TASS English
기타
정치
Trump believes UN can facilitate Hormuz opening — US mission
Deputy Ambassador to the UN Tammy Bruce stated that the US leader cares about the UN and knows the potential of it
"FACILITATE" · 총 102건
필터 보기현재 지수
50.3
0 = 부정 우세
50 = 중립
100 = 긍정 우세
최근 7일 기준 86,135건을 분석한 결과, 뉴스 심리지수는 50.3(균형)입니다. 긍정 4,356건(5.1%)·중립 79,741건(92.6%)·부정 2,038건(2.4%)이며, 중립 비중이 뚜렷하게 높습니다. 성향 지수는 종합 14.9(중도 균형)입니다.
Deputy Ambassador to the UN Tammy Bruce stated that the US leader cares about the UN and knows the potential of it
THE people of Gilgit-Baltistan joined Pakistan at the time of independence after liberating the region from Dogra rule. It was a unanimous aspiration to become part of the Muslim state. Assuming the relationship would be formalised through constitutional inclusion and political empowerment, GB’s people aligned themselves with mainstream Pakistani political parties, unlike Azad Kashmir, where indigenous political parties continued to play a significant role. Unfortunately, instead of the evolution of a locally rooted political architecture or democratic compact specific to GB, governance came to be dominated by the PML-N, PPP and PTI, who viewed GB through the lens of national power politics, strategic utility, electoral expansion, patronage and resource control, rather than genuine political empowerment. Consequently, while there are elected governments, there’s no meaningful self-governance. The first problem is the absence of a consistent ideological commitment by these parties to resolving GB’s constitutional status. Promises of autonomy, reforms and provisional provincial status are repeatedly made during elections, but not one party has delivered on their pledge when in federal power. The unresolved constitutional ambiguity serves the interests of centralised authority because it allows decisive control without assuming full constitutional obligations. A second problem is the import of a confrontational mainland political culture into a socially sensitive and geographically isolated mountain society. Politics has become polarised around loyalties to party leadership in Islamabad. Local leadership often emerges not through grassroots struggle or public legitimacy, but patronage networks, loyalty to party centres and access to federal power. This weakens local institutions and stymies independent political consensus. The PPP introduced the 2009 Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order, which created the current political structure. However, while the order established elected institutions, overriding authority remained concentrated within federally controlled structures. The PML-N focused on infrastructure and connectivity projects, but made little attempt at meaningful local empowerment. The party was reluctant even to take ownership of the Sartaj Aziz Committee’s report because it recommended full constitutional rights for GB. (It also provided the intellectual basis for the Supreme Court’s landmark 2019 judgement.) Instead, the PML-N’s 2018 order diluted the spirit of the report and even rolled back several powers granted under the PPP’s 2009 framework. People in Gilgit-Baltistan take part in elections and form governments, but the real levers of power are not in their hands. The PTI raised expectations by discussing provisional provincial status and constitutional reforms. However, when proposals concerning fuller constitutional status were presented, the party effectively ensured the continuation of the restrictive 2018 governance framework. All three parties converge on several core goals: maintaining political influence through patronage networks; using local elites dependent on federal authority; preserving centralised control over strategic geography and resources; avoiding a final constitutional settlement; expanding bureaucratic structures that cultivate political loyalties. The result is a political culture in which elections become contests for access to state patronage rather than serious debates on constitutional rights, fiscal autonomy, institutional reform, environmental sustainability, or long-term development. Another major impediment is the fragmentation of local political consciousness. Federal parties often exploit regional, sectarian, clan-based and constituency-level divisions for electoral advantage. The resulting divisions weaken the possibility of a unified political position capable of negotiating collective rights. Frequent shifts in political loyalty have normalised a culture in which the political process resembles an auction for legislative support. The result is a paradoxical system. People participate in elections, elect representatives and form governments, yet the real levers of power remain externalised. The assembly administers limited local matters, while strategic decisions, constitutional questions, resource frameworks and fiscal dependency are controlled from elsewhere. Roads, contracts, bureaucratic appointments and symbolic projects dominate political discourse, while deeper questions of political dignity, resource ownership, etc, remain unresolved. GB’s long-term challenge is to develop an indigenous political