Nearly 180 Saudi pilots, air engineers participate in Pakistan Air Force drill
Nearly 180 Saudi pilots, air engineers participate in Pakistan Air Force drill/node/1833286/pakistan
Nearly 180 Saudi pilots, air engineers participate in Pakistan Air Force drill
Saudi Royal Air Force (RSAF)'s officials walk with Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officials at Mushaf Airbase, Pakistan to participate in 2021 Air Excellence Center Exercise on March 28, 2021. (Photo courtesy: Saudi Press Agency)
ISLAMABAD: A Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) contingent of nearly 180 pilots and air engineering technicians is participating in a two-week drill organized by the Pakistan Air Force, a PAF spokesperson said on Sunday.
The ACES MEET 2021 is an aerial exercise to maximize the combat readiness of participating air forces through air-to-air combat training. The United States Air Force will also participate in the drill.
This photo shared by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense on March 27, 2021, shows Saudi aircraft participating in the Pakistan Air Force ACES MEET 2021 drill. (Photo courtesy: Saudi Ministry of Defense)
The Saudi contingent reached Pakistan on Friday with several Panavia Tornado multirole combat aircraft and the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
"The RSAF total contingent has almost 180 officials which included pilots, aircraft engineers and technicians," the spokesperson told Arab News.
He added that PAF will be using its F-16 and JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.
"Exercise is aimed at promoting inter-operability and creating environment to learn from each other’s experiences," the spokesperson said, adding that it will include Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT), in which pilots undertake air combat exercises against similar aircraft.
"The participation of RSAF with its big contingent is a reaffirmation that both brotherly countries are there with each other and continue to enhance bilateral cooperation and ties."
KARACHI: Analysts, investors and key business chambers on Wednesday broadly welcomed Pakistan’s federal budget for 2025-26 as a “balanced” attempt at fiscal consolidation and economic stimulus, though they raised concerns about the achievability of the government’s ambitious growth target of 4.2 percent and heavy reliance on existing taxpayers.
Presenting the federal budget on Tuesday, the government announced a range of tax reforms, spending priorities, and incentives aimed at maintaining its ongoing $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program while also trying to revive investor sentiment and ease pressure on the salaried class.
“The budget announced by the government yesterday [Tuesday] was pretty much in line with what we were expecting, a balanced budget,” said Sana Tawfik, head of research at Arif Habib Ltd, a major Pakistani financial services company.
“The government tried to ensure that the reforms being undertaken currently are on track and Pakistan continues with the fiscal consolidation phase.”
Tawfik was pointing to several key ongoing fiscal and structural reforms that align with Pakistan’s commitments under the IMF program and broader efforts to stabilize the economy.
These include fiscal consolidation through broadening the tax base, rationalizing subsidies, and phasing out tax exemptions; revenue mobilization though increased taxation on interest income, a phased reduction in the super tax and the removal of certain tax exemptions to improve revenue collection; and debt rationalization by managing debt servicing costs, likely by shifting to more concessional financing and restructuring high-cost debt.
While presenting the budget, the government also maintained it would continue its focus on providing relief to the salaried class and try to strike a balance between austerity with social protections.
This handout photograph taken on June 10, 2025, and released by Pakistan's National Assembly shows Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presenting the 2025–26 fiscal budget at the Parliament House in Islamabad. (AFP)
Tawfik agreed that the government had attempted to strike such a balance between providing relief and raising revenue, citing relief measures for the salaried class in the budget and the phased reduction in super tax.
“The government tried to make sure that we continue with the reforms that we have undertaken in the recent past, while ensuring that we meet the targets set for the upcoming fiscal year,” Tawfik said.
UNREALISTIC GROWTH TARGET?
However, Tawfik was skeptical of the government’s 4.2 percent GDP growth target, calling it “unrealistic” in the current economic context.
“Agriculture has been underperforming, and industries have not been performing due to the high cost of doing business. While we have seen interest rates coming down, agriculture would be the key sector to look forward to,” she said.
Arif Habib Ltd. has forecast GDP growth of around 3.6 percent for FY26, below the government’s target.
Tawfik also noted that while the government had projected inflation at 7.5 percent, her team expected it to be slightly lower, around 6 percent to 6.5 percent, although risks remained from global commodity prices, exchange rate pressures and the fading base effect.
