Pakistan Ratifies Defense Pact With Kuwait and Freezes Fuel Prices

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad on November 4, 2026, where the government ratified a five-year defense cooperation agreement with Kuwait. Originally signed in June 2023, the pact establishes a joint military committee to oversee scientific research, military manufacturing, electronic communications, and military media, alongside official visits and joint exercises.

Addressing economic concerns, Sharif announced that refineries would absorb a planned Rs15 fuel price increase to shield the public from regional instability affecting oil prices. He stated that "the government would not allow the burden to fall on ordinary citizens."

The cabinet also approved administrative and financial changes, including the transfer of day-to-day management powers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from the chief minister to the provincial governor under a state of emergency. Additionally, the government approved new currency note designs with improved security features and the replacement of the Rs10 banknote with a coin.