Category: 1. Pakistan

Local residents examine a damaged bridge following a cloudburst-triggered landslide and flash flood on a highway near the Chilas district, northern Pakistan, Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria, calling them “unprovoked” and a “dangerous escalatory path,” as the country’s foreign minister chaired high-level UN Security Council meetings in New York under Pakistan’s ongoing presidency.

Tensions have escalated sharply between Syria and Israel this month after sectarian violence erupted in Syria’s Druze-majority region of Sweida, resulting in scores of deaths and prompting a fragile ceasefire. In response, Israel launched airstrikes it says were aimed at protecting the Druze community and demilitarizing southern Syria.

“Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the Israeli attacks against the Syrian Arab Republic in contravention of international law and principles of the UN Charter,” the Foreign Office said in its weekly briefing. 

“These unprovoked attacks mark a dangerous escalatory path being pursued by Israel in the region with impunity,” the statement added. 

“Pakistan expresses its full support for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity of Syria and calls on the international community to prevent Israel from its acts of aggression that continue to undermine the peace and stability in the entire region.”

Separately, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also Pakistan’s deputy prime minister, is currently on a visit to New York and Washington to represent Pakistan during its rotating presidency of the UN Security Council.

His engagements have included meetings with the UN Secretary-General, President of the General Assembly, and ministers from Austria, the UK, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan.

Earlier this week, Dar presided over a Security Council debate on multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes. 

In his remarks, he “highlighted selective application of international law as untenable from Gaza to Jammu and Kashmir” and called for respect for international agreements such as the Indus Water Treaty “to preserve peace and cooperation,” the foreign office briefing said. 

On the same day, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2788 under Pakistan’s presidency, urging “greater use of UN Chapter 6 tools, including negotiations, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, and resort to regional and sub-regional organizations, as well as good offices of the Secretary General, and calls for inclusive diplomacy.”

Dar also addressed the Security Council’s quarterly debate on the Middle East, where he condemned Israel’s continued military offensive in Gaza.

“Delivering Pakistan’s national statement, the DPM condemned systematic targeting of hospitals, schools, UN facilities, aid convoys, and refugee camps as deliberate acts of collective punishment and fragile violation of international humanitarian law,” the foreign office said.

Dar called the Palestinian issue “a litmus test for the credibility of the United Nations” and urged the Council to act for “immediate ceasefire, unimpeded aid access, end to occupation and forced displacement, renewed and reinforced international support for UNRWA, implementation of the Arab and OIC-led reconstruction plan for Gaza, and revival of the two-state solution.”

The Foreign Office also reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding position on Palestine, stating:

“We firmly believe that the only just solution to the Palestinian question is the creation of an independent, viable, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian state along the pre-June 1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.”

ISLAMABAD  –  A delegation of the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) of the National Assembly, led by President YPF, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, MNA, called on the Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly, Capt (Retd) Abdul Khaliq Khan Achakzai, in Quetta.

 The delegation also held discussions with members of the Balochistan Assembly on critical youth-centric issues.

During the meeting, the delegation deliberated on several pressing matters concerning youth, including rising unemployment, the law and order situation, the alarming number of out-of-school children, political polarisation, and the overall lack of opportunities for youth empowerment.

The YPF delegation also briefed the Balochistan PA Speaker on the preparations for the upcoming YPF Grand Convention, scheduled for the first week of September. Key aspects such as the formation of a dedicated training team and the formulation of resolutions, bills, and amendments to strengthen youth representation were also discussed. Both sides agreed on the need for collaborative efforts. Abdul Khaliq Khan Achakzai assured full cooperation and support in this regard.

The discussion further touched upon the grave implications of political polarisation and the urgent need to counter divisive narratives. The YPF delegation underscored that out-of-school children are particularly vulnerable to negative influences and emphasized the importance of inclusive education. President YPF shared the Forum’s ongoing policy development initiatives and highlighted the critical role of parliamentarians in articulating the needs and aspirations of the youth with clarity and purpose.

Additional points of discussion included the influence of the tribal system on youth opportunities, the necessity of ensuring equitable access to employment for the youth of Balochistan, and concerns regarding the negative portrayal of law and order conditions by sections of the media—despite the presence of progressive initiatives. The delegation called for decisive action against the spread of misinformation and proposed active engagement with the Federal Minister for Information.

General Secretary YPF, Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani, expressed serious concern over the lack of media coverage of positive youth-oriented initiatives and the widespread dissemination of misleading content through both social and electronic media. President YPF, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar reaffirmed the Forum’s unwavering commitment to the national cause and expressed confidence that through collective resolve, the challenges faced by youth in Balochistan could be effectively addressed.

