15 security personnel martyred, 15 militants killed in Tank suicide attack

Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman has criticised India’s water policies, accusing New Delhi of using the flood situation as a tool of “water aggression” against Pakistan. In a statement, Sherry Rehman said India was adopting a contradictory approach by threatening to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty while also releasing floodwater towards Pakistan. She claimed that India opened the gates of the Salal Dam, putting millions of Pakistanis at risk of flooding. She stressed that river water management should be handled responsibly and should not become a source of conflict between the two countries. The senator said India’s alleged failure to provide timely information about water flows had created uncertainty, particularly regarding the flow of the Chenab River. She warned that sudden changes in the river’s water levels could affect Pakistan’s irrigation system and agriculture. The Chenab River supports millions of acres of farmland in Punjab, and any unexpected increase or decrease in water flow could damage crops and impact farmers’ livelihoods. Sherry Rehman said Pakistan’s agricultural economy depends heavily on the proper management of river systems. She added that uncertain water policies could increase risks for farmers and create challenges for the country’s water security. She urged India to respect existing water agreements and follow international commitments. She said western rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty cannot be diverted, stored, or transferred in a manner that affects Pakistan’s water supply.

Islamabad: The government has stopped providing the Pakistan Remittance Initiative subsidy, which reached Rs120 billion, saying the country’s financial difficulties make it impossible to continue the support under the current budget. Banks have agreed to absorb the related costs themselves to keep overseas Pakistanis sending money through official channels. The development puts the spotlight on the future of Pakistan’s remittance system, which depends heavily on money sent home by Pakistanis working abroad. The government had previously used subsidies to help banks facilitate these transfers, but curtailed that support last year. The Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan informed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue that the government had initially provided subsidies to banks under the Pakistan Remittance Initiative to facilitate remittances from overseas Pakistanis. The total subsidy provided by the government reached Rs120 billion. However, the financial pressure on the government has now made it difficult to continue paying this amount. The subsidy could not be continued in the current budget because of prevailing fiscal constraints. Instead, banks have decided to bear the costs linked to facilitating remittances from their own resources. The decision means that banks will continue providing the service to overseas Pakistanis even though the government can no longer provide the previous level of financial support. The Pakistan Remittance Initiative was discussed by the committee during its meeting at Parliament House in Islamabad on August 25, 2026, under the chairmanship of Senator Saleem Mandviwalla. The committee considered the government’s decision important because remittances sent by Pakistanis living and working abroad are a major source of foreign currency for the country. The State Bank told the committee that banks decided to continue bearing the associated costs so that the flow of remittances would not be disrupted. The committee appreciated the banks’ decision but also decided to examine their actual performance. Selected banks will therefore be invited to the committee’s next meeting to explain their performance and contribution to the remittance sector. The move comes at a time when the government is facing tight financial conditions and has been forced to reduce or reconsider spending commitments. The end of the Rs120 billion subsidy raises an important question about how the remittance system will operate in the longer term if banks continue to carry the costs without government support. For millions of Pakistanis working overseas, remittances are an important way of supporting families at home. These transfers help families pay for everyday needs and also bring foreign currency into Pakistan. The government’s decision does not mean that the remittance service has stopped. Instead, banks have agreed to continue facilitating transfers while paying the related costs themselves. The Senate committee has now moved to check whether banks are fulfilling this responsibility effectively and whether overseas Pakistanis are receiving proper services. The next meeting is expected to provide the committee with a clearer picture of how banks are handling the change after the withdrawal of the government subsidy. The key issue remains whether banks can continue carrying the financial burden while maintaining an efficient and reliable remittance system for overseas Pakistanis. The Rs120 billion figure also shows the scale of government support previously used to encourage and facilitate remittances through the formal banking system.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has accused political opponents of “stealing” votes in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, urging the state to decide whether the national interest or the interests of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) should take priority. Addressing a PPP workers’ convention in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal claimed that voters in Mirpur and Kotli had been denied their electoral rights and questioned whether the developments surrounding the AJK elections could genuinely be described as democracy. Bilawal thanked the people of Mirpur, saying they had supported the PPP through their votes. However, he alleged that decisions by state institutions appeared to be favouring the PML-N, warning that such a situation would ultimately hurt Kashmir, Pakistan and ordinary citizens. “National interest must come first,” Bilawal said, according to his party’s account of the speech. He maintained that the PPP would stand with the state of Pakistan when it comes to national interests, but not when, in his view, those interests were being confused with the interests of a political party. He also criticised what he described as restrictions on political activity and internet connectivity, saying such measures could undermine the democratic character of AJK. Bilawal argued that shutting down internet services would create an impression inconsistent with the idea of an “Azad Kashmir”. His remarks came after the first phase of the AJK elections in the Mirpur division was marked by clashes, violence and allegations of electoral manipulation. Polling was held across 13 constituencies in Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber, with rival PPP and PML-N supporters accusing each other of irregularities. The election environment also turned violent in Kotli, where one person was killed and others were injured during clashes. The PPP alleged rigging and ballot stuffing in several constituencies, while the wider electoral process remained under scrutiny. Bilawal questioned how attacks could occur at multiple polling stations despite extensive security arrangements. He alleged that the elections were being conducted in phases in a manner that could facilitate manipulation. The PPP chairman further vowed to pursue what he called the rights of party workers and said his party would not accept the denial of its supporters’ mandate. With more phases of polling still to come, demands for free, fair and transparent elections are likely to remain at the centre of political debate in AJK. Bilawal said the PPP’s reconciliation-based political approach should be considered to protect democratic institutions and what he described as the broader Kashmir cause.