Web Desk

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan and Denmark introduced a draft resolution to the&nbsp;<a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-asks-unsc-to-act-against-indias-indus-waters-treaty-violations" target="_blank">UN Security Council</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, calling for stronger accountability for crimes against UN peacekeepers, as attacks on uniformed personnel continue to rise with little consequence. &quot;Attacks against United Nations peacekeepers have increased in number and sophistication,&quot; Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said while introducing the resolution, according to a statement from Pakistan&#39;s Permanent Mission to the UN. &quot;They are being targeted, often with little accountability.&quot; The Pakistani ambassador said that the country has contributed one of the largest and longest-serving troop contributors to <a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-reaffirms-commitment-to-un-peacekeeping-on-international-day-of-peacekeepers" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">UN peacekeeping</a>. Pakistan has &ldquo;deployed more than 270,000 peacekeepers&rdquo; over the decades. &ldquo;Nearly 4,500 UN peacekeepers have been killed in the line of duty globally, including 183 <a href="https://pakistantv.com/article/what-black-hawk-down-forgot-to-mention-about-pakistan" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistanis</a>,&rdquo; he stated. According to the statement, the resolution seeks to move the Security Council &quot;beyond statements condemning these attacks.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Council&#39;s pronouncements are important. Condolences are necessary. But they are not enough.&quot; The draft resolution requires the secretary-general to report annually on investigations and prosecutions for killings and violence against UN personnel in peacekeeping operations. It also requires the secretary-general to provide options within 120 days to strengthen the accountability framework. The resolution calls for the designation of a senior focal point in the UN Secretariat to improve coordination, follow-up, and engagement with host states and troop- and police-contributing countries, and to ensure effective use of existing mechanisms to enhance accountability. The measure builds on resolutions sponsored by China and India and continues Pakistan&#39;s leadership in peacekeeping policy, dating back to its 2013 resolution on multidimensional peacekeeping. Over 150 member states have co-sponsored the draft, &ldquo;a record number,&rdquo; Asim Iftikhar stated.

Pakistan's Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad addresses the UN Security Council on June 23, 2026, to introduce a draft resolution on accountability for attacks on UN peacekeepers. (Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN/X)

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan introduces a draft resolution in the UN Security Council, calling for annual reports on attacks on peacekeepers, the designation of a senior focal point, and options within 120 days to strengthen accountability.

At UN, Pakistan pushes for accountability as Peacekeepers face rising attacks

LUCKNOW: Indian police have arrested eight people over allegations of theft and misappropriation of offerings at a temple that has been at the centre of Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Hindu-first politics, authorities said. The Ram Mandir temple in northern Uttar Pradesh state, built on grounds where the Babri mosque stood for centuries before being torn down by Hindu zealots, was inaugurated in 2024 with great fanfare by Modi himself. Allegations regarding irregularities in the handling of donations led to a criminal case being registered on Thursday, with police arresting eight people, including temple employees, according to a government statement issued late Thursday. Most of them were involved in counting or handling cash and valuables donated by devotees, including gold and silver, media reports said. The government has not disclosed the scale of the alleged embezzlement. Opposition parties and media reports say it could amount to more than $20 million. &quot;It is so shameful that a shrine of such supreme importance is being discussed for all the wrong reasons,&quot; said Viti Saxena, a 44-year-old homemaker who had donated to the temple. &quot;I now wonder if that actually went into the temple coffers or not. It is a matter of global shame now,&quot; Saxena told AFP. &quot;The faith of countless Hindu believers is shaken.&quot; The eight arrested face charges of criminal breach of trust, theft, criminal conspiracy, and corruption, the government statement said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whose state government had established the Special Investigation Team looking into the case, was quoted in the statement as having vowed that &quot;no guilty person will be spared&quot;. The construction of the temple cost an estimated $240 million, all of which was sourced entirely from public donations, according to the trust managing the site. Devout Hindus believe that the god Ram was born in the town of Ayodhya -- home to the temple -- more than 7,000 years ago, but that the Babri mosque was built over his birthplace by a 16th-century Muslim emperor. India&#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- then in the opposition -- played an instrumental role in public campaigning that eventually led to the mosque&#39;s demolition in 1992. It helped propel Modi&#39;s BJP as an unstoppable electoral juggernaut, eventually displacing the secularist Congress party that had governed India almost without interruption since independence from Britain.

