Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is accelerating maritime reforms to strengthen its ports as regional trans-shipment hubs and boost trade resilience, as the government seeks to position the country as a key economic gateway amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Indian Ocean.&nbsp;Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said Pakistan&rsquo;s ports, Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar Port, are being repositioned under a government-led strategy to enhance regional connectivity and ensure uninterrupted trade flows.&nbsp;Speaking at a seminar on maritime trade in the Indian Ocean region, Chaudhry said the reforms are aimed at reducing logistical bottlenecks and improving efficiency.&nbsp;&ldquo;Swift and coordinated decisions in the national interest have reduced risks to trade, energy and logistics,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;He said a high-level committee formed under the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in March has already delivered operational gains, including record trans-shipment volumes at Karachi Port, zero backlog at Port Qasim and expanded activity at Gwadar Port.&nbsp;Chaudhry said customs reforms, introduced in coordination with the Federal Board of Revenue, replaced full cargo scanning with risk-based management, cutting clearance times and lowering export costs. Charges for exporters at Karachi Port were reduced by 60%, while perishable goods now face minimal inspection delays.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has turned challenges into opportunities, maintaining trade continuity and building shipping resilience,&rdquo; the minister said, adding that the country could emerge as &ldquo;a rising regional economic power&rdquo; through sustained maritime modernization.&nbsp;Karachi Port Trust Chairman Shahid Ahmed said additional freight rail links and upgraded port infrastructure would further strengthen logistics capacity, as Pakistan advances its broader strategy to become a regional maritime and trade hub.

Economy

Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry says Pakistan is accelerating maritime reforms to upgrade Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar Port, aiming to boost trade efficiency and position itself as a regional trans-shipment hub.

Pakistan pushes maritime reforms to boost trade, strengthen regional hub

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari will undertake an official visit to China from April 25 to May 1 at the invitation of the Chinese government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday. According to an official statement, the president will travel to Changsha from April 25 to 27 and Sanya from April 28 to May 1.<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=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2047908376403972270&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2b8ab7e76e03a9c332be4c14d8bdac318af126f0&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 850px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> During the visit, he is expected to hold meetings with provincial leaders to discuss bilateral relations, with a particular focus on economic and trade cooperation and the China&ndash;Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Foreign Office said.&nbsp; Officials said the trip forms part of longstanding high-level exchanges between the two countries and carries added significance as Pakistan and China mark&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/china-pakistan-mark-75-years-as-cpec-investment-nears-26-billion" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">75 years</a>&nbsp;of diplomatic relations this year. The visit is expected to reaffirm both sides&rsquo; commitment to deepening their All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

President Asif Ali Zardari met Li Shulei, Member of the Political Bureau & Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, in Chengdu on Sep 13, 2025. (Photo: X/@PresOfPakistan)

Foreign Affairs

He is expected to hold meetings with provincial leaders to discuss bilateral relations, with a particular focus on economic and trade cooperation and the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Foreign Office said

