The military’s media wing said that on June 8, intelligence reports were received regarding terrorists belonging to “Indian proxy, Fitna al Hindustan, in Naal area of District Basima, Balochistan”.

The state has designated Balochistan-based terrorist groups as Fitna al Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.

The terrorists were reportedly planning an attack on a nearby police station and banks in the general area, added the ISPR.

“On receipt of the information, swift action was undertaken by security forces and an intelligence-based operation was launched to thwart the nefarious designs of the terrorists.”

The military elaborated that during the operation, the movement of “terrorists was effectively checked and engaged by own forces punitively”.

“After [an] intense fire exchange, 14 Indian sponsored terrorists were sent to hell, while multiple terrorists were injured.”

Security forces also destroyed four vehicles and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during the operation.

However, Lance Havildar Muhammad Abbas was martyred after fighting gallantly with the terrorists and paying the ultimate sacrifice, the military’s media wing said.

“Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists found in the area. Relentless counter terrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” the ISPR added.

On June 5, security forces killed six terrorists in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Panjgur district, the military’s media affairs wing said.

During the last week of May, security forces killed 17 terrorists during IBOs in different districts of Balochistan following the suicide attack on a train in Quetta. The IBOs were conducted in the districts of Mastung, Nushki, Khuzdar and Kech.

The operations come as the state intensifies its counter-terrorism operations amid a tense security situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has allowed the incarcerated ex-premier to have twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesdays and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite the order, Imran has been restricted from meeting visitors for several months.

Imran’s sisters — Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi — along with lawyers Awais Younis and Faisal Malik, and leaders Zafar Gondal, Seemabia Tahir, Usman Jaura, Nadia Khattak, Sadaf Abbasi and others were present outside the jail.

Aleema, speaking to the media, claimed that during the past three years, Pakistan had been in turmoil as Imran remained in jail.

Replying to a question regarding elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, Aleema alleged that in GB, the voices of the people were suppressed in mainstream media, but everything was available on social media.

“Despite that, the people of GB voted in favour of PTI. As a result, people were baton-charged, and PPP and PML-N leaders had to rush to GB. Today, there is social media and everyone can see what is happening in GB,” she added.

When asked why she was there in the sweltering heat, Aleema said that Imran sits there round the clock in the same conditions, so she could also spend some time there.

Aleema said that it was the duty of every Pakistani to save the country and called for Imran’s release to help stabilise Pakistan.

When asked if Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was coming to Adiala jail, she said it had been decided that Afridi would go to Parliament House on June 12, when the budget would be tabled.

Laste week, Aleema said that the only acceptable “deal” would be the restoration of an independent judiciary and the holding of free and fair elections in the country, as authorities once again denied her a meeting with her brother.

Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail, Aleema said it was their constitutional right to meet Imran. She vowed to continue visiting Adiala, saying it was the only way to exert pressure on the “powers that be”.

On Tuesday, the highest temperature recorded in Lahore was 43°C, while the mercury reached 41°C in Islamabad. The highest temperature recorded in Karachi was 36°C.

A press release issued on Tuesday by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the Bahraini commander called on CDF Munir at General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi today, where the two discussed “matters of mutual interest, [the] regional security environment, and avenues for enhanced bilateral defence and security cooperation”.

“Both dignitaries expressed satisfaction over the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and Bahrain and underscored the importance of further strengthening military-to-military collaboration,” the ISPR statement said.

Earlier, the commander also separately called on Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and Chief of the Air Staff Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu.

The meeting at the Naval Headquarters focused on bilateral defence collaboration and regional security dynamics. The commander commended the Pakistan Navy’s constructive role in advancing cooperative maritime security across the region, expressing appreciation for its role as “the regional maritime security stabiliser”.

Meanwhile, during the meeting at Air Headquarters, the air chief highlighted Pakistan Air Force’s modernisation efforts, “including capability enhancement, infrastructure development, indigenisation, and advanced training reforms”, the statement said.

“Discussions focused on emerging defence technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, advanced sensors, and digital innovation, as well as evolving air defence challenges and integrated defence architectures,” added the military’s media wing.

The Bahraini commander appreciated the professionalism, operational readiness, and contributions of Pakistan’s armed forces towards regional peace and stability. He also praised the army’s modernisation initiatives and indigenous capabilities, expressing interest in further cooperation in training, emerging technologies, and capacity-building initiatives, according to the ISPR.

“The visit reflects the strong and enduring defence partnership between Pakistan and Bahrain and is expected to further advance bilateral military cooperation for the mutual benefit of both brotherly nations,” the statement said.

The discussions on security and defence cooperation come amid tensions in the Middle East, as a three-month long war between the United States and Iran remains unresolved by a fragile ceasefire. Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the conflict, having hosted a round of talks between the two sides in Islamabad in April and staying in the picture even after plans for a second round fell through.

Earlier today, the CDF also met with the Lebanese army’s Commander-in-Chief General Rodolphe Haykal at the GHQ to exchange views on the evolving regional security environment. The discussions focused on strengthening professional interactions, training cooperation and institutional linkages between the armed forces of the two countries, according to the military’s media wing.

In January, President Asif Ali Zardari met with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in Manama, with the former reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to broadening cooperation between the two countries across political, economic, defence and cultural fields.

Last year in November, Prime Mini­ster Shehbaz Sharif, during a two-day visit to Bahrain, had reiterated Pakis­tan’s commitment to deepening ties with the kingdom.

The road not only serves as a vital link between Wana and Gomal Zam but also connects Pakistan with Afghanistan through the Angoor Adda border crossing. However, years of neglect, damaged infrastructure and recurring weather-related destruction have made it increasingly difficult to navigate the route.

Back in February, the strategically significant route had already been in disrepair back in February. Now, nearly four months later, residents say the road has become virtually unusable.

Deep potholes, muddy stretches, broken surfaces and unpaved sections have made travel both difficult and dangerous. Several bridges and culverts along the route have also been damaged or rendered ineffective, further worsening the situation.

Speaking to Dawn on Tuesday, elders from the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe expressed frustration over what they described as the administration’s indifference towards the road’s worsening condition.

“The road is not only essential for the people of South Waziristan but also plays a crucial role in regional trade and economic activity,” a tribal elder said. “Its current condition is causing immense hardship to the local population and affecting business on both sides of the border.”

The elders recalled that substantial funds had previously been approved for the reconstruction of the road. However, they claimed that the project was later removed from the provincial development programme, resulting in the suspension of rehabilitation efforts and further deterioration of the route.

Meanwhile, the executive engineer of the Communication and Works Department, Ikram Wazir, acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that the Wana-Gomal Zam Road had become largely unfit for travel due to extensive damage caused by heavy rains, flash floods and landslides.

He said that several sections of the road had suffered structural damage, while bridges and drainage infrastructure had been affected by recurring floods.

Wazir further revealed that a PC-I for the complete reconstruction and rehabilitation of the road had already been prepared and submitted to the Office of the Secretary of Communication and Works in Peshawar. According to him, the estimated cost of the project has reached approximately Rs25 billion.

He added that the commencement of reconstruction work would depend on the approval of the project and the release of the required funds by the relevant authorities.

Recent rainfall has compounded the problem, triggering landslides at various points along the road and obstructing traffic movement. Travellers have reportedly remained stranded for hours as vehicles struggled to pass through damaged sections or were forced to wait until debris was cleared.

According to local reports, the road has remained severely affected by seasonal rains over the past three years, with little progress made towards its rehabilitation. Besides disrupting transportation and commercial activities, the continued deterioration has created serious challenges for residents who rely on the route for business and access to essential services.

Drivers operating on the road describe the journey as increasingly hazardous. Many transporters have been forced to suspend operations or take lengthy alternative routes, resulting in higher transportation costs and delays in the movement of goods.