Following the meeting, the delegation was given an official tour of the Assembly Hall of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan.

The visit concluded with a tour of the Assembly Library, where the delegation received a detailed briefing on the library’s historical significance and its vital role in supporting the legislative process. The session highlighted the library’s extensive collection of legal, historical, and research-based resources, and its continued dedication to fostering informed policymaking and knowledge development among members of the assembly.

LAHORE: The Lahore and Multan boards of intermediate and secondary education (BISE) on Wednesday declared the results of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) 1st Annual Examination, 2025.

Lahore BISE held a ceremony to announce the SSC annual exam for 2025 results, where Commissioner and BISE Chairman Zaid bin Maqsood announced the top-performing candidates’ names.

As per the announcement, Haram Fatima secured the first position in the Lahore Matric exams with 1,193 marks, Noor-ul-Huda and Haji Abu Zar Tanveer shared the second position by scoring 1,188 marks each, while Muhammad Ali stood third with 1,187 marks.

In Science Group (Boys), Haji Abu Zar Tanveer clinched the first position with 1,188 marks, Muhammad Ali stood second with 1,187 marks and the third position was shared by Muhammad Zahab Siddiq and Faizan Raza by scoring 1,186 marks each.

In Science Group (Girls), Haram Fatima topped with 1193 marks, Noor-ul-Huda secured second position with 1188 marks and third position was shared by Ayesha Mohiuddin and Fatima Faisal, by scoring 1,186 marks each.

In Arts Group (Boys), Abu Bakar got the first position with 1,088 marks, Muhammad Talha stood second with 1,074 marks and Ghulam Abbas third with 1,065 marks.

In Arts Group (Girls), Hafiza Ammara Ashraf topped with 1,154 marks, Ifa Usman secured second position with 1,149 marks and Zainab bint Asim Butt stood third with 1,141 marks.

The BISE Lahore chairman congratulated all position holders and commended their hard work and dedication. A formal award ceremony will be held soon to honour the high achievers.

In Multan, Deputy Commissioner Wasim Hamid Sindhu, BISE Secretary Khurrum Shehzad Qureshi and Controller Hamis Saeed Bhatti declared the results of the SSC 1st Annual Examination 2025, with Haroon Hamid and Husmaina Fatima securing the top overall positions.

Haroon Hamid clinched the overall first position with 1,193 out of 1,200 marks, and Husmaina Fatima secured the second position with 1,188 marks.

Meanwhile, four students — Hafiza Ashba Fatima, Asbah Fatima Ahmad, Meerab Fatima, and Khadija shared the third position, each scoring 1,187 marks.

In the Science Group (boys), Haroon Hamid also topped the group, followed by Muhammad Hamza and Muhammad Ibrahim Waseem, who shared second place with 1,185 marks each,and Abdullah secured the third position with 1,184 marks.

Among girls, Husmaina Fatima led with 1,188 marks, while Hafiza Ashba Fatima, Asbah Fatima Ahmad, Meerab Fatima, and Khadija secured second place with 1,187 marks each and Maheen Naveed and Tasbeeh-e-Zahra shared the third slot with 1,185 marks each.

In the Humanities Group (boys), Muhammad Ahmad topped with 1,161 marks, his namesake Muhammad Ahmad stood second with 1,145 marks and Saif-ur-Rehman got third position with 1,104 marks.

Among girls, Maryam Bibi secured the first position with 1,164 marks, Muqadas Bibi stood second with 1,149 marks and Momina Fatima was third with 1,139 marks.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Tensions flare-up led to a scuffle reportedly between representatives of local sugar mills and dealers over pricing issues at the the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Wednesday.

As a result, the district administration ‘locked’ both groups inside the committee room of the DC office for six hours.According to the DC, the meeting was convened to ensure that sugar was made available in local markets at the government-notified rate of Rs173 per kilogram.

However, local sugar dealers argued that they were purchasing sugar from millers through brokers at rates ranging between Rs170 and Rs171 per kg. After transportation, loading, unloading, and other expenses, the actual cost rose to Rs173-175 per kg, making it unviable to sell sugar at the official rate to retailers.

Dealers demanded that millers sell sugar directly to them at Rs165 per kg to make government pricing feasible. They also alleged that sugar brokers issue invoices at Rs165 per kg but actually charged Rs170 per kg, making it difficult for them to comply with price regulations.

The DC office sources said the situation escalated when both sides clashed verbally. When the conflict could not be resolved, the DC ordered the main doors of the committee room locked. “They are my guests, and I will serve them tea and lunch until they agree to implement the government rates,” the DC said.

