CDF Munir made the remarks during a visit to the Special Services Group (SSG) headquarters in Tarbela, where he was briefed on “specialised training, operational preparedness and mission-oriented readiness”, according to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

During the visit, he laid wreaths at the martyrs’ monument, paying tribute to the martyred SSG personnel, the statement said.

He also witnessed a display of “state-of-the-art specialised equipment and a demonstration showcasing SSG’s combat proficiency, agility and precision in executing special operations”.

According to the statement, in his interaction with the officers and troops, CDF Munir lauded their “professionalism, high morale, and unwavering devotion to duty”.

He also stressed that “sustained training, indigenous capability development and an uncompromising focus on operational preparedness are essential to maintaining an edge over evolving security threats and emerging challenges.”

Last month, CDF Munir visited the Corps Headquarters in Peshawar, where he was briefed on the security situation, ongoing counterterrorism operations, and border management measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The affected child is a seven-month-old boy from Mastak union council in Bara tehsil, the NEOC said in a statement.

“This is the third case from the district this year and the seventh from KP. The poliovirus detected in all three cases from Khyber district has genetic linkages to Afghanistan — which is facing an intense outbreak with 50 cases reported this year — indicating cross-border circulation of the virus,” it said.

The centre stressed the need for consistent vaccination, particularly during the ongoing polio campaign, which is being conducted simultaneously in Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of cross-border eradication efforts.

“The case is a stark reminder that poliovirus knows no borders and no child anywhere will be safe from polio until every child is safe, and poliovirus transmission has stopped completely,” the statement said.

It added that while overall wild poliovirus transmission had declined this year, the Peshawar block — comprising Khyber and Peshawar districts and bordering Afghanistan — and neighbouring districts in southern KP continued to report virus detections, including cases.

Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. It is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis.

On Sunday, Pakistan reported its eighth polio case of the ongoing year. The affected child was a 13-month-old girl from KP’s Khyber district. Of the nine cases reported this year, seven have been reported from KP and two from Sindh.

A door-to-door vaccination campaign is currently underway in 97 districts, including Khyber, to immunise nearly 24 million children.

PM orders intensified efforts to eradicate polio

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for a coordinated strategy with the provinces to ensure the complete eradication of polio from the country, directing the relevant authorities to prepare an action plan within a week.

Chairing a meeting to review progress on polio eradication in Islamabad, the prime minister expressed concern over the recent cases in the country, saying that the government must intensify its efforts to eliminate the disease, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

“Achieving a polio-free Pakistan is a major challenge. However, our resolve and morale are far stronger than this challenge,” he said, stressing the need for close consultations with the provinces and all stakeholders to devise a joint strategy.

The prime minister directed the federal minister and minister of state for health, the health secretary and members of the polio eradication team to visit all four provinces and meet their chief ministers and chief secretaries.

He said a coordinated action plan for polio eradication should be prepared within a week after consultations with the provinces.

Appreciating the efforts of frontline polio workers and law enforcement agencies in ensuring the successful conduct of vaccination campaigns, the prime minister said providing security and uninterrupted access to vaccination teams was the government’s top priority.

He also directed the authorities to improve routine immunisation coverage across the country, with a particular focus on polio-affected areas and regions of concern. He commended the improvement in access for vaccination campaigns in security-sensitive and challenging areas.

The meeting was further informed that cross-border movement from Afghanistan was a major factor contributing to the spread of the virus in Pakistan.

The meeting was told that no new polio case had been reported from Punjab since February 2025, while Balochistan reported no cases in 2025 and 2026. Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan remained polio-free.

It was also briefed that the quantity of poliovirus detected in environmental samples from Sindh had declined this year.

The meeting was further informed that measures were being taken to improve the security of vaccination teams and ensure better access in the southern districts of KP.

Trailing 3-0 at half-time, Pakistan mounted a spirited fightback, with Najeebullah and Alamgir finding the net in injury time to give the Shaheens hope of an unlikely comeback.

Najeebullah reduced the deficit in the second minute of stoppage time, powering home a bullet header from a Junaid Shah cross to score his first international goal.

Two minutes later, Alamgir produced a moment of individual brilliance to make it 3-2. Collecting a pass from McKeal Abdullah with his back to goal, the midfielder lifted the ball before swivelling and connecting with a stunning overhead kick that found the far corner.

Pakistan pushed forward in search of a dramatic equaliser, but India held on to secure all three points in the Group ‘B’ encounter.

The defeat left Pakistan to rue a disappointing first-half performance in which they struggled to impose themselves against their arch-rivals. The Shaheens were also without several key players who had featured in last month’s FIFA ASEAN Cup.

India took the lead in the 14th minute through Suhail Ahmad Bhat, who finished first-time after a swift attacking move.

The forward doubled his tally six minutes later with another clinical finish, before Manglenthang Kipgen extended the advantage to 3-0 two minutes past the half-hour mark.

Pakistan had an opportunity to reduce the deficit shortly afterwards when Hayyaan Khattak won a penalty following a foul inside the box. However, Shayek Dost blazed his effort over the crossbar, allowing India to take their three-goal lead into the interval.

Solano made an early change, bringing on striker McKeal Abdullah for defender Waqar Ehtisham Baloch. At half-time, Umar Nawaz and Muhammad Junaid replaced Syed Ali Raza and Ali Uzair Mahmood.

Pakistan’s efforts in the second half were further disrupted by injuries to left-back Abdul Rehman and Shayek Dost, both of whom had to be withdrawn. Junaid Shah and Najeebullah came on as replacements.

Despite continued pressure from India, Pakistan managed to create opportunities of their own. Najeebullah came close to scoring late in the match after being set up by McKeal Abdullah, but his effort was kept out by India goalkeeper Arsh Anwer Shaikh.

The two late goals offered some consolation for Pakistan, whose attacking intent in the closing stages provided encouragement despite the defeat.

The Shaheens will take on Maldives on Sunday, November 8 in their final Group ‘B’ fixture. Pakistan will need a positive result to keep their semi-final hopes alive, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the last four.

The match will also be played before the start of the FIFA international window.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, an annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help reduce the risk of getting flu and any of its potentially serious complications.

Naeem Ahmed, a resident of the federal capital who gets a shot of the flu vaccine for his mother every year in October, told Dawn that he had been running from pillar to post for the last month but could not find the vaccine in the market.

“I have been administering the vaccine to my mother for the last many years, but unfortunately this year it seems that my mother will become vulnerable to influenza as the vaccine may remain unavailable,” he feared.

Another citizen, Sohail Jamil, had the same story: he searched for the vaccine at various medical stores, but was told that it was not available this year.

A pharmacist running a drug store, wishing not to be named, said that the Chinese Sinovac, French Vaxigrip and American Influvac were the three primary flu vaccines available in the local market. However, none of them were available this year.

“I used to sell at least 1,500 shots in October, but this year I could not arrange a single one,” he said, explaining that the vaccine should ideally be administered in early autumn, around September or October — especially to the elderly — just before flu activity increases in the community.

The pharmacist claimed that, due to rumours that the vaccine would not be available this year, some agents had started online bookings in the black market and received advance payments. However, even they were not able to provide the vaccine, he said.

Speaking to Dawn, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), Dr Obaidullah Malik, said that the Chinese vaccine Sinovac would be made available by Nov 15.

Price discrepancy

Meanwhile, the only available vaccine, Virionza — an inactivated, split-virion seasonal flu vaccine — has been facing a price-related controversy as the Drap-introduced barcode shows a price 50 per cent less than the maximum retail price (MRP) listed on the pack.

The pack lists the MRP as Rs1,304, but scanning the barcode available on the same pack shows the price to be Rs654.

By introducing the barcode on every medicine, Drap claims that companies cannot increase the prices of medicines or vaccines as consumers will be able to check the actual price through the barcode.

However, when contacted, a senior official of the health ministry, wishing not to be named, said that there was something wrong with the barcode system, while the company was selling the vaccine at the correct price.

The ministry official said that there were two reasons behind the unavailability of the vaccines.

“The first is that the vaccine has become short in the international market for various reasons, including transportation issues due to the Iran-US war. The second reason is the pricing. As prices have surged, due to shortages and transportation costs, they may not be allowed to sell at higher rates in Pakistan,” he said.

“So I can say that the French vaccine Vaxigrip and American vaccine Influvac will not be available to consumers this year. However, we are making efforts to ensure that the Chinese vaccine, Sinovac, will be made available in the next 10 days,” he said.

Asked about the discrepancy in the price of the Virionza vaccine and the barcode, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal told Dawn that he would inquire about why the two were different.

He also said that the flu vaccine was available in the market but some prominent brands were not available.

“Monday, Nov 9, shall be a public holiday throughout the country on the occasion of Allama Iqbal Day,” the notification said, referring to a circular issued in January by the Cabinet Division listing public and optional holidays for the year.

Punjab also announced that Nov 9 will be observed as a public holiday, as per a notification issued by the provincial government.

On Wednesday, the Sindh government announced that all public and private schools across the province would remain closed on Nov 9 to mark the 149th birth anniversary of Iqbal, the national poet of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has also declared a closure on Monday in light of the holiday.

Born in Sialkot in 1877, Iqbal was a distinguished poet, a scholar, a gifted philosopher and Pakistan’s ideological founder.

It was at the Allahabad session of the Muslim League in 1930 that Iqbal became the first politician to articulate the two-nation theory that ultimately led to the creation of Pakistan on August 14, 1947.

Iqbal Day was on the calendar of national public holidays for decades, but the interior ministry, through a circular issued on November 4, 2015, announced the cancellation of the day as an annual holiday without specifying a reason. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government restored the holiday in 2022.

The central bank tightened borrowing costs by a quarter point, catching up with the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank in lifting rates since the start of the Middle East conflict.

