CHINA REITERATES PAKISTAN’S MEDIATORY
ROLE IN US-IRAN DIALOGUE
ISLAMABAD
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Pakistan’s
expor ters
Supreme Court dismisses appeals against SHC ruling in TRG shares case
OFIT
S TA F F R E P O R T The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday dismissed three appeals filed by Greentree Holdings Limited and others against a ruling of the Sindh High Court in the TRG Pakistan shares dispute case According to media reports a threemember bench headed by Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and comprising Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the short order after reserving judgment on February 3 The short order authored by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb converted the petitions into appeals and dismissed them all The appellants shall jointly and severally bear the respondent No 1’s (Chishti) costs in the said appeals,” the order stated The ruling effectively clears the way
for Muhammad Ziaullah Khan Chishti to regain influence in TRG Pakistan the outsourcing and technology firm he stepped down from in 2021 following disclosures in US Congressional testimony regarding an arbitration award related to sexual misconduct allegations
The Sindh High Court had ruled on June 20 2025 that shares held by Greentree Holdings Limited in TRG Pakistan were the property of TRG Pakistan and would be treated as treasury shares purchased by the company from its shareholders
The high court had also directed TRG Pakistan s board to immediately issue notice for an extraordinary general meeting to elect directors with the newly elected board authorised to decide whether to retain or cancel the treasury shares
The Supreme Court granted leave to appeal in three separate
KP challenges exclusion of two hydropower projects from IGCEP
g
Pakistan rejec ts 'misleading repor t' on Iranian aircraf t at Nur K han Airbase
where
and
had continued to act as an “impartial, constructive, and responsible facilitator” in support of dialogue and de-escalation in the region It added that the country had extended only routine
sup-
and
with
relevant parties Pakistan remains committed to supporting all sincere efforts aimed at promoting dialogue, reducing tensions, and advancing regional and global peace, stability, and security,” the ministry added
The clarification came after a CBS News report published on Monday claimed that Pakistan had quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to remain at its airbases potentially shielding them from possible American strikes despite publicly presenting itself as a diplomatic intermediary between Tehran and Washington Separately, posts circulating on X alleged that multiple Iranian aircraft, including a reconnaissance variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules had been stationed at Nur Khan Airbase after last month s ceasefire announcement
Pakistan eyes Russian oil amid Hormuz crisis: Amb T irmizi
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
The ambassador described the situation in the Strait of Hormuz as a worrying signal for Pakistan and other countries dependent on Gulf energy supplies noting that Russia remained a major global supplier of oil and energy resources
Tirmizi said reopening the Strait of Hormuz had become the central issue in ongoing negotiations related to Iran He pointed out that nearly 22 per cent of the world’s oil trade along with LNG fertilisers and raw materials for fertiliser production passed through the vital maritime route
He also highlighted the broader regional impact, saying around 30 million expatriates lived in Gulf countries, including millions of Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis and workers from other Asian, African and Latin American nations whose remittances supported their home economies In other words a great many people live in this part of the world Large volumes of remittances also flow from
the Persian Gulf countries to these nations Therefore we will likely be able to bring this entire conflict to a peaceful settlement, he told TASS The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran earlier this year and Tehran s subsequent retaliation including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz which disrupted global oil supplies and triggered a sharp spike in international fuel prices
Last week, the government increased petrol prices by Rs14 92 per litre and high-speed diesel by Rs15 per litre amid the ongoing fuel crisis linked to the Hormuz blockade It marked the second consecutive increase since April 30 when petrol prices were raised by Rs6 51 per litre and diesel by Rs19 39 per litre
Earlier in April, petrol prices had surged to a record Rs458 4 per litre before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced an Rs80 per litre reduction in the petroleum levy, bringing the price down to Rs378 per litre
China reiterates Pak istan’s mediator y role in US -Iran dialogue
