric tonnes of
prime steel billets. On 18 July 2026, the Bangladesh-flagged MV Jahan Brothers II berthed at Gwadar after sailing from Singapore with 53,064 tonnes of prime steel billets destined for Al Hamriyah Port in UAE. On 12 July, Gwadar port successfully completed the first international bunkering operation. During the operation, the UAEowned LNG carrier ENUGU was supplied with 2,500 metric tonnes of International Maritime Organization (IMO)-compliant Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), produced locally by Cnergyico PK Limited at its refinery, highlighting Pakistan's capacity to produce fuel that meets international marine standards. These milestones underscore Port’s growing operational capacity and reinforce the broader vision under CPEC of developing the Gwadar Port into a regional and global trade and transshipment hub. These developments are indicative of the immense potential that Pakistan holds with respect to Blue Economy. Pakistan's ports are gradually transforming from conventional cargo terminals into integrated maritime logistics hubs. Bunkering operations, handling of large LNG ships and transshipment services would not only make Pakistan’s ports more efficient but also attract international shipping lines, thus generating more revenue and making Pakistan a key player in maritime business in the region and beyond.
Author is Associate Director Research at the Center for International Strategic Studies Sindh (CISSS).
NEWS 07
Monday, 12 October 2026 | LAHORE
CORPORATE CORNER
PPMA urges SBP, SMEDA to introduce low-cost SME financing for plastic industry LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
The Pakistan Plastic Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has urged the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), and the Ministry of Industries and Production to introduce affordable, long-term financing and targeted support for Pakistan’s plastic manufacturing sector amid rising energy tariffs, taxes, borrowing costs, and operational expenses.Chairman PPMA Syed Zahid Ahmed emphasized the need for practical policy measures to strengthen the sustainability, modernization, and competitiveness of the industry. The Association has proposed a long-term SME financing facility at a fixed interest rate of 2% per annum to help manufacturers upgrade machinery, improve productivity, and enhance energy efficiency.Senior Vice Chairman Raja Omer Nawaz highlighted that high commercial borrowing costs are placing severe financial pressure on small manufacturers, threatening industrial growth and employment.Vice Chairman Syed Zain Naqvi called for a proactive role by SMEDA in facilitating concessional financing, technology upgrades, recycling initiatives, and waste-reduction measures. He stressed that coordinated institutional support could help plastic manufacturers adopt sustainable technologies and improve operational efficiency.
HEC steps up efforts to ensure drug-free, healthy environment in universities ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has stepped up efforts to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment in higher education institutions by strengthening drug prevention, awareness and control measures. A meeting on Drug Prevention, Awareness and Control Measures in Educational Institutions was organized by HEC at its Secretariat in Islamabad to review reported cases of drug use and supply and to strengthen preventive measures, institutional monitoring and inter-agency coordination. Chairman HEC Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar emphasized the importance of a safe and healthy learning environment, reinforcing the need for institutional responsibility, preventive awareness and coordinated efforts to address drug and tobacco abuse in higher education institutions. Engr. Saleem Ullah Sohoo, Director General, Research & Analysis Activities (R&AA), HEC, briefed the participants on reported cases during 2025 and January-September 2026, along with the initiatives undertaken by HEC and higher education institutions to address the issue. Representatives of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police also shared updates on enforcement and prevention measures, emphasizing coordinated action, institutional accountability and awareness campaigns.
AIOU extends enrollment deadline till Oct 19 ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
In a major relief for continuing students, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has extended the enrollment deadline for its Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programs for the Autumn 2026 semester. On the special directions of the Vice Chancellor, AIOU, the last date for enrollment of continuing students has been extended till October 19, 2026. The decision was taken to facilitate thousands of old students who were unable to complete their enrollment formalities within the earlier deadline. According to the official notification, the extension applies to all ODL programs offered in Autumn 2026. The university clarified that continuing students can now complete their course registration process through the CMS Portal. AIOU is one of the largest distance learning universities in Asia, catering to more than a million students across Pakistan. The university regularly issues such extensions to ensure no student is deprived of education due to time constraints. The administration has advised all continuing students to avail this final opportunity and register their courses immediately to avoid any further inconvenience.
