Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Harraj has said that if a trilateral defense cooperation agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye is proposed in the future, Pakistan would welcome it. Talking exclusively in Pakistan TV&rsquo;s programme The Newsroom, the minister said Pakistan enjoys very strong diplomatic and defense relations with both Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, describing them as close allies and reliable friends of the country.&nbsp; &ldquo;An agreement has already been concluded between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. It is a bilateral agreement. If tomorrow, Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia come up with a proposal, it will be a very welcoming statement as far as Pakistan is concerned,&rdquo; the minister said, adding that at present there is no trilateral agreement involving the three countries. The Saudi-Pakistan defense agreement was signed between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh in September last year, which was described as a &ldquo;strategic mutual defense agreement.&rdquo;&nbsp; The agreement aims to development aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. Harraj said Pakistan maintains close defence cooperation with Turkiye, particularly in defence industrial development, and has a similar association with Saudi Arabia. Azerbaijan is also a close partner of Pakistan in terms of defense cooperation, he added. The minister said while a trilateral framework could be a future prospect, any such arrangement would only be considered if and when a formal proposal is presented.&nbsp; &ldquo;We would be willing to deliberate once an opportunity arises,&rdquo; he said, adding that if such an agreement comes forward, it will be left for the relevant stakeholders to scrutinize it. Harraj emphasised that defense-related agreements are considered trade secrets and often involve classified information that cannot be disclosed publicly.&nbsp; Explaining the nature of defense cooperation, the minister said such collaborations can take various forms, including joint exercises, shared production of defense equipment, or joint manufacturing of components.&nbsp; He cited the JF-17 fighter jet programme as an example of successful defense collaboration between Pakistan and China. Reiterating Pakistan&rsquo;s position, Harraj said bilateral defense agreements with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia are independent of each other.

The Newsroom

Federal Minister for Defense Production Raza Hayat Harraj has said that if a trilateral defense cooperation agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye is proposed in the future, Pakistan would welcome it.

Pakistan open to trilateral defense deal with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye in future: Harraj

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh&rsquo;s interim government has asserted its full preparedness for the upcoming national elections, even as questions over India&rsquo;s role and regional diplomacy dominate public debate ahead of the high-stakes polls. Speaking exclusively to Pakistan TV, Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, said the administration has taken extensive measures to ensure elections are free, fair, peaceful, and credible. Nearly one million security personnel will be deployed nationwide, vulnerable polling stations have been identified, and around 90 percent of voting centres are now connected to a digital monitoring app to ensure transparency. Alam expressed confidence that high voter turnout would reflect growing public trust in the interim setup. On Indian interference, Alam pushed back strongly, accusing sections of Indian media of spreading misinformation. He emphasized that the interim government has no political affiliations and is solely focused on conducting neutral elections, contrasting the process with polls held during former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s tenure, which he described as deeply flawed and restrictive. According to Alam, international scrutiny and public expectations have made electoral credibility a top priority for Dhaka. On Bangladesh-India relations, Alam stressed the need for ties based on mutual respect and equity. He said Bangladesh seeks balanced foreign relations while expanding trade, enhancing regional connectivity, and reviving South Asian cooperation under SAARC. Alam also highlighted warming Bangladesh-Pakistan ties, noting a significant rise in bilateral trade and the expected resumption of direct flights, which he said could further boost people-to-people contact and economic cooperation.

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, said the administration has taken extensive measures to ensure elections are free, fair, peaceful, and credible.

Beyond Borders

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, speaks exclusively to Pakistan TV on elections and regional cooperation.

Bangladesh’s interim government promises credible polls amid regional diplomacy focus

ISLAMABAD: Iran&rsquo;s Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghaddam, has said the United States and Israel are orchestrating unrest inside Iran, warning that any foreign aggression would be met with a strong and decisive response. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, the ambassador thanked the government, media and people of Pakistan for closely and sensitively following developments in Iran. He said Iran&rsquo;s security was being threatened through a &ldquo;designed plan&rdquo; involving the US, Israel and terrorist elements, while Iranian security forces and the public were working to maintain law and order. Moghaddam said recent protests were rooted in economic challenges caused by decades-long US sanctions, government reforms related to foreign exchange and subsidy mechanisms for essential goods.&nbsp; He stressed that peaceful protest is a constitutional right in Iran and that the government engaged directly with traders and demonstrators, including meetings held by the interior minister, commerce minister and the president. However, he said the protests were later exploited by hostile foreign actors. The Iranian envoy said that the US and Israel facilitated the infiltration of armed groups from Syria and Iraq under the cover of protests, adding these elements targeted both security personnel and civilians. He said Iran has lost around 100 police and security personnel, adding that terrorist violence, including attacks on women and children, is unacceptable anywhere in the world. Rejecting foreign-backed opposition narratives, the ambassador said public rallies in support of Iran&rsquo;s political system were underway, reflecting what he described as the people&rsquo;s rejection of external interference. On the possibility of military aggression, the ambassador warned that Iran has proven over the past four decades that it will deliver a befitting response to any attack by the US or Israel. He said diplomatic channels with Washington remain open through the Swiss-managed interest protection office, but stressed that Iran will never recognize or negotiate with Israel.

In an Exclusive Interview with Pakistan TV, Iranian Envoy Says Security Threats Are Part of a ‘Designed Plan’.

