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Author: News Desk

  • Pakistan to auction 600MHz spectrum, 5G services to follow

    Pakistan to auction 600MHz spectrum, 5G services to follow

    Federal Minister for Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja has announced that the government would auction the 600-megahertz (MHz) spectrum next month, ultimately introducing 5G services and faster internet speeds.

    Referring to Pakistan as a “spectrum-starved country”, she said that the 600MHz spectrum auction procedure had been cleared by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the auction is expected to take place within the next two months.

    “The spectrum available for our telecom industry is extremely limited,” the minister said, adding that telecom operators were currently providing services using just 274MHz.

    “We are a country of 240 million people with only 274MHz of spectrum,” she said and compared Pakistan’s spectrum availability to that of other nations in the region.

    She noted that Bangladesh, with about two-thirds of Pakistan’s population, provides 600MHz.

    The range of radio frequencies utilised to send wireless signals for radio, television, cell phones and internet services is referred to as spectrum. Certain frequency bands within this spectrum are used by mobile technology, such as 3G, 4G and 5G. While Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka are among the South Asian nations that have introduced 5G services, Pakistan has not been able to do so yet.

    The minister said Pakistan’s spectrum availability was the lowest in the region due to the absence of major spectrum auctions over the past several years. She said the upcoming auction would support improvements in existing services and pave the way for new technology.

    “It will not only improve our 3G and 4G services, but also introduce 5G in Pakistan for the first time,” she said.

    Internet connectivity, according to Khawaja, should be seen as “critical infrastructure” just like highways were in the past.

    She said internet plays a role in social sector development, economic policymaking, and national and personal security. “We cannot advance without this degree of connectivity.” 

    In order to boost economic activity and generate job prospects, she continued, connection should be viewed as an “enabling tool”.

    Khawaja said that the government was trying to make sure the auction was completed by the end of January or the beginning of February.

    The minister linked the auction to the government’s digitisation agenda under the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, 2025, saying internet access was central to these efforts.

  • Pakistan’s first computer chip plant to be set up in Faisalabad

    Pakistan’s first computer chip plant to be set up in Faisalabad

    Pakistan’s first-ever computer chip manufacturing unit will be established in Faisalabad, with the Punjab government also allocating 50 acres of land for a state-of-the-art expo centre in the M-3 Industrial Estate, Provincial Minister for Industries, Commerce and Investment Chaudhary Shafay Hussain announced.

    According to Hussain, the Punjab government has made important choices to expedite the colonisation of the Allama Iqbal and M-3 industrial estates.

    He said a community centre would be built for foreign workers, alongside completion of boundary walls and the establishment of a dedicated monitoring cell in both estates.

    He noted that similar actions are being taken to fully develop industrial estates throughout the province and that efforts are underway to give better banking and commercial facilities to industrial units operating in these zones.

    Speaking about industries related to agriculture, the minister stated that the government has started a program to increase cotton production, with research and development concentrated on producing high-yield, disease-resistant seeds.

    During a briefing on the Small Industrial Estate in Faisalabad, Hussain stated that interest-free loans are available via the Asan Karobar Scheme and that infrastructure-related concerns are being addressed. 

    Additionally, he declared that in 2026, three women’s training facilities would-be built-in Gujrat, Layyah, and Sahiwal; the second phase of the facility would-be built-in Faisalabad. 

    He further revealed that Faisalabad and Shymkent, a major industrial city in Kazakhstan, are being declared twin cities, a move he said would open new avenues of industrial and trade cooperation.

    Speaking on the occasion, FCCI President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh said the pace of colonisation at the M-3 and Allama Iqbal industrial estates had improved, but warned that a growing trust deficit between government institutions and the private sector was hurting exports. 

    He alleged that as many as 32 departments were harassing industrial units, adding that containers cleared by customs officials were still being stopped en route to ports.

    Sheikh also highlighted the sharp rise in production costs due to soaring electricity and gas prices, and said delays in refunds now stretching to 90 days instead of the earlier 15 had triggered a liquidity crunch for exporters. 

    He said exports could be pushed to $100 billion if a business-friendly environment and consistent policies were ensured.

    FCCI Vice President Engr Asim Munir, along with executive members and former office-bearers, participated in the question-and-answer session.

  • Big Bash: Haris Rauf under fire for failing to defend 10 runs in final over

    Big Bash: Haris Rauf under fire for failing to defend 10 runs in final over

    Haris Rauf’s struggles in death overs continued in the Big Bash League (BBL) as he failed to defend 10 runs in the final over against Brisbane Heat, handing his opponents a thrilling victory at the Gabba.

