Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Finance Minister, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, met British High Commissioner Jane Marriott at the Finance Division on Monday to discuss bilateral cooperation and economic reforms, said a statement from the Ministry of Finance in Islamabad. The finance minister briefed the envoy on Pakistan&rsquo;s macroeconomic outlook, external sector stability, and ongoing reform agenda aimed at ensuring long-term growth and resilience amid global economic uncertainties. He highlighted improvements in key indicators, including remittance inflows, investor confidence, and measures to broaden the tax base through digitalization, improved compliance, and enhanced transparency. Aurangzeb reiterated the government&rsquo;s commitment to fiscal discipline, policy continuity, and structural reforms to support private sector-led growth. Both sides also closely exchanged views on regional and global economic challenges, energy market volatility, and their impact on supply chains and development. The British high commissioner appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s reform efforts and reaffirmed the UK&#39;s support for climate resilience, social development, and institutional cooperation. She also appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s continued engagement on regional issues and reaffirmed the United Kingdom&rsquo;s support for Pakistan&rsquo;s economic reform efforts and development priorities. The meeting concluded with a resolve to strengthen Pakistan-UK relations.

Foreign Affairs

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met British High Commissioner Jane Marriott in Islamabad, discussing Pakistan-UK cooperation, economic reforms, macroeconomic stability, tax broadening, investment confidence, and continued support for development priorities agenda.

Pakistan's finance minister, British high commissioner discuss economic reforms, bilateral cooperation

BUNIA: Locals at the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo attacked the town hospital overnight, demanding the body of a religious leader who died from the virus, officials said on Monday.&nbsp;Mongbwalu, a large town in the unstable northeastern province of Ituri, is where the current outbreak of the viral haemorrhagic fever was first detected on May 15, since when it has killed more than 200 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.&nbsp;&quot;A group of young people attacked the hospital four times,&quot; a hospital official told AFP of the incident on Sunday night.&nbsp;&quot;They wanted to retrieve the body of a Catholic shepherd who had died of Ebola,&quot; the official said on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;He said the victim had been &quot;a well-known local figure, a religious leader from Mongbwalu&quot;, which is home to 130,000 people.&nbsp;Soldiers intervened to disperse the crowd with warning shots, he said.&nbsp;Ebola is a deadly viral disease that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids. It can cause severe bleeding and organ failure.&nbsp;There is no vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the current Ebola outbreak, the 17th to plague the vast central African country of more than 100 million people.&nbsp;Attempts to tackle the spread are forced to rely mainly on precautions and rapid contact tracing.&nbsp;But in rural parts of the DRC, &quot;loved ones are throwing themselves at the bodies, touching the corpses and the clothes of the deceased, while organising mourning rituals bringing together loads of people&quot;, Jean Marie Ezadri, a civil society leader in Ituri, told AFP last week.&nbsp;&quot;This... explains the many instances of contamination.&quot;&nbsp;Distrust and incomprehensionPoorly served by roads and torn apart by violence, Ituri is one of the most troubled provinces in the DRC.&nbsp;Hastily arranged burials of Ebola victims have been met with suspicion in a region already distrustful of the state.&nbsp;An isolation tent near Mongbwalu hospital was torched on Friday night and the hospital official said his car had been stoned at the weekend.&nbsp;The tensions were &quot;hampering (Ebola) response efforts&quot;, he said.&nbsp;Another hospital worker confirmed the incidents.&nbsp;Mongbwalu medical centre is not the first in Ituri to have been attacked.&nbsp;Tents used to isolate Ebola patients at the hospital in Rwampara, Ituri, were burned down on Thursday after the family of a deceased man was prevented from taking his body for burial because of the dangers of contamination.&nbsp;Tonnes of medical supplies have been sent to Ituri, where teams from the World Health Organization are on the ground.&nbsp;But the response has been slow to get off the ground in a province where state services have been largely absent from rural areas for decades.&nbsp;One million of the province&#39;s estimated eight million inhabitants have been displaced by years of conflict and live cheek-by-jowl in cramped camps.&nbsp;The WHO has issued an international health alert.

