ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday denounced what it called a renewed Indian campaign of “baseless allegations and propaganda” tying Islamabad to the terrorist attack that killed 26 people in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir exactly one year earlier, describing the accusations as an attempt to distract from New Delhi’s own policies in the long-contested territory.
Politics
Trump orders US Navy to fire on Iranian boats laying mines in Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions despite fragile truce
ISLAMABAD: President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he has directed the US Navy to “shoot and kill” any Iranian vessels attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a dramatic escalation that risks unraveling a tenuous cease-fire between the United States and Iran even as both sides maneuver for leverage in stalled peace talks.
Trump and Pakistani officials see possible US-Iran talks as soon as Friday, even as Tehran seizes ships in Hormuz
ISLAMABAD: President Donald Trump and Pakistani officials signaled on Wednesday that “good news” on a second round of direct US-Iran negotiations could emerge within 36 to 72 hours, potentially as soon as Friday, raising cautious hopes for a diplomatic off-ramp even as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seized two container ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the United States maintained its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Pakistan accuses India of staging Kashmir tourist massacre on anniversary of attack that nearly sparked war
ISLAMABAD: Information minister Ataullah Tarar accused India on Wednesday of still failing to produce any credible evidence linking Islamabad to last year’s deadliest attack in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, repeating Pakistan’s charge that the assault was a “false flag” operation orchestrated by New Delhi to justify military escalation against its neighbour.
Iran signals openness to diplomacy but vows to defend itself as Trump extends fragile US-Iran ceasefire at Pakistan’s request
ISLAMABAD: Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed Pakistan’s mediation efforts to end the Middle East war but offered no direct comment on a last-minute extension of the cease-fire announced hours earlier by President Donald Trump, even as a second round of US-Iran talks in the Pakistani capital appeared to be unraveling before it began.
Pakistan condemns Israeli settlers’ storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and raising of flag as ‘reprehensible’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday denounced in the strongest terms the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem by Israeli settlers and the raising of Israel’s flag in its courtyard, describing the actions as “reprehensible” and a serious threat to regional stability.
Trump extends Iran ceasefire at Pakistan’s request, buying time for Tehran to submit peace proposal
ISLAMABAD: President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he had directed the US military to extend an already strained ceasefire with Iran, keeping a naval blockade in place while Tehran prepares what he called a “unified proposal” to end the conflict that began with American and Israeli strikes in late February.
Pakistan presses US and Iran to extend fragile ceasefire as deadline looms and second round of talks hangs in balance
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan pressed the United States and Iran on Tuesday to extend their two-week ceasefire and return to the negotiating table, even as a formal response from Tehran about attending a second round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad remained elusive and President Donald Trump signaled he was prepared to resume military strikes.
Security forces kill wanted militant and suicide bomber in northwest raid, avenging officer’s death
ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed two militants, including a ringleader long sought for his role in a February suicide bombing that killed an army lieutenant colonel, in an intelligence-based operation in the northwestern district of Bannu, the military said on Monday.
Mixed signals from Tehran cloud second round of US-Iran talks even as Pakistan prepares for high-stakes meeting
ISLAMABAD: Uncertainty clouded plans for a second round of direct peace talks between the United States and Iran on Monday, even as President Donald Trump said a high-level American delegation led by Vice President JD Vance was en route to Islamabad and would arrive within hours.