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THE management control of PIA has finally been transferred to a consortium comprising private investors and the Fauji Foundation. The development marks a new chapter in the history of the airline whose fortunes declined over the past two decades.

According to an official statement, the transfer follows the completion of all local and international regulatory approvals, including permissions from global lenders and specialised tax concessions. The privatisation authorities believe the takeover will breathe new life into the airline. The consortium has paid the government Rs10bn upfront and committed to injecting another Rs125bn as fresh equity to fund restructuring, fleet renewal, route expansion and service improvement. PIA has long suffered massive financial losses, political interference and years of managerial drift. The promised capital injection could provide it with the resources it has lacked.

The new PIA chairman’s emphasis on heritage, trust and restoring PIA’s image is standard messaging. Passengers will judge the airline by performance. The real test will be improvements in safety, punctuality, customer satisfaction and financial performance. Privatisation removes the state’s ownership label. It does not automatically remove the structural constraints that have weighed down the airline for years. An ageing and shrunken fleet, inconsistent service standards, stiff competition from Gulf carriers, etc, remain the consortium’s real inheritance and challenges.

The biggest advantage of privatisation is that PIA now has owners with a direct financial stake in making the airline commercially viable. Even so, ownership alone guarantees nothing. The financial structure of the transaction deserves close attention. The consortium has pledged substantial fresh equity, but the airline’s long-term recovery will depend on how effectively that capital is deployed. Fleet expansion without better route planning, stronger cost controls and improved operational discipline will do little to restore profitability. Likewise, service improvements must be backed by stronger corporate governance and greater managerial accountability.

Rebuilding confidence will take time. Years of decline have damaged PIA’s reputation. Public trust cannot be restored through rebranding campaigns. It will require consistent operational improvements delivered over years. Any early setback will attract intense scrutiny because, despite privatisation, PIA remains a national symbol. Nor can the government completely step aside.

Regulators still have a duty to ensure effective safety oversight and fair competition. The next 12 months will be decisive. Progress should be measured through fleet expansion, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction rather than promises. The second financial closing will provide the first meaningful indication of whether the consortium intends to follow through on its pledges or whether the call option is more optional than its name suggests. If this transaction truly signifies the beginning of a ‘new era’ will soon be known.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2026

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Erling Haaland scored a late winner as Norway set up a last-16 showdown with Brazil at the World Cup after taming the Ivory Coast 2-1 in Texas on Tuesday.

The Manchester City striker prodded in from close range, the ball dribbling in on 86 minutes for his fifth goal of the tournament.

It was the first time that Norway had won a knockout game in the history of the competition.

After an even first half that was slow to get going, Antonio Nusa fired Norway into the lead six minutes before the break with one of the goals of the tournament.

Manchester United’s Amad Diallo was sent on for the Ivory Coast after an hour and was immediately in the thick of it, stopping a certain second Norway goal and then grabbing a terrific equaliser on 74 minutes.

With extra time looming, predator supreme Haaland got on the end of a cross by Patrick Berg to make some Norwegian history.

They face five-time champions Brazil on Sunday in New Jersey with the quarter-finals at stake.

A match between two physical teams was tepid to begin with at the impressive air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Ivory Coast had a sight of goal after 20 minutes, defender Ghislain Konan bursting into the Norway box from the left but finding the side netting.

The Ivory Coast players and fans were irate just before the drinks break when the livewire Yan Diomande was brought down on the break just inside his own half.

The 19-year-old winger Diomande was growing into the game. The African side were on top and particularly threatening down Diomande’s left-hand side of the pitch.

Haaland had little to feed on but might have done better with a tame header that bounced into the hands of goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

Then came a moment of genuine class as Nusa, fed by captain Martin Odegaard, cut inside and bent the ball wonderfully into the top corner.

Odegaard put his hands on his head in disbelief at the strike by the 21-year-old, Diomande’s Leipzig team-mate.

Stale Solbakken’s Norway finished the first half on the hunt for a second and Haaland was denied by a last-gasp block by Ibrahim Sangare, who celebrated as if scoring a goal.

The Ivory Coast, into the knockout rounds for the first time, won their 10th corner to start the second half. Norway were inches away from a second when Diallo blocked the ball on the goal line following a corner.

