Beginning the first visit to China by a US president in nearly a decade, Trump touched down on Air Force One at Beijing Capital International Airport at 7:50pm (4:50pm PKT) after the long flight from Washington.

Ructions over Iran, trade and Taiwan loom over the highly anticipated meeting between the leaders of the world’s largest economies, which Trump had already delayed from March because of the war in the Middle East.

But Trump appeared firmly focused on business deals, with Nvidia chief Jensen Huang boarding the plane at the last minute in Alaska and Tesla’s Elon Musk also travelling on the presidential jet.

Trump was welcomed by Chinese dignitaries, a tightly choreographed formation of military honour guard and dozens of Chinese students waving US and Chinese flags as he disembarked Air Force One in the waning hours of twilight.

Pausing midway down the red carpet as the students chanted “welcome, welcome, warm welcome” in Mandarin, he punched the air and smiled broadly before departing in his limousine.

A White House official account said that tomorrow, Trump “will participate in the official state arrival ceremony, meet with President Xi Jinping, sit for multiple interviews, and hold several other official events”.

Trump and Xi will hold talks at 10:00am (7am PKT) on Thursday in Beijing’s opulent Great Hall of the People, where they will also enjoy a state banquet in the evening.

On Friday, they are set to have tea and a working lunch before the US president heads home.

‘Big deal’

This week’s trip — the first since Trump visited Beijing in 2017 — will involve highly anticipated talks with Xi on Thursday and Friday, as well as lavish pomp and ceremony.

Trump said in a social media post en route that he would be “be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to ‘open up’ China so that these brilliant people can work their magic, and help bring the People’s Republic to an even higher level”.

As he departed the White House, Trump said he expected a “long talk” with Xi about Iran, which sells most of its US-sanctioned oil to China.

But he also downplayed disagreements, telling reporters that “I don’t think we need any help with Iran” from China and that Xi had been “relatively good” on the topic.

Yet Beijing is growing impatient for peace, with China’s foreign minister urging his Pakistani counterpart on Tuesday to step up mediation efforts between Iran and the US.

Trump said on Monday he would speak to Xi about US arms sales to Taiwan, the self-governing democracy claimed by China — a departure from historic US insistence that it will not consult Beijing on its support to the island.

China’s controls on rare earth exports, AI rivalry and the countries’ raucous trade relationship are also among the topics expected to be taken up by the heads of the world’s top two economies.

The two sides are set to discuss extending a one-year truce in their tariff war, which Trump and Xi reached during their last meeting in South Korea in October.

The tense buildup to the superpower summit was already visible on the streets of Beijing, with police monitoring major intersections and checking the ID cards of passengers on the metro, AFP journalists saw.

“It’s definitely a big deal,” said Wen Wen, a 24-year-old woman travelling from the eastern city of Nanjing, when asked by AFP about Trump’s visit.

“Some progress will certainly be made,” she said, noting that she hopes China and the United States can ensure “lasting peace” despite “recent instability in the global situation”.

‘Very good relationship’

The US and China have long sought to stabilise their relationship despite increasingly seeing each other as adversaries in trade and geopolitics.

Trump has repeatedly touted a strong personal relationship with Xi, which he insisted on Monday would prevent a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing.

“I think we’ll be fine. I have a very good relationship with President Xi.

He knows I don’t want that to happen,” he said.

Trump’s trip will be closely scrutinised by Taiwan and Asian allies for any sign of weakening US support.

Beijing has grown more confident and assertive since Trump’s 2017 trip, and the US president finds himself in a weakened position as he seeks a way out of his Iran war.

But the summit also comes at an uncertain time for China’s economy, which has struggled in recent years with sluggish domestic spending and a protracted debt crisis in the once-booming property sector.

DPM Dar made the announcement while addressing the launch ceremony of the IBI Pakistan Digital Economy Centre in Islamabad.

He said that the premier would undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26. Dar added that premier was also set to attend a B2B forum on May 24 during the visit.

Earlier this month, President Asif Ali Zardari completed a five-day visit to China, which was aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation across key economic sectors. He also oversaw the signing of multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs).

Pakistan and China share a longstanding strategic partnership with ties that span various sectors, including trade, energy, defence, and infrastructure. The two countries are also set to mark the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations on May 21.

The visit comes at a time when Pakistan has remained engaged in facilitating engagement between the US and Iran in the past month, of which China has also been a part.

A day earlier, DPM Dar held a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, where the two leaders discussed Pakistan’s efforts to “facilitate engagement between Iran and the US”.

PM Shehbaz last visited China in September 2025, where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The development comes as the US President Donald Trump is also scheduled to visit China from May 13 to May 15.

‘Pak-China digital corridor’

Speaking at the launch ceremony, DPM Ishaq Dar underscored that Pakistan and China were taking “another significant step towards innovation, digital connectivity and the economy of the future as our partnership enters a new phase in the digital age”.

He remarked that Pak-China friendship was “not ordinary diplomacy”.

“It is a relationship tested by time and strengthened by trust […] from the Karakoram Highway, carved through some of the most difficult terrain in the world, to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which transformed Pakistan’s energy and connectivity landscape,” he continued.

He noted that with the launch of the centre, Pakistan and China were moving towards “digital transformation, agriculture, disaster management, climate resilience, healthcare, and smart cities”.

“The emerging Pak-China digital corridor will not only deepen bilateral ties but also create opportunities for the wider global south,” he remarked.

Amid recent reports of Cambridge exam paper leaks, students who appeared for an AS-level Mathematics paper on Tuesday made fresh claims that the paper they received was identical to a solved paper they had come across on social media just a day earlier.

“We can confirm that Cambridge International AS-Level Mathematics Paper 52 (9709), taken in our administrative zones 3 and 4 on May 12, was shared prematurely against our strict regulations,” said a statement issued by the board on Wednesday.

“We investigate such incidents promptly and thoroughly and we are now working to understand the extent of the leak and determine next steps.”

The statement said that “as an additional security and identification measure”, and upon discussions with “key stakeholders” in the country, the board was postponing the exam for Cambridge International AS Level Mathematics Paper 32 (9709), due to be sat in Pakistan on Friday (May 15).

“We will replace this with a new exam paper and communicate a new exam date within the June series by Friday May 22,” the statement said.

The release date of AS- and A-Level results, however, remains unchanged (August 11).

Cambridge’s Country Director of Pakistan Uzma Yousuf commented, “Our priority is to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by this incident, and we continue to take all possible measures to protect the integrity of our exams.”

She added that the board’s decisions were taken by senior and experienced professionals “in possession of all the facts”, stressing that its principles were to ensure the fairness and reliability of the grades awarded, “so that universities and other users of the grades can continue to trust them”.

“The nature of the exam paper theft we are seeing in this exam series is unprecedented,” Yousuf said. “We believe it is the work of criminals seeking to undermine examinations and the futures of the students who depend on them.”

She added, “We are pursuing several legal routes to stop and punish those responsible.”

Yousuf noted that while Cambridge did not comment on individual reports of paper leaks, it investigated all allegations. She stressed that leaks remained rare, and that schools were updated and provided recommended next steps in the event of a genuine issue — “this example notwithstanding”.

She also requested the public to only trust official statements from Cambridge and not to add to misinformation, “which is very unhelpful for students”.

Yousuf thanked all our students and schools for their patience and asked them to await further updates.

The CIE, part of Cambridge University Press and Assessment, offers internationally recognised exams to schools in over 160 countries. In Pakistan, O Levels (grades 10–11) cover a broad range of subjects, while A and AS Levels (grades 12–13) are more specialised and advanced, providing pathways to higher education in Pakistan and abroad.

Last month, the AS Level Mathematics exam (9709/12), conducted on April 29, was also subject to similar claims. After conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, CIE said it had reason to believe the claims were not unfounded. A replacement examination for the paper has therefore been scheduled for June 9.

In June last year, question papers of three AS and A Level examinations were partially leaked across Pakistan in 2025.

However, flight operations from and to Karachi will continue as usual, the airline confirmed.

Flydubai, a low-cost airline based in the United Arab Emirates, launched its operations in Islamabad and Lahore in July 2024, and commenced flights to Peshawar in May last year.

According to aviation monitor Flightradar24, flydubai’s flights between Islamabad and Dubai (FZ353, FZ354), Lahore and Dubai (FZ359, FZ360), and Peshawar and Dubai (FZ375, FZ376) were cancelled since at least May 7.

