PAKISTAN, KSA REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO REGIONAL SECURIT Y COLL ABORATION
g PM SHEHBAZ MEETS SAUDI CROWN PRINCE, DISCUSSES ENHANCING COOPERATION IN ECONOMIC, TRADE, INVESTMENT, ENERGY AND DEFENSE SECTORS
g PREMIER DESCRIBES MEETING WITH SAUDI CROWN PRINCE A S
SAYING DISCUSSIONS WERE HELD ON FURTHER
PM ar rives in Madina to pay respects at Roza-e-Rasool
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Thursday arrived in Madina Munawara from Jeddah where he held a crucial meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman On arrival in Madina Munawara, Governor Madina Prince Salman bin Sultan al-Saud received the prime minister at the airport He will pay his respects at Roza-eRasool of Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW) and offer prayers and Nawafil in Masjid-e-Nabwi He will offer special prayers for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan along with the members of his delegation Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman in Jeddah wherein both the leaders reaffirmed the strong and historic ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia Discussions between the two leaders fo-
The Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice on Thursday gave the PTA chairman the last chance for social media app X ban lifting, expressing disappointment with his replies submitted in the court LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum made the remarks while heading a three-member bench hearing the petitions filed by Hafiz Shakir Mahmood and others against the ban on X commonly known as twitter PTA Chairman Maj-Gen (r) Hafeezur Rehman Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Asad Ali Bajwa, PTA Legal Advisor Afzal Khan and others appeared before the bench Seeking solution of issue during the hearing, Justice Aalia Neelum asked the PTA counsel to tell the court who will resolve this issue If federal cabinet is responsible for lifting the ban then the court will summon its head the court observed During the hearing, the PTA chief informed the LHC that shut down of the social media and websites were continued since 2016 in the country Maj-Gen (r) Hafeezur Rehman further said that SC had blocked YouTube for 4 years Wikipedia Facebook TikTok were also blocked in Pakistan social media was banned under PTA rules 5 and 7 At this, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa asked the PTA chairman to show the court where in these rules it is written about ban? Justice Bajwa suggested that why not court should take contempt of court action on it Justice Ali Zia Bajwa directed PTA chief “to point out the word banning of social media platforms in these rules If you read all the rules you will not find any mention of banning social media anywhere Deputy Attorney General Asad Bajwa told the court that Interior Ministry said it has no such system to tell that how government departments were using social media app X Justice Ali Zia Bajwa while addressing the Deputy Attorney General said that an email has been sent to X are you in any agreement with X?
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Pakistan on Thursday said that it was alarmed over the increased frequency of Indian leadership s unwarranted assertions about the status of Jammu and Kashmir, saying this fictitious narrative of victimhood could not hide its involvement in fomenting terrorism on Pakistan s soil and the statesanctioned oppression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) “India had “no right” to blame the UN Security Council for its resolutions on the Kashmir dispute when it was the one to originally approach the UN about the issue in 1948 , Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated At his weekly media briefing in Islamabad on Thursday the FO Spokesperson said the repetition of baseless claims can t alter the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally-recognized disputed territory and its final status is to be determined by its people through an UN-supervised plebiscite as defined by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions
He said it was India that took Jammu and Kashmir issue to the
cused on enhancing cooperation in economic, trade, investment, energy and defense sectors The Prime Minister appreciated the Kingdom’s commitment to increasing investments in key sectors which will contribute to Pakistan s economic growth and stability The two leaders held in-depth discussions on the evolving regional situation as well as geopolitical landscape They agreed to work closely at all levels for promoting their shared vision for peace stability and prosperity in the region The Saudi Crown Prince acknowledged the significant contributions of the Pakistani community in Saudi Arabia and agreed to enhance measures to facilitate their welfare
United Nations in 1948 so no right to blame the Security Council and its erstwhile members for the resolutions that were subsequently adopted
He emphasized that a peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people is essential for a lasting peace in South Asia
The FO Spokesperson said Pakistan has always advocated constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir However peace and stability
in South Asia has remained hostage to India’s rigid approach and hegemonic ambitions he regretted Indian-sponsored terrorism and Jaffar Express hijacking
Replying to a question, Shafqat Ali Khan said Indian involvement in fanning terrorism in Pakistan and destabilizing Balochistan is also clear He pointed out that India has not condemned the recent attack on Jaffar Express in Balochistan
