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Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan reaffirmed an agreement to enhance their bilateral trade volume up to $100 million at a session of their inter-governmental commission on Monday. Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic share longstanding relations, founded on deep-rooted cultural, historical and spiritual affinities. However, the bilateral trade volume has declined significantly, from $11.2m in 2022-23 to $5.18m in 2024-25. Addressing the fifth session of the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari said: “We acknowledge the pressing need to revitalise our trade engagement and reaffirm our shared aspiration to elevate bilateral trade up to $100m.” He added that Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan’s trade and economic relations would continue to serve as a foundation of their bilateral partnership. Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Edil Baisalov was present at the session, along with delegates from the Kyrgyz Republ...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Monday it has appointed Leah Gutierrez as the director general for its Central and West Asia Department, which oversees engagement with Pakistan and 10 other countries. The ADB is a key lender for Pakistan, with vital financing programmes underway, along with assisting in digital overhaul and climate policy plans. As director general, Gutierrez will deliver ADB’s strategic agenda in the Central and West Asia region, which includes Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Her appointment takes effect today, read a statement by ADB. “I am honoured to serve in this position and will continue to engage with developing member countries and stakeholders to promote inclusive growth, regional cooperation, and sustainable development across the region,” Gutierrez was quoted as saying. Gutierrez has over four decades of professional experience, including 25 years at ADB, the statement noted. “P...

Pakistan and Turkiye on Monday reaffirmed their shared commitment to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, unimpeded humanitarian assistance, and coordinated global efforts for a just and lasting peace in the region.

Pakistan women’s cricket captain Fatima Sana on Sunday said that her team will look to continue their winning momentum on the upcoming Ireland tour. On Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board named the squads, with Fatima continuing to lead the team, as the national selection committee named a 15-member squad for the forthcoming T20 International series in Ireland. The three-match T20 series against Ireland will be played at the Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin from August 6 to 10. In their last encounter in April, Pakistan women defeated Ireland by 38 runs in a low-scoring thriller to win the opening One-Day International (ODI) encounter of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Qualifiers. Led by Fatima, Pakistan subsequently qualified for the World Cup after winning the tournament unbeaten, which was held in Lahore earlier this year Responding to a question by Dawn.com at the National Stadium in Karachi, Fatima said, “Despite the difference in conditions, batters are confident and since our Qualifiers went well, we a...

Addressing at Regional Chiefs of Defence Staff Conference, Gen Asim Munir says deeper military-to-military coop, strategic dialogue and mutual trust is paramount to handle complex hybrid challenges Participating army leaderships recognises Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting peace and regional solidarity.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Saturday said Pakistan was committed to building a secure and prosperous environment in the region with the help of partner nations. Over the past week, Pakistan has made efforts to expand defence cooperation with other nations. Saudi Arabia’s naval chief met with Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza in Rawalpindi on Thursday, while COAS Munir met Chinese senior political and military leadership in Beijing on Friday. A statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Islamabad hosted the Regional Chiefs of Defence Staff Conference under the theme of ‘Strengthening Bonds, Securing Peace’ today, attended by senior military officials from the United States, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The ISPR said COAS Munir formally welcomed the distinguished defence delegations and reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to peace, stability and constructive engagement across the region. “In an era de...

Pakistan on Saturday convened the Central & South Asia Chiefs of Defence Conference in Islamabad, bringing together senior military leaders from the United States, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Pakistan has called for de-escalation and ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war and stressed that “echoes for peace must be heard” as Ambassador Usman Jadoon addressed a United Nations briefing. “Peace in Ukraine is long overdue,” Ambassador Jadoon, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, told the UN Council, which debated the situation in Ukraine on Friday after Russia invaded its neighbour in March 2022. “The calls for ending this conflict should not be allowed to go unheard or masked by the continued drums of war,” he added, highlighting that the conflict was now four years old. Pakistan, as a consistent advocate for peace, has called for de-escalation and giving primacy to dialogue over fighting, said Ambassador Jadoon, who at that time was chairing the 15-member meeting. “Only a sincere and meaningful dialogue which addresses mutual security concerns of all sides, is anchored in the principles of UN Charter and international law, and respects the relevant multilateral agreements ...