vision capable of transcending externally driven party competition. Such a vision must articulate demands for accountable governance, constitutional clarity, economic justice and genuine participation in decision-making. Ultimately, GB’s tragedy lies not merely in flawed governance, but also in the normalisation of a political charade. Every five years, elections are held under a constitutionally undefined framework that changes governments without altering the actual structure of power. The process is at its core a ritualistic transfer of authority among federally controlled political actors while fundamental questions of constitutional status, political rights, institutional accountability, etc, remain unresolved. This ambiguity facilitates elite capture through a flawed political system that enables control over local resources without meaningful accountability. Public resources continue to be consumed by expanding bureaucratic structures, patronage networks and non-development expenditures. More troubling is the ill-defined governance structure in which critical decisions, including appointments to senior judicial and institutional positions, are made through opaque processes. Such a system effectively guarantees immunity for unaccountable decision-makers, while ordinary citizens continue to bear the burden of weak institutions, unemployment, and political uncertainty. This has reduced Sunday’s election to an exercise in futility. Yet beneath this stagnant order, a transformation is taking place. A new generation is emerging in GB — educated, technologically connected, politically conscious and unwilling to accept symbolic representation in place of genuine rights and participation. This rising Gen Z, perhaps the most educated and politically aware generation in GB, may ultimately challenge the cycle of constitutional ambiguity and political misgovernance. No political structure built upon perpetual ambiguity, exclusion and managed dependency can endure indefinitely. If meaningful constitutional reform, institutional accountability, and genuine empowerment are delayed further, we will witness not merely political dissatisfaction, but also a far more assertive and organised demand for full meaningful constitutional integration with Pakistan, irrespective of competing political and strategic considerations. The writer, a former IGP Sindh, belongs to Gilgit-Baltistan. Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2026
The CBI has conducted searches at six locations in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Delhi-NCR in connection with an alleged Rs 661 crore fraud involving the siphoning of government funds from departments of the Haryana government and the Chandigarh administration, officials said on Sunday. The searches were carried out on Friday at premises linked to senior Haryana cadre public servants and Noida-based Vipam Consultancy Pvt Ltd and its director as part of an ongoing probe into the alleged misappropriation of funds parked with IDFC First Bank and AU Finance Bank, an official statement said.Also read: IDFC First Bank fraud was isolated case involving collusion: KPMG According to the agency, the fraud affected eight departments of the Haryana government and two departments of the Union Territory of Chandigarh - Municipal Corporation Chandigarh and Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST)."During investigation evidences have surfaced suggesting that the public servants had colluded with bank officials and had facilitated in opening of accounts, transfer of funds and subsequent diversion thereof," the statement said. The agency alleged that the public servants received undue advantages for facilitating the transactions and failing to act against the irregularities. The investigating agency also alleged that Vipam Consultancy Pvt Ltd received proceeds of crime in its bank account, which were later transferred to the personal account of its director. "Incriminating documents, digital devices, property documents and other relevant material were seized during the search operations," the agency said. The probe stems from one case taken over from the Haryana State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau and two cases originally registered by the Economic Offences Wing police station in Chandigarh.Also read: CBI files first chargesheet in Haryana Rs 504 crore fund diversion caseThe cases relate to alleged criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of government funds and related offences committed in connivance with bank officials and public servants, the agency said.The CBI said it has already filed its first chargesheet before a special court in Panchkula detailing the alleged role of public servants from the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Ltd and Haryana School Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad.The chargesheet also outlined the alleged modus operandi used to siphon off government funds parked with the IDFC First Bank and AU Finance Bank, it said. The investigation is continuing and additional chargesheets will be filed against other accused found involved in the case, it added.
