Maryam Shah

ISLAMABAD: As 2025 comes to a close, Pakistani women across sports, culture, exploration, and legal activism have made their mark on national and international stages. From cricket grounds and mountain summits to pageants and courtrooms, these trailblazers have expanded opportunities and challenged conventional boundaries. Sidra Amin&rsquo;s cricket milestones<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/cf94c1a3-e5a6-4fec-8907-fc3f939f7423.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Official Instagram account/ @sidraamin31 Opening batter Sidra Amin, 33, emerged as one of Pakistan&rsquo;s most consistent performers during the 2025 ICC Women&rsquo;s ODI World Cup. The Lahore-born cricketer became the first Pakistani to score back-to-back ODI centuries, a landmark in Pakistan&rsquo;s cricket history. <div class="fr-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Back-to-back centuries for Sidra Amin as the batter continues her brilliant run with the willow 👊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PAKvSA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">#PAKvSA</a> 📝: <a href="https://t.co/fKEHXWL3l7" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">https://t.co/fKEHXWL3l7</a> | 📸: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">@TheRealPCB</a> <a href="https://t.co/LMXPJ7cVzj" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">pic.twitter.com/LMXPJ7cVzj</a>&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1969093586667855973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">September 19, 2025</a></blockquote></div> According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official match report, Amin also recorded the fastest ODI century by a Pakistani woman, reaching 100 runs in just 97 balls. With more than 150 international appearances and 2,221 ODI runs, including six centuries, she remained a linchpin of Pakistan&rsquo;s batting line-up. Gaddafi Stadium has become her personal stronghold, where she has scored three centuries at an average exceeding 120. Since debuting in 2011, Amin has helped elevate Pakistan women&rsquo;s cricket to new heights. Naila Kiani&rsquo;s unprecedented climbing record<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/611a7e42-2866-45d0-a73a-3855db9729f0.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Picture credits: Radio Pakistan Mountaineer Naila Kiani continued her extraordinary ascent in 2025, having summited 12 of the world&rsquo;s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres. Imagine Nepal, the expedition organizer, confirmed that Kiani scaled Kangchenjunga (8,586m), the world&rsquo;s third-highest mountain, in May, staying on course to become the first Pakistani woman to complete all fourteen eight-thousanders. A former aerospace engineer and a mother of two, Kiani also became the fastest Pakistani to summit 11 eight-thousanders in under three years, Alpine Club of Pakistan reported. The Embassy of Pakistan in Turkiye also congratulated her on this achievement.&nbsp;<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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1787508031929962698&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2696e4393e4ed6d9d4f0ffa87d85e770d1536c72&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 673px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Beyond her personal achievements, she has championed reforms in Pakistan&rsquo;s mountaineering sector, helping reduce helicopter rescue costs and exposing exploitative commercial practices. According to Radio Pakistan, Naila Kiani remains the only female athlete to currently hold the Sitara-i-Imtiaz.&nbsp; Roma Riaz at Miss Universe<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/6a61b8ec-3923-4895-a670-e3e057da2cd4.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Official Instagram account/ @romariaz_official Roma Riaz, 25, a British-Pakistani from Lahore, represented Pakistan at Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand after winning the Miss Universe Pakistan title earlier in the year. Her participation returned Pakistan to the global pageant stage and sparked conversations about beauty standards, colorism, and representation. Raised between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom, Riaz is a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University and has worked in merchandising and international fashion. Her advocacy focuses on girls&rsquo; education and challenging narrow definitions of beauty. In response to criticism over her skin tone and background, she posted an Instagram reel condemning colorist and body-shaming remarks, asserting that diversity should be celebrated, not policed. Mahnoor Omer and discriminatory taxation<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/aeb6f1e9-2e44-46f3-9f28-e37cedb48d66.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Official Instagram account/ @learningwithmahnoor Lawyer and gender rights advocate Mahnoor Omer, 25, gained national as well as international attention in 2025 for challenging Pakistan&rsquo;s taxation of sanitary products. A former Supreme Court law clerk, Omer is pursuing postgraduate studies in Gender, Peace, and Security at the London School of Economics. She has also served as a Gender Consultant with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, co-authoring Pakistan&rsquo;s first UNODC Gender Equality Strategy. Her constitutional petition contends that menstrual hygiene products, essential for women&rsquo;s health, are unfairly taxed, violating constitutional guarantees of equality and dignity.&nbsp; Natasha Noorani&rsquo;s cultural innovation<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/e235b212-ad97-4260-bf42-9a6cd0616e0f.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">Official Instagram account/ @natashanoorani Emerging artist Natasha Noorani has established herself as one of Pakistan&rsquo;s most innovative contemporary musicians. Her debut album Ronaq, released in 2023, continued to influence the country&rsquo;s music scene throughout 2025. Blending R&amp;B, pop, electronic music, and neo-soul, the album reflects both creativity and cultural depth. Noorani coined the term &ldquo;Lolly-Pop&rdquo; to describe her approach, which merges retro subcontinental sounds from the 1940s&ndash;1980s with modern electronic production. Produced by Talal Qureshi and Abdullah Siddiqui, Ronaq features tracks including &ldquo;Choro,&rdquo; &ldquo;Thandi,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Faltu Pyar,&rdquo; a collaboration with Hasan Raheem. Her work continues to bridge Pakistan&rsquo;s musical past with its contemporary soundscape. While their paths differed, a common thread ran through their stories; questioning long-standing norms and opening space for wider participation.&nbsp; As Pakistan moves into 2026, the impact of these women&rsquo;s work continues to shape public debate and offers a broader understanding of what achievement and leadership look like for Pakistani women today.

