GOVT CONSIDERS NEW FISCAL MEASURES TO BRIDGE
leading oil refineries have asked the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to ensure that Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) uphold their commitments to uplift locally produced petroleum products before importing deficit volumes In a joint letter addressed to OGRA Chairman Masroor Khan the chief executive officers (CEOs) of five major refineries highlighted concerns over OMCs failing to lift agreed quantities of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) and Motor Gasoline (MOGAS) disrupting refinery operations
The letter was signed by the CEOs of Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) National Refinery Limited (NRL), PakArab Refinery Limited PARCO, Cnergyico PK Limited (CPL), and Pakistan Refinery Limited PRL) with
copies sent to the Petroleum Division, DG Oil (MEPD), and Secretary General of Oil Companies Advisory Council for further deliberation
The letter references OGRA’s earlier correspondence (dated February 20 2025) following a meeting held on February 10, where refineries stressed the need for strict enforcement of Rule 35(g) of the Pakistan Oil (Refining, Blending, Transportation, Storage, and Marketing) Rules 2016 This rule mandates prioritization of local production before allowing imports The refineries asserted that they have contractual agreements with OMCs for supply and commercial arrangements They emphasised that ensuring adherence to these agreements is the responsibility of the regulator
REFINERIES SOUND AL ARM OVER SALES TA X CHANGE, WARN OF FINANCIAL CRISIS
for handling copper, gold, and mineral expor ts
(PIBTL) for handling commodities beyond coal
raising concerns about the effectiveness of regulatory measures
According to official documents more than twelve Pakistani rice consignments were flagged by the European Union in January and February 2025 due to pesticide residues and aflatoxins exceeding permissible limits These violations indicate ongoing food safety issues at the farm level and within the supply chain
Three months ago Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate officials linked to past EU rice alerts This led to corruption cases against 17 former DPP officials with
EU continues to intercept Pakistani rice shipments over safety violations
Pakistan s phytosanitary import conditions align with those of Australia, New Zealand, India, the USA, Russia, and Mexico However, reports indicate that certain clearing agents and importers have bypassed regulatory measures using influence contributing to ongoing food safety breaches
With repeated interceptions families of the previously arrested DPP inspectors have called for an investigation into the current leadership of the department They have urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure accountability for all officials in-
recognized global thought leader in blockchain and has been instrumental in advancing projects re-
lated to tokenizing real-world assets decentralized finance (DeFi) decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), artificial intelligence, and institutional blockchain applications A prominent advocate for blockchain education in Pakistan Bilal has played a crucial role in raising awareness and fostering the growth of blockchain technology in the country His efforts earned him a spot on Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and he has received recognition from King Charles III, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and the Mayor of London In 2023 Bilal was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire) for his contributions to the UK s National Health Service He also received the 1632nd Points of Light Award from the British Prime Minister for his efforts in social change Welcoming Bilal’s appointment Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb of the Finance Ministry noted the value of his vast experience in shaping the rapidly evolving digital economy Mr Saqib s appointment reinforces our commitment to emerging technologies and a secure transparent financial system
His leadership will be pivotal in developing a sound regulatory framework that nurtures innovation and sustainable growth in Pakistan s crypto sector Reflecting on Pakistan s digital future, Bilal shared his vision for the country’s crypto ecosystem: “With nearly 70% of Pakistan’s population under 30 we have a young tech-savvy generation ready to innovate in the digital space By adopting a progressive approach to crypto and blockchain, we can attract foreign investment, create jobs and empower our youth to drive Pakistan’s economic future ” He further added In 2021 Pakistan ranked third in global crypto adoption and we remain among the top 10 countries today With the right policies and determination, we can solidify Pakistan’s position on the global crypto map, unlocking vast economic opportunities ” The Pakistan Crypto Council a specialized advisory body will consist of government representatives regulatory authorities and industry experts The council s role will be to guide policy development and foster international collaboration to establish
UAE non- oil business sec tor maintains steady growth in Februar y, PMI shows
The
scheme might determine the fate of the current IMF review
TDedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late)