The Spokesperson said not only in Pakistan, India has been sponsoring such unlawful activities in the entire region He said instead of blaming others India should reflect on its own record of orchestrating targeted assassinations, subversion and terrorism in foreign territories
The Spokesperson added that anti-Pakistan narrative emanating from India vitiates the bilateral environment and impedes the prospects for peace and cooperation and it must stop
“Regarding the issue of flagging it this is an ongoing process Our embassies are active on this We continue to highlight it And you may also have noticed that India never condemned this attack on Jafar Express also That is also a point worth noting ”
Pakistan Dair y Association
COMMENT
Tariff cut
ON E of the additional reasons why Republic Day is being anticipated is because Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to announce a cut in the electricity tariff It transpires that the cut will be applicable from April, though it is still not clear if the cut will apply from the next billing month, or the next calendar month Even if the benefit is postponed for a month, it has been learnt that the relief will be substantial, Rs 8 per unit With the average domestic tariff over Rs 60 per unit this decrease will be meaningful coming just before summer and the turning on of fans and other cooling devices This will also prove a fillip to industry, for which electricity is a major input cost However, the input cost contains a temporary component Rs 1 30 per unit, which is being given in lieu of a price reduction in the price of petrol This relief is to be given for only one month and will be removed when the world price of oil goes up
Rs 4 73 per unit is to be a permanent reduction, achieved by renegotiating their Power Purchase
Agreements with the IPPs The rest will depend on international oil prices This means that the price of fuel can be expected to stay where it is, with the government increasing the petroleum levy whenever the price goes down The effect of reducing oil prices on the economy will have to be balanced against the effects of decreasing the power tariff Both are all-pervasive in the economy both having multiple knock-on effects The IMF apparently has a veto, because it was only after its go-ahead that the tariff decrease was approved The IMF must not be underestimate: it prevented the removal of the excise duty well as the sales tax though it was kind enough to agree to the removal of the PTV licence fee, which was tacked on to the electricity bill some years back
Once this decrease goes through, this government will not be able to do more with the tariff It will have to hope that this reduction will act as a brake on inflation, and if it does not bring any prices down, it will at least slow their going upwards The government will have to look now towards job creation, and towards the solarization transition for the remainder of its term
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late)
Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
TH AT the Jaffar Express outrage shook the nation is not surprising, but it failed to achieve the aims of the perpetrators, which was to cow down the country and gain independence for Balochistan The attack was perpetrated by separatists not those arguing for provincial rights Even if upholders of provincial rights used such methods, it would be wrong, but one could talk about giving them their rights, and arguing them down from their terrorism With separatists one must first find out why they have abandoned the solution of their problems within the framework of the federation and then proceed to a solution Even people comfortable in their nationality must not forget that citizenship is a two-way street Pakistan itself is the result of separatist movement, and the main reason for separating put of India was that the Muslim-majority areas felt they would not get a fire shake It is one of history s weird coincidences that nothing shows the truth of this fear than the Jaffar Express outrage itself India is not just persecuting its minorities, very much including Muslims, but is inimical to Pakistan Having its East Wing secede in 1971 and becoming Bangladesh, it is now trying to undermine Balochistan However while this is not to argue that the rest of the country is extremely well off and Balochistan has been somehow left behind That is merely an argument for money to be thrown at the problem The problems afflicting Balochistan may be worse than in the other provinces, but they are the same problems, like out-of-school children or lack of female literacy
In fact the one problem unique to Balochistan is that of tribalism and of the hold of the tribal Sardars over their tribesmen This is not to say that other provinces do not face this problem but it means that the government has a harder time establishing its writ
The Jaffar Express outrage succeeded in the sense that it caught the national attention, much as the APS Peshawar massacre a decade ago It cannot be said that if its recommendation had been followed
