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TRUMP SAYS ‘HONOURED’ TO HOST FIELD MARSHAL FOR TALKS IN WHITE HOUSE Thursday, 19 June, 2025 | 22 Zilhaj, 1446
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THIS MAN WAS EXTREMELY INFLUENTIAL IN STOPPING INDIAPAKISTAN FIGHTING FROM PAKISTAN SIDE: US PRESIDENT TELLS MEDIA
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WASHINGTON, DC
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TRUMP ONCE AGAIN CLAIMS CREDIT FOR PAKISTAN-INDIA CEASEFIRE DESPITE PM MODI’S DENIAL
StAff report
NITED States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he was “honoured” to host Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at a luncheon for talks at the White House in what is being described as a “significant and unanticipated diplomatic development.” Speaking to the media after the event on Thursday, Trump extended his gratitude to Asim Munir for visiting and acknowledged the army chief’s role in helping avert further military escalation in the region. “It is an honour for me to meet Asim Munir,” Trump said. “I invited him to thank him for not going to war. He deserves appreciation for helping secure the ceasefire.” The lunch is being seen in Islamabad as a major diplomatic win, particularly because earlier this month, an Indian delegation met US Vice President JD Vance and Indian media depicted it as a diplomatic success, contrasting it with the apparent inability of the Pakistani delegation to secure a similar meeting.
Gen Munir’s invitation to the White House is now being projected by officials in Islamabad as a diplomatic counterpoint to those narratives. Questioned by reporters on the White House lawn about the diplomatic outcomes expected from the upcoming meeting with Field Marshal Munir, Trump remarked, “This man was extremely influential in stopping it (India-Pakistan fighting) from the Pakistan side.” “Pakistan and India are both nuclear
At UN, Pakistan calls Gaza situation not just catastrophic but ‘collapse of humanity’ NEW YORK
StAff report
Pakistan voiced “profound anguish, disappointment, and mounting despair” over the worsening plight of the people in the besieged Gaza Strip as the 10th UN General Assembly session on Palestine resumed Tuesday, calling the situation not just a humanitarian catastrophe but a collapse of humanity. “The situation in Gaza is a stain on our collective conscience,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the 193-member Assembly, which last week adopted a resolution—by an overwhelming majority—demanding an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Israel’s war in Gaza and aid access, after the United States vetoed a similar effort in the Security Council on June 4. Piloted by Spain, the resolution, co-sponsored by Pakistan and 47 other states, garnered 149 votes in favor to 12 against, with 19 abstentions. Among those opposing the resolution were the United States and Israel, while India was among the countries abstaining. “These (the demands made in the Assembly resolution) are not aspirations— they are obligations,” the Pakistani envoy said, stressing, “The international community must act with urgency to ensure their implementation.” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar called the resolution a necessary assertion of international will, saying, “Pakistan is proud to have supported and cosponsored this initiative.” Pointing out that over 55,000 lives have been lost, including 18,000 children and 28,000 women, he said that infrastructure has been razed—homes, hospitals, schools, cultural heritage, and places of worship—while famine looms, with humanitarian workers and UN personnel being attacked with impunity. Against this backdrop, Ambassador Iftikhar reiterated Pakistan’s call for the immediate steps necessary not only to stem this horror but also to lay the foundations for a just and lasting peace. These included an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire, ending the killings; lifting of the Gaza blockade, with humanitarian aid allowed freely and safely and international agencies empowered, not hindered; full restoration of UNRWA’s mandate, access, and funding; and confronting the root cause: the prolonged, illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. “There will be no durable peace without justice, and no justice without the realization of the two-state solution— based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a sovereign, independent, and contiguous State of Palestine,” the Pakistan envoy told the Assembly.
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powers,” the US president said. “We’re in talks with Pakistan on a trade agreement. The leadership of both nations is truly remarkable.” The meeting between Field Marshal Asim Munir and Donald Trump was held at the White House Cabinet Room over lunch. Trump also once again claimed credit for the Pakistan-India ceasefire despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintaining in a conversation with him
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US PRESIDENT SAYS, “WE’RE IN TALKS WITH PAKISTAN ON A TRADE AGREEMENT
late on Tuesday that the breakthrough was achieved through talks between the two militaries and not US mediation. Addressing the development, the PPP chairman said: “Today, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir will meet with Donald Trump over lunch, a positive step in PakistanUS relations. Especially given the president’s role in mediating a ceasefire. “Following Pakistan’s decisive victory in the recent five-day war, India has regrettably resisted all efforts toward a permanent peace, including US-led diplomacy.” He said Pakistan neither sought conflict nor was it “desperate for dialogue”. However, Bilawal said Pakistan recognised that peace was in the interest of both nations. “There is no military solution to our disputes. India’s weaponisation of water, repression in Kashmir, and politicisation of terrorism are unsustainable positions. The path forward lies in honest diplomacy — not denial.” Meanwhile, Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based South Asia analyst, emphasised that the meeting should not be seen only in the context of the IranIsrael conflict.
