Profit
N
fE D E R A L Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has assured that the government is not planning to introduce a mini-budget following discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
He expressed confidence that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) would achieve its tax collection target of Rs12 970 billion
Speaking to the media on Saturday the minister highlighted that Pakistan has successfully met its primary surplus target, and the cabinet has approved the National Fiscal Pact, eliminating the need to revise the NFC Tax collections he stated will be enhanced through enforcement and administrative measures
He acknowledged the support of provincial governments, especially Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in achieving fiscal goals, noting their cooperation in matters of national interest
T Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has tasked Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar with leading a committee to engage with the PPP in an attempt to resolve any concerns they may have about the ruling coalition Legal Advisor to Government Barrister Aqeel Malik while speaking to a private TV channel asserted that the concerns expressed by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto were no misunderstanding about the constitutional package issue as he had gone through his statement
“I have listened to Bilawal’s statement carefully but there is an impression that we (the PML-N) did
Commenting on the IMF discussions, Aurangzeb described the talks as “constructive and productive,” adding that while virtual negotiations are ongoing some matters required in-person meetings He emphasized that the IMF visit aimed to build confidence rather than review the economy The IMF delegation reportedly listened attentively to Pakistan’s stance and appeared satisfied with the discussions
The IMF in a statement urged Pakistan to expand its tax base by targeting untapped revenue sources a step crucial for addressing challenges in tax collection It also clarified that such staff visits are standard for countries undergoing semi-annual programme reviews facilitating dialogue on economic developments and reform plans
Separately the finance minister acknowledged setbacks such as the failed privatization of Pakistan International Airlines, stressing the importance of learning from such experiences In international developments con-
not consult them, but this is not true ” Aqeel said “We sought their input on increasing the number of judges and extending the tenures of service chiefs; raising the number of judges to 34 was a joint decision They were very much a part of this consultative process,” Aqeel maintained
Earlier this week PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari delivered a strong statement against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, expressing frustration with the coalition partner over the “disrespect” felt by his party and ‘unhonoured’ agreements between the two parties
He maintained however that there was no direct rift with Sharif government The PPP chairman, in
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has decided to present the findings of its unscheduled visit to Pakistan to its executive board for a decision, citing delays in the implementation of the $7 billion programme In an official statement at the conclusion of its five-day visit the IMF stated Based on the preliminary findings of this mission staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision ” The challenges identified by the IMF indicate that the
mobilization from untapped tax bases, while transferring greater social and development responsibilities to provinces ” Sources revealed that the issues highlighted by Porter after the emergency visit reflect areas where Pakistan has fallen short of its commitments Press release stated that In addi-
cerns about judicial changes in Pakistan were raised in the UK Parliament British Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized the need for Pakistan to uphold civil and political rights particularly regarding fair trials and due process Minister Falconer, responsible for Pakistan in the Foreign, Commonwealth and De-
an informal conversation with reporters at Bilawal House also accused the PML-N of reneging on commitments after the 26th Constitutional Amendment s passage He said there was no question of displeasure [with the government],” adding that politics wasn’t about displeasure but about respect which his party felt was missing Barrister Aqeel continued that the prime minister formed a committee, comprising senior PML-N leaders to engage with the PPP and cool down the ‘tempers’
“We are trying to address their reservations ” he said “The PM has deputed Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and given him the task of resolving their (the PPP s) concerns
velopment Office, plans to visit Pakistan later this year and meet with parliamentarians to discuss these issues
The finance minister s remarks reflect a broader effort to balance economic reforms, ensure fiscal discipline, and address international concerns about Pakistan’s governance and human rights commitments
L E A D E R S F O R B O O S T
expor t taxes and rules affecting trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia
New York C hamber eyes Pakistan’s tex tile, leather and IT sec tors
