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Imran Khan poised to become Pak PM, though party 22 short of majority

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Imran Khan poised to become Pak PM, though party 22 short of majority

Imran Khan is poised to become the new prime minister of Pakistan with his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI, emerging on top in the general elections – although falling short of majority by 22 seats.

Results released by the Election Commission of Pakistan today showed PTI had won 115 seats. The National Assembly has 272 seats in total and the halfway mark is 137 for a simple majority. The former cricket star will need to form alliances and cobble up a coalition to make good the shortfall.

Khan’s direct rival and jailed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s party PML-N won 62 seats.

The left-of-centre Pakistan People’s Party or PPP led by Bilawal Bhutto, son of assassinated leader Benazir Bhutto, won 43 seats.

Results from some seats are still being counted, reports said.

“(PML-N) would play the role of a strong opposition,” said Shehbaz Sharif, the PML-N president and brother of Nawaz Sharif, according to the English-language Dawn newspaper.

Imran Khan’s party also appears to have succeeded in wresting control of the local assembly in Pakistan’s biggest province, Punjab, from the Sharifs, according to the official but incomplete results. Punjab is home to more than half of Pakistan’s 208 million people and had been the power base of the Sharif family for more than three decades.

During a presidential style address on Thursday night, Imran Khan offered to investigate opposition claims of rigging after a bitter campaign in which Pakistan’s powerful military was accused of tilting the race in favour of Khan, and trying to erase democratic gains made since the last military regime ended in 2008.

Imran Khan vowed to improve relations with India and Afghanistan, while calling for mutually beneficial ties with the US.

Khan, who came to power after what he called 22 years of struggle, pitched for development, stability and improvement of Pakistan’s economy. Khan shared his vision for his nation and vowed to make Pakistan’s institutions stronger under which everyone will be held accountable. He also promised to make a “Naya Pakistan” which would be an Islamic welfare state.

The elections in the hostile neighbourhood are watched with keen interest in India, just as developments here evoke huge response there.

There has been concern in India about the outcome of the elections in Pakistan. It has been pointed out that a hardline party at the helm will affect the security of the people in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the rest of India in view of Pakistan’s tacit support to terror.

In his address on Thursday night, the 65-year-old former captain of Pakistan cricket team said he was a “little disappointed” the way Indian media has portrayed him “like a Bollywood villain… as though all will be bad if I come to power”.

“I have widely travelled in India because of cricket and I want good relations with India,” he said.

Elaborating on his foreign policy and his views of relations with India towards the end of his address, Khan said the two countries also need to have a dialogue on Kashmir.

“The biggest dispute between us is about Kashmir. We need to talk about Kashmir… We’re still on Square 1. India sees Baluchistan, we see Kashmir… this blame game has to stop. We are ready to take two steps forward if you take one,” he said. “The situation in Kashmir, the human rights violations, deploying army there… Kashmiris have suffered. The leadership has to find a way out,” he added.

He underscored the importance of trade ties with India. “The number one priority of any government should be trade ties with India,” he said.

In India, media reports quoting experts in India-Pakistan affairs said there would be no sudden turnaround in the relationship with Pakistan. The army will continue dictating Islamabad’s policy towards New Delhi.

Khan’s critics allege that he has the army’s backing, despite his own denials. He has endeared himself to the army and also echoed right-wing Islamist voices on certain issues.

Some analysts saw this as making it easier for India to talk to Pakistan: for once, there would not be the problem of Pakistan government saying one thing and its army pulling in another direction.

Traditionally, the foreign and defence policies of Pakistan have larger imprints of its army, the sixth largest in the world.

“To me this is like the early days of Nawaz Sharif when he pandered to the right-wing religious elements and wrongly believed that such elements could be handled politically,” said MK Bhadrakumar, a former career diplomat who headed the ministry of external affairs’ PAI (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) division, according to a report in The Hindustan Times (HT).

The election results mean little for Pakistan or the region, said strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellany. “The Pakistani military will remain the puppet master calling the shots from behind the scenes,” Chellaney said. “Imran Khan is its latest civilian puppet. Khan’s support of Islamists and his defence of Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws will ensure Pakistan remains a jihadist dungeon.”

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Trump says Iran agrees to never have nuclear weapons, rejects $300 billion fund claim

Donald Trump said Iran has agreed to never possess nuclear weapons under a proposed framework, while dismissing reports that the US would provide Tehran with a $300 billion reconstruction fund.

