New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for King Charles to “return” the prized Koh-i-Noor diamond, which the British Empire took from the Indian subcontinent in the 1800s, on the third day of the monarch’s state visit on Wednesday.
Before greeting Charles and Queen Camilla at a 9/11 memorial event, Mamdani was asked what he would discuss with the king if he had the chance.
“If I was to speak to the king, separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,” t
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for King Charles to “return” the prized Koh-i-Noor diamond, which the British Empire took from the Indian subcontinent in the 1800s, on the third day of the monarch’s state visit on Wednesday.
Before greeting Charles and Queen Camilla at a 9/11 memorial event, Mamdani was asked what he would discuss with the king if he had the chance.
“If I was to speak to the king, separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,” the leftist mayor said, adding that his focus would be honoring those killed in the terror attacks.
It’s unclear whether Mamdani followed through and brought up the contentious subject with Charles when the two met.
The monarch was seen laughing with Mamdani and having a brief conversation after they shook hands.
Housed in the Tower of London, the massive 106 carat stone is the star of Britain’s crown jewels, adorning the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
The ownership of the jewel has been contested over the centuries, passing through the hands of Mughal emperors, Iranian shahs and Sikh maharajas before the Kingdom of Punjab gave it to Queen Victoria in 1849 as part of a peace treaty.
India has repeatedly and unsuccessfully sought the return of the priceless jewel.
While there is little doubt it was mined in India, its history thereafter is a mixture of myth and fact, with several countries including Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan also laying claim to the gem.
A politician from the anti-immigration Reform UK party was quick to slam the comments as an “insult to our King.” “This beautiful diamond is currently on display in the Tower of London,” the party’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said in an X post. “That is where it will stay”.
THERE is a specific kind of quiet that settles over a capital city when its ruling elite begins to realise that the ground beneath their feet is moving. In Canberra and Melbourne, among the scholars and officials who manage the delicate machinery of the Australian state’s foreign policy, that quiet is palpable. There is the hushed intensity of a room where the old maps no longer match the terrain.
I am currently here meeting those tasked with studying and navigating these waters, and the sense o
THERE is a specific kind of quiet that settles over a capital city when its ruling elite begins to realise that the ground beneath their feet is moving. In Canberra and Melbourne, among the scholars and officials who manage the delicate machinery of the Australian state’s foreign policy, that quiet is palpable. There is the hushed intensity of a room where the old maps no longer match the terrain.
I am currently here meeting those tasked with studying and navigating these waters, and the sense one gets is unmistakable: Asia is undergoing a crucial transition. For decades, the regional order was built on two sturdy pillars: American security protection and American economic dynamism. Today, both pillars are trembling. The region is waking up to a world where it can no longer outsource its security to Washington or rely solely on the American consumer to drive its growth. Instead, it is being forced to find its own security architecture and cultivate its own sources of economic dynamism.
The realisation is not unique to this part of the world. Last year, a similar trip to Europe yielded almost identical observations. In Brussels, the conversation was dominated by the ‘Great Retreat’ — the fear that the Atlantic alliance is fraying and that Europe must finally learn to speak the language of power on its own. Now, standing on the other side of the globe, the echoes are hauntingly familiar. Whether in the North Atlantic or the Indo-Pacific, the era of the ‘unconditional umbrella’ is drawing to a close.
The catalyst for this upheaval, of course, is a burgeoning China. Beijing’s shadow now looms over every conversation here, presenting Asia with a stark and unprecedented set of challenges and opportunities. For many, China is the indispensable economic partner; for almost all, it is the primary strategic concern. All countries in the region — from the middle powers like Australia to the emerging giants of Southeast Asia — are struggling to find an arrangement that allows them to both confront the risks of Chinese assertiveness and capture the rewards of its economic engine.
Scholars and officials are intensely curious about Pakistan’s role in the current global firestorm.
In this shifting landscape, older arrangements like the Quad — comprising the US, Japan, India, and Australia — remain steadfast anchors. They represent the ‘old guard’ of the rules-based order, providing a sense of continuity and a collective front. Yet, even as these anchors hold, we are seeing the emergence of nimbler groupings. These ‘minilaterals’ and ad hoc security pacts suggest that the new challenges coming up in the world are rendering the traditional, broad-based arrangements outmoded.
Interestingly, amidst these high-level strategic debates, a recurring theme has emerged in almost every meeting I have attended. Scholars and officials here are intensely curious about Pakistan’s role in the current global firestorm. Specifically, everyone asks about Pakistan’s ongoing diplomacy regarding the war on Iran. The fact that Islamabad has positioned itself as an indefatigable mediator — hosting the ‘Islamabad Talks’ and securing critical ceasefire extensions from the Trump administration — has caught the world by surprise.
