Pakistan TV

ISLAMABAD: Kazakh ambassador Yerzhan Kistafin says Kazakhstan is keen to expand cooperation with Pakistan across trade, education and tourism sectors, stressing that stronger collaboration between the two countries&rsquo; media communities can play a decisive role in achieving these goals.&nbsp; He shared these remarks in an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV. The ambassador underlined that media platforms are often underestimated but have the power to shape national conversations and public perceptions at scale. He said closer ties between media organizations, journalists, and broadcasters of both countries can help introduce new opportunities to wider audiences, encourage tourism flows, and build academic and cultural linkages. Referring to the recent visit of President of Kazakhstan &nbsp;to Pakistan, Kistafin noted that the Kazakh leader was accompanied by the largest-ever delegation to visit the country, including a 50-member media team from state and private outlets. He said the extensive coverage that followed made Pakistan a central topic across Kazakh TV channels, newspapers, and radio, with widespread discussion on investment and partnership prospects. He said that sustained media engagement and content exchange can further deepen bilateral understanding and ensure that cooperation in commerce, education and tourism is supported by strong public awareness in both nations.

World This Morning

Kazakh ambassador Yerzhan Kistafin says Kazakhstan is keen to expand cooperation with Pakistan across trade, education and tourism sectors, stressing that stronger collaboration between the two countries’ media communities can play a decisive role in achieving these goals. 

Kazakhstan Seeks Broader Partnership with Pakistan in Trade, Education and Tourism: Kazakh Envoy

ISLAMABAD: The Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik said Islamabad was ready and willing to play a constructive role in defusing tensions between Iran and the United States, stressing that Pakistan does not seek instability in the region and will make every possible effort to help lower tensions. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Dr. Musadik Malik said Pakistan enjoyed strong relations with both Iran and the United States and believed dialogue and diplomacy remained the only viable path to preventing further escalation in the region. He said, &quot;The growing instability is being fueled by Israel&rsquo;s continued actions across Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.&quot; &quot;This is a vulgar display of atrocities,&quot; he said. He said Israel committed the genocide in Gaza. Malik questioned Israel&rsquo;s right to occupy land, seize water resources and carry out repeated military aggression across the region. He warned that such actions carry serious repercussions. The minister emphasized that Pakistan wants peace and stability across the Middle East and South Asia, adding that unchecked unilateral actions weaken the global rule-based order and threaten international peace. He said no country had the right to kill civilians, including women and children, under any pretext. Turning to South Asia, Malik strongly criticized India&rsquo;s approach to the Indus Waters Treaty, calling any attempt to control or delay Pakistan&rsquo;s water supply illegal and irrational. He said the Indus river system was the backbone of Pakistan&rsquo;s economy and livelihoods, supporting nearly half of the population and a significant share of the country&rsquo;s GDP. Malik warned that any effort by India to disrupt water flows, particularly during critical agricultural seasons, would be viewed as an act of war and met with a commensurate response. He said India was attempting to manipulate water flows through a cascade of hydropower projects in violation of the treaty. He also questioned India&rsquo;s reluctance to approach international arbitration mechanisms, saying that refusal to engage neutral forums suggests the wrongdoing. Addressing regional security concerns, Malik said Pakistan would continue to combat terrorism and urged Afghanistan to prevent militant groups from using its soil to attack Pakistan. He noted that Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades and expects Kabul to act as a responsible neighbour. Malik concluded by warning that weakening multilateralism and international treaties could push the world toward greater instability, calling for renewed commitment to diplomacy, dialogue and international law.

