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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Thursday highlighted the need to eradicate extremist ideologies and contorted interpretations of Islam.&nbsp; COAS Munir is currently on an official visit to Egypt aimed at enhancing military cooperation and defense collaboration between the two countries, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. According to ISPR, the Field Marshal called on Egyptian Minister of Defense and Defense Production General Abdul Maged Saqar and Chief of Staff of Egyptian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa Fatehi.&nbsp; It said that, during the meetings, &ldquo;matters of mutual interest, the regional security situation and bilateral defense cooperation&rdquo; were discussed.&nbsp; COAS Munir affirmed that Egypt is a &ldquo;brotherly country&rdquo; and cooperation between the two states would not only benefit the people of but would also &ldquo;contribute towards achieving peace and stability in the region,&rdquo; ISPR said. COAS Munir was warmly welcomed and presented with the Guard of Honour during the visit to the Ministry of Defense, the statement said.&nbsp; The Field Marshal also laid a floral wreath at a memorial of soldiers and the grave of the late Egyptian president, Mohamed Anwar Al Sadat. COAS Munir also met the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El Tayab, where the Imam shared his views on challenges faced by the muslim community, ISPR said. In response, the COAS highlighted the need to eradicate extremist ideologies and contorted interpretations of Islam, it added.

Security

COAS Munir meets Egyptian defense minister, Egyptian armed forces’ chief of staff; discussed “matters of mutual interest, the regional security situation and bilateral defense cooperation.” 

Pakistani army chief urges action against extremism, distorted religious interpretations in Egypt visit

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon on Friday ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to counter drug-trafficking organizations in Latin America, a major escalation of a US military buildup that Venezuela&#39;s leader warned was steered at &quot;fabricating a war.&quot; US President Donald Trump, who campaigned on a promise of ending foreign military interventions, in early September launched a military campaign targeting boats allegedly used to smuggle narcotics, destroying at least 10 vessels in a series of strikes. But the American military buildup as part of that campaign &mdash; including 10 F-35 stealth warplanes and eight US Navy ships &mdash; has sparked fears in Venezuela that Washington&#39;s ultimate goal is the overthrow of President Nicolas Maduro, and the decision to send the carrier is certain to add to those concerns. Late Friday, Maduro accused the Trump administration of stoking &quot;a new eternal war.&quot; &quot;They promised they would never again get involved in a war, and they are fabricating a war that we are going to prevent,&quot; Maduro told state broadcasters. The US-Venezuela standoff has also pulled in Colombia&#39;s Gustavo Petro, a sharp critic of the American strikes who was sanctioned by Washington on Friday for allegedly allowing drug trafficking to flourish. The deployment of the USS Gerald R Ford and accompanying ships &quot;will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle TCOs,&quot; Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement, referring to transnational criminal organizations. The carrier announcement came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said an overnight strike on a boat alleged to be operated by Venezuelan drug trafficking gang Tren de Aragua had killed six people in the Caribbean Sea. &quot;If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda. Day or NIGHT, we will map your networks, track your people, hunt you down, and kill you,&quot; Hegseth said on X. &#39;Inflame South America&#39;&nbsp;The latest military action brings the death toll from the US strikes to at least 43, according to an AFP tally based on US figures, but Washington has yet to release evidence that its targets were smuggling narcotics. Regional tensions have flared as a result of the campaign, with Caracas accusing the United States of plotting to overthrow Maduro, who said earlier this week that Venezuela had 5,000 Russian man-portable surface-to-air missiles to counter US forces. On Thursday, at least one US B-1B bomber flew over the Caribbean off Venezuela&#39;s coast, flight tracking data showed, following a show of force by multiple US B-52 bombers that circled off the country&#39;s coast last week. Colombia&#39;s Petro &mdash; who has accused Trump of murder over the strikes on the alleged drug boats &mdash; was sanctioned by the US Treasury on Friday along with his wife and son. Regional powerhouse Brazil has also weighed in on US actions, with a senior foreign policy advisor telling AFP that the country views a military intervention in Venezuela as unacceptable, fearing it could be damaging for the whole of South America. &quot;We cannot accept an outside intervention because it will trigger immense resentment,&quot; said Celso Amorim, aide to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. &quot;It could inflame South America and lead to radicalization of politics on the whole continent.&quot; Trump, meanwhile, said on Thursday that he did not need a declaration of war from US lawmakers to attack Venezuela or other countries he accuses of involvement in the drug trade, warning that strikes on land are coming. &quot;The land is going to be next,&quot; Trump said, likening drug cartels to the Islamic State group.