A statement on flydubai’s website, issued on March 31 — days after the Iran war began — says that the airline is “currently operating flights across its network with a reduced schedule”.

It advised passengers to regularly check flight status and operational updates for the latest information before heading to the airport.

While the statement did not mention the Middle East conflict that sparked on March 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, it said, “We continue to closely monitor the situation and update our flight schedule accordingly. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority.”

The US-Iran war has resulted in a sharp spike in jet fuel prices, leading to air travel’s worst crisis in years.

Late last month, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that the jet fuel crisis tied to the Iran war could hit Asia ​hardest first.

“I think we ​will see airlines starting to reduce some of their ​schedules as we go towards the peak summer period in anticipation of some fuel shortages,” IATA head Willie Walsh said.

The right to information (RTI) in Pakistan is enshrined as a fundamental right under Article 19-A of the Constitution, designed to empower citizens with access to government-held information.

Lawyer Abdullah Malik had submitted two applications with the Public Information Commission (PIC) in July last year and in February this year.

In his letter in July 2024, he sought the following details:

• Expenditure under the heads of fuel, maintenance of vehicles and tours, including international visits
• Total number of vehicles and their make, model and cast
• Expenditure on helicopter or aircraft used by the CM and its total mileage of travel
• Total number of social media team members at the CM House, along with their salaries
• Whether the CM got the approval for her foreign tours from the Ministry of Finance and how many officials were with her on her Japan tour, as well as the expenses incurred on that visit

Separately, in a letter in February, the lawyer sought details about a G500 jet.

The Gulfstream 19-seater jet is estimated to be worth between $38 million and $42m, and Maryam has faced severe criticism regarding her government’s purchase of the aircraft.

The Punjab administration had initially remained tight-lipped about the acquisition of the aircraft, but later claimed that it was part of a proposed airline project.

The lawyer received replies to both his letters earlier this month. Both responses are dated April 28.

On his July request, the CM Office’s public information officer (PIO) said: “The desired information is not held by this office.”

It also cited “legitimate exception” as a reason for not sharing the information, stating: “The information sought is excepted under section 13(1)(e) of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013.”

Section 13(1)(e) of the Act reads: “A public information officer may refuse an application for access to information where disclosure of the information shall or is likely to cause harm to the life, health or safety of any person.”

The record of the proceedings before the PIC, available with Dawn, shows that the PIO consistently sought adjournments regarding the July request until the commission on April 13 gave a strict warning of penal consequences in case of failure to respond.

On Malik’s request for information regarding the luxury jet, the PIO responded: “It is informed that desired information is not held by this office. The same is hereby returned under the relevant provision of Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013.”

In 2021, the provision of a legitimate exception was also used as a reason to refuse a request for details of official vehicles and related records in the use of then-Punjab CM Usman Buzdar, who was from the PTI. The move had drawn sharp criticism from PML-N leaders, who were in the opposition at the time.

On Sunday, the Pakistan Meteorological Department predicted rain in the upper parts of the country, including Lahore, from May 10 to May 12.

According to Lahore Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) data recorded at 6:35pm, Lakshmi Chowk received the highest rainfall in the city, with 95 millimetres.

It was followed by Pani Wala Talab (79mm), Saggian (53.2mm), Gulshan-e-Ravi (45.8mm), Jail Road (44mm), Tajpura (41.2mm), Chowk Nakhuda (40.2mm), Samanabad (37.4mm), WASA Head Office, Gulberg (34.4mm), Airport (33.9mm), Iqbal Town (25.6mm), Upper Mall (26mm), Farrukhabad (20mm), Shadi Pura (11.2mm), Johar Town (8.4mm), Mughalpura (7mm), and Nishter Town (5.8mm).

The average rainfall recorded across the Lahore region was 34mm, while rain had stopped in all reported areas at the time of reporting.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) advised citizens to take precautionary measures and urged them to stay away from electric poles and wires.

“Citizens should avoid unnecessary travel and remain cautious during the ongoing rain spell,” a PDMA spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, PDMA Director General Omar Javed directed the district administration to ensure efficient drainage of rainwater from affected areas.

“All relevant institutions, including Rescue 1122 and the WASA, will remain deployed in the field,” he added.

Talking to the media, WASA Managing Director Ghufran Ahmed said that emergency teams would remain deployed across the city to clear blocked drains and facilitate the drainage.

He also visited several parts of the city, including Lakshmi Chowk, to monitor drainage operations, along with WASA Director General Tayyab Fareed and Punjab Housing, Urban Development & Public Health Engineering Minister Bilal Yasin.

Moreover, WASA Vice Chairman Chaudhry Shahabaz Ahmed visited the monsoon control room at the WASA office.

He directed that all disposal stations should be kept fully operational and that field teams ensure immediate drainage of rainwater from low-lying areas.

Ahmed said citizens should be provided with adequate drainage facilities, directing all officers and staff to remain present in the field during the monsoon.

He also issued instructions for special monitoring of Lakshmi Chowk, Garhi Shahu, Mall Road, and other low-lying areas.

Chairing a meeting, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said holding local government elections was a constitutional requirement under Article 140(A) of the Constitution, further noting that local governments were functioning in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, but elections could not be held in Punjab and Islamabad due to changes in local government laws.

The ECP also directed the interior secretary and chief commissioner to take up the matter immediately with the relevant standing committee and cabinet.

“If no progress is made, the case will be fixed for hearing in the Election Commission,” it said. “If required, this matter will be raised with the federal government at an appropriate level.”

Raja said the presence of senior officers in the meeting meant the ECP expected the issues to be resolved “amicably”, so that the delimitation schedule could be issued and local elections held in the capital.

Officials briefed the meeting that Islamabad’s local bodies completed their term on February 14, 2021, and no elections have been held since.

The federal government amended the Islamabad Local Government Act 2015 through an ordinance on January 10, 2026.

Under the amendments, the ECP said it still awaited notification of town corporations’ limits, notification of the number of union councils in each town, maps matching those limits, rules under the ordinance, and amendments proposed by the commission.

The Islamabad chief commissioner told the meeting that the proposed notification on town corporations’ limits and union council numbers had been sent to the Ministry of Interior. It would go to the relevant standing committee before final approval by the federal cabinet.

The interior secretary assured the ECP of “all possible assistance”.

Since the term of the last local government expired in February 2021, elections have been delayed under various pretexts. As a result, around 2.5 million residents in the federal capital continue to face issues ranging from water shortages to unpaved streets.

The ECP has conducted delimitations multiple times and issued election schedules on several occasions, only for them to be cancelled later. Earlier, the elections were even cancelled a day before polling.

When the local government’s term ended in 2021, the PTI was in power, and elections were supposed to be held within 120 days, but steps were not taken to conduct polls. Later, when the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) came to power, it too delayed the elections.

During the PDM’s tenure, elections were set to be held in 50 union councils (UCs), but the government argued that the number should be increased to 101 UCs, leading to further delays.

Later, when arrangements were finalised to hold elections in 101 UCs, the PDM government proposed increasing the number from 101 to 125. Elections were then scheduled for 125 UCs, but in September last year, the government decided to increase the number of general seats in the UCs.

In December 2025, the ECP decided to hold the elections in 125 UCs on February 15 and issued the schedule.

But in January this year, the ECP postponed LG polls in Islamabad for the fourth time following the promulgation of the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance 2026.

The repeated delays have left Islamabad without an elected local government for over five years, with civic issues mounting in the capital.

It was revealed that the country’s economy is expected to grow by 3.70 per cent in the current fiscal year, a revision from earlier projections of 4pc, suggesting that Pakistan will fall short of its GDP target.

The provisional growth rates in agriculture, industry and services in FY26 are 2.89pc, 3.51pc and 4.09pc, respectively.

The 117th meeting of the National Accounts Committee (NAC) was held in the federal capital on Wednesday at the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Headquarters, Statistics House. The secretary of the Ministry of Planning and Development chaired the meeting.

The committee approved the quarterly GDP growth rates for Q1 (revised), Q2 (revised), and Q3 (provisional) during FY 2025-26 and annual growth rates for 2023-24 (final), 2024-25 (revised) and 2025-26 (provisional).

The size of the economy went up to $452.1 billion in FY26 from $410.96bn in FY25, mainly driven by growth in the services sector, followed by industry and livestock.

The per capita income slightly increased to $1,901 in FY26 from $1,824 in FY25. The projection is on the 2023 population census.

However, it was $1,551 in FY23, $1,766 in FY22 and $1,677 in FY21.

