Rubio’s statement came in response to a question about tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan at a press talks in Atlanta.

“Pakistan is concerned about terrorist attacks that are being sponsored from the territory of Afghanistan. They feel as if the Taliban have not done enough to constrain those attacks, and they have taken action against it.

“We obviously have heard those concerns on their part. We obviously don’t want them to be targeted for terrorism. So if there’s a productive role for us to play, we would play it,” Rubio said.

Mentioning that the US did not “necessarily [have] the closest relationship” with the Afghan Taliban, Rubio added: “We’ve heard the concerns that Pakistan has raised and we’ve seen some of those attacks that they point to. We’re against terrorism no matter where it emanates from and who it targets.”

Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration in Kabul to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), that it says are used for attacks in Pakistan.

For their part, the Afghan Taliban have avoided taking a categorical position on the TTP and other groups, while rejecting Islamabad’s allegations that Afghanistan is being used as a base for attacks against Pakistan.

On Saturday, Pakistan’s information ministry rebuked the Afghan Taliban’s stance on the ongoing conflict between the two countries, assailing its “persistent refusal to address terrorism” emanating from Afghanistan’s soil.

The statement came in response to remarks made by Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who blamed Islamabad’s “wrong policies” for preventing a resolution to the conflict and insisted Kabul was not the cause of counterterrorism issues.

In its response, the information ministry said the Afghan spokesman’s remarks expose the “regime’s deeply misguided approach and unwillingness to confront the root cause of deteriorating relations with Pakistan”.

“The Taliban leadership continues to blame Islamabad’s policies while conveniently ignoring the single most important issue poisoning bilateral relations: its persistent failure to address terrorism emanating from Afghan soil,” it added.

Islamabad reiterated that the “Taliban regime’s persistent refusal to address terrorism remains the principal obstacle to normal relations”.

Multiple rounds of talks between the two sides last year, facilitated by Qatar and Turkiye, failed to bring about any workable solution, with the Pakistani government saying the Taliban officials gave no assurances on the key issues. Efforts this year made with China’s involvement also resulted in no breakthrough.

Russia, the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban government, has also recently renewed its offer to facilitate a settlement if both sides request its involvement.

Moscow’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, had last month made this suggestion after the latest round of the Moscow Format consultations on Oct 5 ended without a joint communiqué because of differences between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban delegations over references to terrorist networks operating from Afghanistan.

When asked about it during a weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan had said talks with Afghanistan could not be unconditional. He also rejected suggestions that Islamabad was unwilling to engage with its neighbour, saying it would welcome sincere efforts by friendly countries to help resolve the dispute.

He further stated: “At present, I am not aware of any separate, formal Russian mediation initiative being under discussion.”

Meanwhile, intermittent skirmishes at the border continue.

September witnessed yet another bout of conflict between the two neighbours, with Pakistan carrying out calibrated airstrikes in the border region in response to terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Those skirmishes continued in October with Pakistani security forces responding to unprovoked fire from the Afghan side along the border in Kurram and Lower South Waziristan’s Angoor Adda, according to security sources.

In a press release, PIA said Hamilton-Manns “brings a wealth of leadership and strategic experience within the global aviation sector”, adding that his appointment “marks a pivotal chapter” in the airline’s ongoing transformation.

It said that he had managed three airlines as CEO and was considered a “world expert” in transforming and reviving airlines, with over 30 years of experience.

“As Hamilton-Manns assumes the role of CEO, the consortium and the entire management board extend their deepest gratitude to the outgoing CEO, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Amir Hayat, for his outstanding service and dedication to this vital national role,” the statement said.

It added that over his four-and-a-half-year tenure, Hayat’s leadership was “instrumental in navigating the airline through significant industry challenges”.

“His relentless efforts were central to initiating comprehensive structural reforms, optimising operational efficiencies and successfully preparing the airline for its highly anticipated privatisation phase,” it said.

“The foundation he has laid will be critical to the carrier’s future commercial viability and success,” it added.

The statement said that with Hamilton-Manns at the helm, PIA was confident that his extensive industry expertise would accelerate strategic objectives, elevate service standards and drive sustainable profitability in this new era.

According to Forbes Middle East, Hamilton-Manns was previously the CEO of Oman’s SalamAir and Kazakhstan-based FlyArystan. He also held roles at South African Airways and Virgin Australia.

The national flag carrier was privatised in December last year through an auction. A consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation Limited had won the auction for 75 per cent shares of PIA in December last year, making a winning bid of Rs135 billion.

The Arif Habib-led consortium, which took charge in June this year, had vowed to transform the loss-making airline through operational restructuring, fleet expansion, and improved customer service.

On Sunday, the carrier’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, acquired on lease last month, arrived in Islamabad from London as flight PK786. A PIA spokesperson said that the carrier was the first Pakistani airline to have added a Boeing 787-9 to its fleet.

The government on Monday slashed the price of petrol by Rs3.40 per litre, and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs7.76.

Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs374.51 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs395.20.

The prices are applicable for Nov 3 (Tuesday), according to a notification by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra).

The government continues to levy Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel.

However, under a new arrangement, oil refineries would contribute to the petroleum levy by bearing a monthly cumulative impact of Rs15 billion, according to the government. This would allow a Rs14.71 reduction in the petrol price on consumers’ end.

“The [petroleum levy] impact on estimated total country volume of Rs. 14.71/litre shall be surrendered by refineries @ Rs49.02/litre on their sales to [oil marketing companies],” reads a document by Ogra.

The government announced the arrangement during a press conference in Islamabad, held by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.

“I am grateful to all the refineries that saw the public is in difficulty and with the government’s help … increased their throughput,” Malik said, adding that these refineries had made profits from this throughput in the last three months.

“They were requested to take a step to support the public during this difficult time, and I am glad that they listened to us … the Rs15 increase that was coming in the petrol prices on Friday, they helped the government with that. Because of that, we were able to maintain the price.”

On Oct 27, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad to discuss his party’s demand to provide relief to the public by abolishing the levy.

The two sides agreed to form a joint committee of the JI and the government to consider the expansion of the ongoing fuel relief scheme, being offered to owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles of up to 800cc since Sept 17.

For his part, Rehman declared that his party would march to Islamabad in protest of the petroleum levy in mid-November if the government did not announce any major relief by then.

Rise in fuel prices

The price of HSD has come down from a peak of Rs520.35 recorded on April 3. Its price had started rising from Rs281 per litre after the US-Iran war broke out on Feb 28.

The petrol price had peaked at Rs458.41 on April 3 after beginning its upward trajectory from Rs266 in the first week of March.

Meanwhile, the government has reintroduced a raft of austerity measures in response to rising fuel prices amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Under these measures, markets are required to close by 9pm, and fuel allocations for official vehicles have been cut by 50 per cent for three months.

On Sept 13, PM Shehbaz also announced a “relief scheme” for users of motorcycles, autos and vehicles of up to 800cc to “alleviate the burden” of rising global oil prices.

Previously, on July 17, the petroleum minister announced that fuel prices would now be fixed on a daily basis due to fluctuations in international market prices following renewed hostilities between Iran and the US.

Prior to this, the government had been announcing weekly revisions to fuel prices since early March, alongside measures for the conservation of fuel amid possible oil supply disruptions due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The federal government in April also announced targeted relief measures to provide subsidised fuel.

The petroleum minister stated that the cabinet and the prime minister had decided to give Ogra the responsibility of deciding fuel prices on a daily basis based on international market trends.

Petrol is mainly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers, and changes in its price affect the middle and lower-middle classes.

Similarly, changes in diesel prices also impact the public at large, as it is mainly used in the heavy transport sector, power plants and large generators.

Petrol and HSD are the major revenue earners, with monthly sales of about 700,000 to 800,000 tonnes, compared to just 10,000 tonnes of monthly demand for kerosene.

Additional input by Khaleeq Kiani

According to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the missile is equipped with a state-of-the-art terminal guidance system and can engage enemy targets at longer ranges.

“Fa’az will significantly enhance [the] operational flexibility of [the] Pakistan Air Force, further strengthening the country’s overall defence posture. The successful flight test underscores the technical maturity, innovation and self-reliance achieved by Pakistan’s defence industry,” the statement added.

The launch was witnessed by senior military officers, scientists and engineers involved in the development of the system, the ISPR said.

It added that President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and the service chiefs congratulated the scientists.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued a statement congratulating the nation on the test.

“Our scientists and engineers have once again achieved a remarkable feat that makes the nation proud,” the ministry quoted him as saying. “The successful test of the indigenously developed Fa’az missile marks a significant advancement in the field of defence.

“We are all proud of Pakistan’s distinguished scientists and engineers.”

Pakistan successfully tested two surface-to-surface missiles last month; the Fatah-2 extended range (ER) hypersonic ballistic missile was tested on Oct 13, and the indigenously developed extended version of the Fatah-IV ground-launched cruise missile was tested a week before that.

ISPR said that the Fatah-2 ER is equipped with advanced navigation and state-of-the-art avionics.

“It is capable of engaging targets with high precision and defeating [the] enemy’s missile defence systems due to its unique trajectory and manoeuvrability features,” it added.

For Fatah-IV ER, ISPR said: “Equipped with advanced avionics and state-of-the-art navigational aids, the weapon system is capable of engaging targets at extended ranges with high precision and lethality.”

It noted that the test “also validated additional technical parameters of various sub-systems incorporated for improved accuracy and enhanced survivability”.

Imran has been in prison since Aug 5, 2023, while his wife was arrested on Jan 17, 2025 in a separate case in which the couple were sentenced.

The IHC has allowed Imran twice-a-week meetings — on Tuesdays and Thursdays — with his family, lawyers and other associates. Despite multiple court directives, Imran’s meetings with his family and party leaders have been largely restricted in recent months.

In a post on X on Monday, Safdar said the meeting was his first with Imran after seven months and with Bushra in 11 months.

The last time he met Imran, the Supreme Court designated him as amicus. However, this time he met Imran Khan as his lawyer.

It lasted 40 minutes and was “insufficient to cover all cases [and] legal matters”, the PTI counsel contended.

