����ֱ��

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kazakhstan concluded a two-week joint counterterrorism exercise at Cherat in northwestern Pakistan, the military’s media wing said on Saturday, reflecting growing security cooperation between the two countries.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the closing ceremony of Dostarym-V involved combat teams from Pakistan’s Special Services Group (SSG) and Kazakhstan’s Special Forces.

The exercise began on Oct. 14, the statement said, adding that it reaffirmed the commitment of the two militaries to strengthen cooperation in combating militancy and ensuring regional peace and stability.

“The exercise was aimed at refining the drills, procedures and techniques involved in counterterrorism operations through joint training, besides harnessing the historic military-to-military relations among the friendly countries,” ISPR said.

Pakistan and Kazakhstan established diplomatic relations in 1992, soon after the Central Asian nation’s independence following the Soviet Union’s collapse.

The two countries have since developed cooperation in defense, trade and connectivity, with Pakistan viewing Central Asia as a key part of its regional outreach to enhance trade and economic diplomacy.

The closing ceremony was attended by the commandant of the Special Operations School in Cherat as the chief guest, along with Kazakhstan’s ambassador and defense attaché.

The troops, ISPR said, “displayed the highest standards of professional excellence during the conduct.”

Pakistan and Kazakhstan have conducted several editions of the Dostarym — meaning “friends” in Kazakh — exercise in recent years, reflecting their shared concern over militancy and regional instability.

ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday dismissed a widely held perception that salaried workers bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden, saying the salaried class contributed only about 5 percent of total revenues in the last fiscal year and that income-tax rates for middle- and higher-income earners were cut in the latest budget.

The remarks by Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the finance minister, come amid public concern over shrinking disposable incomes and the government’s efforts to meet ambitious revenue-generation targets of Rs 14.13 trillion ($50.7 billion) under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program.

“During the last fiscal year, the salaried class contributed about 5 percent of total FBR revenues, and roughly 4 percent of total federal income,” Schehzad said in a social media post, referring to the Federal Board of Revenue.

“Last year, the salaried class paid Rs 555 billion [$2 billion] in taxes, while wholesalers, retailers and traders contributed nearly Rs 700 billion [$2.5 billion] (Rs 693 billion [$2.48 billion]), which was a 100 percent increase from the previous year,” he added. “These are verified, official figures.”

Schehzad said around 600,000 individuals in Pakistan fell in the salaried class.

He added that for those earning about Rs 600,000 ($2,155) a month, the income tax rate was reduced from 5 percent to 1 percent.

For individuals earning between Rs 250,000 ($889) and Rs 300,000 ($1,078) a month, it was lowered from 15 percent to 13 percent.

Similarly, those earning around Rs 250,000 are now required to pay 23 percent tax, down from 25 percent previously.

Pakistan has sought to modernize its revenue-collection system through automation, with the FBR integrating artificial intelligence to detect misreporting and curb tax evasion.

The country’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains among the lowest in South Asia, about 10.6 percent in fiscal year 2024-25, below the 13 percent target set under the IMF program.

“The government is not targeting anyone,” Schehzad said. “We no longer have the luxury of avoiding tough decisions. We must do what’s right for the country’s long-term interest.”