Short News

• IT minister says process to improve 3G and 4G services, pave way for 5G launch • Claims 245m Pakistanis ‘making do’ with 274MHz, compared to 600MHz available in Bangladesh • ECC approves over $7m bailout package for PIA-IL to discharge $4m tax liability ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday approved the process for the auction of 600 megahertz (MHz) spectrum within two months, followed by the rollout of 5G internet in five to six months, on the recommendation of a US-based consultancy firm. The decision was made at a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, which also approved a Rs20bn (more than $7m) bailout package for Pakistan International Airlines Investment Limited (PIA-IL) to discharge $4m tax liability against Roosevelt Hotel, New York, and other domestic loan liabilities. Speaking at a no-questions-asked recorded statement, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khwaja said the new spectrum auction...

In a night of stark contrasts that laid bare the brutal beauty of mixed martial arts, Pakistan’s fighting corps experienced both a poignant end and a violent new beginning at Brave CF 103 on Tuesday. The nation witnessed its undefeated king, Rizwan ’The Haider’ Ali, dethroned, only to see another warrior, Ismail ‘The Volcano’ Khan, announce his arrival as a genuine global force with a breathtaking finish. The main event carried the hopes of a nation on the shoulders of its brightest star, Rizwan. Entering the Bukhara arena with an unblemished 11-0 record and seven first-round finishes, the PAKMMA superstar faced a daunting task: defeating the local hero, Nozim ‘The Bukhara Warrior’ Kalandarov, in his own fortress. Trouble appeared before the fight even began, with the 28-year-old Rizwan missing the lightweight limit, forcing the bout to a 72kg catchweight. In the cage, a more critical problem emerged. Kalandarov executed a flawless grappler’s game plan, securing takedowns with eas...

Due to the closure of the Afghanistan border over the past two months, potato prices in Pakistan have plunged to rock-bottom levels. In an oversupplied market with weak exports, even marketable-quality potatoes are being diverted to livestock feed. This has dealt another blow to farmers already grappling with high production costs driven by expensive fertilisers, pesticides, diesel, and electricity. As a result, despite a bumper crop, farmers are suffering immense financial losses. By contrast, Pakistan imported 51,674 tonnes of garlic, valued at $52 million (Rs14.5 billion) in 2024, according to International Trade Centre data, as domestic production of 115,390 tonnes meets only about two-thirds of the country’s demand. These imports were even higher during 2020–2022. Potatoes and garlic are both Rabi crops planted in October and require similar soil, agro-climatic conditions, and irrigation requirements. Yet, paradoxically, Pakistan has for years been exporting large quantitie...

Excavators demolish a building in Wadi Qaddum area, near the Silwan neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.—AFP JERUSALEM: Israeli bulldozers tore through a four-storey buil­ding in east Jerusalem on Monday, leaving scores of Palestinian residents unsure where to go after their doors were broken down in the middle of the night by authorities enforcing hasty evictions. The building was the latest in a series of residential structures to be razed as Israeli officials target what they describe as unauthorised construction in the city’s annexed east — a campaign that local Palestinian officials characterised as a “systematic policy” to displace residents. “The demolition is a tragedy for all residents,” Eid Shawar, who lives in the building, said. Located in the Silwan neighbourhood near the Old City, the building comprised a dozen apartments housing approximately 100 people, many of them women, children, and elderly residents. Activists accuse Israeli authorities of designating areas...

ISLAMABAD: The Finance Division, in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA), has launched Zarkheze, a digital platform aimed at digitising agricultural finance and expanding access to formal credit for small farmers. Under the initiative, farmers will be able to apply digitally through the Zarkheze app for financing of up to Rs1 million. After verification and agronomic assessment, applications will be forwarded to the bank chosen by the farmer for processing. The programme provides that 75 per cent of the financing will be disbursed in kind for the purchase of agricultural inputs through banks’ pre-approved agri-vendors. Farmers will also receive advisory services through the Land Information Management System (LIMS). Officials said the product was designed not only to provide financing but also to improve productivity by ensuring access to quality inputs and advisory services. To encourage banks to increase lending to small far...