Beyond Borders

Minister For Climate Change Talks Exclusively to Pakistan TV

Malik Says Pakistan Ready to Help Defuse Iran–US Tensions

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Finance, Revenue and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani said on Thursday that, following the successful privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the next phase would focus on electricity distribution companies, including IESCO, GEPCO, and FESCO, as the government remains firmly committed to sustainable and inclusive growth.&nbsp;Speaking in an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, Kayani described the successful privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) as a landmark achievement after decades of failed attempts, saying it would reduce the burden of loss-making state-owned enterprises on the national exchequer and help transform PIA into a profitable, world-class airline.&nbsp;&ldquo;The momentum created by the PIA deal will help generate greater investor and advisory interest going forward for the privatization program,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;The next phase of privatisation is focused on electricity distribution companies, including IESCO, GEPCO and FESCO,&rdquo; Kayani added.&nbsp;The minister said Pakistan&rsquo;s economy has undergone a significant turnaround over the past two years, shifting from crisis management to macroeconomic stabilisation.&nbsp;He added that the government assumed office in February 2024, at a time when inflation was hovering between 20 and 25 percent and Pakistan had just entered a new IMF programme.&nbsp;&ldquo;Today, less than two years on, we have not only successfully completed IMF reviews but also restored economic confidence,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The minister highlighted key achievements, including an increase in the tax-to-GDP ratio from 8.8 percent to 10.2 percent within a year, a notable rise in foreign exchange reserves, and a significant jump in workers&rsquo; remittances. &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s improving outlook has been recognised globally, with all three major rating agencies, Standard &amp; Poor&rsquo;s, Moody&rsquo;s and Fitch, upgrading the country&rsquo;s ratings outlook,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Kayani credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s direct oversight of reforms at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for improved tax collection.&nbsp;&ldquo;Initiatives such as Faceless Customs, digitisation of tax systems, and enforcement measures have reduced leakages and enhanced efficiency, earning recognition from the IMF, which showcased Pakistan&rsquo;s reforms as a case study during its annual meetings.&rdquo;&nbsp;Looking ahead, Kayani said the government&rsquo;s priority is shifting from stabilisation to quality GDP growth driven by exports and private-sector investment. He stressed the importance of inclusive growth that benefits lower-income groups and expands employment opportunities.&nbsp;&ldquo;To this end, the government is engaging closely with the private sector through working groups and policy consultations,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;He also pointed to record-breaking performance at the Pakistan Stock Exchange as a reflection of growing investor confidence, while acknowledging it as one of several indicators of economic health. Additionally, Kayani praised the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for improving ease of doing business by providing a one-window platform for domestic and foreign investors.&nbsp;The minister said reduced inflation, lower policy rates and a focus on export diversification, including IT and value-added agriculture, would help ensure sustainable economic growth in the years ahead.

The Experts Corner

After PIA’s privatization, Pakistan plans to privatize power DISCOs, citing economic stabilisation, IMF-backed reforms, improved ratings, and rising revenues.

After PIA success, government to privatise electricity distribution companies: Bilal Kiyani   

Islamabad: Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi has said Islamabad and Beijing have jointly called on the Afghan authorities not to allow its soil to be used against any third country and verifiably act against terrorist organisations present on their soil.&nbsp;Speaking in Pakistan TV&rsquo;s show &lsquo;Beyond Borders&rsquo;, Ambassador Hashmi said the situation was serious due to Afghan authorities&rsquo; inability or unwillingness to act against the TTP and other terrorist organisations based in Afghanistan.&nbsp;Both Pakistan and China want the authorities in Afghanistan to act decisively against them [terror groups] and prevent them from undertaking terrorist activities in any country, he added.&nbsp;The ambassador said Pakistan-China collaboration in the security realm was very robust and &ldquo;we have several mechanisms to promote it and further enhance it&rdquo;.&nbsp;He said on counterterrorism, Pakistan and China had dialogue mechanisms, signed MOUs and agreements to deepen cooperation, conduct joint exercises, exchange views, and also collaborate and cooperate on multilateral platforms.&nbsp;On bilateral relations, Ambassador Hashmi said the joint communique issued after the recent meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks about the enduring nature of the relationship between the two countries, which is based on mutual strategic trust, respect and support.&nbsp;&ldquo;This meeting was very significant in the sense that it came after less than five months of the previous round of strategic dialogue,&rdquo; he said, adding that it was also the first meeting between the Chinese foreign minister and Pakistani deputy prime minister within the first week of the new year.&nbsp;The ambassador further said the meeting was also significant as Pakistan and China were going to celebrate 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year, and in this context, both sides had started joint celebratory activities, such as inauguration of a logo and holding of a joint exhibition of historic photographs.&nbsp;&ldquo;But more specifically, I think both sides have agreed to inject fresh momentum into trade, economic and other practical cooperation, including the Karakoram Highway realignment project and many others,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Ambassador Hashmi said both countries had also agreed to work on the implementation of the action plan that was signed last year during the visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to China.&nbsp;&ldquo;So all in all, we are committed to taking our relationship and our friendship forward and take it to new heights in the New Year,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Ambassador Hashmi said Pakistan and China attached great importance to respect for international law, the UN Charter and opposition to unilateral actions, adding that these principles applied equally to Pakistan&rsquo;s core issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;He also criticised India&rsquo;s unilateral move to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, calling it illegal and contrary to international law.&nbsp;The envoy went on to say that Pakistan had consistently expressed firm support for China&rsquo;s core interests, including Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and the South China Sea, saying this mutual backing reflected a high degree of strategic trust and support between the two countries.&nbsp;&ldquo;And that kind of mutual trust, mutual support will continue for all times to come,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Ambassador Hashmi said Pakistan and China were committed to building the second phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor with high priority areas being mining, agriculture, industry, ICT and human resource development.&nbsp;He said both sides had decided to align phase two of CPEC with Pakistan&#39;s Uraan programme.

