PM CALLS FOR NATIONAL UNIT Y, DIALOGUE TO ROOT OUT TERRORISM, KHAWARIJ
g SAYS FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVTS AND PEOPLE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE PEACE PARTICULARLY IN KP, BALOCHISTAN
It is war against ideology of lawlessness, despair, not militant outfits: PM
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif while reaffirming Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to eradicating terrorism stated that any attempt to destabilize the country through treachery will be met with the full and unyielding might of the state PM Shehbaz Sharif was speaking at a high level security conference at the Balochistan Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Thursday The premier s visit comes after security forces eliminated all 33 Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists who had hijacked the Jaffar
Express which was carrying more than 400 passengers who were taken hostage on Tuesday Announcing the completion of the around two-day-long operation Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the armed forces took part in the action against terrorist who “remained in contact with their facilitators and mastermind based in Afghanistan via satellite phone” Units from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Special Services Group (SSG) Army, and Frontier Corps (FC) took part in the operation, the army s spokesperson said
Unanimous NA resolution vows to eliminate terrorism, pays tribute to security forces
ISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution reaffirming the country s unwavering commitment to eliminating terrorism from every corner of the nation and safeguarding its sovereignty The resolution tabled by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary firmly condemned the hijacking of the Jaffar Express and all acts of terrorism that endanger the lives of citizens and disrupt the peace of the nation The resolution expressed resolve to
take every possible measure to eliminate terrorism from every corner of our nation and affirms that no group, no individual and no ideology that seeks to undermine our nation s peace security prosperity and sovereignty will be allowed to spread fear hatred or violence within the territorial limits of the country Furthermore, pledges not to allow any terrorist activity to go unchecked in any part of our country and commits to working relentlessly to root out terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, ensuring that those who attempt to destabilize the country face the full force of the law
ISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
Pakistan s Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the Afghan government to take swift action against the masterminds of the Jaffar Express hostage tragedy
“We urge the Afghan government to take action against the people who had masterminded the Jaffar Express hijacking because they had their safe havens in Afghanistan FO spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan while addressing weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday
The FO spokesman said that Pakistan was targeting those terrorists who had sanctuaries outside its boundaries “Those who carried out the attack had links with their collaborators abroad he added He said that Islamabad had taken notice of the reports that the Donald Trump administration was likely to impose a ban on the entry of Pakistanis in the USA
Shafqat Ali Khan said right now there was no confirmation of these entry ban reports These are merely rumours he added
Rubbishing reports that Pakistan wanted to close its border with Afghanistan at Torkham, Shafqat said it was merely
Pakistan urges swif t Afghanistan action against train attack master minds ECC approves
propaganda “The truth of the matter is that Afghanistan had tried to set up a checkpoint inside our territory he added
The spokesman went on to say that four Pakistanis had been released on a court order in Spain We had requested for the consular access to other detained Pakistanis But so far we have not been given that access ” he informed On an incident that took place at Los Angeles Airport involving Pakistan s ambassador to Turkmenistan KK Ahsan Wagan, he said the ambassador was on a private visit to the USA, and that he had been allowed to go following second screening “However, we are investigating the incident ” he added
Shafqat said that China being a timetested friend stood by Pakistan The entire world has condemned the Jaffar Express incident, he added He went on to say that the Indian leadership’s statement on Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) reflected their expansionist designs
The spokesman said Pakistan urged the cessation of hostilities both in Gaza and the West Bank Pakistan strongly condemns the ban imposed by India on Awami Action Committee and Jammu and Kashmir Ittehadul Muslimeen,” he added
45 civilians and 81 security personnel were injured Security forces, meanwhile, intensified counter-terrorism operations, eliminating 156 terrorists, injuring 20, and arresting 66, it said
Amid call for NAP revival, NA witnesses r uckus as opposition denied debate on train attack
ISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
The National Assembly witnessed ruckus and chaos on Wednesday after the opposition was denied the opportunity to discuss the deadly attack on Jaffer Express in Balochistan
The session, presided over by Abdul Qadir Patel took a contentious turn when Opposition Leader Omar Ayub demanded the suspension of the Question Hour to debate the tragic incident Opening the debate on the President s address to the joint sitting of parliament on March 10, he stated, "We are against and condemn those who have taken up arms against the state" He argued that it would have been more appropriate for the chair to allow a debate on the Balochistan issue by suspending the routine business of the House
