ter for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Arshad Mehmood Langrial and high level officers of the relevant departments attended the briefing PM REVIEWS REFORMS IN HEALTH, PHARMACEUTICAL SECTORS
S ta f f R e p o R t
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed formulation of a comprehensive and effective strategy to take the exports to $ 60 billion in the next five years Chairing a meeting to review measures for increasing exports of the country on Thursday, PM Shehbaz instructed his economic team to introduce sustainable reforms for the system of tariff to achieve economic progress and enhance exports
He said the tariffs should be brought down and the system should be made easy and simple
The prime minister said a strategy should be adopted to increase
the production capacity of the industries by bringing reforms in the tariff structure He stressed that special attention should be paid to the sectors of services information technology and agriculture
He said economic progress based on exports was an important element of “Uraan Pakistan” vision adding necessary reforms should be introduced in the governance of Export Development Fund for development of export industries During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed about the steps taken to reform the Ministry of Commerce and increase the export target to $ 60 billion in the next five year It was informed that the tariff was gradually decreased in the last two years The Ministry of Com-
merce was hosting international level exhibitions every year in Pakistan to expand exports The meeting was told that consultation was continuing with all stakeholders on the Strategic Trade Policy Framework 2025-30 The consultation on the Ecommerce policy was in the final stage of completion and would be presented for the approval of the cabinet next month A National Compliance Center was ready to harmonize Pakistani products with the international standard The center would create programmes for increasing capacity of the export industries in Pakistan and hold trainings
Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minis-
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Thursday chaired a meeting to review reforms in the health and pharmaceutical sectors He directed that a drug testing laboratory of good standard should be established in Islamabad to ensure quality of medicines according to international level He instructed that mobile hospitals should be launched to provide health facilities in the outskirts of Islamabad, Gilgit Baltistan, Kashmir and Balochistan He ordered an operation in collaboration and consultation with the provincial governments against counterfeit drugs Fraudsters could not be allowed to play with the lives of the people he asserted He said a comprehensive plan should be made for better regulation and development of the pharmaceutical sector in cooperation with the provincial governments He said the officers of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) involved in the facilitation of fraud in the pharmaceutical sector should be identified and action against them should be ensured He said experienced experts of good reputation should be appointed on merit in the policy board of DRAP, adding steps should be taken on priority basis for making the Drug Pricing Committee effective and strong Federal ministers Nazir Tarar Ahad Khan Cheema Prime Minister s Coordinator for Health Dr Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath and high level officers attended the meeting
Türkiye, as well as to explore the innovative initiatives being undertaken within Pakistan’s advanced research and development sectors Irfan Neziroglu the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye was also present to receive the Minister underscoring the strong bilateral relations and Türkiye s commitment to
M o n to r i n g D e s k Pakistan State Oil (PSO) will utilise traders and clients of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) in Singapore until the joint international trading company s infrastructure is fully established, according to a news report The initiative is expected to help PSO gain access to international markets and reduce foreign exchange outflows benefiting the Government of Pakistan During a Federal Cabinet meeting on February 18, 2025, officials were briefed on the collaboration between PSO and SOCAR, which involves setting up an international trading com-
pany in Singapore
The PSO Board
would enable PSO to secure competitive oil pricing by leveraging SOCAR’s experience in international markets It was clarified that the current request was solely for company incorporation with no immediate equity injection involved The ECC directed the Finance Division to verify whether there were
