IRAN SAYS DEAL WITH US ‘NOT FINAL YET’ AS TENSIONS RISE OVER HORMUZ CONTROL AND MARITIME STRIKE
FROM US DEAL OVER VIOLATIONS
olations occur, including breaches of a ceasefire failure to provide access to Iranian funds or failure to lift a maritime blockade If they do not lift the maritime blockade we can leave the agreement If they do not make those funds available to us, we can leave the agreement,” he said Ajorlou described the mechanism as a new form of “snapback” provision that would operate in Iran s favour if the
g CITES 60-DAY TALKS PHA SE WITH 14 ARTICLES AND IMPLEMENTATION FOCUS, THREATENING AGAINST FOREIGN MILITARY VESSELS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ
other side fails to uphold its obligations
He added that any failure to implement commitments during the initial phase would prompt Tehran to reconsider participation in the planned 60-day talks
The agreement is entirely based on implementation and objective guarantees, he said Iran warns foreign military vessels over Strait of Hormuz interference Iran on Saturday warned that any military vessel attempting to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz or disrupt maritime traffic would be targeted by its armed forces
According to state broadcaster IRIB, the statement was issued by Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters the country s highest joint military command coordinating between the armed
forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) The headquarters said the strategic waterway is being managed “with full authority by Iran s armed forces
It added that all commercial vessels ships, and oil tankers must transit through designated routes and obtain authorization from the IRGC Navy
The statement warned that any violation of these regulations could seriously jeopardize maritime security
It further cautioned foreign military vessels against interfering in Iran s management of the Strait of Hormuz or disrupting navigation “Any attempt by military vessels to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz or disrupt navigation will be targeted by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran the statement said
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints carrying a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments
Earlier on Saturday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected Iran s claim that it controls the Strait of Hormuz, saying: “They want to say that they control the strait but we do ” He added that ongoing developments and negotiations indicate the United States remains in control of the strategic waterway US military attacks Iran-bound ship with Hellfire missile
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces have “disabled” a Gambia-flagged vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port
In a post on X CENTCOM said forces observed the M/V Lian Star transiting international waters toward an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman and issued more than 20 warnings informing the vessel it was in violation of the US blockade A US aircraft disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship s engine room after Lian Star s crew failed to comply The ship is no longer transiting to
SINGAPORE
A G E N C I E S
United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Saturday said Washington and Islamabad were developing a true friendship, while lauding Pakistan’s role in the ongoing US-Iran peace negotiations Pakistan has been acting as an official interlocutor between Washington and Tehran in the ongoing peace process, which has already led to the April 8 US-Iran ceasefire
President Donald Trump and senior US officials have repeatedly acknowledged Islamabad’s diplomatic role in the initiative
Speaking at the three-day
Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore
Hegseth was asked about former director of national intelligence Tulsi
Gabbard’s remarks suggesting that Pakistan’s future missile capabilities could pose a threat to the United States as well as whether India s Agni-VI missile programme presented a similar concern
The question came after Hegseth, in his address, highlighted US defence cooperation with Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asian partners including India which he described as a critical anchor to hold the line I mentioned India here, but I
very easily could have mentioned Pakistan and the role that the field marshal and the prime minister are playing in peace negotiations
Hegseth said, referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir
“I think an unexpected development and a true friendship is developing there which I think is important he added
Noting that both India and Pakistan are nuclear-capable countries, Hegseth said both sides would continue to perceive security threats from each other some of which he said may be viewed differently by the United States
He added that countries may also seek to develop intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities but clarified that Washington was not currently pointing fingers at either country or labelling them as threats The US defence secretary fur-
Hegseth also reiterated the US and Pakistan s position that President Donald Trump played a key role in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India
L ahore High Cour t approves Systems Limited ’s acquisition of Confiz
provals and consents have now been secured
Systems Limited has received approval from the Lahore High Court (LHC) for its proposed merger with Confiz Pakistan (Private) Limited clearing the way for implementation of the transaction approved by the company s board in December 2025 In a notice submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), Systems Limited said the court had sanctioned the
