Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, killing 1 person and injuring more than 500, downing trees and severing power, as it continued to weaken and head north towards the Chinese coast though it was not expected to make landfall there.

At one point a super typhoon and one of the strongest storms in the Pacific this year, Champi is weakening though still packing gusts of around 126 kph (78 mph) near its centre, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration.

The storm was about 170 km (106 miles) northeast of Taiwan, having glanced off the island’s northeastern coast in Yilan County early on Saturday, the CWA said.

The centre of the storm turned south around midnight, hugging the Yilan coastline before making a rare loop offshore and moving away northward. Wind gusts touched 227 kph (141 mph) in some coastal areas, knocking down power lines and sending roof tiles flying.

‘MOST TERRIFYING AROUND MIDNIGHT’

“It was most terrifying around midnight,” said a retired teacher surnamed Lin as he inspected downed banana trees in his garden in Yilan. “It was a sleepless night. I haven’t seen anything like this in many years.”

The storm’s forecast track shows it turning north, tracking up the Chinese coast and eventually moving into southern Japan.

Taiwan’s fire department said the death toll remained at 1, a man swept away by waves from the island of Liuqiu, with 527 injuries during the heavy wind and torrential rain.

Taipower said more than 288,000 homes had lost electricity, though most had been reconnected.

The transport ministry said 259 flights were cancelled, an improvement from Friday, when the number was almost 1,000.

In the capital Taipei, there were downed trees and on-off squally rain showers.

Taipei resident Thomas Wang, 70, said the storm felt like something out of the horror film “Poltergeist”.

“It was quite scary,” he said, out running morning errands.

Governments in a swathe of northern and central Taiwan, including Taipei, declared a second day of office and school closures on Saturday.

Although more common in summer, typhoons can strike in autumn too.

China’s emergency management ministry sent a team to the eastern province of Zhejiang as Champi approached, warning of strong winds and heavy rain through Sunday. It said it had readied 400 rescue workers and 600 pieces of equipment, while more than 41,000 firefighters were on emergency duty.

In Taizhou, a city on Zhejiang’s coast, more than 3,800 fishing boats returned to harbour, offshore fish-farm workers were brought ashore and 2,084 island visitors were evacuated, state media reported.

Authorities halted 25 offshore construction projects and suspended 18 passenger ferry routes.

Pakistan has strongly condemned the “heinous terrorist attack” on a funeral procession at a church in Jordan’s Karak Governorate, reiterating its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Gunmen killed at least seven people and wounded dozens at a church in southern Jordan on Friday. According to reports, the assailants stormed the compound of a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud in Karak Governorate and opened fire.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO), Pakistan extended its heartfelt condolences to the government and people of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, particularly the bereaved families, and expressed its wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured.

“Pakistan stands in firm solidarity with the brotherly people of Jordan in their fight against terrorism, and reiterates its strongest condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”, the statement added.

The incident occurred when gunmen got out of a vehicle and opened fire during a funeral procession, Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said in a statement, adding that a manhunt was under way for the perpetrators.

“The terrorist attack against Karak will be met with the harshest retaliation,” King Abdullah II said in a post on X.

“We will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation.” According to images from state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka, the king arrived in Karak on Friday evening.

After authorities gave a death toll of six, Director of Public Security Major General Abdullah Al-Maaytah said it had risen to seven with 34 injured, 27 of whom were still receiving treatment.

Footage aired by Al-Mamlaka showed two gunmen dressed in casual clothes and brandishing pistols, with a third carrying a long gun as they opened fire on the church.

A witness said the gunmen fired continuously for five minutes before fleeing. Between 150 and 200 people were in and around the church at the time, the witness said.

SHAHDADPUR – A newlywed couple who married by choice through a court in Nawabshah was found shot dead near a drain in Shahdadpur, police said.

The victims were identified as Nisar Ahmed Lashari and Zakiya Balochi. According to police, the suspects allegedly left the bodies near the drain before fleeing the scene.

Police sources said the couple had contracted a court marriage in Nawabshah two days before their bodies were discovered.

