Punishing Israel, barely

The coordinated announcement by Britain, France, Canada, and nine other nations to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements is a welcome step, and one that is several decades overdue. For too long, the international community paid scant attention to the settlements, which had been steadily expanding for decades before almost tripling in size in the past few years. Because the Palestinian Territories must be handed over to any future Palestinian state, the presence of Israeli settlements could make compliance with statehood conditions unachievable, as Israeli governments are unlikely to evict entire towns at gunpoint, even if the residents are all land-grabbing thieves and terrorists under international law. In fact, that appears to be the point. Israel is currently being governed by the most corrupt, far-right government in its history, and its active support of settlement activity is part of a populist ploy to keep extremist Jews in its corner.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband noted while addressing the ban that his country can no longer simply call out injustice but must act. He also acknowledged that Israel's actions in the West Bank amount to ethnic cleansing. But the trade restrictions are mostly symbolic, as they do not affect arms deals or even reduce the supply of weapons that are being used by the Israelis. The signatories to the restrictions can make moves in the right direction by convincing the EU and other countries that have ties with Israel to take similar action against Israel, and add the threat of wider sanctions or other restrictions. They must also start calling a spade a spade. The carnage in Gaza is a genocide by any measure, but only a handful of countries accept it as such.

We could also call for the UN to take action beyond General Assembly Resolutions, but that would be a waste of time, because there is no way that US President Donald Trump would allow any meaningful anti-Israel action to make it out of the boardroom and into the real world.

A warning to Taliban

The Human Rights Watch has come up with a stern warning for the Taliban regarding its systematic human rights abuses. In a synopsis on discrimination against women and children in particular, the HRW warned against granting diplomatic recognition to the regime in Kabul and blamed it for "institutionalizing a system of discrimination, repression and ideological control" over its hapless subjects. The rights watchdog also called upon the international community to censure the regime unless it matches its words with actions by ensuring an inclusive government.

HRW asserts that the Taliban's 'gender apartheid' policies are a crime against humanity. The watchdog has set a clear benchmark for future diplomatic interaction, demanding quality education, freedom of expression and meaningful participation for women in social and public life. This serves as a serious indictment against the dispensation in Afghanistan, coinciding with a similar declaration delivered by the 10-member SCO at its recent summit in Bishkek. The regional bloc also called for ushering in inclusivity and abiding by the 2020 Doha Accord by acting proactively against the terror networks holed up inside the strife-torn country.

The HRW warning coincides with a critical report from Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur, on the impact of Taliban policies on children issued at a time when the region is in deep turmoil. There is currently little focus on civil liberties by the self-proclaimed custodians of rights and democracy, many of whom prefer to look the other way for reasons of realpolitik. Meanwhile, an enterprising and resilient nation is suffering, and the future of young girls, especially, is at stake as they remain barred from education. Likewise, women are being blocked from working outside the home, pushing Afghan society back to the Stone Age.

The to-do list is uncontestable: strengthening child protection, ensuring the justice system, preventing forced marriages and providing inclusive healthcare alongside universal education. The Taliban can neither hide behind political exigencies nor justify their actions in the name of tradition. It is time for them to shun radicalism for a better tomorrow.

Pirate hostage blame game

The Karachi police "showed their mettle" earlier this week by "fearlessly" detaining non-violent participants of a sit-in who were protesting the government's failure to bring home their relatives who have been held by Somali pirates for over four months. Police were quick to point out that, contrary to reports, they only detained the protesters, and no arrests were made. That is a distinction without a difference. Reporting on the sit-in suggests the protesters were not breaking any laws, and were only trying to draw the attention of legislators and Supreme Court judges to the issue. Federal and provincial legislators, on the other hand, are exchanging barbs with each other over all sorts of issues, but have scant regard for the health and safety of their constituents. The closest thing to a crime in this entire situation is the criminal dereliction of duty by our public representatives.