“Both briefed me on their health conditions [and living] conditions and gave Fresh instructions for some legal matters and cases,” he wrote on X.

PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told Dawn that he spoke to Safdar in detail.

“Salman told me that the meeting was held in connection with a number of applications which have been filed in courts to arrange meetings with Imran Khan,” he said.

“Salman has told me that he reached Adiala Jail at around 4:30pm and the meeting continued for around 40 to 45 minutes. However, he said that it was not sufficient time for the meetings, as there were so many cases which had to be discussed and as the meeting was being held after such a long time.“

Replying to a question, Akram said that no political issues were discussed during the meeting, which he added was also attended by Bushra Bibi. Safdar spoke about the cases and asked about future strategy.

When asked about Imran’s health, Akram replied that although health issues were discussed, the PTI would only speak about the legal cases.

Barrister Safdar’s last publicly reported meeting with Imran was held on April 8 this year, a day after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed authorities to arrange the meeting.

His previous meeting on Feb 10 with the former premier was also on the directives of the Supreme Court, where concerns about Imran’s health were raised.

Imran’s eye ailment — right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) — came to light in late January. While he has undergone eye procedures at the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), his family demands that he be shifted to a hospital of his choice.

The government and the opposition have been engaged in a blame game, with the latter accusing the former of a lack of transparency on the matter, of not ensuring appropriate treatment for Imran, and of not allowing his personal physicians access to him. The government denies these allegations.

Imran was sent to jail for a three-year term on Aug 5, 2023 for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts. However, he and Bushra are also serving a 14-year sentence in a £190 million corruption case, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The couple were convicted in another Toshakhana case in December 2025, with 10-year and seven-year terms handed to them. The PTI founder also faces pending trials in terrorism cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots.

Imran’s sisters Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, along with opposition leaders, have staged frequent sit-ins outside the Adiala jail demanding the PTI founder’s release.

They remain unable to stage more sit-ins since their detention in late September under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, as the PTI geared up for a protest march to Islamabad.

Polls predict the Democrats will win a majority in the House of Representatives and possibly seize the Senate on the back of voter resentment at an unpopular president, soaring energy costs and the dragging conflict with Iran.

Republicans losing the House would give Democrats the power to stall Trump’s legislative agenda and launch sweeping investigations of his administration. A Senate defeat would also threaten his ability to appoint Supreme Court justices and senior officials.

Donta Comer, a 38-year-old project manager in an Atlanta suburb, told AFP he “voted for mostly Democratic candidates”.

“It’s just about the cost of living, gas prices, those kind of things,” Comer said. “It needs to change for the everyday person and I’m an everyday person.”

Trump defended his record in a final TV phone-in pitch to voters on Tuesday, saying he had rebuilt the country through his immigration crackdown, war on Iran and tariff policy.

“We have to keep America great. We’re great now. We were terrible two years ago,” Trump told ‘Fox & Friends’.

All 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are at stake, along with governorships in 36 states. Democrats need only three House gains and a net four seats in the Senate to wrest both chambers from Republican hands.

Trump returned to office last year promising to bring down prices, but inflation, tariffs and fuel costs inflated by the Middle East conflict have squeezed Americans.

The 80-year-old’s approval rating has hovered near the low 30s.

In the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, retired teacher Jane Callum, 77, was among Democrats canvassing for Senator Jon Ossoff, who framed the race as a watershed moment for the country’s future.

“I really feel an obligation to do everything that I possibly can to change the direction that our country is going in now, and put it more on the path to democracy and away from autocracy,” she told AFP.

Economic discontent

Republicans insist that Trump’s tax cuts and anti-migrant stance will benefit voters, and they are portraying Democratic candidates as left-wing radical socialists — a message that seemed to resonate with Daryl Ruley, an 84-year-old voter in Austin, Texas.

“A lot of today’s younger people think socialism is the way to go,” Ruley told AFP. “They don’t understand history if they believe that’s the case.”

But in his final public campaign appearance on Monday, Trump barely touched on the election and gave a rambling talk about his problem-plagued renovation of Washington’s Reflecting Pool.

“This is the last day before the midterm elections, the most important midterm I believe in our lifetime,” he said, 26 minutes into the speech, before quickly returning to talking about renovations.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer branded it a “pathetic closing message”.

Some Republican supporters remain confident. “We’re going to win. As a matter of fact, we’ve probably already won,” Texas military veteran Yvonne Clouser told AFP.

Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate majority, but the battlefield has extended into once reliably conservative states like Kansas, Texas, Iowa, Ohio and Alaska.

Democrats must also defend competitive seats, including in Michigan, where a bitter internal dispute saw Congresswoman Haley Stevens endorse Republican Mike Rogers rather than the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.

Decision Desk HQ’s final forecast projected 241 House seats for Democrats against 194 for Republicans, and a narrower 52-48 Democratic Senate majority.

Trump, who will watch the midterm results at the White House on Tuesday night, signalled that if he does lose control of Congress, he could simply defy Democrats.

“I veto everything,” he told a podcast on Monday, although he said he might strike deals with Democrats eventually.

Justice Department to monitor elections in all 50 states

More than 57 million Americans had already voted early before Tuesday, indicating high engagement.

The campaign has attracted more than $11 billion in political advertising, while billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Republican political efforts.

As soon as polls close, concerns will mount over whether results will be accepted by the Republicans.

Trump, who tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat, has repeatedly alleged widespread voter fraud and accused Democrats — with no evidence — of cheating. His administration has stepped up efforts to investigate suspected non-citizen voting, although research and election officials indicate that such cases are exceedingly rare.

The Justice Department, run by a close Trump ally, has already sued to potentially block certification of Alaska’s Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan narrowly loses, although a court ruled against the effort on the eve of the election.

And the Supreme Court rejected on Monday an emergency bid to force California to set aside the mail-in ballots of more than 20,000 people on the grounds they may not be American citizens.

The Justice Department also announced that it was deploying approximately 1,000 election monitors and observers across all 50 states for the first time in its history.

The expanded monitoring effort has also raised questions about the federal government’s role in elections, which are primarily administered by state and local authorities. The Justice Department is part of the executive branch headed by Trump, unlike the courts, which exercise an independent judicial function.

The department described the deployment as “the largest election-monitoring effort in its history”, saying it was intended to “protect voting rights, ensure election integrity and promote transparency”.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who heads the Civil Rights Division, described election integrity as a top priority for the administration.

“Election integrity has been one of the top priorities for this Administration and this Division,” Dhillon said.

The monitors will check compliance with federal laws protecting voting rights, including the Voting Rights Act. Their responsibilities will also include overseeing protections for voters with disabilities and enforcing laws prohibiting voter intimidation and suppression based on race, colour, national origin or religion.

The department said its personnel would remain in contact with state and local election officials throughout Election Day.

It also urged voters who encounter violence, threats or intimidation at polling places to contact local police immediately by calling 911. Suspected violations of federal voting rights laws can also be reported to the Civil Rights Division.

The Democratic landslide will give the opposition power to block legislation, launch broad investigations into Trump’s administration and thwart his judicial and senior government appointments.

The vote reflected deep anger over living costs, tariffs and Trump’s war against Iran, which has sent fuel prices soaring and compounded dissatisfaction with an already deeply unpopular president.

Trump struck a conciliatory note despite his history of questioning election results, telling The New York Times: “I am absolutely willing to accept those results” and promising to “work with the Democrats”.

“I think the Democrats did a good job, I really do,” the 80-year-old told Fox News, in rare praise for his political opponents. “They fought hard.”

But he sought to distance himself from his own party’s poor showing, adding: “I don’t view it as a hit on me.”

He acknowledged that the Iran conflict had contributed to the defeat but defended the military campaign, and he suggested the rival parties could find common ground on immigration, long one of the most divisive issues of his presidency.

But minutes later on social media the 80-year-old signalled how he intends to deal with Democratic attempts to pass laws, posting a picture of a red baseball cap emblazoned: “VETO.”

The Democrats’ decisive Senate breakthroughs came in Kansas and Iowa, the fifth and sixth Republican-held seats to fall in the extraordinary “blue wave” election night.

In Kansas, Methodist minister Adam Hamilton defeated Republican incumbent Roger Marshall, becoming the first Democrat elected to the Senate from the reliably conservative state since 1932.

Iowa had not elected a Democratic senator since 2008, again illustrating the scale of party’s inroads into Republican strongholds.

The upsets followed victories in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina and Ohio, where voters rejected Republican candidates despite Trump’s intensive efforts to rally his supporters.

Democrat James Talarico ousted a Trump-backed Senate candidate, while Gina Hinojosa unseated Republican governor Greg Abbott, ending decades of Republican control of the state’s top office.

Talarico said that “we defeated Goliath” after winning a US Senate seat over Texas attorney General Ken Paxton, a close ally of President Donald Trump who was heavily backed by tech billionaire Elon Musk.

“In this race, we went up against our own Goliaths. The richest man in the world, the most powerful man in the world, and the entire Washington, DC establishment,” Talarico told a victory rally in the Texas capital, Austin.

Democrats also protected key Senate seats of their own, including Jon Ossoff’s in Georgia and an open seat in New Hampshire.

In California, Democrat Xavier Becerra handily defeated Donald Trump-backed Republican Steve Hilton in the race to become the governor, US networks said.

Partial results showed Becerra, a career politician who served in the cabinet of former president Joe Biden, had a nearly two-to-one advantage over Hilton, with about half of the ballots counted.

Becerra had run a low-key campaign in a state where Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans and where the Trump brand is almost toxic.

The son of Mexican immigrants, he will be the first elected Latino governor of California, a state that would be the world’s fourth-largest economy if it were a country.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you have now entered the Becerra era,” the former US Health and Human Services secretary told his supporters at a victory party in Sacramento.

“I didn’t run to make history,” he said. “I ran to make a difference for anyone and everyone who calls California home, whether you voted for me or not.”

Becerra will replace term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democratic Party big-hitter who is believed to have his eyes on a tilt at the White House in 2028.

Hilton, a British-born conservative former pundit who was once an adviser to former UK prime minister David Cameron, had always been a long shot.

