ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Chairman Rana Mashood visited Huawei’s office in Islamabad on Saturday to discuss a youth training initiative aimed at equipping 300,000 Pakistani youth with advanced Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills. During his visit, Mr. Mashood met with Huawei representatives to explore ways to integrate the company’s advanced training resources into Pakistan’s educational framework. The meeting built upon technical discussions that were previously held on September 4 and 5. This government initiative aims to enhance technical education in the country by utilizing Huawei’s global expertise and training materials. The National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC)…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
WASHINGTON: In a sobering analysis of Pakistan’s economic turmoil, Princeton economist Atif Mian has warned that the country is facing an unprecedented financial crisis driven by a complex web of challenges. Mian, a Pakistani American scholar, points to the convergence of skyrocketing domestic and external debts, unsustainable pension liabilities, and a failing power sector as critical factors plunging Pakistan into an economic abyss. His assessment paints a grim picture, suggesting that Pakistan’s economic distress is uniquely severe, making it a stark example of fiscal mismanagement on the global stage. “Pakistan’s domestic and external debts, its unfunded pension liabilities, and the…
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Commerce has asked the commerce ministry to implement enabling articles in free trade agreements (FTAs) to find amicable solutions to disputes between commercial entities. Chairing the committee meeting on Saturday, Senator Anusha Rahman stressed the need to implement these provisions. The committee reviewed various export initiatives of the Ministry of Commerce and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). It also discussed the export of donkey hides and meat, which has been banned in November 2023. The committee emphasised that resolving these issues could attract foreign exchange and generate employment. Ms Anusha urged the ministry…
TAXILA: As part of the Punjab Chief Minister’s Agriculture Transformation Programme, more than 1,200 Kisan cards were distributed to farmers across six tehsils of Attock district on Saturday. The programme aims to distribute a total of 27,122 Kisan cards to farmers in the district, with recipients selected through a balloting process. A ceremony was held at the district’s agriculture office to mark the launch, attended by a large number of farmers, local peasants, agriculture officials, and community leaders. Addressing the gathering, Deputy Commissioner Rao Atif Raza announced that the distribution of Kisan cards had officially begun in the district. He…
ISLAMABAD: Amid a consistent increase in dengue cases following recent monsoon rains, the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi reported 22 new cases on Saturday — eight in Islamabad and 14 in Rawalpindi. Health authorities have warned that the number of cases may continue to rise if anti-dengue guidelines are not followed and surveillance efforts remain inadequate. The total number of dengue cases in Islamabad has now reached 93. In response, the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has doubled its surveillance teams and urged the public to assist in the eradication of dengue mosquitoes. Health Secretary Nadeem Mehbub emphasized…
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Saturday released detailed reasons explaining the decision of the larger bench, led by former Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, which on December 9, 2022, approved the Reko Diq settlement deal between Pakistan and international firms, Antofagasta Plc and Barrick Gold Corporation. This explanation came after a gap of 21 months, despite Justice Bandial’s earlier statement that the initial order was comprehensive and required no additional justification, given that both parties had already implemented the settlement. The court’s opinion was in response to a presidential reference regarding the Reko Diq reconstitution deal. The reference, submitted by…
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has given his assent to the contentious ‘Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill 2024,’ which aims to regulate public gatherings in Islamabad, turning it into law less than a week after it was introduced in the Senate. The bill, which empowers the district magistrate to regulate and prohibit public gatherings in the capital, was presented in the Senate on September 2, swiftly approved by the relevant standing committee on September 3, and passed by the Senate on September 5 following the suspension of standard rules — a move criticized by the opposition as a “tyranny…
ISLAMABAD: As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gears up for its power show on September 8 near the federal capital, Islamabad’s police have blocked nearly all entry points to the city following intelligence reports indicating a “medium-level” terrorism threat due to the political gathering. The security plan anticipates that potential troublemakers might attempt to disrupt law and order in the city. Consequently, containers have been placed at several locations, including all entry points to the capital, such as Nicholson’s Monument, Sangjani Toll Plaza, Zero Point, Khanna Bridge, and many others, to control access. Police have warned of a “medium” terrorism threat,…
LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, criticized the previous Imran Khan government on Saturday for its economic and security policies, linking these “missteps” to the current rise in terrorism and economic challenges in the country. Speaking at a comprehensive press conference held at the Pakistan High Commission in London’s Belgravia district, Dar addressed UK-Pakistan relations and the political and security situation in Pakistan. While expressing regret over past mistakes by both government and military officials, he maintained an optimistic outlook for the country’s future. During the conference, Dar made pointed comments about a…
ISLAMABAD: Despite publicly opposing the recent Supreme Court restoration of amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999, Imran Khan’s legal team on Saturday filed an application in an accountability court seeking the former prime minister’s acquittal in the £190 million case, arguing that the amended law protects decisions made by the federal cabinet. Imran Khan had previously challenged the amendments introduced by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government. However, these amendments were nullified by a Supreme Court bench led by then-chief justice Umar Ata Bandial on September 15 last year, only to be reinstated later by a bench headed…
