Category: 1. Pakistan

ISLAMABAD:

Foreign Office has dismissed reports suggesting the recognition of the Afghan Taliban Interim Government, labelling the claims as speculative and refraining from commenting on the issue.

During a weekly media briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan addressed questions surrounding the Taliban government’s recognition. “At this point, it is speculative. I cannot comment on that,” Khan stated.

Turning to the visit of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to Afghanistan, Khan acknowledged that security issues were at the forefront of discussions, particularly the presence of terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil.

“When the Interior Minister goes to a country, security issues are at the top of his agenda. In the aforementioned visits, not only at the Interior Minister level but also at the political level, the issue of sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists in Afghanistan was a key point. Discussions are ongoing on that, and this is part of the regular dialogue between the two countries,” he explained.

Regarding the state of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Khan highlighted the significance of the bilateral relationship, noting that various issues related to logistics and customs procedures have affected trade. “There have been issues, or multiple issues, ranging from logistics, customs, procedure, etc., impacting trade. So, all of these are being addressed, and you can see the momentum it is generating. There is good progress on trade,” he said.

On the subject of Afghan refugees, Khan clarified that the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions were the relevant departments dealing with the deadline for Afghan refugees to leave Pakistan. “As soon as any clarity or instructions from the government are received, we will be able to share with you,” he said.

Iran is a very close friend

Discussing the upcoming visit of Iranian President to Pakistan, Khan referred to Iran as “a very close friend, neighbour and a brotherly country.” He confirmed that discussions regarding the dates of the visit are currently ongoing and assured that details would be announced once finalised.

Khan also addressed the scheduled meeting between DPM Ishaq Dar and US Senator Marco Rubio. The meeting is expected to cover a wide range of bilateral issues, including regional and global concerns, particularly the Middle East, as well as the ongoing Pakistan-India situation. “We remain grateful for the role played by the US in de-escalating tensions leading to the ceasefire,” Khan added.

Pakistan warns India

Foreign Office also reaffirmed its stance that any misadventure by India would be met with a “robust posture” from Pakistan, emphasising the country’s confidence in its defence capabilities.

“Regarding any misadventure by India, our posture remains very robust. We are confident in our defence capabilities, and we hope India sees reason. However, if any attack or aggression occurs against Pakistan, we are ready to defend ourselves,” he said.

He stressed that Pakistan is prepared to respond to any aggression from India, pointing to the recent demonstration of military capability in the Marka-e-Haq, and expressed hope that India would recognise the futility of its aggressive stance, warning that such hegemonic impulses would lead nowhere.

“We are confident about our capabilities, and we have demonstrated this in the recent Marka-e-Haq, which should be evident to everyone. The bottom line is that we remain ready, and we hope India will see that bellicosity and hegemonic impulses will not lead it anywhere,” Khan stated.

Reiterating Pakistan’s invitation to India for dialogue, he said, “So we hope that reason prevails and they can see that the route of diplomacy can lead to win-win situation between the two countries. However, he stressed that the decision to engage in talks rests with India.

Pakistan calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

On the situation in Syria, Khan reiterated Pakistan’s full support for the country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, calling on the international community to intervene and halt Israel’s actions that undermine peace in the region.

“Pakistan stands in full solidarity with the brotherly people of Syria and reaffirms its strong support for lasting peace and stability in the country and in the region,” the spokesperson said.

Read More: Khawaja Asif warns India may attempt another misadventure

On Palestine, he condemned Israel’s continued acts of aggression in Gaza, which have led to the deaths of numerous innocent civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.

Foreign Office has once again called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the end of Israel’s actions against Palestinians, and the lifting of the blockade on Gaza to allow for humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

“Pakistan condemns the continued blatant acts of aggression by Israeli forces in Gaza and Palestine, leading to the deaths of dozens of innocent civilians,” Khan said, reiterating Pakistan’s call for urgent international action.

ISLAMABAD:

Standard & Poor’s credit rating agency upgraded Pakistan by one notch to “B negative” on Thursday, an improvement from its previous standing, though still two positions below investment grade. This move comes due to the implementation of reforms and the abating risks of sovereign default.

S&P Global Ratings raised the long-term sovereign credit ratings from “CCC positive” to “B negative” after a gap of two and a half years, according to an announcement by the agency, one of the three largest credit rating firms.

The agency also assigned a stable outlook to Pakistan. The upgrade has improved Pakistan’s creditworthiness from “very high credit risk, vulnerable to non-payment” to “highly speculative.” Due to its junk credit rating, Pakistan was unable to float international bonds to raise more debt last fiscal year.

S&P stated, “The coalition government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has demonstrated its ability to implement necessary reforms under the IMF programme without significant social unrest.”