Americas

US president has launched a military campaign targeting boats allegedly used to smuggle narcotics, destroying at least 10 vessels in a series of strikes.

Trump sending US carrier to Latin America as war fears rise

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office on Friday responded to the Afghan government&rsquo;s announcement of plans to construct a dam on the Kunar River, stating that &ldquo;transboundary rivers are governed by international law.&rdquo; The Kunar River originates in Afghanistan and flows into the Kabul River. According to policy research studies in Islamabad, the Kabul River is significant for Pakistan, supplying irrigation water, drinking water, and hydroelectric power. Earlier, Afghanistan&rsquo;s Energy and Water Minister Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor was quoted in a post shared on the X account of the Afghan Information Deputy Minister Muhajer Farahi. In the post, Mansoor said, &ldquo;Afghans have the right to manage their own water,&rdquo; and added that the Afghan government had decided to begin the &ldquo;construction of dams on the Kunar River as soon as possible and to sign contracts with domestic companies and not wait for foreign companies.&rdquo; Responding to questions at a press briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan was reviewing the situation. &ldquo;We are ascertaining the details,&rdquo; he stated, adding that, &ldquo;generally, transboundary rivers are governed by international law.&rdquo; He further noted that Pakistan is &ldquo;both an upper and lower riparian,&rdquo; and said the matter would continue to be monitored.

Foreign Affairs

Remarks follow Afghanistan’s announcement to build dams on the Kunar River. Islamabad says transboundary waters are governed by international law, noting Pakistan is both an upper and lower riparian and will closely follow the matter.


Kunar River must follow international law, Islamabad tells Kabul

Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Poland have reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen bilateral ties through enhanced cooperation in trade, investment, defense, education, and labor mobility during the visit of Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski to Islamabad. The Polish foreign minister held wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and expressed a shared desire to elevate engagement across political, economic, and security domains. During his meeting with PM Sharif, Sikorski conveyed Poland&rsquo;s keen interest in expanding economic partnerships with Pakistan, especially in the energy and industrial sectors.&nbsp; The prime minister appreciated Poland&rsquo;s longstanding friendship and emphasized the importance of diversifying trade and investment opportunities. &ldquo;Pakistan considers Poland an important partner in Europe,&rdquo; the prime minister said, adding that Islamabad values Warsaw&rsquo;s consistent support for regional peace and its cooperation in multilateral forums. In a joint press briefing following delegation-level talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Dar described Poland as a &ldquo;trusted and time-tested friend&rdquo; of Pakistan, underlining that both countries share a commitment to peace, regional stability, and economic development. &ldquo;We agreed to broaden our partnership beyond traditional sectors,&rdquo; said Dar. &ldquo;Pakistan welcomes Polish investment in energy, mining, agriculture, and information technology. Both sides will also work towards facilitating student and workforce exchanges.&rdquo; Polish DPM Sikorski, in his remarks, termed Pakistan &ldquo;an increasingly important country on the global stage&rdquo; and expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation would continue to grow in both scale and substance. &ldquo;Poland attaches great importance to its relations with Pakistan,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We believe this partnership can serve as a bridge between Europe and South Asia &mdash; grounded in mutual respect, economic opportunity, and people-to-people contact.&rdquo; A joint statement issued after the talks reaffirmed both sides&rsquo; commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes, adherence to international law, and respect for the United Nations Charter. The two leaders also discussed expanding defense cooperation, counterterrorism collaboration, and institutional linkages through regular bilateral consultations. The statement noted that the two countries will enhance cooperation in education, science, and technology, including academic exchanges and joint research initiatives. Both sides highlighted the role of the Pakistani diaspora in Poland as a valuable bridge fostering friendship between the two nations. &nbsp;Sikorski&#39;s visit marks the highest-level Polish engagement with Pakistan in recent years, following a series of diplomatic exchanges aimed at revitalizing ties.&nbsp; The visit concluded with both sides expressing optimism about translating their shared vision into practical cooperation in the coming months.

