CHINA , SAUDIA WELCOME TRUCE AS ISL AMABAD, K ABUL REAFFIRM JOINT EFFORTS TO TACKLE BORDER TERRORISM
CInformed
and Kabul emphasizing the need for both governments to take decisive action against this threat Asif stressed that regional peace can only be achieved through coordinated efforts to counter extremism Preparations are underway for an important meeting in Istanbul next week where officials are expected to finalize details of the new agreement
C r a c k d o w n o n i l l e g a l A f g h a n m i g r a n t s l
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
Authorities have launched a large-scale crackdown against undocumented Afghan nationals across Punjab including Islamabad and Lahore, as part of the government s drive to repatriate illegal migrants During a late-night operation in Islamabad’s Bari Imam area police arrested 17 Afghan nationals residing in the country without legal documentation The operation led by SP City at the Secretariat Police Station faced resistance from the migrants but ended with all suspects taken into custody Officials said the detainees would be deported to Afghanistan via the Torkham border Similar operations have begun across Punjab where police are identifying undocumented Afghan residents Authorities are geo-tagging nomadic Afghan families and verifying the identity cards of individuals suspected of registering as Pakistani citizens Lahore officials have pledged strict action against those found using fraudulent documents According to police sources, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is assisting in crosschecking family records as many Afghan families have lived in Pakistan for decades using Pakistani identity cards Officials confirmed that even those holding Afghan citizen cards or temporary residence permits are being sent back In Faisalabad, police said the evacuation of Afghan migrants has been completed The Foreigners Cell of Faisalabad Police reported that 448 Afghan nationals including an additional 35 discovered during searches have voluntarily relocated to Peshawar to avoid arrest Officials said the city has now been declared free of Afghan residents
Pakistan warns Afghanistan against cross-border terrorism: S anaullah
The agenda will cover intelligence sharing joint border surveillance and a framework for ensuring adherence to ceasefire agreements Asif expressed hope that resolving the terrorism issue would pave the way for further cooperation in trade, transit, and infrastructure development benefiting both economies He noted that stabilizing the border could allow Afghanistan to resume commercial activities through Pakistani ports
Federal Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Monday sharply criticised the Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government s decision to return bullet-proof vehicles supplied by the federal government, describing it as an “immature” act that undermines the fight against terrorism Speaking to reporters
Chaudhry said the decision reflected poor judgment by the provincial leadership and put police personnel at greater risk while counter-terrorism operations were ongoing in the province
“The federal government has so far provided Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa with Rs600 billion for the war against terrorism
Chaudhry said That money was meant to strengthen the Civil Armed Forces, the Counter Terrorism Department and forensic laboratories yet no clear account has been given of how it was spent
He said the vehicles supplied by the federal government met international security standards and were designed to protect law enforcement officers operating in high-risk zones “These are bulletproof vehicles built to global standards he said Wherever these vehicles have been deployed, loss of life has been negligible
idents of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), and several individuals have challenged the amendment s legality Appearing in person, senior lawyer Akram Sheikh urged the court to form a 24member full bench to hear the case “The court should not be further packed by adding more judges he argued
Rejecting the KP government s claim that the vehicles were substandard
Chaudhry said the excuse was childish and immature He added that the same model of vehicles was being used by federal ministers and senior officials in terrorism-affected areas without any complaints
Chaudhry said the federal government had also provided the province with bullet-proof jackets, binoculars and weapons to improve the protection and capability of its security personnel “These vehicles and equipment were provided to secure our troops and accelerate the war against terrorism he said
The minister accused the KP government of lacking seriousness in its approach to counter-terrorism and of politicising security cooperation “This immature and underdeveloped mindset is an in-
justice to the public ” he said
Such people should not be the province s chief minister This kind of thinking is increasing risks for police personnel
He further claimed that the provincial authorities were not fully committed to eliminating terrorist networks It appears the provincial government is not interested in the total neutralisation of terrorists he said, alleging that police were being sent before armed terrorists without proper support ”
Chaudhry reiterated that despite the provincial government’s stance the federal government remained committed to supporting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in its counter-terrorism campaign The federation is, in good faith, providing cooperation to the KP government in the war against terrorism ” he said