CM MARYAM VOWS GIRLS’ EMPOWERMENT, DESCRIBES DAUGHTERS AS A BLESSING g
CM CALLS DAUGHTERS NATION’S FUTURE, HIGHLIGHTS PUNJAB INITIATIVES FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION, PROTECTION AND MOBILITY
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PAYS TRIBUTE TO SECURITY FORCES FOR KILLING 12 TERRORISTS IN KURRAM, HONOURS MARTYRED NAIB SUBEDAR HIDAYAT AMAN
SALEEM JADOON
UNJAB Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Sunday described daughters as a blessing from Allah Almighty and a valuable asset to society, stressing that empowering girls was essential to building a strong, prosperous and progressive nation. In her message on the International Day of the Girl Child, the chief minister said ensuring equal opportunities for daughters in education, healthcare, protection and development was a collective responsibility. She underscored the need to raise awareness about girls’ rights, promote their education and take concrete measures to make them independent and empowered. Maryam Nawaz said every girl deserved a safe and supportive environment in which she could pursue her dreams and contribute to the development of the country and the nation. The courage, determination and capabilities of girls had the potential to change the world, she added, urging them to move forward with confidence and assuring them of the government’s full support. “Our daughters, sisters and girls are the future of the nation. Their upbringing and care are not only their right but also
a national responsibility,” she said. The chief minister said the Punjab government was implementing a comprehensive roadmap for the education, protection, healthcare and welfare of girls and women. She added that providing girls with equal educational opportunities and securing a bright future for them remained among the government’s top priorities. She said the provincial government had distributed laptops to facilitate girls’ access to education and was providing scholarships to remove financial and other barriers to their educational pur-
suits. A scooty scheme had also been introduced to facilitate female students’ commuting to schools and colleges. Maryam Nawaz said a Pink Button had been introduced to provide girls with a safer environment, while a Women Virtual Police Station had been established to protect women and ensure immediate police assistance. Female students had also been provided with free travel facilities on Electro Buses, she added. “Daughters are our future, and we will continue taking measures to ensure
CDA presses ahead with efforts to transform Islamabad into a modern, developed and green capital ISLAMABAD
Twin cities witness silent shift towards electric vehicles ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
STAFF REPORT
In line with the vision of Federal Minister for Interior Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and under the effective supervision of CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) is undertaking comprehensive measures to promote Islamabad’s development, prosperity and beautification while providing modern facilities to its residents. Citizens have particularly appreciated CDA’s initiative to establish three modern sports arenas in Islamabad, recognizing the importance of international-standard sports facilities in promoting physical fitness, mental well-being and healthy activities, particularly among young people. The initiative is expected to provide greater opportunities for sporting activities, encourage emerging talent and promote a healthier lifestyle among residents. Through timely and accelerated development, the recovery of billions of rupees worth of public land, urban beautification, plantation drives, improved water supply, solid waste management, the establishment of three modern sports arenas, and the upgradation of parks, including Lake View Park, CDA is working to transform Pakistan’s federal capital into a modern, economically vibrant and world-class city. This comprehensive development agenda goes beyond routine maintenance, focusing on the timely completion of
their education, protection and empowerment,” the chief minister said. CM pays tribute to security forces for foiling infiltration attempt Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Sunday paid tribute to the security forces for foiling an infiltration attempt along the border in Kurram district and killing 12 terrorists. The chief minister also paid homage to Naib Subedar Hidayat Aman, who embraced martyrdom during the operation against the terrorists, and extended her heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family. In a separate statement, Maryam Nawaz expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of four lives in a cylinder explosion in Pindi Gheb. She extended her heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for them to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude. CM strongly condemns Houthi militia attack on Riyadh airport Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz strongly condemned the Houthi militia’s attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The chief minister expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of those killed in the attack and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
