Pakistan

Pakistan and the United States made significant progress in negotiations on a proposed reciprocal trade agreement during two-day talks in Washington DC. The discussions addressed tariff-related concerns and broader economic cooperation areas such as energy, information technology, and investment.

India's decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance is criticized as legally invalid, as the treaty lacks a suspension clause and relies on disputed facts. The article highlights India's unproven allegations against Pakistan regarding the Pahalgam terrorist attack and cross-border terrorism, which Pakistan denies. It argues that such disputes fall outside the IWT's scope and should be addressed through other international forums.

Pakistan has established a National Population Council to address high population growth and improve human development. The council aims to learn from countries like Bangladesh and India, which reduced fertility rates through education, women's empowerment, and family planning. The article highlights Pakistan's lagging human development indicators and the need for urgent investment in healthcare and education.

The article discusses the shift in population policy focus from numerical targets to empowering young people's choices in education, employment, and family planning. It highlights challenges in Pakistan, where barriers like poverty, unequal opportunities, and inadequate healthcare limit young people's aspirations and hinder demographic progress.

China and India conducted separate spying campaigns against the same Pakistani police force between February 2024 and April 2026. The campaigns targeted the police force responsible for Pakistan's southwestern province, an area with a long-running separatist insurgency.

Regional mediators including Qatar and Pakistan are working to de-escalate U.S.-Iran tensions over a nuclear deal amid reports of Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel shared intelligence with the U.S. about a potential plot to kill President Trump, while Ukraine intensified attacks near Crimea, and Russia's Putin rejected peace negotiations as Russian strikes killed hundreds of civilians in June.

Aimen Moten moved from Pakistan to the US for a computer science degree and secured a software engineering role at Google through strategic internship applications and networking. She now focuses on reviewing AI-generated code and believes AI's impact on her work does not threaten her job.

The World Bank has approved $375.9 million to strengthen Pakistan's power transmission network through the Grid Stability Enhancement Project under the BEST-PAK program. The initiative aims to modernize the grid, reduce outages, integrate renewable energy, and align with Pakistan's 2030 renewable energy goals.

Pakistan and Bangladesh agreed to enhance cooperation in combating cybercrime and online fraud during a meeting between their interior ministers in New York. The ministers also discussed expanding police training programs and addressed regional security issues, including the US-Iran conflict and the Middle East situation.

Pakistan's diplomatic role in de-escalating US-Iran tensions has boosted its international standing, prompting calls for a strategic lawfare approach to address the Kashmir issue. The article advocates using international legal mechanisms, such as the UN Charter's Article 96, to shift global perceptions and pressure India over Kashmir's unresolved status.

Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to fulfilling obligations under the EU's GSP+ framework and advancing human rights during a meeting with a European Union delegation. The discussion highlighted legal reforms, progress on human rights initiatives like the National Commission for Minorities and the Protection of Journalists Act, and counterterrorism measures aligned with constitutional law.

Regional mediators including Qatar and Pakistan are working to de-escalate U.S.-Iran tensions and revive a nuclear deal after recent airstrikes and violations of a memorandum of understanding. President Trump declared the MOU 'over' following Iranian attacks on vessels, but U.S. officials emphasize continued commitment to technical-level negotiations to avoid all-out war.

President Donald Trump claims the ceasefire with Iran is over and approves new military strikes targeting Iran's ability to threaten navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Mediators, including officials from Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, are working to salvage the interim deal amid rising tensions.

President Trump claims the ceasefire with Iran is over and approves new military strikes, while mediators work to salvage the agreement. Regional leaders including Pakistan, Qatar, and Egypt are involved in efforts to prevent escalation over tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear program discussions.

The U.S. conducted strikes on Iranian military and infrastructure targets following missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping and Gulf targets, aiming to deter Iranian aggression and assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is expected to continue periodic harassment of shipping to maintain regional influence but is unlikely to attempt closing the Strait outright unless the U.S. reinstates a blockade.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to continue operations against militants following a series of attacks in Balochistan that killed 42 people. During a visit to the region, Sharif emphasized the government's commitment to intensifying its crackdown on militant groups.

Families of the crew aboard a crashed Pakistani cargo plane, including co-pilot Faisal Jatoi, await news as rescuers search the Arabian Sea for survivors. The K2 Airways Boeing 737 freighter crashed during a flight from Sharjah to Karachi, with wreckage located in a deep-sea operation.

Pakistan urges the US and Iran to honor their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) amid renewed conflict, as attacks raise concerns about a broader regional conflict.

Pakistani rescuers discovered the wreckage of a lost cargo plane that may have crashed into the sea southwest of Karachi. The plane experienced a series of sharp altitude changes before a steep final descent.

