Simran Siraj

KARACHI: An original movement-based play from Pakistan, Tayraak, won the Best Script Award at the 6th Kish International Short Theater Festival in Iran, as the contemporary theater in the country continued to make waves internationally.&nbsp; The 6th Kish International Short Theater Festival, directed by Abbas Najari, was held from October 18 to 21. Hosted on Iran&rsquo;s scenic Kish Island, the festival focused on new forms of theater, such as caf&eacute;-theater, beach-theatre and experimental staging, with this year&rsquo;s themes including family and social vitality, the environment, peace and unity. Tayraak received an overwhelming response from audiences and jury members at the festival, which brings together young theater practitioners from across the world. One of the festivalgoers shared pictures from the movement piece in an Instagram post that read, &ldquo;Their performance was silent, [but] their hands spoke harshly to us.&rdquo;&nbsp; Directed by Karachi-based theater practitioner and movement coach Ashmal Lalwany, the play was written and performed by Suleman Roomi, Hashir Faraz, and Farhan Ahsan.&nbsp; In a post on his Instagram account, Lalwany announced the news of winning the Best Script Award and said that he was &ldquo;proud&rdquo; of his team.&nbsp; While speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Lalwany said that the absence of dialogue helped the piece transcend barriers.&nbsp; &ldquo;Because our play was purely based on movement and not language, we had the audience&rsquo;s full attention,&rdquo; he shared. &ldquo;Most of the other plays were in Persian, and the audience was very discerning. You could tell when they didn&rsquo;t like something. But with Tayraak, because there were no dialogues, they were entirely focused on the actors&rsquo; movement.&rdquo;&nbsp; He said that &ldquo;whenever they caught something meaningful, I could see people reacting, turning to each other and saying, &lsquo;Oh, this happened.&rsquo;&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;That was a beautiful feeling. You don&rsquo;t need language to put your art across; you just need emotion, feeling, and honesty,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The director credited his team for their dedication to the script and their ability to convey emotion through movement alone. &ldquo;We were always praised for our expression. Whatever praise we received after the performance was for the fact that there were no words, yet we delivered such an impactful story,&rdquo; he added. A play which unfolds entirely through movement, Tayraak delves into the themes of survival, growth, and the courage to break free from inherited fears.&nbsp; The piece follows three individuals navigating rigid family values, personal trauma, and suffocating expectations, portraying how pain can both hinder and inspire healing and self-discovery. The play was first developed as part of a movement class by the Arts Council Theatre Academy (ACTA) and draws on the performers&rsquo; real experiences with silence, resilience, and emotional inheritance. The award marks a significant moment for Pakistan&rsquo;s performing arts scene, highlighting the growing presence of young practitioners on international platforms.&nbsp;

Culture

Play receives overwhelming response audiences, jury members; director says absence of dialogue helped piece transcend barriers. 




Pakistani play ‘Tayraak’ wins best script at 6th Kish International Short Theatre Festival in Iran

