Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Poland&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski has called on the Taliban government to fulfill its commitments to protect women&rsquo;s rights and ensure access to education for Afghan girls, describing the current restrictions as a &ldquo;tragic circumstance.&rdquo;&nbsp;Afghan women&rsquo;s rights must be respectedIn an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV&rsquo;s The News Room, Sikorski reflected on Afghanistan&rsquo;s turbulent history and the courage of Afghan women who served as journalists, police officers, and pilots.&nbsp;&ldquo;To now take people back to their houses and deny them education is almost as if all prospects of having a normal job is worse than not having it in the first place,&rdquo; he said, urging the Taliban to honor the promises made during peace negotiations that women&rsquo;s rights would not be degraded.&nbsp;Borders and global stabilityDiscussing global conflicts, the Polish Deputy Prime Minister compared the war in Ukraine to other regional disputes, stressing that redrawing borders fuels instability.&nbsp;&ldquo;Every border in Europe is artificial &mdash; a result of historical accidents. We must learn to live with the borders we have,&rdquo; he noted, warning that &ldquo;fighting over borders is a recipe for war of all against all.&rdquo;&nbsp;Welcoming Pakistan TV and promoting verified newsSikorski also welcomed the launch of Pakistan TV, calling it a positive step toward strengthening independent and credible journalism in the region. He drew a parallel with Poland&rsquo;s own initiative, TVP World, which he said aims to promote verified information and build trust in reliable news sources.&nbsp;&ldquo;Our duty is to broadcast information that has been verified because there&rsquo;s plenty of fake news,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;In times of crisis, people start paying attention, and we must build trust in sources that check facts.&rdquo;&nbsp;Pakistan-Poland relations and call for peaceReaffirming strong Pakistan-Poland relations, Sikorski expressed hope for expanded cooperation in diplomacy, education, and media.&nbsp;Referring to former US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s remarks on seeking peace in Ukraine, he added: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve publicly declared that, like my Pakistani colleague, I will nominate him for the peace prize if he brings a fair peace to Ukraine.&rdquo;

The Newsroom

In an interview with Pakistan TV’s The Newsroom, Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski urged the Taliban to uphold Afghan girls’ right to education, terming current restrictions “tragic.” He welcomed the launch of Pakistan TV, emphasized the importance of verified journalism, underscored the need for global stability, and reaffirmed Poland’s strong relations with Pakistan.

Polish deputy PM urges Taliban to uphold promises on girls’ education, welcomes launch of Pakistan TV

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was immediately ending all trade talks with Canada, accusing it of misquoting former president Ronald Reagan in an advertising campaign against tariffs. &ldquo;Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,&rdquo;&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said on his Truth Social network. &ldquo;The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><iframe src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115426967566430347/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">&nbsp;</iframe></div>The latest extraordinary twist in relations between the North American neighbors comes just over two weeks after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Trump in the White House to seek a relaxation of stiff US tariffs. The Ronald Reagan Foundation said on X that the government of the Canadian province of Ontario had used &ldquo;selectively audio and video&rdquo; from a radio address to the nation to the nation on trade by Reagan in April 1987. It said the ad &ldquo;misrepresents&rdquo; what the Republican former actor had said in his address, adding that it was &ldquo;reviewing its legal options in this matter.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1981524620265046408&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin&sessionId=1141a9813ad0ce793e60bfedfb742088948967ab&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 777px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Trump said the ad was designed to &ldquo;interfere with the decision of the US Supreme Court,&rdquo; which is due to rule on his sweeping global tariffs. &lsquo;World-class leader&rsquo;The sudden decision to end trade talks will come as a blow to Carney, whom Trump described as a &ldquo;world-class leader&rdquo; when they met on October 7, adding that the Canadian would be &ldquo;very happy&rdquo; with their discussion. At the time, however, Trump offered no immediate concessions on tariffs. Roughly 85% of cross-border trade in both directions remains tariff-free as the United States and&nbsp;Canada&nbsp;continue to adhere to an existing North American trade deal called the USMCA. But Trump&#39;s global sectoral tariffs -- particularly on steel, aluminium, and autos -- have hit Canada hard, forcing job losses and squeezing businesses.

