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• Beijing’s envoy already laying groundwork to continue Islamabad-Kabul mediation efforts
• Pakistani circles ‘fed up’ by failure of bilateral efforts, pin their hopes on Chinese shepherding the process

CHINA’S diplomatic mediation between Pak­istan and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan is keeping hopes alive for a possible rapprochement.

After hosting their first meeting in Urumqi, Xinjiang, in April — aimed at bringing an end to the Islamabad-Kabul animosity — Beijing now intends to hold a second meeting to keep the process on track, according to people familiar with discussions.

For the better part of the year, conflict between the two neighbours has badly affected trade, transit, cross-border movement of common people, and those living in the border regions.

Both sides seem to be inflexible on core issues, such as opening bilateral government channels, trade and movement of people.

While the signals from Kabul regarding the ‘Urumqi process’ have been somewhat positive, Pakistani circles have remained tight-lipped until recently – in expectation of some positive impact on the security situation in the country, especially the militancy-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Pakistan officially broke its silence on the issue in the Joint Statement issued on Tuesday, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrapped up his three-day visit to China.

“The Pakistani side spoke positively of the successful holding of the informal talks among China, Afghanistan and Pakistan in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China in April 2026, and welcomed the Chinese side to provide a dialogue platform for communication between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” the statement said.

Laying groundwork

China’s Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs Yue Xiaoyong has already been laying the groundwork for the second meeting, something he discussed during a visit to Kabul earlier this month.

“Both sides give positive assessment of the Urumqi process ready (sic) working together for peace, security and common [development],” Ambassador Yue wrote on X on May 13 following his meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and other officials.

Muttaqi has, on a number of occasions, spoken about “progress” in the process. According to a statement issued after a meeting with the Chinese special envoy on May 11, he “emphasised that the success of the negotiation process (in Urumqi) depends on concrete measures, strengthening the atmosphere of trust, and keeping the level of tension low, and the Islamic Emirate has taken significant steps in these areas”.

The Afghan functionary did not specify what “significant steps” his government had taken to address Pakistan’s security concerns. However, it is believed that he may have been referring to reports that Afghan authorities had detained members of Pakistan-facing terrorist groups in areas – including Khost, Paktia, Paktika and Kunar – and shifted them away from the border regions.

However, these reports could not be independently verified, and Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid did not respond to a query about the reported action.

Guns have fallen relatively silent over the past couple of months in the restive border region, and some progress has come on the back of deals struck at the local level – facilitated by tribal elders in Bajaur-Mohmand-Kunar and Chitral-Nuristan – that have managed to expel militant elements from their areas.

These local arrangements highlight the key role tribal elders can play in bringing relations back on track.

Mansoor Ahmad Khan, Pakistan’s former ambassador in Kabul, says that both countries continue to look at their relations exclusively through the prism of security and geopolitics, while ignoring the most important dimensions – leveraging civilisational interaction and regional connectivity to gain the desired results.

Stated positions

Action against terrorists who use Afghan soil to attack Pakistan has been one of Islamabad’s main and long-standing demands, and Pakistani officials have been seeking their arrest during bilateral negotiations, as well as in the presence of mediators, according to those who have been part of the talks.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Pakistani official told Dawn the Afghan Taliban had privately shared some information, but it remains to be seen what they do with those who have reportedly been detained.

When asked what Pakistan wants the Afghan Taliban to do, the official summed it up thus: kill, arrest, disarm, hand-over or take Pakistani militants away from the border regions.

On their part, the Afghan Taliban have suggested that Pakistan negotiate with the armed groups, calling it an “internal matter” for Pakistan.

According to an Afghan Taliban official, the regime in Kabul does not want to open up a new front against Pakistan-facing militant groups, as they cannot afford a fresh conflict on their soil.

Although Pakistan has been seeking of a written commitment that the Afghans will not allow the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or any other group to use their soil to stage attacks, such an assurance has yet to materialise.

“The Afghan Taliban had agreed in Urumqi to mention the TTP in a possible agreement, but refused to use the word ‘terrorists’ to describe it and other militant groups,” according to sources privy to the China-hosted talks.

From a bilateral to a multilateral track

The Urumqi process has an added significance, as Pakistan has all but given up on pursuing a bilateral track with Kabul, saying that all previous such efforts had failed.

In this backdrop, the Chinese efforts have assumed greater importance – not least because previous efforts by Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia did not yield the desired results, either.

