Simran Siraj

Description: For 300 years, men sang Shah Latif&#39;s poetry about women&#39;s struggles. Now women are singing it themselves. A look at how women are reclaiming their voices through Sufi poetry.

Shorts

Women are finding their voices by singing Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai poetry, highlighting women’s struggles through centuries-old Sufi traditions.

Women reclaim 300 years of Shah Latif legacy, breaking cultural barriers

KARACHI:&nbsp;Pakistan has recorded a major breakthrough in maritime trade with the successful berthing of its first fully trans-shipment general cargo vessel at Karachi Port, as the government accelerates reforms to strengthen trade resilience amid disruptions caused by the Iran war and instability in the Strait of Hormuz. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced the successful docking of cargo vessel M.V. Erlin, calling it a historic step for Pakistan&rsquo;s maritime sector and a sign of the country&rsquo;s growing role in regional trade logistics. &ldquo;Alhamdulillah, for the first time, the fully trans-shipment cargo vessel M.V. Erlin has been successfully berthed,&rdquo; the minister said, adding that the development marked Pakistan&rsquo;s entry into a &ldquo;modern trans-shipment era.&rdquo; The milestone comes as conflict in the Middle East and shipping disruptions across the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Hormuz continue to reshape global trade routes, drive up freight costs and force supply chains to adapt. Pakistan&rsquo;s ports, particularly Karachi, have increasingly served as key trade gateways during the crisis, helping sustain cargo flows and regional connectivity. According to the Karachi Port Trust (KPT), the vessel carried general cargo, bulk, break-bulk cargo and vehicles, expanding the port&rsquo;s trans-shipment capabilities beyond its traditional container-based operations. &ldquo;Karachi Port has handled 14,925 TEUs of trans-shipment cargo since March 1, 2026,&rdquo; KPT Manager Public Relations Shariq Farooqui told Pakistan TV Digital on Friday, calling it a reflection of growing activity at the port. KPT said the berthing marks &ldquo;a new era for maritime trade&rdquo; and strengthens Karachi Port&rsquo;s transformation into &ldquo;a premier regional trans-shipment hub.&rdquo; The maritime ministry said the progress reflects the impact of recent reforms focused on improving port efficiency, reducing cargo clearance times and enhancing trade competitiveness. Chaudhry said these reforms were part of broader efforts initiated under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to modernise Pakistan&rsquo;s ports and reduce risks to trade, energy and logistics. &ldquo;New trade opportunities are opening up,&rdquo; Chaudhry said, adding that Karachi Port is &ldquo;rapidly transforming into a key trans-shipment hub in the region.&rdquo; In another sign of growing international interest, a high-level European Commission delegation visited Karachi Port this week to review port operations and development projects, including trans-shipment, port expansion, green shipping initiatives and sustainable connectivity. The delegation, led by European Commission Director for Asia Pacific Peteris Ustubs and accompanied by EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis, was briefed by Karachi Port Trust Chairman Shahid Ahmed on ongoing modernization plans and the port&rsquo;s role in regional maritime connectivity. &ldquo;Pakistan has turned challenges into opportunities,&rdquo; Chaudhry said. &ldquo;Our commitment is to build a brighter future for regional trade through the development of our ports.&rdquo; The development reinforces Islamabad&rsquo;s broader strategy to position Pakistan as a regional maritime and economic hub, leveraging its ports to maintain trade continuity and strengthen supply chain resilience during a period of heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

Economy

Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announces the successful docking of cargo vessel M.V. Erlin, calling it a historic step for Pakistan’s maritime sector and a sign of the country’s growing role in regional trade logistics.

Karachi Port marks historic trans-shipment milestone amid regional disruption

Tariq Alexander Qaiser does not see the Karachi coastline as a wasteland; he sees a &quot;Forest in Peril,&quot; the title of his film exploring the vulnerability and resilience of mangrove ecosystems on Bundal Island, which is still breathing despite the city&rsquo;s best efforts to stifle it.&nbsp;For over 15 years, Qaiser has navigated the narrow channels of the Indus Delta, documenting a world most Karachiites, the children of Kolachi, have forgotten.&nbsp;As an architect, Qaiser understands that a city is only as beautiful as it is livable.&nbsp;<blockquote>&quot;Beauty is about wellness,&quot; he explained in an exclusive conversation with Pakistan TV Digital. To him, the mangroves are not merely trees; they are the city&rsquo;s primary infrastructure.</blockquote>&nbsp;Speaking of Pakistan&rsquo;s unique position, he said, &quot;Pakistan is truly blessed with aquifers. Our subsurface water resources are incredible.&quot;&nbsp;He envisions a future in which we &quot;create micro-climates in zones along the entire length of Pakistan,&quot; turning riverbeds into vast &quot;oxygen machines.&quot; It is a grand architectural vision, yet one grounded in biology.&nbsp;Pakistan is one of the few countries with a riverbank long enough to run the entire length of the country, and it is &ldquo;very doable&rdquo; to plant trees along the bank, he said.&nbsp;The story Qaiser tells is one of documented loss. In 2011, the delta was a different world.&nbsp;<blockquote>&quot;The canopy was in the range of 50 to 60 feet,&quot; he recalled. &quot;The density was so deep and dark that rays of light would come through like shards of light ... it felt primordial.&quot;</blockquote>&nbsp;In those days, the channels were so narrow, barely four feet wide, that you had to duck under branches to pass, he said.&nbsp;Today, those same channels have widened to 15 feet as mangroves are cut down for fuel or land clearing.&nbsp;&quot;Those areas that I have on record at 50 to 60 feet,&quot; he noted with almost clinical sadness, &quot;are currently in the 20s.&quot; The loss is the dismantling of the city&rsquo;s natural defense system.&nbsp;Despite the profound changes that sometimes taint the sea air, Qaiser refuses to look away. He urges Karachi&#39;s residents to reconnect with their roots.&nbsp;<blockquote>&quot;We, the children of Kolachi, are people of the sea. We must recognize our foundations, our roots, and where we were born.&rdquo;</blockquote>&nbsp;He invites the city to go to the shore, to &quot;breathe in the scent of nature,&quot; and to recognize that while we have spoiled much, the potential for recovery is &quot;low-hanging fruit.&quot;&nbsp;Qaiser&rsquo;s mission is a ten-year commitment to a landscape that refuses to die. His documentation is a bridge between what was and what could still be. For him, the math is simple: If we protect the mudflats and the old growth, the city survives.&nbsp;&quot;The Indus River is not dead as yet,&quot; Tariq insisted, his voice carrying the weight of nearly two decades of observation. &quot;And we need to bring it back. We need to bring it back.&quot;

Climate

Tariq Alexander Qaiser does not see the Karachi coastline as a wasteland; he sees a "Forest in Peril," the title of his film exploring the vulnerability and resilience of mangrove ecosystems on Bundal Island, which is still breathing despite the city’s best efforts to stifle it.