Board of Directors had
that
of
the
through a merger and amalgamation arrangement on
10 2025 under the provisions of Sections 279 to 283 and 285(8) of the Companies Act,
According to the filing, the transaction was contingent upon obtaining shareholder creditor and regulatory approvals along with completion of legal formalities Systems Limited informed investors that all required ap-
The company stated that the Lahore High Court, through its order dated May 6, 2026, in the matter of Systems Limited and Confiz Limited (C O No 4862 of 2026) approved the petition jointly filed by the two companies and sanctioned the merger scheme According to the notice the court found that the arrangement was not detrimental to the interests of shareholders and creditors The company quoted the court's position that the scheme was "not prejudicial to the interests of the shareholders and creditors of the Company "
As a result of the court order the merger arrangement has been deemed effective from January 1 2026
Following the approval Systems Limited and Confiz will proceed with the remaining implementation steps including the determination of the record date, the identification of eligible Confiz shareholders and the calculation of their entitlements under the approved scheme
The company will subsequently issue shares to Confiz shareholders in accordance with the terms of the Scheme of Arrangement
FBR tightens registration rules for international NGOs operating in
CUSTOMS L AUNCHES NATIONW
and Mohmand dam projects in view of their strategic
Pakistan expor ts over 1.22m tonnes of fuel oil in 10 months
sulphur fuel oil leads petroleum shipments during July-April while naphtha condensate low sulphur fuel oil and very
sulphur fuel
exports remain
Pakistan s petroleum exports remained strong during the first 10 months of FY2025-26, driven by shipments of fuel oil, naphtha and condensate through major export terminals including Keamari and Fauji Oil Terminal & Distribution Company Limited (FOTCO)
Data for the July 2025-April 2026 period showed that high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) remained the country s largest petroleum export product with shipments exceeding 1 22 million metric tonnes The highest HSFO export volumes were recorded
approximately 167 521
with
shipments from the FOTCO
export
(VLSFO),
Exports of very low sulphur fuel
marine fuel, totalled nearly 59,620
tonnes during the reporting period January 2026 recorded the highest monthly shipment volume in this category Meanwhile crude condensate exports amounted to about 125 587 metric tonnes with notable shipments recorded in August October and December 2025 Industry officials said the performance reflected continued coordination among refineries, export terminals, shipping operators and port authorities despite challenges in international energy markets
Pakistan outspins Australia in milestone ODI as Minhas
makes histor y
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
However, with only 16 runs required at that stage, Pakistan’s victory was already within reach Minhas capped off his landmark performance by hitting a six to seal the win Australia were without several key players, including regular captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and opener Travis Head Sent in to bat, Australia were led by Matthew Renshaw’s 63-ball 61 and Matthew Short’s 76-ball 55 as Pakistan’s spinners dominated claiming eight wickets in total Abrar Ahmed (2-44) struck first by breaking the opening stand of 34 dismissing Alex Carey for 19 before Minhas
tore through the middle order with precision and control Minhas removed stand-in captain Josh Inglis (13) and Marnus Labuschagne (0) in his fourth over, before dismissing Cameron Green for a third-ball duck in his next
At 68-4, Australia were under pressure, but Short and Renshaw added a fighting 55-run stand for the fifth wicket before Minhas broke through again stumping Short
Abrar returned to dismiss Renshaw while Minhas completed his five-wicket haul by removing Nathan Ellis for eight Short hit six boundaries in his fourth ODI half-century while Renshaw s innings included five fours and a six
The remaining two matches of the series will be played in Lahore on Tuesday and Thursday
TH E R E is a public health crisis developing in Pakistan because foreign donors have cut off aid Reproductive health and family planning as well as AIDS and polio vaccination and anti-TB programmes are all suffering because the collapse of donor support has meant that the nation’s health is under threat not from some new disease but old problems Rather than individual patients, public health focuses on prevention Pakistan already spends only 0 9 percent of its GDP on health, which is well below the 5 0 percent recommended by the World Health Organization Much of the funding came directly from USAID, which has now been slashed, while the money received from the World Health Organization has disappeared after the USA pulled out of it
The obvious issue is that a country spending less than a fifth of the benchmark on health has found itself placed in a false position where public health is sacrificed and government spending goes to showy projects A mother who survives her pregnancy because of a spanking new expansion of an old maternity ward is a more showy outcome than if she had never conceived at all because of a family planning programme A polio victim provided a prosthetic is a more dramatic example than that victim saved entirely from that disease by a vigorous series of vaccination campaigns Public health has always been unglamorous always lacking visible outcomes One can boast about a miracle cure, but how does one boast about saving the life of someone who never got sick in the first place?