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
However despite sustained diplomatic exchanges the two sides have yet to reach a final agreement to formally end the conflict
Since then, both countries have continued exchanging proposals and counter-proposals in an effort to bridge differences and resume a second round of direct negotiations aimed at resolving long-standing disputes particularly those related to Iran s nuclear programme and regional security
concerns
Sources indicate that Pakistan remains hopeful for the resumption of direct talks although there has been no significant shift in Iran s earlier position on the nuclear issue in response to US proposals Tehran’s response delivered to
Washington via Islamabad reportedly focused on an immediate end to hostilities, while offering limited progress on the core US demand regarding Iran’s nuclear programme Iran has however proposed broader and separate discussions on the nuclear issue citing its complexity It has also expressed willingness to temporarily halt uranium enrichment for five years, while rejecting a 20-year moratorium demanded by Washington
In a separate development, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also held a telephone conversation with Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger According to the FO the two leaders exchanged views on the evolv-
ing regional situation with the Austrian foreign minister appreciating Pakistan s constructive role in promoting dialogue and facilitating mediation between Iran and the United States in support of regional peace and stability Deputy Prime Minister Dar reaffirmed Pakistan s commitment to sustained diplomatic engagement and continued efforts to facilitate dialogue between the two sides, aimed at ensuring lasting peace and stability in the region and beyond Both foreign ministers agreed to remain in close contact as diplomatic consultations continue
approximately a one per cent chance of living Speaking to Fox News Trump also said he was considering reviving a short-lived US operation to escort
and other commercial shipping through
final decision had been
Hormuz though he said
s
stupid proposal and nobody would take it although Obama would have taken it, Biden would have taken it What they took was far worse They had 159 ships, and right now they have zero, other than the little speedboats they go around that got taken out eight a day by us ” he said He also said Iran had no air force
and
COMMENT
Laying the groundwork for the 27th Amendment
PR I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s call on President Asif Zardari covered a lot of ground, but perhaps the most important part of the meeting was where Mr Sharif asked Mr Zardari to support him in passing the 27th Amendment ti the Constitution
However, Mr Zardari did not agree to provide the requisite support, saying that it had to pass the PPP central committee, and then it would have to be discussed with other parties It was implied, though not mentioned, that Mr Sharif could not amend the Constitution at will, needing to build coalitions that would give him twothird majorities in both Houses It must be noted that, though the government has a simple majority on its side it required the support of the PPP the MQM and other smaller parties to carry out the amendment
The contents of the 27th Amendment are not known and thus cannot form part of any meaningful debate whether within the public at large or within any particular party So far what has been gathered is that fecderation-province relations are to be the main theme, with an undoing of the 18th Amendment contemplated, under which the Constitution was cleansed of its accretions, and the concurrent list was abolished
The passage of the 24th Amendment is still counted as one of the highlights of the 2013-2018 PPP government, when Mr Zardari was first President There are indications that the new amendment may roll back the complete devolution of poers in health and education to the provinces One of the problem areas for federalists has been the guarantee that the provincial share of the federal divisible pool would not be reduced Though it was apparently not mentioned at the President-PM meeting it would be a bone of contention It has already proved an intractable problem in the National Finance Commission where the federal government is not finding its way to bypassing the issue mainly as the provinces resist
Mr Zardari has also apparently argued that there is no need for an amendment, with the 26th only recently passed, and wants the matter put off until after the budget One possibility for the current government is that Mr Zardari is interested in bringing his son Bilawal forward in an enhanced role That might be the price he will extract for giving the support of his party for further changes in the Constitution
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Is It Antisemitic to Charge Israel w ith Genocide?
