Muhammad Usman Amin

PESHAWAR: Afghanistan is now facing what observers are calling a &ldquo;great return,&rdquo; as large numbers of Afghan nationals are being sent back from multiple directions, including Pakistan, Iran, and increasingly, Europe. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 2.3 million Afghans have returned since April 1, 2025, with 1.5 million arriving from Iran and almost 600,000 from Pakistan. Pakistan&rsquo;s Illegal Foreigners&rsquo; Repatriation Plan (IFRP), initiated in late 2023, remains underway. Initially focused on undocumented Afghans, it has since widened in scope, with some Proof of Residence (PoR) cardholders also returning. The government announced in October that only Afghans with valid visas will be allowed to stay. Meanwhile, deportations from Iran have surged at an even faster pace. According to UNHCR figures referenced in the draft, more than 1.7 million Afghans have been expelled or returned from Iran in 2025 alone. Tajikistan has also begun small-scale deportations. However, a major new direction is emerging from Europe. Germany&rsquo;s new government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz is holding direct talks with Afghan authorities to establish a formal deportation framework. These meetings were confirmed by the German media consortium ARD to have taken place in Kabul on October 1. Germany&rsquo;s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has publicly stated: &ldquo;We want to facilitate regular and routine deportations to Afghanistan. To this end, discussions are taking place at a technical level with Afghan representatives.&rdquo; The initial phase focuses on Afghan nationals convicted of crimes, but the policy is expected to eventually address all Afghans residing illegally in Germany, aligning with the coalition government&rsquo;s campaign commitments. Germany has deported Afghan convicts before, but those removals were carried out via Qatar as a mediator. This time, Germany is negotiating directly with the Taliban government, marking a significant policy shift. A broader European move is also underway. In mid-October, 19 EU countries and non-EU Norway jointly called for the resumption of both voluntary and forced expulsions to Afghanistan, particularly focusing on individuals convicted of serious offenses. This initiative, led by Belgium, signals growing coordination among European states. These developments highlight that Afghan return is now a global issue, not one limited to Pakistan or its neighbors. Yet, the returnees face immense challenges. Many have not lived in Afghanistan for decades and now enter a country struggling with economic collapse, food shortages, unemployment, and the approach of a harsh winter. As conditions tighten, the question remains whether Afghanistan has the capacity to absorb the scale and speed of these return movements, and what the humanitarian consequences may be in the months ahead.

Europe

Afghans are returning from Iran, Pakistan and now Europe as governments accelerate deportations, creating a multi-front influx into an economically strained Afghanistan facing winter hardship.

