DOHA: Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday to set up a final race title showdown with McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.&nbsp;The Red Bull driver kept the wheels on his quest for a fifth successive crown after pole-sitter Piastri finished second and standings leader Norris came only fourth.&nbsp;Verstappen&#39;s remarkable late season surge has lifted him past Piastri and into second in the championship.&nbsp;The Dutchman now goes into the season-closer next weekend only 12 points behind Norris with Piastri 16 points behind his teammate.&nbsp;Verstappen has fond memories of the last time the title went down to the wire when he beat Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the last race in Abu Dhabi in 2021.&nbsp;This was a race McLaren should have won, with Piastri heading the grid and Norris alongside him on the front row, only to be overtaken by Verstappen at the start.&nbsp;Red Bull pitted Verstappen under a safety car, unlike McLaren who kept their two drivers out on the track.&nbsp;&quot;Clearly we did not get it right tonight,&quot; conceded Piastri.&nbsp;&quot;I drove as fast as I could but it wasn&#39;t to be. In hindsight it is pretty obvious what we should have done, but we&#39;ll discuss that as a team. (It&#39;s) a little bit tough to swallow at the moment,&quot; the Australian added.&nbsp;Verstappen said: &quot;An incredible race for us, we made the right call to box under that safety car. A strong race for us on a weekend that was tough.&quot;&nbsp;Carlos Sainz of Williams completed the podium under floodlights at the Lusail International Circuit in the Doha desert.

Racing

Max Verstappen won the Qatar GP, boosting his late-season comeback and setting up a final-race title fight with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. A strategic call under the safety car secured victory, while McLaren admitted tactical mistakes.

Verstappen wins Qatar GP to set up final race title showdown

Mariam Ellahi

Saqib Tanveer

ISLAMABAD: Following a temporary ceasefire, Pakistan and Afghanistan concluded high-level talks in Doha aimed at easing border tensions and strengthening counterterrorism cooperation, according to official sources.&nbsp;An official statement outlining the outcomes of the discussions is expected soon.&nbsp;The dialogue follows a series of violent incidents earlier this month that reignited hostilities along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Islamabad has voiced &ldquo;serious reservations&rdquo; over cross-border firing and militant activity allegedly originating from Afghan territory. Pakistani officials maintain that their recent retaliatory actions targeted militant hideouts and were conducted strictly in self-defense.&nbsp;Pakistan has repeatedly warned that elements of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) continue to operate from within Afghanistan, posing a direct threat to national security.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has exercised maximum restraint despite repeated provocations,&rdquo; a senior security official told Pakistan TV Digital, adding that Islamabad expects Kabul to &ldquo;fulfill its responsibility of preventing the use of Afghan soil for terrorism.&rdquo;&nbsp;&lsquo;Responsibility and respect&rsquo;Commenting on the Doha engagement, Ambassador Asif Durrani, Pakistan&rsquo;s former special envoy to Afghanistan, described the ongoing tension as &ldquo;mutually damaging&rdquo; and urged both sides to act responsibly.&nbsp;&ldquo;This tension is bad, it&rsquo;s bad for both countries. We should be living like good neighbors, and we must ensure that each other&rsquo;s sovereignty is respected,&rdquo; Durrani told Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;He stressed that the Afghan Taliban government must ensure its territory is not used by militant groups.&nbsp;&ldquo;It is incumbent upon the Afghan Taliban to ensure that Afghan soil is not misused by the TTP or any other terrorist groups,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Reflecting on Pakistan&rsquo;s long-standing support for Afghanistan, Durrani noted:&nbsp;&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been supporting Afghanistan through thick and thin for the past 46 years. We hoped that with the Taliban&rsquo;s arrival things would improve, but they haven&rsquo;t. The number and lethality of attacks from the Afghan side have increased, and that&rsquo;s a source of concern for Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;Durrani expressed cautious optimism about the Doha talks, emphasizing that Kabul must take concrete steps to rein in militancy.&nbsp;&ldquo;If the Taliban cannot control or disarm TTP groups, they should hand them over to Pakistan so we can deal with them according to our laws,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We should expect good sense to prevail when both sides come out of the meeting room.&rdquo;&nbsp;&lsquo;Core issue remains unresolved&rsquo;Regional security analyst Zia-ur-Rehman told Pakistan TV Digital that while the Doha dialogue marks progress, the fundamental challenge persists.&nbsp;&ldquo;The core issue remains unresolved: until Kabul acknowledges the TTP&rsquo;s presence on Afghan soil and acts decisively against it, Islamabad&rsquo;s security concerns will persist,&rdquo; Rehman said.&nbsp;He added that Pakistan&rsquo;s decades-long policy toward Afghanistan has been &ldquo;a double-edged sword.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;From backing the mujahideen in the 1980s to supporting the Taliban&rsquo;s rise in 1996, Pakistan&rsquo;s strategy has shaped regional security,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But critics argue this approach has backfired, fueling militancy, straining border relations, and isolating Pakistan diplomatically.&rdquo;&nbsp;Test of political willDiplomatic observers describe the Doha engagement as a renewed attempt to replace confrontation with dialogue, with both sides expected to outline a mechanism ensuring non-use of territory against each other and enhancing joint counterterrorism efforts.&nbsp;While the final communiqu&eacute; is awaited, officials on both sides acknowledge that the Doha process marks a critical opportunity to stabilize bilateral relations between two neighbors whose security and prosperity remain closely intertwined.