But Beijing’s involvement is being seen as a boon for Pakistan. Mushahid Hussain Sayed, a former senator and chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute, argues that Beijing’s role in the region is a factor for stability and a source of strength for Islamabad.

“Just as Pakistan is engaged in a sincere and sustained effort to promote peace between the US and Iran, so too China wants peace and rapprochement between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as this volatile and unstable region cannot be another battlefield. This meets with the interests of both peoples as well as the region as a whole,” Mr Sayed told Dawn.

In his view, China believes that promoting regional connectivity via the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) & China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and having a common approach on counter terrorism, dialogue and diplomacy, is the best way forward to defuse tensions and resolve issues, so that the situation doesn’t spiral out of control.

According to Ambassador Khan, the former envoy to Kabul, Chinese mediation actually provides an opportunity to open bilateral channels of engagement in security/counter-terrorism, trade and people-to-people exchanges with a view to achieve mutual peace, progress and prosperity.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2026

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• Washington says strikes targeted Iranian missile sites, mine-laying boats
• Rubio says Iran deal may take ‘a few days’; insists Hormuz will reopen ‘one way or the other’
• Iran says US drone downed, F-35 fired at; tanker damaged by external explosion off Oman
• Trump to hold Camp David cabinet meeting on Iran crisis

TEHRAN: Iran accused the United States of breaching their ceasefire on Tuesday and warned it was ready to retaliate and “will not leave any evil unanswered” after overnight US strikes targeting Iranian missile sites and mine-laying boats threatened a deal to end the war.

The Brent benchmark oil price jumped up by more than four per cent after US Central Comm­and announced the new wave of bombings, and China urged both sides to respect the truce and to resolve their dispute peacefully.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said negotiating a deal to halt the conflict could “take a few days”.

According to Iranian media, Iran’s negotiators had been pushing for the memorandum to include the release of billions of frozen assets at talks in Qatar.

The maritime safety monitor UKMTO said a blast damaged a tanker on the waterline off Oman — although the crew and vessel were reportedly safe after what was described as an “external explosion”.

Iranian state media reported overnight blasts in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz, and the country’s Revo­lutionary Guards said its forces had downed a US drone entering its airspace and had fired at an F-35 fighter jet.

“The US terrorist army, continuing its illegal and unjustified actions since the ceasefire … has, in the past 48 hours, committed a gross violation of the ceasefire in the Hormozgan region,” the Iranian foreign ministry said.

It added that Tehran “will not leave any evil unanswered and will not hesitate to defend the Iranian nation”, without elaborating.

A senior spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces also warned that any resumption of US and Israeli air strikes on Iran would meet a “heavier” and “stronger” retaliation, Al Jazeera reported.

“If the region enters another round of war, Iran’s response will extend beyond regional borders and will be much heavier and stronger,” Abolfazl Shekarchi said in remarks carried by the Fars news agency.

Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, said: “US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.”

He gave few details of the attacks and said only that the targets included missile launch sites and boats trying to “emplace mines”.

Despite the strikes, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that a deal remained within reach. But he remained firm on the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil and gas shipping route which Iran is seeking to control.

“There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we’ll see if we can make progress. I think it’s a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it’ll take a few days,” Rubio told reporters, during a visit to India.

He said the strait was “going to be open one way or the other,” adding: “What’s happening there is unlawful, it’s illegal, it’s unsustainable for the world, it’s unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is set to hold a rare cabinet meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat as Iran talks near a critical point, a White House official told AFP.

The New York Post reported that Iran was set to dominate the meeting, which was expected to be attended by all cabinet members.

Doha talks

Iranian and US officials have indicated that recent indirect talks made progress on a memorandum of understanding, or initial deal, that would lead to further negotiations over a final agreement.

Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, its foreign minister and its central bank governor were in Doha on Monday for talks with Qatar’s prime minister on a potential deal, an official briefed on the visit said.

Qalibaf returned to Iran after seeking agreement on the release of around $24 billion of frozen Iranian funds as part of the memorandum of understanding, Iranian media reported.

Iran’s Fars news agency cited a source saying that the unfreezing of the funds was the last serious sticking point for the memorandum of understanding to be finalised.

According to Iranian sources, an initial deal would cover ending the war on all fronts, establishing a 30-day framework for restarting movement through the Strait of Hormuz, and possibly providing some financial relief — with more complex issues such as Iran’s nuclear programme to be negotiated in a second phase.