Pakistan and China jointly press Afghanistan to act against terror groups as Ambassador Khalil Hashmi highlights robust security cooperation, strategic trust, expanding trade ties and renewed momentum for CPEC phase two.

Pakistan, China jointly call on Afghan authorities to act against terrorist organisations: Pak envoy

ISLAMABAD: Russia stands ready to &ldquo;lend a helping hand whenever needed,&rdquo; said the Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, adding that he arrived in Islamabad on the direct instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who believes that bilateral ties continued to grow stronger each year. In an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV on Thursday, during his visit to Islamabad, Tsivilev called the 10th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) a &ldquo;turning point&rdquo; in bilateral ties.&nbsp; He reaffirmed Moscow&rsquo;s commitment to expanding long-term cooperation with Pakistan across energy, pharmaceuticals, education, tourism, and space technology. &ldquo;I have arrived in Islamabad on the direct instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who conveyed respect to the Pakistani nation and believes that bilateral ties continue to grow stronger with each passing year,&rdquo; the Russian minister said, adding that President Putin wishes every success to the IGC and hopes for the launch of maximum joint projects for the development of both nations. Russia, Pakistan to develop joint space programTsivilev highlighted a series of initiatives aimed at deepening collaboration, one of which is the joint space program. He said, &ldquo;Russia and Pakistan are developing a joint program in the outer space, and it&#39;s very important that young people see these cosmonauts.&rdquo;He said perhaps, it will inspire the youth to pursue their dream of joining this research and with enough determination, it is attainable for anyone, &ldquo;including women.&rdquo; &ldquo;Russia will always stand by Pakistan&rdquo;The minister said Russia values its friendship with Pakistan and remains ready to assist whenever needed.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are always prepared to lend a helping hand to the friendly nation of Pakistan,&rdquo; he said&nbsp;Insulin production in Pakistan priority for &lsquo;pharmaceutical security&rsquo;One of the most concrete proposals discussed was localized insulin production in Pakistan. Tsivilyov said Moscow wants Pakistan to achieve &ldquo;pharmaceutical security&rdquo; by manufacturing essential medicines domestically rather than relying on imports.&nbsp;He confirmed that the final pricing model, aligned with the cost of American-made insulin currently imported by Pakistan, will be discussed during the IGC meeting. He added that Russia is open to jointly producing additional medicines and vaccines, including veterinary vaccines crucial for livestock protection.&nbsp;Energy Justice: A shared vision for developmentThe minister reiterated Russia&rsquo;s global call for &ldquo;energy justice,&rdquo; pointing to the urgent need for equal access to reliable electricity in developing regions.&nbsp;&ldquo;Energy today defines competitiveness, transport systems, AI infrastructure, even finance through cryptocurrencies,&rdquo; he said, adding that Russia has raised the issue at BRICS and SCO forums.&nbsp;Tsivilev said Pakistan-Russia cooperation in the energy sector will expand as new technologies and investments are explored.&nbsp;Engineering Education: Russia proposes joint schools and trainingA major long-term initiative Tsivilev announced is the potential rollout of Russia&rsquo;s Engineering Schools Program in Pakistan.The model begins at the secondary-school level with specialized physics, chemistry, and mathematics tracks, followed by university training and industrial internships.&nbsp;He said Russia aims to train 300,000 engineers by 2030 and is ready to include Pakistani students in a similar pipeline.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s time to invest in children. In five to seven years, the payback will be far greater than any money spent today,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Tourism and direct flights on the agendaTourism emerged as another expanding avenue, with both sides seeing strong interest from travelers. Tsivilyov said Pakistan and Russia must &ldquo;remove existing restrictions&rdquo; and simplify travel, adding that increased tourism flows could justify regular direct flights between the two countries. This issue remained a key focus of working-group meetings ahead of the IGC sessions, he confirmed.

Foreign Affairs

Russia’s energy minister called the Pakistan–Russia IGC a turning point, outlining deeper cooperation in energy, pharma, education, tourism, and space while reaffirming Putin’s message that Moscow stands ready to support Pakistan whenever needed.

