Karachi, Sept. 2 -- Pakistan's stock market faced heavy selling pressure on Wednesday as fresh US-Iran strikes intensified regional tensions. The escalation pushed oil prices higher and raised concerns about possible supply disruptions. Investors reacted cautiously to the worsening situation across the Middle East.

The benchmark KSE-100 index fell 1,250.34 points, or 0.71%, by 1:14pm. Selling remained concentrated across several major sectors. Automobiles, cement, commercial banks, exploration companies, power generation and oil marketing companies faced strong pressure during trading.

The KSE-100 opened sharply lower as investors reacted to the latest geopolitical developments. The index dropped 1,663.16 points, or 0.94%, to 174,803.83...