There are two commitments which have to be made First, the government has to commit itself to ensuring that the affected programmes do not suffer Then the provincial governments have to step up because they are the logical executing agencies If the federal government was to tie the funding to specific programmes, it would oblige the provincial governments to spend on prevention rather than cure That such spending needs to be examined closely for signs of embezzlement should need no
Dedicated to
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
STO C I E T I E S do not fall apart overnight They erode quietly, through small daily compromises, fraying relationships and the slow hollowing out of institutions Today, Pakistan is almost living through such a moment It is not only a political or economic crisis; at its core lies something far more unsettling a crisis of trust When distrust becomes the default setting of a nation the consequences seep into every layer of public life You can see this erosion everywhere Ask any citizen about their interaction with basic state services and the common thread is disbelief This is not a new story but the intensity has sharpened Surveys by organizations such as Gallup Pakistan and PILDAT over the past decade have consistently shown declining public confidence in key state institutions But numbers only capture a fraction of the problem The real story is lived in the everyday The roots of this crisis are tangled in history For decades Pakistan has swung between democratic experiments and centralized authority Each shift has weakened institutional continuity When rules change with every transition loyalty shifts from in-
motives This environment does not produce informed citizens; it breeds citizens who believe they are being misled by everyone The economy feeds directly into this distrust When inflation rises, when jobs shrink, when salaries stagnate, people begin to believe that the system is rigged against them The middle class, once the stabilizing force of Pakistani society is under stress In such conditions moral expectations weaken If the system feels unjust the temptation to bend rules grows Petty corruption becomes normalized because people assume everyone else is doing it This cycle multiplies distrust: the state distrusts citizens, citizens distrust the state and citizens distrust one
Rebuilding trust is slow work. It requires consistency, humility and a willingness to confront uncomfor table truths. But the alternative , a society permanently stuck in suspicion, is far costlier A nation cannot plan, cannot reform, cannot even dream clearly if it does not trust itself And right now, that is the challeng e Pakistan must face with honesty
life, the Taliban are not only violating rights but weakening Afghanistan’s own development capacity A society cannot prosper when half its population is systematically excluded from education employment and decision-making Moreover the normalization of child marriage creates long-term cycles of inequality Research
some families to-
daughters at younger ages The Taliban’s regulations risk transforming these desperate practices into legally protected norms The international community has rightly condemned these developments but condemnation alone is insufficient Global actors must ensure that women s rights are not treated as secondary to geopolitical negotiations with the Taliban Too often, international engagement with Afghanistan focuses narrowly on security
or humanitarian aid while gender oppression becomes normalized in diplomatic discussions If the world accepts these policies without meaningful accountability, it risks legitimizing a system many experts increasingly describe as “gender apartheid ” That term is not rhetorical exaggeration Apartheid refers to a system where one group is systematically segregated excluded and denied equal rights under law In Afghanistan today, women face restrictions on education, work, movement, legal autonomy, and even their voices in public spaces The new marriage laws simply reinforce that architecture of exclusion
Afghan women continue to resist despite extraordinary risks Their courage deserves more than symbolic solidarity It demands sustained diplomatic pressure, humanitarian support directed toward women-led initiatives, and global refusal to normalize policies that strip girls of their childhood and women of their humanity The Taliban may call these rules governance but history will remember them for what they truly are: the codification of gender apartheid
The writer can be reached at mohsinfareedshah786@gmail com
Afghan women continue to resist despite extraordinary risks Their courage deserves more than symbolic solidarity It demands sustained diplomatic pressure, humanitarian support directed toward women-led initiatives, and global refusal to normalize policies that strip girls of their childhood and women of their humanity The Taliban may call these rules governance, but history will remember them for what they truly are: the codification of gender apartheid
Lessons in smoke
A perilous presidency
MOHSIN FAREED SHAH
DR MUHAMMAD ANWAR FAROOQ
NO
victims of the Bayat Rahbari and the February 28 Iran as was live and functioning till 0830 Hours Tehran Time remains at the heart of the matter; not just for Iran, but for the region as a whole For a casual follower of these developments, the idea might be as simple as that the section of Iranians wants the theocratic regime to fall to be replaced by a regime more in tune with the IMF the Pentagon and above all the Jewish financial wizards Deep down analysis suggests things to the contrary Despite the fact that the so-called deal after the change of venue from Islamabad to Doha is still oscillating between the extreme possibilities, the hard fact remains that the Iranian diaspora apparently because of their own tunnelled view of Iranian society practically led its US and IDF backers into Middle-East politics in a way that they are able to dictate what might not have been possible in the normal circumstances
