WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: After a US Army helicopter was shot down off Oman under unknown circumstances, President Donald Trump accused Iran of targeting the aircraft and vowed to respond, prompting a sharp reaction from Tehran that warned of payback in kind.

“I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” President Trump wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. He said the two pilots involved in the incident were both safe and uninjured.

“Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack,” he added.

In remarks earlier on Tuesday about the downing of the Apache helicopter, Trump had said the two crew members were “fine” following their rescue by a US Navy drone, but did not comment on what brought the Apache down. A surface drone found and rescued the two crew, the US military told Reuters. US Central Command said the AH-64 Apache went down at around 11pm (GMT) on Monday.

As the US warned of a response, Iran’s top negotiator Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran preferred the language of diplomacy but could “speak other languages far more fluently”. “Break your covenant, so that we may return to the language we know best of all,” he said in a statement posted by Iran’s Fars News Agency.

In a separate conversation, Trump also described his heated telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I said, ‘Do what’s right, but I want you to stop as quickly as you can’ — because they have to stop. This had to do with Lebanon, and it has to stop. We want to get it finished.” Trump also said they were in the “final throes” of a “very very good deal” with Iran that would open the Strait of Hormuz and stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

In Tehran, two Iranian air defence personnel were due to be buried on Tue­sday afternoon after being killed in Israeli strikes the day before, Iran’s military said. No deaths were reported in Israel after the Iranian strikes.

‘Not a quagmire’

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance says the war will not become a quagmire for Washington, unlike Iraq and Afghanistan. “I feel extremely confident that we are not going to be talking about America’s involvement in Iran even a year down the road, but certainly not years down the road,” Mr Vance told USA Today. “I think that we’re going to be successful. If this diplomacy ultimately falls apart, then the president has further tools at his disposal.” “But so long as we keep this thing anchored to the core mission — prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon — it’s not going to become a quagmire,” he added.

Earlier, he told Fox News that the US can get a “long-term settlement to Iran’s nuclear deal”. He said Israel and the United States have “a lot of shared interests, but we also have some situations where our interests diverge”.

“Thanks to what’s happened over the last few months, but really over the last year and a half, we’ve created the space necessary where the president believes — and I think he’s right — that we can get the long-term settlement to Iran’s nuclear deal,” Vance tells Fox News. “Now, Israel may like that, they may not like that, but fundamentally we think this is in the best interest of the United States of America.”

‘Renewed escalation’

As fears of fresh escalation grew, US Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday took to X and wrote, “I’m deeply alarmed by the renewed escalation in the Middle East. All attacks must stop immediately. The ceasefires in Lebanon, Iran & Gaza must be fully respected. Any steps that could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts must be avoided.”

China also urged all sides to avoid escalating the US-Israel war on Iran, stressing that military action cannot resolve disputes among nations. “The three-month-long US-Israel-Iran conflict has hit countries in the Gulf and the wider Middle East region hard,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in a statement. “At this critical juncture of Iran-US negotiations, no one should reignite military conflict. Regional countries’ sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity should be respected and upheld.”

Khamenei’s funeral

The official committee overseeing the funeral arrangements for Iran’s former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has announced that the procession and burial will take place after the first ten days of Muharram, dismissing reports regarding immediate dates, WANA Iran reports.

In its second official statement, the committee addressed widespread confusion surrounding the upcoming state funeral for the late supreme leader and members of his family who were killed alongside him in US-Israeli strikes on Feb 28.

It noted “extensive planning required to host a magnificent and dignified farewell, funeral, and burial” of Khamenei.

To ensure that millions of Shias across Iran and the globe can observe the sacred first ten days of Muharram without disruption, the national farewell ceremonies will be put on hold.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

WHEN Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb rises to present his third budget, the usual questions will apply. Which sectors face fresh taxation? Will the salaried class get any relief? How much will the cost of living increase? Who will get tax benefits, and who will not?

But this year, there is an additional dimension worth watching closely. Will the budget clip provincial finances? Will the Centre freeze provincial shares under the current National Finance Commission (NFC) arrangement and push fresh expenditure obligations onto provinces — over and above their existing requirement to produce a primary surplus?

If it does, it would amount to a unilateral revision of the NFC arrangement through the back door of the budget.

When parliament adopted the landmark 18th Amendment in 2010, it was meant to settle a long-running devolution dispute between the provinces and the Centre. The 7th NFC Award corrected decades of fiscal imbalance, giving smaller provinces — particularly Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — a larger stake in national revenues. It was a moment of rare political consensus. Fifteen years on, that settlement is being unravelled: not through a constitutional amendment or fresh consensus, but through pressure and demands that provinces simply hand the money back.

The announcement of Budget 2026-27 has been postponed twice as the Shehbaz Sharif government, its coalition partners and provincial governments struggle to agree on the Centre’s demand for additional funds of more than Rs1.2 trillion for strategic needs. The National Economic Council meeting, last called for June 9, was postponed for the fourth time amid continuing negotiations over the federal demand to freeze provincial shares in the federal tax divisible pool.

Former Pakistan chief economist Rashid Amjad called it a potential tragedy. “That [7th Award and 18th Amendment] is the best thing which has happened to Pakistan; it empowers provinces and strengthens the federation. They say they want to decentralise powers but they don’t want to give up power in the federal government,” he said.

‘Precarious situation’

Whatever is known about the contours of the federal government’s demand mostly comes from Muzzammil Aslam, finance adviser to the PTI government in KP, as the ruling PML-N and its principal coalition partner continue their discussions behind closed doors.

Aslam says the Centre told provinces 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. This demand comes over and above the Rs1.95 trillion cash surplus that provinces have already committed under the National Fiscal Pact pushed by the IMF.

Aslam warned the move would push provincial budgets into deficit. “I have not seen such a precarious situation in the past 21 to 22 years that I have been following budgets,” he told journalists after a meeting with a federal team led by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.

He acknowledged that “the demand for the strategic purpose is not unjustified and is in the national interest, but Sindh and Punjab will have to show generosity.” He also noted that the matter was beyond the KP government’s powers and required consultation with jailed PTI leader Imran Khan before any decision could be taken.

On the constitutional bar on reducing provincial NFC shares during a fiscal year, Aslam said there was no clear answer on the table — though the Centre perhaps intended to transfer funds to provinces and then seek their return, a workaround that raises serious questions of its own. As he put it, “everybody is standing on their toes” to find a solution, with no way forward yet in sight.

Also worth watching will be the PPP: what concessions it is willing to give, if any, and in exchange for what. Many believe the party has little room to refuse in the current political dispensation, with the coalition watching each move closely.

NFC rollback?

Proponents of the current NFC arrangement argue that the Centre’s posture did not emerge overnight. For years, Islamabad has pushed the narrative that the 7th Award — which hands 57.5 per cent of revenues to provinces — is the primary driver of its fiscal distress, leaving it unable to service debt, fund defence or complete strategic projects.

Critics say this narrative is built on selective accounting. By expanding non-shareable levies over the years, the federal government has quietly grown its own fiscal base while publicly lamenting its diminished share. “GST was replaced by a levy on petroleum products precisely so it wouldn’t go into the divisible pool. If it had remained GST, it would have had to be divided with the provinces,” said Ali Salman of the Policy Resea­rch Institute of Market Economy (PRIME).

