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Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi passes away in Lahore

By
Shafek Koreshe
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ISLAMABAD, Nov 19 (APP): APP Digital NewsAllama Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the leader of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan breathed his last Thursday night at Lahore, his party announced. He was 55.

No reason for his death was given. His party officials said he was rushed to a hospital after he had problem breathing and had fever for past few days. However he was pronounced dead when he arrived at the hospital.

Senior TLP leader Syed Inayat-ul-Haq Shah also confirmed the news and asked the TLP workers to proceed to Lahore to participate in his last rites. The Tehreek-e-Labbaik announced that his funeral would be held on Saturday at 10 in the morning at Minar-e-Pakistan.

Videos on several social media accounts showed large number of his followers rushing to his home and crying over his sad demise.

The fire brand clerk was known for his protest marches, that often became violent and created law and order problems. His last protest was relatively shorter at Faizabad and ended only after a two day blockade of the twin cities on Monday.

Immediately after the confirmation of the news condolences poured in from all sections of society; including the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, Information Minister, Chief of Army Staff, Chief Minister Punjab and political leaders of many parties.

Prime Minister Imran Khan in a tweet expressed his grief over the sad demise of Allama Khadim Rizvi and conveyed condolences to his family.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa also conveyed his condolences over the demise of the TLP leader.

 

Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information in Punjab also expressed grief over his sad demise.

Amir Jamat Islami also expressed his grief and prayed to Allah Almighty to bless the departed soul.

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s consistent stance on Kashmir

By
Shafek Koreshe
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Prime Minister Imran Khan’s stance on Kashmir at international fora to highlight gruesome human rights violations by India

 

Indian media’s fake “civil war” in Pakistan, falls flat on face

By
Shafek Koreshe
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0
APP Digital Small logo
By Shafek Koreshe

In an abortive attempt to create diversion from Narendra Modi’s human rights abuses in Kashmir, the Indian media went berserk by propagating fake news about a “civil war” like situation in Karachi, triggering a hilarious response from the twitterati in Pakistan, who enjoyed every bit of the ridiculous reports.

#CivilWarInPakistan and #KarachiCivilWar were in no time the top trends, with the young twitter users going crazy by posting video clips from action movies, comics, images of the Indian MiG pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, shot down by Pakistan Air Force inside Pakistan’s territory, as scenes from the Civil War, getting an equally enthusiastic response with numerous retweets and likes.

The arrest of PML-N leader Captain (Retd) Safdar on charges of political sloganeering at Quaid’s Mausoleum and leave applications by senior police officers was exploited by the top Indian news channels, who portrayed an administrative issue as a “civil war” and went to the extent of even reporting casualties, and armed clashes.

Indian Media ditches professionalism to dip at to its lowest 

#FakeNews CNN18News
#FakeNews CNN18News

The news reports were part of a persistent barrage of fake news from Indian mainstream media and its RAW controlled assets on social media over the past few months. The trend has witnessed a sharp spike as part of India’s fifth generation war (5GW) against Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office on the “malicious and fabricated propaganda” by Indian mainstream and social media claiming civil unrest in Pakistan, said planting such baseless stories were reflective of the “Pakistan-obsessed BJP-RSS” mindset.

“Needless to say that Indian media continues to hit new lows,” he said, when asked to respond over the series of fake news flashed as breaking news across the Indian media about a “civil war in Pakistan”.

“Indian media continues to hit new lows”: FO

The Spokesperson said through “peddling fake news and running propaganda machinery”, India could not wash away the truth about its own gross and systematic human rights violations in Indian Ilelgally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

“Rather than reporting on humanitarian crisis in IIOJK, the Indian media chooses to spread fake and sensational news about Pakistan to detract from core issues,” he said.