Europe joins regional push to deport undocumented Afghans in 2025 shift

WASHINGTON: A majority of US Supreme Court justices appeared deeply skeptical of the legality behind a swath of Donald Trump&#39;s tariffs as they heard a landmark case Wednesday that could uphold &mdash; or upend &mdash; the president&#39;s economic agenda.&nbsp;Billions of dollars in customs revenue and a key lever in Trump&#39;s trade wars are at stake as the conservative-dominated panel again grappled with the Republican&#39;s attempts to expand presidential powers.&nbsp;The high court&#39;s nine justices are considering Trump&#39;s use of emergency powers to impose &quot;reciprocal&quot; tariffs on nearly every US trade partner, as well as levies targeting Mexico, Canada and China over their alleged roles in illicit drug flows.&nbsp;In a hearing lasting more than two-and-a-half hours, several conservative justices, along with the three liberals, questioned whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) that Trump invoked confers the authority to impose tariffs.&nbsp;&quot;The statute doesn&#39;t use the word tariffs,&quot; said Chief Justice John Roberts, and imposing tariffs is equivalent to taxation, which has always been a &quot;core power of Congress.&quot;&nbsp;The justices sought to clarify whether Congress has to give clear authorization for policies with significant economic or political consequences.&nbsp;Solicitor General John Sauer, arguing on behalf of the Trump administration, said this did not apply given the president&#39;s inherent, broad range of authorities.&nbsp;&quot;President Trump determined that our exploding trade deficits have brought us to the brink of an economic and national security catastrophe,&quot; Sauer said.&nbsp;Sauer sought to frame the issue as one involving the power to regulate foreign commerce &mdash; including the ability to impose tariffs &mdash;rather than the power to tax.&nbsp;Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a liberal, noted that the power to impose taxes is a &quot;congressional power, not a presidential power.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;You want to say tariffs are not taxes, but that&#39;s exactly what they are,&quot; Sotomayor said.&nbsp;Simply implausibleJustice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee, questioned if Congress could reclaim powers once it delegates them to the presidency, suggesting that &quot;as a practical matter in the real world, it can never get that power back.&quot;&nbsp;Neal Katyal, representing small businesses challenging Trump&#39;s tariffs, charged that it was &quot;simply implausible&quot; that in enacting IEEPA, Congress &quot;handed the president the power to overhaul the entire tariff system and the American economy in the process.&quot;&nbsp;He contended that the word &quot;regulate&quot; has also not been used to impose taxes.&nbsp;But there were questions too surrounding refunds if Trump&#39;s tariffs were overturned, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett saying it could be &quot;a mess.&quot;&nbsp;The court&#39;s decision, which could take months to arrive, does not concern sector-specific tariffs Trump separately imposed, including on steel, aluminum and automobiles.&nbsp;Trump has brought the average effective tariff rate to its highest since the 1930s, and has repeatedly warned of calamity if his duties are overturned.&nbsp;A lower court ruled in May that he had exceeded his authority, with the case ultimately making its way to the Supreme Court.&nbsp;Trump did not attend Wednesday&#39;s hearing but several top officials did, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.&nbsp;&quot;In recent years, the court has been reluctant to overrule presidential decisions of this magnitude,&quot; ING analysts said.&nbsp;But the outcome is hard to predict, they added, as &quot;upholding Trump&#39;s tariffs would shift the balance of power from Congress to the President.&quot;&nbsp;Josh Lipsky of the Atlantic Council noted that even as justices were skeptical, they appeared concerned about fallout from overruling the tariffs.&nbsp;&quot;How do the refunds work?&quot; Lipsky asked. &quot;What does this mean for the president&#39;s foreign policy ability to negotiate deals?&quot;&nbsp;Although Trump&#39;s tariffs have not sparked widespread inflation, companies say they bear the brunt of higher import costs.&nbsp;Lawyers noted that if the top court finds Trump&#39;s global tariffs illegal, the government can tap other laws to temporarily impose up to 15-percent duties while pursuing pathways for more lasting levies.&nbsp;Countries that have already struck deals with Trump may therefore prefer not to reopen negotiations.

Americas

Billions of dollars in customs revenue and a key lever in Trump's trade wars are at stake as the conservative-dominated panel again grappled with the Republican's attempts to expand presidential powers.

