The European Union’s health agency (ECDC) said on Wednesday there was nothing to suggest that the Andes strain of hantavirus had mutated following a deadly outbreak of the illness on a cruise ship.

The deaths of three passengers from a rare hantavirus outbreak on a cruise from Argentina to Cape Verde sparked international alarm.

Seven other passengers are confirmed to have the virus, including a French woman in a critical condition, while an eighth case is considered “probable”, according to an AFP tally. All of the passengers have been evacuated and are now in quarantine.

“Preliminary investigations based on the whole genome sequencing that is available to us suggest that there are no indications that this virus is acting any differently from the known virus circulating in some regions of the world,” Andreas Hoefer, of the Stockholm-based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, told journalists.

“All sequences obtained to date are virtually identical, which means that there is likely only a single transmission event from an infected animal to a human,” Hoefer, a microbiologist and molecular epidemiologist, added.

The disease is usually spread from infected rodents, typically through urine, droppings and saliva.

Laboratory testing in South Africa and Switzerland confirmed the virus to be the Andes strain — the only hantavirus strain known to pass between humans.

There are no vaccines or specific treatments for hantavirus. Both ECDC and World Health Organisation guidelines include a 42-day quarantine and constant monitoring of high-risk contacts because the incubation period can take six weeks.

“Due to the long incubation period, it is still possible that more cases among the passengers who are now actually in quarantine will occur,” ECDC director Pamela Rendi-Wagner said.

“This cannot be excluded.” Gianfranco Spiteri, ECDC’s head of global epidemic intelligence and health security, said the risk of transmission was greatest for those who showed symptoms of the illness.

But he acknowledged that people might be contagious in the first couple of days before symptoms appear.

“So in terms of taking a preventive and highly precautionary approach, we recommend, for example, that contact tracing should be done for two days before [the] onset of symptoms as well,” he said.

ISLAMABAD: PTI on Thursday defended MNA Iqbal Afridi’s son, who surrendered his passport and sought asylum in a European country, saying he had no other option left to prevent detention and harassment.

The matter came to light during a recent meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, where State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry alleged that MNA Iqbal Afridi’s son had sought asylum in Italy.

The minister had alleged that the young man held a diplomatic passport, and proceeded to Italy via a European nation that does not require Pakistanis who hold official passports to obtain a visa before arrival.

Talking to Dawn, Sheikh Waqas Akram, the information secretary of PTI, said he had personally spoken to Afridi about the issue.

“Afridi’s son is 28-year-old so he does not carry a diplomatic passport. According to rules, only dependents, which include children below 18 years and spouses of MNAs, can carry a diplomatic passport,” he said.

Waqas further claimed that Afridi’s son travelled to at least four countries and finally reached Italy.

“Afridi cannot be held accountable for the decision made by his 28-year-old son,” he said.

“Moreover, it is a fact that whenever ‘they’ came to arrest Afridi, they would pick up his son. His son had no option left but to leave the country. They should reflect and feel ashamed that people are leaving Pakistan and seeking political asylum,” Waqas said.

Meanwhile, in a video message on X, Afridi said that his son had previously been abducted and that authorities had also raided his home several times.

“My son was compelled to leave the country,” he said, adding, “When these institutions and the government treat youngsters like this — not allowing him to speak the truth and not letting him post anything in support of his leader — then what will they do?”

He lamented that no one wants his son to be separated from him. “My son has been separated from me for life; they should be sympathising with me instead of criticising me,” he said.

He also revealed that about 40–50 days ago, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq contacted PTI leaders. “The speaker asked me about my son. I said he is independent and that fear was the reason for his leaving the country.”

“When I asked the speaker what I could do, he replied, ‘You should not speak against the government and institutions,’” Afridi said.

“My son left due to oppression,” he said.

“We didn’t come to Pakistan from India; our ancestors were living in Pakistan before its foundation. Being loyal to Pakistan and the struggle for the rule of law and the Constitution is our only mission,” he added.