Traders say the situation has adversely affected local markets and cross-border commerce.

Considered a strategic economic corridor for Lower South Waziristan, thousands of vehicles — including heavy goods trucks, passenger coaches, motorcars, double cabins and commercial transporters — use the Wana-Gomal Zam Road every day.

Despite its significance for Pak-Afghan trade, local tribal elders say repeated appeals to the civil administration and the Communication and Works Department have yielded little response.

PPP South Waziristan district president Amanullah Wazir called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take immediate notice of the issue and ensure the reconstruction of the road on an urgent basis.

He emphasised that the road’s restoration was essential not only for easing the difficulties faced by daily commuters but also for reviving trade and economic activities in the region.

Amanullah also urged the federal government to allocate special funds for the project, warning that continued delays would deepen the transportation crisis and further damage the local economy.

Gaddafi Stadium was the venue for the second and third one-day internationals (ODIs) between the Green Shirts and the Aussies. Pakistan won the low-scoring third ODI by four wickets to clinch the three-match series 2-1.

“It was tough to score runs in the low-scoring game and this proved to be the decisive factor in match referee Graeme La Brooy’s report,” the ICC said about the Lahore stadium in a press release.

“The pitch was slow and low and made scoring runs very difficult. It did not suit a One Day International game as batters had to spend more time to settle in. It helped spin very early in the match and continued the same way throughout,” La Brooy said.

The ICC also rated the Lord’s pitch in London, which hosted the first Test between England and New Zealand, as “unsatisfactory” based on Match Referee Andy Pycroft’s report.

“There was plenty of excessive seam movement throughout the Test and the ball also kept extremely low on several occasions. The bounce was variable throughout as 16 wickets fell on the first day and 17 on the second. There was simply an over-balance in favour of ball against bat caused by the pitch,” Pycroft said.

Both Lord’s and Gaddafi Stadium pitches “received one demerit point each under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process”.

The match referees’ reports were forwarded to the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), respectively, and they have 14 days to appeal against the sanction.

“There are no previous demerit points for either venue,” the ICC noted.

The series was played on predominantly low, spin-friendly tracks in Rawalpindi and Lahore, where the tourists largely struggled with the bat.

During the third ODI, Australia were bowled out for 157. Pakistan successfully chased the modest target, although not without several anxious moments, as the pitch offered considerable assistance to the bowlers and made batting difficult throughout the contest.

Some former players and analysts had criticised the surfaces prepared for the series, saying they were tailor-made to favour the home team. However, skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed the criticism.

After the Green Shirts’ win over Australia, Shaheen defended the pitch strategy, saying: “When you have to play against such a team like Australia, you have to prepare such pitches because your objective is to win the series.”

“When we visited Australia, they prepared green pitches because they were playing against an Asian team and believed those conditions would favour them. Despite that, under Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy, we won the series there,” the skipper recalled.

The move is intended to improve the effective implementation of international standards with regard to investigations into money laundering, terrorism financing and predicate offences.

“This significant step will also improve the quality of investigations and prosecutions, data maintenance, timely generation of international cooperation requests, prompt inter-agency coordination and effective feedback mechanisms,” a senior FIA official told Dawn on Tuesday.

According to the official, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar has instructed all zones and specialised wings to set up FATF desks within seven days, to ensure full compliance with international standards and avoid any deficiencies during the country’s assessment, expected in the last quarter of 2027.

The FIA chief has also directed that each desk be headed by an officer of at least Assistant Director rank.

Pakistan was put on the enhanced monitoring list (grey list) in August 2018 by FATF. After demonstrating significant improvement against a 27-point action plan regarding technical compliance and effectiveness, it was removed from the grey list in October 2022.

The country’s exit from the grey list helped improve its standing with international financial watchdogs and investor confidence. It also supported broader economic engagements, including negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“Domestically, it also improved the effectiveness of regulations, law enforcement and capacity of regulators and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in CFT and money laundering,” the official said.

The official said in 2021, the FATF secretariat was established at the Anti-Money Laundering Directorate of FIA headquarters to implement FATF standards effectively and to remove major shortcomings highlighted in the 27-point action plan.

“With the passage of time and owing to an increase in volume and emerging trends in investigations of predicate offences, anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism (CFT), it was inevitable to expand the existing framework,” he said.

The newly established desks include seven units — the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Investigation Monitoring Unit (IMU), the International Cooperation Unit (ICU), the Inter-Agency Coordination Unit (IACU), the Risk Assessment Unit (RAU), the Seizure and Confiscation Unit (SCU) and the Forensics and Virtual Assets Unit (FVAU).

Each zonal desk will be reporting to a desk at the concerned wing of the FIA headquarters.

The FIU plays a particularly important role as it receives financial intelligence from the FMU, disseminates it to concerned zones for investigation, and provides feedback to the FMU.

The ICU facilitates the sending and receiving of international cooperation requests through formal and informal channels for assistance from foreign jurisdictions in cases involving money laundering, terrorism financing and predicate offences. Assistance includes the collection of evidence, seizure and confiscation of foreign proceeds, and the arrest of absconding accused persons.

The IMU monitors the effectiveness and quality of ongoing investigations by providing guidance to investigators and prosecutors, while the IACU ensures prompt assistance to investigators by providing information and evidence from other LEAs, regulators and authorities such as NADRA, the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, excise departments, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) (Income Tax).

The RAU is mandated to conduct periodic risk assessments of various sectors, geographical regions and offences under its domain. This exercise will ultimately feed into Pakistan’s National Risk Assessment, according to the official.

The SCU will ensure seizure and confiscation during money laundering and terrorism financing investigations, while also maintaining a database of seizures and confiscations carried out by the FIA.

Meanwhile, the FVAU has been established as a proactive approach to meet the needs of investigations, including digital equipment, the use of cyberspace in the commission of conventional crimes, and virtual assets as a channel for the movement of illegal proceeds and as a placement, layering and integration platform.

“Each zone will also maintain an official digital wallet for the safe custody of seizure and confiscation of virtual assets,” the official said.

He added that since Pakistan’s removal from the grey list, key institutions — including designated LEAs, the FIA, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Counter Terrorism Departments (CTDs), the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA), FBR Customs and FBR Inland Revenue, regulators of the financial sector, and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) — had continued efforts to ensure compliance with FATF standards on an ongoing basis.

He further said the authorities had sustained measures against cross-border cash smuggling, improved Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) processes for financial transactions, and tightened oversight of DNFBPs such as real estate agents, dealers in precious metals and stones, accountants and lawyers.

During the period of grey-listing, Pakistan also showed significant progress in the counter-terror financing regime by taking action against proscribed individuals and organisations and their associated networks, seizing properties, freezing bank accounts, and prosecuting individuals involved in terror-financing activities.

“The National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta), CTDs, the FIA, provincial home departments, district intelligence committees, police, intelligence agencies and other authorities played a pivotal role through synergised efforts in removing major shortcomings and developing a sustainable and effective countering and monitoring regime for the financing of terrorism,” another official said.

He added that the expansion of FATF desks and specialised units reflected FIA’s continued efforts to maintain compliance ahead of the next mutual evaluation and avoid any risk of renewed scrutiny by the global watchdog.

A record eight players aged 40 or older have been selected to play at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States — one more than at all the past 22 tournaments combined.

The previous entrants in this rarefied category include six goalkeepers and Cameroonian striker Roger Milla, who remains the oldest man to score at the finals after netting at 42 in the 1994 tournament.

Milla’s achievement won’t be bettered this time around, but the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Edin Dzeko will be looking to join him in the over-40 World Cup goalscorers’ club.