Local traders have stated that the imposition of a
through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and other restrictions are negatively affecting bilateral trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries In a statement, Junaid Makda, President of the PakistanAfghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), said that the two percent infrastructure development cess (IDC) on trade via KP has hampered the growth of bilateral trade The levy imposed earlier this year
YORK A P P Greater New York Chamber of Commerce head Mark Jaffe on Friday expressed strong interest in Pakistan s textile leather surgical and IT sectors in a meeting with Pakistan s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh They discussed initiatives aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment between New York and Pakistan according to a press release issued by Pakistan s embassy Jaffe, who is president and chief executive officer of the chamber, outlined efforts to promote trade and investment between New York and Pakistan and committed to disseminating information about Pakistan s upcoming trade events to the chamber s extensive network Ambassador Sheikh appreciated the chamber s ongoing collaboration with the Consulate General of Pakistan in New York and Jaffe’s support and interest in the 5th International Textile and Leather Exhibition (Texpo) 2024 held in Karachi last month He invited the chamber to partici-
pate in the upcoming 4th Engineering and Healthcare Show scheduled to take place in Lahore in April 2025 During the meeting, the ambassador highlighted the pivotal role of Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in fostering investment across multiple sectors
He underscored Pakistan s liberal investment regime, strategic geographical location and incentives for foreign investors, emphasising the benefits for New York businesses seeking to expand their footprint in South and Central Asia He noted that the EU s Generalised Scheme
Pakistan expands BISP with $330m loan approval
Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement The uneven regulatory environment is causing trade to shift away from KP with Afghan traders exploring alternative routes including through Iran due to additional costs at Torkham He emphasized that trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan could potentially reach $7 billion but has not grown due to restrictive government measures He pointed out the imposition of three Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs) 1380(I)2023 1397(I)2023 and 1402(I)2023 issued in October 2023, which restricted imports and exports to and from Afghanistan SRO 1380(I)2023 introduced a 10 percent processing fee on items such as confectionery footwear machinery blankets home textiles and garments imported into Afghanistan through Pakistan SRO 1397(I)2023 banned the import of tyres, black tea, dry fruits, fabrics, cosmetics, vacuum flasks, and home appliances via Pakistan Meanwhile, SRO 1402(I)2023 introduced new regulations on bank guarantees for Afghan transit trade goods Mr Makda argued that these measures are harming the economy and threatening Pakistan s position as a regional trade leader While he supports the documentation of the economy, he stressed that these policies are inadvertently encouraging informal trade channels He called for uniform policies aligned with federal guidelines to ensure a fair and stable trade environment Mr Makda also urged the government to implement a comprehensive action plan to eliminate the IDC and trade barriers affecting Pakistan’s exports The PAJCCI with the Ministry of Commerce s support continues to work on strengthening economic cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as addressing cross-border trade challenges
M o n i to r i n g D e s k The federal government struggling with cash shortages, has approved a loan of $330 million (Rs92 billion) for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beneficiaries This approval coincides with the International Monetary Fund s (IMF) renewed emphasis on transferring the responsibility of social protection to the provinces, which are more financially stable The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal approved the concept paper for the Integrated Social Protection Development Programme (ISPDP), which will secure additional financing of $330 million The loan will serve as budget support to boost the central bank’s reserves and the rupee cover will be used for cash disbursement to BISP beneficiaries
This loan is being acquired from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which has already provided $600 million for the BISP The ADB will charge around 2% interest on the loan in dollar terms Of the $600 million approximately $500 million has already been spent The BISP currently provides unconditional cash benefits to 9 3 million families excluding never-married women to avoid duplication as the program targets women with families
Although the constitution mandates social protection as a provincial responsibility, the provinces have refused to take ownership, and this has led to its exclusion from the National Fiscal Pact recently signed Resistance primarily came from Punjab and Sindh the largest beneficiaries of the program
The aim of the cash transfers is to alleviate poverty, but critics argue that taking foreign loans for this purpose could worsen debt sustainability issues, especially if loans are not invested in