She also flagged a projected current account deficit for FY26, in contrast to a surplus of $1.5 billion expected this fiscal year, citing pent-up demand and increased imports.
Muhammad Waqas Ghani, head of research at JS Global Capital Ltd., echoed the sentiment that the budget was more “measured” compared to previous years.
“In the last two years, we’ve seen very strict budgets. This time, the government has been a little lenient. We’ve seen reform measures but also some relaxations,” Ghani said.
He pointed to tax relief for the salaried class and incentives for the construction sector, though he noted that the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) allocation had decreased.
Corporate employees watching television screens as Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presents Pakistan’s $62 billion federal budget for fiscal year 2025–26, in Islamabad on June 10, 2025. (APP)
“There are many allied industries that benefit when we see measures taken for construction,” he said, while noting a less favorable outcome for the auto sector.
Ghani acknowledged the government’s target of a 2.4 percent primary surplus as “optimistic,” but achievable, and described the overall budget as “laying the groundwork” for sustained economic growth.
On the 4.2 percent GDP target, he noted:
“It’s an optimistic target… but with interest rates coming down, we hopefully will see contribution from [agriculture and industrial] segments, and we can get closer to the target.”
STRONG SUPPORT FROM EQUITY MARKETS
While the budget drew applause for investor-friendly policies and efforts toward macroeconomic stability, analysts cautioned that delivery on ambitious fiscal and growth targets remained key to sustaining momentum.
The stock market, however, responded positively from the opening bell.
“As soon as the market started today [Wednesday], it rallied close to 1,400 points,” Ghani said.
“We are in an IMF program and we’re seeing a decent budget this time. All of these things point to the fact that the market is going to reach new heights in the coming months.”
Indeed, despite macroeconomic challenges, the budget drew strong support from equity markets.
“Measures we have seen so far are broadly positive for the stock market,” said Tawfik. “The government kept capital gains tax and dividend income tax unchanged, which the market had feared would be increased.”
Sector-specific measures were seen as favorable for cement, steel, and textile sectors, particularly with subsidies for low-cost housing and removal of sales tax exemptions for certain regions, which levels the playing field for local manufacturers.
“Intraday today, market has gone north of 124,000 points, and we have seen an intraday surge of 2,000 points,” Tawfik said.
DIVIDED BUSINESS COMMUNITY
The reaction from Pakistan’s business chambers, however, was more mixed.
Both the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), and the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), warned that unless structural reforms were implemented and energy costs reduced, the budget may not succeed in spurring industrialization or export growth.
The FPCCI welcomed certain relief measures, particularly for the salaried class and property sector, but flagged concerns about revenue expectations.
“We welcome steps to end harassment of taxpayers,” said Atif Ikram Sheikh, President FPCCI, noting the simplified tax return form as a positive step.
However, he added: “The increase in tax collection target by Rs2,500 billion ($8.8 billion) is unrealistic.”
The FPCCI also expressed disappointment over the absence of support packages for key sectors such as IT, minerals, fishing, and e-commerce.
People walk past the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry building in Karachi on May 4, 2024. (AN Photo/File)
The KCCI, by contrast, issued a harsh critique of the budget, calling it disconnected from ground realities.
“This is a camouflage budget,” said Zubair Motiwala, Chairman of the Businessmen Group (BMG) at KCCI. “There is no meaningful relief for the business community or the common man. Instead of reforms to expand the tax base, the government is squeezing existing taxpayers.”
KCCI President Muhammad Jawed Bilwani added:
“Electricity bills are unaffordable, interest rates are high, and there’s no relief for the industrial sector. Without addressing the cost of doing business, you cannot expect growth or job creation.”
KARACHI: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday underscored the significance of sweeping tariff reforms built into the federal budget, calling them a structural economic shift aimed at making exports more competitive and lowering the cost of importing raw materials to support export-led growth.
The minister highlighted the development during a post-budget press conference after presenting the finance bill in the National Assembly a day earlier. The proposed federal budget for FY2025-26 includes a total outlay of Rs17.57 trillion ($62 billion), while promising a 4.2% growth target and a reduction in the fiscal deficit to 3.9% of GDP.