Those ‘locked’ included President Zilaee Karyana Association (ZKA) RYK Falak Sher Sandhu, General Secretary Abdul Hafeez, Inam Bari (GS ZKA Sadiqabad), President ZKA Khanpur Chaudhry Zaheer, former RYKCCI Vice President Atif Bashir, and traders Wasim Arshad, Abid and Shabbir.

Senior Vice President of RYKCCI, Shaheer Iqbal, was contacted by a trader and he arrived in an attempt to mediate, but failed to secure their release.

RYKCCI President Waleed Iqbal told this correspondent from Lahore that he would hold a press conference against the district administration and the government because there were 50 individuals of the business community and their self-respect was hurt.

He said he would also send a message to the DC that it was not a way to treat people. “Locking businessmen in a committee room like livestock is unacceptable. Their self-respect was hurt.”

President of Zilaee Anjuman Taajran (ZAT) Abdul Raouf also criticised the district administration, alleging that some traders fainted during ‘confinement’ and others experienced health issues, including blood sugar fluctuations. He said the DC was silent on the role of mills representatives on the issue of rates.

Local shopkeeper Jawar Ahmed and City Anjuman Taajran (CAT) leader Haji Islam Noorani praised the district administration’s move, accusing certain ZKA office-bearers of hoarding sugar and creating artificial shortages. “Small grocery shopkeepers want to sell at the official price, but the monopoly of big traders is the real hurdle,” Noorani said.

SUFFOCATED: Two persons died while trying to clean a manhole on Wednesday in a village of Liaqatpur tehsil.

Reports said Zafar, a resident of Chak 85 Colony, asked his sons Shahbaz and Shehzad to clean the manhole at their home. Shehzad entered first and died on the spot due to inhalation of toxic gases. Shahbaz then attempted to rescue him but lost consciousness.

A private sanitary worker, Nazir Ahmed, was called to help but he also died inside the manhole.

The deputy commissioner has sought a detailed report from the assistant commissioner of Liaqatpur and the chief officer of the District Council regarding the deaths.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to intensify enforcement efforts to boost revenue collection during the current fiscal year and ensure the achievement of the annual target.

The directive was issued during a meeting chaired by the premier to review progress on FBR reforms. He received a detailed briefing on the status of key tax reform initiatives and their implementation timelines.

According to an official statement from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the meeting was informed that FBR’s enforcement measures and reform initiatives have resulted in a historic 1.5pc increase in the tax-to-GDP ratio.

The number of tax return filers has surged from 4.5 million to 7.2m. In the retail sector, income tax collection grew by Rs455 billion as of June 30 compared to the preceding year, the meeting was told.

Reforms lift tax-to-GDP ratio by 1.5pc, returns filing to 7.2m

The FBR’s Faceless Customs Clearance System was also highlighted as a major reform, significantly contributing to revenue growth. The system is expected to reduce average clearance time from 52 hours to just 12 hours within the next three months.

The prime minister said enhancing the tax system to boost national revenue while reducing the burden on the common citizen remains one of the government’s top priorities. He welcomed the progress made through recent FBR reforms but stressed the need for timely action to develop a tax framework aligned with modern needs.

He also called for the formulation of a comprehensive plan to restructure the FBR’s digital wing, with clearly defined goals and deadlines.

The premier underscored the importance of stakeholder engagement in the reform process, urging that the concerns of the business community, traders, and taxpayers be addressed proactively.He further instructed that additional enforcement measures be adopted to curb the informal economy, the statement added.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025

CONSIDER two things carefully. First, the burden on compliant taxpayers is spiralling higher and higher every year, with a marked acceleration in the preceding three years. Second, dollar-buying by the State Bank is continuing with unchecked ferocity, leaving behind little for the rest and starving private markets.

Both these phenomena are symptoms of a single problem: a state apparatus that can no longer generate the resources required for its own upkeep. In short, this relentless tightening of conditions in the economy, despite the much-vaunted stabilisation that has taken place, reflects the erosion of the underlying financial and economic viability of the state, and by extension, of Pakistan’s economy. As presently constituted.

These last three words are key, because it is equally important to remind ourselves that it does not have to be like this. But for the time being it is. And the problem is going to aggravate with time.

Just consider two stories from the week thus far. On Tuesday, a well-connected group of business leaders from Lahore and Karachi met with the army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to convey their concerns about the ramped-up powers being given to the FBR, particular the powers of arrest.

“The delegation presented a comprehensive overview of the challenges faced by the industrial sector” their press release said following the meeting, “with particular emphasis on the recently enacted expansions of the Federal Board of Revenue’s powers”.

