ZEESHAN AFZAL

  Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb today held a virtual meeting with a group of representatives from the electric fan industry, led by members of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Pakistan Electric Fan Manufacturers Association (PEFMA), to discuss sectoral challenges, export potential, and avenues for policy support. Welcoming the participants, the Finance Minister recalled his recent engagement with the business community at FPCCI Lahore and reiterated the Government’s commitment to undertaking focused consultations with individual sectors to better understand their operational landscape and support their growth. The group provided an overview of the structure and economic significance of the fan industry, highlighting that it is a fully indigenous manufacturing sector with around 300 manufacturers concentrated in Gujrat and Gujranwala. The industry contributes significantly to employment, with approximately...

  Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan , their borders as merely historical lines on a map. In summary Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan can no longer afford to treat their borders as merely historical lines on a map. In 2026, these borders are pressure points for war spillover, militancy, migration, trade disruption, and climate stress. The future of the region depends on whether these states continue reacting to crises separately, or begin managing them together. Stability will not come from slogans or old grievances. It will come from structured security cooperation, protected trade, humane migration management, and serious regional diplomacy. Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan sit in one of the world’s most sensitive strategic corridors, linking the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. Geography has always tied them together, but the regional environment has changed sharply. What was once a difficult neighbourhood has now become a high-risk geopolitical zone shaped by war spillove...

NASA Answers Your Most Pressing Artemis II Questions , Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 1:40 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 5, 2026, to correct the time for the distance record, and adjust other times for lunar flyby activities. The first crewed test flight under NASA’s Artemis program is underway. Four Artemis II astronauts are flying aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft around the Moon and back, as they test how the spacecraft’s systems operate in a deep space environment. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen lifted off at 6:35 p.m. EDT on April 1 from launch pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Real-time coverage continues throughout the mission on NASA’s YouTube channel. The agency also provides a separate live stream of views from the Orion spacecraft as bandwidth allows, as well as inside the capsule. In addition NASA is providing the latest mission imagery online. Daily mission...

Donald Trump’s Case for War Fails to Mention How to Win It . The President poses an existential question: Can everything be going according to the plan with Iran if there is no plan? | Susan B. Glasser | A month ago, when Donald Trump pitched the United States into a war against Iran, he announced the decision to the American people in a brief eight-minute video, which was sent out over social media, in the dead of night, on a weekend. On Wednesday evening, with the conflict he unleashed having upended the global economy and having failed to dislodge the Iranian government that he initially vowed to topple, Trump finally made his case to the public in a prime-time address to the nation. He might as well not have bothered. In the end, the best thing that can be said about the speech was that Trump did not follow through on his threat, made earlier that day, to withdraw the United States from nato. But there was little news about a conflict that now seems likely to continue for at l...

  The head of Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization warned Saturday that the ongoing war involving Israel, the US, and Iran risks escalating into a wider global crisis if it continues, Anadolu reports. Speaking at the Stratcom Summit 2026 in Istanbul, Ibrahim Kalin said: "Since the pandemic, our world has been going through many critical thresholds, crises, and ruptures.” The Russia-Ukraine war that began in 2022 recently entered its fifth year and there is still no clear picture of how it will end, he said. Kalin also said the consequences of the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023 between Israel and Palestinian resistance group Hamas continue to be felt. "While efforts to realize peace in Gaza continue, Israel’s violations and its policies of occupation and annexation continue without interruption," he said. On developments in the region, Kalin said the 12-day Israel-Iran war last June tested the conditions of the current Iran conflict. "We are currently in ...