This has resulted in Pakistan commanding huge, almost academic curiosity. There is a palpable desire among the policymaking community to understand what they can learn from our specific experience. In a world where most nations feel forced to choose a side, Pakistan’s ability to remain ‘all-weather friends’ with Beijing while also becoming a key diplomatic interlocutor for a mercurial Trump administration is seen as a masterclass in high-wire balancing. They are looking to our history of navigating great power competition to see if there is a template for their own survival.
Two questions, in particular, keep popping up with remarkable frequency. The first is: how did Pakistan deal with the Trump administration to gain so much closeness with them? There is a fascinated bewilderment at how a relationship once defined by transactional friction has evolved into one where the White House accepts Pakistani mediation on the most sensitive of global security issues. They want to know the ‘secret sauce’ — whether it is an alignment of personal styles, a newfound strategic utility, or simply the cold logic of regional geography that has made Islamabad an indispensable partner for Washington’s current Middle East policy.
The second question is equally pointed: how did Pakistan acquire such closeness with China? In an era where ‘de-risking’ and ‘de-coupling’ are the buzzwords, the China-Pakistan strategic alliance is viewed with both envy and apprehension. Scholars here are dissecting the ‘CPEC effect’ and the Action Plan for 2025-2029, trying to understand how a nation can maintain such a deep, multi-generational bond with a rising superpower while simultaneously navigating the West’s demands. They see in Pakistan a case study of a country that appears to have, for better or worse, made the transition towards finding its own ‘sources of economic dynamism’ by hitching its wagon to the Chinese engine.
The fascination stems from a realisation that the ‘Pakistan Model’, long dismissed as an anomaly, might actually be the precursor for the future of middle-power diplomacy. The officials I’ve been speaking to are eager to deconstruct our successes and failures, hoping to extract lessons on how to maintain agency when caught between the grinding gears of two superpowers. They want to know how we managed to turn geographical proximity into diplomatic leverage, and whether our recent successes in the Iran conflict can be replicated in other regional flashpoints.
The security architecture of the future looks less like a single, grand alliance and more like a complex, overlapping web of interests. It is a world where security is bespoke, not off the rack. As the American tide recedes, Asia’s nations are discovering they must not only learn to swim on their own but also shape the very pool in which they operate.
The transition is fraught with risk, but it is also an admission of reality. The old world is gone; the new one is being built right here, in the corridors of power in cities like Canberra. As we navigate this transition, the questions being asked about Pakistan suggest a deep interest: to learn from, to study, to mind the pitfalls, and to regard with curiosity — or perhaps as a warning for others trying to survive the same storm.
PAKISTAN’S investment story has rarely had a more promising tailwind. The macroeconomic stabilisation under the 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF), supplemented by the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, has been more decisive than most observers expected. The fiscal deficit has narrowed to 5.4 per cent of GDP, with the primary surplus rising to a historic 2.4pc in FY25. Reserves have nearly doubled to $14.5 billion, inflation has fallen below 5pc, and successive sovereign upgrades by Fit
PAKISTAN’S investment story has rarely had a more promising tailwind. The macroeconomic stabilisation under the 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF), supplemented by the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, has been more decisive than most observers expected. The fiscal deficit has narrowed to 5.4 per cent of GDP, with the primary surplus rising to a historic 2.4pc in FY25. Reserves have nearly doubled to $14.5 billion, inflation has fallen below 5pc, and successive sovereign upgrades by Fitch, S&P, and Moody’s have followed.
The geopolitical moment is unusually supportive. The sentiment in the international community, in the non-traditional, export-oriented sectors such as mining and digital & IT services, is extremely encouraging. This has reset the tone in how Pakistan engages capital. Reko Diq achieved financial closure in 2025 — a $7bn project backed by International Finance Corporation, the Asian Development Bank and financiers from the US, Canada, Japan and Saudi Arabia. It is projected to deliver $2.5bn in annual exports from 2028. After a near two-decade hiatus, the privatisation of PIA closed in December 2025. It is indeed a vote of confidence, and the precedent it sets for the Discos (electricity distribution companies) and other state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is more valuable than the transaction itself. It seems that Pakistan is positioning itself for an export-led take-off.
Yet the comparison that should focus our attention remains stark. Pakistan attracted $2.46bn in foreign direct investment in FY25; Vietnam, in the same year, disbursed over $25bn — roughly 10 times our flow into an economy whose GDP ($476bn) is only marginally larger than ours ($410bn). Vietnam’s cumulative FDI stock now exceeds $322bn, equivalent to two-thirds of GDP; ours hovers around 8pc. Our investment-to-GDP ratio sits at roughly 13pc against a regional average closer to 30pc. Private credit to GDP remains below 15pc, against over 50pc in India. These gaps reflect a risk-transmission system that has not yet matured to the level our economy now requires.
The opportunity we have now is to institutionalise the stabilisation that headline transactions have demonstrated — that Pakistan can deliver and turn into a system that does not depend on extraordinary mechanisms. Four directions would meaningfully strengthen this institutional layer.
