Islamabad | Pakistan

Islamabad’s Red Zone was closed for traffic as the capital braces to welcome foreign delegations, police said on Sunday, with alternate traffic plans issued to facilitate citizens. “Due to the arrival of foreign delegations in Islamabad, Red Zone and Extended Red Zone will remain completely closed for all kinds of traffic,” the police said in a statement on X. The alternative traffic plans will remain in place from today until further directives, they said. The Cabinet Division also said in a notification that all ministries, divisions and other federal government establishments located in Islamabad’s Red Zone should adopt a work-from-home arrangement on April 20. “All officers and secretarial staff shall remain at the station and be prepared to attend office when required at a short notice,” the notification said. Similarly, a notification by the Islamabad district magistrate said that entry into Red Zone would remain suspended on April 20, and in view of the development, all public and private offices and s...

MARDAN: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Sunday that he had conveyed a message to incarcerated PTI founder, Imran Khan, stating that he was ready to “be in Islamabad” — ostensibly to hold a power show in the federal capital. “I conveyed to him that I am ready, the nation is ready, Pakistanis are ready … If you give us the go-ahead, we will be in Islamabad the next day,” he told a charged crowd at a public gathering in Mardan. He said Imran had instructed to consult Tehreek Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan leaders Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Mehmood Khan Achakzai as well, and he would be mindful of that. Turning his guns on the incumbent federal government, he said they had been unable to make Imran bow under the pressure of “baseless and fabricated cases”, filed against him and his spouse, Bushra Bibi. He accused the government of committing “cruelty and injustice” against Imran, his sisters and Bushra Bibi. Afridi decried that Imran and Bushra Bibi were being deprived of the right to get medi...

Security in Islamabad has been further tightened ahead of a potential second round of talks between the United States and Iran, according to reports citing official sources.

The Islamabad and Rawalpindi administrations on Friday refuted reports regarding the closure of transport terminals. In a post on the social media platform X, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfaz Nawaz Memon said, “All bus terminals in Islamabad are open as usual. All types of transport are operating as usual at all bus terminals, including Faizabad.” Further, the Islamabad Traffic Police also clarified that reports regarding the closure of transport stands in the federal capital were baseless. A traffic police official said that inter-city transport in Islamabad was operating as usual and no shutdown had been ordered. He said any decision regarding closure of bus terminals or inter-city public transport would be communicated to the public in advance through official channels. The official urged citizens to rely only on verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports. The same was also shared by the Islamabad Traffic Police on X. Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema also s...

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim shake hands in Doha; and (right) Field Marshal Asim Munir meets Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in Tehran.—Reuters/AFP • Claims Iran has accepted ‘almost everything’ in talks • Nuclear issue remains key sticking point; US presses for complete dismantlement • Pakistan-led diplomacy, CDF’s Tehran visit gain global attention • FO says Pakistan maintaining ‘open channels’ with both sides • Massive security deployment planned in Islamabad, Rawalpindi WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he may travel to Islamabad if a final agreement with Iran is signed there, while claiming that Tehran has accepted “almost everything” currently under negotiation. Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn before departing for Nevada and Arizona, Trump expressed optimism about Pakistan-led diplomatic efforts to end hostilities and secure a settlement before the current ceasefire expires. “If a deal is signed in Islamabad, I may go,...

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that if a deal with Iran to end the war was reached and signed in Islamabad, he might go there, claiming that Iran had agreed to almost everything. He also said that the US and Iran were “very close” to signing a peace deal. Trump struck an optimistic tone about Iran as he spoke with reporters on the White House lawn on his way to a trip to Nevada and Arizona. Pakistan’s civil and military leadership has been engaged in feverish diplomacy, seeking to bring the US and Iran back to the negotiating table after the Islamabad Talks over the weekend yielded no result. Now, there are reports that the negotiating teams from the US and Iran could return to Islamabad. The talks were held as a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran remained in effect. The ceasefire paused hostilities that began with the US-Israeli strikes on February 28. During the conversation at the White House, Trump was asked if he would go to Pakistan to seal the deal himself, t...

US President Donald Trump on Thursday indicated he could visit Islamabad if a nuclear agreement with Iran is finalised there, describing ongoing negotiations as “very positive.

ISLAMABAD: Security arrangements in Islamabad were in overdrive on Thursday as speculation continued about the federal capital possibly hosting a second round of talks between the US and Iran. Speaking to Dawn, senior police officials said a meeting — chaired by the deputy inspector general of logistics — was held last night, during which a shortage of manpower in connection with the security arrangements came to light. Officials have also begun carpeting the Islamabad Expressway to remove bumps and potholes in a bid to ensure a smooth drive from Nur Khan Airbase to the Red Zone, they said. Meanwhile, police in the federal capital have also sought 7,000 personnel from Punjab police, 3,000 of whom reached Islamabad on Thursday, the senior officials said. Accommodation for the additional force has been arranged at different locations, including Liaqat Gymnasium and a school in F-7, they added. The remaining force from Punjab was likely to be sent from different districts, including Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranw...