Govt alleges misuse of diplomatic passports

The controversy over a proposal to extend blue passports to the children of senators deepened on Wednesday after the State Minister Chaudhry said the facility was already being misused, citing the case of a PTI MNA’s son who allegedly claimed asylum in Europe using an official passport.

The committee meeting was chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, which considered the Passports (Amendment) Bill, 2026

Speaking after the meeting, Chaudhry said, “The son of Afridi was entitled to a blue passport. He went to a European country where a visa is not required on a blue passport,” Chaudhry said. “From there, he claimed asylum. We received this information through diplomatic sources. Such incidents damage the country’s reputation.”

The remarks came a day after Senator Abdul Qadir introduced a bill seeking to allow parliamentarians, particularly senators, to retain gratis official passports for life even if they have not completed a full five-year term in the National Assembly or a six-year term in the Senate. Under the existing law, only parliamentarians who complete their full term retain the facility for life.

Another proposed amendment seeks to extend eligibility for blue passports to the children of senators up to the age of 28.

Chaudhry said the interior ministry had already restricted the issuance of blue and diplomatic passports and would reduce the number further. “These passports will be issued only to those who are genuinely entitled and genuinely require them,” he said.

“This issue is directly linked to the ranking of your passports,” he added. “Countries that give visa-free entry or on-arrival visa facilities do not sign agreements if a country issues blue and diplomatic passports in bulk.”

He said parliament should decide the matter, adding that if civil servants were misusing the facility, parliamentarians should point it out. “The law and the rules can be changed, but no one should try to benefit from any loophole,” he said.

Responding later, Afridi said there was neither political stability nor peace in the country and multinational companies were leaving. “Let me know how many Pakistanis have claimed asylum before,” he said, adding that his son should not be singled out.

Chaudhry told the meeting the interior ministry had no objection to granting lifetime official passports to sitting and retired senators, but expressed reservations over extending the facility to senators’ children up to 28 due to reported misuse.

The committee raised concerns over the issuance of official passports to children of senior civil servants and directed the ministry to provide a detailed list of active blue passports issued so far. It also called for strict action against misuse and unanimously approved the bill for lifetime official passports for senators.

Flydubai has suspended its flight operations from and to Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar till October 26 due to “operational reasons”, the airline’s flight inquiry in Pakistan said.

However, flight operations from and to Karachi will continue as usual, the airline confirmed.

Flydubai, a low-cost airline based in the United Arab Emirates, launched its operations in Islamabad and Lahore in July 2024, and commenced flights to Peshawar in May last year.

According to aviation monitor Flightradar24, flydubai’s flights between Islamabad and Dubai (FZ353, FZ354), Lahore and Dubai (FZ359, FZ360), and Peshawar and Dubai (FZ375, FZ376) were cancelled since at least May 7.

A statement on flydubai’s website, issued on March 31 — days after the Iran war began — says that the airline is “currently operating flights across its network with a reduced schedule”.

It advised passengers to regularly check flight status and operational updates for the latest information before heading to the airport.

While the statement did not mention the Middle East conflict that sparked on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, it said, “We continue to closely monitor the situation and update our flight schedule accordingly. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority.”

The US-Iran war has resulted in a sharp spike in jet fuel prices, leading to air travel’s worst crisis in years.

Late last month, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that the jet fuel crisis tied to the Iran war could hit Asia ​hardest first.

“I think we ​will see airlines starting to reduce some of their ​schedules as we go towards the peak summer period in anticipation of some fuel shortages,” IATA head Willie Walsh said.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday set aside the supersession and deferment of top bureaucrats in promotion matters and ruled that high courts can assume jurisdiction in cases relating to assessment of “fitness” and “suitability” for promotion.

In a detailed judgment authored by Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas, the court held that denial of fair consideration for promotion was amenable to judicial review and such disputes did not fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Service Tribunal.

The judgment came on a series of petitions filed by BS-20 officers belonging to the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), Inland Revenue Service (IRS), Pakistan Customs Service (PCS), and the health sector, which had challenged their supersession or deferment by the Central Selection Board (CSB) during meetings held in March 2025.