Karachi's shrinking mangroves and why they matter

KARACHI: As dusk settled over Saint Patrick&rsquo;s Cathedral, four young volunteers arranged chairs for the evening vigil, their quiet coordination punctuated by a familiar seasonal aroma drifting through the air. Warm raisins, cinnamon and fresh yeast. For many gathered near the cathedral, Easter in Karachi is inseparable from a ritual just a short walk away. Just two streets down, outside Misquita Bakery, customers clutched paper bags heavy with freshly baked hot cross buns, their warmth still escaping into the evening air. The bakery, a Saddar institution, produces the spiced loaves only once a year, a tradition that has endured for more than six decades. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the most iconic Easter treat,&rdquo; one volunteer told Pakistan TV Digital, gesturing toward the bustling bakery. Each spring, the scene repeats itself: long queues, hurried exchanges and the unmistakable scent of spice-laced bread. At the center of it all is a single, symbolic loaf, the hot cross bun. For those waiting patiently, the experience is as much about memory as it is about taste. &ldquo;The thing very famous here is their hot cross buns,&rdquo; said Christopher Miranda, a long-time patron. &ldquo;They are famous all over the world. Not only in Karachi or Pakistan, people even freeze them and send them abroad. The taste is just very nice.&rdquo; For Miranda, the buns are more than a seasonal indulgence; they mark a moment in time. &ldquo;These buns are significant. We buy them once a year. They are only had on Good Friday. It&rsquo;s a very old tradition that pulls all our people over here.&rdquo; A legacy baked in spice and memory Inside the bakery, preparation begins weeks in advance. According to Tanzim, the manager, the demand shows no sign of slowing. &ldquo;We have been making hot cross buns here for about 60 to 70 years,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The demand is unlimited. Customers are always lined up, and sometimes we can&rsquo;t even meet the full demand.&rdquo; The recipe, however, remains closely guarded. A blend of spices and techniques passed down through generations. &ldquo;We have a specific formula. We add many different spices into it. That is how the preparation is done,&rdquo; Tanzim explained. Beyond the ingredients, he added, the buns carry a deeper cultural meaning. &ldquo;Just as we Muslims visit each other&rsquo;s homes during our festivals and bring sweets, similarly, the community gifts each other hot cross buns during this festival.&rdquo; For families, the ritual spans generations. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been taking these buns from Misquita Bakery for many, many years, from my childhood, in fact,&rdquo; said Sarah, balancing several bags. &ldquo;Now my children are eating them, and my grandchildren. I&rsquo;m so happy that every year we get a chance to buy them.&rdquo; Others echo the same loyalty. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been coming here for the past 25 years,&rdquo; said Roger Anthony. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve tried other places also, but these are exceptional.&rdquo;

Golden buns bind Karachi in timeless Easter ritual tradition.

Culture

In Karachi, Misquita Bakery draws Easter crowds with its once-a-year hot cross buns, a 60-year tradition blending faith, family, and flavour, as generations gather to share and celebrate the seasonal ritual.

Golden buns bind Karachi in timeless Easter ritual tradition

KARACHI: Infectious disease experts at Aga Khan University Hospital have reassured the public that the Nipah virus poses no immediate threat to Pakistan, despite renewed regional concern following reports from parts of South Asia. Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital during a media roundtable earlier this week, specialists emphasized that while Nipah is a highly lethal virus, its current transmission patterns and geographical concentration make the risk to Pakistan exceptionally low. Public anxiety has largely centered on fruit bats in Pakistan, which are known to be natural reservoirs of the virus. Addressing these concerns, Dr Nosheen Nasir, the section head of Infectious Diseases at AKUH, said the virus does not spread merely because bats are present. &ldquo;We want to clarify that simply having bats in the area does not mean an outbreak is imminent,&rdquo; Dr Nasir told Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;The virus isn&rsquo;t transmitted through casual exposure, like a bat flying nearby.&rdquo; &ldquo;The real risk lies in spillover events, such as consuming food or raw tree sap contaminated by an infected animal. For the average citizen, basic food hygiene is the most powerful tool we have.&rdquo; Dr Nasir added that recent Nipah clusters remain confined to eastern India and Bangladesh, with no reported cases in regions bordering Pakistan. Preparedness over panicExperts acknowledged the virus&rsquo;s high fatality rate but stressed that Nipah is far less contagious than respiratory viruses such as COVID-19. Dr Faisal Mahmood, professor of Infectious Diseases and associate chief medical officer at AKUH, said the focus should remain on healthcare preparedness rather than public alarm. &ldquo;Nipah is a serious infection, but it is not a current domestic emergency,&rdquo; Dr Mahmood said. &ldquo;Our healthcare resources are better spent addressing immediate challenges, such as the rise in measles cases. That said, vigilance is critical.&rdquo; He explained that clinicians have been advised to closely monitor patients presenting with severe fever and neurological symptoms. &ldquo;Early isolation and specialized protocols are already mapped out to prevent any potential spread,&rdquo; he noted, describing this as a key part of managing the patient journey. The roundtable also highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s ongoing screening of travelers at international entry points as an important preventive measure.&nbsp; Drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the experts underscored that long-term health security depends on early coordination, clinician awareness, and informed communities. The medical community&rsquo;s message to the public remains clear: maintain high standards of food hygiene, avoid consuming raw date palm sap, and rely on verified medical guidance rather than unverified information circulating on social media.

Nipah virus antibody test. Identifying antibodies to the Nipah virus indicating exposure to the virus, and specifically, the type of antibody (IgM or IgG) provides clues about the timing of exposure. (AFP)

Health

Infectious disease experts at Aga Khan University Hospital say the virus poses no immediate risk to Pakistan, urging preparedness over panic, emphasizing food hygiene, surveillance, clinician vigilance, and public awareness.