The opportunity we have now is to institutionalise the stabilisation.
First, anchor the reform horizon in legislation. The newly established Tax Policy Office — itself an EFF deliverable — gives us the vehicle to embed core commitments in primary legislation: the National Tariff Policy 2025-30, the SEZ (Special Economic Zone) framework, the export refinance regime, and the IT and minerals policies, each with sunset clauses of no less than 10 years. This can be done within the IMF’s revenue-neutrality requirement; predictability does not cost the exchequer, but it pays back in investment, and even otherwise sets the stage for growth rates that rewrite a country’s economic destiny — the velocity at which poverty retreats and middle classes emerge, when we eventually graduate from the IMF programme.
Second, continue strengthening the regulators’ autonomy. Pakistan has made important strides here, particularly with the State Bank, whose operational independence is itself a programme commitment. Extending fixed tenures, transparent appointments and clear performance mandates to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, the power regulator Nepra, the oil and gas authority Ogra and the Competition Commission complements the EFF’s governance agenda. Strong regulators are how we convert the SIFC (Special Investment Facilitation Council) moment into a permanent investment clime, ensuring a level playing field.
Third, advance the privatisation and SOE agenda decisively. SOEs absorbed accumulated losses topping Rs2.5 trillion — exactly the contingent liability the EFF is designed to extinguish. The PIA privatisation closure, the airport outsourcing process and the prioritised list of 27 SOEs at the Privatisation Commission are the right next moves. The idea of a Pakistan sovereign wealth fund needs a relook to ensure the governance safeguards the programme calls for, so that it enables divestment in due course rather than warehouses’ inefficiency in the interim.
Fourth, build the domestic institutional investor base — the gap the IMF programme does not directly address. Our mutual fund industry manages assets equivalent to about 4pc of GDP; in India the figure is 17pc, in Malaysia over 30pc. Pension assets here are below 2pc of GDP, against an emerging market average of around 20pc. Venture capital ecosystem is still in its infancy. Foreign investors take their cues from local ones, and this financial sector acts as a backbone to promote local entrepreneurship.
Underlying all four is a single principle: credibility is built by narrowing the gap between what is announced and what is delivered. Vietnam was poorer than Pakistan in 1990; today, its per capita income is more than double ours. The difference is not capital. It is conviction sustained over time.
This agenda is fiscally light. None of the four shifts requires loosening the primary surplus, departing from the State Bank’s monetary stance, or undoing revenue mobilisation. They are legislative and institutional reforms that cost little but signal much and make Pakistan ready for quality, sustainable investment. The macroeconomic groundwork is in place. The geopolitical alignment is rare. Lifting FDI to even 3pc of GDP — half of Vietnam’s ratio — would mean an additional $10bn in annual inflows, more than the entire current EFF disbursement. This is Pakistan’s Vietnam moment — and unlike before, the world is watching. The opportunity is to convert it into a credible, long-horizon investment story — and there is every reason to believe we can.
THE UAE’s exit from Opec is another sign of the major geopolitical shifts that are reshaping the global order. One of the organisation’s top producers, the UAE’s decision seems largely influenced by the politics of oil. Yet geopolitical calculations, and intra-Gulf rivalries, specifically with Saudi Arabia, are also at play here.
As per reports, the Emiratis were unhappy with the quotas placed by Opec on members, and wanted to pump as much crude as they desired. This was reflected in an Emirati
THE UAE’s exit from Opec is another sign of the major geopolitical shifts that are reshaping the global order. One of the organisation’s top producers, the UAE’s decision seems largely influenced by the politics of oil. Yet geopolitical calculations, and intra-Gulf rivalries, specifically with Saudi Arabia, are also at play here.
As per reports, the Emiratis were unhappy with the quotas placed by Opec on members, and wanted to pump as much crude as they desired. This was reflected in an Emirati government statement, after the announcement of Abu Dhabi’s exit, that the UAE had made “greater sacrifices for the benefit of all”.
Seemingly, the UAE feels the time for ‘sacrifice’ is over and it is willing to jettison Arab and Gulf consensus, preferring to act independently in the global arena. Aside from the politics of oil, the decision also speaks of the UAE’s desire to present itself as an equal of Saudi Arabia, which — given Riyadh’s economic heft and oil wealth — plays a distinct role in the Arab and Muslim worlds.
Opec has often been described as a ‘cartel’ by the Western press. Perhaps this unkind categorisation stems from the fact that the states that founded Opec in 1960 championed the nationalisation of oil, which was anathema to the Western oil giants. Many in the West have not forgotten the ‘oil weapon’ deployed by Opec during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, which punished friends of the Zionist state.
