Ceasefire at Risk
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a ceasefire with Iran is “on life support” after he rejected Tehran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal. The remarks have triggered global concerns of a resumption of hostilities in the 10-week-old conflict that has killed thousands and halted vital energy flows. In response, Iran has warned there is ‘no alternative’ but to accept its deal.
Heroic Action
A shepherd in Attock lost his life while averting a suicide attack on a security checkpost, potentially saving dozens of lives. The shepherd, identified as Liaqat, was a former employee of Pakistan Railways. The incident occurred at the border of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, around 70km from Attock, with witnesses saying the attack detonated himself when stopped by Liaqat.
Seeking Relief
In a meeting with P.M. Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari has sought all possible measures to provide relief to the common man amidst inflationary pressures arising from the ongoing Middle East crisis. He has also urged the government to ensure the availability of essential commodities despite the difficult geopolitical situation.
Extended Austerity
The federal government has extended until June 13 its ongoing austerity drive and fuel conservation measures, as uncertainty persists over a permanent end to the U.S.-Iran conflict. In a notification, the Cabinet Division has reiterated a 50% reduction in fuel for official vehicles, as well as a four-day workweek for government offices and a ban on all but essential foreign visits.
Formal Protest
Pakistan has lodged a strong demarche with the interim Afghanistan government over a deadly vehicle-borne IED attack on a police post in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district. In a statement, the Foreign Office said it had warned the Afghan Charge d’Affaires Islamabad “reserved the right to respond decisively against those responsible.”
Attack Foiled
Balochistan C.M. Sarfraz Bugti has said intelligence agencies foiled a major terrorist attack by arresting a would-be female suicide bomber who had been tasked with carrying it out in Islamabad. In a press conference, the arrested woman said the BLA had threatened to kill her father if she refused to carry out the attack.
Mass Acquittal
An Additional Sessions court in Peshawar has acquitted 74 activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in a case regarding violence during riots on May 10, 2023 that led to the deaths of two people. In the ruling, the judge observed that the entire case rests upon bald and unsubstantiated allegations, unsupported by any direct, circumstantial, or legally admissible evidence.
Women’s Health
The Balochistan Assembly has adopted a resolution seeking a reduction in taxes on women’s hygiene and sanitary products, emphasizing that these are currently available at high prices. Presenting the resolution, lawmaker Rehmat Saleh Baloch said menstrual hygiene management was not only a women’s issue, but a fundamental human rights and public health concern.
Heavy Burden
The government has collected over Rs. 1.2 trillion from citizens in the form of the Petroleum Development Levy during the first nine months of the ongoing fiscal year. Additionally, in the same period, authorities have collected over Rs. 35 billion under the Climate Support Levy. The government collected the most PDL in December 2025, Rs. 157 billion.
Cruel Rulers
The Municipal Corporation Lahore has resumed a brutal dog culling campaign across the city, triggering protests and outrage from residents. The protesters are demanding that the administration follow the Punjab Animal Birth Control Policy, 2021, which requires sterilization and vaccination of stray dogs rather than their killing.