Tnegative elements erasing potential causes of disruption and consequently, bestowing an environment suitable for salubrity and inclusivity Peace, in its definitional meaning is the “freedom from disputes truce from hostilities and the absence of mental stress Ask the dwellers of Northern Sindh nestled adjacent to the riverine region: do they have freedom from disputes, or truce from hostilities or have they enjoyed a moment sans mental stress? With sheer disappointment and utter anguish the answer would be a flinching no! Unsurprisingly the absence of the dove in the region is due to the illegal poaching by the affluent backed by the outlaws as well as the lawmen That is, the presence of violence in some regions is due to nexuses of desperados, enforcers and the affluent The structural flaws allow the violence to burgeon and block the peace from existing The structural fault lines resultantly fuel the cultural and personal peace deterioration The incumbent lawman the administration and the moolah-whales denounce the district s worsening law and order situation The rest, in effect, grinds A deafening silence echoes from the minds and hearts of many though the administration’s sensory gating prevails at the end The structural flaws allow bandits to threaten for extortion, attempt to loot, kidnap for ransom, and in the process, create an incessant fear of ‘who will be the next’? Amid that, is cultural or personal peace possible? The structural peace trickles down to cultural and then personal peace: if the surrounding system is sound all the cultural celebrations will be celebrated and as a result the personal peace will flourish However, the incumbent system empowers the forces that repel peace and attract violence With that, the cultural and personal
and where kidnapping-for-ransom is the paragon of manliness Better call them Fredrick Nietzsche s Übermensch (Superman) Extortion is a settled business looting a part-time job kidnappingfor-ransom is a growing means to moolah
TE A C H E R S keep telling their pupils that there is no such thing as a bad question Which is understandable considering their desire to eliminate in their charges any inhibitions about raising questions, should they find it difficult to understand something Besides an intelligent man learns by virtue of any question– even if it is the realization of what was wrong with his question in the first place The flip side of all this encouragement is that many individuals struggle to realize the fact, long after the school years have ended, that questions are reflective of an individual’s intellect like few other things can ever be While asking almost any question is fine; what is problematic is getting stuck on it by refusing to understand how it could be flawed A major reason why Muslims are generally in such a shabby state around the globe can be traced back to this failing on their part By not recognizing faulty questions for what they are, they deprive themselves of much of the wisdom that the Quran has to offer But there is much more to it than that For when somebody asks such questions of them they either find themselves completely at a loss to answer, or respond foolishly, causing them to plunge further into doubts about their own beliefs If the questioner happens to have an antagonistic mindset, he gets the satisfaction of having stumped the Muslim If on the other hand he happens to have sincerely asked the question the response he gets does him no good whatsoever It can be shown that most of the questions/reservations on religion that keep doing the rounds can be classified as faulty, useless, irrelevant or outright silly In what follows, let me briefly take up, one by one, each of these categories By faulty questions I mean those based on incorrect premises For example you would have doubtless heard this: It makes no sense that a Muslim even if he is a bad person is worthier in Islam than a non-Muslim who is much better than him in his conduct and dealings The person who voices this observation’ typically looks at you with a triumphant air as if it is the cleverest thing that anybody has ever said The answer to it of course is that nowhere does the Quran say anything remotely resembling the premise of the argument The moral of this story
job Disheartening? That s fate courtesy nexuses Imagine living in a hellish environment with no right to speak about and if the marked boundaries are transcended, the repercussions, sure as shooting, will knock the door in the daylight Really a hell No? Forgot peace, there’s no respite Though the potential solutions exist the execution pays no heed Change requires insatiable desire to change mere claims of change will happen is akin to smoke, seeable for seconds Peacefulness is a state of mind existing naturally If disrupted, the law of the land facilitates and provides enforcers required tools to rejuvenate However otherwise has been the case The structural fault lines push peace into the desert of despair To regain the lost peacefulness, activating the execution role is the key If the law of the land is followed, if enforcers realise their rightful duties, if moolah whales are sidelined to the constitutional domains, that will help land the people in the paradise of peace and the rejuvenation the cultural and personal peace too once and for all Protecting peace provisions shielding the sanctity of peace and creating an environment free from violence is basic, Constitutional, and human right Its absence will insinuate basic, Constitutional and human rights aren’t universal and are privileges available for a few That’s been the case for a considerable period of time
