Pakistan | News

The Government of Pakistan has announced the issuance of a commemorative Rs75 coin to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.

Pakistan and Azerbaijan have agreed to enhance cooperation across multiple sectors including trade, investment, urban development, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure and energy.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said Islamabad and Beijing shared a “converging vision” on regional and global matters. “Pakistan and China share a converging vision on regional and global issues,” said Dar while addressing the Senate. A Chinese delegation was present in the visitors’ gallery to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. “We are committed to upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter in a world facing complex challenges,” the foreign minister said. Dar stressed that cooperation between Pakistan and China at the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and other international forums had been “vital in defending the interests of developing countries and promoting global peace”. During his address, Dar said that he will be accompanying PM Shehbaz Sharif on his state visit to China from May 23 to 26, during which they will also attend celebrations marking the 75th anniversary...

Spinner Taijul Islam took six wickets to lead Bangladesh to a 78-run win over Pakistan in the second Test and clinch a famous 2-0 series win on Wednesday. Pakistan, who started the fifth day on 316-7 while chasing a record 437, were bowled out for 328 in the first session in Sylhet after Mohammad Rizwan hit a valiant 94. It was Bangladesh’s first Test series win at home against Pakistan and a second successive sweep after their 2-0 triumph on Pakistani soil in 2024. Wicketkeeper Rizwan kept Pakistan in the hunt for an unlikely win with a 166-ball stay after the visitors had slumped to 162-5 on day four. Rizwan put on an eighth-wicket partnership of 54 with overnight partner Sajid Khan, who made 28. Taijul broke through to dismiss Sajid for his 18th Test five-wicket haul and Shoriful Islam had Rizwan caught in the next over to end Pakistan’s resistance. Taijul took the final wicket of Khurram Shahzad to return figures of 6-120 and trigger Bangladesh celebrations. The left-arm spinner also took 3-67 during Paki...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi Tuesday declared Pakistan a proud custodian of one of humanity’s most significant Buddhist civilizations, stressing that the preservation of Gandhara heritage is not merely a national responsibility but a global obligation.

WASHINGTON: Pakistan is among the countries that could benefit from a new United States temporary licence allowing selected energy-importing nations to access Russian oil, diplomatic sources told Dawn. The US has introduced a 30-day general licence issued by the US Department of the Treasury to ease immediate supply pressures in global crude markets and provide relief to energy-vulnerable countries. Diplomatic sources said the arrangement may also apply to Pakistan, though they cautioned that Islamabad might not be able to fully take advantage of the concession due to limited technical capacity. US offers 30-day relief to energy-vulnerable countries They noted that Pakistan has not previously imported Russian crude at scale and may lack the refining infrastructure required to process such shipments. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on a social media post released on Monday that his department is issuing a temporary 30-day general licence to “provide the most vulnerable nations with the ability to temp...

Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik met with the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Akamatsu Shuichi, during his visit to the Geoscience Advanced Research Laboratories (GARL) of the Geological Survey of Pakistan on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday underscored Pakistan’s strides as a net regional stabiliser contributing to peace and stability in the region and beyond, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The prime minister made the remarks during his address to faculty members and student officers at the Command and Staff College in Quetta on Tuesday. “The prime minister underscored the importance of military diplomacy and cooperation and the strides made by Pakistan as Net Regional Stabiliser to contribute towards peace, stability and progression in the region and beyond,” said the PMO statement. PM Shehbaz, referring to Marka-i-Haq, also paid tribute to the Pakistan Armed Forces’ historic victory under the leadership of Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. “The enemy falsely perceived itself as stronger than Pakistan. They rejected our sincere offer of dialogue to resolve differences and remove misunderstandings; instead, they chose the path of provocation, vi...

Bangladesh are three wickets away from a famous Test series win at home after spinner Taijul Islam took 4-113 to rattle Pakistan despite a rearguard by the opposition batters on Tuesday. Pakistan ended day four on 316-7, needing another 121 runs for victory in what would be a record chase of 437 on the fifth and final day in Sylhet. Mohammad Rizwan, on 75, and Sajid Khan, on eight, were unbeaten at the close of play. Left-arm spinner Taijul struck key blows, including Babar Azam for 47 and Salman Agha on 71, to keep Bangladesh in the hunt for their first-ever Test series win over Pakistan at home. Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot during the fourth day of the second Test cricket match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet on May 19, 2026. — AFP Bangladesh, who won the opener of the two-match series, also closed in on back-to-back Test series victories over Pakistan —having whitewashed them 2-0 on Pakistani soil in 2024. Pakistan slumped to 162-5 and were h...