major projects, modern urban mobility and the preservation of Islamabad’s green identity. Under the leadership of Federal Minister for Interior Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and the effective supervision of CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf, Islamabad’s rapid development has received appreciation at various levels. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif laid the foundation stone of the Kashmir Chowk Underpass and commended Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf and CDA teams for setting a target to complete the project within one month. This initiative reflects CDA’s commitment to executing development projects efficiently and expeditiously while maintaining engineering standards and ensuring public safety. To reduce traffic congestion and improve the urban transportation system, CDA has completed several important underpass and road reha-
bilitation projects. These include the Margalla Road and Ninth Avenue underpasses, which have helped improve traffic flow. In addition, projects such as the Shaheen Chowk Underpass and Faisal Avenue Underpass have contributed to improving connectivity between residential and commercial areas. CDA has also completed road resurfacing and pedestrian pathway improvement works in various commercial and residential areas, including the F-series and G-series sectors and the Blue Area. Building on these achievements, CDA is accelerating work on several major projects aimed at upgrading the capital’s infrastructure to meet future requirements and reclaiming valuable public assets. The Kashmir Chowk Underpass, being constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.4 billion, is an important project designed to improve traffic flow between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Amid soaring fuel prices driven by Middle East tensions and growing environmental concerns, the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are witnessing a silent but swift shift towards electric mobility, as more and more citizens are opting for electric vehicles as a cost-effective and ecofriendly alternative to conventional fuel-run transport. From electric bikes and scooters to cars and rickshaws, the roads of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are witnessing a visible surge in EVs, particularly among students, office-goers and delivery riders. The trend is being driven by low running cost, low maintenance and government support for EV charging infrastructure. Several charging stations have been set up at fuel stations and in commercial areas of the twin cities. A resident of Islamabad Sohail Tanveer who recently bought an electric bike, said, “My monthly petrol expense was around Rs. 12,000. Now my electricity charging cost is less than Rs. 1,500. It is very economical.” He said that it is easy to handle, no noise and no need to stand in queues at petrol pumps. He told that for students, electric scooter is the best as no petrol tension and very low maintenance noting that he charge it at home at night and use it whole day. Ride-hailing rider, Sultan said EV has doubled his savings as he used to spend half of his earning on petrol adding that with an electric bike, he save more and earn more. “EV has changed my life as a delivery rider, fuel was my biggest expense. Now my savings have almost doubled. I just charge it for 3 hours and ride 100 kilometers, he commented. A car owner, Saba Ahmed from Rawalpindi, said she switched to an electric car for a smooth and environment-friendly drive.
From blackboard to AI: How students learn in new era ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
From dusty chalkboards to Artificial Intelligence (AI), the journey of learning in Pakistan has taken a historic turn, transforming traditional classrooms into smart learning spaces. Once students struggled to memorize lessons written on a blackboard; today they are solving complex equations, writing essays and making presentations with the help of Artificial Intelligence. Students who earlier waited for li-
brary books are now getting answers in seconds through AI tools. Ayesha Khan, a 9th-class student, said, “Earlier we used to copy everything from the blackboard. Now we ask AI and it explains us like a teacher and if I don’t understand a math problem at home, I ask AI and it gives me a step-by-step solution. Learning has become easy.” She said we make presentations, search pictures and videos for their projects. Blackboard was only writing, now they learn by seeing and doing. “Blackboard taught us how to write
and AI is teaching us how to think and create”, she commented. Another student Talha Khan said, “Earlier we only had a blackboard and our teacher’s notes were our only source. If we missed a class, we missed the lesson,” He said that now with AI and smart boards, everything is available with one click, as she can re-watch lectures, ask questions to AI anytime, and even learn new skills like coding and graphic design. “It feels like we are not just studying for exams, but learning for the future,” he stated. Teachers believe AI has not replaced
classrooms, but has changed them. The focus is now shifting from rote memorization to critical thinking and creativity. Ms Shazia, a teacher at Islamabad Model College, said “Our role has changed from dictating notes to guiding students on how to use technology positively and ethically.” Smart classrooms are helping slow learners as well and with AI tools, they can give personalized tasks to each student according to his ability, noting that this was not possible with the blackboard system, she added.