Once a piece of drop dead gorgeous land has turned into a source of jinxing A place for ensnaring, eminent for extortion, sundered by the mutinous view, a slice of ruination The extension of destruction can be imaged by the fact the citizens have profusely been begging for the obliteration of the virulent bandit raj for a lengthier period of time Yet no surefire campaign has been carried out for respite instead
then, is that it is always a good idea to fact check the foundations of a question/objection before getting excited about how clever it is or (if somebody else has asked it) setting forth to passionately answer it The second category (useless questions) comprises those questions that cannot possibly be answered For example: How does a Transcendental God deal with a world firmly constrained in the spacetime framework? What is the mechanism by which God’s foreknowledge of everything is compatible with man’s free will?’ ‘What is God’s essence?’ ‘What was God doing before He created the universe?’ What-dimensional world will be the afterlife? All such questions stem from man s failure to recognize the limits of his knowledge Just as a human foetus cannot possibly visualize before its birth the world that is awaiting it, there is no reason
Which brings us to our last category: the outright silly question Examples could be multiplied, indefinitely, but one would suffice A ÂscholarÊ on a religious TV program ÂraisedÊ this question: ÂWhich animal will be the first to enter Paradise?Ê Since none of the other panellists was up to the task of answering it, he was considerate enough to solve the riddle himself: ÂThe dog of the Sleepers of the Cave Ê
Changing the perspective that the districtÊs people are not illiterate, ill-mannered throngs is another way to progress on the rungs of peace . The people of this par t of the world arenÊt worlds apar t, theyÊre treated as so. The enforcers arenÊt in the weeds, they pretend to be so.
dug in the heels to forestall the urgency
Peacefulness can peacefully be achieved once it s accepted the region is redeemable, corrigible and curable How? Obliterating otherwise ineffable moolah-made suzerains’ unnecessary forestalling behaviours and empowering the locals through education and other means will really help peace prevail
Changing the perspective that the district s people are not illiterate, ill-mannered throngs is another way to progress on the rungs of peace
The people of this part of the world aren’t worlds apart, they’re treated as so The enforcers aren’t in the weeds they pretend to be so The writer is a freelancer He can be reached @insafalibangwar98@gmail com
Unsurprisingly, the absence of the ÂdoveÊ in the region is due to the illegal poaching by the affluent backed by the outlaws as well as the lawmen. That is, the presence of violence in some regions is due to nexuses of desperados, enforcers and the affluent. The structural flaws allow the violence to burgeon and block the peace from existing. The structural fault lines, resultantly, fuel the cultural and personal peace deterioration. The incumbent lawman, the administration and the moolahwhales denounce the districtÊs worsening law and order situation. The rest, in effect, grinds. A deafening silence echoes from the minds and hear ts of many though, the administrationÊs sensory gating prevails at the end
Better ways to teach
y, not handouts
Tajir D ost
INSAF AlI BANgwAr
HASAN AFTAB SAEED
The sorr y tale of Nor thern Sindh
AN T I S e M I T I S M is endemic and will not be entirely eradicated at any time It serves a different need for different people who seek an outlet to satisfy their self-engendered erroneous beliefs and perceptions and need someone to blame to satiate those needs for a variety of reasons; the Jews served as a convenient target however, there are other factors contributing to the rise of antisemitism, which is adversely affecting Jews regardless of where they live Its recent surge is primarily attributed to Israel s devastating retaliatory war against hamas in Gaza and the continuing brutality of the occupation in the West Bank There is no escaping the alarming evidence that the rise of antisemitism will continue to escalate as long as the suppression of the Palestinians persists Netanyahu’s fanatic government is still in power and the absence of a solution to the : Palestinian conflict continues Israel s reputation will increasingly be morally stained, and world Jewry will endure the terrible consequences of Israel s treatment of the Palestinians, which has emboldened antisemites to stalk, threaten, and attack individual Jews and Jewish institutions
T H E R O O T C A U S E S O F A N T IS E M I T I S M: In examining the root causes of antisemitism, it is important to put in context the degree to which it has risen due to the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how it shaped the mindset of the antisemites Antisemitism can be traced back to ancient times predating Christianity and it has evolved to fit different historical circumstances, from religious persecution to racial theories and anti-Zionist sentiments
Several key factors contribute to the persistence of antisemitism, including:
