Category: politcs

Shehbaz Sharif Offers PTI Talks if Long March and Sit-Ins End

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressing a ceremony in Islamabad where he offered talks to PTI if it ends its long march and sit-ins

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday renewed the government’s offer of talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), on one condition: the party must first end its long march and sit-ins. Speaking at an event in Islamabad, he warned that the protests could hurt exports, imports and manufacturing. He said the government remains ready to talk, but that the earlier negotiations had not produced results. The PTI has not called off its march. Background: How the Talks Collapsed The PTI began its long march on October 4 from Lakki Marwat in…

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Kashmir Issue: Pakistan Rejects India’s “Internal Matter” Claim at the UN

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The United Nations General Assembly hall in New York where Pakistan and India exchanged statements on the Kashmir issue

Pakistan has again rejected India’s claim that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter, telling the United Nations that the territory remains a disputed region. Pakistani diplomat Gohar said Pakistan categorically rejects India’s attempts to call the Jammu and Kashmir dispute a “so-called internal matter,” according to remarks shared by Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN. The statement is the latest round of a long exchange between Islamabad and New Delhi. India has long held the opposite view, so the Kashmir issue remains unresolved. Background: Kashmir Issue From 1947 to…

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Kashmir Dispute: Pakistan Calls for Peaceful Settlement Under UN Resolutions

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Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon and Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh addressing journalists at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington on the Kashmir dispute

Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, have called for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute. They said lasting peace and stability in South Asia depend on a settlement in line with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The remarks came during a media session at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, as reported on Tuesday. Background: A Dispute That Dates Back to 1947 The Kashmir issue has been unresolved since the partition of British India…

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China Cuts Tariffs on US Farm Goods but Leaves Soybeans Out

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Cargo ship loading US corn and wheat at a port as China tariffs on US farm goods are cut but soybeans are excluded

BEIJING, Sept 28, 2026: China is set to cut tariffs on a broad range of US agricultural goods, including corn, wheat, meat and dairy. Soybeans, the biggest US farm item Beijing buys, are not on the list issued by the commerce ministry on Monday. US soybeans will keep facing an extra 10% tariff, which traders say is too high for private buyers to absorb. Background: How China US Trade Relations Reached This Point Markets had been waiting for this announcement since last week’s Washington summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping…

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President Zardari Approves Ordinance to Protect Islamabad Safe City Infrastructure

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Islamabad Safe City surveillance camera installed along a city road under new protection ordinance

Safe City Cameras in Islamabad Now Covered Under New Legal Protection President Asif Ali Zardari has given his approval to a new law aimed at safeguarding the Islamabad Safe City infrastructure from vandalism and physical damage. The move came on the formal advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and was confirmed through an official statement from the President’s House on Saturday. The newly signed law has been named the Islamabad Capital Territory Safe City Camera and Surveillance Infrastructure Protection and Damage Compensation Ordinance. Its core purpose is to shield the…

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Netanyahu New York Visit Cut Short Over Security Fears

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Benjamin Netanyahu arriving in New York for his UN General Assembly speech amid tight security

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has slashed his New York visit down to just a handful of hours. He is set to land Thursday morning, deliver his UN General Assembly address, and fly straight back to Israel the same evening, skipping an overnight stay altogether. Why Netanyahu Shortened His New York Trip The decision didn’t come out of nowhere. Israeli broadcaster Channel 13 reported that senior security officials sat down with Netanyahu in recent days and pushed hard for a shorter trip, citing an “intelligence picture” that included specific warnings.…

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Trump Praises Zohran Mamdani After New York Meeting

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Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani shaking hands during their New York meeting

President Donald Trump had warm words for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday, saying he wants the young Democratic mayor to succeed. The remarks came after the two men held closed-door talks in Manhattan that focused on immigration enforcement and a multi-billion-dollar housing project. The meeting marked the third time the two leaders have appeared together publicly since Mamdani’s mayoral win last year. It also signaled a further thaw in what began as one of the most openly hostile relationships between a sitting president and a New York…

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Aleema Khan Detention Case: LHC Seeks Arguments on Petition Maintainability

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Aleema Khan detention case hearing at Lahore High Court

Summary The Lahore High Court on Tuesday asked lawyers to argue whether a petition against Aleema Khan’s detention can be legally heard at all. Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, has been held since Sunday under a 30-day order issued by the Lahore deputy commissioner. The judge reserved her decision on maintainability and adjourned the case till September 25. Background Aleema Khan was picked up along with her driver, Muhammad Ameer, and both are currently confined at Lahore Central Jail. The detention order was issued under the Maintenance…

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Pakistan Airstrikes Target Terrorist Hideouts Near Afghanistan Border, Kill 28 Militants

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Pakistani Air Force jet conducting airstrikes near the Afghanistan border region

Summary Pakistani fighter jets struck suspected militant hideouts in eastern Afghanistan early Monday. Pakistani security officials say the calibrated airstrikes killed 28 fighters linked to groups operating from Afghan soil. Kabul disputes this account, saying only three civilians died and four others were wounded. The strikes mark another sharp escalation in the ongoing Pakistan-Afghanistan border conflict, which has simmered since February 2026. Background Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have been building for months. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban government of sheltering Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commanders and allowing cross-border…

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US-Iran War Keeps Oil Market on Edge Despite Diplomacy Hopes

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Oil tanker sailing near the Strait of Hormuz amid US-Iran war tensions

The US-Iran war remains the single biggest force driving global energy markets this week. Even as oil prices ease on hopes of diplomatic movement, the underlying conflict is far from resolved, and fresh attacks over the weekend show just how quickly sentiment could reverse. Crude benchmarks slipped for a fourth consecutive session on Monday, with Brent trading close to $102 a barrel and WTI hovering just under $99. Yet officials on both sides have offered no confirmation that formal negotiations are actually underway. Background: A Conflict That Keeps Reshaping Energy…

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