Nipah virus poses no immediate threat to Pakistan: Health experts

KARACHI: In many South Asian households, confrontation is often replaced by quiet endurance. Emotional restraint is learned early, folded into a cultural ideal that venerates the &ldquo;sacrificial mother.&rdquo; A figure so consumed by caregiving and stability that the woman behind the role slowly disappears.&nbsp;The Mother, running until January 18 at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Karachi, ruptures this long-held myth.&nbsp;Originally written by Oscar-winning French playwright Florian Zeller, the Urdu adaptation, translated and directed by Usama Khan, marks a rare and significant moment for Karachi&rsquo;s theatre scene. Structured as a &ldquo;farce tragedy,&rdquo; the play is both sharply witty and emotionally devastating, confronting the unspoken fractures families often learn to live with.&nbsp;Starring Nimra Bucha, Sonil Shanker, Ashmal Lalwany, and Eshah Shakeel, the production centers on a woman&rsquo;s isolation, drawing audiences into the psychological debris of her inner world. At its core is the stark reality of Empty Nest Syndrome. The moment a mother confronts the fact that her life&rsquo;s work has been to raise people who must, inevitably, leave.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Bucha described the play as a rejection of sentimental portrayals of motherhood. She reflected on how a mother&rsquo;s existence is frequently reduced to &ldquo;perpetually feeding and clothing&rdquo; her family, only to culminate in a profound sense of erasure.&nbsp;&ldquo;It talks about how a woman who is a mother just loses all sense of self&hellip; and also how age makes people invisible,&rdquo; Bucha said. &ldquo;How slowly it diminishes, diminishes, diminishes to the point where you can&rsquo;t hear.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think I ever listened, I didn&rsquo;t hear my mom. It was as if she was just talking.&rdquo;&nbsp;While the tragedy is universal, it resonates acutely with a generation suspended between tradition and individual agency. The play asks an uncomfortable question: can personal freedom ever be achieved without being underwritten by someone else&rsquo;s sustained sacrifice?&nbsp;That tension crystallizes in the relationship between mother and son. Lalwany, who plays the son, told Pakistan TV Digital that the guilt associated with leaving home is deeply ingrained from childhood.&nbsp;&ldquo;There&rsquo;s this guilt attached to walking away. It&rsquo;s never easy, even though it&rsquo;s the only option you have,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The amount of guilt you go through when you even raise your voice a little&hellip; you want to find out who you are and what you want to be, but children are never sure about their relationship because there are such different demands and expectations from both sides.&rdquo;&nbsp;The production has also drawn international attention. Zeller himself shared the play&rsquo;s poster on Instagram and now follows members of the cast, an endorsement that underscores the adaptation&rsquo;s fidelity and impact.&nbsp;Khan, the director, said he was intent on resisting moral absolutes. Explaining his approach to Pakistan TV Digital, he noted why the story transcends its French origins.&nbsp;&ldquo;Emotion, every person everywhere feels the same, especially in a mother&rsquo;s relationship to her family,&rdquo; Khan said. &ldquo;The story is very simple, but the way it&rsquo;s written is quite complicated. He hasn&rsquo;t shown a &lsquo;helpless&rsquo; mother or son; every character exists in a complete grey area.&rdquo;&nbsp;The Mother is deliberately unsettling, abstract, disorienting, and emotionally dense, mirroring the fractured consciousness of its protagonist. It asks audiences to sit with silence, to examine what goes unsaid at family tables, and to recognize the quiet disappearances that occur within familiar walls.&nbsp;If you have ever felt the weight of an empty room or the tension beneath a shared meal, The Mother speaks directly to that experience.&nbsp;

The Mother is an Urdu adaptation by Usama Khan, portraying a woman’s emotional erosion through time, distance, and relationships, capturing the universal pain of Empty Nest Syndrome.

Urdu adaptation of ‘The Mother’ confronts motherhood, loneliness, empty nests

KARACHI: As the red double-decker bus pulls away from popular Zainab Market, Sakina Attaria climbs the narrow stairs to the upper deck, claiming a window seat just as Karachi opens itself below her.&nbsp;From the top, the city looks different.&nbsp;Painted bright red and wrapped in illustrations of Karachi&rsquo;s landmarks, Mazar-e-Quaid, Frere Hall, and the old Empress Market, the bus moves steadily along Shahrah-e-Faisal, the city&rsquo;s main commercial artery. Below, banks, corporate headquarters, and advertising agencies rush past, marking the daily grind of Pakistan&rsquo;s financial hub.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is my first day on the double-decker, and the experience is fantastic,&rdquo; Sakina says, smiling as the wind presses against the sealed glass. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been using public transport since April. This is good, affordable, and it&rsquo;s quite pretty too.&rdquo;&nbsp;After a gap of nearly 65 years, double-decker buses have returned to Karachi, a city of more than 23 million people struggling with traffic congestion and a chronic shortage of reliable public transport.&nbsp;The Sindh government officially launched the service on December 31 last year, with Sindh Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon inaugurating the fleet. Operations for the public began on New Year&rsquo;s Day.&nbsp;The initial rollout includes five Chinese-made diesel buses running a 22-kilometre route from Model Colony in Malir to Zainab Market in Saddar. The journey begins near residential neighborhoods, cuts through downtown Karachi&rsquo;s business district, continues toward Jinnah International Airport, and then reconnects via the highway that marks both the city&rsquo;s exit and its gateway.&nbsp;Each bus can carry up to 120 passengers and is fully air-conditioned, with an adjustable roof designed for Karachi&rsquo;s extreme and unpredictable weather. Fares range from Rs80 [$0.28] to Rs120 [$0.42], depending on distance.&nbsp;For Sakina, who commutes regularly across the city, affordability matters as much as comfort. &ldquo;For students like us, transport costs add up quickly,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;This makes a big difference.&rdquo;&nbsp;Other commuters share her enthusiasm. Nida, a schoolteacher travelling on the first day, calls the service overdue. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great experience for students, working professionals, and especially ladies,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;We need more of these in Karachi. All cities should get such buses.&rdquo;&nbsp;The novelty of the upper deck, a rarity in Pakistan&rsquo;s urban transport, has drawn young riders eager for a new perspective. &ldquo;The top-deck view makes the daily commute feel different,&rdquo; says Urooj Kaifulwara, a university student. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re very excited and hope there are more initiatives like this.&rdquo;&nbsp;But the buses are not only about the future. For some passengers, they are a moving archive of the past.&nbsp;Friends Muhammad Danish and Ahmed Khan boarded the bus to relive memories from decades ago. &ldquo;Last I saw this was in the 1960s,&rdquo; Danish recalls. &ldquo;What memories. We just came to see it again.&rdquo;&nbsp;The transport minister says the service is part of a broader effort to revive public transport in Karachi, including electric buses and expanded routes. He has announced plans to increase the fleet through 2026, with the goal of deploying double-deckers on all major roads across the city.&nbsp;For now, as the red bus glides past office towers, airport roads, and highways leading out of Karachi, Sakina watches the city move beneath her, a commuter suspended between nostalgia and necessity.&nbsp;&ldquo;It feels like Karachi is finally moving forward,&rdquo; she says, as the bus heads toward the city&rsquo;s edge.

Climate & Environment

Karachi’s iconic double-decker buses return after 65 years, offering affordable, air-conditioned travel, nostalgic city views, and hope for improved public transport as commuters welcome the Sindh government’s new service across Pakistan’s largest and busiest metropolis.

