Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has qualified for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 main event after defeating archrivals India 2-1 in the lower-bracket final of the South and East Asia regional qualifier.&nbsp;The victory secures one of two qualifying berths from the region and marks another milestone for Pakistan&#39;s growing esports scene, where competitive gaming has gained momentum through an expanding player base, stronger grassroots competition, and increasing institutional support.&nbsp;&nbsp;The qualification also gives Pakistan an opportunity to test themselves against some of the world&#39;s top Dota 2 teams on the international stage later this year.&nbsp;The decisive best-of-three series was played on July 1, with Pakistan claiming the second and final qualification spot from South and East Asia. The result ended India&#39;s Dota 2 qualification campaign, although India has already secured a place in the tournament&#39;s Valorant competition.&nbsp;Pakistan began their regional campaign with a 2-0 victory over Bangladesh before suffering a 2-0 defeat to Mongolia. India followed a similar path, losing 2-0 to Mongolia after defeating Bangladesh by the same scoreline.&nbsp;Those results set up a winner-take-all clash between the South Asian rivals for the final qualifying berth.&nbsp;Pakistan prevailed 2-1 to finish second in the regional standings behind Mongolia. India placed third, while Bangladesh finished fourth.&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s qualifying roster featured YawaR, ritiredota, Mr.DeviL, Ahsan, and Sanity, with Tultras serving as head coach.&nbsp;The Esports Nations Cup is an international competition that brings together national teams from around the world across multiple esports titles. The 2026 Dota 2 tournament will be held in Saudi capital Riyadh from Nov. 2 to 8.&nbsp;The event will feature 32 national teams, including 16 direct invitations, 14 regional qualifiers, and two wildcard entrants. Teams will be divided into four groups of eight, with the top four from each group advancing to the single-elimination knockout stage.&nbsp;Pakistan will now turn their attention to the main event in Riyadh, where they will compete against some of the world&#39;s strongest Dota 2 nations for the tournament title.

E-Sports

Pakistan has qualified for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 main event after defeating archrivals India 2-1 in the lower-bracket final of the South and East Asia regional qualifier.

Pakistan qualify for Esports Nations Cup after defeating India in Dota 2

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Istanbul on Friday on a bilateral visit at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where the two leaders will hold wide-ranging talks aimed at strengthening Pakistan-T&uuml;rkiye relations and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors. PM Sharif was received upon arrival at Istanbul&#39;s Ataturk Airport by T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s Minister of Trade Professor Dr. Omer Bolat, Pakistan&#39;s Ambassador to T&uuml;rkiye Dr. Yousaf Junaid and senior officials from T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pakistani Embassy, according to the Prime Minister&#39;s Office. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar are accompanying the prime minister. Pakistan and T&uuml;rkiye enjoy longstanding brotherly relations rooted in shared history, mutual trust and close political cooperation. The two countries maintain regular high-level exchanges under the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and have steadily expanded collaboration in trade, investment, defense, energy, education and regional diplomacy. During their meeting, PM Sharif and President Erdogan are expected to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on enhancing cooperation in trade and investment.&nbsp; The two leaders will also exchange views on regional peace and security, the Prime Minister&#39;s Office said. During his stay, the prime minister will also address a Pakistan-hosted business conference aimed at showcasing the country&#39;s investment potential. According to the Prime Minister&#39;s Office, the conference will highlight opportunities in Pakistan&#39;s Special Economic Zones, energy, information technology, privatization and other key sectors. Prominent Turkish business leaders, investors, senior government officials and other distinguished participants are expected to attend the event, which is intended to promote stronger commercial partnerships and encourage greater Turkish investment in Pakistan.

Upon Pakistan PM's arrival at Atatürk Airport, the prime minister was received by Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Professor Dr. Ömer Bolat, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Türkiye Dr. Yousaf Junaid, and senior officials from the Turkish Foreign Ministry and the Pak

Foreign Affairs

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will address a Pakistan business forum in Istanbul to promote investment opportunities, alongside high-level meetings aimed at expanding economic cooperation and discussing regional developments with Turkish leadership.