the Balochistan terror might have been avoided but as they were not followed, so we will never know It can safely be predicted that those recommendations will be dusted off, and presented again It might be noted that the Baloch Liberation Army has introduced the element of terrorism in the separatist movement Separatism started virtually when Balochistan decided to join Pakistan and when Jalat state was brought into the new country However, then it took the form of tribesmen taking to the hills, and taking potshots at passing convoys Even in the insurgency of the 1970s, after the dismissal of the Mengal ministry there were no acts of terror Terrorism might be an idea borrowed from one of the BLA s allies in the insurgency the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan The BLA also has help from India s RAW and is ideologically opposed to the TTP for two overarching reasons First, separatists tend to have a leftist orientation Then there is the Brahwi-Pashtun divide The separatists are fierce about their Baloch identity while the TTP re strongest among the Pashtuns One of the perennial issues facing Balochistan is that its people contain a large proportion of Pashtuns The late Zafarullah Jamali said that instead of identifying as Baloch or Pushtuns, there was a common Balochistani identity needed It should be acknowledged here that the Pushtuns of Balochistan are actually those provinces of southern Afghanistan broken off from the Durrani Empire after the First Afghan War of 1840 It should not be forgotten that Balochistan did not exist as a separate province until One-Unit was broken up for the 1970 elections, when a number of separate elements which had been absorbed into it in 1955, were carved out as a separate province One of those elements had been the princely state of Kalat which is a centre of separatist activity It has been observed often that the Baloch are subservient to their Sardars It is also noticeable that the tribal Sardars are also separatist leaders There may be two factors at work First, the Sardars are not given the subsidies that the British used to give Those subsidies are basically bribes, and leave it to the Sardars to distribute downwards so that the roads are secured The second factor is that there is a breakdown of the Sardari system and as tribesmen get educated leave their villages get jobs get justice from the state rather than the Sardar,
HPV vaccination
Ts governance is a textbook example of mismanagement, corruption, and inefficiency Year after year billions are allocated for development yet the ground reality remains unchanged Roads remain unpaved schools exist only on paper and hospitals lack even the most basic medical supplies While the people struggle for necessities like clean water, education, and healthcare, their self-styled leaders live in luxury, building sprawling mansions and leading extravagant lifestyles The money meant for public welfare vanishes into an abyss of patronage politics tribal favouritism and entrenched corruption Those in power use state resources to strengthen their own networks rather than uplift the province The absence of accountability has allowed this cycle to continue unchecked Transparency is virtually non-existent and institutions meant to ensure financial oversight are either weak or complicit Until governance is reformed corruption is rooted out and funds are directed toward genuine development rather than personal gain, Balochistan will remain trapped in this endless loop of dependency and deprivation The people deserve better and it is time to demand real answers The narrative of exploitation cannot change unless there is a willingness to confront the truth It is not only external force that keeps Balochistan in darkness; it is also the internal decay, the betrayal of its own people by those who claim to represent them The failure of governance cannot be blamed on Punjab Sindh or the federation It is time to redirect the anger towards those who represent the province and sit in power those who control the purse strings and those who have built
their fortunes on the misery of their own people With mismanagement and corruption, external forces exploit Balochistan’s strategic location, resources, and CPEC projects, fuelling instability Internally not all but many Nawabs Sardars and political dynasties hoard wealth keeping people dependent and progress stagnant Externally foreign interests insurgencies and proxy conflicts further weaken governance, preventing meaningful development The real challenge is ensuring Balochistan’s wealth serves its people not powerbrokers or external players Progress demands accountability transparency and economic justice True change will come when the people rise not just against internal corruption but against all forces manipulating Balochistan for their own gain History is merciless to those who betray their own True leadership is measured not by power or wealth but by the ability to serve with integrity Yet those entrusted with Balochistan s future have chosen personal gain over collective prosperity The province stands at a defining moment, either it remains ensnared in corruption and complacency, or its people rise to reclaim their destiny Silence is complicity The youth must awaken not just to protest but to dismantle falsehoods challenge injustice and demand a future built on truth rather than deception
The money being transferred to Balochistan is not a privilege, it is a trust It must not vanish into the hands of a few but manifest itself in schools that educate, hospitals that heal, and roads that connect Progress must not be an illusion it must be lived felt and seen The time for waiting is over Either Balochistan claims its rightful place in history or it remains buried beneath the weight of its own leaders failures and unfulfilled potential
