Pakistan | News

Australia will use the upcoming white-ball tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh to test their depth after naming squads featuring three potential debutants, selectors said on Monday. All-rounder Liam Scott has been included in the ODI squads for Pakistan and Bangladesh, with Victoria batter Ollie Peake joining him in the Pakistan squad. T20 specialist Joel Davies has been included in the squad for three T20Is in Chattogram, Bangladesh, starting on June 17. Mitchell Marsh will captain all squads, with Australia to play three ODIs against Pakistan in Rawalpindi and Lahore from May 30 before travelling to Bangladesh for three ODIs in Dhaka in the run-up to the T20 series. “It’s always exciting to see new players get an opportunity to play international cricket and be a part of the national team,” selector George Bailey said in a statement. “The blend of experienced players coupled with new or returning players will provide a nice mix for these subcontinent tours.” Fast bowlers Billy Stanlake and Riley Meredith retur...

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi conveyed to Bangladeshi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam on Sunday that there were “vast opportunities for investment”, as the two sides agreed to increase cooperation in trade and business. Naqvi, who is on an official visit to Bangladesh, called on Islam in Dhaka, where the two held “detailed discussions on bilateral relations, the regional situation, and Pakistan’s conciliatory role”, according to an official statement released by the Ministry of Interior. The Bangladeshi state minister appreciated Pakistan’s efforts aimed at resolving the Iran-US conflict, it said. Pakistan has been leading the efforts for the resolution of the conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, and hosted the first round of face-to-face talks between Washington and Tehran in April. The interior ministry’s statement said that during Naqvi’s meeting with Islam, both sides agreed to increase cooperation in the fields of trade, business, and c...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Sunday that Pakistan had received Iran’s response to a US proposal to end the war in the Middle East. Speaking at a ceremony held in Islamabad to commemorate Marka-i-Haq, the premier mentioned Pakistan’s efforts for de-escalation between the US and Iran, stating that Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had informed him “a while ago” that Pakistan had received Iran’s response. “I cannot go into more detail. But, I commend the efforts of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and congratulate Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has dedicated himself [to this cause],” he said. Earlier, Iranian media reported that Iran had sent its response to the US proposal via Pakistan. “The Islamic Republic of Iran sent today through Pakistani mediators its response to the latest text proposed by the United States to end the war,” the official IRNA news agency said. Iranian news agency ISNA reported that Tehran’s response to the latest US peace proposal fo...

Iranul a transmis răspunsul său la propunerea Statelor Unite privind oprirea războiului, mesajul fiind livrat prin intermediul unui mediator din Pakistan, potrivit presei de stat iraniene.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said he and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani reaffirmed their “shared commitment” to support “constructive dialogue” in the Middle East. In a post on X, PM Shehbaz said he was “delighted to receive a telephone call from my brother […] earlier today”. “We exchanged views on the evolving regional situation and reaffirmed our shared commitment to support all ongoing efforts aimed at promoting lasting peace, stability, and constructive dialogue across the region,” the premier added. The prime minister said he conveyed his “sincere appreciation to my dear brother”, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, “for his wise leadership and for Qatar’s continued support for Pakistan’s sincere efforts to advance regional peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy”. PM Shehbaz further said he looked forward to the Qatari emir’s visit to “Pakistan very soon”. In its statement on the phone call, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) sa...

ISLAMABAD - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has noted that Pakistan’s strong program implementation under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement has continued, which has supported macroeconomic stability and the rebuilding of fiscal and foreign exchange buffers.

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has significantly expanded its lobbying and strategic communications footprint in the United States, signing a new $1.2 million contract with a Washington-based advisory firm as it seeks deeper engagement on defence cooperation, critical minerals and broader economic diplomacy in an increasingly competitive policy environment. According to filings submitted under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), Ervin Graves Strategy Group LLC registered on May 1 as an official foreign agent of Pakistan’s embassy in Washington under a two-year contract valued at $1.2m, requiring payments of $50,000 per month for its services. FARA requires the public listing of all lobbyists or lobbying firms working for a foreign entity, including governments and private corporations. The agreement tasks the firm with a wide-ranging mandate that includes lobbying US policymakers, government-relations work, legislative monitoring, stakeholder engagement, media messaging, think tank outreach, and policy advis...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that Pakistan can neither be “intimidated nor subdued by any aggressor” as the nation marks the first anniversary of Marka-i-Haq. 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, is now referred to by the state as Marka-i-Haq (Battle of Truth). “Marka-i-Haq bears testimony that Pakistanis are a peace-loving, yet courageous, resilient, and dignified nation who can neither be intimidated nor subdued by any aggressor,” said the premier in a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The prime minister, expressing his gratitude to the Almighty, said the day commemorates Pakistan’s “valiant stand in adversity” and the “crushing defeat” inflicted upon India. “The nation pays tribute to its martyrs, their families and the ghazis who stood like a steel wall to defend their homeland,” said the statement....

A year ago, Pakistan and India fought a short but intense war — the worst military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in decades. During the period of Marka-i-Haq (the battle for truth), Indian fighter jets were shot down, and Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos — a barrage of attacks against Indian military targets — in retaliation for missile strikes by New Delhi. The conflict ended with a US-brokered ceasefire. During the four-day war, Pakistan showcased a wide variety of weaponry and military technology, ranging from advanced missiles to network-linked warfare systems. Let’s take a look at some of them here. ‘Seeing without seeing’ — network-centric warfare One of the deadliest tools in Pakistan’s arsenal was unleashed in the early hours of May 7: the use of network-centric warfare. This doctrine involves sharing real-time data and information across multiple domains, such as between fighter jets, airborne early warning aircraft and ground-based command centres, to gain an adv...

