Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) hit a fresh all-time high, crossing the 183,000 level during the opening minutes of Monday, before the benchmark KSE-100 index settled above the 182,000 level for the first time in history.&nbsp;The market opened on a positive trajectory and maintained an upward momentum through much of the session, reaching an intraday high of 183,964.37 before easing slightly towards the end. At close, the benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at 182,408.23, an increase of 3,373.31 points, or 1.88%.&nbsp;Buying interest was observed in key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, and power generation.&nbsp;Index-heavy stocks, including HUBCO, NBP, BOP, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, PSO, SNGPL, SSGC, HBL, MCB, MEBL, and UBL, traded in the green.&nbsp;The KSE-100 Index surged by 6,634 points, up 3.8% week-on-week, to a new all-time high of 179,035 points during the week ended on Friday.&nbsp;The index has also delivered a robust performance in calendar year 2025, posting a return of 51%, marking the third straight year of double-digit gains, following returns of 55% in calendar year 2023 and an exceptional 84% in 2024.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV, Waqas Ghani, Head of Research at JS Global, noted that Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;equity market has delivered an exceptional return of 331% over the last three years, demonstrating the country&rsquo;s resilience and potential.&rdquo;&nbsp;Citing his 2025 outlook report at JS Global, Waqas added that there is room for the KSE-100 to continue progressing, though at a moderate pace.&nbsp;In his report, he mentioned that valuations at the KSE-100 remain supportive, &ldquo;trading at a P/E of 8x,&rdquo; and anticipated that there could be some re-rating at these levels. Steady earnings growth across sectors and decent dividend yields are expected to drive returns. He projects the index to reach the 225,000 level by December 2026.&nbsp;Similarly, Arif Habib Limited has set a December 2026 target for the KSE-100 Index at 208,000 points, implying an upside of 21.6% from the closing level on 23 December 2025. &ldquo;Our index target is based on target price mapping and justified P/E,&rdquo; according to Arif Habib Limited, Pakistan Investment Strategy 2026: The Equity Edge Continues.&nbsp;The report predicts that the Pakistan Stock Exchange is expected to remain the best-performing asset class in 2026, driven by improving macroeconomic stability, easing inflationary pressures, and sustained domestic liquidity.&nbsp;It added: &ldquo;In 2026, equities remain the top choice, with the KSE-100 projected to grow by 21.60%, significantly outperforming gold (5.15%), silver (7.89%), and T-bills (10.05%),&rdquo; the report said.&nbsp;Meanwhile, a report by AKD Research projected that the KSE-100 index would reach the 263,800 level, driven by further monetary easing and an improving external account position.&nbsp;The index is expected to deliver a robust return of 53% in 2026, reaching a historic market capitalization of $100 billion.&nbsp;

Economy

JS Global projects the index to reach the 225,000 level by December 2026.

