Gaitty Ara Anis

WASHINGTON: New York City takes the world&#39;s political center stage as it approaches its mayoral election on Tuesday, with over 750,000 votes already cast through early voting. New York City, home to 8.7 million people, faces a stark political choice among three candidates: charismatic democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and seasoned independent Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani currently leads by double digits in all major surveys. If victorious, he would make history as the city&#39;s first self-declared democratic socialist and its first Muslim mayor. According to experts, Mamdani is up against two less-than-bright candidates. Cuomo has little chance due to his past scandals, and Sliwa is not very popular. American Dream personified&quot;He is presenting the classic American dream,&quot; said Jahangir Khattak, an academic and New Yorker. Mamdani, born in Uganda to South Asian parents, is a foreign-born immigrant in a city where 40% of the population was born abroad. His ethnic and immigrant background serves as a powerful symbol of New York&#39;s diversity, providing the foundation for his inclusive vision, promoted with the slogan &quot;Roti and Roses.&quot; Youth and immigrant supportMamdani&#39;s meteoric rise depends heavily on young voters &mdash; particularly Gen Z New Yorkers and immigrants &mdash; who view him as &quot;an authentic and long-overdue break&quot; from the political establishment. Muslim voter baseThe city boasts a large and growing Muslim population of around 1 million. According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, more than 300,000 Muslims are registered voters among the city&#39;s 5.1 million registered voters, providing a critical base of support for the first Muslim mayoral candidate. Policy platformMamdani&#39;s core platform promises a steep economic shift to ensure affordability for working-class New Yorkers. His key proposals include a rent freeze for stabilized units, fare-free city buses, and universal childcare, all funded by raising income and corporate taxes on the wealthiest. &quot;If Mamdani wins, it will be because of his ideas to work for the benefit of the working class,&quot; says Khattak, who believes that for a working-class person, &quot;saving a single dollar&quot; means a lot daily. However, the agenda is &quot;radical and ambitious,&quot; and &quot;these are still promises that need to be seen how they materialize,&quot; Khattak emphasized.&nbsp; Many projects are at the grassroots level but will undoubtedly require &quot;federal funding at some point,&quot; noted Dr Sohail Khalid, an expert on international affairs. Anti-Zionist positionMamdani&#39;s unapologetic anti-Zionist stance and intense criticism of the Israeli government have become a powerful rallying point for the progressive and younger electorate. He has consistently spoken out against what he calls the &quot;genocidal war&quot; in Gaza, saying the struggle there is &quot;tied to capitalist interests over here.&quot; Netanyahu arrest pledgeMamdani has said that if elected, he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the city. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Israel-Hamas war. However, analysts note that &quot;New York is the bastion of Jewish population&quot; and believe Mamdani&#39;s statement is extreme, with actually arresting the Israeli prime minister &quot;almost impossible.&quot; Political fallout&quot;Mamdani, if he wins, will have to defeat many Democrats as well,&quot; Dr Khalid pointed out, as a considerable chunk of Democrats is siding with Cuomo due to Mamdani&#39;s anti-Israel stance. Despite this, Mamdani has backing from prominent Jewish and ethnic politicians, including Bernie Sanders and former President Barack Obama. Immigration policy clash?A Mamdani victory would set the stage for immediate conflict with President Trump&#39;s administration. Trump has made mass deportation a central policy, defending aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics and asserting that enforcement actions &quot;haven&#39;t gone far enough.&quot; Mamdani has pledged to defy federal immigration policies, announcing plans to transform New York City into an &quot;impregnable shield against ICE activities.&quot; He vowed that, &quot;We&#39;re taking every step we can to keep New Yorkers safe, to keep New Yorkers together, and to show the world that they are welcome in this city.&quot; Federal funding at riskPresident Trump has relentlessly attacked Mamdani, labeling him a &quot;communist,&quot; and warned that a Mamdani mayoralty would face &quot;problems with Washington like no mayor in the history of our once great city.&quot; Khattak fears a triumphant Mamdani would put the city in &quot;direct confrontation&quot; with Trump, who opposes Mamdani&#39;s socialist ideas and controls the &quot;federal purse strings.&quot; The Cuomo factorFormer Governor Andrew Cuomo, technically an independent candidate representing the centrist Democratic status quo, has repeatedly attacked Mamdani&#39;s inexperience and policy proposals as reckless and unrealistic. Challenging Mamdani&#39;s leadership capacity, Cuomo has asserted, &quot;This is no job for on-the-job training.&quot; He argues that his own prior experience dealing with the federal government makes him the only candidate who can protect the billions in federal funds the city depends on. In response, Mamdani has repeatedly pointed out Cuomo&#39;s past scandals and questioned his &quot;integrity&quot; as a politician. What&#39;s at stakeA Mamdani victory would not only dramatically reshape New York&#39;s political economy with sweeping social programs but also set the stage for an unprecedented legal and political showdown between a democratic socialist city hall and the Republican White House over the rights and safety of immigrants, even as the city faces continuous criticism from President Trump himself. The question remains: What would this win mean for New Yorkers, and how would it affect the broader political landscape in the deeply divided USA?

Americas

According to the city government, more than 750,000 votes have already been cast through early voting; Zohran Mamdani is currently showing a double-digit lead in all major surveys.

NYC's political choice: democratic socialist Mamdani, Republican Sliwa, or independent Cuomo?

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s announcement signaling a possible resumption of US nuclear testing after more than three decades has drawn mixed reactions from nuclear policy experts, who warned of legal hurdles and global security risks.&nbsp;Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump told reporters the United States would conduct nuclear tests if other nations do.&nbsp;&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to do some testing, yeah, and other countries do it,&rdquo; Trump said in response to a question from AFP. &ldquo;If they&rsquo;re going to do it, we&rsquo;re going to do it.&rdquo;&nbsp;He did not clarify whether he was referring to warhead tests, missile tests, or subcritical experiments.&nbsp;The statement came ahead of Trump&rsquo;s meeting with Chinese Premier Xi Jinping in South Korea, where both leaders were expected to discuss tariffs.&nbsp;Dr. Kelly Voss Coletti, a nuclear nonproliferation expert at the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology, told Pakistan TV Digital that it was &ldquo;too early to call this announcement official.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;It is still a statement, not a policy,&rdquo; she said, noting that any resumption of nuclear explosive testing in the United States would require congressional approval and a lengthy authorization process.&nbsp;Miles Pomper, a senior fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Washington, said the president&rsquo;s wording left critical questions unanswered.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not clear whether he meant testing missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads or the warheads themselves,&rdquo; he said. Pomper noted that &ldquo;missiles are routinely tested in all nuclear states, including Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;Dr. Coletti cautioned that US moves carry global ripple effects.&nbsp;&ldquo;The international system tends to look to the United States for leadership on nuclear nonproliferation,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;If the US begins the long process of resuming nuclear weapons testing, other countries will likely follow.&rdquo;&nbsp;Pomper acknowledged that the US deterrence strategy plays a political role.&nbsp;&ldquo;Testing is the only way to know how aging plutonium pits perform,&rdquo; he said, adding that deterrence remains central to US strategic policy.&nbsp;Coletti urged Washington to honor its moratorium and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to &ldquo;demonstrate the US&rsquo; commitment to global peace.&rdquo; Pomper, meanwhile, suggested such a move would signal a shift back into &ldquo;an already ongoing arms race.&rdquo;&nbsp;Russia and China, both considered strategic competitors, have recently expanded their advanced weapons testing capabilities. Moscow recently announced tests of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater torpedo.&nbsp;Since 1992, the United States has relied on the Stockpile Stewardship and Management Program, using simulations and non-detonating experiments, to ensure the reliability of its arsenal without live testing.&nbsp;Coletti also emphasized that the president does not hold exclusive authority in approving nuclear explosive tests.&nbsp;&ldquo;The power lies with Congress,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Even if proposed, the decision will take time to implement.&rdquo;&nbsp;On regional implications, experts said US testing would not immediately alter deterrence dynamics between Pakistan and India. However, Pomper noted it could &ldquo;provide Iran and North Korea with talking points,&rdquo; ahead of the 2026 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review conference.&nbsp;Environmental risks also remain contentious. While Pomper argued underground testing is &ldquo;not hazardous,&rdquo; Coletti warned of long-term groundwater contamination, pointing to the US National Cancer Institute&rsquo;s fallout risk assessments from Cold War&ndash;era tests.&nbsp;&ldquo;Even underground, radioactive materials can escape through cracks caused by the explosion,&rdquo; she said. With additional inputs from AFP

President Donald Trump signaled the US could resume nuclear testing if rivals do, prompting nonproliferation experts to warn of legal hurdles, environmental risks, and a potential renewed arms race, though some argue testing may support deterrence credibility.