Health Minister Mustafa Kamal urged international stakeholders to explore partnerships in Pakistan’s rapidly evolving health landscape, highlighting the country’s “immense” potential for investment, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. Representing Pakistan at Boao Forum for Asia’s (BFA) Global Health Forum in Beijing yesterday, the health minister underscored that Pakistan presents “immense opportunities for collaboration, innovation and investment”. Established in 2001, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) is a non-profit international organisation promoting regional cooperation in Asia. It focuses on health issues related to economic development and wellbeing. The roundtable featured health ministers from all over the world, who discussed equal access to healthcare and sustainable reforms. “Pakistan is ready for partnerships in global health,” Kamal said, highlighting the country’s 250 million population, nursing cooperation and digital reforms. He pointed out that there were “significant opportunities ...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Friday announced that Pakistan and the United States are close to finalizing a mutually beneficial trade agreement, expected to be concluded within days.

ISLAMABAD - Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

ISLAMABAD - The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Pakistan on Friday agreed on the parliamentary exchanges for further enhancing bilateral cooperation in diverse areas such as trade, investment, aviation, science and technology and climate change.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio lauded Pakistan’s role in “global and regional peace” in his first meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday, the Foreign Office (FO) said. The deputy prime minister arrived in Washington, DC, on Thursday night, on the second leg of his eight-day visit to the US. He had arrived in New York on Monday to attend “high-level signature events” of Pakistan’s United Nations Security Council (UNSC) presidency, including a conference on Palestine. A statement issued by the FO today said that Dar held his first meeting with Rubio. The two have previously talked over the telephone. The FO said Rubio acknowledged Pakistan’s “everlasting sacrifices in the war on terror”. “Pakistan has always played a positive role in global and regional peace,” the FO quoted the US secretary of state as saying. The FO said that detailed discussions were held on bilateral relations and potential cooperation in various sectors. “Discussions were held on promoting...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday approved Pakistan’s first-ever Skills Impact Bond, a modern financing model designed to attract private investment aimed at enhancing youth employability. The approval came during a high-level review meeting on the roadmap for youth employment in the country. Under this innovative “Pay-for-Success” model, training programs will focus on […]

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Friday approved Pakistan’s Green Taxonomy, as proposed by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, in a “major step towards environmental sustainability”. “The chair appreciated the initiative, noting that it was long overdue and would play a vital role in facilitating access to financing for green projects in the country,” a statement issued by the Finance Division read. During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination in March, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad said the taxonomy will allow financial and non-financial companies to share a common definition of economic activities that can be considered environmentally sustainable. The statement issued today noted that the ECC meeting was held under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to deliberate on a range of important agenda items concerning industrial growth, environmental policy, skill development, housing...

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr Musadik Malik, urged global climate leaders to honour climate finance commitments and strengthen cooperation between developed and developing nations during the COP29 Heads of Delegation (HoD) Retreat held in Shamakhi, Azerbaijan.

Mohammad Rizwan will continue to lead Pakistan in a three-match ODI series against West Indies as a 16-member ODI squad was announced by the Men’s National Selection Committee, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday. “The series will be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago on Aug 8, 10 and 12,” the statement said. “Right-handed batter Hasan Nawaz is the only uncapped player in the ODI squad, while Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi are part of the ODI squad,” it added. The PCB also said that Pakistan will play three T20 Internationals against the West Indies, scheduled on July 31, Aug 2 and 3, at the Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium in USA’s Lauderhill. “Salman Ali Agha will captain the T20I side, while fast bowlers Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi return to the squad in this format,” the statement read. It added that Pakistan will arrive in the USA on July 27 following the conclusion of the three-match T20I series in Bangladesh. Pakistan OD...

A high-level military meeting was held on Friday as Major General Saidzoda Bobojon Abdukodir, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defence of Tajikistan, met with General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), at the Joint Staff Headquarters in Pakistan.

The Chinese leadership has lauded the role of the Pakistan Army and hailed it as a “cornerstone of resilience and a vital contributor” for peace in the region, the military’s media affairs wing said on Friday. Pakistan and China share a longstanding strategic partnership rooted in mutual trust, economic cooperation, and regional connectivity. Over the decades, ties have expanded across different sectors, including trade, energy, infrastructure, and defence collaboration, with initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) symbolising a shared vision for development. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir is currently on an official visit to China. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement today that he held meetings with senior Chinese political and military leadership in Beijing. “Chinese military leadership reiterated full confidence in the strength of the bilateral defence partnership and acknowledged Pakistan’s pivotal role in promoting regional peace,” it s...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain on Thursday called for concrete steps to expand economic ties between Pakistan and the ASEAN region.