Asia Briefing, 6 October: Makkah Defence Pact Activated, Philippine Inflation Hits 7.2%, PTI March Reaches Kohat and a Film Divides South Korea

October 6: The main stories from across Asia on Tuesday, 6 October 2026: Pakistan and Türkiye agree to send forces to Saudi Arabia, Philippine inflation jumps to 7.2%, the PTI march reaches Kohat, a film about a 1974 assassination divides South Korea, and Malaysia approves the return of 3,524 more Myanmar nationals.

Key highlights

• Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Türkiye: The three countries activate the collective defence commitments of their Makkah alliance.
• Pakistan: The PTI march spends the night in Kohat and leaves for Peshawar on Tuesday afternoon.
• Philippines: Inflation rises to 7.2% in September, the fastest since March 2023.
• South Korea: The culture minister condemns threats against the cast of the film “The Assassins”.
• Malaysia: A second group of 3,524 Myanmar nationals is approved for repatriation.
• India: Opposition MPs march to the Election Commission to demand the removal of its chief.

1. The Makkah defence pact is activated

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agreed in Riyadh on Monday to “move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defence commitments” of their alliance, with forces to be made available for rapid deployment in the kingdom. No troop numbers or dates were given. A retired Pakistani general, Nauman Mahmood, becomes the alliance’s first secretary-general. Full report: Pakistan and Türkiye to send forces to Saudi Arabia. Background on the war next door: Yemen’s government claims Dhubab.

2. Pakistan: the PTI march reaches Kohat

The march led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi left Karak on Monday and stopped for the night in Kohat’s Lachi area, Dawn reported. It is due to leave University Chowk at 3pm on Tuesday for Peshawar, stop near Mattani, move on to the Charsadda interchange on Wednesday and reach Khairabad, on the Punjab border, on Thursday. The plan for the final leg has not been announced.

“We must not exhaust ourselves. Our struggle is a long one,” Afridi told supporters in Kohat, adding that from 8 October “a T20 match would begin”. Dawn reported that gatherings have been banned under Section 144 in several districts of the province, that more than 75 PTI workers were detained in Karachi and that more than 100 were arrested across Sindh. PTI says the government agreed to restore visits to jailed founder Imran Khan by his family and lawyers from Tuesday but would not put that in a written agreement. How the march began: our day one report.

3. Philippines: inflation at 7.2%

Prices rose 7.2% in September from a year earlier, up from 6.1% in August and above every forecast in a poll of 13 economists. Rice is 20.3% dearer than a year ago and transport 14.6%. The central bank’s policy rate is 5.0% and it meets on 22 October. Full report: Philippine inflation jumps to 7.2%.

4. South Korea: a film, a protest and a warning

“The Assassins”, a film about the 1974 killing of first lady Yuk Young-soo, has drawn more than 2 million viewers and a campaign to have it withdrawn. After about 50 protesters gathered outside actor Yoo Hae-jin’s home, Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young asked the police to protect the cast and said that threatening creators “destroys democracy”. Full report: the row over “The Assassins”.

5. Malaysia and Myanmar: 3,524 more approved for return

Malaysia sent 1,476 Myanmar nationals home on 29 September from the naval base at Lumut, on three Myanmar Navy vessels including a hospital ship, and has approved a second group of 3,524, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said, according to the national news agency Bernama. Myanmar has agreed to take back 5,000 people this year. The dates for the second group depend on Myanmar.

The Home Ministry said those sent back went through citizenship, document, health and identity checks, and that 11,804 Myanmar nationals were in immigration detention in Malaysia at the end of August, Malay Mail reported. Fahmi said Malaysia would not return anyone facing “risk of persecution or threats to their lives”. The programme has critics: headlines in Free Malaysia Today and The Diplomat say Malaysia’s human rights commission, Suhakam, has warned of a breach of international law and that the UN refugee agency has raised concerns. We have not read either report in full.

6. India: opposition MPs march to the Election Commission

MPs of the opposition INDIA bloc are due to walk from Parliament House to the Election Commission’s headquarters at 11am on Tuesday to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the ANI news agency reported. They accuse him of taking 14 decisions on the revision of voter rolls over the objections of the two other commissioners. The Supreme Court has declined to suspend him and has asked for replies. Our report, in Hindi: INDIA bloc MPs march to the Election Commission.

Also worth knowing

• Japan: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called China an “important neighbour” and promised a two-year cut in the food consumption tax as parliament opened. Read the report.
• Asia’s economy: The regional watchdog AMRO kept its growth forecast at 4.1% but warned that Asia is the most exposed region if the AI boom reverses. Read the report.
• Science: The Nobel Prize in Medicine went to three pioneers of optogenetics. Zhuo-Hua Pan, who began his career in China and ran a key experiment first, was among those left out. Read the report.

On the calendar

• 7 October: The Reserve Bank of India announces its interest rate decision. The repo rate is 5.25%, and forecasters expect a rise to 5.50%, according to The Rio Times. The second India-EFTA Prosperity Summit also takes place.
• 8 October: The PTI march is due at Khairabad.
• 9 October: The Nobel Peace Prize is announced in Oslo.
• 22 October: The Philippine central bank meets.
• 25 October: Brazil’s presidential runoff.
• 29 November: Spain’s general election.

Each linked report carries its own list of references. The list below covers the items that appear only in this briefing.

Written by

International Desk

The International Desk covers world and Asian affairs, diplomacy and conflict, with a focus on what they mean for India. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.

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