PM SHEHBA Z VISITS KP’S FLOOD-RAVAGED AREAS AS RESCUE OPERATION COMPLETED IN DALORI
g PRIME MINISTER A SSURES FLOOD -AFFECTED PEOPLE OF GOVT AND ARMY ’S UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EXTENDING MAXIMUM SUPPORT TO THEM ‘ IN THIS CRITICAL HOUR ’
g SPEAKS OF ILLEGAL ENCROACHMENTS, TIMBER MAFIA, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY IN REGION ’S WATERWAYS, WHICH HAVE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO LOSSES
ravaged homes, displaced families, and left a trail of destruction across Buner, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and parts of Gadoon Amazai
I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited the cloudburst- and flood-ravaged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s districts of Swat, Buner and Shangla as rescue operation was completed in Gadoon s Dalori with 14 more bodies recovered from debris Record rains and cloudburst in KP, started on August 15, have wreaked havoc on different parts of the province, prompting the provincial government to declare an emergency as torrential rains
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accompanied by federal ministers and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, visited the floodaffected districts of Swat, Buner, and Shangla,” according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Earlier in the day fourteen more bodies were recovered from underneath the debris in Dalori a cloudburst-hit in Swabi district s mountainous Gadoon region, bringing the number of bodies recovered in the region to 37 according to the PDMA and rescue officials According to the latest data from the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority, 385 people have died in rain-re-
decades of systematic neglect PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram in a strongly worded statement on Wednesday slammed the Sindh government for its apathy mismanagement, and years of neglect that have turned Karachi Pakistan s vital port city into a city of wreckage and ruin He said that even moderate rainfall was
ruling elite that has held Sindh hostage for over 30 years He further stated that the rains have merely exposed what the people of Karachi have endured for years an absolute absence of a drainage system waste management, mass transit infrastructure, and any form of accountability, adding that vehicles were seen floating through streets, homes were inundated, people electrocuted by exposed wires, and families left stranded without electricity food or communication while the Sindh government remained completely absent and indifferent PTI CIS said that the imposed Sindh government, along with the unmandated MQM, has done absolutely nothing to address Karachi s pressing needs He noted that billions in development funds have disappeared without a trace, while the ground reality remains unchanged broken roads clogged drainage systems and garbage piling up on every street corner
lated incidents since August 15 with Buner reporting the highest toll at 228 Another 182 people are injured including 145 men 27 women and 10 children
Top apex court judges say judicial process ‘undermined’ in 26th Amendment controversy
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
Supreme Court Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Munib Akhtar have written a letter to ‘expose’ another deepening rift within Pakistan s apex court over Chief Justice Yahya Afridi s failure to implement what the two judges argue was a legally binding decision by a Supreme Court Committee to hear challenges to the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment before a Full Court
The letter which has surfaced amid a brewing controversy, reveals a clash over judicial independence, transparency, and the handling of one of Pakistan’s most politically charged constitutional issues: the 26th Amendment which alters judicial authority and tenure and has been a lightning rod for debate, with opposition parties and legal experts questioning its impact on the judiciary’s autonomy
The letter states that on October 31 2024 Justices Shah and Akhtar members of the Supreme Court Committee formed under the Practice and Procedure Act, 2023, had pushed for a Full Court hearing to address petitions challenging the amendment’s validity They argued that only a collective adjudication by all judges could restore public faith in the institution, which was seen at the time to have been bat-
to strengthening joint efforts against terrorism They also reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration in trade, transit, regional development, health, education, culture, and combating drug trafficking as well as the extension of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) to Afghanistan Dar Presses Kabul on Counter-Terrorism On the sidelines of the trilateral dialogue FM Dar held a separate meeting with Afghan FM Amir Khan Muttaqi While acknowledging encouraging progress in political and commercial ties, Dar underlined Pakistan s concern over a recent resurgence of terrorist attacks within
tered by political pressures
However CJP Afridi citing informal private consultations with other judges insisted that the cases should be assigned to a Constitutional Bench a body created under the very amendment that was under scrutiny
In a dramatic turn the two justices said they had convened a formal Practice and Procedures Committee meeting the same day, deciding by majority to schedule the petitions for November 4, 2024 before a Full Court The decision was never complied with by the Registrar of the Supreme Court even after a subsequent letter was issued to them The CJP, who skipped the meeting, later issued notes justifying his refusal to comply The two
