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IRAN BLAMES US FOR FAILED DEAL AS TRUMP THREATENS FRESH STRIKES

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Sunday, 25 October, 2026 | 13 Jumada al-Awwal, 1448

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PRESIDENT PEZESHKIAN CALLS FOR RENEWED EFFORTS TO CONCLUDE A DEAL AS TENSIONS ESCALATE

TRUMP THREATENS FRESH MILITARY ACTION AS IRAN WAR NEARS EIGHTH MONTH

Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 211 | 8 Pages | Islamabad Edition

IRAN THREATENS GULF UNDERSEA CABLES IF US AND ISRAEL RESUME ATTACKS

g IRANIAN GUARDS REPORT TWO TANKERS US INTELLIGENCE WARNS OF ADVANCED IRANIAN PLOTS AGAINST AMERICAN OFFICIALS HIT MINES NEAR STRAIT OF HORMUZ TEHRAN/WASHINGTON AGENCIES

RANIAN President Masoud Pezeshkian has blamed the United States for the failure of an interim agreement with Tehran but called for renewed efforts to conclude a deal, as tensions escalated over possible fresh military action, threats to Gulf infrastructure and alleged Iranian plots against American officials. “We were having negotiations; the cowards [Americans] messed everything up... I still think we should go and conclude it,” Pezeshkian said in remarks broadcast on Iranian state television on Saturday. His comments came as US President Donald Trump warned that Washington could launch another military operation against Iran, while Iranian officials threatened to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if the United States and Israel resumed attacks. Trump said on Friday that the United States could carry out another operation against Iran, using the name of the US military campaign against the country. “We may do another little Epic Fury,” he told a rally in Fort Myers, Florida, without elaborating. The remarks came as the conflict approached its eighth month, with rising fuel prices becoming a concern for Republicans ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, which will determine

control of Congress. Trump said the United States could end the war quickly but questioned whether Washington should pursue a swift conclusion or allow the conflict to wind down gradually. His statements on the war's objectives and timeline have varied. In recent campaign remarks, he has said the conflict would end soon, “one way or the other”. Earlier this month, Trump said the United States would not attack Iran before the November 3 elections. His latest comments did not clarify whether that position had changed. Meanwhile, US intelligence has identified an alleged sharp increase in

Pakistan condemns deadly attack on church in Jordan

ConTinued on PAge 03

Pakistan calls for end to escalating hostilities in Sudan as violence intensifies UNITED NATIONS

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Iranian efforts to target American officials in the Middle East and other countries, with some plots reportedly reaching advanced stages, Axios reported on Friday. The report cited an October 23 memo from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The one-page, unclassified document said the information was relevant to more personnel than were currently authorised to access it. The memo did not identify specific targets, countries outside the Middle East or the nature of the alleged plots. According to Axios, the underlying

intelligence had been shared with senior State Department officials, and Clayton offered to downgrade its classification as much as possible to allow Rubio to circulate it more widely. A US official told the outlet that the intelligence was among the reasons behind a reduction in embassy personnel in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan. The personnel changes were first reported by CNN. Iran has also drawn up detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if the United States and Israel launch another attack, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, provided few operational details and did not specify where or how Iran would carry out such attacks. One said Tehran would seek to prevent repairs after any damage, prolonging disruptions to internet connections and other communications. “If Iran is attacked, there will be no more red lines ... from undersea cables to military bases, including covert ones,” one official said, warning Washington not to “play with fire”. Yadollah Javani, deputy head of political affairs at Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said on Wednesday that Iran could target seven major internet cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz if Iranian infrastructure came under attack.

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan on Saturday strongly condemned a terrorist attack during a funeral procession at a church in Jordan’s Karak governorate that left seven people dead and 34 others injured. In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) described the incident as a “heinous terrorist attack” and expressed condolences to the government and people of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, particularly the bereaved families. Pakistan also extended its sincere wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured, reaffirming its solidarity with the Jordanian people in their fight against terrorism. The FO reiterated Pakistan’s strongest condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The attack took place on Friday when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at Hamoud Church in Karak, in a rare assault targeting Jordan’s Christian minority. Following the shooting, Jordanian Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh described the assailants as extremists but said it was too early to establish links to any known militant groups. An eyewitness told state-owned AlMamlaka television that a vehicle carrying the gunmen arrived at the scene. The attackers reportedly fired continuously for around five minutes before fleeing. Between 150 and 200 people were inside and around the church at the time, the witness said, adding that most of the victims were between 50 and 70 years old. King Abdullah visited Karak hours after the attack and vowed that those responsible would face the “harshest retaliation”. He also warned that attempts to divide Jordanians would fail. Jordan’s prime minister described the attack as the product of “terrorist extremist blind thinking”.

With Sudan’s crisis spiraling deeper, Pakistan has warned a key meeting at United Nations’ Headquarters in New York that the conflict has no military solution and urged all parties to lay down arms and uphold international law, declaring that peace cannot be forged through war. “The tragedy in Sudan has continued for far too long; We must make every effort to end the conflict,” the Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, Usman Jadoon, told the joint meeting between members of the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council on Friday. Highlighting that the meeting between the two Councils was taking place at an important moment, the Pakistani envoy said it should send a coherent message: “preserve Sudan’s unity and State institutions; end external support sustaining the conflict; pursue an immediate cessation of violence; and create space for an inclusive political process under meaningful African leadership.” Sudan has been engulfed in the conflict since April 2023,

LCCI Founders Group meets PM, hails govt's investor-friendly policies LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

A delegation of the Founders Group of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) met Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif here on Saturday. During the meeting, matters relating to the country’s overall economic situation, promotion of business and trade, challenges faced by industries and provision of facilities to the business community were discussed. Appreciating the important role of the business community in the country’s economic growth and stability, the Prime Minister said that the government was working in collaboration with the private sector to promote economic activities and create a conducive environment for businesses. The importance of mutual cooperation in promoting business and industry, increasing investment and expanding trade activities was also emphasized during the meeting. The delegation apprised the Prime Minister of the issues faced by the business community and shared its proposals. The delegation appreciated the government’s economic policies and lauded its investor-friendly initiatives. During the discussion, the delegation also acknowledged the services rendered by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to the Chamber of Commerce during his tenure as its president. Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik were also present at the meeting. The LCCI delegation comprised Mian Misbahur-Rehman, Farooq Iftikhar, Sheikh Muhammad Asif, Shahzad Malik, Almas Haider, Shahid Hassan Sheikh, Abdul Basit, Mian Tariq Misbah, Kashif Anwar Sheikh and Mian Khalid Misbah.

Haroon Akhtar chairs meeting to boost industrial growth, economic revival ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

when fighting erupted between former allies — the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces militia (RSF). What began as a power struggle metastasized into deadly conflicts across the country, with fighting in Kordofan and Blue Nile, and drone strikes threatening and killing civilians and attacks disrupting humanitarian operations “Our approach to Sudan should be guided by two overriding objectives: alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people and preserving Sudan as a united, sovereign and stable State,” Ambassador Jadoon told top diplomats. In this regard, the Pakistani envoy welcomed the recent the en-

gagement of the African Union (AU) Special Representative with the Sudanese authorities and the visit to Khartoum and its consultations with the leadership, political and civilian actors, women and youth. Pakistan, he said, firmly rejects any fragmentation of Sudan, emphasizing that its national institutions must be preserved and that parallel political, military, or governance structures cannot provide a pathway to peace. Expressing deep concern over the ongoing hostilities in Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile, Ambassador Jadoon strongly condemns the atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces, specifically those in El Geneina and El Fasher.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan on Saturday chaired a meeting of the Task Force on Export and Industrial Enhancement and discussed measures for boosting exports, revitalising industrial activity and promoting sustainable economic growth. The meeting was attended by Joint Secretary Freedoon Akram Sheikh and representatives of various industrial sectors, including leather, sports goods, cutlery, carpets and other export-oriented industries, said a news release. During the meeting, the adviser highlighted the government’s commitment to advancing Prime Minister’s vision for economic revival through export enhancement, industrial development and stronger engagement with the private sector. Haroon said that the establishment of the Export Enhancement Task Force was an important initiative aimed at identifying challenges faced by industries, exploring new opportunities for growth and developing practical measures to strengthen Pakistan’s export performance. He emphasised that the government was facilitating the business community and engaging relevant stakeholders to promote industrial revival, improve competitiveness and create an enabling environment for businesses to expand their operations.

Pakistan rebuts Afghan Taliban over cross-border terrorism ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information on Saturday rejected the Afghan Taliban’s claim that it lacked the capability to fuel insecurity in other countries, accusing the administration in Kabul of making “diversionary allegations” instead of addressing Islamabad’s longstanding concerns over terrorist attacks originating from Afghan soil. The ministry’s rebuttal came after Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement on X on Friday night that Afghanistan had no interest in creating insecurity in Pakistan or supporting destabilising activities there. Mujahid also argued that the Taliban lacked the resources and capabilities to foment or finance insecurity in other countries, adding that Islamabad’s “misguided approach” was distracting Pakistan’s security forces from their responsibilities. In response, the information ministry said the Afghan Taliban had “once again re-

sorted to diversionary allegations instead of addressing Pakistan’s legitimate and longstanding security concerns”. “Pakistan’s concerns are not based on conjecture,” the ministry said, adding that claims about Afghanistan’s lack of capacity or interest in destabilising Pakistan failed to address what it described as documented evidence of cross-border terrorism. To support its position, the ministry cited a report by the United Nations Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team and a separate report submitted to the US Congress. The ministry said the UN team’s 16th report examined the presence and activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. It also referred to the US Lead Inspector General’s Operation Enduring Sentinel report for January-March 2026, which stated that the Afghan Taliban continued to allow the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan territory. According to the ministry, the US report found that the Taliban continued to grant the

TTP “greater liberty and support”, contributing to an increase in attacks against Pakistan. The report also identified the TTP as the largest of the militant groups operating in Afghanistan. The ministry cited the report’s estimate

that the TTP had between 4,000 and 6,000 fighters, saying the assessment underscored the seriousness of Pakistan’s concerns about terrorist sanctuaries and support networks across the border. It also pointed to repeated attempts by

armed militants to infiltrate Pakistan from Afghanistan, casualties among Afghan nationals and members of terrorist groups during Pakistani counterterrorism operations, and the recovery of foreign-origin weapons from militants.

