Infinity Social Updates

ON Dec 18, the cash-strapped government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tabled the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 before the National Assembly, proposing sweeping changes in existing income and sales tax laws aimed at tightening the noose around tax dodgers — individuals and businesses both — by making it difficult for them to spend their illicit money. This is the most significant action that the government is implementing ostensibly to punish tax dodgers, improve compliance and enforcement to ensure that everyone pays tax according to their income and consumption level, as well as to complete the value chain of businesses to raise the nation’s abysmally low tax-to-GDP ratio of below 10 per cent to 13pc in the next three years to meet one of the core goals of the ongoing IMF $7 billion bailout loan . Its immediate purpose is to pull off the tax target of nearly Rs13 trillion for the present fiscal year, which the FBR is struggling to keep pace with due to a collection shortfall of...

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday said that “nothing was seen” in the negotiations taking place between PTI and the government. The PTI yesterday sought more time from the government to consult party founder Imran Khan on the final negotiation agenda, ahead of the third meeting scheduled for next week. The first meeting between committees representing the government and the opposition PTI took place on Dec 23, kicking off long-anticipated talks between the rival parties to defuse prevailing political tensions. Sources had said that the PTI had decided to limit itself to two initial demands in yesterday’s talks; the release of under-trial political prisoners and the formation of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9, 2023 and Nov 26. Background discussions with party leaders revealed that it was annoyed by the “illogical and absurd statements” about the talks, being issued by government ministers, and wanted the ruling party to review its “non...

Federal Minister for Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir Affairs and States and Frontier Regions, Amir Muqam, on Friday strongly criticised PTI founder Imran Khan, stating that he “prioritises self-defence over the country’s interests”, questioning his commitment to the nation’s well-being. Since Imran’s incarceration last year in several cases, PTI’s relations with the government and the establishment have deteriorated sharply, marked by protests that frequently escalated into violence amid state repression . Following the turmoil, Imran established a five-member committee to hold talks with “anyone,” signalling a shift in PTI lawmakers’ stance in parliament. In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also formed a committee with ruling coalition members . The first meeting between the two sides took place on December 23, while the second one occurred yesterday (Jan 2). So far, the two sides have not made significant headway, as the PTI leadership sought frequent meetings with Imran ...

Pakistan navy ships visited Port Bandar Abbas, Iran during an overseas deployment to the Arabian Gulf, according to a press release from the Pakistan Navy issued on Thursday. Iran and Pakistan have a history of close ties, particularly in military cooperation. Earlier collaborations include defence agreements aimed at combatting terrorism, increasing border security and promoting regional peace. “During an overseas deployment to the Arabian Gulf, Pakistan Navy (PN) ships RASADGAR and AZMAT, along with Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) ship DASHT, visited Port Bandar Abbas, Iran,” the statement said. Earlier, Iranian Consul General Hassan Darwishvand expressed Tehran’s goal of increasing trade between Pakistan and Iran to $10 billion , emphasising the need for cooperation. “In a significant move to boost bilateral defence relations, Pakistan Navy (PN) ships RASADGAR and AZMAT, accompanied by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) ship DASHT, visited Iran’s Port Bandar...

Twenty-seven migrants, including women and children, died after two boats capsized off central Tunisia, with 83 people rescued, a civil defence official told AFP on Thursday. The rescued and dead passengers, who were found off the Kerkennah Islands off central Tunisia, were aiming to reach Europe and were all from sub-Saharan African countries, said Zied Sdiri, head of civil defence in the city of Sfax. According to the Tunisian National Guard, which oversees the coastguard, searches were still underway for other possible missing passengers. Tunisia is a key departure point for irregular migrants seeking to reach Europe with Italy, whose island of Lampedusa is only 150 kilometres from Tunisia, often their first port of call. Each year, tens of thousands of people attempt the perilous Mediterranean crossing, which has seen a spate of recent shipwrecks, with the dangers exacerbated by bad weather. On December 18, at least 20 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa died in a shipwreck off ...

Bulls continued to dominate the trade floor on Thursday at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) as shares increased by more than 100 points amid mixed economic indicators . The benchmark KSE-100 index increased by 234.14 points, or 0.2pc, to stand at 117,242.22 points from the previous close of 117,008.08 points at 3:19pm. Finally, the index closed at 117,119.65, up by 111.57 or 0.1pc, from the last close. Yousuf M. Farooq, research director at Chase Securities, said, “The market is jittery today due to higher-than-expected trade deficit numbers. “Some participants suggest that the decline in interest rates might slow in the coming months, as the central bank may prioritise addressing external account concerns,” he highlighted. He noted that a “significant current account surplus could pave the way for lower rates over the next year”. However, he cautioned if high import volumes persist, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) “could face limited room” for a further cut in interest rate...

2024 has been an eventful year for Pakistan. We have seen a few successes — including an IMF deal and the return of macroeconomic stability, for now — and perhaps a greater number of setbacks, including continued political instability, democratic backsliding, and a worsening security situation. The country faces formidable challenges in 2025. Here are five major issues that it will need to confront head on in the new year: A growing, multi-front security threat As many as 575 civilians were killed in 752 terror attacks in Pakistan in 2024, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, both numbers higher than any year since 2015. Moreover, 383 security forces personnel were killed in these attacks as well as other operations, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry. This December 16 marked 10 years since the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar, which claimed the lives of 147 people, including over 1...

GUJRAT: In a major crackdown on human trafficking networks, the Federal Investigation Agency Gujrat circle claimed to have arrested a “most wanted trafficker” whose name was included in the red book for being involved in sending the victims of 2023 boat capsize tragedy off the Libyan Coast. Moreover, the FIA Gujranwala Zone have also arrested at least two other human traffickers in different raids. A senior official of FIA Gujrat circle told Dawn that the notorious human trafficker Imran Hussain Allias Mani s/o Qurban Hussain, r/o Gujrat was apprehended during a raid in Gujrat. The accused, he said, was wanted in multiple cases, registered under FIR numbers 171/23, 177/23, 224/23, 227/23, 238/23 and 240/23 u/s 17/22 EO 1979 and 3/6 PSMA 2018 at FIA Crime circle Gujrat and the name of accused was included in Red Book 2023 as “most wanted trafficker”. In 2023, the accused, along with his co-accused persons, illegally extorted Rs2.4 million from each of six Pakistani nationals inten...