
Kashmir Affairs, GB & SAFRON: Senate body meets to elect chairperson
Senator Asad Qasim, unanimously, elected as chairman of the committee.
His nomination was proposed by Senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto and seconded by Senator Sherry Rehman.
The committee members congratulated the newly elected chairman, Senator Qasim, and expressed confidence in his ability to manage the affairs of the committee, as the Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan hold strategic and national importance.
Senator Qasim expressed gratitude to the members for their support and stated that the committee will strive to address the issues of Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan, following the footsteps of the late Senator Prof Sajid Mir.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Over 1,500 EU officials warn Gaza nearing catastrophic point of no return
ISLAMABAD: A group of over 1,500 European Union (EU) civil servants have issued a letter to EU President Ursula von der Leyen and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, warning that the humanitarian situation in Gaza was approaching a catastrophic point of no return, declaring 'time is running out'. The letter, available with Business Recorder, was signed by EU Staff for Peace and addressed to Ursula von der and Kaja Kallas. The letter urged EU institutions to confront what the officials called the EU's moral and political failure to stop Israel's siege of Gaza. Citing historical precedent and statistical modelling, the officials predicted that without immediate and large-scale restoration of aid, Gaza could soon witness over 100 starvation-related deaths per day – many of them children – within weeks. 'Famines do not follow a linear trajectory,' the officials wrote, comparing the current trajectory in Gaza to historic atrocities such as the Holodomor and the great Chinese Famine. 'Once a critical threshold is reached, mortality rates can rapidly escalate, doubling each day.' Gaza civil defence says Israeli strikes on Gaza City intensifying The letter accused Israel of enforcing a blockade on food, baby formula, and medical supplies into the enclave, and called the situation 'a defining test' for the EU's credibility and founding values. The officials also sharply criticised the EU existing humanitarian strategy, claiming that air drops had been insufficient and, in some cases, ineffective. Notably, the letter condemned the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), accusing it of contributing to the deaths of around 1,000 people since May. The authors cited multiple reports of Israel and a GHF contractor firing upon civilians approaching aid depots, and called on von der Leyen and Kallas to take urgent and concrete action, including the opening of all land crossings into Gaza and allowing humanitarian ships to dock freely. 'Israel cannot be allowed to disdain yet another agreement and disrespect the European Union,' the officials stated, referencing the understanding announced by Kallas on 15 July. The letter proposed a series of unprecedented policy actions, including targeted sanctions against Israeli leaders obstructing aid, suspension of diplomatic relations with Israel, and the recalling of the EU ambassador from Tel Aviv; an immediate halt to all EU cooperation with Israeli entities under the NDICI-GE and Horizon Europe frameworks; forensic audits of past and current EU-funded research involving Israeli institutions; and an investigation into the alleged pillaging of Gaza's maritime gas reserves by Israeli and EU member state interests. 'These measures are not merely symbolic,' the letter says. 'They are the last available levers for the EU to reaffirm its commitment to international law and human rights.' The letter was part of a broader initiative launched by EU Staff for Peace, which has rapidly gained momentum. An internal petition hosted on the official EU survey platform garnered over 1,000 staff signatures within 48 hours. The civil servants also called on trade unions and staff committees to support the initiative and resist what they described as increasing 'intimidation, silencing, and professional reprisals' against staff critical of EU policy towards Israel. The movement claimed that staff had faced removal from projects, cancellation of events, and accusations of antisemitism for expressing concern over Israel's military actions. In a follow-up communication addressed to Kallas, EU Staff for Peace urged her to take action on suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement at the next Foreign Affairs Council meeting. The letter called for emphasising the 'moral and legal imperative,' citing Article 2 of the agreement, which binds all parties to uphold human rights. The communication also referenced the findings of a now-public report by Olof Skoog, the former EU Special Representative for Human Rights, published by EU Observer in June. The 35-page report detailed alleged Israeli violations of international law in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. 'By trampling international law, the European Union risks taking a dangerous turn, undermining democracy, the rule of law, and human rights,' the officials write. The group urged trade unions and staff committees to take a formal stance defending the rule of law, oppose retaliation against whistle-blowers, and explore staff rights to strike or conscientiously object to assignments that might implicate them in policies they find ethically indefensible. In one reported incident, seven officials wearing t-shirts bearing the slogan 'Say No to Genocide' were forcibly removed from the European Council's Europa canteen by security personnel. According to the group, one staffer had their arm twisted during the removal, while another was compelled to delete video footage of the protest – not only from their phone but also from the device's trash folder. For Trump administration, US air drops of Gaza aid were never a serious option, sources say The letter further referenced a pattern of retaliation against unnamed protesters, including the non-renewal of employment contracts and pressure to resign. It also highlighted an unexplained decision to ban an internal pro-Palestinian survey that had garnered responses from 1,514 colleagues in under 48 hours. Additionally, the letter pointed to the presence of Israeli Colonel Moshe Tetro – a senior defense official accused of war crimes by the Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation—at the staff entrance of the European Commission headquarters on June 25. In a final statement, EU Staff for Peace reminded leaders of the EU's Nobel Peace Prize status, 'The EU can finally regain the dignity of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, to advocate for the respect of human rights and the enforcement of international and humanitarian law.' The EU spokesperson could not be reached for comment. However, reports citing the spokesperson indicated that the commission maintained EU foreign policy was determined by member states and had cautioned its employees to refrain from political activity. The EU spokesperson Arianna Podestà characterised the internal backlash over the EU's refusal to cut ties with Israel as inherently political, emphasising that staff was expected to 'comply with their duties and obligations … in an impartial, loyal and neutral manner'.


Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Green tractor scheme: applications will be received from 13th
LAHORE: The Punjab government will begin receiving applications for the second phase of Chief Minister's Green Tractor Programme from August 13, 2025, offering substantial subsidies to farmers in a bid to modernise agriculture and boost productivity. Under this phase, 10,000 locally-manufactured tractors of 50-65 horsepower will be provided with a Rs. 500,000 subsidy each, while another 10,000 locally-manufactured or imported tractors of 75-125 horsepower will be subsidised at Rs. 1 million each. Digital balloting at the tehsil level is scheduled for September 15. Announcing the initiative at a review meeting on ongoing projects under the transforming Punjab agriculture programme, Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said the provincial government was committed to 'revolutionary programmes' aimed at uplifting farmers' incomes. He revealed that under the high-tech financing programme for the next fiscal year, farmers will receive 11 types of modern agricultural machinery on subsidy, with 1,000 units to be distributed. A budget of Rs. 30 billion has been allocated, offering interest-free loans of up to Rs. 30 million, repayable over five years, for machinery purchase. In water management, the Chief Minister's Water Conservation Project will line 1,400 watercourses and distribute 500 laser land levellers this year, with another 500 next year via transparent balloting. The Minister said the kissan card scheme remains a flagship project, enabling timely purchase of agricultural inputs. In its second phase, Rs. 94.15 billion has been allocated, with farmers already utilising Rs. 49.33 billion. Under the Chief Minister's Wheat Support Programme, Rs. 14 billion has been disbursed and 978 tractors distributed through transparent balloting. The province is also expanding its model agriculture malls, with facilities in Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Sargodha completed and 10 more planned in the next phase. The meeting was attended by Special Secretary Agriculture Nabeel Awan, Additional Secretary Agriculture Planning Aamir Shehzad, Director Generals Ch. Abdul Hameed, Naveed Asmat Kahloon, Engineer Sajid Hassan, Rana Tajammul, and other senior officials. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Punjab minister steps up criticism of PTI
LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Information and Culture, Azma Bokhari, has said that the nation will celebrate Independence Day on August 14 with great fervour and will also mark the success of Operation Bunyan Marsoos; meanwhile, a disruptive faction is conspiring to create unrest on this national occasion, she said. Azma Bokhari expressed her dismay that certain political elements try to politicise every national event. 'Protesting on a national day is not the agenda of any patriotic political party,' she said, adding, 'This is the same group that emerged from the 2014 sit-ins and has since made agitation and protests their hobby.' She emphasised that PTI has no regard for national or religious events, as their politics revolves solely around creating division and chaos. Issuing a strong warning, Bokhari said that the law will take its course if anyone attempts to take the law into their own hands. 'Even on August 5, no significant protest was seen in Punjab — and the same will happen again,' she asserted. 'The people of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are now fed up with PTI's toxic politics, she said.' Advising the PTI leadership, she urged them to call off their planned protest on August 14, saying: Show patriotism for once — if there's any sense of Pakistani identity and humanity left. In a sharp critique, she remarked that the group blindly following Prisoner No. 420 has reached the pinnacle of ignorance. But the nation has seen through their agenda and has rejected their brand of politics, she added. Azma concluded by saying that no anarchist group will be allowed to sabotage the nation's celebrations. On August 14, the message of a peaceful and united Pakistan will echo across the country — and once again, those sowing discord will face failure. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025