PAKISTAN NEWS

 Tehran, 23 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with General Ahmad Vahidi, head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, during his official visit to Tehran. According to the Interior Ministry spokesperson, the two sides discussed the situation in the Middle East and exchanged views on regional developments. The spokesperson said that Naqvi is currently in Tehran, where his meetings with the Iranian leadership and senior security officials are continuing. Earlier, the federal interior minister held a detailed meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni, during which they discussed bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields and the overall regional situation. Naqvi’s meetings with Iranian officials are taking place amid contin...

Islamabad, 23 September 2026 (Ghufran): The 96th National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia highlights the longstanding and enduring partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, reflecting the deep-rooted bonds between the two brotherly countries. Over the decades, bilateral relations have expanded beyond diplomatic, trade and cultural ties to include defence cooperation, military training, strategic coordination and security partnership. The longstanding defence cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia has entered a new phase, further strengthening bilateral strategic ties and enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The partnership continues to serve as an important link between South Asia and the Gulf, with both countries maintaining close coordination on regional and ...

 Islamabad, 23 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Coast Guards, in coordination with the Joint Maritime Information Coordination Centre (JMICC), have foiled a major smuggling attempt in the Pishukan area of Balochistan during a joint intelligence-based anti-smuggling operation. Acting on actionable intelligence, the forces confiscated a sizeable quantity of liquor and illegal medicines. The seized contraband has been handed over to the Pakistan Coast Guards for further legal proceedings. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Coast Guards for successfully thwarting the smuggling attempt, saying that effective inter-agency coordination was essential to curb the menace of smuggling. The prime minister also appreciated the profes...

 New York, 22 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has responded to criticism of the newly established Makkah Defence Pact, saying it is unfair to judge the alliance based on the long-running crisis in Yemen because “we have only just started.” Speaking at a panel discussion in New York titled “Türkiye-US Relations in the Centennial Era,” Fidan was asked whether Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia represented the pact’s first test and how the alliance had performed. Referring to former US Ambassador to Türkiye James Jeffrey, Fidan asked how long he had served in the military, to which Jeffrey replied that it had been nearly 50 years. Fidan then asked how many times NATO’s Article 5 had been activated during that period, prompting the response that it had been...

New York, 22 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to waive visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official or special passports, in a move aimed at facilitating high-level engagement and institutional exchanges between the two countries. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan signed the agreement in New York on the sidelines of the 2026 United Nations General Assembly session. Under the agreement, Pakistani citizens holding diplomatic and official passports will be able to travel to Saudi Arabia without obtaining a visa, Ishaq Dar said in a post on X. Dar described the agreement as an important step towards facilitating high-level engagement and institutional exchanges between Pakistan an...

 New York, 22 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): US President Donald Trump has praised Pakistan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, describing Pakistan as a “great country” and the prime minister as a “terrific man.” Speaking at the UN forum on Tuesday, Trump recalled a telephone call from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in which the Pakistani premier thanked him for the US role in helping resolve what he described as an important matter. Trump said Shehbaz Sharif had told him that his intervention contributed to ending the Pakistan-India conflict in May 2025 and, according to Trump’s claim, helped save 30 million lives. Trump also claimed that he had played a role in settling eight wars while addressing a range of international i...

Islamabad, 22 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the Palestine issue remains central to the collective consciousness of the Muslim Ummah, stressing that Israel continues to violate the Gaza ceasefire on a daily basis. Addressing the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Palestine Committee, Dar said the six-member committee had a responsibility to mobilise political and diplomatic support for the Palestinian people and called for immediate attention to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza. He appreciated the efforts of the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza and strongly condemned Israeli violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Dar said incursions by extremist Israeli...

Rawalpindi, 22 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): France’s Secretary-General for Defence and National Security, Nicolas Roche, accompanied by the French Ambassador to Pakistan, visited General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and met Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security and bilateral cooperation in defence and security were discussed. Field Marshal Asim Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with France and expanding cooperation in defence and security. French Secretary-General Nicolas Roche acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability and reiterated France’s interest in further expanding c...

 Islamabad, 22 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Foreign ministers of Pakistan and seven other Muslim countries have expressed deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and called on Israel to fulfil its commitments and protect the ceasefire. The joint statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Qatar. According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, the ministers stressed the need for immediate, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance to Gaza. They called for preserving the ceasefire and ending all violations, while demanding the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the deployment of an international stabilisation force. The eight countries also agreed on the commencement of the...

 Rawalpindi, 22 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan has commenced two joint military exercises with Russia and Oman, focusing on counter-terrorism training, operational coordination and the exchange of military expertise. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the ninth edition of the Pakistan-Russia joint military exercise Druzhba 9 and the second edition of the Pakistan-Oman exercise Al Weshq Al Jabal 2 began on Tuesday. Druzhba 9 is being conducted at Cherat, while Al Weshq Al Jabal 2 is taking place at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Pabbi. Troops from the Pakistan Army, Russian military and Royal Army of Oman are participating in the exercises, which will continue for two weeks. The drills include counter-terrorism procedures, operational...