Pakistan

THE centre-periphery divide in Pakistan is as old as the country itself. Its contours may have changed over time, but it remains as acute as any of the major structural crises that afflict us. At the time of writing, at least three peripheries are simmering. Balochistan, KP and AJK are all unique geographical regions whose historical relationships with the state cannot be reduced to one another but even establishment apologists find it hard to simply reduce the current situation in all three regions to the proverbial foreign hand. The Seraiki belt, Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan may not presently be gripped by unrest, but they remain peripheral to the political, economic, cultural and intellectual mainstream. In short, the majority of the people of these regions are at best struggling for economic survival and dignity, and at worst are subject to oppressive governance. Underlying the centre-periphery divide is a model of colonial statecraft that sees all ordinary people as subjects to be ruled by carrot and stick...

GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution asking the federal government to grant provisional provincial status, as well as constitutional and political rights, for the people of the mountainous region. The resolution, supported by both sides of the aisle, was presented by lawmaker Jalal Ali Shah during the session on Thursday. It recalled the historical background of GB’s liberation, subsequent administrative reforms, and constitutional mechanisms for its integration into the national constitutional framework. It noted that the Gilgit-Baltistan (Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order 2009 constituted a significant milestone by esta­blishing an elected leg­islative assembly and enha­ncing self-governa­nce, while simultaneou­sly reaffirming that further constitutional adva­nce­ment of the region rema­ined an objective of the state. The resolution said the GB assembly was granted legislative powers through the Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018 in light of the special directives...

Actor urges residents to plant trees this monsoon season

KARACHI: The ongoing war in the Gulf has further reduced foreign investment in Pakistan, with Bahrain withdrawing its investments from domestic bonds within the first 10 days of the current fiscal year. The State Bank reported on Thursday that there was no inflow of foreign investment into the domestic market during the first 10 days of 2026-27, particularly from the Gulf states. The renewed US-Israeli war on Iran has not only pushed up oil prices but also left countries like Pakistan facing increasing trouble, as neither foreign investment is coming from the region nor is the market stable for exports. Only a $4 million inflow was noted from Luxembourg in the treasury bills, which pay the highest returns, up to 11.5 per cent, in developing countries. Bahrain withdraws $30m from bonds in first 10 days of FY27 However, the conflict closed off an option for Pakistan to receive inflows from the Middle Eastern countries. As a result, the UAE immediately withdrew $3.5bn held in the State Bank of Pakistan’s account...

• Senate panel asks PTA to explore alternative mechanism for SIM registration • Regulator says ‘visible 5G coverage’ expected by year-end • Ogra clarifies consumers liable for metered gas leakage ISLAMABAD: Amid concerns about the restrictions surrounding the transfer of e-SIM cards from one phone to another, the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was informed on Thursday that consumers would soon be able to transfer their e-SIM cards at least 10 times without any cost. In a meeting chaired by Rana Mahmoodul Hassan, the Senate panel discussed various issues related to the telecom sector, such as the rollout of 5G internet services, mobile network quality, and alternative mechanisms for the issuance of SIM cards. PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman informed the committee that telecom operators followed different policies, allowing only limited transfers. He added that a uniform policy was being finalised to enable consumers to make at least 10 transfers without cost. The committee members also expressed...

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s assertion that agriculture and livestock hold the key to Pakistan’s quick economic revival is spot-on. The sector contributes almost a quarter of GDP, employs well over a third of the labour force and remains the largest source of livelihoods. Livestock alone accounts for more than 60pc of agriculture’s value addition, while Pakistan ranks among the world’s largest milk producers, and possesses considerable untapped potential in both milk and meat exports. Few sectors offer comparable opportunities to generate growth, reduce poverty, improve food security and earn foreign exchange simultaneously. But the PM’s declaration that the economy can be revived within a year through agriculture highlights the gap between ambition and policy execution. The agricultural crisis has never been about the absence of potential. It is the consequence of decades of policy neglect and inconsistency, institutional decay and distorted incentives. While successive governments have acknowledged the s...

Kimi K3 debuts month after Washington pulls Anthropic's Fable, Mythos models over security concerns

• Officials having to rely on ‘less credible sources’ in the absence of river flow information from India • Action to clear Ravi riverbed of ‘temporary encroachments’ on the cards LAHORE: The Punjab government has asked the irrigation department to prepare for flooding under the ‘high-alert category’, amid prevailing uncertainty about river flows due to India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. A source privy to a meeting chaired by Lahore Commissioner Nauman Yousaf told Dawn that the irrigation department was making arrangements keeping in view the information being shared on social media or through other means, which were insufficient to make accurate assessments. “In a recent meeting related to the flood situation and arrangements, a senior official of the irrigation department revealed that India continued to avoid sharing data since it had put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance in April last year,” the source said. In light of this information, the commissioner directed the irrigation de...

Tehran asks the Houthi organisation to ‌stand ready to shut the Red Sea export route

President Xi Jinping delivers keynote address at World AI Conference in Shanghai

US president says declassified material will reveal 'shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure'

Temperatures forecast to reach 48C or higher in some areas through Sunday

Event featured Pakistani mango varieties, including Chaunsa, Anwar Ratol, Sindhri

Israeli premier has sought White House meeting for weeks as tensions deepen over Iran diplomacy

IRGC says it hit US jets in Jordan, helicopters, reconnaissance aircraft in Bahrain, support centres in Kuwait

Also attended the opening ceremony of WAIC, which was inaugurated by President Xi Jinping

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Shafi Jan announces Madaris Bill, highlights police and CTD funding, confirms August 5 protest schedule

Both sides report progress toward resolving the impasse over the recent Ziarat terrorist attack

Expressing his best wishes for the speedy and complete recovery of the wounded personnel