Washington | Pakistan

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Wednesday that Washington’s military campaign against Iran, codenamed “Operation Epic Fury”, had concluded and that any subsequent American military action would be defensive in nature rather than part of an ongoing offensive operation. Rubio made the remarks during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing when members of Congress questioned the administration’s assessment of the conflict and its aftermath. His comments came amid continuing concerns over regional security, the deployment of US forces across the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route through which a significant share of the world’s oil exports pass. During the hearing, Rubio announced, “We’re no longer conducting sustained strikes inside of Iran to degrade their military, because Epic Fury is over.” Later, he reiterated: “Epic Fury is over … that operation has concluded.” Rubio argued that the operation was a “victory” as Washington achieved i...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Washington on an official visit during which he is scheduled to hold talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral relations and regional developments.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit Washington on Friday where he will meet with US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. The visit comes as Islamabad is attempting to negotiate a peace pact to permanently end the US-Israeli war with Iran. The meeting with Rubio was originally scheduled for today but later moved to Friday. Dar will meet Rubio “to review bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest”, the foreign ministry said in a statement. “The discussions will also focus on strengthening cooperation in key priority sectors, as well as Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy,” the foreign office elaborated, adding that the visit “reflects Pakistan’s commitment to further deepening its longstanding and broad-based partnership with the United States.” DPM Dar is expected to leave for Islamabad later in the day af...

A chemical tank imploded and ruptured at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in the US state of Washington on Tuesday, resulting in one death and nine injuries, while nine others remained unaccounted for as of Tuesday night, authorities said. A joint written statement with Nippon and the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Department said a tank containing “white liquor,” a chemical solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in making paper pulp, had ruptured around 7:15 am local time (1415 GMT). While the tank was initially believed to hold around 80,000 gallons, officials later said it contained closer to 900,000 gallons of white liquor, with an estimated 90,000 gallons of material still inside the damaged tank. Recovery efforts would resume on Wednesday at the site in the city of Longview in Cowlitz County, about 45 miles (72 km) north of Portland, Oregon, as the tank remained unstable, Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Matt Amos said during a media briefing. A drone view of a chemical tank after it...

The sound of drums from the Pakistan Embassy could be heard distinctly as soon as visitors turned into International Drive, where the usually quiet diplomatic corridor had been transformed into a global fairground for the annual Passport DC “Around the World Embassy Tour”. From early morning, crowds moved steadily along the tree-lined street, following a trail of music, aromas and colour that flowed from one embassy to the next. The dhol at the Pakistan Embassy set the tone — deep, insistent, and celebratory — cutting through the spring air and pulling visitors toward gates already filling with activity. Inside the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC, the sensory experience was immediate. The aroma of kebabs and samosas drifted far beyond the entrance, while food trays disappeared almost as quickly as they were placed on counters. Visitors lingered under displays of truck art, embroidered textiles, gemstones and handicrafts, while mehndi artists worked patiently on outstretched hands and calligraphers wrote ...

The man accused of shooting a US Secret Service agent as he tried to breach security at a Washington dinner attended by President Donald Trump is facing federal charges of attempting to assassinate the president, a judge said in court on Monday. Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, also faces firearms charges in a three-count complaint. Allen wore a blue prison jumpsuit at his first appearance in Washington federal court, two days after authorities said they foiled an attack at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner, an annual black-tie gathering of journalists and politicians. “He attempted to assassinate the president of the United States, Donald J Trump,” prosecutor Jocelyn Ballantine said in court. Allen has not yet responded to the allegations. Seated at the defence table flanked by US Marshals, Allen said he would answer all questions truthfully and that he had a master’s degree in computer science. US Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaughordered Allen detained while the case moves for...