    Melbourne Stars posted a competitive 195/6 in their 20 overs, setting up what looked like a defendable total. Brisbane Heat needed 10 runs from the last over with Max Bryant 36 runs off 23 balls and Xavier Bartlett 25 off 8 at the crease. Rauf stepped up to bowl the final over, but the result was all too familiar for the Pakistani pacer.

    Bartlett took a single off the first ball, then Bryant took a double, followed by a massive six and a boundary to seal the win. Brisbane chased down the target in 19.4 overs, losing just six wickets.

    Cricket fans on social media wasted no time roasting Rauf for yet another late-over collapse. One user wrote, “Only bowler who can do this,” while another asked, “Last over isko deta kon hai? [Who gives him the last over]” 

    “Haris Rauf finally found his form,” one fan joked sarcastically. Another added, “Haris Rauf always at the crime scene,” summing up his reputation for high-pressure failures.

    “Normal day at the office for Haris Rauf,” commented another user, highlighting how this has become a recurring theme in his career.

    This isn’t the first time Rauf has crumbled under pressure in the final over. His history of late-game collapses reads like a horror story for Pakistan fans.

    In the 2022 T20 World Cup against India, Pakistan needed to defend 28 runs off eight balls. Rauf bowled the 19th over and was smashed for two consecutive sixes by Virat Kohli on the last two balls. India won that match, and what seemed like a certain Pakistan victory slipped away.

    Fast forward to the 2025 Asia Cup final. India needed 10 runs in the last over, and once again, Rauf was the bowler. He conceded those runs in just four balls, giving away 50 runs in his four overs that day.

    Then came the 2024 T20 World Cup match against the USA. Rauf couldn’t defend 15 runs in the final over, forcing the game into a Super Over. The USA went on to beat Pakistan in one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.

    Despite this loss, Melbourne Stars remain at the top of the BBL table with five wins from six matches.

  • Father-in-law beats son-in-law to death in Karachi

    Father-in-law beats son-in-law to death in Karachi

    A man was killed during a dispute with his in-laws in the Sachal area of Karachi, police said, adding that the main suspect fled the scene with his sons after the incident.

    According to police officials, the killing took place in huts near Jamali Bridge on the Super Highway. An argument broke out between the victim and his father-in-law, which escalated into violence.

    Police said the father-in-law, assisted by his sons, attacked the victim with sticks during the quarrel. 

    Rescue officials said volunteers of the Chhipa Welfare Association reached the location after receiving information about the incident. The body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

    The deceased was identified as Ram Ji, 32, son of Sachu.

    Sachal Station House Officer (SHO) Shabbir Hussain confirmed that the homicide took place, adding that initial findings pointed to a domestic dispute. Preliminary investigations show that Ram Ji had an argument with his father-in-law. During the quarrel, the father-in-law, along with his sons, assaulted him with sticks, which led to his death, the SHO said.

    The SHO said the father-in-law escaped from the scene with his sons, while efforts to trace them and continue the investigation are underway.

  • Angelina Jolie visits Egypt’s Gaza border

    Angelina Jolie visits Egypt’s Gaza border

    Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie on Friday visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing into Gaza, where she met Red Crescent volunteers and truck drivers ferrying humanitarian aid, international news organisations have reported.

    Accompanied by an American delegation and received by former and current Egyptian officials, the Oscar-winning actor walked through the aid staging area at the crossing, stopping to speak with volunteers coordinating relief efforts as Israel’s humanitarian crisis in Gaza escalates. 

    Witnesses said Jolie listened intently as workers described delays and shortages, with long lines of trucks standing idle near the border.

    A Red Crescent volunteer told Jolie that “there are thousands of aid trucks just waiting” to enter Gaza, underscoring the scale of assistance blocked at the crossing.

    According to local media reports, Jolie who previously served as a special envoy for the UN refugee agency made the visit to observe the condition of injured Palestinians transferred to Egypt and to assess the flow of humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged territory.

    Neither Jolie nor Egyptian authorities have issued an official statement regarding the visit.

    The Rafah border crossing was expected to reopen under the ceasefire in effect in Gaza since October, but it has so far remained closed, further constraining the delivery of aid into the enclave that has already ensured genocide.

  • Up to five percent levy on mobile imports proposed to fund manufacturing drive

    Up to five percent levy on mobile imports proposed to fund manufacturing drive

    The federal government is considering imposing a levy of up to five percent on the import of mobile phones and electronic devices as part of a proposed manufacturing policy for 2026–33, according to media reports.