This suggests a deterioration in the standard of living and well-being across almost all segments of society, with no tangible increase in personal incomes.

It may lead to decreased disposable income, limiting individuals’ ability to afford goods and services, save, or invest.

Meanwhile, the NAC also approved the updated growth rates for Q1 and Q2 of 2025-26 at 3.92pc and 4.05pc, compared with 3.63pc and 3.89pc, respectively, presented at the 116th meeting of the NAC.

The GDP has shown a provisional growth of 3.99pc during Q3 of the fiscal year 2025-26. The final and revised growth rates for FY24 and FY25 are 2.62pc and 3.18pc respectively.

In agriculture, important crops have shown modest growth of 0.65pc due to mixed trends in the production of wheat (+4.3pc from 28.396 to 29.605 million tonnes), maize (-2.68pc from 9.037m to 8.794m tonnes), rice (+2.80pc from 9.723m to 9.998m tonnes), sugarcane (+6.20pc from 84.24m to 89.45m tonnes) and cotton (-0.5pc from 7.084m to 7.052m bales).

Despite a high growth of 19.74pc in the previous year, other crops have shown a growth of 2.43pc due to high growth in grams (50.4pc), potatoes (27.6pc), mangoes (11.6pc), bananas (30.8pc), turmeric (25.1pc), and chilies (9.2pc). Cotton ginning and miscellaneous components registered a modest growth of 0.07pc due to the low production of the cotton crop.

Livestock has increased by 3.75pc as compared to 2.95pc due to a 3.46pc increase in output and 4.5pc decrease in green fodder. Forestry and fishing posted a normal growth of 2.02pc and 1.66pc, respectively.

Industry in 2025-26, has shown a growth of 3.51pc provisionally. Despite an increase in the production of coal (4.52pc), the mining and quarrying industry has posted a modest growth of 0.38pc because of a decrease in the production of natural gas (-2.63pc), crude oil (-0.38pc) and other minerals.

Large scale manufacturing, which is based on the Quantum Index of Manufacturing (QIM) (July-March), has witnessed a growth of 6.11pc with mixed trends in the production of various groups mainly due to positive contribution in food (9.77pc), tobacco (11.70pc), petroleum products (10.92pc), rubber products (14.26pc), electrical equipment (11.87pc), automobiles (61.66pc), transport equipment (39.93pc), furniture (20.45pc), and other manufacturing (football) (23.06pc).

The electricity, gas and water supply industry has contracted by 10.63pc primarily due to the high base effect of FY 2024-25, i.e. +29.60pc, lower energy subsidies and slower growth in the output of Wapda and other companies.

Despite a high base growth of 8.77pc during last year, the construction industry increased by 5.73pc due to increased construction-related expenditures by the private sector and general government.

The services industry has also shown a growth of 4.09pc during FY26 with positive contributions from all the constituents, i.e., wholesale and retail trade (3.71pc), transport and storage (2.31pc), information and communication (7.52pc), public administration and social security (8.54pc), education (5.23pc), human health and social work (6.85pc), and other private services (3.69pc).

He made the remarks on the floor of the National Assembly while responding to an emotionally charged speech by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Noor Alam Khan, who had criticised both the federal and provincial governments for rising terrorism in the province.

“We did not have the KP government’s cooperation for a very long time, [but] now we have [it]. They are standing firmly with the Centre and the armed forces against terrorism. There is no doubt,” Asif declared.

“It is a good thing that we are all on the same page,” he added.

The defence minister said, “I agree with them that a solution to this issue is needed, but it is not the centre’s responsibility; it is partially, but all provinces have to contribute to this with their resources.”

Asif also strongly responded to suggestions that Islamabad hold a dialogue with Kabul, highlighting that Pakistan had already done so multiple times but to no avail.

“We have done so. I did three rounds myself,” he said, recalling his 2023 visit to Kabul and the meetings held in Turkiye and Qatar last year between the two sides.

The minister pointed out that Pakistan engaged in talks with the Afghan Taliban government while terrorism was ongoing in the country.

“Qatar, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia played a role but no solution came out of it,” he stated. “The Kabul government is not ready to give us a guarantee that no attacks will be carried out against Pakistan from their soil.”

Asif affirmed that the Centre stood with the KP government, noting the sacrifices rendered by the soldiers, including the recent attack on a police post in Bannu that claimed the lives of “22 people”.

“Our loss is a common loss,” he said, observing that KP and Balochistan witnessed more terrorist attacks since they shared the border with Afghanistan.

“We have made all possible efforts. You cannot even imagine,” he asserted, recalling that talks as long as 19 hours have been held with Kabul.

“They are ready to verbally agree, but not in writing,” Asif added.

‘Afghanistan fighting Hindutva’s war’

During his remarks, Asif reiterated Islamabad’s stance that the Kabul authorities were acting as a “proxy of India”.

“After India’s defeat in Marka-i-Haq last year, thanks to God, they would not even dare to enter into a direct confrontation with us. So, the entire war now is being fought with Pakistan through Kabul,” he said.

Asif stressed, “Their proxies were carrying out terrorism on our soil and terrorist activities were taking place here because of their facilitation. Despite that, we spoke to them, but no result came of it.

“Now, there may be efforts underway for some communication through some third country. I cannot say anything conclusive about it.”

The minister emphasised, “We have tried fully with sincerity. We have negotiated via three countries, not just one, […] we pleaded with them to stop supporting them (terrorists) and their facilitation, and abandon their bases and camps, but they do not come to it.

“So there remains only one alternative to this […] there will be open war then,” he warned.

The defence minister said Afghanistan was “fighting the Hindutva’s war against us”, terming the Afghan Taliban a “proxy of the Hindutva”.

“Whether it is the eastern border or the western, the enemy is the same. There is no difference between Delhi and Kabul at the moment,” Asif remarked.

He added, “We surely do wish that there was a difference, that they speak with us and enter into some kind of arrangement so that this terrorism can be stopped.

“But if they are not ready, then we will do to Kabul what we have done to Delhi,” he declared.

Asif’s remarks come days after Islamabad issued a “strong demarche” to Afghanistan over the May 10 suicide attack in Bannu, which claimed the lives of 15 police personnel.

There has been a resurgence in terrorism in Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned Tehreek—i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Officials say those appeals have gone unheeded.

In the latest communication between Islamabad and Kabul, the two sides held talks in China’s Urumqi last month and agreed to avoid any escalation in their armed conflict.

Alam’s comments and PTI spat

In his remarks, Alam had decried that the people of KP were living a miserable life because of regular terrorist activities.

He claimed that when the people of KP tried to escape their homes, they were mistreated by the Punjab police and were seen as criminals even if they had families with them.

Alam had also criticised the PTI-run KP government, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the PML-N’s Punjab government and the Centre for not doing enough to protect the lives of KP’s residents.

Asif contended that JUI-F’s Alam was only talking about divisions on ethnic lines.

Responding to Alam, Asif contended that the JUI-F lawmaker was only talking about divisions on ethnic lines.

“Why do you always talk about one nationality and on ethnic lines?” Asif said, highlighting that the entire nation was rendering sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

However, his comments were met with strong reactions from Alam and PTI’s Iqbal Afridi and Junaid Akbar, who stood up and used harsh words against Asif for derailing the core discussion.

Afridi, demanding time to speak over power issues, became furious and began hurling abuses at Speaker Ayaz Sadiq as well as Asif.

He even engaged in a physical exchange with other PTI MNAs, and eventually, most of the opposition lawmakers were trying to stop each other from fighting.

Amid the chaotic situation, Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah gave the mic to PPP’s Sharmila Faruqui, but as the PTI members started yelling at each other in abusive language, the deputy speaker adjourned the session.

Even then, Afridi and his party colleague Saleem Rehman tried to approach each other aggressively, prompting the Sergeants at Arms to be called in.

JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Haideri reached the mayhem as well as tensions rose, with Afridi, Akbar and Rehman being escorted away by fellow PTI lawmakers.

He briefed the delegation on the country’s macroeconomic outlook, fiscal strategy, reform priorities, and the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure sustainable economic stability and long-term growth, the ministry said on the social media platform X.

The ministry said that the discussions focused on the country’s “macroeconomic stabilisation efforts, preparations for the upcoming federal budget, and the broader reform agenda aimed at strengthening fiscal and external sustainability while fostering sustainable economic growth”.

“Both sides exchanged views on maintaining reform momentum, preserving macroeconomic stability, and advancing structural reforms to promote investment, productivity, and export-led growth within a balanced and forward-looking policy framework,” the ministry said.

