Faraz Saeed

The Islamabad Talks were a breakthrough, but diplomacy takes time. US and Iran delegations were brought to the table, the ceasefire holds, and the process of building a durable peace through dialogue continues. Here is where the process stands and what comes next.

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Islamabad Talks process continues — Here's how

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, on Sunday underscored that the two critical long-term challenges facing Pakistan were population growth and climate change.&nbsp; While participating in a high-level panel discussion at Harvard University, the finance minister emphasized that sustained economic progress would not be possible without addressing rapid population growth, while also highlighting Pakistan&rsquo;s increasing vulnerability to climate-related shocks and the need for greater focus on resilience and adaptation. According to a statement issued on the Ministry of Finance&rsquo;s X account, the finance minister acknowledged that further work was required in areas such as regulatory reform and ease of doing business, noting that these remain key priorities for improving the investment climate. The minister reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s commitment to structural reforms, including taxation, which has shown progress but remained below desired levels. He highlighted the ongoing transformation efforts within the Federal Board of Revenue, further emphasizing the need to move away from a model of perpetual subsidies for industry, advocating instead for competitiveness and export-led growth.&nbsp; The minister also highlighted the trade liberalization measures, including tariff rationalization, aimed at encouraging efficiency and integration into global markets. According to the finance minister, Pakistan&rsquo;s solar generation had reached approximately 8,000 megawatts. He underscored the government&rsquo;s ambition to significantly increase the share of renewables in the energy mix over the coming decade. The session was moderated by former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Dr Reza Baqir, and included&nbsp; &nbsp;The session was moderated by Dr. Reza Baqir, former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, and included panelists such as Princeton University Professor Atif Mian and Nobel Laureate and of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Professor Daron Acemoglu.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Climate & Environment

While participating in a high-level panel discussion at Harvard University, finance minister emphasizes sustained economic progress will not be possible without addressing rapid population growth, while also highlighting Pakistan’s increasing vulnerability to climate-related shocks and the need for greater focus on resilience and adaptation.

Finance Minister Aurangzeb highlights population, climate as key future challenges

BUDAPEST: Viktor Orban, who has ruled Hungary for 16 years as a self-described &quot;thorn&quot; in the EU&#39;s side and a defender of &quot;illiberal democracy,&quot; on Sunday conceded defeat to conservative Peter Magyar, who won a thumping majority in parliamentary elections. Orban&#39;s defeat, in a vote that saw a record turnout, dealt a heavy blow to nationalists. It also deprives Russian President Vladimir Putin of his most sympathetic ear inside the European Union. Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters of Magyar&#39;s Tisza party cheered the results outside the party&#39;s election headquarters on the banks of the Danube in Budapest, waving Hungarian flags and dancing, as car horns sounded in the capital. &quot;I feel fantastic!&quot; Zoltan Sziromi, a 20-year-old student, celebrating in the crowd, told AFP. &quot;We&#39;ve finally got rid of that system, and it was about time.&quot; Magyar, who arrived waving the Hungarian flag, told the cheering crowd that voters had &quot;liberated Hungary,&quot; calling his party&#39;s win a &quot;miracle&quot; in the central European country of 9.5 million people. &quot;Today, the Hungarian people have said &#39;yes&#39; to Europe,&quot; the 45-year-old former government insider and political newcomer told supporters. He promised to &quot;restore the system of checks and balances..., guarantee the democratic functioning of our country&quot; and put Hungary &quot;back on track.&quot; Acknowledging it was an &quot;enormous&quot; task, he called for unity, saying the victory belonging to &quot;all Hungarians.&quot; &#39;Unambiguous&#39;&nbsp;With 98.15% of precincts counted, Tisza secured a two-thirds majority with 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament on 53.6% of the vote, according to official election results. Orban&#39;s Fidesz took 55 seats on 37.9% of the vote. Earlier Sunday, Orban, 62, conceded defeat. &quot;The election results, though not yet final, are clear and understandable; for us, they are painful but unambiguous,&quot; Orban, 62, told reporters. &quot;We have not been entrusted with the responsibility and opportunity to govern. I congratulated the winning party,&quot; he said. Turnout in the election reached a record 79.50%, according to the near-complete vote count. Orban, who was seeking a fifth straight term, has transformed his country into a model of &quot;illiberal democracy,&quot; clashing with Brussels over rule-of-law issues, as well as over support for war-torn Ukraine. Magyar burst onto the scene just two years ago, promising to fight corruption and offering better public services. He drew support against a backdrop of economic stagnation, and despite an electoral system skewed in favor of Orban&#39;s Fidesz party. Congratulations for Magyar poured in from around Europe, with France and Germany urging him to work together for a &quot;strong Europe.&quot; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged to work with Magyar &quot;for the benefit of both nations, as well as peace, security, and stability in Europe.&quot; &quot;Hungary has chosen Europe,&quot; head of the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen, posted on X. Ahead of the vote, both Orban&#39;s and Magyar&#39;s camps had alleged foreign interference during the campaign. &#39;Defeat for authoritarianism&#39;&nbsp;Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, said Oran&#39;s defeat was a major blow to those who have looked to Viktor Orban&#39;s corrupt model as a blueprint. &quot;This is a resounding defeat for authoritarianism that echoes far beyond Hungary&#39;s borders,&quot; Tanden added. Orban had focused on making Ukraine the central topic of his campaign, portraying the neighboring country, which is fighting off a Russian invasion, as &quot;hostile&quot; to Hungary. He had also vowed to continue his crackdown against &quot;fake civil society organizations, bought journalists, judges (and) politicians.&quot; Fidesz supporters gathered for the results-watching event in Budapest were stunned. &quot;I am a Fidesz supporter with all my heart,&quot; Juliana Varga Szabo, a 58-year-old teacher, told AFP, tears in her eyes, saying that perhaps she had been living in a &quot;bubble.&quot; &quot;Now that bubble is burst. I won&#39;t change my values. We&#39;ll just have to see what the future brings,&quot; she added.

