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			<title>Pakistan targets terrorist hideouts along Afghan border, killing 26 militants: Tarar</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612389/pakistan-targets-terrorist-hideouts-along-afghan-border-killing-26-militants-tarar</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612389/pakistan-targets-terrorist-hideouts-along-afghan-border-killing-26-militants-tarar#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 07:54:21 +0500</pubDate>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Information minister says strikes were in response to recent terrorist attacks in K-P]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan carried out &ldquo;precision strikes&rdquo; along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border targeting terrorist hideouts, killing 26 Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists in response to recent terrorist attacks in the country, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday.

The statement comes a day after six Federal Constabulary (FC) embraced martyrdom while bravely confronting terrorists belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during an operation in the Hassan Khel area on the outskirts of Peshawar.

According to a statement shared on X, Tarar said the operations were conducted in the aftermath of recent attacks, including the assault on a Federal Constabulary post in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on June 9, a vehicle-borne suicide attack on a military post in North Waziristan on June 2, and an attack on a police station in Bannu on May 9.



In the aftermath of recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan, including terrorist attack on Federal Constabulary Post in Musa Dara on 9 June 2026, Vehicle Borne Suicide Attacks on a Military Post in North Waziristan on 2 June 2026 and Police Station in Bannu on 9 May 2026, precise&hellip; pic.twitter.com/rY0PGC6YIu
&mdash; Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) June 10, 2026


He said, &ldquo;precise strikes were carried out along Pakistan Afghanistan Border areas on hideouts and safe havens of masterminds and planners belonging to Fitna Al Khawarij, killing twenty six Indian sponsored khawarijs.&rdquo;

The statement said the action was based on &ldquo;credible intelligence&rdquo; and involved the &ldquo;selective targeting of camps and hideouts&hellip; with precision and accuracy.&rdquo;

It added that four targets were &ldquo;completely destroyed,&rdquo; including &ldquo;a training centre, a hideout, an ammunition cache and Marakiz belonging to Fitna Al Khawarij Commander Aleem Khan Khushali and Commander Akhtar Muhammad Jani Khel.&rdquo;

Read: Security forces kill 27 terrorists in North Waziristan IBOs: ISPR

The information minister further said Pakistan has &ldquo;always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region,&rdquo; but stressed that &ldquo;the safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority.&rdquo;

He added that Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;relentless counter-terrorism campaign under vision Azm-e-Istehkam will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.&rdquo;

The statement said the campaign is being carried out by &ldquo;security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan&rdquo; under the framework approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan.

Officials said the operation reflects Pakistan&rsquo;s ongoing response to terrorist threats operating along its western border, though independent verification of the claims was not immediately available.

K-P remains a key focus of the country&#39;s counterterrorism efforts, with security forces regularly conducting IBOs against militants.

Also Read: 4 terrorists killed in DI Khan, Mohmand IBOs

The province witnessed a significant rise in militant violence last year, with more than 500 attacks reported, marking a 50% increase compared to the previous year.

According to a security assessment obtained by The Express Tribune, K-P recorded 1,588 terrorism-related incidents, underscoring the growing militant threat across both settled and tribal districts. Despite the increase in attacks, security forces reportedly thwarted 320 major strikes, while 137 police personnel were killed in the line of duty.

The report said joint operations by the K-P Police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and other security agencies led to the arrest of 1,244 suspected militants, while 420 militants were killed in intelligence-based operations.

Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Hangu and Peshawar were among the districts most affected by militant violence, with the report noting a pattern of attacks allegedly planned and launched from across the Afghan border.

The CTD report also recorded a 56% increase in attacks targeting police personnel, rising from 327 in 2024 to 510 in 2025. During the year, security agencies conducted 2,791 search operations and identified 25 foreign militant operatives, while extortion networks operating in Peshawar and other districts were dismantled, according to the report.

Operation Ghazab Lil Haq&nbsp;was launched around the end of February following renewed clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, after Afghan Taliban forces fired on multiple locations, prompting swift military retaliation by Pakistan.

The neighbouring countries have been engaged in escalating hostilities along the frontier since then. The clashes intensified after Afghanistan launched a border offensive in response to Pakistani air strikes targeting terrorist positions and abated during a temporary ceasefire on the occasion of Eidul Fitr.

Pakistan in April put forth&nbsp;three core demands&nbsp;to the Afghan Taliban during peace talks in Urumqi, China, including Kabul formally declaring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan a terrorist organisation, dismantling its infrastructure, and providing verifiable proof of the action. These demands form the basis of Pakistan&#39;s negotiating position, which sources say has hardened amid persistent security concerns.]]>
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			<title>Iran will 'not hesitate to exercise' right to self-defence: foreign ministry</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612373/irans-revolutionary-guard-says-21-us-military-targets-hit-across-region</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612373/irans-revolutionary-guard-says-21-us-military-targets-hit-across-region#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 04:59:03 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[China reiterates call for US, Iran to 'exercise restraint, stop escalating tensions']]>
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				<![CDATA[The Iranian Foreign Ministry released a statement on Wednesday on X, condemning US attacks on Iranian soil and reiterating that it will &quot;not hesitate to exercise&quot; its right to self-defence.

&ldquo;In the early hours of Wednesday, June 10, 1405, under the pretext of the downing of one of its army&rsquo;s Apache helicopters over the Strait of Hormuz, the American terrorist regime carried out savage attacks Monday night against several areas in the south of the country,&quot; it read.



🔺 Iran&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the following statement on the U.S. attacks:

&ldquo;In the early hours of Wednesday, June 10, 1405, under the pretext of the downing of one of its army&rsquo;s Apache helicopters over the Strait of Hormuz, the American terrorist regime carried&hellip; pic.twitter.com/0EZSMVFOCy
&mdash; Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) June 10, 2026


The statement condemned the attacks as a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter as well as the &quot;fundamental principle prohibiting the use of force in international relations.&quot;

&quot;With these aggressive actions, the ruling American establishment has once again demonstrated its criminal and warmongering nature.&quot;

The ministry described the retaliatory efforts of the IRGC in striking US bases in the region. They went on to remind other nations &quot;particularly those located on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf of their legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the US terrorist army and the Zionist regime from using their territory and facilities to plan, organise, execute, and support aggressive actions against Iran.&quot;

It said that Iran would &quot;not hesitate to exercise its inherent right to self-defense, including by targeting the source of attacks as well as the bases and logistical facilities used to carry out and support aggressive operations against Iran.&quot;

The ministry also reminded the UN of &quot;its responsibility, particularly the Security Council and the Secretary-General, to safeguard international peace and security and to hold the aggressor parties accountable.&rdquo;

China reiterates call for US, Iran to &#39;exercise restraint, stop escalating tensions&#39;

China on Wednesday reiterated its call on Washington and Tehran to stop escalating tensions after the US launched fresh attacks on Iran.

&ldquo;China is deeply concerned&rdquo; over the latest situation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that American forces launched air strikes against Iranian military targets in response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter on Monday.

Later, Iran&rsquo;s military headquarters said early Wednesday that attacks had been launched on some US bases in the region in response to American strikes on southern Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US opted to test Tehran&#39;s determination.

However, Lin called on the warring sides to &ldquo;remain calm, exercise restraint, stop escalating tensions, take concrete actions to ease tensions.&rdquo;

Lin asked the US and Iran to use political and diplomatic means toward &ldquo;early realisation of a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire.&rdquo;

Iran&rsquo;s Revolutionary Guard says 21 US military targets hit across region

Iran&rsquo;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Wednesday that it launched retaliatory attacks on 21 American military targets at US air and naval bases across the region.



Iran announced early Wednesday that it had launched an attack targeting 21 US-linked sites across the region, including the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, stressing that the operation was in response to recent American aggression against Iran.

The targets also included a US F-35&hellip; pic.twitter.com/xTBlGXzjbZ
&mdash; Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 10, 2026


In a statement, the IRGC said long-range missiles destroyed four major targets at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan, including hangars housing F-35 fighter jets and a command-and-control centre.



در پاسخ به شرارت دشمن در بامداد امروز، رزمندگان شجاع نیروی هوافضای سپاه با استفاده از موشک های سوخت جامد دوربرد خود، چهار هدف مهم از جمله آشیانه های جنگنده&zwnj;های اف‑۳۵ در پایگاه هوایی و مرکز فرماندهی و کنترل ارتش کودک&zwnj;کش آمریکا در الازرق اردن را مورد اصابت قرار داده و منهدم کردند.
&mdash; احمد وحیدی (@vahidi_org) June 10, 2026


The Jordanian army said it shot down five missiles launched from Iran towards the al-Azraq area.



BREAKING: The Jordanian military said its air defence systems have intercepted and shot down five missiles launched from Iran that were targeting the Al-Azraq area in the country&rsquo;s Zarqa province.

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/3AWnWhU6OL pic.twitter.com/vG06eLtBT6
&mdash; Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 10, 2026


It added that the missiles were destroyed by air defence systems and noted that falling debris from the projectiles caused no loss of life or material damage.

The IRGC also said it launched a drone attack targeting the Ali Al Salem Base in Kuwait in response to what it described as American aggression.

The IRGC warned that its forces were fully prepared to deliver a &ldquo;crushing and decisive&rdquo; response to any new attack, adding that US forces would bear responsibility for the consequences.

Iran&rsquo;s FM Araghchi discusses US strikes with Saudi, Turkish counterparts

Iran&rsquo;s IRNA news agency reports that the country&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate telephone conversations overnight with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, according to Al Jazeera.

The ministers, according to the report, reviewed the latest regional developments following the US attacks on areas in southern Iran.

During these conversations, Araghchi condemned the US military aggression and the violation of Iran&rsquo;s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He also emphasised the inherent right of Iran&rsquo;s legitimate self-defence and the launch of retaliatory responses by Iran&rsquo;s armed forces against aggressors, according to the news agency.

IRGC says it downed US MQ-9 drone, targeted Fifth Fleet in Bahrain

The IRGC said early Wednesday that it shot down a US MQ-9 drone over southern Bushehr province and launched a drone attack targeting the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.



A US MQ-9 drone is seen ablaze after it was shot down over Iran&#39;s Bushehr province. pic.twitter.com/RQZ6OkOUDB
&mdash; Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 10, 2026


In a statement, the IRGC said the attack on the Bahrain-based fleet came in response to recent American strikes on Jask, Sirik and Qeshm in southern Iran.

It said the US strikes damaged a telecommunications tower in Sirik and destroyed two water tanks in the city&rsquo;s Bamani district.

The IRGC added that its naval forces launched the drone attack against the US Fifth Fleet at 2.30 am local time.



❗️ VISUAL CONFIRMATION OF IRGC STRIKING US FIFTH FLEET BASE IN BAHRAIN pic.twitter.com/PgrrEGYm4C
&mdash; RT (@RT_com) June 10, 2026


&ldquo;The clashes are ongoing,&rdquo; the statement said, warning that &ldquo;heavier responses&rdquo; would follow if attacks continue.

Kuwait says its air defences intercepted &lsquo;hostile&rsquo; aerial targets

Kuwait&rsquo;s army said early Wednesday that its air defence systems intercepted &ldquo;hostile&rdquo; aerial targets amid escalating regional tensions.

No further details were immediately provided by Kuwaiti authorities.

In neighbouring Bahrain, the Interior Ministry announced the activation of warning sirens across the country.

Iran warns no attack or threat &lsquo;will go unanswered&rsquo; after US strikes in south

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned early Wednesday that no attack or threat against Iran &ldquo;will go unanswered&rdquo; following US strikes in southern parts of the country.

&ldquo;Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the US opted to test our determination,&rdquo; Araghchi said in a post on the US social media platform X.



Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination.

Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered.

Leave our region if you want to be safe.

History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders. pic.twitter.com/O17GGtklxA
&mdash; Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 9, 2026


&ldquo;Our powerful armed forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered,&rdquo; he added, while warning the United States to &ldquo;leave our region if you want to be safe.&rdquo;

&ldquo;History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders,&rdquo; he said.

US strikes hit southern Iran

US strikes targeted parts of southern Iran early Wednesday, with explosions and projectile strikes reported in several areas of Hormozgan province, according to Iranian media.

Tasnim News Agency reported that areas in Sirik, Qeshm Island and Minab came under attacks carried out by US fighter jets.

The agency said at least six explosions were heard in the targeted areas, while Iranian state TV confirmed that a projectile struck the city of Sirik.

Iranian state media later confirmed that several projectiles also struck Qeshm Island, though the exact nature of the impacts remained unclear.

The broadcaster also reported the activation of air defence systems in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Sirik.

Mehr News Agency separately reported four explosions at Jask port and another blast on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

US launches self-defence strikes against Iran following Apache helicopter downing

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that American forces have completed a series of &quot;self-defence strikes&quot; against Iranian military targets in response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter on Monday.



U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief&rsquo;s direction, in response to yesterday&rsquo;s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian&hellip;
&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 9, 2026


&quot;CENTCOM forces struck Iranian air defence, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz with precision munitions from US Air Force and Navy fighter jets,&quot; the command said in a statement.

The command announced that its forces began conducting &quot;self-defence strikes&quot; against Iranian military targets at approximately 5 pm Eastern Time (2am PKT) on Tuesday.

&quot;The operation was a proportional response to recent attacks on U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters,&quot; it said, adding that US forces remain &quot;vigilant and postured&quot; to defend against &quot;unjustified Iranian aggression.&quot;

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that Washington is compelled to respond to an alleged Iranian attack that brought down a US military helicopter.

&ldquo;I have just been informed by our great military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,&rdquo; Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

He said both pilots were rescued and are uninjured, but &ldquo;the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.&rdquo;

&#39;I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful&#39;

The incident followed several days of fluctuating tensions in the region, during which Israel and Iran traded military strikes before pulling back, underscoring the fragility of a ceasefire.

Trump described the strikes as a &quot;very strong&quot; and &quot;very powerful&quot; response to Iran.

&quot;I think it&#39;s very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we are responding as we speak,&quot; he told ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl.

&quot;This is a response to what they did with our helicopter last night, and I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that&#39;s what this one is,&quot; Trump was quoted as saying.

Separately, the Axios news site, citing a senior American official, reported that US military forces attacked several Iranian air defense batteries and radar systems around the Strait of Hormuz.

Axios said a second round of strikes in Iran were taking place &quot;now&quot; targeting air defense and radar systems.

Later, Axios reported that a third wave of attacks against Iran are &quot;underway now.&quot;

Citing a senior White House official, Politico reported Tuesday that Trump thinks an Iran deal is &quot;still close&quot; despite the retaliatory strikes.

&ldquo;Nothing changes where the deal stands right now,&rdquo; said the official.

&#39;Proportional and limited&#39; strikes

US House Speaker Mike Johnson said the strikes were &quot;proportional and limited.&quot;

&quot;The White House and Pentagon have announced and said &#39;it&#39;s against unjustified Iranian aggression.&#39; They did notify me as leader of the House before this began, and it&#39;s targeted strikes to the radar, missile and command and control sites, and it is defensive in nature,&quot; he said at a news conference.

Johnson said he was at the White House earlier Tuesday with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and others.

&quot;We were with the president, and we talked about, you know, Iran,&quot; he added.

Senior Iranian lawmaker says regional energy infrastructure could be targeted if US attacks Iran

A senior Iranian lawmaker said Tuesday that energy infrastructure across the region could come under missile attack if the US launches military strikes against Iran, according to remarks carried by Iran&rsquo;s Mehr news.

Hamidreza Haji Babaei, deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, said any US attack would prompt a forceful response from Tehran.

&ldquo;If the United States carries out even the smallest military attack against Iran, all energy facilities in the region will come under a barrage of Iranian missiles,&rdquo; said Haji Babaei.

He claimed Washington would lose access to its oil, gas and other interests in the region for years if a conflict erupted.

Haji Babaei also said Iran was not concerned by US military threats, arguing that Washington was reluctant to enter a direct conflict despite recent regional tensions.

Haji Babaei said the US had crossed many of Iran&rsquo;s red lines during the ceasefire period and argued that Tehran should focus on overcoming economic pressure and sanctions.

He also claimed the current &ldquo;no war, no peace&rdquo; situation was not in Iran&rsquo;s interest, but said any hostile action by foreign military aircraft, helicopters or vessels in the region would face a response from Iran&rsquo;s armed forces, including the army and the IRGC.

Tehran warns foreign forces near Iran &lsquo;face risks&rsquo; after Trump&rsquo;s threat

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Tuesday that foreign military forces operating near Iran &ldquo;face risks,&rdquo; calling for them to leave the region, hours after US President Donald Trump vowed to respond to an alleged Iranian attack on a US military helicopter.

In a statement posted on the US social media company X, Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz is shared by Iran and Oman and is located far from US territory.

&ldquo;Our powerful armed forces are on constant alert for any violation of Iran&rsquo;s airspace, land or waters,&rdquo; he said.



Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire.

To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave.

We prefer language of diplomacy but speak other languages too. pic.twitter.com/5DDgHAscBj
&mdash; Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 9, 2026


Araghchi warned that foreign forces operating near Iran are exposed to risks stemming from &ldquo;human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire.&rdquo;

&ldquo;To reduce risk, the best solution is for foreign forces to exit, as soon as possible, an environment which will never be hospitable to a hostile presence,&rdquo; he added.

The top diplomat said Tehran prefers diplomacy, but warned that Iran is capable of responding through other means if necessary.

&ldquo;Iran prefers the language of diplomacy. However, as our brave warriors have shown to the world, we know how to speak other languages too,&rdquo; he said.

The remarks came after Trump said the United States &ldquo;must&rdquo; respond to an alleged Iranian attack that brought down a US Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.

&ldquo;I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,&rdquo; Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He said both pilots were rescued unharmed, while US Central Command later confirmed that two crew members had been recovered after the crash, adding that the cause remains under investigation.

The latest exchange comes amid renewed tensions in the region following days of military confrontations involving Iran and Israel, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire]]>
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			<title>Pakistan urges all sides to give diplomacy ‘a little more chance’ at UNSC</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612376/pakistan-urges-all-sides-to-give-diplomacy-a-little-more-chance-at-unsc</link>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 05:21:32 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Says US-Iran war has disrupted the IAEA's crucial verification mandate]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan on Wednesday urged all sides to exercise restraint and give diplomacy &quot;a little more chance&quot; amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, warning that recent events have highlighted the risk of further escalation.

Addressing a UN Security Council briefing on non-proliferation, Pakistan&#39;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said Islamabad was &quot;deeply concerned&quot; at the ongoing situation in the region marked by heightened tensions.

&quot;Events of the last few days have amply underscored the fragility of the situation, the risk of escalation and the need for diplomatic efforts to come to fruition &ndash; sooner than later,&quot; he told the council.



Statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad,
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN,
At the Security Council Briefing on Non-proliferation (1737 Committee)
(9thof June 2026)
*****

President,

Pakistan is deeply concerned at the ongoing situation in the region marked by&hellip; pic.twitter.com/f5vLN6I4PK
&mdash; Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) June 10, 2026



The ambassador said the recent increase in violence in the Middle East was &quot;a stark reminder of the dangers associated with a tenuous ceasefire and the unbearable consequences it may lead to&quot;.

&quot;The cycle of violence and instability must end for the good of regional and international peace, security, and prosperity,&quot; he added.

Referring to the Iranian nuclear issue, Iftikhar said the latest hostilities had complicated diplomatic efforts and affected the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

&quot;Regrettably, the breakdown of diplomacy and outbreak of hostilities has also impacted the consideration of the Iran nuclear issue, pushing the parties further apart on this complex file,&quot; he said.

He added that the conflict had also &quot;disrupted the IAEA&#39;s crucial verification mandate&quot;.

Reaffirming Pakistan&#39;s position, the ambassador said Islamabad supported resolving all outstanding issues through dialogue and negotiations.

&quot;We reaffirm our support for the resolution of all outstanding issues, including Iran nuclear issue, through peaceful means, diplomatic engagement, and sustained dialogue,&quot; he said.

Iftikhar said Pakistan believed that &quot;diplomacy and dialogue should be the guiding principles&quot; for achieving negotiated settlements of contentious issues.

Highlighting Pakistan&#39;s diplomatic efforts, he said Islamabad had worked with international partners to help reduce tensions and encourage negotiations.

&quot;Pakistan, along with partners, initiated diplomatic efforts to stop the war and to bring the parties to the table,&quot; he said.

The ambassador added that Pakistan had been engaged in efforts supporting &quot;de-escalation, ceasefire, and the broader pursuit of stability in the region&quot;.

The Pakistani envoy also referred to what he described as the &quot;Islamabad Talks&quot;, saying Pakistan appreciated both sides for engaging in dialogue.

&quot;We appreciate both parties for reposing their trust in Pakistan, and engaging in dialogue to achieve a ceasefire and participating in the &#39;Islamabad Talks&#39; &ndash; the highest-level direct engagement between the United States and Iran for over four decades,&quot; he said.

According to the ambassador, Pakistan had maintained contacts with both Tehran and Washington as well as several regional and international partners.

He said that Islamabad sought to encourage dialogue, facilitate the exchange of messages, and help create space and conditions conducive to meaningful negotiations.

Iftikhar said Pakistan&#39;s efforts were intended to &quot;break the momentum of hostilities, save lives and give diplomacy a chance&quot;.

He described Pakistan&#39;s approach as reflecting a &quot;consistent commitment to regional stability and international peace&quot; and a preference for &quot;principled, dialogue-oriented diplomacy&quot; in dealing with geopolitical disputes.

Concluding his remarks, the ambassador urged all parties to avoid actions that could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Read: Trump says US &lsquo;must respond&rsquo; after Iran shoots down &lsquo;highly sophisticated Apache helicopter&rsquo;

&quot;As we work earnestly and painstakingly, together with our friends and partners, to find a peaceful diplomatic solution to the conflict, and especially when the final objective is just about to be achieved, we sincerely urge all sides to exercise restraint and give peace a little more chance,&quot; he said.

He added, &quot;Let us continue to tread the path of peace and diplomacy, for it has bright prospects of success, something that the international community has pinned its hopes on.&quot;

Iran nuclear programme

Five days ago, the UN nuclear watchdog sent a report to member states with no major changes to its assessment of Iran&rsquo;s nuclear programme, despite three months of US-Israeli war with the stated aim of preventing Iran from building an atomic bomb.

In its first report into Iran&rsquo;s nuclear programme since the day before the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran at the end of February, the IAEA repeated calls for Tehran to explain the fate of stockpiles of enriched uranium. The uranium has been unaccounted for since an earlier US-Israeli bombing campaign a year ago targeted Iran&rsquo;s main nuclear sites.

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly cited destroying Iran&rsquo;s nuclear programme as one of their main aims in launching fresh strikes at the end of February.

Iran&rsquo;s enriched uranium stockpile has been a major sticking point in negotiations between the United States and Iran to end the war, with Trump insisting Iran give it up. Efforts have lately focused on a preliminary deal that would leave nuclear issues for later.

The confidential report on Iran was one of two issued on June 5 and seen by Reuters ahead of next week&rsquo;s quarterly meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency&rsquo;s 35-nation Board of Governors. They showed very little change from the previous reports in late February, just before the latest war.

&ldquo;The (IAEA) Director General has emphasised to Iran that it is indispensable and urgent to implement effectively the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) Safeguards Agreement effectively... and that its implementation cannot be suspended by Iran under any circumstances,&rdquo; the report seen by Reuters said.

The IAEA has been unable to return to nuclear sites that Israel and the United States bombed last June. Iran has yet to inform the IAEA of the fate of its stocks of low- and highly enriched uranium (LEU and HEU), including uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, a short step from the roughly 90% of weapons-grade.

The region has been on edge since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in late February, triggering Iranian retaliation on Israel and other regional countries hosting US assets.

A temporary ceasefire was reached on April 8, but negotiations later stalled amid disputes over its implementation and subsequent regional developments, even as Trump extended the truce indefinitely.

An agreement to fully end the US-Israeli war on Iran has proven elusive, with Iran insisting that any negotiations to address its nuclear program be subsequent to a full end to the war.]]>
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			<title>Centre, provinces trim uplift budgets for strategic initiatives</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612368/centre-provinces-trim-uplift-budgets-for-strategic-initiatives</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612368/centre-provinces-trim-uplift-budgets-for-strategic-initiatives#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 22:07:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Shahbaz Rana]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612368</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Govt to slash PSDP by Rs126b, provinces cap spending, Coalition consensus clears way for June 12 budget]]>
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				<![CDATA[The federal government has slashed next fiscal year&#39;s proposed development budget by Rs126 billion while three provinces, except Balochistan, would freeze their uplift expenses at current levels to create around Rs500 billion worth of fiscal space for strategically important initiatives.

The government may also allocate about Rs3 trillion for the defense spending and has finalised Rs50 billion relief for the salaried class, earning over Rs183,400 a month for the fiscal year 2026-27.

The understanding to rationalise development spending has been reached between the representatives of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the two major partners in the ruling coalition.

This would now pave the way for the start of much-delayed budget approval process, people privy to discussions between the coalition partners told The Express Tribune.

When contacted, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal confirmed that the proposed size of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) of Rs1.126 trillion has been reduced by Rs126 billion. The Finance Ministry has shared the revised indicative budget ceiling of Rs1 trillion with the Planning Ministry, Iqbal said on Tuesday.

The government has cut the proposed PSDP by Rs126 billion or 11.2% compared to the size approved by the Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APCC) for fiscal year 2026-27 early this month. For this fiscal year, the government has also slashed the development budget to Rs820 billion and, so far, Rs590 billion have been spent.

This is probably for the first time that the federal PSDP has been slashed before it has landed in front of the National Economic Council (NEC), which would now finally be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday (today).

The government had postponed the NEC meeting four times to develop some initial understanding among the stakeholders over next fiscal year&#39;s budget. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, said on Tuesday that the summary to convene the budget session has been moved and the budget would now likely be presented on Friday, June 12.

Ahsan Iqbal said that the proposed PSDP worth Rs1 trillion will be laid before the NEC, adding that no new development scheme will be included in the new fiscal year except for those projects proposed by the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior. He said the provincial governments would also adjust their proposed annual development plans to create additional fiscal space.

Another government official said that the provinces would spare over Rs350 billion from their development budgets. According to the understanding, the newly reduced Rs1 trillion PSDP size can again be increased to Rs1.4 trillion once the federating units agree to give more resources to the Centre.

The government had demanded Rs1.2 trillion from the provinces for meeting its additional expenses and providing tax relief. However, no immediate consensus could be achieved to either deduct money from the National Finance Commission (NFC) through a presidential order or seek the NEC approval. The IMF was also not comfortable over the NEC nod for additional spending.

The federal government wanted to allocate Rs335 billion for water sector critical projects like Diamer Basha Dam, Mohmand Dam and Dasu dam. Another additional Rs335 billion had been planned to be given for the strategically important initiatives.

The IMF has reflected Rs2.665 trillion for defense spending for the next fiscal year but the government wanted to sanction around Rs3 trillion due to increased hostilities on eastern and western borders.

A senior parliamentarian said that the provinces would freeze their development budgets at this year&#39;s actual spending. This will create some space for additional spending on strategic nature initiatives and funding the water sector projects.

Punjab early this month had informed the federal government that it would spend Rs1.45 trillion on development in the next fiscal year but the provincial government is now expected to lower the spending envelope by over Rs150 billion.

Sindh had also informed to spend Rs816 billion on development schemes in the next fiscal year, which too would go down in the light of new understanding among the shareholders. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa plans to spend Rs564 billion but it may freeze spending. Balochistan&#39;s new development budget is Rs308 billion, which is already Rs53 billion less than this year.

The IMF will also have to be taken on board. The global lender has set a condition that the National Assembly will approve only its endorsed budget to make sure that the government does not leave the fiscal stabilisation path.

Salary tax relief

The sources said that the government may announce Rs50 billion relief for the salaried class in the budget by lowering tax rates on monthly income of over Rs183,400, introducing a new slab and expanding the ceiling that will attract the highest income tax rate.

The salaried persons are adversely hit by the government&#39;s moves to raise petroleum levy to offset FBR shortfall and increase their tax burden over the past three years, resulting in their direct tax contributions to over Rs600 billion excluding the impact of the levy.

On a monthly income of up to Rs267,000, the tax rate might be reduced by 5% to 20%. There are about 400,000 people falling in this bracket. On monthly income of up to Rs341,000 the rate might be reduced to 25% with 160,000 taxpayers in this bracket.

The government may set a 29% rate on up to Rs467,000 per month and could introduce a 32% rate on monthly income of up to Rs583,000. For the monthly income of over Rs583,000, Rs7 million plus annually, the government wants to charge the maximum rate of 35% by significantly relaxing the ceiling.]]>
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			<title>Sikh pilgrims from India arrive in Pakistan for Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s 420th martyrdom anniversary</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612395/sikh-pilgrims-from-india-arrive-in-pakistan-for-guru-arjan-dev-jis-420th-martyrdom-anniversary</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612395/sikh-pilgrims-from-india-arrive-in-pakistan-for-guru-arjan-dev-jis-420th-martyrdom-anniversary#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 08:38:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asif Mehmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612395</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq welcomes pilgrims, says Pakistan issues 737 visas to Sikh devotees]]>
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				<![CDATA[Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday to participate in the 420th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and the annual Jor Mela celebrations, marking a significant development in religious ties between Sikh communities of the two neighbouring countries.

The commemorations will be jointly observed by Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan and India for the first time in 14 years, following the resolution of long-standing issues related to the observance date of Guru Arjan Dev Ji&rsquo;s martyrdom anniversary.

Speaking at the Wagah Border reception ceremony, Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs and President of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, said around 700 Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan today.

He said Sikh devotees had been waiting for such an opportunity in previous years, and the arrival of the Indian pilgrims this year had created a historic moment. Arora said Pakistan remained committed to promoting peace and bringing people closer together. He added that Pakistan was not the second but the first home of Sikhs around the world, as the land holds immense religious significance for the Sikh faith.

