KARACHI: A Russian navy flotilla has arrived in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi to conduct joint exercises with Pakistan Navy, the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) of Pakistan Navy said.
Pakistan and Russia, once Cold War rivals, have strengthened their relations in recent years through increased dialogue as well as trade, energy and defense cooperation.
Regular port visits and joint exercises between Pakistan Navy and Russian Navy continue to strengthen bilateral ties, deepen naval collaboration, and foster mutual trust.
Upon arrival in Karachi, the Russian warships were accorded a warm welcome by officials of the Pakistan Navy and the Russian consulate, according to the DGPR.
“During the port call, the crew of the visiting ships will engage in professional discussions with Pakistan Navy personnel,” the DGPR said in a statement.
“Russian and Pakistani naval ships will conduct joint exercises aimed at enhancing interoperability and maritime cooperation.”
The Russian flotilla comprising RFS REZKIY and RFS ALDAR TSYDENZHAPOV frigates and medium-sized sea tanker RFS PECHENGA will be in Pakistan till March 18, according to the DGPR.
“The visit of Russian Flotilla marks a significant milestone in maritime diplomacy, reinforcing security and defense cooperation between the two nations,” it said.
Pakistan Navy regularly collaborates and holds joint military exercises with allies and friendly nations to increase synergy, promote regional peace and stability and deter piracy, drug trafficking and other illicit maritime activities.
Russian naval ships visit Pakistan’s Karachi port to conduct joint exercises
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Russian naval ships visit Pakistan’s Karachi port to conduct joint exercises
- Pakistan and Russia, once Cold War rivals, have strengthened ties in recent years through increased cooperation in various sectors
- The visit of the Russian flotilla marks a ‘significant milestone’ in maritime diplomacy and defense cooperation, Pakistan Navy says
Pakistan finance chief says country leveraging AI to boost tax compliance, revenu
- Aurangzeb says AI-driven systems are cutting leakages, discretionary intervention in tax administration
- He tells a national workshop the government must focus on applied AI, not technology for its own sake
KARACHI: Pakistan is deploying artificial intelligence-driven systems to strengthen tax compliance and enforcement as part of a broader reform push, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Tuesday, adding the country must focus on applied AI solutions.
He was speaking during a panel discussion at the National Artificial Intelligence Workshop in the capital, as Pakistan undertakes sweeping fiscal and structural reforms under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund loan program aimed at stabilizing the economy and boosting revenue collection.
The government has pledged to widen the tax base, curb leakages and digitize administration, with technology playing a central role in its tax transformation agenda.
“AI-enabled systems are playing an increasingly important role in strengthening compliance, enforcement, and decision-making,” Aurangzeb said, according to a statement released by the finance division.
“The Government’s ongoing tax transformation, anchored in reforms to people, processes, and technology, is leveraging AI-led CRM [Customer Relationship Management] systems, AI-led production monitoring, risk-based compliance tools, and faceless customer processes to enhance transparency, reduce leakages, and improve revenue outcomes,” he added.
The finance minister said the focus for a country like Pakistan must remain on applied AI solutions that deliver measurable gains in efficiency, transparency and productivity, rather than on adopting technology for its own sake.
Reducing discretionary human intervention through technology was central to curbing inefficiencies and corruption, he said, adding that AI-led systems had generated tangible fiscal gains that would not have been achievable through manual processes alone.
Aurangzeb said investing in human capital and skills development was essential to enable Pakistan’s youth to participate in higher-value segments of the global technology ecosystem, noting that technologies such as blockchain and data analytics could support productivity-led growth.
He maintained artificial intelligence offered opportunities in revenue mobilization, public service delivery and climate and population management, adding that realizing those gains would require clear policy direction, institutional readiness and a coordinated, whole-of-government approach.
