Pakistan | News

Pakistan has extended its ban on Indian civilian and military aircraft from using its airspace for another month, until July 24, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Kingdom on Wednesday agreed to enhance cooperation in counterterrorism, combating illegal migration and human smuggling, institutional collaboration and police training. The understanding was reached as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met British Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia and the UN Hamish Falconer According to the interior ministry, Falconer appreciated Pakistan’s “positive and significant” role in facilitating the US-Iran peace deal. “Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir played a historic role for peace,” it quoted Falconer as saying. “The US-Iran peace deal has projected Pakistan as a flag-bearer of global peace,” he added. According to the statement, the two leaders also agreed on “enhancing cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including counterterrorism, combating illegal migration, institutional collaboration, and police training”. “Positive results are emerging from the UPSCALE Project and the...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Wednesday that Pakistan was “pleased to facilitate the repatriation of 30 Iranian nationals”. In a post on the social media platform X, he said that this number included “eight Iranian fishermen rescued at sea by the British vessel MMA Valour after their boat ran aground, and 22 Iranian crew members from the vessel Lenore/Davina, recently interdicted by US authorities”. “Both groups are expected to transit through Karachi in the coming days,” he said. “We remain in close coordination with the Iranian, United States and United Kingdom authorities to ensure the safe transit and early return of our Iranian brethren to their homeland. Pakistan remains committed to humanitarian cooperation and to extending every possible assistance to our Iranian brothers,” he said. Earlier this month, US forces conducted an interdiction of ​the sanctioned oil tanker Davina in the Indian Ocean, the US military’s Indo-Pacific Command, which has now reverted back to the na...

ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan has the right under inte­rnational law to defend itself against atta­cks originating from Afgh­anistan, British Parlia­mentary Under-Secretary for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer said on Monday, while stressing the need for dialogue and regional stability. Speaking during a visit to Islamabad to discuss security concerns with senior Pakistani officials, the British official noted that any country facing cross-border threats was entitled to protect its citizens within the framework of international law. The remarks came amid rising tensions and recent incidents of violence that Pakistani authorities say were linked to terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory. Talking to Dawn, the visiting dignitary expre­ssed condolences over the recent loss of life in Pakistan, describing the security situation as deeply concerning. ‘Sustainable solutions’ “No one wants to see civilian casualties anywhere, whether in Pakistan or Afghanistan,” the official said, adding tha...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Monday warmly welcomed the understanding reached between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, appreciating the trust reposed in the country by the leadership of both nations.

ISLAMABAD - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Monday reiterated that Pakistan remained firmly committed to the principles and objectives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Charter.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, on Monday, chaired an inter-ministerial meeting to review progress on Pakistan’s bilateral economic cooperation with key partner countries.

Pakistan is set to assume the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Heads of State (CHS) in September, while next year’s CHS summit will also be hosted by Pakistan. Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the SCO, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar acknowledged that the group has played an important role in “promoting regional peace, security, stability, economic cooperation, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges among its member states”, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Dar said that Pakistan’s involvement in the regional bloc has advanced from observer to a proactive full member since 2017, reflecting the country’s “unwavering commitment to multilateralism and confidence in the potential of our region”. Ahead of Pakistan assuming chairmanship of the CHS, Dar added, “This is a reflection of trust and confidence in Pakistan’s leadership role regionally and globally.” “Pakistan will continue to advance a for...

The Ministry of Religious Affairs on Monday announced that the Muharram 1448 AH moon was not sighted in the country. The first of Muharram will fall on Wednesday, June 17, while Ashura will be observed on June 26. In a notification, the ministry said: “In pursuance of the decision of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee in its meeting held today in Lahore, the federal government in the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Islamabad, hereby announces that the moon of Muharram 1448 AH has not been sighted.” “Therefore, the 1st Muharram 1448 AH shall commence from Wednesday, June 17, 2026,” it added. Earlier today, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported that the committee would meet at Iqbal Hall, Badshahi Mosque in Lahore to sight the Muharram moon, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Muharram is a month of mourning, observed in particular by Shia Muslims worldwide. It commemorates the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, where, amongst many, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (Peac...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that while the signing ceremony of an agreement reached between the US and Iran — aimed at ending a war that began three months ago — would be held in Geneva, it would be hosted by Pakistan. “The official [signing] ceremony of this historic agreement will be held on Friday, June 19, in Geneva, and by the grace of God, it will be hosted by Pakistan,” he said while addressing a National Assembly session after he announced the agreement past midnight on Monday. Under the agreement, the US and Iran have agreed on a framework to end the war, halt the US blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The war began in late February, with the US and Israel launching strikes on Iran. Throughout the conflict, Pakistan has remained actively involved in mediating for peace and also hosted the first round of talks between the two sides in Islamabad in April. The historic direct US-Iran talks had ended without an agreement, but also without a breakdown. This was after Pakista...

