The proposed “World Football Clubs” body is intended to give clubs a global institutional voice, in effect creating a seventh major constituency in world football alongside the six continental confederations, but representing clubs rather than national associations.

Al-Khelaifi did not spell out its formal status, governance, membership or timetable, nor say what powers it might seek within FIFA.

“EFC has become a global network and platform for clubs to connect to anyone,” Al-Khelaifi told the EFC General Assembly in Copenhagen.

“We create benefits for clubs inside and outside of Europe,” he added, noting that 857 players from European clubs had taken part in this year’s 48-team World Cup, which amounts to nearly 70% of all players at the tournament.

“That is why now is the time to create World Football Clubs. Because every club around the world deserves to be represented; to have a voice, and a better chance to succeed.”

Al-Khelaifi said clubs had become increasingly global through their players, coaches, owners, commercial partners, brands and fanbases while remaining rooted in their local communities, arguing that supporters could now follow their teams from Copenhagen to Cairo or New York to Tokyo.

The announcement represents the clearest indication yet in the speech that EFC wants to extend its model beyond Europe.

Formerly known as the European Club Association, EFC has grown rapidly in recent years. Al-Khelaifi said its membership had risen from 247 clubs in 2021 to more than 900 across 55 countries, with a stated ambition of reaching 1,000.

BARCELONA BACK, REAL TO RETURN TO EFC

He also announced that Barcelona had returned to the organisation and said Real Madrid was “in the process of returning”, presenting the moves as evidence that major European clubs were again coalescing around a single representative structure.

Real Madrid’s planned return, described by a source at the club as ‘a gesture of goodwill’ by Real, would mark a further step in its rapprochement with UEFA and EFC after years of conflict over the European Super League.

In February, the three parties reached an agreement in principle which they said would also resolve their legal disputes linked to the breakaway project once implemented.

Al-Khelaifi also said proposed governance reforms would give every EFC member a direct say on major decisions and allow all members to represent the organisation on UEFA, FIFA and other committees, while guaranteeing female representation across the board’s subdivisions.

The global clubs proposal comes amid tensions over the balance of power in world football between FIFA, confederations, leagues, clubs and other stakeholders.

Al-Khelaifi used the speech to deliver what appeared to be a pointed message to Infantino, though he did not mention the FIFA president by name.

“It is really sad to see the situation today,” he said.

“Instead of improving our game, we are wasting our time dealing with problems and issues. Football works when we listen to each other. When we are transparent between us. But most of all, when we are honest.”

Reuters has approached FIFA for comment.

Al-Khelaifi repeatedly contrasted those tensions with EFC’s relationship with UEFA, which he described as its “most important and trusted partner”.

He said the EFC-UEFA joint venture UC3 would generate more than 20 billion euros ($5.67 billion) over the next four-year cycle, or more than five billion euros a season.

Around two billion euros, he said, would be distributed to clubs outside European competitions as well as to youth and women’s football, while 233 million euros had been distributed to 901 clubs for releasing players for UEFA national-team competitions betw­een 2020 and 2024.

“When UEFA and the clubs work hand in hand, football wins,” Al-Khelaifi said, adding that disagreements between UEFA and clubs were dealt with “face to face” and ultimately resolved.

He then gave UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin an emphatic endorsement, calling on him to seek another term next year.

“Football needs great leaders like you and on behalf of the more than 900 clubs of EFC we ask you to stand for President again next year,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The 30-year-old Newcastle United striker struck on 30 minutes by poking a loose ball into the net after goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze allowed a cross to slip from his grasp.

DR Congo, last-32 losers to England at the 2026 World Cup, went further ahead in first-half added time when a Wissa pass sent Samuel Moutoussamy through to score from inside the box.

Wissa could have finished with a hat-trick. His first-half shot beat Chipezeze only to trickle narrowly wide and he struck the woodwork just past the hour mark.

After being outplayed in the opening half by a team 89 places higher in the world rankings, Zimbabwe improved after half-time and Marshall Munetsi scored a 93rd-minute consolation goal.

It was the third goal by Munetsi from English second-tier club Wolve­rhampton Wand­erers ­after a brace in a dramatic 3-2 away win over Sierra Leone last week.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa was among the crowd that filled the 60,000-capacity National Sports Stadium on the outskirts of Harare for the qualifier.

Zimbabwe last played at home in November 2021 before the Harare venue was deemed unsuitable for international fixtures, leading to lengthy renovations, including to the pitch.

DR Congo, whose second of two AFCON titles came 52 years ago, top Group ‘E’ with a maximum six points after launching their campaign with a 2-0 home victory over Equatorial Guinea.

Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea, who meet twice in November, have three points each and Sierra Leone are pointless.

A first-minute goal from Loren Zuniga sufficed to earn Equatorial Guinea a 1-0 win over Sierra Leone in Cameroon capital Yaounde.

Equatorial Guinea are among the 11 of the 48 qualifiers for the AFCON group stage who must host matches at neutral venues as they lack an international-standard stadium.

Central African Repu­blic are another ‘homeless’ nation. They fell 1-0 to Burkina Faso in Group ‘F’ in Moroccan commercial hub Casablanca. Aboubacar Camara netted the second-half winner.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

“Claims regarding interference in the formation of referee classifications, assignments, scoring and appointment processes, as well as rule examinations, have been investigated,” Gurlek wrote in a social media post.

Ferhat Gundogdu, the president of the refereeing body, his vice-president and another five people are those arrested.

Gurlek said that searches had been carried out at the suspects’ “residences, workplaces and offices”.

“We will steadfastly continue the fight for clean football so that claims undermining trust in Turkish football are clarified, those responsible are held accountable before the law, and football is remembered for the effort, struggle, and sportsmanship on the field,” Gurlek added.

National press agency Ana­dolu said that the arrests had taken place in four provinces.

A year ago, Turkiye’s football federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees accused of involvement in an illegal betting scandal.

The TFF investigation found that 371 out of the country’s 571 referees officiating in the professional leagues had betting accounts and 152 of them actively placed bets.

Some 29 people were arrested in the sprawling scandal, including 14 footballers.

One of those was Fenerbahce’s international midfielder Mert Hakan Yandas.

Authorities suspended more than 1,000 players, including 25 from the first division.

Gurlek, though, did not make any link between last year’s betting scandal and the current investigation.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The four-time Grand Slam winner topped the rankings for 99 weeks before ceding her position to Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, who also beat her in the US Open final this month.

It means Sabalenka has not won a title since March and will end the year without a major for the first time since 2022.

“This time I feel like, because I didn’t play that many matches, I feel fresh,” the 28-year-old Belarusian told reporters ahead of the China Open in Beijing.

Despite a lacklustre few months by her standards, her New York showing was “the moment when I started to feel healthier and stronger”, she said.