Welcoming the IMF delegation to Islamabad, the finance minister “appreciated the Fund’s continued engagement and constructive dialogue” with the government, it said, adding Aurangzeb particularly acknowledged the productive discussions initiated during the spring meetings held in Washington earlier this year.

The ministry added that Aurangzeb shared encouraging developments regarding the country’s external sector, highlighting positive trends in remittances and export performance.

“He noted that recent data indicated improvement in exports on both a month-on-month and a year-on-year basis, reflecting growing resilience in the economy and a gradual strengthening of macroeconomic fundamentals,” it said.

Further, the finance minister emphasised that while economic stabilisation efforts had produced encouraging results, the government remained fully mindful of the structural challenges confronting the economy, particularly external liabilities and the need to accelerate sustainable, export-led growth, it said.

Aurangzeb also reiterated the government’s commitment to deepening reforms aimed at strengthening macroeconomic stability without compromising long-term growth prospects.

“In this regard, he underscored the importance of moving Pakistan away from recurring boom-and-bust cycles through structural reforms, productivity enhancement, deregulation, and improved export competitiveness,” it said.

Aurangzeb further stated that the government’s reform agenda had been carefully calibrated in consultation with international experts and economists. He emphasised that the ongoing policy measures were not driven by short-term considerations, but formed part of a broader and technically grounded economic transformation strategy endorsed at the highest level, the ministry added.

The finance minister also briefed the mission on the country’s continued engagement with international development partners, including ongoing economic cooperation initiatives with China and efforts aimed at mobilising long-term investment aligned with the country’s strategic economic priorities.

According to the ministry, the visiting IMF mission, led by Iva Petrova, acknowledged the “positive progress made by Pakistan in maintaining macroeconomic stability despite a challenging global and regional environment”.

“The mission appreciated the government’s continued commitment to prudent economic management and reform implementation,” the ministry said.

“The IMF team emphasised the importance of sustaining reform momentum, maintaining fiscal discipline, and advancing structural reforms to support durable and inclusive economic growth. Discussions during the meeting also focused on the broader macroeconomic framework, the government’s reform agenda, and priorities for the upcoming budget,” it said.

“The mission reaffirmed its commitment to continued engagement and constructive cooperation with the government of Pakistan in support of the country’s economic reform programme and long-term economic resilience,” the ministry concluded.

Last week, the international money lender had approved a new disbursement for Pakistan of about $1.3 billion, acknowledging the nation’s resilience in maintaining economic stability while warning that continued reforms are essential to manage growing risks from the war in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the government is considering reducing the income tax burden on salaried individuals while refraining from increasing salaries and pensions in the upcoming budget, aiming to provide equitable fiscal relief to both public and private sector employees.

Informed sources have told Dawn that Aurangzeb has expressed a desire to lower tax rates and, if possible, raise the taxable income threshold for the salaried class in recognition of their significant contribution to revenue generation compared to retailers, wholesalers, exporters and real estate players.

On the other hand, the government may keep salaries and pensions uncha­nged at current levels, using the resulting fiscal savings to provide tax relief instead.

He made these remarks while addressing a ceremony held in relevance to Marka-i-Haq at Islamabad’s Institute of Strategic Studies.

The conflict with India — starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the end of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos with a ceasefire between the two countries on May 10 — has been called “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth) by the state.

During the conflict, New Delhi launched deadly air strikes in Punjab and Azad Kashmir on May 7. Pakistan retaliated by downing several Indian planes in air-to-air combat. The initial tally of the downed jets was announced as five and later raised to eight.

In his fresh remarks on the matter, Tarar said: “When those eight planes went down — and a lot of them were Rafale planes, which are a source of pride for India — those planes brought down with them the Indian arrogance; and proved to the world, once again, our dominance in aerial battle; and how Pakistan’s indigenous technology helped it achieve victory.”

He also said the Pakistan Navy was “alert and ready” to respond to any aggression.

“So this Marka-i-Haq belongs to the entire nation. We saw the entire nation stand tall, stand united. We set aside our political differences, we set aside our differences of opinion, and the whole nation came together as a united force,” he added.

Earlier in his address, Tarar noted that a first information report of the Pahalgam attack in India-occupied Kashmir was registered “within 10 minutes of the incident, without any inquiry, without anyone going to that spot, without any detailed investigation”.

He recalled that Indian was then quick to blame Pakistan, further stating that Islamabad’s narrative during the May conflict “gained strength” right from the beginning because “we expressed the truth at the right forum at the right time”.

“When it comes down to narrative, it’s all about saying the right thing at the right time at the right forum … There has to be a specific, detailed campaign with regard to what your strategic narrative is,” he explained.

The minister said Pakistan’s narrative was boosted when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made the offer of a fair, independent and transparent investigation into the Pahalgam incident in April 2025.

“A year has passed, and there has been no response to the prime minister’s offer. And there could not be any response because we knew that it was a false flag operation.

“Pakistan proved that our hands are clean, and it was India that shied away from an investigation,” he said.

Tarar went on to say that on the pretext of that false flag operation, India resorted to attacking civilians in Pakistan. “It further damaged India’s stance, especially at the global stage,” he added.

The minister said Pakistan was well within its rights under the UN Charter to respond to Indian attacks in a firm and decisive manner in May last year.

He further stated that Pakistan had been “a frontline state against terrorism, or a shield or a wall between the terrorists and the rest of the world”.

“When one Pakistani lays down his or her life, it is for the motherland. But then, laying down that life [also] makes the world a safer place. No other country has to its credit 90,000 lives laid down …

So how can a country which is countering terrorism be blamed for terrorism?” he said.

“And who is pinning this blame on Pakistan?” he further questioned, as he went on to recount allegations of transnational assassinations associated with India.

In connection with this, he also mentioned Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav, an Indian spy who was arrested in Pakistan in 2016. Tarar said Jadhav had been involved in terrorist activities, adding: “When an Indian spy is captured red-handed within the territory of Pakistan … and it is proven at the international level that he has been involved in these activities, then which country is promoting terrorism?”

Coming back to Marka-i-Haq, he said where Pakistan told the truth to the world in an effective manner, the Indian media and government made “absolutely absurd” claims.

He also acknowledged the role of the Pakistani media, intelligentsia, journalists, academia and analysts, who he said “made us look very good at the global stage”.

The Pakistani media was giving out information that was “100 per cent authentic, verified and that could not be contradicted at any level”, he said, adding that it was so because there was “complete unanimity and smooth, uninterrupted flow of information between the state institutions and the private sector media”.

Tarar also commended the youth, mentioning the “meme war” that was witnessed during Marka-i-Haq.

“We were at the top of our game. When it came down to the narrative game, when it came down to the conventional war, when it came down to diplomatic efforts … because we had a lot of truth to tell the world and we told it the right way, we were at the top of our game,” he said.

On the other hand, Tarar continued, “the enemy kept on making mistake after mistake. The entire world saw how their nefarious designs were exposed”.

“The entire world saw that starting from the false flag operation of Pahalgam and the baseless allegations made against Pakistan, Pakistan played all its cards right,” he added.

Tarar said a year after Marka-i-Haq, Pakistan’s relevance, significance and status had elevated at the international level.

“On the other hand, you have your eastern neighbour that spent hundreds of billions of dollars through lobbying and PR firms to come up with a ‘shining’ slogan. But, from shining to isolation, this is a one-year journey.

“When you base your entire premise and narrative on false information and propaganda, and you externalise your internal issues and internalise your external issues, and you try to create a hegemony within the region, and you assume the role of the bully of South Asia, that can never go well for you,” he said.

Tarar ended his speech, saying that “we have all witnessed how Pakistan has transformed after Marka-i-Haq” and “it is a moment to be proud”.

Anmol alias Pinky was arrested a day earlier from her Garden apartment in a joint raid conducted by police and a civilian intelligence agency in connection with two cases pertaining to the possession of narcotics and an unlicenced weapon.

The incident gained attention when a video of her being escorted to court without handcuffs went viral on social media. Subsequently, authorities suspended the investigating officer, including two other policemen, while the accused was sent on judicial remand by a judicial magistrate.

On Wednesday, the investigation officer (IO) filed a revision application against the judicial magistrate’s order. The matter was taken up by District and Sessions Judge Zahoor Ahmed Hakro.

According to an order issued by the court, a copy of which is available with Dawn, said that investigating officer (IO) Saeed Ahmed contended that the accused was the “head of a narcotic gang and used to supply narcotics through an established chain”.