Business

The latest extraordinary twist in relations between the North American neighbors comes just over two weeks after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Trump in the White House to seek a relaxation of stiff US tariffs.

All Canada trade talks ‘terminated’: Trump

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump embarks on a major trip to Asia this week with all eyes on a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that has huge implications for the global economy. Trump said Wednesday he was making a &quot;big trip&quot; to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, his first visit to the region since he returned to the White House in a blaze of tariffs and geopolitical brinkmanship. The highlight will be his talks with Xi in South Korea, which Trump&#39;s spokeswoman confirmed would take place on October 30 on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Trump had previously threatened to scrap the meeting amid a flare-up in the trade war between Washington and Beijing, but he said Wednesday he now hoped for a &quot;deal on everything.&quot; The host nations are meanwhile set to roll out the red carpet to ensure they stay on the right side of the unpredictable 79-year-old, and win the best deals they can on tariffs and security assistance. Malaysia and Japan&nbsp;Trump will leave Washington on Friday and arrive on Sunday in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit -- a meeting Trump skipped several times in his first term. He is set to ink a trade deal with Malaysia -- but more importantly to oversee the signing of a peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia, as he continues his quest for a Nobel Peace Prize. &quot;President Trump is keen to see the more positive results of the peace negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia,&quot; Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said. The US leader may also meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the summit to improve ties after months of bad blood, officials from both countries told AFP. Trump&#39;s next stop will be Tokyo on Monday and he will meet conservative Sanae Takaichi, named this week as Japan&#39;s first woman prime minister, on Tuesday. Japan has escaped the worst of the tariffs Trump slapped on countries around the world to end what he calls unfair trade balances that are &quot;ripping off the United States.&quot; Trump and Xi in South Korea&nbsp;The climax of the trip is expected to be South Korea, with Trump due to land in the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Trump will then meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, address an APEC lunch with business leaders and meet US tech bosses for dinner, the White House said, on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the city of Gyeongju. The next day Trump will meet Xi for the first time since his return to office. Global markets will be watching closely to see if the two men can halt the trade war between the world&#39;s two biggest economies, especially after a recent row over Beijing&#39;s rare earth curbs. Trump initially threatened to cancel the meeting and imposed fresh tariffs, before saying he would go ahead after all. He said on Wednesday that he hoped to make a deal with Xi on &quot;everything&quot; and also hoped the Chinese leader could have a &quot;big influence&quot; on getting Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war. Analysts warned not to expect any breakthroughs. &quot;The meeting will be a data point along an existing continuum rather than an inflection point in the relationship,&quot; said Ryan Hass, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution. South Korea, seeking its own trade deal, is reportedly considering the rare step of awarding Trump the Grand Order of Mugunghwa -- the country&#39;s highest decoration -- during his visit. North Korea will also be on the agenda. The country fired multiple ballistic missiles on Wednesday, just days before Trump was due to visit. South Korea has halted tours in parts of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, officials said Thursday, fueling speculation of a new meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump has said he hopes to meet Kim again following several meetings during the US president&#39;s first term, but there has been no confirmation of reports that the White House was looking at a new meeting this time.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and US President Donald Trump

Americas

China

Asia

US President Donald Trump begins an Asia trip to Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, highlighted by a high-stakes meeting with China’s Xi Jinping aimed at easing trade tensions and addressing global economic and security issues.