RELIGIOUS TENSIONS: The belief that Jews were responsible for Jesus crucifixion known as the deicide charge became a cornerstone of Christian antisemitism It intensified significantly with the rise of Christianity in europe, partly due to religious differences and anti-Jewish narratives
as a minority religion in Christian europe In addition, Jews have often served asscapegoats for societal problems, accusing them of various calamities and tragedies throughout history
C O N S P I R A C Y T H E O R I E S: The ideas that Jews control governments banks and media have perpetuated negative stereotypes; the Jews are frequently seen as outsiders, culturally different, and hence unfit to be an integral part of the mainstream of the Christians’ sociocultural milieu Finally as Jean-Paul Sartre put it The anti‐Semite has chosen hate because hate is a faith; at the outset, he has chosen to devaluate words and reasons [emphasis added]
RECENT RISE IN ANTISEMITISM: In recent years there has been a significant surge in antisemitic incidents worldwide attributed to several factors Political tensions have precipitated the rise of extremism both from the far right and far left White supremacists have become increasingly visible and vocal, blaming the Jews for their failings Social media platforms have enabled the spread of antisemitic hate speech and the white supremacist and antisemitic chant The Jews will not replace us which was used broadly during the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, has gained widespread traction It is deeply rooted in the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, which has a long and ugly history of antisemitism
T H E I S R A E L I-PA L E S T I N I A N C O NF L I C T: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict often triggers spikes in antisemitic incidents globally and has played directly into the hands of antisemites By most accounts, Israel’s brutal occupation of the West Bank and Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza inflicted horrific death and destruction Critics deem the war as being disproportionate driven by revenge and intense hatred of the Palestinians, which is embedded in the Israeli psyche Antisemites use legitimate criticism of the Israeli government’s actions as a cover for their hatred maintaining that although the Jews outwardly exhibit moral values such as caring compassion and the sanctity of life inwardly they are malevolent vindictive, and exploitative, and that Israel s ruthless treatment of the Palestinians offers a clear manifestation of all Jews’ true nature Moreover Israel’s onslaught on Gaza and
The rise of a billion-dollar criminal industr y
The UN estimates vic tims in East and Southeast Asia lost any where from US$18–37 billion in 2023
down on compounds along the MyanmarThailand border leading to the release of around 7,000 people Thai authorities have also cut the internet, fuel and electricity supplies to the border areas where the scammers have operated with impunity
In
of
raking
UN estimates victims in east and Southeast Asia lost anywhere from US$18–37 billion in 2023 That same year Americans are estimated to have lost more than US$10 billion to scammers The online scam industry got its start in Asia in the 1990s, first in Taiwan, then spreading to China When authorities in both countries began targeting these schemes scammers started looking for new bases for their operations In the 2010s, they began springing up across Cambodia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Laos, lured by lax regulation and local elites willing to turn a blind eye – and actively support and benefit from the industry Because the scam compounds also needed high speed internet and office space they were often set up alongside casinos or online gambling operations So far, we ve identified more than 300 scamming sites across Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Laos There are likely to be many more In Cambodia s once-quiet coastal city of Sihanoukville the gambling industry started taking off in 2017 By 2019 glitzy high-end hotels and condos – and plenty of unfinished construction projects – dominated the skyline, and gambling was generating billions a year for the local economy The boom was short-lived The Cambodian government cracked down on online gambling that year and many of these operators were shut down, leaving the scammers to take advantage of the deserted facilities Laidoff workers from the casinos and online gambling operations also migrated into the scamming industry – or were just kidnapped off the streets A similar scenario played out in the Philippines after new regulations for the licensing of online gambling operations were adopted in 2016 Within a few years, many of these newly licensed operations had become fronts for the scam industry leading to a decision last year to ban them
It s a different story in Myanmar Gambling was long outlawed here but some casinos did start to emerge decades ago in the areas on the Chinese and Thai borders controlled by armed ethnic groups These areas became hubs for myriad criminal operations, including the scamming industry The industry then boomed in these border areas when civil war broke out following the 2021 military coup This month, a militia group allied with the Myanmar junta launched a massive crack-