“The IO further submitted that since the roots of this chain were to be ascertained by making proper interrogation from the accused in police custody, which could not be made due to the remand of the accused in jail custody,” it said.

“The perusal of the remand order shows that the learned judicial magistrate has not given proper reasons for remanding the accused in judicial custody,” it said.

The order said that the suspect’s judicial remand had been “set aside” along with the order issued by the judicial magistrate. The judge directed the superintendent of the women’s jail to hand over the suspect’s custody to the IO.

Separately, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar expressed satisfaction over the development, stating that the police “re-examined the legal aspects and presented their position in the court again,” according to a statement issued via his spokesperson.

As per the statement, “significant progress has been made in the case following orders” from the provincial home minister.

Lanjar directed a “fair, transparent and merit-based investigation so that all facts of the case come to light,” stressing that “no one was above the law”.

The approval was granted by the president on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, state-run PTV reported.

According to reports, the incident occurred on Monday near a key security post on the Punjab–Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border, located in Jand, some 70km from Attock.

A local shepherd, identified as Liaqat, noticed a suspicious individual in the area while grazing his goats nearby. Witnesses said Liaqat confronted the suspect after sensing something unusual about the man’s behaviour. As he approached, the suspect detonated himself, claiming Liaqat’s life in the process.

A day earlier, the president and the prime minister had lauded Liaqat’s sacrifice in separate statements.

PM Shehbaz said that as a responsible citizen, Liaqat stopped the terrorist and asked for his identification, who then blew himself up, resulting in the shepherd’s martyrdom.

“Such brave and fearless citizens are the true symbol of the national resolve against terrorism. Shaheed Liaqat’s sacrifice is a guiding light for every individual of the nation,” he said.

President Zardari said that brave citizens like Liaqat were a shining example of national resilience, patriotism and collective awareness in the fight against terrorism.

“The entire nation stands united with its security forces and law enforcement agencies for the elimination of the scourge of terrorism. The war against terrorism resulting from external support will continue,” he added.

State TV showed Sergei Karakayev, commander of Russia’s strategic missile forces, reporting to Putin on what he said was a successful Sarmat test-launch on Tuesday.

Putin said Russia will deploy Sarmat for “combat duty” by the end of this year. The planned deployment of the missile — designed to deliver nuclear warheads to strike targets thousands of miles away in the United States or Europe — follows years of setbacks and delays.

Putin, in televised comments, said the yield of the warhead was more than four times greater than any Western equivalent and its range exceeded 35,000 kilometres (21,750 miles).

“It has the ability to penetrate all existing and future anti-missile defence systems,” he said.

“The deployment of launchers equipped with the Sarmat missile system will significantly enhance the combat capabilities of the ground-based strategic nuclear forces in terms of guaranteeing the destruction of targets and solving strategic deterrence problems,” Karakayev said.

The test launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) comes months after the last treaty with the United States limiting their atomic arsenals lapsed.

The ending of the New START agreement in February formally released the world’s two largest nuclear powers from a raft of restrictions.

Western security analysts say Putin has made exaggerated claims for the capabilities of some of Russia’s new generation of nuclear weapons, part of a modernisation programme he first announced in 2018.

Sarmat has seen failures in the past — one test in September 2024 left a deep crater at the launch silo, according to Western experts.

Since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, Putin has repeatedly reminded the world of the size and power of Russia’s nuclear arsenal in statements seen by the West as attempts to deter it from intervening too strongly on the side of Ukraine.

He made the remarks during a special meeting he and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry were chairing, the interior ministry said on the social media platform X.

“Land-grabbing mafia and illegal constructions will be completely eradicated from Islamabad,” the ministry quoted Naqvi as saying.

He vowed, “Operation Clean-up would continue without any pressure until it achieves its final result.”

For the past two months, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been conducting anti-encroachment operations in Islamabad, with a special focus on katchi abadis (informal settlements), whose residents have strongly protested the actions.

According to CDA’s rules, 34 societies/schemes were supposed to transfer amenity land in the name of the civic agency for further utilisation. However, despite the passage of years, CDA has failed to get the land. There are reports that many societies have already eaten up the land after carving out plots.

After removing the Muslim Colony in the Bari Imam area, CDA also conducted an operation against Rimsha Colony at H-9 and Shapar Colony of G-7, where residents had staged a protest in March against the move.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), along with several civil society organisations, had called on authorities to halt all planned and ongoing eviction operations in Islamabad’s low-income areas and katchi abadis.

In October 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a joint inquiry committee to thoroughly probe alleged land-grabbing by the “land mafia” in the federal capital and to fix responsibility on those involved in it.

Sewage treatment plants, Convention Centre discussed

Meanwhile, the meeting held on Wednesday also reviewed the progress of several ongoing and planned projects in the federal capital, including the construction of 11 new police stations.

It was decided during the meeting to set up sewage treatment plants to prevent untreated sewage from entering the Rawal Dam.

Various suggestions were reviewed regarding sewage plants at streams which feed into Rawal Dam, the interior ministry said, adding that this would provide clean water to residents.

Rawal Dam has been receiving untreated sewage and solid waste via streams, particularly through the Korang Nullah. A mega project under which three sewage treatment plants were to be built in the reservoir’s catchment areas had previously faced inordinate delay.

During the meeting, Naqvi also directed the relevant authorities to complete ongoing “development work” at Parliament Lodges by June 30.

The meeting reviewed the upgradation plan for the Capital Police College, which would include new classrooms, a mess, and barracks for personnel under training.

While being briefed about the plans to construct another Convention Centre, Naqvi was informed that three international companies have submitted their designs and that the process of evaluation was underway.

The minister was told that legal requirements were being fulfilled and that construction work for the Convention Centre would begin by the last week of June.

The city, an oasis of civilisation in the Arizona desert, is set to be the base camp for “Team Melli” when the world’s biggest sporting spectacle opens in the US, Mexico and Canada next month.

“We’re just excited to host them here, and we’re going to give them a positive experience,” Sarah Hanna, director of the Kino Sports Complex, where the team will train, told AFP.

Grass is being watered and cut to FIFA-regulation height to ensure that players don’t get any surprises when they take to the field in Los Angeles and Seattle, the venues for their group-stage games.

Hotel rooms and meeting spaces are locked in, and security is tight.

“Right now, I’m probably averaging about 12 to 20 meetings regarding this training facility a week,” said Hanna. “From our concessionaire for food and beverage… to lots of grounds meetings with FIFA coming out to check.”

Ceasefire

The flurry of activity in Tucson comes against the backdrop of a war between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other that is now in its 11th week. Despite a shaky ceasefire in place for a month, hostilities are stubbornly unresolved, with Iran having virtually shut the Strait of Hormuz.

Organisers FIFA have insisted the team will take part in the tournament as planned, so Tucson has pressed ahead with its preparations.

“As far as we’re concerned, it’s 100 per cent on, and it’s never been off,” said Hanna. “Since they’ve been identified as the team, we’ve been moving forward as them as our team, until we hear something different from FIFA.”

Despite the official position, there’s plenty of uncertainty.

On Friday, Iran’s football federation president announced the team would participate, but laid down a list of requirements, including the granting of visas and the treatment of staff.

Concerns are particularly acute for anyone with ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the organisation seemingly in control of the country now, but which the US views as a terrorist group.

And in March, Trump cast doubt on their presence, saying that while the team was “welcome” to participate, it might not be a good idea.

“I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” he wrote on social media.

Locals in Tucson dismiss the implied threat.

“Our president is known to be a bit bombastic in his use of social media,” said Jon Pearlman, president of FC Tucson. “I don’t think President Trump or any part of our government will make it their business to make them feel unwelcome or unsafe. I think it will do the opposite.”

‘With open arms’

At the Kino Sports Complex, Iranian players will have access to the club’s weight training facilities, ice baths, and massage tables.

“We welcome them with open arms,” said Pearlman. “We are part of the world soccer community. We are part of what FIFA is trying to do, and we believe the game is something that brings nations together, not drives them apart.”

It is a sentiment widely echoed throughout this multicultural city of 540,000, which leans Democratic.

“I hope that they still feel welcome here,” said Rob McLane, who plays indoor football. “Even though we’re doing what we’re doing, which is ridiculous,” he said of the military operation.

Even near the local military base — whose aircraft regularly fly over the fields where the team will practice — Republican voters interviewed by AFP draw a clear distinction between sports and geopolitics.

“I’m glad that they’re coming,” said veteran Michael Holley, who thinks the war was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb.

