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  • SIA raids in Kulgam and Qazigund over alleged human-trafficking, cyber-fraud case

    SIA raids in Kulgam and Qazigund over alleged human-trafficking, cyber-fraud case

    SRINAGAR: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) searched two houses in Kulgam and Qazigund in south Kashmir on October 1, according to Kashmir Observer. The agency said the searches were part of a human-trafficking and cyber-fraud case.

    The SIA claimed that local youth were allegedly lured with promises of jobs abroad and taken via Thailand to Myanmar. It said mobile phones, identity documents and a passport were seized during the raids.

    The allegations are at a preliminary stage and could not be independently verified. Further details on arrests or charges are awaited.

    Such trafficking cases typically involve victims being taken abroad on false job promises and forced to work in fraud centres.

  • Pakistan opens IMF review talks with $1.2bn disbursement in focus

    Pakistan opens IMF review talks with $1.2bn disbursement in focus

    Pakistan has opened a new round of talks with the International Monetary Fund, with the Fund’s mission in Islamabad for the fourth review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility and the third review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility.

    Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held the kick-off meeting with the mission, led by IMF Mission Chief for Pakistan Iva Petrova, on September 29 in Islamabad, marking the start of detailed discussions on economic performance and outstanding reform commitments.

    The review will assess Pakistan’s performance through June 2026 against programme commitments, covering fiscal targets, tax reforms, monetary policy, energy-sector measures and structural benchmarks. The mission has already held discussions with the State Bank in Karachi and is expected to remain in the country until the first week of October.

    Successful completion of the reviews, followed by approval from the IMF Executive Board, could unlock about $1 billion under the EFF and another $200 million under the RSF — roughly $1.2 billion in new disbursements, potentially by end-November or early December.

    In the Islamabad phase, the mission is meeting the Finance Ministry, the Federal Board of Revenue and other institutions. Discussions are also covering a heavy legislative agenda, with the Finance Secretary having told a parliamentary committee that the IMF had sought around 174 amendments to various laws covering taxation, energy, privatisation, state-owned enterprises and climate-related reforms.

  • NATO Rift Widens as Trump Administration Sidelines Key Allies from Poland Meeting; Russia Threatens Nuclear Response

    NATO Rift Widens as Trump Administration Sidelines Key Allies from Poland Meeting; Russia Threatens Nuclear Response

    The Trump administration announced it would leave key NATO members out of a meeting on the alliance’s future scheduled to take place in Poland next month. According to Politico and AP reporting, the sidelined nations include the United Kingdom, France and the Baltic countries.

    The invite list reportedly includes Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and Poland. With the summit focused on the future of NATO, the decision to divide the alliance has alarmed Western diplomats. Trump had previously threatened to draw up a “naughty and nice list” of alliance members.

    On the same day, Russia added to NATO’s concerns by threatening nuclear war. The Kremlin stated that Moscow would not hesitate to retaliate with nuclear strikes if NATO decided to cut off the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

    Moscow said the warning followed “information” that NATO was preparing an air and naval blockade of Kaliningrad and its surrounding region. Kaliningrad is a small Russian coastal territory sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.

    The exclusion of allies from the NATO future meeting and Russia’s threats have deepened uncertainty over European security, with analysts warning of heightened diplomatic tension in the coming weeks.

  • Dengue cases surge in Islamabad; health ministry issues advisory

    Dengue cases surge in Islamabad; health ministry issues advisory

    The Ministry of National Health Services and Regulations has issued an urgent advisory warning of an increased risk of dengue transmission, citing heavy rainfall and weather conditions favourable to the virus. Authorities have urged citizens and departments to act on preventive measures immediately.

    According to official figures, Islamabad has seen a sharp rise in dengue positive cases, climbing from 111 to 1,404 between September 9 and October 2, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.

    Dr Zaeem Zia, District Health Officer Islamabad, said most dengue larvae breeding grounds are established in homes, under-construction buildings and public spaces. DHO teams have carried out intensive sweep activities, including indoor residual spraying (IRS), alongside dengue prevention awareness work, he said.

    Health authorities have advised the public to wear long sleeves and use repellents to avoid mosquito bites, avoid going out after sunset, and steer clear of areas with standing water, uncut grass and garbage piles.

    Officials stressed seeking medical advice instead of self-medicating, and urged residents to contact field monitoring teams to arrange dengue spraying in their areas. Medical facilities have been directed to dedicate special counters for dengue-related cases.

    Symptoms of dengue include high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, skin rashes and eye pain. According to NIH guidance, patients should use only paracetamol for fever and avoid aspirin and NSAIDs because they increase bleeding risk. Immediate hospitalisation is required when platelet counts drop below 10,000.

  • PMD seasonal outlook: normal to above-normal rainfall expected through November

    PMD seasonal outlook: normal to above-normal rainfall expected through November

    ISLAMABAD (Daily Hayat) — The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued its seasonal climate outlook for September to November 2026, projecting normal to above-normal rainfall over most parts of the country.

    According to the outlook, northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjoining northern Punjab are expected to receive above-normal rainfall, while temperatures are projected to remain slightly above normal across much of the country.

    October marks the transition from the monsoon and summer season towards cooler autumn weather. Temperatures are expected to gradually decrease, particularly in the northern and upper parts of the country, while central and southern regions may continue to experience relatively warm days.

    The arrival of western weather systems could bring rain and snowfall to higher elevations as the season advances. Rainfall distribution may vary considerably between regions, and occasional weather systems could bring thunderstorms and a temporary drop in temperatures.