Ram Mandir in India. (File Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

India

Allegations regarding irregularities in the handling of donations led to a criminal case being registered on Thursday, with police arresting eight people, including temple employees; The Ram Mandir temple in northern Uttar Pradesh state, built on grounds where the Babri mosque stood for centuries before being torn down by Hindu zealots, was inaugurated in 2024 with great fanfare by Modi himself.

India arrests staff accused of theft from temple built on Babri mosque

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is enhancing the capacities of all institutions engaged in counter-narcotics efforts, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday, as Pakistan marked the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. In a message on X, the prime minister said the government was strengthening relevant institutions and expanding cooperation with provincial governments and international partners to combat narcotics. <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" 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=2070360954785923080&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=df17462f41081cc10918c7d5255008e33ba30141&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> &quot;In collaboration with provincial governments, awareness and prevention programmes in educational institutions are being expanded, while treatment and rehabilitation facilities are being further strengthened,&rdquo; he said. Describing drug abuse and trafficking as a major global challenge, the PM put an emphasis on their &quot;multidimensional human, economic, and social costs&quot; and the &quot;devastating consequences for societies worldwide.&quot; He added that Pakistan was also deepening international cooperation through intelligence sharing, joint operations and regional coordination to counter illicit trafficking networks. Referring to this year&#39;s theme, &quot;World drug problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative responses,&quot; &nbsp;he said it reflected the &quot;grave and evolving nature of the global drug problem.&quot; Pakistan remained &quot;steadfast and fully committed&quot; to tackling threats linked to narcotic drugs, including emerging substances, illicit trafficking networks and the growing availability of drugs, particularly among young people. The statement also stressed the need to strengthen national capacities, improve institutional coordination and expand international cooperation, adding that &quot;only through the complete dismantling of illicit networks can we ensure a safer and more secure society.&quot; Calling the protection of young people a national priority, the prime minister said ensuring drug-free educational institutions was &quot;among the most important steps toward safeguarding future generations.&quot; According to the statement, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) is continuing efforts to prevent drug trafficking, reduce drug demand, raise public awareness and facilitate treatment and rehabilitation, reflecting what it described as &quot;a balanced and comprehensive strategy to address the drug menace.&quot; The prime minister also paid tribute to ANF personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. &quot;I pay a special tribute to the brave martyrs of the Anti-Narcotics Force who laid down their lives in service of the nation. Their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering sense of duty remain a source of immense pride for all of us.&quot; He also called on parents, teachers, educational institutions, community leaders, the media and young people to help raise awareness and promote prevention, saying building &quot;a healthy and resilient society&quot; was a shared national responsibility. President pays tribute to front-line workers&nbsp;Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari also marked the day by paying tribute to those involved in efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking. In his message, the president acknowledged the contributions of law enforcement agencies, healthcare workers, educators, counsellors, and civil society organizations working to address the challenge. &quot;On this day, I pay tribute to all those serving on the front lines of this effort, including law enforcement personnel, healthcare professionals, educators, counsellors, and members of civil society,&quot; he said. &quot;Their dedication contributes significantly to protecting our communities and strengthening our collective response to this challenge.&quot;

FILE: Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) initiates its National Counter Narcotics Campaign in Educational Institutes by launching a holistic Sanitization Campaign in a university of Quetta in 2024 (Photo: X/@anfpak)

Security

Marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledges stronger international cooperation, expanded awareness programs in educational institutions, improved rehabilitation services, and sustained efforts to dismantle illicit drug trafficking networks.

Pakistan to enhance capacity of counter-narcotics institutions: PM

Ayesha Mir

Three days after peace talks in Switzerland concluded, developments are unfolding rapidly following what participants described as a positive outcome. On Monday, the US Treasury issued a 60-day sanctions waiver authorizing the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian oil until August 21. Under the waiver, Iran is permitted to sell its oil in US dollars on the global market at standard international prices.&nbsp;$2B over 60-day period&nbsp;Analysts estimate the waiver could generate between $37 million and $51 million in daily oil revenue for Iran, amounting to more than $2 billion over the 60-day period. Iran has already begun offering its crude oil to buyers in India, South Korea, and Japan, markets that have largely avoided Iranian oil in recent years due to sanctions. B&uuml;rgenstock talksThe B&uuml;rgenstock talks, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, produced a 60-day roadmap toward a final agreement and established mechanisms aimed at ending fighting in Lebanon and maintaining commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian&#39;s visit to Islamabad marked his first foreign trip since the war began on Feb. 28. According to his office, one of the primary objectives of the visit was to express appreciation to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for &quot;his mediation between Iran and the United States.&quot;During the visit, Iran and Pakistan reviewed full range of bilateral relations, including trade, energy, border security, and regional connectivity.

