logo
DGPR sets up Special Control Room for info dissemination: Azma

DGPR sets up Special Control Room for info dissemination: Azma

LAHORE: On the special instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, a state-of-the-art control room has been set up in the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) to ensure timely, accurate and authentic information is provided to the public during emergencies and extraordinary situations.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari visited the newly established control room at DGPR and conducted a detailed review of the arrangements, working system and available facilities. She also chaired an important meeting with the Digital Media Wing of the department, which was attended by Information Secretary Tahir Raza Bokhari and DGPR Ghulam Saghir Shahid.
The minister directed that the digital media team be activated immediately to effectively and promptly respond to the false and misleading information being spread on social media.
She emphasised that the current scenario involves two fronts: one at the borders and the other on social media. She added that through positive and responsible use of social media, the morale of our armed forces can be uplifted.
Azma Bokhari stated, 'In extraordinary circumstances, it must be our top priority to deliver accurate, timely, and truthful information to the public.' She stressed that the core objective of establishing the control room is to present a clear and factual picture of the situation to the public.
The Punjab Information department is ensuring that every Pakistani receives truthful and fact-based information, and is fully committed to countering false campaigns launched by hostile elements.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Cultural performances enthral audience at Pak I-Day celebration in Dubai
Cultural performances enthral audience at Pak I-Day celebration in Dubai

Express Tribune

time18 minutes ago

  • Express Tribune

Cultural performances enthral audience at Pak I-Day celebration in Dubai

The occasion served to strengthen social relations within the Pakistani community and also reflected the diplomatic ties between the UAE and Pakistan. photo: file Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, alongside Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, and a number of officials, diplomats, economic representatives, and social figures from the Pakistani community, attended a gathering marking the 78th anniversary of Pakistan's Independence Day at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai. The event attracted more than 60,000 attendees and was organised by "Emirates Loves Pakistan" Page, a platform dedicated to sharing inspiring content that highlights the success stories and contributions of the Pakistani community in the UAE— in cooperation with the Pakistan Association Dubai and with support from Dubai Police. The occasion provided an opportunity to strengthen social relations within the Pakistani community and reflected the established diplomatic ties between the peoples of the UAE and Pakistan. On the occasion Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan extended "my warmest congratulations to you all and to the people of Pakistan" on this momentous occasion". He said he shared "your pride in celebrating what this day signifies for Pakistanis worldwide". He added that the day was a testament to a robust national identity, resilience, determination, achievement, and optimism for the future. "Here in Dubai, we also celebrate the deep bonds of friendship and brotherhood uniting Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates." The UAE, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak continued, stands with Pakistan as a friend and partner. "These ties are strengthened daily through the invaluable contributions of the Pakistani community, whose talent, dedication, and creativity enrich the fabric of our country," he stated. He further stated that under the leadership of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and with the support of Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE has emerged as a global beacon of tolerance, coexistence, and human fraternity. "Our nation embraces individuals from diverse backgrounds, living and working together in peace and security. In the UAE, we cherish diversity, promote dialogue, and are united by shared values. This societal harmony is among our greatest achievements, and the Pakistani community is a vital part of this success. Today, in Dubai, we have every reason to rejoice in your National Independence Day," he said. He highlighted a significant national writing competition organised by the Watani Al Emarat Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, as part of the 'Year of Community' initiatives. "We invite all residents of the UAE—citizens and expatriates, young and old—to share their reflections on the theme 'What the UAE Means to Me.' He expressed his confidence that the Pakistani community will contribute many inspiring entries to this competition. The Independence Day event featured a programme of entertainment and cultural activities that showcased the distinct heritage, traditions, and arts of Pakistan, including its broad diversity. It highlighted the unique cultural identity of the Pakistani community through its arts, music, and folk traditions, as well as the varied talents of the Pakistani diaspora in the UAE, within a unified cultural framework. The programme also acknowledged the positive contributions of the community to the UAE's sustainable development, including cultural performances, traditional dances, musical displays, a section for heritage cuisine, and artistic works inspired by Pakistan's rich environmental and cultural landmarks. The event included a ceremony to recognise a number of prominent individuals and achievers from the Pakistani community who have demonstrated excellence and success across various fields and sectors through their contributions in the UAE. The ambassador of Pakistan told to the Emirates news agency WAM on the sidelines of the event that "over the past decades, the UAE and Pakistan have established distinguished relations based on mutual respect and constructive cooperation in various fields", particularly in the economy, culture, and human development. He expressed his pride in the fraternal bond uniting the two peoples, reaffirming a shared commitment to further strengthen it through joint programmes and initiatives that foster cultural exchange, bolster economic cooperation, and bring communities closer together through the arts, music, and a rich cultural heritage. APP