PSX hit fresh all-time high, index crosses 183,000 level

ISLAMABAD: Protests in Iran continued on Thursday as security forces clashed with demonstrators protesting against the ongoing economic crisis in the country.&nbsp; Twelve days of protests have troubled the clerical authorities under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, battling an economic crisis after years of sanctions and recovering from the June war against Israel. The movement, which originated with a shutdown on the Tehran bazaar on December 28 after the rial plunged to record lows, has spread nationwide and is now being marked by larger-scale demonstrations. Videos on social media showed that protests were again taking place on Thursday. A large crowd was seen gathering on the vast Ayatollah Kashani Boulevard in the northwest of the capital, Tehran, according to social media images verified by AFP, while other images showed a crowd demonstrating in the western city of Abadan.&nbsp; Local media and official statements have reported at least 21 people, including security forces, killed since the unrest began, according to an AFP tally. On Wednesday, an Iranian police officer was stabbed to death west of Tehran &quot;during efforts to control unrest,&quot; the Iranian Fars news agency said. Online watchdog Netblocks also said on Thursday that &quot;live metrics show Iran is now in the midst of a nationwide internet blackout.&quot; &#39;Utmost restraint&#39;Iran&#39;s President Masoud Pezeshkian called for &quot;utmost restraint&quot; in handling demonstrations, saying &quot;any violent or coercive behavior should be avoided.&quot; German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, meanwhile, condemned the &quot;excessive use of force&quot; against protesters. With the protests now spreading across Iran, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said rallies had taken place in 348 locations in all of Iran&#39;s 31 provinces. Reza Pahlavi, the son of the shah, ousted by the 1979 Islamic revolution and a key exiled opposition figure, urged major new protests on Thursday. Before the blackout, he warned that the &quot;frightened&quot; authorities could cut internet access to prevent information from filtering out. Iraq-based Iranian Kurdish opposition parties called for a general strike on Thursday in Kurdish-populated areas in western Iran. The Hengaw rights group said the call had been widely followed in some 30 towns and cities, posting footage of shuttered shops in the western provinces of Ilam, Kermanshah and Lorestan. It accused authorities of firing on demonstrators in Kermanshah and the nearby town of Kamyaran to the north, injuring several protesters, as well as cutting the internet in the region. HRANA also posted footage it said showed security forces firing on protesters with handguns in Kermanshah. IHR said a woman protester was shot directly in the eye during a protest late Wednesday in Abadan. Protesters in Kuhchenar in the southern Fars province cheered overnight as they pulled down a statue of the former foreign operations commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US strike in January 2020, in a video verified by AFP. &#39;Unlawful force&#39;Demonstrators are repeating slogans against the clerical leadership, including &quot;Pahlavi will return&quot; and &quot;Seyyed Ali will be toppled,&quot; in reference to Khamenei. The movement has also spread to universities, and final exams at a major university in Tehran, the Amir Kabir University, have been postponed for a week, according to the ISNA news agency. The protests are the biggest in Iran since the last major protest wave in 2022-2023, which was sparked by the custody death of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly violating the strict dress code for women. Rights groups have also accused authorities of resorting to tactics, including raiding hospitals to detain wounded protesters. &quot;Iran&#39;s security forces have injured and killed both protesters and bystanders,&quot; said Amnesty International, accusing authorities of using &quot;unlawful force.&quot;

Asia

Local media, official statements have reported at least 21 people, including security forces, killed since the unrest began; a police officer has also been stabbed to death west of Tehran "during efforts to control unrest"; Netblocks say ="live metrics show Iran is now in the midst of a nationwide internet blackout."

Iran protests continue as forces clash with demonstrators against economic crisis

