Pakistan

The Sindh government has imposed a ban on photography in government girls’ colleges to prevent the misuse of students’ images on social media.

President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s invitation to visit the country and emphasised strengthening ties between Islamabad and Tashkent, the president’s media wing said on Tuesday. According to a press release by the President’s Secretariat, the president met with Uzbek Ambassador Alisher Tukhtaev, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr and handed over a letter from the Uzbek president, who had visited Pakistan for two days last week. In his letter, Mirziyoyev thanked President Zardari, the government and the people of Pakistan for the extraordinary hospitality and warm welcome extended to him during his visit. He also expressed gratitude for being conferred the Nishan-e-Pakistan, Pakistan’s highest civil award, as well as the honorary professorship and doctorate, according to the statement. “President Mirziyoyev reiterated his invitation to President Zardari, earlier conveyed during their tête-à-tête,” it added, referring to the Uzbek president’s invitation to President Zard...

Iran on Tuesday warned of “destructive” influence on diplomacy ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington for talks expected to focus on US negotiations with Tehran. “Our negotiating party is America. It is up to America to decide to act independently of the pressures and destructive influences that are detrimental to the region,” said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei in a weekly press briefing. “The Zionist regime has repeatedly, as a saboteur, shown that it opposes any diplomatic process in our region that leads to peace.” Tehran and Washington resumed talks in Muscat on Friday, months after earlier negotiations collapsed following Israel’s unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran last June, which triggered a 12-day war. During the conflict, Israel targeted senior Iranian military officials, nuclear scientists and nuclear sites, as well as residential areas. The United States later joined the campaign, launching its own strikes on key Iranian nuclear faciliti...

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Indonesia’s investment minister Rosan Roeslani on Tuesday reaffirmed trade and investment as key pillars of bilateral cooperation. Roeslani, who is also the chief executive officer of Indonesia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (Danantara), arrived in Islamabad on Monday evening, according to the Foreign Office (FO). On Tuesday, Dar and Roeslani met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where their discussions focused on strengthening Pakistan-Indonesia economic and investment ties, the FO said in a post on X. Both leaders also reviewed “potential collaboration opportunities and mutually beneficial projects, including exchange of views on sovereign wealth fund models, and reaffirmed trade and investment as a key pillar of bilateral cooperation”. The two sides also held delegation-level talks, wherein they reviewed potential cooperation avenues and projects, including the “exchange of best practices and cooperation in priority sectors such as health”. Presentations were provided by the ...

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.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif arrived in Quetta on Tuesday on a one-day official visit.

A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) contingent is taking part in the World Defence Show (WDS) 2026 in Saudi Arabia, displaying its indigenous JF-17 Thunder Block-III multi-role fighter jet and the Super Mushshak basic trainer aircraft.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday met British High Commissioner Jane Marriott to discuss matters of mutual interest, bilateral relations and the broader regional situation.

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir lauded the “character, courage, and competence” demonstrated by soldiers in the ongoing fight against terrorism, the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said on Tuesday. According to an ISPR statement, the CDF made these remarks while addressing the closing ceremony of the 9th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Competition as the chief guest on Monday. Reaffirming the core values of the army, the CDF “underscored the enduring soldierly attributes of ‘character, courage and competence’, which have been consistently demonstrated by Pakistani soldiers, particularly in the ongoing fight against terrorism”, the military’s media wing said. Field Marshal Munir also “commended all participating teams for their exceptional professionalism, physical and mental endurance, operational competence and high morale displayed during the exercise”. “He emphasised the importance of such multinational engagements in enhancing ...

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...

President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation with Uzbekistan in key sectors including food and agriculture, mining, information technology, tourism, health and banking.

The Government of Sindh on Tuesday withdrew detention orders issued under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance and directed the SSPs of concerned districts to release detained citizens.

All relevant bank branches have been directed to assist Hajj pilgrims in completing the Saudi visa biometrics process to ensure smooth completion of Hajj formalities.

The ninth International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Competition concluded at Kharian on Tuesday after a 60-hour-long patrolling exercise aimed at enhancing professional military skills and fostering cooperation among participating forces, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has urged countries around the world to mount pressure on the Taliban and avoid maintaining normal diplomatic relations with the Afghan regime, citing worsening restrictions on women’s rights and girls’ education.

Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell refused Monday to answer questions from US lawmakers but her attorney said she was prepared to speak if granted clemency by US President Donald Trump. Maxwell, 64, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking, was subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee to discuss her relations with Epstein. Rather than answer the committee’s questions, however, the former British socialite invoked her Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate herself. A recording of the deposition released by the committee showed Maxwell speaking via video link, her eyes cast down at the table she was seated in a Texas prison. She was asked about her and Epstein’s co-conspirators, whether they surrounded themselves with the rich and famous in order to “curry favor” and avoid scrutiny, and whether Trump ever engaged “in sexual activity with an individual introduced to him by you or Jeffrey Epstein.” Wearing a drab, beige uniform, Maxwell repeated the phra...

Despite severe weather conditions and the closure of land routes, the Pakistan Army continues to actively serve the local population in Leepa Valley.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted permission to Barrister Salman Safdar to meet incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and appointed him as a friend of the court.

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...