Trump only brought up player safety because he feared “that Iranian athletes would be punished by their own government if they had a voice of their own,” the 68-year-old said.

“He didn’t mean that the American people are a threat.”

But not everyone in Tucson is thrilled about the prospect of the Iranian team being in town. For some in the city’s small Persian community, the players are little more than emissaries from a government that launched a crackdown on popular protests in January.

Ali Rezaei, a 68-year-old IT worker, said it would be “impossible” to support them.

“If there is a demonstration against them, I may go there.”

“The IMF Executive Board completed the third review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) in its meeting held on May 8 and approved the disbursement of SDR 760 million for Pakistan. Furthermore, the IMF Executive Board has also approved the disbursement of the second tranche of SDR 154 million under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF),” the central bank said on the social media platform X.

“Accordingly, SBP has received SDR 914 million (equivalent to about US$ 1.3 billion) under the EFF and RSF in value May 12 from the IMF,” it said.

It said that the amount would be reflected in the country’s foreign exchange reserves for the week ending on May 15.

Last week, the international money lender had approved the latest review of Pakistan’s reform programme. The decision paved the way for disbursements of about $1.1bn from the EFF and $220m from the RSF, bringing total payouts under the two arrangements to roughly $4.8bn.

While the funding provides crucial short-term support, the IMF’s statement emphasised an evolving and uncertain outlook, cautioning that Pakistan’s recent gains are exposed to heightened global volatility, particularly spillovers from the conflict in the Middle East.

“The authorities’ strong implementation, despite the Middle East war, has maintained economic stability and improved financing and external conditions,” the Fund noted in its statement.

However, it cautioned that the shocks emanating from the Middle East war underlined the continued importance of maintaining strong policies to continue building resilience and of moving ahead with structural reforms to achieve sustainable long-term growth.

IMF Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair Nigel Clarke reinforced this cautionary tone, stressing the need for both discipline and accelerated reforms.

“Amid a more challenging and highly uncertain external environment since the onset of the war in the Middle East, Pakistan needs to maintain strong macroeconomic policies while accelerating reform efforts, which are critical to managing further shocks and fostering higher sustainable medium-term growth,” he said.

Meanwhile, the central bank on Tuesday said that while macroeconomic stability had improved in the first half of fiscal year 2026, the war in the Middle East posed risks to the economic outlook amid heightened uncertainty.

In its half-year report, the bank said supply chain disruptions were likely to affect the inflation trajectory, external trade and remittance flows and the country’s economic activity.

Modi appealed to people on Sunday to adopt austerity measures, including avoiding unnecessary foreign travel, using public transport, reducing gold purchases and cutting their use of cooking oil, as soaring global energy prices put pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

Following the appeal, some critics on social media questioned the large motorcades of senior Indian politicians, Modi’s domestic flights and his upcoming Europe visit on his official aircraft.

The number of vehicles in Modi’s motorcade was reduced while ensuring essential security components, in line with the protocol of the Special Protection Group that guards the prime minister, the source said, without specifying the motorcade’s actual size.

Modi gets the highest level of personal security in the country and his motorcade was known to have about a dozen vehicles before the reduction.

Modi scaled down motorcades for visits this week to his home state of Gujarat and the northeastern state of Assam, the source said, adding that the prime minister had also asked for electric vehicles to be included in his motorcade where feasible but without making any new purchases.

The source declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

India, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer, relies heavily on the Strait of Hormuz, closed during the US-Israel war with Iran, for supplies of crude, liquefied natural gas and cooking gas.

Higher oil prices threaten to widen the country’s current account deficit, hurt growth, and stoke inflation while Washington and Tehran struggle to reach a deal to end hostilities, more than a month after a tenuous ceasefire paused fighting.

India has avoided raising petrol and diesel prices so far but an increase is considered imminent due to the situation in the Middle East.

The 13 people are close associates of KS International Traders, which operates out of India, and its owner, the US State Department said on Tuesday.

The Mumbai-based company’s web site, as listed in US government records, could not be accessed. No names or contacts of its senior executives were available.

India’s foreign and health ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

KS International Traders generated revenue through trafficking in fentanyl, which President Donald Trump has designated as a “weapon of mass destruction”, the State Department said.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid used for pain relief, but it is tightly restricted in the United States because of its high potency and its role in a surge in overdose deaths linked to illicit use.

“Illicit fentanyl is killing too many Americans. Those complicit in poisoning Americans will be denied entry to the United States,” State Department spokesperson Thomas Pigott said in a statement.

This is not the first time that the US government has pulled up KS International Traders.

The online pharmacy, along with two Indian nationals, was sanctioned last year for supplying counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills.

The company sold hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing illicit fentanyl to people in the US, harming families and communities nationwide, the State Department said on Tuesday.

The US last year announced a new visa restriction policy aimed at stopping the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the country.

ISLAMABAD: Supported by higher-than-targeted provincial contributions, strong petroleum levy collections and lower interest payments during the first three quarters of the current fiscal year, Pakistan recorded its lowest fiscal deficit in at least 27 years at 0.7 per cent of GDP, despite a decline in revenue ratios and increases in most expenditure heads except debt servicing.

According to official fiscal operations data released by the Ministry of Finance for July-March, the historically low fiscal deficit was achieved after a gradual reversal of the Rs2.1 trillion surplus, equivalent to 1.6pc of GDP, recorded in the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year.

The budget surplus had narrowed to Rs542 billion (0.4pc of GDP) by the end of the first half and eventually turned into a fiscal deficit of Rs857bn by the end of the third quarter.

The data showed that petroleum levy remained the government’s largest revenue source, surging by 45pc to Rs1.205tr despite mounting public suffering caused by higher fuel prices amid the US-Israel war on Iran. The collection appears set to surpass the annual target of Rs1.468tr by a wide margin. During the same period last year, petroleum levy collection stood at less than Rs835bn.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) also continued to post healthy profits thanks to a lagged impact of historically high interest rates.

However, the largest contribution came from the provinces, which exceeded their annual target by a big margin under the IMF’s $7bn Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The four provinces collectively posted a cash surplus of Rs1.636tr during the first nine months of the fiscal year, surpassing the full-year target of Rs1.464tr by Rs172bn.

With its larger fiscal muscle, Punjab contributed the highest provincial surplus of Rs824bn during July-March, followed by Sindh with Rs441bn. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa generated a surplus of Rs253bn, while Balochistan posted Rs118bn.

On top of this, interest payments dropped by almost Rs1.5tr to Rs4.948tr during the period compared to Rs6.44tr a year ago, showing a 23pc reduction.

The above savings helped the federal government in containing fiscal deficit to Rs856bn (0.7pc of GDP) compared to a Rs2.97tr deficit (2.6pc of GDP) last year, a massive turnaround of about 71pc.

The primary balance — the gap between total revenues and expenditures excluding interest payments — stood at 3.2pc of GDP in July-March compared to 3pc of GDP last year, showing little improvement in government expenses despite the so-called “rightsizing” and administrative reforms. In absolute terms, the primary surplus amounted to Rs4.1tr during the nine months against Rs3.468tr a year ago.

Despite these gains, the data reflected weakness in both revenue generation and expenditure management.

Overall revenue-to-GDP ratio dropped to 11.4pc during July-March compared to 11.7pc during the same period last year, despite strong growth in petroleum levy collections and SBP profits.

Tax revenues fell to 7.8pc of GDP from 8pc a year earlier, while non-tax revenues slipped to 3.6pc from 3.7pc. Direct tax collection remained unchanged at 3.6pc of GDP.

Sales tax collection declined to 2.4pc of GDP from 2.5pc last year, while customs duty declined to 0.7pc from 0.8pc. However, provincial tax collection improved slightly to 0.7pc of GDP from 0.6pc last year.

Overall expenditure dropped to 12.1pc of GDP from 14.2pc, mainly because current expenditure fell to 11pc of GDP from 12.7pc due to lower debt servicing costs. However, almost all other expenditure heads increased in both absolute terms and as a share of GDP.

Defence expenditure rose to Rs1.69tr (1.3pc of GDP) during the first nine months compared to Rs1.423tr (1.2pc of GDP) in the same period last year.

Expenditure on subsidies also increased both in absolute terms and as a share of GDP, reaching Rs632bn (0.5pc of GDP) compared to Rs466bn (0.4pc) last year.

The Ministry of Finance said Federal Board of Revenue collections reached Rs9.306tr during the first nine months, reflecting an increase of Rs853bn (10pc) over the same period last year.