Pakistan rejects Khalilzad's claim of 'arming Afghans against Taliban' ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday rejected former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad’s allegations that Pakistan was arming Afghans to fight the Taliban, describing the claims as “baseless and misleading”. The ministry’s response came a day after Khalilzad, who served as the special representative for Afghanistan during the first Trump administration, claimed on X that there were “many reports” of Pakistan arming Afghans to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan. He further alleged that Pakistan was re-

cruiting Afghans to fight anti-Pakistan insurgents, warning that relations between Islamabad and Kabul were likely to “get much worse”. In a statement posted by its fact-check account on X, the ministry said Khalilzad’s assertions recycled speculative narratives and reflected what it described as a personal agenda to support the Afghan Taliban regime. It said the former envoy’s unsubstantiated allegations exposed his “skewed agenda-based views”. The ministry also rejected what it called an attempt to conflate Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations with allegations of recruiting Afghan nationals or

sponsoring armed groups inside Afghanistan. It maintained that Pakistan’s operations were directed against terrorist organisations operating from areas under the control of the Afghan Taliban regime and threatening Pakistani citizens. “Pakistan remains at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and has made enormous sacrifices in protecting regional peace and security,” the ministry said. It pointed to successive United Nations monitoring reports documenting the continued presence and activities of terrorist organisations, including the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and AlQaeda, in Afghanistan.

02 NewS

PAKISTAN'S NATIONWIDE 5G ROLLOUT TO TAKE TWO MORE YEARS, NA TOLD

PROFIT

MONITORING REPORT

HE government informed the National Assembly on Friday that extending fifth-generation (5G) mobile services across Pakistan would require another two years, amid complaints from lawmakers about slow internet connections, inadequate network coverage and the performance of existing telecommunications services. During Question Hour, Parliamentary Secretary for Information Technology Sabeen Ghouri told the House that 5G services were currently available in 24 cities and that efforts were being made to strengthen network performance before extending coverage to additional areas. The discussion followed questions from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker

Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari and other members regarding the quality of mobile internet services in different parts of the country. Aseefa raised concerns about unreliable 4G and 5G connectivity in Nawabshah and elsewhere, urging the government to develop a coordinated strategy to improve internet speeds and resolve difficulties faced by subscribers. The parliamentary secretary's response

prompted further questions about the government's preparedness for the transition to 5G, particularly when users continued to report problems with existing networks. Abdul Qadir Patel of the PPP, who was presiding over the sitting, asked Ghouri to explain the meaning of 5G. She was unable to recall the term, leading to an exchange with other lawmakers. Aseefa remarked that the parliamen-

tary secretary could seek an explanation from her parliamentary colleagues. MNA Noor Alam also challenged the government's account of the rollout, claiming that consumers were being charged for 5G services despite being unable to access the technology. PPP member Nabeel Gabol similarly questioned the quality of mobile connectivity, saying that although the introduction of 5G had initially raised expectations, users were experiencing slower connections instead. Patel questioned the government's decision to introduce another generation of mobile technology while complaints about 4G services remained unresolved. The exchanges reflected lawmakers' concerns about whether existing telecommunications infrastructure was sufficiently developed to support wider deployment of 5G services.

Sunday, 25 October, 2026 | ISlAmAbAD

Rs24b irregularities reported in BISP as 140,000 govt employees, pensioners receive funds; recoveries below 3% PROFIT

MONITORING REPORT

Financial irregularities worth approximately Rs24 billion have been reported in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), with more than 140,000 government employees and pensioners receiving welfare payments despite eligibility restrictions, while authorities have recovered less than 3% of the amount involved. Although the irregularities were first detected in 2019, payments to government employees continued over the following six years, raising questions about the effectiveness of beneficiary verification and the implementation of corrective measures. Documents submitted by the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation to the National Assembly revealed that 140,488 government employees had received payments under the programme, which is intended to provide financial assistance to low-income households.

Cabinet committee approves higher overloading penalties, petroleum levy amendments PROFIT

NEWS DESK

The Cabinet Committee on Disposal of Legislative Cases has approved proposals to increase fines and penalties for overloading, along with draft legal amendments concerning the Petroleum Levy and Climate Support Levy. The committee, chaired by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, met on October 23, 2026, to review legislative and administrative proposals relating to overloading, petroleum levies and business regulations. The committee approved the proposals for enhanced fines and penalties for overloading, along with its recommendations, and granted in-principle approval to the

National Highways and Motorway Police Seniority Rules 2026. It also approved the proposed rules governing the establishment and functioning of the Asaan Karobar Technical Unit and the Pakistan Regulatory Registry. Minister of State for Finance

and Revenue Bilal Azhar Kiani and senior officials from the relevant ministries and divisions attended the meeting. The approved drafts and proposals will now be submitted to the relevant forums for further legal and administrative proceedings.

Three maritime entities rank among Pakistan's 10 most profitable SOEs in FY2024-25 PROFIT

WEB DESK

Three organisations under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, including Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Port Qasim Authority (PQA) and Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), ranked among Pakistan's 10 most profitable stateowned enterprises (SOEs) in fiscal year 2024-25, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said. According to the Federal StateOwned Enterprises Annual Aggregate Report for FY2024-25, issued

by the Central Monitoring Unit of the Finance Division, KPT secured sixth position, PQA ranked seventh and PNSC stood tenth among the country's most profitable SOEs. KPT and PQA manage major port operations, while PNSC provides national shipping services. Their activities support cargo handling, international trade and maritime connectivity. In a statement, the minister attributed the rankings to the performance of the three organisations' management and workforce, along with oversight by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.

He said the results demonstrated the potential of Pakistan's maritime institutions to contribute to the national economy through improved financial management, operational efficiency and effective utilisation of resources. The minister emphasised the importance of maintaining performance through stronger governance, institutional accountability and continued operational improvements. He said further improvements in the management and performance of maritime organisations would help strengthen the country's maritime sector.

Profit repatriation exceeds net FDI by $665m in FY26, SIFC tells NA PROFIT

MONITORING REPORT

Foreign investors repatriated $2.305 billion in profits and dividends from Pakistan during FY2025-26, exceeding the country's net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows of $1.64 billion by approximately $665 million, the National Assembly was informed on Friday. The figures, presented in a written response to a question from Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto, showed that investment-income payments abroad were nearly 41% higher than the net foreign direct investment received during the fiscal year. According to the minister in charge of the Special Investment

Facilitation Council (SIFC) Division, repatriation of earnings from direct investments accounted for $2.202 billion of the total, while foreign portfolio investors remitted another $103.7 million in profits and dividends. The largest outflows originated from manufacturing, where foreign investors repatriated $564.3 million, followed by financial and insurance activities at $537.4 million and the electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply sector at $496.5 million. Together, these three sectors accounted for nearly $1.6 billion, representing approximately 69% of total profit and dividend repatriation during the year. Other major contributors in-

cluded wholesale and retail trade, with outward payments of $211.6 million, information and communication at $166.9 million, transportation and storage at $162.1 million, and mining and quarrying at $124.6 million. Combined, the seven sectors accounted for more than $2.26 billion of the $2.305 billion remitted by foreign investors. The sectoral figures included earnings repatriated against both direct and portfolio investments, rather than direct investment alone. While the annual outflows exceeded net FDI receipts, the government maintained that the two indicators should not be treated as directly comparable measures of investment performance.

Federal govt clears $200m World Bank-funded project for KP to improve tax collection, public spending PROFIT

MONITORING REPORT

The federal government has approved the concept proposal for a $200 million World Bank-funded reform programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aimed at strengthening provincial tax collection, improving public expenditure management and developing statistical systems over five years until October 2031, The News reported. According to the concept paper cleared on October 23, the Public Resources for Inclusive Development programme will be financed through a $200 million loan from the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA), com-

prising $180 million for programme implementation and $20 million for technical assistance. The programme will focus on three areas: revenue mobilisation, public expenditure efficiency and accountability, and improved availability of statistical data for policymaking. Under the revenue component, the provincial government will broaden the tax base, introduce risk-based audits and compliance systems, update property valuation tables and rationalise tax exemptions. The reforms will involve the KP Revenue Authority, Board of Revenue, Excise and Taxation Department, and Mines and Minerals

Department. The second component will seek to improve budget allocation and expenditure management in the health and education sectors, particularly by ensuring timely release of non-salary funds to schools and primary healthcare facilities. It will also support digital payments, stronger internal financial controls and greater accountability in the utilisation of public resources. The third component will strengthen the KP Bureau of Statistics to improve the collection, integration and publication of provincial data for budget preparation, policy decisions and monitoring of development outcomes.

Sunday, 25 October, 2026 | ISLAMABAD

Pakistan's auto Parts makers warn 1.5m jobs at risk under draft auto Policy 2026-31 PROFIT

STAFF REPORT

The Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the proposed Auto

Policy 2026-31, warning that lower import duties on vehicles and components, alongside incentives for newenergy vehicles, could weaken domestic manufacturing and threaten employment. In a letter dated October 23, PAAPAM Chairman Abdul Rehman Aizaz said the domestic auto parts industry comprised more than 1,200

companies, supported approximately 1.5 million jobs and contributed $1.8 billion annually through import substitution. The association said local manufacturers supplied components worth Rs700 billion to vehicle assemblers and warned that easier access to imported vehicles and parts could undermine investments in

NEWS 03

domestic production. PAAPAM has requested a meeting with the prime minister to present alternative proposals before the policy is finalised. The draft policy proposes phased reductions in import tariffs, export-linked incentives and preferential tax treatment for new-energy vehicles as the government seeks to increase competition and develop the automotive export market. Read This: Pakistan plans tax relief for electric vehicles, higher levies on petrol cars under new auto policy It targets cumulative exports of $6 billion in vehicles and automotive components by 2030-31, with incentives for manufacturers achieving export targets and penalties for those failing to meet them. Proposed sales tax rates include 1% for batteryelectric vehicles, 6% for range-extended electric vehicles and 9% for plug-in hybrids, subject to approval. The proposals have exposed differences among domestic parts suppliers, established vehicle assemblers, importers and manufacturers investing in electric and hybrid technologies. While importers favour lower trade barriers, local manufacturers are concerned that cheaper imported components and completely built-up vehicles could reduce demand for domestically produced parts. The debate comes as Pakistan's automotive market undergoes changes, with Chinese manufacturers introducing new models and technologies into a sector historically dominated by Japanese companies, including Suzuki, Toyota and Honda. The growing presence of conventional, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery-electric and range-extended vehicles has also complicated the industry's position on taxation, localisation and investment incentives. A senior official of a Japanese automobile manufacturer said the industry no longer had a unified position because manufacturers and suppliers were increasingly pursuing different technologies and commercial strategies.