Foreign Affairs

Following a temporary ceasefire, Pakistan and Afghanistan concluded high-level talks in Doha aimed at easing border tensions, with a joint statement on counterterrorism cooperation and measures to curb TTP activity from Afghan territory expected soon.

Doha talks with Afghanistan ‘concluded,’ statement expected soon: sources

ISLAMABAD: Talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban representatives are underway in Doha, focusing on recent border clashes between the two countries. Earlier,&nbsp;Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and ISI Director General and National Security Adviser Gen Asim Malik landed in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday ahead of talks scheduled with the Afghan delegation, security sources say. The delegations from both sides comprise the defense ministers and the intelligence chiefs, they said. The sources said Abdul Haq Wasiq, Head of Intelligence of Afghanistan, and Mullah Muhammad Yaqub, the defense minister, have also landed in Doha. The talks began at 2pm Pakistan Standard Time. &nbsp;&nbsp;Foreign ministry&#39;s statement&nbsp;A statement issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday said: &ldquo;A high-level delegation from Pakistan, led by our Minister of Defence, will hold discussions with representatives of the Afghan Taliban in Doha today.&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" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 344px; 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=1979475426478301661&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=2cc6de8cbe1833a3d11cfc7947ef4e8e7289f162&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;The talks will focus on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.&rdquo; The statement further said: &ldquo;Pakistan does not seek escalation but urges the Afghan Taliban authorities to honour their commitments to the international community and address Pakistan&rsquo;s legitimate security concerns by taking verifiable action against terrorist entities, including the FAK/TTP and FAH/BLA.&rdquo; &ldquo;Pakistan appreciates the mediation efforts of Qatar and hopes these discussions contribute to peace and stability in the region,&rdquo; it added. Ceasefire and planned talks&nbsp;Earlier this week, Islamabad and Kabul agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, following several days of intense cross-border fighting, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed. Security officials told Pakistan TV Digital that the upcoming Doha talks aim to &ldquo;defuse tensions and establish a mechanism to prevent future border incidents.&rdquo; Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said both sides are making &ldquo;sincere efforts&rdquo; to achieve a peaceful resolution. &ldquo;Pakistan believes in dialogue and remains committed to peace,&rdquo; Khan said at a weekly press briefing. &ldquo;Both countries are exploring constructive and sustainable solutions to these complex but solvable issues.&rdquo; Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government also confirmed the continuation of discussions. Speaking to Ariana News, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the ceasefire has been extended until the conclusion of planned talks, according to a report by Reuters. Khan added that Islamabad continues to maintain diplomatic engagement with Kabul. &nbsp;&ldquo;There is no downgrade in relations,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But Pakistan will continue to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and people at all costs.&rdquo;&nbsp;Repatriation of Afghan nationalsMeanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed all federal and provincial authorities to expedite the repatriation of Afghans residing illegally in Pakistan, citing mounting security concerns and recent attacks originating from Afghan territory. Chairing a high-level meeting attended by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers, and provincial representatives, Sharif said: &ldquo;Pakistan has always stood by Afghanistan in difficult times, but the involvement of Afghans in recent terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil is deeply concerning.&rdquo; Officials briefed the meeting that 1,477,592 Afghans have already been repatriated under the ongoing phased process. Only those holding valid Pakistani visas will be permitted to stay in the country, they added. Pakistan launched its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) in 2023, under which tens of thousands of Afghans who had fled decades of war and deprivation have since returned to Afghanistan.