Get This

Three days after peace talks in Switzerland concluded, developments are unfolding rapidly following what participants described as a positive outcome.

Peace talks show early results as Iran secures temporary oil sanctions waiver

ISLAMABAD: Underlining that peacekeeping alone is not enough to secure lasting peace, Pakistan has highlighted the need for integrating peacebuilding from the outset, stating that the transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding, and ultimately to nationally led development, requires sustained political commitment, adequate resources, and coherent support from the international community. Taking part in the UN General Assembly Debate on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-pushes-for-accountability-as-un-peacekeepers-face-rising-attacks" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Peacebuilding</a>&nbsp;and Sustaining Peace, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-urges-unsc-to-place-women-at-centre-of-peacebuilding" style="color:#0073e6;">Pakistan</a>&nbsp;to the UN, said that it was 20 years that the Peacebuilding Commission was established to help countries emerge from conflict by consolidating peace and preventing relapse. &ldquo;It seems that now, there is less peace to keep, and lesser even to build. And there is a scramble for resources that are becoming scarce. We must therefore assess the whole situation seriously and holistically to deliver the promise of peacebuilding,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;2025 Peacebuilding Architecture ReviewHe said that peace is not an event but rather a continuum from conflict prevention to peacemaking and peacekeeping to post conflict recovery and peacebuilding, which he said, are often interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Welcoming the outcomes of the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review (PBAR) facilitated by Egypt and Slovenia, he asked for the emphasis to be placed on national ownership, stronger links between the Peacebuilding Commission and the principal organs of the United Nations, enhanced follow-up, and improved coherence across the UN system. He said that we must remain focused on that central purpose before us: helping countries prevent conflict, sustain peace, and avoid relapse, adding that Pakistan will continue to work with all Member States to advance this shared objective.&nbsp;Troop-contributing country&nbsp;Ambassador Asim said that Pakistan recognizes the important contribution of the Peacebuilding Fund, adding that experiences shared by countries with UN peacebuilding programs, illustrate the practical difference that timely and flexible peacebuilding support can make on the ground. Describing the sustained support for peacebuilding financing as essential, he said that Pakistan, as one of the largest troop-contributing countries to UN peace operations, and a founding member of the Peacebuilding Commission, has witnessed first-hand the importance of linking security gains with institution-building, reconciliation, and socio-economic recovery. &ldquo;We commend the growing role of the Commission particularly the country specific configurations, as platform for dialogue, partnership-building, and resource mobilization,&rdquo; he said.

Welcoming the outcomes of the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review facilitated by Egypt and Slovenia, Pakistan representative asks for the emphasis to be placed on national ownership, stronger links between the Peacebuilding Commission and the principal organs of the United Nations, enhanced follow-up, and improved coherence across the UN system.