The oldest player of all at the 2026 finals will be 43-year-old Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who, if he plays, will slot into second spot in the all-time list of oldest World Cup competitors behind Egypt’s Essam El Hadary, who was 45 when he kept goal for Egypt against Saudi Arabia in Volgograd in 2018.

Gordon, however, is expected to back up first-choice Angus Gunn.

Ronaldo is the oldest outfield player at 41 and participating in a record sixth World Cup, a distinction he shares with 40-year-old Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and Lionel Messi, who turns 39 later this month.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said he would be relying on Ronaldo’s vast experience above all else.

“None have lived what he has in the number of decisive games he’s played over his career,” Martinez said. “He also brings experience in decisive moments that nobody else in the squad can match.”

This tournament’s other over-40s players include goalkeepers Vozinha from debutants Cape Verde, and 2014 World Cup winner Manuel Neuer, who is hoping to be ready to play for Germany against Curaao in Houston on Sunday after struggling with a calf injury.

Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera celebrates his 40th birthday next Tuesday, the day after Uruguay take on Saudi Arabia in Miami in their first Group H match.

While Messi and Ronaldo have each had injury issues in recent months, their reputations will be under no threat: Messi led Argentina to glory at the last World Cup, while Ronaldo already has behind him the remarkable record of scoring in all five tournaments he has played at.

Witnesses said one person was killed, several others were wounded and dozens of people, including women and girls, were arrested. Taliban authorities have not confirmed casualties or arrests.

Sayed Masoud Hosseini, spokesperson for Herat police, told the state-run Bakhtar News Agency that the gathering in the Jebrail area had “created tensions” and disturbed public order under the pretext of opposing the hijab, which he described as a religious obligation.

Witnesses said the protests erupted when officials from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice attempted to arrest women opposing the mandatory dress requirements.

Some residents said officials targeted women who were already observing the required dress code, which includes fully covering the face and body.

Video from Herat showed armed officials breaking up the demonstration, including fully veiled women among the protesters. In one clip, people ran for cover as gunshots were heard in the background.

Since seizing power in Kabul in 2021, the Taliban has imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls in the war-shattered country, including limits on access to education, employment and sport, drawing widespread international criticism.

Herat, long regarded as one of Afghanistan’s most socially and culturally vibrant cities, has undergone significant changes.

On Monday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it was concerned by reports of women detained in western Afghanistan for allegedly failing to meet dress requirements. The mission urged Taliban authorities to respect freedom of movement and equality before the law.

Taliban say they respect women’s rights in accordance with their interpretation of Sharia.

India and China, the world’s two most populous nations, are intense rivals competing for strategic influence across South Asia.

Ties have thawed since a 2020 border clash, but their 3,500-kilometre frontier has been a perennial source of tension.

The tunnel forms part of a broader infrastructure push, creating a link with roads and railways that will allow trade, troops and supplies to move year-round from India’s sweltering lowland plains to the soaring icy border zones.

“This is not just a tunnel but a lifeline,” said India’s minister of roads, Nitin Gadkari, during a breakthrough ceremony on Tuesday at the high-altitude tunnel, which is part of a route designed to rapidly improve connectivity between Srinagar, the main city in Indian occupied Kashmir, and Leh, Ladakh’s key city.

At present, road travel between the cities is blocked during winter due to heavy snowfall, which can often rise higher than a truck.

Diggers cut through the final stretch of rock in a milestone in the creation of the 13.14-kilometre Zojila tunnel, which will connect two sides otherwise cut off by snow during the bitter winters.

More than 3,000 workers have been involved since 2020 in excavating the tunnel, which passes beneath the 3,528-metre Zojila Pass.

Gadkari pressed a button to remotely trigger the final blast, connecting tunnels dug from both sides and creating what will be India’s longest road tunnel.

“We have worked for this tunnel day and night in challenging weather conditions, and completed it without any accident,” project engineer Manmohan Singh told AFP.

The project is part of a broader network of four major tunnels, including the 6.5-kilometre Sonamarg tunnel, a $712-million initiative expected to be fully operational by 2028.

India has also developed a $3.9-billion railway line connecting the lowland plains with occupied Kashmir, including the construction of the Chenab Rail Bridge, currently the highest of its kind in the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the railway route in June 2025.

The 272-kilometre railway begins in the garrison city of Udhampur, headquarters of the army’s northern command, and runs through Srinagar.

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947, and both claim the Himalayan territory in full.

In a circular to the returning officers concerned, dated June 8 and available with Dawn, the GB Election Commission noted that it had ordered re-polling at certain polling stations in their respective constituencies — Skardu-II (GBA-8), Astore-I (GBA-13), Diamer-I (GBA-15), Diamer-II (GBA-16), and Diamer-III (GBA-17).

The Election Commission observed that the “process of consolidation of results under the relevant provisions of the Elections Act, 2017 and Elections Rules, 2017 shall be completed only after inclusion of the results of the re-polled polling stations in the constituency-wise result”.

The commission told the ROs not to “open, scrutinise or count the postal ballots and not to finalise, consolidate, announce or issue the final result of your respective constituency until the completion of re-polling at the polling stations specified”.

In a statement, GB Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Raja Shahbaz Khan said re-polling would be held at 26 polling stations in five constituencies on June 15.

According to the CEC, the polling stations included 10 in Skardu-II (GBA-8), one in Astore-I (GBA-13), one in Diamer-I (GBA-15), three in Diamer-II (GBA-16), and 11 in Diamer-III (GBA-17).

A day earlier, the GB Elec­tion Commission had ordered a reco­unt in two other constituencies and some polling stations.

One recount order came after independent candidate Safdar Ali Shirazi and PPP candidate Nazir Ahmed Advocate formally requested a recount of votes in Ghizer-II (GBA-20), alleging irregularities during the counting process.

The recount was scheduled to take place today. The commission also ordered a recount in Gilgit-III (GBA-3).

So far, the PPP remains in the lead after it gained 11 out of 24 seats in the Legi­slative Assembly, according to unofficial results (Forms-47) of the June 7 elections.

Meanwhile, AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore urged a return to the negotiating table in a bid to end the tensions that have gripped the region over the past few days.

During the day, Muzaffarabad’s streets were deserted, with hardly any vehicles on the roads. Riot police and paramilitary personnel remained deployed in the city.

However, no demonstrations were witnessed in the capital.

Meanwhile, reports from Mirpur said that hundreds of people had gathered in the town’s Quaid-i-Azam stadium. “Shops are closed here and traffic is off the roads,” local journalist Sajjad Jarral told Dawn by telephone.

Witnesses in Kotli said that while the area observed a complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike, hundreds of people led by JAAC core member Imtiaz Aslam were heading towards Poonch district via Tatta Pani.

Another big rally led by JAAC core member Khawaja Mehran from Dadyal also entered Kotli for onward march towards Poonch.

The legal fraternity of AJK boycotted judicial proceedings on AJK Bar Council’s call to protest the alleged arrest of senior lawyer Amjad Ali Khan, a core member of the JAAC.

JAAC’s protest call for today centred on a highly contentious demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly that are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947. JAAC alleges that these seats were often used by mainstream Pakistani political parties to influence the formation of governments in Muzaffarabad.

The government, on the other hand, maintains that it is a constitutional matter and cannot be decided by one group.

Sedition proceedings ordered against 2 JAAC leaders

In another action against the JAAC, the AJK government has issued orders for initiating sedition proceedings against its leaders Shaukat Nawaz Mir, resident of Muzaffarabad, and Mehran Arshad Khawaja, resident of Mirpur.

A notification issued by the AJK Home Department accused both leaders of committing “sedition through their speeches, written material, videos and audios”.

The government has issued instructions to the Mirpur and Muzaffarabad senior superintendents of police (SSPs) under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to review the available records/materials.

It also directed the SSPs to register a case against Mir and Khawaja, and submit a charge-sheet in court after completing the investigation.

