Regional powers step up diplomacy as Pakistan, Saudia, Türkiye, Egypt coordinate on Middle East crisis
Foreign ministers from Pakistan Saudi Arabia Türkiye and Egypt held consultations on Saturday to discuss the evolving regional situation, according to a statement by the Foreign Office The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty
According to the FO the ministers exchanged views on key regional developments and reaffirmed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in promot-
ing peace stability and shared prosperity They also expressed a collective commitment to strengthening coordination and expanding cooperation across areas of mutual interest
The meeting follows earlier engagements among the four countries aimed at de-escalating the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran Two prior meetings were held one in Riyadh and another in Islamabad ahead of the ceasefire announcement which is set to expire on April 22 Pakistan has been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, including hosting direct US-Iran talks in Islamabad on April 11 the highest-level engagement between the two sides in decades
While the talks concluded without a formal agreement both sides signalled willingness to continue negotiations, with reports suggesting a second round could take place soon
Speaking separately Egypt’s foreign minister said that Cairo was working closely with Pakistan on a framework to achieve lasting peace between the United States and Iran He added that the four countries were coordinating a broader regional initiative aimed at preventing further escalation and establishing a post-war security arrangement
He also emphasised the importance of safeguarding Gulf states and stabilising global energy markets supply chains and food security as part of the wider diplomatic effort
The State Bank of Pakistan on Saturday confirmed that Pakistan has repaid $2 billion in deposits to the United Arab Emirates along with interest as part of its external debt obligations According to the central bank, the funds had been placed as a safe deposit with the SBP The repayment comes amid ongoing efforts to manage foreign exchange reserves and meet external financing requirements
The development follows an agreement with Saudi Arabia to extend the maturity of its $3 billion deposit with Pakistan, providing some relief to the country’s external position Earlier this week the SBP had also confirmed
receipt of $2 billion from Saudi Arabia helping stabilise reserves Despite these inflows analysts say Pakistan s external financing gap could widen after the UAE repayment, particularly as the country also paid around 6 per cent interest on the deposit Recently, Pakistan repaid an additional $1 43 billion in external debt including a $1 3 billion Eurobond Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said the government is
reserves currently cover about 2 8 months of imports, a level he described as critical for maintaining macroeconomic stability He added that while Pakistan has not yet sought changes to its $7 billion programme with the International Monetary Fund adjustments could be considered depending on the economic impact of
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US President Donald Trump seems satisfied that Iran has agreed to whatever he had demanded and that its objectives had been achieved Israel will still bear watching for its only role so far in the peace has been to agree to a ceasefire with Lebanon, whose territory it covets However, it is a sad reality that if it does not like where talks are leading, it will sabotage them Last year, it began bombing Iran when its talks with the USA were yielding results, and it kept bombing Lebanon when the Islamabad talks were taking place It has also not stopped bombing Gaza, almost as it was keeping an excuse to make it impossible for Iran to keep talking However, just because Israel is likely bent on mischief does not mean Pakistan must stint its peace efforts There are many, not least its Eastern neighbour ’who resent the responsible and respectable position Pakistan finds itself in Pakistan should not assume the challenges to its diplomacy are over If the ceasefire in place breaks down Pakistan will have to decide on a course of action that suits its interests and it should not assume that it will have as much freedom of action as it does now
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi
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PA K I S TA N is dimming its lights again this time by design The government s decision to enforce roughly 2 25 hours of daily outages during peak evening demand is being framed as a calculated move to prevent a tariff shock On paper, the logic is defensible: generating electricity through expensive imported fuels during high-demand hours would push prices sharply upward But when a country must choose between darkness and unaffordable power, it is not managing a fluctuation it is confronting a structural fault line Call it what it is: a system under stress The immediate trigger is clear Fuel constraints worsened by disruptions in liquefied natural gas supplies amid global tensions have tightened Pakistan s already fragile energy balance For years the country has leaned heavily on imported fuels to bridge its energy gap That dependence now stands exposed When supply chains falter, the grid does not merely strain it reveals how little control Pakistan has over its own energy security Compounding