should also be celebrated those who challenged the stale and unjust status quo of the university by opening the doors to inclusion and understanding
IS it antisemitic to say that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza? More generally is it hurtful and insensitive for someone to acknowledge the suffering that Israel has inflicted on the Palestinian people? In recent weeks, actions by two different institutions of higher learning brought these two questions to the forefront On April 15 a group of faculty and student organizations at Le Moyne College in Syracuse NY hosted celebrated Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Mosab Abu Toha to speak at the campus During his appearance, to set the stage for the poems he was to read, Abu Toha shared his experiences living in Gaza during the start of the Israeli assault He told of the members of his and his wife s families who had been killed in Israel s bombing campaigns Entire families erased neighbourhoods laid waste memories eradicated It was, he stated, a genocide Days after the event, Le Moyne s president issued a statement apologizing for the discomfort that Abu Toha’s remarks may have created for some in the college community The letter noted that his use of the word genocide in connection with the state of Israel caused real hurt and was leaving some members of our community to feel unwelcome The president concluded by affirming that antisemitism, along with all forms of bigotry and hate, has no place at Le Moyne ” Abu Toha responded to the president’s letter with an open letter of his own rejecting the implication that using the word genocide to describe Israel s actions could be termed antisemitic Seriously? he asked Are the crimes of the Israeli state representative of all Jewish people? I personally refuse to believe that is the case I never used the word ‘Jewish’ during the entire event; I refuse to conflate the faith of Judaism with the actions of Israel
He concluded: If anyone told you they felt hurt because I used the word genocide then I ask you: How should I feel? How should my wife feel after losing her father? How should my three children feel after losing their grandfather?” And then this past weekend the University of Michigan held its commencement ceremonies One of the speakers was the president of the faculty senate He began his short but eloquent remarks by noting that while the university celebrates its athletes and their accomplishments, there are other heroes who
He began by mentioning a young woman who in 1858 challenged the school s opposition to enrolling women as students
He went on to note the first Jewish faculty member and the Black Action Movement that pressed the university to expand their curriculum to honor the black experience and closed by recognizing the “student activists who sacrificed much to open our hearts to the injustices happening in Gaza
His remarks were so beautifully constructed and presented that they elicited a roar of approval from those in attendance The video of the event appearing on the university’s website shows his colleagues and administrators applauding the speech
Within a few days the same university president who is seen applauding issued a letter denouncing the professor s speech as hurtful and insensitive and inappropriate
(To avoid further controversy the university removed the video of the event in which the president is seen applauding the speech from the website)
The question that must be asked in addition to those noted above is what is the logic behind this claim that the remarks of both Abu Toha and the faculty senate president were hurtful to the point of being antisemitic?
The place to begin is by asking: “What is antisemitism?” The simplest and clearest definition is that antisemitism is hatred of stereotyping of or discrimination against Jewish people because they are Jews Like other forms of bigotry it claims that there are inherent characteristics or behaviors that are shared by all Jews, simply because they are Jewish
Given this, the only way that criticism of Israeli actions can constitute antisemitism is if the critic implies that Israel does what it does because it is Jewish and that s the way Jews are or if the person making the claim of antisemitism maintains that because Israel says it is a Jewish state that whatever it does represents all
It denies the victims of IsraelÊs behaviours their legitimate right to speak of their pain and call out, with specificity, the agent who caused it because of the hurt that might cause those who support Israel or in the case of the University of Michigan, to deny the right of students to empathize with and demand that Palestinian victims be heard, because acknowledging Palestinian pain that might also cause hurt feelings
Pakistan's Accidental Energy Revolution