iran blames us for failed deal as trump threatens fresh strikes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Undersea cables carry around 99 per cent of global internet traffic, according to the International Telecommunication Union. However, Alan Mauldin, research director at telecommunications research firm TeleGeography, said less than one per cent of international bandwidth passed through the Strait of Hormuz, limiting the potential global impact of attacks there. The strait separates Iran and Oman and connects the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.The US State Department and Iran's Foreign Ministry did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the officials' remarks. Gulf states had not immediately commented. The threats reflect a position within Iran's leadership that any renewed US military campaign would prompt a stronger response than the country mounted previously. Senior Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei has warned that US-linked digital infrastructure across the Gulf, including data centres and artificial intelligence facilities, could be targeted in a new conflict. One of the Iranian officials said Gulf countries that have invested heavily in such infrastructure should hold Washington, rather than Tehran, responsible for any damage to undersea cables. Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran programme at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said the threats appeared intended to deter renewed conflict by making Gulf governments and US companies concerned about the risks to their investments. “Tehran wants Gulf states and corporate executives to press [US President Donald] Trump over the risks his policies pose to their investment plans,” he said. Multiple cable cuts could slow internet services and disrupt financial transactions, e-commerce and cloud computing. The scale of disruption would depend on how operators rerouted traffic and the capacity available on alternative connections, Mauldin said. Repairs during wartime could prove difficult, while higher insurance costs and delays in obtaining permission to enter territorial waters could further complicate restoration work. The Red Sea could offer a more significant target than the Strait of Hormuz, particularly if Iran received support from its Houthi allies in Yemen. However, Tehran has made no public statement indicating that it plans to target cables in the Red Sea. According to Mauldin, the Red Sea carries data between Europe, East Africa and Asia, accounting for about three per cent of global international demand and around 10 per cent of traffic between regions. Gulf states have invested heavily in technology as part of efforts to diversify their economies beyond oil and establish themselves as global artificial intelligence hubs, deepening ties with American technology companies. Iranian strikes directly hit two Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE in March and damaged infrastructure near one of its facilities in Bahrain. At the height of the conflict that month, the IRGC also named US technology companies, including Microsoft, Google, Apple and Nvidia, as legitimate targets. Land-based connections can provide alternative routes for internet traffic, while Gulf governments and US technology firms are investing in additional infrastructure to improve resilience. Microsoft plans to invest more than $400 million in subsea and terrestrial connectivity across the Middle East by 2030. Separately, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Friday that two tankers had struck naval mines while attempting to use what they described as an “unauthorised route” south of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media. The statement came amid continuing concerns over maritime security and the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in and around the strategic waterway. At the same Florida rally, Trump said he intended to address his concerns about Cuba after the Iran war was settled, signalling that Washington could turn its attention to another regional confrontation. During a 90-minute speech in Fort Myers, he reiterated that further military action against Iran remained possible and discussed measures to address rising oil prices, which have put Republicans under pressure ahead of the midterm elections. Trump also announced plans to spend $250 million to hire at least 5,000 nurses for elder-care facilities across the United States. Turning to Cuba, he suggested that American naval forces returning from the Iran conflict could stop near the island. “We'll have one of them stop about 50 yards off the coast. They'll raise up their hands, and then we're going to send Marco Rubio in to finish up the deal,” he said. Rubio, a former Florida senator, has been handling much of the administration's Cuba policy. Trump won 68 per cent of the Cuban American vote in Florida in the 2024 election, making the community an important political constituency as he seeks to maintain Republican support in the state. The latest developments underscore the widening risks surrounding the Iran conflict, with renewed diplomacy being advocated by Tehran even as both sides signal the possibility of further confrontation and threats extend beyond military targets to shipping and digital infrastructure.

04 COMMENT

ISRAEL’S GLOBAL REACH

Growth or stability?

The World Bank has started pulling in the opposite direction to the IMF

From Latin America to Africa and Asia

ORLD Bank Regional Director Sandeep Mahajan has said that Pakistan should move to growth, now that it had achieved economic stability. This is in apparent contrast to the message from the International Monetary Fund, which says that stability must be achieved. The World Bank has not quite broken with the Washington Consensus, which is dominated by the kind of supply-side economics which the IMF has come to represent, because Mr Mahajan told Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb of the need to sustain these gains through continued reforms and effective implementation. He had commended Pakistan for having come through the current Middle East crisis successfully, which he ascribed to the reform process. This may be a somewhat skewed view though, for while Pakistan has succeeded in sticking by the skin of its teeth to the conditionalities of the current IMF programme, it is also heading towards a recession. This cannot be blamed on the reforms, for the war has sent the entire region in that direction, but it indicates that the reforms were not protection enough. Of course, it can be debated that the coming contraction would have been worse had Pakistan not so slavishly followed the IMF prescriptions, but that is probably something neither Mr Mahajan nor Senator Aurangzeb would care to address. The problem is that Pakistan is faced with a particularly acute need to create jobs, with World Bank President Sanjay Banga proposing a need to create a million jobs a year for the next several years. That social problem (of what to do with the young people coming onto the job market in ever increasing numbers) has an economic solution, of making the economy grow so that the requisite jobs could be created. The World Bank has a natural interest in Pakistan. It has established a long-term $40 billion financing framework spanning a 10-year period (2026–2035) to support structural reforms, macroeconomic stability, and development projects. It has long tied its budgetary support loans to IMF programmes, but it too has seen that stability cannot be a goal in itself, and must be just a springboard for growth. However, the essential problem, that the debt burden cannot be sustained without increasing exports dramatically, was not addressed by Mr Mahajan, even though it is not just key to the debt burden, but also to the question of economic growth and job creation.

Founding Editor

Babar Nizami Editor Profit

privileged national mission. Such claims must be attached to identifiable leaders, movements and decisions. Their political force lies in what they authorize. A government that presents its objectives as beyond legitimate challenge creates conditions in which critics become enemies and civilian suffering becomes an acceptable instrument. International partners then face a choice: impose meaningful limits or help normalize exceptional treatment. Strategic friendship becomes dangerous when it functions as permission to evade accountability. Israel’s international security industry supplies material foundations for its reach. Its defense ministry reported approximately $14.8 billion in new export contracts during 2024. These transactions can establish relationships lasting far beyond delivery. Advanced equipment requires maintenance, training, replacement parts and software. A government purchasing such systems must consider the political implications of relying on an external supplier for essential capabilities. The resulting vulnerability deserves as much attention as the advertised military advantage. Latin America illustrates several pathways through which these relationships develop. Guatemala’s military governments received Israeli arms and assistance during a period of brutal repression. Colombia’s longstanding reliance on Israeli equipment, including Kfir aircraft and Galil rifles, complicated disengagement when diplomatic relations broke down. Argentina under Javier Milei and Honduras under Juan Orlando Hernández supplied prominent diplomatic backing through commitments concerning Jerusalem. Ecuador under Daniel Noboa pursued cooperation across defense, security, agriculture and water. Together, these cases show military, political and developmental relationships creating multiple points of institutional attachment. Elsewhere, diplomatic openings and strategic partnerships expand the network. Bolivia restored relations in December 2025. Venezuela’s foreign ministry confirmed continuing technical cooperation following Israeli earthquake assistance in 2026. Recognition of Somaliland introduced Israel into a sensitive sovereignty dispute in the Horn of Africa. India developed extensive defense cooperation, while Austria established a strategic partnership. These relationships differ, but their cumulative significance is international access across security, technology, development and diplomacy. Each deserves examination for the commitments it creates and the interests it advances. Political lobbying adds another layer. Former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr criticized what he considered excessive pressure from a hardline proIsrael lobby on government policy. His account raises

IsraelÊs international influence deserves sustained scrutiny because power exercised through dispersed institutions can escape the accountability attached to visible force. The response must be concrete: expose the mechanisms, identify the beneficiaries

Arif Nizami (Late) M. A. Niazi

QAMAR BASHIR

SRAEL’S expanding international reach raises a question that governments can no longer comfortably avoid: when does cooperation become dependence, and when does dependence begin to compromise sovereignty? Weapons, surveillance systems, intelligence partnerships, diplomatic advocacy and investment can establish enduring influence inside another country’s institutions. Examined together, these relationships reveal how a state can acquire leverage far beyond its territory without formally governing the societies affected by its decisions. The central issue is the conversion of access into power. A weapons contract opens a relationship with a defence ministry. Technical support creates continuing contact with military personnel. Surveillance technology enters intelligence institutions. Political advocacy cultivates sympathetic decision-makers. Commercial partnerships establish constituencies interested in preserving cooperation. These channels can reinforce one another until challenging the relationship carries significant institutional and political costs. Influence becomes most consequential when governments stop asking whether those costs have narrowed their freedom to act. Ideology matters because it shapes how political leaders justify the exercise of power. Religious nationalism can turn territorial ambitions into sacred obligations and portray compromise as betrayal. Where officials invoke divine entitlement or historical destiny, their language deserves close examination against their policies. The danger is the translation of claims about exceptional entitlement into governmental practice: unequal rights, territorial expansion or the belief that ordinary restraints should yield to a

Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami

Editor Pakistan Today

Stinking oversight

MUJTABA ARSHAD

Reliable connectivity requires both new investment and protection of existing assets. A road that closes for days every monsoon is less valuable, whatever it costs to build. CPEC 2.0 should treat resilience and maintenance as part of corridor competitiveness, not as costs discovered after failure. The basic questions are simple: how many days was the route open last year, why was it closed, and how quickly was service restored? Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965

Karachi – Ph: 021-32640318 I

local activity; review maintenance responsibilities, budgets and emergency procedures; and recommend costed remedies with responsible agencies and monitoring arrangements. The Ministry of Communications and the National Highway Authority should lead, with the Planning Ministry overseeing appraisal rules and the Ministry of Climate Change and the National Disaster Management Authority contributing hazard data. If leadership is unclear, the government should designate a lead through the existing CPEC coordination mechanism rather than create a new mandate. For new projects, the protocol should document four elements: hazard screening; a lifecycle maintenance estimate; a named maintenance agency and identified funding source; and an emergency restoration plan. Existing appraisal forms may accommodate much of this information, subject to confirmation of applicable requirements. Dedicated funding, additional inspectors or alternative routes would need separate budgetary and technical assessment. Major engineering works should follow feasibility studies and cost-benefit analysis. The protocol should track annual closure days by cause, the number and duration of major disruptions, restoration time, maintenance spending against assessed needs, inspection compliance, repair costs and freight volumes affected. It should also record whether contingency plans exist and whether identified weaknesses have been addressed. Establish a baseline before setting targets: routes differ in hazard exposure, traffic and strategic importance. Because records are spread across agencies and some information may be security-sensitive, publish standardized, aggregated results where detailed disclosure is inappropriate. Reliable connectivity requires both new investment and protection of existing assets. A road that closes for days every monsoon is less valuable, whatever it costs to build. CPEC 2.0 should treat resilience and maintenance as part of corridor competitiveness, not as costs discovered after failure. The basic questions are simple: how many days was the route open last year, why was it closed, and how quickly was service restored? The writer is a Research Associate at the Centre of Excellence for CPEC, PIDE Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545

The writer retired as Press Secretary the President, and is former Press Minister at Embassy of Pakistan to France and former MD, Shalimar Recording & Broadcasting Company Limited