PM Shehbaz appreciates Poland’s longstanding friendship, emphasizes the importance of diversifying trade and investment avenues.


Islamabad, Warsaw pledge closer engagement in trade, security, regional stability

CAIRO: The main Palestinian political factions, including Hamas, said on Friday they had agreed that an independent committee of technocrats would take over the running of post-war Gaza. During a meeting in Cairo, according to a joint statement published on the Hamas website, the groups agreed to hand &quot;over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee composed of independent technocrats.&quot; It said the committee would &quot;manage the affairs of life and basic services in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions.&quot; The statement also said the factions had agreed to work on unifying a common position &quot;to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.&quot; It called for a meeting of all forces and factions to &quot;agree on a national strategy and to revitalize the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.&quot; Hamas is not part of the PLO, which is dominated by its longtime rival Fatah. An informed source told AFP on Thursday that delegations from Hamas and Fatah met in Cairo to discuss the second phase of a US-backed ceasefire plan in Gaza. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that both sides agreed to &quot;continue meetings in the coming period and to work on organizing the Palestinian internal front in the face of the challenges posed by the Israeli government.&quot; Alongside the Hamas-Fatah talks, Egypt&#39;s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad met senior officials from key Palestinian factions. They included Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, as well as the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine &mdash; both factions within the PLO. Hamas and Fatah have a history of deep political rivalry, which flared into fighting for a time after a 2006 election, and which has hindered efforts at Palestinian national unity. In December 2024, they agreed to create a committee to jointly administer post-war Gaza. The agreement was criticized, particularly by members of Fatah. Hamas, which seized power in the territory in 2007, has already made it clear that it does not wish to govern the post-war territory, but has pushed back against the insistence that it disarm its fighters.

Middle East

Groups agree to hand "over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee composed of independent technocrats."



Palestinian factions agree to hand Gaza to technocrat committee

Muhammad Imad Abbas

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan are preparing for a second round of talks in Istanbul, a follow-up to discussions held in Doha earlier this month, aimed at establishing what Islamabad calls a &ldquo;verifiable monitoring mechanism&rdquo; to address cross-border militant activity.&nbsp;The Pakistan Foreign Office confirmed on Friday that the dialogue will continue under T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s facilitation.&nbsp;The Afghan government also confirmed the talks. In a statement posted on X, Afghan spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the Acting Deputy Interior Minister Haji Najib had departed for T&uuml;rkiye &ldquo;to follow up on the agreement reached in Doha several days ago.&rdquo;&nbsp;At the time this report was filed, Pakistan had not publicly announced its delegation.&nbsp;While the agenda is expected to focus on preventing cross-border attacks, analysts caution that the core issues driving tensions remain unresolved.&nbsp;&lsquo;Elephant in the room&rsquo;Abdul Basit, senior associate fellow and head of the South Asia desk at the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR), told Pakistan TV Digital that progress will remain stalled unless Kabul acknowledges the presence of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Afghan soil.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Afghan side is not ready to accept the fact that the militant Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan continues to operate from its soil,&rdquo; Basit said. &ldquo;As long as Kabul continues to refute that, any breakthrough will remain but a distant dream.&rdquo;&nbsp;Basit said Pakistan wants the Taliban authorities to dismantle militant hideouts used to orchestrate attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul, meanwhile, has demanded assurances that Pakistan will respect Afghanistan&rsquo;s sovereignty following recent cross-border strikes. &ldquo;Both parties are entering the talks with different aims,&rdquo; Basit said.&nbsp;Strained public sentimentJournalist and Afghanistan-Pakistan affairs analyst Sami Yousafzai said mutual distrust is deepening, particularly after recent clashes along the border.&nbsp;&ldquo;Healing that relationship will likely require consistent diplomatic engagement, confidence-building measures, and perhaps third-party facilitation at some stage,&rdquo; Yousafzai told Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;Without trust, analysts argue, discussions will remain procedural rather than transformative.&nbsp;Possible scenarios aheadBasit warned that if Kabul continues to deny the presence of TTP militants, Pakistan may see &ldquo;only one option, to target the leadership of the TTP in Afghanistan,&rdquo; a move he said would be justified by Islamabad in the name of national security.&nbsp;Analyst Inam Ul Haq described the Taliban&rsquo;s current posture as &ldquo;maneuvering the roof&rdquo; under the Doha framework, maintaining diplomatic cooperation while preserving ideological space for groups aligned with their worldview.&nbsp;T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s roleThe Istanbul round reflects T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s growing role as a mediator between the two uneasy neighbors. Ankara facilitated the Doha discussions, where both sides agreed to continue dialogue and maintain a ceasefire announced on October 19.&nbsp;Despite the challenges, analysts say continued engagement is preferable to confrontation.&nbsp;The upcoming talks, Basit said, represent &ldquo;an opportunity to begin reshaping the relationship, provided both sides are ready to speak plainly about the realities on the ground.&rdquo;