The court set aside the CSB’s decision and directed that the cases of the officers be considered afresh.

The court observed that although promotion to BS-20 and BS-21 was not a vested right and depended on fitness and merit, the process adopted by the authorities must conform to the “constitutional guarantees of fairness, transparency and due process”.

Justice Minhas ruled that the CSB proceedings and the subsequent communication of reasons suffered from procedural impropriety. He observed that the affected officers were informed about the adverse decisions months after the board meetings.

The court noted that while the board concluded its deliberations in March of last year, the reasons for supersession and deferment were communicated to some officers in September and to others in December.

The judgment observed that the Federation could not benefit from its own failure by withholding reasons and later claiming that the petitions were premature.

Among the prominent petitioners was Dr Mutahir Shah, a senior official of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), who challenged his deferment for promotion to BS-20 as the joint executive director of Pims.

According to the judgment, Shah had earlier approached the Federal Service Tribunal after authorities excluded his name from the promotion roster despite his being the senior-most eligible officer. The tribunal had directed the government to consider his case in the ensuing CSB meeting.

However, the CSB subsequently deferred his promotion, citing a “mixed reputation” regarding integrity and professional competence and recommending further performance watch.

The court also examined the cases of several PSP officers denied promotion to BS-21.

Dr Muhammad Akhtar Abbas, posted in Lahore in BS-20, was superseded after the CSB declared him an officer of “average competence and peccable integrity”.

Nisar Ahmed Khan, who serves as director general of the Coordination Unit for Implementation of Initiatives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was denied promotion over allegations relating to integrity and professionalism, including concerns arising from an alleged voluntary return case.

Similarly, Mujahid Akbar Khan challenged his supersession after the board termed him professionally weak and referred to adverse additional information placed before it.

The petitions also included Sheikh Yaseen Farooq and Israr Ahmed Khan, both of whom were declared officers of average competence with questionable integrity.

In the case of Agha Muhammad Yousaf, the CSB cited “controversial financial integrity” while denying him promotion.

The lone PAS officer among the petitioners, Bilal Ahmed Butt, challenged his supersession after the CSB referred to his alleged “chequered history”, failure to attend mandatory training thrice and doubts regarding his financial integrity.

A large number of IRS officers also approached the court after being superseded or deferred for promotion to BS-20.

These included Iqbal Ahmad Sheikh, Karachi’s appeals commissioner; Shakeel Ahmed Shakeel, Islamabad’s director of internal audit; and Mirza Nasir Ali, Karachi’s law director. The CSB termed them officers of average competence with questionable integrity.

The board deferred the promotions of Muhammad Muti ur Rehman Mumtaz and Muhammad Zahid on “performance watch”, observing that they carried mixed reputations regarding financial integrity.

Other IRS officers who challenged the adverse recommendations included Wilayat Khan, Syed Ali Adnan Zaidi, Mumtaz Ali Bohio, Muhammad Amin Qureshi, Attiq ur Rehman Mughal, Muhammad Aslam Jamro and Dr Sajid Hussain Arain.

The court also reviewed petitions filed by PCS officers Arbab Qaiser Hamid and Dr Nasir Khan, who had repeatedly faced supersession in earlier CSB meetings as well.

During the proceedings, counsel for the petitioners argued that the CSB relied on “vague, cyclostyled and non-speaking reasons” without confronting the officers with any adverse material.

The petitioners maintained that many of the officers had never faced disciplinary proceedings, corruption references or show-cause notices during their careers. They contended that the board had abandoned the objective quantification mechanism envisaged under the Civil Servants Promotion Rules, 2019.

The Federation defended the process and argued that promotion to BS-20 and BS-21 involved comparative assessment by senior bureaucrats and that the CSB exercised structured discretion under the 2019 promotion rules.

However, the court held that while it would not act as an appellate forum over the merits of the CSB’s assessment, administrative actions remained subject to judicial review “on grounds of illegality, irrationality and procedural impropriety”.

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday launched the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis C Elimination Programme, aiming to end the disease by 2030, according to a press release issued by the ministry.

