region According to Ambassador Asim Afghan territory continued to serve as a sanctuary for several militant organisations, including the Tehreeke-Taliban Pakistan, the Balochistan Liberation Army, the Majeed Brigade, Daesh-Khorasan and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement He said Pakistan had expected the Taliban authorities to act against these groups operating from Afghan soil but they had failed to do so and had disregarded the legitimate security concerns of Pakistan and other countries
Deaths from attacks highlighted at Security Council
In his right of reply, the ambassador said terrorism emanating from Afghanistan continued to affect Pakistan and had killed hundreds of Pakistani citizens including women children and members of the security forces
Field Marshal Munir, Lebanese army
chief discuss regional security environment
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Lebanese Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief General Rodolphe Haykal held talks at General Headquarters on Tuesday where they reviewed the evolving regional security environment, defence cooperation and ways to strengthen military relations between Pakistan and Lebanon According to the Inter-Services Public Relations General Haykal was received at GHQ with a guard of honour presented by a tri-services contingent upon his arrival Focus on military cooperation
The ISPR said the two military leaders exchanged views on matters of mutual interest the regional security situation defence cooperation and prospects for enhancing bilateral military ties The discussions also centred on expanding professional interactions, training cooperation and institutional linkages between the armed
forces of the two countries During the meeting, Field Marshal Munir reaffirmed the importance Pakistan places on its longstanding and cordial ties with Lebanon and underscored the Pakistan Army s commitment to broadening defence collaboration with the Lebanese Armed Forces, according to the military s media wing Lebanese commander’s remarks
The ISPR said General Haykal praised the professionalism and operational capability of
s armed forces and acknowledged their role in regional peace, stability and international peacekeeping efforts
General Haykal called on Field Marshal Munir in his capacities as Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff during the visit to GHQ
equitable opportunities
Discussing the final principle, he stressed that global governance must be outcome-oriented, noting that international institutions must move beyond dialogue and ensure effective implementation of decisions to maintain credibility
Referring to ongoing global crises including the humanitarian situation in the Middle East, Ahsan Iqbal said current conflicts exposed weaknesses in the international system, adding that global governance could only remain credible if rules were applied fairly and effectively He said the five principles collectively offered a roadmap for a more peaceful and sustainable global order aligned with the aspirations of people worldwide
Turning to Pakistan-China relations the minister said the two countries were celebrating 75 years of diplomatic ties,
PSX rebounds as easing geopolitical tensions lift investor sentiment
Cross-border trade between Pakistan and Iran through the Gabd-Rimdan crossing has stopped leaving hundreds of LPG vehicles stranded and placing shipments of rice, mangoes and other perishable goods at risk, according to the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) GCCI President Jiand Hoot said hundreds of bowsers and trucks carrying LPG had remained at the border terminal for customs clearance during the past 10 to 15 days
He
The federal government has approved a sweeping restructuring of agencies and state-owned enterprises operating under the Petroleum Division ordering large scale workforce reductions closure of departments and the privatization of several public-sector entities including the profitable Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC)
The Cabinet approved the recommendations of the Committee on Rightsizing of the Federal Government (Phases III and IV) through a summary dated March 26 2026
Subsequently the cabinet division directed concerned ministries and divisions to submit implementation plans, with most reforms scheduled for completion within 90 days Under the approved framework, the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) will undergo a complete transformation into a market oriented technology driven organization The Petroleum Division has been directed to hire an independent strategy adviser to develop a business model capable of making GSP financially self-sufficient within two to three years The plan also calls for a reduction of 50-60 percent of administrative staff 20-30 percent cuts in the remaining
a series of favourable policy developments from the Trump administration ProPublica reported that Trump Jr quietly acquired a stake in America First Refining and maintained ties with the company, citing records and people familiar with the matter The size of the stake and the terms of the investment were not disclosed A spokesperson for Trump Jr told ProPublica that he is a passive minority investor with no operational involvement in the company and does not interact with the federal government on behalf of businesses in which he invests The investment followed a November 2025 visit by Trump Jr to India where he met with Anant Ambani son of Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani and a key executive in the group s energy business According to the report, relations between Reliance and the Trump administration had been strained in 2025 after Washington targeted India s purchases of discounted Russian oil through higher tariffs However, ties appeared to improve in subsequent months