Along with Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries, disruptions to Gulf energy supplies owing to the US-Iran war have caused record-high diesel prices around the world.

“There is now enough inflationary pressure in the pipeline caused by the rise in energy prices that an increase in Bank Rate is warranted,” BoE governor Andrew Bailey said in a statement.

“Today’s increase shouldn’t be seen as the first in an inevitable long sequence of hikes,” Bailey said. “But, unless the conflict in the Middle East is resolved, neither does it seem likely to be the last increase.”

Despite surging inflation, the bank upgraded its forecasts for UK economic growth in 2026 and 2027. The central bank now estimates gross domestic product to hit 1.6pc this year and 1.3pc next year.

In July, it had forecast GDP growth of 1.1pc in both years.

The BoE last raised its key interest rate in August 2023, and has kept the cost of borrowing at 3.75pc since December.

Britain’s annual inflation rate accelerated by more than expected in September, rising to 3.5 percent — well above the bank’s target of two percent.

The BoE on Thursday said its central forecast saw UK inflation peaking at 4.9pc in the second quarter of next year.

Millions of Britons face a jump in energy bills from the start of 2027, even after the government offered some assistance in its annual budget announcement last week.

On Sept 14, the LHC had directed the foreign secretary to process and decide within 15 days representations concerning the detention of two citizens — Syed Salman Raza Zaidi and Muhammad Junaid Jahangir. On Oct 22, the court issued notices to the foreign secretary while hearing two contempt pleas over the non-implementation of its order.

In a reply submitted through the attorney general’s office on Thursday against the contempt pleas, the ministry said it referred the matter to the mission immediately after receiving the court’s directions.

The reply, signed by Additional Secretary (Middle East) Zahid Hussain, said the mission was told to pursue the matter with the UAE’s competent authorities and furnish a report to the ministry “expeditiously”.

The ministry said the response from the UAE authorities had not yet been received.

Once the requisite report arrives, it said, the matter would be examined further so that the foreign secretary could make an informed decision in light of the facts and circumstances of the case and the court’s directions.

Barrister Abuzar Salman Niazi, appearing on behalf of the petitioners, argued that despite repeated directions, the Foreign Office had failed to answer the most fundamental questions about the citizens’ detention.

He said the ministry’s reply did not reflect what concrete steps had been taken by the Pakistani diplomatic mission to secure consular and diplomatic access to the detained citizens.

Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa also termed the ministry’s reply unsatisfactory and summoned the officer responsible to appear in person at the next hearing.

At previous hearings, the petitioners’ counsel alleged that the two individuals remained deprived of consular, diplomatic and legal access.

He recalled the court’s Sept 14 directive and contended that the petitioners had not been formally informed of any decision on their representations, even though a considerable amount of time had passed.

According to the first writ petition, Zaidi went missing from his residence in Sharjah on Sept 27, 2024, and was subsequently taken into custody by UAE authorities.

It said despite nearly two years having passed, the petitioner, Faryal Zainab, had still not been provided clear information regarding the charges against Zaidi, her husband, the judicial proceedings, any sentence or the complete court record.

The second petition said Jahangir was allegedly detained on Sept 24, 2024, at Dubai airport on his return from Saudi Arabia.

Muhammad Ibrahim, Jahangir’s father, filed the petition challenging the alleged failure of the federal government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide effective consular protection and legal assistance.

Chairing a meeting to review progress on the programme, the prime minister expressed satisfaction over its implementation and transparency, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

“Simplifying the registration and subsidy disbursement procedures has led to an increase in registrations, enabling more deserving citizens to benefit from the facility,” the prime minister said.

He said the technology-driven and transparent subsidy scheme would prove to be a “game changer” for similar public welfare initiatives in the future.

The prime minister also appreciated Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima, Federal Secretary for Information Technology and Telecommunication Zarar Hashim Khan and their team for developing an effective monitoring and dashboard system for the programme.

The meeting was informed that 15,519,282 citizens had registered under the subsidy scheme so far, including 15.06 million motorcycle owners and 449,000 owners of vehicles with engine capacities of up to 800cc.

A total of 63,153,685 fuel tokens had been issued under the scheme, of which 59,445,347 had been used, the meeting was told.

Payments amounting to Rs28.6 billion had been disbursed under the fuel subsidy scheme as of November 4, 2026, the briefing added.

The meeting was also informed that separate call centres had been established for consumers and petrol pumps to provide information about the programme and address complaints.

PM Shehbaz announced a relief scheme in September for owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles with engine capacities of up to 800cc. Under the scheme, owners of two- and three-wheeled vehicles are eligible for a subsidy of Rs100 per litre on a monthly quota of 20 litres, while owners of vehicles with engine capacities of up to 800cc are entitled to the same subsidy on a monthly quota of 30 litres.

In a post on X, Chaudhry said the allocation of seats in the Senate for the committee would give two seats each to the PML-N, PPP and PTI.

The Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), National Party and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) will each be allocated one seat, he added.

“The final decision on the names of the committee members will be made by the leader of the house (the prime minister) and the deputy prime minister after consultations with the opposition, coalition partners and relevant parliamentary leadership,” Chaudhry said.

Earlier this week, the government, taking ownership of an initiative to bring all parliamentary parties, including the opposition, to the negotiating table on electoral reforms, formally appr­oached its allies to join the proposed PCER.

It had contacted its key allies, the PPP and the MQM-P, seeking nominations for their representatives on the proposed committee. The PPP had submitted the names of its legislators for the PCER. However, the names have not yet been made public.

On Tuesday, the government formally approached the opposition to seek its representation on the proposed PCER. However, the opposition had termed the formation of the committee a “futile exercise” unless its long-standing demands were met.

Chaudhry had also contacted PTI chief whip in the National Assembly, Aamir Dogar, asking him to submit the names of opposition lawmakers for the committee.

However, Dogar had expressed reservations over the proposed composition of the committee and demanded equal representation for the government and opposition.

Last week, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari urged National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai to use the “authority and power” delegated to him by jailed PTI founder Imran Khan to direct opposition members to participate in parliamentary committees.

He said the opposition leader should nominate representatives to the committee on electoral reforms and submit the names to the Speaker’s Office.

Later on, a PPP delegation had also met Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas.

During the meeting, the PPP delegation invited the opposition to participate in the parliamentary committee to promote consultation and discussion among parliamentary representatives on electoral reforms.

The 41-year-old announced that he would ‘hand back the number 7 shirt’ after the November international break.

Ronaldo captained Portugal to their first major trophy at Euro 2016 and helped them win the 2019 and 2025 Nations Leagues.

“It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made only with the head. They are also made with the heart,” said Ronaldo.

“If I ever made you happy, if one of my goals ever made you hug someone, forget a worry or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it.” Ronaldo thanked his family, the Portuguese people and the teammates, coaches and staff he worked with over his 23-year career with national team.

“Portugal will always be a part of me,” he captioned the announcement video.

Ronaldo has made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals. He holds the all-time record for international appearances and for international goals.

His final international tournament appearance was at the 2026 World Cup, where he tried to win the one major trophy that has eluded him. Portugal exited in the last 16 with a 1-0 loss to eventual champions and Iberian rivals Spain.

Ronaldo did, however, join Argentina’s Lionel Messi as the only players to feature at six global tournaments, one of a host of international records set by the Al-Nassr forward.

Ronaldo apology

Ronaldo left the Portugal camp at the end of September ahead of their Nations League match against Denmark without permission and did not return. He later cited broken promises from manager Jorge Jesus as the reason for his departure.

Jesus denied making any agreement with Ronaldo but left the door open for his return following Portugal’s 2-1 win.

After Ronaldo apologised and said he remained available for international selection, the Portuguese Football Federation suspended the forward for 30 days and fined him 255 ($287.16).

Portugal, who top Nations League Group A4, host second-placed Denmark on November 14 in Braga before visiting Wales in their final two group games, which will be Ronaldo’s final chances to add to his international statistics.

The Portuguese Football Federation released a statement after Ronaldo’s retirement announcement, expressing its profound and eternal gratitude for his services.

“More than an exceptional athlete, our captain was an inspiring leader, an example of dedication and the ultimate symbol of the soul of our National Team,” said the statement.

Ronaldo will leave the international stage as Portugal’s most successful player in terms of individual and team honours and has become a cultural reference point for the country around the world.

“I spent my life working to become the best player in the world. Today I realise that my greatest victory was having deserved the honour of representing the best country in the world,” said Ronaldo in his statement.

The directive was issued by a two-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan and including Justice Aamer Farooq.

“Since the armed forces have been called to act in aid of civil power in the entire province of KP pursuant to the Oct 11 order … the proceedings before the PHC instituted under Article 199 on or after Oct 12 shall, in terms of clause 4 of Article 245, remain suspended,” ordered the two-judge bench.

The bench took up a set of petitions challenging interim bail of the detainees, granted by the PHC against surety bonds of Rs100,000 each.

The PHC had issued the interim orders in the absence of any report by the provincial government explaining reasons and circumstances that led to the detention of PTI activists and also directed that they should not be arrested pending the cases related to their detentions before the high court. The PHC will next hear the case on Nov 12.

The court order also directed KP Advocate General Sanaullah Khan to furnish a report to the top court within seven days in relation to the areas in KP where the armed forces were no longer required to act in aid of civil power.

The FCC said it may consider modifying the present order in terms of clause 4 of Article 245, which provides for calling in armed forces in aid of civil forces, after examining the report so furnished.

The FCC also issued notice to the respondents, saying since important questions involving interpretation of the Constitution were involved, notice should also be issued to the attorney general for Pakistan under Order XXVIIA of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

More than 60 appeals challenging the PHC’s interim orders have been fixed before the FCC. The pleas were moved by the KP Home and Tribal Affairs Department additional chief secretary.