Furthermore, for better or for worse, Opec is an organisation of energy producers of the Global South. How long the Saudis are able to keep the grouping afloat is uncertain, as geopolitical allegiances shift, and the Arab, Islamic and Third World ‘solidarity’ of yore is tested. As the UAE has shown, now it is every man for himself.
Beyond oil, differences between the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been growing over the years. Even during the Iran war, Abu Dhabi took a more confrontational stance towards Tehran, whereas Riyadh’s messaging has been mixed, denouncing Iran’s attacks on itself and its GCC allies, while keeping the door open for diplomatic outreach with Iran. Moreover, the Saudis and Emiratis have openly clashed over Yemen, supporting rival local groups, as well as in Sudan. Meanwhile, both powerful Arab states are similarly vying for influence in Libya.
Whether the UAE’s departure from Opec leads to further ruptures within the GCC or not remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: states such as Pakistan, which maintain deep ties with both countries, will have to calibrate their foreign policies accordingly. Islamabad already has had a taste of things to come, when the UAE demanded its deposit back, and Pakistan obliged.
White supremacist killer Brenton Tarrant lost on Thursday an appeal seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence for shooting dead 51 people at two New Zealand mosques in 2019, court documents showed.
The 35-year-old admitted to carrying out New Zealand’s deadliest modern day mass shooting before being sentenced to life in prison in August 2020.
He appealed to the Court of Appeal in February, saying “torturous and inhumane” detention conditions during his trial made him incapable of making ra
White supremacist killer Brenton Tarrant lost on Thursday an appeal seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence for shooting dead 51 people at two New Zealand mosques in 2019, court documents showed.
The 35-year-old admitted to carrying out New Zealand’s deadliest modern day mass shooting before being sentenced to life in prison in August 2020.
He appealed to the Court of Appeal in February, saying “torturous and inhumane” detention conditions during his trial made him incapable of making rational decisions when he pleaded guilty.
“I did not have the mind frame or mental health required to be making informed decisions at that time,” Tarrant said at the time.
The panel of three judges said the court “does not accept Mr Tarrant’s evidence about his mental state.”
“There were inconsistencies in Mr Tarrant’s own evidence, and his evidence is at odds with the detailed observations of prison authorities and the assessments of mental health professionals at the time of him entering his pleas.”
The judges found Tarrant’s guilty pleas were voluntary and “he was not coerced or pressured in any way to plead guilty”.
“The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that he was not suffering any significant psychological impacts as a result of his prison conditions at the time he pleaded guilty,” the court said.
The court said Tarrant’s “proposed conviction appeal is utterly devoid of merit”.
“The facts concerning Mr Tarrant’s offending are beyond dispute. He has not identified any arguable defence, or indeed any defence known to the law.”
‘Huge relief’
Tarrant’s penalty of life imprisonment without parole was the stiffest in New Zealand history.
Armed with an arsenal of semi-automatic weapons, Tarrant attacked worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019.
He published an online manifesto before the attacks and then livestreamed the killings for 17 minutes.
His victims were all Muslim and included children, women and the elderly.
The court’s decision was complicated one week after Tarrant’s February hearing when he sought to abandon his appeal entirely.
The judges said the court received a notice of abandonment of appeal signed by Tarrant using a “self-styled moniker” but the document was thrown out because it was not dated or witnessed.
Tarrant filed a second notice later that week, again using a pseudonym, which was dated and witnessed.
He said he “no longer wishes to have a lawyer” and the appeal should not continue as “it would likely lead to a miscarriage of justice”.
Lawyers acting for the survivors and families of victims told national broadcaster RNZ the decision had been a “huge relief”.
“The law has now done its job,” they said.
“The families, and frankly all of us, will be spared the trauma of reliving the 15th of March all over again in a trial.
“It is a huge relief that the difficult and often unsupported journey families are on will not now be added to by the great burden of a new trial. It would have been unimaginably traumatic. “
LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday passed the Punjab Film City Authority Bill 2026 by a majority vote after a charged session marked by sharp exchanges between treasury and opposition members, with critics questioning the government’s priorities and the ruling side defending the move as a step toward economic growth and cultural revival.
The bill was presented in the house by Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, who argued that the initiative would revive Pakistan’s struggling film industr
LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Wednesday passed the Punjab Film City Authority Bill 2026 by a majority vote after a charged session marked by sharp exchanges between treasury and opposition members, with critics questioning the government’s priorities and the ruling side defending the move as a step toward economic growth and cultural revival.
The bill was presented in the house by Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, who argued that the initiative would revive Pakistan’s struggling film industry, create jobs, and boost tourism. However, opposition lawmakers strongly opposed the legislation, claiming that funds were being diverted from critical sectors like health and education.
Opposition member Ijaz Shafi criticised the government for what he termed “misplaced priorities,” alleging that education and health budgets were being cut to finance the film city project. He also mocked the urgency with which the government was introducing bills, questioning whether it signalled political instability.
