SAP executives urged Pakistani businesses to connect artificial intelligence with their data, daily operations and workforce training. At a media roundtable alongside SAP Innovation Day, they highlighted AI adoption, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), education and workforce development as priorities for Pakistan’s digital transformation. Saqib Sabah, SAP’s head of the Middle East and Africa North Growth Cluster, pointed to Pakistan’s skilled workforce and growing technology capabilities. He said those strengths could help the country contribute to the regional and global technology sectors. “Pakistan has good education, talent and, more importantly, ambition. The ability and willingness to learn and develop are important assets of this country,” Sabah said. SAP warns AI can add costs without a clear strategy Ahmed Al Faifi, SAP’s senior vice president and managing director for Middle East and Africa North, urged businesses to define how AI would fit into their existing operations. “AI is not cheap. Businesses need a strategy that connects artificial intelligence with enterprise data, business processes and people,” Al Faifi said. He warned that companies could increase costs and complicate operations if they adopt AI tools without integrating them into existing workflows. He also emphasised continuous learning and digital literacy when discussing Pakistan’s readiness for AI. The roundtable highlighted how digitalisation could help Pakistan’s small and medium-sized businesses, particularly exporters. Digital systems can help firms maintain records, trace products through supply chains and demonstrate regulatory compliance. They can also improve sustainability reporting and governance, helping smaller exporters compete in international markets. SAP has separately identified cloud-based enterprise resource planning as one way for Pakistani SMEs to standardise operations. The company says these systems can also give smaller businesses access to analytics and automation. SAP says 400,000 students benefited from global training SAP said approximately 400,000 students worldwide benefited from training through its global initiatives over the past five years. The company cited the figure as it reaffirmed its commitment to education and skills development. In Pakistan, SAP said it continues to strengthen engagement with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Ministry of Information Technology and the Government of Pakistan. The company pointed to opportunities for further collaboration. Those discussions come as Pakistan works to expand access to AI education. The Ministry of IT and Telecommunication’s national roadmap includes plans for 1,000 fully funded AI scholarships by 2030. It also outlines an initiative that aims to train one million professionals outside the IT sector. The ministry announced those plans alongside AI Seekho 2026, a programme focused on practical AI skills. The roundtable closed with a focus on strengthening Pakistan’s digital foundations through education, infrastructure, cybersecurity and ongoing skills development. SAP’s message to employers was to build staff skills alongside investment in new technology. For small exporters, the discussion highlighted an immediate use for digital tools in the records, traceability and reporting they rely on to sell abroad.
Anwar Maqsood Asks Karachi to Support Iqbal Hussain Shah’s Safaid Posh Ghar
Writer and satirist Anwar Maqsood has appealed to the public to help Toyota dealership owner Iqbal Hussain Shah run Safaid Posh Ghar, a six-storey residential home in Karachi that can accommodate 240 people. In a video message, Maqsood said Shah had put everything he had into the project and received support from friends. He urged others to come forward, asking how one person could manage an undertaking of this scale alone. “Iqbal wants nothing for himself. He has put everything he had into it,” Maqsood said. The idea for Safaid Posh Ghar grew out of a small cabin outside Shah’s car showroom. The cabin, called Safaid Posh, serves meals to people who stop by in the afternoon or evening. Maqsood said nobody who came for food left empty-handed. Some of those who collected meals were older people who lived alone and rarely heard from their children, Maqsood said. Women and children also visited the cabin. Seeing them come for meals prompted Shah to think about building a home. Safaid Posh Ghar has separate floors for men, women, children and married couples. Its facilities include a gymnasium, a beauty parlour, doctors’ clinics and a rooftop restaurant. Recalling his first visit, Maqsood said he asked Shah, “Is this a five-star hotel or a home for people?” Maqsood called the project a remarkable achievement. His appeal focused on the work that comes after construction: keeping the home running and sharing the responsibility Shah has taken on.
