MADRID: Spain summoned Israel&#39;s top envoy to Madrid on Monday in protest over Israeli police blocking the Latin Patriarch from Christianity&#39;s holiest site in Jerusalem, the foreign minister said. &quot;This cannot happen again. Catholic worship must be able to be celebrated normally,&quot; Jose Manuel Albares told RAC1 radio after Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa was prevented from holding Palm Sunday mass at the Holy Sepulchre church. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez joined a chorus of international condemnation on Sunday, denouncing an &quot;attack on religious freedom&quot;. Israel said the cardinal would be allowed to regain access to the site and cited security concerns for the measure. Since US-Israeli strikes on Iran sparked the Middle East war on February 28, Israeli authorities have banned large gatherings, including at synagogues, churches and mosques. Israel has been represented in Spain by a charge d&#39;affaires since 2024, when it withdrew its ambassador after Madrid recognised a Palestinian state.

Members of the clergy attend a prayer service in the Church of All Nations held by Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, to mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem on March 29, 2026, following the cancellation of the traditional Palm Sunda

Europe

Spain summoned Israel’s envoy after police blocked a Christian leader from a holy site, calling it a violation of religious freedom amid heightened security restrictions.

Spain summons Israeli envoy over Latin Patriarch's church access

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Taliban courts publicly flogged three women across two northern Afghan provinces over the weekend, with prison sentences of up to five years handed down on charges including &ldquo;illicit relations,&rdquo; according to an official statement from the interim government&rsquo;s Supreme Court. The punishments were carried out in Balkh and Jowzjan provinces. These are part of a broader series of rulings implemented across three northern provinces following approval by the regime&rsquo;s Supreme Court. In Balkh&rsquo;s Zari district, a woman was sentenced to five years in prison and 35 lashes on Sunday after being convicted of &ldquo;illicit relations.&rdquo; The ruling was issued by a primary court and enforced after review by higher judicial authorities. <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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 777px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2038195724676993334&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F5001%2F&sessionId=3b77d12cca200d4fe655a96af0704e28bfd67611&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>In Jowzjan&rsquo;s Qosh Tapeh district, six people, including two women, were convicted on charges including illicit relations, insulting officials, and adultery. <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" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 801px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2038199489274495457&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F5001%2F&sessionId=3b77d12cca200d4fe655a96af0704e28bfd67611&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div> According to court statement, the sentences ranged from six months to two years in prison, alongside floggings of between 20 and 39 lashes. A separate case in Faryab province&rsquo;s Shirin Tagab district involved three people, including one woman. They were sentenced to one year in prison for what authorities described as &ldquo;maintaining illegal relationships.&rdquo; The court also imposed additional &ldquo;punitive measures.&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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 777px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2038560810495058005&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F5001%2F&sessionId=3b77d12cca200d4fe655a96af0704e28bfd67611&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div> Local media reports said the punishments were carried out in public, attended by members of the judiciary, religious scholars. Civilian and military officials, along with a large gatherings of residents also witnessed the punishments. Taliban authorities say such rulings are intended to enforce legal and moral codes. The latest cases come amid a broader pattern of public punishments under Taliban rule. According to recent reporting and United Nations monitoring, corporal punishments, including floggings, have continued across multiple provinces. This has raised concerns about due process, transparency, and the protection of fundamental rights. Human rights observers say the use of public punishments, particularly against women, reflects a wider tightening of restrictions and enforcement of &ldquo;morality-based&rdquo; laws across Afghanistan.

A poster in Kabul reads: ‘Dear sisters! Hijab and veil are your dignity and are in your benefit in this world and in the hereafter’. (AFP)

Afghanistan

Public floggings were carried out in Balkh and Jowzjan after Afghan Taliban's Supreme Court approval, with sentences including prison terms and lashes. Officials say the punishments enforce moral codes, while observers raise concerns over due process and public enforcement.

