PM asks federal, provincial govts to work together to strengthen agriculture
IHC restores right of PTI founder to meet visitors twice a week
Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Muhammad Azam issued the ruling According to the court’s decision only individuals nominated by PTI founder s coordinator Salman Akram Raja will be allowed to meet him The court, however, strictly prohibited any media interaction following these meetings During the hear-
ing, PTI founder ’s lawyer, Zaheer Abbas, argued that despite submitting requests according to standard operating procedures (SOPs) jail authorities had not facilitated the meetings He highlighted that even the scheduled meeting on March 20 was not arranged Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir pointed out that in the intra-court appeal, SOPs had already been set, allowing meetings twice a week The prison authorities, represented by lawyer Naveed Malik stated that due to security concerns they had facilitated two meetings on a single day instead of allowing separate meetings on different days Malik further explained that PTI founder s status in jail had changed after he and Bushra Bibi were convicted in January He emphasized that jail
rules grant the Adiala Jail Superintendent the authority to decide on meetings The authorities also raised concerns that meetings were being misused for political statements outside jail premises
In response the court noted that meeting arrangements should not be used for political purposes and questioned why visitors needed to address the media after their meetings Acting Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar suggested taking an undertaking from visitors that they would not engage in political discussions post-meeting
The court ruled that PTI founder s meetings with his children should be addressed by the trial court However it reaffirmed that only individuals nominated by Salman Akram Raja would be permitted to visit him in jail
PBC c alls for gradual phase - out of super tax and other key tax reforms
SUGAR PRODUCER FIRM TO INSTALL 200 KW SOL AR PROJECT TO CUT COSTS
KPK cement producers to face cost increase as royalt y shift proposal gains ground
(KPK) government has proposed a significant change in the royalty structure for cement manufacturers shifting from a raw material-based calculation to a bag-based system, which would mirror the existing royalty rates in Punjab, according to a report by Topline Securities The KPK Mines & Minerals Department has scheduled a meeting with local cement manufacturers on March 24, 2025, to discuss the proposed shift from raw material royalty to bag-based royalty If implemented, the royalty will be calculated at 6% of the ex-factory sale value a move that could significantly increase the cost for KPK cement manufacturers Under the current system, the roy-
alty on limestone and argillaceous clay used in cement production for KPKbased plants is fixed at Rs250 per ton The proposed change would see this figure rise by Rs1,100 to Rs1,200 per ton, based on current ex-factory prices, in line with the royalty structure applied in Punjab Punjab had implemented a similar increase in royalty rates moving to 6% of ex-factory prices for cement from July 1, 2024 However, Punjab-based manufacturers were able to obtain a court stay on the implementation
FBR to take legal ac tion against 463 impor ters, 106 agents over Rs14bn tax evasion scheme
ment (TP) Goods Declarations (GDs)
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
The prime minister also directed a third-party audit of the Ramazan Relief Package and asked that the awareness campaign ran by telecom companies and banks regarding the Package should be made more effective and a comprehensive report be prepared in this regard During the meeting, a briefing was given on the progress of the Ramazan Relief Package 2025 So far 63%
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is moving forward with legal action against 463 importers 106 clearing agents and several officials from Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) and Pakistan Single Window (PSW) for tampering with over 2,300 customs declarations, resulting in an estimated Rs14 billion in evaded taxes, according to a news report The fraud which had been operating since January 2020 came to light after a former PRAL employee facing corruption charges blew the whistle on the operation The whistleblower implicated several individuals who had moved from PRAL to PSW after the system transitioned in 2022
The report said that the culprits took advantage of weaknesses in the Web-Based One Customs (WeBOC) and PSW systems to alter transship-
Instead of converting these declarations to Home Consumption GDs at dry ports as required by law they manipulated product classification codes, quantities, and values to evade customs duties
