Category: 1. Pakistan

Punjab has finalized the financing scheme for its e-taxi service, outlining subsidies, down payments, and bank loans to make the project more affordable for drivers.

The provincial government has taken another step toward rolling out the e-taxi service in Lahore, with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz approving the financing plan. In the initial phase, around 1,100 vehicles will be introduced under the scheme.

As part of the cost breakdown, banks will provide loans of up to Rs6.5 million for electric vehicles. The Punjab government will bear the interest cost, while buyers will contribute a subsidized down payment. For vehicles priced between Rs4 million and Rs10 million, the government will pay Rs585,000 on behalf of buyers, with the remaining cost financed through banks.

Officials said Rs2 billion has been allocated for the project, which will rely on 1,100 Chinese-manufactured electric vehicles in its first stage. To support the e-taxi service, 18 charging stations have already been installed in Lahore, with plans to gradually expand the network.

The government expects the e-taxi service to lower transportation costs, reduce emissions, and modernize urban mobility in the province. With the financing details finalized, the service is set to provide both economic and environmental benefits.

Experts in meteorology have dismissed the theory of ‘Cloudburst’ as reason behind recent devastating floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and have blamed a rare system convergence causing excessive rains in the affected areas.

“The disastrous flood in Buner district claiming more than 200 lives and injuries to around 120 persons besides destroying several homes was because of convergence of two separate rainy systems in the area,” claims Former Chief Meteorologist Pakistan Meteorology Department (PMD), Syed Mushtaq Ali Shah.

Talking to APP on Tuesday, Mushtaq Ali Shah explained that on August 15, 2025 two separate rainy systems entered Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from western and eastern directions which converged in those areas which are affected by heavy rains and floods.

Heavy rains causing flash floods in separate areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cannot be described as ‘cloudbursts’, Mushtaq insisted.

Cloudburst is a very rare and extremely local rainfall in nature which occurs in a limited area of around 15 to 20 square kilometers, he continued.

In the recent past, some incidents of cloudburst have been reported in northern region of the country including Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir region, but the recent floods in KP are not caused by cloudburst, Mushtaq went on to say.

Former Chief Meteorologist requested people not to use the terminology of ‘cloudburst’ on social media as this is spreading misinformation and fear among masses.

Another official of PMD, Irfan Virk when contacted concurred with the viewpoints of Mushtaq Ali Shah by saying that floods in Buner were because of very heavy rainfall in the area.

He said in cloudburst a sudden and excessive rainfall of around 100 millimeter is received in a specific area, but the PMD has not recorded such amount of rain during the last few days.

Iran Virk was also of the opinion that climatic changes have changed rain systems in the world and it can be assumed that a micro level situation of cloudburst might be occurred without the detection of radars of PMD. Virk also blamed excessive tree cutting in forest as cause of severe floods due to soil erosion.

He said according to scientific reasons recently floods cannot be attributed to cloudburst. However, due to emerging changes in climatic changes, research and analysis are required to ascertain the cause and preventive measures for safety of people.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet met on Tuesday under the chairmanship of the Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb to deliberate on important economic and development matters.

The ECC approved the term sheet jointly prepared by relevant stakeholders including NEECA, SBP and banks, based on the Draft Tripartite Agreement for the launch of the Prime Minister’s Fan Replacement Program. To kick start the program, the ECC also approved a TSG of Rs. 2 billion in favor of NEECA.

Subsidy for RAAST QR Code

On a proposal from the Finance Division regarding the subsidy for RAAST QR Code based person-to-merchant payments, the ECC approved an allocation of Rs. 3.5 billion through TSG for the current financial year with provision for continuation for three years, aimed at accelerating digital adoption and promoting the digital economy.

The ECC further decided that the State Bank of Pakistan would notify the scheme immediately and submit a comprehensive evaluation report to the ECC on the operational effectiveness of the MDR subsidy scheme by the close of the fiscal year.

New Energy Vehicle Policy

The committee also considered and approved a summary submitted by the Industries & Production Division pertaining to the New Energy Vehicle Policy 2025-30. The Committee commended the Division for preparing a comprehensive and forward-looking policy aligned with international best practices and recognized its potential to steer the country s transition towards electric vehicles.

Risk coverage scheme for small farmers

The meeting was further briefed on the risk coverage scheme for small farmers and underserved areas which is designed to provide coverage to subsistence farmers in Punjab and Sindh as well as all farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan in view of their low share in current agricultural credit disbursements. The scheme is expected to add more than 750,000 new borrowers to the formal credit system over the next three years.

