For years, the tournament was expected to deliver a windfall for America’s travel industry, now grappling with declining international visitors amid what rights groups describe as a climate of fear.

The swarms of fans that hotels had counted on have yet to arrive, forcing many to cut rates. Flight bookings have slumped as ticket prices have skyrocketed. Expensive match tickets have further stymied demand, and industry analysts say excitement has been muted compared with past World Cups.

The weak start suggests the traditional World Cup travel playbook — typically dependent on international fans willing to travel long distances and spend heavily to follow their teams — is faltering. Instead, the costs, visa hurdles and the logistics of attending matches across 16 host cities in three countries have proved a deterrent.

US travellers, in a country where football is less popular than in Europe, are not filling the gap.

It is “overall a disappointment. There’s no other word that I can say,” said Vijay Dandapani, CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City. The association has cut its forecast for hotel room revenue tied to the World Cup by 60 per cent to roughly $60 million, he said.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last-minute demand yet to materialise

Flight bookings from Europe into most host cities for June and July are down 3.8pc on average year-over-year, according to Cirium, even after Europeans had already pulled back from travel to the US last year. Bookings from Europe into New York, host of the July 19 final, have plunged 15.8pc, Cirium said.

FIFA had projected 1.2 million fans would descend on the city, but Dandapani said the New York hotel association is only expecting half a million.

Dandapani said there has been a small uptick in bookings from UK and Norway fans recently, which he called a “positive sign.”

Hotels are hoping for a last-minute surge after the group stage concludes, despite discouraging early data. Average bookings across host cities are up just 0.5pc from a year earlier, according to analytics firm CoStar. Several New York hotels are discounting hotel rooms, said Dandapani, including the New York Hilton Midtown, the city’s largest hotel, which has slashed rates for the tournament in half to $415 per night, compared to advertised rates in December, he said.

Hilton in April said it was seeing strong bookings, driven by New York. The following month, Marriott said, “There obviously is still a lot left to book given that the exact matchups for the latter half of the competition have not yet been decided.”

Hilton declined to comment, while Marriott did not immediately respond to a comment request.

“Some fans are skipping the World Cup altogether,” said Andy Milne, England superfan and author of the book That World Cup Guy.

“Friends of mine are heading to Ibiza to watch every match on TV for a fraction of the price. Others are going to Vegas. It’ll still cost money, but far less than tickets, travel, hotels and transport to the stadiums.”

Even affluent fans, who have buoyed the performance of US travel companies, are waiting for matchups to crystallise or for their teams to advance before committing to travel, luxury sports travel company Roadtrips said.

High ticket costs, visas deter visitors

Fans from more than half the qualified countries need visas to enter the United States, adding cost and uncertainty for travellers already wary of stricter border enforcement.

The Trump administration denied a Somali referee entry over alleged links to “suspected members of terror organisations.”

FIFA’s ticketing practices have also soured some fans. Organisers introduced record-high base prices and, for the first time, dynamic pricing that raised costs as the tournament neared.

FIFA’s decision to allow uncapped resale pricing inflated costs further and drew regulatory scrutiny. The cheapest ticket in host cities like New York and Miami now approaches $1,000, according to TicketData.

Even if ticket prices halve closer to key matches, last-minute demand may remain muted, as overseas fans still face the cost and complexity of booking travel and securing visas on short notice, said Dana Lattouf, CEO of Tickitto, a UK ticket distributor.

Vacation rentals, which allow groups to split costs, are a rare bright spot.

Airbnb told investors in May that the World Cup was on track to be its largest event ever. Data from short-term rental analytics firm AirDNA shows bookings, particularly for budget and economy rentals, are tracking higher in host cities, including Boston and Los Angeles.

Booked average daily rates for rentals across host cities were $218, while travellers looking now would pay about $335 as of June 8, AirDNA said, as hosts raise prices to capture last-minute demand.

There is way more leisure demand in all these cities because of the World Cup. That is unmistakable, said Jamie Lane, chief economist at AirDNA.

The Hangor-class submarine is equipped with advanced combat systems, modern sensors, Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology and enhanced stealth features, which will significantly enhance the navy’s combat capability.

On arrival, the submarine was accorded a traditional naval welcome attended by Pakistan Navy officers and personnel, as well as family members of the crew, the statement said.

“Cadets of Pakistan Naval Academy presented a ceremonial salute to the incoming submarine and its crew, accompanied by a fly-past by PN Z9EC helicopters,” said the PN.

Upon arrival at the Pakistan Navy Dockyard, a reception ceremony was held to mark the occasion. Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Abdul Munib attended as the chief guest.

The name Hangor holds a significant place in Pakistan’s naval history, referring to the 1971 Pakistan-India war, during which then-PNS Hangor became the first submarine since World War II to sink a warship, when it sank the Indian frigate INS Khukri.

The navy is set to induct a total of eight Hangor-Class submarines.

The navy launched the first of the new submarines in April 2024, while the second, third and fourth were launched on March 15, August 15 and December 17 in 2025, respectively.

A press release issued by GB’s election commission said that the election phase in the region had ended “peacefully” and work was underway to finalise the results.

“It is taking time to collect and finalise the results from remote areas; however, the final notification will be issued within 14 days as per the law,” the CEC said, referring to Section 98 of the Election Act.

Meanwhile, nine petitions regarding the elections are in the process of being heard by the commission.

“So far, three petitions have been heard, while the hearing of the other petitions will be held on Friday,” the statement said, adding that this phase would be completed “soon”.

According to the press release, Form 49 — for final official results — has been issued for the constituencies of GBA-6 Hunza, GBA-11 Kharmang, GBA-23 Ghanche II and GBA 23 Ghanche III. Re-polling orders have been issued in five others and work is underway to finalise the election results in the remaining constituencies, Khan said.

Meanwhile, the PPP and PML-N leadership were unable to agree on the formation of the GB government.

The PPP is all set to form a government in the region after it gained 11 out of 24 seats in the GB Legi­slative Assembly, according to the unofficial results (Form-47) of the June 7 elections.

Earlier, key leaders of the PPP and PML-N, which secured six seats, met in Gilgit to hold detailed deliberations on proposals related to the formation of the upcoming GB government.

In its statement, the PPP claimed a “major breakthrough” in the process, saying that the parties decided to present the proposals for the government’s formation to their respective central leadership.

It said the discussions also pertained to political cooperation, along with various national and domestic issues.

The PPP delegation asserted that the people of GB had given it the mandate by “making it the largest party”, its statement said.

The party leaders stated that all decisions on government formation would be made keeping in view democratic principles, political consultations and public interests.

Meanwhile, the PML-N statement said that “several proposals came under consideration and it was agreed to move forward with the consultation process”.

It noted that the future course of action would be determined after the proposals were reviewed and both parties’ central leadership was taken into confidence.

PPP Secretary General Nayyer Hussain Bukhari, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon and Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah were part of the PPP delegation. The main contender for the chief minister’s slot from the PPP — its GB chapter president Advocate Amjad Hussain — was also present.

The PML-N side included Minister for Kashmir Affairs and GB Amir Muqam, and its GB President Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, also a former chief minister.

As per Forms 47 issued by returning officers from 24 constituencies, the PPP bagged 11 seats in the elections, with the PML-N trailing with six seats. PTI-backed candidates won two seats, while its ally Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) won one seat. Independent candidates secured four seats.

The consolidation of the results was barred until re-polling at certain polling stations in five constituencies is complete — GBA-8 Skardu-II, GBA-13 Ast­ore-I, GBA-15 Diamer-I, GBA-16 Diamer-II and GBA-17 Diamer-III.

However, on Wednesday, the election commission withdrew its earlier notification ordering a re-poll at 10 polling stations in GBA-8 Skardu-II. Following the decision, the constituency’s returning officer issued Form 49 and declared MWM candidate Kazim Mesum the winner of the seat.

Commission orders recount in GBA-09 Skardu-III

The commission has also ordered a recount of votes in constituency GBA-09 Skardu-III following an inquiry into allegations of polling irregularities, illegal practices and corrupt practices.

According to an official notification issued on June 11, the CEC accepted the recommendation contained in the inquiry report submitted by the district returning officer (DRO) and directed that a recount of votes be conducted in accordance with the Elections Act.

The recount will be carried out after due notice is given to all contesting candidates and their authorised election agents. The commission has also directed officials to carefully scrutinise ballot papers during the recount process to ensure the accuracy, transparency and proper determination of the votes cast.

Upon completion of the recount, the election result will be finalised and consolidated in accordance with the Elections Act, 2017, and the Elections Rules, 2017.

PPP candidate Fida Muhammad Nashad was declared the winner of the constituency in Form 47.

Supporters of PPP candidate Attaullah from GBA-16 Diamer-II continued their protest for a fourth consecutive day on Thursday outside the DRO’s office in Chilas, blocking the Karakoram Highway (KKH). They demanded the counting of postal ballots and the announcement of the constituency’s final results without delay, and opposed re-polling at three polling stations.

The protesters said they would continue their blockade of the KKH until the constituency’s official results were announced and Form 48 was issued.

Across Washington, the dominant theme in reporting is the gap between rhetoric and military feasibility.