Following their marriage, they held a press conference at the Nawabshah Press Club, appealing to authorities for protection amid fears for their lives.

During the press conference, Zakiya alleged that her brother, father and cousin had become hostile towards the couple because of their decision of love marriage. She urged the relevant authorities to ensure their safety.

Police suspect the couple may have been killed in the name of honour. However, the circumstances surrounding the killings and the identities of those responsible remain under investigation.

Shahdadpur police took custody of the bodies and shifted them to a taluka hospital for further legal and medical procedures.

The post Couple murdered days after love marriage in Sindh’s Shahdarpur appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.

Buenos Aires, 24 oct (Prensa Latina) Las señales negativas que emanan de la economía de Argentina se acumulan hoy: a ocho de cada 10 de sus habitantes no les alcanza los ingresos para llegar a fin de mes, según la consultora Brain Network.

The post Ocho de 10 argentinos no llegan a fin de mes con sus ingresos first appeared on Noticias Prensa Latina.

RAWALPINDI: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control has summoned the Punjab inspector general of police (IGP), regional police officer (RPO), city police officer (CPO) Rawalpindi, SSP Investigation and additional inspector general of the Crime Control Department (CCD) to brief it on the investigation into the alleged brutal murder of Hina Javed.

The committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 2pm in the committee room at Parliament House, Islamabad.

The police officials will brief committee members on the latest developments in the high-profile murder case.

The Punjab government has also formed a three-member high-powered committee to review the investigation into Hina Javed’s murder. Her husband and domestic servant have been placed on judicial remand at Adiala Jail in connection with the case.

The committee has already visited Rawalpindi, questioned the deceased woman’s husband and domestic servant at Adiala Jail, met her family and inspected the crime scene.

The panel comprises Additional IG CCD Sohail Chatta, DIG Lahore Shoaib Khurram Janbaz and SSP Investigation Rawalpindi Saifullah.

According to the postmortem and DNA report analysis, evidence collected during the investigation indicated that Hina Javed had been brutally tortured. The report noted blue marks on her hands and arms and a 27-centimetre-deep wound on her neck.

The report also stated that DNA collected from bloodstains, bedsheets allegedly used in the strangulation, a door lock and a door handle matched the DNA of the domestic servant.

Evidence collected for DNA testing included swabs from the deceased’s left-hand fingernails, samples taken from her body and pieces of cloth from a bedsheet bearing suspected bloodstains and spermatozoa. According to the report, the samples matched the domestic worker’s blood.

A reddish piece of carpet bearing suspected stains was also recovered from the southeastern bedroom of the apartment where the crime occurred. The report said the stains matched the blood and sperm attributed to Zeeshan Arshad.

The investigation has focused on the domestic servant’s alleged involvement, with the reported DNA findings forming part of the evidence under examination.

Meanwhile, Hina Javed’s family has again expressed mistrust in the Rawalpindi police investigation and the claims made by the CCD chief, demanding the formation of a judicial commission to probe the murder.

The family has alleged that police are protecting the main accused while holding the domestic servant responsible for the crime.

The initial postmortem examination and police report stated that Hina Javed’s body was found in the washroom of her apartment with signs of torture, including a strangulation mark around her neck, an injury below her right lip and bleeding from her nose.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2026

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan strongly condemned the heinous terrorist attack at a funeral procession in a church in Karak Governorate, Jordan, which resulted in the loss of several precious lives, with many injured.

Pakistan extends its heartfelt condolences to the Government and the people of the brotherly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, especially the bereaved families, on the loss of their loved ones, and expresses its sincere wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured, the Foreign Office said in a statement on Saturday.

Pakistan stands in firm solidarity with the brotherly people of Jordan in their fight against terrorism, and reiterates its strongest condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

At least seven people have died and 34 others sustained injuries after armed assailants attacked a funeral gathering in central Jordan on Friday, according to officials.

The shooting took place at a church in Hmoud, located in the Karak governorate. Initial reports indicate that the attackers arrived by car, entered the church and opened fire before escaping from the scene.

The identities of the gunmen remain unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility for the assault.

Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities were taking steps to track down and arrest those responsible. Speaking at a press conference, he described the suspected perpetrators as a group of extremists.

Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to establish the circumstances surrounding the deadly incident.

The post Pakistan condemns deadly terrorist attack at funeral procession in Jordan appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.

Three police officials, including the Station House Officer (SHO) of Lahore’s Defence B police station, have been removed from their posts following allegations of providing protocol to TikToker Samea Mubarak and releasing her after her arrest in exchange for money.

Reports said the action was taken against the SHO, the police station’s muharar and a female constable over their alleged conduct in the case.

Samea Mubarak, the sister of well-known TikToker Nadeem Nani Wala, was reportedly stopped by police while travelling in a vehicle without a number plate. The officers involved were accused of exceeding their authority and allegedly accepting money to release suspects.

The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations said the three personnel had been removed from their positions to ensure a transparent investigation into the allegations.

The inquiry has been assigned to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations, who will examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and the conduct of the officers concerned.

The DIG Operations stated that departmental action would be taken against the personnel if the allegations were substantiated during the investigation.

The post Three Lahore cops removed for giving protocol to Nadeem Naniwala’s sister after arrest appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.

LAHORE: The police on Friday claimed to have arrested a man who had allegedly tortured and injured a young woman riding a scooty on busy Mozang Link Road in the city.

Identified as Ghulam Mustafa, the attacker was tracked down and arrested by the police with the help of data of dozens of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) cameras, besides using traditional investigation techniques. He was sent behind the bars after being nominated in a criminal case.

A CCTV footage of the incident, which took place late on Thursday, sparked widespread public outrage once footage was aired.

The footage showed the suspect overtook the scooty rider on the busy road, placed his bike in front of her two wheeler and subjected her to brutal torture in the presence of several passersby.

It was shocking to observe that none of the onlookers tried to intervene and rescue the woman. The man pulled her hair and slapped her repeatedly.

As per initial police reports, the woman suffered facial injuries, including nasal bone fracture, during the brutal attack.

A police official says the attacker also threw the victim’s bag on the ground that contained a laptop valuing around Rs90,000, resulting in severe damage to the laptop. The suspect later fled the scene in the presence of several onlookers, he adds.

A special police team, under the supervision of Civil Lines Superintendent of Police (SP) Maniza Karamat, tracked down and arrested the suspect using modern digital tracking technology.

The official says that a case has been lodged against the attacker on the complaint of the victim’s father.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2026

Tractors swarm across Iowa’s cornfields. Farmers are rushing the harvest before rains arrive and ruin their season. Chip Hoffman is among the lucky ones. He has already gathered nearly the entire crop from the family farm, which spans several dozen hectares. It’s Wednesday morning and the 66-year-old farmer is helping his older brother position a hopper to unload grain from the truck into the silo. “These are hard times. Fuel, insurance, even machinery repairs have gone up and they’re extremely expensive,” says Chip. He blames tariffs and the war with Iran for the surge in inflation and the squeeze on profit margins that has hit Iowa’s farmers.

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© Jesús-Sérvulo González Moreno

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) neither forgets nor forgives. On its official website it hosts a microsite called “Justice for Kiki” dedicated to agent Enrique Camarena, who was killed in Guadalajara in February 1985. In the welcome message for the memorial, the DEA names Rafael Caro Quintero as the principal perpetrator of the kidnapping, torture and murder of its most famous agent, describing him as “a cartel kingpin who unleashed violence, destruction, and death.” The “Narco of narcos” is back in the headlines as he negotiates a deal that could lead him to plead guilty for events that took place 41 years ago. The story of this drug trafficker — one of the founders of the powerful Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980s — could end with an image far removed from the terrifying legend that surrounds Mexican kingpins of that era: a 74-year-old, battered man with a head full of gray hair, asking forgiveness for his sins before a jury in the U.S. Federal Court in Brooklyn.

