A team of the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), led by Secretary Humair Karim, briefed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on EAD on the ML-1 project. The panel, presided over by Mirza Ikhtiyar Baig, was informed that the “ADB is being considered as the lead financing institution, while co-financing commitments have been made by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the World Bank,” the NA secretariat said.

It added that the European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency had also expressed interest in the project.

The panel was told that ML-1 was not limited to the rehabilitation and upgradation of railway infrastructure; rather, the project also incorporated institutional and operational reforms aimed at improving the overall efficiency, sustainability and service delivery of Pakistan Rail­w­ays. The project design had been re-evaluated to identify gaps or deficiencies and incorporate necessary improvements.

NA panel voices concern over K-IV progress, completion timeline

Following the reassessment, the cumulative estimated cost of the ML-1 project has been revised to approximately $6.68-6.80bn, compared with the earlier estimated cost of around $9bn.

The committee was also informed that ML-1 infrastructure was being designed to accommodate train speeds of up to 160km per hour, whereas the operational speed was presently envisaged at up to 120km per hour. The construction period targeted for completion was about three years.

The committee expressed reservations regarding the proposed operational speed and emphasised that the project should take full advantage of modern railway technologies and international standards. It stressed that the infrastructure and operational parameters should be suitably aligned to facilitate an operational speed of 160km per hour, where technically and economically feasible, rather than limiting the benefits of the upgraded infrastructure.

Karachi projects

The NA committee also recommended a consultative meeting of federal and provincial ministries and departments to fo­­cus on major development and infrastructure projects in Karachi and other areas of Sindh, identify outstanding issues, resolve inter-departmental and financing-related bottlenecks, and evolve coordinated measures to expedite their implementation in the larger public interest.

The panel expressed serious concern over the progress and completion timeline of the K-IV water supply project, underscoring its critical importance for meeting the growing water requirements of Karachi, with the expected completion timeline of April 2029.

During the briefing, the committee highlighted that Karachi currently required more than 1,200 million gallons of water per day (MGD), while demand was expected to increase substantially by 2029-30 due to population growth, urban expansion and increasing domestic and commercial requirements.

It took note of the briefing regarding the desalination plant and was informed that the facility developed earlier had been assessed by Nespak as not being technically suitable. The committee stressed that all technical, financial and implementation aspects of the K-IV project should be thoroughly reviewed and corrective measures taken without further delay.

In this regard, the panel recommended that the K-IV project be taken up comprehensively under the steering committee at the Ministry of Planning and Development, with the participation of all relevant federal and provincial stakeholders, to specifically focus on addressing the immediate and long-term water requirements of Karachi, resolving outstanding implementation issues and ensuring timely completion of the project.The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) informed the committee that the prime minister had directed that stalled and delayed projects involving the UAE and other countries be actively pursued and brought to the stage of implementation through enhanced coordination and facilitation.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2026

DUBAI: Houthi fighters were pushing to seize strategic heights in Yemen on Monday to cut off the Red Sea coast from remaining areas held by Saudi-backed forces, after a report that President Donald Trump had called off US strikes on the group at the last minute.

US President Trump spoke by phone with Yem­eni President Rashad al-Alimi on Sun­day, four people familiar with the matter said, discussing the advances of the Houthis around a vital global waterway.

Alimi requested US support for his Saudi-backed government in its fight against the Houthis, who this month took key areas along the Bab al-Mandab strait in a lightning offensive.

Two of the sources, one Yemeni and one Western, said Trump had made no direct pledge of military support during the call. The White House and Yemen’s information minister did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

On the other hand, a lightning advance by the Houthis this month has extended the wider Middle East conflict to a new theatre.

Strategic heights

Five Yemeni military sources told Reu­ters that the Houthis were now seeking to seize strategic heights, known as the Kah­b­oub Mountains, in two provinces, Taiz and Lahij, which separate the Red Sea coast from the government-held south.

Fighting has centred on the outskirts of the remote mountain Al-Wazi’iyah district in Taiz province, and Ras al-Ara along the Indian Ocean coast between the mouth of the Red Sea that the fighters captured last week and the government’s base in Aden.

The Houthis aim to secure the rear of their forces around the Bab al-Mandab Strait leading into the Red Sea by taking control of the heights, which would allow them to open new fronts, according to the sources. That would help protect exposed positions the Houthis captured during their advance around Dhubab on the Red Sea and on Perim Island in the strait.

The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen’s capital since 2014, seized the country’s Red Sea coast this month in a lightning advance that routed forces of an internationally recognised Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and based in the south.

Saudi plea

The New York Times reported that President Trump has changed his strategy on Yemen several times, torn betw­een Saudi pressure to strike the Iran-backed Houthis and the risk of opening another front in the Middle East war.