income-generating sectors
Recently Pakistan requested China to reschedule a $3 4 billion project debt after struggling to meet its liabilities maturing between October 2024 and September 2027
In a statement following an emergency visit IMF Mission Chief Nathan Porter emphasized the importance of continued prudent fiscal and monetary policies, as well as revenue mobilization from untapped sources He also reiterated the need for greater social and development responsibilities to be shifted to the provinces
Just hours before Porter s statement the CDWP had approved the $330 million loan This financing will cover some of the BISP needs for 2025 to 2028, with a focus on enhancing institutional capacity for social protection and climate resilience
The loan will help provide primary and secondary education for children in poor families offer health services and provide nutrition supplies to women, girls, and children The financing will also help the children of poor families complete general secondary school education up to grade 12 and offer non-formal basic education and accelerated learning programs for out-of-school children
Additionally, the funding will strengthen BISP’s support for women, children, and adolescent girls, while addressing climate change’s potential impact on nutrition The plan also includes expanding free health services for poor pregnant women lactating women, and children under two years old in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan The coverage of free nutrition services for adolescent girls will be extended from six districts to all districts in these provinces as well as Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan
The loan will also fund efforts to raise climate change awareness and enhance the capacity of nutrition health facilitation centers
SIKH YATREES TO VISIT K ARTARPUR FOR GURU NANAK’S 555TH ANNIVERSARY TODAY
KH ASIF VISIT GURDWARA K ARTARPUR
Russia c uts gas to Austria in payment dispute, keeps EU flows
Pakistan Railways sees rise in passengers, earns Rs47.7b in FY24
Amb
to China, Khalil Hahsmi paid his first official visit to Fuzhou capital of Fujian in Southern China to attend the World Maritime Equipment Conference and to speak at one of the side events of the conference Speaking at the seminar titled: HighQuality Development of Offshore Wind Power Supply Chain”, Ambassador Hashmi who visited Fujian at invitation of provincial authorities highlighted Pakistan’s natu-
ral advantages as a country with a long coastline of over 1 000 kilometers and emphasized the country s strong focus on transiting to renewable sources of energy Appreciating China s rapid advancements in offshore wind industry sector, Ambassador Hashmi underlined the need for enhancing bilateral cooperation by strengthening technology exchanges infrastructure development and regulatory support
He invited Chinese investors to explore the opportunities available in Pakistani offshore wind industry
“Ambassador Hashmi also interacted
with a number of senior officials from Fuzhou including its senior-most political leader Ms Guo Ningning
The two sides reiterated the commitment of Pakistan and China to build on the momentum of the over-arching rubric of Pakistan-China relations, and strengthen the cooperation between Pakistan and Fuzhou under the overall bilateral framework
Besides the Ambassador was given a tour of the World Maritime Equipment Conference, and was separately briefed on urban planning, shipbuilding and
The Ambassador highlighted Pakistan s renewed focus on B2B engagement with China, under the guidance of Pakistani leadership, and expressed his commitment to enhance interaction between the business enterprises of Pakistan and China
TH E special IMF team which very emphatically denied that it was conducting a review has left with no min-budget recommendation That did not mean it had nothing to say about Pakistan s performance on the economy, after getting the first tranche of the $7 7 billion Its reminder that the provinces and federal governments had signed a National Fiscal Pact in September was an indication that the IMF is now going to pay attention to the nuts and bolts of provincial finances That attention had already been drawn by the promise to achieve provincial surpluses and the failure of the provinces, particularly Punjab, to meet it However, the IMF also wants to transfer certain spending responsibilities to the provinces, such as the Benazir Income Support Programme as well as certain education expenditure What was not mentioned is the idea that the federal-provincial split in the NFC Award should be revisited, even though the Constitution provides that provincial shares shall not be reduced once allocated One of the issues of increased responsibility for the provinces is the funding The provinces taxes are relatively inelastic, which means that increasing rates will not increase revenues New sources of revenue are thus perforce being explored like the agriculture tax amendments by Punjab While the IMF would like to see the provinces get into certain areas, it would like to see the federal government get out of those as well as others,
‘The