The facility aims to facilitate anchoring of 2,500 boats, with the annual handling of 1.10 lakh tonnes
Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Saturday criticised the federal government for what he described as a “low priority” approach towards Karachi, arguing that the country’s largest city continues to shoulder immense economic and infrastructural burdens despite its significant contribution to the national economy. Speaking to the media in Karachi, Memon said Karachi remained Pakistan’s most challenging city, facing pressures stemming from migration, trade, employment and transportation. “We do have motorway issues. Karachi has been given low priority by the federal government,” he said, noting that as the country’s main port city, Karachi should have been prioritised in the development of the motorway network. “When you have to start a motorway, you should start it from Karachi. But it has been built everywhere except Karachi,” he added. The minister said Karachi’s infrastructure was under extraordinary strain as heavy traffic from across the country converged on the city. “All of Pakistan’s heavy traffic comes into Karachi and damages the infrastructure,” he said. To address the issue, he said the Sindh government was working on multiple projects, including plans to divert freight traffic away from the city centre. “We have launched a project under which we aim to shift Karachi’s traffic and develop a state-of-the-art transport terminal on the Northern Bypass,” he said. He added that a railway line was also being developed to transport goods directly to the bypass so that heavy vehicles serving the ports would not have to enter the city. Memon also highlighted the completion of the Shahrah-i-Bhutto project, describing it as a major infrastructure initiative that had already received a positive response from commuters. “Those who are travelling from Karachi to Hyderabad, lower Sindh or other parts of the country are saving time because of this project,” he said. Calling it a “state-of-the-art project”, he said the government had deployed police personnel, Rescue 1122 services, ambulances and other basic facilities along the corridor to facilitate commuters. The minister said the provincial government had undertaken several difficult decisions to improve public services and infrastructure. “We have taken some tough decisions. The public will have to face hardship, and we are apologising for that,” he said. Responding to comparisons with Punjab, he said Karachi faced unique challenges that distinguished it from other cities and provinces. According to the minister, around 20 per cent of the city’s water shortfall was being met through tanker services, which further contributed to traffic congestion. He said that people from across Pakistan continued to come to Karachi in search of employment and better opportunities, increasing pressure on the metropolis’ civic infrastructure. “Despite so many challenges, Karachi is coping, and we also have to provide facilities. When people from outside come and use the infrastructure, drainage systems, and resources, it puts additional pressure on Karachi,” he said. PPP to clean sweep GB elections Memon also commented on the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) elections, expressing confidence that the PPP would “clean sweep” the polls. Referring to former PML-N leader Captain Safdar, he said his political importance was well known. He alleged that GB had historically been given low priority, claiming that individuals with no significant political role elsewhere were often posted there. He also criticised the tone of political discourse during elections in the region, saying that the use of abusive language by some political actors was regrettable and brought shame to the democratic process. Discussing the electoral campaign, he said the PPP’s public gatherings in GB had attracted large crowds, while the PML-N’s rallies had seen comparatively lower turnout. He maintained that this reflected growing public support for the PPP in the region. He said he was confident that the PPP would secure victory in the GB elections, while predicting defeat for the PML-N.