It is despite that fact that the decapitation of Hamas and Islamic Jihad did not help create an environment for the Abraham Accords revival True the Gaza strip is now in ruins the Board of Peace is happy with dictating terms which have zero effectiveness on
y 28
ground; the impression of the fact that the bastion of resistance has got cracks within emboldened the US President to demand things which were not there in the first place His logic that the renewed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and acceptance of the Abraham Accords were mutually binding has in fact thrown the whole world into more chaos
The stern stance taken by Saudi Arabia, despite being on good terms with the USAF and IDF as regards the transit of air refueling tankers, feeding jets for the bombing raids on the Iranian targets through much of the 40 days of scorched-earth policy pursued by the above mentioned militaries with regard to the clerical regime in Tehran the Saudi response and that of Pakistan in face of the blanket obligation to join the Accords camp is in fact a breath of fresh air, even if it is short lived For even a casually alert observer the Iranian diaspora under the slogan of first regime change necessary to overthrow an autocratic regime then followed by the local dissidents the reformists to do away with the legacy of what we will call onwards as old Iran by reestablishing links with the West with no questions asked about the devastation and the assassinations in the process of regime change means that the monarchist element is not just the one looking for the new Iran rather the reform group is precipitating the same road map in their own or in a different way The end result is the same; burial of the old Iran and the birth of the new Iran
That conflict is evident on the count that the reformist group coupled with ambitious politicians from the Iranian parliament seems to be on the same page Despite the fact that they are plagued with a leadership conforma-
tion bottleneck, they have been more than willing to talk to the Americans; conveniently ignoring the fact that the US aggression had many lacunas in terms of its execution The US administration in particular and Western civilization in general, has been conveniently bypassing the international rules of engagement Right from the Lumumba episode in Congo in 1961 when a head of the state was unceremoniously killed dissolved into acid to the bombing of the Chilean leftist president Salvadore Allende in 1973 by the compromised Chilean air force in September 1973 to the February 28, 2026 bombing of the residence of Syed Ali Khamenei, the pattern seems to be the same; all the Americans care is to ‘get him’ Here what is more pathetic on the part of the new Iran made up of Pezeshkian Araghchi and Qalibaf is that in their rush for the agreement they did not pursue the questions pointed above in any manner
That type of body language confirmed with the periodic utterances of the POTUS who always claims and claimed that there are new sensible people in Iran who are willing to talk; combined with the suspicions within the IRGC circles and the radical sections of the society that the administration is not completely into preserving what they call or feel the ‘old or original Iran’
Looking forward, the process might still have many twists, road blocks ahead, before anything is finalised which preser ves the concerns of both the par ties For the proponents of the new Iran; the assassinations of the leader have made the process nothing shor t of a landmine . For the Zarif & Co and Reza Pahlavi & Co; making the theocracy the thing of the past is fraught with a ver y difficult road map For the world seeing both sides of the fence , a photofinish cannot be ruled out. Once reestablished, the Old Iran can claim that it was preser ved after passing through a river of blood, for the new Iran it is Âanother day; another oppor tunityÊ
H o w I r a n w o n t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n w a r
Trump's own techniques but pushed them to a higher and more sophisticated level They simply, but far more subtly, spoke his own language back at him
It
emblematic of a
and more calculated
From
statements filled with mockery on social
platforms to
generated videos satirizing American officials Iran has positioned itself as a surprisingly dominant force in the online communication battle By speaking directly to Western audiences in their own language, their own cultural codes, and with a tone that oscillates between provocation and humor, Iran has succeeded in seizing control of the war narrative online and in winning on that front a degree of support from Western public opinion Propaganda has always been an integral part of warfare, long considered an essential tool for shaping public opinion by controlling the narrative of conflict The first academic studies conducted by the American Harold Lasswell established that propaganda functions as a non-coercive weapon capable of mobilizing entire populations during moments of crisis Modern war, according to Lasswell, is fought on three simultaneous fronts: military, economic, and propaganda With technological development, the com-
It studied Trump, mapped the weaknesses of the Americ an administration, and built a communic ation strategy around those fault lines