However, Patel declined the request, stating that the matter could be addressed during the debate on the presidential address
The refusal sparked immediate protests from PTI lawmakers In a visible display of frustration Ayub banged the green file containing parliamentary rules and regulations on his desk, while other opposition members joined in by pounding their desks and shouting slogans The protest escalated as Ayub and his colleagues staged a walkout chanting "quorum quorum" as they left the chamber
During the opposition's protest and walkout party member Sher Afzal Marwat was nowhere to be seen Once the opposition left the chamber Iqbal Afridi pointed out the lack of quorum, triggering a headcount
However, the required number of members was present, allowing the session to continue At that moment Sher Afzal Marwat entered the assembly and rejoined the proceedings Strikingly he crossed over to the government benches sitting among treasury members, including Sheikh Aftab, with whom he was seen chatting amicably After the prayer break, when the session resumed, Omar Ayub was finally given the floor His first grievance was that he should have been allowed to speak on the tragedy earlier
However during his speech assembly members remained engaged in casual conversations, prompting him to point out the irony: "This is a discussion about Balochistan, yet Balochistan's own members are not paying attention This is unfortunate"
He said he expected undivided attention from the house while he spoke but in contrast, Sher Afzal Marwat was fast asleep, only stirring when his name was mentioned eliciting chuckles across the hall
Ayub continued his speech for one hour and twenty-three minutes touching on the Balochistan tragedy and other issues The
g REVISED BUYBACK RATE AIMS TO ADDRESS FINANCIAL BURDEN ON GRID CONSUMERS
National Assembly session was then adjourned
O L D
power sec tor struggles with low capacit y utilisation despite reforms:
ity payments and higher consumer tariffs, exacerbating the financial burden on the sector
The inefficiency of governmentowned power plants remains a major concern with fuel costs soaring to Rs33 6 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) To counter this, the government is focusing on expanding renewable energy sources, particularly solar power, with a priority on solarising agricultural tube wells to ease pressure on distribution companies (Discos) where recovery rates remain low
The study forecasts a gradual phasing out of furnace oil by 2031 while the share of RLNG and
and
cent of this capacity was utilised due to inefficiencies in generation transmission and distribution These structural shortcomings have led to increasing capac-
The report highlights regulatory non-compliance, governance issues among power suppliers, and excessive supplementary charges, which are pushing consumers towards distributed generation particularly rooftop solar installations Pakistan s energy mix is still heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels, including re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) and coal However, the country aims to transition towards indigenous and renewable
Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal Both sides agreed to establish
TMinister on Finance Muzzammil Aslam said Speaking at a press conference, Aslam said Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had raised concerns over the delayed release of Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP) funds during a meeting with Federal
P@SHA seeks tax reforms to boost innovation and investment
P@SHA has
who
5% to 35% and remote workers who are taxed at 0 25%–1% The association argues that these disparities lead to talent migration and pose challenges for local companies in retaining skilled professionals To address this, P@SHA has recommended harmonizing tax rates between remote workers and local employees In a proposal submitted by P@SHA Chairman Sajjad Mustafa Syed the association has urged the government to streamline the affairs of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) It has suggested the appointment of dedicated Commissioners to resolve IT industry-related tax issues This measure would help
prevent unnecessary tax notices and ensure that tax officers develop a better understanding of IT-specific tax matters, leading to more informed decision-making and a streamlined tax administration
P@SHA has also called for the restoration of the Final Tax Regime (FTR) for IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) exports for the next 10 years (2025–2035) to ensure predictability, continuity, and investor confidence in the IT industry Currently, a 5% tax is imposed on corporate debit card transactions linked to Exporters’ Special Foreign Currency Accounts (ESFCA) at the time of payment while IT companies already pay 0 25% under the FTR on their export proceeds P@SHA has demanded an exemption from the additional 5% tax on corporate debit card transactions to prevent double taxation and promote the use of ESFCAs The association has also requested the removal of withholding tax (WHT) and other excessive charges on foreign currency (FC) retention accounts to incentivize the legitimate use of foreign currency earnings At present FC account holders incur WHT and other charges for using foreign currency debit cards discouraging legitimate usage Given that foreign income is already exempt under the FTR imposing additional taxes lacks a justifiable basis, P@SHA argues To further boost the sector, P@SHA has recommended the introduction of a