Pakistan's delegation is represented by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and DG ISI Asim Malik; the Afghan side is represented by Abdul Haq Wasiq, Head of Afghan Intelligence, and Mullah Muhammad Yaqub, the defense minister.  

Pakistan, Afghan Taliban hold talks in Doha on border clashes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s security sources on Friday denied reports that a Pakistani delegation was already in Doha for talks with the Afghan Taliban, clarifying that the team is scheduled to depart for the Qatari capital on Saturday.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Pakistani delegation is still in Pakistan and will leave for Doha tomorrow morning,&rdquo; security sources said. &ldquo;Reports suggesting the delegation is already in Doha are baseless.&rdquo;&nbsp;The clarification came after several foreign news outlets reported that Islamabad&rsquo;s delegation had arrived in Doha for negotiations with Taliban representatives.&nbsp;Ceasefire and planned talks&nbsp;Earlier this week, Islamabad and Kabul agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, following several days of intense cross-border fighting, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed.&nbsp;Security officials told Pakistan TV Digital that the upcoming Doha talks aim to &ldquo;defuse tensions and establish a mechanism to prevent future border incidents.&rdquo;&nbsp;Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said both sides are making &ldquo;sincere efforts&rdquo; to achieve a peaceful resolution.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan believes in dialogue and remains committed to peace,&rdquo; Khan said at a weekly press briefing. &ldquo;Both countries are exploring constructive and sustainable solutions to these complex but solvable issues.&rdquo;&nbsp;Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government also confirmed the continuation of discussions. Speaking to Ariana News, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the ceasefire has been extended until the conclusion of planned talks, according to a report by Reuters.&nbsp;Khan added that Islamabad continues to maintain diplomatic engagement with Kabul.&nbsp;&ldquo;There is no downgrade in relations,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But Pakistan will continue to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and people at all costs.&rdquo;&nbsp;Repatriation of Afghan nationalsMeanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed all federal and provincial authorities to expedite the repatriation of Afghans residing illegally in Pakistan, citing mounting security concerns and recent attacks originating from Afghan territory.&nbsp;Chairing a high-level meeting attended by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers, and provincial representatives, Sharif said:&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has always stood by Afghanistan in difficult times, but the involvement of Afghans in recent terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil is deeply concerning.&rdquo;&nbsp;Officials briefed the meeting that 1,477,592 Afghans have already been repatriated under the ongoing phased process. Only those holding valid Pakistani visas will be permitted to stay in the country, they added.&nbsp;Pakistan launched its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) in 2023, under which tens of thousands of Afghans who had fled decades of war and deprivation have since returned to Afghanistan.

Security sources have denied claims that a Pakistani delegation is in Doha, stating that the team will leave Pakistan on Saturday morning.

Articles tagged with "Doha"

Verstappen wins Qatar GP to set up final race title showdown

Doha talks with Afghanistan ‘concluded,’ statement expected soon: sources

Pakistan, Afghan Taliban hold talks in Doha on border clashes

Pakistani delegation to depart for Doha today for Taliban talks