Iranian Ambassador says US, Israel Behind Unrest, Warns of Strong Response

ISLAMABAD: Arif Habib, the founder of Arif Habib Group, has said Pakistan International Airlines&rsquo; (PIA) revival will focus on leveraging talented employees, international expertise, and strategic growth to restore the airline&rsquo;s success. Talking exclusively to Pakistan TV, Arif Habib said the revival of PIA represents a broader success for Pakistan, expressing confidence that the national carrier will regain its former stature. Arif Habib Consortium had won the bid by offering Rs135 billion for the 75% shares of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited. The runner-up was Lucky Cement, which offered Rs134 billion but was outbid by the Arif Habib Consortium.&nbsp; The third group was the private airline Airblue, which exited in the first round after its offer of Rs26.5 billion fell below the reference price of Rs100 billion.&nbsp; Arif Habib recalled that PIA was once among the world&rsquo;s leading airlines and said the new management is committed to restoring its past glory. &ldquo;We have resolved to bring the airline back to its past success by fully utilising the potential of its employees and inducting new aircraft,&rdquo; Arif Habib said.<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" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 647px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2003497952954966521&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ede63cbbf93057ac7ee3deab83b0fd81dcb40a16&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2003497952954966521"></iframe></div>He said competent and high-performing employees would be given greater opportunities, adding that Pakistan had a large pool of talented professionals and the airline would benefit from them.</div> Referring to past experiences, he said privatisation efforts had previously led to additional employment, as when a business grew, it required more staff. He also said international advisers would be engaged to support the turnaround process to ensure sustainable growth and long-term success for the airline.

SAT News Desk

Says airline's competent and high-performing employees would be given greater opportunities.

PIA revival to ride on talent, global expertise and strategic growth: Arif Habib

ISLAMABAD: Bangladeshi activists and journalists have accused India of providing safe havens to terrorists involved in killings as Bangladesh once again erupts in protests after leader of 2024 student-led uprising Sharif Osman Bin Hadi succumbed to his injuries in Singapore. Hadi, who was expected to contest the February elections, was shot in the head on December 12 in Dhaka. He was evacuated to Singapore but could not survive. Pakistan TV talked to a number of journalists and civil society activists who agreed that anti-India sentiments had risen sharply in Bangladesh. Civil society activist and entrepreneur Fahim Mashroor told Pakistan TV that following Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s ouster and the installation of Dr Muhammad Yunus&rsquo;s interim administration, relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have deteriorated sharply. &ldquo;For the last 15 months, right after Sheikh Hasina was ousted and the new administration under Dr Yunus took over, diplomatic relations have been extremely thorny. The key issue has been Sheikh Hasina being sheltered in India,&rdquo; Fahim Mashroor said. <div class="fr-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sharif Osman bin Hadi was a very strong voice against Indian hegemony; the person who shot Hadi was a leader of the student union of Awami League and is now in India; anti-India sentiment is rising in Bangladesh. - Journalist from Dhaka Kamaruzzaman<a href="https://twitter.com/mkbablu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mkbablu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MoIB_Official?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoIB_Official</a>&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/GjZu7lAIoK">pic.twitter.com/GjZu7lAIoK</a>&mdash; Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakTVGlobal/status/2001933630294364180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote></div> He said public anger escalated after the assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent youth and cultural activist, who was reportedly targeted for his vocal opposition to Indian influence and the Awami League. &ldquo;His cultural activism strongly opposed Indian cultural hegemony, leading many to believe he was targeted because of his views, and that Indian active support cannot be ruled out. This is why public sentiment has taken a strongly anti-Indian turn,&rdquo; he said. Fahim Mashroor further said the assassin&rsquo;s known links to Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s party and subsequent flight to India, confirmed through CCTV footage, have intensified anti-India sentiment. &ldquo;People in Bangladesh remain extremely angry and firmly believe there is support for such activities through the Awami League and its operatives. There is a widespread perception that not only was the planning done on Indian soil, but that India is also providing safe haven to terrorists after such heinous acts,&rdquo; the civil society activist said. He said this perception of the Bangladeshi society is drawn from India&rsquo;s history of patronage toward Sheikh Hasina during her 15-year rule, when New Delhi was seen as supporting her authoritarian governance for strategic gain. Talking to Pakistan TV, senior journalist from Dhaka MD Kamruzzaman said protests have intensified across Dhaka following the death of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, particularly among students and young activists. <div class="fr-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sheikh Hasina and her political associates, hiding in India, have threatened to kill people, especially youth, who are opposed to Awami League. - Civil society activist from Dhaka Fahim Mashroor<a href="https://twitter.com/fahimmashroor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fahimmashroor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MoIB_Official?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoIB_Official</a><a href="https://twitter.com/MoIBBdoffical?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoIBBdoffical</a><a href="https://twitter.com/PakinBangladesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PakinBangladesh</a><a href="https://twitter.com/bdhcpk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bdhcpk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bangladesh?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bangladesh</a>&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/KW2ltsp65k">pic.twitter.com/KW2ltsp65k</a>&mdash; Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakTVGlobal/status/2001943390834077924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote></div> He said Hadi had been a prominent figure in the movement that challenged nearly 16 years of authoritarian rule of Sheikh Hasina, adding that protesters claim that Hadi had been receiving multiple death threats. &ldquo;His popularity was rising rapidly, and people from all walks of life viewed Hadi as an icon of protest. Unfortunately, he had earlier warned that he had received multiple threats from different unknown numbers,&rdquo; the senior journalist said. He said a key source of public anger stems from reports that the gunman had fled to India. <div class="fr-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The assassins were traced through CCTV footage; police say they fled to India which has made people extremely angry as they believe India is harbouring those responsible. - Civil society activist from Dhaka Fahim Mashroor<a href="https://twitter.com/fahimmashroor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fahimmashroor</a><a href="https://twitter.com/MoIB_Official?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoIB_Official</a><a href="https://twitter.com/MoIBBdoffical?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoIBBdoffical</a>&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/0X0VYv2Yme">pic.twitter.com/0X0VYv2Yme</a>&mdash; Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PakTVGlobal/status/2001944238800703585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote></div> Kamruzzaman said this has fuelled growing anti-India sentiment, with demonstrators accusing New Delhi of sheltering individuals responsible for political violence in Bangladesh. &ldquo;According to protesters, he [Hadi] was targeted primarily because of his stance against the ousted regime and neighbouring India,&rdquo; the Bangladeshi journalist said. He further added that the unrest highlights deepening frustration over external interference and the country&rsquo;s ongoing struggle for democratic sovereignty. Another journalist from Bangladesh Muktadir Rashid told Pakistan TV that the demonstrators accuse India of involvement in Hadi&rsquo;s assassination and harbouring suspects linked to unrest in Bangladesh. He said anti-India sentiment is not new, fuelled over the years by public anger toward Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s government, which was backed by New Delhi. &ldquo;Anti-Indian sentiment is not new in Bangladesh at all, especially due to Sheikh Hasina&#39;s misrule, which was backed by the Indian government starting from 2014,&rdquo; he said. He said Hadi, a former teacher known for his calls for justice and youth empowerment, enjoyed strong grassroots popularity and was preparing to contest the upcoming elections. Muktadir Rashid said Hadi was shot last Friday, and reports suggest the prime suspect fled across the border into India, an area long associated with organised crime. His death has further ignited resentment against perceived Indian interference in Bangladesh&rsquo;s domestic politics, he added.