PSW and M aqta Technologies forge strategic
to revolutionize global trade
reduce delays, improve transparency, and ensure better regulatory compliance
The agreement also emphasizes commercial opportunities in digital trade facilitation and logistics solutions on a global scale Both parties are committed to promoting environmentally sustainable trade practices by reducing paper documentation and adopting carbonefficient logistics solutions Dr Noura Al Dhaheri, CEO of Digital Cluster and Maqta Technologies Group – AD Ports Group remarked This partnership with Pakistan Single Window underscores our commitment to enhancing global trade through advanced digital solutions By combining our capabilities, we aim to unlock new opportunities and optimize trade facilitation in both Pakistan and global markets Syed Aftab Haider, CEO of Pakistan Single Window, stated, “This partnership is a significant milestone in PSW’s journey to improve global trade facilitation By joining forces with Maqta Technologies we bring together regional and global expertise in digital trade solutions, positioning us to make substantial advances in trade facilitation ” Maqta Technologies recognized by the World Customs Organization (WCO) for its innovative customs and trade solutions, has successfully processed around
COMMENT
Not such a sweet stor y
N S A N I T Y is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results
Clearly Albert Einstein never met the government or Pakistan’s sugar industry when saying that because even after the bitter experience under the PTI government, the government caved in to the sugar industry s pressure and allowed the export of sugar
The result has been a shortage of the condiment just before Ramadan, with the result that the price has shot up from Rs 140 per kg to Ra 190, with projections that it could go up to Rs 249 The solution the government has come up with is the import of raw sugar, which will be processed into edible sugar by the very sugar mills whose exports have created the crisis in the first place Mill owners are claiming that this arrangement would allow them to operate their mills all year around and thus to engage workers for longer than the present crushing-season-only employment While this may attract a government looking for the provision of employment, it would repel one trying to keep prices down When the effects are weighed on the employees of one sector, and the sentiments of anyone who buys sugar, which means everyone, it should be clear where the balance of votes should lie However, the sugar lobby is apparently as powerful in this government, as in all others It is perhaps no coincidence that the villain of the piece in the PTI government, Jehangir Khan Tareen now heads a party the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party which forms part of the ruling coalition On the face of it the consumer does not seem to benefit from a policy where sugar is exported and the n imported It seems that what the country gains on the swings it loses on the cocoanuts The desire to make the IMF happy by the increased sales tax revenue should not blind the government to the fact that sugar prices are now crushing the common man Sugar is crucial It is not just a household item, but is also used across a huge array of other food products, to the extent that it is almost an industrial raw material Because of this, when its price goes up, a wide range of other food products are bound to become dearer All of these are widely used not just during Ramazan but at Eid whether cakes sweetmeats or soft drinks The government must think about the electoral consequences of placating what is after all a small lobby
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
The European touch
TH E Trump-Zelenskyy meeting nearly three weeks ago refuses to go away, because it has created a sense of uncertainty, and seems merely yet another of US President Donald Trump’s attacks of whimsy Also it has become the point at which Europe seems to decide after so many decades of kowtowing to the USA that it is time to stand up for the country the USA wants to throw under the bus The extent to which not just Europe, but the whole world, is moving into unknown territory, must be gauged from the fact that France has offered to extend its nuclear guarantee to Europe if the USA withdraws its True the nuclear guarantee may now be something of a dead letter since the USSR no longer intends to invade Western Europe, beginning its attack by a massive nuclear strike, but it would indicate Europe wanted to diverge from the USA, and would mean that the USA was no longer wanted in Europe Europe first wanted the UK to stay out It had spent the medieval ages trying to take over France but after the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the mid-17th century English wishes changed: it no longer had any territorial ambitions, but wanted to maintain what it called the balance of Europe , which meant that it wished to prevent any country growing so strong that it could dominate Europe That meant fighting France At this time Germany was still fragmented so there was only one power France The last such war against France were the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars There were other wars which saw the rise of Germany, which unified after the Franco-Prussian War of 1871 The balance of Europe was once again threatened, this time by Germany Both Germany and France prepared to go to war with each other and sought allies England switched over and now sought an alliance or rather an understanding the famous Entente Cordiale with France It was to land four divisions in France in case it was invaded The British actually were defending Belgian neutrality The Ger-
