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ISLAMABAD: Former chief of army staff Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa has been admitted to a military hospital after sustaining injuries in a fall at his home, according to an informed source.

Bajwa slipped at his residence and suffered multiple injuries, according to initial information. He was moved to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.

He was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit, though the extent of his injuries was not immediately clear.

It is not known exactly when or how the fall occurred. His family could not be reached for comment.

Bajwa, 65, served as the 10th chief of army staff from Nov 29, 2016, to Nov 29, 2022, with an extension in his tenure granted in 2019.

Since retiring in late 2022, Bajwa has largely stayed out of the public eye.

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President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday appreciated efforts for easing tensions and promoting regional peace, warning that any military escalation involving Iran could destabilise the Gulf region, South Asia and Western Asia.

He said this while addressing a ceremony hosted by the Iranian embassy in Islamabad on the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

“Any instability involving Iran, or any attempt to resolve issues through military means, carries grave risks. Such actions could … undermine global peace, and cause serious harm to the global economy. The stakes are far too high for confrontation,” Zardari said.

He further stated that Pakistan opposed unilateral sanctions and coercive measures, including against Iran, and believed that “peaceful engagement best serves regional and global security”.

“Pakistan welcomes efforts aimed at easing tensions and encourages continued dialogue among relevant parties in a constructive spirit, with the objective of promoting peace and stability in the region,” he added.

Earlier, the president requested the participants of the ceremony to observe one minute of silence in the memory of victims of the recent blast in Islamabad, and the tragedies in Iran.

“Let’s pray that wars never come to us,” he said.

Referring to ongoing conflicts, terrorism, external interference and unresolved regional flashpoints in the region, the president said Pakistan firmly believed that such challenges could not be addressed through force or unilateral actions.

He also emphasised that Pakistan and Iran shared responsibilities as neighbouring countries and remained committed to cooperating on border management, counter-terrorism and “turning the shared frontier into a zone of cooperation, lawful trade and development”.

The president stressed that Pakistan valued balanced relations globally and was ready to play a constructive role in promoting restraint, dialogue and regional peace.

He extended his warm congratulations to the leadership and people of Iran.

“May our partnership continue to grow, and may our region move towards security, stability and shared prosperity,” he said.

The president added Pakistan and Iran were not just neighbours, but also “civilisational partners”.

“Our shared border reflects centuries of interaction, coexistence and mutual respect,” he stated. “Our relationship is rooted in faith, history and enduring cultural bonds that continue to shape our region.”

He noted that the Persian language and its great literary tradition had profoundly influenced Pakistan’s intellectual life, adding that for hundreds of years, it was the official language of some of the regions that were now a part of Pakistan.

“Its influence remains deeply embedded in our national consciousness. Pakistan’s national anthem itself reflects the deep imprint of the Persian language on our collective identity,” he stated.

The president remembered Sachal Sarmast, a renowned 18th-century poet in Sindh, on the occasion, saying that composed poetry in Persian, which reflected “a shared spiritual and philosophical space”.

“Poets and thinkers such as Rumi, Hafiz, Saadi and Ferdowsi are widely respected in Pakistan, while Iqbal, who wrote much of his work in Persian, remains a shared symbol of dignity and renewal for both our societies,” he added.

In his welcome address, Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam said that despite facing various external pressures and challenges, Iran had made remarkable progress in key sectors, including technology, defence, science and the economy.

He noted that the Iranian nation had “consistently demonstrated resilience and self-reliance”, turning challenges into opportunities and continuing its journey of development with determination.

Moghadam said that Iran did “not seek war and believes in resolving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy”. However, he made it clear that if a war broke out, Iran would “fully retaliate in defence of its sovereignty”.

The ambassador appreciated the government and people of Pakistan for their support, particularly during “Israeli aggression against Iran”.

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• UN Security Council monitoring report says outfit enjoys preferential treatment among terror groups, thrives on ‘tolerance or active support’ from Afghan Taliban
• Al Qaeda focused on ‘external operations’, acts as ‘service provider’ for other groups
• IS-Khorasan remains potent threat despite crackdown, focused on increasing outreach using cyber tech

ISLAMABAD: A United Nations Security Council report has warned that the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) enjoys preferential treatment among terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan under the Taliban regime, heightening concerns among member states that the outfit could pose an extra-regional threat.

