Overview
- The Ministry of Defence issued notifications appointing Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as Chief of Defence Forces for five years and extending Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu’s service by two years starting March 19, 2026.
- Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan signed 15 agreements and MoUs focused on energy, trade and connectivity, with leaders referencing progress linked to the CASA‑1000 power project.
- Federal ministers ordered a crackdown on fake visas and agent networks, set a seven‑day window for final reform proposals, and approved an AI app pilot in Islamabad from January to pre‑screen travel eligibility.
- The Islamabad District and Sessions Court declared PTI figure Shehzad Akbar a proclaimed offender and issued arrest warrants, while an ATC in Lahore extended interim bail for multiple PTI leaders as a JIT report labeled several accused as culpable in May 9 cases.
- DG ISPR publicly characterized the PTI founder’s narrative as a national security threat, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s law department sent recommendations to withdraw 57 May 9 cases to the provincial cabinet for decision.