tioned whether Sheikh was suggesting the amendment be struck down despite being part of the Constitution Justice Amin-udDin, meanwhile, observed that Sheikh had not raised a single constitutional or legal argument to support his stance The lawyer however maintained that existing precedents disqualified the current eight-
s wife and a contractor named Mumtaz while several senior officials are suspected of enabling or ignoring the fraud over the years Both Qaiser Iqbal and his wife were produced before an accountability court in Peshawar which granted a seven-day physical remand for Qaiser and a four-day remand for his wife
The case involves the illegal withdrawal of more than Rs40 billion from the government treasury under Head of Account G-10113 Officials from the Communication and Works (C&W) Department District Accounts Office
(DAO), Accountant General (AG) Office, and the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) are accused of conspiring with private contractors in Upper Kohistan to embezzle funds meant for development projects As per reports investigators found that government money was siphoned off through fake bills, fabricated schedules, and bogus cheques prepared and processed by officials in collusion with contractors
Several suspects including government employees bankers and contractors have already been arrested while properties, gold, cash, foreign currency, and luxury vehicles worth billions of rupees have been seized NAB officials said further arrests are likely as investigations into the money trail and property ownership continue
Being unfair to Trump
TH E Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved 12 development projects worth Rs35 4 billion including key upgrades for Pakistan Railways’ Mainline-1 (ML-1) and referred six major schemes amounting to Rs280 2 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval The meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, reviewed 18 projects across multiple sectors including agriculture health education governance energy water and transport Addressing the session the minister said Development is not just about projects; it is about people performance, and purpose Every initiative we approve today must translate into a better tomorrow for Pakistan He reiterated that Pakistan’s long-term development strategy is guided by Vision 2025 and the “Uraan Pakistan” 5Es Framework focusing on Exports E-Pakistan Energy & Infrastructure Environment and Equity & Empowerment aimed at transforming the country into a competitive, inclusive, and knowledge-based economy by 2047 Among the key transport sector projects, the CDWP approved the Detailed Engineering Design for the ML-1 Rohri–Khanpur–Multan Section amounting to Rs3 21 billion with financing support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) It also referred the Preliminary Design and Drawings for ML-1 and the Havelian Dry Port, worth Rs16 26 billion to ECNEC for final consideration Ahsan Iqbal called the ML-1 modernization Pakistan s leap into the 21st
century, emphasizing that while the world is moving toward electric trains, Pakistan must upgrade its rail infrastructure to remain competitive The planning minister also directed Pakistan Railways to implement a business plan and commercialize its land assets to help finance infrastructure upgrades ensuring long-term sustainability
Under the agriculture and food security agenda, the Punjab Resilient and Inclusive Agriculture Transformation (PRIAT) Project worth Rs68 67 billion was referred to ECNEC Iqbal emphasized aligning the project with measurable outcomes and past cluster-based studies to enhance value addition and export competitiveness The Punjab Climate Resilient and Low Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Project (P-CLAMP), worth Rs36 12 billion and financed by ADB was also referred to ECNEC Additionally the CDWP approved the
Pakistan is facing a trade deficit of $1 7 billion with Iran under the ongoing barter trade arrangement officials revealed during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce held here on Monday The committee chaired by MNA Javed Hanif was informed that despite efforts to expand trade with Iran through non-cash exchange mechanisms the imbalance between imports and exports continues to widen
According to trade data presented to the committee, Pakistan’s exports to Iran during FY2025 stood at $650 million while imports surged to $2 42 billion mainly comprising petroleum products steel fruits and dry fruits plastics chemicals and dairy items Pakistan s major exports to Iran included rice, meat, and mangoes Officials said that to facilitate cross-border trade, Iranian trucks are allowed to enter up to Quetta whereas Pakistani trucks can only
travel as far as Zahedan on the Iranian side
However, the Iranian government has assured Pakistan of steps to enhance imports from Pakistan in the coming months
The committee was also briefed on a $30 billion discrepancy identified in Pakistan s trade statistics over the past five fiscal years Officials from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) explained that the difference emerged because Pakistan Single Window (PSW) includes raw material imported for export processing zones in its data, while the Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL) system does not PBS Chief Dr Naeem Zafar said that this data gap had been under
National Programme for Animal Disease Surveillance and Control worth Rs7 35 billion to enhance Pakistan’s compliance with international sanitary standards and boost livestock exports Under the governance reforms agenda the Punjab Resource Improvement and Digital Effectiveness (PRIDE) Programme worth Rs3 08 billion was approved to improve fiscal management