The warning was contained in the 37th report of the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, covering the period between July and December 2025.

The report stated: “In Afghanistan, the de facto authorities continued to provide a permissive environment for a range of terrorist groups, notably Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.”

It drew a direct comparison between the operational space available to the TTP and that afforded to other militant groups, and linked this disparity to a sharp deterioration in Pakistan’s security situation.

“TTP, however, was accorded greater liberty and support from the de facto authorities, and consequently, TTP attacks against Pakistan increased, amplifying regional tensions,” the report said. Of more than 3,500 terrorist attacks attributed to the TTP last year, over 2,100 were recorded in the second half of the year.

According to the monitoring team, the TTP “operates as one of the largest terrorist groups in Afghanistan”, reflecting its entrenched presence across multiple provinces and its sustained ability to plan and execute cross-border attacks.

The TTP is believed to have a strong presence in Afghanistan’s eastern and south-eastern border provinces, including Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost, Paktika — including the Barmal district — and Paktia. There are reports of new or expanded training centres in these locations, often under the influence of networks such as the Haqqani Network.

Various UN Security Council Monitoring Team assessments indicated that the TTP benefited from Taliban tolerance or active support, including access to safe houses, such as guesthouses in Kabul for senior leaders, movement passes, weapons permits and logistical assistance. These arrangements persist despite internal Taliban debates that have at times viewed the TTP as a liability due to strained relations with Pakistan.

Conservative estimates placed the number of TTP fighters in Afghanistan at around 6,000, with the group recruiting from Afghan Taliban ranks and receiving operational enhancements.

‘Extra-regional threat’

Member states, the report said, were increasingly alarmed not only by the scale of TTP’s activities but also by the direction in which the group could be heading. “Some member states expressed concern that TTP may deepen its cooperation with Al Qaeda-aligned groups in order to attack a wider range of targets, potentially resulting in an extra-regional threat,” the report noted.

These concerns were situated within a broader ecosystem of collaboration between terrorist groups in Afghanistan. The report said that Al Qaeda “acted as a service provider and multiplier for other terrorist groups in Afghanistan in terms of training and advice, principally to TTP”.

Member states feared that deeper cooperation could lead to more structured alliances, joint planning and access to a wider pool of fighters and resources, expanding the range of potential targets beyond Pakistan.

While the report did not state that the TTP was currently carrying out attacks outside the region, it reflected growing international concern that Afghanistan’s permissive environment under Taliban rule could allow the group, with Al Qaeda’s backing, to acquire capabilities and ambitions extending beyond South Asia.

The report also cautioned that Al Qaeda’s regional affiliate was adapting its posture. “There were concerns that AQIS was increasingly focused on external operations. Such operations would likely be unclaimed or deniable operations, perhaps as part of the umbrella group Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan (not listed), which declared itself in April, so as not to create difficulties for the Taliban as hosts of AQIS.”

Detailing the footprint of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, the report stated, “Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) remained active in south-eastern Afghanistan, where the Haqqani Network exerts considerable influence. Osama Mahmoud, the ‘emir’ of AQIS, and Yahya Ghauri, his deputy, were reported to be in Kabul, with the media cell of AQIS based in Herat.”

‘ISIL-K remains resilient’

The report noted that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K) remained resilient in 2025 despite sustained counterterrorism pressure and losses.

According to the report, “Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan was under sustained counterterrorism pressure, but it retained a potent capability, coupled with intent to conduct external operations.”

The monitoring team said the terror outfit faced significant losses as a result of security operations by regional states and continued military action by the Taliban inside Afghanistan. These pressures reduced the overall number of attacks but did not dismantle the group’s operational base or its ability to regenerate.

The report noted that ISIL-K “was active mainly in northern Afghanistan, particularly Badakhshan, and areas close to the Pakistani border”, where it maintained networks of cells to project a regional threat and, potentially, operations beyond the immediate region.

Despite being under pressure, the group retained “significant operational and combat capability and the ability to rapidly replace fighters, including through online recruitment”, according to the report.

