PAKISTAN NEWS

 BISHKEK, 1 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has called for the sincere implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the United States and Iran in June 2026, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable way to promote peace and stability in the region. DPM/FM Ishaq Dar made these remarks during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek on Tuesday. During the meeting, Ishaq Dar underscored that sincere implementation of the Islamabad MoU by both the United States and Iran was essential to bringing an end to the ongoing conflict. He emphasized that dialog...

 BISHKEK, 1 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has invited Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to visit Pakistan next year, as the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and expanding economic and strategic cooperation. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met President Alexander Lukashenko on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek on Tuesday. During the meeting, both leaders expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Belarus relations and the growing cooperation between the two countries in political, trade, economic, defence and cultural fields. The two leaders recalled President Lukashenko’s landmark visit to Pak...

 ISLAMABAD, September 1, 2026 (Nosheen): Federal Minister for Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh has called for greater emphasis on peace, dialogue, economic cooperation and development, urging Pakistan to learn from the “Shanghai Spirit” to improve the quality of life of its people and strengthen its role in the region. The Federal Minister was speaking as Chief Guest at a joint seminar titled “SCO at 25: The Shanghai Spirit and A New Journey with Islamabad,” organised by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad, and China Media Group (CMG).The seminar brought together diplomats, policymakers, academics, media representatives and experts to discuss the 25-year journey of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), its evolving role in regional affairs and Pakistan...

 ISLAMABAD, 1 September 2026 (Ghufran): The Government of Japan has approved grant assistance of 21 million Japanese Yen, approximately USD 142,500, to the Dopasi Foundation under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Programme. The grant will support the procurement of specialized equipment and a vehicle for tuberculosis (TB) screening in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Chakwal, with the aim of improving access to early diagnosis and essential healthcare services for vulnerable and marginalized communities. The grant contract was signed at the Embassy of Japan in Islamabad between Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan H.E. Mr. AKAMATSU Shuichi and a representative of the Dopasi Foundation on September 1, 2026. The project, titled “The Project for the Procurement o...

 ISLAMABAD, 1 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek. During the meeting, the two Foreign Ministers held a warm and cordial exchange and reaffirmed the enduring All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China. The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest and reviewed issues of regional and international importance. Particular attention was given to preparations for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 2026 in New York and the ongoing process for the election of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. Both Foreign Ministers express...

ISTANBUL, 31 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces (COAS & CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, held a series of high-level engagements during his official visit to Türkiye, focusing on bilateral defence cooperation, matters of mutual interest and the regional security environment. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir separately met H.R.H. Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye; H.E. Yaşar Güler, Minister of National Defence of Türkiye; and General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Chief of the Turkish General Staff. During the meetings, the dignitaries discussed matters of mutual interest, bilateral defence cooperation and the evolving reg...

LAHORE, 31 August 2026 (Kamran Raja): The Lahore High Court has ruled that the marriage of a girl below the age of 18 is illegal under the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026 and directed police to investigate fresh evidence in an alleged child marriage case. Justice Manwar Iqbal Dogar issued the written judgment on a petition filed by citizen Muhammad Aslam, who had approached the court seeking registration of a case against the alleged husband of his minor daughter, Hina Aslam. During the proceedings, the court was informed that Hina was around 15 years old at the time of her nikah. The petitioner stated that a case regarding his daughter’s alleged abduction had already been registered, but argued that fresh evidence of her underage marriage warranted further legal action against th...

 BISHKEK, 31 August 2026 (Nosheen): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has underscored the need to build upon the understandings reached under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), describing them as the only viable pathway towards achieving lasting peace in the region. The prime minister made these remarks during a meeting with Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek on Monday, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in the Kyrgyz Republic. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasised the importance of exercising restraint and maintaining sustained diplomatic engagement to achieve durable peace and stability in the region. He stressed that continued dialogue and implementation of the understandings rea...