Following last week’s Doha talks, Islamabad and Kabul meet today in Istanbul to discuss a verifiable monitoring mechanism, though analysts warn progress remains uncertain amid ongoing disputes over militancy and border security.

Pakistan, Afghanistan to resume talks in Istanbul amid persistent tensions

ISTANBUL: T&uuml;rkiye on Friday appointed an ambassador to Syria, whose new rulers it has supported since they came to power in December, a diplomatic source told AFP. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan named his deputy, Nuh Yilmaz, as T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s ambassador to Damascus, the source said. Until now, T&uuml;rkiye had been represented in its southern neighbour by a charge d&#39;affaires. The appointment of a close associate of the foreign minister is being interpreted as an important diplomatic signal. Yilmaz has served as deputy foreign minister since May 2024, said the ministry. Like Fidan, Yilmaz hails from the National Intelligence Organization and is fluent in English, having held several posts in Washington and taught in the United States. Ankara and Damascus had severed diplomatic ties under Syria&#39;s toppled ruler Bashar al-Assad Since December, the two countries have been strengthening their ties and cooperation, both economically and militarily.&nbsp;

Türkiye has appointed an ambassador to Syria, whose new rulers it has supported since they came to power in December

Türkiye appoints ambassador to Syria

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: UN Resident &amp; Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan, Mohamed Yahya, said the United Nations may be 80 years old, but its values, norms, and identity &ldquo;haven&rsquo;t aged a day.&rdquo; Speaking on Pakistan TV&#39;s morning show &ldquo;World This Morning,&rdquo; he highlighted the UN&rsquo;s enduring mission, Pakistan&rsquo;s development journey, and global crises like Gaza.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s priorities, not oursYahya said the UN&rsquo;s work in Pakistan is driven by the country&rsquo;s own goals, not by an external agenda.&nbsp;&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t actually have our own priorities &mdash; you have priorities. We&rsquo;re here to help you achieve them,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;He noted that the government has asked the UN to focus on education and basic social services, with around 26 million children still out of school.&nbsp;&ldquo;Development is a marathon, not a sprint,&rdquo; Yahya added. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re supporting federal and provincial governments to address education, malnutrition, and poverty through technical assistance, funding, and new ideas.&rdquo;&nbsp;80 years of the United NationsSpeaking after a UN Day reception in Islamabad, Yahya reflected on the organization&rsquo;s 80-year journey.&nbsp;&ldquo;The UN Charter affirms that every person has the right to equality and dignity &mdash; that each individual matters,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;These are the principles the world committed to 80 years ago, and they remain part of our DNA.&rdquo;&nbsp;He noted that, despite ongoing conflicts, the world has avoided another world war, which was the UN&rsquo;s founding purpose.&nbsp;&ldquo;The UN Is a moral compass&rdquo;On global crises such as Gaza, Yahya quoted Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres: &ldquo;The UN is not only a meeting place; it is a moral compass.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Has peace been experienced by the children of Gaza? Unfortunately, no,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But the UN continues to call for a ceasefire, deliver aid, and uphold justice.&rdquo;&nbsp;He reminded that the UN&rsquo;s power rests with its member states, including Pakistan, which sits on the Security Council.&nbsp;A lasting legacy&nbsp;As the UN turns 80, Yahya said its mission &mdash; built on peace, development, and human rights &mdash; remains as vital as ever.&nbsp;&ldquo;The UN&rsquo;s values have not aged a day,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They are as relevant today as they were in 1945.&rdquo;

World This Morning

UN’s Mohamed Yahya says the organization’s values remain timeless at 80, emphasizing its support aligns with Pakistan’s own priorities, especially education and social services. He calls the UN a “moral compass” amid crises like Gaza, urging continued peace efforts.