The 19 crew members of the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Honour 25, who include 10 Pakistanis, have been held hostage since April 21, when the vessel was hijacked by armed pirates off the coast of Somalia's Puntland region. More than four months of negotiations have yielded no significant progress. The hostages and their families are begging for the government to negotiate their release, but Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said this can't happen because of "international maritime rules". But no explicit rule or treaty bans ransom payments, which raises the question of why Dar would make such claims rather than simply admit his diplomacy skills are lacking. It is also surprising that the slightest threat of use of force is off the table. India and many other countries have previously used their warships to ensure Somali pirates meet their maker.

It is worth noting that Somali pirates are regularly accused of working with terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab and with politicians in the government of breakaway Somali states such as Puntland, where Honour 25 and other hijacked ships are being held. If we cannot negotiate their return, perhaps we should show the pirates and their allies that threatening Pakistanis has serious consequences.

The checkmate moment

Houthi brinkmanship is driving the region toward a major conflict. The Yemeni militia's coordinated attacks on several cities in southern Saudi Arabia targeted critical energy installations, unnerving the world's top oil exporter. Though Riyadh branded the strikes a dangerous escalation, it has shown statesmanship by remaining committed to diplomacy.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, that the "road to diplomacy is not closed", while Lavrov warned the conflicting parties that the ongoing situation has "no military solution". This collective wisdom has fortunately led to a breakthrough, as Qatar has reportedly reached out to Iran, and Pakistan has once again emphasised to Turkey, Egypt and other Gulf states the dire necessity of returning to the negotiating table.

The situation on the ground, however, is getting chaotic as oil prices hit a new high. With the Strait of Hormuz subjected to gunboat diplomacy, Centcom reports that more than 94 commercial vessels have been forced to reroute from the waterway. This coincides with intermittent drone strikes by both the US and Iran against each other's strategic installations. Consequently, Brent crude rose by a dollar to $98 per barrel. Likewise, US crude futures shot up by $2, hovering around $93.65 per barrel.

The puzzling aspect of this geopolitical stalemate is the clash of high-stakes narratives. The IRGC remains defiant, warning of dire consequences, while President Masoud Pezeshkian has also upped the ante, vowing that his country "will continue this resistance with full strength until the aggressors are brought to complete regret".

A silver lining, however, has emerged. There are credible voices calling for peace, such as former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who urged the authorities to allow the public to decide whether to end the war if a ceasefire agreement meets Iranian demands. This is wise rationality that must evolve into an instant thaw. Talking things out by resolving to implement the Islamabad MoU is the definitive way forward.

Sindh's healthcare gap

There is a peculiar, state-manufactured dysfunction currently plaguing Sindh's healthcare department that is entirely nonsensical at face value. More than 8,000 positions remain vacant in government-run health facilities and, on the other hand, thousands of trained and qualified lab technicians, radiographers and paramedical staff await employment for years on end.

In some public hospitals, including the province's largest public facilities, the ban on hiring technicians and paramedical staff has lasted for close to fifteen years – long enough for an entire generation of trained professionals to graduate, wait, and eventually give up or go abroad. The Sindh Medical Faculty alone has trained more than 69,000 students across 56 technician courses ranging from laboratory technology to operation theatre technology to dialysis. On paper, connecting vacant positions and available employees is no rocket science. But behind the seemingly simple procedure lie extensive roadblocks and hindrances that deter deserving candidates from careers that should essentially be theirs.

To its credit, the provincial government is not entirely blind to the problem. It has recently allowed hospitals to hire technicians and paramedical staff from third-party contractors, but even this is merely a workaround, not a fix. Contractual hiring comes without job security, career progression and even institutional loyalty that is often the backbone of a functioning healthcare system. This is not a long-term solution and, realistically, the workaround only extends the time taken for an actual solution to take centre stage.

A meaningful fix can only come in the form of a merit-based recruitment framework using verifiable Sindh Medical Faculty credentials that make large-scale favour-based appointments easier to filter. Transparent and auditable criteria will put an end to any political or legal reservations that the provincial government might have. Until then, a shortage of permission rather than skill will continue to devastate this already-crumbling healthcare infrastructure.

Our literacy deficit

International Literacy Day comes around each year with little cause for celebration in Pakistan. Despite decades of promises and successive education policies, a large share of the country's population still lacks basic literacy, while millions of children remain outside school altogether. The occasion, marked on Sept 8, should consequently serve as an opportunity to examine why a country that has long recognised education as essential to its progress has made so little headway in providing it.