In its order, the FCC observed that the points raised during the hearing needed serious consideration, recalling that the earlier judgment of the PHC in Aftab Alam’s case, relying on which the impugned orders have been passed, required careful examination to ascertain whether the view adopted by the high court on Article 245 of the Constitution was constitutionally correct.

For the purposes of the instant petitions, FCC also referred to clauses 3 and 4 of Article 245 of the Constitution in its order.

Under clause 3, a high court shall not exercise any jurisdiction under Article 199 in relation to any area in which the armed forces of Pakistan are, for the time being, acting in aid of civil power in pursuance of Article 245: Provided that this clause shall not be deemed to affect the jurisdiction of the High Court in respect of any proceeding pending immediately before the day on which the Armed Forces start acting in aid of civil power.

Likewise, under clause 4, any proceeding in relation to an area referred to in clause 3 instituted on or after the day the armed forces start acting in aid of civil power and pending in any high court shall remain suspended for the period during which the armed forces are so acting.

Prima facie, clause 3 of Article 245 is not an ouster clause in the nature as it appears elsewhere in the Constitution such as Article 236(2), where despite an ouster, the courts have examined the constitutionality of any proclamation issued under Part X of the Constitution, the FCC observed.

Clause 3 of Article 245 referred to a particular situation which is emergent but temporary in nature, the order said.

Thus, the bar on exercising jurisdiction also lasts for so long as the armed forces are acting in aid of civil power. This and other questions raised in the instant proceedings require a careful examination and an authoritative pronouncement by the FCC, the order emphasised.

The FCC order also recalled how the proclamation was issued by the President on Oct 11, 2026 under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, following which the federal government assumed control of KP through the governor.

Following the proclamation, the federal government authorised deployment of Pakistan Army in aid of civil power for safety of life, security of person and property of citizens as well as security of government installations in KP vide Oct 11 order issued under Article 245 of the Constitution, the order noted.

Pursuant to the said orders, the Ministry of Interior requisitioned troops of armed forces vide office memorandum dated Oct 12, 2026. The Ministry of Defence made the troops deployed in the KP to act in aid of civil power across the province vide office memorandum of the even date, the order said.

Consequently, several persons were placed in preventive detention under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO) for maintenance of public peace and order. The detention orders issued under section 3 of the MPO were assailed before the PHC, which, while relying on its 2024 judgment titled Aftab Alam and another vs. Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs, KP government released them in limine, the order stated.

The KP advocate general, who pleaded the case before the FCC on behalf of the provincial government, told Dawn that the PHC’s orders had been challenged under Article 245 of the Constitution.

He cited clause 3 of the provision, arguing that a high court could not “directly entertain a case under Article 199 of the Constitution since it cannot exercise its jurisdiction in relation to any area in which the armed forces are acting in aid of the civil power”.

When the KP advocate general presented this argument before the FCC, Justice Farooq observed that a high court received several cases under Article 199 on a daily basis.

“Does this mean the high court should not hear such cases?” he questioned.

The advocate general replied that matters such as tenancy disputes could be taken up as the high court was approached for these cases after the matter was referred to competent forums.

Former additional advocate general Shah Faisal Ilyas, who was representing one of the parties, raised an objection during the proceedings and requested the court to hear the parties before issuing any injunctive order, asserting that the objections raised by the provincial government against the high court’s order were untenable.

CJ Khan then directed the counsel to furnish his formal objections after going through the FCC’s order first and stated that the court was issuing notices to the respondents.

The KP advocate general said while speaking to Dawn that the framers of the Constitution had provided protection to provisions relating to the preventive custody under Article 10 (safeguards as to arrest and detention).

He specifically cited clauses 3 and 4 of the provision and contended that provisions of the MPO were invoked on the basis of “subjective analysis of the government functionary to prevent any action prejudicial to the public safety and law and order”.

The FCC’s directive comes less than a month after the federal government imposed emergency and governor’s rule in KP on Oct 11, citing the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism.

The move has drawn criticism from the opposition, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas.

In the days preceding the imposition of governor’s rule in KP, political tensions between the Centre and the opposition — including the PTI which was in power in KP — had remained high since jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party announced a protest march to Islamabad to demand his release. Intense negotiations between the two sides a week before the imposition of governor’s rule had failed to yield any results.

Scores of PTI workers and leaders had been detained following the Oct 11 move, including lawmakers. Sohail Afridi, who has been rendered non-functional as the chief minister after the imposition of governor’s rule, has also been detained.

The PHC remains seized with petitions against these detentions, including that of Afridi.

According to the FO, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received the visiting UK minister of state for security, Dan Jarvis, in Islamabad, where both sides reviewed existing bilateral ties and agreed to “further deepen cooperation in security, law enforcement, migration, trade and investment”.

Dar and Jarvis also exchanged views on regional and global developments and discussed further meetings under the R4 + E4 framework, the statement added, referring to a meeting of the two regional groups in Istanbul last month.

“Dar underscored the importance of continued Pakistan-UK cooperation on bilateral matters and on regional developments of mutual interest,” the FO said.

A day prior, Pakistan and the UK expressed concern at terrorism emanating from Afghanistan during their annual bilateral counter-terrorism dialogue in Islamabad, the FO stated.

“The two sides discussed in detail the evolving regional and global security environment and exchanged views on the threats posed by terrorist entities, including transnational terrorist networks,” it said.

“Both sides expressed concerns over the continuing threat posed by terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, operating in and from Afghanistan,” the FO said, adding that they underscored the “urgent need for a stable, secure Afghanistan as a cornerstone for lasting peace and prosperity across the region”.

Islamabad and London have also been engaged in the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue since 2011, which has deepened and broadened the dialogue between the two countries, covering areas such as trade, economic growth and development, cultural cooperation, security, and education.

The report, titled ‘Lahore’s smog: The year-round baseline, and what changes in October ’, was released by the environmental monitoring project ‘Hamari Hawa’ on November 2 and prepared by its founder, Hammad Tariq.

It drew on ground-monitoring data, satellite observations and atmospheric reanalysis to examine pollution levels and possible sources around Lahore.

On Monday, air pollution in Lahore reached hazardous levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 530 and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations climbing to 343 micrograms per cubic metre.

According to the analysis, Lahore’s monthly average PM2.5 concentration remained above 35 micrograms per cubic metre from October 2025 to October 2026. Even in the city’s cleaner months, April to September 2026, monthly averages ranged from 40 to 59 micrograms per cubic metre, against the national annual standard of 15 micrograms per cubic metre.

The report used IQAir’s historical data, which aggregates readings from ground monitors across the city. It recorded a monthly average of 40 micrograms per cubic metre in June 2026, the lowest during the period, while averages from October 2025 to February 2026 ranged between 124 and 183 micrograms per cubic metre. October 2026 recorded 100 micrograms per cubic metre.

The report cautioned that the national limit of 35 micrograms per cubic metre is a 24-hour standard, whereas the monthly figures are monthly averages. The comparison therefore showed the persistence of pollution but does not establish how many individual days exceeded the daily limit.

The analysis identified a sharp seasonal decline in the height of the atmospheric layer into which pollutants can disperse as one of the factors behind the winter increase.

Using ERA5 atmospheric reanalysis data, it estimated that the average mixing height over Lahore fell from around 830 to 860 metres in May and June to about 400 metres in October and 260 metres in November. It declined further to around 190 metres in December.

A shallower mixing layer leaves less air available for pollutants to disperse, allowing concentrations near the ground to rise even without an increase in emissions, the report said.

According to the report, in an idealised comparison where emissions and other conditions remain unchanged, reducing the mixing layer to half or a third of its earlier depth could make smoke roughly two to three times more concentrated.

It also noted that Lahore’s average wind speed remained relatively light throughout the year, ranging from about 1.8 to 2.4 metres per second, and that October is not necessarily windier or calmer than September.

The report also examined satellite-detected heat spots on farmland around Lahore, which it classified as crop-associated detections after excluding locations near known kilns, dumps, industrial sites and towns.

Between October 15 and November 1, 2026, satellites recorded 781 such detections within 40 kilometres of central Lahore. Of these, 322 were in Sheikhupura district, 149 in India’s Tarn Taran district, 106 in Amritsar, 77 in Nankana Sahib, 62 in Lahore district and 50 in Kasur.

The analysis found that between 37 and 63pc of crop-associated satellite detections within 100 kilometres of Lahore on the Pakistani side occurred after November 1 in each of the seven seasons from 2019 to 2025.

It said the timing was significant because agricultural burning around the rice harvest coincided with the period when the atmospheric mixing layer becomes progressively shallower.

However, the report stressed that satellite heat detections do not confirm individual fires. A single field fire may generate several detections, while fires obscured by clouds or occurring between satellite passes may not be recorded. The figures also do not measure the area burnt or the quantity of pollution released.

The report said pollution sources operating throughout the year include vehicle exhaust, factories, brick kilns, power plants, generators, household fuels, open rubbish burning and dust. Some fine particles are also formed in the atmosphere through chemical reactions involving gases released by these sources.

Citing the Urban Unit’s 2023 Lahore emissions inventory, which was based on 2020–21 data, the report said that transport accounted for about 35pc of the city’s PM2.5 emissions, compared with 33pc from crop-residue burning, 29pc from waste burning and three per cent from industry.

It cautioned against interpreting the frequently quoted figure of 83pc for transport as its share of PM2.5. That figure covers all pollutants by weight and is dominated by carbon monoxide, it added.

