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Saturday, 5 September, 2026 | 22 Rabiul Awwal, 1448
Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 161 | 8 Pages | Islamabad Edition
PM SAYS REFORMS RESTORE STABILITY, BOOST INVESTOR CONFIDENCE AFTER DIFFICULT TURNAROUND g
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PAKISTAN EARNS STABLE OUTLOOK UPGRADES FROM FITCH, MOODY’S AND S&P, PREMIER SHEHBAZ TELLS ADB VP
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STRESSES EARLY GROUNDBREAKING OF KARACHI-PESHAWAR ML-1 RAILWAY CORRIDOR
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REITERATES HIS GOVT DISMANTLING ADMINISTRATIVE BOTTLENECKS THROUGH DEDICATED TASK FORCES
PAKISTAN, ADB EXPLORE COOPERATION IN SMES, ENERGY, EXPORTS, AI AND IT
– reaffirms Pakistan’s ‘strong, abiding’ support for UN, multilateralism ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
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ISLAMABAD SALEEM JADOON
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said the government’s corrective measures had restored macroeconomic stability, strengthened investor confidence and secured stable outlook upgrades from major international credit rating agencies, including Fitch, Moody’s and S&P, as Pakistan successfully navigated a difficult economic turnaround through rigorous fiscal, structural and governance reforms. The prime minister made these remarks while hosting a breakfast meeting for Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Vice President for South, Central and West Asia Yingming Yang, during which they reviewed the institution’s multidecade development partnership with Pakistan and priority interventions under the new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) 2026–2030. Welcoming Yingming Yang on his first official visit to Pakistan in his capacity as ADB vice president, Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated the bank’s consistent professionalism and responsiveness in delivering transformative urban infrastructure, transport and public service projects across the country. Reaffirming the government’s steadfast commitment to long-term economic transformation, the prime minister said
Maj Gen Faisal Naseer appointed NACTA national coordinator for three years ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Major General Faisal Naseer, director general of counterintelligence at InterServices Intelligence (ISI), was appointed on Friday as national coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) for a three-year period on a secondment basis. According to a notification issued by the Establishment Division, the appointment was made with the approval of the federal government under Section 9(1) of the NACTA Act, 2013. The notification said Maj Gen Naseer, HI(M), T. Bt & Bar, would assume the position with “immediate effect and until further orders”. His appointment has been made on standard terms and conditions applicable to secondment. NACTA, established in 2008 under the Ministry of Interior, serves as the country’s central body for coordinating counterterrorism and counterextremism efforts. The authority is mandated to develop comprehensive national strategies against terrorism and extremism, prepare action plans and monitor their implementation, besides reporting to the federal government on progress. NACTA was also tasked with implementing the 20point National Action Plan formulated to counter terrorism and extremism following the December 2014 Army Public School attack. Maj Gen Faisal Naseer’s appointment comes as Pakistan continues to strengthen coordination among law-enforcement and security institutions in its efforts to counter terrorism and extremism.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong and abiding commitment to multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations in global affairs, stressing adherence to the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and the need to ensure respect for international law and international treaties. The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting with Ambassador Olara Otunnu, candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations, who called on him at the Prime Minister House, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Ambassador Olara Otunnu was accompanied by Ruhakana Rugunda, Special Envoy of the President of Uganda and former Prime Minister of Uganda. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch were also present.
administrative bottlenecks were being actively dismantled through dedicated execution task forces to accelerate implementation and ensure delivery of development priorities. A central focus of the discussions
During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed the hope that the next UN Secretary-General would maintain a strong focus on the three pillars of the United Nations — peace and security, development, and human rights — in an interconnected and balanced manner. Ambassador Otunnu expressed profound gratitude for Pakistan’s enduring contributions to multilateralism and its support for all three pillars of the United Nations. He also appreciated Pakistan’s leadership and its key role in ongoing efforts to promote international peace and security. DPM Dar, Ambassador Otunnu discuss evolving global landscape In a related development, Ambassador Olara Otunnu, candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General, along with Ruhakana Rugunda, Special Envoy of the President of Uganda and former prime minister of Uganda, called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Friday.
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was the modernisation of the Main Line1 (ML-1) railway corridor from Karachi to Peshawar, which the prime minister described as a vital national infrastructure priority.
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FO rejects India's temple demolition allegations as 'politically motivated' ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Foreign Office on Friday rejected India’s allegations regarding the reported demolition of a century-old Hindu temple in Narowal as "false and politically motivated," saying the structure was damaged by torrential rains. FO spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan was responding to media queries about the temple located at Adda Siraj in Narowal after India’s Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern on September 2 over reports of its destruction. India had described the reported demolition as an act of vandalism targeting a historic place of worship belonging to a minority community. “We categorically reject the false and politically motivated assertions made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs,” Khan said.
He said the temple structure had been damaged on July 21, 2026, due to torrential rains, rejecting allegations that it was deliberately demolished. According to the spokesperson, local authorities had surveyed the damage caused by the rains and initiated measures for restoration of the building. “It is, therefore, shameful that
India is distorting facts and resorting to cheap gimmicks,” he said. The Pakistani government has maintained that the more than century-old temple collapsed following heavy rainfall. However, a minority rights group had alleged that the structure was deliberately demolished to facilitate the expansion of an adjoining seminary.