Pakistan's literacy rate has improved to 63%, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26. Yet this still leaves more than a third of the population aged 10 and above without literacy skills. The gender disparity is particularly stark as literacy stands at 73% for men and just 54% for women. These numbers become more troubling when placed alongside the country's repeated commitments to universal education and development. Literacy affects a person's ability to find work, understand information, use public services and engage with the institutions that govern their lives. In an increasingly digital economy, the consequences of educational exclusion are becoming even harder to overcome. Those who enter adulthood without adequate literacy are likely to find themselves further removed from economic opportunity as the nature of work changes. Pakistan's educational aspirations have little meaning if ordinary citizens were to remain without the education necessary to exercise their rights and participate in national life.

What Pakistan needs is greater continuity in education policy. International Literacy Day should prompt a sober assessment of this unfinished task. A country cannot claim the full promise of its development while so many of its people remain excluded from the basic knowledge needed to navigate society.

GSP+ tasks

As the GSP-Plus renewal is due, Pakistan has to brace itself to meet the EU's trade regulation benchmarks. Islamabad has no choice but to ensure compliance with high standards to seek inclusion in the successor regime, which carries more stringent regulations. Islamabad has also made significant progress in upholding, legislating and implementing competition criteria and the high standards of the 27-member bloc to remain a preferred destination for trade and tariffs.

It is also worth mentioning that Pakistan exports goods worth more than $9 billion to the EU, accounting for nearly 30% of its total exports. Thus, it is indispensable to heed the note of caution delivered by EU Ambassador Raimundas Karoblis on reforms, regulations and revitalisation, as losing such a staggering amount of business would be short-sighted. All that is required is to put the country's house in order by addressing the concerns of a major trading partner, especially in the realms of labour efficiency, human rights and the technical upgrading of its export products.

The saving grace, however, is that Pakistan has an introspection period of around two years to reflect on and rectify its shortcomings. Karoblis must be taken seriously, as he went on to say that 'concessions' for Pakistan from the Brussels trading scheme should "not be taken for granted". Despite its economic downslide and a tumultuous political landscape, Pakistan has taken the necessary measures to effectively implement international conventions on labour, civil rights and hygiene standards. This effort has been acknowledged by several EU delegations that praised the pace of compliance, hoping that legislative and administrative measures would soon be fully realised.

Islamabad would be well-advised to establish a high-powered monitoring commission to ensure the stringent application of EU standards, given its commitment to implementing 27 international conventions on human rights, the environment and good governance. This is the only way to continue benefiting from the advantages of the GSP-Plus status.

IT boom, AI fears

Pakistan's technology sector is enjoying an impressive moment. IT and IT-enabled services exports have reportedly reached $4.6 billion, reflecting the country's growing ability to earn from the digital economy. The opportunity is particularly significant because the global technology industry is entering another period of transformation. AI is changing how businesses operate and what they demand from workers.

Yet beneath these encouraging figures lies a contradiction that policymakers might be ignoring. While Pakistan is producing more technology-related revenue, the traditional entry points into the technology workforce are increasingly under threat from AI which is rapidly changing the nature of work, particularly at the lower end of the technology sector. For a country whose digital economy has relied heavily on outsourcing and relatively inexpensive human labour, this presents both an opportunity and a warning. Greater automation could allow Pakistani firms to become more productive, but it could also reduce the very jobs through which young workers traditionally enter the industry.

However, Pakistan's deeper problem is the quality and structure of its human capital. An economy cannot leap into high-value technology while its education system struggles to provide strong foundations in critical thinking and problem-solving. Nor can technological ambitions be separated from persistent weaknesses in necessary civic services like electricity and internet connectivity. Pakistan therefore needs to rethink what it means to be a technology economy. Competing primarily on the basis of cheap labour will become increasingly difficult as automation improves. The objective must instead be to build capabilities that allow Pakistani businesses and workers to participate in higher-value segments of the global digital economy.

