Gwadar

The Pakistan Navy rescued 19 crew members, including 11 Pakistani and 8 Iranian nationals, from the stranded fishing vessel Al Jalali near Gwadar due to engine failure and deteriorating weather. The rescue operation, involving PNS Taimur, provided food, water, and medical care before towing the vessel to safety.

The United States's strategy to counter China's influence in the Middle East is being undermined by sanctions and war against Iran, which are weakening the Iranian port of Chabahar. India supports Chabahar as a trade corridor to Afghanistan and Central Asia that bypasses Pakistan and serves as a counter to the Chinese-operated Gwadar port.

The article clarifies that Balochistan's accession to Pakistan in 1948 involved multiple distinct entities (Khanate of Kalat, Makran, Kharan, Lasbela) through separate instruments, with Gwadar later acquired in 1958. It refutes the claim that the entire province acceded as a unified entity, emphasizing its modern constitutional formation under the 1973 Constitution.

South Air launched inaugural flights from Karachi to Quetta via Turbat and Islamabad via Bahawalpur, enhancing Pakistan's domestic air connectivity. The airline plans to expand services to Peshawar, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Gwadar, aiming to boost tourism, trade, and regional travel convenience.

CPEC investments over the past decade improved power supply, roads, and port activity in Balochistan. However, the article calls for CPEC 2.0 to prioritize job creation in the region.

Pakistan and Iran have established trade routes under a 2008 agreement to boost connectivity, with recent FBR procedures facilitating Iran-bound cargo at Pakistani ports. Strategic considerations, including Afghanistan's instability and Central Asia access, drive Pakistan's growing economic engagement with Iran.

Two leaders of a Baloch human rights group in Pakistan were sentenced to life in prison for the death of a paramilitary soldier during a 2024 protest. The prosecution alleged they incited a mob that attacked a security vehicle and killed the soldier, while the activists denied the charges.

Two human rights activists in Pakistan received life sentences for the 2024 death of a paramilitary soldier during a rally in Gwadar. The case was handled by an anti-terrorism court in the southwestern region of the country.

The US-Iran conflict has exposed the strategic vulnerability of Arab Gulf states reliant on the Strait of Hormuz for oil exports. Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait are most affected, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE have partially mitigated disruptions. Pakistan proposes offering oil and gas storage facilities to Gulf states to ensure energy security during future Hormuz closures.