The expansion in powers refers to the powers of arrest that the FBR enjoys, which have been strengthened in the latest budget. Other things came under discussion too, but the press release suggests this was the primary reason for the visit, while the opportunity was used to also convey other concerns regarding interest rates and power tariffs.

The relentless tightening of conditions in the economy reflects the erosion of the underlying financial and economic viability of the state.

The second story, published in this paper, points to an enduring dollar shortage that has gripped financial markets in Pakistan for a number of months now and refuses to go away. And on Wednesday, a statement was released by Malik Bostan, the head of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan, announcing that on Tuesday he met with the ISI in which they were asked to explain why the rate of the dollar has been rising in the open market in recent days.

In his response, Bostan blamed the black market operators, saying their hand is strengthened the more the state clamps down on exchange company operations in the formal sector. Meanwhile, the shortages in the banking system persist despite rising inflows into the country in the last fiscal year.

Initially, a few months ago, we were told this shortage exists because of delays in the rollover of some Chinese debt obligation. But those rollovers were secured by the end of June, and another $1.5 billion secured through loans from two Middle Eastern commercial banks, and government sources confirmed to news reporters that their IMF-mandated target for foreign exchange reserves by end June 2025 had been met.

Then came news that remittances posted a record high (they post a record high almost every year so not a big deal really), but more importantly, the current account posted a surplus of $2.1bn whereas the IMF programme had projected a deficit of $200 million. Foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank were projected by the Fund to be around $13.9bn by end FY25. They came in at $14.5bn instead, higher by $600m.

So, if the external sector of the economy has performed better than expected, and foreign currency reserves are even higher than what they were projected to be, why is there still a shortage of dollars in the financial markets? Why are black markets springing up, and pressures mounting in the open market to the point? One answer is that all the dollars flowing into the country from high remittances and ‘resilient exports’ are being bought up by the State Bank, leaving behind little for private players. And the open market, which is also fed by remittances and foreign currency brought in by travellers from abroad (as per their own telling anyway), is finding black market customers for foreign currency at higher price points and therefore preferring to keep a growing share of their transactions there as opposed to the regulated market, where they are compelled to sell dollars at a rate agreeable to their friends in Pindi. As a result, reserves are outperforming their projections while private market players wonder aloud where all the dollars are going. “I am surprised why the State Bank has tightened the market so severely when it has already met the IMF target,” a story published in this paper quotes a market analyst as saying.

Why indeed? The government over-performed on fiscal and external sector metrics in FY25, and they waste no opportunity to remind the rest of us of what a great achievement this is, to have stabilised the economy following the epic upheavals that wracked it post-2021. But yet here we are. The hunger for dollars continues, the hunger for revenues leaves the state famished despite having not just met but blown past some key targets in the Fund programme, and this hunger drives them to press harder and harder on financial markets and compliant taxpayers to extract more and more from them.

This is not going to end by itself. It will continue like this because the pressure for resources — fiscal and FX in this case — is not coming only from the need to meet IMF programme targets. It is in significant measure also coming from the need to rearm following the recent war with India. But in very large measure, the pressure is mounting because the failure to reform the system over the preceding years has yielded a rigid economy that cannot meet the emerging requirements of a growing economy. Until those reforms or an external bailout come, these pressures will only keep mounting.

The writer is a business and economy journalist.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025

“Youth is easily deceived because it is quick to hope.” — Aristotle.

DUE to the increased influence of social media, talking about ‘the youth’ has become a trend. From political parties to militant organisations, everyone wants to lure them. However, neither civil society nor the media seems to give priority to the role of youth in peacebuilding.

The youth must be our central focus. Investing in them is investing in the future, as the youth have the energy to pursue ideals and the passion to learn, excel and bring change. The challenge lies in saving them from crime, extremism, terrorism, drug addiction and social disorder.

Given the spread of virulent extremism, it is essential to focus on educational institutions and motivate them to enhance preventive measures. Out-of-school children and drop-out students need special attention from the community and government. Disillusioned youth are easily targeted by militant groups, who present themselves as alternative sources of purpose and identity. The majority of suicide bombers, target killers, and street criminals have been youth. A significant challenge for states is thus to protect future generations from extremism and effectively counter such narratives.

The youth have a crucial role in preventing conflict.

In Pakistan, 125 million people (60 per cent of the population) are under the age of 30, making this the largest young generation in Pakistan’s history. They have a crucial role in preventing conflict, promoting social cohesion, and building sustainable peace. When engaged constructively, they can become mediators, educators, digital peacebuilders and community leaders. Dialogue and mediation are the best ways to engage them. Youth-led forums can promote interfaith, interethnic and interprovincial dialogue. To counter hate speech and misinformation, the youth can be effective in leading social media campaigns and promoting tolerance. Through community engagement, the youth can act as ambassadors in their neighbourhoods to resolve disputes, prevent violence and promote inclusion.