Pakistani women who made headlines in 2025 (Pakistan TV Digital)

Entertainment

In 2025, Pakistani women made headlines across cricket, mountaineering, music, law, and global platforms, redefining representation and excellence while challenging social norms through record-breaking achievements, creative innovation, and rights-based advocacy at home and abroad. 

Pakistan's Powerhouses: The Women Who Owned 2025

ISLAMABAD: The catastrophic floods that have killed more than 1,200 people across Southeast Asia in recent weeks are not a distant warning for South Asia but &ldquo;a mirror of what Pakistan has already experienced and will face again,&rdquo; according to climate scientists.&nbsp;Across Indonesia and Sri Lanka, rapid heatwaves followed by early monsoon onset and cloudburst-style rainfall, the same sequence that devastated Pakistan in 2022 and again in 2025, have displaced more than 1.5 million people since late November.&nbsp;&ldquo;South Asia has entered &lsquo;new operating conditions&rsquo; where traditional monsoon timelines no longer apply,&rdquo; said Dr. Zainab Naeem, an environmental sciences researcher at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute. Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, she added: &ldquo;What&rsquo;s happening in Southeast Asia right now mirrors exactly what we&#39;ve been experiencing in Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;Parallel crises across regionIn Indonesia, the island of Sumatra recorded 604 deaths after a rare tropical storm triggered widespread flash floods and landslides. In Sri Lanka, Cyclone Ditwah killed at least 355 people and forced nearly 180,000 residents into emergency shelters. In both countries, prolonged dry spells were followed by sudden, moisture-laden systems that unleashed months&rsquo; worth of rainfall in a matter of days.&nbsp;Asia warming faster than global averageAccording to regional climate assessments, Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, leading to more frequent and more intense extreme weather events. In 2023 alone, the continent experienced 79 water-related disasters, the majority of them floods and storms.&nbsp;Pakistan has already felt the force of this shift. The 2022 floods submerged one-third of the country, killed more than 1,700 people, and caused damages and economic losses estimated at $30 billion, according to the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and World Bank figures.&nbsp;This year, unseasonably early monsoon systems again triggered deadly flooding across multiple provinces.&nbsp;Women face disproportionate impactsWomen remain at heightened risk during climate-driven disasters. During Pakistan&rsquo;s 2022 floods, the UN Population Fund estimated that 650,000 pregnant women were in affected areas, with around 73,000 expected to give birth without access to maternal health services.&nbsp;Protection systems frequently collapse in displacement camps, increasing incidents of gender-based violence. Women, who often work agricultural land without legally owning it, are also excluded from compensation schemes when crops are destroyed.&nbsp;Science&ndash;policy gap leaves countries exposedDespite growing scientific clarity, preparedness remains uneven across the region.&nbsp;&ldquo;The biggest problem is not the absence of policies, it&rsquo;s the disconnect between high-level frameworks and ground implementation,&rdquo; Dr. Naeem said. &ldquo;Technical expertise is missing in many departments. Without integrating scientific evidence into urban planning and governance, we simply cannot manage these impacts.&rdquo;&nbsp;Cities across South and Southeast Asia continue to expand into flood-prone zones, while drainage systems and protective infrastructure remain outdated or overstretched.&nbsp;Warning Pakistan cannot ignoreRescue operations in Indonesia and Sri Lanka are ongoing, with military aircraft airlifting patients from inundated hospitals and naval vessels delivering supplies to isolated districts. The events underscore a clear message for Pakistan: such disasters are no longer &ldquo;once in a generation.&rdquo;&nbsp;Regional environmental agencies stress the urgent need to strengthen early-warning systems, redesign land-use planning, and invest in climate-resilient infrastructure. Without such measures, they warn, human and economic losses will accelerate.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s 2022 floods were described as unprecedented. Three years later, similarly devastating events have become routine across Asia. The question is no longer whether such disasters will strike again, but whether governments will be prepared when they do.

A woman carrying a child wades through a flooded street after heavy rainfall in Wellampitiya on the outskirts of Colombo on November 30, 2025, after a powerful cyclone. (AFP)

Climate

Natural Disaster

In regions across Asia, intensifying heatwaves, early monsoons and extreme floods are overwhelming communities, exposing weak infrastructure and highlighting urgent need for climate-resilient planning protection.