His remarks turned controversial when he made personal comments about political leaders, prompting Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan to order those statements expunged from the official record. The speaker maintained that personal attacks were inappropriate and urged members to focus on the substance of the bill.
Marriyum rebuffs opposition’s claim of diverting health, education funds to film city plan
Responding forcefully, Marriyum rejected the opposition’s claims as “baseless and misleading,” asserting that the education budget had increased from Rs30 billion to Rs130bn, while the health development budget had risen significantly to around Rs100bn. She said the government had delivered record funding across sectors, including agriculture, where farmer support programmes such as Kisan Cards and tractor schemes had been expanded.
“This is not just about films; it is about an entire economic ecosystem,” she told the house. “Globally, screen production is a billion-dollar industry. Pakistan has lagged behind due to lack of infrastructure. This bill will change that.”
She argued that the initiative would also improve Pakistan’s global image and strengthen “screen tourism,” a sector she said had remained underdeveloped.
Opposition members, including Waqas Mann and Shoaib Amir, raised broader concerns, questioning governance priorities and demanding accountability on public spending. They argued that with millions of children out of school and infrastructure challenges persisting, the government should focus on essential services rather than entertainment projects.
Some lawmakers also complained about the limited time given to review the bill and called for greater consultation with stakeholders, particularly artistes and industry professionals.
Repeated interruptions, slogan chanting, and points of order disrupted proceedings, forcing the speaker to intervene multiple times to restore order. At one point, the opposition pointed out a lack of quorum, while treasury members responded with counter slogans.
Despite the protests, the government pushed the legislation through, with Marriyum Aurangzeb emphasising that the bill had already been vetted by the relevant standing committee and included regulatory mechanisms for the industry.
In addition to the Film City bill, the assembly also passed the Punjab Environmental Protection (Amendment) Bill 2026 and the Punjab Wildlife Protection Bill 2026, both presented by Marriyum Aurangzeb, reflecting the government’s broader legislative agenda.
The session was later adjourned until Thursday (today) afternoon.
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has rejected a request to transfer the trial of TikToker Sana Yousuf’s murder to another court.
The court of Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar, while issuing a reserved verdict on the petition of accused Umar Hayat, ordered trial court judge Afzal Majuka to continue the trial.
Accused Umar Hayat had filed a request to transfer the case ongoing in the Sessions Court to another court.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Yousuf’s mot
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has rejected a request to transfer the trial of TikToker Sana Yousuf’s murder to another court.
The court of Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar, while issuing a reserved verdict on the petition of accused Umar Hayat, ordered trial court judge Afzal Majuka to continue the trial.
Accused Umar Hayat had filed a request to transfer the case ongoing in the Sessions Court to another court.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Yousuf’s mother stated that a man with a pistol in his hand had entered their house suddenly at around 5pm and “shot straight at my daughter with the intention to kill.”
As per Police, the suspect, a 22-year-old man, from Faisalabad had tried to contact Yousuf repeatedly and was being “rejected by her again and again,” adding that the accused had taken Yousuf’s mobile phone in a bid to wipe out the evidence but it had been recovered along with the weapon of offence.
On July 25, police had formally submitted the challan against Hayat to the prosecution branch of the district and sessions courts. It also included Hayat’s confessional statement recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
In his statement, Hayat, son of a retired government official and a TikToker himself, said he had developed a one-sided infatuation with Sana after connecting with her through social media. He confessed that suspicion and jealousy drove him to kill her.
Hayat revealed that he had traveled from Jaranwala to Islamabad on May 28 to wish Sana on her birthday. When she did not meet him, he became convinced she was deliberately avoiding him. He added that on June 2, he returned to the capital after renting a Toyota Fortuner and carrying a 30-bore pistol, intending to confront her.
The high court’s rejection of the transfer petition means the trial will proceed before Judge Afzal Majuka as originally scheduled.
• Sindh AG says Mosamiyat-Numaish contract to be awarded after completion of ‘notice period’• Claims govt sealed project site of construction firm as it was built on KMC land• Petitioner’s counsel says contract ‘handed over to FWO’• Bench seeks time frame for completion of University Road construction
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court was informed on Wednesday that the provincial government had not awarded any new contract to construct Mosamiyat to Numaish corridor (Lot 2) of the much-delayed Bus Ra
• Sindh AG says Mosamiyat-Numaish contract to be awarded after completion of ‘notice period’ • Claims govt sealed project site of construction firm as it was built on KMC land • Petitioner’s counsel says contract ‘handed over to FWO’ • Bench seeks time frame for completion of University Road construction
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court was informed on Wednesday that the provincial government had not awarded any new contract to construct Mosamiyat to Numaish corridor (Lot 2) of the much-delayed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line.