The writer has a PhD in Political Science, and is a visiting faculty member at QAU Islamabad He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo com and tweets @zafarkhansafdar
Dr ZAfAr KhAN SAfDAr
last year
Zardari
proved by President Asif
I
Syears is now in a vulnerable position as a result of the problem
The PPP has been at the centre of the controversy despite its recent disassociation from the federal government’s decision to construct six canals to irrigate Punjab’s dry territory Many believe that a significant portion of the province will become unusable due to the canal project Furthermore the PPP cannot avoid responsibility for the impending catastrophe because it is a member of the central government s ruling coalition
Sindh has long had political concerns over the distribution of water from the Indus but the most recent dispute over the new canals has made things quite tense in the province With the PPP controlling the provincial political scene, it has greatly rekindled Sindhi nationalism, which had been mainly dormant for a while Sindh’s people are furious and demand that their voices be heard Across the province thousands of people mostly women and young people are participating in protests organized by various Sindhi nationalist organizations Numerous members of civil society and mainstream political parties have also publicly opposed the canal proposal, arguing that it will threaten the federation’s unity
The provincial government has also been compelled to contest the federal government s contentious canal project due to growing public outrage However, the PPP s stance is still viewed with some skepticism While the project was already underway, the party leadership kept silent for a long time According to some the initiative was ap-
The opposition further claims that the Green Pakistan Initiative which was started by the federal government and supported by the establishment, has been given thousands of acres of agricultural land by the provincial administration A GPI project in Cholistan’s southern Punjab province which will be irrigated by the new canals on the Indus was recently launched jointly by the Punjab chief minister and the Chief of Army Staff Many provincial authorities believe that the proposed canals are a rerun of the Kalabagh dam project dispute, which had brought the province together in protest The canals’ potential to further decrease Sindh’s water flow is a serious worry Every year the sea devours thousands of acres of land due to the declining water levels in the Indus There is skepticism over Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal s pledge that no water will be taken away from Sindh’s share Punjab is unable to spare any excess water from its allotment for the Cholistan canal project How will it have the amount required to fill the canals capacity?
The most startling thing is that the Council of Common Interests never considered or authorized such a delicate matter concerning the federation It’s also strange that the PPP only became aware of the troubling issue when the opposition marched to the streets rather than demanding a CCI meeting earlier when the canal plan was beginning to take shape Even though the protests have been going on for a few months, there still doesn’t seem to be a clear policy in place to address the problem that has a direct impact on people’s lives The claim that the Sindh administration did not more successfully bring up the matter with the federal government has been refuted Its lacklustre approach to a very severe problem, however, begs the question
The GPI’s support from the security leadership is just as important as opposing the federal administration It is hardly surprising that
the PPP would attempt to steer clear of any frontal conflict on the matter given its significant stakes in the current hybrid system PPP officials insist that the party will fight Sindh s issue using democratic and constitutional means That would be a smart move but addressing a problem that threatens the federal system would need much more Since the current public dissatisfaction in the province has the potential to turn violent it is imperative that the issue over the canal project be resolved as quickly as possible The province may become unstable as a result of this severe crisis The federation will suffer greatly from the increasing upheaval in the nation’s second-most populous province, especially since KP and Balochistan are already in disarray The canal project which nationalist leaders claim is a matter of life and death for Sindh is being called into question more and more Although the statements made by these leaders seem harsh, the people s worries regarding the project are not without merit The establishment and the federal government bear the primary burden of attending to those
problems Sindh’s populace is furious and demands that their voices be heard Although there is a thorough constitutional process for settling conflicts over water among the provinces it is rarely used The federal government is accused by the Sindh government of not carrying out the Water
Let this moment serve as a reminder that our federation is strongest when guided by inclusivity and mutual respect. Let us channel our energy towards constructive engagement rather than division. The path ahead demands wisdom, patience, and a collective vision for a prosperous Pakistan. Together, let us restore trust, reaffirm our unity, and work towards a solution that strengthens our federation while fostering progress for all.