mitted, priced, and consumed and in how policy reacts to stress rather than anticipates it At its core is a mismatch between when energy is available and when it is needed most Daytime capacity often sits underutilized while evening peaks strain the system to its limits In physics inefficiency always carries a cost and Pakistan s grid is paying it through losses, volatility, and repeated crises Transmission bottlenecks, line losses, and uneven consumption patterns turn manageable fluctuations into persistent instability Yet the same logic that explains the problem also points toward solutions Start with the most underutilized asset in Pakistan s energy landscape: sunlight The country lies within a high solar irradiance zone, receiving abundant sunlight for most of the year This is not a marginal advantage; it is a structural opportunity Distributed solar particularly rooftop systems can significantly reduce pressure on the grid during peak hours Every kilowatt generated at the point of consumption is a kilowatt the system does not have to produce transmit and subsidize What is missing is policy consistency Net metering, once a promising driver of decentralized generation, has been clouded by regulatory uncertainty Without clear incentives and long-term signals adoption remains slower than it should be Then there is storage the critical piece often
the impact in quiet but significant ways But the deeper problem lies beyond this immediate policy choice Pakistan’s energy crisis is not cyclical; it is systemic It is rooted in how electricity is generated trans-
From Dominance to Dilemma
There are no quick fixes. But there is a clear direction. The present crisis offers clarity It exposes trade-offs, sharpens choices, and underscores the cost of inaction. Pakistan can continue to manage scarcity or it can build a system that is stable, sustainable, and secure. Because the real question is no longer whether the lights can be kept on tonight aIt is whether the country is willing to build a system that keeps them on every night
Overall, the conflict has increased regional instability and heightened the risk of further confrontation By surviving the conflict and imposing costs on US partners, Iran appears to have strengthened its regional position In contrast, the USA has faced significant challenges in achieving its objectives, while absorbing financial, military, and reputational costs This suggests a shift from uncontested dominance toward a more complex and uncertain strategic environment
Afghanistan’s Political Situation After US Withdrawal
to gold, while other currencies were connected to the dollar As a result, the dollar emerged as the most trusted and dominant currency in the international system This monetary supremacy enabled the USA to dominate the global financial system with most international trade and financial transactions conducted in dollars At the same time US military strength has been reinforced by its global alliance system, particularly NATO, and its extensive network of overseas military bases These factors enable effective power projection ensure a strategic presence in key regions and provide influence over critical energy routes thereby strengthening its role in global politics and the international economic order US dominance is further reinforced by its leadership in scientific and technological innovation which serves as a key instrument of power in international politics By maintaining superiority in both fundamental sciences and military technology, the USA secures a strategic advantage over its rivals Landmark achievements such as the Manhattan Project, the Apollo Program, and the Human Genome Project demonstrate its ability to convert scientific progress into geopolitical influence In the contemporary era leadership in Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies has become central to great power competition, shaping the future balance of power The country’s world-class universities and extensive research funding continue to attract global talent creating a steady flow of intellectual capital This fusion of knowledge technology and state support enhances both soft and hard power, allowing the USA to maintain a decisive edge in the evolving global order Since its independence in 1776, the USA has frequently been engaged in military conflicts in pursuit of its national interests Its expansion historically involved wars against Native Americans attempts to invade Canada conflict with Mexico, the Spanish-American War, and the annexation of Hawaii In the postWorld War II era, U S involvement in conflicts
has included the Korean War the Vietnam War the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, the War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, and interventions in Libya and Syria These interventions reflect the consistent use of military power to pursue strategic objectives
Despite these interventions no single state or alliance has been able to effectively challenge or defeat US political and military dominance
This is largely due to its deterrence-based strategy and overwhelming military capabilities As a result, no major power including China has demonstrated the strategic confidence to engage in direct conflict with the US–Israel alliance However recent developments suggest that this hegemonic position may be under strain US policies under the Make America Great Again” and “America First” agendas, particularly in relation to Iran, have introduced new strategic challenges Even an economically weakened Iran retains the capacity to challenge US interests in the Middle East including the possibility of targeting US bases and threatening Israel, despite advanced defense systems such as THAAD and the Iron Dome Reports from official sources indicate that the financial cost of the US-Iran conflict exceeded $11 3 billion within the first six days alone Although the United States maintained air superiority it reportedly suffered significant equipment losses, including F15 fighter jets, an AN/TPY-2 radar system, a KC135 refueling aircraft, an E3 AWACS aircraft, C130 transport planes, an A10 aircraft, Black Hawk helicopters, and multiple MQ9 Reaper drones These losses are estimated to exceed $2 35 billion in value