Pakistan president to visit China for talks on trade, CPEC 

PARIS: China and the US held what both sides described Monday as constructive talks aimed at addressing volatile trade ties that have been upended by President Donald Trump&#39;s tariffs and the Middle East war. The talks in the French capital &quot;were constructive and they show the stability of the relationship&quot;, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told journalists. Chinese state media described the Sunday talks between Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng as &quot;candid, in-depth and constructive&quot;. He said the exchange would inject &quot;greater certainty and stability&quot; into bilateral trade ties and the global economy, according to Xinhua. The Paris meeting was widely seen as setting the stage for Trump to visit China for a summit with its President Xi Jinping. The trip was initially planned from March 31 to April 2, but US officials confirmed Monday that it was likely to be delayed due to Washington&#39;s war on Iran. Beijing said Monday it was in talks with Washington over the visit by Trump, who has pressured NATO allies including China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, Trump had suggested he could delay a meeting with Xi if Beijing does not assist in reopening the strait. The waterway, critical to oil transportation, has been effectively closed by Iran in retaliation over the US and Israeli war against Tehran. Beijing&#39;s foreign ministry said on Monday that Beijing and Washington &quot;are maintaining communication regarding President Trump&#39;s visit to China&quot;. &quot;Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations,&quot; spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference. Lin did not address Trump&#39;s recent pressure on NATO allies and China to assist in Hormuz. The &quot;tense situation&quot; in the strait has &quot;disrupted international trade routes for goods and energy&quot;, Lin said when asked about Trump&#39;s comments. Probes and tariffsThe Paris talks follow a turbulent year in US-China economic ties since Trump returned to the presidency. The United States announced new trade investigations last week into excess industrial capacity, targeting 60 economies including China and other key partners. The prospect has fuelled the possibility of further tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down Trump&#39;s global duties. The probes will look into &quot;failures to take action on forced labour&quot; and whether these burden or restrict US commerce, according to US officials. Greer said his team gave the Chinese &quot;a preview of what we&#39;re doing on US trade policy as we adjust to the Supreme Court&quot;. &quot;The president&#39;s trade policy hasn&#39;t changed, our tools may change, and we&#39;re conducting these investigations,&quot; he added. &quot;We don&#39;t want to prejudge them, and we had a good conversation with our counterparts about that process.&quot; Beijing said on Monday that it &quot;lodged representations&quot; and urged Washington to &quot;correct its erroneous&quot; trade practices. &quot;We urge the US side to immediately correct its erroneous ways, meet China halfway... and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiations,&quot; Beijing&#39;s commerce ministry said in a statement. The latest round of investigations &quot;is extremely unilateral, arbitrary and discriminatory&quot;, it said, accusing Washington of &quot;attempting to construct trade barriers&quot;. Li also reiterated on Monday that China firmly opposed such &quot;unilateral&quot; probes, Xinhua reported. Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50 percent since the war began, with Hormuz choked off and Iran&#39;s attacks on energy and shipping industry targets in its Gulf neighbours. Experts say that China, which maintains large oil reserves, is better equipped than many other nations to deal with the impact of the war. But it has reason to be concerned about the consequences of the situation in the Middle East on trade. China&#39;s official trade data for January and February, before the war in Iran began, showed that the country&#39;s economy is largely buoyed by exports and international trade.

 US President Donald Trump speaks during a lunch with the Trump Kennedy Center Board Members in the East Room of the White House on March 16, 2026, in Washington, DC (AFP)

China

Americas

Washington and Beijing say dialogue remains ongoing after high-level discussions in Paris, as tensions persist over tariffs and trade probes. Meanwhile, uncertainty grows over a potential Trump-Xi summit amid the Middle East conflict and Hormuz disruption.

US, China hold 'constructive' talks on trade, but Trump visit in doubt 

ISLAMABAD: American military forces have intercepted and boarded the <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">Panamanian-flagged<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: source-sans-pro, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" id="isPasted">&nbsp;oil tanker Veronica III in the Indian Ocean, according to a statement posted on X by the Department of War on Sunday. The department said US forces tracked the vessel across international waters before carrying out what officials described as a lawful maritime boarding operation within the Indo-Pacific Command&rsquo;s area of responsibility. Video released alongside the statement shows armed personnel approaching the tanker at sea and climbing aboard. <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=2022997870061011067&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=917738aeac499d224108cc4f065a7ee29452fcc3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Officials described the action as a &ldquo;right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding&rdquo; conducted without incident.&nbsp;According to the statement, the pursuit began in the Caribbean and continued across thousands of miles before the ship was stopped in the Indian Ocean. &ldquo;The vessel tried to defy President Trump&rsquo;s quarantine &mdash; hoping to slip away,&rdquo; the department said. &ldquo;We tracked it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance, and shut it down.&rdquo; The Pentagon intercepted the Aquila II in similar fashion about a week ago. In December, Trump ordered a &quot;blockade&quot; of sanctioned oil vessels heading to and from Venezuela. At least nine ships have been seized thus far. But those ships seized in recent months make up only a tiny fraction of the total number of sanctioned &quot;shadow fleet&quot; vessels operating worldwide to evade sanctions, which a senior US Coast Guard officer said number up to 800. The Veronica III left Venezuela on January 3 -- the same day that US special forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a raid -- carrying around 1.9 million barrels of oil, <a data-fr-linked="true" href="//TankersTrackers.com" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">TankersTrackers.com</a> said. The ship is listed under US sanctions relating to Iran, according to the website of the US Treasury&#39;s Office of Foreign Asset Control. Officials did not immediately confirm whether the tanker was seized or redirected following the boarding. Still, they described the move as part of a broader campaign to disrupt illicit oil trade networks. &quot;By land, air, or sea, we will find you and deliver justice,&quot; officials warned, signaling continued operations against what they termed &quot;illicit actors and their proxies&quot; in the maritime domain.

US forces boarded the Panama-flagged tanker Veronica III in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean, accusing it of violating sanctions on Venezuelan and Iranian oil, the Department of War said in a statement on X.

