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Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Saturday he was “taken aback” after the Foreign Office (FO) issued a statement distancing itself from the controversy surrounding the supposed inclusion of columnist Shama Junejo in Pakistan’s delegation for a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting. On September 25, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had addressed a UNSC session on artificial intelligence. However, photos from his speech had spread like wildfire on social media platform X as users had pointed to Junejo sitting in the background and shared several screenshots from her Twitter (now X) timeline from several years ago, expressing support for Israel. Following social media furore, Asif said on X that Junejo’s presence at the session was at the FO’s discretion. For its part, the FO clarified that she was not listed in the official letter of credence for the Pakistan delegation to the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session. The matter came up during Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ today, where...

Pakistan will be gunning for revenge, but an unbeaten India look firm favourites to retain the men’s Asia Cup title when the arch-rivals clash in a potentially testy final in Dubai on Sunday. The Indian juggernaut has crushed every opposition on their path before swaggering into the final of the eight-team tournament looking every inch the reigning 20-over world champions. Pakistan were beaten comprehensively twice, first in the group stage and then in Super Fours, by an India team containing the world’s top-ranked batter and bowler in the T20 format in opener Abhishek Sharma and spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Six-hitting machine Abhishek is also the tournament’s leading scorer with 309 runs from six innings, often setting the tone of India’s batting in the first six powerplay overs. In a low-scoring tournament where only Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka managed a century, Abhishek’s red-hot form at the top meant skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s struggle with the bat has not really been felt. Wily seamer Jasprit Bumrah ha...

A Pakistani diplomat hit back after an Indian delegate accused Pakistan of being a sponsor and promoter of terrorist acts, asserting that India practices state-sponsored terrorism as policy at home and abroad.

DUBAI: Under fire after their twin thrashings at the hands of India in the ongoing Asia Cup, Pakistan proved they were good enough to make it to the tournament’s final when they edged Bangladesh by 11 runs in their last Super Four outing on Thursday and all their matters now for the side are the title honours. For the national side’s head coach Mike Hesson, whose credentials were questioned after India outplayed them in the group-stage and Super Four clashes, Pakistan deserved to be in the final after beating all of their opponents through the course of the tournament apart from the archrivals. And it’s India only, who’ll be in Pakistan’s way to their Asia Cup title ambition come Sunday. “We’ve deserved this opportunity, and now it’s up to us to make the most of it,” Hesson told reporters on Thursday night. “All the games before this were about getting into a position to win the trophy. “We know that the only match that really counts is the final, and that’s our focus, to play our best game when it matters.” ...

ISLAMABAD: Members of a Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) subcommittee have forwarded several proposals to be considered while drafting rules for evaluating high court judges and setting criteria for their elevation. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail-led subcommittee met on Friday with Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) representative Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon, Senator Farooq H. Naek from the treasury benches and Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar from the opposition in attendance. The JCP subcommittee decided to consolidate and circulate each suggestion among all members for discussion at the next meeting, scheduled for the coming week and postponed proceedings, with an understanding to thoroughly discuss draft suggestions on framing benchmarks to assess judicial performance of sitting judges of the high courts. One of the proposals was to consider the time period within which a judgement is delivered after it has been reserved by a high court judge, since inordinate ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Pakistan stands ready for a composite, comprehensive, and result-oriented dialogue with India on all outstanding issues.

Negotiations are underway to finalize the schedule for Pakistan’s first pilot freight train to Russia, which would carry 16 containers of rice in its inaugural shipment.

ISLAMABAD - Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti yesterday accused India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), of orchestrating attempts to unite disparate militant groups under a single umbrella to launch coordinated attacks inside Pakistan.

Pakistan won by 11 runs after stumbling to 135-8 in the virtual semi-final against Bangladesh in their men’s Asia Cup Super Four fixture at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. With that win, the Green Shirts bookëd their final date with archrivals India for the first time in the 17th iteration of the Asia Cup on Sunday. Speaking at the post-match ceremony, player-of-the-match Shaheen Afridi said: “I attacked up-front as the team needed an early breakthrough — the three overs in the powerplay made all the difference.” He dedicated his award to his wife and son. The left-arm pacer scored a vital 19 of 13 balls and got 3-17 with the ball, striking in his signature manner in the very first over of the innings yet again. Skipper Salman Ali Agha said, “If we can win these kinds of games, then we must be a special team.” He commended Mohammad Haris’s crucial 31 runs down the order, terming him a “special player”. On a pitch that spun prodigiously, Pakistan were staring down the barrel at 49-5 in the 11t...

