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There is a particular language to power, often spoken not in grand treaties but in seemingly offhand remarks, in the calculated informality of a nickname, or in the warmth of an unexpected compliment. When a former and would-be future American president, Donald Trump, recently referred to Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, as his “favorite field marshal,” it was more than just a curious piece of diplomatic flattery. It was, as analyst Fareed Zakaria has suggested, a signal flare illuminating a discernible and significant shift in the turbulent waters of US foreign policy. This is not merely a change of…

Shehbaz orders power sector reforms to enhance electricity efficiency, boost industry and agriculture, and strengthen Pakistan’s economic growth and exports. By Asghar Ali Mubarak ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday renewed his government’s focus on overhauling Pakistan’s power sector, describing energy reform as the cornerstone of a strategy to revive the country’s industrial and agricultural output. Chairing a detailed review meeting in Islamabad, Sharif directed the Power Division to develop a comprehensive policy framework aimed at using electricity more efficiently to spur growth, boost exports, and create jobs. The prime minister said that Pakistan’s economic progress hinged on the…

Proposal to name university after Arshad Sharif draws criticism from journalist body By Mehrab Shah Afridi PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Workers’ wing has strongly criticized the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s decision to name a new university after the late journalist Arshad Sharif, describing the move as “insensitive” to the many journalists who have lost their lives to terrorism in the province. PFUJ Workers’ President Shamim Shahid stressed that since 2002, over 60 journalists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been killed while performing their duties, including some of the most skilled and impartial reporters, several of whom were posthumously…

Pak-Afghan pledge to eliminate terrorism, warning failure risks regional peace, with final agreement to be discussed in upcoming Istanbul meeting. BY Asghar Ali Mubarak ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have affirmed a joint commitment to eliminate terrorism along their shared border, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said, following a recent ceasefire agreement that temporarily halted cross-border hostilities. The announcement comes amid heightened tensions in the region, where sporadic clashes and militant activity have long threatened stability. Speaking in an interview with Qatar’s state broadcaster, Asif stressed that both countries were dedicated to “serious efforts” to bring militancy under control. He warned…

By Moin Shah KARACHI: Korangi Town Chairman Mohammad Naeem Sheikh conducted a surprise inspection of various departments of the Town Municipal Corporation (TMC) on Monday, checking officers’ and staff attendance. Sheikh expressed strong displeasure over absentee officers, warning that no leniency would be shown towards those arriving late or failing to report for duty. He stressed that legal action would be taken against absent employees and urged all staff to correct their behavior and prioritize public service. “Negligence in public matters will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” Sheikh said, emphasizing the importance of discipline and attendance in public service…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi When Maulana Fazlur Rehman, one of Pakistan’s most seasoned political figures, declared that the “field” now holds more significance than the “house,” it was more than just an offhand remark. It was a damning reflection of a growing national malaise — a crisis of faith in Pakistan’s democratic institutions. His words cut deep into the heart of a political system many now see as hollowed out, detached from the people it claims to represent. For decades, Fazlur Rehman has been part of the country’s power landscape — a cleric-politician known as much for his pragmatism as…

By Atiq Raja In a world that never stops talking — where notifications buzz relentlessly, opinions pour out from every corner of the internet, and conversations overlap in a constant hum — silence feels like a rare luxury. Yet, within this noise-saturated existence, silence stands as one of the most powerful, yet most neglected, forces available to us. Silence is not emptiness; it is a presence — a living, breathing space in which understanding, creativity, and wisdom quietly unfold. We often think of silence as the absence of communication, when in truth, it is one of the deepest forms of…

By S.M. Inam Pakistan’s sharp rebuttal of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) recent statement marks another unsettling moment in the uneasy intersection of sport and politics. Information Minister Atta Tarar’s words—measured yet cutting—encapsulate a deep frustration with what Islamabad views as a recurring pattern of institutional bias against Pakistan. The episode, which began with an unverified ICC claim that three Afghan cricketers were killed in a Pakistani strike, has spiraled into a full-blown diplomatic and sporting controversy, exposing the fragility of cricket’s global governance. Tarar’s statement was not simply a reflexive defence; it was a broader critique of the ICC’s…

In the hushed, air-conditioned halls of Doha, a word was spoken that has been agonizingly absent from the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan for years: ceasefire. It is a modest word, a technical term from the diplomat’s lexicon, but in the context of one of the world’s most volatile and mistrustful borders, it lands with the weight of a promise. The announcement from the Qatari foreign ministry, confirming a mutual ceasefire agreed upon by the Taliban administration and Pakistan, is not a peace treaty. It is not a resolution. But it is, undeniably, a flicker of light in a theatre…