BEIJING: The Asia-Pacific region needs neither a military bloc nor a “small circle” that provokes confrontation between camps and incites a new Cold War, said a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday. Lin Jian made the comments in response to a defense pact signed earlier Monday between Japan and the Philippines that allows the deployment of one’s military …
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday clarified it would not become part of any “bloc” politics as regional security club leaders met in Astana to challenge the global order led by the United States. As the Russian and Chinese leaders called for a “more fairer and transparent” world order at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, foreign office dismissed the perception that …
WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court found on Monday that Donald Trump cannot be prosecuted for official actions taken as president, but can for private acts, in a landmark ruling recognising for the first time any form of presidential immunity from prosecution. The justices, in a 6-3 ruling written by Chief Justice John Roberts, threw out a lower court’s decision rejecting Trump’s claim …
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: The PTI has been accused of seeking the imposition of martial law and economic sanctions in the country by its political opponents. In separate statements issued on Sunday, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui and senior PPP leader Shehla Raza assailed the party for backing a resolution, recently passed by the US Congress, accusing it of using their resources and influence to …
WASHINGTON: A senior US official has assured Islamabad that the United States and Pakistan maintain a stable and broad-based relationship despite occasional friction between the two allies. The assurance follows the recent adoption of a resolution by an overwhelming majority in the US Congress, expressing concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in Pakistan. Islamabad responded strongly, rejecting the concerns …
WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s envoy to the US, Masood Khan, has urged Washington to provide small arms and modern equipment to the country to ensure the success of Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, a newly approved counter-terrorism initiative. The federal government recently greenlit the reinvigorated national counter-terrorism drive, however, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif clarified that this initiative would not be a large-scale military operation and would …
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday passed a resolution with a majority vote terming the June 25 resolution adopted by the US House of Representatives — seeking probe into the alleged irregularities in the Feb 8 elections — “an interference” in Pakistan’s internal affairs amid noisy protest by the opposition PTI members who voted against it. After passage of the resolution, the treasury …
BEIJING: Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu on Thursday stated China’s stance on the Taiwan question, Xizang, the South China Sea issue and the Ukraine crisis in a phone call with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell. During the phone conversation, Ma demanded that the United States translate the “five-no” commitments made by U.S. President Joe Biden into real …
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday said that a resolution passed by the US House of Representatives in support of democracy in Pakistan stemmed from an “incomplete understanding” of the country’s political situation and electoral process. In a significant display of bipartisan support, the US House of Representatives has passed a resolution expressing robust support for democracy in Pakistan …
WASHINGTON: The US State Department on Wednesday said that no country should face the kind of terrorist attacks Pakistani people have suffered from, adding that Washington has a shared interest with Islamabad in combating threats to regional security. On Saturday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government approved a reinvigorated and re-energised national counter-terrorism campaign — originally titled Operation Azm-i-Istehkam but later rebranded as Vision …