It said Saudi Crown Prince Moham­med bin Salman called Trump on Sun­day “to implore him, again, to step in to help blunt the rapidly advancing group”.

Trump had told his advisers the day before that he opposed strikes but chan­ged his mind after the call and “told the Pentagon to prepare for air strikes agai­nst the Houthis”, the newspaper repor­t­ed, citing anonymous administration officials.

However, he appeared to have reve­rsed his decision again by midday Sunday, it said.

Trump’s decision to pull back from striking the Houthis came as “commanders had approved target lists, troops were loading bombs onto US warplanes selected for the missions and the wave of attacks was just about to begin”, the Times said, citing two people briefed on the operation.

US news platform Axios said Trump had already refused a Saudi request to strike the Houthis last week. Fox News reported on Sunday that Trump had said the Houthis have agreed not to hit US targets.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2026

PESHAWAR / ISLAMABAD: As the state swung into action in a bid to deter the opposition party from undertaking its promised protest march on the federal capital, the PTI on Monday vowed to go ahead with its Sept 27 protest, despite the arrest of a number of lawmakers and supporters from different parts of the country.

In a press conference at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the parliamentary committee decided to “forcefully exercise” its right to peaceful protest on Sept 27.

The arrest of Imran Khan’s sisters, firing on cabinet minister Shakeel Khan, and the alleged abduction of Labour Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan were aimed at spoiling the party’s protest, the CM said, adding that such tactics would bolster their movement instead of weakening it.

CM Afridi claimed that plainclothes men had “attacked and abducted” Minister Shakoor. He also mentioned the reported attempt to “kidnap” the provincial minister for communications, Shakeel Khan, in Batkhela.

According to CM Afridi, the PTI has not organised any major protest in the past two years and tried to resolve its issues through assemblies and courts, but to no avail.

The chief minister said court orders regarding Imran Khan’s meetings as well as the Supreme Court order about his treatment at Shifa International Hospital were flouted by the government. The PTI leader said holding a peaceful protest was their right, which was guaranteed by the Constitution, adding that they would announce the details of the protest on Sept 25.

Speaking at the presser, PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan urged the authorities to change their approach. Barrister Gohar said 1500 workers had been detained.

“Five of our MNAs have been arrested, along with an ex-senator. Our MPAs have been arrested; one of them was arrested in Islamabad. Even our ministers are being arrested in our own province,” he alleged during a press conference in Peshawar. He said that though the PTI was in power in KP, someone else was calling the shots.

He said PTI was a political force and was not looking for violence and clashes but wanted to resolve its issues politically. He said they have approached the high court 25 times and the apex court 19 times over the past four years, but their pleas were not heard.

The PTI leader said they were not going to attack Islamabad and such statements by the cabinet members reflected an undemocratic mindset. He claimed people were not concerned about the PTI march, but what worried them was the way the government was talking about stopping the protest. Mr Gohar said that no substantial talks with the government had taken place so far. “They must step back, and we will do the same. But when one side tries to impose its will, that cannot work,” he asserted.

Arrests denounced

Meanwhile, the PTI condemned the arrests of its lawmakers from Parliament Lodges and outside the National Assembly in Islamabad, calling for their immediate release. In a statement issued by its Central Media Department, the PTI said reports about the detention of MNAs San­aullah Khan Mastikhel, Dawar Khan Kundi, Ahsan Jamal Khan, Mian Ghaus, and Adil Khan Bazai, as well as Chitral MPA Fatehul Mulk were deeply concerning.

The arrest of elected representatives from Parl­iament Lodges and outside the National Assembly clearly refle­cted the government’s indiscriminate use of state power to suppress political dissent.

Meanwhile, Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan also expressed serious concern over the prevailing political situation in the country, the arrests of political workers, parliamentarians and ordinary citizens, the closure of major roads with containers, and the arrest of sisters of Imran Khan. They urged the government to reconsider its approach, release all detained political workers and citizens, and remove the containers blocking public roads.

Two PTI men sent on physical remand

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad remanded two PTI men in police custody for 10 days in a case registered in connection with the party’s Nov 26 protest. ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain passed the order after police produced them before the court and sought their physical remand for interrogation. The investigating officer requested a 30-day physical remand, arguing that the accused were required to be interrogated in connection with the case registered at the Khanna police station. After hearing the arguments, the court granted 10 days’ physical remand and directed police to produce the accused before the court on completion of the remand period.

Separately, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra ordered five PTI workers arrested in connection with a February 15 protest on Constitution Avenue to be sent to the Adiala jail for an identification parade. The case was registered at the Secretariat police station against PTI workers and supporters allegedly involved in the protest staged by party lawmakers and activists.