Israel is exploiting the fall of the Assad regime
w i t h t h e a i m o f c re at i n g a zo n e o f i n f l u e n ce i n s o u t hwe s te r n Sy r i a
D e f e n ce M i n i s te r Yi s ra e l K at z s t ate d t h at ‘ t h e s u m m i t o f M o u nt He r m o n i s t h e
e ye s o f t h e St ate o f I s ra e l t h at s e e n e a r a n d d i s t a nt d a n g e r s,’ a n d t h at t h e I s ra e l i a r my wo u l d e s t a b l i s h f o r t
IS R A E L has stepped up its attacks on Syrian territory since the fall of Bashar al-Assad s regime on 8 December last year In the three days after Syrian opposition factions swept into Damascus Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes and missile strikes aimed at destroying the former regime s entire arsenal Israel also took advantage of the regime’s withdrawal from Quneitra province and other parts of southern Syria to occupy new territories on the pretext that the 1974 Forces Disengagement Agreement between Israel and Syria – a truce deal following the Yom Kippur War – is null and void, as there is no party to implement it on the Syrian side Israeli occupation forces have continued raiding Syrian territory on a daily basis, on the pretext of searching for weapons Meanwhile Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s government is trying to carve out a demilitarized zone encompassing the whole of southern Syria as well as attempting to fragment the country along sectarian, ethnic and regional lines
REPEATED ATTACKS: Israel was not in favour of the Syrian revolution when it broke out in March 2011 When the Assad regime responded to the uprising with brute force turning it into a civil war with sectarian dynamics Israel adopted a strategy of prolonging the conflict for as long as possible in order to weaken and fragment the Syrian state Israel laid out red lines for the Assad regime, vowing to prevent the use of Syrian territory to transfer advanced game-changing weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon; the deployment of Iranian Hezbollah or other Tehran-allied fighters near the occupied Syrian Golan Heights; the deployment of Iranian forces; and the production of advanced missiles in Syria
From January 2013 until the fall of the Assad regime, Israel regularly violated Syrian territory, launching hundreds of raids on various targets The reticence of the Assad regime Iranian forces Hezbollah and their allies deployed on Syrian territory to respond to any of these attacks despite their regularity encouraged Israel to continue
Since 8 December, Israel has continued its incursions into Syrian territory, despite the fact that the fall of the Assad regime and the seizure of power by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) ended Iran’s military presence and halted the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah thus eliminating Israel s original justifications for attacking Syrian territory Israel s incursion also took place despite the absence of any military threat emanating from southern Syria
The new Syrian administration, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa has stressed that Syria does not seek a confrontation with Israel will not allow its territory to
be used as a launchpad for attacks against it or to smuggle weapons to Lebanon (or any other country) and will adhere to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement AlSharaa has demanded that the Israeli army withdraw from the Syrian buffer zone and other areas it has occupied since the fall of the regime
All this demonstrates that Syria and the region at large are facing a new phase of Israeli power projection
Israel sees the current situation as an important opportunity to achieve several goals most importantly: Weakening the Syrian state by striking and destroying its entire military arsenal and preventing the new authorities from becoming stronger or gaining control of any meaningful weaponry from the fallen regime
Israel also seeks to occupy new parts of southwestern Syria, fragment the country along sectarian, ethnic and regional lines and present itself (i e Israel) as a strong regional state intent on protecting sectarian and ethnic minorities (despite these minorities not having asked for its protection)
There is also an attempt to impose an Israeli-controlled security zone in southwestern Syria that is offlimits to the new Syrian army, encompassing parts of Quneitra, Daraa, and Sweida provinces, the Mount Hermon region and parts of Rif Dimashq (rural Damascus)
Israel closely monitored the military operation that Syrian opposition factions launched on 27 November 2024 As it became clear that Assad regime would fall especially after the liberation of the city of Hama and as opposition forces sped towards Damascus, Israel s political-security cabinet held a meeting on 7 December where it decided to occupy the Syrian demilitarised zone
That zone established under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement has an area of 235 square kilometres extending approximately 75 km from the summit of Mount Hermon in the far north of the Golan Heights to its far southern tip, and with a width ranging from a few hundred meters to 14 km
On 8 December, on a visit to the occupied Syrian Golan Netanyahu announced that the 1974 agreement was null and void that the Syrian army had evacuated its positions and that Israel will not allow any hostile force to be stationed on our borders
