Pakistan | Pakistan

Pakistan achieved a major milestone in its national space programme on Thursday with the successful launch of its second indigenous Earth Observation Satellite, EO-2, from China’s Yangjiang Seashore Launch Centre.

When rooftop solar was first incentivised in Pakistan in 2015, the policy objective was clear: to enable households to generate their own electricity, reduce reliance on the grid, and become more self-sufficient in meeting their energy needs.

Pakistan dispatched another consignment of humanitarian supplies to Gaza on Thursday as part of measures to provide Palestinians with life-saving aid following Israel’s invasion of the enclave. The latest aid consignment was dispatched by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), with the support of Al-Khidmat Foundation. This is the second aid consignment sent by Islamabad within the last week. Earlier, on Monday, the 28th consignment was dispatched. Pakistan had sent the first aid consignment, including medicines and tents, for the people of Gaza on Oct 19, 2023, days after the Israeli bombardment began. The relief goods were dispatched through a chartered flight from Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore to Egypt’s Al-Arish airport for onward delivery to Gaza. Israel, which controls all access to the Gaza Strip, denies withholding supplies for its two million residents. Tel Aviv’s two-year relentless onslaught on the Gaza Strip killed more than 71,000 Palestinians, displaced most of its pop...

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration’s point man for South and Central Asia has told Congress that Pakistan remains an important US partner in the region, with Washington seeking to expand trade, economic cooperation, and security ties with the country. Addressing the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Sub-committee on South and Central Asia on Wednesday, Assistant Secretary of State Paul Kapur underscored Pakistan’s role in regional engagement and highlighted growing bilateral cooperation. “Pakistan is another important partner in the region. We are working together with Pakistan to realise the potential of its critical mineral resources, combining US government seed financing with private sector know-how would benefit both of our countries,” he told the sub-committee. Referring to broader economic engagement, Kapur said: “Our trade in energy and agriculture is expanding as well.” He also pointed to continued security cooperation between the two countries, adding: “And our ongoing counter-terrorism cooperatio...

WASHINGTON: The United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) office has removed a controversial map of India from its official X (formerly Twitter) account after Pakistan lodged a strong diplomatic protest over the depiction of internationally-recognised disputed territories as part of India, diplomatic sources told Dawn on Wednesday. The map, which accompanied a USTR press release announcing a framework for an interim US-India trade agreement, showed the entire Jammu and Kashmir region — including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan — within Indian boundaries. It also depicted China’s Aksai Chin region as part of India, despite the fact that the area is claimed by China and remains disputed. It was posted on the site on Friday evening, but had been removed by Monday evening, which was also the first working day after the weekend. Diplomatic sources said Pakistan conveyed its protest both to the US Embassy in Islamabad and to State Department officials in Washington, stressing that the map contradicted...

Pakistan keen to further enhance economic relations with Indonesia: PM.

Ambassador of Pakistan to Hungary, Asif Memon, on Tuesday called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and discussed matters of mutual interest.

India on Tuesday said it would be “a challenge” to face a “quality” Pakistan team in Colombo after Islamabad decided to play the blockbuster T20 World Cup clash. “It’s great that the game is back on, we kind of never changed the preparation,” said India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. India will face a second Group A match against Namibia on Thursday in New Delhi before flying to Sri Lanka. It means a quick turnaround for Sunday’s match, the biggest and most lucrative clash in world cricket. “It’s going to be a challenge going to Colombo where Pakistan have been for the last two weeks,” added Ten Doeschate. “We are delighted to have another chance to play against a quality side in the first phase of the tournament. “We are fully focused on just bringing our best game to that fixture.” Sri Lanka, who will host the match that generates multi-millions of dollars in advertising, broadcast rights, sponsorship and tourism, also praised the decision. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in a social med...

In a sudden move, the government recently terminated the existing net-metering regime for all existing and future net-metered solar consumers, known as prosumers, and replaced it with a net-billing regime for all. The stated rationale behind this development — which could mean longer payback periods and lower overnight returns — is the need to address the technical, financial and equity concerns that have emerged from the mushrooming growth of solar power in Pakistan over the last couple of years. Under the changes, the buyback rate for electricity exported to the grid by solarised consumers has been reduced from the existing Rs26 per unit to Rs11 per unit. The new export rate broadly reflects the national average energy purchase price at which the government purchases electricity from power plants. At first glance, this price reform appears overdue. Like most electricity tariff interventions, however, it is not merely a technical adjustment but carries significant long-term implications for consumers, electr...

Pakistan Air Force’s participation in the ongoing World Defence Show 2026 (WDS-26) in Saudi Arabia highlights the country’s role as an emerging hub for aerospace innovation, operational competence, and reliable defence solutions, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday. “[The] World Defence Show 2026 serves as a premier global platform for defence and security,” the press release said. “PAF’s participation at WDS-2026 reinforces Pakistan’s position as an emerging hub of aerospace innovation, operational competence and reliable defence solutions.” The ISPR added that the participation in the show underscored PAF’s commitment to showcasing Pakistan’s “rapidly advancing indigenous aerospace capabilities and its proven operational excellence”. The military’s media wing added that the force will feature its “cutting-edge JF-17 Thunder Block-III multi-role fighter jet and the highly acclaimed Super Mushshak basic trainer aircraft”. “The JF-17 Block-III, representing the p...