US forces board tanker in Indian Ocean after Venezuela blockade evasion

MUMBAI: India is scrambling to defend a new trade deal with the United States that critics have branded as a surrender to Washington, as countries navigate the fallout from President Donald Trump&#39;s sweeping tariffs. The deal announced this month has rattled India&#39;s powerful&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-farmers-slam-us-trade-deal-demand-commerce-ministers-resignation" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">farmers</a>&#39; unions, who argue that cheap US imports would throttle local producers in a country where agriculture employs more than 700 million people. Details of the deal remain sparse, limited to a joint statement and a White House factsheet, but New Delhi says an interim pact should be finalized by the end of March. Analysts warn that other elements of the agreement could also prove volatile. &quot;In the Trumpian era, there is nothing called certainty,&quot; trade expert Abhijit Das told AFP. Even if the deal is signed in a few weeks, it would only hold until Trump &quot;decides to impose more tariffs for any perceived inconsistency,&quot; he said. The most contentious pledge is India&#39;s stated intention to buy $500 billion worth of US goods over five years. India&#39;s annual imports from the US last fiscal year were around $45 billion. Doubling annual purchases to $100 billion &quot;is unrealistic&quot;, said Ajay Srivastava of the Global Trade Research Initiative, a New Delhi-based think tank. Intention not commitmentAircraft purchases were a major component of this commitment, but even a major expansion of Boeing aircraft orders -- decisions made by private airlines -- would fall far short, he said. &quot;Even if India were to add another 200 Boeing aircraft over the next five years, at an estimated cost of $300 million per aircraft, the total value would be about $60 billion.&quot; Some economists argue that the language around purchases is non‑binding, hence it protects New Delhi if it fails to meet the goal. &quot;Framing the target as an intention, rather than a commitment, reduces the risk of the deal later breaking down,&quot; Shivaan Tandon of Capital Economics said in a note on Friday. Trump&#39;s unpredictability also continues to loom large. He recently threatened higher tariffs on South Korea over perceived delays by Seoul in implementing a trade agreement announced last July. Another flashpoint is Washington&#39;s rollback of a 25 percent duty after what it described as India&#39;s &quot;commitment&quot; to stop buying Russian oil. This promise finds no mention in the joint statement and has neither been confirmed nor denied by the Indian government. India says its energy policy is driven by national interests and that the country depends on multiple sources for crude oil imports. &#39;Oil plank&#39;New Delhi&#39;s Russian oil imports have dropped from a mid‑2025 peak of more than two million barrels a day to about 1.1 million in January. Local reports say state-owned refiners have already started purchasing Venezuelan oil for delivery in April. But it remains unclear if Russian purchases will fall to zero. The outlook hinges heavily on Mumbai-headquartered Nayara Energy, partly owned by Russia&#39;s Rosneft, which Bloomberg reported plans to keep buying around 400,000 barrels a day. This will likely remain a bone of contention, given the Trump administration&#39;s stance that it intends to monitor India&#39;s imports. &quot;New Delhi continues to avoid publicly confirming a full halt and frames energy sourcing as driven by price and availability, which underlines ongoing ambiguity over the oil plank,&quot; Darren Tay of BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, told AFP. &quot;There is tentative evidence that Indian refiners are reducing spot purchases of Russian crude, implying partial adjustment rather than a formal pledge,&quot; Tay said. The deal remains &quot;too fragile and politically contested&quot; to justify a growth forecast change for India, he added.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a meeting with Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (not pictured) in Putrajaya on February 8, 2026. (File photo by Hasnoor Hussain / AFP)

India

The deal with Washington has sparked backlash, with experts doubting India can meet ambitious US purchase targets and warning that tariff threats and uncertainty over Russian oil imports could destabilize the fragile pact.

India forced to defend US trade deal as doubts mount

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari will undertake an official visit to the United Arab Emirates from Jan. 26&ndash;29, Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office said on Monday, as the two countries seek to deepen cooperation across trade, security, and investment. Zardari will be accompanied by a high-level delegation and is scheduled to hold talks with the UAE leadership to review the full spectrum of bilateral ties, with a focus on economic partnership, defence and security cooperation, and people-to-people links, the statement said. Developments of mutual interest&nbsp; The discussions will also cover regional and international developments of mutual interest, the Foreign Office added.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/d3c2d0bc-1e3e-4221-bbe2-d6858e239c68-Screen Shot 2026-01-26 at 2.19.13 PM.png" alt="President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of COP29. (File Photo: X/@MIshaqDar50)" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of COP29. (File Photo: X/@MIshaqDar50)</figcaption></figure> Just days before the President&#39;s visit, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-uae-discuss-investments-ptcl" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">talks</a> in Abu Dhabi with Emirati officials, including discussions on Etisalat&#39;s ongoing investment in Pakistan and plans to expand through its stake in Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited. &quot;The visit of the President reaffirms commitment to transforming the strong friendship between Pakistan and the UAE into a mutually rewarding partnership,&quot; the Foreign Office spokesperson said in the curtain raiser. The trip follows a recent visit by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Pakistan, underscoring what the statement describes as the &quot;deep brotherly ties&quot; between the two nations. &quot;The visit reaffirms commitment to transforming the strong friendship between Pakistan and the UAE into a mutually rewarding partnership,&quot; the Foreign Office spokesperson said in the statement.