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited Qatari investors to explore new avenues of collaboration under the government&#39;s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) framework. Talking to Qatar&#39;s Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani in Islamabad on Friday, the prime minister underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation, emphasizing opportunities in energy, agriculture, food security, information technology, tourism and infrastructure development, said a report published by state-run Radio Pakistan. &lsquo;Positive trajectory&rsquo;&nbsp;The prime minister expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Qatar relations, anchored in shared faith, values, and mutual respect. He also appreciated Qatar&#39;s role as an important partner and an influential regional mediator. The prime minister conveyed Pakistan&#39;s deep appreciation for Qatar&#39;s consistent support on regional and global issues and reiterated Pakistan&#39;s desire to strengthen collaboration at regional and multilateral fora. In his remarks, Qatar&#39;s Minister of Commerce and Industry conveyed warm greetings from the Qatari leadership and reaffirmed Qatar&#39;s commitment to further deepen economic engagement with Pakistan. Joint Ministerial Commission&nbsp;Qatar&#39;s Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani is in Pakistan to co-chair the 6th Session of Pakistan-Qatar Joint Ministerial Commission.&nbsp; He noted that the 6th Session of the JMC provided an important platform to review existing cooperation and identify new initiatives to advance mutually beneficial partnerships. Both sides agreed to continue close coordination to translate shared understandings into tangible outcomes, including greater facilitation for business-to-business linkages and investment projects. Earlier, a press release issued by the Press Information Department of Pakistan on Thursday regarding 6th Session of Pak-Qatar JMC For Economic, Trade, and Technical Cooperation, stated: &quot;In the realm of trade, economy, and investment, the signed protocol commits both nations to realizing His Highness the Amir of Qatar&rsquo;s vision of investing USD 3 billion in Pakistan through the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) or other investment vehicles.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;A key focus was strengthening direct engagement between Pakistan&rsquo;s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the QIA to streamline investment processes and create a conducive environment for Qatari investors. The SIFC was highlighted as a pivotal platform to facilitate investments in priority sectors, ensuring seamless coordination and support for Qatari businesses,&quot; it said.&nbsp;Pak, UAE leaders discuss bilateral issues&nbsp;Meanwhile, a statement issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Office of the Spokesperson) on Friday, Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke on the phone late last night with the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. &nbsp; &ldquo;The two leaders discussed bilateral &amp; multilateral issues of mutual interest as well as recent regional &amp; global developments, and agreed to stay closely engaged,&rdquo; it said. Flow of remittances Dar also chaired a meeting to review the flow of remittances from abroad, particularly from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, said another statement issued by the ministry. He emphasized the need to increase, improve, and facilitate remittance flows through the use of digital technologies, reducing transfer time and minimizing transaction costs to better serve overseas Pakistanis and their families.&nbsp; The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Tariq Bajwa, the Governor and Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan, and other concerned officials.

Business

Talking to Qatar's Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al-Thani in Islamabad on Friday, Pakistan's prime minister underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation, emphasizing opportunities in energy, agriculture, food security, information technology, tourism and infrastructure development.

Pakistan invites Qatari investors to explore new avenues of collaboration  

ISLAMABAD: An Indian lawmaker belonging to the opposition Congress party, while flaying Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his decision to skip the Kuala Lumpur summit, claimed it was due to his reluctance to be &quot;cornered&quot; by US President Donald Trump, and sarcastically suggested that Modi was missing opportunities for global photo ops and self-promotion. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, but will miss the East Asia Summit. The 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur is scheduled to take place from October 26 to 28. To join virtually&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X on Thursday, stated: &ldquo;Had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia&rsquo;s ASEAN Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of upcoming Summits.&quot; &quot;Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, and to further deepening of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.&rdquo;<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" 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=1981217338054557916&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=51666db8e4a9a3a384e7c978679a9061eef54654&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1981217338054557916"></iframe></div></div>&lsquo;Photo ops&rsquo; and hugs &nbsp;Jairam Ramesh, the Indian National Congress lawmaker in a post on X, said: &ldquo;For days the speculation has been - will He or won&#39;t He? Will Mr. Modi go to Kuala Lumpur for the Summit or not? Now it appears certain that the PM will not go.&rdquo; &ldquo;It means the loss of so many opportunities to hug and get photo ops with world leaders or to flaunt himself as the self-styled Vishwaguru,&rdquo; Ramesh added sarcastically. &lsquo;Doesn&rsquo;t want to be cornered&rsquo;&nbsp;Commenting about what he sees as the reason for Modi not travelling to Kuala Lumpur, Ramesh said: &ldquo;The reason why Mr Modi is not going is simple. He just doesn&#39;t want to be cornered by President Trump, who will also be there.&rdquo; &ldquo;He refused an invitation to attend the Gaza peace summit in Egypt a few weeks back, precisely for this reason,&rdquo; he added.<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" allowtransparency="true" 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=1981207439069630613&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=51666db8e4a9a3a384e7c978679a9061eef54654&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1981207439069630613"></iframe></div></div> &lsquo;Far too risky&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Posting messages in praise of President Trump on social media is one thing. But to be seen hobnobbing physically with the man who has claimed 53 times that he stopped Op Sindoor and has claimed 5 times that India has promised to stop buying oil from Russia is another matter.&rdquo; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s far too risky for him,&rdquo; he said. <figure id="isPasted"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/79e091fd-e917-4b98-9523-94ee8954331b-Trump and Modi.jpg" alt="Trump and Modi.jpg" style="width: 1000px; height: 563px;" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><figcaption>File Photo: X via @narendramodi</figcaption></figure>Modi&rsquo;s decision to stay away from the summit is unusual, according to an Indian media report.&nbsp; Since taking office in 2014, he has attended every East Asia Summit until 2019. The 2020 and 2021 editions were held virtually due to the pandemic.&nbsp; In 2022, then-Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar represented India in Cambodia, the only time Modi did not attend.&nbsp; He resumed participation in 2023 in Thailand and travelled to the 2024 summit in Laos, the report states.

