In a meeting on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Pakistan’s Prime Minister met with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. The PM highlighted the country’s progress in meeting the targets of its IMF program. A report from Topline Securities suggests that Pakistan is on track to meet all seven Quantitative Performance Criteria (QPC) ahead of the September 25 review for its $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF). This review will evaluate Pakistan’s performance for the March–June 2025 quarter. Following the meeting, a statement from the Press Information Department (PID) quoted the prime…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
According to a statement from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistani security forces conducted an operation in the Daraban region after receiving intelligence about the presence of terrorists. These individuals were identified by the state as “Fitna al Khwarij,” a term used to describe members of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Similarly, the state refers to Balochistan-based militant groups as “Fitna al Hindustan” to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and instability within Pakistan. The ISPR statement reported that during the operation, Pakistani troops “effectively engaged the khwarij location,” leading to the elimination of “13 Indian sponsored khwarij.” The statement also…
A Shattered Mirror on the Global Stage: Trump’s Challenge to the U.N. and the Question of Humanity By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada The morning in New York carried a strange, unsettling silence, like the stillness before the curtain rises on a great tragedy. Beneath that silence, however, a storm of unrest brewed. Outside the United Nations headquarters, crowds had gathered, their hands gripping placards, their eyes reflecting both anger and despair. Some signs read, “Trump is the emergency” while others pleaded, “Dear world, we’re sorry.” Their chants echoed through the streets where the world’s most powerful leaders passed by in…
Beijing requires social media companies to strictly moderate content on their platforms, controlling posts to avoid anything deemed too subversive, vulgar, pornographic, or generally harmful. This notice from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) follows announcements of penalties earlier this month against three popular digital platforms that it said had neglected their content management duties. On Saturday, the CAC announced it would take “disciplinary and punitive measures” against micro-blogging platform Weibo and short-video platform Kuaishou, accusing them of highlighting celebrity news and “undesirable” content. This action followed a similar move by the CAC on September 11 against the Instagram-like Xiaohongshu,…
Mr. Chaudhry has been instructed to report to the NCCIA headquarters in Islamabad. He stated that he had been transferred to the headquarters and had requested a six-month leave. “The task I had taken up will be met by my successor. However, to those involved in trolling me on social media, I will respond at an appropriate time,” he said. Mr. Chaudhry was recently involved in three controversies. The first concerned a crackdown on several YouTubers and social media influencers, including Saadur Rehman, known as Ducky Bhai, and Rajab Butt, for their alleged involvement in unregulated online trading and online…
In the Danish capital, Copenhagen, police reported that several large drones spotted over the airport late on Monday eventually flew away on their own after a nearly four-hour shutdown. “The drones have disappeared and the airport is open again,” Deputy Police Inspector Jakob Hansen told reporters, adding, “We didn’t take the drones down.” Hansen stated that the police were working with the Danish military and intelligence service to determine the drones’ origin. He also mentioned they were coordinating with their counterparts in Oslo, where drone sightings had also caused the Norwegian capital’s airport to close for several hours. Oslo airport…
On Monday, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) vowed to combat content that contains “malicious incitement of conflict” and “negative outlooks on life such as world-weariness.” Beijing requires social media companies to moderate content on their platforms, with posts strictly controlled to avoid anything considered to be too subversive, vulgar, pornographic, or generally harmful. Earlier this month, the CAC had already announced penalties against three popular digital platforms—micro-blogging platform Weibo, short video app Kuaishou, and Instagram-like Xiaohongshu—for allegedly neglecting their content management duties. Authorities have not specified what punitive actions are being taken against those platforms. On Tuesday, the CAC…
In a significant move towards digital transformation, Pakistan has appointed the chairperson and one member for the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA), one of three bodies established under the Digital Nation Bill, which was approved by the federal cabinet in June. According to a pair of notifications from the Cabinet Division, dated August 19, Dr. Sohail Munir has been appointed as the PDA chairperson, while Dr. Muhammad J. Sear has been named as one of the authority’s two members. Both appointments were made by the prime minister. One other member is yet to be appointed. The identical notifications state that Dr.…
A cyberattack on Collins Aerospace, the provider of check-in and boarding systems, which is owned by RTX, disrupted operations at London’s Heathrow, Berlin Airport, and in Brussels on Saturday. The incident caused long queues, dozens of cancellations, and significant delays for passengers. By early Sunday, the disruption had significantly eased, according to airport officials and data, although some delays continued. Regional regulators announced they were investigating the origin of the hacking incident. This event is the latest in a series of cyberattacks that have recently affected various sectors, from healthcare to the automotive industry. A breach at carmaker Jaguar Land…
Judicial Magistrate (East) Yusra Ashfaq found Abdullah Saleem guilty of offenses under Sections 20 (dignity of natural person), 21 (modesty of natural person and minor), and 24 (cyberstalking) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on each count, totaling six years. The court observed that “it is clear that the prosecution has successfully proven the charge against the accused. The prosecution has demonstrated that the accused tarnished the dignity of the complainant and her family, violated the complainant’s modesty, displayed videos without her consent, and displayed them publicly.” Explaining the accused’s…
