Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef S&iacute;kela in Brussels to discuss deepening Pakistan-EU relations, an official statement said.&nbsp;According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two leaders emphasized the importance of enhancing mutually beneficial collaboration between Pakistan and the European Union across all shared areas of interest.&nbsp;The statement noted that both sides agreed to explore ways to strengthen cooperation across multiple frameworks, including the EU Global Gateway Program and the expansion of the European Investment Bank&#39;s activities in Pakistan.&nbsp;The meeting reaffirmed Pakistan&#39;s and the EU&#39;s shared commitment to deepen their partnership and collaborate on initiatives supporting sustainable development and economic prosperity.&nbsp;Dar highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s interest in attracting EU investment and leveraging international partnerships to support the country&rsquo;s growth agenda, while Commissioner S&iacute;kela stressed the EU&rsquo;s commitment to long-term collaboration with Pakistan.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan and the EU agree to deepen cooperation, explore investment through Global Gateway, expand European Investment Bank activities, and promote sustainable development and economic growth, officials say.

Pakistan, EU strengthen ties, explore investment and development cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan told the UN Security Council (UNSC) that years of fighting in Ukraine have proven there is no military solution, urging all sides to pursue restraint, ceasefire, and a renewed commitment to dialogue and diplomacy. &ldquo;Pakistan has stated that the continued fighting in Ukraine over the years has made it amply clear to all the stakeholders that there is no military solution to the conflict,&rdquo; said a press release shared by Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Mission to the UN on its X account on Friday. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1991644595986526420&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=dd0b837670ac8363ea19a5b5da4113d92dc99ca5&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Pakistan again reiterated its call for all parties to demonstrate restraint, take meaningful strides towards de-escalation, and work earnestly towards a ceasefire through a sustained and meaningful dialogue process,&rdquo; it said. &quot;Delivering the national statement in the UNSC on the situation in Ukraine, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN, regretted that the diplomatic momentum generated at the start of the year by the adoption of UNSCR 2774 &ndash; which perhaps could have been more effective if it were endorsed unanimously, has yet to bear fruit,&rdquo; the press release said. &lsquo;Push for peace&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;We welcome the renewed push for peace, including mediation efforts by T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar. A solution that is acceptable to all relevant parties can silence the guns and ensure lasting peace,&rdquo; he said. He said that given the complex historical context and the intricate nature of the Ukraine conflict, Pakistan believes that the path forward should be guided by wisdom and dialogue rather than continued hostilities and confrontation. Ambassador Iftikhar urged all parties to demonstrate political will, engage in a meaningful, structured, and result-oriented dialogue that addresses the security concerns of all sides; most importantly, it is anchored in the principles of the UN Charter and international law; and respects the relevant multilateral agreements, the press release said. &ldquo;A ceasefire is the first logical and necessary step in this process,&rdquo; he maintained. &lsquo;Dialogue and diplomacy&rsquo;&nbsp;He said that Pakistan is a firm believer in the power of dialogue and diplomacy and will continue to support all endeavors aimed at resolving the issue peacefully and in a just, comprehensive, and durable manner. He said that Pakistan is deeply perturbed by the expansion of hostilities, targeting of civilians and civil infrastructure, and the exponentially mounting humanitarian toll. &ldquo;Protection of civilian lives and infrastructure should remain paramount. We reiterate the call for upholding the principles of International humanitarian law,&rdquo; he added.

Pakistan reiterates ‘call for all parties to demonstrate restraint, take meaningful strides towards de-escalation, and work earnestly towards a ceasefire’; welcomes the ‘renewed push for peace, including mediation efforts by Türkiye and Qatar.’

