As a fragile cease-fire holds, President Trump has signalled that a new round of U.S.-Iran talks could take place within days. In Islamabad, where security has tightened and diplomats are working back channels, Pakistan is trying to turn a brief pause in fighting into a second chance for negotiations.
Donald Trump issued a surprise public thank-you to Pakistan while praising Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, a message likely to intensify debate over Pakistan’s growing strategic relevance.
The strongest defence of the Haramain would be one that keeps the turbulence of the region far from their gates. That is more than deterrence; it is stewardship of a trust larger than any single state.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye decided at an emergency meeting in Riyadh on 5 October to move to the practical implementation of collective defence commitments under the Makkah Alliance for Defense, including rapid deployment of agreed forces in the Kingdom.
The International Criminal Court on 5 October 2026 unsealed four arrest warrants in the Afghanistan situation against senior Taliban figures, including Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
In the AI age, the challenge is no longer finding information, but deciding what deserves our trust. As artificial intelligence reshapes news and society, human judgement, verification, and context matter more than ever, writes Fizza Sajawal.