Pakistan says peacekeeping without peacebuilding cannot sustain peace

LOS ANGELES: Turkiye beat a heavily changed United States 3-2 with a late Kaan Ayhan winner in an action-packed dead-rubber clash that gave the World Cup co-hosts their sternest test so far ahead of the knockout rounds. Already crowned Group D winners, the US arrived in Los Angeles seeking to extend a perfect start with a third win, but with more than an eye on next Wednesday&#39;s last-32 meeting against Bosnia-Herzegovina. For Turkiye, already eliminated and without even a goal after disastrous losses to Paraguay and Australia, the only objective was to restore some pride. Despite the low stakes and substantially reshuffled lineups for both teams, a packed SoFi Stadium was in deafening mood. For the third game running the US got off to a dream start. One of nine changes, backup center-half Auston Trusty was unmarked at the far post from a US corner, given time to cushion the ball with his left foot then blast it home. It was the Celtic defender&#39;s first international goal, and -- at just under three minutes -- the second-fastest by the US at a World Cup. But Turkiye did not surrender. Having not scored in 62 efforts across their first two games, it was 63rd time lucky for the Turks, and their star man Arda Guler. The Real Madrid forward duped Mark McKenzie with a clever dummy, allowing the ball to run down the right flank to Baris Alper Yilmaz. Yilmaz crossed it back into Guler, who smashed it past Matt Turner to equalize in the 10th minute. With Brad Pitt and Edward Norton among the Hollywood crowd, the game threatened to become a fight club, as Turkiye&#39;s bench rushed the field to protest a foul by the combative Sebastian Berhalter, who earned a yellow.&nbsp;The Americans thought they had restored the lead, Mark McKenzie the second US center-back to put the ball in the net. But his sharp response to Ricardo Pepi&#39;s saved shot was ruled offside. In the 31st minute the US found themselves behind for the first time this World Cup. Guler spotted Eren Elmali&#39;s overlapping run, feeding it to the wing-back who cut the ball back from the left byline to Yilmaz, who steered it beyond the keeper.&nbsp;&#39;Captain America&#39; returns&nbsp;The half-time break proved the perfect tonic for the US. In the 49th minute they were back level from a long throw by McKenzie. The ball was cleared by Turkiye only as far as Berhalter, who did well to smash his shot low into the bottom corner. The crowd erupted again just before the hour mark as Pochettino sent on Christian Pulisic, undoubtedly US soccer&#39;s biggest star, who will shoulder much of the hosts&#39; hopes of a deep run into the knockouts. Nicknamed &quot;Captain America&quot;, Pulisic earned his own round of &quot;USA&quot; chants, having not appeared since aggravating an injury in the first half of the opening win against Paraguay two weeks ago. Pulisic immediately looked lively, twice having efforts blocked from close range after darting runs from the left. He knew less about a ball that looped off his shin onto the post. Turkiye began to knock on the door again. A Yildiz effort curled inches wide in the 72nd minute.&nbsp;And deep into stoppage time, Ayhan spoiled the US party, slamming the ball home from close range. Turkiye were jubilant, while the American players clustered in a circle after the final whistle, seemingly determined to not let the gut punch spoil a campaign that had been off to a flying start.

Football

Turkiye beat a heavily changed United States 3-2 with a late Kaan Ayhan winner in an action-packed dead-rubber clash that gave the World Cup co-hosts their sternest test so far ahead of the knockout rounds.

Turkiye beat US 3-2 with last-gasp winner

Saqib Tanveer

