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                        <title>Latest News, Breaking News &amp; Top News Stories | The Express Tribune</title>
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			<title>Oil set for steepest weekly loss since June</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602116/oil-set-for-steepest-weekly-loss-since-june</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602116/oil-set-for-steepest-weekly-loss-since-june#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 20:05:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602116</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Concerns rise over Saudi Arabia supply disruptions, limited flows through Hormuz]]>
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				<![CDATA[Oil prices rose towards $100 a barrel on concerns over Saudi Arabia supply disruptions and limited flows through the Strait of Hormuz, but were still on track for their biggest weekly fall since last June as a fragile ceasefire held.

Brent crude futures were up 40 cents, or 0.4%, at $96.32 a barrel at 1520 GMT. West Texas Intermediate futures were up 84 cents, or around 0.9%, at $98.71.

Both contracts have lost about 12% this week after Iran and the US agreed on Tuesday to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan.

However, fighting has continued and the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily restricted, keeping futures near $100 a barrel and pushing prices in the physical market to record highs.

&quot;The key issue for the oil market is whether ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will resume. So far, there are no signs of this happening. If oil supplies from the Persian Gulf remain blocked, oil prices are likely to rise again,&quot; Commerzbank analysts said in a note on Friday.

Iran wants to charge fees for ships to pass through the strait under a peace deal, a Tehran official told Reuters on April 7. Western leaders and the United Nations&#39; shipping agency have pushed back on the idea. Middle East producers shut in about 7.5 million barrels-per-day (bpd) of crude oil production in March as storage capacity tightened, with outages projected to rise to 9.1 million bpd in April, the Energy Information Administration, said in a report earlier this week.

Still, producers in the Middle East have asked Asian refiners to submit crude oil loading programmes for April and May in preparation for the eventual resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, three sources with knowledge of the matter said.]]>
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			<title>PSX tops 167,000 on diplomatic optimism</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602115/psx-tops-167000-on-diplomatic-optimism</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602115/psx-tops-167000-on-diplomatic-optimism#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 20:05:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602115</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[KSE-100 index rises 1,674 points, ends strong week on bullish momentum]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) resumed its bullish momentum on Friday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index gaining over 1,670 points to close near 167,200, supported by strong investor optimism over Pakistan-facilitated talks between the United States and Iran.

The market remained largely positive throughout the session, despite some profit-taking, capping off one of its strongest weekly performances with gains exceeding 11%.

At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index posted an increase of 1,673.87 points, or 1.01%, and settled at 167,191.38.

Arif Habib Limited (AHL) noted that Pakistan&#39;s stock market witnessed one of its strongest weekly performances, with the benchmark KSE-100 index posting a remarkable gain of over 11%. On Friday, the index rose by 1.01%, closing at 167,191 points, below the intra-day high of 168,290 as investors engaged in profit-taking following the recent rally.

Despite the dip, market breadth remained positive, with 79 stocks advancing and 21 declining. Major contributors to the index were MCB Bank (+2.41%), The Bank of Punjab (+10%) and Habib Bank (+1.9%), while Meezan Bank (-2.08%), Systems Limited (-7.15%) and Engro Holdings (-0.57%) acted as key drags.

Market sentiment remains cautiously optimistic, as investors look ahead to the peace talks between the US and Iran, which could serve as a significant catalyst if progress is achieved. A favourable outcome may position Pakistan to benefit from improved global sentiment and economic momentum.

In terms of technical outlook, analysts suggest that while risks persist, a recovery could push the KSE-100 index towards the 170,000 level. Meanwhile, immediate support is seen around the 160,000 mark, indicating a relatively stable downside cushion in the near term.

Topline&#39;s market review stated that continuing its momentum, the KSE 100 extended gains by 1%, as optimism over talks between the US and Iran continued to dominate investor sentiment. The top positive contribution to the index came from MCB Bank, The Bank of Punjab, UBL, Lucky Cement, OGDC and HBL, as they contributed 616 points.

Traded value-wise, OGDC (Rs2.58 billion), DG Khan Cement (Rs2.3 billion), Maple Leaf Cement (Rs2.28 billion), UBL (Rs2.01 billion) and BOP (Rs1.82 billion) dominated the activity, it said.

The KSE-100 index remained in the positive territory during Friday&#39;s trading session with some limited profit taking as optimism surrounding Islamabad-mediated peace talks between Iran and the US supported the bullish sentiment, KTrade Securities commented.

The index closed at 167,191, up 1,674 points (+1.01%), after hitting intra-day high of 168,290 and low of 166,221. The All-share Index traded volume reached 876 million shares. Positive contributions to the index came from MCB, BOP, HBL, UBL and Lucky Cement, while Meezan Bank, Service Industries, Engro Holdings, Interloop Ltd and K-Electric contributed negatively. Sector-wise, the banking sector contributed 552 points, followed by cement (339 points), tech (137 points) and auto (94 points).

Going forward, the market direction will remain contingent on geopolitical developments, particularly the outcome of talks between the US and Iran. Until clarity emerges, a cautious and selective approach is advised, KTrade said.

Overall trading volume was recorded at 876 million shares compared to the previous tally of 889 million. The value of shares traded during the day was Rs46.6 billion.

Shares of 487 companies were traded. Of these, 358 stocks closed higher, 101 fell and 28 remained unchanged.

The Bank of Punjab was the volume leader with trading in 61.2 million shares, gaining Rs2.81 to close at Rs30.87. It was followed by WorldCall Telecom with 56.9 million shares, gaining Rs0.05 to close at Rs1.42 and Sui Southern Gas Company with 56.5 million shares, gaining Rs2.30 to close at Rs25.29.

During the day, foreign investors sold shares worth Rs229.2 million, the National Clearing Company reported.]]>
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			<title>Fans divided as BTS launch 'ARIRANG' world tour</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602105/fans-divided-as-bts-launch-arirang-world-tour</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602105/fans-divided-as-bts-launch-arirang-world-tour#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:37:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[agencies]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602105</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Scaled-back choreography and evolving performance style spark debate after rain-hit opener]]>
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				<![CDATA[GOYANG, South Korea

The return of BTS to the global stage with their ambitious &#39;ARIRANG&#39; World Tour has drawn both overwhelming fan excitement and a wave of online criticism, as the group opened its comeback run with a rain-soaked concert at Goyang Stadium on Thursday night.

Marking their first major tour since completing mandatory military service, the seven-member group launched what is being billed as the biggest K-pop tour to date, spanning 34 cities and 82 concerts through March 2027.

The scale is staggering, with analysts projecting revenues of up to 2.7 trillion won, potentially rivalling record-breaking tours by global acts.

The opening night in Goyang, however, quickly became a focal point for debate among fans.

Performing a set lasting more than two and a half hours, BTS delivered 23 songs drawn largely from their latest album &#39;ARIRANG&#39;, alongside earlier hits such as &#39;Idol&#39;, &#39;Dynamite&#39;, &#39;Butter&#39; and &#39;Permission to Dance&#39;.

The show also featured the live debut of &#39;Come Over&#39;, while members revisited choreography from &#39;I Need U&#39;, adding a nostalgic thread to the performance. Yet despite the extensive set-list, segments combining live vocals, interactions and VCR interludes prompted mixed reactions online.

Some fans expressed disappointment over what they described as scaled-back choreography, fewer dance-heavy sequences and the absence of solo stages, elements that have historically defined BTS concerts. Others pointed to limited audience engagement and questioned the pacing and production design, particularly in comparison with previous tours.

Weather conditions played a significant role, with heavy rain drenching the stadium as thousands of fans - many clad in the signature purple of the ARMY fanbase - gathered hours in advance. While some attendees cited the weather as a factor affecting performance dynamics, others defended the group&#39;s approach, arguing that sustaining high-intensity choreography across an extended global tour required careful recalibration.

The shift appears deliberate. In a pre-tour interview, HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk indicated that the group had consciously prioritised musical delivery over physically demanding routines after testing different formats. The decision reflects a broader evolution in BTS&#39;s performance style as they transition into a new phase of their career following a multi-year hiatus.

The &#39;ARIRANG&#39; album itself has already made a formidable impact, topping the Billboard 200 chart for two consecutive weeks - a first for a K-pop act - while its lead single &#39;Swim&#39; debuted at No 1 on the Hot 100.

The album&#39;s title draws from a traditional Korean folk song, underscoring the group&#39;s continued emphasis on cultural identity even as their global footprint expands.

Demand for the tour has been equally emphatic. Tickets for the Goyang shows sold out during pre-sale, with subsequent dates across North America and Europe disappearing within hours. Fans have travelled internationally to attend, reflecting the group&#39;s enduring pull despite their hiatus.

As the tour moves beyond its opening leg in South Korea and Japan to the United States, Europe and Latin America, the early reactions from Goyang suggest a delicate balancing act ahead. BTS are no longer simply delivering spectacle; they are recalibrating it, testing how far their audience is willing to follow a performance style that favours musicality over sheer kinetic intensity.]]>
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			<title>Selena Gomez joins Forbes 'self-made rich list</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602104/selena-gomez-joins-forbes-self-made-rich-list</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602104/selena-gomez-joins-forbes-self-made-rich-list#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:37:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602104</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Fans fixate on 'unflattering' photo used by magazine]]>
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				<![CDATA[Selena Gomez has reached another milestone in her career after appearing on Forbes&#39; list of the &#39;Top 250 self-made Americans&#39;, placing the actor, singer and entrepreneur among some of the most successful business figures in the United States.

Her inclusion on the Forbes list highlights the scale of that achievement, placing her alongside entrepreneurs and celebrities who have built significant fortunes through their own ventures rather than inherited wealth.

However, the moment of celebration quickly turned into an unexpected online debate after fans noticed the photograph Forbes used to accompany her profile. Some followers argued that the photograph appeared poorly lit or unusually unpolished.

Gomez, whose wealth has been widely linked to the success of her cosmetics company Rare Beauty, has built an increasingly powerful presence in both entertainment and business. While her recognition was widely praised by fans, her picture quickly became the centre of attention on social media.

The reaction was largely light hearted, with many fans posting side by side comparisons of the Forbes image with professionally styled red carpet photographs of the star. Some joked that the picture looked closer to a candid snapshot than the glossy portraits usually seen in major magazine features.

A number of users suggested the image felt surprising because Gomez is frequently photographed in highly stylised settings for fashion campaigns and entertainment publicity. Despite the online commentary, Gomez&#39;s inclusion on the list reflects a broader shift in how celebrities build influence.

Rare Beauty, launched in 2020, has become one of the most prominent celebrity backed beauty brands in the market. The company has been praised not only for strong sales but also for its messaging around mental health awareness and inclusivity.

Gomez has balanced this entrepreneurial success with a busy entertainment career. She remains a leading figure on television through her role in the hit comedy mystery series &#39;Only Murders in the Building&#39;, where she stars alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short.

The show has earned critical praise and award nominations while expanding Gomez&#39;s reputation as a versatile performer. Her music career and production work have also continued to grow, making her one of the most visible multi-platform entertainers of her generation.]]>
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			<title>'Game of Thrones' actor Michael Patrick dies at 35</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602103/game-of-thrones-actor-michael-patrick-dies-at-35</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602103/game-of-thrones-actor-michael-patrick-dies-at-35#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:37:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[British theatre actor succumbed to MND in NIreland hospice]]>
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				<![CDATA[British theatre actor Michael Patrick passed away on Tuesday after a three-year bout with motor neurone disease (MND), his wife Naomi Sheehan announced in an Instagram post late on Thursday.

She said he had been admitted to a hospice facility in his native Northern Ireland 10 days ago and was receiving round-the-clock medical attention. &quot;He passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends,&quot; she wrote in the post&#39;s caption.

Sheehan said her husband &quot;was an inspiration to everyone who was privileged enough to come into contact with him, not just in the past few years during his illness but in every day of his life&quot;.

Patrick was best known for his work on stage, which continued despite his MND diagnosis and the effects of the debilitating ailment. His adaptation of Shakespeare&#39;s &#39;The Tragedy of Richard III&#39; was especially lauded and his wheelchair-bound performance as the play&#39;s titular character won him the Judges&#39; Award at the Stage Awards last year.

Patrick had numerous television acting credits, including an appearance as a wildling rioter on season six of the popular fantasy series &#39;Game of Thrones&#39;. He was also a co-writer on the BBC series &#39;My Left Nut&#39;, which was based on his own experiences as a teenager; the series won three awards from the Royal Television Society.

Tributes poured in from people who had worked with the actor, with Jimmy Fay ? the executive producer for the Lyric Theatre in Belfast ? saying, &quot;These islands have lost a great artist, and the sky is brighter tonight with his star.

The MAC Theatre said anyone who encountered Patrick&#39;s work would &quot;carry a piece of him with them&quot; due to its personal nature.]]>
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			<title>After billions, 'Avatar' faces a reality check</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602102/after-billions-avatar-faces-a-reality-check</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602102/after-billions-avatar-faces-a-reality-check#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:37:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Disney and Cameron explore cost cuts as latest instalment underperforms franchise highs]]>
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				<![CDATA[The future of James Cameron&#39;s &#39;Avatar&#39; saga is entering a more cautious phase, as The Walt Disney Company weighs how to sustain one of cinema&#39;s most expensive franchises while keeping its next chapters financially viable.

At the centre of the discussion are &#39;Avatar 4&#39; and &#39;Avatar 5&#39;, currently scheduled for release in 2029 and 2031, respectively, which remain in active development but are now the subject of internal deliberations over cost, scale and structure.

According to multiple industry reports, Cameron himself has been pushing for a more efficient production model, including the possibility of shorter runtimes and reduced budgets without compromising the franchise&#39;s signature visual spectacle.

The reassessment follows the global performance of &#39;Avatar: Fire and Ash&#39;, which grossed around $1.5bn worldwide. While that figure would be a landmark success for most films, it falls short of the towering benchmarks set by its predecessors.

The original &#39;Avatar&#39; (2009) remains the highest-grossing film in history with approximately $2.9bn, while &#39;Avatar: The Way of Water&#39; (2022) earned around $2.3bn, cementing the franchise&#39;s reputation as a box office powerhouse.

That disparity has prompted what industry analysts describe as a &quot;compare-and-contrast&quot; moment for Disney, where expectations are calibrated not against the broader market, but against the franchise&#39;s own unprecedented track record.

As one analyst noted, even a $1.5bn return can appear underwhelming when measured against earlier instalments that redefined global box office ceilings.

Cameron, now in his seventies, has long acknowledged the escalating costs associated with the &#39;Avatar&#39; films, which rely heavily on cutting-edge visual effects, performance capture technology and extended production cycles.

He has indicated that continuing the saga will require a recalibration of how those resources are deployed, particularly as the narrative expands into a multi-film arc.

Producer Rae Sanchini has confirmed that both sequels are &quot;full speed ahead&quot;, though work is currently focused on refining new production technologies designed to streamline filmmaking.

The earlier films relied on highly specialised systems that required extensive training, but the next phase aims to introduce a more accessible pipeline, allowing crews to be onboard more quickly and production timelines to tighten.

&quot;We&#39;re working hard on budgeting, scheduling and building out our new pipeline,&quot; Sanchini said in a recent interview, underscoring that logistical restructuring is now central to the franchise&#39;s future.

Beyond production concerns, Disney is also understood to be reassessing the broader &#39;Avatar&#39; ecosystem, including potential theme park expansions tied to the brand.

While the franchise remains commercially formidable, some commentators suggest its cultural momentum may be stabilising rather than expanding, raising questions about how aggressively the studio should invest in long-term extensions.

Critics within the industry have gone further, arguing that while audiences still respond to &#39;Avatar&#39;, the sense of event-level urgency that once defined its releases may be diminishing. Such views remain contested, particularly given the continued global demand for the films and the strong pre-existing fan base.

Despite these debates, development on &#39;Avatar 4&#39; and &#39;Avatar 5&#39; continues, with scripting, design and technical planning all underway. Cameron has previously made clear his intention to complete the saga, though he has also conceded that the films must make economic sense for the studio to proceed at full scale.

For Disney, the challenge is not whether &#39;Avatar&#39; can still draw audiences, but how to balance ambition with sustainability in a franchise where each instalment carries enormous financial risk. The outcome of these ongoing discussions will likely determine not just the shape of the next two films, but the long-term trajectory of one of Hollywood&#39;s most defining cinematic universes.

Adding to that uncertainty is the question of timing and longevity. With &#39;Avatar 4&#39; slated for December 2029 and &#39;Avatar 5&#39; for December 2031, the extended release window reflects both the technical demands of the films and the evolving strategy behind them.

By the time the saga concludes, James Cameron would be nearing 80, a factor he has openly acknowledged while stressing his commitment to finishing the story, provided the economics remain sustainable.

For now, the &#39;Avatar&#39; franchise stands at a pivotal juncture - still commercially powerful, yet facing the realities of scale, cost and shifting audience expectations. Whether the next instalments double down on spectacle or pivot towards efficiency may ultimately define not just their success, but how blockbuster filmmaking itself adapts in an era of rising budgets and tighter margins.]]>
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			<title>Restoring Lahore's timeless beauty</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602100/restoring-lahores-timeless-beauty</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602100/restoring-lahores-timeless-beauty#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:37:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asif Mahmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Historic forts, mosques and murals being restored through traditional craftsmanship to preserve centuries of culture]]>
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				<![CDATA[Considered the cultural hub of Pakistan, Lahore is home to numerous heritage sites that span centuries, connecting the city&#39;s rich past with its vibrant present.

Historic structures such as the Lahore Fort, Wazir Khan Mosque, and the Shahi Hammam stand as enduring symbols of the opulence synonymous with the Mughal Empire, which left behind an enchanting legacy of intricate art and architecture.

From delicate frescoes adorning majestic buildings to finely carved lattice screens (jaalis) and elegant overhanging balconies (jharokas), these aesthetic elements conjure vivid images of romance, spirituality, and imperial grandeur.

Years of neglect, however, have caused the gradual decay of these majestic symbols. The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), in collaboration with the Aga Khan Cultural Service &ndash; Pakistan (AKCS-P), has launched restoration efforts using traditional techniques.

The mammoth task of restoring these sitesbuilt with diverse materials and employing a range of architectural and artistic methodsis led by a versatile team of experts, including fine artists, architects, and craftspeople.

Traditional techniques such as fresco, filigree, and stucco work are not only being revived but actively preserved. Recently, key stakeholders convened to review progress and discuss strategies for the city&#39;s heritage conservation.

The discussions focused on achievements, challenges, and opportunities related to joint efforts at major sites, including the Lahore Fort, Wazir Khan Mosque, and Akbari Mandi, while exploring strategies to strengthen conservation practices and promote sustainable development in the Walled City.

