ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Armenia on Sunday formally established diplomatic relations in what officials described as a historic step in Islamabad’s diplomatic outreach. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar exchanged a joint communiqué with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, during a meeting in Tianjin, China, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office. The two leaders reaffirmed …

LAHORE: At least 33 people have lost their lives, and more than 2 million have been affected as severe flooding continues to inundate vast areas of Punjab, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said. While speaking to the media on Sunday, Kathia said that all three major rivers, including the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab, are witnessing …

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday accorded his assent to the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2025, according to a statement issued by the President’s House. The bill, which seeks to improve counterterrorism efforts while ensuring legal oversight and safeguards, was passed by both the lower and upper houses of parliament — the National Assembly and the Senate — this month. …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday said that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s contiguous geographies gave them a historic opportunity to work together for economic connectivity, address common challenges such as poverty, climate change, and biodegradation. “We have to make common efforts to address the challenges of poverty, and inequality. Only then we will be able to usher in …

BEIJING (Internews): Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar visited the Luban Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Exhibition Hall in Tianjin today, where he was briefed on the operations of Luban Workshops and their existing cooperation with Pakistan. The Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister also had exchanges with the Chinese hosts on further deepening cooperation under the Luban …

As authorities press on with arduous rescue efforts across Punjab amid devastating floods, the death toll from deluge caused by swelling rivers has risen to 30, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Saturday. “The floods have affected 15,016,603 people [while] more than 481,000 people have been evacuated and shifted to safe locations from the flood-affected areas,” Aurangzeb said. Multiple rivers …

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will pay an official visit to China from August 30 to September 4, 2025, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State Summit being held in Tianjin, the Foreign Office announced Friday. During the visit, the prime minister will hold meetings with President …

In a major diplomatic breakthrough, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday announced that Pakistan and Armenia have agreed to consider establishing diplomatic relations. He announced the development following his telephonic conversation with Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan. “Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan and I held a cordial conversation on phone today, and agreed …

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that a comprehensive strategy is being developed to build water reservoirs and improve water management across all four provinces, as well as in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB). His remarks came as Pakistan is battling torrential monsoon rains that have unleashed flash floods, swelled rivers, and filled dams, …

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Friday assured the Sikh community of complete restoration of all religious sites, including Durbar Shaib Kartarpur, affected during the ongoing devastating floods. The army chief made these remarks during his visit to flood-affected areas in the Sialkot sector, including Shakargarh, Narowal, and Kartarpur, to review the ongoing relief operations and …

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday visited the Ravi River at Shahdara where she boarded a boat to inspect the flood situation more closely. Later, talking to the media after visiting the flood situation at Shahdara, she said that the province has experienced severe and continuous rainfall in recent weeks, leading to dangerous water levels in all three major …

NAROWAL: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday underscored the urgent need to build more water storage infrastructure to minimise the devastating impact of flash floods and protect lives and livelihoods in the country. Pakistan is battling torrential monsoon rains that have unleashed flash floods, swelled rivers, and filled dams, with more than 800 deaths reported since late June. Amid the …

An unusual flood situation has developed in the Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej rivers, prompting the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to issue a high alert, warning of possible damage in multiple cities of Punjab. According to NDMA, an extremely high water flow of 901,000 cusecs was recorded at Qadirabad on the Chenab River and 859,000 cusecs at Khanki. The overflowing …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday underscored the urgent need to build new water reservoirs and small dams to tackle the growing challenge of climate change, as devastating floods continue to sweep through parts of Punjab. Addressing Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, federal ministers, and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) officials in Narowal, the prime minister said Pakistan has repeatedly …

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations (UN) has allocated 600,000 U.S. dollars to support Pakistan’s response to the devastating 2025 monsoon season, according to a UN spokesperson. Speaking at a press briefing in New York, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said that according to local authorities, heavy rains and flash floods over the past 10 days have killed at least 400 people and …

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Jeddah on Tuesday to express appreciation for his chairmanship of the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Organisation Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers. The two parties reaffirmed firm solidarity with the Palestinian people. Dar also stressed on “strengthening our [Pakistan and Turkey’s] multifaceted cooperation”. Earlier, Dar also held meetings …

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Salman Akram Raja on Tuesday asserted that party founder Imran Khan had refused to accept his resignation from party’s secretary general post. This was the third instance the political leader has submitted his resignation and the PTI founder has rejected it. The senior lawyer was appointed as PTI secretary general last year in September, following …

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has requested the Rawalpindi city police officer (CPO) to lodge a case against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz along with eight police officials, alleging denial of facilities in Adiala jail. The request, submitted by the jailed ex-prime minister’s lawyer, Tabish Farooq, to CPO Khalid Hamdani, seeks the registration of a case against Maryam …

The Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni has expressed sorrow and condolences over the loss of lives due to the torrential rains and floods in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Gilgit Baltistan (G-B). Momeni held a telephonic conversation with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and conveyed his heartfelt sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives. He offered cooperation and …

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Faisalabad sentenced on Monday senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz and 57 others each to 10 years in prison in the May 9 case about an attack on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah’s residence. Of the 59 persons convicted in the case, 17 were PTI leaders. Sixteen other accused were …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced the launch of a nationwide anti-encroachment campaign around rivers, streams and natural waterways, saying that the protection of water channels was critical to averting future flood disasters. Chairing a high-level meeting to review the damage caused by the ongoing monsoon rains and floods, the prime minister directed immediate relief and recovery operations, …

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir visited Turbat to review the security situation, assess development projects, and strengthen civil-military coordination for Balochistan’s stability and prosperity, the military’s media wing said on Saturday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the COAS was received by the Balochistan Corps Commander Lt Gen Rahat Naseem Ahmed Khan. It was …

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Dhaka on a two-day official visit. He was received at the airport by Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Asad Alam Siam, Pakistan’s High Commissioner, Imran Haider, and other senior Bangladeshi officials. The trip, described as long overdue, had earlier been postponed twice — once in May following heightened Pakistan-India tensions after the …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to supporting flood-affected families and expediting rehabilitation efforts, particularly in the worst-hit districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister expressed deep concern over the devastation caused by recent heavy rains, cloudbursts, and flash floods in Swat, Swabi, Mansehra, Shangla, and …

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir here on Thursday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the Pakistani army serves as the foundation of national stability and a staunch defender of China-Pakistan friendship and cooperation. Wang pointed out that the Pakistani …

Under pressure from the International Monetary Fund, the federal government has begun work on a plan to slash expenditures in an effort to reduce the budget deficit, officials said. According to sources, the government is preparing to cut provinces’ share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. The move is aimed at ensuring debt repayments and narrowing the fiscal gap. …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening its “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership” with China, describing the bond between the two countries as a cornerstone of regional peace, stability, and development. He was speaking during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who called on him at the Prime Minister House here, a …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday reaffirmed that Pakistan and China are iron brothers, time tested friends and all-weather strategic partners and friendship with China is the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy, which enjoys unanimous public, political, and institutional support in Pakistan. The President said this in a meeting with Member of the Political Bureau of …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that he was pleased to welcome Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi to Pakistan. In a message on his social media platform X, PM said that during our most cordial exchange, I reiterated Pakistan’s firm resolve to further strengthen our All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and underlined the central role of CPEC in driving …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): Pakistan and China on Thursday reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the high-quality development of the upgraded China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during the 6th Strategic Dialogue held here between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of Pakistan-China relations and discussed …

BEIJING (Internews): Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s ongoing visit to Islamabad this time is of special significance as it comes at a critical juncture of evolving global and regional dynamics, Prof. Cheng Xizhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Charhar Institute said on Thursday. The ongoing adjustments in major power relations and the accelerated transformation of the South Asian regional situation, …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 6th round of Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad today. During the Dialogue, the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of Pakistan-China relations and discussed important regional and global issues. They also exchanged in-depth views on multiple facets of bilateral cooperation including CPEC …

RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Thursday categorically refuted media reports claiming certain comments made by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir in Brussels. “The army chief made made no remark about the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Brussels,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said while speaking to the media at an …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday approved Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s bail pleas in eight May 9 cases. The verdict was announced by a three-member bench — led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Muhammad Shafi — which heard the PTI founder’s plea against the rejection …

The disqualification of opposition leader Omar Ayub has thrown Pakistan’s Election Commission appointments into limbo, further complicating a process already stalled for months. Under the Constitution, the prime minister and the opposition leader must consult before appointing a new chief election commissioner (CEC) and two commission members. Only after this consultation are names forwarded to a parliamentary committee for final …

The Supreme Court on Friday approved bail for the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in cases linked to the May 9 riots. The court’s ruling came during a hearing on multiple cases registered against him following the nationwide protests and attacks on government and military installations earlier this year. During the hearing, PTI founder’s counsel Salman Safdar argued that no …

ISLAMABAD (Internews):  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for three-day official visit aimed at strengthening strategic and diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan. Wang, a member of the Communist Party of China, was welcomed at Nur Khan Airbase by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar. Senior officials from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry and …

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar paid a one-day visit to Kabul on Wednesday to attend the sixth trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan, where political, economic, and security cooperation topped the agenda. Dar was warmly received at Kabul airport by Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Naeem, alongside senior Afghan officials and Pakistan’s …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday warned that more spells of torrential rain are yet to come, as he visited flood-hit areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Addressing flood victims in Buner, the prime minister expressed sorrow over the devastation caused by heavy rains and flash floods, saying more than 350 people had lost their lives in KP alone, while hundreds …