PAKISTAN NEWS

 ISLAMABAD, 10 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): World Mental Health Day is being observed in Pakistan and around the world to raise awareness about mental health, combat stigma and discrimination, and improve access to treatment and support for people experiencing mental health conditions. According to the United Nations, approximately 32.4 million people in Pakistan require mental health care. However, only five per cent of the population has access to mental health services, leaving nearly 95 per cent without adequate care. The report highlights a significant shortage of mental health professionals in the country, with Pakistan having approximately 0.19 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, compared with an average of seven per 100,000 in high-income countries. The limited availability ...

ISLAMABAD, 10 October, 2026 (Nosheen): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the possible imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency expected to be among the options under consideration. According to sources, the meeting will be held at the Prime Minister’s House and attended by key federal ministers and senior officials from the Ministry of Interior, who are expected to brief participants on the prevailing security situation in the province. The meeting will review public safety, law and order, and various constitutional options, including the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule. Sources said a decision regarding the possible imposition of an emergency could emerge from the meeting. If the...

 PESHAWAR, 10 October, 2026 (Ghufran): The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march entered Charsadda on Saturday, marking the seventh day of the campaign under the leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. According to sources, the convoy will pass through different areas of Charsadda before proceeding to Mardan, where participants are scheduled to stay overnight. The march will then continue towards Swabi. Addressing party workers, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said he would announce the next course of action in Swabi on October 13. According to the announced schedule, caravans from the Peshawar and Malakand regions, along with Kohat Division, including Karak, are expected to reach Swabi Interchange on October 13. Afridi said he had directed parliamentarians...

ISLAMABAD, 10 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving access to mental health services, eliminating social stigma and ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions across the country. In his message on World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10, the prime minister emphasised that mental health was fundamental to overall well-being, stating that there could be no health without mental health. Referring to this year’s theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” he stressed the importance of listening to individuals experiencing mental health conditions and incorporating their perspectives into policies, healthcare services and decisions affecting their lives. He said...

 Islamabad, 9 October 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has signed a partnership agreement with Norse Atlantic Airways for two state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, marking a significant step towards expanding the national flag carrier’s international operations. The addition of the Dreamliners is expected to support PIA’s fleet expansion and enable the airline to meet growing passenger demand through direct long-haul flights and improved global connectivity. The aircraft are expected to join PIA’s fleet in November 2026 and will operate direct flights between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, facilitating travel between various destinations in both countries. Under the agreement, Norse Atlantic will provide the aircraft along with crew, mai...

Peshawar, 9 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Security forces have killed seven terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision. According to sources, the operation targeted members of Fitna al-Khawarij, with all seven militants killed during the engagement. A substantial quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the militants, while security forces also destroyed hideouts associated with the group. Sources said operations under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision would continue until foreign-backed terrorism was eliminated. In a separate operation a day earlier, security forces reportedly killed nine terrorists, including four senior commanders, during intelligence-based operati...

Islamabad, 9 October, 2026 (Nosheen): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to discuss the prevailing political situation, particularly developments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) proposed long march towards the federal capital. According to sources, the prime minister contacted the JUI-F chief late at night following a meeting chaired by him to review the political situation. During the conversation, Maulana Fazlur Rehman reiterated that issues should be resolved through mutual understanding, dialogue and political engagement. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appreciated Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s political services and conciliatory approach, saying the federal government had made eve...

 Lahore, 9 October, 2026 (Ghufran): Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the establishment of Parks and Horticulture Authorities (PHAs) in every district of the province, along with recruitment against 2,820 technical posts. Chairing a meeting on the establishment of PHAs, plantation campaigns, park restoration and efforts to make cities greener and more attractive, the chief minister was informed that PHAs were already operational in 10 districts, while authorities had been established in another 11 districts. The meeting set January 2027 as the deadline for establishing PHAs in 20 additional districts, with plans to extend the authorities to every tehsil of Punjab in the second phase. Maryam Nawaz directed officials to launch phased plantation campaigns and pla...

 Islamabad, 9 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to defending Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, describing the pact as a defensive arrangement aimed at strengthening regional security and stability. In an interview with US broadcaster CNN, the military spokesperson said Pakistani forces had been stationed in Saudi Arabia for decades, serving in various capacities and reflecting the longstanding military cooperation between the two countries. He emphasized that the agreement was not a newly formed alliance but was built on an established history of defence cooperation. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said all measures ta...