5th Gen War – Twitterati bust RAW’s #Fake letter attributed to COAS

 

#FakeNews - Yet another figment of imagination of Indian Media
#FakeNews – Yet another figment of imagination of Indian Media

The Indian media tried hard to appease its own consumers and to create a diversion from its human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir. However in its abortive attempt it created history by churning out fake news overpowered by the anti-Pakistan hysteria, undermining its professional ethics and credibility.

#FakeNews - India Today with its concocted news story
#FakeNews – India Today with its concocted news story

The unleashing of the Indian media did not go unnoticed, as Michael Kugelman, deputy director at the @AsiaProgram and South Asia senior associate @TheWilsonCenter in a tweet pointed that the Indian disinformation accounts were exploiting Pakistan’s current political crisis, and “falsely claiming that the country is no experiencing urban warfare.”

He described the trend as “dangerous and disturbing”, as several of these accounts were verified and had huge followings.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari said the Indian media was in “hyper drive with fake news on Pakistan” and regretted that it was “unfortunate that Twitter is [deliberately ignoring it].”

All major media outlets in so-called world’s biggest democracy decimated all journalistic norms as none bothered to fact-check such a huge gaffe. India’s News18, India Today, Zee News, India.com and several others quoted the International Herald which showed old videos of bomb explosions in Pakistan and portrayed it as the ongoing civil war.

#FakeNews - Indian International Herald tweet
#FakeNews – Indian International Herald tweet

The Institute of Policy Research in a report said their data indicates a pattern of Indian propaganda against Pakistan on digital media that grew exponentially after 2018 General Elections in #Pakistan. The propaganda hovers around largely 4 key themes.

IPRI Timeline of Indian Propaganda
IPRI Timeline of Indian Propaganda

Minister for Ports and Shipping pointed that the Indian propaganda was at its peak and “sadly fueled by the PDM Circus.” He said the food inflation was artificially manufactured, but was being brought under control.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs also lambasted the “fake, fabricated and malicious propaganda campaign to malign State institutions of Pakistan. He urged @Twitter to take action against Indian accounts for #FakeNews against Paksitan.

However, this idiocy of Indian media gave the Twitterati a perfect chance to enjoy as the microblogging site was flooded with messages to ridicule the Indian media’s insanity.

“Karachi civil war has gotten so bad that my food panda delivery boy had to crawl through mine fields carrying his AK47, RPG & 9mm along with my nihari and Biryani. This thing is getting so serious. Multiple cows have been killed & people are dying of over eating. #IndianMedia,” commented renowned singer Fakhr-e-Alam.

Besides numerous other fake photos, the Indian media also used an image of a building collapsed following a gas leakage blast in Karachi earlier in the day to substantiate its fake news of civil war.

“A little investigation would have informed Zee News that it wasn’t a bomb blast in ‘civil war’ in Pakistan but the result of a  gas leak in Karachi. Whither truth, objectivity, balance and fairness in reporting?,” said Farhatullah Babr, former senator of Pakistan Peoples Party which rules Sindh province.

“An Aircraft shot during civil war in Karachi… and the pilot captured…,” commented another Twitter user Fasihuddin while sharing the images of Indian aircraft MiG-21 and captured injured pilot Abhinandan following an aerial dogfight during India-Pakistan standoff in 2019.

President pays tribute to Benazir Bhutto on 36th anniversary of democracy’s restoration

By
Ishtiaq Rao
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 2 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday paid tribute to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on the 36th anniversary of her oath-taking as Prime Minister of Pakistan on December 2, 1988 – the day she also became the first elected female head of government in the Islamic world at the age of 35.

The president, in a commemorative message, said, “Today, 36 years ago, after eleven years of martial law and dictatorship, democratic government was restored in Pakistan.”

He said that the journey of the restoration of democracy began under the leadership of 35-year-old Benazir Bhutto.

“That day gave the nation a fresh ray of hope and delivered a powerful message to women and the youth that their dreams of participation in the political process could be realised,” he remarked.

President Zardari said that by becoming Pakistan’s youngest prime minister, Benazir Bhutto strengthened the resolve for people’s government, democracy, and equality.