He conceded he had lost a difficult race.

“Maybe this isn’t the best year to be running for office as a Republican when we see what’s going on around the country,” he said.

Republicans had held a 53-47 Senate majority.

The six-seat Democratic gain proved sufficient for networks to project a takeover despite some races remaining unresolved.

Republican heartland

Democrats also captured the House after flipping Republican-held districts in states stretching from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to Kentucky, Arizona and North Carolina.

Some victories came in territory Trump had carried comfortably in 2024, despite Republican attempts to shore up House seats by redrawing electoral boundaries.

One bellwether was Indiana, where Democrat J.D. Ford defeated Republican congresswoman Victoria Spartz in a district Trump won by 17 points. Analysts had identified an upset there as a warning of a much wider Democratic advance.

In Georgia, former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in US history, while other Democratic gains extended to statehouses across the country.

Republicans had some bright spots in Florida, where Trump-backed Byron Donalds won the governorship, becoming the state’s first Black governor, and Ashley Moody kept a Senate seat.

George Washington University professor Todd Belt called the Democratic advance “a big wipeout and a strong repudiation of Donald Trump and his policies,” citing voters’ concerns about the economy, corruption and the Iran conflict.

Trump on defensive

Democrats will now be able to block Trump’s legislation, investigate his administration over corruption allegations, the Iran war and immigration enforcement, and use Senate control to thwart judicial appointments and senior nominations.

Robert Garcia, a Democrat expected to lead the powerful House Oversight Committee, warned Republicans on social media: “LAWYER UP.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries declared Trump’s MAGA movement “on the run from sea to shining sea.”

Jeffries is also positioned to become the first Black speaker of the House when the new Congress convenes in January, if elected by his colleagues.

As speaker, Jeffries, representing a New York City congressional district, would preside over a majority that will be sworn in the first week of January, taking the reins from Republicans who controlled the House for the past four years.

“Today begins the great American comeback,” Jeffries proclaimed in a victory speech late on Tuesday after media outlets projected the likelihood of Democratic majorities in the House and Senate.

For many voters, the central concern was Trump’s stewardship of the economy.

“Rent, groceries, utility bills, and property taxes keep climbing,” 24-year-old Los Angeles voter Taylor Cook told AFP.

A rebuke to Trump, winner says

“In sweeping and decisive victories, the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption and incompetence of the man named President Donald J. Trump,” incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, the projected winner in Georgia, told supporters at a victory party.

In Florida, Republican Senator Ashley Moody fended off Democrat Angie Nixon but was ahead by only about three percentage points in a state Trump carried by 13 points in 2024, according to a vote count compiled by Reuters and USA Today, further evidence that even solidly Republican states were shifting dramatically toward Democrats.

Democrats held onto three House districts in Florida that Republican lawmakers had redrawn earlier this year, all of which backed Trump by at least nine percentage points, according to media projections.

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former mayor of Atlanta, on Tuesday was elected governor of the state of Georgia, becoming the first Black woman elected to that office in the US, media projections showed.

CNN and NBC News called the race in her favour.

Bottoms defeated billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson, who ran as a Republican. Current Governor Brian Kemp is term-limited and could not run again.

Midterm elections are typically viewed as a referendum on the president, and that is especially true for Trump, who dominates attention like no other politician. Trump himself told his supporters to “pretend I’m on the ballot” and held dozens of rallies in the closing weeks.

According to exit polls conducted by SSRS on behalf of a consortium of US media outlets, including major television networks and the Associated Press, half of voters nationwide said they saw the 2026 midterm elections as an opportunity to rebuke the president, and three-quarters said they are “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the way the country is headed.

In addition, 70 per cent of voters surveyed said they want Congress to provide more checks and balances on the president.

History is against Republicans: the sitting president’s party has lost ground in Congress in all but two midterms since World War Two. Trump’s approval rating is hovering near his career lows, with voters frustrated by war on Iran, higher fuel prices and wider affordability concerns.

Led by Trump, Republicans have portrayed Democratic candidates as radical, un-American and even communist, labels Democrats flatly reject.

Opinion polls show voters are most concerned about affordability and disapprove of Trump’s handling of the issue. His tariffs on imports, many of which the courts threw out, and his decision to attack Iran in February raised prices for consumers.

Trump deploys election monitors

The US Justice Department said it had deployed 1,000 election monitors and observers to all 50 states in what it called the largest Election Day monitoring effort in history.

Democrats criticised the plan as potential voter intimidation. In roughly two-thirds of the jurisdictions the department listed, voters supported Democrat Kamala Harris over Trump in the 2024 presidential election, a Reuters analysis found.

Election officials in several states reported no issues with the monitoring effort. New Mexico’s secretary of state’s office said it had received reports of federal monitors asking “unusual questions” in one county and that the Justice Department offered assurances that the conduct would be addressed.

The Pakistan Cricket Board announced the squad on Tuesday, with the Shaheens set to defend the title they won in the previous 50-over edition in 2023. Pakistan are also the defending champions of the T20 version of the competition, having beaten Bangladesh A in a final decided by a Super Over.

The eight-team tournament will feature two groups of four sides. Pakistan have been placed in Group ‘B’ alongside India A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates, while Group ‘A’ comprises Afghanistan A, Bangladesh A, Hong Kong China and Sri Lanka A.

The Shaheens will open their campaign against the UAE on Nov 20, before taking on India A two days later and Nepal on Nov 24. Their first match will be played at the University of Doha Science and Technology ground, with the remaining group fixtures scheduled at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium.

All three group matches are day-night fixtures except the opening game, which will be played during the day. The semi-finals are scheduled for Nov 26 and 27, with the final to be held on Nov 29.

Samad will lead a batting group that includes Maaz, Hasan, Haider Ali, Shahzaib Khan, Farhan Yousuf and Shamyl Hussain. Rohail Nazir has been named as the designated wicket-keeper.

The squad also includes three spin options in left-arm spin all-rounder Danish Aziz, leg-spinner Saad Masood and Sufyan Moqim. The pace attack will be led by Mohammad Hasnain and also features Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed and Muhammad Imran Randhawa.

Ahmed Daniyal was part of the Shaheens side that won the previous T20 edition, playing a key role as the team clinched the title against Bangladesh A in a Super Over.

Pakistan won the last 50-over edition in Sri Lanka in 2023, beating India A by 128 runs in the final. They were runners-up in the opening two editions in 2013 and 2017 before winning the competition in 2019.

The Shaheens will be aiming to retain their title against a field that includes several of the region’s emerging sides, with a meeting against India A among the key fixtures in the group stage.

Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Sunday to take part in indirect talks aimed at working out a deal, even as speculation of fresh attacks on Iran, following today’s midterm polls in America, continued.

US President Donald Trump has not helped matters by toying with the idea of new attacks. The ice was broken late last month when US Vice-President J.D. Vance wrote a letter to Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei.

Mr Vance reportedly prefers a diplomatic solution. Earlier, he had led his country’s delegation during April’s historic talks in Islamabad. The letter has been well received in Tehran, with Gen Rezaei calling its tone “positive”.

Writing to the Iranian security chief was an intelligent move and has begun to show results. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that if the US meets his country’s demands, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened within two days. That outcome would be welcomed not only by the Gulf states and other regional countries but also by the international community at large, as states across the world have felt the impact of the strait’s closure and the attendant restrictions on trade and oil and gas flows.

Mr Vance’s letter has reportedly asked for guarantees regarding Iran’s nuclear programme. On its part, Tehran wants an end to both the sanctions and the US blockade, as well as other concessions from America.

Both sides must show flexibility if this push for peace is to succeed.

Though the diplomatic progress is welcome, the process could be torpedoed if the US and Israel go ahead with their attack plans. Media reports indicate that Washington and Tel Aviv are prepared to resume hostilities after the midterms. However, US Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who has been briefed on the plans, has described the latter as “insane” and likely to cause a “devastating escalation”.

The Iranian Supreme Leader, on the other hand, has ordered his forces to retaliate to any attack “without geographical restriction”.

It would be very irresponsible of the US and Israel to scuttle peace efforts and spark a potentially massive conflict. The regional states do not want war as they are aware of the destruction it will bring. It is time for more mature officials within the US administration, such as Mr Vance, to take the lead in ensuring that the peace process continues unimpeded, while warmongers in America and Israel must be isolated.

If this brief opportunity for peace is wasted, sparking a wider conflict, the blame will rest squarely with the US president and the bloodthirsty Zionist regime.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2026

A PIA spokesperson, in a statement, said that the carrier is the first Pakistani airline to have added a Boeing 787-9 to its fleet.

PIA Chief Executive Aamir Hayat, accompanied by his team, welcomed the Dreamliner at Islamabad airport, according to the statement.

The plane is equipped with modern technology, including in-flight entertainment, and features a spacious and comfortable cabin, PIA said.

“The inclusion of the Dreamliner is part of a strategy to modernise PIA’s fleet and strengthen its international network,” the spokesperson said.

“PIA’s objective is to provide international-standard travel facilities and a more comfortable air travel experience to passengers through modern aircraft.”

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is a long-range, twin-engine plane with up to 325 seats. Previously, PIA’s fleet consisted of 12 Boeing 777 jets, 15 Airbus A320 planes and five smaller ATRs.

Last month, PIA signed an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance) lease agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways to acquire two state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, one of which arrived in Islamabad on Sunday.

A PIA spokesperson at the time said the addition of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner would mark the start of the airline’s expansion.

By expanding its fleet, the airline aims to meet rising demand with direct flights and broader global connectivity, he added.

The aircraft would operate direct long-haul flights from Pakistan to the United Kingdom, he said, adding that they would support PIA operations between different points in the UK and Pakistan.

The development also comes as the government in September clarified that it was not buying any aircraft for the former national carrier after reports emerged of a federal minister arranging and negotiating sovereign-linked financing for PIA jets.

PIA was privatised in December last year through an auction. A consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation Limited had won the auction for 75 per cent shares of PIA in December last year, making a winning bid of Rs135 billion. The Arif Habib-led consortium had vowed to transform the loss-making airline through operational restructuring, fleet expansion, and improved customer service.