President Putin believes Russia’s relationship with Pakistan strengthening every year: Russian minister

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed deep concern over renewed military clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, urging both sides to exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue to prevent further escalation in the region.&nbsp;In a statement issued Saturday, the UAE called for de-escalation and warned against actions that could further destabilize South Asia.&nbsp; The ministry stressed the importance of reason and diplomacy in resolving disputes, reaffirming the UAE&rsquo;s support for initiatives aimed at strengthening security, stability and development for both nations.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 730px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027539408497627315&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9c71badaeab44631c36a928ea704ec4fb86ef973&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>The diplomatic appeal came as Pakistan carried out what officials described as its most extensive military strikes inside Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.&nbsp; Pakistani authorities said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-says-297-taliban-fighters-killed-in-afghanistan-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">operations targeted multiple locations</a>, including Kabul and Kandahar, in response to what they termed unprovoked cross-border attacks originating from Afghan territory. Islamabad declared a state of &ldquo;war footing,&rdquo; signaling heightened military readiness.&nbsp;Pakistani officials maintained that the strikes were defensive in nature and aimed at degrading militant capabilities allegedly being used to threaten Pakistan&rsquo;s national security. They emphasized that the operations fall within Pakistan&rsquo;s sovereign right to self-defense under international law. Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-us-will-not-intervene-in-pakistanafghan-situation" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">signaled support for Islamabad&rsquo;s position</a>. The United States&rsquo; stance was formally conveyed by Allison Hooker, the US under secretary of state for political affairs, who said after talks with her Pakistani counterpart that the United States &ldquo;expressed support for Pakistan&rsquo;s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027488449171730683&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9c71badaeab44631c36a928ea704ec4fb86ef973&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>International reactions, however, were mixed. The European Union urged both sides to step back from further confrontation. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called for immediate de-escalation and a return to dialogue amid rising violence. &ldquo;The EU reiterates that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries and calls on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan,&rdquo; Kallas said in a statement. Concerns were also voiced by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, both of which highlighted the humanitarian risks of escalating conflict. Britain, Norway and Azerbaijan similarly called for restraint and immediate de-escalation. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are underway to contain tensions. China, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have reportedly initiated contacts aimed at facilitating dialogue between Islamabad and Kabul.&nbsp;As regional and global stakeholders urge calm, Pakistan has reiterated that its actions are a necessary response to sustained cross-border aggression, while emphasizing its commitment to regional peace and stability. The evolving situation continues to draw close international scrutiny amid fears of broader instability in South Asia.

A Pakistani soldier stands guard at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Chaman on February 27, 2026, following overnight cross-border firing between the two countries. (Photo: AFP)

Politics

The ministry stresses the importance of reason and diplomacy in resolving disputes, reaffirming the UAE’s support for initiatives aimed at strengthening security, stability and development for both nations.


UAE expresses deep concern over Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes, urges restraint

Ayesha Mir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ruled out any dialogue with the Afghan Taliban, saying there is &ldquo;nothing to talk about&rdquo; until terrorism originating from Afghan soil comes to an end, Prime Minister&rsquo;s Spokesperson for Foreign Media Mosharraf Zaidi said Friday.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Zaidi rejected suggestions of renewed talks after Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid indicated openness to dialogue.&nbsp;&ldquo;There won&rsquo;t be any talks. There&rsquo;s no dialogue. There&rsquo;s no negotiation. Terrorism from Afghanistan has to end,&rdquo; Zaidi said, describing Pakistan&rsquo;s position as clear and unchanged.<div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jh9Ir3ZIAQQ?si=ca7lehNjhb7Bi_rH" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div>He said militancy inside Afghanistan is an internal issue for the Afghan Taliban regime, but stressed that Pakistan&rsquo;s responsibility is limited to protecting its own citizens and territory.&nbsp;&ldquo;If we know that there&rsquo;s a terrorist at point A and there&rsquo;s a terrorist enabler at point A,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-us-will-not-intervene-in-pakistanafghan-situation" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">we will find a weapon to land at point A and eliminate the threat</a>,&rdquo; Zaidi said, underscoring that Pakistan has already outlined both its actions and the conditions required for de-escalation.&nbsp;Zaidi added that responsibility for reducing instability rests not only with the Afghan Taliban &ldquo;regime in question&rdquo; but also with the wider international community, which he said must ensure Afghan soil is not used for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ttptaliban-nexus-exposed-as-attacks-and-retaliation-mirror-each-other" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">cross-border terrorism</a>.&nbsp;In a separate interview, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar echoed the hardline stance, saying Pakistan&rsquo;s objective is to neutralize threats and ensure national security.&nbsp;Earlier, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said military operations would continue &ldquo;until the desired end.&rdquo; Asked to clarify that objective, Tarar said it meant eliminating terrorist threats and making Pakistan safe.&nbsp;&ldquo;For us, we&rsquo;ve been good neighbors, very friendly and very generous neighbors,&rdquo; Tarar said. &ldquo;Our generosity has often been seen as weakness.&rdquo;&nbsp;On the possibility of a ceasefire, Tarar said it was &ldquo;too early to comment,&rdquo; citing a fluid security situation. He also dismissed the prospect of Afghanistan gaining meaningful external backing.&nbsp;&ldquo;They have been trying to make alliances, but whatever they stand for is not acceptable anywhere,&rdquo; he said, adding that expectations of outside support were &ldquo;wishful thinking.&rdquo;&nbsp;Both officials stressed that Pakistan&rsquo;s policy remains focused on countering militancy and restoring stability, with no immediate shift in approach under consideration.