‘Mere Statements Won’t Work’: PTI urges govt to take a clear stance on Israel issue ISLAMABAD
StAff report
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has called on the government to take a proactive and decisive stance, rather than limiting itself to issuing statements, to mount on effective diplomatic pressure on the “rogue Israeli state” to halt its war crimes because it is rapidly emerging as a grave threat to global peace. Addressing a press conference alongside party MNAs–Mubeen Arif Jatt and Osama Ahmed Mela on Wednesday, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram strongly condemned the unchecked aggression of the Israeli state, describing it as a major threat to regional peace and stability. He emphasized that the unchecked Israeli state posed a significant threat to regional peace and stability. However, he criticized the government for failing to take any meaningful action regarding the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, as mere statements were no longer sufficient.
Khawarij target pipeline supplying gas to Punjab in Lakki Marwat: police LAKKI MARWAT StAff report
In a major act of sabotage, terrorists of Fitna alKhawarij targeted a key pipeline supplying gas from Bettani Gas Field in Lakki Marwat to Punjab, using explosives to destroy a main section of the line, the police confirmed on Wednesday. “Khawarij terrorists blew up a gas pipeline in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district that supplies gas to Punjab,” Qudratullah, Assistant spokesperson to the Lakki Marwar District Police Officer, said. He said that the explosion triggered a fire and caused a massive gas leak. “Actually, the pipeline was targeted in the Torwah seasonal stream area, which provided cover for the perpetrators,” he pointed out. “Soon after the blast, security forces rushed to the site and cordoned off the area,” the DPO’s spokesperson further said, adding that emergency teams had also been mobilised to control the fire and assess the extent of the damage. “Investigations are underway to identify and apprehend those involved in the attack,” he said. “Officials have condemned the incident as an assault on critical national infrastructure aimed at destabilising the region and disrupting essential energy supplies.”
CB turns down SIC’s request for partial reserve seats’ allocation ISLAMABAD
StAff report
“We have consistently condemned Israel, and we will continue to do so. What Israel has done to destabilize humanity must be met with more than just words. Real action is needed now,” he added. PTI CIS noted that PTI Patron-in-Chief Imran Khan’s stance had always been clear regarding Israel; they had condemned Israel in the past, and would continue to do so in the future as well. However, PTI CIS emphasized that the situation warranted strong and decisive leadership, and therefore, the unlawfully incarcerated PTI Patronin-Chief must be released immediately, as he is the only leader capable of steering the nation through such a critical and challenging time. He stated that the government, devoid of public mandate, must recognize the rapidly evolving regional dynamics, put its own house in order, and immediately cease its ongoing policy of political vendetta and retribution.
The constitutional bench (CB) of the Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) request to allocate reserved seats to the PTI in proportion to 39 MNAs who had declared themselves to be affiliated with the party while filing nomination papers for the Feb 2024 elections. The 11-member Constitutional Bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard the petitions challenging the SC’s July 2024 majority ruling granting allocation of women and minorities reserved seats to the PTI. On January 13, 2024, a three-member SC bench upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) December 22, 2023 order declaring the PTI’s intra-party polls null and void. Later, the PTI candidates had to contest the February 8, 2024 general elections as independents. Eighty such independent candidates reached the National Assembly and later joined the SIC in an apparent bid to claim reserved seats for women and minorities. The ECP, however, refused to allocate the seats to the party, a decision that the SIC challenged in the Supreme Court. On July 12, 2024, a full bench of the apex court, through a majority of 8 to 5, resurrected the PTI as a parliamentary party, noting that 39 of the lawmakers who had submitted certificates of their affiliation with the PTI along with their nomination papers were already PTI lawmakers. The SC ruled that the remaining 41 lawmakers who had not submitted the affiliation certificates at the time of nomination papers’ submission could do that now within a period of 15 days.