especially its deliberate deprivation of the Palestinians from receiving life-saving aid further strengthened hamas narrative that Israel is seeking to rid Israel of the Palestinians by violence, oppression, and intimidation, forcing them to flee their land Statements made by members of the Israeli government calling for annexing the West Bank and cheering Trump exiling the Palestinians from Gaza only validated hamas public discourse serving as further fuel for antisemites
RY: The steep rise of antisemitism has affected Jews around the world to a degree unseen since the rise of Nazi Germany According to a new report published by the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency for Israel 2024 saw a 340
percent increase in antisemitic incidents worldwide compared to 2022 in what the authors deemed a peak year for antisemitism The Anti-Defamation League likewise reported that antisemitic incidents from October 2023 to September 24, 2024, increased by 200% compared to the previous year In the year before October 7 2023 there were 3 325 antisemitic incidents; in the year following from October 7 2023 to September 24 2024 there were over 10,000 incidents, ranging from verbal or written harassment to vandalism and physical
SOPHISTICATED OPERATIONS, SHADOWY FIGURES: In recent years the scam industry has become increasingly professional These operations have built bigger compounds, with offices, dormitories, shops, entertainment venues and other amenities for workers Many have clubs similar to brothels where young women provide sexual services to managers and scammers as a reward for good performances Their operations have become more like proper companies, as well, with departments overseeing human resources, logistics and IT
It is often challenging to identify who is at the top of the hierarchy but it’s clear that organised crime groups are involved Scam compounds are also linked to local politicians and power brokers through murky networks of interconnected companies and entities This acts as a protective umbrella for the compounds
We’ve found these links in corporate documents for the public-facing real estate or gambling operations where the compounds are located In some cases companies linked to scam sites have been registered at the addresses of powerful local figures In others, their relatives or associates of prominent figures are listed as directors Social media posts also provide evidence of these links We ve seen posts of scam compounds gifting patrol cars to police in Cambodia Others show government officials business leaders and other elites at ribbon-cutting ceremonies for developments where compounds are later found to be operating
There’s a wealth of evidence that at the very least officials know about these operations and in some cases are directly involved In Cambodia authorities have swung between denying there is a problem to staging periodic crackdowns But the industry remains protected One police officer told a local news agency in 2022: “These places don’t allow us to go in” Many times compound managers also have a direct line of communication with the police When we were in Sihanoukville in 2022 the government launched a crackdown on the industry We saw firsthand how quickly the compounds were evacuated They had clearly been tipped off Within months many of the scam centres were back in business recruiting more unsuspecting people like George with false promises and brutal tactics
Ivan Franceschini is Lecturer, Chinese Studies The University of Melbourne Ling Li is the PhD candidate Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
Th e geopolitical landscape has been significantly shaped by US President Donald Trump’s transactional approach to international relations his administration s policies regarding Panama Canada Mexico and the broader Gulf of Mexico region, as well as his handling of crises in places like Gaza, provide a distinct lens through which to view his mindset
The framework under which he operates is one that embraces power politics a belief that the strongest force holds sway and deals are transactional each party gives something up in exchange for tangible benefits This is the essence of his philosophy one that redefines diplomacy as a zerosum game This ideology was dramatically evident in his recent AI-generated video which paints an idyllic fantastical version of Gaza s future one in which violence and despair are replaced with beachside leisure, belly dancers and the inevitable presence of billionaires like elon Musk
This is all set to the backdrop of a new world order with Trump as its architect The absurdity of the video is apparent but its most striking element is the way it is embraced by those around Trump Instead of distancing himself from such a fantastical portrayal, he has leaned into it
The video which was meant to showcase a utopia reveals a mindset in which Trump sees the world as a place where countries particularly those in the developing world are reduced to mere settings for the grandeur of global elites This worldview, troubling as it may be, garners support from certain quarters
Many have reacted to this video
