Pakistan TV

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said Pakistan will respond to any violation from the Afghan side during the temporary pause for Eidul Fitr. Speaking exclusively to Pakistan TV, the information minister said Pakistan took this initiative of announcing a temporary pause in Operation Ghazab-Lil-Haq in view of the upcoming Eidul Fitr and also after receiving requests from brotherly countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye.&nbsp; He said the pause in the operation will remain in effect till the night of March 23/24, and the operation will resume after the Eid festival.&nbsp;<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: 648px; 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=2034327474491027652&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=82058e6f0821aaa9f6daafb48e0bcc54f7e5aeed&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2034327474491027652"></iframe></div></div>He reaffirmed that the country remains fully alert in defending its sovereignty.&nbsp; He emphasized that the pause was temporary and did not signal any weakening of Pakistan&rsquo;s stance against terrorism. The minister criticised the Afghan Taliban for failing to meet their commitments, stating, &ldquo;all promises of Taliban have not been converted into reality&rdquo;. Rejecting allegations levelled by the Afghan Taliban of civilian harm during the operation, Tarar said: &ldquo;All our strikes in Afghanistan are on military installations&rdquo;, and that &ldquo;Taliban&rsquo;s claims of targeting civilians are false and baseless&rdquo;.&nbsp; He reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s position toward Afghan citizens, stating, &ldquo;we have nothing against Afghan citizens&rdquo;. On the issue of false propaganda peddled by the Afghan Taliban, the minister said: &ldquo;Afghan Taliban have resorted to false propaganda.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;We are countering their lies with truth and facts,&rdquo; he said, stressing that &ldquo;Pakistan will continue to expose Afghan Taliban lies through mainstream media and social media&rdquo;. Highlighting the India-Taliban nexus, Tarar said: &ldquo;Afghan Taliban have embraced the Indian policy of spreading fake news.&rdquo; Concluding, he reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s readiness, stating, &ldquo;we are fully alert and vigilant in defending our country.&rdquo;

SAT News Desk

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said Pakistan will respond to any violation from the Afghan side during the temporary pause for Eidul Fitr.

Any Afghan Taliban violation of pause to get befitting response: Tarar

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: Afghanistan&#39;s Taliban have built a nationwide system of public executions and mass floggings, carrying out corporal punishment on at least 1,200 people and executing convicted murderers in sports stadiums and provincial squares, according to official Taliban Supreme Court records and data compiled by a local news outlet.&nbsp; Public floggings rose by 92% in a single month, from March 21 to April 19, 2026, as reported by Amu TV based on Taliban court statements. At least 115 people, including 14 women, were punished across 19 provinces.&nbsp;Kabul recorded the highest single-month toll with 24 floggings, followed by Nimroz with 17, and Nangarhar and Khost with nine each. Every capital sentence requires the personal sign-off of Supreme Leader Amirul Momineen Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada before implementation, according to the Supreme Court&#39;s own published records. Official documents describe this final review as an act of &quot;ultimate caution.&quot; The Supreme Leader convenes a council of senior religious scholars to examine each case before issuing the execution order. Executions in stadiums and squares At least four public executions have been documented through official Taliban channels since August 2021. The first took place in Farah province in 2022-23, attended by Chief Justice Sheikh Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, per Supreme Court records. Two men were then executed simultaneously at the Ali Baba football stadium in Ghazni on February 21, 2024, one convicted of a knife killing, another of a separate murder, after what the Supreme Court described as &quot;full and repeated&quot; investigation. In Paktia&#39;s provincial capital, Gardez, Muhammad Ayaz was executed for killing a man with a Kalashnikov rifle. The victim&#39;s family was &quot;repeatedly offered the opportunity for forgiveness and peace&quot; but insisted on execution, per official statements. Most recently, on December 2, 2025, Mangal, son of Tala Khan, was shot in Khost&#39;s sports stadium for premeditated murder, with the court citing a Quranic verse in its official announcement. Floggings by province and offense Supreme Court records from February and March 2026 document the geographic spread of floggings. In Farah&#39;s Balabuluk district, 14 individuals received between 20 and 39 lashes each on sodomy charges, while five others, including one woman, received public punishment for &#39;illicit relations&#39; and theft. In Maidan Wardak, four people, including one woman, were publicly flogged for adultery and sodomy.&nbsp; In Kabul&#39;s Char Asiab district, two people,&nbsp;including one woman, were punished for illicit relations and fleeing home. A theft conviction in Zabul carried 39 lashes and three years in prison; another in Ghazni drew one year imprisonment alongside discretionary punishment, per the same records. The court&#39;s General Directorate of Judicial Research and Studies issued 81 technical legal opinions during Ramadan, February 2026, alone to ensure punishments &quot;conformed to Hanafi jurisprudence,&quot; according to the Supreme Court&#39;s quarterly report. Scale of the apparatus The judicial machinery extends beyond punishment. The Ministry of Justice handled 33,700 property petitions and 57,000 commercial loan disputes in 2022-23 and returned over 308,935 acres of land to state control, according to its annual report. In November 2025, 7,521 prisoners were released or had sentences reduced following inspections ordered by the Chief Justice, according to Supreme Court records. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, whose X account has approximately one million followers, directly announces executions and dismisses UN criticism as &quot;contrary to reality,&quot; according to a Semantic Scholar study on Taliban digital strategy.&nbsp; The Taliban&#39;s supreme leader used the same channels in August 2025 to warn that &quot;God will severely punish Afghans ungrateful for [not accepting the Taliban&#39;s] rule,&quot; as reported by PBS. The United Nations and multiple human rights organizations have condemned the use of corporal punishment and public executions in Afghanistan.