ISLAMABAD: For more than six decades, India consistently described the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as a durable, legally binding and successful framework for managing one of the world&#39;s most complex transboundary river systems. Signed in 1960 with the World Bank as a broker, the treaty allocates the waters of the Indus river system between Pakistan and India.&nbsp; It has long been regarded as one of the world&#39;s most successful water-sharing agreements, surviving wars, military standoffs and decades of political tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. That longstanding record has come under renewed scrutiny since New Delhi announced it was placing the treaty in abeyance following the May 2025 Pahalgam attack. Pakistan has rejected the move as a unilateral violation of an internationally-binding agreement and has repeatedly warned against the weaponization of water. Yet a review of India&#39;s own government records, parliamentary statements, court rulings, political leaders and policy experts presents a markedly different picture from New Delhi&#39;s current position.<div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JodkDyCtXec" title="India spent 65 years praising the treaty it suspended" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div>Political leadershipWhen Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru signed the treaty in Karachi in 1960, he defended it as an instrument of regional peace despite acknowledging the difficult compromises involved. The agreement also received international recognition.&nbsp; Then US President Dwight D Eisenhower described it as a &quot;bright spot&quot; in world diplomacy, according to historical records maintained by the US State Department&#39;s Office of the Historian. Nearly two decades later, India&#39;s commitment to the treaty was reaffirmed through the 1978 Salal Dam Agreement signed by then Foreign Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which New Delhi presented as evidence that the treaty provided a workable mechanism for resolving water disputes. Even after the 2016 Uri attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s government opted to maximize India&#39;s rights within the treaty rather than withdraw from it, according to an analysis by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA). Former Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also defended the agreement. &quot;There have been so many wars, but IWT wasn&#39;t touched, because both countries benefited,&quot; she said during a press conference in IIOJK. Government institutionsIndia&#39;s own institutions likewise described the treaty as a stable and enduring legal framework. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha in 2014, India&#39;s Ministry of External Affairs called it a &quot;time tested framework.&quot; The ministry later informed Parliament that India had &quot;always strictly adhered to both the letter and the spirit&quot; of the agreement. Even after announcing the treaty&#39;s abeyance in 2025, India&#39;s Ministry of External Affairs said it remained committed to the treaty&#39;s &quot;sanctity and integrity&quot; following a Neutral Expert&#39;s decision affirming jurisdiction over the Kishenganga and Ratle disputes. Indian judiciaryIndia&#39;s Supreme Court also acknowledged the treaty&#39;s durability. In 2017, while dismissing a petition challenging the constitutionality of the Indus Waters Treaty, then Chief Justice JS Khehar observed:&nbsp;&quot;This treaty has held good for more than half a century.&quot; Indian expertsProminent Indian water experts have also consistently described the treaty as one of the world&#39;s most successful examples of transboundary water cooperation. Former Union Water Resources Secretary Ramaswamy Iyer, in his paper Indus Waters Treaty: Reevaluation &amp; Hope, called it a rare diplomatic success that had survived multiple wars and prolonged political tensions. Similarly, Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People argued that abandoning the treaty would provide India with no meaningful military advantage while undermining its credibility with neighboring countries. A contrast in recordTaken together, statements by Indian prime ministers, government ministries, Parliament, the Supreme Court and leading policy experts show that New Delhi defended the IWT for decades as a durable legal framework capable of surviving conflict. Pakistan maintains that India&#39;s decision to place the treaty in abeyance departs from those longstanding positions and continues to call for disputes under the agreement to be resolved through the treaty&#39;s established legal mechanisms rather than unilateral action.