No accurate information is available on how much territory the Israeli army has occupied beyond the Syrian buffer zone, nor about the military positions and fortifications it is establishing there While some sources suggest it has occupied around 440 km including the buffer zone other sources say it now occupies some 600 km
The Israeli army has not published details on the numbers of Syrians who have remained in the 15 or so towns and villages in the buffer zone, nor those under Israeli occupation beyond that area
On 8 and 9 December 2024, the Israeli Air Force launched hundreds of raids on the Syria army’s positions destroying the vast majority of its military arsenal The targets of these raids included army bases and airports across Syria various types of military aircraft including
MiG-29 and Sukhoi fighter jets, helicopters and drones, air defence systems including radars and surface-to-air missile batteries heavy weaponry such as tanks and armoured vehicles weapons and ammunition depots weapons production sites and scientific laboratories The Israeli navy also attacked and destroyed a large number of Syrian military vessels Israeli leaders’ statements and the activities of the Israeli army on Syrian territory that it occupied following the fall of the Assad regime indicate that Israel is planning to stay there for the long haul
On a 17 December visit with Netanyahu and former army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi to the summit of Mount Hermon, which Israel occupied on 8 December, Defence Minister Yisrael Katz stated that the summit of Mount Hermon is the eyes of the State of Israel that see near and distant dangers ” and that the Israeli army would establish fortifications in the areas it recently occupied in order to remain there for the foreseeable future
On 23 February Netanyahu said the Israeli army would remain indefinitely on Mount Hermon and in the Syrian demilitarised buffer zone, and that he would not allow the forces of the new regime in Damascus to enter the area south of Damascus He also demanded that the provinces of Quneitra Daraa and Suwayda remain demilitarised
In attacking and occupying parts of Syria the Netanyahu government is not only exploiting Syria s weakness after 14 years of conflict, but is also counting on support from the administration of US President During recent talks with Netanyahu, Donald Trump even expressed his surprise that Israel had not exploited the situation and occupied more land in the Syrian Golan Heights beyond what it had already taken those it occupied following the fall of the Assad regime
According to the available data, the Israeli army appears to be preparing for a permanent deployment in the buffer zone and in the hills further east, where it is establishing military bases and fortifications It is carrying out near-daily incursions north of Mount Hermon into parts of the southern Damascus countryside and in the Quneitra and Daraa governorates ostensibly to search for weapons – then quickly withdrawing especially when faced with resistance from the local population It is also worth noting that the Israeli army has occupied several dams and reservoirs in Quneitra Governorate most importantly: the Mantara Dam which is located within the buffer zone and whose reservoir has a capacity of approximately 40 2 million cubic meters; the Ruwaihaniya Dam which is on the eastern border of the buffer zone and stores approximately one million cubic meters; the Bariqa Dam, which is next to the buffer zone and has a capacity of 1 1 million cubic meters; and the Kudna Dam, to the east of the buffer zone,
ernorate,
GHULAM MUSTAFA
U C L E A R D E A L
Trade barriers not in interest of any
t y, says Chinese FM
American citizen Glezmann freed by Taliban, returning to US
Qatar a Gulf Arab state which represents US diplomatic interests in Talibanruled Afghanistan coordinated with Boehler to negotiate Glezmann s release with the Taliban authorities, the source said “Following weeks of negotiations, a breakthrough was made by the Qataris during recent meetings with the Taliban the source said speaking on condition of anonymity ‘GOODWILL GESTURE’ The Taliban authorities released Glezmann as a “goodwill gesture” and not as part of a deal to free any Afghan detainees held by the US in exchange the source said The US in January freed an Afghan convicted by an American court on charges of drug smuggling and terrorism in exchange for two US citizens held in Afghanistan
Qatari officials were also involved in negotiations for that deal, which began during the administration of former US president Joe Biden and led to the release of two Americans Ryan Corbett and William McKenty A third American citizen Mahmood Habibi is thought to remain in custody in Afghanistan Qatar s ministry of foreign affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment ‘HIGH-LEVEL DIPLOMACY’ Glezmann s was the second high-profile release of a US citizen held overseas secured amid diplomacy by Boehler Boehler was involved in efforts that led to the release of American school teacher Marc Fogel from Russia last month Glezmann a mechanic for Delta Airlines in Atlanta was visiting Kabul as a tourist when he was detained by the Taliban in December 2022, according
IPAC pushes for renewed Pak-India dialogue amid geopolitic al shif ts