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, signed agreements to enhance cooperation in preventing illegal immigration and drug trafficking, the interior ministry said on Saturday. Naqvi is currently attending a special meeting of the Ministers of Interior and Public Security of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. According to the interior ministry, Naqvi and Kolokoltsev signed agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation to curb illegal immigration and facilitate the repatriation of citizens. The two also signed an agreement to enhance collaboration in combating narcotics and preventing drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Naqvi also held separate meetings with his counterparts from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, the ministry said. It added that during his meeting with Tajikistan’s Interior Minister Rahimzoda Ramazon Hamro, the discussions focused on terrorist camps inside Afghanistan. “Both ministers agreed that terrorist camps and narcotics production in Afghanistan pose serious security concerns for the region,” the ministry said, adding that they noted that 25 terrorist organisations were currently active in Afghanistan. During the meeting with Uzbekistan’s Interior Minister Aziz Tashpulato, the discussions focused on cooperation between law enforcement agencies and joint training initiatives. It was decided that a working group would be established to enhance cooperation between the interior ministries of the two countries, the ministry said. Separately, Naqvi and Kyrgyzstan Interior Minister Ulan Niyazbekov agreed to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The interior minister congratulated Kyrgyzstan on being elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and also thanked him for the excellent arrangements for the SCO moot, the ministry added. Naqvi also met with his Kazakh counterpart Yerzhan Sadenov, where the two ministers agreed to enhance cooperation in preventing illegal immigration. They also decided to establish a working group of their respective ministries to strengthen bilateral cooperation, the ministry said. Naqvi addressed the moot on Friday and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the “Shanghai spirit” and called for a joint strategy among SCO member states to counter terrorism, organised crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime and terror financing. On Thursday, Naqvi met his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni, on the sidelines of the moot and the two discussed bilateral relations and the current regional situation. Both ministers also exchanged views on Pakistan–Iran relations and the latest regional situation.
Traffic diversions and restrictions announced for Chief Minister’s visit to Koheda on June 6 to facilitate security arrangements and movement of dignitaries
The road closures will facilitate the annual Nairobi City Marathon, which has attracted 17,450 participants across four race categories.
• Approves Rs100bn financing facility for PSO • Oil company facing over Rs900bn receivables from SOEs • Special honoraria expanded to more ministries, departments • Rs10.15bn cleared for Pakistan Navy’s Hangor Project • Rs4.38bn granted to Gilgit-Baltistan ahead of elections ISLAMABAD: Less than a week before the next budget, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet on Friday approved more than Rs40 billion in supplementary grants and a Rs100bn sovereign-guarantee-backed financing facility for the Pakistan State Oil (PSO), which is facing over Rs900bn in receivables from other state-owned enterprises, raising concerns about smooth oil supplies. And despite financial constraints forcing development cuts in the name of IMF restrictions, the ECC meeting, presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, also allowed Rs10bn additional funds for parliamentarians’ development schemes and expanded the scope of special honoraria running up to six-month additional salaries to more ministries and departments involved in federal budget preparations. The benefit, already available to officials in around a dozen ministries and entities, including finance, revenue, planning, development, FBR, National Assembly, Senate and the Prime Minister’s Office, was expanded to the Law and Justice Division, Commerce Division and the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR). The fiscal impact was not disclosed. The meeting also changed the composition of a committee set up to settle about Rs60bn in petroleum levy dues charged to consumers but allegedly withheld by Cnergyico Refinery since 2019, citing concerns over conflict of interest, and ordered a tightened recovery plan. An official statement said the ECC approved a summary submitted by the Cabinet Division for Rs7.026bn through a technical supplementary grant for the Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme (SAP). “The allocation will facilitate continuity of development projects, prevent cost escalations, and timely achievement of programme objectives,” the statement said. Officials said the finance minister was under pressure from the leadership to provide funds for parliamentarians’ schemes in the outgoing fiscal year despite