President Zardari meets UAE ambassador, reaffirms strong bilateral ties (file photo: APP)

The visit, scheduled for Jan. 26–29,  will include meetings with the UAE leadership to review bilateral ties and discuss issues of mutual regional and international interest.

Pakistan president to visit UAE for talks on trade, security and regional issues

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with the newly appointed Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Salem Mohammed Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi, at the prime minister&rsquo;s office on Tuesday, according to an official statement. Prime Minister Sharif welcomed the ambassador and expressed his appreciation for the brotherly relations between both the countries during the meeting. Sharif also said that he looked forward to the upcoming visit of the President of the UAE. &ldquo;The Prime Minister said that he looked forward to the upcoming visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi to Pakistan,&rdquo; the statement said. The PM showed his satisfaction on the volume of bilateral trade between both the countries. He also highlighted the need for both sides to further collaborate in areas such as energy, minerals, IT, railways, and aviation. Sharif also acknowledged the UAE&#39;s consistent support for Pakistan in times of need, including humanitarian assistance and developmental projects. Al Zaabi thanked the PM for receiving him and conveyed his president&rsquo;s best wishes. He reaffirmed the UAE&#39;s interest to further its partnership with Pakistan across all spheres; he also assured to explore new avenues for cooperation, benefitting both nations.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met UAE Ambassador Salem Al Zaabi, reaffirming strong bilateral ties, welcoming President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s visit, praising UAE support, and urging expanded cooperation in trade, energy, IT, railways, and aviation.

Pakistan PM, UAE envoy discuss expanding bilateral ties

LONDON: The UK government on Wednesday said it was focused on resuming talks promptly after the United States suspended implementation of a tech cooperation deal with Britain. The deal was signed during US President Donald Trump&#39;s pomp-filled state visit to the UK in September. But on Tuesday Michael Kratsios, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said on X that the UK must make &quot;substantial progress&quot; on trade talks for the deal to resume. The US and UK have been trying to implement the &quot;Economic Prosperity Deal,&quot; agreed in May and one of the first international agreements signed after Trump threatened the world with punishing tariffs on goods entering the United States. The US-UK Technology Prosperity Deal agreed in September 2025 was a non-binding agreement to sit alongside the broader Economic Prosperity Deal. It was designed to align the two countries on tech innovation while spurring mostly private-sector investment. Following the White House announcement, a UK government spokesperson said: &quot;We look forward to resuming work on this partnership as quickly as possible... and working together to help shape the emerging technologies of the future.&quot; Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle held trade talks with US counterparts in Washington DC last week to progress the Economic Prosperity Deal, the spokesperson said. &quot;They celebrated the success of the recent pharma deal and both sides agreed to continue further negotiations next year.&quot; According to the Financial Times, US officials have become increasingly frustrated with Britain&#39;s lack of willingness to address non-tariff barriers, including rules and regulations governing food and industrial goods.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) and US President Donald Trump (L) show off their signed technology prosperity deal at a Business event at Chequers, in Aylesbury, central England, on September 18, 2025 (AFP/File)

United Kingdom

UK seeks to revive tech cooperation after the United States suspended a non-binding deal, tying its return to trade progress, as talks continue amid US frustration over UK non-tariff barriers.

UK seeks to revive tech cooperation after the United States suspended a non-binding deal, tying its return to trade progress, as talks continue amid US frustration over UK non-tariff barriers.