Taliban courts publicly flog three women across northern Afghanistan

BERLIN: Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa met German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday as he began a visit to Berlin for talks on the Middle East war, rebuilding his country and the return of refugees. Sharaa -- on his first trip to Germany since ousting his country&#39;s longtime leader, Bashar al-Assad, in late 2024 -- was also due to meet Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Europe&#39;s top economy is home to the largest Syrian diaspora in the European Union at more than a million, many of whom arrived during the peak of the migrant influx in 2015-16. Sharaa, 43, a former Islamist rebel leader, has managed to build relations with Western governments and made several overseas trips, including to the United States, France and Russia. As a result, many international sanctions on Syria have been lifted to help the country rebuild after a bloody 14-year civil war. &quot;We want to put this difficult time behind us and now catch up with the rest of the world,&quot; Sharaa told a foreign ministry forum in Berlin, according to the German translation of his speech. He pointed to investment opportunities in Syria&#39;s energy, transport and tourism sectors, describing his homeland as very diverse and with &quot;a great wealth of people&quot;. &quot;We stand with Syria,&quot; German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, pledging to support reconstruction efforts. &quot;The Syrians deserve a chance, and we want to help ensure that this opportunity is well utilised.&quot; Sharaa also suggested that he would like to see some of the Syrians who fled to Germany return to help with reconstruction. &quot;These are Syrians who have studied at German universities, acquired German expertise, and are now working in German companies,&quot; he said. &quot;Through investments in Syria, they can then bring this expertise back to Syria.&quot; Demonstrations plannedRights campaigners have criticised the visit, pointing to Sharaa&#39;s Islamist past and Syria&#39;s ongoing violence and instability. Large demonstrations were planned in Berlin both in support of Sharaa and in protest at his trip on Monday, according to police, with &quot;several thousand&quot; expected to take part. One rally has been registered under the motto &quot;No deportation deals with human rights abusers&quot;. Merz, a conservative who took power last May, has stepped up efforts to curb irregular immigration as he seeks to counter the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Merz said last year that, with Syria&#39;s civil war over, people from that country now have &quot;no grounds for asylum in Germany&quot;. The government in December resumed deporting convicted criminals to Syria, though only a handful of cases have gone ahead so far. Merz also said he assumed many Syrians would return home voluntarily, drawing criticism from campaign groups that cite continued instability and rights abuses in Syria. &#39;Expressly wrong&#39;Since Sharaa has been in power, sectarian tensions have continued to cause repeated bloodshed, while the Islamic State group remains active. After Assad&#39;s overthrow, Israel moved its forces into the UN-patrolled demilitarised zone on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, and has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria as well as regular incursions. Sharaa was initially planning to visit Germany in January, but the trip was postponed as he sought to end fighting between government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in his country&#39;s north. KGD, a group that represents the Kurdish community in Germany, charged that Sharaa &quot;bears responsibility for numerous human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity&quot;. &quot;Back in January, together with other civil society organisations, we had already voiced strong criticism of the planned visit and called for protests,&quot; said Ali Ertan Toprak, chairman of the group. &quot;Despite these objections, the German government has so far stood by the invitation. We consider this to be expressly wrong.&quot;

Middle East

Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit revolves around talks on reconstruction, refugees, and regional tensions, and seeks to establish closer ties with Germany. His trip drew both official support and planned protests, with critics citing Syria’s instability and human rights concerns.

Syrian leader visits Germany to talk war, recovery, refugees

DHAKA: Bangladesh&#39;s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has ordered an urgent nationwide review following a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/halal-concerns-drive-vaccine-hesitancy-as-indonesia-fights-measles-outbreak" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">measles outbreak</a> with more than 600 cases, officials said Monday. PM Rahman has directed two senior ministers to travel across the South Asian nation of 170 million people to assess the scale of the crisis and coordinate response efforts, according to a statement from his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Ministry of Health senior official Halimur Rashid, head of the disease control unit, said there have been 674 measles cases across the country this year. Measles is one of the world&#39;s most contagious diseases, according to the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/middle-east-war-at-perilous-stage-with-strikes-around-nuclear-sites-who" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Health Organization</a>, and spreads through coughs or sneezes. Complications can include brain swelling and severe breathing problems. While it can affect anyone, it is most common in children. Bangladesh has made significant advancements in <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-vaccinates-over-44m-children-in-first-polio-campaign-of-2026" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">vaccinations</a> to tackle infectious disease, but a measles drive that had been due in June 2024 was delayed by unrest during a mass uprising that toppled the government. &quot;Regular vaccine drives have been ongoing, only the special campaign drive which was scheduled for June 2024 had to be postponed due to political unrest,&quot; Rashid told AFP, saying the next campaign will begin in June. The WHO estimates as many as 95,000 measles deaths globally every year, mostly among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under the age of five, according to its latest statistics. There is no specific treatment for measles once caught.