The AI revolution may ultimately create more opportunities than it destroys. But that outcome is not guaranteed. If Pakistan fails to reform its education system and economic infrastructure, AI could deepen unemployment and inequality rather than deliver a digital dividend.

Hawala in the 21st century

Hawala networks are once again becoming a source of concerning headlines, as operators of the notorious informal money transfer system are reportedly using digital assets and the latest fintech to move money under the noses of regulators and law enforcement.


A new joint report by the FATF and the OECD says hawala networks are now moving billions of dollars around the world every year. More than 80 per cent of reporting jurisdictions now identify hawala and similar service providers as principal channels for professional money laundering, and the networks continue to innovate to offer a product that is comparable, and arguably even better, than anything the formal banking system has to offer. Among the ways is that hawala operators often offer competitive exchange rates with 'zero fee' instant transfers, unlike banks and other legal money transfer services, which charge fees and taxes, and could take several minutes, hours, or days, depending on the value of a transaction and the countries involved.

Hawala operators can do this because they generally minimise the actual movement of money, allowing operators to avoid converting currencies and letting them pocket the entire exchange rate margin, and since the payments are processed in local currencies, free instant transfer services such as Raast in Pakistan or Zelle in the US allow the operators to offer international payments that are cheaper and faster than any legal provider. Also, contrary to regulators' claims, hawala providers usually don't con their clients - they just don't do much in the way of 'know your customer' checks, which makes them a popular tool for terrorists and large-scale financial criminals, along with working-class folks. This has created what some critics are calling "money laundering as a service".

Local and international regulators need to catch up soon, lest the criminal networks become too big to fail. Meanwhile, licensed and legal providers need to look into ways to offer products that can compete on cost and speed.

An un-American law

It has become a convention for American legislators to act as a vanguard team in defending Israeli interests. In doing so, they often act above partisanship to exhibit their loyalty to the far-right dispensations in Tel Aviv. The legislation passed in the House of Representatives on Thursday intending to block federal aid for universities that boycott Israel is untenable in light of the spirit of the US Constitution. This is quite un-American, to say the least. The First Amendment categorically protects freedom of speech, the press, religion, assembly, and the right to petition the government. Thus, any politically-motivated law that aims to curb the foundational principles of American egalitarianism is ultra vires, reflecting a bias that has crept into and compromised the values of democracy and freedom.

The bill, which passed 237–169 in favour of the "Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act", is meant to penalise citizens and foreign students who have been protesting Israeli atrocities against Palestinians. The recent bloodbath in Gaza at the hands of the Zionist state resulted in the killing of more than 73,000 Palestinians and the displacement of over a million from the besieged enclave. The ICJ had ruled that Israeli measures are tantamount to genocide, and cannot be condoned under any canons of civilised society. The flip side, however, is that the Trump White House, alongside a majority of Congressmen and Senators, see such pro-Palestinian voices as anti-Semitic and extremist in essence. They are out to quell them at the cost of degrading American values of free speech and association.

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement underway across the length and breadth of the United States is a civil movement advocating for the protection of life and property for hapless and homeless Palestinians. While conscientious communities on campuses are out to defend the oppressed, the US Congress - acting as a 'Knesset' across the Atlantic - is shamefully undermining its own oath of loyalty to the law of the land and the Constitution.

A war without a mandate

Days after plunging his country into a war with Iran at the behest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump claimed that hostilities would be over in four or five weeks. Instead, the war is now in its seventh month, oil prices are up, US GDP growth is down, and inflation has erased all wage growth over the past 12 months. Meanwhile, the Iranians continue to show great resilience despite heavy losses, US military readiness has been significantly depleted, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has apparently fired a generation of senior military officers for daring to disagree with him on military strategy.


Hegseth touts himself as an expert on warfare, though his active military service consists of a year as a prison guard, a few months as an infantryman in Iraq, and a stint as an instructor in Afghanistan. The men he fired had dozens of years each of active service in war zones. Hegseth also bankrupted a charity after allegedly embezzling from it, barred from serving as a guard for President Biden because of his suspected white nationalist sympathies, and successfully lobbied for war criminals to receive presidential pardons. And since he is a Trump sycophant, it apparently makes him the only person qualified to run the US military.

