Author: Kainat Rajput

Gaza Building Collapse Kills at Least 12, Nearly 100 Feared Trapped

Kainat Rajput
Rescue workers searching rubble after a Gaza building collapse in Gaza City

A war-damaged apartment block in Gaza City came down overnight on Wednesday, and by morning the street outside it looked like every other patch of rubble in Gaza — except this one still had people underneath it. At least 12 Palestinians are dead, several of them children, and rescue crews say nearly 100 more may still be buried. What Happened The seven-storey building had already taken damage earlier in the war. It gave way sometime before dawn, burying families who had moved in because they had nowhere else to go.…

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Bangladesh Government Committee Blames Asif Nazrul for T20 World Cup Absence

Kainat Rajput
Bangladesh national cricket team players standing together on the field during a T20 match

A government-appointed committee has concluded that the Bangladesh national cricket team should have taken part in this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The panel has placed the blame squarely on the former interim government and its then youth and sports adviser, Dr Asif Nazrul. Background Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup participation fell apart months before a ball was bowled. The trouble began in early January 2026, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL squad. No…

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Pakistan Moves to Tighten Export Quality Standards as PM Shehbaz Pushes Reform

Kainat Rajput
Pakistani export goods being prepared for shipment as government pushes global export standards reform

Pakistan’s export sector is under fresh pressure to clean up its act. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif used a review meeting in Islamabad this week to order a push on export quality standards, telling officials that Pakistani goods need to match what international buyers already expect elsewhere. The session covered more than quality checks. It touched trade policy, technology adoption, and the everyday paperwork that exporters deal with, all under the same goal: getting more Pakistani products past foreign border checks and onto store shelves abroad. Background Pakistan export standards have…

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PM Shehbaz Sharif, Kundi Stress Centre-KP Harmony in Islamabad Meeting

Kainat Rajput
PM Shehbaz Sharif meets KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi in Islamabad

Summary Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi met in Islamabad on Tuesday. Both leaders called for stronger Centre-KP harmony and agreed that the federal government and the province need to work more closely to resolve public issues. The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the details in an official statement released after the meeting. Background Centre-KP relations have been under strain for months. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, currently led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has repeatedly accused the federal government, along with Punjab and Sindh, of blocking…

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China Travel Restrictions: Beijing Imposes New Exit Bans Over National Security

Kainat Rajput
Chinese passport placed beside an airport departure board, symbolizing new China travel restrictions on citizens

China’s exit-and-entry rules changed on Tuesday. Citizens can now be stopped from leaving the country if authorities decide they pose a risk to what Beijing calls “industrial or technological security.” The rules were first announced in July, but they only became enforceable this week. The State Council framed the move as necessary to protect “national sovereignty, security, and development interests.” In practice, it hands officials a new legal basis for blocking departures, on top of powers they already had. Background China has never fully closed its borders the way it…

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US Munitions Shortfall Confirmed by Pentagon Report on Iran War

Kainat Rajput
US Navy warship launching a munition during strikes on Iran

Summary The Pentagon has confirmed a US munitions shortfall tied directly to the war on Iran. A new inspector general report says munitions expended during the four-month campaign caused “strategic inventory shortfalls” and exposed weaknesses in the country’s weapons production chain. The findings contradict repeated claims from President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that US ammunition stocks remain plentiful. Background The war on Iran began on February 28, 2026, and stretched on for months before winding down. It was one of the most munitions-intensive campaigns the US military…

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Afridi Alters Tour as Security Tightens in Islamabad and Punjab

Kainat Rajput
Police containers placed on an Islamabad road as security is tightened ahead of PTI's planned march

Summary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has signalled a change to his planned Punjab tour after a PTI worker died following an alleged crackdown in Lahore. The development comes as federal and provincial authorities move quickly to tighten security in Islamabad and across Punjab, with fresh police deployments and a temporary ban on public gatherings now in place ahead of PTI’s planned march on the capital on September 27. Background PTI had earlier rolled out a 13-city tour plan for Sohail Afridi, meant to drum up support across Punjab…

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Pakistan Inflation Climbs Again as Fuel and Food Prices Squeeze Households

Kainat Rajput
A Pakistani shopper checks rising grocery and fuel prices at a local market, reflecting the country's inflation surge in 2026.

Pakistan’s cost of living is going up again, and this time fuel is doing a lot of the damage. Weekly price data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics shows the annualized inflation rate touched 8.62 percent in the week ending September 10, 2026, up from 8.35 percent just a week earlier. Behind the numbers is a familiar story: petrol and diesel keep getting more expensive, and everything that depends on them, from bus fares to bread, follows close behind. A Quick Snapshot Weekly inflation rose 0.23 percent in the week…

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No Dialogue Under Threat of Guns, Says Balochistan Home Minister Langove

Kainat Rajput
Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langove speaking on dialogue and peace in Balochistan

QUETTA: Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langove has once again made it clear that his government is willing to talk, but not on anyone else’s terms. He said the province cannot hold a political dialogue under threat of guns, no matter who is asking for it. Speaking to a number of delegations in Quetta on Sunday, Langove said the government has never turned its back on dialogue. But he added a firm condition: negotiations cannot happen while one side is holding a weapon over the other’s head. Background: Why Langove’s Statement…

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Small Vehicle Subsidy in Pakistan: Govt Announces Rs100 Per Litre Relief Amid High Fuel Prices

Kainat Rajput
Small vehicle subsidy in Pakistan – motorcycle and small car at a fuel pump amid high fuel prices

Summary Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched a small vehicle subsidy to soften the blow of high fuel prices on ordinary citizens. The relief covers motorcycles, rickshaws, Qingqis and small cars with engines up to 800cc. Under the scheme, eligible users get Rs100 per litre off petrol, capped at a fixed monthly quota. The move comes as global oil prices climb due to fresh tensions in the Middle East, pushing up the cost of fuel across Pakistan. Background Pakistan has been grappling with high fuel prices for months, and the…

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