Bangladeshi activists state that India is sheltering terrorists after protest leader Sharif Osman Bin Hadi died from gunshot wounds, with the suspect fleeing to India.

Bangladeshi activists, journalists accuse India of providing safe havens to terrorists

ISLAMABAD: Nearly one thousand Afghan clerics and tribal elders have declared that Afghan soil must not be used against any country, urging the Taliban government to strictly enforce the ban on individuals or groups engaging in cross-border terrorism or traveling abroad for militant activities.&nbsp; The gathering, held in Kabul, reaffirmed the directive of the Taliban&rsquo;s supreme leader that Afghanistan will not allow any force to exploit its territory to destabilise neighboring states. The announcement is being widely viewed as a positive signal and a development that aligns closely with Pakistan&rsquo;s long-standing position.&nbsp; It reinforces Islamabad&rsquo;s diplomatic engagements with Kabul and validates Pakistan&rsquo;s consistent demand that Afghan territory should not serve as a base for cross-border terrorism. Analysts note that such declarations echo Pakistan&rsquo;s broader regional peace narrative, which stresses mutual respect for sovereignty and non-interference. However, past experience tempers optimism. The Taliban authorities have made similar commitments to Pakistan and other regional and international stakeholders in the past, but their implementation record has remained largely discouraging. The real test this time will lie in the sincerity and verifiable enforcement of these pledges on the ground. If the Taliban regime translates these declarations into concrete, observable measures, it could mark a significant step toward Afghanistan&rsquo;s internal stability, Pakistan&rsquo;s security, and the overall peace of the region.&nbsp; Credible information available to Pakistan TV indicates that Islamabad will closely monitor the situation, as the implementation alone will determine the credibility of the announcement and its contribution to regional stability.

Kabul gathering of nearly 1,000 clerics backs previous decree against cross-border militancy; analysts say only implementation will test Taliban’s credibility 


Afghan clerics forbid use of soil for cross-border terrorism 

Islamabad: German boxer Zeina Nassar, who made her professional debut in Lahore, has said she felt &ldquo;honoured, protected, and completely at home&rdquo; during her visit to Pakistan, calling the experience &ldquo;beautiful and overwhelming&rdquo;. In an exclusive conversation in Pakistan TV&rsquo;s show &lsquo;World This Morning&rsquo;, Zeina Nassar, who participated in the international boxing championship in Lahore, expressed deep gratitude for the respect and warmth she received from the Pakistani crowd and organisers. &ldquo;I was feeling blessed to be part of Pakistan and to have my pro debut fight in Lahore,&rdquo; she said. Nassar, who represents Germany as a hijabi athlete, said fighting in a Muslim-majority country carried special significance for her. &ldquo;Even though I don&rsquo;t have Pakistani roots, I felt at home. As a Muslim hijabi fighter, being in a Muslim country made me feel very comfortable,&rdquo; she said. She described the crowd as &ldquo;loud in the best way&rdquo;, saying every reaction from the audience energised her in the ring. The boxer praised Pakistan&rsquo;s hospitality, emphasising the professionalism of the organisers and security teams. &ldquo;When athletes travel to a new country, we need to feel safe and trust the people behind the event. Alhamdulillah, everything was perfect, from the airport to the venue. We were protected, and that is very important for us,&rdquo; she said. Nassar highlighted how the event brought together athletes from different countries. &ldquo;Boxing is a global language based on respect, discipline, and hard work. After the fight, we exchanged experiences and learned about each other&rsquo;s cultures. We even made new friends. That&rsquo;s the beauty of sport,&rdquo; Zeina Nassar said. Speaking about her journey as a hijabi boxer, she said she helped change international clothing rules in 2019 to allow Muslim women to compete wearing the hijab. Zeina Nassar said she wanted her next fights to be in Pakistan.

Boxing

German boxer Zeina Nassar expresses gratitude to Pakistani crowd, organisers

ISLAMABAD: Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to provide &ldquo;all possible help&rdquo; to Sri Lanka in this time of need, as the South Asian nation reels from deadly floods and landslides, with the death toll reaching 390 and 352 people still reported missing. Cyclone Ditwah, bringing powerful winds and torrential rains, triggered Sri Lanka&rsquo;s worst flooding in a decade when it struck on Friday, unleashing deadly landslides across the country&rsquo;s hilly central regions. &ldquo;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to provide all possible help [to Sri Lanka] in this time of need,&rdquo; Tarar said in a post on X. Pakistan Navy ship PNS Saif, which was on a port call at Colombo for participation in an international fleet review, is actively undertaking relief operations for the local populace. The Pakistan Navy has continued relief operations in Sri Lanka for the third consecutive day. On Monday, a Navy helicopter aboard PNS Saif successfully rescued a family that had been stranded for five days, including a seven-month-old child. With the assistance of local authorities, the Navy safely evacuated residents trapped in floodwaters from rooftops to secure locations. Earlier, the Pakistan Navy also delivered food staples, MREs, medical supplies, and other essential items to support thousands struggling in the aftermath of the disaster. India denies Pakistan air route for Sri Lanka reliefThe relief operations, however, have faced obstacles due to India&rsquo;s refusal to grant airspace access for Pakistan&rsquo;s humanitarian mission. Pakistan Army has prepared a 45-member urban search-and-rescue team from the Army, with support from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft, to assist the affected population. Despite all logistical arrangements, including commercial cargo planes with a 100-ton capacity, Indian airspace restrictions have slowed down relief operations. Consequently, Pakistan&rsquo;s aid and rescue teams had to reroute shipments via sea, delaying delivery to Sri Lanka by eight days. The relief cargo includes rescue boats, pumps, life jackets, tents, blankets, food, milk, and medicines. Despite these challenges, Pakistan remains committed to assisting Sri Lanka&rsquo;s flood victims.