regard, IPAC, in a press conference held on Thursday, announced plans to host trilateral meetings involving Pakistan China and the United States as well as a proposed dialogue between Pakistan India and China The announcement was made during an event in Lahore, attended by IPAC board members, senior diplomats, academics, and civil society representatives The keynote speaker, Ashis Ray former CNN South Asia bureau chief, author, and India-Pakistan peace activist emphasized the need to revive the peace process between the two countries Ray who is the grandnephew of Indian freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose pointed to the 2004–2008 backchannel negotiations as a foundation for renewed engagement The two sides had come close to an agreement on Jammu and Kashmir,” he noted, suggesting that talks could resume from where they left off He also proposed initiatives to foster people-topeople contact including the participation of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Indian cricketers in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), as well as collaborative film and music projects in third countries In his address, IPAC Chairman Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri acknowledged the opportunities presented by evolving global circumstances but cautioned that terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to bilateral relations Citing the arrest of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav and allegations of Indian involvement in attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kasuri warned of a potential cycle of retaliation that would be detrimental to both sides
between Pakistan and India amid shifting
dynamics In
CORPORATE CORNER
Civil society rights organizations and women nationwide have welcomed the Federal Shariat Court's (FSC) landmark verdict affirming women’s inheritance rights, calling it a historic step toward gender equality and justice The court s ruling declared that any tradition or custom depriving women of their rightful inheritance has no legal standing, reinforcing the Quranic mandate of financial equality and inclusion The verdict is transformative as women in Pakistan have faced widespread denial of their inheritance rights often justified by entrenched customs and patriarchal norms Financial experts argue that this systemic injustice has contributed significantly to the economic marginalization of women limiting their financial independence and empowerment Pakistan has a complex relationship with gender equality, marked by systemic biases in inher-
itance practices " said Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary President and CEO Mobilink Bank whose organization has long campaigned for women's rightful share in inheritance for financial justice "Patriarchal traditions and harmful practices like dowry levirate cousin and Quran marriages often strip women of their rightful share of family property Women practically become invisible when it comes to the distribution of inheritance, and that is where we add value by restoring power into their hands and offering long-term financial liberation he added Mobilink Bank s Invisible Heirs campaign aimed to elevate longstanding issues surrounding women's inheritance rights into public consciousness, generating meaningful discussion and awareness to rally social support for their eradication The campaign received a positive response from all quarters, including international accolades such as the GSMA Glomo Award 2025 in Barcelona
Memon praises Police for operations against criminals across Sindh
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon praised the Sindh Police for its operations against criminals across the province stating that during the two weeks from March 1 to March 15 2025 Sindh Police conducted 143 encounters, arrested 283 criminals, dismantled 68 gangs, killed 18 notorious criminals in the operations, and arrested 1,706 criminals, including 27 ringleaders Sindh Police also successfully apprehended 592 proclaimed offenders and 1 471 fugitives He said that in Shikarpur Katcha the police killed two dacoits and five hideouts of the dacoits were demolished Twenty hideouts used by criminals were destroyed in Kashmore Katcha, and two hideouts in Ghotki Katcha In operations against street crime, 11 criminals were killed, and 1,355 arrests were made The police operations have significantly weakened the criminals in Shikarpur Kashmore and Ghotki In a statement Sindh Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the aggressive policing strategy has played a significant role in curbing criminal activities in the province The Sindh government is fully committed to ensuring that no criminal escapes justice There is no place for crime in Sindh; it is set to become a crime-free peaceful and prosperous province
Sara Kayani Head of Marketing at Mobilink Bank and the driving force behind the campaign said I feel privileged that the national dialogue we initiated through the Invisible Heirs' campaign is now making history A 14-year-old legal battle over a father s estate left behind for five sons five daughters and a widow reached a groundbreaking verdict Kayani expressed hope that the FSC s historic verdict would be implemented in letter and spirit, vowing to continue her efforts to ensure Pakistani women achieve financial independence through their rightful share in inheritance She also highlighted Mobilink Bank s ongoing efforts, stating, “We have conducted awareness sessions for over 3 000 lawyers including members of the Islamabad Bar Association who have adopted tools like Mobilink Bank s inheritance calculator to improve efficiency in assessing their clients' assets and inheritance ”
SecureTeen
