ISLAMABAD: Turkish and Qatari mediators are continuing discussions with the Afghan Taliban delegation on Pakistan’s demands to end cross-border terrorism, as efforts intensify to reach an agreement before the scheduled conclusion of the ongoing talks. At the weekly media briefing on October 17, 2025, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan had presented its case to the mediators “in …
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed on Friday for a two-day official visit to Azerbaijan at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev. In a post on social media platform X, state-run PTV said that Information Minister Attaullah Tarar was also accompanying the premier. Earlier today, the Foreign Office (FO) said PM Shehbaz would undertake the visit to participate in events …
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held meetings with the delegations of multiple parties on Thursday in what appears to be efforts by the government to prepare the ground to get a 27th Constitutional Amendment approved by Parliament. Among those he met was a seven-member delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which was led by party Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool …
ISLAMABAD: The opposition reached out to the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman late on Wednesday, seeking his support against the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment. A parliamentary delegation of opposition parties led by Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai, who has also been nominated as the opposition leader in the National Assembly, visited the JUI-F chief’s …
ISLAMABAD: Clarity on a consensus over the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment is expected within two to three days, after which the legislation is likely to be tabled in parliament next week, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday. Separately, the National Assembly was also assured that the 18th Amendment would not be rolled back through the new legislation. Speaking to …
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House Ishaq Dar assured the Senate on Tuesday that the proposed 27th constitutional amendment was a government’s initiative and it would be introduced only after thorough consultation with coalition partners. The House met with Senator Manzoor Ahmad in the chair, as Chairman Senate Yusuf Raza Gilani is currently acting as President, while …
ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Wednesday demanded that local governments (LGs) be given autonomy in the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment. After the PPP revealed key features of the proposed amendment for which the government sought its support, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said yesterday that the legislation for the tweaks will soon be tabled in Parliament. MQM-P leader …
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday termed population and climate change as “existential issues” that Pakistan must address to realise its potential. Pakistan is home to a vast population of over 251 million, according to the World Bank. The Bank states the annual population growth rate for 2024 at 1.5 per cent, with the government’s 2023 census showing that …
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that Pakistan had successfully re-established itself as a respected voice in regional and international forums due to the efforts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “Through the prime minister’s sustained diplomatic outreach, Pakistan has successfully re-established itself as a respected voice in regional and international forums, from the United Nations and SCO to …
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepen cooperation with Türkiye across political, economic, and defence spheres in a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, while agreeing to continue working together on the issue of Palestine, the Foreign Office (FO) said. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Coordination Meeting of …