In partnership with Wednesday, 11 November, 2026 | 30 Jumada al-Awwal, 1448
Profit
Rs 50.00 | Vol XVII No 228 | 56 Pages | Islamabad Edition
PM vowS eConoMiCally Strong, energy-indePendent PakiStan aS ChaShMa-5 reaCheS key MileStone g
g
CHASHMA-5 DOME INSTALLED AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, LESS THAN THREE AND A HALF YEARS AFTER GROUNDBREAKING
g
PM SAYS NUCLEAR POWER WILL CUT RELIANCE ON IMPORTED FUELS AND SHIELD ECONOMY FROM GLOBAL PRICE FLUCTUATIONS
g
PROJECT TO GENERATE 1,200MW; EXPECTED TO BEGIN ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION IN SEPTEMBER 2030
PAKISTAN’S NUCLEAR PLANTS GENERATE 3,530MW, AVERT AROUND 15M TONNES OF CARBON EMISSIONS ANNUALLY, PAEC CHAIRMAN SAY
Shehbaz arrives in türkiye to press pakistan’s climate agenda at Cop31 ISLAMABAD/ANTALYA STAFF REPORT
P
MIANWALI/ISLAMABAD SALEEM JADOON
RIME Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for building an economically dominant, energy-independent and environmentally resilient Pakistan, declaring that the country would harness its resources, technology and human capital to secure a prosperous future. Addressing the dome placement ceremony of the Chashma-5 Nuclear Power Plant (C-5) here, the prime minister described the milestone as a reflection of Pakistan’s resolve to shape its own future through hard work, technological advancement and strategic partnerships,
according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Emphasising the importance of energy security, he said Chashma-5 represented much more than steel and concrete; it embodied a promise of clean, reliable and affordable electricity that would strengthen the national economy and improve people’s lives. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, senior Pakistani officials, Chinese representatives and officials from relevant organisations attended the ceremony. The prime minister said nuclear power would reduce Pakistan’s dependence on imported fuels and exposure to international price fluctuations while ensuring a stable electricity supply for industries, hospitals, educational institutions and households.
Bilawal seeks international audit of Sindh housing scheme amid corruption allegations KARACHI
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday rejected allegations of corruption in Sindh’s housing programme for flood victims and called for an international audit to address questions about the project’s transparency. Speaking in Karachi, Bilawal accused political opponents of attempting to discredit the provincial government by alleging that funds raised for the housing initiative had been misappropriated. He asked Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to approach international organisations and invite them to conduct an independent audit of the programme, maintaining that the project had been implemented without corruption. Bilawal said the Sindh government had completed one million houses for flood-affected families under the Sindh People’s Housing Scheme, which he described as the world’s largest housing initiative. According to the PPP chairman, the programme aims to construct two million homes with support from international development partners. He also referred to a broader target of five million houses for families affected by flooding. He said beneficiaries had received permanent homes along with ownership rights to the land, with properties registered in women’s names to provide greater security to affected households. Recalling the devastating floods, Bilawal said he had witnessed widespread destruction during a visit to Larkana and subsequently travelled with the prime minister to assess the damage.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Türkiye on Tuesday on a three-day visit to attend the Leaders’ Summit of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), where he will highlight Pakistan’s climate priorities and underscore the urgent need for stronger global action to address climate change. Upon his arrival at Antalya airport, the prime minister was received by Türkiye’s Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Gökhan Yazgı, Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate Amna Baloch and senior Turkish officials, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. At the COP31 Leaders’ Summit, PM Shehbaz will highlight Pakistan’s climate priorities and call for enhanced global climate action and stronger international cooperation to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change, the PMO said. The premier will also address a high-level dialogue on clean energy transition and electrification, convened “Pakistan will not wait for anyone, but will build its own future through its hard work and untiring efforts,” he re-
by the COP31 presidency under the title “35 by 35: Powering the Future”. The session is scheduled for 3pm local time on Wednesday (tomorrow). The prime minister is accompanied by a delegation comprising PPP Senator and former climate minister Sherry Rehman, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Adviser Tariq Fatemi, the PMO said, adding that a Pakistan Pavilion had been established at the COP31 venue, where 54 events would be held on various themes. Meanwhile, the Foreign Office (FO) said the prime minister would also highlight Pakistan’s efforts towards rapid solarisation and expanding its renewable energy capacity as part of the transition to a cleaner and more resilient economy. He would also outline the country’s initiatives to strengthen disaster preparedness and early-warning systems. The FO said he would call for predictable, adequate and accessible climate finance for developing countries to strengthen their resilience and pursue sustainable development.
Continued on page 03
called saying at the project’s groundbreaking ceremony in July 2023.
Continued on page 03
Ji warns of resuming long march as petroleum levy talks ‘near final decision’ ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Tuesday said it had reached an understanding with the government on the broad outlines of an agreement to extend petroleumrelated relief to consumers, warning to resume “its long march” if negotiations failed to produce a concrete outcome on its demand for the abolition of the petroleum levy. Speaking at a press conference after the meeting with the government committee, JI Deputy Chief Liaquat Baloch said the two sides had agreed on the need to expand the existing relief measures, while the government would consult the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on continuing the relief. He said providing relief to the public remained the foremost priority in the negotiations and that the government had acknowledged difficulties in the supply of petroleum products arising from the prevailing global situation. The government and JI held the 10th round of talks on the petroleum levy, with both sides agreeing on the need to provide relief to consumers, particularly low-income households, while
Pakistan reaffirms commitment to green freight corridors, climate-resilient logistics ANTALYA, TÜRK YE STAFF REPORT
Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to decarbonising global supply chains and developing climate-resilient logistics infrastructure, underscoring the need to translate international climate pledges into tangible cross-border outcomes. Speaking at the High-Level Ministerial Roundtable on the Global Green Freight Corridors Initiative during COP31 in Antalya, the minister said the launch of the initiative demonstrated that sustainable logistics was the only viable way forward. Co-hosted by Türkiye’s Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, H.E. Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, alongside the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the roundtable brought together global leaders to deliberate on sustainable transit solutions. In his keynote address, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan highlighted that while international freight transport served as the lifeblood of global commerce, it remained one of the fastest-growing sources of transport-related greenhouse gas emissions. Emphasising that economic growth and environmental stewardship were mutually reinforcing goals, he stressed that as the global community converged around the vital imperatives of COP31, the focus must firmly shift towards translating international climate commitments into concrete, cross-border results. Outlining Pakistan’s strategic geographical advantage as a regional trade bridge connecting China, Central Asia and the Middle East, the minister highlighted the country's extensive transport network, comprising over 500,000 kilometres of roads, a 7,800-kilometre railway system, major deep-sea ports and developing trade arteries under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
China ready to deepen cooperation with Pakistan in space, other fields
Continued on page 03
BEIJING
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
also discussing a phased reduction of the levy. Baloch said the JI had proposed extending the relief scheme to vehicles with engine capacities of up to 1,000cc and the agricultural sector. He said the government had also acknowledged that the JI's demand for abolishing the petroleum levy was legitimate. “Our demand is that the levy should be abolished immediately and the public should be given clear relief,” he said, criticising the government for refusing to cut its luxuries and shifting the burden of the Federal Board of Revenue's (FBR) failures onto consumers. Baloch said the two sides had agreed on the broad outlines of a draft agreement during Tues-
day's meeting, with the government expected to share further details in the coming days. He said the government had informed the JI delegation that it had begun working on a plan to meet its revenue requirements and would share a framework for gradually reducing the levy after consultations with the IMF. Another meeting was expected on Wednesday or Thursday, he said, adding that the final decision on the proposed agreement would be taken at a possible meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman. Following that meeting, the party would decide whether to go ahead with its planned long march, he added.
China is ready to deepen cooperation with Pakistan in space and other fields and take bilateral relations to new heights, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing in Beijing the other day. “We stand ready to work with the Pakistani side to carry forward our traditional friendship, deepen cooperation in space and other fields, and bring bilateral relations to new heights,” Guo said during the briefing. “Exploration of the vast universe and peaceful use of outer space are humanity’s shared pursuit and bear on the welfare of all peoples,” he added. A Pakistani astronaut will join the crew of the Shenzhou24 mission as a payload specialist, undertake a short orbital flight and return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft. The spokesperson said China advocated the peaceful use of outer space, actively engaged in international space cooperation and promoted the building of a community with a shared future in the domain of outer space. He noted that China and Pakistan were allweather strategic cooperative partners, adding that the participation of a Pakistani astronaut aboard a Chinese spacecraft would mark the first joint mission involving Chinese and foreign astronauts in the history of China’s manned space programme. “This is yet another key outcome of bilateral cooperation as we mark the 75th anniversary of China-Pakistan diplomatic ties,” he said.
dar reaffirms pakistan’s commitment to uS-iran mediation, warns of global instability ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan will continue its diplomatic efforts to bring the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday, warning that escalating conflicts and the erosion of international rules were threatening global stability. He cautioned that closing channels of communication would make future crises harder to manage and peace more difficult to achieve. “Our experience reinforces a simple conviction. Even amid serious confrontation, channels of communication must remain open,” Dar said while addressing the opening session of the Margalla Dialogue 2026 in Islamabad, which focused on the changing global order. Dar said Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement had included talks hosted in Islamabad between the United States and Iran in April,
as well as a memorandum of understanding signed on June 18, which he described as a foundation for further negotiations. The remarks come as Islamabad seeks to sustain its mediation role in the US-Iran conflict amid concerns over disruptions to energy supplies and shipping through the Gulf and Red Sea. Pakistan has repeatedly called for a diplomatic settlement, maintaining that military confrontation could trigger wider economic shocks, particularly for developing countries dependent on imported energy and food. He said he had remained engaged with Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt through a regional four-country grouping, which held consultations with Britain, France, Germany and Italy on October 23. “Pakistan continues to pursue all diplomatic efforts with regional partners and parties involved to sustain engagement, restore dialogue and facilitate a return to the negotiating table,” he said. The deputy prime minister warned that intensifying rivalries,
prolonged conflicts and the erosion of arms control agreements were heightening the risk of miscalculation, while political divisions were undermining multilateral institutions, particularly the United Nations. “Selective application of international law further weakens confidence in the institutions established to uphold the same,” he said. “When agreed principles are applied inconsistently, their authority suffers and every country becomes less secure.” Dar said Pakistan supported a more representative, multipolar international order, but cautioned that a wider distribution of power would not necessarily ensure greater fairness or stability without effective institutions and respect for agreed rules. He linked the changing security environment to growing economic vulnerabilities, warning that conflicts could swiftly disrupt trade, technology, energy supplies and access to finance. “A security crisis can become an eco-
nomic shock,” he said. “That shock can raise food and fuel prices we are witnessing currently, threaten livelihoods and place public services under further pressure.” He said Pakistan would continue
strengthening its partnerships with China, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and other countries while pursuing economic diplomacy to attract investment, expand exports and build technological capacity.
02 NEWS
Wednesday, 11 November, 2026 | ISLAMABAD
PSX JUMPS OVER 5,400 POINTS ON EASING IRAN WAR FEARS, RISING REMITTANCES
T
PROFIT
NEWS DESK
HE bulls returned to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) with renewed confidence on Tuesday, sending the benchmark KSE-100 index soaring by more than 5,400 points as easing fears of further US military action against Iran and stronger remittance inflows lifted investor sentiment. The rally followed remarks by US President Donald Trump downplaying the need for military action against Iran ‘at this stage’, offering some relief to markets concerned about prolonged disruptions to energy supplies in the Middle East. Adding to the positive sentiment was fresh data from the State Bank of Pakistan showing that workers' remittances increased by 13.8% year-on-year to $3.892 billion in October 2026, providing another encouraging signal for Pakistan's external account. According to the PSX website, the benchmark index opened on a bullish note, hitting an intraday high of 179,424.04 before closing at 179,335.24, up by 5,448.56 points or 3.13% from the previous close.
The buying spree extended across several major sectors, including apparel, automobile assemblers, automobile parts and accessories, cement, commercial banks, fertiliser, food and personal care products, glass and ceramics, oil and gas exploration, oil marketing companies, power generation and distribution, and technology and communication. Tuesday's rally followed a strong performance in the preceding week, when investors responded positively to diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the Middle East conflict, including Qatar-
JD Taurus extends deadline for 35% stake acquisition in Saudi Pak Consultancy to February 2027 PROFIT
NEWS DESK
JD Taurus (Private) Limited has sought a 90-day extension to the deadline for announcing its public offer in connection with the proposed acquisition of a 35.06% stake in Saudi Pak Consultancy Company Limited (SPCL), moving the deadline from November 12, 2026, to February 10, 2027. According to a notice submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday, the proposed transaction involves the acquisition of 15,835,403 ordinary shares of SPCL from Saudi Pak Industrial and Agricultural Investment Company Limited. Intermarket Securities Limited, acting as manager to the offer, informed the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) that JD Taurus required additional time to complete the necessary formalities for the acquisition and subsequent public offer. The acquirer's original public announcement of intention was published on May 16, 2026, followed by a corrigendum on June 30, 2026. Under Regulation 7(1) of the Listed Companies (Substantial Acquisition of Voting Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2017, the company was required to make its public announcement of offer within 180 days, with the original period expiring on November 12. However, JD Taurus informed its manager to the offer that it would be unable to complete the required steps within the prescribed period and instructed it to exercise the provision allowing a further 90 days. In a separate letter dated November 6, the acquirer reaffirmed its intention to proceed with the acquisition and public offer in accordance with the applicable takeover regulations.