There is a belief that Trump is managing the decline of the USA from superpower status. But it should not be forgotten that even former great powers, like the UK, the Netherlands or France , are by no means negligible
man invasion plan of France involved a right hook through Belgium, and the use of its railway lines That is how World War I began But the USA did its best to stay out But ultimately, in 1917, it entered, and the American Expeditionary Force provided enough reinforcement to convince Germany and Austria that they had lost The USA helped break the stalemate in the trenches, but in World War II, it got involved in taking back Europe after it had been conquered by Germany Its entry into the War was because Germany declared War on it after the Pearl Harbour attack in support of its ally Japan which had carried out the attack After World War II the USA set up an architecture of international relations at that time a new world order in which it was the leading country in the new institutions which were set up, like the UN, the IMF and the World Bank At this point, one should mention the role of the USSR Initially the USSR stayed out but was then attacked by Germany Like the UK it received vast amounts of US aid and when US and other allied forces landed in Normandy Soviet forces started their own offensive, thus catching Germany in a pincer Indeed, tht two-front situation had occurred in World War I, and it was only when Germany sent Lenin back to Russia that Germany was able to get a ‘peace’ government
HPV vaccination
in Myanmar ’s border areas, this military cooperation has not brought any significant improvement in the long-term relationship between the two countries As a result India is steadily becoming strategically weaker in Southeast Asia as well Additionally, India s notorious policy of ‘Shoot at Sight’ in the borders
with its neighbours to stop the use of lethal weapons in the borderlands but every time it has violated the promises Recent moves of India show that the tension in India s current relationship with Bangladesh is mainly political Although the Awami League government was a close ally of India, India is about to lose that advantage in the current political context India’s influence in the internal politics of Bangladesh was enormous earlier but it is not so real now It is not clear how friendly the new government will be towards India However it is already seen that a kind of cold current is going on in the reconstruction of India-Bangladesh relations As a result, India s business community is also worried The
Bangladesh market is an important area for India and it is becoming difficult for them to retain this market A trend of Boycott India or India Out is becoming prominent now as a result of India s encroachment in the politics of Bangladesh People of Bangladesh just finished a successful revolution in the August last year which deposed India’s closest political ally in South Asia the AL government Now usually the people will never accept any state which supports AL By supporting AL and criticizing the current government India is gambling with the feeling of the ordinary citizens of Bangladesh which will not bring a good result for India Instead of involving itself in the internal politics of Bangladesh India could carry a good relation with this country by giving importance to the public sentiment This kind of wrong move is becoming the reason for the decreasing of India s influence in South Asia
The geopolitics of South Asia is changing rapidly If India wants to survive as a regional power it has to think of a strategy to rebuild relations with neighboring countries Building relationships just for political gain is not sustainable in the long run as the current state of India s foreign policy proves Now is the time, if India really wants to be a regional power, it has to regain the place of trust of its neighbours Otherwise India will face greater diplomatic challenges in the future in the face of China s growing influence
Both writers belong to the Department of International Relations University of Rajshahi Bangladesh
e e p S e e k a n d t h e f u t u r e o f A I
Tshifted with the launch of the DeepSeek model In January, a Chinese AI company based in Hangzhou developed an AI model known as DeepSeek R1 nd imed that its software contended with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI in its reasoning capabilities and performance with lesser cost to create The launch of DeepSeek R1 technology sent shockwaves throughout the investment world The US ch stocks fell rapidly, and the chip giant Nvidia’s stock plummeted which resulted in a loss of approximately $593 billion in market capitalization This disruption by the Chinese in the US market contests the firmly ingrained belief that US companies would retain dominance of the AI sector This shift in market positions raises uncertainties about the future of innovation, data sovereignty and the geopolitical implications of AI leadership DeepSeek technology primarily centres around generating open-source large language models (LLMs) It launched its first model back in November 2023, which since then has been improved, leading towards new variations being released with time Deepseek did not gain its global recognition until the release of its R1 reasoning model in January 2025 which advanced AI s problem-solving and logical reasoning DeepSeek
