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How token dependence is reshaping economic sovereignty in the AI age

The global artificial intelligence (AI) economy is generating more than $175 billion in revenue annually, with the generative AI sector alone recording around $110 billion in sales over the past 12 months. The global AI market is currently valued at more than $610 billion, while private and corporate investment in the sector soared to $252.3 billion, driven primarily by massive capital spending by tech giants. The AI sector is likely to expand rapidly in the coming years, with Statista projecting the global AI market to reach $1.42 trillion by 2032, while the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates that it could surge to $4.8 trillion by 2033. As the AI economy rapidly develops, the more relevant unit is increasingly the token — the tiny fragment of text or data that AI models process to generate answers, predictions and decisions. As governments, businesses and individuals increasingly rely on AI services, countries are beginning to face a basic question: what does it ...
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Govt raises petrol price by 39 paisas, HSD by Rs2.40 per litre for Aug 25

The federal government on Monday increased the price of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) by 39 paisas and Rs2.40 per litre, respectively, for August 25. According to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division, the price of petrol has been fixed at Rs341.98 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs370.69 per litre for Tuesday. The latest revision comes three days after last week’s increase, when the government increased the price of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs3.81 and Rs3.59 per litre, respectively, for the next three days. Read: Govt hikes petrol by Rs3.81, HSD by Rs3.59 till August 24 Last month, the government announced a new pricing mechanism under which petroleum product prices would be reviewed and notified on a daily basis, replacing the weekly pricing mechanism, as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran continued to drive volatility in global oil markets and raise concerns over fuel supplies. According to the Pakistan Economic Survey ...
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Form-47 assemblies have no legitimacy to change country's structure: Salman Akram Raja

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said on Monday that Form-47 assemblies lacked the legitimacy to change the country’s structure or alter the system of government. “We have to sit with everyone and move forward with everyone. The Form-47 assemblies do not have the legitimacy to change the structure of the country or alter the system of government. If there is agreement on our principled position on this, then we can move forward together,” said Raja while speaking to a private television programme, Capital Talk. Raja said his party was ready to work on principled grounds with all political parties, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). He invited them to join its Sept 27 protest to strengthen the democratic and federal system. He said his party’s meeting with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence had resulted in an agreement on matters of principle. “There was agreement on matters of principle. In the current situation...
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Kashmir: diplomatic weight of a few words

The Pakistan-US ties have rarely been short of complications, but the latest diplomatic friction between the two sides is rooted in a subject that carries a heavy political charge: Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan's decision to summon the US Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described Jammu and Kashmir as an "important part of India" is more than a diplomatic protest. It reflects Islamabad's concern that Washington may be sending mixed signals on an issue where Pakistan remains extremely sensitive to any perceived shift in the US position. Gor made the remarks on his maiden visit to Srinagar, where he met IIOJK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. His visit came years after India's 2019 decision to revoke the region's special constitutional status and was closely watched in both Islamabad and New Delhi. The ambassador also spoke positively about the security situation and indicated that Washington could reassess its travel a...
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PTI demands CT coronary angiography for Imran at Shifa International Hospital

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday condemned what it called the continued failure of authorities to conduct a CT Coronary Angiography on former prime minister and founder Imran Khan, demanding immediate and independent cardiac care for him at Shifa International Hospital. In a statement, Central Secretary Information, Sheikh Waqas Akram, said a government medical board had examined Imran on Aug 10 following complaints of heart palpitations and severe headaches. He said a cardiologist at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) had already recommended a CT Coronary Angiography on Aug 1 due to fluctuating blood pressure, restlessness and potential risks of cardiac complications, given Imran’s age and prolonged isolation. PRESS RELEASE PTI Demands Immediate and Independent Cardiac Care for Imran Khan Following Denied Diagnostic Tests ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram has strongly condemned the continu...
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‘Blind murder’ theory falls apart as TikToker killing probe uncovers family plot

The murder investigation into 28-year-old TikToker Shamsu Bibi, also known as Ayesha Gilamana, in Taxila took a dramatic turn on Saturday, with police alleging that her father, biological brother and close relatives were involved in the conspiracy to kill her. Police have arrested five suspects, including her father and brother, while the two alleged shooters are also in custody. Rawalpindi Operations SSP Malik Tariq Mehboob told a presser that preliminary investigations suggested Ayesha’s family disapproved of her TikTok and other social media activities, which had become a major source of conflict within the family. He said evidence gathered so far indicated that Ayesha had allegedly been killed in the name of honour and that her father, brother and other close relatives were allegedly involved in planning the murder. According to the SSP, an attempt was initially made to portray the killing as a blind murder and mislead the police by creating the impression that outsid...
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8 Pakistan Bar Council members condemn ‘defiance’ of SC order amid Imran Khan’s treatment fiasco

Eight members of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Saturday strongly condemned “the government’s blatant, willful and deliberate violation” of a Supreme Court (SC) August 18 order concerning the medical examination of former prime minister Imran Khan. Three days ago, the SC ordered the government to transfer Imran to Shifa Inte­rn­ati­onal Hospital for examination and treatment by a multidisciplinary medical board. The government instead sent him to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for treatment, drawing the ire of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership and eventually leading to the filing of a contempt of court petition in the apex court today. A press release signed and released by the group under the Pakistan Bar Council Member letterhead said, “We, the undersigned, strongly condemn the blatant, willful and deliberate violation by the government and authorities of the order of the Supreme Court of Pakis...
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