Dialogue, diplomacy can help end Russia-Ukraine war: Pakistan tells UNSC

NEW YORK: A self-portrait by legendary Mexican artist Frida Kahlo sold for $54.66 million in New York on Thursday, setting a new record for the price of a painting by a woman, the auction house Sotheby&#39;s said. The sale of Kahlo&#39;s 1940 artwork, titled &quot;El sueno (la cama)&quot; &mdash; which translates to &quot;The dream (The bed)&quot; &mdash; breaks the previous record in this category, set by American artist Georgia O&#39;Keeffe, whose 1932 painting &quot;Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1,&quot; sold for $44.4 million in 2014.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 747px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1991665561865187337&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=0dea20b555b124c50c30efeca670bbe37f8555f0&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Kahlo&#39;s painting is &quot;the most valuable work by a woman artist ever sold at auction,&quot; Sotheby&#39;s said in a post on X. The auction house said Kahlo&#39;s work was &quot;painted in 1940 during a pivotal decade in her career, marked by her turbulent relationship with Diego Rivera.&quot; Kahlo&#39;s self-portrait went on the auction block at Sotheby&rsquo;s, with an estimated price of $40 million to $60 million. The buyer&#39;s name was not disclosed. The artwork depicts the artist sleeping in a bed that appears to float among clouds in the sky, lying beneath a skeleton whose legs are wrapped in sticks of dynamite. This painting is a &quot;very personal&quot; image, in which Kahlo &quot;merges folkloric motifs from Mexican culture with European surrealism,&quot; Anna Di Stasi, head of Latin American art at Sotheby&#39;s, told AFP. The Mexican artist, who passed away in 1954 at the age of 47, &quot;did not completely agree&quot; with her work being associated with the surrealist movement, Di Stasi said. However, &quot;given this magnificent iconography, it seems entirely appropriate to include it&quot; in this movement. The record-setting sale came two nights after the New York auction house reeled in another record, with a painting by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt fetching $236.4 million on the block -- the second-most-expensive artwork ever sold at auction. Klimt&#39;s &quot;Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer,&quot; painted between 1914 and 1916, depicts the daughter of his principal patron in a white imperial Chinese dress, standing before a blue tapestry with Asian-inspired motifs. The most expensive painting ever sold at auction remains &quot;Salvator Mundi,&quot; attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which sold for $450 million in 2017.

Entertainment

Auction house says Kahlo's work was 'painted in 1940 during a pivotal decade in her career, marked by her turbulent relationship with Diego Rivera.'

Frida Kahlo painting auctions for $54.6 million, record for woman artist

KHAN YOUNIS: Gaza health authorities said fresh Israeli air strikes killed five people on Thursday, as ceasefire mediator Qatar warned the renewed attacks threatened to undermine the fragile weeks-long truce between Israel and Hamas. The new strikes came the morning after one of the deadliest days in the Gaza Strip since the truce began on Oct. 10, and after Israel launched a series of attacks targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon despite the nearly year-long ceasefire there. Qatar, a key mediator in the Hamas-Israel war, condemned the latest air strikes as &ldquo;a dangerous escalation that threatens to undermine the ceasefire agreement.&rdquo; Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the Gaza civil defense agency, which operates under Hamas authority, told AFP that five people were killed and several wounded Thursday in strikes and artillery shelling east of Khan Younis in the south. The Nasser hospital in Khan Younis said three of those killed came from one family, including a one-year-old girl. &ldquo;We were sleeping peacefully,&rdquo; said a grieving Sabri Abu Sabt, visibly exhausted after losing his son and granddaughter. &ldquo;We are peaceful and we don&rsquo;t want war.&rdquo; Tala Abu Al-Ala, who lost her sister, told AFP: &ldquo;Every day there are martyrs. Every day we lose a relative. When will we find relief? Don&rsquo;t we have the right to live?&ldquo; Fighting back tears, she added: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m afraid I&rsquo;ll die without achieving any of my life&rsquo;s dreams.&rdquo; &lsquo;Nothing has really changed&rsquo;Israel has carried out repeated strikes against what it says are Hamas targets during the ceasefire, resulting in the death of more than 312 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. &ldquo;We are worried about the war returning,&rdquo; said Lina Kuraz, 33, from the Tuffah neighborhood east of Gaza City. &ldquo;Every time we try to regain hope, the shelling starts again. When will this nightmare end?&ldquo; Mohammed Hamdouna, who was displaced from northern Gaza to a tent in the south, said &ldquo;nothing has really changed.&rdquo; &ldquo;The intensity of the death toll has decreased, but martyrs and shelling happen every day,&rdquo; the 36-year-old told AFP. &ldquo;We are still living in tents. The cities are rubble, the crossings are still closed, and all the basic necessities of life are still lacking.&rdquo; Yellow LineOn Wednesday, Israeli strikes killed 14 people in Gaza City and 13 in Khan Younis, according to the civil defense agency. In Gaza City, Ahlam Halas carried the four-month-old daughter of her nephew, who was among those killed on Wednesday. &ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t even get the chance to rejoice in her birth and hear her call him &lsquo;papa&rsquo;,&rdquo; she said. Under the US-brokered ceasefire deal, Israeli troops in Gaza have withdrawn behind the so-called Yellow Line. Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian accused Hamas of &ldquo;continuing to violate the ceasefire,&rdquo; with &ldquo;terrorists crossing over the Yellow Line.&rdquo; &ldquo;Israel made the decision independently to conduct these air strikes and did not ask for permission to protect ourselves and our people.&rdquo; An American official told AFP that &ldquo;the US was notified in advance&rdquo; of the strikes by Israel. UN chief Antonio Guterres&rsquo;s spokesman urged all sides to ensure that the ceasefire holds, and called for civilians to be spared from harm. &ldquo;We are indeed deeply concerned about the Israeli airstrikes that we&rsquo;ve seen in which civilians were reportedly killed and injured,&rdquo; Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Hamas appeals to mediatorsHamas urged US President Donald Trump, who helped broker the ceasefire, and other international mediators to put pressure on Israel to stop its attacks. &ldquo;This violation requires serious and effective action from the mediators to pressure (Israel) to stop these violations and uphold the ceasefire agreement,&rdquo; Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for the Islamist movement, told AFP in Gaza City. The war was sparked by Hamas&rsquo;s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people. Israel&rsquo;s retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed at least 69,546 people, according to figures from the health ministry that the UN considers reliable. Retired brigadier general Eran Ortal, a senior research fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies outside Tel Aviv, told AFP that Israel was &ldquo;under international pressure&rdquo; to preserve the ceasefire, with Washington &ldquo;mobilizing the entire region&rdquo; with a view to striking wider deals. &ldquo;Therefore, although Hamas has not been disarmed, and there is a strong likelihood that it will also manage to avoid disarmament in the near future, the potential for renewed warfare in Gaza does not appear high.&rdquo;

