Pakistan and China have signed agreements and MoUs worth $8.5 billion during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to Beijing.

The deals include $1.5 billion in contracts between private companies and $7 billion in MoUs covering various development and investment projects aimed at boosting Pakistan’s economy and infrastructure.

Sharif assured that a transparent monitoring mechanism has been established to ensure proper implementation.

Pakistan’s political advisor Rana Sanaullah has confirmed that Field Marshal Asim Munir will continue as Army Chief until November 2027 under current law. He emphasized no new notification is required, and automatic retirement applies after five years. Sanaullah highlighted Munir’s leadership successes and stressed continuity is vital amid security and regional challenges. The government ruled out early elections, reaffirming the National Assembly will serve until 2029. Economic discussions focus on financial balance, with provinces’ stronger capacity helping resolve fiscal challenges.

At the 25th SCO summit in Tianjin, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned against state-sponsored terrorism, urging respect for sovereignty, dialogue, and collective counterterrorism efforts. He said Pakistan has proof of foreign involvement in recent attacks and noted the country’s sacrifice of over 90,000 lives in the fight against terror. Sharif stressed the importance of Afghanistan’s stability, adherence to bilateral treaties including water-sharing, condemned Israeli actions in Gaza and Iran, and praised China’s leadership and regional development initiatives like CPEC.

Pakistani activist, speaker, and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Muniba Mazari have been appointed as a new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocate. Recognized for her relentless work on inclusion, gender equality, and social justice, she will collaborate with global leaders including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Belgium’s Queen Mathilde. UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised Mazari as an inspiring voice for equality. Mazari called the role both an honor and a responsibility to amplify unheard voices and inspire collective global action.

Pakistan’s Punjab province is experiencing its most severe flooding in nearly 40 years due to heavy seasonal rains and water releases from Indian rivers. Rivers including the Ravi and Chenab have reached dangerously high flows, prompting evacuations in Lahore, Multan, Jhang, and Sargodha. Embankments are being breached to protect cities, while thousands of residents have been relocated to relief camps. Authorities warn of further flooding, crop losses, and possible casualties in low-lying areas, with continuous monitoring and emergency response ongoing.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has resigned from four National Assembly standing committees, including Law and Justice, Human Rights, IT, and House Business Advisory, following founder Imran Khan’s directive. So far, at least 18 PTI lawmakers have quit committees, part of the party’s broader political strategy amid disqualifications linked to the May 9 riots. PTI will boycott upcoming by-elections, while the ruling PML-N and PPP plan to contest jointly nationwide, intensifying Pakistan’s shifting political landscape.

Pakistan has demolished a protective dyke next to a major dam to relieve water pressure caused by heavy rainfall, but the move has submerged one of Sikhism’s holiest sites, Kartarpur Sahib.
Punjab Disaster Management spokesperson Mazhar Hussain confirmed that the dyke was deliberately destroyed to safeguard the dam infrastructure.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry also revealed that India had given advance diplomatic notice before releasing water from its dams. Still, relentless rainfall across northern India led to an abnormal surge in Pakistan’s eastern rivers—the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej—forcing authorities to issue a high flood alert across Punjab province.

India has suspended its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, citing concerns over terrorism. The move comes after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, blamed on Islamabad. Pakistan warns that any attempt to block its allocated river flows would be “equivalent to declaring war.” The treaty, signed in 1960 under World Bank mediation, governs water distribution between the countries. Experts warn India’s projects could threaten Pakistan’s irrigation-dependent agriculture, risking crop yields, food prices, and small farmers’ livelihoods.

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been granted bail in eight cases linked to attacks on military installations in May 2023. The Supreme Court approved his appeal against the Lahore High Court’s rejection of his bail requests. The 72-year-old will be released unless accused in other cases but remains in prison for a corruption conviction. Several PTI leaders have faced similar convictions. The 2023 unrest followed Khan’s arrest, with protesters vandalizing military sites in Rawalpindi.

Heavy rains, flash floods, and landslides have devastated northern Pakistan, leaving at least 307 dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province over the past 48 hours. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority confirmed widespread destruction, including dozens of homes damaged or destroyed. Relief efforts face major challenges due to washed-out roads and ongoing rainfall, expected to continue until August 21. Around 2,000 rescue workers are engaged, while the army and federal government have mobilized aid and announced significant financial support for affected districts.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said the country’s nuclear weapons are solely for national security, not threats or coercion. In an interview with Geo News, he criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying war with Pakistan has become a nightmare for him as India faces internal unrest. Asif claimed Pakistan fought only defensive wars and accused India of backing groups like the BLA and Taliban factions. He urged good neighborly relations, stressing peace and stability are vital for South Asia’s future.

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir recently issued a direct nuclear threat to India, warning of potential attacks on infrastructure and extreme retaliatory measures. The remarks sparked outrage in India, with actress and MP Kangana Ranaut mocking him on social media. Delhi’s diplomatic and defense circles are closely monitoring the situation. Experts suggest Pakistan’s economic and political pressures may drive such statements. Kangana’s comments have ignited a heated debate, highlighting the growing verbal tension between the two nations.

At least nine Pakistani soldiers were killed in an armed attack in Washuk district of Balochistan. In a separate operation, 33 Afghan terrorists linked to the Pakistani Taliban group were eliminated. Following a recent bomb attack that killed three soldiers, mobile internet services have been suspended in the province for at least three weeks due to rising tensions. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated, underdeveloped, and poverty-stricken province, continues to face separatist insurgency and ongoing security challenges.

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Punjab government regarding former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s bail petition in a May 9 violence case. A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi started hearing multiple bail pleas after the Lahore High Court rejected them. The court refrained from commenting on legal matters for now and scheduled the next hearing for August 19. Imran Khan remains imprisoned in Adiala Jail as the case proceeds.

Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami has declared it will hold the country’s largest-ever gathering from November 21 to 23 at Minar-e-Pakistan. Jamaat Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rahman called on the ruling authorities to restore public rights or face a peaceful but powerful mass movement. The event will feature leaders of Islamic movements globally, pro-Palestinian groups, and international figures. Ahead of the gathering, 30,000 public committees will be formed nationwide to ensure broad participation. Jamaat vows to lead a peaceful resistance representing youth, women, farmers, and workers amid Pakistan’s deepening crisis.