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Tuesday, 8 July, 2025 | 12 Muharram, 1447
Rs 50.00 | Vol XV No 359 | 40 Pages | Lahore Edition
FIELD MARSHAL MUNIR CENSURES INDIAN CLAIM OF 'EXTERNAL SUPPORT' IN OPERATION BUNYANUM MARSOOS
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SAYS INSINUATIONS REGARDING EXTERNAL SUPPORT IN PAKISTAN'S SUCCESSFUL OPERATION ARE ‘IRRESPONSIBLE, FACTUALLY INCORRECT’
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ARGUES NAMING OTHER STATES AS PARTICIPANTS IN PURELY BILATERAL MILITARY CONFLAGRATION IS SHODDY ATTEMPT AT PLAYING CAMP POLITICS
ANY MISADVENTURE BY INDIA WILL BE MET WITH 'MORE THAN RECIPROCAL' RESPONSE, WARNS COAS RAWALPINDI
staff report
IELD Marshal Syed Asim Munir has reiterated that any misadventure or attempts to undermine Pakistan's sovereignty or violation of territorial integrity will continue to be reflexively met with a swift and resolute response without any constraints or inhibitions. He was addressing the graduating officers of the National Security and War Course, comprising participants from all services, at the National Defence University, Islamabad on Monday. The Field Marshal said any attempt to target Pakistan's population centres, military bases, economic hubs and ports will instantly invoke a 'deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response'. He said the onus of escalation will squarely lie on the strategically blind arrogant aggressor who fails to see the grave reper-
cussions of such provocative actions against a sovereign nuclear state. Syed Asim Munir noted that India's inability to achieve its stated military ob-
jectives during Operation Sindoor and the subsequent attempt to rationalize this shortfall through convoluted logic speaks volumes about its lack of operational
readiness and strategic foresight. He said insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan's successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect and reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence. He said naming other states as participants in the purely bilateral military conflagration is also a shoddy attempt at playing camp politics and desperately trying that India remains the beneficiary of larger geopolitical contestation as the so-called net security provider in a region which is getting increasingly weary of its hegemonic and extremist Hindutva ideology. In contrast to India's strategic behaviour resting on parochial self-alignment, Pakistan has forged lasting partnerships based on principled diplomacy, anchored in mutual respect and peace, establishing itself to be a stabilizer in the region.
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PA speaker defends move to deseat opposition MPAs LAHORE
staff report
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan on Monday defended his move to file a disqualification reference against 26 opposition members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) over "un-parliamentary conduct". Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the speaker said he has always tried to fulfil his responsibilities as a good custodian of the House. “I have always acted as a good custodian of the House, but I cannot per-
mit the use of vulgar language on the assembly floor,” he added. Responding to criticism over the use of constitutional provisions, Malik Ahmad said: “While I personally oppose Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution ... they do grant the speaker the authority to take action when lawmakers violate the rules of parliamentary conduct.” His presser comes days after he filed a disqualification reference against 26 PTI-backed opposition MPAs with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Provinces added to case against PECA Amendments, IHC begins hearing ISLAMABAD
staff report
Justice Inam Amin Minhas of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday heard multiple petitions seeking the annulment of the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Act 2025. The petitions, filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), prominent TV anchors, and the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Journalists Association, challenge the amendments made to the PECA Act. In response, the federal government submitted a written reply to the court. A government lawyer informed the court that provincial governments have also been made respondents in the case. Lawyer Imran Shafiq informed the court that an initial objection raised by the Registrar’s Office had been resolved.