FBR raises minimum sales tax valuation of specified steel scrap from 55% to 60% PROFIT
NEWS DESK
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has increased the minimum value of supply of specified remeltable iron and steel scrap from 55% to 60% of the benchmark value of steel bars for sales tax purposes. The revision was notified through S.R.O. 2086(I)/2026, issued on November 5, 2026, under the powers conferred by the first proviso to clause (46) of section 2 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990. The amendment applies to remeltable iron and steel scrap falling under Pakistan Customs Tariff heading 72.04 when supplied directly by a manufacturer-cumexporter of recycled copper authorised under the Export Facilitation Scheme to a registered steel melter. The new notification replaces the figure of 55 with 60 against serial number five of the valuation table, raising the prescribed minimum value by five percentage points.
mediated negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The US midterm elections on November 3 also contributed to market optimism, with Democrats securing 54 seats and control of both houses of Congress, raising expectations of reduced geopolitical tensions, support for energy markets, and a more favourable interest rate environment. Against this backdrop, the KSE-100 index gained 7,477 points, or 4.5%, during the previous week to close at 173,887 points on Friday. Average daily trading
volume stood at 1.021 billion shares, representing a 7% decline from the preceding week. Asian equities also advanced on Tuesday as declining oil prices following Trump's decision to hold off on further military strikes against Iran improved investor sentiment ahead of US inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve's interest rate outlook. South Korea's KOSPI gained 4%, Japan's Nikkei rose 2.5%, and MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan climbed 1.5%, recovering from a seven-month low recorded during last week's technology stock sell-off. European stock futures were up 0.7%. The gains followed a strong session on Wall Street on Monday, when the S&P 500 surged 2.35%, its biggest one-day increase since April, while the Nasdaq advanced 2.7%, marking its strongest performance in more than four months. Meanwhile, Brent crude futures fell 70 cents, or 0.75%, to $91.88 per barrel by 0246 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined 78 cents, or 0.90%, to $86.07 per barrel. Both benchmarks had fallen as much as 1% earlier in the session.
Foreign exchange rates in Pakistan for today
PROFIT
The Treasury & Capital Markets Group of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) issued the following Exchange Rates Bulletin on Tuesday. NEWS DESK
P@SHA raises concerns over NCCIA raids on registered IT, software firms
Balochistan conditionally lifts urea fertiliser ban in 17 more districts PROFIT
MONITORING REPORT
The Balochistan government has conditionally lifted restrictions on the sale and purchase of urea fertiliser in 17 additional districts, extending the relaxation to 19 districts following protests by farmers affected by the ban imposed in August. According to a notification issued on Monday by the Agriculture Department's director general of extension, urea sales will now be permitted under strict monitoring and prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs). The newly covered districts are Hub, Jaffarabad, Sohbatpur, Usta Muhammad, Jhal Magsi, Dera Bugti, Barkhan, Sibi, Kachhi, Khuzdar, Kharan, Loralai, Qila Saifullah, Quetta, Pishin, Kalat and Panjgur. The relaxation had already been extended to Nasirabad and Lasbela. The provincial government had imposed the ban in August over concerns that urea fertiliser could
PROFIT WEB DESK
be diverted for use in explosive devices by anti-state elements. The restrictions disrupted agricultural activities and prompted protests in parts of the province. Under the revised arrangements, fertiliser dealers must maintain complete records of sales to farmers and comply with all prescribed procedures. Any sale or purchase outside the approved sys-
tem will be treated as illegal. Agriculture Department officials, deputy commissioners and law enforcement agencies have been directed to monitor fertiliser stocks and their transportation, with violations to be reported immediately. Dealers found breaching the regulations will face strict action, including cancellation of their licences.
Fauji Cement makes early repayment of Rs3.37b bank loan to cut financing costs PROFIT
SADDAM HUSSAIN
Fauji Cement Company Limited (FCCL) has made an early repayment of Rs3.367 billion against its long-term bank borrowing, a move aimed at reducing the company's financing costs. In a notification submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday, the cement manufacturer disclosed that the repayment was made against a Karachi Interbank Offered Rate (KIBOR)-linked financing facility obtained from a consortium of banks. “The Company has made an early repayment of Rs 3,367 million against its KIBOR-based long-
term loan facility availed from a syndicate of banks, which shall enable the Company to reduce its debt service costs,” read FCCL’s notice. The company said the early
repayment would help lower its debt servicing costs by reducing its outstanding obligations under the facility. The disclosure was submitted under Section 96 of the Securities Act, 2015, and Regulation 5.6.1 of the PSX Regulations. The notification did not specify the original size of the loan facility, the remaining outstanding balance or the expected savings in financing costs. Fauji Cement Company Limited, incorporated in Pakistan on November 23, 1992, began operations on May 22, 1993. The publicly listed company is primarily engaged in the manufacturing and sale of various types of cement.
Silver price in Pakistan Gold price in Pakistan for today for today
PROFIT: Silver rates in Pakistan fluctuate frequently in response to international market trends. The rates listed are provided by local gold markets and Sarafa Markets in various cities. NEWS DESK
PROFIT: Gold prices in Pakistan fluctuate frequently in response to international market trends. The rates listed are provided by local gold markets and Sarafa Markets in various cities. NEWS DESK
The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) has raised concerns over raids by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on registered IT and software companies during its crackdown on scam centres, warning that the actions could disrupt foreign contracts and damage Pakistan's technology exports. The association said it had received complaints from member companies alleging that NCCIA teams entered offices without presenting warrants, questioned employees for extended periods and confiscated laptops, servers and mobile phones, including in cases where no illegal activity was established. P@SHA warned that such operations could interrupt services to international clients, compromise confidential business data and undermine investor confidence in Pakistan's IT sector. The association stressed that legitimate call centres and IT-enabled services companies must be distinguished from fraudulent operations, particularly as some scam operators reportedly register themselves as IT businesses. P@SHA Chairman Dr Shoab Ahmed Khan said the industry's international business depended heavily on client trust, which could be damaged when offices were raided and equipment seized. He warned that foreign clients might transfer contracts to competing markets, including India, the Philippines and Eastern Europe, rather than wait for investigations to conclude. The association pointed out that Pakistan's IT industry had been growing at approximately 20%, with exports reaching $4.6 billion in FY2026, while the government has set a target of $10 billion by FY2029 under the Uraan Pakistan initiative. P@SHA urged the NCCIA to ensure that raids on registered IT companies are carried out under court warrants and established standard operating procedures, with employees treated respectfully, particularly women. It also called for verification of company registration with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and P@SHA before enforcement action. To minimise disruption, the association proposed conducting forensic imaging of electronic devices on-site instead of routinely confiscating equipment, with unrelated devices returned within seven days. It further demanded safeguards against harassment and physical mistreatment of employees, as well as interference with CCTV systems or digital recordings during investigations. P@SHA proposed establishing a joint coordination and grievance committee comprising the NCCIA, P@SHA, Ministry of IT and Telecom and PSEB to review complaints, exchange intelligence on fraudulent operators and develop procedures for raids on registered IT businesses. The association reaffirmed its support for lawful investigations against scam networks but maintained that enforcement must follow due process and avoid unnecessarily disrupting legitimate businesses.
ABHI Microfinance Bank IPO strike price set at Rs15.50 as book building draws Rs2.43b PROFIT
WEB DESK
The strike price for ABHI Microfinance Bank Limited's initial public offering (IPO) has been determined at Rs15.50 per share following a book-building process that attracted approximately Rs2.427 billion in investor participation against a stated issue size of Rs1.485 billion. According to a notification submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) by Arif Habib Limited on November 10, the bookbuilding portion of the offering was oversubscribed 1.6 times during the bidding process held on November 5 and 6, 2026. A total of 83 investors participated in the process, of whom 73 were successful, securing allocations of 99 million shares. High-net-worth individuals received the
largest allocation of 37,728,072 shares, followed by TREC holders with 30,953,801 shares and other institutions and corporate investors with 26,136,054 shares. Mutual funds were allocated 3,765,823 shares, employees' provident and pension funds received 251,250 shares, and insurance companies secured 165,000 shares. No shares were allocated to commercial banks. The final strike price of Rs15.50 falls within the previously announced price band of Rs15 to Rs22.50 per share. The overall IPO comprises 132 million shares, with 75%, equivalent to 99 million shares, allocated through book building and the remaining 25%, or 33 million shares, reserved for retail investors. At the determined strike price, the full 132 million-share offering would have a value of approximately Rs2.046 billion,
compared with the original indicative issue range of Rs1.98 billion to Rs2.97 billion. The retail subscription phase is scheduled for November 12 and 13, 2026, allowing eligible individual investors to participate following completion of institutional book building. ABHI began operations in 2021 as a financial technology company offering Earned Wage Access (EWA) services before expanding into payroll solutions, salary financing and lending to small and mediumsized enterprises. The company subsequently developed a presence across the Gulf Cooperation Council region and entered Pakistan's regulated microfinance banking sector through its acquisition of FINCA Microfinance Bank in 2025. Following the acquisition, ABHI Micro-
finance Bank undertook changes to its operations, financial management and digital
infrastructure under the ABHI Group, leading to its current public offering.
NEWS 03
Wednesday, 11 November, 2026 | ISLAMABAD
GOVT SEEKS FUNDING FOR DISCO TRANSFORMER SMART METERS AHEAD OF PRIVATISATION
T
PROFIT
STAFF REPORT
HE federal government is working to secure financing for the installation of smart meters on transformers across power distribution companies (DISCOs), with plans to ensure the initiative continues under private ownership following privatisation. Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema reviewed progress on financing arrangements and ongoing development programmes during a meeting on DISCOs in Islamabad on Tuesday. Officials informed the meeting that progress had been made in arranging funding for the smart metering initiative through the Economic Affairs Division (EAD). The project is intended to improve
billing accuracy, curb electricity theft and protect consumers against overbilling by strengthening monitoring of electricity distribution. Cheema directed that appropriate arrangements be put in place to ensure continuity of the project after the privatisation of DISCOs, with incoming private investors required to carry forward implementation. The minister said negotiations with multilateral development partners over ongoing programmes would continue until the privatisation process was completed. Under the proposed arrangements, financing and development programmes that remain under negotiation or preparation at the time of a DISCO's privatisation would be transferred to the incoming private investor, subject to agreed terms.
Cheema also emphasised that new projects undertaken by private investors within DISCOs must follow competitive bidding procedures and secure approval from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), wherever applicable. He maintained that the transfer of distribution companies to private ownership should not impose additional financial burdens on electricity consumers. The government would facilitate the privatisation process while safeguarding consumer interests and ensuring private investors meet their financial and contractual obligations, he added. The meeting was also attended by Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, the prime minister's adviser on privatisation and senior officials from relevant ministries.
Global mining giants, foreign delegations to attend Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum on Nov 12–13 PROFIT AHMAD AHMADANI
Global mining giants, including Barrick Mining Corporation and Ivanhoe Mines, alongside government delegations from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Morocco and China, are expected to participate in Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 on November 12–13 in Islamabad. The two-day international event will be held at the Jinnah Convention Centre, bringing together leading mining executives, foreign government representatives, international financial institutions, geological experts, investors and major Pakistani companies to explore investment opportunities in the country's mineral sec-
tor. Among the prominent international mining executives expected to participate are Barrick Mining Corporation Chairman John L. Thornton and Hanno van Staden, the company's Head of HR for Pakistan. Ivanhoe Mines Founder and Executive Co-Chairman Robert Friedland will also attend the forum. Other international industry representatives include Patrick Barnes and Wael Jaber of Wood Mackenzie; Jarmo Tarkiainen, Director of Service Operations at Metso Middle East; Ali Mukhtar, Chief Executive Officer of Globacore Minerals; and Nick Winer, the company's Vice President of Exploration. The list also includes John Mortimer, Consulting Geologist and Board Member of Mari
Minerals, and Waleed Ahmed Vohra, Chief Executive Officer of Ark Metals. The international government participation will feature senior representatives from Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Morocco and China. Türkiye will be represented by Ahmet Berat Çonkar, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, while Azerbaijan's delegation will include Goshgar Mahmudov, Adviser to the Minister for Energy and Resources. Morocco will be represented by Mohamed Ouhmed, Secretary General of the Energy Transition Department at the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development. China's delegation will include Liu Guohong, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group at the Min-
istry of Natural Resources and National Chief Inspector of Natural Resources. The forum will also bring together geological experts and research institutions from Germany, China and Türkiye. Prof. Dr Volker Steinbach of Germany's Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Dr Hong Jun of the Xi’an Center of Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, and Dr Cahit Dönmez of Türkiye's MTA International Company are among the expected participants. Canada will also have a dedicated pavilion at the international exhibition. Major international development and financial institutions expected to participate include the Asian Development Bank (ADB),
PM vows economically strong, energy-independent Pakistan as Chashma-5 reaches key milestone CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
He noted with satisfaction that the dome had been installed less than three and a half years after the groundbreaking, ahead of schedule, and expressed confidence that the project would also be commissioned earlier than planned. The prime minister stressed that, as a climatevulnerable country, Pakistan had a particular responsibility to pursue energy solutions that advanced economic development while protecting the environment. Highlighting the strategic importance of national security to economic progress, he said no country could build a prosperous future without first safeguarding its present. He acknowledged the role of the armed forces, under the leadership of Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, in ensuring security and stability. Referring to the country’s experience during Markae-Haq, the prime minister lauded the professionalism, courage and resolve of the armed forces, observing that a secure environment was essential for attracting investment, reviving the economy and accelerating socioeconomic development. He also appreciated Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s support for the government’s economic revival
and development initiatives. ‘CHASHMA-5 ANOTHER ENDURING SYMBOL OF ALL-WEATHER FRIENDSHIP’ Underscoring Pakistan-China strategic cooperation, Prime Minister Shehbaz described Chashma-5 as another enduring symbol of the two countries’ all-weather friendship and their shared commitment to economic progress. He said the project marked the seventh nuclear power unit China had helped Pakistan construct, reflecting the consistency and strength of bilateral cooperation through challenging times. The prime minister conveyed his gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government and the China National Nuclear Corporation for their continued support, while acknowledging the contributions of Chinese engineers and their Pakistani counterparts. He said the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would open up new economic opportunities, strengthen strategic ties and contribute to a brighter future for both countries. Congratulating the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), China Atomic Energy Authority, China National Nuclear Corporation, contractors, engineers, financial institutions and other stakeholders, the prime
minister also acknowledged the people of Mianwali for hosting the landmark project. Concluding his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed his government’s commitment to building a Pakistan that was economically stronger, energy-secure and environmentally responsible. He expressed hope that Chashma-5 would stand as a lasting symbol of PakistanChina friendship and their shared aspirations for peace, stability and prosperity. ‘AVOID APPROXIMATELY 15M TONNES OF CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS ANNUALLY’ Earlier, the PAEC chairman highlighted nuclear energy’s growing contribution to Pakistan’s electricity mix and national energy security. He said the country’s nuclear power plants were safely and efficiently generating 3,530 megawatts of electricity, helping avoid approximately 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Nuclear energy currently accounts for around 16.6 per cent of Pakistan’s electricity generation, despite representing only 8.6 per cent of its installed power capacity. Its contribution rises to approximately 26 per cent during winter. The Chashma-5 project will have a generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts and is expected to begin electricity production in September 2030.
