EXTREMISM, DIVISIVE RHETORIC THREAT TO SOCIAL PEACE, SAYS PM In partnership with
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Saturday, 1 February, 2025 I 2 Shaban ul Moazzam, 1446
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PM SHEHBAZ UNDERSCORES RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS, COMMUNITY LEADERS ROLE IN PROMOTING BROTHERHOOD
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ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
RIME Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif urged the religious scholars, community leaders and citizens to play role in promoting brotherhood as extremism and divisive rhetoric were threat to social peace and harmony. In his message on World Interfaith Harmony Week being observed from February 1st to 7th, PM Shehbaz said this week served as a powerful reminder of the importance of dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among diverse religious communities, according to a Prime Minister’s Office news release. “Pakistan, envisioned by our founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a sanctuary for all faiths, remains steadfast in its constitutional oath to protect every citizen’s right to belief, dignity, and equality. Our faith— rooted in Islam’s timeless teachings of
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justice, mercy, and respect for all creation—compels us to lead by example,” the prime minister said. He resolved that the government would continue to uphold these values through policies that promote inclusivity and social cohesion. “To those who sow hatred, we respond with dialogue. To those who preach fear, we answer with courage. To those who divide, we build bridges,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.
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TO THOSE WHO SOW HATRED, WE RESPOND WITH DIALOGUE. TO THOSE WHO PREACH FEAR, WE ANSWER WITH COURAGE: PM He added that the government was committed to fostering an environment of acceptance, tolerance, and mutual respect. The groundbreaking Interfaith Harmony Policy and Strategy of Religious Tolerance were enforced, targeting hate speech at its core, safeguarding every temple, church, and shrine, the prime minister said. PM Shehbaz Sharif underscored that despite policy interventions implemented, the government recognized that challenges persist.
“Extremism and divisive rhetoric, remain threats to our social fabric. At a time when the world faces growing challenges of intolerance and division, it is essential to reaffirm our collective commitment to peace and unity,” he said. “May this week inspire us all to embrace the values of tolerance and cooperation, ensuring a peaceful and prosperous future for all,” the prime minister said.
He was talking to Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, who called on him at the prime minister’s house, in Islamabad. The Prime Minister greeted the Chinese ambassador on the occasion of the New Year and conveyed his good wishes to the Chinese leadership as well as the brotherly people of china, including Chinese nationals residing in Pakistan.
Matters related to economic and security cooperation between the two countries were also discussed during the meeting. The Ambassador thanked the prime minister and the people of Pakistan for extending their warm wishes to the Chinese government and its people on the joyous occasion.
‘PM greets Chinese Envoy’: Chinese New Year to further strengthen Sino-Pak bonds of friendship ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday expressed the hope that the Chinese New Year will further strengthen bonds of friendship between Pakistan and china and bring prosperity to the peoples of both countries.
10 terrorists neutralized in North Waziristan, DI Khan IBOs: ISPR RAWALPINDI
STAFF REPORT
Ten terrorists were killed in fire exchange with security forces during multiple intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Friday. In a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the operations took place a day ago and today with the first encounter in Dera Ismail Khan district’s general area of Khulachi where an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was carried out on the reported presence of terrorists. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and resultantly, four khwarij were sent to hell,” the ISPR said, using the term the state assigned to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It added that six more terrorists were “successfully neutralised” in four separate encounters in North Waziristan district’s general areas of Datta Khel, Hassan Khel, Ghulam Khan, and Mir Ali. The ISPR said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the killed terrorists who were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in these areas against the security forces as well as the killing of innocent civilians. It added that sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists. “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country,” the ISPR concluded. Pakistan has been grappling with a sharp uptick in terror attacks on security forces, especially in KP and Balochistan.
IMF mission likely to visit Pakistan by early March for EFF review PROFIT
MONITORING DESK
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission is expected to visit Pakistan by late February or early March for the first review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF). Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb stated no specific date had been confirmed. According to the IMF’s October
report, the first review under the EFF, along with the end-December 2024 performance criteria, is scheduled for March 15, 2025. The successful completion of the first review and its approval by the IMF board will enable the release of the next loan tranche exceeding $1 billion. However, the review remains crucial for Islamabad, as it has yet to fulfill certain agreed conditions, including the agriculture income tax, tax
collection from retailers, and the half-yearly Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) tax collection target. Aurangzeb, while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, chaired by Saleem Mandviwalla, said Pakistan remains committed to the programme’s targets. He noted that some measures may be incorporated into the 2025-26 budget, while others could be introduced later.
The finance minister reiterated the government’s plan to separate tax policy from the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) operational functions in the next fiscal year. He said this move aims to improve efficiency by allowing the FBR to focus exclusively on tax collection. Aurangzeb also addressed concerns about the tax burden on the salaried class, describing it as disproportionately high. He said the government is work-
ing to simplify the tax system and reduce this burden, noting that 60-70 percent of employees are not subject to the super tax. The committee also discussed a proposal to introduce a carbon tax by converting certain existing levies. While Aurangzeb acknowledged the World Bank’s focus on climate and carbon taxation, Senator Farooq H Naik and others expressed concerns about its inflationary impact.