    The proposed levy is expected to generate $368 million, which would be used to localise mobile phone production in Pakistan. The policy is nearing completion and is awaiting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s assent.

    The current taxes on imported mobile phones are expanded upon by the Mobile and Electronic Device Manufacturing Policy. With a focus on boosting domestic production and exports, the program seeks to transition the sector from simple assembly operations to full-scale manufacturing within the nation.

    Under the policy framework, international mobile phone brands will be encouraged to establish manufacturing facilities in Pakistan. Local manufacturers are expected to receive support to expand their production capacity. The Engineering Development Board (EDB) has set a target of achieving 50 percent localisation in mobile phone manufacturing by 2033.

    The policy also includes targets related to electronic waste recovery. Authorities aim to achieve a 70 percent e-waste recovery rate by 2033 as part of the localisation drive. In addition, the policy outlines plans to train 50,000 skilled workers over the policy period, including 15,000 specialised professionals.

    Data from previous years shows growth in local assembly following regulatory approvals. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issued 37 licences for local mobile phone assembly, leading to an increase in production from 0.1 million units in 2019 to 30.1 million units.

    By 2025, domestic production is expected to meet 93 percent of market demand. During the same period, mobile phone imports are projected to decline from 16 million units in 2019 to 2.04 million units.

    Pakistan has also started exporting mobile phones to markets including the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Investments in the sector are estimated at $250–300 million, contributing to the creation of between 50,000 and 60,000 direct and indirect jobs.

  • ATC hands life sentences to Adil Raja, journalists over May 9 riots

    ATC hands life sentences to Adil Raja, journalists over May 9 riots

    An Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has handed down two life sentences each to YouTuber Adil Raja, journalists Wajahat Saeed Khan, Sabir Shakir and Shaheen Sehbai, anchorperson Haider Raza Mehdi, analyst Moeed Pirzada and former army official Akbar Hussain in cases linked to the riots that erupted across the country on May 9, 2023.

    The unrest, during which government and military installations were vandalised, broke out after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan. 

    Prosecutors accused the convicted individuals of engaging in what was described as “digital terrorism against state institutions,” alleging that they used online platforms to incite, facilitate and amplify attacks during the May 9 violence.

    The reserved verdicts were announced on Friday by Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra after the conclusion of trials conducted in absentia. 

    The proceedings were held in the absence of the accused at the prosecution’s request, invoking relevant provisions of anti-terrorism laws.


    Court orders issued by Judge Sipra show that cases against Raja, Khan, Sehbai and Mehdi were registered at Islamabad’s Ramna police station, while cases against Shakir, Hussain and Pirzada were registered at the Islamabad’s Aabpara police station.


    The court awarded rigorous life imprisonment on two counts: waging or attempting to wage war against Pakistan and criminal conspiracy and imposed fines of Rs500,000 for each offence. 

    The convicts were also sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs200,000 under Section 121-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with conspiracy related to offences punishable under Section 121.


    They were also sentenced to an additional 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 200,000 under Section 131 of the PPC, which pertains to abetting mutiny or attempting to seduce members of the armed forces from their duty.

     In accordance with the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997, the court also imposed three separate five-year harsh imprisonment sentences together with fines of Rs. 200,000 for each count. 


    The orders stated that failure to pay any of the imposed fines would result in an additional six months of imprisonment. The court also extended the benefit of Section 382-B of the Code of Criminal Procedure, allowing any period of detention to be counted toward the sentence, and directed that all sentences would run concurrently.


    Each order informed the convicts of their right to file an appeal before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) within seven days. The court also authorised the relevant station house officers to arrest the convicts upon their availability and send them to jail to serve their sentences.


    During the trials, the prosecution produced 24 witnesses. Public prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kayani represented the state, while Advocate Gulfam Ashraf Goraiya appeared on behalf of the accused. Records show that Goraiya was appointed as defence counsel by the court.


    A detailed written judgement is yet to be issued and is expected to outline the evidentiary basis and legal reasoning behind the convictions and sentences.


    The cases against the seven individuals were registered in 2023. Shakir, Pirzada and Hussain were booked by Islamabad police on charges of sedition and terrorism over their alleged role in violence and vandalism following Imran Khan’s arrest. 


    Raja, Khan, Sehbai and Mehdi were similarly charged for abetting mutiny and allegedly inciting attacks on military installations on May 9.