LUMS hosts 2nd National Consultative Workshop on ‘Power Sector Indigenization Roadmap’ LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
The LUMS Energy Institute (LEI) convened the Second National Consultative Workshop on the Power Sector Indigenization Roadmap at LUMS, bringing together senior leadership and representatives from the Ministry of Energy, WAPDA, National Grid Company (NGC), Power Planning and Monitoring Company (PPMC), DISCOs, regulatory bodies, electrical power equipment manufacturers, industry associations, policymakers, and academia. The workshop aimed to advance a coordinated national approach to strengthening Pakistan’s domestic electrical power equipment manufacturing industry and reducing import dependence. Building on the first workshop held in May 2025, the initiative progressed from preliminary assessments to a structured, product-level demand-supply analysis, aligning sectoral requirements with domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Mr. Faizan Ali Shah, Advisor to the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), appreciated the initiative undertaken by LUMS and emphasized that a mere 30% local value addition is insufficient to achieve the objectives of indigenization. He noted that, under the National Electricity Plan 2023–2027, the Engineering Development Board (EDB) was mandated to submit a formal Power Sector Indigenization Plan to the Government by 2024; however, this mandate remained unfulfilled. He further stated that the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) would now prioritize the development of the plan in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. Dr. Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Professor of Practice and Senior Advisor at LEI, emphasized the importance of creating an enabling environment and stated that LEI has provided a common platform for procuring agencies, manufacturers, and policymakers to collectively address industry challenges, accelerate import substitution, and strengthen Pakistan’s domestic manufacturing capabilities towards
developing a globally competitive electrical power equipment industry. Engr. Faisal Javaid Mughal, Program Lead at the LUMS Energy Institute, presented an overview of potential opportunities for local manufacturing of electrical equipment, projected demand over the next ten years, and Pakistan’s existing domestic manufacturing capabilities. The workshop featured three parallel consultation streams covering variable renewable energy (VRE) generation equipment and battery energy storage system (BESS) components; transmission lines and allied equipment; and grid stations and allied equipment. Manufacturers presented expressions of interest and product development plans for identified priority products, while procuring agencies shared corresponding demand projections. Discussions focused on manufacturing readiness, localization bottlenecks, technology partnerships, and enabling policy measures. A high-level panel representing key power-sector institutions included Faizan Ali
Shah, Energy Advisor at the Ministry of Energy; Altaf Hussain Malik, Managing Director of NGC; Tufail Sheikh of PPMC; Mujahid Pervez Chattha, Chairman GEPCO & BoD K-Electric; and Muhammad Arfan, Member Power at WAPDA. Almas Haider,
former Chairman EDB, called for coordinated efforts among key institutions to translate LEI’s preliminary findings into a practical, evidence-based, and outcome-oriented Indigenization Policy Framework and Roadmap.
Monday, 12 October, 2026
PRAYER TIMINGS
experts outline KUNDI VOWS TO DISMANTLE KP’S TERROR NETWORK, Legal Centre’s powers under KP emergency, ORDERS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPTION
NEWS
Army deployed in KP under Article 245 as police brace for violent protests The federal government on Sunday notified the deployment of the Pakistan Army in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Article 245 of the Constitution, tasking troops with assisting the civil administration, maintaining law and order and protecting citizens and public installations following the imposition of an emergency in the province, as police were also placed on red alert to deal with any possible violent protests. According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior, the army will perform security duties and assist civilian authorities in maintaining law and order while safeguarding public and government property during the emergency. The deployment will remain in force for the duration of the emergency, which took effect on October 11, 2026, the notification stated.
The strength of the troops to be deployed will be determined by the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in consultation with General Headquarters (GHQ), according to the order. Matters relating to troop numbers and deployment arrangements will be finalised in coordination with the Military Operations Directorate to ensure adequate personnel are available to assist the civil administration and meet security requirements. The Interior Ministry said the notification would be published in the Gazette of Pakistan, Part II. The move follows the federal government's decision to impose an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid concerns over the law and order situation. The deployment is aimed at providing security support to civilian authorities and protecting citizens and government installations throughout the emergency period.
an “opportunity”, he called for concerted efforts to improve the province’s image and create conditions conducive to tourism and investment. “If we have peace, we will get tourists and investors. My support is with you. I
am available for you 24/7,” he said. The governor subsequently read out a message for the people of the province, saying that “extraordinary circumstances” had necessitated “necessary measures” under the Constitution.
ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR STAFF REPORT
K
PESHAWAR SALEEM JADOON
HYBER Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday chaired the first meeting of the KP Advisory Council, formed by the federal government following the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule in the province, declaring that the fight was against terrorism and the ideology and network facilitating it and undermining the rule of law. Addressing the council’s inaugural meeting, Kundi said its members would face numerous challenges and stressed the need to accelerate governance, ensure timely delivery of services and adopt a
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zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. At the outset, members introduced themselves and outlined their respective portfolios. The governor congratulated them on their appointments, saying they would receive detailed briefings on their assigned portfolios and be given a few days to familiarise themselves with their responsibilities. “We have to fast-track things. There will be zero tolerance on corruption. Things should be done in a timely manner,” he said, emphasising that the council would have to demonstrate a clear improvement over the performance of its predecessors. Kundi identified the law and order situation as the council’s first priority, urging its members to draw lessons from the experiences of other provinces where necessary. Describing the prevailing situation as
FIA arrests suspect in Rs9.3m fraud case linked to IIUI gold medallist’s death ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Sunday claimed to have arrested a suspect in a Rs9.3 million financial fraud case linked to the death of a female student of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to take the accused into custody. Laiba Ijaz, a gold medallist from the International Islamic University Islamabad, was found dead in the federal capital a day earlier. Authorities were investigating her suspected suicide and allegations that the accused, Muhammad Noman, had obtained Rs9.3 million from her family on the pretext of arranging her studies in the United States. The FIA said late Saturday that it had completed an inquiry and registered a case against Noman and another accused, Fatima Sarwar, under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The agency alleged that the suspects had defrauded the deceased student and her family by providing fraudulent university admission documents. FIA Director-General Usman Anwar confirmed the arrest, saying, “Muhammad Noman, the accused in Laiba case, has been arrested.” He did not disclose further details. On Saturday, the FIA said the accused had allegedly fabricated scholarship award letters, university admission offer letters and fee payment receipts to defraud Ijaz and her family. According to the agency, Rs2.9 million had been transferred to the accused through Ijaz’s bank account, while the remaining amount had been paid in cash. “Tragically, Laiba Ijaz passed away as a result of this severe financial fraud and the accompanying mental anguish,” the FIA said. The development came as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi described the case as a “test case” for the authorities amid a broader crackdown on human smuggling, illegal migration and visa fraud. “This is a test case for us,” Naqvi told reporters during a visit to the bereaved family on Saturday night. “I can say that I will personally pursue their case.” The minister’s visit followed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s intervention in the matter. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif directed Islamabad’s inspector general of police and chief commissioner to immediately take the suspect into custody. “The role of any other individuals involved in the case will be determined during the course of the inquiry,” the FIA said on Saturday.
Fazl accuses Centre of betrayal as KP emergency derails mediation, calls move ‘attack on democracy’ PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday accused the federal government of reneging on its commitments during his efforts to mediate between the Centre and Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI), terming the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a “robbery on the people’s rights” and a sudden assault on them. Fazl, who had been approached by both sides to help defuse the escalating political tensions, said the government had abandoned the proposed course of negotiations despite progress towards resolving the impasse. The move came as the federal government proceeded with emergency measures in the province, where
the PTI was in power. Both sides had held separate meetings with Fazl before the political confrontation culminated in the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule in KP. Addressing a press conference at his residence in Islamabad after an emergency meeting of the party’s Central Core Committee, Fazl shared details of his engagement with the government and the PTI, alleging that the government had undermined the mediation process at a critical stage. He said he returned from Umrah on October 7, after which opposition leaders approached him and requested that he play a role in resolving the political impasse. The following day, he said, federal ministers also visited him and sought his intervention to ease tensions between the two sides. The
confrontation had intensified after the PTI announced a long march to Islamabad to demand the release of its jailed founder, Imran Khan. Talks between the government and the opposition failed to produce a positive outcome last week, prompting the PTI to launch its march, although its participants remained within KP. Meanwhile, several federal ministers had spoken publicly about the possibility of imposing an emergency and governor’s rule in the province, citing the security situation and the PTI-led provincial government’s alleged non-cooperation in counterterrorism efforts. Speaking to the media, Fazl said the PTI had refrained from entering Islamabad at his request, while the government had deferred its plan to impose an emergency after its delegation approached him for mediation.
