The PakStack — June 25

Khan Counterattacks & Gotham Gets a Muslim Dark Knight

Welcome to The PakStack, where what matters today in Pakistan, India and the rest of South Asia can be read and processed in five minutes or less.

Written by Shiza M. / Edited by Wajahat S. Khan

Khan Fires Back at “Minus One” Plan in a critical tweet

1. Slams KP’s surreptitious passageI

2. Issues firm directives to CM Gandapur to approach the Supreme Court

3. Sees Trump-Munir lunch as redemption of his “Power Talks to Power” tp position to push for direct dialogue with the military

4. Demands briefings, assumes operational control over party processes

5. Condemns drone warfare in K{

Takeaway: After een his sister Aleema accepted that hehas been “minused” from the PTI, Imran Khan is reasserting control of PTI. After the KP budget passed without his approval on Monday, Khan declared it “not final,” rejected the move as illegitimate, and demanded Supreme Court intervention. It wasn’t just policy — it was a political pushback. Khan then issued fresh instructions to CM Gandapur, making clear that decisions still flow through him. He also seized on Trump’s largesse and luncheon with Field Marshal Asim Munir to justify his own long-standing position: “Power talks to power” and made a case for not talking to the puppets in power in Islamabad. Meanwhile, Khan is calling for economic briefings and demanding access to official meetings — not as a favor, but as a constitutional right. The message is unmistakable: the “minus one” playbook isn’t just failing — it’s helping him centralize authority again and use the KP budget as his latest political jackhammer to pound at the walls of Adiala and stay in the news: the real challenge for him at this point.

Splitting at the Seams: PTI’s Internal Combustion Peaks in Budget Season

1. KP Budget’s “Midnight Passage” divides party

2. Gandapur takes no input from Budget Committee

3. Gen Sec Salman Akram Raja: “Shocked” at passing of budget

4. Taimir Jhagra: Passage “hurting” PTI, Imran and everyone else

Takeaway: The KP budget may have passed — but it left PTI exposed. With no input from key figures and no final word from Imran Khan, the move sparked outrage within the party. General Secretary Salman Akram Raja called it premature. Former Finance Minister Taimur Jhagra said many were blindsided and in an interview with PakStack Editor Wajahat S. Khan said the process was “not collective.” Behind the scenes, PTI’s WhatsApp groups and social media were in chaos. Crucial budget committees weren’t even convened. Khan remains cut off from meetings — and party figures say this vacuum is starting to break the machine. His statement that Pakistan is under “martial law” now, not just hybrid rule, captures the moment. This wasn’t just a budget — it was a barometer of PTI’s fracture, and it’s reading high and deep. And maybe a sign that the establishment’s long game to crack the party is finally working.

Trump Praises Asim Munir — Then Drops His Rank

1. Call Munir “very impressive” at NATO presser

2. Forgets his Field Marshal title, downgrades him to General

3. Says Trade is driving US–Pakistan thaw

4. Underscores PakStack’s take that Munir pitched around $1.3 trillion in minerals deal

5. US Embassy in Islamabad hosts Minerals Investment con-call with Gov of Pak and US mining companies

6. Mentions Munir and Modi in the same breath, much to India’s chagrin

Takeaway: At the NATO Summit, Trump called Pakistan’s army chief “a very impressive man,” praising Field Marshal Asim Munir for preventing escalation with India—but then pointedly referred to him only as “General,” omitting his higher rank. While the praise marked a major diplomatic nod, the slip (or snub) did not go unnoticed. Trump framed the warming ties with Pakistan as trade-driven,—underscoring that peace in South Asia is good for business. PakStack sources say that the General/Field Marshal pitched mineral deals to the Trump White House, worth about $1.3 trillion and being quietly negotiated through Robert Seiden of Seiden Law and Keith Sheller of Javelin Advisors, who reportedly helped arrange the Munir meeting. Tellingly, Trump also mentioned Modi and Munir in the same breath, lauding both leaders and hinting at a broader realignment. The message is clear: military diplomacy is once again central to US–Pakistan relations—but this time, it’s transactional, not just counterterrorism and grounded in deals, not drones.

Pentagon Leaks Report: Iran Nuclear Program Only Partially Setback

1. Strikes set program back by months, not years

2. Claims by Trump, Vance and Hegseth of “Obliteration” don’t hold up

3. White House pushes back

4. Experts agree with findings of report

Takeaway: U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities—using bunker-busters on Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan—were initially portrayed as decisive, but intelligence reveals otherwise. A preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency assessment concludes the impact was modest: the program has been set back by about three months, not years. Key infrastructure in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan and enriched uranium stockpiles remain intact (and in unknown locations), undermining the White House’s claims of “obliterating” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Washington, which earlier vowed to stay out of any Iran–Israel war, now finds itself caught between marketing a win and beginning to renegotiate with the Iranians next week. The result? A high-profile show of force that falls short of its most strategic objectives—and raises serious questions about what was actually achieved besides over 600 dead in Iran and some tunnel entrances bombed in.

A Muslim Running Gotham? It Could Only Happen in NYC

1. Zohran Mamdani beats Andrew Cuomo in Primary to become first Democratic South Asian & Muslim mayor candidate

2. Cuomo concedes after racist campaign

3. Mamdani campaigned on affordable housing and free buses

4. Mamdani also refused to compromise on his anti-Israel and anti-Modi stances, saying Nentanyahu should be arrested and Modi orchestrated a genocide in his father’s native Gujarat

5. Hateful right couldn’t derail his pro-Jewish “anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism” take

6. Grassroots strategy, canvassing Muslims and LGBTQ pride in voter rich areas worked

Takeaway: Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York City’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor marks a generational and political sea change. Once dismissed by power brokers, Mamdani surged ahead with a bold, unapologetically leftist campaign grounded in organizing, not triangulation and Super PACs. His platform — rent control, cutting NYPD surveillance, and standing with Palestine — drew attacks from the right and hesitations from centrists. But he didn’t flinch. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who re-emerged to challenge him late in the race, quietly conceded as turnout from young, immigrant, and working-class communities sealed Mamdani’s win.

For many, this wasn’t just a campaign — it was a cultural moment. The son of legendary filmmaker Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding), Mamdani’s win carries deep emotional weight for South Asian and Muslim millennials who saw a piece of themselves in his journey. A clear sign: the old playbook is done. This was a win built from the ground up — not just political, but deeply personal. And the references to Obama are relevant.