The Trump administration later re-
duced tariffs on India through a trade agreement and reportedly granted Reliance a licence to purchase Venezuelan oil It also provided sanctions waivers related to Russian crude imports during the Iran conflict, according to the report Reliance denied receiving any spe-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
He also directed the formation of a national committee comprising experts and stakeholders to advance sustainable agricultural development Key priorities, he said, include the promotion of hybrid climate-resilient seeds expansion of horticulture agricultural mechanization and value addition in farm produce, alongside reforms in the dairy and livestock sectors During the briefing, officials highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the Zarkhaiz Scheme under which small farmers are being offered loans of up to Rs 1 million on easy terms The State Bank of Pakistan is also supporting farmers through crop insurance and risk coverage mechanisms, while draft leg-
islation on animal health and breeding policies is being finalized
The delegation expressed confidence in the government’s economic direction and put forward suggestions for resolving key challenges facing the agriculture sector
In a separate high-level meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to expedite the privatization of State-Owned Enterprises particularly electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) reiterating that reforms in loss-making public entities remain a top priority He instructed officials to ensure full transparency in the privatization process and to establish a strong regulatory framework following the transition of utilities to the private sector Officials briefed the meeting that in the first phase Islamabad
Electric Supply Company (IESCO), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO), and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) are being prepared for privatization Expressions of Interest have already been published in national and international media, and the Cabinet Committee on Privatization has approved the transaction structure International roadshows are scheduled to begin this month to attract investment from countries including Saudi Arabia Türkiye and China Both meetings were attended by senior federal ministers, advisers, and relevant government officials, reflecting the government’s parallel focus on agricultural transformation and structural economic reforms aimed at longterm stability and growth
and
and
and
before finalising the revised values During the proceedings representatives of the Pakistan Tyres Importers and Dealers Association (PTIDA) argued that the existing customs values were higher than prevailing international prices They maintained that tyres imported from Thailand were being traded at prices comparable to those from Vietnam and re-
COMMENT
GB polls
GI L G I T-B A LT I S TA N went to the polls on Sunday, and yielded a result like the previous two: the party ruling in Islamabad won The PTI was reduced to two seats in the 24-seat House It had won 16 in 2020 but then it had been in office in Islamabad at the time However, just as the central government has been formed by the PML(N) and the PPP put together the easiest path of the new GB government would be for them to form a majority Whereas the PPP had five seats previously, now has 10 while the PML(N) now has eight seats (counting two independents it claims), more than double the three it had in the previous House PTI
Chairman Gohar Khan has said that the elections was fraudulent If the elections were indeed fraudulent this time, then they would have been fraudulent in 2020, but no one heard the PTI complaining then
It is worth noting that the PPP and PML(N) competed in this election against each other, though there was present in both a sense that the PTI was the real opponent Reversing the example of the central government, the PPP seems ahead in the race to form the government, with the PML(N) supporting it from outside Of course, the House itself has such a small membership that forming a minority government is no easy task, not unless all the PPP members are laden with multiple portfolios
One of the bid differences the new GB government has with other provincial governments, is that climate change is a much more immediate problem
The province is subject to Glacial lake outburst floods, where glacier melt creates dams, and then the dam bursts, creating a one-time flash flood, which is devastating for all in its path
The most intriguing part of the election is that its has no role as a weathervane for the rest of Pakistan GB elects no MNAs, so the election does not point in that direction The failure of the JUI(F) to win any seats, after it had won one last time, indicates that the sectarian impulses which showed up in sectarian clashes in the past are now dying down The GB House is also going to have to play a role in the Kashmir liberation struggle, for it should not be forgotten that it too is a disputed territory, subject to the same UN resolutions
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
The Middle East needs political solutions
BA C K when the Obama administration was negotiating a nuclear agreement with Iran, I asked National Security Council officials: Why are you expending all of your economic leverage and political and diplomatic resources on stopping Iran from developing a bomb they don t have (and even if they did, could never use), while these same resources could be mobilized to pressure Iran to end its meddlesome behaviors that are destabilizing countries across the region?”
