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US–IRAN SET FOR POSSIBLE ‘SECOND ROUND’ OF ISLAMABAD TALKS THIS WEEK: SOURCES Wednesday, 15 April, 2026 | 26 Shawwal, 1447
g A DATE NOT YET DECIDED, BUT BOTH COUNTRIES
COULD RETURN TO TABLE AS EARLY AS THIS WEEKEND, REPORTS REUTERS, CITING SOURCES
Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 20 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
g US VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE SAYS
‘BALL IS IN IRANIAN COURT NOW’ ON ENDING MIDEAST WAR
Trump hints at Islamabad for fresh US–Iran talks within days WASHINGTON, DC agencies
N
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN agencies
EGOTIATING teams from the US and Iran could return to Islamabad later this week, five sources said on Tuesday, days after the highest-level talks between the two countries in decades ended without a breakthrough. Pakistan hosted direct Iran-US talks in Islamabad over the weekend, marking the highest engagement between the two sides since 1979. Both delegations departed the capital on Sunday after the talks ended without an agreement, but also without a breakdown. According to Reuters, a source involved in the talks said a date was not yet decided, but both countries could return as early as the end of this week. They
said that a proposal has been shared with both the US and Iran to resend their delegates to resume the talks. “No firm date has been set, with the delegations keeping Friday through Sunday open,” a senior Iranian source said. Two Pakistani sources with knowledge of the talks said Islamabad was communicating with the two sides about the timing of the next round and the meeting would likely take place on the weekend. “We have reached out to Iran and we got a positive response that they will be open to a second round of talks,” a senior Pakistani government official was quoted as saying by Reuters. Similarly, a Pakistani source told AFP that Islamabad was working to bring Iran and the US back together for a second round of talks and to secure an extended ceasefire to allow for diplomacy.
Global Endorsement for Pakistan: Kuwait, EU, Canada laud Islamabad’s key role in US-Iran peace push ISLAMABAD
staff correspondent
Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between the United States and Iran have drawn international praise, with Kuwait, the European Union, and Canada commending Islamabad’s constructive role in facilitating dialogue. Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Sabah, in a telephone conversation with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, lauded Pakistan’s contribution to advancing peace efforts between Washington and Tehran, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to sustained diplomatic engagement, stressing that dialogue remains the only viable path to resolving conflicts. Both sides also reiterated the strength of Pakistan–Kuwait relations and agreed to maintain close coordination. In separate calls, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand also praised Pakistan’s role in facilitating the US-Iran negotiations held in Islamabad. During his conversation with Kallas, Dar highlighted ongoing engagement between Pakistan and the European Union amid the evolving regional situation and briefed her on developments from the Islamabad Talks. Kallas commended Pakistan’s “constructive role” in enabling direct negotiations, with both sides underscoring the importance of continued diplomacy to resolve the conflict. They also expressed satisfaction over growing Pakistan-EU cooperation. In his discussion with Anand, Dar exchanged views on recent developments, including the stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that talks between Washington and Tehran could resume over the next two days and that “ we’re more inclined to go” to Pakistan, reported New York Post. “You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we’re more inclined to go there. “It’s more likely, you know why? Because the Field Marshal is doing a great job. He’s fantastic, and therefore it’s more likely that we go back there,“ he told New York Post. “Why should we go to some country that has nothing to do with it?” Trump’s statement follows reports that negotiating teams from the US and Iran could return to Islamabad later this week, after engaging in dialogue in Pakistan’s capital over the weekend. Pakistan hosted direct Iran-US talks in Islamabad on Saturday and
“Efforts are underway to bring both parties back to the table, of course we want them back in Islamabad, but the venue is not final yet,” said the source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject matter. “The meeting could take place soon,
Sunday, marking the highest engagement between the two sides since 1979. Both delegations departed the capital on Sunday after the talks ended without an agreement, but also without a breakdown. Earlier, two Pakistani sources with knowledge of the talks told Reuters that Islamabad was communicating with the two sides about the timing of the next round and the meeting would likely take place on the weekend. “We have reached out to Iran and we got a positive response that they will be open to a second round of talks,” a senior Pakistani government official was quoted as saying by Reuters. On Monday, officials familiar with the back-channel exchanges told Dawn that intermediaries were working to bring Tehran and Washington back to the negotiating table, with Pakistan at the centre of the efforts, backed by Turks and Egyptians. The immediate priority, they said, was to extend the ceasefire.
though dates have yet to be confirmed,” the source was quoted as saying. The source added: “We are also working to get the ceasefire extended beyond the current deadline to allow for additional time.”