PM Sharif begins Türkiye visit for Erdogan talks on strategic bilateral cooperation

GENEVA: El Nino is here and will quickly develop into a strong event between July and September, fuelling the likelihood of extreme weather, the United Nations&#39; climate agency warned Friday. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the climate phenomenon would rapidly gain strength, as it warned countries to brace for impact. El Nino warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, bringing worldwide changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns. It typically takes place every two to seven years and lasts around nine to 12 months. Conditions oscillate between El Nino and its opposite La Nina, with neutral conditions in between. The WMO&#39;s monthly Global Seasonal Climate Update points towards &quot;a rapid development into a strong El Nino event during July-September&quot;. The UN agency classifies El Nino events as weak, moderate, strong or very strong, meaning it is set to reach the third-highest level out of four. &quot;El Nino conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific and are forecast to strengthen rapidly over the coming months, increasing the likelihood of... extreme weather events in many parts of the world,&quot; the WMO said. Heatwave risks&nbsp;WMO climate scientist Alvaro Silva told a press conference that since last month, &quot;we have much more confidence that strong El Nino conditions are developing in the equatorial Pacific&quot;. He said the WMO may issue an update in the coming months, &quot;for example, if we have forecasts suggesting this will be a really strong El Nino&quot;. The Geneva-based agency said forecasts produced by global climate centres, using different models, indicate a consistent and significant warming of ocean temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. &quot;Seasonal-average sea-surface temperature anomalies expected to exceed 2C in key monitoring regions,&quot; it said. &quot;El Nino is expected to continue strengthening during the Northern Hemisphere autumn, with its influence extending across many regions of the globe.&quot; The last El Nino contributed to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high at around 1.55C  above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. While El Nino usually peaks between November and February, the resulting spike in temperatures typically comes later. &quot;The impacts of El Nino will be felt in different regions until the end of the year and beyond, also during 2027,&quot; underlined Silva. The WMO said it was stepping up early warning support to help guide preparedness, especially in climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture and health. Such moves &quot;are vital to save lives and cushion the impact on our economies and our communities&quot;, said WMO chief Celeste Saulo. &quot;El Nino conditions are already under way and are forecast to strengthen rapidly into a strong event,&quot; she said. &quot;This will intensify the chances of drought and heavy rainfall and the risk of heatwaves on land and marine heatwaves in many regions.&quot; Temperature impact The update predicts an overwhelming likelihood of above-average temperatures across most land areas between 60 degrees south and 60 degrees north -- covering nearly all populated areas outside the polar regions. And the July to September rainfall outlook is consistent with a strengthening El Nino, with above-normal rainfall forecast in areas including the southwestern United States, and below normal forecast across the Indian subcontinent and much of Australia. The WMO says there is no evidence that climate change increases the frequency or intensity of El Nino events. However, the agency believes it can amplify the associated effects, because a warmer ocean and atmosphere increase the availability of energy and moisture for extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall. During the northern hemisphere summer, warm waters associated with El Nino can fuel hurricanes in the central and eastern Pacific, while hindering their development in the Atlantic Ocean. On Thursday, Peru declared a 60-day state of emergency in 800 of its 1,800 municipalities, due to the &quot;imminent danger&quot; of heavy rains linked to El Nino. More than 9.3 million people in Peru were warned of a very high risk from flooding and landslides.

Head of climate prediction services at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Wilfran Moufouma-Okia points on graphs displayed on computer screens at the WMO headquarters in Geneva, on June 1, 2026. (AFP)

Climate

The UN's climate agency warns that a strong El Niño is expected to develop rapidly, increasing the risk of extreme weather, heatwaves, droughts, and heavy rainfall worldwide.