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Federal cabinet approves Rs1.275 trillion bank loan to cut power sector circular debt ISLAMABAD
AhMAd AhMAdAni
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In a landmark move to permanently resolve the country’s persistent power sector circular debt, the federal cabinet has approved a historic Rs1.275 trillion financing agreement between the government and approximately 18 commercial banks. The decision comes after extensive negotiations and forms a core part of the government’s broader circular debt reduction plan. As per details, under the approved plan, Rs1.275 trillion will be borrowed from commercial banks at a markup— 0.9percent below the prevailing threemonth Karachi Interbank Offered Rate
MARKUP FOR THE LOAN SET AT 0.9PC BELOW KIBOR
(KIBOR). This is the first time the government has opted to gradually eliminate the circular debt stock using structured commercial financing, rather than simply containing it at a certain level. According to the Power Division, Rs683 billion from the total financing will be used to pay off the outstanding liabilities of the Power Holding Company Limited (PHL), while the remaining funds will help retire debts owed to Independent Power Producers (IPPs). The move aims to reduce the circular debt burden, which currently stands at approximately Rs2.4 trillion. The financing deal has already re-
ceived the green light from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a necessary step given Pakistan’s ongoing economic reform commitments under the fund’s program. The repayment of this debt will span six years, through 24 equal semiannual installments. Importantly, the annual repayment cap has been set at Rs323 billion. To account for potential increases in interest rates, the cabinet has also approved a maximum repayment ceiling of Rs1.938 trillion.The fresh Rs683 billion in loans—extended by the banks at an interest rate of 10.50% to 11%, pegged to KIBOR
minus 0.90 basis points—will be serviced through the existing Debt Service Surcharge (DSS), currently charged to electricity consumers at Rs3.23 per unit. This mechanism ensures that the new financing will not place any additional burden on the national treasury. Industry sources emphasized that this arrangement represents a significant shift in the government’s approach—focusing on debt reduction, enhanced financial discipline, and greater transparency in power sector management. The move is being seen as a critical milestone in Pakistan’s fiscal reform journey, aimed at stabilizing the energy sector and building confidence among investors, lenders, and development partners.
Missiles attacks, war of words rage on as Iran-Israel conflict enters 6th day TEHRAN
AgencieS
The conflict between Israel and Iran entered its sixth day on Wednesday, with both countries exchanging missile strikes. The hostilities were marked by Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, military sites, and civilian buildings, and subsequent missile retaliation from Iran. The escalation follows Israel’s extensive air campaign, codenamed ‘Rising Lion,’ which began with attacks on Iranian targets last week. On Wednesday morning, Israel’s military reported that two barrages of Iranian missiles were fired toward Israel, with explosions heard over Tel Aviv. The missile strikes followed earlier Israeli air raids on Iranian targets, which reportedly killed top
Iranian commanders and scientists, along with several civilians. These strikes were part of a broader effort by Israel to deter Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which Iran denies, insisting that its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful civilian purposes. The Israeli military also ordered evacuations of certain areas, including parts of Tehran, ahead of their own airstrikes aimed at Iranian military installations. Iranian news outlets reported explosions in Tehran and Karaj, a city located west of the capital, in response to Israel’s strikes. The IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) claimed responsibility for launching hypersonic missiles in retaliation. According to a statement from the IRGC, this was part of the 11th wave of Operation Honest Prom-
ise 3, which used Fattah-1 missiles. The IRGC claimed that Iran had “complete control over the skies of the occupied territories,” referring to areas under Israeli control. Human Rights Activists, a Washingtonbased group, reported that as of Wednesday, at least 585 people had been killed in Iran, with 1,326 others wounded. Of those killed, 239 were civilians, and 126 were security personnel. Israel, on the other hand, reported 24 deaths, mostly civilians. Many residents in both countries have fled their homes, with civilians seeking shelter from the ongoing violence. As the hostilities escalated, US President Donald Trump, in a series of posts on Truth Social, called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”
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Iran denies sending delegation to Muscat amid reports of backchannel diplomacy TEHRAN
Monitoring report
Iran has denied sending a delegation to Muscat, Oman, despite reports suggesting otherwise, fueling speculation about possible backchannel diplomacy. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi publicly rejected claims that Tehran had initiated any new round of talks, particularly with U.S. President Donald Trump. This came amid evidence that Iranian planes had landed in Oman’s capital, with three flights, including two Airbus A321s and one Airbus A340, arriving at Muscat International Airport. Despite these developments, Tehran’s senior officials continued to assert that there had been no new requests for negotiations or meetings, dismissing speculation about potential talks. A senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official further told Arab publications that Iran had not pursued any diplomatic engagement with the US.