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ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the auto and auto parts policy, with special emphasis on accelerating Pakistan&rsquo;s transition toward electric vehicles, said a statement on Monday. According to the statement, the meeting was briefed on a range of measures to promote EV adoption across the country, strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities, and facilitate industry growth through supportive government policies.&nbsp; The statement added that participants were informed that the proposed measures would help create new employment opportunities, enhance exports, and contribute significantly to Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to mitigate climate change.<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" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2063909605252706629&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e1355c80472608bd6cd3aed0bbafbf3c816d8636&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Addressing the meeting, Dar underscored the importance of developing a competitive, innovative, and sustainable automotive ecosystem.&nbsp; He said a future-ready automotive sector would support economic growth, strengthen industrial capacity, generate skilled employment, and advance environmental sustainability. To ensure a comprehensive and consultative policy framework, the statement said the deputy prime minister directed the formation of a subcommittee to conduct a detailed review, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, and to finalize the draft policy. Ministers, senior government officials, policy experts, and economists attended the meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on Monday to review the Auto and Auto Parts Policy, with a particular focus on accelerating Pakistan’s transition towards Electric Vehicles (@DPM_PK)

Economy

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a high-level meeting reviewing the Auto and Auto Parts Policy, focusing on EV adoption, local manufacturing, job creation, exports, and environmental sustainability.

Pakistan accelerates EV transition with review of auto and auto parts policy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday rejected &ldquo;irresponsible and ill-informed insinuations&rdquo; regarding the internal affairs of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp; According to a post on X, the foreign office noted the unwarranted remarks and queries raised by certain British members of parliament, which reflected a &ldquo;lack of awareness and disregard for the historical background of the issue.&rdquo; &ldquo;These individuals are advised to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir,&rdquo; the foreign office said, adding that they would do well to &ldquo;contribute positively to their country of residence.&rdquo; The ministry reiterated to those still living in colonial times that Pakistan is a sovereign and democratic republic that firmly believes in non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and expects the same from others. It added that Pakistan fully recognized and respected citizens&#39; constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, and democratic participation. However, the ministry added that &ldquo;vandalism, the destruction of public services, including hospitals, and the murder of innocent civilians and law enforcement officials&rdquo; cannot be permitted under any circumstances. The ministry called on the British government to &ldquo;educate and caution&rdquo; those supporting proscribed organizations to refrain from such actions and to respect the democratic process, judicial decisions, and the rule of law as enshrined in the Constitutions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan's foreign office notes unwarranted remarks and queries raised by certain British members of parliament reflect a 'lack of awareness and disregard for the historical background of the issue.'

FO rejects British MPs' ‘irresponsible, ill-informed insinuations’ on Pakistan’s internal affairs

RIO DE JANEIRO: Airlines are facing surging fuel costs from the war in the Middle East, but executives say they are more concerned about taxes and regulations deemed too restrictive that could further crimp their bottom lines. Despite hand-wringing over the risk that travellers will baulk at paying higher fares, the ongoing war did not appear to ruffle feathers at the International Air Transport Association&#39;s annual conference in Rio, which ends Monday. &quot;We expect average jet fuel prices to be 70% higher year-on-year. That will add $100 billion to our collective fuel bill this year,&quot; IATA director general Willie Walsh told the gathering. Yet when the CNN journalist Richard Quest asked a roundtable discussion if airlines were frustrated by &quot;an event you have no control over&quot;, the responses were remarkably subdued. The chief of Turkey&#39;s Pegasus Airlines, Guliz Ozturk, noted wryly that it was standard practice for carriers to predict various scenarios at the beginning of the year, only to see something entirely different happen. IATA chief economist Marie Owens Thomsen recalled the uncertainty generated at last year&#39;s conference, held in New Delhi just weeks after US President Donald Trump unleashed his tariffs war. &quot;We thought that it was the end of the world,&quot; she said. But this year, there was hardly any mention of Trump despite the ongoing Mideast war, which has driven up fuel prices and caused profitability to plummet in a sector that was already struggling. Name and shame The IATA, which represents 370 member airlines, focused instead on naming and shaming countries that have imposed taxes on tickets -- often in the name of reducing carbon emissions -- or increased regulations on the industry. The European Union was the most frequent target, with Walsh aiming for the bloc&#39;s &quot;populist&quot; Parliament for defending higher compensation for passengers impacted by flight delays. And at a press conference on the shortage of non-fossil fuels needed to decarbonise air travel, EU regulations on the minimum amounts of such fuels required in aircraft tanks came under fire. Even when pressed on the potential impact of a &quot;quagmire&quot; scenario in the Gulf that would curtail oil and jet fuel exports for several more months, executives did not appear overly alarmed. When asked about the possibility of the war dragging out for years, research director Eleanor Budds played down the risk. &quot;Quagmire is a scenario... It doesn&#39;t mean we expect this to happen,&quot; Budds said. A reporter then asked if, in an extreme case, the war would not just drive up prices but also lead to shortages of jet fuel. &quot;In our base case, we don&#39;t have shortages,&quot; she responded.