The Norway fans, sensing the next round was close, began their now-famous rowing in the stands. Almost as soon as they stopped, Diallo danced into the box past two challenges for a spectacular leveller.

Then up popped Haaland to break Ivorian hearts, with goalkeeper Nyland pulling off a flying stop from Diallo’s well-struck free kick at the death to send Norway through.

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Tens of millions of Americans sweltered under furnace-like temperatures Tuesday as central and eastern cities hunkered down for a heat wave set to last through the July 4 holiday weekend.

Dozens of local temperature records could be broken, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned, with temperatures in many places to surpass 38 degrees Celsius and high humidity pushing the heat index as high as 115 degrees.

It comes as America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence, and as the United States along with Canada and Mexico co-host the World Cup soccer tournament amid the extreme heat.

Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, announced it was opening cooling centers and sending city employees to carry out wellness checks on vulnerable populations.

In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office said it was launching an “unprecedented, historic” plan to deal with the heat that includes vans to provide residents with hydration, as well as “pop-up” cooling stations with misting fans and cooling towels.

Washington, the capital, meanwhile was forecast to see 38C temperatures from Thursday through Saturday, when it will host a fireworks display on the National Mall that organizers said would be the biggest in history.

More than 60 million people are currently under heat alerts, the NWS said.

Health agencies are urging citizens to watch for signs of heat-related illness, ranging from cramps and exhaustion to life-threatening heat stroke.

Child hot-car deaths are another concern, with nine such deaths reported so far this year in the United States, against an average of 37 annually, according to the National Safety Council.

Pets are also at risk, with authorities recommending dogs remain indoors except for bathroom breaks, and warning owners to watch for hot asphalt that can burn paws.

In World Cup news, numerous knockout-stage matches will be played under oppressive heat, including France v Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium and Norway v Cote d’Ivoire in Dallas on Tuesday.

The weather has already had an impact: France was forced to sit through a two-hour storm delay during its group-phase match against Iraq.

Two group-stage matches were played in temperatures exceeding the threshold at which the global players’ union recommends games be postponed or delayed, while dozens of fans have been treated for heat illness in Houston and Miami.

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THE message from Islamabad to Kabul seems to be clear: any act of terrorism inside Pakistan found to be linked to Afghanistan will invite a kinetic cross-border response. After the attack on a Rangers facility in Karachi on Saturday, the state said it had launched strikes at targets both inside Afghanistan and along the border, eliminating at least 29 terrorists, including a militant ‘commander’.

The Karachi attack, in which three security men were martyred, has been linked to the Jamaatul Ahrar group, a banned outfit with ties to the proscribed TTP. This is the first major terrorist attack in Karachi this year, and marks a return to ‘action’ of the hitherto silent JuA. A detained suspect involved in the assault said he came from Jalalabad and prepared for the attack in South Waziristan. The government has reissued an order for the arrest of Afghans without valid visas from July 10, while the Foreign Office has issued a demarche to the Afghan chargé d’affaires over the Rangers attack.

The acts of terrorism, and the state’s response, illustrate the difficult nature of the Afghan conundrum, specifically the Afghan Taliban regime’s reluctance to act firmly against terrorist groups on their soil. Faced with never-ending attacks, Pakistan has no choice but to fight back and hit the terrorists in their lairs. The only way to end this cycle of conflict is for the Afghan Taliban to act maturely and prevent attacks on neighbouring states. Pakistan’s strong responses have brought down the frequency of terrorist attacks, but perpetual conflict is not a long-term solution.

Moreover, the state needs to boost its intelligence-based operations. While earlier attacks were taking place mostly in the tribal and remote parts of KP and Balochistan, the Karachi incident may point to the return of terrorism in urban centres. The state must prepare for this contingency, and prevent violent actors from carrying out their malevolent plans.

There can be no disagreement about the need to unearth foreign terrorist sleeper cells and militant networks active in Pakistan. This argument is strengthened with the reported links of Afghan nationals to recent acts of terrorism. But the approach to ordinary Afghan refugees must remain humane, and there should be no forceful repatriation. These individuals should be sent back to their homeland with dignity, as per mutually acceptable frameworks. They should not be punished due to the mistakes of their rulers.