Africa

At least 200 people have died in a Bundibugyo strain Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with angry residents attacking hospitals over burial disputes. Officials say distrust, violence, and unsafe mourning rituals are hampering efforts to contain the virus.

Locals at epicenter of DR Congo Ebola outbreak storm hospital

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will depart Beijing for New York on a 3-day visit from 26 to 28 May 2026, said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Monday. According to the statement, in New York, he will participate on 26 May 2026 in the UN Security Council Open Debate on &ldquo;Maintenance of International Peace and Security&rdquo; convened under the rotating presidency of the Council by China and chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2058865658029343054&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=b2e41eef4af9236282a2ea4682a48b2840517e12&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2058865658029343054"></iframe></div></div>Pakistan welcomes this initiative by China, highlighting the importance of multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations in addressing global challenges. On 28 May, he will attend the Group of Friends on Global Governance reforming and improving global governance and collective responses to global challenges. On the sidelines, he will hold bilateral meetings with counterparts and senior United Nations officials respectively. Pakistan remains a steadfast supporter of multilateralism and stands ready to contribute constructively to global peace, security and development.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar visits New York from 26–28 May 2026, attending UN Security Council debate chaired by China’s Wang Yi, and global governance reform meeting on the sidelines.

Pakistan foreign minister to attend UNSC debate, global governance meeting in New York

LONDON: Britain was set to break its record for the hottest day in May on Monday, the national weather agency predicted, as the country sweltered in an &quot;unprecedented&quot; heatwave. &quot;Today will be the hottest day in May in the UK in our temperature records, with highs of 35 degrees Celsius expected,&quot; the Met Office said on social media. The current record for the hottest May day is 32.8 &deg;C, set in 1922 and seen again in 1944. &quot;Records are usually only broken by tenths of a degree -- making this heatwave unprecedented for the time of year,&quot; added the Met Office statement. Monday is also expected to be the hottest bank holiday ever, as heatwave conditions spread to parts of southeast England and London by Sunday night. &quot;We rarely see temperatures above 35C, even in the summer months, so to see temperatures getting close to 35C in May is, as I say, pretty historic,&quot; Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan told the Press Association news agency. &quot;It&#39;s nice to have it, but it is much, much hotter than it should be in the UK,&quot; Andrea Quaine, a 41-year-old mother, told AFP in London as temperatures exceeded 30C on Sunday. &quot;I am worried about it because it obviously shows that global warming is happening,&quot; she added. &quot;The weather here, it&#39;s like a mini version of hell. It&#39;s boiling. It&#39;s like really hot. The sunscreen, it will protect me, but it&#39;s really hot,&quot; said 10-year-old Liza Nizari, who was visiting London from Manchester in the northwest. Scientists say human-induced climate change is making extreme weather events like heatwaves, droughts and floods more intense, resulting in temperature records being broken more frequently. Britain saw its hottest year on record in 2025. Climate advisers last week warned the UK government that the country was &quot;built for a climate that no longer exists&quot; and urged it to adapt infrastructure like schools and hospitals for a warming planet.

Europe

Britain is set to record its hottest May day as temperatures near 35°C during an unprecedented heatwave, prompting climate concerns and renewed warnings about the growing impact of global warming.