A former Punjab finance secretary was equally blunt: “The NFC Award did not create the fiscal crisis; it inherited one. Debt and FBR dysfunction had crept into this system decades before provinces received a rupee more. Massive currency devaluation in recent years worsened this crisis. None of that has anything to do with how the divisible pool is split.”

Amjad identified the real squeeze. “When you are in an IMF programme, there are very strict macro-framework restrictions under which you work,” he said, adding that the government had compounded its difficulties by entering conflicts on multiple fronts simultaneously, driving federal expenses upward. “The only way you can square the circle is for provinces to take on more of the federal expenditures and run bigger surpluses.”

Salman noted that while the federal government bears a disproportionate fiscal burden, the revenue failure is shared. The NFC Award had set a target of bringing the tax-to-GDP ratio to 15 per cent within five years — a target the Centre never achieved, and one provinces did little to support either. “The abysmally low tax-to-GDP ratio of around 10pc is the core of the problem,” said Amjad. “The federal government must curtail its expenditures if it can’t raise tax revenues.”

Radical solutions?

Veteran PPP leader Raza Rabbani, who played a key role in building consensus on the 18th Amendment, warned that the Centre’s moves amounted to a gradual undoing of the constitutional order established in 2010. “They are rolling back the amendment in phases, and simultaneously the NFC Award, instead of reducing their own expenditure,” he said.

He pointed to devolved ministries still operating at the federal level as an obvious starting point, and called for cuts to civil bureaucracy perks. If the federal government was unwilling to take those steps, Rabbani proposed a more radical solution: hand over tax collection entirely to provinces, place federal expenditure before the Council of Common Interests, and have provinces contribute a proportionate share. “If they can’t put their own house in order, then they should stop tax collection altogether,” he said.

Rabbani reserved his strongest words for what he described as unprecedented IMF interference. “Based on my experience in politics, the level of IMF dictation regarding the budget is unlike anything I have seen before. This degree of micro-management of budget targets by the IMF is unprecedented,” he said, adding that the new fiscal targets being imposed on provinces also originated with the fund. “If parliament is to simply rubber-stamp an IMF budget, that is a different matter altogether.”

Whether provinces will ultimately cover the fiscal hole for Islamabad — and whether the Centre can build the consensus it needs — remain the central questions hanging over this budget season.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Signs that the federal budget may be presented later this week emerged on Tuesday after the government finally called a meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) on the same day that sessions of the National Assembly and Senate were summoned by President Asif Ali Zardari.

A source in the NA Secretariat told Dawn that both sessions have been called budget sessions for 2026–27; however, it is expected that the budget will be presented in parliament on June 12.

This echoed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry’s words, who said on Tuesday that the budget for the next fiscal year would likely be presented in parliament on Friday.

The NEC, meanwhile, is set to meet today (Wednesday) to finalise federal and provincial development plans after a broader agreement on cutting development and other expenditures at all tiers of the federation to cover around Rs800 billion revenue shortfall this year and jointly create similar, but higher, fiscal space next year for additional “strategic needs”.

Under the agreement reached between the PPP and PML-N, provincial shares from the federal divisible pool would stay frozen at the current fiscal year’s position. Any increase in FBR revenue next year on top of the current year’s collection would be retained by the Centre, informed sources said.

To avoid permanence and legal precedent, an ad hoc mechanism would be put in place under which the Centre would transfer full provincial shares to provincial accounts and the provincial governments would then credit the extra amount — higher than what they received this year — back to the Centre.

The sources said the additional amount being discussed for next year to be given up by the provinces was not fixed but dynamic, depending on FBR revenue collection, and could range anywhere between Rs1.3 trillion and Rs1.7tr.

To ensure that these additional amounts remain protected in favour of the Centre, both Sindh and Punjab would drastically cut their planned annual development plans (ADPs) for next year and reduce other expenditures. For this, the recent pattern of utilisation of petroleum subsidy by the Centre and provinces had already been practised, the sources said.

Interestingly, smaller provinces — Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — were not part of the deal so far. Moreover, the KP government was reportedly still going through internal political consultations on whether to participate in the NEC meeting.

There were, however, conflicting reports about additional fiscal space for the Centre’s strategic needs next year. Some sources said the PPP had been told that customs duty was not part of the list to be included in the Federal Consolidated Fund under Article 160(3) of the Constitution, but had been made part of the divisible pool under the National Finance Commission through a presidential order and could be removed from the list through a presidential order.

This adjustment, they said, could provide close to Rs1tr in additional fiscal cushion to the Centre next year. For the current year, the target for customs duty was set at Rs1.588tr, resulting in a provincial share of Rs892bn. However, such an option involved political and permanent complications and was eventually dropped.

PPP’s former finance minister and member of the negotiating team Saleem Mandviwalla told Dawn that the idea of excluding customs duty from the divisible pool was “nonsense” and stood no­­w­­here now. He, however, confir­med that an agreement had been reached on the Centre and provinces jointly covering the revenue shortfall this year and next year.

Responding to a question, he said development expenditures as well as other expenses would be cut across the provinces and the Centre. He said next year’s additional fiscal requirement would be flexible, ranging between Rs1.2tr and Rs1.5tr or so.

“There was disagreement on procedures which has been settled now,” he said, adding that under the agreement, whatever the requirement may be, it would be jointly covered by the Centre and the provinces. Declining to share details, he said it would be done within existing resources and without additional taxes.

In return, informed sources said, the PPP reportedly secured an increase in federal funding for the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M6) from Rs20bn cleared by the Annual Plan Coordination Committee to about Rs70bn, along with commitments for its actual utilisation and accelerated progress during the coming fiscal year, not just an allocation on paper.

The sources said the federal finance ministry had earlier indicated a maximum 7pc increase in salaries based on average inflation, but the freeze on provincial shares would mean no such facility for provincial employees.

As a result, the NEC would significantly revise downwards federal and provincial development plans worth Rs4.715tr for the next fiscal year amid conflicting fiscal needs of critical political and institutional stakeholders.

The sources said the Centre’s Rs1.126tr Public Sector Development Programme, as well as the combined provincial development portfolio of Rs3.138tr, would be brought down.

Originally, the Rs3.138tr provincial ADPs for next year shared with the APCC last week included Punjab’s Rs1.45tr allocation, up 17pc and accounting for 46pc of the total. This was followed by Sindh’s restrained development indication of Rs816bn compared to its current fiscal year allocation of Rs887bn, down 8pc.

KP also showed a higher development envelope of Rs564bn for next year, up almost a quarter from Rs455bn in the current fiscal year. On top of hefty federal allocations for the province, Balochistan had also pitched its ADP size at Rs308bn next year, up 10pc from Rs279bn this year.

The NEC — the highest economic decision-making forum of the federation, led by the prime minister and comprising the four chief ministers and four federal ministers — has a four-point agenda for the meeting.

The first item pertains to a review of the Annual Plan 2025-26, approval of the Annual Plan 2026-27 and a presentation on key socio-economic indicators of the provinces.

This will be followed by a review of Public Sector Investment 2025-26, the proposed Public Sector Investment 2026-27 and confirmation of changes made in the PSDP 2025-26 through addenda, corrigenda and adjustments on the directives of the prime minister, including a cut of around Rs175bn.

The meeting will also include presentations on provincial annual development plans by the four chief secretaries.

