Pakistan | News

In a meeting with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday, Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam appreciated Islamabad’s “principled positions and continued support” toward his country in various areas. “Highly honored to call on Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, president of the PML-N, and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif,” Mogahadam said in a post on X about the meeting. He added: “Reiterating the firm commitment of the Islamic Republic of Iran to further enhance Iran-Pakistan relations, I expressed my sincere appreciation for the principled positions and continued support of the government of Pakistan toward Iran in various arenas.” The envoy said he had met the father-daughter duo to exchange views on the latest regional developments, “particularly in light of recent interventions by the United States and the Israeli regime, including their interventionist positions, threats, and escalatory rhetoric”. “We also discussed initiatives aimed at further strengthening t...

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in the capital on Wednesday on a two-day state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral trade, investment and regional connectivity between Pakistan and Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a two-day official visit as the two nations seek to bolster bilateral ties further. The two countries maintain friendly diplomatic relations, with Kazakhstan being Pakistan’s top export destination among Central Asian countries. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy PM Ishaq Dar received President Tokayev at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Base. According to state-run Radio Pakistan, a 21-gun salute was presented to the visiting dignitary. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later posted on X that he was “delighted” to welcome the Kazakh President to Pakistan. “I look forward to our meaningful and productive engagements tomorrow. The Pakistan-Kazakhstan friendship is a time-tested partnership that continues to bring our peoples closer together. This visit marks a new milestone in our glorious journey,” he said. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who also welcomed the Kazakh preisdent at Nur Khan Base, also said on ...

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that Beijing strongly condemned the recent attacks in Balochistan and would always firmly support Pakistan in combatting terrorism. Jian made these remarks during a regular press briefing when he was asked to comment on a large-scale coordinated attack across Balochistan last week. Jian said that China strongly condemned the attacks. “We mourn for the lives lost, and our hearts go out to the injured and those who lost their loved ones,” he said. “China firmly opposes any form of terrorism and will, as always, firmly support Pakistan in combatting terrorism, maintaining solidarity and social stability, and protecting the safety of the people,” he added. On Monday, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan had also condemned the “recent multiple terrorist activities in Balochistan”. In a post on X, the embassy said “we […] deeply mourn for the lives lost, and extend sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured”. Apart from China, the US, Europe...

Pakistan has been invited to participate in the Iran-US talks aimed at de-escalation of tensions between Tehran and Washington, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Tuesday. “Pakistan has received the invitation for the upcoming talks between Iran and the United States,” FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said while responding to a query. “Pakistan’s participation is seen as crucial to defusing tensions, as Islamabad has been quietly working to facilitate the talks,” a diplomatic source told Dawn. The diplomatic source added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to participate in the meeting. The meeting is likely to take place in Turkiye on Friday, an Arab official told AFP on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. US outlet Axios cited two unnamed sources and a US official as saying Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected to meet with US envoy Steve Witkoff in Istanbul to discuss a possible deal on the nuclear issue. The priority of the talks is to av...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly relations with Libya, state-broadcaster PTV reported. The development came as a high-level delegation from Libya called on PM Shehbaz at the Prime Minister’s House, PTV said in a post on X. It said that the delegation comprised Libyan Prime Minister Dr Osama Saad Hamad, Libyan Arab Armed Forces Commander-in-chief Field Marshal Khalifa Abu-al-Qasim Haftar and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar. It said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir were also present during the meeting. “During the discussions, both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral relations,” PTV said. “The meeting reflected the shared desire to enhance cooperation in areas of common concern and to promote peace, stability, and development at regional and...

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has arrived in Pakistan for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.

Pakistan has praised Türkiye’s 130-year-old social care institution Darülaceze as a global model for inclusive long-term care, highlighting its blend of state responsibility, philanthropy, volunteerism and community ownership.

The naval chiefs of Pakistan and Azerbaijan have pledged to strengthen their existing bilateral defence relationship, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday. Islamabad and Baku maintain robust defence cooperation. In 2024, Azer­bai­jan signed a massive $1.6 billion deal with Pakistan to acquire JF-17 Block III fighter jets, developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group. According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf met with Commander Azerbaijan Naval Forces (ANF) Rear Admiral Shahin Mammadov, at the Naval Headquarters in Islamabad today, where the two leaders “pledged to further strengthen and diversify the scope of [the] existing bilateral defence relationship”. The two, during the meeting, also “discussed matters of mutual interest, regional maritime security situation, and avenues for enhanced cooperation in training and defence”. The Azeri naval commander, upon arrival at the headqua...

Pakistan is participating in the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial at the US Department of State on Wednesday, as Islamabad seeks to expand foreign investment and forge strategic partnerships in the minerals and energy sectors. Federal Minister for Energy Ali Pervaiz Malik is representing Pakistan at the two-day conference, which is expected to bring together delegations from more than 50 countries to discuss strengthening and diversifying global supply chains for critical minerals—materials essential for advanced technologies, clean energy transitions and defence industries. Hosting the meeting, the US State Department said the ministerial aims to “advance collective efforts to strengthen and diversify critical minerals supply chains” and to create momentum for international collaboration to secure resources “vital to technological innovation, economic strength, and national security”. Opening remarks at the conference are scheduled to be delivered by US Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Ma...

