ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) announced on Thursday it had achieved a “monumental victory” in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking by intercepting the largest consignment of methamphetamine, popularly called “ice,” in the nation’s history.
Methamphetamine, known for its potent and addictive properties, has seen a significant rise in use not just in Pakistan but globally, contributing to a burgeoning health crisis.
The drug’s accessibility and escalating abuse have heightened law enforcement and public health efforts to curtail its spread.
This major seizure highlights the ongoing challenges and the critical need for continued vigilance and international cooperation in combating drug trafficking and its societal impacts.
“A total of 224 kilograms of Methamphetamine (Ice) was seized by the diligent ANF team at the Karachi port,” an official statement announced. “Disguised within five containers labelled as ‘Soapstone’ exports from Afghanistan to Belgium, this illicit substance was artfully concealed within the container’s roof and doors.”
The authorities also apprehended three suspects involved in the smuggling attempt, among them two Afghan nationals.
“The suspects were attempting to flee to Afghanistan via the Torkham border when they were intercepted by ANF Team,” the statement continued.
It added the intercepting the massive methamphetamine consignment by ANF prevented its distribution and potential harm to countless people.
Pakistan’s drug enforcement agency nets record ‘ice’ haul in major anti-trafficking operation
https://arab.news/rr7p8
Pakistan’s drug enforcement agency nets record ‘ice’ haul in major anti-trafficking operation
- The Anti-Narcotics Force seizes 224 kilograms of the substance while it was being transported to Belgium
- The authorities also apprehended three suspects, among them two Afghan nationals, who were trying to escape
Taliban hang up Kalashnikovs to pen memoirs of Afghan war
- Most Afghan war accounts are from a Western perspective, covering 9/11 to the Taliban’s 2021 return
- Taliban-authored books praising the group’s ‘victories’ now shape the dominant narrative within Afghanistan
KABUL: Since trading the battlefield for Afghanistan’s halls of power, some Taliban members have also swapped their weapons for pens to tell their version of the 20-year conflict with Western forces, who they accuse of distorting “reality.”
A flood of books has been written, mostly from a Western perspective, about the war between the US-led forces that invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks until the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
But in the years since, a proliferation of writings by Taliban figures — praising their exploits and the achievements of the “Islamic Emirate” — is now the reigning narrative in Afghanistan.
“No matter what foreigners have written... they have largely ignored the reality of what happened to us and why we were forced to fight,” author Khalid Zadran told AFP.
A member of the Haqqani network — long viewed as one of the most dangerous militant factions in Afghanistan — he now serves as the spokesman for the capital’s police force.
In his 600-page tome in Pashto published in April, he recounts US incursions in his home province of Khost, his childhood steeped in stories of soldiers’ “atrocities,” and his desire to join the Taliban in the name of his country’s “freedom.”
“I witnessed horrific stories every day — mangled bodies on the roadside,” he writes in “15 Minutes,” a title inspired by a US drone strike he narrowly escaped.
Muhajer Farahi, now a deputy information and culture minister, penned his “Memories of Jihad: 20 Years in Occupation” to “state the facts,” he said.
“America, contrary to its claims, has committed cruel and barbaric acts, destroyed our country with bombs, destroyed infrastructure and has sown discord and cynicism between nations and tribes,” he told AFP from his office in central Kabul.
Little attention is paid in either book to the thousands of civilians killed in Taliban attacks — many of them suicide bombings that entrenched fear across the country for nearly two decades.
Farahi insists the Taliban “were cautious in saving civilians and innocent” lives, while criticising fellow Afghans who collaborated with the pro-Western police as a “stain” on the country.
Rights groups accuse the current Taliban authorities of widespread abuses — particularly against women and girls, who the United Nations say are victims of what amounts to “gender apartheid.”
In his book published in 2023, Farahi claims the Taliban attempted to negotiate — in vain, he insists — with the United States over the fate of Osama bin Laden, whose capture or death Washington demanded after his plane hijackers killed around 3,000 people in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, who had been based in Afghanistan, was killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011.