But despite this, it appears the American public is finally catching on. Trump's popularity is currently at its lowest level, even among Republicans, and a clear majority of Americans oppose the Iran War. In response to the historically unpopular war, Trump has started a trade war with Canada - once considered America's closest ally. Unfortunately for Trump, it appears he is losing this one as well, as only 20% of Americans support his tariffs, and only 14% support his renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America.

The president's refusal to ever accept fault and admit defeat means that Americans must force the decision in the November elections. But even if the Democrats - as predicted - retake control of Congress, the situation will continue to devolve until new members are seated in January.

Dual-tranche Euro bond

Pakistan's forex reserves got a shot in the arm as the country raised $3 billion through a dual-tranche Eurobond. This unprecedented success comes on the heels of renewed confidence exhibited by lenders in macroeconomic reforms and the stringent implementation of the IMF's programme. It is the largest single international capital market transaction achieved from a broad and diversified base of institutional investors across global markets and continents. The breakdown of the issuance includes $1.75 billion through a 5.5-year bond at a coupon rate of 7.5 per cent, and $1.25 billion through a 10-year bond at 7.9%.


After almost a decade, Islamabad has been able to float and sell its sovereign paper commitments in the market at a half-percentage-point lower interest rate. Panda Bonds to the tune of $500 million and the Global Medium-Term Note initiative have been other success stories, alongside the fact that the government has been able to settle maturities in due time. This confidence in the currency market must now serve to reassure investors that Pakistan is a preferred geopolitical destination for big-ticket businesses.

Pakistan has proven that it can mobilise long-term financing, as is evident from the 10-year Eurobond. This development, however, coincides with the bitter truth that the country's total debt has crossed Rs100 trillion, raising doubts about its stabilisation efforts. Had it not been for remittances from expatriates and the financial succor from the Gulf States and China, the balance sheet would have been terrible. Facing heavy debt repayments and cuts in developmental outlay, Pakistan has been struggling with a fiscal deficit of around 5% of GDP and a growth rate of less than 3% over the last three years.

The way forward is to manage debt accumulation by generating plausible new avenues of income and tapping into export markets. At the very least, there is an urgent need to recraft the economic model to bridge the financing gap. Tapping the bond market, as and when required, is a healthy sign for reigniting confidence with global financial institutions.

Agri deal with Riyadh

Pakistan has aptly connected the dots on its agrarian potential by mapping Saudi Arabia as a valued food export market. It plans to export $3 billion of food products, including red meat, within the next two years, in addition to expanding cooperation in water-efficient agricultural technologies. Since Saudi Arabia is predominantly a sprawling desert, green fodder has been identified as a major raw export ingredient. Moreover, fruits, concentrates, rice and cereals - alongside Pakistani textiles - are already in high demand. This new trade alignment coincides with Saudi Arabia's food security strategy under its Vision 2030, and it will go a long way in providing an impetus to Pakistan's desire to tap new forex avenues for its struggling economy.

Bilateral trade currently stands at $4.75 billion and is heavily tilted in Saudi Arabia's favour. As a net fuel importer, Pakistan's oil bill reaches $4.06 billion, while it exports only $687 million worth of goods to the Kingdom. This imbalance could be significantly rectified if the proposed food package materialises, acting as a catalyst for Pakistan's agrarian and livestock sectors to gear up for greater competition. Other Gulf states that are low on agrarian production - owing to harsh weather conditions and water scarcity - can also explore Pakistan as a viable market for food imports. Technology transfer is another lucrative domain that can be mutually tapped by both countries, expanding their existing water-efficient irrigation programme in Bhakkar. Similar initiatives for small farmers are the way forward for cooperation in agricultural sectors.

The new understanding on agricultural trade necessitates pivotal research in both countries to identify products that can be cultivated and marketed more effectively. In 2025, Pakistan exported $163 million worth of rice and $167 million worth of red meat to the kingdom. Saudi Arabia's affluent population of 35 million represents a lucrative market for premium food produce from Pakistan, helping forge a new network of entrepreneurial partnerships across the public and private sectors.