lished itself as an industry leader after its groundbreaking success in 2022 with its ChatGPT model In its closed-source GPT model series OpenAI launched a proprietary language model created for general-purpose conversational AI It is a subscription-based model with a structured Application Programming Interface (API) pricing system This closed-source system is expensive and it restricts the customization alternatives for developers over the granted API access In comparison DeepSeeks offers more flexibility for developers with its open-source system and its API pricing being more economically viable This is because processing one million input tokens with GPT4 costs $2 50 while for DeepSeek-R1 it costs $0 55 for the same number of tokens This substantial difference in the expenses being incurred startled the tech industry and spurred their interest to invest in DeepSeek rather than GPT or other major tech companies There’s long been a widely held notion that US AI companies such as OpenAI Nvidia and Microsoft would continue to reign over the tech market for years This prevailing assumption was soon to be contested with the launch of China s DeepSeek s R1 model in the market, posing as a new competitor to the US tech giants in the AI industry China’s expansion into the tech market signalled concerns about market dominance and the AI framework being transformed for US tech companies
The Chinese tech market continues to benefit from a new surg e in AI trading, while other countries remain adamant about laying down measures to stop Chinese expansion based on security concerns Despite worldwide effor ts to ban DeepSeekÊs expansion, the impact it has had on the global AI industr yÊs leadership and financial markets will cer tainly remain a turning point for the industr y
has emerged as a strong industry competitor for OpenAI, which estab-
Pilgrims in Mecca search for a moment of peace
life and projec ts
‘cruel and anti-Hindu’ nature of Aurangzeb
and indoctrination through
(Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) shakhas (drills) social media Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT cell the mainstream media particularly TV channels, many films have added to the prevailing misconceptions in the society In the recent past, films, such as The Kerala Story, Kashmir Files, spread a mania of hate There have been other not so successful films such as Swatantraveer Savarkar 72 Hurain Samrat Prithviraj to name a few Now Maharashtra in particular and the country as a whole, has a film called Chhava running to packed houses, taking hate a few notches up This film is not a historical film It is based on the novel Chhava by Shivaji Samant Already the filmmakers have had to apologise for inaccuracies in film The film selectively picks up a few incidents from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj s life and projects the cruel and anti-Hindu nature of Aurangzeb In the 126-minute film, a good 40 minutes are devoted to the torture of Sambahji Maharaj This part is where the filmmaker may have taken a lot of liberties of a fiction writer The whole narrative is set in the presentation of medieval history as noble Hindu kings versus evil Muslim kings Sambhaji Maharaj was the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj As Shivaji set up his kingdom he had officers which included Muslims Maulana Haider Ali was his confidential secretary and there were 12 generals in his army who were Muslims Siddi Sambal, Ibrahim Gardi, and Daulat Khan, to name the few
From Aurangzeb’s side, Raja Jaisingh led the army to attack Shivaji Shivaji was made to appear in Aurangzeb’s court and later imprisoned The person who helped him escape was a Muslim prince Madari Mehtar
The Hindutva progenitors VD Savarkar and MS Golwalkar, raise questions about Sambhaji s character, wine and women For this, he was imprisoned by Shivaji in Panhala Fort Later Sambhaji did ally with Au-
rangzeb in his battle against Shivaji Sambhaji also allied with Aurangzeb in his battle against Adilshah of Bijapur In the battle of succession after Shivaji, Sambhaji’s half-brother Rajaram (son of Shivaji’s another wife Soyrabai) tried to poison him As the conspiracy was unearthed Sambhaji got many Hindu officers killed In the battle against Sambhaji Aurangzeb had sent his general Rathod to fight against him Once Sambhaji was captured, he was humiliated and subjected to torture, which has been presented in a blown-up fashion in the film On the pretext of this film many perceptions against Aurangzeb have been projected He is shown to be very cruel in dealing with his opponents This is not a question of whataboutery but an attempt to understand the pattern of kingdoms Many kings inflicted cruelties on their enemies
Historian Ruchika Sharma tells us that when the Chola kings defeated Chalukyas army they beheaded Chalukyas general Samudra Raj and cut the nose of his beautiful daughter Ashok s Kalinga battle is known for the worst brutalities The ways of kings against their enemies was atrocious and cannot be judged by today’s standards As such what will we say when bulldozers raze to ground the houses of those who happen to be Muslims for the crimes not tried in court of law? What will we say that one Hindu king had a fort on the top of a hill, where those conspiring against him were thrown deep down in the deep valley with feet and hands tied? Bal Samant in his book describes the atrocities done by Shivaji’s army while plundering Surat Army and atrocities were closely associated; cruelty against enemies is condemnable but was not unusual When Sambhaji s Marathas attacked Goa, a Portuguese account (cited by historian Jadunath Sarkar) says, “up to now nowhere else in India has such barbarity been seen ”
Chhatrapati S ambhaji Maharaj ’s
NEWSCLICK
Minahil Gohar
RJudge ex tends ban on Columbia student ’s depor tation from US
deportation earlier this