“Pakistan and the WHO today launched the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis C Elimination Programme in Islamabad with the goal of reaching 1.6 million people in the area over the next 6 months, and over 164 million across the country in subsequent phases.”

“The main goal is to eliminate Hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030, as agreed upon by the World Health Assembly,” the press release said.

Speaking at an event in Islamabad, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said that Rs67 billion had been allocated to combat one of Pakistan’s most serious public health challenges, the statement said.

“A complete three to six-month treatment course will be provided free of cost under the programme,” the statement quoted Kamal as saying.

He highlighted the alarming burden of hepatitis C, stating that out of nearly 60 million hepatitis patients worldwide, approximately 10 million are in Pakistan.

Kamal further noted that nearly 80 per cent of patients remain unaware of their condition and unknowingly continue to transmit the disease.

“Hepatitis C is a life-threatening disease that can eventually lead to liver cancer if left untreated. Prevention is better than a cure. The true meaning of healthcare is to prevent people from becoming sick,” he remarked, adding that Pakistan’s healthcare system must transition from a “sick-care” model to a genuine healthcare system focused on prevention and early intervention.

He informed that, with the support of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), nationwide screening would be conducted using national database integration to ensure maximum outreach and transparency.

“Initially, 12 Hepatitis C screening counters have been established at federal hospitals in Islamabad for diagnosis and facilitation of patients,” he said.

The minister urged citizens to actively participate in the screening campaign, emphasising that the programme’s success depended heavily on public cooperation.

He announced that the hepatitis C screening test, which typically costs around Rs7,000, along with a complete three- to six-month treatment course, would now be provided free of cost under the programme.

Kamal warned that hepatitis patients may transmit the disease to their family and the surrounding community. He appealed to the public to undergo timely screening before the disease progresses to an irreversible stage.

Speaking at the event, the WHO representative in Pakistan, Dr Luo Dapeng, said, “This programme is a major step towards achieving the 2030 global goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat. The programme could also avert 850,000 deaths and 1.1 million new infections by 2050.”

“WHO will stand with Pakistan and its people to implement this initiative, following medical science and adapting to the Pakistani context the best practices and lessons learned from around the world.”

“Detecting and treating hepatitis is essential, but prevention is the key to ending the disease, including preventing mother-to-child transmission, safe injections and blood transfusions, and harm reduction,” he added.

LAHORE: The Punjab chief minister’s office has refused a lawyer’s requests, made under the right to information law, for details of vehicles in incumbent provincial chief executive Maryam Nawaz’s use, her foreign visits and a luxury plane acquired by the Punjab government.

The right to information (RTI) in Pakistan is enshrined as a fundamental right under Article 19-A of the Constitution, designed to empower citizens with access to government-held information.

Lawyer Abdullah Malik had submitted two applications with the Public Information Commission (PIC) in July last year and in February this year.

In his letter in July 2025, he sought the following details:

• Expenditure under the heads of fuel, maintenance of vehicles and tours, including international visits
• Total number of vehicles and their make, model and cast
• Expenditure on helicopter or aircraft used by the CM and its total mileage of travel
• Total number of social media team members at the CM House, along with their salaries
• Whether the CM got the approval for her foreign tours from the Ministry of Finance and how many officials were with her on her Japan tour, as well as the expenses incurred on that visit

Separately, in a letter in February, the lawyer sought details about a G500 jet.

The Gulfstream 19-seater jet is estimated to be worth between $38 million and $42m, and Maryam has faced severe criticism regarding her government’s purchase of the aircraft.

The Punjab administration had initially remained tight-lipped about the acquisition of the aircraft, but later claimed that it was part of a proposed airline project.

The lawyer received replies to both his letters earlier this month. Both responses are dated April 28.

On his July request, the CM Office’s public information officer (PIO) said: “The desired information is not held by this office.”

It also cited “legitimate exception” as a reason for not sharing the information, stating: “The information sought is excepted under section 13(1)(e) of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013.”