auditors had requested management to provide a representation on the possible outcomes of these regulatory cases and their impact on the financial statements for FY24 which were approved by the Board of Directors on September 23 2025 In light of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding such proceedings and considering that this situation is beyond its control at present, it is not possible for the company to reliably estimate or determine the outcome of NEPRA proceedings or their consequential impact on the FY2024 financial statements We are therefore unable to issue the audited financial statements at this time,” K-Electric said As a result, the company confirmed that the AGM for adopting FY24 financial statements has been postponed until further notice The outcome of NEPRA proceedings may have an impact on the financial results as announced to the PSX, which presently cannot be reliably estimated or determined,” the statement added
K-Electric said it continues to explore possible next steps and will update the PSX and market participants once the regulatory outcomes are finalized and reauthorization for the issuance of audited statements is obtained
China, S audia welcome truce as islamabad,
kabul reaffirm joint
efforts
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
This renewed engagement follows persistent security challenges in the border areas, where militant activities have often disrupted diplomatic progress The upcoming Istanbul meeting is seen as a potential turning point with analysts optimistic that concrete actions could enhance bilateral relations and regional stability
CHINA WELCOMES CEASEFIRE
AGREEMENT BETWEEN PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN: China welcomes the ceasefire agreement reached between Pakistan and Afghanistan Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday According to a statement issued by Qatar ’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire under the mediation of Qatar and Turkey Furthermore, the two sides will continue talks to ensure its sustainability Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the ceasefire and said the two sides would hold another round of talks in Istanbul on October 25 Both Pakistan and Afghanistan are China s traditional friendly neighbors and each other s neighbor that cannot be moved away, noted Guo when asked to comment on
speaks for the chastity of love - far from the madding mundanity of the human instincts He anticipates the empathic sentiments of his readers in his verse Some critics are inclined to equate him, though in a lesser degree with Ahmad Faraz and Parveen Shakir due to his capability to express in poetry the feelings of sincerity love and loyalty in a modern way Literary luminaries like Abbas Tabish Hassan Nisar, Iftikhar Arif, Ataul Haq Qasmi, Ahmad Aqeel Rubi, Orya Maqbool Jan, Dr Pirzada Qasim, and Tariq Kaleem have greatly appreciated Wasi Shah for his cre-
to tackle border terrorism
the agreement at a regular press briefing China welcomes the ceasefire agreement reached between the two countries and commends the contributions made by the relevant countries said Guo China sincerely hopes for and supports the continued dialogue and consultation between Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their differences achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire and jointly safeguard the peace and stability of both countries and the region, Guo added China is willing to work with the international community to continue playing a constructive role in improving and advancing Pakistan-Afghanistan relations Guo said Saudi Arabia on Monday welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan following more than a week of deadly cross-border clashes, describing it as a “positive step” toward lasting peace and stability in the region
RIYADH BACKS DOHA-MEDIATED TRUCE BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN: The truce, mediated by Qatar and Turkiye, was finalised early Sunday after intense talks between high-level delegations from both countries in Doha The two sides agreed to halt hostilities establish a joint monitoring mechanism and con-
ative virtuosity in their respective prefaces to the aforesaid three books Their consensual verdict on his poetry can be summed up in three quadrisyllabic words life love , and glow - meaning that it
and
of
Wasi Shah’s verse
be
puerile expression of a volley of youthful sentiments born of idle day-dreaming or utopia In fact as Pirzada Qasim would insist, Wasi Shah s temperamental tilt toward realism lends a unique vista to his poetic outpourings, broadening their textual expanse and enriching their meaning The evolution of Wasi Shah’s poetic thought finds its acme in his poem ‘Third World’ as Ahmad Aqeel Rubi has pointed out in his prefatory remarks on the former s art
This poem is reflective of the poet s swing from a status quo-esque emotional stance to a palpable realistic scape envisioning the unsavoury existentialistic truths of life Over the passage of time, the poet seems to have readjusted his focus on life from introversion to extroversion as observed by Tariq Kaleem in his concise but compact overview of Wasi Shah s third collection viz Meray ho kay raho
‘Jo Beet Gya Hai Woh’ Muhammma Daud Tahir is a retired (FBR) bureaucrat and a noted travelogue writer with ten prestigious pub-