‘UN values haven’t aged a day’: Mohamed Yahya reflects on 80 years of the United Nations and Pakistan’s priorities

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and T&uuml;rkiye have discussed expanding maritime cooperation, including the potential launch of a ferry service between the two countries, as well as collaboration in shipbuilding, ship operations, and the shipbreaking sector.&nbsp;The meeting was held between Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, according to a statement issued by the Press Information Department on Friday.&nbsp;Chaudhry said Pakistan attached &ldquo;great importance to its longstanding brotherly relations with T&uuml;rkiye&rdquo; and emphasized that enhanced cooperation in the maritime domain would strengthen regional trade and connectivity.&nbsp;He noted that Gwadar Port held &ldquo;immense potential&rdquo; for blue economy&ndash;related industries, and invited Turkish private sector investors to &ldquo;consider taking part in development and logistics projects centered around Gwadar.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added, &ldquo;Pakistan is committed to transforming Gwadar into a modern maritime and logistics hub that can significantly contribute to national and regional economic growth.&rdquo;&nbsp;Uraloğlu expressed T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s interest in deepening maritime ties and said the proposal for a ferry link would be reviewed with the relevant Turkish authorities.&nbsp;He stated that such a service &ldquo;could boost people-to-people exchanges, tourism, and bilateral trade by offering an affordable and efficient sea transport route.&rdquo;&nbsp;The Turkish minister also announced that a delegation of Turkish shipowners and port service providers would visit Pakistan soon, with a particular focus on exploring investment prospects at Gwadar.&nbsp;He appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to modernize port infrastructure, saying Turkish companies were &ldquo;keen to participate in mutually beneficial ventures.&rdquo;&nbsp;Chaudhry welcomed the initiative and assured &ldquo;full support and facilitation&rdquo; for the upcoming delegation.&nbsp;Discussing the fisheries sector, he noted that Pakistan currently has a 25,000-ton quota for tuna, and suggested Turkish investors consider setting up value-added processing and canning facilities to tap into higher-value export markets.&nbsp;He also announced that Pakistan would host a major maritime conference within the next three months to bring together regional and international stakeholders from the maritime, logistics, and fisheries sectors.&nbsp;Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to advancing Pakistan&ndash;T&uuml;rkiye cooperation through practical, mutually beneficial maritime collaboration, expressing confidence that stronger connectivity would contribute to shared prosperity and regional stability.

Economy

Islamabad and Istanbul discuss expanding maritime cooperation, including the potential launch of a ferry service between the two countries, as well as collaboration in shipbuilding, ship operations, and the shipbreaking sector.