US Supreme Court appears skeptical of Trump tariff legality

LILOAN: Typhoon Kalmaegi killed at least 140 people and left another 127 missing after unleashing devastating flooding across the central Philippines, official figures showed Thursday, as the storm headed towards Vietnam. Floodwaters described as unprecedented rushed through Cebu province&#39;s towns and cities this week, sweeping away cars, riverside shanties and even massive shipping containers. The national civil defense office confirmed on Thursday 114 reported deaths, though that tally did not include an additional 28 recorded by Cebu provincial authorities. In Liloan, a town near Cebu City where 35 bodies have been recovered from flooded areas, AFP reporters saw cars still piled atop each other by floodwaters and roofs torn off buildings as residents attempted to dig out of the mud. Christine Aton&#39;s sister Michelle, who has a disability, was among Liloan&#39;s victims, trapped in her bedroom as the floodwaters rose inside their house. &quot;We tried to pry open (her bedroom door) with a kitchen knife and a crowbar but it wouldn&#39;t budge.... Then the refrigerator started to float,&quot; Aton, 29, said. &quot;I opened a window and my father and I swam out. We were crying because we wanted to save my older sister. &quot;But my father told me we couldn&#39;t do anything for her, that all three of us might end up dead.&quot; On neighboring Negros Island, where at least 30 people were killed, Kalmaegi&#39;s driving rain loosened volcanic mudflow that buried homes in Canlaon City, police Lieutenant Stephen Polinar told AFP on Wednesday. &quot;Eruptions of Kanlaon volcano since last year deposited volcanic material on its upper sections. When the rain fell, those deposits rumbled down onto the villages,&quot; he told AFP. The national death tally included six crew members of a military helicopter that crashed while on a typhoon relief mission. The water was ragingOn Wednesday, residents of Cebu&#39;s most-affected areas were busily cleaning up streets that had been rivers less than 24 hours earlier. &quot;Around four or five in the morning, the water was so strong that you couldn&#39;t even step outside,&quot; said Reynaldo Vergara, 53, adding that everything in his small shop in Mandaue had been lost when a nearby river overflowed. &quot;Nothing like this has ever happened. The water was raging.&quot; In nearby Talisay, where an informal settlement along a riverbank was washed away, AFP found 26-year-old Regie Mallorca already at work rebuilding his home. &quot;This will take time because I don&#39;t have the money yet. It will take months,&quot; he said as he mixed cement and sand atop the rubble. The area around Cebu City was deluged with 18.3 centimeters (around seven inches) of rain in the 24 hours before Kalmaegi&#39;s landfall, well over its 13.1 centimeters monthly average, weather specialist Charmagne Varilla told AFP. On Tuesday, provincial governor Pamela Baricuatro called the situation &quot;unprecedented&quot; and &quot;devastating.&quot; Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful due to human-driven climate change. Warmer oceans allow typhoons to strengthen rapidly, and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, meaning heavier rainfall. In total, nearly 800,000 people were moved from the typhoon&#39;s path. Urgent and dangerousKalmaegi was gathering strength on Thursday as it headed towards neighboring Vietnam, where fear was mounting that the typhoon could compound the damage of a week of flooding that has already claimed 47 lives. As of 8 am, the storm boasted windspeeds of 155 kilometers (96 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 190 kph. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall in central Vietnam late Thursday, bringing waves as high as eight meters (26 feet) and powerful storm surges, according to the national weather bureau. Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha urged local authorities to treat Kalmaegi as &quot;urgent and dangerous,&quot; calling it &quot;a very abnormal&quot; storm in a statement Wednesday. Ten typhoons or tropical storms usually affect Vietnam, directly or offshore, in a given year, but Typhoon Kalmaegi is set to be the 13th of 2025. The Philippines has already reached its average of 20 such storms a year with Kalmaegi, weather specialist Varilla told AFP, adding at least &quot;three to five more&quot; storms could be expected by December&#39;s end.

Natural Disaster

The national civil defense office confirms 114 reported deaths, though that tally did not include an additional 28 recorded by Cebu provincial authorities.