Trump’s Asia tour builds toward high-stakes meeting with Xi 

CAIRO: Delegations from Hamas and its longtime rival Fatah met in Cairo on Thursday to discuss the second phase of a US-backed Gaza ceasefire plan, an informed source told AFP. &quot;The meeting discussed the current situation and issues related to the second phase of the proposed ceasefire in Gaza,&quot; said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He added that both sides agreed to &quot;continue meetings in the coming period and to work on organizing the Palestinian internal front in the face of the challenges posed by the Israeli government.&quot; Egypt&#39;s state-linked Al-Qahera News reported that the talks covered &quot;the national scene in general and arrangements after ending the war in the Gaza Strip.&quot; Hamas and Fatah have a history of deep political rivalry, which flared into fighting for a time after a 2006 election, and which has hindered efforts at Palestinian national unity. Egypt, a long-time mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, hosted the meetings as part of a wider push to build consensus around the long-term ceasefire plan put forward by US President Donald Trump. Alongside the Hamas-Fatah talks, Egypt&#39;s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad met with senior officials from key Palestinian factions. They included Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, as well as the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine &mdash; both factions within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Al-Qahera News said the talks were part of Egyptian efforts to &quot;achieve national Palestinian consensus on the implementation of the US president&#39;s ceasefire plan in Gaza.&quot; The meetings come as top US diplomat Marco Rubio visited Israel on Thursday, the latest in a series of Washington officials aiming to solidify the fragile truce. Under Trump&#39;s 20-point peace plan, an international security force drawn from Arab and Muslim allies would stabilize Gaza as Israeli troops withdraw, while a transitional authority would take over the territory&#39;s administration from Hamas.

Middle East

Egypt's intelligence chief meets senior officials from key Palestinian factions; talks part of Egyptian efforts to "achieve national Palestinian consensus on the implementation of the US president's ceasefire plan in Gaza."

Hamas, Fatah hold talks in Cairo on next steps for Gaza truce

Simran Siraj

KARACHI: An original movement-based play from Pakistan, Tayraak, won the Best Script Award at the 6th Kish International Short Theater Festival in Iran, as the contemporary theater in the country continued to make waves internationally.&nbsp; The 6th Kish International Short Theater Festival, directed by Abbas Najari, was held from October 18 to 21. Hosted on Iran&rsquo;s scenic Kish Island, the festival focused on new forms of theater, such as caf&eacute;-theater, beach-theatre and experimental staging, with this year&rsquo;s themes including family and social vitality, the environment, peace and unity. Tayraak received an overwhelming response from audiences and jury members at the festival, which brings together young theater practitioners from across the world. One of the festivalgoers shared pictures from the movement piece in an Instagram post that read, &ldquo;Their performance was silent, [but] their hands spoke harshly to us.&rdquo;&nbsp; Directed by Karachi-based theater practitioner and movement coach Ashmal Lalwany, the play was written and performed by Suleman Roomi, Hashir Faraz, and Farhan Ahsan.&nbsp; In a post on his Instagram account, Lalwany announced the news of winning the Best Script Award and said that he was &ldquo;proud&rdquo; of his team.&nbsp; While speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Lalwany said that the absence of dialogue helped the piece transcend barriers.&nbsp; &ldquo;Because our play was purely based on movement and not language, we had the audience&rsquo;s full attention,&rdquo; he shared. &ldquo;Most of the other plays were in Persian, and the audience was very discerning. You could tell when they didn&rsquo;t like something. But with Tayraak, because there were no dialogues, they were entirely focused on the actors&rsquo; movement.&rdquo;&nbsp; He said that &ldquo;whenever they caught something meaningful, I could see people reacting, turning to each other and saying, &lsquo;Oh, this happened.&rsquo;&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;That was a beautiful feeling. You don&rsquo;t need language to put your art across; you just need emotion, feeling, and honesty,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The director credited his team for their dedication to the script and their ability to convey emotion through movement alone. &ldquo;We were always praised for our expression. Whatever praise we received after the performance was for the fact that there were no words, yet we delivered such an impactful story,&rdquo; he added. A play which unfolds entirely through movement, Tayraak delves into the themes of survival, growth, and the courage to break free from inherited fears.&nbsp; The piece follows three individuals navigating rigid family values, personal trauma, and suffocating expectations, portraying how pain can both hinder and inspire healing and self-discovery. The play was first developed as part of a movement class by the Arts Council Theatre Academy (ACTA) and draws on the performers&rsquo; real experiences with silence, resilience, and emotional inheritance. The award marks a significant moment for Pakistan&rsquo;s performing arts scene, highlighting the growing presence of young practitioners on international platforms.&nbsp;

Culture

Play receives overwhelming response audiences, jury members; director says absence of dialogue helped piece transcend barriers. 