Red double-deckers roll Karachi forward, reviving memories and mobility

KARACHI: Zoha Malik, a Pakistani-American home baker, reached the finals of Gordon Ramsay&#39;s &quot;Next Level Baker&quot;, an international food show, showcasing Pakistani food to a global audience. During the holiday-themed competition watched by millions, she showcased fusion dishes like chicken tandoori naan buns and an Eid-themed cake, which received high praise from the judges. Zoha Malik, who shares her culinary journey on her popular platform &quot;@bakewithzoha,&quot; took to Instagram to reflect on the experience. Though she didn&#39;t win the top prize, she expressed a deep sense of achievement. &quot;I know it sounds cheesy, but I still feel like a winner,&quot; Malik told her followers. &quot;My main goal on the show was to make it till the end... I got to compete in every single challenge, had an absolute blast, and was proud of every single bake I presented.&quot; <div class="fr-embed instagram-embed" style="width: 50%; display: block; max-width: 600px;"><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSdQlm_EvF8/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=675&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com&rp=%2Farticles%2F3006#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A1288504.8999999762%2C%22ls%22%3A862.8999999761581%2C%22le%22%3A977.6999999880791%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="1527" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background: white; max-width: 540px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); box-shadow: none; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px;"></iframe></div>Staying true to her rootsThroughout the series, Malik remained authentic and refused to compromise her cultural identity. In a heartfelt post-finale message, she emphasized the importance of representation. &quot;I want you to know you don&#39;t have to thank me. I wasn&#39;t trying to represent, I was just being myself, and that&#39;s the biggest takeaway from this entire experience,&quot; she said. &quot;It is an HONOR to be able to show who I am and where I come from on a platform like this.&quot; Growing up in Wah Cantt, Pakistan, Malik developed her skills by observing her mother and grandmother, learning early that food is a powerful way to connect with others. From engineering to bakingHer path to professional baking was unconventional. Malik moved to the United States in 2013 to pursue a STEM career, earning a biomedical engineering degree from Vanderbilt University and working as a consultant at McKinsey &amp; Company. However, she rediscovered her passion for baking during the pandemic, launching &quot;Bake With Zoha&quot; in 2020.&nbsp; What began as a digital hobby became a full-time career by 2023. Today, she balances her culinary pursuits with motherhood to her young son. Mastering the competitionDuring &ldquo;Next Level Baker,&rdquo; Malik consistently blended traditional Pakistani flavors with advanced Western baking techniques. Her standout creations included Chicken Tandoori Naan Buns, an Eid Finale Cake, and Chai Tiramisu. For the final challenge, she created an Eid celebration cake featuring festive colors and a crescent moon that impressed judges with its storytelling and technical execution. Though outside her comfort zone, Malik said she felt &quot;seen and appreciated.&quot; Malik&#39;s impact resonated deeply with the Pakistani diaspora, proving that traditional flavors can shine on the most competitive international stages. What&#39;s nextLooking ahead, Malik plans to expand her digital presence and share the recipes that defined her journey on the show, including her celebrated tandoori bread that Gordon Ramsay called &quot;delicious.&quot;&nbsp; Her path from a home kitchen in Pakistan to a Gordon Ramsay finale stands as an inspiring story of cultural authenticity through food. &quot;I&#39;m so proud of myself for doing something so out of my comfort zone... hindsight is 20/20, but it&#39;s all rooted in inspiration, not disappointment,&quot; she reflected on Instagram.

Zoha Malik (Photo @bakewithzoha/Instagram)

Zoha Malik presented Pakistani culture on the global stage with her chicken tandoori naan buns and Eid-themed cake, earning high praise from the judges for her fusion of flavors.

Pakistani-American home baker showcases Pakistani food on global show

MATIARI: Climate change has become a serious threat, especially in a country like Pakistan that is highly vulnerable to its effects. Experts and field reports show a clear connection between rising temperatures and adverse outcomes for mothers and newborns.&nbsp;Research from the Aga Khan University&rsquo;s Institute of Global Health Development examined how heat stress affects pregnant women and children under five in the Matiari district of Sindh. They modeled interventions that incorporate indigenous knowledge to improve climate-resilient infrastructure and raise awareness of heat&rsquo;s harmful effects within the health system.&nbsp;Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, Founding Director of the Institute for Global Health and Development, speaking with Pakistan TV Digital, emphasized that urgent action and systemic changes are essential to protect women and children from this growing threat. &lsquo;Surprisingly, we are not even the ones responsible for climate change, and yet it affects our women and children,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Dr Jai Das, the institute&#39;s associate director, highlighted the alarming link between rising temperatures and pregnancy complications. He said that existing research shows every pregnant woman exposed to higher temperatures &mdash; such as a 1-degree increase &mdash; has a 10-15% higher chance of experiencing pre-term birth, low birth weight, or of newborns being small for their gestational age.&nbsp;This finding aligns with broader studies indicating that heat exposure triggers physiological responses that lead to similar complications.&nbsp;Beyond pregnancy, heat stress also disrupts women&#39;s reproductive health, especially for those in rural areas who often engage in strenuous physical labor.&nbsp;Gulshad, a senior research associate at AKU Matiari Research and Training Center, said that many women face severe heat-related problems.&nbsp;&ldquo;Their menstrual periods last longer and occur more frequently. Moreover, many women lack knowledge about sanitary protection,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;She noted that some women&#39;s cycles became &ldquo;very irregular,&rdquo; while others did not have periods at all.&nbsp;&ldquo;The health of pregnant women is also affected, and the likelihood of miscarriages increases significantly because they work in the fields and do household chores,&rdquo; she added.&nbsp;These testimonies show how high temperatures, combined with physical labor and limited access to hygiene products and healthcare, cause serious menstrual irregularities.&nbsp;Tackling this complex crisis requires a dual approach focusing on community awareness and healthcare system reforms.&nbsp;Dr Bhutta calls for public protection and system improvements. He suggests raising public awareness, especially in rural areas, to help safeguard women, particularly pregnant women, from the heat. He also stresses the importance of providing care to quickly identify and reduce harmful effects.&nbsp;He said there is a need to improve the healthcare environment, especially during the summer, as current conditions are overcrowded. This highlights the urgent need for heat-resilient infrastructure and better-trained staff to handle heat-related maternal emergencies.&nbsp;The situation in provinces like Sindh is especially dire, with climate threats endangering the lives of every mother and child. Localized research is vital for developing community-informed interventions, such as heat adaptation strategies, enhanced nutritional support, and strengthened rural health systems, that can be scaled nationwide.&nbsp;Addressing this climate-induced heat stress crisis requires coordinated efforts from policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities to reduce risks, improve health infrastructure, and ensure that climate change does not condemn future generations to poor health.

There is a need to develop community-informed interventions, such as heat adaptation strategies, enhanced nutritional support, and strengthened rural health systems.

