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Pakistan and Austria on Monday agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Chancellor Christian Stocker in Vienna. PM Shehbaz arrived in Vienna a day earlier on a two-day visit, with the Foreign Office (FO) noting that it marked the first visit by a Pakistani prime minister to Austria since 1992. PM Shehbaz and Stocker held a “restricted meeting” at the Federal Chancellery today, which was followed by delegation-level talks, a press release issued by PID said. The delegation talks included Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi, and Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch. The statement read: “Both leaders recalled the friendly and historic ties between the two countries and committed to work together more closely to further strengthen the bilateral relationship in diverse fields, including economic cooperation, trade and investment, tourism, hospitality, education, IT, healthcare and human reso...

ISLAMABAD: In a meeting with a delegation from Pakistan on Monday, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake appreciated Islamabad’s support during “difficult times”. The Sri Lankan president shared photos of the meeting held in Colombo on social media platform X, saying that he had met Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain. “We reaffirmed our enduring friendship [and] appreciated Pakistan’s support to Sri Lanka during difficult times,” the post by Dissanayake said. He further stated that the “Pakistan delegation conveyed special thanks from Pakistan’s president and prime minister for Sri Lanka’s timely intervention when Pakistan’s participation in the T20 [World Cup] was uncertain”. Days ahead of the ongoing T20 global showpiece, the Pakistan government had decided that the country’s cricket team would not play against India in the group-stage match. The decision had come after Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the ...

Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, in a meeting with the deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi, affirmed that the security and stability of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are “an integral part of Pakistan’s own security”, the military’s media wing said on Monday. Field Marshal Munir made the remarks during a meeting with the Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which they discussed “ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors, particularly in the fields of economic collaboration, investment and security,” according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The two leaders also “exchanged views on regional developments and emphasised the importance of continued coordination to promote peace and stability in the region,” ISPR added. Field Marshal Munir, during the meeting, “expressed his sincere appreciation and gratitude to the government of the UAE for its longstanding investments and ...

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Commander of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Monday reaffirmed that the security and stability of the United Arab Emirates are intrinsically linked to Pakistan’s own security, citing deep-rooted historical ties and a strong strategic partnership between the two countries.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have decided to broaden collaboration between their interior ministries, placing special emphasis on internal security coordination, counter-terrorism initiatives, and anti-narcotics operations.

Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned Israel’s latest move to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property”, calling on the international community to reject its actions, according to a statement by the Foreign Office (FO). Al Jazeera reported on Sunday that the Israeli government had approved the proposal to claim large areas of the occupied territory as property of the state if Palestinians could not prove ownership, a move which prompted outcry from Palestinian group Hamas, the Palestinian presidency, and political analysts. “Pakistan strongly condemns the latest attempt by the Israeli occupying power to convert areas of the Occupied West Bank into so-called state property, and to expand illegal settlement activities,” the statement said. It pointed out that these steps clearly violated international law and relevant United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, stressing that they “must be rejected” by the international community. “The occupying power’s continued d...

• US diplomat underscores Islamabad’s role in ‘multilateral diplomacy’, ‘stability’ in South Asia • CDF Munir meets Rubio, top defence leaders on sidelines WASHINGTON: After Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir discussed “global and regional security dynamics” with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a senior US diplomat has highlighted Pakistan’s key role in Washington’s global strategy. US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz highlighted Pakistan’s role in Washington’s global and regional diplomacy. “We could walk around the world — Kashmir and India and Pakistan — where we faced a very serious nuclear escalation,” he said during the Munich Security Conference, underlining enduring US concerns about strategic stability in South Asia. Ambassador Waltz also linked Pakistan to multilateral diplomacy. “The United Nations Security Council created the ‘Board of Peace’ — unanimously — with countries such as Pakistan, our friends in the UK, France and other...

Pakistan on Sunday lost their blockbuster clash with arch-rivals India by 61 runs, being bowled out for 114 in Colombo. With the win against Pakistan, India made it to the Super Eight. Pakistan, however, will have to beat Namibia in their last group-stage match on February 18 to qualify for the next round. After the match, criticism of the national team’s performance flooded social media, coming from former players and cricketing icons. Former Pakistan player and commentator Ramiz Raja called the match “a bit of a disaster — especially batting”. “India have been fielding [the] same bowling attack against Pakistan since last two or three years, and every time [the] batsmen have been woefully ordinary,” he said in a post on X, adding that there was no growth. Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf took aim at Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Shadab Khan, saying that “time’s up” for them. “Pakistan’s T20 squad needs new performers, not empty wins against weaker sides,” he said. Former opener Ahmed...

There are nights when Pakistan versus India feels like theatre: breathless, chaotic, hanging by a thread. And then there are nights like the one in Colombo. At the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, this was not a last-over classic or a heart-stopping choke. It was clinical. India posted 175, Pakistan were rolled for 114. A 61-run defeat. No controversy to dissect, no umpiring debate to hide behind, no “if only” moments to cling to. Just a gulf. Here are five takeaways from a game that was disappointingly straightforward. Agha’s captaincy: bold or baffling? Salman Ali Agha did not hide behind convention and that alone deserves akcnowledgement. He decided to chase on a slow Colombo surface that was expected to grip more under lights. Bold. He opened the bowling himself and dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a duck - poetic, especially after publicly stating he wanted the Indian opener to play. He even promoted himself to bat at no.3 earlier in the tournament, leading by example. But bold decisions are a double-edged sword. O...