Advocate General Jawad Dero informed a two-judge constitutional bench comprising Justice Muhammad Saleem Jessar and Justice Nasir Ahmed Bhanbhro that the contract will be awarded after the completion of the notice period of the firm earlier granted the contract.
He stated that in the meantime, the government had only awarded work related to drainage and rehabilitation of a road.
Last week, the provincial government had announced that it had cancelled the contract of a construction firm over lack of progress and unsatisfactory performance.
Later, the contracting firm, AM Associates and CR 3, had petitioned the SHC and submitted that they were executing the project, but the police and district administration had sealed their project site at Aladdin Park and served a termination notice without any lawful justification and contrary to the terms of the contract.
At the last hearing, the bench had appointed a nazir (court official) as commissioner to visit the site of the project and prepare an inventory of the machinery and also issued notices to the respondents.
When the hearing began on Wednesday, petitioner’s counsel Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed informed the court that the project was reportedly handed over to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).
He submitted that the process of making the inventory was not competed yet.
He said the advocate general might inform the bench under which law the government had sealed the project site.
AG Dero submitted that the office of the contractors / petitioners were built on the land of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.
Justice Bhanbhro remarked that the University Road was among the major arteries of the city and the people were suffering due to an inordinate delay in construction work on the subject project.
The bench suggested that a commission may be constituted to ascertain the factors behind such a delay.
The AG said as per the chief executive officer of Trans Karachi, the subject project was scheduled to be completed by 2028.
The bench expressed annoyance at TransKarachi for the delay causing hardship to the people.
It asked the AG to inform it at the next hearing about the completion of work on University Road.
The court adjourned the hearing till May 4 after one of the respondents’ counsel sought time to file objections.
The court order states: “Learned counsel for petitioner has argued the case at length and placed reliance on 1998 SCMR 2268 and unreported order of this court dated 13.12.2023 passed in CP No D-3380/2023, taken on record.
“Since report by the commissioner is awaited hence case is adjourned to 04.05.2026 at 12:00 noon. Nazir office is directed to depute three persons of his office to complete the site inspection as ordered earlier,” it concluded.
The contracting firm in its petition had claimed that provision of the entire design of the project was the responsibility of Trans Karachi but it had given only 50 per cent design to the petitioners, who executed 80pc of the work.
They had pleaded for unsealing of the project site, seeking interim restraining order for the respondents from directly or indirectly carrying out any work or initiating any tendering process on the subject project.
They also asked the SHC to appoint a Nazir to make inventory of the entire stocks at the project site and restrain the respondents from removing or using such stocks.
DawnMedia Chief Executive Hameed Haroon speaks, alongside journalist Mazhar Abbas, at the event.—White Star
KARACHI: The governments in Pakistan have long adopted an “anti-media attitude”, which has put pressure on the free press and hindered the growth of independent journalism in the country.
Even during periods of martial law, such as that of Pervez Musharraf, there were certain restraints and action against journalists and media houses was not always taken lightly. At
DawnMedia Chief Executive Hameed Haroon speaks, alongside journalist Mazhar Abbas, at the event.—White Star
KARACHI: The governments in Pakistan have long adopted an “anti-media attitude”, which has put pressure on the free press and hindered the growth of independent journalism in the country.
Even during periods of martial law, such as that of Pervez Musharraf, there were certain restraints and action against journalists and media houses was not always taken lightly. At present times, however, it’s “the law of the jungle” where those in power act without hesitation.
These views were expressed by former president of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and DawnMedia CEO Hameed Haroon during a programme titled ‘APNS Talks’ organised by the Society at a local hotel on Wednesday.
At the outset, APNS President Senator Sarmad Ali said the session aimed to highlight the challenges and pressures faced by the media industry in Pakistan, as well as the rapid changes taking place within it. He added that the event also focused on Haroon’s life, achievements and his struggle for press freedom in the country.
Urges newspapers to introduce innovation to attract younger audiences
Moderating the session, journalist Mazhar Abbas started by asking Mr Haroon to explain how Dawn, described as the “dream of Jinnah and Liaquat Ali Khan”, was being crippled through “conspiracies” and advertisement bans for pursuing independent journalism.
Haroon said the press in Pakistan had largely been “tamed” and those who tried to maintain an independent voice and professional standards were often targeted and weakened.
He added that this was also the case with Dawn. “It is surviving on a shoestring,” he said and shared that there are advertisement bans not only from the government, but private advertisements are also being blocked through pressure.
He was of the view that media houses had been targeted and attacked many times in past but the government’s “anti-media attitude” had now reached new limits.
“It’s the law of the jungle now,” he said and added that apart from the media, the judiciary was also under attack given how judges’ transfers have been done.
In response to a question about the future of the free press, Haroon said the prospects appeared weak under the current circumstances. However, he expressed hope that media organisations could improve their position by working together and ensuring job security and dignity for journalists.