  • 214 FIA officers face action over human trafficking, corruption

    214 FIA officers face action over human trafficking, corruption

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has punished 214 officers over the last four months of 2025 following complaints related to human trafficking, corruption, indiscipline, and inefficiency, officials said.

    According to details, 76 officers were dismissed from service, nine were demoted to lower ranks, two were removed, while disciplinary action of varying nature was taken against 127 others. The punishments followed departmental inquiries involving officers from the rank of constable to deputy director.

    A senior FIA official said the scope of internal action was expanded after the establishment of the Directorate of Internal Accountability (DIA) at FIA headquarters in August 2025. Similar accountability structures were later set up at the zonal level under zonal directors.

    The accountability mechanism was strengthened after boat incidents in Europe and Africa in which Pakistani nationals lost their lives the official said, adding that a high-level inquiry revealed the involvement of some FIA personnel in human smuggling.

    The official also referred to the International Monetary Fund’s report titled Pakistan: Governance and Corruption Diagnostic, published in November 2025, which pointed to corruption in public departments as a factor behind institutional inefficiency.

    To address the issue, FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar Raja delegated accountability powers to additional director generals of the North and South zones and to zonal directors.

    Officials said an online technology module was developed for the DIA to track inquiries from the receipt of complaints to disposal, including the appeal stage. The system allows senior officers to internally monitor the progress of cases. 

    As part of the accountability drive, 214 departmental inquiries were concluded. The official said 20 percent of punishments were related to immigration complaints, another 20 percent involved faulty investigations, while 40 percent concerned indiscipline and inefficiency. 

    The FIA currently operates 12 zones across the country, from Gilgit-Baltistan to Karachi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Azad Jammu and Kashmir does not fall under its jurisdiction.

    Officials said a major change involved consolidating all complaint-related processes, including preliminary, fact-finding, and departmental inquiries, under one directorate. The process was moved out of the FIA’s human resource department to avoid concentration of authority under a single office.

  • Ticket row disrupts New Year’s Eve at Islamabad housing society

    Ticket row disrupts New Year’s Eve at Islamabad housing society

    Chaos marred a New Year’s Eve celebration and concert at a private housing society in Islamabad when ticket-holders were allegedly denied entry despite holding valid passes.

    Viral videos on social media showed the alleged mismanagement turning the celebration into a scene of violence and unrest, which, reports said, was a consequence of overselling event tickets worth Rs5,000 for families and Rs2,000 for individuals.

    Organisers, according to reports, sold the tickets beyond the venue’s capacity and failed to make sufficient arrangements for spectators, forcing several ticket holders to gather outside in frustration as the reserved area filled up.

    Security guards attempted to control the crowd and prevent entry, sparking protests by the disgruntled attendees. 

    Tensions flared as a physical altercation broke out between the security staff and the audience, though it is still unclear how the crowd became violent or which side attacked first. Stones were hurled from both sides while guards also wielded batons to push back the crowd.

    Police intervened with anti-riot gear to disperse the protesters as anger grew. The use of force also resulted in significant property damage and some people were also taken into custody. 

    Videos circulating on social media showed youths pelting stones and damaging property, while guards chased and manhandled some of them.

    The society management has hinted at plans to lodge a formal FIR, but as of now, no complaint has been officially registered. Officials told police they would file a complaint soon, but it remains unclear when will this happen.

  • ‘Everything will be on equal terms with India,’ says Mohsin Naqvi

    ‘Everything will be on equal terms with India,’ says Mohsin Naqvi

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that Pakistan remains firm on its stance of engaging India only on equal terms, while also working to secure the hosting rights for the Women’s World Cup.

    According to reports, Mohsin Naqvi attended the PCB Inter-School Final at Niaz Stadium in Karachi on Thursday as the chief guest, where he distributed prizes among the players.

    Prominent businessman Arif Habib and Pakistan men’s team captain Shan Masood also attended the ceremony.

    Speaking on the occasion, Mohsin Naqvi said, “We are standing by our position. We will not take the first step in anything, and any talks with India will be held strictly on equal terms.”

    He added that no discussion had taken place with the team captain regarding the men’s World Cup, saying that cricket-related matters remain with the players and team management.

    The PCB chairman said, “Very soon, there will be good news regarding grounds not only in Karachi but across the country.” He added that after renovation, the National Stadium in Karachi would be even more beautiful than Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

    Mohsin Naqvi also announced that upgrade work at the National Stadium would begin immediately after the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    Talking about grassroots cricket, he said the purpose of holding inter-school tournaments was to bring new talent to the forefront. “We will organise an event featuring winning teams and continue to identify and promote new talent,” he said.