Referring to a recent award he received in the United States, Arora dedicated the honour to the people of Pakistan and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying it reflected the collective efforts made for the welfare of Sikh pilgrims and the preservation of religious heritage.

Indian Sikh delegation leader Sardar Parmjeet Singh said issues regarding the observance date of Guru Arjan Dev Ji&rsquo;s martyrdom anniversary had persisted for the past 14 years. He appreciated Pakistan for warmly welcoming Sikh pilgrims and facilitating arrangements for the religious events.

Another Sikh leader from India, Gurmeet Singh Gaggi, said a consensus had been reached to jointly commemorate the martyrdom anniversary. He described the gathering of Sikh devotees from both countries after 14 years as a positive and memorable occasion and acknowledged the cooperation extended by the Pakistani authorities.

Speaking to the media, Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq welcomed the visiting pilgrims and said Pakistan had issued 737 visas to Indian Sikh devotees for the occasion.

Read:&nbsp;Sikh pilgrims head home after Vaisakhi festival praising Pakistani hospitality

He said the main ceremony of the martyrdom anniversary and Jor Mela would be held at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on June 16.

Mushtaq said the Evacuee Trust Property Board and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had jointly arranged reception facilities at the Wagah Border. In view of the intense heat, cold drinking water, refreshments and other facilities had been provided for the pilgrims.

He added that special measures had been taken to expedite immigration and customs clearance procedures. The pilgrims were later transported to Nankana Sahib in special buses.

According to officials, all relevant departments have completed arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of religious rituals and events and to provide the pilgrims with the best possible facilities during their stay in Pakistan.]]>
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			<title>North Korea says Xi's visit produced 'far-reaching blueprint' for ties</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612393/north-korea-says-xis-visit-produced-far-reaching-blueprint-for-ties</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612393/north-korea-says-xis-visit-produced-far-reaching-blueprint-for-ties#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 08:28:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612393</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KCNA says Kim, Xi deepened revolutionary friendship, affirmed will to build most powerful strategic relations]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The leaders of North Korea and China adopted a &quot;far-reaching blueprint&quot; for bilateral ties during Xi Jinping&#39;s recent visit to Pyongyang, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Wednesday.

China&#39;s president made a rare visit to diplomatically isolated North Korea on Monday after hosting a series of world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, in Beijing.

The trip also came at a time of unusually warm relations between North Korea and Russia, where Pyongyang has sent soldiers and munitions to assist Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine.

Kim and Xi &quot;expressed satisfaction and deep emotion over the fact that they provided a far-reaching blueprint for the development of the relations&quot;, KCNA reported.

During the two-day trip, &quot;the countries further deepened the revolutionary friendship and close comradely relationship and affirmed their steadfast will to develop the traditional DPRK-China friendly ties into a model of the most powerful and strategic relations&quot;, it added.

Read:&nbsp;China is rebuilding its grip on North Korea. Is Kim Jong Un ready to oblige?

Xi and Kim toured the Central Cadres Training School of the Workers&#39; Party, where they discussed the training of party officials and planted a commemorative tree, before visiting the Friendship Tower memorial honouring Chinese soldiers who fought in the Korean War.

Xi was afforded a lavish welcome on the trip, which he took with his wife and other senior officials. Afterwards, he thanked Kim in a letter, saying the leaders had &quot;made an in-depth exchange of views on the issues of mutual interest and achieved a series of important common understanding&quot;, according to KCNA.

The talks &quot;showed the firm determination of both sides to add lustre to the traditional friendship, promote development and prosperity together and defend peace and stability in the region and the rest of the world&quot;, Xi reportedly wrote.

On Tuesday, China&#39;s state-run Xinhua news agency reported Xi as saying he had reached &quot;an important consensus with Kim on developing China-DPRK relations in the new era&quot;, using North Korea&#39;s official acronym. Xi pushed to strengthen diplomatic, law enforcement and military ties, according to Beijing&#39;s state media.

By sharing information in the military sector, China appears to want to &quot;directly assess technological changes within the North Korean military and the status of Russian technology transfer&quot;, said Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

China may also hope to &quot;collect intelligence for the purpose of monitoring trends in pro-Russian and pro-Chinese human networks within the North Korean military&quot;, he added.

Nuclear silence

Xi&#39;s trip came after last month&#39;s talks with Trump, during which the White House said the leaders &quot;confirmed their shared goal to denuclearise North Korea&quot;. But official media reports from both China and North Korea made no mention of denuclearisation in their coverage of the Xi-Kim summit.

Analysts said that suggested Beijing was tacitly accepting Pyongyang&#39;s status as a nuclear-armed state.

Read More:&nbsp;North Korea&#39;s Kim calls for &#39;exponential&#39; nuclear expansion after inspecting new plant

Kim has repeatedly vowed never to give up his nuclear arsenal, and his powerful sister said before Xi&#39;s visit that the programme was Pyongyang&#39;s &quot;line of no retreat&quot;.

Despite being historically highly reliant on political and economic support from China, Kim has drawn North Korea closer to Russia in recent years. He has boosted an alliance with Putin by sending troops to fight alongside Russian forces against Ukraine.

Still, Beijing remains an economic anchor for North Korea, whose economy has been hobbled for years by international sanctions over its nuclear programme. China accounted for $2.6 billion of North Korea&#39;s foreign trade -- nearly 98 percent of the total -- in 2024, according to South Korea&#39;s Ministry of Economy and Finance.]]>
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			<title>Artists demand merit-based civil awards at tribute ceremony in Peshawar</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612391/artists-demand-merit-based-civil-awards-at-tribute-ceremony-in-peshawar</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612391/artists-demand-merit-based-civil-awards-at-tribute-ceremony-in-peshawar#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 08:08:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612391</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Veteran performers Sajida Gul, Syed Sardar Badshah lament neglect of deserving artists]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Prominent figures from Peshawar&rsquo;s literary, cultural, social, and intellectual circles have called for a transparent and merit-based mechanism for the distribution of Pakistan&rsquo;s civil awards, urging the provincial government to ensure that deserving artists and cultural personalities receive due recognition.

The demand was made during a tribute ceremony organised by China Window Peshawar in honor of veteran artists Sajida Gul and Syed Sardar Badshah. Participants unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah to establish an expert committee comprising professionals from the fields of literature, arts, and culture to recommend nominations for civil awards strictly on merit.

The resolution noted that artists and cultural figures in the province have long faced neglect and unfair treatment, resulting in many deserving individuals being overlooked while less qualified candidates receive national honors. Participants stressed that those who have dedicated their lives to promoting art and culture deserve proper recognition for their contributions.

Speaking at the event, Badshah highlighted his extensive artistic career, revealing that he had performed in more than 1,000 television programs and 1,200 radio productions. Although he was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz 28 years ago, he said he had not been considered for any further national recognition since then. He expressed concern that while artists from other provinces often receive multiple awards, many accomplished artists from K-P continue to be ignored.

Veteran actress Gul also voiced disappointment over what she described as the indifference of the provincial Culture Department. She said she devoted 25 years of her life to radio and television and appeared in hundreds of drama productions, yet had never been nominated for a civil award. She warned that continued neglect of artists would discourage future generations from pursuing careers in arts and literature, ultimately damaging the province&rsquo;s cultural heritage.

The ceremony served as a platform to celebrate the achievements of the two veteran performers while reviving memories of a golden era in Pakistani arts and entertainment. Badshah shared experiences from his professional journey, discussing his work in acting, public service, organisational development, youth empowerment, welfare initiatives, and international engagements. He also reflected on the challenges faced by artists and emphasised the need for greater unity within the artistic community.

Gul recalled her early days at Pakistan Television, where she initially sought employment but eventually found success as an actress, building a distinguished career spanning more than two decades.

France-based Pakistani social figure Raja Afrasiab Khan paid tribute to both artists for their outstanding services to the cultural sector. On behalf of China Window, Peshawar commemorative shields were presented to Badshah and Gul in recognition of their lifelong contributions.

Participants interacted with the veteran artists, sought insights into their careers, and expressed appreciation for their enduring role in promoting arts and culture. Organisers announced that similar monthly programs would be held to connect younger generations with the province&rsquo;s distinguished artists and cultural icons.]]>
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			<title>Diabetes affects 10m children in Pakistan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612347/diabetes-affects-10m-children-in-pakistan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612347/diabetes-affects-10m-children-in-pakistan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:36:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612347</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Minister urges shift to preventive healthcare system]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said on Tuesday that nearly 10 million Pakistani children aged between five and 15 are living with diabetes, warning that the country continues to struggle with preventable diseases due to the lack of effective measures to curb the consumption of sugary drinks.

Speaking at the inauguration of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Health Services Academy (HSA), the minister called for a fundamental shift from a treatment-based healthcare model to one focused on disease prevention.

He argued that Pakistan&#39;s growing burden of diabetes, hepatitis, heart disease and maternal mortality had turned public health into a national security concern and underscored the need for stronger preventive policies.

Kamal said the healthcare system could not be improved without reducing the number of patients entering it, stressing the importance of preventive healthcare, primary health services and a trained medical workforce.

He pointed out that while nearly 10 million children are affected by diabetes, effective steps to reduce the consumption of sugary beverages have yet to be implemented.

Addressing the ceremony, the minister said Pakistan needed a healthcare system centred on disease prevention rather than treatment. He maintained that improving the healthcare system required reducing the overall disease burden on society.

He also emphasised the need for broader social reform, saying that a good human being was more likely to become a good doctor, officer or minister.

Kamal noted that around 6.2 million children are born in Pakistan every year and said rapid population growth was placing increasing pressure on healthcare, education and other sectors.

Highlighting key health indicators, he said approximately 11,000 women die annually from pregnancy-related complications, while 11 million hepatitis patients are registered across the country. He added that one person dies from a heart attack every minute in Pakistan.

The minister criticised what he described as policy inconsistencies, noting that contraceptive medicines are subject to an 18 per cent tax while efforts to increase taxes on sugary drinks have not succeeded.

He argued that Pakistan&#39;s challenges stemmed not from a shortage of resources but from administrative shortcomings and ineffective governance.

According to Kamal, provinces received Rs8.6 trillion for development projects last year, but the real challenge lies in ensuring those resources are utilised efficiently.

He said the health sector had become a matter of national security and reiterated that the government was focusing on disease prevention, strengthening primary healthcare services and developing a skilled medical workforce.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Services Academy Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shehzad Ali Khan said the newly established School of Pharmaceutical Sciences would play an important role in advancing pharmacy education, research and public health.

The ceremony was attended by health experts, academics, pharmacists and other distinguished figures from the healthcare.]]>
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			<title>NEPRA slashes power tariff by Rs1.98</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612350/nepra-slashes-power-tariff-by-rs198</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612350/nepra-slashes-power-tariff-by-rs198#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:36:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612350</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Consumers to get relief for three months]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has reduced electricity tariffs by up to Rs1.9857 per unit under the quarterly tariff adjustment mechanism, providing relief worth over Rs67 billion to consumers across the country.

The regulator approved an overall negative adjustment of Rs67.173 billion and decided that the relief would also be extended to K-Electric consumers during the same applicability period. The reduction will be passed on to eligible consumers over three months - June, July and August 2026.

&quot;Based on the discussion made in the above paragraphs, the Authority has decided to approve an overall negative adjustment of Rs67,173 million,&quot; the power regulator said in its decision, adding that it had also approved the application of the quarterly adjustment for K-Electric consumers with the same applicability period.

&quot;Accordingly, the relief of instant negative quarterly adjustment of Rs 1.9857/kWh shall also be provided to the consumers of K-Electric except lifeline, Incremental consumption package billed units and prepaid consumers, to be passed in a period of 03 months i.e. June, July and August 2026,&quot; the regulator said.

Nepra further stated that the negative adjustment would be provided uniformly at the rate of Rs1.9857 per unit during June, July and August 2026. The relief will apply to all consumer categories except lifeline consumers, units billed under the incremental consumption package, and prepaid consumers.

The power regulator conducted a public hearing on the matter on May 19, 2026.

During the hearing, commentator Amir Sheikh requested that the proposed negative quarterly adjustment be implemented during the billing months of May, June and July in order to offset the impact of upcoming positive Fuel Charges Adjustments (FCAs).

He also sought clarification regarding the positive capacity charges adjustment claimed by Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) and Hazara Electric Supply Company (Hazeco), despite higher sales figures.

In response, company officials explained that the higher allocation of capacity charges resulted from increased demand, coupled with proportionately lower energy purchases than the reference levels, which contributed to the positive capacity charges adjustment for the two distribution companies.

Officials further noted that, from the consumers&#39; perspective, the overall capacity charges adjustment remained negative and would ultimately benefit electricity users.

Another commentator, Rehan Javed, commended the operation of certain efficient power plants on natural gas instead of re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG), saying the move would likely provide relief in the upcoming FCA. He urged authorities to continue the practice in the future.]]>
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			<title>FCC entertains POL levy, tariff pleas</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612349/fcc-entertains-pol-levy-tariff-pleas</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612349/fcc-entertains-pol-levy-tariff-pleas#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:36:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Hasnaat Malik]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612349</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[FCC asked to constitute a commission to examine constitutional, fiscal, economic impact of the petroleum levy.]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has entertained two constitutional petitions against the imposition of a huge petroleum levy and the hike in petroleum product prices. The FCC registrar has allotted numbers to the petitions.

In the petition, filed by JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, the FCC has been requested to issue directions for constituting an independent, expert-assisted mechanism or commission to examine the constitutional, fiscal, economic, and federal implications of the present petroleum levy structure.

The government announced a petroleum and carbon levy under an iron-clad commitment with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The petroleum levy on petrol currently stands at Rs117.41 per litre, while the levy on HSD is Rs42.60 per litre.

Likewise, the FCC has also entertained a petition filed by advocate Zulfikar Ahmed Bhutta on May 1. The petitioner requested the FCC to direct the government to withdraw the recent price hike in petroleum products.

Both petitions were filed directly in the FCC under Article 175E of the Constitution. Interestingly, the FCC registrar&#39;s office did not raise any objections to either petition.

The court entertained the petitions weeks after they were filed. The FCC was established by the present regime through the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

In the context of Pakistan, a petroleum levy is a federal tax imposed on petroleum products such as petrol (motor spirit), high-speed diesel (HSD), kerosene, and light diesel oil. It is one of the government&#39;s most important non-tax revenue sources.

The petroleum levy is a fixed charge per litre that the government collects on fuel sales. Unlike sales tax which is percentage-based, the petroleum levy is a specific amount per unit.

It is imposed under federal laws such as the Petroleum Products (Petroleum Levy) Ordinance, 1961, and subsequent finance laws. The federal government has the authority to adjust it through finance bills and statutory regulatory orders (SROs).]]>
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			<title>A world cup of their own</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612323/a-world-cup-of-their-own</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612323/a-world-cup-of-their-own#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:10:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Qaisar Kamran]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Before the first whistle blows, a football-mad neighbourhood transforms itself into a living tribute]]>
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				<![CDATA[The FIFA World Cup 2026 is still months away, but in the city&#39;s Siddiq Goth, the countdown is already visible on the walls.

Across the neighbourhood, artists armed with paintbrushes and ladders are transforming blank surfaces into colourful tributes to football&#39;s biggest stars and nations. Volunteers work late into the night, children contribute their pocket money, and residents prepare for a celebration that has become a cherished tradition.

For nearly two decades, this football-loving community in Malir has welcomed every World Cup not merely as spectators, but as hosts of a festival built around the beautiful game.

This year, residents are preparing to welcome football&#39;s biggest event with traditional Baloch dance performances, fireworks, giant screens and streets adorned with colourful murals of international football stars and national flags.

The driving force behind these celebrations is the Gul Baloch Football Club, a community institution where football is not merely a pastime but a way of life.

&quot;Football fans come here and appreciate our young generation,&quot; says Ghulam Mustafa, a key organiser at Gul Baloch Football Club.

According to him, preparations for the World Cup festivities began weeks ago, but the tradition itself stretches back much further.

&quot;We have been organising these celebrations since 2006. One of our legendary artists, Attaul Imam, laid the foundation for this culture. In the Baloch community, sports are followed with great passion.&quot;

The preparations involve dozens of volunteers who divide themselves into specialised teams responsible for decorations, flags, media coverage and artwork.

&quot;We have a media team, a flag team, a decoration team and a painting team,&quot; Mustafa explains. &quot;Most of the work is done by volunteers, so our expenses remain low. Community members contribute donations, and even children donate their pocket money to help make the event possible.&quot;

Football&#39;s popularity in Siddiq Goth is deeply rooted in the area&#39;s sporting history.

&quot;We have our own football ground, and football has always been part of our lives,&quot; says Muhammad Saeed.

Across the neighbourhood, artists are busy transforming ordinary walls into giant football canvases.

&quot;We go to work in the morning and return in the evening. Then we continue painting late into the night, and sometimes until dawn,&quot; volunteer Shah Jahan said. Although Pakistan has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup, the absence of a national team has done little to diminish local enthusiasm. &quot;Unfortunately, Pakistan is not playing in the tournament,&quot; Shah Jahan said. &quot;But through our art and our passion, we feel connected to the World Cup. We are preparing at an international level and showing the world what Pakistani football fans can do.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Sidra Niazi slams victim-blaming culture after acid attack on Dr Mahnoor</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612219/sidra-niazi-slams-victim-blaming-culture-after-acid-attack-on-dr-mahnoor</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612219/sidra-niazi-slams-victim-blaming-culture-after-acid-attack-on-dr-mahnoor#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 09:24:07 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612219</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor says people rush to interrogate victim's character rather than express outrage at perpetrator]]>
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				<![CDATA[Actor Sidra Niazi took&nbsp;to social media in the wake of the acid attack on Dr Mahnoor, delivering a scathing critique of the public&#39;s immediate, toxic reflex to shift blame onto victims of violence rather than the perpetrators.

Posting on her Instagram story, Niazi condemned the culture that coddles perpetrators while putting survivors on trial. She explained that every time a woman is hurt, it shows that society is failing.

&quot;The incident involving Dr Mahnoor has left us shaken once again. Every time a woman is attacked, harassed, or subjected to such horrific violence, I find myself questioning where we are failing as a society,&quot; the actor wrote.



Screengrab: sidra.niazii/Instagram

Discussing the comments people made after the incident, Niazi stated, &quot;What disturbs me almost as much as the crime itself is the reaction that follows. The cruelty in some of the comments is beyond comprehension. Instead of outrage for the victim, people rush to interrogate her character, her choices, her clothes, her presence, her actions. As if they are searching for a reason to make the violence understandable.&quot;

Terming the mindset &quot;morally bankrupt,&quot; Niazi said it &quot;reflects a terrifying absence of empathy and a willingness to excuse brutality as long as blame can be shifted onto a woman.&quot; Further, she questioned how someone can look at a victim of such a horrific act and ask, &quot;What did she do?&quot; instead of &quot;How could anyone do this to her?&quot;, calling this &quot;deeply disturbing.&quot;

Concluding her message, Niazi stated that no one has the right to hurt another person over a disagreement or rejection, warning that if we keep blaming victims, we will never be able to protect them. &quot;No rejection, disagreement, or personal grievance can ever justify violence. Until we stop normalising victim blaming and start confronting the attitudes that enable it, we will continue to fail the very people who need protection the most.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Kangana Ranaut reflects on two decades in cinema, bravery and women’s representation</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612234/kangana-ranaut-reflects-on-two-decades-in-cinema-bravery-and-womens-representation</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612234/kangana-ranaut-reflects-on-two-decades-in-cinema-bravery-and-womens-representation#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 11:21:17 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612234</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Indian actor discusses fine line between sensuality and vulgarity, and experiences that shaped her journey in industry]]>
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				<![CDATA[Indian actor Kangana Ranaut recently sat down&nbsp;to reflect on her 20-year journey in the film industry, discussing topics ranging from bravery and politics to the hypersexualisation and objectification of women in cinema.

The actor, who is currently promoting her upcoming film Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, spoke at length about the various phases of her career and her evolving perspective on women&#39;s representation in the industry.

&ldquo;All the films I have done have made an impact and pushed me, whether I did narcotic characters, gangsters, or Fashion. I was known as an edgy girl who was temperamental, hot, sexy, and suicidal, and then I turned into comedy or the girl next door with Queen,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Then came a time when I took on leadership roles. Now, in this phase, I am moving towards portraying unseen women blended into the background.&rdquo;

Speaking about female-led films, Ranaut shared her views on the objectification and hypersexualisation of women in cinema.

&ldquo;Me, and along with me, so many women have strived to do this, and we have a legacy of such remarkable women,&rdquo; the actor said, naming icons such as Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit among those who paved the way for women in the industry.

Addressing the issue of objectification, Ranaut argued that it extends beyond cinema. &ldquo;Women are objectified if you go on a local train, so to say they are objectified in movies, we can look at it through a movie lens. Through item songs or people calling me sexy,&rdquo; she said.

Ranaut added that the distinction between sensuality and vulgarity can often become blurred.

&ldquo;But the line between seduction and vulgarity can get blurred, knowingly or unknowingly. Such is the nature of entertainment, but this correction is needed. There is trolling and prejudice. Even sensuality is art, and sexuality is a depiction of a story. Film is not an educational subject; it is for entertainment,&rdquo; she said.

The actor also highlighted several contributions women have made to the industry, citing innovations such as vanity vans, which have made filming more comfortable and accessible for female actors. She also pointed to the growing prominence of women-led cinema as another significant achievement.

Reflecting on the concept of bravery, Ranaut said courage often manifests itself in both extraordinary and everyday moments.

&ldquo;Bravery can reflect in big things or small things, where it takes courage and strength even to show up to work if something has happened at home or there is a tragedy in your personal life,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;When you show up for people who are there for you, that is an act of courage.&rdquo;

She also revisited criticism she faced over her English-speaking abilities and accent.

&ldquo;When I was ridiculed for my accent and English in 2015, there was a platform for women from across the world, including Meryl Streep and other celebrated leaders, where I was invited. For me, it was a sign of bravery to go and speak there,&rdquo; she said.

She added: &ldquo;I was able to stand on that stage and undo all the bullying and prejudice I had faced because of my English, my accent, and even my opinions.&rdquo;

Ranaut also reflected on the idea of destiny, comparing it to the age-old question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. &ldquo;It is simply a collective imprint of your thoughts and actions,&rdquo; she said, suggesting that destiny is shaped by the choices people make throughout their lives.

As she enters the next chapter of her career, Ranaut appears focused on exploring more nuanced stories and characters while continuing to speak candidly about the challenges and achievements that have defined her two decades in the public eye.]]>
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			<title>Saif Ali Khan recalls Shah Rukh Khan’s advice that transformed his approach to acting</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612231/saif-ali-khan-recalls-shah-rukh-khans-advice-that-transformed-his-approach-to-acting</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612231/saif-ali-khan-recalls-shah-rukh-khans-advice-that-transformed-his-approach-to-acting#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 11:11:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612231</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor shares how a lesson from 'King Khan' continues to influence his work more than two decades later]]>
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				<![CDATA[A simple question from Shah Rukh Khan more than two decades ago fundamentally changed the way Saif Ali Khan approached acting.

Reflecting on his experience while filming the 2003 hit Kal Ho Naa Ho, Saif recalled a piece of advice from his co-star that has stayed with him throughout his career. During a conversation on set, Shah Rukh asked him, &ldquo;Who is the first audience that you act for?&rdquo;

When Saif replied that he performed for the camera, Shah Rukh offered a different perspective. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the director. You act for him. People watch his movies because he&rsquo;s the storyteller,&rdquo; Saif recalled the superstar telling him.

The lesson, he said, reshaped his understanding of filmmaking and remains relevant even today as he works on Haiwaan, his upcoming project with veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan. The film marks Saif&rsquo;s first collaboration with the acclaimed director and also stars Akshay Kumar.





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Trusting Priyadarshan&rsquo;s creative vision completely, Saif admitted he was particularly pleased by the director&rsquo;s reaction to his performance. Known for being sparing with praise, Priyadarshan&rsquo;s positive feedback came as a welcome surprise.

&ldquo;He&rsquo;s really quite happy with how it&rsquo;s come out. I received a few calls from him. He&rsquo;s a man of very few words and even fewer compliments, but I&rsquo;ve received more than my fair share from him, which is great,&rdquo; Saif said.

The conversation also turned to whether his love of storytelling might eventually lead him behind the camera as a director. While he did not rule out the possibility entirely, Saif downplayed any immediate ambitions to make the transition.

Instead, he reflected on his appreciation for creating environments and experiences, something he believes is closely linked to filmmaking.

&ldquo;I can create an atmosphere at home. And I think atmosphere is a really important thing in movies. I like to have it at a dinner table, in a living room, and in the spaces I create for myself. That&rsquo;s not far off from doing it professionally,&rdquo; he said.

For now, however, Saif appears content to remain in front of the camera. While he acknowledges the creative appeal of directing, his focus remains on acting and on delivering what promises to be a highly anticipated collaboration with Priyadarshan.]]>
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			<title>Dr Mehr Afshan Farooqi traces a lifelong bond with Urdu</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612239/dr-mehr-afshan-farooqi-traces-a-lifelong-bond-with-urdu</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612239/dr-mehr-afshan-farooqi-traces-a-lifelong-bond-with-urdu#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 12:09:38 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612239</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Professor reflects on literary upbringing, academic journey, research on Ghalib, and Urdu’s future]]>
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				<![CDATA[Urdu is not something Dr Mehr Afshan Farooqi, daughter of&nbsp;Shamsur Rahman Faruqi,&nbsp;first encountered in a classroom. It is something she remembers hearing, speaking, and breathing long before she ever thought of it as an academic discipline.

Her father remains one of the most influential Urdu literary critics of the modern era. Today a professor of Urdu and South Asian Literature at the University of Virginia, Dr Mehr has built a career around a language that shaped her earliest sense of the world.

Yet her journey into academia was not a straightforward inheritance. It was shaped as much by privilege as by a quiet resistance to living in the shadow of her father&rsquo;s towering intellectual legacy.

Her childhood in Allahabad was steeped in books, poetry, and conversation. &ldquo;My parents taught me to memorise and recite Urdu couplets from the moment I could speak,&rdquo; she recalls, describing a home filled with literature, visits to old bookstores, and late-night gatherings where she would sit quietly, absorbing it all.





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Despite this deeply immersive upbringing, Dr Mehr initially resisted following the same intellectual path. Determined to define herself independently, she pursued a Master&rsquo;s degree and later a PhD in medieval Indian history. But distance did not dilute her connection to language; it sharpened it. Eventually, she returned to the literary world she had grown up in.

Today, she is recognised as a leading scholar in her own right, best known for her acclaimed work on the 19th-century poet Mirza Ghalib. Her research revisits Ghalib&rsquo;s mustarad kalam&mdash;the verses he chose not to include in his published collections&mdash;offering a more intimate look at his creative process.

She describes this as a sophisticated act of self-editing, shaped by a period of major cultural and technological transition. &ldquo;Ghalib was writing at a time when the printing press was revolutionising literature,&rdquo; she explains.

Beyond scholarship, Dr Mehr is also vocal about how Urdu is positioned in contemporary discourse. She criticises attempts to confine the language to a single religious identity, arguing instead for a more expansive understanding of its cultural roots. &ldquo;Urdu belongs to the soil of India, not to any single religion,&rdquo; she says.

Despite concerns about institutional neglect, she remains hopeful about the language&rsquo;s future. In her view, Urdu&rsquo;s survival will depend less on official patronage and more on public engagement.

With the help of digital platforms, social media, and private initiatives, she believes a new generation can be inspired not only to appreciate Urdu&rsquo;s beauty but also to actively read, write, and preserve its script.]]>
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			<title>Meera calls out interviewer for calling her 'psycho', says 'give me respect'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612220/meera-calls-out-interviewer-for-calling-her-psycho-says-give-me-respect</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612220/meera-calls-out-interviewer-for-calling-her-psycho-says-give-me-respect#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 09:32:25 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Interviewer calls actor 'country's biggest psycho' during film promotion prompting fan backlash]]>
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				<![CDATA[Actor Meera criticised an interviewer for being disrespectful after he referred to her as a &ldquo;psycho&rdquo; during an interview to promote her new film&nbsp;Psycho.&nbsp;

The interviewer introduced Meera&nbsp;as &ldquo;the country&rsquo;s biggest psycho,&rdquo; adding, &ldquo;She was a psycho before the film and while filming it.&rdquo; Meera responded calmly to the remarks, asking the interviewer to show respect. &ldquo;If you do not give me respect, I can go get it in India,&quot;&nbsp;she said.

The actor added, &ldquo;Okay, you called me a psycho and I was, but at least give me respect.&rdquo;





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She further stated, &ldquo;This was an insanely difficult role to play and I expected people to appreciate and pay tribute to me and Shaan Shahid, because we have worked on such a bold and challenging film in Pakistan.&rdquo;

As clips of the incident made rounds on social media, fans praised Meera&rsquo;s composure, agreeing that insulting someone in an interview is unacceptable regardless of personal opinions about their work.

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One user wrote, &ldquo;What a good reply in a very respectful way&rdquo;, while another stated that people should go and Psycho&nbsp;as Meera had done good work in the film.



This is not the first time Meera has spoken out about being disrespected in interviews. The actor has previously addressed her struggles in the industry, noting that she wants to be recognised for her work rather than the controversies&nbsp;surrounding her.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan, Russia eye economic pact</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612312/pakistan-russia-eye-economic-pact</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612312/pakistan-russia-eye-economic-pact#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:48:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[ZAFAR BHUTTA]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612312</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Currency swap arrangement being studied to clear dollar payment hurdle]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan and Russia are set to sign an economic cooperation agreement by 2030 targeted at boosting trade and investment opportunities in different areas of the economy.

Pakistan has also agreed to join the International North-South Transport Corridor proposed by Russia, which will be connected to Gwadar Port.

Recently, the Russian deputy prime minister announced that Russia had extended support to include Gwadar Port in the International North-South Transport Corridor. The objective is to build maritime trade routes with Central Asia and complement China&#39;s Belt and Road Initiative.

