Pakistan Stock Market Drops Nearly 10% Amid Middle East and Afghanistan Tensions

Pakistan's stock market experienced a sharp decline on Monday, with the KSE-100 index falling nearly 10 percent amid escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia and ongoing military operations against Afghanistan. The KSE-30 index also dropped significantly, triggering a one-hour trading halt. The downturn followed US and Israeli strikes on Iran, leading to nationwide protests and violent clashes near US diplomatic missions, resulting in multiple casualties. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif postponed a planned Russia visit and held a security review meeting in response to the unrest and regional instability.