Section 13(1)(e) of the Act reads: “A public information officer may refuse an application for access to information where disclosure of the information shall or is likely to cause harm to the life, health or safety of any person.”

The record of the proceedings before the PIC, available with Dawn, shows that the PIO consistently sought adjournments regarding the July request until the commission on April 13 gave a strict warning of penal consequences in case of failure to respond.

On Malik’s request for information regarding the luxury jet, the PIO responded: “It is informed that desired information is not held by this office. The same is hereby returned under the relevant provision of Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013.”

In 2021, the provision of a legitimate exception was also used as a reason to refuse a request for details of official vehicles and related records in the use of then-Punjab CM Usman Buzdar, who was from the PTI. The move had drawn sharp criticism from PML-N leaders, who were in the opposition at the time.

Britain’s anti-immigrant party Reform UK said on Wednesday it was talking to the parliamentary watchdog, following a report that its leader, Nigel Farage, was being investigated over a 5 million pound ($6.75m) gift which he did not declare.

After the BBC reported that Reform was being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over the donation, Reform, the biggest winner in local elections last week, confirmed it was discussing it but said no rules had been broken.

“He (Farage) has always been clear that this was a personal, unconditional gift and no rules were broken,” a spokesman for the party said. “We look forward to this being put to bed once and for all.”

Farage has said he accepted the donation from the Thailand-based billionaire and crypto investor Christopher Harborne to pay for his personal security before he announced his candidacy in the 2024 national election that brought him into parliament.

He said it was not a political donation, but rival political parties in April accused him of breaking rules, which require members of parliament to declare donations received in the year preceding an election within one month of taking office.

Opponents say the funding from an overseas billionaire demonstrates a gulf between the image Farage cultivates as a man of the people willing to take on the establishment, and his dependence on wealthy donors.

The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s Office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Investigation highlights scrutiny of Reform’s donations

If the investigation finds Farage committed a serious breach of parliamentary declaration rules, he could be suspended from the House of Commons for a period of time. A suspension of 10 days or more could trigger a recall petition, potentially forcing him to stand in a special election for his seat.

Reform has topped every national opinion poll since early last year, prompting increased scrutiny of the party’s sources of funding.

About two-thirds of Reform’s funding last year came from Harborne, according to Electoral Commission data.

Anna Turley, the chair of the governing Labour Party, said Farage had refused to answer legitimate questions.

“It’s one rule for them, and another for everyone else,” she said. “They are not on your side.”

Reform’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, said at the weekend that voters already knew about the gift and had still chosen to vote in large numbers for the party, which made sweeping gains in elections for local government in England and devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales.

Before the 2024 election, Farage had said he did not intend to stand as a candidate. He changed his mind about a month before the vote.

Earlier this year, Farage apologised after he was found by the parliamentary authorities to have inadvertently committed 17 breaches of rules on declaring financial interests including payments from Google and Elon Musk’s X Corp.

Parliament’s Standards Commissioner concluded the failures were unintentional and caused by staffing and other administrative issues.

Cambridge International Education (CIE) on Wednesday confirmed the leak of an AS-level Mathematics exam paper held on May 12, and announced the postponement of another Mathematics paper scheduled for Friday, May 15.

Amid recent reports of Cambridge exam paper leaks, students who appeared for an AS-level Mathematics paper on Tuesday made fresh claims that the paper they received was identical to a solved paper they had come across on social media just a day earlier.

“We can confirm that Cambridge International AS-Level Mathematics Paper 52 (9709), taken in our administrative zones 3 and 4 on May 12, was shared prematurely against our strict regulations,” said a statement issued by the board on Wednesday.

“We investigate such incidents promptly and thoroughly and we are now working to understand the extent of the leak and determine next steps.”

The statement said that “as an additional security and identification measure”, and upon discussions with “key stakeholders” in the country, the board was postponing the exam for Cambridge International AS Level Mathematics Paper 32 (9709), due to be sat in Pakistan on Friday (May 15).

“We will replace this with a new exam paper and communicate a new exam date within the June series by Friday May 22,” the statement said.

The release date of AS- and A-Level results, however, remains unchanged (August 11).