A separate Punjab-wide Urban Unit inventory for 2020 estimated that heavy-duty vehicles and buses produced 55pc of road vehicles’ exhaust PM2.5, compared with 18pc from motorcycles. The report said the figures are provincial estimates and should not be treated as a direct measurement of Lahore’s current pollution.

It also identified 890 mapped brick kilns within 50 kilometres of central Lahore, including 196 within 25 kilometres.

The analysis further highlighted the difficulty of establishing how much pollution originates from within Pakistan and how much of it crosses the border. It cited estimates of the cross-border contribution to Lahore’s pollution ranging from 13 to 30pc based on figures from different studies and geographical areas.

It concluded that emissions inventories, ground-level monitoring and source-apportionment studies measure different aspects of air pollution and their percentages cannot be directly compared or converted into one another.

The report’s central finding was that the seasonal improvement in air quality does not mean Lahore has clean air during the rest of the year. It argued that persistent emissions form the baseline, while the shrinking atmospheric mixing layer and crop-residue burning add to pollution during the smog season.

Meanwhile, the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department (EPCCD) released a report stating Lahore recorded a 15pc net improvement across six major air pollutants during the first year of the Punjab government’s real-time air quality monitoring programme, while the city’s peak Air Quality Index (AQI) declined by 28pc in October 2026 compared to the corresponding period last year.

The department said the improvement reflected a reduction across six major atmospheric pollutants rather than a change in a single parameter, particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Lahore also recorded no days in the hazardous AQI category, defined as an index above 300, during October 2026, against four such days in October 2025.

The findings were based on the first full year of real-time air quality monitoring and publicly available ground-based measurements. The government said the data provided an empirical basis for assessing the impact of its air pollution control measures and developing targeted interventions.

According to the EPCCD, the first reading on Punjab’s real-time air quality portal was published on Oct 1, 2025, with an initial network of 30 regulatory-grade monitoring stations. The network has since expanded to 59 stations, which continuously measure six air pollutants and seven meteorological parameters.

The government plans to increase the number of monitoring stations to 100 by 2025–26 to strengthen its capacity for monitoring ambient air quality across the province, it said.

The department maintained that the expanded network had enabled authorities to make more informed decisions through accurate, ground-based measurements, particularly in contrast to assessments relying on low-cost, non-regulatory sensors and satellite-derived models.

The EPCCD also highlighted the role of meteorological conditions in interpreting the improvement.

According to official Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) statistics, Lahore received 50pc less rainfall in October 2026 than in October 2025, indicating that the improvement was recorded despite relatively drier conditions.

Another important factor in assessing air pollution is the atmospheric boundary layer, also known as the mixing height, which determines the volume of air available to dilute and disperse pollutants.

The department said ground-based measurements conducted by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) using a ceilometer in Lahore showed an increase of only 10 metres in the minimum mixing layer height during the comparison period.

This finding was presented in contrast to a 25-metre increase cited by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI). The EPCCD, in its report, questioned the reliability of the latter assessment, arguing that ground-based instruments provided more appropriate measurements for evaluating local air quality interventions.

The department also referred to peer-reviewed research published in January 2026, which identified systematic biases of between 200 and 500 metres in ERA5 reanalysis data over the monsoon region. It said such model-derived products were useful for regional research but had limitations when used to assess the local impact of air pollution control policies.

Alongside monitoring infrastructure, the Punjab government has been implementing a multi-sectoral air pollution reduction strategy targeting transport, industrial emissions, brick kilns and agricultural burning.

In the transport sector, the government has introduced 612 electric buses, while also providing electric bikes and improving traffic management to reduce emissions from conventional vehicles. The department said around 500,000 vehicles had undergone emissions testing, while more than 800 legal notices had been issued to heavy transport vehicles over emissions and fitness certification requirements.

The government aimed to expand its electric bus fleet to 3,000 vehicles as part of its clean mobility strategy, the report said.

It further noted that industrial compliance had also been strengthened through the Environment Protection Force — responsible for monitoring emissions, fuel quality and fugitive dust control systems at more than 600 sites across Punjab. The department said industries emitting excessive smoke without adequate emission-control systems, as well as units using unauthorised fuels, were not being allowed to operate.

The government has also imposed a complete ban on the operation of tyre pyrolysis plants and the use of carbon powder as industrial fuel, citing concerns over hazardous emissions, it noted.

Agricultural emissions, particularly those caused by the burning of crop residue, remain another major component of the anti-smog strategy. The EPCCD said field-level stubble-burning incidents had declined by one-third during the first year after the government provided 10,000 super seeders to farmers through targeted subsidies.

The government plans to increase the number of subsidised super seeders to 25,000 and introduce additional mechanised solutions, including Kubota harvesters and stubble balers, to discourage open burning and facilitate the use of crop residue as industrial fuel, it said.

The department also attributed part of the reduction in emissions to changes in the energy and industrial sectors. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Energy’s Petroleum Division, the annual compound growth rate of coal consumption declined by 14.2pc.

Meanwhile, more than 95pc of brick kilns in Punjab have adopted the zigzag technology, which the department said had helped reduce coal consumption and emissions from the brick-making sector.

The EPCCD said coordination among government departments and stakeholders, coupled with regulatory enforcement, cleaner transport initiatives and the expansion of ground-based monitoring, had contributed to the progress recorded during the first year.

It maintained that the 2026 findings provided a baseline for measuring future improvements and refining pollution-control interventions, while emphasising that sustained enforcement and a transition towards cleaner fuels and technologies would remain essential to protecting public health and improving air quality in Lahore and other parts of Punjab.

While no country has attributed blame for the threats, they come at a time when European officials have been blaming both Russia and Iran for what they describe as “hybrid attacks”. Moscow and Tehran both deny any such campaign.

Aer Lingus flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome landed safely on Thursday at Evreux airport, 100 km (62 miles) west of Paris, after being diverted as a security precaution, the Irish airline said in a statement.

Bulgarian officials reported three aircraft making emergency landings in the Balkan country because of bomb threats.

Airplanes flying from Copenhagen and Madrid landed safely in Sofia, the interior minister said, according to broadcaster bTV.

A third aircraft, from London, was diverted and landed in Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second-largest city, local media said. The government did not respond to requests for comment.

Czech, Italian, Polish authorities also report bomb threats

Czech police said on X that four airplanes heading to Prague had received bomb threats on Thursday and that authorities were making preparations for the landings, although they assessed the credibility of the threats as low.

Italy’s air force safely escorted a Finnair plane from Helsinki to its scheduled landing in Rome, a person close to the matter said. Another Finnair flight from Helsinki, operated by Jettime, landed as normal in Vienna after receiving a bomb threat, the Finnish carrier said.

Polish airline LOT said a flight from Warsaw to Brussels had landed safely at its destination after a security warning, and no suspicious items were found.

It also said a LOT flight to Paris had been stopped as it was taxiing towards take-off and that its passengers had then been transferred to another aircraft as a precaution.

Italian media reported that a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Warsaw had to land in Vienna due to a bomb threat.

On Tuesday, at least seven flights and a cruise ship received bomb threats, causing disruption at airports across Europe, although no devices were discovered.

This week, unidentified hackers shut down fridges in supermarkets in several European countries. Some experts said hoax bomb threats could be part of a similar pattern of cheap, deniable disruption efforts.

Eliran Almog, CEO of aviation cybersecurity firm Cyviation, said the repeated threats could serve both to disrupt operations and to observe how airlines, airports and national authorities respond.

“These aviation threats are also occurring in the same period as cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe,” Almog said.

“Different essential services are experiencing disruption that carries economic costs and can undermine public confidence.”

No Democrat has emerged as a clear favourite in a field that could attract dozens of contenders, while Republicans have a smaller group of widely discussed candidates, led by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to succeed President Donald Trump, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.

Potential Democratic candidates, including sitting governors and senators, have spent months cultivating donors, visiting states with early nominating contests and raising their national profiles, positioning themselves for a race that strategists expect to begin in earnest now that the midterms are over.

The sweeping victories by Democrats on Tuesday, when voters delivered a sharp rebuke to Trump and his agenda, will intensify discussions within both parties about how to win over an electorate unhappy with the country’s direction.

Despite their resounding victories on Tuesday, Democrats enter the 2028 campaign still divided over whether to tack to the centre or move further left on issues ranging from healthcare and taxes to policing and foreign policy.

Republican candidates will face a different challenge: how to distance themselves from Trump after Tuesday’s repudiation of his policies. They need to broaden their appeal beyond the president’s base while avoiding a break with the populist Make America Great Again movement that has come to define the party.

Trump, who has dominated the political landscape for a decade, may be reluctant to yield centre stage, and his continued influence with MAGA followers could complicate the path of the party’s next standard-bearer.

Looming Democratic battle

Doug Sosnik, a Democratic strategist, said both progressives and moderates will claim vindication in their ideological approaches, ensuring an intense internal battle over the party’s future as the 2028 race begins in earnest.

One of the most high-profile progressive wins came in the Michigan Senate contest, where Democrat Abdul El-Sayed easily defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a likely 2028 presidential swing state, becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate.

“All kinds of wings of the Democratic Party can find affirmation in the results last night,” Sosnik said on Wednesday. “I don’t think that anyone can, nor should they, try to contain the differences we have as a party.”

Several potential candidates have either acknowledged considering a White House run or declined to rule one out. Most spent the final weeks of the midterm campaign stumping for fellow Democrats in early nominating states such as Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

They include former Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in 2024, Governors Gavin Newsom of California and Andy Beshear of Kentucky, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, a leading progressive voice.

Reuters contacted representatives for nine of the party’s most prominent potential contenders. None confirmed a 2028 run.

Nine days after the November 3 elections, several prospective Democratic candidates, including Buttigieg and another progressive, US Representative Ro Khanna of California, are scheduled to attend a gathering in Denver hosted by Majority Democrats.