United States Senator Lindsey Graham called on Sunday for renewed military action against Hamas and Hezbollah if they fail to disarm and accused the Palestinian group of consolidating its power in Gaza. The Republican politician, on a visit to Israel, is a staunch ally of US President Donald Trump. Beginning in October, a fragile ceasefire has so far halted two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip despite both sides trading accusations of truce violations. A separate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah also came into effect in November 2024 after more than a year of hostilities, though Israel continues to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory. Israel has made dismantling the arsenals of both groups, allies of its arch-foe Iran, a key condition for any lasting peace. “It’s imperative we come up with a plan quickly, put Hamas on a time clock, give them a period of time to achieve the goal of disarmament,” Graham said at a press conference during his...

LAHORE: A sessions court on Saturday summoned more witnesses in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Rs10 billion defamation suit against PTI founder Imran Khan, following the completion of cross-examination of another witness. The hearing was conducted by Additional District and Sessions Judge Yalmaz Ghani, and the witness, Adnan Raza, appeared before the court. The witness recorded his statement, saying that he and his family were politically affiliated with the PML-N. Mr Raza stated that on April 8, 2017, the PTI founder made false allegations against PM Shehbaz, claiming that someone from the prime minister’s family had offered him Rs10 billion to remain silent over the Panama Papers case. The witness added that Mr Khan repeatedly made these allegations. He further testified that on May 9, 2017, he read in a newspaper that PM Shehbaz had sent a legal notice to Mr Khan regarding the allegations. Mr Raza said the false claims damaged PM Shehbaz’s reputation and created public unre...

• Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmoodur Rashid and Ejaz Chaudhry handed 10-year terms in May 9-related GOR-I attack case • In joint letter, five incarcerated leaders push for dialogue to resolve crisis LAHORE: In another case linked to the May 9 riots , an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday acquitted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while awarding 10-year prison sentences to senior PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmoodur Rashid and former senator Ejaz Chaudhry. ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill announced the verdict inside Kot Lakhpat Jail after concluding the trial of the accused in FIR No 852/2023, which relates to an attack on the entrance gate of the GOR-I Club Chowk. The case had been registered by the Race Course police, who later submitted a challan against 25 accused persons, including PTI leaders and party workers. In the same case, the court also handed down 10-year imprisonment sentences to PTI workers Qasim Elahi, ...

• Flows stabilising after ‘extraordinary’ dip • Ministry reports Dec 10-16 volatility; suspects Baglihar drawdown and refill • Lowest Chenab reading recorded at 870 cusecs • Officials also flag disruption in Jhelum inflows at Mangla • Islamabad maintains Indus treaty bars emptying dead storage on western run-of-river projects ISLAMABAD / LAH­ORE: Reporting normalisation of Chenab River flows off late, Pakistan on Friday said it had sought an explanation from India over an “extraordinary reduction” in the river flows after what it described as the complete discharge and subsequent refilling of the Baglihar dam, in violation of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. In a statement, the Min­istry of Water Reso­urces said the discharge of the Chenab River (mainstem) had “successfully stabilised following a significant period of volatility”. It said Pakistan’s Commissioner for Indus Waters had taken up the matter with his Indian counterpart and sought details and data regarding the reduction ...

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, enroute to Lahore from Jeddah, diverted and made an emergency landing at Dammam airport after signalling an onboard emergency. Flight PK860 was scheduled to land at Lahore airport at 8pm, however, it diverted to Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport due to a technical issue, said the PIA spokesperson. The Boeing 777 aircraft had 437 passengers on board, excluding the crew. While still in Saudi airspace, the aircraft switched its transponder frequency to 7700 — signifying a general emergency. The ‘ 7700 squawk ’ is an aviation term for when a pilot sets an aircraft’s transponder code to 7700, alerting air traffic control to an emergency on board. It signifies a serious issue, such as engine trouble or a medical emergency, and makes the plane a high-priority for immediate attention and assistance. The plane landed safely at Dammam airport and is undergoing checks by engineering staff on the ground, confirmed the PIA spokesperson. Th...