Climate-induced heat stress serious threat to maternal, child health in Pakistan

KARACHI: The 4th European Film Festival (EUFF) 2025 successfully concluded its Karachi chapter last weekend at the Karachi Film School, celebrating international cinema and cultural dialogue.&nbsp; Hosted by the Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan and curated by Olomopolo Media, the two-day event showcased 19 feature films and 10 short films from EU member states, emphasizing cinema&rsquo;s unique power to foster human connection and resilience. The festival now moves to Lahore after having offered audiences in Karachi and Islamabad a diverse program of comedies, dramas, and documentaries exploring universal themes, including identity, climate change, and human resilience.&nbsp; Among the films screened were &quot;Behind the Curtain of High Mountains&quot; (Czech Republic), &quot;Without Air&quot; (Hungary), &quot;That They May Face the Rising Sun&quot; (Ireland), and &quot;The Olive Tree&quot; (Spain).&nbsp; The short film lineup included &quot;HABĀ&quot;, &quot;White Ribbons&quot;, &quot;Diamond &amp; Narcissus&quot; (Austria), and &quot;A Sea of Trash&quot; (Portugal). The event drew a particularly strong youth demographic.&nbsp; University students from the media, arts, and communications departments attended the festival not just for the screenings but for an immersive, interactive classroom experience. A particular focus of the festival was bringing the big screen experience to those who rarely access it.&nbsp; Kanwal Khoosat, Executive Director of Olomopolo Media, reflected on the power of this access.&nbsp; &ldquo;It was the first time for so many. We have met people, students, young girls, adults, watching a film on a big screen for the first time in their lives,&rdquo; Khoosat shared, calling the moment of shared discovery the &ldquo;best part&rdquo; of her work. The exposure to global narratives proved invaluable for aspiring filmmakers.&nbsp; Shafia, a student from the Institute of Business Management in Karachi, said, &ldquo;As an aspiring photographer, this is a brilliant opportunity to be exposed to such storytelling and see how different cultures frame their narratives.&rdquo; Building community through filmLeading actors and filmmakers present at the festival highlighted its significance as a platform for genuine dialogue and artistic participation, setting it apart from other cultural activities. Pakistani actor and director Sania Saeed praised the communal experience, noting that cinema and theater provide a profound type of &ldquo;community building&rdquo; that sports cannot match. &nbsp;She argued that art is inherently collaborative.&nbsp; &ldquo;Arts are not competitive .&hellip; It&#39;s all about synchronizing,&rdquo; Saeed said.&nbsp; She added that the festival allowed young audiences to see quality filmmaking that looks &quot;very different from what they see on Netflix,&quot; creating a more valuable viewing experience. &quot;Joyland&quot; actor Ali Junejo agreed with Saeed and asserted the need for broader access: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s very rare for us to have film festivals here in Pakistan broadly speaking .... I think more people need to watch films. More people need to participate in films.&rdquo; Bridging global crises: from floods to wildfiresRaimundas Karoblis, the European Union Ambassador to Pakistan, emphasized that films serve as a powerful tool for global solidarity, making universal issues relatable at the local level. Ambassador Karoblis, in an exclusive conversation with Pakistan TV Digital, said that the festival proves that &ldquo;Cinema is for everyone.&rdquo;&nbsp; He highlighted how the films actively confront global crises: &ldquo;While Pakistan battles climate change with floods, southern Europe has wildfires.&rdquo; He added that the festival provides essential context, showing that &ldquo;the human story and the resilience needed to face them are the same everywhere.&rdquo; EUFF 2025 will conclude its mission of connection and conversation in Lahore on November 22 and 23.

The 4th European Film Festival 2025 in Pakistan showcased 29 EU films, fostering cultural dialogue, youth engagement, and global solidarity through cinema across Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore.

European cinema sparks dialogue on resilience, identity and climate across Pakistan

JERUSALEM: Hundreds of activists seized by Israel from a Gaza-bound flotilla were awaiting deportation on Thursday, as global outcry grows over their treatment in custody. More than 430 activists from countries around the world were in custody in Israel after they were detained at sea while making the latest in a string of attempts to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory. Israel&#39;s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, sparked condemnation on Wednesday by posting a video showing the detained activists with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground. Captioned &quot;Welcome to Israel&quot;, the footage showed Ben Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli flag among the detained activists. In the latest diplomatic backlash, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he had asked the European Union to sanction Ben Gvir &quot;for the unacceptable acts committed against the flotilla&quot;. The United Kingdom announced it had summoned Israel&#39;s most senior diplomat in Britain following &quot;the inflammatory video&quot;. On Thursday, the legal centre representing the activists said the flotilla members were &quot;en route for deportation&quot; from Ramon Airport in Israel&#39;s far south. &quot;The majority of the participants are being transferred to Ramon Airport to be flown out of the country,&quot; Adalah said in a statement, adding that the activists had been held at Israel&#39;s Ktziot prison, in the Negev Desert near Gaza. Turkey said it was sending planes to Israel to &quot;bring our citizens and participants from third countries to Turkey via special charter flights we will organize today&quot;. Foreign ministry sources said &quot;three flights&quot; with a capacity for &quot;more than 400 passengers&quot; were being sent to Ramon airport. Around 50 vessels under the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Turkey last week in the latest attempt by activists to breach Israel&#39;s blockade of Gaza, after Israeli forces intercepted a previous convoy last month. &#39;They kicked us&#39;&nbsp;Adalah said one of the flotilla participants who holds Israeli citizenship had a court hearing Thursday, and faced &quot;absurd&quot; charges. &quot;Israeli authorities are holding her under unfounded and contradictory accusations of &#39;illegal entry into Israel&#39;, &#39;unlawful stay&#39;, and for an attempt to break the blockade on Gaza,&quot; Adalah said. Adalah&#39;s legal director Suhad Bishara told AFP Wednesday that the group&#39;s lawyers had been able to give legal counsel to &quot;many&quot; of the hundreds of activists, though she added that others had faced court hearings without legal assistance. &quot;We know of at least two participants who were hospitalized... both of them were shot by rubber bullets,&quot; Bishara said, adding that others said they feared they had broken ribs. Alessandro Mantovani, an Italian journalist detained with the flotilla activists and deported before the others, told reporters at Rome&#39;s Fiumicino airport Thursday that he and others had been &quot;taken to Ben Gurion airport in handcuffs and with chains on our feet and put on a flight to Athens&quot;. &quot;They beat us up. They kicked us and punched us and shouted &#39;Welcome to Israel&#39;,&quot; he said of his treatment by Israeli security forces. Dario Carotenuto, an Italian MP who was also detained and deported, said: &quot;It was really tough... They called us by number... with rifles pointed at us... I think those were the longest seconds in my life.&quot; The video posted by Ben Gvir sparked resounding condemnation by governments around the world, from Italy to Spain and Australia to Canada. He was also criticized at home by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, as well as by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Francesca Albanese, an outspoken UN expert on the Palestinian territories, called on Italy, where she is from, to take action. &quot;Words do not suffice: let Italy stop opposing the suspension&quot; of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, she wrote on X. Fragile truce&nbsp;Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, under blockade since 2007. Since the start of the Gaza war, the territory has suffered severe shortages of food, medicine, and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely. A previous flotilla was intercepted last month in international waters off Greece, with most activists expelled to Europe. Two were brought to Israel, detained for several days, and then deported.

Activists hold a rally against Israel’s interception of ships participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian-led humanitarian aid mission to Gaza by sea, in Surabaya on May 21, 2026. (Photo by JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP)

Americas

Middle East

More than 430 activists from countries around the world were in custody in Israel after they were detained at sea while making the latest in a string of attempts to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory.