Restoration work at the Wazir Khan Mosque includes structural consolidation of domes, walls, and foundations, along with repairs to floors, lime plaster, rooftops, and parapets.

Efforts extend beyond the mosque itself to the surrounding neighbourhood. The busy yet deteriorated area has been rehabilitated, with historic houses along the southern side of Chowk Wazir Khan restored and smaller monuments and facades conserved.

Planned interventions include conserving the northwest and southwest minarets, restoring frescoes in the prayer chamber, and redeveloping the southern neighbourhood. The aim is to transform the mosque and Chowk Wazir Khan into a vibrant tourist hub and community space.

Other projects, funded by the Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD), at the Lahore Fort have supported the revival of treasured sites, including the Sheesh Mahal and the Picture Wall.

Work at the Sheesh Mahal is ongoing. Site assessments and emergency stabilisation have been completed, conservation materials selected after laboratory testing, and skilled labour trained in stucco techniques, applied to restore the Palace of Mirrors.

Mimicking the original mirror pieces required reopening a closed industrial unit in Sindh&#39;s Shikarpur district, which now produces custom-made convex mirrors.

The once-glimmering Palace of Mirrors had developed structural voids and cracks in its walls and ceilings. Groutinga process in which fluid material is injected to fill gaps, strengthen structures, and prevent water infiltrationis being applied to stabilise it.

At the Picture Wall, renowned as one of the world&#39;s largest murals, conservation work is nearing completion. Efforts include tracing and reconstructing panel impressions, recreating brick patterns, and carefully retracing and repainting frescoes across its countless panels to match the original designs.

The WCLA and the AKCS-P have vowed to expand their collaboration to additional projects and cities. Their discussions include the potential for joint initiatives to enhance heritage conservation efforts across Pakistan.]]>
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			<title>Caught in paradox and conflict</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602090/caught-in-paradox-and-conflict</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602090/caught-in-paradox-and-conflict#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:08:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Imtiaz Gul]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602090</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[.]]>
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				<![CDATA[What explains Balochistan&#39;s present socio-political paradox - born of vested interests and incompetence?

Two recent events offer a telling lens: the April 5 decision by Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti to fix the price of Iranian smuggled petrol at Rs280 per liter, and the awarding of a National Assembly ticket to Shafiq Mengal.

The first case exposes a glaring contradiction: a government that prides itself on an anti-smuggling campaign cannot simultaneously fix prices for smuggled or contraband fuel. This embarrassment underscores how even basic logic is forfeited. The &quot;illegal spectrum&quot; has become a buzzword for the authorities, yet here they inadvertently legitimise the very cross-border flows they vow to curb.

The second event concerns Shafiq Mengal, who received a PPP ticket for the NA-256 Khuzdar by-election after pledging allegiance to President Asif Ali Zardari in early March. Mengal inspires little affection, empathy or trust among the Baloch public. Tainted by allegations - however substantiated or otherwise - of links to armed groups, enforced disappearances, shifting political loyalties and involvement in multiple murders, including those of close family members, he stands as a deeply polarising figure.

Together, these examples illuminate the troubles defining and ailing Balochistan: smuggling, terrorism, drugs, misgovernance, corruption, deficient governance capacity, political apathy and minimal public approval of rulers whom most Baloch view as &quot;selected&quot; rather than elected.

These inherent issues also shape how the leadership frames solutions - leading to conflicting assessments of ground realities. The province remains trapped between two mutually negating narratives.

The first narrative flows from authority, feeding off glossy PowerPoint presentations laced with cautious optimism and backed by government data. This official narrative highlights resolve to beat back the &quot;illegal spectrum&quot;, including terror networks. The second narrative is mired in a sense of deprivation, helplessness and systemic rejection.

While official presentations candidly acknowledge discontent and terrorist violence. Their diagnosis is correct only on challenges - not on remedies. What emerges is the official resolve versus public despair. Despair stems from discontent with state actions - or the lack thereof. The task at hand is to how to confront the popular belief that key stakeholders preach dialogue but practise exclusion and persecution of dissent.

The authorities believe they are doing their best on smuggling and corruption. What they seem to overlook is that corruption is a byproduct of misgovernance, itself rooted in how candidates are chosen to become member of elected houses. Anti-smuggling drives, meanwhile, generate a parallel story of victimhood among families who see this as their livelihood - a narrative militants exploit to stoke anti-state sentiment and justify violent campaigns. Officials argue &ndash; and rightly so &ndash; that smuggling in border regions have benefitted only a few dozen families while these regions continue to suffer socio-economic deprivation and are backward in social-political infrastructure.

Encouragingly, Balochistan saw a significant decline in fatalities from January to March this year (from 285 to 189). Yet the evolving violence pattern - fewer large-scale attacks like the January 31 Herof incident, but more dispersed, low-intensity strikes targeting softer civilian-linked actors - suggests militant groups are adapting, not disappearing. Sustaining this momentum will require continued operational pressure and strategic consistency.

Against this backdrop, the policymakers are intensively engaged in a &quot;winning hearts and minds&quot; exercise. Media and think tanks are central to this Balochistan National Workshop campaign. However, the effort misses a crucial point: the root cause of Balochistan&#39;s circumstances.

At the risk of drawing official ire, an analogy with the American establishment is instructive. Despite being a preferred destination for many Pakistanis, the US is widely portrayed as a mighty, selfish, high-handed monster that sides with aggressors like Israel. Consequently, billions of dollars over five decades in education, agriculture, irrigation and health through the meanwhile defunct USAID have not cleansed its tainted image.

Similarly, Pakistani authorities have invested heavily in socio-economic projects in conflict-hit areas like Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, operating in extremely difficult and hostile environments. Recent briefings show officials wrestling with a painful question: despite social outreach through education and economic investment, why has the tide of terrorism not been stemmed? These questions obviously stem from the official belief that Balochistan is being looked after well with a coordinated civilian and military approach backed by hard power.

Dispelling deep-seated narratives that are at odds with the official one represents a daunting challenge. How to convince the skeptical Baloch at large as to what they hear is a mix of fact and fiction.

What is the mother of all sins - the root cause of public disaffection? That question will be taken up next.]]>
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			<title>Tear down this war</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602089/tear-down-this-war</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602089/tear-down-this-war#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:08:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Farrukh Khan Pitafi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[The recent pause in the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran is not merely a geopolitical breather. It is a narrow clearing in a landscape still driven by momentum. The guns have not fallen silent everywhere. The arguments certainly have not. Yet even a partial pause forces a question that is otherwise avoided. Why does this cycle persist, and why do we continue to accept it?

This pattern is familiar now. Ceasefires arrive less as victories of wisdom and more as products of exhaustion, pressure or fear of escalation. They are announced, qualified, disputed and, in some theatres, quietly ignored. Even this one carries visible fault lines. Israel has treated Lebanon as outside its scope, while Iran and others insist that no such separation is meaningful. That contradiction alone tells you what this moment is. Not peace, but a pause under argument.

Pakistan&#39;s role in producing that pause is real, and unusually central. It helped broker the two-week ceasefire, brought the parties to the table, and is now preparing to host talks in Islamabad under heavy security and tight diplomatic choreography. Delegations, back channels and draft frameworks are being lined up in parallel. That is not a small achievement. It is also not a guarantee of durability. Pakistan can convene and facilitate. It cannot compel compliance once parties revert to their own calculations. The limits sit alongside the effort.

Still, moments like this matter because they interrupt inertia. When escalation slows, even briefly, it becomes possible to examine assumptions that normally pass without scrutiny.

In 1987, Ronald Reagan called for a wall to be torn down. That wall divided a city. The conflicts we sustain today divide something less visible but far more consequential. They divide the future. A miscalculation no longer redraws a boundary and stops there. It ripples outward through energy markets, supply chains and already strained political systems. The scale has changed. The habits have not.

There is a discomfort here we tend to avoid. Organised violence has been normalised to the point where it is discussed as a tool of management. Civilian deaths are counted, contextualised and absorbed into analysis. Entire populations appear as variables in arguments about deterrence and stability. It is presented as realism. Perhaps we have repeated it long enough to mistake it for necessity.

Instability is not always accidental. It can be maintained, calibrated and prolonged. Tension sustains attention. Fear simplifies politics. Conflict, once embedded, becomes a recurring method of control. That does not make it inevitable. It makes it convenient.

The technological layer deepens the problem. Systems once imagined as instruments of progress are increasingly embedded in surveillance, targeting and automated response cycles. Artificial intelligence is not only observing conflict. It is being trained within it. That should give pause. We are building tools that learn from our worst patterns and then scale them.

A harder question sits underneath all of this. Not whether conflict can disappear overnight, but whether its current scale and persistence are actually fixed. Conflict cannot be wished away. That much is obvious. What is less obvious is why its expansion is treated as natural.

There are alternatives that do not rely on grand gestures. Phased de-escalation, monitored reductions and negotiated limits tied to verifiable outcomes are not theoretical constructs. Elements of them already exist in various forms. What is missing is not design. It is commitment.

Consider what is currently tied up in the business of war. Not only the money, which is vast, but the organisation behind it. The logistics that move material across continents. The engineering that solves complex problems under pressure. The discipline that trains large numbers of people to operate in coordinated systems. These are capabilities, not destinies.

Redirected, even partially, they could alter trajectories that have remained stubborn for decades. The same systems that sustain conflict could deliver infrastructure, health and resilience at scale. The same technical expertise could accelerate work on energy, climate and disease. This is not speculative. It is a question of allocation.

There is also the cost that rarely enters the ledger. Every strike carries an unseen subtraction. Not only in lives lost, but in possibilities abandoned. A system not built. A treatment delayed. A generation diverted. These do not appear in briefings. Over time, they matter more than what is destroyed in the moment.

If one looks for a different orientation, it is not entirely absent. As the region moved through escalation and then into this uneasy pause, a different image was unfolding beyond it. Artemis II is still in flight, with its crew circling the moon and yet to return. It offers a reminder that coordination at scale is still possible, that ambition can be directed outward rather than inward. Space does not resolve conflict on Earth. It does, however, expose how narrow our obsessions can be when set against what remains unknown.

Scepticism is expected. Rivalries persist. Interests clash. Power does not dissolve because it is questioned. But systems do change when their costs begin to outweigh their returns. That threshold is not fixed either.

The present situation carries its own warning. The ceasefire exists, but under visible strain. Talks are being prepared in Islamabad, but under conditions shaped by ongoing friction and mistrust. Even the process of negotiation is influenced by events on the ground. That is not stability. It is a narrow margin.

Refusing to consider alternatives is often described as realism. It may be closer to habit. The choice is not between idealism and pragmatism, but between adjustment and repetition. Continuing along the current path does not preserve order. It reproduces instability at a higher level of risk.

To call for an end to war in all its forms may sound excessive. It is certainly difficult. But difficulty does not make it irrelevant. The greater risk lies in assuming that the present trajectory can be sustained indefinitely.

The desire for peace is not a crime. That is harder to explain to some of our Indian peers than explaining gravity to a chicken. Pakistan&#39;s effort here is not a plea for validation. It is a statement of intent. We are capable of seeing your humanity. The question is whether you are willing to see ours. If that recognition becomes mutual, even briefly, the habit of permanent suspicion begins to loosen. Judge us, if you must, not only by our past, but by the direction we are trying to move in and by the risks we are willing to take to open channels when easier options point elsewhere, and the persistence required to keep them open.]]>
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			<title>The Rs500 million illusion: how inflation changed NAB law</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602088/the-rs500-million-illusion-how-inflation-changed-nab-law</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602088/the-rs500-million-illusion-how-inflation-changed-nab-law#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:08:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Shumayl Aziz]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[For the past few years, one figure has defined the jurisdiction of NAB: Rs500 million. Introduced through the 2022 amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, this threshold was meant to ensure that NAB remained focused on large-scale corruption rather than being drawn into relatively smaller financial disputes.

At the time, the objective was clear. Cases involving amounts below Rs500 million were, in principle, meant to fall outside NAB&#39;s domain. The reform was widely seen as an attempt to streamline accountability and prevent overreach.

That clarity, however, no longer exists.

A recent amendment enacted in 2026 through Act No. XIV of 2026 has significantly altered how this threshold operates. The law now provides that the threshold shall be adjusted annually in accordance with the inflation index published by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, starting from 1st July 2022.

This single clause transforms the nature of the threshold. What was previously understood as a fixed figure is no longer static. Instead, Rs500 million now serves as a base value, one that must be recalculated each year to reflect inflation. In practical terms, the threshold is no longer Rs500 million in any real sense. It is a moving figure, rising as the purchasing power of money declines.

Inflation-indexation is not unfamiliar in. It is commonly used to preserve the real value of statutory limits over time. Without such mechanisms, inflation gradually erodes the effectiveness of monetary thresholds, undermining their purpose.

The amendment also states that it shall be deemed to have taken effect from the commencement of the Ordinance in 1999. This creates a legal fiction requiring courts to read the law as if this mechanism had always existed. At the same time, the statute clearly specifies that the adjustment begins from July 2022. Read together, the more coherent interpretation is that indexation is now embedded in the law, but its practical application is forward-looking from that date.

Even on this reading, the consequences are significant.

Pakistan has experienced sustained and at times severe inflation since 2022. Annual inflation has remained in double digits, with certain years witnessing sharp increases. When compounded over successive financial years, this inflation materially alters the real value of money.

Applying a conservative estimate of cumulative inflation from July 2022 to 2026, the Rs500 million threshold would now stand at approximately Rs900 million to Rs1 billion. Thus, a case involving Rs600 or 700 million, once comfortably within NAB&#39;s jurisdiction, may no longer meet the threshold.

This shift goes to the core of legal authority. Jurisdiction determines whether an investigative body or court has the power to proceed. If it is wrongly assumed, the validity of the entire proceeding may be questioned.

Under the amended framework, it is no longer sufficient for NAB to rely on the nominal figure of Rs500 million. Before asserting jurisdiction, it must identify the relevant inflation index, calculate the adjusted threshold for the applicable year, and demonstrate that the alleged amount exceeds that revised figure. Without this exercise, jurisdiction becomes open to challenge.

The introduction of a monetary threshold in 2022 was intended to focus accountability on cases involving substantial public funds. The inflation-adjustment clause reinforces that objective by ensuring the threshold retains its real value over time.

At the same time, it introduces complexity. What was once a simple numerical test now requires calculation, interpretation and potentially judicial scrutiny. More importantly, it undermines a widely held but now outdated assumption: that NAB&#39;s jurisdiction is triggered simply by crossing Rs500 million. That assumption no longer reflects the law.

The 2026 amendment has quietly but fundamentally reshaped NAB&#39;s jurisdictional framework. The threshold is no longer fixed. It is dynamic, tied to inflation and subject to annual revision.

The real question in any case today is not whether the alleged amount exceeds Rs500 million, but whether it exceeds the inflation-adjusted equivalent of Rs500 million. Until this shift is fully understood and properly applied, there is a real risk that jurisdictional limits will continue to be misunderstood.]]>
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			<title>Another committee</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602087/another-committee</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602087/another-committee#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:08:04 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[The Sindh government has constituted yet another high-level committee, this time to &quot;ensure the execution of the inquiry report&quot; into the Gul Plaza inferno that claimed at least 80 lives in January. The committee, headed by the home minister, has been tasked with formulating a comprehensive implementation strategy, recommending corrective measures and ensuring coordination among relevant institutions. It will also monitor progress and regularly update the government.

All well and good, except for the fact that all of this work can be skipped if the government simply accepts all of the recommendations of the judicial commission&#39;s report, or even the earlier Karachi Commissioner&#39;s report on the incident, which came out just a few days after the fire. It should not take three months for the government to recognise that locking emergency exits to reduce shoplifting or letting shopkeepers block them with merchandise are bad ideas. We can also safely assume that if Gul Plaza had a functional fire suppression system - rather than none - the fire could have been suppressed, or at least contained, before firefighters arrived on the scene.

The actual building fell short of almost every safety-related feature in the building plan regularised in 2003, including staircases that were too narrow. While the building had fire extinguishers, these are only effective against localised fires, which can be isolated from fuel sources. A blaze of the kind that engulfed the plaza would have required actual fire suppression systems - which were not there - and a better-equipped fire department.

All of these problems were known to government authorities for several years, but for various reasons - all of them bad - no corrective actions were taken. Instead of debating the solutions, we could save everyone&#39;s time and money by taking straight yes-or-no decisions on all the recommendations from all the disasters over the past several years, since they are almost always the same.]]>
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			<title>K-P: cashless economy</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602086/k-p-cashless-economy</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602086/k-p-cashless-economy#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:08:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[With the introduction of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Digital Payment Bill 2026, K-P has taken a big step towards becoming Pakistan&#39;s first cashless model economy. The proposed law is by no means groundbreaking, with its most notable changes being requiring businesses to accept digital payments and ensuring the prominent display of QR codes at all businesses and public-facing institutions across the province. Given the low bar, we are hopeful that implementation will be quick and painless.

If that first hurdle is cleared quickly, the government will be in a position to add many more related services to the cashless menu, depending on whether the State Bank allows them. It will also have the indirect benefit of eliminating the black and grey economies by making transactions traceable. This will be critical for crafting long-term tax policy and for improving the quality of economic data that policymakers can use to craft better government policies.

However, the path to a cashless society will not be without challenges. Reliable internet connectivity will be critical, and more public digital literacy campaigns are needed to help less tech-savvy people, especially the elderly, feel comfortable using mobile wallets and payment apps. Millions of people are still unbanked or underbanked and would have to be worked into the system, lest they be left out in the cold. Many people also feel more comfortable managing their budgets with cash, and studies have shown that digital transactions may encourage overspending.

It is also notable that eliminating cash is more of a symbolic goal, as even the world leader in cashless transactions, Sweden, still sees about 8% of all transactions conducted in cash. In several other highly developed economies, including the eurozone, cash remains king for a majority of point-of-sale transactions. Even in the US, about half of all adults report using cash at least once a week, and 14% of all transactions are still cash-based.]]>
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			<title>Euphoric picture</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602085/euphoric-picture</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602085/euphoric-picture#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:08:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[editorial]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Forecasting an optimistic picture of growth for Pakistan, the Asian Development Bank is confident that the economy will grow, and sustained reforms could stabilise it in the next two years. The Manila-based lender, in a change of heart from its previous predictions, now believes that Pakistan will sustain a GDP growth rate up to 3.5% for the current fiscal year, and could bolster it to 4.5% in FY2027. This upgrade is quite surprising from the country&#39;s own estimates of less than 3%, despite an odd situation at home and abroad. It is a foregone conclusion that chips are down in the form of a simmering energy crisis, a plummeting industrial production, and an unpredictable agricultural output owing to climatic changes.

