Pakistan

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is in the US for meetings with senior officials and UN representatives to support US-Iran talks, following his participation in a UN policing summit in New York. Pakistan is facilitating technical negotiations between the US and Iran, with talks scheduled for July 11 and further high-level discussions in Doha.

Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced an AI-led tax administration model to minimize human intervention, alongside plans to launch Eurobonds, sukuk, and dollar-settled rupee-linked bonds. The government successfully issued a $250 million Panda Bond in 2026 with strong investor demand and emphasized export-led growth, reduced taxes, and increased lending to key sectors like SMEs and agriculture.

A plane with five people onboard lost contact off the coast of Karachi, according to Pakistani officials. Radar systems indicated the aircraft was descending rapidly, and communication with the crew was lost.

A Pakistani cargo plane operated by K2 Airways with five crew members aboard went missing after rapidly descending and losing contact near Karachi. The Boeing 737, flying from Sharjah to Karachi, reported a navigation system problem before radar and radio contact were lost approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi. Search-and-rescue operations are underway in the Arabian Sea.

A cargo plane carrying five people has gone missing off the coast of Karachi, according to Pakistan's civil aviation authorities. The incident was reported by civil aviation officials without additional details provided.

Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, focusing on trade, economic, and investment cooperation during a summit between Presidents Asif Ali Zardari and Sadyr Zhaparov. The leaders emphasized enhancing political dialogue, establishing a strategic partnership, and expanding collaboration in energy, mining, agriculture, and other sectors, including the CASA-1000 energy project.

Militants attacked a police post in Ziarat district, Balochistan province, killing nine police officers and wounding others. Eight abducted officers were later recovered. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are suspected, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused Indian-backed militants, a claim India denies.

Militants attacked a police post in southwestern Pakistan overnight, killing nine police officers and wounding others in an intense gunbattle. The attack occurred in an area affected by insurgency.

Hafiz Saeed, the leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), is wanted in India on terrorism-related charges. The article explores his significance to India, the legal accusations against him, and his current operational location in Pakistan.

India's NIA charged Pakistan's Hafiz Saeed with masterminding the 2025 Pahalgam tourist attack in Kashmir, alleging the group 'The Resistance Front' is a proxy for Lashkar-e-Taiba. Pakistan denied involvement, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered an independent probe, which India rejected.

Public intellectuals and former diplomats from India and Pakistan called for resuming peace talks, restoring diplomatic ties, and improving trade and visa policies to ease tensions. The article highlights concerns over democratic institutions being undermined in both countries, complicating peace efforts despite progressive activists advocating for cross-border solidarity.

The Pakistani government missed its July 1, 2026, deadline for notifying a biannual gas tariff under an IMF $7bn Extended Fund Facility (EFF) due to legal disputes over the acting chairman of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and unresolved unaccounted-for-gas (UFG) reduction targets. The delay breaches a structural benchmark required for IMF program compliance, despite Ogra completing revenue requirement calculations.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed Pakistani embassies to accelerate efforts in creating employment opportunities for the workforce, emphasizing digitalization of immigration systems and skills training. María Fernanda Espinosa, a UN Secretary-General candidate, met with the PM to discuss Pakistan's commitment to multilateralism and the UN.

Pakistan is mediating between Libya’s rival eastern and western power centers, supported by the US and Saudi Arabia. The effort follows Pakistan’s previous mediation between the US and Iran and involves defense ties with Libya’s eastern-based LNA, including potential arms sales despite a UN embargo. Qatar and Turkey, key supporters of Libya’s western GNU, encouraged Pakistan’s involvement.

The NIA has named LeT founder Hafiz Saeed as an accused in the Pahalgam terror attack. The charge sheet details Pakistan’s conspiracy and Saeed’s role, with LeT and TRF charged as legal entities for their involvement in planning and executing the attack.

President Asif Ali Zardari will embark on a four-day official visit to Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations through discussions on trade, energy, agriculture, and other sectors, following Zhaparov’s 2025 visit to Pakistan and highlighting sustained high-level engagement between the two nations.

The World Bank's report on Pakistan's fiscal federalism is technically strong but politically naive, highlighting unresolved issues in fiscal distribution and constitutional amendments. It criticizes the federal government's delay in implementing subsequent finance commission awards and its role in creating a structural federal fiscal deficit.

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a 65-year-old agreement between India and Pakistan, is under threat as India unilaterally placed the treaty in abeyance in May 2025, violating its obligations. This action disrupts Pakistan’s water, food, and energy security by enabling India to accelerate upstream infrastructure projects and withholding critical hydrological data.

Pakistan's roadmap to eliminate riba (interest) from its financial system by 2028 outlines a gradual transition, incorporating the Federal Shariat Court's ruling via the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The plan allows foreign banks to operate hybrid conventional-Islamic models while addressing structural weaknesses in Islamic finance, such as sukuk issuance and asset management.

Pakistan has increased its liquefied natural gas (LNG) purchases as flows through the Hormuz Strait remain below recovery levels.

Pakistan has mediated a ceasefire and memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, earning international recognition. While some economic benefits are anticipated, the article warns against unrealistic expectations, criticizing reliance on geopolitical rents and urging focus on domestic reforms. Officials' optimistic claims about foreign investment and prosperity are deemed misleading.