Despite this reservation when the JCPOA was announced I supported it for three reasons First the nuclear deal was a negotiated settlement which is always better than conflict And despite White House spokespeople saying otherwise, Catherine Ashton, a top British diplomat involved in the negotiations, offered assurances that the deal was only a first step and that Iran’s behaviour would be next on the agenda
My hope was that sane minds would prevail and the initiated process might lead to a regional security compact and framework for peace
The second reason was the way Republicans were working overtime to sabotage the agreement It was unconscionable that they invited a foreign leader, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress to urge members of Congress to vote against their own president That was unacceptable interference in US politics
The third (and maybe most unexpected) reason was the reaction to the JCPOA inside Iran In a poll we conducted months after the deal was announced, we found a significant change in Iranian public opinion Our earlier polls had demonstrated Iranians largely in favour of the regime s spending money on allies in Lebanon Syria Iraq and Yemen With the hint of peace, Iranians turned their priorities inward, with declining support for the regime s foreign involvements Instead of resources going abroad, Iranians wanted them to be used at home to create employment and opportunity They also elevated their demands for greater personal freedom and political rights
When after Donald Trump s election he cancelled the Iran deal and began threatening the regime, we repeated the poll The results had reverted When citizens feel their country is being threatened, they
T h e c o m f o r t t r a p
What happens after this IMF package?
tend to be less critical or to rally around the flag
In the ensuing years, amidst continuing signs of hostility from all sides US, Israel, and Iran the situation has shown no promise of improvement Despite promising a better agreement, Trump did nothing more than deepen the animosity The Biden Administration was handed the thankless task of bringing a dead deal back to life a task to which they never appeared to be fully committed For its part Iran continued to behave as a bad regional actor, all the while making threats and building its military capabilities Left on their own, the Arab Gulf states sought to create stability out of the possibility of chaos with which they were forced to contend Unlike Iran which had decided to use its wealth to export its influence and its anti-Western ideology the Arab Gulf states had taken a different path, focusing on development, tourism, and trade Their continued prosperity required a stable regional environment And so, amidst the tensions between the USA and Israel and Iran these Arab states made diplomatic and economic overtures to Iran hoping for a more secure environment in the Gulf They even hoped that the lure of joint prosperity and security might move the Iranians to join them in pursuing a more stable and prosperous future and convince the Israelis to resolve the longstanding wound of Palestinian dispossession and occupation fostering conditions for regional peace There was to be no such luck! Israel wanted the economic benefits of regional peace but was unwilling to play its part It intensified its occupation and
Dr ZAfAr
on some future moment of sufficient courage that never quite arrived Pakistan has a tax capacity estimated by researchers at over 22 percent of GDP Its actual tax-to-GDP ratio, even after genuine recent improvement, stands at 12 3 percent, the highest in 25 years, and still below the 25th percentile of comparable economies The gap between what the country could collect and what it does collect is not a revenue problem It is a political choice repeated across every government protecting the same exempted interests: large landowners, powerful retailers, the informal sector that every government promises to bring into the net and none actually does Agriculture contributes nearly a quarter of GDP and employs 40 percent of the workforce
It contributes almost nothing to tax revenue
The World Bank estimates Pakistan could collect farm income taxes worth one percent of GDP, roughly Rs 1 2 trillion annually, if provincial governments applied rates comparable to other income earners Instead, the tax burden falls overwhelmingly on salaried workers and documented businesses who pay repeatedly while watching entire economic classes operate outside the system entirely This is not reform
It is extraction dressed as fiscal policy
The energy sector tells the same story in a different register Circular debt in the power and gas sectors has reached Rs 4 7 trillion
Servicing it alone will cost the exchequer nearly Rs 937 billion annually through FY2028 Electricity tariffs have risen to among the highest in the region, punishing the very manufacturers and households the economy depends on, while the structural inefficiencies such as theft, technical losses, capacity payment obligations to IPPs remain largely intact Meanwhile a government that correctly identifies dependence on $15 billion in annual fuel
imports as a strategic vulnerability has chosen to tax solar panels and electric vehicles If that contradiction has an economic logic, it has not been publicly explained The asymmetry of sacrifice is what ultimately makes reform politically unsustainable Citizens have absorbed higher utility bills a wider GST compressed wages and a poverty rate that has risen 32 percent since 2018-19 The federal wage bill has grown in the same period State-owned enterprises, power distribution companies, the steel mill and others continue to haemorrhage hundreds of billions annually their reform perennially scheduled for next year The state demands discipline from the documented the salaried and the poor while protecting the undocumented the landed, and the connected People notice And when they notice, they stop believing that the programme is designed for them