SCO's Afghan lens

The SCO took a high moral stand as it called for an inclusive government in Afghanistan. The 10-member security and economic group censured the reclusive government in Kabul for failing to abide by its 2020 Doha commitments, and for acting as a safe haven for terror outfits. A resolution passed on the occasion clearly demonstrated that the SCO is conscious of the terror threat emanating from the Southwest Asian state, which has the potential to jeopardise transnational corridors built for the common good of the region's three billion citizens.

The Bishkek declaration went on to address Afghanistan as a hub of war, terrorism and drugs, while reaffirming its commitment to peace prospects and development in the war-torn country. This astuteness on the part of the multilateral group (of which Afghanistan remains an observer) to call out Kabul shows growing maturity and a courage to proverbially take the bull by the horns. The way forward for all member states is to prevail upon the Taliban regime in Kabul to abide by the collective wisdom of the regional group by shunning radicalism.

Pakistan, as the new chairperson of the SCO, led from the front in convincing the bloc that diplomacy is the only viable path forward. It also highlighted its diplomatic mediation successes. This strategy apparently cornered India, as evidenced by the body language of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose policy of self-styled hegemony has led the country into regional isolation. Furthermore, Pakistan added another feather to its cap when Lahore was named the SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital, providing a strong impetus to its efforts toward transnational networking.

The SCO is an emerging reality as the unipolar world slides toward multilateralism. BRICS and the Global South are other key components rising to challenge the US-led world order. The fact that SCO states refused to give in to the unilateral economic coercive measures of Washington is a signature development, one that will go a long way in contesting the post-Bretton Woods order. The SCO's focus on counterterrorism and geopolitical inclusivity must find dividends under Islamabad's leadership.

The Bishkek moment

As Pakistan assumes the chairmanship of the SCO's Council of Heads of State for 2026-27, it has spelt out a viable agenda of cooperation across all apolitical realms of development. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proposed a plan to prioritise IT, AI, energy development, poverty reduction, disaster management, health, culture and sports as avenues to pool synergies for a better tomorrow for the region's three billion people. If this prospective bloc of geo-economics in Central and Southwest Asia walks the talk, it could go a long way in harnessing a framework of understanding to better address bilateral and regional irritants. Thus, Islamabad demonstrated an awareness of ground realities as it raised the issues of terrorism and the weaponisation of water resources, cautioning that such friction only leads to further instability, chaos and degeneration.

The summit in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek saw heads of state and government rub shoulders as they marshalled for an aligned geopolitical entity free from bilateral encumbrances. In order to realise that dream, major stakeholders such as Russia, China and Iran must prevail upon India to mend its fences with Pakistan and work on a collective regional theme for the sake of tranquillity. Precedents for collaborating on such broad-based issues were set last year at the Tianjin summit in China, where Pakistan and India signed a joint communique to "look at terrorism from the same prism". This needs to be replicated by joining hands on the lawful sharing of Indus waters this year. A huddle between the heads of government of Pakistan and India is the way forward and will cement the credibility of forums like the SCO.

The 10-member SCO, along with observers and dialogue partners, must seize the opportunity to unite for peace. At a time when the Middle East is in turmoil and global supply lines are choked due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a semblance of diplomacy focused proactively on geo-economics is highly desirable. Pakistan has eloquently hinted at cooperating for the collective good by citing its past mediation role between the US and Iran, an abstract concept that must now be pushed into reality.

Scammers all around

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency's latest raid on a Karachi call centre - where eight suspects were arrested for impersonating US bank representatives and stealing Social Security numbers and credit card information - is being portrayed as a policing success worthy of celebration. But in reality, it is yet another indictment of Pakistan's abject failure to curb a multibillion-rupee fraud industry that has made a mockery of the country's regulatory apparatus.

This is not an isolated incident. Between January 2024 and June 2025, authorities conducted 63 raids on illegal call centres nationwide. This may seem like a reasonable figure, until we learn that an estimated 300 call centres are currently operating, and none of them are particularly clandestine. The Pakistan Software Export Board says there are over 7,400 registered call centres, yet it provides little more than "business categorisation" without meaningful operational monitoring. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority washes its hands entirely, claiming such centres fall outside its jurisdiction. Regulatory buck-passing has become a national sport.