Gaza flotilla activists await deportation from Israel

PARIS: Wealthy countries topped their $100 billion annual climate finance goal for poorer nations for the third straight year in 2024, the OECD said Thursday, but questions are growing over their ability to meet a new, larger pledge. Developed nations had long fallen short of their commitment to mobilize $100 billion a year by 2020, finally hitting the target for the first time in 2022 after the deadline was extended to 2025. The money is aimed at helping developing countries, which are least responsible for global warming, invest in renewable energy and cope with the worsening impacts of climate change. After providing $115.9 billion in 2022, wealthy countries sharply raised their contribution to $132.8 billion in 2023, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which tracks the figures. It increased slightly in 2024 to $136.7 billion. Climate finance can come from governments in the form of bilateral aid, multinational development lenders like the World Bank, or the private sector. Public climate finance slipped 2.6% to $101.6 billion in 2024, but private sector contributions surged 33% to $30.5 billion. The OECD said the data needed to produce figures for 2025, the last year of the $100 billion pledge, would not be available before 2027 &quot;at the earliest&quot;. Raphael Jachnik, who led the report at the OECD, told AFP the dip in bilateral public finance partly reflected a return to more normal trends after a sharp rise in 2023. Trump guts aid programmes&nbsp;Climate finance has been a thorny issue at annual UN climate talks, as developing nations grew frustrated with the developed world for dragging its heels to fulfil its pledges. Richer nations committed to a new goal at the UN COP29 summit in Azerbaijan in 2024, pledging to provide $300 billion a year by 2035 -- an amount still considered insufficient by developing nations. They also set a less specific target of helping raise $1.3 trillion annually from public and private sources. Jachnik said the international context &quot;raises more fundamental questions&quot; about the new $300 billion target. US President Donald Trump, a climate sceptic who returned to office last year, pulled the world&#39;s richest country out of climate diplomacy and gutted its foreign aid programmes. The European Union, the biggest contributor to climate finance, is under budget strains and seeking to ramp up military spending amid the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Turkish Climate Minister Murat Kurum, who will chair the COP31 climate summit hosted by his country in November, said Wednesday that he would &quot;hold donors accountable for the commitments they made under the $300 billion Baku finance goal&quot;. &quot;It is easy to say we support global climate action. But promises must be kept,&quot; Kurum said in a speech at a climate ministerial meeting in Copenhagen. Western nations have pushed to broaden the contributor base to include countries that are still listed as developing but have now become wealthy, such as China and Saudi Arabia. Developed countries, which are facing their own budget constraints and debt problems, have also insisted that the private sector play a bigger role. &#39;Total scandal&#39;&nbsp;Asia was the main target of climate finance contributions in 2024, with 36%, followed by Africa at 31%. As in previous years, most public climate finance took the form of loans in 2023 and 2024, accounting for 73% and 67% of the total, respectively, according to the OECD. Developing countries have argued that climate finance should come in the form of grants, as loans compound their debt problems. &quot;The rich world profits from the loans they provide to poor countries, who are desperately trying to deal with climate change caused by the rich world. It&#39;s a total scandal,&quot; said Mohamed Adow, director of the Nairobi-based climate think tank Power Shift Africa. &quot;The countries least responsible for the climate crisis are being asked to take on debt to survive it,&quot; he said.

This photograph, taken on September 22, 2025, shows the logo of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) displayed on banners at the OECD headquarters in Paris. (AFP)

Europe

Developed nations had long fallen short of their commitment to mobilize $100 billion a year by 2020, finally hitting the target for the first time in 2022 after the deadline was extended to 2025.

Rich nations topped $100 bn climate finance goal again in 2023, 2024: OECD

ISLAMABAD: The interim Afghan government&#39;s new decree on marriage separation &quot;reinforces systemic discrimination&quot; and erodes the rights of Afghan women and girls, the United Nations said on Thursday. Published in mid-May, the 31-article code sets out various grounds for separation in Afghanistan, including a husband&#39;s prolonged disappearance, &quot;incompatibility&quot; between couples, renunciation of Islam and &quot;failure on the part of the husband&quot;. The decree, which appeared in the country&#39;s Official Gazette, also states that marriage contracts drawn by relatives &quot;on behalf of a minor boy or girl&quot; can be annulled, which suggests child marriage is permitted in Afghanistan, according to the UN. In most cases, the procedures for women seeking a separation are more complicated than those for men. The document, approved by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, &quot;is part of a broader and deeply concerning trajectory in which the rights of Afghan women and girls are being eroded&quot;, said Georgette Gagnon, deputy special representative of the UN secretary-general. It &quot;further entrenches systemic discrimination in law and practice&quot;, the UN statement said, adding that women and girls are denied &quot;autonomy, opportunities and access to justice&quot;. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban government in Afghanistan has banned girls from continuing their education beyond primary school, walking in parks and going to gyms, swimming pools or beauty salons. They are required to cover themselves from head to toe and are barred from many jobs. Any breach of the rules can result in arrest and imprisonment. The UN&#39;s Afghanistan mission (UNAMA) said that following a decree issued in 2021 in which the Taliban authorities had &quot;recognized certain rights for women, including women&#39;s consent to marriage&quot;, subsequent legislation has ultimately eroded those protections.

Afghanistan

The United Nations says the Taliban’s new marriage separation decree further restricts Afghan women’s rights, reinforces systemic discrimination, and raises concerns over child marriage and access to justice in Afghanistan.

UN says Taliban marriage decree deepens discrimination against Afghan women

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, said the fight against terrorism would continue with full national resolve until enduring peace and stability were achieved across the country. He said this at the investiture ceremony to confer military awards on officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army, held at General Headquarters, Rawalpindi, on Thursday, according to a press release issued by the Pakistan military&rsquo;s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations. Field Marshal Munir, as the chief guest, conferred the awards to the families of martyrs, officers and soldiers in recognition of exceptional gallantry in operations and distinguished services rendered to the nation. Decorations conferred included 50 Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military) and 12 Tamgha-i-Basalat. Medals awarded posthumously were received with honor by the families of martyrs. Fight against terrorismField Marshal Munir paid tribute to the martyrs and war heroes. &ldquo;Shuhada and Ghazis remain the enduring pride of the nation. Their honor and sacrifice are a sacred trust for every Pakistani. Peace and security of our motherland are owed to their supreme sacrifices and unwavering devotion to duty.&rdquo; He also expressed profound admiration for the resilience, dignity and steadfastness demonstrated by the families of martyrs, acknowledging their unparalleled sacrifices and unwavering commitment to the homeland. Commending the operational preparedness and unwavering resolve of the Pakistan Army and law enforcement agencies, Field Marshal Asim Munir lauded their sustained efforts against terrorists and reaffirmed that the fight against terrorism will continue with full national resolve until enduring peace and stability are achieved across the country.

Security

Chief of Defense Forces profound admiration for the resilience, dignity and steadfastness demonstrated by the families of martyrs, acknowledging their unparalleled sacrifices and unwavering commitment to the homeland.