Jonathan Swan, a White House correspondent for The New York Times, framed the administration’s posture as one defined by repeated escalation and limited strategic clarity.

“Trump has repeatedly said he would attack Kharg during the war, as he has ramped up his threats to try to compel Iran to agree to his demands to shutter its nuclear programme. Iran has consistently called his bluff,“ he wrote.

Swan’s assessment also highlights internal constraints shaping the discussion in Washington.

“Trump has few easy options,” he wrote, pointing to depleted long-range weapons stockpiles and the operational complexity of any attempt to physically seize the island.

“The US is dangerously low on long-range weapons stocks, and seizing Kharg would involve a substantial risk of American casualties, and most of Trump’s advisers oppose a full-blown ground operation to try and topple the Iranian government.

“But he continues to make bellicose threats and in recent days has launched waves of military strikes,“ Swan noted.

That caution is echoed by The Washington Post, which has emphasised the logistical and human costs of any attempt to occupy the island.

According to the paper, “actually seizing and holding Kharg Island carries a significant risk of American casualties and requires substantial US troop deployments,” underscoring that the scenario would quickly move beyond limited strikes into a large-scale regional war footing.

NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel described the escalating cycle of strikes and counter-threats as having already transformed the conflict’s tempo.

“It’s safe to say that the ceasefire is effectively dead and has now been replaced by negotiations under fire,” he said, noting that Trump has been trying to pressure Tehran into a deal.

But Engel added that Iran “is giving no indication that it wants to work this way and has insisted it will respond every time it is attacked”.

CNN’s reporting from Washington suggests that Tehran has not only anticipated such threats but actively prepared for them.

Reporter Kaanita Iyer noted that “Iran has been preparing for months for a US operation to take control of Kharg Island, which President Trump threatened to attack on Thursday.”

According to sources cited by CNN, Iran has strengthened the island’s defences with “additional shoulder-fired, surface-to-air guided missile systems known as MANPADs (man-portable air defence systems),” and laid “traps on the island with anti-personnel and anti-armour mines … including on the shoreline where US troops could possibly land”.

CNN further emphasised Kharg’s strategic importance, describing it as “an economic lifeline for Iran that handles roughly 90 per cent of the country’s crude exports,” and echoing military assessments warning of “significant risks in an operation to take Kharg, including a large number of US casualties.”

Meanwhile, financial markets reacted immediately to the prospect of escalation.

The BBC reported that oil prices rose by about $2 and Brent crude futures increased to $94.16 a barrel “in the space of a few minutes after Trump threatened fresh strikes”.

The BBC also noted defence analysts’ warnings that any assault would be operationally complex, requiring US forces to traverse significant distances by sea or air, making a landing operation particularly challenging.

Taken together, international coverage paints a consistent picture: while rhetoric from the White House is intensifying, military analysts and reporters across outlets agree that Kharg Island is not a symbolic target but a heavily defended economic lifeline.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that General Tokel called on CDF Munir at the General Headquarters (GHQ) today.

“During the meeting, matters of mutual professional interest, regional security dynamics, and avenues for enhanced bilateral defence cooperation were discussed,” it said.

CDF Munir highlighted the deep-rooted historical, cultural, and strategic ties between the two countries and appreciated the strong defence partnership between the armed forces of Pakistan and Turkiye, the ISPR added.

It stated that upon arrival at GHQ, the visiting dignitary was presented with a “smartly turned-out” guard of honour by a Pakistan Army contingent.

The statement added that the visiting dignitary also visited the Naval Headquarters (NHQ) in Islamabad and called on Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf.

“During the meeting, matters of professional interest and regional maritime security environment were discussed,” it added.

Moreover, General Tokel also called on the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at Air Headquarters (AHQ).

“The meeting focused on bilateral military cooperation and matters pertaining to professional interest,” said the ISPR statement.

During his visit, General Tokel lauded the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged its contributions towards regional peace and stability.

“He also expressed his commitment to further enhancing defence cooperation and institutional linkages between the armed forces of the two brotherly nations,” the ISPR concluded.

Earlier this week, CDF Munir also held meetings with the commander of Bahrain’s National Guard, General Shaikh Mohammad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and the Lebanese armed forces’ Commander-in-Chief General Rodolphe Haykal.

During both interactions, he discussed the strengthening of military collaboration and prospects for enhancing bilateral military relations with the respective countries.

El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, bringing worldwide changes in winds, rainfall patterns and erratic weather.

And scientists fear it will exacerbate the heat of a planet already warming from burning fossil fuels, while amping up weather extremes.

In its latest advisory NOAA scientists said “El Nino conditions developed over the past month” as shown by those above-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific.

“There is a 63 per cent chance of a very strong El Nino during November-January that would rank among the largest El Nino events in the historical record going back to 1950,” the advisory read.

Every El Nino is different, but major events often follow familiar patterns. This includes drought across parts of the Amazon, Indonesia and Australia, disrupted monsoons in India and shifting rainfall throughout the tropics.

It typically takes place every two to seven years and lasts around nine to 12 months.

El Nino tends to peak late in the year but heat in the oceans releases more slowly into the atmosphere, pushing up global temperatures the following year.

‘Deadly siren’

Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service on Wednesday said global forecasters were increasingly confident that a very strong El Nino warming weather pattern could form later this year.

“The odds are strongly in favour of a moderate to strong, or probably strong to record-breaking, event at this stage,” the service’s director Carlo Buontempo told AFP.

In response to NOAA’s forecast, Mohamed Adow, Director of the Nairobi-based climate and energy think tank Power Shift Africa, said for millions of people across the globe “it’s not just another weather forecast” but a “deadly siren to be feared.”

“It means failed rains, dying crops, rising food prices, and families pushed to the edge yet again.”

Earlier this month, United Nations chief Antonio Guterres urged the world to treat the likely intense incoming weather “as the urgent climate warning it is.”

“El Nino conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world,” he said.

“The only effective response is climate action equal to the crisis — ending the addiction to fossil fuels, accelerating the shift to renewables, protecting the most vulnerable and delivering early warning systems for all.”

In April, the apex court had resumed hearing a review petition filed by PTI founder and former premier against the closure of his right to defence in the Rs10 billion defamation case.

Headed by Justice Ayesha A. Malik, a three-judge SC bench also comprising Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim took up a set of review petitions filed by Imran Khan, also a former prime minister. Justice Kakar, however, dissented from the majority judgment.

Overturning the earlier judgments of the LHC as well as the trial court, the SC remanded the matter back to the trial court with the direction to provide the petitioner (Imran Khan) a reasonable opportunity to file his reply to the interrogatories and to proceed with the suit in accordance with law.

Authored by Justice Ibrahim, the majority judgment on Thursday recalled that Imran’s challenge to the earlier judgment was primarily anchored on two pivotal legal infirmities: first, the illegitimacy of relying on past conduct as a retrospective basis for a penal sanction; and second, the absence of a formal application as a mandatory jurisdictional prerequisite for the invocation of Order XI, Rule 21 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC).

Justice Ibrahim observed that Order XI, Rule 21 of the CPC was not a routine tool of case management; it was the “death knell” of a party’s defence, as its nature was strictly penal.

“The law does not favour the forfeiture of a substantive right of defence on a technicality unless the conduct of the party is proved to be contumacious, obstinate and stubbornly defiant.”

When a court contemplates a measure that deprives a person of their fundamental right of defence, a right that is anchored in the constitutional guarantee of a fair trial under Article 10A, it must exhibit the utmost judicial restraint and proceed with absolute caution, Justice Ibrahim emphasised.

He also observed that the trial court, in its orders of November 8 and 17, had explicitly acknowledged and accepted Imran’s inability to respond to interrogatories due to a critical injury sustained in a widely reported shooting incident that happened on Nov 3, 2022.

Once the trial court accepted the factum of the shooting incident on Nov 8, 2022, the element of “wilfulness” was legally extinguished, the judgment said, while noting, “But on Nov 24, 2022, the trial court abruptly shifted its stance, striking out petitioner’s defence despite continued existence of the same medical incapacity.”

“When a party is hospitalised due to gunshot wounds, the failure to sign an affidavit or consult with counsel is a physical impossibility and not a contumacious act,” Justice Ibrahim observed.

“The law does not compel a man to do what he cannot possibly perform; thus a default occasioned by a physical catastrophe or force majeure that includes circumstances entirely beyond a party’s control, cannot be characterised as wilful or contumacious as was the case at hand.,” stated the judgement.

Justice Ibrahim further observed that the trial court had acted “mechanically” in imposing this penalty upon the petitioner and that the earlier majority judgment erred in the analysis of this fact.

The judgment conceded that the former prime minister indeed sought numerous adjournments since the inception of the proceedings, as rightly pointed out by the earlier majority judgment. However, it was pertinent to note that the trial court saw fit to grant them without ever resorting to the lesser penalties available in the judicial quiver.

“Had the court truly determined that the petitioner was employing strategic delay tactics, it was empowered to ensure the expeditiousness of justice through the imposition of high costs or peremptory orders with realistic timeframes.”