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governor’s rule ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Legal experts have outlined the constitutional powers available to the federal government after the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the measures place much of the province’s executive authority under federal control for a limited period. The federal government imposed governor’s rule across KP and an emergency in 12 districts on Sunday, citing terrorism, deteriorating law and order and what it described as failures by the provincial administration. Supreme Court lawyer Haris Azmat said Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution allow the Centre to intervene when a province faces a grave security threat, serious law-and-order problems or an inability to govern effectively. He said such measures were intended to remain temporary and could be withdrawn once the circumstances that prompted the emergency had been brought under control. Azmat added that the provincial leadership could challenge the decision before the Federal Constitutional Court, which could examine whether the constitutional conditions required for imposing the emergency existed at the time. He said that during the emergency, provincial institutions would be required to follow directions issued by the governor and federal government where those instructions conflicted with orders from the suspended provincial executive. Lawyer Hasan Raza Pasha said the chief minister and provincial cabinet had effectively lost their executive powers for the duration of the emergency. He said the provincial assembly had not been dissolved and continued to exist, although federal legislation would prevail where provincial laws conflicted with measures taken under the emergency framework. Pasha said the presidential proclamation must also be presented separately before both houses of Parliament for endorsement within 10 days. Under Article 234, he said the arrangement can initially remain in place for two months and can subsequently be extended through parliamentary approval, up to a maximum period of six months. He added that once the emergency ends, the suspended chief minister and cabinet could resume their positions rather than requiring the formation of a new provincial government. Lawyer Sheikh Saqib Ahmed said Articles 232 and 234 address different constitutional circumstances and therefore require separate legal justification. He said Article 232 deals with a serious security threat or internal disturbance beyond the provincial government’s ability to control, while Article 234 applies when the government of a province cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution. Ahmed noted that terrorism could potentially satisfy the threshold for emergency powers but said political disagreements between the Centre and a province would not, by themselves, be sufficient grounds. He added that the invocation of both provisions gives the federal government authority over the provincial executive, while Parliament can exercise legislative powers otherwise belonging to the provincial assembly. Legal experts also noted that constitutional provisions allow some fundamental rights to be suspended during an emergency, although the scope and legality of any such restrictions would depend on the specific presidential orders issued under the Constitution.
IMF, WB meetings to focus on Middle East war, global debt and energy crisis PROFIT
REUTERS
Global finance officials are set to meet in Thailand this week for the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, with the ongoing Middle East war, energy supply disruptions and mounting public debt expected to dominate discussions amid concerns over global economic growth. The meetings come as the US-Israeli war with Iran enters its eighth month, with disruptions to energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz contributing to higher fuel prices, inflationary pressures and tighter financial conditions. The IMF has indicated that its global growth forecast for 2026 will remain close to 3%, although some economies, including Ukraine and Gulf countries affected by the conflict, could face downward revisions. World Bank President Ajay Banga said the global economy had proved more resilient than initially expected following the closure of the Strait of
Hormuz, which disrupted approximately 20% of global oil supplies, but warned that several economic pressures were intensifying. Higher diesel and fertiliser prices, mounting debt burdens and the prospect of a strong El Niño weather event were creating additional risks for vulnerable economies. The World Bank has not revised its global growth projections downward but is closely monitoring the combined impact of these developments. Meanwhile, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has warned of growing economic challenges, with the Fund's recent research highlighting the prolonged inflationary impact of sharp increases in food and energy prices. The IMF estimates that global public debt is at its highest level since the Second World War and is projected to exceed 100% of global GDP before 2030. Emerging markets and low-income economies face particular challenges as higher US interest rates attract capital flows away from developing markets, while governments confront rising refi-
nancing costs and limited fiscal space. Interest payments already account for more than 10% of government revenue on average across developing countries, adding pressure on public spending and economic development. Concerns have also emerged over proposed changes to IMF lending conditionality, which would place greater emphasis on fewer but more comprehensive structural reforms. Debt advocacy groups warn that the approach could intensify austerity measures in countries already struggling with debt servicing obligations and fiscal constraints. The meetings will also address the impact of geopolitical tensions on energy markets after the Group of Seven (G7) countries agreed to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil from emergency reserves. More than one billion barrels of oil have already been drawn from commercial inventories since the Middle East conflict began on February 28, raising concerns over declining accessible sup-
plies and further volatility in global energy prices. US President Donald Trump has also announced an agreement with Russia to increase diesel supplies to international markets, alongside a temporary relaxation of certain sanctions on Moscow. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will not attend the meetings, with two senior Treasury officials representing Washington. His absence comes as the United States holds the G20 presidency amid ongoing disagreements over international security and economic policy. The meetings are also expected to examine debt relief mechanisms for developing economies, although G20 diplomats have indicated limited support for another broad suspension of debt servicing similar to measures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Security arrangements and travel disruptions are additional concerns for the Bangkok gathering, particularly following attacks affecting aviation infrastructure in the Middle East.
