Pakistan

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has reaffirmed her government's commitment to eliminating child labour, calling it a tragic reality and a challenge to human dignity in the modern era.

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel was assured on Wednesday that findings of the inquiry report over the issue of alleged paper leaks of O/A level will be shared after June 16. This assurance was given by Country Director of Cambridge Assessment International Education Uzma Yousuf to the subcommittee of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education, which met at the education ministry with MNA Sabheen Ghoury in the chair. She said everything will be clearer during the inquiry. On the other hand, during the meeting, MNA Mohammad Ali Sarfraz, who attended the meeting as special invitee, pointed out that several papers were leaked. He also presented paper codes and video evidence to the subcommittee. The committee also stated that in case papers are leaked, the committee will ensure no loss to students, and if paper/s are retaken, they should be retaken immediately so that students can get their results in August this year. The committee also decided to hear school heads, who, besides British Council, also...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for the United Arab Emirates on Thursday for an official visit aimed at reinforcing Pakistan-UAE relations and exploring new avenues of cooperation.

• Langrial says new 15pc tax rate on passive income aims to address disparity with active business earnings • Political leadership and intel agencies’ help enlisted to ensure compliance, root out corruption KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial on Wednesday detailed a sweeping overhaul of the country’s tax compliance system, vowing to crack down on non-compliant sectors, expand digital monitoring, and address longstanding loopholes in the tobacco, retail and passive income tax regimes. Speaking to Geo News, Mr Lan­g­rial said that the government’s re­­cent enforcement drive in the sugar sector had resulted in a 39 per cent increase in tax collection without any change in tax rates, and that si­­milar measures are now being rol­led out across other key industries. “The story of non-compliance in the tobacco sector will fundamentally change, just as it did in sugar,” he said. He acknowledged that raising tax rates on the formal sector often led to market erosion by the informa...

KARACHI: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly was informed on Wednesday that over 80 per cent of private industrial units were not implementing the order of minimum wage. The PAC meeting, headed by its Chairman Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, directed the provincial labour department and Sindh Employees’ Social Security Institution (SESSI) to ensure the strict implementation of the officially notified minimum wage of Rs37,000 to workers in all industrial units across the province. While reviewing the audit reports of the SESSI for the years 2018 and 2019, the PAC chair­man said that non-implementation of mon­thly minimum wages in 80 per cent of private industrial units was a violation of labour laws. He directed the SESSI and the labour department to strictly implement the policy of providing the minimum monthly wage to all workers across the province. Committee asks labour secretary to investigate payment of Rs50m on alleged fake bills; orders audit of annual procurement of Rs9bn medicines for SESSI...

• Finance secy says revenue numbers are already locked with IMF • Income tax rate of first slab reduced to 2.5pc, not 1pc as initially printed in Finance Bill • Change offsets additional fiscal impact from increased govt salaries • Aurangzeb defends steep pay hikes for lawmakers, ministers • Says govt held back on raising minimum wage as industry unwilling to implement previous rate • Contributory pension scheme for forces personnel may face delays ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday repeatedly warned that the government would be compelled to impose a further Rs400 to 500 billion in taxes if parliamentarians failed to approve the sweeping enforcement measures proposed in the 2025-26 budget — as they were already cleared by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “I now request my colleagues in both houses of parliament to get the enabling clauses for enforcement measures passed, otherwise we would have to take Rs400-500bn additional tax measures,” the usually soft-spoken minister said a...

• Authorities impose overnight curfew, arrest 25 protesters • US president warns protests at army parade will be met with force LOS ANGELES: Protests against Donald Trump’s harsh immigration policies spread on Wednesday across the United States despite a military-backed crackdown in Los Angeles and a threat by the Republican president to use “heavy force.” In Los Angeles, where the unrest began last Friday, the downtown area was calm but tense after an overnight curfew saw police make 25 arrests. Heavily armed officers patrolled near government buildings, and storekeepers boarded up windows to protect against vandalism. US Marines — ordered by Trump to deploy in addition to more than 4,000 National Guard soldiers — were expected to make their first appearance on the streets on Wednesday. “US military troops deployed to Los Angeles are allowed to temporarily detain individuals until law enforcement agents arrive to arrest them,” a senior US military official said. The mostly peaceful protests ignited over a su...

