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PM SHEHBAZ DIRECTS FORMULATION OF ROADMAP TO BOOST TRADE, INVESTMENT
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Tuesday, 23 September, 2025 | 29 Rabiul Awal, 1447
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SAYS AGRICULTURE, IT, MINERALS, TOURISM, AND RENEWABLE ENERGY ARE IMPORTANT SECTORS TO ENHANCE INVESTMENT VOLUME
EMPHASISES PROMOTING TRADE AS PART OF GOVT’S POLICY TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE EXPORTS
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INSTRUCTS ALL MINISTERS TO IDENTIFY FEASIBLE PROJECTS AND TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS
Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 76 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
PM FELICITATES SAUDI ARABIA LEADERSHIP, PEOPLE ON SAUDI ARABIAN NATIONAL DAY
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PM heads to New York to attend UNGA session, high-level meetings LONDON
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LONDON
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RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed authorities to develop a comprehensive roadmap and a reform agenda with practical projects to promote investment and trade in all key sectors. Chairing a high-level meeting on enhancing investment volume and economic and trade activities in Pakistan, the premier emphasised that agriculture,
IT, minerals, tourism, and renewable energy were important sectors that could attract foreign investment. Along with investment, he said, promoting trade was also part of the government’s policy to significantly increase the country’s exports. PM Shehbaz said that targets had been given to the ministries to utilise all available resources to ensure the timely completion of all ongoing projects. He also instructed all ministers to identify feasible projects and take immediate steps to put them into practice.
Apex court questions basis of windfall profit tax ISLAMABAD
staff Correspondent
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed from London on Monday for New York, where he will lead Pakistan’s delegation at the high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session. According to a statement issued earlier by the Foreign Office (FO), the prime minister “will urge the international community to resolve the situations of prolonged occupation and denial of the right to self-determination,” particularly in India-occupied Kashmir and Palestine. “He will also highlight Pakistan’s perspective on the regional security situation, as well as other issues of
For this purpose, he said a roadmap and a reform agenda should be devised with the future in mind so that progress toward our goals can be made in an organised manner. The prime minister emphasised that the private sector will play a pivotal role in the economic roadmap, and its partic-
international concern, including climate change, terrorism, Islamophobia, and sustainable development,” the FO said. The statement added that PM Shehbaz would attend several “high-level events” on the sidelines of the UNGA, including a moot of “select” Muslim leaders with US President Donald Trump. He will also hold meetings with several world leaders and senior UN officials to exchange views on issues of mutual interest. “He will underline Pakistan’s resolve to work with all UN member states to uphold the UN Charter, prevent conflict, foster peace and promote global prosperity in Pakistan’s current role as a member of the Security Council,” the FO noted.
ipation will be crucial for success. “Our ongoing economic and financial reform policies have given a new direction to the economy, and due to the innovation and transparency, the country is now on the path of development,” he added.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
Ishaq Dar arrives in New York for 80th UNGA session NEW YORK
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The Supreme Court on Monday grilled the government over its decision to impose a windfall profit tax, asking whether ordinary price fluctuations could be treated as extraordinary profits. A fivemember constitutional bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan heard arguments from petitioners’ counsel Ahmed Jamal Sukhera. Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi questioned the government’s definition of windfall gains, asking: “If petrol rises from Rs150 to Rs200, would that be windfall profit? If sugar goes from Rs160 to Rs170, would that still count?” Sukhera argued the tax unfairly targeted select sectors, claiming that while a handful of businesses profited, many others suffered losses. “If three or four people benefit while the majority incur losses, how can tax be imposed?” he said, calling the measure a product of “windfall profit policy” rather than sound economic logic. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar noted that constitutional safeguards had limits. “Article 10-A is about fair trial — what does that have to do with taxation?” he asked. Sukhera countered that taxation required public participation, and that the levy violated Entry 47 of the Constitution, which outlines Parliament’s powers to tax. Justice Mazhar responded that while municipal taxes allow for public input, “income tax law has no clause about public hearing.” The courtroom also witnessed lighter moments. When Sukhera remarked, “Simplicity too can be a captivating charm,” Justice Mazhar quipped, “Perhaps this is your kind of simplicity?” Later, Sukhera referenced his age and mentioned his children, who are barristers. Upon learning that the person was 57 years old, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail asked, “Do you consider 57 to be old?” — sparking laughter.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar arrived in New York on Monday to participate in the highlevel segment of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which will take place from September 22 to 26. Dar is part of the Pakistani delegation, which will be led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Upon his arrival, Dar was welcomed by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, and
other senior officials from the Pakistani mission. In addition to accompanying the prime minister to various engagements, Ishaq Dar will repre-
sent Pakistan in several ministerial and high-level meetings. He is also scheduled to hold over a dozen bilateral meetings with his counterparts from different countries.