run-up to COP29 acknowledging that the rise in global heating is on course to soar past 1 5°C (2 7°F) over preindustrial levels in the coming years Humanity is approaching potentially irreversible tipping points such as the collapse of the Amazon rainforest and the Greenland ice sheet as global temperatures rise António Guterres has said warning that governments are not making the deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions needed to limit warming to safe levels – An excerpt from a November 8 Guardian published article Essential to act now to prevent chaotic climate breakdown warns UN chief
TH E lack of commitment shown by various governments over the years has led to increase in air pollution and climate change crisis that together they have propelled Lahore in the province of Punjab to top the dreaded chart of being the most polluted city in the world in terms of smog; where for a number of days the city even crossed the IQAir index by over 2000 when the air becomes hazardous as per the index beyond the mark of 300! Moreover, the severe extent of air pollution in the city could be gauged from the fact, as per Chief Minister Punjab’s roadmap for smog mitigation in Punjab’ report by Punjab Government that between January of 2019 up till August of this year only 28 days had good air quality! While the governments at both the federal and provincial levels did not put enough emphasis in dealing with the issue of smog, and climate change, there was also little bilateral, and multilateral support, especially from big polluters over the years, and in particular because Pakistan is among the topten most exposed countries in terms of being affected by climate change Also on one hand much-needed tree cover was increased insignificantly the exacerbation of climate change also meant that the capacity of trees to absorb carbon dioxide continues to get neg-
P a k i s t a n ’ s f i r e w a l l a n d i t s d i g i t a l c o n s e q u e n c e s
wall cannot be overlooked Pakistan’s tech and freelance sectors which collectively support thousands of jobs and generate substantial revenue are feeling the strain of increased internet disruptions According to Pakistan Software Houses Associations, internet issues have cost the nation over $300 million in lost productivity and opportunities Freelancers reliant on international platforms face delays and account suspensions which not only threatens their livelihoods but also jeopardises Pakistan s reputation in the global outsourcing market Firewall restriction also complicates matters for businesses that are reliant on secure digital communications For example, a potential crackdown on VPNs could limit the tools used by companies to protect proprietary data and communicate securely Additionally concerns over privacy are mounting as firewall grants authorities sweeping access to personal data Therefore, implementing a firewall involves more than just deploying software and hardware, requiring significant technological and operational adjustments In this regard Pakistan can learn valuable lessons from strategies employed by other countries to address similar challenges First, striking a balance between efficient filtering and minimal interference with legitimate traffic is a difficult task Therefore, firewalls must be sensitive enough to avoid “false positives” that disrupt daily internet use For example China s Great Firewall employs complex algorithms to access and filter data in real time; however, such sophistication comes at high operational cost This suggests that Pakistan should consider implementing targeted and efficient filtering strategy that prioritises user experience while addressing security concerns Second circumvention tools like VPNs and proxies are common methods to bypass controls and access the restricted contents In response countries like Russia has banned popular VPNs and imposed fines on tech companies that fail to comply with national firewall policies However such bans are often met with popular resistance Therefore rather than outright banning
atively impacted by the climate change crisis Hence, while the government primarily needs to drastically improve the capacity of involved institutions organizations and markets and both in terms of governance and incentive structures to better deal with the issue of climate change and smog the financing side also needs to significantly get strengthened While being a developing country, the country s own fiscal resources are limited, especially when seen in comparison to the enormity of the spending needed, it is no wonder that the biggest gathering of world leaders at the annual COP meetings in the current COP29 meetings going on in Baku Azerbaijan have also been given an alternate title as climate finance cop A November 10, Guardian published article Cop29 could change the financial climate for the world s wealthy polluters’ pointed out in this regard ‘About 50,000 government officials, policymakers, investors and campaigners will gather in Azerbaijan this week in the hope of answering a trillion-dollar question: how much money should go each year to helping developing countries cope with climate-related costs? The aim of the UN s Cop29 climate talks in Baku, which is
the fire-
Tackling crime effectively