tinue discussions on long-term border management The next round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in Istanbul on October 25 where confidence-building measures are expected to be reviewed In a statement posted on its official X account, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s welcome of the signing by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Afghanistan of an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries, during the round of negotiations held in Doha ” The statement reaffirmed Riyadh’s support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability while expressing hope that this agreement would lead to an end to tensions on the border between the two countries ” The ministry added that the kingdom remains committed to ensuring security that achieves “stability and prosperity for the brotherly peoples of Pakistan and Afghanistan Saudi Arabia also commended the mediation efforts of Turkiye and Qatar, praising their constructive diplomatic role” in bringing both sides to the negotiating table Riyadh’s engagement carries symbolic weight as the kingdom signed a major defence cooperation pact with Pakistan last month
lications (comprising one but nine travelogues) to his credit The instant book is a voluminous biography stretched over some 1000 pages (condensed in 249 chapters) written in a lucid racy but anecdotal style It is a mix of the author s learning as a voracious reader; his career and experience in the Central Board of Revenue (latterly re-designated as FBR) and his post-retirement contractual employment as member PPSC; his literary, cultural, and intellectual pursuits; his official and non-official travel history; his interaction with a wide circle of distinguished personages including civil and military bureaucrats political and cultural elite litterateurs, diplomats, clerics, journalists, anchors, film actors, sportsmen et al The author possesses a graphic memory One wonders how he has managed to delineate so vividly and minutely his multifarious observations and experiences (both savoury and bitter) of a lifetime with precise but accurate recollection of places events and men and matters! As a narrator, he has a special knack of engaging the attention of the reader by his rhetorical skills The book is thus a potpourri of interesting anecdotes, live character portraits, events of national magnitude, exposure of criminality and the modernistic ‘duality’ of truth A list of the important personages mentioned in the book would show the bulk and volume of the author s social, cultural, and professional connectivity Some of them are: Rahat Kazmi (Actor), Ch Zafarullah Khan, Sultan Rashk (Poet), Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani, I A Imtiazi (PAS) Gen Ziaul Haq Ghulam Ahmad Jhandeer (Jhandeer Library-Vehari) Ahmad Faraz Shakir Shujaabadi (Poet) Raja Tridev Roy (Pakistani Diplomat) Allama Mazhar Saeed Kazmi Saeed Mehdi (PAS), Lady Dr Altaf Bashir (Faisalabad), Ataul Haq Qasmi, Bishop Dr John Joseph (Faisalabad), Syed Zameer Jafri, Mukhtar Masood (PAS), Sharif Farooq (Journalist-Peshawar) Dr Faqir Hussain Saga (Academic-Kathak Dancer) Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Shaukat Aziz Seth Abid Hussain (Kasur) Parveen Shakir Ch Sardar Muhammad (IGP) Tariq Aziz (Bureaucrat) Makhdoom Sajjad Hussain Qureshi, Suraiya Multanikar, Rauf Klasra, Irshad Bhatti, Asghar Saudai (Poet), Malik Meraj Khalid, Gen ® Pervez Musharraf, Shamim Ara Justice Ali Nawaz Chauhan Lt Gen ® Khalid Maqbool Muhammad Ali Zeba Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Kuldip Nayar (Indian Journalist-Diplomat) Tariq Sultan (PAS) Shahzad Hassan Pervez (PAS), Ahmad Rushdi, S B John, Mehdi Hassan, Taqueer Nasir (Actor), Ahmad Hasan Dani (Archaeologist), Javed Hassan Ali (FBR), Ch Fazal Elahi, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, Lt Gen ® Moeenuddin Haider Abdul Qadir Hassan (Journalist) and others
Israel bent on sabotaging Trump’s Gaza peace plan
s
Phas reached a critical moment Both Israel and Hamas accepted
and eventually open the door to a Palestinian state a vision utterly at odds with the idea of a Greater Israel Hamas, meanwhile, plays its own dangerous game It has released some hostages but not all offering gestures instead of commitments It resists international monitoring and refuses to disarm fully keeping its weapons hidden beneath Gaza s ruins Divided between its political negotiators abroad and its commanders trapped underground Hamas sends mixed signals one hand extended toward negotiation the other still gripping a gun Yet beneath the defiance lies exhaustion Two years of relentless bombardment haveshattered its infrastructure and leadership The choice before it is stark: accept the peace plan as a path to survival or risk total annihilation For Hamas, which has lost much of its command structure and morale the plan offers a narrow corridor of escape perhaps the last chance to save what remains of its movement and people In this sense, Israel and Hamas now stand on opposite slopes of the same mountain Netanyahu fears that the peace plan could undo his long-cherished project of permanent dominance while Hamas sees in it a possible lifeline The plan s success could mean the end of Israeli expansionism the slowing of settlements, and the creation of a monitored Palestinian administration under international supervision outcomes that threaten Israel’s far-right coalition For Hamas by contrast successful implementation could spare its fighters from destruction and allow a gradual political reintegration through regional diplomacy If Israel s fear is loss of territory, Hamas s fear is extinction Amid these conflicting motives stands Donald Trump, the architect of the plan and now its enforcer He has been watching both sides closely issuing warnings with unmistakable urgency Move fast he insists or massive bloodshed will follow He has reminded Netanyahu that the continuation of bombing could endanger U S strategic ties and warned Hamas that renewed attacks will