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to finalise regulations for Islamabad’s informal settlements in petitions against the recent demolition drives in the federal capital. The development comes amid an ongoing demolition drive launched by the CDA, which has targeted informal settlements across the federal capital, as well as historic villages like Saidpur, Malpur and Nurpur Shahan. Thursday’s hearing was presided over by FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan. During the hearing, he directed the CDA to formulate rules for regularising informal settlements in Islamabad. Lawyer Faisal Siddiqui appeared on behalf of the petitioner, while lawyer Qasim Chohan represented the CDA. Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman was also present at the hearing. “Why have the regulations not been finalised yet?” Justice Khan asked the AAG during the hearing. At this, the AAG said that “there had been a delay due to the CDA chairman being changed,” assuring ...

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday expressed strong displeasure over the cutting of trees in the federal capital despite previous orders, warning the authorities of contempt proceedings in case of further violations. IHC’s Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, while hearing multiple petitions against tree cutting in various sectors, observed that the court’s injunction orders issued on January 15 and April 8 had been ignored. Appearing on behalf of the petitioners, advocates Mudassar Latif Abbasi and Umair Asad argued that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) were continuing to cut trees without lawful justification. During the proceedings, Advocate Abbasi informed the court that more than 30,000 trees had been cut across Islamabad under the pretext of removing paper mulberry trees, without obtaining mandatory approval from the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA). He further pointed out that the CDA, in its para-wise comments, had failed to clarify whether any expert assessment w...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and the United Kingdom yesterday held a high-level exchange on the evolving regional situation and the outcomes of the Islamabad talks, as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and China yesterday held extensive consultations on the recently concluded Islamabad talks, as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar engaged in high-level diplomatic exchanges with his Chinese counterpart and the envoy in Islamabad, reaffirming their shared commitment to regional peace and stability.

Following talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad over the weekend, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that “full efforts” were ongoing to resolve the conflict. “Today, the ceasefire still stands. As I am talking to you, matters that are not resolved, full efforts are underway to resolve them,” he said in a televised address to the federal cabinet. In his first remarks on the matter after the negotiations concluded, the premier hailed talks between the two countries in Islamabad as a “historic moment”. He said the Islamabad Talks gave Pakistan a chance to “turn looming clouds of war into lasting peace”. PM Shehbaz added that “if you look through history — take the Oslo Agreement, the Geneva Accord, the Good Friday Agreement … it took months and sometimes years to end hostilities and establish peace”. Coming to the Islamabad Talks, he said that the Iranian and American delegations had negotiated “continuously for 21 hours”. The dialogue, he said, was not held indirectly. “It was the fir...

ISLAMABAD: A police search operation targeting Afghan residents in Islamabad turned violent when officers were attacked, resulting in injuries to four officers and the arrest of 23 people who now face terrorism charges, authorities said. The clash erupted in the Sarai Kharboza area when residents resisted the operation, according to an FIR filed at the Golra Police Station. The report, lodged by Assistant Sub-Inspector Saqib Mehmood, alleges that a group led by a suspect identified as Mubeen abducted a police official, held him inside a house, and then set the building on fire. Attackers also snatched a submachine gun from an officer and opened fire with the “intent to kill,” the formal complaint stated. The 23 individuals arrested in connection with the incident are being investigated under multiple statutes, including Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. A team from the Counter Terrorism Department has launched a wider operation to find and apprehend additional suspects who fled the scene, police said. In a...

• Support aimed at easing pressure on foreign exchange reserves • Islamabad preparing to repay $3.5bn UAE debt this month • Finance Minister Aurangzeb departs for IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings • Visit seen as critical amid regional tensions, economic pressures • Officials hope for ‘peace dividends’ in engagements with global lenders ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to receive $5 billion in financial support from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, offering a critical buffer for its fragile external position, as Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb departed for Washington on Saturday to attend the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings and advance the country’s economic diplomacy. The expected inflows come at a crucial juncture, with Islamabad preparing to repay $3.5bn to the United Arab Emirates this month and facing pressure on its foreign exchange reserves, even as it seeks to leverage its role in facilitating US-Iran dialogue to secure economic support from global lenders. Officials in Islamabad say the visit comes at a critical ju...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s federal capital emerged as a quiet diplomatic winner amid global focus as the United States and Iran trusted Islamabad for the dialogue.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced on Saturday that comprehensive facilities were being ensured at the1 Jinnah Convention Center for seamless coverage of the historic Islamabad peace talks.

Authorities have announced a comprehensive traffic diversion plan in Islamabad ahead of the arrival of foreign delegations for high-level talks between the United States and Iran.

The delegation from Iran touched down in Islamabad late on Friday night ahead of talks with the United States, with US Vice President JD Vance and his delegation en route to Pakistan as well. The talks are taking place during a two-week halt in the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began with the former launching attacks on the latter on February 28. An appeal by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier this week led to a pause in the fighting, with negotiations scheduled for Saturday. According to the Foreign Office (FO), the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and comprising Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the defence council secretary, governor of Iran’s central bank and lawmakers, was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. “DPM/FM expressed the hope that parties would engage constructively, and reit...

US Vice President JD Vance has departed for Islamabad to lead the American delegation in the upcoming Iran–US negotiations being hosted under the mediation of Pakistan.