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PAKISTAN, US AGREE TO STRENGTHEN TIES THROUGH ENHANCED TRADE
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Friday, 27 June, 2025 | 1 Muharram, 1447
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PM SHEHBAZ LAUDS PRESIDENT TRUMP’S BOLD AND DECISIVE LEADERSHIP DURING TELEPHONE FROM US SECRETARY OF STATE
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XV No 349 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
SECRETARY RUBIO SAYS US WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH PAKISTAN TO PROMOTE PEACE AND STABILITY TO THE REGION
PREMIER THANKS MARCO RUBIO FOR KEY ROLE PLAYED BY THE UNITED STATES IN PAKISTAN-INDIA CEASEFIRE
PM highlights Pakistan’s role in Iran-Israel ceasefire Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif lauded the entire economic team, particularly Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, for their hard work and dedication in preparing the federal budget for the fiscal year 2025-26. He also expressed gratitude to the federal cabinet and the allied political parties for their support in finalizing the budget. Chairing the Cabinet meeting here, the prime minister also spoke on the recent regional developments and welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, terming it a crucial step in avoiding further escalation and loss.
He thanked God for the peaceful resolution and acknowledged the important role played by various countries, including Saudi Arabia, in ensuring the ceasefire. He said Iran openly thanked the people of Pakistan, its political parties, military, and political leadership for their role in ensuring a ceasefire between the two countries. The Iranian leadership specifically named the president of Pakistan—himself—and the field marshal for their contribution to the ceasefire efforts, the prime minister said. As regards the attack by Iran on Qatar, the prime minister said Pakistan had also issued a condemnation statement, reiterating Pakistan’s strong ties with the brotherly nation.
vice issued by the US Embassy in New Delhi earlier this week. The move came after President Donald Trump’s administration ordered the resumption of student visa appointments, accompanied by significantly stricter social media vetting of applicants. “Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate
vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States,” the consulates said in an Instagram post. The post stated that since 2019, the US has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and non-immigrant visa application forms. It added that applicants must fill out social media identifiers and account handles for each platform on the application form.
ISLAMABAD
staff report
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ISLAMABAD
staff report
AKISTAN and the United States on Thursday agreed to continue working closely to strengthen bilateral relations, particularly through enhanced trade, according to Radio Pakistan The understanding came as Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, state broadcaster PTV News reported. During their warm and cordial conversation, the Prime Minister appreciated President Trump’s bold and decisive leadership that led to the ceasefire between Iran and Israel. He also thanked US Secretary of State
Rubio for the key role played by the United States in the Pakistan-India ceasefire. While exchanging views on the current situation in the Middle East, the Prime Minister stated that Pakistan would continue to play a constructive role in bringing peace to the Middle East. While appreciating these efforts, Secretary Rubio said the US would like to work with Pakistan to promote peace and stability in the region. US tightens visa rules for Pakistanis In related development on Thursday, Pakistani applicants for the F, M, or J categories of non-immigrant visas were advised by the United States consulates in Karachi and Lahore to make their social media accounts public for vetting, according to a report. The instructions followed similar ad-
Kh Asif commends China’s efforts to reduce regional tensions BEIJING
staff report
Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif lauded China’s efforts in preventing the escalation of regional tensions during his participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, East China’s Shandong Province. In a meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun, Asif praised China’s proactive stance in addressing rising instability and conflict in the region over recent months. He expressed Pakistan’s deep appreciation for the strong and enduring friendship with China, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration on global initiatives and defense cooperation. Asif stated, “We are friends, we are brothers. We discussed matters of mutual interest,” describing the meeting as “very fruitful.” He also highlighted the SCO as a vital platform for cooperation in combating regional terrorism and ensuring the stability of member states. The minister noted that the SCO could be an essential vehicle for promoting peace in the region, protecting the interests of its member states, and fostering economic development for the benefit of their citizens. He further stressed that SCO members would unite to confront the challenge of regional terrorism and strengthen collective efforts for regional stability. Pakistan, he said, is committed to working closely with China and other SCO members to implement the organization’s major global initiatives. He called for further efforts to combat terrorism and ensure peace, harmony, and economic growth across the region. Asif’s remarks came during a press interaction with the media, where he underlined the importance of the SCO in contributing to the broader stability of the region and fostering economic cooperation among its diverse member states.