A review of Indian leaders, institutions, court rulings and experts shows New Delhi has long defended the Indus Waters Treaty as a durable legal framework, contrasting with its current decision to place the agreement in abeyance.

India's own words tell a different Indus Waters Treaty story

This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.<hr style="line-height: 2;">Catch up: Yesterday&rsquo;s top developments<ul style="list-style-type: square;"><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;"><a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-25-2026#:~:text=of%20Israel%20directly.%22-,Iran%20deal%20won%27t%20undermine%20Gulf%20security%2C%20Rubio%20tells%20GCC,-Published%3A%20June%2025" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iran deal won&#39;t undermine Gulf security, Rubio tells GCC</a></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;"><a href="http://US%20Senate%20sides%20with%20Trump%20in%20fresh%20vote%20on%20Iran%20war%20powers" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">US Senate sides with Trump in fresh vote on Iran war powers</a></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;"><a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-25-2026#:~:text=Iran%20accuses%20NATO%20of%20complicity%20in%20US%20and%20Israel%E2%80%99s%20%E2%80%98unlawful%20war%E2%80%99" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iran accuses NATO of complicity in US and Israel&rsquo;s &lsquo;unlawful war&rsquo;</a></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;"><a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-25-2026#:~:text=Trump%20says%20Washington%20%E2%80%98doing%20great%E2%80%99%20in%20negotiations%20with%20Iran" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trump says Washington &lsquo;doing great&rsquo; in negotiations with Iran</a></li><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 2;"><a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-25-2026#:~:text=Israeli%20blockade%20contributing%20to%20spread%20of%20insects%2C%20rodents%20in%20Gaza%2C%20rights%20group%20says" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Israeli blockade contributing to spread of insects, rodents in Gaza</a></li></ul> <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Pope begins cardinals&#39; gathering with anti-war messagePublished: June 26, 2026 | 09:13 GMT | by AFP Pope Leo XIV said people should &quot;resolve conflicts as human beings and not as beasts&quot; as he hosted a gathering of cardinals from around the world in the Vatican on Friday. The closed-door assembly -- known as a &quot;consistory&quot; -- ends on Saturday and is intended to discuss a variety of global challenges facing the Catholic Church. It started with a mass in St Peter&#39;s Basilica presided by US-born Pope Leo. &quot;International tensions and conflicts seriously wound the human family,&quot; the pope said in his homily. &quot;War is never worthy of humanity, and it is never blessed by God,&quot; he said. &quot;Even if we are equipped with high-tech weapons, the Creator has endowed us with intelligence and free will to resolve conflicts as human beings and not as beasts.&quot; This is the second time the pope has convened all 241 of the world&#39;s cardinals since his election in May 2025. <hr> Lebanon president welcomes French, Italian efforts to form coalition to succeed UNIFILPublished: June 26, 2026 | 08:57 GMT | by AFP Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed on Friday France and Italy&#39;s efforts to set up a multinational coalition to succeed the UN peacekeeping force in his country, whose mandate expires at the end of the year. The peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, is made up of roughly 7,500 personnel from nearly 50 countries, and has been in place since 1978, although its presence has not prevented repeated outbreaks of conflict. Last August, the UN Security Council, under US pressure, decided to end UNIFIL&#39;s mandate on Dec. 31, 2026. In a statement, Aoun called the initiative &quot;a sincere expression of the international commitment to supporting Lebanon&#39;s sovereignty and stability&quot;. <hr> Two persons killed in Israeli raid in Lebanon&nbsp;Published: June 26, 2026 | 07:21 GMT | by Web Desk Lebanon&#39;s Health Emergency Operations Center stated in a statement that the Israeli raid on a car in the town of Mefdoun, Nabatieh district, resulted in the death of two persons and injuries to one, according to Lebanese state-run National News Agency.<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" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2070381042037403656&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=3d8aeea426acbeb9111a1fc53e72f2bfe7154d8f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 597px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><hr> &#39;Very strong&#39; nuclear verification needed in Iran after war: IAEA headPublished: June 26, 2026 | 04:57 GMT | by AFP &quot;Very strong&quot; verification is needed in Iran following the Middle East conflict to ensure that it does not develop nuclear weapons, the UN atomic watchdog chief said on Friday. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi&#39;s remarks come as the United States and Iran negotiate a broader agreement to end the war, with Tehran&#39;s nuclear program a key sticking point. &quot;I think the objective of this (recent US-Iran preliminary) agreement is to ensure that there is no development of nuclear weapons in Iran. The government of Iran has declared quite clearly that this is not their intention,&quot; Grossi told reporters in Japan. &quot;But of course intentions are not enough. We have to have a very strong verification system in place... as soon as is practicable,&quot; the IAEA chief said. <hr> State Department official says Israel-Lebanon talks to continue on FridayPublished: June 26, 2026 | 02:35 GMT | by Web Desk A US State Department official has said that Israeli and Lebanese delegations will resume their meetings on Friday, Al Jazeera reported. Officials from the two countries have been meeting for US-brokered talks in Washington, DC, aimed at reaching a deal to end fighting in Lebanon. The discussions were set to conclude on Thursday. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Trump says unfrozen Iranian assets will be used to buy American wheat, soy beans, cornPublished: June 26, 2026 | 00:00 GMT | by Web Desk US President Donald Trump has said that the Iranian assets that will be unfrozen as per the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding would be used to buy American wheat, soy beans and corn. While referring to unfrozen Iranian assets, Trump said, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to be taking some of their money.&rdquo; &ldquo;And we&rsquo;ll spend it, and we&rsquo;re going to be buying wheat, soy beans and corn &ndash; a lot of it. And that process is going to be starting pretty soon,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be pretty big, too,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp; Separately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that no part of the US-Iran deal undermined the security and stability of US allies in the Gulf, stating that Washington was open for peace. He also said that Iran would not be allowed to charge a toll or fee for using the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, US Senate rejected a resolution to rein in President Donald Trump&#39;s handling of the Iran war &mdash; an apparent U-turn following pressure from the Republican leader. The move came just one day after the Senate voted 50-48 to pass a resolution calling for an end to the Iran war, delivering a rebuke to the White House as it seeks to negotiate a lasting deal with Tehran. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> For earlier developments, read our June 25 live blog <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-live-june-25-2026" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">here</a>.

Americas

Middle East

Says process is going to be starting pretty soon; Rubio promises Gulf allies that Washington would protect their interests in talks with Iran, adds Iran cannot charge toll or fee for Hormuz; US Senate sides with Trump in fresh vote on Iran war powers.





LIVE: Trump says unfrozen Iranian assets will be used to buy American wheat, soy beans, corn