Beyond immediate financial damage the extensive use of missile defense systems such as THAAD and Patriot has raised concerns about resource depletion These systems missiles are costly and time-consuming to replace, potentially affecting future military readiness In the longer term such losses may reduce the USA s ability to deter major rivals including China
More significantly the conflict has implications for US credibility and influence in the Middle East If a relatively weaker state like Iran can challenge advanced US defence systems, it may weaken confidence in US security guarantees and raise concerns among allies, particularly within NATO This not only represents a strategic setback but also a reputational challenge calling into question the reliability of the USA as a global security provider Efforts at de-escalation including Pakistan s diplomatic mediation and the Islamabad Accord, have not resulted in a stable or lasting peace The situation remains fluid and uncertain Any further escalation particularly addi-
the USA has faced significant challenges in achieving its objectives while absorbing financial military and reputational costs This suggests a shift from uncontested dominance toward a more complex and uncertain strategic environment
The writer is a freelance columnist
IT
removal of the
regime at some later date However that situation did create an environment where all the regional players aggressive dormant or the ones trying to balance out the warring partners had to decide how to make up for the time forward For the USA it is a scenario of living with the enemy called Iran For the IDF it is a bitter reality that Iran ruled by revolutionaries is still around the corner They fear that even the reformists looking for the removal of sanctions, will do the first thing, when the assets are restored, invest in the missile programme or on the defence budget For the GCC states and especially Saudi Arabia it is a massive adjustment of how to live again with the Iranian system For the apparently neutral players it is also a catch-22 situation They are torn between their economic, strategic and national interests as defined by the civil-cum-military bureaucracy and geography; whose first dictum is that neighborhoods cannot be traded they remain what they are It has been a fact that a Sunni faith professing Babar had to depend upon the Shia Shah Ismail Safavi for his Indian campaign and not the Turkish Ottomans, who professed the same belief system as his It was pure geography which dictated his preferences and vice versa
Replicating the centuries old scenarios to the current day; Pakistan cannot ignore Iran at its borders even if it wants to Apparently, the characteristics of a nation state defined in the above paragraph appertain to Pakistan Pakistan since its inception has been the cornerstone of the US backed geostrategic planning whether it was in the form of CENTO or SEATO It was despite the fact that the then dictator Ayub Khan still had the guts to reject Pakistani forces participation in the Vietnam War, where the Johnson Administration wanted Pakistan to dig in The Pakistani role in those
alliances during the later years even during the left-wing government of ZAB was such that despite his left-wing rhetoric Pakistan remained an active partner in these military alliances, drawing the wrath of the Indian Foreign Minister over ‘Mid-Link” Air Force exercises in November 1974
Pakistan was the lynchpin in the US-led Jihad enterprise during the Afghan War whose after-effects Pakistan is still reeling from That active role was again revived during the Musharraf years After the return of civilian rule in 2008, that role has diminished from active participation though there seems to be an unwritten presumption that Pakistan is to faithfully follow the USA even if other states equally in the US orbit like Turkiye or even Iraq can take exception
One of the most apparent expressions has been the Pakistani state's failure to cope with the natural gas shortage by developing the Pakistani end of the proposed gas pipeline from Iran While the Iraqi and Turkish households since the post-2003 period have been depending upon the Iranian natural gas Pakistan has faithfully followed the US dictates on that count Fast forward to the war among Iran, the USA and Israel It goes without saying that while the streets in the Muslim world were with the slain Iranian leader Khamenei his posters filling the commercial districts of many Muslim capitals, without any efforts by the government to dismantle them, the governments on the basis of their own expediencies were forced to tread a very cautious path In that context Pakistan has been no exception; however its internal contradictions especially the system of the government and its economic dire straits made it a case where the abovementioned treading a very narrow path was not a choice but an imperative Pakistan has been caught up with the IMF for many decades; the recessionary cycle in vogue since the last decade or so due to a variety of internal issues has forced the sys-
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a n I s t a n b u l r i v a l D u b a i ?
