Pakistan

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Report says mineral ambitions target regions scarred by insurgencies, worsened after US withdrawal from Afghanistan

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that Beijing strongly condemned the recent attacks in Balochistan and would always firmly support Pakistan in combatting terrorism. Jian made these remarks during a regular press briefing when he was asked to comment on a large-scale coordinated attack across Balochistan last week. Jian said that China strongly condemned the attacks. “We mourn for the lives lost, and our hearts go out to the injured and those who lost their loved ones,” he said. “China firmly opposes any form of terrorism and will, as always, firmly support Pakistan in combatting terrorism, maintaining solidarity and social stability, and protecting the safety of the people,” he added. On Monday, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan had also condemned the “recent multiple terrorist activities in Balochistan”. In a post on X, the embassy said “we […] deeply mourn for the lives lost, and extend sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured”. Apart from China, the US, Europe...

Provincial government issues notification for Friday and Saturday as public holidays on account of Basant celebration

Pakistan has been invited to participate in the Iran-US talks aimed at de-escalation of tensions between Tehran and Washington, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Tuesday. “Pakistan has received the invitation for the upcoming talks between Iran and the United States,” FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said while responding to a query. “Pakistan’s participation is seen as crucial to defusing tensions, as Islamabad has been quietly working to facilitate the talks,” a diplomatic source told Dawn. The diplomatic source added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to participate in the meeting. The meeting is likely to take place in Turkiye on Friday, an Arab official told AFP on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter. US outlet Axios cited two unnamed sources and a US official as saying Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected to meet with US envoy Steve Witkoff in Istanbul to discuss a possible deal on the nuclear issue. The priority of the talks is to av...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly relations with Libya, state-broadcaster PTV reported. The development came as a high-level delegation from Libya called on PM Shehbaz at the Prime Minister’s House, PTV said in a post on X. It said that the delegation comprised Libyan Prime Minister Dr Osama Saad Hamad, Libyan Arab Armed Forces Commander-in-chief Field Marshal Khalifa Abu-al-Qasim Haftar and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar. It said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir were also present during the meeting. “During the discussions, both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral relations,” PTV said. “The meeting reflected the shared desire to enhance cooperation in areas of common concern and to promote peace, stability, and development at regional and...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Tuesday said dry weather with clear skies was expected for the majority of the Basant festival, which is set to be celebrated in Lahore this week. “Mainly dry weather with clear skies is expected on 6th and 7th February, while dry weather with few cloudy conditions on 8th February, 2026 in Lahore during the Basant 2026,” the PMD said in a forecast posted on the social media platform X. It added that light westerly/north-westerly winds were likely to blow at the speed of 10 to 15 kilometres per hour, which was “suitable for safe kite-flying”. The PMD advised the festival participants to “exercise caution while flying kites, especially near electric lines and open roads”. The three-day Basant festival is set to kick off in Lahore from February 6, following the Punjab government’s decision to lift a ban on the historic event after 18 years, with strict regulations. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a “long weekend” in the province, declaring a “provi...

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has arrived in Pakistan for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has described Basant as more than a seasonal event, calling it a powerful expression of shared culture and collective joy.

A district and sessions court has formally framed charges against former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry, who denied the allegations leveled against him.

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution calling for an “aggressive” national response against the external sponsors and internal facilitators of terrorism. The lower house of Parliament continued its discussion on the prevailing security situation in Balochistan in the wake of a series of deadly attacks across the province on Saturday. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry tabled the resolution, which stated: “This House condemns in the strongest terms the recent terrorist incidents in Balochistan, in which not only innocent civilians were targeted but also heinous and inhumane tactics such as using women as weapons were adopted.” The NA further demanded that an “immediate, aggressive, coordinated, and effective national response be ensured against these external sponsors and internal facilitators, funding, smuggling, and propaganda hubs, in which political, diplomatic, military, intelligence, legal, and rhetorical fronts are united”. The resolution highli...