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© Jane Rosenberg (REUTERS)

“Tenemos suerte”, suspira Volodímir, de 77 años, asomado al balcón de su casa medio destruida en Kramatorsk. Delante, los hierros retorcidos y roídos por las llamas de lo que hasta una semana antes eran dos de los autobuses de línea de la ciudad. Una bomba planeadora rusa cayó en medio de ambos y mató a 30 personas el 8 de octubre. Volodímir y su mujer, Ludmila, de 67 años, habían salido unos minutos antes al mercado. Al regresar, se toparon sin esperarlo con el infierno en la calle Yuvileina, que transcurre delante de su edificio. “Tenemos suerte”, repite incidiendo en los cuantiosos daños que sufre su apartamento al tiempo que acaba de cubrir las ventanas con tablones facilitados por unos soldados.

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Hubo un tiempo muy lejano en que Felipe González fue tan coherente que mantuvo sus promesas de principio a fin. Nos sacó de la OTAN, como había defendido, su gobierno combatió el terrorismo solo con las armas de la ley y, una vez que la corrupción empezó a anegar sus filas, en los primeros noventa, se retiró para asumir la responsabilidad de lo ocurrido. Con una generosidad inmensa, dio un paso atrás y permitió que los mejores renovaran el PSOE. En esos tiempos nadie se atrincheraba en el poder y no se distorsionaban “los valores democráticos” como dice que ocurre hoy. Y bla, bla, bla.

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© Álex Zea - Europa Press (Europa Press)

Fue una de las muertes más sonadas ocurridas durante el confinamiento de 2020. Y eso que el asesinado era un oso, Cachou, plantígrado poco querido por los ganaderos del Valle de Arán porque en los meses anteriores a su muerte se había cebado con la ganadería equina. Pero el crimen escondía conflictos lastrados, enfrentamientos soterrados y dio pie a una investigación judicial con secreto de sumario incluido, un cóctel que ha acabado convertido en serie, Matar a un oso, liderada por los hermanos Sánchez-Cabezudo, y que Movistar Plus estrena el 10 de diciembre, aunque antes se ha proyectado, este viernes, en la primera jornada de la Seminci. Ha llegado antes un producto audiovisual que una sentencia: los dos acusados por el asesinato del plantígrado aún siguen a la espera de juicio.

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© Bárbara Sánchez Palomero

Países Bajos, la quinta economía de la UE, suele presentarse como la puerta de entrada al continente debido a su ubicación junto a Francia, Bélgica y Alemania, y el mar del Norte. También, por la pujanza del puerto de Róterdam y el aeropuerto de

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© ROBIN UTRECHT (ANP / ALAMY / CORDON PRESS) (EL PAÍS)

U.S. intelligence has warned that Iranian plots to kill Americans abroad have reached “advanced stages,” as Washington reduces diplomatic staffing across the Middle East amid mounting threats and the prospect of renewed military strikes against Tehran.

The post U.S. Intel Warns Iranian Plots to Kill Americans Abroad Have Reached ‘Advanced Stages’ — Regional Embassies Reduce Staff appeared first on Breitbart.

Seven people were killed on Friday when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in Jordan, said the head of the country’s Public Security Directorate, in a rare attack on Jordan’s Christian minority that authorities described as a terrorist act by extremists.

Speaking at a press conference, Major General Abdallah al-Maaytah said most of those wounded in the shooting at the Hamoud Church in Karak governorate were still receiving treatment, and that the hunt for the attackers was ongoing. Jordan’s health minister said 40 people were wounded.

Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh said the attack had been carried out by “extremists”, but that it was too early to tell whether they had any links to known groups inside or outside Jordan.

Such attacks are extremely rare in Jordan, which is relatively stable, though authorities in the US ally say that in recent years they have repeatedly foiled attempted attacks by Islamist militants.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

A video aired on Jordan’s state-owned Al-Mamlaka television station that appeared to be from a security camera on the church showed three people firing at it from a sidewalk and hiding behind trees and a low wall. The video showed the attackers then running towards the church’s entrance. Reuters was able to verify the video from the entry path and wall surrounding the church, as well as other details.

“This is a result of a terrorist ideology and blind extremism and we will not allow society to go down this path,” Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan said in a post on X.