Pakistan has received an invitation to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh’s new prime minister scheduled to be held in Dhaka on Feb 17, the Foreign Office confirmed on Sunday.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted on Saturday that no matter how much his team tried to prepare for Sunday’s T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan as “just another game”, it would be much more than that. “It’s a big platform, obviously,” Suryakumar told reporters in Colombo, venue for Sunday’s massive Group A showdown. “No matter how much you say that it’s just another game, it is a big game.” The biggest and most lucrative clash in world cricket has sold out the 35,000-capacity R Premadasa stadium with hundreds of millions more expected to watch on television. The game was only confirmed as going ahead late on Monday night after the government reversed its decision to boycott the blockbuster Group A game. “We don’t play them often, don’t even play them regularly,” said the Indian skipper. “But at the end of the day, we try to keep things simple and try to execute our best game. “There is pressure, but there is a big opportunity,” said Suryakumar. “According to me, when you play an India-Pakistan game, i...

Silver prices in Pakistan saw a modest rise today, with the standard chandi ka rate at Rs.

ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday highlighting the rapid changes facing the world, ranging from geopolitical shifts and hybrid threats to cybersecurity, reiterated that, amidst all such challenges, Pakistan stood ready to work with all nations to build understanding, peace and sustainable development.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held a telephone call with United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, lauding the Gulf country’s “consistent and unwavering support to Pakistan”. According to a press release, during their “warm and cordial conversation”, the two leaders “fondly” recalled their recent meetings in Islamabad and Rahim Yar Khan last month. “The prime minister lauded the UAE’s consistent and unwavering support to Pakistan that had helped the country navigate through difficult challenges,” the statement said. “This support was a manifestation of the historic, fraternal bonds between the leadership and the people of both countries,” PM Shehbaz was quoted as saying. The statement added that the two leaders reaffirmed their shared desire to further enhance mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and the UAE. “The two leaders also exchanged views on other matters of mutual interest and agreed to remain in close contact,” the statement said. In a post on the...

Prices of flights and hotel bookings to Colombo, Sri Lanka, have soared as thousands of fans flock to the city to watch India play Pakistan on Sunday in cricket’s Twenty20 World Cup. The neighbouring countries and cricket rivals are due to meet during the group stage of the tournament, which is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, after Pakistan reversed a decision to boycott the match earlier in the week. The game at Sri Lanka’s largest stadium is sold out with roughly 35,000 tickets sold, and ahead of the match, most hotels in Colombo have doubled their prices — the cost of a room has climbed as high as $660 a night from a typical price tag of about $100-$150 per night, multiple booking sites showed. After the match was finalised this week, last-minute bookings led to fuller flights from major cities like Chennai and Delhi, according to three Colombo travel agencies. Flights from Chennai, which is about one and a half hours away, have more than tripled to around $623-$756, while flights from Delhi are up...

Pakistan on Friday reiterated its call for Afghan territory to cease being used for terrorism against neighbouring states, as the United Nations Security Council unanimously renewed the mandate of the Monitoring Team supporting the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee for another 12 months.

• FO backs Muscat dialogue, says Islamabad ‘ready to take part in any form of diplomacy’ on Iran • Confirms PM Shehbaz, FM Dar will attend ‘Board of Peace’ meeting in Washington next week • Pakistan ‘will stand by Muslim bloc to raise collective voice for Palestinians’ ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to move towards direct negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme. “Whilst we stand ready to participate in any format of dialogue and diplomacy on Iran, we encourage the relevant parties to have as direct a negotiation framework as possible,” Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi said at the weekly media briefing. The indirect Iran-US talks took place in Muscat on Feb 6 amid heightened regional tensions, including an expanded US military presence and warnings from President Donald Trump of severe consequences if no deal is reached. The session was mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who shuttled between the two sides. Both sides described the discussions as a “...

Pakistan has marked a major achievement in its national space programme with the successful launch of its second indigenous Earth Observation Satellite, EO-2, from China’s Yangjiang Seashore Launch Centre on Thursday. Developed by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), the EO-2 satellite is designed to significantly enhance the country’s earth observation and high-resolution imaging capabilities. The officials of Suparco said the satellite will provide critical data to support national development planning, natural resource management, environmental monitoring, and urban expansion. It will also strengthen governance, disaster management, climate analysis, and strategic decision-making by delivering accurate and timely satellite imagery. With the addition of EO-2, Pakistan has expanded its satellite fleet, ensuring improved continuity, coverage, and precision of earth observation data, added the space agency. Suparco officials termed the launch a milestone in Pakistan’s space journey, no...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States on Thursday agreed to promote partnership in the mining, minerals and energy sectors. According to a handout from the interior ministry, the agreement was reached during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs John Mark Pomeroy. During the meeting, the US official said that the country attached great importance to its relationship with Pakistan. He condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Quetta and expressed condolences to the victims. The interior minister welcomed US investment in the mining, minerals, and energy sectors and assured that American investors would be provided with the safest possible environment in Pakistan. ‎During the meeting, Pakistan–US bilateral relations and the regional situation were discussed, along with ways to enhance cooperation in counterterrorism, particularly in the field of internal security. Speaking on the occasion, Naqvi said that global...

Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Thursday said it has formally sought detailed information from India regarding the Sawalkot Dam project, reaffirming that there will be no compromise on the country’s water rights.