Europe

Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters of Magyar's Tisza party cheer results outside the party's election headquarters on the banks of the Danube in Budapest, waving Hungarian flags and dancing, as car horns sounded in the capital.



Orban loses Hungary vote to pro-Europe newcomer after 16 years in power

Web Desk/AFP

This live blog follows updates for Day 44 of the US-Israeli war on Iran. For a recap of Day 43, go here.<hr style="line-height: 2;"><ul style="list-style-type: square;"><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">US-Iran talks in Islamabad conclude after extensive discussions on multiple critical issues</li><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">President Trump orders naval blockade of Iranian ports, heightening tensions in the Strait of Hormuz</li><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Iranian officials insist diplomacy continues, stressing negotiations require serious good faith and respect for rights</li><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Oil prices surge above $100, reflecting market reaction to Middle East hostilities and strategic uncertainty</li><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Iran emphasizes restoring refining and distribution facilities to 70-80% of prior capacity within two months.</li></ul><hr style="line-height: 2;"> Trump says doesn&rsquo;t care if Iran comes back to talksPublished: April 12, 2026 | 02:28GMT | By AFP President Donald Trump said he does not care if Iran comes back to negotiations with the United States after talks in Pakistan concluded. &quot;I don&#39;t care if they come back or not. If they don&#39;t come back, I&#39;m fine,&quot; Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, upon his return from Florida. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> US oil benchmark jumps 8%, surpasses $100 after US-Iran talks in IslamabadPublished: April 12, 2026 | 23:28GMT | By AFP The US oil benchmark rebounded above $100 a barrel after peace talks between the United States and Iran concluded, and with US President Donald Trump ordering a blockade of Iranian ports. Shortly after trading began, a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May delivery rose around 8% to $104.50, while June delivery of international benchmark Brent rose 7% to $102. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Iran says was &#39;inches away&#39; from deal with US in IslamabadPublished: April 12, 2026 | 22:35GMT | By AFP Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran had been just &quot;inches away&quot; from a deal with Washington during weekend talks with the United States in Islamabad. &quot;Iran engaged with US in good faith to end war,&quot; he said in a post on X. But when &quot;just inches away&quot; from an agreement in Islamabad, &quot;we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade,&quot; he added. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> US military says to begin blockade of all Iran ports at 1400 GMT MondayPublished: April 12, 2026 | 21:35GMT | By AFP The US military announced it will begin blockading all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 1400 GMT, and will allow ships not coming or going to Iran to pass through the critical Strait of Hormuz. &quot;The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,&quot; US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X on Sunday. &quot;CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports,&quot; it added, appearing to walk back President Donald Trump&#39;s earlier post in which he said &quot;any and all Ships&quot; would be blocked. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Iran navy chief calls Trump threat to block Hormuz strait &#39;ridiculous&#39;: state TVPublished: April 12, 2026 | 21:23GMT | By AFP Iran&#39;s navy chief Shahram Irani on Sunday called US President Donald Trump&#39;s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz &quot;ridiculous,&quot; after marathon talks between Tehran and Washington in Pakistan could not deliver a deal to end the Middle East war. &quot;The brave men of the naval force of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran are monitoring and supervising all the movements of the aggressive American army in the region. The threats of the US president to blockade Iran at sea ... are very ridiculous and funny,&quot; he said, according to state TV.

Americas

Middle East

US military announces it will begin blockading all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 1400 GMT, and will allow ships not coming or going to Iran to pass through the critical Strait of Hormuz; Iran's navy chief Shahram Irani calls US president's threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz "ridiculous."