Trump nuclear testing plan sparks expert concern

WASHINGTON: Nearly 950,000 workers have been laid off across the United States (US) this year, the highest total since the pandemic era, according to a recent report by the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray &amp; Christmas. The firm warned that the total is on track to reach one million job cuts before the end of 2025, intensifying uncertainty for new graduates, especially foreign students whose stay in the US depends on employment authorization. The steepest losses are in the technology sector. Major firms, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Intel, have collectively eliminated more than 170,000 jobs this year, the report said. &ldquo;The often-used term &lsquo;learn to code&rsquo; is a crueler reminder of a career choice than a phrase of encouragement,&rdquo; Syed Murtaza Hussain, a recent computer science graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, told Pakistan TV Digital. Hussain, who is originally from Lahore and holds an F-1 student visa, said the collapse in hiring has altered expectations dramatically. &ldquo;Everything has changed, especially how the foreign students envisioned their future,&rdquo; he said. His visa expires in three months. Despite offering some of the highest starting salaries in the US labor market, about $80,000 a year for new graduates, tech has become increasingly inaccessible to entry-level workers. Companies are relying more heavily on generative AI systems to perform work once assigned to junior programmers. &ldquo;I had to restructure my company,&rdquo; said Dale Steen, CEO of a tech firm based in the Bay Area. &ldquo;Why should I pay anyone for the services I am getting at a much cheaper rate?&rdquo; Steen said that sponsoring work visas for new graduates is &ldquo;almost out of the question.&rdquo; Recent labor data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that computer science graduates now face a 6.1% unemployment rate, more than double the rate for students who majored in philosophy. Enrollment, however, continues to surge. More than 680,000 students were enrolled in computer science programs across the US. last year, including approximately 278,000 international students. Pakistan sent nearly 11,000 students to US universities during the same period, and more than half pursued science and technology degrees, according to the US State Department. Hussain said he spent more than $130,000 completing his degree. &ldquo;I thought it was worth it, that I would earn it back in a year&rsquo;s time. But I have failed to land a decent entry-level job so far,&rdquo; he said. He now works at a fast-food restaurant while applying for positions and trying to expand his professional network. Industry hiring has also shifted. &ldquo;Fresh graduates lack the expertise that is now required by the industry,&rdquo; said Mansoor Qureshi, head of a staffing firm in Virginia. &ldquo;Companies are replacing basic roles with automated systems, and that gap is expanding.&rdquo; Steen said that while companies no longer need entry-level workers, they desperately need senior engineers and decision-makers. &ldquo;Who will replace them when the current professionals retire?&rdquo; he asked. &ldquo;We have cut off the ladder that leads to expertise.&rdquo; To address that gap, Qureshi has launched an internship and certification program backed by the state of Virginia, designed to help new graduates gain hands-on experience. But he acknowledged that foreign students may not have enough time under their visas to benefit. &ldquo;I find it disheartening, but I am still trying,&rdquo; Hussain said.

Business

Massive US tech layoffs exceeding 950,000 jobs have devastated opportunities for foreign graduates. Automation and visa hurdles worsen unemployment, leaving international computer science students struggling to find entry-level roles and secure their futures

Tech layoffs worsen US job market for foreign students, jeopardize futures

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has strongly rejected India&rsquo;s accusations at the United Nations, saying New Delhi&rsquo;s ruling ideology has transformed the country into what it described as the &ldquo;world&rsquo;s largest factory of hate,&rdquo; fueled by Hindutva extremism and systematic repression in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In a right of reply during a UN Security Council debate, Pakistan&rsquo;s Counsellor Gul Qaiser Sarwani called out India&rsquo;s representative for what he termed &ldquo;baseless and diversionary claims,&rdquo; stressing that the situation in Kashmir remains one of &ldquo;custodial killings, enforced disappearances, sexual violence, demographic engineering, and sweeping media blackouts.&rdquo; Sarwani contrasted conditions in Indian-occupied Kashmir with those in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which he said &ldquo;stands as evidence of Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to democratic governance,&rdquo; where citizens elect their leadership and &ldquo;enjoy freedoms unimaginable under Indian occupation.&rdquo; He underlined that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute, stating: &ldquo;Kashmir is not India&rsquo;s internal matter, it never was and never will be. It remains on the UN agenda, and no decree from New Delhi can alter that reality.&rdquo; Reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s longstanding position on the UN-mandated plebiscite, Sarwani said it is India that has &ldquo;reneged on every commitment,&rdquo; instead deploying nearly 900,000 troops to enforce control over the region, which he described as &ldquo;the densest military occupation of our time.&rdquo; He added that India&rsquo;s allegations against Pakistan aim to deflect attention from the situation in Kashmir. &ldquo;The mask of democracy slips,&rdquo; Sarwani said, &ldquo;when minorities across India face persecution, Muslims lynched in public, Christians attacked in places of worship, Sikhs vilified, and Dalits dehumanized. The tragedies of Gujarat, Delhi and Manipur speak for themselves.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

In a UNSC debate, Pakistan rejected India’s accusations, saying New Delhi’s Hindutva-driven policies fueled repression in Indian-occupied Kashmir and undermine democratic values, while reaffirming Kashmir as UN-recognized dispute requiring a plebiscite.

