Mariam Ellahi

ISTANBUL: Pakistan&rsquo;s high-level security delegation began departing for Istanbul Airport on Friday after discussions with the Afghan Taliban government remained deadlocked, security sources told Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s National Security Adviser Lieutenant General Asim Malik, who led the delegation, has also left as the round concluded without agreement, the sources confirmed.&nbsp;Earlier in the day in Islamabad, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan had submitted &ldquo;evidence-based, justified and logical&rdquo; demands to the mediators &ldquo;with the singular aim to put an end to cross-border terrorism.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The mediators fully endorse Pakistan&rsquo;s stance on the basis of the evidence provided by our side as well as the tenets of international law and principles,&rdquo; Andrabi said, adding that the mediators are presenting Pakistan&rsquo;s demands to the Afghan Taliban delegation &ldquo;point by point.&rdquo;&nbsp;Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan appreciates the mediation efforts of T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar, but responsibility lies with Kabul to fulfill its counterterrorism commitments.&nbsp;&ldquo;Onus lies on Afghanistan to fulfill its long standing international, regional and bilateral pledges regarding control of terrorism, in which so far they have failed,&rdquo; Tarar said.&nbsp;He stressed that Pakistan&rsquo;s core concern is the presence of armed groups operating from Afghan territory and attacking Pakistani security forces and civilians.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan does not harbor any ill-will against the Afghan people,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;However, [Pakistan] shall never support the Afghan Taliban regime&rsquo;s measures that are detrimental to the interest of the Afghan people as well as neighboring countries.&rdquo;&nbsp;Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking in an interview with GEO News, confirmed the stalemate and said the negotiation process is now uncertain.&nbsp;&ldquo;There is complete deadlock and the agreement has entered an indefinite phase. There is no hope of a third or fourth round,&rdquo; Asif said. He thanked Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye &ldquo;for sincerely making efforts.&rdquo;&nbsp;Asif cautioned that Pakistan would respond if attacks continue.&nbsp;&ldquo;If the situation flares up from the Afghanistan side, we will respond accordingly,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Until there is no ceasefire broken from their side, the ceasefire persists, but if they break it, we will respond.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said Pakistan&rsquo;s principal demand is the prevention of terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, including on schools and civilian targets.&nbsp;&ldquo;They have indicated they know the terrorists come from their side but they say they cannot do anything. So they should not stand between us and the terrorists, let us handle it. We have all the resources and information to control them,&rdquo; Asif said.&nbsp;With negotiations stalled, Tarar reiterated that Pakistan will continue diplomatic engagement, but not at the expense of national security.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan shall continue to exercise all options necessary to safeguard the security of its people and its sovereignty,&rdquo; he said.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar says Afghanistan must fulfill anti-terror pledges, Islamabad holds no ill-will but will take necessary security measures.

Pakistan NSA leaves as Afghan Taliban talks stall

ISTANBUL: The mediators involved in the talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan have endorsed Pakistan&rsquo;s stance based on the provided evidence and will be discussing Islamabad&rsquo;s demands with the Afghan Taliban, sources said on Friday. &nbsp; The Pakistan delegation handed over its evidence-based, justified, and logical demands to the mediators with the singular aim of putting an end to cross-border terrorism, the sources said. The mediators fully endorsed Pakistan&rsquo;s stance on the basis of the provided evidence as well as tenets of international law and principles, they added.&nbsp; The mediators are discussing Pakistan&rsquo;s demands point by point with the Afghan Taliban delegation.&nbsp;Any other information circulating on social media, especially on Afghan accounts, is either pure speculation or deliberate disinformation, the sources added.&nbsp; What is the conflict?The conflict centers on Pakistan&rsquo;s demand that Afghanistan prevent the use of its territory by terrorist groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) to carry out attacks against Pakistan.&nbsp; The situation has strained relations between the two neighboring countries, with recent border skirmishes resulting in casualties on both sides.&nbsp; Several rounds of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan have taken place. Previous talksThe first round of talks was held in Doha on Oct. 18-19, where an initial ceasefire agreement was reached with mediation from T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar. The second round took place in Istanbul from Oct. 25 to 30 to strengthen and extend the ceasefire.&nbsp; A principal-level meeting began on Thursday in Istanbul to finalize further implementation details. Recent exchange of fire A brief exchange of fire along the Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing coincided with the ongoing talks, with Pakistan&rsquo;s information ministry, in a post of X, rejecting Afghan claims that Pakistani forces opened fire first. Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government, however, offered a different account. Afghan Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed the firing started from the Pakistan side. Police in Chaman confirmed to Pakistan TV Digital that Pakistani border units returned fire after the initial shots but reported no casualties on either side.&nbsp; The exchange was brief and did not disrupt movement in nearby civilian areas, a police official said.

Afghanistan

Sources say Pakistan’s stance is evidence-based and meets tenets of international law and principles; mediators are discussing Pakistan’s demands with the Afghan Taliban delegation.

Istanbul talks: mediators endorse Pakistan’s stance, to discuss with Afghan Taliban

RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that India is planning another &ldquo;false flag&rdquo; operation, emphasizing that this time the operation would be in the &ldquo;deep sea.&rdquo; The head of the military&rsquo;s media wing was speaking with journalists in Rawalpindi on Monday ahead of the Coordination Meeting of Arab-Islamic Foreign Ministers in Istanbul. During the discussions, the spokesperson revealed that India is planning another false-flag operation in the deep sea, cautioning that Pakistan&rsquo;s response would be &ldquo;greater than before.&rdquo; &ldquo;If India wants to do something on sea, land, or air, they can do it. Pakistan will do whatever it takes to take care of it. We are very good at taking care [of things]. And when we take care [of things], the world will see,&rdquo; he remarked. He said the international community must recognize India&rsquo;s attempts to disturb regional peace through provocations and propaganda. On Trump&rsquo;s remarksResponding to a question about US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s recent remarks on nuclear weapons testing, he said that the strategy of any country is fluid, emphasizing that Pakistan will continue to carry out tests and trials as required for national security. &ldquo;The strategy of any country is fluid and always kept under abeyance, and we are not bound to make such moves public,&rdquo; he said. Counterterrorism operations figuresRegarding the ongoing operations against terrorists, the DG ISPR said that 62,113 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) have been conducted so far this year. This has resulted in the killing of 1,667 terrorists, including 128 identified Afghan nationals, he added. During these operations, 1,073 Pakistanis embraced martyrdom, including 584 army personnel, 133 law enforcement officers, and 356 civilians. The DG ISPR reiterated that Pakistan&rsquo;s counterterrorism actions are intelligence-based and aimed at eliminating terrorism in all its forms. Terror-crime nexus and narcotics fundingLt. Gen. Chaudhry warned of a growing &ldquo;terror-crime-political nexus&rdquo; that continues to obstruct counterterrorism efforts under the National Action Plan (NAP) -- a governmental strategy launched after the Army Public School attack in 2014 to combat terrorism across the country. He said that certain political elements and facilitators hinder operations against narcotics and terror-financing networks. The spokesperson disclosed that security forces destroyed over 12,000 acres of poppy fields in the northwestern district of Khyber, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and around 40 acres in southwestern Balochistan, adding that the profit per acre ranges between Rs1.8 million to Rs2.5 million ($6,000&ndash;$9,000). He explained that profits from these crops are used to finance terrorism, smuggling, and other cross-border crimes. At the same time, local populations are often co-opted into these activities in return for a share of the proceeds. He further revealed that &ldquo;khawarij&rdquo; (terrorists) collect &ldquo;usher&rdquo; &mdash; a form of tax &mdash; from locals on this illicit trade. &ldquo;When our law enforcement agencies intercept narcotics smuggling or attack these networks, they come under attack from terrorists and their facilitators,&rdquo; he said. Terror-criminal nexus in Khyber and Tirah districtsHighlighting the security situation in Khyber District and the Tirah Valley, the DG ISPR said there were 508 terrorist incidents reported in the area during 2025, resulting in 192 casualties among army, Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel, and civilians. He said that political stakeholders and criminal networks have &ldquo;financial stakes in this illegal trade.&rdquo; Whenever operations are launched, &ldquo;they start campaigns against the security forces under the pretext of protecting civilian areas.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;When we check their logistical sustenance, they attack our convoys and check-posts. Our soldiers are laying down their lives to protect the motherland,&rdquo; he added. Afghan Taliban killed in Pakistan-Afghanistan standoffDiscussing the recent border clashes between Islamabad and Kabul, the DG ISPR said that intelligence estimates confirm 206 Afghan Taliban border forces and 112 militants were killed during Pakistan&rsquo;s operations. He said that Pakistan shared real-time evidence with the Afghan regime during the Doha and Istanbul talks held recently. He added that Islamabad shared Afghan identity cards and records of cross-border infiltration attempts. &ldquo;Our position is clear. Afghan soil must not be used against Pakistan,&rdquo; he stressed. &ldquo;Afghanistan needs a representative government. The people of Afghanistan are not terrorists,&rdquo; he said. The DG ISPR said that Islamabad&rsquo;s stance was well-received internationally, adding that &ldquo;Afghanistan&rsquo;s terrorism is now well internationalized, and the country has become an epicenter of terrorism.&rdquo; No negotiations with terroristsThe DG ISPR categorically ruled out any dialogue with terrorist outfits, saying: &ldquo;We will never talk to terrorists.&rdquo; He said the Afghan Taliban and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are &ldquo;closely linked,&rdquo; adding that the TTP itself claims to be a branch of the Afghan Taliban. He accused the Afghan authorities of providing human shields to terrorists and relocating them into civilian neighborhoods, which he termed &ldquo;criminal.&rdquo; &ldquo;If they are Pakistani, then hand them over to us. Why are Bashir Zeb (leader of the Baloch Nationalist Army), Noor Wali Mehsud, and Qari Amjad being protected? This must finish now,&rdquo; he warned.&nbsp;He clarified that Pakistan&rsquo;s dispute is not with the people of Afghanistan but with a non-representative regime patronizing terrorism and the narcotics trade. He also appreciated the constructive roles of Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye in promoting peace and dialogue. He said Pakistan remains open to verifiable and results-oriented mechanisms but will act decisively if terrorism persists. &ldquo;Our security is not to be guaranteed by Kabul. It is in our own hands. No appeasement policy with terrorists,&rdquo; he concluded. Gaza and regional peaceRegarding the Gaza International Stabilization Force, the DG ISPR said the decision lies with the Pakistan government and parliament, reiterating that national security and the protection of citizens remain the state&rsquo;s top priority.

Security

DG ISPR warns India planning deep-sea false-flag operation; Pakistan vows stronger response; reports counterterror successes; poppy cultivation funding militancy; rejects talks with terrorists; cites cross-border Taliban casualties and regional concerns


India planning false-flag operation in deep sea: spox Pakistan Army

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hoping for a &ldquo;positive outcome&rdquo; in the next round of talks with the Afghan Taliban set for November 6, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Friday, while calling on Kabul to honor its security commitments and prevent cross-border terrorism.&nbsp;Briefing reporters in Islamabad, Andrabi confirmed the conclusion of four-day discussions in Istanbul between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, talks that were initially planned to last two days. He said Pakistan extended the negotiations &ldquo;in an effort to reach an amicable agreement.&rdquo;&nbsp;Responding to a Pakistan TV Digital question on the difference in tone between his remarks and those of Pakistan&rsquo;s defense minister, Andrabi said, &ldquo;It is our professional hazard to be optimistic.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;I would call it guarded optimism,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We have been engaged with the Taliban for four years.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s difficult to be optimistic, but one must remain hopeful.&rdquo;&nbsp;A joint statement issued by T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar on Thursday noted that Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a ceasefire mechanism along with a monitoring and verification framework intended to maintain peace and impose penalties for violations.&nbsp;Andrabi stressed that Pakistan had engaged &ldquo;positively&rdquo; without compromising its stance that Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.&nbsp;He said Islamabad &ldquo;expects the Afghan Taliban regime to honor its commitments to the international community&rdquo; and take &ldquo;concrete and verifiable actions&rdquo; against terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referred to by Pakistani officials as &ldquo;Fitna al-Khwarij,&rdquo; and militants linked to India, described as &ldquo;Fitna Al-Hindustan.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said Pakistan had repeatedly provided Kabul with credible intelligence on the presence of these groups inside Afghanistan, yet cross-border attacks had increased in recent months.&nbsp;The spokesperson referred to &ldquo;unprovoked aggression&rdquo; along the border in October, warning that Pakistan would respond &ldquo;resolutely&rdquo; if such provocations continued.&nbsp;Despite tensions, Andrabi said Pakistan remains committed to a stable relationship with its western neighbor, adding that Islamabad has supported Afghanistan through transit trade concessions, elevated diplomatic ties to ambassador level, and agreed to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan.&nbsp;Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, he noted, has visited Kabul three times this year, including to sign the Joint Feasibility Study for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway project.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Government and armed forces of Pakistan stand ready to take all possible measures to protect Pakistan&rsquo;s sovereignty and ensure the safety and security of its people,&rdquo; Andrabi said, adding that Pakistan would continue to engage in mediation efforts.&nbsp;He thanked Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye for their &ldquo;constructive role.&rdquo;&nbsp;On GazaThe spokesperson said consultations on an international stabilization force for Gaza are ongoing among regional partners. Pakistan, he said, will continue working with Arab and Islamic countries to secure &ldquo;lasting peace&rdquo; and the Palestinians&rsquo; &ldquo;right to self-determination,&rdquo; while condemning renewed Israeli strikes as a &ldquo;flagrant&rdquo; violation of international law.&nbsp;On US sanctions waiver for India&nbsp;Regarding the US decision to allow India to operate Iran&rsquo;s Chabahar Port under a six-month sanctions waiver, Andrabi said Pakistan has &ldquo;taken note&rdquo; and &ldquo;welcomes any decision that leads to economic development in our brotherly country Iran,&rdquo; but cautioned that India must not &ldquo;abuse this opening to promote terrorism or subversion through adjacent borders.&rdquo;&nbsp;On US&ndash;India defense frameworkAndrabi described the recent US&ndash;India defense understanding as still under review, saying Islamabad is &ldquo;evaluating [it], particularly with reference to its impact on peace, security, and stability in South Asia,&rdquo; and would comment further at a later stage.&nbsp;Pakistan&ndash;EU migration dialogueThe spokesperson also discussed the third Pakistan&ndash;EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue held in Islamabad this week, in which both sides reviewed progress under the EU Readmission Agreement and Talent Partnership roadmap.&nbsp;He said both sides appreciated the &ldquo;growing level of cooperation&rdquo; and agreed to hold the next round in Brussels.