Wit Official data shows around seven GW of registered net-metered solar Actual deployed capacity is estimated between 19 and 31 GW mostly unregistered and invisible to planners Pakistan is the first country transitioning from a connected grid to a distributed one with distributed electrons rising from two to 25 percent of supply, yet without
and virtual power plants; digitalization and AIenabled energy management; energy efficiency and conservation; and finally circularity treating spent batteries as mobile mines of recoverable materials China is the thread running through every chapter: as technology supplier, cost-reducer and now through its 15th FiveYear Plan’s zero-carbon industrial park programme as an increasingly sophisticated innovation partner
clear reform agenda is within reach Legacy
Web of neglect
and EV revolution now arriving; the rise of microgrids
Long-term LNG contracts compounded the damage . Take-orpay procurement agreements require payment for fixed cargo volumes whether demand exists or not By 2025, Pakistan was cancelling approximately 45 out of 120 contracted cargoes per year because grid demand had collapsed. The estimated annual loss from stranded LNG obligations stands at $378 million a direct fiscal cost of contracts signed before the solar revolution changed the demand picture entirely
trained military aviators and corroborated through sophisticated multispectral sensor systems cannot simply be dismissed as collective illusion or technological error without exhaustive multidisciplinary investigation
Pe n t a g o n’s D e c l a s s i f i e d A rc h i ve s
WI T H I N the long history of human civilization, certain interrogatives transcend the transitory realm of curiosity and metamorphose into enduring epistemological enigmas situated at the confluence of collective consciousness scientific rationality military grand strategy, and metaphysical introspection
The manifestation of cryptic luminescences across celestial expanses, unidentified aerial entities executing kinetically implausible manoeuvres and indecipherable signatures imprinted upon advanced military radar matrices constitute integral components of this perennial ontological puzzle Over successive decades, the discourse surrounding UFOs or, in contemporary terminological refinement, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) has oscillated between speculative mythology conspiratorial hermeneutics scientific skepticism and mass-cultural fascination
Nevertheless, the unprecedented declassification by the US Department of Defense of an expansive repository of
confidential archives spanning the years 1947 through 2025 has irrevocably transformed the subject from the province of sensational folklore and science-fiction romanticism into a legitimate locus of geopolitical inquiry, aerospace intelligence analysis astrobiological speculation and governmental transparency
According to reports disseminated by CNN the released documentation encompasses military eyewitness testimonies aviator debriefings, radar telemetry, infrared imagery, classified audiovisual recordings, and operational memoranda compiled by US personnel deployed across disparate geopolitical theatres Reports originating from Iraq Syria Africa Greece and the UAE delineate anomalous aerial occurrences whose observed trajectories and behavioral dynamics appear fundamentally irreconcilable with the publicly acknowledged parameters of conventional aeronautics and extant military technology Several accounts describe luminous aerial entities traversing atmospheric strata with extraordinary acceleration while executing abrupt directional alterations seemingly incompatible with established aerodynamic principles and inertial limitations In other documented episodes unidentified objects reportedly materialized upon sophisticated radar apparatuses only to vanish instantaneously without discernible causal explanation Particularly arresting are references to NASA astronauts who allegedly encoun-
succeeded in furnishing
uni-
thus
T h e c o s m o s , i n a l l i t s i m m e a s u r a bl
n e s s a n d i n s c r u t a bl e s u bl i m i t y, p e rs i s t s a s a s i l e n t e n i g m a b e fo r e h u m a n i t y. T h e Pe n t ag o n Ês d e cl a s s i f i e d a rch i v e s m ay
r e p r e s e n t n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n f r ag m e n t e d v e s t i g e s o f t h a t
e t e r n a l my s t e r y, ye t t h ey h av e o n c e ag a i n c o m p e l l e d
m a n k i n d t o r a i s e i t s g a z e t ow a rd t h e h e av e n s a n d t o
r ev i s i t t h e p r i m o rd i a l q u e s t i o n t h a t h a s h a u n t e d h u m a n
c o n s c i o u s n e s s a c ro s s m i l l e n n i a : a r e w e t r u ly a l o n e w i t h i n t h e i n f i n i t e i m m e n s i t y o f t h e u n i v e rs e ?
TRUMP-XI
SUMMIT IN BEIJING
work for such phenomena
This cascade of disclosures has resuscitated one of humanity s most profound existential interrogatives: does mankind truly occupy a solitary position within the immeasurable architecture of the cosmos?