an about Rs175bn cut in the core development programme. The ECC also approved a summary of the Ministry of Defence for Rs10.15bn for the Hangor Project of the Pakistan Navy under the Rafale Aircraft and Force Development Package (RAFDP)-2030. The committee approved letters of comfort and government guarantees worth Rs100bn for PSO through a syndicated running finance facility to address its liquidity constraints and ensure uninterrupted oil supplies. The meeting was informed that state-owned enterprises, particularly gas companies, owed more than Rs904bn to PSO, making it increasingly difficult for the company to manage supply challenges under current geopolitical conditions. Instead of arranging recovery of those payments, the ECC approved borrowing of Rs50bn each from Habib Bank and Bank of Punjab to meet oil requirements. The borrowing will appear on PSO’s balance sheet. The meeting also took up the Deed of Settlement with Cnergyico PK Limited, which had collected petroleum levy from consumers but allegedly did not deposit it in the government treasury. The company is also seeking benefits under the Refining Policy for the upgradation of existing brownfield refineries. The ECC had earlier approved the constitution of a committee under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to resolve the late payment surcharge issue. Subsequently, the Law and Justice Division proposed amendments to strengthen safeguards for government revenues by requiring Cnergyico to deposit incremental incentives in a joint escrow account with Ogra and restricting withdrawals until the outstanding petroleum levy and late payment surcharge amounts were fully settled. The ECC was informed that the composition of the committee needed to be reviewed due to concerns over potential conflict of interest arising from the inclusion of the Cnergyico chief executive officer. A new committee was constituted under the convenership of the finance secretary, comprising representatives of the Law and Justice Division, Petroleum Division and SIFC, to resolve the late payment surcharge issue with Cnergyico and strengthen recovery of around Rs60bn, including Rs47.5bn in principal amount. The committee approved seven grants for the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control worth Rs2.826bn. These included Rs693m for security arrangements for the Islamabad peace talks, Rs241m as compensation for the suicide bombing at Imambargah Khadijah-tul-Kubra in Taralai, Islamabad, Rs528m for the Pakistan Land Ports Authority, Rs800m for procurement of fast patrol boats for the Pakistan Coast Guards, Rs1.884bn for the expansion of the Safe City Islamabad project, Rs150m for the National Counter Terrorism Authority and Rs414m for security charges relating to the Reko Diq project. The ECC approved Rs733m for Pakistan Television Corporation for payment of salaries for June 2026 and Rs183.5m for the Special Communication Organisation for installation of telecom sites and towers in Shigar district of Gilgit-Baltistan. It also approved Rs120m for the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs to meet employee-related expenditures arising from revised salaries and allowances of parliamentary secretaries during FY26. The meeting approved two grants for the Ministry of Housing and Works for placement of development funds into the current account of Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited. These included Rs8.759bn for Karachi and Hyderabad Urban Infrastructure Development Packages and Rs2.84bn for parliamentary schemes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The ECC also granted Rs1.3bn for the Modernisation and Upgradation of Pakistan Mint Phase-II-A and Rs4.377bn to the Gilgit-Baltistan government to support current expenditure requirements and priority initiatives launched ahead of elections. The committee also approved budget estimates of IPO-Pakistan for FY26, submitted by the Ministry of Commerce, comprising regular expenditure of Rs914.7m and projected revenue receipts of Rs918m. The ECC also approved a summary of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs regarding the operational continuity of Engro Vopak Terminal Limited. Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2026
Envisioned by Sadhguru, the broader Save Soil–Cauvery Calling initiative aims to facilitate the planting of 242 crore trees on farmlands across the river basin
Founder of Christian Family Centre facilitated meeting between former DUP leader and complainant, Newry court told
[SAnews.gov.za] Cabinet has approved the Revised Industrial Development Strategy (IDS) for implementation to facilitate employment opportunities through various projects and programmes.