The international transport corridor is a 7,200-kilometre multimodal network of sea, rail and road linkages aimed at connecting India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Central Asia.

Earlier, a $93 million export claim dispute between Pakistan and Russia halted investment from Russia. Owing to the row, Russia could not even legally extend a credit line to Pakistan. The matter was finally resolved during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in 2019, paving the way for ramping up trade and even offering investment opportunities to Russian investors.

Another stumbling block that stood in the way of Pakistan-Russia ties was the bar on payments in dollars because of US sanctions on Russia. To remove the hurdle, Pakistan proposed the signing of currency swap agreements with Iran and Russia to make payments in local currencies.

These countries are currently studying the proposal. Pakistan and Russia are also working on a roadmap to clear hurdles to bilateral investments and trade. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari addressed a webinar titled &quot;Pakistan-Russia Bilateral Relationship at the Cusp of Shifting Global Order,&quot; where he highlighted a highly positive and pragmatic trajectory in bilateral relations over the past two decades.

Discussing the structural transformation in global politics, the minister noted that the residual distrust from the Soviet era had faded, elevating the partnership from an &quot;unfriendly country&quot; to a &quot;trusted friend&quot; across sectors such as trade, energy, defence and technology. This diplomatic momentum is driven by high-level engagements between the top leadership, reflected in four recent meetings between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

As co-chairman of the Russia-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), the energy minister emphasised the importance of regular engagements with his counterpart, Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev, describing the IGC as the foundation of their multi-faceted ties. Bilateral cooperation has expanded through structured frameworks including consultations on security, strategic stability and counter-terrorism, alongside mutual alignment at the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to advocate for an inclusive, multipolar international order.

A key focus of the address was regional connectivity, with Pakistan signalling its intent to join the International North-South Transport Corridor. Leghari welcomed the statement by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk regarding connecting the international transport corridor with Pakistan&#39;s Gwadar Port, which would build a crucial link in China&#39;s Belt and Road Initiative.

The minister highlighted that the Russian leadership had praised Pakistan&#39;s recent diplomatic role in mitigating the conflict between the United States and Iran, further reinforcing President Putin&#39;s acknowledgement of Pakistan as a genuine global stakeholder.

To unlock the substantial potential for bilateral trade and dismantle structural hurdles like restrictions on payment mechanisms, both nations have agreed to sign the Programme of Economic Cooperation by 2030.

Furthermore, the recent signing of the long pending Russia-Pakistan Readmission Agreement in Bishkek will ease visa regimes and facilitate business travel and people-to-people exchanges.

Pakistan&#39;s growing institutional engagement was recently demonstrated by fielding one of the largest delegations at the Kazan Forum 2026, alongside regular participation in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum and Moscow Energy Week.

Concluding his remarks, the federal minister reiterated that Pakistan-Russia relations were a vital component of broader Eurasian economic integration and regional stability.]]>
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			<title>Oil climbs as US-Iran tensions flare again while stockpiles tighten</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612381/oil-climbs-as-us-iran-tensions-flare-again-while-stockpiles-tighten</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612381/oil-climbs-as-us-iran-tensions-flare-again-while-stockpiles-tighten#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 06:56:45 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612381</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Brent futures rise 66 cents, or 0.7%, to $92.11 a barrel]]>
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				<![CDATA[Oil prices climbed on Wednesday, moving away from a seven-week low touched in the previous &zwnj;session, after the US&nbsp;military launched&nbsp;new&nbsp;strikes against Iran and as market data showed another large draw in US&nbsp;crude stocks.

Brent futures rose 66 cents, or 0.7%, to $92.11 a barrel at 0406 GMT, while US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 60 ​cents, or 0.7%, to $88.80.

The US&nbsp;military struck Iranian targets after President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday ​to respond to the downing of a US&nbsp;Apache attack helicopter, a fresh escalation ⁠that threatens to unravel a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.

The latest attacks shifted traders&#39; focus back toward ​war risks and potential supply disruptions, said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova.

&quot;While diplomatic efforts remain ongoing, ​the latest military exchanges have reintroduced a geopolitical risk premium into oil markets,&quot; Sachdeva said.

Tehran said it would resume hostilities if Israel continued to attack the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. Israel&#39;s refusal to end its campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah has hindered Trump&#39;s ​efforts to extend a tenuous ceasefire in the wider US-Israeli war with Iran into a durable settlement.

Read:&nbsp;Global oil inventories near 22-year low

&quot;With no ​imminent deal in sight and with the global oil market tightening significantly every day, we see upside to prices, particularly if &zwnj;these ⁠disruptions linger into the third quarter, a period of seasonally stronger oil demand,&quot; ING commodity strategists said in a note on Wednesday.

At the same time, Tehran has continued to block most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries a fifth of the world&#39;s crude oil and liquefied natural gas. Washington has imposed its own ​blockade of Iranian ports.

US&nbsp;Energy ​Secretary said on ⁠Tuesday that ship traffic in the Gulf and oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz are rising even as Washington and Tehran struggle to reach a deal on ​ending their more than three-month-old war.

Meanwhile, US&nbsp;crude oil inventories fell last week ​for an eighth ⁠consecutive week, according to market sources citing data from the American Petroleum Institute released on Tuesday, while gasoline stocks also declined.]]>
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			<title>Hybrid Sukuk target raised to Rs200b</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612315/hybrid-sukuk-target-raised-to-rs200b</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612315/hybrid-sukuk-target-raised-to-rs200b#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:48:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Usman Hanif]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612315</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PSX revises auction size of 10-year variable rental rate Islamic papers, reschedules calendar]]>
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				<![CDATA[The government has sharply increased the target size for its 10-year variable rental rate GoP hybrid sukuk to Rs200 billion from Rs50 billion, according to a Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) after advice from the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The revision applies to the 10-year variable rental rate (VRR) hybrid Sukuk reopening scheduled for June 10, 2026. PSX said the auction target size in the term sheet and Annexure &quot;B&quot; had been amended accordingly, while all other auction details notified earlier remain unchanged. The notice also stated that the per-investor maximum limit for non-competitive bids had been updated in the PSX auction system.

The 10-year VRR Sukuk was originally issued on April 16, 2026 and matures on April 16, 2036. It is being reopened through PSX under a hybrid Shariah structure combining Ijarah sale-and-lease-back and Commodity Murabaha transactions, with 55% of proceeds allocated to the Ijarah component and 45% to the Commodity Murabaha. The term sheet says the benchmark for the floating return is linked to the six-month T-bill weighted average yield or the PKRV six-month rate, with the applicable first-period benchmark listed as 11.3685% and the bid spread for the 10-year listed VRR Sukuk set at +35 basis points. Profit is paid semi-annually and is reset at the start of each six-month rental period.

Separately, the PSX published a revised auction calendar for the GoP Hybrid Sukuk (GHS) and the GoP Ijarah Sukuk (GIS) covering June to August 2026. The calendar sets the cumulative target of Rs1.6 trillion for the discounted and variable-rate GHS issuances across six auctions, while the fixed-rate GHS and fixed-rate zero-coupon GIS auctions carry a combined target of Rs450 billion across three auctions.

The calendar shows two June VRR auctions on June 10 and June 23 with target sizes of Rs350 billion each, two July VRR auctions of Rs250 billion each, and two August VRR auctions of Rs200 billion each. Fixed-rate GHS and GIS auctions are scheduled for June 17, July 2, and August 4 with target sizes of Rs150 billion per auction.

Market participants said the larger reopening target signals a stronger government preference for mobilising longer-tenor Shariah-compliant domestic financing as authorities continue to diversify funding sources and deepen the listed sovereign Sukuk market. The Sukuk is listed and tradable on PSX, carries 100% SLR eligibility for eligible investors, and is open to individuals, institutions, Roshan Digital Account (RDA) customers, non-resident Pakistanis, and foreign investors under the amended Government of Pakistan Sukuk Rules. Meanwhile, the Pakistani rupee gained marginally against the US dollar in the inter-bank market on Tuesday. At the close of trading, the local currency settled at Rs278.37 per dollar, strengthening by three paisa against Monday&#39;s closing level at Rs278.40.

In international markets, the US dollar hovered near a two-month peak, supported by heightened geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East and growing expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise rates later this year. Although Israel and Iran suspended direct attacks following an appeal from US President Donald Trump, investor caution persisted as Tehran warned it could resume strikes if Israel continued targeting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. Furthermore, gold prices in Pakistan moved higher, tracking gains in global bullion markets. In the domestic market, the price of gold rose by Rs2,830 per tola to settle at Rs455,063.

Likewise, the rate for 10 grams of gold climbed by Rs2,547 to Rs389,534, according to figures released by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association. A day earlier, the price of gold had dropped by Rs3,094 per tola, closing at Rs452,233.

In the international market, gold gained $28 to reach $4,326 per ounce, including a premium of $20. Silver prices also registered an increase in the local market, with the per-tola rate advancing by Rs141 to Rs7,314.]]>
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			<title>Government debt climbs to Rs58tr</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612317/government-debt-climbs-to-rs58tr</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612317/government-debt-climbs-to-rs58tr#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:48:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Shazia Tasneem Farooqi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612317</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Floating debt surges to Rs10.56tr on short-term borrowing to meet fiscal shortfalls]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan&#39;s gross government domestic debt and liabilities rose to Rs58,089 billion in April 2026, reflecting a steady upward trend in public borrowing, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Tuesday.

The total compares with Rs57,566 billion in March 2026, showing a 0.91% month-on-month increase, while on a year-on-year basis, domestic debt was up 11% from Rs52,523 billion in April 2025. The increase was largely driven by floating debt and long-term securities, indicating continued reliance on both short-term liquidity instruments and medium-to-long-term financing avenues to meet fiscal requirements.

Permanent debt edges higher

Permanent debt stood at Rs43,845 billion in April 2026, slightly lower than Rs44,320 billion in March 2026 but higher than Rs41,160 billion in April 2025. Within this category, Federal Government Bonds remained the largest component at Rs42,938 billion, compared with Rs40,279 billion a year earlier. The category includes key instruments such as Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs), which stood at Rs35,035 billion, marginally lower than Rs35,678 billion in March 2026.

GOP Ijara Sukuk continued its upward trajectory, with short-term Sukuk rising to Rs634 billion from Rs478 billion a year earlier, while long-term Sukuk increased to Rs6.64 trillion from Rs5.40 trillion.

Floating debt shows strong growth

Floating debt emerged as the most dynamic segment, rising to Rs10.56 trillion in April 2026, up from Rs9.58 trillion in March 2026 and Rs8.32 trillion in April 2025. Market Treasury Bills (MTBs), the largest component of floating debt, increased to Rs10.43 trillion, compared with Rs8.23 trillion a year earlier. This reflects sustained reliance on short-term borrowing to manage liquidity needs and budgetary pressures. MTBs for cash replenishment and related instruments also showed steady growth over the period, reinforcing the upward trend in short-term debt accumulation.

Unfunded debt, external links

Unfunded debt rose modestly to Rs3,236 billion, compared with Rs3,215 billion in March 2026 and Rs2,963 billion in April 2025. Within this segment, national savings schemes accounted for the bulk at Rs3,171 billion. Foreign currency loans within domestic debt increased slightly to Rs391 billion, continuing a gradual upward trend from Rs12 billion in April 2025, reflecting a low base effect and incremental additions over time.

Government&#39;s external debt

Government&#39;s external liabilities stood at Rs23,841 billion against Rs22,959 billion a month ago and Rs22,959 billion a year ago. As a result, central government cumulative debt stands at Rs81,930 billion from Rs74,936 billion recorded in April 2025, showing a 9.33% yearly increase, and Rs80,524 billion in March 2026, with a month-on-month rise of 1.7%.

The data shows overall domestic liabilities continue an upward trend. Including minor adjustments and associated liabilities, gross domestic debt and liabilities increased to Rs58,215 billion in April 2026, compared with Rs57,694 billion in March 2026 and Rs52,743 billion in April 2025.

The SBP data highlights a consistent upward trajectory in domestic borrowing, with short-term instruments such as MTBs driving much of the recent increase, while long-term securities and savings schemes continue to form the backbone of government financing.

Overall, the figures underscore Pakistan&#39;s continued dependence on domestic debt markets, particularly short-term funding instruments, to meet fiscal financing requirements amid persistent budgetary pressures. Analysts believe that the government&#39;s reliance on domestic borrowing to finance its budget deficit is the reason behind this rise.

&quot;Pakistan&#39;s government debt increased in April 2026 mainly because the government relied more on domestic borrowing to finance its budget deficit and meet expenditure requirements,&quot; Arif Habib Limited (AHL) economist Sana Tawfik told The Express Tribune. &quot;Tax revenues remained insufficient (10MFY26 FBR tax revenue shortfall around Rs680 billion) to fully cover government spending, leading to increased borrowing from the banking sector. In addition, debt servicing obligations and financing needs contributed to the rise in public debt during the period.&quot;

&quot;Recent trend depicts that investor focus has now shifted to short-term papers, which reflects uncertainty on interest rates outlook given the ongoing US-Iran conflict,&quot; AKD Securities Director Research Mohammed Awais Ashraf also said.

The government relies primarily on the domestic market to fulfil its budgetary shortfall. However, the good thing about the data is that overall debt increased by 5% in the fiscal year to date at the slowest pace, which reflects the government&#39;s prudent spending and significant increases in revenues, he said.

Meanwhile, external debt also showed an uptick, which helps build forex reserves at a time when the current account deficit remains limited, Ashraf remarked. Although debt is increasing, it is at the slowest pace on record given fiscal consolidation and monetary tightening by the government and central bank respectively over the last four years, he added.]]>
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			<title>BISP's Rs1 generates Rs2.34 in economic activity</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612313/bisps-rs1-generates-rs234-in-economic-activity</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612313/bisps-rs1-generates-rs234-in-economic-activity#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:48:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612313</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Social safety nets create 1.66 million jobs, offset 24% of costs through tax revenues]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) generates Rs2.34 in real income for every rupee transferred to vulnerable households, creating jobs and stimulating economic activity, according to new evidence presented at a policy dialogue in Islamabad.

The event, jointly organised by BISP and the World Bank with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), brought together federal and provincial leadership, development partners and International Monetary Fund (IMF) representatives.

The analysis, based on LEWIE-CGE modelling, shows that BISP-led social safety nets now reach over 10.2 million households, about 24% of families in Pakistan. The programme generates an estimated Rs1.67 trillion in annual income and Rs1.21 trillion in additional production while supporting around 1.66 million full-time-equivalent jobs.

Approximately 68% of the income gains reach the poorest 40% of households, and nearly 24% of the programme&#39;s costs are offset through tax revenues of about Rs174 billion annually. Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah, said social protection is now a central pillar of Pakistan&#39;s economic policy. He stated that the government is expanding social protection programmes through skill development initiatives to create greater employment opportunities, in line with the prime minister&#39;s vision.

He added that aligning economic reforms with social protection is essential for sustainable national development. BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid said the programme has become the backbone of Pakistan&#39;s social protection system, going beyond financial assistance to promote human development and economic empowerment. She noted that BISP reflects the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and serves as a model of women&#39;s empowerment and social inclusion.

Khalid highlighted that BISP is actively promoting education, maternal and child health, and skills development initiatives, including the Benazir Hunarmand Programme, which she described as a key step towards self-reliance. She further added that BISP possesses a strong institutional framework, reliable data systems, and effective partnerships, but emphasised the need to make the system more comprehensive, efficient, and responsive to emerging challenges. She emphasised that social protection provides families with the confidence to plan for a better future while contributing to education, employment and human capital development. She stressed that poverty reduction requires sustained political commitment and adequate resources, adding that social protection is not charity but an investment in economic growth, employment and human development.]]>
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			<title>Iran will 'not hesitate to exercise' right to self-defence: foreign ministry</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612373/irans-revolutionary-guard-says-21-us-military-targets-hit-across-region</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612373/irans-revolutionary-guard-says-21-us-military-targets-hit-across-region#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 04:59:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612373</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[China reiterates call for US, Iran to 'exercise restraint, stop escalating tensions']]>
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				<![CDATA[The Iranian Foreign Ministry released a statement on Wednesday on X, condemning US attacks on Iranian soil and reiterating that it will &quot;not hesitate to exercise&quot; its right to self-defence.

&ldquo;In the early hours of Wednesday, June 10, 1405, under the pretext of the downing of one of its army&rsquo;s Apache helicopters over the Strait of Hormuz, the American terrorist regime carried out savage attacks Monday night against several areas in the south of the country,&quot; it read.



🔺 Iran&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the following statement on the U.S. attacks:

&ldquo;In the early hours of Wednesday, June 10, 1405, under the pretext of the downing of one of its army&rsquo;s Apache helicopters over the Strait of Hormuz, the American terrorist regime carried&hellip; pic.twitter.com/0EZSMVFOCy
&mdash; Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) June 10, 2026


The statement condemned the attacks as a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter as well as the &quot;fundamental principle prohibiting the use of force in international relations.&quot;

&quot;With these aggressive actions, the ruling American establishment has once again demonstrated its criminal and warmongering nature.&quot;

The ministry described the retaliatory efforts of the IRGC in striking US bases in the region. They went on to remind other nations &quot;particularly those located on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf of their legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the US terrorist army and the Zionist regime from using their territory and facilities to plan, organise, execute, and support aggressive actions against Iran.&quot;

It said that Iran would &quot;not hesitate to exercise its inherent right to self-defense, including by targeting the source of attacks as well as the bases and logistical facilities used to carry out and support aggressive operations against Iran.&quot;

The ministry also reminded the UN of &quot;its responsibility, particularly the Security Council and the Secretary-General, to safeguard international peace and security and to hold the aggressor parties accountable.&rdquo;

China reiterates call for US, Iran to &#39;exercise restraint, stop escalating tensions&#39;

China on Wednesday reiterated its call on Washington and Tehran to stop escalating tensions after the US launched fresh attacks on Iran.

&ldquo;China is deeply concerned&rdquo; over the latest situation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that American forces launched air strikes against Iranian military targets in response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter on Monday.

Later, Iran&rsquo;s military headquarters said early Wednesday that attacks had been launched on some US bases in the region in response to American strikes on southern Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US opted to test Tehran&#39;s determination.

However, Lin called on the warring sides to &ldquo;remain calm, exercise restraint, stop escalating tensions, take concrete actions to ease tensions.&rdquo;

Lin asked the US and Iran to use political and diplomatic means toward &ldquo;early realisation of a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire.&rdquo;

Iran&rsquo;s Revolutionary Guard says 21 US military targets hit across region

Iran&rsquo;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Wednesday that it launched retaliatory attacks on 21 American military targets at US air and naval bases across the region.



Iran announced early Wednesday that it had launched an attack targeting 21 US-linked sites across the region, including the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, stressing that the operation was in response to recent American aggression against Iran.

The targets also included a US F-35&hellip; pic.twitter.com/xTBlGXzjbZ
&mdash; Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 10, 2026


In a statement, the IRGC said long-range missiles destroyed four major targets at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan, including hangars housing F-35 fighter jets and a command-and-control centre.



در پاسخ به شرارت دشمن در بامداد امروز، رزمندگان شجاع نیروی هوافضای سپاه با استفاده از موشک های سوخت جامد دوربرد خود، چهار هدف مهم از جمله آشیانه های جنگنده&zwnj;های اف‑۳۵ در پایگاه هوایی و مرکز فرماندهی و کنترل ارتش کودک&zwnj;کش آمریکا در الازرق اردن را مورد اصابت قرار داده و منهدم کردند.
&mdash; احمد وحیدی (@vahidi_org) June 10, 2026


The Jordanian army said it shot down five missiles launched from Iran towards the al-Azraq area.



BREAKING: The Jordanian military said its air defence systems have intercepted and shot down five missiles launched from Iran that were targeting the Al-Azraq area in the country&rsquo;s Zarqa province.

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/3AWnWhU6OL pic.twitter.com/vG06eLtBT6
&mdash; Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 10, 2026


It added that the missiles were destroyed by air defence systems and noted that falling debris from the projectiles caused no loss of life or material damage.

The IRGC also said it launched a drone attack targeting the Ali Al Salem Base in Kuwait in response to what it described as American aggression.

The IRGC warned that its forces were fully prepared to deliver a &ldquo;crushing and decisive&rdquo; response to any new attack, adding that US forces would bear responsibility for the consequences.

Iran&rsquo;s FM Araghchi discusses US strikes with Saudi, Turkish counterparts

Iran&rsquo;s IRNA news agency reports that the country&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate telephone conversations overnight with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, according to Al Jazeera.

The ministers, according to the report, reviewed the latest regional developments following the US attacks on areas in southern Iran.

During these conversations, Araghchi condemned the US military aggression and the violation of Iran&rsquo;s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He also emphasised the inherent right of Iran&rsquo;s legitimate self-defence and the launch of retaliatory responses by Iran&rsquo;s armed forces against aggressors, according to the news agency.

IRGC says it downed US MQ-9 drone, targeted Fifth Fleet in Bahrain

The IRGC said early Wednesday that it shot down a US MQ-9 drone over southern Bushehr province and launched a drone attack targeting the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.



A US MQ-9 drone is seen ablaze after it was shot down over Iran&#39;s Bushehr province. pic.twitter.com/RQZ6OkOUDB
&mdash; Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 10, 2026


In a statement, the IRGC said the attack on the Bahrain-based fleet came in response to recent American strikes on Jask, Sirik and Qeshm in southern Iran.

It said the US strikes damaged a telecommunications tower in Sirik and destroyed two water tanks in the city&rsquo;s Bamani district.

The IRGC added that its naval forces launched the drone attack against the US Fifth Fleet at 2.30 am local time.



❗️ VISUAL CONFIRMATION OF IRGC STRIKING US FIFTH FLEET BASE IN BAHRAIN pic.twitter.com/PgrrEGYm4C
&mdash; RT (@RT_com) June 10, 2026


&ldquo;The clashes are ongoing,&rdquo; the statement said, warning that &ldquo;heavier responses&rdquo; would follow if attacks continue.

Kuwait says its air defences intercepted &lsquo;hostile&rsquo; aerial targets

Kuwait&rsquo;s army said early Wednesday that its air defence systems intercepted &ldquo;hostile&rdquo; aerial targets amid escalating regional tensions.

No further details were immediately provided by Kuwaiti authorities.

In neighbouring Bahrain, the Interior Ministry announced the activation of warning sirens across the country.

Iran warns no attack or threat &lsquo;will go unanswered&rsquo; after US strikes in south

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned early Wednesday that no attack or threat against Iran &ldquo;will go unanswered&rdquo; following US strikes in southern parts of the country.

&ldquo;Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the US opted to test our determination,&rdquo; Araghchi said in a post on the US social media platform X.



Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the U.S. opted to test our determination.

Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered.

Leave our region if you want to be safe.

History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders. pic.twitter.com/O17GGtklxA
&mdash; Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 9, 2026


&ldquo;Our powerful armed forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered,&rdquo; he added, while warning the United States to &ldquo;leave our region if you want to be safe.&rdquo;

&ldquo;History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders,&rdquo; he said.

US strikes hit southern Iran

US strikes targeted parts of southern Iran early Wednesday, with explosions and projectile strikes reported in several areas of Hormozgan province, according to Iranian media.

Tasnim News Agency reported that areas in Sirik, Qeshm Island and Minab came under attacks carried out by US fighter jets.

The agency said at least six explosions were heard in the targeted areas, while Iranian state TV confirmed that a projectile struck the city of Sirik.

Iranian state media later confirmed that several projectiles also struck Qeshm Island, though the exact nature of the impacts remained unclear.

The broadcaster also reported the activation of air defence systems in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Sirik.

Mehr News Agency separately reported four explosions at Jask port and another blast on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

US launches self-defence strikes against Iran following Apache helicopter downing

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that American forces have completed a series of &quot;self-defence strikes&quot; against Iranian military targets in response to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter on Monday.



U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief&rsquo;s direction, in response to yesterday&rsquo;s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian&hellip;
&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 9, 2026


&quot;CENTCOM forces struck Iranian air defence, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz with precision munitions from US Air Force and Navy fighter jets,&quot; the command said in a statement.

The command announced that its forces began conducting &quot;self-defence strikes&quot; against Iranian military targets at approximately 5 pm Eastern Time (2am PKT) on Tuesday.

&quot;The operation was a proportional response to recent attacks on U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters,&quot; it said, adding that US forces remain &quot;vigilant and postured&quot; to defend against &quot;unjustified Iranian aggression.&quot;

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that Washington is compelled to respond to an alleged Iranian attack that brought down a US military helicopter.

&ldquo;I have just been informed by our great military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,&rdquo; Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

He said both pilots were rescued and are uninjured, but &ldquo;the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.&rdquo;

&#39;I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful&#39;

The incident followed several days of fluctuating tensions in the region, during which Israel and Iran traded military strikes before pulling back, underscoring the fragility of a ceasefire.

Trump described the strikes as a &quot;very strong&quot; and &quot;very powerful&quot; response to Iran.

&quot;I think it&#39;s very important to respond. They shot down a helicopter, and we are responding as we speak,&quot; he told ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl.

&quot;This is a response to what they did with our helicopter last night, and I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that&#39;s what this one is,&quot; Trump was quoted as saying.

Separately, the Axios news site, citing a senior American official, reported that US military forces attacked several Iranian air defense batteries and radar systems around the Strait of Hormuz.

Axios said a second round of strikes in Iran were taking place &quot;now&quot; targeting air defense and radar systems.

Later, Axios reported that a third wave of attacks against Iran are &quot;underway now.&quot;

Citing a senior White House official, Politico reported Tuesday that Trump thinks an Iran deal is &quot;still close&quot; despite the retaliatory strikes.

&ldquo;Nothing changes where the deal stands right now,&rdquo; said the official.

&#39;Proportional and limited&#39; strikes

US House Speaker Mike Johnson said the strikes were &quot;proportional and limited.&quot;

&quot;The White House and Pentagon have announced and said &#39;it&#39;s against unjustified Iranian aggression.&#39; They did notify me as leader of the House before this began, and it&#39;s targeted strikes to the radar, missile and command and control sites, and it is defensive in nature,&quot; he said at a news conference.

Johnson said he was at the White House earlier Tuesday with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and others.

&quot;We were with the president, and we talked about, you know, Iran,&quot; he added.

Senior Iranian lawmaker says regional energy infrastructure could be targeted if US attacks Iran

A senior Iranian lawmaker said Tuesday that energy infrastructure across the region could come under missile attack if the US launches military strikes against Iran, according to remarks carried by Iran&rsquo;s Mehr news.

Hamidreza Haji Babaei, deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament, said any US attack would prompt a forceful response from Tehran.

&ldquo;If the United States carries out even the smallest military attack against Iran, all energy facilities in the region will come under a barrage of Iranian missiles,&rdquo; said Haji Babaei.

He claimed Washington would lose access to its oil, gas and other interests in the region for years if a conflict erupted.

Haji Babaei also said Iran was not concerned by US military threats, arguing that Washington was reluctant to enter a direct conflict despite recent regional tensions.

Haji Babaei said the US had crossed many of Iran&rsquo;s red lines during the ceasefire period and argued that Tehran should focus on overcoming economic pressure and sanctions.

He also claimed the current &ldquo;no war, no peace&rdquo; situation was not in Iran&rsquo;s interest, but said any hostile action by foreign military aircraft, helicopters or vessels in the region would face a response from Iran&rsquo;s armed forces, including the army and the IRGC.

Tehran warns foreign forces near Iran &lsquo;face risks&rsquo; after Trump&rsquo;s threat

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Tuesday that foreign military forces operating near Iran &ldquo;face risks,&rdquo; calling for them to leave the region, hours after US President Donald Trump vowed to respond to an alleged Iranian attack on a US military helicopter.

In a statement posted on the US social media company X, Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz is shared by Iran and Oman and is located far from US territory.

&ldquo;Our powerful armed forces are on constant alert for any violation of Iran&rsquo;s airspace, land or waters,&rdquo; he said.



Foreign forces in proximity to our territory are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire.

To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave.

We prefer language of diplomacy but speak other languages too. pic.twitter.com/5DDgHAscBj
&mdash; Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 9, 2026


Araghchi warned that foreign forces operating near Iran are exposed to risks stemming from &ldquo;human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire.&rdquo;

&ldquo;To reduce risk, the best solution is for foreign forces to exit, as soon as possible, an environment which will never be hospitable to a hostile presence,&rdquo; he added.

The top diplomat said Tehran prefers diplomacy, but warned that Iran is capable of responding through other means if necessary.

&ldquo;Iran prefers the language of diplomacy. However, as our brave warriors have shown to the world, we know how to speak other languages too,&rdquo; he said.

The remarks came after Trump said the United States &ldquo;must&rdquo; respond to an alleged Iranian attack that brought down a US Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.

&ldquo;I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,&rdquo; Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He said both pilots were rescued unharmed, while US Central Command later confirmed that two crew members had been recovered after the crash, adding that the cause remains under investigation.

The latest exchange comes amid renewed tensions in the region following days of military confrontations involving Iran and Israel, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire]]>
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			<title>Anti-immigrant violence erupts across Belfast after knife attack</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612387/anti-immigrant-violence-erupts-across-belfast-after-knife-attack</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612387/anti-immigrant-violence-erupts-across-belfast-after-knife-attack#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 07:38:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612387</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Masked men burn homes, torch vehicles as hundreds protest after video of attack goes viral]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Masked men burned families out of their homes in&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;and torched a number of vehicles in a wave of anti-immigrant violence on Tuesday night that followed a knife attack by a Sudanese man.

Hundreds of protesters, many with their faces covered, attacked police and burned vehicles in a number of locations across Northern Ireland after a video of the knife attack, which left one person with serious neck and head wounds, went viral.

A number of homes could be seen burning in the city on Tuesday evening. Video broadcast by the BBC showed police helping a family escape from a burning house. Local politicians and a pastor said many of those who were targeted were Black.