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively

Every new CPEC connectivity project needs a climate-risk and maintenance budget

milestones extending into 2027. These are commitments, not proof of completed implementation. Is maintenance adequately funded? An Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank appraisal of road investment provides evidence to examine maintenance needs, but a project-level assessment cannot establish the size of Pakistan’s national maintenance funding gap. For CPEC routes, the government should clarify which requirements apply, who is responsible and how compliance and funding will be monitored. Not every closure is climatic. Floods, earthquakes, security incidents, crashes and ordinary wear require different responses. Records should identify the cause, affected road section, closure duration and restoration time, helping distinguish preventive maintenance from emergency repairs and longer-term adaptation. I propose a Corridor Resilience and Maintenance Protocol for selected priority freight routes. It would complement existing arrangements, not replace them, and begin with an audit rather than engineering works. Routes should be prioritised by strategic importance, disruption history, hazard exposure, economic value and data availability. The KKH is a candidate because of its link to China, but selection should be evidence-based. A desk review of existing records should come first, with field inspections where material risks or information gaps are identified. For each route, the audit would compile closure, repair and spending records; identify vulnerable sections; estimate effects on freight and

a fundamental democratic question: can elected officials exercise independent judgment when organized advocacy enjoys privileged access to executive leadership? The answer requires examining meetings, funding, communications and policy changes. Citizens should know whether decisions reflect publicly defensible national interests or pressure operating beyond effective scrutiny. Surveillance exposes an especially intrusive form of power. Citizen Lab has documented Pegasus attacks involving journalists and human rights defenders. Such capabilities can penetrate the communications through which societies investigate corruption and organize opposition. Responsibility extends through the supply chain, from developers and licensing authorities to purchasing agencies and political leadership. Governments that conceal surveillance abuses cannot credibly claim to protect the freedoms those abuses undermine. Economic sovereignty requires equally rigorous scrutiny. Banking infrastructure, telecommunications, investment platforms and critical software should be examined for ownership, access rights, contractual dependence and security vulnerabilities. Claims about foreign control must be established through records and technical evidence. Governments should identify who can access sensitive information, interrupt essential services or influence strategic decisions. Confidential contracts cannot substitute for public accountability where national systems and citizens’ rights are at stake. The USA provides the principal institutional foundation of Israel’s strategic support. Its longstanding military-assistance framework makes clear that international protection rests on identifiable decisions by legislators and administrations. Those decisions carry responsibility. Officials cannot authorize assistance and then treat its foreseeable consequences as someone else’s concern. An alliance becomes a mechanism of impunity when support continues without meaningful examination of conduct. Gaza gives this argument its moral urgency. UN satellite analysis based on July 2025 imagery identified damage affecting approximately 78 percent of structures. The scale demands answers from Israeli authorities and the governments sustaining their military and diplomatic position. Palestinian rights cannot remain subordinate to the convenience of strategic partnerships. International standards lose their authority when powerful relationships determine whose suffering produces consequences. Every government should therefore audit its dependencies, disclose sensitive agreements, investigate unlawful surveillance and scrutinize political influence. Where relationships facilitate abuse or compromise independent decision-making, they should be restricted, renegotiated or ended through lawful processes. Sovereignty requires the capacity to refuse. Israel’s international influence deserves sustained scrutiny because power exercised through dispersed institutions can escape the accountability attached to visible force. The response must be concrete: expose the mechanisms, identify the beneficiaries and impose enforceable limits. No government should enjoy exceptional permission to override another society’s independence or another people’s rights.

Editor’s mail

Build It, Then Keep It Open

N 20 May 2026, the National Highway Authority said the Karakoram Highway (KKH) was completely closed between Boshidas and Tatta Pani after rain, landslides and mudflows. Earlier that month, landslides at Jijal, Pattan and other nullahs in Kohistan and Shangla had stranded travellers and queued freight trucks. In August 2025, a glacial lake outburst flood swept away a bridge and sections of the same road, cutting the route to Khunjerab Pass. The KKH links Gilgit-Baltistan— and through it China— to the rest of Pakistan. CPEC 2.0’s Regional Connectivity Corridor depends on routes like it. Yet I could find no published series showing how many days the road is closed each year, how long restoration takes, or how much is spent keeping it open. That information gap is a policy problem. Closures can delay deliveries, make journey times uncertain and raise freight costs. For communities, they can interrupt access to markets and essential services. The aim is not to eliminate every disruption, but to reduce avoidable closures, shorten restoration times and make risks measurable. Pakistan already has a climate-risk framework for public investment. In 2024, the Planning Commission approved the Handbook on Climate Risk Screening for Policy Planning alongside an updated Manual for Development Projects and revised PC-I to PC-V forms. The PC-I proforma includes a Climate Change and Environmental section, while the handbook sets out screening and further assessment for projects exposed to climate hazards. The challenge is to translate these appraisal requirements into decisions about the design, maintenance and operation of strategic transport routes. Two questions remain. Are the rules consistently influencing project selection and design? IMF programme documents set out commitments to strengthen climate screening for major infrastructure projects and publish consolidated reports on assessments, with implementation

Sunday, 25 October, 2026

THE Karachi chapter of the Arts Council of Pakistan has earned a reasonable reputation as a place where arts and culture are allowed to flourish and thrive. This is definitely good for society at large, and those running the show deserve due acknowledgment. However, the job is apparently so hectic, time-consuming and stressful that the administration is unable to find the time or the focus to keep its washrooms clean. I recently had the misfortune of visiting the place after several years in connection with a fund-raising event for a charity hospital in Karachi’s Koohi Goth area. The programme, which also featured an Urdu theater play, lasted a few hours. Visiting the washrooms, as such, was an inevitability that could not be put on hold beyond a limit. To call the smell merely ‘foul’ would be a rank understatement. All sorts of adjectives hit my senses the moment I stepped in. Pungent, acrid, putrid, acerbic, stinking and many more; all blended into one ‘Arts Councilish’ odour. It was noxious to the point of being obnoxious. I am sure the cause of arts and culture can still be served with clean and fragrant washrooms. All that the administration has to do is to at least try. Once it does, it will be surprised to know that the two targets are not mutually exclusive. Just try. DR SYED SHAH TALHA IQBAL KARACHI

Karachi collapse

THE latest Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index has ranked Karachi 170th out of 173 cities. Sadly, this comes as no surprise to those of us who live here. I have travelled across Pakistan, and I can say with confidence that no other major city is in such a poor state. Karachi no longer feels like a city; it feels like a vast, neglected slum. Every day we deal with broken roads, garbage piling up, and water and electricity shortages. Despite all this, the Sindh government keeps making tall claims. But the truth is plain to see. The provincial government’s performance is all around us, and it is pathetic. Karachi has incredible potential, and its people are hardworking and resilient. We need serious action and real leadership before things get even worse. The recent Karachi ranking should be an eye-opener for the Sindh government. But I think this is something too much to ask. SAAD ALI KARACHI

Tax houdinis

IRRESPECTIVE of which political party, or dictator, happens to be at the helm of affairs at any given point in time, the targets of political economy have always overruled economic imperatives. Those who have the muscle and the clout continue to evade taxes under state patronage. Beyond rhetoric, no government has ever done anything concrete to make the elite pay taxes. To fill the gap, all that the governments have ever done is to impose indirect taxes, which is a way of passing on the burden to those who survive from pay-cheque to pay-cheque, and those who afford nothing more than two square meals a day and some level of basic education for their children. All through the subsequent year, they hear the usual pep talk of the ruling elite that justice would be done the next year. After all, someone has to make a sacrifice, and it seems it is their destiny to be the nation’s sacrificial lambs. The lower and middle classes of the country must be prepared to make sacrifices for the nation so that our non-tax-paying elite continue to lead their luxurious lifestyles, be beneficiaries of subsidised land allotments, play golf and, of course, spend their vacations abroad. MALIK TARIQ ALI LAHORE

Web: www.pakistantoday.com.pk

Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk

CommeNt 05

A Tale of Two Elections (and a President Elect) Sunday, 25 october, 2026

Israeli polls and US midterms will determine events NAQI AKBAR

HE international scene is likely to be guided by two elections; one electing a new government in a state and the other deciding the mid term ranking of another government. Yet another President elected in a third country; the political trend he claims to represent is likely to determine the future course of world peace, economy, geopolitics, down to which price will be on our respective macro- or micro-energy needs; not to talk of the global political fallout of these developments. Israel is going to elect a new Knesset and Prime Minister for a fresh term. Given the centrestage the Jewish state had occupied for the last three years, much of the tenure of the sitting PM Benjamin Netanyahu, the significance of the election and possible reelection of the sitting PM is likely to predict what is in store for the region in particular and the world at large. The October 27 Israeli elections are likely to decide what the Israeli electorate is thinking with a very specific context, what the common man on the street thinks about the IDF-CENTCOM coalition against Iran. If the Netanyahu party is reelected on the back of the credit of crippling Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran and the resistance as a whole, that would mean that the Israeli electorate is buying the dominant narrative. If the elections bring up Neftali Bennet as the new PM, even then as the media reports suggest, not much is going to change for good, as all the Israeli political spectrum has been conditioned to follow the dominant narrative. Assuming that the Israeli state position is not going to change for good with respect to the Middle East politics or specifically Iran; the likely scenario will be of a coordinated strike divided tactically between the USA and the IDF. Many observers feel that the initial strike specifically for the regime

change will be carried out by the IDF with tactical support from the CENTCOM. That strike can be followed up by more devastating strikes carried out by the CENTCOM. The reason for that series of strikes is simple; a regime change promised a year ago to the US electorate has been finally carried out with success. That strike has two dividends for those carrying out that. Firstly, they will be crippling the regime to an extent that it might not survive what it was able to in June 2025 and March 2026. Secondly, even if the regime is able to survive again on the basis of the mosaic doctrine tested successfully during the 40=days war in the spring of 2026, the element within the regime will be there to play out the final act. Here comes the role of the ‘President Elect’ in the theatre. The reformist administration in Iran; which has been responsible for at least two attritions with the IDF in June 2025 and again in March 2026; both times as the radical Iranian media claims that both times the agreement was supposedly about to be reached, but each time that agreement was shattered in the face of the rain of missiles from US carriers or IDF jets. The friction within the Iranian corridors of power in the aftermath of the Pakistani brokered peace or halt in the hostilities between the IDF-CENTCOM coalition and the IRGC-led resistance to the aforementioned strikes is well known. Rather the term IRGC-led resistance is given credence on the count, the fact repeated many times on these pages that the IRGC command structure was decapitated both during the June 2025 onslaught and again during March 2026; while the reform infrastructure was more or less unharmed, so those who later emerged from the rubble were advocating peace. It was not a coincidence that the elusive supreme leader Mojtaba, unlike his late father Ali, did not give the reformists a blank check to negotiate any type of peace deal with the USA, rather he made it clear publicly that he was ‘not sold’ on the MoU,