and
the prohibition on Wednesday in a written order following a hearing in Manhattan federal court to allow himself more time to consider whether the arrest was unconstitutional The Department of Homeland Security says Khalil, 30, is subject to deportation under a legal provision holding that migrants whose presence in the country are deemed by the US Secretary of State to be incompatible with foreign policy may be removed, according to a document seen by Reuters
“The Secretary of State has determined that your presence or activities in the United States would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States, read the DHS document, dated March 9, ordering Khalil to appear before an immigration judge on March 27
The document did not provide additional detail The DHS did not immediately responded to requests for comment Khalil s lawyers say his arrest on Saturday by DHS agents outside his university residence in Manhattan was in retaliation for his outspoken advocacy against Israel’s military assault on
attack and thus violated Khalil’s right to free speech under the US Constitution s First Amendment Mr Khalil was identified, targeted, detained and is being processed for deportation on account of his advocacy for Palestinian rights,” Khalil’s lawyer Ramzi Kassem said in court In her first media interview Noora Abdalla Khalil s wife told Reuters after the hearing she hoped her husband would be free and back in New York in time for the birth of their first child, who is due next month
“It’s been so hard not having him here ” she said “There’s a lot of emotions and pain He s been there for me truly every step of the way Outside the courthouse on Wednesday, Kassem told reporters that the legal provision DHS referred to was rarely-used and was not meant to silence dissent Khalil was born and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria and came to the US on a student visa in 2022, becoming a permanent resident last year He was a prominent member of Columbia’s protest movement
where immigration courts draw the line between protected free speech and alleged support for groups the United States calls terrorists
Hamas welcomes Trump’s retreat
Gaza following Hamas’ October 2023
commitment
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DWP's approach to setting new industry standards is multifaceted and data-driven The company has introduced a comprehensive technician training program that elevates the skill level of its support team, ensuring that customers receive expert assistance every time An automated consumer feedback system represents another leap forward providing a direct channel for customer insights and enabling rapid, meaningful improvements to service delivery The expansion is not just about
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PTI FOUNDER MOVES SC AGAINST RECENT JUDGES’ TRANSFER ORDER
LHCBA challenges judges’ transfer in apex court
The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA on Thursday filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the recent transfer of judges The petition filed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, has mentioned the President of Pakistan, federal government and four high courts as respondents The LHCBA through petitioner pleads with the apex court to declare the judges transfer notification as unlawful unconstitutional and declare it as void The LHC Bar has sought the apex court to ensure utmost compliance of the constitution in transfer of judges The Bar has also requested to the apex court to ensure implementation of the parameters set in the Al-Jihad Trust case
Petition also pointed out that the transferred judges didn t take oath of the office against as per the constitution “No judge could perform duties without taking oath of the office ” according to the plea
The Ministry of Law has issued a notification in February confirming the transfer of three judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), following the approval of President Asif Ali Zardari
According to reports President Asif Ali Zardari approved these transfers under Article 200 of the Constitution assigning the judges to the Islamabad High Court Justice Sarfraz Dogar, previously of the Lahore High Court, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro from the Sindh High Court and Justice Muhammad Asif from the Baluchistan High Court were transferred to the Islamabad High Court
abad High Court (IHC) decided to challenge the rejection of their representation The representation seeks the restoration of the previous seniority structure of the IHC Additionally, the petition will request the annulment of the decision issued by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq who had dismissed the representation
Govt proposes regional trade partnership with
Oman through Gwadar, Karachi ports
cials highlighted the advantages Oman could gain by using these ports for better connectivity with emerging markets in Central Asia
The government has proposed that Oman utilise its strategic ports in Gwadar and Karachi to gain easier access to Central Asian markets, as part of efforts to deepen economic ties between the two countries
The offer was made during a meeting between Commerce Minister Jam Kamal and Oman s Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion Qais Al Yousif in Muscat earlier this week, according to an official statement from Pakistan’s commerce ministry