Middle East

Fresh Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill five, including a one-year-old, as Qatar warns attacks threaten fragile ceasefire, with residents fearing renewed conflict despite ongoing humanitarian crises.

Israel launches fresh strikes on Gaza as Qatar fears for truce

WASHINGTON: Two Chinese nationals and two Americans have been arrested for allegedly illegally exporting cutting-edge Nvidia chips with AI applications to China, the Justice Department said on Thursday. Chinese nationals Cham Li, 38, and Jing Chen, 45, along with Americans Hon Ning Ho, 34, and Brian Raymond, 46, are charged with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) and money laundering. Justice officials said the four conspired to illegally export advanced Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs) to China through Malaysia and Thailand. The defendants engaged in a &quot;deliberate and deceptive effort to transship controlled Nvidia GPUs to China by falsifying paperwork, creating fake contracts, and misleading US authorities,&quot; Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg said in a statement. They received nearly $4 million from China to help finance the export scheme, the department said. It said some 400 Nvidia A100 GPUs were exported to China between October 2024 and January 2025 in two shipments. Two other shipments were &quot;disrupted by law enforcement and therefore not completed.&quot; The Justice Department said China is seeking cutting-edge US technology to further its goal of becoming the world leader in AI by 2030. Violations of ECRA and money laundering are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Artificial Intelligence

Chinese nationals Cham Li and Jing Chen, along with Americans Hon Ning Ho and Brian Raymond, are charged with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act and money laundering.