“Instead, the trial court remained dormant in its disciplinary capacity for years, only to jump to the most extreme penalty on Nov 24, 2022, less than a month after the documented firing incident. Such an approach ignores the principle of proportionality as the judiciary’s duty to ensure expeditious justice does not grant a license to commit summary injustice,” Justice Ibrahim observed.

Thus, the judgment said that the earlier majority judgment suffers from errors apparent on the face of the record, which have resulted in a manifest miscarriage of justice, adding that the “judgment erred fundamentally in validating the invocation of Order XI, Rule 21 of the CPC based upon a retrospective evaluation of petitioner’s past conduct, while ignoring the immediate and compelling medical incapacity resulting from the assassination attempt”.

Meanwhile, Justice Malik, in her additional note, observed that in a case plagued by adjournments since 2017, the trial court should weigh the “balance between a fair trial and the legitimate grounds for the latest request for adjournment”.

“The courts are entrusted with the responsibility to dispense justice, for which they are under a duty to ensure a timely trial, which duty may have been overlooked in some of the previous instances of adjournment where requests were granted mechanically and without due consideration,” she maintained.

However, Justice Malick said the petitioner’s public shooting and injury at a political rally justified the grant of an adjournment for a reasonable time under the circumstances.

“The right to defence cannot be struck out without considering all relevant factors, and the court must weigh the balance between a fair trial and the circumstances at hand,” Justice Malik said.

Justice Kakar, in his dissenting note, observed that the case at hand was a classic case of delay on the part of the petitioner and of the trial court’s inability to conclude the lis within a reasonable time.

“Record reveals that the suit was instituted in the year 2017, whereas the written statement was filed after a delay of about four years,” Justice Kakar observed, adding the interrogatories were made on March 16, 2022, and despite availing of 5 to 6 opportunities, the petitioner failed to respond to the same.

“As per order sheet of April 26, 2022, answers to the interrogatories was ready and the draft was only required to be signed by the senior counsel, however, on next date of hearing, instead of answering the interrogatories in compliance of the trial court directions and previous under taking, once again objections were filed just to delay the proceedings,” he wrote, while pointing that “Such conduct on the part of petitioner was apparently wilful disobedient, Justice Kakar observed.

The trial court, through its order of October 20, 2022, dismissed the petitioner’s objections to the interrogatories of the respondent and directed him to submit answers to those interrogatories. Later, through a subsequent order dated Nov 24, 2022, the trial court struck off the petitioner’s right of defence due to non-submission of answers to the interrogatories.

In his suit filed in 2017, PM Shehbaz said Imran levelled baseless allegations against him. He sought a decree for the recovery of Rs10bn as compensation from the defendant for the publication of defamatory content. The defamation suit said Imran wrongly accused PM Shehbaz of offering Rs10bn to the latter through a common friend in exchange for withdrawing the Panama Papers case.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will present the federal budget for the next fiscal year (FY26–27) in the NA on Friday.

“Iqbal Khan has violated the sanctity of the House multiple times through his inappropriate and unparliamentary behaviour,” the speaker said. He added that multiple complaints had been received about the lawmaker’s abuse of NA employees.

Sadiq said the MNA had also behaved improperly with the NA’s director general (media) and security officials.

“No leniency can be shown to such a member,” he remarked, before directing the sergeant-at-arms to remove the lawmaker from the hall.

The speaker further alleged that Khan had misbehaved with security personnel outside Parliament and had been involved in a scuffle with police at a checkpoint near Serena Hotel.

“Through his threatening conduct, Muhammad Iqbal Khan has undermined all parliamentary traditions,” he said, adding that the member had “misused his office”.

The MNA has been barred from entering Parliament House and its premises for the duration of the budget session.

The suspension followed a motion moved by PML-N legislator Farah Naz Akbar, which the House approved by a majority vote.

“During the proceedings of the National Assembly on April 3, 2026, Muhammad Iqbal Khan, MNA, was observed using abusive language towards the director general media of the National Assembly Secretariat and issuing threats. On multiple occasions, he has also misbehaved with police and security personnel deployed for security duties within the Secretariat as well as with the chair.”

“Furthermore, on May 13, 2026, he undermined the authority of the chair and lowered the dignity of Parliament by using abusive and threatening language against fellow members, thereby disrupting the decorum and discipline of the House. His conduct is unbecoming of a parliamentarian as he has repeatedly violated the sanctity of the House, disregarded the authority of the chair and willfully obstructed the proceedings and contravention of the rules.

“In view of the above, I hereby name him under Rule 21 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007,” the motion read out by Farah said.

The speaker elaborated that the suspended MNA would not receive any allowances, including travelling and daily allowances, for the session.

“Leave the House yourself; if you do not leave yourself, security personnel will forcibly take you out,” Sadiq told Afridi, who later left the House.

Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry informed the House that Iqbal Afridi’s son had applied for political asylum in Italy on a blue passport. The speaker referred the matter to the Standing Committee on Interior.

The sitting began under the speaker’s chairmanship but was briefly adjourned after Afridi pointed out the lack of quorum at the outset. Members were counted and the House was found short of the required number.

When the session resumed, Afridi again raised the issue of quorum. This time the count was complete. On his third attempt, the speaker ignored the call. “A quorum cannot be pointed out every half hour,” Sadiq said. “Even quorum has rules.”

When PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan sought the floor during the proceedings, the speaker said Afridi “would not be forgiven” if PTI members backed him.

Speaking in the House, Gohar said the PTI was the “largest party among 175 parties” and demanded a ruling from the speaker on arranging a meeting with its “founding chairman”, as opposition members staged a walkout from the NA.

Gohar said the party had earlier demanded a committee of the House under Syed Khursheed Shah. “When members of Parliament’s issues are not resolved, then who do we talk to?” he asked.

He added that the committee had met twice and no meeting had been called since. “For the past 34 weeks, we have not been allowed to meet the founder,” he said.

“We still miss Omar Ayub, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Zartaj Gul and others today,” he added, referring to key PTI leaders sentenced last year to 10 years in prison in a case pertaining to the May 9, 2023 riots.

“We want a ruling from the speaker on this matter,” Gohar said. “If our voice is not heard, then we have called a joint parliamentary party meeting. If we are not heard, then we will decide the future.”

He asked the speaker to decide by tomorrow whether a meeting would be arranged or not. Following his speech, opposition members walked out of the House in protest.

Responding to the point, Sadiq said: “If they were members of the National Assembly, I would have issued their production orders.”

He said that three meetings had been arranged. “You yourselves broke that chain,” the speaker said, adding that the government no longer wanted to talk either.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif called on all political parties to respect the sanctity of Parliament, warning that political disputes should not be allowed to weaken democratic institutions.

Speaking in the National Assembly, he said leaders of the PPP and PML-N had endured imprisonment and political victimisation in the past but “never compromised on the dignity of Parliament”.

Despite facing legal and political challenges, he said, they used constitutional and legal forums for protest rather than disrupting institutions. Members of the Sharif family, too, had faced court cases, “but the democratic system was not undermined”, he added.

Taking aim at the PTI, the defence minister said the party had disrupted House proceedings for the past two years by tying its participation to its leader’s imprisonment.

“Institutions and the country are more important than individuals. Personalities come and go, but Pakistan remains,” he said.

Asif said parties were within their rights to seek legal and political relief for their leaders, but blocking parliamentary business weakened democracy. Legislation, he stressed, was Parliament’s core responsibility and protests must remain within democratic norms.

He claimed that many PTI lawmakers also wanted smooth proceedings, but repeated disruptions had damaged Parliament’s credibility.

The collection includes a Tarbosaurus bataar skeleton, estimated to be more than 50 per cent intact, along with 28 groups of fossilised dinosaur remains originally found in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, according to police.

The bones had been illegally taken from Mongolia in 2006 “with the aim of making a profit”, said D. Munkhkhuyag, head of the police public relations department.

French customs agencies confiscated the fossils between 2013 and 2015, and began returning them a year later to Mongolia under international conventions to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage.

Following the lengthy process of returning the fossils, they arrived in the capital Ulaanbaatar on Thursday and will be housed in Mongolia’s new National Museum of Natural History, where they will be studied and eventually put on public display.

“The dinosaur fossil is priceless and a unique piece of heritage,” Manchuk Nuramkhan, the museum’s director, told a news conference.

“We are delighted that children and young people will have the opportunity to see Mongolia’s dinosaur heritage firsthand and learn from it,” she said.

Tarbosaurus bataar, a close relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, lived around 70 million years ago, with evidence of its existence almost exclusively found in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert.

Manchuk said the return of the fossils was an important victory for efforts to recover cultural and scientific heritage taken from Mongolia and highlights growing international cooperation against the illegal trade in antiquities and fossils.

Mongolia has intensified efforts in recent years to recover dinosaur fossils smuggled abroad, as demand from private collectors and auction houses has fuelled an international black market in rare palaeontological specimens.

In a statement, the PMO said PM Shehbaz chaired an important meeting on reforms in Pakistan Railways in Islamabad on Thursday, adding that the prime minister approved the strategic roadmap for comprehensive reforms in the railways sector.

