ISLAMABAD, JUN 6: Pakistan has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Saudi and local partners to explore the development of a maritime business district on prime Karachi Port Trust (KPT) waterfront land.

Federal Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the MoU was signed between KPT, Saudi Business Council-NAJD Gateway Holding Company, Arif Habib Dolmen REIT Management Limited (AHDRML), and the Pakistan Corporate Consortium, according to a press release issued on Saturday.

The proposed project would be built on a 140-acre KPT site on MT Khan Road in Karachi and is intended to transform the area into a major commercial and maritime hub.

The development is envisaged to include modern commercial infrastructure aimed at attracting investment, generating employment, and supporting urban development.

“This strategic collaboration is a transformative opportunity to unlock the full potential of Karachi Port Trust’s waterfront assets and position Pakistan as a regional hub for maritime commerce and investment,” Minister Chaudhry said in a statement.

He said that all regulatory and legal requirements under Pakistani law will be met before the project proceeds.

Members of the Saudi delegation showed keen interest in broader cooperation in the maritime sector, including potential involvement in port infrastructure and related projects.

Chaudhry said the visit is part of wider efforts by Islamabad and Riyadh to deepen economic ties and explore investment opportunities in ports, logistics, infrastructure and trade facilitation.

Subject to regulatory approvals, the minister said, the development could become one of the largest waterfront commercial projects in the region.

ISLAMABAD, JUN 5: Pakistan on Friday categorically rejected India’s baseless remarks regarding the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, saying New Delhi remained a “global leader in propagating fake narratives and tendentious propaganda”.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said that India’s “outlandish claims” were part of a familiar and carefully choreographed attempt to conflate fact with fiction.

“We unequivocally reject this latest Indian rhetoric with the contempt it deserves,” the FO added.

GB is set to go to the polls on June 7 to elect its fourth Legislative Assembly. The 2009 Gilgit-Baltistan (Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order, issued by President Asif Ali Zardari, was intended to grant the region autonomy to govern itself.

The FO’s strongly worded rebuttal comes after India’s foreign ministry said it had lodged a protest with Pakistan over the upcoming elections in GB.

In the rebuttal, the FO reiterated that India remained in illegal occupation of the internationally recognised disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remains the longest unresolved item on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, originated from India’s forcible and unlawful occupation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947,” according to the FO.

It maintained that the only just and durable settlement of the Kashmir dispute lay in the faithful implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, ensuring the Kashmiri people their inalienable right to self-determination through a “free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices”.

India’s unfounded assertions regarding GB cannot divert attention from the grave and systematic human rights violations being perpetrated by Indian occupation forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the FO said.

It added that the continued impunity enjoyed by Indian forces under draconian laws imposed in IIOJK was “another dimension of the state terrorism” being perpetrated by New Delhi against Kashmiris.

Islamabad called on India to vacate all occupied territories, reverse all illegal and unilateral actions taken in IIOJK, particularly since August 5, 2019.

India should repeal all draconian laws, and allow access to neutral observers, international human rights and humanitarian organisations, and the international media to ascertain the situation on the ground, the FO said.

India must also enable the Kashmiri people to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions, it added.

LAHORE, JUN 5: A 4.9-magnitude earthquake struck Lahore and adjoining areas on Friday, prompting residents to rush out of their homes and buildings in panic.

According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), the earthquake measured 4.9 on the Richter scale with a depth of 18 kilometres.

The epicentre of the quake was located in the Kashmir-India border region, it added.

No loss of life or property has been reported due to the earthquake.

Earthquakes are not uncommon in Pakistan, as the country is situated on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Large parts of South Asia are seismically active because a tectonic plate known as the Indian plate is pushing north into the Eurasian plate.

The country has experienced multiple devastating quakes in recent decades. The 2005 quake in Azad Kashmir killed over 73,000 people and left millions homeless.

Balochistan also suffered in 2021, when a quake in Harnai killed at least 20 people and hampered rescue operations due to landslides.

Experts warn that the rugged terrain of Pakistan’s earthquake-prone areas complicates relief efforts and makes preparedness critical.

ISLAMABAD, JUN 5: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has issued a travel advisory urging tourists and other visitors to avoid travelling to the region between June 5 and June 20, citing a planned protest call by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

In its advisory, the AJK government advised travellers to postpone non-essential visits during the period. It also asked tourists currently visiting AJK for leisure or other purposes to leave the region by Saturday evening.

The JAAC has previously organised large-scale protests over economic issues and political rights, some of which turned violent and resulted in fatalities during clashes with law enforcement in May 2024 and September 2025.

Its latest protest campaign focuses on a demand to abolish the 12 seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly reserved for refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) who migrated to Pakistan after 1947.

Meanwhile, the All Parties Conference (APC) held at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat in Muzaffarabad this week rejected the demand for the abolition of 12 seats reserved for refugees residing in Pakistan in the Legislative Assembly and made it clear that constitutional reforms are the exclusive prerogative and mandate of elected representatives of the people.

A day ago, the AJK Legislative Assembly also passed a resolution retaining 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees.

The resolution stated that refugee representation was a historical and constitutional reality. It added that any necessary reforms to remove electoral complications and make the system acceptable to political parties could be implemented through the assembly.