MINNEAPOLIS: The White House said Thursday that US law enforcement was under &quot;organized attack&quot; as protesters clashed with officers in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of a woman by an immigration agent.&nbsp;The victim of Wednesday&#39;s shooting, identified as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, was shot in the head as she apparently tried to drive away from agents approaching her car, which they said was blocking their way.&nbsp;Vice President JD Vance said, without providing evidence, that she was part of a &quot;broader left-wing network&quot; opposed to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, and he insisted the officer acted in &quot;self-defense.&quot;&nbsp;The day after the shooting, officers armed with pepperball guns and tear gas jostled with a large crowd of protesters beside a government facility in Fort Snelling just outside Minneapolis.&nbsp;A noisy crowd chanted slogans attacking ICE as officers pushed against protesters, detaining several, including one who struck an agent with a cardboard sign.&nbsp;Footage of Wednesday&#39;s incident shows a masked agent attempting to open the victim&#39;s car door before another masked agent, standing near the vehicle&#39;s front bumper, fired three times into the Honda SUV.&nbsp;The vehicle then hurtled out of control and smashed into stationary vehicles, as horrified onlookers hurled abuse at the federal officers.&nbsp;Her bloodied body is then seen slumped in the crashed vehicle.&nbsp;Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said she leaves behind a wife and a six-year-old child, for whom a fundraiser has received more than $600,000.&nbsp;President Donald Trump and senior officials quickly claimed Good was trying to kill the agents, an assertion Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey dismissed.&nbsp;&quot;I want to see nobody get shot. I want to see nobody screaming and trying to run over policemen either,&quot; Trump said in an interview with The New York Times.&nbsp;Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief Kristi Noem called the incident &quot;domestic terrorism,&quot; later saying she was not opposed to deploying more officers to Minneapolis.&nbsp;Witness Tyrice told US media he heard &quot;three gunshots and then I hear a car crash.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;I see this lady hugging the victim,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;There&#39;s blood all in the snow in front of our house. And I could see a lady in the car...You could see the wounds and everything, like a whole bunch of blood.&quot;&nbsp;Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O&#39;Hara told CNN that Good was not the target of immigration enforcement action and that she was only suspected of blocking traffic.&nbsp;Vance told a briefing on Thursday that Good was &quot;part of a broader left-wing network to attack, to doxx, to assault, and to make it impossible for our ICE officers to do their job.&quot;&nbsp;White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday&#39;s incident was &quot;a result of a larger, sinister left-wing movement&quot; and &quot;law enforcement are under organized attack.&quot;&nbsp;Immigrant deportationsProtests grew after Minnesota&#39;s Democratic Governor Walz called it a &quot;patriotic duty&quot; to demonstrate for justice.&nbsp;On Thursday, he said Minnesota must be part of the probe into the shooting alongside federal investigators &mdash; as otherwise Noem &quot;is judge, jury and basically executioner.&quot;&nbsp;But Vance seemed to suggest the officer would be cleared by a federal probe that would exclude state-level officials.&nbsp;&quot;The idea that this was not justified is absurd,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Minneapolis schools were closed Thursday and Friday as a precaution against unrest.&nbsp;ICE officers have been at the forefront of the Trump administration&#39;s immigrant deportation drive, with raids carried out over the objections of some local officials.&nbsp;Wednesday&#39;s incident came during protests over immigration enforcement in the southern part of Minneapolis.&nbsp;They are part of widespread anger over the Trump administration&#39;s high-profile crackdown on undocumented immigrants, with the Republican vowing to arrest and deport &quot;millions.&rdquo;&nbsp;The victim&#39;s mother, Donna Ganger, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that her daughter &quot;was probably terrified&quot; and &quot;not part&quot; of anti-ICE activity.&nbsp;Good was a mother and poet who studied creative writing at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, US media reported.&nbsp;On Thursday, religious leaders addressed hundreds of people attending a vigil at the scene of the shooting, with a growing memorial of flowers and candles erected to commemorate Good&#39;s life.

Americas

Without providing evidence, VP Vance says Renee Good was part of a "broader left-wing network" opposed to the ICE, insists officer acted in "self-defense"; White House spokeswoman says incident "result of a larger, sinister left-wing movement," law enforcement are under “organized attack."