Relief operations have faced obstacles due to India’s refusal to grant airspace access for Pakistan’s humanitarian mission; Pakistan Army has prepared a 45-member urban search-and-rescue team from the Army, with support from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft, to assist the affected population.



PM Sharif directs to provide full support for flood-hit Sri Lanka — information minister 

ISLAMABAD: Russia has expressed that the ongoing war rhetoric from Europe regarding the Ukraine conflict comes as no surprise.&nbsp; While speaking exclusively to Pakistan TV, Dir CIR Dr. Roxolana Zigon said, so-called military illusions have replaced genuine strategic insight within the European Union, particularly in its alignment with NATO over the past decades. This lack of foresight, she said, has weakened Europe&rsquo;s ability to play a decisive role in addressing global crises. Russian authorities emphasize that their concern is not merely with European statements but with the persistent unwillingness of European officials to pursue meaningful diplomacy. Analysts argue that this stubbornness underscores a larger geopolitical reality: between two global powers, the United States and the European Union, there is effectively only one superpower shaping international strategy, particularly in conflict zones such as Ukraine. The United States, under the &ldquo;America First&rdquo; doctrine and Trump administration, continues to assert itself as the dominant global force. In contrast, Europe&rsquo;s influence is perceived as steadily declining, particularly in military and diplomatic arenas related to the Ukrainian crisis. Recent peace talks in Geneva further illustrate this dynamic. Observers note that the U.S. appears to be gradually moving away from the Ukrainian agenda, step by step, leaving the European Union with limited leverage. For Russia, the combination of Europe&rsquo;s strategic missteps and America&rsquo;s dominant position on the global stage confirms a long-standing belief: true superpower status lies with Washington, not Brussels. European rhetoric, may grab headlines, but it does little to shift the balance of power or influence the unfolding events in Ukraine, said Dir CIR.

Russian analyst Dr Zigon says so-called military illusions have replaced genuine strategic insight within the European Union, particularly in its alignment with NATO over the past decades.

Russia unfazed by European rhetoric, Eyes US as sole superpower

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.

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: History was made in the United States as Ghazala Hashmi was sworn in as the country&rsquo;s first Muslim female lieutenant governor, taking her oath of office on the Holy Quran. The milestone was widely welcomed as a significant step for representation and inclusion in American politics.&nbsp;She is the second Muslim American to have <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/mamdani-leftist-opponent-of-trump-sworn-in-as-new-york-mayor" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">taken the oath on the Holy Quran</a>, after the newly elected New York mayor, Zohran Mamdani.&nbsp; <iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2012657303653085679&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7bdd20ae7c9fba126672b91d7986c03baad82662&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe><div class="fr-embed" style="line-height: 2;"> </div>Alongside Hashmi, Abigail &ldquo;Abby&rdquo; Spanberger became the first woman to serve as Virginia&rsquo;s governor. Jay Jones made history as the state&rsquo;s first Black attorney general.&nbsp;Hashmi&rsquo;s oath underscored the increasing presence of religious and ethnic minorities in American politics. The ceremony included an interfaith prayer breakfast, where Imam Sharif led a special prayer in honor of the occasion.&nbsp;The event drew elected officials, community leaders, and representatives from civic organizations. Senator Saddam Azlan Saleem attended, alongside groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, who participated in a ceremonial parade led by community members Rizwan Jaka, Ahsanullah, and Bethany Rashid.&nbsp;In her speech, Governor Spanberger highlighted her administration&rsquo;s commitment to inclusive governance and pledged to address the everyday challenges Virginians face.

Americas

Ghazala Hashmi takes oath on Holy Quran as first Muslim female Virginia Lt Governor

<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;" id="isPasted">ISLAMABAD: The High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan, Iqbal Hussain Khan, visited the University of Management and Technology (UMT), where he met the university president, Ibrahim Hasan Murad, to discuss bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh, with a focus on education and research partnerships.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">During the meeting, both sides held detailed discussions on bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh, cooperation in education and research, and the expansion of higher education partnerships.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">Speaking on the occasion, Murad said strengthening regional cooperation, trade relations, and people-to-people contacts is the need of the hour. He said educational and research collaboration between Pakistan and Bangladesh can create new opportunities for the youth of both countries and play a vital role in achieving shared goals of sustainable development.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">In a post on X, he wrote, &ldquo;High Commissioner of Bangladesh, H.E. Md. Iqbal Hussain Khan visited Chairman &amp; President UMT, Ibrahim Hasan Murad, at his office today. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations, expanding educational cooperation, and promoting people-to-people connectivity between Pakistan and Bangladesh.&rdquo;<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 549.991px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe 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=2013238323171754270&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ea4ebdacda112f6d173a949b7b088b1f6f6baedb&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">The post added that both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue, academic exchange, and collaborative initiatives to foster mutual understanding and long-term partnership.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">High Commissioner Iqbal Hussain Khan appreciated UMT&rsquo;s academic contributions, quality education system, and research-oriented environment. He said Pakistan and Bangladesh would further strengthen their diplomatic and educational ties to achieve common development objectives.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">He described cooperation in higher education as crucial for enhancing bilateral relations and said he was committed to expanding collaboration in education, research, and people-to-people engagement in the future.

High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan, Iqbal Hussain Khan (left), in a meeting with UMT President Ibrahim Hasan Murad at his office on January 19, 2026. (X / @ibrahimhmurad)

Education

The High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan, Iqbal Hussain Khan, visits the University of Management and Technology, where he meets President UMT Ibrahim Hasan Murad to discuss bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh with a focus on education and research partnerships.