Asia

The Indian prime minister, in a post on X, stated, “Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually”, making a Modi-Trump meeting unlikely. 

‘Seen hobnobbing’ with Trump ‘too risky’ for Modi: Indian opposition leader 

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was immediately ending all trade talks with Canada, accusing it of misquoting former president Ronald Reagan in an advertising campaign against tariffs. &ldquo;Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,&rdquo;&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said on his Truth Social network. &ldquo;The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed" style="line-height: 2;"><iframe src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115426967566430347/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">&nbsp;</iframe></div> The ad used quotes from Reagan&#39;s speech, in which he warned against some of the ramifications that high tariffs on foreign imports could have on the US economy. It cited Reagan as saying that &quot;high tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars,&quot; a quote that matches a transcript of his speech on the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library&#39;s website. The latest extraordinary twist in relations between the North American neighbors comes just over two weeks after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Trump in the White House to seek a relaxation of stiff US tariffs. The Ronald Reagan Foundation said on X that the government of the Canadian province of Ontario had used &ldquo;selectively audio and video&rdquo; from a radio address to the nation on trade by Reagan in April 1987. It said the ad &ldquo;misrepresents&rdquo; what the Republican former actor had said in his address, adding that it was &ldquo;reviewing its legal options in this matter.&rdquo;<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; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1981524620265046408&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin&sessionId=1141a9813ad0ce793e60bfedfb742088948967ab&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 777px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Trump said the ad was designed to &ldquo;interfere with the decision of the US Supreme Court,&rdquo; which is due to rule on his sweeping global tariffs. &lsquo;World-class leader&rsquo;The sudden decision to end trade talks will come as a blow to Carney, whom Trump described as a &ldquo;world-class leader&rdquo; when they met on Oct. 7, adding that the Canadian would be &ldquo;very happy&rdquo; with their discussion. At the time, however, Trump offered no immediate concessions on tariffs. Roughly 85% of cross-border trade in both directions remains tariff-free, as the United States and Canada continue to adhere to the existing North American trade deal, the USMCA. But Trump&#39;s global sectoral tariffs -- particularly on steel, aluminium, and autos -- have hit Canada hard, forcing job losses and squeezing businesses.

The latest extraordinary twist in relations between the North American neighbors comes just over two weeks after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Trump in the White House to seek a relaxation of stiff US tariffs.

All Canada trade talks ‘terminated’: Trump

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump embarks on a major trip to Asia this week with all eyes on a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that has huge implications for the global economy. Trump said Wednesday he was making a &quot;big trip&quot; to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, his first visit to the region since he returned to the White House in a blaze of tariffs and geopolitical brinkmanship. The highlight will be his talks with Xi in South Korea, which Trump&#39;s spokeswoman confirmed would take place on October 30 on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Trump had previously threatened to scrap the meeting amid a flare-up in the trade war between Washington and Beijing, but he said Wednesday he now hoped for a &quot;deal on everything.&quot; The host nations are meanwhile set to roll out the red carpet to ensure they stay on the right side of the unpredictable 79-year-old, and win the best deals they can on tariffs and security assistance. Malaysia and Japan&nbsp;Trump will leave Washington on Friday and arrive on Sunday in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit -- a meeting Trump skipped several times in his first term. He is set to ink a trade deal with Malaysia -- but more importantly to oversee the signing of a peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia, as he continues his quest for a Nobel Peace Prize. &quot;President Trump is keen to see the more positive results of the peace negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia,&quot; Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said. The US leader may also meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the summit to improve ties after months of bad blood, officials from both countries told AFP. Trump&#39;s next stop will be Tokyo on Monday and he will meet conservative Sanae Takaichi, named this week as Japan&#39;s first woman prime minister, on Tuesday. Japan has escaped the worst of the tariffs Trump slapped on countries around the world to end what he calls unfair trade balances that are &quot;ripping off the United States.&quot; Trump and Xi in South Korea&nbsp;The climax of the trip is expected to be South Korea, with Trump due to land in the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Trump will then meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, address an APEC lunch with business leaders and meet US tech bosses for dinner, the White House said, on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the city of Gyeongju. The next day Trump will meet Xi for the first time since his return to office. Global markets will be watching closely to see if the two men can halt the trade war between the world&#39;s two biggest economies, especially after a recent row over Beijing&#39;s rare earth curbs. Trump initially threatened to cancel the meeting and imposed fresh tariffs, before saying he would go ahead after all. He said on Wednesday that he hoped to make a deal with Xi on &quot;everything&quot; and also hoped the Chinese leader could have a &quot;big influence&quot; on getting Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war. Analysts warned not to expect any breakthroughs. &quot;The meeting will be a data point along an existing continuum rather than an inflection point in the relationship,&quot; said Ryan Hass, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution. South Korea, seeking its own trade deal, is reportedly considering the rare step of awarding Trump the Grand Order of Mugunghwa -- the country&#39;s highest decoration -- during his visit. North Korea will also be on the agenda. The country fired multiple ballistic missiles on Wednesday, just days before Trump was due to visit. South Korea has halted tours in parts of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, officials said Thursday, fueling speculation of a new meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump has said he hopes to meet Kim again following several meetings during the US president&#39;s first term, but there has been no confirmation of reports that the White House was looking at a new meeting this time.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and US President Donald Trump