El Nino set to be 'strong', UN warns 

NEW YORK: The main act of pop sensation Taylor Swift&#39;s wedding to NFL star Travis Kelce was due to get underway Friday, as celebrities flooded New York for the A-lister extravaganza at the storied Madison Square Garden. The billionaire singer and three-time Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl champion, both 36, opened the festivities Thursday with an exclusive rehearsal dinner for around 100 guests, according to US media. Swift, who announced her engagement to Kelce last August, has been tight-lipped about what will surely be the wedding of the year, and guests have reportedly signed non-disclosure agreements. But all signs point to the celebrations, which fall as Americans mark their country&#39;s 250th birthday, as being an over-the-top affair befitting one of the world&#39;s most famous and wealthiest couples. An AFP journalist saw a procession of black SUVs, believed to be carrying guests, pulling into a privacy tent outside the Garden late Thursday while fans buzzed nearby for a peek. &quot;She is the biggest thing in America like she is our royalty, she is our queen, she is everything,&quot; said Alyssa Heinen, 24, from Manhattan. &quot;We are just so happy that she found the love of her life and he happens to also be such a big deal. It feels like a royal wedding to us.&quot; Guests at Thursday&#39;s dinner included singer Selena Gomez, a close friend of Swift&#39;s who shared an Instagram photo of herself sitting in a car dressed in evening finery. Singer Ed Sheeran, &quot;Girls&quot; creator Lena Dunham, producer Jack Antonoff and actors Bradley Cooper and Adam Sandler were photographed at or near the Garden, which was surrounded by barricades and police. No phonesFriday&#39;s proceedings are expected to include around 1,000 guests, according to US media, including models Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne and actress Zoe Kravitz. From the sports world, NFL players including George Kittle and Micah Parsons, former tight end Ross Travis, reporter Erin Andrews and her former NHL player husband Jarret Stoll reportedly have coveted invites. Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw will perform, while Ed Sheeran is also rumored to be among those taking the stage, according to New York Post gossip column Page Six. Guests will reportedly not be allowed to have their phones during the event, which is expected to begin with mid-afternoon cocktails before a reception going into the night. &nbsp;&#39;So excited&#39;&nbsp;Swifties, as the megastar&#39;s fans are known, have flocked to Big Apple locations mentioned in their idol&#39;s lyrics. Among the hotspots were Bus Stop Cafe in the West Village, which Swift has visited, and nearby Cornelia Street, which lends its name to the hit song. &quot;We are so excited to see Taylor,&quot; Lindsey Bongiorno, 25, told AFP outside Madison Square Garden, hoping to experience the occasion from afar. Page Six reported that the couple had already tied the knot in front of &quot;a tiny group of loved ones&quot; ahead of their huge party, citing unidentified sources. Journalists have sighted delivery trucks carrying lobster and doughnuts outside the arena. Ahead of the big day, Swift&#39;s spokesperson said the couple were donating $26 million to various US charities, including in New York and Kansas City. Madison Square Garden, which includes both an arena and a smaller theater, is perhaps not a traditional wedding venue but Swift would not be the first musician to marry there. Sly Stone, who died last year, was married there in June 1974 to actress Kathy Silva during a concert by his band, Sly and the Family Stone. Swift, a 14-time Grammy winner, is coming off a banner year with the success of her album &quot;The Life of a Showgirl,&quot; induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and a new song on the &quot;Toy Story 5&quot; soundtrack. Kelce, a tight end for the Chiefs, has signed on for a 14th season in the National Football League. He is also a co-host of the popular &quot;New Heights&quot; podcast alongside his brother Jason, which on Friday will host Britain&#39;s Prince William as its guest. The royal was not expected to attend the wedding.

US musician Taylor Swift (L) and US NFL football player Travis Kelce attend the men's final match between Italy's Jannik Sinner and USA's Taylor Fritz on day fourteen of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in 

Entertainment

Pop superstar Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce are reportedly celebrating a lavish, celebrity-filled wedding event at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Swift and Kelce set to tie the knot in glitzy arena extravaganza

ISLAMABAD: Japan&rsquo;s mayor of Yawata, Shoko Kawata, has said that she did not realize how much discrimination against women still existed after her decision to take a maternity leave prompted debate on gender bias in workplace. According to The New York Times, many residents celebrated her decision she announced in May, offering gifts like crocheted baby shoes and auspicious ceremonial rocks.&nbsp; However, the news agency reported, that some people responded with anger, calling her irresponsible, and accusing her of placing her personal life above her constituents. &ldquo;I somehow realized for the first time just how much discrimination still exists,&rdquo; Kawata said.&nbsp; While speaking in the assembly on Monday, the mayor said that she was confident her deputy could run things smoothly while she was away, the Guardian reported.&nbsp; While speaking to the British news agency, Kawata said that she did not expect it to be so controversial.&nbsp; &ldquo;There&rsquo;s still an idea that in work, people should sacrifice their personal lives in order to devote themselves to their career,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp; Responding to the people upset on her decision &mdash; majority of whom were men &mdash; she said that maternity doesn&rsquo;t physically affect men&rsquo;s bodies which was why they could continue &ldquo;working while pushing private life into the background.&rdquo; &ldquo;But for women, physically, that simply isn&rsquo;t possible,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp; According to World Economic Forum&rsquo;s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2025, Japan ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the world, lowest among the group of seven countries. Despite the historic victory of Sanae Takaichi, Japan&#39;s first female prime minister, women&#39;s participation in Japanese politics remained scarce, with fewer than 4% of municipal leaders being women.