Ultimately, the Afghan Taliban must make a choice: either they can decide to address Pakistan’s legitimate concerns and rein in their terrorist friends. Or they can continue on the current path, remain isolated, and be prepared to face the consequences for their support to terrorist groups hell-bent on harming Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2026

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Substitute Gabriel Martinelli scored deep in injury time as Brazil beat a stubborn Japan 2-1 on Monday to roll into the World Cup last 16.

Arsenal winger Martinelli struck in the 95th minute in Houston to break Japanese hearts in the most dramatic fashion.

The five-time champions will face either the Ivory Coast or Norway in New Jersey on Sunday after edging a captivating knockout encounter.

Japan midfielder Kaishu Sano scored a classy solo goal after 29 minutes following a Brazil mistake to stun the huge numbers of fans decked out in yellow.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men hit back 11 minutes after half-time with a header from veteran Casemiro as Brazil dominated the second period.

Then up popped Martinelli right at the death to settle it and send the Brazil fans wild.

History was against Japan: they had never won a knockout game at the World Cup while Brazil were record five-time champions.

But this is not a vintage Brazil side, even with Ancelotti at the helm, while Japan have been talked of as dark horses.

With the Brazil fans’ drums providing a constant rhythmic backdrop, Ancelotti’s side were on top early on in front of a crowd of 68,777.

Images of Neymar on the bench popped up on the big screens, the noise from the Brazil fans going up another notch.

Defensive midfielder Sano was booked for crunching in on Vinicius Junior, then Brazilian attacker Matheus Cunha forced goalkeeper Zion Suzuki to turn the ball wide.

Japan, who beat Brazil 3-2 in October in a home friendly for their first victory over the South Americans, then enjoyed a spell in the ascendancy.

Just before the half-hour mark Hajime Moriyasu’s team took the lead, and it stemmed from an error by Danilo as he gave the ball away with a sloppy pass.

Sano, one of four changes from Japan’s 1-1 draw with Sweden at the end of the group phase, picked the ball up in the centre circle and got away from the 34-year-old Casemiro – who was on a booking – with ease.

Sano, who plays for Mainz in Germany, drove upfield before sweeping the ball past goalkeeper Alisson. It was his first goal for his country.
Now the Brazil supporters were edgy, groaning when a move broke down or a pass went backwards.

Brazil, whose last World Cup triumph was in 2002, looked unconvincing at the back and ineffective in attack.

Ancelotti was forced into a change at the break, an emotional Lucas Paqueta limping off in distress with the attacking midfielder replaced by 19-year-old striker Endrick.

Japan, who thrashed Tunisia and held the Netherlands and Sweden to reach the last 32, had Brazil where they wanted them.

Brazil ramped up the pressure to start the second half and Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu twice kept the ball off the line, not that he knew much about it.

Brazil were soon level, Arsenal defender Gabriel sending in an inviting cross for midfielder Casemiro to head in unmarked at the back post.

The danger man Vinicius, well stifled up until then, turned the Japan defence inside out and stabbed the ball towards Suzuki, who directed it onto the post.

It was all Brazil as they pushed for a late winner, with Vinicius – who scored four times in the group stage – increasingly in the thick of it.
Then came Martinelli’s late intervention.

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ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Monday said that meaningful negotiations were the only solution to the ongoing situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), urging the government to avoid the use of force and immediately engage with the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

On June 5, the JAAC was declared a proscribed organisation by the regional government and placed under the First Schedule of the region’s anti-terrorism act (ATA).

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Rehman said JI had accepted the responsibility of mediation and was playing its role in restoring trust between the government and the committee to prevent “bloodshed and unrest”.

JI AJK Emir Dr Mushtaq Khan, former AJK emir Dr Khalid Mahmood, JI Deputy Secretary General Syed Farasat Shah and Islamabad Emir Nasrullah Randhawa were also present on the occasion.

“JAAC has expressed complete confidence in Jamaat-i-Islami and postponed its long march, sending a positive message,” he said.

He urged the government to also act with seriousness and begin negotiations to resolve the legitimate demands of the people.

“The AJK situation should not be allowed to reach a point where India could exploit it for propaganda against Pakistan and the Kashmir cause,” the JI emir said.

“Jamaat-i-Islami’s mediation with the JAAC is within the constitutional and national framework of Pakistan and the Kashmir issue. As long as this framework remains intact, every possible effort will be made to resolve the matter,” he added.