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PM briefs President Zardari on US–Iran talks, upcoming visits to Saudi Arabia, Turkiye ISLAMABAD
saleem Jadoon
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday briefed President Asif Ali Zardari on “all aspects” of the recent Iran–US dialogue hosted by Pakistan, while also taking him into confidence over his upcoming visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkiye aimed at advancing ongoing peace efforts, state media reported. The prime minister called on President Zardari at the President’s House, where he provided a detailed overview of the “faceto-face” talks between Iran and the United States, as well as the progress achieved through Pakistan’s mediation, according to a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat. He also apprised the president of his planned visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkiye for further diplomatic engagement to sustain and promote the peace process. Pakistan hosted the rare direct dialogue between Iran and the US in Islamabad over the weekend — the highest-level engagement between the two sides since 1979 — in a bid to help end the US-Israeli war on Iran and push for durable peace in the Middle East and Gulf region. While the talks concluded on Sunday without a formal agreement, they also ended without a breakdown, keeping diplomatic channels open. There are now indications, in-
PM Shehbaz set for Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye visit amid regional tensions ISLAMABAD
staff report
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to undertake a threecountry visit starting with Saudi Arabia as Pakistan steps up diplomatic engagement amid changing regional tensions, according to well-placed sources. The visit, which had earlier been reported as limited to Saudi Arabia, has now been revised. The prime minister is expected to travel first to Saudi Arabia, then to Qatar, and conclude the tour in Turkiye, the sources said. According to the sources, the trip to the three friendly countries will centre on consultations regarding diplomatic developments and regional stability. During the Saudi leg of the visit, Prime
cluding statements from US President Donald Trump and other sources, that negotiating teams from both countries could return to Islamabad later this week for a “next round” of the still-inconclusive talks. A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz had told a federal cabinet
Minister Shehbaz is scheduled to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The sources said the two sides are expected to discuss bilateral matters as well as wider regional and international developments. They said, Important bilateral matters between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will come under discussion, adding that Islamabad Talks will also feature on the agenda. Consultations are also expected to cover the situation around the Strait of Hormuz and the next round of US-Iran talks, the sources said, as tensions continue to influence the regional environment. They added that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are also likely to deliberate on ways to further strengthen ties and expand cooperation in different sectors.
meeting that “full efforts” were underway to resolve the conflict through diplomacy. According to the statement, the prime minister briefed President Zardari on the various stages of the dialogue process and the progress made so far.
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Aurangzeb says ‘all options on table’ to replace UAE’s $3.5b loan ISLAMABAD
staff report
Pakistan is considering Eurobonds, loans from other countries and commercial debt to replace a $3.5 billion facility from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and manage its foreign reserves, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said. Aurangzeb also told Reuters the shock from the ongoing war in the Middle East meant that Pakistan must consider a strategic petroleum reserve and a faster switch to renewable energy. “All options are on the table,” Aurangzeb said when asked if the government was in talks with Saudi Arabia for a loan that could replace the UAE facility. Pakistan will reportedly return a $3.5bn loan to the UAE this month, putting pressure on its reserves and risking breaches of its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme targets. The country has been thrust into the international spotlight as it plays the role of a mediator between the United States and Iran to end the war in the Middle East. Aurangzeb, speaking on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank annual spring meetings, said the country could manage all debt repayments, and that its reserves remained at roughly 2.8 months of import cover. Maintaining at least that level, he said, would be “an important aspect of our overall macro stability as we go forward”. “We are looking at Eurobond, we are looking at Islamic sukuk, we are looking at dollarsettled rupee-linked bonds,” Aurangzeb said, adding that they expected to issue Eurobonds this year and are also exploring commercial loans. Aurangzeb said while the country had not yet requested any additions or changes to its $7bn IMF lending programme due to the economic shocks of the war in the Middle East, it was a potential option. “Depending upon how things pan out over the next few weeks, that’s something which can be discussed,” he said.