Iran inches away from deal with US as oil surges above $100 after Islamabad talks

Romesa Umar

&nbsp;Romesa Umar from Pakistan TV Digital sits down with Pakistani footballer Nadia Khan behind the scenes of Pakistan&#39;s historic women&#39;s FIFA debut in the Ivory Coast. Nadia talks about her love for the game, the footballers who inspire her, what sets her apart on the pitch, and what she is working toward in the year ahead.

Nadia talks about her love for the game, the footballers who inspire her, what sets her apart on the pitch, and what she is working toward in the year ahead.

Neymar and a dream: Meet Pakistan’s Nadia Khan post-historic FIFA debut

For 65 years, Rafiq Sweets has stood deep inside old Lahore, crafting its signature Khoye-wali Barfi from pure milk and desi ghee slow-cooked, unchanged, and unmistakable.

For 65 years, Rafiq Sweets has stood deep inside old Lahore, crafting its signature Khoye-wali Barfi from pure milk and desi ghee slow-cooked, unchanged, and unmistakable.


Rafiq Sweets and the timeless Barfi of old Lahore

MUMBAI: Legendary Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle, whose voice defined Bollywood music through the 1970s and 80s, died Sunday in Mumbai aged 92, her family said. Two-time Grammy nominee Bhosle breathed her last at the Breach Candy hospital, where she was admitted with complaints of &quot;extreme exhaustion&quot; and chest infection. &quot;My mother passed away today (Sunday). Her last rites will be held tomorrow at Shivaji Park in Mumbai,&quot; her son Anand Bhosle told reporters. Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs in multiple Indian languages over a seven‑decade career. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was &quot;deeply saddened&quot; by her death. &quot;Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world,&quot; he said in a post on X. &quot;She will continue to inspire generations, and her songs will forever echo in people&#39;s lives.&quot; Born on September 8, 1933, to a musical family, Bhosle began singing as a child alongside her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, after their father&#39;s death. Often compared to Mangeshkar &mdash; revered as &quot;India&#39;s nightingale&quot; who died in 2022 &mdash; Bhosle forged her own path, embracing genres from pop to folk. Her early life was marked by struggle, including a turbulent marriage at 16. She went on to become one of Indian cinema&#39;s most versatile and celebrated voices, receiving the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001 and earning two Grammy nominations. Bhosle continued collaborating with global artists well into her later years, including a recent feature on British virtual band Gorillaz&#39;s album The Mountain (&quot;Parvat&quot;). Beyond music, she nurtured her passion for food, launching her &quot;Asha&#39;s&quot; restaurant chain in Dubai and Britain.

India

Two-time Grammy nominee Bhosle breathed her last at the Breach Candy hospital, where she was admitted with complaints of "extreme exhaustion" and chest infection.



Legendary Indian singer Asha Bhosle dies aged 92

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar briefed regional counterparts on the outcome of high-stakes Iran&ndash;US negotiations in Islamabad, the Foreign Office said late Sunday, urging all parties to uphold a fragile ceasefire following 21 hours of intensive talks between Washington and Tehran. The negotiations, brokered through Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic engagement, come after weeks of conflict that disrupted global energy flows, pushed oil prices higher and unsettled financial markets, before a two-week truce created space for dialogue. While the United States said it had presented a &ldquo;final and best offer,&rdquo; Iran maintained that progress depends on &ldquo;seriousness and good faith&rdquo; and respect for its rights and interests. Speaking with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Dar shared updates on the Islamabad Talks and stressed that &ldquo;it is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to ceasefire.&rdquo; He reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s role in facilitating dialogue and supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving lasting regional stability. In separate calls with Egypt and T&uuml;rkiye, Dar reiterated the importance of sustained engagement, with the Foreign Office noting that he emphasised continued diplomacy as essential for peace. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan commended Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts, according to statement, with both sides reaffirming support for dialogue and de-escalation. The outreach comes as both Washington and Tehran signal continued engagement following the initial round of talks. US Vice President JD Vance said no agreement had been reached after extended discussions, while Iran&rsquo;s foreign ministry said the two sides had reached &ldquo;an understanding on a number of issues&rdquo; despite &ldquo;differences of opinion on 2-3 important&rdquo; matters. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said &ldquo;no one&rdquo; had expected an agreement in a single round, emphasising that &ldquo;diplomacy never ends&rdquo; and that contacts with Pakistan and regional partners would continue, underscoring a shared willingness to keep the process moving forward.