The scenario between October 27, the Israeli elections and the US ones on November 3 or 4 will actually define what can be the strategy of the US forces. Consequently the pendulum of influence between the Reform camp led by Zarif and the Resistance Group led by Mojtaba will settle how Iran responds, and the trajectory of events

rather he allowed the talks to continue on the personal assurance of the ‘President Elect’. The supreme leader’s public declaration in June has in fact put a halt on a free rein the reform group had previously till February 28. However, a complete halt could only be managed by the Supreme Leader, when the national security advisor was appointed after much neglect in the filling of that post, in the person of former IRGC chief Mohsen Rezai. Practically, the room for the dialogue which the reformists wanted is fast depleting or one can say the window for a peace treaty between the USA and Iran is fast closing down; at least on the conditions which the USA wants. There is an increasing skepticism amongst the younger Iranian generation; with whom the reformist narrative should have resonated, but the fact is that they also suspect that all the USA is after is a ‘Surrender like Japan, Germany or possibly like Venezuela’. A geopolitical analyst, Hamzah Safavi, did not mince words when he said the word negotiations was misleading as the other side was only interested in the complete capitulation. This was smelled initially by the radical nocturnal crowd on main Tehran streets and later validated by the supreme leader. So, what can be the likely scenarios? Regime change has proven to be the Achilles’ heel for the USA and IDF. They will be more than inclined to launch strikes, surgical strikes which decapitate the regime’s radical element, and decapitate the defence capabilities of the ‘Artesh’ and the IRGC. The most likely scenario can be the

The October 27 Israeli elections are likely to decide what the Israeli electorate is thinking with a very specific context, what the common man on the street thinks about the IDF-CENTCOM coalition against Iran haste in the act of surrender by the reformist camp, pleading that more damage to the country's infrastructure cannot be afforded. That thought process has its basis in coordinated media management. The threats of stone age coupled with willingness of the reform camp; both veterans as well as the new converts, forced the Artesh and the IRGC to let the pressure off the hook. It may be pointed out that contrary to the general impression of a dismal state of IRIAF, that branch of Artesh was able to inflict damage on the US satellite infrastructure in March. That scenario can be repeated again; a complete decapitation of the leadership coupled with defence capability and then what is left of the ‘peace crowd’ may ink a surrender document. Here it would be important to note if the pressure campaign simultaneously applied to force Iran to capitulate is not successful. There is ample reason that the USA is monitoring the situation and the recent missions to Tehran by the like-minded regional military leaders to assess what is

transpiring in Tehran. The recent headlines about Mohsen Rezai's response to the Pakistani delegation or personality in a way also indicate the future trajectory of the events. With Rezai's stance 180 degrees at variance from the reformist intent, the likely scenario is of war, if there is no regime change. As the scenario develops, regime change will still be a far-fetched dream on part of the IDF and CENTCOM. What can be contemplated can be either a ferocious air campaign followed by stalemate in the ground war. Towards that end; the Iranian seem to be more battle hardened. The scenario between October 27, the Israeli elections and the US ones on November 3 or 4 will actually define what can be the strategy of the US forces. Consequently the pendulum of influence between the Reform camp led by Zarif and the Resistance Group led by Mojtaba will settle how Iran responds, and the trajectory of events. The writer is a freelance columnist

Can Netanyahu pull oﬀ a win in Israel’s election? THE GUARDIAN JONATHAN FREEDLAND

HEY chant his name, they cheer and clap – and yet he is not the most dominant person in the room. Looming over the crowd that has gathered to hear Gadi Eisenkot, the former general who is the lead opposition challenger in Tuesday’s Israeli election, is a man who is not there. It is the man Eisenkot seeks to replace as prime minister, the man who first served in that role three decades ago and who has held it, on and off, for 19 of the past 30 years. It is Benjamin Netanyahu. Naturally, the warm-up speakers at this evening rally in the modest city of Modi’in, halfway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, stress the virtues of Eisenkot, a son of working-class Moroccan Jews who rose through the ranks to become chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces and entered politics only four years ago. But every sentence might as well end with two words that go unspoken: unlike Bibi. Even the name of Eisenkot’s party, Yashar, meaning straight or direct, carries the implied contrast with Netanyahu, who is regarded by friends and enemies alike as a maestro of the darkest political arts. When Eisenkot calls for “a country without lies”, when he calls for “responsibility and leading by example”, when he suggests US-style term limits for the role of prime minister, “because power corrupts”, everyone knows what – and who – he means. None of this comes with rhetorical fire or theatrical panache. But the lack of charisma serves only to emphasise that Eisenkot is every inch the un-Bibi. “I think that’s an advantage,” Noa Sadeh, 56, told me after Wednesday night’s rally. “I’m fed up with people who know how to talk – like Bibi. We need someone who will do the doing part.” Spotting a journalist with a notebook, David Nadler, 74, a retired colonel who served under Eisenkot, insisted I write down the word “integrity”, meaning “he says something, he means it, he will do it”. Another sentence ending with those silent words: unlike Bibi. It’s hard to overstate Netanyahu’s dominance not only over this campaign but over Israeli politics and political culture. The two blocs in this election are not left and right but Bibi and anti-Bibi. The latter camp includes at least two figures – the former PM Naftali Bennett and the Moldova-born Avigdor Lieberman – whose natural home is on the nationalist right and who both once worked closely with Netanyahu, only to fall out with him spectacularly. Almost every political figure is defined, or defines themselves, in relation to Netanyahu. Eisenkot offers himself as the antidote, but listen to the pitch made by the far right and it too is all about the prime minister. Netanyahu is like a shopping trolley, says Yishai Fleisher, of Itamar Ben-Gvir’s

Yes, the polls are deadlocked and, yes, Netanyahu is a political magician, but the sight and sound of those young people, like the queues for planes home, have given at least some Israelis the hope that change might be coming – that the age of Bibi might, at last, be drawing to a close Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, to a group of about 30 orthodox voters in a study hall in Bet Shemesh on Thursday evening. “He has a tendency to go left, so you have to pull him to the right.” Fleischer makes the case for yet more Jewish settlements in the West Bank, to say nothing of settling Gaza; for a “ministry of emigration” that will encourage the “voluntary” departure of Palestinians; for the death penalty; for ever harsher treatment of Palestinian prisoners; for putting more guns and more ammunition into the hands of Jewish Israeli civilians – but all in the context of strengthening the resolve of a new Netanyahu-led coalition. On the right, Ben-Gvir is a moon that is rising, but Netanyahu is still the sun. Partly, that’s a function of sheer longevity. But it’s also down to Netanyahu’s undimmed ability to set the political agenda. Even in this election, he has demarcated the terrain on which battle is fought. His latest poster campaign offers voters a rhyming choice of Yamin, meaning the right, or Falastin, meaning Palestine. On the right side is, of course, his own face and the Israeli flag; on the other, the leaders of the opposition parties, including Bennett and Lieberman who are adamantly opposed to a Palestinian state, all of them surrounding two heads of parties that represent Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up about a fifth of the country’s population. The message is not subtle: vote for me, or you’ll get the Arabs. Indeed, the closing weeks of the campaign have centred on the question of whether the anti-Netanyahu bloc of Jewish Israeli parties – currently forecast to do better than the Netanyahu bloc but to fall short of an overall majority in the Knesset – will do some kind of parliamentary deal with the mainly Arab parties, most of which have, historically, both refused to join Israeli governments and not been invited. Backed by that chunk of the media that is loudly and vociferously pro-Netanyahu, most notably the Fox News wannabe Channel 14, Netanyahu has succeeded in putting his opponents on the defensive. A rare exception to that pattern came just this week when a Netanyahu uber-loyalist, Channel 14’s Yinon Magal, characterised

Eisenkot as a Moroccan “monkey”. The racial slur was so crude that had it been used by the left to describe a politician of the right, it would have had Netanyahu denouncing Ashkenazi elitism from the rooftops (even though Netanyahu is, of course, a privileged scion of the Ashkenazi elite). Tellingly, while the warm-up speakers in Modi’in mentioned the “monkey” remark, Eisenkot himself did not. To his admirers, that was the mark of a decent man reluctant to follow his opponents into the gutter. To the doubters, it was a sign of a politician still playing by Marquess of Queensbury rules – one who doesn’t quite appreciate what, or rather who, he is up against. For an outside observer, the most puzzling question about this Israeli election is: how is this even close? How can the polls be showing the two blocs, pro- and anti-Netanyahu, neck and neck? Abroad, many will be baffled that Netanyahu can still be in contention given the devastation his government brought down upon Gaza, flattening much of the territory and killing more than 70,000 Palestinians, even if, as Israel says, one-third of them were Hamas combatants. But even inside Israel, where the impact of the war on the people of Gaza is all too rarely discussed, it is no less of a riddle that Netanyahu is a serious candidate in these elections, let alone one who could emerge on top. To start with the most elemental fact, the biggest disaster in the country’s history happened on his watch. The massacres inflicted on civilian Israel on 7 October 2023, at the Nova music festival and at a string of southern kibbutzim, are still fresh in the memory. Stickers depicting the faces of those killed on that day adorn bus stops and railway platforms from one end of the country to the other. As Oded Levi, who voted for Netanyahu in 2022 but was in the Modi’in crowd for Eisenkot, put it: “Whoever was prime minister [then] is responsible. He has to go. For this reason alone, we need a change.” But it hardly ends there. Netanyahu promised a war that would destroy and eradicate Hamas. That didn’t happen. Instead, Israel destroyed its own international reputation, leaving the country isolated and fast becoming a pariah state. Netanyahu promised to destroy Iran’s nuclear threat and

that too didn’t happen. Add to that the “judicial coup” in the months before 7 October, where Netanyahu tried to weaken the restraint on his power represented by the supreme court, thereby splitting Israel in two, and the Qatargate scandal, in which his closest aides stand accused of taking money from Doha in return for boosting Qatar’s image. Along with his ongoing corruption trial, it all adds up to the mystery of why Netanyahu was not counted out long ago. Any explanation begins with the loyalty of his base, built over three decades. Their support for him is unshakeable, unmoved even by reports that Netanyahu received credible warnings of a Hamas attack on 7 October and failed to act. They are kept on side by the PM’s enduring skill in crafting a narrative, in the case of 7 October, that everyone else is to blame except him, that he was kept in the dark by army and intelligence chiefs acting out of incompetence or something more sinister, a baseless claim advanced by his “poison machine” of media and online outriders. And he remains a consummate political operator, so gifted in the business of divide and rule that many can foresee him playing the coalition arithmetic on Wednesday morning far better than any of his rivals. Still, that prospect has prompted a fierce reaction, one whose intensity can be felt thousands of miles from Israel. In the departure lounges of airports around the globe, you can find expat Israelis, many of them liberal and secular, heading home to vote on Tuesday. I saw it for myself as I travelled in a plane packed with those who felt it their duty to fly back and cast a vote to remove Netanyahu. That’s a group not picked up by pollsters and, who knows, in a contest that could turn on the fate of just one of the Knesset’s 120 seats, it may make a difference. Some of that same determination was visible at the state ceremony in Jerusalem on Thursday marking the anniversary of the as-