Mohammad Abbas claimed five wickets to restrict Bangladesh to 413, before two debutant batsmen combined to put Pakistan in a strong position in the first Test on Saturday. Opener Azan Awais hit an unbeaten 85 and Abdullah Fazal, also playing in his first Test, was 37 not out as Pakistan reached 179-1 at stumps on the second day in Dhaka. The visitors trail Bangladesh by 234 runs, but veteran Pakistan seamer Abbas was the standout performer, claiming three wickets in the morning session after the home side resumed at 301-4. Abbas took two more wickets after lunch and finished with figures of 5-92 from 34 overs, the sixth five-wicket haul of his career. Debutant Azan Awais plays a shot during the second day of the first Test cricket match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sher-i-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Bangladesh on May 9, 2026. — X/@TheRealPCB Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto laid a strong platform on the first day with 101. Mushfiqur Rahim, who was 48 not out overnight, then went on to...

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Friday said Pakistan had demonstrated resilience and unity in the face of multiple challenges, adding that the country’s role was now being acknowledged globally.

Pakistan has raised alarm at the systematic annexation of the occupied West Bank, expansion of illegal settlements and the forced displacement of Palestinians, calling for the intervention of the global community. The stance was expressed by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad at the Arria-formula meeting on the situation in the occupied territory. “While international attention is consumed by multiple crises across the region, the systematic annexation of the occupied West Bank, expansion of illegal settlements, demolitions, land seizures and forced displacement of Palestinians continue unabated, and this requires our attention,” he said, according to the statement shared by Pakistan’s UN mission on X. “Israeli policies and illegal actions, unprecedented in scale and impact, are undermining the prospects for a viable Palestinian state,” he said. The ambassador said that Pakistan condemned Israel’s ongoing legislative and administrative measures aimed at en...

Pakistan and Bangladesh have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral cooperation against drug trafficking and narcotics abuse, the Ministry of Interior said on Saturday. The development came during Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Dhaka, where he met his Bangladeshi counterpart Salahuddin Ahmed, according to the ministry. It said that Naqvi and Ahmed signed the MoU on behalf of their respective governments, adding that both also agreed to set up a secretary-level joint working group between their ministries. Under the MoU, both countries will fully cooperate to prevent the illegal transportation and smuggling of narcotics, while joint efforts will be made to “curb the growing trend of drug abuse and eliminate its negative impacts”, the ministry said. It was also agreed that a joint strategy will be formulated to dismantle narcotics sale and supply networks. The relevant agencies of both countries will exchange timely intelligence and information regarding drug traffickers a...

Pakistan and Türkiye on Friday agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation on climate resilience, flood management, and water security ahead of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, in November this year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday said that he had spoken with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and requested the country’s support in facilitating the “welfare and repatriation” of 11 Pakistanis and 20 Iranians aboard vessels seized by the United States. In a post on the social media platform X, he said that the vessels were currently near Singaporean waters. He said that he also spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi “as we remain in close coordination on the matter”. “Pakistan also stands ready to facilitate the safe repatriation of Iranian nationals to Iran via Pakistan,” he said. “We appreciate the cooperation and support being extended by Singapore. Pakistan, through its Foreign Office and relevant authorities, is closely coordinating with US authorities and others to ensure the safety, welfare, and earliest possible return of our nationals,” he said. Meanwhile, regarding the phone call between Dar and the Singaporean foreign minister, the Foreign...

The US President Donald Trump praised Pakistan’s political and military leadership during a media interaction, calling the country’s prime minister and field marshal “outstanding personalities.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Thursday concluded a two-week joint counterterrorism exercise in northwestern Pakistan, aimed at strengthening operational coordination and refining combat tactics between the armed forces of the two countries, the military said.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Thursday voiced optimism about a possible agreement between Iran and the United States “sooner rather than later.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday that Islamabad was hopeful about and would expect an agreement between the US and Iran “sooner rather than later”. He said this during a weekly briefing, where he was asked how soon the agreement could be expected. “You have asked us how soon we can expect an agreement. We remain optimistic. A simple answer would be that we expect an agreement sooner rather than later. We hope that the parties will come to a peaceful, sustainable solution and bring peace, not just to our region but internationally as well,” he said. In this regard, Andrabi also said Pakistan would welcome a settlement between Iran and the US wherever it may be reached. “If an agreement is reached in Pakistan, it would be an honour for us,” he said. The FO spokesperson also said he could not say whether the draft of the agreement would be one page or longer. Asked whether the US government could be under pressure to end the war due to the upcoming mid-term elections, Andrabi said:...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday rejected the two lowest evaluated LNG bids from BP Singapore and TotalEnergies, priced at $17.28 and $16.98 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), respectively, for delivery next week and in the last week of the current month. State-run Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) received a total of seven bids — three cargoes for May 12-14 and four for May 24-26 — against urgent tenders floated a day earlier. For the first cargo, PetroChina bid $17.69 per mmBtu, BP Singapore $17.28 and Vitol Bahrain $17.84. For the second cargo (May 24-26), TotalEnergies bid $16.98 per mmBtu, OQ Trading $18.58, SOCAR Trading $17.21 and PetroChina International $17.49. PLL on Wednesday floated urgent tenders on a 36-hour notice for the import of two LNG cargoes for delivery between May 12-14 and May 24-26 amid rising temperatures and a power shortfall. The tender was floated following expectations among authorities that the Gulf crisis would ease and the Strait of Hormuz would reopen. PLL had rejected two bi...