President Trump claims the ceasefire with Iran is over and approves new military strikes targeting Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Mediation efforts by Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia aim to salvage the interim deal amid rising tensions and conflicting accusations between the U.S. and Iran over compliance with the agreement.

Trump claimed 11 planes were shot down during the India-Pakistan conflict and suggested it could have become nuclear. India denied any third-party involvement in the hostilities.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) maintained Pakistan's economic growth forecast at 3.7% for the current fiscal year but lowered its 2026 growth projection for developing Asia and the Pacific to 4.9% due to prolonged energy market disruptions from the Middle East conflict. The ADB also raised its 2026 inflation forecast for the region to 4.3% and highlighted risks from geopolitical tensions and global financial conditions.

Pakistan and Croatia discussed potential collaboration between their ports during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman. The two sides agreed to strengthen ties in trade, investment, agriculture, and other sectors, with plans for bilateral political consultations in 2026 or early 2027.

Pakistan is urgently seeking an LNG cargo as attacks near Hormuz have disrupted supply. The disruption highlights vulnerabilities in energy supply chains due to regional security threats.

Pakistan and Russia agreed to develop a joint strategy against Afghan-based terrorist networks during talks between their interior ministers at the UN Chiefs of Police Summit. They discussed enhancing cooperation in counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, cybercrime, and law-enforcement training, including signing a memorandum of understanding to institutionalize bilateral efforts. Pakistan's interior minister also emphasized the need for collective action against terrorism and discussed security cooperation with China.

Regional states like Pakistan and Türkiye are positioning to benefit from new economic opportunities as US-Iran negotiations progress. Pakistan aims to leverage macroeconomic stability and reforms to achieve investment-led growth while avoiding a rentier-state model. Regional partnerships with Iran, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia are highlighted as immediate economic opportunities.

Pakistan and the United States are holding trade negotiations in Washington to address US tariffs on Pakistani exports and finalize a bilateral trade agreement. Pakistan secured a reduction of tariffs from 29% to 19% in prior talks, but a US Supreme Court ruling invalidated the IEEPA-based tariffs, leading to a temporary 10% global tariff set to expire in July. Pakistan also faces a proposed 10% additional tariff under Section 301 investigations.

A report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the International Federation for Human Rights highlights systemic corruption in Pakistan's justice system, including favoritism, nepotism, and state capture of the judiciary. The report criticizes the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments for undermining judicial independence and calls for reforms to address corruption risks.

Chandigarh Police conducted raids in border districts, leading to the arrest of three individuals linked to a Pakistan-connected narco terror network. The main conspirator was formally arrested, and members were allegedly involved in a cashier's killing.

The US launched a second night of strikes against Iran, with reports of refueling planes returning to the region. Iran threatened to close the Hormuz Strait, Pakistan urged restraint, and a PM noted that Hegseth canceling a visit to Israel 'could mean something.'

President Donald Trump states the ceasefire with Iran is over and approves new military strikes, creating uncertainty about the conflict's future. Mediators including Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are working to salvage an interim deal amid tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear program discussions.

President Trump claims the ceasefire with Iran is over and approves new military strikes targeting Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Mediators including Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are working to salvage the interim deal amid rising tensions over nuclear program negotiations and attacks on oil/gas ships.

President Donald Trump claims the ceasefire with Iran is over, approves new military strikes, and expresses uncertainty about pursuing a deal. Mediators including Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are working to salvage the interim agreement amid rising tensions over attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear program discussions.

President Donald Trump states the ceasefire with Iran is over and expresses uncertainty about pursuing a deal, while the U.S. conducts new military strikes targeting Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Mediators including Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are working to salvage the interim agreement as tensions escalate.

Pakistan urged all parties to uphold commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. This came after U.S. President Donald Trump stated the interim deal with Iran was 'over'.

Pakistan urged the US and Iran to exercise restraint after mutual overnight strikes in the Middle East, citing risks to regional stability. The Foreign Office emphasized the need for dialogue and adherence to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), while tensions escalated following Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and subsequent US retaliation.

Chinese government officials are promoting open-source AI models at the United Nations’ AI for Good summit, contrasting them with restrictive and expensive U.S. models. They argue these tools benefit lower-income countries and are working with allies like Russia, Pakistan, Zambia, and the Maldives to shape global AI governance.

A Boeing 737 went missing after departing the Middle East on Tuesday, prompting ongoing search and rescue operations. The aircraft vanished over Pakistan, and its final audio has been released.

Civilian and navy searchers in Pakistan located wreckage of a K2 Airways cargo plane that disappeared near Karachi after reporting a navigational issue. Five crew members remain missing as the search continues.

Pakistan’s navy has recovered wreckage of a missing cargo plane, but the search for 5 crew members continues, according to officials.