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav is facing controversy after the International Cricket Council (ICC) acknowledged remarks he made following India’s Asia Cup group-stage victory over Pakistan on September 14, saying that it is reviewing a complaint lodged by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and has had a formal hearing, Hindustan Times reported on Thursday. The move comes after the PCB lodged an official complaint with the ICC against Yadav for dedicating its September 14 win over Pakistan to “the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack”. At least 24 people had been killed in the April attack, which led to a brief military escalation between India and Pakistan, as New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack without evidence. The ICC confirmed that it is reviewing a complaint filed by the PCB and a formal hearing took place today, as per Hindustan Times. “[Match referee Richie] Richardson heard Suryakumar’s explanation and is expected to deliver his verdict on Friday,” Hindustan Times added. The outle...

Pakistan has finalized preparations to launch a state-of-the-art hyperspectral satellite into space this October, marking a significant milestone in the country’s space program.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has hailed the Rs1.2 trillion bank loan secured to settle Pakistan’s circular debt as the “largest financing and largest restructuring transaction” in the country’s history. On Wednesday, the government signed loan facilities worth approximately Rs1.225tr with 18 banks to settle the outstanding dues of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) parked in circular debt. These dues will be serviced through a Rs3.23 per unit surcharge on consumers for a period of six years. The signing ceremony was held at the PM Office, witnessed virtually by the prime minister from New York. No official announcement was made, although ministers confirmed the signing of the agreement. Under the agreement, the government will have 30 days to request disbursements from banks for prompt utilisation to avoid penalties. Today, the ceremony was aired on television, with both the premier and the finance minister addressing the gathering. In his remarks, Aurangzeb said that facility “resolves the structural ...

Pakistan has called for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to be regulated by the United Nations charter, particularly its military use, warning that “AI must not become a tool of coercion.” As artificial intelligence advances without meaningful checks, Pakistan’s call at the UN reflects wider concerns voiced by developing nations that powerful states will shape the rules to their advantage. Earlier this year, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution urging inclusive and equitable AI governance that bridges the digital divide, while countries in the Global South, from Indonesia to Brazil, have warned that unchecked deployment risks deepening inequalities. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, while speaking at a high-level debate on AI under the agenda item ‘Maintenance of international peace and security’ during the sidelines of the 80th UNGA session in New York, highlighted AI’s potential for misuse and called for the UN Charter and international law to “fully govern the develo...

The Pakistan women’s team on Wednesday started training for the Women’s Cricket World Cup, in Sri Lanka’s Colombo, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. The Women in Green arrived in the Sri Lankan capital late on Tuesday as the tournament is set to start on September 30 in India’s Guwahati. The eight-nation showpiece will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from Sept 30 to Nov 2. However, Pakistan — under an International Cricket Council (ICC) hybrid model decided by the ICC due to political strains between New Delhi and Islamabad — will play all their matches of the event in Colombo. “The team on Wednesday participated in its first training session at the Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium,” APP reported. The session focused on batting, bowling, and fielding under the guidance of head coach Muhammad Wasim, APP added. Before the World Cup begins, Pakistan will play two crucial warm-up matches. Their first encounter will be against Sri Lanka on September 25, followed by a match against South Africa on Septembe...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday stated that Pakistan was steadily meeting its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme commitments, but urged the lender to take into account the recent flood damage in its upcoming review for the country. The prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. According to a Topline Securities’ report, Pakistan is on track to meet all seven Quantitative Performance Criteria (QPC) set by the IMF ahead of the September 25 review of its $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), which was approved in May this year. The review will assess Pakistan’s performance for the March–June quarter of 2025. However, massive floods in the country have struck both the rural heartland and industrial centres for the first time in decades, causing billions of dollars in damage while straining food supplies, exports and a fragile economic recove...

Google on Wednesday announced the rollout of its ‘Google AI Plus plan’ in 40 more countries, including Pakistan. The plan was first launched in Indonesia earlier this month with “positive” reception. According to Google, the new plan opens up “more access to powerful AI tools to help people level up their productivity and creativity at an accessible price”. “Pakistan’s digital landscape is vibrant and growing, and we’ve been inspired by the creativity Pakistanis have shown in adopting AI tools,” said the Country Director of Google Pakistan, Farhan Qureshi, in a statement. “With the launch of Google AI Plus, we are making these tools even more accessible to more people across the country. This is a core part of our commitment to fuel Pakistan’s digital transformation, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to enhance their productivity, creativity, and learning with AI,” Qureshi was quoted as saying. The plan includes the following features: Higher limits for image generation and editing (Nano Banana) in t...

Pakistan has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to take decisive action to uphold human dignity, ensure accountability, and advance a just two-State solution for peace in the Middle East.

ISLAMABAD - The World Bank on Tuesday revealed that poverty rate in Pakistan has rapidly increased by seven percent in last three years and recorded at 25.

ISLAMABAD - Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia, declaring that “protecting the land of the Two Holy Mosques is not merely a duty, it is a sacred privilege and honour.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has dispatched emergency aid to support Pakistan’s flood-hit communities, reaffirming Beijing’s role as a close ally in times of crisis.