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AJK flare-up

MATTERS have worsened in the stand-off between the Azad Kashmir government and the Joint Awami Action Committee, which has recently been proscribed by the regional administration. The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers on Saturday. The following day protesters and LEAs clashed outside a Rawalakot hospital where the victim’s body was brought, resulting in the deaths of at least four policemen and seven protesters. This unfortunate series of events echoes similar confrontations between the AJK government and JAAC over the past few years, where dialogue over protesters’ demands has alternated with deadly violence. The region is particularly on edge as the JAAC has called for a major strike today. With the proscription of the group and the deaths in clashes with the administration, emotions are high all round and better sense is required across the board to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. At the core of the dilemma is the JAAC’s call for abolition of refugee seats for those who left India-occupied Kashmir and settled in AJK. Indeed, the AJK government’s banning of the JAAC has not helped matters, and has only raised the temperature. To prevent further confrontation, the AJK government should reconsider the ban, though investigations are required into the killing of the policemen and the deaths of the protesters. This paper has argued that bans targeting popular movements are undemocratic, and have, throughout history, failed to suppress dissenting voices. At the other end, the JAAC, too, should take a less hard-line position. While the group had earlier called for civic and governance reforms, it is now demanding constitutional changes, such as the abolition of refugee seats. These delicate constitutional matters must be decided in the House, after thorough debate by all sides. In fact, as the AJK Supreme Court has said in its opinion on a reference sent to it by the region’s president regarding the refugee seats, constitutional changes can only be achieved “by an assembly possessed of the full democratic mandate of the people, after deliberation” and cannot be “wrested from a government under duress”. Therefore, both sides need to de-escalate. The authorities should reconsider the JAAC ban, while JAAC supporters must keep all protest peaceful, and take their demand for constitutional change to the AJK legislature. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

Pakistan’s vital US-Iran peace efforts

US President Trump announced in Wisconsin that the Iran war is “largely finished.” He explained that his goal is to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and “the situation with Iran seems to be going quite well”. President Trump also said that he would be honoured to meet the Iranian Supreme leader if the US and Iran can make a deal. Despite occasional skirmishes and ambivalent Iranian signals, the optimism expressed by the US President indicates Washington hopes to eventually achieve enduring peace. This would not have been possible without the pivotal role played by Pakistan and Field Marshal Asim Munir in navigating the delicate peace process, despite landmines being laid throughout the process and across the region to sabotage it. Pakistan has played the leading role throughout this precarious peace process that faces complex challenges. For 47 years, the US viewed Iran as a threat to its regional interests and employed coercive diplomacy and economic sanctions to dissuade Tehran from pursuing its nuclear programme and supported political activists opposed to the Iranian political system. However, two direct and major US and Israeli attacks within one year on Iran during Trump administration caused major damage to its infrastructure, killing thousands of people, including decapitation strikes on Tehran’s ideological, political, intelligence and military leadership. Although the Iranian political and security system seems to have absorbed these lethal attacks, it has also created a new security dynamic which poses more challenges to the diplomatic progress. Western military strategy traditionally assumes that decapitation of top political and military leadership can damage the political will of the adversary to wage war which can bring about a quick and decisive victory and help avoid a long and costly war of attrition. This approach seemed to work during World War II against Adolf Hitler, and later against the regimes of Saddam Husain, Muammar Qadhafi and Bashar al-Assad. Field Marshal Munir is the only international figure who has made two visits to Iran at the height of the crisis to persuade its political, military and diplomatic leadership, facilitate an enduring ceasefire and encourage progress on complex contentious issues However, these were totalitarian regimes whose political system collapsed as soon as their central figurehead was removed. This was not the case in Iran where the loss of top ideological, political and military leadership was a major shock to the nation but didn’t disturb Tehran’s political system or its military strategy. Iran has deliberately expanded both the theatre of conflict and the diplomatic chessboard. This has led the talks agenda to shift and expand beyond the Iranian nuclear programme to also include the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, enduring ceasefire in Lebanon and sanctions relief on Tehran’s frozen financial assets. Moreover, the decapitation of Iranian ideological, political and military leadership removed the most charismatic and experienced diplomatic figures, most notably Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Ali Larijani, who have a track record of negotiating with the US. This has shifted power within Iran towards individuals who have not only more military experience of campaigns in Syria than diplomatic know-how, but also have a far deeper distrust of the US than their more seasoned predecessors –the first Trump administration unilaterally quit the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), while his second term saw the elimination of Tehran’s national leadership. These attacks have deepened Iranian distrust, which has also hardened Tehran’s stance. This makes diplomatic progress not only more difficult, but has made Pakistan’s role more critical and necessary for the success of this complex and delicate peace process. Field Marshal Asim Munir was the only international figure to make two visits to Iran at the height of the Middle East crisis, to persuade Iranian political, military and diplomatic leadership, facilitate an enduring ceasefire and encourage progress on complex contentious issues. Despite pitfalls, Pakistan remains in a unique position to continue to steer this peace process because it simultaneously enjoys trust by both the US and Iran. This was made possible because Pakistan assured Iran that its territory and airspace will not be used for attacks on Iran, Islamabad condemned the attacks on Iran, as well as attacks on the civilian infrastructure of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states as a violation of international law. But most importantly, Field Marshal Munir secured President Trump’s security commitment that Iranian leadership will no longer be targeted. Without this vital security guarantee, there was no chance for the peace process to begin. Each social media post and statement by President Trump that expresses hope for a lasting ceasefire and resolution of other issues has helped de-escalate hostilities and eased global oil prices, which currently reflect unprecedented damage to the world energy and economic security. The fruits of Pakistan’s leading role and painstaking efforts as a ‘net regional stabiliser’ are being acknowledged, appreciated and enjoyed around the world. The final outcome of this peace process may take time but history will remember that it was only Pakistan that rose to the occasion to help end a major conflict, save precious lives and end the suffering of humanity, particularly the poor people around the world, when the international community had lost its trust and hope from international law and institutions for protecting regional peace, security and stability. The writer is an Islamabad-based security analyst with three decades of experience in teaching international security and strategic affairs. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