Southeast Asia’s deadly floods echo Pakistan’s escalating climate extremes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s independent film scene is making global headlines once again, with short films A Door to My Memory (Yaadan de Boohay) and Toxicity earning international acclaim.&nbsp;A Door to My Memory, a Punjabi sci-fi romantic drama directed by Sheryar Ali and produced by Suhail Ahmad, had its world premiere at the Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle &mdash; the only Oscar-qualifying South Asian festival in the world.&nbsp;Following its success in the US, the film has been officially selected at multiple Indian festivals, including the Bollywood International Film Festival, the International Kolkata Short Film Festival, and the Global Taj International Film Festival, where it is currently a semi-finalist.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the filmmakers&rsquo; second project, Toxicity, which focuses on Pakistan&rsquo;s smog crisis, continues to gain international attention. Co-directed by Suhail Ahmad and Sheryar Ali, the short film recently premiered at the Festival Internazionale Nebrodi Cinema Doc in Sicily, Italy.&nbsp;Both films are a source of pride, but their success opens up a much larger conversation: What does it really take for Pakistani filmmakers to take their stories international?&nbsp;The struggle of independent filmmaking&nbsp;Independent filmmaking in Pakistan has always been an act of resilience. With limited resources, scattered infrastructure, and an audience still hesitant to embrace experimental cinema, even completing a short film is a major achievement.&nbsp;Then comes distribution, the real test. It can take years for local filmmakers to see their films on screen, if they ever do. Without the support of a major production house, getting a film in front of an audience is nearly impossible.&nbsp;By no means is this a critique of a broken system, but a look at what it takes to survive in it. Pakistan&rsquo;s film scene has seen its share of ups and downs. With Bollywood off local screens and Hollywood still not our main source of entertainment, the revival of local cinema remains slow and uncertain.&nbsp;Most film graduates today enter the industry without knowing how to position or distribute their work. Investors avoid taking risks on new talent, leaving independent filmmakers with scarce funds and no real marketing plan.&nbsp;To better understand this struggle, Pakistan TV Digital spoke with some of the most promising talent in indie filmmaking to get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes.&nbsp;What it really takes&nbsp;&ldquo;When people talk about hurdles, funding always comes up, and rightly so,&rdquo; says director Sheryar Ali.&nbsp;&ldquo;But for me, the real challenge was learning the distribution process itself. I had to travel abroad and talk to distributors and producers just to understand how it works, despite being a film school graduate who&rsquo;s been in the industry for years.&rdquo;&nbsp;It isn&rsquo;t about gatekeeping, he explains, but the lack of structure.&nbsp;&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have a stable industry. No one really knows the way forward. That can be very discouraging for young filmmakers. I hope people returning from festivals share their learnings more openly. I know I will.&rdquo;&nbsp;No roadmapAnother example of Pakistani cinema breaking through internationally is Jujji, a feature film recently acquired by the American distribution company Buffalo 8. Eifa Ahmad, the film&rsquo;s head of distribution, explained how it reached this milestone:&nbsp;&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no clear roadmap for taking an independent film international. You&rsquo;re mostly figuring it out as you go, who to reach out to, what materials are needed, how contracts work.&rdquo;&nbsp;Guidance within Pakistan is limited, leaving filmmakers to learn through trial and error. &ldquo;There isn&rsquo;t much local guidance for that process,&rdquo; she says.&nbsp;She adds, &ldquo;When we were working on Jujji, every step was a mix of research, intuition, and persistence. Another big challenge is confidence; we underestimate the strength of our own stories.&rdquo;&nbsp;Ahmad emphasizes the uniqueness of Pakistani narratives. &ldquo;Our stories are rooted in experiences no one else can replicate. Once we start owning that instead of trying to fit external molds, things will shift.&rdquo;&nbsp;The way forwardDespite the hurdles, Pakistan&rsquo;s indie filmmakers are proving their stories can reach international audiences. Each success story helps pave the way for the next generation, gradually building a stronger presence for local cinema on the global stage.

Film & TV

Pakistani indie filmmakers Sheryar Ali and Suhail Ahmad gain global recognition as their films A Door to My Memory and Toxicity make international festival rounds, highlighting both creativity and the challenges of distribution and funding.