Pakistan reaffirms commitment to green freight corridors, climate-resilient logistics CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Addressing the longstanding challenge of transporting 96% of domestic freight by road, which places considerable pressure on national resources and adversely affects urban air quality, he said Pakistan was pursuing a comprehensive, multi-pillar strategy to transform its freight and logistics sector. The transition is being driven by the Railway Plan 2026, which aims to increase rail's share in freight transport to
20% through the modernisation of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project. It is complemented by the National Electric Vehicle Policy 2025–30, which envisages the establishment of 3,000 EV charging stations along major corridors, as well as complementary maritime reforms across the country's national seaports. Highlighting Pakistan's rapid progress in digitalising cross-border transit under the UN TIR Convention, the minister revealed that TIR transit volumes had
surged by 200%, positioning Pakistan among the fastest-rising countries in regional trade facilitation. He said Pakistan was pioneering paperless, low-emission international logistics by integrating digital pre-shipment notifications directly with the Pakistan Single Window system and advancing the eTIR project in collaboration with UNECE. To sustain these green infrastructure improvements, Pakistan is leveraging a diversified financing framework combining allocations under
the Public Sector Development Programme, multilateral assistance from the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and private-sector investment through the Public-Private Partnership Authority Act. The financing framework is expected to support major infrastructure projects, including the M-6 Motorway and upgrades to the ML-1 railway. Formally endorsing the Global Green Freight Corridors Initiative across its four core pillars — clean technology, digital connectivity, smart route planning and climate finance — Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan extended Pakistan's full support to international partners in developing pilot green corridors.
Pakistan seeks global buyers to re-export 108,000 tonnes of imported sugar without reserve price PROFIT
STAFF REPORT
The state-owned Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has invited fresh international bids to re-export 108,000 metric tonnes of white refined sugar imported in 2025 and currently stored at its Pipri Godown in Karachi, removing the minimum reserve price after its previous tender in September failed to attract any buyers. TCP's first tender, issued in September, received no bids after the corporation set a minimum reserve price of $660 per metric tonne. The latest tender removes that condition in an effort to attract buyers and dispose of the available stocks ahead of fresh domestic sugar production. According to the tender documents, the sugar available for re-export includes 96,000 tonnes of fine-grain sugar and 11,086 tonnes of mediumgrain sugar. Interested buyers can bid for either variety or both, with a minimum lot size of 10,000 tonnes for fine-grain sugar and 11,086 tonnes for medium-grain sugar. The corporation may award the stocks to one or multiple bidders depending on the offers received.
PM Shehbaz arrives in Türkiye to press Pakistan’s climate agenda at COP31 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
It described PM Shehbaz’s participation in the summit as an “expression of Pakistan’s strong support for the climate agenda”. On the sidelines of the summit, the prime minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other world leaders. NATIONS URGED TO EXIT FOSSIL FUELS On Tuesday, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged countries attending COP31 to plan for a future without fossil fuels, even as host Türkiye celebrated the discovery of new oil reserves. Fossil fuels took centre stage at the UN climate summit, where Türkiye is seeking commitments to electrify the global economy rather than securing concrete new pledges to tackle coal, oil and gas. Türkiye’s push for electrification comes as scientists warn that emissions from burning fossil fuels — the primary driver of climate change — are projected to remain near-record highs for another year. Guterres said an “accelerated transition away from fossil fuels is fundamental” to reining in global temperature rises, which are on track to surpass the 1.5C target within a matter of years. “Let’s be clear: fossil fuels are not only driving the climate crisis. Dependence on them carries a steep economic and security price, as the crisis in the Middle East has laid bare,” he said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan struck a different note on Monday, hailing the discovery of two oil fields — potentially containing 135 million barrels of crude — as “good news”. The contrast highlighted a central challenge confronting countries deadlocked over how quickly the world should move away from polluting fuels towards cleaner energy sources. Since agreeing in 2023, for the first time, to transition away from fossil fuels, countries have struggled to make progress towards that goal at successive annual COP conferences. At last year’s COP30 in Brazil, fossil fuels were not explicitly mentioned in the final agreement. The COP31 climate talks opened on Monday with an early dispute over funding, as the UN chief urged world leaders to “get serious” about tackling the crisis following a year of devastating weather extremes. The summit comes after a year marked by punishing heatwaves in Europe, major wildfires in Indonesia and catastrophic floods in Nepal, with an exceptionally strong El Niño weather phenomenon adding to climate-related disruption. ‘DIFFICULT START’ Negotiators remained locked in discussions late on Sunday over demands by developing countries to include climate finance issues in the official agenda. “This has already been a difficult start for COP31,” said Jasper Inventor, head of Greenpeace’s COP31 delegation. Under UN climate agreements, developed countries, which bear historical responsibility for most greenhouse gas emissions, have provided financial support to help developing nations adapt to climate impacts and transition to cleaner energy. However, poorer countries say the available funding remains insufficient. Inventor said developed countries were “taking a hard line” on whether to include a platform, agreed at COP30 in Brazil last year, aimed at discussing how wealthy nations should provide financial support to developing countries. African countries are also pushing for the agenda to include discussions on tripling adaptation finance, which is intended to help poorer nations fund measures such as building sea walls and planting drought-resistant crops. Observers say few major breakthroughs are expected at COP31 as countries grapple with an oil price shock and geopolitical tensions fuelled by the US war on Iran and Russia’s conflict in Ukraine. As negotiators tussled in Antalya, the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation released a report indicating that 2026 had continued a streak of exceptional global temperatures, melting ice and rising sea levels.
04 COMMENT
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE 2026 ELECTIONS
Wednesday, 11 November, 2026
Saudi-Pak investment fund
T
Marks a new era as a vital military-alliance meeting takes place in Islamabad
The elections went much as expected
he Makkah Declaration was the clearest signal that Pakistani and Saudi Arabian were entering a new stage, moving beyond the earlier Strategic Military Agreement, out of the pressure being created by thr US and Israeli attack of Iran. That aspect of the relationship is active, with a meeting of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement’a Political and Defence Committee likely to meet in Islamabad later in the month. But before that could happen, another aspect of the relation has been highlighted by the announcement of a new private equity fund between Saudi and Pakistani investors. Though neither government is involved in this issue, the Saudi-Pakistan Joint Business Council, formed by both governments, is involved enough to make the announcement. It has disclosed that the fund will initially be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, with three-fourths of the investment to be in Pakistan, and a quarter in Saudi Arabia. The venture indicates a growing realization in Saudi Arabia that Pakistan is no longer a source of cheap labour and some fast-moving consumer goods (mainly for that labour), but a destination for investment. Apart from the defence industry linkages which will develop under the Makkah Declaration, there are a myriad of areas in which civilian industry would be interested. An obvious candidate is mining, with Saudi investors having already shown interest in the Reko diq and other projects. There is also oil, especially refining, as well as agriculture and food processing. however, to make this new venture work, it is necessary that the government ensure that new ventures escape the usual bureaucratic red-tapism. It is here that the Special Investment Facilitation Council will prove its worth. Another aspect is that it paves the way for increased economic interaction by both countries with Turkiye. That is not something the present fund has mentioned, nor have the two governments, but it is as inevitable a corollary of the present equity fund. There is a further phase of convergence which can already be discerned, which is the links of Turkiye to the Central Asian Republics on the one hand, and the geographical proximity of Pakistan. Within this structure, Iran and Afghanistan fall into place almost inevitably. Around the present equity fund, it is also possible to see the development of economic links to other Gulf countries. This clearly illustrates how religious and cultural ties are only strengthened by economic, and how those are linked to geostrategy.