For the apparently neutral players, it is also a catch-22 situation. They are torn between their economic, strategic and national interests
tem to take decisions where the economic decisions have been tied to the strategic ones During the last few days, Pakistan has been the recipient of funds from Saudi Arabia with which it hopes to solve its foreign exchange problems in the coming months
The price for that funds transfer has been the geostrategic pact Saudi Arabia and Pakistan penned last year; where attack on any of the two states; namely Pakistan or Saudi Arabia will be considered an attack on the other and the corresponding forces will be compelled to respond After much delays due to the Pakistani reluctance to balance out between many factors now Pakistan has sent a squadron of its latest jets as well as troops to Saudi Arabia, even as a symbolic token in return for the financial benefits accrued
Though at the point of time, the hostilities in the region have subsided there can always be a chance of escalation courtesy the erratic theatrics of the US President Given the fact that Pakistan is intimately tied to the Pentagon and is tied to a military pact with Saudi Arabia, an early resolution of the IranUS conflict is an imperative for the Pakistani establishment one way or another In case of any renewed hostilities and the bad blood between Tehran and Riyadh Islamabad is caught between the devil and the deep sea, a situation it cannot avoid Towards
that end, the over-enthusiastic peace-making posture is not just meant for a good image of the country Practically it is the only way Pakistan can plan avoiding a conflict or a battlefield it cannot afford to enter in either the short or long terms
The simultaneous air dashes to the important regional capitals by the civil and the military establishments speaks of the dire situation and the equally dire choices Pakistan is faced with Towards that end, it will be an important observation how
or 80 percent of real net monthly wages exempt from income tax, depending on the number of years of overseas experience Bloomberg has reported that the Turkish government is preparing to extend some of these tax incentives to multinational companies more broadly Companies could be allowed to deduct 50 percent of income earned from selling or intermediating goods sourced abroad without bringing them into Turkey ERDOGAN AND THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM There are some tentative signs that interest in Turkey from foreign corporations may be building Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted 40 global CEOs in Istanbul at a meeting organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) with participating companies representing billions of dollars in value The gathering was notable because Erdogan has not attended the WEF s Davos summit since 2009, following a public clash with then-Israeli President Shimon Peres over Israel’s killing of Palestinians in Gaza Larry Fink chair of the WEF's board of trustees and chief executive of BlackRock the world s largest asset manager was among the organisers of the Istanbul meeting Alois Zwinggi, interim president and chief executive of the WEF, said Turkey played an increasingly strategic role in trade, investment and production networks
Ceren Kenar an expert on Turkey said the WEF was also seeking to break the ice between Erdogan and Davos by organising the meeting This should be interpreted, in a sense, as a demonstration of confidence in the Turkish economy, despite its vulnerabilities,” Kenar said “Beyond this, it is important to understand the significance of the rational and strategic role that Turkey under
the leadership of Erdogan, plays in the global arena ” Turkey Kenar said has "strived to assume the role of an equitable mediator" in a succession of wars over the last 15 years including in Syria Ukraine NagornoKarabakh, Palestine and Iran
"Today, relations with the US are more stable than they have been in a long time, and relations with Europe are being redefined under Trump " she said "It is impossible to construct an equation in the Middle East that excludes Turkey Istanbul Financial Centre chief executive Ahmet Ihsan Erdem, meanwhile, told Reuters earlier this month that the centre had held meetings with 40 companies from East Asia and the Gulf that were interested in partially relocating to the IFC or expanding in Turkey because of the Iran war 'NO ONE TRUSTS THE TURKISH COURTS'
However, interviews with several analysts and investors, who asked not to be named in order to speak freely, suggest Ankara faces significant challenges in persuading UAE-based investors and businesses to move to Turkey There is Turkey s sticky inflation which is expected to reach 25 percent this year, and a widening trade deficit But investors point to other concerns, including the government’s willingness to seize fintech firms and corporations with foreign investors as it did with Papara a startup valued at over $1bn making it the country s first fintech unicorn firm A more fundamental issue is concern over the rule of law No one trusts the Turkish courts, one international banker told Middle East Eye
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) for example operates under its own civil and commercial laws distinct from the broader UAE legal system Its framework is based on English common law