LAHORE: The government of Pakistan’s decision on Sunday not to play its T20 World Cup group match against India, scheduled for Feb 15, has prom­pted the International Cricket Council (ICC) to initiate back-channel efforts to resolve the issue and avoid significant financial losses, Dawn has learnt. The decision was announced around 15 days ahead of the scheduled fixture, giving the ICC sufficient time to explore possible options, including accommodating any reservations Pakistan may have, sources said. According to sources, a couple of other cricket boards have also stepped in to assist the ICC in its efforts to reach an amicable solution with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Pakistan announced its decision without citing a specific reason for boycotting the match against India. In the past, however, Australia and the West Indies forfeited their World Cup matches against Sri Lanka in 1996 on security grounds following instructions from their governments. England and New Zealand similarly forfeited matches ag...

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday acknowledged the World Bank Group’s valuable support which had been instrumental in advancing Pakistan’s economic development and reforms.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that the state’s bottom line was that “nobody in Pakistan will be allowed to rationalise violence”. “When you try to rationalise violence or dress it up as a freedom movement — it is not acceptable because it is not true. This is a cover to legitimise criminal activities,” he said while addressing the National Assembly. Asif made these remarks while briefing the House on the security situation in Balochistan, where terrorists carried out a large-scale coordinated attack on Saturday. According to the military’s media affairs wing, more than 150 terrorists have been killed in retaliatory action. After Speaker Ayaz Sadiq asked him for a briefing, he began his address by recalling that the restoration of peace in Balochistan had been “disrupted” several times over the decades. However, he maintained that there had been long spells of peace in the province as well, and development work was also carried out in Balochistan. The defence minister said during the initial dec...

The Pakistan cricket team on Monday arrived in Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7. In a post on X, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that a 15-player squad had arrived in the country. “The 15-player national squad includes Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Naeef, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq,” the PCB said in an earlier post, the informed of the squad’s department for the global event’s venue. In the latest update about the aquad’s arrival in Colombo, the board said the team would rest on Monday and Tuesday. “The team will play a warm-up match against Ireland on Feb 4,” PCB added. The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on Feb 7. On Sunday, the government gave the go-ahead for Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, but barred it from playing against arch-rival India...

The federal government has declared a nationwide public holiday on February 5 in observance of Kashmir Solidarity Day, reiterating Pakistan’s unwavering support for the people of Indian-administered Kashmir and their right to self-determination.

Pakistan’s first polio vaccination campaign of the current year was launched on Monday across the country. The nationwide drive is being held from February 2 to February 5 in most cities, while Sindh is conducting a week-long campaign until February 8. Strict security measures have been taken in various districts, keeping in view past attacks on polio teams. First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, in a post on X, said: “The first nationwide polio vaccination drive of 2026 is underway, with health workers going door to door.” “This campaign is a vital step towards protecting our children and eliminating polio once and for all,” she stressed. The first lady encouraged all parents with children aged five years or below to ensure their kids receive the vaccine every time it is offered, pointing out that this was the “only way to eliminate polio for good”. Speaking at the formal inauguration of the drive in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah noted that the campaign aimed to vaccinate 10.5 million children in t...

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will undertake his first state visit to Pakistan from February 3 to 4, 2026, accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior cabinet ministers and other top officials.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will undertake a two-day official visit to Pakistan on February 3–4, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two countries maintain friendly diplomatic relations, with Kazakhstan being Pakistan’s top export destination among Central Asian countries. During the visit, which he will undertake at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Kazakh president will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior cabinet ministers and other high-ranking officials. “President Tokayev is expected to meet with the President of Pakistan, hold talks with the prime minister, and address the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum.” Having a unique geographical location, Kazakhstan offers an excellent opportunity for Pakistan to connect to Russian, Central Asian, and Eastern European markets. Kazakhstan, by landmass and resources, is the largest economy of Central Asia. The foreign ministry said President Tokayev’s visit will provide Islam...

After around a week of uncertainty, the government gave the nod on Sunday to the Pakistan cricket team for participation in the T20 World Cup but barred it from playing against India on February 15, when the Green Shirts are scheduled to play their only group-stage match against the arch-rivals. “The government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan cricket team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan cricket team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India,” a post of the government’s X account said. On Monday, Pakistan Cricket Board chief and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the possibility of a boycott of the T20 World Cup loomed over Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the tournament. After the meeting, Naqvi had said he had briefed the PM on the “International Cricket Council (ICC) matter” and a “final decision would be taken either on Friday or next Monday”. The meeting took place...

All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz grabbed five wickets for Pakistan on Sunday as Green Shirts whitewashed Australia in a three-match T20 series by 3-0 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The last time Pakistan had clean-swept Australia in a T20 series was in October 2018 in the UAE. While defending a gigantic 208-run total, Pakistan dominated the visitors by clinching a 111-run victory. The stage was set by Shaheen Afridi, who took the wicket of the Australian captain Mitchell Marsh in the first over. In the next over, Mohammad Nawaz dismissed Australia’s Matthew Short, as Babar Azam took his catch, and in the following over, Shaheen Afridi struck back with Matt Renshaw’s wicket. In his five-wicket haul, Mohammad Nawaz also dismissed Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green. Stoinis and Green added 23 and 22 runs, respectively, for Australia, while seven other batters could not even reach double figures. Apart from Nawaz’s five and Shaheen’s two wickets, Abrar Ahmed and Naseem Shah also grabbed a wicket each. In the first inn...