During a Foreign Office press briefing in Islamabad, Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi says Pakistan expects meaningful progress in upcoming talks with the Afghan Taliban, urging Kabul to fulfill counterterrorism commitments and prevent cross-border attacks.

Pakistan expresses ‘guarded optimism’ ahead of Nov. 6 Taliban talks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will carry out military strikes inside Afghanistan to target militant hideouts if ongoing talks in Istanbul fail to produce written guarantees preventing cross‑border attacks, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Pakistan TV Digital in a wide‑ranging interview on Thursday.&nbsp;&ldquo;If we do not receive any arrangement or any agreement or any assurance from the other side that there&rsquo;ll be no incursions into our territory sponsored by Kabul, then obviously the only option we are left with is that we&rsquo;ll cross into their territory and bomb the hideouts of [the Tehreek‑e‑Taliban Pakistan],&rdquo; the minister said.&nbsp;Asif said four days of negotiations in Istanbul ended without a conclusion because the Afghan delegation offered only &ldquo;verbal guarantees but refused to commit in writing.&rdquo; He described the Afghan stance as &ldquo;stubbornness&rdquo; and said Pakistan could not accept assurances that were not formalized.&nbsp;&ldquo;We did not reach anywhere on this particular demand,&rdquo; he said, adding that the earlier preliminary accord reached in Doha, which took 11 hours to draft, left implementation mechanisms to be decided in later talks. T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar acted as mediators in the process, and Pakistan has sought their backing and monitoring for any new arrangement.&nbsp;After the Istanbul talks nearly collapsed this week, Turkish mediators persuaded the Pakistani delegation to give the process another chance.&nbsp;&ldquo;My optimism will be very, very guarded,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I won&rsquo;t pin unnecessary hopes on what is going on in Istanbul.&rdquo;&nbsp;Kabul sheltering TTPReiterating Islamabad&rsquo;s long-standing concern, Asif says the TTP is &ldquo;based mainly in Afghanistan&rdquo; and receives support from elements within the Kabul regime. &ldquo;They deny it publicly, but admit it privately,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Pakistan, he added, has repeatedly reported attacks on soldiers and checkposts that it says originate from Afghan soil.&nbsp;&lsquo;We will not be threatened&rsquo;&nbsp;Responding to reports in Taliban‑linked and Afghan media of possible attacks on Islamabad, the defense minister said he would &ldquo;not speculate&rdquo; but made clear Pakistan would not be intimidated. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t budge or get pressurized by their threats. We are ready to face anything,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;They&rsquo;ll pay a very heavy price for anything they are doing now or they intend to do in the future.&rdquo;&nbsp;Trade and smuggling concernsAsif highlighted the long‑term humanitarian burden Pakistan has borne, saying the country has hosted &ldquo;close to four million Afghan refugees&rdquo; for the past four to five decades. He said Afghanistan has shown &ldquo;absolutely no regard or respect for what Pakistan has done for Afghanistan over the decades.&rdquo;&nbsp;The minister also raised concerns about the misuse of transit‑trade facilities.&nbsp;&ldquo;This sort of facility is being misused for decades by Afghans and perhaps in collusion with some Pakistani businessmen,&rdquo; he said, adding trucks and containers bound for Kabul are often offloaded on Pakistani soil and diverted into local markets.&nbsp;On the economic impact of a breakdown in ties, Asif said Pakistan could &ldquo;survive&rdquo; without transit trade, but warned the loss would be more painful for land‑locked Afghanistan.&nbsp;He reiterated his support for enhanced regional connectivity, linking Central Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, saying such ties could &ldquo;change the economic map of this particular region&rdquo; if Afghanistan embraces intra‑regional trade.&nbsp;Tri-service drills in IndiaTurning to wider regional tensions, Asif said Pakistan was monitoring Indian tri‑service exercises in the Sir Creek area near the Arabian Sea. While he called military drills &ldquo;routine,&rdquo; he warned that the current peace with India remains &ldquo;very tense&rdquo; and fragile.&nbsp;&ldquo;If there is some incursion or some provocation from the Indian side, it will be responded in kind and responded well,&rdquo; he said.

In a wide-ranging interview with Pakistan TV Digital, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif discusses Istanbul talks, trade with Afghanistan, and tri-service drills in India.

Pakistan warns of strikes unless Kabul provides written anti-TTP assurances

ISLAMABAD: Women parliamentarians are emerging as the driving force inside Pakistan&rsquo;s National Assembly, recording higher attendance and stronger participation than their male counterparts, according to a report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).&nbsp;FAFEN reported that during the National Assembly&rsquo;s 19th session held from September 1 to 5, 2025, nearly 49% of the 71 women MNAs attended every sitting, compared to 29% of male members. The monitoring body also noted that women lawmakers demonstrated greater procedural discipline by consistently seeking formal leave when absent and maintaining presence during key proceedings.&nbsp;This trend aligns with FAFEN&rsquo;s Women Parliamentarians Performance Report 2024-25, released earlier this year, which found women, who make up only 17% of parliament&rsquo;s total strength, contributed nearly half of the total parliamentary agenda, including legislation, resolutions, questions, and committee work. In the National Assembly alone, women introduced 55% of all agenda items, marking a historic high since 2015-16.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, MNA Alia Kamran of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) said women legislators have been consistently outperforming in attendance.&nbsp;&ldquo;Women&rsquo;s attendance has long surpassed that of men,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;Kamran explained that while male lawmakers often split time between Islamabad and their constituencies, many women, particularly those on reserved seats, are expected to remain present and actively engaged in parliamentary work.&nbsp;&ldquo;Women are contributing their full share to lawmaking. Real parliamentary work is legislation, not fund distribution,&rdquo; she added.&nbsp;Former provincial minister Sharmila Farooqui said the growing presence and performance of women is &ldquo;reshaping what leadership means in Pakistani politics.&rdquo;&nbsp;She noted that women are bringing dedication, preparation, and empathy to the legislative process. &ldquo;Women are showing that thoughtful, well-prepared participation can drive real progress,&rdquo; she said, adding that their consistency is inspiring younger women and signaling to political parties that women are essential decision-makers.&nbsp;Senator Seher Kamran highlighted that women&rsquo;s strong participation challenges traditional leadership structures.&nbsp;&ldquo;Women are demonstrating that effective leadership is not tied to gender, but to commitment and insight,&rdquo; she said, noting that inclusive decision-making is improving the quality of parliamentary debate.&nbsp;&nbsp;<p style='margin: 0.75rem 0px 0px; font-family: "Atlassian Sans", ui-sans-serif, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Ubuntu, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; text-overflow: ellipsis; overflow-wrap: break-word; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 1.714; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: -0.005em; color: rgb(41, 42, 46); font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>

Pakistan Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training Farah Naz Akbar speaks during a National Assembly session in Islamabad on February 14, 2025. (Photo courtesy: Facebook/NationalAssemblyOfPakistan/File)