Pakistan is manufacturing world-class footballs for global use

PAA says Pakistan’s airspace remains closed to all aircraft registered in India

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has reiterated that hostile forces attempting to undermine Pakistan’s progress through proxies and propaganda will ultimately fail in the face of the state’s resilience and the unity of its people.

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Tuesday asserted that “propaganda, fake news or externally-sponsored terrorism” could not derail Pakistan’s progress. The field marshal made the remarks while interacting with officers and troops of formations deployed in Balochistan during his visit to Quetta, according to the military’s media affairs wing. “The field marshal emphasised that Pakistan’s destined rise cannot be obstructed through propaganda, fake news or externally sponsored terrorism,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) quoted him as saying. “He reiterated that hostile forces attempting to derail Pakistan’s progress through proxies and propaganda will ultimately fail due to the resilience of the state and the unity of its people,” the statement added. Highlighting the contours of the prevailing security environment, the military chief reaffirmed that the armed forces, with the “steadfast support of the people, remain fully committed to the eradication of...

Pakistan and nine other countries on Tuesday issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. The joint statement by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkiye, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Libya, Maldives and Spain was shared by the Foreign Office on the social media platform X. It said that the ministers “condemn in the strongest terms the renewed Israeli assaults against the Global Sumud Flotilla, a peaceful civilian humanitarian initiative aimed at drawing international attention to the catastrophic humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people”. “The ministers recall with grave concern the Israeli interventions against previous flotillas in international waters and condemn the continuation of hostile acts targeting civilian vessels and humanitarian activists,” it said. “Such assaults, including attacks against the vessels and the arbitrary detention of activists, constitute blatant violations of international law and international humanitarian...

Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan to strengthen investment ties with Gulf States, Iran Orders result-oriented use of public funds in development projects Reaffirms commitment to long-term partnership with AIIB.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned the drone attack on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates that took place on Sunday, reiterating its full solidarity with the Emirati people and the government.

Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed solidarity with the kingdom, a statement from the Foreign Office (FO) said. In a post on X, Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry reported that three drones were intercepted and destroyed on Monday morning, having originated from Iraqi airspace. The United Arab Emirates condemned the incident earlier today, while Iraq said it is investigating the incident. In its statement, the FO condemned in the strongest possible terms the drone attacks carried out against Riyadh, noting: “Such attacks constitute a serious violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and appear to be an attempt to further undermine regional peace and stability.” It added that the government and the people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with the Saudi government and people, reaffirming their “full and unwavering support for the kingdom’s security, peace and prosperity.” The incident occurred after strikes on the Barakah nuclear plant in the UAE...

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that India would be “relegated to history” and its geography “changed” if it attempted any future misadventure against Pakistan. In an interview on the Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Asif said, “As a nation, India thinks that its esteem has been damaged.” The defence minister was referring to last year’s confrontation with India, beginning with the April 22 Pahalgam attack and the subsequent military conflict — which resulted in a resounding victory for Pakistan — until the ceasefire on May 10. Reflecting on last year’s standoff with India, Asif said that Pakistan’s armed forces had given India a “devastating” response. “If India attempts any misadventure against Pakistan, it would be relegated to history and its geography would be changed,” the defence minister asserted. The defence minister also criticised the recent remarks made by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, in which he said that Pakistan had “to decide whether they want to be part of geograp...

Veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim hit a glittering century as Bangladesh set Pakistan an imposing target of 427 to win the second Test after another commanding day for the hosts on Monday. Bangladesh posted 390 all out in their second innings on day three with Mushfiqur, who made 137, and Litton Das, who hit 69, putting together 123 runs for the fifth wicket. The 39-year-old Mushfiqur rolled back the years as he scored his 14th Test century, surpassing Mominul Haque’s record of 13 for Bangladesh. Pakistan openers Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal survived the last two overs of the day without scoring before bad light ended play. The visitors will need a record chase to level the two-match series after Bangladesh won the opener. Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam plays a shot during the third day of the second Test match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet, Bangladesh on May 18, 2026. — AFP West Indies currently hold the record for the 418 they scored to beat Australia in Anti...

Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned the reported drone attack on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates on May 17, describing the targeting of nuclear facilities as a serious violation of international law.