Protesters, US law enforcement clash after immigration officer kills woman

Pakistan TV

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Finance, Revenue and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani said on Thursday that, following the successful privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the next phase would focus on electricity distribution companies, including IESCO, GEPCO and FESCO, as the government remains firmly committed to sustainable and inclusive growth.&nbsp;Speaking in an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Kayani described the successful privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) as a landmark achievement after decades of failed attempts, saying it would reduce the burden of loss-making state-owned enterprises on the national exchequer and help transform PIA into a profitable, world-class airline.&nbsp;&ldquo;The momentum created by the PIA deal will help generate greater investor and advisory interest going forward for the privatization program,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;The next phase of privatisation is focused on electricity distribution companies, including IESCO, GEPCO and FESCO,&rdquo; Kayani added.&nbsp;The minister said Pakistan&rsquo;s economy has undergone a significant turnaround over the past two years, shifting from crisis management to macroeconomic stabilisation.&nbsp;He added that the government assumed office in February 2024, at a time when inflation was hovering between 20 and 25 percent and Pakistan had just entered a new IMF programme.&nbsp;&ldquo;Today, less than two years on, we have not only successfully completed IMF reviews but also restored economic confidence,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The minister highlighted key achievements, including an increase in the tax-to-GDP ratio from 8.8 percent to 10.2 percent within a year, a notable rise in foreign exchange reserves, and a significant jump in workers&rsquo; remittances. &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s improving outlook has been recognised globally, with all three major rating agencies, Standard &amp; Poor&rsquo;s, Moody&rsquo;s and Fitch, upgrading the country&rsquo;s ratings outlook,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Kayani credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s direct oversight of reforms at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for improved tax collection.&nbsp;&ldquo;Initiatives such as Faceless Customs, digitisation of tax systems, and enforcement measures have reduced leakages and enhanced efficiency, earning recognition from the IMF, which showcased Pakistan&rsquo;s reforms as a case study during its annual meetings.&rdquo;&nbsp;Looking ahead, Kayani said the government&rsquo;s priority is shifting from stabilisation to quality GDP growth driven by exports and private-sector investment. He stressed the importance of inclusive growth that benefits lower-income groups and expands employment opportunities.&nbsp;&ldquo;To this end, the government is engaging closely with the private sector through working groups and policy consultations,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;He also pointed to record-breaking performance at the Pakistan Stock Exchange as a reflection of growing investor confidence, while acknowledging it as one of several indicators of economic health. Additionally, Kayani praised the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for improving ease of doing business by providing a one-window platform for domestic and foreign investors.&nbsp;The minister said reduced inflation, lower policy rates and a focus on export diversification, including IT and value-added agriculture, would help ensure sustainable economic growth in the years ahead.

The Experts Corner

After PIA’s privatisation, Pakistan plans to privatise power DISCOs, citing economic stabilisation, IMF-backed reforms, improved ratings and rising revenues.

After PIA success, government to privatise electricity distribution companies: Bilal Kiyani   

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office on Thursday strongly rejected statements by Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, calling them &ldquo;irresponsible and misleading&rdquo; and slamming India for attempting to divert attention from its own regional actions.&nbsp;Speaking at a media briefing in Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said India&rsquo;s recent claims about Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;role in terrorism&rdquo; were part of a &ldquo;blatant attempt to deflect attention from its own deeply troubling record as a neighbour, marked by the promotion of terrorism and contributions to regional instability.&rdquo;&nbsp;Earlier this week in Luxembourg, Jaishankar described Pakistan as a state that has &ldquo;openly supported terrorism for decades&rdquo; and accused it of operating &ldquo;training camps in big cities&hellip;where the state and the military support terrorism.&rdquo;&nbsp;Responding to these assertions, Andrabi highlighted recently surfaced documentary evidence indicating that &ldquo;New Delhi sought a third country&rsquo;s intervention&rdquo; to secure a ceasefire with Pakistan following the May 2025 Pahalgam incident.&nbsp;&ldquo;No amount of bluster can obscure India&rsquo;s fabricated narrative surrounding counterterrorism, particularly regarding the Pahalgam incident, or its reckless misadventure against Pakistan in the aftermath,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The spokesperson said India has consistently engaged in disruptive actions in the region, including extrajudicial killings abroad, interference in neighboring countries&rsquo; internal affairs, the export of terrorism into Pakistan, including through operatives such as Kulbhushan Jadhav, and providing safe havens to wanted criminals.&nbsp;He further criticized India&rsquo;s domestic record, saying minorities face escalating intimidation and repression, adding: &ldquo;Before presuming to lecture others, India would do well to confront its own conduct and the growing gap between its rhetoric and reality.&rdquo;&nbsp;Andrabi concluded that India&rsquo;s &ldquo;fixation on Pakistan&rdquo; cannot conceal its own role as a &ldquo;serial disrupter of peace&rdquo; in South Asia.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan rejected Indian FM Jaishankar’s remarks as irresponsible and misleading, accusing New Delhi of deflecting blame, promoting instability, seeking third-party mediation after Pahalgam, and acting as a disrupter of peace