Pakistan rebuts India at UN, says Hindutva policies eroding democratic values

ISLAMABAD: The US federal government shutdown has become the second-longest in its history, entering its 23rd day, with no immediate end in sight. This is jeopardizing the legal status of many individuals, including Pakistanis, in the US workforce who are employed on H-1B, EB-2, or EB-3 visa programs.&nbsp; One of the hardest-hit areas is immigration services, which have been scaled back due to funding constraints. These services collectively manage visa applications of individuals employed under various employment visa programs in the US and include the Department of Labor,&nbsp;US Citizenship and Immigration Services,&nbsp;and the Department of State.&nbsp; Mujeeb Ullah Kakar, a&nbsp;43-year-old&nbsp;Pakistani IT professional,&nbsp;is among those dealing with the repercussions of a prolonged federal shutdown.&nbsp; A resident of Maryland, Kakar arrived in the US in 2022 from Karachi on an H-1B visa sponsored by a multinational company.&nbsp; Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, he said, &ldquo;I was supposed to apply for a three-year visa extension. My company was ready to submit papers, but [they are] not anymore.&rdquo; To continue with his employment, Kakar must obtain a legal document issued by the Department of Labor (DOL), which is currently not operational.&nbsp; Kakar says he is anxious about the uncertainty of the situation, which was troubling him and his family of five.&nbsp; &ldquo;The first thing I do when I wake up is to check the news. [Check] if the shutdown has ended,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; Which immigration services are still working&nbsp;Certain immigration-related agencies that are still operating include United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which handles adjustment of status cases and other visa services paid by the client, said US-based immigration attorney Waseem Chachar.&nbsp; He said that the Department of State was also operational.&nbsp; According to Chachar, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was indispensable, but the visa sections overseas might be understaffed, leading to longer wait times and delayed interview appointments for new visa issuance.&nbsp; On the other hand, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) department, allegedly carrying out controversial raids against &quot;illegal immigrants,&quot; will continue working as before. Services that are completely shut down&nbsp;While DOL has suspended all its functions, certain visa categories require approval of a Labor Condition Application before an H-1B visa application is submitted. Kakar is waiting to apply for one.&nbsp; But the H-1B visa is not the only employment-based visa category that requires a letter from DOL; the EB-2 and EB-3 categories also require a Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) from DOL to proceed. DOL is also responsible for providing certain documents for H2-A, H2-B visa categories, issued for agriculture workers; CW visas for crewmembers working in longshore positions; U visas, issued to protect victims of crime who have suffered mental and physical abuse, and T visas, reserved for victims of human trafficking who agree to assist law enforcement agencies. How many Pakistanis are on H1B, EB-2, and EB-3 visas?According to US government statistics, more than 3,000 Pakistanis hold H-1B visas, issued in 2024.&nbsp; Pakistan ranks 8th among the countries eligible to avail of this visa.&nbsp; Most of these professionals are either associated with software development or with project management and networking.&nbsp; There is little data available on Pakistanis who have been approved for EB-2 and EB-3 visas, which are offered to competent professionals.&nbsp; How worrisome is the situation for these visa holders?Kakar is troubled by missing his official deadline to submit extension papers, which can complicate his legal status in the US.&nbsp; &ldquo;I mean, these are strange times. So many people are detained. Sometimes for no reason these days. You cannot be sure of your future,&rdquo; Kakar said while referring to the ICE mass deportation raids.&nbsp; Attorney Chachar sees a fully functional USCIS as a silver lining.&nbsp; He admitted that the fear of deportation or failing to meet legal requirements while on US soil was not entirely unfounded, but these are considered &quot;extraordinary circumstances.&quot;&nbsp; He said that people who miss their legal deadlines might have their immigration cases and visa statuses addressed by USCIS later under that clause.&nbsp; They will have to &ldquo;explain and convince the department that things were beyond their control&rdquo; to avoid all legal issues.&nbsp;Although no one can be sure of the outcome due to ongoing federal policy changes, he added. For individuals like Kakar, appealing to USCIS could be a legitimate option to pursue his visa case further once the shutdown ends. &nbsp; Kakar said his lawyer told him that, once the shutdown ends, he will receive the required letter from DOL to apply for an extension of his H-1B visa. But to him, &ldquo;this is the worst time to do this, as immigration laws are stricter than they have ever been.&rdquo;&nbsp; Kakar said he was more concerned about his children, all school-age, who he feared were also struggling with the unpredictability surrounding the future of their education.&nbsp; &ldquo;I had to find a new school for my eldest daughter; she is completing her middle school. But I am just waiting and thinking that we might have to head back,&rdquo; he lamented.

Federal departments currently affected include the immigration department; scaled-back operations are jeopardizing the legal status of many individuals, including Pakistanis, in the US workforce.

US govt shutdown threatens legal status of employment visa holders

WASHINGTON, DC: Pakistan&rsquo;s mining sector is poised for major expansion, with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb projecting that the first year of commercial operations at the Reko Diq copper and gold project could generate $2.8 billion in copper exports, a 10% increase in the country&rsquo;s overall export base.&nbsp;Speaking exclusively to Pakistan TV Digital&nbsp;at the conclusion of his weeklong US visit for the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, Aurangzeb said the project is only the beginning, with additional mines and concessions expected to come online in the coming years.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is just the start because there are other mines and concessions coming through,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Aurangzeb highlighted that the Reko Diq project is attracting US investment, with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) leading the syndication and the US EXIM Bank expected to participate once the US government shutdown concludes.&nbsp;Islamabad&rsquo;s long-term vision includes smelting and value addition, which will enhance Pakistan&rsquo;s industrial output. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not going to happen overnight, but where we are headed has huge upside for Pakistan,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Yuan bonds: diversifying Pakistan&rsquo;s fundingAlongside mining, Pakistan plans to issue its first-ever yuan-denominated bonds worth $250 million by the end of 2025, part of a strategy to diversify funding sources and strengthen macroeconomic resilience.&nbsp;&ldquo;From our perspective, this is a very important trade, a funding diversification discussion,&rdquo; Aurangzeb said. &ldquo;We have previously done Euro issuances and US dollar Islamic support, so we have been late, quite frankly, in terms of tapping the second-largest and second-deepest capital market in the world.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said the government will raise about $250 million equivalent in Chinese yuan (RMB) in the first phase and called the move &ldquo;long overdue&rdquo; to strengthen ties with Asian markets and reduce reliance on Western financial channels.&nbsp;Aurangzeb confirmed that the issuance will feature credit enhancement from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).&nbsp;&ldquo;We are following the Egyptian model because they had credit enhancement so that we will have the same from AIIB and ADB,&rdquo; he explained.&nbsp;Two non-deal roadshows have already generated &ldquo;strong investor interest,&rdquo; and the minister said the issuance is expected to be completed before the end of the calendar year, supported by &ldquo;very strong underwriters.&rdquo;&nbsp;Macroeconomic stability and reform commitment&nbsp;Aurangzeb said the bond issuance is part of a broader strategy to consolidate macroeconomic stability, which has shown notable improvements.&nbsp;&ldquo;If we look at it holistically, around macroeconomic stability, a stable currency, FX reserves, inflation coming into single digits, and the policy rate coming down. We are making progress that now has two external validations,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;He cited the IMF staff-level agreement and upgrades from all three major credit rating agencies as indicators that Pakistan&rsquo;s reform direction is recognized internationally.&nbsp;&ldquo;That too has happened after the test of two and a half to three years,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Aurangzeb stressed that the government is focused on long-term sustainability, emphasizing reforms in taxation, energy, state-owned enterprises, and public finances.&nbsp;&ldquo;That is what is going to give permanence, because oil prices can go up and down,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Privatization drive&nbsp;On privatization, Aurangzeb acknowledged past delays but emphasized that progress is now decisive.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is one area where we haven&rsquo;t done well in the last 18 months,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But we are beginning to move in that direction.&rdquo;&nbsp;The first privatization in this cycle was the sale of a small public-sector bank to a UAE-based conglomerate.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a step in the right direction. They have big plans in terms of investment flows and maybe even going digital with that institution,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Describing the transaction as the &ldquo;first run on the board,&rdquo; Aurangzeb said it demonstrates the government&rsquo;s commitment to structural reform.&nbsp;The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) privatization is also advancing.&nbsp;&ldquo;Last year we weren&rsquo;t successful, but this year, with the reopening of flight routes to Europe in January and to the UK recently, the airline&rsquo;s value proposition has improved,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;A shortlist of qualified bidders has been finalized, and due diligence is ongoing.&nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;m quite sanguine that before the year is out, this is going to go through,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;The minister also mentioned finalizing a sell-side advisor for the Roosevelt Hotel transaction in New York. Additionally, three power distribution companies (DISCOs) are in Phase One of privatization, with international advisors Albert Alers and Marcelis leading the process.&nbsp;&ldquo;We have good traction there as well,&rdquo; he said, noting that 24 state-owned enterprises have been handed over to the Privatization Commission. &ldquo;The first one is the first drop,&rdquo; he added, echoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s remarks.&nbsp;Building economic resilience&nbsp;Aurangzeb emphasized the importance of fiscal and external buffers to manage global economic cycles.&nbsp;&ldquo;At some point, these cycles will reverse. Commodities go through cycles, and countries go through cycles. Countries that do well are those that build buffers, fiscal and external, and let the private sector lead growth,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;He added that with renewed investor confidence, structural reforms, and diversified funding, Pakistan is now positioned to convert early recovery signs into long-term sustainable stability.&nbsp;&ldquo;The direction of travel is clear. We are turning the first drops of progress into a steady stream of sustainable reform,&rdquo; Aurangzeb concluded.