Pakistan has officially announced that the crescent moon marking the beginning of Muharram 1448 AH was not sighted anywhere in the country, making June 17 (Wednesday) the first day of the Islamic month.

The Iranian rial (IRR) remained largely stable in Pakistan’s informal currency market following the announcement of a US-Iran peace framework, with dealers reporting no significant change in trading activity or demand.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced that the signing ceremony of a peace agreement between Iran and the United States would be held in Geneva on June 19 under Pakistan’s hosting, describing the development as a historic achievement for global peace.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s first-ever State of Freedom Report – Pakistan 2026 will be formally launched at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) today (Monday).

India made the perfect start to their women’s Twenty 20 World Cup campaign with a 64-run win against Pakistan on Sunday. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side dominated from start to finish in their opening group game of the tournament at Edgbaston. After India elected to bat first, opener Smriti Mandhana was the catalyst for the victory as she survived two drops to hit 68 from 44 balls. Mandhana blasted nine fours and two sixes, while Kaur notched four fours in her innings of 36. Wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh kept the pressure on Pakistan’s overwhelmed bowlers with a quick-fire 34 featuring five fours and a six. Pakistan’s run chase looked a daunting task and so it proved as they crumbled against India’s spinners. All-rounder Deepti Sharma finished with impressive figures of 5-10. She pushed Pakistan towards defeat by running out opener Muneeba Ali, who top-scored for Pakistan with 41. Sharma also dismissed Gull Feroza and Ayesha Zafar to leave Pakistan in disarray before leg-spinner Sree Charani tightened the screws with thr...

KARACHI: The Paki­stan Football team is set make its appearance in the FIFA ASEAN Cup as the country has been invited to participate in the tournament, according to media reports. According to reports, FIFA has extended an invitation to Pakistan for the newly launched competition, scheduled to be held in Indonesia from Sept 21 to Oct 6. The Pakistan Football Fed­eration (PFF) is also reported to have agreed to participate. The national team would rep­ortedly slot into Divi­s­ion 1, joining a highly competitive field that features Tha­iland, Malaysia, Sing­a­pore, the Philippines, India, and the Indonesian hosts. Local news outlets attributed the unexpected inclusion to ongoing, behind-the-scenes discussions between PFF Presi­dent Mohsen Gilani and FIFA leadership. However, an official confirmation was awaited till filing of this report. Such a development would mark a historic milestone for Pakistani football, representing the country’s first appearance in a FIFA-backed tournament outside of standard World Cu...

The Pakistan Army team has clinched first position at an international military drill competition held in Britain, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday. “In a remarkable display of excellence, the Pakistan Army team, represented by the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), has clinched 1st Position at the prestigious International Pace Sticking Competition 2026 held at the Royal Military Academy (RMA) Sandhurst, United Kingdom,” the ISPR said in a statement. It added that the PMA team “made a clean sweep at the competition, securing all major honours, that is 1st Overall Team Trophy, Best Pace Sticker and Best Driver awards”. According to the ISPR, the nine-member contingent, led by Major Haider Gulzar, arrived in the UK on June 5. A total of 16 international teams from different armies participated in the fierce annual event. “The Pakistan Army team’s victory is reflective of the highest standards of professional training, excellence and dedication maintained by the Armed Forces of Pakistan,”...

A rickshaw driver drinks water as the feels-like temperature in Karachi soared past 54 degrees Celsius.—Online • Rapid warming spikes sharply up north; AJK, GB, KP record highest annual temperatures in 65 years • Extreme heat claims over 200,000 lives in Europe since 2022; El Nino threatens to compound weather extremes • Monsoon delayed in India ISLAMABAD: Pakistan recorded its second-warmest year in 65 years in 2025, intensifying extreme floods and creating a systemic risk to the nation’s economy, according to the Economic Survey 2025-26. Pakistan’s hottest year was 2024, the survey reported 2025 as the second-warmest year in 65 years, marking consecutive years of record high temperatures. The country experienced a national annual mean temperature of 23.9°C last year, 1.09°C warmer than the 22.8-degree average. Despite contributing less than 1pc to global emissions and 0.4 percent historically, Pakistan bears a disproportionately high burden of global climate change. “Climate change is no longer a distant or...

Pakistan on Thursday expressed concern over reports that India has begun deploying nuclear warheads with operational forces, warning that such developments could have implications beyond South Asia and pose risks to international peace and security.

Pakistan’s literacy rate increased to 63 percent during fiscal year 2025-26, while the country’s economy expanded to $452.