China

Americas

US President Donald Trump begins an Asia trip to Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, highlighted by a high-stakes meeting with China’s Xi Jinping aimed at easing trade tensions and addressing global economic and security issues.

Trump’s Asia tour builds toward high-stakes meeting with Xi 

CAIRO: Delegations from Hamas and its longtime rival Fatah met in Cairo on Thursday to discuss the second phase of a US-backed Gaza ceasefire plan, an informed source told AFP. &quot;The meeting discussed the current situation and issues related to the second phase of the proposed ceasefire in Gaza,&quot; said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He added that both sides agreed to &quot;continue meetings in the coming period and to work on organizing the Palestinian internal front in the face of the challenges posed by the Israeli government.&quot; Egypt&#39;s state-linked Al-Qahera News reported that the talks covered &quot;the national scene in general and arrangements after ending the war in the Gaza Strip.&quot; Hamas and Fatah have a history of deep political rivalry, which flared into fighting for a time after a 2006 election, and which has hindered efforts at Palestinian national unity. Egypt, a long-time mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, hosted the meetings as part of a wider push to build consensus around the long-term ceasefire plan put forward by US President Donald Trump. Alongside the Hamas-Fatah talks, Egypt&#39;s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad met with senior officials from key Palestinian factions. They included Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, as well as the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine &mdash; both factions within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Al-Qahera News said the talks were part of Egyptian efforts to &quot;achieve national Palestinian consensus on the implementation of the US president&#39;s ceasefire plan in Gaza.&quot; The meetings come as top US diplomat Marco Rubio visited Israel on Thursday, the latest in a series of Washington officials aiming to solidify the fragile truce. Under Trump&#39;s 20-point peace plan, an international security force drawn from Arab and Muslim allies would stabilize Gaza as Israeli troops withdraw, while a transitional authority would take over the territory&#39;s administration from Hamas.

Middle East

Egypt's intelligence chief meets senior officials from key Palestinian factions; talks part of Egyptian efforts to "achieve national Palestinian consensus on the implementation of the US president's ceasefire plan in Gaza."