During the proceedings, the IHC directed the petitioners’ lawyers to begin presenting their arguments. Dr. Yasir Aman Khan, counsel for PFUJ, began by providing the historical context of the PECA Act, highlighting that it was originally introduced in 2016. He stated that the 2025 Amendment removed several provisions from the original act and added new ones, including the establishment of a Social Media Complaint Council, which significantly expands the law's scope. Justice Inam Amin Minhas instructed the petitioners to clarify the changes in the Code of Conduct and explain how they differed from the previous version. The court emphasized the need to understand the scope and impact of the amendments. Earlier this year, the National Assembly passed amendments to the PECA under a supplementary
agenda, greatly expanding the government’s authority to regulate online content and penalize digital offenses. The PECA Amendment Act 2025 includes provisions for the formation of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), which will be empowered to remove online content, restrict access to prohibited material, and impose penalties on individuals who share such content. The amendments also broadened the definition of “social media platforms” to include various communication tools and software. Additionally, the amendments mandate the disbanding of the FIA Cybercrime Wing and its replacement with a stricter framework for enforcement. Individuals found sharing expunged material from parliamentary or provincial assemblies on social media could face imprisonment for up to three years and a fine of Rs2 million.
PM Sharif invites Etisalat Group to expand investment in Pakistan g
GOVT WOULD PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY FACILITIES TO ENCOURAGE FURTHER INVESTMENT, SAYS SHEHBAZ SHARIF
PROFIT
staff report
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday invited the Etisalat Group to expand its investment in Pakistan and assured full government support. He said the government would provide all necessary facilities to encourage further investment.
The invitation came during a meeting with a five-member delegation from the Emirati telecommunications company Etisalat Group, led by CEO Hatem Dowidar. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and senior officials from
relevant institutions, according to the PM Office. Sharif said that relations between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates are rooted in shared cultural, religious, and social values. He noted that UAE companies have been investing in Pakistan for many years. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing a business-friendly environment and creating investment opportunities for all foreign companies, including those from the UAE. Dowidar praised the government’s current policies for supporting international investment and said they had improved the business climate. He said Etisalat had been investing in Pakistan for 19 years and was interested in further expanding its operations. Dowidar added that over 10,000 Pakistanis are currently working in the company and that Etisalat is looking forward to continuing longterm investment in the country.
Speaking to the media after holding a meeting with ECP officials in Islamabad, Malik had said that he had already submitted the reference and today’s meeting was held to seek legal advice on related matters. The disqualification reference was filed following the unrest during the Punjab Assembly budget session when opposition members raised slogans and disrupted the proceedings. In an order dated June 27, the speaker, while exercising powers conferred under Rule 210(3) of the Rules of Procedure 1997, suspended the opposition members for a total of 15 assembly sessions.
Sindh govt suspends SBCA DG over Lyari building collapse: Minister KARACHI
staff report
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has suspended the director general of the Sindh Building and Control Authority over the recent building collapse in Karachi that claimed 27 lives. The five-storey building on Fida Husain Shaikha Road in Lea Market collapsed on Friday morning, with the rescue operations concluding on Friday. The building had already been declared uninhabitable by authorities due to its dilapidated structure, with the SBCA saying it had issued multiple prior notices to residents to vacate the structure since 2023. “Today, the chief minister has also suspended the DG SCBA and has ordered the home minister to immediately register an FIR (First Information Report) on the incident and that strictest action be taken against all those involved,” Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said. He was addressing a press conference in Karachi alongside Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar and Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani. According to Ghani, some other officials who were suspended include the SBCA’s deputy director and building inspectors. He also noted that the Sindh government has announced Rs1 million in compensation to the families of the 27 deceased people. Major opposition parties the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQMP) and Jamaat-i-Islami have condemned the PPP’s Sindh government, the SBCA and other authorities, accusing them of “criminal negligence”. They not only demanded compensation and alternative residences for the affected families, but also called for the registration of manslaughter cases against the officials responsible for the tragedy. Noting the loss of 27 lives, Memon said: “The entire province, nation and all of us as the government representatives are saddened and equally share the grief of the bereaved families.” “The chief minister has taken a very strict notice of this,” he asserted. Memon said CM Murad’s notice of the incident was aimed at ensuring strict action “against those who did not fulfil their duties or even if they fulfilled, they were not able to implement them”. He added that the fact-finding committee formed on the incident, which was given three days to present a report, would submit its report within two days due to the Ashura public holidays over the weekend.