Prime Minister Anutin Rushes to Pattaya Area Over Shocking Murders of Russian Siblings and Thai Family

WASHINGTON: Pakistan needs to improve transparency in its public finances and give Parliament and citizens earlier access to key budget and debt information, according to a new US State Department assessment. The department’s 2026 Fiscal Transparency Report said Pakistan had made progress in making financial information publicly available but still faced important gaps, particularly in the timely release of its proposed budget and disclosure of government liabilities. The report noted that Pakistan’s approved budget and year-end financial reports were easily accessible to the public, including online. However, it found that the government did not release its executive budget proposal within a reasonable timeframe. According to the assessment, publishing the proposed budget earlier would give lawmakers and the public more time to examine the government’s spending and revenue priorities before the document is formally approved. The report also raised concerns over limited public information about government debt, especially liabilities linked to major state-owned enterprises. Greater disclosure, it said, would help provide a clearer picture of the country’s financial position and allow Parliament to better assess potential fiscal risks. Despite these shortcomings, the US assessment acknowledged that Pakistan’s publicly available budget documents contained substantial information on planned government revenues and expenditures, including income from natural resources. Pakistan’s auditing system also received a largely positive assessment. The report said financial information was generally reliable and subject to review by the country’s supreme audit institution, which it found to have an appropriate level of independence under international standards. Audit findings were also made available to the public within a reasonable period. The report found that Pakistan had established legal procedures for awarding natural resource extraction contracts and licences and appeared to follow those rules in practice. It also noted that information on public procurement contracts was accessible and described the legal framework governing the country’s sovereign wealth fund as sound. The State Department identified three major areas where Pakistan could further strengthen fiscal transparency: releasing the executive budget proposal on time, providing more detailed information about government debt, including state-owned enterprise liabilities, and bringing military and intelligence budgets under adequate parliamentary or civilian oversight. Overall, the report did not portray Pakistan’s financial system as broadly opaque. Instead, it recognised several areas of progress while calling for stronger parliamentary scrutiny and greater disclosure of information that could help lawmakers and the public understand the country’s fiscal risks.

  Skardu: Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of eight climbers who went missing after a massive avalanche struck Broad Peak, one of the world’s highest mountains, in northern Pakistan. The tragic incident has shocked the international mountaineering community and prompted an extensive search-and-rescue operation in the Karakoram mountain range. According to officials, four additional bodies were located during the latest phase of the rescue mission, bringing the total number of recovered victims to eight. Earlier in the day, rescue teams had already found four bodies in the avalanche-hit area. Of the four bodies recovered most recently, three have been airlifted by helicopter to Skardu for identification and further legal formalities. Rescue authorities are continuing efforts to locate the remaining two missing climbers, despite extremely challenging weather conditions, difficult terrain, and the constant risk of further avalanches. The search operation remains active on Broad Peak, with rescue personnel working around the clock to find the missing mountaineers. Helicopters, local rescue teams, and experienced high-altitude climbers are taking part in the mission, while authorities continue to monitor weather conditions that could affect ongoing operations. Provincial Minister for Tourism Nek Nam Karim said the government is making every possible effort to locate the remaining climbers. He stated that the Tourism Department is providing full logistical support to rescue teams, including transportation, coordination, and essential equipment required for high-altitude search operations. The group of missing climbers represents several countries, highlighting the international nature of mountaineering expeditions in Pakistan. The team includes climbers from the United States, China, Nepal, Oman, and Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi, who remains among those unaccounted for. Authorities are maintaining close contact with the embassies of the affected countries and are keeping the families of the climbers informed about developments in the rescue operation. Broad Peak, located in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, is the 12th-highest mountain in the world, standing at ,8047 metres (26,401 feet)above sea level. It lies within the Karakoram mountain range, close to K2, and is regarded as one of the world’s most demanding climbing destinations. Every year, experienced mountaineers from across the globe travel to Pakistan in an attempt to summit the towering peak. However, climbing Broad Peak is extremely hazardous. Mountaineers face unpredictable weather, heavy snowfall, strong winds, crevasses, and the constant threat of avalanches. Even highly skilled climbers can find themselves in life-threatening situations due to rapidly changing mountain conditions. The latest tragedy serves as a painful reminder of the dangers associated with high-altitude mountaineering. Rescue officials have acknowledged that operations at such elevations are exceptionally difficult because of thin air, freezing temperatures, and limited access to the affected areas. As the search for the remaining missing climbers continues, hopes remain that rescue teams may still locate them. At the same time, condolences continue to pour in for the victims and their families. The incident has once again highlighted both the breathtaking beauty and the unforgiving dangers of Pakistan’s towering Karakoram mountains, where adventure and risk often go hand in hand.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court ( LHC) has overturned the life imprisonment sentence of a man convicted of murdering his wife, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish his guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued a detailed 19-page written judgment, allowing the appeal filed by the convict, Tanveer, and ordering his immediate release. According to the verdict, Tanveer maintained that he was on duty at a petrol station at the time of the incident and denied any involvement in the killing of his wife. The court observed that the prosecution had failed to produce reliable and convincing evidence to support the allegations against him. The judgment concluded that the available evidence was insufficient to sustain the conviction, leading the court to set aside the trial court’s decision and acquit the appellant. Tanveer had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 2022 by a trial court after being found guilty of his wife’s murder. In addition to the prison term, he was fined Rs400,000. He later challenged the conviction before the Lahore High Court, which has now ruled in his favor.