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Wednesday, 22 April, 2026 | 4 Dhul-Qadah, 1447
Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 27 | 8 Pages | Lahore Edition
TRUMP HINTS AT CEASEFIRE EXTENSION AS PAKISTAN MOVES TO SALVAGE ‘ISLAMABAD TALKS 2.0’ g ‘US PRESIDENT SAYS HE EXTENDED CEASEFIRE,
ORDERS MILITARY TO MAINTAIN BLOCKADE POSTURE, FOLLOWING HIS WARNING ‘TO GO BACK’ TO WAR IF NO DEAL MADE BY WEDNESDAY DEADLINE
g CLAIMS MOVE MADE AFTER REQUEST
FROM PAKISTAN’S LEADERSHIP INCLUDING FIELD MARSHAL ASIM MUNIR AND PM SHEHBAZ SHARIF
g ‘TRUTH SOCIAL POST SAYS IRAN MUST PRESENT g CEASEFIRE DEADLINE SET FOR 4:50AM PST
‘UNIFIED PROPOSAL’ FOR TALKS TO PROCEED
APRIL 22 AS DIPLOMATIC RACE INTENSIFIES
Pakistan ‘still awaiting’ Iran response on second-round talks, says Tarar ISLAMABAD
Global support grows for Pakistan's mediation as Dar engages China, US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt on regional peace ISLAMABAD
staff report
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WASHINGTON/TEHRAN/ISLAMABAD staff report/agencies
S President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would extend the ceasefire with Iran and directed the military to maintain a “blockade posture,” even as he earlier warned that Washington could “go back” to war if no deal is reached by Wednesday, amid intensified diplomatic efforts by Pakistan to secure the second round of “Islamabad Talks.” In a statement on Truth Social, Trump said: “Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister She-
hbaz Sharif of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.” He added: “I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.” Earlier on Tuesday, in an interview with CNBC, the US president said he did not want to extend the ceasefire, stressing that Washington remained in a strong negotiating position and expected what he called a “great deal.”
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Tuesday that Pakistan is making sustained efforts to persuade Iran to join the second round of peace talks with the United States, but a formal response from Tehran on its participation remains awaited. “Pakistan remains in constant touch with the Iranian side, but a formal response from Tehran regarding participation in the Islamabad Peace Talks had not been received as of 7:30pm PST,” the minister said on X. He warned that time was running short, noting that the ceasefire is set to expire at 4:50am PST on April 22. “A decision from Iran to attend the talks before the end of the two-week ceasefire is critical,” he said, adding that Islamabad’s diplomatic outreach to the Iranian leadership is ongoing. The minister’s remarks came after Iran signalled hesitation over joining the talks.
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mian abrar
Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to ease regional tensions gained further international backing on Tuesday, as key global and regional partners, including China, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, expressed support for Islamabad’s role in facilitating dialogue between Washington and Tehran. Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and discussed the evolving regional situation. During the meeting, the envoy conveyed Beijing’s appreciation for Pakistan’s continued efforts to facilitate engagement between the United States and Iran, reaffirming China’s support for peace and stability in the region. Dar reiterated the strength of the Pakistan-China “All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
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Fazlur Rehman urges Gulf states to review security arrangements amid regional tensions LAHORE
staff report
Pakistan Navy tests locally developed Taimoor air-launched cruise missile ISLAMABAD
staff report
The Pakistan Navy has carried out a successful live weapon firing of the indigenously developed Taimoor air-launched cruise missile, according to the InterServices Public Relations (ISPR). In a statement issued on Tuesday, the military’s media wing said the Pakistan Navy had conducted the test of Taimoor, describing it as an anti-ship weapon system developed locally. The statement said the firing was conducted in what it called a powerful demonstration of precision strike capability and operational readiness. "Pakistan Navy has conducted successful live weapon firing of Taimoor air-launched cruise missile — an indigenously developed Anti-Ship Weapon System — in a powerful demonstration of precision strike capability and operational readiness." According to ISPR, the missile completed its assigned mission with a high degree of accuracy. The statement said the test validated the Pakistan Navy’s combat capability to detect, target and decisively neutralise enemy sea-based threats at extended ranges. "The cruise missile executed its mission with exceptional precision, validating Pakistan Navy’s combat capability to detect, target and decisively neutralise enemy sea-based threats at extended ranges," the military's media wing stated.