UK set to record hottest May day amid unprecedented heatwave

NEW DELHI:&nbsp;India&#39;s ruling Hindu-nationalist party has ordered detention centers for undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in West Bengal state, sparking fear among minorities that it could lead to arbitrary expulsions. The directive comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party won power in the eastern state for the first time since the country&#39;s independence in 1947. The order calls on local authorities to set up &quot;holding centers&quot; for &quot;apprehended foreigners&quot; awaiting deportation, as part of a broader crackdown on illegal migration.&nbsp;Anxiety among Muslims&nbsp;The government has defended its &quot;detect, delete, deport&quot; principle, saying those targeted are migrants staying illegally in the country. &quot;Illegal migration has security and socio-economic ramifications which are often well beyond law enforcement&quot; read the order, issued last week. The decision has fueled anxiety among West Bengal&#39;s roughly 35 million Muslims, many of whom share linguistic and cultural ties with neighboring Bangladesh.&nbsp;&lsquo;Termites&rsquo; and &lsquo;infiltrators&rsquo;Critics say the measure reflects the government&#39;s long-standing hardline stance on immigration, with top BJP members referring to Bangladeshi migrants as &ldquo;termites&rdquo; and &ldquo;infiltrators&rdquo; in the past. The party has pursued similar policies in the neighboring state of Assam, where it has overseen sweeping identification drives and large-scale detentions.&nbsp;Ethnic profiling&nbsp;Rights activists say hundreds have been deported to Bangladesh from Assam without due legal process, often based on ethnic profiling. Many of them have been allegedly pushed across the border at gunpoint, according to activists and lawyers who have challenged the measures in court.&nbsp;Impact on Muslims&nbsp;They argue the policies disproportionately impact the Muslim population by conflating religious identity with illegal migration. The planned centers in West Bengal have drawn particular concern because of the state&#39;s porous border with Bangladesh and its long history of migration. The inclusion of Rohingya refugees in the order has also drawn criticism. India has previously been accused by humanitarian groups of forcibly returning Rohingya to Myanmar, despite ongoing conflict there, in potential violation of international norms on refugee protection. Adding to the unease of the Muslims, the BJP-led government in Assam on Monday introduced legislation to amend personal religious laws, which critics say could further marginalize minorities.

India

The decision has fueled anxiety among West Bengal's roughly 35 million Muslims, many of whom share linguistic and cultural ties with neighboring Bangladesh.

India orders migrant detention centers in West Bengal, sparking expulsion fears

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) remained firmly in positive territory by midday on Monday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining over 2,600 points as investor sentiment stayed upbeat on optimism surrounding possible diplomatic progress between the United States and Iran.&nbsp;At 11:57am, the KSE-100 Index stood at 170,525.37 points, up 2,681.13 points or 1.6% from Friday&rsquo;s close of 167,844.24 points.&nbsp;The index touched an intraday high of 171,519.26 points and a low of 170,377.63 points during trading. Market volume reached 107.2 million shares, with traded value nearing Rs10 billion.&nbsp;Earlier in the session, the benchmark index had surged more than 3,500 points, climbing to 171,438 points at 9:30am before paring some gains.&nbsp;Buying remained broad-based across key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, fertilizer, oil and gas exploration firms, and oil marketing companies.&nbsp;Sana Tawfik, head of research at Arif Habib Limited, said the market was reacting positively to developments over the weekend, suggesting a possible breakthrough in talks involving the United States and Iran. &ldquo;Because of that, the market was expected to be positive today, and that is what we are seeing,&rdquo; she said. She added that the IMF&rsquo;s remarks describing Pakistan&rsquo;s economic performance as &ldquo;exceptional&rdquo; also boosted investor confidence. Tawfik said lower oil prices and improving geopolitical sentiment were among the key factors driving the rally. Investor sentiment also improved amid reports that LNG tankers were heading towards Pakistan and China from the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns over regional energy supplies.

Pakistan Stock Exchange. (File photo: APP)

Economy

At 11:57am, the KSE-100 Index stands at 170,525.37 points, up 2,681.13 points or 1.6% from Friday’s close of 167,844.24 points.