Asia

Many residents celebrate her decision, offering gifts like crocheted baby shoes and auspicious ceremonial rocks; some respond with anger, calling her irresponsible, and accusing her of placing her personal life above her constituents.


Mayor says maternity leave revealed depth of gender discrimination in Japan

Muhammad Usman Amin

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been placed on high alert as the first spell of the 2026 monsoon triggered deadly flash floods, lightning strikes, and landslides across the province, prompting authorities to activate round-the-clock emergency operations amid growing risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast that the current monsoon system will remain active through the coming week, bringing widespread rain, windstorms and thunderstorms to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and upper Punjab. In a statement, PMD Director General Dr Muhammad Afzal said rainfall is expected to remain well above normal across the country&#39;s northern mountainous regions. &ldquo;The forecast shows below-normal rainfall for parts of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, rainfall in the northern areas, Gilgit-Baltistan and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is expected to remain above normal,&rdquo; he said. The PMD said isolated moderate-to-heavy rainfall is likely to continue over the northern regions in the coming days, before expanding into parts of Punjab early next week. Although the weather system is expected to weaken slightly by mid-July, upper KP and the northern mountains will remain vulnerable to rain and thunderstorms. In another statement, PMD&#39;s National Forecasting Centre Director Muhammad Irfan Virk said the monsoon arrived during the first week of July as moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal interacted with a western weather system, producing intense downpours, flash floods and lightning across the province. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue 1122 have mobilized emergency teams across vulnerable districts after torrential rains over the past 48 hours killed nine people, injured 23 others and damaged dozens of homes and public infrastructure. The weather poses a dual threat in northern KP, where persistent rainfall coincides with high temperatures, accelerating glacier melt. GLOF warningThe PDMA has issued a GLOF alert for Upper and Lower Chitral, Swat, Upper Dir, Kohistan and Mansehra, warning that rapidly melting glaciers could trigger sudden glacial lake outburst floods, flash floods in mountain streams and landslides. While northern districts face flooding, authorities warned that below-normal rainfall in parts of the agricultural plains could increase water stress for Kharif crops. Sudden hailstorms and dust storms also pose a risk to standing crops and solar infrastructure. According to PDMA, the latest spell of severe weather has affected several districts, including Khyber, Lower Dir, Mardan, Shangla, Bajaur, Upper and Lower Chitral, and Upper Dir. The heavy rains have also damaged 41 houses, including 37 partially damaged and 4 completely destroyed. Two mosques, two shops and a bridge were also damaged by flooding and landslides. Livestock losses have been significant, with 163 animals reported dead, including 138 in Lower Chitral, one of the worst-affected districts. Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, PDMA spokesperson Anwar Shehzad said district administrations have been instructed to closely monitor rivers, streams and glacial areas vulnerable to flooding. &ldquo;Heavy machinery, Rescue 1122 teams and emergency personnel have been pre-positioned to ensure a rapid response to road blockages, flash floods and other emergencies,&rdquo; he said. Relief operations continue Shehzad said rescue and relief operations are underway across affected districts, with teams from PDMA, Rescue 1122 and local administrations providing assistance to affected communities.&nbsp; &ldquo;Blocked roads in Lower Chitral have already been reopened for traffic, while emergency relief is being distributed to affected families,&rdquo; he added. The PDMA&#39;s Emergency Operations Centre is operating round the clock, coordinating with district authorities and other departments to expedite rescue and relief efforts. Authorities have urged residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel near rivers, streams and mountainous areas prone to flooding and landslides. The public has also been advised to stay updated on weather alerts and report emergencies through the PDMA&#39;s toll-free helpline, 1700.

Flood-affected people carry makeshift tents as they wade through floodwaters at Alipur in the Muzaffargarh district of Punjab province on September 13, 2025. (File photo: AFP)

Climate & Environment

Met Office says the current monsoon system will remain active through the coming week, bringing widespread rain, windstorms and thunderstorms to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and upper Punjab.