&quot;There can be no excuse and no justification for these attacks tonight,&quot; Northern Ireland&#39;s First Minister Michelle O&rsquo;Neill said. &quot;Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice.&quot;

Starmer describes knife attack as &#39;sickening&#39;

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had described the initial knife attack, which took place in north&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;late on Monday evening, as &quot;sickening&quot;.



The horrific attack in Belfast last night is sickening.

I have absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets.

My thoughts are first and foremost with the victim, and I thank the first responders, including members of the public who&hellip;
&mdash; Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 9, 2026


The assault, which is currently not being treated as terrorism, comes at a time of&nbsp;heightened tensions in Britain following the murder of a student who was handcuffed by police as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer, a Sikh man, falsely alleged a racist attack.

It also follows repeated protests&nbsp;about immigration, with populist parties saying Britain&#39;s asylum policy had allowed dangerous men into the country.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk reposted many messages denouncing the state of the United Kingdom. In response to a post from the anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson about the north&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;incident in which he called for protests after &quot;yet another invader attack on our people&quot;, Musk said: &quot;Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!&quot;



Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!! https://t.co/73GDcLLFwv
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2026



Northern Ireland&#39;s Justice Minister Naomi Long told Reuters that &quot;bad faith actors&quot; who would have previously struggled to find the province on a map had sought to weaponise the understandable fear and anger sparked by the knife attack to target those who had the same skin colour.

&quot;Do not allow your genuine concerns to be manipulated by bad faith actors,&quot; she said. &quot;We know in Northern Ireland the damage that can do when you demonise a whole group of people because of the behaviour of a few, and we do not want to go back there.&quot;

Claire Hanna, the leader of the opposition Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland, described the violence as a &quot;race based pogrom&quot;. &quot;The online ecosystem that talked this up will move on now and the people of&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;will be left picking up the pieces,&quot; she told Reuters.

Smaller protests also took place outside parliament in London while other gatherings were reported across Britain.

Vehicles burned across the city

In Northern Ireland, masked youths gathered early on Tuesday evening at points across&nbsp;Belfast, with police responding by deploying armoured vehicles. Rioters set fire to a number of cars across the city, while a bus was engulfed in flames in east&nbsp;Belfast.

The BBC reported that a crowd of 100 men kicked in doors and broke windows of homes on a street in east&nbsp;Belfast. &quot;They&#39;re getting put out just because they&#39;re Black,&quot; Pastor Jack McKee told the BBC after attacks on homes in the north of the city.

Read:&nbsp;Protesters condemn Ireland&#39;s &#39;George Floyd moment&#39; after death of Congolese-born man

The suspect in the stabbing, a 30-year-old Sudanese national, was charged on Tuesday evening with attempted murder, possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place and threats to kill. He is due to appear at&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;Magistrates&#39; Court on Wednesday.

The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered significant injuries to his eyes and slash wounds to his face and back during the &quot;brutal&quot; attack, with a kitchen knife found at the scene, Northern Ireland&#39;s Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said.

Footage showed a number of members of the public trying to fight off the attacker before police arrived,&nbsp;and they were credited by senior officers with saving the man&#39;s life.

Northern Ireland was also hit by&nbsp;anti-immigrant rioting&nbsp;last year amid anger over an alleged sexual assault. Charges against two boys were later withdrawn by the prosecution service.]]>
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			<title>Death toll from Philippines quake rises to 46</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612384/death-toll-from-philippines-quake-rises-to-46</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612384/death-toll-from-philippines-quake-rises-to-46#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 07:10:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612384</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Most additional deaths are from Davao Occidental province, with most caused by landslides, collapsing buildings]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Rescuers in the southern Philippines pulled a body from the rubble of a collapsed supermarket on Wednesday, as the death toll from a major earthquake climbed to 46.

The 7.8-magnitude tremor just off the coast of Mindanao on Monday brought down buildings, triggered landslides and set off tsunami warnings across a swathe of the southern island.

Joey Deluvio, 39, was one of two employees at a supermarket in General Santos City that has been the focus of recovery efforts despite the constant threat of aftershocks.

Life-detecting equipment had traced a &quot;weak pulse&quot; earlier in the operation, local rescuer Michelle Chua told AFP on Wednesday, but &quot;when they got to the body... there were no signs of life&quot;.

Deluvio&#39;s body was found pinned between two beams, Chua added.

Read:&nbsp;Outdoor hospitals, cut-off communities as Philippine quake toll hits 41

The national disaster agency raised the death toll to 45 on Wednesday, while the number of people missing jumped dramatically from four to 17.

However, the figure for fatalities did not include Deluvio, the civil defence office confirmed.

Most of the additional dead were from Davao Occidental province, and most had been killed in landslides or collapsing buildings, civil defence official Rafaelito Alejandro said in a radio interview.]]>
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			<title>US sentences ex-Taliban commander to 42 years in prison for hostage taking</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612390/us-sentences-ex-taliban-commander-to-42-years-in-prison-for-hostage-taking</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612390/us-sentences-ex-taliban-commander-to-42-years-in-prison-for-hostage-taking#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 08:06:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612390</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[New York court sentences Haji Najibullah for taking American journalist hostage, attacking US servicemembers]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A United States court on Tuesday sentenced a former Taliban commander to 42 years in prison and five years of supervised release for his alleged role in taking of hostages, including one American journalist.

A New York court handed down the sentence to 50-year-old Haji Najibullah for &ldquo;his role in the hostage taking of an American journalist and two Afghan nationals in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2008 and 2009,&rdquo; a court document read.

He was also sentenced for his leadership of Taliban fighters who carried out attacks on US servicemembers in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009, resulting in the deaths of American soldiers.

Read:&nbsp;Pakistan urges Afghan Taliban to take &#39;verifiable, non-reversible&#39; action against terrorists at UNSC

On April 25, 2025, Najibullah pleaded guilty to hostage taking and providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, the document said.

&ldquo;Those who harm Americans and engage in acts of terrorism will be hunted down and brought to justice, no matter how long it takes,&rdquo; said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, according to the document.

&ldquo;As a Taliban commander, Najibullah supported brutal terrorist attacks that killed American servicemembers and orchestrated the savage hostage-taking of an American journalist and Afghan civilians. Today&rsquo;s sentence delivers justice for the victims and their families.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>May ranked 2nd-warmest on record amid early European heat wave: EU's climate change service</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612382/may-ranked-2nd-warmest-on-record-amid-early-european-heat-wave-eus-climate-change-service</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612382/may-ranked-2nd-warmest-on-record-amid-early-european-heat-wave-eus-climate-change-service#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 07:01:58 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612382</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[France, UK, Ireland, Portugal experience one of most severe early-season heat waves on record]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[May 2026 was the second warmest May globally since records began, with exceptional ocean and land temperatures and an unusually early heat wave in western Europe, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) said on Wednesday.

The global average surface air temperature in May reached 15.81&deg;C (60.45&deg;F), which is 0.55&deg;C above the 1991&ndash;2020 average and only lower than May 2024, according to a statement.

Sea surface temperatures remained near record highs, with the tropical Pacific continuing to show strong warming as conditions trend towards a developing El Nino event.

Read: UK, Pakistan seal &pound;35m Green Compact

Europe experienced a rapid shift from cooler-than-average conditions to extreme heat in the second half of the month. Western Europe, including France, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Portugal, saw one of the most intense early-season heat waves on record, with numerous temperature records broken for May.

&quot;Feels-like&quot; temperatures reached between 35&deg;C and 40&deg;C in several regions, creating severe heat-stress conditions.

&quot;In Europe, an unusually early and intense heat wave demonstrates how quickly climate extremes are becoming the new normal rather than the exception,&quot; strategic lead for climate at ECMWF Samantha Burgess said.

While parts of western and southern Europe, including Spain and Italy, were drier than average, flooding affected T&uuml;rkiye, Bulgaria and Moldova.

Read More: El Nino alert: summer turns fierce

Northern Europe and parts of Scandinavia recorded wetter-than-average conditions, contrasting with widespread dryness across central and eastern Europe, where river flows fell below average in major basins, including the Danube and Vistula.

Outside Europe, wetter-than-average conditions were observed in northern and southeastern North America, parts of Asia, western China, Brazil, southern Africa and Australia.

In contrast, drier-than-average conditions affected the central United States, much of South America, Madagascar and southwestern Australia.

Arctic sea ice extent in May was about 4% below average, ranking fourth lowest on record for the month. In the Antarctic, sea ice was around 9% below average, the seventh lowest for May, with particularly low coverage in the Bellingshausen Sea.]]>
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			<title>India froze approvals for Starlink to begin commercial operations due to security concerns: report</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612279/india-froze-approvals-for-starlink-to-begin-commercial-operations-due-to-security-concerns-report</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612279/india-froze-approvals-for-starlink-to-begin-commercial-operations-due-to-security-concerns-report#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 17:59:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612279</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Concerns arose after reports Starlink terminals were used in the Middle East war despite lacking an Iran licence]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[India has frozen approvals for Starlink to begin commercial operations due to security concerns, according to a Bloomberg report published on Tuesday.

Security agencies under India&#39;s Ministry of Home Affairs have withheld the final clearances required for the satellite internet service operated by SpaceX to launch services, those familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

The concerns stem from reports that Starlink terminals were used during the Middle East war despite the service not being licensed in Iran, it said.

The incident has reportedly raised concerns in New Delhi about its ability to control a US-based operator during periods of geopolitical tension.

Read More: Pakistan puts Starlink approval on hold

Two Indian telecom companies, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, signed pacts in 2025 with SpaceX to bring Starlink internet services to the country.

The situation has also delayed approval of satellite-spectrum pricing needed for commercial launches, including by Indian rivals, as the Department of Telecommunications has finalised the framework, but it has yet to be sent to the federal cabinet for approval, said the report.

Starlink&#39;s security clearance remains pending until the company explains how, given its global operations and US ownership, it can ensure compliance with Indian security requirements during periods of geopolitical tension when foreign governments may issue conflicting demands, it said.

The report added that Indian officials have adopted a more cautious approach toward the satellite communications sector as a whole following the conflict involving Iran.

There was no immediate comment from the Indian government or SpaceX.

Starlink, a division of US billionaire Elon Musk&#39;s company SpaceX, has rapidly expanded its global presence, operating in more than 150 countries and territories. The company provides internet connectivity in remote or underserved areas using a constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites.]]>
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			<title>China fans adopt 'Card Master' referee</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612303/china-fans-adopt-card-master-referee</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612303/china-fans-adopt-card-master-referee#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:34:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612303</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[They turned to referee Ma Ning in the upcoming FIFA World Cup]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Chinese football fans left without a national team to support at the World Cup have turned to referee Ma Ning -- nicknamed &quot;Card Master&quot; for his enthusiasm in booking players -- as the country&#39;s representative for the tournament.

With China&#39;s team once again failing to qualify, the 46-year-old Ma has emerged as an unlikely viral star after he shared photos on social media last month of him jetting off to the finals in North America.

A hashtag related to Ma&#39;s trip to the tournament has received more than 3.6 million views on social media platform Weibo, while the referee&#39;s RedNote account has gained 195,000 followers in less than two weeks.

Ma has also appeared in collaborations with brands such as laptop maker Lenovo, electronics manufacturer Hisense and dairy product firm Mengniu.

Ma&#39;s first post on the RedNote app showed him drawing a little red book from his referee&#39;s front pocket in a play on the platform&#39;s Chinese name.

Another showed him at an airport in China as he prepared to depart for the footballing extravaganza in Mexico, Canada and the United States.

&quot;His luggage is probably all filled with yellow and red cards,&quot; one Weibo user commented under Ma&#39;s airport post. Ma gained his &quot;Card Master&quot; moniker after dishing out nine yellow cards and three reds in an ill-tempered Shanghai derby in 2015.

Others revelled in the prospect of Ma officiating a match between the United States and Iran, fulfilling China&#39;s role as a peace-broker in the conflict.

&quot;The whole country is behind you (though no one from the Chinese football team),&quot; another social media user commented in a jibe at the national team&#39;s failure to qualify.]]>
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			<title>OpenAI files for US IPO after Anthropic as AI giants head to public markets</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612205/openai-files-for-us-ipo-after-anthropic-as-ai-giants-head-to-public-markets</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612205/openai-files-for-us-ipo-after-anthropic-as-ai-giants-head-to-public-markets#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 07:02:24 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612205</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[OpenAI did not disclose size or terms of offering, and said timeline has ‌not yet been determined]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[ChatGPT maker OpenAI confidentially filed for a US&nbsp;initial public offering recently, the company said on Monday, joining rival Anthropic in ​a push toward the stock market as investors seek exposure to the artificial intelligence boom.

OpenAI did not disclose the size or terms of the offering, and said a timeline has &zwnj;not yet been determined. &quot;It may be a while because there are things we want to do that are likely easier as a private company,&quot; it said in a statement.

Reuters had reported that the AI giant is targeting a&nbsp;valuation of up to $1 trillion&nbsp;in a stock market debut that could come as early as September.

At that valuation, OpenAI would set the stage for a trio of trillion-dollar-valuation companies debuting rapidly, which together are seen as the most consequential test of investor appetite for high-growth technology stocks in ​the last 10 years.

Elon Musk&#39;s SpaceX was the first off the block, filing for an IPO that would rank as the largest in history if completed, with the company pursuing a $75 billion offering ​at a $1.75 trillion valuation.

Anthropic, the company behind the viral coding assistant Claude Code, said on June 1 it had&nbsp;confidentially filed for a US&nbsp;initial public offering, weeks ⁠after raising $65 billion in a funding round that valued it at $965 billion.

&quot;OpenAI is keeping options open as Anthropic edged ahead with its filing after a monster funding round,&quot; said Michael Ashley Schulman, a partner at Cerity ​Partners.

On prediction markets, where traders wager on the outcome of future events, most participants had expected OpenAI to file for an IPO before Anthropic.

The AI era

The IPOs of Anthropic and OpenAI would crystallize a transformative period for ​the technology industry and global markets, with artificial intelligence rapidly emerging as the defining investment theme of the decade.

OpenAI said earlier this year that it was raising $110 billion at an $840 billion valuation from a roster of heavyweight backers including SoftBank, Amazon and Nvidia.

At the time, it also disclosed that ChatGPT had more than 900 million weekly active users and over 50 million consumer subscribers.

Read:&nbsp;Apple tries again on AI, turns to Google for help

The IPO filing&nbsp;follows OpenAI renegotiating its partnership with Microsoft, one of its earliest investors, which allowed the AI pioneer to forge ​new partnerships with firms such as Amazon.com and Alphabet&#39;s Google.

The Windows maker&#39;s early investment, totaling $13 billion since 2019, helped pave the way for OpenAI&#39;s rapid rise and powered growth at Microsoft&#39;s Azure cloud-computing business.

In March, OpenAI ​said it was generating $2 billion in monthly revenue and growing roughly four times faster than companies that defined the internet and mobile eras, including Alphabet and Meta.

That compares with about $1 billion in quarterly revenue at the end of 2024.

OpenAI told investors &zwnj;during its ⁠most recent fundraising round that it did not expect to be profitable until 2030, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Challengers gain momentum

Yet the industry OpenAI launched has quickly become crowded and investors are scrutinizing whether the AI sector&#39;s meteoric rise can be sustained.

Anthropic has emerged as one of the biggest rivals, with soaring demand for its Claude AI from software developers to handle their computer programming, and some firms deploying its top-shelf model Mythos to unearth vulnerabilities in their code.

While the blockbuster offerings could inject fresh momentum into the US&nbsp;IPO market, some bankers warn they might also soak up capital that could otherwise flow to smaller deals.

&quot;What OpenAI does not ​want is for the public market capital to exhaust ​itself,&quot; said Gil Luria, managing director of D.A. ⁠Davidson. &quot;Not only are SpaceX and Anthropic ahead of it in line to IPO, large public competitors could also raise tens of billions of dollars each in public market secondary issuances, as Google just completed last week&quot;.

Musk-led&nbsp;SpaceX goes public&nbsp;this week.

Nonprofit roots spark legal dispute

OpenAI was founded in 2015 as a research-focused nonprofit, but created a ​for-profit arm four years later to help fund the soaring costs of developing artificial intelligence systems.

Its unusual structure, which gave the nonprofit control over the for-profit ​entity, came under intense scrutiny in ⁠late 2023 when CEO Sam Altman was briefly ousted before returning days later after employees revolted.

In December 2024, OpenAI unveiled plans to overhaul its structure by creating a public benefit corporation, saying the move would help it raise far more capital while easing restrictions imposed by its nonprofit parent.

Read more:&nbsp;OpenAI floats idea of global AI watchdog

OpenAI&#39;s overhaul quickly became controversial after sharp criticism from its early backer, Musk, who later sued OpenAI and accused Altman and other executives of turning the nonprofit into a vehicle ⁠for private enrichment.

​A US&nbsp;jury in May ruled&nbsp;against Musk in his lawsuit, finding the AI company not liable to the world&#39;s richest person for ​having allegedly strayed from its original mission to benefit humanity.

The unanimous verdict removed a key overhang on the IPO, with analysts saying it cleared a major legal hurdle.]]>
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			<title>Apple tries again on AI, turns to Google for help</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612203/apple-tries-again-on-ai-turns-to-google-for-help</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612203/apple-tries-again-on-ai-turns-to-google-for-help#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 06:51:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612203</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Apple's more deliberate pace in entering the AI frenzy has won praise from some analysts]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Apple unveiled an artificial intelligence overhaul for the iPhone on Monday, turning to Google for help two years after the company stumbled on a first attempt.

The presentation marked Apple CEO Tim Cook&#39;s final appearance at the company&#39;s annual Worldwide developers conference -- Cook will cede the reins to longtime executive John Ternus in September.

Cook, who took over as chief executive after the death of Steve Jobs in 2011, appeared to wipe away a tear while addressing the audience of developers and Apple executives, calling his experience &quot;an honor of a lifetime&quot;.

Cook two years ago announced at the same conference that Apple was making a major leap to embrace AI, in a program called Apple Intelligence, as the company faced pressure to join the AI race that had engulfed its US tech giant rivals.

But its promised rollout never occurred fully, with a much-anticipated upgrade to the Siri voice assistant failing to materialize despite the announcements, drawing a lawsuit from some US customers that the company settled earlier this year.

Apple&#39;s more deliberate pace in entering the AI frenzy has won praise from some analysts, who credit the company for staying out of the hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure spending committed by rivals to build out AI capacity.
The company underlined this narrative at the event, saying it was taking its time to get the technology right.

&quot;AI is incredibly powerful technology with the potential to shape society in profound ways, and with proper care, unlock meaningful benefits for people everywhere,&quot; Apple&#39;s software chief Craig Federighi said in a launch video.

&quot;Still, some appear to be racing forward, seemingly pursuing AI for the sake of AI, without clear regard for the people... that it&#39;s ultimately meant to serve&quot;.

Daily limits

The company again promised a strengthened Siri -- dubbed Siri AI -- with the ability to communicate naturally and track information across apps like Maps and Mail and carry out tasks.

&quot;Overall, this was an impressive event that did not disappoint as Cook and Apple finally unveiled an AI strategy that will unleash the true monetization opportunity for AI,&quot; said Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities.

Some of the features, including image generation, will have daily usage limits because they rely on powerful server models, the company said.

Siri AI would not be available initially Europe and China, two major markets for the company, as it works out regulatory issues.

Many of the advances Apple announced on Monday have already been rolled out to individual users by Google, with AI-powered Gemini features added to Gmail, Maps and its Android operating system for smartphones and tablets.

&quot;Apple is making an enormous bet on AI -- but their bet is that they don&#39;t need to spend hundreds of billions per year on AI infrastructure...to reap the benefits,&quot; said John Gruber, a closely followed blogger.

Instead of building models in-house, Apple hired Google to provide the AI capabilities for its new capabilities, using a version of the search engine giant&#39;s Gemini model rather than any technology developed internally.

Google and Apple are already closely tied, with Google paying out tens of billions of dollars every year to be the default search engine on the iPhone&#39;s Safari web browser.

Apple also touted its parental controls as tech companies face increasing pressure worldwide on child safety and screen addiction.

These included beefed-up time allowance tools for children, with special attention on social media and games.
Despite the company&#39;s lack of a competitive AI offering, Apple shares have largely defied gravity over the past two years, and the stock is up about 15 percent this year.

In the first quarter of this year, Apple iPhone sales grew by double digits in just about every country where it does business.]]>
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			<title>AI's negative environmental footprint could rival major nations by 2030, UN study warns</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612093/ais-negative-environmental-footprint-could-rival-major-nations-by-2030-un-study-warns</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612093/ais-negative-environmental-footprint-could-rival-major-nations-by-2030-un-study-warns#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 26 17:21:43 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612093</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Warns environmental costs of AI rising faster than governance frameworks]]>
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				<![CDATA[A new study conducted by the UN think tank, the United Nations University (UNU), has warned that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence could place unprecedented pressure on global energy, water, and land resources, with impacts expected to be particularly significant for developing regions in Asia.



🎙️ Featured on UN News Today:
UNU-INWEH&rsquo;s latest report warns that by 2030, AI could consume as much water as 1.3 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa and require more electricity than Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria combined. #AI #WaterSecurity #UNUINWEH pic.twitter.com/UuEQaXjITI
&mdash; UN University-INWEH (@UNUINWEH) June 8, 2026


The report titled The Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, published by the UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health, found that AI&#39;s environmental footprint extends far beyond carbon emissions and is growing at a pace that could strain natural resources worldwide.

According to the study, AI-related electricity consumption is projected to increase sharply by 2030, requiring nearly three times the annual power consumption of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria combined &mdash; countries with a total population of about 650 million people.

The report estimates that AI systems could generate up to 400m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually by the end of the decade, roughly equivalent to the UK&#39;s current emissions.

The study also highlights water consumption as a major concern. By 2030, AI infrastructure could require around 9.3 trillion litres of water annually, an amount comparable to the domestic water needs of 1.3 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa.

Land occupied by AI-related infrastructure, including data centres and energy facilities, could exceed 14,500 square kilometres.

UNU researchers warned that while the benefits of AI are concentrated in a handful of countries, the environmental costs are likely to be borne disproportionately by other regions, including parts of Asia where water stress and energy demand are already rising.

The report calls for greater transparency from technology companies, stronger environmental governance, and international cooperation to ensure AI development remains sustainable.]]>
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			<title>US revoked World Cup ticket allocation for supporters: Iran</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612297/us-revoked-world-cup-ticket-allocation-for-supporters-iran</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612297/us-revoked-world-cup-ticket-allocation-for-supporters-iran#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:34:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612297</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The Iranian body demands that FIFA should be allocated 8 pc of tickets for each match]]>
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				<![CDATA[Iran&#39;s football federation on Tuesday said the United States has revoked its allocation of tickets for its World Cup group games, accusing the co-host of obstructing the attendance of Iranian supporters under the shadow of a bitter diplomatic row.

The US has presented a number of bureaucratic hurdles for Iran at the global football spectacle, including refusing to issue visas for some of its support staff, as the two countries remain at war after the US and Israel attacked the country in late February.

&quot;With less than three days remaining until the start of the 2026 World Cup... the United States has once again acted to obstruct the presence of Iranian supporters at the stadiums hosting the national team&#39;s three group stage matches,&quot; the federation said in a statement.

The Iranian football body said FIFA regulations dictate that it should be allocated eight percent of tickets for each match, which are given to participating federations for distribution to their supporters through official channels. According to the statement, Iran had already begun ticket sales for group stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt -- all to be held in the US -- after receiving its quota, with some fans having already made necessary arrangements.

&quot;However, in an unexpected move, the allocation granted to the Iranian Football Federation has been withdrawn, and under the current circumstances, the federation is unable to provide even a single ticket to supporters of the national team,&quot; it said. The federation described the move as &quot;contrary to the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries&quot;.

It also called on FIFA and tournament organisers &quot;to uphold the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations, to provide the necessary conditions for Iranian supporters&quot;.

Neither FIFA nor US organisers have publicly commented on the Iranian accusation.

The complaint is the latest dispute regarding Iran&#39;s participation in the World Cup, following visa issues that Tehran says have prevented some 15 administrative and management staff in its delegation from entering the United States.

Rising tensions also prompted Iran to announce that it was moving its World Cup training base to the Mexican border city of Tijuana rather than Tuscon, Arizona, as originally planned.]]>
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			<title>Football icon Ian Wright slams America’s ‘World Cup of chaos’ as mega event mired in controversy</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612249/football-would-not-exist-without-immigrants-new-york-mayor-says-ahead-of-world-cup</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612249/football-would-not-exist-without-immigrants-new-york-mayor-says-ahead-of-world-cup#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 14:11:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[agencies]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612249</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Journalists, staff, officials and thousands of fans faced US entry barriers ahead of the FIFA World Cup]]>
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				<![CDATA[Football legend Ian Wright criticised the United States on Tuesday for mismanaging the start of the FIFA World Cup, with several controversies already piled up even before the event&#39;s beginning.

In a video posted on social media platform TikTok, he called it the &quot;World Cup of chaos&quot; and questioned whether the US authorities were acting in a manner befitting the host.



It&#39;s not even kicked off yet and it&#39;s kicking off. pic.twitter.com/cgap2rKpds
&mdash; PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) June 9, 2026



&ldquo;Every few hours, it&rsquo;s another story, another story about fans denied, players denied, officials denied, journalists denied, now refs?

&ldquo;I&rsquo;m laughing, but it&rsquo;s not funny. It&rsquo;s actually not funny. Something has to be said,&rdquo; he said.



@wrightyofficial

World Cup of Chaos 😔🌏
♬ original sound - Ian Wright




His criticism is among many with several people calling out the events that have transpired.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Monday that football &ldquo;would not exist without immigrants&rdquo;, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, scheduled to kick off on Thursday.

&ldquo;Soccer would not exist without immigrants. Immigrants play and coach the game, work in the stadiums, fill the stands, and make celebrations like the World Cup possible,&rdquo; Mamdani wrote on X.



Soccer would not exist without immigrants. Immigrants play and coach the game, work in the stadiums, fill the stands, and make celebrations like the World Cup possible. Six of the players on the US Men&#39;s National Team are immigrants.

We will not allow ICE or anyone else to sow&hellip; https://t.co/8wV8nffw9d
&mdash; Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) June 8, 2026


Mamdani stressed that six of the players on the US men&#39;s national team were immigrants.

His remarks came as FIFA confirmed on Monday that Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry to the US over the weekend and will no longer be able to participate in the tournament.

Bloomberg reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump has drawn up a plan to surge US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to New York City over the president&rsquo;s migrant crackdown.



A general view of MetLife Stadium, temporarily renamed New York New Jersey Stadium, which will host 8 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, including the World Cup Final, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, US, June 1, 2026. REUTERS

&ldquo;We will not allow ICE or anyone else to sow fear in our communities &mdash; especially at this moment,&rdquo; Mamdani wrote on X. &ldquo;As the world comes to our city, we will stand proudly with our immigrant neighbours and reject these attacks for what they are: an attempt to divide us.&rdquo;



Mayor Mamdani criticizes Trump admin for handling of the World Cup, travel restrictions &amp; visa denials for teams &amp; others.

&ldquo;The World Cup is supposed to be a celebration of the world as a whole&hellip; this is anathema to what this tournament is supposed to be about.&rdquo; pic.twitter.com/7TOy8oVK9l
&mdash; Josie Stratman (@JosieStratman) June 8, 2026



Senior US politician Hillary Clinton said the US &quot;shouldn&#39;t be flippantly barring officials&quot; from entering the country to do their jobs as the host of the World Cup.

&quot;It&#39;s terribly backward. It&#39;s also counterproductive. Global sports competitions should improve international exchange and relations, not the reverse.&quot;



As a World Cup host, the U.S. shouldn&#39;t be flippantly barring officials from entering the country to do their jobs.

It&#39;s terribly backward.

It&#39;s also counterproductive.

Global sports competitions should improve international exchange and relations, not the reverse. pic.twitter.com/HpJNQHqXok
&mdash; Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 9, 2026



Human rights organisation Amnesty International also said that&nbsp;all fans, players, referees, journalists and families should be welcomed, not shut out by the Trump administration&rsquo;s &quot;discriminatory visa restrictions targeting people from certain countries or be arbitrarily searched or detained in US&nbsp;airports&quot;.



As people around the world prepare to come to the U.S. for the World Cup, all fans, players, referees, journalists, and families should be welcomed, not shut out by the Trump administration&rsquo;s discriminatory visa restrictions targeting people from certain countries or be&hellip;
&mdash; Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) June 9, 2026



&nbsp;Somali referee barred from World Cup after being denied US entry

One referee, journalists from various countries, supporting staff and fans were barred from US entry during the FIFA World Cup. Immigration staff are also sidelining officials and referees, and shutting out thousands of fans.



What an absolute disgrace. A FIFA-certified referee being denied entry to the United States purely because he is Somali.

The World Cup is meant to bring people together. This is racism, plain and simple. Shameful.https://t.co/rpSgTmmPU4
&mdash; Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 9, 2026


Artan was travelling from Istanbul to Miami on Saturday to attend a FIFA seminar for match officials ahead of the World Cup. However, he was denied entry upon arrival in the US and was returned to Istanbul on Sunday.



Visa refusals for journalists from Iran, Senegal, Ivory Coast mean this World Cup is a disaster before it even beginshttps://t.co/b4I4JUZP3N
&mdash; Canary (@TheCanaryUK) June 8, 2026


On Monday, a FIFA spokesperson said: &ldquo;FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.

&ldquo;FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan&rsquo;s status will not be changed at present.