Besides, the NEC will take up a progress report of the Central Development Working Party from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, and schemes approved by the CDWP and the Executive Commi­ttee of the National Economic Council during the same period.

Syed Irfan Raza in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

MUZAFFARABAD: Parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) remained in the throes of a crippling shutter-down strike on Tuesday, which was punctuated by clashes between law enforcers and supporters of the recently-proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

The AJK government has issued orders to initiate sedition proceedings against two JAAC figures, and also announced a Rs10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of four of the group leaders.

At the same time, 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.

The clashes occurred when protesters from different areas of Mirpur division, comprising Mirpur, Bhimber and Kotli districts, took out rallies in line with the JAAC’s plan, envisaging a long march towards neighbouring Poonch division, en route to Muzaffarabad.

In the lakeside city of Mirpur, hundreds gathered outside the Quaid-i-Azam Cricket Stadium. They later began marching towards Plaak bridge, where they were reportedly joined by another rally from Dadyal, led by Khawaja Mehran Arshad at the border of Kotli district.

On the outskirts of Mirpur, two policemen and some protesters were injured in a brief clash in Pind Sabharwal village, an official said.

However, most violent clashes took place in Kotli city, after a procession of hundreds arrived there from Khuiratta tehsil. Though officials remained tight-lipped, residents and members of the AJK cabinet told Dawn — on condition of anonymity — that several people, including a doctor and a woman, were killed and scores of others wounded in the clashes.

According to initial reports, the doctor was on the roof of his home when he was hit by a stray bullet.

The strike and the ongoing closure of internet and mobile data services in the region has made it difficult to obtain real-time information from AJK.

Earlier in the day, all cities, towns and villages across AJK observed a complete shutter down strike. Even the banks, medical stores and bistros were closed and public and private transport off the roads.

However, in many areas motorcycles and a few private cars were occasionally seen moving through the streets without any disturbance.

In Muzaffarabad – the ultimate destination of protesters – riot police had taken positions in and outside government buildings and main thoroughfares to meet any eventuality. However, the capital remained completely calm on Tuesday.

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

Action against JAAC leaders

The AJK government issued orders to initiating sedition proceedings against JAAC 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.

The two men were also among a group of four JAAC figures for whom ‘head money’ of Rs10m was announced.

“The president of Azad Jammu & Kashmir has been pleased to fix Rs10m reward money to be granted to any person who provides information leading to the successful arrest of the following offenders belonging to the proscribed JAAC,” said another notification.

Those named in the notification include Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri, Khawaja Mehran Arshad and Sardar Aman Khan.

Five held over ‘suspicious links’

According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan, law enforcement agencies arrested five suspects in an intelligence-based operation, seizing laptops, mobile phones, and various communication devices.

During interrogation, information provided by one of the detainees led to the recovery of a large cache of arms, including seven automatic weapons, multiple grenades, and other military hardware.

According to APP, investigators have uncovered evidence pointing to their alleged contact with hostile foreign intelligence agencies.

‘Find a way out’

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,” he said.

Rights bodies concerned

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International expressed concern over the violent and sweeping crackdown on protests - including an internet shutdown, mass arbitrary arrests, and deadly use of force – and called on the authorities to take immediate steps to deescalate the situation.

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.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

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 returning officers 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 GBA-8, one in GBA-13, one in GBA-15, three in GBA-16, and 11 in GBA-17.

According to unofficial results, Mohammad Kazim Mesum of MWM had won from GBA-8, Rana Farman Ali of PML-N from GBA-13, independent candidate Dilpazir Khan from GBA-15, Ataullah of PPP from GBA-16 and Mohammad Naseem of PPP from 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 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 initial, unofficial results (Forms-47) of the June 7 elections.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

Speaking to Dawn before the team’s departure for Belgium via Karachi on Tuesday, the former Olympian acknowledged that the absence of the two players would be a major setback but expressed confidence that Paki­s­tan could improve on their performances in the previous rou­nds held in Argentina and Australia.

“The injuries to Hanan Shahid and Sufyan have dealt a significant blow to the team ahead of this important assignment,” Manzoor said.

“However, the team will do its utmost to achieve better results than those recorded in the previous two rounds of the league.”

Pakistan open their campaign in the third leg against hosts Belgium and Spain, with matc­hes scheduled from June 13 to 20. The team will then travel to England, where they will face arch-rivals India and hosts Engl­and between June 23 and 27.

In Belgium, Pakistan will play Belgium on June 13 and 19 and Spain on June 14 and 20. The matches against India are scheduled for June 23 and 26, while Pakistan will meet England on June 24 and 27.

Manzoor said Abdul Manan and Bashrat Ali had been inclu­ded in the squad as replacements for the injured players.

He added that although the team had little time to prepare, the management had worked hard to address shortcomings identified during the earlier stages of the competition.

Acknowledging the strength of the opposition, Manzoor des­c­­ribed all four teams as experienced and highly competitive.

“It would be premature to predict the results, but our players are motivated and well prepared after undergoing a mon­th-long training camp,” he said.

The coach revealed that particular emphasis had been pla­ced on improving Pakistan’s def­e­nce during the camp, though he admitted that Sufyan’s absence would be keenly felt.

“Sufyan is one of our best defenders and the team will certainly miss him,” he said.

According to Manzoor, Ha­nan has been advised two weeks’ rest, while Sufyan is expected to remain sidelined for four weeks.

Responding to a question about Pakistan reaching Belg­ium only two days before their opening match, Manzoor said the team had originally been scheduled to arrive on June 6.

“It would certainly have been better had the team arri­ved some days earlier before facing Belgium and Spain,” he said, adding that the original plan could not be implemented due to various reasons.

Manzoor said a victory over India would rank among the major achievements of the tour and would provide a significant boost to the efforts of the Pakis­tan Hockey Federation (PHF) to revive the sport in the country.

He acknowledged that Pakistan hockey had suffered several setbacks over the years and stressed that its revival would require time, planning and sustained effort.

The coach also praised Pakistan’s Under-18 team for securing the bronze medal at the Asia Cup in Japan.

Pakistan had lost 5-3 to India in the semi-finals after leading 3-2 before their opponents staged a comeback.

“Nevertheless, returning home with a bronze medal is a commendable achievement and the players deserve appreciation,” Manzoor said.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

Jota and Robertson became close friends during their time at Liverpool before the former’s spell there was cruelly cut short when he died, aged 28, in a car crash last July.

Robertson, who ended a trophy-laden nine year spell with Liverpool when he signed for Tottenham Hotspur last Friday, had paid tribute to Jota after the Scots secured their place at the finals for the first time since 1998.

“We spoke so much about going to the World Cup because he missed the last one with Portugal and I did with Scotland,” Robertson said last November after the play-off win over Denmark. “I know he’ll be smiling over me today.”

Rute Cardoso, the mother of Jota’s three children, said in her letter — which FIFA published along with a video of Robertson reading it — his words that night had touched her deeply.

“When I heard your words and learnt what you felt on that day when Scotland qualified for the World Cup, after so many years of waiting, I realised that Diogo never truly left the pitch,” wrote Cardoso, who married Jota days before he died alongside his brother Andre Silva.

“By achieving that moment and securing your place at the World Cup, you won’t be going alone.

“You’ll be taking his dream with you too. And when you step on to the pitch, I know it won’t just be you walking out. Diogo will be with you in your thoughts, in your steps, in your heart.