Pakistan draws red line on Saudi attacks, vows support ‘in every possible way’ ISLAMABAD
SALEEM JADOON
Pakistan on Sunday strongly condemned the latest Houthi militia attack targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and stability, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed that Islamabad would cooperate with the Kingdom “in every possible way”. The prime minister’s response came a day after the Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked King Khalid International Airport (KKIA). Saturday’s attack killed 12 people and injured more than 300, according to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), with some of the injured reported to be in critical condition. The Houthis have intensified attacks on Saudi aviation facilities recently as the USIran conflict continues. The attacks included strikes on airports in Riyadh and Abha on October 6 and 7 that reportedly killed three people and injured 36 others. Pakistan, which signed a bilateral defence agreement with Saudi Arabia in September 2025 and a trilateral defence agreement involving Saudi Arabia and
Türkiye in August this year, has repeatedly warned the Houthis against attacking the Kingdom. “We have a bilateral agreement, a trilateral agreement with regard to defence [of Saudi Arabia],” Prime Minister Shehbaz told members of the cabinet in televised remarks. “And Pakistan will not tolerate any kind of aggression. Our agreements demand it, and so do our bonds of brotherhood.” The prime minister said protecting the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah was the responsibility of millions of Muslims worldwide, describing attacks in this context as a “red line”. “We all pray to God that this matter is resolved peacefully,” he said. “Otherwise, Pakistan expresses full solidarity with its Saudi brothers and sisters in every respect, stands firmly with them and will cooperate in every possible way.” Six Pakistani nationals injured in attack: Dar In a subsequent statement, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said six Pakistani nationals had been injured in the attack. “We are in touch with the Saudi authorities and are closely following the situation,” Dar said. “I have directed our Embassy in Riyadh to coordinate with the concerned au-
thorities to provide all possible assistance to the injured Pakistani nationals.” Dar expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and condemned the Houthi attacks. “Pakistan remains firmly committed to the Kingdom’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security in accordance with the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement,” he added. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also condemned the attack in a statement issued by the assembly’s secretariat, describing it as unacceptable and a “grave violation of international law”. “He emphasized the need to end such acts of violence to safeguard regional peace, security and stability,” the statement said. Sadiq reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to standing by Saudi Arabia in safeguarding its sovereignty, territorial integrity and security. “He also expressed solidarity with the leadership and people of all other affected friendly countries,” the statement added. FO condemns attack as terrorism, calls for immediate halt Earlier, the Foreign Office (FO) had strongly condemned what it described as the latest terrorist attack by the Houthi militia targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, reaffirming Pakistan’s firm commitment to Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, ter-
ritorial integrity, security and stability. In a statement on Sunday, the Foreign Office spokesperson said targeting a civilian
airport constituted a heinous act of terrorism, a flagrant violation of international law and a grave threat to regional peace and security.
Riyadh airport hit by fresh Houthi strike day after deadly attack RIYADH
AGENCIES
A fresh Houthi strike hit Riyadh’s international airport on Sunday, a day after another attack claimed by the Yemeni group killed at least a dozen people and forced authorities to suspend operations at the facility. Saturday’s attack, the deadliest on Saudi soil in more than a decade, was a sharp escalation in the Yemen war, where Riyadh backs the internationally recognised government against the Houthis. The group on Sunday claimed multiple attacks over the last 24 hours, including on the airport, and threatened to keep targeting the kingdom’s transit hubs, calling them “a theatre of operations for our forces”. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group “carried out four qualitative operations in the past 24 hours using
Published by Asad Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk
ballistic and cruise missiles and drones”. Saree said they targeted the Riyadh airport multiple times, as well as the Dammam airport and two facilities belonging to the Saudi state oil company Aramco. Hours later, the Saudi coalition fighting the group reported that a projectile struck King Khalid International Airport, sparking a fire. Air defences also intercepted a missile nearby, it added. The civil aviation authority said the attack caused an unspecified number of injuries, and that a damage assessment was underway. AFP journalists and locals reported hearing the sound of multiple blasts in the Saudi capital on Sunday. “The birds went into a frenzy after the sound. The whole house shook,” said one resident of the Al-Aarid neighbourhood in the north of the city.