Security

Talking to Pakistan TV Digital, Pakistani officials say there will be no dialogue with the Afghan Taliban until terrorism from Afghan soil ends, stressing Pakistan will act decisively to eliminate threats and protect national security.

‘No dialogue’: Pakistan says terrorism from Afghanistan must end

NEW YORK: Paramount Skydance announced Thursday it will acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal valuing the combined company at $110 billion, after beating Netflix in a bruising bidding war.&nbsp;The agreement ends a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/paramount-poised-to-acquire-warner-bros-after-netflix-walks-away" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">five-month bidding saga</a>&nbsp;and creates an entertainment behemoth whose impact on a struggling media landscape &mdash; and connections to Donald Trump&#39;s White House &mdash; will be closely scrutinized.&nbsp;The merged entity will include CNN, HBO and Nickelodeon as well as some of Hollywood&#39;s most valuable franchises, including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, the DC Universe, Mission Impossible and SpongeBob SquarePants.&nbsp;Under the terms of the agreement,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/paramount-counters-netflix-with-hostile-bid-for-warner-bros" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Paramount</a>will pay $31.00 per share in cash for all outstanding Warner Bros. Discovery shares, implying an equity value of $81 billion &mdash; and $110 billion when including the debt Paramount will take on.&nbsp;The transaction has been unanimously approved by both companies&#39; boards and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, the companies said.&nbsp;&quot;Our pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery has been guided by a clear purpose: to honor the legacy of two iconic companies while accelerating our vision of building a next-generation media and entertainment company,&quot; said Paramount Chairman and CEO David Ellison.&nbsp;The deal closes a saga that ended Thursday when Netflix walked away, unwilling to match Paramount&#39;s latest offer.&nbsp;Questions now pivot to the Ellison family, which will control a constellation of media properties spanning the globe.&nbsp;Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison is the father of Paramount CEO David Ellison and largely financed his son&#39;s takeover of Paramount and his subsequent bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.&nbsp;Larry Ellison is also a longtime ally of President Trump. Both Paramount and Netflix have sought to curry favor with the White House, with Paramount winning out.&nbsp;The Paramount offer includes financing from three Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds -- those of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi -- which could attract regulatory scrutiny.&nbsp;Paramount has also offered a $7 billion regulatory termination fee should the deal fail to close on regulatory grounds, and has covered the $2.8 billion breakup fee Warner Bros. owed Netflix when it walked away from their agreement.

The Paramount sign is seen outside the Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California, on December 9, 2025. (Photo: AF/File)

Entertainment

The agreement ends a five-month bidding saga and creates an entertainment behemoth whose impact on a struggling media landscape — and connections to Donald Trump's White House — will be closely scrutinized.

Paramount acquires Warner Bros. in $110B  mega-merger

WASHINGTON: Iran agreed in talks with the United States never to stockpile enriched uranium, mediator Oman&#39;s top diplomat said Friday, in what he called a breakthrough that he hoped would prevent war.&nbsp;Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, whose country brokered&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-urges-us-to-drop-excessive-demands-to-reach-deal" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">talks between the United States and Iran</a>&nbsp;in Geneva on Thursday, said he believed all issues in a deal could be resolved &quot;amicably and comprehensively&quot; within three months.&nbsp;&quot;If the ultimate objective is to ensure forever that Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, I think we have cracked that problem through these negotiations by agreeing on a very important breakthrough that has never been achieved any time before,&quot; Albusaidi told the CBS News program &quot;Face the Nation.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;I think if we can capture that and build on it, I think a deal is within our reach,&quot; he said.&nbsp;The minister added that Iran would not be able to stockpile enriched uranium and that there would be verification.&nbsp;He said Iran would also degrade its current stockpiles to &quot;the lowest level possible&quot; so that it is &quot;converted into fuel, and that fuel will be irreversible.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;This is something completely new. It really makes the enrichment argument less relevant, because now we are talking about zero stockpiling,&quot; said Albusaidi, who met earlier Friday with US Vice President JD Vance.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-not-thrilled-with-iran-but-undecided-on-attack" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">President Donald Trump&#39;s administration</a>&nbsp;accuses Tehran of intending to build a nuclear weapon. But &quot;if you cannot stockpile material that is enriched, then there is no way you can actually create a bomb,&quot; Albusaidi told CBS.&nbsp;In a 2015 agreement negotiated by former president Barack Obama, Iran agreed to keep enrichment only to a low level that is well below weapons grade.&nbsp;Trump ripped up the deal in his first term and imposed sanctions, and in recent weeks has deployed the US military in the region to levels not seen in years.&nbsp;Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted that any deal cover not just the nuclear program but also Iran&#39;s missiles.&nbsp;Asked about the missile issue, Albusaidi said: &quot;I believe Iran is open to discussing everything.&quot;

A handout picture provided by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on February 26, 2026, shows Iranian diplomats and a delegation during the Iran-US talks in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo: AFP/File)

Middle East

Its foreign minister says talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva on Thursday, said he believed all issues in a deal could be resolved 'amicably and comprehensively' within three months.