The agency noted that the willingness of policymakers to adhere to expenditure controls and continue enhancing the tax revenue base will be crucial in meeting the remaining targets set out in the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement.

The Ministry of Finance has played a key role in staying on track with the IMF programme, despite facing criticism for making tough decisions necessary to complete the first review of the programme and align the new budget with the Fund’s requirements.

S&P’s ratings upgrade reflects the agency’s view that Pakistan is less reliant on favourable macroeconomic and financial developments to meet its obligations. Pakistan has replenished its foreign reserves over the last 12 months, and near-term default risks have abated, according to S&P.

However, one vulnerable area that emerged is related to the exchange rate, which has led to intervention by the military establishment to prevent the reemergence of the grey market.

S&P highlighted that the Pakistani rupee’s depreciation against the US dollar in recent years contributed to stagnation in the country’s nominal GDP per capita. The agency noted that the rupee stabilised in the last fiscal year, and with rising real growth, it forecasts that GDP per capita will surpass $2,000 by fiscal year 2027.

The rating agency also emphasised that political stability and improvement in security conditions are critical for further upgrades. However, it expects political uncertainty to remain high due to a volatile political environment.

“Pakistani politics has been in flux since the ousting of former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a parliamentary no-confidence motion in April 2022,” S&P noted. “We believe that a stable political environment in Pakistan is a key precondition for improvements in the government’s creditworthiness.”

The security situation has improved since the early 2010s, but the potential for deterioration remains. Border tensions with India, highlighted by the recent outbreak of hostilities following the Pahalgam terrorist attack in May 2025, could escalate beyond the intentions of both sides, the agency warned.

S&P also pointed out risks related to debt-servicing costs, which remain high. The agency said Pakistan’s stable outlook reflects its expectation that external support from key multilateral and bilateral partners, along with improvements in the country’s fiscal position, will persist over the next 12 months to meet considerable debt obligations.

The outlook also reflects expectations that continued economic recovery and government efforts to enhance revenue will stabilise fiscal and debt metrics.

Pakistan’s current account posted a surplus in fiscal 2025, the first surplus in 14 years. The modest annual surplus of 0.5% of GDP was driven by record-high remittances, which totalled $39 billion, or 9.5% of GDP. These developments have strengthened Pakistan’s external metrics and alleviated near-term external stress.

The IMF programme-related reforms have significantly increased the government’s tax revenues by 3% of GDP in the last 12 months.

Alongside expenditure controls, S&P forecasts that the general government deficit will decrease to 5.1% of GDP in fiscal 2026, although this is higher than the government’s budget target.

The agency has projected inflation to stay around 6.5% over the next two to three years. As a result, monetary conditions will ease further, and with lower domestic interest rates, government interest payments will decrease to an average of 41% of revenue over the next three years, from a peak of over 60% in fiscal 2024.

“Nevertheless, Pakistan’s interest-servicing-to-revenue ratio remains one of the highest globally among rated sovereigns,” S&P stated. “The main pressure on debt sustainability is the extremely high interest expense relative to fiscal revenue.”

This remains a significant constraint on the agency’s assessment of Pakistan’s debt burden. S&P sees further deterioration in the debt-to-revenue ratio, projecting it to increase from 443% to 454% in this fiscal year.

Future warning:

“We may lower our ratings if Pakistan’s external or fiscal indicators deteriorate well beyond their current levels,” S&P stated.

Downward pressure would emerge if financial support from key bilateral and multilateral partners erodes quickly, or if usable foreign exchange reserves fall substantially, indicating difficulties in servicing external debt obligations.

Furthermore, should interest rates surge again and substantially add to the government’s already-heavy debt-servicing burden, the agency would view that as an indication of domestic financing stress, it added.

Islamabad district and sessions courts on Thursday sentenced 12 PTI supporters to six months in jail in cases pertaining to last year’s November “Final Call” protests, while acquitting one person.

Ex-premier Imran Khan had called for nationwide protests on November 24, demanding the “restoration” of the PTI’s electoral mandate and the reversal of the 26th Amendment.

Following a state crackdown, the party claimed a dozen deaths of its supporters, which the government officially denied, while four Rangers personnel and a cop were martyred during the protests.

Judicial Magistrates Ahmad Shahzad Gondal and Mureed Abbas today heard three separate cases filed under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order (Papo) Act, which had been passed just two months prior to the protests.

One first information report (FIR) was registered at Islamabad’s Tarnol police station on November 24, while two were filed at the Ramna station on November 26 (FIRs 976 and 977). All 12 convicts were ordered to be sent to Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.

According to court orders, which are available with Dawn.com, three people — Banaras Khan, Hazratullah Saeed and Irfanullah Shahwali — were sentenced to six months of “simple imprisonment” in FIR 976. The case was registered under Section 8 (conditions for assembly) of the Papo Act and Section 188 (disobedience to order promulgated by public servant) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The convicts were already in custody, had pleaded not guilty to the charges and had not produced any witnesses in their defence, according to the order.