“The middle part of the season... didn’t go that well. I struggled a little bit with different stuff. At the US Open I started to enjoy tennis again because of being healthy mentally and physically.”

Sabalenka, who withdrew from Beijing last year due to injury, begins her bid for a first title there in the round of 64, against either Hungary’s Anna Bondar or Mexico’s Renata Zarazua.

She is seeded second behind Rybakina, who faces either Yulia Starodubtseva of Ukraine or Alina Charaeva of Armenia.

Last year’s champion Amanda Anisimova will not be taking part, having announced on social media that she was ending her season early over a wrist injury.

In the men’s draw, fan favourite Novak Djokovic is looking to add to his six titles at the China Open, where he has never lost a singles match.

“My record speaks for itself on Chinese soil. Knowing that, it also brings this dimension of confidence that I really need,” the Serbian, 39, told reporters on Monday.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The five-time World Cup winners scored two goals late in the second half to see off a Socceroos outfit who have only beaten their illustrious opponents once in their history.

The South Americans needed a last-minute goal to salvage a draw in their first match in Townsville on Friday, but turned in an improved performance to emerge victorious in the second part of their double-header.

“It was a difficult game, Australia is a very good team,” Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti said. “It was a good quality game, they played with intensity and they have good quality and are very strong physically.”

Brazil opened the scoring in the third minute when full-back Vanderson found space on the edge of the box and fired a powerful volley past a diving Patrick Beach.

It was almost 2-0 seconds later when Brazil stole the ball off the kick-off and broke for goal, but two good saves in succession from Beach denied the visitors.

The Socceroos settled after the frantic start and began to put on some pressure.

They were rewarded in the 28th minute when a Connor Metcalfe corner was deflected off a Brazilian defender and Alessandro Circati skewed the ball into the back of the net.

Metcalfe put Australia 2-1 ahead five minutes later when he found himself in space outside the box and fired a powerful drive into the top right corner.

But in a breathless first half, Brazil captain Raphinha equalised from the penalty spot after his counterpart Harry Souttar fouled Danilo with a reckless challenge.

Despite its billing as a friendly, tension boiled over in the second half when a clumsy tackle by Endrick on Souttar led to a shoving match between both teams.

Brazil regrouped better and took the advantage with about 20 minutes to go when Endrick cut the ball back in the box for Bruno Guimaraes, who made no mistake with his left foot.

They then put the game beyond doubt when Vinicius Junior was clipped in the box by Nestory Irankunda and the Real Madrid striker converted from the penalty spot.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The all-Russian affair in eastern China was a battle of the two favourites, with top-seeded Medvedev — now the world number six — edging out his compatriot.

The first set followed serve until Rublev slipped up at 5-5, handing the initiative to his opponent.

The rattled world number 24 then lost serve again in the first game of the second set and was playing catch-up from then on.

The win rewarded a consistent performance from Medvedev, who savoured his first title since Dubai in February.

It was the 24th of his career on the tour.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The Lille forward became his country’s record goalscorer during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, only to be overtaken by Kylian Mbappe earlier this year.

Speaking to l’Equipe newspaper, Giroud said that “as a player, I think it is very probably my last season”.

“That’s why I’m making the most of every moment,” he added.

Giroud has had a sterling career having won the World Cup with France in 2018.

He scored 57 goals in 137 appearances for his country.

He has also enjoyed an impressive club career, winning league titles in France with Montpellier and in Italy with AC Milan.

His greatest club success came with Chelsea when they won the Champions League in 2021, while he also won the FA Cup four times, three of those with Arsenal.

He began his career in 2006 with Grenoble in the French second division. He won the last of his French caps in 2024.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

In Brussels, both teams had wasted chances before Michael Olise scampered through the home defence after 88 minutes and drilled a shot inside the post.

It gave Zinedine Zidane a second victory to start his long-awaited debut as France coach.

Roberto Mancini’s return to run Italy had ended in Roman jeers on Friday as Italy lost their opener at home to Belgium.

His team dazzled in the downpour in the first half in Turkiye.

“The players all put in an excellent performance today. It was a tough match, and we approached it in the right way, staying high up the pitch and playing aggressively throughout the game,” Mancini told Italian television at the final whistle.

The hosts quickly fell three goals behind with errors in their muddy goalmouth.

Twice Altay Bayindir struggled to reach low cross-shots from the right.

After nine minutes, the Celta Vigo goalkeeper scooped a drive from Pio Esposito round the post.

From the corner, Bursa-born fullback Zeki Celik, who plays for Juventus in Italy, swung wildly at a low near-post cross, deflecting the ball to Alessandro Bastoni. The Inter Milan centre-back lunged to fire into the roof of the net.

After 23 minutes, Bayindir flapped at an identical cross-shot from Michael Kayode into the path of Lazio’s Davide Frattesi, who tucked the ball home.

Intricate Italian passing around the penalty area repeatedly found a player free on the right side of the box.

When Brentford’s Kayode again found himself in that space, his shot for the near post eluded the plunging Bayindir.

Turkiye gave the restless crowd hope in the 47th minute when Gianluigi Donnarumma was drawn to Oguz Aydin beyond the far post. He found Baris Yilmaz, who gleefully drilled into an empty net.

The comeback lasted five minutes. Tottenham’s Sandro Tonali, in space, hit the post but Pio Esposito dived to nod home the rebound.

After the game, the Inter Milan striker’s thoughts turned to family.

“I dedicate today’s goal to my grandmother, who is going through a difficult time,” said Pio Esposito, who was playing alongside older brother Sebastiano of Sassuolo, who was making his Italy debut.

“Sharing the pitch with him was incredibly moving; I tried to support him before the match without putting too much pressure on him. Let’s hope we get to wear these colours together many more times.”

Galatasaray attacker Yilmaz then curled a shot home but Aydin of Besiktas, bouncing up and down in front of Manchester City’s Donnarumma, was offside.

Monday’s slick display may ease the pressure on Mancini, while piling it on his former Sampdoria club-mate and fellow ex-Italian international Vincenzo Montella.

Montella led Turkiye to the quarter-finals at Euro 2024, but his side finished bottom of their group at the summer’s World Cup.

For their next match, Italy visit the Stade de France on Friday.

“We’ll try to recover our strength and be ready for the match in Paris,” Mancini told Italian media. “I’m confident. We’ve got plenty of young players who are fresh and ready.”

In League B, Sweden won for the second time in Group 4, beating Poland 3-1 in Solna.

Benjamin Nygren of Celtic pounced at the far post in the eighth minute to give the hosts the lead.

Sebastian Szymanski of Rennes levelled for Poland with a shot that hit both posts before going in.

Brighton’s Yasin Ayari restored the home lead when he finished neatly even as he was losing his footing. Arsenal’s Victor Gyokeres added the coup de grace.