Pakistan finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb

Economy

In a wide-ranging interview with Pakistan TV Digital, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb says Pakistan will generate $2.8 billion in copper exports, issue $250 million yuan bonds, and advance privatizations.

Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper project to generate $2.8B in first-year: finance minister

WASHINGTON DC: &nbsp;Pakistan faces a critical challenge in balancing its $1.2 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) aid with the urgent need for climate resilience, as experts urge a shift from short-term bailouts to long-term investments in flood defenses, early warning systems, and community-level adaptation. The recent climatic changes faced by Pakistan, especially in the form of widespread flooding, have left it reeling from financial and social impacts. The IMF recently reached an agreement with Pakistan to provide $1 billion under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $200 million under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) this week, bringing total disbursements under the two arrangements to about $3.3 billion up till now. In its recently issued statement, the IMF highlighted the devastation caused by flash floods that impacted &quot;7 million people, causing over 1,000 deaths and severely damaging&quot; everything from housing to agricultural land, consequently bringing down the projected FY26 GDP to about 3&frac14; &ndash; 3&frac12; percent. Because the IMF deems Pakistan &quot;vulnerable&quot; to natural disasters, this has sparked a new debate on how to achieve &quot;climate resilience.&quot; Expenditure transparency&nbsp;Climate change and economic experts view no single fix to this situation but rather look for a multi-pronged approach, starting with the right allocation of funds released under the RSF program. Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, the executive director of the Pakistan-based think-tank, the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), told Pakistan-TV Digital that to ensure expenditure transparency, &quot;Each rupee should be tied to clearly defined resilience outcomes&mdash;such as improved flood protection, drought-resistant agriculture, or community-level adaptation projects&mdash;and implemented through provincial and district mechanisms that involve local stakeholders.&quot; &lsquo;Ex-ante measures&rsquo;As a cash-strapped country, staying aligned with the conditions of the EFF loan program while managing the catastrophic climatic changes Pakistan is dealing with can be challenging. But is there room for making arrangements ahead of a climatic event? &nbsp;Zainab Majoka, a social protection economist based in Washington and working with the World Bank, commented that it is hard to fix anything once the catastrophe has already hit. &quot;A delay of even a few hours can lead to huge losses of life.&quot; Therefore, for countries like Pakistan, which are increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks, there is a dire need to invest in &quot;ex-ante measures,&quot; or measures implemented before the shock hits. &lsquo;Switching the composition&rsquo;&nbsp;One such area is Early Warning Systems (EWS). Majoka added that EWS are integrated data systems designed to provide timely and actionable warnings of impending hazards.&nbsp; &quot;In the recent past, these data systems have improved significantly in their accuracy and can provide robust information in advance,&quot; creating a time window where the government can start planning before the shock hits. The real question is whether Pakistan can allocate a major amount for such systems with proper checks and balances in place while availing the EFF, which comes with strings attached. &quot;Pakistan can expand climate adaptation and green infrastructure without breaching the EFF ceiling by switching the composition of spending rather than its size,&quot; summed up Dr Suleri. &lsquo;Phasing out untargeted subsidies&rsquo;He suggested phasing out untargeted energy subsidies and bailouts; ring-fencing the savings for flood defenses, drainage, resilient roads, and water systems; pruning low-priority Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) schemes; and lowering the priority of &quot;discretionary&quot; projects as steps in the right direction. Majoka and Dr Suleri both emphasized the need to strengthen not just a sector but the &quot;whole community&quot; to face any untoward climatic incident. The experts believe a shift from blanket price support to targeted cash via the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) is one of the best measures to keep all &quot;costs low.&quot;&nbsp; The money to ensure that communities are built to face recent flooding-like situations can be procured by unwinding costly tax exemptions, bringing high-end real estate and retail into the revenue net, enforcing provincial agriculture-income taxation, and introducing a modest carbon levy with part of the yield earmarked for adaptation. Livelihood diversificationMajoka also advocated for providing easy access to safety nets, such as income support programs already helping vulnerable and poor households, which can further build resilience against shocks. In Pakistan, &quot;Benazir Income Support Program can be leveraged for that.&quot;&nbsp; She seconded Dr Suleri on this point. Such programs can be complemented with other measures such as livelihood diversification, where a household has multiple sources of income.&nbsp; &quot;We know from evidence that such programs also help to cope with climate shocks.&quot; RSF as &lsquo;strategic anchor&rsquo;&nbsp;According to Dr Suleri, Pakistan can use the IMF&rsquo;s RSF as a strategic anchor for a long-term climate-resilient growth model rather than a short-term disaster fund. To do so, the government should align RSF-supported reforms with a broader green industrial strategy: one that links climate adaptation with competitiveness, investment, and jobs.&nbsp; This means embedding resilience criteria into all infrastructure planning, incentivizing green energy and water-efficient industries, and setting measurable national targets for emission reduction and resource efficiency. But a long-term planning approach should be taken into account for that timely access to resources and money is a key element guaranteeing preparedness against disasters. Contingency financing&nbsp;Contingency financing is another tool that many Latin American countries are already using to achieve this goal, Majoka said. &quot;Contingency financing can take many forms, but it essentially means that the government has access to liquid funds. So, instead of once the shock hits, the government starts to look for money, it already knows that certain triggers are set linked to the contingency financing.&quot; In countries such as Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, they have catastrophe bonds that provide liquidity as soon as the shock hits. This improves the timeliness of the response and reduces the overall cost of recovery and relief. Even with all the appropriate and necessary steps taken, the IMF views that &quot;maintaining tight and data-dependent monetary policy will go a long way to build resilience against climatic changes that are rapidly changing the geo-economic structure of Pakistan.&quot;

Climate & Environment

The IMF recently reached an agreement with Pakistan to provide $1 billion under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $200 million under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) this week.

IMF aid vs climate reality: Can Pakistan achieve resilience? 