The fraud was primarily carried out at dry ports with Peshawar having the highest number of tampered GDs at 1 671 followed by Lahore with 522 Other affected cities included Sialkot, Islamabad, Quetta, Risalpur, and Multan
Despite the breach, the Customs Risk Management System (RMS) helped avert a financial disaster by flagging 99 2% of the manipulated declarations for further scrutiny Only 19 declarations, primarily from multinationals and large manufacturers, passed through the green channel without detection
A preliminary audit of 60 randomly selected GDs showed that the initial de-
clared duties of Rs136 million were reduced to Rs99 million due to system manipulation However inspections triggered by RMS uncovered Rs351 million in duties, recovering an additional Rs251 million in the process
The FBR has instructed its Directorate General of Post Clearance to conduct a full audit of all affected declarations to assess the total revenue impact Officials noted that tampering with the system is a punishable offense under various sections of the Customs Act 1990
This case highlights the systemic vulnerabilities in the PSW system as the transition from PRAL to PSW in 2022 did not address existing issues Instead of forming a new team to enhance security, PSW retained many PRAL officials, allowing the fraud to continue
Sources emphasised the need for a forensic audit of the entire system to identify all potential revenue leaks since the system s implementation in 2015
COMMENT
THE younger generation of Pakistan is entangled in various challenges As per HEC Pakistan, between 2020 and 2024, nearly 445,000 graduates were produced by Pakistani universities annually which makes around 2 225 million graduates over the five-year period According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting among these the number of computer science graduates each year was about 25,000 to 30,000 However, the number of graduates in IT was 35,000, which is inadequate to meet the market needs As per HEC, in the 2020-2021 academic year, approximately 3 million students were enrolled in Pakistani universities and degree colleges Among them 1 4 million were women and the number of men enrolled was 1 6 million Of these in science technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, over 1 million students were enrolled Specifically, the number of students studying natural sciences and mathematics was 415 008 in information and communication technologies (ICT) 276 659 students were enrolled 178 260 students in health sciences and 166 457 students in engineering 157 102 STEM students graduated from Pakistan, about 43,000 students graduated in information technology (IT) Despite a considerable number of graduates, challenges still exist Enrollment (Age18-25) in higher education institutions only 12% of individuals of the age bracket 1825 are enrolled As per the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) the rate of unemployment among educated youth is noteworthy, with more than 31% unemployed, and women accounting for 51% of the jobless population Furthermore, the quality of education is also a major concern as industry-relevant skills that are required by employers are not imparted to the students leading to employability issues It feels like Pakistani youth is stuck in a stark and challenging situation While interacting with students, I realized that most of them lack proper guidance and a clear sense of purpose in their lives This issue is particularly evident among those from less affluent backgrounds who pursued education in hopes of uplifting their families However due to an increase in unemployment their dreams have been shattered leaving them disheartened Moreover they are not equipped with essential life skills that are required to sustain themselves in such circumstances This situation has led to cognitive dissonance, especially among the Pakistani youth who now bear the responsibility of supporting their families but find themselves penniless Recruiters instead of offering fair opportunities to the graduates view bribery as an expected part of their job and consider it as their right, further intensifying the crisis Additionally, a notable portion of Pakistani students struggle to compete with international students, yet this issue is largely overlooked As a result social unrest is increasing The younger generation had high expectations from the education system but the bitter reality has been deeply disheartening This is the reason why so many young people are struggling to find a path forward Here are examples of students who attempted suicide as they were highly heartbroken as they were not able to make ends meet
Enrollment (Ag e18-25), in higher education institutions, only 12% of individuals of the ag e bracket 18-25 are enrolled As per the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), the rate of unemployment among educated youth is notewor thy, with more than 31% unemployed, and women accounting for 51% of the jobless population.