ISLAMABAD: Summon notices were displayed across Islamabad and its judicial complex on Thursday after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) initiated proclamation proceedings through public advertisement against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and several others for failing to appear in court. In compliance with the court’s directions, officials posted summons notices at prominent public locations and within Judicial Complex. The proclamations specifically ask Sohail Afridi, Meena Khan, Amjad Khan, Shafiullah Jan, and Amjad Afridi to appear before the court immediately to face ongoing legal proceedings. The court took action under Section 87 of the Anti-Terrorism Act after noting the suspects were “continuously avoiding court appearances and not complying with earlier summons”. Officials post summon notices at judicial complex, public places in Islamabad The court stated in its order that the defendants’ repeated absence left the bench with “no option but to initiate pr...

A domestic worker was allegedly beaten by a man in Karachi earlier this week, it emerged on Thursday. According to a first information report filed at Gabol Town police station — dated December 13 and available with Dawn — the complainant stated that she was working as a cleaner at a private residence when she got into an argument with the suspect on December 10. “On December 11, when I finished working at a house, the suspect came and started beating me as I was descending some stairs,” she alleged. “He pushed me down the stairs while verbally abusing me.” The complainant further alleged that bystanders also beat her, leaving her with facial and internal injuries. According to the FIR, the suspect who initially assaulted the complainant was booked under Sections 337A (punishment for assault), 354 (assault or criminal force to [a] woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace). After a video of the incident went v...

Sultan Aziz Azzam, a spokesperson for Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), was arrested by Pakistani authorities this year, a recent report submitted to the UN Security Council has revealed. IS-K is a branch of the Islamic State terrorist organisation active in Central and South Asia, according to the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies think tank. The United Nations’ 16th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team noted that IS-K’s ability to operate in the region had been degraded as a result of high-profile arrests by Pakistan, such as that of Azzam from the border region this May. The state-run Associated Press of Pakistan said that Azzam was arrested by intelligence agencies during an operation near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The APP report claimed that following his arrest, IS-K propaganda arms, such as the Al-Azaim Foundation, had suffered a major blow. “Overall, the capability of [IS-K] has been degraded as a result of counter-ter...

QUETTA: Four major parties on Wednesday filed separate constitutional petitions before the Balochistan High Court seeking a ruling to postpone the upcoming local government elections in Quetta, scheduled for December 28, after the Election Commission of Pakistan rejected a request in this regard. Three ruling coalition partners — Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — as well as Awami National Party (ANP) approached the BHC, requesting that the upcoming Quetta Metropolitan Corporation and District Council Quetta elections should be postponed due to harsh cold weather, issues related to voters lists and non-completion of limitation of constituencies. The parties also expressed their apprehensions regarding law and order situation. While PML-N leader Younis Baloch claimed that the petitions were filed by PPP, PML-N, BAP and Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), the latter denied his claim. “Our party has launched a ...

In a rare evening address from the White House, US President Donald Trump boasted on Wednesday of his accomplishments and blamed his Democratic predecessor for soaring consumer prices as his party braces for a tough midterm election next year. “Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” Trump said in his opening remarks. The Republican president, who regularly complains that he does not get credit for his accomplishments, touted his administration’s work this year on a range of issues from reducing border crossings to bringing down prices of some goods. The address offered an opportunity for the president, if he could stay on message, to address people’s concerns about affordability, an issue that Trump, a Republican, has repeatedly referred to as a Democratic hoax. And again on Wednesday, he blamed the previous administration led by former president Joe Biden even as Trump conceded that prices remain high. “I am bringing those high prices down and bringing th...

ISLAMABAD: Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Abual Mohammad Hasnat Zulqarnain on Tuesday initiated proceedings to declare Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, provincial minister Meena Khan Afridi and Shafiullah Jan Iqbal Afridi as proclaimed offenders for repeatedly failing to appear before the court in connection with the November 26 protest case. During the hearing, none of the accused appeared despite repeated summons. Taking notice of their continuous absence, the court initiated proclamation proceedings against all three and adjourned the hearing. A case has been registered against CM Afridi and others at Ramna police station over their alleged involvement in the November 26 protest. Earlier, the same court had initiated similar proceedings against the chief minister and other accused in another case registered at Noon police station. Accused fail to appear before court in connection with Nov 26 protest case Meanwhile, in a separate development, ATC Judge Tahir...