BYD Opens First Sialkot Dealership on Daska Road
Chinese automaker BYD and its local partner, Mega Motor Company (MMC), have opened their first dealership in Sialkot. The Daska Road showroom gives customers in the city and nearby areas local access to BYD’s fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The opening extends the partners’ sales network in Punjab as they add dealerships across Pakistan. Sialkot is widely known as Pakistan’s sports capital and is a major exporter of sporting goods. The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan says international brands source products from the city, whose manufacturers make footballs, cricket equipment and sportswear. BYD-MMC says the new location will bring its vehicles and technology closer to buyers in that market. BYD-MMC targets wider access to electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles Danish Khaliq, vice president of sales and strategy at BYD Pakistan-MMC, said at the inauguration: “Pakistan’s transition towards new energy mobility is being shaped by the availability of advanced vehicles and the growing confidence consumers have shown in adopting them. At BYD-MMC, we are focused on making our technology and vehicles more accessible to customers across the country. The opening of our first dealership in Sialkot is another step towards expanding the reach of new energy mobility in Pakistan and bringing BYD’s innovative vehicle portfolio to more customers.” BYD Pakistan’s national lineup includes the Atto 2 and Atto 3 electric crossovers, the Seal electric sedan and the Sealion 7 electric SUV. The Shark 6 adds a plug-in hybrid pickup to the range. The Sialkot announcement did not specify which models the Daska Road dealership would carry at opening. Sialkot follows another recent addition to the network. BYD Pakistan opened its third Karachi dealership in Korangi, extending its reach in the country’s largest city. The Daska Road outlet gives the company a presence in another industrial centre as it expands beyond its earlier retail locations. BYD plans local vehicle assembly in Pakistan The dealership expansion comes as the company prepares to assemble vehicles in Pakistan. Hub Power Company management told analysts in November that it plans to start local production in December 2026. The Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid SUV is due to be the first model assembled locally. The plant is in Gharo, Sindh. Globally, BYD reported sales of about 4.6 million new energy vehicles in 2025, making it the world’s top-selling manufacturer in that category. The total includes battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. In Pakistan, BYD-MMC is pairing plans for local assembly with a wider dealership network. Its first Sialkot outlet brings that retail expansion to buyers on Daska Road.
AirV Electric Bikes Start at Rs198,000 in Pakistan: See Prices for All 11 Models
Air Link Communication Limited has entered Pakistan’s electric two-wheeler market with AirV, its own electric bike brand. Prices for the 11 models range from Rs198,000 for the Glide to Rs549,000 for the XR GT. The Fleet offers the longest claimed range at up to 200 km, while the XR GT has the highest listed speed at 80 km/h. Read More: Airlink Launches Major Electric Bike Project in Lahore Air Link launched AirV in Lahore on November 4 after announcing approval for its electric bike manufacturing project on July 23. The company is carrying out the project at its facility in Lahore’s Sundar Green Special Economic Zone. In its Pakistan Stock Exchange filing, Air Link said it would use its existing manufacturing operations and nationwide distribution network. It aims to serve both individual riders and businesses. AirV electric bike prices and specifications The lineup spans six series: Glide, Racy, Z-Wing, Vortex, Fleet and XR. The table lists all 11 models by price. LiFePO₄ stands for lithium iron phosphate. Range and top speed are listed specifications. AirV model Price (Rs) Motor (W) Battery Claimed range Top speed Glide 198,000 1,000–1,200 72V 26Ah Chilwee graphene 80–85 km 55 km/h Racy 215,000 1,000–1,200 60V 30Ah LiFePO₄ 60–70 km 45 km/h Z-Wing 230,000 1,200–1,600 72V 29Ah graphene 80–90 km 55 km/h Z-Wing Pro 270,000 1,200–1,600 76V 32Ah LiFePO₄ 90–100 km 55 km/h Glide