Khaled Burqan, who was at the funeral, told Al-Mamlaka that dozens of people were present and the gunmen opened fire on them for several minutes.

Ihab Ammareen, another witness, told the station he saw bloodied people collapse on the floor after the attack. “People were crying, wailing, screaming — it’s hard to describe,” he said.

BLOOD SMEARED ON THE GROUND

Jordan’s King Abdullah, a major US partner in the fight against militant Islamist groups, visited Karak hours after the attack and said the perpetrators would be punished “with an iron fist”.

“The terrorist attack against Karak will be met with the harshest retaliation. Those who delude themselves into thinking that they can divide Jordanians with their bullets have no chance in the face of our unity,” he said in a statement.

Reuters footage from the church after the attack showed blood smeared on the floor near its entrance, where security forces were deployed.

In a post on X, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the violence and said attacks against civilians and places of worship are unacceptable.

People who gathered at a Karak government hospital to support the wounded expressed shock.

“What happened today has left people unable to speak or raise our voices. But our only reproach to the state is that it must investigate these dark ideas — where they come from and how they enter the minds of our children,” said one of them, Hani Al-Mbaydeen.

Christians make up a minority of Jordan’s population. The country is home to several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from around the world.

The US ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz described it on X as a “depraved and brutal attack on a house of worship.”

Jordan was among the US allies in the region to be hit by Iranian attacks this year after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla on Friday rejected a new threat from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said U.S. ships would make a “small stop” off the island on their return from Iran.

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President Donald Trump has issued a new threat against Cuba as U.S. officials reportedly press ahead with military planning for the Caribbean country, an escalation that coincides with an intensified oil blockade and UN vote scheduled for October 28.

At a campaign rally in Fort Myers, the Republican President laid out his plan in vivid terms. “What we are going to do with Cuba is we are going to come back from Iran. Those beautiful ships, we will pass by Cuba, we will have one of them stop about 50 yards (45 meters) from the coast. They will raise their hands and then we will send Marco Rubio to close the deal,” he said.

RELATED: Cuba Denounces U.S. Pressure Ahead of the UN Assembly Vote On Economic Blockade

The U.S. President closed the scene with a concrete promise: “We will take care of Cuba on our return from Iran. We will make a small stop.”

Cuba answered on X. “We reject all threats related to the ambitions of United States toward Cuba,“ wrote the Caribbean nation’s FM Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.

He added a description of the coastline that carried an unmistakable warning. “Our coastline is full of beautiful beaches, but there ara also razor-sharp limestone spikes,” he said, referring to the karst rock formations along the shore. “Inhospitable to those who arrive with hostile intentions and dreams of domination,” he warned. The jagged coastal limestone, sharp and cutting, gave the response its edge.

We reject every threat related to US ambitions toward Cuba.

Our coastline is full of beautiful beaches, but there are also razor-sharp limestone spikes, an inhospitable environment for those who make it to our shores with hostile purposes and lust for domination.… pic.twitter.com/jrrBc1jR8S

— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) October 23, 2026

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used the same platform to urge those pushing for “change” on the island to engage in “discreet collaboration with the CIA.” In August, The New York Times reported that the intelligence agency had secretly set up a task force focused on Cuba.

The threat came amid a heated campaign in a state that is home to the largest Cuban community in United States. Its lawmakers and an influential segment of that community shape Washington’s decisions on Cuba.

Rodriguez Parrilla’s post also echoes another phrase from the current U.S. President. In March, speaking at the White House, Trump said he would have “the honor of taking Cuba” and that he “could do whatever he wanted with it.” He described Cuba then as a beautiful place, with “good land, landscapes, wonderful weather and great potential for tourism centers.”

On that occasion his unfamiliarity with the territory was on display. He argued that taking control would be good because the country is “not in the path of hurricanes.” “They won’t ask us for money for hurricanes every week,” he said in that time.

Passing by the island after Iran is not a new idea. In early May, while signing the Executive Order that launched an unprecedented wave of unilateral and illegal penalties against Cuba, Trump had already spoken of “taking control” once his military objectives in Iran were met. Following that, he has promised the war will end “immediately” after the November 3 elections, without explaining how.

