Turkey and Egypt announced on Saturday that US President Donald Trump had invited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to join a newly formed Gaza Board of Peace, aimed at overseeing the territory’s temporary governance under a fragile ceasefire in place since October. The White House stated on Friday that an executive panel has been created to implement Trump’s Gaza peace plan. The panel includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, World Bank President Ajay Banga, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. It will supervise portfolios covering governance, regional…
Author: Imran Ali Khan
Karachi: In a stunning display of skill, resilience, and nerves of steel, Pakistan Television (PTV) created history in domestic cricket on Saturday by defending the lowest target ever in first-class cricket, breaking a 232-year-old record. In a Presidents Trophy clash at Karachi, PTV faced Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and defended a mere 40-run target, bowling out their opponents for 37 runs, clinching a thrilling two-run victory. This marks the first time in first-class cricket history that a team has successfully defended a target so low. The previous record had stood since 1794, when Oldfield defended 41 runs against…
Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized that his country’s relations with Pakistan are “genuinely mutually beneficial”, highlighting Moscow’s commitment to maintaining close ties with Islamabad. The statement was shared by the Russian Embassy in Pakistan on X, coinciding with a formal ceremony in Moscow where Pakistan’s Ambassador, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, presented his credentials to President Putin at the Grand Kremlin Palace. President Putin remarked, “We maintain close cooperation with Pakistan, a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the largest regional organisation in terms of economic, technological, and human potential. Russia-Pakistan relations are genuinely mutually beneficial.” The diplomatic warmth reflects…
Moscow: A Moscow court on Friday held a preliminary hearing in a high-stakes lawsuit filed by the Russian central bank against Belgian financial group Euroclear, in a dispute over tens of billions of euros in Russian assets frozen in Europe since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. The frozen funds, part of Russia’s international reserves, were blocked by the European Union as part of a sweeping sanctions regime aimed at curbing Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine. Russia has long maintained that the EU’s measures are unlawful and damaging to its financial sovereignty. At Friday’s hearing in…
Riyadh: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday received a written message from Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman, highlighting the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and promoting peace, stability, and cooperation across the region. According to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the message was delivered by Omani Ambassador Najeeb bin Hilal bin Saud Al-Busaidi during a high-level meeting with Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Engineer Abdulkarim Al-Khuriji at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Riyadh. During the discussions, officials from both countries explored a broad range of topics, including political, economic, and cultural cooperation, future joint projects, and opportunities…
Lahore: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi emphasized that political resistance must ultimately give way to reconciliation, and meaningful dialogue is essential to steer Pakistan towards progress. Speaking to Media after a court appearance, Qureshi said the country needs conversation, not confrontation, in the current political climate. He added that PTI Chairman Imran Khan has delegated the authority for negotiations to Mahmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, who is best positioned to decide the direction of talks. In politics, dialogue is the only way to resolve national issues, he said.…
Islamabad: Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai was officially appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly on Friday, ending a months-long delay in filling the key parliamentary position. Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan had nominated Achakzai for the role in August last year. The National Assembly Secretariat, in a notification seen by The Daar News, stated that Honourable Speaker has been pleased to declare Mr Mehmood Khan Achakzai, member of the National Assembly, as Leader of the Opposition in the NA, with effect from January 16, 2026.” The notification was issued under…
ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan and SC Financial Technologies LLC, an affiliate of World Liberty Financial USA (WLF), on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote collaboration on next-generation digital payment systems and cross-border financial innovations. WLF, the main crypto business of US President Donald Trump’s family, recently launched a crypto-based finance platform in September 2024. The MoU represents one of the first publicly announced partnerships between WLF and a sovereign state and comes amid a warming of bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United States. Under the agreement, WLF will work with Pakistan’s central bank to integrate…
MANAMA: President Asif Ali Zardari was awarded Bahrain’s highest civilian honour, the Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa First Class, in recognition of his pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan-Bahrain relations. The prestigious award was presented at Qudaibiya Palace, where the Pakistani president was accorded a warm reception and a guard of honour. Accompanied by First Lady BB Asifa Bhutto Zardari, Senator Saleem Mandviwala, and Balochistan Agriculture Minister Mir Ali Hassan Zehri, President Zardari met King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for one-on-one discussions on the current state of bilateral ties, expressing satisfaction at their positive progress. During an extended meeting,…
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday said that debt servicing remained the single largest expenditure for the government, while inefficiencies in state-owned enterprises in the past had resulted in annual losses of nearly Rs1 trillion. Speaking at the Pakistan Policy Dialogue, the finance minister said the incumbent government had taken difficult decisions to curb wasteful spending and initiate long-delayed structural reforms aimed at putting the economy on a sustainable path. He noted that workers’ remittances stood at $38 billion in the previous fiscal year and were expected to exceed $41bn during the current year, terming the rise a positive…