During a private television channel talk show on Monday, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader lavished praise on former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.

However, he also took a swipe at the present provincial administration, alleging that political considerations were increasingly shaping development priorities and influencing the allocation of public funds. He said he regularly heard complaints of corruption in Punjab, alleging that a disproportionate share of the province’s development budget was being channelled towards Lahore.

Addressing a ceremony in Attock on Tuesday, CM Maryam said: “There is a federal minister … somebody sent me his statement about corruption in Punjab. Today, I am sending him a defamation notice.”

She said that she would not hear “false allegations of corruption”.

“If you have evidence, bring it forth — otherwise I will drag you to court,” she said. She also asked him why he remained a minister in a government that he considered corrupt.

The chief minister went on to say that the reason behind the anger of the PML-Q leader was neither a matter of corruption nor progress. The issue, she said, was that she changed the deputy commissioner (DC) of Gujrat a few days ago whereas Salik had wanted a DC of his choice to be appointed.

“I will not allow anyone to interfere in the will of the people,” she said.

Maryam also took exception to Salik’s comments calling Elahi the “best-ever chief minister” in Punjab.

“The Gujrat that Pervez Elahi handed me — I went there about two years ago and it was raining. Believe me … the water was up to here,” she said, gesturing to her neck.

“My Land Cruiser was completely submerged,” she said.

“It looked less like Gujrat and more like a village … now, go and look at Gujrat. Now, when it rains, the rainwater doesn’t accumulate. That work was not done by the Chaudhrys,” she said.

Subsequently, the PML-N posted on X that a defamation notice had been sent to Salik, ARY News host Naeem Ashraf Butt and the channel’s chairman, Muhammad Iqbal.

The notice said that the office of chief minister carried “substantial” public responsibility and required “the highest degree of integrity, credibility and public confidence”, which made any allegations of dishonesty or corruption — disseminated to “millions of viewers” via electronic or digital media — a serious matter.

It said that during the interview, Butt had “introduced and led the discussion” regarding alleged corruption in Punjab, while Salik “proceeded to make sweeping and baseless allegations against the provincial administration”.

“The manner in which the subject was introduced and pursued was not a neutral request for clarification of any identified incident, investigation or documented complaint,” the notice said.

“Rather, it provided a platform for the propagation of serious allegations without first identifying any verifiable material or establishing their factual foundation,” it added.

The notice said the minister’s remarks were not just an expression of disagreement with policy or “ordinary political criticism”, but conveyed “serious imputations” of widespread corruption in the province.

“The most alarming aspect of the aforesaid statements is the express admission that he possesses no evidence to substantiate the allegations,” it added.

It stated that the chief minister considered the conduct of all three individuals named in the notice “serious and unacceptable”: Salik for his “false statements”, Butt for his editorial conduct and Muhammad Iqbal for facilitating and broadcasting the allegations.

The notice called on them to retract the remarks, publish an “unconditional and unequivocal apology and clarification” and “remove or suitably correct” the portions of the interview in question.

It also demanded a sum of Rs5bn in damages. The notice gave a period of seven days for these actions and warned that failure to comply would lead to legal proceedings.

‘I responded honestly’

Speaking to the media in the wake of CM Maryam’s comments, Salik said he was sticking to his statement. In remarks aired by Geo News, he said: “God save us from pride and arrogance”.

Asked about providing evidence for the corruption allegations, he said: “Please go and listen to the interview again.”

He also refuted the claim that the row had to do with distracting from the matter of new provinces.

“It was an interview, someone asked a question and I responded honestly,” he said.

“Yes, there definitely is [corruption],” he added.

Responding to the remarks, CM Maryam said: “So, levelling false accusations is considered humility, while offering a response is deemed arrogance? Bravo!”

During his interview, Salik had also questioned lavish government spending, particularly the use of official aircraft, arguing that public representatives should remain mindful of the country’s economic difficulties. Officials using government aircraft, he said, should be required to demonstrate the tangible outcomes and public benefits of their trips.

He further called for greater ministerial accountability, proposing that the federal as well as provincial ministers should be empowered to perform their duties, but also be held answerable for their performance.

His comments had also prompted a sharp rebuttal from Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, who advised the PML-Q leader not to “bite the hand that feeds him”.

Bokhari had also alleged that his displeasure stemmed from a request for appointment of a DC of his choice being turned down.

The remarks carry particular political significance given the fractured relationship between the Chaudhry family and the PTI leadership. Salik, the younger son of PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, belongs to a family whose political loyalties have diverged sharply since the ouster of Imran Khan’s government in 2022 through a no-confidence vote.

While Elahi and his son, former federal minister Moonis Elahi, aligned themselves with the PTI, the Shujaat family chose to stand with the Sharifs. Salik’s elder brother, Shafay Hussain, is also part of CM Maryam’s cabinet in Punjab.

By stepping into its new role, Islamabad assumes the responsibility of presenting these shared grievances as a cohesive agenda for structural change. Central to this effort is redefining how Western economic powers view the developing world. The focus must shift from seeing developing nations as vulnerable economies in need of more debt or debt relief to recognising their contributions to global economic growth. As the finance minister highlighted, the focus must shift to the “immense potential of emerging and developing nations as drivers of investment, innovation, entrepreneurship, and global growth”. Achieving reform will require bridging the gap between rhetoric and policy action. Key priorities for the G-24 mandate must include advocacy for expanded and easier access to concessional financing, an end to tariff-led industrial policies, the revival of multilateralism, and streamlined mechanisms for debt reduction. The traditional economic narrative that places Western financial centres at the core while relegating developing markets to the periphery is no longer sustainable in an interconnected world economy. As the finance minister has noted, the future of developing economies is central to the future of the global economy. While sweeping changes are unlikely to materialise entirely during Pakistan’s tenure, Islamabad has a crucial window to push this debate to the centre of the global reform agenda.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2026

A separate police picket with 40 officers has also been set up at Azad Patan to guarantee the safety of important establishments and prevent any untoward incidents.

According to police sources, the special police picket at Azad Patan has been established with the deployment of 40 police personnel, headed by a superintendent of police (SP), who will be responsible for briefing the personnel and ensuring their presence at the picket.

The police have been deployed at Azad Patan in two shifts. A police reserve team equipped with anti-riot equipment has been placed on standby at the Kahuta police station.

The eight police pickets were established on Saturday until further orders. They have been set up at Khokhar Road, Chaklala Stand, Chhtari Chowk, Shaheen Chowk, TNT Chowk, TM Chowk, GPO Chowk and Hali Road.

As part of the security plan for the eight pickets, police mobile squads from Chaklala, Sadiqabad and Waris Khan police stations will patrol around Nur Khan PAF Base, while the Muhafiz Squad and Dolphin Force have been assigned patrol duties around the base.

At the TM Chowk police picket, the RA Bazaar police, Muhafiz Squad and Dolphin Force will patrol within the limits of the R.A. Bazaar police station.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2026

Speaking to Fox News’ ‘Fox and Friends’, Trump said Israel no longer needed the funding and that some Democrats and left-wing politicians were using the US financial support to Israel as a talking point to criticise Republicans.

“Now, as far as paying Israel, Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal that we give Israel $4bn a year, and we made a deal months ago that we’re stopping,” Trump told the broadcaster.

“We’ve already agreed that by the end of this year we won’t be paying Israel. Now we’ll help Israel if they need it.”

There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office on Trump’s remarks.

It was not immediately clear which exact funding Trump meant.

A memorandum of understanding that provides $3.8bn in annual US military aid to Israel is approaching its expiration date in 2028, and conversations have been under way on how Washington’s assistance to Israel would evolve beyond that date.

“They can buy whatever they want. They can buy whatever they want. So can Europe. We make the greatest weapons in the world,” Trump added.

Netanyahu said in a May interview with CBS that he hoped to wean Israel off US military support within a decade. In a June letter to a US congressman, he wrote that the time had come for Israel “to move from aid recipient to partner”.

US public support for Israel has fallen since the Gaza war began in 2023, particularly among Democrats.

A June Quinnipiac University poll found 48 per cent of voters and 66pc of Democrats believe the United States is too supportive of Israel, up from 16pc and 20pc when the question was first asked in 2017.

Support for Israel among Democratic voters has plummeted, candidates critical of Israel are winning Democratic primaries, and even moderate lawmakers are increasingly willing to challenge decades of US support for Israel.

“The left uses the $4bn payment that everybody knows about — well, it’s no secret — as a signal of unfairness, and we can’t allow that to happen,” Trump said.

“We were giving them $4bn, we are, but it gets cut off at the end of the year. Why? Because they don’t need it.”

I had come to the US to pursue a Master’s in data journalism and continue reporting. I had just published a comprehensive account of the widely alleged rigging in Pakistan’s general election 2024. And so I was even more keenly watching the lead-up to the New York mayoral race, how it unfolded, was reported and analysed. Thus far, the president had called the candidate “a Communist Lunatic,” questioned his American citizenship, and called Jews who voted for him “Jew haters.”

Donald Trump, a Queens native, and technically the most powerful person in the country, had been consumed by a bubbling hatred for Mamdani. Despite all that, Mamdani won, and in his first meeting as mayor of Trump’s city, at the Oval Office, Mamdani charmed Trump so thoroughly that when a reporter asked Mamdani whether he still considered the president a fascist, Trump told the young mayor he could just say yes. Speaking to the press on Nov 21, Trump congratulated the mayor-elect and expressed his desire to help the city beat the rising affordability crisis, Mamdani’s biggest campaign promise.

Even the most powerful person in the country was ultimately powerless before the people’s mandate.

Now I have the opportunity to report on another general election, the one the Americans call the midterms.

What are the midterms?

America’s central or federal arm of government that makes laws is called Congress, and like Pakistan’s Parliament, it has two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The House is roughly the equivalent of our National Assembly. Its 435 members are elected from districts drawn by population, and each member serves a two-year term, so every seat is contested every two years.

The Senate has 100 members, two from each state regardless of size, serving staggered six-year terms, so about a third of these seats are up at each election. Unlike our Senate, which is chosen by the provincial assemblies, American senators are elected directly by voters.