The new threat coincides with the campaign Rubio himself is leading to sway the votes of UN member states on the resolution against the blockade against Cuba. In a recent press conference, Rodriguez Parrilla denounced the pressures and threats against governments to make them change their position.

In recent weeks the U.S. administration has seized fuel shipments bound for Cuba as part of an oil blockade. The campaign against Cuba’s international medical cooperation has intensified in parallel.

Elections Add Pressure

The escalation arrives at a difficult political moment for the U.S. President. Midterm elections take place on November 3, and the Republican Party could lose control of Congress. Trump’s approval has sagged, and a majority of voters now reject his management of the country’s main fronts, a rejection that cuts across every issue.

The domestic scenario is complicated further by the conflict with Iran. Tehran retains control of the Strait of Hormuz and has inflicted significant destruction on U.S. military bases in West Asia.

Fuel prices keep climbing in the meantime. The increase strikes U.S. households directly, and every rise deepens the damage to the President’s public standing at a moment when he can least afford it.

The pattern toward Cuba has hardened even as those pressures mount at home. The fuel seizures, the diplomatic campaign and the military planning all point in the same direction, toward an increasingly explicit posture of confrontation against the island.

With the United Nations vote set for October 28 and the U.S. midterm elections following days later on November 3, the coming weeks will reveal whether the planning described in U.S. media translates into further concrete action against Cuba, or whether it remains a lever of pressure in a campaign that already weighs heavily on the island.

Super typhoon weakening but large parts of Taiwan, including Taipei, still mostly closed and flights cancelled

Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday killing one person, injuring more than 500, and uprooting trees and severing power as it weakened and ⁠headed north toward ⁠the ​Chinese coast.

Earlier classified as a super typhoon and one of the strongest storms in the ⁠Pacific this year, Champi was still packing gusts of about 126km per hour (78 miles per hour) near its ⁠centre, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA).

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© Photograph: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images

• Kundi calls for decisive action against terrorists, stronger police capacity
• Says Centre ready to provide weapons, financial resources to KP police
• Insists peace essential for development, investment in province

CHARSADDA / PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday ruled out negotiations or concessions for elements who do not accept the Constitution, stressing that decisive action against terrorism and strengthening the province’s police was the only way to restoring peace.

Speaking to journalists after visiting the families of CTD DSP Imranuddin Khan and Constable Kazim Jan in Charsadda, Mr Kundi said elements working against the state should not be offered concessions.

He said the Pakistan Army, police and other security agencies had rendered immense sacrifices for the country’s security and stressed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must be freed from terrorism.

Referring to a recent meeting of the National Apex Committee, the governor said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had made it clear that a policy of zero tolerance would be adopted against terrorism.

He said decisive action against terrorists was necessary to restore lasting peace, adding that the public should distance itself from terrorists and refrain from providing them shelter.

Mr Kundi said police and other law enforcement agencies required modern weapons and equipment to confront terrorists and that he was prepared to divert funds from his development allocation for the purpose.

He added that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had assured him that the federal government was ready to provide the police with the required weapons and financial resources.

Mr Kundi said the compensation package for police personnel martyred in the line of duty had been enhanced and that police salaries were also being increased.

Asked about the non-functional chief minister Sohail Afridi, Mr Kundi said Mr Afridi was in safe hands, adding that nobody could predict what would happen in the future.

The governor’s adviser on information, Samar Haroon Bilour, said the police and Counter-Terrorism Department needed modern weapons, secure vehicles, tracking systems and protective equipment to improve their operational capacity.

She said sustained federal support was necessary to strengthen both institutions.

Earlier in the day, DSP Imranuddin and Constable Jan, who were martyred during an operation against terrorists in Karak district on Thursday, were laid to rest in their native villages in Charsadda with police honours.

Mr Kundi claimed that weapons left behind following the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan had fallen into the hands of terrorists. He said Pakistan’s long border with Afghanistan made surveillance difficult in some areas and that terrorists possessed sophisticated weapons.