any restrictions on foreign exchange allocations under its jurisdiction Regarding risk management and governance, PSO assured the forum that local professionals would be hired for operational functions while a strict compliance framework would be implemented Until the joint venture becomes fully operational PSO will rely on SOCAR s traders and clients The ECC also instructed the Petroleum Division to conduct a thorough due diligence process to determine the approval requirements related to foreign exchange cover and other necessary authorizations Additionally the Petroleum Division was asked to provide a clear timeline for the company s operational launch
the financial stability of Pakistan’s energy sector, making it increasingly difficult to sustain and modernize the country’s power distribution network
When white dwar ves collide
TH E visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Pakistan was not just friendly and fraternal, but it represented yet another meeting between the heirs of two of the three non-Arab Muslim empires all under Turks which took over the leadership of the Muslim world in the 15th and 16th centuries The relationship of the Turkish Republic to the Ottoman Caliphate, as that of Pakistan to the Mughal Empire, is that of a white dwarf to a star Stars (including our own sun) consist of hydrogen fusing into helium which gives the immense energy they produce When all the hydrogen is consumed the helium begins to fuse but ultimately it too is consumed and what is left is the stellar core Turkey and Pakistan are the white dwarves left of the Ottoman Empire and Pakistan of the Mughal after their helium was fused Classically Ajam meant Persia but all nonArabs came to be called Ajamis and all lands outside Arabia were considered Ajam Turks were Ajamis par excellence and set up three empires in Ajami lands, though it was only one that continued a large number of Turks The Anatolian Peninsula had fallen under the dominion of the Seljuq Turks about 1000 years ago, and they encouraged immigration from the Turkish heartland what are now the Central Asian Republics
Similarly the Mughal Empire was set up on top of the Delhi Sultanate which might be said to have begun with the Mamuluks, even though the earlier Mahmud of Ghazna was ethnically a Turk, who played such an important role in the promotion of Muslim rule in the Subcontinent which culminated in the Mughal Empire
The Mughals never acknowledged the Ottoman Caliphate The earlier episodes where the Sultans of Delhi obtained an appointment from the Cliph, were from the Caliph in Cairo, where the Caliphate had been re-established in 1261 after the 1258 fall of Baghdad to the Mongols But by the time the Ottomans took the Caliphate in 1517 Babar was on the verge of establishing the Mughal Empire by taking the Delhi Sultanate from the Lodhis in 1526
However the Mughals never pressed the claim to the Caliphate for themselves When the Mughal dynasty came to an end in 1857, the Muslims of the Subcontinent began reciting the titles of the Ottoman Sultan in the Friday and Eid sermons That was the reason why Indian Muslims mounted a medical mission to Turkey during the 1911-1912 Balkan War and why the Khilfat Movement was launched when Istanbul was occupied by the British, and not only the Sultanate, but the Caliphate was to be abolished The Muslims of India were moved to agitate on this issue because they needed a Caliph to validate their prayer Incidentally that is the reason why Turks have special regard
The third type of bore happens to be my favourite on account of being the least intolerable He is the individual who tells you the same story every time he meets you How he broke his leg, how he recovered from dengue, the circumstances that led to his famous wedding, and the like This is my favourite type of bore because it is amusing to keep track of the number of times the same story has been recounted In fact I have found it of immense entertainment value to maintain an honours board of individuals who have distinguished themselves in this art It can no doubt be depressing when such stories concern the bore’s medical history (as is often the case) In the spirit of positive thinking however one can use it as an opportunity to feel blessed for not having all those medical issues
The fourth kind of bore cannot resist the temptation of filling you in on all the information about the recent wedding of some loved one (her loved one that is, not yours)– photographs, videos and all What makes it even more taxing than it otherwise would is the interest one must feign since these are usually well-meaning elderly ladies Especially tormenting is when they point to a photo and say something like: This is Panna s husband What a good boy he is! Wait a minute, I think he may be Nini s husband instead Nini is such a dear! No, now that I think about it it is Panna’s husband after all ’ And there you are thinking that the only thing in the world that is less than your knowledge of the identity of Panna and Nini is your desire for that knowledge But you cannot say that, of course
The fifth type of bore is apt to thrust into your face, without as much as a warning, his mobile phone and wants you to enjoy some video that he has found hilarious His enthusiasm makes it clear that he will settle for nothing less