WASHINGTON: Pakistan&#39;s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Thursday said that his country&nbsp;was making a deliberate shift towards export led growth driven by the private sector, aiming to end the reliance on consumption and import-fueled boom-bust cycles. While speaking to a panel at the Atlantic Council &mdash; a DC based think-tank focused on international affairs &mdash; during his visit to the US, the finance minister said that the government had adopted the bold National Tariff Policy (NTP) to enable the plans.&nbsp; Aurangzeb also provided an overview of the country&#39;s economic trajectory, structural reforms, and the immediate challenges posed by climate change, adding that the shift in the policy reflected an &quot;East Asia view&quot; of economic growth, aiming to significantly reduce custom duties, additional custom duties, and regulatory duties over the next few years.&nbsp; The finance minister said that the focus was on making raw materials and intermediate goods cheaper to boost the competitiveness of exporters.&nbsp; He said that while textiles remain the core export sector, IT services were set to play a crucial role.&nbsp; &ldquo;A major upcoming boost is the Reko Diq project, which is expected to inject approximately $2.8 billion in exports in its first year, representing about 10% of the current export base,&rdquo; he said. The finance minister said that the early signs of success included the auto industry starting to finally export.&nbsp; He said that the strategy to enable private-sector growth also involves tackling energy issues, specifically by addressing power sector circular debt and handing over distribution companies to the privatization side. Pakistan reached a Staff Level Agreement with the International Monetary Fund that has completed the second review of its loan program, allowing the country to access $1.2 billion after approval from the fund&#39;s board. The IMF will provide Pakistan $1 billion under its Extended Fund Facility and $200 million under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility, bringing total disbursements under the two arrangements to about $3.3 billion. While talking about managing the macroeconomic stability front &mdash; something the minister talked about on Wednesday during a meeting with the IMF managing director &mdash; the minister noted that Pakistan was on the right direction in this regard.&nbsp; The progress received significant external validation, including the successful completion of the IMF program reviews (EFF and RSF) and, importantly, the alignment and upgrading of Pakistan&#39;s credit ratings by all three major agencies: Fitch, S&amp;P, and Moody&#39;s. The minister agreed that a major element of the stability effort was addressing the nation&rsquo;s largest fiscal burden &mdash; &lsquo;debt servicing.&rsquo;&nbsp; To tackle the single biggest expense for the government, the ministry was employing liability management trades and buying back domestic debt.&nbsp; While responding to a question, the finance minister termed the recent decline in the policy rate a help in reducing the overall volume of debt service.&nbsp; He added that the government is preparing to initiate politically sensitive discussions around the National Finance Commission (NFC) award to reform the revenue-sharing arrangement between the Federation and the provinces.&nbsp; The current setup leaves the Federation with little fiscal liberty after debt servicing, and the minister stressed that it needed to be addressed for the system to remain sustainable. &ldquo;The path to long-term sustainability is anchored in aggressive tax reform. The ministry&rsquo;s commitment is clear, to raise the tax-to-revenue ratio from the previous year&rsquo;s 10.2% to 11% by the end of the current fiscal year, and ultimately to 13% under the IMF program,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; On how to broaden the tax base in Pakistan, he said that it would be achieved through a two-pronged strategy of broadening and deepening the tax base.&nbsp; Broadening efforts included legislating an agriculture income tax at the provincial level and moving to bring the retail, wholesale, and real estate sectors into the net.&nbsp; Deepening relies heavily on technology, utilizing data analytics and artificial intelligence for digital monitoring and invoicing to curb tax leakages in key sectors like cement, sugar, tobacco, and beverages. The minister termed climate change as one of the two existential threats facing Pakistan &mdash; alongside population growth. Following this year&#39;s flooding, the government opted to use its resources and existing fiscal space for rescue and relief given that the intensity and frequency of devastating floods were on the rise.&nbsp; Due to damage, particularly in the rice and cotton crops, country&rsquo;s GDP growth projection will be shaved down from over 4% but is still expected to land north of 3% for the year. Finance Minister&nbsp;vows deeper economic partnership Saudi ArabiaEarlier in the day, the finance minister reaffirmed Pakistan&#39;s commitment to fostering a deeper economic partnership with Saudi Arabia. During a meeting with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Aljadaan on the sidelines of the IMF&ndash;World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington DC, Aurangzeb sought Saudi support for infrastructure development projects with both sides reviewing the growing trade and investment relations. According to Radio Pakistan, he apprised his Saudi counterpart of the ongoing privatization process of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and key airports, underscoring the government&rsquo;s resolve to attract strategic investments through transparency and efficiency. The two ministers agreed that institutions such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) could play a vital role in mobilizing and de-risking private sector investments in Pakistan. During a meeting with CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation in Washington DC, Aurangzeb highlighted significant investment opportunities with Pakistan&#39;s oil and gas, mines and minerals, agriculture, IT and pharmaceutical sectors. Finance Minister underscored the consensus at the leadership level to enhance trade and investment ties, welcoming DFC&#39;s interest in facilitating private sector-led funding for projects in Pakistan.

Aiming to end country’s historical reliance on consumption, import-fueled boom-bust cycles.

Pakistan finance minister says focus on export led growth

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2026&ndash;2028 term with a resounding majority of 178 votes, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Tuesday, reaffirming its position as an active voice for human rights on the global stage. The election took place at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, where thirteen other nations also secured seats on the 47-member body. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the development, calling it &ldquo;a testament to Pakistan&rsquo;s effective and vibrant role at the United Nations.&rdquo; In a statement issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, Sharif reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s &ldquo;unwavering commitment to promoting and protecting human rights across all dimensions, civil, political, economic, social, and cultural.&rdquo; Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, expressing gratitude to UN member states for their &ldquo;overwhelming trust and support,&rdquo; said on X, formerly Twitter, &ldquo;This election reflects global recognition of Pakistan&rsquo;s strong credentials and active contributions toward strengthening the international human rights framework.&rdquo; He added that Pakistan would continue to &ldquo;work constructively with all partners in the spirit of tolerance, respect, and consensus-building.&rdquo; This marks the sixth time Pakistan has been elected to the Human Rights Council since its establishment in 2006. A recognition that underscores the international community&rsquo;s confidence in Islamabad&rsquo;s consistent advocacy for universal human rights and multilateral engagement. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan will use its upcoming term to &ldquo;advance dialogue and cooperation&rdquo; on key issues such as the right to development and the protection of people living under foreign occupation. The ministry also reiterated that Pakistan will continue to raise concerns about &ldquo;grave human rights violations&rdquo; in the Indian occupied Kashmir and Palestinian Territory, in line with the Council&rsquo;s mandate. Based in Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council is the UN&rsquo;s principal intergovernmental body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights globally. With its renewed mandate, Pakistan aims to strengthen its role as a consensus-builder and advocate for fairness, transparency, and universality in global human rights discourse. &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s election is not just a diplomatic achievement,&rdquo; said a senior diplomat at the UN, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s a reaffirmation of the country&rsquo;s enduring belief in dialogue, inclusivity, and the universality of human dignity.&rdquo;

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan’s election to the United Nations Human Rights Council reflects its vibrant and effective role at the UN and reaffirms Islamabad’s unwavering commitment to promoting and protecting global human dignity

Pakistan secures UN Rights Council seat, reaffirms commitment to global justice 

WASHINGTON: While Israel and Hamas have signed the first phase of a long-awaited peace agreement, analysts urge &ldquo;necessary caution,&rdquo; warning that without addressing the core political questions of Palestinian sovereignty and statehood, the ceasefire risks becoming yet another short-lived truce. The deal, announced by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, includes a temporary pause in fighting, a swap of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The announcement sparked cautious optimism across global capitals, but also deep skepticism among regional experts interviewed by Pakistan TV Digital. Canada-based decolonial scholar and activist Dr Sabreena Ghaffar said the euphoria surrounding the truce overlooks painful lessons from the past. &ldquo;In January, we saw a deal made and people rejoiced, but the bombardment didn&rsquo;t stop,&rdquo; she said, noting that over 30 Palestinians had been killed since the latest announcement. &ldquo;Even now, airstrikes continue. Until the root causes are addressed, no ceasefire will hold.&rdquo; According to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, one of the deal&rsquo;s key mediators, an immediate ceasefire must precede the agreement&rsquo;s implementation to prevent further loss of life. Arif Ansar, chief analyst at PolitTact, shared cautious optimism, saying, &ldquo;A ceasefire at all costs saves lives.&rdquo; But he emphasized that the underlying challenges, particularly disarmament and governance, could derail the process. Under the agreement, Hamas and Israel have pledged to begin phased de-escalation. The October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack killed about 1,200 Israelis and resulted in 251 hostages. Israel&rsquo;s military aggression in Gaza has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and injured nearly 170,000, according to Gaza&rsquo;s Health Ministry, with roughly half of the casualties being women and children. Dr Ghaffar noted that the agreement makes no mention of Hamas disarming.&nbsp; &ldquo;Hamas will disarm when there is a Palestinian state,&rdquo; she stated, arguing that the demand for unilateral disarmament is unrealistic. Ansar agreed, describing Hamas&rsquo;s weapons as &ldquo;an existential and ideological symbol of resistance.&rdquo; Disarmament without a roadmap for statehood, he said, would be seen by Hamas as &ldquo;total moral and political surrender.&rdquo; Analysts also expressed concern over reported plans for a foreign-led &ldquo;Board of Peace&rdquo; to administer Gaza. &ldquo;An externally imposed trusteeship, featuring figures like Tony Blair, will lack legitimacy and fuel resentment,&rdquo; Ansar warned. &ldquo;Any unelected authority risks being branded a new occupation.&rdquo; Dr Ghaffar added that Blair&rsquo;s role would be &ldquo;deeply problematic,&rdquo; recalling his controversial record during the 2003 Iraq War. Both experts stressed that true peace requires addressing fundamental political issues. Sovereignty, self-determination, and justice. &ldquo;Ignoring these in favor of reconstruction or investment-only deals turns peace into a real estate project,&rdquo; said Ansar.&nbsp; Dr Ghaffar concurred, describing Israel&rsquo;s approach as &ldquo;colonial and PR-driven,&rdquo; warning that global opinion may be shifting but &ldquo;not fast enough to save unarmed Palestinians.&rdquo; The analysts agreed that without confronting the legacy of occupation and ensuring accountability, any peace plan would be doomed to repeat history. &ldquo;The Oslo Accords failed for the same reasons,&rdquo; said Ansar. &ldquo;Key questions, statehood, refugees, Jerusalem, were postponed, and that &lsquo;later phase&rsquo; never arrived.&rdquo; As the world cautiously welcomes the latest truce, regional observers insist the real test lies not in ending the violence, but in addressing the injustices that fuel it.