Tarar stresses multi-pronged strategy to curb population explosion

By
Samina Ch
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 02 (APP):Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday urged a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy to address Pakistan’s surging population, calling for coordinated cross-sector efforts and intensified public awareness campaigns to curb the explosion in growth.
Speaking at the Population Summit 2025, Tarar underscored the importance of engaging Ulema and parliamentarians in shaping the discourse, stressing that religious leaders can play a crucial role in affirming that faith is not a barrier to addressing unchecked population growth.
He underscored the importance of promoting family harmony and safeguarding the rights of mothers, fathers, and children.
Tarar proposed the formation of a joint working group focused on education and awareness,while urging summit organizers to issue a charter that highlights Parliament’s pivotal role.
Inside the House, he noted that lawmakers—particularly the women’s caucus—can be engaged to spur debate in Parliament, guiding discussions toward plausible solutions and steering them toward concrete outcomes.
Highlighting maternal health as a pressing concern, Tarar described the high number of maternal deaths as “criminal negligence,” stressing collective responsibility to protect mothers’ lives.
He warned that infant mortality—now at 50 deaths per 1,000 live births according to UNICEF—must be addressed to resolve broader maternal health challenges.
Tarar also drew attention to neglected issues such as postpartum depression and mental health, calling for recognition of their impact on maternal and child well-being. He noted that while economic constraints limit resources, awareness and responsibility remain paramount.
Pointing to Pakistan’s low female workforce participation compared to regional countries, Tarar urged greater efforts to empower women. He warned that population pressures undermine the most basic human right—the right to life—by sidelining maternal health in a male-dominated society.
He lauded Dawn Media Group for hosting the summit, saying it provided the government an opportunity to acknowledge shortcomings. Raising awareness, he stressed, is a shared responsibility of ulema, government, health organizations, media, civil society, lawyers, and journalists.
Tarar cautioned that Pakistan’s annual population surge—equal to New Zealand’s entire population—is being overshadowed by worsening health indicators. Without parallel investment in healthcare, he warned, unchecked growth is costing the nation countless young lives.

Two suspects involved in organized motorcycle theft arrested

By
Samina Ch
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0
PESHAWAR, Dec 02 (APP):The city police on Tuesday arrested two suspects allegedly involved in motorcycle lifting cases.
Peshawar police spokesman said West Police Station carried out a successful operation and arrested two suspects involved in organized motorcycle-lifting incidents, recovering the stolen motorcycles.
Under special directives from senior officers, operations across the district have been intensified against suspects involved in motorcycle lifting and other crimes to maintain law and order.
During these efforts, SHO West Police Station Faheem Shah Khan, along with other police personnel, traced and arrested an organized group involved in motorcycle theft.
The arrested suspects include Tayyab Ahmed, Munir Ahmed, Salman son of Habibullah, and Ayaz alias Babu son of Muhammad Yaqoob.
The suspects are residents of various areas of peshawar and were allegedly involved in stealing motorcycles from sensitive locations within the Cantt area. They were also involved in selling the stolen motorcycles at very low prices.
Complainants Aziz Abid, Zahid, and Abid Baz had filed motorcycle theft reports with the West Police, upon which cases were registered and investigations were initiated.
Through modern scientific investigation methods, the police traced and arrested the group involved. During the initial interrogation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in motorcycle-lifting incidents.
During the operation, the police recovered the stolen motorcycles as well as hundreds of thousands of rupees earned from selling stolen motorcycles.
Similarly, a large quantity of ice (crystal meth) worth hundreds of thousands of rupees was also recovered from their possession. Further investigation from all suspects is underway.