for Pakistanis considering them the heirs of those who sent the medical mission The bond between Turkiye and Pakistan was thus based on experiences before the latter even came into existence The goodwill between the two countries is not based on Pakistan being a Turk country, nor on the basis of being ajami countries, but on the basis of being Muslim Both are members of the OIC where they tacitly accept Saudi leadership but have not raised the Ajam-Arab dichotomy while it is clear that they are among the leading Muslim powers of the world Only Egypt in the Arab world compares, while Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia also do in the South-Est Asian region
The CENTO phase of their relationship started in 1955 and lasted until 1979 when CENTO was dissolved immediately after the Iranian Revolution Iraq left CENTO as early as 1958 Iran was the third Turkic Empire of the period when the Safawis and then the Qajars proved to be persistent foes of the Ottomans The Safawis clashed with the Mughals over their borders, in the areas that are now Afghanistan Indeed the creation of Afghanistan was not just a reflection of the will of Ahmad Shah Abdali but also of the decline of the two Empires
Similarly the meeting takes place at a time when both countries, despite the collapse of CENTO, remain allied to the USA These alliances differ, Turkey’s being closer, as it is a member of NATO, while Pakistan has been designated a major nonNATO ally However this closeness seems not to have earned all that much US goodwill The USA supports neither Turkey over the Northern Cyprus issue nor Pakistan over the Kashmir issue
Though Erdogan is portrayed by some as a paladin of Islam, he not only remains in NATO, but continues to recognize Israel True, he did not recognize it but he has been in office as PM since 2003 and then as executive President since 2014 He can hardly complain that he hasn t had the time Shehbaz s fulsome praise of Erdogan s services to the Palestinian cause show the direction in which he would like to go It is worth noting that Turkish intelligence is supposed to be backing the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants, whose head Ahmad Al-Sharaa has become President of Syria It is thus through Erdogan that the USA is supposed to be controlling Ash-Sharaa who is being persuaded to pursue a more moderate course of action US President Donald Trump has chosen to re-
Is it reductionism for the two states to work on such things as increasing bilateral trade? It is cer tainly impor tant for them, as well as the people involved, whether producers, traders or consumers, but will it satisfy the wish of both peoples for the two states to be par t of a single organic whole? That wish is driven by a desire to see the end of their present subordination
than a guffaw from you at the end of the video
What is most irritating in addition to the usually hackneyed video itself is his expression that demands credit for the discovery of such a gem
The sixth type of bore keeps reciting what he thinks is high poetry, but which can at best be characterized as doggerel or sentimental tripe of the lowest grade For somebody like me who thinks of poetry as divine inspiration this variety of bore is probably the hardest to tolerate
(Thankfully we boys do not have to put up at social gatherings with unending conversations about dresses, prints , tailors, laces, jewellery and mothers-in-law This is a generally unappreciated aspect of the largely same-gender groups that are still the norm in this society One cannot be grateful enough for small mercies ) Unfortunately even those who guard against belonging to any of the above categories of bore also end up uttering banalities For interesting small talk is an art open only to those who have genuine passion and taste for ‘useless’ things such as poetry and literature Rare that such individuals already are they are getting rarer every passing day
Bores of various sorts infest all gatherings and there are only two ways to avoid suffering at their hands You could put a stop to all the nonsense by being honest and giving the bore a piece of your mind But this recourse is available only to the select few that are unusually blunt For those of a more sensitive disposition that only leaves the other alternative Am I to blame then if I make it a point to avoid all social events if I can at all help it?
The author is a connoisseur of music literature and food (but not drinks) He can be reached at www facebook com/hasanaftabsaeed
Bores of various sor ts infest all gatherings, and there are only two ways to avoid suffering at their hands. You could put a stop to all the nonsense by being honest and giving the bore a piece of your mind. But this recourse is available only to the select few that are unusually blunt. For those of a more sensitive disposition, that only leaves the other alternative Am I to blame then if I make it a point to avoid all social events if I can at all help it?