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the “Shanghai spirit” and called for a joint strategy among SCO member states to counter terrorism, organised crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime and terror financing. Naqvi said this at a special meeting of the Ministers of Interior and Public Security of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. He said the region faced “serious and complex security challenges” that were interconnected, noting that criminal and terrorist networks were rapidly adapting to technological advancements, exploiting artificial intelligence, digital platforms, online networks and cryptocurrency transactions to expand their activities. The interior minister emphasised the importance of modernising institutional coordination and enhancing intelligence-sharing mechanisms across the region to tackle these threats. Shared threats demanded shared solutions, Naqvi told the delegates, further calling for a comprehensive regional strategy to tackle transnational crime and emerging security risks. Highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to the principles of the SCO, he said: “Pakistan fully adheres to the principles of the Shanghai Spirit, which is based on mutual trust, equality, cooperation, and respect for sovereignty.” Naqvi further stated that Pakistan had rendered “unparalleled sacrifices” against terrorism and continued to strengthen its security architecture to address evolving threats. Under the National Action Plan, he said, Pakistan had strengthened intelligence coordination, border management and anti-money laundering measures. “These initiatives have significantly strengthened the country’s capacity to combat terrorism and organised crime.” He called for more effective cooperation under SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) for intelligence sharing, joint threat analysis and countering online radicalisation and extremist propaganda. Pakistan, he said, fully supported workshops and expert exchange programmes building collective capabilities. Turning his attention to cybersecurity, he said cyber intelligence and digital forensics cooperation were “the need of the hour” and noted that technological advances had created new opportunities for criminal organisations and terrorist groups. On the issue of narcotics trafficking, he warned that the illegal drug trade remained a major source of terror financing. He called for a coordinated joint strategy against drug trafficking networks, online criminal operations and illicit financial flows facilitated through digital currencies. Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force, he said, remained actively engaged in SCO-led counter-narcotics initiatives and stood ready to deepen cooperation with partner countries. He said border security was key to regional peace and stability and stressed greater cooperation on preventing the use of forged documents for travelling, watch-list coordination and human smuggling. He also said that stopping terror financing was among Pakistan’s key priorities, adding that the country had reformed its anti-money laundering (AML) regime and that the country’s enhanced financial monitoring framework was playing “an active role” in detecting and preventing illicit financial activities. Moreover, strong regional cooperation was indispensable for dismantling terror financing networks, he said, emphasising that no country could effectively confront transnational threats in isolation. “Our challenges are common, so our efforts must also be collective and coordinated,” Naqvi said. “The common goal of our joint efforts is a peaceful and secure SCO region.” Concluding his address, Naqvi said that Pakistan looked forward to welcoming participants at the SCO summit to be held in Islamabad in 2027. A day earlier, Naqvi met his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni, on sidelines of the SCO moot and the two discussed bilateral relations and the current regional situation. Both ministers also exchanged views on Pakistan-Iran relations and the latest regional situation.
The digital landscape is becoming increasingly dangerous for vulnerable groups. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence is a growing epidemic that most legal frameworks fail to address adequately.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday affirmed that achieving export-led growth targets was the government’s top priority, directing the National Tariff Commission (NTC) to play an active role in facilitating investors, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. According to the PMO, Prime Minister Shehbaz chaired a review meeting on overall economic growth and the implementation of the National Tariff Policy 2025-30 on Thursday. Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasised that the “active and transparent performance of the NTC was essential for the promotion of industry, trade and investment in the country”, the PMO added. He directed the NTC to play an active role in facilitating investors and industrialists. According to the PMO, the prime minister said the NTC should be modernised by adopting international best practices and using modern technology, including information technology and artificial intelligence. The PMO further said that the meeting was briefed on the implementation of the National Tariff Policy 2025-30. “The briefing stated that under the policy, tariffs for various sectors would be reduced gradually with the objective of achieving export-oriented economic growth targets,” the PMO said, adding that duties on reefer containers and semi-trailers would be abolished to promote and develop the logistics sector. “The briefing further stated that customs duties on specialised vehicles and machinery were being reduced to support the construction sector.” The PMO stated that customs duties on raw materials, particularly those used in cancer medicines, would also be abolished to facilitate the pharmaceutical sector. Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, and others attended the meeting.
Humayun Kabir said he was willing to vacate the Rejinagar seat and facilitate Mamata Banerjee's return to the legislature.
Hope Foundation has started construction of six bridges and inaugurated another one to facilitate travel for rural communities in southern Vietnam.
The government will position foreign direct investment as a core policy instrument to facilitate exports.