Foreign Affairs

Security

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar briefs counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt following high-stakes US-Iran talks in Islamabad, urging ceasefire adherence, continued diplomacy, and sustained engagement to build on a fragile truce and support regional peace efforts

Pakistan briefs allies on Islamabad Talks, urges ceasefire adherence

LONDON: The Irish government was on Sunday due to hold an emergency cabinet meeting to sign off on measures aimed at ending fuel cost protests that have endangered the functioning of the country&#39;s emergency services. Hauliers and agricultural contractors began a series of &nbsp;protests on Tuesday over spiralling petrol and diesel prices amid the Middle East war. Since then the protests have grown from slow-moving convoys on motorways and restricted access to Dublin&#39;s busiest streets, to a part blockade of Ireland&#39;s only oil refinery and restricted access to at least two other fuel depots. Finance Minister Simon Harris said later on Saturday ministers had held meetings with transport and agriculture sector representatives ahead of Sunday&#39;s meeting. The government was in the process of &quot;finalising a significant support package to address the ongoing crisis&quot;, a government statement added. Some protests rolled into a sixth day on Sunday. The government has urged the public not to panic buy as pumps at many fuel stations have run dry. Police on Saturday with the support of the armed forces deployed public order units to clear the blockade at Whitegate Refinery in southern Ireland. Irish police chief Justin Kelly said the action was taken as a last resort. The blockading of &quot;critical national infrastructure&quot; had &quot;resulted in fuel shortages that are directly impacting on emergency services such as hospitals, the ambulance service, and the fire service&quot;, he said. Elsewhere, police dismantled a makeshift barrier erected by protesters blockading western Galway docks. A late-night operation also targeted the blockade of the capital Dublin&#39;s main thoroughfare O&#39;Connell Street after multiple vehicles including tractors and lorries were removed. Justice Minister Jim O&#39;Callaghan said earlier the continuation of the protests despite the increasingly difficult situation had been &quot;unacceptable&quot;. &quot;While we all acknowledge the impact of higher fuel prices, and seek to minimise that impact, no groups are entitled in our republic to hold our people to ransom in such a manner,&quot; he said. In March, Dublin announced a 250 million-euro package to reduce fuel costs, notably including a diesel rebate for road haulier There were now the &quot;bones of an agreement&quot; with the government, the president Ger Hyland of the Irish Road Haulage Association said on Saturday. &quot;It is a substantial package and we hope to have this over the line either late tonight or tomorrow,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

The Irish government was on Sunday due to hold an emergency cabinet meeting to sign off on measures aimed at ending fuel cost protests that have endangered the functioning of the country's emergency services

Irish ministers to hold emergency meet over fuel cost protests

PORT-AU-PRINCE: A stampede at historical fortress in Haiti has killed at least 30 people, a government minister told AFP on Sunday, with the crush reportedly involving several young visitors. &quot;The Minister of Culture and Communication has confirmed the deaths of 30 people at the Citadelle Henri on Saturday, April 11, 2026,&quot; culture minister Emmanuel Menard told AFP in a written message. &quot;The injured are currently receiving the necessary medical care, and a rescue team is searching for any missing persons,&quot; Menard said, without giving an exact figure of those injured. Citadelle Henri, also known as Citadelle Laferriere, is a 19th-century fortress and popular tourist spot. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was closed to visitors &quot;until further notice,&quot; Menard said. Haiti&#39;s prime minister&#39;s office expressed &quot;deep sadness&quot; in a government statement posted on Facebook, adding that the crush occurred during &quot;a tourist activity bringing together many young people.&quot; Jean Henry Petit, head of the civil protection office in Northern Haiti, told local newspaper Le Nouvelliste that the toll could rise due to the large number of people reported missing. Several dozen people were also injured and taken to hospital, the outlet reported. Initial reports said visitors, mostly young people, were crammed against a single entrance and a scuffle broke out between those trying to leave and enter the site. Other local media reports said the gathering took place after being advertised on TikTok. AFP was not able to immediately confirm the reports. The government urged citizens to &quot;be calm and cautious&quot; while it investigates. &quot;All competent authorities are fully mobilized and placed on maximum alert to provide, without delay, the necessary assistance, care and support,&quot; it added in its statement.

A view of Citadelle Laferrière, a 200-year-old fortress built by King Henri-Christophe of Haiti, near Cap-Haïtien. (UN Media)

Haitian authorities say dozens died in a stampede at the historic Citadelle Henri, with many young visitors involved, as rescue teams search for missing and treat injured.

Islamabad Talks process continues — Here's how

Latest News

Finance Minister Aurangzeb highlights population, climate as key future challenges

Orban loses Hungary vote to pro-Europe newcomer after 16 years in power

Iran inches away from deal with US as oil surges above $100 after Islamabad talks

Neymar and a dream: Meet Pakistan’s Nadia Khan post-historic FIFA debut

Islamabad Talks process continues — Here's how