In a related proceeding, Judge Sipra ordered Rana Shahbaz, president of the Islamabad Pushcart Vendors Association, to be sent to jail for an identification parade in the same protest case.

Police produced Mr Shahbaz before the court and sought his judicial custody for the identification process.

The court granted a 14-day judicial remand and directed authorities to produce him again on Oct 5 after completion of the parade.

However, Mr Shahbaz’s relatives told the court that he had no affiliation with the PTI and alleged that he was arrested while raising his voice over issues confronting pushcart vendors. The proceedings relate to a case registered with the Secretariat police concerning the PTI’s February protest in Islamabad.

Malik Asad in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Iran on Monday indicated its willingness to return to dialogue with the United States to de-escalate tensions. The flexibility on the issue was indicated by the Iranian side during a meeting between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is in the Iranian capital in an attempt to revive the stalled diplomatic process between Washington and Tehran.

“Yes, there was progress during the meeting,” a source told Dawn. Mr Naqvi, who arrived in Tehran on Monday, was received by his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni. “We had discussions on the mediation process,” Mr Naqvi said while talking to media in the presence of his Iranian counterpart.

During the meeting, Mr Momeni said Iran was thankful to Pakistan’s political and military leadership for its efforts for regional peace and stability. “We are grateful to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for their efforts for regional peace,” the Iranian minister was quoted as saying in a statement issued here by the interior ministry.

The visit comes at a time when diplomatic activity has intensified to prevent another round of escalation between Iran and US, with both Qatar and Pakistan maintaining contacts with the two sides.

Qatar has in recent we­­eks emerged as a key channel between Wa­­sh­ing­ton and Tehran. Its foreign ministry said on Monday that its mediation team had been exchanging ideas with both sides for nearly two weeks in an effort to bridge differences and find a suitable moment to resume negotiations.

Iran relays conditions for talks

Iran has conveyed through Qatar a set of conditions for reopening talks, including an end to fighting on all fronts, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to the US naval blockade. Iranian officials said seven conditions were conveyed, although all of them were not publicly disclosed.

The latest diplomatic activity follows the collapse of the 14 point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding brokered by Pakistan on June 17. The conflict has since continued with sporadic strikes and a US naval blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has maintained control over traffic through the strategic waterway.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has remained engaged in efforts to keep the diplomatic channel open. Field Marshal Asim Munir has used his contacts with the US administration while Pakistani officials have made repeated visits to Tehran.

The latest visit also carries significance ahead of Mr Pezeshkian’s travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. The Iranian president is expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UNGA in the coming days. The meeting could provide another opportunity for the two leaders to discuss the stalled peace process.

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has given mixed signals on the prospects of renewed negotiations, while Ira­nian officials have continued to combine their readiness for diplomacy with warnings of a strong response to any fresh US military action.

The possibility of renewed diplomacy is also being backed by developments around the Strait of Hormuz, where Pakistan has quietly secured the passage of another Qatari liquefied natural gas shipment after negotiations with Iran.

The shipment crossed the strait over the weekend and is expected to reach Pakistan’s LNG import facility by Tuesday, making it the second Qatari LNG cargo to reach Pakistan this month through an understanding with Iran.

No visa from US

Separately, the US refu­sed to issue visas to members of President Pezesh­kian’s delegation, including his communications team, for his trip to the UN General Assembly, Iranian state media reported. President Peze­shkian will be the highest-ranking Iranian official to enter the United States since the Middle East war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, part of the delegation to the UN, left Iran on Sunday evening for a stopover in Qatar.

Foreign ministry spok­esman Esmaeil Baqaei accused the Trump administration of “trampling on the right of access to information”, pointing to its recent move to bar three major US media outlets from the White House over objections to their coverage.

“When an administration slams its doors shut — even on American journalists it happens to dislike — and bars foreign reporters, including the Iranian president’s media team, whose voices it would rather silence, it is not managing access; it is trying to hide the truth,” Baqaei said on X.

Iranian airlines to be ‘shut down’ from tomorrow

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that Iranian airlines will have trouble functioning globally in two days under the weight of American sanctions. On Sept 23, “all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world,” Bessent told CNBC in an interview as the war launched by the United States and Israel nears the seven-month mark.

“If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets or you will be knocked out of the dollar system,” he added.Two Iraqi sources told AFP on Monday that Baghdad would suspend flights by Iranian airlines following the US Treasury’s announcement.

Georgia also barred Iranian carriers from its land, while Iranian airline Mahan said it suspended service to Turkiye at the re­­quest of the Turkish government.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2026

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar signed the agreement with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, he said in a post on X.

DPM Dar hoped the step would “further facilitate high-level engagement and institutional exchanges, and contribute to advancing our enduring and brotherly strategic partnership across all areas of mutual interest”.

More to follow.