Bosnia and Herzegovina are second after winning 4-2 against Romania in Bucharest.

In Group 2, Northern Ireland remained top after they drew 0-0 at home against Hungary, while Georgia and Ukraine also ended goalless in Tbilisi.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wass­erman joined Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and former Olympic officials at City Hall to announce the plan, which organisers said was intended to connect communities across the country ahead of the Los Angeles Games.

Atlanta will be the first stop for the Olympic flame, returning to the city 32 years after it hosted the 1996 Olym­pics.

The full route, including the timing of the relay and the cities selected to host it, will be announced in 2027. LA28 did not disclose how long the relay would run or how torchbearers would be chosen.

The Paralympic torch relay will also be held ahead of the 2028 Games, though its starting location will be announced later, organisers said.

The announcement brought together several figures connected to the Atlanta Games, including Billy Payne, who led the organising committee for the 1996 Olympics, and Janet Evans, LA28’s chief athlete officer and a four-time Olympic swimming gold medallist who was among the final torchbearers in Atlanta in 1996.

Lonnie Ali, interim president and chief executive of the Muhammad Ali Center and the wife of late boxing great Muhammad Ali, also took part in the event. Evans carried the torch during the Opening Ceremony at the 1996 Games and handed it to the former world heavyweight boxing champion who lit the Olympic flame.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

South Africa are 2-0 up in the three-match ODI series which concludes in Potchefstroom on Wednesday after beating the World Cup holders fairly convincingly in Durban and Joha­nnesburg.

“You want to try and be as clinical as possible in a series of this magnitude,” Maharaj told a press conference.

“They are the world champions, so it’s always nice to build confidence. It is still just over 12 months away from the World Cup, but it’s a wonderful stepping stone and foundation to build on.

“It shows character and also shows champion mentality to try and win the series, but it’s about the process that we’re focusing on behind everything and letting it play out that way and doing the basics really well.”

South Africa co-host next year’s World Cup with neighbours Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Maharaj, along with fellow spinner Bjorn Fortuin and part-timer Aiden Markram, proved the catalyst for South African success in the first two ODIs, pegging back the Australian batsmen, and Maharaj’s performance suggests he could be crucial in the three-test series that starts at his home ground in Durban on October 9.

“I went back to the drawing board after last season’s India tour (South Africa won 2-0).” he said. “Obviously conditions were slightly different, but I just want to keep evolving from that aspect.

“And I feel like the best in the world always keep trying to evolve and I said, why can’t I be that person and try evolve in a different aspect of the game? I worked on a couple of things and put a little bit more emphasis on the analysis work.

“I’ve always been someone who has been a scholar of the game and looks at the analysis in depth, but just probably looking at it from a different angle in different direction and still not losing that feel of the game,” Maharaj added.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

City were found to have arranged sham contracts with a number of commercial partners to artificially inflate the club’s revenues, concealing the true state of their finances and avoiding breaches of Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits.

An independent commission also found the club guilty on the majority of charges in relation to their failure to co-operate with the league’s investigation.

No sanction has yet been imposed and City said they will appeal against the decision.

“The core decision establishes the facts of what happened at Manchester City during this period. It details how the club systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade,” said Premier League chairman Richard Masters in a statement.

“Now we have the commission’s decision, we are committed to moving swiftly through the remainder of the process, to provide certainty for the league, our clubs and fans.”

Since a 2008 takeover from Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, vice-president and deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, City have become the Premier League’s dominant force.

They have won eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups and seven League Cups over the past 15 years and also won the Champions League for the first time in 2023.

But that same year they were charged by the Premier League following an investigation into alleged breaches of rules.

A hearing by an independent commission started in September 2024 and concluded three months later.

“Manchester City FC will now pursue the appeal avenues open to it, on the basis that the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe,” the club said in a statement.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The result was a stirring response to Pakistan’s 4-0 defeat by Thailand in their opening Group ‘B’ match and came against a Philippines side ranked 62 places above them in the FIFA rankings.

Sandro Reyes put the Philippines ahead in the 24th minute before Bjorn Kristensen doubled their advantage from the penalty spot eight minutes later. But Pakistan produced a vastly improved second-half display, with Ali Akbar Khan scoring his first international goal shortly after the restart before Abdul Samad Arshad completed the comeback in the 62nd minute.

Pakistan had been under pressure for much of the opening half at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium, with goalkeeper Yousuf Butt keeping his side in the contest.

The hosts threatened early, but Pakistan’s defence repeatedly managed to clear the danger. Mohibullah Afridi threw himself in front of a low cross to concede a corner, while Yousuf denied Andre Leipold in a one-on-one situation.

The Philippines eventually broke through when Reyes reacted quickest after Mohibullah, stationed on the goal line, turned a header onto the crossbar. Reyes bundled the rebound over the line.

Pakistan almost responded immediately. Ali Akbar broke through the Philippines defence but his effort was kept out by a diving Kevin Mendoza.

The Philippines extended their lead in the 32nd minute after Mohammad Fazal was penalised for handball inside the box. Kristensen sent Yousuf the wrong way from the resulting penalty.

Pakistan continued to come under pressure before the interval, with Haris Zeb blocking a diving header and Yousuf making another important save. Pakistan’s best late opportunity came on the counter, but Alamgir Ghazi fired over from distance.

Coach Nolberto Solano made two changes at half-time, bringing on Ali Agha and Hayyan Khattak for Alamgir and Umar Nawaz.

The changes immediately transformed Pakistan’s fortunes.

Just 70 seconds after the restart, captain Abdullah Iqbal lofted a ball towards Ali Akbar, who controlled it on the left, went past a defender and slotted the ball through Mendoza’s legs to give Pakistan their first goal of the tournament.

Pakistan were suddenly on the front foot and continued to threaten the Philippines defence.

The equaliser arrived in the 62nd minute. Samad won possession on the right, drove into the area, evaded a challenge and cut onto his left foot before firing past Mendoza at his near post.

The Philippines responded with a quadruple substitution but could not regain control of the match.

Pakistan, meanwhile, continued to push for a winner. Solano introduced Abdul Rehman and Abdul Samad Khan for Fazal and Ali Uzair as his side maintained its attacking intent.

The Philippines still threatened on the counter, but Moh­ib­ullah produced another crucial block from close range to prevent a late goal.

Pakistan pressed until the final whistle, with support from fans in the stands, but the Philippines held on for a share of the points.

The result keeps Pakistan’s hopes of progressing from Group ‘B’ alive, although their fate will depend on the remaining results. Their final group match is against Vietnam.

“It’s not easy at this level to come back from two goals down,” Solano said after the match. “The most important thing today was the team’s reaction. I am very pleased with how the team responded. Towards the end, we even felt that we could win the game.”

The coach, however, said Pakistan needed to become more consistent throughout matches as they prepare for future Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers.