Court awards life imprisonment sentence in murder case

By
Samina Ch
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SARGODHA, Dec 02 (APP):Additional District and Sessions Judge(AD&SJ) Shakeel Ahmad Sipra on Tuesday awarded the life imprisonment to two man convicted in murder case of Kotmomin police station.
According to a press release issued by DPO office,the accused,identified as Iftikhar Ahmad and Tariq Mumtaz had killed Mudassar Shahzad,Manazar Ali and Muhammad Javed over a minor issue.
After hearing arguments and examining the evidence,the court found the both accused guilty and sentenced them life imprisonment , along with a fine of Rs.1 million each.
District Police Officer (DPO) Sargodha,Muhammad Sohaib Ashraf said that the convicted individuals were awarded exemplary punishment due to sound evidence and diligent follow-up by police teams.

Pak-Italy trade witnesses over 36% surplus in 4 months

By
Samina Ch
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 2 (APP):Pakistan’s goods and services trade with Italy witnessed a surplus of 36.14 percent during the first four months of the current fiscal year (2025-26) as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
Trade surplus during the months under review was recorded at $280.844 million against $206.288 million last year, showing 36.14 percent growth.
The overall exports to Italy were recorded at US $431.017 million during July-October this year against exports of US $395.153 million during the same months last year, showing an increase of 9.07 percent, SBP data revealed.
Meanwhile, on a year-on-year basis, exports to Italy during October 2025 increased by 6.49 percent from US $ 98.334 million to US $ 104.718 million.
Month-on-month exports to Italy dipped by 5.46 percent during October 2025 as compared with exports of US $ 110.777 million in September 2025, the SBP data said.
Overall Pakistan’s exports to all countries witnessed an increase of 1.97 percent in four months, from US $10.424 billion to US $10.630 billion, the SBP data said.
On the other hand, imports from Italy during the months under review were recorded at US $150.173 million against US $188.865 million of last year, showing a decrease of 20.48 percent in July-October (2025-26).
Meanwhile, year-on-year imports from Italy during October 2025 increased by 29.57 percent from US $31.285 million last year to US $40.538 million.
On a month-on-month basis, the imports from Italy also increased by 6.35 percent during October 2025 as compared to the import of US $38.117 million in September 2025, SBP data said.
The overall imports increased by 9.62 percent, from US $18.901 billion to US $20.720 million during the period under review.

Balochistan revives 164 Basic Health Units in 20 months: CM Sarfraz Bugti

By
Samina Ch
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QUETTA, Dec 02 (APP):Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti announced on Tuesday that more than 164 previously inactive Basic Health Units (BHUs) across the province have been reactivated over the past 20 months, marking a significant milestone in the government’s health sector reforms.
Sarfraz Bugti said the initiative has expanded access to primary healthcare services, particularly for rural and underserved communities that have long struggled with limited medical facilities.
According to official estimates, the restored BHUs will provide outpatient services to more than 100,000 patients annually, offering immediate and reliable care at the neighborhood and village levels.
In a statement shared on the social media platform X, the Chief Minister linked improved service delivery and governance to broader stability in the province. “Without strengthening service delivery and governance, it is impossible to win the war against terrorism,” he wrote, underscoring the government’s commitment to enhancing institutional effectiveness.
Sarfraz Bugti emphasized that the revival of BHUs reflects the administration’s priorities in uplifting the standard of living for the people of Balochistan.
He assured that similar initiatives will continue, with reforms in healthcare forming part of a larger agenda to strengthen governance and improve public services across the province.

CM Afridi, US Consul General discuss opportunities in trade and investment

By
Samina Ch
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0
PESHAWAR, Dec 02 (APP):Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi on Tuesday held a meeting with US Consul General Thomas Eckert at the Chief Minister’s House, where both sides discussed opportunities in trade, investment, minerals, energy and security cooperation.
The meeting also covered collaboration in counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics efforts. Consul General Eckert stated that trade and investment are key pillars of US foreign policy, adding that promoting economic diplomacy will strengthen overall peace and stability in the region.
Chief Minister Suhail Afridi emphasized that local communities will be given top priority in investment projects.
He assured full facilitation for private investors and highlighted that the rare mineral resources in the newly merged districts would directly benefit local residents.
He further noted that the provincial government is actively working on affordable and clean energy initiatives, which will open up more opportunities for trade and investment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