Pakistan’s Field Marshal Munir vows anti-terror fight until lasting peace achieved

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kenya have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral economic relations and agreed to double the volume of bilateral trade over the next five years, said a statement issued at the end of the Second Session of the Pakistan-Kenya Joint Trade Committee held in Islamabad on Thursday. According to the Federal Ministry of Commerce statement, the session was co-chaired by the Secretary of Commerce of Pakistan, Jawad Paul, and the Principal Secretary of Kenya&rsquo;s State Department for Trade, Regina A Ombam.&nbsp; Representatives from various government departments and trade-related institutions from both countries also attended. The Joint Trade Committee reviewed ongoing trade cooperation and discussed measures to enhance commercial engagement between the two countries.&nbsp; Both sides emphasized the importance of expanding economic ties and promoting sustainable trade growth. During the session, Pakistan and Kenya agreed to strengthen cooperation in several priority sectors, including market access, export promotion, customs cooperation, investment, pharmaceuticals, banking, information and communication technology, tourism, and industry. &quot;The two sides also discussed collaboration in sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical standards, animal quarantine, plant protection, and trade dispute resolution mechanisms,&quot; added the statement.

Pakistan and Kenya reaffirm their commitment to expanding economic cooperation during the Second Joint Trade Committee session in Islamabad, agreeing to double bilateral trade and strengthen collaboration across multiple key sectors.

Pakistan, Kenya agree to double bilateral trade in five years

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday hosted a breakfast meeting in honor of Prince Rahim Aga Khan V during his first official visit to Pakistan, reaffirming Islamabad&rsquo;s longstanding partnership with the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, the premier warmly welcomed Prince Rahim and appreciated his commitment to &quot;fostering peace, stability, and constructive engagement with governments and international partners.&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=2057373864133582992&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=58c0acab0737469eda0d93677aa6b958d48bd4c2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 721px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The prime minister assured him of Pakistan&rsquo;s &quot;shared commitment to these ideals,&quot; the statement said. PM Sharif commended AKDN&rsquo;s contributions in rural development, healthcare, education, disaster resilience, climate adaptation, renewable energy, digital skills training, and youth entrepreneurship. According to the statement, he particularly appreciated AKDN&rsquo;s &quot;impactful work in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, especially in remote and vulnerable communities,&quot; and encouraged the network to &quot;deepen and expand its partnership with Pakistan,&quot; particularly in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, where its &quot;institutional presence and community outreach are highly valued.&quot; The PM also said AKDN remained a &quot;natural and trusted partner&quot; in Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to strengthen climate resilience, particularly in glacially vulnerable northern areas. Sharif added that the country would &quot;always remain his second home&quot; and that his regular visits would further strengthen longstanding bonds between Pakistan and the Ismaili community. The prime minister also expressed gratitude for Prince Rahim Aga Khan V&rsquo;s &quot;generosity for making the Serena Hotel available on gratis basis for Islamabad Talks.&quot; During the meeting, Sharif extended &quot;heartfelt condolences&quot; on the passing of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV and paid tribute to the late Aga Khan&rsquo;s &quot;enduring humanitarian legacy&quot; and longstanding association with Pakistan spanning nearly seven decades. <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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2057381345643655535&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=58c0acab0737469eda0d93677aa6b958d48bd4c2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 723px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The prime minister also presented a commemorative stamp issued by Pakistan Post to honor the late Aga Khan IV for his services to Pakistan, the statement said.

Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif welcomes His Highness Prince Rahim Agha Khan V upon his arrival at the PM House. Islamabad, 21 May 2026. (Photo: X/@PakPMO)

Foreign Affairs

The two sides discuss expanding cooperation in healthcare, education, climate resilience, and rural development; Sharif praises the Aga Khan Development Network’s longstanding humanitarian contributions, particularly in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral’s remote and vulnerable communities.

Pakistan PM hosts Prince Rahim Aga Khan V during first official visit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China are celebrating their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations on Thursday, with both countries&rsquo; leaders reiterating their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation and strengthening their long-standing all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.&nbsp; In his message on the occasion, the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, stated that Pakistan-China relations over the last 75 years have developed into a strong model of an enduring friendship based on mutual trust, strategic cooperation, and unwavering support of each other&rsquo;s core interests.<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: 825px; 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=2057353987528237263&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=cf61210766af88909be525b07d13027311cade71&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> He further stated that the people of Pakistan place great value on the historic relationship they have with China and continue to seek to strengthen their cooperation with neighboring country in trade, technology, development, and regional harmony, while the spirit of friendship that has existed between the two countries will continue to guide future generations. In a separate message to the people of both countries, Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his most sincere congratulations on this momentous occasion, noting that he sees the friendship between Pakistan and China as a bond built on mutual respect, a commitment to shared goals, and a foundation of mutual strategic trust.<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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 750px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2057321173286043812&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=cf61210766af88909be525b07d13027311cade71&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> In addition, he praised the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and recognized the country of China for its incredible achievements relating to its economic growth, technological advancements/ innovations, poverty alleviation, and modernization. Lastly, he emphasized the significance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as the cornerstone of the Belt and Road Initiative and how it has substantially improved Pakistan&rsquo;s infrastructure, energy generation, and provided many other benefits. Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated the leadership and people of Pakistan and China on the completion of 75 years of Pak-China diplomatic relations. In a post on social media platform X by the Interior Ministry of Pakistan, the minister extended best wishes to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Communist Party of China, and the people of China.&nbsp;

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirm Pakistan-China friendship, highlighting mutual trust, CPEC cooperation, regional stability and shared commitment to peace on diplomatic ties’ 75th anniversary.

Pakistan, China celebrate 75 years of ties with renewed commitment to strategic partnership

ISLAMABAD: India is facing a supply shortfall of about 400,000 barrels of liquefied petroleum gas per day, as the Middle East conflict severely disrupts imports through the Strait of Hormuz, according to data from energy analytics firm Kpler. A report by Nikkei Asia, a Japan-based financial newspaper, was cited by India&rsquo;s The Wire, saying that the country&rsquo;s domestic production is &quot;unable to make up for the fall in imports caused by the Iran war.&quot; Kpler data cited by Nikkei Asia showed that India imported only 377,620 barrels of LPG per day in April, less than half the 851,870 barrels per day imported in February before the regional conflict intensified. Although India increased domestic production, output rose by only 75,000 barrels per day, far below the scale needed to offset import losses, the newspaper said. Speaking to Nikkei, Kpler&rsquo;s lead analyst for refining and supply, Sumit Ritolia, said India&rsquo;s domestic LPG production &quot;had already peaked and could not increase much further.&quot; &quot;The supply gap might persist for as long as imports don&rsquo;t fully resume,&quot; Ritolia said. According to India&rsquo;s Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, in FY 2025-26, the country imported around 60% of its LPG requirements. Nearly 80% of those imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz from Gulf suppliers, including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, according to Nikkei. According to the report, LPG imports from those four countries fell to 173,000 barrels per day in April, down about 75% compared to February levels. Indian Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri recently said at the Confederation of Indian Industry Annual Business Summit that there was &quot;no crisis,&quot; claiming India possessed enough LPG stocks to last 45 days, while crude oil and natural gas reserves could last 69 days. India has attempted to &quot;diversify&quot; LPG imports by sourcing supplies from Iran, Argentina, Australia, and Chile, The Wire said. However, it added that the combined shipments from those countries totaled only 43,000 barrels per day last month, far below the 678,000 barrels per day previously supplied by its main West Asian partners.