Cambridge’s Country Director of Pakistan Uzma Yousuf commented, “Our priority is to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by this incident, and we continue to take all possible measures to protect the integrity of our exams.”

She added that the board’s decisions were taken by senior and experienced professionals “in possession of all the facts”, stressing that its principles were to ensure the fairness and reliability of the grades awarded, “so that universities and other users of the grades can continue to trust them”.

“The nature of the exam paper theft we are seeing in this exam series is unprecedented,” Yousuf said. “We believe it is the work of criminals seeking to undermine examinations and the futures of the students who depend on them.”

She added, “We are pursuing several legal routes to stop and punish those responsible.”

Yousuf noted that while Cambridge did not comment on individual reports of paper leaks, it investigated all allegations. She stressed that leaks remained rare, and that schools were updated and provided recommended next steps in the event of a genuine issue — “this example notwithstanding”.

She also requested the public to only trust official statements from Cambridge and not to add to misinformation, “which is very unhelpful for students”.

Yousuf thanked all our students and schools for their patience and asked them to await further updates.

The CIE, part of Cambridge University Press and Assessment, offers internationally recognised exams to schools in over 160 countries. In Pakistan, O Levels (grades 10–11) cover a broad range of subjects, while A and AS Levels (grades 12–13) are more specialised and advanced, providing pathways to higher education in Pakistan and abroad.

Last month, the AS Level Mathematics exam (9709/12), conducted on April 29, was also subject to similar claims. After conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, CIE said it had reason to believe the claims were not unfounded. A replacement examination for the paper has therefore been scheduled for June 9.

In June last year, question papers of three AS and A Level examinations were partially leaked across Pakistan in 2025.

LAHORE: Heavy rain and hailstorms lashed several parts of the provincial capital on Wednesday, inundating low-lying areas and disrupting the flow of traffic on major thoroughfares.

On Sunday, the Pakistan Meteorological Department predicted rain in the upper parts of the country, including Lahore, from May 10 to May 12.

According to Lahore Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) data recorded at 6:35pm, Lakshmi Chowk received the highest rainfall in the city, with 95 millimetres.

It was followed by Pani Wala Talab (79mm), Saggian (53.2mm), Gulshan-e-Ravi (45.8mm), Jail Road (44mm), Tajpura (41.2mm), Chowk Nakhuda (40.2mm), Samanabad (37.4mm), WASA Head Office, Gulberg (34.4mm), Airport (33.9mm), Iqbal Town (25.6mm), Upper Mall (26mm), Farrukhabad (20mm), Shadi Pura (11.2mm), Johar Town (8.4mm), Mughalpura (7mm), and Nishter Town (5.8mm).

The average rainfall recorded across the Lahore region was 34mm, while rain had stopped in all reported areas at the time of reporting.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) advised citizens to take precautionary measures and urged them to stay away from electric poles and wires.

“Citizens should avoid unnecessary travel and remain cautious during the ongoing rain spell,” a PDMA spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, PDMA Director General Omar Javed directed the district administration to ensure efficient drainage of rainwater from affected areas.

“All relevant institutions, including Rescue 1122 and the WASA, will remain deployed in the field,” he added.

Talking to the media, WASA Managing Director Ghufran Ahmed said that emergency teams would remain deployed across the city to clear blocked drains and facilitate the drainage.

He also visited several parts of the city, including Lakshmi Chowk, to monitor drainage operations, along with WASA Director General Tayyab Fareed and Punjab Housing, Urban Development & Public Health Engineering Minister Bilal Yasin.

Moreover, WASA Vice Chairman Chaudhry Shahabaz Ahmed visited the monsoon control room at the WASA office.

He directed that all disposal stations should be kept fully operational and that field teams ensure immediate drainage of rainwater from low-lying areas.

Ahmed said citizens should be provided with adequate drainage facilities, directing all officers and staff to remain present in the field during the monsoon.

He also issued instructions for special monitoring of Lakshmi Chowk, Garhi Shahu, Mall Road, and other low-lying areas.

