ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed foreign dignitaries, including India’s Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to the dinner for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) first day on Tuesday. The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus — with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”. Pakistan became a full member of …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif engaged in multiple high-level bilateral meetings with regional counterparts during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in Islamabad on Tuesday. The discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, and regional connectivity between Pakistan and its Central Asian partners. In a meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda, PM Shehbaz stressed the importance of …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the strategic cooperation between the two countries in key areas including economy, investment and regional connectivity. Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang arrived in Pakistan for a four-day bilateral visit yesterday. During his visit, he will also attend the much-anticipated 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting of the Council of …

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan and Russia have commenced a joint military exercise codenamed Druzhba (Friend­ship) VII, marking the 7th bilateral joint counterterrorism exercise between the two militaries, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Tuesday. According to the military’s media wing, the drill is “aimed at refining professional skills through joint training, besides harnessing the historic military-to-military relations among …

ISLAMABAD: As the government and opposition parties inch towards consensus on the constitutional amendments, the Awami National Party on Monday opposed a three-year term for the head of the federal constitutional court while the PTI sought more time to share its proposal. “Tenure of three years for the chief justice is against the constitutional norms and discriminatory thus not acceptable. …

ISLAMABAD: Indian journalist Barkha Dutt met with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in Lahore. Barkha Dutt’s visit aligns with Pakistan’s preparations for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. Her meeting with the Pakistan Muslim League (N) leadership took place as international media representatives began arriving in Pakistan to cover the high-profile event. Pakistan …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is intensifying preparations for a large-scale protest, directing its ticket holders and workers from across the country to converge at Islamabad’s D-Chowk on October 15. The protest is part of a broader strategy to demand the release of the party’s detained founder Imran Khan, as party leaders emphasise that demonstrations will continue until their demands are …

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has asserted that judicial reforms will be implemented without any compromise. Speaking at the launch of the Hari Card in Karachi on Monday, he emphasised the party’s commitment to the promises made in the Charter of Democracy. He stated that the launch of the Hari Card follows the Benazir Income Support Programme …

KARACHI: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F), announced that significant consensus has been reached on constitutional amendments following discussions and negotiations. Speaking to the media in Tando Allahyar, Fazlur Rehman said that while the parliament’s role is to amend the constitution and laws, such changes often spark disagreements. However, he emphasised that legislation must be crafted according …

ISLAMABAD: As Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Pakistan on Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed the hope that his Chinese counterpart’s four-day bilateral visit would be “productive”. During his visit, Premier Li would also attend the much-anticipated 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG), which is taking place on October 15 …