RAHIM YAR KHAN, DEC 30 /DNA/ – Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, at Sheikh Zayed Palace, Rahim Yar Khan, this afternoon.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister & Prime Minister Sen. Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Ata Tarar, SAPM Tariq Fatemi and other senior officials.

During their warm and cordial meeting, the two leaders carried forward discussions from their recent meeting in Islamabad on 26 December, 2025, when His Highness paid his first official visit to Pakistan as President of UAE.

The Prime Minister reiterated his firm resolve to elevate the longstanding, brotherly ties between Pakistan and the UAE into a strategic, mutually beneficial, economic partnership. He stressed upon the need for both sides to actively pursue enhancement in bilateral trade through a quantum jump which will bring it to the desired level. The two leaders also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas including IT, energy, mining & minerals, as well as defence cooperation.

While expressing his great admiration for the UAE’s remarkable progress under His Highness’ dynamic and visionary leadership, the Prime Minister thanked the UAE President for his patronage and commitment to foster stronger ties between the two countries. He also appreciated the UAE for hosting 2.1 million Pakistanis, who were playing an important role in strengthening ties between both countries.

In addition to bilateral cooperation, the two leaders also exchanged views on a variety of subjects.

The meeting capped off a year of extensive leadership-level engagements between Pakistan and the UAE.

ISLAMABAD, DEC 30: The series of demands from the International Monetary Fund continues, as new conditions linked to Pakistan’s $7 billion loan program have come to light, potentially impacting the country’s growing electric and hybrid vehicle industry.

According to sources, the IMF has demanded the abolition of sales tax exemptions on locally manufactured electric vehicles and electric bikes. The proposal calls for the imposition of the standard 18% General Sales Tax (GST) from the 2026–27 fiscal year.

Hybrid electric vehicles also targeted
The IMF has also urged Pakistan to end tax exemptions on locally manufactured hybrid electric vehicles, sources revealed. Currently, these vehicles enjoy tax relief under special provisions aimed at promoting cleaner transportation.

At present, locally manufactured hybrid electric vehicles are fully tax-exempt until June 30, 2026. After that period, a sales tax of 8.5% applies to hybrid vehicles up to 1,800cc, while vehicles up to 2,500cc are taxed at 12.75%.

Vehicles into normal tax regime
Sources said the IMF raised these demands during talks with the Ministry of Industries and Production. The lender has called for the removal of sales tax exemptions from the Eighth Schedule of the Sales Tax Act and their inclusion in the normal tax regime.

Locally manufactured hybrid electric vehicles and bikes are currently exempt from sales tax under the Eighth Schedule. The IMF now wants this exemption removed, effectively bringing these vehicles under the standard GST framework.

Tax exemption likely to end
If accepted by the government, the tax exemption on locally manufactured hybrid electric vehicles and electric bikes will end from next year. The move could significantly affect prices, consumer demand, and Pakistan’s transition toward environmentally friendly transport.

ISLAMABAD, Dec 30 (APP/DNA):Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq Tuesday, extended warm congratulations to Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti, on formally assuming responsibilities as the eighth Chief of the Bugti tribes.

The NA Speaker said that Mir Sarfraz Bugti’s elevation as Chief of the Bugti tribes reflects the deep trust, confidence and respect reposed in him by the Bugti community.

He said that this honour is a recognition of Mir Sarfraz Bugti’s political acumen, leadership qualities, and his consistent commitment to the socio-economic welfare and well-being of the people of Balochistan and Bugti Tribes.

Ayaz Sadiq said that as a seasoned political leader and an elected Chief Minister, Mir Sarfraz Bugti is actively working for the development, education, and institutional strengthening in the province.

His vision for inclusive growth and political stability demonstrates mature statesmanship and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by the province of Balochistan.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq further said that Balochistan is also confronting the menace of Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khawarij and cross-border terrorism, which pose a serious threat to peace and development.

He commended Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti for standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Balochistan, the Pakistan Army, and security forces in the collective resolve to eliminate terrorism and restore lasting peace in the province and across Pakistan.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq expressed the hope that, with the trust bestowed upon him by the Bugti tribes, Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti will continue to serve Balochistan with dedication and work tirelessly for political stability, security, and the socio-economic uplift of the province and the country.

LAHORE: An election tribunal on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Dr Yasmin Rashid challenging Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif’s victory from Lahore’s NA-130 in the 2024 general elections.

The incarcerated PTI senior leader, in April last year, filed a petition in the election tribunal against the three-time former premier through her lawyers, Ahmed Awais and Rana Mudassar.

She had stated in her petition that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued the notification of Nawaz’s victory in violation of the law.

Dr Rashid, who served as Punjab health minister during former premier Imran Khan’s rule, claimed that results were manipulated in favour of the PML-N supremo.