‘Find a way out through talks’

In a post on X, the AJK premier reiterated his call for the issue to be resolved through talks.

“Please come back to the negotiating table. I’m requesting everyone on daily basis to resolve matters through discussions instead of fire and blood,” Rathore wrote on X.

He added that the protesters’ “abusive comments, constant threats and senseless agitation” were not helpful to anyone in AJK.

“A political activist without the ability to debate and negotiate is like a pilot without the ability to fly an airplane. They both end up causing hurt and damage to people behind them,” the PPP leader remarked.

“Everyone recognises your rights and liberties,” the AJK PM assured, stressing that both sides needed to “remain calm and find a way out through talks”.

“The only weapon a political activist carries is his reasoning and negotiation skills,” Rathore said.

In an interview he shared on X, Rathore noted that the PPP, PML-N and the JAAC had their own stances on the issue of reserved seats for refugees, but he emphasised there was “space for a path forward”.

He remarked that protests by the JAAC could not secure a two-thirds majority in the assembly that was needed for a constitutional amendment, under which changes to refugee seats could be made.

HRCP expresses concern over ‘escalating confrontation’

Separately, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said it was “deeply concerned by the escalating confrontation” in AJK and the loss of life among both protesters and law enforcement personnel.

It urged an “immediate de-escalation of tensions and an impartial investigation into all deaths and injuries”.

“The state must remember that proscribing popular movements invariably risks narrowing democratic space. Demands for constitutional change should be pursued through peaceful, representative and democratic processes rather than confrontation and violence,” the HRCP stressed.

The HRCP had previously also expressed concern over the proscribing of JAAC.

On Friday, the AJK government declared JAAC a proscribed organisation, stating that it was “engaged in terrorism” and had acted in a manner “prejudicial to peace and security” of the state. A day later, AJK authorities launched a crackdown on the JAAC, arresting scores of its leaders and activists from different areas.

But tensions in the region particularly flared up after a violent protest in Rawalakot, during which at least four law enforcement personnel and seven civilians lost their lives.

Islamabad has also dispatched federal paramilitary forces to reinforce the region’s thinly stretched police force, and intending visitors have been advised to postpone their trips until June 20.

More to follow

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Xi agreed to expand cooperation in the areas of politics, economy and culture at a summit in Pyongyang that opened a new chapter in ties, the North’s official KCNA news agency said.

“The mutual understanding between China and North Korea has become deeper and more comprehensive, and the direction of future development has become clearer and more defined,” Xi told his hosts at a luncheon before his departure, Xinhua added.

Kim waved both hands as Xi’s plane taxied down the tarmac, in footage from China’s state broadcaster CCTV, after an enthusiastic send-off by Pyongyang residents, who lined the road to the airport, waving flags and shouting friendship slogans.

Earlier, the leaders jointly planted a fir tree in the grounds of a key political training school for party cadres, which Xinhua said symbolised “ever-renewing friendship”.

On the second day of his visit to China’s only formal treaty ally, Xi had also visited Pyongyang’s Sino-Korean Friendship Tower that commemorates Chinese soldiers who died in the Korean War, the agency added.

Both agreed to strive for closer strategic communication through visits by high-level officials, KCNA said.

Kim told Xi he would fully support the “One China principle,” which Beijing views as meaning that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one country, regardless of changes in the international situation, it added.

China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under Beijing’s control, although Taipei rejects the sovereignty claims.

Analysts see contrasting priorities

Despite the expressions of goodwill, analysts saw contrasting priorities in the official summaries of the visit.

While Xinhua detailed proposals ranging from high-level exchanges to trade and agriculture, along with restoration of transport links, KCNA cast the summit more broadly as a pact of equal partners, the analysts said.

Pyongyang stressed regime dignity and the neighbours’ “special relationship,” added Lim Eul-chul, a professor at South Korea’s Kyungnam University, while Beijing emphasised practical state-to-state ties and its initiatives for international order.

“North Korea removed elements that could make it look like a subordinate, dependent or beneficiary party, and rewrote the relationship as one between equals,” said Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

“It amplified signals of solidarity, such as anti-US and Taiwan-related messages, while erasing signals of dependence or subordination.”

China is North Korea’s biggest trade partner and analysts have said Xi’s trip could focus on trade and tourism.

Patriotic songs

Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan attended a performance of Chinese and North Korean songs, accompanied by Kim and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, that highlighted “the value and closeness of DPRK-China friendship,” KCNA said.

It was referring to the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Chinese-North Korean relations had reached a “new historical starting point,” Xi said at a banquet hosted by Kimfor the 65th anniversary of the neighbours’ friendship treaty, KCNA added.

Xi vowed that Beijing would not swerve from its commitment to safeguard common interests, Xinhua said on Monday.

But North Korean media did not say if Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme or relations with the United States figured in the talks.

Such an absence suggests Beijing would like the visit cast in terms of neighbourly ties, said Ja Ian Chong, a political science professor at the National University of Singapore.

During his first term, US President Donald Trump met Kim three times, before the unprecedented diplomatic effort broke down over US demands for North Korea to give up nuclear weapons.

Trump has said he would be willing to restart talks.

“It is doubtful that Xi will serve as a catalyst for US-North Korea talks,” said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul.

Now, India is increasingly counting the cost of the Iran war, which economists say will keep mounting if the deadlock between the US and Iran remains unresolved and the blockage of oil supplies continues.

As the world’s third-largest oil importer and consumer, India ships in about 90 per cent of its oil, making its economy one of the most exposed to the war and the prolonged war-related disruptions, which include the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz through which a fifth of global oil and gas transit.

While India has announced a flurry of measures to contain the impact on the rupee and foreign exchange reserves, the latest of which were from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday, analysts say the broader drag on economic growth, inflation and government finances is set to increase so long as oil prices remain elevated.

“India is set for a series of supply shocks,” Michael Langham, emerging markets economist at Aberdeen Investments, said.

Apart from pressure on oil prices, the country also faces supply disruptions to fertiliser as a result of the Iran war, which will impact key crops like wheat when farmers are already bracing for an El Niño weather phenomenon that often portends drought.

“This will all drag on India’s growth outlook, yet the ability of the RBI to look through the energy price shock from the Strait of Hormuz will be increasingly difficult given the overlapping nature of these supply shocks,” Langham said.

At the end of last year, India’s central bank governor, Sanjay Malhotra, talked about a “rare Goldilocks” phase for the economy as it headed into 2026. Inflation levels were falling and growth remained relatively strong.

The Iran war upended that outlook.

India’s oil-and-gas import bill jumped 53pc in April from March, prompting forecasts for the balance of payments (BoP) deficit — essentially money coming into the economy netted off against money going out — to balloon.

HSBC says that Friday’s series of steps may do a lot to limit the currency damage. Until Friday, it had expected India’s BoP deficit to swell to about $65 billion in 2026-27, but now expects the measures to improve the balance by about $30 billion.

In 2025-26, India’s BoP deficit was at $25.2bn or 0.6pc of GDP.

India is also curbing gold imports, urging citizens to limit foreign travel and calling for more use of public transport to reduce oil demand.

‘Difficult position’

But the macro picture is more challenging.

Benchmark international oil prices surged after the war began on February 28, climbing to nearly $120 per barrel. Prices have eased, but they remain about 30pc higher overall, while gas prices have risen 75pc over the same period.

As a result, the central bank sees inflation averaging 5.1pc in the financial year to the end of March 2027, up from a 3.48pc reading in April, and economic growth slipping to 6.6pc from 7.7pc in the previous year.

While the RBI kept rates on hold last week, interest rate swap markets are pricing in at least 25 basis points of rate hikes over the next three months and more than 75 basis points over the next year.