Presidential elections are held every four years in the US. The congressional elections that fall halfway through a president’s term are called the midterms.

The midterms decide whether the Democrats (blue) or the Republicans (red) will control Congress for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term. This will impact how Trump is able to implement decisions until the next presidential election in 2028.

Midterms are widely read as a referendum on the sitting president, and it appears Trump is not doing very well.

His approval fell to its lowest point of his second term after the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28, leading to rising fuel prices and cost of living.

By fall, America’s war with Iran became the most unpopular policy decision made by this Republican administration, with 65 per cent of Americans disapproving of Trump’s handling of the Iran conflict, according to the Pew Research Center.

A blue or Democrat-heavy Congress could open investigations into allegations of corruption against the president, push for the release of the remaining Epstein files, block funding for Trump’s illegal war in Iran, and determine the status of the American people’s access to healthcare among several significant policy decisions.

Who is on the ballot?

All 435 seats in the House are up for grabs, while 35 of 100 seats in the Senate are being contested. As of Tuesday, the Republicans hold 53 of the Senate’s 100 seats, so the Democrats need a net gain of four to reach a majority. A 50-50 split would leave the Republican vice president, JD Vance, with the tie-breaking votes.

In the House, Republicans hold a narrow 218-214 majority, and 218 seats are needed to control the chamber.

Apart from the Congressional election, the gubernatorial race will also play out in 36 states, including California, Florida, Georgia, and Michigan.

In Pakistan, party leadership hands out tickets to candidates they want to field in the constituencies. In America, voters choose each party’s nominee in an earlier election called a primary.

What do the forecasts say?

In functional democracies, statisticians, data journalists, and pollsters put their heads together, survey the population and create a bloated economy of its own.

North America accounts for a whopping 42 per cent of the global polling market, according to a January 2026 report by Research and Markets.

Nate Silver, America’s most popular election bookie and founder of the now defunct FiveThirtyEight, gives Democrats a 95 per cent chance of retaking the House and a 77.7 per cent chance of winning back the Senate. National polls two days out had Democrats at 51.5 per cent and Republicans at 43.1.

A lot of states allow voters to vote before election day or mail their signed ballots, this generally helps elderly voters participate and increase the overall turnout for elections. With more than 53 million Americans voting early by Sunday morning, it appears the forecasters are predicting a blue tsunami.

What makes this year unusual is where the fight is happening. The states Trump won by double digits in 2024 are now being slated for a Democratic flip. Drop Site News reports that rural voters, by staying home or switching sides, could cost Republican Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Alaska, and even Florida and Mississippi.

Money in politics

Unlike in Pakistan, where campaign financing is largely opaque, granular data exists in the US to show campaign contributions.

Candidates raise funds directly, although under limits. Super PACs (Political Action Committees), created after a 2010 Supreme Court ruling, can raise and spend unlimited amounts as long as they don’t coordinate with campaigns, and they must report their spending to the Federal Election Commission.

The most important group making political contributions is the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), whose super PAC is called United Democracy Project (UDP).

In 2025-2026, UDP alone made political contributions worth over $108 million, according to their Federal Election Commission filings, and almost all of it was spent on Democratic primaries. This shows both that AIPAC is able to influence the Democrats just as much as Republicans and that they are also expecting a blue wave.

Key Senate races

Michigan has become the most expensive test of pro-Israel political money in the country. In the Democratic primary, UDP spent more than $20 million against Abdul El-Sayed, a physician, former head of Detroit’s health department, and vocal critic of Israel’s war on Gaza, and more than $10 million supporting his rival, Representative Haley Stevens. El-Sayed won by about 14,000 votes.

Stevens, who lost the primary to El-Sayed, spent three months refusing to endorse him. She eventually appeared with Mike Rogers, the Republican candidate fighting El-Sayed, and endorsed Rogers instead, a move Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called a “despicable betrayal.”

Despite incurring serious damage to her own reputation within the party, Stevens’ decision to endorse Mike Rogers against El-Sayed has surprised everyone. It is an exceedingly rare political event historically for sitting Democrats to cross party lines to endorse Republicans after a primary loss.

El-Sayed had appeared on the campaign trail with Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, illustrating the Democratic Party establishment’s support behind his campaign.

Another significant race is taking place in Maine, where Republican Susan Collins is seeking a sixth term against Democratic nominee Troy Jackson.

Troy Jackson is a logger from Allagash and a former president of the Maine Senate. He didn’t even win the primary for his seat, which was handed to him when the original nominee, Graham Platner, was forced to withdraw over allegations of sexual assault, which he denies.

Jackson now has a 6-point lead in the polls.

In South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, the state’s senator for more than two decades, died celebrating Trump’s illegal war on Iran. The baton was naturally passed to his younger sister, Darline Graham.

Alaska has two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot: the Republican incumbent and a retired schoolteacher who, according to a New York Times investigation, was recruited as a spoiler candidate by aides to Democratic challenger Mary Peltola. She has denied knowing anything about the effort. The New York Times noted that ballot stacking is legal and has been used by both parties in Alaska, and its investigation did not establish any criminal wrongdoing.

The House, the redistricting and a rising American left

Unlike the Senate, all 435 House seats are up for election, and Republicans are clinging to a 218-214 majority. But the congressional districts look considerably different in 2026.

But many districts look different this year, because several states redrew their maps mid-decade to favour one party, a practice known as gerrymandering.

Trump forced Texas to add five additional seats for the Republicans, and Florida to add four. He also made Tennessee cut through the last Black-majority district. Californian Democrats have responded by carving out five new districts of their own.

In Pakistan, constituency boundaries are drawn by the Election Commission after each census, and the 2023 delimitation was contested in its own right. In America, state legislatures, which means politicians, draw the lines themselves.

Despite the redraws, the national environment favours Democrats; among those are candidates endorsed by groups such as Justice Democrats (JD) and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). These progressive groups have also backed rising candidates such as Mamdani.

Justice Democrats was responsible for recruiting Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the waitress-turned-politician who might now be eyeing the 2028 presidential race. This cycle, Justice Democrats endorsed 15 candidates; seven won, three of them by unseating sitting members of Congress.

Former Columbia University encampment organiser Darializa Avila Chevalier managed to unseat Adriano Espaillat in New York City. Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old lawyer fired from her firm for her advocacy for Palestine, toppled the 30-year incumbent in Denver.

With Mamdani’s endorsement, union organiser Claire Valdez won the primary in Queens, New York City. Barring an asteroid, these young politicians will make their congressional debut. And when they win, they will be seated, sworn in.

While Trump refused to accept his 2020 defeat, and his supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, the courts held them accountable, and power changed hands. It was only when Trump was re-elected in 2024, he pardoned the Jan 6 rioters en masse.

The United States has the most powerful military in human history, and it is nowhere to be found near the electoral process.

No matter who the American people eventually end up coming out for, come Nov 3, some of the most powerful people in the country will lose, and they will stand in front of the media, accept defeat, and live to fight another day in the court of public opinion. Abdul El-Sayed might win or lose, but he will not end up behind bars, soon to be joined by his family members, just because he dared to believe a vote could change a nation’s destiny.

Header art by Mohsin Alam

The matter was discussed at a joint meeting of the Senate standing committees on information technology and privatisation on Tuesday, where members were informed that the Office of the Attorney General for Pakistan (OAGP) had been directed to implement the federal cabinet’s decision under Rule 24 of the Rules of Business, 1973, at the earliest.

However, senators from both committees expressed surprise that they were not given access to the sale purchase agreement (SPA) concerning the divestment of 26pc shares in PTCL, along with management control, to UAE-based Etisalat International Pakistan (EIP).

The meeting was jointly chaired by Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Privatisation, and Senator Palwasha Khan, chairwoman of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications.

Cabinet asks attorney general’s office to prepare case for international arbitration

At the outset, IT Secretary Zarrar Hasham Khan informed the committees that the agenda item concerning Etisalat’s outstanding $800m payment to the government was sensitive.

He requested the chairpersons to ask all unauthorised persons, including media representatives, to leave the meeting, following which the proceedings were held in camera.

However, after the meeting, some senators expressed annoyance that they, too, had not been provided details of the PTCL sale agreement.

“The strange part is that we parliamentarians cannot handle information, but it is safe with the bureaucrats,” one senator remarked.

“There has to be a law in this regard, and parliament should be informed about such sales of national assets rather than depending upon bureaucrats and officers,” the senator added.

According to a briefing submitted by the Ministry of Privatisation, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the government sold 26pc shares in PTCL, along with management control, to Etisalat in 2005 for $2.59 billion.

Of this amount, $1.76bn was received, while approximately $800m remains unpaid.

The briefing said the payment was linked to the transfer of PTCL properties to the new management. Although 99pc of the properties had been transferred, 32 of the total 3,246 properties remained untransferred.

Etisalat, which is now known as e&, has continued to withhold the outstanding $800m because of the non-transfer of these properties.

The ministry said the government had made extensive efforts since 2015 to resolve post-privatisation issues, including the formation of several committees and negotiations with Etisalat for an amicable settlement.

However, the dispute remained unresolved, prompting the government to constitute another committee in July 2026, headed by the adviser to the prime minister on privatisation. The committee included representatives of the ministries of IT and law and the OAGP.

Considering the 20-year history of the dispute, the committee recommended that Pakistan consider international arbitration, as provided under the SPA, to recover the outstanding $800m, along with its opportunity cost since 2008 and applicable damages.

It also recommended that the attorney general assess the strength of Pakistan’s case, its prospects of success and the associated legal implications.

“If merits of the case permit to pursue international arbitration, prior to issuance of the Notice of Intent to Etisalat, the Attorney General should seek approval of the prime minister or the federal government,” the privatisation ministry’s briefing stated.

The Privatisation Division informed the committees that a summary had subsequently been submitted to the federal cabinet.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2026

His day starts at 6am and sometimes does not end until midnight, but he was long able to make around Rs1,700 ($6.50) a day, enough for his family’s bare essentials. Now, with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices surging, he doesn’t even make half that.