The ADB, in its outlook for 2026, has primarily entrusted its hope in manufacturing and investment realms, as the lender&#39;s policies are strictly being implemented by Islamabad. Thus, it hopes for inflation to restrain in the orbit of 6.4%, with the central bank expected to ease monetary policy to achieve medium-term targets range of 5 to 7%. In such a scenario, the rupee&#39;s strength must remain stable and remittances stay in safe territory along with exports picking up from the present sordid state of affairs. That is why Asia&#39;s prime donor has warned of the flip side as the turmoil in the Middle East and a rupture in the supply chain of fuel and commodities could derail the entire hope line.

Pakistan, with foreign exchange reserves of less than $16 billion, has a mounting task to handle as energy prices are appreciating and LNG gas supplies have shrunk. Likewise, the recent rise in oil prices has set in a snowball reaction, limiting the purchasing power of the common man, as FDIs too are in a slump. And with the highest electricity tariff in the region, Pakistan&#39;s produce becomes untenable in markets which is where the growth paradigm is likely to be adversely impacted. The need of the hour is to opt for genuine austerity, ploughing gaps in revenue generation and focusing on an export-led industrialisation.]]>
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			<title>Urumqi talks and the hard truth about Afghanistan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602084/urumqi-talks-and-the-hard-truth-about-afghanistan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602084/urumqi-talks-and-the-hard-truth-about-afghanistan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 19:08:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Durdana Najam]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan, once burdened by persistent allegations of complicity in terrorism, is now actively positioning itself on the other side of that divide - supporting ceasefire efforts in the Middle East, opening channels of dialogue and presenting itself as a country invested in de-escalation. Alongside that, China continues to expand its role as a stabilising force, using diplomacy and economic leverage to prevent fault lines from turning into crises.

It is within this broader context that the recent Urumqi talks &ndash; held from April 1 to 7 between China, Pakistan and Afghanistan &ndash; must be understood. The talks did not produce dramatic headlines or grand declarations, yet its importance lies in the clarity it offered.

China&#39;s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning explicitly identified terrorism as the &quot;core issue&quot; affecting ties between Kabul and Islamabad. This reflects a growing regional consensus that the instability between Pakistan and Afghanistan is no longer about political misunderstandings or diplomatic gaps. It is rooted in a security problem that has persisted for decades.

Pakistan&#39;s position on this has been consistent. For years, Islamabad has argued that militant groups operating from Afghan soil pose a direct threat to its internal security. The presence of armed groups in Afghanistan has long been documented by international bodies, including UN monitoring teams and regional security assessments. What has changed is the scale and intensity of the threat.

Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in attacks, many of which are linked to TTP. The numbers are difficult to ignore. Hundreds of attacks in a single year, and thousands of casualties over the past few years, point to a pattern rather than isolated incidents.

But to fully understand the present, one must briefly revisit the past.

Afghanistan has been at the centre of regional instability for over four decades. From the Soviet invasion in 1979 to the US-led intervention after 2001, the country has seen continuous conflict. Each phase has left behind networks of armed groups, fragmented authority and weak state control. Pakistan, as a neighbour, has been directly affected by these developments.

The expectation after 2021 was that a stable Afghan government would bring order and reduce cross-border threats. Instead, the situation has become more complex. While the Taliban leadership has sought international recognition, its ability or willingness to act against militant groups remains in question. This gap between commitment and action is where the problem lies.

The Urumqi talks highlight this contradiction. On one hand, Afghanistan and Pakistan reaffirm their commitment to peaceful dialogue and regional stability. On the other, the core issue identified by China remains unresolved. Dialogue without addressing the root cause risks becoming repetitive.

What also makes the current situation more serious is that the impact of terrorism is no longer limited to Pakistan. There is increasing evidence that militant groups based in Afghanistan are expanding their reach. Attacks linked to groups such as ISKP and ETIM have targeted not just regional actors but also foreign nationals, including Chinese citizens. This changes the nature of the threat. It is no longer a bilateral issue. It is a regional and, in some cases, international concern.

This is where China&#39;s role becomes important.

Stability in Afghanistan is directly linked to the security of its investments and its broader regional ambitions, including connectivity projects under BRI. The fact that China is emphasising terrorism as the central issue suggests that patience is limited, and expectations from Kabul are rising.

If the Afghan government seeks stable relations with its neighbours and a place in the regional framework, it must move beyond statements. Dismantling terrorist networks, denying safe havens and taking visible action against groups like TTP and ISKP are essential. Without this, trust will remain fragile, and every round of dialogue will begin from the same unresolved point.]]>
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			<title>PM Shehbaz hails kingdom's 'longstanding economic support' in meeting with Saudi finance minister</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602083/pm-shehbaz-hails-kingdoms-longstanding-economic-and-financial-support-in-meeting-with-saudi-FM</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602083/pm-shehbaz-hails-kingdoms-longstanding-economic-and-financial-support-in-meeting-with-saudi-FM#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 18:52:15 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602083</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Says it has played a vital role in stability, emphasises Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation]]>
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				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday lauded Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the kingdom&rsquo;s longstanding economic and financial support to Pakistan, saying it had played a vital role in the country&rsquo;s stability.

The remarks came during a meeting between the prime minister and Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, who called on him at the Prime Minister&#39;s House during his one-day visit to Islamabad.

&ldquo;The prime minister conveyed his respectful regards to The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,&rdquo; the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office said in a statement.



ISLAMABAD: 10 April 2026.

Prime Minister&rsquo;s Meeting with H.E. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, Finance Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, Finance Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who was on a one-day visit to&hellip; pic.twitter.com/DAvAINa4Vo
&mdash; Prime Minister&#39;s Office (@PakPMO) April 10, 2026


Recalling his recent telephone conversation with the crown prince, the statement said the premier &quot;expressed appreciation for the crown prince&rsquo;s deep affection towards Pakistan as well as for the kingdom&#39;s longstanding economic and financial support to Pakistan over the years, that had played a vital role in Pakistan&#39;s economic stability&quot;.

PM Shehbaz reiterated that the people and government of Pakistan had always stood shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia at all times.

&ldquo;This is an abiding bond between both countries that has grown stronger under the patronage of his royal highness the crown prince,&rdquo; the premier said.

Also Read:&nbsp;Pakistan stands with KSA, PM tells MBS

He emphasised Pakistan&rsquo;s strong commitment to expanding cooperation with the kingdom in all spheres, particularly in trade, investment and economic development.

&ldquo;The Saudi finance minister thanked the prime minister and reaffirmed the resolve of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to further strengthen the longstanding, deep-rooted fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as envisioned by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,&rdquo; the statement added.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir.

The meeting came a day after PM Shehbaz held a telephone conversation with the Saudi crown prince, reaffirming Pakistan&#39;s unwavering and unflinching solidarity and support for Saudi Arabia.

He also condemned Iran&#39;s missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia&#39;s energy facilities, terming them a &ldquo;serious violation&rdquo; of the kingdom&#39;s sovereignty and a dangerous escalation.

During the phone call, the prime minister assured the crown prince that the people and government of Pakistan would always stand shoulder to shoulder with their Saudi brothers and sisters, just as the Saudi leadership and people had always supported Pakistan through thick and thin.

On the same day, DPM&nbsp;Dar also held a telephonic conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and discussed the regional situation and evolving developments.

The deputy prime minister also shared the latest developments regarding Pakistan&#39;s continued efforts to promote dialogue and diplomatic engagement in pursuit of peace and stability in the region.]]>
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			<title>Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold talks. What do we know?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602081/israel-and-lebanon-are-expected-to-hold-talks-what-do-we-know</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602081/israel-and-lebanon-are-expected-to-hold-talks-what-do-we-know#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 18:43:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602081</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Both sides face Trump pressure to end fighting, a key Iranian demand ahead of Pakistan talks]]>
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				<![CDATA[Israeli and Lebanese officials are expected to meet in Washington next week as United States President Donald Trump seeks to calm weeks of Israeli fighting with Hezbollah that has threatened to derail a fragile US-Iran ceasefire.

Both sides are under pressure from Trump to bring about an ​end to the fighting, a key demand by Iran in parallel talks due this weekend in Pakistan.

Who is fighting and why?

Israel intensified its air attacks on Lebanon after Hezbollah &zwnj;fired missiles at Israel on March 2, three days into the US-Israeli war on Iran. It has since widened a ground invasion into Lebanon&#39;s south, ordering hundreds of thousands of Lebanese to flee villages it views as Hezbollah strongholds.

At least 1,888 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, while at least two Israelis have been killed by Hezbollah rocket fire.

The current war followed a round of fighting in 2024 that saw the US broker a deal aimed at disarming Hezbollah. Since then, ​Lebanon&#39;s government has ordered the army to establish a state monopoly on those arms, an effort Israel says has failed.

Hezbollah rejects calls to disarm, viewing its missiles and other weapons as ​an element of national defence against Israeli attacks. Following the 2024 deal, Israel continued to carry out strikes on what it said were Hezbollah depots ⁠and fighters.

How did the talks come about?

A week into the current war, Lebanon&#39;s President Joseph Aoun expressed willingness to begin direct negotiations with Israel to halt the fighting, even saying he was ready to ​move forward with normalising relations.

Israel rebuffed that historic offer, deeming it too late from a government that shares its goal of disarming Hezbollah but cannot act against the group without risking a civil war.

Israel&#39;s position changed ​after the US and Iran reached a deal on Tuesday to halt fighting. With Iran insisting that Israel cease fire on Lebanon ahead of talks in Pakistan, Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call on Thursday to lighten up attacks on Hezbollah, a source familiar with the matter said.

Later on Thursday, Netanyahu announced Israel would begin negotiations with Lebanon.

Who will lead the talks?

Two Israeli officials said that talks would be held in Washington between Israeli ​ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, and his Lebanese counterpart, Nada Hamadeh Moawad. One of the officials said the two would meet next week.

Read More: Trump, Netanyahu held &#39;tense&#39; phone call before Israel sought ceasefire talks with Lebanon: report

In the run-up to the talks, Netanyahu tapped Ron Dermer, a ​former strategic affairs minister and close confidant, to lead any eventual negotiations with Lebanon. A source familiar with the matter said Dermer may take part in later talks but was not expected in Washington next week.

Lebanon had also &zwnj;picked Simon Karam, ⁠a former Lebanese ambassador to the US, to head Lebanon&#39;s delegation to broader talks. Lebanese officials said he would not be at next week&#39;s meeting either.

Where does Israel stand?

Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel would not halt attacks on Hezbollah.

He said that the talks would aim to achieve two goals: disarming Hezbollah and securing a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon.

Netanyahu and other officials have not said whether they would be prepared to scale back ground operations or withdraw from positions in Lebanon, should talks advance. Israel has been bombing Lebanese villages as it seeks to create a &quot;buffer zone&quot; against Hezbollah past its northern border.

A senior Israeli ​official said Israel would scale down attacks ahead of ​the talks. A different senior Israeli official, ⁠with knowledge of discussions in Netanyahu&#39;s cabinet, said Israel would urge Lebanon to sack Hezbollah ministers in the country&#39;s government.

Also Read: Israeli military chief says army is &lsquo;still in state of war&rsquo; in Lebanon

Where does Lebanon stand?

A senior Lebanese official said talks would focus on discussing and announcing a ceasefire, and that an exact date for the meeting has yet to be confirmed.

The official said Lebanon&#39;s ​position was that a ceasefire was a condition for further talks to reach a broader deal with Israel.

Lebanon&#39;s agreement to hold talks reflects unprecedented levels ​of domestic opposition to ⁠Hezbollah&#39;s status as an armed group. In March, the government banned Hezbollah from military activities.

But with Hezbollah still wielding a powerful arsenal and backed by a significant portion of Lebanon&#39;s Shia Muslim community, disarming the group is a steep challenge for a fragile Lebanese state now facing one of its most precarious moments since the 1975-90 civil war.

Have the two held talks before?

Israel and Lebanon have no formal diplomatic relations and have technically been ⁠in a state ​of war since Israel&#39;s founding in 1948.

Israel has a long history of military incursions and invasions in Lebanon, including an ​18-year occupation in the south from 1982 to 2000 that began as an operation against Palestinian groups.

More recently, Israel and Lebanon held US-brokered talks in 2022 that led to a bilateral agreement establishing a maritime boundary between the two countries.

In December 2025, the two sides ​held indirect talks with the US in Naqoura, in southern Lebanon, to try to solidify the deal that ended the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah fighting.]]>
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			<title>Trump, Netanyahu held 'tense' phone call before Israel sought ceasefire talks with Lebanon: report</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602079/trump-netanyahu-held-tense-phone-call-before-israel-sought-ceasefire-talks-with-lebanon-report</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602079/trump-netanyahu-held-tense-phone-call-before-israel-sought-ceasefire-talks-with-lebanon-report#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 17:36:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602079</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The conversation came shortly before Israel announced it would seek direct ceasefire talks with Lebanon]]>
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				<![CDATA[United States President Donald Trump held a &ldquo;tense&rdquo; phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, CNN reported on Friday.

Citing a US and Israeli source familiar with the matter, CNN reported the conversation came shortly before Israel announced it would seek direct ceasefire talks with Lebanon.

The Israeli source told CNN that Netanyahu came to understand that if he did not call for direct talks with Lebanon, Trump might simply declare a ceasefire.

The call marked at least the third conversation between the two leaders this week in which Lebanon featured prominently.

Earlier in the week, they spoke ahead of Trump announcing a two-week ceasefire with Iran. During that exchange, Netanyahu reportedly urged that Lebanon not be included in the broader framework.

According to CNN, a day later, Trump pressed Netanyahu to scale back Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, following reports from Lebanese health authorities that 303 people were killed in Israeli attacks.

Netanyahu&rsquo;s office pushed back on reports of friction, calling claims of a &ldquo;tense&rdquo; exchange &ldquo;fake news&rdquo; and describing the conversation as &ldquo;friendly&rdquo;.

&ldquo;The two leaders are working in full coordination and with mutual respect,&rdquo; the office said, according to CNN.]]>
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			<title>PM Shehbaz announces Rs12 cut in petrol price, Rs135 cut in diesel price</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602078/pm-shehbaz-addresses-nation-2</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602078/pm-shehbaz-addresses-nation-2#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 17:30:42 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602078</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Urges nation to pray for success of US-Iran talks in Islamabad]]>
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				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced a reduction of Rs135 per litre in the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) and a cut of Rs12 per litre for petrol.

A press release from the finance ministry said the new prices were Rs385.54 for HSD and Rs366.58 for petrol.

Meanwhile, the prices for kerosene and light diesel oil were reduced to Rs450.15 and Rs369.72 with cuts of Rs17.33 and Rs25.31, respectively.



Reduction in petroleum products&rsquo; prices, effective 00.01 hours 11th April 2026, AlhamdoLilah👇 pic.twitter.com/ut20g2kJIW
&mdash; Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) April 10, 2026


Last month, the government increased the prices of petroleum products by Rs55 per litre, citing a rise in international market rates amid the US-Iran war in the Middle East. Officials said that for the next three weeks, the government refrained from further price increases, with the prime minister bearing the brunt of the adjustment by providing a subsidy of Rs129 billion.

However, on April 2, the government raised the petrol price by Rs137 per litre, taking it to a record Rs458.4, while also increasing the price of high-speed diesel to Rs520.35 per litre &mdash; an increase of Rs185 per litre or 55 per cent. Shortly after the announcement, within 24 hours, PM Shehbaz reduced the petroleum levy on petrol by Rs80 per litre, bringing the petrol price down to Rs378 per litre.

Addressing the nation, the prime minister said that since the &ldquo;storm of unprecedented inflation&rdquo; had begun around the start of the US-Iran conflict, he had promised the public that benefits would be passed on to them immediately as soon as international fuel prices declined.

PM Shehbaz said that today there had been some reduction in fuel prices in the international market, and he was advised that part of the relief could be passed on to consumers while retaining some portion to offset the Rs129 billion spent by the government in recent weeks to shield the public from rising prices.

&ldquo;I rejected this proposal without a moment&rsquo;s delay,&rdquo; he said, adding that when prices were &ldquo;touching the sky&rdquo; and the burden of inflation had fallen on the public, he had witnessed the public&#39;s patience in bearing the hardship.

The premier said that now that prices had declined, he considered it his &quot;moral and political responsibility&quot; to pass on the full benefit to the people.

While specially mentioning the wheat harvesting season, he said it was very important to reduce input costs. &ldquo;If this is not done, not only will the farmer&rsquo;s hard work go to waste, but food items for the common people will also become more expensive,&rdquo; he said.

Announcing the reduction in petroleum prices, the prime minister said, &ldquo;Therefore, I announce an immediate reduction of Rs135 per litre in the price of diesel. The price of diesel, which currently stands at Rs520 per litre, will be reduced to Rs385 per litre from midnight tonight.&rdquo;

He added that this would not only bring ease to the agricultural sector but would also significantly reduce public transport costs for the common man.

&ldquo;Similarly, the price of petrol, for which I had announced a reduction of Rs80 per litre last week, is being reduced further by Rs12 per litre,&rdquo; he said, adding that the petrol price would come down from Rs378 to Rs366 per litre from midnight.





While announcing the latest reduction in petroleum prices, the prime minister said that the targeted subsidy for two-wheelers and public transport, introduced in consultation with all four provincial governments, would continue to remain available for the public.

Continuing his address, PM Shehbaz said that his government, in coordination with the provincial governments, had never left the people alone even in the most difficult circumstances. &ldquo;When international market prices had spiralled out of control, and a wave of difficulties had emerged, even then my first priority was you,&rdquo; he said.

Islamabad talks

The prime minister said he was speaking &ldquo;at such a historic moment when, by the grace of Allah, there is talk of peace in the Middle East instead of war&rdquo; and when parties which &ldquo;were until yesterday facing each other in war, and the region presenting a scene of devastation, are now ready to resolve the crisis through talks&rdquo;.

He thanked the Iranian and United States leadership for accepting his offer and agreeing not only to a temporary ceasefire but also coming to Islamabad on his invitation, where he said dialogues would be held to establish peace.

He categorically thanked Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for playing a &quot;key and historic role in extinguishing the flames of war and persuading the parties to agree to negotiations&quot;.

&ldquo;In this regard, Field Marshal Asim Munir&rsquo;s services will be remembered in history in golden words,&rdquo; he added.

The prime minister said that a temporary ceasefire had been announced, but a more difficult phase now lay ahead &mdash; a lasting ceasefire and resolving the outstanding issues through negotiations &mdash; calling it a &ldquo;make or break&rdquo; situation.

He appealed to the public to pray that the negotiations were successful, saying this would save many innocent lives and help establish peace in the world.

The premier added that the leadership of both countries would be present in Islamabad the following day, and that the Pakistani leadership would make every possible sincere effort to ensure the success of the talks, leaving the outcome to God.