    The changing conditions will influence preparations for Rabi-season crops, particularly wheat, berseem, mustard and canola. Farmers have been advised to keep track of local weather updates before making important agricultural decisions.

  • Budgam encounter claim rejected: DG ISPR presents retired havildar Mohammad Asif alive

    Budgam encounter claim rejected: DG ISPR presents retired havildar Mohammad Asif alive

    RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has rejected the Indian Army’s claim that a man killed in Budgam belonged to Pakistan, presenting retired havildar Mohammad Asif alive at a press conference on October 1 and calling the Indian account a “false flag”.

    According to the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps, a joint operation by the army, police and CRPF in the Korag area of Yousmarg, Budgam district, on the night of September 29-30 killed a militant identified as “Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa”, described as a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander.

    Asif, presented at the press conference, said he joined the Pakistan Army in 2000, moved to the elite Special Services Group (SSG) in 2005, retired in 2023, and lives with his family in Rawalpindi, according to reports in Dawn and Arab News. Indian officials had claimed he once served in former president Pervez Musharraf’s security convoy and was involved in high-profile attacks over the last three years.

    The DG ISPR said the presentation of the living man disproved the Indian claim. At the time of publication, India had not formally responded to the Pakistani press conference.

    The episode underscores the contested nature of military claims in the region, where independent verification of such assertions is rarely possible.

  • Zardari-Shehbaz Meeting at President House, Concern Over KP Security Situation

    Zardari-Shehbaz Meeting at President House, Concern Over KP Security Situation

    The meeting expressed particular concern over the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The federal government’s position is that effective coordination between the federation and the provincial government is essential to improving law and order in the province.

    The meeting stressed improving synergy among all relevant institutions in the fight against terrorism to ensure peace and stability.

    The meeting took place as the PTI prepares to launch its long march from Peshawar on October 4, with tight security arrangements in place in Islamabad. Authorities have placed containers on major routes leading to the federal capital.

    Political observers say the Zardari-Shehbaz meeting was significant in finalising the political strategy and security arrangements ahead of the long march.

  • PMD forecasts dry, hot weather across Pakistan

    PMD forecasts dry, hot weather across Pakistan

    ISLAMABAD (Daily Hayat) — The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast dry weather for most parts of the country on Friday (Oct 2), with daytime temperatures likely to remain hot in the plain areas.

    In Islamabad and adjoining areas, the weather is expected to remain dry and hot during the daytime. Most plain districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are likely to experience dry and hot weather, while upper districts may remain partly cloudy in the afternoon.

    Most districts of Punjab are expected to remain dry with hot conditions during the daytime. Sindh is likely to experience dry and hot weather across most districts, while most districts of Balochistan are expected to remain dry and hot during the daytime.

    In Kashmir, partly cloudy and dry weather is expected. Gilgit-Baltistan may experience partly cloudy conditions, with light rain and thunderstorms possible at isolated places.

    During the past 24 hours, weather remained dry over most parts of the country while plain areas experienced hot conditions. The highest maximum temperatures of 40°C were recorded at Dadu, Nokundi and Shaheed Benazirabad. Temperatures recorded included Islamabad 18/33°C, Lahore 23/35°C, Karachi 26/34°C, Peshawar 20/34°C, Quetta 15/32°C and Muzaffarabad 15/36°C. Citizens have been advised to take precautionary measures against the daytime heat.

  • SBP holds policy rate at 11.5pc; reserves climb to $26.77bn, rupee steady near 277

    SBP holds policy rate at 11.5pc; reserves climb to $26.77bn, rupee steady near 277

    The State Bank of Pakistan’s latest economic snapshot shows the policy rate unchanged at 11.5 percent, liquid foreign exchange reserves of $26.77 billion, and the rupee holding broadly steady near 277 to the US dollar.

    As of September 25, total liquid foreign exchange reserves stood at $26,770.9 million. Of this, the State Bank held $21,439.2 million while commercial banks held $5,331.7 million, according to the central bank’s data.

    In the interbank market, the SBP’s indicative rate for the dollar stood at Rs277.10 (M2M revaluation rate) on October 1, with a weighted average bid of Rs276.83 and offer of Rs277.25.

    Separately, the State Bank raised the remuneration rate on the Special Cash Reserve Account (US$) to 2.91 percent for October 2026, up from 2.71 percent in September and 2.66 percent in August. The rate, tied to international benchmarks, applies to foreign currency deposits banks are required to hold with the central bank.

    In money markets, the September 30 treasury bill auction saw cut-off yields of 11.68 percent for one month, 11.99 percent for three months, 12.45 percent for six months and 12.49 percent for twelve months — levels broadly consistent with the current 11.5 percent policy rate.

  • Pakistan joins WAICO as founding member at global AI conference

    Pakistan joins WAICO as founding member at global AI conference

    Pakistan’s National AI Policy outlines innovation, public awareness, secure systems and international collaboration, targeting around Rs278 billion (about US$1 billion) in investment by 2030. The policy aims to train one million AI professionals and 10,000 AI trainers by 2030.

    The conference will feature a high-level meeting on global AI governance, with UN leadership and other international figures expected to attend. Major US technology firms are largely absent from the lineup.

    The agenda will emphasise bridging the AI divide, widening equitable access to AI technologies, and ensuring that the benefits of AI advance sustainable development.

    Pakistan previously joined Tajikistan’s UN mission in hosting a high-level AI discussion at UN headquarters, highlighting youth empowerment and AI-driven development plans.