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US NOT PRESSURING PAKISTAN TO RECOGNIZE ISRAEL: AMBASSADOR SHEIKH Monday, 14 July, 2025 | 18 Muharram, 1447
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AMB RIZWAN SAEED SH SAYS, ‘OUR POLICY TOWARDS ISRAEL IS CONSISTENT WITH QUAID’S IDEOLOGY,’ REAFFIRMING PAKISTAN’S POSITION ON ISRAEL REMAINS UNCHANGED
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SAYS PAKISTAN'S APPROACH TO THE ISSUE IS BASED ON LONGSTANDING PRINCIPLES AND NOT INFLUENCED BY EXTERNAL PRESSURE
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WASHINGTON Staf RepoRt
Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh on Sunday ruled out there is any pressure from Washington to recognize Israel, elaborating on that Islamabad’s policy towards Israel is consistent with Quaid-e-Azam’s ideology, saying this approach to the issue is based on longstanding principles. “Pakistan's approach to the issue is based on longstanding principles, consistent with Quaid-e-Azam’s ideology and not influenced by external pressure”, Ambassador Rizwan Sheikh declared during an informal media briefing at a luncheon hosted by prominent PakistaniAmerican community leader Dr Rao Kamran Ali at his residence in Dallas. Addressing the gathering, the ambassador spoke on a range of national and international issues, reaffirming that Pakistan’s position on Israel remains unchanged and is rooted in the vision of the country’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. “Our policy towards Israel is consistent with Quaid-e-Azam’s ideology,” Ambassador Sheikh said, adding that Pakistan's approach to the issue is based on longstanding principles and not influenced by external pressure. The event was attended by a large number of notable Pakistani-American figures, including Democratic leader
Tahir Javed, Pakistan’s Consul General in the US Aftab Chaudhry, and numerous physicians and professionals from across the country. The remarks come amid ongoing speculation in international media about changing dynamics in the Muslim world’s relations with Israel. Pakistan, which has no diplomatic ties with Israel, maintains that normalisation will only be possible after a just settlement of the Palestinian issue. During the recent confrontation between the Middle Eastern arch-rivals Iran and Israel, Pakistan supported Tehran on its right to defence against the Israeli aggression. Commenting on bilateral ties, Ambassador Sheikh said Pakistan-US relations are improving, noting that both countries are working to strengthen co-
operation in areas such as trade, energy and technology. He said that a significant dialogue on counterterrorism between Pakistan and the United States is expected to take place soon, further noting that there has been promising progress in economic and trade relations between the two nations. Ambassador Sheikh added that following a recent high-level meeting between US President Donald Trump and Pakistan’s Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir, new avenues of cooperation have opened, and bilateral ties have expanded. Speaking on trade matters, he stated that discussions are ongoing between relevant authorities in both countries regarding Pakistan’s exemption from additional tariffs, and that encour-
'Do-or-die': Anti-govt movement to determine PTI’s future course of action, says Gandapur g
KP CHIEF MINISTER SETS 90-DAY ULTIMATUM FOR ANTI-GOVT CAMPAIGN TO ACHIEVE 'POLITICAL GOALS' LAHORE
Staff RepoRt
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday labelled the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI)'s newly launched protest movement against the incumbent rulers as "do or die," saying the antigovernment protest movement would determine the party's future
course of action. "We have to decide in 90 days whether to do politics or not. The [protest] movement will be a do or die [in nature]," Gandapur said while speaking at a press conference in Lahore alongside Salman Akram Raja and others. The firebrand politician's remarks come a day after the former ruling party formally launched its
‘26th Amendment Vote:’ PTI expels five MNAs over defying ‘party discipline’ ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday expelled five of its members of the National Assembly (MNAs) for voting in favor of the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2024, in clear “violation of party policy, oath and parliamentary discipline.” The expulsions were confirmed through formal notifications issued by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. The lawmakers include Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, Zahoor Elahi,
Usman Ali, Mubarak Zeb, and Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry— who were elected on PTI tickets and, according to the party, had pledged to uphold its parliamentary position. Barrister Gohar stated that the five MNAs now stand “disqualified and deseated” from the National Assembly as a result of the expulsion. An official PTI statement said the party’s parliamentary meeting on September 2, 2024, had unanimously decided to oppose the 26th Amendment at all stages.