bring devastating consequences Unlike the peace brokers of the past, Trump has tied his own credibility to the plan s survival, using both American influence and global pressure to hold the sides accountable The upcoming Monday meeting in Egypt will test whether this vigilance can translate into progress Representatives from Israel, Hamas, and regional partners will gather to confirm whether the ceasefire is real, whether hostages and prisoners are being exchanged according to schedule, and whether humanitarian routes are open If these benchmarks are met the second phase will begin: Israeli withdrawal deployment of international monitors and establishment of a temporary technocratic administration in
the arrival of international monitors Yet what the world now sees looks less like withdrawal and more like consolidation Within Israel’s ruling coalition many regard the peace plan not as a step toward stability but as a threat to years of expansionist ambition A genuine truce, they fear, would force Israel to retreat from its newly secured zones, halt settlements,
Yet the dang er looms that if the plan fails, Israel will swiftly point the fing er at Hamas and resume full-scale militar y operations Its goal would be not just to defeat Hamas but to eliminate it completely, take permanent control of Gaza and the West Bank, and then pursue a broader territorial expansion toward the east Such a move would plung e the entire region into crisis The United Nations, the United States, and the Muslim world must remain aler t to this possibility
‘pover t y porn’ fake images being used by aid agencies
AI-generated images of extreme poverty children and sexual violence survivors are flooding stock photo sites and increasingly being used by leading health NGOs, according to global health professionals who have voiced concern over a new era of “poverty porn” “All over the place people are using it ” said Noah Arnold who works at Fairpicture a Swissbased organisation focused on promoting ethical imagery in global development Some are actively using AI imagery, and others, we know that they re experimenting at least ” Arsenii Alenichev, a researcher at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp studying the production of global health images said: The images replicate the visual grammar of poverty – children with empty plates cracked earth stereotypical visuals Alenichev has collected more than 100 AI-generated images of extreme poverty used by individuals or NGOs as part of social media campaigns against hunger or sexual violence Images he shared with the Guardian show exaggerated stereotype-perpetuating scenes: children huddled together in muddy water; an African girl in a wedding dress with a tear staining her cheek In a comment piece published on Thursday in the Lancet Global Health, he argues these images amount to “poverty porn 2 0” While it is hard to quantify the prevalence of the AI-generated images Alenichev and others say their use is on the rise driven by concerns over consent and cost Arnold said that US funding cuts to NGO budgets had made matters worse It is quite clear that various organisations are starting to consider synthetic images instead of real photography, because it s cheap and you don’t need to bother with consent and everything ” said Alenichev AI-generated images of extreme poverty now appear in their dozens on popular stock photo sites including Adobe Stock Photos and Freepik in response to queries such as poverty Many bear captions such as Photorealistic kid in refugee camp ; Asian children
Joaquín Abela CEO of Freepik said the responsibility for using such extreme images lay with media consumers, and not with platforms such as his The AI stock photos, he said, are generated by the platform’s global community of users, who can receive a licensing fee when Freepik’s customers choose to buy their images Freepik had attempted to curb biases it had found in other parts of its photo library he said by injecting diversity and trying to ensure gender balance into the photos of lawyers and CEOs hosted on the site But, he said, there was only so much his platform could do “It’s like trying to dry the ocean We make an effort but in reality if customers worldwide want images a certain way there is absolutely nothing that anyone can do In the past leading charities have used AI-generated images as part of their communications strategies on global health In 2023, the Dutch arm of UK charity Plan International released a video campaign against child marriage containing AI-generated images of a girl with a black eye an older man and a pregnant teenager Last year the UN posted a video on YouTube with AI-generated re-enactments of sexual violence in conflict, which included AI-generated testimony from a Burundian woman describing being raped by three men and left to die in 1993 during the country’s civil war The video was removed after the Guardian contacted the UN for comment A UN Peacekeeping spokesperson said: The video in question which was produced over a year ago using a fast-evolving tool has been taken down as we believed it shows improper use of AI, and may pose risks regarding information integrity, blending real footage and near-real artificially generated content “The United Nations remains steadfast in its commitment to support victims of conflict-related sexual violence including through innovation and creative advocacy Arnold said the rising use of these AI images comes after years of debate in the sector around ethical imagery and dignified storytelling about poverty and violence “Supposedly, it’s easier to take readymade AI visuals that come without consent because it s not real