Americas

Europe

Middle East

Airlines expect jet fuel costs to rise 70%, adding $100 billion in expenses due to the Middle East war. However, industry leaders expressed greater concern over taxes, regulations, and decarbonisation policies affecting profitability.

Airlines say taxes and rules bigger worry than Mideast war

ISLAMABAD: The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is a dangerous turning point for water security in South Asia, warning that the move could have far-reaching consequences for regional stability, agriculture and human livelihoods, according to a report in the French leading daily newspaper Le Monde.&nbsp;The report published on Saturday said India had used water as a tool of political pressure following the April 2025 Pahalgam incident, raising concerns over the future of one of the world&#39;s most important transboundary water-sharing agreements.&nbsp;According to the report, the Indus Waters Treaty cannot be unilaterally suspended, and any modification to the agreement requires the consent of both Pakistan and India. The report noted that the Permanent Court of Arbitration has also affirmed that the treaty remains in force.&nbsp;It highlighted concerns over India&#39;s alleged withholding of hydrological data, saying the lack of information has made it more difficult for Pakistan to issue timely flood warnings and prepare for water-related disasters.&nbsp;The report focused on the impact of recent flooding in Pakistan&#39;s Punjab province, where farmers suffered heavy losses due to sudden floods, crop destruction and large deposits of sand left on agricultural land.&nbsp;Families living along the Chenab River told the newspaper they had lost livestock, crops and household belongings as floodwaters swept through their communities.&nbsp;The report also presented Pakistan&#39;s position that any attempt to stop or divert water flows would be viewed as a serious provocation. It cited statements by Indian leaders as examples of the political use of water resources.&nbsp;The report referred to remarks by Indian Home Minister Amit Shah regarding restricting water flows to Pakistan, noting that Islamabad had described such threats as &quot;water terrorism.&quot;&nbsp;It said Pakistan&#39;s concerns go beyond politics, touching on human rights, food security and national survival. It noted that more than 80 percent of Pakistan&#39;s agriculture depends on the Indus River system, which remains vital to the country&#39;s economy and population.&nbsp;The French daily also pointed out that India itself faces concerns over upstream water pressure from China, particularly regarding the Brahmaputra River, creating a situation similar to Pakistan&#39;s concerns over India&#39;s control of river flows.&nbsp;The report argued that the water dispute is no longer merely a bilateral issue but has become a broader question of environmental and regional security across South Asia.&nbsp;It stressed that climate change, glacier melt and rapid population growth have made cooperation between Pakistan and India on water management more important than ever.&nbsp;The newspaper emphasized that transparent sharing of hydrological data is essential for protecting human lives and reducing the risks posed by floods and other water-related disasters.&nbsp;The report warned that India&#39;s unilateral approach could set a dangerous precedent for international river laws and the rights of downstream countries, while reinforcing Pakistan&#39;s position that water should never be used as a weapon of war, coercion or retaliation.

A general view of the partially damaged Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project following Indian strikes in Nausari, about 40kms from Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, on May 8, 2025. (File photo: AFP)

Climate & Environment

The report published on Saturday says India had used water as a tool of political pressure following the April 2025 Pahalgam incident, raising concerns over the future of one of the world's most important transboundary water-sharing agreements.

Indus treaty suspension by India threatens regional water security, reports French daily

ISLAMABAD: A new assessment of menstrual health in the Indian state of Odisha has found that although most schools report having separate toilets for girls, gaps in basic hygiene support and social stigma continue to drive high levels of school absenteeism among adolescent girls, according to The Hindu.&nbsp; The study found that 94% of surveyed schools had separate toilets for girls. However, researchers noted that many of these facilities lacked essential menstrual hygiene support systems, including access to water and soap. According to the findings, nearly 74% of female students reported missing between one and eight days of school during each menstrual cycle. The report identified pain and physical discomfort as the leading cause of absenteeism. Beyond health-related factors, the study highlighted broader structural and social barriers affecting attendance. Lack of privacy in school toilets, inadequate sanitation facilities and persistent stigma surrounding menstruation were cited as ongoing challenges that discourage regular school participation among girls. According to another report from Maqtoob Media, an independent Indian digital news outlet that focuses on human rights, 98,592 government schools in India&#39;s school education system still lack functional girls&#39; toilets, while 61,540 institutions do not have any usable toilets at all. The report raises concerns about basic facilities in government schools, exposing major gaps in the country&rsquo;s education system.&nbsp; India has 1.5 million schools serving more than 247 million students. The absence of adequate menstrual hygiene management in schools continues to undermine educational access, even where basic infrastructure, such as separate toilets, exists. The findings point to a gap between infrastructure provision and functional usability, with many schools meeting basic requirements on paper but failing to provide conditions that support consistent attendance. The report adds to growing concerns across parts of India about menstrual health and its impact on girls&rsquo; education, particularly in rural and underserved areas where stigma and limited resources remain deeply entrenched.