Politics

In a report published by FAFEN, women parliamentarians show higher attendance and stronger legislative contributions than men, driving over half of the National Assembly’s agenda and reshaping leadership norms toward a more inclusive and effective parliament

Pakistani women lawmakers lead attendance, drive stronger parliamentary performance

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will &ldquo;push deep into their territory in retaliation&rdquo; if evidence shows attacks are being staged from Afghan soil, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Pakistan TV Digital late Wednesday, a day after talks in Istanbul with Afghan delegates ended without an agreement. &ldquo;We will hunt them down. Very simple. If we have to cross the border, we will do that,&rdquo; Asif said, warning that Islamabad was prepared to follow up incursions with both air strikes and ground operations. &ldquo;Whether we have to carry out air strikes or use ground forces, as before, we&rsquo;ve done air strikes, and we&rsquo;ll do them again.&rdquo; &lsquo;Always be a response&rsquo;&nbsp;Asif stressed that any Pakistani action would be conditional. &ldquo;If in the coming days they don&rsquo;t send new formations and cross-border terrorism doesn&rsquo;t occur, then we will not do anything,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It will always be a response, not an initiative; it will be a reaction to something committed by the Afghans.&rdquo; His remarks come amid a surge in militant attacks inside Pakistan that prompted the two warring sides to meet in Doha on October 19, leading to a 48-hour ceasefire after days of heavy cross-border clashes. Talks ongoingDelegations from Islamabad and Kabul later also met in Istanbul from October 25 to 29, where Pakistan sought a &ldquo;concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism&rdquo; to prevent Afghan soil from being used to stage attacks on Pakistani forces and civilians. Officials said the Istanbul round, mediated by Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye, failed to produce a binding enforcement arrangement after Afghan representatives declined to accept that it would take verifiable measures against groups Islamabad blames for the violence. Negotiators exchanged near-final drafts, but according to Pakistani sources, the Afghan side repeatedly deferred to Kabul and would not sign off on mechanisms Pakistan described as necessary to guarantee the ceasefire. According to well-placed sources, Pakistan on Thursday agreed to extend the Istanbul dialogue process at T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s request. Sources said that the decision to resume the dialogue process was based on giving peace another chance. Talks are to begin at 2pm Pakistan standard time.&nbsp;Banned groups responsible for attacksIslamabad points to factions linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other local networks as responsible for recent assaults on security posts and convoys.&nbsp; Pakistan security officials say precision strikes and targeted operations have degraded some militant leadership, but they argue that cross-border sanctuaries remain the core problem. Asif framed Pakistan&rsquo;s posture as one of last resort: Willing to keep pressing for diplomacy and to exercise restraint, but ready to use force again if attacks from across the frontier resume.

Pakistan on Thursday agreed to extend the Istanbul dialogue process at Türkiye's request; decision to resume dialogue process was based on giving peace another chance; talks are to begin at 2pm Pakistan standard time.

Pakistan will retaliate if Afghan-based militants continue attacks: defense minister

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani delegation in Istanbul has presented its final position to the Afghan Taliban, emphasizing that continued patronage of terrorists is unacceptable, security sources said on Sunday. &ldquo;The ongoing support and shelter for terrorists by the Taliban is not acceptable,&rdquo; a senior Pakistani security official said. &ldquo;Concrete and verifiable steps will have to be taken by the Taliban regime to eliminate cross-border terrorism from and inside Afghanistan.&rdquo; Security sources said the demands presented by Pakistan were clear, evidence-based, and formulated to address the core issue directly. They added that Pakistan conveyed there would be no compromise on its central security concerns. According to the sources, the Pakistani side provided intelligence showing the presence and operations of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) inside Afghanistan, including safe havens and leadership protection. &ldquo;The Taliban were urged to take decisive action against these groups and end the provision of safe havens,&rdquo; a security source stated. However, the sources said the Afghan Taliban&rsquo;s arguments were &ldquo;illogical and contrary to observable ground realities,&rdquo; raising questions about their approach. &ldquo;It seems that the Taliban are following someone else&rsquo;s agenda,&rdquo; a security official said. &ldquo;This agenda is not in the interest of Afghanistan, Pakistan, or the broader region.&rdquo; Security sources also indicated that the Taliban delegation&rsquo;s &ldquo;stubbornness, lack of seriousness, and non-cooperation&rdquo; had become clear to all parties involved, including the host country. The host government is continuing to make efforts to ensure the Afghan side understands the evidence and engages responsibly. &ldquo;Further progress depends on the Taliban adopting a positive and constructive attitude,&rdquo; the sources noted. The current talks in Istanbul follow a meeting held in Doha last week, where both sides agreed to a ceasefire after several days of cross-border clashes. According to intelligence sources, the Istanbul discussions lasted about nine hours and sought to move toward a verifiable mechanism to prevent militant movement, reaffirm mutual respect for territorial sovereignty, and address related matters involving trade, refugee repatriation, and the separation of bilateral issues from internal political pressures. The talks are taking place amid a recent surge in militant incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including attacks in Central Kurram and Dera Ismail Khan, in which at least 28 Pakistani security personnel, including senior officers, were martyred. In response, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced that Pakistan would send a delegation to Kabul, citing what he described as &ldquo;unbearable&rdquo; security conditions. The Istanbul round forms part of a wider effort led by Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye to preserve the ceasefire and reduce tensions along the Pakistan&ndash;Afghanistan frontier. The process follows a temporary 48-hour truce declared on October 15 and extended during the Doha talks. Security sources stressed that the responsibility for meaningful progress now lies with the Afghan Taliban. &ldquo;What happens next will determine the stability of the region,&rdquo; a senior Pakistani official said.

Security sources say Taliban’s arguments in Istanbul talks are illogical, contrary to ground realities, and suggest Kabul may be pursuing an agenda not aligned with regional stability. Further progress depends on Taliban’s positive engagement, officials add.

Istanbul talks: Pakistan demands concrete Taliban action to stop cross-border terrorism