Iran&#39;s football federation on Tuesday said the United States has revoked its allocation of tickets for World Cup group games, accusing the co-host of obstructing the attendance of Iranian supporters amid a bitter diplomatic rift. https://t.co/emIJnxo6Zj
&mdash; CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) June 9, 2026


&ldquo;In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.&rdquo;

Separately, US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) told The Athletic that &ldquo;following inspection, the traveller, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.&rdquo;



The FIFA World Cup 2026 has expanded to 48 teams, but some of football&rsquo;s biggest giants still couldn&#39;t punch their ticket pic.twitter.com/bwMp2CSzot
&mdash; TRT World (@trtworld) June 9, 2026


&ldquo;All travellers seeking entry into the United States, including athletes, coaches, and staff, are subject to CBP inspection and vetting. Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection. CBP officers have the authority to question travellers, conduct inspections, and determine admissibility consistent with US law.&rdquo;



World Cup referee blocked from entering US https://t.co/sPw2Zv7vZj
&mdash; Sky News (@SkyNews) June 9, 2026


Artan was recently named Africa&rsquo;s Best Referee for 2025 at the CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco, organised by the Confederation of African Football. He was set to become the first Somali referee selected to officiate at a FIFA World Cup.



Moroccan fans are left devastated after heavy US visa refusals block their 2026 World Cup plans, costing them thousandshttps://t.co/bUs95tiBxO
&mdash; Canary (@TheCanaryUK) June 8, 2026


A proclamation issued by Trump on June 4, 2025, fully restricts the entry of Somali nationals into the country, stating: &ldquo;The entry into the United States of nationals of Somalia as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.&rdquo;

Iran&#39;s football association also blamed him for the cancellation of their ticket quota, which is usually 5-8%.



Iran&rsquo;s Football Federation slams abrupt US decision to cancel its ticket quotahttps://t.co/2JzIvfMYWA
&mdash; PressTV Extra (@PresstvExtra) June 9, 2026


Spanish Moroccan sports journalist Leyla Hamed posted on X that the US denied an 8% ticket quota to the Iranian football team. The quota is usually distributed to the supporters.



Iranian Football Federation announces the 8% ticket quota allocated to Iran has been revoked by the U.S., leaving the federation currently unable to distribute tickets to supporters.

A case study in political interference, discrimination and FIFA looking the other way. pic.twitter.com/UsU3g2t3Ui
&mdash; Leyla Hamed (@leylahamed) June 9, 2026


Iraqi Striker detained, Moroccan fans denied entry 

According to Anadolu News, when Iraqi Striker Aymen Hussein reached Chicago, he was detained for hours by the TSA staff. The team&#39;s photographer was also denied entry to the US. Some 90 Moroccan fans were denied US visas despite their travel history, including participation proofs in the world&#39;s major sports events.



⚽ Visa denials and border incidents have cast a shadow over the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite organizers&#39; message that everyone is welcome

🛂 FIFA-appointed Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry, while around 15 members of Iran&#39;s technical and support staff were&hellip; pic.twitter.com/DrIEkfJaMC
&mdash; Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) June 9, 2026


Dropsite News also reported that accredited sports journalists from Iran and Africa were also denied entry to cover the event, which cast a dark shadow over the tournament.



◽️ Journalist Access:

The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) wrote to FIFA&rsquo;s Director of Media Relations on June 5, warning that accredited journalists from Iran, Africa, and elsewhere have been denied visas or issued single-entry visas &mdash; meaning reporters covering&hellip; https://t.co/6hsXYMsbNj
&mdash; Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) June 8, 2026


In another incident, the Uzbekistan team faced strict security protocols upon arrival in the field before a friendly warm-up match with the Netherlands.



This was the security protocol the Uzbekistan national team went through upon their arrival at the stadium for their friendly against the Netherlands tonight&hellip; pic.twitter.com/j5HqQcB6Pa
&mdash; george (@StokeyyG2) June 8, 2026


World Cup 2026 Daily also posted a video of a full-body search of Senegal&rsquo;s football team members and said that it was a humiliation of the players.



The Senegalese 🇸🇳 delegation gets this treatment on arrival in the USA. Full tarmac searches, shoes off, bags turned inside out like criminals.

This is straight up humiliation and a disgrace. They&rsquo;d never put white boys through the same.pic.twitter.com/KULjwTsCQI
&mdash; World Cup 2026 Daily (@TotalFootball) June 8, 2026


&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Somali referee axed from World Cup</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612298/somali-referee-axed-from-world-cup-1</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612298/somali-referee-axed-from-world-cup-1#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:34:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612298</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Artan would have been the first Somali to referee at a World Cup]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan has been dropped from officiating at the World Cup after being barred from entering the United States, world football&#39;s governing body FIFA said on Monday.

A FIFA spokesperson confirmed in a statement that Artan, who was refused entry to the US after arriving at Miami International Airport on Saturday, would play no part in the World Cup.

Artan would have been the first Somali to referee at a World Cup.

&quot;FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States,&quot; the spokesperson told AFP.

FIFA emphasized that it was powerless to influence the decision, which it said was the sole preserve of tournament co-hosts the United States.

&quot;FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan&#39;s status will not be changed at present,&quot; the spokesperson said.

&quot;In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.&quot;

A spokesperson for United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said Artan was denied entry following a routine inspection.

&quot;During processing, the traveler underwent additional inspection, a routine part of CBP&#39;s inspection process when officers need to verify information or determine admissibility,&quot; the CBP spokesperson said.

&quot;Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry.&quot;

Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump&#39;s administration as part of a broader immigration crackdown.

In a statement to AFP, Artan said he wanted to concentrate on the future.

&quot;Despite the circumstances I am in a positive mood and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career,&quot; he said.

&quot;I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.&quot;

&#39;Inspiration&#39;

A government adviser in Mogadishu told AFP earlier Monday that Artan had a valid visa for the US.

The tournament kicks off on Thursday.

&quot;Omar Artan is among Africa&#39;s most respected referees and deserves the support of the entire football community,&quot; Ciise Aden Abshir, a senior adviser to Somalia&#39;s Ministry of Youth and Sports and a former national team captain, said.

Abshir said Artan flew back to Istanbul after being refused entry in Miami.

&quot;Denying him entry to the United States and preventing him from officiating scheduled matches harms not only him personally but also undermines football&#39;s commitment to fairness, merit, and the spirit of fair play,&quot; Abshir added.

Artan was among the 52 referees announced by FIFA for the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

He has been officiating in the Somali national football league championships since he became a FIFA referee in 2018, and refereed in the most recent edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.]]>
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			<title>Olise to make big impact at World Cup</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612296/olise-to-make-big-impact-at-world-cup</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612296/olise-to-make-big-impact-at-world-cup#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:34:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612296</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[He scored a hat-trick in the World Cup warm-up]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[France coach Didier Deschamps challenged forward Michael Olise to make his mark at the World Cup after he hit a hat-trick in a 3-1 World Cup warm-up win over Northern Ireland in Lille on Monday.

The Bayern Munich winger and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe were joined in a fearsome attack by Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele. The Paris Saint-Germain pair had been rested for the previous friendly -- a loss to Ivory Coast -- after winning the Champions League.

But Olise shone brightest, drilling home rebounds just before and just after half-time before curling in a superb shot from outside the area to finish off the visitors after Patrick Kelly had pulled a goal back.

&quot;We&#39;ll need a Michel Olise at that level,&quot; Deschamps said. &quot;Michael stands out because of the season he has had at Bayern and with us.&quot;

&quot;He has achieved some really great things, he is full of confidence. He also has the ability to put in the effort, which is remarkable,&quot; Deschamps said.

Another Champions League finalist, William Saliba of losers Arsenal, showed he has shaken off an injury scare as he returned to give France a look similar to how they could line up for their World Cup opener against Senegal in New Jersey on June 16.

The French though were frequently disjointed in attack, with skipper Mbappe, who needs one goal to equal Olivier Giroud&#39;s team scoring record, often lacklustre.

Yet they still pressed the packed Northern Irish defence, forcing desperate blocks and loose clearances.

Although the Lille stadium roof was kept closed on a chilly and damp evening, play was stopped for drinks breaks in the middle of each half to help Les Bleus prepare in every detail for the World Cup.

France, who leave for their training base near Boston on Wednesday, will also face Iraq in Philadelphia and Norway in Foxborough outside Boston in Group I.]]>
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			<title>Everest survivor out of intensive care</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612300/everest-survivor-out-of-intensive-care</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612300/everest-survivor-out-of-intensive-care#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:34:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612300</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Dawa Sherpa disappeared in brutal conditions]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A Nepali mountaineer who spent six days dragging himself off Mount Everest after being abandoned has been moved out of intensive care as he slowly recovers, his family said Tuesday.

His improbable survival has sparked celebration among fellow climbers, but also anger from family members and the mountaineering community over the failure to locate him sooner.

Dawa Sherpa, 57, disappeared in brutal conditions on the upper slopes of the world&#39;s tallest mountain on May 30 during one of the final climbs of the spring season.

He was found on Thursday morning, crawling towards Base Camp, and airlifted to Kathmandu, where doctors are treating him for frostbite, severe dehydration and a fractured thigh bone.

&quot;He has been shifted from the ICU (intensive care unit) to the ward and treatment is ongoing -- he is able to speak a little and is eating,&quot; his relative Nuru Sherpa told AFP.

&quot;Doctors are observing his hands and legs for improvement.&quot;

Left stranded in freezing temperatures near Everest&#39;s &quot;death zone&quot;, where oxygen levels are critically low, Dawa Sherpa said he survived for days with almost no food or water.

&quot;I thought I would perish this way. I didn&#39;t get lost. As the oxygen ran out, I fell behind. After the oxygen finished, I couldn&#39;t walk,&quot; he told BBC Nepali on Friday from his hospital bed.

&quot;I didn&#39;t eat anything for the first two days. Then I began chewing ice. It hurt my teeth. I chewed the ice hard,&quot; he said.

He survived on a few chocolates and snacks he had in his pockets.

&#39;Negligence&#39;

Dawa Sherpa, also known as &quot;Hillary&quot; like legendary climber Edmund Hillary, told others after his rescue that he had fallen into a crevasse.

But he crawled on and was found still slowly moving towards the Base Camp by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), a Nepali team that helps set routes on Everest and clean up waste left behind.

&quot;There has been negligence in his case,&quot; Maya Sherpa, president of the Everest Summiteers Association, told AFP on Tuesday.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan targets terrorist hideouts along Afghan border, killing 26 militants: Tarar</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612389/pakistan-targets-terrorist-hideouts-along-afghan-border-killing-26-militants-tarar</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612389/pakistan-targets-terrorist-hideouts-along-afghan-border-killing-26-militants-tarar#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 07:54:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612389</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Information minister says strikes were in response to recent terrorist attacks in K-P]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan carried out &ldquo;precision strikes&rdquo; along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border targeting terrorist hideouts, killing 26 Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists in response to recent terrorist attacks in the country, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday.

The statement comes a day after six Federal Constabulary (FC) embraced martyrdom while bravely confronting terrorists belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during an operation in the Hassan Khel area on the outskirts of Peshawar.

According to a statement shared on X, Tarar said the operations were conducted in the aftermath of recent attacks, including the assault on a Federal Constabulary post in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on June 9, a vehicle-borne suicide attack on a military post in North Waziristan on June 2, and an attack on a police station in Bannu on May 9.



In the aftermath of recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan, including terrorist attack on Federal Constabulary Post in Musa Dara on 9 June 2026, Vehicle Borne Suicide Attacks on a Military Post in North Waziristan on 2 June 2026 and Police Station in Bannu on 9 May 2026, precise&hellip; pic.twitter.com/rY0PGC6YIu
&mdash; Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) June 10, 2026


He said, &ldquo;precise strikes were carried out along Pakistan Afghanistan Border areas on hideouts and safe havens of masterminds and planners belonging to Fitna Al Khawarij, killing twenty six Indian sponsored khawarijs.&rdquo;

The statement said the action was based on &ldquo;credible intelligence&rdquo; and involved the &ldquo;selective targeting of camps and hideouts&hellip; with precision and accuracy.&rdquo;

It added that four targets were &ldquo;completely destroyed,&rdquo; including &ldquo;a training centre, a hideout, an ammunition cache and Marakiz belonging to Fitna Al Khawarij Commander Aleem Khan Khushali and Commander Akhtar Muhammad Jani Khel.&rdquo;

Read: Security forces kill 27 terrorists in North Waziristan IBOs: ISPR

The information minister further said Pakistan has &ldquo;always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region,&rdquo; but stressed that &ldquo;the safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority.&rdquo;

He added that Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;relentless counter-terrorism campaign under vision Azm-e-Istehkam will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.&rdquo;

The statement said the campaign is being carried out by &ldquo;security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan&rdquo; under the framework approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan.

Officials said the operation reflects Pakistan&rsquo;s ongoing response to terrorist threats operating along its western border, though independent verification of the claims was not immediately available.

K-P remains a key focus of the country&#39;s counterterrorism efforts, with security forces regularly conducting IBOs against militants.

Also Read: 4 terrorists killed in DI Khan, Mohmand IBOs

The province witnessed a significant rise in militant violence last year, with more than 500 attacks reported, marking a 50% increase compared to the previous year.

According to a security assessment obtained by The Express Tribune, K-P recorded 1,588 terrorism-related incidents, underscoring the growing militant threat across both settled and tribal districts. Despite the increase in attacks, security forces reportedly thwarted 320 major strikes, while 137 police personnel were killed in the line of duty.

The report said joint operations by the K-P Police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and other security agencies led to the arrest of 1,244 suspected militants, while 420 militants were killed in intelligence-based operations.

Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Hangu and Peshawar were among the districts most affected by militant violence, with the report noting a pattern of attacks allegedly planned and launched from across the Afghan border.

The CTD report also recorded a 56% increase in attacks targeting police personnel, rising from 327 in 2024 to 510 in 2025. During the year, security agencies conducted 2,791 search operations and identified 25 foreign militant operatives, while extortion networks operating in Peshawar and other districts were dismantled, according to the report.

Operation Ghazab Lil Haq&nbsp;was launched around the end of February following renewed clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, after Afghan Taliban forces fired on multiple locations, prompting swift military retaliation by Pakistan.

The neighbouring countries have been engaged in escalating hostilities along the frontier since then. The clashes intensified after Afghanistan launched a border offensive in response to Pakistani air strikes targeting terrorist positions and abated during a temporary ceasefire on the occasion of Eidul Fitr.

Pakistan in April put forth&nbsp;three core demands&nbsp;to the Afghan Taliban during peace talks in Urumqi, China, including Kabul formally declaring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan a terrorist organisation, dismantling its infrastructure, and providing verifiable proof of the action. These demands form the basis of Pakistan&#39;s negotiating position, which sources say has hardened amid persistent security concerns.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan urges all sides to give diplomacy ‘a little more chance’ at UNSC</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612376/pakistan-urges-all-sides-to-give-diplomacy-a-little-more-chance-at-unsc</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612376/pakistan-urges-all-sides-to-give-diplomacy-a-little-more-chance-at-unsc#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 05:21:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612376</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says US-Iran war has disrupted the IAEA's crucial verification mandate]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan on Wednesday urged all sides to exercise restraint and give diplomacy &quot;a little more chance&quot; amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, warning that recent events have highlighted the risk of further escalation.

Addressing a UN Security Council briefing on non-proliferation, Pakistan&#39;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said Islamabad was &quot;deeply concerned&quot; at the ongoing situation in the region marked by heightened tensions.

&quot;Events of the last few days have amply underscored the fragility of the situation, the risk of escalation and the need for diplomatic efforts to come to fruition &ndash; sooner than later,&quot; he told the council.



Statement by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad,
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN,
At the Security Council Briefing on Non-proliferation (1737 Committee)
(9thof June 2026)
*****

President,

Pakistan is deeply concerned at the ongoing situation in the region marked by&hellip; pic.twitter.com/f5vLN6I4PK
&mdash; Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) June 10, 2026



The ambassador said the recent increase in violence in the Middle East was &quot;a stark reminder of the dangers associated with a tenuous ceasefire and the unbearable consequences it may lead to&quot;.

&quot;The cycle of violence and instability must end for the good of regional and international peace, security, and prosperity,&quot; he added.

Referring to the Iranian nuclear issue, Iftikhar said the latest hostilities had complicated diplomatic efforts and affected the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

&quot;Regrettably, the breakdown of diplomacy and outbreak of hostilities has also impacted the consideration of the Iran nuclear issue, pushing the parties further apart on this complex file,&quot; he said.

He added that the conflict had also &quot;disrupted the IAEA&#39;s crucial verification mandate&quot;.

Reaffirming Pakistan&#39;s position, the ambassador said Islamabad supported resolving all outstanding issues through dialogue and negotiations.

&quot;We reaffirm our support for the resolution of all outstanding issues, including Iran nuclear issue, through peaceful means, diplomatic engagement, and sustained dialogue,&quot; he said.

Iftikhar said Pakistan believed that &quot;diplomacy and dialogue should be the guiding principles&quot; for achieving negotiated settlements of contentious issues.

Highlighting Pakistan&#39;s diplomatic efforts, he said Islamabad had worked with international partners to help reduce tensions and encourage negotiations.

&quot;Pakistan, along with partners, initiated diplomatic efforts to stop the war and to bring the parties to the table,&quot; he said.

The ambassador added that Pakistan had been engaged in efforts supporting &quot;de-escalation, ceasefire, and the broader pursuit of stability in the region&quot;.

The Pakistani envoy also referred to what he described as the &quot;Islamabad Talks&quot;, saying Pakistan appreciated both sides for engaging in dialogue.

&quot;We appreciate both parties for reposing their trust in Pakistan, and engaging in dialogue to achieve a ceasefire and participating in the &#39;Islamabad Talks&#39; &ndash; the highest-level direct engagement between the United States and Iran for over four decades,&quot; he said.

According to the ambassador, Pakistan had maintained contacts with both Tehran and Washington as well as several regional and international partners.

He said that Islamabad sought to encourage dialogue, facilitate the exchange of messages, and help create space and conditions conducive to meaningful negotiations.

Iftikhar said Pakistan&#39;s efforts were intended to &quot;break the momentum of hostilities, save lives and give diplomacy a chance&quot;.

He described Pakistan&#39;s approach as reflecting a &quot;consistent commitment to regional stability and international peace&quot; and a preference for &quot;principled, dialogue-oriented diplomacy&quot; in dealing with geopolitical disputes.

Concluding his remarks, the ambassador urged all parties to avoid actions that could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Read: Trump says US &lsquo;must respond&rsquo; after Iran shoots down &lsquo;highly sophisticated Apache helicopter&rsquo;

&quot;As we work earnestly and painstakingly, together with our friends and partners, to find a peaceful diplomatic solution to the conflict, and especially when the final objective is just about to be achieved, we sincerely urge all sides to exercise restraint and give peace a little more chance,&quot; he said.

He added, &quot;Let us continue to tread the path of peace and diplomacy, for it has bright prospects of success, something that the international community has pinned its hopes on.&quot;

Iran nuclear programme

Five days ago, the UN nuclear watchdog sent a report to member states with no major changes to its assessment of Iran&rsquo;s nuclear programme, despite three months of US-Israeli war with the stated aim of preventing Iran from building an atomic bomb.

In its first report into Iran&rsquo;s nuclear programme since the day before the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran at the end of February, the IAEA repeated calls for Tehran to explain the fate of stockpiles of enriched uranium. The uranium has been unaccounted for since an earlier US-Israeli bombing campaign a year ago targeted Iran&rsquo;s main nuclear sites.

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly cited destroying Iran&rsquo;s nuclear programme as one of their main aims in launching fresh strikes at the end of February.

Iran&rsquo;s enriched uranium stockpile has been a major sticking point in negotiations between the United States and Iran to end the war, with Trump insisting Iran give it up. Efforts have lately focused on a preliminary deal that would leave nuclear issues for later.

The confidential report on Iran was one of two issued on June 5 and seen by Reuters ahead of next week&rsquo;s quarterly meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency&rsquo;s 35-nation Board of Governors. They showed very little change from the previous reports in late February, just before the latest war.

&ldquo;The (IAEA) Director General has emphasised to Iran that it is indispensable and urgent to implement effectively the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) Safeguards Agreement effectively... and that its implementation cannot be suspended by Iran under any circumstances,&rdquo; the report seen by Reuters said.

The IAEA has been unable to return to nuclear sites that Israel and the United States bombed last June. Iran has yet to inform the IAEA of the fate of its stocks of low- and highly enriched uranium (LEU and HEU), including uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, a short step from the roughly 90% of weapons-grade.

The region has been on edge since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in late February, triggering Iranian retaliation on Israel and other regional countries hosting US assets.

A temporary ceasefire was reached on April 8, but negotiations later stalled amid disputes over its implementation and subsequent regional developments, even as Trump extended the truce indefinitely.

An agreement to fully end the US-Israeli war on Iran has proven elusive, with Iran insisting that any negotiations to address its nuclear program be subsequent to a full end to the war.]]>
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			<title>Centre, provinces trim uplift budgets for strategic initiatives</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612368/centre-provinces-trim-uplift-budgets-for-strategic-initiatives</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612368/centre-provinces-trim-uplift-budgets-for-strategic-initiatives#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 22:07:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Shahbaz Rana]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Govt to slash PSDP by Rs126b, provinces cap spending, Coalition consensus clears way for June 12 budget]]>
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				<![CDATA[The federal government has slashed next fiscal year&#39;s proposed development budget by Rs126 billion while three provinces, except Balochistan, would freeze their uplift expenses at current levels to create around Rs500 billion worth of fiscal space for strategically important initiatives.

The government may also allocate about Rs3 trillion for the defense spending and has finalised Rs50 billion relief for the salaried class, earning over Rs183,400 a month for the fiscal year 2026-27.

The understanding to rationalise development spending has been reached between the representatives of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the two major partners in the ruling coalition.

This would now pave the way for the start of much-delayed budget approval process, people privy to discussions between the coalition partners told The Express Tribune.

When contacted, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal confirmed that the proposed size of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) of Rs1.126 trillion has been reduced by Rs126 billion. The Finance Ministry has shared the revised indicative budget ceiling of Rs1 trillion with the Planning Ministry, Iqbal said on Tuesday.

The government has cut the proposed PSDP by Rs126 billion or 11.2% compared to the size approved by the Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APCC) for fiscal year 2026-27 early this month. For this fiscal year, the government has also slashed the development budget to Rs820 billion and, so far, Rs590 billion have been spent.

This is probably for the first time that the federal PSDP has been slashed before it has landed in front of the National Economic Council (NEC), which would now finally be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday (today).

The government had postponed the NEC meeting four times to develop some initial understanding among the stakeholders over next fiscal year&#39;s budget. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, said on Tuesday that the summary to convene the budget session has been moved and the budget would now likely be presented on Friday, June 12.

Ahsan Iqbal said that the proposed PSDP worth Rs1 trillion will be laid before the NEC, adding that no new development scheme will be included in the new fiscal year except for those projects proposed by the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior. He said the provincial governments would also adjust their proposed annual development plans to create additional fiscal space.

Another government official said that the provinces would spare over Rs350 billion from their development budgets. According to the understanding, the newly reduced Rs1 trillion PSDP size can again be increased to Rs1.4 trillion once the federating units agree to give more resources to the Centre.

The government had demanded Rs1.2 trillion from the provinces for meeting its additional expenses and providing tax relief. However, no immediate consensus could be achieved to either deduct money from the National Finance Commission (NFC) through a presidential order or seek the NEC approval. The IMF was also not comfortable over the NEC nod for additional spending.

The federal government wanted to allocate Rs335 billion for water sector critical projects like Diamer Basha Dam, Mohmand Dam and Dasu dam. Another additional Rs335 billion had been planned to be given for the strategically important initiatives.

The IMF has reflected Rs2.665 trillion for defense spending for the next fiscal year but the government wanted to sanction around Rs3 trillion due to increased hostilities on eastern and western borders.

A senior parliamentarian said that the provinces would freeze their development budgets at this year&#39;s actual spending. This will create some space for additional spending on strategic nature initiatives and funding the water sector projects.

Punjab early this month had informed the federal government that it would spend Rs1.45 trillion on development in the next fiscal year but the provincial government is now expected to lower the spending envelope by over Rs150 billion.

Sindh had also informed to spend Rs816 billion on development schemes in the next fiscal year, which too would go down in the light of new understanding among the shareholders. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa plans to spend Rs564 billion but it may freeze spending. Balochistan&#39;s new development budget is Rs308 billion, which is already Rs53 billion less than this year.

The IMF will also have to be taken on board. The global lender has set a condition that the National Assembly will approve only its endorsed budget to make sure that the government does not leave the fiscal stabilisation path.

Salary tax relief

The sources said that the government may announce Rs50 billion relief for the salaried class in the budget by lowering tax rates on monthly income of over Rs183,400, introducing a new slab and expanding the ceiling that will attract the highest income tax rate.

The salaried persons are adversely hit by the government&#39;s moves to raise petroleum levy to offset FBR shortfall and increase their tax burden over the past three years, resulting in their direct tax contributions to over Rs600 billion excluding the impact of the levy.

On a monthly income of up to Rs267,000, the tax rate might be reduced by 5% to 20%. There are about 400,000 people falling in this bracket. On monthly income of up to Rs341,000 the rate might be reduced to 25% with 160,000 taxpayers in this bracket.

The government may set a 29% rate on up to Rs467,000 per month and could introduce a 32% rate on monthly income of up to Rs583,000. For the monthly income of over Rs583,000, Rs7 million plus annually, the government wants to charge the maximum rate of 35% by significantly relaxing the ceiling.]]>
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			<title>Sikh pilgrims from India arrive in Pakistan for Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s 420th martyrdom anniversary</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612395/sikh-pilgrims-from-india-arrive-in-pakistan-for-guru-arjan-dev-jis-420th-martyrdom-anniversary</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612395/sikh-pilgrims-from-india-arrive-in-pakistan-for-guru-arjan-dev-jis-420th-martyrdom-anniversary#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 08:38:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asif Mehmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq welcomes pilgrims, says Pakistan issues 737 visas to Sikh devotees]]>
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				<![CDATA[Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday to participate in the 420th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and the annual Jor Mela celebrations, marking a significant development in religious ties between Sikh communities of the two neighbouring countries.

The commemorations will be jointly observed by Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan and India for the first time in 14 years, following the resolution of long-standing issues related to the observance date of Guru Arjan Dev Ji&rsquo;s martyrdom anniversary.

Speaking at the Wagah Border reception ceremony, Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs and President of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, said around 700 Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan today.

He said Sikh devotees had been waiting for such an opportunity in previous years, and the arrival of the Indian pilgrims this year had created a historic moment. Arora said Pakistan remained committed to promoting peace and bringing people closer together. He added that Pakistan was not the second but the first home of Sikhs around the world, as the land holds immense religious significance for the Sikh faith.

Referring to a recent award he received in the United States, Arora dedicated the honour to the people of Pakistan and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying it reflected the collective efforts made for the welfare of Sikh pilgrims and the preservation of religious heritage.

Indian Sikh delegation leader Sardar Parmjeet Singh said issues regarding the observance date of Guru Arjan Dev Ji&rsquo;s martyrdom anniversary had persisted for the past 14 years. He appreciated Pakistan for warmly welcoming Sikh pilgrims and facilitating arrangements for the religious events.

Another Sikh leader from India, Gurmeet Singh Gaggi, said a consensus had been reached to jointly commemorate the martyrdom anniversary. He described the gathering of Sikh devotees from both countries after 14 years as a positive and memorable occasion and acknowledged the cooperation extended by the Pakistani authorities.

Speaking to the media, Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq welcomed the visiting pilgrims and said Pakistan had issued 737 visas to Indian Sikh devotees for the occasion.

Read:&nbsp;Sikh pilgrims head home after Vaisakhi festival praising Pakistani hospitality

He said the main ceremony of the martyrdom anniversary and Jor Mela would be held at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on June 16.

Mushtaq said the Evacuee Trust Property Board and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had jointly arranged reception facilities at the Wagah Border. In view of the intense heat, cold drinking water, refreshments and other facilities had been provided for the pilgrims.

He added that special measures had been taken to expedite immigration and customs clearance procedures. The pilgrims were later transported to Nankana Sahib in special buses.

According to officials, all relevant departments have completed arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of religious rituals and events and to provide the pilgrims with the best possible facilities during their stay in Pakistan.]]>
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			<title>Diabetes affects 10m children in Pakistan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612347/diabetes-affects-10m-children-in-pakistan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612347/diabetes-affects-10m-children-in-pakistan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:36:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Minister urges shift to preventive healthcare system]]>
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				<![CDATA[Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said on Tuesday that nearly 10 million Pakistani children aged between five and 15 are living with diabetes, warning that the country continues to struggle with preventable diseases due to the lack of effective measures to curb the consumption of sugary drinks.

Speaking at the inauguration of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Health Services Academy (HSA), the minister called for a fundamental shift from a treatment-based healthcare model to one focused on disease prevention.

He argued that Pakistan&#39;s growing burden of diabetes, hepatitis, heart disease and maternal mortality had turned public health into a national security concern and underscored the need for stronger preventive policies.

Kamal said the healthcare system could not be improved without reducing the number of patients entering it, stressing the importance of preventive healthcare, primary health services and a trained medical workforce.

He pointed out that while nearly 10 million children are affected by diabetes, effective steps to reduce the consumption of sugary beverages have yet to be implemented.

Addressing the ceremony, the minister said Pakistan needed a healthcare system centred on disease prevention rather than treatment. He maintained that improving the healthcare system required reducing the overall disease burden on society.

He also emphasised the need for broader social reform, saying that a good human being was more likely to become a good doctor, officer or minister.

Kamal noted that around 6.2 million children are born in Pakistan every year and said rapid population growth was placing increasing pressure on healthcare, education and other sectors.

Highlighting key health indicators, he said approximately 11,000 women die annually from pregnancy-related complications, while 11 million hepatitis patients are registered across the country. He added that one person dies from a heart attack every minute in Pakistan.

The minister criticised what he described as policy inconsistencies, noting that contraceptive medicines are subject to an 18 per cent tax while efforts to increase taxes on sugary drinks have not succeeded.

He argued that Pakistan&#39;s challenges stemmed not from a shortage of resources but from administrative shortcomings and ineffective governance.