Hamas, Fatah hold talks in Cairo on next steps for Gaza truce

Gaitty Ara Anis

ISLAMABAD: The US federal government shutdown has become the second-longest in its history, entering its 23rd day, with no immediate end in sight. This is jeopardizing the legal status of many individuals, including Pakistanis, in the US workforce who are employed on H-1B, EB-2, or EB-3 visa programs.&nbsp; One of the hardest-hit areas is immigration services, which have been scaled back due to funding constraints. These services collectively manage visa applications of individuals employed under various employment visa programs in the US and include the Department of Labor,&nbsp;US Citizenship and Immigration Services,&nbsp;and the Department of State.&nbsp; Mujeeb Ullah Kakar, a&nbsp;43-year-old&nbsp;Pakistani IT professional,&nbsp;is among those dealing with the repercussions of a prolonged federal shutdown.&nbsp; A resident of Maryland, Kakar arrived in the US in 2022 from Karachi on an H-1B visa sponsored by a multinational company.&nbsp; Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, he said, &ldquo;I was supposed to apply for a three-year visa extension. My company was ready to submit papers, but [they are] not anymore.&rdquo; To continue with his employment, Kakar must obtain a legal document issued by the Department of Labor (DOL), which is currently not operational.&nbsp; Kakar says he is anxious about the uncertainty of the situation, which was troubling him and his family of five.&nbsp; &ldquo;The first thing I do when I wake up is to check the news. [Check] if the shutdown has ended,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; Which immigration services are still working&nbsp;Certain immigration-related agencies that are still operating include United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which handles adjustment of status cases and other visa services paid by the client, said US-based immigration attorney Waseem Chachar.&nbsp; He said that the Department of State was also operational.&nbsp; According to Chachar, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was indispensable, but the visa sections overseas might be understaffed, leading to longer wait times and delayed interview appointments for new visa issuance.&nbsp; On the other hand, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) department, allegedly carrying out controversial raids against &quot;illegal immigrants,&quot; will continue working as before. Services that are completely shut down&nbsp;While DOL has suspended all its functions, certain visa categories require approval of a Labor Condition Application before an H-1B visa application is submitted. Kakar is waiting to apply for one.&nbsp; But the H-1B visa is not the only employment-based visa category that requires a letter from DOL; the EB-2 and EB-3 categories also require a Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) from DOL to proceed. DOL is also responsible for providing certain documents for H2-A, H2-B visa categories, issued for agriculture workers; CW visas for crewmembers working in longshore positions; U visas, issued to protect victims of crime who have suffered mental and physical abuse, and T visas, reserved for victims of human trafficking who agree to assist law enforcement agencies. How many Pakistanis are on H1B, EB-2, and EB-3 visas?According to US government statistics, more than 3,000 Pakistanis hold H-1B visas, issued in 2024.&nbsp; Pakistan ranks 8th among the countries eligible to avail of this visa.&nbsp; Most of these professionals are either associated with software development or with project management and networking.&nbsp; There is little data available on Pakistanis who have been approved for EB-2 and EB-3 visas, which are offered to competent professionals.&nbsp; How worrisome is the situation for these visa holders?Kakar is troubled by missing his official deadline to submit extension papers, which can complicate his legal status in the US.&nbsp; &ldquo;I mean, these are strange times. So many people are detained. Sometimes for no reason these days. You cannot be sure of your future,&rdquo; Kakar said while referring to the ICE mass deportation raids.&nbsp; Attorney Chachar sees a fully functional USCIS as a silver lining.&nbsp; He admitted that the fear of deportation or failing to meet legal requirements while on US soil was not entirely unfounded, but these are considered &quot;extraordinary circumstances.&quot;&nbsp; He said that people who miss their legal deadlines might have their immigration cases and visa statuses addressed by USCIS later under that clause.&nbsp; They will have to &ldquo;explain and convince the department that things were beyond their control&rdquo; to avoid all legal issues.&nbsp;Although no one can be sure of the outcome due to ongoing federal policy changes, he added. For individuals like Kakar, appealing to USCIS could be a legitimate option to pursue his visa case further once the shutdown ends. &nbsp; Kakar said his lawyer told him that, once the shutdown ends, he will receive the required letter from DOL to apply for an extension of his H-1B visa. But to him, &ldquo;this is the worst time to do this, as immigration laws are stricter than they have ever been.&rdquo;&nbsp; Kakar said he was more concerned about his children, all school-age, who he feared were also struggling with the unpredictability surrounding the future of their education.&nbsp; &ldquo;I had to find a new school for my eldest daughter; she is completing her middle school. But I am just waiting and thinking that we might have to head back,&rdquo; he lamented.

Federal departments currently affected include the immigration department; scaled-back operations are jeopardizing the legal status of many individuals, including Pakistanis, in the US workforce.