The PMO stated that the meeting was given a detailed briefing on the strategic roadmap and targets for comprehensive reforms in Pakistan Railways.

“The roadmap includes targets to increase market share in both passenger and freight sectors,” the statement said, while highlighting the key points.

“Improvement in railway services, enhancement of network capacity and financial sustainability will be the key pillars of the roadmap,” it added.

Furthermore, the roadmap also includes targets related to “improving the governance system of railways, digitisation, expansion of railway lines, regional connectivity, private-sector participation through public-private partnerships and achieving financial sustainability”.

“The reforms also include the use of modern coaches, provision of facilities for passengers in trains and at stations, upgradation of ML-1, ML-2, ML-3 and other tracks, and right-sizing,” it said.

“Pakistan Railways has immense potential to become a safe and affordable mode of transportation for the public and freight services,” the statement quoted PM Shehbaz as saying.

“Freight services are the backbone of the railway system,” said the premier, directing that the freight sector be promoted on a priority basis and instructing that internationally renowned experts and consultants be hired for the implementation of the railway reforms roadmap.

“Improvement in the railway system will reduce traffic pressure on roads,” PM Shehbaz added.

During the meeting, the prime minister also emphasised that a modern and efficient railway system would help reduce carbon emissions and promote environmentally friendly transport.

“The development of Pakistan Railways will enhance regional connectivity and increase economic activity. Revenue generated through private-sector investment in railway land should be utilised for the improvement of the railway system,” he directed.

Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Hanif Abbasi, Adviser on Privatisation Muhammad Ali, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani and senior officials of relevant institutions attended the meeting.

In January, Abbasi said work on ML-1 railway project is expected to begin in July 2026 from the Karachi Port.

The ML-1 project aims to upgrade and modernise key infrastructure to enhance freight and passenger connectivity from Karachi to Peshawar.

In August 2025, the Senate Standing Committee on Railways had recommended expediting work on the project.

The SC had ordered the closure of Monal and the adjacent La Montana restaurant on August 21, 2024, and they were closed the next month to protect the park’s biodiversity.

Headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, a three-judge FCC bench took up a review petition moved by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) challenging the Supreme Court’s (SC) directions to the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) to take possession of restaurants — namely Monal, La Montana and Gloria Jeans — situated inside the MHNP. The CDA and the Islamabad Capital Territory Police were also ordered to assist the wildlife board in this regard.

The SC had also ordered that the entrances to the area where the restaurants were located be barricaded, after which the infrastructure would be demolished — with minimal disturbance to wildlife and without damage to the trees of the national park.

On Sept 10 the same year, the SC had dismissed a similar set of review petitions moved by the Monal Group of Companies, the Capital View Point Restaurant (La Montana), Sunshine Heights (Pvt) Ltd, and Brig (retd) Falak Naz Bangash of the Defence Ministry.

While rejecting the review petitions, the SC had also termed the status of Monal Group’s Luqman Ali Afzal as no better than that of a trespasser, saying he had no legal right to continue possession of the land at the MHNP.

Likewise, the running of restaurants by the owner of La Montana and Gloria Jeans was also in disregard of the provisions of the Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation and Management) Ordinance.

During Thursday’s hearing, the federal government, through Additional Attorney General Chaudhry Aamir Rehman, supported the CDA’s review petition against the demolition orders concerning the restaurants. It stated that the judgment was not sustainable in the eyes of the law, as besides Monal, around 113 other similar structures still existed in the Margalla Hills.

During the hearing, the FCC also raised questions over the SC’s decision to demolish the restaurants, stating that the judgment suggested that animals had rights but not humans.

Justice Rizvi recalled that the impugned judgment came despite the fact that Monal’s lease revision case was pending before the civil court, in addition to intra-court appeals by some restaurants pending before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Senior counsel Ahsan Bhoon, on behalf of the restaurants, contended that all parties were in agreement that the case should be allowed to proceed in the civil court.

However, Justice Rizvi observed that courts are never run on the basis of agreements between parties, saying that the kind of decision the SC had given could not be overturned by consensus among them.

He indicated that a detailed order would be issued if it was decided that the SC’s orders were to be overturned, stating that the FCC did not want to impose its decision “just like that”. The proceedings were then adjourned until the second week of July.

Through its 2024 judgment, the SC had observed that the operators of these restaurants, and those who permitted them to operate, had disregarded the integrity of the national park, ravaged its trees and flora, and displaced and disturbed endemic bird and animal life.

It also stated that the natural environment of the national park was adversely affected, alongside its functions such as acting as a catchment area for rainfall and facilitating the recharge of springs and streams.

An astronomical environmental cost was also borne by the public and would continue to be borne by future generations, the SC warned.

The regional administration and the JAAC remain at odds over various issues, most notably the committee’s demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly that are reserved for refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir who settled in mainland Pakistan after 1947.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the defence minister called on the JAAC to raise the issue in the upcoming elections, scheduled for July 27, and “take the issue to the public”.

He questioned why the group was intent on deciding the issue pre-emptively, suggesting that it might be an attempt to shape the assembly “as per their will”.

Asif noted that Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan had paid a “heavy price” to migrate to the country, and that the JAAC had no right to demand the “taking away of their right to vote”.

“The AJK that we have today is due to the sacrifices made by the Pakistan armed forces and people from across the country, not just Kashmiris,” the defence minister said, asserting that 250 million Pakistanis had a “stake” in the region.

He held that there was a story in every Pakistani household of the sacrifices made for the disputed region.

“Does that mean nothing? I do not want to take names, but what have they sacrificed for Kashmir? They do not have any stake, nor have they invested anything in the liberation of Kashmir,” the defence minister said.

The defence czar warned that if people took the law into their own hands, the government could not be expected to “stay silent”.

He also recalled that Kashmiri refugees in his constituency did not have access to basic facilities such as electricity and gas due to uncertainty surrounding their status. However, “we had their status finalised”, he said, reiterating that the way forward was dialogue, not confrontation.

“I wonder if this hatred has been imported from across the line,” Asif said, in an apparent reference to the Line of Control (LoC).

He maintained that the group could not “take away the identity” of Kashmiri refugees, advising that the matter should be resolved in the Legislative Assembly.

“How could you exclude them from the electoral process?” the defence minister said.

Asif remarked that the status “Azad” in AJK had been secured and protected by Pakistanis.

“The word Azad would not have been there if it were not for Pakistan,” he said, adding that the armed forces stationed atop mountains protecting Kashmir were all Pakistanis, including Punjabis, Baloch, Pashtuns and Sindhis.

Unrest in AJK continues

Earlier reports suggested that activists and supporters of the proscribed JAAC had reached the outskirts of Rawalakot from multiple directions, determined to proceed through the town towards the regional capital of Muzaffarabad.

On Tuesday night, a large number of protesters from Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber districts, including the town of Dadyal, had managed to enter the territorial limits of Poonch district via Tatta Pani amid reported clashes with law enforcers. Several casualties were reported in the violence, but there was no official confirmation.

On Wednesday, the protesters, who had stayed overnight at different locations in Hajira tehsil, resumed their journey towards Khaigalla, some 10 kilometres from Rawalakot, where another rally from Sudhnoti district joined them.

Witnesses and official sources said that by evening, the crowd had reached Chehr Bazar and camped in the industrial area near the Eidgah, on the eastern side of the town.

Another group of protesters from the Mang and Thorar areas of Poonch district had separately camped at the bus terminal on the southern side of the town. A third, relatively smaller group from Bagh district had stationed itself at a high school in Kotehri village on the northern side.

Residents said Rawalakot, like the rest of AJK, observed a complete shutdown on Wednesday, with public transport off the roads and only negligible private traffic visible.

Throughout the day, announcements were made over mosque loudspeakers in Rawalakot, directing citizens to restrict movement and warning that anyone attempting to enter the town from outside would be responsible for any repercussions.

According to local sources, law enforcement personnel had blockaded roads leading into the city and taken positions at several locations to thwart any attempts by protesters to enter.

A senior government official told Dawn that Umar Nazir Kashmiri, considered a hardline JAAC leader, had reportedly submitted a “six-point petition” to the “decision-making authorities” in an effort to defuse the situation.

The demands included the withdrawal of the Home Department’s notification proscribing the group, conditions related to the deaths during the protests and cases registered over them, the lifting of any restrictions on movement, and the initiation of negotiations.

The petition further stated that, pending a decision, both law enforcement personnel and protesters should remain at their respective positions. The official added that the JAAC leader had assured the authorities that protesters would not move forward.

No JAAC leader was available to confirm or deny the claim.

Proscribed

Last Friday, following the announcement of the JAAC’s June 9 strike, the AJK government declared the body a proscribed organisation, stating that it was “engaged in terrorism” and had acted in a manner “prejudicial to peace and security” of the state.

A day later, AJK authorities launched a crackdown on the JAAC, arresting scores of its leaders and activists from different areas. Sedition proceedings against two of its leaders have also been ordered, and a Rs10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of four leaders has been announced.

Tensions in the region particularly flared up after a violent protest in Rawalakot, during which at least four law enforcement personnel and seven civilians lost their lives.