Iran has been letting some ships through the strait, giving preference to vessels linked to countries with which it has alliances or close ties, and striking government-to-government agreements, Reuters has reported.

Trump has said his key aim in the war is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon with its highly enriched uranium. Tehran denies any such plans.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2026

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The Punjab Home Department on Tuesday issued a list of banned and monitored organisations ahead of Eidul Azha, urging citizens not to donate sacrificial animal hides to such groups or their affiliated organisations.

According to a spokesperson for the department, “Providing any kind of assistance to banned organisations is a punishable offence under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.”

He further warned that individuals found supporting organisations involved in terrorism or anti-state activities would face legal action.

According to the list issued by the Home Department, the banned organisations included Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Jaish-i-Mohammed, Lashkar-i-Taiba, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Al Qaeda, Daesh, Jamaatud Dawa, Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation and several other proscribed or monitored entities.

“Citizens are advised to donate sacrificial hides only to organisations registered with the Punjab Charity Commission (PCC),” he said, adding that the authenticity of registered organisations could be verified through QR codes printed on their registration certificates.

The spokesperson said registration with the PCC was mandatory for charitable organisations operating in the province, while deputy commissioners (DCs) were authorised to issue permits for the collection of sacrificial hides by seminaries and welfare organisations.

He urged citizens to ensure that hides were handed over only to organisations with valid certificates issued either by the PCC or the relevant DC so that donations could reach deserving beneficiaries instead of banned outfits.

Additionally, the Punjab Home Department asked citizens to provide anonymous tips on the collection of any sacrificial hides by banned or monitored organisations through toll-free number 0800-11111 or the Punjab Charity Commission helplines 042-99330399 and 042-99330162.

Last week, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government imposed a complete ban on the collection of hides by banned outfits and non-governmental organisations across the district during Eidul Azha.

“In pursuance of the government order, I impose a complete ban on the use of loudspeakers for the collection of sacrificial hides and on establishing collection points anywhere in the district,” Mian Behzad Adil, the deputy commissioner, said in an official order.

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A PALL has descended on Eid festivities. The Sunday suicide bombing in Quetta has left many grieving their loved ones at a time when others will be celebrating the bonds of faith and family. According to the official count, more than a dozen lives were snuffed out, and at least 20 people were left injured; later reports put the toll much higher.

Maimed bodies of women and children were seen being carted from the site on stretchers. One wonders what monstrous instinct compelled the perpetrators to commit such senseless violence. Officials and hospital sources later noted that the victims were mainly passengers of the ill-fated shuttle train, on their way to board the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express, as well as pedestrians and residents living along the railway track where the bombing occurred. The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed the attack, cementing its credentials as a terrorist outfit that resorts to violence against defenceless victims.

The fact that terrorists were once again able to target travellers is of particular concern. It seems that the Jaffar Express, which connects the provinces of Balochistan and KP and passes through Sindh and Punjab, has become a symbolic target for malicious elements. This is a major problem for those responsible for ensuring the security of both the citizenry and the infrastructure of the province; the authorities must devise an actionable plan to address this menace.

It is also deeply regrettable that actors claiming to represent Baloch interests have made a legitimate target of what are otherwise unarmed civilians. No ideology can justify the murder of innocents, and there must be zero tolerance for such hateful elements. The state must receive all the support it requires to take action and neutralise these merchants of death.

That said, there must also be some reflection on why Balochistan continues to slip out of the hands of those tasked with its administration and governance. The state keeps reiterating the role of hostile foreign actors in fomenting unrest, yet seems to be short on ideas on how to prevent the ingress of such actors and their ideologies in Baloch society. The sense of alienation within the Baloch people, which allows these foreign forces to feed on the locals’ dissatisfaction and disillusionment, is rarely addressed.

Political wisdom dictates that the people of Balochistan must be empowered and, in turn, also be responsible for peace and stability within their society. But this can only happen if the province is allowed to experience an unhindered and relatively clean political process. Lastly, the centre has made a mistake by pushing away Baloch leaders who may have harboured grievances but still respected the Constitution and denounced violence. It is time to re-engage with them and let them propose solutions for the province’s multiple troubles.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2026

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• Naveed Qamar criticises continued reliance on indirect taxes, petroleum levy
• UNDP consultants warn Pakistan remains on a ‘fragile stabilisation path’
• Inflation projected to exceed 12pc despite gradual economic recovery

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Monday accused the government of persistently violating its own laws by failing to circulate and publish the Budget Strategy Paper (BSP) by May 10, besides doing little on economic reforms.

A meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Comm­ittee on Finance and Revenue, presided over by former finance minister Syed Naveed Qamar of the PPP, also expressed serious concern over the continued heavy reliance on indirect taxes and petroleum levy instead of sustainable expansion of the tax base.

The panel was equally worried over sluggish progress on critical structural reforms when briefed by private economic analysts representing the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Qamar voiced concern over the growing burden of circular debt in the energy sector, the slow pace of reforms in state-owned enterprises, and rising socio-economic pressures caused by inflation, unemployment and poverty.

Private economist and public financial management specialist Dr Ali Salman, representing the UNDP, told the committee that economic growth was recovering slowly but per capita income remained weak. He warned that higher-than-projected inflation could undermine economic growth.

“Inflationary pressures are becoming increasingly concentrated in energy and essential food items, raising risks to household purchasing power,” he said, noting that prices of petrol, diesel, LPG, wheat flour, electricity and onions had risen between 43 per cent and 68pc during the current fiscal year.

Salman said inward remittances from overseas Pakistanis and government expenditure management were performing relatively well, although he added that expenditure control was mainly supported by the fall in interest rates. His colleague Bilal Bangash could not explain whether other expenditure heads also reflected improved management.

Salman reported that total revenues as a percentage of GDP had declined from 10.9pc to 10.6pc during the first three quarters of the current fiscal year, while total taxes remained stagnant at 7pc of GDP. He further said the fiscal deficit during the first nine months had declined to 2pc of GDP from 3pc a year earlier, mainly due to increased provincial cash surpluses, which rose to 1.3pc of GDP from 1pc last year. However, the primary balance declined to 3.2pc from 3.7pc.

Naveed Qamar observed that Pakistan and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) appeared unable to co-exist effectively, as the tax machinery continued to rely on higher tax rates instead of broadening the tax base. He noted that the tax shortfall had exceeded Rs680 billion during the first 10 months of the fiscal year, while direct taxes accounted for only 50pc of total collections.

“A surge in non-tax revenue — with 86pc of the target achieved in nine months — driven by SBP profits and petroleum development levy, artificially masked the FBR shortfall,” he said.

Salman informed the committee that circular debt, which stood at Rs3.5 trillion at the start of the fiscal year, had crossed Rs5.1tr by February 2026 as liabilities from the power sector were shifted to the gas sector, whose share rose from Rs1.8tr in July 2025 to Rs3.3tr by February 2026.

The UNDP consultants also pointed out that the government had failed to circulate the BSP this year by May 10 as required under the Public Finance Management Act. They noted that even last year the document was released just a day before the budget presentation in parliament.

The committee took serious note of the delay in circulation of the BSP and observed that the Ministry of Finance was legally bound under the Public Finance Management Act, 2019, to share the document in time to allow meaningful parliamentary scrutiny before the budget session.

The committee was informed that Pakistan remained on a “fragile stabilisation path” despite signs of gradual economic recovery. GDP growth for FY27 was projected between 3.5pc and 4.5pc, while inflation had again entered double digits, reaching 10.9pc year-on-year in April 2026 and projected to exceed 12pc.

Independent experts informed the panel that Pakistan’s total foreign exchange reserves stood at $22.58bn, providing import cover for about 2.58 months. Gross public debt had reached Rs83.28tr, while external debt stood at $137.56bn.

The committee was told that the trade deficit widened to $32.19bn during July-April FY26 due to weak export performance and rising imports. Meanwhile, remittance inflows remained strong at $33.86bn during July 2025-April 2026, with projections for FY26 estimated at $41.2bn.

The presentation further highlighted that Pakistan sourced nearly 90pc of its energy imports from the Middle East, making the economy highly vulnerable to regional geopolitical instability and oil price shocks. The committee was informed that any prolonged regional conflict could significantly increase inflation, widen the current account deficit and place renewed pressure on the exchange rate.

Naveed Qamar said the FBR had consistently failed to meet collection targets despite repeated taxation measures imposed on existing taxpayers. He emphasised the urgent need to broaden the tax base through sustainable and equitable reforms instead of placing additional burdens on already documented sectors of the economy.

Members observed that provincial fiscal surpluses were disproportionately supporting federal IMF compliance targets, while development expenditure remained compressed in favour of current expenditure and debt servicing. They also noted that Pakistan’s export sector continued to underperform compared to regional economies.