Pakistan is set to host what could prove to be one of the most consequential diplomatic engagements in recent history, as senior leaders from the US and Iran arrive in Islamabad for high-stakes negotiations following a devastating six-week war that has left thousands dead and pushed the global economy to the brink of recession.

The American delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by President Donald Trump&#39;s key Middle East envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. On the Iranian side, Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is expected to head the delegation, alongside Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials.

Read More: FO clarifies visa-on-arrival facility for &#39;Islamabad Talks&#39; limited to US, Iran delegates, journalists

Islamabad has effectively been placed under an unprecedented security lockdown ahead of the talks. Key routes have been sealed, security personnel heavily deployed, and surveillance heightened to ensure the safety of visiting dignitaries. Officials say the negotiations will take place at a secure, undisclosed location, away from the media spotlight.]]>
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			<title>‘No Plan B’: Bilawal warns of fallout if US-Iran talks fail</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602077/no-plan-b-bilawal-warns-of-fallout-if-us-iran-talks-fail</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602077/no-plan-b-bilawal-warns-of-fallout-if-us-iran-talks-fail#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 16:54:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602077</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says the international community doesn’t have a plan B so plan A needs to achieve a peaceful resolution]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Friday that the international community &ldquo;does not have a Plan B&rdquo;, warning of catastrophic human and economic consequences if talks between the United States and Iran fail to produce results.

Pakistan is set to host what could prove to be one of the most consequential diplomatic engagements in recent history, as senior leaders from the US and Iran arrive in Islamabad for high-stakes negotiations following a devastating six-week war that has left thousands dead and pushed the global economy to the brink of recession.

The American delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by President Donald Trump&#39;s key Middle East envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. On the Iranian side, Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is expected to head the delegation, alongside Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials.

Speaking in an interview with Sky News, Bilawal said &ldquo;all eyes&rdquo; were on the visiting delegations, adding that the conflict had affected people in Pakistan, London, New York, the Middle East and Asia.

Asked whether there was a &ldquo;Plan B&rdquo; if talks did not lead to a formal agreement during the ceasefire period, Bilawal said: &ldquo;I think the international community doesn&rsquo;t have a plan B. Our Plan A needs to achieve a peaceful resolution to this conflict and a more permanent peace.&rdquo;



I think that the international community does not have a Plan B. Our Plan A needs to be achieving a peaceful resolution to this conflict and a more permanent peace. I think the way this conflict has played out has proven that war of this nature, war of this scale is not an option&hellip; pic.twitter.com/6fJQBC4wWT
&mdash; PPP (@MediaCellPPP) April 10, 2026


&ldquo;We can sort of measure the toll of this conflict not only in the loss of human lives but the economic cost that is borne by the people in my country and in yours, so we are all hopeful,&rdquo; he said.

He said the current ceasefire space should be built upon to move towards &ldquo;a more lasting, more permanent peace for the benefit of the international community&rdquo;.

Read: JD Vance hopeful of &#39;positive&#39; outcome as he departs for US-Iran talks in Islamabad

Responding to a question on Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic role and associated challenges, Bilawal said Islamabad&rsquo;s engagement was a significant achievement, adding that efforts had been underway over the past month to bring the US and Iran to a ceasefire and define the outlines for continued dialogue.

He acknowledged, however, that challenges remained, particularly the trust deficit between the two sides.

&ldquo;But as with diplomatic engagements and negotiations, there will be confidence-building measures that both sides will take in order to increase the space for dialogue and diplomacy in the pursuit of peace,&rdquo; he said.

The PPP chairman said the scale of the conflict had shown that &ldquo;a war of this nature, a war of this scale, is not an option&rdquo;.

&ldquo;The catastrophic consequences as far as human life, as far as the economic consequences are there for all to be seen, and it&rsquo;s up to us, it&rsquo;s up to the disputing parties, it&rsquo;s for all countries who would like to see this issue resolved peacefully, to push all sides to agree to that peace so that we don&rsquo;t get drawn into a potentially broader conflict than what we have seen over the course of the last month,&rdquo; he added.

Commenting on questions regarding speculation about a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership and criticism over focus on international image, Bilawal said: &ldquo;The first I heard about the Nobel Peace Prize for Pakistan is from you, and this criticism about focusing on the image also.&rdquo;

Also Read: From critic to negotiator: JD Vance to spearhead US efforts in Iran ceasefire talks

He said Pakistan, as a neighbour to Iran and Afghanistan, had already endured decades of conflict spillovers and continued to face tensions in the region.

&ldquo;We are in perpetual conflict with India. We absolutely do not want the conflict in Iran to be exacerbated,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;The people of Pakistan can&rsquo;t afford it. I would argue that people all across the world can&rsquo;t afford it. That is Pakistan&rsquo;s motivation, that all sides achieve peace,&rdquo; he added.

Bilawal further said the situation was &ldquo;particularly hairy&rdquo; for Pakistan economically, noting global concerns over potential economic shocks.

&ldquo;So, as far as the peace prize is concerned, I think Pakistan and everyone would settle just to achieve peace,&rdquo; the former foreign minister concluded.]]>
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			<title>Fact check: Viral video of schoolgirl pulling gun on men harassing father is scripted</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602073/viral-video-of-schoolgirl-pulling-gun-on-men-harassing-father-is-scripted</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602073/viral-video-of-schoolgirl-pulling-gun-on-men-harassing-father-is-scripted#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 16:32:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602073</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Fact check found no credible media reports supporting the viral claim after keyword search]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Multiple people across social media platforms were sharing a video on April 10, 2026, showing a young girl in a school uniform retrieving a gun from her father&rsquo;s car and confronting several men after witnessing them harass him at a petrol pump. However, the clip is scripted.

How it started?

On April 10, 2026, an X user, who describes himself as a social media influencer in his bio, shared a video of a schoolgirl pulling out a gun on men allegedly harassing her father at a fuel station.

&ldquo;Who says a daughter is a burden? A daughter is a blessing,&rdquo; reads the caption of the post, which gathered 13,200 views.

The same clip was shared by another account on X with the caption: &ldquo;Brave Daughter. A father&rsquo;s arm &mdash; girls can be strong too, not just boys.&rdquo;

It racked up 369,900 views.

An X user, who calls himself a journalist, posted the clip on his X account as well, collecting 86,600 views.

Subsequently, several X users widely shared the clip, as seen here, here, here, here, here, here and here; accumulating about 321,497 views.

The video was also shared on YouTube and TikTok, as seen here, here, here, here, and here, gaining over 150,000 views altogether.

Methodology

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality and keen public interest in the matter.

A keyword search yielded no results from national or international credible media outlets regarding any such incident.

A reverse image search to trace the video&rsquo;s source yielded a YouTube Shorts video posted by an account that repeatedly creates scripted clips.

The clip dated April 9, 2026, was titled: &ldquo;The video went viral when a daughter saw her father being insulted and chased away the opponent after pulling a pistol from the car.&rdquo;

Separately, its description said, &ldquo;Papa ki sherni (father&rsquo;s lioness). Brave girl.&rdquo;







A description of the YouTube account stated that it posted educational and entertaining &ldquo;CCTV-style scripted videos&rdquo;, adding that the purpose was to show the reality of society. It added that clips posted included &ldquo;real-life based dramatised stories, awareness and social messages, and CCTV footage style entertainment&rdquo;.



An inspection of the YouTube account further revealed that the vehicle seen in the viral clip was used in several other videos posted by the channel as well, as seen here, here and here.



As can be seen, the video was made for entertainment purposes and does not show any real incident.

Fact-check status: False

The claim that a viral video shows a schoolgirl pulling a gun on her father&rsquo;s harassers is false.

The clip is scripted.

This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan &mdash; a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.]]>
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			<title>Al-Aqsa Mosque reopens to worshippers for 1st Friday prayers after weeks-long closure</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602070/al-aqsa-mosque-reopens-to-worshippers-for-1st-friday-prayers-after-weeks-long-closure</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602070/al-aqsa-mosque-reopens-to-worshippers-for-1st-friday-prayers-after-weeks-long-closure#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 16:17:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602070</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Closure barred five Friday prayers in March-April; worship resumed on sixth Friday, April 10]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Thousands of Palestinian worshippers gathered at Al-Aqsa Mosque for the first Friday prayers after a closure that lasted more than five weeks.

Israel announced on Wednesday that it would reopen Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied East Jerusalem starting Thursday morning, allowing access for the first time in 40 days following restrictions imposed during the US-Israeli war on Iran.



Following 40-day closure, tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers fill Al-Aqsa Mosque for first Friday prayer since February 28, while some Israeli security forces are present at site pic.twitter.com/K7YpWfRLIw
&mdash; Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) April 10, 2026


Large crowds began arriving in the early morning hours, filling the mosque&rsquo;s courtyards with men, women, children, and elderly worshippers in a reflection of Palestinians&rsquo; eagerness to return after a prolonged absence.

Read More: Pakistan condemns Israeli minister&#39;s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque

During the closure, Palestinians were barred from performing daily prayers, including five consecutive Friday prayers on March 6, 13, 20, and 27, and April 3. Worship resumed on the sixth Friday.

Israeli authorities had closed both sites since February 28, citing security measures during the US-Israeli war on Iran.

They also prevented Eidul Fitr prayers from being held at Al-Aqsa this year for the first time since Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967.]]>
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			<title>Trump's peace board faces cash crunch, stalling Gaza plan, sources say</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602069/trumps-peace-board-faces-cash-crunch-stalling-gaza-plan-sources-say</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602069/trumps-peace-board-faces-cash-crunch-stalling-gaza-plan-sources-say#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 15:49:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602069</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Only UAE, Morocco and US paid funds among 10 nations pledging support for peace board]]>
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				<![CDATA[Donald Trump&#39;s Board of Peace has received only a tiny fraction of the $17 billion pledged for Gaza, preventing the United States president from ​pushing ahead with his plan for the shattered Palestinian enclave&#39;s future, sources told Reuters.

Ten days before US-Israeli attacks on Iran plunged the region into &zwnj;war, Trump hosted a conference in Washington that saw Gulf Arab states pledge billions for the governance and reconstruction of Gaza after a two-year pulverisation by Israel.

The plan envisages large-scale rebuilding of the coastal enclave after the disarmament of&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

The funding pledges were also meant to pay for the activities ​of a nascent National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a US-backed group of Palestinian technocrats intended to assume control of Gaza from Hamas.

&#39;No money currently available&#39;

One of the sources, a person with direct knowledge of the peace board&#39;s operations, said that out of the 10 countries that pledged ⁠funds, only three &mdash;&nbsp;the United Arab Emirates, Morocco&nbsp;and the US itself &mdash;&nbsp;had contributed funding.

Read More: As US and Iran talk truce, Israel digs in for a &#39;forever war&#39;

The source said funding so far was under $1b, but did not give more ​details. The Iran war &quot;has affected everything&quot;, exacerbating previous funding difficulties, the source said.

NCAG could not enter Gaza due to both funding and security issues, the source added. Even after a ​ceasefire was agreed last October, Israeli attacks have killed at least 700 people in Gaza according to health officials there, while attacks have killed four soldiers according to Israel.

The second source, a Palestinian official familiar with the matter, said the board informed Hamas and other Palestinian factions that NCAG is unable to enter Gaza right now due to a lack of funding.

&quot;No money is currently ​available,&quot; the official cited board envoy Nickolay Mladenovas as informing Palestinian groups.

Hamas has repeatedly said it is ready to hand over governance to NCAG, led by Ali Shaath, a ​former deputy minister with the Palestinian Authority, which currently exercises limited self-rule in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Shaath&#39;s committee is meant to assume control of Gaza&#39;s ministries and run its police &zwnj;force.

He and ⁠his 14 committee members have been cloistered in a hotel in Cairo under supervision by American and Egyptian handlers, said a diplomatic source.

Representatives for the Board of Peace and NCAG did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rehabilitation of Gaza, where four-fifths of buildings were destroyed in two years of Israeli bombardments, has been projected by global institutions to cost around $70b.

Also Read: Trump launches &lsquo;Board of Peace&rsquo; for Gaza ceasefire, eyes wider global role

The stuttering plan for Gaza&#39;s future echoes other ambitious initiatives by Trump, who has sought to project himself as the world&#39;s peacemaker but has struggled to end the ​Ukraine war as he said he would ​and is seeing this week&#39;s truce ⁠with Iran come under immediate severe strain.

Disarmament talks 

Egypt, which has been hosting the disarmament talks, invited Hamas for more meetings on Saturday, according to a source in the&nbsp;group.

The ceasefire halted full-blown war but left Israeli troops in control of a depopulated zone ​comprising well over half of Gaza, with Hamas in power in a narrow coastal strip.

Trump&#39;s board has been leading negotiations with ​Hamas and other Palestinian ⁠factions on disarmament. Israel says Hamas must lay down arms before it pulls troops out of Gaza, Hamas says it will not comply without guarantees of Israel&#39;s withdrawal and a halt to firing in Gaza.

The diplomatic source familiar with the disarmament talks said they remained in deadlock and feared Israel was looking for an excuse to relaunch a full-scale offensive on Gaza.

Israeli military ⁠officials have ​said they are preparing for a swift return to full-scale war if Hamas does not lay down ​its weapons.

The Gaza conflict&nbsp;began with Hamas&#39;s October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel&#39;s ensuing two-year campaign killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, and has spread famine and displaced most of the territory&#39;s population.]]>
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			<title>Trump says US loading warships with ‘best weapons’ if no deal reached with Iran</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602063/trump-says-us-loading-warships-with-best-weapons-if-no-deal-reached-with-iran</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602063/trump-says-us-loading-warships-with-best-weapons-if-no-deal-reached-with-iran#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 15:01:56 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602063</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Iranian Speaker Ghalibaf demands Lebanon ceasefire before talks]]>
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				<![CDATA[United States President Donald Trump said on Friday his country is loading warships with &ldquo;best weapons ever made&rdquo; as a US delegation is headed to Pakistan for talks with Iran, warning force could be used if no deal is reached.

Following a devastating six-week war that has left thousands dead and pushed the global economy to the brink of recession, the US&nbsp;and Iran are set to hold talks in Islamabad on Saturday.

However, just a day before the talks, President Trump warned of the use of force if the negotiations failed to yield results.

&ldquo;We have a reset going. We&rsquo;re loading up the ships with the best ammunition, the best weapons ever made,&rdquo; Trump said in an interview with the New York Post, adding that the weapons are &ldquo;even better than what we did previously&rdquo;.

&ldquo;And if we don&rsquo;t have a deal, we will be using them, and we will be using them very effectively,&rdquo; he said.

Asked if he thinks the talks would be successful, Trump responded: &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to find out in about 24 hours. We&rsquo;re going to know soon.&rdquo;

Trump&rsquo;s remarks came hours after US Vice President JD Vance said Washington would meet the Iranian side with &ldquo;open hands&rdquo;, expecting the negotiations to be &ldquo;positive&rdquo;, as he departed Washington for Pakistan.

Lebanon ceasefire, asset release must precede talks with US, says Qalibaf

Meanwhile, Iran&rsquo;s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran&rsquo;s blocked assets must be ensured before the commencement of negotiations with the US.

In a statement on&nbsp;X, Ghalibaf said: &ldquo;Two of the measures mutually agreed upon between the parties have yet to be implemented: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran&rsquo;s blocked assets before the commencement of negotiations.&rdquo;

&ldquo;These two matters must be fulfilled before negotiations begin,&rdquo; he added.

Read: JD Vance hopeful of &#39;positive&#39; outcome as he departs for US-Iran talks in Islamabad

Pakistan, together with T&uuml;rkiye, China, Saudi Arabia&nbsp;and Egypt, managed to secure a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran on Wednesday, 40 days after the US and Israel initiated attacks on Iran on February&nbsp;28.

Pakistan is set to host what could prove to be one of the most consequential diplomatic engagements in recent history, as senior leaders from the US and Iran arrive in Islamabad for high-stakes negotiations following a devastating six-week.

The American delegation will be led by Vice President Vance, accompanied by Trump&#39;s key Middle East envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. On the Iranian side, Ghalibaf is expected to head the delegation, alongside Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials

Islamabad has effectively been placed under an unprecedented security lockdown ahead of the talks. Key routes have been sealed, security personnel heavily deployed, and surveillance heightened to ensure the safety of visiting dignitaries. Officials say the negotiations will take place at a secure, undisclosed location, away from the media spotlight.

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the region. Last month, the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, which prompted Tehran to retaliate with attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf. This escalation of tensions in the Middle East led to efforts by political and military leadership in Pakistan to de-escalate the situation.

To ease tensions, Pakistan had also hosted a quadrilateral foreign ministers&#39; meeting in Islamabad, with representatives from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The meeting grabbed the world&#39;s attention and was widely appreciated for Pakistan&#39;s efforts.

Pakistan and China also jointly proposed a five-point initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the broader Middle East.]]>
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			<title>Partition memories resurface as 3 Sikh pilgrims revisit Pakistan after decades for Baisakhi festival</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602057/partition-memories-resurface-as-3-sikh-pilgrims-revisit-pakistan-after-decades-for-baisakhi-festival</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602057/partition-memories-resurface-as-3-sikh-pilgrims-revisit-pakistan-after-decades-for-baisakhi-festival#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 13:56:27 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asif Mehmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602057</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[During their 10-day stay, pilgrims will visit key sites including Nankana Sahib and Panja Sahib]]>
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				<![CDATA[Hundreds of Sikh pilgrims arriving from India at the Wagah border on Friday included three elderly men whose journey carried memories spanning more than eight decades, as they returned to their birthplace in Pakistan for the first time since the 1947 partition.

Baba Karnail Singh, Baba Sardar Shobaik Singh and Sardar Harbans Singh were among the pilgrims who crossed into Pakistan to attend the Baisakhi festival. For them, the visit was not merely a religious pilgrimage but a deeply personal return to their ancestral village after a lifetime of separation.

The three were born in Dogej Wahgariyan, a village on the outskirts of Lahore, but were displaced during Partition and later settled in Shahura, a border area in India&rsquo;s Amritsar district. Despite the passage of time, they said memories of their village remained vivid.



Although Pakistan issued 2,840 visas, only 2,238 pilgrims arrived, with more than 600 not travelling despite receiving visas.PHOTO: ASIF MEHMOOD

During immigration at Wagah, the elderly pilgrims appeared emotional. Baba Karnail Singh recalled village streets, trees and a well where he spent his childhood. Baba Sardar Shobaik Singh said he still remembered the names of his Muslim friends but did not know where they were now, adding that not being able to return earlier had remained a lifelong regret.

For Sardar Harbans Singh, the visit fulfilled a long-held wish. He said his only desire in life had been to see his birthplace once again.

Their story stood out among a larger group of 2,238 Indian Sikh pilgrims who arrived in Pakistan to participate in Baisakhi and the 327th birth anniversary of the Khalsa.

