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DEFENSE
Pakistan army chief Asim Munir arrives in Tehran for talks
Field Marshal Asim Munir lands in Tehran for the latest in a series of visits as Pakistan continues mediating between Iran and the United States.
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INTERNATIONAL
Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar and Indonesia to sign defence industry deal
Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar and Indonesia are expected to sign a defence industry cooperation memorandum in Doha as Qatar plans a local defence production hub.
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INTERNATIONAL
Manipur protesters leave militant attack victims’ bodies at chief minister’s gate
Suspected militants shoot dead at least two Meitei men collecting firewood near Imphal East-Kangpokpi border; residents lay the bodies outside the chief minister's residence as police fire tear gas.
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INTERNATIONAL
India’s No First Use pledge is a ‘diplomatic ruse’, Pakistan’s nuclear adviser says
Lt Gen (Retd) Mazhar Jamil, adviser to Pakistan's National Command Authority, tells an IISS London audience India's No First Use policy is a "diplomatic ruse" and defends Pakistan's response to the May 2025 crisis.
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Every answer from Thursday Times reporting and the official record. On WhatsApp too.
Featured
Abhijeet Dipke calls Modi ‘biggest coward’ India has seen
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke accuses Narendra Modi of hiding behind police and courts, as two of his colleagues remain in judicial custody over a Jantar Mantar protest.
Government cuts petrol price by Rs5.16 a litre, diesel by Rs7.69
Petrol falls to Rs381.14 and high-speed diesel to Rs389.27 a litre from Tuesday, a modest correction after a year of war-driven price swings.
Field Marshal Asim Munir and Saudi envoy discuss defence cooperation at GHQ
Saudi Arabia's newly appointed ambassador Rajeh Tami Albugamy called on Field Marshal Asim Munir in Rawalpindi, with both sides citing progress under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
Words by
TT Monitoring Desk
Inside the Makkah alliance: DG ISPR on expansion, legal basis and the Muslim world’s test
DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry details the Makkah alliance's secretariat, its Article 51 legal basis, and a maritime coalition spanning Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb, in an interview with Independent Arabia.
Words by
TT Monitoring Desk
Air India and IndiGo are quietly retreating from the map, one route at a time
Twenty-nine Air India routes cut in three months, a Vienna-Delhi link gone by Halloween, a lonely Chennai-Réunion service flying its last leg in October. The cuts are small on their own. Together they are a pattern.
Words by
TT Monitoring Desk
India’s airlines face a double squeeze as Pakistan’s airspace ban meets a global fuel shock
India's airlines say the squeeze from Pakistan's airspace ban and a global jet-fuel shock could sink them. Routes are being cut, but no major carrier has actually gone under.
Words by
Abdullah Esquire
Rethinking Musharraf
I grew up in a PML-N house where the general was the villain of every story. Fifteen years on, I've stopped believing it.
Westline
How markets and wars dictate society.
Read Westline
The backlog Britain built
Ministers of both parties have spent a decade blaming the people in the queue. The numbers point at the people running it.
Abdullah Esquire
The Tories edge past Reform, but credibility is the real fight
Abdullah Esquire
Trump’s infatuation with Munir is a love letter to charisma
The Editorial Desk
Every Starmer stumble brings Kemi closer
TT Monitoring Desk
Abu Dhabi is quietly becoming one of medicine’s more interesting frontiers
Between an AI programme for diagnosing multiple sclerosis, a planned heavy-ion cancer therapy centre and a new Arab genomic reference, Abu Dhabi's hospitals had an unusually productive start to 2026.
UAE’s non-oil exports just had their best half-year on record
Non-oil exports grew almost 24% in the first half of 2026 to a record AED452.8bn, the clearest sign yet that the UAE's decade-long push to diversify away from oil is showing up in the trade numbers.