Islamabad has also dispatched federal paramilitary forces to reinforce the region’s thinly stretched police force, and intending visitors have been advised to postpone their trips until June 20.

This is higher than last year’s growth of 3.18pc but falls short of its target of 4.2pc.

Economic survey highlights

• GDP growth recorded at 3.7pc, up from 3.18pc last year

• Agriculture sector posts growth of 2.89pc

• Industrial sector expands by 3.51pc, driven by a 6.1pc rebound in large scale manufacturing

• Services sector records 4.09pc growth

• Per capita income increases to $1,901 from $1,751 last year

• Fiscal deficit narrows to 0.7pc of GDP (July-MarchFY26), down from 2.6pc in the same period last year

• Primary surplus strengthens to 3.2pc of GDP

• CPI Inflation averages 6.2pc (July-April FY26)

• Workers’ remittances reach $30.3bn

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the survey, which he said told a story of resilience and discipline shown during the previous year.

He said the country began the outgoing fiscal year with uncertainty due to tariffs. “Then, by the end of July, we reached a point where we could be in a competitive position with respect to our exports, especially to the US,” he added.

Then there were floods in August and September 2025, followed by a regional conflict in March this year, the minister said.

“These challenges tested Pakistan’s resilience,” he said, adding that the government was able to deal with them and remained on the path of moving from stabilisation to growth.

GDP growth

He said GDP growth in FY26 was recorded at 3.7 per cent, against a target of 4.2pc.

However, the economic survey stated that the economy “accelerated its growth momentum in FY2026” compared to the previous year, when GDP growth was recorded at 3.18pc.

“The improvement owes to effective macroeconomic management, better fiscal account, growth in large scale manufacturing (LSM) sector, resilience of the agriculture sector to floods of 2025, exchange rate stability and reforms under the IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Programme,” it stated.

For his part, Aurangzeb also pointed out that global growth had reduced to 3.1pc from 3.7pc due to the factors he elaborated on earlier in the press conference.

The finance minister said that Pakistan had recorded GDP growth of 3.7pc, which was the highest in the past four years. The finance minister recalled that GDP growth in FY2023 was -0.2pc, 2.6pc in FY2024 and 3.2pc in FY2025.

He said it was earlier estimated that GDP growth would exceed 4pc, but it did not happen due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

“But having said that, we have still reached a historically high size of the economy at Rs126.9 trillion,” he said.

The minister said per capita income had reached $1,901, which was $1,751 in FY2025.

Agriculture

Giving a sector-wise breakdown, he said growth in agriculture was recorded at 2.89pc, compared to 1.53pc in the last fiscal year. “This was despite floods,” he said, adding that the crop sub-sector showed positive growth. It was recorded at 1.44pc, the finance minister said.

He added the livestock sector also “continues to go from strength to strength”.

Industrial sector

Overall, the industrial sector grew by 3.51pc in FY2026, the survey document stated. It said the mining and quarrying sector recorded positive growth after contraction during the last fiscal year, signalling recovery in mineral extraction and quarrying activities.

However, the electricity, gas, and water supply industry contracted due to a decline in subsidies, slow growth in the output of the Water and Power Development Authority and companies, and an increase in the deflator, it said.

The construction sector recorded growth of 5.73pc in FY 2026, contributing positively to overall industrial performance, the document said.

LSM

According to the economic survey, overall, the manufacturing sector recorded a growth of 6.6pc on the back of “robust performance of large-scale manufacturing”.

Aurangzeb said 6.1pc growth was recorded in large-scale manufacturing (LSM) in FY26, which was the highest in the last four years. He elaborated that positive growth was seen in 16 of LSM’s 22 sub-sectors.

“So it’s not one single sector that is leading or contributing to this 6.1pc turnaround in LSM. It is broadband [growth],” he said.

He further said that prominent year-on-year growth was witnessed in this sector. “To give you some examples, there was a 10pc increase in the demand for cement, 17pc for fertiliser, 5pc for petroleum, 31pc for automobiles and 9pc for mobile phones.”

Services

Noting that the services sector made up close to 58pc of Pakistan’s GDP, he said 4.09pc growth was recorded in this sector in the outgoing fiscal year.

“This, too, is the highest in the last four years,” he said.

Aurangzeb particularly mentioned communication and information services, which he said recorded a growth of 7.52pc. The growth in this sub-sector in FY26 was also the highest over the past four years.

Moreover, he continued, this sub-sector held significance for the digital economy.

Fiscal deficit

The survey document stated that the fiscal deficit “narrowed significantly” to 0.7pc of GDP (Rs 856.4bn) during July-March FY26 from 2.6pc of GDP (Rs2,970bn) in the corresponding period last year.

Similarly, primary surplus also improved to 3.2pc of GDP from 3pc, the survey document said, terming the increase “historic”.

Aurangzeb said during his press conference that tax revenues had increased by 10.1pc and markup payments saw a decrease of 23pc, which he said increased fiscal space.

Inflation

According to the economic survey, CPI inflation for the period between July-April FY2025-26 was recorded at 6.2pc, against 4.7pc during the same period last year.

“Inflation measured by the sensitive price indicator (SPI) stood at 4.1pc as against 4.8pc during the same period last year … The inflation remained broadly stable during the first three quarters of FY 2026. However, the emergence of an external shock amid geopolitical tensions at the end of the third quarter has increased its vulnerability to renewed price pressures, warranting continued vigilance and timely policy response to preserve macroeconomic stability,” the survey document said.

Inflation rose from 7.3pc in March to 10.9pc in April due to a rise in global oil prices and supply disruptions amid the Middle East crisis.

“Average inflation for July-April FY2026 was recorded at 6.2pc, higher than 4.7pc recorded during the same period of the previous year,” the survey document said.

Moreover, it stated that the national poverty headcount increased to 28.9pc in 2024-25, while inequality also rose, reflecting the impact of Covid-19, increase in inflation, climate and flood shocks, and economic adjustment.

For his part, Aurangzeb argued that inflation had been decreasing over the years. “We began with 28pc, and today we are at a point where the policy rate is 11.5pc,” he said.

Current account surplus

The survey document stated that on the external front, the current account recorded a marginal surplus of $72m during July-March FY 2026 compared to a surplus of $1.7bn in the same period last year.

“Workers’ remittances remained a key source of external sector support, rising by 8.2pc to 30.3bn,” it said.

In this regard, Aurangzeb said a debate had been ongoing regarding exports and remittances. But it was not an “and/or discussion. This is an and/and discussion”, he said.

Acknowledging that there was a need to increase exports, he argued that remittances were also an important structural component of economies that were compared to Pakistan in this regard.

“We can debate how much remittances should be contributing to the GDP and to what extent we should rely on them, but remittances are and would remain a very important component of our external balancing position as we move forward,” he said.

Exports

The finance minister said the decline in the country’s exports was led by the food sector.

“In the food sector, our rice exports have declined by $1.1bn,” he said, adding that a decline of $403m was recorded in sugar exports.

Overall, a decline of around $1.5bn was recorded in food exports, he said.

On the other hand, he said, textile exports had increased. He also highlighted the increase in the export of sports goods, mentioning that the football that was to be used during the upcoming FIFA World Cup was manufactured in Pakistan.

He said that from July-May FY2026, 18pc growth was recorded in the export of sports goods.

The minister said the country’s IT exports had crossed $3.8bn, expressing hope that they would reach $4.5bn. In this connection, he said the freelancer export was now touching $900m.

He said the country’s foreign exchange reserves currently stood at $17.bn, hoping that they would reach $18bn by the end of June. “This will give us three months of export cover, which is an internationally recognised standard, and this should allow us to further upgrade over the course for the next year,” he said.

According to the economic survey, foreign exchange reserves stood at $20.6bn as of April 17, including $ 15.1bn held by the State Bank of Pakistan, “reflecting strengthened external buffers”.

It stated that foreign exchange reserves rose to multi-year highs during the outgoing year.

Meanwhile, the trade deficit for the outgoing fiscal year was recorded at 8.5pc.

Capital markets and corporate sector

According to the economic survey, Pakistan’s capital markets, specifically the equity market, performed well compared to major global stock markets in FY2026.

“The KSE-100 index demonstrated significant growth of 18.4pc during July-March FY2026. This increase can be attributed to strong corporate earnings, a decline in both the policy rate and inflation, the successful review of the IMF-EFF Programme, and subsequent tranche disbursements, all of which contributed to a stable macroeconomic environment that bolstered investor confidence,” the survey document stated.

It said Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) market capitalisation recorded Rs15,237bn on June 30 2025 and closed at Rs16,534bn on March 31 2026, reflecting an increase of 8.5pc or Rs1,297.5bn in the period under review.

During July-March FY 2025, a net inflow of Rs 226.69bn was recorded under the National Savings Schemes, the document said, adding that the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan issued 53 certificates of Shariah-compliant securities to corporate Sukuk issuers under the Shariah Governance Regulations, 2023 during July-March FY2026, amounting to Rs229.6bn.

In the sovereign Sukuk segment, total issuances worth Rs1.86 trillion were carried out and secondary market trading surpassed Rs1.38tr during this period, “reflecting robust market activity and investor participation”, the survey document stated.