Dawn (Pakistan)

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PTI to issue white paper on GB ‘poll rigging’

• Gohar announces ‘black day’ on new govt’s swearing in • Seeks re-election in Astore; says party brought evidence of ‘167 bogus votes’ to presiding officer’s attention • Opposition alliance also rejects results, describes them ‘action replay’ of 2024 general polls ISLAMABAD: Rejecting the results of the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, the PTI announced on Monday that it would issue a white paper detailing “electoral irregularities” and also observe a ‘black day’ when the newly elected lawmakers of the region take their oath of office. Addressing a press conference, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that the party’s primary agenda was to address “widespread irregularities” in the GB elections held on Sunday. He claimed that PTI was barred from campaigning in the days leading up to the election, alleging that it was part of a “planned arrangement aimed at eliminating the party from the polls”. He said that out of the region’s 24 seats, PTI-backed candidates were leading in two constituencies — Naik Karim in Hunza and Sohail Abbas in Gilgit — while their ally Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen’s Muhammad Kazim was ahead in Skardu. However, he claimed that PTI-backed candidates were “winning 100 per cent” in a total of eight constituencies — one seat from Astore, one from Diamer, two from Nagar, and one from Ghizer. He alleged that due to “rigging, vote-stuffing, and the casting of bogus votes”, the PTI’s “victory” was overturned. The PTI chairman said the party had demanded a re-election in Rehmanpur, Astore, stating that they had brought evidence of “167 bogus votes” to the presiding officer’s attention. “The PTI rejects the process, results and vote count of this election,” the PTI chairman said, stressing that “once again, people who did not have the people’s mandate have been given a false mandate”, in an apparent reference to the 2024 general polls. He also demanded that out of the six seats reserved for women and the three allocated for technocrats, the PTI should be given one from each category. Barrister Gohar also outlined plans to hold a protest in GB after consulting the PTI’s political allies. Separately, the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) held a consultative meeting under the chairmanship of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai. During the huddle, the alliance condemned efforts aimed at “keeping the PTI out of the democratic process” in the GB elections. In a statement, the TTAP called the GB elections an “action replay” of the 2024 general elections. “When the decisions are going to be made elsewhere, then what is the point of holding elections?” the statement said, adding that in the aftermath of the elections, “neither the election commission nor the electoral process had any credibility left”. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