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anti-government campaign, set to reach its "peak" by August 5, following a high-level huddle in the provincial capital. Among other objectives, the protest movement is aimed at securing release of party founder Imran Khan, who will complete two years in jail on August 5. The Imran Khan-founded party's latest round of anti-government drive comes months after its negotiations with the government stalled over the issue of the formation of judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots and November 2024 Islamabad protest. The PTI, ever since Imran's ouster from the PM's office via a noconfidence motion back in 2022, has been at loggerheads with the then Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the current coalition government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Apart from facing political challenges, the party and its leadership have been embroiled in a plethora of legal cases, including Imran and other senior leaders such as Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry and others behind bars for quite some time.
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IMF commends Pakistan’s strong performance under its $7b EFF ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) representatives commended Pakistan’s strong performance under its $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), describing the country’s economic reforms as a “step in the right direction to ensure long-term stability and sustainable growth,” the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) said on Sunday. During a guest lecture hosted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad, IMF’s Resident Representative for Pakistan, Mahir Binici, lauded the progress made under the three-year aid package signed in July 2024. Pakistan had secured a three-year aid package deal in July 2024. The program, approved by the IMF two months later, is set to allow the country to “cement macroeconomic stability and create conditions for stronger, more inclusive,, and resilient growth.”
Binici termed the EFF’s successful first review— also encompassing agreement on the federal budget blueprint—by the IMF Executive Board in May as a key milestone. “Early policy measures have helped restore macroeconomic stability and rebuild investor confidence, despite persistent external challenges,” Binici was quoted as saying. He stressed that structural reforms remained central to Pakistan’s long-term economic sustainability, particularly reforms that strengthen tax equity, improve the business climate and encourage private-sector-led investment. Addressing economists, researchers and policy experts, the SDPI statement said, Banici reaffirmed the Fund’s continued support for the country’s economic and climate reform agenda. In March, Pakistan unlocked a new $1.3 billion arrangement with the IMF under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) to build resilience against climate catastrophes through adaptation.
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 6 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
AFFIRMS PAKISTAN HAS AMPLE ELECTRICITY RESERVES TO SUPPORT VENTURES LIKE CRYPTOCURRENCY MINING
DPM Dar reaches China today to attend SCO’s CFMs meeting ISLAMABAD
aging progress is being made. However, he acknowledged that the matter is complex and time-consuming. In response to a question about investment opportunities, he pointed out that Pakistan has ample electricity reserves to support ventures like cryptocurrency mining — a sector gaining attention in the global digital economy. Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal also addressed the event via video link, providing insights into Pakistan’s current political, economic, and defence landscape. He outlined the new initiatives and strategic vision being implemented by the Government of Pakistan. Host Dr Ali concluded the event by announcing that he, along with Dr Javed, plans to invest in Pakistan’s information technology sector —specifically in fields such as artificial intelligence. He thanked all distinguished guests and participants for their presence and support. It may be noted that Pakistan officially commenced the drafting of a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital and virtual assets, signalling a significant move by the government to formally oversee the booming cryptocurrency ecosystem last month. Later, Islamabad and New York each launched dedicated Crypto Councils to promote responsible growth of the digital asset sector.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit China on Monday (tomorrow) to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFMs) meeting being held on 14-16 July 2025, state media reported on Sunday. In a statement, the Foreign Office said that the foreign ministers of all SCO member states, including Pakistan, China, Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, will participate in the CFM meeting. The foreign minister of Belarus will also attend the CFM for the first time as a member of the forum. The CFM is the third highest forum in the SCO format. It focuses on the issues of international relations, as well as foreign and security policies. The forum also approves the documents, including declarations and statements, etc, that are to be presented for the consideration of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) as well as the decisions to be adopted by the CHS. “The upcoming Council of Heads of State will take place on August 31 and September 1 in Tianjin, China,” said the FO. “At the invitation of the Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar will lead the Pakistan delegation to the meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers,” the Foreign Office (FO) said. The SCO is a 10-nation Eurasian security and political grouping whose members include China, Russia, Pakistan, India, and Iran. Their foreign ministers’ meeting was held as a precursor to the annual summit of its leaders set for the autumn. “The upcoming CHS will take place from August 31 to September 1 in Tianjin, China,” the FO said.
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Staff RepoRt