Rejecting the impression that the situation had reached a “point of no return,” Rehman said the door for negotiations was still open.

“We do not agree with the government’s position that the situation has gone beyond control. Dialogue is still possible, and Jamaat-e-Islami is ready to play its role.”

He said JI had been trying from the very beginning to ensure a peaceful resolution of the AJK issue. Following the acceptance of its mediation offer, the party leadership decided to accelerate reconciliation efforts.

He added that JI leaders in AJK had remained in contact with different stakeholders.

“Dr Mahmood held several meetings with JAAC representatives, during which the committee expressed confidence in Jamaat-i-Islami’s efforts and also shared details of its demands,” he said.

Rehman said violence, bloodshed and the use of state force could not be supported under any circumstances. “No message should go out from AJK that benefits Pakistan’s enemies,” he said.

He said India was already committing serious human rights violations in occupied Kashmir through killings, use of pellet guns and imprisonment of the Kashmiri leadership.

“Pakistan should not make any mistake on the internal front that gives the enemy a diplomatic advantage,” JI leader added.

Clarifying JI’s position, Rehman said the party was not engaged in political point-scoring. “Our priority is Pakistan, Kashmir and the Kashmir cause.”

The JI chief said public confidence in AJK’s political leadership had weakened due to repeated changes in political loyalties, power politics and vested interests, which had harmed the democratic process and contributed to public protests.

He cautioned against elements trying to exploit the situation and appealed to AJK youth not to become part of any anti-Pakistan narrative. “Pakistan is the country of Kashmiris, and its educational institutions, offices and resources are open to them. They should avoid falling into the hands of the enemy,” he said.

The JI emir also urged the federal government, relevant institutions and authorities to avoid any steps that could create hatred, unrest or instability. He also demanded that the Punjab and federal governments ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential goods to AJK, saying restrictions would only increase difficulties for ordinary citizens.

Regarding his expected meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rehman said he wanted to meet the premier and, if contacted by the government, JI would not seek anything for itself.

“Instead, it will present national issues, including a peaceful solution to the Kashmir situation, resolution of public grievances, reduction in petroleum levy, lower electricity and gas prices, action against IPPs, employment and education opportunities for youth, and relief from IMF-related pressures.”

On AJK elections, he said they should be held on time. However, if negotiations succeeded and normalcy returned, the elections would take place in a more peaceful and acceptable environment; otherwise, questions could be raised over their outcome.

He said the AJK government must also play its role in the negotiation process. Although public confidence in it had been affected, it remained the constitutional government, and any final agreement would involve it along with the federal government.

Responding to questions about strong statements by some JAAC leaders, Rehman said JI had made it clear that any anti-Pakistan or unacceptable narrative would not be tolerated.

He added that Dr Mahmood had conveyed the same message to the JAAC leadership, and a positive change had been witnessed in their tone and position.

The JI emir also criticised the Kashmir Committee, saying it had failed in the past and present to play an effective role in accordance with the requirements of the Kashmir issue. However, he welcomed any effort by the committee to consult JI.

Calling for broader democratic reforms, he stressed the need for “proportional representation, an independent election commission and a modern electoral system in both Pakistan and AJK to restore public trust in democracy”.

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The Ministry of Interior on Sunday issued a directive to immediately arrest any Afghan national “found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa” from July 10, 2026.

In a notification addressing the chief secretaries of all provinces, as well as those of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the chief commissioner of Islamabad Capital Territory, the ministry said that the directive referred to the decisions taken during a review meeting on the Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan (IFRP) on June 1, 2026.

It said that during the meeting, “all provincial governments, special area governments and the ICT Administration were directed to expedite the repatriation/deportation of Afghan nationals, including visa overstay cases, and to ensure strict implementation of the IFRP”.

“With effect from July 10, 2026, any Afghan national found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa shall be arrested immediately,” the notification said.

It added that the necessary directions might, therefore, be issued to all deputy commissioners, district administrations, police and other law enforcement agencies concerned to ensure “uniform and effective implementation” of these directions.

The directive also requested that a report detailing the “number of Afghan nationals found without valid visas, the action taken against them, and their present status, may kindly be furnished to this ministry on a daily basis, commencing July 11, 2026”.

“The matter may be accorded top priority and compliance ensured in letter and spirit,” the notification said.

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