ISLAMABAD: Months after postponing local government polls in the federal capital for the fourth time, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed the interior ministry and Islamabad administration to immediately issue notifications on town corporations’ limits and union councils for polls, warning it would fix the matter for a hearing if there was no progress.

Chairing a meeting, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said holding local government elections was a constitutional requirement under Article 140(A) of the Constitution, further noting that local governments were functioning in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, but elections could not be held in Punjab and Islamabad due to changes in local government laws.

The ECP also directed the interior secretary and chief commissioner to take up the matter immediately with the relevant standing committee and cabinet.

“If no progress is made, the case will be fixed for hearing in the Election Commission,” it said. “If required, this matter will be raised with the federal government at an appropriate level.”

Raja said the presence of senior officers in the meeting meant the ECP expected the issues to be resolved “amicably”, so that the delimitation schedule could be issued and local elections held in the capital.

Officials briefed the meeting that Islamabad’s local bodies completed their term on February 14, 2021, and no elections have been held since.

The federal government amended the Islamabad Local Government Act 2015 through an ordinance on January 10, 2026.

Under the amendments, the ECP said it still awaited notification of town corporations’ limits, notification of the number of union councils in each town, maps matching those limits, rules under the ordinance, and amendments proposed by the commission.

The Islamabad chief commissioner told the meeting that the proposed notification on town corporations’ limits and union council numbers had been sent to the Ministry of Interior. It would go to the relevant standing committee before final approval by the federal cabinet.

The interior secretary assured the ECP of “all possible assistance”.

Since the term of the last local government expired in February 2021, elections have been delayed under various pretexts. As a result, around 2.5 million residents in the federal capital continue to face issues ranging from water shortages to unpaved streets.

The ECP has conducted delimitations multiple times and issued election schedules on several occasions, only for them to be cancelled later. Earlier, the elections were even cancelled a day before polling.

When the local government’s term ended in 2021, the PTI was in power, and elections were supposed to be held within 120 days, but steps were not taken to conduct polls. Later, when the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) came to power, it too delayed the elections.

During the PDM’s tenure, elections were set to be held in 50 union councils (UCs), but the government argued that the number should be increased to 101 UCs, leading to further delays.

Later, when arrangements were finalised to hold elections in 101 UCs, the PDM government proposed increasing the number from 101 to 125. Elections were then scheduled for 125 UCs, but in September last year, the government decided to increase the number of general seats in the UCs.

In December 2025, the ECP decided to hold the elections in 125 UCs on February 15 and issued the schedule.

But in January this year, the ECP postponed LG polls in Islamabad for the fourth time following the promulgation of the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance 2026.

The repeated delays have left Islamabad without an elected local government for over five years, with civic issues mounting in the capital.

In the Strait of Hormuz, US warships menace Iran’s oil tankers, while in Washington, President Donald Trump demands “complete victory.” But in Tucson, they’re getting ready to welcome the Iranian football team as if nothing were amiss.

The city, an oasis of civilisation in the Arizona desert, is set to be the base camp for “Team Melli” when the world’s biggest sporting spectacle opens in the US, Mexico and Canada next month.

“We’re just excited to host them here, and we’re going to give them a positive experience,” Sarah Hanna, director of the Kino Sports Complex, where the team will train, told AFP.

Grass is being watered and cut to FIFA-regulation height to ensure that players don’t get any surprises when they take to the field in Los Angeles and Seattle, the venues for their group-stage games.

Hotel rooms and meeting spaces are locked in, and security is tight.

“Right now, I’m probably averaging about 12 to 20 meetings regarding this training facility a week,” said Hanna. “From our concessionaire for food and beverage… to lots of grounds meetings with FIFA coming out to check.”

Ceasefire

The flurry of activity in Tucson comes against the backdrop of a war between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other that is now in its 11th week. Despite a shaky ceasefire in place for a month, hostilities are stubbornly unresolved, with Iran having virtually shut the Strait of Hormuz.

Organisers FIFA have insisted the team will take part in the tournament as planned, so Tucson has pressed ahead with its preparations.