Commentators praise Trump s vision for a world where these pesky developing nations are reduced to backdrops Their comments focus on economic growth and the notion that such areas like Gaza should simply be incorporated into a commercial system that benefits those in power It reflects a dangerous imperialistic outlook that distorts how we should view global cooperation and power dynamics however, this vision is not one that is universally accepted, even among those who support Trump While the video highlights his transactional style offering deals even at the cost of human suffering it also reveals the continued support of those on the far-right and isolationist factions of the population This underscores how Trump s appeal lies in his ability to portray himself as a figure who can solve problems with direct, albeit harsh, solutions The real threat lies not in his policies alone but in the fact that his worldview is growing popular For countries like Ukraine this presents a terrifying prospect: The reality of international law and collective defense systems is increasingly under attack RUSSIA, UKRAINE AND THE LIM-
Jews The growing alienation of Jews from Israel is a sad manifestation of Israel’s failure to live up to its founders’ vision buried now under the remains of shattered dreams that so many Jews have perished trying to preserve Slavoj Žižek the Slovenian philosopher and critical theorist, has argued that Israel s treatment of Palestinians creates a moral and political framework that exacerbates anti-
ITS OF MILITARY POWER: Trump’s approach to Russia, particularly in relation to Ukraine further underscores his transactional nature he has consistently hinted at providing Russian President Vladimir Putin with an exit from the Ukraine conflict, claiming that his pragmatic approach could bring about peace however, Trump’s focus on Russia’s military power misses the real threat: Russian intelligence It is not the Russian military that should be feared most but rather the country s ongoing sophisticated espionage efforts aimed at destabilizing democracies These operations are often low-cost but high-reward, changing the trajectory of a nation through subversive means Whether it’s influencing public opinion assassinating political figures or shaping electoral outcomes Russia s intelligence services have been successful in destabilizing countries and shifting their allegiances In Ukraine, Russia’s intelligence services have capitalized on divisions, turning the situation into a proxy war of influence Meanwhile Trump continues to downplay the conventional military threat posed by Russia he focuses instead on superficial geopolitical concerns, like Ukraine s access to rare-earth minerals, which he cites as a key point of leverage in his negotiations Ukraine is caught in the middle Its sovereignty is threatened by not just Russian military aggression but the geopolitical manipulations of the United States which seeks to extract concessions from the country The idea of a transactional peace is, at its core, about securing economic resources and political influence, rather than seeking a lasting solution to the conflict NATO AND THE DECLINE OF
MULTILATERALISM: Another crucial aspect of Trump s geopolitical approach is his treatment of NATO, which he has openly criticized he has repeatedly said that the US should not be responsible for defending europe unless european nations increase their defense spending While this stance has garnered support from certain segments of the American population, it has left europe in a position to navigate the complexities of security and defense without reliable American support The fragility of NATO is becoming evident Trump refused to commit to Article 5 of the NATO treaty which states that an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all Now countries like Germany question the alliance s future This shift in US policy could have dramatic repercussions for europe particularly as internal divisions grow Countries like Germany and France historically the anchors of european unity are struggling to maintain cohesion in the face of external threats With Trump s isolationist rhetoric and the growing instability within the european Union, the idea of a unified european
defense system seems increasingly distant The concept of NATO, originally designed to counter the Soviet threat now risks irrelevance as Trump s insistence on transactional deals further erodes its foundations THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL DIPLOMACY AND ECONOMIC FALLOUT: Looking beyond europe, Trump’s transactional approach to global diplomacy has far-reaching consequences For instance if China–Taiwan tensions further escalate Taiwan could be left to navigate its fate without American intervention Trump s reluctance to engage in foreign conflicts or intervene in disputes unless it serves American economic interests represents a broader trend of disengagement from traditional global leadership roles This shift is particularly concerning for smaller nations that have relied on American support for their security and sovereignty The Global South is similarly vulnerable in this new era of transactional diplomacy Countries in this region often caught between the competing interests of global powers are left with few options other than to accept deals on the terms of stronger nations As the world moves toward a more fragmented, bilateral approach to diplomacy, smaller countries are finding it harder to assert their interests or secure meaningful alliances The return of de facto gunboat diplomacy in which stronger powers impose their will on weaker nations signals a regression to a more imperialistic world order, one in which global cooperation and multilateral institutions are sidelined THE WORLD IN FLUX: The global order as we have known it is in a state of flux The erosion of multilateralism the rise of
