Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Govt mulls higher petrol levy amid revenue shortfalls
The government on Tuesday once again deferred decisions on both issues in two separate back-to-back meetings – one chaired by the prime minister and the other by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
During the cabinet meeting, PM Shehbaz, for the third consecutive time, postponed a decision on allowing dual nationals to hold the positions of governor, deputy governors and directors at the SBP.
Earlier in the day, Deputy PM Dar presided over another inconclusive meeting on the carbon levy.
However, key government officials told The Express Tribune that there is a strong push within the government to increase the existing petroleum levy rate of Rs60 per litre to offset part of the upcoming reduction in diesel and petrol prices.
Under the current law, the petroleum levy on high-speed diesel and petrol can be raised to Rs70 per litre. A Rs10 per litre increase would generate an additional Rs15 billion per month for the government, which is struggling with huge revenue shortfalls.
US, Ukraine discuss peace in Saudi Arabia
Zelensky, embroiled in a public row with US President Donald Trump last month, touched down in Jeddah as Rubio cautiously welcomed the idea of an aerial and naval ceasefire.
Tuesday's talks between Ukrainian officials and Rubio's US team will be the first between the two sides since the White House blow-up, when Zelensky left without signing a minerals deal demanded by Trump
Washington has since suspended military aid to Ukraine as well as intelligence sharing and access to satellite imagery in a bid to force it to the negotiating table with Moscow, which launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 on orders from President Vladimir Putin.
"We do have a proposal for a ceasefire in the sky and ceasefire at sea," a Ukrainian official told AFP on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ukraine accepts 30-day ceasefire offer, US to take proposal to Russia
Ukraine agreed to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire in the conflict with Russia during talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia, the countries said in a joint statement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would now take the offer to the Russians, and that the ball is now in Moscow's court.
After more than eight hours of talks, the two sides issued a joint statement that said Ukraine was willing to accept the US proposal for an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire that could be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, subject to acceptance and implementation by Russia.
"The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace," the statement said.
Jaffar Express attack: 27 terrorists killed, over 150 rescued as operation continues
Jaffar Express, with over 400 passengers on board in nine bogies, was on its way from Quetta to Peshawar when it came under attack in the Dhadar area of Bolan Pass on Tuesday, according to security sources.
Following the attack, the security forces launched an immediate clearance operation, leading to the deaths of 27 terrorists.
Security sources confirmed that the terrorists responsible for the cowardly attack on the Jaffar Express are in contact with their mastermind in Afghanistan.
It all started after armed gunmen forced the train to a halt in a remote, mountainous area of the province on Tuesday afternoon, with the assault immediately claimed by the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a terrorist group behind rising violence in the province.
The attackers bombed the railway track before storming aboard the train, said the security forces.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
PTI protest overshadows proceedings
The PTI protest started as soon as the president began his speech. Thumping desks in defiance, the opposition members kept raised slogans in favour of party founder Imran Khan. National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub repeatedly slammed a book on his desk.
However, despite the protest, Zardari remained composed and continued his speech, occasionally, smiling towards the opposition benches. To counter the noise, both Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif along with some others wore headphones.
The joint session also had some lighter moments, as former PTI stalwart, Pervez Khattak, who has recently been inducted in federal cabinet, mistakenly walked toward the PTI benches before realising his misstep.
Khattak, once a closest confidant of former prime minister Imran Khan, was seen laughing at how his former colleagues were protesting to disrupt the president's address. Khattak was sitting with another former PTI member, Raja Khurram Nawaz.
On one occasion, a few PTI members showed a poster to both Khattak and Nawaz, which demanded release of Imran. However, they both dismissed it with their hand gestures and kept refuting such gestures later in the session.
Rs2tr stuck in tax litigations, LHC told
The Lahore High Court (LHC) was informed on Monday that a hefty amount of Rs2 trillion was help up in litigation at the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR) over the past several years.
The law ministry said in its reply to a petition against the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act that the cases were stuck for a variety of reasons, including arbitrary constitution of benches, inadequate number of benches, delay in fixation of cases and disposal of the appeals.
LHC Justice Jawad Hassan took up the petition in which certain modifications to the appellate procedure provided under the Income Tax Ordinance (ITO) had been challenged. The judge summoned the relevant Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) official on March 25 to explain the amendments.
During the proceedings, Justice Hassan noted that the ITO prescribed procedure of pecuniary jurisdiction in appeals. However, he added: "Through the impugned amendment one forum of appeal has been taken away."
PPP, PML-N on same page, says governor
Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan has said that the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are on the same page and aligned in their commitment to the country's development.
TTP becoming umbrella group for regional militants, Pakistan tells UN
Pakistan has warned the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is evolving into an umbrella organisation for militant groups in the region, with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban authorities complicit in its cross-border attacks.
Speaking at a UNSC session on Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Munir Akram, accused Kabul of providing safe havens to militants who have intensified attacks on Pakistani soil. He warned that Afghanistan is now home to more than 20 terrorist groups, posing a direct threat to regional stability.
"We have evidence that the Kabul authorities have not only tolerated but are complicit in the conduct of the TTP’s terrorist cross-border attacks," Akram told the Council.
The Pakistani envoy said the TTP, which has an estimated 6,000 fighters, has become the largest terrorist outfit operating from Afghan territory. He alleged that the group enjoys operational freedom and support from elements within Afghanistan’s government.
He also warned that the TTP is collaborating with other militant organisations, such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade, both of which have been involved in attacks targeting Pakistan’s security forces and Chinese investments in the country.
Monday, March 10, 2025
£190 million NCA funds to support education
The government of Imran Khan had earlier adjusted the Rs54 billion against private liabilities, a decision that led to his 14-year conviction in the high-profile Al-Qadir Trust case.
The government sources told The Express Tribune that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the use of the funds for education purposes, and the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which is the custodian of the funds, has also given its consent.
According to the government's decision, the £190 million will be allocated for the construction of the Daanish University of Emerging Technologies in Islamabad, as well as Daanish schools in the country's poorest and most remote areas.