Pakistan has vowed to deepen its relations with the Maldives as the two countries signed 20 MoUs during Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to Islamabad. Both sides aim to raise bilateral trade to $200 million within two years. The 20 MoUs and cooperation areas: · Defence cooperation · Maritime security · Information technology · Cybersecurity · Artificial intelligence (AI) · Combating illicit trafficking and narcotics · Social protection · Healthcare cooperation · Cooperation between food regulatory authorities · Recruitment of health professionals · Vocational training · Youth and sports development · Enhanced air connectivity · Cooperation between police academies · Cooperation between the Maldives Civil Service Commission and Pakistan’s Federal Public Service Commission · Cooperation with Pakistan’s Civil Service Academy · Agriculture · Trade · Fisheries · Environment, education, tourism, arts and culture

A 15 year old orphan was run over in Multan while reportedly trying to leave the contractor he had been sent to learn from. Soon after, lawyers beat the main suspect at court, and he died in an alleged CCD encounter after reportedly escaping police custody on remand. No court will now give Waseem Abbas’s family a verdict. Argues that the failures began earlier. An orphanage that Punjab’s child protection chairperson calls unregistered placed him with a contractor. Child labour laws are weakly enforced, and 25 to 27 million children are out of school. Pakistan needs registered orphanages, workplace inspections, an independent inquiry into the encounter, and fair trials that move without delay. Read the full commentary on why due process protects children and the accused alike. digdebate.com/waseem-abbas-m…

US Secretary of State @marcorubio has defended Washington’s ties with Pakistan, citing its nuclear capabilities and strategic location. During his visit to India, Rubio said the US must maintain relations even with countries it disagrees with. Comparing US-Pakistan ties with India’s engagement with Iran, he stressed the importance of diplomatic channels while balancing Washington’s strategic partnership with New Delhi and broader regional security concerns.

The Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted and destroyed five drones launched toward the kingdom early Wednesday, with operations reported in Medina, one of Islam’s holiest cities, and the Eastern Province. A separate statement said another drone heading east was also downed. The attacks come as Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia intensify this month, including a hit on Riyadh’s international airport that was the kingdom’s deadliest in years.

Tauqeer, accused of running over and killing a 14-year-old boy who worked for him in a Multan housing society, was killed in an alleged encounter with the Crime Control Department in Bahawalpur early Wednesday, police said. The CCD says he had escaped custody while on remand and was killed when an attempt to stop two motorcyclists on the Northern Bypass led to an exchange of fire. A Multan court had granted police three-day physical remand on Tuesday, against the 14 days they sought. The FIR names two suspects under Sections 302 and 34 PPC, and raids continue for the second, who escaped.

🚨 Important | Due to Some Unforseen Circumstances our University of Sargodha's Campus Talk has been Postponed. New Dates will be announced Shortly. Stay Tuned for updates...

The upcoming US and Israeli elections could reshape Middle East diplomacy as the Iran war continues. Domestic political pressures in Washington and coalition uncertainty in Israel may limit room for compromise, increasing the risk of escalation. Meanwhile, Gulf states and international mediators are working to revive negotiations, with a possible agreement over the Strait of Hormuz offering a narrow opportunity for de-escalation. Read more: digdebate.com/middle-east-el…

A historic mosque near Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence faces eviction after India’s Land and Development Office reportedly ordered it vacated within 6 days. The Race Course mosque is listed in the New Delhi Municipal Council’s heritage register, while authorities maintain that it occupies government land. Its water and electricity supplies have reportedly been disconnected, prompting Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind to seek government intervention. The dispute raises serious questions about heritage protection, access to places of worship and due process. The concern extends beyond Delhi. Islamophobia Monitor reported at least seven mosques were fully or partially demolished across India during September 2026. Separately, The Indian Express reported the demolition of a mosque in Saharanpur following the rejection of a legal challenge to its eviction. The central issue is whether land and encroachment rules are being applied consistently, with meaningful legal safeguards and equal protection for religious heritage. The Race Course case remains contested, and its outcome will test those protections.