“As far as we’re concerned, it’s 100 per cent on, and it’s never been off,” said Hanna. “Since they’ve been identified as the team, we’ve been moving forward as them as our team, until we hear something different from FIFA.”

Despite the official position, there’s plenty of uncertainty.

On Friday, Iran’s football federation president announced the team would participate, but laid down a list of requirements, including the granting of visas and the treatment of staff.

Concerns are particularly acute for anyone with ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the organisation seemingly in control of the country now, but which the US views as a terrorist group.

And in March, Trump cast doubt on their presence, saying that while the team was “welcome” to participate, it might not be a good idea.

“I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” he wrote on social media.

Locals in Tucson dismiss the implied threat.

“Our president is known to be a bit bombastic in his use of social media,” said Jon Pearlman, president of FC Tucson. “I don’t think President Trump or any part of our government will make it their business to make them feel unwelcome or unsafe. I think it will do the opposite.”

‘With open arms’

At the Kino Sports Complex, Iranian players will have access to the club’s weight training facilities, ice baths, and massage tables.

“We welcome them with open arms,” said Pearlman. “We are part of the world soccer community. We are part of what FIFA is trying to do, and we believe the game is something that brings nations together, not drives them apart.”

It is a sentiment widely echoed throughout this multicultural city of 540,000, which leans Democratic.

“I hope that they still feel welcome here,” said Rob McLane, who plays indoor football. “Even though we’re doing what we’re doing, which is ridiculous,” he said of the military operation.

Even near the local military base — whose aircraft regularly fly over the fields where the team will practice — Republican voters interviewed by AFP draw a clear distinction between sports and geopolitics.

“I’m glad that they’re coming,” said veteran Michael Holley, who thinks the war was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb.

Trump only brought up player safety because he feared “that Iranian athletes would be punished by their own government if they had a voice of their own,” the 68-year-old said.

“He didn’t mean that the American people are a threat.”

But not everyone in Tucson is thrilled about the prospect of the Iranian team being in town. For some in the city’s small Persian community, the players are little more than emissaries from a government that launched a crackdown on popular protests in January.

Ali Rezaei, a 68-year-old IT worker, said it would be “impossible” to support them.

“If there is a demonstration against them, I may go there.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to undertake a three-day visit to China, starting May 23, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday.

DPM Dar made the announcement while addressing the launch ceremony of the IBI Pakistan Digital Economy Centre in Islamabad.

He said that the premier would undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26. Dar added that premier was also set to attend a B2B forum on May 24 during the visit.

Earlier this month, President Asif Ali Zardari completed a five-day visit to China, which was aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation across key economic sectors. He also oversaw the signing of multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs).

Pakistan and China share a longstanding strategic partnership with ties that span various sectors, including trade, energy, defence, and infrastructure. The two countries are also set to mark the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations on May 21.

The visit comes at a time when Pakistan has remained engaged in facilitating engagement between the US and Iran in the past month, of which China has also been a part.

A day earlier, DPM Dar held a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, where the two leaders discussed Pakistan’s efforts to “facilitate engagement between Iran and the US”.

PM Shehbaz last visited China in September 2025, where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The development comes as the US President Donald Trump is also scheduled to visit China from May 13 to May 15.

‘Pak-China digital corridor’

Speaking at the launch ceremony, DPM Ishaq Dar underscored that Pakistan and China were taking “another significant step towards innovation, digital connectivity and the economy of the future as our partnership enters a new phase in the digital age”.

He remarked that Pak-China friendship was “not ordinary diplomacy”.

“It is a relationship tested by time and strengthened by trust […] from the Karakoram Highway, carved through some of the most difficult terrain in the world, to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which transformed Pakistan’s energy and connectivity landscape,” he continued.

He noted that with the launch of the centre, Pakistan and China were moving towards “digital transformation, agriculture, disaster management, climate resilience, healthcare, and smart cities”.

“The emerging Pak-China digital corridor will not only deepen bilateral ties but also create opportunities for the wider global south,” he remarked.