Breaking the mold: how Pakistani filmmakers are going global

ISLAMABAD: Afghan officials recently&nbsp;raised objections to the&nbsp;use of the word &#39;border&#39; in&nbsp;a statement Qatar issued in the wake of a ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Doha.&nbsp; The border has long been internationally recognized as Pakistan&rsquo;s western frontier, a position Islamabad has maintained and articulated consistently. The Durand AgreementThe Durand Agreement was&nbsp;signed on Nov. 12, 1893, between the British Indian government and Afghan ruler Amir Abdur Rahman Khan. Negotiated by a British diplomat, Sir Mortimer Durand, the treaty demarcated zones of influence between the British Empire and Afghanistan. Later, the agreement was reaffirmed three times between the British Indian government and Afghan leaders &mdash; in March 1905, August 1919, and November 1921 &mdash; leading to the recognition of the Durand Line as the international border. Following Pakistan&rsquo;s creation in 1947, it inherited the line&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;which runs from the Chinese border in the north to the Iranian border&nbsp;in the south-west &mdash;&nbsp;as its international frontier with Afghanistan, a status it has upheld ever since. The 1988 Geneva Accords included an agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan that underscored mutual recognition of the Durand Line as the international border. Afghanistan, however, has periodically disputed what it recognized earlier. During an online press briefing on Oct. 19, 2025, soon after the Doha agreement, Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said:&nbsp;&ldquo;We do not agree to the term &lsquo;border&rsquo;... the Durand Line is imaginary. Its future will be determined by the Afghan nation.&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s position: &lsquo;A closed and settled issue&rsquo;In contrast, Pakistan &mdash; like countries around the world &mdash; has consistently maintained that the Durand Line is its western international border. In 2012, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stated:&nbsp;&quot;The Durand Line between Pakistan and Afghanistan is the internationally recognized border. It is a closed and settled issue.&rdquo; In a more recent statement on Jan. 2, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s position: &ldquo;The Pakistan-Afghanistan border is an internationally recognized border. Anybody&rsquo;s statement cannot change the legality of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. It is not up for any discussion.&rdquo; MoFA has repeatedly emphasized that Pakistan retains the sovereign right to regulate and defend its border, condemning what it describes as &ldquo;unprovoked aggression&rdquo; from Afghan territory. Chronology of Pakistan&rsquo;s stanceThe Foreign Office has reiterated this stance on multiple occasions over the years: <blockquote>2012: It described the Durand Line as &ldquo;a closed and settled issue.&rdquo; 2019: It rejected Afghan claims of non-recognition, calling them &ldquo;irresponsible and unwarranted.&rdquo; It reaffirmed that the border was defined under &ldquo;all relevant international laws and conventions.&rdquo; 2020: In response to Afghan objections to border fencing by Pakistan, MoFA said the activity was in line with international norms and aimed at addressing Pakistan&rsquo;s security concerns without encroaching on Afghan territory. 2023: It asserted that any unauthorized construction by Afghanistan inside Pakistani territory was a violation of sovereignty. 2025: It reiterated that the border is &ldquo;not up for any discussion&rdquo; and rejected any challenges to its legitimacy.</blockquote> International recognitionWhile Afghanistan is the only country in the world that refuses to acknowledge the Durand Line, the international community recognizes it as Pakistan&rsquo;s legitimate western border. In October 2012, the US State Department formally endorsed the line. Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said: <blockquote>&ldquo;We see this [Durand Line] as the internationally recognized boundary.&rdquo;</blockquote> More recently, in February 2024, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said: <blockquote>&ldquo;We support the territorial integrity of both Afghanistan and Pakistan within their internationally recognized borders.&rdquo;</blockquote> Today, the United Nations and all countries of the world, except Afghanistan, recognize the Durand Line as the internationally recognized border of Afghanistan and Pakistan in official maps and bilateral dealings.

Foreign Affairs

The 1988 Geneva Accords included an agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan that underscored mutual recognition of the Durand Line as the international border

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan 

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed troops fighting in an &quot;alien land&quot; in a New Year message to soldiers, state media reported Thursday, in which he underscored Pyongyang&#39;s alliance with Russia. Without mentioning Ukraine, Kim addressed personnel in what state-run KCNA described as &quot;overseas operations units,&quot; congratulating their &quot;heroic&quot; defense of the nation&#39;s honor and instructing them to &quot;be brave.&quot; &quot;As the whole country is enveloped in a festive atmosphere of greeting the new year, I all the more miss you, who are fighting bravely on the battlefields in the alien land even at this moment, true to the order of your homeland,&quot; he said, according to the Korean Central News Agency. &quot;Behind you are Pyongyang and Moscow,&quot; Kim said in the message. North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia&#39;s nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies. At least 600 have died and thousands more have sustained injuries, according to South Korean estimates. Analysts say North Korea is receiving financial aid, military technology and food and energy supplies from Russia in return. North Korean soldiers are instructed to kill themselves rather than be taken prisoner, according to South Korea&#39;s intelligence service. The North Korean leader praised soldiers for strengthening the &quot;invincible alliance&quot; with Russia, calling on them to fight &quot;for the fraternal Russian people.&quot; Two North Korean prisoners of war held by Ukraine said they hoped to start a &quot;new life&quot; in the South, according to a letter seen by AFP in December. Previous reports had indicated that the two men, held captive by Kyiv since January 2025 after sustaining injuries on the battlefield, were seeking to defect to the South. In the letter, the two prisoners thanked those working on their behalf &quot;for encouraging us and seeing this situation not as a tragedy but as the beginning of a new life.&quot; &quot;We firmly believe that we are never alone, and we think of those in South Korea as our own parents and siblings and have decided to go into their embrace,&quot; they wrote.

Asia

North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia's nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies; at least 600 have died and thousands more have sustained injuries, according to South Korean estimates.