ISLAMABAD: The second round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban has not yet concluded, with deliberations on Pakistan&rsquo;s proposal still underway in Istanbul, intelligence sources told Pakistan TV Digital late Saturday.&nbsp;According to the sources, the discussions spanned approximately nine hours.&nbsp;The latest engagement follows the Doha round held last week, where both sides agreed to a ceasefire after days of cross-border clashes. The Istanbul discussions are aimed at moving toward a verifiable framework to prevent further escalation and ensure stability along the Pakistan&ndash;Afghanistan border.&nbsp;Three-point agenda under reviewSources said the talks in Istanbul focused on a three-point agenda: establishing a joint monitoring and oversight mechanism to curb cross-border militant movement; ensuring respect for national sovereignty under existing laws and international obligations; and addressing trade matters, refugee repatriation, and the separation of bilateral issues from internal political pressures.&nbsp;Possibility of longer-term understandingOfficials confirmed that both sides also discussed the prospect of a longer-term political understanding.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi had earlier described the Doha engagement as a &ldquo;positive marker.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;There has been no major full-scale terrorist attack emanating from Afghan soil in the last two to three days,&rdquo; he said on Friday. &ldquo;We would like the trend to continue in Istanbul and post-Istanbul.&rdquo;&nbsp;On the Afghan side, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated on X that Deputy Interior Minister Haji Najib is leading Kabul&rsquo;s delegation, noting that &ldquo;the remaining issues will be discussed at this meeting.&rdquo;&nbsp;Islamabad&rsquo;s core objectiveAndrabi reiterated that Pakistan&rsquo;s central aim is to halt attacks originating from Afghan territory, adding that the ceasefire &ldquo;by and large still stands.&rdquo;&nbsp;Officials in Islamabad said the decision to re-engage in dialogue was made at Kabul&rsquo;s request and through mutual understanding to reduce tensions, emphasizing that sustained engagement is important for regional stability.&nbsp;Background to the talksThe latest engagement follows a surge in militant incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including attacks in Central Kurram and Dera Ismail Khan, in which at least 28 Pakistani security personnel, including senior officers, were martyred. In response to the deteriorating situation, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced that Islamabad would dispatch a delegation to Kabul, citing what he described as &ldquo;unbearable&rdquo; security conditions. Shortly afterward, explosions were reported in Kabul, which Taliban officials linked to Pakistan, a claim Islamabad did not immediately address. On October 11, heavy clashes then broke out at several points along the 2,604-kilometre border. The Afghan side&rsquo;s 201st Khalid bin Walid Army Corps said its actions came in response to Pakistan&rsquo;s earlier strikes, while Pakistan also engaged multiple Afghan positions and temporarily closed the Spin Boldak crossing. A 48-hour temporary truce was put in place on October 15 and was subsequently extended through the Doha talks held last week with the facilitation of Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye. According to Qatar, both sides agreed to maintain an immediate ceasefire and continue follow-up engagements to support its implementation.

With discussions spanning nine hours, Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have yet to conclude talks in Istanbul, where deliberations on Pakistan’s proposal continue following last week’s Doha ceasefire

Istanbul talks ‘not concluded’ as deliberation on Pakistan proposal ongoing

ISLAMABAD: The second round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban has formally begun in Istanbul, T&uuml;rkiye, official sources confirmed on Saturday. The latest engagement follows the first round of discussions in Doha, where both sides agreed to a ceasefire after days of cross-border clashes. According to sources who spoke with Pakistan TV Digital, the Istanbul discussions are centered on a three-point agenda: establishing a joint monitoring and oversight mechanism to curb cross-border militant movements; ensuring respect for national sovereignty under existing laws and international obligations; and addressing issues related to trade flows, refugee repatriation, and the separation of bilateral matters from domestic politics. Exploring long-term political understandingOfficials also noted that both sides are exploring the possibility of reaching a longer-term political understanding. Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi speaking at a weekly briefing on Friday, called the Doha engagement a &ldquo;positive marker.&rdquo; &ldquo;There has been no major full-scale terrorist attack emanating from Afghan soil in the last two to three days,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We would like the trend to continue in Istanbul and post-Istanbul.&rdquo; On the Afghan side, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid earlier confirmed on X that Deputy Interior Minister Haji Najib is leading Kabul&rsquo;s delegation, noting that &ldquo;the remaining issues will be discussed at this meeting.&rdquo; Islamabad&rsquo;s primary expectationAndrabi reiterated that Pakistan&rsquo;s central objective is to stop attacks originating from Afghan territory, adding that the ceasefire &ldquo;by and large still stands.&rdquo; Pakistan has faced a renewed surge in militancy in its western border regions since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Clashes escalated earlier this month when Afghan forces targeted Pakistani posts while Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was on an official visit to India. Officials in Islamabad say the decision to re-enter dialogue was made at Kabul&rsquo;s request and through mutual understanding to pursue de-escalation. Pakistan maintains that continued engagement is vital for regional peace and stability. Prelude to Istanbul talksThe talks come after a series of deadly militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including incidents in Central Kurram and Dera Ismail Khan that claimed the lives of at least 28 Pakistani security personnel, among them senior officers. Following the attacks, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan would send a delegation to Afghanistan due to &ldquo;unbearable&rdquo; security concerns. Hours later, explosions were reported in Kabul, which the Taliban blamed on Islamabad. Pakistan did not immediately comment. Subsequently, Pakistan conducted aerial strikes in Paktika&rsquo;s Birmal district, which the military described as targeting militant hideouts. The next day, on October 11, clashes erupted along multiple points of the 2,604-kilometer border. Afghanistan&#39;s 201st Khalid bin Walid Army Corps claimed the attacks were in response to Pakistan&rsquo;s earlier strikes. Pakistan countered by targeting several Afghan bases and also temporarily closed the Spin Boldak crossing. A temporary 48-hour ceasefire was reached on October 15 and later extended until the Doha round of talks, which took place last week with Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye mediating. Qatar&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry stated that both sides agreed to an immediate ceasefire and committed to further follow-up meetings to ensure implementation and stability.

Focus on establishing a verifiable monitoring mechanism, Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban resume talks in Istanbul after a Doha-brokered ceasefire, following deadly cross-border clashes and strikes on militant hideouts along the Pak-Afghan frontier

Pakistan, Afghan Taliban in second round of talks in Istanbul: sources

Hong Kong: A huge fire engulfed a crowded Hong Kong high-rise complex, killing at least 36 people and leaving more than 200 unaccounted for in the city&#39;s worst blaze in decades. The fire, which started on Wednesday afternoon and was still burning in the early hours of Thursday, shocked the Chinese financial hub, which has some of the world&#39;s most densely populated and tallest apartment blocks. Huge flames first took hold on bamboo scaffolding on several apartment blocks of Wang Fuk Court, which contains nearly 2,000 flats in eight towers in the northern district of Tai Po and was reportedly undergoing estate-wide maintenance. City leader John Lee early on Thursday gave the death toll as 36, including a firefighter, with 279 people unaccounted for. Twenty-nine people were hospitalized, with seven in critical condition. Lee said the fire was &quot;gradually getting under control,&quot; with flames still spotted at four out of the eight buildings in the complex. He was speaking almost 12 hours after the fire broke out. The cause was still not known. At the scene of the fire, an AFP reporter heard loud cracking sounds, possibly from the burning bamboo, and saw thick plumes of smoke billowing from the buildings as flames and ash reached high into the sky. A 65-year-old resident surnamed Yuen said he had lived in the complex for more than four decades and that many of his neighbors were elderly and might not be mobile. &quot;The windows were closed because of the maintenance, (some people) didn&#39;t know there was a fire and had to be told to evacuate via phone calls by neighbors,&quot; Yuen told AFP. &quot;I&#39;m devastated. There is loss of property and loss of life, and even a firefighter has died.&quot; More than 900 people sought refuge at temporary shelters, Lee said. &#39;Unable to reach people who requested help&#39;&nbsp;Authorities said they will launch a probe into the fire as well as into the materials on the buildings&#39; exterior that may have caused the blaze to spread faster than usual. A police officer at a temporary shelter told AFP it was unclear how many people were unaccounted for because residents were still trickling in late into the night to report missing family members. Sections of charred scaffolding fell from the burning blocks, and flames could be seen inside apartments, sometimes belching out through windows into the night sky, casting an eerie orange glow on surrounding buildings. &quot;The temperature at the scene is very high, and there are some floors where we have been unable to reach people who requested help, but we will keep trying,&quot; said Derek Armstrong Chan, the deputy director of fire service operations. He said the fire likely spread from one building to another due to the wind and drifting debris, although he added that authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze. Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to the victims, including &quot;the firefighter who died in the line of duty,&quot; according to state media. &quot;He offered sympathies to the families of the victims and those affected by the disaster, and called for making every effort to extinguish the fire and minimize casualties and losses,&quot; state broadcaster CCTV said. Lee, the city leader, said he was &quot;deeply saddened&quot; and that all government departments were assisting residents affected by the fire. &#39;Dare not leave&#39;&nbsp;A Tai Po resident surnamed So, 57, said the fire was &quot;heartbreaking.&quot; &quot;There&#39;s nothing that can be done about the property. We can only hope that everyone, no matter old or young, can return safely,&quot; So told AFP. An apartment owner in his 40s who did not want to give his name told AFP that the government needed to help those made homeless by the blaze. &quot;The fire is not yet under control, and I dare not leave, and I don&#39;t know what I can do,&quot; he said. Residents were seen being evacuated via large coaches, with local media reporting that adjacent blocks were also being cleared. Sections of a nearby highway were also closed by the firefighting operation. Deadly fires were once a regular scourge in densely populated Hong Kong, especially in poorer neighborhoods. However, safety measures have been ramped up in recent decades, and such fires have become much less commonplace.