“The object of this protest was against the law and Constitution of Pakistan,” the judgement observed, noting PTI’s “deliberate choice of prohibited venues and its defiance of administrative directives”.

In the FIR 977 case, six men — Waheedullah Zahid, Fazalur Rehman, Ibrahim Bakhtiar, Khurram Shahzad, Muhammad Banaras and Rafiullah Darwash — were handed six months of “simple imprisonment”. Hammad Aziz, who was on bail, was acquitted.

In the Tarnol police station case, Muhammad Danish, Muhammad Essa, Ijaz Hussain, Muhammad Ishaq and Shahab Khan were given a similar sentence.

Islamabad ATC suspends arrest warrant for Omar Ayub in protest case

Separately, an Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) suspended a bailable arrest warrant for National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub in a case related to a protest in October last year.

PTI protesters and the Islamabad police clashed on Oct 4, 2024, as hundreds of party activists defied security measures and road blockades to gather at multiple locations days before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Over 100 PTI supporters, along with ex-premier Imran Khan’s two sisters, were taken into custody.’

ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra had issued the arrest warrant earlier today as he heard a case filed at the Shahzad Town police station last year.

Advocates Sardar Masroof Khan, Zahid Bashir Dar, Murtaza Toori and Mirza Asim were among the lawyers present on the PTI leaders’ behalf.

During the hearing, Judge Sipra issued a bailable arrest warrant for Ayub and ordered that any previous bail granted to suspects who were absent today be cancelled.

However, the judge accepted Senator Azam Swati’s plea seeking exemption from attendance, which was filed yesterday, according to Masroof. Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned till July 30.

Later in the day, former law minister Babar Awan appeared as Ayub’s counsel and submitted an application seeking exemption from attendance, along with a medical report.

Awan contended that his client had not received a notice of summons from the court.

The application, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, said the PTI lawmaker was unable to appear in court due to “ill health” and was advised bed rest.

“The non-appearance of the applicant is neither deliberate nor intentional,” the application stated.

Subsequently, Judge Sipra suspended Ayub’s arrest warrant.

In a video statement yesterday, Advocate Masroof lamented the “speed with which these cases are being heard”.

He noted that some suspects had come from faraway areas such as Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan, having no place to stay overnight in Islamabad to attend today’s hearing.

“If these trials will be bulldozed in such a manner and you won’t give them a fair trial, then it will become very difficult for you to fulfil the requirements of justice,” the lawyer said, requesting courts to punish those guilty but not convict those who were not involved.

Today’s development comes within days of two ATCs sentencing PTI bigwigs to as many as 10 years in jail in cases related to the violent May 9, 2023 countrywide riots.

A Lahore ATC handed down at least eight leaders 10-year rigorous imprisonment, while acquitting six others. A Sargodha ATC also convicted as many as 32 accused, including MNA Ahmad Chattha and Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar.

In May, the Islamabad police’s prosecution nominated the PTI’s top leadership — including Ayub, Chairman Gohar Khan, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Barris­ter Muhammad Ali Saif — in another case over the October 4 protests filed at the Koral police station.

Earlier this month, a Lahore ATC also declared PTI’s Hammad Azhar and Rana Shahbaz Ahmed as proclaimed offenders in two cases related to an alleged attack on Punjab police during a simultaneous protest as party workers reached Minar-i-Pakistan despite the government’s security measures.

Other cases over the clashes had also been registered at the Noon and Ramna police stations in the federal capital.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Navy on Thursday launched the locally designed and developed Gun Boat PNS Sahiwal at a ceremony held at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW).

Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ovais Ahmed Bilgrami, attended the event as chief guest. The vessel, developed under the Navy’s policy of indigenisation and self-reliance, has been designed by the Navy’s Platform Design Wing and was under construction at KS&EW.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral Bilgrami praised the collaborative efforts of the Platform Design Wing and KS&EW, describing the project as a significant milestone in Pakistan’s indigenous shipbuilding capability.

He also acknowledged the Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) for its continued support in strengthening the country’s maritime industrial base.

Highlighting the vessel’s capabilities, he noted that the Gun Boat is equipped with high-performance, long-range semi-automatic guns, enabling it to perform a range of maritime security operations with enhanced efficiency.

Photo: X/ Pakistan Navy

The platform is designed for versatility and can operate effectively in both coastal and open-sea environments.

The vice admiral further stated that the Navy is considering the series production of similar vessels to support ongoing modernisation efforts and promote the sustained growth of local shipbuilding infrastructure.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Pakistan Navy, MoDP, KS&EW, and representatives from the shipbuilding industry.