The Thursday Times’ Pakistani news section dives into the pulse of Pakistani politics, offering sharp analysis and timely updates on the decisions and debates shaping the nation’s future, from the corridors of power to grassroots movements.
Pakistan’s major ports are seeing a sharp rise in container and transshipment activity as Gulf disruption redirects cargo towards Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar.
ایرانی وزیرِ خارجہ عباس عراقچی کی اسلام آباد میں وزیرِ اعظم شہباز شریف، اسحاق ڈار اور فیلڈ مارشل عاصم منیر سے اہم ملاقات۔عراقچی نے کہا کہ پاکستان ایران کی خارجہ پالیسی میں خاص اہمیت رکھتا ہے،مذاکرات میں جنگ بندی، علاقائی امن اور پاک ایران تعاون پر تبادلہ خیال کیا گیا۔
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, describing Pakistan as holding a significant place in Tehran’s foreign policy outlook while briefing Pakistan’s leadership on ceasefire developments, regional stability and bilateral cooperation.
A senior adviser to President Trump used a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum to publicly praise Pakistan’s role in mediation, regional stability and ongoing peace efforts.
Pakistan has condemned the entry of Israeli settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the raising of Israeli flags inside its courtyard, calling the act a violation of international law and warning that such provocations could further inflame regional tensions.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty have stressed the importance of dialogue and continued engagement in a high-level call on regional tensions, as Islamabad expands consultations with key Arab powers.
China has renewed its backing for Pakistan’s diplomatic role in facilitating engagement between Washington and Tehran, with Ambassador Jiang Zaidong conveying Beijing’s “full support” during a meeting with Ishaq Dar as the next phase of talks approaches a decisive moment.
Pakistan’s foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, told the American chargé d’affaires in Islamabad that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only workable path to regional stability, urging Washington and Tehran to consider extending the ceasefire and give negotiations more time.
Pakistan said late Tuesday that it is still awaiting formal confirmation from Iran on whether Tehran will attend the proposed Islamabad peace talks, as the ceasefire nears expiry and Islamabad intensifies last-minute diplomacy to keep negotiations alive.
Sohail Afridi, the Chief Minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has claimed that Imran Khan first proposed the peace talks now unfolding in Pakistan as far back as 2002, adding a new burst of controversy to the country’s already charged political landscape.
Trump says his representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are travelling to Pakistan for peace negotiations with Iran in Islamabad, after issuing a sharp warning to Tehran, placing Pakistan at the centre of a fast-moving diplomatic showdown.
Pakistan’s capital region moved into an unusual state of alert after hotels were reportedly cleared, transport was suspended in Rawalpindi and security tightened across key routes, sharpening speculation that Islamabad could soon host another major diplomatic push tied to the US-Iran crisis.
After the Islamabad Talks, Pakistan reportedly launched a major air operation to escort Iran’s negotiators home amidst an Israeli terror threat, reflecting both the danger hanging over the diplomatic track and Islamabad’s increasingly central role in trying to keep dialogue alive.