notes from the CJP recently uploaded to the Supreme Court s website suggest that he had declined to implement the committee s decision because such a move could have dampened the “much-needed spirit of collegiality” among
act on the Committee s directive further escalated tensions, leaving the petitions unresolved nearly ten months later
spending oversight, in line with the requirements set by in-
ternational lenders Under the amended law the federal government is required to present an Annual Budget Statement before the National Assembly each year, detailing the purpose, estimates, and breakdown of funds for each demand for grant The budget statement must also include statements on contingent liabilities
F LO O D V I C T I M S
National Foods announces restructuring of UAE subsidiary
PM S hehbaz visits KP ’s flood-ravaged areas as resc ue operation completed in D alori
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
COMPREHENSIVE
BRIEFING ON RESCUE AND RELIEF OPERATION
The prime minister and COAS also received a comprehensive briefing on ongoing rescue and relief operations in KP the PID added Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam, and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal accompanied PM Shehbaz During their interaction with flood victims the prime minister assured them of the government and the army s unwavering commitment to extending maximum support to them in this critical hour PM Shehbaz appreciated the tireless dedication of the armed forces and civil administration reaffirmed solidarity with the flood-affected population and assured them of all possible assistance the APP reported
The prime minister emphasized that every available national resource will be mobilized to accelerate recovery efforts and restore normalcy in the affected areas ILLEGAL ENCROACHMENTS TIMBER MAFIA AND STONE CRUSHING ACTIVITIES
Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister also drew attention to illegal encroachments, the timber mafia and stone crushing activities especially in the region s waterways which have contributed greatly to the loss of lives and damages
After the 2022 floods, I saw with my own eyes that on the sides of nullahs, rivers In fact, even inside the rivers that hotels and houses had been made There is no law in the entire world that allows you to construct dangerous hotels in such places he
regretted He said Pakistan must act as a ‘hard state’ where no one is above the law and necessary actions are taken against violators without distinction according to the APP COAS INTERACTS WITH TROOPS, POLICE AND CIVIL ADMINISTRATION INVOLVED IN RESCUE EFFORTS
Field Marshal Asim Munir also interacted with the troops police and civil administration personnel involved in rescue efforts lauding their selfless commitment in assisting victims of floods and torrential rains
The COAS directed ground formations to approach the responsibility with utmost devotion and to spare no effort in alleviating the hardships of flood-stricken families the APP report said He underscored that the safety and relief of fellow citizens remain the foremost priority, commending the forces and civil administration for their untiring service ” the APP reported The prime minister and participants earlier also offered prayers for those who lost their lives in the floods
On Tuesday, the premier had ordered a week-long, uninterrupted supply of electricity to the flood-hit areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and KP while road and power supply were being restored in these areas TRAGEDY UNFOLDED IN MOUNTAINOUS DALORI
Dalori, is a far-flung village in the mountainous regions of Gadoon Amazai, Topi, a sub-tehsil of Swabi
The area was hit by a cloudburst on Monday morning resulting in complete destruction of 12 houses and people were buried under the debris By Tuesday, the death toll in the Gadoon s Dalori had surged to 24, including eight children According to the KP PDMA the
number of dead in Gadoon s Dalori
rose to 37 on Wednesday
The officials said that the rescue operation has been completed in the area with the recovery of all dead bodies from under the debris adding that the government moved to the second phase of rehabilitation to help people rebuild their homes or move to safer places They pointed out that work has also been initiated on rehabilitation of communication means including road opening and rehabilitation restoration of the electricity supply system and cellular system Meanwhile, Swabi Deputy Commissioner Nasarullah Khan informed that “With the recovery of 14 more dead on Wednesday we have completed the rescue task and all 37 dead bodies from the debris at Dalori village have been recovered The district administration has completed the task, satisfying the local people who assisted them and monitoring the entire operation which was continued round the clock since Monday he added Eight dead bodies were recovered on Monday 15 more were extracted on Tuesday and 14 on Wednesday, he said Officials in hospitals said that a total of eight people were injured in Dalori village and they were provided free health services DC Nasarullah said: Now we will shift to relief operation to rehabilitate the locals affected by the cloudburst In a separate incident, four people were killed in Sarkoi Bala village The dead bodies from there were recovered on the very first day of the incident So far a total of 29 dead bodies including children women and men have been recovered from the debris in this ill-fated and natural calamity-hit village, District Emergency Officer (DEO) Rescue 1122 Swabi Muhammad Awais Babar informed the media