Four arrested in US in scheme to smuggle AI chips to China

WASHINGTON: A US plan backed by President Donald Trump to end Russia&#39;s war in Ukraine is &quot;good&quot; for both sides, the White House said on Thursday, rejecting concerns that it echoes many of Moscow&#39;s demands. Trump&#39;s special envoy Steve Witkoff and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been &quot;quietly&quot; working on the plan for a month, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. &quot;It&#39;s ongoing and it&#39;s in flux, but the president supports this plan. It&#39;s a good plan for both Russia and Ukraine, and we believe that it should be acceptable to both sides,&quot; she told a briefing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky&#39;s office said he expected to discuss the points with Trump in the coming days. The comments came as Russia claimed to have recaptured the key city of Kupiansk in eastern Ukraine, and as President Vladimir Putin visited an army command post to speak with officers about the situation at the front. The Ukrainian army denied losing Kupiansk, which Ukraine lost to Russia the day it launched its invasion in 2022, then wrested back. Here&#39;s what we know about the US plan: TerritoryDetails of the plan, reported to contain 28 points, have been widely covered by Western media, and a senior source familiar with the matter also shared some aspects with AFP. What is known suggests that Ukraine is being asked to concede to Russia&#39;s key demands, while receiving very little in return.&nbsp; On territory, the plan calls for the &quot;recognition of Crimea and other regions that the Russians have taken,&quot; the source said. Russia&#39;s army occupies around a fifth of the country &mdash; much of it ravaged by years of fighting. The Kremlin claims to have annexed five Ukrainian regions &mdash; Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson in 2022, and Crimea in 2014. Moscow has previously demanded that Ukraine completely withdraw its troops from the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, in exchange for freezing the front line in the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Ukraine has said it will never recognize Russian control over its land, but has conceded it might be forced to get it back through diplomatic means. Ceding territory in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions that Ukraine still controls could leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attacks by Russia. &quot;It is a matter of our country&#39;s survival,&quot; Zelensky said recently. Army and weapons&nbsp;The plan calls for Ukraine to reduce its army to 400,000 personnel, cutting its military by more than half, the same source told AFP. Kyiv would also be required to give up all long-range weapons, the source added. Other media reports said there would be a complete ban on Western troops being deployed to Ukraine. That fits with previous Russian demands that have been made public and goes against what Ukraine has cast as red lines. The proposal reportedly includes vague provisions for Ukraine to negotiate security guarantees with the United States and Europe. Ukraine wants concrete Western-backed assurances, ideally in the form of NATO membership or a similar defense guarantee and a European peacekeeping force, to prevent Russia from invading again. Whose plan?&nbsp;The contents of the plan have fueled suggestions that Russia was involved in drafting it. US media outlet Axios reported the Trump administration had drawn it up in secret consultation with Moscow. &quot;It seems that the Russians proposed this to the Americans, they accepted it,&quot; the senior source told AFP. &quot;An important nuance is that we don&#39;t understand whether this is really Trump&#39;s story or his entourage&#39;s,&quot; the official added. After the plans were first reported, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, &quot;A durable peace will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions.&quot; Since returning to the White House, Trump&#39;s position on the Ukraine war has shifted dramatically back and forth. Over 2025, he has gone from calling Zelensky a &quot;dictator&quot; to urging Kyiv to try to reclaim all the land captured by Russia and hitting Moscow with sanctions. Invigorating diplomacy?&nbsp;Confirming on Thursday that it had received the plan, Ukraine said the United States had told it the proposal &quot;could invigorate diplomacy.&quot; The statement from Zelensky&#39;s office did not contain details or an assessment of the proposal, saying only that it had agreed with Washington &quot;to ensure a dignified end to the war.&quot; The Ukrainian leader met senior US army officials in Kyiv on Thursday. But that meeting took place a day after Trump envoy Witkoff skipped a meeting with Zelensky in Turkey, in a blow to Kyiv&#39;s hopes of convincing Washington to pressure Russia to halt its invasion. The Kremlin said it had nothing to say when asked about reports on the plan. The EU&#39;s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said any peace settlement must have the agreement of both Kyiv and Brussels. &quot;We have to understand that in this war, there is one aggressor and one victim. So, we haven&#39;t heard of any concessions on the Russian side,&quot; she added.

Europe

Trump's special envoy, the US Secretary of State, quietly working on the plan for a month; Ukrainian President Zelensky says he expects to discuss the points with Trump in the coming days.