PSX up over 2,600 points as Iran-US inch toward peace agreement

MAKKAH: Over 1.5 million Muslims began pouring into a vast tent city in the holy city of Makkah on Monday for an annual hajj pilgrimage carried out against the backdrop of hopes for an end to the war in the Middle East. The white-robed pilgrims on buses or on foot arrived at the sprawling encampment in Mina after performing the &quot;tawaf&quot;, walking seven times around the Kaaba. The start of the hajj came as US President Donald Trump continued to send mixed signals over a possible agreement to extend an uneasy ceasefire with Iran and a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This year&#39;s rites, drawing Muslim worshippers from across the world, including Iran, follow waves of Iranian attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbors. Saudi officials have been keen to keep conflict far from the minds of visitors, many of whom have travelled long distances for one of the world&#39;s largest annual pilgrimages. Despite the uncertainty triggered by the conflict, Saudi officials noted over the weekend that more pilgrims had travelled from abroad to participate in this year&rsquo;s Hajj than in 2025. But, amid the spiritual euphoria experienced by the pilgrims in the days ahead of the hajj, authorities in the kingdom signaled their readiness. A video posted on social media by the Saudi defense ministry showed advanced air defense batteries positioned on the outskirts of Makkah. &quot;The air defense forces are responsible for protecting the skies over the holy sites and dealing with all aerial threats, ensuring the safety and peace of mind of the guests,&quot; read the post. Many pilgrims who spoke to AFP expressed their hope that peace would prevail soon. &quot;The war in Iran has affected the entire world. Nobody wants wars or harm to countries and peoples,&quot; said Mohammed Chahada, an Egyptian in his 50s, as he walked through a crowd exiting the Grand Mosque. RitualsThe hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means. During the hajj, men wear a seamless shroud-like white garment that emphasizes unity among believers regardless of their social status or nationality. Women must wear loose dresses that expose only their faces and hands. The first ritual of the hajj requires walking seven times around the Kaaba in Makkah&#39;s Grand Mosque. Pilgrims next walk seven times between the two hills of Safa and Marwa. They then move on to Mina, around five kilometers (three miles) away, ahead of the main rite of the pilgrimage at Mount Arafat. On Tuesday, the climax of the hajj is the gathering on Mount Arafat, about 10 kilometers from Mina, where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) delivered his final sermon. Despite the heat and the uncertainty over the war, pilgrims in Makkah were ecstatic. &quot;I have wanted to perform the pilgrimage my entire life, for 40 or 50 years,&quot; said Jreish Mohammed, a 68-year-old decked out in the traditional attire from his native Morocco. &quot;And this year, my dream came true.&quot;

Middle East

Over 1.5 million Muslims began pouring into a vast tent city in the holy city of Makkah on Monday for the annual hajj pilgrimage carried out against the backdrop of hopes for an end to the war in the Middle East.

Pilgrims kick off hajj as war's trajectory hangs in the balance

Pakistan TV

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s initiative during a meeting at Alibaba Group headquarters in Hangzhou led to a landmark strategic framework agreement, marking a major breakthrough in Pakistan&rsquo;s digital and economic cooperation with China. Speaking exclusively to Pakistan TV in Beijing, Tarar said the prime minister&rsquo;s interaction with Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai resulted in an unexpected yet &ldquo;phenomenal&rdquo; agreement aimed at expanding cooperation in emerging technologies and the digital economy. &ldquo;The prime minister said that, you know, we want this agreement done and very kind of the chairman of Alibaba to actually agree to this,&rdquo; Tarar said, adding that he [Alibaba chairman] instantly said, &ldquo;this is the first time that you&#39;ve said something like this to me and I must comply&rdquo;.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2058769324970782782&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=f4bc3899a446c75907834c1d7315ad5e6569878b&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2058769324970782782"></iframe></div></div>The minister said Joe Tsai drafted the agreement through their own AI initiative, and the agreement was instantly drafted and printed. &ldquo;There and then that agreement was signed,&rdquo; he added. Tarar said the initiative will also support small and medium enterprises and help modernise key government systems, including digital reforms in institutions such as the Federal Board of Revenue. According to the minister, the Alibaba chairman praised the prime minister&rsquo;s fast-paced working style, referring to it as &ldquo;Sharif Speed&rdquo;.&nbsp; He further claimed that MoUs were also signed on cloud computing, health initiatives, fintech and SME development. Tarar said the developments will open new opportunities for Pakistani youth, particularly in training programmes related to artificial intelligence, IT skills, and digital innovation.&nbsp; He said Chinese investment and collaboration would significantly improve efficiency across multiple sectors in Pakistan. Shifting focus to the broader visit, Tarar said the prime minister&rsquo;s China trip has generated strong interest in both countries, with extensive media coverage and public engagement.&nbsp; He highlighted the growing people-to-people connection between Pakistan and China, especially during the 75th anniversary year of diplomatic relations. He added that the prime minister&rsquo;s engagements in Hangzhou and Beijing, including high-level meetings, business-to-business conferences, and agreements worth billions of dollars, reflect growing economic momentum.&nbsp; Tarar said rising Chinese investment and expanding industrial cooperation demonstrate strong confidence in Pakistan&rsquo;s economic direction, stating that &ldquo;performance speaks for itself&rdquo; amid continued development of bilateral relations.