Minister rejects refugee seats abolition demand
Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that demands to abolish the 12 seats in the Kashmir Assembly reserved for Kashmiri voters residing in Pakistan are tantamount to an attempt to undermine and disrupt the electoral process.

This demand, made ahead of the upcoming elections, is tantamount to sabotaging the electoral process, the defence minister wrote on his social media platform X.

He said that in Sialkot city and tehsil, there is one seat in the Azad Kashmir Assembly and two seats in the National Assembly, while the remaining Kashmir Assembly constituencies are spread across Pakistan.

The defence minister went on to say that in October 1947, these migrants settled in Sialkot city and tehsil after sacrificing over 200,000 lives.

“The modesty of hundreds of thousands of women was outraged, and thousands of daughters were abducted. How can these migrants be deprived of their rightful representation?” he questioned.

AJK polls on July 27
The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir has announced July 27, 2026 as the date for general elections and issued the complete election schedule.

According to a notification issued by the region’s Election Commission, polling for all constituencies of the AJK Legislative Assembly will be held on July 27 from 8am to 5pm.

The notification states that candidates will be able to submit their nomination papers to returning officers from June 9 to June 19.

Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on June 20, while the preliminary list of candidates whose papers are accepted will also be issued the same day.

Appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers may be filed with the Election Commission from June 21 to June 24. Hearings on the appeals will be conducted on June 26 and June 27, while decisions will be announced between June 28 and June 29.

Under the schedule, candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nomination papers until June 30. A list of contesting candidates will be published on July 1, while election symbols will be allotted on July 2.

The final list of candidates, along with their election symbols, will be published on July 2.

ISLAMABAD, Jun 05: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi visited the headquarters of the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) in Islamabad on Friday, on the occasion of the organization’s 10th anniversary.

The visit underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in strengthening Pakistan’s response to terrorism, terrorist financing, and violent extremism.

During the visit, the Governor commended SSDO’s decade-long contribution to advancing research, policy dialogue, and institutional capacity-building in the areas of counter-terrorism (CT), countering the financing of terrorism (CFT), and countering violent extremism (CVE).

“I am really pleased to visit SSDO and speak about the important work being carried out by SSDO in strengthening efforts against terrorism, terrorist financing, and violent extremism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and across Pakistan,” the Governor stated.

He emphasized that terrorism and violent extremism remain complex challenges that extend beyond security concerns, affecting social cohesion, economic development, and public trust in state institutions. He noted that addressing these challenges requires more than a law-enforcement response and must be grounded in informed policy-making, strong institutions, and active community participation.

Highlighting SSDO’s role, the Governor appreciated the organization’s efforts in supporting CT, CFT, and CVE initiatives through engagement with parliamentarians and key stakeholders. He noted that SSDO’s work in enhancing awareness, strengthening policy dialogue, and promoting evidence-based decision-making is helping equip institutions and leaders with the necessary tools to respond to evolving security threats.

He further stressed the importance of coordinated national action, stating that sustainable peace cannot be achieved by any single institution alone. He called for a whole-of-government approach, ensuring effective coordination among federal, provincial, and local authorities through information sharing and joint action.

Equally, he emphasized a whole-of-society approach, encouraging the active participation of civil society organizations, educational institutions, religious scholars, media, youth, women, and local communities in addressing the root causes of extremism and promoting tolerance, inclusion, and resilience.

The Governor concluded that collective efforts and sustained collaboration are essential to counter extremist narratives and to build a safer and more prosperous future. “Together, through collaboration, dialogue, and collective action, we can build stronger communities, protect future generations from extremist narratives, and contribute to a safer, more peaceful, and more prosperous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan,” he remarked.

SSDO Executive Director Syed Kausar Abbas thanked the Governor for his visit and reaffirmed its commitment to continuing work with national and provincial stakeholders to strengthen Pakistan’s CT, CFT, and CVE frameworks through research, capacity building, and strategic engagement.

ISLAMABAD, Jun 5: A delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) visited Multan International Airport to assess plans for the installation of a modern Baggage Handling System (BHS) aimed at improving operational efficiency and passenger services.

During the visit, the delegation held a coordination meeting with officials of the Pakistan Airports Authority, including the airport’s management team, to discuss the project’s operational requirements, technical specifications, and overall feasibility.

The discussions focused on evaluating the airport’s current baggage management processes and identifying the infrastructure needed to support the proposed automated system. Officials reviewed key technical aspects of the project and explored ways to ensure smooth integration with existing airport operations.

Following the meeting, the JICA team conducted a detailed inspection of the proposed project sites within the airport. The delegation visited several operational areas, including the international baggage section, to assess available infrastructure and determine installation requirements for the new system.

Airport officials said the proposed Baggage Handling System is expected to significantly improve baggage processing capacity, reduce handling times, and enhance the overall travel experience for passengers using Multan Airport.

Representatives from the Pakistan Airports Authority, the Airport Security Force, and other relevant airport departments accompanied the delegation throughout the visit and provided technical briefings on airport operations.

The visit reflects ongoing cooperation between Pakistan and Japan in supporting infrastructure modernization projects and improving service standards at key airports across the country.