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PM VOWS TO WIPE OUT TERRORISM, SAYS TERRORISTS’ DEFEAT ‘ONLY A MATTER OF TIME’ Wednesday, 8 July, 2026 | 22 Muharram, 1448
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PREMIER SHEHBAZ SAYS SECURITY FORCES CONDUCTING RELENTLESS OPERATIONS AND TERRORISM WILL BE ‘ELIMINATED COMPLETELY’
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LAUDS SECURITY FORCES FOR KILLING 15 TERRORISTS IN BALOCHISTAN, SAYS OPERATIONS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL LASTING PEACE RESTORED
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 103 | 8 Pages | Islamabad Edition
PAYS TRIBUTE TO MARTYRED PAF GROUP CAPTAIN ASIM TARIQ, VOWS PERPETRATORS WILL FACE JUSTICE
HIGHLIGHTS TÜRKIYE VISIT, SAYS TURKISH INVESTORS SHOWED STRONG INTEREST IN PAKISTAN’S ENERGY, MINING AND MARITIME SECTORS
– Shehbaz orders targeted anti-polio push for KP hotspots ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
P
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
RIME Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed the government's unwavering resolve to eradicate terrorism from the country, saying Pakistan's security forces and law enforcement agencies were carrying out relentless operations against terrorists and expressing confidence that the day was not far off when the menace
would be “eliminated completely.” Addressing the federal cabinet at the outset of its meeting, the prime minister paid rich tribute to Pakistan Air Force Group Captain Asim Tariq, who was martyred a few days ago in Islamabad while intervening to stop an assault on a woman. He prayed for the elevation of the martyr's ranks and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. The prime minister said the accused involved in the incident had been arrested and would be brought to justice in
Pakistan urges UN to end ‘selective’ application of ‘responsibility to protect’ doctrine ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan has called on the United Nations to apply its “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P) doctrine consistently and without “selectivity,” warning that the international community's collective commitment to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity has fallen short in situations of prolonged conflict and foreign occupation. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly's annual debate on the doctrine, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said the credibility and effectiveness of the R2P principle were being undermined by inconsistent implementation and the failure to act in the face of mass atrocities. “With an unprecedentedly high number of conflicts all over the world, the edifice of R2P stands on tenuous grounds,” he said. “Our shared objective to protect fundamental human rights, and to prevent the recurrence of mass atrocities is often obfuscated by inaction, denial, selectivity and paralysis.” Highlighting what he described as the doctrine's shortcomings in conflict situations, the ambassador said: “Nowhere is this void more evident than in situations of prolonged conflict and foreign occupation, where atrocities have been committed with impunity, in full glare of international attention.” “No responsibility, no protection, no accountability. The promise of ‘Never Again’ unfulfilled,” he added. The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine emerged from international efforts to prevent a recurrence of atrocities such as the 1994 Rwanda genocide and the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, following the international community's failure to stop the mass killings.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed health authorities to adopt a more effective strategy for polio hotspots in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), reaffirming the government's unwavering commitment to eradicating the disease during talks with senior representatives of key global health organizations supporting Pakistan's antipolio campaign. The directive came during a meeting with a seven-member delegation of the Polio Oversight Board, comprising representatives of Rotary International, the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Gavi and other partner organizations backing accordance with the law. Paying tribute to the sacrifices rendered by Pakistan's security forces in the fight against terrorism, Mr Sharif referred to the recent killing of 15 terrorists in Balochistan and said the armed forces and law enforcement agencies were con-
Pakistan's polio eradication programme. "Polio eradication is an important national priority and all stakeholders should further accelerate their joint efforts," Prime Minister Shehbaz was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The prime minister specifically directed the authorities to pay "special attention to polio hotspots in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adopt an effective strategy to address them," underscoring the need for focused interventions in areas where transmission continues to pose a challenge. Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan remain the only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus remains endemic.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03 tinuing operations day and night to restore durable peace across the country. At the prime minister's request, the federal cabinet offered Fateha for the martyrs.
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15 terrorists killed as deadly Ziarat assault leaves nine policemen martyred ISLAMABAD/QUETTA STAFF REPORT
Security forces killed 15 terrorists in a large-scale joint clearance operation launched after a deadly overnight assault on a police check post in Balochistan's Kach Mangi Phase III area of Ziarat district, where nine police personnel, including two Station House Officers (SHOs), embraced martyrdom, the Balochistan government said on Tuesday. "Security forces, police and other law enforcement agencies have completed a joint clearance operation against the terrorists in Ziarat, during which 15 terrorists
were killed," Adviser to the Balochistan Chief Minister Shahid Rind said in a statement. According to police, at least nine police officials, including two SHOs, were martyred during the night between Monday and Tuesday when terrorists affiliated with Fitna al-Khawarij attacked the police check post in the Kach Mangi Phase III area of the tourist district of Ziarat. Fitna al-Khawarij is the term used by the state for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreeke-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Shahid Rind said the heavily armed militants launched the attack late Monday night, triggering an intense exchange of fire with police
that continued for several hours. Following the assault, security forces launched a coordinated clearance operation involving the Frontier Corps, Balochistan Police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), the Special Operations Wing and the AntiTerrorism Force (ATF), he said. "The joint clearance operation has been successfully completed, during which 15 terrorists were killed, and there will be no safe haven for them in the province," Rind said. He added that eight police personnel who had been abducted during the attack safely returned as a result of the operation.