Talks begin in Cairo to advance Gaza truce

CAIRO: Talks on advancing the fragile Gaza ceasefire have begun in Cairo between mediators and Palestinian factions, a Palestinian source familiar with the meeting told AFP. The discussions, which started on Sunday and continued on Monday, come as violence continues to plague the territory despite the truce in place since October. The talks bring together mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, along with representatives of several Palestinian factions, as efforts continue to push forward negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. According to the source, mediators were due to meet a Hamas delegation on Monday, followed by a wider meeting including all participating factions. Efforts continue to push negotiations on second phase of ceasefire agreement Egypt’s state-linked Al-Qahera News channel said Sunday’s talks focused on “the proposed roadmap for completing the implementation of the agreement”. “It was held in a positive atmosphere,” the channel reported, adding that there was agreement on the need to continue implementing US President Donald Trump’s plan. The talks come amid rising regional tensions, after Israel and Iran traded fire on Monday, in a serious test of another fragile truce and a potential threat to hopes for a deal to end the wider Middle East war. Despite the Gaza truce technically in effect since October, daily violence has rocked the territory, over half of which is under Israeli military control in defiance of the ceasefire’s terms. Israel has killed at least 936 people since the ceasefire began, according to Gaza’s health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN. Both Hamas and Israel accuse each other of violating the truce. The first phase of the ceasefire involved the release of the last Israeli prisoners held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. A transition to the second phase, which was supposed to involve Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli military, has been stalled for months. The question of Gaza’s post-war governance also remains one of the main sticking points in negotiations on implementing the provisions of phase two. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

PPP poised to form govt in GB

GILGIT: The PPP is all set to form a government in Gilgit-Baltistan after it gained 11 out of 24 seats in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, according to unofficial results (Forms-47) of the June 7 elections. As per Forms-47 issued by returning officers from 24 constituencies, the PPP bagged 11 seats, with the PML-N trailing with six seats. The candidates backed by the PTI won two seats, and its ally MWM was victorious in one seat. The independent candidates secured four seats. In a post on X in the early hours of Monday, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari declared victory, saying the PPP had become the “single largest party” in the region. “The Pakistan Peoples Party is emerging as the single largest party and we will be attempting to form government. I am grateful to the people for their trust and congratulations to Jiyalas on their victory,” said Bhutto-Zardari, whose party had alleged rigging during the polling. Recount ordered On Monday, the Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan ordered a recount in two constituencies and re-polling in a few polling stations in GBA-16, Diamer. The recount order came after independent candidate Safdar Ali Shirazi and PPP candidate Nazir Ahmed Advocate formally requested a recount of votes in GBA-20 (Ghizer-II), alleging irregularities during the counting process. Acting on the request, the returning officer ordered a recount, which is scheduled to take place today. The commission also ordered a recount in GBA-3, Gilgit. The Election Commission also ordered a re-poll at three polling stations in GBA-16 (Diamer-II). Victorious candidates PPP regional president Amjad Hussain won from GBA-1 (Gilgit), while former chief minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman of PML-N won from GBA-2 (Gilgit). PTI-backed independent Sohail Abbas won from GBA-3 (Gilgit). In Hunza, PTI-backed independent Naik Nam Karim won from GBA-6. In Nagar, Muhammad Ali Akhtar of PPP won from GBA-4 and Zulfiqar Ali Murad of PPP won from GBA-5. In Skardu, Syed Tauqeer Mehdi of PPP won from GBA-7, Fida Muhammad Nashad of PPP from GBA-9, Nasir Ali Khan of PPP from GBA-10, and Mohammad Kazim Mesum of MWM from GBA-8. In Kharmang district, Iqbal Hassan of PPP won from GBA-11. In Shigar district, Imran Nadeem of PPP won from GBA-12. In Astore district, Rana Farman Ali and Rana Muhammad Farooq won from GBA-13 and GBA-14, respectively. In Diamer, Kifayatur Rehman of PML-N won from GBA-18, independent candidate Dilpazir Khan won from GBA-15, Ataullah of PPP from GBA-16, and Mohammad Naseem of PPP from GBA-17. In Ghizer, Syed Jalal of PPP won from GBA-19, Abdul Jahan of PML-N won from GBA-20, and independent candidate Aman Ali won from GBA-21 (Yasin). Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