Pakistani play ‘Tayraak’ wins best script at 6th Kish International Short Theatre Festival in Iran

JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Israel over annexing the West Bank in an interview published on Thursday, as visiting Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced confidence that a US-backed ceasefire in Gaza would hold. Trump&#39;s remarks were made to Time magazine by telephone on October 15 &mdash; just days after the Gaza truce plan he spearheaded took effect &mdash; but were only published on Thursday. &quot;It won&#39;t happen,&quot; Trump said when asked about calls in Israel to annex the Palestinian West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967. &quot;It won&#39;t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries.&quot; He added: &quot;Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.&quot; Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday advanced two bills paving the way for West Bank annexation, leading to condemnation Thursday from US Vice President JD Vance, who was in Israel at the time and who echoed Trump&#39;s comments. When asked on Thursday if he was concerned by the votes, Trump told reporters at the White House: &quot;Don&#39;t worry about the West Bank. Israel&#39;s not going to do anything with the West Bank.&quot; The United States remains Israel&#39;s most important military and diplomatic supporter. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s Likud party boycotted and criticized the vote, though members of his ruling coalition support annexation. Arab and Muslim countries, which the US has been courting to provide troops and money for a stabilization force in Gaza &mdash; a key element of Trump&#39;s ceasefire plan &mdash; have warned that annexation of the West Bank is a red line. In a joint statement carried by Saudi state media on Thursday, more than a dozen such states, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey, condemned the Israeli parliament&#39;s vote. Rubio, one of a string of top US officials to visit Israel in recent days, had warned before his arrival that the annexation moves were &quot;threatening&quot; to the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. But he expressed confidence in the truce after meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday. &quot;We feel confident and positive about the progress that&#39;s being made. We&#39;re clear-eyed about the challenges, too,&quot; said Rubio, just hours after Vance wrapped up his own three-day visit. &#39;Very stupid&#39;&nbsp;As he ended his trip, Vance hit out at the votes in Israel&#39;s parliament in favor of examining two annexation bills, which mean they will be brought forward for further readings. &quot;If it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult to it,&quot; Vance said. &quot;The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel, the policy of the Trump administration is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel, that will continue to be our policy.&quot; Netanyahu, standing next to Rubio after their meeting on Thursday, was quick to avoid any suggestion of tension with Washington, calling the secretary an &quot;extraordinary friend of Israel&quot; and saying that the back-to-back visits were part of a &quot;circle of trust and partnership.&quot; Violence has surged in the West Bank since the war began in Gaza with Hamas&#39;s October 7, 2023, attack. According to the Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry, Israeli troops and settlers have killed nearly 1,000 Palestinians, including Palestinian fighters and civilians, since October 2023. Over the same period, at least 43 Israelis, including members of the security forces, have died in Palestinian attacks or Israeli operations, official figures show. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank. &nbsp;&#39;Tough task&#39;&nbsp;The Gaza truce faced its toughest test on Sunday, when Israeli forces launched strikes in Gaza after two soldiers were killed. The strikes killed at least 45 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Gaza. Gaza&#39;s Nasser Hospital said that one person was killed in an Israeli drone strike on Thursday in the Khan Younis area. During his visit, Vance warned that disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza would be a &quot;very, very tough task.&quot; Under Trump&#39;s 20-point peace plan, an international security force drawn from Arab and Muslim allies would oversee Gaza&#39;s transition as Israeli troops withdraw. Delegations from Hamas and its rival Fatah, meanwhile, met in Egypt to discuss post-war arrangements for Gaza, Egypt&#39;s state-linked Al-Qahera News reported on Thursday. &#39;Not enough food&#39;&nbsp;In Gaza, civilians displaced by two years of war continued to struggle. &quot;We were afraid of dying during the war, and now we&#39;re afraid of living after it,&quot; said Maher Abu Wafah, 42. &quot;Our lives and our children&#39;s future are slipping away before our eyes. We just want a stable life.&quot; The World Health Organization said on Thursday there had been little improvement in the amount of aid going into Gaza since the ceasefire took hold &mdash; and no observable reduction in hunger. &quot;The situation still remains catastrophic because what&#39;s entering is not enough,&quot; WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters, lamenting that &quot;there is no dent in hunger because there is not enough food.&quot;