K arachi reels under heav y rains as death toll rises to 16
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Due to the severity of the situation, the provincial administration had announced a public holiday in the city today An Edhi Foundation spokesperson said in a statement that two unidentified children drowned in the Lyari River in Liaquatabad s C-1 Area and near Al-Asif Square in Sohrab Goth, while Rescue-1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan told Dawn com that their rescue team continued the search operation until nightfall but it was halted due to darkness Separately a young boy drowned while swimming in accumulated rainwater in a ditch off Northern Bypass, according to Gulshan-i-Maymar police Station House Officer (SHO) Abdul Ghaffar Korai
“The body was recovered and sent to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital he said Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn com that the body of an unidentified man in his early 60s who drowned was brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital by Site Superhighway Industrial Area police for legal formalities Meanwhile Shah Faisal Colony police said that two young brothers were electrocuted in the area on Tuesday evening Shah Faisal Colony SHO Imtiaz Husain Shah said that one of the victims was electrocuted by an underground electric wire
near Jamia Masjid Farooqia in Shah Faisal Colony - 4 His brother tried to rescue him but he also suffered an electric shock and died The victims were identified as Murad Sultan, 21 and Siraj Sultan, 12 Shortly after 2:30pm, rainfall was reported in Saddar, Malir, Malir Cantonment, Scheme 33 Gulistan-i-Jauhar Block 2 and near I I Chundrigar Kala Pull Road and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College (JPMC) Another spell dumped more rain on the city in the evening, triggering power outages even in areas where electricity had previously been restored By 8pm Orangi Town had recorded the heaviest showers receiving 37 millimetres in total from the two spells The PAF Faisal Base on Sharea Faisal followed with 32mm while Jinnah Terminal measured 18mm Keamari received 13mm, and the Airport Old Area saw 11mm of rainfall Other parts of the city experienced lighter showers, including Korangi with 6 8mm the Met Office station on University Road with 7 6mm Nazimabad with 2mm the PAF Masroor
Base in Karachi West with 2mm and Surjani Town with 1 8mm Several areas, such as Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Saadi Town, and Bahria Town, recorded negligible or no rain during this period In an alert issued at 3pm the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had warned that rains with thunderstorms and strong
winds were expected at most places in Karachi and its surrounding areas in the next two to four hours while heavy showers were also forecast at some locations Warning of the risk of increased urban flooding, the PMD had advised the public to take necessary precautions and remain alert In a post on X Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab warned citizens: It is expected to rain again from 2pm onwards I would request people to avoid movement and if it starts to rain, please stay put where you are whether it is your office or residence “We are expecting more intense rains,” Anjum Nazir a spokesperson for Sindh’s meteorological department as quoted as saying by Reuters NDMA WARNS OF MORE RAINFALL The NDMA s National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) on Wednesday afternoon warned of heavy rainfall of 50-100 millimeters or more in parts of Sindh over the next 12 to 24 hours highlighting the risk of urban flooding waterlogging and disruptions to daily life A spokesman for the NDMA advised residents in vulnerable areas including Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, and adjoining regions to remain alert and closely monitor official updates to mitigate potential hazards The NDMA said urban flooding was expected to persist in Karachi Hyderabad
Sukkur and Mirpurkhas due to continued downpours and poor drainage infrastruc-
h e b u l l r u n
TThe KSE closing above 150,000 shows that something is right Usman Rizwan
H E closing on Wednesday of the benchmark KSE 100 Index at 150,591, up over 800 points, was more a realization of a direction, for the index had been rising steadily, and on Tuesday had crossed the 100,000-mark before falling slightly back The Pakistan Stock Exchange is bucking the regional trend, with its rise coming on the same day as the Nikkei in Japan and the Hang Sen in Hong Kong fell The PSE is thus not benefiting from some general or regional boom but has an inner strength which is enabling it to overcome a regional downtrend
The uptrend is occurring because of strong institutional buying from both local and international investors, and is buoyed by improving macroeconomic indicators, most importantly rupee stability (itself the result of a number of positive developments, as well as positive corporate developments, such as Moody s upgrade of five major Pakistani banks to Caa1 from Caa2, mirroring the sovereign upgrade and reflecting improved fiscal management under the IMF Extended Fund Facility programme This is on top of the positive developments flowing from the trade deal with the USA as well as a number of individual developments for corporations Buying interest strengthened in key industries like banking pharmaceuticals cement IT automobile and energy While the stock exchange is not really a precise indicator of where the economy is headed it does show what the business community thinks about where the economy is going As all enterprises need credit, if banking stocks are rising (as they are), it can only mean that investors expect them to earn well, and