“It was clear... that the Americans had already planned the occupation of Afghanistan,” writes Farahi in the English version of his book, which has been translated into five languages.
In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Afghans thought it would “have nothing to do with our country,” he continues, but soon realized that Afghanistan would face “punishment.”
For 20 years, the war pitted Taliban militants against a US-led coalition of 38 countries supporting the Afghan Republic and its forces.
Tens of thousands of Afghans died in the fighting and in Taliban attacks, as did nearly 6,000 foreign soldiers, including 2,400 Americans.
For Farahi, the war reflects the West’s desire to “impose its culture and ideology on other nations.”
His disjointed journal mixes battlefield memories with polemical chapters railing against the American “bloodthirsty dragon.”
The book “reveals the truths that were not told before because the media, especially the Western media, presented a different picture of the war,” he said.
According to him, the mujahideen, or holy warriors, despite being far less equipped, were able to rely on their unity and God’s aid to achieve victory.
Only a few of the new wave of Taliban books have been autobiographies, which appeal to an audience seeking to understand the war “from the inside,” according to Zadran.
His book, initially 2,000 copies in Pashto, sold out quickly and another 1,000 are in the works — along with a Dari-language version, he said.
Many chapters mention Bowe Bergdahl, the US soldier held hostage for five years by the Haqqani network.
He recounts treks through the mountains along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to move him between hideouts, efforts to convert him to Islam and conversations about his girlfriend back in the US.
Both accounts end in 2021, before the transformation of the fighters who moved from remote mountain hideouts to the carpeted offices of the capital.
There, their battle has turned diplomatic: the Taliban are now fighting for international recognition of their government.
“The war is over now,” Farahi said, “and we want good relations with everyone” — even with the “bloodthirsty dragon.”
Sadiq Khan, son of Pakistani immigrants, receives knighthood from King Charles
- Khan, who grew up in south London, is the son of a bus driver and a seamstress
- He is London’s first Muslim mayor and has won three consecutive terms in office
ISLAMABAD: London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the son of Pakistani immigrants, was awarded a knighthood by King Charles III for public service, a recognition he described on Tuesday as a “truly humbling moment” for himself and his family.
Khan, who grew up on a council estate in Tooting, south London, is the son of a bus driver and a seamstress.
A trained human rights lawyer, he made history in 2016 by becoming the first Muslim mayor of London, and was re-elected for a third term last year, a rare feat in British politics.
His trajectory from modest beginnings to high office has often been cited as emblematic of London’s multiculturalism and opportunity.
“The London promise: if you work hard, and get a helping hand, you can achieve anything,” Khan posted on X. “Immensely proud to receive a knighthood from His Majesty The King. Growing up on a council estate in Tooting, I never imagined I’d one day receive this great honor while serving as Mayor.”
“It’s a truly humbling moment for myself & my family, & one I hope inspires others to believe in the opportunities our great capital offers,” he added. “I’ll forever be honored to serve the city I love – & will continue to do all I can to build a fairer, safer, greener London for everyone.”
53-year-old Khan has built a reputation as an outspoken advocate for progressive causes, including climate action, affordable housing and inclusivity, often clashing with national-level Conservative leaders.
Despite political headwinds, he remains broadly popular in one of the world’s most diverse cities.
In 2018, Pakistan awarded him the Sitara-e-Pakistan, the country’s third-highest civilian award, in recognition of his efforts to strengthen UK-Pakistan relations and promote community cohesion.
Pakistani man who allegedly plotted US attack extradited from Canada
- Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was arrested in Canada last year in September
- Officials say he was planning a mass shooting at a Jewish center in New York
NEW YORK: A Pakistani man was extradited from Canada to the United States on Tuesday to face charges of plotting to carry out an attack on Jews in New York City, the Justice Department said.
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested in Canada in September.