Islamabad - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed profound shock after a shooting incident at a high-profile event in Washington, where a gunman opened fire but was swiftly apprehended, and all senior officials were safely evacuated.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Wednesday that the Islamic republic appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to end the Middle East war, without commenting on a ceasefire extension announced by the United States. He expressed these views while answering reporters’ questions, a statement by Iran’s foreign ministry said, adding that Baqaei was asked about Pakistan’s request to extend a ceasefire agreed between Tehran and Washington on April 8. Iranian foreign ministry’s statement said that while “expressing gratitude for Pakistan’s gracious efforts and mediation attempts to end the imposed war and establish peace in the region”, Baqaei stressed that Tehran “is taking the necessary measures to safeguard Iran’s national interests and security”. He added that Iranian armed forces stood “ready to comprehensively and decisively defend the nation’s integrity against any threat or hostility”. When asked about the possibility of a second round of talks with the US, the statement said, Baqaei replied: “Di...

Israel and Lebanon agreed to direct negotiations following talks in Washington on Tuesday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had hailed as a “historic opportunity” for peace. The two countries have technically been at war for decades, and Tuesday’s talks have been vehemently opposed by Hezbollah, which announced that it had fired rockets at more than a dozen northern Israeli towns just as the meeting was getting under way. The United States is pressing for a halt to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, fearing it could derail the two-week ceasefire in Washington’s war with Iran after talks with Tehran in Pakistan failed to achieve a breakthrough. Tuesday’s meeting in Washington, the first high-level direct talks since 1993, was mediated by Rubio and involved the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States. “This is a historic opportunity,” Rubio said as he welcomed the ambassadors, acknowledging the “decades of history” complicating the process. “The hope today is that we can outline a fra...

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb arrived in Washington on Monday to attend the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings 2026, the Ministry of Finance said. According to a statement, the minister is scheduled to hold key meetings with global financial leaders to advance “Pakistan’s reform agenda and economic priorities”. Aurangzeb departed for the United States on Saturday to participate in the high-level gathering, which will take place from April 13 to 18 in Washington, DC. The Spring Meetings bring together finance ministers, central bank governors, policymakers and development experts from around the world amid ongoing global economic uncertainty. As per an earlier statement, during his visit, the finance minister will “represent Pakistan at important events organised by the IMF and the World Bank Group”. At the conference, he is expected to engage with “leading academics, policymakers, and members of the Pakistani diaspora, and share Pakistan’s economic outlook, reform tra...

WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, with the two sides discussing cooperation in critical minerals, energy, counter-terrorism and prospects for increased American investment, according to a State Department statement. The State Department said the US secretary thanked Pakistan for supporting Trump’s Gaza peace plan and for joining the first meeting of the “Board of Peace” as a founding member. He also offered condolences over the Jan 31 attacks in Balochistan and the Feb 6 bombing in Islamabad and reaffirmed the importance of continued partnership in counter-terrorism. The talks covered Pakistan’s participation in the recent Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, with the United States welcoming Islamabad’s engagement and discussing cooperation in developing Pakistan’s energy and mineral resources, as well as commercial opportunities for American companies. Separately, as per a press release issued by the Press Information Department (PID), during...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the inaugural leaders’ meeting of the “Board of Peace” in Washington on February 18–19, where more than 20 countries are expected to deliberate on post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction efforts, particularly in Gaza, according to international media reports.

• 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 “...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to arrive in Washington, DC, on February 18 to attend the inaugural meeting of the Gaza Peace Board a day later, diplomatic sources said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to visit Washington on February 18 and represent Pakistan at the first leaders’ meeting of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace. The meeting is scheduled for Feb 19 at the US Institute of Peace. The inaugural meeting will focus on Gaza’s post-war reconstruction. The official invitation underlines the expected presence of “heads of state, heads of government, and international figures”. The summit is also expected to formalise the board’s mandate and structure. Eight Muslim-majority countries are expected to participate in the meeting. They include Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, and the UAE. Muslim participants are expected to adopt a unified position on Gaza-related issues. These include halting Israeli ceasefire violations and securing durable peace guarantees. Such guarantees are seen as essential for reconstruction efforts to proceed. The meeting may also address mechanisms to support long-term stability. All 22 invitees have al...