North Korea's Kim hails troops fighting in 'alien land': report

JERUSALEM: Israel is determined to disarm Palestinian fighter group Hamas, the country&#39;s military chief said on Wednesday, describing 2026 as a &quot;decisive year&quot; for Israel&#39;s security. Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir visited troops in Gaza, just days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the issue of Hamas disarmament in talks with US President Donald Trump. &quot;The year 2026 will be a decisive year in shaping the security reality of the state of Israel. Our determination to disarm Hamas of its weapons is absolute,&quot; Zamir told troops in Gaza. &quot;We will not allow the Hamas terrorist organization to rebuild its capabilities and threaten us,&quot; he added. Trump and Netanyahu presented a united front on Monday after the two discussed several issues as part of crucial talks on moving to the next stage of the fragile Gaza truce plan, including the disarmament of Hamas. &quot;If they don&#39;t disarm as they agreed to do, then there will be hell to pay for them,&quot; Trump told reporters after the two leaders met. &quot;They have to disarm in a fairly short period of time.&quot; Hamas has repeatedly said it would not surrender its weapons. Since October 10, a truce in Gaza has largely halted the fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas, but some White House officials fear both are slow-walking the second stage of the ceasefire. Under the second stage, Israel is supposed to gradually withdraw from its positions in Gaza, while Hamas is supposed to lay down its weapons. An interim authority is meant to govern the Palestinian territory, and an international stabilization force (ISF) is to be deployed. Both sides, however, have alleged frequent ceasefire violations.

Middle East

Under the second stage of the ceasefire plan, Israel is supposed to gradually withdraw from its positions in Gaza, while Hamas is supposed to lay down its weapons; an interim authority is meant to govern the Palestinian territory, and an international stabilization force is to be deployed.	

Israel's determination to disarm Hamas is 'absolute': military chief

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday his country was &quot;10%&quot; away from a peace deal with Russia, but cautioned that the most important issues were still unsolved and that any agreement should not reward Moscow. In his New Year&#39;s Eve address, the wartime president said his country wanted an end to the war but not at &quot;any cost,&quot; and that any agreement needed strong security guarantees to deter Russia from invading again. &quot;The peace agreement is 90% ready. 10% remains. And that is far more than just numbers,&quot; Zelensky said in the address, posted on his Telegram account. &quot;Those are the 10% that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe,&quot; he added. The United States has sought to craft a peace deal with input from both Moscow and Kyiv, but has failed to reach a breakthrough on the key issue of territory in a post-war settlement. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been pushing for full control of Ukraine&#39;s eastern Donbas region as part of a deal, but Zelensky said in his address that he did not believe Russia would stop at the Donbas if Ukraine withdrew. &quot;&#39;Pull out from the Donbas, and it will all be over.&#39; That is how deception sounds when translated from Russian &mdash; into Ukrainian, into English, into German, into French, and, in fact, into any language in the world,&quot; he said.

Europe

Russian President Putin has been pushing for full control of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region as part of a deal, but Zelensky says he did not believe Russia would stop at the Donbas if Ukraine withdrew.

We are '10%’ away from peace, Zelensky tells Ukrainians

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief&nbsp;of the Defence Forces, has warned India that its proxies in Balochistan will face &ldquo;stern action&rdquo; for sabotaging peace and development. &ldquo;Indian-sponsored proxies continue to propagate violence and disrupt development in Balochistan,&rdquo; the ISPR quoted the Field Marshal as saying in a press statement here on Wednesday. &ldquo;Such inimical designs will be thwarted through stern action by security forces to rid the province of terrorism and unrest,&rdquo; the Field Marshal said while addressing participants of the 18th National Workshop on Balochistan at General Headquarters (GHQ). The workshop focused on exploring Balochistan&rsquo;s socio-economic development and its strategic importance for Pakistan. The ISPR statement said General Syed Asim Munir spoke at length about Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to ensure regional peace and stability. Gen Munir, who was conferred with the title of Field Marshal and appointed Chairman of the Defence Forces, is credited with repulsing an Indian attack on Pakistan on May 7. International media has not only analyzed the spectacular defense mounted by Pakistan&rsquo;s forces but has also highlighted General Munir&rsquo;s growing role in regional and international affairs. Coverage has pointed to his engagements with global leaders, including meetings with former US President Donald Trump, as well as his influence on security dynamics in the region and beyond. According to the ISPR, Gen Munir reaffirmed the security forces&rsquo; commitment to rooting out terrorism and protecting Pakistan&rsquo;s territorial integrity. &ldquo;Any violation of Pakistan&rsquo;s territorial integrity, whether direct or indirect, will be met with a firm and decisive response. The Pakistan Armed Forces remain committed to protecting the lives and well-being of their citizens,&rdquo; the ISPR statement quoted Gen Munir as saying. During his address, the COAS and CDF appreciated the resilience and patriotism of the people of Balochistan, while highlighting the province&rsquo;s pivotal importance for Pakistan&rsquo;s prosperity and development. He lauded the wide-ranging initiatives being undertaken by the federal and provincial governments, underscoring a people-centric approach aimed at improving socio-economic conditions and unlocking Balochistan&rsquo;s vast economic potential for the benefit of its people. The COAS and CDF acknowledged the constructive role of civil society, particularly in debunking propaganda, and highlighted its crucial contribution to driving sustainable development. He stressed the importance of rejecting vested political agendas to ensure that Balochistan&rsquo;s future is shaped by long-term prosperity for all its residents. The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, during which the Field Marshal responded to queries and spoke about ongoing efforts for Balochistan&rsquo;s development and security.