“So today, I want to thank you. Thank you for not forgetting him.

“Thank you for taking him with you. Thank you for turning the pain of loss into strength and into something so beautiful.

“That’s how we do it here at home too. Every day. He would be, and is, incredibly proud of you. Cherish that dream, Andy. Live it for yourself and for him.”

Robertson said Cardoso’s letter would stay with him for a “very long time”.

“I’ll carry him in my heart and I know he’ll be with me come the first game, come the second game, come the third game and hopefully beyond that,” said Robertson.

“He’s always there. The memories are always something that we bring up and sometimes laugh, sometimes cry.

“And that will be no different, especially going into a tournament which is full of emotion. I know he’ll be right at the front of my mind. I’m not only just playing for me. I’m playing for both of us.”

Robertson will hope to honour the memory of Jota by becoming the first Scotland skipper to lead the side into the knock-out stages of the finals at the ninth attempt.

The Scots open their campaign against Haiti on June 13 in Boston, followed by tougher dates with African champions Morocco, also in Boston on June 19, and five-time winners Brazil on June 24 in Miami.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

Haziq defeated Sameer Khan 6-4, 6-0 in the second round while Ruhab beat Huzaifa Farooqui 6-0, 6-2.

In the men’s singles second round played on Monday, Rahim Faisal overcame Asaad Sheikh 8-1 and Nadir Bachani beat Ebadur Rehman 8-2.

The women’s quarter-finals saw Rachelle Asif crush Ameli Chinoy 8-0, Eraj Batool rout Mashal Hussain 8-0 and Varisha Khan defeat Marium Shahis 8-4. In the first round played the same day, Varisha had earlier beaten Soha Hasan 8-4.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Dinara Akram advanced in girls U-18 first round with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bisma. Soha beat Amelia Chinoy 6-1, 6-2, Noor Hilalay defeated Zohha Imad 6-2, 6-1 and Zeenia Hussain led Xainab Afnan 6-2, 3-2 before retirement.

In boys U-14 second round on Monday, Kenyan Bus beat Nayyel Sohaib 4-2, 4-2 and Ansarullah downed Uzair 4-1, 4-0. The under-10 second round witnessed Rao Abdul Rehman beat Zohyre Imad 4-0, 4-0.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

LONDON: Home favo­urite Emma Raducanu won her first match since March as she swept past Russian Anna Blinkova 6-0, 6-3 in the opening round of the Queen’s Club WTA event on Tuesday.

The British number one has endured a tough year with injury and illness restricting her court time, and she was knocked out in the first round at the French Open.

But on the slick grasscourts the 2021 US Open champion, who has recently reunited with her former coach Andrew Richardson, produced a confident display against the qualifier as she began her preparations for Wimbledon.

“The way I was moving, the way I was expressing, just the whole package, not necessarily the tennis, just how I was acting on the court,” the 23-year-old said.

“I really enjoyed it and I think that’s something that I want to take forward in all my matches and really embrace this grass-court season.”

Raducanu will play Romanian seventh seed Sorana Cirstea next.

On Monday, defending champion Tatjana Maria started her title defence in style as she defeated Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-3.

The 38-year-old reached the main-round having be­a­ten Briton Lily Miyazaki and Uzkbek Kamilla Rakhimova.

But the German, mother of two who became the oldest winner of a WTA 500 title at the age of 37, thought she would get a wildcard.

“I think with all the respect of what I did last year, I was pretty sure to get a wild card or I was hoping to get a wildcard,” Maria told reporters.

“It was not, like, five years ago, it was last year and especially this tournament and to come back like a champion, I hoped and I thought I would get a wildcard.

“I was surprised when I got the message from (tou­r­nament director) Laura Robson saying all the wild cards would go to the British players, which I understand of course but you know as a champion, it’s tough for me (to accept).”

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

The second ODI had also been abandoned at the same venue on Saturday.

The abandonment of the third ODI handed Sri Lanka a 1-0 series victory, after their 41-run win in a high-scoring series opener at the same ground on June 3.

The umpires for the third ODI made several inspections, but after discussing with curators they decided that getting play started by the cut off of 8:02pm for a 20-over-a-side game was almost impossible.

Though the series was hampered by bad weather, still the series result is a marked achievement for the visitors who recorded their first ODI-series victory in the Caribbean after 23 years.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

A FIFA spokesperson said Artan would not be able to train or officiate at the World Cup — which kicks off on Thursday — after he was not allowed to enter the US over the weekend.

Somalia’s government said it had unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the US and FIFA so that Artan could enter the country and it was saddened by what had happened.

“His international achievements are a source of honour and pride for the Somali people,” Somalia’s sports ministry said in a statement.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Somali Football Federation expressed sadness over the situation, calling Artans appointment a milestone for the country that resulted from years of dedication, professionalism and integrity.

The SFF said it has not received an official explanation as to why Artan was denied entry to the US, adding that it is working closely with FIFA and the relevant authorities to understand the circumstances of the situation.

A senior Somali official told Reuters that diplomatic efforts were continuing to try to get Artan into the US for the tournament, but declined to share further details.

A FIFA spokesperson said the organisation “is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present”.

Artan said in a statement that despite the circumstances he was in a positive mood and focused on the next challenges of his refereeing career.

“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF [Confederation of African Football] for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,” he said.

It was not clear which game or games Artan would have refereed, although such information is typically only announced two to three days in advance.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

McKeown touched in 57.77 seconds to finish ahead of rising star Iona Anderson (58.60) who edged her team-mate in the morning heats on day two of the Australian trials in Sydney.

The six-day event acts as qualifying for not just next month’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games but also the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California in August.

“I feel like I’m 86 years old,” said the ailing McKeown, who shares the 10 fastest times in history with American arch-rival and current world record holder Regan Smith.

“But at the end of the day, I think it’s important to show that no matter what, you’ve got to stand up and give it your best. You don’t get things given to you in life, so you’ve got to put it together and see what you can do.”

Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia’s number two sprint backstroker after McKeown, was a no-show despite being the sixth-fastest performer of all-time.

O’Callaghan, who raced the 50m backstroke on Monday and came second to McKeown, will instead focus on the 50-100-200m freestyle.

Sam Short, who blitzed to a world-leading time this year in the 400m freestyle on Monday, was again in the zone over 200m.

He pulled out a personal best in the heats and then bettered it to touch first in 1:45.16 ahead of Kai Taylor (1:45.30).

“It’s so fun. It was such a stacked race and I love racing,” said Short, who is better-known as a distance swimmer and will defend his 1500m title in Glasgow.

World silver medallist Alex Perkins (25.60) hit the wall first in the women’s 50m butterfly while 17-year-old Sienna Toohey (1:05.97) took out the women’s 100m breaststroke.

Another 17-year-old, highly-rated prospect Henry Allan, won the men’s 100m backstroke in 53.52 while veteran Matt Temple (50.5) was a comfortable winner in the 100m butterfly.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

Brazil’s all-time record scorer underwent an MRI scan on Monday which showed he is “making good progress in his treatment” amid hopes that he will be able to play a part for Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the United States.

“He will continue to follow the recovery schedule and fitness programme as planned by the Brazil team medical staff,” the Braz­ilian Football Confed­eration said.

