Editorial

Despite austerity measures in discretionary spending and slashing the Public Sector Development Programme, budget deficit has jumped to Rs. 1.6 trillion equal to 4.2 percent of the total size of the economy. The revenue shortfall has reached to Rs.420 billion and will further increase in the remaining months of the current fiscal year. Vacating its…

Addressing a gathering in South Waziristan Prime Minister Imran Kjhan made a very ambitious announcement of Rs.100 billion yearly allocations for the execution of projects of socio-economic uplift in merged tribal districts. The announcement seems premature as in the recent meetings of Ninth Finance Commission the federating units have not yet agreed to allocate 3…

A deliberate but discrete policy decision was taken by the elected government in 1973to degenerate the quality of education from elementary to secondary level. Carrying on system of promotion of students irrespective of their scores in annual examinations was implemented. Pass secondary school certificates used to be issue by the schools and Boards of Intermediate…

Prime Minister Imran in his visit of Iran met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and discussed the matters of cross border terrorism, bilateral trade and prospect of completion of Pakistan-Iran gas pipl.ine. The visit took place in the aftermath of Ormara terror attack, the responsibility of which has been accepted by an alliance of Baloch terrorist…

Giving a brief about the core points of the Prime Minister address to a meeting at Banigala, Special  Assistant on Information and Broadcasting, Firdous Asiq Awan said that new team of cabinet has been tasked to control high prices spiral. About the rational of changing the finance minister, she clarified the former minster was not…

In parliamentary form of government cabinet reshuffles or resignations of high profile ministers on differences with party leadership on political issues are regarded as routine matters. In the mother of democracies the UK sometimes major reshuffle have occurred in the governments of both political parties. But in Pakistan the opposition parties have overreacted to minor…

Whereas the agriculture sector plunged into crisis some 30 years ago, it reached to crescendo when Agriculture Ministry was devolved to provinces under 18th Amendment as the provinces slashed its budget by 60 percent despite the transfer 57 percent resources from center to the federating units under 7th National Finance Commission Award. The financial resources…

The memories of extreme grief and outrage were still fresh in the minds of people about the Hazargangi Quetta vegetable market attack that another soul searing and blood curdling incident of terrorism occurred in the restive province of Baluchistan. Two dozens unidentified assailants, who were wearing clothes that resembled FC uniform, picked out 16 people…

While giving briefing to journalists after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Federal Information Minister Fawad Hussain Chaudhry disclosed that Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has been authorized to investigate money laundering related charges. Up till now the matter was within the purview of Federal Investigation Agency which also conducted crackdown to curb money laundering through Hundi…

An intelligence based joint anti-terrorist operation was conducted by Peshawar Police and personnel of Special Service Group of Army in Phase-7 of posh Hayatabad Township. It lasted for 17 hours in a densely populated street. In the gun battle between the terrorists and security forces a police Assistant Sub-Inspector Qamar Alam was martyred and five…