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FIELD MARSHAL’S US VISIT REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO REGIONAL PEACE, COUNTERTERRORISM Saturday, 21 June, 2025 | 24 Zilhaj, 1446
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XV No 343 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
COAS HIGHLIGHTS PAKISTAN’S UNWAVERING g FIELD MARSHAL SHED LIGHT ON PAKISTAN’S COMMITMENT TO REGIONAL PEACE, ITS REMARKABLE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL IN IT, CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN FOSTERING A AGRICULTURE AND UNDEREXPLOITED RULE-BASED INTERNATIONAL ORDER RESERVES IN MINING AND MINERAL SECTORS INTERACTION WITH US THINK TANKS, STRATEGIC AFFAIRS INSTITUTIONS PROVIDED OPPORTUNITY TO ARTICULATE PRINCIPLED STANCE ON KEY REGIONAL, GLOBAL ISSUES
US encourages Pakistan to continue playing its role in peace efforts with Iran ISLAMABAD
staff report
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RAWALPINDI
staff report
HIEF of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, during his US visit, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace, counterterrorism, and economic growth, while advocating for deeper diplomatic and strategic ties with the United States. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during his official visit to the United States, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, held a comprehensive and candid exchange with senior scholars, analysts, policy experts, and representatives of leading international media outlets in Washington, DC. The interaction with prominent US think tanks and representatives of the
strategic affairs institutions provided an opportunity to articulate Pakistan’s principled stance on key regional and global issues and to deepen understanding of Pakistan’s strategic outlook. In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff highlighted Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to regional peace and stability and its constructive role in fostering a rules-based international order. The Field Marshal eluded the details and analysis of the Marka-e-Haq and Operation Bunyanum Marsoos and elaborated on Pakistan’s perspective on terrorism, noting the malign influence of certain regional actors in sponsoring and perpetuating terrorism as a tool of hybrid warfare. The COAS emphasized that Pakistan has been on the front lines of the global war against terrorism, having rendered immense sacrifices—both human and economic—in pursuit of a safer and more
China, Bangladesh and Pakistan form historic tri-state strategic alliance ISLAMABAD
staff Correspondent
China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have agreed to deepen their trilateral cooperation across various sectors at their first-ever summit held in Kunming, China. The meeting, which took place earlier this week in Yunnan province, was attended by Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong representing China, Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique representing Bangladesh, and Additional Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui representing Pakistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch participated via video link. During the summit, the three countries pledged to work together based on the principles of “goodneighborliness, equality and mutual trust, openness and inclusiveness, common development, and win-win cooperation,” according to a joint statement issued following the meeting. The countries committed to exploring collaborative projects in key areas such as trade, industry, maritime affairs, water resources, agriculture, climate change, health, education, youth engagement, culture, and think tank collaboration. A trilateral working group will be formed to oversee the implementation of the agreed initiatives, aimed at enhancing economic growth and improving living standards across the three nations. The statement highlighted that the trilateral framework is rooted in “true multilateralism and open regionalism” and emphasized that it is “not directed at any third party.”
The United States has encouraged Pakistan to continue playing its role in the ongoing peace efforts with Iran to deescalate tensions with Israel amid deepening fears of broader conflict. The development came as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from US Secretary of State Rubio on Friday, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. During their warm and cordial conversation, the prime minister conveyed his best wishes for President Donald Trump and praised him for his bold leadership. He also appreciated Secretary Rubio’s proactive diplomacy that played a pivotal role in helping Pakistan and India to arrive at a ceasefire understanding and averting a major catastrophe between the two nuclear-armed states. Premier Shehbaz added that President Trump’s positive statements about Pakistan were most encouraging for a
secure world. Field Marshal Asim Munir shed light on Pakistan’s remarkable untapped potential, particularly in the domains of information technology, agriculture, and its vast and underexploited reserves in the mining and mineral sectors. He invited international partners to explore collaborative opportunities in these sectors to un-
durable peace in South Asia, which could only be made possible by initiating meaningful dialogue between Pakistan and India. In this context, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness for talks with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu & Kashmir, the Indus Water Treaty, trade, and counter-terrorism. The situation in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-Israel crisis, was also discussed, where PM Shehbaz emphasized the need to find a peaceful resolution to this grave crisis through dialogue and diplomacy. He stated that Pakistan was ready to play a constructive role in any effort for peace in the current situation, which was deeply worrying, not only for the region but for the entire world. While recalling President Trump’s focus on trade, the premier stated that Pakistan and the US needed to work together to advance mutually beneficial cooperation across a wide range of areas, including trade, investment, energy, mining, rare earth metals, and IT.
PM meets Maulana Fazl, enquires after well being of his younger son ISLAMABAD
staff report
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Friday visited President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence and inquired about well being of his younger son, Asjad Mehmood. He expressed his grave concern over the attack on Asjad Mehmood and the failed attempt to kidnap him. The prime minister ordered legal action against the people involved in the failed attack. The two leaders also discussed the overall political situation in the country. Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Advisor to Prime Minister for Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah also accompanied the prime minister.
