Category: National

The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has seized more than 10,000 kilograms of expired and rancid meat in Lahore, arresting four individuals involved in the illegal operation.

According to reports, the raid was conducted at Bakra Mandi under the supervision of Director General PFA Asim Javed. The recovered meat was reportedly sourced from sick and dead animals and was being processed for distribution in the city.

Reports citing the PFA spokesperson added that the expired meat had been stored in a cold storage facility. Authorities raided the site following complaints of foul odour and unhygienic conditions. The meat had been transported from nearby rural areas and was allegedly intended for supply to various hotels.

DG Asim Javed said, “The spoiled meat was about to be supplied to different hotels, but timely action prevented a major public health crisis.” He confirmed that all the seized meat was destroyed on the spot.

Legal action has been initiated against the arrested suspects. The Food Authority has urged the public to report any suspicious meat-related activities to help safeguard public health.

A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Thursday awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment to 108 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers for their involvement in the May 9 riots.

As per the details, the court sentenced leader of the opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Omar Ayub Khan, Senator Shibli Faraz, senior PTI leader Zartaj Gul and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza while acquitting former federal minister for information Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi and ex-provincial minister Khayal Ahmad Kastro in the same case.

Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Junaid Afzal Sahi with a three-year-imprisonment was also among the 108 convicts out of the total 185 accused of violent protests that erupted across the country following the arrest of former prime minister (PM) Imran Khan in 2023.

The unrest included attacks on public property and military installations, such as the Corps Commander House in Lahore, also known as Jinnah House.

Last week, an ATC in Lahore also sentenced several PTI leaders, including Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mehmood Ur Rasheed, to 10 years in prison in connection with the May 9 violence case.

 
Ex-Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and Afzal Azeem Pahat were also sentenced by the court.

 
It merits a mention that a court had earlier acquitted former foreign minister and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the same case as he was in Karachi on the day of the incident. Others acquitted in the case include Hamza Azeem Pahat, Rana Tanveer and Aizaz Rafiq.

Pakistan has successfully launched a state-of-the-art remote sensing satellite into orbit on Thursday, marking a major milestone in the country’s space program.

The launch took place at 7:38 am Pakistan Standard Time from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, with senior officials from the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) present at the site.

The event was broadcast live from SUPARCO’s headquarters in Karachi, highlighting the national importance of the achievement.

Equipped with advanced electro-optical and hyperspectral sensors, the satellite is designed to provide real-time data for a wide range of applications including disaster prediction, agricultural assessment, environmental monitoring, and urban development.

“This is a landmark achievement in Pakistan’s space journey,” said the Director General of SPARC, calling the launch a “major breakthrough” that will support national development and improve disaster resilience. “It will not only help us in effective disaster management but also in food security, infrastructure planning and climate response.”

Officials say the satellite will significantly enhance the country’s ability to issue early warnings for natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and landslides, which have long impacted communities and infrastructure. The satellite’s monitoring capabilities are also expected to play a critical role in addressing food security challenges by providing accurate crop data amid shifting climate conditions.

Additionally, the satellite will be used to track infrastructure development, particularly projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), offering a more detailed and real-time overview of ongoing progress and compliance.

This mission builds on Pakistan’s previous advancements in space technology. In 2018, the country launched its first remote sensing satellite, PRSS-1, alongside the Pakistan Technology Evaluation Satellite (PakTES-1A). These missions laid the foundation for more sophisticated satellite launches, including the recent EO-1 electro-optical satellite, which expanded Pakistan’s presence in low Earth orbit.

The latest launch is seen as a significant step forward in utilizing space technology for national development and regional collaboration.

Over 20,000 girls have benefited from the scholarship since 2013

The British Council, in partnership with the Scottish Government, has launched the 10-Year Impact Evaluation Country Report of the Scotland Pakistan Scholarships for Young Women and Girls, highlighting the transformative power of education in the lives of over 20,000 girls and young women across Pakistan.

Since its inception in 2013, the programme has supported more than 18,000 girls at the school level and 2,000 at the university level, helping them overcome financial, social, and cultural barriers to education. Designed to reach some of the most underserved communities—including girls from religious minorities, persons with disabilities, and rural and remote areas—the programme has had a far-reaching impact on access, retention, confidence, and ultimately, workforce participation.

Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan, Chairman Prime Ministers Youth Program said:

“The 10-Year Evaluation Report of the Scotland Pakistan Scholarships for Young Women and Girls highlights a decade of transformative progress. This initiative, in collaboration with the Scottish Government, has significantly expanded educational opportunities for underprivileged girls across Pakistan, paving the way for a more inclusive and empowered future.”