T h e h i d d e n c o s t s o f s c r e e n t i m e
be limited to one hour per day More importantly how children engage with digital content matters Parents should prioritise interactive and educational media over passive consumption Watching a nature documentary together and discussing it is different from binge-watching cartoons alone Creating screen-free zones and designated screen-free times can also make a significant difference Keeping screens out of bedrooms and setting boundaries such as no devices at the dinner table or before bedtime, helps establish healthy habits Encouraging offline activities like
Women’s health
screen time also impacts emotional regulation Many parents report concerns about their children struggling to focus on schoolwork, becoming easily frustrated, or preferring screen-based entertainment over real-life conversations Highly stimulating digital content triggers dopamine release making it harder for
recommend a balanced approach According to the World Health Organization (WHO) children under two should have no screen time, while those aged two to five should
Gas supply inequit y
DR FAwAD SulemAn
AThe solar industr y suppor ted over 3.4 million jobs globally in 2020, a 10% increase from 2019. Fur thermore , the 2024 Berkeley LabÊs „Tracking the Sun‰ repor t reveals that almost 80% of all distributed PV systems installed nationally through 2023. According to statistics from The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), as of 2023, nearly 280,000 Americans work in the solar industr y at more than 10,000 companies in ever y U.S. state . In 2024, the solar industr y g enerated over $70 billion of private investment in the American economy The cost to install solar had dropped by nearly 40% over the last decade , leading the industr y to expand into new markets
Unless South Korea and Japan want to fully break with the U S and become completely dependent on China for their defense, the US has nothing to lose
Russia is a nightmare A twopronged threat from Russia and the U S would put China in an untenable position, and because the extent of the possible reconciliation is unknown China has to act fast Thus followed the Chinese initiative to form an Asian security and economic bloc Japan and South Korea are military allies of the U S , and both sides want to maintain the arrangement China cannot join a bloc with Japan and South Korea without abandoning its military posture – including dropping its bluff to invade Taiwan But with a possible U S -Russia entente China’s future becomes uncertain and being in a security relationship with two of the United States closest allies may make China much safer than without And this is to say nothing of the economic opportunities that would be available to China from its new partners I have consistently written that, despite its gigantic military China is not much of a military threat to the U S (So far I ve been right ) And a formal Asian grouping might soften the U S position on China So unless South Korea and Japan want to fully break with the U S and become completely dependent on China for their defense, the U S has nothing to lose In a best-case scenario, Japan and South Korea could have a moderating effect on China since challenging the U S would put both countries at risk
Tellingly Chinese Premier Li Qiang who had not met with U S business leaders for two years met with a delegation led by U S Senator Steve Daines that included the heads of Boeing, Qualcomm, Pfizer and Cargill He did not meet with corporate heads of any other countries A close Trump ally Daines is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has done extensive business in China The meeting might have been driven by China s fears over U S tariffs, or it might be a sign that Japan and South Korea are less motivated by forging a local arrangement and more by moving into a different relationship with the United States To be sure nothing could come from the meeting in Tokyo There is tension between the U S and its Asian allies: Japan has resisted U S demands to increase military spending, and South Korea resents being designated a sensitive nation – that is, a nation engaged in nuclear weapons development And diplomatic actions are just gestures Still, even gestures can have significant meanings In this case they suggest China has been forced to reconsider its geopolitical imperatives and move closer to the U S Either way it s further evidence that in an unanchored world, countries are searching for an anchor George Friedman is an internationally recognized geopolitical forecaster and strategist on international affairs and the founder and chairman of Geopolitical
MRai Bachchan s description of the homes his father grandfather and great grandfather lived in Bachchan s great-grandfather was a Nayab Kotwal or Deputy Inspector of Police under the East India Company, before formal British rule was established after 1857 He was posted in Allahabad the prominent administrative
UNRWA SAYS ‘SIEGE MUST END’ AS 51 MORE KILLED IN ISRAELI BOMBARDMENT ON GA Z A