Northwest Pakistan on high alert as monsoon rains, flood threats intensify

ISLAMABAD: In a recent CNBC interview with Joe Kernen, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that &quot;11 planes were shot down&quot; during the conflict between India and Pakistan last May. He connected this incident to his use of tariff threats in diplomacy. He said he told the two countries that he would impose 200% tariffs if fighting continued, adding that tariffs helped him stop&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-seven-brand-new-beautiful-planes-were-shot-down-during-pakistanindia-conflict-in-may" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">eight wars</a>, with five of those resolved because of trade pressure. The US president described India and Pakistan as nuclear nations and said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-seven-brand-new-beautiful-planes-were-shot-down-during-pakistanindia-conflict-in-may" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">confrontation</a>&nbsp;was halted through economic pressure. He also said Pakistan&rsquo;s prime minister stated that Trump saved at least 30 million lives by stopping the conflict.&nbsp;&lsquo;Brand new, beautiful planes&rsquo;&nbsp;In September last year, Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the United Nations General Assembly that Pakistani forces had turned seven Indian aircraft into &ldquo;scrap and dust.&rdquo; Trump had earlier described seven or eight aircraft being shot down during the same India-Pakistan tensions, saying &ldquo;seven brand new, beautiful planes&rdquo; were shot down while both sides engaged in aerial combat. Trump also said he warned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani leaders that no trade would continue if conflict escalated, and said the dispute ended within about 24 hours, after which trade discussions resumed. The president characterized the outcome as evidence that tariff pressure can influence international conflicts and lead to rapid de-escalation between rival states.

Americas

Says, ‘I stopped eight wars because of tariffs – India, Pakistan. I mean, I did so many – I stopped eight wars. Everybody acknowledges it. And five of the eight were stopped because of tariffs.’

‘11 planes were shot down’ in India-Pakistan conflict, says Trump

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Pakistan&#39;s benchmark stock market has delivered cumulative returns of 335% in local currency and 347% in US dollar terms over the past three fiscal years, capping one of Asia&#39;s strongest equity rallies as economic reforms and macroeconomic stabilization revived investor confidence. The benchmark KSE-100 Index closed fiscal year 2025-26 at a record 180,302 points, up 44% in rupee terms and 46% in dollar terms from the previous fiscal year after climbing from 125,627 at the end of FY25. The latest gains extend an extraordinary three-year rally that government officials and market participants attribute to easing inflation, lower interest rates, fiscal discipline, stronger corporate earnings and reforms implemented under Pakistan&#39;s IMF-backed stabilization program. Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said the stock market&#39;s performance reflected broader improvements in the country&#39;s economic fundamentals. &quot;The stock market is both a reflection of and a catalyst for economic confidence,&quot; Schehzad told Pakistan TV Digital. &quot;Sustained market returns typically signal improving macroeconomic fundamentals, stronger corporate earnings, investor confidence and expectations of future growth. Deeper capital markets also facilitate investment, job creation and long-term economic development.&quot; Schehzad said the market&#39;s sustained rally over the past three years stemmed from the restoration of macroeconomic stability through fiscal reforms and policy continuity. &quot;The market&#39;s strong performance, especially over the past three years, reflects the restoration of macroeconomic stability through prudent fiscal management, structural reforms, moderating inflation, lower interest rates, stronger external buffers and a consistent commitment to policy continuity,&quot; he said. &quot;These measures have improved investor confidence, corporate profitability and Pakistan&#39;s overall economic and investment outlook.&quot; In a separate post on X, Schehzad described FY26 as another milestone for Pakistan&#39;s capital markets, saying the benchmark had delivered a third consecutive year of strong positive returns while ranking among the region&#39;s top-performing equity markets in US dollar terms. Investor participation also expanded rapidly during the fiscal year.&nbsp; Total investor accounts rose 49% year-on-year to 583,000, while nearly 40% of new investors belonged to Gen Z, bringing Pakistan&#39;s total public market investor base to more than 1.4 million. Corporate earnings remained supportive, with listed companies reporting a 22% year-on-year increase in profitability during the January-March quarter of FY26. Cumulative profits for the first nine months of the fiscal year increased 9%. Pakistan&#39;s capital markets also continued to deepen. The number of listed companies with market capitalizations exceeding $1 billion rose to 17 from just three in FY22, while the Pakistan Stock Exchange hosted 13 initial public offerings during FY26&mdash;the highest annual number of new listings in two decades. According to brokerage house Topline Securities, the KSE-100 has generated cumulative returns of 335% in rupee terms and 347% in dollar terms since FY23, largely reflecting Pakistan&#39;s macroeconomic stabilization under the IMF-supported reform program. The brokerage said FY26 unfolded in two distinct phases. The benchmark advanced 39% during the first half of the fiscal year as moderating inflation and improving economic indicators outweighed the economic impact of the July-August 2025 floods. The second half proved more volatile. The index climbed to an all-time high of 189,167 points in January before falling nearly 29% to 146,480 in March amid geopolitical uncertainty and shifting investor sentiment. It later recovered to finish the fiscal year at a record closing high, supported by bargain hunting and renewed confidence in Pakistan&#39;s economic outlook. Waqas Ghani, chief financial officer and head of research at JS Global Capital, said improving macroeconomic conditions should continue supporting equities into FY27. &quot;Structural reforms, easing inflation and declining interest rates should continue to support equities,&quot; Ghani told Pakistan TV Digital. Despite the market&#39;s three-year rally, Pakistani equities remain among the world&#39;s least expensive by valuation metrics, trading at substantial discounts to regional peers including India, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and Thailand, he said. &quot;As a forward-looking asset class, stock prices generally reflect expectations of future corporate earnings and economic activity rather than current conditions,&quot; Ghani said.&nbsp; &quot;The sustained rise in Pakistani equities therefore signals growing investor confidence that corporate profitability and the broader economy will continue to strengthen in the coming years.&quot;

