Pakistan | News

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Saturday strongly condemned any attempts to undermine the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia, and rejected, in this regard, the announcement made by Israel recognizing the independence of the so-called Somaliland region of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Politicians and colleagues paid homage to Dr Shamshad Akhtar on Saturday as a trailblazer, noting that she was the first woman to serve as governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and achieved many other notable accomplishments. She passed away today due to cardiac arrest. At the time of her passing, Dr Akhtar was serving as chairperson of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE), a rare position reflecting a career that spanned Pakistan’s monetary policy, fiscal management, and capital markets. Dr Akhtar, known for her leadership roles in both national and international financial institutions, took over as the 14th governor of the SBP on January 2, 2006, becoming the first woman to hold the position. She had also been the finance minister in the caretaker setups before the 2018 and 2024 general elections. Dr Akhtar served as the vice president of the World Bank for the Middle East and North Africa and the executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). ...

Pakistan on Saturday rejected Israel‘s recognition of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, terming it an attempt to undermine Somalia’s sovereignty. Israel became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state on Friday, with Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, saying his state will join the Abraham Accords. The decision could reshape regional dynamics and test Somalia’s longstanding opposition to secession. “Pakistan strongly condemns any attempts to undermine the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia, and rejects, in this regard, the announcement made by Israel recognising the independence of the so-called Somaliland region of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement. “Such illegal and provocative actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law and not only threaten the peace and stability of the brotherly country of Somalia, but also that of the entire region,” it added. Isl...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday hailed Pakistan’s success over India during the military escalation between the two countries earlier this year. “A strong message was sent to the world,” he said while speaking to the media in Islamabad, where he gave an overview of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in 2025. “Our international standing has […] improved due to principled, proactive and result-oriented diplomacy,” Dar said, reflecting on the past year. He said Pakistan was “known to be a diplomatically isolated country” at the time PM Shehbaz Sharif took oath last year. Speaking on the May conflict, Dar said India’s claim of regional hegemony and being the net security provider was tested during the four-day escalation. “We did not ask anyone to mediate between us,” the deputy premier asserted. He recalled that Pakistan shot down seven jets of India during the May 7 air battle, which was followed by “incorrect” statements by New Delhi that Pakistan had attacked 15 Indian military ins...

Pakistan has expressed its full support for the efforts being undertaken by Saudi Arabia for ensuring peace and stability in Yemen, it emerged on Saturday. In a statement released late on Friday, the Foreign Office (FO) said Pakistan was closely following recent developments in Yemen. “Pakistan expresses its full support for the diplomatic efforts being undertaken by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for ensuring peace and stability in the Republic of Yemen. We also commend the efforts of the United Arab Emirates in this regard,” it said. “We underscore the need for upholding the unity and territorial integrity of Yemen, and express the hope that the Yemeni stakeholders will avoid any unilateral steps that may result in further escalation of the situation,” it said. “We also call on all Yemeni parties to engage constructively and in good faith towards an inclusive, negotiated political solution based on the agreed parameters,” the FO said. “Pakistan expresses its hope that the ongoing diplomatic efforts will result...

The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday summoned the United Kingdom’s acting high commissioner in connection with a protest outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford, where “provocative” statements were made against Pakistan’s civil and military leadership. FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that the acting UK high commissioner was summoned and issued a démarche. “The demarche was issued after provocative statements were made against Pakistan’s civil and military leadership from British soil,” the FO spokesperson said. The FO urged the UK to “hold responsible elements accountable in accordance with the law”. Earlier, two ministers of state from the PML-N said that the Pakistan government had written a letter to the UK authorities, seeking action over “inciteful” statements, particularly in reference to a video that was circulating on social media. Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani confirmed that development to Geo News, with the latter particularly...

Quetta - Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti on Friday said that the youth are the bright future of Pakistan and the real asset of the nation, and it is the most important need of the hour to inform them about the correct historical facts and national narrative.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said that artificial intelligence presents a historic opportunity to transform Pakistan’s youth bulge into a skilled technological powerhouse, enable local businesses to compete globally, and convert governance into transparent, data-driven engines of.

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday held “substantive talks” focused on further strengthening the longstanding fraternal relations between the two countries, said a statement after the conclusion of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s first official visit to the country. This is the second time the Emirati president is visiting Pakistan this year, having met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Rahim Yar Khan in January. However, Friday’s trip is his first official visit as president, according to the Foreign Office. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets the UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Islamabad on 26 December 2025. — Mohammed bin Zayed X The two sides also reaffirmed their shared commitment to continue close coordination on matters of mutual interest and exchanged views on important regional and international developments. The statement added that while expressing satisfaction with the positive trajectory of bilateral relations, the “two leaders reiterated their deter...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held wide-ranging discussions on Friday to review and strengthen bilateral relations between Pakistan and the UAE.