Philippine death toll tops 140 as typhoon heads towards Vietnam

BEL&Eacute;M: World leaders meet on Thursday in the Brazilian Amazon to show that climate change remains a top global priority despite broken promises and the United States shunning the gathering. About 50 heads of state and government are expected in the rainforest city of Belem for a summit on Thursday and Friday ahead of the annual UN Conference of Parties (COP) climate negotiations that open next week. Almost every nation is participating, but Washington is sending nobody, with President Donald Trump having branded climate science a &quot;con job.&quot; UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected in Belem, but other major economies, including China and India, are sending deputies or climate ministers. The choice of Belem, a city of 1.4 million people, half of whom live in working-class neighborhoods known as favelas, has been controversial due to its limited infrastructure, with sky-high hotel fees complicating the participation of small delegations and NGOs. Authorities have invested in new buildings and renovations, but with fewer than 24 hours to go to the leaders&#39; summit opening, media teams and delegation scouts arrived at the COP venue on Wednesday to find building works still very much underway. Nonetheless, Karol Farias, 34, a makeup artist who came to shop at the newly spruced-up Ver-o-Peso market, told AFP: &quot;The COP is bringing Belem the recognition it deserves.&quot; Uphill battle&nbsp;Brazil is not seeking to land a big deal at COP30, but rather to send a clear signal in an uncertain time that nations still back the climate fight. The US absence will linger awkwardly during the summit, as will Brazil&#39;s recent approval of oil drilling near the mouth of the Amazon River. So, too, will the unanswered call for a wave of ambitious new climate pledges ahead of COP30, and the stark acknowledgement from UN chief Antonio Guterres that the target of limiting global warming to 1.5&deg;C from pre-Industrial levels will be missed. Host Brazil is also still scrambling to find affordable rooms in Belem for cash-strapped countries. The COP30 presidency on Tuesday said it had secured outside funding to provide three free cabins aboard cruise ships for delegations from low-income countries. Brazil has acknowledged the uphill battle it faces in rallying climate action amid wars and tariff disputes, tight budgets, and a populist backlash against green policies. In a sobering reminder of the task at hand, a closely watched vote last month to reduce pollution from global shipping was rejected under intense pressure from the United States. Leaders gathered in Belem &quot;need to deliver a clear mandate to the COP to be ambitious and to close the gap and to address the issues that are burning,&quot; Greenpeace Brazil executive director Carolina Pasquali told AFP from aboard the organization&#39;s Rainbow Warrior flagship, docked at the city&#39;s port. &#39;Enough talk&#39;&nbsp;Rather than producing a slew of new commitments, Brazil has cast the summit as an opportunity for accountability. &quot;Enough talking, now we have to implement what we&#39;ve already discussed,&quot; Brazil&#39;s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said this week. Brazil is putting diplomatic muscle into pitching a global fund that would reward tropical countries for protecting rainforests. It has also placed particular emphasis on adaptation, a key demand of countries seeking more support to build defenses against rising seas and climate disasters. &quot;This is not a charity, but a necessity,&quot; Evans Njewa, a Malawian diplomat and chair of the Least Developed Countries bloc, told AFP. These countries want concrete details on how to substantially boost climate finance to $1.3 trillion a year by 2035 &mdash; the estimated need in the developing world. The hosts are also under pressure to marshal a response to the collective failure to limit warming to 1.5&deg;C as agreed in the landmark Paris accord a decade ago. Even if all commitments are fully enacted, global warming is still set to reach 2.5&deg;C by the century&#39;s end. &quot;For many of our countries, we won&#39;t be able to adapt our way out of something that overshoots over two degrees,&quot; Ilana Seid, a diplomat from Palau and chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, told AFP in October. They, among others, want to phase out fossil fuels and push for deeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Lula said Brazil wants to &quot;propose a roadmap for reducing fossil fuels,&quot; but conceded it was a difficult conversation.

Rather than producing a slew of new commitments, Brazil has cast the summit as an opportunity for accountability; Brazil is putting diplomatic muscle into pitching a global fund that would reward tropical countries for protecting rainforests.





World leaders to rally climate fight ahead of Amazon summit

MIAMI: FIFA has created a new annual award called the FIFA Peace Prize to be awarded for the first time during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, the world football governing body said on Wednesday. &quot;Football stands for peace, and on behalf of the entire global football community, the FIFA Peace Prize &mdash; Football Unites the World will recognize the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations,&quot; FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement. The announcement came before Infantino appeared at the America Business Forum in Miami, where US President Donald Trump and Argentine World Cup champion Lionel Messi were also speakers. The recipient of the inaugural award was not revealed, but there was immediate speculation that it could go to Trump, an Infantino ally who is expected to be present at the December 5 draw at the Kennedy Center in the US capital. Trump, flanked by Infantino, announced from the Oval Office in August that the draw would take place at the Kennedy Center, where he installed himself this year as chairman in what he called a war on &quot;woke&quot; culture. Since returning to the office for a second term in January, Trump has insisted he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving numerous conflicts around the world. But the US president was snubbed by the Norwegian Nobel Committee last month as it awarded the peace prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

Football

Recipient of the inaugural award not revealed, but there is immediate speculation that it can go to US President Trump, an Infantino ally who is expected to be present at the December 5 draw at the Kennedy Center in the US capital.