O N T R A RY to the belief that all parents are experts, our journey begins the moment we hold our first-born One day you are a perfectly ordinary individual, and the next, by virtue of holding a newborn, you are expected to morph into a visionary capable of charting the perfect academic future for another human being Dreams begin to expand faster than our children grow and soon enough those dreams run headlong into the most formidable adversary of all: the education system The story of all such households continues After dealing with the teenagers and their complexities comes a major milestone in which we all must make a very hard choice: Matriculation or O-Levels It is hardly a decision more like a polite formality The prestige of O-Levels and A-Levels beckons, and we all obediently follow Choosing the right subjects after analysing the “aptitude” of our children becomes the first uphill task Three electives have to be chosen in addition to five compulsory subjects Dutifully in our case we stacked on 11 in total believing naively that more options equalled more career options The exam journey began with Pakistan Studies and Islamiat Harmless enough We breathed a sigh of relief and convinced ourselves the system was working But then came the nightmare: nine more papers in Class 11 spring 2023 Exam clashes Multiple papers on the same day It seemed the exam schedule was made without any consideration about the mental wellbeing of the candidates Then came the political turmoil of 9 May 2023, when our daughter was scheduled to sit for three papers Nothing prepares a teenager or a parent for that A city in chaos outside silence inside the exam hall surely the perfect training ground for resilience The uncertain political situation made the next one week an absolute disaster We would find out at 9 pm if the scheduled exam would take place the next day The stress, the anxiety, the trauma, is unexplainable Meanwhile the parents, being a beacon of optimism, dutifully prayed for “outstanding results ” During those weeks of trials and tribulations we cursed our luck the impossible exam schedule the state of the exam halls and the unprofessional behaviour of the invigilators appointed by the British Council We blamed everything except the core of the problem: The Examination System Then came the results Our daughter triumphed Against all odds she emerged with excellent grades And like fools we forgave The abusive system kicked her to the ground and we thanked it for letting her stand again Fast forward two years A-Levels, 2025 Our
hypersonics and MIRVs are more compatible with a counterforce mindset one that suggests the ability to disarm an adversary or at least threaten to That s not what minimum deterrence was supposed to be about And then there s the question of reach Agni-V was already capable of striking far outside the region Agni-VI, if reports are accurate, will be able to reach most of the world Why? No official statement has clearly justified that range The answer seems less about security and more about parity matching what other major powers already have But prestige is a dangerous foundation for a weapons programme When capability is pursued for symbolism, not strategy the result is often confusion and risk There s also something unsettling in the tempo of it all These developments aren t happening slowly In some cases announcements come before the systems are fully tested or even operational The momentum feels political, not technical As if the very act of developing, testing and publicizing has become more important
daughter full of courage chose four subjects two STEM two humanities hoping to balance intellect with passion Then came the hammer blow: May/June 2025 exam schedule a masterpiece in logistical absurdity Thirty-eight days of exams, but only eleven actual exam days Eleven days to decide her future eleven days to break her spirit The distribution? Four exams in three days Three exams in three days And brace yourself five A-Level papers in two consecutive days Five Let that sink in Curiously, there was little outrage Other parents like us accepted this ordeal with stoic silence, as though it were a weather pattern beyond human control Chai was brewed, online tuitions arranged, and children gently reminded that character is forged in the furnace of exhaustion 26 April 2025 came towards us at lightning speed The exams started and so did the sleepless nights, the continuous online tuition classes and the zombie-like state we found our child in Adding insult to injury, on May 7 our neighbour across the border chose to escalate hostilities Drones over Lahore anti-aircraft fire panic everywhere And then the devastating announcement: exams cancelled One
I now feel that these exams are not designed to test
They are designed to test stamina. The true curriculum is not mathematics or literature but sleep deprivation, stress tolerance , and emotional for titude . Cambridg e calls it education. I call it institutionalised child abuse . The sur vivors may enter university, the rest quietly disappear into the statistics
than the underlying utility of the system itself
This is where prestige begins to overpower doctrine And when doctrine starts playing catch-up, miscalculation isn t far behind This kind of buildup doesn’t stay invisible