Pakistan Stock Exchange. (File photo: APP)

Economy

Talking to Pakistan TV Digital, Finance Adviser Khurram Schehzad says stronger macroeconomic fundamentals, policy continuity and structural reforms are driving investor confidence, while expanding retail participation and improving corporate earnings strengthen Pakistan’s long-term capital market outlook. 

Pakistan stocks deliver 335% three-year return on reform momentum

ISLAMABAD: A senior security official held an important meeting with media influencers to discuss India, according to security sources. During the meeting, the security sources said that India is trying to divert attention from its internal problems by creating instability across the region, particularly in Pakistan.&nbsp; The Indian leadership is unwilling to accept the realities on the ground, they said. The security sources described India as a Hindutva-driven failed state that has developed a habit of portraying itself as a major power.&nbsp;&nbsp;India&rsquo;s expansionist ambitions&nbsp;They asserted that increasing intolerance and religious extremism are the reasons for the failure of the Indian state, adding that the concept of &quot;Akhand Bharat&quot; reflects India&#39;s expansionist ambitions.&nbsp; They further claimed that the Hindutva ideology has distorted India&#39;s secular image and that the Indian military has fallen victim to the ruling BJP&#39;s violent and religious politics. According to the security sources, the slogan of &quot;Shining India&quot; is merely a fa&ccedil;ade in the context of a deeply divided society.&nbsp;&nbsp;&lsquo;Police state&rsquo;&nbsp;They also alleged that India functions as a police state where freedom of expression and freedom of the press are kept under state control. The security sources expressed concern that the world&#39;s next major massacre could occur in India, saying such a possibility cannot be ignored.&nbsp; They further said that its scale would exceed that seen in Gaza and Palestine.&nbsp;&nbsp;Persecution of minorities&nbsp;Discrimination against and persecution of minorities in India would lead to further fragmentation of the country, the security official said. The briefing further stated that followers of the Hindutva ideology do not recognize the right of Muslims and other minorities to live freely. For Muslims in India, the first condition for survival is proving their loyalty to the Hindutva ideology.&nbsp;Largest military cantonment&nbsp;Referring to Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the security sources said that its people are confined within what they described as the world&#39;s largest military cantonment, where one soldier is deployed for every seven to eight people. The security sources also said that India stages various false-flag operations while blaming Pakistan in an effort to conceal independence movements and divert international attention. According to the security sources, Indian chauvinism and hegemonic ambitions view a strong, prosperous and moderate Pakistan as a threat.&nbsp; They added that followers of the Hindutva ideology regard Pakistan&#39;s stability and development as a threat, which is why, they said, both the Indian media and political leadership remain focused on shaping narratives against Pakistan and its armed forces. The security sources also said that the leadership of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee was acting in accordance with an Indian agenda. The State of Pakistan and its people have never been, nor will they ever be, intimidated by India, they added.&nbsp;

Security sources describe India as a Hindutva-driven failed state that has developed a habit of portraying itself as a major power.