SC upholds military trials of civilians, seeks independent right of appeal ISLAMABAD
staff Correspondent
The Supreme Court has ruled that although the Pakistan Army Act offers procedural safeguards, it remains constitutionally deficient in its application to civilians because it lacks an independent right of appeal in civilian courts. In May 2025, a constitutional bench of the apex court, by a 5-2 majority, allowed the trial of civilians in military courts. Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Naeem Akhtar Afghan dissented from the majority view. The matter stemmed from the prosecution of civilians in military courts over their alleged involvement in the May 9, 2023 riots, which included attacks on army installations following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. Issuing its detailed judgment on Monday, the court clarified that the provisions of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, were “not inherently unconstitutional.” However, it emphasized that the absence of a statutory right of appeal to the High Courts for civilians required urgent legislative reform. The bench directed parliament to amend the Army Act and related rules within 45 days, creating an independent appellate forum for civilians convicted under military law for offences specified in Section 2(1)(d)(i), Section 2(1)(d)(ii), and Section 59(4) of the Act. The court stressed that this legislative intervention was essential to safeguard civilian rights, while also underlining its institutional deference to parliament’s authority. Drawing upon international standards, including Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the court observed that military tribunals are permissible so long as they guarantee fairness— particularly through an independent appellate process. Rejecting the claim that such trials breach Article 175(3) of the Constitution, which separates the judiciary from the executive, the court held that military courts operate within their own constitutional and statutory framework. It noted that they neither replace nor diminish the jurisdiction of ordinary courts. Although the Army Act already provides for internal appeals under Sections 133 and 133-B, the court deemed them insufficient for civilians. It stressed that Pakistan’s constitutional development, coupled with its obligations under international law, demands a statutory right of appeal before civilian courts. The judgment recorded that during hearings, the attorney general sought time to consult the government on introducing such reforms and assured the bench that its recommendations would be duly considered. It may be recalled that Justices Mandokhail and Afghan, in their earlier dissenting note in May, had rejected the appeals and upheld an October 23, 2023 ruling which declared military trials of civilians unconstitutional by a 4-1 majority. That earlier verdict, authored by a bench led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, had struck down key provisions of the Army Act. Subsequently, however, the constitutional bench reconstituted under the 26th Amendment restored those provisions, allowing military trials of civilians to resume—subject now to the requirement of an independent right of appeal.
SC sends back petitions filed by five IHC judges ISLAMABAD
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The Supreme Court (SC) registrar’s office has returned constitutional petitions filed by five judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), citing multiple procedural objections, according to court sources on Monday. The petitions, which challenged the powers of IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, were filed
under Article 184(3) of the Constitution. Article 184(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan grants the Supreme Court original jurisdiction to hear matters of public importance concerning the enforcement of any of the fundamental rights guaranteed in Chapter I of Part II of the Constitution. The registrar’s office raised several objections, noting that the judges failed to specify any matter of public importance or to identify which fundamental rights were affected to justify invoking
the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction. Sources said the objections stated that the petitions appeared to be motivated by personal grievances rather than issues of public interest. The office cited the Supreme Court’s precedent in Zulfiqar Mehdi vs PIA, which does not permit petitions based on personal disputes under Article 184(3). The registrar further observed that the applications did not meet the essential requirements of Article 184(3),
lacked a clear explanation for issuing notices to respondents and failed to provide solid reasons for filing constitutional petitions. The five IHC judges had sought to challenge the administrative powers of Chief Justice Dogar through their petitions. Earlier, five IHC judges went to the SC in person to file separate constitutional petitions, challenging several administrative steps taken by IHC Chief Justice Dogar.
PTI announces Sept 27 Peshawar Rally as ‘Milestone’ for Imran Khan’s release PESHAWAR
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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has urged the public to turn out in large numbers for the party’s mass rally in Peshawar on September 27, terming it a struggle for the nation’s freedom. “This rally is for the nation’s freedom. The media’s voice has been strangled, and the party has been instructed to make this gathering a success,” Khan’s sister Aleema Khan told reporters outside Adiala Jail on Monday, conveying his message. The PTI leadership in KhyberPakhtunkhwa has declared the rally a landmark step in the campaign for Imran Khan’s release. The announcement followed a highlevel meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in Peshawar, where party officials finalised arrangements. The gathering will be held near Ring Road Motorway Chowk, starting at 4 p.m., with CM spokesperson Faraz Mughal appointed as focal person.
Speaking to reporters, Gandapur said the rally would be “a historic moment in the struggle for real freedom.” He added: “We are united for Imran Khan’s release. When a nation is united, no power can block its path to freedom. This movement is for justice and the people’s future.” Imran, in messages relayed through his sister, also underscored the importance of Pakistan’s global partnerships, particularly with Saudi Arabia, and reaffirmed that protecting the holy mosques was an “honour for the nation.” On legal matters, Aleema Khan pointed to recent developments in the Toshakhana case, saying one witness had been discredited while the former military secretary confirmed the validity of all documents. She expressed optimism that both Imran and his wife Bushra Bibi would be freed soon. Quoting the PTI founder, Aleema said the party had won a two-thirds majority in the elections but votes were “stolen and handed to convicted people.” She added that Imran praised judges who had “stood up for
the rule of law” and labelled them “heroes of the nation.” He also instructed PTI leaders Ali Amin Gandapur and Junaid Akbar to lead the rally, while advising party workers and lawyers not to engage with the military establishment. “For three years we tried dialogue, but it only brought further suppression. Whoever wants to talk should come to jail,” she quoted him as saying. Background: Imran Khan’s Arrest and May 9 Riots Imran Khan was arrested on May 9, 2023, triggering violent protests nationwide. Demonstrators attacked both civil and military installations, including Jinnah House in Lahore and the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The military labelled the events as a “Black Day” and decided to try rioters under the Pakistan Army Act. In the months that followed, dozens of PTI members were tried in military courts. In December, 25 individuals — including Imran’s nephew Hassan Khan Niazi — were convicted, followed by another 60 in subse-
quent rulings. In January, 19 convicts had their sentences commuted after mercy appeals, though PTI leaders criticised the limited pardons.
Military trials were initially suspended after a Supreme Court verdict but later resumed when the court directed that all pending cases be concluded.