File: A staff worker fills petrol in a scooter at a fuel station in Ahmedabad on May 15, 2026. (AFP)

India

Data cited by Nikkei Asia shows that India imported only 377,620 barrels of LPG per day in April, less than half the 851,870 barrels per day imported in February, before the Middle East conflict intensified.

India records LPG supply gap of 400,000 barrels per day: Kpler data 

ISLAMABAD: In an intelligence-based operation, a highly wanted terrorist leader, Khariji Umar alias Jan Mir alias Tor Saqib, along with four other terrorists, was killed, according to security sources. They stated that a bounty of three million rupees had been placed on the head of the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-forces-kill-23-terrorists-in-sanitization-operation-in-north-waziristan" style="color:#0073e6;">terrorist</a> leader Umar alias Jan Mir alias Saqib Tor. According to security sources, the slain leader of &ldquo;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/three-indianbacked-militants-killed-in-southwest-balochistan-province-pakistan-army" style="color:#0073e6;">Fitna al-Khawarij</a>&rdquo; was the mastermind behind numerous terrorist attacks on security forces and civilians. They said said that Umar alias Saqib Tor had constructed underground bunkers, tunnels, and explosive traps in the area around Bobali Mosque in Spinwam. The security forces, through a coordinated strategy, surrounded the terrorists and eliminated them. Operations continue&nbsp;According to experts, the killing of the terrorist leader of &ldquo;Fitna al-Khawarij&rdquo; will help restore peace in the region. They stated that the killing of the Khariji leader in the intelligence-based operation is a major setback for the terrorists of &ldquo;Fitna al-Khawarij.&rdquo; Experts further said that under &ldquo;Operation Azm-e-Istehkam,&rdquo; operations against &ldquo;Fitna al-Khawarij&rdquo; and &ldquo;Fitna al-Hindustan&rdquo; are continuing successfully.&nbsp; Mohsin Naqvi praises security forcesFederal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised security forces for the successful intelligence-based operation. In a post shared by the Ministry of Interior on X, Naqvi paid tribute to the security forces for &quot;sending four Khawarij, including the highly wanted terrorist leader Umar alias Jan Mir, to hell.&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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2057369074536202589&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=58c0acab0737469eda0d93677aa6b958d48bd4c2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> He described the killing of the &quot;most wanted terrorist leader&quot; as a &quot;major success&quot; for the security forces. &quot;Pakistan&rsquo;s brave sons are valiantly eliminating the terrorists of the Kharijite sedition,&quot; Naqvi said,&nbsp;further stating that &quot;terrorists and their facilitators will not be allowed to thrive under any circumstances.&quot;

They state a bounty of Rs3m was on the head of Umar alias Jan Mir alias Saqib Tor; the slain leader of ‘Fitna al-Khawarij’ was the mastermind behind numerous terrorist attacks on security forces and civilians.

Wanted leader among five terrorists killed in Waziristan operation: Security sources  

MIAMI: The United States on Wednesday indicted Cuba&#39;s former leader Raul Castro, on murder charges, fueling speculation that President Donald Trump will try to topple the communist state. The charges against the former president -- who at 94 years old remains influential in Cuban politics -- stem from the deadly 1996 downing of two civilian planes manned by anti-Castro pilots. Castro is the younger brother of Fidel Castro, the late iconic US nemesis who led Cuba&#39;s 1959 communist revolution. &quot;We expect that he will show up here by his own will or by another way and go to prison,&quot; acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told a news conference in Miami attended by cheering Cuban-Americans. In addition to murder, Castro has been charged with conspiracy to kill Americans and destruction of aircraft. The US government previously seized on a domestic indictment to justify military action in January that toppled and seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a staunch ally of Cuba. Trump hailed the indictment on Wednesday as a &quot;very big moment&quot; but played down prospects of moving on Cuba, whose economy has been in a deepening crisis for months amid a US oil blockade. &quot;There won&#39;t be escalation. I don&#39;t think there needs to be. Look, the place is falling apart. It&#39;s a mess, and they sort of lost control,&quot; he told reporters. The Cuban government, in a statement, said that the 1996 shootdown was &quot;legitimate self-defense&quot; against an airspace violation. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel wrote on X that the charges carry no legal basis and &quot;add to the file they are fabricating to justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba.&quot; Five other Cubans were also charged, including the air force pilots who shot down the planes. Four people died in the 1996 incident, sending relations plummeting. Two decades later, Raul Castro joined US President Barack Obama in an effort to reconcile. Trump reversed Obama&#39;s effort to improve relations and has been steadily tightening sanctions on the island, already under a US embargo almost continuously since the communist revolution. &#39;New path&#39;&nbsp;Trump has repeatedly signaled that the Cuban government could be next after Venezuela to fall to US pressure, and earlier this month even said Washington would be &quot;taking over&quot; the Caribbean island, about 90 miles (145 km) from Florida, &quot;almost immediately.&quot; In a video message to the Cuban people in Spanish, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, himself a Cuban-American, accused the Havana leadership of theft, corruption, and oppression. &quot;President Trump is offering a new path between the US and a new Cuba,&quot; Rubio said in the message on the day Cuban-Americans mark the island&#39;s independence from Spain. &quot;A new Cuba where you have a real opportunity to choose who governs your country and vote to replace them if they are not doing a good job.&quot; The US ousting of Maduro has hit Cuba hard, cutting off a supply of free Venezuelan oil to the island, which has suffered major blackouts. Rubio has dangled an offer of $100 million in aid to Cuba if it takes steps to open up. &quot;Currently, the only thing standing in the way of a better future are those who control your country,&quot; Rubio said. &#39;Pretext&#39; for war&nbsp;Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned against war and urged Trump to return to the Obama-era policy. &quot;Raul Castro should be held accountable for the murder of Americans over international waters. But this indictment looks less like a pursuit of justice and more like a pretext for escalation, potentially even an illegal invasion of Cuba,&quot; Meeks said. Trump has described his stance as a reward to Cuban-Americans who helped him win the electorally crucial state of Florida. At the Versailles restaurant, a historic gathering point for Miami&#39;s Cuban diaspora, Francys Fabelo, a 67-year-old writer originally from Cuba, said the community has been waiting for charges against the Castros for decades. &quot;You don&#39;t mess with President Trump. I think this is serious. We hope, the people of Cuba hope, that this is serious,&quot; she said.

People hold signs outside Versailles Restaurant in support of charges announced by US federal prosecutors against the former Cuban president in Miami, Florida, on May 20, 2026 (AFP)

The charges against the former president stem from the deadly 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft flown by anti-Castro pilots, while Castro is also being charged with conspiracy to kill Americans and destruction of aircraft.

Articles by Simran Siraj