International Funding

In a move signalling a profound shift in Pakistan’s infrastructure financing and geopolitical posture, China has withdrawn from financing the pivotal Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project, a cornerstone of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

At the Sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue held in Kabul on 20 August 2025, Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reached a landmark agreement to extend CPEC into Afghanistan.

Of Islamabad's approximately 41,520 registered Afghan citizens, many retain memories of earlier refuge. Before 2006, some 25,000 had lived in a refugee camp within the Islamabad Capital Territory.

The situation is especially dire for Afghan migrants in Pakistan, where visa renewals have been suspended, and Proof of Registration (PoR) cards invalidated without clear guidance. Migrants are reporting increased police harassment and arbitrary detentions.

WHO’s joint report with UNICEF on global immunization revealed that although vaccine coverage has modestly improved.

The results highlight not only the effectiveness of emergency vaccination, but also the critical role of preparedness and speed in response to emerging threats.

At the border, families endure sweltering temperatures often topping 40°C, armed with the few belongings they could manage to pack. They find shade under blankets, while signs of malnutrition are evident in children, and many mothers appear worn down and anxious.

Debt service payments by developing countries have soared by $74 billion in a single year, from $847 billion to $921 billion.