Gas sector

The ECC reviewed the overall gas sector and supply situation in the country and directed the Ministry of Petroleum to take effective measures to control losses in the sector and ensure operational efficiency.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Maik, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Industries & Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, federal secretaries and senior officials from relevant ministries and government departments.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top economic body on Tuesday approved a relief package worth Rs5.8 billion ($20.8 million) to support people affected by recent rains and flash floods in the country’s northwest, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.

The announcement comes as nearly 400 people have been killed during the latest spell of monsoon rains in northern Pakistan that began late last week. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported that of the 400 deaths since Friday, 356 were in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has been lashed by cloudbursts, flash floods, lightning strikes and landslides in the deadliest downpour of this year’s monsoon season.

In total, 707 Pakistanis have died in monsoon rains since June 26, according to the NDMA.

“Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet has approved a relief package worth 5.8 billion rupees as federal assistance for the rain and flood affected people,” Radio Pakistan said in a report after a meeting of the ECC was held in Islamabad with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in the chair.     

“The ECC directed the Finance Division to immediately release 4 billion rupees of the approved package to mitigate the sufferings of affected people.”

Earlier in the day, while addressing a joint news conference on Tuesday, Pakistan’s army and government spokesmen and the chief of the NDMA said coordinated relief and rescue operations had been stepped up in affected parts of KP and the mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region.

“Currently, there are eight units of the infantry and eight units of the FC [frontier constabulary] directly involved in search and rescue and flood relief operations,” Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, told reporters in Islamabad.

“In the search and rescue work, 6,903 of children and adults have been rescued by the army units,” the army spokesman said, adding that over 6,300 people had also received medical treatment.

Chaudhry said logistics bases had been set up in Kanju and Daggar to supply food, tents and medicines, while helicopters were flying emergency aid to remote areas.

Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said 70 percent of the region’s power supply had also been restored, including in districts like Buner, Shangla, Swat and Bajaur, where electrical grids, poles and transformers were destroyed.

He said ministers for energy, communications and Kashmir affairs were deployed in the field to monitor relief operations.

“In Malakand division, the N-90 highway has been fully reopened after clearing all blockades,” Tarar added.

More than 1,200 tents, 3,000 kilograms of medicines and 40 tons of food rations have been dispatched to the flood-hit regions, with over 500 medical camps operational in the area.

Chairman of the NDMA, Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, who also addressed the news conference, said at least 25,000 people had been rescued in total in the last four days.

He warned of continued risks from localized flooding and cloudbursts in KP, GB, and northern Punjab, with a new monsoon spell expected in the last week of August.

“A complete survey has been launched, which has been started to assess the damage of houses and public infrastructure,” Malik said, adding that its findings would be ready by early September.

Malik said more than 50 percent of landslides had been cleared and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had approved a special ration package for affected districts.

Aid convoys to Swabi, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur, Shangla and Swat were also underway, with support from military formations and non-governmental organizations

“All arms of the state are mobilized in this national response,” he added.

TRAVEL ADVISORY

Separately, the NDMA issued a travel advisory on Tuesday warning of road closures and damage in the country’s north due to floods and landslides.

According to the advisory, tourists have been told to avoid travel on vulnerable stretches of the Karakoram Highway and connecting routes, including Torghar, Batagram, Shangla, Lower Kohistan, Tattapani, Gilgit and Hunza.

Road blockages due to floods and landslides were reported at several points on the Karakoram Highway, as well as at multiple locations along the Mingora–Swat road.

The NDMA also listed a number of damaged or closed bridges and roads in Gilgit-Baltistan, Skardu, Ghizer, Hunza and Astore.

“Surmo Bridge, Ghanche: damaged; no alternate … Baghecha, Skardu: damaged; alternate: temporary causeway but unsafe,” the advisory said.

It added that the Astak Bridge on the Jaglot–Skardu road was partially open, while major routes such as Shandur, Ishkoman, Gulmit in Gojal, Hoper in Nagar, and the Skardu–Kargil road in Kharmang district were closed with no alternate routes available.

The advisory urged travelers to check updates regularly and avoid unnecessary movement in the affected areas until roads are cleared and safe for traffic.

PUNJAB ALERT

The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Tuesday also issued a fresh alert for heavy monsoon rains across much of the province from Aug. 19–22.

“Severe thunderstorms are forecast in most districts, including Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Lahore, Gujrat and Sialkot,” the PDMA spokesperson said, adding that downpours were also expected in Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan and Rajanpur.

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said all commissioners and deputy commissioners had been directed to remain on alert in line with instructions from Punjab’s chief minister. He warned of rising water levels in rivers and streams, flash flooding in hill torrents, and the risk of urban flooding in major cities.