narcotics hidden inside a cupboard belonging to SHO Imtiaz Ahmad Further searches of rooms used by other policemen led to the recovery of additional narcotics stashed in their personal bags Following the discovery, authorities sealed the Samanabad police station and arrested SHO Imtiaz Ahmad Sub-Inspector Muhammad Tayyab constable Shahid Shaukat and a private servant of the SHO identified as Muhammad Akhtar An FIR was registered against the accused at the Factory Area police station on the complaint of its SHO Rana Attaur Rahman The charges include violations under sections 9(3)(C) and 9(5)(D) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997 as well as section 155-C of the Police Order
The FIR alleges that the arrested police officials had facilitated the release of two unidentified drug traffickers and attempted to flee during the raid Authorities recovered more than four kilograms of opium and over two kilograms of hashish from their possession which they were allegedly planning to sell Sources said the scandal surfaced after the AntiNarcotics Force (ANF) earlier arrested constable Suhail Ahmad in Rashidabad on Jhang Road During interrogation, he reportedly disclosed the involvement of Samanabad SHO Imtiaz Ahmad and his accomplices in releasing the drug dealers Upon receiving this information, CPO Sahibzada Bilal Umar immediately ordered the suspension and arrest of the implicated police officials In a separate operation a team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Faisalabad arrested two notorious human smugglers on Wednesday The suspects, Attaullah and Saeed Usman, were apprehended from Sargodha and Sialkot, respectively Both individuals were listed in the FIA’s Red Book of most-wanted traffickers for their alleged involvement in the 2023 Libya boat tragedy FIA officials said Attaullah had collected Rs4 5 million from two victims to send them illegally to Italy via Libya One of those individuals reportedly died in the boat capsize Saeed Usman is accused of collecting Rs2 6 million from another victim, who remains missing following the incident FIA officials confirmed that the suspects had been transferred to Faisalabad for further investigation They added that two additional suspects named in the same case had already been arrested earlier Meanwhile, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Dr Zulfiqar Ali emphasized the importance of women’s participation in national development during a visit to the newly completed Maryam Hostel on Wednesday
The two sides held detailed discussions on enhancing bilateral trade and investment with a particular focus on improving transportation networks and utilising Pakistan as a key trade corridor to Central Asia
During the talks Pakistan’s delegation underscored the potential of Gwadar and Karachi ports to serve as major regional trade hubs Offi-
The discussions also explored avenues for cooperation in various sectors, including textiles, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) agriculture food security and manufacturing Both sides stressed the importance of fostering industrial collaboration promoting joint ventures, and expanding agricultural trade to strengthen supply chains Pakistan invited Omani investors to explore opportunities in its industrial and manufacturing sectors positioning itself as a partner in Oman s economic diversification plans
Commerce Minister Jam Kamal noted that Pakistan’s expertise in industry and commerce could assist Oman in achieving its Vision 2040 development goals He reiterated Islamabad s commitment to expanding trade and economic cooperation with Muscat
Qais Al Yousif in response acknowledged Pakistan s strategic importance as a regional trade route particularly given its proximity and historical ties with Oman He expressed a keen interest in enhancing economic relations and expanding trade and investment opportunities between the two countries
The two ministers agreed to work closely on economic initiatives and reaffirmed their commitment to boosting trade and investment cooperation
The meeting concluded with a shared understanding to explore new areas of mutual benefit and foster long-term economic growth for both nations
The Omani delegation included senior officials Saleh Said Misan, Ibtisam Ahmed Al Farougi, Rashid Said Rashdi Khalid Ali Al Habsi and Suhaib Amir Al Sawafi Pakistan s delegation comprised Ambassador Syed Naveed Safdar Bokhari Ishrat Bhatti, and Talha Khan
Efforts to resolve the prolonged closure of the Torkham border hit an impasse on Wednesday when the Afghan jirga abruptly withdrew from negotiations accusing Pakistan of taking an unserious approach to the talks According to sources familiar with the discussions the breakdown occurred after the Afghan delegation, led by Afghan Chamber of Commerce Chairman Younus Mohmand, left the meeting and returned to Kabul without further dialogue
The talks which began four days ago were initiated in an effort to defuse tensions following the latest border standoff between the two countries The dispute began nearly three weeks ago when Afghan forces reportedly began constructing structures inside Pakistani territory near the Torkham crossing Pakistan objected to the activity, leading to heightened tensions and a shutdown of the border crossing, halting trade and passenger movement As the closure entered its 19th
day, jirgas comprising tribal elders, business leaders, and officials from both sides were formed to find a resolution An initial meeting two days earlier resulted in an agreement to observe a ceasefire and hold further discussions The ceasefire has held since then
The latest round of negotiations was expected to focus on dismantling the disputed construction and reopening the border However the Afghan side accused Pakistan of expanding its negotiation team without prior consultation a move they claimed undermined trust
The Afghan jirga waited for
two hours at the meeting venue but left after concluding that Pakistan was