Middle East

Experts caution that the Gaza ceasefire, while a welcome pause in bloodshed, risks collapse without concrete guarantees on Palestinian sovereignty, disarmament terms, and legitimate post-war governance free from external control.



Skepticism clouds Gaza truce as analysts warn of deeper fault lines

BERLIN: NASA has confirmed that it will contribute to Europe&#39;s Martian rover Rosalind Franklin, which is scheduled to launch in 2028 after repeated delays, the European Space Agency said on Wednesday.&nbsp;The rover aims to be the first on the red planet capable of drilling up to two metres (6.5 feet) below the surface to search for extraterrestrial life.&nbsp;However, the mission relies on several elements from NASA, which US President Donald Trump has targeted with steep budget cuts since returning to the White House in January.&nbsp;ESA director general Josef Aschbacher said he had received &quot;a letter from the NASA administration to confirm the contributions&quot; of the US space agency to the mission.&nbsp;&quot;That is good news,&quot; Aschbacher said on the sidelines of the ESA&#39;s ministerial council meeting being held this week in the German city of Bremen.&nbsp;The mission was originally intended to launch in 2020, but suffered several setbacks.&nbsp;In 2022, it was suspended after the ESA ended cooperation with Russia -- the agency&#39;s main partner for the mission -- following Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;The ESA then turned to the United States for help.&nbsp;Aschbacher said NASA was contributing to three of the mission&#39;s elements: the launcher, radioisotope heater unit and braking engine.&nbsp;The braking engine had been confirmed some time ago, but the other two elements will be a relief for the ESA.&nbsp;NASA is also providing &quot;one instrument to analyse traces of possible life on Mars,&quot; Aschbacher added.&nbsp;The rover, which is named after British scientist Rosalind Franklin, is planned to touch down on the Martian surface in 2030.

Artificial Intelligence

NASA will contribute key elements to Europe's Martian rover, Rosalind Franklin, launching in 2028. The rover aims to search for life by drilling 2 meters below Mars' surface. It suffered delays, including suspension in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine.

NASA confirms support for delayed European Mars rover: ESA

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Iran has expressed its readiness to play a supportive role in addressing ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, offering a &ldquo;blank cheque&rdquo; to help resolve these issues, while also emphasizing the strengthening of trade and economic relations between Tehran and Islamabad. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Ali Ardeshir Larijani, Secretary of Iran&rsquo;s Supreme National Security Council, highlighted Tehran&rsquo;s willingness to assist if Pakistan seeks Iran&rsquo;s involvement in resolving regional issues. &ldquo;Pakistan is very dear and honourable to the Iranian people,&quot; Larijani said, adding we can help ease regional tensions. Earlier, addressing a press conference, the senior Iranian official said: &ldquo;We are prepared to give the Pakistanis a &lsquo;blank cheque&rsquo; to help resolve the regional issues, to be used whenever they deem necessary.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4FfT1CCdgvQ?si=_GiRA_uvmnUEmz-l" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div> He said this is the blank cheque for peace, and Pakistan can encash it whenever it wants. In the interview with Pakistan TV, Ali Larijani said: &ldquo;We have left this matter to our Pakistani brothers and are ready to move forward if they see a role for us. Our goal is to support the solution for the people of Pakistan.&rdquo; Larijani also noted that Iran has shown &ldquo;expressive readiness&rdquo; to help facilitate dialogue and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following discussions with Pakistani leadership. Pakistan and Iran share historically friendly ties, with cooperation spanning trade, energy and regional security. Over the past decade, both countries have worked on multiple initiatives, including energy pipelines, cross-border trade agreements and joint efforts to maintain stability in Afghanistan. Iran has previously too shown its interest in fostering peace and stability in the region. Pakistan also emphasised the importance of regional collaboration in trade, transport and energy infrastructure, seeking to strengthen bilateral ties through tangible projects. Larijani also touched upon bilateral trade and investment initiatives. He noted that following the recent visit of Iran&rsquo;s president, both countries have intensified efforts to enhance economic cooperation, particularly in agriculture, railway networks and pipeline projects. &ldquo;Work has begun on promoting trade and economic ties between our countries, especially in agriculture, as per the directives of our leaders. We are exploring various avenues to elevate trade volume,&rdquo; Larijani stated. He added that both sides have discussed multiple strategies to expand and strengthen these relations, with optimism for tangible outcomes in the near future.

The Newsroom

Iran offers a “blank cheque” to help Pakistan ease tensions with Afghanistan, while urging stronger trade, energy and investment cooperation following recent high-level engagements and economic discussions.

Iran offers ‘blank cheque’ to support Pakistan-Afghanistan peace, eyes stronger bilateral ties

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday unveiled a proposal for a Regional Maritime Dialogue, a multicontinental framework aimed at bringing together countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Central Asia and Africa to address shared maritime challenges and strengthen cooperation, according to an official statement.&nbsp;The initiative was introduced by Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry during a breakfast reception hosted by Pakistan at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) headquarters in London.&nbsp;Delegations from more than 173 countries, including over 100 maritime ministers, attended what officials described as one of the most widely participated events of the IMO Assembly week.&nbsp;Calling the IMO &ldquo;the pinnacle of maritime diplomacy,&rdquo; Junaid told delegates that Pakistan was &ldquo;ready to play a proactive role in shaping regulations that reflect the needs of our region.&rdquo;&nbsp;Junaid and IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez also jointly inaugurated a model of the PNSC ship Karachi, one of three new vessels the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation intends to acquire.&nbsp;The minister said the rapidly evolving maritime environment required new regional mechanisms capable of addressing &ldquo;operational, environmental, regulatory and technological needs.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added, &ldquo;Our maritime policies must reflect our vulnerabilities and our priorities.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the proposal, the Regional Maritime Dialogue would prioritize emissions reduction, maritime safety, coordinated search-and-rescue operations and navigational safety.&nbsp;Junaid highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s current role as coordinator of NAVAREA IX, one of 21 global navigational zones under the World-Wide Navigational Warning Service, responsible for ensuring ships receive timely and reliable safety alerts.&nbsp;To support long-term capacity building, the minister also proposed the establishment of a Regional Maritime University and a Regional Maritime Training Institute, arguing that new IMO regulations, autonomous shipping and digitalization demand updated skills.&nbsp;&ldquo;We want to prepare our workforce for the future of shipping, where technology, environmental compliance and digital skills will be essential,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s ambition to emerge as a regional maritime leader, Junaid said the country remained committed to working closely with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and partners across Central Asia and Africa to shape global maritime policy and advance shared development priorities.

At IMO headquarters in London, Islamabad proposes a multicontinental maritime dialogue linking Gulf, Central Asian and African states to strengthen cooperation on safety, emissions, regulation and future shipping technologies.