Pakistan's university hosts Bangladesh high commissioner to discuss education cooperation

BEIJING: Before DeepSeek shook up the tech world and put Chinese artificial intelligence on the map, Wu Chenglin&rsquo;s own startup had nearly folded three times &mdash; but in the past year, it has raised $30 million. The January 2025 release of a low-cost generative AI model from DeepSeek, which performed at a similar level to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/openai-introducing-ads-to-chatgpt" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">ChatGPT </a>and other top American chatbots,&nbsp;upended assumptions of US dominance in the sensitive sector. The breakthrough has galvanised China&rsquo;s AI scene, despite relations with the United States and fears of a global market bubble. &ldquo;It gave a lot of people confidence&rdquo; that China&rsquo;s AI community previously lacked, Wu told AFP. His venture, DeepWisdom, whose flagship product is an AI-powered software development platform, had struggled to stay afloat despite its popularity among programmers. But as excitement around DeepSeek fuelled a spending boom, Wu raised 220 million yuan in two funding rounds. Meanwhile, Shi Yaqiong and her team at Beijing-based Jinqiu Capital have closed deals with more than 50 AI firms over the past 12 months. Shi, the fund&rsquo;s vice-president, described a &ldquo;clear surge&rdquo; in enthusiasm around Chinese AI and competition among investors since the DeepSeek shock. &ldquo;The kind of projects with an initial valuation in 2024 of $10-20 million were, in 2025, expected to have initial valuations around $20-40 million,&rdquo; she said. Engineer dividendShares in two leading Chinese AI startups, Zhipu AI and MiniMax, soared on their Hong Kong market debuts this month. Frenzy over the much-hyped <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/asian-markets-bounce-as-nvidia-takes-centre-stage-amid-ai-bubble-fears" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(41, 105, 176);" rel="noopener noreferrer">potential of AI </a>to change the world is driving global stocks to record highs, led by chipmakers and<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/meta-partners-with-us-nuclear-companies-to-power-ai-data-centers" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;tech giants</a>. But the big-spending euphoria has sparked fears of a market crash, with many investors hyper-focused on any sign the AI bubble could burst and questioning when new companies will become profitable. Access to top-end chips made by <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-us-will-allow-sale-of-nvidia-ai-chips-to-china" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(41, 105, 176);" rel="noopener noreferrer">US giant Nvidia</a> is also restricted in China under White House policies aimed at curbing China&rsquo;s technological development. But that hasn&rsquo;t dampened the spirits of young developers in the world&rsquo;s second-largest economy. At an AI networking event held last week on a brisk winter afternoon in a stylish Beijing cafe, animated discussion filled the air about the future of the fast-moving industry. Chip export controls mean Chinese AI is more likely to be &ldquo;open-source and cheap&rdquo;, which could make it more useful to society, said one participant, entrepreneur Li Weijia. China is often said to enjoy an &ldquo;engineer dividend&rdquo; that benefits its AI sector, and talent is flocking to the field. Online hiring platform Zhilian Zhaopin reported a 39% increase in applications to AI-related jobs in the first three quarters of 2025, after DeepSeek&rsquo;s breakout. &lsquo;Cost-efficient&rsquo;&ldquo;China has a huge application developer ecosystem, and people are very good at building apps,&rdquo; Shen Qiajin, founder of ideaFlow, told AFP. &ldquo;But for a very long time, we didn&rsquo;t have a good, cost-efficient model,&rdquo; he said. That is a gap DeepSeek has now filled. The firm began in 2023 as a side project of a data-driven hedge fund co-founded in the tech hub Hangzhou by Liang Wenfeng, which had access to a cache of powerful Nvidia processors. Today, the company &mdash; expected to release its next AI model within weeks &mdash; holds 4% of the global chatbot market share, according to web traffic analysis company Similarweb. ChatGPT dominates at 68 percent, while Google&rsquo;s Gemini is catching up at 18%, according to Similarweb estimates. DeepSeek&rsquo;s decision to make its systems&rsquo; inner workings public, in contrast to the closed AI models sold by OpenAI and other Western rivals, has boosted adoption of its tools by developers and businesses, said Neil Shah at&nbsp; Counterpoint ResearchIts tools have had &ldquo;strong adoption in cost-sensitive emerging markets&rdquo;, he said. But in the West, users are more cautious, &ldquo;primarily on account of privacy and national security concerns&rdquo;. Even so, the domestic market is huge. By June 2025, more than half a billion Chinese internet users reported having used generative AI products, according to the China Internet Network Information Center. Entrepreneur Yang Yiwen said her parents had their first meaningful encounter with AI during last year&rsquo;s Chinese New Year, when they watched her use DeepSeek to plan a family trip. &ldquo;They found it quite fun,&rdquo; she said.

Artificial Intelligence

Before DeepSeek shook up the tech world and put Chinese artificial intelligence on the map, Wu Chenglin’s own startup had nearly folded three times — but in the past year it has raised $30 million.

Inside China's buzzing AI scene year after DeepSeek shock

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead a high-level Pakistani delegation to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 from January 20 to 22 in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-heads-into-davos-storm-with-an-eye-on-home" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Davos-Klosters</a>, Switzerland, the Foreign Office said Tuesday.&nbsp;The prime minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with other senior officials. During the visit, PM Sharif is set to participate in a series of substantive engagements aimed at strengthening Pakistan&rsquo;s global economic and diplomatic outreach.&nbsp;As part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-to-attend-world-economic-forum-in-davos-next-week-organizers" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">WEF program</a>, the prime minister will take part in the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders session titled &ldquo;Restoring a Spirit of Dialogue in a Divided World.&rdquo; He will also host and chair a Pakistan-specific High-Level Business Roundtable, engaging with leading international corporate executives to highlight investment opportunities in Pakistan. The premier is expected to hold interactions with several world leaders and prominent business executives. He will articulate Pakistan&rsquo;s perspective on global and regional peace and development, while underscoring the government&rsquo;s vision, reforms, and achievements in the areas of economy, trade, and investment. The World Economic Forum&#39;s annual meeting brings together political leaders, business executives, heads of international organizations, and civil society representatives to deliberate on the world&#39;s key geopolitical, economic, social, and environmental challenges.