people Kate Kardol an NGO communications consultant said the images frightened her and recalled earlier debates about the use of poverty porn in the sector It saddens me that the fight for more ethical representation of people experiencing poverty now extends to the unreal ” she said Generative AI tools have long been found to replicate – and at times exaggerate – broader societal biases The proliferation of biased images in global health communications may make the problem worse, said Alenichev, because the images could filter out into the wider internet and be used to train the next generation of AI models a process which has been shown to amplify prejudice A spokesperson for Plan International said the NGO had as of this year: adopted guidance advising against using AI to depict individual children and said the 2023 campaign had used AI-generated imagery to safeguard the privacy and dignity of real girls” Adobe declined to comment
even if they seem high
A second factor to consider is the prevailing narrative which usually revolves around the message that this time is different A bubble is almost always buttressed by belief in a new paradigm or emerging technology – whether it be the internet, the Japanese production process, electricity, railroads, or canals The typical narrative creates a mental bridge between what actually is (current cash flows) and what could be (forecasts of future revenues) The bridge is what lures investors to buy into a possible upside While they may start by
TRUMP VOWS TO KEEP ‘MASSIVE’ TARIFFS ON INDIA UNTIL RUSSIAN OIL IMPORTS CEASE
which he claimed his forces had dismantled one of the most dangerous spy cells which he said was linked to humanitarian organisations such as the World Food Program and UNICEF Dujarric described the accusations as "dangerous and unacceptable" The raid on Saturday came with dozens of UN personnel already arrested in recent months in areas
and former members of international NGOs already detained according to the UN Ten years of civil war have plunged
one of the poorest countries in the Arabian Peninsula into one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, according to the UN
violation by Hamas of the truce
The Israeli military said it struck Hamas targets across the enclave including field commanders gunmen, a tunnel and weapons depots, after militants launched an anti-tank missile and fired on its troops, killing the soldiers
The strikes killed at least 26 people including at least one woman and one child according to local residents and health authorities At least one strike hit a former school sheltering displaced people in the area of Nuseirat, residents said
“We’re going to have to see what’s happening We want to make sure that it s going to be very peaceful with Hamas Trump said Trump s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to travel to Israel on Monday, an Israeli official and a US official said
The armed wing of Hamas said it remained committed to the cease-
fire agreement, was unaware of clashes in Rafah, and had not been in contact with groups there since March
US Vice President JD Vance did not mention the Israeli strikes when speaking to reporters but said there were about 40 different cells of Hamas and no security infrastructure yet in place to confirm their disarmament
“Some of those cells will probably honor the ceasefire Many of those cells as we saw some evidence of today will not he said
Before we actually can ensure that Hamas is properly disarmed, that’s going to require some of these Gulf Arab states, to get forces in there to actually apply some law and order and security keeping on the ground
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to respond forcefully to what he described as Hamas’ violations of the ceasefire Path to peace is uncertain
Fearing the truce may collapse some Palestinians rushed to buy goods from a main market in Nuseirat and families fled their homes in Khan Younis, further south, after airstrikes hit nearby The strikes were reminiscent of Israel s response to what it viewed as serious violations of its ceasefire with Hamas Lebanese ally Hezbollah in late 2024, less than a week after it came into effect and after
days of mutual accusations of truce breaches, though that ceasefire has since largely held
But formidable obstacles remain in the way of a durable peace in Gaza where a ceasefire collapsed in March after nearly two months of relative calm when Israel unleashed a barrage of airstrikes Dispute over bodies of deceased hostages
The new ceasefire took effect on October 10 halting two years of war but the Israeli government and Hamas have been accusing each other of violations of the ceasefire for days
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the “yellow line” to where Israeli forces had pulled back under the ceasefire deal would be physically marked and that any violation of the ceasefire or attempt to cross the line would be met with fire Hamas detailed what it said was a series of violations by Israel that it says have left 46 people dead and stopped essential supplies from reaching the enclave
On Saturday, Israel said the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which had been expected to be reopened this week, would remain closed and that its reopening would depend on Hamas fulfilling its obligations under the ceasefire Israel says Hamas is being too slow in handing over bodies of deceased hostages
being described as a new mobilization for Chinese modernization It aims to align the nation s institutional strengths with clear longterm goals consolidating public consensus through broad consultation and coordinated policymaking
