PAKISTAN NEWS

Lahore, 13 August 2026 (Nosheen): The Punjab government has approved the abolition of 101 posts across various provincial administrative departments, including the South Punjab Secretariat, as part of efforts to reduce administrative expenditure and restructure government offices.Following the approval, the Additional Chief Secretary Punjab issued a formal notification for abolishing the posts in accordance with a decision taken by the Finance Department on July 31, 2026.Among Punjab’s major administrative departments, the School Education Department has the highest number of abolished posts, with six positions removed. The Finance, Health and Population, Home, and Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education departments have each had five posts abolished.Three Section Officer posts have b...

RAWALPINDI, 13 August, 2026(Kamran Raja): A high-level delegation from the Kingdom of Norway, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr. Espen Barth Eide, called on Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces (COAS & CDF), at General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi, on Thursday.During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security and bilateral relations between Pakistan and Norway were discussed.Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir highlighted Pakistan’s perspective on global peace and regional stability, underscoring the importance of cooperation and collective efforts to address common security challenges.The visiting dignitary appreciated the professional role played by the Pakistan Armed Forces in promoting regional peace and sta...

TEHRAN, 13 August, 2026 (Ghufran): A senior Iranian official has described Pakistan as a great asset to the Muslim world, saying that the bond of friendship and affection between the Pakistani and Iranian peoples is unparalleled.Iran and Pakistan are each other’s strategic depth, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said during a meeting with Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, according to Tasnim news agency.“All leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran have regarded Pakistan as Iran’s strategic depth and Iran as Pakistan’s strategic depth,” Rezaei said.He said Iran viewed Pakistan’s government, military and people as major partners and welcomed what he described as increased regional engagement by Pakistan’s prime minister and army chief.Rezaei also said ...

 SACRAMENTO, 13 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja): The California State Senate has unanimously passed a historic resolution celebrating the enduring relationship between Pakistan and the United States and recognising the significant contributions of the Pakistani-American community to California’s economy, culture and social fabric.Presented by Senator Melissa Hurtado, the resolution highlighted the pivotal role played by Pakistani-Americans in California and commended their achievements across diverse fields. It also urged Californians to join in celebrating the longstanding friendship and relations between Pakistan and the United States.The Council of Pakistan, led by Dr. Imran Sharief, played an important role in efforts to secure passage of the resolution. Expressing his appreciatio...

PANJGUR, 13 August, 2026 (Nosheen): The Corps Commander Balochistan visited Panjgur district and inaugurated several development projects completed with the support of the Pakistan Army.During the visit, the Corps Commander inaugurated the Jinnah IT Hub, completed under the Balochistan Skills Development Initiative (BSDI). The facility is equipped with 50 modern computers, a digital library and a solar power system designed to ensure round-the-clock electricity availability.The Corps Commander also inaugurated the Sir Syed Ahmed Khan Lounge and the Allama Iqbal Auditorium at the University of Makran. Following renovation, the auditorium now has a seating capacity of 120 people.Local residents welcomed the newly completed projects and appreciated the welfare-oriented initiatives supported b...

ISLAMABAD, 13 August, 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistan and Norway have agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest following delegation-level talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide in Islamabad.Eide arrived in Islamabad for a two-day official visit, marking the first visit by a Norwegian foreign minister to Pakistan in a decade.During the talks, the two sides reviewed bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, climate change, maritime affairs and education. They also acknowledged the important role of the Pakistani diaspora in Norway and agreed to promote stronger people-to-people contacts.Both sides expressed satisfaction over the friendly relations between Pakistan and Norway and agree...

ISLAMABAD, 13August, 2026(Kamran Raja): The body of Pakistani mountaineer Sohel Sakhi, who went missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak around 15 days ago, has been recovered.Ten mountaineers were reported missing following the avalanche, with Sohel Sakhi among those unaccounted for.According to sources, Sakhi’s body was discovered by porters travelling along the Broad Peak trekking route.  The body was subsequently brought to the mountain’s base camp.Sakhi, who hailed from Hunza, will be transported from the base camp to Skardu by helicopter.Following the accident, the bodies of seven mountaineers, including five Nepali climbers, had already been recovered. The search operation for the remaining missing climbers is continuing.Authorities and rescue teams remain engaged in efforts to ...

RAWALPINDI, 12 August, 2026 (Ghufran): An under-preparation Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) detonated on the morning of August 12, 2026, while terrorists affiliated with Fitna Al Hindustan were preparing it in Surab District of Balochistan.The premature detonation resulted in the confirmed deaths of eight terrorists, while several others sustained injuries. The blast, followed by the secondary detonation of explosives stored at the site by the terrorists, also reportedly caused the tragic deaths of three nearby civilians.Following the incident, security forces and Balochistan Police immediately reached the site and launched a comprehensive joint clearance operation to track down the perpetrators and their facilitators.During the operation, security forces detected the mov...

Islamabad, 12 August 2026(Kamran Raja): President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday received the credentials of Ambassador-designate of Italy Ugo Ciarlatani and Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Korea Han Sungho at a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr.The President congratulated the two envoys on their appointments and expressed confidence that their diplomatic assignments would contribute to further strengthening Pakistan’s relations with Italy and the Republic of Korea.During his interactions with the ambassadors-designate, President Zardari emphasized the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation in a range of areas of mutual interest.He particularly highlighted the need to enhance cooperation in trade, investment, technology and development, while exploring new avenues for...