The pilgrims were received at Wagah by officials, including Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President and Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq&nbsp;and Lahore Commissioner Maryam Khan.

Mushtaq said comprehensive arrangements had been made for the pilgrims, including accommodation, langar, transport and medical facilities. He added that the main Baisakhi ceremony would be held on Tuesday at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal.

Arora said Pakistan was &quot;not a second but the first home&quot; for Sikhs, adding that the issuance of thousands of visas despite strained bilateral relations reflected the country&rsquo;s commitment to peace. He said the doors of Pakistan would remain open for Sikh pilgrims.

Read More: Baisakhi celebrations set to begin

He further stated that 17 gurdwaras in Pakistan would become functional this year, while restoration work on 34 more sites would be completed within the next two years. He also urged India to fully open the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate religious travel.

Arora said Pakistan ensured complete religious freedom for minorities and highlighted the country&rsquo;s efforts for regional peace, referring to diplomatic initiatives led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

During their 10-day stay, pilgrims will visit key sites including Nankana Sahib and Panja Sahib.

Leaders of various Indian groups also appreciated the arrangements. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee group leader Sardar Surjit Singh said Pakistan had consistently extended hospitality to Sikh pilgrims. Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee representatives Sardar Paramjit Singh Chandok and Sardar Harjit Singh also thanked the Pakistani authorities for visa issuance and facilities.

Although Pakistan issued 2,840 visas, only 2,238 pilgrims arrived, with more than 600 not travelling despite receiving visas.

Pilgrims expressed similar sentiments. Manpreet Kaur from Amritsar said she never felt like a stranger in Pakistan and felt as if she had returned home. Harpal Singh from Delhi said ties between the two countries should improve to allow people to share in each other&rsquo;s joys and sorrows.

Another pilgrim, Jaspreet Kaur, said she would take back clothes and gifts for relatives, but the greatest takeaway was the love and respect she received in Pakistan.

Many pilgrims expressed hope for improved Pakistan-India relations and easier access for religious visits in the future.

Pilgrims were later transported under strict security in buses to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, where they will perform religious rituals.

Amid the larger gathering, the quiet smiles and tearful eyes of the three elderly men reflected a rare reunion with their past, as they briefly reconnected with the land they had left behind decades ago.]]>
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			<title>From critic to negotiator: JD Vance to spearhead US efforts in Iran ceasefire talks</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602052/from-critic-to-negotiator-jd-vance-to-spearhead-us-efforts-in-iran-ceasefire-talks</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602052/from-critic-to-negotiator-jd-vance-to-spearhead-us-efforts-in-iran-ceasefire-talks#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 13:20:27 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602052</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Vance faces major test in Islamabad talks, a key moment for 2028 hopeful amid challenges ahead]]>
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				<![CDATA[It was a war JD Vance never wanted. Now the United States vice president has been tasked with ending it. Vance headed&nbsp;to Pakistan today&nbsp;with orders from President Donald Trump to turn the shaky Iran ceasefire into a lasting peace deal.

For the 41-year-old Vance, who has kept a notably low profile during the Middle East conflict, it will be one of the biggest moments of his career.

But the man widely regarded as a leading contender in the 2028 US presidential election will face huge challenges too when talks begin Saturday in Islamabad.

&ldquo;I cannot think of a case where the vice president ran formal negotiations like this,&rdquo; Aaron Wolf Mannes, a lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and an expert on the American vice presidency&rsquo;s role in foreign policy, told AFP.

&ldquo;This is high risk, high reward.&rdquo;

Vance built his political brand as an avowed anti-interventionist who wanted to keep America out of any more foreign wars, such as&nbsp;in Iraq,&nbsp;where he served as a US Marine.

That has made for a difficult balancing act after Trump launched the Iran war on February 28.

Vance has publicly backed the conflict but has kept out of the limelight.

When the ceasefire was announced, Vance happened to be far away in Hungary, supporting Prime Minister Viktor Orban&rsquo;s electoral campaign.

Read More: JD Vance hopeful of &#39;positive&#39; outcome as he departs for US-Iran talks in Islamabad

The New York Times reported this week that in discussions behind closed doors in the weeks before the war, Vance argued against military action, saying it could cause regional chaos and split Trump&rsquo;s MAGA coalition.

But Vance now suddenly finds himself as Trump&rsquo;s diplomatic closer for an Iran deal.

&ldquo;My key role was, I sat on the phone a lot,&rdquo; Vance told reporters as he left Hungary this week. &ldquo;I answered a lot of phone calls. I made a lot of phone calls. And again, I&rsquo;m happy about where we are.&rdquo;

Announcing the Islamabad talks this week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Vance played a &ldquo;very significant and a key role in this since the very beginning&rdquo;.

Not always diplomatic

Vance will be accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump&rsquo;s son-in-law Jared Kushner as he becomes the first US vice president to visit Pakistan since Joe Biden in 2011.

The White House said Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Witkoff and Kushner &ldquo;have always been collaborating on these issues&rdquo;.

&ldquo;The president is optimistic that a deal can be reached that can lead to lasting peace in the Middle East,&rdquo; Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement to AFP.

One theory is that the Iranians may view Vance as a more likely partner for diplomacy, given his widely reported opposition to the war and general doubts about US interventionism.

After Tehran expressed fury over Israel&rsquo;s continued attacks on Lebanese cities despite the ceasefire deal, Vance appeared to take a softer tone, saying there may have been a &ldquo;legitimate misunderstanding&rdquo; from Iran that Lebanon would be included.

He hasn&rsquo;t always been so diplomatic.

A long-term sceptic of support for Ukraine, Vance notoriously kicked off the Oval Office row between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky in February 2025.

And for the ambitious Vance, a soon-to-be father of four and Catholic convert, politics is always in the background.

Since Trump&rsquo;s return to power, Vance has been unusually prominent in a tough job that is simultaneously one heartbeat away from the presidency yet also, in the words of one former vice president, &ldquo;not worth a bucket of warm spit&rdquo;.

His crucial role in the Iran talks comes against the backdrop of a looming potential battle with Rubio to be the Republican heir to Trump in two years.

&ldquo;If he can get something that papers it over without dealing with real issues, that&rsquo;s probably enough,&rdquo; said Mannes.

&ldquo;But if nothing good comes of this, it raises questions about his competence, which is not going to help him electorally. And of course Rubio&rsquo;s right there as a potential rival for 2028.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>Zimbabwe women set for historic maiden tour of Pakistan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602051/zimbabwe-women-set-for-historic-maiden-tour-of-pakistan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602051/zimbabwe-women-set-for-historic-maiden-tour-of-pakistan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 13:01:55 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Sports Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602051</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The teams are set to play three ODIs and three T20Is at the National Bank Stadium]]>
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				<![CDATA[Zimbabwe women will make their first-ever tour of Pakistan this week, with a six-match white-ball series scheduled to run from April 29 to May 15 in Karachi.

The tour features three ODIs and three T20Is at the National Bank Stadium, marking a significant milestone in bilateral women&rsquo;s cricket between the two sides.

The ODI series, set for May 3, 6 and 9, forms part of the ICC Women&rsquo;s Championship 2025-2029, with Zimbabwe continuing their campaign after making their debut in the competition against New Zealand last month.

Zimbabwe endured a difficult start to the championship, losing all three ODIs and T20Is in their home series against New Zealand by comprehensive margins.

The T20I leg of the Pakistan tour will be played on May 12, 14 and 15. It will be the first time Zimbabwe women&rsquo;s national cricket team and Pakistan women&rsquo;s national cricket team meet in the shortest format of the game.

Overall, the two sides have faced each other only once in international cricket, during the 2021 World Cup Qualifier, where Pakistan registered a 114-run victory.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have played three matches in the Women&rsquo;s Championship so far. They lost their recent series 1-2 to South Africa and currently sit fifth on the points table of the ICC Women&rsquo;s Championship.

The series is expected to provide both teams with crucial preparation and exposure as they continue their build-up to upcoming global tournaments.]]>
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			<title>Villa reach Europa League semis</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602050/villa-reach-europa-league-semis</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602050/villa-reach-europa-league-semis#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 12:57:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602050</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Ollie Watkins scored twice to beat Bologna 3-1]]>
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				<![CDATA[Ollie Watkins scored twice as Aston Villa beat Bologna 3-1 in their Europa League quarter-final, first leg on Thursday, while Nottingham Forest held Porto 1-1 thanks to a comical own goal from Martim Fernandes.

Freiburg also have one foot in the last four after beating Celta Vigo 3-0.
Villa boss Unai Emery is aiming to win the competition for a fifth time and the favourites rode their luck to emerge victorious in Italy.
&quot;It could&#39;ve been different,&quot; said Watkins. &quot;We got lucky.&quot;
Bologna made a bright start to their first European quarter-final in 27 years.

An Ezri Konsa own goal was ruled out by a VAR review for a marginal offside against Santiago Castro before Lewis Ferguson hit the bar.
But the Coppa Italia winners were undone by some awful set-piece defending to allow Villa two of their goals.
Konsa headed into an unguarded net just before the break after Federico Ravaglia flapped at a corner.
Watkins quickly doubled the visitors&#39; advantage after half-time with a cool finish after Emi Buendia won possession deep in Bologna territory.
Federico Bernardeschi hit the post and Jonathan Rowe was denied by a brilliant Emi Martinez save.
Rowe&#39;s stunning finish in the 90th minute looked to have given Bologna a foothold in the tie.
But Watkins was left completely unmarked to tap in from a corner deep into stoppage time and further his case for inclusion in England&#39;s World Cup squad.
&quot;Back end of the season I&#39;m raring to go,&quot; added Watkins. &quot;I&#39;m excited for the next few games. I&#39;m hungry.&quot;

Freiburg&#39;s record run
Villa will face the winners of the tie between Porto and Forest should they progress to the semi-finals.
An all-English affair in the last four is on the cards after Forest were handed a gift by Fernandes.
Porto capitalised on a strong start when William Gomes turned in at the far post.
But the lead lasted barely two minutes before Fernandes found his own net from just inside the Porto half as he overhit a pass back to goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Forest striker Igor Jesus had a goal ruled out in the second half, but the visitors were happier with the draw that leaves the tie up for grabs next week at the City Ground.
&quot;It was a good result,&quot; said Forest boss Vitor Pereira.
&quot;At 1-1 at half-time in the tie, it&#39;s open, and we&#39;re at home to decide who qualifies.&quot;
The best European run in Freiburg&#39;s history looks set to continue after Celta were blown away by the Bundesliga side.
Vincenzo Grifo&#39;s curling effort gave the home side the perfect start on 10 minutes.
Niklas Beste doubled Freiburg&#39;s lead at the end of a fine team move and Matthias Ginter headed in 12 minutes from time to secure a commanding first leg lead.
Braga and Real Betis drew 1-1 in the other quarter-final, first leg on Wednesday.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>JD Vance hopeful of 'positive' outcome as he departs for US-Iran talks in Islamabad</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602049/jd-vance-hopeful-of-positive-outcome-as-he-departs-for-us-iran-talks-in-islamabad</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602049/jd-vance-hopeful-of-positive-outcome-as-he-departs-for-us-iran-talks-in-islamabad#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 12:54:24 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602049</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says President Trump has given some pretty clear guidelines]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[US Vice President JD Vance said on Friday that America was looking forward to the negotiation with Iran and expressed hope that it would be positive as he departed for Pakistan to attend the &#39;Islamabad Talks&#39;.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it&rsquo;s going to be positive. If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith and extend an open hand, that&rsquo;s one thing. If they&rsquo;re going to try to play us, they&rsquo;re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive. The president has given us some pretty clear guidelines, and we&rsquo;ll see how it goes,&rdquo; said JD Vance.



.@VP departs for Islamabad, Pakistan: &quot;As @POTUS said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we&#39;re certainly willing to extend the open hand. If they&#39;re going to try to play us, then they&#39;re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive.&quot; pic.twitter.com/9nNDGsMmId
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 10, 2026



Pakistan is set to host what could prove to be one of the most consequential diplomatic engagements in recent history, as senior leaders from the US and Iran arrive in Islamabad for high-stakes negotiations following a devastating six-week war that has left thousands dead and pushed the global economy to the brink of recession.

The American delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by President Donald Trump&#39;s key Middle East envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. On the Iranian side, Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is expected to head the delegation, alongside Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials.

Read More:&nbsp;FO clarifies visa-on-arrival facility for &#39;Islamabad Talks&#39; limited to US, Iran delegates, journalists

Islamabad has effectively been placed under an unprecedented security lockdown ahead of the talks. Key routes have been sealed, security personnel heavily deployed, and surveillance heightened to ensure the safety of visiting dignitaries. Officials say the negotiations will take place at a secure, undisclosed location, away from the media spotlight.

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the region. Last month, the US and Israel launched&nbsp;airstrikes on Iran, which prompted Tehran to retaliate with attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf. This escalation of tensions in the Middle East led to efforts by political and military leadership in Pakistan to de-escalate the situation.

To ease tensions, Pakistan had also hosted a&nbsp;quadrilateral foreign ministers&#39; meeting&nbsp;in Islamabad, with representatives from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The meeting grabbed the world&#39;s attention and was widely appreciated for Pakistan&#39;s efforts.

Pakistan and China also jointly proposed a five-point initiative&nbsp;aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the broader Middle East.

Perilous ceasefire

A fragile, conditional&nbsp;ceasefire&nbsp;is in place between the US and Iran, agreed after weeks of intense conflict. The deal revolves around a two‑week pause in fighting, largely aimed at halting major military strikes and reopening strategic routes like the Strait of Hormuz &mdash; although core disagreements remain unresolved. Both Washington and Tehran have declared the ceasefire a kind of victory, even as they stick to competing demands for a long‑term settlement.

At the centre of the&nbsp;truce&nbsp;is a 10‑point proposal from Iran, which the US has described as a &ldquo;workable basis&rdquo; for negotiation. The plan reportedly covers issues like non‑aggression, control and operation of the Strait of Hormuz, lifting sanctions, and cessation of hostilities on multiple fronts &mdash; including calls for an end to wars in related theatres. This framework is now set to guide peace talks, with Pakistan expected to host negotiations aimed at turning the temporary ceasefire into a more durable peace.]]>
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			<title>Zalmi crush Kings in PSL record rout</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602048/zalmi-crush-kings-in-psl-record-rout</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602048/zalmi-crush-kings-in-psl-record-rout#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 12:52:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602048</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Mendis’ century and Babar’s unbeaten 87 powered a 159-run victory]]>
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				<![CDATA[Karachi Kings suffered the heaviest defeat in Pakistan Super League history on Thursday as Peshawar Zalmi stormed to a 159-run victory, powered by a brutal century from Kusal Mendis and an unbeaten 87 from Babar Azam.

Both sides arrived at the contest unbeaten this season, but Zalmi extended their winning momentum with a near-flawless display, while the Kings looked rusty after a week-long break and were outclassed in all departments at home.

Kings captain David Warner misread the surface, calling it a &ldquo;day five&rdquo; pitch, and his side quickly lost grip on the contest amid poor fielding and missed chances &mdash; including a key reprieve for Mendis early in his innings.

Zalmi, in contrast, delivered a batting masterclass. Mendis struck 109 off 52 balls, registering the fastest century by a Zalmi batter in PSL history, while sharing a record-breaking 191-run stand with Babar Azam, who faced 51 deliveries in his fluent knock.

The partnership became the highest in PSL history, laying the foundation for Zalmi&rsquo;s record team total of 246, which was later boosted by a destructive 12-ball 40 from Abdul Samad.

The innings was a showcase of classical strokeplay mixed with modern power. Babar and Mendis repeatedly pierced the off-side with elegant cuts and drives while punishing anything loose through the leg side, racing to 66 for one inside the powerplay.

Mendis reached his half-century in 26 balls, with Babar following in 32 deliveries before surpassing 12,000 T20 runs &mdash; becoming the fastest to the milestone in terms of innings, ahead of Chris Gayle.

The Sri Lankan batter dominated the partnership, bringing up his century in 48 balls before eventually falling after reaching 109, while Zalmi&rsquo;s late surge ensured they crossed 240 with ease. Samad&rsquo;s late assault &mdash; including three sixes off Abbas Afridi and a barrage of boundaries off Mir Hamza &mdash; pushed the Kings beyond recovery.

Kings were further hampered by the absence of Hasan Ali, whose death bowling has been a standout this season but was ruled out due to fever.

Any hopes of a chase evaporated almost immediately. Zalmi&rsquo;s bowlers dismantled the top order, removing openers David Warner and Muhammad Waseem within seven deliveries before Salman Agha fell early in the third over.

At 8 for 3, the chase was effectively over, and Kings collapsed to 87 in 16.1 overs &mdash; the lowest total ever recorded in Karachi in the PSL.

Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana and Sufyan Muqeem shared three wickets each as Zalmi completed a comprehensive victory that underlined their title credentials early in the season.]]>
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			<title>Tennis legend Borg to visit Pakistan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602047/tennis-legend-borg-to-visit-pakistan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602047/tennis-legend-borg-to-visit-pakistan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 12:45:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Zulfiqar Baig]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sports]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[The tournament will feature more than 200 international players]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) is honored to announce the visit of global tennis icon Mr. Bj&ouml;rn Borg to Pakistan during the ITF Men&rsquo;s Futures Tennis Tournament series scheduled from 26 April to 10 May 2026 at the PTF Tennis Complex, Islamabad.
The tournaments will feature more than 200 international players from around the world, making it one of the most significant international tennis events ever hosted in Pakistan.
Mr. Bj&ouml;rn Borg is one of the most influential figures in tennis history. He dominated the sport during the 1970s and early 1980s, was ranked World No. 1 for 109 weeks, and won 11 Grand Slam titles, including six French Open and five consecutive Wimbledon championships. Widely regarded as a global sporting icon before the era of Federer and Nadal, his visit is considered a great honor for Pakistan tennis.
This landmark visit follows earlier high-profile sporting visits, including boxing legend Muhammad Ali. It is expected that Mr. Borg&rsquo;s visit will rank among the most significant international sports celebrity visits to Pakistan.
His visit, along with his family (wife and two sons), is expected to significantly enhance the international profile of tennis in Pakistan and inspire young players across the country.
Mr. Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, President of the Pakistan Tennis Federation, stated that the Government of Pakistan, under the leadership of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, is doing commendable work in strengthening the country&rsquo;s international standing by facilitating mediation efforts between Iran and the USA to help avoid a major global conflict, and that the tennis fraternity highly appreciates these peace efforts, adding that as a result of these initiatives, top global political dignitaries and international personalities are visiting Pakistan, reflecting the country&rsquo;s growing importance on the world stage.
He further stated that, in the field of sports, he and the Pakistan Tennis Federation are making every possible effort to project a positive image of Pakistan internationally. He added that the increasing visits of international sports personalities are a testament to the Federation&rsquo;s successful efforts in promoting tennis and positioning Pakistan as a safe and attractive destination for international sporting events.
Mr. Qureshi added that the visit of Mr. Bj&ouml;rn Borg will be a great boost for Pakistan&rsquo;s international image as well as for the development and promotion of tennis in the country.
Col. Zia-ud-din Tufail Secretary General of the Pakistan Tennis Federation, , along with the PTF management, expressed their delight over the visit of the tennis legend and assured that every possible effort will be made to ensure the success of his visit and the smooth conduct of the event.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan Navy rescues 18 crew members after distress call in Arabian Sea</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602046/pakistan-navy-rescues-18-crew-members-after-distress-call-in-arabian-sea</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602046/pakistan-navy-rescues-18-crew-members-after-distress-call-in-arabian-sea#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 12:33:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Aftab Khan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602046</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Rescued crew members of five countries, repatriated to their respective countries after medical care]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Navy on Friday rescued 18 crew members of a merchant vessel after receiving a distress call in the North Arabian Sea.