Security

Says Indian-sponsored proxies engage in violence and disrupt development in Balochistan; vows decisive action against direct or indirect threats to Pakistan

Field Marshal warns India against sabotaging peace

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed &ldquo;complete solidarity&rdquo; with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and urged all parties to maintain regional peace through dialogue during a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. PM&nbsp;Sharif and the Saudi&nbsp;crown prince reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties between the two nations, according to a statement from the Prime Minister&#39;s Office. The call followed a statement earlier Wednesday from Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Office regarding a resurgence of violence in Yemen. &ldquo;Pakistan expresses complete solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and reaffirms its commitment to the security of the Kingdom,&rdquo; the Foreign Office statement said. Pakistan reiterated its support for Yemen&#39;s unity and territorial integrity and called for a de-escalation of tensions. &ldquo;Pakistan maintains its firm support for the resolution of Yemen issue through dialogue and diplomacy,&rdquo; the statement said. The Foreign Office also expressed hope that Yemen&rsquo;s people and regional powers would work together toward an &ldquo;inclusive and enduring settlement of the issue, safeguarding regional stability.&rdquo;

PM Sharif pledges solidarity with Saudi Arabia, while urging a diplomatic solution in Yemen during a call with the crown prince.

Pakistan expresses ‘solidarity’ with Saudi Arabia, urges regional peace and stability

JERUSALEM: Israel has said 37 aid organizations will be banned from operating in Gaza from Thursday unless they comply with guidelines requiring detailed information on Palestinian staff, drawing criticism from the United Nations and the European Union.&nbsp;Several NGOs have told AFP the new rules will have a major impact on food and medical shipments to Gaza, at a time when humanitarian organisations say the amount of aid getting in is inadequate to the devastated territory&#39;s needs.&nbsp;Israel&#39;s deadline for NGOs to provide the details expires at midnight on Wednesday.&nbsp;&quot;They refuse to provide lists of their Palestinian employees because they know, just as we know, that some of them are involved in terrorism or linked to Hamas,&quot; spokesman for the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Gilad Zwick told AFP, naming 37 NGOs that had so far failed to meet the new requirements.&nbsp;&quot;I highly doubt that what they haven&#39;t done for 10 months, they will suddenly do in less than 12 hours,&quot; Zwick said. &quot;We certainly won&#39;t accept any cooperation that is just for show, simply to get an extension.&quot;&nbsp;The ministry had said in a statement on Wednesday that the move was part of Israel&#39;s decision to &quot;strengthen and update&quot; regulations governing the activities of international NGOs in the Palestinian territory.&nbsp;A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since October, following a deadly war waged by Israel in response to Hamas&#39;s unprecedented attack on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.&nbsp;For Israel, it says the new regulation aims to prevent bodies it accuses of supporting terrorism from operating in the Palestinian territories.&nbsp;On Tuesday, Israel specified that &quot;acts of de-legitimising Israel&quot; or denial of events surrounding Hamas&#39; October 7 attack would be &quot;grounds for license withdrawal&quot;.&nbsp;Israel has singled out international medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF), alleging that it had two employees who were members of Palestinian militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas.&nbsp;Apart from MSF, some of the 37 NGOs to be hit with the ban are the Norwegian Refugee Council, World Vision International, CARE and Oxfam, according to the list given by Zwick.&nbsp;Guarantee accessOn Wednesday, the United Nations rights chief Volker Turk described Israel&#39;s decision as &quot;outrageous&quot;, calling on states to urgently insist Israel shift course.&nbsp;&quot;Israel&#39;s suspension of numerous aid agencies from Gaza is outrageous,&quot; he said in a statement, warning that &quot;such arbitrary suspensions make an already intolerable situation even worse for the people of Gaza&quot;.&nbsp;The European Union also warned that Israel&#39;s decision would block &quot;life-saving&quot; assistance from reaching Gazans.&nbsp;&quot;The EU has been clear: the NGO registration law cannot be implemented in its current form,&quot; EU humanitarian chief Hadja Lahbib posted on X.&nbsp;&quot;IHL (international humanitarian law) leaves no room for doubt: aid must reach those in need,&quot; Lahbib wrote.&nbsp;On Tuesday, the foreign ministers of ten countries, including France and the United Kingdom, had already urged Israel to &quot;guarantee access&quot; to aid in the Gaza Strip, where they said the humanitarian situation remains &quot;catastrophic.&quot;&nbsp;In a territory with 2.2 million inhabitants, &quot;1.3 million people still require urgent shelter support,&quot; the ministers of Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland said.&nbsp;While a deal for a ceasefire that started on October 10 stipulated the entry of 600 trucks per day, only 100 to 300 are carrying humanitarian aid, according to NGOs and the United Nations.&nbsp;COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, said last week that on average 4,200 aid trucks enter Gaza weekly, which corresponds to around 600 daily.&nbsp;