Plantation: Remedy for Suffocated Pakistan in summer
A single tree in a tropical forest can cause local surface cooling equivalent to 70 kilowatt hours for every 100 liters of water used from the soil, as much cooling as two household air conditioners However, removing trees eliminates a natural filter for particulate matter (PM) which comprises various chemicals causing lung and heart diseases those countries which are active in plantation or forestation are surviving climate change better they include Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Denmark, Singapore, Sweden, Iceland, New Zealand, Germany and the United Kingdom Urban forests in the continental USA are estimated to produce ≈61 million metric tons of oxygen annually Pakistan lost an average of 41 100 hectares of forest per year this is an average annual deforestation rate of 1 63 percent It has negative ramification for natural products such as biodiversity loss soil erosion water deficiencies and climatic changes the forests store vast amounts of carbon But deforestation releases approximately 5 2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year back into the atmosphere About 27,000 hectares of forests are cleared every year in Pakistan (out of which 50 percent is used for cooking and heating in households without gas
Forests provide multiple benefits to the environment people and animals like cool air temperature by releasing water vapours into the air In the day trees generate oxygen and store carbon dioxide that helps to clean air therefore they maintain a balance between the two in the atmosphere Deforestation disturbs this and increases the carbon dioxide When forested lands are cleared the loss of tree cover disrupts this balance and it reduces the amount of oxygen produceh
country badly It is one of the ramifications of increasing deforestation Pakistan has around five trees per person this is much lower than the global average of 422 trees per person Only five percent of the country s land is covered by forest, which is a very small number as per international requirement Regretfully In Pakistan the forestation has been given the short end of the stick by people and state like in the wake of growing urbanization the country s is growing rapidly on one hand and life survival is declining on the other, due to speedy replacement of forest space by luxurious housing schemes It is time for educational institutions hospitals and parking areas to focus on planting trees in open spaces Without trees there would be less oxygen available to breathe trees like the Douglas fir true fir beech, spruce and maple are among those producing the most oxygen However, aspen and oak are halfway for oxygen production while pine trees generally release less oxygen because they have smaller leaves the quicker a tree is growing its mass the more CO2 and water it will have to absorb and the more oxygen it will release However, the
environmental degradation
Developing countries like Pakistan will hardly survive under the extreme heat wave every year Every day the vibrant media breaks news of rising temperatures According to the Global Climate Risk Index Report Pakistan is the fifth most affected country by climate threats from 1999 to 2018 In Pakistan, the summer is hellish as a result of the Big-No for plantation at the governance Since its independence the country has been combating multiple issues After crippling economy rampant corruption severe drought extreme poverty and population Bomb, finally the deadly disease of climate change has left no stone unturned to attack the
Rising urbanization in the name of so-called megahousing schemes on installments, must be stopped. It has led to rapid deforestation ever ywhere in Pakistan. Such menaces of rising population and turning forests into housing schemes are no less than a safe haven for heatwave and scorching sun
C h i n a b e c a m e a g l o b a l
l e a d e r i n 1 0 y e a r s , a s I n d i a s h i f t e d i t s f o c u s
artificial general intelligence, and it is the US and China, not Europe and not any other country Despite facing export controls Huawei now makes chips that are only a little behind the most advanced being made by taiwan they are not at the cutting edge but they are homemade and Chinese talent can make do with lesser resources as DeepSeek shows China makes its own aircraft- carriers the largest was deployed in 2022 and LNG carriers It debuted some of the most advanced military aircraft in the world in January Of course in electric cars high-speed rail solar panels batteries and drones China has no rival It is the world s largest producer, consumer and exporter of electric cars It makes 80 per cent of the world’s solar panels, 75 per cent of the world’s lithium ion batteries (one Chinese company, CAtL, alone controls a third of the global market) and 75 per cent of the world s drones (again one company DJI controls a significant chunk of the global market) China has twothirds of the world s high-speed rail network about 40,000 km (the Ahmedabad-Mumbai distance is 500 km), and China s network is still growing Many in the West, and especially America, have been sceptical of China’s continued growth and believe that it will soon falter However this view has been present for at least 20 years but China has not obliged them Consider that India and China were about even in 1990, on the cusp of our economic reforms, but today China s economy is six times the size of India s the rupture between India and China after 2020, the tariffs from the United States and a reluctance to grant access to advanced Chinese goods from India has meant that Indians are only vaguely aware of the progress our neighbour has made In many ways China is inward looking and the absence of a popular English media there has not made it easy for us to appreciate their progress Our media s ignorance or lack of interest in China’s progress has compounded the problem Li Keqiang died in 2023 but he went with likely a sense of satisfaction about what had been delivered by China under its 10-year plan this was the
