HYDERABAD-Two people were killed in a firing incident in the limits of the Paban Police station here on Thursday. According to details, the firing incident happened over a land dispute between two groups when Members of both groups opened fire at each other, killing Rashid Ali s/o Abdullah and Gul Muhammad on the spot. The police rushed to the site and shifted the bodies to Civil Hospital for post mortem

For the armed forces, continuous and high casualties pose operational challenges and strain their ability to counter terrorist threats effectively. Regrettably, in Pakistan, there exists a prevalent perception that the sole responsibility for countering terrorism rests upon the shoulders of the armed forces. Adding to this issue, the armed forces, weary of relentless political disputes and unwarranted attempts by various political factions to co-opt their support, have come to believe that political forces may not possess the requisite competence to handle sensitive or critical responsibilities. This predicament has inadvertently pushed the armed forces into domains such as politics, internal law and order, and even diplomatic matters. The pressing challenge lies not only in addressing the shared threat of terrorism but also in minimizing the tragic casualties suffered by our dedicated armed forces.

Pre-matchAs we suspected, Igor Matić went to a 3-5-2 system, leaving out leading scorer Igor Miladinović again. Vincenzo Italiano handed young Nicolò Pierozzi his first senior start, with Maxime Lopez, Jonathan Ikoné, and Riccardo Sottil all getting the nod as well. They were joined by 500 Fiorentina fans who made the trip to Belgrade. First halfIt went about as expected, honestly, although the absurdly slick pitch—which has apparently been a problem all season—led to a lot of slips, trips, and falls. The Angolan maintained his excellent record from the spot (11 of 12 in his professional career) and buried the penalty.

LONDON- It was a night of glitz and glamour as stars from the world of entertainment hit the red carpet for the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards. The luxury fashion magazine’s annual celebration of female achievement recognises women from across the worlds of film, music and art. Jenna Ortega, star of Netflix’s Wednesday and Scream, was named Breakthrough Artist of the Year. England World Cup hero Alessia Russo took home the sportsperson award. Watching on in the grand ballroom of Claridge’s Hotel in London was actress Olivia Colman.

ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sought a briefing from the Finance ministry on the Special Investment Facility Council (SIFC). Sources said that technical level discussions are being continued between Pakistan and the IMF staff mission. In addition, the Finance ministry also shared proposals to bridge the external finance gap with the IMF team. Sources said that the IMF team and finance ministry during the technical level negotiations also reviewed government guarantees, Central Bank Loans and External Payments. It was revealed that the burden of government guarantees was also reduced to Rs 3.85 trillion from Rs 4.048 trillion.

The Ministry of Planning briefed the IMF about the action plan and the steps taken so far. This year’s technical mission report has identified loopholes in Pakistan’s public investment management and recommended the measures needed to strengthen it. However, other selection criteria to guide the allocation of limited budget resources for PSDP projects are not in place. The IMF report has identified many loopholes in implementation and monitoring systems and recommended improvement in ex-post evaluation and for more active portfolio oversight. Some mechanisms are in place to ensure alignment between strategic plans, national goals and investment projects that can help achieve them.

Hence, I believe we should be careful with foreign organisations like Oxford AQA, which are also instruments of keeping the UK and the English language up, even now three-quarters of a century after Pakistan’s independence. This year’s literature festival used Urdu much more than at earlier festivals when English was more frequently used. This year’s Nobel Laureate in Literature, Jon Fosse (64), is a Norwegian, which I am proud of mentioning. During that time, the Danish language had become the only official, written language. My point here is to say that New Norwegian is good enough even to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that at least some leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will still be able to participate in the forthcoming elections. “It will be the first time that a jiyala would be a prime minister, [Sindh] chief minister, and [Karachi] mayor,” he added. Bilawal said that his party would change the fortunes of Karachi, as well as the province if elected during the polls. To a question about a level-playing field, Bilawal said that PPP has never been provided one in the past as well. Despite facing opposition and conspiracies, the PPP remains determined to compete vigorously in the political field, she proclaimed.

