GENEVA, JAN 30 /DNA/ – The Honorable Chairperson of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Mrs. Farzhana Naek, held a series of high-level meetings with the leadership of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) during her visit to their Headquarters in Geneva. This was her first official visit to Geneva after assuming office as Chairperson of PRCS.

During her visit to the IFRC Headquarters, Mrs. Farzhana Naek met with the IFRC Secretary General, Mr. Jagan Chapagain.

The meeting focused on strengthening PRCS’s institutional capacity and enhancing its ability to deliver effective humanitarian services across Pakistan.

Mr. Chapagain appreciated the positive organizational transformation taking place under the current PRCS leadership and emphasized the long-term value of these reforms for the National Society. Discussions also covered resource mobilization and practical approaches to ensure the financial sustainability of PRCS, with the IFRC Secretary General reaffirming IFRC’s continued support to PRCS in achieving its strategic objectives.

In a separate engagement, the Chairperson held a virtual meeting with the Director General of ICRC, Mr. Pierre Kraehenbuehl, during her visit to the ICRC Headquarters in Geneva. Mr. Kraehenbuehl commended the progress made by PRCS under Mrs. Naek’s leadership and acknowledged its effective humanitarian outreach across the country. The discussion focused on deepening collaboration in the Merged Areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with particular attention to Khyber (Tehsil Tirah) and Kurram districts. The ICRC Director General also appreciated the impact and uniqueness of Pakistan’s Restoring Family Links (RFL) programme, recognizing its importance in reconnecting separated families.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairperson PRCS Mrs. Farzhana Naek said that the engagements in Geneva provided an important opportunity to align PRCS priorities with Movement partners at the global level. She noted that the discussions with IFRC and ICRC leadership reinforced the shared focus on sustainability, accountability, and practical humanitarian outcomes, and highlighted the importance of strong partnerships in enabling PRCS to respond more effectively to the needs of vulnerable communities across Pakistan.

In addition to meetings with IFRC and ICRC leadership, the Chairperson held detailed discussions with senior officials and global programme heads from both organizations. These interactions covered key thematic areas including innovative financing, climate action, migration, health, disaster response, and strengthening the auxiliary role of PRCS. The meetings also addressed digitalization, legal and governance frameworks, ethics and accountability, integrated health services, cash assistance, and resilience building, while recognizing PRCS’s strong community presence, volunteer network, and growing role within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The Geneva visit reflects PRCS’s continued engagement with its Movement partners to strengthen cooperation, enhance institutional capacity, and expand the reach and impact of humanitarian services for communities in need across Pakistan.

RAWALPINDI: As many as 41 Indian-backed militants were killed in two separate operations in Balochistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday, as the army vowed to crush the menace of terrorism.

In a statement, the military’s media wing said that the terrorists — belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna al-Khwarij and Fitna al-Hindustan — were killed on January 29 during intelligence-based operations (IBO).

Providing details, the ISPR said that one IBO was conducted on the outskirts of Harnai District on the reported presence of Fitna al-Khwarij.

During the conduct of the operation, the security forces effectively engaged the hideout, and after an intense fire exchange, 30 Indian sponsored Khwarij “were sent to hell”.

The military’s media wing added that a large cache of ammunition and explosives was also recovered from the killed terrorists and destroyed on the spot.

Another intel-based operation was conducted in Panjgur District in which a terrorist hideout was busted, and 11 India-sponsored terrorists of Fitna al-Hindustan were neutralised.

Besides weapons and ammunition, looted money from the bank robbery in Panjgur on December 15, 2025, was also recovered from the killed terrorists. “The terrorists were involved in numerous terrorist activities in the past.”

Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other India-sponsored terrorists found in the area.

“Relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision “Azm e Istehkam” […] by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out [the] menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.”

Pakistan has experienced a rise in cross-border terrorist incidents since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. The provinces of KP and Balochistan, which border Afghanistan, have been particularly affected by these attacks.

ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, in his presser on January 6, said that law enforcement agencies carried out 75,175 IBOs across the country in 2025.

Giving a breakdown, he said 14,658 IBOs were conducted in KP, 58,778 in Balochistan, while 1,739 operations took place in the rest of the country.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said that 5,397 terrorism incidents were reported nationwide during the last year. Of these, 3,811 incidents, he said, occurred in KP, 1,557 in Balochistan, and 29 incidents were reported in other parts of the country.