Contemporary astrophysics has already demonstrated that our galaxy alone harbors billions of stellar systems accompanied by innumerable planetary bodies, while modern observational astronomy increasingly posits the existence of a vast multitude of potentially habitable exoplanets
Within such a cosmological paradigm the prospect of intelligent extraterrestrial life can no longer be relegated exclusively to speculative abstraction Yet the essential dilemma persists: the Pentagon s declassified archives stop conspicuously short of providing unequivocal conclusions Rather than constituting incontrovertible proof of non-human intelligence the documents primarily comprise fragmented observations unresolved anomalies, and ambiguous encounters whose interpretative indeterminacy precludes definitive scientific validation
An equally consequential dimension of this phenomenon pertains to the psychological and strategic imperatives of global superpowers Since the inception of the Cold War, clandestine military enterprises have frequently been obscured beneath the narrative camouflage of unidentified aerial phenomena
From the infamous Roswell incident of 1947 to subsequent revelations concerning covert reconnaissance aircraft and stealth technologies, numerous ostensibly inexplicable episodes were ultimately traced to experimental defense programs concealed from public scrutiny Consequently a significant contingent of geopolitical analysts contends that these contemporary disclosures should not be construed as transparent
revelations of extraterrestrial realities but rather as components of a meticulously calibrated declassification strategy intended simultaneously to preserve the mythos surrounding advanced US aerospace capabilities and to direct public fascination along strategically advantageous trajectories
President Donald Trump further intensified this atmosphere of orchestrated ambiguity through his enigmatic assertion that “the public should decide for themselves what all of this means ” Though superficially simplistic the statement encapsulates a sophisticated paradigm of political semiotics and psychological communication
Trump neither categorically repudiated the phenomena nor explicitly affirmed extraterrestrial involvement; instead, he transferred interpretative sovereignty to the collective imagination of the populace
Such rhetorical elasticity enables the state apparatus simultaneously to evade definitive accountability and to perpetuate public intrigue Within the contemporary epoch of information warfare, cognitive manipulation, and narrative engineering, ambiguity itself has evolved into a formidable strategic instrument
The scientific community meanwhile has responded with a spectrum of nuanced and often divergent perspectives Numerous astrophysicists and theoretical physicists maintain that the existence of unidentified aerial phenomena does not intrinsically substantiate the presence of extraterrestrial civilizations Atmospheric distortions electromagnetic perturbations classified drone technologies, optical misperceptions, orbital satellites, and technical malfunctions within highly sensitive military instrumentation may plausibly account for many such observations
Conversely other researchers argue that repeated encounters documented by highly
The significance of this phenomenon extends beyond scientific and military discourse into the deeper substrata of human psychology and civilizational consciousness Since antiquity, humanity has persistently projected its existential anxieties, metaphysical aspirations, and ontological uncertainties toward the celestial firmament Whether through the mythopoeic cosmologies of ancient civilizations or the sophisticated astrophysical inquiries of the modern era, mankind has remained perpetually captivated by the possibility of encountering another sentient presence within the cosmic abyss This enduring fascination explains why the UFO phenomenon occupies such a potent locus within the architecture of popular imagination Cinema speculative literature, documentary media, and digital culture have collectively transformed extraterrestrial speculation into a pervasive cultural archetype deeply embedded within the modern psyche
Although the Pentagon s recently unveiled archives do not conclusively authenticate the existence of non-human intelligence, they nonetheless illuminate a profound geopolitical transformation: major world powers are no longer attempting to suppress discourse concerning unidentified aerial phenomena through absolute secrecy but are instead integrating the subject into carefully managed frameworks of partial transparency and controlled public deliberation
This transition reflects not merely scientific curiosity but also the evolving dynamics of informational geopolitics military psychology and technological supremacy in the 21st century With the accelerating advancement of artificial intelligence quantum sensing technologies next-generation astronomical observatories and interplanetary exploratory
The
The
of China (PRC) will likely represent a relatively modest step toward greater stability and predictability in the world’s most important bilateral relationship Like every president who goes to Beijing Trump faces outsized expectations against the backdrop of a much more complex and challenging relationship China feels confident enough to be able to stand up to Trump on many key issues including sanctions technology controls critical minerals and Iran However the PRC s eagerness to hold a summit between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping signals that it is much less confident than many observers believe, and the recent Beijing visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shows China positioning itself as having already weighed in with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz President Trump and Chairman Xi share a common goal of highlighting their skill in managing the other Both countries expect to announce a return visit to the United States by Xi in the fall Additionally, it is likely that Trump will attend the November Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Shenzhen China and Xi will likely attend the G-20 in Miami at the end of the year
Q1: What does the United States want to get out of the summit?
A1: President Trump wants to show that
his relationship with Chairman Xi can deliver tangible economic and security benefits to the United States The president will be seeking PRC support for his efforts to secure an acceptable agreement from Iran to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz The Trump administration wants to show that it has brought fairness and reciprocity to the economic relationship, which the president has long argued favors China This will include securing Chinese commitments for significant purchases of U S goods and services with a particular emphasis on purchases that will ripple through the economy in key U S sectors, including agriculture, by the November midterm elections Recognizing China’s failure to follow through on previous purchase commitments from his 2020 Phase One trade deal the president will announce the creation of a Board of Trade comprising senior officials from both countries to oversee implementation, aiming to show that this time will be different
The United States will also be seeking to expand China’s supply of rare earth elements as agreed to at the first Trump-Xi meeting in Busan last year as well as further Chinese cooperation to block exports of fentanyl precursors Other topics for consideration may include developing a framework for further bilateral discussions on AI, particularly regarding risk and safety Discussions may work to secure PRC support for a viable agreement between Russia and Ukraine though for its part the PRC will almost certainly continue to provide systematic support for the Russian war machine Finally, Trump may ask for Xi s help in brokering renewed engagement with North Korea
Q2: What does China want from the summit?