ANF seizes 26 kg drugs in six operations

By
Samina Ch
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ISLAMABAD, Dec 02 (APP):Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) while conducting six operations across the country apprehended eight accused and recovered 26.13 kg drugs, valued at more than Rs 2.3 million.
According to an ANF spokesman, in an operation near a university on Airport Road, Quetta, 3 kgs hashish and 1000 grams ice were recovered from two accused going on a motorcycle.
The arrested suspects confessed selling drugs to the students of different educational institutions.
At Sialkot Airport, 1.16 kg ice drug was recovered from the shoes of a Sharjah bound passenger.
Near a factory on RCD Road, Hub, 18 kgs hashish was seized from a vehicle and two accused were arrested during the operation.
In 4th operation on Bhakkar Road, D.I. Khan, 2.4 kgs hashish was recovered from an accused.
Near a factory in Islamabad, 105 suspected tablets weighing 71 grams were recovered and an accused was arrested.
In 6th operation near Sangjani Toll Plaza, Islamabad, 500 grams opium was seized from a vehicle and a drug dealer was rounded up.
Cases have been registered against the arrested accused under the CNSA-1997.

Kazakhstan reports 7-fold increase in e-commerce

By
NNPS Desk
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ASTANA, Dec 02 (Kazinform/APP) : Since 2020, the volume of e-commerce in Kazakhstan has increased sevenfold, but still remains below the global average, Qazinform News Agency quotes Ansar Orazgaliyev, Director of the Department for Domestic Trade Development at the Ministry of Trade and Integration, as saying.
According to estimations from international analytical agencies, the global e-commerce market size in 2024 was $6.3 trillion, with e-commerce accounting for 20%. Further growth is projected to reach $6.8-7 trillion in 2025, and in a mid-term outlook, the figure is expected to exceed $8 trillion by 2028.
The speaker says that e-commerce is actively developing in Kazakhstan, becoming an element of daily economic activity. “By the end of 2024, domestic e-commerce volume was 3.2 trillion tenge, or 14.1% of the total retail trade. Overall, the target indicator of 15% of retail trade volume is expected to be reached by the end of the current year. We have set a goal to increase the share of e-commerce in total retail trade to 18.5% by 2029,” said Orazgaliyev at a briefing in the Central Communications Service office.
According to him, the market’s growth potential is already evident. This is driven by the widespread adoption of cashless payments, the development of retail fintech, and internet availability. “We see a noticeable increase in the number of sellers on marketplaces. For example, across different platforms, multiple sellers now compete within a single product listing. This trend is driven by the growing presence of mid-price segment sellers entering marketplaces. Instead of creating their own websites, they prefer to use marketplaces, which allows them to launch faster and gain access to the platform’s resources, such as a customer base and logistics capabilities.
In the future, further growth in the number of sellers is expected, along with the adoption of new tools to gain competitive advantages,” he noted. Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan’s retail e-commerce market reached a record volume of 3,439 billion tenge in 2024, marking a 42% increase compared to the previous year, according to a new report by PwC.

Ahsan urges deeper regional connectivity, proposes four-point cooperation plan at Tian Shan Forum

