Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic endeavors appear to be yielding positive outcomes, as the US Department of State has expressed optimism that President Donald Trump will contribute to resolving the longstanding Kashmir dispute during his tenure in office. This correspondent had posed inquiries to the State Department concerning the recent interactions between Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, and a Pakistani parliamentary delegation led by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Specifically, questions were raised about whether the United States had offered assurances to the Pakistani side regarding the use of its good offices to facilitate negotiations…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Paul Kapur, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, has pledged cooperation with Pakistan across various domains, including security, bilateral trade, and investment, as reported by The News on Wednesday. During his confirmation hearing before the US Senate, Kapur stated that if confirmed, he would actively pursue security cooperation with Pakistan while simultaneously exploring opportunities for enhanced bilateral trade and investment collaboration. “If confirmed, I will continue to promote longstanding US security interests with Pakistan and India through the pursuit of peace and stability, and the fight against terrorism,” remarked the US scholar…
Residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s capital city experienced a mild earthquake on Wednesday, recorded at an intensity of 4.7 on the Richter Scale, causing widespread surprise. The Seismological Centre, providing details of the seismic event, reported that the light tremors were felt in Peshawar, with the earthquake’s epicenter located in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush mountain range. The depth of the earthquake was specified as 211 kilometers. These tremors occurred approximately a month after a 5.3-magnitude earthquake impacted Islamabad and various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Mardan, Swat, Nowshera, Swabi, and North Waziristan. The epicenter for that tremor was also situated in the…
A 20-year-old Pakistani citizen, identified as Muhammad Shahzeb Khan alias “Shahzeb Jadoon,” has been extradited from Canada to the United States. This extradition is linked to an indictment filed in the Southern District of New York. Following his extradition on Tuesday, Khan faces charges of attempting to provide material support and resources to Daesh — a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO) — and attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance later today. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “The foreign terrorist organization Daesh remains a clear and present danger to…
According to The News, Pakistan’s debt servicing is projected to consume a significant 46.7% of the federal budget in the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26, amounting to an astonishing Rs8.2066 trillion out of a total budget of Rs17.573 trillion. This allocation represents the largest proportion of the government’s current expenditures dedicated to interest and loan repayments. While this allocation marks an 8.26% decrease – Rs739 billion less – from the revised spending of Rs8.945 trillion in the current fiscal year, the sheer scale of the debt servicing further tightens the fiscal noose, significantly squeezing funds available for essential services such as…
A heartbreaking incident in Rahim Yar Khan, involving the suspicious death of 13-year-old domestic helper Samia, has once again brought to the forefront grave concerns regarding the safety and well-being of household staff. Police have arrested a couple, suspected of being responsible for the alleged torture that led to the young girl’s death in the city’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area. According to District Police Officer Irfan Samo, the victim, a resident of Kotla Pathan, had been employed as a domestic helper at the residence of a man named Shahram for three years. Disturbing details have emerged, with authorities indicating that Samia succumbed…
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has issued a stark warning, asserting that a nuclear conflict between Pakistan and India is a “reality” if New Delhi proceeds with its threats to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). He labeled such actions as “water terrorism” and an act of war, demanding their immediate retraction. Zardari was referring to India’s unilateral suspension of the IWT following the militant attack on April 22 in the Pahalgam area of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Speaking at a press conference at the Pakistan High Commission at the conclusion of his…
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has previously endured budget cuts, but the effects of President Donald Trump’s policies have been even more “devastating” for reproductive health globally, chief Natalia Kanem told AFP. The agency has been a target for US conservatives since the enactment of the Kemp-Kasten Amendment by Congress in 1985, when the administration of then-President Ronald Reagan opposed China’s population policies, accusing Beijing of promoting forced abortions and sterilizations. All subsequent Republican presidencies have reduced US funding to UNFPA, and the second Trump administration is no exception. “We’ve had over $330 million worth of projects ended,” virtually…
Iran announced that a new round of nuclear talks with the United States is slated for Sunday, following Washington’s submission of a proposal for a deal amidst an ongoing standoff over uranium enrichment. The long-standing adversaries have conducted five rounds of discussions since April, marking the highest level of contact since President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the 2015 nuclear accord during his first term. “The next round of Iran-US indirect talks is being planned for next Sunday in Muscat,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated on Tuesday. Trump had previously indicated the meeting with Iran was expected on…
The United States and China convened for a second day of discussions in London on Tuesday, with Washington signalling optimism that the two global powers might resolve their contentious trade dispute impacting the world economy. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick informed Bloomberg Television that the talks were “going well,” anticipating that Tuesday’s negotiations would extend “all day.” Global stock markets remained subdued on Tuesday as investors awaited the outcome of the discussions, which aim to solidify a fragile truce in the trade conflict. As talks continued, “the lack of positive headlines weighed on stocks and the dollar,” noted Kathleen Brooks,…
