Rana Sanaullah, adviser to Pakistan’s prime minister, said the PML‑N will form a government with a two‑thirds majority in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He added that the party would engage with the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee to address the refugee‑seat dispute.
Aug 9, 2026, 12:36 AM
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s KSE‑100 index rose 5,336 points, a 3.03% weekly gain, as oil prices fell and optimism around external financing grew.
The Express Tribune
A severe water shortage is halting industrial activity in Hub, Balochistan. The Chanber of Commerce and Industry has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take urgent steps to avoid shutdowns.
The Express Tribune
Newsroom feed
Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan has urged creating smaller provinces and new administrative units to bring governance and resources closer to citizens.
The Express Tribune
The ministry has approved Rs10 billion to support the textile industry and other exporters through duty drawback and technology upgradation schemes.
The Express Tribune
A Lahore Chamber of Commerce delegation has traveled to Germany to meet chamber officials and explore business ties, emphasizing industrial cooperation, technology transfer, and joint ventures.
The Express Tribune
US‑based exporters support the IMF’s 80/20 rule for Pakistan’s Export Processing Zones, saying the rule sustains supply chains, charitable organizations and job‑creation in the textile industry.
The Express Tribune
A nationwide strike by goods transporters is delaying raw material deliveries and export shipments. Industry leaders say the halt could stop factories, breach export contracts and hurt the economy.
The Express Tribune
Pakistan’s remittance inflows topped $41.6 billion in FY 2025‑26, the first time the figure crossed that threshold. The surge amplifies a deep provincial gap, with Punjab, Khyber‑Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir receiving most of the money while Sindh and Balochistan receive far less.
The Express Tribune
The Express Tribune reports that 144 children in Pakistan have died in 2026 from measles and diphtheria—two diseases preventable by vaccination.
The Express Tribune
The Express Tribune reports that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed a trilateral defence pact, positioning Pakistan as a key player in the US‑Iran conflict.
The Express Tribune
The Jamaat‑e‑Islami has moved sit‑ins that were planned for Aug. 9 to Aug. 16, announcing simultaneous protests outside provincial governor houses and a key sit‑in at the Punjab Chief Minister’s residence.
The Express Tribune
Pakistan’s Power Division announced an IFC-backed plan to install smart meters on 10 million single‑phase connections as a step to manage the rising share of rooftop solar. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to improve visibility and integration in the country’s legacy grid.
The Express Tribune
The Express Tribune editorial argues that Pakistan’s political debate over creating new provinces highlights deeper governance challenges, urging a focus on rule‑of‑law, institutional effectiveness and equitable tax systems rather than administrative restructuring.
The Express Tribune
Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Election Commissioner said polling in four Bagh and Haveli constituencies will begin on Monday, and the remaining seven Poonch division seats may be voted on Aug. 20 or 21.
Dawn
In Azad Kashmir, voters in Bagh and Haveli will go to the polls on Monday under tight security. The Election Commission said Rawalakot elections could take place on August 20 or 21 if the protest sit‑in there ends soon. Eight security officers will be posted at sensitive stations, and armed forces will transport ballots.
The Express Tribune
Jamaat‑i‑Islami has announced coordinated sit‑ins on August 16 in Lahore, Peshawar, Hyderabad, and Quetta to press the government to eliminate the petroleum levy and lower fuel prices.
Dawn
On Friday in Mecca, King Salman's counterpart, Erdogan and Pakistan’s prime minister signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, a mutual‑defence pact that treats an attack on any one of the three nations as an attack on all. The agreement does not name a specific adversary but analysts say Iran is central to its logic.
Al Jazeera