Worse still, the officials appointed to police this digital underworld are often the ones protecting it. In recent years, proceedings have exposed NCCIA officers running an extortion racket that collected close to Rs300 million from illegal call centres in exchange for monthly "protection fees". One group alone amassed approximately Rs250 million. Senior and mid-level NCCIA officials stand accused of enabling these operations while foreign nationals acted as on-ground managers. The government's latest "nationwide crackdown" and special task force should thus be considered with caution. Arresting some small fry may generate headlines for a day or two, but unless the ringleaders and their guardians face serious consequences, we will continue on a dangerous path to becoming a hub for financial fraud.

Gul Plaza blame game

In the wake of the recent PIMS tragedy wherein 14 infants lost their lives to institutional neglect and intentional maladministration behind the excuse of a fire, the Gul Plaza incident from earlier this year has once again gained centre stage - without meaning to.

Ostensibly, the judicial commission set up by the Sindh Government to investigate the fire had already handed over a conclusive report at least four months ago, but the public remained unaware. Clearly, a looming fear of the citizens of Sindh demanding accountability for their own tragedy motivated the government to finally, and secretly, release that report. You would think the secrecy would at least be attributable to a substantial conclusion but much like most investigative reports in this system, it was rife with vague language and the infuriating lack of a pointing finger.

According to the report, the Gul Plaza incident was a culmination of "municipal and provincial structures, across successive periods" being inadequate in their performance for "dense commercial urban development". The phrase 'across successive periods' rids the current system of any and all responsibility and flings it onto a metaphorical, abstract monster born at an undefined time.

Is it not the responsibility of whoever is in power to find out what is broken and then fix it? Is it not the responsibility of current elected officials to offer citizens the safety and security that they had long been denied? If every single government frees themselves from the supposed shackles of transparency and accountability for the public, a political seat is then entirely meaningless. All it stands for is power, and power in Pakistan has never been on the side of the citizens. The point of a democratic nation is then lost amidst an extensive and harmful blame-game.

PCA reprimands Delhi

India has had face a setback as the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) has ruled against its stance on water politics. The Hague-based court yesterday declared that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains fully in force and that India had no justification to hold it in abeyance. It also ordered India to suspend construction work on Ratle Hydro-Electric Plant in occupied Kashmir pending further review.

The ruling vindicates Pakistan's stance as a victim of hydro-politics, particularly since its eastern neighbour adopted a hegemonic posture by weaponising water as an instrument of conflict. The PCA had earlier ruled that it possesses the "due and legitimate authority" to adjudicate any dispute between the two nations over the IWT. This nullifies New Delhi's claim that the forum is "devoid of lawful authority". Monday's dictum marks the third consecutive decision in Pakistan's favour, following World Bank President Ajay Banga's previous remarks characterising India's unilateral suspension of the international treaty as legally untenable.

India, which has been acting as a rogue state against Pakistan on the premise of its asymmetric supremacy, needs to take a lesson in international law. Its actions run afoul of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Moreover, as far as civilisational ethics and interstate decency are concerned, India has demonstrated that it only wishes to see its sovereign neighbours under its "tutelage" - a high-handed mentality that triggered a four-day military duel with Pakistan in May 2025. Consequently, the PCA acted decisively, issuing its definitive Award on Treaty Status alongside a binding Order on Interim Measures. These legal directives have delivered a direct blow to New Delhi's coercive hydro-aggression.

The superbly worded verdict from The Hague states that "India had no legal grounds under treaty law or customary international law - including claims of sovereignty, allegations of cross-border terrorism, or fundamental changes in circumstances - to unilaterally suspend or terminate the treaty". The court firmly asserted the fundamental principle of pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept), emphasising that India cannot bypass its binding commitments. Consequently, Delhi has little choice but to abide by the verdict, having been found on the wrong side of both law and ethics. The world cannot afford to ignore India's rogue conduct any longer; international pressure must be applied to halt its lawless hydro-politics once and for all.