Neymar was diagnosed with a calf injury late last month and has since been in a race to recover fitness for the tournament, with Brazil kicking off their campaign against Morocco at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Saturday.

He did not take to the field with his team-mates for Monday’s workout at Brazil’s base, the new training ground of MLS outfit New York Red Bulls, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Manhattan. Instead he stayed inside to work in the gym.

Now 34, the former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain superstar has been an integral part of Brazil’s last three World Cup campaigns but there was some surprise at his inclusion this time as injuries have prevented him from playing for his country at all since 2023.

He has played in just half of his club’s games in the Brazilian league, cup and Copa Sudamericana this year due to various fitness issues.

Ancelotti insisted last week that the player, now with Santos, would be rea­dy for either Brazil’s first or second game and added that he was “in no rush” to bring him back.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

The in-form playmaker continued his rise as one of Les Bleus’ key attacking weapons, but France’s defensive concerns lingered four days after a 2-1 defeat by Ivory Coast with a much-changed side exposed frailties at the back.

France open their World Cup campaign against Senegal on June 16 in Group ‘I’ before facing Iraq and Norway.

Didier Deschamps fielded what is expected to be his starting lineup for France’s opener in New York, with Olise supporting Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Demb­ele and Desire Doue in attack, while William Saliba partnered Dayot Upamecano in defence.

Les Bleus initially struggled to break down a compact low block but found the breakthrough just before halftime.

Doue burst down the left and picked out Dembele in the box. Dembele’s effort was deflected into the path of Olise, who scored to give France the lead two minutes before the interval.

Olise struck again four minutes after the restart, lashing a half-volley into the net after a poor clearance.

Les Bleus, however, switched off defensively at times and were punished on the counterattack as Patrick Kelly met Shea Charles’s cross with a fierce finish to pull a goal back.

However, Olise, 24, put the game beyond doubt in the 75th minute, curling a magnificent strike into the far corner.

“We’ll need a Michel Olise at that level,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “Michael stands out because of the season he has had at Bayern and with us.

“He has achieved some really great things, he is full of confidence. He also has the ability to put in the effort, which is remarkable,” the 57-year-old added.

SPAIN DOWN PERU

Meanwhile on Monday, Spain gave a taste of what makes them one of the World Cup favourites with a 3-1 win over Peru in their final friendly.

The European champions were missing Barcelona star Lamine Yamal as he recovers from injury but still had too much for a Peru side who did not qualify.

The 18-year-old Yamal and fellow winger Nico Williams are exp­e­cted to be available for Spa­in’s World Cup opener against debutants Cape Verde on June 15.

Luis de la Fuente’s team took the lead after just two minutes in Puebla, Mexico, when Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal rifled into the top corner from outside the box.

Barcelona midfielder Pedri doubled Spain’s lead on 32 minutes, and a Pedro Gallese own goal eight minutes after half-time made it 3-0 when the goalkeeper flapped a cross into his own net.

Jairo Velez scored a consolation after 66 minutes in front of a crowd of 46,000.

Coach De la Fuente welcomed another convincing display but played down suggestions that Spa­in were clear favourites for the title.

“Being recognised as favourites guarantees nothing,” he said. “We have confidence in ourselves and in the way we play, but there are many other national teams with the same quality and ability as us.”

DUTCH EDGE UZBEKISTAN

In Monday’s other friendly, Netherlands striker Cody Gakpo converted two penalties, one with the last kick of the game, to see his side edge Uzbekistan 2-1 that was played behind closed doors at Icahn Stadium, New York City.

Gakpo had opened the scoring with a 31st-minute spot kick and then, two minutes after Uzbek­istan had equalised in stoppage time at the end of the game, netted a second penalty for an unconvincing victory.

The Dutch will play their opening Group ‘F’ clash against Japan in Dallas on Sunday.

Uzbekistan are in Group ‘K’ and play their opening game against Colombia in Mexico City June 18.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

In a statement sent to AFP four days before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 70-year-old Platini, who ran the 1998 edition in France, said his lawyers had filed two complaints in French courts.

The statement said the French justice system “is tasked with fully uncovering the conspiracy hatched against French football player Michel Platini to prevent him from assuming the FIFA presidency that had been promised to him”.

When Sepp Blatter fell as president of the governing body of world football in 2015, Platini, the head of European governing body UEFA, stepped forward as the most likely successor.

But the former France captain and coach was quickly submerged in the widening scandal. Instead his deputy at UEFA, Infantino, grabbed the FIFA presidency, starting a long-running vendetta.

On Monday, Platini named Infantino, 56, as well as former FIFA officials Marco Villiger and Domenico Scala, as targets of his suit. He also asked for former Swiss Attorney Michael Lauber and other officials in that department to be investigated by their French counterparts.

The first of the actions announced by Platini’s statement on Monday is a civil suit “to seek compensation for all the damages he has suffered as a result of the tactics used to prevent him from being elected FIFA President in 2015”.

The second is a criminal complaint to force an investigation into a “criminal conspiracy to commit false accusation...influence peddling....and aiding and abetting influence peddling.

“This complaint specifically targets the individuals who worked to eliminate Michel Platini from the race for the FIFA presidency.”

Platini has previously filed two separate complaints in Switzerland, but neither came to court.

Swiss prosecutors, for their part, launched a long-running criminal action against Platini for a payment he received from FIFA in 2011, but have three times failed to obtain a conviction.

Swiss authorities have also investigated Infantino for his use of private jets and for three secret meetings with Lauber in 2016 and 2017.

Platini reiterated on Monday that he believed he had been wronged.

“The Parisian investigating judge, along with investigative agencies, police, and gendarmerie, are tasked with uncovering and exposing the internal manoeuvres within FIFA, with the possible complicity of Swiss magistrates, to block the path of the three-time Ballon d’Or winner to the helm of world football,” said the statement.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

KARACHI: The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup may well have different features this time: 48 teams competing against each other instead of 32, and the event first time jointly held by three countries — Canada, Mexico and the United States played across 16 various cities — the enthusiasm among football fans in Lyari’s Ali Mohammad Mohalla is as lively as ever without an ounce of change in football frenzy.

If you are a lonely fan of any other country not Brazil, a slogan in support of your favourite country will invite countless Brazilian fans surrounding you, asking questions while drawing comparisons from friendly internationals or qualifying round matches when low-ranking teams heralded defeats on your favourite team. And if you are lucky enough to be joined by another supportive fan of your team, the argument turns rather interesting.

A similar troubling situation emerges when 16-year-old Fra­nce fan Ghulam Rasool finds himself in until his colleague Naveed reaches raising slogans ‘France will win’ to support him when he is silently surrendering to questions and counter-question by Brazilian fans.

“The French squad is inimitably strong this team. I don’t claim this. Fabulous striker such as Mbappe and his many fit comrades are enough to tell us about the team’s strong position in the tournament,” Rasool, mustering up courage after Naveed joined him, replied to one of the Brazilian fans.

While the fans of Brazil dominate the Ali Mohammad Mohalla, they also remain worried about the performance and line-up of the team, featuring only few star players. The toughest match to conquer will be against Morocco that Brazil will face on June 13.

“Indeed, the Brazilian team line-up seems weak this time, but the match against Morocco will be a decisive one. If Brazil supplants this challenge, I can firmly say the team will be performing well or even wins are not out of reach in other matches,” argues Sakhi Dad, a 65-year-old Brazilian fan.