Ali, 33, is among thousands of drivers who run their vehicles on LPG, which is sold in cylinders and mainly used for cooking and heating.

Majeed Ghauri, Chairman of the Awami Rickshaw Union, calls it “the fuel of the poor” and says about 70 per cent of its members’ 43,000 auto-rickshaws and nearly 8,000 Qingqi motorcycle-based three-wheelers, which carry several passengers on set routes, run on LPG.

LPG prices have surged since October 17, when two Iranian border crossings closed, halting imports, traders say, in the latest energy shock since the US-Iran war began in February. One of the border crossings was opened a week later.

With Ali now lucky to make around Rs800 ($3) a day, his family has cut back on meals, eating only twice a day.

“Previously, when LPG was cheap, we could earn a decent income,” Ali said. “Now, it’s just not possible to get by on Rs700 or Rs800, is it?”

Before the border closures, Pakistan imported about 7,000 metric tonnes of LPG a day from Iran, the Pakistan LPG Association said.

Traders said the price of a 12-kilogramme cylinder jumped 56pc within days of the closure to Rs7,000, or about Rs583 rupees per kg in the open market.

Walking away

Ali pays Rs600 a day to rent his rickshaw, filling up with fuel four or five times a day, at Rs300 to Rs400 a time.

As well as daily expenses, Ali also pays Rs11,000 a month for his home and has two young children to support. Adding to his problems, passengers, he said, do not want to pay higher fares.

“For a trip that should cost Rs200 or Rs250, they might only offer Rs80, Rs100, or Rs150 rupees,” Ali said.

Passenger Mohammad Ramzan said when a driver asked Rs500 rupees for a ride in the city, he offered half that. When the driver declined, he walked away, he said.

Inflation hit 9.6pc in October and the central bank last week raised interest rates to 12pc, citing energy and wheat prices. Petrol hit a record Rs458 a litre on April 3 and remains about 40pc above its pre-war price.

Back home at midday, Ali said his two boys still needed their lunch. He would go out again until late at night, he said, hoping to make enough to bring something for the children to eat at night.

TEHRAN: Iran said on Monday it is ready to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if Washington agrees to its strict conditions amid “intensive” negotiations, while Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that the Middle East should not become a battleground for great-power rivalry.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump raised doubts about whether he would follow through on a threatened resumption of military strikes against Iran and said a deal with Tehran could happen.

“Oil Prices are DROPPING LIKE A ROCK, down almost $10 a Barrel, A RECORD, because people feel that there will not be a War with Iran. Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible. It could happen!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Contacts between Iran and the US over ending their eight-month war are continuing after talks with Qatari mediators in Doha finished with altered proposals but no breakthrough.

An official briefed on the talks said Iran’s negotiators left on Sunday, though not because of any problems in the talks, adding that a draft proposal for a US deal is being circulated.

“Given the sensitivity and gravity of the current situation, consultations and deliberations are very intensive,” Iranian Foreign Min­ister Abbas Araghchi told the official IRNA news agency, adding that everything depends on the “political rationality of Washington”.

Araghchi said Qatar and Pakistan are playing a very active mediating role. Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei granted “powers” to the government for the talks.

The basis of the dialogue remains Iran’s September seven-step proposal, now condensed for implementation within two days.

The plan calls for the US to end the war on all fronts, lift its blockade on Iranian ports, grant waivers on oil sales, unfreeze Iranian assets, cancel recent sanctions, reduce regional troop numbers and accept a new Iran-Oman transit route.

“The possibility of implementing this plan in two days is another indication of Iran’s good-faith approach,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters.

“We have stated that, if Iran’s demands are met, it would be possible to restore security to the Strait of Hormuz and resume the negotiating process within a short period.”

The diplomatic push comes ahead of Tuesday’s US midterm elections, where higher fuel prices are weighing on Republicans. While oil prices dropped more than 6pc on Monday on optimism over the conflict, Iranian sources said they believe a new US attack is still more likely than a deal.

Baqaei warned that any military attack against Iran “will be met with a powerful, immediate and comprehensive response”.

Amid fears the conflict launched by US and Israeli strikes on Feb 28 could reignite, China and Russia spoke out Monday against renewed military action. Meeting Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in Beijing, Xi urged the US and Iran to pursue a peaceful path and achieve a ceasefire.

“The Middle East Gulf region should not become an arena for great-power ri­­v­­alry and geopolitical conflict,” Xi said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also called for Middle East dialogue in back-to-back Beijing meetings with Saudi National Security Adviser Musa­­ed bin Mohammed al-Aiban and Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Ira­n’s Supreme National Security Council.

Wang urged safeguarding regional energy and shipping security, telling Bagheri Kani that Beijing supports Teh­ran in “safeguarding its own sovereignty and security” and that parties sho­­­u­­ld “focus on a political solution rat­her than once again resorting to armed conflict.”

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Middle East war by telephone Monday with Rezaei as Moscow called reports of new military action a cause for extreme concern.

Addressing the turmoil Monday in Abu Dhabi after a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker was struck on Friday, United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said the course of the US-Israeli war on Iran cannot be predicted, but the UAE will be more prepared than before.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2026

A senior official of RDA told Dawn that in the last one year the civic agency was looking after Rawalpindi Ring Road project worth Rs47 billion, while no development work was launched for rehabilitation of roads.

He said that the Punjab government did not approve its two main projects -- Murree Road expansion from Committee Chowk to Chandni Chowk and repair of Murree Road from Faizabad to Marrir Chowk.

He said that the RDA submitted a plan to rehabilitate Ch. Bostan Khan Road from Chaklala Scheme-III to Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench, but the local administration handed over the construction task to Punjab Highway Department.

Work is expected to be complete in a year at a cost of Rs68.98 million, says official

Apart from this, he said, it also planned to construct an underpass to connect I.J. Principal Road and Double Road at Shamsabad but it was also not approved. As a result, the civic agency started work on a commercial plaza and construction of flats for RDA employees.

He said that the new proposed development scheme, “Framework Agreement for Rehabilitation/Repair of Roads, Footpaths, Storm Water Drains, Manholes and Road Marking at Different Roads of City”, aims to address the repair and maintenance of urban road infrastructure.

Under the scheme, he said the scope of work included the rehabilitation and repair of roads, footpaths, storm water drains and manholes, along with marking on various roads across the city.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs68,983,836, including applicable taxes.

The stipulated completion period is 12 months.

The official said that the proposed works were intended to improve road conditions and maintain essential urban infrastructure, including drainage facilities and pedestrian pathways.

The repair and maintenance of these facilities are important for smoother traffic movement, pedestrian convenience and the effective drainage of rainwater.

However, he said a survey had been started to identify the roads for rehabilitation. He said that the old Airport Road and Rawal Road would be on the top priority as these required massive repair work.

He said the proposed scheme would be sent to the Punjab government for final approval and after getting the go-ahead signal PC-I will be prepared.

When contacted, RDA spokesman Mohammad Irfan confirmed that the civic agency plans to start work on the road development scheme.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2026

American actor Halle Berry’s famous words in a press conference in 2024 outside the Capitol Hill building, “I am in menopause, OK?” got the world’s attention. In the medical world, menopause has always just been a side note. Women have learnt to bear it; doctors are trained to ignore it. So let’s look at some facts. Whether it is peri- or post-menopause, brought on naturally with the passage of time, or suddenly due to medical interventions, it is a monumental biological transition. One of the many vital systems in the body is shutting down.

The system shutting down is, of course, the reproductive system, the one responsible for producing extremely vital hormones since birth, and this next part should be in all caps, directly related to not just reproduction but brain, heart, bone, and musculoskeletal health among others. How can this profound event not affect the mind and body?

Two hormones — oestrogen and progesterone — are depleted as women enter menopause. Let’s only discuss oestrogen for now, as it is the more vital of the two. And let’s start with one aspect of its role: oestrogen and the brain. Simply put, oestrogen or more accurately, estradiol, gives energy to the brain. When oestrogen is depleted, brain energy is depleted. According to research, by the time women reach post-menopause, almost 30 per cent of their brain energy has been depleted. Neurons slow down, potentially leading to brain fog, poor memory, word retrieval problems, low mood/ depression, heightened anxiety, and panic attacks, among other debilitating symptoms.

Women have learnt to bear it; doctors are trained to ignore it.

It’s a neuro-endocrine event in its full glory.

And before one attributes some of these symptoms to the emotions ignited by the depravity of our world leaders these days — a valid reason indeed for the frequent bouts of grief and bewilderment experienced by many regardless of gender — let’s take a moment to understand menopause as well, in the hope of bringing relief to some of us at least.

Unhelpfully, menopause does not follow a rigid timeline or fixed symptoms. It can manifest as anything from exhaustion, musculoskeletal pain, and poor sleep — which has its own serious repercussions — to widely experienced symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. It can also cause metabolic changes and fat redistribution, urinary symptoms, painful intercourse, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Symptoms can sometimes be uncommon — like painfully itchy ears — or silent — like severe bone loss that leads to osteoporosis if not caught early. The list is as endless as is the correct diagnosis, while help remains elusive.

Of course, one must keep an eye on the usual suspects: lifestyle, diet, exercise, sleep, hydration — and stress, which deserves a special mention for making matters more muddled and insidious. Cortisol, a hormone the body produces during stressful events, exists in direct and opposite balance to the production of oestrogen. Cortisol increases, oestrogen decreases. Cortisol decreases, oestrogen increases. In menopause, oestrogen is dropping, and if, at this point, prolonged and escalating stress is thrown into the mix, it can lead to a perfect storm. Oestrogen is in free fall. The effect is neither minor nor fleeting.

So how to manage this? Is HRT (hormone replacement therapy), also called MHT (menopause hormone therapy), advisable and/ or available? Have they developed better solutions than what were available a few decades ago? Is breast cancer still associated with HRT? How can women protect their bones during this time? What about their cardiovascular health? Their brain health? These are the questions women should be asking their doctors. Shouldn’t menopause be at the centre of the overall clinical context, instead of each symptom being treated separately?