“We have to become more consistent throughout the game,” he said. “When the team is in good shape both defensively and offensively, we have to maintain that level for longer periods.”

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The Sri Lankans will meet India in the last four and Bangladesh play Pakistan, with both matches scheduled for Thursday.

Organisers are now racing to get the converted baseball field at Korogi Athletic Park ready in time.

Sri Lanka progressed when their quarter-final with Nepal was washed out -- higher-ranked teams go through in the event of bad weather.

Bangladesh were awarded victory over lower-ranked Malaysia for the same reason.

Pakistan and reigning champions India sealed their semi-final spots after rain also washed out both matches on Monday.

“Cricket, like baseball, you can’t play it in the rain,” said Jarrad Shearer,who is in charge of the cricket tournament.

There has been heavy rain in Games host Nagoya and Aichi prefecture in recent days, but better weather is forecast from Wednesday.

“Come tomorrow morning it will be all hands on deck to dry up the areas that aren’t under the covers,” said Shearer.

“We’ve got some soppers, we’ve got some squeegees, some big old brooms, we’ve got sponges.

“Plus it’s supposed to be sunny and 32C, so with any luck we’ll soak up as much water as we can in the morning and the sun will do its work in the afternoon.”

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Pakistan finished third in the 12-match competition with 100 points, behind gold medallists Thailand, who accumulated 128 points, and China, who took silver with 114.

The bronze came after Pakistan finished third in the final match of the competition, scoring 12 points — four placement points and eight elimination points. Japan won the match with 18 points, while Thailand finished second with 14.

Pakistan’s medal tally at the Games now comprises five bronzes — the women’s cricket team, modern MMA fighter Asim Khan, squash players Noor Zaman and Ashab Irfan, and the PUBG Mobile team.

Pakistan’s PUBG Mobile team, comprising Mohammad Huzaifa, Shayan Asad, Falak Sher, Hasnain Rehman and Syed Sameer, finished strongly after entering the second day of competition in medal contention.

They collected 61 points across the final six matches to finish on 100, having accumulated 39 on the opening day.

Pakistan’s best returns on the second day included 16 points in the seventh match, 10 each in the eighth and ninth, 12 in the 11th and 12 in the concluding match.

Thailand’s consistency throughout the competition saw them finish 28 points clear of Pakistan, while China held off the Pakistani challenge for silver by 14 points.

Vietnam and Indonesia finished level on 95 points, followed by South Korea on 71, Chinese Taipei on 62 and Jordan on 61.

In Volleyball, Pakistan ended their Pool A campaign with a 3-0 defeat to hosts Japan at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium, but not before pushing the tournament favourites to the brink in a fiercely contested opening set.

Japan won 29-27, 25-20, 25-22 in a match that lasted one hour and 23 minutes.

The first set was the highlight of the contest. Pakistan matched Japan point for point, forcing the set beyond 25 and saving multiple set points before the hosts finally edged it 29-27 after 29 minutes of play.

It was the closest any side has come to taking a set off Japan in the pool stage.

The hosts asserted control in the second set, taking it 25-20 in 26 minutes, before closing out the match 25-22 in the third.

Pakistan’s outside hitter Ali Usman led the scoring with 13 points, while Musawer Khan added 11 and opposite Murad Khan contributed 10.

At the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, Pakistan’s women’s squash team played two matches, losing to South Korea in their Pool B fixture before also going down to Macao in the stage 1 round-robin.

Against South Korea, the trio of Mahnoor Ali, Sana Bahadur and Mehwish Ali all lost in straight games.

Later in the round-robin stage against Macao, Mahnoor again lost her opening match, going down to Wain Leng Yeung 11-9, 11-3, 12-10.

Sana started strongly, winning the first game 11-4 against Weng Chi Yeung, but the 25-year-old Macao player took the next three 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 to seal the match.

Sehrish replaced her sister Mehwish for the third match but could not change Pakistan’s fortunes, losing a tight contest to Chi Cheng Cao 4-11, 13-11, 15-13, 11-7.

At the Higashiyama Park Tennis Centre, Mohammad Shoaib’s campaign in the men’s singles ended as he lost 6-4, 6-4 to Indonesia’s Rifqi Fitriadi in the round-of-32.

The match had been suspended on Monday with Shoaib leading the first set 4-3, and the overnight break proved costly as Fitriadi returned on Tuesday to complete the win in one hour and eight minutes of play.

Shoaib then returned to partner Aqeel Khan in the men’s doubles against Chinese Taipei’s Yu-hsiou Hsu and Chenjui Ho, but the pair lost 6-3, 6-2.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The world and Olympic champion produced another dominant display to beat Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-9 and add the continental crown to the title she won in Hangzhou three years ago.

An, 24, has not lost a match since March and did not drop a game throughout the tournament. She fell to her knees and roared after sealing victory, describing the achievement as “like a dream”.

“I’m going for all of these records,” An said, referring to Chinese great Lin Dan, whose achievements she is seeking to emulate.

Thailand also celebrated a landmark badminton success as Kunlavut Vitidsarn defeated Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew 21-12, 21-16 to become his country’s first Asian Games men’s singles champion.

China continued to dominate the overall competition, with its gold-medal tally reaching 143 by the end of the 10th day. Japan were second with 45 golds and South Korea third with 24.

Athletics, which concluded on Tuesday, provided several notable performances.

Philippines star Ernest John Obiena successfully defended his men’s pole vault title, clearing 5.91 metres for a Games record. Obiena was the only athlete to clear 5.75m and, after failing twice at 5.80m, raised the bar to 5.91m and cleared it on his third attempt.

China’s Zhang Jiale set a Games and Asian record in the women’s hammer throw with a 78.27m effort. Her compatriot Zhao Jie took silver with 74.83m, while Japan’s Joy Iris McArthur won bronze.

Zhang said her next target was to become the first Asian woman to throw beyond 80 metres.

China also won the mixed 4x100m relay, with Chen Jinfeng, Liu Guoyi, Shi Junhao and Chen Yujie clocking 40.78 seconds. Thailand took silver and India bronze.

Chen claimed her third gold of the Games after earlier victories in the women’s 100m and 4x100m relay, while also winning silver in the 200m.

Japan’s Ko Ochiai delighted the home crowd by winning the men’s 800m in a Games-record 1:44.48. Iran’s Ali Amirian took silver and Qatar’s Abubaker Abdalla bronze.

China’s Wu Hongjiao won the women’s 800m in 2:04.49, ahead of Bahrain’s Nelly Korir and the Philippines’ Victoria Bossong.

Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew claimed the men’s 5,000m title in 13:30.79, with Japan’s Tomonori Yamaguchi taking silver and India’s Gulveer Singh bronze.

India also won the women’s 4x400m relay, while Japan took gold in the men’s 4x400m relay.