D
THERE WERE SURPRISES AND NON-SURPRISES IN THIS YEAR’S MIDTERM ELECTIONS
eMOCRATS were expected to win and they did. All of the indicators normally considered in a midterm election pointed in that direction. And when reviewing state-by-state polling in key contests featuring vulnerable Republican senators, Democrats had the edge in every one— Maine, Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas. What wasn’t expected was that Democrats would also beat Republicans in Iowa, Kansas, and South Carolina. In the weeks before the elections, warnings were raised that the polls were inflating the Democrats’ chances in several states. This cautionary note proved to be unfounded. The polling averages suggested that overall Democrats would likely beat Republicans by 11 points. They ended up besting Republicans by 13 points. Maybe the biggest miscalculation of this election was made by President Trump who assumed that he would be an asset to vulnerable Republicans by holding rallies in their states. As it turned out, his events proved to be more about him and his need to be centrestage. In some, he spoke for almost two hours, mostly about himself— his grievances, wild claims about how great the country is doing (thereby dismissing the economic con-
Voters chose Democrats willing to fight for a change in economic priorities· where health care is seen as a right and affordable for all; where resources are allocated away from war and weapons toward meeting domestic priorities; and where money from corporations and billionaires donÊt dominate our politics. If Democrats, now in charge, donÊt address these issues that brought them victory, they may pay a price in 2028
Dedicated to the legacy of late Hameed Nizami
Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M. A. Niazi
Babar Nizami
Editor Pakistan Today
Editor Profit
Dr James J. Zogby
cerns of many voters), and engaging in vulgar, bigoted, and demeaning attacks on immigrant groups and Democratic opponents in other states— often overshadowing and ignoring the candidates he was supposed to be helping. his constant refrain in these speeches was: “Vote as if I were on the ballot.” In the end, as one reporter observed, voters did just that. And since Mr Trump has a 32 percent approval rating, the outcome wasn’t a good one for Republicans. There was a real concern that the White house might attempt to stymie the vote in some districts. Others worried there might be an “October Surprise”— renewed bombing of Iran, sending armed immigration enforcement officials to select polling places to intimidate voters, or ordering the FBI to seize ballot boxes. None of this happened and so election Day and its immediate aftermath proved uneventful. Because Democratic candidates were raising more money than Republicans, the GOP turned to what are called superPACs, corporate PACs, and other non-reportable independent expenditure entities to give them an advantage. As a result, this was the most expensive election in history. While the numbers are still being tallied, it appears that more than $14 billion was spent by both parties. The New York Times published an early list of 20 billionaire donors to campaigns who collectively spent more than $2 billion in this election. While there were some Democrats in the group, most were Republicans. elon Musk, for example, invested over $450 million to support Republicans (half in Texas) while entities related to the Soros family put $100 million into Democratic campaigns. If anything, this election has brought to the centre of our political debate the role of unregulated and unreported money in politics. As expected, the issues that dominated this election were the cost of living, immigration, corruption, and foreign wars. Most of these broke in favour of Democrats, which left Republicans trying to blame high prices on the Biden Administration or to shift the discussion to the threat posed by immigrants. Such tactics may have worked in the 2024 election, but the impact of the president’s tariffs on many
The writer is President, Arab American Institute
His image of power met the ballot box US midterms contained many lessons
T
Dr Zafar Khan safDar
he 2026 US midterm elections have delivered a decisive political rebuke to President Donald Trump. Democrats have won control of both chambers of Congress in a sweeping reversal for a president who entered the contest with an intensely loyal Republican base. The results expose the limits of personal political dominance when it collides with the realities of governance. The verdict is a reminder that even a president who dominates his party cannot assume that the country will endorse his every decision. For millions of Americans, the most immediate reason for this electoral discontent is not an ideological debate about the future of the republic. It is the cost of living. A lower rate of inflation does not mean prices have returned to where they were. It simply means that they are rising more slowly. Families still have to bear the accumulated cost of earlier increases, often with wages that have not kept pace. The economic anxiety was reflected in voters’ concerns throughout the campaign and provides an important explanation for the Democratic victory. The Administration’s promise to restore prosperity, reduce prices and make ordinary Americans feel economically secure became increasingly difficult to defend against the experience of households struggling with everyday expenses. For voters who had expected tangible improvements in their financial circumstances, presidential assurances were no substitute for economic relief. The Administration’s economic choices have also carried political costs. Tariffs were presented as instruments to protect American industry, strengthen domestic production and confront unfair trade practices. But tariffs can raise the cost of imported goods and components, with businesses and consumers ultimately bearing the burden. Their long-term industrial benefits remain uncertain, while their immediate price effects are easier
to recognise. The political problem is not simply whether protectionism can work. It is whether voters are willing to endure its costs when they are already struggling to make ends meet. The same difficulty applies to the wider international agenda. The conflict involving Iran has added uncertainty to energy markets and pushed fuel prices higher. For an administration that promised to put US interests first, foreign policy cannot be insulated from domestic economic consequences. Military confrontation, regional instability and higher energy costs are not distant matters when they affect transport, food distribution and household budgets. Yet the election cannot be reduced to economics alone. Concerns about the state of American democracy and the exercise of presidential power also figured prominently in the debate. Americans were judging the administration’s performance, but they were also considering the limits that should apply to a president who increasingly treats personal authority as the organising principle of government. The Democratic victory will give the opposition control of Congress when the new legislature convenes in January, providing it with greater powers to scrutinise executive decisions. Trump’s political strength has always rested on more than conventional party loyalty. The MAGA movement is an identity as much as an electoral coalition. Its supporters see him as a political figure who challenges established institutions, confronts cultural elites and gives voice to grievances they believe have been ignored. For this constituency, criticism of Trump often reinforces the conviction that he is fighting an entrenched establishment. That loyalty should not be underestimated, nor confused with universal public consent. The distinction is central to understanding the midterms. A leader can retain an intensely committed base while losing the confidence of voters outside it. Presidential elections reward mobilisation and coalition-building, but midterms provide a more immediate assessment of governing performance. They allow voters to express dissatisfaction without fully endorsing the opposition. Trump may not have lost his movement, but has encountered its limits when its political promises are tested against the economic and institutional concerns of a broader electorate. There is also a warning here for the Democratic Party. Its gains should not be interpreted as proof of a sudden national conversion to Demo-
A ballot box does not surrender its authority to the person who wins it, nor does an electoral mandate confer ownership of the state. It may bring a leader to power, but it also reminds him that power is never his personal possession
Lahore – Ph: 042-36300938, 042-36375965
consumer goods and the ever-increasing costs of gasoline, diesel fuel, and home heating took their toll on the GOP. The issues of US military aid to Israel and the role played by the pro-Israel lobby (AIPAC) in intimidating and silencing politicians played a less significant role in the November election than it had in the Democratic primaries where support for Israel proved to be the undoing of several incumbents. In the Senate races, a number of Democrats who won this year were clear in their opposition to aid to Israel and their refusal to accept the support of AIPAC, but because they weren’t challenged by their Republican opponents, the issue didn’t become a central theme in the November election. The major exception was the Senate contest in Michigan between Democrat Abdul el-Sayed and his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers. But it wasn’t Rogers who made el-Sayed’s criticism of Israel the issue. Instead, following the lead of President Trump, Rogers focused on charges that el-Sayed is a socialist or Islamic extremist who couldn’t be trusted to be loyal to America. The attacks against el-Sayed’s criticism of Israel were left to the woman he’d defeated in the Democratic primary, who continued to demand that he adopt her positions on Israel. When el-Sayed refused to do so, she endorsed Mike Rogers, an act of political suicide which ended up benefiting elSayed’s campaign. Policy matters aside, one “meta-issue” helped shape this year’s contests. Voters on both sides of the partisan debate are fed up with politicians— especially the blow-dried, consultant-shaped characters who’ve long dominated the stage. Voters want authenticity: candidates who speak hard truths, whom they feel can be trusted to address their needs. One might argue that this was Donald Trump’s appeal in 2016 and Joe Biden’s in 2020. And it’s the edge that Mr. Trump has lost— with his expensive vanity remodeling projects, shady business dealings, and demonstrated insensitivity to the economic hardships of many voters. If anything, this year was a classic “throw the bums out” election—leading to many establishment Democratic politicians being beaten in the primaries and the GOP’s establishment crowd being shown the door in the general. Lessons must be learned from this election— and it appears the establishment consultants on both sides don’t appear to understand. Democrats mustn’t assume that this year’s victories will automatically repeat in 2028. The consultants who are telling Democrats that the GOP is dead and it’s time to move to the centre, are wrong on both counts. Voters chose Democrats willing to fight for a change in economic priorities— where health care is seen as a right and affordable for all; where resources are allocated away from war and weapons toward meeting domestic priorities; and where money from corporations and billionaires don’t dominate our politics. If Democrats, now in charge, don’t address these issues that brought them victory, they may pay a price in 2028.
I
Karachi – Ph: 021-32640318 I
cratic politics. The party faces a challenge that extends beyond opposing Trump. Since Barack Obama left the White house, it has struggled to produce a leader with comparable national appeal, political authority and the ability to unite its diverse constituencies. Joe Biden’s victory in 2020 demonstrated that the Democrats could still win the presidency, but his withdrawal in 2024 and Kamala harris’s subsequent defeat exposed the difficulties of succession. The party also remains divided over its ideological direction, policy priorities and the kind of economic and social programme it should offer the country. Opposition to Trump is a powerful electoral force, but not a governing programme. Democrats must move beyond resistance and present convincing proposals on affordability, employment, healthcare, housing, immigration and democratic accountability. Without credible leadership and a coherent vision of governance, electoral gains driven largely by dissatisfaction with a president may prove temporary. For countries like Pakistan, the American experience offers a broader lesson about the relationship between political legitimacy and economic performance. electoral mandates, popular mobilisation and personal loyalty cannot permanently substitute for affordable living, institutional accountability and effective governance. Political authority must be continually justified through public welfare and institutional responsibility. No government can expect its electoral mandate to remain beyond scrutiny while ordinary citizens bear the consequences of its decisions. American democracy is neither flawless nor immune to institutional erosion. Deep polarisation, distrust, political intimidation and challenges to institutional independence have placed considerable strain. Yet the midterms demonstrate the importance of elections between presidential contests. They provide citizens with an opportunity to check executive authority, alter legislative priorities and prevent electoral victories from becoming blank cheques for those in power. Democracy is not simply the authority to govern after winning an election. It is also the obligation to remain answerable while exercising that authority. Trump’s political influence remains substantial, and the midterms do not signal the end of his movement. They reveal something more consequential, the limits of a politics built around one man’s authority. A leader may command extraordinary loyalty, mobilise millions and bend an entire political party to his will, but none of these can place him beyond public scrutiny or institutional restraint. A ballot box does not surrender its authority to the person who wins it, nor does an electoral mandate confer ownership of the state. It may bring a leader to power, but it also reminds him that power is never his personal possession.
The writer has a PhD in Political Science, and is a visiting faculty member at QAU Islamabad. He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo.com and tweets @zafarkhansafdar Islamabad – Ph: 051-2204545
I
Editor’s mail
Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan Today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan Today exclusively
Stinking oversight
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
I
Email: editorial@pakistantoday.com.pk
COMMENT 05
Wednesday, 11 November, 2026
A new frontier in climate governance
C
Solar radiation modification
DR MUHAMMAD MUMTAZ AND PROF ATHAR HUSSAIN
URRENTLY, the world is taking action against carbon emissions and climate change, but it is short of what is expected. The gap between what scientists suggest with empirical evidence and what governments actually do is widening, resulting in a new and unsettling idea that has moved from climate science into serious policy conversations: deliberately cooling the Earth’s temperature to counter the negative complications of climate change. Scientists call this solar radiation modification (SRM). SRM is a technology used to reduce the amount of the sun's heat that reaches or stays trapped near the Earth's surface, rather than waiting for emissions cuts alone to bring temperatures down. This idea is being debated as a climate policy option. As for Pakistan, a country that ranks among the most climate-vulnerable in the world, it has a limited participatory presence in the global discussions revolving around SRM. What is SRM? Several methods, like stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), cirrus cloud thinning (CCT), and Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB), come under SRM. SAI involves releasing fine sulphur particles high in the atmosphere to reflect a small amount of sunlight back into space, whereas CCT works by thinning out high clouds so that more heat can escape from the Earth back into space. MCB involves making ocean clouds slightly whiter and more reflective, and is already being piloted in small trials near the Great Barrier Reef
and in parts of the Arctic. Even though building the scientific and technical capacity to deploy SRM responsibly requires higher financial and technical capacity, its relative financial feasibility makes it an attractive measure while the world continues to work towards lowering emissions. Therefore, scientific institutions across the globe are now putting serious efforts into further investigating SRM as a promising solution to tackle climate change impacts. SRM Governance: SRM could potentially reduce the worst impacts of climate change. This includes protecting the most vulnerable regions to climate change from crop destruction, heat waves, glacial melts, and flash floods. SRM doesn’t have to replace emission reduction; however, it is a potential solution that could work along with mitigation and adaptation. However, this does not mean unregulated SRM deployment would be an option. Even though it is a potential solution that could be more effective than emission reduction, extensive research and development regarding SRM has just begun over the last few years. It is also stated that unregulated deployment of SAI particles could accelerate ozone layer depletion, and deploying SRM technologies could lead to global conflict and threaten international peace. Even though the climatic side-effects of SRM technologies can be projected in advance, non-climatic consequences remain unknown. Regional temperature and rainfall patterns could shift in ways that are difficult to predict, with knock-on effects for agriculture and food security in exactly the parts of the world least equipped to absorb the shock. Apart from this, the serious
Even though considerable funding is being directed toward SRM research globally, it is concentrated largely in the Global North. Hence, the way forward is ensuring Pakistan and comparable Global South countries are equipped to direct a meaningful share of that funding toward regionally led research. Given Pakistan's climate vulnerability and the unpredictable regional consequences SRM deployment may carry, remaining disengaged from this debate is not a viable long-term option
health impacts of SRM technology deployment are also highlighted, especially in areas that are already vulnerable to climate change impacts. Governance is required to prevent unauthorized deployment and to detect irresponsible research that could pose socioeconomic or geopolitical risk. Despite more than two decades of research, there is no binding international legal instrument that yet governs SRM at any scale. This is partly because scholars have not identified which forums are best suited to govern it. Under-representation of the Global South in SRM: Scientific bodies have made several attempts to build governance norms around SRM deployment, publishing various principles and frameworks under the banner of codes of conduct and policy implementation procedures. But, the governance capacity for SRM remains concentrated mostly in Global North countries. Most of the work on SRM is based in Europe and North America, while authors from Africa and South America combined accounted for only 3.1 percent of the total. Despite this, the impacts of these complex technologies are often borne by poorer nations. It is therefore imperative to involve countries from the Global South to ensure participation and decision-making on SRM. Several workshops held in low-andmiddle-income countries, including in Africa, have highlighted concern for risks to regional agriculture from SRM implementation, while also revealing a knowledge and capacity gap. This is why there is an urgent need to investigate public perceptions of SRM in the Global South, enabling comparison with the Global North. The South Asian region has initiated objective research on SRM to understand its potential implications. India is advancing towards building the structural frameworks that are required to have a real argument in the global discussion surrounding SRM. A recent Indian survey found strong public support for a national SRM policy and a government-led coordinating committee. However, Nepal has almost no tangible activity on SRM, with no dedicated national effort to support advanced research on SRM. In Pakistan, recent modelling research by the COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) examined SRM’s impact on health, such as vector-borne diseases like malaria in Pakistan. The research demonstrated that evidence-based approaches are important for effective SRM deployment in the Global South as the region is facing disproportionate climate shocks. Therefore, serious efforts are required for the Global South countries to participate in collecting empirical evidence regarding SRM, as they are the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change impacts.