FIFA announce new peace prize to be awarded at World Cup draw in Washington

NEW YORK: New York mayoral election winner Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani said Wednesday that he was ready to engage with his arch-critic, President Donald Trump, on the issue of the cost of living. The Muslim-American lawmaker, whose rapid ascent from rank outsider to mayor-elect has stunned observers, joked at a briefing that the &ldquo;White House hasn&rsquo;t reached out to congratulate me.&rdquo; &ldquo;I continue to be interested in having a conversation with President Trump on the ways in which we can work together to serve New Yorkers,&rdquo; he said, suggesting &ldquo;delivering on his campaign promises around cost of living&rdquo; as one. Mamdani, like Trump, put the high cost of living, impact of inflation, and elevated grocery expenses at the heart of his campaign, which triumphed over former governor Andrew Cuomo&rsquo;s platform. &ldquo;I think the lesson for the president is that it&rsquo;s not enough to diagnose the crisis in working class Americans lives. You have to deliver on addressing that crisis.&rdquo; Mamdani called out Trump for his own campaign promises to address the soaring cost of groceries, but sought to suspend food assistance during the government shutdown while in office. After winning on promises to make city bus travel free, control rents, and offer free childcare, Mamdani said, &ldquo;what scares Republicans across the country is the fact that we will actually deliver on this agenda.&rdquo; Mamdani on Wednesday introduced the five women who will co-chair his transition. Among them is Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission under Joe Biden, and Maria Torres-Springer, who resigned her post as deputy mayor under outgoing mayor Eric Adams due to his engagement with Trump.

New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said Wednesday he is open to discussing cost-of-living issues with President Donald Trump, despite the two having sharply opposing political views and a history of public criticism.

NY’s Mamdani ready to discuss cost of living with Trump

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Foreign investors are increasingly viewing Pakistan as a viable and attractive market, according to the latest OICCI Perception and Investment Survey 2025, which shows investor confidence rising significantly over the past two years.&nbsp;The survey, conducted by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), indicates that 73% of foreign investors now consider Pakistan a viable investment destination, compared to 61% in the previous survey.&nbsp;OICCI represents over 200 multinational companies operating in Pakistan, many of whom have continued to reinvest during periods of economic uncertainty.&nbsp;Between FY2015 and FY2024, OICCI members invested $22.9 billion in capital expenditures, surpassing Pakistan&rsquo;s total foreign direct investment inflows of $22.1 billion during the same period.&nbsp;Their total assets now stand at $121 billion, reflecting strong and sustained commitment to the local market.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s macroeconomic stability has improved dramatically,&rdquo; the OICCI report notes, highlighting sharp declines in inflation, from 37% to 4%, alongside a stabilized rupee and upgraded international credit ratings.&nbsp;These developments, according to the survey, have helped shift investor sentiment from cautious to optimistic.&nbsp;The number of global headquarters prioritizing Pakistan for future investments has also increased. In 2023, only 24% of parent companies viewed Pakistan as a priority market; the figure has now risen to 35%, reflecting improving perceptions of long-term growth potential.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, OICCI CEO Aleem Khan emphasized the chamber&rsquo;s economic significance, noting that member companies &ldquo;represent the largest group of taxpayers in Pakistan, contributing around one-third of total tax revenue.&rdquo;&nbsp;He attributed the improving outlook to &ldquo;successful engagement with international financial institutions and necessary but difficult economic reforms.&rdquo;&nbsp;However, some challenges remain. Khan acknowledged the persistent gap between policymaking and implementation as a barrier to faster progress, though he expressed confidence in the government&rsquo;s recent efforts to work more closely with the business community.&nbsp;The broader regional context also supports Pakistan&rsquo;s improving investment landscape. Countries from ASEAN are exploring opportunities in Pakistan&rsquo;s tourism, agriculture, food, and manufacturing sectors, while mineral development is emerging as a major strategic priority.&nbsp;Pakistan recently signed a $500 million memorandum of understanding with US Strategic Metals to develop its critical minerals sector, estimated to contain $6 trillion to $8 trillion in potential reserves.&nbsp;In the technology sector, Pakistan&rsquo;s innovators are securing international partnerships. NETSOL Technologies recently signed a multi-million-dollar contract with a major Australian auto finance firm, while Airlink Communications partnered with Saudi SN Technologies on AI, IoT, and smart city initiatives.&nbsp;The OICCI survey concludes that while sentiment is clearly improving, converting confidence into sustained economic growth will require policy consistency and continued stakeholder engagement.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s challenge now is not convincing investors to look its way, but ensuring that their rising confidence translates into long-term investment on the ground.