Even if India insists it’s only modernizing or asserting its rightful status the region watches and reacts In an environment with no real arms control frameworks especially in South Asia the consequences of perception matter just as much as capability If India is seen to be moving toward a more flexible or ambiguous posture, others will assume the worst and act accordingly That’s how arms racing starts Not necessarily with intent but with interpretation Modi s approach to defence isn t purely about strategic logic It s also emotional It s tied to identity The military, especially missile development, is increasingly part of the larger political narrative a resurgent India taking its place on the global stage That’s a powerful idea domestically It plays well But when that story relies on systems that send mixed signals abroad it creates uncertainty And uncertainty when it involves nuclear systems is the last thing you want What we re seeing is a shift not just in what India builds, but in why From security needs to status claims From doctrinal clarity to technological demonstration From restraint to signaling These transitions are subtle but when layered together they change how the missile programme is perceived both inside and outside the country None of this means India is preparing for war, or that every test is a provocation But the overall direction matters When a country begins to field systems that don’t match its stated doctrine and does so loudly and publicly the risk isn t only technical it s political It changes how others build how they posture and how
Green deficit
syeda saba isRaR
The silent battlefield
MiAn MAsood TAriq
PAKISTAN’S DIGITAL SHIELD IN THE ERA OF INVISIBLE WAR: The great wars of the past were fought with tanks jets and artillery Wars today- and tomorroware fought in mute silence on glowing screens, and invisible networks Here, Pakistan is not an unknowing spectator as a line or two of malicious code can kill the economy or incapacitate the command systems of a country It is indeed a state that understands the stakes acknowledges the existential dangers and is diligently building a cyber shield capable of safeguarding sovereignty against the most elite of the adversaries There is a distinction between a tale of catching up for Pakistan in cyber evolution and a tale of smart adaptation Whereas countries boast about huge cyber budgets Pakistan knows how to achieve the strategic effect with precise tools and asymmetric capabilities In this region, the digital battlefield is as active as the Line of Control; hence, Pakistan s resolve to defend its networks now, counter hostile narratives, and prepare for future cyber offensives is not just commendable but essential for its survival and rise as an emerging digital power in South Asia
THE EVOLUTION OF CYBER POWER IN PAKISTAN: In recent years, with the explosion of cyberattacks on an international level from financial scams to shutdowns of power grids it became necessary for countries to rethink their overall strategy toward cyber warfare Cyber preparedness entered the national security agenda in Pakistan by the mid-2010s This was not just about imitating superpower doctrine; rather it was placing it into a framework that matched Pakistan’s threat environment and with its resource realities The transition was away from pure defensive posturing toward developing offensive capabilities for use against imminent threats
The approach was similar to the doctrine of “strategic depth” in terms of conventional warfare- but it was actually in cyberspace Pakistan would include efficiency in the ability to operate in enemy networks locate intelligence and disrupt hostile systems rather than perimeter defence
OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE CAPA-
BILITIES: Defensive cyber capabilities of
Pakistan have transformed enormously over the last decade There are secure, air-gapped military networks that prevent any remote infiltration; all sensitive data is secured by sophisticated firewalls and intrusion detection systems that are layered Moreover in real time the Security Operations Centres (SOCs) can assure that any anomaly will be detected and neutralized before any major damage is caused To use an offensive metaphor, it is demonstrated that Pakistan is not only able to defend but also attack It has such systems that can conduct a targeted disruption to enemy communication; penetrate secured networks for intelligence-gathering purposes; and conduct tactical actions in information warfare to counteract hostile propaganda Like special forces in the traditional forms of combat these attack cyber teams operate quietly strike precisely and disappear without leaving a digital fingerprint
CYBER FORCES ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE IN PAKISTAN: The cybersecurity architecture of Pakistan is not a single monolithic body but a coordinated ecosystem Each strategic-level command at the top aligns cyber policy with national security objectives While each arm maintains its own specific cyber unit, whose responsibilities include protecting branch-specific systems and supporting field operations
The online combat potential of the civilian sector lies within agencies such as the FIA Cyber Crime Wing that prevent cybercriminal activities interrupt extremist propaganda and provide assistance in international investigations concerning cybercrime As academia and the private sector in technology engage more extensively they become a part of varied solutions that range from encryption software to AI-oriented threat detection
The civil-military integration is structured like combined operations for conventional warfare: with the army, the air force, and the navy working together toward strategic dominance In cyberspace, it may be invisible but it is no less important
WEAKNESSES IN CIVILIAN INFRA-
STRUCTURE: The advancement notwithstanding, there are areas in Pakistan that lie outside direct military control and remain vulnerable Civilian infrastructure, be it power grids hospitals transportation systems or banking falls far below anything ap-