s t h e r i s k s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h u n r e s t r i c t e d o n l i n e a c c e s s h a v e a l s o i n c r e a s e d T h r o u g h t h i s c o l l a b o r a t i o n Z o n g 4 G a i m s t o e m p o w e r p a r e n t s w i t h e ff e c t i v e t o o l s t o e n s u r e a s a f e r a n d m o r e c o n t r o l l e d d i g i t a l e x p e r i e n c e f o r t h e i r c h i l d r e n , c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h e b e t t e r m e n t o f s o c i e t y S e c u r e Te e n i s e q u i p p e d w i t h m u l t i p l e f e a t u r e s t h a t e n a b l e p a r e n t s t o e ff e c t i v e l y o v e r s e e t h e i r c h i l d r e n ’s d i g i t a l i n t e r a c t i o n s : We b F i l t e r i n g : B l o c k s i n a p p r o p r i a t e w e b s i t e s a n d c o n t e n t A p p M o n i t o r i n g : Tr a c k s a p p u s a g e a n d r e s t r i c t s a c c e s s t o s p e c i f i c a p p l i c a t i o n s • L o c a t i o n Tr a c k i n g : P r o v i d e s r e a l - t i m e u p d
an Islamabad-based think tank The data revealed that at least 74 militant attacks were recorded nationwide resulting in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants Another 117 individuals sustained injuries, including 53 security forces personnel 54 civilians and 10 militants T E N K H WA R I J S E N T T O H E L L , C A P TA I N
from the hearings The court has fixed April 8 as the date for framing charges against the remaining accused The case involves a first information report (FIR) registered at Islamabad’s Industrial Area Police Station Relief for PTI’s Raoof Hasan as ATC blocks his arrest
ISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad has stopped police from arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Raoof Hasan in connection with four separate cases tied to the party’s November 26 protest ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain presided over the hearing on Thursday and approved Hasan s request for pre-arrest bail The court also postponed further proceedings until case records are presented Hasan, accompanied by his counsel Ayesha Khalid, appeared before the court During the proceedings, Khalid argued that the prosecution had failed to submit the case files leaving the defence unable to respond to the charges The court directed the relevant police officials to produce all necessary documents at the next hearing It adjourned proceedings in three cases registered at Aabpara, Karachi Company, and Margalla police stations until May 5 A fourth case, lodged at the Ramna police station will be heard on April 8 The cases stem from PTI’s protest near D-Chowk on November 26 2024 The demonstration turned violent after clashes broke out between protesters and security forces prompting law enforcement to register multiple first information reports (FIRs) at various police stations in Islamabad Among those named in the FIRs are several key PTI figures including Bushra Bibi Zartaj Gul Alia Hamza Sher Afzal Marwat Salman Akram Raja Shoaib Shaheen Abdul Qayyum Niazi Nadia Khattak and Raoof Hasan himself In the wake of the FIRs, many of the accused, including Hasan, sought interim bail to avoid arrest while legal proceedings are underway
KARACHI S TA F F R E P
The Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) of Karachi Police on Thursday arrested Kamran Asghar Qureshi, the father of Armaghan Qureshi, in connection with a drug trafficking case SSP AVCC Anil Haider Minhas confirmed that Kamran Qureshi was taken into custody from a bungalow in Defence Phase 5 Khayaban-e-Momin During the raid police seized 200 grams of crystal meth (ice), a 9mm pistol, two magazines, and 10 rounds of ammunition from his possession Authorities have booked Qureshi under the Control of Narcotics Substances Act and for possession of an unlicensed weapon His arrest comes amid an ongoing investigation into the murder of 23-year-old Mustafa Amir, who went missing from Karachi’s DHA on January 6 2023 and was found dead 39 days later in Balochistan Mustafa s acquaintance Armaghan Qureshi was arrested on February 8 following a four-hour standoff with police in which he fired at officers, injuring a DSP and a constable Investigations revealed that Mustafa and Armaghan were involved in drug-related activities with Armaghan having a
criminal history, including a 2019 drug importation case
Police say Mustafa was lured to Armaghan s bungalow where he was assaulted and restrained before being killed His body was later transported to Hub and set on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence Armaghan allegedly instructed his em-
ployees to clean the crime scene and dispose of Mustafa’s belongings Mustafa’s mother Wajiha Amir has accused Kamran Qureshi of aiding his son s escape instead of reporting the crime She questioned why Kamran had not been investigated earlier, urging authorities to include him in the case
Torkham border reopens af ter 26 day closure over checkpoint dispute
The Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan reopened on Wednesday after a 26-day closure following a dispute over a checkpoint constructed by Afghan authorities The reopening followed multiple jirgas involving tribal elders religious scholars and traders from both sides Trade activity resumed in the afternoon with cargo vehicles passing through the corridor, though pedestrian movement remains suspended Torkham is a vital trade link, facilitating around 1 500 cargo trucks daily Customs sources es-