To commemorate the first official visit of United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Pakistan, the Government of Pakistan has unveiled a specially produced welcome song.

ISLAMABAD: Players of POPO FC attend a training session on Dec 6, 2025.—Mohammad Asim/White Star ISLAMABAD: At the F-11 Multipurpose Ground the day’s rhythm is set not by a whistle, but by the soft thud of a football. Here, in the heart of the capital, an unassuming patch of grass has become the most fertile ground for Pakistani football. This is the home of POPO Football Club — not a corporate academy, but a volunteer-run sanctuary that has, against the odds, become a national talent pipeline. Two years ago, the nation celebrated a historic 1-0 victory against Cambodia in the World Cup Qualifiers, Pakistan’s maiden win on the global stage. What it didn’t see was the quiet genesis of that triumph. Five of the players on that pitch were products of this single, modest club in Sector F-11. Their work is not only limited to the senior team but the efforts on the players start from the grassroots level. In the last 24 months alone, POPO FC — who works under the patronage of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) — ha...

The year 2025 marked a turning point for Pakistan’s foreign policy, with notable achievements spanning international recognition, strengthened alliances, and an enhanced role in regional and global diplomacy.

WASHINGTON: China continues to strengthen its position as a major global arms supplier, with Pakistan emerging as its most significant and trusted partner in the air combat domain, according to a Pentagon report sent to the US Congress this week. The report states that as of December 2024, China remained the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter, relying primarily on state-owned defence companies such as the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and North Industries Corporation (Norinco). It notes that China’s arms exports are closely linked to its broader foreign policy and development outreach, including initiatives associated with the Belt and Road framework, and are particularly attractive to developing countries due to affordability and flexible terms. According to this report, Pakistan figures prominently in China’s aviation exports. Beijing currently offers three fixed-wing combat aircraft for export: the fifth-generation FC-31 stealth fighter, the fourth-generation J-10C multirole combat aircra...

Gujar khan - On the occasion of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s birth anniversary, Minister of State for Finance and Railways, Bilal Azhar Kayani, addressed celebratory gatherings in Jhelum, emphasizing Pakistan’s recent accomplishments and the country’s rising stature on the global stage.

Pakistan, ADB seal $730 million package

Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed two major initiatives — a power transmission strengthening project and an accelerating state-owned enterprise (SOE) transformation programme — totalling $730 million that would relieve overloading of existing transmission lines and improve operational efficiency. At the beginning of this year, Pakistan and ADB signed an agreement to provide $200 million in support to the country’s ailing power distribution system through network improvement. In the recent agreement, the second power transmission strengthening project amounts to $330m, while the accelerating SOE transformation programme is worth $400m, according to a statement issued on Thursday. Ministry of Economic Affairs Secretary Muhammad Humair Karim appreciated the Manila-based lending agency’s role and its continued support in advancing critical infrastructure and governance reforms, the statement said. He highlighted that the transmission project would “enable reliable evacuation of 2,300 megawatt f...

A heady aroma of malt and brewing yeast drifts through Pakistan’s oldest and, by far, largest brewery, which is gearing up for expansion after receiving approval to sell abroad after a nearly 50-year ban. Bottles and cans clatter along the production lines at Murree Brewery, founded in 1860 to quench the thirst of British soldiers and the colonial community during the Raj. It has survived opposition and strict regulations to become one of Pakistan’s most well-known companies. “It’s a journey of a roller-coaster and resilience,” Isphanyar Bhandara, the third generation of his family to run the business, told AFP in an interview. “Getting permission to export is another happy milestone,” he added. “My grandfather and late father tried to get the export licence, but couldn’t get it. Just because, you know, we are an Islamic country.” This photograph taken on December 17 shows Isphanyar Bhandara, Murree Brewery’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) speaking during an interview with AFP in Rawalpindi. — AFP However, Bha...

Leading US journal The Diplomat has termed 2025 a decisive year for Pakistan, highlighting a strategic resurgence marked by renewed military confidence and a notable improvement in the country’s international standing.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that Pakistan’s Christian community, which is celebrating Christmas today, is an integral part of the country’s national fabric. “Pakistan’s Christian community forms an integral part of our national fabric. Their enduring contributions to education, healthcare, and social welfare, and their sacrifices alongside the nation in the fight against terrorism, are deeply valued and a source of collective pride,” the premier said in his Christmas message on the social media platform X. He extended his “warmest greetings” to the Christian community across the world, and “especially to our Christian brothers and sisters in Pakistan”. “May this festive season fill hearts with joy, strengthen bonds of harmony, and bring peace, hope, and prosperity to all,” the premier said. Separately, a statement carried by state-run APP quoted him as saying that Christmas “conveys a universal message of love, peace, tolerance, and goodwill for all humanity”. He highlighted the role of the...