Pakistan rejects Indian foreign minister’s remarks as ‘irresponsible and misleading’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan continues robust security operations along its western border as regional dynamics shift, following India&rsquo;s engagement with Afghanistan&rsquo;s Taliban government, according to a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG).&nbsp;The annual conflict assessment, titled &ldquo;Ten Conflicts to Watch in 2026&rdquo;, highlights Pakistan&rsquo;s strategic position in South Asia after two separate military confrontations in 2025, first with India in April, then with Afghanistan in October.&nbsp;The report underscores ongoing cross-border militancy, noting that over 600 Pakistani security personnel were killed last year, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces bordering Afghanistan.&nbsp;Islamabad attributes these attacks to militants operating from Afghan territory, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) elements.&nbsp;While the Taliban publicly deny the presence of Pakistani militants in Afghanistan, officials acknowledge that controlling all movement across the 2,570-kilometer border remains challenging, the ICG notes.&nbsp;In October, cross-border incidents prompted Pakistan to conduct limited operations against militant targets, and coordinated regional diplomacy through T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar helped establish a temporary ceasefire.&nbsp;The ICG report also observes that Taliban-India engagement has heightened Pakistan&rsquo;s strategic focus on the region. Pakistan&rsquo;s intelligence and military authorities continue to monitor developments closely, ensuring cross-border threats are contained while maintaining readiness for counterterrorism operations.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s history of supporting Afghan stability, including sheltering Taliban leaders during their insurgency against the US-backed government, underscores Islamabad&rsquo;s ongoing commitment to regional security.&nbsp;The ICG report stresses that Pakistan&rsquo;s proactive measures aim to prevent militant groups from exploiting porous borders and to maintain calm along its western frontier.&nbsp;In addition to western border challenges, Pakistan faced tensions with India following the April 2025 Pahalgam incident in Indian-occupied Kashmir, which led to retaliatory strikes by both sides.&nbsp;The report calls these confrontations the most serious escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in years. Pakistani authorities have since worked closely with international partners to stabilize the situation, while continuing to strengthen defense preparedness.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan remains vigilant in safeguarding its borders and countering cross-border threats,&rdquo; the assessment notes, citing Islamabad&rsquo;s measured and strategic response. Officials emphasize that regional stability depends on continuous cooperation, intelligence coordination, and robust security measures along sensitive border areas.&nbsp;The ICG&rsquo;s annual watchlist identifies South Asia as a critical flashpoint in 2026, highlighting the importance of Pakistan&rsquo;s proactive counterterrorism and border security operations in maintaining regional peace.

India

Afghanistan

The ICG report highlights South Asia’s 2025 conflicts, cross-border militancy, Afghanistan-India engagement, and regional flashpoints, warning that instability could escalate if underlying tensions remain unaddressed in 2026.

Pakistan strengthens border security amid Taliban-India regional developments

ISLAMABAD: In 2025, Israeli forces and settlers killed a total of 240 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including 55 children, according to a humanitarian update released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).&nbsp;Of the total, 225 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces, nine by settlers, and six in circumstances where responsibility remains unclear.&nbsp;In just two weeks between December 23, 2025, and January 5, 2026, Israeli forces and settlers killed two Palestinians and injured 94 others, including 35 children.&nbsp;One Palestinian also succumbed to injuries sustained earlier in December. During the same period, two Israelis were killed and two others injured by a Palestinian from the West Bank, according to the report.&nbsp;The UN Inter-Agency Standing Committee and the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General have urged Israeli authorities to reverse plans to suspend the operations of international non-governmental organizations in the occupied Palestinian territories, noting that these groups collectively deliver close to $1 billion in annual humanitarian assistance.&nbsp;Severe winter weather has further worsened the humanitarian situation, damaging or destroying dozens of tents and makeshift shelters used by Bedouin and herding communities across the West Bank.&nbsp;The report also highlights that more than 830 Palestinians were injured by settler attacks in 2025, averaging nearly two people injured each day. Over the past two weeks, Israeli authorities demolished 50 structures in Area C and East Jerusalem for allegedly lacking building permits.&nbsp;In East Jerusalem&rsquo;s Batn al Hawa area, two Palestinian families were forcibly evicted from their homes to make way for an Israeli settler organization. In Nablus governorate, the last six families of Khirbet Yanun, who had lived there for more than 60 years, were displaced following repeated settler attacks.&nbsp;The report details several recent incidents of deadly violence. On December 23, a Palestinian man from Saffit died from injuries sustained on December 14 when he was shot by Israeli forces while attempting to cross the Barrier toward East Jerusalem near Ar Ram and Dahiyat al Bareed.&nbsp;&nbsp;On December 30, Israeli forces opened fire on a vehicle traveling between Urif and Einabus in Nablus governorate, injuring four Palestinian men in their twenties; one later died from his wounds. A Palestinian man was also shot and killed by Israeli soldiers after being accused of attempting a ramming attack, while no Israeli personnel were injured.&nbsp;On January 1, 2026, Israeli forces opened fire in Al Lubban ash Sharqiyya village, injuring two Palestinians, one of whom was arrested and later pronounced dead in an Israeli hospital. The other escaped.&nbsp;The OCHA report emphasizes that ongoing violence, demolitions, evictions, and settler attacks continue to drive displacement, insecurity, and suffering in the West Bank, disproportionately affecting children and vulnerable communities.