For his part, Aurangzeb said 39,000 new companies had been registered in FY26, taking the number of registered companies to 300,000.

On investment, he said it was often mentioned often mentioned that some companies had winded up their businesses in Pakistan. “But, it is also true that multinational companies in the fields of telecom, energy, IT, digital services and industrial sectors have either entered the Pakistani market or increased their investments or plans in Pakistan,” he added.

Debt

During July-March FY2026, out of the total external public debt stock of $92.2bn, multilateral loans remained the largest component at $42.5bn, while IMF debt stood at $9.9bn, according to the survey.

Paris Club debt was recorded at $5.5bn while bilateral loans from non-Paris Club countries amounted to $19bn, it said, adding that “the external debt portfolio continued to be largely supported by long-term and concessional financing from multilateral and bilateral sources, helping limit refinancing risks and support debt sustainability”.

External budgetary disbursements were recorded at $6.1bn, including $2.7bn from multilateral sources, $1.1bn from bilateral development partners, $2bn from Naya Pakistan Certificates and $0.2bn from commercial banks, the document said. It added that the government also received $1.2n under the IMF’s EFF during July–March FY 2026.

According to the survey, total public debt was recorded at Rs83,285bn by the end of March this year, comprising Rs57,566bn in domestic debt and Rs25,720bn in external debt.

“During the first nine months of FY 2026, public debt growth remained contained at 3.4pc, compared to 6.7pc during the same period last year, supported by a strong primary surplus, prudent borrowing strategy, and active debt management operations,” the document said.

On this, Aurangzeb said the overall public debt-to-GDP ratio was 75pc in 2023, it decreased to 70.7pc in 2025 and further reduced to 68.5pc this year.

“This means we are moving in the right direction,” he said.

Tax revenue

The survey shows that tax revenue increased by 11.3pc to Rs10,166.6bn in the outgoing fiscal year.

“The increase in tax revenues was contributed to by growth in both federal and provincial tax collections. FBR tax collection increased by 10.1pc to Rs9,305.9bn, while provincial tax revenues increased by 25.8pc to Rs860.7bn,” the survey document stated.

On this, Aurangzeb said digital production monitoring had been introduced in various sectors, and he particularly mentioned the cement and sugar sectors.

“In these sectors, we have received Rs60bn additional revenue because of digital production monitoring,” he said, adding that this mechanism was also being introduced in other sectors.

Moreover, he said AI-based audit selection had yielded an additional Rs34bn in revenue.

He also said that the government intended to increase the number of merchants using digital payments to two million by June 2026, and “we are close to about 1.7m. So, we are getting there”.

Similarly, he said the government planned to increase the number of digital banking users to 120m by June 2026 and had exceeded that target, as the number had reached 133m.

The extravaganza hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada is the biggest World Cup in history, stretching until the final in New Jersey on July 19.

It is projected to generate a record-breaking $13 billion in total revenue.

But football’s world governing body FIFA has faced stinging criticism over the eye-watering costs of tickets while US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has seen a top referee, Iranian team officials and fans refused entry to the US.

Speaking in Mexico City on Wednesday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino launched a spirited defence of the organisation of the tournament and brushed off criticism over visa issues.

Infantino insisted that tickets — which in some cases have topped $30,000 — had been priced appropriately, citing a small number of $60 tickets that were made available in response to criticism.

“Let me just say that our entry price, which is 60 dollars, is the lowest entry price of any of the American sports in the play-off phases,” Infantino said.

“Our average price which is below 500 dollars is again the lowest of the American sports on average.”

‘We don’t control everything’

Infantino also played down the controversy surrounding Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan, who was refused entry after arriving in Miami.

FIFA has since confirmed Artan, who the US State Department said had “associated with suspected members of terrorist organisations,” will play no part in the tournament.

“It is unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino said.

“We don’t control everything… Sometimes it’s good to chill, relax, we work on everything, we try to solve everything.”

The FIFA leader also portrayed Iran’s participation at the World Cup in the midst of its military conflict with the US as a victory for his organisation.

“People were saying Iran couldn’t come to the World Cup,” Infantino said.

“There are challenges, it’s not easy, but I don’t know who else would have been able to ensure in these circumstances — which we could not influence — Iran could come and play.”

Infantino’s close relationship with Trump has come under scrutiny but the FIFA chief lavished praise on the US president.

“Without his engagement and involvement, I think it would have been, simple as that, impossible to organise a World Cup in the United States,” Infantino said of Trump.

Trump confirmed on Wednesday he plans to attend some World Cup matches, without providing details.

“I spoke to Gianni this morning… he said there’s never been anything close” to the success of the coming tournament, Trump said.

Wall of noise

South Africa coach Hugo Broos warned his players to block out a wall of sound during the opening match in the Estadio Azteca, a legendary venue that hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals.

“They will have 85,000 Mexicans shouting and singing. But we have to focus on our game. And if we can do that… then we can have a good game,” the Belgian said.

Mexico have not won any of their seven appearances in an opening game. “We have to break the statistic,” coach Javier Aguirre said.

“It will be another source of motivation.”

South Korea and the Czech Republic play the second game on the opening day, in Guadalajara.

Spain, France and England are the favourites, while reigning champions Argentina will look to their 38-year-old talisman Lionel Messi to drive them to the final.

England wrapped up their preparations on Wednesday with an impressive 3-0 win over a feisty Costa Rica in a match delayed by an hour because of thunderstorms in Orlando.

Coach Thomas Tuchel liked his side’s intensity as Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins got on the scoresheet.

“Until now, it was more a feeling of a pre-season, like an overseas pre-season,” the England boss said.

“I think we set the tone today.”

On June 7, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) released an advisory, warning that a heatwave would engulf the country until June 12, with temperatures rising by seven degrees Celsius above normal. It predicted that a high-pressure system was likely to develop and persist in the upper atmosphere.

The PMD warned that night-time temperatures were also likely to rise, while dust storms may occur at isolated pla­ces in southern Punjab and Sindh. The department further advised that children, women and senior citizens should exercise extra caution during the heatwave.

Since June 7, several local digital media pages have been claiming that Lahore and Faisalabad were projected to rank among the world’s hottest cities by 2050. The posts were accompanied by AI-generated imagery showing the mercury rising to alarming levels, as seen here, here, here, here and here.

Similar news reports were also run by local news outlets Bol News, Dunya, The Nation and ProPakistani on their websites.

All of these social media posts and news reports cited a “climate study” but did not provide its name, the date it was published, or a link to the same.

A keyword search conducted to corroborate whether any credible domestic or international media outlets had reported the alleged development did not yield any results. Similarly, a keyword search for the original study cited in the aforementioned reports did not yield any peer-reviewed paper or institutional report.

Instead, the search results led to a March 2026 study by the University of Chicago’s Climate Impact Lab — covered by Dawn — which projected that Pakistan could see a net increase of 51 temperature-related deaths per 100,000 people by 2050. It further stated that Faisalabad, Lahore, Multan, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Rawalpindi and Islamabad were among the most heat-vulnerable cities globally.

The study was also covered by other news outlets such as Earth.Org and Time Magazine in March.

It is important to mention that the Climate Impact Lab study was a mortality risk ranking and not a temperature ranking. In its executive summary, the report directly states: “Understanding how a warming climate will impact mortality isn’t as simple as looking at what areas of the world will be the hottest.”

It measures projected changes in net temperature-related death rates in 2050 compared to the 2001–2010 average. The variables driving vulnerability are income levels, capacity for autonomous adaptation such as access to cooling and the ability to adjust behaviour, and existing heat exposure, not which cities will record the highest thermometer readings.

The study ranked Faisalabad among cities in low- and lower-middle-income countries, with a projected increase of 81 additional deaths per 100,000 people annually by 2050. Multan was ranked second at 72, Gujranwala third at 67, and Lahore fourth at 55.

The report further noted that of the more than 100,000 additional heat-related deaths projected each year globally across 301 cities, approximately 1 in 3 will occur in Pakistani cities. At the country level, Pakistan ranks fourth globally with a projected net increase of 51 deaths per 100,000 — behind Niger, Burkina Faso, and Djibouti.

Fatima Yamin, a climate change and disaster management expert, also told iVerify Pakistan that the study published by the Climate Impact Lab was on the amount of heat-related deaths around the world and countries were ranked accordingly. “Pakistan has always been, for the last few years, in the top five countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change and based on that they have made this scale.”

The study in question, she reiterated, elaborated on how heat-related deaths were projected to grow in Pakistan.

Therefore, the claim that Lahore and Faisalabad are projected to be among the world’s hottest cities by 2050 is misleading.

Pakistani cities face some of the steepest projected rises in heat-related mortality in the world by mid-century. But that is a measure of vulnerability and not temperature.

This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan — a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.

The no-frills airline requires at least one parent to sit with children aged two to 11 during a flight, but that means they must pay for what is called a “mandatory family seat”.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating whether the fee, typically around ₤8 ($11) per flight, is “unfair” under consumer law.

For other passengers, reserving a seat is optional.

The CMA said it would determine whether Ryanair’s seat reservation fees mean parents are being charged to meet “child safety and disability-related obligations as set out under aviation rules”.