By
NNPS Desk
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0

ISLAMABAD, Dec 2 (APP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday called for renewed commitment to regional connectivity, economic integration and long-term cooperation among China, Central Asia and South Asia, stressing that “great nations and great cultures do not rise in isolation; they flourish through exchange.”
In his televised address at the Tian Shan Forum on Economic Cooperation in Central Asia, being held in Urumqi (China) from December 2-3, the minister said the region, home to 3.9 billion people, was emerging as a major engine of global growth, with unmatched strategic and economic potential. “This is not a peripheral region. This is the heartland of the world’s future.”
Ahsan said the shifting global economic landscape demanded collective action and a development-centered approach. “Economic strength is moving from the Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific,” he observed, adding “Within our own region, China, Central Asia and South Asia are becoming a new pole of global growth.”
He said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) had revived the ancient spirit of the Silk Road through modern infrastructure, trade and people-to-people linkages. “More than 150 countries are now part of BRI, almost half a million jobs have been created globally and BRI transport corridors are projected to increase global rail income by 2 to 4 percent,” he noted.
Referring specifically to Pakistan, the minister said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was far more than a set of infrastructure schemes. “For Pakistan, CPEC is not just an infrastructure project – it is a strategic development framework built on trust and long-lasting partnership for mutual and regional prosperity,” he added.
The minister highlighted that CPEC had already added 8,000 MW to Pakistan’s national grid, built over 1,000 km of modern highways and motorways, operationalised Gwadar Port, initiated groundwork for special economic zones, and established a digital backbone for future cooperation in information technology and artificial intelligence. “CPEC’s success shows what regional cooperation can achieve when driven by clear purpose and commitment,” he said.
Ahsan underlined that Pakistan was reorienting its strategic paradigm from geopolitics to geoeconomics, with a clear objective to become the “most efficient, reliable and cost-effective connectivity hub” linking Central Asia, China, South Asia, the Middle East and global markets. Gwadar, he noted, offered the shortest maritime route for Central Asian republics, cutting transit time by up to 70 percent.
“Gwadar’s potential is regional, not just national,” he said. “It can become the anchor of a Eurasian supply chain complementing Western China and Central Asia.”
Envisioning a rapidly transforming integrated region, Ahsan said “Imagine a future where goods from Almaty, Bishkek, Dushanbe and Ashgabat reach global markets in days; where joint industrial clusters produce for the world; where energy pipelines, transmission lines and AI research centers create a regional knowledge economy. This future is not a distant dream – it is within our reach.”
To translate this vision into reality, the minister proposed a four-point cooperation framework and time-bound cooperation mechanisms.
First, he called for a joint task force on connectivity and economic integration, supported by harmonised railway and aviation routes, customs digitisation, single-window trading systems and coordinated border procedures. “Such harmonisation would reduce logistics costs by 20–30 percent across Eurasia,” he noted.
Second, he proposed regional special economic zones, jointly developed by Central Asia, Pakistan and China to build shared supply chains, promote manufacturing, encourage Central Asian investment in Gwadar and Karachi, and facilitate industrial cooperation. “Regional SEZs could generate $50–60 billion in industrial output within a decade,” he added.
Third, he suggested an Eurasian Energy and Clean Transition Partnership, focusing on electricity trade via CASA-1000-type grids, gas pipeline connectivity, renewable energy, hydropower collaboration, value chains for critical minerals and climate-resilient infrastructure. “At a time of global energy insecurity, this partnership can anchor stability for decades,” he remarked.
Fourth, Ahsan called for establishing a Digital Silk Road and Future Skills Alliance to promote cooperation in artificial intelligence, FinTech, cybersecurity, e-commerce, smart agriculture and youth innovation. “Our young population must become the architects of tomorrow’s economy,” he emphasised.
Highlighting shared regional challenges, including climate change, technological disruption and development gaps, the minister said no nation could overcome them alone.
He said initiatives like the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, introduced by President Xi Jinping, provided a timely and people-centric framework for joint development. “These approaches deeply resonate with Pakistan’s vision,” he said.
The minister called for collective resolve, saying the 21st century would be shaped not by geography but by leadership and the choices nations make together.
“If we choose connectivity over isolation and cooperation over fragmentation, our region can emerge as the strategic economic center of the world. Pakistan stands ready, committed and optimistic. Together, we can build a future worthy of our rich history and heritage, a future of stability, innovation and shared prosperity,” he remarked.

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