proaching military grade in terms of cybersecurity In military parlance these constitute national defence soft targets
The adversaries are cognizant of this imbalance and would rather attack the properties of the civilian sector to instill terror disrupt economic stability and build political pressure without crossing any threshold that would amount to direct military retaliation
Therefore, fortifying civilian infrastructure becomes, thus, not a secondary priority of sorts; it is, in fact, part of the frontline against modern hybrid warfare
TALENT CHALLENGE: The ultimate definer of Pakistan s cyber capabilities have been its human capital Every year Pakistan produces thousands of IT graduates; however, only a small number receive advanced training in cyber warfare- there is a very fierce competition for skilled personnel who are lured abroad with attractive offers from tech giants and foreign defence contractors
This means that, on a conceptual level, the trained pilots or elite soldiers are being taken away by another nation out of Pakistan’s hands Without any retention strategies such as competitive salaries research opportunities and national recognition Pakistan may end up destroying the very basis of its cyber power
RELIANCE ON FOREIGN TECHNOL-
OGY: While very little progress has been made in indigenous software development by Pakistan much of the hardware such as processors routers and communication equipment is still imported In this sense it is a strategic vulnerability, similar to being dependent on foreign ammunition during war
An aggressive state could embed backdoors in hardware or disrupt the supply chain in times of crisis True cyber sovereignty would mean investing secure domestic manufacturing while researching alternative supply routes
STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES IN PAK-
ISTAN’S CYBER POSTURE: In spite of its vulnerabilities Pakistan has certain advantages that bolster its cyber posture Geographically it occupies a vantage point at the intersection of South Asia Central Asia and the Middle East, a location that would allow it to influence data flow across the region In contrast to countries with far greater budgets for cyber warfare capabilities Pakistan has had the good fortune of learning hybrid warfare in which kinetic operations are supplemented by information operations Cooperative defence agreements with friendly nations also provide access to specialized training, shared intelligence, and technology acquisition, thereby multiplying the capability without a commensurate increase in cost
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER: Artificial intelligence is changing the face of the cyber landscape In their application to defence, AI systems will function for Pakistan much like advanced radar would in an air war; faster threat detection prediction of potential attack vectors and automated countermeasures Machine learning can scour millions of random data points in real time, differentiating between anomalies that practising analysts might miss and identifying them Counter-propaganda operations feature in such applications whereby speedily and accurately Pakistan counter-narrates hostile ones-an essential function within the information battlespace
CYBER SOVEREIGNTY AND NATIONAL RESILIENCE: Cyber sovereignty signifies virtual control over the airspace of a nation It also implies having government and defence data stored within the national territories, managing the country s internet gateways, and protecting the citizens from foreign surveillance On the other hand national resilience describes enduring as well as recovering from the prolonged cyber-onslaught without strategic collapse It requires redundancy in critical core systems periodic stress testing of networks, and establishment of a common response protocol between civil and military sectors
PROSPECTIVE TRAJECTORIES OF CYBER STRENGTH: To safeguard Pakistan s future with regard to cyberspace it must consider melding its military and civilian cyber assets under a single umbrella of a National Cyber Command, much like it has
This will facilitate speedy decision-making, present an unambiguous chain of command, and optimize resource allocation
Private-public partnerships should be extended especially in the case of indigenous manufacturing facilities Operating cyber training academies linked directly to military programs could yield a steady stream of specialists-to-on-the-ground to defend, and when needed, counter-attack
B eginning in 2004, the CIA established a vast net work of at least 885 websites
Spanning 29 languages and targeting at least 36 countries direc tly, these websites were aimed not only at adversaries such as China, Venezuela, and Russia, but also at allied nations, including France, Italy, and Spain
Unlike Iran, however, China simply executed those operatives. It is believed that the CIA lost around 30 informants in the purge The affair is considered one of the worst intelligence failures in the agenc y ’s nearly 80-year histor y
The Iranian Intelligence Ministr y claimed that 30 individuals were arrested and a fur ther 42 CIA operatives were identified
Facebook has hired dozens of former CIA officials to run its most sensitive operations Perhaps the most notable of these individuals is Aaron B erman As the platform’s senior misinformation manager, B erman ultimately has the final say over what content is promoted and what is demoted or deleted from Facebook
