Amid surge in coronavirus cases, Sindh demands ban on inter-provincial transport

Pakistan's fruit and vegetable supply remains dominated by traditional middlemen and the "mandi" system, with digital platforms handling only 2-3% of trade. Restrictive provincial laws and lack of infrastructure force farmers into dependency on commission agents, stalling modern technological transformation in the agricultural sector.

MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while addressing an Inter-Ministerial Briefing on Recent Developments in West Asia, said that the Indian Embassy in Tehran remains fully operational and is on high alert. The government is assisting Indian nationals, including students and pilgrims, who wish to leave the country. He further added that those choosing to exit Iran via land, the embassy is assisting citizens in crossing into Armenia and Azerbaijan, from where they can board commercial flights to return to India.

A curfew imposed in the Zehri area of Balochistan's Khuzdar district entered its fourth consecutive day, severely disrupting daily life, mobility and economic activity in the region. Residents said the continued restrictions have forced markets, transport services and commercial centres to remain closed, effectively paralysing normal activity.

An Anti-Terrorism Court in Quetta has declared 12 Baloch activists, including Sabiha Baloch, as proclaimed offenders. Charged under strict anti-terror laws, activists argue these legal actions are a systemic attempt by Pakistan to intimidate and silence voices protesting human rights violations and enforced disappearances in Balochistan.

The findings have raised questions about the effectiveness of legal mechanisms meant to protect women and vulnerable communities in the province.