Pakistan | Pakistan

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that youth are Pakistan’s future and its most valuable asset, reaffirming her government’s commitment to inclusive development and national cohesion.

China commends measures taken by Pakistan to combat terrorism and protect Chinese personnel, projects, institutions.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday marked right to self-determination day and reaffirmed unwavering support for Kashmiris’ UN-mandated right.

NEW YORK: Pakistan on Monday expressed “profound concern” over the developments in Venezuela, warning that escalating tensions in the country posed risks to regional and international peace and security. The US launched a shock military operation in Venezuela on Saturday, with special forces capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a nighttime raid. The statement was made at an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) summoned to discuss the recent developments in Venezuela. This is also the first meeting for the year of the UNSC, with Somalia in the chair. Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative Ambassador Usman Jadoon said in his address that at a time when the world was already facing multiple crises, instability in the region “does not augur well for regional and international peace and security”. He reminded Council members that the UN Charter bound states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or politica...

Sports fans and athletes alike can expect an action-packed 2026 calendar featuring major quadrennial sports events, routine international seasons, as well as plenty of domestic action. The cricket-crazy nation will see both the men’s and women’s ICC T20 World Cups this year, while football freaks across all global timezones have nearly six weeks of FIFA World Cup action. Pakistan is expected to send a sizable contingent to the Commonwealth Games in June, where the likes of javelin star Arshad Nadeem and weightlifter Nooh Dastagir Butt set games records while winning Pakistan’s only gold medals at the previous edition. Although Pakistan’s medal tally at the Asian Games has dropped in recent editions, there is hope for a resurgence at the continental multi-sport event after markswoman Kishmala Talat won a historic bronze in Hangzhou 2022 while the men’s squash team picked up the lone silver medal. Pakistan’s men’s squash team poses with their silver medals at the 2022 Asian Games. — Photo via X/Noor Zaman Janua...

Pakistan and China issued a joint communique on Monday calling for more “visible and verifiable” actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organisations based in Afghanistan, and prevent them from using Kabul’s territory for militancy against any other country. The joint statement came after the conclusion of the 7th round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Mini­sters’ Strategic Dialogue, for which Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Beijing. “The two sides called for more visible and verifiable actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organisations based in Afghanistan which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security, and prevent terrorist organisations from using the Afghan territory for terrorism against any other country and to endanger any other country,” the statement said. “The two sides agreed to keep in close communication and coordination on the Afghan issue, work with the international community to encourage the Afghan government to build an inclusive politi...

The repatriation of illegally residing Afghan nationals from Pakistan is continuing, with the Ministry of Interior stating that a total of 682,141 Afghan citizens have so far returned to Afghanistan.

Pakistan experienced one of its warmest Decembers in the past 65 years in 2025, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) monthly climate report.

The Pakistan Computer Emergency Response Team (PKCERT) on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with global cybersecurity company Kaspersky to enhance cybersecurity in Pakistan through collaboration. PKCERT is a federal government entity responsible for protecting Pakistan’s digital assets, sensitive information, and critical infrastructure from cyberattacks, cyberterrorism, and cyber espionage. A joint press release issued on Monday said that the agreement marked a major step toward enhancing Pakistan’s national cybersecurity posture through collaboration in threat detection, mitigation, and prevention. “The partnership between PKCERT and Kaspersky focuses on strengthening the country’s cyber resilience through a series of coordinated efforts. These include extensive training and awareness programs designed to enhance operational readiness across all levels of government, industry, academia, and civil society,” the statement said. It added that the collaboration also focused on capacity developme...

ISLAMABAD - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar yesterday held separate telephonic conversations with the foreign ministers of Malaysia and Egypt, as well as Bangladesh’s foreign adviser, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and maintaining close diplomatic engagement.

Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah on Sunday said India’s claim of placing the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in “abeyance” has no legal basis and that the treaty remains fully in force under international law. In April 2025, India held the IWT in abeyance following the attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”. In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration held that India cannot unilaterally hold the treaty in abeyance. Speaking on Geo News‘ programme ‘Jirga’, Shah talked about the legality of India holding the IWT in abeyance and said: “As far as holding the treaty in abeyance is concerned, the word ‘abeyance’ is not recognised under international treaty law. It is a coined term, because we believe India understands that it cannot suspend, breach or terminate the treaty.” However, he cautioned that India’s continued non-cooperat...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Saturday firmly rejected the irresponsible assertions made by the Indian External Affairs Minister, aimed at deflecting attention from its own troubling record as a neighbour that promotes terrorism and contributes to regional instability.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan witnessed the first supermoon, also known as the Wolf Moon, of 2026 on Saturday. The moon was clearly visible in most parts of the country, and as the date coincided with the 14th of Rajab in the Islamic calendar, it appeared bright and prominent in the night sky. In a statement, a SUPARCO spokesperson said the astronomical event also marked the last supermoon in a cycle that began in October 2025. Traditionally referred to as the Wolf Moon, the supermoon began rising in Pakistan at 5:51 pm, with lunar illumination reaching 99.8 per cent, a spokesperson said. Due to its closer distance from Earth, the moon appeared noticeably brighter and larger than usual. As the sky was clear of clouds on Saturday, the supermoon was easily visible. However, due to thin cloud cover on Friday night, a bright, large ring was visible around the moon because of the refraction of moonlight. At the time of the event, the distance between the Earth and the Moon was approximately 362,000 kilometres, making the Mo...

Pakistan on Saturday strongly rejected what it described as irresponsible remarks made by Indian External Affairs Minister S.

WASHINGTON: A fresh round of diplomatic talks on the formation of a proposed International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Gaza is expected to be held in a Middle Eastern capital in the coming days, diplomatic sources told Dawn as Muslim countries, including Pakistan, continue to press for clarity on the force’s mandate, operational scope, and political objectives. The ISF, a central element of a US-brokered Gaza peace plan, is envisioned to stabilise the territory following over two years of Israeli atrocities in the Gaza Strip, protect civilians and humanitarian corridors, and assist in establishing transitional governance through a proposed “Board of Peace”. However, several core issues remain unresolved, including the force’s legal authority, chain of command, funding, duration, and whether it would play a role in disarming Hamas or other Palestinian groups. Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, and other states have expressed willingness to participate in a stabilisation effort that genuinely restores order and facil...

Pakistan and Azerbaijan have agreed to finalise an investment framework aimed at facilitating Azerbaijani capital inflows into Pakistan, marking a new phase in bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries.

Islamabad - Educational ties between Türkiye and Pakistan have strengthened with the Turkish Maarif Foundation announcing its first school in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The first supermoon of 2026, traditionally known as the Wolf moon, will be visible in Pakistan on January 3 and 4, according to a statement issued by Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) on Friday. A supermoon occurs when the moon reaches its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, causing it to appear unusually large and bright — up to 14 per cent larger and nearly 30pc brighter than a typical full moon. “In Pakistan, the supermoon will rise at 5:51pm PKT on the evening of Jan 3, with an illumination of 99.8pc, and remains visible throughout the nights of Jan 3 and 4,” read the statement. During the current event, which marks the final supermoon of the cycle that began in October 2025, the Earth–Moon distance will be approximately 362,312 kilometers, making the moon appear about 6 to 7 per cent larger and up to 10 per cent brighter than a typical full moon, it stated. Supermoons typically occur in sequences of three to four consecutive events, with the current cycle concluding wit...

Eight Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, on Friday expressed concern at the “deteriorating” humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip — exacerbated by severe weather conditions — and stressed the need to immediately initiate and scale up early recovery efforts. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Qatar, Indonesia, Jordan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), expressed their “deepest concern” at the humanitarian situation in Gaza. These countries had also worked with US President Donald Trump’s administration last year on a plan to end Israel’s genocide and invasion in Gaza. A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since October as a result of the effort, with Israel violating the truce multiple times by carrying out attacks in the Gaza Strip. Last month, the UN International Organisation for Migration had said that hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians were facing flooding of their tents and shelters due to heavy rains, and materials...

The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday reiterated that Pakistan regarded Taiwan as an inalienable part of China. The statement from FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi came in response to media queries seeking Pakistan’s response to “developments in the Taiwan Strait”. “Pakistan and China are iron-clad friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners. We reiterate our consistent support to China on all matters of its core interests, including Taiwan,“ he said. “We will continue to adhere to the One-China principle and regard Taiwan as an inalienable part of China,” he said. The FO spokesperson had made similar remarks during yesterday’s weekly press briefing in response to a question regarding the sale of arms to Taiwan by the United States. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, while Taiwan rejects China’s claims. Although the statement released by the FO on Friday did not make a specific mention of the exact developments it was referring to, it comes after China completed military drills around Taiwan that i...