US govt shutdown threatens legal status of employment visa holders

JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Israel over annexing the West Bank in an interview published on Thursday, as visiting Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced confidence that a US-backed ceasefire in Gaza would hold. Trump&#39;s remarks were made to Time magazine by telephone on October 15 &mdash; just days after the Gaza truce plan he spearheaded took effect &mdash; but were only published on Thursday. &quot;It won&#39;t happen,&quot; Trump said when asked about calls in Israel to annex the Palestinian West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967. &quot;It won&#39;t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries.&quot; He added: &quot;Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.&quot; Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday advanced two bills paving the way for West Bank annexation, leading to condemnation Thursday from US Vice President JD Vance, who was in Israel at the time and who echoed Trump&#39;s comments. When asked on Thursday if he was concerned by the votes, Trump told reporters at the White House: &quot;Don&#39;t worry about the West Bank. Israel&#39;s not going to do anything with the West Bank.&quot; The United States remains Israel&#39;s most important military and diplomatic supporter. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s Likud party boycotted and criticized the vote, though members of his ruling coalition support annexation. Arab and Muslim countries, which the US has been courting to provide troops and money for a stabilization force in Gaza &mdash; a key element of Trump&#39;s ceasefire plan &mdash; have warned that annexation of the West Bank is a red line. In a joint statement carried by Saudi state media on Thursday, more than a dozen such states, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey, condemned the Israeli parliament&#39;s vote. Rubio, one of a string of top US officials to visit Israel in recent days, had warned before his arrival that the annexation moves were &quot;threatening&quot; to the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. But he expressed confidence in the truce after meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday. &quot;We feel confident and positive about the progress that&#39;s being made. We&#39;re clear-eyed about the challenges, too,&quot; said Rubio, just hours after Vance wrapped up his own three-day visit. &#39;Very stupid&#39;&nbsp;As he ended his trip, Vance hit out at the votes in Israel&#39;s parliament in favor of examining two annexation bills, which mean they will be brought forward for further readings. &quot;If it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult to it,&quot; Vance said. &quot;The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel, the policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel, that will continue to be our policy.&quot; Netanyahu, standing next to Rubio after their meeting on Thursday, was quick to avoid any suggestion of tension with Washington, calling the secretary an &quot;extraordinary friend of Israel&quot; and saying that the back-to-back visits were part of a &quot;circle of trust and partnership.&quot; Violence has surged in the West Bank since the war began in Gaza with Hamas&#39;s October 7, 2023, attack. According to the Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry, Israeli troops and settlers have killed nearly 1,000 Palestinians, including Palestinian fighters and civilians, since October 2023. Over the same period, at least 43 Israelis, including members of the security forces, have died in Palestinian attacks or Israeli operations, official figures show. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank. &nbsp;&#39;Tough task&#39;&nbsp;The Gaza truce faced its toughest test on Sunday, when Israeli forces launched strikes in Gaza after two soldiers were killed. The strikes killed at least 45 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Gaza. Gaza&#39;s Nasser Hospital said that one person was killed in an Israeli drone strike on Thursday in the Khan Younis area. During his visit, Vance warned that disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza would be a &quot;very, very tough task.&quot; Under Trump&#39;s 20-point peace plan, an international security force drawn from Arab and Muslim allies would oversee Gaza&#39;s transition as Israeli troops withdraw. Delegations from Hamas and its rival Fatah, meanwhile, met in Egypt to discuss post-war arrangements for Gaza, Egypt&#39;s state-linked Al-Qahera News reported on Thursday. &#39;Not enough food&#39;&nbsp;In Gaza, civilians displaced by two years of war continued to struggle. &quot;We were afraid of dying during the war, and now we&#39;re afraid of living after it,&quot; said Maher Abu Wafah, 42. &quot;Our lives and our children&#39;s future are slipping away before our eyes. We just want a stable life.&quot; The World Health Organization said on Thursday there had been little improvement in the amount of aid going into Gaza since the ceasefire took hold &mdash; and no observable reduction in hunger. &quot;The situation still remains catastrophic because what&#39;s entering is not enough,&quot; WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters, lamenting that &quot;there is no dent in hunger because there is not enough food.&quot;

Rubio has warned that annexation moves were "threatening" Gaza ceasefire; Vance hits out at Israel's parliament in favor of examining two annexation bills, terms it "very stupid political stunt."