The group, backed largely by moderate Democrats and billionaire donor Steve Mandel, advocates for younger party leaders and a party platform that is more centrist.

US Representative Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts, the group’s chair, said the event is meant to spark a debate about the party’s future before the 2028 race takes shape, and lay out a positive agenda for what the party is for, rather than just being anti-Trump.

Scott Ferson, a Democratic strategist, said the party’s presidential primary could attract a huge number of candidates.

“There are at least 30 Democrats who are saying to people close to them, ‘Do you think I should run?’” Ferson said.

Republicans in Trump’s shadow

By contrast, Republican 2028 hopefuls have been more guarded, mostly staying in Trump’s shadow and deferential to him.

That could now change after Tuesday night’s rout in which voters expressed deep dissatisfaction with Trump’s handling of the economy and foreign policy and demanded more action against government corruption.

Vance is in a particularly difficult position, said Matt Dole, a Republican strategist. Vance has less freedom than other potential 2028 Republican contenders to put daylight between himself and Trump because he is vice president, a role that traditionally involves defending the president and his policies.

“Vance just doesn’t have the wiggle room that somebody else in the cabinet has, who can resign,” Dole said.

Still, Vance acknowledged on Wednesday that the war in Iran, which Trump launched in February and which is deeply unpopular among Americans, had cost Republicans the election.

That, however, did not represent a clear break with Trump, who made a similar acknowledgement on Tuesday night.

Whoever emerges within the Republican Party as its new standard-bearer will face the task of keeping Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) base onside while rebuilding the broader coalition that powered his 2024 victory.

Exit polls on Tuesday showed that key constituencies of that coalition, including younger voters, Hispanics and some Black men, had deserted Republicans.

Vance has said there is “a chance” he will not run, citing family considerations, while Rubio has said he has “no plans at this time” to seek the presidency.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination against Trump in 2024, has declined to rule out another White House bid.

Other Republicans viewed as potential candidates include Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.

According to the electoral watchdog, it halted all preparations for local government elections until further orders after the federal government extended the suspension of Article 140-A of the Constitution — which requires the provinces to establish elected local governments, and decentralise political, administrative and financial powers to them — to the entire province a day earlier.

The decision came even though the ECP ordered on Oct 28 that polls be held immediately in those districts where delimitation had been completed, excluding those included in the 12 districts with special emergency measures.

Federal cabinet extends suspension of Article 140-A

On Wednesday, the federal cabinet transferred the powers of the KP chi­ef minister, who became non-functional after the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency on Oct 11, to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.

According to an official handout from the government, the move was meant to ensure the smooth execution of administrative affairs, improve governance and handle day-to-day matters during the provincial state of emergency.

On Thursday, it emerged that the government also extended the suspension of Article 140-A to the entire province. The decision was notified through an order issued by the Cabinet Division and published in the Gazette of Pakistan on Nov 4.

The order, a copy of which is available with Dawn, referred to the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in KP on Oct 11. It also noted that the governor had already been directed to assume control of the provincial government.

Under the new order, Article 140-A will no longer apply to the remainder of the province, in addition to the designated districts where it already stood suspended.

“The governor will now also exercise the powers of the KP chief minister under the Constitution, the laws and rules in force in the province and the KP government Rules of Business, 1985,” the order stated.

It added that the governor will keep the federal government informed of all executive actions taken under the proclamation through monthly reports.

Subsequently, the ECP on Thursday decided to halt preparations for local government polls in KP.

What does this mean?

Explaining the decision, a senior ECP official told Dawn that Article 140-A is the provision that makes local governments mandatory in Pakistan.

He said it obliges each province to establish a local government system by law and devolve political, administrative and financial authority to elected local representatives and also makes holding local government elections the ECP’s constitutional responsibility.

The official said the provision was inserted through the 18th Amendment in 2010 to ensure that local governments were a constitutional requirement, not a favour granted by a chief minister.

He said that once Article 140-A is made inapplicable, the legal basis for holding local government elections disappears, along with the obligation to maintain an elected local government system and to devolve power and funds to it.

In such a situation, he added, executive authority is concentrated in the governor, without elected local bodies as a counterweight.

The official said the suspension was framed as a consequence of the emergency and would remain in force until it is withdrawn or the emergency ends, or it is struck down by a court.

Trump faces a radically transformed and hostile political landscape after Democrats seized both the House of Representatives and the Senate in Tuesday’s midterms.

The result was a personal humiliation for the 80-year-old Trump, leaving him as a lame duck president for the remaining two years of his term and signaling an end to his stranglehold on the Republican Party.

Vice President JD Vance publicly split with Trump over the Iran war a day after the vote, saying the conflict was the “reason we lost” as he distanced himself from the unpopular war ahead of a possible 2028 White House run.

“The reason we lost is the war,” Vance wrote in a long social media post. “The president himself said so last night. If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next six years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a ​worthwhile cost to pay.”

Democrats by early Thursday morning had control of 54 Senate seats and a strong majority in the House.

Two Senate races — in heavily Republican Mississippi and Alaska — remained too close to call.

Democrats have vowed investigations into Trump and his administration and said the incoming majority would be focused on accountability and affordability.

“The massive corruption the country has experienced from the Trump Cartel explains why very little is getting done to help everyday Americans,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Wednesday in a letter announcing his candidacy for speaker of the House.

“That changes immediately,” he said, adding Democrats are “going to hold the crooks accountable”.

It will be the first time that Trump, a Republican who also held the White House from 2017 to 2021, has had to contend with a Democratic-controlled Congress in both chambers.

Jeffries said the incoming majority will be focused on affordability and accountability.

“We don’t work for Donald Trump,” the New York lawmaker told reporters on Wednesday. “We work for the American people. And the days of the House of Representatives functioning like ​a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trump administration are over.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has emerged as a national Democratic figure since his election a year ago, released a video on social media urging his party to address the concerns ​of voters burdened by rising prices who want schools and roads.

“It is not enough to simply win power. We must use it,” Mamdani said. “Now, it’s time for us in the Democratic Party to deliver.”

Once seated in January, Democrats are expected to use their power to investigate Trump’s administration, family and allies and demand concessions on major legislation. The Democratic Senate can block Trump’s nominees, including any US Supreme Court justices should a vacancy arise.

The Democratic victory is fuelling questions about the longevity of the Supreme Court’s two eldest justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, and the durability of its conservative majority.

In the meantime, Republicans hold the reins and will have at least one must-pass piece of legislation ahead — a measure to fund the federal government past December — that they could use to enact conservative priorities during the so-called lame-duck period.

The loss also upended Republicans’ House leadership, with House Speaker Mike Johnson saying he would not continue to lead his caucus next year.

Trump had no public events scheduled for Thursday, according to a White House press schedule.

First Lady Melania Trump was set to host officials from Moscow and Kyiv at the White House ahead of talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the Ukraine war.

‘Worst-case scenario’

Trump has attempted to brush off the election results.

He spent the beginning of his first public appearance on Wednesday talking to reporters about the marble and Corinthian columns of his new $400 million ballroom.

But he conceded that what Vance had said about the Iran war was “largely true because it drove the gasoline up” — a key issue for voters angered by the rising cost of living.

“But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I’d have to do it again.

Because long term, it’s the only answer. You can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Trump added that he would “get along” with Democrats, repeating the conciliatory tone he took as the results emerged on Tuesday night, but repeated his threat to veto legislation that he didn’t like.

He warned that if his foes tried to impeach him for a third time it would “destroy” the Democratic Party.

Still, he remains the head of a party now wrestling with a resounding defeat that could spark Republican infighting.

Democratic wave

Democrats focused their campaign on corruption and affordability, blaming Trump’s expensive tariffs on imports, some of which were ruled to be an illegal tax by the courts, and the ​war with Iran for driving up ⁠costs while highlighting the billions of dollars the Trump family has made since he returned to the White House.

Republicans, led by Trump, attacked Democrats for defending transgender people’s rights and similar social issues, portraying them as radical and extreme. Voters made it clear they were more concerned with pocketbook issues.

Trump had cast the midterm elections as a referendum on the first half of his second four-year stint in the White House, repeatedly urging his Republican base to “pretend I’m on the ballot”, a message that Democratic Party leaders were happy to amplify.

The result: voters in conservative strongholds who had propelled the president to his second term in office just two years ago swung dramatically toward Democrats, fueled by deep frustration over the unpopular war with Iran, anxiety over the high ​cost of living and anger at Trump’s stewardship of the country.

In Texas, the biggest Republican-led state before Tuesday, Democrats ended a decades-long losing streak in seismic fashion, winning their first Senate seat there since 1988 and ousting three-term Governor Greg Abbott.

Kansas elected its first Democratic senator ​since the Great Depression nearly a century ago, and in South Carolina, a state that Trump carried by nearly 18 points in 2024, Democrats turned aside his hand-picked Senate candidate.

“This is close to an extinction-level event for Republicans in many parts of the country as we have seen probably in the last 100 years,” Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said in public remarks on the results.

DeSantis, who ran for president against Trump in 2024, noted Florida, where Trump-backed Byron Donalds became the state’s first Black governor and Ashley Moody retained a Senate seat, was the only bright spot for Republicans this week.

“This is going to last far beyond just two years,” he said of Republicans’ election defeat.

“We just have to be very clear-eyed. This is probably the political worst-case scenario for a midterm election.”

ECP had initially proposed holding the elections on December 14 in Punjab. In KP, the polls were to be held across the province, excluding 12 districts where special emergency measures were in place.

Thursday’s decision was taken by a four-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and comprising members Nisar Ahmed Durrani, Shah Muhammad Jatoi and Babar Hassan Bharwana, during a hearing on the conduct of local government elections in Punjab, according to a statement issued by the ECP.

