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Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday said Pakistan’s rapid population growth requires a serious review of the country’s governance and administrative structure to ensure it continues to meet the nation’s needs. Speaking at a news conference, the military spokesperson noted that Pakistan’s population had increased from around 70 to 80 million in 1972 to nearly 250 million today, while the country’s administrative framework had largely remained unchanged. He said such a significant rise in population made it necessary to assess whether the existing system was still capable of delivering effective governance and public services. The DG ISPR stressed that improving governance was essential for national security and stability, adding that unresolved issues indicated the need for reforms. However, he emphasized that any changes to the administrative structure must be introduced through constitutional and democratic processes. He said the decision on governance reforms or administrative restructuring should reflect the aspirations of the people rather than individual opinions. Lt Gen Chaudhry also highlighted that Pakistan’s youth now make up the largest segment of the population and urged political leaders to focus on improving governance while guiding the public through constructive political dialogue. He reiterated that lasting solutions to the country’s governance challenges could only be achieved through constitutional means and in accordance with the will of the people.

Police personnel in Bannu staged a protest on Tuesday against the transfer of seven Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police officials to other districts, with the dispute disrupting policing and traffic management in parts of the district. The protest was organised after the Police Peace Committee called on affected personnel to gather at the police lines and suspend their duties. Similar calls were reportedly made by peace committees in Lakki Marwat and Tank. The protesters are demanding that the transfer orders be reviewed or withdrawn. They have warned that the protest could be expanded if their demands are not addressed. Head of the Bannu Peace Committee Hazratullah said the boycott would continue until the transfer orders were cancelled. He said members of the peace committees had worked alongside police to maintain security and restore peace in Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Tank. The boycott reportedly affected security arrangements at several important government and sensitive locations. The absence of traffic personnel also caused congestion at various points in Bannu and Lakki Marwat, leaving commuters facing delays. The transfer orders were issued by the Peshawar Central Police Office on the directions of the Additional Inspector General. Seven personnel were moved to different districts and units. Under the orders, Head Constable Nisar Ali was transferred from Police Lines Lower Dir to PTS Swat. Constable Ghulam Abbas Khan was moved from Elite Force Peshawar to Haripur, while Constable Muhammad Arif was transferred from Elite Force Peshawar to Dera Ismail Khan. Constable Shafiullah was transferred from Investigation Bannu to Swat. Constable Muhammad Atif Khan was moved from Elite Force Bannu to Upper Chitral. Meanwhile, Constable Samiullah was transferred from Lakki Marwat to the Counter Terrorism Department in Peshawar, while Constable Khalid Rahman was moved from District Traffic Mobile Lakki Marwat to Shangla. Police personnel have argued that sudden transfers to distant districts could create difficulties for the affected officials and their families. They have called for the orders to be reconsidered. Authorities have so far not issued a detailed official response to the reported boycott or confirmed whether disciplinary action will be taken against personnel who stopped performing their duties. IGP transfer also under review The protest comes amid uncertainty over the appointment of a new K-P inspector general of police. The proposed transfer of IGP Zulfikar Hameed was put on hold a day earlier as the federal government sought further consultations over the candidates proposed for the post. Provincial government sources said the list of three senior police officers submitted for consideration could be revised. One name may be removed, while another officer could potentially be added before the appointment process resumes. A senior police official said the transfer of the current IGP was not being actively pursued for the moment because of the worsening security situation in the southern districts. The official said the provincial police chief was therefore likely to remain in his position temporarily while consultations between the federal and provincial governments continued.

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected Rs44 billion in income tax from the salaried class during July, the first month of the current financial year. The collection was higher than the amount collected from salaried individuals during the same month in the previous two years. FBR had collected Rs42 billion from the salaried class in July 2025 and Rs30 billion in July 2024. According to sources, the higher collection from salaried individuals came despite an overall decline in income tax collection in some sectors. The figures indicate that the salaried class continued to contribute a significant share of income tax revenue at the beginning of the new financial year. Sources said property buying and selling transactions increased during July this year. However, tax collection from property transactions remained lower compared with the corresponding period last year. The development comes after the government introduced changes to income tax rates for several salaried income brackets in the federal budget for the current financial year. The government reduced tax rates on annual incomes above Rs2.2 million as part of its budget measures. Under the revised tax structure, the income tax rate for individuals earning between Rs2.2 million and Rs3.2 million annually was reduced from 23 per cent to 20 per cent. Similarly, the tax rate for the annual income bracket of Rs3.2 million to Rs4.1 million was reduced from 30 per cent to 25 per cent. For individuals earning between Rs4.1 million and Rs5.6 million annually, the income tax rate was reduced from 35 per cent to 29 per cent. The tax rate for people earning between Rs5.6 million and Rs7 million annually was also reduced from 35 per cent to 32 per cent. Despite these reductions in tax rates, FBR’s collection from salaried individuals increased in July compared with the previous two years. The figures show that the tax contribution from the salaried class remained strong despite changes in the tax slabs.