Despite challenges, business confidence rises
Despite challenges, business confidence rises

Express Tribune

time18 minutes ago

  • Express Tribune

Despite challenges, business confidence rises

Since the main beneficiary of the project would be KPT, a business and financing plan could be developed in collaboration with port authorities and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the cabinet committee said. photo: file The confidence of Pakistan's private businesses has surged to its highest level in nearly four years, according to the latest survey of Gallup Pakistan. Also, an increasing number of businessmen have started thinking that the government is managing the economy in a better way than the previous administration. The improvement comes despite inflation, high utility costs and electricity load-shedding, which continue to hinder business operations. The Business Confidence Survey for the second quarter of 2025 was conducted between July 23 and 27, capturing the views of 524 businesses across manufacturing, services and trade sectors. The standout finding is a significant rebound in perception of the country's overall direction. The "Direction of the Country Score" now stands at -2%, a sharp improvement from the far more pessimistic readings of late 2024. While the score remains marginally negative, it marks the highest level of confidence in national direction since Q4 2021. "This uptick suggests a moderate easing of political and economic uncertainty from the perspective of the business community," the survey said. The number of businesses holding a good perception about the government's ability to manage the economy has improved over the past year. According to the survey, 46% of businessmen called the government's management of the economy better than its predecessor, compared to 24% a year ago. Commenting on the survey, Gallup Pakistan Executive Director Bilal Ijaz Gilani said the latest edition was pointing to a "cautiously improving mood" among Pakistani businesses. "While the shift is incremental, it reflects a growing sense of stabilisation among economic actors," he said. The most visible change, Gilani said, was improvement in perception of the direction of the country and also the positive trend in trust in the government's handling of the economy. "As always, sustained momentum will depend on continued macroeconomic reforms, policy consistency and greater institutional responsiveness, especially towards businesses operating outside the formal sector," said the official. Business performance was another area that showed encouraging signs as 61% of respondents described their current operations as "good" or "very good," up six percentage points from the previous wave. While services and trade enterprises reported the largest gains, the respondents from the manufacturing sector underscored comparatively slower signs of recovery. The survey found 61% of businesses optimistic about the coming months, with the Future Business Confidence score improving by just one percentage point. "This indicates that while businesses are not anticipating worsening conditions, there is also limited momentum for stronger optimism at this stage," the survey said. Asked about challenges, the businessmen cited price hike, high energy costs and taxes as their biggest concerns, which shows the structural challenges remain deeply entrenched in Pakistan's business sector. The Consumer Price Inflation, which eased to a record 0.3% in April from 38% in May 2023, emerged as the most pressing issue, cited by 28% of respondents as the top priority for government action. High utility costs, 18%, while concerns over taxation, 11%, exhibited a slight decrease from last year's levels. Energy insecurity also continued to affect operations as nearly half, 47%, of those surveyed said they were experiencing load-shedding on the day of the interview. "While still a concern, this figure is lower than during the same quarter in prior years, indicating some potential seasonal or regional relief," said the survey. Overall, the survey indicates a measured improvement in private sector sentiment, especially regarding businessmen's perceptions of national direction and current business operations.

Emerging India-Israel nexus in Balochistan
Emerging India-Israel nexus in Balochistan