Doctors, too, need to arm themselves with the latest research instead of shooting in the dark — as in the case of Halle Berry, who was misdiagnosed with an STD when the real cause was menopause — or simply placating their patients. Yet, if we are sceptical of the old saying that every dark cloud has a silver lining, it has come true here: Halle Berry’s misdiagnosis led her to push for more federal funding for research and education on menopause, beginning with destigmatising public discussions on the topic. This was truly an excellent use of the platform available to her. Over to our Pakistani celebrities. Women need a voice. A voice that is heard.

The writer is a freelance contributor.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2026

The issue has brought out angry youth on the streets. Rigging of polls betrays, however, an inability to secure popular support through clean elections, which is a blessing.

India is not alone in subverting democracy. Narendra Modi’s ride-or-die friendship with Benjamin Netanyahu reveals a shared scorn for secular democracy and minority rights. Netanyahu hopes to disenfranchise Palestinian MPs (strategically called Arabs by a clever political fiat) even as they mock him in turn by holding the balance of power, principally against him, after last week’s elections.

Likewise with Modi, whose controversial victories in Bihar and West Bengal recently benefited enormously as his handpicked election commission disenfranchised millions of Muslim voters and other potential opponents of the regime. Netanyahu rewarded Modi’s friendship by giving his government the Pegasus spyware among other contraptions to undermine democracy.

One would readily go along with the view that Gandhi makes for a great candidate to don the mantle of prime minister and also restore its prestige. He has displayed the drive to nurse Indian democracy back to health. But is he as equipped as, say, streetfighters like Priyank Kharge or M.K. Stalin or Akhilesh Yadav to deal frontally with the push which will inevitably arrive in the process of dismantling entrenched fascism?

That Sonia Gandhi and both her children — Rahul as the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Priyanka Gandhi as an outspoken and gritty parliamentarian — called out Israel’s genocide in Gaza, while major parties other than the left looked away is cause to celebrate the family — and also something to worry about as it puts them in the crosshairs of many a foreign and domestic interloper. The fact that the RSS chief hosted an Israeli diplomat as chief guest at the Hindutva body’s annual day on Dussehra is troubling.

Has anyone bothered to ask Rahul Gandhi if he was himself interested in the job that so many appear keen to award him?

A pivotal question needs to be flagged here about widespread faux expertise over a future prime minister from the opposition. Has anyone bothered to ask Rahul Gandhi if he was himself interested in the job that so many appear keen to award him? A fair guess based on history and Nehru-Gandhi genealogy is that Rahul Gandhi harbours no such ambitions. We could perhaps glean the truth of this hunch from Sonia Gandhi’s soon-to-be released memoirs.

The BJP routinely accuses Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter of political ambition. No Indian prime minister with a clear majority in parliament has offered to resign other than Nehru. In February 1950, Nehru offered to resign as prime minister over the refugee crisis after Partition. Sardar Patel persuaded him to withdraw the offer. Again, in 1958, Nehru announced his desire to step down and take a break from office, citing severe mental fatigue, fading idealism, and deteriorating public standards in Indian politics. A public outcry broke out, and the Congress begged him to stay on.

Did Nehru want his daughter to succeed him? On the contrary, there’s plenty of evidence that he desired young socialist leader Jai Prakash Narayan as his deputy in 1952, which JP refused. There was not even a remote hint that he wanted his daughter in his cabinet or to succeed him.

Nehru was wary of Morarji Desai from the right-wing of the party. He engineered a plan for senior cabinet ministers to resign to work at the grassroots with the party. He inducted Lal Bahadur Shastri as a minister without portfolio in the prime minister’s office, a clear signal who he was tapping as successor.

Shastri’s demise in Tashkent set off another round of worry about Desai manoeuvring. Powerful regional satraps countered the move and promoted Indira Gandhi believing she could be manipulated. Mrs Gandhi favoured supporting Gulzari Lal Nanda.

The ‘Syndicate’ supporting her was essentially conservative, pro-business, and staunchly anti-socialist. Mrs Gandhi turned the tables on them in 1969 by staging a split with the support of the communist bloc. When the left abandoned her after the emergency — one of their defining errors — she was swamped by the conservatives including religious revivalists who were largely seen as devising her fateful Punjab policy that would eventually lay her low.

Rajiv Gandhi was a scrupulously private family man until Sanjay Gandhi’s death in a plane crash required him to stand with his mother. Her assassination set him up as prime minister. There’s no dearth of recorded evidence of Sonia Gandhi opposing his entry into politics. In an emotional showdown, she forbade him from becoming prime minister, presciently fearing he, too, would be killed. Rajiv’s response was: “I am her son … if I don’t do it, who will?” Ambition?

Did Sonia Gandhi try to be prime minister in 1999 when she met the president with a list of 272 supporters? The world knows that she backed Manmohan Singh as prime minister in 2004. But a 2014 book by R.D. Pradhan, a civil servant close to Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi, described how Sonia Gandhi had Manmohan Singh in mind as early as 1999.

On her part, Sonia Gandhi did one better. She set up a very effective advisory council to informally but crucially advise the Singh government on progressive issues ranging from poverty alleviation, right to information, right to education, halting disinvestment in public sector undertakings — everything that Nehru and Indira Gandhi would approve of.

Rahul Gandhi would in all likelihood follow the precepts. His politically correct upbringing could struggle against the ugliness of right-wing politics that prompted Nehru to offer to resign. There are many more roughly hewn leaders in the progressive pack to confront an ugly pushback that would come from a cornered fascist order.

The writer is Dawn’s correspondent in Delhi.

jawednaqvi@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2026

The statement came at a press conference in Islamabad addressed by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.

Addressing the conference, Malik said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had made efforts to meet with oil refineries and consult with them regarding interventions to ensure that people got the cheapest petrol amid impending steep fuel price increases, including an increase of about Rs15 that would have taken effect on Friday.

“I am grateful to all the refineries that saw the public is in difficulty and with the government’s help … increased their throughput,” the minister said, adding that these refineries had made profits from this throughput in the last three months.

“They were requested to take a step to support the public during this difficult time, and I am glad that they listened to us … the Rs15 increase that was coming in the petrol prices on Friday, they helped the government with that. Because of that we were able to maintain the price.”

He added that more improvement would be seen by the public, expressing his gratitude to the refineries for standing with the government to provide assistance to the public during a time that had caused everyone difficulties — even the government as it struggled to procure oil at increasing prices.

As a result of this step, he highlighted, a load of approximately Rs15 billion would be borne by these refineries, allowing petrol to be sold at a rate Rs15 per litre cheaper than what it would be in the international market.

He expressed his hope that the crisis in the Middle East would soon move towards a peace agreement and that the government could advance with its purposes of “taking the system towards improvement, deregulation and refinery upgrades”.

“The government doesn’t want to be cruel to anyone,” Malik stressed, saying that it intended to take actions “with consultations, keeping the public’s interests in mind, in a fair way”.

He added that before the crisis, the premium of the refineries was $5 per barrel, and even today a $20 limit had been established. He further said that the government would have to step in and protect the public in case of further difficulties.

Tarar also addressed the conference, noting that the premier’s vision “from the first day” had been to put as little burden on the country as possible.

He said that even though the situation in the Middle East had affected every economy, including that of Pakistan, “our macroeconomic indicators have remained largely stable — Pakistan’s economy hasn’t taken as much of a hit as other countries”.

Regarding Friday’s situation, when petrol prices were increasing in the international market, he said that PM Shehbaz had directed refineries to absorb the price hike in order to prevent the Rs15 increase.

“During this difficult time … I think this is a great effort, as a result of which the public has been saved from this difficulty,” the information minister said.

He also discussed the fuel subsidy scheme announced by the premier on Sept 13, saying: “If you told me two months ago that there would be a scheme in which, upon SMS registration, motorcycle users get a weekly concession of Rs500 on petrol, and 800cc car users, every 10 days, get 10 litres of petrol for Rs100 less per litre, then I would have told you that it’s probably not possible to implement such a scheme.”

He praised PM Shehbaz’s “will power, intent and empathy for the public” that served as the foundation for the scheme.

Tarar highlighted that the number of unique users who had registered for the scheme had now crossed 15 million. He said that about Rs27bn had so far been allocated towards this relief and highlighted its success.

“This is a unique relief that is not available in the rest of the world,” he said, referring to both the fuel subsidy scheme and the steps taken by the government to prevent the increase in prices on Friday.

Answering questions, Malik said that he was the “biggest advocate for deregulation” and for bringing competition into sectors, seeing it as the way to protect people’s welfare and deliver good service.

However, he pointed out, “Have you seen any incident in the last 50 years that has been happening in the last six to eight months? What rules-based order do you want to adopt in the middle of this disaster?”

He stressed that once the crisis in the region ended, the government would make efforts to return to deregulation; however, currently the focus was on public relief.

The two ministers also stressed that there was no fuel shortage and that the country’s needs were being met even during difficult times. Malik said that November’s supply was fully covered, while decisions would be taken on supplies for the winter months of December and January and the prime minister had directed any necessary steps to be taken to ensure supplies.

The price of high speed diesel has come down from a peak of Rs520.35 recorded on April 3. Its price had started rising from Rs281 per litre after the US-Iran war broke out on Feb 28. The petrol price had peaked at Rs458.41 on April 3 after beginning its upward trajectory from Rs266 in the first week of March.

The government has reintroduced a raft of austerity measures in response to rising fuel prices amid the conflict. Under these measures, markets are required to close by 9pm, and fuel allocations for official vehicles have been cut by 50 per cent for three months.

As of July, fuel prices are now fixed on a daily basis due to fluctuations in international market prices.

He has been active in both journalism and the trade union politics of media organisations; Abbas is someone who many in my generation look up to for being among the few who have been able to do both journalism and its politics proficiently and with integrity. None of this is insignificant. Since the proliferation of electronic media, union politics has rarely attracted journalists of stature.

It is worth asking at this stage whether he is one of the last Mohicans. His latest book, Media Under the Shadow of Death, covers a wide range of issues — from the origins of the unions formed in the early years of a fledgling country to issues the industry grapples with today: censorship, violence against journalists, and the challenges of technology.