Pro 280,000 1,200–1,500 76V 32Ah LiFePO₄ 80–100 km 55 km/h Glide Max 350,000 1,500–1,800 76V 38Ah LiFePO₄ 80–100 km 55 km/h Z-Wing Max 370,000 1,800–2,200 76V 38Ah LiFePO₄ 90–100 km 60 km/h Vortex Pro 390,000 2,000–2,500 76V 48Ah LiFePO₄ 120–130 km 60 km/h Fleet 495,000 2,500–3,000 75V 64Ah LiFePO₄ 180–200 km 65 km/h XR 499,000 2,500–3,000 76V 40Ah LiFePO₄ 80–90 km 70 km/h XR GT 549,000 3,000–4,000 76V 50Ah LiFePO₄ 130–140 km 80 km/h Which AirV bikes come with a portable battery? All 11 models list regenerative battery technology, reverse mode, near-field communication (NFC), cruise control, an anti-theft alarm and double indicators. Seven also list a portable battery. They are the Racy, Z-Wing Pro, Glide Pro, Glide Max, Z-Wing Max, Vortex Pro and Fleet. The Fleet also features twin rear shock absorbers. Read More: Thatta Cement Plans to Import Affordable EVs From China Five models cost less than Rs300,000. The Racy is the cheapest with a portable battery, at Rs215,000. It shares the Glide’s motor rating but lists a lower top speed and shorter range. The Z-Wing Pro is the lowest-priced model with a claimed range of up to 100 km, at Rs270,000. The Fleet costs Rs4,000 less than the XR and claims up to 110 km more range. The XR lists a top speed of 70 km/h, 5 km/h faster than the Fleet. At the top of the price list, the XR GT raises the motor rating to 4,000W and lists a range of 130–140 km.
Quran, Bible and Philosophy: How Maduro Reportedly Spends His Time in Jail
Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro spends much of his time in a Brooklyn federal jail reading the Quran, the Bible and works of philosophy, according to a report citing people familiar with his detention. Maduro, 63, has also shown an interest in Judaism and met with a rabbi and a Catholic priest. He and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69, are awaiting trial in federal court. Maduro, a practising Catholic, has previously described himself as a descendant of Sephardic Jews who moved from the Dutch Caribbean to Venezuela. People close to him said he began exploring Judaism after his capture. His interest in spirituality predates his detention. He and Flores followed Sathya Sai Baba, the late Indian spiritual teacher. Cilia Flores’s lawyers raise health concerns Both Maduro and Flores have lost weight in custody. People familiar with Maduro’s routine said he had grown visibly thinner and complained about the food. The account described Flores’s health as “unstable.” She was recovering from a hysterectomy when US forces seized the couple in January. Her lawyers suspect she suffered a mild heart attack in July while in custody. Flores lost two molars and more than 11 kilograms, roughly 25 pounds, according to court filings from her lawyers. They said she has a longstanding heart valve condition and has gone without her usual monthly injection since her arrest. She takes nitroglycerin as needed for chest pain. Her lawyers said doctors had advised cardiac catheterisation, which could lead to further procedures. Her lawyers asked to move her to home confinement under round-the-clock security. They acknowledged the quality of her medical care but argued that the jail lacked suitable conditions for recovery. Prosecutors opposed her release, saying she had received adequate care and posed a flight risk. US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein denied the request on October 8. Maduro and Flores face June 2027 trial US forces seized Maduro and Flores at their Caracas home on January 3 in a raid ordered by President Donald Trump. Authorities brought them to New York. Both have remained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since their capture. Federal prosecutors initially brought drug trafficking and weapons charges. An October indictment added a charge of conspiracy to commit torture. Prosecutors allege the couple conspired to torture political opponents and US citizens. Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty to the original charges and later entered not-guilty pleas to the new indictment. The trial is due to begin on June 14, 2027, in Manhattan federal court. US District Judge Analisa Torres took over the case after Hellerstein died in October. Until then, the couple remain in pretrial custody in Brooklyn.