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: As India expands its ambitions in the global arms market, New Delhi is positioning itself as a supplier of military technology rather than one of the world&rsquo;s largest weapons importers.&nbsp; Among the crown jewels of this export drive are the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and Akashteer, an automated air defense command-and-control system developed for the Indian military. Yet as India courts prospective buyers, a parallel conversation is unfolding beyond defense exhibitions and sales brochures. It is a conversation not about specifications, range, speed or radar integration, but about credibility, institutional reliability and the ability of a defense-industrial ecosystem to withstand scrutiny. For critics, the concerns begin with an incident that remains one of the most embarrassing episodes in India&#39;s recent military history. The missile that crossed the borderOn March 9, 2022, a BrahMos missile was accidentally launched from Indian territory and entered Pakistan before crashing. The incident immediately attracted international attention because it involved a strategic missile travelling across the border between two nuclear-armed neighbors. What followed became almost as controversial as the launch itself. Initially, India remained largely silent despite Pakistan publicly raising the matter and demanding answers.&nbsp; When New Delhi eventually responded, the explanation was that a &quot;technical malfunction&quot; during routine maintenance had led to the accidental firing of a missile. However, as more information emerged, the official narrative appeared to evolve. Subsequent explanations referred to an inadvertent release during inspection activity.&nbsp; Questions were raised about the circumstances surrounding the launch location and the nature of the activities being conducted at the time. For critics, the issue was not merely the accident itself but the succession of explanations that followed. The concern was that the incident appeared to move from being a technical malfunction, to an accidental firing, to a procedural failure attributed to personnel. Eventually, a Court of Inquiry was conducted and responsibility was assigned within the chain of command.&nbsp; Officers were removed from service over violations of standard operating procedures. But by then, critics argued, the reputational damage had already occurred. A live missile had crossed an international border during peacetime.&nbsp; The world had watched as explanations shifted over several days.&nbsp; For detractors of India&#39;s export ambitions, the episode became a case study in crisis management, command discipline and strategic accountability.&nbsp; Even India&rsquo;s own media highlighted the global embarrassment the country faced. The BrahMos missile survived the incident. Its reputation, they argue, did not emerge entirely unscathed. Production concerns emergeToday, as India seeks to market BrahMos to a growing list of foreign customers, another set of questions has emerged. Indian media reports have suggested that BrahMos Aerospace has experienced significant production disruptions. Some reports claim output has fallen dramatically compared with previous years. The reports attribute the decline to internal organizational decisions, including the transfer of employees from Hyderabad to other locations such as Lucknow and Pilani. These transfers reportedly generated dissatisfaction among staff and were followed by resignations. According to these reports, concerns have also been raised about delays in meeting future delivery commitments, including supplies intended for the Indian Navy. While detailed official disclosures confirming these figures have not been made public, the reports have nevertheless fueled debate about the resilience of India&#39;s defense manufacturing infrastructure. For potential customers, the question extends beyond the missile&#39;s technical performance. Can production remain stable? Can delivery schedules be maintained? Can an expanding export portfolio be supported while domestic military requirements continue to grow? These are not engineering questions. They are industrial ones. Yet they can be just as important when countries evaluate major weapons purchases. Akashteer and the governance questionThe debate surrounding Akashteer is different. Unlike BrahMos, the concerns raised by critics are not centered on a high-profile operational incident. Instead, they focus on the broader ecosystem responsible for developing and fielding such systems. Akashteer has been developed through India&#39;s defense-industrial structure, with Bharat Electronics playing a central role. Supporters present the system as evidence of India&#39;s progress in battlefield automation and network-centric warfare. Critics, however, point to longstanding concerns that have periodically surfaced within India&#39;s wider defense procurement and public-sector manufacturing environment.&nbsp; These include allegations of irregularities, corruption, procurement controversies, delays and bureaucratic inefficiencies that have accompanied various defense projects over the years. The issue is not necessarily whether Akashteer itself is technically deficient. Rather, critics argue that when governments purchase highly integrated command-and-control systems, they are not merely buying software or hardware.&nbsp; They are buying confidence in the institutions behind those systems. For them, governance and credibility become part of the product itself. Battlefield Shadow Over BrahMos and AkashteerThe latest incident of failure of Indian defense capabilities came from the battlefield surrounding recent India-Pakistan military tensions in May 2025. Pakistan&#39;s military, through the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), presented a detailed account of operations conducted under &quot;Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.&quot; According to the ISPR, Pakistani forces engaged 26 military targets across Indian territory and Indian-administered Kashmir despite the deployment of the Akashteer Air Defense System.&nbsp; The military&#39;s media wing said that strikes included&nbsp;multiple air force and aviation facilities, among them were Suratgarh, Sirsa, Nalia, Adampur, Bathinda, Barnala, Halwara, Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Udhampur, Mamoon, Ambala and Pathankot. Pakistan destroyed BrahMos storage facilities at Beas and Nagrota and that India&#39;s S-400 air defense system at Adampur was also attacked. For critics of India&#39;s defense exports, the episode reinforces a broader argument: that systems being marketed internationally are simultaneously becoming subjects of competing real time battlefield tests, political messaging and strategic scrutiny.

