Pakistan | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - The China-Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organised the launch of its latest book titled “Pakistan and China: Connecting at People’s Level” here.

Pakistan on Saturday cancelled their pre-match press conference ahead of their second encounter with India in the men’s Asia Cup tomorrow, according to a statement by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). “Pakistan will not be holding their pre-match press conference today,” ACC said in a short statement. Andy Pycroft will be officiating the match as the referee again after last week’s controversy. A senior Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official confirmed to Dawn.com that the board had moved on after Pycroft’s ‘apology’ and had no issue with his appointment for the Pakistan-India match. The Group A clash between the fierce rivals last Sunday ended on a bitter note when Indian players refused to shake hands with their opponents. It was the first meeting between the regional neighbours since a four-day conflict in May left more than 70 people dead. While the match itself passed without incident, there was no shaking of hands between the captains at the toss or among the players at the end. Then, at the post-match cer...

The country’s nuclear programme has received recognition from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in addition to Pakistan’s steady progress and close cooperation with the agency. In a post on X following his meeting with Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Chairman Raja Ali Raza Anwar on the sidelines of the 69th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi highlighted Pakistan’s achievements in expanding its civil nuclear energy capacity. He observed that Pakistan’s nuclear power programme was advancing “at a good pace”, particularly with the ongoing construction of Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-5 (C-5). Grossi recalled witnessing the first concrete pouring at the site in February, which he described as a “major milestone in Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen energy security through clean and sustainable nuclear power”. The IAEA DG and PAEC chairman reviewed areas of cooperation under various agency initiatives. These included Atoms4Food, which applies nucle...

With millions displaced and close to a thousand people dead, the Pakistan floods that have been ongoing since June are worryingly reminiscent of the floods that devastated the country in 2022. As the country fights to keep its head above the rising floodwaters, many questions abound. Could the damage so far have been contained? How has climate change contributed? Has India’s release of floodwater — which it had warned about — exacerbated the loss and damage of its lower riparian neighbour? Have the floods been down to bad governance, or a lack of preparedness? To understand these matters, Dialogue Earth spoke to Muhammad Ehsan Leghari, an expert on water resource management and member for the Sindh province at the Pakistani water regulator, the Indus River System Authority. He discussed the factors that have contributed to the unprecedented floods in Pakistan, what has and hasn’t worked for flood control, and how the country can manage future floods effectively. This conversation has been edited for length an...

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released updated statistics showing a notable rise in the country’s electorate, with the total number of registered voters now standing at 134,949,984.

Following the landmark defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, both nations have stepped up efforts to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has revealed that a number of Arab countries are interested in signing defence agreements with Pakistan following the landmark security pact inked with Saudi Arabia earlier this week.

LONDON/ ISLAMABAD - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday hinted that some countries were showing interest in building strategic defence agreements with Pakistan, following the country’s landmark pact with Saudi Arabia.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday strongly condemned the failure of the UN Security Council to adopt a draft resolution on the worsening hu­manitarian situation in Gaza, calling it a “dark moment” that risks en­abling further atrocities against the besieged Palestinian population.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday extended the air­space ban for Indian aircraft till Oc­tober 24, according to a statement by the Pakistan Aviation Authority (PAA).

RAWALPINDI - Director General Inter Services Pub­lic Relations Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said il­legal Afghan nationals are involved in terrorism and serious crimes in Pakistan.

Pakistan were all set to chase South Africa’s daunting 313-run total, but fell 25 runs short in their second one-day international (ODI) pre- Women’s World Cup ODI encounter in Lahore. A spectacular knock by Sidra Amin, who brought up her second consecutive century of the series, brought them close, but in the end, the Duckworth-Lewis method adjusted 313-run target was a step too far. Set a mammoth score to chase after the Proteas batters ruled the roost in the first innings, Sidra stepped up again under the Gaddafi Stadium lights to score a sublime hundred — but failed to close the chase. What could have been a night to remember for the fans in the rain-affected ODI clash saw the Women in Green falter in the final stages of the chase — which, if they had come through, would have been their second-highest chase ever. The match saw the Proteas reach 292-3 in 46 overs before the total was adjusted to 313 according to the D/L method after a disruption in play as the Pakistani bowlers had a forgettable day with t...

Pakistan has decided to prolong the closure of its airspace for Indian flights by another month.

Pakistan on Friday extended the airspace ban for Indian aircraft till October 24, according to a statement by the Pakistan Aviation Authority (PAA). Last month, the government extended the closure of its airspace to Indian aircr­aft for another month, until September 25, according to a NOTAM (notice to airmen) issued on August 22. New Delhi had accused Islamabad, without evidence, of orchestrating April’s deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Pakistan had strongly denied the allegations and called for a neutral probe. As the situation turned into a military confrontation between the nuclear powers, it took American intervention for both sides to agree to a ceasefire. On April 24, Pakistan’s top brass had announced a series of measures, including the closure of its airspace to all India-owned or Indian-operated airlines with immediate effect, as it retaliated against New Delhi’s slew of aggressive measures against the country. PAA spokesperson Saifullah Khan confirmed to Dawn.com that the airspace clos...

Post from multiple Indian users on social media platform X on Friday shared a video clip of a Houthi official, claiming that it showed him threatening Pakistan for allegedly sending troops to the Saudi–Yemen border amid the signing of a mutual defence deal with the kingdom. However, the video is old and does not show the Houthi official talking about Pakistan. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in Riyadh on Sept 16, pledging that any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both. A statement from the PM’s office announcing the signing of the pact read: “This agreement, which reflects the shared commitment of both nations to enhance their security and to achieve security and peace in the region and the world, aims to develop aspects of defence cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression.” A known Indian propaganda account shared the picture of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with Saudi Crown Prin...

Pakistan and India will clash again in the Asia Cup on Sunday, renewing one of cricket’s fiercest rivalries a week after their last match was overshadowed by a handshake row. India won the September 14 group match by seven wickets in Dubai and afterwards refused to shake hands with their opponents in a controversial move. It was the first meeting between the neighbours since a four-day cross-border conflict in May left more than 70 people dead. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a protest with the International Cricket Council (ICC), alleging that match referee Andy Pycroft had told skipper Salman Ali Agha not to approach Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav for a handshake at the toss. The PCB demanded that Pycroft be removed from their matches and threatened to withdraw from the eight-team Twenty20 competition. Their last group game was held up for an hour before the PCB said Pycroft had apologised and the match, with the Zimbabwean in charge, eventually went ahead. Pakistan beat hosts, the United Arab ...

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf has expressed gratitude to the nation and religious scholars for observing Yaum-e-Tashakur (Day of Thanksgiving) and for offering special prayers for Pakistan and Saudi Arabia during Friday sermons.

Pakistan and China have signed Memorandums of Understanding to enhance cooperation in the areas of textile, livestock industry and advanced emergency equipment.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan has said that the leadership of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is committed to elevating bilateral relations, stressing that the newly signed strategic defense pact is purely defensive and not directed against any other state.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a “longstanding” relationship with the United States, stating that “there is no either-or in our relations with other countries”. The DG ISPR expressed these views during an interview, which was aired by Pakistani television channels on Friday. According to television channels, the interview was purportedly given to a German media house. During the interview, the military spokesperson was asked about Army Chief Asim Munir’s visits to the US and whether they had helped with “warming up” relations between Islamabad and Washington. In his response, Lt-Gen Chaudhry appreciated the US and President Trump’s role in mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May after a four-day escalation. He said, “Over a period of time, we have been able to enhance and amplify on our convergences (with the US) and deftly managed the divergences.” @dawn.today Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director...