There is no publicly available national document that specifies when Pakistan intends to exit IMF dependence what tax-to-GDP ratio it is targeting or how the debt servicing burden will be reduced as a share of revenue Citizens are asked to endure present pain for future gain, but the future remains unspecified That omission is not administrative oversight A destination creates accountability Vagueness preserves the flexibility to defer which in Pakistan’s political economy has always been exercised in favour of those with the least to lose Pakistan s crisis is no longer a question of economic diagnosis The diagnosis has been consistent for decades The question is whether the political system possesses capacity and courage to act on what it already knows Countries do not escape cycles of debt poverty and external dependence through better forecasts or larger rescue packages They do so by confronting entrenched interests, distributing sacrifice more fairly, and defining a national economic purpose beyond the next IMF review Pakistan has reached a point where the cost of postponing difficult decisions may exceed the cost of making them Aristotle argued that the purpose of a state is not merely to help its citizens survive but to enable them to live well By that standard, Pakistan still has a long way to go A country cannot claim genuine economic sovereignty when its future remains heavily dependent on external financing and approval Until Pakistan can chart its own economic course improvements in reserves and inflation will remain signs of temporary relief rather than evidence of lasting prosperity and self-reliance
The writer has a PhD in Political Science, and is a visiting faculty member at QAU Islamabad He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo com and tweets @zafarkhansafdar
Aristotle argued that the purpose of a state is not merely to help its citizens survive, but to enable them to live well. By that standard, Pakistan still has a long way to go A country cannot claim genuine economic sovereignty when its future remains heavily dependent on external financing and approval.
Stop camel cruelt y
KHAN SAfDAr
Negotiation and conflict management in a Polarized World
collaboration and problem-solving
Knowing how to talk matters
Hfor judicial independence Unmanaged disagreement however can lead to extremism violence and societal fragmentation Pakistan s post-9/11 militant experience demonstrated how unaddressed grievances poor governance and ineffective conflict resolution can contribute to instability Consequently, negotiation becomes transformational when it shifts disagreements from zero-sum competition toward
The practical workings of negotiation are explained by several theories In distributive bargaining parties compete for scarce resources in a win-lose framework Salary negotiations, territorial disputes and coalition politics often reflect this approach Water and security issues between India and Pakistan are common examples of distributive bargaining in South Asia where gains for one side are frequently viewed as losses for the other By contrast, integrative negotiation seeks win-win outcomes through cooperation and mutual gain The European Union remains one of the strongest examples of former adversaries transforming economic cooperation into political stability Principled negotiation developed by Roger Fisher and William Ury in Getting to Yes, is another influential approach It emphasizes separating people from problems, focusing on interests rather than positions and relying on objective standards Likewise game theory provides valuable insights into strategic bargaining The Prisoner s Dilemma illustrates why distrust often prevents cooperation even when mutual gains are possible This strategic dilemma frequently characterizes India-Pakistan relations, particularly in defence and nuclear strategy BATNA or the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement and ZOPA the Zone of Possible Agreement are two important concepts in negotiation theory A strong BATNA increases bargaining leverage, while ZOPA represents the range within which both parties can reach an acceptable settlement Skilled negotiators attempt to identify and expand this zone through flexibility and creative problem-solving Pakistan s relationship with India offers valuable insights into negotiating and conflict resolution Kashmir, water conflicts under the Indus Waters Treaty, worries about cross-border security, accusations of terrorism trade restrictions and the Siachen Glacier dispute are some of the most divisive topics between the two nations Pakistan has frequently used diplomatic engagement backchannel diplomacy, and confidencebuilding tactics to resolve crises and stop escalation despite ongoing tensions One
noteworthy example of effective negotiation is the Indus Waters Treaty which has withstood many wars and protracted political animosity In a similar vein ceasefire agreements along the Line of Control and recurring diplomatic discussions have shown that persistent communication may resolve even deeply ingrained conflicts
Pakistan’s capacity to negotiate while defending its interests as a nation serves as a reminder of the value of diplomatic skill patience, and strategic prudence in resolving disputes
Furthermore, the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument identifies five major conflict-management styles: competing accommodating avoiding compromising and collaborating While excessive competition can intensify polarization accommodation prioritizes relationships over individual goals Avoidance may temporarily reduce tensions but often allows problems to worsen Compromise a cornerstone of coalition politics and parliamentary democracy requires mutual concessions Collaboration however is generally considered the most productive approach because it seeks solutions that satisfy all stakeholders
