Rooma News : Challenges of inner and outter world wide . Pakistans Feild Marshal Munir hailed as US -Iran peace maker

 

Islamabad, Pakistan

★ Truth · Clarity · Courage ★

Vol. I · No. 1

Rooma News

By Rooma Mehmood · Islamabad

Friday, June 26, 2026

Morning Edition

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⚠ Breaking — World News.

Twin Earthquakes Devastate Venezuela;

Hundreds Dead, Thousands Missing

A 7.2 and a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck near Caracas within 39 seconds of each other, flattening buildings and triggering a humanitarian crisis in a nation already strained by turmoil.

Venezuela was rocked by two powerful earthquakes on June 24 — the strongest to strike the country in over a century. The first, measuring 7.2 in magnitude, was followed a mere 39 seconds later by an even more powerful 7.5-magnitude mainshock near the capital Caracas and the coastal region of La Guaira, leaving communities in ruin.

235+

Confirmed Deaths

4,300+

Injured

The death toll stood at between 188 and 235 as rescue teams combed through the rubble, with fears that the final count could rise to tens of thousands. Over 4,300 people were reported injured, and thousands more remained unaccounted for.

"These are among the strongest earthquakes to strike Venezuela in living memory — and the nation was already on its knees."

Widespread destruction was reported across Caracas, La Guaira, and surrounding regions. Entire residential blocks collapsed, power outages blanketed large swaths of the country, and the government declared a state of emergency. International rescue teams, including those mobilised by the United States, moved swiftly to offer assistance.

Pakistan expressed its solidarity with the Venezuelan people and government, joining a chorus of nations calling for coordinated humanitarian aid. The challenges are compounded by Venezuela's existing political and economic vulnerabilities, which relief organisations warn will slow the pace of recovery.

Pakistan

Nation Observes Ashura With Solemn Processions Under Tight Security

Muharram 9 & 10 marked with public holidays as millions gather across Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Pakistan observed Ashura today with large processions and congregations held across the country under exhaustive security arrangements. Public holidays were declared for June 25 and 26 in recognition of the significance of Muharram 9 and 10 in the Islamic calendar.

Massive police deployments were reported in Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan. Scouts and law enforcement agencies maintained a high state of alert throughout the commemorations in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and the capital Islamabad. All major processions passed peacefully.

Officials praised the communal discipline and the spirit of solidarity displayed by mourners during the observance.

Regional Affairs

Pakistan Plays Mediator as Iran Tensions Simmer; Oil Imports on the Table

Islamabad navigates delicate diplomacy as fragile ceasefires hold in the Middle East and economic pragmatism pushes Tehran–Islamabad energy ties back into focus.

Pakistan has emerged as a quiet but consequential mediating presence as tensions around Iran continue to cast a shadow over regional stability. Swiss-hosted diplomatic talks and back-channel communications between the United States and Iran's Revolutionary Guards have yielded a fragile ceasefire, though a cargo ship struck in the Strait of Hormuz this week underscored the precariousness of the situation.

Oil prices fluctuated through the week as markets absorbed competing signals: progress in diplomacy on one side, and the spectre of renewed conflict on the other. Against this backdrop, Pakistani officials are quietly exploring the revival of Iranian oil imports, a prospect made viable by an easing in international sanctions pressure.

Economic pragmatism drives the calculation. Pakistan's energy needs remain acute, and cheaper Iranian crude could provide relief from the fuel-cost pressures that have stoked inflation and contributed to extended power outages. Analysts, however, caution that any import deal would need to be weighed carefully against Islamabad's standing with Western partners.

FY 2026-27 Budget Highlights

Electric Vehicle Exemptions

Approved

Aircraft Import Duty

Reduced

Growth Focus

Confirmed

Presidential Assent

June 26

Economy

President Signs FY 2026-27 Finance Bill Into Law

President Zardari gives assent to the budget, with growth measures and targeted exemptions at its core — but structural reforms remain elusive.

President Asif Ali Zardari signed the FY 2026-27 Finance Bill into law on Friday, giving formal assent to a budget that the government insists places growth at the heart of its economic vision.

Key provisions include duty exemptions for the import of aircraft and electric vehicles, measures intended to reduce costs for airlines and nudge consumer adoption of cleaner mobility. The bill also includes a package of short-term relief measures designed to cushion citizens from the impact of inflation.

Critics within the PPP-PML-N coalition, however, traded barbs over the lack of concrete commitments on local elections and structural reform, suggesting that tensions between the partners remain close to the surface even as they agree on fiscal priorities.

Economic observers welcomed the growth orientation of the budget but cautioned that sustained improvement would require deeper structural changes rather than a reliance on exemptions and targeted subsidies.

Editorial

Opinion

Resilience Amid Tragedy: Lessons from Venezuela and the Spirit of Ashura

The twin earthquakes that have ravaged Venezuela are a stark reminder of nature's unforgiving power — and of the fragility of societies already strained by political and economic turmoil. With hundreds confirmed dead and thousands still unaccounted for, the images from Caracas evoke profound grief. International aid must flow swiftly, not as charity but as a global imperative, while long-term recovery will demand transparent governance and genuine regional solidarity.

In Pakistan, the observance of Ashura calls us to reflection. The themes of sacrifice, resilience, and justice that lie at the heart of the Battle of Karbala resonate through every procession held across this country today. Yet the day also demands introspection: how do we build societies that honour these values in daily governance — prioritising the vulnerable, ensuring equitable distribution of resources, and fostering unity against division?

Pakistan's emergence as a mediating voice in regional diplomacy signals growing strategic maturity. But economic pragmatism — whether in the form of Iranian oil imports or growth-oriented budgets — must be paired with structural reforms that shield ordinary citizens from the persistent sting of inflation, power outages, and unemployment. Exemptions and short-term measures buy time; they do not build resilience.

Both tragedy and sacred remembrance teach the same lesson: human endurance is tested not only by disaster but by how we respond together. May Venezuela find swift recovery, and may Pakistan's Ashura inspire renewed commitment to justice, empathy, and nation-building. In an interconnected world, one nation's pain touches us all — and solidarity today plants the seeds of a more stable tomorrow.

In Brief

World Cup 2026

Netherlands Face Tunisia in Group Stage Clash

The FIFA World Cup 2026 continued Friday with the Netherlands squaring off against Tunisia in a keenly anticipated group-stage fixture, drawing massive viewership across South Asia.

Europe

Heatwave Tightens Grip Across Southern Europe

Record temperatures continued to scorch Southern Europe this week, with authorities in Spain and Italy urging residents to take precautions as the heatwave showed little sign of abating.

Middle East

Cargo Ship Struck in Strait of Hormuz

A cargo vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz this week in an incident that US officials attributed to Iran, further complicating diplomatic efforts to stabilise the tense regional situation.

Domestic

PPP and PML-N Trade Barbs Over Local Election Timeline

Coalition partners PPP and PML-N engaged in public exchanges over the long-delayed local elections this week, with both sides pointing fingers even as the Finance Bill passed without incident.

Rooma News · Islamabad

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Friday, June 26, 2026