According to a criminal complaint, Khan planned to travel to New York and carry out a mass shooting in support of Daesh, also known as the Islamic State (IS), at a Jewish center in Brooklyn on the October 7 anniversary of the deadly 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
“He planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many members of our Jewish community as possible, all in support of IS,” US Attorney Jay Clayton said in a statement.
Khan allegedly revealed his plans in conversations with conspirators who were actually undercover law enforcement officers, the Justice Department said.
He was taken into custody by Canadian authorities in the municipality of Ormstown some 12 miles (19 kilometers) from the US-Canada border.
Khan is charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to commit acts of terrorism.
He could face a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
US confirms Trump’s willingness to mediate Kashmir dispute after India-Pakistan ceasefire
- State Department says US president has taken steps to resolve ‘generational conflicts’ across the world
- It also confirms meetings of a Pakistani parliamentary delegation with officials in Washington recently
ISLAMABAD: The United States on Tuesday said President Donald Trump would like to mediate between India and Pakistan over the decades-old Kashmir dispute, describing such a move as consistent with his desire to resolve “generational” conflicts around the world.
The comment follows a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, announced by the US president on May 10 after a brief but intense military standoff involving fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery fire.
While tensions have eased, longstanding issues remain unresolved.
The US informed last month after the ceasefire announcement both India and Pakistan had agreed to meet at a neutral venue to address their differences, though New Delhi has so far publicly ruled out bilateral talks with Islamabad.
“I can’t speak to what’s on the mind or the plans of the President,” said State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce in response to a question about the American president’s offer to mediate after the ceasefire.
“What I do know is that I think we all recognize that President Trump in each step that he takes, it’s made to solve generational differences between countries, generational war,” she continued. “So it doesn’t – it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he’d want to manage something like that.”
Bruce maintained Trump had the ability to bring enemies “to the table to have conversations that nobody thought was possible.”
She added that she hoped “something like that” could be resolved during the current American administration’s term in office, referring to the Kashmir dispute.
In a related development, the State Department spokesperson confirmed a Pakistani parliamentary delegation led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met last week with senior State Department officials, including Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.
While she did not reveal details of the discussions, Bruce said the talks covered counterterrorism cooperation and US support for the India-Pakistan ceasefire.
The Pakistani delegation is currently visiting key global capitals to present Islamabad’s perspective on the limited war with India while lobbying the international community to press India to return to dialogue over Kashmir and other issues.
Pakistan targets passive incomes, foreign e-commerce in push for $50 billion tax haul
- Pakistan plans to impose digital tax on foreign vendors, including Chinese e-commerce platforms
- Local trade bodies call the revenue collection target ‘unrealistic’ amid mixed budget response
KARACHI: The government has “gone heavy” on taxing passive incomes and foreign online vendors, including Chinese e-commerce platforms, said an economic expert Tuesday, as it seeks to raise over Rs14 trillion ($50 billion) in taxes in the next fiscal year, an ambitious target trade bodies have criticized as “unrealistic.”
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had unveiled Pakistan’s Rs17.6 trillion ($62 billion) federal budget for 2025-26 earlier in the day, saying the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) would target Rs14.13 trillion in tax collection, which is nine percent higher than the outgoing year’s target.
“The government has gone heavy in terms of taxes on passive income like tax on bank deposits income has gone up,” Shankar Talreja, director research at the Topline Securities, told Arab News.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration is aiming for 4.2 percent GDP growth and a fiscal deficit of 3.9 percent in line with commitments made to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during recent negotiations.
The IMF has pushed Pakistan to broaden its tax base, including income from retail, agriculture and real estate sectors, while ensuring social protection and priority spending.
Talreja called the new budget a “continuation of fiscal discipline.” His comments referred to the government’s plan to increase tax on interest income by five percentage points to 20 percent, excluding income from the National Savings Scheme.
With one of the region’s lowest tax-to-GDP ratios, Pakistan is under pressure to raise it to 14 percent under the IMF’s $7 billion loan program.