Aurangzeb told journalists in Islamabad the government had removed additional customs duties on 4,000 out of 7,000 total tariff lines and reduced base customs duties on 2,700 tariff lines. Of these, 2,000 tariff lines are directly linked to raw materials and intermediate goods used by exporters.
“This is a big reform that has not been done over the last 30 years,” he said, adding the objective was to lower production costs for exporters and enable them to better compete in international markets.
“We are going to fundamentally change the DNA of the economy so that when we go toward growth, we don’t get into a dollar situation, we don’t get into a balance of payments problem,” he said. “We can continue to grow at a certain pace, which is export-led.”
Defending the reforms against criticism that they may lower revenue, the minister argued the long-term gains for the export sector outweigh short-term fiscal concerns.
“If we want an export-led economy, these are the steps we must take,” he added.
Aurangzeb also emphasized new legislation and enforcement tools, saying they were going to be key in plugging leaks and ensuring compliance.
“We have laws and taxes,” he said, “but without enforcement, they don’t work — and that’s what we’re focused on this year.”
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will meet United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during an official visit to the Gulf state tomorrow, with discussions expected to focus on economic cooperation and recent regional developments, the Pakistani foreign office said on Wednesday.
Sharif’s trip comes amid Pakistan’s deepening ties with Gulf nations, including the UAE, as it strives to revive its economy through export-led growth and foreign investment.
The UAE is Islamabad’s third-largest trading partner and a major investor. It is also home to over a million Pakistani expatriates and has been a critical ally during Islamabad’s recent financial crisis, depositing funds in Pakistan’s central bank to help unlock International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on 12 June 2025,” the foreign office said in a statement.
“Prime Minister Sharif will hold high-level meetings with the UAE leadership, including a bilateral meeting with the President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” it added. “A wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest and concern will be discussed during the high-level interactions.”
The foreign office said the visit reflected the “deep-rooted fraternal ties” between the two countries, marked by “mutual trust, shared values and close cooperation across multiple sectors.”
In January 2024, Pakistan and the UAE signed agreements exceeding $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure.
Last month, Sharif held a phone call with the UAE president in which he expressed satisfaction over growing ties and pledged to transform the relationship into a “mutually beneficial economic partnership.”
During the call, the two leaders also discussed tensions between Pakistan and India that recently escalated into cross-border hostilities involving missile strikes, drones and artillery fire.
Sharif thanked the UAE for its “constructive diplomatic role” in defusing the crisis and said the Gulf nation had “always stood by Pakistan, through thick and thin.”
The UAE is also a strategically favorable destination for Pakistan due to its proximity, minimizing freight costs. The prime minister’s visit is expected to reinforce ongoing economic cooperation and explore new areas of strategic partnership.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday called for greater political inclusion in Iraq ahead of national elections later this year, warning the United Nations that rising regional tensions could undermine the stability of the Arab country.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, praised Iraq’s efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and improve governance.
The UN mission was established in 2003 following the US-led invasion, with a mandate to support Iraq’s political transition, humanitarian coordination and national reconciliation. The mission is set to conclude by the end of 2025, as part of a structured drawdown approved by the Security Council last year.
Ahmed said Islamabad supported Iraq’s progress but remained concerned about the broader security situation in the Middle East, including ongoing conflicts in neighboring states and the risk of Iraq being drawn into regional confrontations.
“Pakistan remains concerned about the volatile regional security environment, which poses a risk to Iraq’s stability,” Ahmad told the Council. “We reiterate our firm support for Iraq’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. It is imperative that Iraq not be drawn into regional confrontations.”
The ambassador encouraged all political stakeholders in Iraq to maintain dialogue and inclusivity as the country prepares for national elections in November, urging them to address institutional gaps and reinforce democratic processes.
He also welcomed Iraq’s recent reforms, including the implementation of the federal budget and successful provincial council elections.
Pakistan also highlighted the need for sustained humanitarian attention, particularly for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and acknowledged Iraq’s progress in enabling voluntary returns and reintegration.
As the UNAMI mission approaches the end of its mandate, Pakistan welcomed transition planning but emphasized that the process must remain “inclusive, coordinated and responsive to Iraq’s national priorities.”
