Page 2 - Pakistan

Trump says team led by Vance heading to Pakistan for talks with Iran

Trump said the team would include Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner

'Monumental setback': Congress slams govt over Pak's role in US-Iran talks

The Congress on Monday took a swipe at the Modi government over Pakistan's role in the US-Iran peace talks, saying Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir becoming a "huge favourite" of American President Donald Trump is a "monumental setback" for India which needs a complete overhaul of its diplomatic engagement strategy. The opposition party claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "simply incapable" of the overhaul of India's diplomatic engagement strategy that is needed. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The 'dalal' country, as the erudite and always nattily dressed External Affairs Minister described it, is reportedly hosting the second round of US-Iran peace talks today." After the completion of the first round of these talks on April 12th, Pakistan borrowed USD 6 billion from Saudi Arabia and Qatar to repay a USD 3.5 billion loan taken from the UAE and to retire a USD 1.43 billion tranche of Eurobonds, he pointed

Committed to advancing regional peace, security: Pak PM to Iranian Prez

Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, during his telephonic conversation with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, reaffirmed the country's "honest" and "sincere" efforts to advance regional peace and security. During the approximately 45-minute conversation on Sunday, the two leaders engaged in detailed exchanges on the current regional situation, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement. Prime Minister Sharif thanked President Pezeshkian and the Iranian leadership for sending their high-powered delegation, led by Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, for talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12. The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Pakistan on April 11 and 12 in Islamabad aimed at ending their conflict, but the talks concluded without any agreement. US President Donald Trump's announcement of the fresh round of talks raised hopes of extending a two-week ceasefire that expires by Wednesday. Also on Sunday, Trump announced t

Pakistan juggles mediation role abroad, deepening power crisis at home

Blackouts, LNG shortages and policy lapses hit Pakistan as it hosts key US-Iran talks amid rising energy stress

Iran rejects second round of talks in Pak, cites 'ceasefire breach' by US

Iran cites 'excessive demands' and ceasefire breach by United States, rejects claims of second-round talks in Pakistan

West Asia conflict: US team in Pakistan on Monday; no word from Iran yet

Vance, Witkoff and Kushner to lead the delegation

Islamabad turns fortress as US envoy heads to Pakistan for Iran talks

The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Pakistan on April 11 and 12 in Islamabad aimed at ending their conflict, but the talks concluded without any agreement

Standstill at Strait of Hormuz weighs on US-Iran peace deal hopes

Threatens to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy

Pak plunging into darkness as war in Persian Gulf cuts off oil, gas supply

The crunch could not come at a worse time for Pakistan, just as the heat rises ahead of the monsoon season, boosting air conditioner use and power demand

Next round of US-Iran talks likely to be held in Pakistan on April 20

Earlier, Islamabad Peace Talks, held on April 11-12, marked a historic but inconclusive diplomatic attempt to end the 39-day Gulf War between the United States and Iran

Pakistan says it will keep backing US-Iran talks, urges ceasefire to hold

Pakistan on Sunday said it will continue to facilitate talks between the US and Iran, while urging both sides to uphold the ceasefire. In a brief statement to the media after marathon negotiations between the US and Iran ended without a breakthrough, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan has helped mediate several rounds of "intense and constructive" discussions over the past 24 hours. "I, along with the Defence Forces Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Sim Munir, helped mediate several rounds of intense and constructive negotiations between the two sides that continued through the last 24 hours and ended this morning," he said. Expressing hope for progress, Dar said both sides should maintain a positive spirit to achieve durable peace and regional stability. "It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to the ceasefire," he said. Dar said Pakistan would continue to play its role in facilitating engagement and dialogue between Iran

Pakistan prepares to host second round of US-Iran talks next week

Pakistan has started preparing to host the second round of high-stakes talks between the US and Iran during the next week for a landmark peace deal to end the war in West Asia that has crippled global energy supplies, officials said on Friday. The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Pakistan over the weekend aimed at ending their conflict, but the talks ended early Sunday without any agreement. Official sources in Pakistan on Friday said that a feverish diplomatic activity followed to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. It was met with success as both continue to observe the temporary two-week ceasefire, allowing Pakistan to relaunch its mediatory push. After working behind the scenes, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a tri-nation tour on Wednesday, while Field Marshal Asim Munir landed in Tehran on the same day. The Prime Minister, after discussion with the Saudi and Qatari leaders, reached Turkiye on Thursday night as the Field Marshal spent more than 2

'Might go to Pakistan to sign deal if agreement reached with Iran': Trump

US President Donald Trump on Thursday once again claimed that progress is being made in talks with Iran and suggested he could be involved in the signing of a peace agreement, if one is reached. "If the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go," said Trump, who heaped praise on Pakistani Prime Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistani Army Chief Gen Asim Munir for their role as mediators in the US-Iran talks. "The field marshal has been great. The prime minister has been really great in Pakistan, so I might go. They want me," he said.

Trump says Iran war near end as Pakistan army chief reaches Tehran

The diplomatic push came as US and Iranian officials weighed a return to Pakistan for further talks after negotiations there ended on Sunday without a breakthrough

Pakistan plans two-hour evening power cuts to tackle energy crisis

Distribution companies in Pakistan have been directed to inform consumers in advance about scheduled outages and to avoid unscheduled power cuts

Syringe reuse linked to HIV outbreak infecting 331 children in Pakistan

Questions mount over medical oversight in Pakistan after an investigation links unsafe injection practices to a major HIV outbreak among children

US, Iran seek second round of talks as Hormuz blockade stops ships

The war has damaged Gulf energy infrastructure and disrupted oil and gas supplies beyond the region, rattling markets and triggering fears of a global inflation crisis

Iran-US talks may resume in Pak with JD Vance likely to lead delegation

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have headed diplomatic talks since before the war began, are also expected to attend any possible second meeting

Pak issues notice to channel for airing Indian content on Asha Bhosle death

Pakistan's media watchdog has issued a show-cause notice to a leading news channel for running "Indian content" while broadcasting the news about the death of legendary singer Asha Bhosle. A ban on Indian content in Pakistan has been in place since 2018. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued the show-cause notice to GeoNews on Monday seeking an explanation as to why it aired Indian content along with the news of Bhosle's death. The leading news channel is considered close to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government and the military establishment. Bhosle passed away on Sunday due to multi-organ failure. She was 92. "It has always been customary to revisit and celebrate the work of iconic artists when reporting on them. In fact, for an artist of Asha Bhosle's stature, we should have shared even more of her timeless and memorable songs than we did. Yet, Pakistan's electronic media regulator, PEMRA, has chosen to restrict this," Azhar Abbas, the Managing

Pakistan weighs multi-source financing to sustain reserves after UAE move

Pakistan this month failed to reach an agreement with the UAE to roll over the debt for the first time in seven years