Reports indicate measles outbreaks in several districts across the country, with significant spread in at least seven districts. In the current month alone, 21 children have died from measles. The number of patients admitted with measles at the Infectious

Bangladesh

Bangladesh orders urgent review after measles outbreak surpasses 600 cases, raising concerns over delayed vaccination campaigns, rapid spread among children, and need for coordinated national response to contain infections

Bangladesh PM orders probe into measles outbreak

MOSCOW: Russia on Monday ordered a diplomat at the British embassy in Moscow to leave the country over allegations he was working as a spy, Russia&#39;s FSB security service reported. Moscow and London have expelled multiple embassy staff over the last decade, both trading accusations of espionage. Expulsions from one side have typically been followed by a tit-for-tat response from the other. The diplomat, whom the FSB named as 29-year-old embassy secretary Albertus Gerhardus Janse Van Rensburg, was expelled for engaging in &quot;subversive intelligence activities that threaten Russia&#39;s security&quot;, the FSB said. &quot;A decision was made to strip Janse Van Rensburg of his accreditation, and he was ordered to leave Russia within two weeks,&quot; it added. The Russian foreign ministry said it had summoned Britain&#39;s charge d&#39;affaires over the incident and warned the United Kingdom not to retaliate. Relations between London and Moscow, currently at a low point over the Ukraine war, have been strained by spying allegations for decades. In 2006, former FSB officer and Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko was killed in London, poisoned by polonium in what British investigators said was a hit by the Russian secret service. In 2018, the UK said Russian double agent Sergei Skripal was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent in the British cathedral city of Salisbury. One member of the public was killed after handling the delivery device, a discarded perfume bottle, triggering the largest Western expulsion of Russian diplomats alleged to be spies in decades. The UK has, however, refuted Russia&#39;s claim. UK calls Russia claims of spying &#39;complete nonsense&#39;Britain on Monday accused Russia of an &quot;aggressive and co-ordinated campaign of harassment&quot; after a British diplomat was expelled from Moscow over allegations he was working as a spy. &quot;The accusations made today by Russia against our diplomats are complete nonsense,&quot; a foreign ministry spokesperson said, adding Russia was &quot;pumping out malicious and completely baseless accusations about their work&quot;.

Russia ordered a British embassy diplomat to leave within two weeks, accusing him of espionage. The move deepens already fraught UK-Russia ties, marked by years of mutual expulsions, spying allegations and tensions heightened further by the war in Ukraine.

Russia expels UK diplomat on spying allegations

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will undertake an official visit to China on Tuesday, March 31, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, the Foreign Office said Monday. The statement said the upcoming visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to hold in-depth discussions on regional developments, as well as bilateral and global issues of mutual interest. Despite medical advice to rest following a hairline shoulder fracture, Dar&rsquo;s decision to travel underscores the priority Pakistan places on its relationship with China, the statement noted. &lsquo;Pakistan ready to host US-Iran talks&rsquo;The meeting comes days after Dar chaired a quadrilateral meeting alongside foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt to discuss ways to bring an end to the Middle East war. The conflict, triggered late last month by joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory actions, has escalated tensions across the Gulf and disrupted global energy markets, keeping oil prices and inflation under pressure. Dar said the foreign ministers &quot;expressed their full support&quot; for potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad and agreed to form a committee of senior officials to coordinate follow-up modalities.&nbsp;&quot;The foreign ministers advocated dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable pathway to prevent conflict and to promote regional peace and harmony,&quot; he told reporters. In the past days, Dar and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have held several calls with Iranian leaders, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while actively coordinating with the US administration. &quot;In this context, Pakistan is very happy that both Iran and the US have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks,&quot; he said, adding that Pakistan would be &quot;honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in the coming days.&quot;

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Tianjin, northern China, on July 16, 2025. (File photo: Xinhua)

Foreign Affairs

Says the upcoming visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to hold in-depth discussions on regional developments, as well as bilateral and global issues of mutual interest.

Pakistani FM to undertake day-long visit to China on Tuesday: FO

HONG KONG: Oil prices rose and most stocks fell Monday as the Middle East crisis escalated with the entry of Houthis into the Middle East war and investors grew increasingly concerned the United States would send in ground troops. As the conflict moved into its fifth week, the specter of a widening conflict grew as Yemen&#39;s Houthi rebels on Saturday said they had fired &quot;a barrage of cruise missiles and drones&quot; at strategic sites in Israel. The strikes raised concern about the war spreading to the Red Sea, with Saudi Arabia rerouting much of its oil exports there to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of crude and gas passes has been effectively closed. The news sent the price of oil Monday to its highest level since earlier in the month after the United States and Israel began their strikes against Iran. Both main contracts jumped more than 3% at one point, with Brent hitting close to $117 a barrel, before easing back. Adding to the dour mood were US President Donald Trump&#39;s remarks to the Financial Times (FT) that he wanted to &quot;take the oil in Iran&quot; and could take the country&#39;s Kharg Island &quot;very easily&quot;. Kharg Island, located off the west coast of Iran, is a vital oil terminal for the country and is being eyed by the Pentagon for ground operations, though the United States insisted it would stop short of a full-scale invasion. &quot;Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don&#39;t. We have a lot of options,&quot; he told the FT. &quot;It would also mean we had to be there for a while.&quot; While Pakistan said Sunday it was ready to broker and host &quot;meaningful talks&quot; between Washington and Tehran to end the war, Iran&#39;s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the United States was &quot;secretly planning a ground attack&quot;. The surge in oil prices and the prospect of an extended conflict put more pressure on equities amid fears about a surge in inflation that could hit the world economy. Tokyo sank more than 4% and Seoul more than 3% before paring the losses while Hong Kong, Sydney, Mumbai, Bangkok, Wellington, Taipei, Jakarta and Manila were also down. London, Paris and Frankfurt opened slightly lower. The losses followed a bad day on Wall Street, where all three main indexes tumbled after the United States and Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites. &quot;The market is now reacting to higher crude pricing and towards the fallout in the economic consequences,&quot; wrote Pepperstone&#39;s Chris Weston. &quot;Higher short-term inflation expectations, volatility in the interest rate markets, and growing concerns around supply shortages/inventory and the subsequent impact on the March/April economic data series and corporate earnings is now front and center,&quot; he added. &quot;The Houthi&#39;s ability to disrupt shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb strait, which accounts for roughly 12% of global trade, is the new key risk&quot; he said, referring to the waterway between Yemen and the Horn of Africa. &quot;Any meaningful disruption, married with a sharp rise in insurance costs, could drive another leg higher in crude and further pressure risk assets.&quot; The selling came after a relatively calm period last week after Trump delayed until next month a threatened attack on Iran&#39;s energy infrastructure citing progress in talks with Tehran. Skye Masters at National Australia Bank said: &quot;Trump&#39;s decision to extend the pause in Iran&#39;s energy sector... has clearly not been enough to support investor sentiment where the focus is turning to the global economic impact of such a shock &ndash; this is now not just about the price of oil it includes fertilizer, petrochemicals, metals.&quot;

An electronic quotation board displays the Nikkei Stock Average on the Tokyo Stock Exchange along a street in Tokyo on March 30, 2026. (AFP)

Business

Oil prices surge and global stocks fall as Houthi attacks escalate Middle East War, raising fears of wider war, disrupted shipping, inflation pressures, and potential US ground intervention in Iran.