“Citizens are urged to adopt precautionary measures during bad weather,” Kathia said. “Stay in safe places during storms, avoid unnecessary travel, and keep children away from low-lying areas and electricity poles and wires.”

The DG added that health, irrigation, communications, local government and livestock departments had all been placed on high alert. In case of emergency, people were advised to call the PDMA helpline at 1129.

• Country’s internet connectivity drops to 20pc after major PTCL, Ufone outage
• Other telcos also experience data service disruptions

ISLAMABAD: Heavy rainfall in Karachi caused widespread disruptions to PTCL internet and Ufone services, affecting subscribers across the country.

Since other telecom operators purchase wholesale internet from PTCL, users of Jazz, Zong and Telenor also experienced data service disruptions.

Netblocks, a global internet watchdog, confirmed a major disruption to internet connectivity across Pakistan, with PTCL being significantly impacted. National connectivity dropped to 20 per cent of ordinary levels.

Responding to a query, a PTCL spokesperson acknowledged the issue. “Our teams are diligently working to restore the services as quickly as possible. We regret any inconvenience caused,” the spokesperson said but did not mention the cause for the nationwide outage.

Sources in the Ministry of IT and Telecom suggested that the disruption might be due to a technical fault at the landing station of submarine cables in Karachi’s Clifton area.

“No submarine cable issue has been reported, so the problem is likely at the landing station and some technical fault in the main hub,” and official said. “As a result, it’s a nationwide outage now with upstream traffic facing issues too.”

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said in a statement that technical teams were working to resolve the issue.

IT Minister Shaza Fatima attributed the disruptions to power outages and network congestion, with many towers down in Karachi.

“The other localised issue is temporary choking of the network as too many people were stranded at the same spot and almost everyone was either making calls or receiving them. And now with PTCL going dead, all connectivity has shifted at telephony creating more choking,” Ms Fatima added.

Karachi’s 12 million mobile phone subscribers were affected, with the load shifting to the remaining three telcos after Ufone’s service disruption.

A PTA official noted that running generators for 12 hours was not feasible, and supplying diesel to towers was challenging in the current situation.

He added that more than 200 telecom sites (towers) were damaged in the flood in KP and most of the towers were restored in flood-affected areas of Swat, Buner, Shangla, etc, and the teams were ensuring restoration of remaining sites.

As heavy urban flooding hit Karachi, residents faced telephony disruptions in many areas, losing connections with each other.

Saher, a Gulistan-i-Jauhar resident, expressed concern: “I received one call from my husband, Jamal, saying he was stuck on the street, but his phone isn’t connecting since sunset. I’m really worried.”

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2025

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court adjourned until Wednesday (today) the hearing of bail petitions filed by former prime minister Imran Khan in eight different May 9 cases.

When Imran’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, came to the rostrum on Tuesday, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, who leads the three-member bench hearing the case, remarked that both sides had submitted documents which the bench needed to examine.

Safdar said he also wanted to submit verdicts issued by various anti-terrorism courts in May 9 cases. CJP Afridi said whichever party wanted to submit documents must do so promptly, as reviewing the documents was necessary.

The prosecution was also directed to review the documents submitted by the accused. The court then adjourned the hearing until 10:30 am today.

A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) led by Justice Shahbaz Ali Rizvi on June 24 rejected Imran Khan’s bail applications in eight different May 9 rioting cases.

In its order, the LHC stated that the former PM was involved in hatching a conspiracy to attack military installations in case of his possible arrest as two police officials had given testimonies to that effect.

The PTI founder challenged the order in the Supreme Court, whose three-member bench led by CJP Afridi comprising Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb took up the matter on July 29.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer the future; it is the present and is transforming our lives at an unprecedented pace. The disruption has already begun and the pace of change is exponential, not linear.

From how we communicate to how we work, think, and learn, AI has emerged as a game changer that is reshaping human progress in ways we are only beginning to comprehend. If universities continue to move slowly while AI moves fast, the gap between relevance and irrelevance will grow unbridgeable.

As we stand on the brink of the fourth industrial revolution, the future of higher education, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan, faces both a profound challenge and a historic opportunity. Our universities, many of which still function under outdated models developed for the industrial age, must urgently realign themselves for the age of intelligent machines or risk becoming obsolete.

AI has begun to rewire the fundamentals of teaching and learning. With personalised learning environments powered by AI tutors and adaptive platforms, students now have the potential to learn at their own pace, in their own style and from anywhere in the world. Automated systems are streamlining administrative tasks, grading and assessments, while freeing up valuable faculty time for mentorship, creativity and research.

