ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will continue to be part of the trilateral mechanism involving Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, saying the forum reflects Islamabad’s positive engagement, but it will maintain its long-standing position on bilateral ties with Kabul, including demands for action against terrorist groups. Speaking at the Foreign Office’s weekly press briefing on Thursday, spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said it was agreed during the Pakistan-China dialogue to maintain the trilateral mechanism. He said Pakistan does not seek a hostile relationship with Afghanistan but expects concrete steps from the Taliban administration. “Pakistan expects…
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CM: Will follow Imran’s instruction to the letter
ISLAMABAD: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said he is determined to follow the instructions of PTI founder Imran Khan “to the letter” and will keep preparing for a street movement against the government. In a post on micro-blogging site X, Afridi, who belongs to the PTI, said on Sunday his position on the planned protest against the government remains unchanged and any news attributed to him “beyond this” is purely someone’s personal interpretation. “My leader has instructed me to manage the administrative affairs of my province while also preparing…
Read MorePresident, PM stress Kashmir issue resolution for lasting peace
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have said a just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is essential for achieving lasting peace in South Asia. On the Right to Self-Determination Day, both the leaders reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering moral, political and diplomatic support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, urging the international community to play an effective role in ensuring the implementation of United Nations resolutions on the dispute. In his message, the president noted that on January 5, the people of Pakistan stood in…
Read MoreGovt orders crackdown on money launderers
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday ordered a comprehensive crackdown against the money-laundering mafia, directing authorities to take firm action against major offenders. Naqvi issued the directives during a visit to the FIA Karachi Zone, where he chaired a special meeting and reviewed the performance of the Karachi and South zones. The interior minister ordered a comprehensive crackdown against the money-laundering mafia and directed that major money launderers be dealt with firmly. He instructed the authorities to fully expose the money trail of those involved in money laundering, warning…
Read MorePak-China dialogue overshadowed by Venezuela crisis
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday expressed concern over the rapidly evolving situation in Venezuela, urging restraint and de-escalation, as Islamabad and Beijing held the seventh round of their Strategic Dialogue in the Chinese capital that also discussed the unprecedented US raid on Caracus, besides other regional and international issues. The dialogue, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, took place amid heightened global tensions following the US raid in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. While…
Read MorePakistan, China agree to align development plans, launch CPEC 2.0
Pakistan and China agreed to align their development strategies and build an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, known as CPEC 2.0, during wide-ranging talks in Beijing that also covered political ties, security cooperation and regional and international issues. The Seventh Round of the Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue was co-chaired in Beijing on January 4 by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, who was visiting China from January 3 to January 5 at Wang’s invitation, according to a joint…
Read MoreStudents showcase AI, robotics projects
KARACHI: Thousands of students attended the one-day TechnoFest 3.0 at Karachi Expo Centre on Saturday, where over 200 stalls showcased artificial intelligence-based projects developed by university and college students. The festival was inaugurated by Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman. Students guided visitors through their projects and conducted robotics competitions, demonstrating practical applications of engineering, IT, and AI. In his address, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman praised the students’ talent, calling them the true architects of Pakistan’s future. He emphasised that today’s students should not limit themselves to degrees but must…
Read MorePolice stations to be renamed as ‘public safety centres’
RAWALPINDI: In an effort to reform the police system and change the long-standing ‘thana culture’, the Punjab government has proposed renaming police stations across the province as “public safety centres”, replacing the 150-year-old colonial-era term “thana”. Following final approval from the provincial cabinet, the process of renaming police stations will be initiated. Government sources said the PML-N government is seriously considering the proposal. Sources told The Express Tribune that the word “thana” has become a symbol of fear, discouraging citizens from approaching police stations. The name change is aimed at…
Read MorePresident Zardari approves CDA Amendment Bill 2025
President Asif Ali Zardari has given assent to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Amendment Bill 2025, which revises the framework for compensation on acquired property. Under the amendment, compensation will not be restricted to cash payments and may also be provided in the form of land or other prescribed arrangements. In cases of delayed payment, an additional 8 per cent per annum will be payable. The legislation also introduces provisions relating to persons with disabilities, minors and individuals under legal constraints, along with clauses aimed at safeguarding the rights of…
Read MoreCabinet clears new local system for Islamabad
A new local government system will be introduced in Islamabad following the federal cabinet’s endorsement of decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases (CCLC), including actions under the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. Addressing the first federal cabinet meeting of the year on Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated cabinet members on the new year and stated that the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines marked significant progress in the government’s commitment to privatise state-owned enterprises. The prime minister highlighted that the privatisation of state-owned enterprises…
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