US pressures Israel on West Bank, Rubio voices confidence in Gaza truce

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

Security

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

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

Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD: Former foreign secretary and Pakistan&rsquo;s ex-ambassador to the United States (US), Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, has said that Islamabad&rsquo;s role as a stabilizing force in global affairs is being &ldquo;rediscovered&rdquo; following its strong defense against Indian aggression earlier this year.&nbsp;In an interview with Pakistan TV Digital, Chaudhry said Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic stature has grown significantly since May 2025, when India launched a large-scale offensive along the border.&nbsp;&ldquo;When Pakistan responded and put up a strong and robust defense, India found no other option but to request the United States for a ceasefire,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Ever since then, the world has come to discover Pakistan in a totally new light.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;A country with the capacity to defend itself in the face of an enemy much larger in size and resources.&rdquo;&nbsp;Chaudhry said this shift has prompted a wave of renewed engagement with Islamabad. &ldquo;Not only the United States but China, Russia, T&uuml;rkiye, Malaysia, the Arab world, and Gulf countries are now reaching out to Pakistan,&rdquo; he noted. &ldquo;Pakistan has found a place on the high table on almost every issue.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said that the transformation also reflects growing international disappointment with India&rsquo;s regional performance.&nbsp;&ldquo;There is a situation where India cannot even manage Pakistan, let alone push back China,&rdquo; Chaudhry observed. &ldquo;The West has realized that its investment in India&rsquo;s rise is probably not worth it.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to Chaudhry, Pakistan&rsquo;s strengthened position, coupled with its partnership with China, has created new strategic realities that &ldquo;are difficult to reverse.&rdquo; He added that the world now sees immense economic potential in Pakistan&rsquo;s natural resources, rare earth minerals, and energy sector.&nbsp;Discussing Islamabad&rsquo;s expanding global engagements, Chaudhry cited the recent defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia as an example of Pakistan&rsquo;s credibility. &ldquo;It was Saudi Arabia which reached out to Pakistan for a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement,&rdquo; he said, calling it &ldquo;evidence of Pakistan&rsquo;s growing trustworthiness in an uncertain world.&rdquo;&nbsp;However, the former envoy emphasized that Pakistan must focus on domestic reforms to sustain its diplomatic momentum. &ldquo;We need to revamp our own economic house and ensure economic security if we are to maintain this rising profile,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Turning to regional affairs, Chaudhry described relations with Afghanistan as &ldquo;not very cordial,&rdquo; blaming the Taliban regime&rsquo;s support for terrorist entities targeting Pakistan.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has taken a firm position this time,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If they come over to Pakistan, Pakistan has the right to strike them &mdash; which is what happened.&rdquo;&nbsp;He supported Islamabad&rsquo;s continued dialogue with Kabul but urged caution, arguing that the Taliban &ldquo;have not kept their word&rdquo; on commitments made to the international community.&nbsp;&ldquo;Every year has been bloodier than the previous one, with around ten thousand terrorist attacks in four years,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Chaudhry recalled that the Taliban had violated their 2020 agreement with the United States, which included pledges to educate girls, allow women to work, and prevent terrorist activity on Afghan soil. &ldquo;They have done none of that,&rdquo; he said, adding that India&rsquo;s assertion that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) problem is an internal issue &ldquo;is not acceptable.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said Pakistan&rsquo;s recent kinetic action against cross-border militants compelled the Taliban to engage diplomatically. &ldquo;Diplomacy and force are two sides of the same coin,&rdquo; Chaudhry said. &ldquo;Unless there is adequate use of force, forces such as the Taliban regime do not come down to the diplomatic path.&rdquo;&nbsp;On Pakistan&rsquo;s role in the Muslim world, Chaudhry said the country has &ldquo;always stood shoulder to shoulder with its Muslim brothers,&rdquo; reaffirming its long-standing support for the Palestinian cause.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan extended its support to US efforts for peace in Gaza but made it clear that lasting peace requires a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Sharif as the capital of Palestine,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;He concluded by emphasizing that Pakistan&rsquo;s ties with the Muslim world remain a cornerstone of its foreign policy. &ldquo;Our continued relevance and credibility on global issues stem from our principled positions,&rdquo; Chaudhry said. &ldquo;The world has rediscovered Pakistan&rsquo;s role as a force for stability.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

In an interview with Pakistan TV Digital, ex-ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry says the world is “rediscovering” Pakistan’s relevance as a stabilizing power after its firm defense against India, citing renewed global engagement and rising regional influence.

Articles by Simran Siraj