Pakistan, Türkiye explore ferry service and shipbuilding cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday cautioned that Afghan territory must not be used for terrorist activities against Pakistan, while pointing to India&rsquo;s &ldquo;poor record&rdquo; in this regard. In his first press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan would not interfere if India and Afghanistan choose to establish diplomatic representation. &ldquo;India and Afghanistan are sovereign countries. If they decide to have diplomatic representation, we will not comment,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;However, Afghan soil must not be used for sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan, and India&rsquo;s record in this regard has not been good.&rdquo; Andrabi welcomed ceasefire talks held with the interim Afghan government in Doha on October 19, calling them &ldquo;a first step toward regional peace.&rdquo; He thanked Qatar and Turkey for their mediation and said discussions focused on halting cross-border attacks and restoring stability along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. He said Pakistan expected progress in the next round of talks in Istanbul, including a verifiable monitoring mechanism to prevent &ldquo;terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.&rdquo; Pakistan, he stated, &ldquo;does not seek escalation,&rdquo; but urged Afghan authorities to take &ldquo;verifiable action&rdquo; against groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army. The spokesperson said the ceasefire remained intact, describing it as &ldquo;a marker of positive achievement.&rdquo; On temporary border trade suspensions, he said the step was driven by security concerns. &ldquo;We understand traders and people are affected, but the lives of Pakistanis are more paramount than any commodity traded,&rdquo; he said. Responding to concerns over Afghan dam construction on the Kabul and Kunar rivers, Andrabi said the issue would be addressed under international law to ensure Pakistan&rsquo;s water rights. On funding speculation, he stated, &ldquo;Six dams worth $3 billion is a lot of money, I&rsquo;m not sure if New Delhi is so gracious with its purse.&rdquo; He dismissed India&rsquo;s threats regarding Azad Jammu and Kashmir as &ldquo;hollow and not credible,&rdquo; saying Pakistan was fully prepared to defend its territory. He stated that the people of AJK were &ldquo;as patriotic and aligned with Pakistan as any other part of the country.&rdquo; Pakistan launches first hyperspectral satellite The spokesperson highlighted the launch of Pakistan&rsquo;s first hyperspectral satellite (HS-1), saying it will significantly improve monitoring of land use, water resources, vegetation, urban growth, disaster response and climate resilience. Pakistan condemns Israeli settlement expansion The spokesperson also condemned Israel&rsquo;s move to extend its claimed sovereignty over parts of the occupied West Bank, calling it a violation of international law and UN resolutions. He reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s support for a sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital. He noted that the International Court of Justice has repeatedly stated that Israel must not obstruct humanitarian relief in occupied territories. Pakistan&ndash;Poland ties and outreach to Africa Andrabi said Pakistan and Poland were expanding cooperation in trade, energy, defense, education and labor. He stated that Polish investments in Pakistan&rsquo;s petrochemical sector alone had exceeded $5 billion. He also mentioned Pakistan&rsquo;s growing engagement with Africa, including the fifth Pak-Africa Trade Conference in Addis Ababa, where discussions focused on agriculture, healthcare, education, trade and investment.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs weekly press briefing on October 24, 2025. (MOFA)

Foreign Office spokesperson says Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan, noting India’s “poor record.” It welcomes Doha ceasefire talks, seeks verifiable monitoring, and says Pakistan does not want escalation but expects Afghan action.

Pakistan warns Afghan soil must not fuel terrorism, questions India’s record

ISLAMABAD: At least 14 migrants killed after an inflatable boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of Bodrum in Turkey&rsquo;s Mugla province on Friday, Turkish authorities said. The vessel sank near Ortakent in the Aegean Sea after departing from the nearby Bitez area earlier in the day. According to the Mugla Governor&rsquo;s Office, the boat had 18 migrants on board, reportedly including Afghan nationals. About ten minutes after setting out, the vessel began taking on water and quickly sank.&nbsp; One survivor swam for nearly six hours before reaching shore and alerting authorities, while another was rescued on Celebi Island, the coast guard confirmed. &ldquo;Additional Coast Guard boats and a helicopter were deployed to support the operations,&rdquo; Turkish officials said. &ldquo;The bodies of 14 migrants were recovered.&nbsp; Search and rescue efforts for other missing migrants continue under the coordination of the Coast Guard, using four boats, a dive team, and a helicopter.&rdquo; The rescue mission involved four Turkish Coast Guard vessels, a diving team, and an aerial unit that responded after receiving a distress call from the 112 Emergency Call Center.&nbsp; Two migrants were rescued, and operations are ongoing for two others still unaccounted for. It is not clear whether the migrants were attempting to reach the nearby Greek island of Kos, a common destination for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.&nbsp; The tragedy comes just days after Turkey launched a nationwide crackdown on human trafficking networks, detaining over 160 suspects accused of facilitating illegal migration.

Europe

At least 14 migrants, reportedly including Afghans, drowned after a boat capsized off Turkey’s Bodrum coast. Two survivors were rescued as authorities continue searching amid a nationwide crackdown on human trafficking networks

Pakistani army chief urges action against extremism, distorted religious interpretations in Egypt visit

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Latest News

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Islamabad, Warsaw pledge closer engagement in trade, security, regional stability

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