AJK braces for long march as tensions persist

• ‘Proscribed’ JAAC to go ahead with rally from Bhimber to Muzaffarabad, sit-in outside assembly • Officials say govt ‘will not allow’ march to go ahead; large crowds unlikely since group’s leadership is ‘on the run’ MUZAFFARABAD: In the aftermath of Sunday night’s fierce clashes that claimed the lives of seven civilians and four law enforcement personnel in Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) braced for a shutter-down and wheel-jam strike on Tuesday (today) , announced by the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). According to initial plans, the JAAC had decided that protesters would start a long march from the southernmost district of Bhimber, passing through Mirpur, Kotli and Poonch before reaching Muzaffarabad on June 10 for a sit-in outside the Legislative Assembly. Government officials, meanwhile, appeared hopeful about the prospects of a tepid response to the protest call for several reasons, including the recent crackdown. In action against JAAC, the authorities had rounded up more than 200 people across the region and forced others into hiding, official sources and witnesses said. “Situation is fluid. The JAAC leadership and crowd-pullers are on the run. So far, they haven’t been able to pull numbers on the streets, but there is a possibility of small protests at several places,” said one official. “But it has been firmly decided that protesters will not be allowed to assemble anywhere, let alone stage a long march from one part of the state to the other,” another official said. Some analysts were of the view that while shutters might remain closed and transport stay off the roads, the call for Tuesday’s strike was less likely to receive an overwhelming response due to the alleged stubbornness of the JAAC leadership. “It was a good movement for rights in the beginning, but some of the committee’s obdurate and myopic leaders pushed it into a blind alley, for reasons best known to them,” remarked a retired government servant, requesting he should not be named. “Abolition of 12 seats might be close to the majority’s hearts in AJK, but it should not have been made a matter of life and death,” he added. The officials who spoke to Dawn made it clear that the administration would neither force anyone to keep their shops open nor allow anyone to force others to shut down their businesses. “As long as people remain peaceful, the law will tolerate them. But the moment they try to create any problem, they will be dealt with firmly,” one of them said. Rawalakot violence On Monday, life remained normal in almost all parts of AJK, except Rawalakot, where shutters remained down for the second consecutive day and public transport stayed off the roads. Elsewhere, a partial strike was reported just from Dadyal, a lakeside town in Mirpur district. In Rawalakot, the epicentre of the violence, the administration and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) succeeded in dispersing protesters shortly after midnight on Sunday. According to divisional commissioner Sardar Waheed Khan, the protesters had not only blocked access to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) but had also virtually taken over the facility, forcing doctors and paramedics to flee for their safety. He regretted that those present inside the hospital not only obstructed treatment for LEA personnel but also caused further injuries to some of them, apart from allegedly disrespecting the body of a martyred police constable. Sharing details of the clashes, he alleged that the protesters possessed long-range firearms, petrol bombs and other ammunition. “They attacked law enforcers from side alleys with full planning, on the pattern of a guerrilla war,” he said. He said of the 30 or so hospitalised activists, three critically injured were airlifted to Islamabad along with four LEA personnel by helicopter. Six activists remained under treatment in the hospital as detainees while others were shifted to the police station, he added. Funeral prayers Meanwhile, funeral prayers for the three AJK policemen — identified as SHO Hajira Muhammad Inayat and constables Muhammad Faisal and Faheem Anwar — were offered at 5pm at Rawalakot Police Lines with full honours. Among those in attendance were Chief Secretary Khushal Khan, IGP Liaqat Ali Malik and General Officer Commanding Murree Maj Gen Zarrar Mahmood. The seven deceased civilians were identified as Usman Sabir of Koiyan village, Fahad Barkat of Rehara village, ex-serviceman Wasaid Siddique of Parrat village, Naqash Zardad of Matyalmera Danna village, Jamshed Ashraf of Hussainkot village, Muhammad Rasheed of Choti Nakkar Pakhar village, and Tariq Resham of Dothan village. The ex-serviceman was caught in crossfire, the commissioner claimed. Sources disclosed that the funeral and burial rites of three activists, including Shazeb Habib, whose body had been lying in the CMH mortuary since Saturday, were performed by the administration and police, while those of the others were carried out by their families without any agitation. In a statement posted on Facebook, a spokesperson for IGP Malik said that legal action against members of the proscribed committee allegedly involved in armed violence was continuing. He warned that strict legal action would be taken against those involved in attacks on LEA personnel and government property. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