• Bhakkar and Jacobabad report 49°C as heatwave persists • Hospitals across Punjab receive scores of heatstroke patients • Authorities ask people to remain indoors, stay hydrated • Met Office expects hot spell to continue for 48-72 hours LAHORE: Amid no let-up in extreme heat that has engulfed Pakistan since last week, almost all cities in Punjab reported temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius, with Bhakkar and Sindh’s Jacobabad topping the charts with 49°C. The intense weather is expected to continue today as well, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. “Mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country, while very hot in plain areas,” it said in a statement posted on its website. “However, dust-raising/gusty winds are likely in plain areas during the afternoon. Partly cloudy weather with isolated rain-wind/thunderstorm is likely in upper Khyber Pakhtun­khwa, Potohar region, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during the evening/night,” it added. The Provincial Disaster Management...

• Rs1m fines proposed for unregistered online vendors in new Finance Bill • Banks, couriers to deduct withholding tax under new plan • Fine for failing to submit withholding tax statements raised by 10 times • Govt to take over property valuation powers from FBR ISLAMABAD: The federal government has proposed sweeping reforms to tighten tax compliance, including significantly higher penalties for non-compliance and stronger enforcement measures to target under-taxed and digitally active sectors. The changes, proposed in the Finance Bill 2025, aim to deter non-compliance, discourage cash-based transactions and enh­ance documentation of the economy. Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial said enforcement was the only viable option to boost revenue collection, rather than relying on new taxes. One of the key amendments is a tenfold increase in the penalty for failure to submit withholding tax statements — from Rs5,000 to Rs50,000. Authorities believe this will compel withholding agents to...

ISLAMABAD: Nadia Bal­och, the sister of Dr Mah­­rang Baloch, urged the Supreme Court on Wed­­nesday to set aside the April 15 order of the Balo­ch­istan High Court that rej­ected the plea against her detention under the Main­tenance of Public Order. Dr Mahrang Baloch, a leader of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), is held at the Hudda District Prison, Quetta, pursuant to a March 22 detention order by the deputy commissioner under the Mainte­nance of Public Order. Moved through senior counsel Faisal Siddiqi, the appeal pleaded that Mah­rang Baloch had challen­ged her detention before the BHC, but the high court rejected her plea. Now the appeal before the apex court contended that the high court order was contrary to the Cons­titution, law and facts. The federal governm­ent through interior ministry, home and tribal aff­airs department of Baloch­istan, prosecutor general, inspector general of police, Federal Investiga­tion Agency director general, Quetta deputy commissioner and the state have been named as res­p...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is undertaking an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday (June 12) to express gratitude to their rulers for supporting Pakistan’s stance during the recent conflict with India. The visit reflects the deep-rooted fraternal ties between Pakistan and the UAE, which are marked by mutual trust, shared values, and close cooperation across multiple sectors, said an official press rel­ease issued here on Wednesday. The prime minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Deputy Prime Min­ister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, federal ministers, and other senior officers. PM Shehbaz will hold high-level meetings with the UAE leadership, including a bilateral meeting with the President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. A wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual interest and concern will be discussed during the high-level interactions. The PM’s visit will serve to further stre­n­g...

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that Pakistan’s return from the brink of default and the beginning of economic stability and growth is nothing short of a mira-cle.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday strongly rejected recent remarks made by India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during his engagements with the media in Brussels, labelling them as “irresponsible” and “bellicose.

Aurangzeb urges lawmakers to support reforms Warns of additional measures worth Rs500 billion if govt fails to enforce taxes Says only Rs312 billion revenue collection expected from new taxes Despite IMF pressure, govt deferred new tax on agriculture sector.

ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari on World Day against Child Labour on Thursday urged the government institutions, civil society, human rights defenders, the media, United Nations agencies, educators, parents, and Ulema to take practical steps to end child labour.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar called on Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf at Naval Headquarters here Wednesday.

QUETTA - Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti here on Wednesday announced that the provincial budget for the upcoming fiscal year will be balanced, realistic and focused on public welfare.

LAHORE - Severe heatwave gripped the Punjab province particularly Lahore on Wednesday as MET Office forecast another scorching day ahead on Thursday (today).

ISLAMABAD - British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, yesterday called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar here.

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