It added that petroleum development levy collection rose by 45pc to Rs1.205tr, while provincial tax collection grew by 26pc to Rs861bn, an increase of Rs176bn that is “well above the assigned targets”.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2026

Gold imports are financed through dollars, which means buyers have to spend down foreign reserves or convert rupees to make purchases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already appealed days ago to the public to avoid buying gold for a year as the rupee’s year-long slide against the dollar has worsened during the Iran war.

The government more than doubled import taxes on gold and silver to about 15 per cent from the existing 6pc, according to two official orders issued late Tuesday.

The energy supply crisis caused by the Mideast war’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz — through which a fifth of the world’s crude passed — has hit India hard.

India is the world’s third-largest oil importer and the spiking cost of petroleum has hit its foreign currency reserves.

Elevated crude oil prices have increased India’s import bill, putting additional strain on the country’s balance of payments and foreign exchange reserves.

Modi on Sunday urged the people of India to cut down on petrol and diesel consumption in response to the supply disruptions due to the Middle East war.

Gold, seen as a symbol of wealth and prosperity and widely used during weddings as well as festivals, ranks second among India’s imports, after crude oil.

WASHINGTON: As prospects for peace in the Middle East diminished due to the rigid stances adopted by the US and Iran, the Pentagon on Tuesday said the conflict with Tehran had cost Washington more than $29 billion since the start of hostilities in February, even as consumer inflation in the US hit a three-year high in April.

Jules Hurst, who is performing the duties of com­p­troller, told US lawmakers on Tuesday that the bill included updated repair and replacement of equipment and operational costs, Reuters reported.

“The joint staff team and the comptroller team are constantly looking at that estimate,” Hurst said. He was speaking alongside Defence Secret­ary Pete Hegseth and Cha­i­r­man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine.

On April 29, the Pent­agon said the war had cost $25bn at that point.

The statement came hours before President Donald Trump took off aboard Air Force One bound for China, the first trip by a US leader to the rival power in nearly a decade. He is set to hold talks on Thursday and Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping that will focus heavily on trade but also on potential friction points over Taiwan and Iran.

Earlier, the US had reje­cted an Iranian response bound for China, the first trip by a US leader to the rival power in nearly a decade. Trump is set to hold talks on Thursday and Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping that will focus heavily on trade but also on potential friction points over Taiwan and Iran.

Earlier, the US had rejected an Iranian response to its peace offer, with President Trump indicating that the ceasefire was on “massive life support”. CNN reported that some aides to President Trump said he was now more seriously considering resuming combat operations in Iran.

Separately, in response to a question about if the US needed China’s help to settle the dispute with Iran, President Trump responded, “No, I don’t think we need any help with Iran. We’ll win it one way or the other. We’ll win it peacefully or otherwise,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

“Their navy’s gone, their air force is gone, every single element of their war machine is gone,” he said, adding that the blockade of Iranian ports has been “1t00 per cent effective”. “One way or another, it’s going to work out very well,” he added.

He also said Iran would not be allowed to build a nuclear weapon. In a separate interaction, he appeared confident that Iran would not build a nuclear weapon. “100pc. They’re going to stop, and they told me, the Iranians told me… they said that we’re going to get the (nuclear) dust,” the US president said in response to a question by a journalist.

He claimed that Iran told him that only the US and China had the expertise to retrieve the nuclear material from the “obliterated” sites.

Last June, Trump said Iran’s nuclear facilities were “obliterated” by US and Israeli strikes during a 12-day war, severely limiting Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium.

His remarks came as Iranian parliamentary spokesman Ebrahim Rezaei said that the country could enrich uranium up to 90pc purity, a level considered weapons-grade, if Iran was attacked again.

“One of Iran’s options in the event of another attack could be 90 per cent enrichment. We will review it in the parliament,” Rezaei, who is a spokesperson for the parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission, posted on X.

Meanwhile, AFP citing Iranian media reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards held military exercises in Tehran on Tuesday to prepare for any confrontation.

UAE attacks on Iran

The Wall Street Journal has reported that the United Arab Emirates carried out attacks on Iran early last month.

In an article on Monday, the American newspaper said the UAE’s attacks targeted a refinery located on Iran’s Lavan Island and took place “around the time” US President Donald Trump was “announcing a ceasefire in the war” after a five-week air strike campaign.

The US quietly welcomed the Emirati strikes and any other Gulf states that wanted to join the fight, the paper reported, citing one unnamed source.

WSJ did not specify a date or time. However, the morning of April 8, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said “missile and drone attacks on the Emirates and Kuwait have taken place a few hours after the targeting of Lavan island oil facilities in Iran”, AFP reported.

The refinery was Iran’s 10th biggest refinery as of 2020, handling 60,000 barrels of crude per day, according to EIA figures.

Hormuz deadlock

On the other hand, Iran expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz into a “vast operational area” far wider than before the Iran war, according to a senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.

The strait is no longer viewed as a narrow stretch around a handful of islands but instead has been greatly enlarged in scope and military significance, said Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy political director of the IRGC Navy, the state-affiliated Fars news agency reported on Tuesday.

EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas, however, said the bloc could expand a naval mission it has in the Red Sea to cover the Strait of Hormuz, once the Iran war ended.

“Operation Aspides already makes a crucial contribution in protecting shipping in the Red Sea but its activities could also be extended to the strait,” Kallas said after a meeting of European Union defence ministers. She said that some countries were already promising to contribute more ships to the mission and that could help if the decision was taken to extend its scope.

Diplomatic push

Meanwhile, Pakistan continued its diplomatic push to break the impasse. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussed regional developments and Islamabad’s ongoing efforts to mediate an end to the Iran conflict. “Both sides underscored the importance of continuing a durable ceasefire and ensuring normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Both sides underscored the importance of continuing a durable ceasefire and ensuring normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the statement added.

The US-Iran war also came up during a telephone call between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev. President Aliyev expressed his deep appreciation for Pakistan’s initiatives to bring about a ceasefire between Iran and the US.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2026

The library, dubbed The Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room, has bound all the documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act in 3,437 volumes, all numbered and organised on shelves.

“The truth is hard to deny when it’s printed and bound for you to see,” reads the website for the Institute of Primary Facts, the Washington-based non-profit behind the display.

Those interested in seeing the files at the library in Tribeca can do so by registering online.

However, due to errors by the Department of Justice in failing to redact the names of some of the victims included in the documents, the general public is not allowed to consult the files. The exhibit offers exceptions for some professionals like journalists and lawyers.

The pop-up also has a display on the long-standing relationship between President Donald Trump and Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving minors.

David Garrett, one of the creators behind the project, believes “there needs to be real public outcry” about how the Trump administration has handled the document release, with many accusing officials of covering up Trump’s ties to Epstein.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2026

Following the leak of Pure Maths 1 paper (9709) and subsequent Cambridge retake of it on June 9, fresh allegations surfaced of AS-level Mathematic paper leak held on Tuesday. Many students stated that the paper was available on social media just a day earlier.

Besides around 160 countries, Cambridge International Education (CIE), part of Cambridge University Press and Assessment, conduct exams in Pakistan of O and A levels. But last year, there was also an uproar by parents and students over leakage of at least five papers.

The issue was debated by the Senate and National Assembly standing committees where several parents also recorded their statements, stating that at least five papers were leaked.

We see a deliberate attempt to undermine integrity of exams, says Cambridge country director

They said that the paper leakage was an injustice with hard working students. Subsequently, Cambridge last year acknowledged that three papers were “partially” leaked and they made adjustments for the affected students.

This year’s fresh allegations, following the Mathematics Pure Paper and AS Mathematics paper incidents, have once again prompted the education minister to take notice.

Dr Siddiqui expressed concern and regret over the alleged leakage of Cambridge examination papers.

He stated that such incidents cause severe mental stress, anxiety, and uncertainty for thousands of students and their parents, particularly for those who prepare for their examinations with hard work, dedication, and honesty.

The minister said that this is an extremely serious matter, especially as similar incidents were also reported last year. He added that Cambridge must further strengthen and secure its examination system, security protocols, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure they remain effective and tamper-proof, thereby restoring and maintaining students’ trust and confidence.

The minister reiterated that the government of Pakistan will not compromise on the educational future of students, the transparency of the examination system, and the protection of merit.

Dr Siddiqui added that all relevant institutions must fulfill their responsibilities with seriousness and accountability.