Lahore Smog Forces Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test to Move to Rawalpindi
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) moved the second Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test from Lahore to Rawalpindi on Tuesday as smog worsened in the Punjab capital. Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host the match from November 17 to 21. The venue change leaves the dates intact and gives Rawalpindi both matches in the two-Test series. “The second Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, originally scheduled to be played in Lahore from November 17 to 21, has been relocated to Rawalpindi due to prevailing weather conditions,” PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said in a post on X. Mir cited rising smog levels and concerns about deteriorating air quality. The PCB had originally picked Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for the second Test. Rawalpindi was already hosting the series opener, which began on November 9 and runs through November 13. Both matches count towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27. Lahore smog pushes air quality readings above 600 Lahore had endured roughly 10 days of severe smog by the time the board announced the switch. IQAir’s live ranking put Lahore first among the world’s most polluted major cities on Monday, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 590. A separate hourly reading on the same platform reached 647. The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency reported a hazardous reading of 421. Second test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka relocated from Lahore to Rawalpindi — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 10, 2026 Smog has disrupted Pakistan’s home cricket schedule before. In 2020, air quality concerns prompted a move from Lahore to Rawalpindi for a limited-overs series against Zimbabwe. In 2022, a Test against New Zealand moved from Multan to Karachi over similar concerns. Pakistan take control on day two of first Test Pakistan resumed at 281 for five on Tuesday and declared their first innings at 434 for nine. Saud Shakeel top-scored with 93 off 199 balls, hitting nine fours before falling to Asitha Fernando. Debutant Arafat Minhas added a half-century. Another debutant, seamer Saqib Khan, took two wickets in Sri Lanka’s reply. Bad light ended play with Sri Lanka at 114 for three in their first innings, 320 runs behind. Kamindu Mendis remained unbeaten on 40, while Dhananjaya de Silva finished the day on 22. The visitors had seven wickets in hand heading into day three. Read More: Farhan’s First Home Captaincy Test: Pakistan Face Sri Lanka on Friday Sri Lanka have been touring Pakistan since early October. Pakistan won the three-match T20I series 2–1 at Rawalpindi, despite losing the final game by eight wickets. The hosts then won the ODI tri-series, which also featured England. They chased 326 to beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in the October 31 final at Gaddafi Stadium. Fakhar Zaman scored 127, and Pakistan reached the target with nine balls to spare.
US House Blocks Pete Hegseth Impeachment Bid by Seven Votes
US House Republicans blocked a bid to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, November 10. The House voted 211–204 to send eight articles of impeachment to its Republican-led Judiciary Committee. The procedural vote shelved the bid ahead of a Democratic takeover of Congress in January. Thomas Massie, the outgoing Kentucky Republican who introduced the resolution, cast the only Republican vote against referral. Eleven Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, missed the vote. Eight additional votes against referral would have defeated the motion and cleared the way for an impeachment vote. Pelosi’s office did not immediately explain her absence. Iran war drives impeachment fight Massie’s resolution accused Hegseth of “high crimes and misdemeanours” over US operations in Iran and Yemen, strikes on boats in the Caribbean and the January raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Hegseth called the impeachment effort a farce and said his military orders were lawful. He praised President Donald Trump’s handling of the war and said US strikes had devastated Iran’s military. “History will judge the Iran war quite differently than the conventional wisdom right now,” Hegseth said at his first Pentagon briefing in six months. Trump said the bid “has miserably FAILED!” and credited Hegseth’s record on Iran, Venezuela and other issues. Vice President JD Vance backed Hegseth despite blaming the war for Republicans’ midterm losses. “This isn’t about Iran, this is about the fact that Pete took on the bureaucracy at the Pentagon,” Vance wrote. Public anger over the war helped Democrats win both chambers in last week’s midterms. The conflict has reached a stalemate centred on the Strait of Hormuz. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 71% of Americans want Congress to pass legislation ending the war. That included 93% of Democrats and 51% of Republicans. Democrats could renew the bid in January House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Hegseth of abusing his power and undermining US national security. He called Hegseth “the architect of the reckless and costly failed war of choice in Iran.” On whether Democrats would try again, Jeffries said, “We’ll have that conversation at the appropriate time.” A renewed inquiry could hear from generals and admirals Hegseth dismissed, including the former Joint Chiefs chairman and the Navy’s former top admiral. Democrats could also examine Pentagon policy toward Ukraine and strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. Some Republicans see Hegseth’s strained ties with Congress as a liability as Trump seeks to raise military spending from $950 billion to $1.5 trillion. No US defence secretary has faced impeachment by the full House. In 1876, the House impeached William Belknap, then secretary of war. Hegseth uses that title, but Congress must approve a formal department name change. Massie likened his Republican colleagues to passengers staying aboard the Titanic. “They know it’s a sinking ship but committed to stay on board,” he said.