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for ensuring that Pakistan will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026 clash against India.

Pakistan’s ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 improved by one point, moving from 135 out of 180 countries in 2024 to 136 out of 182 countries in 2025. At the same time, the country’s CPI score increased by one point, from 27 in 2024 to 28 in 2025, according to Transparency International’s report published on Tuesday. While Pakistan is undertaking commendable efforts in governance and institutional reforms, it is imperative that the recommendations of the IMF Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment are implemented effectively. This is essential to sustain Pakistan’s upward momentum in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in the coming years, said the Chair of Transparency International Pakistan, Justice Zia Perwez. The Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) notes that corruption is worsening globally, with even established democracies experiencing rising corruption amid a decline in leadership. The 2025 index shows that the number of countries scoring above 80 has shrunk fro...

The government announced on Monday that Pakistan would play the T20 World Cup match against India, scheduled for February 15. The decision to play the match comes after a delegation from the ICC arrived in the country over the weekend and held meetings with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on the team’s participation in the match against India. It also came hours after Sri Lanka urged Pakistan to play India. In a post on X, the government said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was formally briefed by PCB Chairman Naqvi regarding the outcomes of high-level deliberations held between the PCB, representatives of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). “The government of Pakistan has reviewed the formal requests extended to the PCB by the BCB, as well as the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan’s leadership in securing a viable solution to recent challenges,” i...

Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan absolutely ready to accept challenge, work with global partners 1,000 fully funded PhD scholarships in AI will be offered to students.

USA leg-spinner Mohammad Mohsin said on Monday that “the pressure will be on Pakistan” when the teams lock horns in the T20 World Cup again, two years after the Americans inflicted a shock defeat on the former champions. But Pakistan quick bowler Salman Mirza insisted the stunning super over defeat in Dallas in the 2024 T20 World Cup would be firmly “in the past” when the two clash in Colombo on Tuesday. The USA team gave tournament favourites India a big scare in their opening match in Mumbai, reducing them to 77-6 at one point, with Mohsin taking a wicket on his T20 World Cup debut, before losing by 29 runs. They are confident they can repeat their stunning upset of two years ago in the Group A encounter. “The pressure of losing the last game will be on Pakistan,” said Mohsin. Born and brought up playing cricket in Pakistan, Mohsin migrated to the US five years ago and warned that the USA was a better team now than two years ago. “I have played with most of the players in this Pakistan team, so I have given...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced the government’s plan to invest $1 billion in artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030. The Indus AI Week 2026 is being held from February 9 to 15 (Sunday). The event’s website describes it as “Pakistan’s official national platform for artificial intelligence — where policy, innovation, talent and investment converge”. “The government of Pakistan is committed to investing $1 billion in AI by 2030, which will go a long way in building an AI ecosystem in our country,” the premier said while addressing the event’s inauguration ceremony in Islamabad. Announcing further steps the country aims to take to keep up with modern technologies, PM Shehbaz said an AI curriculum would be introduced “not only in all federally-controlled or -run schools but all schools” of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). He emphasised that the plan would be implemented in remote parts of Balochistan as well to “pair our youth for leadership and digital economy”. The prime m...

Eight Muslim countries, including Pakistan, in a joint statement on Monday, warned against the “continued expansionist Israeli policies” in the occupied West Bank. In the statement, the foreign minister of Pakistan — along with those of Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar — “condemned in the strongest terms the illegal Israeli decisions and measures aimed at imposing unlawful Israeli sovereignty, entrenching settlement activity, and enforcing a new legal and administrative reality in the occupied West Bank, thereby accelerating attempts at its illegal annexation and the displacement of the Palestinian people”. The statement comes a day after Israel’s security cabinet approved a series of steps that would make it easier for settlers in the occupied West Bank to buy land while granting Israeli authorities more enforcement powers over Palestinians, according to Israeli media. Citing statements by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Israel K...

The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has announced revised Zakat al-Fitr and Fidyah rates for Ramadan 2026 across Pakistan.

The capital city, Islamabad, witnessed the opening of Indus AI Week 2026, a landmark event signaling Pakistan’s growing focus on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Pakistan has dispatched another 100-tonne consignment of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Monday. Since the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out on Oct 7, 2023, Pakistan has sent numerous aid items intended for the Gaza Strip, which was besieged at least until a ceasefire was secured in October 2025. According to NDMA, the consignment comprised 100 tonnes of tents and was sent with the support of Alkhidmat Foundation. This was the 28th relief consignment sent by Pakistan, bringing the total volume of humanitarian assistance sent to 2,727 tonnes. The relief goods were dispatched through a special flight from Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore to Egypt’s El Arish International Airport “for onward delivery to Gaza”, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. Punjab housing minister Bilal Yasin was a special guest at the dispatch, which was attended by officials of the NDMA and the foreign ministry, NDMA stated. Pakistan had first...