Pakistan seeks multicontinental alliance to shape future of global shipping

ISLAMABAD: Bahrain has conferred its highest state award on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as both countries move to deepen political, economic and defense cooperation, according to the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO).&nbsp;In a meeting in Manama, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa presented Pakistani PM with the Order of Bahrain (First Class), described by the PMO as &ldquo;the highest award Bahrain confers on heads of state and government.&rdquo;&nbsp;The PMO said PM Sharif thanked the King for the warm reception and for what he called Bahrain&rsquo;s &ldquo;longstanding goodwill and friendship toward Pakistan.&rdquo; He also commended &ldquo;His Majesty&rsquo;s leadership in promoting peace, tolerance and coexistence.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the PMO, King Hamad told Sharif that Bahrain had &ldquo;the privilege of being represented at a legal forum by none other than Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,&rdquo; adding that Pakistan&rsquo;s founding father &ldquo;remained Bahrain&rsquo;s lawyer for a long time.&rdquo;&nbsp;Both sides reviewed the &ldquo;encouraging momentum&rdquo; in bilateral ties and agreed to strengthen cooperation in political, economic, defense and cultural fields.&nbsp;The PMO quoted PM Sharif as reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to deepening relations &ldquo;based on shared faith and mutual respect.&rdquo;&nbsp;The prime minister thanked the King for Bahrain&rsquo;s continued support, including the establishment of the King Hamad University for Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad, inaugurated in September 2025.&nbsp;He also expressed gratitude for Bahrain&rsquo;s solidarity following recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan.&nbsp;On economic ties, the PMO said the prime minister highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s desire to expand trade and investment, noting that bilateral commerce is expected to grow with the upcoming Pakistan&ndash;GCC Free Trade Agreement, now in its final stages.&nbsp;He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), particularly in food security, IT, construction, mining, tourism and healthcare.&nbsp;The PMO added that PM Sharif expressed appreciation for Bahrain&rsquo;s support to the more than 150,000 Pakistanis living in the Kingdom and thanked King Hamad for pardoning Pakistani prisoners.&nbsp;Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the defense partnership and agreed to continue cooperation in training, logistics, manpower and defense production.&nbsp;They also discussed developments in Gaza, agreeing that peace and stability are &ldquo;long overdue for the people of Gaza,&rdquo; the PMO said.&nbsp;At the end of the meeting, the PMO noted that both sides expressed confidence that the visit would &ldquo;further consolidate the enduring friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain.

In Manama, PM Shehbaz Sharif receives Bahrain’s highest honor, strengthens Pakistan-Bahrain ties, discusses trade, defence, regional issues, and affirms commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, says PMO.

 Bahrain awards top honor as leaders deepen strategic Pakistan ties

GAZA CITY: The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday under the US-brokered ceasefire exchange deal.&nbsp;&quot;The Ministry of Health announces the receipt of 15 bodies of martyrs released today by the Israeli occupation via the International Committee of the Red Cross, bringing the total number of bodies received to 345,&quot; the ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;A medical source at Gaza&#39;s Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis confirmed it had received 15 bodies via the Red Cross.&nbsp;Under the ceasefire deal, which came into effect on October 10, Israel was required to turn over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli returned.&nbsp;The 15 bodies returned on Wednesday were in exchange for the remains of Dror Or, one of the last three deceased hostages held in the Palestinian territory, whose body was handed over to Israel on Tuesday by militants, via the ICRC.&nbsp;Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement that the handover &quot;reflects Hamas&#39;s steadfast commitment to fully complete the exchange process and its ongoing efforts to finalize it despite significant difficulties.&quot;&nbsp;The last two hostages&#39; bodies still in Gaza are those of Israeli Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.&nbsp;At the start of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, militants were holding 20 living hostages and 28 bodies of deceased captives.&nbsp;Hamas has since released all the living hostages and returned the remains of 26 dead hostages.&nbsp;In exchange, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in its custody and returned the bodies of hundreds of dead Palestinians

Israel returned 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza under a US-brokered ceasefire deal, exchanging them for the remains of Israeli hostage Dror Or, Hamas says it remains committed to completing the process, with two hostage bodies still in Gaza.

Israel returns 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza under US-brokered ceasefire deal

ISLAMABAD: In a significant endorsement of its role in global arms control, Pakistan has been re-elected to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for the term 2026-28. The vote was held during the 30th Session of the Conference of States Parties in The Hague, Netherlands, from Nov. 24 to 28. The 41-member Executive Council serves as the organization&#39;s principal policy-making body, overseeing implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and ensuring member-state compliance. It also advances scientific and economic cooperation for peaceful chemical use. With 193 states as parties, the convention is widely regarded as one of the most successful international disarmament treaties, having verified the destruction of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. Pakistan, which ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention&nbsp;in 1997, has remained an active contributor to the OPCW mandate and has been part of the executive council multiple times.&nbsp; The Pakistan Foreign Office said the country continues to host routine OPCW inspections at relevant national facilities and participates in capacity-building and technical cooperation initiatives.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1993554767017353469&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=3ba96c4b85199724f9f942c96144bb1d2a408154&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 922px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The foreign office described the re-election as an endorsement of Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;constructive contributions&rdquo; and a reflection of member states&rsquo; confidence in Islamabad&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening global chemical security. &ldquo;Pakistan will continue to provide effective leadership and support to the work of the OPCW,&rdquo; the statement added. According to its website, the OPCW oversees the global endeavor to permanently and verifiably eliminate the use of chemical weapons.

File: Entrance of the OPCW headquarters in The Hague - Wikimedia Commons 

Security

Pakistan was re-elected to the 41-member Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for 2026-28. Islamabad’s active participation and hosting of routine inspections highlight its ongoing role in promoting chemical weapons disarmament and compliance.

Pakistan retains seat at chemical weapons elimination body

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has said a truly futuristic approach is essential to move forward. Speaking at PTV Home&rsquo;s programme &lsquo;Rising Pakistan&rsquo; on the occasion of the channel&rsquo;s 61st anniversary, Attaullah Tarar said new platforms are being created to connect Gen Z with PTV. The minister said during Pakistan-India war, it was realized that there was a need to start channels as a stratcom tool. &ldquo;We are encouraging private sector channels as well,&rdquo; he said. Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan TV Satellite has a fresh and new look and &ldquo;our stories are being quoted by international media outlets like BBC and Reuters&rdquo;. He said our strategic and geopolitical situation is such that exclusive stories from here have international significance.&ldquo;We brought new vigour in English media, whether it be digital or satellite,&rdquo; he said. Attaullah Tarar said very capable women were heading most departments in PTV, adding that it is a women-led initiative in the information domain.He said in sports, we got exclusive rights of many series through which we generated revenue. The minister said a sustainable model is needed.&nbsp; He went on to say that we are trying to do collaboration with the private sector for PTV Home. &ldquo;We can make good dramas and do collaborations with the private sector under profit-cost sharing basis,&rdquo; he said, adding that public-private partnership is a way forward. He said those who are leaders in entertainment in private sector should be invited to collaborate with PTV. The minister said today all those who are leading the entertainment industry say they started from PTV. He added that PTV has given birth to the entertainment, sports and news industries. Attaullah Tarar said he does not believe in criticism for the sake of criticism, adding that there should be constructive criticism to bring reforms. He said the private sector will be strongly encouraged in media projects, adding that Pakistan Idol was launched as private sector collaboration at a minimum cost. The information minister said the government aims to expand youth involvement through private sector programmes.

Speaking at PTV Home’s programme ‘Rising Pakistan’ on the occasion of the channel’s 61st anniversary, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said new platforms are being created to connect Gen Z with PTV. (Photo: Pakistan TV Satellite)

SAT News Desk

Speaking at an event marking PTV's 61st anniversary, the information minister said new platforms are being created to connect Gen Z with PTV.