As India expands its ambitions in the global arms market, New Delhi is increasingly positioning itself as a supplier of sophisticated military technology rather than merely one of the world’s largest weapons importers. 

From misfire to market: The uncomfortable questions behind India’s defense exports

SAN FRANCISCO:&nbsp;Apple said Thursday it was raising prices for its MacBook computers, iPad tablets and other products, citing spiraling memory and storage costs sparked by the rise of artificial intelligence. The price hikes -- the first concrete change stemming from outgoing CEO Tim Cook&#39;s repeated warnings about rising costs -- sent Apple shares plummeting more than 4.7 percent in morning trade. On its US website, price increases ranged from $30 to $300. The 14-inch MacBook Pro, which once sold for $1,700, now retails for $2,000, while the iPad Air increased from $600 to $750. The Apple TV streaming device rose from $130 to $200. For now, the price of the iPhone -- the company&#39;s main source of revenue -- remained unchanged. &quot;The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage,&quot; an Apple spokesperson said in a statement sent to multiple media outlets. &quot;We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly.&quot; Apple did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment. The Cupertino, California-based tech giant -- which notched an all-time revenue record of $416 billion in the last fiscal year -- insisted it had &quot;shielded our customers from these increases so far&quot; but could no longer do so. Last week, Cook set the stage when he told The Wall Street Journal that price increases were &quot;unavoidable.&quot; &quot;There&#39;s less supply at a time when consumers want devices and the memory guys are passing along huge price increases,&quot; Cook said, deeming the spike in prices a &quot;hundred-year flood.&quot; The rapid buildout of AI data centers has sent the cost of memory chips and RAM skyrocketing -- as the components are found in nearly all electronic devices -- with the chips undergoing quarterly price increases of at least 50 percent since late 2025. It will fall to John Ternus to handle the fallout at Apple -- he will succeed Cook as CEO on September 1, just days before the new generation of iPhones is unveiled.

Gadgets

Apple raised prices of MacBook, iPad and other products due to rising memory and storage costs from AI demand. Prices increased $30–$300, with MacBook Pro reaching $2,000 and iPad Air $750, while iPhone prices remained unchanged.

Apple raises prices for MacBooks and iPads, as costs soar over AI

Pakistan TV Satellite

ZURICH: Minister of State and Chairman of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), Bilal Bin Saqib, said at the Point Zero Forum in Zurich, that the world is moving beyond the future of finance into an era where artificial intelligence and autonomous systems will increasingly make decisions, conduct transactions and shape the global balance of power. The Point Zero Forum 2026, held in Zurich, Switzerland, this week and is a leading global platform that brings together over 2000 participants including central bankers, regulators, policymakers, fintech innovators, and industry leaders to discuss the future of finance and financial technology.&nbsp; &ldquo;We are not just entering the future of finance. We are entering the future of agency. AI will decide. Software will transact. Machines will negotiate, settle and execute in real time,&rdquo; Chairman PVARA made it clear in his message at the forum.&nbsp; &ldquo;The real divide ahead will be between nations that shape autonomous intelligence, and nations that simply live inside systems built by others. This is not science fiction. It is being engineered now,&rdquo; he added. <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" 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=2070198323554959630&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8767e2360db3c19c24dcc765340338415091f489&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> Speaking at the global forum, Bilal Bin Saqib noted that for centuries machines remained tools operated by humans, but that paradigm is rapidly changing.&nbsp; He said finance is only the beginning, warning that autonomous systems are set to transform logistics, energy and security, with entire economies increasingly relying on machines making decisions in real time. &ldquo;The most valuable thing a country can have is not just capital. It is the talent to build these systems around autonomous agents and govern them,&rdquo; he said. Calling the technological shift a major opportunity, he said Pakistan has the potential to leapfrog traditional development models and emerge as a creator of next-generation technologies. &ldquo;For a country like Pakistan, we can leapfrog and be the generators, the creators of these systems,&rdquo; he added.

SAT News Desk

At the Point Zero Forum 2026 in Zurich, Bilal Bin Saqib said AI and autonomous systems will increasingly make decisions, conduct transactions and shape power. He stressed talent in autonomous intelligence and said Pakistan can leapfrog as a creator.