and includes an independent judiciary known as the DIFC Courts Introducing a similar arrangement in Turkey could prove deeply controversial, given the republic s founding aversion to dual legal systems, rooted in the Ottoman Empire’s painful experience with foreign economic privileges known as capitulations It would be a tough sell for the government said Guven Sak a prominent economist associated with the Ankara-based Tepav think tank But Ankara can still try to reassure financial companies within the existing legal structure ” A senior Turkish official speaking anonymously said Ankara could still find legal ways to address some of these concerns without creating a free zone with independent courts, particularly if it wants to attract data centres and AI companies Sak argued that such zones might be more suitable in Northern Cyprus where there is a legacy of English common law due to Britain s past control of the island TAX IN TURKEY AND DUBAI
Guney Yildiz, senior adviser on geopolitics and strategic insights at Anthesis Group, who recently worked at the Abu Dhabi International Financial Centre (ADGM) said the financial incentives Ankara is offering in Istanbul are real and substantial Banks operating from the IFC campus pay effectively zero corporate tax on financial services exports through 2031, he said On paper, that’s actually better than Dubai, because DIFC and ADGM offer zero tax on most activities but carve out banks and insurers which pay the standard nine percent Still Yildiz does not believe Gulf banks are focused primarily on the tax comparison between Istanbul and Dubai or Abu Dhabi 'Dubai filled the void left by Beirut, which was unable to realise its potential because of civil war ( Guven Sak economist) They are more worried about lira depreciation inflation risk and Turkey s relatively low sovereign rating he said adding that the current Turkish economic management team is running a credible programme “The tide can turn in favour of the IFC only if Turkey’s macroeconomic performance improves ” Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek has pursued a more orthodox economic and fiscal programme since 2023 but it has been criticised for failing to bring down inflation to single digits Another analyst also speaking anonymously, said the UAE and Saudi Arabia have deployed massive public spending to build AI
s
involved in the Middle East war he launched with his ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with air strikes on Iran at the end of February Machado defends decision The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the peace prize, said after Machado handed over her 2025 Nobel medal that the honour it represents “cannot be revoked shared or transferred to others Machado said Trump s operation to capture Maduro who is being held in New York on US drug charges, was is something
we Venezuelans will never forget” She added: “Consequently no I have no regrets” about giving the medal to Trump Machado had been in hiding before leaving Venezuela in December to receive her Nobel prize in Oslo Return plans and political context At the Madrid news conference Machado said she was arranging her return to Venezuela in coordination with Washington I am speaking with the US government, and we are working in coordination, with mutual respect and understanding,” she said She also said she believed Washington was “key to advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela Her remarks came after Venezuela s opposition last week called for presidential elections
Machado has not said whether she would contest any future vote She had been barred from running in the 2024 presidential election after which Maduro claimed victory and re-election I am speaking with the US government, and we are working in coordination, with mutual respect and understanding ” Machado said The developments add to the political uncertainty in Venezuela where Machado remains a central opposition figure after being prevented from taking part in the last presidential contest Her latest comments focused on her support for Trump s actions against Maduro and on her view that the United States remains central to any future democratic transition in the country
Trump says review of UFO files found ‘ interesting’ documents
WASHINGTON
N e w s D e s k
United States President Donald Trump said on Saturday that a review ordered by his administration into government material related to UFOs had turned up what he described as notable documents and said the first batch of records would be made public soon
Speaking to supporters at an event organised by the conservative group Turning Point USA, Trump said the review had produced material he considered significant “We found many very interesting documents, I must say, and the first releases will begin very, very soon so you can go out and see if that phenomenon is correct he stated
According to the report Trump had directed US agencies in February to begin releasing government files concerning UFOs, unidentified aerial phenomena and
possible extraterrestrial life The move was described as being driven by strong public interest in the subject
The report said Trump ordered the review after accusing former president Barack Obama of improperly sharing classified information when Obama said aliens were real during a podcast interview Obama later clarified that he had not seen evidence of extraterrestrial contact while he was in office, though he said the statistical likelihood of life beyond Earth remained high Review ordered earlier this year