After hearing arguments from both sides, election tribunal judge Justice (retd) Rana Zahid Mahmood declared the notification of Nawaz’s victory from NA-130 Lahore valid.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PLM-N supremo won the NA-130 seat by securing 171,024 votes, while Dr Yasmin Rashid, who was contesting elections as an independent candidate, bagged 115,043 votes during the elections.

The Imran Khan-founded party claimed its mandate was stolen in the February 8, 2024, general elections and results were changed in Form 47s, a document which provides insight into unconfirmed results of a constituency.

The former ruling party also claimed they won 180 NA seats, citing statistics of Form 45s.

Form 45, also known as the Presiding Officer’s Results of the Count, is the form that the presiding officer (PO) is required to sign and provide with their thumb impression and signature to the polling agents.

This form records the number of votes cast in a polling station. It also separately mentions how many votes a candidate received from that polling station.

Form 47 is another important form related to polling stations. In this form, the count of votes from all the polling stations of a constituency is recorded by the Returning Officer. This makes a provisional consolidated result of the constituency sans postal ballots.

ISLAMABAD, DEC 30 /DNA/- The Information Service Academy (ISA), in collaboration with the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad, organized a strategic dialogue titled “India’s Aggression and Pakistan’s Strategic Response: Contemplating the Future Course of Action” at the ISA Auditorium, Islamabad. The event brought together senior military officials, diplomats, scholars, policy experts, media representatives, and students to deliberate on evolving regional security dynamics and Pakistan’s strategic outlook.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Imrana Wazir, Executive Director General, ISA, welcomed the distinguished participants and underscored the importance of informed and objective discourse amid heightened tensions in South Asia. She highlighted Pakistan’s strategic potential and emphasized the need for collective intellectual engagement to effectively address emerging regional and global challenges.

The dialogue featured a keynote address by former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General (R) Zubair Mehmood Hayat, who attended as the Guest of Honour. He shared strategic lessons drawn from recent regional developments, stressing the importance of vigilance, credible deterrence, and strategic prudence. He noted that sustainable peace must be underpinned by robust security preparedness and observed that “India’s strategic assumptions have proved erroneous.” He further opined that India failed to impose a so-called “new normal” and emphasized the need for India to abandon Operation Sindoor and shift towards diplomacy, realism, and restraint.

Other distinguished speakers included former Corps Commander General (R) Khalid Rabbani, former Foreign Secretaries Mr. Jauhar Saleem and Mr. Aizaz Ahmad, and President SASSI University, Dr. Maria Sultan. The panelists shared valuable insights on regional stability, military preparedness, air power capabilities, and diplomatic engagement. They highlighted the changing regional landscape and emphasized the importance of maintaining a calibrated military posture complemented by proactive and effective diplomacy.

An interactive question-and-answer session followed, during which students from various universities posed thoughtful and pertinent questions to the panel, enriching the discussion and reflecting strong academic engagement with the subject.

The dialogue concluded with closing remarks by the Executive Director General, who summarized the key takeaways and reaffirmed confidence in Pakistan’s ability to navigate future security challenges through strategic foresight and prudent decision-making. She noted that this was the first dialogue in a planned series and that similar engagements would be held over the next six months on other relevant and timely topics. She also expressed appreciation for the collaboration and support of the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in making the event successful.

The dialogue was well attended by senior government and military officials, diplomats, representatives from civil society, think tanks, and the media. The active participation of students from diverse universities added depth and vitality to the session, making it both engaging and productive.

LAHORE, Dec 30 (APP/DNA): With snowfall forecast in Murree, Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman on Tuesday directed the district authorities and relevant departments to remain on alert to prevent disruptions and ensure the safety of tourists.

A meeting, chaired by the Chief Secretary Punjab at the Civil Secretariat, reviewed arrangements for snow clearance, traffic management and public facilitation during the expected snowfall.

Officials informed the meeting that snow-clearing machinery was in place and ready for deployment, with salt spreading and clearance operations set to begin immediately once snowfall starts.

The chief secretary instructed authorities to keep traffic flowing and ensure heavy machinery remains operational throughout the snowfall.

He also emphasized the need for timely and accurate information to guide tourists and avoid congestion and traffic bottlenecks.

Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar told the meeting that additional personnel would be deployed from Lahore to assist Murree police with traffic control and security.

The deputy commissioner of Murree said 13 facilitation centres had already been established for tourists, while a control room had been activated to monitor the situation around the clock.

The secretaries of relevant departments including finance, communication and works, tourism and rescue 1122, along with the director general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, attended the meeting.

The Rawalpindi commissioner, regional police officer, deputy commissioner and district police officer of Murree joined via video link.