Overview
- Lahore’s Counter Terrorism unit reported three alleged police shootouts in one day that left six suspects dead and two officers wounded, with officials describing the incidents as encounters during checkpoints and recovery operations.
- Karachi West police said they detained 72 suspects over four days in raids on street drug and gutka sales, seizing narcotics, 25 kilograms of areca nut, large sums of cash, and shutting two home-based gutka factories.
- Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Ministry ordered accelerated efforts to free Pakistani crew held on the oil tanker MT Anor 25 after a hijacking by Somali pirates, as families shared audio messages describing beatings and food shortages and officials sought diplomatic help from the Foreign Ministry.
- The Economic Coordination Committee, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, approved a ban on imports made with forced labor, a move that will require tighter checks at the border and new compliance steps for importers.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed a plan to grow the gemstones trade, including three Centers of Excellence in cutting and jewelry-making and a first international exhibition planned for July 2026 to attract training, buyers, and investment.