According to a statement issued by the navy, &ldquo;In a swift humanitarian operation, Pakistan Navy successfully rescued and evacuated 18 crew members including nationals of China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia, following a distress call from Merchant Vessel (MV) Gold Autumn, operating in North Arabian Sea at 200 Nautical Miles (approximately 370 kilometres) off Pakistan&rsquo;s coast.&rdquo;

The statement said that upon receiving the emergency alert, the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) activated its Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and promptly initiated response protocols.



Pakistan Navy conducted a successful Search &amp; Rescue operation in the North Arabian Sea, rescuing 18 crew members of MV GOLD AUTUMN after a distress call. Nationals of China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia were safely recovered. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/shFIESB8qX
&mdash; DGPR (Navy) (@dgprPaknavy) April 10, 2026


&ldquo;Accordingly, Pakistan Navy Ship Hunain, patrolling in assigned area, was immediately tasked to provide assistance to MV Gold Autumn,&rdquo; it added.

It further said that the PNS Hunain undertook the search and rescue operation, demonstrating &quot;professionalism and operational expertise&quot;.

&ldquo;Pakistan Navy Ship&#39;s team, comprising of specialists, provided medical assistance, supported in firefighting, conducted damage assessment of the vessel and later rescued crew members,&rdquo; the statement said, adding that the evacuated crew members were safely transported to Karachi for further medical care and subsequent repatriation to their respective countries.

Read: PN evacuates ailing Sri Lankan at sea

According to the statement, &ldquo;Humanitarian assistance rendered by Pakistan Navy Ship at extended ranges off Pakistan&rsquo;s coast reflects Pakistan Navy&rsquo;s continued resolve and commitment to always being the first responder to maritime crises in the respective area of responsibility.&rdquo;

The statement noted that this was not the first such operation by the navy. Earlier this year, it successfully conducted the medical evacuation of a Sri Lankan national on the high seas, approximately 1,500km off Pakistan&rsquo;s coast.

In 2024, the navy carried out another humanitarian operation by rescuing nine Indian seamen at sea, 167 nautical miles southeast of Karachi, despite strained relations between the two countries.

The Pakistan Navy not only rescued the Indian seamen but also provided them with technical assistance, medical facilities, fresh water and cooked meals to the fatigued crew of the tug.]]>
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			<title>Kremlin says Putin envoy's US visit does not mean Ukraine talks have resumed</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602045/kremlin-says-putin-envoys-us-visit-does-not-mean-ukraine-talks-have-resumed</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602045/kremlin-says-putin-envoys-us-visit-does-not-mean-ukraine-talks-have-resumed#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 12:30:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602045</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Putin envoy Dmitriev meets Trump officials in US on peace talks and economic cooperation efforts]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Kremlin said on Friday that a visit to the United States by Russian President ​Vladimir Putin&#39;s special investment envoy did not mean &zwnj;that negotiations on a possible peace deal in Ukraine had resumed.

Reuters reported on Thursday, citing sources with knowledge of the visit, that Kirill Dmitriev, Putin&#39;s envoy, was in ​the US and meeting members of US President Donald Trump&#39;s ​administration for discussions on a peace deal and ⁠US-Russia economic cooperation.

&quot;Kirill Dmitriev is not negotiating a settlement ​in Ukraine, and this is not a resumption of the ​negotiations,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday when asked about the matter.

&quot;Kirill Dmitriev heads the group on economic issues, and he ​continues to work within this group.&quot;

Read More: Putin orders weekend ceasefire in Ukraine

Putin on Thursday announced a ​32-hour ceasefire over a two-day period for Orthodox Easter on Sunday. His &zwnj;Ukrainian ⁠counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, said Kyiv would abide by the measure.

Peskov, who has said that peace talks are paused due to events in the Middle East, said the ceasefire ​was humanitarian in ​nature and ⁠that Russia wanted a proper peace deal rather than simply a ceasefire.

&quot;As we have ​repeatedly said, and as President Putin has said, ​we ⁠do not want a ceasefire, we want peace, a lasting, sustainable peace,&quot; Peskov said.

&quot;And this peace can come today if ⁠President ​Zelenskiy makes the appropriate decision, takes ​responsibility and makes the appropriate decision,&quot; Peskov said.]]>
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			<title>World Food Programme warns Lebanon facing food security crisis due to US-Iran war</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602042/world-food-programme-warns-lebanon-facing-food-security-crisis-due-to-us-iran-war</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602042/world-food-programme-warns-lebanon-facing-food-security-crisis-due-to-us-iran-war#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 11:30:31 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602042</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA['What we're witnessing is not just a displacement crisis; becoming a food security crisis,' says WFP country director]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Lebanon is facing a food security crisis as the Iran war disrupts supplies of goods inside the country, the United Nations World Food Programme said on Friday.

A fragile two-day-old ceasefire has halted the campaign of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, but it has not so far calmed a parallel war waged by Israel against Iran&#39;s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon.

&quot;What we&#39;re witnessing is not just a displacement crisis; it is rapidly becoming a food security crisis,&quot; said World Food Programme country director Allison Oman, speaking via video link from Beirut.

She warned that food was becoming increasingly unaffordable due to rising prices and demand among displaced families.

Price of vegetables has soared

The price of vegetables has soared by more than 20% and bread prices have increased by 17% since March 2, the WFP said.

&quot;What we&#39;re now seeing is a very worrying combination: prices are rising, incomes are disrupted, and demand is increasing as displacement continues for many families,&quot; Oman stated.

Lebanon faces a two-layered crisis, in which some markets have fully collapsed - especially in the south, where more than 80% of markets are no longer functioning - while those in Beirut are under increasing strain, Oman said.

Many traders in conflict-affected areas in southern Lebanon are reporting that less than one week of essential food stocks remain, she added.

The ability to deliver food aid into hard-to-reach areas in the south, which has faced heavy bombardment by Israeli airstrikes since March 2, was becoming increasingly difficult.

While the Qasmiyeh bridge, which was previously struck, is now operational, movement remains difficult. Ten WFP convoys have reached the south to provide aid to some of the estimated 50,000 to 150,000 in need of humanitarian support in that part of the country.

&quot;This escalation is pushing vulnerable communities even closer to the edge,&quot; said Oman, adding that, due to this latest escalation, about 900,000 people across Lebanon were facing food insecurity - a number that was set to rise.]]>
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			<title>Cinema belongs to the audience: Aamir Khan in candid conversation on success, failure</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602041/cinema-belongs-to-the-audience-aamir-khan-in-candid-conversation-on-success-failure</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602041/cinema-belongs-to-the-audience-aamir-khan-in-candid-conversation-on-success-failure#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 11:21:20 +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=2602041</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor opens up about Oscars, overconfidence, 'Laal Singh Chaddha' missteps and why he didn't cast his own son]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[In a reflective conversation on Duologue with Barun Das, actor Aamir Khan offered a measured take on success, failure, and the evolving rules of filmmaking in a globalised, digitally distracted world. At the heart of his remarks was a consistent idea: cinema, no matter how it is packaged or promoted, ultimately belongs to the audience.

Khan addressed the long-standing fixation with the Oscars, pushing back against the idea that the award defines cinematic excellence. While he expressed respect for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, he framed the Oscars primarily as a marketing vehicle, one that helps films travel beyond borders and reach viewers who may otherwise never encounter them. For him, recognition from audiences carries far more weight than international trophies, he said.





Khan&#39;s emphasis on audience reception also shaped his response to debates around how India is portrayed globally. Dismissing the assumption that international juries favour films highlighting the country&rsquo;s &ldquo;darker side&rdquo;, Khan pointed to acclaimed titles such as Lagaan and Mother India as proof that a wide range of narratives can resonate worldwide.

He also admitted his discomfort with Slumdog Millionaire, suggesting that such portrayals may appeal to foreign audiences partly because they lack the cultural context to fully interrogate what they are seeing. The result, he implied, is a kind of fascination rooted in unfamiliarity.

The conversation also turned inward, with Khan reflecting candidly on his own missteps. He acknowledged that years of consistent success had led to a degree of overconfidence, blinding him to potential risks particularly in managing budgets. This self-critique extended to his performance in Laal Singh Chaddha, where he admitted he misjudged the tone of his character, especially when compared to Tom Hanks&rsquo; portrayal in Forrest Gump.





Beyond personal reflection, Khan offered a broader diagnosis of the industry&rsquo;s current challenges. He argued that the rise of smartphones fundamentally altered audience behaviour, shifting viewers from being &ldquo;captive&rdquo; in theatres to constantly &ldquo;distracted&rdquo;. With endless content available at their fingertips, audiences now demand stories that are far more engaging and immersive, he said.&nbsp;For filmmakers, this means the margin for error has narrowed significantly, Khan stated.

On the contentious issue of nepotism, Khan struck a balanced note, acknowledging that coming from a film family can make it easier to secure an initial opportunity, but stressing that longevity depends entirely on merit.

Recalling his own experience with his son Junaid Khan, Khan revealed that despite being impressed by his preparation and screen test, he chose not to cast him in Laal Singh Chaddha. The decision, he said, was guided by fairness and professional commitment rather than personal preference.





For Khan, the industry&rsquo;s ultimate filter remains unchanged: &ldquo;The audience cannot be managed.&rdquo; No amount of influence, promotion, or legacy can sustain a career if the work fails to connect, the actor stressed.

In a conversation that moved fluidly between introspection and industry critique, Khan stressed that in an era of shifting platforms and global visibility, authenticity, and the audience&rsquo;s response to it still determine what endures.]]>
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			<title>PMDC warns of action as probe launched into Mirpurkhas student’s death</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602040/pmdc-warns-of-action-as-probe-launched-into-mirpurkhas-students-death</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602040/pmdc-warns-of-action-as-probe-launched-into-mirpurkhas-students-death#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 11:16:05 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Abbas Naqvi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602040</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PMDC president strongly condemns the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly allegations of harassment]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on Friday expressed deep concern over the death of a third-year medical student in Mirpurkhas and warned of strict action against any faculty member or institution found responsible.

PMDC President Prof Dr Rizwan Taj said the council &ldquo;strongly condemned&rdquo; the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly the allegations of harassment, and described the death as &ldquo;deeply alarming&rdquo;.

A 21-year-old student, Fahmeeda Laghari, allegedly committed suicide at her home in Mirpurkhas on Thursday by shooting herself. Her family has accused a teacher and some male colleagues at a private university of harassment and blackmail, which they said led her to take the extreme step.



The PMDC welcomed the inquiry initiated by the Sindh government and stressed that the investigation must be thorough, adding that its findings should be shared with the council for further action.

The council reiterated that it had already directed all medical and dental colleges to establish anti-harassment committees to ensure timely redressal of complaints and safeguard students&rsquo; mental well-being.

It also advised that students may approach the PMDC directly if their concerns are not addressed at the institutional level.

Read: Medical student dies in suspected suicide

Prof Taj said that failure to implement these directives or to provide a safe academic environment &ldquo;would constitute a violation of PMDC regulations&rdquo;.

He added that the formation of harassment committees was &ldquo;not a formality but a critical safeguard&rdquo;, warning that any negligence would invite strict regulatory action.

The PMDC said it had sought complete records of the case, including details of the incident, findings of inquiry committees and remedial measures taken by the institution. The matter would be referred to its disciplinary committee after reviewing the report.

Expressing condolences, the council urged medical institutions to ensure a &ldquo;safe, respectful and supportive academic environment&rdquo;, stressing that any form of harassment or misconduct was a violation of ethical and regulatory standards.

&ldquo;Safety, dignity, and mental well-being of students remain our top priority,&rdquo; Prof Taj said, adding that &ldquo;no compromise will be tolerated in this regard&rdquo;.

The incident occurred near the Shama Ground area within the limits of the Satellite Town police station in Mirpurkhas. The victim&rsquo;s family, during a press conference, alleged that university officials ignored her complaints. A post-mortem examination was conducted at Civil Hospital, Mirpurkhas.

Meanwhile, the Mirpurkhas deputy inspector general of police formed a three-member committee headed by Senior Superintendent of Police Syed Fida Hussain Shah to investigate the case within 10 days.

According to the university administration, a verbal complaint had been received, but no written complaint was submitted, and the matter did not reach the chancellor&rsquo;s office. The university has since suspended the teacher named in the complaint.

Separately, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar had directed that a &ldquo;transparent, impartial, and thorough&rdquo; investigation be carried out into the death of a medical student in Mirpurkhas.

He vowed that &ldquo;no leniency would be shown towards those involved in harassment of women&rdquo; and instructed the deputy inspector general of police, Mirpurkhas, to form an inquiry committee and submit a report within 10 days.



Karachi, April 9:

Sindh Minister for Home Law and Parliamentary affairs Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar has taken strict notice of the tragic suicide of a medical student in Mirpurkhas and has sought a detailed report from the DIG Mirpurkhas.

According to spokesperson, the minister&hellip; pic.twitter.com/Wm1BAqJUiC
&mdash; Home &amp; Law Department, Govt of Sindh (@HomeSindh) April 9, 2026


&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Sindh CTD arrests suspected target killer linked to banned outfit in Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602038/sindh-ctd-arrests-suspected-target-killer-linked-to-banned-outfit-in-karachi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602038/sindh-ctd-arrests-suspected-target-killer-linked-to-banned-outfit-in-karachi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 11:03:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Abbas Naqvi]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602038</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says he was involved in multiple terrorist activities in the past]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Sindh, in a joint operation with a federal intelligence agency, arrested a suspected target killer linked to the banned outfit Zainabiyoun Brigade on Friday near University Road, Karachi.

According to a statement issued by the CTD, &quot;During the operation, the team arrested target killer Muhammad Farhan Khan, son of Muhammad Ismail, and recovered a 9mm pistol along with a loaded magazine containing eight bullets. The pistol was used in the 2023 targeted killing. He has been involved in multiple sectarian and religious terrorist activities in the past.&quot;

{{pdf}}

The statement further revealed that during interrogation, the arrested suspect confessed to having &quot;killed an Imam of Masjid Abu Bakr on the day of 12 Rabiul-Awwal in Federal B Area Karachi, along with an accomplice.&quot;

&quot;The attack was carried out on the instructions of the organisation to promote sectarian terrorism in the city. An innocent child was also injured by gunfire during the incident,&quot; the statement read.

Read: Two most wanted TTP terrorists gunned down in Tank operation: CTD

According to the CTD, a case had been registered at the CTD Police Station Karachi for the illegal possession of arms. Crime No. 32/2026 had been filed under Section 23(1) of the Sindh Arms Act 2013.

&quot;The murder case of Qaiser Farooq (Imam Masjid Abu Bakr) was already registered at Samanabad Police Station under FIR No. 297/2023, under Sections 302, 324, and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code,&quot; the statement added.

The CTD further stated that interrogation of the suspect was underway, with further revelations expected.

&quot;Joint teams from the CTD and the civilian intelligence agency have been formed to arrest his accomplices and other target killers, with raids underway, it said.]]>
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			<title>Artemis II astronauts hurtle home from moon toward splashdown</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602037/artemis-ii-astronauts-hurtle-home-from-moon-toward-splashdown</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602037/artemis-ii-astronauts-hurtle-home-from-moon-toward-splashdown#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 10:28:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602037</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Crew made history as first to include Black astronaut, woman, non-US citizen on lunar mission]]>
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				<![CDATA[The four Artemis II astronauts, returning from the world&#39;s first crewed moon voyage in over half a century, hurtled back toward Earth on Friday aboard their gumdrop-shaped Orion spacecraft, headed for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off Southern California.

The finale to NASA&#39;s celebrated 10-day mission was expected to begin with separation of Orion&#39;s crew capsule from its service module, followed by a fiery re-entry through Earth&#39;s atmosphere and a six-minute radio blackout before the capsule parachutes into the sea.

If all goes well, United States astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will end up bobbing safely in the ocean aboard their Orion capsule, dubbed Integrity, shortly after 8:00pm ET (0000 GMT) off the coast of San Diego.

The quartet blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 1, lofted into an initial Earth orbit by NASA&#39;s giant Space Launch System rocket before sailing on around the far side of the moon, venturing deeper into space than any humans before them.

Stepping stone to Mars

In so doing, they became the first astronauts to fly in the vicinity of the moon since the Apollo program of the 1960s and &#39;70s. Glover, Koch and Hansen also made history as the first Black astronaut, the first woman and first non-US citizen, respectively, to take part in a lunar mission.

The voyage, following the uncrewed Artemis I test flight around the moon by the Orion spacecraft in 2022, marked a critical dress rehearsal for a planned attempt later this decade to land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in late 1972.

Read: Artemis II crew snaps historic Earthset photo on way home

The ultimate goal of the Artemis program is to establish a long-term presence on the moon as a stepping stone to eventual human exploration of Mars.

In a historical parallel to the Cold War era of Apollo, the Artemis II mission has played out against a backdrop of political and social turmoil, including a US military conflict that has proven unpopular at home.

For many in a global audience captivated by the latest moon shot, it reaffirmed the achievements of science and technology at a time when big tech has become widely distrusted, even feared. Opinion polling showed broad public support for the aims of the mission.

Critical test of heat shield

The return to Earth will put the Orion spacecraft through a critical test of its heat shield, which sustained an unexpected level of scorching and stress on re-entry during the 2022 test flight. As a result, NASA engineers altered the descent trajectory for Artemis II in order to reduce heat buildup and lower the risk of the capsule burning up.

Still, with Orion plunging into the atmosphere at some 25,000 miles per hour (40,235 kph), temperatures outside the capsule are expected to soar to around 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).