According to Kamal, provinces received Rs8.6 trillion for development projects last year, but the real challenge lies in ensuring those resources are utilised efficiently.

He said the health sector had become a matter of national security and reiterated that the government was focusing on disease prevention, strengthening primary healthcare services and developing a skilled medical workforce.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Services Academy Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shehzad Ali Khan said the newly established School of Pharmaceutical Sciences would play an important role in advancing pharmacy education, research and public health.

The ceremony was attended by health experts, academics, pharmacists and other distinguished figures from the healthcare.]]>
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			<title>Govt extends austerity measures until June 30, eases operating hours</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612378/govt-extends-austerity-measures-until-june-30-eases-operating-hours</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612378/govt-extends-austerity-measures-until-june-30-eases-operating-hours#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 06:09:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Islamabad]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Revised business hours apply to standalone grocery, neighbourhood convenience stores]]>
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				<![CDATA[The government on Wednesday extended a series of austerity measures until June 30 and allowed standalone grocery and kiryana stores to remain open until 10pm, following a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad.

Earlier this month, the federal government relaxed business closing hours as part of revised energy conservation measures, citing rising temperatures and longer summer daylight hours. Under the changes announced on June 3, shops, markets and shopping malls were allowed to remain open until 9pm, while restaurants and food outlets could operate until 11pm. Marriage halls and marquees were permitted to stay open until 10pm.

The decisions were taken during a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, which also considered extending measures that were due to expire on June 13.



Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 chaired a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures.

The Committee reviewed several cases submitted by various Ministries and&hellip; pic.twitter.com/22XYEe39S2
&mdash; Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (@DPM_PK) June 10, 2026



According to an official statement, the committee &quot;reviewed several cases submitted by various Ministries and Divisions seeking exemptions from the applicability of certain austerity measures&quot; and finalised its recommendations.

&quot;It was also decided that Consular Attestation services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its liaison offices in Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar, Gujrat, and Lahore would remain operational on Fridays as well for public facilitation,&quot; the statement added.

Read: Govt revises market timings, citing longer daylight hours, rising temperatures

The committee further recommended extending the duration of some austerity measures that were due to expire later this week.

&quot;The committee further recommended extending the applicability period of those additional austerity measures whose expiry date had been notified as June 13,&nbsp;2026 until June 30, 2026,&quot; the statement said.

In a move affecting retailers, the committee approved revised business hours for standalone grocery and neighbourhood convenience stores.

&quot;The committee also decided to extend the closing time of standalone grocery and kiryana stores to 10:00pm&nbsp;on all days of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays,&quot; according to the statement.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers for Petroleum, Climate Change, and IT &amp; Telecom; the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Finance; the Special Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister (SADPM); the Secretaries of Cabinet, Commerce, Petroleum, and IT &amp; Telecom; as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant Ministries and Divisions.

Read More: ICT imposes early closure for markets

Austerity

The austerity measures were introduced after a sharp escalation in tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States disrupted global energy markets. Following military exchanges and Iran&#39;s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, international oil prices surged, driving up Pakistan&#39;s import bill and putting pressure on domestic fuel prices.

In response, the government raised petroleum prices several times, with the steepest increases recorded in April. Officials said the adjustments were necessary to reflect higher international oil prices and ensure fuel supplies remained uninterrupted.

In March, to curb fuel consumption and reduce energy costs, the federal government imposed a series of austerity measures across Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. These included earlier closing times for markets and commercial centres, an additional weekly holiday for government offices, cuts to free fuel allocations for ministers, and restrictions on the use of official vehicles.

The restrictions were temporarily eased ahead of Eid but were reinstated from April 1 as the government sought to manage the impact of the ongoing fuel crisis.]]>
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			<title>NEPRA slashes power tariff by Rs1.98</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612350/nepra-slashes-power-tariff-by-rs198</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612350/nepra-slashes-power-tariff-by-rs198#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:36:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612350</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Consumers to get relief for three months]]>
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				<![CDATA[The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has reduced electricity tariffs by up to Rs1.9857 per unit under the quarterly tariff adjustment mechanism, providing relief worth over Rs67 billion to consumers across the country.

The regulator approved an overall negative adjustment of Rs67.173 billion and decided that the relief would also be extended to K-Electric consumers during the same applicability period. The reduction will be passed on to eligible consumers over three months - June, July and August 2026.

&quot;Based on the discussion made in the above paragraphs, the Authority has decided to approve an overall negative adjustment of Rs67,173 million,&quot; the power regulator said in its decision, adding that it had also approved the application of the quarterly adjustment for K-Electric consumers with the same applicability period.

&quot;Accordingly, the relief of instant negative quarterly adjustment of Rs 1.9857/kWh shall also be provided to the consumers of K-Electric except lifeline, Incremental consumption package billed units and prepaid consumers, to be passed in a period of 03 months i.e. June, July and August 2026,&quot; the regulator said.

Nepra further stated that the negative adjustment would be provided uniformly at the rate of Rs1.9857 per unit during June, July and August 2026. The relief will apply to all consumer categories except lifeline consumers, units billed under the incremental consumption package, and prepaid consumers.

The power regulator conducted a public hearing on the matter on May 19, 2026.

During the hearing, commentator Amir Sheikh requested that the proposed negative quarterly adjustment be implemented during the billing months of May, June and July in order to offset the impact of upcoming positive Fuel Charges Adjustments (FCAs).

He also sought clarification regarding the positive capacity charges adjustment claimed by Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) and Hazara Electric Supply Company (Hazeco), despite higher sales figures.

In response, company officials explained that the higher allocation of capacity charges resulted from increased demand, coupled with proportionately lower energy purchases than the reference levels, which contributed to the positive capacity charges adjustment for the two distribution companies.

Officials further noted that, from the consumers&#39; perspective, the overall capacity charges adjustment remained negative and would ultimately benefit electricity users.

Another commentator, Rehan Javed, commended the operation of certain efficient power plants on natural gas instead of re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG), saying the move would likely provide relief in the upcoming FCA. He urged authorities to continue the practice in the future.]]>
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			<title>FCC entertains POL levy, tariff pleas</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612349/fcc-entertains-pol-levy-tariff-pleas</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612349/fcc-entertains-pol-levy-tariff-pleas#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:36:47 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Hasnaat Malik]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612349</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[FCC asked to constitute a commission to examine constitutional, fiscal, economic impact of the petroleum levy.]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has entertained two constitutional petitions against the imposition of a huge petroleum levy and the hike in petroleum product prices. The FCC registrar has allotted numbers to the petitions.

In the petition, filed by JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, the FCC has been requested to issue directions for constituting an independent, expert-assisted mechanism or commission to examine the constitutional, fiscal, economic, and federal implications of the present petroleum levy structure.

The government announced a petroleum and carbon levy under an iron-clad commitment with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The petroleum levy on petrol currently stands at Rs117.41 per litre, while the levy on HSD is Rs42.60 per litre.

Likewise, the FCC has also entertained a petition filed by advocate Zulfikar Ahmed Bhutta on May 1. The petitioner requested the FCC to direct the government to withdraw the recent price hike in petroleum products.

Both petitions were filed directly in the FCC under Article 175E of the Constitution. Interestingly, the FCC registrar&#39;s office did not raise any objections to either petition.

The court entertained the petitions weeks after they were filed. The FCC was established by the present regime through the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

In the context of Pakistan, a petroleum levy is a federal tax imposed on petroleum products such as petrol (motor spirit), high-speed diesel (HSD), kerosene, and light diesel oil. It is one of the government&#39;s most important non-tax revenue sources.

The petroleum levy is a fixed charge per litre that the government collects on fuel sales. Unlike sales tax which is percentage-based, the petroleum levy is a specific amount per unit.

It is imposed under federal laws such as the Petroleum Products (Petroleum Levy) Ordinance, 1961, and subsequent finance laws. The federal government has the authority to adjust it through finance bills and statutory regulatory orders (SROs).]]>
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			<title>A world cup of their own</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612323/a-world-cup-of-their-own</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612323/a-world-cup-of-their-own#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:10:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Qaisar Kamran]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612323</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Before the first whistle blows, a football-mad neighbourhood transforms itself into a living tribute]]>
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				<![CDATA[The FIFA World Cup 2026 is still months away, but in the city&#39;s Siddiq Goth, the countdown is already visible on the walls.

Across the neighbourhood, artists armed with paintbrushes and ladders are transforming blank surfaces into colourful tributes to football&#39;s biggest stars and nations. Volunteers work late into the night, children contribute their pocket money, and residents prepare for a celebration that has become a cherished tradition.

For nearly two decades, this football-loving community in Malir has welcomed every World Cup not merely as spectators, but as hosts of a festival built around the beautiful game.

This year, residents are preparing to welcome football&#39;s biggest event with traditional Baloch dance performances, fireworks, giant screens and streets adorned with colourful murals of international football stars and national flags.

The driving force behind these celebrations is the Gul Baloch Football Club, a community institution where football is not merely a pastime but a way of life.

&quot;Football fans come here and appreciate our young generation,&quot; says Ghulam Mustafa, a key organiser at Gul Baloch Football Club.

According to him, preparations for the World Cup festivities began weeks ago, but the tradition itself stretches back much further.

&quot;We have been organising these celebrations since 2006. One of our legendary artists, Attaul Imam, laid the foundation for this culture. In the Baloch community, sports are followed with great passion.&quot;

The preparations involve dozens of volunteers who divide themselves into specialised teams responsible for decorations, flags, media coverage and artwork.

&quot;We have a media team, a flag team, a decoration team and a painting team,&quot; Mustafa explains. &quot;Most of the work is done by volunteers, so our expenses remain low. Community members contribute donations, and even children donate their pocket money to help make the event possible.&quot;

Football&#39;s popularity in Siddiq Goth is deeply rooted in the area&#39;s sporting history.

&quot;We have our own football ground, and football has always been part of our lives,&quot; says Muhammad Saeed.

Across the neighbourhood, artists are busy transforming ordinary walls into giant football canvases.

&quot;We go to work in the morning and return in the evening. Then we continue painting late into the night, and sometimes until dawn,&quot; volunteer Shah Jahan said. Although Pakistan has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup, the absence of a national team has done little to diminish local enthusiasm. &quot;Unfortunately, Pakistan is not playing in the tournament,&quot; Shah Jahan said. &quot;But through our art and our passion, we feel connected to the World Cup. We are preparing at an international level and showing the world what Pakistani football fans can do.&quot;]]>
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			<title>BBH to get phased revamp</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612330/bbh-to-get-phased-revamp</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612330/bbh-to-get-phased-revamp#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:22:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Jamil Mirza]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612330</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Health authorities consider rebuilding old structures as hospital faces budget shortfall]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The Punjab government has planned the phased reconstruction of the deteriorating building of Rawalpindi General Hospital, now known as Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, which was established nearly 70 years ago.

The government will also undertake revamping of structures that remain in better condition.

Earlier, a Rs3.6 billion revamping project at Holy Family Hospital, the city&#39;s largest healthcare facility, was completed. Benazir Bhutto General Hospital, meanwhile, is facing a budget shortfall of Rs1.601 billion against its demand for the fiscal year 2025-26.

According to officials, Rawalpindi General Hospital, established in 1957 and renamed Benazir Bhutto General Hospital in 2008 after the former prime minister, currently has 968 beds.

Although the hospital building has undergone repairs and renovation on several occasions, concerns intensified after a large accumulation of water developed in the basement of the OPD building, causing structural damage.

During a video-link meeting, Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique directed officials to begin planning for the demolition of old and dilapidated sections of the hospital, excluding newer structures, and replace them with modern facilities under a comprehensive redevelopment plan.

He also instructed that the remaining buildings be revamped.

The minister was informed that construction of a Surgical Tower at the site of the existing administration block and a Medical Tower at the OPD block could help reduce the burden on the hospital.

Officials said the proposed plan could also accommodate a spacious parking area and a trauma centre. With proper expansion and planning, the hospital&#39;s existing bed capacity of 968 could also be increased.

Hospital records show that for the fiscal year 2025-26, the institution sought a budget of Rs2.493 billion. However, by the final stage of the fiscal year, only Rs892.12 million had been released, leaving a shortfall of Rs1.601 billion.

Despite financial constraints, the hospital continues to provide free medicines and laboratory tests in the emergency department, OPD, wards and operation theatres.

The hospital currently owes Rs1.112 billion under the heads of medicines, gases and disposable items.

It is also facing a budget shortfall of Rs1.601 billion compared to its requested allocation for medical and laboratory equipment and other operational requirements.]]>
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			<title>Digitisation planned to curb property fraud</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612338/digitisation-planned-to-curb-property-fraud</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612338/digitisation-planned-to-curb-property-fraud#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:28:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Imran Adnan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612338</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[LDA to launch digital transaction certificate system from July]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has announced a plan to introduce a fully digital property transaction system aimed at curbing fraud and eliminating illegal dealings and a long-standing real estate file culture.

From July 1, all property buying and selling within LDA-controlled housing schemes will be carried out exclusively through a Property Certificate issued by the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA).

No transaction will be legally recognised without the certificate.

According to a notification, any transfer or sale conducted without the certificate will trigger legal action under the LDA Act 1975. Officials said the move is intended to provide legal protection to citizens&#39; property records through QR-coded certificates enabling instant access to complete ownership details.

Under the new system, the practice of file-based property trading will be discontinued within the LDA jurisdiction.

All private housing schemes have been directed to transfer their records to the Housing Societies Management System (HSMS) by June 30.

LDA officials said the housing schemes would be able to issue certificates and registries through a digital portal, with the system being integrated with the powers of the sub-registrar to streamline approvals and record-keeping.

In parallel, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Lieutenant General (retired) Nazir Ahmed Butt announced reforms aimed at improving transparency in the real estate sector, discouraging cash transactions and strengthening regulatory oversight.

Addressing a meeting at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said authorities were working to eliminate fraudulent practices, non-transparent deals and the traditional file system from property markets. He said future property transactions would increasingly be routed through banking channels, while housing schemes would be required to maintain verified inventories and transparent record.

He added that the housing schemes would not be allowed to sell more plots than available in their approved land banks and a one-window mechanism was being developed to reduce regulatory delays for developers and investors. A memorandum of understanding was also signed between NAB and the LCCI to enhance coordination with the business community.

The NAB chairman advised citizens to verify NOCs, approved layout plans and legal status before investing in any real estate project to avoid fraud.

Separately, NAB distributed Rs462 million among affected citizens of several housing societies and investment schemes.]]>
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			<title>Abadgar Board slams IRSA over 25% cut in Sindh's water share</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612328/abadgar-board-slams-irsa-over-25-cut-in-sindhs-water-share</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612328/abadgar-board-slams-irsa-over-25-cut-in-sindhs-water-share#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 21:10:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Z Ali]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612328</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Farmers warn of severe irrigation crisis as body alleges unfair distribution under Water Apportionment Accord]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Representing rural communities facing acute shortages of irrigation and drinking water, the Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) has strongly criticised the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) for reducing Sindh&#39;s share of Indus River water by 25 per cent, while Punjab is reportedly facing only a four per cent shortfall.

In a statement issued on Monday, SAB office bearers and members said that despite the availability of surplus water in the system, Sindh&#39;s allocation had been reduced while water was being supplied to canals in Punjab in violation of the agreed framework.

SAB senior vice president Mahmood Nawaz Shah said IRSA had reduced Sindh&#39;s allocation by 33,000 cusecs - from 133,000 cusecs to 100,000 cusecs at Chashma Barrage in Punjab. &quot;This will take another 10 days to reach Sindh&#39;s irrigation system, where paddy sowing has already begun and requires water,&quot; he said.

He warned that farmers would be forced to re-transplant rice seedlings over an estimated 1.8 million acres of agricultural land due to the shortage.

Shah further said the decision had been taken at a time when combined storage levels at Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma barrages stood at over 3.9 million acre-feet, while inflows were exceeding outflows.

He alleged that IRSA had justified the cut on the grounds that Sindh had used additional water in previous months, adding that the surplus water had not been demanded by the province and could not be adjusted against its seasonal share under the Water Apportionment Accord of 1991.

Warning of severe consequences, Shah said the reduction would force water rotation and possible closure of distributaries, worsening an already fragile situation.

He noted that high temperatures had further increased crop water requirements due to higher evapotranspiration, adding that water storage in dams at this stage would deprive the agricultural economy of essential irrigation supplies.

&quot;The agricultural economy of lower riparian areas is likely to suffer massive financial losses due to this shortfall,&quot; he said.

Shah also pointed out that unlike Punjab, Sindh&#39;s aquifers could not compensate for canal water shortages.

The SAB urged IRSA to immediately release the available water share to Sindh to prevent crop losses and avoid a deepening irrigation crisis.

The meeting was attended by Dr Zulfiqar Yousfani, Dr Bashir Nizamani, Syed Nadeem Shah, Aslam Mari, Imran Bozdar, Mohamed Taha Memon and other office bearers, who also expressed concern over the situation.]]>
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			<title>Regional security profile</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612286/regional-security-profile</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612286/regional-security-profile#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:19:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612286</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Kabul-Delhi duo cannot absolve themselves by finger-pointing at Pakistan for everything that goes wrong in the region]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan&#39;s synopsis on security concerns vis-&agrave;-vis India and Afghanistan, made public at the UNSC on Monday, was on the mark. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar minced no words in making it clear that bias and vendetta are driving both Delhi and Kabul to plot against Islamabad. The permanent envoy at the world body substantiated his arguments by citing India&#39;s proxies at work inside Pakistan, especially in the desolate province of Balochistan, and Afghanistan&#39;s pampering of terrorist outfits on its soil.

It is no secret that India&#39;s new-found love for Taliban has made the regional security situation precarious, and Pakistan is on the receiving end. The spike in terrorist incidents since the Taliban&#39;s takeover of Kabul in August 2021 is a case in point, thanks to the collaborative role of India and Afghanistan, whose sole objective is to destabilise Pakistan.

Pakistan&#39;s envoy also put the record straight by saying that Islamabad&#39;s kinetic intervention inside the Afghan territory was solely meant to exterminate the terrorist hideouts in self-defence. Pakistan, having run out of patience, was justified in doing so. Kabul not only evaded Pakistan&#39;s legitimate demand to act against terrorists, but it also breached its commitments to the international community under the 2020 Doha Accord.

The Kabul-Delhi duo cannot absolve themselves by finger-pointing at Pakistan for everything that goes wrong in the region; they, too, need to engage in some introspection. Ambassador Iftikhar has thus rightly pointed out the compelling necessity for the Taliban to undertake &quot;verifiable&quot; and &quot;concrete&quot; action to clear their slate regarding counter-terrorism operations.

India, likewise, must scale down from its mentality of regional hegemon, and start dealing with its neighbours in a civilised manner. The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the boycott of sports events and the collapse of the dialogue process are unbecoming of a responsible, major neighbour. Kabul and Delhi would be better advised to extend an olive branch in terms of geo-economics cooperation, and unite against the menace of terrorism.]]>
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			<title>Paperless assembly</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612287/paperless-assembly</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612287/paperless-assembly#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:19:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612287</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Digital records improve accessibility and speed up document retrieval]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Punjab Assembly&#39;s first fully paperless session on 8 June marks a significant milestone in Pakistan&#39;s long and often uneven journey towards digital governance. By conducting proceedings under the newly introduced e-Assembly system, the legislature has taken a step that many democratic institutions around the world embraced years ago but which remains transformative in the Pakistani context.

The initiative deserves recognition not merely because it signals an attempt to modernise the way legislative business is conducted, but also because it carries environmental and financial benefits, as rightly highlighted by Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. The installation of secure tablets for lawmakers and the digitisation of parliamentary documents are expected to save millions of rupees annually while significantly reducing paper consumption. The move also aligns with the broader push by the Punjab government to digitise public administration and transition government offices towards paperless operations. The advantages are obvious. Digital records improve accessibility and speed up document retrieval, thereby strengthening institutional memory and reducing the bureaucratic delays associated with physical files. A paperless assembly can also enhance transparency by making legislative information easier to archive and track. Yet technology alone cannot strengthen democracy. The events of the same session indicated that while legislators debated on matters, proceedings ultimately descended into political friction over wheat-related issues and a lack of quorum that forced adjournment. A digital legislature is not automatically a more effective legislature.

The Punjab Assembly has taken an important first step. The challenge now is to ensure that technological modernisation is accompanied by democratic modernisation. The true measure of success will be whether citizens receive more transparent and accountable governance as a result. Pakistan&#39;s legislatures must strive to become not only paperless, but also more efficient and ultimately more representative of the people they serve.]]>
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			<title>Karachi's crime culture</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612288/karachis-crime-culture</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612288/karachis-crime-culture#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:19:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612288</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Recent statistics revealed by the CPLC highlight an alarming trend in terms of snatchings, thefts and even murders]]>
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				<![CDATA[There is little debate left about Karachi&#39;s liveability as it plunges further into disorder every year, especially when compared with other big cities of Pakistan. But one question will always remain unanswered - do citizens get the government they deserve, or does the government instigate citizens into living anarchically? Regardless, it comes as no surprise that an inflation-ridden land with barely any social protection is, according to the Citizens Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), reporting an uptick in crime and a deteriorating law and order situation.

Recent statistics revealed by the CPLC highlight an alarming trend in terms of snatchings, thefts and even murders. To illustrate - where there were 7,308 motorcycles stolen or snatched in the first five months of 2025, the year 2026 saw a staggering number of 16,031 for the same crime during the same time period. An almost 120% surge represents the growing frustrations of a society so deeply embedded in helplessness and misery that it sees no choice other than to condemn others to the same fate.

But perpetrators aside, the law enforcement agencies in Karachi appear to be steeped in that same helplessness which ostensibly prevents them from doing their jobs. Perhaps it is the condition of the roads that deters them from following criminals and carrying out due process! Or perhaps it is heatwave-induced confusion that makes them take wads of cash instead of filing a charge sheet! Whatever it may be, Karachi seems to be operating without a functional framework for law and order.

The persistence of street crime in this city is gradually being recognised as its culture - but that is dangerous territory. Conversations must again shift away from individual protection and instead towards state accountability. The people of Karachi deserve better than this sense of fear they carry around like a pocketknife.]]>
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			<title>Pakistani agri workers in Italy - victims and killers</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612285/pakistani-agri-workers-in-italy-victims-and-killers</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612285/pakistani-agri-workers-in-italy-victims-and-killers#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:19:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Daud Khan &amp; Ejaz Ahmad]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612285</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[There are about half a million foreign workers employed in Italy's agriculture sector]]>
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				<![CDATA[Monday, June 1, Amendolara, Southern Italy. Four agricultural workers &ndash; three Afghans and one Pakistani &ndash; were found dead in a charred minivan in the forecourt of a petrol pump. Footage from the security cameras of the petrol pump revealed what was effectively an execution.

Five workers were seated in the rear of the van. Two men seated in the front got off, sprayed the passengers with petrol and set fire to them. The window handles of the van had been removed to stop the passengers from getting out. One man managed to get out by breaking a window. The other four were burnt to death. The two people identified by the authorities as possible killers were Pakistanis. They are in police custody and will likely be tried for premeditated murder.

There are about half a million foreign workers employed in Italy&#39;s agriculture sector, constituting about a third of the total work force. Most of them are engaged in the hardest and most menial jobs. Work hours are long &ndash; sometimes stretching to ten hours a day, even in sizzling heat and freezing cold. Many of these workers are Pakistanis hailing from the rural areas of central Punjab. Some have legal documents to live and work in Italy. But most of them have reached Italy illegally, having travelled a grueling overland route and paid something like 10 to 15 lakh Pakistani rupees to human traffickers.

Most of the Pakistani agriculture workers are managed by &quot;agents&quot; who are usually also Pakistanis. These agents find job for the workers, provide them accommodation, and transport them to and from worksites. For these services, the agents take 60-80% of their salary, leaving them barely enough for food and other essentials. As a general practice, the agents keep the passports and identity cards of the workers in their own custody.

Apparently, the workers killed in Amendolara were asking for better pay and a formal contract that would give them legal rights and privileges. Their &quot;agents&quot;, unwilling to do so, decided to make an example of them.

The prime minister, all political parties and trade unions have condemned the incident. A big demonstration was held in Amendolara for better implementation of labour laws, particularly for foreign workers in the agriculture sector.

Going forward, several issues need to be addressed.

Firstly, there is a need to inform potential migrants of the difficulties, hazards and dangers of illegal migration &ndash; some have likened the journey to going through a meat grinder &ndash; qeemay ki machine. Potential migrants should also be aware that once they get to Italy, there is a high risk of ending up in modern day slavery &ndash; brutal working conditions, unbearably long hours and scant wages. The agents who go around in poor rural areas portraying Italy as a land of opportunities must be countered and stopped.

Secondly, the Government of Pakistan and its representatives in Italy need to do much more to highlight the plight of illegal Pakistani migrants living in subhuman conditions. In doing so, Pakistan&#39;s representatives not only need to liaise with the authorities but also with the trade unions that have been playing a leading role in tackling this issue.

Thirdly, there is need to counter the propaganda of the right-wing populist parties in Italy, and in other European countries, which try to portray immigrants, particularly Muslims, as criminals and killers. Pakistanis who live, work and study in Italy need to anchor themselves as productive and hardworking members of society. They need to cultivate an active presence in civic and political life here, while engaging in cultural, artistic and sports arenas. Doing so is also essential in the context of providing relatable role models for the rapidly growing second generation of Pakistanis in Italy.]]>
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			<title>Brain drain, youth dividend and entrepreneurial spirit of Pakistan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612289/brain-drain-youth-dividend-and-entrepreneurial-spirit-of-pakistan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612289/brain-drain-youth-dividend-and-entrepreneurial-spirit-of-pakistan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:19:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fiza Farhan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612289</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Migration rate is 71% for skilled and semi-skilled, 24% for highly skilled and 32% for highly qualified professionals]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan does not have a shortage of talent. It has a shortage of pathways through which that talent can become productive at home. It is the world&#39;s fifth most populous country with more than 60% of citizens under 30. This youth bulge is often described as a demographic opportunity. But opportunity does not automatically translate into growth.

Pakistan&#39;s young workforce has the potential to produce goods, add value, export services, build enterprises and deliver essential public and private services. But when the economy fails to create high-quality jobs, many young professionals are pushed to seek better opportunities abroad. This has resulted in a steady exodus of talent, commonly described as brain drain.

Brain drain means fewer doctors and nurses in underserved areas, fewer qualified teachers and researchers, and the loss of policy experts, engineers, civil servants and other skilled professionals. According to a study by PIDE, the migration rate is 71% for skilled and semi-skilled, 24% for highly skilled and 32% for highly qualified professionals.

The cost of this loss is not limited to the money spent on educating and training those who leave. It also represents the lost opportunity of converting youth dividend into domestic productivity. One estimate places Pakistan&#39;s productivity loss from migration at $303.4 billion in 2023, even after accounting for remittances. While remittances play an important role in supporting households and easing balance-of-payments pressures, they cannot be treated as a substitute for domestic job creation, skills development and industrial growth.

This is why Pakistan must build stronger local industries and support young entrepreneurs who can create jobs, solve local problems and compete in wider markets.

Pakistan already has examples of what this potential can look like. There are start-ups focusing on: addressing the problem of high upfront education costs by offering student financing; using technology to provide Urdu-based speech therapy services; contributing to Pakistan&#39;s EV sector; spotting local talent, improving its capacity to meet international standards and connecting it with global markets. Then there are entrepreneurs from Gilgit-Baltistan who are demonstrating how indigenous resources can be connected to international buyers through more organised, ethical value chains.

The Government of Pakistan has taken some steps towards building an incubation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Ignite, under the Ministry of IT and Telecom, has supported initiatives such as the Pakistan Startup Fund and the Challenge-Driven Innovation Fund. The Prime Minister&#39;s Cloud Program for Startups provides subsidised cloud credits, advisory support and access to global cloud service partnerships. Jazz xlr8, operating through the National Incubation Center, has also helped selected startups access technical support, marketing expertise and international exposure.

These examples show that Pakistan&#39;s problem is not a lack of ideas. The real challenge is that these success stories remain too isolated. The UNDP&#39;s State of Youth Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Pakistan report captures this problem clearly. Pakistan&#39;s entrepreneurship ecosystem has expanded since 2012, yet rural youth, women, persons with disabilities and marginalised communities still face significant barriers. Startups require business registration, access to affordable credit, strong mentorship, digital infrastructure, market linkages, research and development support and better connections between universities, industry and investors.

Access to finance and business tools is especially important for micro, small and medium enterprises. There are startups involved in helping small businesses digitise bookkeeping, cash flow management and credit records using digital ledger tools and automated payment reminders. Such solutions can improve how small enterprises operate, but they need to be supported by broader financial inclusion.

Pakistan&#39;s youth dividend will be realised when young people are given the skills, capital, mentorship, technology and markets needed to become productive economic actors within Pakistan. If we fail to create these pathways, the country will continue to lose the very human capital it needs for growth.]]>
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			<title>Beyond provincial monopolies</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612290/beyond-provincial-monopolies</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612290/beyond-provincial-monopolies#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:19:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Dr Syed Akhtar Ali Shah]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612290</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Several notable innovations in governance have emerged from provincial initiatives]]>
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				<![CDATA[Professor Ahsan Iqbal&#39;s recent article, &quot;Competitive Federalism or Centralised Provincial Monopolies?&quot;, has rekindled an important debate on federalism and governance in Pakistan. He rightly describes the 18th Constitutional Amendment as one of the most consequential democratic reforms in Pakistan&#39;s constitutional history. By devolving seventeen major subjects from the federation to the provinces, the amendment sought to correct decades of over-centralisation and strengthen the federation through the principle of subsidiarity - that governance should operate at the lowest effective level closest to citizens.

Professor Iqbal&#39;s central argument is that while provinces demanded decentralisation from Islamabad, they have themselves become centralised entities by failing to devolve authority and financial resources to local governments. He contends that this contradiction has weakened the true spirit of the 18th Amendment and suppressed the competitive dynamics that drive innovation, efficiency and responsiveness in modern states.

