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Railways facing huge sustainability gap, NA committee told

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Railways continues to face a significant sustainability gap, with its immediate obligations more than 10 times higher than the current operational surplus, a National Assembly panel was told on Thursday. “Against a current operational surplus of Rs2.4 billion, immediate obligations amount to Rs27.4 billion, highlighting a structural funding shortfall that requires strategic support and long-term financial restructuring to ensure sustainable operations,” Paki­stan Railways’ member of finance told the National Assembly’s Stan­ding Committee on Parli­amentary Affairs, which met here with Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, MNA, in the chair. The secretary of parliamentary affairs briefed the committee on the status of complaints received about Pakistan Railways pensioners to the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit. The member of finance told the committee that PR has undertaken active liability management to address longstanding emp­loyee obligations, disbursing Rs5.622bn ...
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Govt to honour net-metering requests filed before Feb 8 under old rules

ISLAMABAD: To salvage government credibility, Power Minister Awais Leghari on Thursday decided to honour all applicants of net-metering solar connections till the change of regulations on Feb 8 and directed electricity distribution companies (Discos), including K-Electric, for its implementation. At a meeting of the Power Division’s attached entities, the minister was informed that 5,165 consumers had applied for net-metered connections by the cut-off date of Feb 8 — the day the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) notified the Prosumers Regulations 2026, replacing the net-metering framework with net billing and negatively affecting rooftop solar economics for households and industry. All these applications entailed a net-metering capacity addition of about 250.8 megawatts. “All net metering applications minister on commerce and industry. He was later sworn in as the provincial minister for agriculture and cooperatives. Meanwhile, Sardar Bhootani continued his ...
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Pakistan not among 5 nations announced to have committed troops for International Stabilisation Force in Gaza

US President Donald Trump on Thursday promised $10 billion and Muslim-majority nations offered funding and troops for Gaza at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington. Pakistan, however, was not named among the five nations who have committed troops for the International Stabilisation Force, which will be tas­k­ed with securing reconstruction zones and supporting a post-conflict governance arrangement in Gaza. Trump brought together allies from around the world — many authoritarians, with few Western democrats who traditionally ally with the United States — to hail his peacemaking at the first Board of Peace meeting. Presiding with a gavel over the meeting in the gleaming Washington building of the former US Institute of Peace, which has been gutted and renamed after the 79-year-old Republican, Trump hailed the “powerful people” who joined his board. “We will help Gaza. We will straighten it out. We’ll make it successful,” Trump said, holding up a document with pledges...
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IHC seeks govt response on plea challenging Domestic Violence Act

• Counsel argues law violates Articles 4, 8, 10-A, 35 and 227 of Constitution • Lahore court convicts man of assaulting wife, mother-in-law ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Ministry of Human Rights on a petition challenging the vires of the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2026 , and sought their response. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir of the IHC heard the petition filed by Advocate Abdul Wahab Farid against the recently enacted law. During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner, Maham Fatima and Sardar Tariq Hussain, arg­ued that the impugned legislation was contrary to several constitutional provisions, including Articles 4, 8, 10-A, 35 and 227. They contended that the law infringes fundamental rights and is inconsistent with Islamic injunctions. The counsel submitted that the procedure prescribed under the new law for registration and redressal of complaints violates the righ...
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Ahead of inaugural Board of Peace meeting, Asif says recognition of Israel ‘not on the cards at all’

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Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that recognition of Israel by Pakistan was “not on the cards at all” as he highlighted the country’s support for the Palestinian cause. The minister made the remarks in an interview with France 24 . The comments come as the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, led by US President Donald Trump, will be held in Washington on February 19. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will be attending the meeting. In the interview, Asif was asked about Pakistan’s decision to join the Board of Peace and if the country would contribute troops for a military force in Gaza. “I don’t see any problem in that. It all depends on what sort of terms of reference are drafted for that peace force,” he said, highlighting that Pakistan was a part of UN peacekeeping missions. “So we have that experience. Palestine is a cause that is very close to our hearts. We have been demonstrating solidarity with them for many, many, man...
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New Mexico to launch probe into notorious Epstein ranch

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DEMONSTRATORS protest in front of New York’s Trump Tower.—Reuters • Hillary accuses Trump of orchestrating ‘cover-up’ • Los Angeles mayor calls for 2028 Olympics chief to resign • Hyatt boss steps down SANTA FE: Lawmakers in the US state of New Mexico passed legislation on Monday to launch the “first full investigation” into what happened at Zorro Ranch, where the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is accused of trafficking and sexually assaulting girls and women. A bipartisan committee will seek testimony from survivors of alleged sexual abuse at the ranch, located about 50 kilometres south of Santa Fe, the state capital. Legislators have urged local residents to testify. Meanwhile, former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton accused President Trump of orchestrating a ‘cover-up’ over the Epstein files. “Get the files out. They’re slow-walking it,” the former first lady said in an interview with the BBC . In other developments, the mayor of Los Angeles called upon Casey Was...
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Punjab officials tight-lipped amid claims of provincial govt purchasing luxury aircraft for ‘VIP transport’

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LAHORE: Punjab officials are tight-lipped on reports that claim the provincial government has acquired a Gulfstream aircraft for “VIP transport role”. Meanwhile, the alleged move continues to draw criticism. On Monday, it was claimed by an X account, The Stratcom Bureau — which mainly shares defence and security news — that the “government of Punjab, Pakistan has acquired a new, 2019-manufactured Gulfstream GVII-G500 aircraft for their VIP transport role”. In a separate post by the same account, it was claimed that “the registration number of the luxury plane is N144S” and its “old Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration would be changed to Pakistani registration soon”. The post also said that the approximate asking price for the aircraft was $38 million to $42m. Meanwhile, the US FAA registry shows that the aircraft is currently owned by TVPX Aircraft Solutions Inc. Trustee, which, as per its website, commonly acts as the registered owner for aircraft trusts, facili...
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