Middle East

The report notes Israel kills 240 Palestinians in 2025, including 55 children, amid demolitions, evictions, and settler attacks worsening insecurity and humanitarian suffering in the West Bank.

Israel kills 240 Palestinians, dozens of children among victims: UN

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh&rsquo;s Air Force chief on Thursday held talks with Pakistan&rsquo;s top military leadership, underscoring continued defense engagement and cooperation between the two South Asian countries, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.&nbsp;According to the military&rsquo;s media wing, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan met separately with Pakistan&rsquo;s naval and army chiefs during his visit to Islamabad and Rawalpindi.&nbsp;The Bangladeshi air chief called on Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad, where the two discussed regional security developments and bilateral defence cooperation, the ISPR statement said.&nbsp;Admiral Ashraf briefed his counterpart on Pakistan Navy initiatives aimed at promoting maritime peace and stability in the region. Air Chief Marshal Khan acknowledged the Pakistan Navy&rsquo;s &ldquo;high professional standards,&rdquo; according to the statement.&nbsp;Both sides agreed to enhance high-level military exchanges and expand joint training programs.&nbsp;Khan also met Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The discussions focused on the regional security environment and ways to further strengthen defense and military-to-military cooperation.&nbsp;The two leaders reviewed avenues for expanding professional collaboration, training exchanges and institutional linkages between the armed forces of Pakistan and Bangladesh, the military said.&nbsp;The Bangladeshi air chief appreciated the role of Pakistan&rsquo;s armed forces in promoting regional peace and stability. Field Marshal Munir reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to maintaining and strengthening defense relations with Bangladesh.&nbsp;The visit follows a trip by Pakistan&rsquo;s naval chief to Dhaka in late 2025, reflecting growing defense-level engagement between the two countries, the ISPR added.

Security

Bangladesh’s air chief meets Pakistan’s top military leaders to discuss regional security, enhance defence cooperation, expand joint training, and strengthen professional ties between armed forces.