consecutive, akin to housing each informant in adjacent properties on the same street Thus if you looked at neighboring IP addresses you would see similarly designed websites and could easily put two and two together Even with some relatively basic online searches Iranian authorities were able to identify dozens of CIA-run websites From there, they simply waited to see who would access them
The Iranian Intelligence Ministry claimed that 30 individuals were arrested and a further 42 CIA operatives were identified Some websites such as IranianGoalKicks com FirstNewsSource com and FarsiNewsAndWeather com can still be accessed through the Internet Wayback Machine Hosseini spent more than nine years in prison and was released in 2019 He has received no support from American officials who have not even contacted him since his arrest The U S however continues to attempt to overthrow the Iranian government sponsoring highprofile opposition figures and hijacking domestic protest movements In June it also carried out airstrikes on nuclear facilities across the country
SPYING ON ALLIES AND ADVERSARIES
of informants across the country, who, when the network was active used platforms such as eChessNews com and SportsNewsFinder com to transmit information back to the United States But as in Iran Chinese authorities began to dismantle the network Starting in late 2010 the spying network was systematically dismantled by officials, likely using similar tactics to those of the Iranians Unlike Iran, however, China simply executed those operatives It is believed that the CIA lost around 30 informants in the purge The affair is considered one of the worst intelligence failures in the agency s nearly 80-year history
Since then the U S spying network in China has been severely diminished Earlier this year, the CIA changed tack, publicly releasing two videos encouraging disaffected Communist Party officials to spy for them in exchange for money and the prospect of a new life in America
“As I rise within the party I watch those above me being discarded like worn-out shoes but now I realize that my fate was just as precarious as theirs the narrator says in one Our leaders failure to fulfil repeated promises of prosperity has become a well-known secret It s time to build my own dream,” he says in another
correct word into it would trigger a login process revealing a secret messaging interface Each informant had their own webpage designed specifically for them, to insulate them from others in the network It seemed like an ingenious idea However, Hosseini and the other spies were soon detected, thanks to some sloppy mistakes in
The
ALIKE: The network of websites spanned a wide range of topics Few would guess that Rasta Direct a website dedicated to the relatively niche religion of Rastafari had anything to do with U S intelligence The CIA also created Star Wars Web, a fan page for the sci-fi franchise, and All Johnny, a page dedicated to late-night legend Johnny Carson Sports, gaming and news blogs, however were the most common topics for fake websites These websites served as cover for informants offering some level of plausible deniability if casually examined Upon close inspection however few of these pages provided any unique content and simply rehosted news and blogs from elsewhere, linking to already available resources Informants in enemy nations, such as Venezuela, used sites like Noticias-Caracas and El Correo De Noticias to communicate with Langley while Russian moles used My Online Game Source and TodaysNewsAndWeather-Ru com and other similar platforms However, a vast network of informants in allied countries, such as France, Spain and Italy, was also uncovered, using financial news, mountaineering, and running websites to pass on vital information to the CIA Germany was another country Washington actively targeted In 2013 it was revealed that the U S had been bugging the cellphone of Chancellor Angela Merkel for over a decade, sparking a major diplomatic rift One year later, in 2014, Germany detained one of its own intelligence officials after catching him spying for the United States
THE COLLAPSE OF THE CIA S CHINA NETWORK: China however remains a top target for the CIA The organization maintains an extensive network
The CIA instructs would-be traitors to download the Tor Browser and contact the CIA via its website While Tor is marketed in the West as a privacy tool a previous MintPress News investigation revealed that it was created with funding from the U S government by a company with ties to the CIA Last year, Washington passed a $1 6 billion bill to finance anti-China propaganda worldwide
While The Open Technology Fund presents itself as independent internet freedom activists their funding staff and history suggest otherwise
WEAPONIZING APPS AND PLATFORMS: This is not the only time that the U S national security state has created fake web platforms in order to stoke regime change around the world In 2010, USAID a CIA front organization secretly created the Cuban social media app Zunzuneo Often described as Cuba s Twitter Zunzuneo rocketed to prominence The app had been designed to offer a reliable and affordable service, undercutting the com-
Trump rules out US troops for Ukraine
Musk quietly puts brakes on plans for new politic al par t y
PUNJAB TO GET JAPANESE-MODELED POLICING, AI TRAFFIC SYSTEM, CM MARYAM VOWS
Brief: The First 1BILL Connect Conference
affordable and quality education in line with modern requirements expressing hope that a large number of students will benefit from this opportunity
Prof Rober tson highlights trade labor nexus, its implications for tech and policy
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t The second day of the conference started with the plenary address of Raymond Robertson (Professor and holder of the Helen and Roy Ryu Chair in Economics and Government in the Department of International Affairs at the