The implications of this shift are enormous. AI is not merely a tool to enhance learning but is also redefining what it means to be educated. Skills such as problem-solving, creativity, emotional intelligence and ethical reasoning are becoming more critical than rote memorisation or the passive absorption of information, much of which AI can now provide faster and more accurately.

In the coming years, machines will replicate many cognitive tasks, but they may not replicate what makes us uniquely human: imagination, emotional intelligence, compassion, and moral reasoning. As such, universities must evolve beyond centres of knowledge transfer into ‘labs of humanity’, where students explore what it means to be human in an age of machines. This demands a renewed emphasis on creativity, critical thinking, ethical inquiry and emotional resilience. These are skills that machines cannot replicate but are essential for leading and thriving in an AI-driven world.

As a result of AI, the traditional four-year degree, long considered the gold standard of higher education, is rapidly losing ground to more flexible, focused and modular forms of learning. The rise of micro-credentials — short, targeted programmes that teach specific skills — has begun to reshape the credentials marketplace. Unlike rigid degree programs, micro-credentials are stackable, portable and often recognised across borders.

As a result, platforms like Coursera, edX, and Khan Academy are now delivering AI-driven, globally competitive education. Many of these offerings come from the world’s top institutions and are available to anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection. In this new reality, every university in Pakistan is now competing not just with other local institutions, but with MIT, Stanford and Tsinghua. Our institutions must rethink their value proposition. What do we offer that a global online platform cannot?

To remain relevant, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and universities must act together strategically and decisively. First and foremost, we need to develop AI-integrated curricula across all disciplines, and not just in computer science or engineering. Whether in agriculture, medicine, business or the humanities, every field is being transformed by data and machine learning.

We must prepare students to not only use AI tools but also to critically understand their implications. This will require massive investments in digital infrastructure and a national effort to retrain faculty and administrative staff. Most of our university faculty were educated in a pre-AI world. Without proper training, they cannot lead students into a future they are not prepared for.

Equally important is the creation of interdisciplinary AI research centers focused not just on technology, but on its intersection with ethics, law, governance, and society. The dangers of AI misuse in surveillance, misinformation and algorithmic bias are real and growing. Embedding ethics, empathy and civic responsibility in AI education is not a luxury but a necessity.

For Pakistan, this transformation is both a challenge and a rare opportunity. With nearly 60 per cent of its population under the age of 30, Pakistan is poised to become a major knowledge economy if it can make the right moves now. AI can help us leapfrog the traditional barriers of poor infrastructure and access by providing world-class education remotely.

We must begin offering and accepting modular and stackable credentials. These can empower students to construct personalised, career-relevant learning paths, combining traditional degrees with AI-driven micro-skills certifications across their lifetime. Education must no longer be a one-time event, but a lifelong, evolving journey.

However, we must act with urgency and vision. The HEC, provincial education departments, and the university leadership must work together to draft a national ‘AI in Higher Education’ strategy. Without this, we risk producing graduates who are irrelevant to the needs of tomorrow’s employers. Private sector partnerships must be encouraged to bring AI-driven industry insights into curricula, develop real-world AI applications and co-invest in upskilling the future workforce.

This is a call to action for university leaders, educators, policymakers and students. The future will not wait. The age of AI demands bold thinking, deep reform, and a renewed commitment to the true mission of higher education, not only to prepare students for work, but to prepare them for life, leadership, and humanity. If we succeed, we will not only survive this revolution, but lead it.

Note: This article is based on a keynote lecture delivered at North American University, Houston, Texas.

The writer is a former senator and former chairperson of the HEC.

LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has declared dozens of online gambling, casino, and unregulated forex trading applications illegal across Pakistan.

According to the agency, 46 apps have been banned after investigations revealed they were not only promoting gambling but also harvesting users’ personal data and mobile numbers without consent.

The banned platforms include well-known betting and casino apps such as Aviator Game, Chicken Road, 1xBet, Betway, Dafabet, 22Bet, Melbet, Parimatch, Bet365, Plinko, 10Cric, Rabona, Casumo, BetWinner, 888Starz, and Thunderpick.

In addition, the agency has outlawed multiple apps offering unauthorized access to SIM and CNIC records — including Sim Owner Details, Pak Sim Data, Sky Sim Data, and Sim Tracker — citing them as a serious privacy threat.

Several unregulated forex and binary trading platforms, such as Binomo, IQ Option, Pocket Option, Deriv, Olymp Trade, OctaFX, and Quotex, have also been declared illegal due to the high risk of financial exploitation.