“The CMA understands that Ryanair is the only major airline flying out of the UK to impose this charge,” the agency added.

It also noted that Ryanair does not apply the fee on flights to and from Italy following action by the Italian civil aviation authority.

In response, Ryanair said its family seating policy “fully complies with all relevant laws and regulations”.

“Adults travelling with children pay one reserved seat fee, but can select reserved seats beside them for up to 4 children on the same booking free of charge,” the company said in a statement.

“Ryanair looks forward to disproving these false CMA claims during this bogus investigation,” it added.

The CMA said it expected to provide an update on the investigation within six months.

Infringing on consumer protection laws can lead to fines of up to 10 per cent of a company’s global revenue.

“Any such act would be treated with utmost seriousness and could possibly amount to an act of war under Article 51 of the UN Charter,” said FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi during a weekly media briefing while responding to a question about recent remarks by Indian water minister.

A day ago, Indian Minister of Water CR Patil told India’s ANI news agency that “not a single drop of water will go [to Pakistan] in the coming years”.

Patil said that India was “actively working on it” after “directives” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Taking note of the remarks, Andrabi said that “any attempt to block or substantially curtail water that is vital to the livelihood, agriculture and well being of over 25o million Pakistanis would be a deeply irresponsible act”.

He added it would violate established international obligations “concerning transboundary rivers and indeed India’s own bilateral agreement with Pakistan”.

“Pakistan firmly rejects any notion that water can be treated as a political tool or instrument of coercion or a weapon,” he said, emphasising that such an action would be a threat to the regional peace and security in South Asia and beyond.

He said that the responsibility of such a threat “to international peace and security would fall squarely on India’s shoulders”.

The FO spokesperson added that Pakistan’s rights and interests regarding its water resources were non-negotiable.

He said that Pakistan would “vigorously” defend those rights, utilising all available diplomatic, political, legal, economic and other measures consistent with international law and the UN Charter.

“Any deliberate attempt to block water essential to Pakistan’s survival and development would constitute an extremely grave act with far-reaching consequences, as stated at the top leadership level by Pakistan,” Andrabi warned.

Every state had the right of self-defence, she said, adding that Pakistan would take “all necessary measures to safeguard its economy and its vital national interests and lives of 250m people”.

Andrabi called on India to “act responsibly, honour its international commitments and refrain from statements and actions that could further escalate tensions in the region”.

He stated that Pakistan remained committed to safeguarding its interests and “will closely monitor developments on the ground in India-occupied Kashmir and elsewhere from where these water resources emerge”.

Expansion of India’s nuclear arsenal ‘not surprising’

In response to a question over India expanding its nuclear arsenal, as per a recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Andrabi said the finding was not surprising to Pakistan.

“It broadly corroborates concerns that Pakistan has consistently been raising regarding India’s continued vertical proliferation,” he stated, hinting that the findings may not “fully reflect” India’s scale of nuclear arsenal.

The spokesperson noted that Pakistan also remained aware of recent developments in India’s strategic capabilities, including “cannisterisation of the missile systems, expansions of sea-based nuclear-capable submarines and pursuit of increasingly longer-range intercontinental ballistic missile systems that go beyond India’s periphery, neighbourhood or legitimate defence deals”.

Andrabi warned of “grave consequences” for international peace and security in the context of the development.

“These developments enhance operational readiness, complicate crisis stability, and carry implications that extend beyond South Asia,” he remarked.

Andrabi said while Pakistan did not seek an arms race and was “not interested in matching warheads and ammunition by number,” it also remained cognisant of the “evolving security environment”.

He said Pakistan continued to work towards the preservation of “strategic stability and deter any possible Indian aggression,” and urged the international community to “closely monitor” the situation.

“Deployment of India’s nuclear arsenal may affect strategic stability in South Asia and undermine peace and security at the regional and global level,” he cautioned.

In the given context, he said the international community, in particular the suppliers of high technology, should be cognisant of the implications of “advanced technologies and emerging capabilities being incorporated into India’s posture with grave international consequences”.

Release of Pakistani seafarers in Somalia ‘high priority’

On the issue of Pakistani sailors held captive by pirates aboard a vessel off the coast of Somalia, Andrabi said their rescue and safe repatriation remained a “high priority”; however, he also acknowledged that the situation had so far proved to be “difficult and operationally challenging”.

The seamen were taken hostage more than a month ago when pirates hijacked the MT Honour 25 off the southeastern coast of Somalia on April 21. There were 11 Pakistanis among the vessel’s crew, who remain in the pirates’ captivity.

“Sadly, despite our best efforts, we have not been able to secure their release,” Andrabi said of the 11 Pakistani seafarers, but voiced optimism that Pakistan was making “earnest efforts” to secure their release.

“We are engaged with the Somali authorities and the ship owner, both of whom are engaged with the pirates to secure early release,” he said.

He recalled that the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had been in touch with the Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali over the issue.

In a phone call with the Somali FM, DPM Dar had conveyed his “grave concern” about the situation and stressed the need to ensure the early release and safe repatriation of the individuals, Andrabi said.

DPM Dar also urged measures to improve the living conditions of all the captives aboard the vessels.

Dar’s Somali counterpart assured him of the Somali government’s “continued and sincere” efforts to secure the release of the Pakistani individuals.

“Both leaders agreed to remain in close coordination until the matter is resolved,” Andrabi said.

Further elaborating on the steps taken by the government to secure their release, Anbrabi said that the Somali ambassador in Islamabad was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) over the issue.

He also recalled that the Pakistani embassy in Djibouti had dispatched teams to the Somali capital Mogadishu and added that authorities were holding “interministerial and inter-departmental meetings” on the issue as well.

“Another important in-person meeting will be held next week here at MOFA,” Andrabi said.

The spokesperson said that the situation was “operationally challenging”.

“They (captives) are held in a part of Somalia which is a semi-autonomous region [..] there are tribal societies and the pirates belong to a certain tribe and the ship owners belong to another tribe.”

He called on the families to exercise patience, vowing that the matter remained a high priority.

‘Curtains on Pakistan’s mediation role not drawn yet’

When asked about the recent escalation in the US-Iran war, Andrabi remarked that while it was difficult to remain optimistic in the current scenario, Pakistan remained engaged in diplomacy.

“If a mediator and facilitator loses hope, or becomes pessimistic, this does not augur well for the peace process,” Andrabi said.

Pakistan was cognisant of the challenges, he said, acknowledging that diplomatic space had “shrunk” due to the renewed aggression. However, he said that such was often the “natural progression” in conflict situations.

“Challenges of ceasefire, and cycles in an armed conflict — where you have space for peace, space for dialogue, and then you have a cycle of hostilities are expected in all international conflicts,” he said, expressing Pakistan’s readiness to “work with positivity”.

He recalled Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement from June 8, which he said summarised Pakistan’s stance, reiterating that diplomatic efforts continued, citing DPM Dar’s phone call with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan as well as coordination with other regional partners and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s recent visit to Tehran.

“Let us not draw the curtains on Pakistan’s mediation role, and let us not lose hope,” the spokesperson remarked.

On being asked if there are any exchanges of visits from Iran or Pakistan expected, the spokesperson said, “I do not have any specific information right now, but I certainly do not rule out such visits in the future”.

The PPP is all set to form a government in the region after it gained 11 out of 24 seats in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legi­slative Assembly, according to unofficial results (Forms-47) of the June 7 elections.

Key leaders of the PPP and the PML-N, which secured six seats, met in Gilgit to hold detailed deliberations on proposals related to the formation of the upcoming GB government.

In its statement, the PPP claimed a “major breakthrough” in the process, saying that the parties decided to present the proposals for government formation to their respective central leadership.

It said the discussions also pertained to political cooperation, along with various national and domestic issues.

The PPP delegation asserted that the people of GB had given it the mandate by “making it the largest party”, its statement said.

The party leaders stated that all decisions on government formation will be made keeping in view democratic principles, political consultations and public interests.

Meanwhile, the PML-N statement said that “several proposals came under consideration and it was agreed to move forward with the consultation process”.

It noted that the future course of action would be determined after the proposals are reviewed and both parties’ central leadership were taken into confidence.

PPP Secretary General Nayyer Hussain Bukhari, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah were part of the PPP delegation.

The main contender for the chief minister’s slot from the PPP, its GB chapter president Advocate Amjad Hussain, was also present.

The PML-N side included Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam and its GB President Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, also a former chief minister.

As per Forms-47 issued by returning officers from 24 constituencies, the PPP bagged 11 seats in the elections, with the PML-N trailing with six seats.

The candidates backed by the PTI won two seats, and its ally Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) was victorious in one seat. Independent candidates secured four seats.

The consolidation of the results has been barred until re-polling at certain polling stations in five constituencies is complete — Skardu-II (GBA-8), Ast­ore-I (GBA-13), Diamer-I (GBA-15), Diamer-II (GBA-16) and Diamer-III (GBA-17).

Earning just over two dollars for an hour of video, her mundane recordings are invaluable for global tech companies teaching machines how to move like humans in the real world.