sassination in 1995 of the former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, remembered still as a would-be peacemaker gunned down before a lasting accord with the Palestinians could be struck. It was not well attended – Netanyahu stayed away and sent a low-ranking minister – and it was tempting to view it as further evidence of how far to the right Israel has shifted in these past three decades, in this age of Bibi. Here were the luminaries of the old Israeli left, gathered in a burial ground. And yet, Yair Golan, the leader of the Democrats, successor party of Rabin’s, was dismissive of such talk. A former general who served with Eisenkot, and a hero of 7 October who drove south to rescue people in his own car that fateful day, Golan told me: “I’m optimistic. I never went into battle thinking ‘all right, I’m going to be killed, I’m going to be wounded’. No, I’m going to win, and we are going to win.” Golan even believes he and his fellow opposition leaders can agree on the beginnings of “some sort of a regional, strategic process in order to bring security for the long run”. He didn’t use the words “peace process”, but it’s clear what he meant. The word “peace” became tainted for many Israelis, associated with moves such as the 2005 withdrawal from Gaza which Netanyahu and his allies have succeeded in casting as an early step on the road to 7 October. And yet it has not vanished. A video went viral earlier in the week showing scores of young Israelis at a Negev music festival dancing and singing to Shir LaShalom, the song for peace, the anthem of those 1990s peace efforts and the last song Rabin sang before he was shot leaving a peace rally 31 years ago. Yes, the polls are deadlocked and, yes, Netanyahu is a political magician, but the sight and sound of those young people, like the queues for planes home, have given at least some Israelis the hope that change might be coming – that the age of Bibi might, at last, be drawing to a close.

06 NEWS

SAudI-led CoAlItIon SAyS It deStroyed HoutHI bAllIStIC mISSIleS fIred towArdS yAnbu, tAIf

ADEN

AGENCIES

Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis said it destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the group towards Taif and Yanbu on Saturday, as fighting between the sides continued. Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence on Saturday briefly issued alerts warning of potential danger in Taif and Yanbu, as well as the holy city of Makkah and its second-largest city Jeddah. The service issued notices around 10 minutes later saying the danger had passed. Two children killed, three civilians wounded in Houthi attacks in Taiz Two children were killed, three civilians wounded and four people abducted in

Sunday, 25 October 2026 | ISLAMABAD

Houthi attacks in Yemen's southwestern Taiz province over 24 hours, a rights group said. In a statement, the Yemen Network for Rights and Freedoms said it had "documented 21 crimes and violations by the Houthis over the past 24 hours in Taiz governorate," including the firing of around 213 projectiles at residential areas. "Three civilians, including two women, sustained various injuries, while four other residents were abducted and taken to unknown locations," the group said. The network also accused the Houthis of continuing their siege and restrictions on civilian movement and the delivery of essential supplies. It said the Houthis raided and looted three homes in the al-Hujariya area south of Taiz and damaged seven others, including two that were completely destroyed. The rights group called on the interna-

tional community to "take action to protect Taiz residents from repeated shelling and the siege," warning that residents and health facilities were becoming less able to cope with the crisis. The Houthis did not immediately comment on the allegations. A day earlier, the Saudi-led coalition said that its air defences had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Houthi group toward the Saudi capital Riyadh. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said in a statement on the US social media platform X that a ballistic missile had been intercepted and destroyed, without providing details on its origin or intended target. The coalition, formally known as the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, has been fighting the Houthi group in Yemen. The developments come amid a military

escalation that began in July, described as the most extensive since the relative calm following a truce launched in April 2022. Since October 5, Yemeni government forces have been conducting Operation Dawn of Yemen, which Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi said aims to regain control of state institutions from the Houthis and recapture the capital, Sanaa. Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized Sanaa and several other provinces in 2014, prompting a Saudiled coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government. The Houthis control much of northern and western Yemen, while government forces and their allies hold Aden and large parts of the country's southern and eastern provinces.

Rescue eﬀorts continue after M7.0 quake in China's Xizang BEIJING

AGENCIES

Rescue and relief efforts continue after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Baqen County of the city of Nagqu in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, local authorities said Saturday. The earthquake,

which struck at 10:33 p.m. on Thursday, has left 16 people dead and 76 others injured. The quake has also damaged or destroyed 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds. As of 11 a.m. Saturday, all 76 injured people were receiving timely medical treatment, with five of the 11 people initially classified as seriously injured having improved to mild

conditions, according to the local emergency command headquarters. Meanwhile, relief supplies and rescue personnel continue to arrive in the affected areas. As of 11 a.m. Saturday, 52,450 items or sets of disaster relief supplies had been sent to the quake zone, with more than 2,500 rescue personnel engaged in relief operations.

France deploys 70,000 police to try to contain nationwide protests LYON, FRANCE AGENCIES

Demonstrators took to the streets of France on Saturday under the watch of 70,000 police officers, with unrest appearing markedly less severe than a week earlier despite scattered confrontations in several cities. Tens of thousands of people marched peacefully through the French capital, according to police numbers, denouncing the high cost of living and accusing President Emmanuel Macron of cutting public services while failing to tackle rising inequality. "Down with the state, the police and the fascists," some of the flag-waving crowds chanted. Elsewhere, police fired tear gas at people in Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lille and Nice, where a water cannon was deployed after protesters refused orders to pull back. In France's second and third cities, Marseille and Lyon, clashes broke out between hooded youths and police. The government deployed 10,000 more police and gendarmes than on October 17, when nationwide protests descended into some of the worst unrest in France in years. "We have to be ultra, ultra responsive," said Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, who has accused farleft groups and criminal gangs of fomenting violence. Nunez told reporters that police had arrested 135 people nationwide by early afternoon, many following pre-emptive searches that he said had uncovered fireworks, ball bearings and other items that could be used as weapons. SHOPS AND MUSEUM SHUT Much of central Paris took on the appearance of a city under lockdown, with shopkeepers boarding up storefronts, museums closing their doors and more than 20 metro stations shut. Business groups urged retailers to remain closed after thousands of shops and businesses were damaged or looted across France last weekend. "There are hardly any customers, so it's not really worth staying open," said Oskar, manager of a Kiton boutique in Paris. Several of the capital's best-known cultural institutions, including the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay and the Paris Opera, closed for the day as a precaution, leaving tourists frustrated. French security forces fanned out across Paris on Saturday ahead of protests that authorities fear could turn violent, with Interior Minister Laurent Nunez urging police to be "hyper-reactive" against troublemakers and looters.

China's token prices double, usage triples amid AI application boom: report BEIJING

AGENCIES

Prices for Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) large model token services have doubled from the second half of 2025, while usage amount tripled. The average daily token use reached about 500 trillion in June 2026 nearly four times the level in December 2025, according to a latest report. Analysts said that the combination of higher prices and sharply higher usage signals that demand for AI models is now strong enough to absorb a price recovery - and that the industry is moving toward competition on service quality. Domestic AI model suppliers continued to roll out more capable models for customers, including Moonshot AI and ByteDance's Volcengine, which released their latest new AI models on Saturday. The report released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) described the market as rising in both price and volume. The report was motivated in part by the growing number of MaaS (Model as a Service) providers supplying token services through public cloud APIs (application programming interfaces), and by users' lack of intuitive benchmarks for service performance and the resulting difficulty in choosing models.

NEWS 07

Sunday, 25 October 2026 | ISLAMABAD

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Karachi: England’s Curtis Malik and Egypt’s Yassin Shawdy face each other in the first semi-final of the Venice ABC Open International Squash Championship. The English player emerged victorious in this match. PR

Nestlé Pakistan and LUMS launch Executive Training ‘Regenerative Agriculture: Leading the Nestlé Way’

LAHORE

BENEFITS oF LoW-CoST DEVELoPMENT SCHEMES LIkE APNI CHHAT, APNA GHAR RECoGNISED WoRLDWIDE: CM MARyAM NAWAz

LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

HIEF Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, in her special message on World Development Information Day, said access to development-related information was a public right and an informed population was a hallmark of progress. She said World Development Information Day highlighted the need to raise public awareness about digital literacy. Accurate information about development initiatives was essential to eliminating corruption and ensuring that the benefits of public welfare schemes reached people directly. The chief minister said the provision of accurate information through digital technology could help achieve sustainable development goals. A just society could be built by disseminating accurate information and raising public awareness about development affairs. She said accurate data from the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry was helping eliminate poverty and deprivation while ensuring effective development. Maryam Nawaz said a historic era of development had begun in Punjab, with progress reaching every city, town and village. The construction and rehabilitation of more than 45,000 kilometres of roads and the establishment of state-of-the-art Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics were

prominent examples of this progress. She said equitable development across the province could uplift underprivileged segments of society. The chief minister said the people of Punjab were strongly encouraging the provincial government's development projects. She added that the benefits of low-cost development schemes such as Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar had been recognised worldwide. Maryam Nawaz Sharif said the Information Department was rendering valuable services to raise public awareness about development initiatives. Development support communication laid the

foundation for progress, and measures were being taken to ensure public access to development-related information. CM Maryam Nawaz reaffirms commitment to complete eradication of polio from Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, in her message on World Polio Day, reaffirmed her commitment to the complete eradication of polio disease from Punjab, declaring frontline polio workers national heroes and paying tribute to their dedication and services. “Alhamdulillah, Punjab is poliofree,” the chief minister said, urging parents and communities to extend full

STAFF REPORT

Nestlé Pakistan, LUMS Rausing Executive Development Centre (REDC), and the Syed Babar Ali Foundation have come together to launch a multi-year Executive Training Program “Regenerative Agriculture: Leading the Nestlé Way”. This program will be aimed at developing knowledge and leadership in regenerative agriculture, in line with Nestlé’s commitment to advancing resilient food systems, environmental stewardship, and agricultural prosperity in Pakistan.Regenerative Agriculture: Leading the Nestlé Way training program comprises of two cohorts in a year developing holistic understanding of regenerative agriculture, from soil health, water stewardship and crop nutrition to energy efficiency, emissions reduction and farm economics. The program will also focus on building advocates and encouraging innovation and agripreneurship, with the broader objective of advancing farm economics and empowering youth to drive innovation.The program, launched as a tribute to Syed Babar Ali’s 100 Years of Impact, was formalized through a charter-signing ceremony between Nestlé Pakistan, LUMS and the Syed Babar Ali Foundation as a celebration to mark Syed Babar Ali’s enduring legacy of leadership, service and excellence.

Several areas gain loadshed exemption following network review KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

Timely bill payments on the part of customers and consistent efforts to reduce electricity theft have resulted in several areas gaining the status of loadshed exempt as K-Electric announced the quarterly review of its network.A significant number of areas that have become loadshed exempt and transitioned from the ‘medium loss’ to ‘low loss’ category include parts of Korangi such as Abdullah Shah Noorani Colony, Pak Ittehad Colony, Zaman Town, and Sectors 48-A, B, C, D, and E, as well as areas belonging to Azizabad including Block 2 and 8 – Federal B Area, Bhangoria Goth, Block 9 Yasinabad, and Naimat Colony. Also falling in this category are Kyani Shaheed and Randle Road, APWA Complex Road, Jubilee Cloth Market, and Biltistani Mohalla Jacob Lines. Other areas include Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Colony, Altaf Town, and Deh Dih Tapo Ibrahim Hyderi Goth. Some parts of SITE area, as well as Sectors L-1 and 5-D from Surjani Town have also transitioned into this category. This progress has been enabled by lower Aggregated Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and engagement with local area representatives, facilitating customers with timely bill payments, which have all led to a positive shift in their feeder profiles.

National and international organizations collaborate on Islamic investment competition for women at Iqra University KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

The Iqra University Centre for Excellence in Islamic FinTech (IU CEIF), in collaboration with ZLK Islamic Financial Services formally launched “Empowered Women, Ethical Investments” as a nationwide Islamic investment competition designed to promote financial literacy, responsible saving habits, Shariah-compliant investments and financial empowerment among female university students, faculty and staff across Pakistan.Unlike conventional academic competitions, “Empowered Women, Ethical Investments” provides participants with an opportunity to gain hands-on exposure to Shariah-compliant investment practices through financial literacy sessions, digital investment tools, real-time market information and guided learning activities.Introducing the competition, he emphasized its unique approach of taking participants through a practical learning journey, beginning with financial awareness and developing saving habits, followed by informed investment decisions, responsible wealth creation and greater access to financial opportunities.A memorandum of understanding was signed by IU CEIF, the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI).

CBD Punjab And Ruda Showcase Landmark Projects To Saudi Investors At Three-Day Sprex 2026 LAHORE

cooperation to polio teams in the fight against the disease. She said refusing polio vaccination amounted to denying children a better and safer future. The full cooperation of parents and every member of society was essential to achieving complete eradication of polio and building a healthy society. The chief minister said polio drops were completely safe, effective and vital for protecting children's lives and health. She urged parents to ensure that children under five received two drops of the polio vaccine during every vaccination campaign. By the grace of Allah Almighty, no polio case had been reported in Punjab so far this year, she said, adding that the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre and the Health Department were actively working to ensure the complete eradication of the disease. Under the anti-polio campaign, more than 10 million children under the age of five had been administered polio drops in 13 high-risk districts, she said. Regular antipolio campaigns were also being conducted in Lahore and other districts of Punjab. Preparations had been completed for the Sub-National Polio Campaign scheduled to run from November 2 to 8, 2026, in selected districts of Punjab, alongside the nationwide campaign. The chief minister said environmental samples were being continuously tested across the province to monitor and prevent the spread of the virus.

AI is now a defining ethical challenge for the accountancy profession

STAFF REPORT

The Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA), also known as Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab), and the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) showcased their landmark development projects, investment opportunities and future urban development plans at the three-day Saudi-Pak Real Estate Expo (SPREX) 2026, attracting strong interest from Saudi investors and members of the international business community. Through their joint pavilion, CBD Punjab and RUDA presented Punjab’s emerging commercial destinations, modern infrastructure initiatives and planned urban developments, highlighting the province’s potential for real estate investment, business expansion and strategic international partnerships. The expo was inaugurated by Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan and brought together prominent Pakistani and Saudi dignitaries, investors and business repAmong the resentatives.

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

distinguished participants were Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan H.E. Dr. Rajeh Tami Al-Baqami, Chairman of the Saudi Pak Business Council H.H. Prince Mansour bin Mohammad Al-Saud, and Dr. Gohar Ijaz, Member of the Saudi-Pak Business Council (Pakistan Chapter). During the event, the distinguished guests visited the joint pavilion of CBD Punjab and RUDA. CEO CBD Punjab and RUDA Imran Amin introduced them to the teams of both authorities and briefed them on their flag-

Vice President of Pakistan Chapter of Pakistan-US Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Laid to Rest LAHORE

STAFF REPORT

Rana Khurram Ali, Vice President of the Pakistan Chapter of the Pakistan-US Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, was laid to rest.Ali died in an accident on Sunday when his vehicle plunged into a ravine while travelling from Muzaffarabad to Neelum Valley. His wife sustained serious injuries in the accident.US Chargé d’Affaires in Pakistan Natalie Baker expressed her condolences over the death of Rana Khurram Ali. She also wished his wife a speedy recovery and paid tribute to the deceased for his efforts to promote trade relations between Pakistan and the United States.A large number of people from various walks of life attended his funeral prayers, including Naveed Anwar Chaudhry, President of the Pakistan-US Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce; Tariq Karim, Pakistan’s ambassador to Myanmar and former Consul General in Chicago; MQM central leader Zahid Malik; Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Haji Nawaz Raza.

ship projects, development progress, strategic planning and investment prospects. Waseem Siddiq, Director Marketing, CBD Punjab, and Sheheryar Rana, Director Sales and Marketing, RUDA, represented their respective authorities in presenting the projects and engaging with visitors. They highlighted the development vision, key project features and investment opportunities offered by both authorities, facilitating interaction with Saudi investors and international business representatives.

Renowned Educationist and PSI Founder Shabnam Ashraf Laid to Rest ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Mrs. Shabnam Ashraf, a renowned educationist and visionary founder of Preparatory School Islamabad (PSI), was laid to rest on Tuesday evening at the age of 80 following a prolonged illness.A large number of people from all walks of life, including teachers, parents, students and well-wishers, attended her Namaz-e-Janaza, which was offered in H-11, Islamabad.She is survived by her husband, Mr. Saad Ashraf, three daughters and grandchildren. She also leaves behind countless students whose lives she touched and whose futures she helped shape through her lifelong commitment to education.Her passing marks the end of a remarkable life dedicated to nurturing young minds and advancing educational excellence. However, her vision, values and enduring contributions will continue to inspire generations of students, educators and all those who had the privilege of knowing her.Mrs. Ashraf’s most enduring legacy is Preparatory School Islamabad, which she founded 36 years ago with a vision of providing quality education and fostering the intellectual and personal development of young learners.

Sadia Taimoor inaugurates Furniture, Living Expo 2026 in Lahore

LAHORE: Punjab Parliamentary Secretary for Women Development, Chief Minister’s focal person and MPA Sadia Taimoor inaugurated the Furniture and Living Expo 2026 on October 23.Dr Nazish Faisal, Chief Executive Officer of RF Events, and Asim Chaudhry, General Manager of Master Molty Foam, were also present at the inaugural ceremony.Organised by RF Events, the exhibition aims to promote Pakistan’s furniture industry, provide local manufacturers and businesses with opportunities to showcase their products, and highlight the latest trends in furniture, home decor and interior design.During her visit, Sadia Taimoor toured various stalls and took an interest in the products displayed by exhibitors. She described commercial and industrial events of this nature as important for promoting local businesses, encouraging manufacturers and supporting the country’s economic growth.The Furniture and Living Expo 2026 features a range of brands and businesses showcasing modern furniture, home furnishing, interior design and related products. STAFF REPORT

In line with Global Ethics Day observed on 22 October, the latest survey by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) has shown a dramatic increase in the number of professional accountants that rank AI use as the leading ethical challenge - cited by 61% of respondents, up from 32% in ACCA’s 2024 survey. According to the report, Navigating ethics for trust, both ethical leadership (43%) and ethical culture (39%) remain in respondents’ top three ethical challenges. The 2026 survey draws on 1,178 responses from finance and accountancy professionals across 135 countries, with roundtable discussions adding qualitative depth.The report shows a profession that remains strongly grounded in the fundamental principles – but working in conditions that are becoming more pressured, complex and difficult to navigate in practice. 50% of respondents agreed that ethical challenges have become more difficult to resolve in the last three years, and 53% report witnessing unethical behaviour in that period. Sarah Lane, Head of Ethics and Assurance at ACCA said: ‘The overall picture is one of a profession that remains ethically grounded, self-aware, and willing to adapt. Finance professionals are not asking for more rules, the fundamental principles remain the ethical anchor. They are asking for the tools, support and guidance needed to apply the fundamental principles in an increasingly complex world.’ Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA in Pakistan, said: ‘As AI becomes more embedded in business and finance, its use must be guided by the same principles that underpin trust in the accountancy profession: integrity, objectivity, professional competence, confidentiality and professional behaviour.

Boltay Huroof launches Braille app and book at Accessibility Beyond Barriers Conference 2026 KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

Boltay Huroof organised the Accessibility Beyond Barriers Conference 2026 at the JS Auditorium, IBA City Campus, bringing together educators, public officials, young participants and community members to discuss inclusive education and access to information for people who are blind or visually impaired.The conference highlighted challenges faced by learners with visual impairments, particularly the limited availability of Braille textbooks and other learning materials. Discussions focused on how educational institutions, public bodies and technology providers can improve accessibility and promote independent learning.The programme included opening remarks, a video introducing Boltay Huroof’s work and an activity by blind children, highlighting the importance of participation and equal opportunities for young people with disabilities.A panel discussion examined barriers to inclusive education and explored practical approaches to making learning environments more accessible.A key highlight was the launch of Boltay Huroof’s Braille app and a book. The application supports the conversion of Urdu and English text into Braille, enabling users to access written content through digital technology.Speaking at the conference, S H Umar, CEO of Boltay Huroof, said: “Eight years ago, the idea of a book readable by both sighted and blind readers simultaneously seemed impossible to many. Today, Alhamdulillah, after 8 years of relentless research, development, and teamwork, we have achieved it.

NHA UNDERTAKES RAPID CONSTRUCTION FROM OWN RESOURCES: ALEEM KHAN

Sunday, 25 October, 2026

PRAYER TIMINGS

NEWS

ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

EDERAL Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Saturday said the National Highway Authority (NHA) had increased its annual revenue from Rs66 billion to Rs160 billion and was undertaking highway, motorway and expressway projects using its own resources. Addressing the business community at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), he said the government had laid the groundwork over the past two and a half years to strengthen the NHA financially and improve its institutional performance. Abdul Aleem Khan said that a modern highway network will help ensure national development and promote commercial activities across the country. Highlighting major achievements of the Ministry of Communications, the minister told that work was progressing rapidly on the expansion of the Faisalabad Motorway, Lodhran Expressway and the N-25 Pakistan Expressway in Balochistan. Aleem Khan recalled that when he assumed charge of the Ministry 2.5 years ago, the department did not even have Rs1 billion available from its own resources. He said that, by the grace of Allah Almighty, several projects had now been launched across the country without relying on Government funding. He said work was underway on the Sambrial– Kharian Motorway which would reduce the distance between Lahore and Islamabad by 100 kilometres and save approximately one hour of travel time while

also directly benefiting communities along the route. Similarly, construction work on the Sukkur–Karachi Motorway is scheduled to begin next month. The motorway will comprise three sections and will be connected to Karachi Port. The minister informed the business community that the NHA was using 70 percent of its total revenue only in Balochistan. He added that, to achieve savings and improve efficiency, the authority’s annual expenditure had been capped at Rs.50 billion instead of Rs.66 billion. He explained that 66 projects, with an estimated cost of Rs.3,000 billion, required for pending construction while we are increasing the authority’s own revenue had become essential to make these projects possible.

Sindh plans $30m biogas project across five cities

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Governor Kundi briefs Acting President Gilani on KP security, public issues ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

The Sindh government has proposed a $30 million biogas development project to establish five centralized facilities in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Larkana and Shaheed Benazirabad, aiming to produce 120,000 cubic metres of biogas, 63,000 cubic metres of biomethane and 45 tonnes of organic fertilizer daily by processing livestock manure into clean energy and agricultural inputs. According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the project, titled “BioGas Development Project for Sustainable Alternatives Towards Affordable Energy”, is designed to promote renewable energy, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, capture methane emissions and strengthen energy security across the province. The proposed facilities are expected to help avoid approximately 250,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually, with cumulative reductions projected at five million tonnes over 20 years, according to the document. Under the proposed design, the project will comprise five centralised anaerobic manure treatment and biogas production facilities, supported by collection and storage systems, digesters, feedstock handling infrastructure, biogas upgrading and purification units, gas storage facilities, and organic fertilizer processing and testing arrangements.

Sindh forms JIT to probe Mir Raza murder

Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday called on Acting President Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and briefed him on the prevailing situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with particular focus on law and order and issues confronting the people of the province. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the overall security situation in the province, public welfare issues and matters of mutual interest. Governor Kundi informed the Acting President about the challenges being faced by the province and the steps

The Sindh government has constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the murder of young businessman Mir Raza, acting on recommendations from a judicial commission that termed the police investigation an “epic failure”. According to an official letter, DIG Irfan Ali Baloch has been appointed head of the JIT, which will include representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Sindh Rangers and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Mir Raza, an IBA graduate who ran a waffle-making business, left his home in Karachi’s PECHS area in the early hours of July 28. His family reported him missing the same day, and his body was found the following morning within the jurisdiction of Gulistan-e-Johar police station.

being taken to address them. The Governor also apprised Acting President Gilani of the recent major decisions taken regard-

ing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and exchanged views on measures aimed at promoting peace, stability and public welfare in the province.

ATC directs Imaan, Hadi to record statements on Oct 26 ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

KARACHI

DPM reviews preparations for SCO summit ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting of the Follow-Up Committee on Venue and Accommodation for Council of Heads of States Summit (SCO-CHS) to be hosted by Pakistan in 2027. DPM/FM reviewed the state of progress and preparedness of the summit venue as well as accommodation options. He directed all concerned to ensure smooth and seamless conduct of the forthcoming summit. The meeting was attended by SAPM Tariq Bajwa, Foreign Secretary, Interior Secretary, Pakistan’s National Coordinator for SCO, Chairman CDA and senior officials from all relevant Ministries and organizations.

NCCIA raids 16 call centres in Islamabad, arrests 671, seizes 13,000 devices

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday directed human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab HazirMazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to record their statements under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) at the next hearing in the security breach case. ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, who conducted the proceedings at Adiala Jail, adjourned the hearing until October 26 after both accused declined to record their statements. “Let the state counsel record the statement under Section 342 on our behalf,” Hadi requested the court. The judge, however, said recording statements under Section 342 was a matter between the court and the accused, adding that they would have to respond

themselves. “We will not record the statement under Section 342,” Imaan told the court. The judge warned that if the accused refused to comply, the court would mention in its order that they had not submitted their responses. He directed the couple to record their statements at the next hearing, scheduled for Monday, October 26. Imaan and Hadi are being tried at Adiala Jail in a 2024 case involving the alleged disruption of an international cricket team's security route and incitement to public unrest. The couple is accused of removing barriers along the route and was indicted on October 7. At the previous hearing, a state-appointed counsel had completed the cross-examination of all prosecution witnesses. The court appointed Atif Mehmood as state counsel to cross-examine the wit-

nesses, replacing Taimoor Janjua, who was removed from the case over his past conduct. The court had decided to appoint a state counsel after the defence failed to cross-examine the prosecution witnesses. Meanwhile, the defence on Saturday filed an application asking the trial court to refrain from delivering its final judgement until the Islamabad High Court (IHC) decides a petition seeking the transfer of the case to another court. The application said the transfer petition was already pending before the IHC and requested that this fact be incorporated into the trial court's judicial record. The defence also noted that the appointment of the state counsel had been challenged before the high court. It urged the trial court to defer its final decision until the IHC rules on the transfer petition.

STAFF REPORT

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Islamabad has arrested 671 suspects, including 473 foreign nationals and 198 Pakistanis, during raids on 16 call centres as part of a major crackdown against cybercrime. Additional Director NCCIA Islamabad Shoaib Khan disclosed this during a press conference, saying that around 13,000 electronic devices had also been seized during the operations. He said the forensic examination of the seized devices was underway to identify the types of fraud committed by the suspects, the locations from where they operated and their possible links with individuals and networks within Pakistan and abroad. Shoaib said the forensic analysis would also help investigators trace communication records, identify potential victims and determine how the suspects carried out fraudulent activities. He said the operations were conducted against call centres allegedly involved in cybercrime activities. The Additional Director said the agency was continuing its efforts to curb cybercrime and take action against those involved in illegal activities.

Rana Mashood highlights youth empowerment, opportunities, digital education initiatives KARACHI

STAFF REPORT

Federal Minister and Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programm (PMYP) Rana Mashood on Saturday emphasized the importance of youth empowerment, equal educational opportunities, and technological advancement, stating that the government was making efforts to equip the youth with skills and utilize their God-gifted talent for national development. Addressing the Students of National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) at Muhammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU), he said that the people in Sindh had faced lack of facilities but had demonstrated their ability to overcome challenges whenever given opportunities. He stressed that Pakistan should benefit from the talent and potential of its young population. He recalled that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had envisioned equal opportunities for everyone at the time of Pakistan’s creation, adding that the government is trying to ensure equal access to education, skills and development.

Pakistan, South Korea seek stronger economic and cultural ties ISLAMABAD

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Republic of Korea Ambassador Mr Han Sungho has said that Pakistan and South Korea are committed to strengthening bilateral relations through expanded economic cooperation, development projects, trade and cultural exchanges. Addressing a reception at his residence to mark South Korea’s National Foundation Day and Armed Forces Day, the ambassador described the ties between the two countries as rooted in mutual trust and friendship, aptly captured by the Urdu word “Dosti”. He recalled that Pakistan had extended food and material assistance to South Korea even before the establishment of diplomatic relations 43 years ago, describing the gesture as a reflection of the longstanding goodwill between the two nations. Mr Han said Korean agencies were contributing to Pakistan’s development across several sectors. The Korea Trade-Investment

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ISLAMABAD

STAFF REPORT

He said that the NHA had been put on a path towards financial stability, institutional practices had been transformed and new highways were now being constructed. During his address at the Lahore Chamber, the minister said that the renovation and beautification of the Islamabad–Murree Expressway had already been successfully completed during his tenure. He added that this Expressway would be extended to Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir with similar standards. He further stated that the government intended to upgrade the Mansehra–Naran–Jalkhad–Chilas Road into a motorway and connect it to China. This project, he said, would also promote trade with other countries, as well.

Upon his arrival at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President Ali Hassam Asghar and others warmly welcome him and presented a special documentary highlighting Abdul Aleem Khan’s political and philanthropic contributions. The documentary was warmly appreciated by the audience. Addressing the gathering, Abdul Aleem Khan said that being a Member of the Chamber was an honour for him and that he had come among his own family. He congratulated newly elected President Ali Hassam Asghar and other officebearers and assured them of his full cooperation in resolving any issues relating to the National Highway Authority and the Ministry of Communications. The minister also announced that he would soon visit the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce to share the good news regarding the completion of the expansion of the Faisalabad Pindi Bhattian Motorway. Responding to a question, Abdul Aleem Khan urged the Business Community to step forward in the national interest despite the challenges and support ongoing efforts to improve motorway safety by discouraging speeding and overloading. He said that although his position in public office was temporary, he was determined to contribute as much as possible to securing a better future for the country. Abdul Aleem Khan assured the Business Community that no project would be undertaken by his Ministry that was unsuitable for the business sector. He added that extensive meetings had recently been held to address the concerns of Goods Transporters and that these discussions were producing positive results.

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Promotion Agency (KOTRA) was promoting trade and economic cooperation, while the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Korea Programme on International Agriculture (KOPIA) and Korea Heritage Agency were working in areas including information technology, healthcare, food security and cultural heritage. He added that Korea’s human resources development service was helping skilled Pakistanis access employment opportunities in South Korea. The ambassador expressed confidence that the Daanish IT Park in Islamabad would help develop Pakistan’s information technology workforce and boost exports. Supported by the Korean government and the Export-Import Bank of Korea, the facility was inaugurated on October 9 in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Mr Han also highlighted growing interest in Korean language and culture among Pakistani students, including those studying at the National University of Modern Lan-

guages (NUML). Speaking as the chief guest, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said Pakistan attached considerable importance to its relations with South Korea and sought to expand economic cooperation, investment and business links between the two countries. He praised South Korea’s transformation into a global economic and technological power, attributing its progress to innovation, human resource development and effective policymaking. “Pakistan values Korea’s expertise in industrial development, technology, infrastructure, education and skills training,” he said, noting the considerable potential for cooperation in these fields. The minister also highlighted ongoing discussions on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, saying an improved economic framework could create new business opportunities and promote sustainable growth in both countries.

He expressed confidence that bilateral friendship and cooperation would continue to deepen. The reception also featured live perform-

Published by Asad Nizami at Plot # 7, Al-Baber Centre, F/8 Markaz, Islamabad, for PT Print (Pvt) Limited. Ph: 051-2204545. Email: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk

ances of Korean songs and dances, martial arts demonstrations and Korean cuisine, offering guests an opportunity to experience the country’s cultural traditions.