The concern regarding weak local governments is valid. Effective local governance remains one of Pakistan&#39;s most neglected areas. Yet the broader conclusion that provincial autonomy is primarily responsible for governance shortcomings requires a more careful assessment of constitutional history, fiscal realities and institutional performance.

The first point often overlooked is that fiscal federalism in Pakistan did not begin with the 18th Amendment. Article 160 of the Constitution, governing the NFC, was incorporated in the original Constitution of 1973 through national consensus. Likewise, the landmark 7th NFC Award was agreed before the passage of the 18th Amendment in 2010. The constitutional principle of provincial empowerment therefore predates the amendment itself.

Equally important is the fact that provinces were never merely passive administrative units waiting to receive powers from Islamabad. Since the inception of Pakistan, sectors such as education, health, agriculture, irrigation, roads, local infrastructure and numerous public services have largely been administered by provincial governments. The 18th Amendment primarily removed overlaps created by the Concurrent Legislative List and clarified provincial authority rather than creating an entirely new governance structure.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa offers a useful example. The province administers more than twenty-seven thousand public schools, hundreds of colleges, dozens of public universities, an extensive healthcare network, thousands of kilometres of roads, irrigation infrastructure, industrial development institutions and energy projects. Similar responsibilities are borne by the other provinces. These realities demonstrate that provinces are not merely intermediaries between the federation and local governments; they are the principal providers of public services to citizens.

The more fundamental question, therefore, is whether provinces possess adequate resources to discharge these responsibilities effectively. Despite the 18th Amendment, the major revenue-generating instruments remain concentrated at the federal level. Customs duties, corporate taxation and several other significant sources of revenue continue to be collected and controlled by the federation. Provinces remain heavily dependent on NFC transfers to finance education, healthcare, infrastructure, policing and development programmes.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa faces additional burdens arising from terrorism, climate-related disasters and the integration of the merged districts. These responsibilities place extraordinary pressure on provincial finances. Consequently, governance challenges cannot simply be attributed to provincial reluctance to devolve authority; they are also linked to structural fiscal constraints and the mismatch between responsibilities assigned and resources available.

There is another dimension of the debate that deserves equal attention. If the failure to devolve authority to local governments is the principal measure of governance, then the same standard should logically be applied to the federal government.

Islamabad, the federal capital, presents a revealing example. Despite being directly administered by the federation, local government institutions remain weak and largely peripheral. Most critical functions, including law and order, development planning, land administration, municipal regulation and public service delivery, continue to be controlled by federal ministries and attached departments, particularly the Ministry of Interior. In practical terms, the city government exercises limited authority over matters that directly affect citizens. If provinces are criticised for centralising authority, intellectual consistency requires that the federation also be subjected to the same scrutiny.

The same observation extends to federally administered institutions. Pakistan Railways has struggled for decades with operational inefficiencies, ageing infrastructure and recurring financial difficulties. PIA remained under federal control throughout its existence, yet became synonymous with chronic losses and managerial challenges. Pakistan Steel Mills, despite repeated federal interventions, ultimately suffered operational collapse.

Similarly, federal institutions responsible for research, innovation and economic management have not always delivered outcomes commensurate with expectations. The FBR provides perhaps the most compelling example. Year after year, revenue targets are revised, missed or achieved through extraordinary measures rather than through sustainable broadening of the tax base. So, if centralisation by itself guarantees efficiency, innovation and accountability, why has this highly centralised institution struggled to realise its full potential?

These examples do not establish that federal control is inherently ineffective, just as provincial control is not inherently inefficient. They do, however, demonstrate that governance failures cannot be simplistically attributed to the location of constitutional authority. Administrative competence, professional leadership, institutional continuity, accountability, merit-based appointments and sound policy implementation remain the decisive variables.

Indeed, several notable innovations in governance have emerged from provincial initiatives. From emergency response systems and health-sector reforms to digitisation projects and service-delivery innovations, provinces have often acted as laboratories for experimentation and reform. This demonstrates that innovation is not the monopoly of any particular tier of government. It flourishes where institutions are empowered, adequately resourced and professionally managed.

The issue is not provincial monopolies versus federal authority. Nor is it centralisation versus decentralisation. The real issue is the quality of governance. Pakistan&#39;s experience demonstrates that constitutional centralisation has not automatically produced efficiency at the federal level, just as devolution alone cannot guarantee success at the provincial level. Good governance depends not on where authority resides, but on how effectively that authority is exercised. Until that reality is recognised, the debate will remain focused on structures rather than outcomes and on symptoms rather than causes.]]>
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			<title>Five dead in South Korea aerospace plant blast</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611013/five-dead-in-south-korea-aerospace-plant-blast</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611013/five-dead-in-south-korea-aerospace-plant-blast#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 26 22:32:55 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2611013</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Five people have died and two others were injured on Monday after an explosion and fire on a South Korean production line for rocket propellant at a factory operated by Hanwha Aerospace in the city of Daejeon, officials said.

The two survivors, including one who was badly burned, had escaped from the facility themselves, a fire official told a briefing.

&quot;Authorities have yet to identify the victims because their bodies were severely damaged,&quot; a health official told the same briefing.

A fire official said that an explosion had triggered the blaze, though the cause of the blast was still being investigated. The blast appeared to have occurred while water was being used to clean explosive material from tools making rocket propellant, a Hanwha official told a company briefing.

&quot;We bow our heads in apology to the victims and their bereaved families,&quot; said Chief Executive Officer Son Jae-il, pledging to cooperate fully with authorities to determine the cause of the accident.

The five dead included two temporary workers in their 20s and all were employed by Hanwha, the company said.]]>
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			<title>Israeli strikes kill seven in Gaza</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610261/israeli-strikes-kill-seven-in-gaza</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610261/israeli-strikes-kill-seven-in-gaza#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 26 18:45:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2610261</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[.]]>
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				<![CDATA[Israeli strikes killed at least seven Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday including five in a refugee camp and two in a car, health officials said.

Medics and residents said an Israeli drone fired a missile at people who came out of their homes when an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia tried to storm an area east of Maghazi camp.

As well as at least five fatalities, several people were injured.

The Israeli military, which has been fighting Hamas in the Palestinian territory since October 2023, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on that incident.

Incursions by Israeli-backed armed gangs, whom Hamas brands &quot;Israeli collaborators&quot;, have escalated in past weeks.

Leaders of those groups, who operate in areas under Israeli control, say they aim to topple Hamas rule.

Later on Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike struck a vehicle in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, killing two people and wounding several others, medics said.

The Israeli military told Reuters it was a &quot;targeted strike&quot; and provided no further details.]]>
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			<title>US, Armenia sign partnership agreement</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610262/us-armenia-sign-partnership-agreement</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610262/us-armenia-sign-partnership-agreement#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 26 18:45:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2610262</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[.]]>
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				<![CDATA[US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan signed a strategic partnership agreement in Yerevan on Tuesday, less than two weeks before parliamentary elections in the South Caucasus country.

Rubio&#39;s visit comes as Russia has threatened to exert economic pressure on Yerevan for its growing ties to the West by raising prices Armenia pays for Russian gas if the country turns away from integration with Moscow

On June 7, Armenia votes in an election pitting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan&#39;s Civil Contract party against an array of opposition parties, many of which are pro-Russian.

Rubio and Mirzoyan

also signed a framework agreement on critical minerals and another on cooperation on a proposed 43-km (27-mile) transit corridor across southern Armenia

that would give Azerbaijan a direct route to its

exclave of Nakhchivan

and into Turkey, Baku&#39;s closest ally.

Dubbed the &quot;Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP)&quot;, the corridor is a key part of a peace agreement reached last August between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have been at war on-and-off since the late 1980s. No formal peace deal has been signed.

The route would better connect Asia to Europe - bypassing Russia and Iran - at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in critical minerals deals with resource-rich Central Asian countries to the east of the South Caucasus region. The mining of iron, copper and zinc and other minerals is also a major sector of Armenia&#39;s economy.

&quot;We are going to be able to work together to make sure that both of our

countries, both of our economies, are going to have reliable access

to these critical minerals,&quot; Rubio said at the

signing ceremony on Tuesday.]]>
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			<title>Medical check up went 'perfectly' says Trump</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610265/medical-check-up-went-perfectly-says-trump</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610265/medical-check-up-went-perfectly-says-trump#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 26 18:45:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2610265</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[.]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Donald Trump said an annual medical check-up had gone &quot;perfectly&quot; Tuesday, as the health of the oldest US president ever to take the oath faces growing scrutiny with the approach of his 80th birthday.

It was Trump&#39;s third medical examination since returning to office last year and follows mounting speculation about issues including bruising on his hands and apparent sleepiness during meetings.

&quot;Everything checked out PERFECTLY,&quot; Trump posted on his Truth Social network as he drove back to the White House from the Walter Reed Military Hospital near Washington.

But Trump has long been accused of a lack of transparency about his health -- and the chronology of his various check-ups during his second term has added to the confusion.

He referred to Tuesday&#39;s check up as a &quot;six-month physical,&quot; despite the White House billing it as an annual dental and medical examination when it announced it earlier this month.

Trump&#39;s last scheduled annual check up was in April 2025. But it was followed by an unannounced hospital visit that October, which the White House then also described as an annual physical.]]>
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			<title>Trump envoy arrives for Greenland visit</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2608753/trump-envoy-arrives-for-greenland-visit</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2608753/trump-envoy-arrives-for-greenland-visit#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 26 02:04:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2608753</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[.]]>
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				<![CDATA[US President Donald Trump&#39;s special envoy to Greenland landed in Nuuk on Sunday for a visit of several days to the autonomous Danish territory, local media reported.

Governor of Louisiana Jeff Landry arrived for his first visit in the role and is due to take part in an economic forum in the Greenlandic capital on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Organised by the employers organisation Gronlands Erhverv, the Future Greenland event will bring together investors, political and business leaders to try to encourage investment there.

Landry&#39;s visit comes after international tension over Trump&#39;s repeated claims to the territory, which sparked alarm not just in Greenland and Denmark but across western Europe.

Landry arrived accompanied by around 10 other people and drove off in a convoy of five cars, the local daily Sermitsiaq reported.

The US ambassador to Denmark is due to fly in to Greenland on Monday.

&quot;Together, they will meet with a wide range of Greenlanders to listen and learn with a goal of expanding economic opportunities, building people-to-people ties, and increasing understanding between the United States and Greenland,&quot; said a US embassy statement sent to AFP.

Trump appointed Landry to the post on December 22.

In January, Trump backed down from his repeated threats to seize Greenland, after which Copenhagen and Nuuk held a first meeting in Washington.

Trump has repeatedly argued the US needs to control Greenland because of national security concerns, claiming that if the US does not take the Arctic island then it would fall into the hands of China or Russia.

Last Tuesday, Greenland&#39;s prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said talks between the territory, Denmark, and the United States had yet to produce an agreement, even if there had been progress.]]>
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			<title>Mysterious world beyond Pluto may have an atmosphere</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2606428/mysterious-world-beyond-pluto-may-have-an-atmosphere</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2606428/mysterious-world-beyond-pluto-may-have-an-atmosphere#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 May 26 21:48:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[afp]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2606428</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Formerly classified as a planet, Pluto was demoted to dwarf planet status in 2006]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A tiny, little-known world beyond Pluto appears to have an atmosphere, Japanese astronomers said Monday, defying what had been thought possible for icy objects in our cosmic backyard.

If confirmed, the roughly 500-kilometre-wide (310-mile) rock would become just the second world past Neptune in our Solar System to host an atmosphere -- after only Pluto itself.

Formerly classified as a planet, Pluto was demoted to dwarf planet status in 2006, in part because astronomers were discovering other similar objects in a distant region called the Kuiper Belt.

While NASA under US President Donald Trump has floated the idea of restoring Pluto&#39;s planet status, the discovery of another atmosphere nearby could undermine the argument for its reinstatement.

For the new discovery, Japanese researchers and an amateur astronomer pointed their telescopes at an object with the unwieldy name of (612533) 2002 XV93.

The icy world is nearly 40 times further from the Sun than Earth -- or roughly six billion kilometres away.

These dark objects can only be seen when they pass in front of a distant star.

When this happened in January 2024, the astronomers observed that the starlight did not immediately reappear, suggesting a thin atmosphere was filtering some of the light.

They estimate that the world has an atmosphere five to 10 million times thinner than Earth&#39;s, according to a new study in Nature Astronomy.

&quot;This is important because, until now, Pluto was the only trans-Neptunian object with a confirmed atmosphere,&quot; lead study author Ko Arimatsu of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan told AFP.

Such small worlds had not been thought capable of hosting an atmosphere.

&quot;This discovery therefore challenges the conventional view that small icy worlds in the outer Solar System are mostly inactive and unchanging,&quot; he added.

The researchers could not say for sure what created the atmosphere, which is nowhere near thick enough to support life.]]>
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			<title>Trump rules out any deal except ‘unconditional surrender’ as Iran vows to defend its ‘dignity and sovereignty’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2596085/trump-says-not-currently-considering-us-ground-forces-in-iran</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2596085/trump-says-not-currently-considering-us-ground-forces-in-iran#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 26 05:23:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Iran says some countries have begun mediation efforts amid retaliatory strikes]]>
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				<![CDATA[United States President &zwnj;Donald Trump demanded Iran&#39;s &quot;unconditional surrender&quot; on Friday and ruled out any deal, a dramatic escalation of his demands a week into the war he launched alongside Israel.

Trump made the remarks on social media just hours after Iran&#39;s president announced that unspecified countries had ​begun mediation efforts in one of the first signals of any diplomatic initiative to end ​the conflict.

&quot;After ⁠that, and the selection of a great and acceptable leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful ​and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of ​destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.&quot;



https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116182551337254643



On Thursday, Trump had told Reuters in a telephone interview that he was demanding the right to help select Iran&#39;s new supreme leader, to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed ​in the war&#39;s first day.

Israel pounded the Lebanese capital Beirut on Friday after ordering an unprecedented evacuation ​of the entire southern suburbs of the city, in a major expansion of the war.

It carried out heavy air strikes on Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut and started a &quot;broad-scale&quot; wave of attacks against infrastructure in Tehran, while Iran said it targeted the heart of Tel Aviv with missiles.

Explosions and flashes lit up the night sky over Beirut&#39;s southern suburbs. The Israeli military said it had carried out 26 waves of strikes overnight in the southern suburbs, saying targets included Iran-backed Hezbollah militia command centres and weapons storage facilities.

It also launched a new &zwnj;wave ⁠of attacks on Iran, saying 50 of its warplanes had struck a bunker beneath the destroyed Tehran compound of Khamenei, still being used by Iran&#39;s leadership after he was killed.

Iran says some countries have begun mediation efforts amid retaliatory strikes

Earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian revealed that some countries had begun mediation efforts as the Islamic Republic continued its retaliatory strikes against Israel and US military bases in the Gulf region.

&ldquo;Some countries have begun efforts at mediation,&rdquo; Pezeshkian wrote in a post on his official X handle.

&ldquo;Our response to them is clear: we are committed to lasting peace in the region, but we have not the slightest doubt in defending the dignity and sovereignty of our country,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;The intended audience for mediation should be those who, by underestimating the Iranian people, have stoked the flames.&rdquo;



Some countries have begun mediation efforts. Let&#39;s be clear: we are committed to lasting peace in the region yet we have no hesitation in defending our nation&#39;s dignity &amp; sovereignty. Mediation should address those who underestimated the Iranian people and ignited this conflict https://t.co/MxWCuNYOYR
&mdash; Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) March 6, 2026


Iran&rsquo;s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Kheibar missiles were fired towards Tel Aviv as part of the 21st wave of its &ldquo;Operation True Promise 4&quot;. In a statement, the IRGC said the wave began with a combined missile and drone operation targeting sites in the heart of Tel Aviv.

Overnight, Iranian drones attacked the US Al Udied airbase in Qatar, the biggest US base in the Middle East, Qatari officials said. There were no reported casualties.

The IRGC said Iranian forces had targeted the Ramat David air base and a radar site in Israel, the Al-Adiri camp in Kuwait where US forces are stationed, and a drone attack on a base hosting US troops in Erbil, Iraq.

A Guards spokesperson said new initiatives and weapons would soon be deployed to confront Israeli and U.S. aggression, without giving details.

&quot;This was an &#39;existential war&#39; for Iran, leaving us with no choice but to respond wherever American attacks originate from,&rdquo; Iran&rsquo;s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said at the Raisina Dialogues conference in New Delhi on Friday.

Hezbollah, in a message published in Hebrew on its Telegram channel early on Friday, warned Israelis to leave towns within five kilometres of the border.

&quot;Your military&#39;s aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the expulsion campaign it is carrying out will not go unchallenged,&quot; Hezbollah said.

At least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran since the fighting began a week ago, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The Lebanese health ministry has reported 123 people have been killed and another 683 wounded as a result of Israeli attacks this week. Its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. There have been no reported fatalities in Israel as a result of Hezbollah attacks.

Azerbaijan was preparing unspecified retaliatory measures on Thursday after it said four Iranian drones crossed its border and injured four &zwnj;people in the Nakhchivan exclave. Iran, which has a significant Azeri minority, denied it targeted its neighbour.

Ground troops in Iran

Trump said on Thursday it would be a &quot;waste of time&quot; currently to consider sending US ground troops into Iran, NBC News reported, dismissing the Iranian foreign minister&#39;s warning that such a move would spell disaster for invaders.

&quot;It&#39;s a waste of time. They&#39;ve lost everything. They&#39;ve lost their navy. They&#39;ve lost everything they can lose,&quot; he told NBC by telephone, adding that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi&#39;s earlier remark that Iran was ready for a US or Israeli ground invasion was a &quot;wasted comment&quot;.



US President Trump said Iran is being demolished &ldquo;ahead of schedule and at levels people have never seen before&rdquo;, claiming the country now has &ldquo;no air force, no air defence&rdquo; and the air force is &ldquo;gone&rdquo;.

🔴 Follow our LIVE coverage: https://t.co/q1Q18tbGFl pic.twitter.com/ILTEFBYY5m
&mdash; Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 6, 2026


Trump also indicated he is keen to see Iran&#39;s leadership structure removed and that &quot;we want to go in and clean out everything&quot; quickly.

&quot;We don&#39;t want someone who would rebuild over a 10-year period,&quot; he said. He added that he had ideas for a new leader but declined to name anyone.

Trump said earlier he would &quot;have to be involved&quot; in the appointment of Iran&#39;s next leader after US-Israeli strikes killed Khamenei when the conflict began on Saturday. He rejected the possibility that Khamenei&#39;s son Mojtaba could succeed his slain father, dismissing him as a &quot;lightweight&quot;.

Heavy attacks were reported in Tehran after Israel said it was hitting &quot;regime infrastructure&quot; in a &quot;new phase&quot; of the war it launched with the US against Iran.

Read: Middle East war spreads to Lebanon, Iraq as Israel attacks Tehran

The conflict, now in its seventh day, has seen Iran target Israel, the Gulf states, Cyprus, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. The violence has also spread to the Indian Ocean, where a US submarine sank an Iranian naval ship off the coast of Sri Lanka.

The Iranian ship was invited to take part in the International Fleet Review 2026 in India. The strike killed around 87 sailors.



Welcome! | خوش آمدید!

🇮🇳🤝🇮🇷 Indian Navy welcomes IRIS Dena, of the Iranian Navy, on her arrival at #Visakhapatnam to participate in #IFR2026_India and #MILAN2026, reflecting long-standing cultural links between the two nations.@India_in_Iran #BridgesOfFriendship&hellip; pic.twitter.com/O77v2qNJHJ
&mdash; Eastern Naval Command 🇮🇳 (@IN_HQENC) February 17, 2026


According to former Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal, he wrote in a post on X that, &quot;I am told that as per protocol for this exercise, ships cannot carry any ammunition. It was defenceless.&quot;



The Iranian ship will not be where it was if we had not invited it to talk part in our Milan exercise.

We were the hosts.

I am told that as per protocol for this exercise ships cannot carry any ammunition. It was defenceless.

The Iranian naval personnel had paraded before&hellip; https://t.co/3r8bWFJn8d
&mdash; Kanwal Sibal (@KanwalSibal) March 5, 2026


Araghchi has rejected calls for a ceasefire and stated there was no reason to negotiate with the US. Despite the challenges, Iranian forces continue to retaliate against Israel and its allies. According to Drop Site News, Iran warns that it has not begun using their &quot;new&quot; weapons.

IRGC spokesman Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini said, according to Mehr News Agency, &ldquo;The enemy should expect painful blows in every operational wave,&rdquo; he said, adding that Iran&rsquo;s &ldquo;new innovations and weapons&rdquo; have not yet been used on a large scale.



⭕️ Iran warns new weapons have not yet been used

Iran is prepared for a prolonged war and has not yet deployed many of its newest weapons systems, IRGC spokesman Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini said, according to Mehr News Agency.

➤ &ldquo;The enemy should expect painful blows in&hellip; https://t.co/54Lc5YXOFe
&mdash; Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 6, 2026


US-Israeli escalation

On Friday morning, Iranian media reported heavy strikes in Tehran shortly after Israel&rsquo;s announcement that it was targeting Iran&rsquo;s &quot;regime infrastructure&quot;.

Israel&rsquo;s military chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, warned that the US-Israeli campaign had entered the next phase and would &ldquo;further dismantle the regime and its military capabilities&rdquo;.

Zamir also hinted at &quot;additional surprises&quot; to come, but declined to disclose further details. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that &ldquo;firepower over Iran and over Tehran is about to surge dramatically&quot;.



🚨Important: IDF Chief of Staff outlines next phase of war against Iran and Lebanon

▪️On Iran, Israel will escalate strikes aimed at weakening the Iranian state:

&ldquo;We will intensify the blow to the foundations of the regime and its military capabilities. We still have additional&hellip; pic.twitter.com/rJdN0O3UmB
&mdash; Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 5, 2026


Iran&rsquo;s Revolutionary Guards responded by launching missiles toward Tel Aviv after an earlier explosion in central Israel caused a fire at a residential building. AFP journalists reported hearing simultaneous explosions in Tel Aviv, while rocket trails lit up the sky in Netanya, further north.

Trump backs Kurds

In the midst of the escalating conflict, Trump expressed support for Iranian Kurdish militias in Iraq, encouraging them to intensify their attacks against Iran.

Speaking to Reuters, Trump stated, &ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s wonderful that they want to do that, I&#39;d be all for it.&rdquo;

These militias, based along the Iran-Iraq border in Iraqi Kurdistan, have been in consultations with the US on launching attacks on Iran&rsquo;s western security forces.

Read more: Iran hits CIA site in Riyadh as US seeks to arm Kurdish forces against Tehran

Security sources reported two Iranian drone strikes on an opposition camp in Iraqi Kurdistan on Thursday, underscoring the rising violence. Iranian Kurdish forces have been preparing for such operations to weaken Iran&rsquo;s military while US and Israeli airstrikes target Iranian installations.

Iran&rsquo;s future leadership

Meanwhile, Hegseth sought to clarify that, despite Trump&rsquo;s comments, there were no changes in the US military&rsquo;s objectives in Iran. &quot;There&rsquo;s no expansion in our objectives. We know exactly what we&rsquo;re trying to achieve,&quot; Hegseth said.

Also read: US investigation points to likely US responsibility in Iran school strike, sources say

Azerbaijan prepares retaliation

Azerbaijan has vowed to retaliate after &quot;Iranian&quot; drones crossed its border and injured four people in the Nakhchivan exclave. President Ilham Aliyev condemned the attacks as an &ldquo;unprovoked act of terror and aggression&rdquo; and vowed to take action.

Hezbollah responds

Hezbollah, an armed force fighting against Israeli aggression in Lebanon, launched missiles in retaliation for the war.

Displaced families are seeking shelter on a beach, facing dire conditions.

Attacks across region

US forces sank an Iranian frigate off the coast of Sri Lanka that had travelled to India to take part in a parade, while Azerbaijan threatened retaliation after a drone attack on an airport. Iran also targeted US bases inside Gulf countries, including Qatar, which intercepted a drone targeting a US base in Al-Udeid. Bahrain reported an alleged attack on a hotel and residential buildings, while Saudi Arabia intercepted three ballistic missiles.

Casualties mount in Iran, Lebanon

In Lebanon, 77 have died. Thousands have fled southern Beirut, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Additionally, two paramedics have been killed in Shiraz, Iran, according to Al Jazeera.



UPDATE: Two paramedics killed in Shiraz, Iran: Report

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/C3iSVX4pRP pic.twitter.com/CXHJVw5D20
&mdash; Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) March 6, 2026


More than 3,000 homes in Iran were damaged by US-Israeli attacks, according to the Red Crescent.

Pir Hossein Kolivand, president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, says the US-Israeli attacks have damaged 3,643 civilian sites, including 3,090 homes. Also damaged are 528 commercial and service centres, 14 medical or pharmaceutical facilities and nine Red Crescent facilities, he said.

Most of the targets, he added, were in &ldquo;densely populated residential areas&rdquo;.

Drop Site News reports that 20 more Iranian civilians were killed and 30 injured after US&ndash;Israel strikes hit the Zibashahr residential area of Shiraz, a major city in southwestern Iran about 420 miles south of Tehran, the acting head of the political deputy office of the Fars Province governorate said, according to Islamic State News Agencies.



🚨 New: 20 Iranian civilians killed in U.S.&ndash;Israel strikes on residential area in Shiraz

At least 20 civilians were killed and 30 injured after U.S.&ndash;Israel strikes hit the Zibashahr residential area of Shiraz &ndash; a major city in southwestern Iran about 420 miles south of Tehran &ndash;&hellip; https://t.co/TRKWPIvfDd
&mdash; Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 6, 2026


Prolonged conflict preparation

US officials, including Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, confirmed that strikes from Iran have significantly diminished, with ballistic missile attacks decreasing by 90% and drone attacks down by 83%. However, Pentagon officials reaffirmed their commitment to the ongoing campaign, emphasising the availability of sufficient munitions for a sustained effort.

Global disruptions

The conflict has disrupted global markets, energy supplies, and travel. While oil prices have surged, global logistics and air transport have been heavily affected. Iran claims control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy chokepoint, but the US has signalled it may escort ships through the area if necessary.]]>
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			<title>Oil climbs as US-Iran tensions flare again while stockpiles tighten</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612381/oil-climbs-as-us-iran-tensions-flare-again-while-stockpiles-tighten</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612381/oil-climbs-as-us-iran-tensions-flare-again-while-stockpiles-tighten#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 06:56:45 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612381</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Brent futures rise 66 cents, or 0.7%, to $92.11 a barrel]]>
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				<![CDATA[Oil prices climbed on Wednesday, moving away from a seven-week low touched in the previous &zwnj;session, after the US&nbsp;military launched&nbsp;new&nbsp;strikes against Iran and as market data showed another large draw in US&nbsp;crude stocks.

Brent futures rose 66 cents, or 0.7%, to $92.11 a barrel at 0406 GMT, while US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 60 ​cents, or 0.7%, to $88.80.

The US&nbsp;military struck Iranian targets after President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday ​to respond to the downing of a US&nbsp;Apache attack helicopter, a fresh escalation ⁠that threatens to unravel a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.

The latest attacks shifted traders&#39; focus back toward ​war risks and potential supply disruptions, said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova.

&quot;While diplomatic efforts remain ongoing, ​the latest military exchanges have reintroduced a geopolitical risk premium into oil markets,&quot; Sachdeva said.

Tehran said it would resume hostilities if Israel continued to attack the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. Israel&#39;s refusal to end its campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah has hindered Trump&#39;s ​efforts to extend a tenuous ceasefire in the wider US-Israeli war with Iran into a durable settlement.

Read:&nbsp;Global oil inventories near 22-year low

&quot;With no ​imminent deal in sight and with the global oil market tightening significantly every day, we see upside to prices, particularly if &zwnj;these ⁠disruptions linger into the third quarter, a period of seasonally stronger oil demand,&quot; ING commodity strategists said in a note on Wednesday.

At the same time, Tehran has continued to block most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries a fifth of the world&#39;s crude oil and liquefied natural gas. Washington has imposed its own ​blockade of Iranian ports.

US&nbsp;Energy ​Secretary said on ⁠Tuesday that ship traffic in the Gulf and oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz are rising even as Washington and Tehran struggle to reach a deal on ​ending their more than three-month-old war.

Meanwhile, US&nbsp;crude oil inventories fell last week ​for an eighth ⁠consecutive week, according to market sources citing data from the American Petroleum Institute released on Tuesday, while gasoline stocks also declined.]]>
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			<title>Govt extends austerity measures until June 30, eases operating hours</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612378/govt-extends-austerity-measures-until-june-30-eases-operating-hours</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612378/govt-extends-austerity-measures-until-june-30-eases-operating-hours#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 06:09:04 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Islamabad]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Revised business hours apply to standalone grocery, neighbourhood convenience stores]]>
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				<![CDATA[The government on Wednesday extended a series of austerity measures until June 30 and allowed standalone grocery and kiryana stores to remain open until 10pm, following a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad.

Earlier this month, the federal government relaxed business closing hours as part of revised energy conservation measures, citing rising temperatures and longer summer daylight hours. Under the changes announced on June 3, shops, markets and shopping malls were allowed to remain open until 9pm, while restaurants and food outlets could operate until 11pm. Marriage halls and marquees were permitted to stay open until 10pm.

The decisions were taken during a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, which also considered extending measures that were due to expire on June 13.



Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 chaired a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Fuel Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures.

The Committee reviewed several cases submitted by various Ministries and&hellip; pic.twitter.com/22XYEe39S2
&mdash; Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (@DPM_PK) June 10, 2026



According to an official statement, the committee &quot;reviewed several cases submitted by various Ministries and Divisions seeking exemptions from the applicability of certain austerity measures&quot; and finalised its recommendations.

&quot;It was also decided that Consular Attestation services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its liaison offices in Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar, Gujrat, and Lahore would remain operational on Fridays as well for public facilitation,&quot; the statement added.