“India continues to face deeper structural challenges which has weighed on foreign direct investment, employment, manufacturing expansion, consumption, and nominal GDP growth,” said Sat Duhra, portfolio manager at Asia ex-Japan equity team at Janus Henderson Investors.

Duhra said the energy shock will undermine growth and pressure government finances.

“Any move to rein in public-sector capex to stabilise conditions would risk further slowing growth,” he said.

“This leaves policymakers in a difficult position.”

Strong oil demand

India delayed raising retail fuel prices as import costs mounted. Petrol and diesel are up less than 10pc since then, compared with 50pc or more in some other oil-importing countries in Asia.

Petrol and diesel prices are deregulated, but the government exerts significant influence as the majority shareholder of the key retail companies.

Elsewhere, high prices have reduced demand and helped balance undersupplied markets.

The government has said it will not compensate fuel retailers for losses, a strategy analysts say will come at a cost for the government, such as through reduced dividends, and so cut its financial firepower to handle the crisis.

The government’s fertiliser subsidy is likely to jump 20pc in 2026-27, a government official said.

Fertiliser is vital for India’s agrarian economy, which supports nearly half the population, but may be more so this year given the risk of drought owing to El Niño.

The government also cut gasoline and gasoil taxes, forgoing 140 billion INR in monthly revenues.

The government is targeting a fiscal deficit of 4.3pc of GDP this financial year, but a Reuters poll forecast it would swell to 4.7pc and some economists see it going as high as 5pc.

India-based credit rating agency Crisil expects further small price increases in retail oil prices, which will have a wider impact.

“The broader effect will reverberate across the economy through higher-transport costs, pushing up both food and core inflation,” it said in a report.

Eight terrorists have also been killed in retaliatory action, and the attempt to capture the post was foiled, according to sources.

The sources said that three FCN personnel had been taken hostage by the terrorists.

The sources said that security force personnel also reached the site of the incident, and they have cordoned off the area.

Last month, the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) said in an assessment that after two consecutive months of improvement, Pakistan’s security situation had deteriorated sharply in May 2026, driven primarily by escalating terrorist violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The country witnessed six suicide attacks during May, including four vehicle-borne suicide bombings. These attacks alone resulted in the deaths of 34 security personnel and nine civilians.

On May 9, a suicide attack in Bannu claimed the lives of 15 police personnel, after which Pakistan issued a “strong demarche” to Afghanistan.

Over a week later, a prominent tribal elder was among three killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast that struck the busy Rustam Bazaar area of Lower South Waziristan’s Wana.

In early June, security forces foiled a terrorist suicide attack on a military post near Miranshah in North Waziristan.

As KP and Balochistan continue to grapple with militancy, with attacks often targeting security personnel and law enforcers, the state has intensified counter-terrorism operations.

Earlier this month, security forces killed four terrorists in two separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in KP’s Dera Ismail Khan and Mohmand districts.

In late May, a total of 13 militants were killed in a two-day operation in the Darra Adamkhel area bordering the Kohat and Peshawar districts.

About a week before that, a fierce clash between police, a peace committee and terrorists in Bannu’s Miryan tehsil left at least 25 terrorists dead and several others injured. Two police personnel and two civilians were martyred in the exchange of fire.

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.

The US military’s Central Command (Centcom) said the AH-64 Apache went down at around 3am local time on Tuesday (4am PKT) near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters. It gave no reason for the crash.

The pair were rescued within about two hours and were in stable condition, Centcom said.

Centcom told Reuters the rescue was carried out by a drone but did not specify the model.

It was not immediately clear whether the Apache had been shot down by Iranian fire, experienced mechanical failure, or encountered another problem.

Asked if he knew what had brought the helicopter down, Trump said a report would be issued later on Tuesday.

“The pilots are fine,” Trump said, speaking on the runway at John F. Kennedy International Airport before returning to Washington, DC.

“Nobody injured.”

The incident happened a day after Iran and Israel said they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from Trump, though Tehran warned it would resume hostilities if Israel continued to hit Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The resumption of the tenuous ceasefire comes as Washington tries to reach an agreement with Tehran to end their more than three-month-old war.

Trump also told reporters he could have “an idea” for an Iran deal within a few days, without elaborating. The Republican president, struggling with record-low approval ratings ahead of November midterm elections, has often hinted at an imminent deal with Tehran, but none has yet eventuated.

The weekend saw the most direct confrontation between Iran and Israel since a ceasefire in April. Tehran had fired missiles towards Israeli territory late on Sunday, calling the strikes retaliation for attacks on the outskirts of Beirut.

Israel then hit Iranian air defence systems and a petrochemical plant that it claimed was used to produce ballistic missiles. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it retaliated with a strike aimed at a similar Israeli plant in the city of Haifa.

No deaths were reported by authorities on either side.

Trump tells Netanyahu to ‘be careful’

US and Israeli officials said Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Monday.

In an interview with Axios, Trump said he warned Netanyahu that if the Israeli leader went back to war with Iran, he might find himself fighting alone.

“I said, ‘Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon,’” Trump said.

An Israeli military official said Israel was prepared to continue operations for “as long as it takes”, while Iranian officials struck a similarly defiant tone.

A military source quoted by the semi-official Tasnim news agency said Tehran was ready for a prolonged conflict and could renew strikes against US interests in the region.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran was exchanging messages with Washington in an atmosphere of “extreme suspicion”.

Tehran has long said any peace deal with the US depends in part on an end to fighting in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March.

Israel has never halted its Lebanon campaign, which has killed thousands of people, saying the conflict should be treated separately from any US-Iranian ceasefire. Hezbollah has also continued its attacks.

Tehran has continued to block most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which before the war carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas. Washington has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports.

Trump has said any peace deal must ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon. Tehran denies the US stance, saying its nuclear programme is only for civilian purposes.

Iran’s demands include the lifting of international sanctions, the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its control of the strait.

Chairing a meeting focused on Discos’ privatisation, the premier stated that the privatisation of state-owned companies incurring losses was the government’s priority, according to a post on X by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Shehbaz directed the meeting attendees to accelerate the process, while urging for “a robust regulatory framework” to be established after the companies have been handed over to private owners.

The prime minister was also briefed on updates regarding the ongoing privatisation drive.

The first phase would involve the privatisation of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco).

The government has already invited expressions of interest (EOI) for these three Discos, while the Cabinet Privatisation Committee has approved the transaction structure for the process, according to the briefing.

Furthermore, roadshows are to be held this month to attract investors, including international investors from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and China, the PMO said.

The meeting was attended by several senior government officials and ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Power Minister Awais Leghari and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

On May 19, the Privatisation Commission had invited EOIs from local and international investors for the much-delayed sale of three of the country’s most viable electricity distribution companies.

The deadline for submitting EOIs for the partial or full sale of the Discos falls in the first quarter of the next fiscal year.

Fesco, Gepco and Iesco collectively serve more than 14 million consumers across major industrial, commercial and urban centres of Punjab, the Islamabad region, and parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The transaction offers investors an opportunity to acquire between 51 per cent and 100pc shareholding, along with management control, in each of the three distribution companies.

Attending as a guest of Knicks president James Dolan, Trump stood in a luxury box at Madison Square Garden, the self-styled “World’s Most Famous Arena,” smiling as the sell-out crowd jeered and booed when he appeared on the Jumbotron during the national anthem.

“I thought it was amazing, actually,” Trump told reporters ​as he prepared to depart from JFK airport in New York. “You mean, when they had the camera on me? I thought it was very ​good.”

The incident marked the latest chapter in Trump’s complicated relationship with his former hometown, where fuming fans waited in lines that ⁠snarled around the sidewalks of Midtown Manhattan with extraordinary security measures in place for the presidential visit.