“Unless you learn to provide permanent jobs to journalists, you cannot run a newspaper,” he said.
Haroon said newspapers, in particular, needed to “change” themselves and introduce innovation to attract younger audiences, rather than complain that the youth no longer read.
Responding to a question about coverage of Balochistan, he said the press in the country had long operated under constraints when reporting on the province. He noted that there had always been a strong influence of the military, intelligence agencies and tribal sardars which limited journalists’ freedom.
Answering questions about his personal interests, Haroon said that while he loved art, history and literature, his greatest passion was music.
When asked if he intended to join politics, he replied in the negative. “You cannot be in politics and in the media at the same time,” he remarked.
Earlier, a documentary was also screened. It highlighted Haroon’s life and achievements, the accolades he received and his role in strengthening the international reputation of Dawn. It described him as an uncompromising and fearless voice and traced his career as reporter, analyst and publisher among other things.
KARACHI: Expressing concern over prolonged power outages particularly in underprivileged areas of the metropolis, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has asked the K-Electric to find a practical solution to reduce loadshedding, particularly in poorer neighbourhoods.
In a meeting with KE Chairman Shahryar Chishti and CEO Syed Taha here at the CM House on Wednesday, CM Shah directed the Sindh energy department and KE to jointly undertake a study on initiating a targeted subsidy programme for vulner
KARACHI: Expressing concern over prolonged power outages particularly in underprivileged areas of the metropolis, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has asked the K-Electric to find a practical solution to reduce loadshedding, particularly in poorer neighbourhoods.
In a meeting with KE Chairman Shahryar Chishti and CEO Syed Taha here at the CM House on Wednesday, CM Shah directed the Sindh energy department and KE to jointly undertake a study on initiating a targeted subsidy programme for vulnerable electricity consumers in Karachi.
He directed the formulation of proposals to provide affordable electricity to low-income neighbourhoods and industrial areas, while stressing the need to reduce loadshedding in poor localities as summer begins.
“We want loadshedding to be reduced, especially in low-income areas, and a sustainable solution should be worked out so poor communities are not burdened by long outages,” the CM said, according to a press statement.
Body formed to propose targeted subsidy; provision of uninterrupted, affordable electricity to low-income and industrial areas
Discussing long-term solutions, the CM stressed the need to generate cheaper electricity, particularly through the utilisation of Thar coal, and proposed that low-cost electricity generated from Thar be supplied to KE so it could be provided uninterruptedly at affordable rates to poor localities.
He also said the Sindh government was exploring a partnership with KE to develop a plan for supplying competitively priced electricity to industrial areas to support productivity and reduce costs.
The KE chairman Chishti assured the chief minister that the utility was ready to work in cooperation with the Sindh government on measures aimed at relief and improved service delivery.
He observed that low-cost power generation was essential for sustainable relief to consumers.
The chief minister directed the energy department to prepare multiple proposals for providing cheaper electricity and announced the formation of a committee comprising the Karachi commissioner, energy secretary and the KE CEO.
The committee will present recommendations on supplying affordable electricity to low-income areas and explore viable subsidy and supply mechanisms.
The meeting also reviewed broader energy cooperation between the Sindh government and KE, with a focus on affordability, uninterrupted supply and support for vulnerable consumers.
• Warns banned, reusable devices still in market; devices falsely claiming ‘auto-disable’ are actually reusable
• Pushes for safe, compliant single-use syringe adoption; urges authorities to launch crackdown on entire supply chain
ISLAMABAD: The Healthcare Devices Association of Pakistan (HDAP) has expressed grave concern over the illegal manufacture and use of banned reusable syringes across the country, including the discovery of devices fraudulently labelled as “auto-disable” when they rema
• Warns banned, reusable devices still in market; devices falsely claiming ‘auto-disable’ are actually reusable
• Pushes for safe, compliant single-use syringe adoption; urges authorities to launch crackdown on entire supply chain
ISLAMABAD: The Healthcare Devices Association of Pakistan (HDAP) has expressed grave concern over the illegal manufacture and use of banned reusable syringes across the country, including the discovery of devices fraudulently labelled as “auto-disable” when they remain fully reusable.
HDAP warned that the practices pose a direct threat to public health by spreading disease.
“These are not merely regulatory violations. They are acts that have directly contributed to the transmission of HIV and other blood-borne infections among the most vulnerable members of our society, including children,” the association said in a press release.
HDAP strongly condemned the illegal availability, distribution and use of banned reusable disposable syringes, whether through unauthorised manufacturing, import or other unlawful channels.
“The continued use of such unsafe products significantly increases the risk of transmission of blood-borne diseases including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV,” it stated.
In line with HDAP’s mission to promote and protect the highest standards of patient care and ethical standards through networking, advocacy and expertise enhancement, the association reiterated its commitment to the promotion and supply of only proven quality, safe and internationally compliant healthcare products that meet approved regulatory standards.