James Hampson, Country Director at the British Council Pakistan, said:

“This initiative, generously supported and funded by the Scottish Government, has always been about far more than just funding education. It’s about opening doors, unlocking potential, and sending a powerful message to every girl: you matter, and your dreams are worth backing. The incredible scale of this program, reaching more than 20,000 girls and young women across Pakistan, demonstrates the profound impact we have achieved. When we invest in girls, we don’t just change their future—we change entire communities.”

 

The evaluation, conducted using a mixed-methods approach, reveals that:

●        the scholarships have significantly increased enrolment and retention rates, reduced financial stress on families, and led to measurable gains in self-confidence and academic performance.

●        Among school-level beneficiaries, 87% of parents reported that the scholarship eased financial pressure, while 95% saw improved confidence and performance in their daughters.

●        At the university level, 73% of recipients said they would not have been able to continue their studies without the scholarship, while nearly 50% of eligible graduates are now in the workforce, many in socially critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and research.

 

James McNulty, Inclusive Education Lead (International Development) at the Scottish Government, added:

 

“Gender equality and inclusive education are at the heart of Scotland’s international development priorities. We are proud to have partnered with the British Council to deliver this impactful programme, and this evaluation shows that our investment is enabling lasting change—empowering young women in Pakistan to overcome barriers, pursue opportunity, and lead their communities forward.”

 

The report also highlights powerful individual stories: from a young woman in Gilgit-Baltistan who became a gold medallist despite growing up in poverty, to a nurse in Karachi who rose to become a university lecturer, and a deaf student in Sindh overcoming systemic challenges through scholarship support. To read the complete report please visit https://bit.ly/3Gqpk0y .

As Pakistan continues to face significant gender disparities in education and employment, the Scotland Pakistan Scholarships for Young Women and Girls stands as a proven model for inclusive, sustainable, and life-changing support and is an integral part of the British Council’s mission to provide women the platforms that will enable them to become leaders and changemakers for a more prosperous Pakistan.

 

 Notes to the Editor

 About the British Council

 The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

www.britishcouncil.org

The Saudi Tourism Authority has praised Saudi-based Pakistani tourist Kashan Syed for discovering remote, lesser-known natural sites in the country’s farthest reaches.

Syed, founder of the Saudi Tourism Group, has been exploring the country for the last twenty years. His work has now been acknowledged globally, as the authority has given coverage to his efforts on geography and history channels, WeNews reported on Tuesday.

Recently, he visited the Jazala area of Jo-Ghawiyah city along with his team of 20 vehicles. The area, located nearly 190 kilometres from Riyadh, offers breathtaking views ranging from natural rock formations and mountain ranges to shapes resembling humans and animals, carved over time by weather effects.

These rock formations, naturally shaped over thousands of years through rain, sun, and wind, have created mesmerising and mysterious views that leave people in awe.

Syed told WeNews that he has been exploring such hidden places, often missing from tourist maps, for the last two decades. His team promotes tourism by using modern techniques such as Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, documentation, photography, videos, and location surveys.

His mission is to showcase Saudi Arabia’s natural beauty, geographical diversity, and historical heritage to the world, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to develop tourism as one of the major industries.

This unique initiative by the Saudi Tourism Group is not only contributing to the growth of tourism in Saudi Arabia but also positively representing the Pakistani community.

According to a Gallup survey, 75% of people claim not to read books at all. Mind you, this survey is from 2019 and by 2025, the figure has likely deteriorated even further; social media has drastically decimated our attention spans. A book, being a far more demanding form of engagement, often feels too formidable. People now struggle to read even a full 1,000 words op-ed, let alone something verbose. Many skim through posts on X, LinkedIn, or even long WhatsApp messages. And for those who do feel the urge to read, they’re often left perplexed: what should they read?

And that’s where book reviews come in: book reviews offer several valuable benefits for readers, writers, and the broader literary community. They help readers make informed decisions by summarizing a book’s content, style, and strengths or weaknesses, ultimately saving time and guiding personal preferences. Albeit, it is not a replacement of the whole corpus at all.

Publisher: Folio Books

Author: Ammar Ali Qureshi

Pages: 228

Price: Rs 950/-

Reviews also deepen understanding by unpacking complex themes, symbolism, or context that casual readers might overlook. Additionally, they encourage critical thinking and discussion, as they often present arguments and interpretations that spark dialogue. Overall, they enrich the reading experience and foster a thoughtful culture of engagement with books. And the impending book under discussion does all of this and more.