Israel says it will ban 37 NGOs from Gaza unless they share Palestinian staff details, drawing UN and EU criticism as aid groups warn the move will further restrict food and medical assistance amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Israel to ban 37 aid groups operating in Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Once seen as a country pushed to the edges of international diplomacy, Islamabad&rsquo;s foreign policy has undergone a major shift in 2025, becoming a significant regional partner and security provider to major powers and a key player in South and West Asian geopolitics.&nbsp;Last month, Pakistan&#39;s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, told the media that Pakistan had become &ldquo;extremely relevant&rdquo; on the global stage. He credited this change to more assertive diplomacy following the May military conflict with India.&nbsp;The recent developments follow several years of economic hardship, political unrest, and reduced cooperation with traditional allies after the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.&nbsp;Turning point after years of strainConcerns about Pakistan&rsquo;s global standing were reflected in a May 22, 2023, report by the United States Congressional Research Service, which noted Pakistan&rsquo;s diminishing influence after the US exit from Afghanistan.&nbsp;Analysts describe 2025 as a turning point, with Islamabad working to re-establish itself as an active diplomatic player in South Asia, the Gulf, and beyond.&nbsp;Re-engagement with WashingtonFollowing the four-day war with India in May, Pakistan publicly acknowledged Washington&rsquo;s role in de-escalation and later nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.&nbsp;Since then, US President Donald Trump has praised Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, on multiple occasions, calling him a &ldquo;highly respected general.&rdquo;&nbsp;In July, Pakistan and the United States finalized a trade deal aimed at boosting bilateral trade, expanding market access, and improving cooperation in energy and technology.&nbsp;According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, the agreement included reciprocal tariff reductions and joint efforts to develop Pakistan&rsquo;s energy reserves.&nbsp;&ldquo;This deal marks the beginning of a new era of economic collaboration, especially in energy, mines and minerals, IT, cryptocurrency, and other sectors,&rdquo; the APP reported.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the US Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires, Natalie Baker, stated in a social media post that &ldquo;the future is bright&rdquo; for US-Pakistan relations, citing increased cooperation, investment, and people-to-people exchanges during the year. Deepening ties in the GulfPakistan also moved to strengthen its role in the Middle East. In September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement in Riyadh. Under this agreement, an attack on one country would be considered an attack on both, reflecting the depth of their security partnership.&nbsp;The pact builds on decades of cooperation between the two nations and reinforces Pakistan&rsquo;s role as a key security partner in the Gulf.&nbsp;Sustained partnership with ChinaChina remained a central part of Pakistan&rsquo;s foreign and economic policy in 2025. The two countries reaffirmed their cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), especially in infrastructure, mining, and energy.&nbsp;In August 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Beijing and signed the &quot;CPEC Phase-II Acceleration Pact,&quot; focusing heavily on industrial cooperation and agricultural modernization.&nbsp;Expanding diplomatic effortsPakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic activity increased throughout the year, including high-level exchanges with T&uuml;rkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran. Islamabad also hosted the United States-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue in August.&nbsp;Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said earlier this year that Pakistan had entered a &ldquo;new phase&rdquo; of foreign policy, positioning itself as a partner to multiple major powers.&nbsp;Challenges from AfghanistanExperts acknowledge that challenges remain. Pakistan continues to face security threats originating from Afghanistan, which has caused significant instability.&nbsp;In an unprecedented move, both countries have engaged in direct and frequent clashes along their borders.&nbsp;According to Sammi Yousafzai, a specialist in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, &ldquo;the bilateral relations between the two countries nosedived to their lowest ebb.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;This has been a setback not only for Pakistan but also for the Afghan Taliban that lost a reliable partner during the persistent clashes,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Although bilateral border trade has largely stalled, quiet diplomacy is developing between the two nations.&nbsp;Afghanistan&rsquo;s Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, last week welcomed remarks by Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, along with a statement from Pakistani religious scholars in Karachi, emphasizing the need for dialogue.&nbsp;As 2025 concludes, Pakistan stands not on the fringes but at the heart of evolving strategic relationships, a transformation few would have predicted just a year ago.

Pakistan shifted from early-year diplomatic isolation to emerging as a key regional partner and security provider for major powers by year’s end, underscoring a notable turnaround in its foreign policy trajectory