US plan 'good' for Russia, Ukraine: White House

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan and India on Thursday agreed to &ldquo;create a joint chamber of commerce, and address outstanding issues related to the Chabahar Port in order to strengthen trade and transit collaboration&rdquo; between the two countries, a statement issued by Afghanistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Industry and Commerce said. Afghanistan&rsquo;s Interim Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi arrived in New Delhi yesterday to advance bilateral trade and investment cooperation with India upon the invitation of the government. The commerce minister&#39;s visit comes after interim Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India in October on a five-day trip. The diplomatic visit between the two countries has come amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, which have strained diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Kabul. In a post on X today, the ministry said that India and Afghanistan have agreed on steps to boost trade cooperation and to revitalize Chabahar linkages.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1991479197483909249&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=19c9b982687b2f032373d995435efdfa1d18584d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Azizi met with India&rsquo;s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar in New Delhi to discuss expanding economic cooperation between the two countries,&rdquo; the statement said. It said that the two sides held detailed discussions on &ldquo;enhancing the operational capacity of the Chabahar Port, appointing new commercial attach&eacute;s, and improving visa facilitation for members of Afghanistan&rsquo;s private sector.&rdquo; &ldquo;Both delegations agreed to reactivate the previously established joint working group, create a joint chamber of commerce, and address outstanding issues related to the Chabahar Port in order to strengthen trade and transit collaboration,&rdquo; it added.

Afghanistan

India

Afghanistan Commerce Minister Azizi is in New Delhi to advance bilateral trade and investment cooperation with India upon the invitation of the government.

India, Afghanistan agree to create joint commerce chamber, address Chabahar Port issues 

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government on Thursday set &quot;a new benchmark in environmental protection&quot; as it launched a satellite-based monitoring system to protect forests in Pakistan&#39;s most populous province. A post on the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party&#39;s X account said that, under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz,&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">satellite monitoring of &quot;all forests has begun for the first time.&quot;&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1991432742110711859&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=19c9b982687b2f032373d995435efdfa1d18584d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>It said that the satellite used &quot;state-of-the-art technology to track forest coverage, prevent illegal logging, stop land encroachments, and safeguard wildlife.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;This real-time system will enable immediate action, guide tree plantation efforts, identify areas for afforestation, and even detect fires or estimate damage,&quot; the post on X said. In a separate post, the party said that illegal activity through the satellite monitoring system will be reported immediately, adding that the Environmental Protection Force will take immediate action based on the data.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1991459382614454650&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=19c9b982687b2f032373d995435efdfa1d18584d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>It also said that the plantation and wildlife will be supported by satellite data, and remote sensing will make it possible to accurately monitor changes on the ground, eliminating land encroachment, manipulation and double-dealing through electronic records &quot;The use of modern technology will prove helpful in identifying fires and estimating losses,&quot; the ruling party said. The data will also identify areas suitable for new reforestation efforts. Broader environmental initiativeThe satellite monitoring system is part of the provincial government&#39;s broader Green Program, an initiative aimed at combating climate change and promoting sustainable land use practices. The system will help protect existing forests, prevent land encroachments, and mitigate the impacts of illegal land use changes. It will also assist in assessing the damage from natural disasters like forest fires. The province&rsquo;s Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb praised the new system, stating that it would significantly improve efforts to protect Punjab&#39;s forests. She stated that the real-time capabilities of the technology would be critical for responding to environmental threats, such as illegal deforestation and the ongoing challenges of climate change.

Climate & Environment

The initiative uses advanced satellite technology to track forest areas, tree coverage, and wildlife across the region in real time.

Pakistan launches satellite monitoring system to protect forests in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting today, Thursday, on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), directing the government to accelerate the airline&rsquo;s privatization and strengthen its operational capacity, his office said.&nbsp;According to a statement released by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, PM Sharif said, &ldquo;All steps regarding PIA&rsquo;s privatization must be completed swiftly and transparently.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added that the government will develop a roadmap to increase the number of airworthy aircraft and ensure timely departures for all flights.&nbsp;The briefing presented to the prime minister outlined that four parties have been pre-qualified for the upcoming privatization bidding process, and that 75% of PIA&rsquo;s shares will be sold.&nbsp;Sharif emphasized that &ldquo;the airline&rsquo;s name and branding will not be changed after privatization.&rdquo;&nbsp;Under the business plan presented at the meeting, the number of operational aircraft in PIA&rsquo;s fleet will increase from 18 to 38 by 2029. Currently serving over 30 cities, the airline&rsquo;s network is projected to expand to more than 40 cities by 2029.&nbsp;The statement added that the meeting was attended by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahsan Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Advisor for Privatization Muhammad Ali, and senior officials.&nbsp;PM Sharif highlighted the strategic importance of the plan, saying, &ldquo;This initiative will strengthen PIA as a competitive, modern airline, ensuring better services for passengers while maintaining its national identity.&rdquo;&nbsp;The Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office concluded that the government is committed to implementing the privatization and fleet expansion &ldquo;in a manner that benefits the public, preserves the airline&rsquo;s heritage, and promotes Pakistan&rsquo;s aviation sector globally.&rdquo;