Federal package

Separately, addressing a news conference at Governor House in Peshawar, Mr Kundi said demands presented by the provincial advisory council at the Apex Committee meeting on Thursday had been accepted by PM Shehbaz.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a package of Rs160 billion for the province. To resolve issues related to gas and wheat, the prime minister directed the secretary of food department to convene a meeting soon,” he said.

According to the governor, the meeting, attended by the prime minister and senior military leadership, focused on security, development and public concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mr Kundi said peace was essential for development and investment in the province. “If there is peace in the province, there will be development and investment will also come from abroad,” he said.

He added that the provincial advisory council would pursue KP’s rights on the basis of facts and said talks had also been held with representatives of the Awami National Party, Jamaat-i-Islami and Qaumi Watan Party chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao.

Mr Kundi said political parties needed to unite over the province’s rights.

He also raised the issue of KP’s water share, insisting that the province was not receiving its due allocation under the 1991 water accord. He said the federal government had heard the province’s position and tenders for packages one and four of the Chashma Lift Canal would be issued next month.

Ms Bilour said development priorities discussed with the federal government included road connectivity, educational institutions, information technology hubs and vocational training facilities.

She said improving security and providing young people with better educational and employment opportunities were both necessary for the province’s long-term development.

Mr Kundi said restoring peace, strengthening the police and securing the province’s constitutional and development rights were essential for KP’s future.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2026

• Calls for stronger investment, private sector activity
• Aurangzeb stresses need to strengthen investor confidence

ISLAMABAD: In what appears to be a push towards accelerating growth, the World Bank has advised Pakistan to move from stabilisation to sustainable growth, with a focus on strengthening investment and private sector activity.

This marks the second such endorsement from the international financial institution, which recently commended Pakistan’s stabilisation programme and urged a shift towards sustainable growth to generate employment opportunities for the youth. The IMF has also offered similar advice to Islamabad at a recent workshop on tax reforms.

World Bank Regional Practice Director for the Prosperity Vertical for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP) Sandeep Mahajan met Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday. He was accompanied by Country Director Bolor­maa Amgaabazar and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Division Director Simon Andrews.

An official statement said the meeting discussed Pakistan’s economic reform agenda, the transition from stabilisation to sustainable growth and priorities for strengthening inve­stment and private sector activity.

Mr Mahajan congratulated Pakis­tan on restoring macroeconomic stability and commended the government’s management of the recent crisis arising from regional conflict.

He noted that buffers built through stabilisation efforts and a timely policy response had helped Pakistan manage external pressures. World Bank representatives emphasised the importance of sustaining these gains through continued reforms and effective implementation.

Mr Aurangzeb said the government’s priority was to make macroeconomic stability durable and translate it into sustainable, investment-led and export-driven growth.

He said that Pakistan had regained access to international capital markets, including through its recent $3 billion Eurobond issuance with five-year and 10-year maturities.

The minister also stressed the need to secure further credit rating upgrades, strengthen investor confidence and improve Pakistan’s sovereign credit profile.

Mr Aurangzeb underscored the importance of a credible transition framework that maintained fiscal discipline, addressed external sector vulnerabilities and strengthened the foundations for private sector-led, responsible and sustainable growth.

The discussion also covered international experience in strengthening fiscal frameworks and policy credibility to manage external risks and support investor confidence.

Policy continuity was highlighted as another key requirement for sustained economic progress. The finance minister noted that investment and productivity depended on a predictable policy environment and consistent implementation.

Mr Aurangzeb and the World Bank representatives also exchanged views on the government’s growth and jobs agenda, including opportunities to strengthen private sector investment, improve the regulatory environment and mobilise financing for infrastructure.

The discussion covered privatisation, the importance of clear regulatory frameworks and credible post-privatisation arran­gements, as well as the potential to develop infrastructure projects through appropriate financing structures and collaboration with development partners.

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of continued cooperation between Pakistan and the World Bank, with a focus on sustaining macroeconomic stability, advancing structural reforms, strengthening policy continuity and translating reform gains into investment, employment and improved economic opportunities.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2026