We have been observing and participating in the ongoing SRM governance debate over the last few years, including participation in COP30, in which a side event on SRM was documented on the UNFCCC's website, though it was not part of the primary agenda. Alongside this, we had extensive discussions at different forums: a public engagement workshop in the UK, participation in the Co-Create initiative's SRM activities in Brussels, discussions at the Gordon Research Conference in the United States, and continued involvement in different workshops, conferences and seminars discussing SRM governance and research. Most recently, we were invited to a discussion on SRM at CUI. In parallel, we contribute to an ARIA-funded (UK) project examining public perception of SRM across Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan, involving sustained community engagement in each country. Three observations emerge from this engagement. Firstly, SRM-related research in the Global South, and in Pakistan specifically, remains in its infancy. Secondly, public awareness of SRM in Pakistan is quite limited except for a small circle of specialists. Thirdly, Pakistan is unable to separate itself from the SRM debate given its acute climate exposure and the unpredictable regional implications SRM deployment could carry, which could include altered precipitation patterns and biodiversity effects specific to South Asian ecosystems; the outcomes remain inconclusive. However, one of our experiences at Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi illustrates how quickly this awareness gap can narrow. A talk conducted by Hassan Sipra affiliated with DSG, a US-based organization, with 70 to 80 students found that virtually none of the students were familiar with SRM beforehand. However, after the talk, much awareness had been created and consequently, one student, Munaza Rauf, completed her thesis on SRM governance under the supervision of Dr
Mumtaz. We have since incorporated a dedicated discussion of SRM debates into the climate change policy courses we teach to create further awareness among students of public policy, therefore bridging the gap between research and academia. The ongoing efforts for SRM governance and our field experience point toward a consistent policy position that it is not yet appropriate to integrate SRM into formal climate governance frameworks, in Pakistan or more broadly, given the current state of evidence and the unresolved ethical and governance questions surrounding the technology. What is required instead is advanced, ethically grounded research, sustained investment in public and policymaker education, and collaboration between regional and international actors. For Pakistan specifically, this entails building independent research capacity, engaging government stakeholders proactively rather than reactively, and pursuing capacity-transfer partnerships that position institutions such as CUI as genuine co-producers of SRM knowledge rather than passive recipients of externally generated conclusions. Even though considerable funding is being directed toward SRM research globally, it is concentrated largely in the Global North. Hence, the way forward is ensuring Pakistan and comparable Global South countries are equipped to direct a meaningful share of that funding toward regionally led research. Given Pakistan's climate vulnerability and the unpredictable regional consequences SRM deployment may carry, remaining disengaged from this debate is not a viable long-term option. The writers are Dr Muhammad Mumtaz, Climate Policy Expert, Assistant Professor, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Professor Ather Hussain, HoD Department of Remote Sensing and GIS, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan.
How a third war could push Iran towards nuclear weapons There is a belief in US President Donald Trump’s circle that economic pressure has brought Iran to the brink and that another round of strikes could make regime change possible
T
MIDDLE EAST MONITOR
MAHDI NIKSEFAT MOTLAGH AND KIAVASH KALHOR
HE most dangerous moment for a dominant power comes when it considers continuing a war necessary to vindicate the decision to begin it. At that point, every inadequate outcome can become an argument for a larger attack. Past costs raise the demand for victory, even as the conditions for achieving it grow more difficult. America is approaching such a point in its confrontation with Iran: a war intended to demonstrate its capacity to exercise power has become a test of that power’s credibility. The Atlantic’s report of 22 October offers a clear account of this calculation. Drawing on conversations with officials and people familiar with the discussions, it describes a belief in US President Donald Trump’s circle that economic pressure has brought Iran to the brink and that another round of strikes could make regime change possible. The same report stresses that no final decision to resume attacks has been taken. What has returned is the expectation that one additional application of pressure will deliver a decisive result. That expectation is a new expression of an old error: the assumption that an enemy’s vulnerability guarantees that its behaviour can be managed. Iran can suffer damage without accepting the political outcome its attacker seeks. The distance between these two possibilities is where military action becomes a hegemonic gamble. Understanding this gamble requires attention to the function of a “manageable enemy”. In this calculation, the presence of a familiar adversary helps organise alliances, justify a military presence and establish the need for protection. Such an enemy’s value to the dominant power depends on the expectation that the scale of the threat, the costs of confrontation and the terms on which it ends can be controlled. In this picture, Iran is important enough for a confrontation with it to carry regional significance, yet is imagined to be sufficiently vulnerable that it cannot alter the rules of engagement. The account of protection and obedience offered by Carl Schmitt, the German jurist and political theorist, helps clarify this relationship. In his analysis, the protecting power plays a role in determining the enemy and shaping political allegiance. Extending this argument to America’s regional order suggests that a claim to security leadership rests on the expectation that the leader can provide protection and contain danger. “Manageable enemy” is this essay’s own formulation; what it draws from Schmitt is
the relationship between the promise of protection and political authority. The difficulty begins when confronting the enemy makes the promised security more costly. Allies that rely on American protection also become exposed to the consequences of American policy. If military operations produce prolonged insecurity, economic disruption and the prospect of retaliation, the capacity to destroy remains intact, but the claim to control the crisis’s outcome comes into question. Hegemonic authority erodes in the gap between the two. The experience of Iraq should have made Washington more alert to this gap. The fall of Saddam Hussein’s government did not resolve the problem of establishing a stable order favourable to the United States. In Iran’s case, even the conversion of military strikes into political collapse has encountered serious obstacles. Institutional plurality, sources of national attachment and experience of governing under pressure make it difficult to move automatically from eliminating individuals to disabling the system. A government can grow weaker while retaining the capacity to make decisions and resist. The 12-day war of June 2025 and the US-Israeli campaign that began on 28 February, 2026 exposed this problem on different scales. Iran’s losses have been real. Yet the outcome those losses were supposed to produce – acceptance of a future determined by Washington and Tel Aviv – remains contested. The continuation of negotiations, threats and pressure itself demonstrates that military superiority has yet to produce the intended political conclusion. A Reuters report of 27 August records the distance between the initial expectation and the resulting situation. Trump had spoken of a campaign lasting four to five weeks, yet six months later the United States was caught between increasing the pressure and finding a face-saving exit. That distance matters for understanding the next decision, because a protracted war can change what ending it means to the power that began it. This is where the hegemonic gamble takes shape. Once a president ties his credibility to forcing Iran to retreat, an agreement that recognises Iran’s continuing freedom of action may appear to him as an admission of failure. Concern for personal credibility then becomes entangled with concern for the credibility of American threats and the confidence of allies. A specific conflict comes to bear the burden of vindicating a much broader claim to power. This does not mean that ending the war would automatically bring down American hegemony. The danger lies in how the war’s end is interpreted. If Washington regards Tehran’s overt submission as the only acceptable outcome, it narrows its own access
to exits that could preserve American power and resources. Under these conditions, a third round of major strikes can be presented as an opportunity to repair the credibility damaged by the first two. The promise is similar each time: this will be the final application of pressure. Yet if the expected political response fails to materialise, further pressure is demanded to justify what came before. Even a desire to concentrate on larger rivals will not necessarily interrupt this cycle. A leader who has defined withdrawal from a conflict as defeat may deepen his commitment in an attempt to escape it. Iran, meanwhile, does not remain the static target it was at the beginning of the confrontation. The experience of attack changes its perception of threats and the ways it preserves the functions of government. Replacing commanders, sustaining decision-making and drawing on different means of imposing costs are elements of an adaptive capacity that assessments based solely on the number of targets destroyed tend to overlook. Adaptation to war, however, should not be confused with immunity from it. Organisational survival can coexist with social exhaustion, damaged infrastructure and dwindling resources. Experience teaches both sides, and the attacker can also change its methods. The argument about the difficulty of an American political victory must therefore remain grounded in the problem of converting destruction into compliance. No past experience guarantees the failure of the next round of strikes. For Tehran, this presents a more difficult problem. The ability to endure a war does not necessarily prevent the next one from beginning. Iran may be able to deny its enemy an easy victory while still facing repeated cycles of attack, reconstruction and renewed threats. Each instance of survival imposes a further cost on society and leaves the question of future security unresolved. Viewed in this light, a condition of neither war nor peace can gradually become intolerable. If a ceasefire is accompanied by continued economic pressure and the enduring possibility of attack, reconstruction remains vulnerable to renewed interruption. The state plans for the future, but the viability of those plans depends on its enemy’s next decision. Under these conditions, the problem of deterrence extends beyond absorbing the costs of one war to preventing its recurrence. This is where the continuation of America’s gamble could alter Iran’s nuclear calculations. If Iranian decision-makers conclude that their existing instruments raise the costs of war without preventing its recurrence, the argument advanced by advocates of nuclear weapons gains strength. They can contend that escaping the cycle of attacks re-
quires a different form of deterrence. Signs of this debate are already visible. An excerpt from a Financial Times report, reproduced by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on 20 October, describes growing calls among some hardline politicians, parliamentarians and analysts to abandon opposition to nuclear weapons and withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The report indicates a shift within part of the political debate; it does not establish that the government has taken an official decision. If a third round of strikes also fails to produce a dependable political settlement, that argument could become stronger. For advocates of a change in nuclear policy, the latest experience would provide further evidence that a temporary halt to bombing does not secure the future. In that case, acquiring a weapon could be proposed as a means of preventing a fourth round, although there would be no guarantee that it would achieve that objective. A considerable distance separates this calculation from its realisation. A stronger incentive, a political decision, practical capability and a reliable deterrent are distinct stages. A Reuters report of 7 October emphasises the severe damage to facilities and the uncertainty surrounding the state of the nuclear programme. That uncertainty prevents us from treating the path to a weapon as straightforward or inevitable. An attempt to follow that path could itself increase the risk of further attacks. Despite these limitations, the contradiction within the policy of pressure remains: operations justified as a means of preventing the weaponisation of Iran’s nuclear programme may increase the political influence of those advocating precisely that choice.
Destroying capacity and strengthening incentives can happen simultaneously. Shortterm military success does not, by itself, answer the long-term problem of non-proliferation. Israel also has agency in this process. Its government may regard the rebuilding of Iran’s capabilities as a threat that must be contained again. But the United States must reckon with a wider set of consequences: the security of regional partners, economic costs and the ability to bring the conflict to an end. Treating these two sets of objectives as identical risks turning every stage of Iranian recovery into a fresh demand for American intervention. A way out depends on changing the conditions that both sides use to justify the next round. Verifiable limits on the nuclear programme must be linked to a credible reduction in the risk of attack and a genuine opportunity for reconstruction. An agreement that offers Tehran only the promise of a pause will not weaken the argument of those advocating nuclear deterrence. Accepting that Iran has a viable economic and security future, by contrast, could change the basis of the calculation. To preserve its power, America must be able to distinguish between ending an unsuccessful war and surrendering its global position. Insisting that only Iran’s submission can preserve American credibility is precisely what binds that credibility to an increasingly costly outcome. The danger of a third round is that Washington returns to war to prove that its enemy can be managed, while Tehran concludes from the recurrence of war that it must permanently change the costs of attacking it. In that event, the gamble to preserve hegemony could strengthen the very nuclear incentive that the war was supposed to eliminate.
SATIRE
Trump demands place on all paint colour charts NEWS BISCUIT JEREMYNH
'I know they're never going to honour my name after I've left the White House,' Donald Trump told a paintmakers' conference in Dulux, Pennsylvania. 'They'll demolish the Trump ballroom and turn the TrumpKennedy Centre back into the boring old Kennedy Centre. 'That's why I want you guys to immortalise the name 'Trump' by making it a colour on your paint charts. 'Trump's gotta be bright red, like my ties and my hats,' ranted the President. 'I mean, a really insanely lurid shade of red - somewhere beyond High on Amphetamines Traffic Light red and Red Alert:
This Plane Is Going To Crash Dive red.' 'I also want orange like my skin. And white, like my skin. And gold - I love gold. All the gold. So much gold.... And I want black like the void where my heart should be.' 'I guess we had no choice except to go ahead and do what he wanted,' grunted a spokes-brush for the Guild of Servile American Paint and Dyestuff Makers, 20 minutes after Trump's speech. 'He said he'd put huge tariffs on us if we didn't. 'Our only question is, who the hell is going to be deranged enough to decorate their house in MAGA red?' Latest reports indicate that 77 million completely deranged Trump voters had put in orders for the repugnant new paint.