VPNs, Pakistan could require VPN providers to register with authorities, thereby balancing control and public access Third gaining public trust is a critical challenge for effective firewall implementation To gain the confidence of its citizens the government must demonstrate transparency in its objectives, and this should be complemented by efforts to educate citizens on digital literacy Such efforts would not only foster digital awareness and build trust demonstrating the government s commitment to empowering citizens through knowledge and transparency Some countries like Finland and Germany involve civil society in discussions around digital policies to align with public interests Pakistan could adopt a similar approach, thereby curbing public resistance All in all in an age where misinformation cyber threats and harmful content are global challenges Pakistan efforts to implement regulatory frameworks show a commitment to tackling issues head-on However, Pakistan must exercise vigilance and restraint, to ensure that its digital landscape remains a safe space for innovation exchange and progress
The writer is a researcher at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore She can be reached at info@casslhr com
All in all, in an ag e where misinformation, cyber threats and harmful content are global challeng es, Pakistan effor ts to implement regulator y frameworks show a commitment to tackling issues head-on. However, Pakistan must exercise vigilance and restraint,
PIA needs leadership
Public toilets
Faiza
The Blue Wall of resistance
reshuffling of federal priorities to favour conservative states The Democrat-led states in response filed a barrage of lawsuits However with the legal and administrative lessons learned from Trump s first term, these governors are now preparing a more robust strategy As Governor Polis mentioned in a statement captured by MSNBC, “we’re going to work with him [Trump] however we can for our state but we are also prepared to stand up when our democratic values are threatened While the group positions itself as nonpartisan, it s clear that the impetus behind its formation is the potential clash with the incoming administration According to the Chicago Sun-Times Governor Pritzker emphasized that the coalition is about more than just resisting Trump s agenda; it s about safeguarding the democratic institutions that have come under attack The sentiment was echoed by Washington State’s Governorelect Bob Ferguson, who, according to a news report has been preparing his legal team for months in anticipation of new challenges from the federal government What makes this new era of resistance particularly significant is the role states will play as the last line of defence against federal overreach During Trump’s first term, conservative states like Texas under Attorney General Ken Paxton used lawsuits as a political weapon against the Obama and Biden Administrations filing over 100 lawsuits Now, it appears the tables have turned, with Democratic states ready to use similar tactics But beyond legal challenges, the governors’ coalition is exploring broader
measures to counter federal policies from refusing to implement federal mandates to actively passing state laws that defy Trump s policies on civil rights climate change and social welfare One of the most contentious areas is likely to be Trump’s revived focus on immigration Trump has made no secret of his plans to initiate one of the largest deportation campaigns in history targeting undocumented immigrants and dismantling diversity programmes in educational institutions As noted by Fox News, California Governor Gavin Newsom has already called for a special legislative session to address these threats citing Trump’s policies as an assault on the state s values of inclusivity and tolerance This proactive stance reflects a broader sentiment among Democratic governors that they cannot afford to be reactive in the face of an emboldened Trump Administration Moreover, the looming battle over climate policy could reignite tensions that were front and centre during Trump’s first tenure According to The Guardian Trump s previous rollback of environmental protections had significant implications for states that prioritize green policies With the return of policies favouring fossil fuel industries, Democratic states are gearing up for a renewed clash Governor Polis speaking on TV underscored the need to protect state-led environmental initiatives stressing that states like Colorado are not going to back down from our commitments to clean energy, no matter what the federal government dictates ” The broader implications of
Trump s
marked by aggressive actions that bypassed state objections particularly on issues like immigration bans, environmental deregulations, and a
with her? You re my lover She also threatened to kill Peter and Tamara s child Paramount had witnessed Leigh s psychosis on set and was increasingly worried about her behaviour It decided to wash its hands of her, and replaced the star with Elizabeth Taylor What a fall from grace for the globally revered actress ‘the quintessential English rose who d twice won Academy Awards as Best Actress The first was for her performance as the Southern belle Scarlett O Hara in Gone With The Wind, a woman whose privileged life disintegrates as the American Civil War rages on The second was in 1951, as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire a woman looking for beauty in a sordid violent world who eventually has a nervous breakdown Spence suggests that Leigh inhabited those characters so totally that it contributed to her breakdown After performances of Streetcar at the