The latest remarks indicate that the administration is preparing to begin releasing records from the review in stages Trump did not provide a specific date for the first disclosure in his comments at the event, but said the releases would start soon
The issue of unidentified flying objects and related government records has drawn sustained public attention in the United States in recent years In this
case Trump linked the forthcoming disclosures directly to the review initiated by his administration earlier this year The report did not provide further details about the contents of the documents Trump referenced, beyond his description of them as interesting It also did not specify how many records would be included in the initial release
Trump’s comments came in the context of a broader push by his administration to declassify and publish material related to unexplained aerial sightings and questions about possible extraterrestrial life Obama s earlier remarks, which were cited in the report as part of the backdrop to Trump s decision, were later qualified by the former president himself While Obama said he had seen no evidence of extraterrestrial contact during his presidency he also acknowledged the probability of life existing elsewhere
CORPORATE CORNER
CONSUMERS TO GET AROUND RS1.14 PER UNIT RELIEF IN MAY BILLS AS FCA FALLS
Global praise for Pakistan’s peace effor ts echoes worldwide: A zma Bokhari
that peace in the region has been made possible due to Pakistan’s successful and balanced diplomacy She further stated that global leadership including the President of the United States, has acknowledged the administrative and defense capabilities of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir Criticizing elements seeking to isolate Pakistan internationally the Provincial Minister said such conspiratorial groups have faced a resounding defeat Under the visionary leadership of Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Pakistan is rapidly reclaiming its lost position on the global stage She added that Pakistan’s diplomatic achievements are also causing discomfort across the border Taking a strong stance against fugitive elements speaking against their own country Azma Bokhari said certain individuals have stooped to such levels of hostility that they cannot tolerate Pakistan’s progress, and prayed that Allah may guide them
Highlighting
Azma Bokhari
BY QUDRAT ULLAH
Somewhere between the silicon corridors of San Francisco and the campuses of Shenzhen a race is being run that most of the world has not been formally invited to join Artificial intelligence is restructuring global markets, rewiring supply chains and concentrating wealth among nations that invested early in digital readiness A 2025 IMF working paper delivered a sober verdict: AI s economic gains in advanced economies will likely exceed those in low-income countries by more than double Preparedness and access, not raw talent will decide who prospers For a province of 130 million this is not a distant geopolitical concern; it s an existential policy challenge It is against this backdrop that the digital agenda of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif deserves careful examination Since taking office in Feb 2024 her government has assembled an unusually dense portfolio of AI digital skills and technology initiatives The most recent arrived just days ago, timed almost precisely to the peak of the global AI conversation In April 2026 Punjab government announced a landmark arrangement with Google under which more than 100 000 students will receive free certification courses in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and business intelligence These are credentials that ordinarily cost between $400 and $1 000 placing them beyond the reach of most Pakistani graduates With the government absorbing the entire fee burden, the deal positions Punjab to produce a pipeline of Google-certified profes-
sionals at a moment when such qualifications have become a hard currency of global employability That announcement did not emerge from nothing Shortly after taking office her government launched the Global IT Certifications Programme through the Punjab Information Technology Board targeting 10 000 unemployed candidates Any Punjab domicile holder could register for globally recognised certifications from Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Oracle IBM Meta and Cisco with fees reimbursed on passing The logic was refreshingly simple: remove the financial wall and talent will find its way through The Hunarmand Programme added a more intensive layer, offering three-month advanced IT training through the CM Punjab IT Academy with evening sessions designed so that working professionals need not choose between income and upskilling Women s economic participation received dedicated attention The SheWins initiative established Modern Skills Training Centres in every district of Punjab teaching e-commerce social media marketing and content creation to women long excluded from the formal digital economy A companion scheme, the CM Punjab Digital Skills Program, offered a fully funded six-month online curriculum to 27 000 rural women: 480 hours of instruction in freelancing digital marketing and financial literacy paired with a Rs30 000 scholarship, a computer system and six months of free internet In a province where rural women have historically been last in line for any development dividend this was a structural attempt to rewrite that pattern The CM IT Internship Program