For someone like myself who isn’t very well-versed in the history of union politics, the historical account in the early chapters of the book is a fascinating description of how the Sindh Union of Journalists and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) came into being, and how journalists pushed back against the earlier undemocratic efforts of the state of Pakistan. Beyond the events themselves, discussions with people such as Roedad Khan also offer insight into the ruling elite’s thinking at the time and their attitudes towards democracy and press freedom.

At the same time, this earlier period also reveals how far back some unfortunate trends go. Even then, journalists’ biases against one another, or in favour of one political stakeholder over another, allowed the state or government to take advantage. The principles of democracy or freedom of expression never proved bigger than personal likes or dislikes.

He, too, quotes the famous story of journalists who went to Gen Ziaul Haq and asked him to delay the elections for fear of a PPP victory. In recent times, one has seen media groups attack each other at the behest of the powers that be. The second pattern, which seems to date back further than we realise, is the inability of media owners to match journalists in opposing the state’s suppressive methods; the latter’s decision to sign a code of conduct during the emergency imposed by Gen Pervez Musharraf is a case in point. But there are no sweeping judgements, as the financial pressures on the media owners and their limitations are also understood by the author.

‘Media Under the Shadow of Death’ documents the key challenges in Pakistani journalism.

The strongest part is perhaps the account of the media under Musharraf. This is partly because it’s a recent period when Pakistan’s media flourished and expanded but also faced challenges, including increased violence against journalists as well as events such as the emergency.

The latter happened when the author himself was an elected official of the PFUJ and was organising protests against the dictator’s actions. For those of us who were present at the time — in the trenches or on the sidelines — those were heady times. It seemed then that the political parties, lawyers’ organisations, journalists, and others could push back against a military dictator struggling to sustain his rule. No one thought this was simply a transitory moment; it seemed like a permanent change — though we have grown wiser since. But back then, it was a moment of great hope, and the PFUJ’s role was significant. Even now, reading about it brings a sense of satisfaction.

As the author himself notes, it was perhaps the last time the federation acted with unity. However, he doesn’t go into the details of what happened later, or how the organisation not only split but has also become a shadow of its former self since then. With his intimate knowledge of union issues, Abbas could have provided an insight into the present mess in journalistic organisations and perhaps kick-started a debate on possible solutions. This omission is disappointing in some ways.

The second strongest part of the book is the section where he discusses the killings of journalists, though given the number of case studies, not each case is tackled with an even hand. Some are detailed and some sketchy. However, the more high-profile the case, the more interesting the details — though they still leave one wanting more. This is especially true of cases such as Wali Babar’s, where Abbas provides the details of the deaths that followed the investigations of the journalist’s murder — police officers investigating the case, the prosecutor, and even witnesses were killed as the matter progressed. Similarly, the book details high-profile cases (Hayatullah Khan, Musa Khankhel, Arshad Sharif) as well as low-profile ones that may not have garnered much attention.

Overall, the book is a resource compendium rather than a chronological or analytical account. There are historical accounts — a chapter on press laws and then one on the case studies of journalists’ killings. This also means the book’s tone is a wee uneven.

Perhaps, as the author says at the outset, the book kept getting delayed because of the fast-changing events in the industry and the polity. This might also explain why the writing and editing needed a bit more work. One can only hope some of these issues are addressed in a second edition if there is to be one — for the information in the book is valuable and deserves to be read by those who still haven’t fallen out of love with this profession despite the filth we wallow in these days.

The writer is a journalist.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2026

During a private television channel talk show on Monday, Salik lavished praise on Elahi, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) president, crediting his 2002-07 tenure as Punjab chief executive with delivering development across the province without political or personal bias.

“Former chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi is the best-ever chief executive of Punjab,” he said, adding that Elahi had made a significant contribution to the province’s development and ensured that development initiatives were not dictated by political affiliations.

The remarks carry particular political significance given the fractured relationship between the Chaudhry family and the PTI leadership. Salik, the younger son of PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, belongs to a family whose political loyalties have diverged sharply since the ouster of Imran Khan’s government in 2022 through a no-confidence vote. While Elahi and his son, former federal minister Moonis Elahi, aligned themselves with the PTI, the Shujaat family chose to stand with the Sharifs. Salik’s elder brother, Shafay Hussain, is also part of the Maryam Nawaz cabinet in Punjab.

PML-Q leader had also accused Punjab govt of discriminatory spending of public funds in districts

Salik went beyond praising Elahi, and took a swipe at the present provincial administration, alleging that political considerations are increasingly shaping development priorities and influencing the allocation of public funds.

He said he regularly heard complaints of corruption in Punjab, alleging that a disproportionate share of the province’s development budget was being channelled towards Lahore, while districts, like Gujrat, where government-backed candidates failed to win elections, were being sidelined in development planning.

He also questioned lavish government spending, particularly the use of official aircraft, arguing that public representatives should remain mindful of the country’s economic difficulties. Officials using government aircraft, he said, should be required to demonstrate the tangible outcomes and public benefits of their trips.

He further called for greater ministerial accountability, proposing that the federal as well as provincial ministers should be empowered to perform their duties, but also be held answerable for their performance.

The criticism drew an immediate response from Punjab information minister Azma Bokhari, who sought to portray Salik’s outburst as a reaction to the denial of a personal favour, rather than a principled objection to the government’s policy.

She alleged that his displeasure stemmed from a request for appointment of a deputy commissioner of his choice being turned down.

“Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz does not appoint deputy commissioners at anyone’s recommendation. She makes decisions strictly on merit and in accordance with the government’s policy,” Bokhari said.

Claiming that the chief minister had dismantled the culture of political patronage, personal preferences and recommendations, she maintained that there was no longer any space in Punjab for influential individuals seeking to secure government positions or administrative favours through political connections.

“There is no room for land grabbers and strongmen in Punjab anymore. The practice of rewarding employees of political estates with government positions through recommendations has also come to an end. Salik Hussain should not bite the hand that feeds him,” she retorted.

Rejecting Salik’s allegations of discriminatory development spending, Bokhari said Maryam Nawaz had ensured a transparent and equitable distribution of provincial resources, with development projects of a similar nature being launched in cities across Punjab.

She also claimed that the sanitation model introduced in Lahore had been extended to rural areas, arguing that Punjab government was pursuing development beyond the provincial capital, rather than concentrating resources in one city.

Responding to Salik’s criticism of official aircraft use, Bokhari said Ms Nawaz was the first Punjab chief minister to personally pay expenses incurred on the use of the government’s aeroplane.

She also cited an allocation of Rs12 billion for development in Gujrat, describing it as an unprecedented investment in the city’s history.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2026

However, the report implicated them in other offences, including illegal detention and extortion.

The police charged three other suspects, who were allegedly low-paid employees of one of the key suspects, with sexually assaulting the women.

Defence C police registered the first information report (FIR) under Sections 365-A (kidnapping or abducting for extorting property, valuable security), 375-A (rape), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), 368 (wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person) and 337-L (II) (punishment for other hurt) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) in July.

The investigation report said the two complainants alleged that they had met one of the three prime suspects in Singapore in 2025 and invited him to invest in their cryptocurrency business.

After receiving returns on his initial investment, he invested a further $500,000. However, according to the police report, the women did not pay him any profits or return his investment this time.

In June this year, the suspect invited the foreign women to Pakistan on the pretext of arranging a meeting with another investor. They stayed at a hotel in Islamabad and travelled to Murree and other areas.

The investigation report alleged that the suspect subsequently told an associate that the women owed him money. The associate then involved another prime suspect, identified as “boss”.

On June 29, the women were taken to a house in Defence Phase VII, Lahore, where they were allegedly detained and pressured to pay the amount.

Police said the women were forced to transfer around $19,500, which was converted into rupees through a Lahore-based account. Of this amount, Rs1.1 million each reportedly went to two of the suspects.

According to the report submitted to the court, the women alleged that armed men guarded them at the house, threatened them with a knife, a gun and a piece of broken mirror, and warned that they would be killed and their body parts sold if they failed to meet the demands.

The report said the complainants’ statements and the investigation indicated that three suspects had committed sexual assault. Police said they found no evidence of rape against the other five suspects, including the relative of the political figure and the suspect identified as “boss”.

The report further stated that the women escaped on July 1 when a car taking them to the airport met with an accident near Bhatta Chowk.

They raised an alarm, following which the relative of the senior political figure fled, and the police took the women into their protection.

Police also claimed to have recovered Rs4.3 million allegedly extorted from the women, along with a mobile phone and a vehicle allegedly used in the crime. Pistols and a rifle were also recovered, leading to the registration of separate cases under the Arms Ordinance, the report added.

Another suspect was accused of renting the house to the group without informing the authorities, while a further suspect was allegedly involved in helping to destroy evidence.

Sections 368 and 201 were added to the case on these grounds.

Medical examinations of the complainants were conducted, and their statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure were recorded before a magistrate.

The incomplete investigation report further stated that DNA, fingerprint and polygraph tests had also been conducted, while call data records had been obtained.

It added that the Punjab Forensic Science Agency’s reports were still awaited. Therefore, the police submitted an incomplete investigation report to avoid delays, despite having sufficient evidence against the suspects.

The police asked the court to summon the suspects through notices.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Rafaqat Ali Gondal has already distributed copies of the police report among the suspects and fixed Nov 11 for the next hearing.

Advocate Salman Shahid, defence counsel for two of the suspects charged with sexual assault, accused the police of favouring the key suspects in its investigation. He claimed that his clients were low-paid employees of one of the key suspects and had been made scapegoats.

One of his clients was a member of the janitorial staff at the property where the alleged incident took place, he added.

In July, Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran said that the police had been ordered to treat a suspect — reportedly linked to a senior government minister — in the case like “any other criminal”.

DIG Kamran had recounted the events leading up to the recovery of the women and the subsequent arrest of the suspects in a press conference. He said that during the investigation it had emerged that a “criminal gang” may have been behind the incident.

He further vowed that the police would ensure no legal loophole — which could be exploited in favour of the suspect — was left.

The two women departed Pakistan on July 3.