Economy

Foreign investor confidence in Pakistan is rising, driven by improved macroeconomic stability, increased reinvestment from multinational companies, expanding regional interest, and strategic sector partnerships, though consistent policy implementation remains essential to convert optimism into sustainable growth.

Foreign investors show renewed confidence as Pakistan’s investment climate improves

Simran Siraj

KARACHI: After years spent in confinement and loneliness, 24-year-old brown bear Rano has finally been relocated from the Karachi Zoo to a sanctuary in Islamabad, where she will receive medical care, rehabilitation, and the chance to live in a more natural environment. According to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Rano was flown to Islamabad aboard a Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft on Wednesday morning. The flight departed PAF Faisal Base at 8:30 a.m. and landed at Nur Khan Airbase a little after 11:30 a.m. A two-member veterinary team accompanied her throughout the journey to ensure her safety and well-being. Rano was transported from the zoo to the airbase in a wooden crate placed on a cargo truck. &ldquo;At just three calls, she walked from her enclosure into the crate,&rdquo; Sana Raja of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) told Pakistan TV Digital, noting that Rano remained calm and continued eating during the move, and did not require sedation. Sindh Wildlife Conservator Javed Ahmed Mahar said Rano was closely monitored throughout the flight and slept during most of the journey despite the aircraft noise. Upon arrival, she was taken directly to the IWMB&rsquo;s bear rehabilitation facility, where she was given food and placed under quarantine for medical observation. Rano will remain under supervision before being transferred to a permanent sanctuary space where she will be paired with another bear. &ldquo;Her stay here could last up to a month for examination and other protocols before she is shifted to a larger area,&rdquo; said Anees, an IWMB official. For years, Rano lived in difficult conditions at the Karachi Zoo, first in a Victorian-era concrete pit and later in a metal cage. She was frequently observed pacing restlessly, a common sign of stress and psychological distress in captive animals. Her situation prompted animal rights activists to petition the Sindh High Court, which last month ordered her relocation and formed a committee to ensure the transfer was carried out safely. Rano was brought to the Karachi Zoo in 2017 as part of an animal exchange program. She has lived in solitary confinement since 2020, following the death of the only other bear in the enclosure. Her arrival in Islamabad marks the beginning of what wildlife authorities hope will be her first experience of comfort, companionship, and peace in years.

Wildlife

Sindh Wildlife conservator says Rano was closely monitored throughout the flight, slept during most of the journey despite the aircraft noise; the bear has been taken directly to the IWMB’s rehabilitation facility, where she was given food and placed under quarantine for medical observation.