EvEN in less stressed times, Britain always pays too much attention to the US and too little to Germany In today’s torrid circumstances that imbalance is perhaps excusable After all Donald trump it now turns out really means it He is more interested in US plunder and profit from places like Gaza, Ukraine and Greenland than in upholding a just peace or good order Even so, the inattention towards Germany needs to end Britain’s politicians like German politicians are rewiring their worldviews amid a political gale But Germany though no longer a great power is nevertheless a great nation Indeed it may be more than ever the essential European nation now, after the trump administration s very public trashing of the entire Atlantic alliance seemed to leave Europe to its own devices the German general election, this coming Sunday, is an event with consequences Primarily of course those consequences will be felt in Germany itself with its extended economic stagnation its anxieties about migration and borders its traditional fears about borrowing its nervousness about military commitments, and its sudden lurching anxiety that the US is ready to allow Russia to threaten the lands on its eastern frontier Germany’s inherent importance though means the election will also help determine whether Europe – not just the EU – is able to cope with trump s second term Will that Europe be able to deliver the defence and security to protect not merely Ukraine, a daunting enough task, but the Baltic republics, Poland and the other former Soviet satellite states too? Can it reform its faltering economic model? these are reverberations that Britain cannot avoid even if it wants to Needless to say the German election has received only a fraction of the attention that this country s political class lavishes on a US election Equally predictably much of that very limited amount of attention
nuzair ahMed JaMro
GUARDIAN
The reason why our bilateral relations have
leapfrog development over the past decade and entered a new phase of jointly building a closer Community of Shared Future is because President Xi together with Pakistani leaders renewed the positioning of China-Pakistan relations in the new era, making the two countries the world’s first All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partners The reason why the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has developed into a comprehensive cooperation framework covering multiple fields over the past decade, earning the reputation of being a game-changer for Pakistan s national development, and entered a new stage of
jointly building the upgraded version of CPEC is because President Xi together with Pakistani leaders, outlined the overall layout of the CPEC construction and promoted the CPEC as a symbolic project under the Belt and Road Initiative
We are ready to work with Pakistan to fully understand and appreciate the profound significance and valuable insights from President Xi s historic visit and consistently view and develop China-Pakistan relations from a strategic level By combining a long-term vision with pragmatic actions, we aim to continuously advance the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership accelerate the building of an even closer China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic relations with the vivid practice of high-quality CPEC development and other various cooperation
We must keep our feet on the ground to deepen high-level practical cooperation
President Xi Jinping has stated that China is ready to walk hand in hand with Pakistan on our respective paths to modernization, and welcomes Pakistan to to become one of the first countries to benefit from China’s further deepening of reform comprehensively and expanding high-standard opening up China is ready to deepen practical cooperation with Pakistan in various fields work together to upgrade CPEC cooperation, and help Pakistan consolidate its development foundations and unleash its development potential
We are prepared to work with Pakistan to ensure effective implementation focusing on the following aspects: Firstly prioritizing key projects We ll continue to advance the realignment of the Karakoram Highway Phase II and the upgrade of the Main Line-1 railway project Actively promote the comprehensive development and operation of Gwadar Port, and ensure the safe and stable operation of the Khunjerab Pass Secondly creating highlights especially in agricultural cooperation
Last year China-Pakistan agricultural trade exceeded $1 billion, with Pakistan enjoying a valuable surplus of $237 million On February 14 this year, the first batch of 26 5 tons of high-value-added buffalo dairy products arrived in China a modest quantity but of great significance showcasing the resilience and prospects of our bilateral agricultural cooperation While advancing existing agricultural projects, we should promptly identify a second batch of CPEC agricultural projects, so that grains, cotton, oil, meat and dairy products can all be covered Leveraging