A2: China s top priority is greater stability in its relationship with the United States, especially greater predictability on tariffs Beijing also hopes that successful leader-level engagement will sideline those within the Trump administration who would like a more competitive approach China relishes that Trump is coming to Beijing for
The president will be seeking PRC suppor t for his effor ts to secure an acceptable agreement from Iran to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz
the first U S presidential visit in almost nine years, which the PRC will portray as recognition of Beijing’s enhanced global stature and success in standing firm against the Trump administration s initial efforts to pressure China
On the economic front the PRC seeks to signal the success of its tit-for-tat approach to managing the Trump administration s escalation on tariffs, its use of rare earth exports to retaliate against U S export controls and its willingness to match U S de-escalation Beijing has pushed for the establishment of a Board of Investment to match the Board of Trade and would like agreement on the need to reduce barriers to investment in the United States, though it recognizes that this is probably more than is feasible at present
would seem to support the United States though it will encourage President Trump
Strait of Hormuz While Beijing’s exten-
On Iran, China will try to avoid appearing to pressure Iran in a way that would seem to suppor t the United States, though it will encourage President Trump to reach an agreement that reopens the Strait of Hormuz
resolution of the
though Japan South Korea and Taiwan will be particularly worried about the possibility that President Trump seeking to secure PRC support on Iran, may make concessions on issues they consider vital Despite the deep concern about being pressured to take sides by either China or the United States countries in the region (particularly in Southeast Asia) fully appreciate that they have benefited signifi-
CORPORATE CORNER
SC orders IHC to decide
Imaan Mazari plea in two weeks
s
The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to decide within two weeks the petitions seeking suspension of sentence filed by lawyer and rights activist Imaan Mazari and her husband advocate Hadi Ali Chattha while keeping the matter pending before itself until the high court reaches a decision A three-member bench headed by Justice Shahid Waheed heard the case, during which the couple s counsel, Faisal Siddiqi, informed the court that the IHC had merely issued notices in the sentence appeals and had not held any further hearing for more than two months There is no relief for us in the IHC Siddiqi argued urging the apex court to direct the high court to decide the suspension petitions Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan observed, however, that no adverse order had been passed against the petitioners by the IHC “There is no order against you from the high court ” he remarked adding that the high court had not dismissed the pleas seeking suspension of sentence The judge also questioned the legal grounds for suspending a sentence What are the parameters for suspending a sentence? When is a sentence suspended? Justice Afghan asked, noting that had the IHC rejected the pleas, the Supreme Court could then examine the merits of the case Siddiqi responded that the petitioners had been left without any effective remedy due to the delay in proceedings at the IHC “When no relief has been granted by the IHC where should we go? he asked the bench Justice Waheed suggested that the court could direct the IHC to decide the matter within a fixed timeframe, after which the bench ordered the high court to decide the sentence suspension petitions within two weeks Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha were sentenced in January 2026 to a combined 17 years in prison on multiple charges linked to controversial social media posts Prosecutors had argued that the posts promoted an anti-state narrative in violation of cybercrime laws Last month, Imaan moved the Supreme Court seeking suspension of her sentence after the IHC did not list her application for hearing In her petition filed through Faisal Siddiqi she argued that despite requests by her counsel the IHC had only issued notices on February 19 and had not suspended the trial court s judgment The petition further contended that the trial court s order was illegal and mala fide, alleging violations of due process protections guaranteed under Articles 10 and 10A of the Constitution It also claimed breaches of several provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code including Sections 233
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for accelerating efforts to reduce reliance on imported fuels stressing that increased electricity generation from hydropower solar energy biogas and other renewable sources would significantly lower production costs and support overall economic growth
Chairing a high-level review meeting on reforms in the power sector the prime minister directed authorities to formulate a comprehensive long-term strategy to meet future energy requirements through indigenous and renewable resources according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister s Office (PMO)