Aldwych Theatre in 1949, she was trembling as the curtain came down She did come home from the asylum, but her marriage was under increasing strain She and Olivier found they had nothing to talk about Our lives had been supported by the glitter of our position he later wrote and that glitter seemed to be fading away Critics took pleasure in tearing Leigh s acting apart Her Lady Macbeth was more niminy-piminy than thundery-blundery’, wrote Kenneth Tynan John Gielgud said she was ‘utterly ineffective on stage’ The gibes shattered her confidence Since they d met and fallen in love in 1936 both breaking up their previous marriages to be together Leigh and Olivier had been a golden couple, the king and queen of British theatre They were mobbed after performances In 1948, on a tour to Australia, they were treated like royalty, waving at crowds of fans from their hotel balcony Olivier ’s love for Leigh had been ‘like a religion’ Spence writes And she remained obsessed with him to the end But as he later said Leigh was f***ing mad from the word go While rehearsing the role of Ophelia to his Hamlet in 1937, she suddenly flew at him like a demon – before returning to normal as if nothing had happened: an unsettling scene that etched itself into his mind
As soon as they moved in together Leigh’s jealousy and paranoia began to take root She was terrified of losing Olivier (who went on to have affairs with his leading ladies including Dorothy Tutin and Claire Bloom, before falling in love with his third wife Joan Plowright) While Leigh was filming Gone With The Wind in 1939, she was crazy with jealousy at the thought of Merle Oberon acting opposite him in Wuthering Heights She took four sleeping pills and was found staggering around naked and falling over the furniture Spence darts back and forth pitting Leigh s miserable present against her successful past, which adds to the fractured atmosphere of this chronicle of mental disintegration Leigh comes across as brittle, spoilt and petulant as well as deeply insecure and sad She was desperate to get pregnant hoping it would hold the marriage together She did conceive a child in 1956 but had a miscarriage However the baby may have been Peter Finch s Leigh had given birth to her only child Suzanne at the age of 19, and nicknamed her Toosoon She was not a motherly person Scenes etched in my mind after reading this unsettling book include Leigh whipping Olivier across the face all night with a facecloth when he told her he was in love with someone else (later he admitted he was afraid of killing her one day); screaming her head off when a wasp encircled her on a picnic; and having a breakdown on a Broadway stage: she had to be carried off on a stretcher That was in 1963, during the long run of an exhausting musical She would die alone in her Eaton Square flat in London aged just 53 Where Madness Lies: The Double Life of Vivien Leigh by Lyndsy Spence (The History Press £22 256pp)
JE F F B E Z O S read it right If you re not going to fight a thug then the best course is surrender You may never feature in the pantheon of the great press barons but hey you live to fight another day Elon Musk read it even better Not so long ago he was a mild critic of Donald Trump but he too worked out that the better course was to become a craven Trump cheerleader Literally And now he sits at the right hand of God and if that prospect doesn t terrify you, you’ve not been paying attention The gangsters are now in charge and Musk could barely conceal his childish delight at being part of the mob You remember the surreal moment when he arrived at the front door of his newly purchased Twitter bearing a kitchen sink? Well within hours of the Trump victory becoming a reality Musk posted a fake picture of him inside the Oval Office holding, yes, a kitchen sink Trump will make Musk much richer It’s calculated the man-child could personally benefit to the tune of $20bn through Tesla alone and that s before the multi-billion space contracts kick in More worrying is the combination of two such frankly weird characters bonding with each other to preside over the free world, never mind the third musketeer that other fawning oddball, Robert F Kennedy Jr With customary foresight Armando Iannucci chose this moment to launch a stage version of the terrifying Cold War comedy classic Dr Strangelove It tells the story of a paranoid US Air Force general who believes that fluoridation of the American water supply is a Soviet plot to poison US citizens and orders a bombing attack on Moscow, opening a path to a nuclear holocaust Ridiculously far-fetched And yet there is something of the Strangelove about the team poised to move into the White House RFK Jr celebrated Trump s victory by posting a promise that the new
MAjiD NAbi buRfAT
Bangladesh deaths from dengue cross 400 as outbreak worsens
A G E N C I E S Bangladesh is battling its worst outbreak of dengue in years with more than 400 deaths as rising temperatures and a longer monsoon season drive a surge in infections, leaving hospitals struggling to cope, particularly in urban areas At least 407 people have died from related complications in 2024, with 78 595 patients admitted to hospital nationwide the latest official figures show By mid-November 4 173 patients were being treated with 1 835 of them in Dhaka the capital and 2 338 elsewhere We re witnessing monsoon-like
said Kabirul