Punjab chief secretary, Minister for Local Government and Community Development Zeeshan Rafique, and the department’s secretary appeared before the commission.

At the outset, the chief secretary apprised the commission that an earlier committee constituted by the Punjab government had held a meeting with the ECP, during which it was discussed and mutually decided that the elections would be conducted during the period from December to January.

He submitted that the provincial government was fully prepared to conduct elections in the province and that all necessary arrangements had been completed. The requisite information and documents sought by the ECP regarding the appointment of returning officers and district returning officers had already been furnished, and no administrative impediments remained to holding the elections.

He stated that the provincial government had no objection to the announcement of the election schedule.

The chief secretary, however, requested that polling dates preferably be fixed after Jan 20, 2027, with elections held in phases, keeping in view weather conditions and administrative convenience to ensure the smooth, transparent and orderly conduct of the electoral process.

He explained that December and January were generally marked by dense fog in Punjab, particularly in Lahore, which could cause difficulties with transportation, movement and other election-related activities. He also highlighted seasonal conditions and the importance of adequate daylight for the proper conduct of polling.

He further informed the commission that the provincial government would be required to arrange transportation facilities and had also made arrangements for the availability of school buildings to be used as polling stations. He said the administration needed an additional two months to complete the necessary arrangements and that conditions generally improved after Jan 20.

An ECP member pointed out that the provincial government had previously proposed holding elections in April.

Responding to the observation, the chief secretary said the government had reconsidered its position and had no objection to holding elections in January or February. However, he maintained that April would be more suitable because of longer daylight hours and school holidays.

He argued that shorter days and cold weather during winter could discourage voters from turning out to cast their ballots, while April would offer more favourable conditions.

The commission observed that the ECP was constitutionally obligated under Articles 140A and 219(d) of the Constitution, read with Section 219 of the Elections Act, 2017, to hold local government elections in the provinces, the Islamabad Capital Territory and the cantonment boards.

It also noted that it is the duty of the commission under Article 218(3) of the Constitution to organise and conduct the election and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against.

Keeping in view the constitutional provisions and to provide a level playing field to the contesting candidates and voters of the constituencies, the request made by the chief secretary was accepted in the interest of justice.

It was further decided that the first phase of local government elections in Punjab will be held with the polling date set as Feb 7, 2027.

The office was directed to take follow-up action accordingly.

The last local government elections in Punjab were held in 2015 under the Punjab Local Government Act, 2013. Polling took place in phases between Oct and Dec 2015, and elected councils assumed office in 2017 after indirect elections for mayors and chairpersons. Since then, local body polls in Punjab have experienced repeated delays.

The PTI government had dissolved the elected local bodies in April 2019 before they completed their tenure. The move was later struck down by the Supreme Court, which restored them. They eventually completed their term on Dec 31, 2021.

Successive provincial governments repeatedly amended or replaced the Punjab Local Government Act. Each legislative change required the ECP to restart preparations, including delimitation and election planning. Changing laws and administrative delays by successive governments contributed significantly to the postponement of the local body elections.

Under Article 140A of the Constitution and the Elections Act, local government elections should be held within 120 days of the expiry of local bodies’ terms. Since the councils’ term ended in Dec 2021, elections were due by April 2022, but they have been repeatedly postponed.

Local govt polls halted in KP

Meanwhile, in KP, the ECP halted all preparations for local government elections until further orders after the federal government extended the suspension of Article 140-A of the Constitution to the entire province a day earlier, a statement issued by the commission said.

On Oct 28, ECP had decided to hold local government elections in KP, excluding 12 districts which were deemed to face intense security challenges and an Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC) was formed to oversee them under emergency measures.

The council was formed after the federal government imposed an emergency in KP on Oct 11 and placed the province under governor’s rule, citing the “provincial government’s deliberate disengagement from the fight against terrorism”.

The matter came up for discussion at a meeting of the commission, which was chaired by the chief election commissioner. The commission took up Order No 3, issued by the federal government on Nov 4, 2026, regarding the suspension of Article 140-A.

The meeting examined Clause 2 of the order in detail, under which Article 140-A of the Constitution had been suspended and its application extended to all districts other than those covered by the previous order, the statement said.

During the briefing, the commission was informed that Article 140-A of the Constitution relates to the establishment of local governments in the provinces, while under sub-clause (2) of the article, holding local government elections is the constitutional responsibility of the ECP.

The commission also reviewed in detail the possible impact of suspending Article 140-A in the remaining districts on the ongoing local government electoral process in KP.

After deliberation, it was decided that in view of the said order, holding local government elections in the remaining districts of KP was no longer possible. Therefore, all steps taken so far for holding these elections have been stopped until further orders.

In a post on social media platform X, the authority said that a fake notification regarding an alleged ban on TikTok was being circulated on social media.

“PTA clarifies that no such notification has been issued, and the circulating information is false and misleading,” it said.

The authority advised the public not to share or rely on unverified information.

“Citizens should obtain authentic information only through PTA’s official website and verified social media platforms,” the statement said.

TikTok has repeatedly been banned in Pakistan in the past over complaints about indecent and immoral content. The first such ban came in October 2020, but was lifted 10 days later, after the company assured the telecom regulator that it would block accounts “spreading obscenity”.

In March 2021, the PHC also imposed a ban on the video-​sharing application that was later lifted in April.

In June that year, the Sindh High Court had followed suit and ordered the PTA to suspend access to TikTok in the country for “spreading immorality and obscenity”. The court had lifted the suspension three days after issuing the order.

But the PTA had again blocked access to the platform in July for its failure to take down “inappropriate content”.

The very next month, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had questioned the PTA’s powers to impose a blanket ban on TikTok, stating that by the same logic, the telecommunication authority should also ban other digital platforms like Google and YouTube.

The court had directed the PTA to consult the government and formulate a mechanism to deal with such matters.

Eventually, the PTA had lifted the ban in November 2021 following assurances by TikTok that it would “control” the uploading and dissemination of “immoral and indecent content” on the app.

Asked whether he was considering replacing Hegseth, whom he has described as a champion of the war, Trump told reporters: “No, I think he’s doing a very good job.”

The response contrasted with then-president George Bush, who fired Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld the morning after the 2006 midterm elections, when voter discontent over the Iraq war helped Democrats win control of Congress.

But sources said Trump could still replace Hegseth as Republicans assess their losses.

One Trump adviser said Hegseth “could be on the chopping block” because of the war. “Someone is going to get blamed for this and you know it’s not going to be him (Trump),” the adviser said.

Trump has described Hegseth as a key proponent of the unpopular conflict, saying on March 23: “Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up, and you said, ‘Let’s do it, because you can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.’”

On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance publicly questioned whether the Iran war was worth it and said it cost Republicans control of Congress.

Asked for comment, the White House referred Reuters to Trump’s public remarks on Hegseth.

The Defence Department said Hegseth was “100 percent committed” to leading the Pentagon until the end of Trump’s term, which ends on Jan. 20, 2029.

Impeachment threat

Hegseth has been a polarising figure in American politics and has made adversaries even with his own Republican Party. One Republican lawmaker, US Representative Thomas Massie, even filed articles of impeachment against him earlier this year, accusing him of abusing his office by launching hostilities against Iran without approval by Congress.

Republican US Senator Thom Tillis told CBS News on Tuesday night that Hegseth has “a reckoning” coming and his strained relationship with lawmakers was undermining the Trump administration’s push for a $1.5 trillion defence spending package in Congress.

“I think after the election, we need to determine whether or not he’s the best person to bring those needs to Congress if he wants something done before the end of this Congress, which is only 60 days away,” Tillis said as the midterm results came in.

Democrats have promised to investigate Hegseth and his handling of the Pentagon, and aides say that could include everything from his handling of the Iran war to his purges of top military officers including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He could also face scrutiny over his Ukraine policy and US military strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats in Latin American waters, which some Democrats say could amount to war crimes.

At times, the conflict between Hegseth and members of Congress has become personal. Last year, Hegseth sought to prosecute Democratic US Senator Mark Kelly after he and five other Democrats in Congress with backgrounds in the military and intelligence urged US troops to refuse illegal orders.

Hegseth accused them of sedition.

Representative Adam Smith, the Democrat who is expected to lead the House Armed Services Committee next year, promised vigorous oversight on everything from the Iran war to what he called the erosion of the “apolitical foundation of the armed forces”.

A source familiar with the matter said rancour on Capitol Hill over Hegseth has featured in White House discussions about potential replacements for him, saying there would be a need to have someone in the job who could distance themselves from events under Democratic scrutiny.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth would continue to drive Trump’s agenda and that the Pentagon “has followed the law”.

“Secretary Hegseth will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists,” Parnell said.

Tennessee Senate seat?

One long-rumoured possibility for Hegseth would be filling the Senate seat that will be vacated by Senator Marsha Blackburn, who was elected on Tuesday to become Tennessee’s next governor starting in January.

She has four years left in her term, and Hegseth, a Tennessee resident who voted there on Tuesday, could be appointed to the position, without having to run for election.

Asked whether he wanted Hegseth to fill Blackburn’s seat, Trump said: “Well, I think, I think he’s doing a very good job, and I actually think he’d be very popular if he did that.” “But I haven’t heard that at all,” Trump told reporters.

Trump has regularly praised Hegseth publicly, and has given the former Army National Guard soldier significant leeway as he sought to reshape the Pentagon.

But last month Trump publicly split with Hegseth by pulling the plug on his plans to livestream the Army’s firing-squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan.

A Rescue 1122 spokesperson said that a search and rescue team, along with a disaster response vehicle and an ambulance, was immediately dispatched to the scene.

Rescue 1122 recovered three individuals from the debris, who were taken to a hospital. The spokesperson said one of them died on the way to the hospital.