With New York commanding a 2-0 head start in the best-of-seven ​series against the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks’ first home Finals game in 27 years was the hottest ticket in the five boroughs, with fans shelling out thousands ​of dollars to enter the American sports cathedral.

But a formidable security presence slowed entry to the arena for ticket-holders, as commuters and tourists navigated a maze of black metal fencing that restricted pedestrian traffic around the venue.

“I wish he wasn’t here. He’s not a real fan, and he’s just making things awful,” said Errol Ismail, a Brooklyn resident and owner of a fitness company, ​who tried multiple entrances to get into the venue. “We’ve waited a lifetime for this, and he’s made it about himself, like everything else.”

Trump’s approval rate held near the ​lowest levels of his political career, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday, with some 35 per cent of respondents saying they approved of Trump’s performance.

The Spurs beat the Knicks 115-111 to ‌cut New ⁠York’s series lead to 2-1.

Celebrities pour in

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters ahead of Monday’s game that he purchased a ticket directly from Madison Square Garden for nearly $1,000. Mamdani and Trump have been critical of each other’s policy positions, but their meetings have been friendly.

The game attracted the Knicks’ usual roster of A-list fans to “Celebrity Row,” with filmmaker Spike Lee, Yankees legend Derek Jeter and comedian Ben Stiller all in attendance.

Queens-born Trump has a difficult relationship with the heavily Democratic-voting city he once called ​home and was a vocal critic of ​activism within the NBA, accusing the ⁠league of becoming a “political organization” as many players protested racial injustice in the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

He faced cheers and boos when he attended the US Open tennis men’s final in Flushing, Queens, last year. Many ticket-holders missed the ​start of the match when security checks related to his attendance caused confusion and slowed entry.

Trump’s planned attendance on Monday ratcheted ​up security plans over ⁠the weekend.

A watch party for fans that is traditionally held outside the arena for playoff games did not take place on Monday due to security concerns, the New York Police Department said.

Several attendees told Reuters they welcomed the president as a fellow Knicks fan, but they declined to provide their names.

Other fans said they were taking a night off ⁠from politics.

“I ​was at the Garden in 1999 to watch the Knicks lose to the Spurs in Game 5. ​I’m not gonna let the president get in the way of my ecstasy tonight,” said Ben Wizner, deputy legal director at the ACLU, an organisation that has filed dozens of lawsuits against the Trump ​administration’s actions.

Thousands remained displaced and more than 450 injured following the magnitude-7.8 quake that struck off the southern island of Mindanao on Monday, according to national and local disaster agencies, though only four people were now believed missing.

In the hardest-hit Sarangani province, some areas remain accessible only by helicopter and fears of aftershocks were slowing rescue efforts, local officials told reporters at a Tuesday briefing.

“There are still aftershocks, so the rescuers are very cautious in their approach. That’s a challenge,” said regional civil defence chief Rodrigo Sosmena.

A series of powerful aftershocks rocked the area from about two hours after the first quake, while hundreds of tiny quakes followed.

Infrastructure damage, meanwhile, means some communities will be cut off for at least a week because of the damage to roads and the collapse of a bridge.

At a hospital just outside General Santos, the region’s largest city, AFP reporters heard cries of “push” then an infant’s cries as a mother gave birth outdoors behind a makeshift screen.

In Glan municipality, where at least 13 people were buried in their homes by a landslide, staff at another hospital told AFP more than 60 patients were on beds outside the facility due to fears for the building’s structural integrity.

“The hospital sustained a lot of damage,” she said.

“The municipal engineer decided we could not use the building.”

As of Tuesday morning, the death toll from provincial sources contacted by AFP stood at 41.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said he was “deeply saddened by the devastating earthquake in Mindanao, Philippines, which has resulted in the tragic loss of precious lives and caused widespread damage”.

Extending condolences to the bereaved families and praying for the swift recovery of the injured, Dar expressed Pakistan’s “full solidarity” with the government and the people of the Philippines.

Recovery

Outside a collapsed grocery store in General Santos, rescuers resumed efforts after an overnight break to recover two store employees who were inside when the building crumpled.

AFP journalists watched as rescue dogs and their handlers scoured the pile of broken concrete and jagged metal bars.

A local rescuer told reporters the effort was now one of recovery rather than rescue, though a more senior official later insisted that decision had yet to be formally made.

At a nearby beach resort, a high-speed Coast Guard vessel plied the waters for two people who went missing while swimming in waters that churned violently as the quake struck.

Videos posted to social media and verified by AFP on Monday showed the catastrophic collapse of a shopping centre with a Jollibee fast food restaurant in General Santos, while an unoccupied school building crumpled in another.

In another video verified by AFP, young schoolchildren could be seen screaming in the arms of their teachers as the quake violently swayed them back and forth on the ground.

A flimsy metal structure could be seen toppling in the background as the video uploaded to the school’s official Facebook page ends. An accompanying caption said no one was under the structure when it fell.

The earthquake saw thousands ordered to evacuate in coastal areas of the southern Philippines and neighbouring Indonesia as tsunami warnings were issued by multiple countries and a regional tsunami warning centre.

But by midday, the threat had passed and the alerts were cancelled.

Waves that did reach the Pacific coast of Japan, where authorities had issued a tsunami advisory, were reported to be no higher than 20 centimetres.

Eastern Mindanao was rocked by a pair of earthquakes of 7.4 and 6.7 magnitude in October that killed at least eight people.

He posted this on X, further stating that summaries to convene budget sessions in the National Assembly and Senate on June 10 (Wednesday) had been sent to the presidency for approval.

The sessions for the NA and the Senate have been advised to be summoned at 5pm and 4pm, respectively, Chaudhry added.

Before Chaudhry’s statement, uncertainty had surrounded the date for the budget’s presentation as the federal government, its coalition partners and provincial governments struggled to reach a consensus over the Centre’s demand for more than Rs1 trillion for strategic needs.

The meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) was postponed for the third time on Monday at the last moment amid continuing negotiations over the freezing of provincial shares in the federal divisible pool under the NFC Award.

Muzzammil Aslam, adviser on finance to the Khyber Pakht­unkhwa chief minister, confirmed that the Centre had told provinces that their financial shares under the NFC for the current year would not be increased next year and that any amount above the current year’s share would have to be returned to the Centre.

According to Aslam, the provinces had protested the demand as it would push provincial budgets into deficit and make it difficult for them to run their governments. He said the federal government team suggested that provinces could freeze salaries and limit development schemes.

Aslam said a date for the NEC meeting was uncertain, as many issues that had developed over time were too significant to be settled ahead of the council’s meeting. As a result, the federal budget scheduled for June 10 could slip further, as there was “no way forward in sight” and consensus bet­w­­een the Centre and provinces appeared distant, he said.

On the other hand, the PML-N-led government and its major ally, the PPP, on Monday reached a consensus on the broad framework of the federal budget.

The two sides met for a third round of talks at Aiwan-i-Sadr, with Presi­dent Asif Ali Zardari in the chair and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif leading the PML-N team.

The talks, attended by political bigwigs from both sides, were held in two phases — first at the delegation level and then in a final round involving top leadership.

Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the government had reached a “complete understanding” with the PPP on the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and the development budget.

He added that top-level political consultations and delegation-level talks would continue to address the remaining budgetary demands.

US President Donald Trump had ordered the annual fee be added to H-1B skilled worker visas in September 2025.

H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialised skills — such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers — to work in the US, initially for three years, but extendable to six years.

Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that the charge was effectively a tax, and therefore illegal because only the US Congress has the authority to create new taxes.

The decision came after 20 state attorneys general, all Democrats, filed a legal challenge. They argued that the fee would make it harder for public universities, schools, and hospitals to hire qualified international staff.

The Trump administration had defended the policy, saying the president had the power to impose the fee as part of immigration enforcement and efforts to limit certain categories of foreign entry into the US. The court rejected that argument.