Asia

City leader John says 279 people are unaccounted for; 29 people are hospitalized, seven in critical condition.

Hong Kong high-rise fire kills at least 36, 200-plus missing

BERLIN: NASA has confirmed that it will contribute to Europe&#39;s Martian rover Rosalind Franklin, which is scheduled to launch in 2028 after repeated delays, the European Space Agency said on Wednesday.&nbsp;The rover aims to be the first on the red planet capable of drilling up to two metres (6.5 feet) below the surface to search for extraterrestrial life.&nbsp;However, the mission relies on several elements from NASA, which US President Donald Trump has targeted with steep budget cuts since returning to the White House in January.&nbsp;ESA director general Josef Aschbacher said he had received &quot;a letter from the NASA administration to confirm the contributions&quot; of the US space agency to the mission.&nbsp;&quot;That is good news,&quot; Aschbacher said on the sidelines of the ESA&#39;s ministerial council meeting being held this week in the German city of Bremen.&nbsp;The mission was originally intended to launch in 2020, but suffered several setbacks.&nbsp;In 2022, it was suspended after the ESA ended cooperation with Russia -- the agency&#39;s main partner for the mission -- following Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;The ESA then turned to the United States for help.&nbsp;Aschbacher said NASA was contributing to three of the mission&#39;s elements: the launcher, radioisotope heater unit and braking engine.&nbsp;The braking engine had been confirmed some time ago, but the other two elements will be a relief for the ESA.&nbsp;NASA is also providing &quot;one instrument to analyse traces of possible life on Mars,&quot; Aschbacher added.&nbsp;The rover, which is named after British scientist Rosalind Franklin, is planned to touch down on the Martian surface in 2030.

Artificial Intelligence

NASA will contribute key elements to Europe's Martian rover, Rosalind Franklin, launching in 2028. The rover aims to search for life by drilling 2 meters below Mars' surface. It suffered delays, including suspension in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine.

NASA confirms support for delayed European Mars rover: ESA

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Iran has expressed its readiness to play a supportive role in addressing ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, offering a &ldquo;blank cheque&rdquo; to help resolve these issues, while also emphasizing the strengthening of trade and economic relations between Tehran and Islamabad. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Ali Ardeshir Larijani, Secretary of Iran&rsquo;s Supreme National Security Council, highlighted Tehran&rsquo;s willingness to assist if Pakistan seeks Iran&rsquo;s involvement in resolving regional issues. &ldquo;Pakistan is very dear and honourable to the Iranian people,&quot; Larijani said, adding we can help ease regional tensions. Earlier, addressing a press conference, the senior Iranian official said: &ldquo;We are prepared to give the Pakistanis a &lsquo;blank cheque&rsquo; to help resolve the regional issues, to be used whenever they deem necessary.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4FfT1CCdgvQ?si=_GiRA_uvmnUEmz-l" title="YouTube video player" 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> He said this is the blank cheque for peace, and Pakistan can encash it whenever it wants. In the interview with Pakistan TV, Ali Larijani said: &ldquo;We have left this matter to our Pakistani brothers and are ready to move forward if they see a role for us. Our goal is to support the solution for the people of Pakistan.&rdquo; Larijani also noted that Iran has shown &ldquo;expressive readiness&rdquo; to help facilitate dialogue and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following discussions with Pakistani leadership. Pakistan and Iran share historically friendly ties, with cooperation spanning trade, energy and regional security. Over the past decade, both countries have worked on multiple initiatives, including energy pipelines, cross-border trade agreements and joint efforts to maintain stability in Afghanistan. Iran has previously too shown its interest in fostering peace and stability in the region. Pakistan also emphasised the importance of regional collaboration in trade, transport and energy infrastructure, seeking to strengthen bilateral ties through tangible projects. Larijani also touched upon bilateral trade and investment initiatives. He noted that following the recent visit of Iran&rsquo;s president, both countries have intensified efforts to enhance economic cooperation, particularly in agriculture, railway networks and pipeline projects. &ldquo;Work has begun on promoting trade and economic ties between our countries, especially in agriculture, as per the directives of our leaders. We are exploring various avenues to elevate trade volume,&rdquo; Larijani stated. He added that both sides have discussed multiple strategies to expand and strengthen these relations, with optimism for tangible outcomes in the near future.

The Newsroom

Iran offers a “blank cheque” to help Pakistan ease tensions with Afghanistan, while urging stronger trade, energy and investment cooperation following recent high-level engagements and economic discussions.

Iran offers ‘blank cheque’ to support Pakistan-Afghanistan peace, eyes stronger bilateral ties

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday unveiled a proposal for a Regional Maritime Dialogue, a multicontinental framework aimed at bringing together countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Central Asia and Africa to address shared maritime challenges and strengthen cooperation, according to an official statement.&nbsp;The initiative was introduced by Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry during a breakfast reception hosted by Pakistan at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) headquarters in London.&nbsp;Delegations from more than 173 countries, including over 100 maritime ministers, attended what officials described as one of the most widely participated events of the IMO Assembly week.&nbsp;Calling the IMO &ldquo;the pinnacle of maritime diplomacy,&rdquo; Junaid told delegates that Pakistan was &ldquo;ready to play a proactive role in shaping regulations that reflect the needs of our region.&rdquo;&nbsp;Junaid and IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez also jointly inaugurated a model of the PNSC ship Karachi, one of three new vessels the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation intends to acquire.&nbsp;The minister said the rapidly evolving maritime environment required new regional mechanisms capable of addressing &ldquo;operational, environmental, regulatory and technological needs.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added, &ldquo;Our maritime policies must reflect our vulnerabilities and our priorities.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the proposal, the Regional Maritime Dialogue would prioritize emissions reduction, maritime safety, coordinated search-and-rescue operations and navigational safety.&nbsp;Junaid highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s current role as coordinator of NAVAREA IX, one of 21 global navigational zones under the World-Wide Navigational Warning Service, responsible for ensuring ships receive timely and reliable safety alerts.&nbsp;To support long-term capacity building, the minister also proposed the establishment of a Regional Maritime University and a Regional Maritime Training Institute, arguing that new IMO regulations, autonomous shipping and digitalization demand updated skills.&nbsp;&ldquo;We want to prepare our workforce for the future of shipping, where technology, environmental compliance and digital skills will be essential,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s ambition to emerge as a regional maritime leader, Junaid said the country remained committed to working closely with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and partners across Central Asia and Africa to shape global maritime policy and advance shared development priorities.