The deceased was identified as a 42-year-old man. The two injured are children, aged eight and five, according to Rescue 1122.

Search and rescue teams have completed the final clearance operation at the site, the spokesperson said. They added that the building has been cordoned off and handed over to the relevant authorities.

Rescue 1122’s Chief Operating Officer Dr Abid Shaikh said the incident occurred during ongoing construction work at the shop.

Earlier, he said that three victims had been recovered from the debris and shifted to hospital, while more people were feared to be trapped under the rubble.

The deceased was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Edhi said.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident, ordering rapid rescue operations to clear the debris. He directed that the best medical treatment be provided to the injured.

CM Murad has also sought a report on the incident from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) in order to determine the cause of the accident and whether any negligence was involved.

On Oct 27, one person was killed, while seven others were injured, when the roof of an under-construction building collapsed near Multan’s Northern Bypass.

On Oct 15, at least 31 people, including 30 students and a female teacher, were killed when a school roof collapsed in Peshawar’s Afridi Abad area.

On Oct 9, three people were killed when a wall of a local Union Council office collapsed on them in Karachi’s Malir.

The high school student movement that began with youth protesting dismal learning conditions has coincided with widespread anger over the rising cost of living and inequality, which culminated on October 17 in the worst rioting France has seen in years.

On Thursday, authorities estimate some 500,000 to 700,000 people will protest across the country, while as many as 80,000 people are expected to march in the capital Paris.

“It’s going to be a strong mobilisation,” said Marylise Leon of the CFDT union, anticipating a turnout comparable to France’s pension reform protests in 2023 that saw over one million people march.

Public and private education unions have called for strike action, as well as unions representing rail workers, public hospitals and postal services.

In demands addressed to both the government and employers, the unions are calling for an increase in the minimum wage, which has not received any discretionary boost since 2012, across-the-board wage raises, tax reforms and better learning conditions for young people.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced Wednesday that 70,000 police officers and security forces would be deployed across the country, promising “an extremely firm response” to any “acts of violence” or disorder.

‘Wake-up call’

Although student-led protests were largely peaceful, some saw clashes with police erupt with tear gas and water cannon fired to disperse crowds.

An attempted murder investigation has been launched after petrol bombs were thrown at security forces in Paris on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the police response has been criticised as heavy-handed and internal police investigations have been launched over allegations of brutality against demonstrators.

Several teenage protesters have been seriously wounded and thousands arrested.

Authorities have admitted to security and intelligence failures that paved the way for the clashes, large-scale looting and vandalism of public property that erupted on October 17.

On Wednesday, the Paris prefecture banned a major protest route planned between Place de la Bastille and Place de la Concorde, which would have crossed the centre of the city.

Police instead replaced it with an authorised route moving eastward away from the centre.

Several unions have denounced route bans as a move to repress freedom of demonstration, and some have filed last-minute appeals to have the routes reinstated.

“We can feel a cumulative effect: public sympathy for the high school and university students’ movement is not waning, and people are questioning restrictions on liberties, especially bans on demonstrations,” Fabrice Fort of the CGT union explained.

“This has sparked a wake-up call among people who usually don’t speak out much,” he added.

Similar protests have sparked in other European countries in recent weeks with youth-led demonstrations seen in Denmark, Germany and Italy.

KCNA said the air-defence test confirmed the technical specifications and reliability of the missile’s new materials and multiple guidance modes. It also confirmed the system’s ability to identify and track targets, KCNA said.

A sub-unit of North Korea’s long-range strategic cruise missile unit in the east also struck a virtual airport target in a drill on Wednesday, KCNA said.

The KCNA report confirmed a South Korean military statement on Wednesday that Pyongyang fired multiple missiles towards the sea from the Sondok area on the east coast. It was the fourth North Korean weapons launch in a month.

A South Korean Defence Ministry official said on Thursday that early detection data suggested the missiles could have been several different types.

Images released by Pyongyang appeared to show the cruise missile carrying a cluster warhead, according to Shin Jong-woo, secretary general of the Korea Defense & Security Forum. He said the launch appeared intended to test how effectively the warhead could disperse a payload over a target area.

Shin said the new air-defence missile, first unveiled in November 2025, appears to have a guidance section resembling Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has secured a $3 billion rollover from Saudi Arabia, as prospects of a proposed $10bn US backstop facility appear to have waned, it emerged on Wednesday.

Speaking to journalists at Parliament House, Finance Minister Muhammad Auran­gzeb confirmed that Riyadh had extended the $3bn financing it provided in April this year to bridge a gap arising from $3.5bn in repayments to the United Arab Emirates.

“It has been extended and for a reasonable period. You don’t need to worry as to for how long given the kind of strategic relationship we have,” he said when asked about the facility, which matured on Oct 31 under its three-month term.

He said he had a very good meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Mohammed Al-Jadaan, during the recent World Bank-IMF meetings in Bangkok. Saudi Arabia had already extended its $5bn facility until 2028.

Asked whether Pakistan had also sought additional support, the minister categorically denied it, saying this was not needed as foreign exchange reserves covered more than three months of imports and would be strengthened to provide a four-month import cover by the end of the year through capital markets.

Responding to another question about the prospects of the $10bn Exchange Stabilisation Support Facility (ESSF) requested from the US in July this year, he sought to lower expectations that he himself had raised over the past several months. “What we asked for back in July and were looking at was the market access. We have got the market access,” he said, referring to the $3bn bond Pakistan issued in September against orders worth $6bn.

“If that (ESSF) materialises, fantastic, it will be a liquidity support facility. Otherwise, we have plans for further Eurobond issuance, Panda bond issuance and rupee-linked dollar-settled bond,” the minister said.

He added that he had held meetings with 70-80 institutional investors in Bangkok, who had a very clear view of Pakistan, and that offers were available for five-year and 10-year maturities, “because clearly we are looking beyond the [IMF] programme”.

He said the government was looking at the US from a broader perspective, as the US Export-Import Bank and Development Finance Corporation (DFC) needed to support their investors and exporters in Pakistan. “That is real financing and real credit,” he said, adding that the ESSF request was for a liquidity support facility to help the sovereign. “If possible, fine; if not, we are going to move forward, with or without it.”

The finance minister also reported that the IMF Executive Board meeting to approve a disbursement of $1.2bn to Pakistan would be held in December.

External debt

Earlier, he told the Senate Standing Committee on Finance that Pakistan was targeting a reduction of $4bn in external debt during the current fiscal year and $3.5bn next year, compared with $4.5bn in the last fiscal year.

He said the government was seeking to replace expensive short-term borrowing with longer-maturity financing through bonds and private placements to reduce refinancing risks. He said external debt had been rising by $5-6bn annually, from $45bn in 2014-15 to around $100bn, but had increased by only $1bn annually over the past two years.

“Our objective is not to increase external debt. All the transactions like Eurobond, Panda bond or private placements have been replacement bonds to replace expensive with cheaper facilities,” he said, adding that fiscal discipline had helped contain the fiscal and current account deficits and, despite oil and wheat import bills, the current account deficit would be no more than 1pc this year.

“This is hard-earned stability that helped create buffers to meet our requirements despite floods and war in the region, and foreign exchange reserves crossed $21.5bn, which is the best-ever level of reserves in our history,” he said, adding that Pakistan could not afford to lose this basic hygiene.

Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal told the committee, which was presided over by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, that public debt had declined to 68.6pc of GDP by the end of June 2026, from 75.1pc in fiscal year 2022-23. Year-on-year growth in public debt had slowed to 7.7pc in the last fiscal year, the lowest in 20 years, he said.

The secretary said domestic debt amounted to Rs58.8 trillion by the end of August 2026, down from Rs68.4tr at the end of June, while foreign debt remained stable at $98.2bn.

He reported net financing requirements of $11bn after rollovers and refinancing, of which $5bn had already been repaid in the first four months of the current fiscal year. The remaining $6bn was payable over the next seven months.

The committee took strong exception to the difficulties faced by parliamentarians in obtaining foreign exchange for personal travel, saying the humiliation they faced at the hands of banks and the central bank was unacceptable.

Mr Mandviwalla directed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to review existing procedures, including clearance requirements relating to politically exposed persons (PEPs) and the mandatory personal appearance of parliamentarians before exchange companies, despite their submission of valid passports, tickets and visas.

The committee also expressed serious displeasure over the SBP’s response, dated Oct 30, 2026, to a letter sent by the committee secretary on its behalf to the SBP governor. It observed that the matter had been addressed by a deputy director-level officer instead of an appropriately senior authority.

The chairman termed the requirement for personal appearance humiliating and called for an immediate review of the existing procedures, warning that the committee would take serious notice if the matter remained unresolved.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2026

The government on Wednesday cut the price of petrol by Rs7.06 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs3.71.

Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs362.00 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs387.81 on Nov 5 (Thursday), according to a notification by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra).

Wednesday’s cut is the third consecutive reduction in fuel prices.

It came as international oil prices fell under $100 in volatile trade on Wednesday, with investors awaiting Washington’s next move in the US-Israeli war with Iran after President Donald Trump’s Republican Party lost control of Congress in midterm elections.

Brent futures were down $4.50, or 4.3 per cent, to $99.07 a barrel at 1619 GMT (9:19pm, PKT), while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures are down $4.13, or 4.3pc, to $92.02.

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

Under an arrangement announced on Monday for 30 days, oil refineries will contribute to the petroleum levy by bearing a cumulative impact of Rs15 billion, according to the government. This allows a Rs14.71 reduction in the petrol price at the consumer end.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said efforts were being made to introduce a similar system for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Meanwhile, the Jamaat-i-Islami and the government are set to follow up on their recent discussions on possible relief in petroleum prices and hold another round of talks on Thursday, the party said.