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, held a meeting today at the Finance Division with a high-level delegation from VEON led by Mr. Kaan Terzioğlu, Group CEO of VEON. The delegation also included Mr. Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz, and Mr. Syed Zaheer Mehdi, Chief Corporate & Regulatory Officer, Jazz. At the outset, the Finance Minister warmly welcomed Mr. Terzioğlu and appreciated his visit to Pakistan. Mr. Terzioğlu congratulated the Finance Minister and the Government of Pakistan on the successful completion of the recent multiband spectrum auction and acknowledged the country’s improving macroeconomic stability. During the meeting, the Finance Minister highlighted that the spectrum auction was conducted through a transparent and consultative process, balancing pricing considerations with the need to foster a sustainable telecom ecosystem. He emphasized that the outcome represents a “win-win-win” for all stakeholders, particularly benefiting the citi...

Global semiconductor stocks faced sudden pressure after Google introduced its latest AI optimization tool, TurboQuant — a breakthrough designed to drastically reduce memory usage in artificial intelligence systems. Following the announcement, shares of major chipmakers including Samsung, Micron Technology, and SanDisk dropped sharply as investors reacted to fears of reduced long-term demand for memory chips. TurboQuant works by compressing key-value caches within AI models, enabling up to 6x lower memory usage while maintaining performance accuracy. This advancement could significantly improve efficiency in large-scale AI workloads, reducing infrastructure costs for companies deploying AI systems. While the immediate market reaction was negative, industry analysts and tech experts suggest a broader perspective. Historically, improvements in efficiency often lead to increased adoption — not reduced demand. Lower resource requirements can make AI more accessible, accelerating deployment ...

  جن لوگوں نے ایران جنگ کی آگ لگائی ہم جانتے ہیں ان کا ہدف ایران کا نیوکلیئر پروگرام نہیں بلکہ ترک عرب کرد فارس مسلمانوں کو آپس میں لڑانا ہے ترک انٹیلی جنس چیف ابراہیم قالن اگر آپکو یاد ہو تو اس جنگ کے آغاز میں یہی بات کہی تھی کہ ایران کا ایٹمی پروگرام تو بس ایک بہانہ ہے ، مسلم دنیا کو آپس میں گتھم گتھا کر کے بیچ سے نکل جانا اصل نشانہ ہے اس تمام پلان میں ایران کے ساتھ پاکستان میں بھی فرقہ ورانہ اور عرب دنیا میں صدیوں پرانی عرب فارس چپقلش کو دوبارہ زندہ کیے جانا تھا جس پہ دشمنوں کو شدید ناکامی کا سامنا کرنا پڑا ہے۔ ترک انٹیلیجنس چیف کا بیان ذرا گہرے تناظر میں سمجھنے کی کوشش کریں ، موجودہ ترک انٹیلیجنس چیف سے قبل اس زمہ داری پہ جناب "حکان فدان" براجمان تھے ، جی یہ وہی حكان فدان ہیں جو اس وقت بطور وزیر خارجہ (ترکی) اپنی ذمےداریاں انجام دے رہے ہیں اور یہ وہی وزیر خارجہ ہیں جن کے کل کے بیان نے صیہونیوں کی نیند حرام کر رکھی ہے۔ گزشتہ روز حکان فدان نے اپنی ٹویٹ میں کہا کہ پاکستانی بھائیوں کی مصروفیات کی وجہ سے ترکی ، سعودیہ اور مصر کے وزیر خارجہ بروز اتوار پاکستان جائیں گے جہاں حا...

  NADRA Amendment Bill 2026, Pakistan has introduced a major shift in digital governance with the passage of the NADRA Amendment Bill 2026, significantly expanding the authority of National Database and Registration Authority. Under the new law, NADRA can provisionally impound a CNIC without requiring a court order—marking a significant change in enforcement powers aimed at tackling absconders and security threats more efficiently. The impact of a blocked CNIC is extensive: 1. Communication Disruption: SIM cards and mobile data services may be suspended. 2. Financial Restrictions: Access to bank accounts, ATMs, and financial services can be limited. 3. Travel Limitations: Restrictions on domestic and international travel, including ticketing and passport use. 4. Public Services Access: Limited access to government-related services such as utilities, healthcare, and property transactions. The move reflects a growing focus on digital identity as a core pillar of governance in Pakista...