The White House is planning the first leaders meeting for President Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace” in relation to Gaza on February 19, Axios reported on Friday, citing a US official and diplomats from four countries that are on the board. The plans for the meeting, which would also be a fundraising conference for Gaza reconstruction, are in early stages and could still change, Axios reported. The meeting is planned to be held at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, the report added, noting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on February 18, a day before the planned meeting. The White House and the US State Department did not respond to requests for comment. In late January, Trump launched the board that he will chair and which he says will aim to resolve global conflicts, leading to many experts being concerned that such a board could undermine the United Nations. Governments around the world have reacted cautiously to Trump’s invitation ...

The United States and India have held high-level talks in Washington focused on critical minerals cooperation, trade and strategic ties. The talks were held late on Tuesday against the backdrop of a recently finalised bilateral trade deal that has drawn attention across the region. Diplomatic observers in Washington, however, maintain that the agreement is unlikely to affect recently improved bilateral ties between Pakistan and the US, as those are not linked to India. The observers note that recent developments in the greater Middle East, as well as in South and Central Asia, have further enhanced Pakistan’s relevance as a key regional player in Washington’s strategic calculus. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during the latter’s three-day official visit to the United States, as both sides moved to deepen economic and strategic coordination in the Indo-Pacific. According to the US State Department readout, Secretary Rubio and Minister Jaishankar d...

WASHINGTON: A Pakistani parliamentary delegation, led by Senator Babar Siraj Khan Nasir, arrived in Washington on Tuesday evening for a series of high-level engagements with US lawmakers and officials as part of a renewed push to strengthen bilateral ties. The delegation, which includes members of both the Senate and the National Assembly of Pakistan, will also engage with the members of the Pakistani diaspora to emphasise the significance of their participation in promoting national causes in the United States. The delegation will participate in multiple forums, beginning with an Inter-Parliamentary Group (IPG) session at the Rayburn House Office Building on Wednesday, followed by a press conference at the National Press Club (NPC) and a diplomatic reception in New Jersey. According to Dr Gholam Mujtaba, chairman of the Pakistan Policy Institute USA (PPI-USA), who has been instrumental in organising the visit, the engagements are designed to promote legislative-to-legislative dialogue, deepen institutional c...

India and the United States will discuss trade issues in their next call tomorrow, Washington’s newly-appointed ambassador to New Delhi, Sergio Gor, said on Monday, at a time when failure to secure a trade deal has roiled their ties and pushed the rupee to a record low. India will also be invited to join Pax Silica next month, Gor said, referring to a US-led initiative to build a silicon supply chain from critical minerals to semiconductors and AI. Trade talks between India and the US fell apart last year and Trump then doubled tariffs on Indian goods in August to 50 per cent, among the world’s highest rates, including a levy of 25pc to punish New Delhi for purchasing Russian oil. The two nations have been close to a deal on several occasions since they agreed to negotiate in February last year, India said last week. “Both sides continue to actively engage. In fact, the next call on trade will occur tomorrow,” Gor said in New Delhi as he formally took charge of his position, adding that the two countries will...

WASHINGTON: The United States and India have jointly called on the United Nations to impose fresh sanctions under the UN Security Council 1267 regime on affiliates of the militant Islamic State (IS) group and Al Qaeda, as well as on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and their alleged proxy networks. Both LeT and JeM were declared proscribed organisations by Pakistan in 2002. The proposed sanctions — a global asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo — signal closer US-India counterterrorism cooperation. Yet, strikingly, the joint statement does not mention Pakistan. That omission has not gone unnoticed, especially given India’s frequent charge that such groups operate from Pakistani soil — a claim Islamabad denies. Joint call makes no mention of Islamabad, despite India’s wishes Observers interpret the omission as deliberate and revealing of Washington’s strategic balancing act in South Asia. As Washington-based analyst Shuja Nawaz noted: “The US may have avoided naming Pakistan. It has named Ind...