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday that its recent tree-cutting drive in the capital was conducted on the direct instructions of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The statement was part of a written report submitted to the court in response to a petition challenging the CDA’s tree-cutting drive, which had drawn significant public criticism. Recently, large-scale tree removal took place in at least three locations in Islamabad, including acres of tree cover around Shakarparian, drawing criticism alleging large-scale environmental damage. However, authorities have maintained that only Paper Mulberry trees were cut down as they were a major cause of allergies. In its submission, the CDA defended the campaign as a “well-planned operation” aimed at removing Paper Mulberry trees, which it described as a major source of pollen allergies and asthma in Islamabad. The authority cited scientific research, including a study published in the Journal of Global...

Multiple pro-PML-N accounts on social media platform X were sharing a clip since February 1, of cricketer Wasim Akram, claiming that he said PTI founder Imran Khan visited Jeffrey Epstein’s island. However, Akram said no such thing. Epstein, a convicted sex offender and United States financier, was accused of running a years-long sex trafficking network involving underage girls, with abuse linked to multiple properties in the US and overseas. He died in August 2019 in a New York jail while awaiting trial on federal trafficking charges. His close associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was later convicted by a US court for recruiting and grooming minors for Epstein’s abuse and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022. Millions of new files relating to Epstein have been released by the US Department of Justice, showing many of the world’s most renowned individuals. On Feb 1, a user who appears to be a PML-N supporter based on his bio and past posts shared a video of Wasim in a podcast with the following caption: “Imra...

Pakistan’s benchmark index, KSE-100, closed in the green on Tuesday at 186,900.73 points. Overall, the index closed 1 per cent higher than its previous close of 185,057.83. The index hit an intraday high of 187,518.78 and a low of 185,545.92. Trading volumes improved to 390,194,995 at a value of 37,168,423,725 Topline Securities noted that “the upbeat tone of the market was largely attributed to sustained buying by local institutions, as highlighted by yesterday’s data from the National Clearing Company, reinforcing confidence and underpinning the day’s positive close”. The top active stocks were K-Electric Limited rising 3.38pc at a volume of 99,508,200 to Rs7.35, First National Equities Limited, rising 5.46pc at a volume of 91,350,753 to Rs1.74, Bank of Punjab, rising 4pc at a volume of 86,293,221 to Rs40.04, Hascol Petroleum Limited, declining 3.47pc at a volume of 27,837,936 to Rs25.02, and Worldcall Telecom Limited rising 0.61pc at a volume of 26,727,949 to Rs1.66. The top advancers were Crescent Star In...

Elon Musk said on Monday that SpaceX has acquired his artificial-intelligence startup xAI in a record-setting deal that unifies Musk’s AI and space ambitions by combining the rocket-and-satellite company with the maker of the Grok chatbot. The deal represents one of the most ambitious tie-ups in the technology sector yet, combining a space-and-defence contractor with a fast-growing AI developer whose costs are largely driven by chips, data centers and energy. It could also bolster SpaceXs data-center ambitions as Musk competes with rivals like Alphabet’s Google, Meta, Amazon-backed Anthropic and OpenAI in the AI sector. The transaction values SpaceX at $1 trillion, and xAI at $250 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter. Investors in xAI will receive 0.1433 shares of SpaceX for every share of xAI as part of the acquisition, this person said. Some xAI executives may also opt for cash instead of SpaceX stock at $75.46 per share, the person said. “This marks not just the next chapter, but the nex...

Pakistan has praised Türkiye’s 130-year-old social care institution Darülaceze as a global model for inclusive long-term care, highlighting its blend of state responsibility, philanthropy, volunteerism and community ownership.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday it had not received any indication from India that it would stop buying Russian oil following the announcement of a trade deal with US President Donald Trump. Trump said he had struck a deal to reduce tariffs on India and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to stop buying Russian oil over the war in Ukraine. India’s purchases of Russian oil — discounted due to Western sanctions complicating logistics and cutting off markets — have surged since Russia launched its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in February 2022. Ukraine and its Western allies have been seeking to cut off the billions of dollars in revenue, a vital source of income for Russia’s stretched economy and its military. “So far, we haven’t heard any statements from New Delhi on this matter,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, including AFP. Trump said he was cutting levies on Indian goods to 18 per cent. He had previously imposed 25pc “reciprocal” tariffs on many products, plus an additiona...

British High Commissioner Jane Marriott met Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq at Parliament House on Tuesday to discuss bilateral ties, parliamentary cooperation, and key regional and global issues.