ZELENSKYY OPEN TO PEACE, US-UKRAINE MINERALS DEAL: TRUMP
S en Elissa S lotkin criticises Trump’s policies in Democratic rebuttal
China seizes AI breakthroughs to drive industr y and household adoption
China is aiming to seize the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI) breakthroughs, leveraging China s strengths in digital technology, manufacturing, and market scale to drive widespread adoption of AI models across industries and households Chen Changsheng a member of the Government Work Report Drafting Team and deputy director of the State Council Research Office, said on Wednesday at a press briefing that explains the Government Work Report delivered at the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China
The rapid deployment of AI applications has been evident this year with DeepSeek gaining global traction and Unitree Robotics dancing robot showcased during the China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala Chen highlighted that the international capital market has shown renewed confidence in Chinese assets underscoring AI s role in driving economic
The government will launch largescale demonstrations of new AI-driven technologies, products and use cases, particularly in low-altitude economy, education and healthcare Efforts will be made to prevent market fragmentation caused by excessive reliance on proprietary deployments instead fostering rapid iteration and large-scale adoption to ensure a dynamic synergy between technological innovation and market applications Additionally, China will continue to advance core AI technologies accelerate data-driven innovation and optimize computing infrastructure nationwide With AI talent – especially young professionals – playing a crucial role the government will allocate more resources to support youth-led innovation and foster an open and inclusive environment for AI development
US has paused intelligence suppor t to Uk
the potential consequences of the pause Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, US officials had briefed his transition team on the importance of intelligence cooperation with Ukraine highlighting its role in
Calling someone ‘Pakistani’ not a criminal act , says India’s
BEIJING
s ta f f r e p o r t The world has once again turned its eyes to Beijing as China Wednesday announced its economic growth tar-
get rate of around 5 percent in 2025 at the opening meeting of third session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s national legislature On a global scale an around 5
percent growth rate would place China among the world s fastestgrowing major economies, with the economic increment equating to the annual output of a medium-sized country Justin Lin Yifu dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University, pointed out that China’s stable and dynamic economic growth in 2025 is a certainty regardless global uncertainty Lin the former senior vice president and chief economist of the World Bank, is confident that China’s gross domestic product (GDP) is on track to grow at a rate of at least 5 percent sustaining its position as a key driver of global growth by contributing over 30 percent to global expansion “That is good news – not just for China but also for the world at large, he added The government
work report submitted to the national legislature for deliberation on Wednesday, expressed China’s willingness to work with other members of the international community to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization
We will remain firm in pursuing a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up oppose hegemonism and power politics oppose unilateralism and protectionism in all forms and uphold international fairness and justice the report affirmed DEFICIT-TO-GDP RATIO AT 4 PERCENT
The report outlined China adopting a more proactive fiscal policy and applying an appropriately accommodative monetary policy Thus China s deficit-to-GDP ratio for this year is set at around 4 percent, an increase of one percentage point over last year Tian Yun, a Beijing-based economist noticed it marks the first time on record that China has set the deficit-to-GDP ratio at 4 percent It sent out multiple signals on Chinese policymakers stepped-up efforts to navigate challenges and
boost high-quality economic development, Tian said It also indicates that fiscal spending will play a significantly stronger role in supporting economic growth and that the efficiency in using fiscal spending should be higher this year he added BOOSTING SOCIAL VITALITY
Calling for stimulating the vitality of the whole society, the report vowed that China will firmly implement the strategy of expandi
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Cantonment in KhyberPakhtunkhwa, the military s media wing said on Wednesday According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) the attack occurred on Tuesday evening when terrorists attempted to breach the high-security zone by ramming two explosives-laden vehicles into the perimeter
Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2025 and the 26th Constitutional Amendment through force rather than democratic processes All they have done is waste billions on advertisements while failing to deliver any real progress ” he asserted The PTI leader also took aim at the expansion of the federal cabinet, labelling it a political reward for defectors He warned that inflation is spiralling out of control, and the country is sinking deeper into debt Faraz voiced concern over rising terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan pointing out that militants have reached areas such as Bannu He praised PTI s Ali Amin Gandapur for efforts to maintain stability in the region He also referenced ongoing protests in Sindh over water shortages calling the government s handling of the crisis negligent and incompetent Regarding backdoor negotiations he admitted that talks with the government occasionally resume but often collapse, stressing that PTI is now fully preparing for mass protests after Eid Earlier in the day the Peshawar High Court heard a case involving Senator Shibli Faraz and other PTI leaders The court extended their protective bail, while their lawyer requested full disclosure of all cases filed against them During the proceedings the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented its report but the defence team requested additional time to review the details The court ordered them to examine the report before the next hearing Meanwhile, efforts to form a
opposition alliance against the PMLN-led coalition government remain in limbo Sources say that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has yet to fully commit due to unresolved concerns regarding PTI s leadership structure
Supreme Court Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked that neither the armed forces nor military courts are part of the judiciary, and there is no judicial ruling that defines military courts as part of the judiciary
These comments came during a session on Wednesday where a seven-member constitutional bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, heard the federal government and the Ministry of Defence’s petitions challenging the military trial of civilians as unconstitutional
The bench included Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Mazhar, Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hilali, Naeem Akhtar Afghan, and Shahid Bilal Hassan During the proceedings Advocate Abid Zuberi representing former officers of the Supreme Court Bar Council presented his arguments He referenced FB Ali, a hero of the 1965 war, who was accused of misusing his office after retirement “How could a retired
person misuse his position? he asked He noted that Gen Ziaul Haq conducted a military trial of FB Ali but released him in 1978 Justice Mandokhail responded saying that Gen Zia did what FB Ali had wanted Justice Mazhar noted two main concerns regarding military courts: their lack of impartiality and the fact that those conducting the trials are often inexperienced in legal matters When asked whether military courts are part of the judiciary Advocate Zuberi argued that they are part of the executive branch Justice Mazhar responded, “What do they have to do with the executive?” Zuberi answered that the army’s primary responsibility is to defend the country Justice Mandokhail added that the military s role is indeed to safeguard the nation Justice Mazhar then asked, “Do you accept military courts as part of the judiciary? If so the implications will be very different ” He pointed out that in a previous ruling Justice Muneeb Akhtar did not classify military courts as part of the judiciary and stressed that no
verdict clarifies the military courts judicial status
Justice Mandokhail explained that while military courts are not mentioned in Section 2(d) the section does state that a trial should take place without specifying the forum He noted that anti-terrorism courts deliver sentences when evidence against an accused is presented Justice Mazhar responded that military courts should first be acknowledged as part of the judiciary before demanding their separation from it The armed forces are not part of the judiciary, and no court decision has declared military courts as part of the judiciary ” he emphasized Justice Mandokhail noted that while the term court martial appears in the law it does not refer to military courts Zuberi argued that only civilians who are part of the armed forces can be tried in military courts citing Article 10A and Article 4 which he claimed prohibit the court martial of civilians He added that Section 2D sub-clause 3A of Article 8 does not apply to the accused
ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Abdul Ghafoor Haidery has said that the possibility of an opposition alliance led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman hinges on the conduct of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Speaking to the media, the JUI-F Secretary General stated that forming an alliance remains unlikely unless PTI demonstrates seriousness and clarifies the authority given to its “outside leadership ” How can an opposition alliance be possible when PTI itself lacks internal unity? Haidery questioned PTI is facing an internal dilemma They must first decide whether they even want to step onto the political field,” he added He further criticised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s PTI-led government, saying that its chief minister acts without restraint and speaks recklessly Addressing the ceasefire decision Haidery revealed that JUI-F workers had initially objected due to the party s longstanding differences with PTI We could not engage in confrontations with both the opposition and the government at the same time,” he explained