President, PM urge nation to follow Iqbal’s teachings to make country prosperousPresident Dr. Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar have paid rich tribute to Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal on his 146th birth anniversary. He said in order to make Pakistan a prosperous nation, we need to follow Allama Iqbal’s teachings on Islam and his philosophy of “Khudi” that believes in the promotion of self-respect and human dignity. The Prime Minister said Iqbal's philosophy of Khudi is a unique transformation for humanity to achieve success in this world and hereafter. The Prime Minister urged the youth to play a key role in the service and development of the country with positive and progressive thinking as envisioned by Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi has said Allama Iqbal's philosophy and thought is a beacon of light for the humanity.

Nation observes birth anniversary of Allama Iqbal todayThe 146th birth anniversary of national poet, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal is being observed with national fervor on Thursday. The Philosopher poet known as Poet of the East, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal was born in Sialkot on November 9,1877. Radio Pakistan and TV channels are presenting special programmes in connection with Iqbal Day to highlight poetry and thoughts of Allama Iqbal. A smartly turned contingent of Pakistan Navy assumed the responsibility of guards at the mausoleum. Station Commander Lahore of Pakistan Navy Commodore Sajid Hussain was chief guest on this occasion.

Smog has become a recurring problem in these regions, causing adverse health effects and environmental consequences. Smog is not merely an inconvenience; it poses significant risks to public health, particularly for children and the elderly, who are the most vulnerable to smog-related health problems. The primary contributors to the smog issue in Punjab are the burning of crop residue by farmers and emissions from substandard diesel. The government’s decision to suspend school and office operations, along with the request for citizens to use facemasks and limit outdoor activities, demonstrates a genuine effort to combat smog. While it is impossible to eliminate smog entirely, stringent measures and responsible behaviour can help control it.

A division bench of the high court comprised of Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto and Justice Amjad Ali Sehto while hearing plea said that deportation of illegal immigrants is a state policy, and the court could not intervene in it. The bench sought arguments on maintainability of the petition, “How petitioner has been affected by this decision of the government,” Justice Phulpoto questioned. “We could not intervene in the state policy,” Justice Phulpoto remarked. “If any Pakistani could stay in Saudi Arabia or any other country after expiry of visa,” bench questioned. Pakistan’s law only protects its nationals,” Justice Phulpoto remarked.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has planned to introduce the ‘Train Driver Assistant System’ (TDAS) for helping train drivers to have a clear view of the railway tracks up to an impressive distance of 700 meters. According to an official of Ministry of Pakistan Railways, “The technology aims to enhance the safety and efficiency of train operations during adverse weather conditions, particularly in the presence of dense smog and fog.”He said that the TDAS system was set to revolutionize the way trains navigate through foggy landscapes. It promised not only to avert potential accidents but also to facilitate smooth rail travel when visibility is severely compromised. The official said this comprehensive approach to training management promises to reduce the risk of accidents significantly. However, Pakistan Railways has outlined a strategic expansion plan, with the ultimate goal of equipping all trains with this life-saving technology in the coming year.

Soft power is the ability to achieve objectives through persuasion and encompasses the principles of cultural diplomacy and economic diplomacy, collectively referred to as public diplomacy. The shift towards public diplomacy is a reflection of the evolving nature of international relations, but its effectiveness can vary depending on a country’s circumstances. Developing countries like Pakistan should also incorporate public diplomacy, especially in terms of economic diplomacy, to effectively harness their resources and strengthen their lobbying efforts. Besides it, the concept of LGBTQ is also becoming widespread by Western countries with the help of public diplomacy. Developing countries like Pakistan should also incorporate public diplomacy, especially in terms of economic diplomacy, to effectively harness their resources and strengthen their lobbying efforts.

SAFE has already given $4 billion in loans that are rescheduled every year due to Pakistan’s inability to pay them back. The Chinese have been extending loans from SAFE deposits, concessionary loans and commercial loans to help Pakistan to stabilise its external sector. Pakistan has budgeted $4.5 billion in foreign commercial loans but it has so far not received any financing due to poor credit ratings, high risks to debt sustainability and a weak macroeconomic situation. Since 2000, China has given $21.2 billion in loans in general budget support, which was 30% of the total lending to Pakistan, according to AidData. AidData reported that with 161 loans worth $69 billion, Pakistan has China’s third largest country-level loan portfolio anywhere in the world, after Russia and Venezuela.