Iran agreed not to stockpile enriched uranium: mediator Oman

ISLAMABAD: The United States has expressed support for Pakistan&rsquo;s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks, as US President Donald Trump publicly praised Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership amid escalating hostilities with Afghanistan. Speaking about Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership, Trump said, &ldquo;Well, I would, but I get along with Pakistan, as you know, very well, very very well.&rdquo; &ldquo;You have a great&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-briefed-at-military-headquarters-as-pakistan-inflicts-heavy-taliban-losses" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">prime minister [Shehbaz Sharif], you have a great general</a>&nbsp;[Field Marshal Asim Munir] there, you have a great leader,&rdquo; he added.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027488449171730683&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4471%2F&sessionId=18939436600dbe61445e0575651a7687a21e6f5f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2027488449171730683"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;But I think two of the people that I truly respect a lot, and I think that Pakistan is doing terrifically well.&rdquo; His remarks came as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-says-297-taliban-fighters-killed-in-afghanistan-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistan conducted its most extensive military strikes</a>&nbsp;inside Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, targeting multiple locations, including Kabul and Kandahar, declaring a state of &ldquo;war&rdquo; following unprovoked cross-border attacks. Washington&rsquo;s position was formally conveyed by Allison Hooker, the US under secretary of state for political affairs, who said the United States &ldquo;expressed support for Pakistan&rsquo;s right to defend itself against Taliban attacks&rdquo; after talks with a Pakistani counterpart. Pakistani officials say the strikes were a defensive response to sustained aggression from Afghan soil and aimed at degrading Taliban military capabilities used to threaten Pakistan&rsquo;s security. International reactions, however, were mixed. The European Union urged restraint, with foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas calling on both sides to de-escalate and return to dialogue amid a sharp rise in violence. &ldquo;The EU reiterates that Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack other countries and calls on the Afghan de facto authorities to take effective action against all terrorist groups operating in or from Afghanistan,&rdquo; Kallas said in a statement. Concern over the situation was echoed by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, while Britain, Norway and Azerbaijan also called for immediate de-escalation. Diplomatic efforts were launched by China, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to help ease tensions, as Pakistan maintains that its actions fall within its sovereign right to self-defense against cross-border attacks.

US President Donald Trump speaks to the press before boarding Marine One as he departs from the South Lawn of the White House for Texas in Washington, DC, on February 27, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Americas

Praises the Pakistan leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir; says he believes Pakistan is 'doing terrifically well.'

US backs Pakistan’s self-defense as Trump praises leadership amid Afghan conflict

Muhammad Ibrahim

ISLAMABAD: Recent security developments have reinforced Pakistan&rsquo;s long-standing assessment that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Afghan Taliban operate as a mutually reinforcing nexus, where pressure on one group is met with retaliation by the other. The pattern was again visible this week after Pakistan launched <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-says-297-taliban-fighters-killed-in-afghanistan-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Operation Ghazab lil Haq</a>&nbsp;in response to unprovoked cross-border attacks. As <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/why-pakistan-struck-afghanistan" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistan struck Afghan Taliban targets</a> inside Afghanistan, TTP elements attempted to escalate violence inside Pakistan, including failed drone attacks in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistan&rsquo;s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed that TTP-linked terrorists attempted to launch drones in Abbottabad, Swabi and Nowshera, but said Pakistan&rsquo;s anti-drone systems intercepted all of them, preventing any loss of life. &ldquo;These <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-responds-afghan-border-fire" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">incidents have again exposed direct linkages</a> between the Afghan Taliban regime and terrorism in Pakistan,&rdquo; Tarar said in a statement. Terrorist groups&#39; messaging, released the same day, removed any remaining ambiguity. A TTP faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, publicly issued directives to its terrorist operatives across Pakistan to escalate attacks on security forces, portraying the violence as retaliation for Pakistan&rsquo;s military action against Afghan Taliban targets. The message openly described attacks inside Pakistan as an act of &ldquo;solidarity&rdquo; with the Afghan Taliban. An earlier internal directive attributed to TTP leadership went further, declaring that the &ldquo;Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stands with our mujahideen&rdquo; and ordering commanders to escalate attacks while amplifying propaganda through media channels. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-briefed-at-military-headquarters-as-pakistan-inflicts-heavy-taliban-losses" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistani officials</a> say this coordinated messaging reflects an operational reality that has persisted since the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021: Afghan soil has increasingly been used as a safe haven for groups targeting Pakistan. Islamabad maintains that the return of the Taliban to power removed constraints on terrorist networks, enabling training, planning and cross-border attacks with impunity. Security sources argue the sequence is now predictable. When Pakistan confronts terrorist infrastructure inside Afghanistan, TTP cells activate inside Pakistan. When TTP strikes Pakistani targets, protection and facilitation trace back across the border. Pakistan says repeated diplomatic engagements have failed to alter this behavior and that the Afghan Taliban regime has neither acknowledged nor acted against the presence of anti-Pakistan terrorist groups on its territory. As military operations and militant reprisals continue in parallel, Pakistani authorities say the distinction between the Afghan Taliban and TTP is no longer theoretical but operational. A shared ecosystem in which an attack on one triggers a response from the other.