It called upon federal and provincial authorities to move beyond reactive measures and implement “sustained enforcement” against all involved in the unlawful practice, from manufacturers and importers to distributors and healthcare operators using the banned products.
Reiterating its mission to uphold high standards of patient care, HDAP said it is committed to the supply of only safe, internationally compliant and regulated healthcare products. “HDAP reaffirms that its membership stands for quality, compliance and patient safety,” it stated.
“The association will continue to support its members in meeting these standards and will work with relevant authorities to ensure that those who engage in unlawful practices are held accountable.”
The organisation pledged to work with government institutions and healthcare stakeholders to eliminate the problem, strengthen market surveillance and promote the use of approved auto-disable syringes to safeguard public health.
• Speakers at discussion on Islamabad talks warn oil prices may go beyond $120 per barrel if war resumes• Tehran proposal on Hormuz reopening gains traction, ex-envoy claims• Conflict described as ‘non-contact war’ with global economic impact• Pakistan’s role for world peace praised at UK-based forum
LAHORE: Intense domestic political pressures in Washington and Tehran could stall a final peace deal, speakers at a panel discussion warned on Wednesday, stressing that failure to reach an agreemen
• Speakers at discussion on Islamabad talks warn oil prices may go beyond $120 per barrel if war resumes • Tehran proposal on Hormuz reopening gains traction, ex-envoy claims • Conflict described as ‘non-contact war’ with global economic impact • Pakistan’s role for world peace praised at UK-based forum
LAHORE: Intense domestic political pressures in Washington and Tehran could stall a final peace deal, speakers at a panel discussion warned on Wednesday, stressing that failure to reach an agreement might trigger a regional conflict and push global crude oil prices beyond $120 per barrel.
The discussion, titled ‘Islamabad Talks: Bridging Divides Through Quiet Diplomacy’, was hosted by the Old Ravians Union (ORU) at Government College University (GCU).
Speaking on the occasion, former ambassador Mansoor Ahmed Khan said growing global polarisation had weakened the credibility of traditional mediators such as the European Union and Nato.
In this context, he noted, Pakistan’s civil and military leadership had stepped in to facilitate engagement among key international stakeholders.
He revealed that a proposal by Tehran to separate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz from long-term nuclear negotiations was gaining traction and was being actively debated by the US National Security Council.
Khan said the conflict had reshaped regional dynamics, leaving Israel politically isolated while positioning Iran as a resilient actor. He added that a new regional security framework involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt, Indonesia and China could emerge, though he cautioned that Pakistan’s peace efforts faced opposition and disinformation campaigns from India.
Senior journalist Mujeebur Rehman Shami said Pakistan had acted proactively rather than waiting for external engagement. He warned that a US-led blockade had pushed Iran’s oil storage capacity to its limits, and any forced closure of oil wells could have long-term consequences, creating a strategic deadlock between Tehran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz and Washington’s economic pressure.
Retired Gen Muhammad Saeed pointed out that while talks in Vietnam and Afghanistan took years to initiate, Pakistan facilitated direct US-Iran engagement shortly after the April 8 proposal.
He noted that the US administration faced domestic political constraints in escalating military action, while Iran could not sustain the economic burden of a prolonged conflict. With both sides stepping back from aggressive media rhetoric, he predicted a high probability of secondary, fast-tracked talks returning to Islamabad.
He also observed that neither the IAEA nor US intelligence had officially confirmed that Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapon, suggesting alternative motivations behind the US-Israel war on Iran.
Political scientist Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi attributed Pakistan’s diplomatic role to its balanced and non-partisan approach, as well as the credibility gained following the May 2025 conflict with India. He said Islamabad’s stance — condemning attacks on Iran while also criticising Iranian strikes on Gulf states — had helped build trust with both Washington and Tehran.
He outlined critical hurdles to a final agreement, including domestic political pressures in both countries, ensuring free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, resolving the nuclear dispute, lifting sanctions, unfreezing Iranian assets and addressing Tehran’s demands for war-related compensation.
Terming the hostilities a modern “non-contact war”, Dr Rizvi said economic interdependence meant regional conflicts now had global repercussions. He emphasised the need for universities and research institutions to play a greater role in national security in an era of technology-driven warfare.
Dr Asma Faiz said managing the US-Iran rivalry while maintaining strategic autonomy had enhanced Pakistan’s credibility as a regional mediator.
Pakistan’s role praised
Separately, Pakistan’s efforts to promote dialogue and prevent escalation were acknowledged at the UK-based Defence and Security Forum in London, where a federal minister addressed the forum for the first time.
Minister for Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh highlighted Pakistan’s growing role at the intersection of defence and economic diplomacy, describing the country as a strategic gateway linking East and West.
The event, held at a venue in Pall Mall, brought together diplomats, parliamentarians, defence experts and business leaders.
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