Read: Govt revises market timings, citing longer daylight hours, rising temperatures

The committee further recommended extending the duration of some austerity measures that were due to expire later this week.

&quot;The committee further recommended extending the applicability period of those additional austerity measures whose expiry date had been notified as June 13,&nbsp;2026 until June 30, 2026,&quot; the statement said.

In a move affecting retailers, the committee approved revised business hours for standalone grocery and neighbourhood convenience stores.

&quot;The committee also decided to extend the closing time of standalone grocery and kiryana stores to 10:00pm&nbsp;on all days of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays,&quot; according to the statement.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers for Petroleum, Climate Change, and IT &amp; Telecom; the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Finance; the Special Assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister (SADPM); the Secretaries of Cabinet, Commerce, Petroleum, and IT &amp; Telecom; as well as senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant Ministries and Divisions.

Read More: ICT imposes early closure for markets

Austerity

The austerity measures were introduced after a sharp escalation in tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States disrupted global energy markets. Following military exchanges and Iran&#39;s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, international oil prices surged, driving up Pakistan&#39;s import bill and putting pressure on domestic fuel prices.

In response, the government raised petroleum prices several times, with the steepest increases recorded in April. Officials said the adjustments were necessary to reflect higher international oil prices and ensure fuel supplies remained uninterrupted.

In March, to curb fuel consumption and reduce energy costs, the federal government imposed a series of austerity measures across Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. These included earlier closing times for markets and commercial centres, an additional weekly holiday for government offices, cuts to free fuel allocations for ministers, and restrictions on the use of official vehicles.

The restrictions were temporarily eased ahead of Eid but were reinstated from April 1 as the government sought to manage the impact of the ongoing fuel crisis.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan, Russia eye economic pact</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612312/pakistan-russia-eye-economic-pact</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612312/pakistan-russia-eye-economic-pact#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 20:48:11 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[ZAFAR BHUTTA]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612312</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Currency swap arrangement being studied to clear dollar payment hurdle]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan and Russia are set to sign an economic cooperation agreement by 2030 targeted at boosting trade and investment opportunities in different areas of the economy.

Pakistan has also agreed to join the International North-South Transport Corridor proposed by Russia, which will be connected to Gwadar Port.

Recently, the Russian deputy prime minister announced that Russia had extended support to include Gwadar Port in the International North-South Transport Corridor. The objective is to build maritime trade routes with Central Asia and complement China&#39;s Belt and Road Initiative.

The international transport corridor is a 7,200-kilometre multimodal network of sea, rail and road linkages aimed at connecting India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Central Asia.

Earlier, a $93 million export claim dispute between Pakistan and Russia halted investment from Russia. Owing to the row, Russia could not even legally extend a credit line to Pakistan. The matter was finally resolved during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in 2019, paving the way for ramping up trade and even offering investment opportunities to Russian investors.

Another stumbling block that stood in the way of Pakistan-Russia ties was the bar on payments in dollars because of US sanctions on Russia. To remove the hurdle, Pakistan proposed the signing of currency swap agreements with Iran and Russia to make payments in local currencies.

These countries are currently studying the proposal. Pakistan and Russia are also working on a roadmap to clear hurdles to bilateral investments and trade. Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari addressed a webinar titled &quot;Pakistan-Russia Bilateral Relationship at the Cusp of Shifting Global Order,&quot; where he highlighted a highly positive and pragmatic trajectory in bilateral relations over the past two decades.

Discussing the structural transformation in global politics, the minister noted that the residual distrust from the Soviet era had faded, elevating the partnership from an &quot;unfriendly country&quot; to a &quot;trusted friend&quot; across sectors such as trade, energy, defence and technology. This diplomatic momentum is driven by high-level engagements between the top leadership, reflected in four recent meetings between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

As co-chairman of the Russia-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), the energy minister emphasised the importance of regular engagements with his counterpart, Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev, describing the IGC as the foundation of their multi-faceted ties. Bilateral cooperation has expanded through structured frameworks including consultations on security, strategic stability and counter-terrorism, alongside mutual alignment at the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to advocate for an inclusive, multipolar international order.

A key focus of the address was regional connectivity, with Pakistan signalling its intent to join the International North-South Transport Corridor. Leghari welcomed the statement by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk regarding connecting the international transport corridor with Pakistan&#39;s Gwadar Port, which would build a crucial link in China&#39;s Belt and Road Initiative.

The minister highlighted that the Russian leadership had praised Pakistan&#39;s recent diplomatic role in mitigating the conflict between the United States and Iran, further reinforcing President Putin&#39;s acknowledgement of Pakistan as a genuine global stakeholder.

To unlock the substantial potential for bilateral trade and dismantle structural hurdles like restrictions on payment mechanisms, both nations have agreed to sign the Programme of Economic Cooperation by 2030.

Furthermore, the recent signing of the long pending Russia-Pakistan Readmission Agreement in Bishkek will ease visa regimes and facilitate business travel and people-to-people exchanges.

Pakistan&#39;s growing institutional engagement was recently demonstrated by fielding one of the largest delegations at the Kazan Forum 2026, alongside regular participation in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum and Moscow Energy Week.

Concluding his remarks, the federal minister reiterated that Pakistan-Russia relations were a vital component of broader Eurasian economic integration and regional stability.]]>
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			<title>Saudi's new national carrier gets off ground despite war, delays</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612385/saudis-new-national-carrier-gets-off-ground-despite-war-delays</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612385/saudis-new-national-carrier-gets-off-ground-despite-war-delays#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 07:25:15 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Riyadh Air, the country's second state-owned airline after Jeddah-based Saudia]]>
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				<![CDATA[Saudi Arabia launched its second national carrier Riyadh Air after more than a year of delays on Wednesday, defying the economic turmoil triggered by the Middle East war and strong competition from established Gulf airlines.

A London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Riyadh Air&#39;s white and lavender livery took off at 2:30am (2330 GMT Tuesday), putting in motion a flagship project in Saudi Arabia&#39;s push to reduce its economic reliance on oil.

Riyadh Air, the country&#39;s second state-owned airline after Jeddah-based Saudia, is meant to help turn the Saudi capital into a global hub to rival Dubai, the world&#39;s busiest for international passengers.

&quot;We want to bring glamour, we want to bring refinement, we want to bring grace back,&quot; Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas told AFP.

The launch, originally planned for 2025, was set back by delivery delays from Boeing, which has suffered a series of manufacturing and safety problems in recent years.

It also follows unprecedented attacks from Iran, which has fired thousands of drones and missiles at Gulf targets including airports, casting the wealthy region into sudden economic uncertainty.

But, for Douglas, ex-CEO of Abu Dhabi&#39;s Etihad airline, the inaugural flight is &quot;the culmination of four years&#39; worth of preparation&quot;.

Read:&nbsp;Iran&rsquo;s Revolutionary Guard says 21 US military targets hit across region

&quot;I think Riyadh, as a result of its geography, during this particular point in time, has been less affected&quot; by the attacks, he said, seated in a Riyadh Air Dreamliner cabin at a pre-launch event.

&quot;You have the trials and the tribulations, you win some, you lose some, you make progress, you sometimes have setbacks, but you have made it, and this day we&#39;ve made it,&quot; added the CEO.

Saturated market?

Saudi Arabia is building a major new airport in Riyadh with a planned capacity of 120 million passengers a year by 2030, compared to 53 million at the existing King Khalid International Airport.

Riyadh Air is owned by the $900 billion Public Investment Fund, the main vehicle for de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman&#39;s ambitious Vision 2030 economic reforms.

In a statement of intent, the airline ordered 132 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and last June signed for 25 Airbus A350-1000s, with an option for 50 more.
&quot;Our ambition is to be able to connect to over 100 international cities over the next five years,&quot; Douglas said.

At a ceremony celebrating the first planes&#39; delivery, PIF chief and Riyadh Air chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan described &quot;a historic moment for the nation&quot; and said the company would create &quot;200,000 direct and indirect jobs&quot;.

Saudi Arabia is focusing on Vision 2030&#39;s more pragmatic ventures as extravagances like NEOM, a futuristic city in the desert, and Riyadh&#39;s cuboid skyscraper Mukaab, are scaled back or scrapped to save costs.

Saudi Arabia, which is hosting the 2030 World Expo and the 2034 football World Cup, and welcomes millions of pilgrims to Mecca each year, aims to triple its annual air traffic to 330 million passengers by 2030.

Some analysts have cast doubt over these ambitions in a regional market that is saturated with competitors such as Dubai&#39;s Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad.

Yet Saudi airlines hold a significant advantage over Gulf competitors: a domestic market of approximately 35 million people, by far the region&#39;s largest.]]>
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			<title>Anti-immigrant violence erupts across Belfast after knife attack</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612387/anti-immigrant-violence-erupts-across-belfast-after-knife-attack</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612387/anti-immigrant-violence-erupts-across-belfast-after-knife-attack#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 07:38:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612387</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Masked men burn homes, torch vehicles as hundreds protest after video of attack goes viral]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Masked men burned families out of their homes in&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;and torched a number of vehicles in a wave of anti-immigrant violence on Tuesday night that followed a knife attack by a Sudanese man.

Hundreds of protesters, many with their faces covered, attacked police and burned vehicles in a number of locations across Northern Ireland after a video of the knife attack, which left one person with serious neck and head wounds, went viral.

A number of homes could be seen burning in the city on Tuesday evening. Video broadcast by the BBC showed police helping a family escape from a burning house. Local politicians and a pastor said many of those who were targeted were Black.

&quot;There can be no excuse and no justification for these attacks tonight,&quot; Northern Ireland&#39;s First Minister Michelle O&rsquo;Neill said. &quot;Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice.&quot;

Starmer describes knife attack as &#39;sickening&#39;

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had described the initial knife attack, which took place in north&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;late on Monday evening, as &quot;sickening&quot;.



The horrific attack in Belfast last night is sickening.

I have absolutely no tolerance for abhorrent scenes of violence like this on our streets.

My thoughts are first and foremost with the victim, and I thank the first responders, including members of the public who&hellip;
&mdash; Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 9, 2026


The assault, which is currently not being treated as terrorism, comes at a time of&nbsp;heightened tensions in Britain following the murder of a student who was handcuffed by police as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer, a Sikh man, falsely alleged a racist attack.

It also follows repeated protests&nbsp;about immigration, with populist parties saying Britain&#39;s asylum policy had allowed dangerous men into the country.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk reposted many messages denouncing the state of the United Kingdom. In response to a post from the anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson about the north&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;incident in which he called for protests after &quot;yet another invader attack on our people&quot;, Musk said: &quot;Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!&quot;



Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!! https://t.co/73GDcLLFwv
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 9, 2026



Northern Ireland&#39;s Justice Minister Naomi Long told Reuters that &quot;bad faith actors&quot; who would have previously struggled to find the province on a map had sought to weaponise the understandable fear and anger sparked by the knife attack to target those who had the same skin colour.

&quot;Do not allow your genuine concerns to be manipulated by bad faith actors,&quot; she said. &quot;We know in Northern Ireland the damage that can do when you demonise a whole group of people because of the behaviour of a few, and we do not want to go back there.&quot;

Claire Hanna, the leader of the opposition Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland, described the violence as a &quot;race based pogrom&quot;. &quot;The online ecosystem that talked this up will move on now and the people of&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;will be left picking up the pieces,&quot; she told Reuters.

Smaller protests also took place outside parliament in London while other gatherings were reported across Britain.

Vehicles burned across the city

In Northern Ireland, masked youths gathered early on Tuesday evening at points across&nbsp;Belfast, with police responding by deploying armoured vehicles. Rioters set fire to a number of cars across the city, while a bus was engulfed in flames in east&nbsp;Belfast.

The BBC reported that a crowd of 100 men kicked in doors and broke windows of homes on a street in east&nbsp;Belfast. &quot;They&#39;re getting put out just because they&#39;re Black,&quot; Pastor Jack McKee told the BBC after attacks on homes in the north of the city.

Read:&nbsp;Protesters condemn Ireland&#39;s &#39;George Floyd moment&#39; after death of Congolese-born man

The suspect in the stabbing, a 30-year-old Sudanese national, was charged on Tuesday evening with attempted murder, possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place and threats to kill. He is due to appear at&nbsp;Belfast&nbsp;Magistrates&#39; Court on Wednesday.

The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered significant injuries to his eyes and slash wounds to his face and back during the &quot;brutal&quot; attack, with a kitchen knife found at the scene, Northern Ireland&#39;s Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said.

Footage showed a number of members of the public trying to fight off the attacker before police arrived,&nbsp;and they were credited by senior officers with saving the man&#39;s life.

Northern Ireland was also hit by&nbsp;anti-immigrant rioting&nbsp;last year amid anger over an alleged sexual assault. Charges against two boys were later withdrawn by the prosecution service.]]>
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			<title>Death toll from Philippines quake rises to 46</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612384/death-toll-from-philippines-quake-rises-to-46</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612384/death-toll-from-philippines-quake-rises-to-46#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 07:10:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612384</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Most additional deaths are from Davao Occidental province, with most caused by landslides, collapsing buildings]]>
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				<![CDATA[Rescuers in the southern Philippines pulled a body from the rubble of a collapsed supermarket on Wednesday, as the death toll from a major earthquake climbed to 46.

The 7.8-magnitude tremor just off the coast of Mindanao on Monday brought down buildings, triggered landslides and set off tsunami warnings across a swathe of the southern island.

Joey Deluvio, 39, was one of two employees at a supermarket in General Santos City that has been the focus of recovery efforts despite the constant threat of aftershocks.

Life-detecting equipment had traced a &quot;weak pulse&quot; earlier in the operation, local rescuer Michelle Chua told AFP on Wednesday, but &quot;when they got to the body... there were no signs of life&quot;.

Deluvio&#39;s body was found pinned between two beams, Chua added.

Read:&nbsp;Outdoor hospitals, cut-off communities as Philippine quake toll hits 41

The national disaster agency raised the death toll to 45 on Wednesday, while the number of people missing jumped dramatically from four to 17.

However, the figure for fatalities did not include Deluvio, the civil defence office confirmed.

Most of the additional dead were from Davao Occidental province, and most had been killed in landslides or collapsing buildings, civil defence official Rafaelito Alejandro said in a radio interview.]]>
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			<title>US sentences ex-Taliban commander to 42 years in prison for hostage taking</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612390/us-sentences-ex-taliban-commander-to-42-years-in-prison-for-hostage-taking</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612390/us-sentences-ex-taliban-commander-to-42-years-in-prison-for-hostage-taking#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 08:06:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612390</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[New York court sentences Haji Najibullah for taking American journalist hostage, attacking US servicemembers]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A United States court on Tuesday sentenced a former Taliban commander to 42 years in prison and five years of supervised release for his alleged role in taking of hostages, including one American journalist.

A New York court handed down the sentence to 50-year-old Haji Najibullah for &ldquo;his role in the hostage taking of an American journalist and two Afghan nationals in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2008 and 2009,&rdquo; a court document read.

He was also sentenced for his leadership of Taliban fighters who carried out attacks on US servicemembers in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009, resulting in the deaths of American soldiers.

Read:&nbsp;Pakistan urges Afghan Taliban to take &#39;verifiable, non-reversible&#39; action against terrorists at UNSC

On April 25, 2025, Najibullah pleaded guilty to hostage taking and providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, the document said.

&ldquo;Those who harm Americans and engage in acts of terrorism will be hunted down and brought to justice, no matter how long it takes,&rdquo; said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, according to the document.

&ldquo;As a Taliban commander, Najibullah supported brutal terrorist attacks that killed American servicemembers and orchestrated the savage hostage-taking of an American journalist and Afghan civilians. Today&rsquo;s sentence delivers justice for the victims and their families.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>May ranked 2nd-warmest on record amid early European heat wave: EU's climate change service</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612382/may-ranked-2nd-warmest-on-record-amid-early-european-heat-wave-eus-climate-change-service</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612382/may-ranked-2nd-warmest-on-record-amid-early-european-heat-wave-eus-climate-change-service#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 26 07:01:58 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612382</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[France, UK, Ireland, Portugal experience one of most severe early-season heat waves on record]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[May 2026 was the second warmest May globally since records began, with exceptional ocean and land temperatures and an unusually early heat wave in western Europe, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) said on Wednesday.

The global average surface air temperature in May reached 15.81&deg;C (60.45&deg;F), which is 0.55&deg;C above the 1991&ndash;2020 average and only lower than May 2024, according to a statement.

Sea surface temperatures remained near record highs, with the tropical Pacific continuing to show strong warming as conditions trend towards a developing El Nino event.

Read: UK, Pakistan seal &pound;35m Green Compact

Europe experienced a rapid shift from cooler-than-average conditions to extreme heat in the second half of the month. Western Europe, including France, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Portugal, saw one of the most intense early-season heat waves on record, with numerous temperature records broken for May.

&quot;Feels-like&quot; temperatures reached between 35&deg;C and 40&deg;C in several regions, creating severe heat-stress conditions.

&quot;In Europe, an unusually early and intense heat wave demonstrates how quickly climate extremes are becoming the new normal rather than the exception,&quot; strategic lead for climate at ECMWF Samantha Burgess said.

While parts of western and southern Europe, including Spain and Italy, were drier than average, flooding affected T&uuml;rkiye, Bulgaria and Moldova.

Read More: El Nino alert: summer turns fierce

Northern Europe and parts of Scandinavia recorded wetter-than-average conditions, contrasting with widespread dryness across central and eastern Europe, where river flows fell below average in major basins, including the Danube and Vistula.

Outside Europe, wetter-than-average conditions were observed in northern and southeastern North America, parts of Asia, western China, Brazil, southern Africa and Australia.

In contrast, drier-than-average conditions affected the central United States, much of South America, Madagascar and southwestern Australia.

Arctic sea ice extent in May was about 4% below average, ranking fourth lowest on record for the month. In the Antarctic, sea ice was around 9% below average, the seventh lowest for May, with particularly low coverage in the Bellingshausen Sea.]]>
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			<title>PMD predicts rain, thunderstorms in parts of Sindh</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610526/pmd-predicts-rain-thunderstorms-in-parts-of-sindh</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610526/pmd-predicts-rain-thunderstorms-in-parts-of-sindh#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 26 07:51:31 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Aftab Khan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2610526</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says Karachi is likely to remain hot and humid over the next three days]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Saturday predicted light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and dust storms at isolated locations in parts of Sindh on June 1, offering relief after days of intense heat across the province.

The department said weather conditions driven by severe heat and westerly winds affecting northern parts of the country could trigger thunderstorms in Qambar Shahdadkot, Dadu, Mirpurkhas, and Tharparkar districts.

&quot;Despite the rain forecast, heatwave conditions were expected to persist across most districts of Sindh until Saturday,&quot; it said.

PMD said that Maximum temperatures in Kashmore, Khairpur, Qambar Shahdadkot, Jacobabad, Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad and Naushahro Feroze were forecast to range between 47&deg;C and 50&deg;C.

&quot;In Tharparkar, Badin, Hyderabad, Matiari, Tando Muhammad Khan, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Jamshoro and Sanghar, temperatures are expected to reach between 44&deg;C and 47&deg;C,&quot; it added.

Read: Severe heat persists in Sindh as Karachi records humid conditions

Meanwhile, Karachi is likely to remain hot and humid over the next three days, with daytime temperatures forecast between 35&deg;C and 37 &deg;C.

It said that Humidity levels in the city could reach around 80 per cent during the morning and 70 per cent in the evening, while south-westerly sea breezes were expected to remain fully active in the coming days, the PMD said.

On Thursday, Dadu set a new heat record, breaking the area&rsquo;s 10-year temperature record amid intense heat.

According to the PMD, a maximum temperature of 51.4&deg;C was recorded in Dadu on May 18, 2016. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 51.5&deg;C on Thursday.

The recorded temperature was 4.5&deg;C above the May average. Larkana and Jacobabad also recorded temperatures of 50.5&deg;C on the same day.]]>
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			<title>Govt declares May 26-28 public holidays for Eidul Azha</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2609125/govt-declares-may-26-28-public-holidays-for-eidul-azha</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2609125/govt-declares-may-26-28-public-holidays-for-eidul-azha#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 26 06:36:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Islamabad]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2609125</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Notification says all offices, educational institutions, and businesses will remain closed on notified dates]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday approved a three-day public holiday on the occasion of Eidul Azha from May 26-28 (Tuesday to Thursday).

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, the Prime Minister approved the three-day public holiday in continuation of the division&rsquo;s earlier circular No.10-01/2025-Min-II dated January 19, regarding public and optional holidays for the year 2026.

&ldquo;All offices, educational institutions, and businesses observing public holidays will remain closed on the notified dates,&rdquo; the notification said.

{{pdf}}

On May 17, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced that the moon of Zilhajj 1447 AH had been sighted in the country, and Eidul Azha would be observed on May 27.

He said testimonies of moon sighting were received from Karachi and other parts of Sindh, as well as Mardan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and several other regions. &ldquo;Therefore, it has been decided that the first Zilhajj 1447 AH will be on May 18, while Eidul Azha will fall on May 27,&rdquo; he said.

According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee for 29 Zilhajj, held on May 17 (today), took place at the Meteorological Department in Karachi.

Read: Zilhaj moon sighted, Pakistan to celebrate Eidul Azha on May 27

On May 12, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO issued its forecast for the sighting of the Zilhajj 1447 AH moon, stating that Eidul Azha was expected to be observed on May 27.

Inflation bites ahead of Eid

The Punjab, closely followed by the Sindh and federal government, announced last week that they were temporarily lifting early closing timings ahead of Eidul Azha, sparking hopes among traders for a much-needed business revival after weeks of uncertainty caused by rising fuel prices, regional tensions, and restricted market timings.

Petrol prices and expensive transportation have affected not only traders but also ordinary consumers planning for Eidul Azha. From clothing to groceries and sacrificial animals, prices this year have risen sharply compared to last year.

In cattle markets across Punjab and Sindh, buyers are facing sticker shock. A healthy goat that was available for Rs100,000 to Rs125,000 last year is now being sold for nearly Rs180,000 to Rs220,000 in many urban markets.

Read More: Eid rush returns, inflation bites

&quot;This year, even middle-income families are struggling to arrange money for sacrificial animals,&quot; said Shayan Baig, who was looking for an animal for Eid. &quot;No matter whether it&#39;s a goat, lamb, or a cow, at least Rs100,000 has been added, if we compare prices with the previous year&#39;s rates, which were also higher. I now have to adopt a wait-and-see policy, and will try again close to the Eid in the hope of getting an animal at a lower price.&quot;

Livestock traders argue that their own costs have also surged significantly. Transportation charges, fodder prices and inter-city movement expenses have all increased over recent months. Many sellers say bringing animals from rural areas to major cities has become far more expensive than in previous years.

The livestock sector remains a major part of Pakistan&#39;s rural economy during Eidul Azha. Thousands of seasonal workers, transporters, fodder suppliers and temporary market operators depend on Eid-related activity for income. Economists believe the festival generates billions of rupees in temporary economic activity every year.

At the same time, inflation continues to shape consumer behaviour. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, inflationary pressures remained significant during the first quarter of 2026 despite some easing in headline figures. Food items, transport costs and energy-related expenses continue to weigh heavily on household budgets.

In shopping centres, many retailers say consumers are visiting markets but spending carefully. Instead of bulk purchases, families are focusing on essential Eid buying only.]]>
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			<title>Over 164,000 Pakistanis deported from Gulf in 5 years</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2608912/over-164000-pakistanis-deported-from-gulf-in-5-years</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2608912/over-164000-pakistanis-deported-from-gulf-in-5-years#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 26 00:50:27 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Waqas Ahmed]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2608912</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Mahmood Khan Achakzai said the government had failed to respond to opposition demands regarding access to PTI founder]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[More than 164,000 Pakistanis were deported from various Gulf countries over the past five years, according to official data presented in the National Assembly on Monday.

The Ministry of Interior informed the House that Saudi Arabia led the list with 108,029 deportations, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 40,497, Oman with 9,814, Qatar with 2,971 and Bahrain with 2,779 cases.

The data was tabled during a stormy sitting that simultaneously saw opposition members escalate their protest over the denial of meetings with PTI founder Imran Khan and alleged restrictions on medical access.

The House, presided over by Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah, witnessed repeated sloganeering, a sit-in in front of the speaker&#39;s dais, and an unusual symbolic &quot;parallel assembly&quot; staged by opposition lawmakers led by Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai.

Speaking on the floor, Mahmood Khan Achakzai said the government had failed to respond to opposition demands regarding access to the PTI founder and healthcare concerns.

He warned that the opposition would not allow the House to function or participate in the budget process. The opposition later staged a walkout and also pointed out the lack of a quorum.

Meanwhile, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency also submitted its report in the House, revealing that more than 531,000 complaints were received between 2023 and the present.

The report stated that over 5,700 cases were registered during this period, while 7,600 individuals were arrested over the past four years in connection with cybercrime-related offences.

Separately, the rising cost of private healthcare in Islamabad was also taken up in the House.]]>
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			<title>Somali pirates demand $3m ransom to release hostages, including 10 Pakistanis</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2608822/somali-pirates-demand-3m-ransom-to-release-hostages-including-10-pakistanis</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2608822/somali-pirates-demand-3m-ransom-to-release-hostages-including-10-pakistanis#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 18 May 26 16:23:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2608822</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Pirates reject any third-party negotiations, ask government to speak with them directly]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Somali pirates have demanded a ransom of three million dollars for the release of seventeen hostages, including ten Pakistanis.

During ongoing communication between the pirates and the Ansar Burney Trust, the pirate leader sent a WhatsApp message on Monday stating for the first time that the release of all hostages, the ship, and its cargo would only be possible if they were paid three million dollars. The pirates refused any reduction in the amount or any negotiations.

Qurrat-ul-Ain Advocate, director of the Ansar Burney Trust, said that the contact took place on Monday.

The pirates denied recent reports claiming they had demanded ten million dollars. They also distanced themselves from a man named Usman, who had been presented in the media as the ship&rsquo;s owner and allegedly linked to the ten-million-dollar demand. According to Qurrat-ul-Ain Advocate, the pirates rejected any third-party negotiations and asked the Pakistani government to speak with them directly.

Read More: Hostage crew&#39;s video surfaces after 26 days in pirate captivity

The oil tanker Honour 25, sailing under the Somali flag from Oman to Somalia, was hijacked by pirates on the 21st of last month. There were 17 crew members aboard, 10&nbsp;of whom were Pakistani nationals. The families of the Pakistani hostages have continuously appealed to the government for the safe release of their loved ones.



Families of the Pakistani hostage crew members of the Oil Products Tanker the HONOUR 25 that was hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, hold placards during a protest, calling the government to take immediate action for the safe return of their loved ones, in Karachi, Pakistan May 13, 2026. REUTERS

According to the pirates, countries including Sri Lanka and India are in contact with them regarding their seven hostages, but they did not confirm any communication from Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities say they are in contact with both the pirates and the Somali government to secure the release of the Pakistani hostages.



صومالی بحری قزاقوں نے پاکستانیوں سمیت 17 یرغمالیوں کی نئی ویڈیو جاری کردی
یرغمالی پاکستانی شہری یوسف حسین کی حکومت پاکستان سے اپیل
یہ لوگ ابلے چاول اور ٹینک کا گندہ پانی پینے کے لیے دے رہے ہیں،بہت مشکل میں جلد سے جلد قزاقوں سے مزاکرات کریں ،ویڈیو میں بھاری اسلحے سے لیس قزاق بھی&hellip; pic.twitter.com/1IcDJ2jPCV
&mdash; Shahid Hussain (@ShahidHussainJM) May 15, 2026


In video and audio messages, the Pakistani hostages reported that food supplies and medicines on the ship had run out. They said they were being given only one serving of boiled rice per day.

Clean drinking water has also run out, forcing the hostages to drink contaminated water, which is causing illnesses among them.]]>
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			<title>PTCL warns of internet disruption during evenings from May 11-18</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2607318/ptcl-warns-of-internet-disruption-during-evenings-from-may-11-18</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2607318/ptcl-warns-of-internet-disruption-during-evenings-from-may-11-18#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 10 May 26 11:06:06 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Company says maintenance activity is planned on one of its submarine cables to repair fault]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) announced on Sunday that customers may face internet service degradation during the evenings from May 11-18.

In a post on X, the company said that maintenance activity was planned on one of its submarine cables to repair a fault by the International Cable Consortium.

&quot;Due to this maintenance, which will begin from tomorrow (Monday) and which can last for seven days, customers may have to face disruption in their internet service,&quot; it stated.



Important Notice 📢 pic.twitter.com/gPJBEI9toH
&mdash; PTCL (@PTCLOfficial) May 10, 2026


Last month, the telecommunications company posted a similar notice to X, stating that maintenance activity was planned on one of its submarine cables to repair a fault by the consortium.

This activity, which was to start on April 14, 2026, was to potentially last until April 20, 2026. Saying that customers may face internet service disruptions during the period, PTCL had expressed its regret for the inconvenience.



Important Notice 📢 pic.twitter.com/KHvBfrbQfe
&mdash; PTCL (@PTCLOfficial) April 13, 2026


PTCL had posted a net loss of over Rs10.46 billion in FY2025 despite earning revenue of Rs168.80 billion, while its total assets stood at Rs485.23 billion, the finance ministry reported in February this year.

Read: Five PTCL employees abducted in Bannu

According to the finance ministry&#39;s Central Monitoring Unit, the telecommunications company reported losses of Rs6.63 billion in FY2023-24, while a year earlier, in 2022-23, the company incurred a loss of Rs15.54 billion.

The company, which had recorded a profit of Rs28 billion in 2005-05, the year in which management control had been sold to United Arab Emirates-based telecom operator Etisalat, the profitability of the company continued to decline in subsequent years, eventually turning negative.

However, last month, it was reported that PTCL returned to profit following the acquisition of Telenor Pakistan. The company had also announced that it would formally launch Fifth Generation (5G) telecom services in May.]]>
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