munication war took a sharper turn, becoming more intensified and formalized as what we now call strategic communication Today social media platforms and increasingly AI have become the primary instruments enabling the rapid manipulation and shaping of public perception via mass production and instant distribution of visual media, much of it AI-generated The IsraeliAmerican attack on Iran now stands as arguably the first conflict that can be described as an AI-native communication war where images and videos have reached a kind of paroxysm, fully weaponized in the battle to control the war narrative On the American side, the propaganda machine had little that was truly innovative It remained largely centralized around the persona of Trump himself his out-of-thediplomacy-playbook language and his arrogant and repetitive speeches mocking not only his adversaries but also his own allies Trump's words and presence are ubiquitous: outrageous, yet strangely ambiguous at the same time A politician who says one thing and its opposite in the same breath has produced deeply confusing messages for his audience giving the impression that the war s agenda and objectives are unclear even to the American administration itself
Since the outbreak of the war and even with the beginning of negotiations the number of Trump s public interventions has continued to increase This is particularly visible on social media where he has been highly active, posting multiple times in very short periods, sometimes more than a dozen posts within less than an hour Frequent warnings, threats ultimatums and real-time updates widely reported as repetitions of the same arguments are textbook features of classic propaganda technique Yet the threats here operated at another level entirely
The media agenda and the war narrative produced what can only be described as a yo-yo effect, lurching from "the war is nearly over " a message seemingly calibrated to calm oil markets and public opinion then swinging back to threats of erasing Iran from the map and promises of hell From nuclear prevention war, to regime change war, to crushing Iran s "proxies , and back again
This constant shifting generated contradictory narratives on the American side leaving a growing segment of the American public with the perception that the administration did not truly know why it had entered the war in the first place In the communication battle, that confusion has a cost: credibility The overall communication of Trump and the American administration framed the conflict as a classic us-versus-them narrative: Western civilization as the rational righteous good against them, the evil, chaotic, and dangerous civilization that must be subdued and shut down This framing transforms the war narrative into a system of ideological representation one that functions as a powerful propaganda tool Trump s discourse fits almost perfectly into Edward Said s theory of Orientalism: language and representation have historically been weaponized by the West to dehumanize and primitivize the "other," constructing the enemy as an existential threat to be eliminated thereby justifying the war against Iran
This narrative was further reinforced by videos produced and published through official accounts and platforms such as the White House and Trump's own accounts, featuring monochrome, grainy aerial footage of US strikes on Iranian targets alongside low-quality propaganda videos recycling
celebrity imagery and pop culture references to celebrate the attacks These types of visuals are designed to desensitize the public and make war look like a video game distancing the American audience from the reality of what is happening on the ground As the French philosopher and sociologist Jean Baudrillard would say, it is as though the war did not take place the public watches instead a clean cool and sanitized conflict stripped of destruction blood and death replaced by aerial shots and montage videos some of them AI-generated This is precisely what academics in 2025, Michal Klincewicz, Mark Alfano, and Amir Ebrahimi Fard have termed Slopaganda: AI-generated content often low quality or rapidly produced designed to manipulate and influence political and public opinion at a massive scale It is generated instantly and distributed in massive volumes through social bots and algorithms, making it a particularly potent and hard-to-counter force in the online information environment
On the other side Iranian communication during the war came as a complete surprise A calculated mix of traditional Iranian political communication, provocative yet delivered with calmness and subtlety, and an entirely innovative approach built on trolling and AI technology To counter-frame the official American war narrative Iran adopted
Every Trump social media statement was met with memes and sharp trolling from Iranian embassies and official accounts His ultimatums were systematically dismantled with sarcasm When he threatened to force Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian response in English was deadpan and disarming: Iran had lost the key they said Every response of this kind broke the internet going viral well beyond Iranian or Middle Eastern audiences and landing directly in Western public discourse
This trolling strategy was further amplified by a series of AI-generated animated videos that turned Lego into a propaganda weapon Lego characters representing Trump and American officials were depicted as confused lost and humiliated with pointed references to domestic American scandals such as the Epstein file One animated video, titled Vengeance for All, showed Iranian missiles taking revenge not only for Iran but on behalf of all oppressed peoples: Native Americans victims of the African slave trade and the victims of the genocide in Gaza In doing so, Iran inverted the American good-versus-evil frame entirely: American imperialism becomes the evil, and the oppressed nations of the world become the good These videos reveal something important: Iran did not only prepare for this war militarily but also psychologically It studied Trump, mapped the weaknesses of the American administration, and built a communication strategy around those fault lines The AI-generated content was produced by a small Iranian team operating under the so-
U S - I r a n p e a c e t a l k s s t a l l o v e r d i v i s i o n o f s p o i l s