Xinjiang s proximity and cooperative foundation with Pakistan, we aim to promote modern and efficient agricultural cooperation We’ll expand new models like contract farming to enhance the sense of fulfillment for enterprises and farmers in both countries Thirdly cultivating growth points We ll accelerate the construction of model Special Economic Zones (SEZs), attract more export-oriented enterprises, explore cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), develop cross-border E-commerce collaborations and welcome third-party participation in CPEC cooperation to better harness the potential of B2B collaborations
We must keep pace with the times to deepen high-level security cooperation President Xi Jinping emphasized that security is the prerequisite for development and development is the guarantee for security Security cooperation and economic cooperation are complementary and like both wheels of a bicycle, they should advance together These important insights provided an action plan for coordinating security and economic cooperation As the world enters a period of turbulence and transformation China-Pakistan cooperation faces increasing risks and challenges highlighting the need for more reliable security guarantees
Both sides must adapt to changing circumstances, continually enhancing security cooperation to safeguard practical cooperation between our nations
During his visit President Zardari reiterated Pakistan s commitment to ensuring the safety of Chinese personnel projects and institutions in Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also repeatedly stated that
Pakistan will resolutely combat and severely punish terrorists Pakistan s military police and other relevant parties have made relentless efforts and significant sacrifices in combating terrorism We highly appreciate these actions and hope that Pakistan will continue to advance investigations and apprehensions related to anti-China terrorist incidents increase security investments and strengthen and optimize security measures
This will genuinely allow Chinese enterprises to operate with peace of mind, allow Chinese personnel to live in tranquility, and allow China-Pakistan cooperation to develop in a secure environment We will as always firmly support Pakistan s counter-terrorism efforts and are ready to provide necessary support for Pakistan s anti-terrorism capacity building We also look forward to working with Pakistan to practise the Global Security Initiative enhance development cooperation to eradicate the breeding grounds of terrorism and promote multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation to effectively rally our collective forces against terrorism We must put people first to deepen highlevel cooperation in improving livelihoods President Xi Jinping emphasized that China’s friendly policy toward Pakistan is always directed towards the entire Pakistani people He pointed out that the planning and layout of the CPEC should take into account all regions of Pakistan so that the benefits of development can be shared by all Pakistani people This reflects his deep affection for the Pakistani people and his vision of building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind We are pleased to see that the newly built Gwadar New International Airport, fully funded by China, has recently commenced commercial operations, marking Gwadar ’s new step toward a regional connectivity hub Over the past 6 months the China-Pak-
000 Pakistanis to China for modern agricultural training We will expand cooperation in education, media, think tanks, youth exchanges, and the film and television industries to foster mutual learning between civilizations and strengthen cultural and people-to-people ties so that the China-Pakistan friendship will be passed along generations to come We must uphold multilateralism to deepen high-level international collaboration President Xi Jinping stated that China appreciates Pakistan’s active support for the three global initiatives and participation in relevant cooperation and is ready to work with Pakistan to uphold the Five
Matters
The SEC said that its complaint dated November 20 last year alleges that Gau-
tam Adani and Sagar Adani violated the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws by knowingly or recklessly making false and misleading representations concerning Adani Green Energy Ltd in connection with a September 2021 debt offering by Adani Green It said that because the defendants are located in a foreign country Rule 4(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) governs service of the Summons and Complaint The SEC update submitted by its Counsel Christopher Colorado cited a case which notes that service via the Hague Service Convention is one permissible means of serving defendants located in India Since the filing of its Complaint, SEC staff has been working to serve Defendants in accordance with FRCP 4(f) SEC staff has contacted Defendants or their counsel (to the extent SEC staff is aware of such counsel) and has sent them Notices of Lawsuit and Requests for Waiver of Service of Summons including copies of the Complaint
UNJAB Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday approved a mega plan for sewage and drainage system in major cities of
EBM expands global reach at Gulfood 2025, driving expor t growth
is strengthening its global presence with participation in Gulfood 2025 held from February 17-21 in Dubai UAE Gulfood the world s leading food and hospitality exhibition, brings together industry professionals to explore the latest products, analyze global market trends, and connect with suppliers The