The campaign against ISIL-K also pus­hed it to seek alliances with other armed factions across Afghanistan as it adapted to the evolving security environment.

The monitoring team said ISIL-K continued efforts to expand its reach through technology, noting that ISIL and Al Qaeda “continued their efforts to build cybercapabilities”, a trend that member states saw as enhancing propaganda, recruitment and operational planning.

The monitoring team’s assessment that the group’s strong recruitment pipelines and expanding cyber capabilities in 2025 pointed to enabling factors that may have contributed to its ability to plan and execute the Feb 6 gun-and-bomb attack on a Shia mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad.

The report also pointed to growing concerns about militant collaboration. Member states reported that the Balochistan Liberation Army collaborated with the TTP and ISIL-K “through shared training camps and resources, coordinating attacks and meetings between commanders”.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2026

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The United States will have to do “something very tough” if a deal is not reached with Iran, President Donald Trump told Israel’s Channel 12 in an interview published online on Tuesday.

“Either we reach a deal, or we’ll have to do something very tough,” it quoted Trump as saying.

Trump has said he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, Axios and Channel 12 reported, amid simmering tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme and over its recent crackdown on protesters.

“We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going,” Trump told Axios, though he noted that Iran “wants to make a deal very badly”.

Trump initially threatened military action against Tehran over its crackdown on protesters last month. Subsequently, the US said that a naval strike group led by an aircraft carrier was deployed to Middle Eastern waters amid tensions between the two countries.

However, the countries held talks in Oman last week, which Iran called a good start. Trump also called the talks “very good” and pledged another round of negotiations.

On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he hoped talks with the US would resume soon, while reiterating Tehran’s red lines and warning against any American attack.

According to excerpts published on his official Telegram channel during an interview with the Al Jazeera network, Araghchi said that Iran’s missile programme was “never negotiable” in the talks in Oman.

He warned that Tehran would target US bases in the region if the US attacked Iranian territory.

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ISLAMABAD: Moody’s Ratings on Monday changed Pakistan’s banking system’s outlook to stable from positive as operating conditions continue to recover ‘only gradually’.

“The operating environment continues to recover, but only gradually, supported by the country’s slowly improving economic and fiscal outlook, and strengthening external position”, the New York-based one of the top three global rating agencies said. “However, banks’ financial performance will be stable over the next 12-18 months as they continue to face asset quality and profitability challenges,” it added.

The bank sector outlook aligns with that of the Government of Pakistan (Caa1 stable), given banks’ substantial holdings of government securities, which account for around half of total banking assets.

“Pakistan’s long-term debt sustainability remains uncertain, because of its still weak fiscal position, high liquidity and external vulnerability risk”, the agency said and estimated real GDP growth of around 3.5pc for 2026, up from 3.1pc in 2025, supported by ongoing reforms that are improving confidence and gradually strengthening economic activity.

Moody’s flags high exposure to govt securities as a key risk

The improving economic outlook and lower inflation have contributed to easing monetary policy rates. Lower borrowing costs will boost credit demand and keep problem loan ratios broadly unchanged. At the same time, margins will remain steady after a decline following rate cuts, but higher business volumes, non-interest income and stable costs will support profits and safeguard capital buffers.

It was observed that last year’s floods could weigh on agricultural output, but activity in the industrial and services sectors should remain robust. The improving economic outlook and lower inflation have contributed to easing monetary policy rates. “We expect inflation to rise to around 7.5pc in 2026, in part due to base effects”, it said.

Moody’s highlighted banks’ high exposure to government securities as a key risk. Exposure to government securities amounts to around half of banks’ total assets and around 9.4 times their equity, which links their credit strength to that of the Caa1-rated sovereign.

It noted that sector-wide nonperforming loan ratios spiked at the beginning of 2025 following the removal of the advances-to-deposits ratio (ADR) tax, prompting banks to reduce their loan books. Although loans accounted for only 23pc of banks’ total assets as of September 2025, there could be double-digit credit growth in 2026, supported by improving macroeconomic conditions. Borrower delinquencies will persist nonetheless, particularly in more vulnerable sectors such as agriculture and energy, but lower borrowing costs and higher credit demand will maintain broadly stable problem loan ratios.