Meanwhile, sources said that the federal government had also taken cognizance of the issue and a meeting was s likely to be held at the ministry of interior on Wednesday (today), which will likely be attended by officers of education ministry, Cambridge, and the NCCIA.

“Yes, the government has taken serious notice of the paper leakage issue. A crucial meeting in this regard will likely be held at ministry of interior on Wednesday, where a roadmap will be devised,” said a source in federal government.

When contacted by Dawn, Uzma Yousuf, Country Director Cambridge University Press and Assessment, said “We investigate all allegations of leaks.”

She also shared a statement with Dawn, which stated: “We do not comment on individual reports of paper leaks. In the rare case where there is a genuine issue, we update schools at the right time and provide recommended next steps. We ask people only to trust official statements from Cambridge and not add to misinformation which is very unhelpful for students.”

It added: “We are seeing a deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity of examinations. To prevent and deter future activity, we are pursuing different legal routes. In Pakistan, we have reported to the NCCIA, pursuant to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 and we are about to make a further complaint to the NCCIA in respect of the dissemination of false information in respect of leaks with them. In the UK, we have reported the math paper leak and the social media platform users who we have identified as first posting the leaked papers to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). We’re also pursuing action in relation to a key social media platform to compel them to share data relating to the illegal sharing.”

“Our priority is to make sure students are not disadvantaged by the wilful malpractice of a few. We do this through certain steps such as cancellation of the leaked paper and offering a new replacement paper.

“This is also a means of discouraging students or individuals who are involved in the selling and buying of leaked papers, as the money they are investing for this theft is being wasted.

“Those who cheat or engage with fake paper sellers face serious consequences, including the withholding of results, disqualification from exams or being banned from taking exams for up to five years,” she said.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan’s (JCP) decision against fresh appointments in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) following the transfer of its three judges has invited scrutiny from the capital’s judges and lawyers, who fear that transfers from other provinces would deprive them of representation in the high court.

The controversy started after the JCP, during its April 28 meeting, approved the transfer of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani to the Lahore High Court, Justice Babar Sattar to the Peshawar High Court and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz to the Sindh High Court, and decided that the vacant seats would not be treated as fresh vacancies.

The decision, which caused consternation among the judiciary as well, was opposed by lawyers, including the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA). In a declaration issued after a meeting of its executive body, the IHCBA stressed the need to fill vacant positions in the high court with “qualified and deserving members of the legal fraternity”.

A JCP member told Dawn the commission believed that to maintain balance among the high courts, the posts should be filled through transfers from the high courts concerned instead of making new appointments. Amid concerns by the legal community, the member, however, agreed that the situation in the IHC was distinguishable considering the transfer of three judges from provincial high courts to the IHC in February 2025.

The member was alluding to the transfer of three judges, including IHC Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar, to the IHC. Subsequently, no judge from the IHC had been transferred to any provincial high court, and this is now being cited by sections of the legal community as evidence of an imbalance in the arrangement.

Sources within the judiciary told Dawn that efforts were underway to persuade the JCP to revisit its recent decision to address this ‘imbalance’. Some members may urge the commission to treat the latest transfers of IHC judges as ‘reciprocal adjustments’ against the last year transfers, they added. “There is room for review because precedents do exist where the commission revisited its own observations,” a source familiar with the deliberations said.

The source also referred to the case of Justice Ali Baqir Najafi, currently serving as a judge of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), whose elevation from the LHC had once attracted adverse remarks from the JCP. Those observations were subsequently expunged by the commission itself. Against this backdrop, the JCP member told Dawn the commission “may reconsider its recent decision in view of the existing composition” of the IHC.

Interestingly, insiders disclosed, the proposal was not discussed at an internal pre-meeting before the formal JCP session and was instead introduced during the proceedings. These pre-meetings are usually convened to evolve consensus among the ‘like-minded’ JCP members.

‘Unhappy legal fraternity’

The development also unsettled judges in the IHC, who are worried about their seniority, and the district judiciary judges, who are worried about its elevation prospects. Insiders said the availability of six vacancies in the high court had created a strong possibility that at least a couple of positions could go to judges serving in the sessions courts, but the JCP decision not only dashed their hopes but also made lawyers unhappy.

Islamabad Bar Council Member Raja Aleem Abbasi argued that the IHC was established for the federal capital territory and that vacancies should be filled from within Islamabad’s legal fraternity.

“Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani belonged to Islamabad. Therefore, the vacancies created after their transfer should be filled through lawyers from Islamabad,” he said. Abbasi maintained lawyers from all provinces were already practising before the IHC and could be considered against provincial quotas where required.

Pointing out that Islamabad lawyers had suffered last year after the three IHC seats were filled through transfers from other high courts, he warned another three appointments through transfers would further deprive Islamabad-based lawyers of representation in the IHC.

‘Resist with full force’

Calling the move “unacceptable”, Abbasi said the lawyers’ community would resist the decision “with full force”.

Lawyers in Islamabad were already deliberating on challenging the JCP’s decision before the IHC. However, legal experts pointed out that any verdict in such litigation could ultimately be appealed before the FCC, where the matter may receive final constitutional determination.

Even then, there was already a precedent for judicial scrutiny of the commission’s decisions. In 2012, an additional judge of the IHC, Azim Khan Afridi, had challenged the JCP’s decision not to confirm him as a permanent judge of the high court.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2026

BEIJING: US President Donald Trump has said he expects a “big, fat hug” from his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping when they meet in Beijing this week, though multiple thorny issues between the two sides could see the former kept at arm’s length.

Taiwan, tariffs, rare earths and the US-Israel war on Iran are among the contentious topics set to be discussed by the two leaders, whose styles of communication could hardly be more different.

Trump’s often bombastic, freewheeling comportment on the international stage contrasts dramatically with Xi’s measured, tight-lipped approach to foreign policy.

In mid-April, the US president predicted that Xi would greet him with a “big, fat hug” upon his arrival in Beijing, adding that “we are working together smartly, and very well!” China, in contrast, did not confirm the visit was taking place until Monday, typical of its reserve on such matters.

Despite the clash of styles, Beijing’s foreign ministry said on Monday that China considers leader-to-leader diplomacy as playing an “irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations”.

Trump’s trip to China is the first by a US president since he visited back in 2017. During that first-term sojourn, he received what the Chinese termed “state visit-plus” treatment, including a private tea reception in the Forbidden City.

Trump, who will turn 80 next month, and Xi, who will turn 73 a day later, last met face-to-face in October on the sidelines of a regional summit in South Korea. There, the two agreed to a one-year truce in a trade war that saw tariffs on many goods exceed 100 per cent.

His 2026 trip is expected to include a tour of the Temple of Heaven and a state banquet, but analysts say the pomp will not match that of nine years ago.

Since Trump’s first visit, China has learned that while “aggrandisement… plays to his ego, it cannot prevent him from a quick flip-flop in his attitude towards China”, Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Shanghai’s Fudan University, told AFP.

Washington is expected to press Beijing to use its considerable influence with Tehran to help de-escalate tensions and ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for Chinese energy imports and global oil supplies.

US officials also hope China will avoid obstructing efforts at the United Nations to condemn attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf.

China, meanwhile, has quietly positioned itself as a potential mediator. Together with Pakistan, Beijing has backed diplomatic initiatives aimed at securing a ceasefire and reopening maritime routes through Hormuz. Chinese and Pakistani officials reportedly advanced a five-point framework earlier this year designed to restart negotiations and contain the regional conflict.

US media reports and diplomatic observers believe both Washington and Beijing have encouraged Pakistan to play a mediating role because of Islamabad’s close ties with Tehran, Beijing and Gulf capitals alike.

Rubio’s ‘name change’

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was heading to Beijing with President Donald Trump, despite being under Chinese sanctions — a breakthrough apparently made possible after China changed his name’s transliteration.

As a US senator, Rubio fiercely championed human rights in China, which retaliated by imposing sanctions on him twice — adopting a tactic more often used by the US against adversaries.

At his confirmation hearing as secretary of state, Rubio focused heavily on China, which he described as an unprecedented adversary.

Last year, however, Rubio said the Trump administration would not negotiate over the self-governing Taiwan’s future to secure a trade deal with China.

China seems to have found a diplomatic workaround after Trump named Rubio his secretary of state.

Shortly before he took office in January 2025, the Chinese government and official media began using a different Chinese character for “lu” to represent the first syllable in his surname.

Two diplomats said they believed China made the change because Rubio was under sanctions, which included an entry ban, under the old spelling of his name.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2026