The 25-year-old is one of a growing army of thousands of AI system trainers in the world’s most populous country.

“Who else will give you 250 rupees an hour just for doing housework?” said Sriramyachandra from her kitchen in Chennai in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state.

“I may get a robot myself in the future,” she added.

Artificial intelligence chatbots and image generators crunch reams of digital data, but building systems to navigate real-life environments is more challenging.

Developers think feeding first-person footage, called “egocentric data”, into specialised AI models will help robots copy humans.

Some AI trainers work at home, others in factories or specialised studios — using video glasses, head-mounted cameras and motion sensors.

“It blares ‘hands not detected’ when I’m not recording properly,” said Sriramyachandra, who sends recordings via a special app to the AI data company Objectways.

The firm, which has offices in India and the United States, lists Fortune 500 multinationals as clients. It works with Amazon SageMaker, a platform for machine learning models.

‘Better things’

The humanoid robot market is booming, with investment bank Morgan Stanley predicting there could be over a billion in use by 2050, mostly for industrial and commercial purposes.

“Folding clothes, coffee making… cooking a very specific thing, sandwich making,” Objectways head Ravi Shankar said, listing videos requested by clients.

“Some jobs are supposed to be taken over, so humans can go and do better things.” In India, the emerging field of spatial AI is providing new employment — for now.

The 50-year-old CEO is US-based, but hires workers from Tamil Nadu, where he grew up, one of India’s international technology hubs.

At a Karur textile factory, busy with workers attaching labels to caps and ironing cloth bags, AFP saw eight people wearing head cameras and smart glasses supplied by Objectways.

India has positioned itself as a global middleman for the creation, processing and annotation of AI data.

“It’s likely that these data collection services will increase”, said digital labour expert Aditi Surie, from the Indian Institute for Human Settlements in Bengaluru.

Informal workers

India is aggressively developing its AI industry, but its leaders are aware that, alongside the technology’s much-hyped benefits, automation poses risks.

Government think-tank NITI Aayog said that most discussions around artificial intelligence and labour “focus on white-collar professionals and predict an almost certain loss of jobs in the segment” without urgent action.

“Little attention, if any, is paid to how AI can serve India’s 490 million informal workers, the very people who form the backbone of our economy,” it said in a report released ahead of a global AI summit in India this year.

The think-tank has examined how the technology could help or harm dozens of professions — from cobblers to sewer cleaners, farmers to tea sellers.

For the last decade, 55-year-old Ponni has sat on a roadside in Bengaluru, the city known as India’s Silicon Valley, making flower garlands.

She, too, has been paid to have a phone strapped to her forehead.

“The next generation… who might have to do work similar to mine — they will face a problem,” Ponni said.

Always wearing a camera

At an Objectways studio, AI system trainers film themselves performing household tasks in fake, fully furnished apartment rooms.

After several thousand hours of filming, the wallpaper is changed to provide clients with variety.

“Today I sit here, tomorrow I stand there,” said engineering graduate Rani N., 21, on a break from filming herself, once again, folding a towel.

Each video lasts about four minutes, and she records around 90 a day — on nearly every conceivable spot on the bed.

She says the job is “tolerable”, but feels like she’s always wearing a camera.

In other rooms, colleagues arranged pencil sharpeners, water bottles and crayons in patterns, recording with depth-sensor cameras.

Qanat Consulting Services in Andhra Pradesh, an Objectways subcontractor, supplies about a dozen larger data firms with recordings.

Some of its 2,000 contributors perform tasks with motion-sensor bands on their “wrists, hands and legs”, CEO Thaslim Pattan said.

Manish Agarwal of Bengaluru-based Humyn Labs, not related to Objectways, records conversations as well as videos.

Contributors discuss assigned topics — ranging from politics to entertainment — for clients wanting to process speech patterns.

Agarwal denies that robots will steal jobs, believing that networks of humans and robots “will work together” one day, he said.

“A welder in India could be managing a welder-robot in Prague,” he said.

He made the remarks during the high-level event marking the International Day of Dialogue among Civilisations organised by the Permanent Mission of China to the UN, according to a press release by Pakistan’s Mission.

“… At this critical juncture of history when global peace and harmony is imperiled by myriad challenges, the significance of inter-civilisational dialogue cannot be overemphasised,” Ambassador Ahmad said.

He termed “dialogue and diplomacy as the most effective tools to transcend differences and foster mutual understanding and cooperation”.

The envoy stated that “it is the spirit of dialogue that enabled human civilisation to forge mutual respect and trust and chart a path of shared progress and development”.

The ambassador also highlighted the regional location of Pakistan, describing it as “the melting pot of many civilisations and religions”.

Ambassador Ahmad noted that the UN was “cognisant of and responsive to the interlinkage between international peace and dialogue among civilisations”.

“As a committed partner, Pakistan would continue its engagement with the United Nations and all member states for advancing our shared objectives of dialogue among civilisations, cultures and faiths, for global peace and prosperity,“ he affirmed.

“Values of interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence, diversity, pluralism and dialogue, are not only the defining features of Pakistani civilisation but also a driver of its foreign policy,” he said.

He recalled a resolution Pakistan co-sponsored with the Philippines in the same spirit, “Promotion of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace”, which was adopted with consensus by the UN General Assembly on May 20.

The second straight day of tit-for-tat strikes, with Iran targeting US bases across the Gulf, sent oil prices rising again.

US President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly said negotiations with Tehran were close to an end, said on Wednesday that Iran keeps “playing us for suckers” and will now “have to pay the price”.

Hours after, US Central Command (Centcom) said American forces began “additional self-defence strikes” at 5:15pm on Wednesday Washington time — early Thursday in Iran — in response to what it called Tehran’s “unwarranted and continued aggression”.

Iranian media reported explosions across the south near the Strait of Hormuz, with explosions heard in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm and Minab, and sources reporting hits by “enemy projectiles” in Kargan and Sirik.

Centcom said later that it had “completed” its strikes on “Iranian military surveillance capabilities, communication systems, and air defence sites”.

American forces “fired precision munitions on Iranian targets that posed a threat to US forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters”, the command said.

The renewed hostilities came as Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said that if Trump required it, “we’ll negotiate with bombs, and we’re very good at it”.

In response to the US strikes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said they had struck US targets on bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, and that they also “hit and destroyed Sheikh Isa air bases”, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

Iranian media said the army had conducted drone strikes targeting communications antennas and radar facilities belonging to the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

An air raid alert was issued in Bahrain and residents were urged to “head to the nearest safe place”, the Gulf nation’s interior ministry said on X.

Kuwait closed its airspace temporarily as its military said its air defence systems were working to intercept “hostile aerial targets”.

Iran also renewed its warning over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for oil and gas transport which it has essentially closed.

“Are you making the sacred Strait of Hormuz unsafe?! We will make the region hell for you,” Majid Mousavi, the head of the Iranian Guards’ aerospace force, said in a social media post.

The Iranian navy said it had hit two ships trying to sail through the Strait of Hormuz, state television IRIB and the Mehr agency reported.

Another Iranian news agency, Tasnim, quoted the country’s military operational command as saying the crucial waterway was “completely closed” and that “any vessel traffic” there would be targeted.

Centcom denied that, saying “commercial ships are continuing to transit in and out of the Strait of Hormuz tonight”.

Trump said on Wednesday that the US military had secretly helped 100 million barrels of oil pass through the contested strait.

‘Bomb the s out of them’

Earlier, American broadcaster Fox News reported that Trump said Iranian leaders had called him directly in the White House Situation Room as the US bombs began falling.

Iran’s IRGC quickly denied Tehran had done so, the IRNA news agency said.

Trump said US forces hit Iran with 49 Tomahawk missiles and some targets were as close as 60 kilometres from Tehran, Fox News said.

Its reporter Trey Yingst, who spoke to Trump, quoted the president as saying that if Iran did not accept US terms for ending the war, “We’ll bomb the S out of them tomorrow night”.

It was the second straight day of US attacks, following tit-for-tat strikes this week partly in response to the Iranian downing of an American helicopter.

The fresh salvos followed Trump’s complaint that Tehran’s negotiators were taking too long, having suggested earlier this week that an accord was days away.

“We hit them hard yesterday. We’re going to hit them again hard today,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday morning.

“We were really close to a deal, but they keep tapping us along.”

Hegseth suggested the strikes could extend into a third night, saying they would be “strong” and “clear”.

The escalation drew international calls for restraint on the eve of the World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting and Iran is participating in.

UN chief Antonio Guterres cautioned against a return to “full war”.

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, meanwhile, rejected Trump’s threat, saying “no sustainable deal can be reached through threats, intimidation, or the use of force”.

Still, diplomacy has not collapsed entirely, with Qatari negotiators travelling to Tehran “to meet with the Iranians in an effort to bridge the remaining gaps”, a diplomat with knowledge of the situation said.

The war began in February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, shaking the geopolitical balance in the Middle East and roiling global markets before a ceasefire took effect on April 8.

Asian stocks tracked losses in New York, while oil prices jumped as much as two per cent on Thursday, extending similar gains the day before.

Iran has also insisted that any deal to end the war must include a truce in Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting.