Latest news with #Basit
Business Recorder
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
PPA condemns imposition of Rs10 FED on day-old chick
LAHORE: Vehemently condemning the government's decision to impose a federal excise duty (FED) of Rs 10 on each day-old chick, the Pakistan Poultry Association has warned that this will cripple the already struggling sector. PPA Chairman Abdul Basit while speaking on behalf of the entire poultry industry at a presser on Monday said this ill-conceived measure will cripple the already struggling sector and lead to severe difficulties for consumers seeking affordable animal protein. 'This imposition of Rs 10 FED on day-old chicks is a catastrophic decision that demonstrates a profound lack of understanding of the poultry industry's dynamics and its vital role in national food security,' stated Abdul Basit and added such a punitive tax at the very nascent stage of production will inevitably lead to a sharp increase in the cost of poultry products, which will be unaffordable for the common man. He said the poultry industry in Pakistan has been a cornerstone of economic growth and a crucial provider of affordable protein to millions. Poultry is one of the largest industry of Pakistan, growing at an annual rate of 8-10%. However, it has consistently grappled with various challenges, including high input costs, disease outbreaks, and an often-unfavourable tax regime. Chairman Abdul Basit highlighted the direct and immediate consequences of this FED; the day-old chicks will significantly escalate the cost of production. This will force a large number of poultry farmers and entrepreneurs out of business, leading to widespread closures and unemployment in the rural economy. The will increase cost of production and will directly translate into higher prices for chicken meat and eggs in the market. At a time when inflation is already a major concern for the average Pakistani household, this tax will place an unbearable burden on consumers, pushing essential protein sources out of their reach, Basit said. The poultry sector is a major check against inflation and plays a critical role in providing low-cost animal protein. By making poultry products expensive, the government is jeopardizing the nation's food security and nutritional well-being, particularly for low-income propels. Instead of supporting an industry that provides livelihoods to millions and affordable food to the masses, this tax will stifle investment, discourage expansion, and ultimately lead to a contraction of the poultry sector. 'We have consistently advocated for policies that support the growth and sustainability of the poultry industry, which in turn benefits the entire nation,' Chairman Abdul Basit added. 'Instead, this new tax is a regressive step that will undo years of progress and push the industry to the brink of collapse.' The Pakistan Poultry Association urged the government to immediately reconsider and withdraw the federal excise duty on day-old chicks. Basit emphasized the need for a collaborative approach between the government and industry stakeholders to formulate policies that are conducive to growth, ensure affordability for consumers, and safeguard the future of Pakistan's vital poultry sector. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
05-06-2025
- Express Tribune
Car riders steal goats tied outside house
Unidentified car riders stole three goats worth approximately Rs650,000 from outside a residence in the Chung area. The goats were tied outside the home of local resident Basit. Then thieves arrived in the car, loaded the animals and fled. Chung police registered a case and initiated an investigation by reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify and apprehend the culprits. Other cases in which sacrificial animals were stolen have also been reported. According to Lahore police, 218 suspects have been arrested since May in connection with livestock theft and 161 cases have been registered. Capital City Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyana said special attention was being paid to curbing livestock theft, apprehending fraudsters and recovering stolen animals. The CCPO stated that comprehensive security and traffic management arrangements had been put in place for cattle markets, traders and the citizens. He directed the officers concerned to ensure protection of the traders and buyers from pickpockets and other criminals. He also ordered strict action against fraudsters involved in duping citizens with counterfeit currency.
Al Etihad
22-05-2025
- Health
- Al Etihad
NYUAD showcases cutting-edge innovations - all made in the Emirates
23 May 2025 00:45 MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) showcased a suite of homegrown innovations at Make it in the Emirates in Abu Dhabi, including brain-controlled prosthetics, one-of-a-kind UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), and sustainable building materials. Mind-Controlled Prosthetics for Neurodegenerative ConditionsSpeaking with Aletihad, Abdul Basit, a research engineer at NYUAD, explained how a brain-controlled prosthetic arm developed at the university's eBRAIN Lab works. Using EEG (electroencephalogram) signals collected through electrodes placed on the scalp, the team is developing AI-driven systems that interpret brain activity and translate it into precise movements in a robotic arm. "This technology is primarily aimed at patients suffering from ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and MS (Multiple Sclerosis), paralysis or other neurodegenerative conditions for whom traditional EMG-based systems are not viable," Basit said. "We're also integrating gaze-tracking to make the interface more intuitive – allowing users to simply look at an object and think about an action to initiate it."The project is currently in the research and development phase. Basit noted that the team is currently working on optimising signal interpretation, reducing hardware complexity, and enabling real-time performance on edge added that the eBRAIN Lab is also developing AI-based MRI analysis for detecting MS lesions and brain tumours, which leverages multi-modal large language models to assist radiologists with diagnostic recommendations. Omni-Directional Drones and Humanoid Telepresence Robots At the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), Postdoctoral Associate Mahmoud Hamandi and his team developed the OmniOcta UAV – the world's first fully functional battery-powered omnidirectional drone using only fixed, unidirectional thrusters. Unlike traditional drones that tilt to manoeuvre, the OmniOcta can hover, rotate and fly at extreme angles, such as a 90° roll, thanks to its eight precisely angled thrusters calculated via a custom optimisation algorithm."This makes it ideal for inspection in confined spaces, as well as for physical interaction tasks like pushing objects or even unscrewing a lightbulb," Hamandi explained. "It's also entirely self-contained and robust, requiring no external power or mechanical tilting." Sustainable Construction Material From NYUAD's Advanced Materials and Building Efficiency Research Laboratory (AMBER Lab), research scientist Inderjeet Singh presented two game-changing sustainable construction materials. This includes SaltCrete, a magnesium-based cement developed at the AMBER Lab using reject brine from desalination and calcium carbide slag. This process not only reuses industrial waste but also captures carbon dioxide during curing, making it a potential carbon sink, according to other material is Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3), which combines calcined clay and limestone to reduce emissions by 40% compared to traditional cement. "SaltCrete reduces emissions by around 50% and supports waste valorisation, while LC3 is currently being tested in marine environments to build eco-friendly sea walls that preserve biodiversity," Singh said.
New York Times
27-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Pakistan Says It Killed 54 Militants Trying to Enter From Afghanistan
Pakistan's military said on Sunday that it had killed 54 militants trying to infiltrate the country from Afghanistan, highlighting the challenges its forces face on multiple fronts as tensions with India also rise rapidly. The operation against the fighters from Afghanistan took place on Friday and Saturday nights in North Waziristan, a remote district along Pakistan's northwestern border, its military said. Pakistani troops detected the movement of the large group of militants and killed all of them, the military said, adding that it had seized a cache of weapons and explosives. The 54 deaths reported were an usually high number in Pakistan's battle against instability along its border with Afghanistan during the nearly four years since the United States withdrew its military support from the country and the Taliban took power. The banned group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or T.T.P., has intensified attacks on Pakistani security forces, straining ties between Pakistan's leaders and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of harboring and supporting T.T.P. fighters, an allegation that the Taliban deny. The Pakistani government is also contending with an increasingly lethal insurgency among Baluch separatists in the country's southwest. And on the eastern front, Pakistani forces have been placed on alert as India appears to be moving toward military strikes inside the country after a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir last week. Unlike in past crises, Pakistan no longer enjoys the robust U.S. military support it relied on during the 20-year American presence in Afghanistan. That loss has left the military facing one of its most challenging periods in years. Security officials say they are bracing for a sustained stretch of confronting battle-hardened militants in the west and southwest and the possibility of conventional skirmishes with nuclear-armed India to the east. Abdul Basit, a senior research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said that the killing of the 54 militants from Afghanistan 'paradoxically underscores both a success and a challenge for the Pakistani military,' which he described as 'increasingly sandwiched between its eastern and western borders.' 'India will keep the threat of potential military action alive,' Mr. Basit said, 'and stretch it as far as it can to keep the Pakistan military overstretched.'