06 NeWS
US BLAMES IRAN FOR REGIONAL TURMOIL AS FRANCE WARNS OF FRESH MILITARY ESCALATION
U
Wednesday, 11 November, 2026 | ISLAMABAD
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN AGENCIES
S Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused Iran of being the principal source of instability in the Middle East, as diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict continue amid warnings that the risk of renewed military escalation between Washington and Tehran has not been completely ruled out. “If you guys go through the Middle East and talk about all the instability … Houthis, the militias in Iraq, Hezbollah, Hamas, the civil war that occurred in Syria … what do all of these things have in common?” Rubio told reporters. “Behind every single one of these destabilising activities in the Middle East there’s one common denominator: the Iranian regime. They are behind all the instability in the region. They are the source of instability in the region. I think the countries of the region realise that as well,” he added. Earlier in the day, Rubio told G7 allies that economic sanctions and the naval blockade were working “so well” that President
Donald Trump did not need to launch major combat operations against Iran, Reuters reported. Speaking to reporters in Paris, Rubio said the economic pressure imposed by Washington would intensify over time, while stressing that the United States remained open to a “real deal”. However, he described the conditions being imposed by Tehran as “absurd”. RISK OF FRESH IRAN-US ESCALATION NOT RULED OUT: FRANCE Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warned that the possibility of renewed escalation between the United States and Iran had not been completely ruled out, despite Washington's assessment that major combat operations were currently unnecessary, AFP reported. “The risk of a resumption of strikes and an escalation has not been completely ruled out — otherwise, we would not have devoted so much time and energy over the past two days to addressing these issues with our American counterpart [Marco Rubio],” Barrot said after chairing a meeting of G7 for-
eign ministers in Paris. OIL PRICES SLIDE AS TRUMP PLAYS DOWN PROSPECT OF FURTHER MILITARY ACTION Oil prices extended losses from the previous session after US President Donald Trump played down the prospect of additional military action against Iran, easing concerns over prolonged disruptions to Middle Eastern oil supplies, while the possibility of oversupply also remained in focus, Reuters reported. Brent crude futures fell $2.92, or 3.15 per cent, to $89.65 a barrel as of 1334 GMT (6:34pm PKT). US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures declined $2.33, or 2.68 per cent, to $84.52 a barrel. ARAGHCHI DISMISSES REPORTS OF PROPOSED REZAEI-VANCE MEETING Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed reports that the country's national security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, had met US Vice President JD Vance, describing them as baseless, according to state broadcaster Press TV. “These speculations and media reports
are entirely baseless, and there are no plans to hold such a meeting,” Araghchi told state news agency IRNA. He added that US President Donald Trump “should have realised much earlier that he has failed to achieve any of his objectives in the war against Iran, and will never achieve them”. NETANYAHU CALLS TRUMP DAILY TO PUSH FOR RESUMPTION OF IRAN WAR: REPORT Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly been calling US President Donald Trump “every day” to urge him to resume military action against Iran despite diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, Anadolu reported, citing the Financial Times. “Netanyahu calls him every day [to urge him to resume the war],” a person briefed on the discussions told the British newspaper, adding that figures inside and outside the White House opposed to renewed fighting had been trying to counter Netanyahu's pressure. “The regional leaders are telling him (Trump) not to escalate and prioritise nego-
Netanyahu loses parliamentary majority as Israel’s new lawmakers take office JERUSALEM AGENICES
Israel’s newly elected parliament is set to be sworn in on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu losing his parliamentary majority as opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot attempts to assemble a coalition government. President Isaac Herzog will address the inaugural session of the 120-member Knesset at 4pm local time, marking the beginning of a new parliamentary term in which neither Netanyahu’s right-wing alliance nor the opposition commands an outright majority. Herzog formally tasked Eisenkot with forming a government on Sunday, giving him 28 days to secure sufficient parliamentary support. The deadline can be extended by another 14 days if necessary. Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party and previously served as Israel’s military chief, faces complicated negotiations with parties holding differing positions
on security, religion and the Palestinian territories. His core opposition alliance controls 48 seats, fewer than Netanyahu’s bloc, and would require additional support to reach the 61 votes necessary to form a government. One possible route involves securing the backing of 19 Arab-Israeli lawmakers, either through their participation in the coalition or by obtaining their votes without formally including them in the government. However, Avigdor Lieberman, a prominent right-wing opposition figure, has opposed any arrangement that would make Eisenkot dependent on Arab-Israeli parties. Lieberman has instead proposed bringing ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties into the coalition, despite his longstanding disagreements with them over exemptions from compulsory military service. The two ultra-Orthodox parties hold 13 parliamentary seats and have tradi-
tionally supported Netanyahu, who backed exemptions for members of their communities without fully establishing the arrangement in legislation. Their decision could therefore determine whether Eisenkot succeeds in forming a government. Meanwhile, the opposition has begun preparing to take control of important parliamentary positions. Report AdAdvertisement isenkot’s party announced that Matan Kahana, another former senior military figure, would be nominated for the position of Knesset speaker. Lieberman is expected to be nominated as chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs and defence committee. The opposition’s nominee for speaker would need to secure more votes than any candidate supported by Netanyahu’s alliance. Netanyahu’s bloc has reportedly sought to delay the vote. Opposition lawmakers also intend to establish a commission to investigate the security and intelligence failures preced-
ing Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. The proposed inquiry is among the first legislative priorities identified by parties seeking to replace Netanyahu’s government. Despite their shared opposition to Netanyahu, disagreements over Gaza and the occupied West Bank could complicate efforts to establish a stable administration. Eisenkot has largely supported Netanyahu’s military decisions during the Gaza war but has promised stronger action against extremist Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians and seizing their property in the West Bank. Arab-Israeli lawmakers could withdraw their support if a government led by Eisenkot launches another major military offensive in Gaza. The opposition’s ability to form a government will depend on negotiations with either Arab-Israeli representatives or ultra-Orthodox parties, whose competing political demands could make any resulting coalition difficult to sustain.
France accuses Iranian cyber unit of hacking 700 refrigeration sites, threatens sanctions
F
FRANCE
AGENCIES
RENCH authorities have accused a cyber unit linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards of carrying out attacks on refrigeration systems at approximately 700 commercial sites across France, causing widespread food losses and at least 15 fires. The allegations, announced on Monday, concern a series of cyberattacks launched on October 11 and 12 that disrupted refrigerators and freezers at supermarkets, food-processing facilities and other businesses. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Iran’s ambassador had been summoned to the foreign ministry, while warning that Paris could pursue additional sanctions against Tehran through the European Union. A joint investigation by French intelligence and cybersecurity agencies identified Shahid Kaveh, described as an offensive cyber unit associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, as the organisation allegedly responsible for the attacks. The report also named three suspected associates, Hamid Reza Lashgarian, Mahdi Lashgarian and Reza Salarvand, in connection with the operation. Investigators said the hackers operated through several groups presenting themselves as independent cyber activists, including CyberAveng3rs and Cyber Isnaad Front.
French authorities linked the attacks to Shahid Kaveh after examining the digital infrastructure used to compromise refrigeration systems, identifying similarities with earlier cyber operations and recovering traces of the Farsi language in the attack infrastructure. Paris prosecutors have requested international arrest warrants for those suspected of involvement. The attacks caused serious disruption across France’s food retail industry, with some refrigeration systems reportedly manipulated to generate dangerously high temperatures, triggering fires. Supermarket workers were forced to dispose of large quantities of spoiled meat, melted frozen products and other perishable goods after the systems failed.
One supermarket owner estimated that the nationwide financial damage could reach tens of millions of euros. Although supermarkets accounted for most of the affected premises, investigators also identified disruptions at smaller butcher shops, a slaughterhouse and food-processing factories. The October attacks were followed by another wave of incidents in November, affecting more than 100 establishments across Europe. The latest disruptions also reached refrigeration equipment used by French blood banks, forcing employees to transfer blood supplies to alternative coldstorage facilities. Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to requests for comment.
Tehran has previously denied accusations of conducting malicious cyber operations. The attacks have attracted attention from cybersecurity companies and government agencies in Europe and the United States. Microsoft had privately linked the October incidents to Iran at least two weeks before the French government’s announcement, according to three people familiar with the assessment. The company declined to comment publicly. Investigators are also examining possible connections with refrigeration failures at American military facilities. In August, refrigerators at at least six US military commissaries stopped functioning, prompting a Pentagon investigation into a suspected cyberattack. American officials reportedly consider Iran a possible suspect, although the investigation remains ongoing and no definitive attribution has been publicly established. The Pentagon said on Monday that it was aware of speculation surrounding a potential cyber incident but could not provide further details for security reasons. Cybersecurity specialists have suggested that vulnerabilities in outdated refrigeration equipment may have made the attacks easier to execute. The manufacturer of several affected systems acknowledged that some units were obsolete or operating with outdated firmware, potentially exposing them to unauthorised access.
Bangladesh prosecutor warns Hasina faces execution if she returns from India DHAKA
AGENCIES
Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina faces execution if she returns to the country after missing the deadline to appeal her death sentence for crimes against humanity, a senior prosecutor said on Tuesday. Md Aminul Islam, the prosecutor who secured her conviction, said the 79-year-old former leader had exhausted her legal options after failing to challenge the verdict within the prescribed 30-day period. His remarks followed repeated statements by Hasina that she intends to return to Bangladesh in December, despite the death sentence handed down
by a Dhaka court in November 2025. Hasina, who has been living in India since her government was overthrown in August 2024, was convicted in absentia over her administration’s violent crackdown on student-led demonstrations. The court found her guilty on three counts of crimes against humanity, including inciting violence, ordering killings and failing to prevent atrocities committed during the protests. According to United Nations estimates, as many as 1,400 people were killed during the crackdown, which preceded the collapse of Hasina’s government after 15 years in power. The former prime minister fled Bangladesh by helicopter in August 2024 as protesters stormed
her official residence. She has remained in India since then, largely avoiding public appearances while occasionally addressing journalists by telephone. Hasina has repeatedly indicated that she plans to return home in December, despite acknowledging the possibility of execution. She has rejected the legiti-
macy of the proceedings against her and criticised the trial, which was conducted in her absence. During the proceedings, the court examined whether Hasina bore command responsibility for the violence against demonstrators. Witnesses included victims who suffered serious injuries during the security crackdown. Although a state-appointed lawyer represented her, Hasina did not appear before the court despite instructions to return to Bangladesh for the trial. Her conviction followed years of allegations concerning the conduct of her government, including the imprisonment of political opponents, restrictions on press freedom and human rights violations.
tiations,” the source said. Another person familiar with the situation in Israel said Netanyahu wanted military action against Iran to resume, but there was currently no coordinated “push” to persuade Trump. The Financial Times reported that Arab and Muslim leaders had been alarmed by Netanyahu's persistent lobbying for a resumption of the war. IRAN WAR WILL BE JUDGED DIFFERENTLY FROM CURRENT CONVENTIONAL WISDOM: PENTAGON CHIEF Meanwhile, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reiterated the necessity of the war against Iran, claiming that the United States had achieved a historic military victory. “By every measure, we achieved a historic military victory,” he said, reiterating that Iran's navy had been sunk and its defence-industrial base destroyed within 40 days of sustained combat operations. “History will judge the Iran war quite differently than conventional wisdom right now. We didn’t start this war; Iran did 47 years ago,” Hegseth said.
Bangladesh madrasa fire leaves 63 students hospitalised, four critical DHAKA
AGENCIES
At least 63 students were hospitalised after a fire broke out at a religious school in Bangladesh’s Narayanganj district early Tuesday, leaving four children in critical condition, officials said. The fire erupted on the second floor of a five-storey building housing Jamiatul Ashrafia Madrasa, located approximately 16 kilometres southeast of the capital, Dhaka. According to Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of the Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, the blaze started in the institution’s library and office rooms. Four firefighting units were dispatched to the scene and managed to bring the flames under control. Although most students escaped without suffering burns, dozens experienced breathing difficulties after inhaling smoke during the incident. All 63 affected students were transferred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for medical treatment. Resident surgeon Sultan Mahmud Sikdar said four children had been admitted to the intensive care unit in critical condition, with one requiring life support. He confirmed that none of the hospitalised students had sustained burn injuries, but all were receiving treatment for respiratory complications believed to have resulted from smoke inhalation. The madrasa has approximately 1,300 enrolled students, most of whom live in boarding facilities at the institution.
Embattled Pentagon chief slams impeachment effort as 'farce' WASHINTON AFP
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday denounced a push to impeach him as a “farce” and defended his record leading multiple military operations that have sparked allegations of misconduct against the Pentagon chief. Under pressure after President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance blamed the Iran war for the Republican Party’s sweeping losses in midterm elections, Hegseth now faces a congressional effort to remove him from office. “It’s a farce and it’s a stunt and everybody knows it,” a defiant Hegseth told journalists of the impeachment proceedings launched by Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican, the previous day. “What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight, and it’s not accountability. It’s a political spectacle,” Hegseth said. Massie, a fierce critic of Trump, is leaving office after losing a primary contest to a candidate backed by the president. Trump has backed Hegseth so far, and on Tuesday wrote on social media that the Pentagon chief “gets an ‘A’ plus, plus, plus for his defence” against the impeachment efforts. Hegseth on Tuesday defended military interventions in Yemen, Iran and Venezuela as well as strikes targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. ‘WOULD DO IT AGAIN’ “I stand behind every one of these operations. I was proud to execute them, and I would do it again tomorrow,” he said, equating the effort to remove him with an attack on US troops. “These resolutions tell every one of them that their service was a crime. Their service was not a crime. These are heroes,” said Hegseth. Several of the articles of impeachment relate to the Iran war, accusing Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution, which requires congressional consultation on US military interventions.
NEWS 07
Wednesday, 11 November 2026 | ISLAMABAD
CORPORATE CORNER
Pakistan’s marketing services exports rise 19% as agencies gear up for global growth at Payoneer Connect Lahore
LAHORE STAFF REPORT
Pakistan’s exports of advertising and market research services rose 19% year-on-year to $30.7 million in July–September 2026, up from $25.8 million in the same quarter last year, State Bank of Pakistan data shows. The figures set the backdrop for Payoneer Connect Lahore, where more than 40 marketing agencies met to explore how to win clients abroad and scale with them.Hosted by Payoneer, the global financial technology company that helps businesses grow across borders, the event was themed ‘The Export Era of Global Marketing’. It brought agency leaders together with representatives of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), Google, along with AI practitioners.This services export momentum extends across professional services. Other business services, from the wider State Bank category that also covers public relations, consulting and technical services, recorded exports of $620 million in the same quarter, up 27% year-on-year. Within it, exports of consulting and public relations services rose 22% to $81.2 million.That emphasis on quality over volume also ran through a fireside chat on agentic AI with Ali Imran Memon, founder and CEO of Kitsune AI. The conversation examined whether Pakistan has reached the limits of freelancing and outsourcing, and how agencies can turn their expertise into AI agents and products rather than billable hours. It also weighed whether AI services should be priced by subscription, task or outcome.
Load management initiated due to a temporary demand and supply gap: IESCO ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Load management has been initiated in the IESCO region due to a temporary gap between electricity demand and supply. Load management is being carried out uniformly across all 11kV feeders for an equal duration.Islamabad: Load management will be discontinued as soon as the required electricity quota becomes available in line with demand.Islamabad: IESCO regrets the inconvenience caused to its valued consumers due to the ongoing load management resulting from the demand-supply gap.