a t t h e O ff i c e o f K C C I K C C I P r e s i d e n t , J a v e d B i l w a n i , p r e s e n t e d p r o p o s a l s t o t h e C o m m i s s i o n e r f o r r e s o l v i n g i s s u e s r e l a t e d t o t r a ff i c a c c i d e n t s e n c r o a c h m e n t s a n d p r o f i t e e r i n g T h e C o m m i s s i o n e r a n n o u n c e d t h e e s t a bl i s h m e n t o f a l i a i s o n c o m m i t t e e t o s t r e n g t h e n c o m m u n ic a t i o n b e t w e e n t r a d e r s a n d o ff i c i a l s o f d i s t r i c t a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s a t t h e d i s t r i c t l e v e l T h i s c o m m i t t e e w i l l c o m p r i s e d i s t r i c t - l e v e l o ff i c e r s a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f m a r k e t a s s o c i a t i o n s R e g a r d i n g p r i c e c o n t r o l d u r i n g R am a d a n t h e C o m m i s s i o n e r a s s u r e d t h a t p r i c e s o f e s s e nt i a l c o m m o d i t i e s w o u l d b e f i x e d a n d a c t i o n w o u l d b e t a k e n a g a i n s t t h o s e w h o v i o l a t e t h e s e p r i c e s A c o mp l a i n t c e l l w i l l b e e s t a b l i s h e d a t t h e K C C I t o r e c e i v e c o m p l a i n t s f r o m c o n s u m e r s a n d t a k e a c t i o n a g a i n s t p r o f i t e e r s T h e C o m m i s s i o n e r a l s o a n n o u n c e d t h a t d e p u t
KARACHI
n e w S d e S k
In a shocking turn of events the primary suspect in the Mustafa Amir murder case, Armaghan, has reportedly confessed to his involvement, shedding light on gruesome details of the crime during police interrogation
According to sources Armaghan admitted to physically assaulting Mustafa Amir along with his accomplices using weapons including a folding rod While he also confessed to firing warning shots, he claimed they did not strike the victim
One of the most disturbing revelations was that Armaghan drove Mustafa’s car to a separate location and set it on fire while Mustafa was still alive but semi-conscious
Authorities have recorded Armaghan s confession on video and his criminal background is under further investigation He reportedly deleted crucial data from his home computers before his arrest, attempting to hinder the investigation
Adding to the case’s complexity forensic teams are examining DNA evidence from a woman found at Armaghan s residence whose identity remains unknown Armaghan has a well-documented criminal history with past charges including terrorism attempted murder, and narcotics trafficking since 2019
Before shifting to running an illegal call center, he was involved in drug smuggling
His fraudulent operations extended to an illegal software house which defrauded international clients of millions Additionally he reportedly set up digital currency accounts for money laundering Authorities are now awaiting forensic reports and DNA analysis to determine the exact cause of Mustafa Amir s death whether he succumbed to torture, gunshot wounds, or the fire
The case remains under active investigation with police working to piece together the final moments of Mustafa Amir s life and identify all individuals involved in the crime
JI leader slams federal, Balochistan govts
over worsening sec urity
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Deputy Ameer Liaquat Baloch has strongly criticized both the federal and Balochistan governments for their inability to maintain law and order following the brutal killing of laborers in Barkhan Balochistan Calling the act the worst form of terrorism, he condemned the failure of security agencies to prevent such tragedies and urged the leadership to devise a comprehensive national action plan against terrorism
Speaking at the Tamaal-e-Pakistan Conference in Mansoura Baloch stated that Pakistan’s ruling elite is more focused on appeasing the establishment and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) rather than addressing the people s grievances He blamed the government for economic mismanagement, highlighting the closure of 33% of textile mills, the decline of agriculture, and growing rifts between the federation and provinces Inflation, he
said has tripled in the last three years contradicting the government s claims of economic recovery Baloch also criticized the lack of local government empowerment and the unfair distribution of resources, warning that the public s frustration is pushing the country toward chaos and rebellion He called for an immediate restructuring of governance, demanding real solutions rather than hollow promises
On a positive note Baloch praised Pakistan for successfully securing the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy calling it a significant achievement despite alleged Indian attempts to disrupt the event He also reiterated JI s support for Kashmiris right to self-determination and urged Pakistan to take a stronger stance against India’s illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir In closing he expressed condolences over the passing of PPP leader and MNA Nawab Yousaf Talpur recognizing his lifelong dedication to democratic values and unwavering commitment to his party
(expiation) for deliberately breaking a fast remains either fasting for 60 consecutive days or feeding 60 underprivileged individuals with two meals each He further noted that individuals purchasing subsidized wheat flour through government schemes can fulfill their Fitrana and Fidya obligations by paying as little as Rs160 The IIC urged the public to fulfill these duties at the earliest to maximize their impact and ensure timely distribution to those in need
Eight killed in coach-trailer collision; two shot dead