Foreign Affairs

During the visit, the prime minister will participate in a series of substantive engagements to strengthen Pakistan’s global economic and diplomatic outreach.

PM Sharif to lead Pakistan delegation at World Economic Forum

ISLAMABAD: The Taliban government in Afghanistan has instituted a &ldquo;systematic and institutionalized campaign aimed at erasing Afghan women and girls, including through a plethora of restrictive edicts,&rdquo; United Nations experts said in a <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/treaty-crimes-against-humanity-states-must-give-afghan-women-central-voice" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">press release</a>&nbsp;on Monday.&nbsp; &ldquo;The de facto authorities have banned girls from education beyond grade 6, severely restricted women&rsquo;s right to work, and effectively criminalized their presence in public life,&rdquo; the press release said.&nbsp; The Taliban government has moved backwards when it comes to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/taliban-detains-woman-journalist-in-northern-afghanistan" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">rights</a>&nbsp;for women ever since it came to power in 2021. The government has ratified laws that restrict&nbsp;women&#39;s access to education,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-calls-on-taliban-to-lift-ban-on-afghan-women-in-its-offices" target="_blank">public-sector</a>&nbsp;jobs, and even amusement parks.&nbsp; According to a press release issued by the UN, states must ensure the meaningful participation of Afghan women leaders and gender justice activists in the imminent negotiations on the new treaty.&nbsp; &ldquo;For the treaty on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity to be a transformative instrument of justice, it cannot be drafted in a vacuum,&rdquo; the experts said.&nbsp; The experts included five members from the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett. The experts, according to the press release, said that the treaty&#39;s legitimacy would depend on whether it &ldquo;enables the meaningful participation of those who are living under the very atrocities the treaty seeks to address and prevent.&rdquo; &ldquo;States must therefore stand in solidarity with Afghan women, girls, and others targeted based on their gender by ensuring their meaningful inclusion, and with serious consideration of the lived realities on the ground in Afghanistan,&rdquo; it said. Separately, in a post on X, former Afghan parliamentarian Fawzia Koofi welcomed the statement from the UN experts, urging the &ldquo;UN sixth committee to ensure women, especially survivors, are heard and included in every step of the negotiation process on the convention on crimes against humanity.&rdquo; According to the press release, experts urged the member states to heed the calls of Afghan women and other activists &ldquo;to include the crime of gender apartheid within the new treaty.&rdquo; They said that Afghanistan stood as one of the &ldquo;clearest and most urgent examples of why inclusive survivor participation is indispensable.&rdquo; &ldquo;The voices of Afghan women in civil society are not merely testimonies; they are authoritative sources and primary experts on the oppression they face,&rdquo; they said, adding that their participation was essential to &ldquo;ensuring that international law evolves to address the realities of the atrocities unfolding today.&rdquo; They called on states to ensure the &ldquo;codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, and uphold gender-responsive provisions throughout the treaty.&rdquo; &ldquo;At the same time, we urge states to strengthen other modes of support for Afghan women, girls, and gender-diverse persons, including through actively preventing normalization of the Taliban de facto regime, establishing safe, legal and long-term immigration pathways and providing sustained funding for women-led civil society,&rdquo; UN experts said. &ldquo;Naming gender apartheid is a necessary step toward dismantling it,&rdquo; they added. &ldquo;We must stand in solidarity with those on the front lines by providing a legal name for their lived reality, ensuring the international community can hold perpetrators accountable for the totality of their crimes,&rdquo; the press release concluded.

Afghanistan

The Taliban government has moved backwards when it comes to rights for women ever since they came into power in 2021; the government has ratified laws that restrict women from accessing education, public sector jobs, and even going to amusement parks. 

Taliban govt ran ‘systematic, institutionalized campaign’ to erase Afghan women: UN experts 

WASHINGTON: North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at a US military base in Greenland for &quot;long-planned&quot; activities, the organization said Monday. The announcement from NORAD, a joint US-Canada military organization for aerospace monitoring and defense, came amid rising tensions over President Donald Trump&#39;s demand for US control of the autonomous Danish territory. The statement did not describe the nature of the planned activities at Pituffik Space Base, which it said were aimed at &quot;defense cooperation.&quot; It said that the activities had been coordinated with Denmark and that Greenland had been informed. NORAD said that the arriving aircraft will operate alongside those from bases in the continental United States and Canada. &quot;They will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defense cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark,&quot; NORAD said. The statement added that NORAD &quot;routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in the defense of North America.&quot; Trump has stoked <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-links-greenland-threats-to-nobel-peace-prize-snub-bloomberg" style="color:#0073e6;">anxiety </a>among US transatlantic allies with threats to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-warns-greenland-deal-will-happen-easy-or-hard-threatens-iran" style="color:#0073e6;">take over</a> Greenland &quot;one way or the other.&quot; Over the weekend, the US president <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-threatens-europe-with-tariffs-over-greenland-as-protesters-rally" style="color:#0073e6;">threatened</a>&nbsp;to wield new tariffs against countries that oppose his plans for the Arctic island, after several European nations sent small military delegations there for an exercise, to which the United States was also invited. Denmark has proposed that NATO start surveillance operations in Greenland to confront security concerns.

Trump has stoked anxiety among US transatlantic allies with threats to take over Greenland "one way or the other"; Denmark has proposed that NATO start surveillance operations in Greenland to confront security concerns.