Rangers arrest two suspected robbers in Karachi, recover stolen valuables KARACHI
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), during snap checking in the Metroville area of SITE Town, arrested two suspects red-handed at the scene of a crime for their alleged involvement in multiple incidents of robbery and street crime.The arrested suspects were identified as Sher Malik, son of Habibullah, and Amjad Ali, son of Muhammad Anwar.A 9mm unlicensed pistol along with ammunition, two snatched mobile phones and cash allegedly looted from citizens were recovered from their possession.According to details, the suspects used to follow citizens withdrawing money from banks and ATMs in and around SITE Town and allegedly rob them at gunpoint of cash, mobile phones, motorcycles and other valuables before fleeing the scene.The arrested suspects, along with an accomplice, had recently robbed a citizen of Rs300,000 in the Sher Shah area. The suspects allegedly divided the looted cash among themselves.The suspects are habitual offenders allegedly involved in multiple cases of robbery, attempted murder and illegal possession of weapons, while several FIRs have been registered against them at different police stations.One of the arrested suspects, Sher Malik, was recently released from jail after serving a three-year sentence in a robbery case. He is allegedly the ringleader of the gang, operating and supervising its various criminal activities.
CM MARYAM VOWS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPTION, PROMISES JHELUM SCHOOL, GREEN BUSES
P g
PUNJAB CM SAYS NAWAZ SHARIF SCHOOL OF EMINENCE TO OPEN DEC 15; GREEN BUS SERVICE IN DINA, SOHAWA, PIND DADAN KHAN FROM JANUARY LAHORE
SALEEM JADOON
UNJAB Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday announced that the Nawaz Sharif School of Eminence in Jhelum would become operational on December 15, while Green Bus services would be launched in Dina, Sohawa and Pind Dadan Khan in January. Reaffirming her commitment to public welfare and development, she vowed to ensure that every penny was spent on the people and that looted public money would be recovered from those who had betrayed public trust. Addressing a ceremony for the distribution of Honhaar Scholarships and laptops among students in Jhelum, the chief minister said billions of rupees worth of development projects were being executed across Punjab, asserting that not a single penny of public money had been embezzled by her government. "I swear I will not spare any minister if evidence of corruption emerges against them." "Those who have objections should explain why they are sitting as ministers. Why don't they resign and go home?" she asked. She said individuals who had earned notoriety for corruption and bribery were still sitting outside the country. "I am not
claiming that corruption has been completely eliminated. But when I come to know about corruption in Punjab, I pursue the matter relentlessly. Is there no corruption in other provinces? The people who looted public money and indulged in corruption during 13 to 14 years of rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are now being exposed." Clarifying that she was speaking specifically about Punjab, Maryam Nawaz said other provinces were answerable to their own people. She maintained that every penny in Punjab was being spent on public welfare and development,
reiterating: "We will recover the looted money from those who have betrayed public trust." The chief minister said her government believed in performance rather than rhetoric, adding that the PML-N had repeatedly returned to power because of its record of public service. "Popularity is reflected in public support. People vote for service, not political narratives." Referring to the Lillah-Jhelum Road project, she said some people would now attempt to claim credit for the initiative. "If it was your project, why did you not complete it during your four-year government?
Azma challenges Fawad Ch to explain unfinished projects after four years in power LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari, responding to a statement by Fawad Chaudhry, questioned why projects being claimed by the former government had not been completed during its four-year tenure. She said merely conceiving or announcing a project did not make it an achievement, stressing that the real credit belonged to those who initiated projects and saw them through to completion. Azma Bokhari said the projects widely associated with the previous government included eggs, calves, poultry and cannabis factories. She added that claiming ownership of such projects after six and a half years, despite having governed at both the federal and provincial levels,
ISLAMABAD
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Muhammad Sohail Chaudhry on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting at Safe City Islamabad to review the federal capital’s overall secusituation, surveillance rity through Safe City cameras, crime prevention measures and traffic management, with a special focus on strengthening technology-based policing and
Practical proposals needed to empower youth, women through skills training: Governor PESHAWAR
STAFF REPORT
was nothing short of embarrassing. The Punjab Information Minister said that if these projects had genuinely been among the previous government's priorities and achievements, it had ample opportunity to complete them during its four years in power. Instead of claiming credit for these projects now, she said, the for-
mer government should explain why they had been left unfinished despite having both the opportunity and authority to deliver them. Addressing Fawad Chaudhry, Azma Bokhari concluded with a pointed remark: "Now, tell us honestly, the Chief Minister Punjab's reception was quite impressive, wasn't it?"
IGP Islamabad reviews security, surveillance and crime prevention measures STAFF REPORT
They are good at talking but fail to deliver." She said her government faced criticism whenever it undertook development projects but remained determined to fulfil the aspirations of young people. "Let children dream; Maryam Nawaz will work day and night to turn their dreams into reality." Addressing female students, she urged them to move forward with confidence and never allow anyone to tell them that certain professions or achievements were beyond their reach. The chief minister said she felt grateful to Allah whenever she watched videos of students receiving their laptops. "I thank Allah that our children's hands are holding laptops, not sticks, stones and bombs." Congratulating the parents of talented students, she said deserving young people were being rewarded for their hard work and academic achievements. Parents sent their children to educational institutions with countless dreams, and those who fulfilled their aspirations deserved recognition, she added. She said more than 100,000 scooters were being provided to students across Punjab, adding that recipients would also receive proper training. Students were also being provided free travel facilities on Green Buses operating across the province.
improving police response. An official told APP that, the meeting discussed various aspects of the city’s security arrangements, including the effectiveness of the Safe City surveillance system and the use of modern technology to monitor criminal activities. The meeting also reviewed measures to strengthen the monitoring system, ensure timely identification of suspicious activities and improve coordination for an effective police response. Matters relating to traffic man-
agement and the role of surveillance cameras in maintaining smooth traffic flow across the federal capital were also discussed. The participants examined ways to make better use of modern technology for crime prevention, security monitoring and timely response to emerging situations. The meeting focused on further improving the efficiency of Safe City Islamabad’s monitoring arrangements to strengthen public safety and support effective policing across the capital.
CDA chairman visits Sector C-14, reviewes ongoing development activities in details
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Sohail Ashraf visited Sector C-14 and carried out a detailed review of the ongoing development activities there.While briefing Chairman CDA Sohail Ashraf on the ongoing development activities in Sector C-14, relevant officers said that sector development work in C-14 is continuing at full pace and approximately 92 percent of the basic infrastructure work has been completed.During the briefing, Chairman CDA was informed that arrangements for electricity supply in Sector C-14 have entered the final stages and the installation of light poles on the main roads has been completed. He was further informed that signboards are being installed on the main roads and streets of Sector C-14. Similarly, landscaping and horticulture work is also underway.Chairman CDA Sohail Ashraf directed that possession of plots be provided to allottees without delay. He directed that the remaining development work in Sector C-14 be completed on a priority basis.Chairman CDA said that the development of new sectors is among the top priorities of the CDA administration. He directed that continuous monitoring of development projects in new sectors and immediate resolution of issues be ensured. STAFF REPORT
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday called for formulating practical recommendations for joint initiatives in education and technical training to empower youth and women, particularly those belonging to underprivileged segments of society, through market-oriented skills and improved employment opportunities. He expressed these views during a meeting with the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Spark of Hope, Nasreen Aman, at the Governor House. The meeting discussed in detail the prospects for collaborative initiatives aimed at youth development and women’s empowerment across the province. During the meeting, the Governor was informed that Spark of Hope has been working since 2018 in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar, Swat, Abbottabad and the valleys of Chitral. The organization supports children affected by child labour and extreme poverty while providing technical and vocational training to youth and women in digital skills, hospitality and fashion designing. Governor Kundi emphasized that practical proposals should be prepared to promote cooperation in education and vocational training so that young people and women, especially from marginalized communities, could acquire employable skills and access better livelihood opportunities. He termed the role of private institutions and welfare organizations vital in promoting youth and women’s development and stressed the need to strengthen mutual collaboration for achieving these objectives. Members of the Spark of Hope team, Samina Virani and Mukhtar Alam, were also present on the occasion.
FUUAST marks World Science Day with call for Pak-China research cooperation ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST), Islamabad, on Tuesday marked World Science Day for Peace and Development with a special programme highlighting science diplomacy, Pakistan-China research collaboration and international cooperation as key drivers of sustainable development and global peace, bringing together academics, researchers and students from various disciplines. The event, organised by the university’s Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation (ORIC), featured FUUAST Vice Chancellor and International Science Council (ISC) Fellow Prof Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari (SI, TI) as the special speaker, while Prof Dr Tianhua Hong, Executive Director General of the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre on Earth Sciences (CPJRC), delivered the keynote address.
NCCIA busts cybercrime ring: 1,749 arrested, Rs149.8m recovered in 53 days ISLAMABAD
RAJA KASHIF ASHFAQ
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has arrested 1,749 suspects and recovered Rs149.8 million during a intensive 53-day nationwide crackdown on cybercrime, official performance metrics obtained by this correspondent reveal. The data underscores an escalating volume of cyber related offenses, with enforcement operations zeroing in on illicit call centers, online fraud syndicates, and compromised digital infrastructure. During the reporting period, the agency logged 10,386 complaints. Swift preliminary
verifications led to the initiation of 6,672 formal inquiries and the registration of 442 criminal cases targeting complex cyber offences. Alongside the arrests of 1,749 individuals, federal investigators successfully recovered Rs149.8 million in illicit proceeds marking a major financial blow to operating cyber networks. Cyber Patrol Scratches 4,500+ URLs; Over 1,100 Sent for Blocking As part of proactive digital monitoring, the NCCIA’s Cyber Patrolling Unit conducted technical scrutiny on 4,530 web links (URLs) identified for facilitating suspicious or illegal online activities. Following technical analysis, 1,186 ma-
licious URLs were referred to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for immediate domain blocking, reflecting tightening inter-agency coordination against illicit web content. Parallel enforcement actions generated an additional 559 inquiries and 51 criminal cases. However, official records do not specify whether these numbers are integrated into the primary tally or represent standalone proceedings. Major Raid Strategy Targets Scam Call Centers The focal point of the 53-day offensive was a targeted sweep of call centers operating as fronts for cyber fraud.
Official data shows the agency executed 59 raids against suspect facilities, resulting in 43 criminal cases and the arrest of 973 operatives. Notably, 211 of those taken into custody are foreign nationals, highlighting potential cross-border dimensions to the illicit operations. Raiding parties seized 15,502 items, including digital devices and infrastructure. Breakdown details regarding the physical evidence and the specific nationalities of the foreign detainees remain undisclosed in the available records. Heavy Workload Underlines Scale of Cyber Threat The figures highlight the heavy inves-
tigative burden confronting the agency. Handling over 10,000 complaints and initiating more than 6,600 inquiries within less than two months indicates a relentless influx of cyber fraud allegations requiring technical verification. While 442 cases have advanced to formal prosecution, the current dataset does not include prosecution outcomes, conviction rates, or final disposal metrics for resolved complaints. Overall, the 53 day operation represents one of the agency’s largest coordinated pushes to date against organized call center scams, illicit web operators, and digital financial fraud.
PAKISTAN BLAMES INDIA’S DIWALI FIREWORKS FOR LAHORE’S TOXIC AIR
Wednesday, 11 November, 2026
PRAYER TIMINGS
NEWS
P
ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI REUTERS
AKISTAN blamed poor air quality this week on pollution drifting from neighboring India, where firecrackers set off during the Hindu festival of Diwali over the weekend blanketed much of the north in toxic smog. The northern Pakistani city of Lahore topped Swiss group IQAir’s ranking of the world’s most polluted major cities for a second day on Tuesday, with an air quality index (AQI) of 263, categorized as “very unhealthy.” city’s concentration of The PM2.5, harmful airborne particles small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs, was 37.2 times above the World Health Organization’s annual guideline, IQAir said. Pakistani Punjab’s Environment Protection Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said pollutants had been carried into the region by light winds and air drifting from India in the aftermath of Diwali.
“However, air pollution is expected to gradually decrease from early afternoon as weather conditions improve and winds shift direction,” she said.