Dubai’s tourists are coming back, and this time they’re filling more rooms
Dubai's tourism sector has clawed back to its strongest footing since February, with nearly 7 million visitors through August and hotel occupancy almost doubling since the spring.
Isolation to influence
Pakistan’s role in securing the US-Iran ceasefire has opened a narrow but important window for peace, projecting Islamabad as a credible mediator. Yet the ceasefire is only a pause, and Pakistan’s test now lies in turning this diplomatic breakthrough into lasting regional, domestic, and economic gains.
Why Imran Khan must become the chancellor of Oxford University
Imran Khan’s bid to become Oxford University's Chancellor while imprisoned symbolises resilience and leadership, offering the institution a global icon committed to justice and education, though critics argue his legal troubles complicate his chances, writes political theorist Gavin Mercer
The Pakistani youth are a wasted asset
Our government must rethink their stance on the youth and take the necessary steps to utilise our youth for rebuilding Pakistan.
Norway stun Brazil 2-1 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals
Norway stunned Brazil 2-0 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with goals in the 79th and 90th minutes. Norway dominated with 67% possession. Haaland and Odegaard starred. Brazil are out.
PIF debuts Dollar-Euro commercial papers to tighten global capital grip
Saudi Arabia’s PIF has launched a dual commercial paper programme in U.S. and Euro markets to diversify its funding sources and enhance short-term liquidity while securing top credit ratings from Moody’s and Fitch.
No radiation detected in Gulf after US strikes on Iran, says Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission has confirmed a lack of radioactive effects or radiation risk after US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites including Fordow as regional authorities move quickly to reassure the public and downplay environmental fallout concerns.
PMLN and PPP agree to form joint federal government in surprise coalition
The PML(N) and PPP have agreed to form a coalition government at both the federal and Punjab levels, following talks between Shehbaz Sharif and PPP leaders Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari, aiming to tackle Pakistan's political and economic challenges through unity and collaboration.
Maryam Nawaz, a catalyst for the PML(N)’s revitalisation
Maryam Nawaz ignites PML(N)’s resurgence, championing progressive reforms and female empowerment, poised to redefine Pakistan’s politics in her electrifying electoral debut.
The PTI’s social media strategies continue to leave other parties in the dust
Imran Khan's PTI continue to lead the way in Pakistan's digital political landscape, leveraging innovative social media strategies and AI technology as the 2024 Pakistani General Elections approach.
The SIFC is a visionary concept with flawed execution
Pakistan's untapped FDI potential hinges on proactive diplomacy, strategic investment policies, and private sector engagement to transform its economy; empowering ambassadors can unlock opportunities for sustainable growth and development, writes global policy expert Abdul Rauf Shakoori.
Benazir, the pioneer
Benazir Bhutto, twice Prime Minister of Pakistan, was the first woman to lead a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country. Her landmark tenures, from 1988-1990 and 1993-1996, were marked by significant political and social reforms.
The enduring impact of the PPP
Over its 55-year history, the Pakistan People's Party has been a transformative force in Pakistan, championing inclusivity and social welfare under the leaderships of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, and Asif Ali Zardari, and continuing its legacy with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Pakistan to miss hockey Asian Champions Trophy in India, Bangladesh called in as replacement
Pakistan will not travel to India for next month's Hockey Asian Champions Trophy, with Bangladesh brought in as a late replacement, after the PHF's request to shift matches to a neutral venue over security concerns was turned down.
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs as Salman Agha’s century headlines tri-series opener
Salman Agha's fourth ODI hundred set up a 305-run total, and Pakistan's pace attack held off a Pavan Rathnayake fightback to open the ODI tri-series with a 37-run win over Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi.
England arrive in Rawalpindi for first Pakistan ODI series in 21 years as tri-series moves on
Fresh off a 37-run win over Sri Lanka, Pakistan face England in Rawalpindi on Tuesday in just the tourists' second men's ODI series in Pakistan since 2005, with Mohammad Rizwan's continued absence still the squad's biggest talking point.
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