A good move at last

Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langau escaped an attack on his security squad in Mastung. He praised the police for their quick response. Officers confronted the attackers and forced them to flee before the attack could succeed. Five police personnel were injured in the exchange of fire. Speaking at a press conference in Quetta, the minister said the people of Balochistan have suffered violence for a long time. He urged those hiding in the mountains and carrying weapons to understand that this path leads nowhere. He asked both Baloch and Pashtun communities not to fall for what he called terrorist propaganda. He also asked families to protect their children from this cycle of violence. Langau alleged that terrorists are getting support from India and Afghanistan. He said the government and security forces will keep working to stop terrorism and protect ordinary citizens. This attack raises a question that many people in Balochistan are now asking. For years, we heard about attacks on common citizens, on laborers, on travelers, and on ordinary security checkpoints. Now the attackers are targeting VIPs and even provincial ministers. This shift shows that militants are growing bolder, not weaker. If a home minister’s own security team can come under fire in broad daylight, ordinary citizens have every right to ask why the state’s counter terrorism strategy is not delivering real results. Press conferences and strong statements are not enough. People want to see fewer attacks, not more explanations after each attack. Balochistan has paid a heavy price in blood for many years. Every attack, whether on a common worker or on a top official, adds to that pain. The government must move beyond statements and build a strategy that actually reduces violence on the ground. Until that happens, incidents like Mastung will keep repeating, and the trust between the people and the state will keep weakening.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is right to celebrate Pakistan’s progress at the Indus Robotics and Autonomous Systems Expo 2026. Local drones, simulators and autonomous platforms on display are genuine achievements, and the government deserves credit for organising this event. Such expos give young innovators a stage, and they should happen far more often. One expo a year is not enough for a country trying to catch up in robotics and artificial intelligence. But an honest look tells us something the speeches often skip. Pakistan’s technology sector has largely grown because of private effort, not government funding. Young software engineers, startup founders, freelancers and university students have kept this sector alive, often without meaningful state support. Many built their skills through free online courses, self-funded projects and sheer persistence, not through government grants or well-funded labs. When government share of support has been minimal, it is unfair for credit to travel only upward. The youth of this country deserve real recognition, not just polite mentions in a prime ministerial address. If Pakistan genuinely wants technological independence, praise alone will not build it. Research budgets remain thin. Universities struggle with outdated labs and low funding, a problem raised repeatedly by academics themselves. Local innovators frequently move abroad, not because they lack patriotism, but because opportunities and funding are stronger elsewhere. Indigenous drone and simulator production is encouraging, but it cannot substitute for a broader national investment in research, education and startups. The government’s job now is to convert one successful expo into a lasting system. That means consistent funding for research institutions, easier access to capital for young tech entrepreneurs, and closer partnerships between universities and defence industries. It means holding such expos regularly, not as one-off showcases, but as part of a serious innovation calendar.

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.4 has struck western Colombia. The disaster has taken at least 164 lives. More than 880 people are injured. Over 3,200 people remain missing. These numbers may still rise as rescue teams continue searching through collapsed buildings. Our hearts go out to the people of Colombia. Families have lost loved ones. Homes have turned into rubble. Hospitals meant to save lives have themselves collapsed, forcing doctors to treat patients on the streets. Even a historic cathedral, standing tall since the 1920s, could not survive the shaking earth. This is a moment of deep grief for Colombia and for all of humanity. This tragedy reminds us of another dark chapter closer to home. In October 2005, a massive earthquake struck Azad Jammu and Kashmir and northern Pakistan. That disaster killed over 73,000 people. Entire towns were destroyed within seconds. Schools collapsed while children were still inside. The scars of that day remain fresh in the memories of countless families even today. Nature does not choose its victims. Earthquakes can strike any nation, rich or poor, prepared or unprepared. Yet the scale of destruction often depends on how ready a country is. Colombia’s new government now faces this crisis just days after taking office. Pakistan knows well how difficult such moments can be. The world must treat these repeated disasters as a wake-up call. Governments should invest more in earthquake-resistant buildings. Hospitals and schools must be built to withstand strong tremors. Early warning systems and trained rescue teams can save many lives when disaster strikes. Colombia now needs support from the international community. Rescue equipment, medical aid and financial help can ease the suffering of affected families. Pakistan, having faced similar pain in 2005, understands this need better than most nations. We mourn with Colombia today. We also hope this tragedy pushes every vulnerable nation, including our own, to take earthquake preparedness seriously before the next disaster strikes.