Reflecting on the outgoing 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) the report highlights China s resilience in the face of a turbulent global environment including the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting geopolitical realities During this period, China implemented 17 major strategic tasks, 102 key projects and over 5 000 programs achieving steady economic growth alongside green transformation and technological innovation
The upcoming plan emphasizes six key commitments: upholding the Party’s overall leadership prioritizing the people s welfare pursuing high-quality growth deepening reforms, strengthening the interaction between market efficiency and government capacity, and ensuring development-security balance Together these principles outline China s strategy for sustainable self-reliant and secure progress The 15th Five-Year Plan is
Key sectors such as high-end manufacturing, digital technology, and low-carbon industries flourished, while innovation-driven policies deepened the integration of talent science and capital fueling the rise of new productive forces
Globally the CPC leadership noted, the world is undergoing transformations unseen in a century Rising protectionism, geopolitical frictions, and fragmented international cooperation have intensified global instability
The statement also observed that many Western nations are grappling with governance paralysis caused by political polarization, hindering effective decision-making on long-term issues
CORPORATE CORNER
President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, held a meeting today with Mr Khurram Jameel, Chief Executive Officer of Siemens Healthineers Pakistan, at Aiwan-e-Sadr
During the meeting Mr Jameel briefed the
on Siemens Healthineers ongoing initiatives in Pakistan s healthcare
including advancements in medical technology, diagnostic solutions, and capacity-building programs aimed at improving access to quality healthcare across the country President Asif Ali Zardari appreciated Siemens Healthineers contribution to Pakistan s health infrastructure and emphasized the government’s commitment to fostering public-private partnerships that strengthen the national healthcare system He highlighted the importance of innovation research and collaboration with
Jameel reaffirmed Siemens
ineers’ dedication to supporting Pakistan s healthcare transformation through state-of-the-art med-
Delegation from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Including International Exper ts, Visits KIU; Meeting with Vice Chancellor KIU
A high-level delegation comprising the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, along with various international experts, visited Karakoram International University According to the KIU Public Relations Department the delegation included representatives from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office the British Embassy, WWF Germany and Pakistan, among other organizations The delegation met with Karakoram International University's Vice Chancellor, Professor Dr Ataullah Shah During the meeting detailed discussions were held on biodiversity loss climate challenges and the conservation of sustainable natural resources In the meeting the Vice Chancellor briefed the delegation on the university's ongoing research initiatives to address environmental issues in the region, which include studies on glacier melting, habitat restoration and community-involved conservation efforts During the meeting the Vice Chancellor further stated that our efforts not only advance scientific understanding but also provide awareness and education to local communities on environmental conservation to ensure a safe environment for future generations After the meeting, the delegation visited the university's Center for Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resource Management The center focused on research in environmental conservation and ecosystem-based approaches
Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa visits T-Chowk Flyover project
ISLAMABAD
s ta f f r e p o r t
Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Muhammad Ali Randhawa visited the T-Chowk Flyover project along with the relevant officers He conducted a detailed review of the ongoing construction activities and inspected various sections of the project During a briefing on the project s progress, relevant officers consultants resident engineers and the project director briefed Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa that in line with the direction of Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi construction work on the T-Chowk Flyover project is progressing rapidly He was briefed that approximately 49% of the total construction work for the T-Chowk Flyover project has been completed It was informed that 100% of the pile cap and girder casting work along with 60% of the safety wall construction for the T-Chowk Flyover project has been accomplished It was also informed that traffic continues to flow normally during the construction phase Chairman CDA was also informed that work on the project is continuing 24/7 according to the timelines and will be completed within the stipulated period Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa expressed satisfaction with the progress of the development work and directed comprehensive planning for the project s completion, keeping in view the future expansion of GT Road He emphasized that while the project must be completed according to the timelines the quality of the development work must not be compromised in any way
IHC gives police 3 days to recover NCCIA deput y director after alleged abduction
s ta f f r e p o r t
