Pakistan

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Turkiye has decided to bar Israeli vessels from using its ports, forbid Turkish ships from using Israeli ports and impose restrictions on planes entering Turkish airspace, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday. He provided few details in comments to parliament, which appeared to summarise steps that Turkiye has already taken against Israel over the conflict in Gaza or has started to implement. Turkiye on Friday fiercely criticised Israel’s offensive in Gaza and accused it of committing genocide in the Palestinian enclave and halted all trade with Tel Aviv, called for international measures against it and urged world powers to stop their support. Sources told Reuters last week that Turkish port authorities had also started informally requiring shipping agents to provide letters declaring that vessels are not linked to Israel and not carrying military or hazardous cargo bound for the country. A source had also said that Turkish-flagged ships would be prohibited from calling at Israeli ports. “We have tota...

In a significant breakthrough, Pakistan and Armenia on Friday agreed to consider establishing bilateral diplomatic relations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday said that Pakistan has agreed to consider establishing diplomatic relations with Armenia. “Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, H.E. Ararat Mirzoyan @AraratMirzoyan and I held a cordial conversation on phone today, and agreed to consider establishing diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Armenia,” FM Dar posted on X. Meanwhile, Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan also posted on X, saying, “Had an important call with DPM & FM H.E. Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 today. Following recent developments & in line with the vision of cooperative engagement both bilaterally & on multilateral platforms, we discussed establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia & Pakistan.” Pakistan and Armenia do not have formal diplomatic relations so far. The relationship is characterised by a regional geopolitical rivalry, with Pakistan supporting Azerbaijan against Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as per the Press Information Depar...

An 87-year-old former minister was among 16 people ordered by a Bangladesh court Friday to be detained in custody on charges of plotting against the government, police said. The South Asian nation has been in turmoil since a mass uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic government in 2024, with political parties vying for power ahead of elections scheduled for February. The 16 were arrested on Thursday after attending a meeting at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), a journalists’ association, where they accused political parties of conspiring to undermine the constitution. Witnesses said a mob stormed the venue, heckled the participants, and later handed them over to the police. “They were arrested under the anti-terrorism act,” said Khalid Mansur, officer-in-charge of Dhaka’s central police station. Among those held was Abdul Latif Siddiqui, a former minister under Hasina. Police told the court that the accused were “hatching conspiracies and inciting unrest to destabilise the country and topple the government”...

The federal government on Friday constituted a special committee to provide legal aid to address the issues of families of missing persons, a press release said. The committee aims to provide legal aid to those families whose cases are being investiged by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (COIOED) in family law-related matters. The commission was set up in 2011 to trace the missing persons and fix responsibility on the individuals or organisations responsible. In the first half of 2025, a total of 125 missing persons cases were submitted there. “The families of missing persons having any such issue, especially relating to National Database and Registration Authority regarding issuance of Computerised National Identity Card/Form-B for various purposes, may submit their grievances, in writing, to the Special Committee through any mode of communication, including email (coioed@gmail.com) or WhatsApp (0321-5101070), followed by submission of hard copies,” the press release read. It added that t...

Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi held a follow-up meeting on Friday with the United States Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and advancing cooperation across multiple sectors.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that a comprehensive strategy is being prepared for the construction of water reservoirs and improved water management in all four provinces, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court dismissed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office on Friday for an ethics violation after only a year in power, dealing another crushing blow to the Shinawatra political dynasty that could usher in a new period of turmoil. Paetongtarn, who was Thailand’s youngest prime minister, becomes the sixth premier from or backed by the billionaire Shinawatra family to be removed by the military or judiciary in a tumultuous two-decade battle for power between the country’s warring elites. In its verdict, the court said Paetongtarn violated ethics in a leaked June telephone call, during which she appeared to kowtow to Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen when both countries were at the brink of an armed border conflict. Fighting erupted weeks later and lasted five days. The decision paves the way for the election by parliament of a new prime minister, a process that could be drawn out, with Paetongtarn’s ruling Pheu Thai party losing bargaining power and facing a challenge to shore u...

A Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow in Radom, central Poland, and the pilot died, the army said on Thursday. “A Polish Army pilot died in the crash of an F-16 aircraft — an officer who always served his country with dedication and great courage. I pay tribute to his memory,” Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X after arriving at the crash scene. The General Command of the Armed Forces said that the accident involved an aircraft from the 31st Tactical Air Base near Poznan and that there were no injuries to any bystanders. “Rescue operations were immediately initiated at the scene,” it said in a statement. Footage obtained by Polish media showed the F-16 performing a barrel roll aerobatic manoeuvre, and then crashing in flames as it slid on the ground. Local media said the aircraft crashed into the runway around 1730 GMT and damaged it, and the Radom Airshow planned for the weekend has been cancelled.