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Donald Trump statement

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran has agreed to a commitment that it will never develop or possess nuclear weapons, describing it as a central element of a proposed understanding between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking about the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Trump also rejected reports suggesting that the United States planned to provide Iran with a reconstruction or investment package worth $300 billion. He described such claims as false and said no such arrangement had been agreed.

The remarks come as discussions continue over a broader framework aimed at easing tensions between the two countries. According to Trump, the understanding would ensure that Iran remains without nuclear weapons while opening the door for future engagement if the terms are respected.

Questions remain over final agreement details

Despite Trump’s comments, several aspects of the proposed arrangement remain unclear because the full text of the agreement has not yet been made public.

Reports indicate that negotiations have involved discussions on sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and potential economic measures linked to Iran’s compliance with future commitments. However, the exact scope of these provisions has not been officially confirmed.

Another key issue is how compliance would be monitored. Details regarding inspections, verification mechanisms and the handling of Iran’s existing nuclear materials have yet to be fully explained.

Further negotiations expected

Officials have suggested that discussions on technical nuclear matters could continue even after the signing of an initial memorandum of understanding. Such talks would likely focus on implementation and verification measures.

The proposed framework is being closely watched internationally, as any agreement between the United States and Iran could have significant implications for regional stability and global non-proliferation efforts.

For now, Trump has maintained that the core objective remains clear: ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon while denying reports that Washington has committed to a multibillion-dollar reconstruction fund.

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USA start FIFA World Cup 2026 with dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay

The USA opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 journey with a dominant 4-1 victory against Paraguay, earning three valuable points in Group D.

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The United States kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in impressive fashion, securing a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their Group D opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the hosts delivered an attacking display to collect all three points and make an early statement in the tournament. The match also marked a significant occasion as the USA hosted part of the World Cup opening festivities before turning attention to the action on the pitch.

The Americans took control early and maintained pressure on Paraguay throughout the contest. Their attacking movement and clinical finishing helped them establish a comfortable lead, while Paraguay struggled to contain the hosts’ pace and creativity in the final third.

USA seize control after fast start

The United States settled quickly and found success going forward, creating several opportunities through quick passing and aggressive pressing. Their attacking approach paid off as they built momentum and gradually stretched Paraguay’s defence.

Paraguay attempted to respond and managed to get on the scoresheet, but the South American side found it difficult to match the intensity shown by the hosts. The USA continued to create chances and added further goals to put the result beyond doubt.

With the victory, the United States moved to the top section of Group D and gained an important boost in confidence ahead of their upcoming fixtures in the tournament.

Strong opening result for hosts

A winning start is particularly important in a World Cup campaign, and the USA achieved exactly that with a comprehensive performance. The result gives the hosts valuable momentum as they prepare for the next stage of group play.

For Paraguay, the defeat means they will need a strong response in their remaining group matches to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds alive.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the tournament featuring an expanded format and more participating teams than previous editions.

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Jaishankar raises deaths of three Indian sailors with Marco Rubio, lodges strong protest

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed India’s strong protest to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over an attack that killed three Indian sailors, stressing that lethal action against commercial shipping is unjustified.

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External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday spoke with Marco Rubio and conveyed India’s strong protest over recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors.

According to reports, Jaishankar told Rubio that the use of lethal force against commercial shipping was not justified and underlined India’s serious concerns regarding the safety of civilian seafarers operating in the region. The conversation came days after three Indian mariners were killed in an attack on the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello near the Oman coast.

The incident has triggered diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Washington. India had earlier summoned a senior US diplomat to register its concerns and seek accountability following the attack. The Ministry of External Affairs has emphasized that actions endangering civilian shipping undermine maritime safety and stability in a strategically important region.

India reiterates concern over maritime safety

India has stressed the importance of protecting civilian seafarers and ensuring the security of international maritime commerce. Officials have expressed concern over multiple incidents involving Indian crew members in West Asian waters in recent days.

The deaths of the three sailors have also sparked calls within India for stronger diplomatic efforts to safeguard Indian nationals working aboard commercial vessels in conflict-affected maritime zones.

Background of the incident

The attack involved the tanker Settebello, which was operating near Oman when it was struck during ongoing tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran and maritime operations in the Gulf region. Initial reports indicated that Indian crew members were among those affected, and later confirmations established that three Indian sailors had died in the incident.

India has maintained that civilian shipping should not become a target and has continued diplomatic outreach to ensure the safety and welfare of Indian seafarers working across global shipping routes.

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