Rs412 Billion Authorised, Rs104 Billion Spent: Inside Pakistan’s PSDP Spending Gap
Pakistan spent Rs103.88 billion on federal development projects from July to October 2026, using just 10.4% of its Rs1 trillion annual budget. The Planning Commission authorised Rs412.29 billion under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). By the end of October, actual spending stood at roughly a quarter of that amount. The spending figures come as the Finance Division reported an overall fiscal surplus of 0.8% of GDP for July and August. The surplus stood at nearly Rs1.2 trillion, down from 1.7% of GDP a year earlier. Highways use less than 6% of annual allocation The Planning Commission’s federal ministries and divisions category spent Rs74.66 billion, about 11% of its Rs682.49 billion annual allocation. The commission had authorised Rs302.91 billion for the category, equivalent to 44.4% of its annual allocation. Corporations spent Rs29.22 billion, or 9.3% of their Rs312.51 billion budget. Read More: Salaried Class Gets Relief as Govt Presents Rs18.8 Trillion Budget The National Highway Authority spent Rs13.30 billion, or 5.9% of its Rs224.51 billion allocation. The commission had authorised Rs78.58 billion for the authority. Power-sector entities NTDC and PEPCO spent Rs15.92 billion, about 18% of their Rs88 billion budget, against authorisations of Rs30.80 billion. The Finance Ministry’s release schedule calls for 15% of the annual allocation in the first quarter and 20% in the second. It sets aside 25% for the third quarter and 40% for the final quarter. The schedule gives the government room to cut development spending if revenue falls short of fiscal targets agreed with the International Monetary Fund. Water leads spending as six divisions record zero The Water Resources Division led individual divisions, spending Rs18.73 billion, or 18% of its Rs103.09 billion allocation. It also received the largest authorisation among federal divisions, at Rs90.80 billion. Federal Education and Professional Training spent Rs6.88 billion, about 19% of its Rs36.31 billion budget. The health division used Rs6.61 billion, or 41% of its Rs16.06 billion allocation, against authorisations of Rs9.64 billion. The Higher Education Commission spent Rs4.71 billion of its Rs46 billion allocation. Railways used Rs4.65 billion of Rs40.66 billion. The Planning Division itself spent Rs2.15 billion of Rs22.63 billion, while the IT and Telecom Division used Rs1.45 billion of Rs19.58 billion. Read More: New Budget Makes Non-Filer Car Ownership More Expensive Than Ever Development spending for provinces and special areas, including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, reached Rs23.81 billion. That represented 10% of the Rs233.39 billion annual allocation, against Rs59.80 billion in authorisations. The Finance Division follows a separate seasonal schedule for releasing funds to the special areas. The Climate Change Division spent Rs259 million of its Rs2.48 billion allocation. National Food Security and Research used nearly Rs65 million of Rs4.18 billion, about 1.6%. Six divisions recorded zero spending. They were Commerce, Communications excluding the NHA, Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON, Petroleum, Privatisation, and Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.