National tally rises to 12 as polio case reported in KP’s Bannu
lock shared prosperity. Participants noted the openness and clarity of the COAS’s perspectives and appreciated Pakistan’s consistent and principled policies. The interaction was marked by a spirit of mutual understanding and was widely regarded as a positive step toward enhancing strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States.
ISLAMABAD
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Pakistan counters India’s claims on Pahalgam incident in UN, calls for Kashmir resolution GENEVA
staff report
Pakistan has formally rejected India’s allegations concerning the recent Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, addressing the claims at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Thursday. Pakistan’s representative, Muneeb Ahmed, exercised the country’s right to reply during the ongoing session of the UNHRC. He dismissed the allegations made by India, emphasizing that no substantial evidence had been provided to substantiate the claim that Pakistan was involved in the attack. India, he pointed out, had prematurely accused Pakistan without completing its investigation. Ahmed further criticized India for rejecting calls for an independent inquiry and continuing its military operations against civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that these actions are worsening the already fragile situation in the region. “Even before India’s own investigative authorities had concluded their findings, they escalated the oppression of the people in Jammu and Kashmir. India continues to carry out unjustifiable military strikes, not only against civilians in Kashmir but also
within Pakistan’s borders,” he said. Pakistan’s representative emphasized that resolving the Kashmir issue was crucial for ensuring lasting peace in South Asia. “The dispute over Jammu and Kashmir remains unresolved and continues to pose a significant threat to regional peace. This issue can only be resolved through the exercise of the Kashmiri people’s right to selfdetermination, as recognized by numerous UN Security Council resolutions,” Ahmed added. Furthermore, he condemned India’s actions under the leadership of the current regime, urging India to
abandon its pursuit of Hindutva policies and respect the rights of Kashmiris. “India must stop blaming Pakistan and Muslims and instead address the real issue—the rights of the Kashmiri people,” he asserted. Pakistan called on India to act in accordance with international law and respect the sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir as an internationally recognized disputed territory. The statement concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the Kashmir issue, stressing that this is essential for the longterm stability of the region.
A new case of wild poliovirus has been reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, taking the national tally to 12, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at Islamabad’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) confirmed on Friday. According to the press release, the 33-month-old boy from Bannu’s Shamsikhel Union Council is the sixth case of polio reported from KP this year. “To date in 2025, Pakistan has reported a total of 12 cases of polio, including six from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan,” the laboratory said. The regional laboratory noted that the southern districts of KP remain areas of concern due to limited access and challenges in conducting house-to-house vaccination. “These barriers result in missed opportunities, leaving thousands of children unvaccinated and vulnerable to poliovirus,” the statement read. Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed progress. Federal Minister for Health, Mustafa Kamal, on Thursday claimed that Pakistan has witnessed a decline of over 99 percent in polio cases, saying that polio eradication remains a top priority of the government. The Polio Eradication Programme urges all parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive every dose of polio vaccine,” it added. “Each dose strengthens immunity and offers lifelong protection. Community engagement and support remain critical to stopping the transmission of poliovirus once and for all.” The Pakistan Polio Programme launched the third immunisation drive of the year against the crippling disease last month at the National Emergency Operations Centre in Islamabad. The campaign was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq, alongside members of the Polio Programme’s core group and representatives of partner organisations, the statement added.
EU says ready for more talks but Iran wants ‘aggression to stop first’ TEHRAN/GENEVA/TEL AVIV staff report
European foreign ministers said on Friday they are ready for more talks with Iran after discussions to try to restore a diplomatic path over its nuclear programme as both Iran and Israel continued fierce attacks on each other, with missiles, drones, threats and claims in the now week-old escalation. In fresh attack, Iran fired missiles at Beersheba in southern Israel early on Friday and Israeli media said initial reports pointed to missile impacts in Tel Aviv, the Negev and Haifa after further attacks hours later. About 20 missiles were fired in those latest Iranian strikes, an Israeli military official said, and at least two people were hurt, according to the Israeli ambulance service. Fars news agency quoted an Iranian military spokesman as saying Tehran's missile
and drone attacks on Friday had used longrange and ultra-heavy missiles against military sites, defence industries and command and control centres. A week into its campaign, Israel said it had struck dozens of military targets overnight, including missile production sites, a research body it said was involved in nuclear weapons development in Tehran and military facilities in western and central Iran. After three hours of talks, the ministers from France, Britain, Germany and the European Union made brief remarks, while AFP reported that they urged Iran to continue diplomacy to find a solution in the standoff over its nuclear programme. “The good result today is that we leave the room with the impression that Iran is ready to further discuss these questions,” said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in a statement alongside his British,
French and EU counterparts after talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said, “We are keen to continue ongoing discussions and negotiations with Iran, and we urge Iran to continue their talks with the United States,” while French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said there “can be no definitive solution through military means to the Iran nuclear problem”. President will decide how to proceed with negotiations: US State Dept US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce has said that President Donald Trump will decide how to proceed with the negotiations with Iran. “We are still in a dynamic where there are still hostilities … people in bunkers, where there is still a danger,” Bruce said. “We’re working on many different fronts … leading the nature of finding a solution to this problem. The president has made it very
clear: he would allow two weeks because of the potential. Those efforts are still going on,
how we’re pursuing those efforts is up to the president and he is making those decisions.”