WORLD

Islamabad, June 24, 2026(Ghufran): Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik has called for comprehensive institutional reforms within Pakistan’s energy sector, directing the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) and the Directorate General of Petroleum Concessions (DGPC) to accelerate modernization efforts aimed at improving governance, technical excellence, and investment facilitation. The Minister issued these directives during his visit to HDIP headquarters and laboratory facilities in Islamabad, where he reviewed the institute’s operational performance, testing capabilities, and role in supporting Pakistan’s hydrocarbon industry. He was briefed on laboratory operations, certification processes, quality assurance mechanisms, and technical services provided to the ...

ISLAMABAD, June 24(News Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding regional peace and strengthening bilateral cooperation, pledging to stand united against any efforts aimed at undermining the recent diplomatic breakthrough achieved through the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Addressing a joint press stakeout following delegation-level talks in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described his discussions with President Pezeshkian as highly productive and held in a warm and brotherly atmosphere. He said Pakistan and Iran were fully determined to resist attempts by “spoilers” seeking to create uncertainty and derail ongoing peace efforts. “There is no dearth of spoilers around the glob...

BÜRGENSTOCK, Switzerland, June 21, 2026(Kamran Raja): The leaders of Pakistan, the United States, and Qatar on Sunday voiced strong optimism that the ongoing Bürgenstock talks between Iran and the United States would contribute to global peace, international security, and economic prosperity, describing the diplomatic initiative as a significant step toward a more stable and cooperative Middle East. Speaking to the media before the commencement of technical-level negotiations between Iranian and American delegations, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, US Vice President JD Vance, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani emphasized that the joint diplomatic efforts represented the beginning of an important process aimed at achieving lasting regional and global ...

Islamabad, May 16 2026(Ghufran): India Study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI), organized a Seminar titled “Decoding the Future Trajectory of Pakistan-India Relations”. Former Foreign Minister of Pakistan Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan (HI) was the Chief Guest. The speakers included Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman ISSI; Ambassador Abdul Basit, Pakistan’s Former High Commissioner to India; Dr Manzoor Ahmed, Former Ambassador to the WTO; Dr. Mujeeb Afzal, Assistant Professor, School of Politics and IR, Quaid-e-Azam University; and Dr. Khurram Abbas, Director ISC at ISSI. In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood noted that the history of Pakistan-India relations has remained a mix of conciliatory and confrontational approaches. Citing several key figu...

Islamabad, 15 June 2026(Ghufran): The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), in collaboration with Mishal Pakistan hosted the launch of the State of Freedom Report – Pakistan 2026, the country’s first comprehensive national assessment of political, civil, economic, digital, legal, and social freedoms. The Chief Guest, Barrister Aqeel Malik, Minister of State for Law and Justice, welcomed the publication of Pakistan’s first State of Freedom Report and underscored the importance of evidence-based policymaking, citizen engagement, constitutional governance, and institutional accountability. He observed that objective assessments and informed public discourse play a vital role in strengthening democratic institutions and improving governance outcomes. Emphasizing the significance of...