In partnership with
Profit
PM, UAE PRESIDENT REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO PEACE, STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN REGION Friday, 13 June, 2025 I 16 Zilhaj, 1446
g
g
PREMIER SHEHBAZ, SHEIKH MOHAMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN DISCUSS A WIDE RANGE OF BILATERAL, REGIONAL, AND GLOBAL ISSUES OF MUTUAL INTEREST
g
Rs 20.00 | Vol XV No 335 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
BOTH LEADERS EXPRESS SATISFACTION OVER POSITIVE TRAJECTORY OF BILATERAL TIES AND ONGOING ENGAGEMENTS AT ALL LEVELS
g PM SHEHBAZ REITERATES THEY AGREE TO MAINTAIN CLOSE COORDINATION AND CONTINUE WORKING HIS EARLIER INVITATION TO TOGETHER TO ADVANCE SHARED GOALS OF THE PRESIDENT OF UAE TO REGIONAL PEACE AND PROSPERITY VISIT PAKISTAN
PM reiterates commitment to knowledge economy, digital transformation and youth empowerment ABU DHABI
STAFF REPORT
P
ABU DHABI
STAFF REPORT
RIME Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Thursday here met with President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his official visit and discussed matters of bilateral and regional interest. The meeting underscored the deeprooted, brotherly relations between Pakistan and the UAE, built on mutual trust, shared values, and a history of close cooperation. The two leaders discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global is-
sues of mutual interest, and reaffirmed their commitment to further enhancing collaboration in key areas. The Prime Minister conveyed his sincere gratitude to the leadership of the UAE for its constructive role in helping to defuse tensions between Pakistan and India. He appreciated the UAE’s positive role in promoting peace, dialogue and stability in the region. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral ties and ongoing engagements at all levels. The leaders agreed to maintain close coordination and continue working together to advance shared goals of regional peace and prosperity. The Prime Minister reiterated his ear-
Trump once again offers to be arbitrator in Kashmir dispute WAGHINGTON AGENCIES
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday once again offered to arbitrate the Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India, echoing comments made by the US State Department a day prior. Trump had offered to work on the Kashmir issue after he brokered a ceasefire between the two nuclear powers following their most intense military confrontation in decades. In a message lauding the countries’ leaders for achieving peace, he remarked, “I will work with both of you to see if, after a ‘thousand years’, a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir.” Responding to a question on the steps the US plans to take in the wake of Trump’s offer, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce noted, “[Trump] has been the only one to bring certain people to the table to have conversations that nobody thought was possible,” remaining hopeful that the Kashmir issue can also get resolved. Fielding questions after a bill-signing ceremony on Thursday, the US president said that he “stopped a war” between Pakistan and India. “Eventually they were gonna go nuclear … and I stopped it, I called each leader … and I spoke to them and talked about trade,” Trump said. “I said, ‘You’re not trading with us if you go to war … if you’re going to start throwing nuclear weapons around. “They were both unbelievable. They understood it exactly, they stopped. I stopped that war with phone calls and trade,” Trump added. He further said that India is negotiating a trade deal in Washington, and a Pakistani delegation would arrive “I think next week”.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reiterated his government’s “resolute commitment” to accelerating journey toward a “knowledge economy, digital transformation, global tech engagement and youth empowerment,” expressing his confidence that Pakistan’s tech future is bright! Insha Allah, according to state media. Premier Shehbaz Sharif was addressing the Pakistan’s participation at London Tech Week 2025, held with all global stakeholders on board during his daylong visit to the UAE, said a statement issued from the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday. The prime minister congratulated
lier invitation to the President of UAE to visit Pakistan. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Federal Minister for Interior Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi,
all stakeholders on Pakistan’s impactful presence at London Tech Week 2025, saying this positions Pakistan as a forward-looking country that is harnessing technology, innovation, and youth potential to engage with the world. “Our presence at such an important platform reflects our growing digital footprint and global ambition,” he said. PM Shehbaz commended the Ministry of IT, PSEB, TDAP, and its tech entrepreneurs for presenting Pakistan with vision and purpose. He commended the Ministry of Information Technology, Pakistan Software Export Board, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, and our tech entrepreneurs for presenting Pakistan with vision and purpose.
Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar, SAPM Syed Tariq Fatemi were also present in the meeting.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
Federal budget allocation casts doubt over K-IV water project completion PROFIT
STAFF REPORT
The K-IV water supply project, meant to address Karachi’s longstanding water shortages, has suffered a major blow as the federal government allocated just Rs3.2 billion for fiscal year 2025–26—far short of the Rs40 billion estimated requirement for completion, reported Dawn. Officials associated with the project, which has been delayed for over two decades, warned that the underfunding may push the timeline back by another decade. “Over 63% of the work is already complete, and with adequate funding, we could finish within a year,” said a senior project official. “But with this allocation, we might need ten more years. That’s devastating for a city facing a water crisis.” Launched in the early 2000s, the K-IV project has repeatedly suffered from cost escalations, design changes, and coordination issues between the federal and provincial governments. Despite renewed federal attention during previous years, this year’s allocation has cast a shadow over any near-term resolution.
The water supply crisis remains one of Karachi’s most urgent infrastructure problems, affecting over 20 million residents. Experts argue the delay in K-IV is not just a bureaucratic issue, but a public emergency. “Karachi can’t wait another decade,” warned one stakeholder. “This isn’t just about pipelines—it’s about survival.” Former federal minister Asad Umar, who oversaw the project from 2018 to 2022 under the PTI government, criticised the current federal allocation as evidence of a lack of political will. “The Rs 3.2 bn allocation suggests the government isn’t serious,” he said. “It’s a political gesture, not a development initiative. We had momentum and a launch date—August 14, 2023. Now that vision is gone.” Umar had previously advocated for the federal government to assume full financial responsibility, removing the cost-sharing burden on the Sindh government and placing WAPDA in charge of execution. Political friction between the PPP-led Sindh government and its federal allies also surfaced following the announcement. Sindh In-
formation and Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon expressed strong reservations about the allocation and warned of a broader reassessment of the federal budget. “We are taking this very seriously,” Memon said. “Not only the K-IV, but the broader pattern of underfunding essential projects concerns us. We’ve advised the prime minister to cut unnecessary expenses and focus on meaningful development.” Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leader Monem Zafar also condemned the decision, accusing the federal government of reducing Karachi’s most urgent infrastructure project to a symbolic gesture. “Out of Rs133 billion allocated to the Water Resources Division, only Rs3.2 billion is for K-IV—just 2.5%,” he said. “This is not development. This is charity.” Both PPP and JI demanded a reassessment of priorities and urged the federal government to allocate resources in line with the city’s critical needs. As budget deliberations continue, the fate of the K-IV project now hangs in the balance, again postponed amid competing claims and constrained public finance.
Budget statistics a ‘smokescreen’ to mask economic ‘meltdown:’ PTI ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram strongly criticized the imposed government for presenting fabricated and misleading data in the Economic Survey, dismissing it as nothing more than a smokescreen designed to conceal its glaring economic failures. He stated that the reality on the ground paints a much bleaker picture — over 3 million educated and skilled young Pakistanis have been forced to leave the country in search of better opportunities abroad. This alarming brain drain, he emphasized, is a direct result of the growing hopelessness, economic mismanagement, and lack of prospects under the current regime, PTI CIS added. Addressing a press conference alongside with PTI Members of the National Assembly here on Thursday said that this exodus of talent was not just a statistic — it’s a national tragedy. “Our brightest minds were giving up on their homeland because the government has failed to provide them with a future here,” he added. Waqas lambasted the current regime’s economic policies, which derailed a once rapidly growing economy through their short-sighted, selfserving, and fundamentally flawed approach to governance. He strongly criticized the Finance Minister, dismissing him as an imported figure with no real stake in Pakistan’s future. He added that the Minister lacked both empathy and vision to address the country’s struggling economy. PTI CIS lamented that while the so-called Form-47 government speaks of an economic turnaround, the grim reality tells a different story. Families are being forced to sell their land and ancestral jewelry just to afford migration — a heartbreaking reflection of how deeply the public has lost faith in the country’s current direction. He further stated that large-scale industries have been in decline for three consecutive years, with skilled labor continuing to flee the country due to a hostile and unsupportive business environment. He rejected the projected growth figures for large-scale manufacturing in the upcoming fiscal