DIGITAL TAX ON FOREIGN VENDORS
In a first, the government plans to introduce the Digital Presence Proceeds Tax Act, 2025, to tax income earned by foreign vendors operating in Pakistan’s digital space.
“This is specific to foreign vendors, i.e. Chinese e-commerce websites,” Talreja said, referring to platforms like Temu. He added those buying from such vendors could also face an additional five percent tax.
Aurangzeb said banks, financial institutions and licensed exchange companies would collect the tax on transactions involving goods or services provided by foreign traders within the Pakistani domain.
“Essentially this is to be paid by vendors, but let’s see if they pass it on to consumers,” Talreja said, noting the move could fuel inflation if the tax burden is transferred. “Nonetheless, items coming through foreign vendors doesn’t hold a major pie in inflation basket.”
FBR OVERHAUL
Aurangzeb also announced an FBR transformation plan to address Pakistan’s estimated Rs5.5 trillion tax gap, nearly half of its potential receipts. Talreja emphasized the significance of the move, saying it was part of the government’s plan to raise the tax-to-GDP ratio from 10 to 14 percent.
“It is not possible [for the government] to stabilize the economy and achieve national targets without transforming the FBR,” he continued.
To clamp down on non-compliant businesses, the government plans to freeze bank accounts, block property transfers, and seal premises of unregistered entities evading sales tax.
Withholding tax on bank transactions by non-filers has been raised to one percent from 0.6 percent, and tax on e-commerce transactions doubled to two percent.
SMUGGLING AND SOLAR IMPORTS
The FBR will be empowered to confiscate goods lacking original tax stamps or barcodes under its track and trace system, with the aim of curbing smuggling, especially in tobacco, and supporting the formal industry.
“These measures send a clear message that the law-abiding people and companies will get facilities and the tax defaulters will be made accountable effectively,” Aurangzeb said during his budget speech.
The government will also apply 18 percent sales tax on online traders operating through courier and logistics firms to ensure parity with traditional retailers. Imported solar panels will face the same tax, a move designed to protect local manufacturers.
CUSTOMS REFORMS AND RELIEF MEASURES
Proposed customs reforms include new laws to promote pre-arrival clearance of goods and reduce port delays and litigation.
To support businesses, the government has offered a 0.5 percent reduction in super tax on income slabs between Rs200 million ($708,692) and Rs500 million ($1.78 million), according to JS Global Capital’s initial review.
The 15 percent capital gains tax on stocks remains unchanged, but a 25 percent tax will apply to income from loans to encourage investment in equities. Withholding tax on property purchases has been lowered by 1.5 percent across various slabs.
According to Talreja, the measures aim to ensure the government does not exceed its 3.9 percent fiscal deficit target, a milestone that, if achieved, would mark the lowest in 21 years.
“The ultimate objective of the government in the FY26 budget was to achieve primary surplus over 2% and total deficit of less than 4%,” he said.
BUSINESS COMMUNITY REACTS
Meanwhile, the business community’s response to the proposed tax structure remained mixed, with some trade bodies expressing concern over the government’s reliance on existing taxpayers rather than expanding the tax net.
Leaders at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), including Zubair Motiwala and Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, described the budget as a “camouflage” document that offered “no incentives for growth” and failed to reduce the high cost of doing business.
“The budget may satisfy external lenders but does not offer any practical hope for businesses or the wider population,” Motiwala said, warning that continued pressure on the formal sector could shrink economic output rather than expand it.
By contrast, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) offered a more positive reaction. President Atif Ikram Sheikh welcomed the simplification of tax return forms for small and medium enterprises along with employees, calling it “a long-standing demand of the FPCCI.”
He also praised the reduction in super tax and the abolition of duty on property transfers, though he called the increase in the tax collection target “unrealistic.”
FPCCI Senior Vice President Saqib Fayyaz Magon expressed disappointment over the taxation of e-commerce and the lack of relief packages for IT, minerals and fishing sectors.
“E-commerce should not have been taxed,” he said, adding the budget ignored several proposals submitted by the FPCCI.
