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By Uzma Ehtasham In a world increasingly defined by geopolitical volatility, a recent telephone conversation between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia offers a glimpse into the enduring networks of diplomacy that continue to shape regional stability. The discussion, conducted against a backdrop of mounting tension across the Middle East, was wide-ranging, covering security concerns, regional developments, and the evolving dynamics in areas of conflict that hold global significance. For Pakistan, a nation historically aligned with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the call reaffirmed more than just bilateral friendship; it…

By our correspondent ARACHI: In response to persistent allegations of corruption, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) has placed the controversial Subsoil Water Cell under the control of the Revenue Resources Group (RRG), while NLC hydrants have been reassigned to the Hydrants Cell. Senior Director Nisar Magsi confirmed that the Subsoil Water Cell’s revenue has been steadily declining, now amounting to just Rs170 million, despite licences being issued to around 70 companies. The administrative change follows internal consultations within the Water Corporation aimed at restoring oversight. Officials allege that the Subsoil Water Cell had become a hub of corruption,…

By Eeshal Farooq If you stand near the banks of the Ravi River today, you might not even recognise it as a river. It barely seems alive. The air smells harsh, and the water is neither blue nor brown; instead, it is thick, murky, black, and lifeless. It looks more like a scene from a dystopian film than the once-majestic river that nourished fields, sustained communities, and helped build Lahore into the cultural capital it is today. It forces an uncomfortable question: how did a river once full of life become so toxic? The answer becomes clearer when we look…

By Sudhir Ahmed Afridi The prolonged closure of the Torkham border crossing, alongside other key transit points such as Chaman, Ghulam Khan and Kharlachi, was not a sudden administrative decision but the outcome of armed clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces at multiple points on 11 October last year. Since then, Pakistan has maintained that Afghan soil has been used for militant infiltration into its territory and has insisted that borders will remain shut to movement and trade until international guarantees are provided that such incursions will cease. Islamabad’s position has echoed a wider concern voiced by the international community:…

By Dr Zawwar Hussain The centenary of the Sindh Boy Scouts Association is not simply a marker of institutional longevity. It is a reminder of a quieter, steadier tradition of nation-building that has unfolded far from the glare of politics and power. For a hundred years, scouting in Sindh has worked patiently at the level where societies are actually shaped: in classrooms, playgrounds, camps, relief sites and neighborhoods, where young people learn not what to demand from the world, but what they owe to it. In an age obsessed with speed, visibility and instant results, this kind of legacy can…

By Uzma Ehtasham Pakistan is approaching a demographic milestone that is as consequential as it is under-discussed. By 2026, according to the United Nations Population Fund, the country’s population is expected to exceed 225 million, placing it among the five most populous nations in the world. Numbers of this scale are often framed in alarmist terms, as an inevitable burden on a fragile economy and overstretched public services. UNFPA’s intervention challenges that reflex. Population growth, it argues, is not destiny. Managed wisely, it can be a strategic asset rather than a liability. Managed poorly, it will deepen inequalities that already…

Pakistan’s quiet expansion of biometric identity verification marks one of those policy shifts whose significance will only be fully understood years from now, when daily interactions with the state begin to feel either smoother or more intrusive. By amending national identity card regulations to formally widen the definition of biometrics beyond fingerprints to include facial and iris recognition, the federal government has laid the legal groundwork for a multi-biometric system that will eventually touch almost every citizen’s life. It is a move framed as technical and administrative, yet it carries social, ethical and political implications that demand wider public scrutiny.…

By Moin Ullah Shah KARACHI: Javed Alam Odho formally assumed the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh on 1 January 2026, following an official notification from the federal government. He is the 86th officer to hold the position in the province. Upon arrival at the Karachi Police Headquarters, Odho was received with a guard of honour by a well‑drilled contingent of the Sindh Police. He paid tribute at the police martyrs’ memorial, laying a floral wreath and offering prayers in honour of the fallen officers. Odho acknowledged the sacrifices of the police martyrs and prayed for the elevation…