gave fresh IT graduates a paid bridge into Punjab s software industry with stipends of Rs50,000 monthly over five months With 64 percent of Pakistan's IT companies based in Punjab and exports crossing $3 8 billion last year the government was acting as a connector between universities and an industry that needed talent yesterday The most sweeping initiative is the Punjab Artificial Intelligence Roadmap, approved in March 2026 and the first of its kind for any province The targets are frank in their ambition: South Asia s leading AI-driven province by 2029 more than 100 000 new jobs in three years a GDP uplift of five to ten percent, and between $10 billion and $20 billion in additional foreign exchange The institutional machinery is moving: an AI Delivery Unit chaired by the chief minister a Punjab AI Data Centre at Nawaz Sharif IT City a formal agreement between the Bank of Punjab and the Office of AI, and an AI curriculum now running in 100 schools with 155 more to begin The Atlantic Council surveying the global AI contest in early 2026 noted that every nation must decide
CM MARYAM'S SIX FL AGSHIP HEALTH PROJECTS
OVER 21 MILLION PATIENTS ACROSS PUNJAB
SI X flagship health projects launched under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif have achieved remarkable success delivering healthcare services to millions across
the case are being examined
Endangered vultures reappear in Punjab after conser vation effor ts
RAHIM YAR KHAN
k
Endangered vultures have started appearing again in natural habitats in Punjab following conservation measures taken by the wildlife department, according to officials and experts A large number of Eurasian griffon vultures were seen two days ago in Toba Tharo Lal, an area of Yazman in Rahim Yar Khan district The sighting drew the attention of wildlife specialists who described it as an important development Experts said Eurasian griffon vultures are generally found in Pakistan s northern mountainous regions including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and parts of Balochistan They said the species is only rarely seen in Punjab, and its presence in southern areas such as Cholistan is considered unusual and is often associated with seasonal movement or the search for food Rahim Yar Khan Wildlife Ranger Assistant Chief Mujahid Kaleem said the exact population of Eurasian griffon vultures in Pakistan has not been established because of limited data He said the species is present in small and scattered numbers across the country In Punjab, he added, the bird is regarded as rare, with little evidence of breeding populations He said these vultures are scavengers that feed on carcasses and perform an important role in environmental sanitation Threats to the species Wildlife expert and Punjab Captive Wildlife Management Committee member Bader Muneer said the species is facing several threats with toxic veterinary drugs especially diclofenac posing the most serious danger
Govt collec ts over Rs180 billion petroleum lev y in six
Lo a d s h e d d i n g u n d e r t wo h o u r s, s ays Awa i s Le g h a r i
for power generation Despite the statement, unannounced power outages continued in several parts of the country In Karachi areas including Garden Lyari North Karachi New Karachi Malir Korangi and Orangi Town reported outages exceeding ten hours, with intermittent disruptions even in exempt localities In Punjab, Lahore Electric Supply Company reported demand of 2 800 megawatts against supply of 2 700 megawatts resulting in a shortfall of 100 megawatts In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Peshawar Electric Supply Company reported a gap of 600 megawatts between demand and supply A Power Division spokesper-
son said outages had reduced from around six hours to less than three hours daily after increased water releases from dams boosted hydropower generation Output rose to 4,100 megawatts on April 16 from 1 800 megawatts earlier easing pressure on the grid and allowing an additional 400 megawatts to be transmitted from the south Leghari had earlier said electricity shortages were linked to a 48% year-on-year drop in hydropower generation as provinces had not requested water releases due to heavy rainfall reducing irrigation demand Hydropower generation is expected to remain elevated in the coming days as the monsoon crop season begins, unless further rainfall again reduces the need for irrigation water
KARACHI
S ta f f r e p o r t
Hajj flight operations from Pakistan started early on Saturday with the first group of pilgrims departing from Karachi at 3am on a private airline according to authorities at Jinnah International Airport Officials said 160 pilgrims travelled on the inaugural flight They added that under the Road to Makkah Project, one-time immigration for the pilgrims was completed at Karachi airport before departure The first flight from Pakistan landed in Madinah where airport authorities and Hajj service providers received the pilgrims Officials also said a second Hajj flight was expected to arrive in Madinah from Turkiye PIA to start operations on April 19 Separately a Pakistan International Airlines spokesperson said the national carrier will begin its Hajj operations on April 19 The airline plans to transport more than 55,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia through 191 flights According to the spokesperson, around 49,000