Rano the Karachi zoo bear begins new life in Islamabad sanctuary

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that &ldquo;eight planes were shot down&rdquo; in the conflict between India and Pakistan in May, stating that he was in the middle of a &ldquo;trade deal with both of them&rdquo; during the time. While referring to the aerial encounters between the neighbors, Trump has repeatedly said &ldquo;seven planes were shot down&rdquo; during the war. In September, Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the United Nations General Assembly that Pakistani forces had turned seven Indian aircraft into &ldquo;scrap and dust.&rdquo; The Indian military has also claimed that it shot down five Pakistani fighter jets, a statement dismissed by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on X, who termed the claim &ldquo;comical.&rdquo; While speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami today, the US president said he was in the middle of a trade deal with both countries during the conflict.<div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M4Zk6bJWjww" title="‘Eight planes shot down’ in India, Pakistan conflict: Trump" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div> &ldquo;Then I read on the front page of a certain newspaper &hellip; they are going to war. Seven or eight plans &mdash; planes were shot down,&rdquo; the US president said.&nbsp; &ldquo;Eight planes were shot down essentially,&rdquo; he added. Trump said that he conveyed it to the neighbors that the US was not going to make any deals with them if they were at &ldquo;war with each other. &ldquo;A day later I got a call, they need peace. They stopped. I said thank you, let&#39;s trade. Isn&#39;t that great?&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;Tariffs did that. Without tariffs, that would&#39;ve never happened,&rdquo; he added.

US president says he was in the middle of a “trade deal with both of them” during the time.

Trump says ‘eight planes shot down’ in India, Pakistan conflict

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari met Qatar&rsquo;s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha on Wednesday, where both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and promoting stability in the region, according to a statement issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.&nbsp;The statement said the Qatar emir &ldquo;warmly welcomed President Zardari&rdquo; and expressed pride in Pakistan&rsquo;s progress, acknowledging what he described as the &ldquo;valuable contribution&rdquo; of the Pakistani community to Qatar&rsquo;s development.&nbsp;He also expressed a desire to increase the number of Pakistani professionals working in Qatar in the coming years.&nbsp;President Zardari conveyed greetings from the Government and people of Pakistan and praised Qatar&rsquo;s &ldquo;remarkable progress and visionary leadership&rdquo; under the emir.&nbsp;Both leaders agreed to expand cooperation across political, economic, defense, and cultural sectors.&nbsp;President Zardari proposed deeper collaboration in defense production, agriculture, and food security, a proposal the emir welcomed, directing officials to begin discussions immediately, the statement added.&nbsp;Zardari also recalled Pakistan&rsquo;s consistent diplomatic support for Qatar&rsquo;s sovereignty at international forums and lauded Qatar&rsquo;s humanitarian efforts for Gaza. He reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;continued solidarity&rdquo; with Qatar.&nbsp;According to the statement, the Amir expressed satisfaction over Pakistan&rsquo;s recent defense cooperation developments with other Gulf partners and noted Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;strategic importance&rdquo; due to its balanced relations with China, the West, and regional states.&nbsp;The president also encouraged greater Qatari investment in Pakistan, expressing confidence that bilateral economic engagement would grow under the Amir&rsquo;s leadership.&nbsp;Zardari further appreciated Qatar&rsquo;s role in the UN-led Doha Process on Afghanistan, describing it as instrumental in facilitating humanitarian, development, and security coordination.&nbsp;The emir expressed hope that Pakistan and Afghanistan would &ldquo;overcome current challenges and move toward stability.&rdquo;&nbsp;The meeting concluded with President Zardari extending an invitation to the emir to visit Pakistan.&nbsp;&ldquo;The emir accepted the invitation and informed the President that he would visit Pakistan early next year,&rdquo; the statement said.

Foreign Affairs

President Zardari and Qatar’s Emir reaffirmed commitment to strengthen bilateral ties, expand cooperation in defense, economy, and culture, support regional stability, and enhance Pakistani workforce in Qatar.

Europe joins regional push to deport undocumented Afghans in 2025 shift

Related Articles

UK police arrest asylum-seeker sex offender after prison blunder

Trump targets newly elected New York mayor Zohran Mamdani after fiery victory speech

Leading academics condemn India’s denial of entry to SOAS scholar

Under-fire UK govt deports migrant sex offender with £500

Latest News

US Supreme Court appears skeptical of Trump tariff legality

Philippine death toll tops 140 as typhoon heads towards Vietnam

World leaders to rally climate fight ahead of Amazon summit

FIFA announce new peace prize to be awarded at World Cup draw in Washington

Europe joins regional push to deport undocumented Afghans in 2025 shift