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Aurangzeb sees $42b remittances, says economy shifts towards sustainable growth KARACHI
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday said Pakistan's economy had ended the last fiscal year on a strong footing, expressing confidence that workers' remittances would reach a record $41-42 billion, while foreign exchange reserves were expected to close at around $18.4 billion. Addressing the second edition of the Pakistan Banking Summit 2026, the finance minister said the country's current account remained robust, largely driven by unprecedented remittance inflows. "We expect total remittances this year to close between $41 billion and $42 billion," he said. Highlighting key economic indicators, Aurangzeb said Pakistan had recorded a primary budget surplus, achieved its lowest fiscal deficit in history, reduced the debt-to-GDP ratio to below 70 per cent and posted 3.7 per cent GDP growth, supported by a strong recovery in large-scale manufacturing. He acknowledged a decline in exports during the year but said the contraction was mainly confined to the food sector, while value-added textile exports continued to register year-on-year growth. The minister also expressed optimism about Pakistan's external position, saying foreign exchange reserves were expected to exceed earlier projections and close at approximately $18.4 billion. On capital market reforms, Aurangzeb said Pakistan was pursuing diversified financing avenues, describing the proposed Panda Bond issuance as a major strategic initiative. "We have pursued the Eurobond, but the Panda Bond is particularly significant because Pakistan has not tapped the world's second-largest and second-deepest capital market despite efforts over the past seven to eight years," he said. Commenting on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, he said the quality of market participation was more important than index levels, noting a steady rise in the number of investors, particularly younger Gen Z participants, alongside a return to double-digit corporate profitability. Discussing fiscal reforms, the finance minister said the 2026-27 federal budget was the first to be prepared under the leadership of the newly established Tax Policy Office within the Finance Division. He said the government's strategy focused on export-led growth through the removal of advance tax and super tax, provision of low-cost financing and continuation of tariff reforms, while thanking Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal cabinet for their support. Aurangzeb also announced that the government would soon introduce a medium-term tax strategy and highlighted Parliament's approval of a new tax administration model designed to minimise human intervention through artificial intelligence and technology-driven processes. "The new engagement model between taxpayers and tax authorities is AI-led, with notices being generated through technology rather than manual intervention," he said.
Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan reaffirm push to expand trade, strategic cooperation BISHKEK
STAFF REPORT
President Asif Ali Zardari and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov on Tuesday renewed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, with both sides placing particular emphasis on expanding trade, economic links, and investment cooperation, according to a joint statement issued during Zardari’s official visit to Kyrgyzstan. Zardari arrived in Kyrgyzstan a day earlier on a four-day visit from July 6 to 9. The joint statement said the two presidents expressed satisfaction over the progress in ties between their countries and reiterated the need to move forward on understandings reached during Zhaparov’s visit to Pakistan in December.
The two leaders stressed the importance of sustained political engagement and closer institutional contact, including between parliaments, governments, and foreign ministries. They also signalled their willingness to work towards what the statement described as “a strategic partnership” centred on trade, economic cooperation, and investment. Ministers and relevant agencies were directed to step up efforts to carry out previously agreed measures and take practical steps to promote commercial activity, investment, and business-to-business engagement. The statement said both sides also called for stronger inter-agency coordination and more effective functioning of the Kyrgyz-Pakistani Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, as well as relevant joint working groups. They pledged full sup-
port for stronger connections between business communities, including chambers of commerce and industry, investment promotion bodies, and banking and financial institutions, while also encouraging joint projects and joint ventures. Sectoral cooperation and connectivity Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan identified multiple sectors for deeper cooperation, including energy, mining, agriculture, textiles, light industry, the halal sector, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, digital economy, information and communication technologies, tourism, and finance. In the energy sector, the two sides highlighted the scope for greater collaboration through the CASA-1000 project, which the statement described as an important link between Central and South Asia.
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Cabinet approves four-year Hajj Policy, backs digital overhaul and pilgrim reforms ISLAMABAD
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The federal cabinet on Monday approved Pakistan's first comprehensive four-year Haj Policy (2027–2030), introducing long-term planning, digital reforms and enhanced facilities for pilgrims while also reviewing economic performance, national security and recent diplomatic engagements. Chairing the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and his team for the successful arrangements made for this year's Haj, describing them as exemplary. A detailed briefing informed the cabinet that, unlike previous annual policies, the new framework would remain in force until 2030, enabling better planning, improved operational efficiency and enhanced services for intending pilgrims. Under the policy, pilgrims will no longer
be required to register every year. Instead, they will be able to register at any time for Haj up to 2030, allowing authorities to maintain a priority waiting list. A Shariah-compliant Haj savings scheme will also be introduced to help citizens save gradually for the pilgrimage. The cabinet was informed that Haj operations would be fully digitised, including payment systems, complaints management and monitoring mechanisms. Separate quotas have also been earmarked for government and private Haj schemes as well as for long- and short-duration packages. Mandatory pilgrim training, Takaful (Islamic insurance) and emergency response services have also been incorporated into the policy. The cabinet directed that Haj assistants be appointed strictly on merit through a transparent process and ordered third-party validation of both government and private Haj operators. It also approved the formulation of standard operating procedures and regulatory
mechanisms, which may be updated periodically to comply with Saudi regulations. The cabinet also approved the outsourcing policy for Islamabad's Isolation Hospital and Infectious Treatment Centre (IHITC) and the Regional Blood Centre (RBC), directing the Ministry of National Health Services to complete the process in accordance with relevant rules to improve healthcare services. During the meeting, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi briefed the cabinet on Pakistan Railways' performance, reporting that total revenue had increased from Rs95 billion in FY2024-25 to over Rs115 billion in FY202526 — a growth of more than 24 per cent. Freight revenue rose by over Rs8 billion, property and land earnings increased by more than Rs6 billion, while other revenues registered an increase exceeding Rs7 billion. Passenger revenue also recorded a 3.37 per cent rise. The cabinet appreciated the railways ministry for improving freight operations and overall efficiency.
The cabinet also ratified decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases
(CCLC) and the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) during their recent meetings.