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday called on Gulf countries to reconsider their security arrangements, saying the presence of United States airbases in the region had created strategic dangers instead of providing protection. He made the remarks during a special meeting with senior journalists in Lahore, where he also warned that changing regional conditions and intensifying competition among major powers could push the world towards a broader conflict. Speaking about Pakistan’s role in diplomacy, Fazlur Rehman praised Islamabad’s efforts to mediate between the US and Iran and said the country was trying to help avert what he described as the possibility of a third world war. He, however, cautioned that a further rise in tensions could pull major powers into a wider confrontation. If escalation continues, major powers may be drawn into a wider confrontation. Domestic politics and regional issues On the domestic political front, the JUI-F chief said former prime minister Imran Khan should be freed and allowed to take part in the political process. He said there had been contact with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, but added that those interactions had not produced any result. Fazlur Rehman also welcomed defence cooperation between Pakistan
and Saudi Arabia, describing it as significant for stability in the region. Commenting on Afghanistan, he said differences in pace between Islamabad and Kabul had led to a policy impasse that was making matters worse. Pakistan is seeking urgency, while Afghanistan is asking for time, and this has created a policy deadlock that is worsening the situation. Referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said the project had slowed during Imran Khan’s period in office and had still not recovered its earlier momentum. He also questioned continuity in policymaking, saying there was no visible change in Pakistan’s policy direction towards China. Election allegations and madrassa policy On elections, Fazlur Rehman alleged that the trends seen in the 2018 and 2024 general elections had also appeared in by-polls. He
cited Quetta, Ziarat and Kalat as examples while arguing that the nature of rigging allegations in Pakistan differed from those in other countries. Unlike other countries where rigging allegations are directed at political actors, in Pakistan they are directed at institutions. He further said that policies concerning religious seminaries had remained largely the same under successive governments, but implementation had been weak. According to him, problems related to registration and access to banking services were still unresolved. Views on global trends Discussing broader international developments, Fazlur Rehman said both communism and democracy were in decline, and argued that systems of governance were increasingly being shaped by a combination of capitalism, authoritarianism and militarisation.
Pakistan condemns storming of Al Aqsa Mosque, calls Israeli flag raising ‘reprehensible’ ISLAMABAD
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Pakistan on Tuesday condemned in the “strongest terms” the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound and the raising of the Israeli flag in its courtyard, calling the acts “reprehensible” and a clear violation of international law, according to the Foreign Office (FO). In a statement, the FO said these “reprehensible acts constitute a blatant violation of international law, as well as the sanctity and inviolability of the holy site,” adding that such provocative actions risk further escalating tensions across the region. It said the storming of the site and the raising of the “occupying power’s flag” were carried out by illegal Israeli settlers, who entered the compound through the Mughrabi Gate under heavy police protection, according to an Anadolu reporter. Videos circulating on social media showed settlers performing Talmudic rituals and prayers aloud, including what is described as “epic prostration,” particularly in the eastern section of the compound. Photos also showed two settlers raising the Israeli flag inside the courtyard, with the Dome of the Rock visible in the background. The FO urged the international community to take all possible measures to protect holy sites under Israeli occupation and to end what it called impunity enjoyed by illegal settlers operating under official protection. “Pakistan continues to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, reaffirms its unwavering support for their right to worship, and reiterates support for an independent, viable, and contiguous State of Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital,” the statement added. Earlier, on April 6, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had stormed the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem, reported that he toured the mosque courtyards via the Mughrabi Gate, proceeded to the Chain Gate, and exited the same route under heavy police deployment. The report added that he had entered the compound around 14 times since taking office in 2023, reflecting what it described as an escalating policy toward the holy site. He again visited the compound on April 13 under tight police protection.
Pakistan backs Africa’s push for UNSC reform, calls for ‘justice, not privilege’ in global power reset UNITED NATIONS staff report
Pakistan has reaffirmed its strong support for “Africa’s demand for enhanced representation” in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), backing reforms aimed at making the 15-member body more representative, democratic and effective in addressing evolving global challenges. “Rectifying the injustice suffered by Africa is not a matter of concession but of principle,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said during the ongoing Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN), at a session focused on the “African Model” for restructuring the Council. The African Model, a unified proposal endorsed by all 55 member states of the African Union, calls for two permanent seats for Africa — with equal rights, including veto power — along with five nonpermanent seats, in a bid to address longstanding historical imbalances.
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PM approves streamlining of P3A system to expedite PPP development projects ISLAMABAD
saleem jadoon
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday gave in-principle approval to further streamline the Public-Private Partnership Authority (P3A) and its operational framework to accelerate development projects through public-private partnerships across the country. Chairing a high-level meeting on fasttracking PPP-led development initiatives, the prime minister directed that the capacity of relevant ministries and departments be enhanced to effectively initiate and execute development projects under the PPP model. It was decided that, to align the performance of the Public Private Partnership Authority with modern requirements and expedite project delivery, the authority will function under the Privatization Division.
The prime minister further instructed that PPP-based development projects should be included in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of ministries and departments, reinforcing accountability and performancebased implementation. He said the PPP framework was being made more transparent, efficient and result-oriented through institutional reforms in P3A. The meeting was briefed on comparative PPP models being implemented in various regional and global economies, along with the structure of the proposed revamped system. Under the new framework, the Cabinet Committee on Privatization and the Privatization Division will oversee P3A operations. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed that the implementation of the newly approved system be expedited to ensure timely
progress on development projects. The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Dr. Musadik Malik, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ahad Khan Cheema, Adviser to the Prime Minister Muhammad Ali, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, and senior officials. PM expresses grief over Tessori’s mother’s demise Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed deep grief over the passing of the mother of former Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori. In his condolence message, the prime minister prayed for the departed soul and extended sympathies to the bereaved family, praying for strength and patience to bear the loss. “Our deepest sympathies are with the family of the deceased in this hour of grief,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.