The suicide bombing at Kabal Police Station in Swat has claimed 17 lives. Seven police officials  and 10 civilians were martyred in this attack. More than 23 injured people are still fighting for their lives in hospitals. We pray for their speedy recovery. This attack was not just on a police station. It was an attack on the peace of an entire community. The people of Swat have already suffered greatly from terrorism in the past. They rebuilt their lives after years of conflict. They deserved better than this bloodshed. Markets closed across Kabal as residents mourned their dead. This attack must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The bomber used between six and eight kilograms of explosives. Police officers showed real courage. They stopped the bomber from reaching his main target. Their bravery saved many more lives. These officers deserve recognition, not just words of praise. Their families deserve the full compensation that has been promised to them, delivered without delay. The formation of a Joint Investigation Team is a necessary step. Investigators must move quickly and use every modern tool available to find those responsible. But investigation alone is not enough. Pakistan needs a sustained and serious campaign against terrorism, not scattered responses after each tragedy. Chief Minister Muhammad Suhail Khan Afridi used this moment to blame federal security policies. This kind of political point scoring serves no one right now. Terrorism is a threat to the entire country. It cannot be treated as a provincial problem or a political weapon. What Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needs is genuine cooperation between the provincial and federal governments, not finger pointing while bodies are still being buried. The Rs20 billion allocation for police capacity is a welcome move. But money alone will not defeat this threat. Pakistan needs unity among political parties, religious leaders, security forces, and ordinary citizens. Terrorists thrive on division. They exploit political blame games and public distrust. Every time leaders turn a tragedy into a political argument, they hand terrorists a small victory. The victims of Kabal deserve more than condolences. They deserve a state that protects its citizens and brings the guilty to justice without delay. They deserve leaders who put aside politics and work together against a common enemy. Pakistan has defeated terrorism before through unity and sacrifice. It must find that same resolve again. Swat has bled too many times. This must be the last time.

Dharmendra Pradhan is gone, and India’s students deserve credit for this outcome. The Cockroach Janta Party earned this win through patience and courage, not through empty slogans. For ten days, young people faced tear gas and batons. They kept coming back. This kind of discipline is rare among protest movements. Many governments wait out public anger, hoping crowds will tire and go home. The CJP did not tire. It stayed at Jantar Mantar until the government had no choice but to listen. The protest also stayed focused. It began with anger over the NEET examination and irregularities that damaged trust in the whole testing system. Instead of losing direction, the movement grew into a wider call for accountability, transparency, and jobs for young Indians. This growth showed maturity, not chaos. Two rounds of talks failed before Pradhan resigned. That failure could have broken the movement. It did not. Protesters held their ground, and a third round never became necessary. The minister chose to step down first. This shows that sustained peaceful pressure still works in a democracy, even when early negotiations collapse. Credit also belongs to CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who kept the movement organised despite police pressure. His simple words to the crowd, delivered after the resignation, captured the moment better than any long speech could. Rahul Gandhi is right to demand more. An apology from the prime minister and action against those responsible for violence against students would complete this chapter properly. Compensation for affected candidates and withdrawal of cases against protesters must also follow, as promised. Still, this resignation is a genuine victory. Young Indians showed that organised, peaceful protest can force accountability at the highest level. The Cockroach Janta Party deserves full credit for proving that persistence changes outcomes.

The Sindh cabinet’s decision to keep Dr Nighat Shah on as a professor at Jinnah Sindh Medical University, right after her retirement, and while the same post is already advertised, is a troubling example of a culture this country must abandon. Rehiring retired officials is not a reward. It is a curse. Every time a retired person is brought back through a special order, one door closes for someone else. Younger doctors, teachers, and officers who have spent years waiting patiently in line for promotion suddenly find that the position they worked toward has been given to someone who was supposed to have already left. This is deeply unfair. It sends a clear message to hardworking juniors that seniority, patience, and merit do not matter. What matters instead is influence. This problem is not limited to government departments. Private organisations often do the same thing. A senior executive retires, and instead of allowing a deserving junior to rise, the company brings the retired person back on contract. The result is always the same. Staff morale suffers. Younger employees lose motivation, because they see no real chance of advancement. Over time, these organisations lose their best talent to competitors who do offer growth. This is one of the quiet reasons many institutions eventually decline. We do not doubt that Dr Nighat Shah has had a distinguished career. Her contributions to gynaecology and obstetrics, and to medical education, are acknowledged. But outstanding achievement does not require staying in the same chair forever. A person of her experience can serve the nation in many other ways. She can mentor young doctors informally. She can join advisory boards. She can write, train, and guide the next generation without occupying a post that others are competing for through proper process. The PMDC policy allowing retired faculty to be retained until the age of sixty five is optional, not mandatory. Institutions are not required to use it. The Sindh cabinet should withdraw this order and let the ongoing selection process proceed fairly. Retired professionals deserve respect and gratitude for their service. What they do not need, and what the country cannot afford, is another door closed on the next generation.