A user questions the legitimacy of thecda.co (Civic Youth Forum 2026/CDA) due to website inconsistencies, unverified partnerships with companies like Air France and KLM Cargo, and conflicting location claims (U.S. address vs. Pakistan-based social media). Older Reddit posts mention mixed experiences, adding uncertainty.

The government is determined to deport Shabir Ahmed, a grooming gang ringleader, and is considering sanctions against Pakistan. Ministers are actively pursuing these measures as part of their strategy.

India's BJP government has maintained a 10-year disconnect with Pakistan, marked by three kinetic aggressions and halted bilateral ties. The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was suspended in 2025, and ongoing tensions include unresolved issues like Kashmir and India's regional dominance. The article highlights the need for crisis management and communication channels to prevent escalation.

Pakistan faces a multidimensional security crisis marked by escalating urban crime, organized criminal syndicates, terrorism, and overlapping militant and criminal economies. The country's outdated colonial-era policing system, hindered by political interference and lack of reforms, relies on coercive legislation like the Punjab Control of Habitual Offenders and Anti-Social Behavior Bill, 2026, instead of effective policing. Major cities now experience increased violent crime, extortion, and sporadic terrorist attacks, with kidnapping for ransom rising in Balochistan and KP, and similar trends in Sindh and Punjab.

Iran's funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family, attended by global dignitaries, highlight the country's resilience and unity amid US-Israeli efforts to destabilize it. The event underscores Iran's ability to maintain internal cohesion and international ties despite external aggression.

Islamabad is the likely venue for the next US-Iran technical talks on July 11, focusing on Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief, and regional security. Negotiations were paused due to Iran's state funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and aim to advance the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding framework. Qatar and Pakistan are mediating discussions, with recent indirect talks in Doha.

Two foreign women from the Netherlands and Venezuela detailed a multi-day ordeal of alleged kidnapping, extortion, and physical and sexual assault during their visit to Pakistan. The suspects, including a relative of a senior political figure, lured them to a house in Lahore under false pretenses, demanded a $2 million ransom, and stole $17,000 in cryptocurrency. The victims were rescued after police arrested four suspects and booked five individuals for the alleged crimes.

Pakistan's monsoon floods in 2025 disrupted access to HIV antiretroviral therapy for patients, as contaminated floodwaters damaged infrastructure and cut off villages. Over 1,000 lives were lost, 3 million displaced, and HIV-positive individuals faced heightened risks due to limited medication access and stigma. Free antiretroviral treatment centers remain operational, but recurring floods and rising HIV cases amplify concerns.

The Indian government has designated 23 Pakistan-based individuals as 'terrorists' under its anti-terror law.

Pakistan abolished an 18% sales tax on sanitary products in its 2026–27 budget to address period poverty, following a constitutional petition by women’s rights activist Mahnoor Omer and tax lawyer Ahsan Jahangir Khan. The move, supported by Unicef Pakistan, aims to reduce costs for millions of women, though campaigners note ongoing challenges in combating menstrual stigma and affordability.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited Turkish companies to expand investments in sectors like energy, infrastructure, and technology during meetings in Istanbul. He emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to fostering economic cooperation and highlighted a business-friendly environment. The visit included discussions with Çalık Holding, Albayrak Group, and TOBB, alongside recent MoUs to enhance power sector collaboration.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has designated 23 Pakistan-based individuals as 'terrorists' under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This designation allows the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to block their finances, impose an embargo on arms sales, and seize their assets.

Foreign leaders and delegations from Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Russia attended a funeral ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Khamenei was the Iranian Supreme Leader until his assassination at 86 on the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on 28 February.

India's envoy to China, Vikram Doraiswami, stated that India does not need to follow Pakistan's approach to mediating the Iran crisis, as the field is already crowded. He argued such mediation would not have benefited India.

Pakistan's unified agriculture income tax regime collected only Rs5.62bn, less than 2% of declared agricultural income, highlighting systemic failures due to political resistance and institutional weaknesses. Provincial governments, influenced by landed elites, failed to enforce the tax effectively despite IMF-backed reforms.

Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel made history by skiing down Nanga Parbat (8,126m) without supplementary oxygen, completing a full, uninterrupted descent to Base Camp. This achievement marks the first time anyone has skied all five of Pakistan’s 8,000m peaks without oxygen.

Satellite imagery analysis shows Lahore's rapid urban expansion into the River Ravi's floodplain, increasing flood risks. Suparco warns that reduced floodplain capacity could lead to overtopping banks and infrastructure damage. The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, now in abeyance since 2025, previously provided Pakistan with flood data from India.

An overcrowded bus in Pakistan plunged 80ft into a ravine, killing 40 people. The crash occurred after a passenger reportedly grabbed the driver by the neck.

The UK government is discussing with Pakistan the potential deportation of Shabbir Ahmed, a leader of the Rochdale grooming gang with dual British-Pakistani citizenship. Ahmed, released from prison after a 2012 conviction for sexual offenses, cannot be deported due to a 1971 law, but UK officials are exploring options to remove him.