Crude rises, stocks drop as Houthi attacks escalate Iran war

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that proposals to raise oil prices had been rejected and that government savings would be redirected to citizens. According to an official statement from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, PM Sharif chaired a high-level review meeting Monday on the effects of the Gulf crisis on petroleum supplies, current fuel reserves, and public relief measures. The prime minister said the government has cut its own expenditures, reduced the developmental budget, and immediately suspended 60% of government vehicles.&nbsp; Funds generated through these austerity measures have been allocated for public relief. Relief measures Relief measures will be delivered through the country&#39;s digital systems, the prime minister stated. He said that Pakistan&#39;s economically weaker segments would not be left without support during the current difficulty. According to the statement, further relief for lower- and middle-class citizens is being planned. Coordination with provincial governments is underway to fast-track ownership registration for motorcycle and rickshaw owners. This will enable them to benefit from potential relief programs, the PM was informed during the meeting. Officials told the PM that adequate fuel reserves are available to meet national needs and that procurement arrangements for the future are in place. A levy increase on high-octane fuel used in large luxury vehicles has not affected jet fuel prices, officials said. An audit report from the Intelligence Bureau on the progress of the prime minister&#39;s fuel savings measures and austerity campaign was presented to the meeting. Officials confirmed that&nbsp;implementation of the campaign is being actively enforced. The prime minister stated that despite the global crisis, no disruption in fuel supply has occurred. He said Pakistan is also pursuing diplomatic efforts toward regional peace. A separate briefing covered current medicine stocks, with officials confirming an ample supply is available to meet national needs. Suggestions on future courses of action were also presented to the meeting. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Dr Musadiq Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Syed Mustafa Kamal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ali Pervez Malik, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Rana Mubashar Iqbal, and Sardar Awais Khan Leghari. Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kiani, Special Assistants Tariq Fatemi and Talha Barky, National Assembly members Engineer Qamar ul Islam, Riaz Hussain, and Hafiz Muhammad Numan and other senior officials also attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting to review implementation of fuel conservation and austerity measures in Islamabad on Monday, March 30, 2026. (PMO)

Economy

PM Sharif chairs emergency review as Islamabad draws on austerity savings to shield lower-income citizens from mounting fuel pressures.

Pakistan cuts government spending, rejects oil price hikes amid Gulf oil crisis

DHAKA: Bangladesh has ordered civil servants to switch off the lights and turn down air conditioning to save power as the US-Israel war on Iran worsens an energy crunch, officials said Monday. The South Asian nation of 170 million people imports 95% of its oil and gas needs. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a string of orders regarding office attendance and saving electricity and fuel, ministry official Sakhawat Hossain told AFP on Monday. &quot;Only the necessary number of lights, fans, air conditioners, and other electrical equipment should be used&quot;, the order issued late Sunday read. Energy worriesIt also reminded workers to turn off the lights when they leave and ordered that air conditioning temperatures must be set at 25 degrees Celsius, or warmer. Bangladesh has said it is seeking loans of around $2 billion from multilateral donors to tackle energy worries. The government has already taken several measures to curb fuel consumption, including setting limits on fuel purchases, halting production at most fertilizer factories, and deploying police to patrol filling stations.

Jashore petrol pump Bangladesh (File Photo: BSS)

Bangladesh is cutting electricity use in government offices and seeking $2 billion in loans as rising global energy pressures strain its heavily import-dependent fuel supply.

Bangladesh turns off lights as US-Israel war on Iran deepens energy crunch 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday thanked the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt for their support to Pakistan&rsquo;s peace efforts following a quadrilateral meeting on the Middle East situation.&nbsp;The meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, brought together top diplomats from the four countries to discuss de-escalation of the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.&nbsp;The prime minister said on X that it was a pleasure to receive Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;unwavering solidarity&rdquo; with the Kingdom and appreciating its restraint during the crisis.<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" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 417px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2038382813595242724&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=c1b39f9e0ac1b0a2c0d06a687831becaeb0a71d0&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>He also met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, stressing the need for urgent collective efforts to end hostilities affecting multiple countries in the region.&nbsp;The prime minister appreciated the role of Turkiye and Egypt and reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to facilitating dialogue between Washington and Tehran.&nbsp;Pakistan has intensified diplomatic outreach in recent weeks and has offered to host direct talks between the United States and Iran, aiming for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.&nbsp;Diplomatic efforts underway to end Mideast warIn a separate development, Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Sunday that both the United States and Iran have expressed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-and-us-express-confidence-in-pakistan-holding-peace-talks-says-fm-dar" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">confidence in Islamabad</a>&nbsp;to facilitate peace talks, as diplomatic efforts intensify to contain a rapidly expanding regional conflict.&nbsp;Speaking after a quadrilateral meeting with foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, T&uuml;rkiye and Egypt, Dar said Pakistan stands ready to host negotiations aimed at ending the war.&nbsp;&ldquo;It would be an honor to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in the coming days for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The development signals a rare convergence of trust from opposing sides, with Pakistan emerging as a key channel for communication as the conflict, sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, continues to reverberate across the Gulf, disrupting energy routes and heightening global economic uncertainty.

Foreign Minister of Turkiye Hakan Fidan and Foreign Minister of Egypt Badr Abdelatty call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a meeting in Islamabad on March 29, 2026. (Photo: X/@PakPMO)