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First Post
25-04-2025
- Politics
- First Post
‘No matter what India does, this problem is not going to go away': Former Pakistan envoy on Kashmir issue
For long Pakistan has taken cover of the Kashmir issue to mask its use of terrorism as state policy. After the Pahalgam terror attack, Firstpost spoke to former Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit. Here's what he says read more An Indian paramilitary vehicle escorts tourists after an attack in Pahalgam, about 90kms (55 miles) from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. Source: AFP As India navigates through the devastating Pahalgam attack that led to the death of 26 people, Pakistan's former envoy to India defended his country's policies in what India sees as decades-long streak of fomenting trouble in Jammu and Kashmir through terrorism. In an exclusive conversation with Firstpost, Pakistan's former High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said the Kashmir issue is at the core of tensions between India and Pakistan and 'whatever India does, this problem is not going to go away'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'In my view, and I have been saying this all along, that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is a core problem between Pakistan and India,' Basit told Firstpost on Thursday. He urged both sides to discuss ways to settle the dispute. 'No matter what India does, this problem is not going to go away. It will continue to be there between Pakistan and India. It is time to think about how to settle this issue rather than ramping up to unnecessary rhetoric, creating more problems between our two countries,' he said. It's ironical that the Kashmir problem between India and Pakistan began with the latter invading Jammu and Kashmir barely two months after Independence in 1947. As a princely state Jammu and Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession with India as per the provisions of the Indian Independence Act of 1947 that also paved the way for the creation of Pakistan through the partition of India. Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India was held legally valid by the United Nations. Basit assertion of the Kashmir issue remaining a perpetual problem appears to be an oversight of the historical fact, whether deliberate or a compulsion of a former diplomat. Pakistan's former High Comissioner to India Abdul Basit. File Image Basit emphasised that once this issue is settled, Pakistan will live as a normal neighbour to India. The remarks from the former Pakistani envoy came in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that saw India announcing five big measures against Pakistan. In response, Pakistan conducted an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) and announced retaliatory measures. In the press release, which came shortly after Basit's interview with Firstpost, Pakistan announced that it is suspending all bilateral agreements with India, including the Simla Agreement, until 'New Delhi changes its conduct'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Once the dispute is settled, Pakistan will live as normal neighbours': Basit Basit said that the Kashmir dispute needs to be settled before anything else. 'The primary question is whether or not the two countries are willing to move in the direction of settling the Kashmir dispute. All other issues are peripheral in my view. Once this dispute is settled, you will see Pakistan living as normal neighbours and putting their relations on a positive trajectory,' he averred. During the interview, Basit attempted to put forward Pakistan's case in the ongoing diplomatic row. However, he glossed over some facts. When asked how some of the terrorists involved in the deadly attack were Pakistani nationals, Basit said, 'India started blaming Pakistan immediately after the attack or a false flag, I doubt there was any investigation or probe.' When Firstpost mentioned the fact that J&K Police released the identity of three terrorists involved in the attack, out of which two were Pakistanis, Basit dodged the question, saying, 'We do not know. Not a shred of evidence has been shared with anyone.' The Jammu and Kashmir Police has released the sketches of foreigner terrorists Hashim Musa alias Sulaiman and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai, and local terrorist Adil Hussain Thokar, believed to be involved in the Pahalgam attack. (Photo: J&K Police) Earlier today, the J&K police shared the names of two Pakistani and one local terrorist involved in the killing. They were: Hashim Musa alias Sulaiman, Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai, and Adil Hussain Thokar (Local). The police have put a 20 lakh bounty on each of the terrorists. The Kashmir issue has been at the epicentre of India-Pakistan tensions after Pakistan infiltrated the then-princely state of Jammu and Kashmir soon after the partition, leading to an all-out India-Pakistan war of 1947-48. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan has for long denied its role in terrorism in India, despite its top leaders having openly admitted to Islamabad's so-called policy of 'bleeding India through a thousand cuts'. Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said in TV interviews that the people who were seen as terrorists by the world were heroes for the establishment. The timing of it all The Pahalgam attack took place while US Vice President The incident drew all the attention from the visit. Interestingly, this is not the first time Pakistan has been accused of orchestrating such attacks during a monumental visit. There have been at least two instances in which terrorists carried out nearly identical attacks that also coincided with the visits of top US officials, one of them included the American president's visit to the country. US Vice President JD Vance receives the ceremonial guard of honour upon his arrival in New Delhi, India, on April 21, 2025. (Photo: X/Ministry of External Affairs) A similar attack took place in Chittisinghpora in J&K back in 2000 when terrorists killed 36 Sikhs in the region. The attack took place on the eve of the then-US President Bill Clinton's visit to India. Two years later, terrorists killed 23 people, including 10 children, in J&K's Jammu while a top State Department official was visiting India. Pakistan-backed terrorist groups were believed to be behind the attacks in both instances. One of the deadliest terror attacks that shook India was the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, also known as 26/11. On the fateful day, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists launched attacks at multiple locations in Mumbai, killing 166 persons in the nearly 60-hour siege. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While India has called out Pakistan for fostering terrorism whenever the issue has been discussed International level, Islamabad has seen the horrors of several terrorist groups within its soil. This begs the question of how India can sit at a negotiation table with Pakistan over the Kashmir dispute when Pakistan has been time and again accused of fostering terrorist groups, which also jeopardises India's national security.