Moving forward with futuristic approach is essential: Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir praised the &ldquo;professionalism, resolve and commitment&rdquo; demonstrated by Pakistan&rsquo;s Armed Forces during Marka-e-Haq, stating that it had &ldquo;enhanced the global stature of Pakistan.&quot;&nbsp; He was addressing participants of the National Security Workshop&ndash;27 at GHQ, Rawalpindi, according to a press release by Inter-Services Public Relations, the military&#39;s media wing. The Pakistan Army defines the period of conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, as Marka-i-Haq in May. The army chief said Pakistan was a &ldquo;country of consequence and is destined to reach its rightful place in the comity of nations,&rdquo; ISPR said.&nbsp; The army chief highlighted the &ldquo;fluid regional environment shaped by heightened geopolitical competition, cross-border terrorism, and hybrid threats.&rdquo; Despite complex challenges including &ldquo;externally supported militancy and information-centric warfare,&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s armed forces, intelligence agencies, and law-enforcement institutions continue to demonstrate unwavering professionalism and resolve to safeguard national security,&rdquo; the ISPR quoted him as saying. Participants were also briefed on ongoing &ldquo;national efforts against illegal activities, including the crackdown on smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and organized criminal networks that adversely impact security.&rdquo; Updates were shared on enhanced border controls and the repatriation of illegal foreigners to maintain internal order and protect national interests. Field Marshal Munir reiterated that the &ldquo;territorial integrity, security and protection of every Pakistani citizen is paramount for the Pakistan Army and will not be compromised under any circumstances.&rdquo; He reaffirmed the army&rsquo;s commitment to supporting federal and provincial governments. &ldquo;Coordinated national efforts and institutional synergy are vital for lasting peace, stability and prosperity,&rdquo; ISPR quoted him as saying. The National Security Workshop, run by the National Defence University, brings together parliamentarians, senior civil and military officials, academics, and representatives from civil society.

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir addresses participants of National Security Workshop–27 (NSW–27) at the General Headquarters (GHQ) on November 26. — (ISPR)

Says success earned during Marka-e-Haq 'enhanced the global stature of Pakistan; crackdown on smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and organized criminal networks that adversely impact security continuing.

Field Marshal Munir hails armed forces for defeating India

LONDON:&nbsp;The co-founder of activist group Palestine Action will on Wednesday challenge a UK government ban under anti-terror laws that has led to mass arrests, sparking free speech and civil liberties concerns. United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk has said the ban &ldquo;appears disproportionate and unnecessary,&rdquo; while Europe&rsquo;s human rights watchdog, the Council of Europe, criticised &ldquo;excessive limits&rdquo; on the right to protest. The UK government proscribed the pro-Palestinian group in July, days after activists protesting the war in Gaza broke into an air force base in southern England. Prosecutors have said they caused an estimated &pound;7 million ($9.3 million) of damage to two aircraft at the base. The legal action brought by the group&rsquo;s co-founder, Huda Ammori, at London&rsquo;s High Court is expected to last from Wednesday to Thursday, with a third day to be set at a later stage. The ban &mdash; which makes being a member of the group or inviting support for it a serious criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison &mdash; has resulted in at least 2,300 arrests, according to protest organizers Defend Our Juries. Those arrested include students, teachers, pensioners, and even an 83-year-old retired vicar, with many carried away from the protests by police. According to London&rsquo;s Met Police, so far 254 people have been charged with a lesser offence that carries a sentence of up to six months. The proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000 means the group has been added to a list that also includes al-Qaida and Hezbollah. The interior ministry, or Home Office, has accused Palestine Action of conducting an &ldquo;escalating campaign&rdquo; involving &ldquo;sustained criminal damage,&rdquo; including to Britain&rsquo;s national security infrastructure. It also accuses the group of &ldquo;intimidation, alleged violence, and serious injuries.&rdquo; &#39;Not non-violent&#39;At a court hearing on Thursday, prosecutors alleged a Palestine Action activist struck a police officer with a sledgehammer at an Israel-based defence firm&rsquo;s UK site after breaking into the factory in western Bristol in August. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, defending the ban in August, said some supporters of the group &ldquo;don&rsquo;t know the full nature of this organisation because of court restrictions on reporting while serious prosecutions are underway.&rdquo; &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s really important that no one is in any doubt that this is not a non-violent organisation,&rdquo; she said, adding the government had received &ldquo;clear security assessments and advice&rdquo; before opting for a ban. Set up in 2020, the group&rsquo;s stated goal on its now-blocked website is to end &ldquo;global participation in Israel&rsquo;s genocidal and apartheid regime.&rdquo; It has mainly targeted weapons factories, especially those belonging to the Israeli defence group Elbit. Since the ban came into force on July 5, protesters have held a string of rallies at which they have held up signs saying: &ldquo;I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.&rdquo; Award-winning British film director Ken Loach has called the ban on Palestine Action &ldquo;absurd&rdquo; and accused the government of being complicit in Israel&rsquo;s &ldquo;incredible crimes&rdquo; in Gaza. &ldquo;This level of political repression is not what we expect in a democracy &mdash; it&rsquo;s the kind of tactic typically associated with authoritarian regimes around the world,&rdquo; a spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said. Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, said the government had broken past pledges that the Terrorism Act would not be used to prosecute people taking direct action. &ldquo;Classifying a protest group as a &lsquo;terrorist organisation&rsquo; should send a chill down your spine,&rdquo; Hamid said. &ldquo;Progressive change is rarely made by any government without pressure from the public, and removing our right to protest is an erosion of democracy,&rdquo; she said.

A protester is escorted away by police officers for taking part in a demonstration in support of "Defend Our Juries" and their campaign against the ban on Palestine Action, outside Britain's Ministry of Justice in London on November 20, 2025. (Photo by Ch

United Kingdom

The co-founder of activist group Palestine Action will on Wednesday challenge a UK government ban under anti-terror laws that has led to mass arrests, sparking free speech and civil liberties concerns.

Palestine Action launches court bid to overturn UK government ban

GUWAHATI: Spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets as South Africa romped to victory by 408 runs in the second Test for their first series win in India in 25 years on Wednesday.&nbsp;World Test champions South Africa bowled out a dismal India for 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati for a 2-0 Test sweep.&nbsp;It is India&#39;s biggest defeat at home by runs and a fifth loss in seven home Tests, having been whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand last year.&nbsp;Off-spinner Harmer, 36, returned figures of 6-37 as South Africa clinched a Test series in India for only the second time, the first in 2000 under Hansie Cronje.&nbsp;Ravindra Jadeja resisted with 54 before Keshav Maharaj had him stumped and the spinner soon got the final wicket of Mohammed Siraj, with Marco Jansen pulling off a stunning catch in the deep.&nbsp;India lost the opening Test in Kolkata inside three on a pitch with uneven bounce before South Africa once again beat the hosts in their own game of spin on a batting-friendly track.&nbsp;The visitors declared their second innings on 260-5 on day four to hand India a record chase but the hosts batting once again failed and they never threatened to get close.&nbsp;India rode their luck early in the day when Jansen had Sai Sudharsan caught behind but the delivery was declared a no-ball after the bowler overstepped. The batter was on four.&nbsp;In the next over another overnight batter Kuldeep Yadav survived a reprieve on four when Aiden Markram dropped him at first slip off Harmer.&nbsp;But the relief was short-lived for India as a relentless Harmer soon bowled Kuldeep for five for the first wicket of the day.&nbsp;The off-spinner then dismissed Dhruv Jurel, for two, three balls later and soon sent back skipper Rishabh Pant for 13 as India slumped to 58-5.&nbsp;The batters fell like nine pins on a pitch where South Africa posted 489 after they elected to bat.&nbsp;India were bundled out for 201 to concede a first-innings lead of 288 but South Africa did not enforce the follow-on and decided to bat again.&nbsp;Left-arm quick Jansen returned figures of 6-48 in India&#39;s first innings after the bowler hit a quickfire 93 with the bat.&nbsp;South African all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy led the batting charge with his 109, his maiden Test century.

Cricket

World Test champions South Africa bowl out a dismal India for 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati for a 2-0 Test sweep.

Articles by Gaitty Ara Anis