Taliban hang up Kalashnikovs to pen memoirs of Afghan war
Most Afghan war accounts are from a Western perspective, covering 9/11 to the Taliban’s 2021 return
Taliban-authored books praising the group’s ‘victories’ now shape the dominant narrative within Afghanistan
Updated 11 June 2025
AFP
KABUL: Since trading the battlefield for Afghanistan’s halls of power, some Taliban members have also swapped their weapons for pens to tell their version of the 20-year conflict with Western forces, who they accuse of distorting “reality.”
A flood of books has been written, mostly from a Western perspective, about the war between the US-led forces that invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks until the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
But in the years since, a proliferation of writings by Taliban figures — praising their exploits and the achievements of the “Islamic Emirate” — is now the reigning narrative in Afghanistan.
“No matter what foreigners have written... they have largely ignored the reality of what happened to us and why we were forced to fight,” author Khalid Zadran told AFP.
A member of the Haqqani network — long viewed as one of the most dangerous militant factions in Afghanistan — he now serves as the spokesman for the capital’s police force.
In his 600-page tome in Pashto published in April, he recounts US incursions in his home province of Khost, his childhood steeped in stories of soldiers’ “atrocities,” and his desire to join the Taliban in the name of his country’s “freedom.”
“I witnessed horrific stories every day — mangled bodies on the roadside,” he writes in “15 Minutes,” a title inspired by a US drone strike he narrowly escaped.
Muhajer Farahi, now a deputy information and culture minister, penned his “Memories of Jihad: 20 Years in Occupation” to “state the facts,” he said.
“America, contrary to its claims, has committed cruel and barbaric acts, destroyed our country with bombs, destroyed infrastructure and has sown discord and cynicism between nations and tribes,” he told AFP from his office in central Kabul.
Little attention is paid in either book to the thousands of civilians killed in Taliban attacks — many of them suicide bombings that entrenched fear across the country for nearly two decades.
Farahi insists the Taliban “were cautious in saving civilians and innocent” lives, while criticising fellow Afghans who collaborated with the pro-Western police as a “stain” on the country.
Rights groups accuse the current Taliban authorities of widespread abuses — particularly against women and girls, who the United Nations say are victims of what amounts to “gender apartheid.”
In his book published in 2023, Farahi claims the Taliban attempted to negotiate — in vain, he insists — with the United States over the fate of Osama bin Laden, whose capture or death Washington demanded after his plane hijackers killed around 3,000 people in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, who had been based in Afghanistan, was killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011.
“It was clear... that the Americans had already planned the occupation of Afghanistan,” writes Farahi in the English version of his book, which has been translated into five languages.
In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Afghans thought it would “have nothing to do with our country,” he continues, but soon realized that Afghanistan would face “punishment.”
For 20 years, the war pitted Taliban militants against a US-led coalition of 38 countries supporting the Afghan Republic and its forces.
Tens of thousands of Afghans died in the fighting and in Taliban attacks, as did nearly 6,000 foreign soldiers, including 2,400 Americans.
For Farahi, the war reflects the West’s desire to “impose its culture and ideology on other nations.”
His disjointed journal mixes battlefield memories with polemical chapters railing against the American “bloodthirsty dragon.”
The book “reveals the truths that were not told before because the media, especially the Western media, presented a different picture of the war,” he said.
According to him, the mujahideen, or holy warriors, despite being far less equipped, were able to rely on their unity and God’s aid to achieve victory.
Only a few of the new wave of Taliban books have been autobiographies, which appeal to an audience seeking to understand the war “from the inside,” according to Zadran.
His book, initially 2,000 copies in Pashto, sold out quickly and another 1,000 are in the works — along with a Dari-language version, he said.
Many chapters mention Bowe Bergdahl, the US soldier held hostage for five years by the Haqqani network.
He recounts treks through the mountains along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to move him between hideouts, efforts to convert him to Islam and conversations about his girlfriend back in the US.
Both accounts end in 2021, before the transformation of the fighters who moved from remote mountain hideouts to the carpeted offices of the capital.
There, their battle has turned diplomatic: the Taliban are now fighting for international recognition of their government.
“The war is over now,” Farahi said, “and we want good relations with everyone” — even with the “bloodthirsty dragon.”