BUDGET 2026-27: Budget timing in doubt after NEC meeting put off again

• Centre, provinces struggle to reach consensus over fiscal space • Federal govt seeks over Rs1tr for strategic needs; provinces resist freeze on NFC shares • KP says demand could push provinces into deficit • CM’s adviser says issue now political, not technical • Seeks consultation with Imran before budget decisions ISLAMABAD: The announcement of the federal budget 2026-27 remains uncertain as the federal government, its coalition partners and provincial governments struggle to reach consensus over the Centre’s demand for more than Rs1 trillion for strategic needs. The meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), officially called on Monday for June 8, was postponed for the third time at the last moment amid continuing negotiations over the freezing of provincial shares in the federal divisible pool under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award. As a consequence, the federal budget 2026-27 may not be presented in parliament on June 10 as announced last week by the Ministry of Finance. The finance ministry’s official spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the revised plan for the release of the Economic Survey of Pakistan and the budget schedule. Muzzammil Aslam, adviser on finance to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, confirmed that the Centre had told provinces that their financial shares under the NFC for the current year would not be increased next year and that any amount above the current year’s share would have to be returned to the Centre. Aslam said the provinces had protested the demand, as it would push provincial budgets into deficit and make it difficult for them to run their governments. He said the federal government team suggested that provinces could freeze salaries and limit development schemes. The Centre’s additional fiscal demand is over and above the Rs1.95tr cash surplus that provinces have already committed and signed under the national fiscal pact pushed by the IMF. Speaking to journalists after a meeting with a federal team led by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and comprising Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal, Aslam said he had not seen such a precarious situation in the past 21 to 22 years that he had been following budgets, and certainly not during the last six to seven years in which he had been directly involved in the budget process at the federal and provincial levels. The KP team was led by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Aslam said even the rescheduled NEC meeting on June 9 was uncertain, as many issues that had developed over time were too significant to be settled ahead of the NEC meeting. As a result, the federal budget scheduled for June 10 could slip further, as there was “no way forward in sight” and consensus between the Centre and provinces appeared distant, he said. He said even if provinces practically agreed to give up funds beyond their current year’s share, it would be technically challenging to implement the decision because it could violate surplus targets agreed with the International Monetary Fund. Responding to a question about the constitutional bar on reducing provincial NFC shares during a fiscal year, Aslam said there was no clear answer on the table, but the Centre perhaps wanted to transfer funds to the provinces and then seek their return. “Everybody is standing on their toes” to find a solution, he said, while acknowledging that the strategic purpose for the additional funding was in the national interest. “The demand for the strategic purpose is not unjustified and is in the national interest, but Sindh and Punjab will have to show generosity,” he said. Aslam said KP’s fiscal loss could be Rs170 billion to Rs180bn compared to much larger demands from other provinces — around Rs700bn from Punjab and Rs500bn from Sindh. He said the issue had now become political rather than technical. Therefore, he said, the matter was beyond the KP government’s powers and had to be taken up in consultation with PTI founder Imran Khan. For this purpose, he said, CM Afridi and he himself should be granted urgent access to Imran in Adiala Jail. He said Imran was large-hearted and could provide a better solution, unlike the leadership of the current coalition partners. Aslam said the delegation led by Iqbal was convinced about KP’s position and promised to return with answers regarding an urgent meeting with Imran. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s Office said the delegation led by Iqbal had come to KP House “to discuss a range of intergovernmental matters, including meeting with former prime minister Imran Khan, the forthcoming meeting of the NEC, provincial fiscal and constitutional rights, development financing for the merged districts, energy-related issues, wheat supply, hydropower projects, and other matters of mutual concern”. CM Afridi conveyed his government’s concerns over the continued unequal treatment of KP in fiscal allocations and development financing. He said sustained denial of the province’s constitutional and financial entitlements could adversely affect the environment necessary for constructive intergovernmental engagement, including participation in national forums such as the NEC. He said consultations with Imran were essential in the context of major policy and budgetary decisions, noting that political parties routinely seek guidance from their leadership on matters of national importance. Such consultations were “necessary before taking key decisions relating to the budget and broader economic policy”, he said. The chief minister pointed to reductions in development allocations earmarked for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the merged districts. He said funding under the Accelerated Implementation Programme had been reduced from Rs37bn to Rs27bn, while development allocations for the merged districts had been cut from Rs66bn to Rs56bn within a week by the federal government. He said the NFC share of the merged districts had been withheld unconstitutionally for the past eight years, causing serious harm to development and public welfare efforts in these areas. Afridi said KP produced more than 500 mmcfd of natural gas daily, yet the people of the province continued to face severe gas shortages and loadshedding despite KP’s total consumption of 150 mmcfd. This was “contrary to constitutional requirements and the principles of equitable resource distribution”, he said, adding that depriving a gas-producing province of its rightful share was unacceptable. He also pointed to delays in operationalising a completed dam project in Swat due to the non-issuance of required clearances for Chinese engineers by the federal government, preventing the timely use of completed infrastructure and limiting associated economic benefits. Similarly, the Peshawar Bus Terminal had been completed but remained non-operational due to the pending issuance of a no-objection certificate by the National Highway Authority, he said. The CM’s Office said Iqbal assured the KP government that the no-objection certificate required for operationalising the Peshawar Bus Terminal would be facilitated within 24 hours. He promised that the concerns and proposals discussed during the meeting would be “presented before the prime minister and other relevant federal forums, and that efforts would be made to pursue their resolution”. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