The new Iran; and the Iran which died Februar
NAQI AKBAR
US READY TO RESUME STRIKES ON IRAN IF NO DEAL IS REACHED, PENTAGON CHIEF SAYS
Hamas on Friday called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s statement that Israel would widen the area it controls in Gaza a dangerous escalation, as European governments and Palestinians in the enclave also voiced concern over
'Fully fit
from last year and continued hand bruising, described as “common,” “benign” and “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking in the setting of aspirin use for cardiovascular prevention
The memo did not address the reason for skin treatment in March on the president s neck and did not indicate he underwent another magnetic resonance imaging exam, as he did in October Friday’s memo said the president’s overall cardiac function is normal and that “a comprehensive neurological examination demonstrated normal mental status including screenings for depression and anxiety Trump for his part said the exam went PERFECTLY in a post on his Truth Social platform shortly after the appointment
BUNIA N E W S D E S K
World Health Organisation Director-
General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived on Saturday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where Ituri province has emerged as the area hardest hit by a serious Ebola outbreak Speaking to reporters in Bunia the provincial capital Tedros said the international community was supporting the Congolese government s response, while stressing the importance of local participation He said his visit was aimed at engaging directly with residents and assessing how the response was unfolding on the ground Tedros told reporters: at the same time community ownership is important
He added: We are here to discuss with the community to see how the response is running and if there are challenges to help Cases reported in Congo and Uganda The outbreak of the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever has spread across three eastern provinces of the DRC and has also reached neighbouring Uganda In Uganda nine confirmed cases including one death have been recorded The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday that at least 1,077 suspected Ebola cases had been reported in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15 including 246 deaths The WHO has warned that the actual scale of the outbreak in Congo is likely to be broader, as the virus is believed to have been circulating before it
was identified The agency has also pointed to the country s limited testing capacity In the vast central African nation, especially in the conflict-affected east, laboratory resources are insufficient to confirm all suspected infections Conflict complicates response Uganda this week shut its border with the DRC and imposed a 21-day quarantine on anyone entering from across the frontier On Friday, the WHO said one patient had recovered, left hospital on Wednesday and returned to the community after testing negative twice WHO official Anais Legand told reporters in Geneva that this was the first recovery among patients confirmed to have Ebola in the current outbreak Ebola spreads through close contact and bodily fluids and has killed more than
PU N J A B set multiple “new benchmarks” during its province-wide Eidul Azha cleanliness campaign with more than 184 000 sanitation workers and 60,000 vehicles taking part in what officials described as the largest operation of its kind in the province's history
The massive drive covered an area spanning over six million kilometres and resulted in the removal of more than 360,000 tonnes of animal waste and offal during the three days of Eid, while around 60,000 mosques, imambargahs and Eidgahs were cleaned, while rose water was sprinkled at 4 000 locations as part of sanitation and beautification efforts according to official data
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed satisfaction over the successful execution of the Eidul Azha cleanliness campaign and commended the entire team for its efforts
“The success of this unparalleled and historic Eidul Azha cleanliness operation is the result of outstanding teamwork the chief minister said, adding that an exceptional spirit of coordination, commitment and dedication was demonstrated throughout the three-day operation, said a statement issued from the Chief Minis-
Information and
Minister Azma Bokhari on Saturday said that the province-wide Eid cleanliness and sanitation operation carried out under the directives and continuous supervision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, has been successfully concluded after the disposal of a record 360,000 tonnes of sacrificial animal waste and other refuse Speaking to the media she said that under the Suthra Punjab Programme, a total of 360,000 tonnes of sacrificial animal waste and other refuse was collected and safely disposed of during the three days of Eidul Azha The large-scale operation involved more than 184 000 sanitation workers and 60 000 vehicles ensuring uninterrupted cleanliness services across both urban and rural areas of the province She added that waste collection vehicles collectively covered over six million kilometres while sanitation operations continued without interruption across every district of Punjab from Lahore to Attock and
She noted that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz appreciating the outstanding performance of sanitation workers announced a cash reward of Rs10 000 each for those who rendered exceptional services during the operation Azma Bokhari said citizens across Punjab expressed satisfaction and appreciation over the successful execution of the Eid sanitation campaign She also thanked the people of Punjab for their cooperation, sense of responsibility, and active support in making the operation a success LAHORE S A L E E M J A D O O N