Although conflict management and conflict resolution are related concepts, they differ in purpose Conflict management seeks to control tensions and prevent escalation whereas conflict resolution aims to address root causes and achieve lasting peace In deeply divided societies, complete reconciliation may not always be immediately achievable Therefore, ceasefires diplomatic engagement and institutional safeguards become essential The Kashmir dispute illustrates this reality where conflict-management measures are frequently employed even in the absence of a final settlement
Equally important are interpersonal and communication skills Successful negotiators require persuasion active listening emotional intelligence and ethical judgment Poor communication often aggravates conflicts especially in political environments where misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric are widespread Active listening helps negotiators understand underlying con-
cerns rather than merely defending rigid positions Emotional intelligence promotes composure under pressure while ethical conduct fosters trust and credibility Nelson Mandela’s leadership during South Africa’s democratic transition remains a powerful example of negotiation grounded in restraint reconciliation and healing In recent years Pakistan has also sought to play a constructive mediating role in reducing tensions between Iran and the United States Through diplomatic outreach and dialogue facilitation, Pakistan utilized its relationships with both countries to encourage communication and reduce misunderstandings Although these efforts did not produce a formal breakthrough they highlighted the significance of third-party mediation in contemporary international relations Such initiatives demonstrate that successful negotiation is often measured not only by immediate agreements but also by the ability to prevent escalation and preserve channels of communication
Typically the negotiation process involves preparation, relationship-building,
Ultimately, conflict is an enduring feature of human society. The real challeng e lies not in eliminating conflict but in managing it wisely. Societies that institutionaliz e compromise , tolerance and collaborative problem-solving are more likely to achieve stability and democratic resilience . For Pakistan and the wider international community, fostering a culture of dialogue is no long er optional.
A student parody account has rattled India’s most power ful man and exposed just how thin his skin has become
IN recent weeks in India Prime Minister Narendra Modi s government s profound insecurity has resulted in the deplatforming of college students who came together to form a satirical parody account called “Cockroach Janta Party” The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) came to be after India’s Chief Justice Surya Kant compared unemployed young people drifting towards journalism and activism to cockroaches and parasites The harmless joke quickly attracted millions of online followers across Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, which resulted in even more media coverage from BBC CNN The Guardian and France 24 making India s geriatric government pay attention Instead of engaging with the discontent meaningfully, the Modi administration has framed it as jeopardising the country s national security” and “posing a threat to the sovereignty of India” The group’s page is no longer accessible in the country In fact the government began a multiplatform pressure campaign against the satirical account to push it into oblivion Its website was taken down, ministers accused the founder of being under “foreign” influence, and a petition was filed in the Supreme Court seeking action against the CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke Going after online accounts with such fierce indignation is like using a cannon to kill a mosquito The imaginative prank signals the dis-
they express genuine concern The exam scandals have resulted in a spate of suicides among students but did not move Prime Minister Narendra Modi to offer a few words of solace The same indifference is visible elsewhere One of the patterns of Modi s leadership is that his sympathy for the sufferings of humanity tends to increase in direct proportion to the distance of those suffering from Indian borders He has not acknowledged the alarming deaths from heatwaves – 67 people died in Telangana in a single day – but has taken the time to grieve for the lives lost in China s Shanxi province in a mining accident Modi rules India like a cruel taskmaster, and every task is also a test of loyalty His latest order is to work from home not spend fuel unnecessarily avoid foreign travel reduce consumption of cooking oil abstain from buying gold work longer consume less and be patient At this point, if you have a job, own a fridge, can afford an air conditioner as well as a foreign trip, the Modi administration considers you to be living in an abyss of decadence None of it would pinch as much if he did not jet off to Europe right after his sermon about our patriotic duty to tighten
This
while
went
to ask
Lyng Svendsen, a
why
did
“freest press in
questions from
avoided
contact and walked away without
his body language noticeably sheepish It does not help that Norway is rated number one while India is ranked 157 in the World Press Freedom Index The Indian embassy in Oslo then took to X, announcing a news conference out of spite, in which Sibi George a diplomat had a 13minute outburst filled with boilerplate responses to almost any question about India s declining freedoms with a word salad of 140 crore people , 5,000-year-old civilisation , yoga and Gandhi For Svendsen, this experience ended with a dose of reality the Indian press has to deal with She was called a foreign spy and doxxed by Indian right-wing troll armies Her address and phone number were made public and finally, she was deplatformed from Instagram Faced with the free mind – be it online with the CJP or with the free press in Norway –Modi his administration and his trolls tend to