Blogs

Pakistan says recent drone attempts, militant directives, and retaliatory strikes demonstrate a coordinated operational pattern, where pressure on the Afghan Taliban consistently triggers Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan attacks inside Pakistan, reinforcing concerns over cross-border safe havens.

TTP–Taliban nexus exposed as attacks and retaliation mirror each other

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said Friday that <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-army-kills-274-afghan-taliban-affiliates-as-operation-ghazab-lil-haq-continues" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">297 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed</a> and more than 450 injured in retaliatory military strikes across Afghanistan, as Information Minister Attaullah Tarar denounced the Kabul administration as an &ldquo;illegitimate regime&rdquo; following unprovoked attacks along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. In a post on social media platform X, Tarar said the action was carried out under Operation Ghazb lil Haq and involved precision air and ground strikes on 29 locations inside Afghanistan. The information minister said 89 Taliban check posts were destroyed, 18 captured, and 135 tanks and armed vehicles eliminated during the operation.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 471px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027449317087408548&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=485de7e742b2156c528f877ea42b0a2dc7039429&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2027449317087408548">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Earlier, while addressing a press briefing, Tarar said <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-briefed-at-military-headquarters-as-pakistan-inflicts-heavy-taliban-losses" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban regime</a> along the Pakistan&ndash;Afghanistan border was being and will continue to be responded to strongly and effectively. He described Pakistan&rsquo;s response as &ldquo;immediate and decisive,&rdquo; adding that Taliban fighters fled several positions, leaving behind weapons and bodies. The minister said the latest fighting further exposed what he called a direct&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/why-pakistan-struck-afghanistan" style="color:#0073e6;">nexus between the Afghan Taliban regime and terrorist networks</a>&nbsp;targeting Pakistan. &ldquo;Afghan soil is being used for training, facilitation, and launching attacks that kill our civilians and security personnel,&rdquo; he said, referring to recent assaults on religious sites, judicial facilities, and Pakistani military officers. Tarar also launched a broad attack on the Taliban&rsquo;s governance, calling it &ldquo;a system based on repression and the perversion of religion.&rdquo; He quoted the government&rsquo;s position, saying, &ldquo;The activities of the Afghan Taliban regime and Fitna al-Khawarij against Pakistan are unacceptable.&rdquo; He accused the Kabul authorities of ruling without legitimacy, denying fundamental rights and enforcing discriminatory laws against women, children, and minorities. &ldquo;This regime has nothing to do with Islam,&rdquo; Tarar said. &ldquo;It has imposed oppression on its own people and exported terrorism across the border.&rdquo; Tarar said Pakistan&rsquo;s armed forces remain on full alert and prepared to respond to any further aggression. &ldquo;Pakistan knows very well how to defend itself,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Our response will remain strong, effective, and in defense of our sovereignty.&rdquo;

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar slams the Afghan Taliban regime as illegitimate and repressive, says cross-border attacks trigger decisive military action, confirms heavy Taliban losses and vows zero tolerance while defending sovereignty, citizens and security.

