PAKISTAN NEWS

  Islamabad, 12 August 2026(Kamran Raja): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday launched the country’s first National Youth Employment Policy, Skill Ambassador Programme and National Power Sector Innovation Programme, reaffirming the government’s commitment to equipping young people with education, skills and employment opportunities.Addressing a ceremony held in connection with International Youth Day, the Prime Minister said the youth were the nation’s greatest hope and would not be left behind in Pakistan’s journey towards development and prosperity.He stressed that equal access to quality education was essential for national progress, saying no talented child should be deprived of higher education merely because of financial constraints.The...

 LAHORE, 12 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja) — Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker on Wednesday, with discussions focusing on education, security, investment and cooperation in various sectors.During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in security, artificial intelligence, digital assets and energy. They also discussed seeking the expertise of US specialists to help Punjab address challenges related to floods and smog.The proposal to organize a Punjab-US Business and Investment Forum in Lahore also came under discussion. The forum is aimed at creating greater opportunities for investment and strengthening economic cooperation between Punjab and the United States. Natalie A. Baker appreciated Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s...

ISLAMABAD, August 12, 2026 (Nosheen) — Pakistan and Belarus have agreed to further expand bilateral economic and trade cooperation and explore new opportunities for trade and investment during the ninth session of the Pakistan-Belarus Joint Ministerial Commission held in Islamabad.Addressing the meeting, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan said Pakistan-Belarus relations were based on mutual trust, cooperation and shared interests. He said there was significant potential to take bilateral trade, investment and economic ties to a new level. Jam Kamal Khan said the two countries had agreed to enhance cooperation in key sectors, including agriculture, industry, energy, technology, defence, health and pharmaceuticals. He added that a feasibility study on establishing a joint working g...

 ISLAMABAD, 12 August, 2026 (Ghufran) — The Foreign Office said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Iran was aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, discussing security matters and promoting peace and stability in the region.Speaking at the weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Naqvi, who arrived in Tehran on Tuesday, was holding meetings with senior Iranian officials. He said the visit provided an opportunity to discuss bilateral relations, security issues and regional developments, with particular emphasis on constructive engagement among countries in the region. According to Iranian media, Naqvi was received in Tehran by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and later held meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and P...

LAHORE, 12, August 2026 (Kamran Raja): The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Corporate Crime Circle conducted raids in different areas of Lahore and arrested two suspects for allegedly violating the Copyright Act.The arrested suspects have been identified as Muhammad Shahid and Zahid Abbas. According to the FIA, both suspects were apprehended during separate raid operations carried out in the Bhatta Chowk and Thokar Niaz Baig areas of Lahore.During the raids, FIA officials recovered a large quantity of counterfeit products bearing the names of well-known registered companies. The suspects allegedly manufactured and sold products of registered companies without obtaining the required authorization or permission.The FIA has arrested both suspects and launched an investigation into the matte...

ISLAMABAD, 12 August 2026 (Kamran Raja): President Asif Ali Zardari has conferred the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) on Commander National Strategic Command General Syed Amir Raza at a ceremony held in Islamabad.President Zardari presented the prestigious award to General Syed Amir Raza in recognition of his distinguished services to the country. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior military and government officials attended the ceremony.Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, along with the Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Naval Staff, were also present at the event. Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gillani and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attended the ceremony, along with other senior officials.Federal ministers Attaullah Tarar, Ahsan Iqbal and Muhammad Aur...

ISLAMABAD, 12 August 2026 (Ghufran): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced Pakistan’s first National Youth Policy, featuring a 35 percent quota for women in the labour force and a 10 percent quota to support youth startups.Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad on International Youth Day, the prime minister said the policy would focus on creating equal educational and economic opportunities for young people.Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistan has millions of talented young people who can excel globally if provided with quality education. He stressed the need to bridge the gap between educational opportunities available to children from affluent and underprivileged families. He said Daanish Schools were established as an alternative to elite educational institutions and announced that ...

MUZAFFARABAD, 12 August, 2026 (Nosheen): Political tensions have escalated in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s LA-17 Haveli constituency following a dispute over the recent election, with several vehicles allegedly vandalised in Hotar village.According to local sources, vehicle windows were smashed during the incident, while allegations were also made that passports and cash belonging to some individuals were taken.The incident reportedly took place outside the residence of Zahid Hashmi, a senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader and president of the International Kashmir Peace Forum Europe, in his native village of Hotar. Local sources alleged that workers affiliated with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and an independent candidate attacked people present outside the residence. Several vehicles par...

TEL AVIV, 11 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Israel has expressed concern over the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, warning that the growing trilateral military cooperation could have significant implications for regional security.Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs described the agreement as a “dangerous” development, noting that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already maintain defence cooperation and that Türkiye has now joined the expanded security arrangement. The minister said the development reflected a strengthening of military ties among the three countries.The Israeli minister also pointed to Türkiye’s existing disagreements with Israel, saying the growing defence cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye could have serious implica...

ISLAMABAD, 11 August, 2026 (Ghufran): Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the United States and Iran are moving closer to reaching an understanding, with recent developments indicating renewed momentum towards a possible peace agreement. Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg News in Islamabad on Tuesday, Asif said, “Things are shaping up again in favour of a peace arrangement or a deal,” adding that signals received over the past two or three days suggested that the two sides were “close to some sort of an arrangement.” The remarks come amid renewed diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations between Washington and Tehran, with Oman mediating contacts between the two sides and Pakistan and Qatar also playing roles in efforts to reduce tensions. Khawaja Asif did not disclose detail...