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Dawn (Pakistan)

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US-Israel defence integration plan heads for House vote despite opposition

A controversial proposal to expand military technology cooperation between the United States and Israel is headed for a vote in the House of Representatives after surviving its first major congressional challenge, setting the stage for a broader debate over the future of one of Washington’s closest strategic relationships. The measure, known as the United States-Israel Defence Technology Cooperation Initiative, advanced out of the House Armed Services Committee on Friday after lawmakers rejected an amendment seeking to remove it from the annual defence policy bill. Opponents are expected to renew their challenge when the legislation reaches the House floor, likely in July. The initiative is part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual legislation through which Congress sets policy and priorities for the US military. If enacted, it would establish a formal framework for expanding cooperation between American and Israeli defence industries and research institutions. The proposal would require the Pentagon to designate a senior official to coordinate joint projects and identify areas for cooperation ranging from artificial intelligence and cyber security to autonomous systems, advanced manufacturing and counter-drone technologies. Supporters describe the measure as a logical extension of a decades-old partnership that already includes intelligence sharing, missile defence programmes and joint weapons development. They argue that closer cooperation in emerging technologies would help both countries maintain military advantages in a rapidly changing security environment. Critics contend that the proposal goes much further than existing arrangements and could create an unprecedented level of integration between the American and Israeli defence sectors. The strongest challenge so far has come from Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, who sought to remove the provision during the committee’s consideration of the defence bill. “We need to tell Netanyahu that America calls the shots, not the prime minister of any other country,” Khanna told the committee. He also argued that Americans wanted “less cooperation and blank checks to Israel, not more.” Khanna’s effort received support from Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who has also questioned deeper military commitments abroad. But the amendment was defeated after lawmakers from both parties rallied to defend the proposal. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers dismissed concerns that the measure would undermine US sovereignty. “Claims that this provision somehow cedes authority to a foreign government are ridiculous,” Rogers said. Representative Adam Smith, the committee’s senior Democrat, argued that the initiative largely formalises cooperation that already exists between the two countries. The debate reflects broader political changes in Washington. While support for Israel remains strong in Congress, divisions have become more visible in recent years, particularly following the Gaza war and growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Progressive Democrats have increasingly questioned military aid and diplomatic support for Israel, while most Republicans and many mainstream Democrats continue to back close strategic ties. Even after clearing the committee, the proposal faces several hurdles before becoming law. The House must approve the defence bill, the Senate must pass its own version, and the two chambers must reconcile any differences before sending final legislation to the president. For now, however, supporters have won the first round of what is likely to be a longer battle over the future scope of US-Israel military cooperation.