Girls school in Chennai, India - (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

India

Inadequate menstrual hygiene facilities and persistent stigma continue to cause high absenteeism among adolescent girls in Odisha and across parts of India.

Nearly 74% of Odisha schoolgirls miss classes during menstruation: Study

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has congratulated the people of Gilgit-Baltistan on the successful conduct of peaceful and transparent elections, describing the democratic exercise as a positive reflection of the region&rsquo;s political maturity and commitment to democratic values. In a statement issued here by the Prime Minister&#39;s Office (PMO) on Monday, he said the people of Gilgit-Baltistan deserve appreciation for their enthusiastic participation in the electoral process and active engagement in political activities.&nbsp; According to the statement, the prime minister noted that peaceful elections and vibrant political competition are the true beauty of democracy and strengthen democratic institutions in the country. &quot;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on emerging as the majority political party in the Gilgit-Baltistan elections. He also extended his felicitations to President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the party&rsquo;s electoral success,&quot; the statement added. The statement went on to say that the prime minister congratulated all successful candidates, who secured victory in the elections, expressing hope that they would work for the welfare, development, and prosperity of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Referring to his own party&rsquo;s performance, the statement said, Prime Minister Sharif praised the efforts of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates and workers.&nbsp; &quot;He said the PML-N team worked hard throughout the election campaign and deserved appreciation for its dedication and commitment.&quot; Credible electoral process According to the statement, the prime minister also lauded the Election Commission for ensuring a transparent, impartial, and credible electoral process.&nbsp; He said the conduct of free and fair elections reflects the strength of democratic institutions and reinforces public confidence in the electoral system. Paying tribute to the security forces, Prime Minister Sharif commended the police and law enforcement agencies for their effective role in maintaining peace and order during the elections.&nbsp; He said their professionalism and vigilance contributed significantly to the peaceful conduct of the polls. The prime minister expressed confidence that the democratic process in Gilgit-Baltistan would continue to flourish and contribute to the region&rsquo;s progress, stability, and development. According to the unofficial and preliminary election results for 24 seats of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is leading the race with success in 10 constituencies.

Politics

Congratulates the people of Gilgit-Baltistan on peaceful and transparent elections, praises democratic participation, felicitate PPP and successful candidates, and commends election authorities and security agencies.

PM Sharif hails peaceful Gilgit-Baltistan elections, congratulates PPP and successful candidates

ISLAMABAD: Three Air India aircraft parked at Terminal 2 of Delhi&#39;s international airport were damaged after ground support equipment was blown into them during a sudden rainstorm and strong winds, NDTV reported, citing airport authorities on Monday.&nbsp;The incident occurred on Saturday when ground equipment belonging to Air India Engineering and IndiGo shifted from its position due to severe weather conditions and struck the parked aircraft, the newspaper reported, quoting the airport authorities.&nbsp;All three Air India narrowbody aircraft were taken out of service following the incident for inspection and assessment of the damage, it said.<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" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 720px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2063902435232665930&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F6426%2F&sessionId=e2d9d21d0e1bd9c53f500b6d1bdab95f44ee8138&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The airport authorities said the Air Traffic Control (ATC) had not issued any weather warning to the airport operator or airlines before the sudden deterioration in weather conditions, according to the report.&nbsp;The latest mishap adds to a series of operational and safety-related incidents involving Air India in recent years.&nbsp;In June 2025, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating as Flight AI171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing more than 240 people in one of India&#39;s deadliest aviation disasters in decades. Investigators later focused on possible technical and mechanical failures during the initial climb phase.&nbsp;Earlier, several Air India flights were forced to make emergency landings or return to their departure airports due to technical faults, including engine-related issues, cabin pressurization problems and bird strikes.&nbsp;India&#39;s aviation regulator has repeatedly directed airlines to strengthen maintenance procedures and operational safety standards amid growing air traffic and fleet expansion across the country. In February, government data presented in the lower house of the Indian parliament, Lok Sabha, revealed that nearly three-fourths of the Air India Group&rsquo;s aircraft fleet has been flagged for recurring technical defects following inspections conducted since January last year,&nbsp;according to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/crash-pakistan-airspace-ban-push-air-india-toward-16-billion-annual-loss" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:#0073e6;">Indian&nbsp;</a>media.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;">It was revealed that a total of 754 aircraft across six scheduled airlines were analyzed for repetitive defects during the period under review.&nbsp;<br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;">Of these, 377 aircraft were found to have recurring deficiencies.