The Punjab government’s timely response has protected hundreds of lives in Tehsil Ferozewala, Sheikhupura, where embankments were built to block incoming floodwaters.

A high-level delegation from the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) reviewed the country’s progress during a visit on Aug 24-28, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Friday. CERN, one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research, was established in 1954 on the principle of “science for peace”, according to its website. Pakistan became CERN’s associate member on July 31, 2015, contributing to the centre’s projects as a “significant partner”. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is the lead agency for the Pak-CERN collaboration. “During the visit, a team of five top experts from CERN met with the chairman of the PAEC and toured various science and technology institutions,” a statement from the FO said. “The purpose of these visits was to assess Pakistan’s progress in the field of science and technology.” The institutions include the National Centre for Physics, Heavy Mechanical Complex-3, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Pakistan Institute of...

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Hyderabad has arrested three “most-wanted” terrorists affiliated with the banned Sindhu Desh Revolutionary Army (SRA) in Jamshoro district during an intelligence-based operation, a statement from CTD said on Friday. In 2020, the interior ministry banned the SRA, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz-Aresar Group (JSQM-A), and Sindhu Desh Liberation Army (SLA) under the Anti-Terrorism Act. “CTD Hyderabad established a network to eliminate these terrorists through which information about them was obtained,” the statement said, adding that they were planning to carry out bomb blasts and targeted killings in Hyderabad city. “The terrorists of the banned SRA were wanted in the cases related to firing on cargo trawlers going to Punjab, especially in the areas of district Sujawal.” The statement detailed that the terrorists were found to possess a hand grenade, explosive material, detonator, ball bearings, nut bolts, remote control, battery, and prohibited weapons, including an 8MM rifle and ...

Far above Kabul, the cash-strapped Taliban government has located a potentially lucrative revenue stream: Afghanistan’s airspace. As Israel and Iran’s exchange of missiles threw flight paths into disarray this year, the skies above Afghanistan offered carriers a less turbulent and faster route to ply — for a flat $700 overflight fee, according to industry insiders. The US aviation authority eased restrictions on the country’s airspace and paved the way for commercial flyovers in 2023, two years after the Taliban takeover. Airspace that had long been avoided — as the country endured four decades of war and shifting powerbrokers — suddenly became a viable option, allowing carriers to abbreviate routes and save on fuel costs. But it was not until the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June that the route really gained traction, allowing the Taliban government to potentially rake in millions. Faced with shuttered airspace over Iran and Iraq, and unpredictable openings and closures across the Middle East, airli...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has appealed to citizens living in flood-prone areas to fully cooperate with the administration and immediately shift to safer locations.

Pakistan Army troops are actively carrying out rescue and relief operations in flood-affected areas of Punjab, relocating victims to safer locations through helicopters and boats.

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has announced the temporary closure of several service centers across Punjab due to heavy rains and flooding that have severely disrupted daily life in the province.

ISLAMABAD - Member of the Senate of Spain, Vicente Azpitarte Pérez, called on Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad yesterday.

SHARJAH: Salman Ali Agha is not too concerned by Pakistan’s recent losses. Instead, Pakistan T20 captain is looking forward to his “quality side with exciting youngsters and amazing seniors” doing well at the upcoming tri-nation series and the subsequent Asia Cup. The Salman-led team face Afghanistan in a T20 tri-nation series opening match in Sharjah on Friday. The event, a warm-up for next month’s T20 Asia Cup, also includes hosts UAE. Besides Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UAE, the Asia Cup will also include defending champions India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman and Hong Kong. Pakistan’s white-ball fortunes are dipping after they crashed out of last year’s T20 World Cup in the group stage before failing to win a match at the ODI Champions Trophy. This year they lost a T20 series in Bangladesh 2-1 but overcame the West Indies by the same margin. Pakistan, under Salman, are going through a transition with former skippers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan out of the T20 squad. Both the veteran players have been u...

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) on Thursday directed all licensed entities in the oil and gas sector to ensure adoption of digital payment solutions for all transactions by Oct 31 as part of the government’s push towards a cashless economy. According to the directive, oil marketing companies, gas utilities, CNG stations, LPG and LNG operators, refineries and lubricant marketers must introduce and prominently display digital payment options — particularly the State Bank of Pakistan’s Raast QR code — at their outlets. “No outlet will be allowed to refuse customers opting for digital transactions. Full compliance is required by Oct 31, 2025,” the regulator said. While consumers will still have the option to pay in cash, businesses will be bound to accept digital payments. Ogra said the initiative supports the State Bank’s digitisation programme and is aimed at improving financial inclusion, transparency and operational efficiency across the energy sector. Companies have been advised to coo...