Pakistan says 297 Taliban fighters killed in Afghanistan strikes

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Friday he was frustrated by Iran&#39;s position in talks but added he had not yet decided whether to carry out a threatened attack.&nbsp;A day after the United States and Iran held talks in Geneva, Trump said that the cleric-run state was &quot;not willing to give us what we have to have.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;We haven&#39;t made a final decision,&quot; he told reporters when asked about the use of force.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re not exactly happy with the way they negotiated. They cannot have nuclear weapons, and we&#39;re not thrilled with the way they&#39;re negotiating,&quot; Trump said.&nbsp;&quot;We want no nuclear weapons by Iran and they&#39;re not saying those golden words.&quot;&nbsp;Iran has said repeatedly that it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and US intelligence has found no evidence that it has made a decision to do so.&nbsp;But the United States and Israel, which carried out a major bombing campaign in Iran in June, are skeptical of the statements by Iran, which backs Palestinian militants Hamas.&nbsp;Asked if an attack would trigger all-out war in the Middle East, Trump said, &quot;I guess you could always say there&#39;s always a risk.&nbsp;&quot;You know when there&#39;s war, there&#39;s a risk in anything, both good and bad.&quot;&nbsp;Trump was circumspect on whether a US attack would bring down the Islamic republic, a sworn enemy of the United States and Israel.&nbsp;Authorities last month killed thousands of people as they crushed mass protests in the biggest threat to the ruling clerics since the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the pro-Western shah.&nbsp;&quot;Nobody knows. There might be and there might not be,&quot; Trump said of regime change.&nbsp;Trump in his first term ripped up a nuclear deal negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama in which Iran agreed to strict limits on uranium enrichment.

US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Iran after Geneva talks, saying no final decision on military action has been made. He demanded Iran abandon nuclear ambitions, while US and Israeli skepticism persists amid regional tensions.

Trump 'not thrilled' with Iran but undecided on attack

ISTANBUL: Flights from Istanbul airport to Tehran were cancelled on Friday night amid a mounting US military buildup around Iran.&nbsp;Istanbul airport said flights by Turkish Airlines and two Iranian companies to the Iranian capital had been cancelled.&nbsp;Four flights to Tehran scheduled for Saturday were also cancelled, though six others remained on the schedule. A Turkish Airlines flight to the northern Iranian city of Tabriz, due to leave early Saturday, was called off.&nbsp;Turkish authorities made no comment on events in Iran on Friday, declining to join the litany of nations advising their citizens against travel to the Islamic republic.&nbsp;Turkey has a 550 kilometer (340 mile) frontier with Iran that has three crossing points.

Asia

Flights from Istanbul Airport to Tehran were cancelled Friday night amid rising US military tensions around Iran. Turkish Airlines and Iranian carriers halted services, affecting several Saturday flights, while Turkey issued no travel warning despite the situation.

Istanbul flights to Tehran cancelled Friday night: airport

CAPE CANAVERAL: NASA on Friday said it would revise its Artemis lunar program that has suffered multiple delays in recent years, in a bid to ensure Americans can return to the Moon&#39;s surface by 2028.&nbsp;The US space agency will add missions between this spring&#39;s Artemis 2 and the ultimate lunar landing, a strategic revision that NASA administrator Jared Isaacman told a briefing would allow for improved launch &quot;muscle memory.&quot;&nbsp;That means Artemis 3, which was meant to send astronauts to the Moon&#39;s surface, will now have the alternate goal of &quot;rendezvous in low-Earth orbit&quot; of at least one lunar lander.&nbsp;The next phase, Artemis 4, will aim for a lunar landing in early 2028. Isaacman said he hoped that mission could be followed relatively quickly by a second Moon landing within the year.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re not necessarily committing to launching two missions in 2028,&quot; he said, &quot;but we want to have the opportunity to be able to do that.&quot;&nbsp;The NASA chief said speeding up the cadence of Artemis launches would allow for building more institutional knowledge in the model of the Apollo program, which originally put Americans on the Moon.&nbsp;&quot;Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, through the shuttle program -- I don&#39;t think it would surprise many of the folks in the room that our average launch cadence was closer to three months throughout all those programs, not three years,&quot; he said. &quot;We need to start getting back to basics and moving in this direction.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;Launching every three years, your skills atrophy, you lose muscle memory.&quot;&nbsp;Space raceThe revised architecture announcement comes in the wake of repeated delays to the Artemis 2 mission, which now will not launch before April.&nbsp;It is meant to see the first flyby of the Moon in more than half a century.&nbsp;Earlier this week, the US space agency rolled back its towering SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft off the launchpad to investigate its problems and make necessary repairs.&nbsp;President Donald Trump announced he wanted Americans to once again set foot on the lunar surface in his first term.&nbsp;The US space agency now hopes to put humans back on the Moon as China forges ahead with its own effort, which is targeting 2030 at the latest for a first crewed mission.&nbsp;China&#39;s uncrewed Chang&#39;e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the Moon&#39;s south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft Mengzhou is also set to go ahead this year.&nbsp;Queried on the so-called &quot;space race,&quot; Isaacman said Friday that &quot;I think competition is good.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re here talking to you about what is a common-sense approach to achieve the objective, whether we had a great rival in the running or not.&quot;

Artificial Intelligence

NASA will revise its Artemis program after delays, adding missions before a planned 2028 lunar landing. Artemis 3 will test lunar lander rendezvous in low-Earth orbit, while Artemis 4 targets Moon landing as China advances its space ambitions.

Articles by Pakistan TV