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday gave police a three-day ultimatum to recover the deputy director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), who was allegedly abducted earlier this month
The court issued the directives while presiding over the hearing of a plea filed by Rozina Usman for the recovery of her husband Muhammad Usman who she has alleged was taken away by four armed individuals on October 14
IHC Justice Muhammad Azam Khan heard the petition while Advocate Raja Rizwan Abbasi appeared in court on behalf of the wife During the hearing, the court directed that if police failed to recover the official within three days the NCCIA central director and the Islamabad inspector general should appear in court in person Meanwhile Abbasi told the court that he was unaware of the whereabouts of his client I don t know where the petitioner is; I fear she may have also been abducted, Abbasi told the court He added that the petitioner had called him saying she was being pressured to withdraw the petition
“The petitioner ’s husband was working on important cases and was kidnapped in a white Corolla the advocate said adding that now the petitioner s phone was also off and there had been no contact with her He urged the court to summon the NCCIA director and Islamabad police chief Abbasi further contended that the CCTV footage showed that Usman was allegedly abducted in a vehicle which had a fake number plate To this Justice Khan asked If the vehicle s number plate is suspicious how was it being driven around in Islamabad? He termed the situation a very serious matter , adding that there were checkpoints and CCTV cameras in the capital He directed
PESHAWAR n e w s d e s
Two most-wanted Fitna-alKhawarij terrorists were killed in a joint operation by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and police in Swabi officials confirmed
According to a CTD spokesperson, the Fitna-alKhawarij terrorists, riding on a motorcycle, opened fire on CTD and police personnel during an intelligence-based operation Law enforcement officials retaliated killing both assailants on the spot Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain terrorists The CTD identified them as Nauman alias Mane and Abdul Basit alias Tilawat Shah both wanted in several cases including the targeted killings of police personnel
The CTD apprehended the two suspects Abdul Raheem Khoso and Ghulam Shabir, who had gone into hiding, from the Qasimabad area of Hyderabad
The Counter-Terrorism Department also recovered a cash amount from the arrested suspects
A search operation is underway in the area to locate two more suspects believed to have fled the scene the CTD added Earlier the Sindh police s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Hyderabad arrested two suspected terrorists of Fitna Ul Hindustan in an intelligence-based operation on Sunday
which was allegedly being used for terror financing
Evidence of their affiliation with Fitna Ul Hindustan including important papers and receipt books was also recovered the CTD added The CTD also recovered arms and ammunition from the possession of the terrorists The weapons are believed to have been used in a firing incident targeting a Counter-Terrorism Department vehicle in April of this year
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t
The internal story of a crucial meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Central Executive Committee (CEC) has come to light, revealing growing bitterness and distrust at the federal and Punjab levels between the government and the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N)
President Asif Ali Zardari told party executive members that everything would be resolved within a month, explaining that he had been asked for a month to fix
the issues During the CEC meeting, PPP took a decisive stance against the proposed Local Governments (LG) system in Punjab Zardari expressed confidence that the situation would improve within the month and urged the party to stay active and prepared for the upcoming elections in Punjab He also instructed party leaders to refrain from making public statements against the PML-N or the Punjab government The committee resolved that the PPP would participate fully in the local government elections in Punjab but banned any PPP leader
from issuing statements critical of the Nawaz League or the Punjab administration
In addition, the meeting decided that the government would assist flood victims in Punjab under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) The party also demanded that the subsidy rate for wheat be fixed at 4200 Pakistani rupees per mound, maintaining its disagreement with the federal government’s rate of 3500 rupees Responsibilities related to the formation of a new government in Azad Kashmir were also assigned to party leaders during the meeting
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the schedule for byelections in five constituencies across Punjab with polling set to take place on November 23 According to the spokesperson for the Provincial Elec-
tion Commissioner Punjab the by-elections will be held in NA-96, NA-104, NA-143, PP-98, and PP-203 covering areas of Faisalabad and Sahiwal The deadline for filing appeals against returning officers’ decisions is October 24 while appellate tribunals will decide on those appeals by October 31 The revised list of candidates
will be published on November 1 and candidates will have until November 3 to withdraw their nominations Election symbols will be allotted on November 4 The ECP stated that the schedule was issued under the Election Act 2017 and directed all authorities to ensure strict adherence to the code of conduct during the election process