Speaking exclusively to Pakistan TV in Beijing, Tarar said the prime minister’s interaction with Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai resulted in an unexpected yet 'phenomenal' agreement aimed at expanding cooperation in emerging technologies and the digital economy.

PM Sharif’s initiative at Alibaba meeting leads to landmark agreement: Tarar

DELHI: Born to landless Indian farmers, Sunil Pooniya thought a job at sea would be his ticket out of poverty; instead, his first voyage saw him diving into the ocean to escape a deadly attack driven by the Iran war. For hundreds of thousands of Indians, merchant shipping jobs are a lucrative proposition despite the inherent risks. The attack on Pooniya&#39;s ship killed two fellow Indians, and the country&#39;s sailors are among the highest merchant maritime casualties from the Middle East war. Dalip Singh and Ashish Kumar Singh were the first Indians killed in the conflict, after their oil tanker was hit on March 1 by projectiles off Oman&#39;s Khasab port. &quot;There was a huge noise and the whole ship shook,&quot; Pooniya recalled. &quot;I thought something had gone wrong with the engine, but a missile had hit us,&quot; Pooniya added, who had been on the Palau-flagged MV Skylight. &quot;The whole ship was up in flames.&quot; Pooniya, 26, had travelled together with Dalip to Dubai, where they boarded the tanker. &quot;Everyone jumped into the sea wearing life jackets,&quot; Pooniya told AFP, now back home in India. &quot;I screamed for Dalip, but he was gone in the fire.&quot; India is one of the largest contributors of sailors on merchant shipping worldwide, with more than 320,000 active seafarers in 2025, according to the country&#39;s shipping ministry. Eleven merchant sailors have been killed in the conflict, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). At least four were Indian. Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about one-fifth of the world&#39;s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Feb. 28. The United States has imposed its own naval blockade on Iranian ports. &#39;Flurry of missiles&#39;&nbsp;Ships have been hit by projectiles and fired on in dozens of incidents, according to the British maritime security monitor UKMTO. An Indian-flagged ship carrying livestock from Somalia was reported hit and sunk off Oman on May 13 -- all 14 crew were rescued. Thousands of Indians are among the estimated 20,000 seafarers stranded by the Strait of Hormuz blockade. But Manoj Yadav, general secretary of the Forward Seamen&#39;s Union of India, said people just want to earn. &quot;We have a massive unemployment problem,&quot; he said. &quot;Being on a ship is a convenient way out for many, as it is a relatively well-paying job for the qualification it demands.&quot; Dalip, 25, a high-school graduate from the hot deserts of Rajasthan, was an engineering support member, on his second voyage. &quot;Year after year, he failed to get a government job,&quot; his younger brother Manoj Singh, 24, told AFP. Desperate for a better life for his family, Dalip borrowed money and enrolled himself in a maritime training program, and secured a job on a merchant ship. Dalip&#39;s salary -- $450 dollars a month -- was roughly three times the average income of a rural household. His brother Manoj Singh, a stone cutter, had been hoping to follow him to sea -- a plan he has since abandoned. &quot;My father died of shock after hearing that my brother was dead,&quot; he said. &quot;I cannot afford to leave home now.&quot; The family of the ship&#39;s captain, Ashish Kumar Singh, 38, from the eastern state of Bihar, is mourning his death. &quot;I just want the government to help me get my husband&#39;s remains back,&quot; said his wife, Anshu Kumari. &quot;How do I otherwise get closure?&quot; Raju Ram, 33, also from Rajasthan, has been on a tanker in the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates since April, waiting to cross the Strait of Hormuz. He has witnessed a &quot;flurry of missiles&quot; near his vessel. &quot;It is risky of course,&quot; he told AFP, by telephone from the vessel. &quot;But at least our families respect us for the money we send back home.&quot; Pooniya, meanwhile, says he has few other options. &quot;The jobs that people like us get in India, you are always stuck in a cycle of debt,&quot; he said. &quot;In this line of work, at least the money is good.&quot;