Read More: Artemis astronauts spot Moon&#39;s &#39;Grand Canyon&#39;

The recalibrated final descent path also has narrowed the size of the potential splashdown zone, limiting target landing options in case of foul weather at sea. NASA officials said on Thursday that forecasts for the preferred splashdown zone looked favorable.

Just as critical as the performance of the heat shield are several other factors, including achieving the spacecraft&#39;s precise descent path and re-entry angle through a series of course-correction blasts of its jet guidance thrusters.

The last of three such jet propellant &quot;burns&quot; was scheduled for Friday afternoon, roughly five hours before splashdown.

Once the capsule hits the top of the atmosphere, it takes less than 15 minutes, including a six-minute radio blackout, before two sets of parachutes are deployed and the capsule floats into the sea. NASA says it will take about another hour for recovery teams to secure Orion, hoist it onto a ship and assist the astronauts in exiting the capsule one by one.

At the flight&#39;s peak, the crew reached a point 252,756 miles from Earth, exceeding the previous record of roughly 248,000 miles set in 1970 by the crew of Apollo 13.]]>
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			<title>Israeli military chief says army is ‘still in state of war’ in Lebanon</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602034/israeli-military-chief-says-army-is-still-in-state-of-war-in-lebanon</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602034/israeli-military-chief-says-army-is-still-in-state-of-war-in-lebanon#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 10:05:14 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602034</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[‘In Iran, we are in a ceasefire, but we can return to operating there at any moment,’ says army chief]]>
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				<![CDATA[Israel&rsquo;s military chief said on Friday that the country&rsquo;s forces are &quot;still in a state of war&quot; in southern Lebanon and are not observing a ceasefire on the northern front, according to an army statement.

&quot;The army continues to operate here in Lebanon,&quot; Chief of General Staff Lt&nbsp;Gen&nbsp;Eyal Zamir said while visiting areas near Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, where he spoke with commanders, according to the statement.

He stated that the army &ldquo;is in a state of war&rdquo; and is &ldquo;not in a ceasefire on the northern front.&rdquo; &ldquo;In Iran, we are in a ceasefire, but we can return to operating there at any moment, and with great intensity,&rdquo; he added.

The speech came as the Israeli army continued its widened assault on Lebanon since Wednesday, killing over 303 people and injuring 1,150 others, according to Lebanese Civil Defence.

Israel also threatened&nbsp;to attack ambulances in Lebanon directly if the Lebanese group Hezbollah&rsquo;s alleged use of them &ldquo;for military purposes&rdquo; does not stop. &ldquo;Hezbollah is widely using ambulances for military purposes.&quot;

&quot;Accordingly, we once again warn that the military use of medical facilities and ambulances must stop immediately,&rdquo; army spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed in a post on X, threatening strikes otherwise.

The offensive continued despite a two-week ceasefire announced Tuesday as part of efforts to reach a broader agreement to halt the conflict that Israel and the United States launched against Iran on February&nbsp;28 that has left thousands dead and wounded.

While Pakistan, which helped broker the deal, and Iran said the ceasefire includes Lebanon, the US and Israel denied it.

Rocket from Lebanon hits home in illegal border settlement in northern Israel

The Israeli army said that it had detected the launch of 10 rockets from southern Lebanon toward the Upper Galilee, one of which directly hit a house in the illegal border settlement of Misgav Am, causing significant damage.

Israel&rsquo;s Channel 12 said sirens sounded in several northern towns following the launches, adding that some rockets were intercepted while others fell in open areas, the channel reported.

The channel said one rocket &ldquo;directly&rdquo; struck a house in Misgav Am, near the Lebanese border, causing heavy damage without reported casualties.

Power outages occur in northern Israel following a missile strike from Lebanon

Power outages occurred in Metula and Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel following a missile strike launched from Lebanon, Israeli media reported on Friday.

Damage was reported on a packing house in Metula, and fire erupted at the scene, Channel 12 said, adding that there were no casualties.

Israeli daily Haaretz reported that 25 rockets have been launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel since early Friday.]]>
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			<title>Till death do us part…or not: The uneven thrills of 'Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602033/till-death-do-us-partor-not-the-uneven-thrills-of-something-very-bad-is-going-to-happen</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602033/till-death-do-us-partor-not-the-uneven-thrills-of-something-very-bad-is-going-to-happen#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 10:04:38 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Nawal Ahmad]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602033</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Duffer Brothers' series has rich mythology and striking visuals, even if it doesn't always stick the landing]]>
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				<![CDATA[On paper, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen has everything it needs: a couple about to get married, a sinister cabin in the woods, a family of in-laws full of red flags, and a slow burning dread you feel, second-guessing every scene. In practice, it&rsquo;s a show that spends most of its runtime building a house of cards and then blowing it over itself.



Photo: Deadline

Rachel, who is played by Camila Morrone, and Nicky, played by Adam DiMarco, are traveling to a remote cabin with their wedding around the corner. From the first leg of the journey, the show is practically begging you to feel uneasy - an abandoned baby on the roadside, a&nbsp;dead fox in a gas station bathroom, a&nbsp;creepy tale about Coldies custard being a serial killer chain. These are not subtle hints, they are red herrings.

It&rsquo;s the show&rsquo;s most consistent trick: layer on the dread, then quietly sweep it under the rug. Alongside the distractions, Rachel driving in the opening scenes and paying for breakfast is enough to convey the weird tension in their relationship.



Photo: ComingSoon

Nicky&rsquo;s family does the show no favours in the subtlety department either. His mother forces her wedding dress onto Rachel, his sister Portia fills the air with horror stories. His brother, Jules, orbits Rachel with an uncomfortable intensity, while his son hangs her wedding dress on a scarecrow in the woods. It&rsquo;s a masterclass in making a family seem genuinely threatening.

So when the show pivots to explain all of this, for instance by showing that the mom is dying and was using the wedding to cover for her own quiet farewell, it is almost as if we are left to watch a completely different show than the one we started with. And somehow, Rachel forgives everyone.

To be fair to the writers, this is clearly intentional misdirection. The Duffer Brothers are playing with expectation, staking scenes that feel like Get Out setups to pull the tablecloth out from under you. However, there&rsquo;s a fine line between subverting expectations and simply abandoning your own threads; and the show crosses it more than once.



Photo: Decider

The real story is a generational curse tied to Rachel&rsquo;s unknown family lineage and is actually the most compelling part of the series. The mythology is intricate: a proposal accepted must result in marriage before sundown and if the chosen partner isn&#39;t a true soulmate, the bride dies. Refuse the proposal, and the man&#39;s entire bloodline is condemned.

The mother, played by Haunting of Hill House star Victoria Pedretti, is excellent casting, to say the least, with the actress perfectly mirroring Rachel&rsquo;s appearance.

The tale is a dark romantic premise, particularly in the way Rachel&rsquo;s past and Jules&rsquo; childhood trauma converge at the same cabin, decades apart.



Photo: SlashFilm

Jules is one of the show&rsquo;s most compelling threads, largely because his connection to Rachel is rooted in childhood trauma rather than romance. As a child, he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, wandering into the same cabin where Rachel&rsquo;s parents were to spend their honeymoon. What he saw, however, was Rachel&rsquo;s mother dying as a result of the family curse, while her father, frantic and desperate, cut her open in a last attempt to save Rachel - the baby.

To a terrified child, it didn&rsquo;t read as tragedy, but as violence. Jules misinterpreted the scene entirely, turning Rachel&rsquo;s father into a monstrous figure in his mind, &ldquo;the sorry man,&rdquo; named for the repeated apologies he heard during the ordeal. The misunderstanding lingers into adulthood and deeply shapes Jules&rsquo; dynamic with Rachel.

Their chemistry is electric - arguably more so than what he shares with his own wife. Yet Jules never fully gives in to it. Part of the hesitation feels psychological: he&rsquo;s drawn to Rachel, but she is also inseparable from one of the most disturbing moments of his life. The fact that he literally watched her come into the world adds an unsettling layer of intimacy, which the show leans into when he admits he feels more connected to her than even his own brother does.

For a while, the narrative flirts with the idea that Jules and Rachel are soulmates, building a sense of inevitability around their bond. But the finale undercuts that entirely. Jules and Nell are the only ones left standing, untouched, ultimately framing their relationship as the true soulmate connection. This leaves Jules and Rachel&rsquo;s bond feeling like a deliberate misdirection rather than destiny.

Speaking of Nell, her relationship with Rachel adds another layer of confusion. They two share a kiss, creating undynamic tension, given that Nell is both Jules&rsquo; current partner and Nicky&rsquo;s ex. It&rsquo;s a bold love triangle that the show introduces yet does not know what to do with.



Photo: Mashable

However, Rachel&rsquo;s most grippering arc is not romance but desperation. She and Nell visit a records station and pull up generations of family marriages, and what they find is grim: name after name, wed and dead on the same day. It&rsquo;s one of the show&#39;s most quietly chilling sequences, and it sends Rachel spiraling into survival mode.

She begins assembling a potion,&nbsp;cutting off her own toe, collecting hair and body parts from family members, even obtaining something rather intimate from Nicky himself, all in a bid to guarantee her odds. It&#39;s unhinged, committed, and honestly kind of brilliant as a character beat. However, she doesn&#39;t drink it because she convinces herself that Nicky is her soulmate and that love is enough.&nbsp;It isn&rsquo;t.



Photo: ScreenRant

Nicky, as it turns out, is one of the most frustrating characters in the show. Not because he&rsquo;s villainous but because he&rsquo;s simply spineless. He doesn&rsquo;t believe in the curse or register the weight of what Rachel is carrying. Further, in his most damaging moment, he walks away from the altar, deciding mid-ceremony that he and Rachel don&#39;t actually need to be married to be together - a revelation that arrives at possibly the worst moment to have it.

By the time Nicky finally understands the gravity of what&#39;s happening, Rachel has made up her mind and says no. Just like that, Nicky&#39;s bloodline begins to collapse, with noses and eyes bleeding out, one family member after another.



Photo: Glamour

The finale, for all its loose ends, does deliver. The show&#39;s visual language remains striking throughout: dead animals, unsettling family portraits, a cold colour palette that makes even daylight feel hostile. And the final image of Rachel, who at the end is forced to wed Nell&nbsp;in the last moments before sundown, becomes resurrected and now carries the weight of her lineage.

Taking the place of the 200-year-old man overseeing the curse, Rachel warns Jules and Nell&rsquo;s son to choose wisely, foreshadowing her presence at his wedding in the future. The ending nails it with real weight.

Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is a show that is most interesting when you&#39;re talking about it afterward, picking apart what it was building towards, debating what was intentional and what was lost in the edit. The concept is rich and the cinematography is stunning, when it clicks, it grips you. The execution is also uneven enough that you&#39;ll spend a good portion of your watch wondering if the show knows where it&#39;s going.



Photo: Glamour

While viewers may have expected a family cult over a supernatural discovery, it&rsquo;s safe to say that the emphasis on &quot;till death do us part&quot; is felt throughout. Whether all the pieces go together or not, the story is one that you spend your day thinking about.]]>
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			<title>Fact check: Viral video does not show new US troop deployment to Middle East</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602030/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-new-us-troop-deployment-to-middle-east</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602030/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-new-us-troop-deployment-to-middle-east#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 09:52:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602030</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Video from June 6, 2023, unrelated to US-Iran war, shows a US military ceremony in California]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Multiple people on social media platform X have been sharing a clip of military aircraft since Wednesday, claiming that it shows the deployment of United States troops in the Middle East amid the current tensions. However, the clip is old from June 2023 and shows a deployment homecoming ceremony in California.

Backchannel diplomatic efforts by Pakistan paid off, as the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Wednesday, after weeks of escalating hostilities triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28, which quickly spiralled into a wider regional conflict.

Pakistan emerged as a central diplomatic actor in securing the ceasefire between the US and Iran, actively facilitating communication between the two sides at a critical stage of the conflict. The effort resulted in a two-week ceasefire. Pakistan will now host talks between the two sides on Friday, with delegations from Iran and the US arriving in Islamabad.

How it started

On Wednesday, an account on X shared a video of military aircraft landing.

The caption of the post read: &ldquo;Breaking: According to Reuters, the US has more than 50,000 troops deployed in the Middle East, within the area of responsibility of Central Command (CENTCOM), and this number is still increasing. According to officials, the process of transferring thousands of Marines from San Diego to the region is currently ongoing.&rdquo;

The post gained 491,000 views.

Another user shared the same clip with a similar caption, gaining 2.2 million views.

A pro-Iranian account, based on their profile picture and past posts, posted the same clip with the following caption: &ldquo;Urgent &ndash; Massive US Military Deployment Reuters: The United States has deployed more than 50,000 troops across the Middle East, with numbers continuing to grow. Thousands of Marines are being rapidly transported from San Diego directly to the region.&rdquo;

The caption further wrote, &ldquo;Anyone who believes that President Trump sent this entire fleet &mdash; from naval fleets and Marines and others &mdash; just to accept a ceasefire with Iran is completely deluded. A large-scale ground intervention is inevitably coming.&rdquo;

The post accumulated 289,000 views.

Subsequently, other X users also shared the same claim, as seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively garnering over 360,000 views.

Methodology 

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality and keen public interest in the ceasefire between the US and Iran amid the ongoing conflict, along with Pakistan&rsquo;s role as mediator.

A reverse image search was conducted, which yielded a blog on the official website of the US Defence Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), dated June 6, 2023, with the following headline: &ldquo;B-Roll: VMM-362 (Reinforced) Deployment Homecoming&rdquo;.

The blog post&rsquo;s video features the same visuals as the viral video.

According to the accompanying description, US Marine Corps aircraft with the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 362 (Reinforced), Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Air Wing conducted a flyover on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, June 6, 2023.

The location of the video was given as Marine Cops Air Station Miramar, California.

Further reverse image search yielded a YouTube video dated June 15, 2023, titled: &ldquo;VMM-362 (Reinforced) Deployment Homecoming,&rdquo; featuring the same visuals as seen in the viral clip.





A keyword search was also conducted to corroborate whether Reuters or any other credible mainstream international or American news outlet had reported such a development, yielding no results.

Instead, a news report of Reuters dated March 30, 2026, was found with the following headline: &ldquo;Thousands of US Army paratroopers arrive in Middle East as buildup intensifies.&rdquo;

According to the report, over 2,500 Marines arrived in the Middle East as President Donald Trump considered his next steps in the war against Iran.

The news report was published last month, before the US-Iran ceasefire deal.

Fact-check status: False 

The claim that a viral video shows US troops being deployed in the Middle East is false.

The video is from June 6, 2023 and shows a US military ceremony in California.

This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan &mdash; a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.]]>
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			<title>'Dhurandhar The Revenge' hit with lawsuit over unauthorised use of song</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602027/dhurandhar-the-revenge-hit-with-lawsuit-over-unauthorised-use-of-song</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602027/dhurandhar-the-revenge-hit-with-lawsuit-over-unauthorised-use-of-song#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 09:33:59 +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=2602027</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Trimurti Films alleges film's track 'Rang De Lal' reproduces 'Tirchi Topiwale' from 1989 film 'Tridev']]>
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				<![CDATA[The new film Dhurandhar The Revenge (2026) has recently been caught in a legal controversy, as Trimurti Films has filed a lawsuit against filmmaker Aditya Dhar for allegedly using the song Tirchi Topiwale without authorisation. The film, which has had a huge box office run, is now facing plagiarism charges. This comes just a few months after the release of the first film, Dhurandhar (2025).

The original song Tirchi Topiwale was featured in the 1989 film Tridev. It was co-composed by Kalyanji&ndash;Anandji and written by lyricist Anand Bakshi.

Read: &#39;Mera Layari&#39; to counter &#39;Dhurandhar&#39; propaganda

Reports suggest the film introduced a remixed track titled Rang De Lal, composed by Shashwat Sachdev, which retains the original melody while featuring newly written lyrics. However, Trimurti Films has alleged unauthorised reproduction and public communication of the work, leading to legal action.

The company has requested the court to impose a ban on the song and raised concerns about its use across streaming platforms, promotional content, and in theaters where the film is currently screening.

In the aftermath, T-series reposted the song as a lyrical video, crediting the original creators of the production.

Read More: &#39;Dhurandhar&#39; is out, and the familiar India-Pakistan arguments are back online

Dhurandhar The Revenge (2026), starring Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, and Sanjay Dutt, has reportedly collected over $115M worldwide within just 21 days. The film series also spiked mix reactions in Pakistan for its take on Pakistan&#39;s history and controversial political context.]]>
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			<title>Academy of Motion Picture Arts announces dates for Oscars 2027, 2028</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602026/academy-of-motion-picture-arts-announces-dates-for-oscars-2027-2028</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602026/academy-of-motion-picture-arts-announces-dates-for-oscars-2027-2028#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 09:33:27 +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=2602026</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Ceremonies will be held at Dolby Theatre before moving to LA Live, streams on YouTube from 2029]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has&nbsp;unveiled&nbsp;the date for the next Oscar ceremonies in a statement released on Wednesday.&nbsp;The Academy confirmed that the 99th Oscars will take place on March 14, 2027, followed by the landmark 100th ceremony on March 5, 2028.





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Both events will be held at the Dolby Theatre, continuing the venue&rsquo;s long-standing association with Hollywood&rsquo;s biggest night. The ceremonies will also air live at 7:00pm&nbsp;ET (4:00pm&nbsp;PT).

Along with announcing the dates, the Academy also shared key timelines for the 2027 awards cycle. Voting for nominations will open at 9:00am&nbsp;PT on December 7, 2026, and close on December 11 at 5:00pm&nbsp;PT. The shortlisted nominees are set to be announced on December 15, 2026.

The announcement signals a shift in scheduling, with both ceremonies set slightly later than the traditional late-February to early-March window. The change is expected to impact the broader awards calendar which is often closely aligned with the Oscars&#39; timeline.





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Looking ahead, the Academy also revealed that from 2029 onwards, the ceremony will move to the LA Live complex in downtown Los Angeles. The awards will also transition to streaming on YouTube, marking a shift in how global audiences may watch the event.]]>
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			<title>Gold and silver prices see modest gains locally, globally</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602023/gold-and-silver-prices-see-modest-gains-locally-globally</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602023/gold-and-silver-prices-see-modest-gains-locally-globally#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 08:55:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602023</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Price per 10 grams rises by Rs2,572 in Pakistan]]>
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				<![CDATA[Gold and silver prices increased in local markets on Friday after a surge in the international bullion market. The price of gold per ounce rose by $30, reaching $4,753.

According to the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), in the local market, the price of gold per tola increased by Rs3,000 to Rs497,662, while the price per 10 grams rose by Rs2,572 to Rs426,664.

Meanwhile, silver prices also saw an increase, with the per tola rate rising by Rs130 to Rs8,014. Similarly, the price of silver per 10 grams increased by Rs111 to Rs6,870.