The latest mishap adds to a series of operational and safety-related incidents involving Air India in recent years.

Three Air India aircraft damaged by ground equipment during Delhi storm

Pakistan’s federal budget 2026-27 will be presented on June 10 after months of consultations, revenue estimates, and planning: A budget outlines government priorities, taxation policies, development spending, and economic direction.

How Pakistan's federal budget is made: A journey from government offices to parliament 

KOLKATA:&nbsp;India has deported nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens since Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Hindu-nationalist party swept to power in West Bengal last month, according to official statistics. Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a sweeping victory in elections in the eastern border state of more than 100 million people, promising to &quot;detect, delete and deport&quot; illegal migrants. India shares a long and porous border with Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where migration has historically been driven by economic hardship and longstanding family links. On taking power, the new West Bengal government ordered the establishment of detention centers for undocumented Bangladeshis and Rohingya refugees, a mainly Muslim people who fled persecution in Myanmar. State Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, speaking in the capital Kolkata on Sunday, said nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens had been deported across the border. &#39;Deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators&#39; &quot;We have started the work of deporting Bangladeshi infiltrators who do not fall under the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act,&quot; Adhikari said, saying the government had &quot;established holding centers in all districts of the state&quot; in May. &quot;From these centers, 4,800 Bangladeshi infiltrators have already been deported so far,&quot; he added. &quot;Another 836 people are currently in the holding centers... we are making arrangements to deport the 836 soon,&quot; Adhikari said. The deportation campaign comes against a backdrop of longstanding political tensions over immigration in the border state. &#39;Termites&#39; and &#39;infiltrators&#39; Top Indian officials have referred to migrants as &quot;termites&quot; and &quot;infiltrators&quot;. Critics say the BJP&#39;s rhetoric and policies have added to the unease and marginalization of India&#39;s more than 200 million Muslims, accusing the party of conflating religious identity with illegal migration. Rights groups have previously accused India of also pushing hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims into Bangladesh without due process. Relations between India and Muslim-majority Bangladesh soured after a 2024 revolution in Dhaka ended the autocratic rule of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, an ally of New Delhi, who fled to India. Bangladesh and Indian border force chiefs are due to meet in New Delhi on Monday.

Bangladesh

Deports nearly 5,000 Bangladeshi nationals from West Bengal, officials say, as the government intensifies action against illegal immigration and plans a high-tech border security project.

India detains, deports 5,000 Bangladeshis: State chief minister

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan&#39;s permanent representative to the United Nations, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, on Sunday, condemned the arrest of women in the western Herat province of the country for the alleged non-compliance with the Taliban-imposed dress requirements. In a statement posted on X, he termed the arrest of ladies in Herat as part of a systematic policy to eliminate women from the Afghan society, deprive them of fundamental freedoms, and humiliate their human dignity. The statement added that Faiq termed the arrest of women because of their appearance or choice of clothing as not about protecting religion or values.&nbsp; &quot;Instead, it is a tool of repression, intimidation, and the spread of fear throughout society,&quot; the statement added. Afghan media reported that the Taliban authorities arrested at least 40 women in the western Herat province for not wearing what the religious group terms as &quot;proper dress.&quot; Faiq, who was appointed to the UN by the former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani&#39;s government, further said that the detention of women by the Taliban&rsquo;s morality police under the pretext of &ldquo;improper Hijab&rdquo; is neither consistent with Islamic principles and values nor with the culture and traditions of the Afghan people. The envoy, who is retained in the UN for non-recognition of the Taliban government on the international level, also cited what he described as numerous documented reports of violent treatment of women in detention, including harassment, sexual assault, and forced marriages.&nbsp; The statement further quoted Faiq saying that allegations have not been investigated transparently and that those responsible have not been held accountable. Questioning the Taliban&#39;s justification for the arrests, Faiq said, &quot;How do the Taliban&#39;s enforcers consider themselves guardians when they forcibly detain and transfer women in the streets and markets?&quot;<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=2063644637709869246&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4092%2F&sessionId=048074557d55da39496af0656a0a8e2ee2d37656&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 446px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Faiq characterized the measures as &quot;inhumane&quot;, &quot;unlawful,&quot; and &quot;un-Islamic&quot; and condemned them.&nbsp;

Afghan women wearing burqas - (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s UN envoy, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, condemned the Taliban’s detention of women over alleged hijab/niqab violations, calling it a systematic campaign of repression, intimidation, and abuse against women.

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