Month: September 2026

The federal government on Wednesday cut the price of petrol by Rs0.14 per litre and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs1.89 per litre for October 1, Petrol will now cost Rs387.40 per litre, down from Rs387.54, while HSD will be available at Rs400.35 per litre, compared with Rs402.24 previously. The revised prices will take effect from October 1, 2026 and remain applicable throughout the month. The Petroleum Division said the revised ex-depot prices were determined by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) under the petroleum pricing mechanism approved by the…

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Russia has warned NATO it would be ready to resort to nuclear ​weapons if the Western alliance attempted to cut off Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave that borders the Baltic Sea. In a document sent to NATO ‌and seen by Reuters, Moscow accused the alliance of a “dangerous and reckless course” that entailed “high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict”. The document said this included the possibility of “Russian strikes against decision-making centres in the alliance’s member states right from the outset”. “Russia will be ready to use…

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The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday extended the deadline for filing income tax returns for tax year 2026 from September 30 to October 15. The extension will provide taxpayers additional two weeks to submit their income tax returns. The previous deadline for filing returns was September 30.  “In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, the Federal Board of Revenue is pleased to communicate that the date of filing of Income Tax Return for Tax Year 2026, for the persons who…

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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has pledged an open, inclusive and constructive Pakistani chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). He said the chairmanship would be guided by the ‘Shanghai Spirit’ of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation and common development. Dar was addressing the first meeting of the Council of National Coordinators under Pakistan’s chairmanship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. National coordinators of member states and senior representatives of the SCO Secretariat and the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure attended. He outlined the…

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Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan believes in peace but will not allow India to weaponise water. Speaking at the launch of a special report, “Weaponising Waters: Historical, Legal, and Strategic Dimensions of IWT Suspension”, at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, he said the Indus Waters Treaty cannot be unilaterally altered, rescinded, revoked or held in abeyance. He said the court of arbitration had upheld Pakistan’s stance, strengthening its argument that no party can unilaterally change the treaty’s status. Tarar said Pakistan had pursued the matter diplomatically and…

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Russia unleashed a widely anticipated air campaign against Ukraine’s energy grid on Wednesday, ​hitting power facilities and infrastructure around Kyiv and other regions in the heaviest combined attack on energy sites in months. The strikes, ‌in which Ukrainian officials said seven people were killed, followed days of intensifying drone barrages primarily on the capital, a prelude to what many Ukrainians expect to be a winter of attacks intended to plunge cities into cold and darkness when Ukraine is short of air defences. “Russia has escalated to massive strikes on energy…

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The Federal Trade Commission is conducting an industry-wide probe into Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI ​labs to uncover the potential dangers their technology poses ‌to consumers, a senior FTC official told Reuters on Wednesday. The probe is the first official US regulatory action delving into rogue AI agents amid a surge ​in incidents first reported in July that have stoked fears ​that uncontrolled AI could one day harm humans. The FTC plans ⁠to issue formal demands for information and compel testimony from ​executives at top AI developers, including Anthropic, OpenAI…

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Three vessels were struck by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO). A crude oil tanker and two other vessels had each “been struck by an unknown projectile”, the UKMTO said on Wednesday. The agency had earlier described one of the vessels as an LNG tanker, before later describing it as a tanker. The Strait of Hormuz is currently at the centre of the Middle East war between Iran and the United States. Around a fifth of the…

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