Interestingly, the heated debates among fans not only confine to merely footballing experiences, but they go as far as accusing the FIFA to have been favouring teams. This accusation is particularly peddled by the Brazilian fans to suppress the Argentinian ones.

Liaquat Baloch, a Brazilian fan, has even coined the word ‘FIFATina’ describing the fav­our the ‘world football governing body has given to Argentina’.

“How come a team always gets unnecessary penalty kicks in matches at decisive mom­ents?” Liaquat asks an Argenti­nian fan, alluding to 2022 FIFA World in Qatar where the team received record five penalties, the last one given during the final against France.

These arguments, says Shahmurad, a Saudi Arabian team supporter, are just bubbles. After few movements, you will see them all celebrating together the joyous moments, while they had a heated debate a few minutes ago.

BEARING CELEBRATION COST ON THEIR OWN

At a distance of almost half a kilometer from Ali Mohammad Mohalla lies the Saifi Lane in Baghdadi where Khalid, 45, is busy in adorning the street with various flags. He and his colleagues have painted almost 40 flags on walls, and now figuring out how to hang some bantings across the busied Agra Taj main road. Khalid has been a football fan since 1994, but had got engaged in World Cup celebrations since 2022.

“I and my fellows have been managing events before and during World Cup matches. Things for the visitors seem quite joyous, but they entail a financial cost as well. I have spent around Rs200,000 this time just on purchasing team flags,” he says. “Sometimes, we have received financial aid from town chairmen, but this time we are on our own.”

DESERTED ‘BAMBASA’ STREET

The name ‘Bambasa’ Street actually comes from Kenyan city Mombasa. After a man of Kenyan origin arrived in Lyari from Mombasa before the partition, the street has been since named after the city. However, with the passage of time, the actual name has been mispronounced as Bambasa. Even the residents of the street are unwilling to budge an inch from replacing the initial B with M.

Unfortunately, this time the street, which has been a very famous location for the World Cup celebrations, trails the Saifi Lane and Ali Mohammad Mohalla.

“We have been waiting for the painter, but has been too busy to attend our calls. Besides, the painter has demanded hefty amount for painting the walls. We are on it. We will figure out a way to manage the cost,” says a football fan requesting not mention his name.

However, back in Ali Mohammad Mohalla, fans continue to engage in debates, each fan coming with a unique defensive argument to supplant his opponent.

“None of the teams will bring the Cup to Lyari. None of us will be benefiting from the wins of the favourite teams. But the joys that football brings to Lyari are the only moments that people of Lyari celebrate and keep close to their hearts,” says Sakhi Dad.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

Set a revised target in a rain-curtailed contest, Pakistan were left struggling at 62 for 5 in nine overs when persistent showers brought an early end to proceedings at Derby, handing Scotland a comfortable win after their commanding total of 191 for 5.

Earlier, captain Kathryn Bryce led from the front with a blistering unbeaten 94 off 43 deliveries, capitalising on a crucial reprieve early in her innings to propel Scotland to a strong finish after a steady start.

Pakistan, who opted to field, began promisingly, keeping Scotland to 41 without loss in the powerplay. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal provided the breakthrough shortly after the first drinks interval, trapping Katherine Fraser clean bowled with an arm ball.

Bryce capitalised on the missed opportunity when she was dropped early by Nashra Sandhu, striking 11 fours and three sixes in her innings.

The Scotland captain accelerated in death overs, as she added 50 runs in the final three to push her side past 190. Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs, although Tasmia Rubab, Sadia and Ayesha Zafar managed a wicket each.

Pakistan’s fielding lapses further compounded their problems, with misfields allowing Scotland to maintain pressure.

In response, Pakistan’s batting effort faltered from the outset. Rachel Slater struck twice in quick succession during the powerplay, leaving Pakistan reeling at 45 for 3 and unable to recover meaningful momentum.

The top order failed to settle against disciplined Scottish bowling, with wickets falling at regular intervals as the required rate climbed rapidly. Captain Fatima Sana remained unbeaten on 12 when rain returned to halt play with Pakistan well behind the revised DLS target.

With no further play possible, Scotland were declared winners by 41 runs under the DLS method, extending their strong form in the warm-up fixtures.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

The sanction was announced on Tuesday after match referee Graeme La Brooy submitted a report expressing concerns raised by the match officials and captains regarding the surface used for the series decider, which Pakistan won by four wickets to clinch the three-match series 2-1.

The ICC also rated as “unsatisfactory” the pitch used for the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s in London, with the iconic venue similarly receiving one demerit point.

According to an ICC media release, La Brooy observed that the Gaddafi Stadium pitch was “slow and low” and made run-scoring difficult throughout the contest.

“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,” he said.

Australia were bowled out for 157 in the match before Pakistan reached the target after a tense chase. Batting conditions were further affected by cloudy weather and strong winds.

The reports have been forwarded to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), both of which have 14 days to appeal against the sanctions.

The PCB has successfully challenged a similar ruling in the past. In 2022, the ICC awarded a demerit point to Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium following the Test against England, but the decision was later overturned after the PCB lodged an appeal.

Meanwhile, match referee Andy Pycroft criticised the Lord’s surface for excessively favouring bowlers during the England-New Zealand Test.

“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 the ball against the bat caused by the pitch,” Pycroft said. Neither Gaddafi Stadium nor Lord’s had any previous demerit points before the latest sanctions.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

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

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

The Iranian football body said FIFA regulations dictate that it should be allocated eight percent of tickets for each match, which are given to participating federations for distribution to their supporters through official channels.

According to the statement, Iran had already begun ticket sales for group stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt — all to be held in the US — after receiving its quota, with some fans having already made necessary arrangements.

“However, in an unexpected move, the allocation granted to the Iranian Football Federation has been withdrawn, and under the current circumstances, the federation is unable to provide even a single ticket to supporters of the national team,” it said.

The federation described the move as “contrary to the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries”.

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

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

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

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

A crucial meeting is likely to be held at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday, where PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi will receive a detailed briefing from the team management, including captain Shan Masood, the coaching staff and high-performance director Aaqib Javed on Pakistan’s latest Test series loss.

According to several reports, Shan is likely to be replaced as Test captain by T20 International skipper Salman Ali Agha. Former captain and all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez is also being considered for a key role in the PCB’s cricket structure, most likely as director of international cricket.

Although Pakistan won 27 of the 46 matches and lost 17 under Salman’s leadership, his individual performances as an all-rounder have remained below expectations. The additional responsibility of Test captaincy could further increase the burden on him.

The post of director of international cricket has remained vacant since Usman Wahla was removed from the position several months ago. However, the PCB has yet to advertise the vacancy on its official website.

Likewise, no permanent director of domestic cricket has been appointed since Abdullah Khurram Niazi was transferred to the Capital Development Authority (CDA). At present, the department is being run by two senior general managers. There are also unconfirmed reports that Abdullah continues to handle domestic cricket affairs as a consultant to the PCB chairman, though the board’s media department has not confirmed the claim.

Shan, who was appointed Test captain in 2023 by then PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf, has struggled to deliver results. Pakistan have played 16 Tests under his leadership and lost 12 of them.

The PCB had earlier shown confidence in Shan by assigning him the additional responsibility of director of international cricket. However, the decision was reversed within days after it became evident that the position required full-time administrative attention alongside his playing commitments.

Meanwhile, Aaqib’s role as selector and director high-performance is also expected to come under scrutiny. Over the past two years, he has served in multiple capacities, including selector, head coach on occasions and NCA director. Pakistan’s results during this period, however, have fallen short of expectations.

Pakistan failed to make an impact in the ICC Champions Trophy hosted by the country in 2025 and also endured a disappointing campaign in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The national side had similarly struggled in the 2024 T20 World Cup when former Test fast bowler Wahab Riaz was overseeing cricket affairs.

Overall, Mohsin has little to show in terms of on-field success despite making several changes to the captaincy, selection committee and coaching staff since assuming office on Feb 6, 2024.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

It was only Bangladesh’s second ever ODI victory against Australia, following their famous 2005 upset in Cardiff.

Mosaddek capped a fine all-round performance, bagging two wickets to walk away with the man-of-the-match award.

Chasing 285, Australia were reeling at 191-9 in 42.2 overs, still needing 93 runs off 46 balls with one wicket in hand, when a fierce thunderstorm forced the players off the field at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.

Bangladesh were declared winners via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS method.

Cameron Green top-scored for the visitors with an unbe­aten 52 off 66 balls but found little support as Bangladesh’s pace attack ran riot.

Taskin Ahmed struck on the first ball, bowling opener Matt Short for a duck.

Mustafizur Rahman then removed Marnus Labusc­hagne for just one off the second ball of the second over to leave Australia reeling at 2-2.

Cooper Connolly (35) survived a reprieve when Tanzid Hasan put down a chance at second slip off Mustafizur, and the opener steadied the innings briefly before being castled by an arm ball from Mosaddek.

Captain Josh Inglis fell for 19, edging a short ball from Rana to the keeper, while Alex Carey was bounced out by Rana for 47 as he attempted to rebuild alongside Green.

Australia’s lower order, including Matthew Renshaw, debutant Liam Scott and Xavier Bartlett, offered little resistance, leaving Green stranded at the crease.

Earlier, Mosaddek laid the platform with his 70-ball knock on his return to international cricket after four years, hitting seven fours and three sixes.

Bangladesh also benefited from six dropped catches by a sloppy Australia, four of them off Mosaddek.

Opener Tanzid Hasan and number three Najmul Hossain Shanto made vital contributions, with the left-handed pair hitting half-centuries.

Tanzid struck 54 off 44 balls before Nathan Ellis removed him in his second spell.

Shanto, continuing his rich vein of form, made 67 off 86 before a soft dismissal ended his innings.

The pair put on 96 runs for the second wicket off 91 balls after Australia struck early, with Ellis accounting for Saif Hassan (5) who edged to second slip where Labuschagne took a simple catch.

Australia threatened to seize control when Renshaw’s part-time off-spin proved surprisingly effective, removing Litton Das (7) with a return catch before also accounting for Shanto.

But Mosaddek steadied the innings, first adding 75 with Towhid Hridoy, before late partnerships of 20 with Tanvir Islam and 45 with Taskin to ensure a competitive total.

Ellis was the pick of the Aust­ralia bowlers with 3-38, while Scott and Renshaw claimed two wickets each.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH:

Saif Hassan c Labuschagne b Ellis 5

Tanzid Hasan c Bartlett b Ellis 54

Najmul Hossain c Connolly b Renshaw 67

Litton Das c&b Renshaw 7

Towhid Hridoy c Ellis b Bartlett 31

Mosaddek Hossain not out 86

Mehidy Hasan lbw b Scott 3

Tanvir Islam c Scott b Ellis 5

Taskin Ahmed c Ellis b Scott 20

EXTRAS (W-6) 6

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 284

DID NOT BAT: Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-10 (Saif), 2-106 (Tanzid), 3-125 (Litton), 4-140 (Najmul), 5-215 (Towhid), 6-219 (Mehidy), 7-239 (Tanvir), 8-284 (Taskin)

BOWLING: Bartlett 10-0-62-1 (3w), Ellis 10-1-38-3 (1w), Scott 8-0-57-2 (1w), Green 4-0-31-0 (1w), Short 3-0-14-0, Renshaw 8-0-35-2, Zampa 7-0-47-0

AUSTRALIA:

M. Short b Taskin 0

C. Connolly b Mosaddek 35

M. Labuschagne lbw b Mustafizur 1

J. Inglis c Litton b Nahid 19

A. Carey c Litton b Nahid 47

C. Green not out 52

M. Renshaw lbw b Mosaddek 2

L. Scott c Towhid b Nahid 2

X. Bartlett c Tanzid b Nahid 1

N. Ellis c Mosaddek b Mustafizur 8

A. Zampa not out 6

EXTRAS (B-5, W-13) 18

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 42.2 overs) 191

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Short), 2-2 (Labuschagne), 3-51 (Inglis), 4-91 (Connolly), 5-128 (Carey), 6-135 (Renshaw), 7-138 (Scott), 8-140 (Bartlett), 9-156 (Ellis)

BOWLING: Taskin 5-0-28-1 (2w), Mustafizur 5.2-0-24-2 (2w), Nahid 10-0-41-4 (5w), Mehidy 6-1-23-0, Mosaddek 10-1-37-2 (3w), Tanvir 6-1-33-0 (1w)

RESULT: Bangladesh won by 86 runs (DLS method).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mosaddek Hossain

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

Topline Securities Ltd said the benchmark KSE-100 index ended the session on a strong note, closing at 170,330 points, up 1,377 points or 0.81 per cent.

Market sentiment remained positive, supported by a decline in international crude oil prices after geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel eased. The improving regional outlook stren­gthened investor confidence and encouraged broad-based buying.

Although the market opened sharply higher, some gains were pared during the session as investors took profits. Neve­rtheless, sustained buying interest absorbed selling pressure, enabling the index to remain firmly in positive territory thro­ughout the day.

On the index contribution front, heavyweight stocks, including United Bank, Habib Bank, Hub Power, Lucky Cement, and Meezan Bank, collectively contributed 526 points to the benchmark index’s gain.

Market participation remained healthy, with total traded volume up 16.63pc to 767.45 million shares and total traded value surging 20.27pc to Rs27 billion.

Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd, said the PSX staged a strong recovery, reclaiming the key 170,000 level on a closing basis.

Investor sentiment improved amid easing geopolitical concerns, prompting broad-based buying from the opening bell and pushing the benchmark index sharply higher. Although some gains were trimmed later in the session, sustained buying interest kept the market firmly in positive territory for most of the day.

On the macro front, media reports suggest the federal government is likely to present the FY27 Budget on June 12, rather than the previously scheduled June 10, with a final decision expected within the next couple of days.

Analysts say improving geopolitical sentiment has provided near-term relief to the market. However, investors are likely to remain focused on regional developments and upcoming budget announcements, which may continue to shape market direction in the coming sessions.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

The front desk began operations on June 5, according to an official FBR statement on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

External debt incre­ased by 6.4pc year-on-year and 3.8pc month-on-month to Rs23.8tr in April.

The central government’s total debt stands at Rs81.9tr, up 9.3pc year-on-year and 1.7pc month-on-month.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research reviewed safety standards for synthetic mango-flavoured beverages, mango production challenges, and the export strategy. MNA Tariq Hussain chaired the meeting, which was also attended by representatives of the Multan Mango Growers Association.

At the outset, representatives of the Multan Mango Growers Association briefed the committee on the significant decline in mango production in recent years. They expressed concerns that artificial sweeteners in beverages have adversely affected demand for natural mango-pulp-based products.

It was further stated that prior to 2021, natural mango pulp was widely used in juice production. However, subsequent regulatory changes by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), which permitted increased use of artificial additives and chemical sweeteners, have contributed to reduced consumption of natural mango-based products and may be linked to long-term public health concerns.

PSQCA rule changes cut natural pulp use

On the health issue, the representative of the Ministry of National Health Services presented findings from the National Institute of Health (NIH), indicating potential adverse health effects associated with the frequent consumption of synthetic beverages. The committee noted that mango production has declined from 2.2m tonnes to 1.8m tonnes in recent years.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

The $2.7bn purchase price includes Payoneer’s cash, implying an enterprise value of about $2.3bn, the sources said.

Nuvei, backed by private equity firms Advent International, Novacap and Canadian investment group CDPQ, could sign a deal to acquire New York-based Payoneer in the coming days, the sources added.

The talks are ongoing and it’s possible the plans could change and a deal may not materialise, said the sources, who declined to be identified while discussing confidential information.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

Presiding over a review meeting, the prime minister instructed officials to ensure complete transparency in the privatisation process and establish a robust regulatory framework following the transition of Discos to the private sector.

During the briefing on the progress regarding the privatisation of Discos, it was told that in the first phase, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco), and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) would be privatised as the expressions of interest (EoIs) for the purpose had already been invited.

It was informed that the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation had approved the transaction structure regarding the privatisation of the said three Discos.

The international roadshows are being organised starting this month to attract investors from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and China.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Sardar Awais Leghari, Adviser to the Prime Minister Muhammad Ali, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, and relevant senior government officials.

Global Fund

In a separate meeting, the premier acknowledged the Global Fund as a critical partner of Pakistan in improving its healthcare system and appreciated the fund’s significant role and contributions to public health in the developing world.

A delegation led by Mark Edington of the Global Fund’s Grant Management Division alongside other members including Senior Portfolio Manager Izaskun Gaviria and Deputy General Counsel Natasha Heffinck met the premier, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

Brent futures fell $4.30, or 4.6pc, to $89.95 a barrel at 12:38 p.m. EDT (1638 GMT). US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slid $4.95, or 5.4pc, to $86.35.

That put Brent on track for its lowest close since April 17 and WTI on track for its lowest close since May 29.

Crude prices briefly pared losses around midday, down by just $2 a barrel, after Trump said Iran shot down a US Apache helicopter that was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz overnight. Trump added that the US, “must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”

“The oil market is drifting lower... as the latest shooting match between Israel and Iran was diffused in favour of a ceasefire and as Trump continues to talk the market lower by suggesting that an end of the war with Iran could be reached in 2-3 days with negotiations in their final stages,” analysts at energy advisory firm Ritterbusch and Associates said in a note.

Iran 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.

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

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

“The most damaging dimension of the current situation is the cross-purpose dynamic between fiscal and monetary policy,” the report said, adding that the federal government, through the petroleum levy (PL), directly injects cost-push inflation.

“The fiscal instrument creates inflation; the monetary instrument then tries to suppress it, at real economic cost to firms and households that have no control over either lever,” the paper stated.

Cost-push inflation generated through administered prices is unresponsive to higher interest rates, it said, adding that the conventional monetary transmission mechanism works by compressing aggregate demand; however, this channel is weak when inflation originates from a per-litre levy imposed on fuel prices.

PRAC says SBP policy rate hikes are increasing economic pressure

“In such a setting, policy-rate increases do not address the source of inflation. Instead, they raise debt-servicing costs for firms already facing elevated energy and input costs, further compressing margins and delaying the recovery in private investment,” the research noted.

The design of the petroleum levy also creates an asymmetric and potentially perverse transmission mechanism. When international oil prices decline, the resulting fiscal space allows the government to raise the levy without fully breaching politically sensitive pump-price thresholds. As a result, falling crude prices may not translate into disinflationary relief for consumers; instead, they may be offset by higher taxation and become inflationary through administered pricing.

The State Bank’s inflation assessment must explicitly account for this asymmetric fuel-price transmission, rather than treating fuel prices as purely exogenous, it suggested.

Re-emergence of double-digit inflation

According to the research, Pakistan’s CPI moderated to 0.3 per cent year-on-year in April 2025, marking its lowest level in decades and enabling a 150-basis-point easing cycle through December 2025 (12-10.5pc).

Inflation then accelerated steadily: 5.8pc in January 2026, 7pc in February, and 7.3pc in March, tracking closely with petroleum levy increases to Rs105.4 on March 1.“The decisive break came in April and May, when CPI jumped to 10.9pc and 11.7pc respectively, coinciding with the petroleum levy reaching Rs117.4 on May 9,” the report said.

Transport CPI reached 36.8pc year-on-year in May, becoming the single largest contributor to the inflation surge at 2.5 percentage points.

Housing, water, electricity, gas and fuels rose to 16.8pc year-on-year, contributing 3.5 percentage points. Together, these two energy-linked categories accounted for 6.0 percentage points of the 11.7pc headline inflation — more than half. The miscellaneous category at 15pc reflects secondary-round fuel cost embedded in consumer services.

The SBP’s April policy rate hike occurred precisely as this levy-driven surge was materialising, the report added.

In February, diesel carried a levy of Rs76.2 per litre, higher than petrol’s Rs84.40 in absolute terms but proportionally moderate at 28.4 per cent of the pump price. In March, the levy was reduced to Rs55.2 as global crude surged, requiring the subsidy mechanism to hold the retail price at Rs335.9.

Then, in early April, as ex-refinery prices spiked to an extraordinary Rs496.97 per litre — the highest in the dataset — the government waived the diesel levy entirely.

“Even with zero levy, the diesel price reached Rs520.4 on April 4 and remained there for eight days,” the research said. As global crude retreated, the government reintroduced the levy from May 1: Rs28.7, then Rs42.6, then Rs52.0, then Rs58, then Rs68.9 by May 30 — five consecutive increases in 29 days.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

A meeting was held at the Kenya High Commission in the last week of May, attended by members of the Pakistan Tea Association (PTA), officials of the Tea Board of Kenya and representatives of Kenya’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry. Participants urged the Kenyan authorities to withdraw the levy.

PTA Chairman Muhammad Altaf said Pakistan was one of the most important markets for Kenyan tea, importing around 36pc of Kenya’s annual tea production of an estimated 550 million kilogrammes, in addition to volumes routed indirectly through regional trading hubs.

He said the levy could have significant commercial repercussions at a time when Pakistan was already facing economic challenges stemming from regional geopolitical developments, rising freight charges, higher packaging costs and import-related pressures.

According to Mr Altaf, the additional levy would increase costs for consumers and contribute to food inflation, as tea is a staple commodity in Pakistan. He added that higher prices could reduce overall consumption and adversely affect volumes across the supply chain.

He warned that the continuation of such measures could encourage importers to seek alternative sources, including Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Bangladesh, as well as other African tea-producing countries.

The association had conveyed to the Kenyan High Commission that the levy should not be applied to exports destined for Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026