Express Tribune

timean hour ago

  • Express Tribune

Emerging India-Israel nexus in Balochistan

Feudal nomadic Baloch society is still struggling to fully integrate itself in political structure of Pakistani state. Being a frontier region for British India, administration of Balochistan was mostly franchised to tribal sardars, allowing central government to direct resources to other priority needs. After independence, perpetual political instability consumed Pakistan's rulers in political matters in country's heartland. As a result, central government continued with pre-partition policy of managing Balochistan through sardars who were kept under control through regular payouts and quasi suzerainty in their fiefdoms. Whenever any sardar attempted to step out of state's fold, the state re-asserted its authority by employing force while simultaneously playing feudals against each other. While sardars enjoyed extraordinary autonomy in their areas of influence, had final say in administrative matters and received regular payouts from government in name of royalties, bogey of exploitation was kept alive as leverage against state. And the result has been numerous area specific insurgencies since independence. However, the ongoing militancy in the province is unique in character, as its control has moved from traditional sardars to middle class militant leaders with no feudal or political background. This phenomenon is a consequence of state's refusal to negotiate with recalcitrant sardars as practiced in past, and decision to assert its authority permanently like in other settled regions of the country. Displacement of feudal authority led to vacuum which was filled by new leadership, outside of traditional feudal fold. Whatever their initial motivations, external patronisation led this group to choose militancy instead of adopting a coherent political strategy to attain their goals. Right after the onset of the current unrest in Balochistan, India hijacked militant movement to exploit this Achilles heel of its archrival. Indian support to armed groups like BLA and BLF is well documented. Pakistan has many a time shared dossiers containing evidence of Indian support to militants with Indian government, the UN and major world capitals. In 2016, the arrest of Indian RAW officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Naval Commander level officer working on an intelligence assignment, from Pakistan provided irrefutable evidence of India's covert operations in Balochistan. Jadhav confessed to collaborating with terrorist groups, as tasked by RAW, to incite Baloch youth against Pakistani state. This is an unprecedented case of state sponsorship of terrorism, where a serving intelligence officer of India was on a clandestine mission inside Pakistan. Lately, Israel has also jumped into the fray. Israel is long believed to have supported separatist/militant movements in Iran including those in Sistan-Baluchestan province. Iranian Baluchestan adjoins Pakistan's Balochistan province. Since harsh terrain facilitates militants to move across border undetected, dual-prong approach can deliver optimal effects. There is also an obvious convergence of interest between India and Israel which is likely to have catalysed pursuit of a joint strategy to target Pakistan and Iran through Baloch inhabited regions. Israel's interest in destabilising Pakistani Balochistan likely stems out of a number of drivers which can include pressurising Pakistan in response to its support to Palestinian cause, pushing it towards favourable disposition on Abraham Accords, Pakistan's nuclear capability and its clout in Muslim world. Meanwhile, India is pursuing its core interest to weaken Pakistan through any means possible and also disrupt China's BRI project. Their combined project also has the potential to deny Gwadar deep sea port to China and opening of rare earth elements for exploration by Western countries. On 18 June 2025, Meir Masri, former Israeli Deputy Minister of Defence and a lecturer at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, tweeted that "after Iran's campaign, we may seek to dismantle Pakistan's nuclear program". Probably Israeli establishment has now concluded that route to its objective runs through Balochistan. Hence, cooperation with RAW which has a plenty of experience in handling terrorist proxies like BLA and BLF is the logical path. On 12 June 2025, a Washington-based Israeli think tank, Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), launched Balochistan Studies Project, featuring key participation from Baloch diaspora championing separatist cause. Investment in translating and analysing Urdu, Balochi, Persian and Pashto sources signals that quarters in Israel now view the Baloch region as a strategically important space with geopolitical interests. MEMRI appointed a mysterious character Mir Yar Baloch as President of the project. On 12 May 2025, Mir Yar Baloch declared independence of Balochistan via social media and called on the UN to recognise it as an independent state. Indian media identified him as a prominent Baloch dissident advocating for independence. However, the image circulated with this identity was falsely attributed and actually depicted Mazdak Baloch, the son of another Baloch activist Naela Qadri. Haribyar Marri has also published subversive content on MEMRI's website. Recently, some international websites and publications have sharply increased their coverage of Balochistan. While ostensibly highlighting human rights concerns, their narratives are in fact promoting an anarchist agenda. The Diplomat has published more than 25 stories on Balochistan since March this year. Narratives being pushed out by MEMRI and The Diplomat have striking resemblance. Both glorify acts of violence by BLA and other terrorist outfits, while projecting Pakistani state in extremely negative manner. Since the beginning of this year, Baloch activists in Europe have suddenly become much more active; holding seminars, debates and rallies and interacting with various think tanks and other organisations - something which is not possible without significant clout. Their narrative intentionally sidelines ground realities in order to garner financial and political support for specific agenda. They hide facts which can question legitimacy of their claims, like: overwhelming segment of Baloch society is patriotic and sincere to Pakistan; Baloch people have always been part of federal and provincial legislatures and other governance institutions; Baloch people have always held top executive positions in the province though Pushtuns make the second largest segment of population there; special quotas in jobs and universities are reserved for Baloch; a larger share of resources in NFC award is specially allocated for Balochistan by reducing the due share of Punjab; and a large number of Baloch people are happily serving in civil bureaucracy, armed forces and paramilitary forces, even more than their demographic share while hundreds of thousands are peacefully pursuing their occupations in different parts of the country. Misleading narratives and malafide campaigns by vested interests have blurred facts concerning Balochistan. Though state needs to play its part in addressing genuine grievances, interference by India and now Israel are there to complicate the matters.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store