Ammar Ali Qureshi’s Views and Reviews is a compilation of articles written across five cities spanning three continents over the past 15 years. One might call it a ‘labour of love’—a testament to his deep affection for books, inherited from his parents, both students of history, who allowed him to devour every book in their home. Even today, the library he has posted online reflects this passion, curated with care and brimming with crème de la crème titles.

The idea of writing these pieces draws inspiration from A.J.P. Taylor, the most popular and provocative British historian of the 20th century, who authored around 1,600 book reviews. This book, of course, is much slimmer compared to Taylor’s prolific output, yet it spans a wide range of subjects: history, politics, the economy and governance structures, nationalism, notable personalities, poetry, and more.

One striking piece, included in the first section, covers the exiled prince I had never heard of before, Maharaja Daleep Singh, son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The author’s review captures the deep melancholy of the story: the fall of one of the fiercest and most formidable reigns faced by the British, stretching from 1799 to 1849—from the southern districts of Punjab to Afghanistan and Kashmir. Ranjit Singh’s feat was a remarkable historical achievement.

The loss of this indigenous Punjabi kingdom, the confiscation of the Koh-i-Noor, Daleep’s dethronement at the age of ten, his coerced conversion to Christianity, his exile to England, and eventually his re-embrace of Sikhism, these form a profoundly tragic arc. He died penniless in a Paris hotel room, carrying the burdens of resentment and betrayal to the very end. The first section of the book, “Historical Perspectives on Punjab,” reads like a lament from a son mourning his lost mother, Punjab.

The second section turns to Pakistan. Among the essays, Pakistan and Iran: Neighbours of Many Surprises and Pakistan’s Middle Class and Islam particularly caught my attention. The former explores how Iran, under the Shah, was the first foreign head of state to visit Pakistan in 1950, became its largest bilateral donor—providing $800 million in loans and credit in the 1970s—supported Pakistan in the 1965 and 1971 wars, and yet, today, we face off against each other at a tense border.

The latter explores the rise of the new middle class, based on Dr Ammara Maqsood’s book The New Pakistani Middle Class. It focuses on how this class is more inclined toward a globalized form of Islam—seen as a legacy of Zia-ul-Haq and practiced by many Muslims in the West—rather than Wahhabism. However, Ammar points out the frequent conflation between the two, especially given the influence of Saudi funding. This stands in contrast to the older middle class, which projected a softer image of Pakistan.

In the third section, the article on Iqbal, “Iqbal — Love Letter to Persia,” reveals his (Iqbal’s) deep love for Persia: the language (of over 12,000 verses he composed, around 7,000 are in Persian), and Persian history especially the Persian conquest, which he considered most significant in the history of Islam, as reflected in his doctoral thesis. Iqbal’s admiration was reciprocated by prominent Persians, including Iran’s poet laureate Mohammad-Taqi Bahar, Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, and influential figures like Ali Shariati (the ideologue of the Iranian Revolution) and Ali Khamenei (Supreme Leader of Iran).

Ammar quotes, “Although the language of Hind is sweet as sugar / Yet sweeter is the fashion of Persian speech / My mind was enchanted by its loveliness / My pen became a twig of the Burning Bush / Because of the loftiness of my thoughts / Persian alone is suitable to them.”

The fourth section focuses on governance, particularly how corruption and the absence of a robust justice system fuel crony capitalism, weaken public service delivery, stifle economic growth, hinder innovation, crowd out investment, erode public trust, nudge religious extremism and reinforce elitism, among other consequences.

The fifth section, focused on personalities and memoirs, features intriguing pieces on figures such as Karl Marx—described as a “Prophet of Revolutions”—and Nur Jahan, the only Mughal queen to have her name inscribed on coins, who effectively ruled Jahangir’s empire for 15 of his 21 years on the throne. It explores the enduring influence of their legacies and the lessons they continue to offer, even after centuries. He quotes Robert Heilbroner from his book The Worldly Philosophers: “We turn to Marx, therefore, not because he is infallible, but because he is inescapable.”

The sixth section shifts to global history, touching upon the rise and fall of Eastern and Western powers, the miscalculations of the Afghan war, Robert Fisk’s life amidst global upheavals, Obama’s diplomatic failures, the rise of Trump, and much more. But I’ll stop here, I wouldn’t want to spoil it by revealing everything in it.

What elevates Ammar’s work is that his reviews are not mere summaries. He weaves history, politics, identity, and contemporary relevance into his analysis. He doesn’t shy away from highlighting contradictions or calling for critical engagement. His essays are not just about books, but about how to read, how to wrestle with ideas, how to cherish curiosity, and how to think.

In an age of vanishing attention spans, Views and Reviews is not only a literary respite, it is a call to return to depth, nuance, and the quiet joy of thoughtful reading.