India is one of the largest contributors to the global merchant shipping workforce, with more than 320,000 active seafarers in 2025, according to the country's shipping ministry.

Indian sailors risk work at sea, as Iran war grinds on

Faraz Saeed

DUSHANBE: World leaders and UN officials have convened in Dushanbe for a major international conference to accelerate global cooperation and action on water sustainability ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference. The 4th High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action, &ldquo;Water for Sustainable Development&rdquo; (2018-28) has commenced in Dushanbe, bringing together world leaders and senior United Nations officials to accelerate global action on water. Tajikistan, in partnership with the United Nations and key international stakeholders, is hosting the conference in the capital from May 25 to 28. The meeting opens as countries continue efforts under the UN Water Action Decade framework, aimed at strengthening the implementation of water-related development goals and international cooperation.&nbsp;Global water diplomacyTajikistan, as the initiator of the Water Action Decade and co-host of the United Nations 2023 Water Conference, continues to position Dushanbe as a central platform for global water diplomacy. The conference builds on the Dushanbe Water Process meetings held in 2018, 2022, and 2024, and serves as a preparatory step toward the 2026 UN Water Conference, while supporting progress on Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation.&nbsp;Broad global participation&nbsp;The gathering brings together heads of state and government, ministers, UN entities, international and regional organizations, financial institutions, civil society, scientific institutions, youth, indigenous peoples, and the private sector. Discussions will focus on sustaining momentum from the UN 2023 Water Conference, advancing implementation of the Water Action Agenda, and initiating dialogue toward the 2028 UN Water Conference, which will also be hosted by Tajikistan.&nbsp;Program highlightsOver the coming days, participants will engage in high-level plenaries, nine thematic sessions aligned with the interactive dialogue structure of the 2026 UN Water Conference, pre-conference forums, side events, and an international exhibition. A regional preparatory meeting convened by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific is also bringing together countries across the Asia-Pacific region. Field visits will highlight Tajikistan&rsquo;s cultural heritage and its experience in water management and hydropower infrastructure.&nbsp;Expected outcomesThe conference is expected to conclude with a final declaration, a co-chairs&rsquo; summary, and a formal contribution to the 2026 UN Water Conference. A UN framing note describes the gathering as a platform to &ldquo;strengthen partnerships, foster innovation, mobilize financing, and accelerate concrete action&rdquo; on global water priorities.

Central Asia

The 4th High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action 'Water for Sustainable Development' will serve as a preparatory step toward the 2026 UN Water Conference, while supporting progress on Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation.

Pakistan's finance minister, British high commissioner discuss economic reforms, bilateral cooperation

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