He further directed that no leniency should be shown towards individuals involved in electricity theft and ordered strict departmental action against power distribution com-
panies found violating the Economic Merit Order in recent periods
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructed officials to expedite the installation of smart meters on transformers in areas with high electricity losses and to fasttrack initiatives aimed at promoting a competitive electricity market across the country
He also directed authorities to accelerate work on supplying 400 megawatts of electricity to the private sector in the first phase under the wheeling regime, aimed at improving industrial efficiency and energy access
During the briefing participants were informed that electricity theft, non-payment and other distribution losses had significantly declined due to effective enforcement measures compared to last year
Officials told the meeting that transmission and distribution losses had reduced from 18 3 percent in June 2024 to 15 3 percent
and directed the administration to provide the injured with the best available medical facilities He added that critically injured patients had also been referred to district headquarters hospitals in Bannu and Peshawar Police officials said a heavy police contingent led by the Naurang Circle deputy superintendent of police reached the blast site immediately after the incident The area was cordoned off while investigators collected forensic evidence from the scene Earlier Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shahdab Khan had confirmed the blast and said ambulances and rescue teams were rushed to the site He appealed to the public to cooperate with rescue agencies and avoid gathering near the blast location PM reiterates resolve to eradicate scourge of terrorism Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the tragedy and reiterated Pakistan s resolve to eradicate the scourge of terrorism
in March 2026 while electricity bill recovery improved from 90 percent to 96 46 percent during the same period
The meeting was further informed that efforts were underway to involve the private sector in three distribution companies with the bidding process expected to be completed by November this year
Officials also highlighted that smart meters had already been installed on 2,500 high-loss feeders across the country as part of ongoing reform measures
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Leghari Adviser on Privatization Muhammad Ali Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, and senior officials from relevant institutions
Pakistan playing active mediator y role to defuse
Middle East crisis: Envoy tells US delegation
According to state-run PTV, the premier said all relevant institutions were working with “unwavering resolve” to eliminate terrorism and directed authorities to conduct an inquiry into the blast N I N E M A R T Y R E D , 3 3 I N J U R E D I N D E A D LY S A R A -I- N A U R A N G M A R K ET B L A S T UNITED NATIONS s
t
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim
Iftikhar Ahmad has warned that the ongoing Middle East crisis poses grave risks to international peace, global economic stability and energy security, while underscoring Islamabad’s active diplomatic engagement to promote dialogue de-escalation and regional stability
Addressing a 40-member delegation from the US War College during its visit to the Pakistan Mission at the United Nations on Monday, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad highlighted Pakistan’s “constructive role” in advancing peace diplomacy and mediation efforts particularly in the context of tensions involving the United States and Iran
The delegation, led by
Stephan Walters comprised 33 American participants along with representatives from Pakistan Turkiye, Sri Lanka, Moldova, Guatemala and Ecuador
Responding to questions regarding the escalating Middle East situation the Pakistani envoy said the crisis carried far-reaching consequences extending well beyond the region itself
He pointed to its direct impact on global energy markets, oil and gas supplies, fertilizer availability, food security maritime navigation merchandise trade inflationary pressures and overall global economic growth projections
Referring specifically to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Ambassador Asim warned that any prolonged instability could have severe implications for international energy flows and strategic trade routes
The United Nations has ex-
amined multiple scenarios concerning the consequences of a prolonged regional crisis he said noting that Pakistan had also experienced economic repercussions arising from instability in the Middle East and Gulf region Beyond the economic fallout the envoy stressed that the crisis represented a serious threat to both regional and international peace and security
He said Pakistan strongly supported efforts aimed at de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy, adding that Islamabad remained actively engaged with the United States Iran Gulf countries Egypt China Turkiye and other international partners to prevent further escalation and create conditions conducive to peaceful negotiations
Ambassador Asim said Pakistan’s balanced principled and objective foreign policy had enabled it to maintain trust and engagement with all key stakeholders
ISLAMABAD