ter s Office (CMO) She praised the contributions of the local government minister, inspector general of police, commissioners, deputy commissioners district administrations director general of Suthra Punjab managing directors of WASAs the Safe Cities Authority team police Special Branch, social media
from Multan to Rahim Yar Khan and Sadiqabad
The Information Minister further stated that extensive use of rose water phenyl and lime was made to protect citizens from foul odours and environmental pollution
Nearly 4,000 roads across the province were washed with rose water significantly enhancing sanitation standards
Azma Bokhari said that Suthra Punjab teams ensured the cleanliness of 60 000 mosques imambargahs and Eidgahs, while the Suthra Punjab helpline achieved a 100 percent resolution rate of complaints received
from citizens in a timely manner
suring robust security arrangements effective patrolling vigilant monitoring and a coordinated province-wide strategy during Eidul Azha
The IG said senior officers, including the CCPO Lahore, RPOs, DPOs traffic officers and other field formations remained present on the ground throughout Eid to ensure the protection of citizens lives and property
He added that the Safe Cities Authority played a key role in maintaining public order, security, and situational awareness through continuous monitoring and surveil-
Pakistan seeks Chinese backing
lance across Lahore and the province Owing to effective security measures, the Eidul Azha holidays remained largely peaceful A Punjab Police spokesperson said operations against lawbreakers continued throughout the Eid holidays with 22 individuals arrested for illegally collecting sacrificial hides In separate actions, 31 individuals involved in one-wheeling were arrested, and 17 cases were registered
Ten persons involved in aerial firing were also arrested with cases registered and illegal weapons recovered
The spokesperson further said 17 suspects were arrested for displaying weapons and creating fear and panic among citizens Additionally, 80 individuals were arrested for violating the Loudspeaker Act with 83 cases registered IG Punjab Abdul Kareem di-
rected that indiscriminate action against lawbreakers and anti-social elements should continue without exception Murree records smooth Eid traffic flow as 70,375 vehicles enter city Meanwhile Murree DPO Dr Muhammad Raza Tanveer said Murree Police and Murree Traffic Police ensured effective security and traffic management during the Eidul Azha holidays, with no untoward incident reported during the first three days of Eid
He said a total of 70 375 vehicles entered Murree during this period Compared to last year a significant reduction in traffic pressure was recorded over the first three days of Eid Despite 31 016 vehicles entering on the third day of Eid traffic flow remained smooth
KP chief minister seeKs judicial intervention over GilGit-Baltistan Poll concerns
Y B E R Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday wrote to the chief justice of the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan, urging immediate judicial intervention to ensure transparency in the upcoming elections in the region amid what he described as a worsening electoral climate
According to the letter the chief minister said reports emerging from Gilgit-Baltistan about the election process were deeply worrying He alleged that one political party was facing obstacles in carrying out routine campaign activities including holding public meetings and moving its leadership and workers during the election drive The development came against the backdrop of reported incidents involving Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders during the campaign PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser said on Saturday that he was
stopped from reaching Islamabad airport causing him to miss his flight to Skardu for election-related activities A
Asad Qaiser alleges authorities barred him from reaching Islamabad airport for Skardu flight
ISLAMABAD
PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser on Saturday claimed he was prevented from reaching the Islamabad airport resulting in him missing his flight to Skardu in connection with the ongoing election campaign in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) The incident comes just a day after PTI MNA Junaid Akbar and his team were expelled from GB while they were campaigning for the upcoming elections on June 7 Qaiser, also the secretary general of Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP), accused the Punjab police of not letting him “enter
achakzai urges political unit y to strengthen ‘democracy and rule of law’ QUETTA S TA F F R E P O R T Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Saturday underscored the importance of constitutional governance strong democratic institutions, and democratic values, saying that Parliament should remain central in shaping national policy He urged political parties across the country to work collectively to strengthen democratic norms uphold the rule of law and ensure equal rights for all citizens Achakzai who also heads the Tehreek-eTahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP) was speaking at a public gathering He said that sustainable development and national prosperity depend on inclusive policies and recognition of the rights of all communities He also expressed concern over the continued closure of the Chaman border crossing terming it unfair to communities whose livelihoods depend on trade and cross-border movement Achakzai questioned the rationale behind the prolonged restrictions and urged authorities to review the decision, arguing that peaceful citizens engaged in business and economic activity should not be subjected to continued uncertainty Referring to the broader security and political environment the veteran politician said those advocating peace development and lawful trade appear to be facing restrictions However