Bangladesh, Pakistan discuss regional security, boost defense cooperation talks

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise auction began Thursday at Jinnah Convention Centre with 10 qualified bidders competing for two new teams as the league expands to eight franchises for its 11th season. Indonesia-based FKS Group secured the seventh franchise for a record Rs1.75 billion ($6.2 million). Owner Fawad Sarwar confirmed the team will represent Hyderabad. The auction for the eighth franchise remains scheduled. Bidding battle unfolds The auction began at 5 pm with a base price of Rss1.1 billion ($3.89 million). Companies FKS and i2c engaged in a fierce contest that drove the final price 59% above the base. I2c opened with Rs1.42 billion ($5.02 million). FKS countered with Rs1.54 billion ($5.45 million). The bidding escalated rapidly as i2c pushed to Rs1.7 billion ($6.01 million) before FKS sealed the deal at Rs1.75 billion ($6.2 million). Walee Technologies, OZ Group of Companies, Prism Estate &amp; Builders and Inverex Solar Energy also placed early bids. Auction rules Each bidder received one five-minute strategic timeout. Minimum bid increments were set at Rs10 million ($35,366). No upper limit existed for bid increases. The Pakistan Cricket Board declared the round closed when no bidder surpassed FKS&#39;s final offer despite the auctioneer&#39;s final call. Expansion details The PSL expands from six to eight teams for season 11, scheduled between March 26 and May 3, 2026. Successful bidders can select home cities from a PCB-approved list including Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit. Qualified bidders The PCB confirmed 10 qualified bidders Wednesday. The list included Aim Next Inc, Deharki Sugar Mills, Inverex, Jazz, OZ Developers, Prism Developers, VGO TEL and Walee Technologies. Former Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen withdrew before the auction. Twelve parties initially filed bids. Ten passed the technical evaluation process. Teams honored PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi awarded PKR 90 million to Pakistan Shaheens for winning the Rising Stars Asia Cup. The Hong Kong Sixes champions received PKR 18.5 million. Singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan performed after the bidding concluded. Current champions Three-time champions Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United lead the league. Peshawar Zalmi won in 2017. Quetta Gladiators claimed the 2019 title. Karachi Kings triumphed in 2020. Multan Sultans won in 2021.

Cricket

Pakistan Super League holds franchise auction with 10 bidders competing for two new teams as league expands to eight franchises for season 11.

PSL auction: Hyderabad franchise sells for a record $6.2 million

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reiterated the government&rsquo;s resolve to eliminate terrorism, praising the role and sacrifices of the country&rsquo;s security forces during a one-day visit to Quetta, the capital of the southwestern province of Balochistan.&nbsp;Addressing political leaders in a live briefing aired on state television, Sharif said the fight against militancy was ongoing and required national unity. The visit included high-level meetings on governance and development in the province, according to Radio Pakistan.&nbsp;Upon his arrival at the Governor House, the prime minister was presented a guard of honor by a contingent of the Balochistan Police, a Governor House press release said.&nbsp;The meeting was attended by Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, federal ministers, Dr Ahsan Iqbal, Aleem Khan and Rana Sanaullah, as well as senior political figures from the province.&nbsp;During his address, Sharif praised Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for leading counter-terrorism operations. He said it was &ldquo;unfortunate&rdquo; that Balochistan continued to suffer from militant violence, adding that the contribution of the armed forces could not be overstated.&nbsp;&ldquo;Like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan has faced immense difficulties due to terrorism,&rdquo; Sharif said, referring to another northwestern province that has experienced years of militant attacks.&nbsp;&ldquo;Be it the soldiers and officers of the army, Rangers personnel, officials of the Levies, or the common people, their sacrifices will be remembered in history,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Sharif said banned militant groups, which the state refers to as Fitna-al-Khawarij, a term Islamabad uses for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, were receiving support from &ldquo;neighboring countries.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;But we are firm in our resolve to eradicate terrorism,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Referring to recent tensions with India in May last year, the prime minister said Field Marshal Munir had led Pakistan&rsquo;s response, adding that New Delhi had been &ldquo;taught a lesson it will never forget.&rdquo;&nbsp;The prime minister also said the provincial government, working closely with the federal authorities, was taking &ldquo;serious, coordinated, and result-oriented measures&rdquo; to address Balochistan&rsquo;s long-standing underdevelopment and integrate it into Pakistan&rsquo;s economic mainstream, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

In Quetta, PM Shehbaz Sharif underscores Pakistan’s fight against terrorism, honours security forces’ sacrifices, and stresses unity and development for Balochistan.