From Operation Blue Star to the Khalistan referendum, why does the Sikh independence debate remain unresolved? Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun joins Digital Debate to discuss Sikh aspirations, diaspora activism and Canada's role. @SFJGenCounsel @batulrajpoot @SFJ_US_Official @SikhRI

Why does the Khalistan independence movement persist? Sikh Activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun joins Digital Debate to discuss Operation Blue Star, Sikh identity, Canada-based referendums and Punjab’s political future. @SFJGenCounsel @batulrajpoot @SFJ_US_Official @SikhRI

Should Pakistan create new provinces? We took the debate to the streets and asked people what they think! From better governance to public representation, hear what Pakistanis have to say. Is it time for new provinces? Join the conversation and Own Your Perspective!!

Is Pakistan losing its brightest minds, or turning migration into an economic opportunity? When Pakistanis move abroad for work, billions of dollars flow back home, household incomes rise, and families gain access to better education and opportunities. Meanwhile, overseas Pakistanis acquire new skills, learn new technologies, and build global networks that could contribute to Pakistan’s development. In this discussion, Dr. Farrukh Saleem explores the economic impact of migration and the potential for Pakistan to transform brain drain into brain gain. The real challenge is not to stop migration, but to turn remittances into investment, skills into innovation, and global connections into opportunities at home. People leave. Money returns. But can Pakistan turn migration into national development? @SaleemFarrukh

Your voice belongs in the conversation. Digital Debate is open again for Op-Ed submissions! Whether you're a scholar, analyst, journalist, or policymaker, if you have a clear argument backed by evidence on geopolitics, security, diplomacy, or governance, we want to hear from you. 800-1,200 words. Data-driven, unique perspective. Submit at: [email protected]

A Childhood Crushed Before It Could Bloom. 💔 He was just 15. An orphan who should have been chasing dreams, not struggling to survive. Poverty forced Waseem Abbas to work instead of enjoying his childhood. In Multan, his young life was tragically cut short after he was allegedly chased and struck by a car. He went out to earn a living, but never returned home. What kind of society allows poverty to steal a child's innocence and cruelty to take his life? Waseem deserves more than sympathy. He deserves justice.

Dar led Pakistan at the SCO heads-of-government meeting in Dushanbe, meeting Tajik PM Rasulzoda and calling on President Rahmon, who stressed regional connectivity and stability. The Tajik PM praised Pakistan’s US-Iran mediation, and Dar offered NDMA cooperation. For Pakistan, it is a platform ahead of its 2027 SCO chairmanship and a source of Central Asian goodwill for its mediation. The limit is geography: Tajikistan is reachable only through Afghanistan, where the border has been closed since October 2025.

Pakistan’s Quiet Diplomacy: Why Dialogue Has Become a Strategic Necessity Pakistan has paid a heavy price for conflict, and that experience now shapes its foreign policy. At the Global Security Forum in Doha, Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi argued that dialogue is a strategic necessity as tensions between Iran and the United States threaten the wider region. Working with Qatar, Islamabad is helping keep a channel open between Washington and Tehran, while balancing its defence ties with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. Peace also protects Pakistan’s trade and energy goals, from SCO connectivity to cooperation with Central Asia.The real test is delivery. A steady US-Iran channel, stable partnerships and stronger security at home will decide whether quiet diplomacy becomes lasting influence for Pakistan and the region. digdebate.com/pakistan-quiet…

Field Marshal Asim Munir is due in Tehran on Tuesday as Pakistan pushes to revive stalled US-Iran talks. The visit is expected to follow his summer discussions on preventing escalation and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran’s seven-day reopening offer still awaiting Washington’s response. Pakistan, which hosted the Islamabad Talks and brokered the June Memorandum, remains a key mediator.