Rubio has warned that annexation moves were "threatening" Gaza ceasefire; Vance hits out at Israel's parliament in favor of examining two annexation bills, terms it "very stupid political stunt."

US pressures Israel on West Bank, Rubio voices confidence in Gaza truce

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Thursday highlighted the need to eradicate extremist ideologies and contorted interpretations of Islam.&nbsp; COAS Munir is currently on an official visit to Egypt aimed at enhancing military cooperation and defense collaboration between the two countries, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. According to ISPR, the Field Marshal called on Egyptian Minister of Defense and Defense Production General Abdul Maged Saqar and Chief of Staff of Egyptian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa Fatehi.&nbsp; It said that, during the meetings, &ldquo;matters of mutual interest, the regional security situation and bilateral defense cooperation&rdquo; were discussed.&nbsp; COAS Munir affirmed that Egypt is a &ldquo;brotherly country&rdquo; and cooperation between the two states would not only benefit the people of but would also &ldquo;contribute towards achieving peace and stability in the region,&rdquo; ISPR said. COAS Munir was warmly welcomed and presented with the Guard of Honour during the visit to the Ministry of Defense, the statement said.&nbsp; The Field Marshal also laid a floral wreath at a memorial of soldiers and the grave of the late Egyptian president, Mohamed Anwar Al Sadat. COAS Munir also met the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El Tayab, where the Imam shared his views on challenges faced by the muslim community, ISPR said. In response, the COAS highlighted the need to eradicate extremist ideologies and contorted interpretations of Islam, it added.

Security

COAS Munir meets Egyptian defense minister, Egyptian armed forces’ chief of staff; discussed “matters of mutual interest, the regional security situation and bilateral defense cooperation.” 

Pakistani army chief urges action against extremism, distorted religious interpretations in Egypt visit

Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD: Former foreign secretary and Pakistan&rsquo;s ex-ambassador to the United States (US), Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, has said that Islamabad&rsquo;s role as a stabilizing force in global affairs is being &ldquo;rediscovered&rdquo; following its strong defense against Indian aggression earlier this year.&nbsp;In an interview with Pakistan TV Digital, Chaudhry said Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic stature has grown significantly since May 2025, when India launched a large-scale offensive along the border.&nbsp;&ldquo;When Pakistan responded and put up a strong and robust defense, India found no other option but to request the United States for a ceasefire,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Ever since then, the world has come to discover Pakistan in a totally new light.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;A country with the capacity to defend itself in the face of an enemy much larger in size and resources.&rdquo;&nbsp;Chaudhry said this shift has prompted a wave of renewed engagement with Islamabad. &ldquo;Not only the United States but China, Russia, T&uuml;rkiye, Malaysia, the Arab world, and Gulf countries are now reaching out to Pakistan,&rdquo; he noted. &ldquo;Pakistan has found a place on the high table on almost every issue.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said that the transformation also reflects growing international disappointment with India&rsquo;s regional performance.&nbsp;&ldquo;There is a situation where India cannot even manage Pakistan, let alone push back China,&rdquo; Chaudhry observed. &ldquo;The West has realized that its investment in India&rsquo;s rise is probably not worth it.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to Chaudhry, Pakistan&rsquo;s strengthened position, coupled with its partnership with China, has created new strategic realities that &ldquo;are difficult to reverse.&rdquo; He added that the world now sees immense economic potential in Pakistan&rsquo;s natural resources, rare earth minerals, and energy sector.&nbsp;Discussing Islamabad&rsquo;s expanding global engagements, Chaudhry cited the recent defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia as an example of Pakistan&rsquo;s credibility. &ldquo;It was Saudi Arabia which reached out to Pakistan for a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement,&rdquo; he said, calling it &ldquo;evidence of Pakistan&rsquo;s growing trustworthiness in an uncertain world.&rdquo;&nbsp;However, the former envoy emphasized that Pakistan must focus on domestic reforms to sustain its diplomatic momentum. &ldquo;We need to revamp our own economic house and ensure economic security if we are to maintain this rising profile,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Turning to regional affairs, Chaudhry described relations with Afghanistan as &ldquo;not very cordial,&rdquo; blaming the Taliban regime&rsquo;s support for terrorist entities targeting Pakistan.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has taken a firm position this time,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If they come over to Pakistan, Pakistan has the right to strike them &mdash; which is what happened.&rdquo;&nbsp;He supported Islamabad&rsquo;s continued dialogue with Kabul but urged caution, arguing that the Taliban &ldquo;have not kept their word&rdquo; on commitments made to the international community.&nbsp;&ldquo;Every year has been bloodier than the previous one, with around ten thousand terrorist attacks in four years,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Chaudhry recalled that the Taliban had violated their 2020 agreement with the United States, which included pledges to educate girls, allow women to work, and prevent terrorist activity on Afghan soil. &ldquo;They have done none of that,&rdquo; he said, adding that India&rsquo;s assertion that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) problem is an internal issue &ldquo;is not acceptable.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said Pakistan&rsquo;s recent kinetic action against cross-border militants compelled the Taliban to engage diplomatically. &ldquo;Diplomacy and force are two sides of the same coin,&rdquo; Chaudhry said. &ldquo;Unless there is adequate use of force, forces such as the Taliban regime do not come down to the diplomatic path.&rdquo;&nbsp;On Pakistan&rsquo;s role in the Muslim world, Chaudhry said the country has &ldquo;always stood shoulder to shoulder with its Muslim brothers,&rdquo; reaffirming its long-standing support for the Palestinian cause.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan extended its support to US efforts for peace in Gaza but made it clear that lasting peace requires a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Sharif as the capital of Palestine,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;He concluded by emphasizing that Pakistan&rsquo;s ties with the Muslim world remain a cornerstone of its foreign policy. &ldquo;Our continued relevance and credibility on global issues stem from our principled positions,&rdquo; Chaudhry said. &ldquo;The world has rediscovered Pakistan&rsquo;s role as a force for stability.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

In an interview with Pakistan TV Digital, ex-ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry says the world is “rediscovering” Pakistan’s relevance as a stabilizing power after its firm defense against India, citing renewed global engagement and rising regional influence.

World ‘rediscovering Pakistan’s relevance as stabilizing power,’ says former envoy