A regime that gets so terrified of simple questions or prank tweets by young people tells us very little about the questioner and a lot more about the ruling government The truth is the sheen maintained by a formidable propaganda machine has been wiped clean by world events As war, inflation, H-1B visa restrictions, and tariffs imposed by the United States expose Modi’s ineptitude, his skin grows thinner The last few years have been a time of pervasive tragedy Modi s policy misadventures have left deep gaping wounds in the country – demonetisation, the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, and the handling of COVID-19 may be the big failures, but the everyday failures: Bridges falling communities running out of water paper leaks that damage students’ academic prospects are what have jolted the youth more All of them reflect how much this government has failed the common people Despite a lot of well-financed publicity, it has become difficult to mask this loss of hope in India Every nation requires a modicum of material prosperity hope and confidence in the future Today we live in a country where no one trusts what the prime minister says He is as unpopular as he has ever been and is running a government with no mandate – the last two election results have been contested by opposition parties, journalists and transparency activists India has been declared an “electoral autocracy” At this point the BJP is an election-winning machine with no capacity for any other form of political work, much less skilful governance Pierced by every meme, tweet or question from a journalist, the giant balloon that is Modi’s
dr MuhaMMad rizwan bhatti
TRUMP SAYS PILOTS SAFE AFTER US HELICOPTER GOES DOWN NEAR STRAIT OF HORMUZ
the wooded area between
buildings,
and Kim
planted
evergreen throughout the year symbolizing the enduring and ever-renewing friendship between China and the DPRK Xi Jinping general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, visited the Central Cadres Training School of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang on Tuesday morning
Xi was accompanied by Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the WPK and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Xi Jinping general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, walks into a lecture hall of the Central Cadres Training School of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in the company of Kim Jong Un general secretary of the WPK and president of the State Affairs of the
Democratic People s Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Pyongyang Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, walks into a lecture hall of the Central Cadres Training School of the Workers Party of Korea (WPK) in the company of Kim Jong Un general secretary of the WPK and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People s Republic of Korea (DPRK), in Pyongyang, the DPRK, June 9 2026 /Xinhua In the
CORPORATE CORNER
WORLD BANK DOWNGRADES $400 MILLION PAKISTAN RAISES REVENUE PROGRAMME
COMSATS Coordinating Council Meeting held in Indonesia
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
International cooperation in Science and Technology took center-stage in Surabaya Indonesia during the 26th meeting of the Coordinating Council of the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable development in the South (CoMSATS), hosted by CoMSATS Centre of Excellence, the Institut
Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS)
Indonesia The Council Meeting was participated by its Centres of Excellence BCSIrBangladesh
CoMSATS International Partner organizations namely; ANSo, SESrIC, IoFS, INSME, CPJrC, UNESCo, UNoSSC, The South Centre, and Members of Technical Advisory
ROX Launches E-Store
Featuring Authentic Apple Products, Bringing a Seamless Shopping Experience Through the App
ISLAMABAD
CHINESE ENVOY CALLS FOR CPEC 2.0 AND STRONGER GLOBAL GOVERNANCE PARTNERSHIP
projects,
The
Turning to international affairs Ambassador Jiang underscored the importance of China s Global Governance Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping, which advocates sovereign equality adherence to international law genuine multilateralism and people-centred development
He said Pakistan had strongly supported the initiative, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif describing it as a significant step toward strengthening multilateralism and addressing the concerns of developing countries The envoy also highlighted growing China-Pakistan coordination on regional and global issues particularly efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East
He noted that China and Pakistan had jointly introduced a five-point initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the broader Middle East region
He added that President Xi had appreciated Pakistan s diplomatic efforts and mediating role in reducing regional tensions
Pakistan-Russia ties
The Federal Investigation Agency has taken disciplinary action against more than 100 officials for alleged links with human smugglers since the 2023 Greece boat disaster the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control was told on Tuesday
281 in 2024 to 13 so far in 2026
Addressing broader migration trends, the FIA chief said 35,459 passengers were offloaded in 2024 when deportations were close to 68 877 In 2025 39 786 passengers were offloaded and deportations declined to 57,560 He attributed the drop in fake-document deportations to tighter profiling at departure points
over abuse of study visas
aimed to deepen strategic understanding between Pakistan and Russia while promoting public diplomacy academic collaboration, media engagement and peopleto-people contacts Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari addressing the webinar as chief guest described Pakistan-Russia relations as
growing partnership that has made significant progress over the past two decades He noted that the relationship had expanded across a wide range of sectors, including energy, trade, industry, defence, education, science and technology, supported by increasing high-level exchanges and the work of the Pakistan-Russia Intergovernmental Commission
Six FC personnel killed, four injured in attack on post in
Briefing the panel, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar said 132 inquiries had been launched resulting in 68 major and 36 minor penalties against officials accused of failing to follow the standard profiling mechanism and facilitating illegal migration The action follows the June 2023 sinking off Greece in which at least 209 people died while hundreds of others were feared dead or missing Dr Anwar told lawmakers that stricter screening had led to 22,136 passengers being offloaded in 2026 after assessment against risk profiles He also said deportation-related cases involving fake or forged documents had fallen sharply from
International concerns According to Dr Anwar international partners have raised concerns over Mediterranean boat disasters linked to smuggling attempts, illegal crossings into the European Union, and misuse of study visas in the United Kingdom and Cyprus He told the committee that Pakistan is the third-largest recipient of UK student visas but around 10 000 people misuse those visas by seeking asylum He also said eight UK universities had reportedly restricted visa sponsorships for Bangladeshi students while the UK had imposed visa restrictions on Afghanistan Cameroon Myanmar and Sudan
The FIA chief said European Union delegations had also pointed to illegal migration routes including crossings from Belarus into Poland He informed the committee that 580 Pakistanis had not returned from Belarus He said some travellers leaving for Cyprus on study visas later attempt to enter the EU through other routes while routes through Senegal and Mauritania are used to reach Spain s Canary Islands He also highlighted concerns related to organised begging in Gulf countries and the situation of Pakistanis stranded in Cambodia
From 2024 to 2026 24 922 passengers travelled to Cambodia and 3 312 did not return Dr Anwar said adding that many were involved in scam operations or subjected to bonded labour He said 80 per cent of those travellers had gone on visit or tourist visas He further told lawmakers that 7 721 passengers had not returned from Azerbaijan with 70 per cent travelling on visit visas
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan s sisters and several party leaders were once again denied permission to meet the former prime minister at Adiala Jail on Tuesday despite court orders allowing regular meetings with family members lawyers and associates The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had directed jail authorities to facilitate meetings with the incarcerated PTI founder twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays However PTI leaders maintain that the former premier has been prevented from meeting visitors for several months Among those present outside Adiala Jail were Imran Khan’s sisters Aleema Khan Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi along with lawyers Awais Younis and Faisal Malik PTI leaders including Zafar Gondal
Seemabia Tahir Usman Jaura
Nadia Khattak and Sadaf Abbasi also arrived at the prison seeking a meeting with the party founder
Speaking to reporters, Aleema Khan alleged that Pakistan had remained politically unstable over the past three years while Imran Khan continued to be imprisoned
Commenting on the recent Gilgit-Baltistan elections, Aleema claimed that public opinion in the region was not adequately reflected by mainstream media outlets She argued that social media had exposed developments on the ground and asserted that PTI had received strong public support in the region
Despite restrictions, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan voted for PTI Today, social media allows everyone to see what is happening there she said
Responding to a question about her presence outside the jail in extreme heat, Aleema remarked
that since her brother remained confined under similar conditions she could also spend time waiting outside the prison
She stressed that it was the responsibility of every Pakistani to help safeguard the country’s future and reiterated PTI s demand for Imran Khan s release arguing that his freedom was necessary for political stability
Regarding reports that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi might visit Adiala Jail Aleema said it had been decided that he would instead attend Parliament House on June 12 when the federal budget is expected to be presented Aleema also reaffirmed her position that the only acceptable political settlement would be the restoration of an independent judiciary and the holding of free fair and transparent elections across the country
would stay suspended until voting is held again in those areas According to the chief election commissioner, repolling will take place at 10 polling stations in GBA-8, one in GBA-13 Astore one in GBA-15 Diamer-I three in GBA-16 Diamer-II and 11 in GBA-17 Diamer-III He also said Form-47s for all constituencies had been finalised but their issuance would only be completed after the re-polling process ends Preliminary outcome Unofficial and preliminary results showed the Bilawal Bhutto-led PPP
