
Ex-FATA, PATA to pay 10% GST
Responding to a Calling Attention Notice moved by MNAs Naeema Kishwer Khan, Aliya Kamran, Misbahuddin, and Shahida Begum, Kayani clarified that the GST was imposed following recommendations from the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other stakeholders.
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Islamabad hosts Independence Day, Marka-e-Haq festivities
A special grand ceremony is underway at Jinnah Sports Stadium on Wednesday night to mark Marka-i-Haq and Pakistan's Independence Day, attended by the country's top civil and military leadership. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, federal and state ministers, and foreign diplomats are present at the event. The ceremony featured parades by various branches of the armed forces, with military contingents from Türkiye and Azerbaijan also participating. According to state-run Radio Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz will inaugurate the Marka-e-Haq Monument during the event. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal had earlier said this year's Independence Day celebrations would be held under the banner of Marka-e-Haq, or 'Battle of Truth', to highlight the nation's resilience, progress, and pride. The Pakistan Army designated the term Marka-e-Haq in May to describe the period of conflict with India between April 22 and May 10, following the Pahalgam attack in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. New Delhi accused Islamabad of involvement in the incident without providing evidence. The standoff escalated on the night of May 6-7, when India launched a series of airstrikes on Pakistan, causing civilian casualties. Both sides exchanged missile fire over the following week before a US-brokered ceasefire ended hostilities.


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5 hours ago
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The National Assembly on Wednesday adopted the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024 with majority votes, rejecting amendments proposed by JUI-F member Aliya Kamran while incorporating an amendment proposed by PPP member Syed Naveed Qamar. Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry moved the bill further to amend the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997 [The Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024] in the House. The House passed the bill through a clause-by-clause read. Earlier, the House adopted the motion to consider the bill with 125 votes in its favour and 59 against it. Anti-terror bill moved in NA: LEAs, agencies could detain suspects for 3 months The statement of objects and reasons of the bill states that the current security situation requires a robust response that goes beyond the existing legal framework. The erstwhile amendment of Section 11EEEE of the Act ibid, is required to be re-inserted to empower the government, armed forces, and civil armed forces with the necessary authority to detain individuals who pose a significant threat to national security. This provision would allow for the preventative detention of suspects based on credible information or reasonable suspicion, thereby disrupting terrorist plots before they can be executed. This will also provide law enforcement agencies with the legal backing to conduct more effective operations against terrorism. It would facilitate the use of Joint Interrogation Teams (JITs), composed of members from various law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to conduct comprehensive inquiries and gather actionable intelligence. The National Assembly also passed two more bills, including the National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as reported by the Standing committees concerned. The bills were moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary and Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz in the House.


Express Tribune
6 hours ago
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NA passes Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2024
The National Assembly on Wednesday passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2024 by a majority vote enacting it into law after rejecting opposition proposals amid protests in the House. The House suspended its routine agenda to take up the bill. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq ordered a headcount on the bill's passage, which showed 125 votes in favour and 45 against. Opposition members protested and shouted slogans during the process. PTI chairperson Barrister Gohar Ali Khan argued that the bill violated Article 10 of the Constitution and fundamental rights by allowing detention without trial for up to three months, extendable by another three. He said no law could be enacted in contravention of the Constitution or the Supreme Court's rulings, and noted past instances of prolonged detention without due process. Read: HRCP urges govt to scrap anti-terror bill Maulana Fazlur Rehman questioned the need for such a law, recalling similar measures in the Musharraf era that he said treated citizens as 'born criminals'. The opposition maintained that the law could be misused, while the government insisted it was necessary to address the prevailing security situation. Oil reserves Separately, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) lawmakers sought clarification from the government over US President Donald Trump's past remarks about vast oil reserves in Pakistan. On July 31, Trump took to social media to announce a new deal between the US and Pakistan for the joint development of Pakistan's "massive oil reserves". PPP's Dr Nafisa Shah questioned why the government had not provided information if such reserves existed. 'The US President is telling us about oil reserves in Pakistan, but why is the Government of Pakistan not informing us?' Read More: Trump wins his deal, Pakistan eyes the future Responding to the call to attention notice, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said Pakistan had recently awarded oil exploration rights to companies from Kuwait, Turkey, and other countries. He confirmed the presence of reserves but said their exact size could only be determined after exploration work began. He added that three major gas fields—larger than the Sui field—had been discovered, and exploration had commenced in Hyderabad. Malik noted that countries such as China and the US possessed technology to verify the presence of oil and gas rapidly. Dr Shah also questioned whether Trump's remarks, including that Pakistan could one day export oil to India, were intended to pressure India into concessions, given that Pakistani ministers claimed they did not yet know the reserves' size. PPP lawmaker Syed Naveed Qamar asked if exploration opportunities would be open to countries beyond the US. Malik replied that rights would be available to multiple companies.