PM Sharif visits Quetta, praises forces, reaffirms Pakistan’s anti-terror resolve

ISLAMABAD: Indian authorities have detained a prominent climate activist who attended a climate conference in Pakistan, accusing him of using foreign funding to undermine India&rsquo;s energy security, allegations his organization and international partners reject as politically motivated.&nbsp;Harjeet Singh was detained on January 5 after raids on his organization&rsquo;s offices and his home in the Delhi region, according to a press release from India&rsquo;s Enforcement Directorate (ED), the country&rsquo;s top financial crimes agency. The ED alleged Singh channeled overseas funds to promote opposition to fossil fuel projects in India.&nbsp;Singh was initially arrested by the Uttar Pradesh state excise department on charges of possessing liquor beyond legal limits, the ED said. He was later granted bail, according to AFP, citing a statement from his organization, Satat Sampada.&nbsp;Foreign funding claimsThe ED said it searched premises linked to Satat Sampada Private Limited, a company Singh co-founded with his wife, Jyoti Awasthi, alleging it received more than $666,000 in foreign funds between 2021 and 2025. The agency claimed the money was routed as &ldquo;consultancy charges&rdquo; from international climate groups and was &ldquo;actually intended to promote the agenda of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FF-NPT) within India.&rdquo;&nbsp;Adoption of the treaty, which calls for a phase-out of fossil fuel production, &ldquo;could expose India to legal challenges in international forums like the International Court of Justice and severely compromise the nation&rsquo;s energy security and economic development,&rdquo; the ED statement said.&nbsp;The agency further alleged Satat Sampada operated as &ldquo;a front for foreign-influenced activism&rdquo; and that Singh and Awasthi diverted funds for personal use, claims the organization strongly denies.&nbsp;&lsquo;Baseless&rsquo; allegations&ldquo;We categorically state that the allegations being reported are baseless, biased and misleading,&rdquo; Satat Sampada said in a statement issued late Wednesday, adding it had fully cooperated with investigators.&nbsp;The organization said Singh&rsquo;s international travel was routine professional engagement, noting he has attended climate conferences for more than two decades.&nbsp;The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative also pushed back, saying: &ldquo;Our work consists of building mechanisms for just, orderly and equitable energy transitions,&rdquo; and rejecting suggestions of improper political interference.&nbsp;Pakistan visit under scrutinyThe ED said it is investigating Singh&rsquo;s February 2025 visit to Pakistan for the &ldquo;Breathe Pakistan Summit&rdquo; and the people he met there. Singh spoke at Dawn Media&rsquo;s Breathe Pakistan International Climate Change Conference, which brought together nearly 100 regional and international experts to discuss climate finance and cooperation, according to the event&rsquo;s website.&nbsp;The scrutiny of Singh&rsquo;s Pakistan visit comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. The two nuclear-armed neighbors came close to a full-scale military confrontation in May following the Pahalgam incident in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Hostilities subsided after a US-brokered ceasefire, but relations between the two countries have remained strained since then.&nbsp;Authorities are also examining Singh&rsquo;s December 2025 visit to Bangladesh &ldquo;during a period of anti-India protests,&rdquo; alleging he delivered a lecture without an official invitation.&nbsp;&ldquo;The funding for these trips is also under scrutiny,&rdquo; the ED said.&nbsp;Pattern of pressureAnother Indian speaker at the Pakistan conference, engineer and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, remains detained under India&rsquo;s National Security Act in Jodhpur Central Jail. He has been in custody for more than 100 days as of January 2026, after authorities accused him of inciting violence during protests in Ladakh, charges he and his legal team deny.&nbsp;A habeas corpus petition filed by Wangchuk&rsquo;s wife calls the detention &ldquo;illegal&rdquo; and based on &ldquo;stale FIRs, vague imputations, and speculative assertions,&rdquo; according to court filings. India&rsquo;s Supreme Court is hearing the case.&nbsp;Rights advocates argue the actions against Singh and Wangchuk signal a broader crackdown on dissent and climate activism, particularly when it intersects with international engagement. An accusation Indian authorities reject as investigations continue.

Indian authorities detain climate activist Harjeet Singh, allege foreign-funded activism undermining energy security, and investigate his Pakistan conference visit amid denials from his organization official.