those involved in violence seem unaffected by this closure This is a contradictory situation that calls for a more balanced and transparent policy approach, he said Achakzai also alleged that customs-related disruptions at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border are part of a planned effort saying the prolonged closure has negatively affected traders transporters and families dependent on border-related commerce He further stressed the need to expand economic opportunities for people in border regions, particularly those engaged in legal trade with neighbouring Afghanistan The Chaman crossing remains a vital economic lifeline for thousands of families involved in transport trade and daily cross-border movement making its closure a continuing subject of public concern in the region The Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing between Balochistan s Chaman district and Afghanistan has remained closed since October 2025 following intense clashes between Pakistani forces and the Afghan Taliban
BLA’s evil nexus with
TTP fueling terrorism, women exploitation in Balochistan
ISLAMABAD A P P
The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) maintains a nexus with Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which continues to fuel terrorism, sabotage, and societal destabilization across Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan
This nexus provides funding training weapons and logistical support enabling the outfit to exploit vulnerable local women and youth as tools for suicide bombings and other anti-state activities
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti and senior security officials have consistently pointed out that the BLA s operational capabilities are significantly enhanced by this backing from AlQaeda and TTP, aimed at disrupting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other national development projects
The government has repeatedly pointed out that Al-Qaeda and TTP act as the primary sponsors behind the BLA-TTP nexus,
channeling support through Afghan territories to orchestrate attacks on civilians infrastructure and security forces
Afghanistan remains a key sanctuary for BLA operatives, where training and planning occur before cross-border infiltration into Pakistan This cross-border infrastructure enables the movement of facilitators recruits and suicide bombers
The foreign-orchestrated network heavily relies on the systematic exploitation of Baloch women and girls Security operations have repeatedly intercepted cases where vulnerable females are radicalized trained and deployed for suicide bombings
In one such case in Khuzdar, security forces arrested Laiba (also known as Farzana), a would-be suicide bomber who was indoctrinated through a chain involving BLA-linked commanders and individuals like Dr Sabiha who target financially vulnerable girls via psychological manipulation and coercion Laiba had been tasked
with recruiting other young women for similar missions
In another instance Raheema Bibi s confessional statement revealed how her husband facilitated a BLF-linked female suicide bomber, Zarina Rafiq The woman stayed at their residence before being sent to Afghanistan for training and later executed an attack on a Frontier Corps camp Authorities in Sindh also foiled a plot involving a minor Baloch girl who was groomed through social media by BLA handlers for a suicide attack in Karachi The girl later publicly warned that such practices violate Baloch cultural traditions that uphold the dignity and protection of women
A structured model has been identified marking the ideological radicalization through certain activist platforms, followed by BLA recruitment training in Afghanistan and operational deployment When plans are disrupted associated networks often shift to missing persons narratives to obscure militant linkages
Heav y rain, hailstorm lash Lahore as CM orders emergenc y drainage and high aler t
weather pleasant and causing difficulties for citizens particularly due to widespread electricity breakdowns In view of the prevailing weather conditions Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed all relevant departments to remain on high alert during rainfall across the province, according to a handout issued by the Punjab Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR)
According to official data, the highest rainfall was recorded in Nishtar Town while Shadipura received the lowest Data shared by the Water and
Sanitation Agency (WASA) showed that 20 5 mm of rain was recorded at Jail Road, 40 mm at the airport area, 20 mm at Gulberg Head Office 30 5 mm at Lakshmi Chowk 29 mm at Upper Mall 30 5 mm at Mughalpura 27 mm at Tajpura 48 5 mm at Nishtar Town, and 25 mm at Chowk Nakhuda Other areas also received rainfall including Pani Wala Talab (22 mm) Farrukhabad (19 mm) Gulshan-i-Ravi (17 mm) Iqbal Town (20 mm) Samanabad (22 5 mm) Johar Town (37 5 mm), Defence Road (15 mm), Shadipura (0 5 mm), and Saggian (18 5 mm)
Separately, Rescue 1122 reported that at least two people were injured when a wall collapsed on a rickshaw in Wapda Town One of the injured was shifted to Jinnah Hospital for treatment
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast rain, windstorm, and thunderstorms at isolated places in Azad Kashmir, northeast and eastern Punjab and the Potohar region over the next 24 hours It added that heavy rainfall and hailstorms may also occur during this period
Earlier, the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) had warned that temperatures would remain significantly above normal across the province from May 25 to May 31 CM orders emergency monitoring of drainage and urban safety systems In a post on social media platform X, it was stated that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed officials to ensure immediate drainage of rainwater continuous supervision and effective monitoring of WASA operations