October, which is
zoology professor at Jahangirnagar
Shifting weather patterns caused by
provided
for the Aedes aegypti mosquito the
of the
he added These changes in the
are
ideal conditions for the mosquitoes to breed Dense populations in cities exacerbate the spread of the disease, usually more common in the monsoon season from June to September though it has spilled beyond that window this year A rise in temperatures and longer monsoons both linked to climate change have caused a spike in mosquito breeding driving the rapid spread of the virus Bashar called for year-round vector surveillance in Bangladesh to monitor and rein in the disease If detected early and treated properly, deaths from dengue can be reduced to less than 1 per cent said a renowned physician Dr ABM Abdullah adding Early diagnosis and prevention are key to controlling dengue
ing to the
House
two leaders affirmed the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons, the White House said in a statement The two leaders also stressed the need to consider carefully the potential risks and develop AI technology in the military field in a prudent and responsible manner An official Chinese government summary of the meeting echoed this point The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment It was not clear whether the statement would lead to further talks or action on the issue But it marks a first-of-its-kind step between the two countries in the discussion of two issues on which progress has been elusive: nuclear arms and artificial intelligence Washington has been pushing B e i j i n g f o r m o n t
e a k a longstanding resistance to nuclear arms talks
The two countries briefly resumed official-level talks over nuclear arms in November but those negotiations have since stalled with a top US official publicly expressing frustration regarding China s responsiveness Formal nuclear arms control negotiations have not been expected any time soon, despite US concerns about China’s rapid nuclear weapons build-up even though semiofficial exchanges have resumed On artificial intelligence China and the United States launched their first formal bilateral talks on the issue in May in Geneva, but those talks are not believed to have touched on nuclear weapons decision-making The US defense department estimated last year that
Beijing has 500 operational nuclear warheads and will probably field more than 1,000 by 2030 That compares to 1 770 and 1 710 operational warheads deployed by the United States and Russia respectively The Pentagon said that by 2030, much of Beijing s weapons would probably be held at higher levels of readiness Since 2020 China has also modernized its nuclear program starting production of its next-generation ballistic missile submarine testing hypersonic glide vehicle warheads and holding regular nuclear-armed sea patrols Weapons on land, in the air and at sea give China the “nuclear triad” – a hallmark of a major nuclear power
Indian missile developed by the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation and industry partners, is designed to carry payloads for ranges exceeding 1 500 km (930 miles) for the armed forces the government said in a statement The flight data confirmed
the successful terminal manoeuvres and impact with high degree of accuracy, it added
The global push for hypersonic weapons figures in the efforts of some countries such as India which is striving to develop advanced long-range missiles along with China Russia and the United States of America
The test-firing took place from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island off the eastern coast of Odisha state on Saturday it said
With this achievement India has joined a select group of nations possessing such critical and advanced military technology, the
minister added This is a historic moment and this significant achievement has put our country in the group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies ” Rajnath Singh tweeted
The missile was tracked by various range systems deployed across multiple domains Flight data obtained from down-range ship stations confirmed the successful terminal manoeuvres and impact with a high degree of accuracy the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) which conducted the trials on Saturday night announced
MURAD LEADS WAY AT COP29, PRIORITISING CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN CLIMATE ACTION
It ’s time for world to recognise Turkish Republic of Nor thern Cyprus: TRNC Envoy
ISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is celebrating the 41st anniversary of its establishment as independent state and TRNC Representative in Islamabad Ms Dilsad Senol and Mr Akin Can Senol hosted a magnificent reception to mark the day and commemorate the sacrifices of the leaders, people and soldiers of the Republic who contributed a lot to the independence of their nation and thwarted the aggression and illegal occupation of the Greeks in 1974 with support of the Republic of Turkiye High officials of government of Pakistan attended the reception Mohammad Aamir Khan, Director General of Afghanistan, Iran and Türkiye Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan was chief guest Barrister Aqeel Malik Prime Minister s Adviser on Law former chairman Senate Standing Committee on Defense, Mushahid Hussain Syed, Education Minister Balochistan, Ms Raheela Durrani, Secretary General Inter-parliamentary Union IPU Sena-