At UNSC, Pakistan urges immediate, robust ceasefire as Russia Ukraine war escalates UNITED NATIONS STAFF REPORT
Amid a dangerous escalation in hostilities and fresh waves of military strikes, Pakistan on Monday called on the UN Security Council to secure an immediate deescalation and a robust ceasefire in the nearly four-year-old Russia-Ukraine war, warning that continued military confrontation would only deepen civilian suffering and undermine prospects for peace. “We are deeply concerned by the continued escalation in fighting and the resulting harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure,” Ambassador Syed Haider Ali Shah, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, told the 15-member Council during a briefing on Ukraine. The meeting followed Russian attacks on Dnipro, Chernihiv and Kremenchuk on October 29, which killed at least 19 people and injured more than 50. Requested by Ukraine and supported by the Council’s five European members, the meeting was chaired by Latvia’s Foreign Minister, Baiba Braze. In his remarks, the Pakistani envoy underscored the urgent need for an “immediate and robust” ceasefire to halt active hostilities, rebuild trust and pave the way for a mutually acceptable and peaceful political settlement. “The pursuit of a military solution only risks further escalation and prolongs the suffering of those affected by this conflict,” he said, adding that the continuing humanitarian fallout, coupled with cascading shocks to global food and energy markets, was disproportionately affecting developing countries far beyond the immediate European theatre. “The scenes witnessed recently in Oleshky, however, reinforce the fact that real, tangible and meaningful progress can only be achieved through dialogue and cooperation,” Ambassador Haider Shah said. Calling on both sides to prevent any further expansion of the conflict, he urged them to de-escalate, scrupulously fulfil their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law, and recommit to dialogue to bring the conflict to an early end. The Pakistani envoy pointed out that continued military escalation and the widening battlefield were only deepening mistrust, narrowing diplomatic options and aggravating the suffering of innocent populations. Pakistan, he said, welcomed reports of working-level diplomatic meetings between Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi and encouraged both sides to engage in earnest and structured dialogue. He stressed that any durable peace settlement must be firmly anchored in the principles of the UN Charter and international law while taking into account and addressing the legitimate security concerns of all parties involved. Meanwhile, briefing the Security Council, Mohamed Yahya, UN Assistant SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, warned that “winter is no longer a distant threat” as Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure continued to cause prolonged power and water outages affecting millions of people. With temperatures falling, hospitals and other essential services are coming under mounting pressure. While humanitarian organisations are providing emergency assistance under a winter response plan targeting more than 2 million people, Yahya stressed that aid “cannot replace an electricity grid repeatedly destroyed by attacks”. Welcoming the humanitarian ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky, Yahya said the temporary pause had allowed roads to be cleared, supplies to be transported and civilians to be evacuated. The arrangement had also enabled humanitarian teams to reach previously inaccessible communities in Government-controlled areas of Kherson, demonstrating that “practical humanitarian arrangements can be agreed and implemented, even amid intense hostilities”.
India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. IQAir ranked Delhi the world’s second-most polluted major city on Tues-
day, with an AQI of 188. Indian government data showed that firecrackers were responsible for nearly 55 percent of the PM2.5 in the Indian capital a day earlier. Vehicle emissions, construction dust and smoke from crop-waste burning are also major contributors to winter pollution on both sides of the border. Pakistan had similarly attributed its toxic air in 2024 to crop-waste burning in Indian Punjab, but officials from India’s weather department had said at the time that the wind direction meant the airflow was actually from Pakistan into India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party has also blamed crop-waste burning in Indian Punjab — governed by a regional opposition party — for Delhi’s poor air quality this month. Local media reported a sevenfold increase in farm fires in the state on Sunday, when Diwali was celebrated. Indian Punjab’s state government, however, says incidents of crop-waste burning have fallen compared with previous years.
Mustafa Kamal vows no pressure can deter him from demand for new provinces ISLAMABAD
SALEEM JADOON
Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and senior MQMPakistan leader Syed Mustafa Kamal has vowed that no pressure or tactics will force him to abandon his stance on the creation of new provinces, declaring that the momentum behind the demand has become unstoppable and that those opposing it today will eventually support it. Addressing a press conference at his ministerial chamber in Islamabad, Mustafa Kamal also reaffirmed his commitment to MQM-Pakistan, asserting that the party would not be allowed to weaken under his watch and that all necessary measures would be taken to strengthen it. Presenting documentary evidence and official facts to the media, the federal minister rejected allegations of corruption in vaccine procurement, describing claims of Rs10 billion corruption as part of an organised and paid disinformation campaign. He maintained that the national exchequer had suffered no financial loss, stressing that the actual amount involved, Rs183,055,000, remained fully intact in NADRA's account. Mustafa Kamal disclosed that a high-level inquiry committee constituted by the prime minister had held the Border Health Services (BHS) responsible, observing that the institution had kept the Ministry of Health completely in the dark. He said BHS had constituted its
own procurement committee on June 10, in violation of explicit directives issued by the ministry and established rules and procedures. Following legal action initiated by a private firm, the prime minister ordered an inquiry, which concluded that BHS had acted unilaterally without taking the ministry into confidence. The minister announced that the inquiry report was being made public on Monday and would also be uploaded to the ministry's official website. He further clarified that the Ministry of Health had not interfered in the arrests made by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Rejecting what he described as a media smear campaign, the minister stressed that the inquiry report made no mention of Rs10 billion and established that no public money had been lost. He said certain elements were attempting to damage his reputation but maintained that even his polit-
ical opponents acknowledged his personal integrity. Referring to his record in key public offices, Mustafa Kamal emphasised that his financial record remained clean. As an example, he recalled initiating an inquiry at the beginning of his tenure into the theft of mosquito nets worth $800,000, an incident that had occurred before his appointment, and ensuring that the matter was brought to its logical conclusion. Highlighting longstanding institutional weaknesses, the minister pointed to serious irregularities inherited in departments such as the Nursing Council. He said ten health secretaries had been changed over the past 1.5 years, clarifying that he had played no role in those transfers. He also referred to the case of the ViceChancellor of the Health Services Academy, who continues to hold office under a court stay order despite facing a rape charge.
Petrol price cut by Rs8, diesel by Rs7 per litre for November 11 PROFIT
AHMAD AHMADANI
The government has reduced the price of petrol by Rs8 per litre and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs7 per litre, bringing their new prices to Rs338 and Rs371 per litre, respectively, applicable for November 11, 2026. According to Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the revised prices have been determined under the petroleum products pricing mechanism approved by the federal government. The price of petrol has been reduced from Rs346 to Rs338 per litre, while the price of highspeed diesel has been cut from Rs378 to Rs371 per litre.
Petrol is primarily used in motorcycles, cars, rickshaws and other small vehicles, making it one of the most widely consumed fuels by ordinary households. The Rs8 per litre reduction is expected to lower fuel expenses for daily commuters, particularly motorcyclists and people using petrolpowered vehicles for travelling to workplaces, educational institutions and businesses. The reduction in diesel prices is particularly important for the transport and agriculture sectors, as high-speed diesel is extensively used by buses, trucks, goods carriers, tractors, harvesters, tube-wells and other agricultural machinery. The Rs7 per litre cut is ex-
pected to provide some relief to public transport operators, freight companies and farmers by reducing their fuel expenses. Lower diesel costs could also help ease transportation expenses for the movement of agricultural produce, food supplies, industrial raw materials and other essential commodities across the country. The reduction may also help businesses facing high transportation and operating costs, although the extent to which consumers benefit through lower fares and commodity prices will depend on whether transport operators and suppliers pass on the savings. The revised prices will remain applicable for November 11, according to OGRA.
FAJR SUNRISE
ZUHR
ASR MAGHRIB ISHA
6:25
1:30
4:00
5:50 IN TODAY’S ISSUE
PROFIT
Workers' remittances to Pakistan increased by 13.8% year-on-year to $3.892 billion in October 2026, compared with the corresponding month last year, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Tuesday. During the first four months of FY2027, from July to October, cumulative remittances increased by 14% to $14.77 billion, compared with $13 billion received during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. October inflows On a month-on-month basis, remittance inflows increased by 8.5% from $3.588 billion in September to $3.892 billion in October. Saudi Arabia remained the largest
source of remittances, contributing $981.6 million, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with $815.93 million, the United Kingdom with $592.22 million and the United States with $328.93 million. Within the UAE, Dubai accounted for $677.84 million, followed by Abu Dhabi with $112.21 million, Sharjah with $13.57 million and other locations with $12.31 million. Remittances from other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries stood at $369.5 million, including $121.81 million from Oman, $112.54 million from Qatar, $81.99 million from Kuwait and $53.16 million from Bahrain. Inflows from European Union countries reached $460.86 million, with Italy contributing $136.3 million, Spain $83.77 million, Germany $72.22 million, Greece $50.26 million and France $47.31 million.
Other EU contributions included Ireland at $25.77 million, Belgium at $16.92 million, Sweden at $10.07 million, the Netherlands at $9.42 million and Denmark at $8.82 million. Among other countries, Australia contributed $103.32 million, followed by Canada with $72.23 million, South Africa with $21.83 million, Malaysia with $14.42 million, Norway with $13.29 million, South Korea with $12.5 million, Japan with $7.59 million and Switzerland with $5.17 million. Remittances classified under other countries amounted to $92.54 million. July–October inflows During the first four months of the current fiscal year, Saudi Arabia remained the largest contributor, with remittances totalling $3.668 billion, followed by the UAE at $3.052 billion, the United Kingdom at
7:00
ATTENTION Some readers have complained that they are not getting the magazine with their newspaper copy. Please call or WhatsApp us at the following number to register a complaint. Contact: 0307-7338168
SNGPL warns of possible international default as power sector dues reach Rs169.27b irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk
PROFIT
WEB DESK
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has warned that unpaid bills of Rs169.27 billion owed by power sector entities have created a serious liquidity crisis, threatening its ability to pay gas suppliers and raising concerns about a potential international payment default by Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL). In correspondence with the Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guarantee (CPPA-G) and the Petroleum Division, the gas utility sought immediate intervention to recover outstanding payments from WAPDA power plants, independent power producers (IPPs) and gas-based power plants. According to SNGPL, the total outstanding amount stands at Rs169.270 billion, including unpaid gas bills, adjustments relating to re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) tariffs, take-or-pay liabilities, Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) and late payment surcharges. Gas-based power plants account for the largest portion of the arrears at Rs67.268 billion, followed by WAPDAoperated plants with Rs63.548 billion and IPPs with Rs38.454 billion. Among gas-based power plants, Quaide-Azam Thermal Power Limited (QATPL) has the highest outstanding amount at Rs30.062 billion, followed by National Power Parks Management Company (NPPMC) Baloki at Rs22.701 billion and NPPMC Haveli Bahadur Shah at Rs12.476 billion. Another Rs2.029 billion is outstanding against PTPL. Within the WAPDA category, Guddu Power accounts for Rs37.959 billion in unpaid liabilities, while Nandipur Power Plant owes Rs21.395 billion. Other outstanding amounts include Rs2.346 billion against GTPS Faisalabad, Rs1.491 billion against TPS Muzaffargarh, Rs214 million against GTPS Shahdara, Rs86 million against SPS Faisalabad and Rs57 million against NGPS Multan. Among IPPs, Liberty Power has the largest outstanding liability at Rs22.642 billion, followed by KAPCO with Rs5.085 billion and Orient Power with Rs3.242 billion. Other unpaid amounts include Rs2.353 billion against Saif Power, Rs2.339 billion against Sapphire Power, Rs1.370 billion against FKPCL and Rs1.316 billion against Halmore Power.
Rawalpindi court extends remand of journalist Rabia Ahsan’s husband in murder case RAWALPINDI
STAFF REPORT
A court in Rawalpindi on Tuesday extended the physical remand of Ahsan Tahir, the husband of television journalist Rabia Ahsan, for another four days in connection with her murder. Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Nasrullah Wattoo approved the extension after the investigating officer requested 10 additional days to question the suspect. The court directed police to complete their investigation and produce Ahsan before it again on November 13. The investigating officer was also instructed to submit a comprehensive investigation report along with the post-mortem findings at the next hearing. No lawyer appeared on behalf of the suspect during Tuesday’s proceedings. Police subsequently took him back into custody for further questioning. Ahsan had initially been granted one day of physical remand on Monday following his arrest in connection with the death of his wife. Rabia, a 41-year-old television anchorperson associated with 92 News, was found shot dead at her residence in Gulshanabad Sector II, along Adiala Road, on Sunday. The murder case was registered on the complaint of her brother, Khurram Ahmed, who accused Ahsan of shooting his wife inside their home. According to the first information report (FIR), Rabia’s mother and sister were sitting in the lawn at approximately 2:30pm when they heard a gunshot from a bedroom. Her sister rushed inside and reportedly found Rabia lying on the floor in a pool of blood, while her husband was holding a pistol. The FIR states that Ahsan admitted to police that he had fired the weapon. Investigators also reported that he could not produce a valid licence or permit for the pistol.
Workers' remittances to Pakistan rise 13.8% to $3.9b in October NEWS DESK
5:10
$2.227 billion and the United States at $1.260 billion. Within the UAE, Dubai accounted for $2.505 billion during July–October, followed by Abu Dhabi with $443.23 million, Sharjah with $54.46 million and other locations with $48.48 million. Remittances from other GCC countries reached $1.374 billion, including $454.8 million from Oman, $404.17 million from Qatar, $311.3 million from Kuwait and $204.05 million from Bahrain. European Union countries collectively contributed $1.866 billion during the fourmonth period. Italy led EU remittance inflows with $565.21 million, followed by Spain at $339.89 million, Germany at $282.48 million, Greece at $206.93 million and France at $192.37 million.
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
Other EU contributions included Ireland at $100.38 million, Belgium at $68.14 million, Sweden at $40.19 million, the Netherlands at $37.45 million and Denmark at $32.86 million. Among other countries, Australia contributed $386.93 million, Canada $268.93 million, South Africa $95.68 million, Malaysia $54.7 million, Norway $49.09 million, South Korea $45.79 million, Japan $27.15 million and Switzerland $18.46 million. Remittances from other countries totalled $373.84 million during July–October FY2027. Speaking at a monetary policy press conference last month, State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmed said remittances had remained resilient during the first quarter of FY2027, prompting the central bank to raise its full-year projection to $45 billion from the earlier estimate of $44 billion.