For over two decades, Pakistan has been locked in a war, not of its choosing but one that it cannot escape. Long after the withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, Pakistan continues to absorb the strategic shockwaves of a conflict whose centre of gravity may have shifted, but not disappeared. The return of the Taliban to power in Kabul has transformed the security landscape of South and Central Asia, with Pakistan bearing the most immediate and severe consequences. This is not merely a bilateral problem between neighbours. It is a global security challenge with implications stretching from West Asia to Europe, amid growing international concern over Afghanistan becoming a renewed militant hub. Pakistan’s role in the post-9/11 international order was clear and costly. As a frontline partner of the United States and Nato, Pakistan provided intelligence cooperation, logistics, and sustained military operations against Al Qaeda and affiliated networks. It was later designated a Major Non-Nato Ally, reflecting its centrality to global counterterrorism efforts. Yet, while international forces eventually exited Afghanistan, Pakistan’s war did not end. Instead, it evolved into a long war of attrition aimed at preventing the spillover of militancy from Afghan territory into the region and beyond. The cost Pakistan has paid is extraordinary. Over the past two decades, approximately 100,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives to terrorism, including civilians, security personnel, and children, most tragically symbolised by the massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar. The site of a truck bomb attack on the Marriott hotel in Islamabad on September 20, 2008. — Reuters/File The economic toll exceeds $150 billion, encompassing destroyed infrastructure, lost investment, and enduring reputational damage. These figures are not abstractions; they represent one of the highest sacrifices borne by any country in the global war on terror. Over the years, Pakistan has pursued a sustained counterterrorism strategy. It dismantled major terrorist sanctuaries through sequential operations, strengthened its legal framework via the Anti-Terrorism Act and National Action Plan, operationalised dedicated counterterrorism institutions, and imposed financial controls to disrupt terrorist funding. By the late 2010s, violence had dropped sharply, and Pakistan had rebuilt a measure of internal security through institutional resilience rather than episodic force. That progress has been severely undermined by the Taliban’s return to power. Despite commitments under the 2020 Doha framework to prevent Afghan soil from being used against other states, militancy accelerated after the release of thousands of prisoners and the collapse of the Afghan republic. Today, Afghanistan has once again become a permissive environment for transnational jihadist groups, as documented by the United Nations Monitoring teams, contradicting the Doha pledge that Afghan soil would not be used to threaten the security of the United States and its allies. What makes the current situation uniquely dangerous is that the Taliban are no longer an insurgent movement operating from the shadows; they control an entire state. They possess territory, resources, institutions, and an education system that is being systematically redesigned to serve ideological ends. Analysts warn that this form of state capture amounts to long-term societal engineering with consequences that do not remain confined to one country. For Pakistan, the impact is direct and violent. Afghan soil is being used as a launchpad for cross-border terrorism. Pakistani authorities have identified camps, staging areas, and logistics nodes inside Afghanistan operated by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other groups. Leaders of the TTP terror outfit operate openly from Afghan cities, enjoying protection and material support. A security personnel stands guard at an imambargah following an explosion, in Islamabad on February 6, 2026. — AFP/File In 2025 alone, Pakistan conducted more than 75,000 intelligence-based operations across the country, dismantling terrorist formations and neutralising militants. A striking proportion of those involved were Afghan nationals, reflecting the depth of Afghan-side involvement in anti-Pakistan terrorism. This has repeatedly surfaced in international reporting as Pakistan confronted a sustained spike in attacks and arrests tied to cross-border militant facilitation. Pakistan’s geographic exposure magnifies the threat. It shares a 2,670-kilometre border — by far the longest of any neighbouring state. The border cuts through rugged terrain and dense kinship networks, which are routinely exploited by militant groups for infiltration, making Pakistan the primary firewall against the westward diffusion of jihadist violence. The notion that Pakistan can be destabilised without broader repercussions is therefore dangerously myopic. Policies that tolerate, enable, or instrumentalise militant proxies against Pakistan may appear