Although financing growth will rise in 2026 on the back of lower rates, Pakistani banks will continue to increase their holdings of government securities, which do not carry any risk-weighting, further supporting capital metrics. “We expect banks to maintain high dividend payout ratios, but retained earnings — despite slight margin compression — will be sufficient to fund balance sheet growth and maintain capital ratios”, it said, adding that problem loans were fully covered by loan loss reserves, providing additional capital protection.

Lending volumes and non-interest income will offset margin squeeze, Moody’s said and expected Pakistani banks to deliver an average return on assets of around 1.1pc in 2026. Banks will exhibit modest margin compression as the pace of rate cuts slows, while funding costs remain broadly stable, following the removal of the regulatory minimum deposit rate (MDR) previously applied to corporate and institutional deposits.

However, higher business activity and lending volumes, coupled with non-interest income, will balance tighter margins and preserve banks’ operating revenue. A potential deterioration in the loan book would push loan-loss provisioning costs up from low levels, while lower inflation will reduce the strain on operating costs. Elevated taxes will continue to weigh on bottom-line profitability. Funding and liquidity will remain sound.

Pakistani banks are predominantly deposit-funded, with customer deposits accounting for 63pc of total assets as of September 2025, supported by financial inclusion initiatives, strong remittance inflows from non-residents as well as digitalisation efforts. However, competition for low-cost deposits has increased within the system, which has resulted in a rise in banks’ funding costs and migration to savings and time deposits. Positively, banks exhibit limited reliance on market funding, with net loans representing 35.6pc of customer deposits and less-stable funds accounting for 30.6pc of tangible banking assets as of September 2025.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2026

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Iran could agree to dilute its most highly enriched uranium in exchange for all financial sanctions being lifted, its atomic chief said on Monday, one of the most direct indications so far of its position at talks with Washington.

US and Iranian diplomats held talks through Omani mediators in Oman last week in an effort to revive diplomacy, after US President Donald Trump positioned a naval flotilla in the region, raising fears of new military action.

The talks follow a crackdown on anti-government demonstrations in Iran last month.

Trump joined an Israeli bombing campaign last year and hit Iranian nuclear sites. He also threatened last month to intervene militarily during the protests, but ultimately held off.

Washington has demanded Iran relinquish its stockpile — estimated last year by the UN nuclear agency at more than 440 kilogrammes — of uranium enriched to up to 60 per cent fissile purity, a small step away from the 90pc that is considered weapons grade.

The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, Mohammad Eslami, said on Monday: “The possibility of diluting 60pc enriched uranium … depends on whether, in return, all sanctions are lifted or not”.

Eslami, whose remarks were reported by Iran’s ISNA news agency, said, however, that another proposal, sending Iran’s highly enriched uranium abroad to another country, had not been discussed at the talks with US officials.

Khamenei adviser to visit Oman

Ali Larijani, a close adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and secretary of its national security council, will visit Oman on Tuesday following the US-Iranian talks there, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

“During this trip, (Larijani) will meet with high-ranking officials of the Sultanate of Oman and discuss the latest regional and international developments and bilateral cooperation at various levels,” Tasnim said.

The date and venue of the next round of talks have yet to be announced.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that a new round of talks would be “an appropriate opportunity for a fair and balanced resolution of this case,” and that a desired outcome could be reached if the US avoids maximalist positions and respects its commitments.

Iran would continue to demand the lifting of sanctions and insist on its nuclear rights, including enrichment, he said.

Iran and the US held five rounds of talks last year on curbing Tehran’s nuclear programme, with the process breaking down mainly due to disputes over uranium enrichment inside Iran.

Since Trump struck Iran’s facilities, Tehran has said it has halted enrichment activity. It has always said its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes.

The United States wants to include Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal in negotiations, but Tehran has ruled this out.

In a televised statement aired on Monday, Khamenei called on Iranians to participate in the coming anniversary of the 1979 revolution.

“The presence of the people in the march and their expression of loyalty to the Islamic Republic will cause the enemy to stop coveting Iran,” Khamenei said.

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