PAKISTAN DEBUNKS INDIA’S ALLEGATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AS ‘FALL ACIOUS’ AT UN
AMQM -P ’s S attar asks K arachi M ayor to resign af ter rain havoc in C ity
s ta f f r e p o r t
Senior MQM-Pakistan (MQM-P)
leader Dr Farooq Sattar has demanded that Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab resign from his post following rain havoc in the megacity
During a late-night visit to rain-affected areas of Surjani Town, Sattar expressed anger over the failure to drain rainwater, saying that the claims of local representatives had been washed away in the streets of Karachi
We can afford the salaries and perks but we cannot carry the burden of this mayor, he remarked, criticizing the city s administration
Sattar further said it appears
there is a national consensus to destroy Karachi, urging the federal government to change its attitude
He suggested that while Karachi may not be declared a dis-
aster-hit zone the city should at least be given tax relief in this difficult time
The MQM leader also lashed out at the PPP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and PTI for failing to manage the post-rain situation, questioning how many storm drains had been cleaned and whether any effective rain emergency was put in place
He praised Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori noting that despite having no official resources or public funds, he had turned his largely ceremonial office into a practical and exemplary role
“We have been out since morning and have now completed our visit of Karachi MQM has fulfilled yet another promise, Sattar added
RAWALPINDI
s ta f f r e p o r t
The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC)
Rawalpindi on Wednesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for 14 convicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Omar Ayub Shibli Faraz Sheikh Rashid
Shafiq Zartaj Gul Kanwal
Shauzab and Sahibzada Hamid
Raza in connection with the GHQ attack and other May 9 riots cases
The court directed the police to produce all 14 leaders at the next hearing on September 3 ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah heard 12 cases related to the May
9 riots registered in the Rawalpindi division, including the GHQ attack, the Army Museum assault, arson at sensitive buildings in Saddar and the torching of Metro stations on Murree Road The jail trial of the GHQ attack case was postponed once again, with the next session fixed for September 3
The court rejected exemption pleas filed by lawyers of the 14 convicted leaders ruling that since they had already been sentenced in the Faisalabad court they must surrender before the court for seeking relief
The ATC judge issued arrest warrants for 31 other accused who
failed to appear without justification Out of 119 witnesses in the GHQ attack case, 27 have recorded their statements while three more have been summoned for the next hearing
The court also distributed copies of challans to those accused present in other cases, with charges set to be framed against PTI s founder and co-accused on the next date of hearing
TOKYO/LAHORE
s ta f f r e p o r t
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on her official visit to Japan on Wednesday met Senior State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mayaji Takuma and agreed to boost cooperation in trade, investment, technology and disaster management
The Japanese minister welcomed her as the first woman Chief Minister of Punjab and lauded her development initiatives
Extending her best wishes for the leadership and people of Japan, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said Pakistan values Japan as a trusted partner and aims to adopt its successful models of development in Punjab Japan has become a cradle of economic technological, and social progress
Alongside material advancement, its respect for human values is exemplary We want to implement Japan’s development model in Punjab she remarked
need to benefit from Japanese expertise in earthquake-resistant construction and disaster preparedness “Japan’s assistance in times of crisis has always been unforgettable We wish to strengthen cooperation in disaster management to better combat floods, earthquakes, and other challenges, she added Minister Mayaji Takuma warmly welcomed Maryam Nawaz, congratulating her on becoming the first woman to hold the office of Chief Minister in Pakistan She noted that the visit was of special significance as it marked the first by a Pakistani leader of Maryam Nawaz s stature in nearly three decades C
The two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation between Punjab and Japan in multiple sectors, particularly trade investment disaster management and technology transfer
The Chief Minister also recalled Japan s timely support during Pakistan s natural calamities, especially the devastating 2005 earthquake, and emphasized the
He urged the UN to take a comprehensive approach to addressing conflict-related sexual violence especially in contexts of foreign occupation where abuse is harder to monitor or report He called for greater participation of women in peacebuilding, the adoption of a survivor-centered approach, prioritization of situations of occupation, accountability for perpetrators and action to address the root causes of unresolved conflicts The Pakistani diplomat also highlighted his country s contributions to UN peacekeeping, including its women peacekeepers, who serve in some of the world s most dangerous conflict zones
“Sexual violence is among the gravest crimes against human dignity he said We must take urgent and resolute action to
KARACHI