Emergency Service has said 50 000 residents remain trapped in Rafah Gaza health ministry says targeting of Nasser Hospital a war crime The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has condemned Israel s bombing of the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which killed two people and destroyed the male surgical ward Al Jazeera reports This attack constitutes a new war crime added to the record of repeated Israeli violations against civilians and medical facilities, which flagrantly violate the rules of international humanitarian law, Munir al-Barsh, Director General of the Ministry of Health said in a statement This “not only demonstrates a blatant disregard for the lives of innocent people but also hinders the provision of life-saving medical services at a time when patients and the wounded need the utmost care
Outgoing Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram honoured at farewell reception
NEW YORK S TA F F R E P O
The Pakistan Mission to the United Nations (UN) hosted a reception on Saturday to bid farewell to Ambassador Munir Akram, who is leaving his post at the end of this month terming him as a “distinguished figure in multilateral diplomacy the Associated Press of Pakistan reported Then prime minister Imran Khan reappointed Ambassador Akram as Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations headquarters in New York in place of Dr Maleeha Lodhi in September 2019 He will be replaced by Permanent Representative designate Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad Akram had served as Pakistan s permanent representative to the UN previously as well holding the office for six years between 2002 and 2008 In his remarks, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad paid glowing tributes to his predecessor, acknowledging his decades of ‘outstanding service’ to Pakistan ” APP said He described Ambassador Akram as a mentor a brilliant strategist and a distinguished figure in multilateral diplomacy one who has served Pakistan with great distinction and unwavering dedication, according to APP Ambassador Ahmad also said that Ambassador Akram’s remarkable legacy in public service would continue to inspire generations of Pakistani diplomats On his part Ambassador Munir Akram called his journey long and challenging, yet deeply rewarding, according to the report
CORPORATE CORNER
HEADS ROLL AS CM MARYAM’S VISIT TO JINNAH HOSPITAL MEETS WITH VOLLEY OF COMPL AINTS
one of Pakistan s highest
honours For decades, he has supported initiatives that have
access for
Dawood Public School has provided high-quality education to girls since the 1980s while the Karachi School of Business & Leadership (KSBL) was established to develop purpose-driven leaders for the future who can compete in a global knowledgeand technology-based economy Furthermore through Engro Foundation, schools in underserved areas have helped thousands of children gain access to high-quality education Perhaps the most visible and recent
MD PBM
emphasizes media’s role in pover ty alleviation and social welfare
ucation, and social protection
efforts Senator Butt provided an
overview of PBM, which was established in 1992 to support the underprivileged and promote the vision of an Islamic welfare state Over the past 33 years PBM has emerged as Pakistan s leading welfare organization extending nationwide support for healthcare ed-
UoW collaborates with
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Neutron imaging (NI) is a non-destructive inspection technique with applications across various fields with a key challenge being improved spatial resolution In 2017 the National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA achieved the best NI resolution of 2000 nm Dr Abdul Muneem, under the supervision of Prof Dr Jameel-Un Nabi (University of Wah Pakistan) and co-supervision of Prof Dr Takehiko R Saito (RIKEN Japan) led pioneering research in NI techniques In 2022, they set a new world record with an imaging resolution of 945 nm In 2024, they
PBM assists patients suffering from cancer, heart diseases, hepatitis, kidney ailments, dialysis, and transplants It also funds cochlear implant surgeries for hearing-impaired children helping them regain their ability to hear and communicate
further improved this using fluorescent nuclear track detectors (FNTD) achieving 887 nm the highest-ever resolution
The NI devices were developed in collaboration with multiple Japanese institutions, including RIKEN, J-PARC, Nagoya University and Kyoto University RIKEN Japan Tohoku University Japan and Science
News Japan issued press releases on this achievement University of Wah (UoW) commends the efforts of Prof Dr Jameel-Un Nabi, Dr Abdul Muneem, Dr Junya Yoshida, Prof Dr Takehiko R Saito, and the global research team for this groundbreaking achievement positioning Pakistan as a leader in scientific innovation
announced the verdict sentencing both men to death under Section 302(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) The court ruled that they be hanged by their necks till they are dead with the sentences subject to confirmation by the Lahore High Court (LHC) On the day of the murder, Maria was reportedly strangled by Faisal as their father assisted The family quietly buried her body without informing authorities However a video secretly recorded during the crime was later leaked causing public uproar Faisal who was arrested on March 30 confessed to the murder on camera the following day He initially claimed to have raped and killed his sister to cover up an incestuous relationship and prevent family dishonour The DNA report however disproved his claims of rape and pregnancy The police subsequently amended the FIR to include Section 311 designating the murder as an honour killing This legal provision prevents the victim s family from pardoning the perpetrators, making the crime punishable by the state Faisal’s brother Shahbaz and sister-in-law Sumaira were also arrested on charges of concealing the murder Shahbaz had told police that Maria confided in him a day before her death alleging she had been raped by their father and Faisal He claimed he secretly recorded the video of the killing while pretending to be on a phone call However, Judge Bhutta acquitted both Shahbaz and Sumaira citing insufficient evidence for their direct involvement in the crime The court ordered Shahbaz’s release with Sumaira already on bail
foreign minister also clarified that the PPP is neither part of the government nor the opposition However, he stated that the PPP remains open to dialogue with the government to facilitate constructive discussions
Pakistan’s ties with US key pillar of foreign polic y, says Gilani
Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf
Raza Gilani on Monday underscored that Pakistan s relations with the United States constitute a key pillar of its foreign policy, stressing the need to maintain and deepen the longstanding partnership amid evolving regional and global challenges
The bilateral relationship between Pakistan and the United States is on an upward trajectory, Gilani said, while calling for the preservation of the current positive momentum during his meeting with Natalie Baker Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy at the Parliament House In a clear message reflecting Islamabad s foreign policy priorities, Gilani said mutual trust, respect, and shared interests must serve as the guiding principles in Pakistan-US ties “We wish to further deepen and broaden this relationship he added proposing greater engagement at political parliamentary, business, education, and cultural levels
The Senate chairman’s remarks come at a time when Pakistan is striving to recalibrate its foreign relations amid shifting geopolitical dynamics Islamabad has been seeking to revive and strengthen strategic and economic ties with Washington after a period of strain and policy recalibrations on both sides
Gilani said Pakistan encouraged US companies to explore new areas for investment pointing out that the United States remains Pakistan s largest export destination We are keen to diversify our bilateral trade relationship with the US, with a special focus on boosting trade and
business cooperation,” he noted He also emphasized Pakistan’s desire for peaceful and constructive relations with all neighboring countries despite outstanding bilateral issues, stating that regional peace and stability remain at the core of Pakistan’s diplomatic engagements Recalling his own tenure as prime minister Gilani cited his official visit to Washington in July 2008 and meetings with former US President George W Bush as critical in strengthening ties He also referred to his later discussions with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul which he said further advanced bilateral cooperation The chairman of the upper house of parliament lauded the United States role as a development partner and said there was a strong need to expand collaboration beyond traditional areas He identified climate change mitigation and adaptation energy transition water management climate-smart agriculture biodiversity conservation and waste management as sectors where the two countries could work together for mutual benefit Gilani also highlighted the historic defense partnership between
Armed men made off with over Rs30 million from a local bank
Pakistan and the United States, especially Islamabad’s contributions as a frontline state in the global war on terror We must continue to explore new avenues for trade and investment, leveraging our unique strengths to drive growth and innovation,” he said, reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to promoting regional stability and combating terrorism In an unusual misstatement Gilani welcomed the new US administration under President Donald Trump, although President Joe Biden has been in office since January 2021 Despite the error, he expressed hope for an improved and forward-looking relationship with Washington and appreciated US humanitarian assistance, including flood relief support in Pakistan
The Senate chairman acknowledged the vital role played by the Pakistani diaspora in the United States and stressed the importance of academic and cultural exchanges in strengthening people-to-people ties Educational exchanges are key to fostering greater mutual understanding between our two nations ” Gilani said
