October 2026

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani resigned as a judge of the Lahore High Court, saying he had witnessed the executive's growing control over judicial institutions. "My conscience does not permit," he said, according to accounts of the resignation.

An Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi on Thursday sentenced human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to 10 years in prison each. Judge Tahir Abbas Supra announced the verdict after the trial concluded. The case involved the removal of security barriers and alleged obstruction of official duties.

Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan concluded a joint summit in Tehran and agreed to hold further talks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged "regional unity" in his meeting with the Makkah pact countries. The four countries' delegations met as Houthi attacks continued.

Pakistan's Foreign Office condemned Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia's Makkah and Madina regions, calling them a "grave violation" of the kingdom's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The statement described the attacks as "reprehensible" and said they demonstrated a disregard for the holy sites. The condemnation was issued on Monday.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz backed a 'tit-for-tat' response to assault incidents in the province and advised victims to answer assault in kind. She said 'governing through fear' is not governance, and that the Multan incident continued to haunt her.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged to restore peace and development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and announced Rs160 billion for development projects in the province. He said KP cannot be left to burn and vowed to eliminate terrorism there.

Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's chief of defence forces, vowed to continue the campaign against terrorist outfits he described as Indian-sponsored and to strike them hard wherever they are. He said the terrorists would be defeated totally with public support.

Pakistan's military said security forces killed at least 10 terrorists, including a woman, in operations in Gwadar, foiling what it described as an attempt to undermine the state's writ in the coastal district. The Inter-Services Public Relations statement was carried by Business Recorder, Dawn and Radio Pakistan.

Pakistan, Qatar, Türkiye and Indonesia signed a defence cooperation accord named 'Badr' in Doha, according to Ankara. The four countries are the parties to the pact, which covers defence industry cooperation.

Turkey has moved to ratify the Makkah defence pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, a decade-long agreement that binds the three partners. A ruling party official said Turkey plans a mandate to send military personnel to Saudi Arabia.