China’s weightlifting dominance continued as twice Olympic champion Li Wenwen won the women’s +86kg title, her first Asian Games gold. Li, known affectionately as “Big Baby” in China, lifted 310kg in total, including Games records of 140kg in the snatch and 170kg in the clean and jerk.

Uzbekistan’s Akbar Djuraev, the Tokyo Olympic champion and Paris silver medallist, won the men’s 110kg title with a 423kg total.

There was considerable drama in the men’s super-heavyweight competition, where Iran’s Ali Davoudi edged Iraq’s Ali Ammar by just one kilogram. Ammar had set a world record of 219kg in the snatch but failed with his final clean and jerk attempt after appearing to become confused by the countdown.

Surfing made its Asian Games debut with Japan sweeping both gold medals at Long Beach.

Japanese-American Kanoa Igarashi defeated Filipino Toby Espejon in the men’s competition, producing a rare perfect 10 in his semi-final. The victory also secured Igarashi’s place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Eighteen-year-old Mirai Ikeda won the women’s title after defeating China’s Yang Siqi, also booking her place at the Los Angeles Games.

In women’s football, North Korea reached the final with a 2-0 victory over China in pouring rain. An own goal and a strike by Myong Yu Jong sent the three-time champions into their seventh final in the last eight editions.

North Korea will face Japan for gold after the hosts defeated South Korea 2-0, with China Kamiya scoring both goals.

The semi-finals were played before sparse crowds at the 50,000-capacity Shizuoka Stadium, highlighting continuing concerns over low spectator interest at some venues.

The weather remained one of the major talking points of the Games, with heavy rain disrupting events for a fourth successive day.

The organisers were also forced to apologise after transport errors resulted in teams being taken to the wrong venues. South Korea’s men’s volleyball team had their practice cancelled on Monday after their bus went to the wrong location, while other teams also reported delays and missing buses.

The organisers acknowledged an “error in matching teams to vehicles” and said they were working to address the problems.

Despite the operational difficulties, competition continued across the Aichi-Nagoya region, with the Games entering their final stretch and China maintaining a commanding position at the top of the medal table.

Medals table

(Tabulated under rank, country, gold, silver, bronze, total)
1 China 143 62 49 254
2 Japan 45 71 67 183
3 South Korea 24 27 44 95
4 Uzbekistan 14 17 13 44
5 Thailand 12 9 12 33
6 Bahrain 11 5 4 20
7 Iran 10 16 11 37
8 Kazakhstan 9 14 25 48
9 North Korea 7 5 6 18
10 India 6 21 25 52
11 Malaysia 6 5 9 20
12 Hong Kong 5 12 18 35
13 Kuwait 4 1 4 9
14 Chinese Taipei 3 10 24 37
15 Indonesia 3 7 20 30
16 Qatar 3 5 4 12
17 Philippines 3 3 12 18
18 Singapore 2 6 3 11
19 Tajikistan 2 3 2 7
20 Vietnam 2 1 17 20
21 Macao 1 4 1 6
22 Jordan 1 1 1 3
22 Myanmar 1 1 1 3
24 Sri Lanka 1 1 0 2
24 UAE 1 1 0 2
26 Saudi Arabia 0 2 5 7
27 Iraq 0 2 2 4
28 Turkmenistan 0 2 0 2
29 Kyrgyzstan 0 1 4 5
30 Afghanistan 0 1 2 3
31 Lebanon 0 1 1 2
31 Oman 0 1 1 2
33 Pakistan 0 0 5 5
34 Cambodia 0 0 4 4
35 Nepal 0 0 2 2
36 Bangladesh 0 0 1 1
36 Brunei Darussalam 0 0 1 1
36 Laos 0 0 1 1
36 Mongolia 0 0 1 1
36 Syria 0 0 1 1

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Topline Securities Ltd said the index closed at 169,600.41 points, down 825.22 points or 0.48 per cent, after trading between an intraday high of 170,944.35 and a low of 169,538.23. The market remained stable around 170,400-170,600 during the early session; however, late-session selling intensified after 2:00pm, pushing the index below 170,000.

Market sentiment rem­ained cautious and risk-off amid persistent geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. Rising crude oil prices, with Brent around $107 per barrel, further pressured sentiment amid concerns over Pakistan’s import bill, inflation, and the external account.

Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd (AHL), said the PSX breached a key psychological level at 170,000 after a seven-session gap.

Market sentiment rem­ained weak against the backdrop of rising international oil prices, driven by ongoing US-Iran tensions and supply disruption risks in the Strait of Hormuz, which directly affected Pakistan through higher energy import costs and external economic pressure.

Moreover, finance ministry officials are proceeding with key review discussions with the Inter­national Monetary Fund under its $7 billion Exten­ded Fund Facility and $1.4bn Resilience and Sustainability Facility to stabilise the domestic economy.

On the corporate front, Air Link Communication Ltd reported an FY26 net profit of Rs6,226 million, up 31pc year-on-year, propelled by strong gross margins and tax reversals. The 4QFY26 profit rose 36pc YoY to Rs2,579m (earnings per share of Rs6.53). Despite skipping its 4QFY26 payout, the company brought total FY26 dividends to Rs2 per share, representing a 12.7pc payout ratio.

United Bank, Fauji Fer­tiliser, Pakistan Petrol­eum, Habib Bank, Mari Energies, Engro Holdings, Pakistan State Oil, Systems Ltd, Pakistan Services Ltd, and Bank Alfalah collectively eroded 556 points from the benchmark.

Investor participation improved as trading volume surged 34.92pc to 568 million shares and turnover rose 19.34pc to Rs20.7 billion. Cnergyico PK led the volume chart with 56.5m shares.

Analysts believe elevated energy prices, external sector risks and the ongoing IMF review will remain key drivers of market direction.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The proposals are part of draft amendments to the Non-Banking Finance Companies and Notified Entities Regulations 2008, issued for public consultation.

In order to enable non-banking finance companies to better respond to the growing financing needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), SECP is also proposing to revise the annual turnover ranges used to classify SMEs. The proposed range for small enterprises is Rs30m to Rs400m, compared with the current limit of up to Rs150m, while for medium enterprises, the proposed range is Rs400m to Rs2bn, compared with the current range of Rs150m to Rs800m.

SECP said the changes would help non-banking finance companies serve more borrowers and respond to the financing needs of businesses, households and individuals.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

ValidAP was developed and hosted by Hong Kong Customs. The integration has been operationalised through Pakistan Single Window (PSW), pursuant to the memorandum of understanding signed between Pak­istan Customs and the Customs and Excise Dep­artment of Hong Kong on May 18.

An official announcement said ValidAP provides a secure and efficient mechanism for participating customs and regulatory authorities to verify the authenticity and integrity of electronic trade documents issued through PSW, including Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) certificates and export permits, without requ­iring transmission of the underlying documents or their data.

The platform uses cryptographic hash-based verification to detect any alteration to a document registered on the platform, strengthening safeguards against tampering and forgery.

The integration will also reduce reliance on paper-based and manual verification processes, enable faster validation of trade documents, and support more efficient consignment clearance. By enabling trusted digital verification at source, the initiative is expected to reduce clearance and cargo dwell times, with no additional cost to traders.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

A senior executive of HACL told Dawn on Tuesday that it faced no issues procuring parts and accessories from Japan or other countries. “Actually, the vehicle has completed its lifecycle, and that’s why its production has been halted,” he added.

He said he cannot say whether the company intends to bring any replacement for the BR-V in the near future, as production volumes remained low at around 25-50 units per month.

The company has also removed the BR-V from its official website, while all other cars are well displayed.

Data from the Pakistan Automotive Manu­factu­rers Assoc­iation (PAMA) show combined production and sales figures for the Honda BR-V and HR-V.

Total production and sales of the BR-V and HR-V plunged to 120 and 191 units in July-August, down from 1,460 and 731 units in the same period in 2025.

As per PAMA data, Honda BR-V assembly began in April 2017 with 648 units, while 527 units were sold in the same month. From FY22, PAMA started issuing combined production and sales data for the Honda BR-V and HR-V.

From the PAMA data, it seems both the BR-V and the HR-V have struggled to attract buyers since the entry of Chinese and Korean models, especially hybrid, range-extended electric vehicles, and pure battery vehicles.

One Honda dealer said the BR-V has already been missing from Honda showrooms, and buyers have shown little interest in booking the vehicle or in on-the-spot sales.

Honda vendors also confirmed the BR-V’s production closure, as the vehicle is not selling well and the company has to stop production.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The statutory deadline for filing tax returns is Sept 30 each year. However, historically, the date has been extended two to three times, often until the end of October. In recent years, extensions were granted with only minor penalties, but the last budget has substantially increased these charges, making compliance costlier for late filers.

The demands for extension in the deadline have been raised by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), as well as professionals.

5.18m returns filed by Sept 29, up 45.8pc from tax year 2025

Meanwhile, the Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) has submitted a five-page letter to the Member Inland Revenue (operations), highlighting several issues, including delays in the issuance of draft notifications and persistent technical glitches in the IRIS portal, which hinder the smooth filing of tax returns.

Return filing details

The FBR figures reveal that overall tax return filings rose from 3.553 million in tax year 2025 to 5.181m in TY26 until Sept 29, an increase of 45.8 per cent.

Non-salaried individuals’ return filings surged from 2.160m in TY25 to 3.389m in TY26, an increase of 56.9pc. Salaried individuals’ returns climbed from 1.350m in TY25 to 1.740m in TY26, a growth of 28.9pc.

The breakdown showed that association of persons (AOP) filers grew from 33,186 in TY25 to 44,924 in TY26, an increase of 35.3pc. Contrary to this, company returns declined from 9,523 to 6,428, a fall of 32.5pc.

The compliance data show that returns increased substantially compared to the previous year, with the strongest growth recorded among non-salaried individuals, while company filings saw a notable contraction. The last date for company returns is December 31.

Penalties for late filing

In Finance Act 2026-27, the government has substantially increased penalties for late filing of income tax returns, restoration to the active taxpayers list and deficiencies in document accessibility and formatting.

Under the Act, the penalty for returning to the active taxpayers list (ATL) has been raised fivefold for companies to Rs100,000 from Rs20,000, while it was increased to Rs50,000 for associations of persons from Rs10,000 and Rs25,000 for individuals from Rs1,000.

The new penalty rates will apply from the current fiscal year, effective from July 1.

The KTBA has urgently requested remedial measures for the IRIS Income Tax Return Form for TY26. The letter stresses that taxpayers were given inadequate time to file returns, as the final form was notified only on Sept 2, leaving barely a month before the statutory deadline. Persistent downtime and instability of the IRIS portal have further obstructed timely filing.

It further highlighted disproportionate disclosure requirements, including detailed information on vehicles, immovable properties, bank accounts, shareholders and partners, which impose heavy compliance burdens, especially on large taxpayers.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

“Total public debt was recorded at Rs86.7tr at the end of June 2026 from Rs49.3tr at the end of June 2022, a 76pc increase over four years,” the Ministry of Finance said in its Annual Borrowing Plan 2027. It said the total public debt comprised Rs59.4tr in domestic debt and Rs27.3tr equivalent in external debt.

The net additional debt this year would comprise Rs6.046tr of domestic borrowing and Rs813bn in external borrowing. The total federal fiscal deficit is projected at Rs7.020tr, and after adding domestic and external maturities, total GFNs are projected at Rs28.647tr, approximately 20pc of GDP for FY27, it added.

The ministry said it will reduce reliance on short-term treasury bills on a net issuance basis, replacing T-bill maturities with medium- to longer-term tenor instruments, with higher net issuances of Rs4.58tr of Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs), with fixed-rate PIBs targeted to exceed 50pc of new issuances. Importantly, floating-rate exposure would be limited to the 10-year sukuk on a variable rate of return only.

Govt plans additional borrowing of Rs6.86tr in FY27

The government also planned Ijara sukuk/Bai Muajjal to the extent of Rs3.785tr, supported by the new hybrid sukuk and short-term sukuk (3-6 months) structures. Gross annual sukuk issuances are targeted at about Rs6.6tr.

To attract institutional investors, the government will continue to use 2- and 15-year zero-coupon bonds and, where required, introduce new long-dated instruments after consulting all stakeholders.

In addition, liability management operations (buybacks/exchanges) will continue, subject to available fiscal space and suitable market conditions. Moreover, National Savings Schemes (NSS) restructuring is underway to improve products, introduce market-driven pricing and digitalisation, and deepen retail investor participation.

“Net external financing is projected at Rs813bn, equivalent to $2.804bn,” it said, adding that the external financing plan will focus on $1.58bn net inflows from multilateral lenders as the primary external source.

In addition, the government plans higher international capital market issuances in FY27, aiming for over $2bn in Eurobonds or International sukuk, subject to market conditions. These issuances will also enable the government to replace short-term debt with longer-dated, market-based financing. The government has already raised $3bn in Eurobonds last month.

Foreign commercial bank financing would also be refinanced alongside new facilities to help meet external funding requirements, subject to suitable market conditions. In addition, non-resident investment via Naya Pakistan Certificates and government securities would be facilitated with a Rs1.122tr target.

To support market access, the government would maintain active engagement with sovereign credit rating agencies. Overall, for domestic debt, primary emphasis will be on increasing the share of fixed-rate instruments and diversifying the debt portfolio by developing Shariah-compliant sukuk markets, retail instruments and long-term bonds for institutional investors.

In external financing, priority will be given to increased international capital market issuances subject to a suitable international macro-environment.

It said the demand from long-term institutional investors was expected to support the new issuance of zero-coupon bonds. The zero-coupon bonds have attracted strong interest from both commercial banks and non-bank institutional investors, and the plan is to continue using these instruments to optimise the overall debt profile, it said, adding that the government would remain committed to prudent debt management through continued buyback and debt switch operations.

The ministry noted that over the past ten fiscal years (FY17 to FY26), an average of 81pc of the fiscal deficit was financed through domestic sources, while external financing accounted for the remaining 19pc. FY26 saw 25pc of the federal deficit financed through external sources, a level last reached in FY20.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

At a public hearing conducted by Nepra members Maqsood Anwar Khan, Amina Ahmed and Ghulamullah Shaikh, the chief executive officer of Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) Rehan Akhtar said the major reason for Rs1.73 per unit additional fuel cost in August was the expensive RLNG and coal imports and lower-than-estimated availability of cheaper hydropower and nuclear facilities.

He said hydropower was originally targeted at about 41pc of total power generation, but it was slightly below at 38pc, while the nuclear power share was estimated at 16.4pc, which turned out to be 10pc due to Karachi nuclear’s outage. As a result, the share of imported coal-based generation increased to 15.6pc instead of the originally planned 7.4pc.

Hydropower has no fuel cost, whereas average nuclear fuel cost rose to Rs3.15 per unit due to lower utilisation, up from Rs2.5 per unit. By contrast, imported coal-based generation cost Rs17 per unit. Local coal-based generation cost was reported at Rs5.5 per unit.

Nepra calls hearing on Oct 5 to review industrial incremental tariff package

He reported that the government had actually provided a negative adjustment of over Rs10bn due to a special reduced rate of Rs2000 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu) of RLNG in July and August, instead of Rs6000 per mmBtu or so. Otherwise, the additional fuel cost would have been around Rs35bn, with a per-unit additional cost estimated at about Rs2.53. Yet the RLNG-based generation cost was reported at Rs45.93 per unit, even higher than Rs45.25 per unit for furnace oil-based power generation, which also includes Rs73,000 per tonne of petroleum levy.

Power Division’s Naveed Qaiser reported that additional fuel costs would have been higher but were contained through about one and a half hours of average daily load management during August.

The industrial representatives, mostly from Karachi, reiterated their consistent stance that the industrial support package on incremental consumption was flawed because it did not benefit most industries and unnecessarily burdened all consumers.

They also demanded that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should be persuaded to suspend or reduce the petroleum levy on furnace oil as a special case in view of the war in the region and its cost impacts on imported fuels.

Rehan Akhtar said there were certain limitations to policy changes with the IMF but said the government was already taking up the matter at the appropriate forum.

Nepra member Amina Ahmed announced that a public hearing had been called on Oct 5 to review the incremental consumption package.

The incremental package, envisaging Rs22.96 per unit at a special rate for select industries, was promised to be reviewed after six months of its introduction in December 2025 but remained unchanged for the 9th month.

They said Nepra had directed the Power Division to conduct an incremental tariff review within six months after consulting the industry, but the stakeholders had not been consulted so far.

They said power costs for industry had gone up by 10pc due to tariff rebasing, while industrial production had already been sold out, leaving no way to recover the additional fiscal impact.

Once approved, power companies would charge an additional Rs25bn to consumers across all power companies, including ex-Wapda Distribution Companies (Discos) and K-Electric.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Speaking at a meeting convened to discuss measures to prevent traffic accidents and incidents caused by landslides on the Baltistan Road, officially renamed the Baltistan Highway in April 2023, CM Hussain emphasised the importance of the road.

He noted that travellers and tourists using the route face difficulties due to frequent landslides.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has issued directives to ensure safe travel on this vital highway. The NHA and FWO must implement safety measures on an emergency basis,” he said.

Meanwhile, CM Hussain said that the region offers vast investment opportunities in the tourism and power sectors. Special Investment Facilitation Council Secre­tary Jameel Ahmed Qureshi met with CM Hussain and briefed him on efforts to attract international investors to the energy, tourism and other key sectors.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Police said an Afghan national was also found injured in the river the other day.

Officials at Jussak police station said local residents spotted the bodies and informed the local administration about the dumping of the remains.

Police immediately rushed to the site and recovered three bodies along with an injured man.

The bodies and the injured man were shifted to Turbat hospital, where the injured was identified as Abdul Aziz, while the deceased were identified as Salim Akbar, Sher Agha Khan and Najeeb-Uddin.

Quoting hospital officials, police said the bodies appeared to be around three days old. Further investigation was under way.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Similarly, interim PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Mr Khan’s lawyers also reached Adiala jail, but they were also not allowed to meet their client.

Mr Zaman alleged that the sisters of Imran Khan started their hunger strike due to misbehaviour with them during their detention.

Reports of their being on hunger strike had been circulating, but this was the first time that a family member had confirmed the claims.

PTI lawyer Awais Younas Chaudhry told Dawn that lawyers and a family member reached Adiala jail at 2pm and waited there till 4:30pm, but they were not allowed to meet the PTI founder.

“It is tragic that the jail administration has been violating orders of the Islamabad High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan but courts appear to be helpless,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday dropped contempt of court proceedings against Adiala jail authorities after the vakalatnamas (powers of attorney) for human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha were signed, while another ATC issued notices on their bail petitions in a case registered against them over a protest.

Earlier on Saturday, an ATC had issued a contempt of court notice to the Adiala jail superintendent for allegedly failing to facilitate the signing and transmission of vakalatnamas required to file bail petitions for Imaan and Chattha.

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra heard a petition concerning the signing of the powers of attorney, with lawyers Riasat Ali Azad and others appearing on behalf of the two accused.

During the hearing, the court directed the superintendent of Adiala jail to formulate rules governing the signing of powers of attorney by prisoners, observing that the process should not become an obstacle to access to justice.

“The superintendent is directed to formulate rules regarding vakalatnamas,” the judge said.

The court was informed that the powers of attorney of Imaan and Hadi had been signed. Subsequently, the judge dropped the contempt proceedings against the jail authorities and disposed of the petition.

Expressing concern over the difficulties faced by lawyers in getting the necessary documents signed, Justice Sipra remarked: “If this is happening to lawyers, what must be happening to the vakalatnamas of ordinary litigants?”

Advocate Zainab told the court that the high court had established standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the process. She said the jail authorities should ensure that the procedure did not become a form of punishment for prisoners seeking legal representation.

The judge observed that, in the past, vakalatnamas had sometimes been signed in holding cells or inside vehicles, adding that the introduction of SOPs had brought considerable improvement, although occasional problems persisted.

“The path to justice begins with the signing of the vakalatnama,” the judge remarked.

Judge Sipra also decided to indict the couple on Oct 6 in a case registered against them at the Kohsar police station, involving accusations of an altercation with police.

Hearing of bail pleas

Separately, ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Mu­­hammad Zulqarnain heard the bail petitions filed by Imaan and Hadi in a case registered against them at the Kohsar police station in connection with a protest and issued notices to the parties for their arguments on Oct 5.

In response to ex-minister Shireen Mazari’s assertion that her daughter Imaan and son-in-law Hadi had been produced before the court after it was opened at night, Judge Zulqarnain clarified that the court had not been opened at night and was already conducting proceedings.

He said he had remained seated after being informed that a remand hearing was forthcoming.

Imaan and Hadi were sentenced in January to a total of 17 years on multiple charges under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) in the controversial social media posts case.

Eight months later, the Supreme Court suspended their sentences and granted them bail against surety bonds of Rs200,000 each.

The SC also ordered the couple’s release on bail pending the Islamabad High Court’s final verdict on their appeals against the trial court’s decision.

However, the reprieve was short-lived as only hours later the capital police arrested the couple again in connection with another case registered a year ago at the Kohsar police station on a complaint of magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Chandio.

The police produced them before an ATC, which sent them to jail on judicial remand.

Imaan and her husband were accused of chanting anti-government slogans and blocking roads and were nominated by name in the first information report. However, at the time of registration of the case, no section of the Anti-Terrorism Act had been added.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The state uses the term Fitna al Khwarij for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and refers to designated Baloch­istan-based groups as Fitna al Hindustan to highlight India’s role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.

Security sources said security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in the Bara area of KP and killed five terrorists belonging to Fitna al Khwarij. A large quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the killed terrorists, the sources said.

In Balochistan’s Chagai district, security forces conducted a successful operation in the Nok Kacha area, killing two terrorists, the sources said.

They said members of Fitna al Hindustan had set an empty water tanker on fire in Nok Kacha before attempting to flee the area. Security forces responded promptly and killed the two terrorists.

The terrorists were also involved in arson attacks at various locations along the N-40 highway.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Speaking at the first gathering of Intergovernmental Fiscal Institutions in Manila, Mr Meh­di said climate-vulnerable reg­­ions needed fiscal arrangeme­nts that took into account differences in exposure to climate risks, environmental responsibilities and fiscal capacity.

The discussion was titled ‘Em­erging Issues, Indepen­de­nce and Driving Impact’.

According to a communication received from Manila, Mr Mehdi noted that Pakistan was particularly vulnerable to climate change despite contributing less than one per cent of glo­bal greenhouse-gas emissions.

The devastating floods, heatwaves and droughts the country had experienced underscored the need for greater and more timely access to international climate finance, he said.

Senator Mehdi stressed that climate justice required stro­nger support for adaptation, resilience-building, technology and institutional capacity.

He also called for climate financing that was transparent and predictable, along with stronger climate-budget tagging, closer monitoring of expenditure and effective parliamentary oversight.

Ecological fiscal transfers, targeted and matching grants and performance-based finan­cing could encourage responsible en­­v­ironmental management, he said.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Ka­shmir (AJK) Election Com­­­mission has decided to propose necessary am­­e­ndments to the existing Local Government Act, 1990, to pave the way for holding local government (LG) elections in the re­­gion.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commis­s­i­o­­ner retired Justice Ghu­lam Mustafa Mughal on the proposed LG elections for 2026-27 on Tuesday.

The commission deci­ded to send the proposed amendments to the government after examining the relevant laws and electoral arrangements in Pun­­­­jab, Khyber Pakhtun­khwa and Sindh, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

A committee was constituted to prepare the prop­o­sed amendments. The com­mission also decided to prepare an estimate of the funds required to hold the elections and submit it to the government.

The me­­eting was told that conducting LG elections was a constitutional responsibility of the Election Commis­sion and that it was ready to discharge the responsibility.

The last local government elections were held in three phases in late 2022 — in Muzaffarabad division on Nov 27, Poonch division on Dec 3 and Mirpur division on Dec 8 — after a gap of 31 years. Before that, the local government elections had been held in 1991.

Subsequent polls, due in 1995, were not held, and su­­­­ccessive governments ran local government institut­i­­ons through administrat­o­­­­rs, usually government of­­­­ficials or political workers.

Until 2018, the LG elections were conducted by a separate election commission under the administrative control of the government.

However, following the 13th Amendment, pas­sed in June that year, the responsibility was assig­ned to the AJK EC.

The 2022 LG elections were subsequently conducted by the commission under the amended Local Government Act, 1990, after the necessary legal changes were made to facilitate the long-delayed polls.

The elections restored elected local bodies after decades of administration through nominated or appointed officials.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Among the five cases confirmed so far in the country, four have been detected in Bannu division alone while a single case was reported in Sindh, an official of the National Emergency Operations Centre confirmed to Dawn on Tuesday.

The latest case is from the Khandar Khankhel UC of Domel tehsil in Bannu district, the official said.

With the four cases detected in KP and one in Sindh in the ongoing year so far, the tally remains considerably lower than 31 cases recorded in 2025 and 74 in 2024.

Officials attribute the drop to improved vaccination campaign performance and the onset of winter, which is said to be as a low-transmission season because the virus becomes largely dormant in cold temperatures.

Bannu division has reported four out of the five polio cases detected so far this year

“The ongoing calendar year has proved to be much better in terms of performance. Moreover, as we have entered into the low-transmission season, there are fewer chances of polio cases,” Anwarul Haq, head of the Pakistan Polio Programme, told Dawn after the recent countrywide polio vaccination campaign.

The weeklong sub-national polio campaign concluded on Sept 27, and more than 28.2 million children were vaccinated during the drive.

But severe security challenges threaten eradication efforts in the northwest, and the Bannu district remains a critical vulnerability.

“There are severe security-related issues in Bannu where not only polio campaigns are stopped, but at times polio team workers are also kidnapped,” a polio expert earlier pointed out to Dawn.

“There is a need to address the security-related issues in Bannu because it is the only place from where the polio virus can bounce back.”

Data released by Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Programme showed that a majority of the environmental samples for poliovirus collected during the first two months of 2026 had tested negative.

According to the official website of Pakistan’s polio eradication programme, vaccination had reduced polio cases by 99.8 per cent, from an estimated 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to five so far this year, but transmission remained persistent in southern KP.

“This new case underscores the urgent need to maintain strong surveillance and vaccination efforts nationwide, because no child will be safe from polio until every child is vaccinated and safe,” it said.

However, the ongoing Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions could create an opportunity for the virus to rebound.

Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and, in some cases, death. It can, however, be prevented through safe and effective polio vaccines.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026