Pakistan: From Isolation To Relevance

GAZA CITY: As 2025 draws to a close, Palestinians in Gaza are marking the new year not with celebration, but with exhaustion, grief and a fragile hope that their &quot;endless nightmare&quot; might finally end.&nbsp;For residents of the battered territory, daily life is a struggle for survival.&nbsp;Much of Gaza&#39;s infrastructure lies in ruins, electricity remains scarce and hundreds of thousands of people live in makeshift tents after being repeatedly displaced by the two years of fighting that began with Hamas&#39;s attack on Israel in October 2023.&nbsp;&quot;We in the Gaza Strip are living in an endless nightmare,&quot; said Hanaa Abu Amra, a displaced woman in her thirties living in Gaza City.&nbsp;&quot;We hope that this nightmare will end in 2026 ...The least we can ask for is a normal life-- to see electricity restored, the streets return to normal and to walk without tents lining the roads,&quot; she said.&nbsp;Across Gaza, a territory of more than two million people, scenes of hardship are commonplace.&nbsp;Children queue with plastic containers to collect water, while rows of tents stretch across streets and open spaces, sheltering families who have lost their homes.&nbsp;What were once bustling neighbourhoods now bear the scars of bombardment, with daily activity reduced to the bare essentials.&nbsp;For many, the end of the year is a moment to mourn as much as to hope.&nbsp;In Gaza City, a teenager painted &quot;2026&quot; on his tent, while an AFP journalist observed a local artist sculpting the same in sand in Deir el-Balah, in central Gaza.&nbsp;The outgoing year brought relentless loss and fear, said Shireen Al-Kayali.&nbsp;&quot;We bid farewell to 2025 with deep sorrow and grief,&quot; she said.&nbsp;&quot;We lost a lot of people and our possessions. We lived a difficult and harsh life, displaced from one city to another, under bombardment and in terror.&quot;&nbsp;Hope for 2026&nbsp;Her experience reflects that of countless Gazans who have been forced to flee repeatedly, often with little warning, taking with them only what they could carry.&nbsp;Entire families have been uprooted, livelihoods destroyed, and communities fragmented as the war dragged on for two years.&nbsp;Despite the devastation, some residents cling to the belief that the new year might bring an end to the fighting and a chance to rebuild.&nbsp;For many Gazans, hope has become an act of resilience, particularly after the truce that came into effect on October 10 and has largely halted the fighting.&nbsp;&quot;We still hope for a better life in the new year, and I call on the free world to help our oppressed people so we can regain our lives,&quot; said Khaled Abdel Majid, 50, who lives in a tent in Jabalia camp.&nbsp;Faten al-Hindawi hoped the truce would finally end the war.&nbsp;&quot;We will bid farewell to 2025, leaving behind its pain, and we hope that 2026 will be a year of hope, prayer, determination and success stories.&quot;&nbsp;Such hopes are shared widely across Gaza, even as conditions on the ground remain dire.&nbsp;Humanitarian agencies have warned that shortages of food, clean water and medical supplies persist, while winter conditions are worsening life in overcrowded displacement camps.&nbsp;Amid the rubble and the tents, many Gazans say their aspirations are modest: safety, stability and dignity.&nbsp;&quot;I hope the reconstruction of Gaza begins in 2026. Gaza was beautiful, and we hope it returns to being beautiful again.&quot;

As 2025 ends, Gazans face exhaustion and loss after years of war, displacement and destruction, but many hold onto fragile hope that 2026 will bring peace, basic services, rebuilding and a chance to live normal lives again.

Hoping for better year ahead, Gazans bid farewell to 2025 nightmare

Hammaad Qayyum Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Television Shamyl Hussain has set a new benchmark in Pakistan&rsquo;s domestic cricket by securing the record for the most sixes hit by an opener across both red-ball and white-ball first-class competitions this season. Hussain dominated the President&rsquo;s Cup Grade-I white-ball tournament, finishing as one of the top scorers while leading the charts with 22 sixes. The young opener narrowly edged out OGDCL&rsquo;s Maaz Sadaqat, who recorded 21 sixes, and teammate Taimur Khan, who followed with 17. Most by an opener&nbsp;Hussain&rsquo;s aggressive form translated seamlessly into the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan&rsquo;s premier red-ball competition, where he cleared the boundary 19 times &ndash; the most by an opener. Reflecting on his high-impact style, Hussain recently explained to Pakistan TV Digital that he views his role differently than the traditional &ldquo;anchor&rdquo; opener. &ldquo;My approach is a bit different; I want to show the world my ability and enjoy the game rather than playing it like a job,&rdquo; Hussain said. The PTV star emphasized that his confidence comes from a desire to &ldquo;express himself on any stage,&rdquo; whether in domestic leagues or national-level four-day matches. &lsquo;Dominating style&rsquo;&nbsp;Speaking about Shamyl&rsquo;s style, cricket analyst Shahid Hashmi told Pakistan TV Digital, &ldquo;I have been watching Shamyl since the Pakistan Junior League, and he has impressed everyone with his dominating style of cricket.&rdquo; &ldquo;The difference between him and others is that he looks more confident at the crease than others and judges the ball well before time, and that is why he can hit sixes and fours right from the get-go.&rdquo; Hashmi said, &ldquo;Shamyl has proper shots and doesn&rsquo;t slog with eyes closed, but knows what shot and which area he is playing.&rdquo; &ldquo;Shamyl has a bright future considering he continues to progress and keeps his feet on the ground&rdquo;, the analyst said. Shamyl&#39;s power-hitting prowess extends to the global stage, as he currently holds the highest sixes count among the top 25 first-class run-scorers worldwide this year. By achieving this international feat, Hussain has surpassed established international stars, including India&rsquo;s KL Rahul and KK Nair, as well as Pakistan&rsquo;s Test captain Shan Masood.

Cricket

His power-hitting prowess extends to the global stage, as he currently holds the highest sixes count among the top 25 first-class run-scorers worldwide this year, surpassing stars such as KL Rahul, KK Nair, and Shan Masood.

Articles by Maryam Shah

Pakistan's Powerhouses: The Women Who Owned 2025

Southeast Asia’s deadly floods echo Pakistan’s escalating climate extremes

Breaking the mold: how Pakistani filmmakers are going global

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan

Latest News

North Korea's Kim hails troops fighting in 'alien land': report

Israel's determination to disarm Hamas is 'absolute': military chief

We are '10%’ away from peace, Zelensky tells Ukrainians

Field Marshal warns India against sabotaging peace

Pakistan's Powerhouses: The Women Who Owned 2025