tactically convenient to some regional actors, but they undermine collective security. Terrorist ecosystems, once empowered, rarely remain controllable. As global benchmarking shows, Pakistan continues to rank among the states most affected by terrorism, reinforcing the scale of the threat confronting it. Afghanistan’s transformation into a hub for transnational militancy is now acknowledged not only by Pakistan but by Russia, China, Iran, Central Asian states, as well as UN monitoring bodies. The problem is no longer one of competing narratives; it is a documented security reality, as international reporting continues to describe Afghanistan as a post-withdrawal magnet for armed networks. Despite immense pressure, Pakistan has consistently chosen engagement over abandonment. When Kabul fell in 2021, and much of the international community closed its embassies, Pakistan kept its mission open and facilitated evacuations. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Afghan Defence Minister Maulvi Sahib Muhammad Yaqub Mujahid shake hands after signing a ceasefire deal between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar on October 19, 2025. — X/@KhawajaMAsif/File It has advocated for humanitarian support to the Afghan people, called for the unfreezing of Afghan assets to prevent economic collapse, and invested in trade, transit, and border mechanisms to stabilise livelihoods. Pakistan has also hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, absorbing a humanitarian burden that few states would tolerate, even though it is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. These actions underscore a central truth: Pakistan’s objective is not confrontation with Afghanistan but containment of a threat that endangers the region and the world. Yet engagement without accountability has limits. The Taliban’s failure to take verifiable action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil has turned Afghanistan into a net exporter of insecurity. Major reporting has consistently linked Afghanistan’s permissive environment with the rising tempo of attacks in Pakistan. Allowing this trajectory to continue unchecked risks recreating the pre-9/11 environment — this time with more sophisticated networks, advanced weaponry left behind after the Western withdrawal, and digital tools that accelerate recruitment and radicalisation. Evidence of ideological-military institutionalisation is increasingly visible, including reports of new militant training camps in Afghanistan linked to Taliban factions and allied groups. For major powers, the strategic implications are clear. Supporting Pakistan in its efforts to eradicate cross-border terrorism is not a favour; it is a strategic necessity that requires intelligence cooperation, diplomatic backing, and coordinated international pressure on the Taliban to honour their commitments, dismantle terrorist sanctuaries, and end cross-border militancy. The alternative strategic neglect or proxy-driven destabilisation would be far costlier. Pakistan’s war on terror has never been only Pakistan’s war. It has been fought, often quietly and at enormous human cost, on behalf of a global order that depends on preventing ungoverned or ideologically weaponised spaces from becoming incubators of transnational violence. Pakistan’s 2025 operational tempo and threat environment have been extensively documented in international reporting tracking the resurgence of militant violence. If the international community fails to recognise this reality, it risks learning once again, perhaps too late, that terrorism ignored at its source rarely stays there. The warning is no longer theoretical: international reports increasingly describe Afghanistan’s post-2021 environment as a convergence space for armed networks with regional reach, reinforcing the urgency of collective action against the renewed Afghanistan-based militant threat. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dawn.
Lawmaker Jonathan Lamport said on Thursday that he believes the planned resumption of direct flights between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan will greatly benefit SAR businesses hoping to tap into the emerging markets of Central Asia. Cathay Pacific earlier announced it will launch direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, from the first quarter of next year. In an interview with RTHK, Lamport said quicker journeys between the two places will make all the difference to businesses. "For business people, usually when we travel for business, it's not like for holidays and so we won't take a very long time; especially for people in Hong Kong, they like to take three-day, two-night trips, or even a day trip," he said. Lamport also called on SAR authorities to task an economic and trade office (ETO) with helping facilitate business with Central Asia. "An ETO can help build local connections. But I think currently as we also have an ETO in Dubai, maybe they can set up a subsidiary group there to help handle the issues in Central Asia," he said. Edited by Thomas McAlinden