In 2023, some 196m mobile phone connections were in use in Pakistan. By early 2025, the country had 116m internet users, representing 45.7pc of the total population. Social media allows militants to attract uneducated social media addicts. Digital misinformation and hate speech spread faster than the truth. Lack of digital literacy and weak regulation exacerbate the issue, often resulting in mob violence. Digital peacebuilding through social media campaigns can challenge hate speech, religious bigotry and fake news. Digital storytelling and peace narratives can promote diversity, tolerance and resilience. Universities can offer online peace education during vacations. Social media influencers can be engaged for the dissemination of messages of coexistence and inclusion.

Political instability and polarisation are other irritants that keep youth away from peacebuilding efforts, as parties often mobilise youth for protest and confrontation rather than for dialogue or peace. Consequently, youth engagement becomes politicised rather than peace-oriented. Ethnic and sectarian divides also fuel mistrust among youth as do weak rule of law and injustice. When the criminal justice system fails to resolve issues and the youth experience human rights violations that alienate them, they may resort to violence. Finally, gender inequality is another significant barrier. Women are excluded from most peace processes, even though they suffer the most from conflict. Cultural and religious barriers li­-mit women’s visibility in public and pe­­ace efforts. Conseq-uently, women are sidelined in reconciliation and reform.

Social empowerment requires more investment, and when planning youth em-powerment, gender gaps need to be addr­essed. According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2023-24, 4.5m individuals are unemployed, with youth aged 15-24 having the highest unemployment rate of 11.1 pc. Addressing this issue requires opportunities for career counselling, education, skills enhancement, employment, inclusive governance and justice, not just kinetic measures.

Pakistan’s youth possess potential, but without channelling their energy, their talent is useless. Therefore, the inclusion of the voice of youth in policymaking is necessary. It is essential to recognise youth as key peace stakeholders in local and national frameworks, fund youth-led projects, integrate peace education by teaching empathy, dialogue and civic engagement, and include youth representation in local peace committees. Art, music and culture are other attractive avenues through which youth may be educated about identity, trauma, healing and the softer aspects of life.

The writer is the author of Pakistan: In Between Extremism and Peace.

X: @alibabakhel

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025

ISLAMABAD:

In a significant step towards strengthening bilateral ties, Pakistan and Bangladesh have agreed in principle to allow visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports.

The breakthrough was achieved during a high-level meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh’s Home Minister Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury in Dhaka on Wednesday. Naqvi, who is also head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is in Dhaka to attend the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

On the sidelines, he held talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart as part of ongoing efforts by the two sides to reset their ties.

Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh have seen a positive turnaround since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina Wajid government in August 2023.

Following the end of 15-year Awami League rule, Pakistan and Bangladesh stepped up efforts to restore their bilateral ties.

There have been increased bilateral exchanges between the two sides. The visit of Naqvi was the latest example of those increased interactions.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was also supposed to visit Dhaka in late April but tensions between Pakistan and India led to the delay in the landmark trip.

The decision by the two sides to allow visa free entry to those who hold diplomatic and official passports is seen as significant step.

During the Hasina government, Pakistani diplomat had to face increase scrutiny and surveillance. Pakistani exports to Dhaka also faced non tarrif barriers. But those restrictions have been lifted by the interim Bangladesh government.

A statement issued here by the interior ministry said, the Bangladeshi Home Minister extended a warm welcome to his Pakistani counterpart, who was presented with a guard of honour upon his arrival at the Ministry of Home Affairs. Describing the visit as “of great significance for strengthening bilateral relations,” Chowdhury thanked Minister Naqvi for offering training opportunities for Bangladeshi police officers.

During the talks, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in internal security, police training, counter-narcotics, anti-human trafficking, and counter-terrorism efforts. Exchange programs between police academies of the two countries were also discussed.

It was decided to establish a joint committee to further boost bilateral cooperation, which will be headed by Pakistan’s Federal Secretary for Interior, Khurram Agha. Additionally, a high-level Bangladeshi delegation will soon visit the National Police Academy in Islamabad.

The meeting was attended by Bangladesh’s State Minister for Home Affairs Khuda Bakhsh, Secretary for Home Affairs Nasim Al-Ghani, Additional Secretary Security Division Shamim Khan, Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires Muhammad Wasif, Political Counsellor Kamran Dehingal, and other senior officials.