UK looks to restart cooperation after US suspends tech deal

ISLAMABAD: Iran&rsquo;s top security official, Dr. Ali Larijani, arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a historic and unprecedented visit, Iranian ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam confirmed.&nbsp;Larijani, who serves as secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council and advisor to Iran&rsquo;s Supreme Leader, is also a former chairman of parliament. His visit marks a significant moment in the evolving relationship between the two neighboring states.&nbsp;In a tweet in Urdu, the secretary said, &ldquo;The Iranian people will never forget that in the 12-day war imposed on Iran by America and the Zionist regime, the Pakistani nation stood alongside the Iranian nation.&rdquo; &nbsp;<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: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1992869087882449281&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=cefb2ab88bd37cd941b7cb64462aeea56225c54e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>During his stay, Larijani is expected to meet Pakistan&rsquo;s top leadership, including the prime minister and the chief of army staff. Talks will focus on security partnerships, improved border management, counter-terrorism cooperation, economic ties, and broader regional stability. Both Iran and Pakistan see themselves as central players in ensuring sustainable security across the region. A need for closer tiesAmbassador Reza pointed out, &ldquo;This historic milestone marks a pivotal moment at which the already solidified and time-tested relations between our two brotherly nations are set to enter another strategic phase&rdquo; in a tweet on X.&nbsp;<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: 659px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1992945025232392607&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=cefb2ab88bd37cd941b7cb64462aeea56225c54e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador to Iran, Mudassir Tipu, also confirmed the visit on X and said, &ldquo;The visit is part of extensive interactions between leaderships of the two countries to reinforce our ties.&rdquo; He added, &ldquo;The visit will play a crucial role in further solidifying Pakistan-Iran historical and deep-rooted ties.&rdquo; Future cooperationThe latest engagement offers an opportunity to align policies and build a unified front against common challenges. Tehran and Islamabad hope to expand bilateral trade from over $3 billion to $10 billion through coordinated planning.<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: 702px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1992889225365119019&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=cefb2ab88bd37cd941b7cb64462aeea56225c54e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Officials noted that Larijani&rsquo;s visit is part of a series of extensive interactions aimed at upgrading ties into a more durable strategic partnership.

Iran’s top security official Dr. Ali Larijani arrived in Islamabad for a historic visit focused on strengthening Pakistan–Iran ties, discussing security, economic cooperation, and regional stability, while both sides seek to elevate their partnership to a strategic level.


Iran’s top security official arrives in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: &nbsp;The European Union (EU) and Pakistan pressed Afghanistan&rsquo;s de facto authorities to take &ldquo;constructive&rdquo; steps on regional security as cross-border tensions rose in October, according to a joint communiqu&eacute; issued this week by Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office following the seventh EU&ndash;Pakistan Strategic Dialogue in Brussels.&nbsp;Co-chaired by Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, the meeting reviewed progress under the 2019 Strategic Engagement Plan and reaffirmed what both sides called a &ldquo;shared commitment&rdquo; to regional peace, stability and the rules-based international order.&nbsp;Dar said Pakistan remained committed to &ldquo;resolving issues through dialogue between neighbors,&rdquo; while Kallas underscored the EU&rsquo;s emphasis on &ldquo;peaceful solutions, full respect for international law and close cooperation on security challenges.&rdquo;&nbsp;Both sides urged Afghanistan&rsquo;s de facto authorities to help &ldquo;root out terrorism from Afghan soil,&rdquo; warning that regional stability hinged on effective counterterrorism efforts.&nbsp;The communiqu&eacute; noted concern over Afghanistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;deteriorating socio-economic conditions&rdquo; and backed a &ldquo;credible political process&rdquo; aligned with the UN-led Doha framework and the Taliban&rsquo;s previous commitments to the international community.&nbsp;Acknowledging Pakistan&rsquo;s decades-long role in hosting millions of Afghans, the EU stressed that any returns must be &ldquo;safe, dignified and in line with international standards.&rdquo;&nbsp;Both sides also called on Kabul to ensure protection of human rights, &ldquo;especially for women, girls and vulnerable communities.&rdquo;&nbsp;The dialogue also covered trade, migration, climate, food and energy security, and education cooperation through Erasmus Mundus and Horizon Europe.&nbsp;Both reaffirmed strong political commitment to the Generalized Scheme of Preferences, described as a key pillar of EU&ndash;Pakistan relations, while the EU briefed Pakistan on the process toward adopting a new GSP framework.&nbsp;The delegations exchanged views on Ukraine, Jammu and Kashmir and the Middle East.&nbsp;They welcomed the agreement on the first phase of the Comprehensive Plan to end the Gaza conflict, urging all parties to respect the ceasefire, implement subsequent phases and allow unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.&nbsp;According to the Foreign Office, the EU and Pakistan agreed to hold the eighth round of the Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad.

Two sides urge Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to curb terrorism, protect rights and support regional stability, the Foreign Office says after their Brussels strategic dialogue.

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