The committee further emphasised that excessive taxation on digital connectivity and telecom services was restricting digital inclusion, freelancing opportunities and broader economic participation, particularly among youth and low-income groups. It called for broadening the tax base through documentation, enforcement and administrative reforms rather than repeated increases in tax rates.

Members also called for stronger action against illicit trade, counterfeit markets and undocumented economic activity. The committee highlighted the importance of increasing investment in renewable energy, climate resilience and energy-efficiency initiatives.

The committee stressed that the FY27 budget must move beyond short-term stabilisation measures and instead serve as a platform for sustainable economic reform, fiscal transparency, improved governance and inclusive growth.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2026

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Temperatures hit record highs for May in the United Kingdom and France on Monday, as forecasters warned of a prolonged period of extreme heat across Europe throughout the week.

A so-called “heat dome” of warm air from northern Africa trapped under a high-pressure system over western Europe is behind the high temperatures not usually seen until high summer.

Temperatures in Spain were expected to peak later this week at 38°C, while parts of Italy imposed restrictions on working outdoors.

In the UK, the Met Office weather agency said it was the hottest May day on record, with temperatures hitting 34.8°C at Kew Gardens, southwest London – a full two degrees above the previous high.

“This heat would be exceptional in the UK even in mid-summer, let alone May,” it said on X.

“The weather here, it’s like a mini version of hell. It’s boiling. It’s like really hot,” said 10-year-old Liza Nizari on a visit to London, where temperatures normally average about 17°C or 18C at this time of year.

Lindy Brand-Daloze, a 66-year-old Australian administrator who has been living in London for 12 years, said: “It’s warm, but it’s climate change, isn’t it? So, you know, (we have) probably got to get used to this.”

Scientists say human-induced climate change is making extreme weather events like heatwaves, droughts and floods more intense, resulting in temperature records being broken more frequently.

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst told AFP the increase in extreme temperatures was “a good indication of climate change in action” and more likely to become “the new norm”.

Climate advisers last week warned the UK government that the country was “built for a climate that no longer exists” and urged it to adapt infrastructure like schools and hospitals for a warming planet.

In 2022, temperatures in the UK soared above 40°C for the first time since records began.

Heatwave alert

Across the Channel, weather agency Meteo-France said “dozens” of temperature records were broken in several French cities, as it placed eight western regions under a heatwave alert.

The exceptionally high temperatures were expected to last until the weekend.

On Monday, the western town of Bergerac recorded a high of 34.7°C, with the cities of Nantes and Angers not far behind.

On Tuesday, heat of between 32°C and 35°C was expected across much of the western region of Brittany, “with peaks of 36° or even 37°C expected in the south of the country”, Meteo-France said.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu was to hold a meeting Thursday with key ministers to go over government preparations for the heatwave.

The capital, Paris, on Saturday notched up its first temperature above 30°C of the year, hitting 31.9°C.

On Sunday, a man died during a 10-kilometre running race in Paris, civil defence services said, while 10 more had to be taken to hospital in critical condition after a race in the capital’s suburb of Maisons-Alfort, the authorities said.

A 28-year-old woman also died of heatstroke at an indoor athletics meeting in the eastern Rhone region.

Outdoor work restricted

In Spain, the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) warned the “extraordinarily high temperatures for this time of year” will continue across the country all week, except in the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, off the northwest coast of Africa.

“Widespread tropical nights” are also forecast in southwestern Spain from Wednesday, with temperatures peaking from Wednesday to Friday at between 36°C and 38°C, it wrote on X.

Farther east, Italy’s Lazio region, which includes Rome, on Monday approved rules limiting work in conditions “with prolonged exposure in the sun” between 12pm and 4pm.

The measures apply, for example, to farms, construction sites and in the logistics sector and apply until September 15.

Similar rules had been put in place last year but only from May 30.

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Over 1.5 million Muslims began filling a vast tent city in Makkah on Monday for the annual Haj pilgrimage.

The white-robed pilgrims on buses or on foot arrived at the sprawling encampment in Mina after performing the tawaf.

This year’s rites, drawing Muslim worshippers from across the world, including Iran, follow waves of attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours.

Header image: A member of the Saudi security forces stands directing Muslim pilgrims, to help prevent overcrowding at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Haj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia on May 22, 2026. — Reuters

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