Thousands of Sikh yatrees converge at Panja Sahib for Baisakhi celebrations HASAN ABDAL staff report
Thousands of Sikh yatrees from India, Pakistan, and other parts of the world gathered at Gurdwara Panja Sahib on Tuesday to mark the 327th birth anniversary of the Khalsa, also known as Baisakhi — the spring harvest festival and one of the most significant religious occasions in Sikhism. The historic gurdwara, regarded as one of Sikhism’s most sacred sites, witnessed large congregations of devotees participating in religious rituals and prayers throughout the day. Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi said last week that Islamabad issued over 2,800 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to attend the annual Baisakhi celebrations this month. Baisakhi, observed annually in mid-April, commemorates the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. The Khalsa refers to the community of Sikhs formally initiated into the faith under a distinct religious code. Every year, thousands of devotees from across the world travel to Pakistan to visit revered Sikh shrines, including Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal and Gurdwara Nankana Sahib — the birthplace of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. “We prayed to our Guru, and it brought us a deep sense of peace,” said Simran Singh, a 52-year-old Sikh pilgrim from India. “The arrangements here are excellent.” Another Indian pilgrim, Paramjeet Singh, 47, said he had been warned that visiting Pakistan could affect his ability to obtain visas for other countries. “But I gave them all the same answer: my Guru, Guru Nanak, has made Punjab like Canada and America for me, and I have no desire to move anywhere else,” he said.
Xi unveils four-point peace plan for Middle East, strengthens strategic ties with UAE BEIJING
mian abrar
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday presented a comprehensive four-point proposal aimed at promoting peace and stability in the Middle East during a meeting with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Beijing. Xi’s proposal emphasized adherence to peaceful coexistence, calling for the establishment of a common, comprehensive, and sustainable security framework across the Middle East and Gulf region. He underscored the importance of respecting national sovereignty, stressing that the territorial integrity and security of all countries must be upheld, along with the protection of personnel and critical infrastructure. Highlighting the role of international law, Xi warned against a return to “the law of the jungle,” urging all parties to uphold global legal norms. He further called for bal-
ancing development and security, advocating collective efforts to create a stable environment conducive to regional growth. China, he added, stands ready to share the opportunities of its modernization with Gulf nations, contributing to long-term regional stability and economic development. Strengthening China-UAE Partnership Reaffirming the strong ties between China and the United Arab Emirates, Xi described the UAE as a key comprehensive strategic partner. He noted that bilateral relations have continued to deepen through enhanced political trust, expanding economic cooperation, and vibrant cultural exchanges. Xi expressed China’s willingness to further strengthen this partnership by boosting collaboration in energy, trade, investment, and technology, while also expanding cooperation in education, civil aviation, and tourism. He called for closer coordination on global platforms such as the United Nations
and BRICS, stressing that stronger ChinaUAE ties could serve as a stabilizing force amid global uncertainties. For his part, Sheikh Khaled highlighted the deep-rooted relationship between the two nations, built on mutual trust and shared interests. He reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to advancing cooperation across multiple sectors and implementing the consensus reached by both leaderships. The crown prince also praised China’s constructive role in international affairs and its efforts to promote a political resolution to the ongoing Middle East crisis. He reiterated the UAE’s commitment to maintaining close coordination with China to support ceasefire efforts, restore regional stability, and safeguard global trade routes and energy security. Additionally, Sheikh Khaled assured that the UAE would continue to ensure the safety and security of Chinese citizens and institutions within its territory.