KARACHI: Amid negotiations between goods transporters and government departments to resolve a nationwide strike that has entered its 10th day, industrialists warned on Tuesday that each passing day was adding billions of rupees in trade and export losses . Transporters said talks were underway with representatives of the federal and Punjab governments and relevant departments, including the ministries of ports and shipping and communications, the motorway pol­i­ce, the National Highway Autho­rity (NHA) and senior officials of the Fede­ral Board of Revenue (FBR) and Customs. They claimed the federal and Punjab governments had ackno­wledged that their demands were justified. The negotiations were continuing late into the night and were ongoing at the time of going to press, officials said. Earlier, transporters said the strike would continue until their dema­nds were accepted. The Transp­orters’ Goods Association (TGA) also told a Sindh government committee at the Commissioner’s Offi...

Donald Trump’s top national security officials faced a grilling from lawmakers Tuesday on US strikes against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific — operations that have raised alarms about escalating military force near Venezuela. The House and Senate briefings, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, came amid mounting unease in Congress over the president’s widening campaign in waters off Latin America, and as lawmakers weigh measures to curb Trump’s authority to act without their approval. US officials say the operations target narcotics bound for American shores. Critics counter that the campaign — which has destroyed at least 26 boats and killed at least 95 people, according to US military figures — is legally ambiguous and strategically unclear. The classified sessions preceded a possible Senate vote on resolutions aimed at restricting Trump from launching military action against Venezuela without congressional consent. But Senat...

US President Donald Trump sued the BBC on Monday for defamation over edited clips of a speech that made it appear he directed supporters to storm the US Capitol , opening an international front in his fight against media coverage he deems untrue or unfair. Trump accused Britain’s publicly owned broadcaster of defaming him by splicing together parts of a January 6, 2021 speech, including one section where he told supporters to march on the Capitol and another where he said “fight like hell”. It omitted a section in which he called for peaceful protest. Trump’s lawsuit alleges the BBC defamed him and violated a Florida law that bars deceptive and unfair trade practices. He is seeking $5 billion in damages for each of the lawsuit’s two counts. The BBC has apologised to Trump, admitted an error of judgment and acknowledged that the edit gave the mistaken impression that he had made a direct call for violent action. But it has said there is no legal basis to sue. Trump, in his la...

Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq on Monday shared “concerns over the large number of terrorists in the neighbourhood, hindering regional economic integration and posing serious security challenges.” In a post on X, Sadiq, who also holds the special assistant to the prime minister portfolio, said he had held separate meetings with his counterparts from China and Uzbekistan on the sidelines of the Afghanistan Neighbours Conference in Tehran. “We agreed that collective efforts needed to address this threat,” he said. Separately, senior diplomats of Afghanistan’s six neighbouring countries and Russia, who met in Tehran on Sunday, supported all efforts to reduce tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan. They expressed their readiness to help strengthen these efforts, an Iranian government statement said on Monday. Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that the participants also called on Islamabad and Kabul to return to the negotiating table and ...

Pakistan’s political class loves the vocabulary of transformation. Every year, new visions promise a “Digital Pakistan”, an “empowered youth”, and a “modern economy”. Yet beneath the lofty language lies a stubborn contradiction: the state taxes broadband as if it were a luxury product rather than the backbone of the 21st century. This single contradiction explains why Pakistan continues to lag behind regional peers in digital adoption, economic modernisation, and technological capacity. The country claims it wants digital growth, but it taxes the very oxygen that allows digital ecosystems to breathe. To understand how self-defeating this policy is, one must begin with the tax structure itself. After the 18th Amendment, sales tax on services became a provincial matter, and broadband taxation now varies across the country. These differences only add confusion; they do not change the core problem. Punjab, the largest province and home to more than half the country’s population, conti...

Though the maiden National Finance Commission (NFC) meeting on Dec 4 was held in a cordial atmosphere and the topic of reducing provincial shares from the divisible pool was not raised, analysts fear that the Centre will not refrain from attempting to slash the provincial share or, alternatively, impose new expenditures on the provinces as talks move forward. It was stipulated that the Federal Board of Revenue will boost its tax collection by 3–3.5 percentage points to increase the tax-to-GDP ratio to 13pc, with the provinces expected to enhance their share from the existing 0.28 per cent to 3pc of GDP through effective taxation on services, property and farm income. PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto, on Dec 9, urged the federal government to transfer sales tax on goods to the provinces, as the collection of sales on services has significantly increased through devolution to the federating units after the 18th Amendment. He said centralised control was not only inefficient but also dr...