Speaker hesitant to convene KP Assembly amid PTI lawmakers’ dissent

PESHAWAR/MANSEHRA: Following the emergence of a dissident group of lawmakers within the ruling PTI, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati seems reluctant to hold an assembly session, apparently fearing criticism against the provincial government by the party’s own MPAs over the question of Imran Khan’s continued imprisonment. Reports of rifts within the PTI emerged soon after the induction of new ministers, advisers and special assistants – who took oath on May 22. It is understood that some of the MPAs in question are unhappy after not being included in the provincial cabinet. The last sitting of the KP Assembly was held on May 18, which was adjourned by the chair till June 1. However, the house did not meet on the scheduled date, as the speaker first postponed it to June 8. The latest notification issued by the assembly secretariat on Sunday said that the sitting would now be held on Monday, June 15 at 2pm. One of the dissidents told Dawn that there were initially 25 of them, but the number had now risen to 30 over the past couple of days. The lawmaker was unwilling to name them, as that would expose them to pressure from the party and the chief minister to withdraw from their stance. “The four to five dissident lawmakers who can tolerate the pressure are known to everyone,” he said. MPA Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, who is also among the dissidents, told Dawn that they have their own grievances and political stance, which would be presented on the floor of the house. He said that during a recent meeting, he had informed Speaker Swati that they were not a dissident group; they wanted a clear-cut announcement by the chief minister on plans for Imran Khan’s release. “We don’t need any incentives; our one-point agenda is the decisive movement for the release of Imran Khan,” Ghani told Dawn. He said that their other demands included arranging a meeting of party leaders and relatives with Imran Khan, providing him medical treatment through doctors of his choice at Shifa International Hospital, and expediting the court proceedings of his cases. Ghani noted that sporadic protesters outside Adiala Jail had proven to be ineffective, adding that they wanted to move towards “a permanent sit-in that continues until a logical conclusion”. When asked whether former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur was leading the dissidents, he said that there was no one person leading the group; the lawmakers had come together on a single-point agenda, i.e., securing the release of the party’s founder. Another dissident legislator told Dawn on condition of anonymity that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was perturbed by the rise of the dissident group. “The chief minister is trying to make the dissidents happy by including their development schemes in the Annual Development Program,” he claimed. When contacted, Speaker Babar Saleem Swati told Dawn that the assembly session would be convened after presentation of the federal budget in the National Assembly. However, it is worth noting that the KP Assembly has been in session for the last couple of months. On June 1, when the chief minister convened a parliamentary party meeting, only 57 out of the 92 lawmakers attended the meeting. This was where many MPAs complained to CM Afridi about corruption in government departments, poor law and order in the province and indifference to police, district administration and bureaucracy to their legitimate demands related to people’s issues. The next day, a group of dissidents wrote to interim party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, expressing concern over the “lack of efforts” by the leadership to secure Imran Khan’s release. Efforts to win dissidents over In the interim, the KP speaker and other party leaders are engaged in hectic politicking in a bid to win over the dissident lawmakers. Speaker Swati recently met with Ghani to defuse tensions, the latter told journalists in Mansehra. “Swati was here to defuse tensions with our group. We made it clear to him that we do not have any personal vendetta against the chief minister or any other in the government and firmly stand with PTI founding chairman Imran Khan,” Ghani said. One of the group’s leaders, privy to the meeting between Swati and Ghani, claimed that the former had offered the latter the position of senior provincial minister in the cabinet, which Ghani had declined. Ghani said that more than 30 MPAs were active members of their group. “We, all like-minded MPAs, whose number exceeds 30, have made it clear to the chief minister that if he stages a sit-in outside the National Assembly on June 10, we all will not return until the desired results are achieved,” he said. He said that if the government presented the budget in the assembly without a prior meeting between CM Afridi and Imran Khan, the group would boycott proceedings and would not help in its passage.

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