The NCCIA has forwarded the list to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for immediate blocking of the applications nationwide.

Officials further warned that strict action will be taken against developers and promoters of these illegal platforms.

ISLAMABAD:

Following its passage in the National Assembly, the Senate on Tuesday approved the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2025, restoring powers that allow law enforcement agencies and the armed forces to detain suspects for up to three months, a move that sparked uproar from the opposition benches.

Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Muhammad Talal Badar tabled the bill, which amends sub-section (1) of Section 11EEEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

According to the amendment, “the government or, where the provisions of Section 4 have been invoked, the armed forces or civil armed forces… for a period not exceeding three months and after recording reasons thereof, issue order for the preventative detention of any person.”

The bill states that persons suspected of activities against national security, including target killing, kidnapping for ransom and extortion, can be detained for three months, adding that it applies “against whom sufficient grounds exist of his having been so concerned, for purpose of inquiry”.

Detentions extending beyond this threshold will be subject to Article 10 of the Constitution, which provides safeguards with respect to arrest and detention.

Under the new arrangement, if a detention order is issued by the army or civil forces, the investigation will be handled by a joint investigation team. “The inquiry will be conducted by no police officer below the rank of Superintendent of Police, Intelligence agencies, civil armed forces, armed forces, and other law enforcing agencies,” the bill adds.

While JUI-F’s Senator Kamran Murtaza attempted to move amendments, they were rejected by majority vote as the House passed the law clause-by-clause. According to its statement of objects, the current security outlook requires “a robust response that goes beyond the existing legal framework”.

The bill explains that previous powers under Section 11EEEE, which lapsed in 2016 due to a sunset clause, needed to be “re-inserted to empower the government, Armed Forces and Civil Armed Forces with the necessary authority to detain individuals who pose a significant threat to national security”.

The government contends the provision would allow for preventive detention based on credible information or reasonable suspicion, enabling authorities to disrupt terror plots before they mature.

‘Urgency must not eclipse wisdom’

Defending the legislation, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told senators, “Currently, the country is facing the menace of terrorism and amendments proposed by Syed Naveed Qamar have already been incorporated to make it more effective.”

He pointed out the bill had passed judicial scrutiny and included a three-year sunset clause. He further clarified that under Clause 2 of the amendment, the detainee would have presented before the Magistrate within 24 hours.

However, PTI’s Barrister Syed Ali Zafar urged caution, stating: “Some of its clauses are against the law and Constitution, so the bill should be referred to the committee.”

“Today we are being asked to amend one of the most powerful — and most controversial — laws in our statute book: the Anti-Terrorism Act,” the opposition lawmaker said, adding that the law first came into being under extraordinary circumstances to protect Pakistan from extraordinary threats.

“But as lawmakers, we must always remember: every extraordinary power given to the state can both be used and misused,” he cautioned.

He acknowledged that the anti-terrorism act was made to get rid of the menace of terrorism, which had destroyed the peace of the nation.

“There is no doubt that we have to eradicate terrorism from the country and punish the terrorists. There is also no doubt that we will fight against terrorism till the last and that together we will win this battle.”

However, he cautioned that “urgency must not eclipse wisdom”.

Barrister Ali Zafar further pointed out that the Supreme Court had examined the provisions of the existing anti-terrorism act and decided that many of its provisions were against the constitution. “It was only after that that the present law was passed, and hence there is no room for any changes in it. By adding any provision in the existing law and making it more draconian, it will only become unconstitutional.”

He lamented that the amendment proposes that even an SHO and detain anybody for a period of three months in prison, and the person in prison will have no recourse to the courts. “The government can call anyone a terrorist on the grounds of public order and imprison them,” he warned.

“We must ask ourselves: will this amendment make Pakistan safer, or will it weaken the constitutional rights we swore an oath to protect?”

“Our duty is twofold: on the one hand, to protect the lives of our citizens from the scourge of terrorism; on the other, to defend those constitutional freedoms without which Pakistan cannot remain a democratic state,” he stressed.

“We have to do a balancing act. Security will have to be balanced against liberty and power against accountability,” he added.

‘No softness toward militancy’

PML-N Senator Irfanul Haque Siddiqui argued that no softness could be shown toward armed militancy. “We do not want terrorists roaming freely while innocent people are slaughtered… These acts weaken our federation and create mistrust between the people and the state.”

He said lawmakers must either surrender to militants or legislate to resist them, arguing such measures can “prevent crime and also curb forced disappearances and arbitrary detentions”.

Siddiqui appealed for viewing anti-terror legislation in good faith rather than as a political stick, stressing the need for transparent government-opposition communication with the public and media.