Economy

Climate & Environment

At IMO headquarters in London, Islamabad proposes a multicontinental maritime dialogue linking Gulf, Central Asian and African states to strengthen cooperation on safety, emissions, regulation and future shipping technologies.

Pakistan seeks multicontinental alliance to shape future of global shipping

ISLAMABAD: Bahrain has conferred its highest state award on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as both countries move to deepen political, economic and defense cooperation, according to the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO).&nbsp;In a meeting in Manama, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa presented Pakistani PM with the Order of Bahrain (First Class), described by the PMO as &ldquo;the highest award Bahrain confers on heads of state and government.&rdquo;&nbsp;The PMO said PM Sharif thanked the King for the warm reception and for what he called Bahrain&rsquo;s &ldquo;longstanding goodwill and friendship toward Pakistan.&rdquo; He also commended &ldquo;His Majesty&rsquo;s leadership in promoting peace, tolerance and coexistence.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the PMO, King Hamad told Sharif that Bahrain had &ldquo;the privilege of being represented at a legal forum by none other than Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,&rdquo; adding that Pakistan&rsquo;s founding father &ldquo;remained Bahrain&rsquo;s lawyer for a long time.&rdquo;&nbsp;Both sides reviewed the &ldquo;encouraging momentum&rdquo; in bilateral ties and agreed to strengthen cooperation in political, economic, defense and cultural fields.&nbsp;The PMO quoted PM Sharif as reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to deepening relations &ldquo;based on shared faith and mutual respect.&rdquo;&nbsp;The prime minister thanked the King for Bahrain&rsquo;s continued support, including the establishment of the King Hamad University for Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad, inaugurated in September 2025.&nbsp;He also expressed gratitude for Bahrain&rsquo;s solidarity following recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan.&nbsp;On economic ties, the PMO said the prime minister highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s desire to expand trade and investment, noting that bilateral commerce is expected to grow with the upcoming Pakistan&ndash;GCC Free Trade Agreement, now in its final stages.&nbsp;He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), particularly in food security, IT, construction, mining, tourism and healthcare.&nbsp;The PMO added that PM Sharif expressed appreciation for Bahrain&rsquo;s support to the more than 150,000 Pakistanis living in the Kingdom and thanked King Hamad for pardoning Pakistani prisoners.&nbsp;Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the defense partnership and agreed to continue cooperation in training, logistics, manpower and defense production.&nbsp;They also discussed developments in Gaza, agreeing that peace and stability are &ldquo;long overdue for the people of Gaza,&rdquo; the PMO said.&nbsp;At the end of the meeting, the PMO noted that both sides expressed confidence that the visit would &ldquo;further consolidate the enduring friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain.

In Manama, PM Shehbaz Sharif receives Bahrain’s highest honor, strengthens Pakistan-Bahrain ties, discusses trade, defence, regional issues, and affirms commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, says PMO.

 Bahrain awards top honor as leaders deepen strategic Pakistan ties

GAZA CITY: The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday under the US-brokered ceasefire exchange deal.&nbsp;&quot;The Ministry of Health announces the receipt of 15 bodies of martyrs released today by the Israeli occupation via the International Committee of the Red Cross, bringing the total number of bodies received to 345,&quot; the ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;A medical source at Gaza&#39;s Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis confirmed it had received 15 bodies via the Red Cross.&nbsp;Under the ceasefire deal, which came into effect on October 10, Israel was required to turn over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli returned.&nbsp;The 15 bodies returned on Wednesday were in exchange for the remains of Dror Or, one of the last three deceased hostages held in the Palestinian territory, whose body was handed over to Israel on Tuesday by militants, via the ICRC.&nbsp;Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement that the handover &quot;reflects Hamas&#39;s steadfast commitment to fully complete the exchange process and its ongoing efforts to finalize it despite significant difficulties.&quot;&nbsp;The last two hostages&#39; bodies still in Gaza are those of Israeli Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.&nbsp;At the start of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, militants were holding 20 living hostages and 28 bodies of deceased captives.&nbsp;Hamas has since released all the living hostages and returned the remains of 26 dead hostages.&nbsp;In exchange, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in its custody and returned the bodies of hundreds of dead Palestinians

Middle East

Israel returned 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza under a US-brokered ceasefire deal, exchanging them for the remains of Israeli hostage Dror Or, Hamas says it remains committed to completing the process, with two hostage bodies still in Gaza.

Israel returns 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza under US-brokered ceasefire deal

ISLAMABAD: In a significant endorsement of its role in global arms control, Pakistan has been re-elected to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for the term 2026-28. The vote was held during the 30th Session of the Conference of States Parties in The Hague, Netherlands, from Nov. 24 to 28. The 41-member Executive Council serves as the organization&#39;s principal policy-making body, overseeing implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and ensuring member-state compliance. It also advances scientific and economic cooperation for peaceful chemical use. With 193 states as parties, the convention is widely regarded as one of the most successful international disarmament treaties, having verified the destruction of an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. Pakistan, which ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention&nbsp;in 1997, has remained an active contributor to the OPCW mandate and has been part of the executive council multiple times.&nbsp; The Pakistan Foreign Office said the country continues to host routine OPCW inspections at relevant national facilities and participates in capacity-building and technical cooperation initiatives.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1993554767017353469&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=3ba96c4b85199724f9f942c96144bb1d2a408154&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 922px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The foreign office described the re-election as an endorsement of Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;constructive contributions&rdquo; and a reflection of member states&rsquo; confidence in Islamabad&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening global chemical security. &ldquo;Pakistan will continue to provide effective leadership and support to the work of the OPCW,&rdquo; the statement added. According to its website, the OPCW oversees the global endeavor to permanently and verifiably eliminate the use of chemical weapons.

File: Entrance of the OPCW headquarters in The Hague - Wikimedia Commons 

Pakistan was re-elected to the 41-member Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for 2026-28. Islamabad’s active participation and hosting of routine inspections highlight its ongoing role in promoting chemical weapons disarmament and compliance.