Military aircraft to arrive in Greenland for 'long-planned' activities: US-Canadian command

KANO: Armed gangs kidnapped at least 163 Christian worshippers after storming two churches in Nigeria&#39;s northern Kaduna State on Sunday, a member of the clergy told AFP. Gangs &mdash; known in Nigeria as &quot;bandits&quot; &mdash; frequently <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nigerian-gunmen-free-kidnapped-muslim-religious-travellers" style="color:#0073e6;">carry out</a>&nbsp;mass kidnappings for <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/abductors-free-12-young-girls-kidnapped-in-nigeria" style="color:#0073e6;">ransom</a> and loot villages, mainly in the northern and central parts of Africa&#39;s most populous country. Sunday&#39;s attacks are the latest in a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/100-kidnapped-nigerian-schoolchildren-released-report" style="color:#0073e6;">wave of kidnappings</a> targeting both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. &quot;The attackers came in numbers and blocked the entrance of the churches and forced the worshippers out into the bush,&quot; Reverend Joseph Hayab, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria for the country&#39;s north, said on Monday. &quot;The actual number they took was 172, but nine escaped, so 163 are with them,&quot; added Hayab. Ishaku Dan&#39;azumi, a traditional chief of Kurmin Wali, said 166 people were seized from three churches in the village during Sunday service. A security report prepared for the United Nations said &quot;armed bandits&quot; attacked multiple churches in the area on Sunday, abducting &quot;over 100 worshippers.&quot; Kaduna state police did not confirm the attack. But its chief told reporters after in Kaduna city that officers responded and went to the &quot;alleged scene of crime&quot; on Sunday. &quot;Till now there is no information about any attack or any kidnapping,&quot; police commissioner Muhammad Rabiu said in remarks broadcast on a local tv channel. State commissioner for internal security Sule Shauibu dismissed the &quot;narrative&quot; about the kidnapping as &quot;totally false, we do not have any evidence of such.&quot; Local chief Wali told AFP that &quot;it is only politicians that are denying the kidnapping of our people.&quot; &quot;They took away 177 people from three churches but 11 managed to escape. We now have 166 people in the hands of the kidnappers,&quot; he said. He said his village has lived under threat from gunmen &quot;who kidnap our people. This has affected our farming activities as we grow less food than we used to. &quot;We have never complained to the authorities over kidnappings in our area, as we have been the ones contributing to pay for the freedom of those kidnapped. Sometimes up to 20 are abducted, and we have never complained; we have been dealing with the problem on our own.&quot; &quot;This time we complained to the authorities because the number of those kidnapped is beyond our capacity to deal with,&quot; he said. Roughly evenly split between a mostly Christian south and Muslim-majority north, Nigeria is home to myriad conflicts, which experts say kill both Christians and Muslims, often without distinction. In November, armed gangs seized more than 300 students and teachers from a Catholic school in Niger state, with 50 escaping and the rest being released in two batches weeks later. US President Donald Trump has latched onto the insecurity in Nigeria, focusing on the killing of Christians and putting Abuja under diplomatic pressure. In late December, the United States launched strikes on what it and the Nigerian government said were militants linked to the Islamic State group in the northwestern Sokoto state. Nigeria said it approved the strikes. More attacks &#39;likely&#39;&nbsp;Kaduna is one of several states in northwest and central Nigeria that have for years been terrorized by criminal gangs who raid villages, abduct residents and burn homes after looting them. Kajuru district is a hotspot for bandit attacks in Kaduna State, which has witnessed clashes between Christian farmers and Fulani Muslim herders. The violence centers around competition for land and dwindling resources, although on the surface it falls along ethnic and religious lines. Nigeria&#39;s kidnappings are predominantly for ransom and the crisis has &quot;consolidated into a structured, profit-seeking industry&quot; that raised some $1.66 million between July 2024 and June 2025, according to a recent report by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based consultancy.

Africa

Gangs frequently carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and loot villages, mainly in the northern and central parts of Africa's most populous country; Sunday's attacks are the latest in a wave of kidnappings targeting both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.

Gunmen kidnap 163 worshippers from two Nigerian churches: clergy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s kinnow exports registered strong growth despite the closure of the Afghan market, following the redirection of consignments to alternative international destinations, the Press Information Department (PID) said in a statement on Monday. According to estimates shared in the statement, Pakistan earned approximately $40 million from kinnow exports within just 45 days, covering the peak export period of December and the first half of January. &ldquo;The data shows that exports maintained a steady pace throughout December, followed by sustained momentum during the first 15 days of January &mdash; an encouraging sign amid regional trade constraints,&rdquo; the statement said. Due to the leadership of Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, and in close coordination with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), exporters were facilitated, and consignments were redirected to alternative international markets, it added. &ldquo;These efforts ensured continuity in shipments and protected growers and exporters from potential losses,&rdquo; the statement said. The minister emphasized that overcoming the impact of the Afghan market closure required a &ldquo;whole-of-government and whole-of-sector approach,&rdquo; and appreciated the dedication of officers and stakeholders who worked tirelessly to keep export channels open and competitive. Officials attributed the performance to focused market outreach, enhanced trade facilitation, and close engagement with exporters, the statement added. It said priority was given to expanding access to markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other non-traditional destinations, while ensuring compliance with international quality and phytosanitary standards. These efforts were complemented by TDAP through targeted export promotion, coordination with overseas trade missions, and continuous support to exporters in logistics and documentation. Improved coordination between federal authorities and the private sector helped maintain shipment schedules and preserve Pakistan&rsquo;s reputation as a reliable citrus supplier, the statement added. The continued momentum in kinnow exports is being viewed as a positive signal for the broader agricultural export sector, reaffirming the government&rsquo;s commitment to export-led growth and market diversification, the statement concluded.

Culture

Efforts complemented by TDAP through targeted export promotion, coordination with overseas trade missions, and continuous support to exporters in logistics and documentation; improved coordination between federal authorities and the private sector helped maintain shipment schedules and preserve Pakistan’s reputation as a reliable citrus supplier.