Spot gold inched 0.2% lower to $4,752.67 per ounce by 0720 GMT. However, the metal has gained 1.6% so far this week. US gold futures for June delivery fell 0.9% to $4,776.60 on Friday.

Among other metals, spot silver rose 0.5% to $75.48 per ounce, platinum lost 2.5% to $2,049.84, and palladium fell 0.3% to $1,552.59.

Read: SBP reserves rise $19m to $16.4b

Earlier on Thursday, gold prices in Pakistan declined sharply, even as international bullion markets posted gains of over 1% amid a weaker US dollar and heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

In the local market, the price of gold per tola fell by Rs9,500 to settle at Rs494,662. Similarly, the price of 10 grams of gold dropped by Rs8,145 to Rs424,092, according to rates issued by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association.

The decline comes a day after gold surged significantly, with the per-tola rate reaching Rs504,162 on Wednesday following a jump of Rs15,700.

Meanwhile, silver prices also followed a downward trend in the domestic market, decreasing by Rs300 to Rs7,884 per tola.

In contrast to the local trend, international gold prices moved higher, supported by a softer US dollar and safe-haven demand driven by geopolitical tensions.

Spot gold rose around 1.7% to $4,796.50 per ounce, after touching a near three-week high in the previous session, while US gold futures gained 1% to $4,823.]]>
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			<title>KSE-100 closes near 168,000 points on US-Iran peace optimism</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602022/psx-sees-strong-bullish-momentum-as-kse-100-climbs-over-1400-points</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602022/psx-sees-strong-bullish-momentum-as-kse-100-climbs-over-1400-points#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 08:32:24 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602022</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Benchmark index touches an intraday high of 168,290 before settling in positive territory]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) maintained its upward momentum on Friday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index closing firmly in the green amid improving investor sentiment driven by optimism over Pakistan-facilitated peace talks between the United States and Iran.

The index settled at 167,191 points, gaining 1,674 points or 1.01% on a day-on-day basis, reflecting renewed buying interest despite intermittent profit-taking during the session. The market witnessed a strong trading range, touching an intraday high of 168,290 points and a low of 166,221 points, indicating sustained bullish activity throughout the session, according to KTrade.

Banking stocks emerged as the primary drivers of the rally, contributing 552 points to the index. Heavyweights including MCB, HBL, UBL and Bank of Punjab (BOP) supported the upward trajectory.

Cement sector also played a key role, adding 339 points, followed by contributions from technology (137 points) and automobile (94 points) sectors, highlighting broad-based participation across key industries.

Volumes surge amid cautious optimism

Trading activity remained robust, with total volume in the all-share index reaching 853 million shares, while the total traded value stood at Rs46.34 billion, reflecting heightened investor engagement.

Among volume leaders, BOP topped the list with 61 million shares traded, followed by WorldCall Telecom (WTL) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) with 57 million shares each. Fauji Foods (FNEL) and K-Electric (KEL) also recorded strong activity.

Despite the overall positive momentum, some stocks weighed on the index, including MEBL, Service Industries (SRVI), Engro Holdings (ENGROH), Interloop (ILP) and K-Electric.

Analysts noted that the rally was largely sentiment-driven, supported by easing geopolitical concerns and expectations of a favourable outcome from ongoing diplomatic efforts.

However, they cautioned that the market&rsquo;s direction in the coming sessions will remain closely tied to geopolitical developments, particularly the outcome of Pakistan-mediated talks between Iran and the US.

Until greater clarity emerges, experts recommend a cautious and selective investment strategy, as volatility may persist in the near term.]]>
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			<title>Karan Johar says 'knees were rattling' when he met Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602020/karan-johar-says-knees-were-rattling-when-he-met-meryl-streep-anne-hathaway</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602020/karan-johar-says-knees-were-rattling-when-he-met-meryl-streep-anne-hathaway#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 08:28:01 +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=2602020</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Filmmaker meets stars at 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' event, says he has watched original film 47 times]]>
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				<![CDATA[Indian filmmaker and host Karan Johar recently attended The Devil Wears Prada 2 film tour event in Tokyo, where he met actors Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, expressing his admiration for the stars.





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Johar, who attended the event in collaboration with 20th Century Studios India, took to his Instagram to share photos with the leading cast of the upcoming film.

&ldquo;This is not a caption. This is a confession. I am singularly obsessed and inspired by the unmatchable brilliance of Meryl Streep. In many ways she has been my guru in the art of acting and portraying characters across cinema!!&rdquo;, Johar wrote.

The filmmaker revealed that he has watched The Devil Wears Prada no fewer than 47 times. &ldquo;I have quoted it at dinner tables, in edit suites and in board meetings (no kidding!) So when I tell you that standing next to HER &amp; them today, I felt the ground shift, please believe me. I tried very hard to be calm and composed but here&#39;s another confession - my knees were RATTLING!&rdquo;, he added.

The post drew attention from fellow Indian celebrities, who were thrilled to see them together and noted how Johar&rsquo;s personality aligns with the film&rsquo;s tone and Streep&rsquo;s aura.







Johar also praised the warm welcome he received from the actors and expressed his excitement for the sequel&rsquo;s release. &ldquo;They were both so warm and welcoming. This image is going in my will. Stay tuned, there&rsquo;s so much more&hellip;because I had a chat with the favourites of the season,&rdquo; he added.]]>
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			<title>Sindh announces early closure of markets, malls under austerity measures</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602018/sindh-announces-early-closure-of-markets-malls-under-austerity-measures</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602018/sindh-announces-early-closure-of-markets-malls-under-austerity-measures#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 07:56:24 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Saleem Jhandir]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Karachi]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602018</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Essential services, including medical stores, hospitals and petrol pumps exempted from restrictions]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Sindh government announced new operating hours for markets, restaurants, and wedding halls on Friday under austerity measures aimed at coping with the fuel crisis amid tensions in the Middle East, according to a notification issued by the home department.

Earlier this week, the federal government decided to close markets and shopping malls across Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Balochistan, Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir by 8pm.

The decision was made during a key review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which focused on energy-saving strategies, petroleum products, and austerity initiatives. However, Sindh did not align with the federal government&rsquo;s decision.

Also Read: Soaring costs, fuel shortage fears drive Pakistan to electric motorbikes

The notification issued today stated, &quot;Under the new rules, shops, markets, and shopping malls across all districts &mdash; except divisional headquarters &mdash; will close at 8pm throughout the week, while in divisional headquarters, businesses will be allowed to remain open until 9pm.&quot;



The notification also mentioned that essential services, including bakeries, milk and dairy shops, medical stores, laboratories, clinics, hospitals, and petrol stations, would be exempt from the restrictions.

&quot;Hotels, restaurants, and food outlets will be permitted to operate for dinner service only between 7pm and 11:30pm, while home delivery and takeaway services will remain unaffected. Wedding halls and banquet facilities will be allowed to host events between 8pm and midnight,&quot; the notification added.

It further stated that the provincial government had directed commissioners and deputy commissioners to ensure strict enforcement of the new timings in coordination with the police.

Read more: PM orders LPG supply at official rates

Last week, in response to surging petrol prices and the ongoing energy crisis, the Sindh government announced a monthly subsidy of Rs2,000 for registered motorcyclists across the province.

Other provincial governments had also begun submitting data on eligible beneficiaries for targeted subsidy programmes, and following verification, subsidies were being distributed through a transparent digital system.

Since the US and Israel launched coordinated&nbsp;strikes on Iran on February 28, causing Iran to effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz,&nbsp;a route for ​about a fifth of global oil and LNG flows.&nbsp;The six-week conflict had sent oil prices soaring, reignited inflation fears and thrown the global rates outlook into disarray, forcing governments and companies to scramble for cover against a sudden energy shock.]]>
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			<title>Dar, French FM discuss Lebanon violations, reaffirm bilateral cooperation</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602017/dar-french-fm-discuss-lebanon-violations-reaffirm-bilateral-cooperation</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602017/dar-french-fm-discuss-lebanon-violations-reaffirm-bilateral-cooperation#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 07:56:16 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602017</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan, France stress ceasefire adherence, diplomatic path for peace]]>
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				<![CDATA[Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday received a phone call from French Foreign Minister Jean-No&euml;l Barrot, during which the two leaders discussed regional developments and bilateral ties.

The French foreign minister congratulated Pakistan on its role in securing an initial ceasefire agreement and expressed support for Islamabad&rsquo;s continued efforts towards a diplomatic pathway for lasting peace and stability in the region.

Both sides voiced concern over serious ceasefire violations in Lebanon and underscored the importance of full implementation and respect for the agreement.



Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephonic conversation with France&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Jean-No&euml;l Barrot, who praised Pakistan&rsquo;s role in securing the initial ceasefire and backed its diplomatic efforts for lasting peace. Both leaders&hellip; pic.twitter.com/GIIFUdSsWs
&mdash; Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) April 10, 2026


They also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing economic and trade cooperation, agreeing to remain in close contact.

As Pakistan brokered ceasefire beetween Iran and US, Israel launched a series of attacks on Lebanon, violating the ceasefire. Later, Donald Trump said he had urged Benjamin Netanyahu to scale back Israel&rsquo;s military operations in Lebanon, expressing hope that a broader ceasefire could hold.

Also Read: Israeli strikes on Lebanon jeopardise Iran truce

His remarks came after Washington announced a two-week truce with Iran following weeks of escalating conflict across the region, with peace talks scheduled in Islamabad aimed at securing a longer-term settlement.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel has intensified strikes across Lebanon, carrying out some of its deadliest attacks since the conflict with Hezbollah escalated last month.

Lebanese authorities say hundreds have been killed and over a thousand injured, fuelling fears that continued hostilities could derail fragile diplomatic efforts and potentially lead to a wider regional escalation.

Read More: Israeli strikes across Lebanon

Pakistan, which played a key role in brokering the US-Iran truce, has stressed that the ceasefire should extend to Lebanon. Officials in Islamabad and elsewhere have expressed concern that Israeli operations risk undermining the agreement, while reiterating their commitment to facilitating dialogue and advancing peace efforts through upcoming negotiations.

The diverging positions of Washington and Tehran over whether Lebanon is covered by the ceasefire have added to uncertainty. While the US maintains that Israel&rsquo;s actions fall outside the truce, Iran insists that continued strikes violate the agreement, warning they could render talks &ldquo;meaningless&rdquo; and jeopardise prospects for a durable peace in the region.]]>
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			<title>Judge expresses anger over missing evidence in Rajab Butt case, orders statement recording</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602016/judge-expresses-anger-over-missing-evidence-in-rajab-butt-case-orders-statement-recording</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602016/judge-expresses-anger-over-missing-evidence-in-rajab-butt-case-orders-statement-recording#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 07:56:00 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Nasir Butt]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602016</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Investigation officer tells the court that he has neither full knowledge of the case nor of its investigation]]>
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				<![CDATA[An Additional District and Sessions Judge on Friday expressed anger over missing evidence and ordered the police to record YouTuber Rajab Butt&#39;s statement in a case related to the alleged insult of Islamic symbols.

At the outset of the hearing, the defence counsel informed the court that the investigation officer in the case had passed away, which had prevented the accused from joining the investigation.&nbsp;The court subsequently summoned the Investigation Officer (IO) of Hyderi police station and adjourned the hearing until 11:30 am.

When the hearing resumed, the presiding judge expressed anger at the IO over the absence of the recorded statement and relevant evidence. &ldquo;Where is the complete case file and the relevant evidence?&rdquo; the judge asked.

Read More: Bail granted to three in case involving YouTuber&#39;s wife

The judge also questioned why the statement of the accused, which had been ordered to be recorded at the previous hearing, was not available.

The investigation officer told the court that he had neither full knowledge of the case nor of its investigation. The court then directed the SSP Investigation Central to record the statement of the accused, Rajab Butt.

During the proceedings, an exchange of words took place between the defence counsel and the judge. The defence lawyer said that no order had been passed on his application under Section 196, calling it an unlawful act.

The judge responded that the proceedings would not work according to the lawyer&rsquo;s wishes and advised that if there was no confidence, an application for the transfer of the case could be filed.

Later, the judge adjourned the hearing until April 24.

The case against Rajab Butt was registered at Hyderi Market Police Station.&nbsp;In December, he was&nbsp;assaulted by a group of lawyers at Karachi&rsquo;s City Court after a hearing in a similar case&nbsp;

The attack took place after Butt appeared before an additional district and sessions judge, who heard his bail application but adjourned the proceedings without any substantive order.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan growth seen at 4.5% in FY2027: ADB</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602015/pakistan-growth-seen-at-45-in-fy2027-adb</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602015/pakistan-growth-seen-at-45-in-fy2027-adb#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 07:33:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602015</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Flags recovery but warns inflation may rise to 6.5% by FY2027 amid global uncertainty, Middle East tensions]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan&rsquo;s economy is expected to grow by 3.5% in fiscal year 2026 and 4.5% in FY2027, as a recovery in manufacturing and rising investment sustain momentum following stabilisation in FY2025, the Asian Development Bank said on Friday.

In its Asian Development Outlook, April 2026, the bank said economic growth had already strengthened to 3.1% in FY2025, supported by tight macroeconomic policies and progress on reforms.

&ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s economy has stabilised and begun to show stronger momentum, supported by progress in implementing key economic reforms amid a challenging global environment,&rdquo; said ADB Country Director Emma Fan.

Also Read: Govt seeks $1b ADB climate loan

&ldquo;Growth is expected to continue in 2026 and 2027, but downside risks are significant. Sustained reform efforts are critical to preserve the growth momentum and bolster fiscal and external buffers against global shocks.&rdquo;

The report warned, however, that inflation is projected to rise to 6.4% in FY2026 and 6.5% in FY2027, driven by higher global oil prices and trade disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East. Oil and gas imports form a significant portion of Pakistan&rsquo;s import bill, making the economy vulnerable to external shocks.



A prolonged Middle East conflict could further strain the outlook by increasing energy and fertiliser costs, weakening agricultural and industrial output, reducing remittances and widening the current account deficit, it noted.

The ADB said growth in FY2026 would be supported by a rebound in private-sector investment, aided by reform progress and a stable foreign exchange market.

Economic activity in industry and services is also expected to benefit from cautious monetary easing, while construction will be supported by fiscal incentives in the FY2026 budget and post-flood reconstruction efforts.

Despite recent gains, the bank cautioned that Pakistan&rsquo;s economic outlook remains exposed to global uncertainty, with risks of renewed inflationary, fiscal and external pressures. It stressed that prudent macroeconomic management and sustained structural reforms would be key to ensuring durable and inclusive growth.]]>
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			<title>Fact check: Viral video does not show Pakistani jets escorting Iranian delegation for Islamabad talks; it's old</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602014/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-pakistani-jets-escorting-iranian-delegation-for-islamabad</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2602014/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-pakistani-jets-escorting-iranian-delegation-for-islamabad#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 26 07:22:07 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2602014</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Video from February 17, 2019, unrelated to current peace talks, shows Pakistani jets greeting MBS on his visit]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Multiple users, including PML-N supporters, were sharing a video across social media platforms since Thursday, claiming it shows Pakistani fighter jets escorting an Iranian delegation to Islamabad for talks. However, the video is old and shows Pakistani jets greeting the plane of Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s crown prince during his visit on February 17, 2019.

Backchannel diplomatic efforts by Pakistan paid off, as the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Wednesday, after weeks of escalating hostilities triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026, which quickly spiralled into a wider regional conflict.

Pakistan emerged as a central diplomatic actor in securing the ceasefire between the US and Iran, actively facilitating communication between the two sides at a critical stage of the conflict. The effort resulted in a two-week ceasefire. Pakistan will now host talks between the two sides on Saturday, with delegations from Iran and the US arriving in Islamabad.

How it started

On Thursday, an account, that repeatedly shares memes on political events based on its past posts shared a video on X allegedly showing Pakistani fighter jets with the following caption: &ldquo;Pakistani fighter jets spotted to escort the Iranian delegation to Pakistan safely.&rdquo;

The post gained 1.5 million views.

Another user, who, according to his X bio, is a journalist, shared the same video in a similar context with the following caption: &ldquo;Breaking: Pakistan send fighter jets and AWACS over Iranian airspace to escort Iran&rsquo;s delegation to Islamabad safely.&rdquo;

The post garnered 516,000 views.

A pro-Iranian user, based on their profile picture and past posts, shared the same video with a similar caption on X. The post gained 267,000 views.

A Palestinian user, based on his bio, shared the same video with the following caption: &ldquo;Breaking: Pakistani fighter jets are escorting the Iranian delegation to Pakistan safely. Pakistan has officially joined the war.&rdquo;

The post attracted 794,000 views.

A person who appears to be a PML-N supporter, based on their past posts, shared the same video with a similar caption on X. The post gained 128,000 views on X.

A pro-Israeli account, based on its profile picture and past post, shared the same video on X with the caption: &ldquo;Nothing illustrates a win like this. An Iranian delegation is flying to Pakistan for negotiations with Pakistani fighter jets as escorts.&rdquo;

The post attracted 362,000 views.

The video was widely shared on several social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and X, as can be seen here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively accumulating 220,000 views.

Methodology 

A fact check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the US-Israel war with Iran, along with Pakistan&rsquo;s role as mediator.

Some people were observed in the comments sections of the posts to be disputing the video.

A reverse image search was conducted to trace the origin of the viral video, which yielded the same footage on YouTube, uploaded by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on February 18, 2019, with the title: &ldquo;Pakistan fighters escort Saudi crown prince into Islamabad&rdquo;.



https://www.facebook.com/ImranKhanOfficial/videos/hrh-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman-of-saudi-arabia-received-a-glorious-welcome/999772933559751/



According to the description, Pakistan sent fighter jets to greet the plane of Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) ahead of a high-profile visit on February 17, 2019.

A keyword search conducted on the visit yielded the same video in a similar context, which was shared by then-prime minister Imran Khan on his Facebook profile, and then-ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, on X dated February 17, 2019.



A keyword search of relevant news reports found that Dawn, in a report titled, &ldquo;Saudi crown prince arrives in Pakistan amid fanfare, received by PM Khan on red carpet,&rdquo; stated that a formation of JF-17 Thunder and F-16 fighter jets escorted the Saudi royal&rsquo;s plane after it entered Pakistani airspace.

Meanwhile, no local Pakistani, Iranian or international media reports confirmed that Pakistani fighter jets escorted an Iranian delegation for the Islamabad talks.

However, several users and journalists shared flight radar images claiming that the Pakistan Air Force had done so.

Fact-check status: Misleading 

The claim that a viral video shows Pakistani fighter jets escorting an Iranian delegation for the Islamabad talks is misleading.

The video is old from February 17, 2019, and shows Pakistani jets greeting MBS on his visit.

This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan &mdash; a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.]]>
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