Pakistan security official says India destabilizing region, spreading Hindutva agenda

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Federal Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi concluded his official visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday with high-level engagements in the Makkah Region, where Saudi officials reaffirmed support for strengthening bilateral ties and welcomed a landmark partnership to develop Jeddah&#39;s first international-standard cricket stadium. The visit reflected the expanding scope of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations, with cooperation advancing simultaneously in security, sports, investment and people-to-people exchanges as both countries continue to build on their longstanding strategic partnership. Naqvi met Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, deputy governor of the Makkah Region, and reaffirmed Pakistan&#39;s commitment to further strengthening the historic and brotherly relations between the two countries, according to updates shared on his official WhatsApp channel. During the meeting, Naqvi thanked the Saudi leadership for the excellent arrangements made for Pakistani pilgrims performing Umrah and Hajj. The Saudi official reaffirmed the Kingdom&#39;s strong commitment to its relationship with Pakistan and pledged continued cooperation across areas of mutual interest. Prince Saud also welcomed the strategic agreement recently signed between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF), praising the decision to establish Jeddah&#39;s first international-standard cricket stadium. According to Naqvi&#39;s office, the acting governor expressed his full support for the project and assured complete cooperation with the PCB in facilitating construction of the stadium within the Makkah Region. Earlier in the day, Naqvi, in his capacity as PCB chairman, visited the proposed stadium site at King Fahd Abdulaziz University in Jeddah alongside SACF Chairman Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.&nbsp; The two officials inspected various sections of the venue, reviewed spectator enclosures and discussed proposed modifications to prepare the facility for international cricket. &quot;The stadium will greatly help promote cricket in Saudi Arabia, and hosting international events here will soon become possible,&quot; Naqvi said. He also thanked the SACF chairman for his support, saying, &quot;I am extremely grateful to Prince Saud bin Mishaal Al Saud for his unwavering cooperation.&quot; &quot;It is a great honor for the Pakistan Cricket Board to contribute to Saudi Arabia&#39;s remarkable cricket journey,&quot; he added. The stadium visit followed the signing of a strategic memorandum of understanding between the PCB and the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation to develop the Jeddah venue as part of broader efforts to advance cricket in the Kingdom and support Saudi Vision 2030. Earlier during the visit, Naqvi met Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif in Riyadh, where the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation. In a statement posted on X, the Saudi interior minister said the two leaders had affirmed their shared commitment to strengthening security cooperation and signed an MoU in the security field reflecting &quot;the strength of the strategic partnership and the depth of the longstanding relations&quot; between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Naqvi also toured Riyadh&#39;s Unified Security Operations Center (911), where he reviewed its operational departments, advanced technologies and the integrated coordination system linking Saudi Arabia&#39;s security agencies. The visit underscored the growing breadth of Pakistan-Saudi engagement, with new initiatives spanning internal security cooperation and sports infrastructure while reinforcing the two countries&#39; enduring strategic partnership and close bilateral ties.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi wrapped up his Saudi visit with meetings in Makkah and Jeddah, securing stronger security cooperation and advancing plans for Saudi Arabia's first international-standard cricket stadium through the PCB-SACF partnership.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia advance security cooperation, Jeddah cricket stadium project

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Thursday it is &quot;ridiculous&quot; for the United States to continue its &quot;one sided&quot; relationship with NATO, less than a week before a NATO summit in Ankara. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: &quot;They were not there for us!!!&quot; and Washington&#39;s relationship with NATO &quot;is not reciprocal.&quot; Trump has repeatedly lashed out at European allies over their response to the war in Iran, as several countries restricted the use of bases for US forces. Trump also insists he wants Europe to take the lead role for its own defense, and Washington has already moved to scale back commitments. His Truth Social post on Thursday included a chart displaying the amount of NATO spending, with the United States investing vastly more than a few other member states depicted. Under pressure from Trump, NATO leaders had agreed at a gathering last year to boost defense-related spending to five percent of GDP by 2035. The upcoming NATO summit, which will bring together 32 member states, will be held in the Turkish capital on July 7-8. The alliance, founded in 1949, became a US-led defense force credited with maintaining stability in Europe, keeping the Soviet Union at bay and solidifying Washington as a world power for decades to come.

Europe

Trump has repeatedly lashed out at European allies over their response to the war in Iran, as several countries restricted the use of bases for US forces.