year, calling them nothing more than fabricated data and wishful propaganda. PTI CIS revealed a troubling statistic, as the number of tractors sold—an essential indicator of agricultural health—has plummeted from 38,000 to just 24,000. This sharp decline, he said, is a clear sign of the agricultural sector’s collapse. Waqas stressed that while nearly 70% of Pakistan’s population relies on agriculture for their livelihood, the regime has failed to release any credible unemployment data, further exposing its disconnect from the harsh realities faced by ordinary citizens. “These oppressive individuals have pushed the country to the brink of economic collapse. The people of Pakistan are losing hope,” he said. “This regime is not just incompetent—it is utterly callous and disconnected from the suffering of the masses.” Waqas further added, “This government has lost all credibility. Even segments of the media that once supported them are now turning away. They have no place left to hide after wrecking a country that was once on the path to progress.” He made it clear that PTI would not budge an inch from its stated position and would continue its struggle for release of PTI founder Imran Khan, upholding supremacy of constitution, rule of law, reversal of controversial 26th constitutional amendment and true democracy. PTI MNA Rana Atif strongly condemned the government’s economic mismanagement, manipulation of official data, and betrayal of public trust, challenging the authenticity of the figures presented in the federal budget and economic survey.
Over 200 killed as UK-bound Air India plane crashes after take-off in Ahmedabad AHMEDABAD, INDIA AGENCIES
Over 200 people were killed and a lone person survived when London-bound Air India plane with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from the western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said, in the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade. The plane came down in a residential area, crashing onto a medical college hostel outside the airport during lunch hour. It was headed for Gatwick Airport, south of the British capital. City police chief GS Malik told Reuters that 204 bodies had been recovered from the crash site. There were no reports of survivors being found, and the Indian Express newspaper said all 242 on board had perished, citing police. The majority of the people on board are feared dead, a top official in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation told The Print. Malik similarly said the same to the Associated Press, saying: “It appears there are no survivors.” He later told Indian news agency ANI that there was one survivor who was under treatment. Malik said the bodies recovered could
include both passengers and people killed on the ground. Relatives had been asked to give DNA samples to identify the dead, state health secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi said. “The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel … we have cleared almost 70 per cent to 80pc of the area and will clear the rest soon,” a senior police officer told reporters. Air India said the Boeing 787-8 aircraft was carrying 242 passengers and crew members, adding that the injured were being taken to the nearest hospitals. “This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India,” CEO Campbell Wilson said in a video message. “Investigations will take time.” Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 said signal from the plane was lost less than a minute after take-off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38pm (1:18pm PKT). According to air traffic control at the Ahmedabad airport, the aircraft gave a “Mayday” call, signalling an emergency, but thereafter, there was no response from the aircraft. According to The Guardian: “The Air India tragedy in Ahmedabad is the first time
a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has crashed. “While airlines using the Boeing plane have had widespread problems with engines on the 787 plane, leaving many having to ground planes and reduce flights, the 787’s safety record in service has been so far good,” the report by Guardian’s transport correspondent Gwyn Topham added. Al Jazeera also reported that it was the “first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft”, citing the Aviation Safety Network database. Rescue operations Visuals from right after the crash showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport. TV channels also showed visuals of people being moved in stretchers and being taken away in ambulances. In its statement, Air India detailed that 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian national were among the people on board, with the nationalities of the 12 others not specified. Times of India quoted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as saying that the 242 people comprised 230 passengers, two pilots and 10 crew members. The airline affirmed that it was giving its “full cooperation to the authorities investi-
gating this incident”. It also provided a dedicated passenger hotline number for more information: 1800 5691 444. In a statement, Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran expressed “profound sorrow” over the tragic accident. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all
those affected by this devastating event,” said a statement shared by the Tata Group on X. “At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.”