tor Sitara Ayaz, Senator Nuzhat Sadiq, many other Senators, Parliamentarians Members of the Chambers of Commerce and representatives of Press were also invited It was a well-attended event that depicted the growing bilateral cooperation between TRNC and Pakistan in different sectors including education G2G B2B and P2P Commonalities of history culture and religion play supportive role to connect the people of two states National anthems of both coun-
tries were played and a documentary on the independence and development of TRNC was screened in the reception
The reception was largely attended by Mr & Mrs Irfan Neziroglu, Ambassador of Turkiye, Ambassadors of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Myanmar, High Commissioner of Brunei DHM Azerbaijan Belarus Palestine and many more members of the Diplomatic Corps also graced the event with their presences
Pak istan to showcase handmade carpets at Turk iye exhibition
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T
Chairman of Pakistan Carpet Man-
ufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMEA) Mian Atiqur
Rehman and Vice Chairman Riaz
Ahmed said that the carpet manufacturers and exporters associated with the handmade carpet industry will participate in the global exhibition to be held in Turkiye in January next year
LAHORE S TA F F R E P O R T
In the global exhibition, 15 stalls will be set up, while in addition more than 50 people associated with the industry will also participate
They expressed these views while addressing a meeting at the association s office regarding advance planning for participation in global exhibitions to be held in various countries next year
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari rebutted the contents of a news item published under the headline
“Provinces face new targets under fiscal pact”, published in an English daily on Sunday, asserting that the news report falsely refers to the Government of Punjab’s investment in a UAE-based fund
Contradicting the erroneous impression created in the said news the Information Minister said that the Government of Punjab has not invested in any UAEbased fund Since there is no such investment in a UAEbased fund, this was never discussed in the meeting of the IMF with the functionaries of the Government of Punjab “Furthermore the said news item wrongly insinuates IMF s alarm over the previously incorrectly re-
At the occasion, Pattern Chief Abdul Latif Malik, Chairman of Carpet Training Institute (CTI) Ejazur Rehman Senior Leader Usman Ashraf Major (R) Akhtar Nazeer Saeed Khan Shahid Hassan Sheikh Akbar Malik Saad-urRehman, Faisal Saeed Khan, and others were present
ported 1st quarter deficit of Punjab she mentioned Ms Azma Bokhari said that the IMF agreed that the Punjab Government had a surplus of
CiVil-MiliTary leadershiP fiNe-TuNe aNTi-Terror sTraTegy Today
g Initiative comes in response to accelerating glacial melt due to climate change
other ministers to sign a declaration of support for glacier preservation
The program aims to mobilize up to $3 5 billion in funding from ADB GCF governments development partners and the private sector The funds will target water and agriculture investments focusing on vulnerable communities, especially in mountain regions impacted by glacial melt GCF’s Chief Investment Officer Henry Gonzalez highlighted the importance of this initiative in enhancing climate resilience and
sustainable development The Glaciers to Farms program is one of several ADB initiatives in response to the challenges posed by glacial melt ADB is working on creating early warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure in regions like the Hindu Kush Himalayas and other areas across Asia
In 2025, the United Nations General Assembly will observe the International Year of Glacier Preservation and Tajikistan will host a conference on glacier preservation next year
S TA F F R E P O R T
The police on Sunday claimed to have arrested the prime suspect, Naveed involved in the heinous killing of Zara the pregnant woman brutally murdered in Daska
Naveed was later presented before a judicial magistrate today, where the police sought a 10-day physical remand for further interrogation
However, the duty magistrate rejected the 10-day remand request and granted only a one-day physical remand sending the suspect into police custody The other three individuals arrested in connection with the case will be presented in court on Monday (tomorrow)
According to police report the victim’s in-laws gruesomely murdered Zara dismembered her body and dis-
posed of the remains in two bag, which were then dumped in a drain Zara s husband who is currently residing abroad was not present at the time of the incident The murder
was carried out by her mother-inlaw, Sughra, sister-in-law Yasmin, and her grandson, Abdullah, who all participated in the crime D uring the inves tigation the
rific actions
Preliminary investigation has revealed that Zara had married her cousin, Abdul Qadir, four years ago and had been living with him in Saudi Arabia
She frequently visited Pakistan bringing along her two-and-a-halfyear-old son Zara who was nine months pregnant at the time had returned to Pakistan about a month ago and was staying with her family Police have stated that Zara’s mother-in-law
Pak istan launches first National Carbon Market Polic y