Economy

Pakistan plans to privatize 75% of PIA shares, maintaining its name and branding, while expanding the airline’s fleet and network by 2029.

Pakistan PM orders swift PIA privatization, fleet expansion by 2029

ISLAMABAD: On World Children&rsquo;s Day, a review of Pakistan&rsquo;s child welfare initiatives in 2025 shows the country has taken historic steps to protect minors from early marriage and labor exploitation, marking a landmark year for child rights.&nbsp;UNICEF celebrated its global day of action for children on Thursday, urging governments worldwide to listen to young people and protect their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.&nbsp;Groundbreaking child marriage legislationPakistan&rsquo;s most notable achievement came in May, when President Asif Ali Zardari signed the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act. The law sets 18 as the minimum age for marriage for both boys and girls in the federal capital.&nbsp;Under the new legislation, anyone arranging or facilitating underage marriages, including parents, guardians, and religious officials, faces up to seven years in prison and fines of up to Rs1 million. Courts are empowered to intervene and block planned child marriages, with decisions required within 90 days, and marriage registrars must verify ages using national identity cards.&nbsp;Former Minister for Women Development Sherry Rehman called the law &ldquo;transformative.&rdquo; She said, &ldquo;This law is not just about banning child marriage. It is a declaration that our girls deserve the right to childhood, to education, to health, and to a life free from coercion and harm.&rdquo;&nbsp;Legal experts also noted that a 2023 Federal Shariat Court ruling confirmed that setting the minimum marriage age at 18 complies with Islamic law, helping to counter religious opposition to the reforms.&nbsp;Balochistan raises marriage ageBalochistan became the latest province to raise its legal marriage age to 18 in November, addressing high rates of early marriage in the south-western province. A 2024 Save the Children survey found nearly two-thirds of marriages in Balochistan occurred before age 18, with 40% before age 16. One in four girls surveyed had their first child before 16, and 60% gave birth before 18.&nbsp;Community members cited cultural beliefs about family honour and economic pressures as drivers of early marriages. Previously, girls could marry at 16 while boys were required to be 18. The province now joins Sindh, which enacted similar protections in 2014.&nbsp;Child labor protectionsIn August, the National Assembly received the Islamabad Child and Adolescent Labour Bill, aiming to prohibit and regulate child labor in the capital territory. While child labor laws exist at federal and provincial levels, including the Employment of Children Act 1991, the new bill updates provisions to align with international child rights conventions.&nbsp;Government coordination and oversightThe National Commission for Child Welfare and Development, operating under the Ministry of Human Rights, has overseen Pakistan&rsquo;s implementation of UN child rights obligations throughout 2025.&nbsp;Established in 1979 as an advisory body on child issues, the commission coordinates monitoring and facilitates implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, submitting mandatory reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva.&nbsp;UNICEF&rsquo;s message on Children&rsquo;s DayThis year&rsquo;s theme, &ldquo;my day, my rights&rdquo;, encourages communities to listen to children and understand how they experience their rights. UNICEF stated, &ldquo;Children and young people are powerful agents of change, bringing new ideas and perspectives that can help shape a better world for all of us.&rdquo; The organization now works in more than 190 countries, focusing on reaching vulnerable and excluded children.&nbsp;As Pakistan observes Children&rsquo;s Day, the 2025 legislative achievements represent concrete progress toward fulfilling international child rights obligations. The new laws address critical issues, including child marriage, labor exploitation, and access to education, affecting millions of Pakistani children.

Culture

Pakistan marked major child-rights progress in 2025, passing new laws against child marriage and labour, with Balochistan raising marriage age and UNICEF urging stronger youth protection.

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