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 50pc 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 Reuters

A meeting of the ECC, presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, also allowed the continuation of gas supply to two Punjab-based fertiliser plants — Fatima and Agritech — until Dec 31, subject to availability.

An official statement said the ECC approved three summaries submitted by the Defence Division. The first summary pertained to supplementary grants of Rs54bn under three different heads of the Defence Services project. These included over Rs31bn for the Special Security Divisions of North and South (SSD-N and SSD-S), Rs11.88bn for various Pakistan Navy projects and Rs10bn for internal security duties and allowances.

The second summary approved Rs1.094bn for the induction of a luxury executive jet (Lineage L-1000 aircraft) into the army fleet, while the third allocated Rs29.139bn for Project Istaqlal. “The approvals are aimed at meeting essential operational requirements and supporting national security priorities,” the official statement said.

Approves Rs275bn for five water projects, Rs84bn for armed forces

The ECC also approved supplementary grants of Rs275bn for important water sector projects currently under implementation and facing financial constraints under the Ministry of Water Resources. The funds will be specifically allocated for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, Mohmand Dam, Greater Karachi Water Supply (K-IV), Chashma Right Bank Canal and Kacchi Canal. They will be disbursed gradually in line with Wapda’s requirements under its payment plan for project implementation.

The government had allocated about Rs103bn for these water sector projects in the 2026-27 budget, but Wapda had been complaining of implementation difficulties due to financial constraints. Wapda Chairman Muhammad Saeed had told a parliamentary panel that the allocated funds were insufficient and that his requests for the provision of adequate funds had been approved by the prime minister and the Ministry of Finance.

The federal government had secured about Rs1.035 trillion in additional funds from the four provinces outside the National Finance Commission in June to meet strategic national requirements, including those relating to the water sector and national security.

“The allocation will support the development of key water infrastructure and help advance the implementation of ongoing projects,” the statement said.

The ECC also approved Rs3.71bn for the Frontier Corps Balochistan (North), on the request of the Narcotics Control Division, to meet the maintenance requirements of helicopters.

The committee further approved the transfer of Rs15.625bn in savings generated through austerity and fuel conservation measures to the Prime Minister’s Austerity Fund 2026, reinforcing the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline and prudent management of public resources, the statement said.

On a summary submitted by the Commerce Division, the committee approved restrictions on the import of camera-enabled smart glasses. It also recommended that provincial governments and the Islamabad Capital Territory develop appropriate workplace regulations to govern the use of such devices.

The ECC approved relaxation of the applicable Exploration and Production (E&P) Rules for the extension and renewal of 89 petroleum rights, subject to fulfilment of prescribed conditions. It also approved a grant of Rs1bn for the gasification of villages located within a five-kilometre radius of gas production fields during FY27. The approval will facilitate the development of gas infrastructure and improve access to natural gas in communities near producing fields.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2026

Gas rationing due to shortages caused by dwindling domestic gas reserves, together with increasing tariffs on imported RLNG, is boosting the demand for LPG. When winter sets in, demand jumps, supply tightens, and traders hoard stocks.

This year, as the petroleum minister told the National Assembly last month, the closure of the western borders has disrupted import shipments, which account for 70pc of LPG imports, exacerbating the shortages. The Saudi Aramco price, to which local LPG is linked, has also risen to $705 per tonne and the fuel is selling at Rs700-800 per kilogram — well above the official ceiling. For families already stretched by inflation, even LPG has become something to ration.

It is against this backdrop that the government has announced a new LPG policy that directs four SOEs to resume bulk imports through government-to-government and business-to-business deals. Their base prices will be published, giving the market a landed-cost benchmark.

The policy also scraps the discretionary quota system. Locally produced gas will be sold through open auctions, which should cut out the intermediaries who profit from the existing arrangement. The gap between auction proceeds and the SOEs’ import parity price will go into a dedicated fund, allowing the government to sell LPG at Rs300-350 per kilogram to BISP beneficiaries, without burdening the government budget or widening the fiscal deficit.

Enforcement is the weak point. It always has been. The authorities have issued many price and market rules that were never properly implemented. The Competition Commission of Pakistan, the National Explosives and Petroleum Safety Agency, and district administrations are all expected to act against collusion. They will have to be present at the retail level, where distributors have long kept the margins meant for consumers.

The auctions need watching too, since a handful of large bidders could capture them. If the policy is enforced effectively, it could potentially help end shortages and slash prices. But the question remains whether it will.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Wednesday concluded its review of Pakistan’s second periodic report under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, welcoming the country’s 2025 legal amendment raising the minimum age of marriage to 18.

However, committee members raised questions about bonded labour and reconstruction efforts following the 2022 and 2025 floods, among other topics.

Committee expert and member of the task force for Pakistan, Michael Windfuhr, welcomed the 2025 amendment to the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929, which raised the minimum age of marriage to 18 for both males and females.

However, he noted that the committee remained concerned about the high number of child brides and asked about the impact of measures taken to prevent child marriage.

Lazhari Bouzid, another committee expert and member of the task force for Pakistan, said bonded labour continued to be prevalent in agriculture and was also found in the informal sector, particularly brick making.

Construction companies and government agencies were reportedly complicit in the practice by purchasing bricks produced through debt bondage. He asked how Pakistan had responded to these reports.

Mr Windfuhr also asked how the country had coped with the impact of the devastating floods in 2022 and 2025. He inquired whether Pakistan could rebuild housing for affected people and restore their access to land or resources, and how many people remained displaced.

‘Range of measures’

Minister of State for Law and Justice and head of the delegation, Barrister Aqeel Malik, said in his opening remarks that Pakistan had taken a range of legislative, policy and institutional measures since 2017 for the progressive realisation of covenant rights.

He said child marriage restraint laws had set the minimum age of marriage at 18 for both boys and girls in Islamabad, Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh, and criminalised child, early and forced marriages.

During the ensuing dialogue, the delegation said Pakistan’s Constitution prohibited slavery and all forms of forced labour, while the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1992 had abolished the practice.

Punjab had documented more than 210,000 kiln workers, and district vigilance committees had been established in many districts. Labour inspectors had identified more than 2,900 victims of forced labour last year.

On flood recovery, the delegation said the government had established a national emergency operations centre focusing on high-risk areas and launched a national flood protection programme. The programme aimed to protect at-risk people, eight million acres of agricultural land and 2.2 million housing units.

Each province was also implementing flood protection measures. Of the 2.1 million homes destroyed in the 2022 floods, 600,000 had been rebuilt, while reconstruction of the remaining houses was under way.

In her concluding remarks, committee expert and task force leader for Pakistan, Julieta Rossi, said the delegation had outlined processes for implementing economic, social and cultural rights, as well as the significant challenges facing the country and gaps between legislative progress and implementation.

“This information would be reflected in the committee’s concluding observations, which the panel hoped that Pakistan would implement in good faith,” she added.

Mr Malik said in his concluding remarks that the delegation had outlined its efforts to bridge the gaps between constitutional guarantees and their realisation.

“The country’s trajectory was toward the progressive realisation of covenant rights,” he said, adding that despite constraints and challenges, Pakistan had made considerable progress since its first review.

“[Pakistan] hopes that the committee’s candour and rigour will help pave the way for the full realisation of economic, social and cultural rights for all,” he added.

Committee vice chair and acting chair of the dialogue, Asraf Ally Caunhye, thanked the delegation for its participation in the constructive dialogue and its expression of unwavering commitment to protecting the rights enshrined in the covenant.

The Pakistani delegation comprised representatives from the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Ministry of Human Rights and the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2026

Overall exports to Europe dipped modestly, with a slight increase in proceeds from southern and northern European countries during the July-September quarter, raising serious concerns for policymakers.

The ongoing Middle East conflict has accelerated the decline in exports to these markets, along with the European Union’s preferential market access offered to India, one of Pakistan’s key competitors in textiles.

Data compiled by the State Bank of Pakistan showed that exports to European countries contracted 1.84pc to $2.350 billion in 1QFY27 from $2.394bn a year ago.

Trade analysts warn that the Middle East conflict could further dampen export demand, as rising energy costs are likely to squeeze consumer spending in Europe, which is already under strain from the economic fallout of the Ukraine war.

Exports to northern Europe increased by 21.07pc to $236.321m in 1QFY27 from $195.191m a year ago.

Exports to southern Europe grew 5.26pc to $879.896m in 1QFY27 from $835.862m in the corresponding period last year. In this region, exports to Spain rose 17.78pc to $451.244m from $383.122m in the preceding year.

Exports to Italy declined 8.49pc to $298.731m in 1QFY27, compared with $326.460m in the same period last year. Exports to Greece grew 3.52pc to $34.961m during the months under review, compared with $33.774m over the previous year.

However, exports to eastern Europe fell 15.05pc to $168.761m in 1QFY27 from $198.677m.

Before Brexit, the United Kingdom was Pakistan’s major export destination. In the post-Brexit period, Pakistan’s exports to the UK increased 6.64pc to $612.305m in 1QFY27 from $574.171m a year ago.

Western Europe, which includes countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Belgium, accounts for the largest share of Pakistan’s exports to the EU. However, exports to this region shrank 8.51pc to $1.065bn in 1QFY27 from $1.164bn in 1QFY26.

Exports to Germany dipped 12.77pc to $389.116m in 1QFY27 from $446.100m. Similarly, exports to the Netherlands, the second-largest market for Pakistani goods, fell by 3.07pc to $370.005m from $381.752m a year ago.

Exports to France fell by 0.47pc to $136.030m in 1QFY27 from $136.686m, followed by a 7.57pc decline to Belgium’s $127.431m against $137.871m.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2026