48 terrorists eliminated in ‘high-tempo’ Balochistan operations over 72 hours: ISPR RAWALPINDI
STAFF REPORT
Security forces have killed 48 terrorists belonging to what the military described as “Indian proxies – Fitnaal-Hindustan and Fitna-al-Khawarij” in a series of “high-tempo” anti-terror operations across Balochistan over the past three days, as authorities stepped up counterterrorism efforts amid a recent surge in militant activity in the province. According to the military’s media wing, the operations were conducted in Mastung, Quetta, Kalat and Sibi districts, targeting terrorist hideouts and movements linked to “Indian proxies – Fitna-al-Hindustan and Fitna-al-Khawarij”. In a statement issued on Friday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said security forces killed six “Indian-sponsored terrorists” during an intelligencebased operation (IBO) in Mastung district after detecting the movement of terrorists. “Six khawarij were effectively engaged and killed in the ensuing exchange of fire,” the ISPR said. A cache of ammunition and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) was also recovered and destroyed during the operation, it added. The state designates the term Fitna-al-Khawarij for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Fitna-alHindustan for Balochistan-based groups, to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation efforts across Pakistan. In another IBO in the Shaban area of Quetta district, security forces identified four “khawarij hideouts”. Following an exchange of fire, 26 terrorists were killed, according to the ISPR. In Kalat district, security forces raided a terrorist hideout, killing two terrorists in the ensuing firefight, the military said. Meanwhile, in the Bhag area of Sibi district, security forces foiled an attempt by terrorists to raid a local police station, killing two terrorists in the ensuing operation, according to the ISPR. “In last 48-72 hours, 48 terrorists belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna-al-Hindustan and Fitna-al-Khawarij have been neutralised across Balochistan,” the ISPR said. Earlier on Friday, the ISPR also issued details of a September 2 IBO in Kalat district, in which 12 terrorists were killed. The operation was conducted on the reported presence of terrorists belonging to the Indian proxy Fitna-al-Hindustan, the military’s media wing said. ‘President, Naqvi laud security forces over successful operation’ President Asif Ali Zardari hailed the professional capabilities of the security forces for eliminating terrorists in operations across Balochistan. “The killing of more than 1,188 terrorists in Balochistan this year alone is evidence of the threats facing Pakistan and the readiness of the security forces,” he said in a statement. The president expressed the government’s firm resolve to eradicate “foreign-backed and enabled terrorism” from the country. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also commended the security forces for the series of operations that resulted in the killing of 36 terrorists, APP reported. In a statement, Naqvi said the elimination of the terrorists reflected the operational capabilities and commitment of the security forces to maintaining security, adding that the forces had thwarted plans by elements seeking to destabilise the country.
‘Small’ AJK cabinet sworn in as PM Gillani inducts eight ministers ‘without portfolios’ MUZAFFARABAD STAFF REPORT
A relatively small cabinet took oath in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday, with Prime Minister Iftikhar Gillani appointing seven directly elected and one indirectly elected lawmakers as ministers without portfolios. Acting President Chaudhry Tariq Farooq administered the oath to the newly
appointed ministers at a ceremony held at the Presidency in the presence of Prime Minister Gillani and PML-N regional president Shah Ghulam Qadir. The eight-member cabinet comprises Raja Saqib Majeed and Dr Mustafa Bashir Abbasi from Muzaffarabad, Sardar Mir Akbar from Bagh, Raja Riasat and Raja Umair Naeem from Kotli, Waqar Noor from Bhimber and Chaudhry Azhar Sadiq from
Mirpur. The eighth member, Chaudhry Abdul Rehman Arain, also belongs to Kotli and is a prominent Birmingham-based businessman. He was elected on a reserved seat representing Kashmiris living abroad. Among the newly inducted ministers, Abbasi, Noor, Akbar and Sadiq have previously served as ministers, while the remaining cabinet members are entering the cabinet for the first time. The composition of the cabinet
comes against the backdrop of an apparent political reconciliation within the ruling PML-N. Shah Ghulam Qadir, who had initially been tipped as the next prime minister, had opposed Gillani’s nomination by the party leadership and did not participate in Gillani’s election as leader of the house or his subsequent swearing-in ceremony on Aug 28.
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IMF chief says joint reform approach ‘worked well’ in Pakistan PROFIT
WEB DESK
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has cited Pakistan as a country where the joint IMFWorld Bank approach to supporting countries with sustainable debt and strong growth-enhancing reforms has “worked well”, as she called for stronger domestic resource mobilisation and measures to attract greater private-sector inflows at lower cost. In her statement at the conclusion of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, Georgieva said accelerating implementation of the IMF-World Bank Three-Pillar Approach was a key priority in addressing debt challenges facing developing countries. “Together with the World Bank, we
have strengthened support for countries on reform implementation and domestic resource mobilization and continue to work on ways to encourage effective liability management operations, including to incentivize higher private sector inflows at lower cost. This has worked well in countries such as Ecuador or Pakistan,” Georgieva said. She added that securing strong support from other partners, including bilateral creditors, was essential and called on the G20 to take leadership in collective support for growth and investment. The Pakistan reference came under the second of three dimensions outlined by Georgieva for addressing debt challenges in developing economies. Under the first, she called for decisive action in countries where debt was unsustainable, supported by further improve-
ments in debt restructuring processes. She pointed to progress under the G20 Common Framework, including the G20 memorandum of understanding template agreed this year, and work by the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable, which published an updated “Restructuring Playbook” in April. Georgieva said further work was needed on comparability of treatment and coordination among creditor groups, as well as solutions for countries not eligible for the Common Framework. The second dimension focuses on accelerating the IMF-World Bank Three-Pillar Approach for countries with sustainable debt that are pursuing growth-enhancing reforms. It was in this context that Georgieva specifically cited Pakistan and Ecuador. The third focuses on sound economic fundamentals, with Georgieva stressing the
importance of strengthening debt transparency, debt-management capacity and
debtor-investor relations to prevent an unsustainable build-up of debt.