Pakistan retains seat at chemical weapons elimination body

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has said a truly futuristic approach is essential to move forward. Speaking at PTV Home&rsquo;s programme &lsquo;Rising Pakistan&rsquo; on the occasion of the channel&rsquo;s 61st anniversary, Attaullah Tarar said new platforms are being created to connect Gen Z with PTV. The minister said during Pakistan-India war, it was realized that there was a need to start channels as a stratcom tool. &ldquo;We are encouraging private sector channels as well,&rdquo; he said. Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan TV Satellite has a fresh and new look and &ldquo;our stories are being quoted by international media outlets like BBC and Reuters&rdquo;. He said our strategic and geopolitical situation is such that exclusive stories from here have international significance.&ldquo;We brought new vigour in English media, whether it be digital or satellite,&rdquo; he said. Attaullah Tarar said very capable women were heading most departments in PTV, adding that it is a women-led initiative in the information domain.He said in sports, we got exclusive rights of many series through which we generated revenue. The minister said a sustainable model is needed.&nbsp; He went on to say that we are trying to do collaboration with the private sector for PTV Home. &ldquo;We can make good dramas and do collaborations with the private sector under profit-cost sharing basis,&rdquo; he said, adding that public-private partnership is a way forward. He said those who are leaders in entertainment in private sector should be invited to collaborate with PTV. The minister said today all those who are leading the entertainment industry say they started from PTV. He added that PTV has given birth to the entertainment, sports and news industries. Attaullah Tarar said he does not believe in criticism for the sake of criticism, adding that there should be constructive criticism to bring reforms. He said the private sector will be strongly encouraged in media projects, adding that Pakistan Idol was launched as private sector collaboration at a minimum cost. The information minister said the government aims to expand youth involvement through private sector programmes.

Speaking at PTV Home’s programme ‘Rising Pakistan’ on the occasion of the channel’s 61st anniversary, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said new platforms are being created to connect Gen Z with PTV. (Photo: Pakistan TV Satellite)

SAT News Desk

Speaking at an event marking PTV's 61st anniversary, the information minister said new platforms are being created to connect Gen Z with PTV.

Moving forward with futuristic approach is essential: Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir praised the &ldquo;professionalism, resolve and commitment&rdquo; demonstrated by Pakistan&rsquo;s Armed Forces during Marka-e-Haq, stating that it had &ldquo;enhanced the global stature of Pakistan.&quot;&nbsp; He was addressing participants of the National Security Workshop&ndash;27 at GHQ, Rawalpindi, according to a press release by Inter-Services Public Relations, the military&#39;s media wing. The Pakistan Army defines the period of conflict with India, starting from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, as Marka-i-Haq in May. The army chief said Pakistan was a &ldquo;country of consequence and is destined to reach its rightful place in the comity of nations,&rdquo; ISPR said.&nbsp; The army chief highlighted the &ldquo;fluid regional environment shaped by heightened geopolitical competition, cross-border terrorism, and hybrid threats.&rdquo; Despite complex challenges including &ldquo;externally supported militancy and information-centric warfare,&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s armed forces, intelligence agencies, and law-enforcement institutions continue to demonstrate unwavering professionalism and resolve to safeguard national security,&rdquo; the ISPR quoted him as saying. Participants were also briefed on ongoing &ldquo;national efforts against illegal activities, including the crackdown on smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and organized criminal networks that adversely impact security.&rdquo; Updates were shared on enhanced border controls and the repatriation of illegal foreigners to maintain internal order and protect national interests. Field Marshal Munir reiterated that the &ldquo;territorial integrity, security and protection of every Pakistani citizen is paramount for the Pakistan Army and will not be compromised under any circumstances.&rdquo; He reaffirmed the army&rsquo;s commitment to supporting federal and provincial governments. &ldquo;Coordinated national efforts and institutional synergy are vital for lasting peace, stability and prosperity,&rdquo; ISPR quoted him as saying. The National Security Workshop, run by the National Defence University, brings together parliamentarians, senior civil and military officials, academics, and representatives from civil society.

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir addresses participants of National Security Workshop–27 (NSW–27) at the General Headquarters (GHQ) on November 26. — (ISPR)

Says success earned during Marka-e-Haq 'enhanced the global stature of Pakistan; crackdown on smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and organized criminal networks that adversely impact security continuing.

Field Marshal Munir hails armed forces for defeating India

LONDON:&nbsp;The co-founder of activist group Palestine Action will on Wednesday challenge a UK government ban under anti-terror laws that has led to mass arrests, sparking free speech and civil liberties concerns. United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk has said the ban &ldquo;appears disproportionate and unnecessary,&rdquo; while Europe&rsquo;s human rights watchdog, the Council of Europe, criticised &ldquo;excessive limits&rdquo; on the right to protest. The UK government proscribed the pro-Palestinian group in July, days after activists protesting the war in Gaza broke into an air force base in southern England. Prosecutors have said they caused an estimated &pound;7 million ($9.3 million) of damage to two aircraft at the base. The legal action brought by the group&rsquo;s co-founder, Huda Ammori, at London&rsquo;s High Court is expected to last from Wednesday to Thursday, with a third day to be set at a later stage. The ban &mdash; which makes being a member of the group or inviting support for it a serious criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison &mdash; has resulted in at least 2,300 arrests, according to protest organizers Defend Our Juries. Those arrested include students, teachers, pensioners, and even an 83-year-old retired vicar, with many carried away from the protests by police. According to London&rsquo;s Met Police, so far 254 people have been charged with a lesser offence that carries a sentence of up to six months. The proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000 means the group has been added to a list that also includes al-Qaida and Hezbollah. The interior ministry, or Home Office, has accused Palestine Action of conducting an &ldquo;escalating campaign&rdquo; involving &ldquo;sustained criminal damage,&rdquo; including to Britain&rsquo;s national security infrastructure. It also accuses the group of &ldquo;intimidation, alleged violence, and serious injuries.&rdquo; &#39;Not non-violent&#39;At a court hearing on Thursday, prosecutors alleged a Palestine Action activist struck a police officer with a sledgehammer at an Israel-based defence firm&rsquo;s UK site after breaking into the factory in western Bristol in August. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, defending the ban in August, said some supporters of the group &ldquo;don&rsquo;t know the full nature of this organisation because of court restrictions on reporting while serious prosecutions are underway.&rdquo; &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s really important that no one is in any doubt that this is not a non-violent organisation,&rdquo; she said, adding the government had received &ldquo;clear security assessments and advice&rdquo; before opting for a ban. Set up in 2020, the group&rsquo;s stated goal on its now-blocked website is to end &ldquo;global participation in Israel&rsquo;s genocidal and apartheid regime.&rdquo; It has mainly targeted weapons factories, especially those belonging to the Israeli defence group Elbit. Since the ban came into force on July 5, protesters have held a string of rallies at which they have held up signs saying: &ldquo;I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.&rdquo; Award-winning British film director Ken Loach has called the ban on Palestine Action &ldquo;absurd&rdquo; and accused the government of being complicit in Israel&rsquo;s &ldquo;incredible crimes&rdquo; in Gaza. &ldquo;This level of political repression is not what we expect in a democracy &mdash; it&rsquo;s the kind of tactic typically associated with authoritarian regimes around the world,&rdquo; a spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said. Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, said the government had broken past pledges that the Terrorism Act would not be used to prosecute people taking direct action. &ldquo;Classifying a protest group as a &lsquo;terrorist organisation&rsquo; should send a chill down your spine,&rdquo; Hamid said. &ldquo;Progressive change is rarely made by any government without pressure from the public, and removing our right to protest is an erosion of democracy,&rdquo; she said.

A protester is escorted away by police officers for taking part in a demonstration in support of "Defend Our Juries" and their campaign against the ban on Palestine Action, outside Britain's Ministry of Justice in London on November 20, 2025. (Photo by Ch

United Kingdom

The co-founder of activist group Palestine Action will on Wednesday challenge a UK government ban under anti-terror laws that has led to mass arrests, sparking free speech and civil liberties concerns.

Articles by Mariam Ellahi