He said that 2,597 terrorists were killed during counterterror operations last year. While providing details of 10 major terror attacks across the country, he said that civilians and soft targets had been deliberately targeted, and Afghan militants were involved in all attacks.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday announced an Rs4.4 per unit reduction in electricity tariffs for industries, along with an Rs9 cut in wheeling charges, to support the business fraternity.

He made these remarks while addressing a ceremony held in honour of the country’s eminent businessmen and exporters in Islamabad. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers, leading businessmen, entrepreneurs and exporters also attended the ceremony.

At the ceremony, awards were distributed among exporters who made a significant contribution to the national economy, and the prime minister personally presented awards to prominent exporters and business figures from across the country, whom he also formally welcomed.

The prime minister, while addressing the ceremony, said all future economic policies would be framed in close consultation with the business community and that there was no alternative to export-driven economic growth. He also announced that traders who had received awards would be granted blue passports.

He further said the government was also reducing the tax rate for exporters from 7.5% to 4.5% to provide immediate relief to businesses and accelerate export-led growth.

PM Shehbaz said the government did not believe in running businesses itself and that the private sector must lead economic activity, while the state’s role was to provide a conducive and predictable business environment. The prime minister said Pakistan must now move decisively towards growth and welcomed proposals from the business community.

“You exporters deserve the highest praise. Great business leaders have worked day and night to bring pride to the country,” the prime minister said, adding that exporters had delivered a strong performance despite difficult conditions and had posted a notable increase in Pakistan’s exports in 2025.

He said some people had claimed that Pakistan had technically defaulted and that talk of the country’s bankruptcy had continued in the past, but saving Pakistan from default had been one of the government’s biggest challenges.

“When we assumed office, the economic situation was extremely fragile, and the common man faced severe hardships,” he said.

Referring to international engagements, the prime minister said he met the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Paris in 2023, and later the global lender approved an economic programme for Pakistan. He said the IMF chief had also remarked that offering a new structure at that time was difficult.

He said inflation was gradually coming down, while the policy rate had declined sharply from 22% to around 10.5%. Owing to improved economic policies, Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves had doubled, he said, adding that government efforts had helped save the country from bankruptcy.

The prime minister said friendly countries had fully supported Pakistan during difficult times and that, together with the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, he had met leaders of several countries to advance economic stabilisation. He said the results of difficult decisions were now becoming visible.

He stressed that Pakistan must move forward collectively on the path of development and that the entire nation, particularly the poor, had made sacrifices during the stabilisation phase.

He directed State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmed to listen carefully to the concerns of business leaders and reiterated that economic policies would be finalised after structured consultations with traders and exporters.

On the regional and international front, Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistan had achieved successes on the diplomatic and defence fronts. Referring to the victory in “Marka-e-Haq”, he said Pakistan now held a unique standing in the world, and during his post-victory foreign visits, he witnessed a clear change in international attitudes.

He said that after Marka-e-Haq, heads of state personally embraced him and that the world was now ready to listen to Pakistan. He added that contacts were being made to attract fresh investment.

‘Ending corruption, cutting expenditures’
On privatisation and institutional reforms, he said the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines had been conducted transparently and that future privatisation would also strictly follow transparency standards.

He said the Pakistan Works Department had been shut down due to poor performance after years of political controversy, utility stores had been closed because of widespread corruption, and Pasco had also been shut.

He said the government was introducing reforms and cutting expenditures worth billions of rupees. He stressed that taxes must be reduced, particularly direct taxes, and said direct taxes should be lowered immediately, not at some distant point in the future. He said indirect taxes were collected from consumers and deposited with the government.

The prime minister said petrol smuggling had almost been eliminated and credited the Field Marshal for playing a one-hundred-per-cent role in curbing smuggling. He said the government first focused on the affairs of sugar mills as part of broader corrective measures.

Highlighting priority sectors, he said the textile and leather industries were playing a vital role in the economy, and export-based growth remained the government’s central focus. He said significant initiatives were also being taken in the digital sector.

The prime minister said his entire cabinet was working tirelessly to pave the way for national development and that political and military cooperation was opening all avenues for progress. He added that politics was everyone’s right, but national dignity must come first.