Judge Sorokin said the government could not re-label a tax as a “fee” or “penalty” to bypass congressional approval.

The H-1B visa system allows up to 65,000 new visas per year, plus an additional 20,000 for people with advanced degrees. Normally, employers pay a few thousand dollars in administrative and processing costs for each H-1B application. The $100,000 charge was far higher than standard practice and widely seen as a major barrier.

Court records showed that only a small number of employers — about 85 — had paid the fee before it was challenged in court and effectively halted.

He made these remarks during a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan while responding to remarks by Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to UN Nasir Ahmad Faiq.

Earlier in the session, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad detailed the use of Afghan soil by terrorists and its impact on Pakistan, calling for the Afghan Taliban to take action against militants. He also spoke about Pakistan’s counter-terrorism measures.

Responding to Faiq’s comments on Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations, Ambassador Ahmad said: “Pakistan’s actions, including those conducted in March, were directed solely against the terrorist and military support infrastructure that is operating from Afghanistan. And it is in no way directed against the brotherly people of Afghanistan.”

On March 16, the Afghan Taliban had accused Pakistan of striking a hospital in Kabul; however, Islamabad denied the accusations, maintaining that the strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure linked to hostile activity in Pakistan and no civilian facility was targeted.

In response to the Afghan diplomat, Ambassador Ahmad reiterated Islamabad’s position that strikes targeted “drone storage and technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage sites, which were being used by the Afghan Taliban regime to carry out attacks against innocent Pakistani civilians”.

“The strikes were precise, deliberate and professional. No hospital or drug rehabilitation centre or civilian facility was targeted by these strikes. And as part of established practice, video footage of all six strikes was released by the Ministry of Information shortly after the operation, clearly showing the nature of the targets.

“The secondary explosions visible in the footage further confirmed that ammunition storage facilities were indeed struck with precision. So all insinuations to the contrary are not based on facts and are in fact just propaganda,” he asserted.

The ambassador said three key expectations of the international community were at the core of the day’s discussion: “inclusive governance, good governance, human rights, women and girls’ rights, and counterterrorism”.

Noting that there were expressions of concern regarding all three points, Ahmad pointed out that there were “clear demands from the majority of those who took the floor for the Taliban regime to comply with those commitments … with the exception” of India.

The Pakistani envoy remarked: “It does not come as a surprise to us, hearing comments made by the Indian representative … And we listened to, in fact, a long list of so-called development and humanitarian activities and support that India is purportedly carrying out in Afghanistan.”

He said that the Indian representative’s remarks seemed a “long prologue to something he actually intended to say, and something that he actually wanted to utilise and abuse this forum. And that was to target Pakistan”.

“So to us, it is absolutely clear — India’s key aims and objectives, even though under the garb of, under the disguise of development or humanitarian assistance, its key aims and objectives in Afghanistan are solely driven by the singular goal of destabilising Pakistan, including by using terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil. And that includes the TTP, which so many of my colleagues around the table condemned, and the BLA, which acts as a proxy of India to perpetrate terrorism inside Pakistan,” he said.

Ambassador Ahmad added that the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) — Fitna al Hindustan — was “supported and financed by India to destabilise and target Pakistan”.

‘India’s newfound love for Taliban’

In his remarks, Pakistan’s envoy pointed out that the Indian representative did not condemn the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or the BLA even once.

“Yes, Fitna al Hindustan, who have been carrying out attacks targeting innocent Pakistanis who have tragically lost their lives at the hands of these terrorists,” he said.

He added: “I think for some time we are amused, perhaps, to listen to India’s newfound love for the Taliban. We know all the history, what’s there in the background. All those years, we knew what India’s position was. But for us, this is not a coincidence. This shift of policy comes at the heels of Pakistan’s successful counterterrorism operations against the terrorist hideouts and camps that are operating inside Afghanistan with the active support of India.”

Contending that New Delhi’s “hostile policies and complicity” were further validated by its envoy’s remarks during the session, Ahmad said, “I seriously believe that this behaviour should be a cause of concern for the Security Council and the international community.”

The ambassador went on to quip that India must find it “discomforting” to see its terrorist infrastructure being destroyed in Afghanistan by Pakistan’s security forces.

Referring to India’s calls on others to comply with international law, he said, “It would be laughable if we are not aware of India’s own record, and if the matter under consideration in the council was not that serious, for we know that India’s true face is truly exposed before the international community.

“It is a serial violator of international law,” he asserted.

Ambassador Ahmad further stated that India was not only a “state sponsor of terrorism” in India-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan, but also it was “openly aiding, abetting and financing terrorism elsewhere”, including extraterritorial assassinations in the US and Canada.

“It talks of international law. It is in serious breach of Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. It has seriously violated the Indus Waters Treaty by declaring that it is holding it in abeyance, without any reason, justification, and in complete defiance of the treaty’s provisions and international law.

“It was talking about cricket and sportsman spirit, and we know the sportsman spirit when it refuses to play, or if it refuses to shake hands with the players. This is a country that is coming to the Council and telling us what cricket and sports could bring in terms of peace and harmony,” the envoy said.

He added, “I think we should seriously consider also how we allow countries to take the floor in this council, and under what rules and etiquette they should be speaking in this council.”

Concluding his remarks, Ambassador Ahmad advised India to “do a little bit of introspection”.

“It can do [so] by discontinuing its policies of aggression, subversion and sabotage against neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan,” and calling on the country to “look inwards”.

“Pakistan is well aware of India’s motives and evil designs. But we will not allow them to nourish terrorists and threaten our national security,” he said.

Ambassador Ahmad concluded: “I would say that we have stopped them before and we will do it again, and we will do it always.”

‘Verifiable, non-reversible action’

Ambassador Ahmad earlier told the UNSC that Islamabad’s demand from the Afghan Taliban was simple and clear: “verifiable and non-reversible action“ against terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.

“Regrettably, this demand remains unmet,” he said.

And while the window for course correction was narrowing, it remained open, he added.

“We hope the Taliban realise this in earnest and cooperate with the international community for the long-term peace and development of Afghanistan and, above all, in the best interest of all Afghans,” he said.

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

For its part, Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned TTP. But, officials say those appeals have gone unheeded, while the Afghan Taliban reject these allegations.

During the UNSC meeting, Ambassador Ahmad noted that it had been nearly half a decade since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

“It was hoped that this would end the bloodshed and Afghanistan would be at peace with itself and its neighbours,” he said.

The envoy added that with the end of the civil war, it was “anticipated that the Taliban would take positive steps to transform into a responsible governing authority by adhering to their international obligations and commitments, and that they would lead Afghanistan into an era of stability and progress, provide the long-awaited relief to all Afghans and live in harmony with immediate neighbours”.

“For decades, terrorism has been a major problem in Afghanistan, with implications not just for Afghanistan, but the immediate neighbourhood and beyond. Afghanistan has a history of being a safe haven for terrorist groups, including those used as proxies by our adversaries to target Pakistan and other countries,” he highlighted.

It was “our expectation that the Taliban would take concrete and verifiable actions against terrorist groups such as the TTP, BLA and its Majeed Brigade, Islamic State-Khorasan, East Turkestan Islamic Movement and their affiliates that are operating with impunity on Afghan soil”.

“Regrettably, they have failed to undertake action, showing complete disregard for the legitimate security concerns of Pakistan and other countries,” the ambassador said.

He added that, besides “independent analysis and reports of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which clearly outline the terrorism situation in Afghanistan and the ground realities, along with the recent exponential rise in terrorist attacks in Pakistan, these developments serve as glaring reminders of the precarious situation and the continuing threats posed to international peace and security”.

“As a direct result of the freedom with which these terrorist groups operate in Afghanistan, Pakistan has borne the brunt of their attacks, as well as the Taliban’s growing nexus with these terrorist groups.

“And once again, a significant number of Afghans are found to be involved in terrorism inside Pakistan,” he added.

Ambassador Ahmad said these terrorist groups had access to advanced weapons and sophisticated equipment, including drones.

“Much of this can be traced back to the multi-billion dollar worth of arms and ammunition left behind by foreign forces — which was meant for use by the previous Afghan national government,” he said.

Moreover, during counter-terrorism operations by Pakistan, there have been more than 290 cases of seizures of such weapons, which are used for terrorism and suicide bombings in the western parts of Pakistan, and which have exacted a heavy toll of human life and material losses, he told the UNSC.

In 2025 alone, Pakistan reported more than 5,300 terrorist incidents and lost more than 1,200 lives to terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, he said.

In this connection, he recalled that a vehicle-borne IED attack by the TTP on a police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on May 9 resulted in the martyrdom of 15 police officers.

“Our investigations revealed that the attack was planned by terrorists in Afghanistan.”

‘Pakistan will not sit idle while suffering from terrorist acts’

Ambassador Ahmad said: “It is deplorable that the Taliban have reverted back to their old tactics of providing safe havens to terrorist groups and chosen the perilous path of complicity, backed by an outside actor, the historic spoiler and instigator of chaos — that has moved fast as an opportunist to wage a proxy war against Pakistan.

“Let me make it clear: Pakistan will defend itself against whosoever attempts to harm our sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.”

Ambassador Ahmad recalled that numerous diplomatic efforts were made to counsel the Taliban.

He said: “We thank friendly countries for their genuine mediation efforts, particularly Qatar, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and most recently, China, to find amicable solutions.

Yet the Taliban’s continued intransigence and even refusal to publicly denounce and condemn terrorist groups such as the TTP and BLA is deeply disturbing — it is evidence enough of their complicity and active support for these groups. Pakistan will not sit idle while suffering from terrorist acts. We will respond in self-defence, as and when needed and always in conformity with international law and International Humanitarian Law,” he said.

Pakistan raises questions on UNAMA

Referring to a recent report by the UN secretary general, he said it “seems to largely externalise the responsibility for Afghanistan’s multifaceted challenges”.

“The fatalities of terrorists and their supporters as a result of counter-terrorism operations are mentioned within the ambit of ‘civilian casualties’, posing serious questions on the credibility of UNAMA’s reporting from Afghanistan and the nature of their engagement with the Taliban,” Ambassador Ahmad said.

He remarked that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) was “swift in reporting incidents of cross-border actions and casualties but fails to provide the overall context — which is the grave terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan and its cross-border impact directed at Pakistan that is harming Pakistan and killing innocent Pakistanis”.

Ahmad further said that the report also did not provide information on the destabilising accumulation of small arms and light weapons inside Afghanistan.

“Nor does it adequately shed light on Afghanistan’s illicit economy, with its complex web of money laundering and terror financing networks, including hundi and hawala networks. Instead, the report resorts to shifting the blame on external dynamics, with little regard for the Taliban’s own policies that have brought Afghanistan to the brink of disaster,” he said.

The envoy stressed that “we must not lose sight of the fact that it is the Taliban’s reckless style of governance and flawed ideologies of extremism, suppression and radicalisation that have brought upon Afghanistan the calamities it faces today”.

“The Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for 2026, we are told, is underfunded at 14 per cent — again a direct result of Taliban’s unwillingness to prioritise the welfare of Afghans over their own interest and authoritarian control,” he pointed out.

Noting that several references had been made to the Pak-Aghan border closure in the report, he said: “Let me clarify that the closure of border between Pakistan and Afghanistan does not, from Pakistan’s perspective, affect the movement of humanitarian supplies.

“Pakistan has been processing and facilitating the passage of humanitarian goods and material. However, the Afghan Taliban regime refuses to let them pass and keeps the border closed on its side, even to receive such life-saving cargoes, which obviously is to the detriment of the Afghan people.”

He went on to say that the worsening human rights situation in Afghanistan “aligned with Taliban’s failings and deceitful narrative to meet the demands of the international community”.

“Women and girls are denied their fundamental human rights and dignity, with discriminatory and abusive practices — a clear violation of their international obligations as well as of Islamic laws, traditions and tenets of the Muslim faith. The Afghan people are being held hostage to these inhumane restrictions, oppression and selfish behaviour,” he said.

He said that Pakistan took numerous steps to support Afghanistan, including humanitarian relief efforts, political engagement, providing incentives to boost bilateral trade, offering transit concessions, issuing student and medical visas, conducting high-level visits to Kabul and participating in various regional cooperation initiatives to help Afghanistan succeed in its quest to find its rightful place in the international community.

For over four decades, he continued, Pakistan welcomed millions of Afghan refugees “despite limitations and insufficient international support, dealing with huge caseloads of illegal Afghans, including those without documentation, posing a serious threat to our security”.

But these were never meant to stay indefinitely, he added.

The ambassador called on the UN secretary general to “clearly outline the status of third country resettlement cases of Afghans in a transparent manner — cases that are pending for years, despite being a tiny fraction of what Pakistan had to deal with, in the face of national security threats that no country would tolerate”.

“While we provide all possible facilitation, the international community must step up and shoulder its responsibility. Shifting the blame of Afghanistan’s woes to the inflow of Afghan returnees will not solve the problem,” he said.

Ambassador Ahmad further said, “We look forward to the next steps of the UN-led Doha Process and action plan for its Mosaic approach, to address Afghanistan’s multifaceted challenges comprehensively, with well-defined objectives and a realistic roadmap as the only viable pathway for normalisation”.

Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said, were bound by geography, deep-rooted ties, civilisational links dating back centuries, and fraternal bonds of faith, culture and ethnicity.

“No country has suffered more from the consequences of conflict and instability in Afghanistan than Pakistan. So we understand, and we also know, that no country stands to benefit more from peace, prosperity and stability in Afghanistan than Pakistan.

“Pakistan’s demand from the Taliban is simple and clear: verifiable and non-reversible action against terrorists. Regrettably, this demand remains unmet. The window for course correction is narrowing but is still open. We hope the Taliban realise this in earnest and cooperate with the international community for the long-term peace and development of Afghanistan and, above all, in the best interest of all Afghans,” he said, concluding his address.

The military’s media affairs wing said in a statement that Lebanese armed forces’ Commander-in-Chief General Rodolphe Haykal called on CDF Munir at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

He was presented a guard of honour by a smartly turned-out tri-services contingent upon his arrival at the GHQ, the statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations said.

“During the meeting, both dignitaries exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, evolving regional security environment, defence cooperation and prospects for enhancing bilateral military relations,” it added.

The discussions focused on strengthening professional interactions, training cooperation and institutional linkages between the armed forces of the two countries, the statement said.

It said Field Marshal Munir reaffirmed during the meeting the “importance Pakistan attaches to its longstanding and cordial relations with Lebanon and underscored the Pakistan Army’s commitment to expanding defence collaboration with the Lebanese Armed Forces”.

For his part, General Haykal “appreciated the professionalism and operational excellence of Pakistan’s armed forces and acknowledged their contributions to regional peace, stability and international peacekeeping efforts”, it said.

“The visit reflects the shared commitment of both armed forces to fostering closer military-to-military cooperation,” the ISPR statement concluded.

On Saturday, Leba­non’s army General Haykal had departed for Pakistan as Islamabad continues efforts to mediate an end to the US-Isr­aeli conflict with Iran, which has also spilled into Lebanon.

The Lebanese army said the visit was at the invitation of Haykal’s Pakistani counterpart, Field Marshal Munir, but did not immediately provide further details on its purpose or duration.