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Gold and silver prices are whipsawing global markets after an eight-week rally sent the metals to historic highs, before a sudden correction triggered by shifting signals from Washington.&nbsp;Gold briefly climbed past $4,100 per ounce on Thursday, recovering from its steepest two-day crash in twelve years, after plunging nearly 8.6% earlier in the week from a record $4,381 peak. The retreat followed US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s softened tone on China tariffs. A single comment that rippled through global commodities.&nbsp;&ldquo;Gold has risen nearly Rs75,000 [$266.90] per tola in the past four months,&rdquo; said Faizan Hanif, Director Sales at Hanif Jewellers, in Karachi. &ldquo;The recent correction of around Rs45,000 [$160.14] was expected as the market was overheated, but demand hasn&rsquo;t slowed. People still see gold as a safe and stable investment.&rdquo;&nbsp;In Pakistan, 24-karat gold is trading at Rs433,862 [$1,544.77] per tola, while global spot prices hover near $4,115 per ounce. Prices had previously topped Rs460,000 [$1,637.01] per tola at the height of the rally.&nbsp;Global forces driving the rallyThe recent surge, analysts say, is rooted in a perfect storm of economic and geopolitical pressures. Central banks have purchased over 440 metric tons of gold this year, investors have poured billions into gold-backed exchange-traded funds, the US dollar has weakened, and inflation remains stubbornly high. Meanwhile, trade tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to inject uncertainty.&nbsp;&ldquo;Each time Trump adopted a hard line on China, gold climbed. When he softened, it slipped,&rdquo; said one market analyst. &ldquo;The recent drop was a direct reaction to his tariff remarks.&rdquo;&nbsp;Silver&rsquo;s industrial momentumSilver has mirrored gold&rsquo;s meteoric rise, but with even sharper gains. The metal surged 76%, from $29 to nearly $51 per ounce, fueled by strong industrial demand in electric vehicles, solar panels, and chip manufacturing.&nbsp;&ldquo;Silver is benefitting not only as a safe-haven asset but also because of its industrial uses in energy and technology,&rdquo; said Ahsan Naeem, Chief Operating Officer at Floret Securities.&nbsp;He noted that the ongoing US government shutdown, a weakened dollar index, and aggressive gold buying by China and India, which together acquired about 350 metric tons this year, are driving the surge.&nbsp;According to Naeem, the market&rsquo;s recent pullback represents &ldquo;a phase of consolidation,&rdquo; adding, &ldquo;If global instability continues, we could see another strong upward leg soon.&rdquo;&nbsp;The current rally has drawn comparisons to previous gold booms during crises, from the Great Depression of the 1930s to the oil shocks of the 1970s, the speculative silver mania of 1980, and the financial panic of 2011.&nbsp;&ldquo;Gold and silver have always shone brightest in times of turmoil,&rdquo; Hanif said. &ldquo;If this trend holds, prices could reach Rs700,000 [$2,491] per tola within two years.&rdquo;&nbsp;Global forecasts remain bullish. Goldman Sachs projects gold could touch $5,000 an ounce by 2026, while silver could rise to $60.&nbsp;Still, analysts caution that a resolution in US-China trade tensions or a policy shift by the Federal Reserve could reverse the rally as quickly as it began.&nbsp;As Naeem put it: &ldquo;When everyone runs toward gold, that&rsquo;s usually when the top is closer than it seems.&rdquo;

Economy

In Pakistan, gold prices have soared amid an eight-week global rally driven by inflation, central-bank buying, and tariff uncertainty. Despite a sharp correction, demand remains strong, with experts predicting further gains if instability persists.

Eight-week gold surge rocks global markets amid tariff uncertainty

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who created the world&rsquo;s largest cryptocurrency exchange and served prison time after failing to stop criminals from using the platform to move money connected to child sex abuse, drug trafficking and terrorism. Zhao had asked Trump for a pardon previously. He has deep ties to World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture that the Republican president and his sons Eric and Donald Jr. launched in September. Trump&rsquo;s most recent financial disclosure report reveals he made more than $57 million last year from World Liberty Financial, which has launched USD1, a stablecoin pegged at a 1-to-1 ratio to the U.S. dollar. World Liberty Financial also recently announced that an investment fund in the United Arab Emirates would be using $2 billion worth of USD1 to purchase a stake in Binance. Zhao also has publicly said that he had asked Trump for a pardon that could nullify his conviction. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Thursday that the Biden administration prosecuted Zhao out of a &ldquo;desire to punish the cryptocurrency industry.&rdquo; She said there were &ldquo;no allegations of fraud or identifiable victims,&rdquo; though Zhao had pleaded guilty in November to one count of failing to maintain an anti-money-laundering program. &ldquo;I failed here,&rdquo; Zhao told the court last year. &ldquo;I deeply regret my failure, and I am sorry.&rdquo;