Pakistan Kinnow records strong growth despite Afghan market closure

ROME: One of the top designers of his era, Italy&#39;s elegance aficionado Valentino Garavani spent nearly half a century dressing the world&#39;s great beauties, from Jackie Kennedy to Princess Diana before his death Monday at age 93.&nbsp;&quot;Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones,&quot; wrote his Rome-based foundation on social media.&nbsp;A funeral is planned for Friday in the Italian capital, with a lying in state on Wednesday and Thursday.&nbsp;Best known as just Valentino, the designer&#39;s creations -- many of them in &quot;Valentino red&quot; -- were worn by the who&#39;s who of the international elite, from Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Nancy Reagan to Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow in recent years.&nbsp;When the empress of Iran, Farah Pahlavi, escaped the country during the 1979 revolution, she was wearing a coat made by Valentino.&nbsp;Dubbed &quot;the Sheik of Chic&quot; by Women&#39;s Wear Daily in the 1980s, Valentino was celebrated by the New York Times in 1997 for his &quot;single-minded dedication to glamour.&quot;&nbsp;On the catwalk and in his own life, Valentino exuded luxury down to the last detail of his immaculate hairdo and caramel tan.&nbsp;With his five pet pug dogs and a private jet, he shuttled between his Roman palace, New York apartment, chateau near Paris, chalet in Switzerland and his 50-metre (164-foot) yacht.&nbsp;Boyhood passionNamed after the star of silent cinema Rudolph Valentino, who was known for &quot;The Sheik&quot; among many other films, Valentino Garavani was born on May 11, 1932 in Voghera, a small town south of Milan. His father owned an electric cables business.&nbsp;As a boy he asked for made-to-measure shoes and was passionate about fashion. &quot;I have had this illness since childhood,&quot; he told the Italian edition of Elle magazine in 2007. &quot;I only like beautiful things.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;I do not like seeing men without ties, in a jumper, women with vulgar make-up and shapeless trousers. It is a sign of a bad education and a lack of self-respect.&quot;&nbsp;He left home when he was 17 to study at prestigious arts and fashion schools in Paris, where the decadent French style of Christian Dior had revitalised a grim post-World War II fashion industry and would deeply impact Valentino&#39;s later aesthetic.&nbsp;In 1952 he was hired by designer Jean Desses, who dressed wealthy clients including royalty, and five years later he went to work for Guy Laroche.&nbsp;Rome fashion empireIn 1960 Valentino opened his own fashion house in Rome -- at the time a thriving star-studded city thanks to its vast Cinecitta film studios that acted as a branch of Hollywood.&nbsp;He was assisted by his lover Giancarlo Giammetti, who had business know-how and would over the years transform the company into a global brand, shepherding it through successive buy-outs.&nbsp;&quot;Being the friend, lover and employee of Valentino for more than 45 years required a lot of patience,&quot; Giammetti said in the 2008 documentary, &quot;Valentino: The Last Emperor&quot;.&nbsp;Valentino turned heads immediately with his opening collection in 1962 in Florence, which already featured what would become his signature colour -- the deep rich &quot;Valentino red&quot;.&nbsp;JackieIn his first decade Valentino dressed the likes of Anita Ekberg, Sophia Loren and Liz Taylor, but it was a meeting with Jackie Kennedy in 1964 that would prove decisive.&nbsp;He transformed her wardrobe, and in 1968 she picked an ivory-coloured lace dress from his famous white collection for her second marriage to Greek shipping mogul Aristotle Onassis.&nbsp;It caused a sensation in the United States, and in 1970, Valentino was the first Italian designer to open a shop in New York. Over the years he would elevate the &quot;Made in Italy&quot; label to global prominence.&nbsp;&quot;I love a woman who eats food, who has a body, that is a woman and not a stick,&quot; he said, quoted in The New Yorker in 2005, and underscoring his preference for sensual, figure-hugging designs.&nbsp;Emperor bows outFor the 2006 Oscar-nominated Hollywood film &quot;The Devil Wears Prada&quot;, starring Meryl Streep as a powerful fashion editor, Valentino made a cameo appearance at the recreation of one of his shows.&nbsp;A year later and nearly a half-century after his first runway, he presented his last collection in Paris before retiring in January 2008.&nbsp;&quot;Valentino transported his audience to his world, where women in bubble gum pink cocktail dresses swing bags made of feathers and have high heels tied with satin ribbons and bows,&quot; said celebrated fashion critic Suzy Menkes in her write-up of the show in the New York Times.&nbsp;In 2011 the Valentino Garavani Virtual Museum opened, offering an immersive 3D experience into the history and creations of the fashion house, and giving the world its first-ever virtual fashion museum.&nbsp;&quot;At some point, you do get to the end,&quot; Valentino told The New Yorker in 2005 as he approached retirement. &quot;And when I do, I hope I will be remembered as a man who pursued beauty whenever he could.&quot;

Europe

Legendary Italian designer Valentino Garavani, famed for glamour and signature Valentino red, dressed icons from Jackie Kennedy to Princess Diana, built a global fashion empire died in Rome aged 93.

Valentino, Italy's fashion king who pursued beauty at every turn, dies at 93

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;The United Arab Emirates and India on Monday signed a major liquified natural gas supply agreement worth more than $2.5 billion, while reaffirming their ambition to double bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032. The 10-year <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/drone-strike-hits-iraq-gas-complex-cuts-supply-official" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">LNG deal</a> was signed between ADNOC Gas, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, and India&rsquo;s state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. Under the agreement, ADNOC Gas will supply 0.5 million metric tons of LNG annually to India. ADNOC Gas said the contract raises the total value of agreements supported and operated by the company to more than $20 billion and positions India as its largest natural gas customer. From 2029 onward, Indian companies are expected to account for just over one-fifth of ADNOC Gas&rsquo;s annual production capacity of 15.6 million tons. The agreement was finalized on the sidelines of a visit by <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/uae-president-al-nahyan-to-visit-pakistan-on-dec-26" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">UAE President</a> Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to New Delhi, where he held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a joint statement, the two leaders welcomed the strong growth in trade since the signing of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement in 2022 and committed to doubling bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032. Beyond energy and trade, the two sides also moved to deepen strategic cooperation. India and the UAE signed a letter of intent to begin drafting a framework for a strategic defense partnership, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. The proposed agreement aims to expand defense collaboration across special operations, interoperability, cyberspace, and counterterrorism. Misri said the initiative was a natural progression of existing defense ties and not a response to any specific regional developments. The latest agreements underscore the rapidly expanding economic, energy, and strategic relationship between India and the UAE, reflecting growing alignment between the two countries across multiple sectors.

Asia

Middle East

The two countries aim to double bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032.

Articles by Pakistan TV Satellite