President Donald Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who served prison time for anti–money laundering failures. Zhao’s ties to Trump’s crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, and a $2 billion UAE investment in Binance raise major ethical questions

Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao

LAHORE: Religious scholars from across Pakistan have pledged to transform mosques into centers of peace, tolerance, and social harmony under the Paigham-e-Pakistan initiative, aiming to counter political and religious extremism nationwide. The announcement came during the Paigham-e-Pakistan Ulema-Mashaykh Convention held in Lahore, jointly organized by the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan. The convention gathered prominent scholars and spiritual leaders representing all major schools of thought to promote inter-sect unity and national cohesion. In a joint declaration, participants reaffirmed their commitment to implementing Paigham-e-Pakistan at every level, vowing to prevent the misuse of mosques and religious institutions for political or sectarian purposes and instead use them as platforms for dialogue, reconciliation, and community welfare. Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council and Coordinator of the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee, told Pakistan TV Digital that mosques have historically been the cornerstone of social reform in Muslim societies and must once again reclaim that role. &ldquo;The mosque is not just a place of worship; it is a community center,&rdquo; Ashrafi said. &ldquo;We have to bring it back to where problems are discussed, solutions are found, and the message of the Qur&rsquo;an and Sunnah is shared for the betterment of society.&rdquo; Ashrafi said political and religious extremism both stem from the same mindset, one that seeks to impose personal ideas on others. &ldquo;Extremism is when someone forces their thoughts on others or considers every opposing opinion wrong,&rdquo; he noted. &ldquo;We must respect differences and revive a culture of dialogue.&rdquo; &ldquo;The mehrab [where imam leads prayers] and mimbar [platform where sermons are delivered] can play an even stronger role than media in building a peaceful, united Pakistan.&rdquo; He also reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s stance on key regional issues, including solidarity with Palestine and peace in Afghanistan. &ldquo;Pakistan has always stood with its Afghan brothers,&rdquo; Ashrafi said. &ldquo;But terrorism and bloodshed cannot be tolerated. Both nations must work together to ensure peace on each other&rsquo;s soil.&rdquo; During the convention, religious leaders condemned recent incidents of violence in eastern city of Muridke and called for strict adherence to the rule of law. The declaration also welcomed the Pakistan&ndash;Saudi Arabia defense cooperation agreement, describing it as a milestone in strengthening bilateral ties and safeguarding the sanctity of the Holy Mosque. Adding a local perspective, Muhammad Altaf Hussain Niazi, vice preacher and Imam of a mosque in Lahore, told Pakistan TV Digital that Islam&rsquo;s true message lies in peace, compassion, and moral guidance, all of which stem from the mosque. &ldquo;Our religion teaches peace and tranquility,&rdquo; Imam Niazi said. &ldquo;Even in the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the mosque was where delegations were received, where guidance was given, and where society&rsquo;s moral character was built. That is the tradition we must revive.&rdquo; He said mosques should once again become spaces that shape minds and nurture values rooted in compassion. &ldquo;When people come to the mosque, they should leave with greater understanding and empathy,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Our mosques can and should be cradles of peace for our religion, our country, and our communities.&rdquo; The convention concluded with an announcement that Paigham-e-Pakistan conferences will soon be held across all provinces. A 50-member delegation of Ulema and Mashaykh will meet with the President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, chief ministers, and governors to present a practical framework for implementing the initiative nationwide.

At a national convention in Lahore, Pakistan’s leading clerics vowed to transform mosques into hubs of peace and social reform, pledging to fight extremism, promote inter-sect harmony, and strengthen national unity through faith-based initiatives.