Afghan men armed with guns and rifles march to show their solidarity with Taliban personnel in the Zazai Maidan district of Khost province on March 27, 2026. (AFP)

Afghanistan

Every capital sentence requires the personal sign-off of Supreme Leader Amirul Momineen Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada before implementation, according to the Supreme Court's own published records.

Lashed in public, shot in stadiums: Inside the Afghan Taliban's punishment machine

BEIJING: A humanoid robot competing against flesh-and-blood runners broke the world record at a Beijing half marathon on Sunday, showcasing the rapid technological advancement achieved by Chinese makers. Spectators lined the roads in Yizhuang in the capital&#39;s south to watch the machines and their human rivals race, each group in a separate lane to avoid accidents or collisions. Some of the robots were highly agile, moving like famous runners such as Usain Bolt, while others had more basic capabilities. The winning humanoid, equipped with an autonomous navigation system and running for Chinese smartphone maker Honor, completed the roughly 21-kilometer (13-mile) course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, at an average speed of about 25 kilometers per hour, according to state broadcaster CCTV. That was far faster than the top human in Sunday&#39;s race, while also surpassing the current men&#39;s world record of 57:20 held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo. The result represented spectacular progress from last year, when robot-runners fell repeatedly and the best took more than two hours and 40 minutes to finish. The number of humanoid entries jumped from around 20 last year to more than 100, according to organisers, a sign of the sector&#39;s growing popularity.&nbsp;&#39;Pretty cool&#39;&nbsp;Han Chenyu, a 25-year-old student who watched the race from behind a safety barrier, barely had time to take out her phone and snap a picture of the leading robot as it whizzed past. She told AFP she was enthusiastic about such leaps in technology and thought the event was &quot;pretty cool&quot;. But, she added, &quot;as someone who works for a living, I&#39;m a little worried about it sometimes. I feel like technology is advancing so fast that it might start affecting people&#39;s jobs&quot;, particularly with artificial intelligence growing increasingly sophisticated. Humanoid robots have become a common sight in China in recent years, in the media as well as in public spaces. Xie Lei, 41, who watched Sunday&#39;s race with his family, said robots could &quot;become part of our daily lives&quot; within several years, potentially used for &quot;things like housework, elderly companionship or basic caregiving&quot; or &quot;dangerous jobs, even firefighting&quot;. The humanoid half marathon aims to encourage innovation and popularize the technologies used in creating and operating such machines. In a sign of the industry&#39;s strength, investment in robotics and so-called embodied AI amounted to 73.5 billion yuan ($10.8 billion) in China in 2025, according to a study by a government agency. &quot;For thousands of years, humans have been at the top on planet Earth. But now, look at robots. Just in terms of autonomous navigation, at least in this specific sport event, they&#39;re already starting to surpass us,&quot; Xie said. &quot;On one hand, it does make you feel a little bit sad for humanity. But at the same time, technology, especially in recent years, has given us so much imagination.&quot;

Gadgets

The winning humanoid completed the roughly 21-kilometer (13-mile) course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, at an average speed of about 25 kilometers per hour, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Humans far behind as robot breaks record at Beijing half marathon

LONDON: British government ministers on Sunday backed embattled premier Keir Starmer as he struggles to shake off a scandal over long-time Jeffrey Epstein associate Peter Mandelson. Starmer is due to face lawmakers in parliament on Monday to explain how Mandelson was appointed Britain&#39;s ambassador to the United States in late 2024 despite failing to pass security checks. The prime minister, who has been dogged by the controversy for months, said Friday that he and other ministers were not told Mandelson had failed the vetting process, calling that &quot;unforgivable&quot;. He has blamed foreign office mandarins for allowing Mandelson&#39;s appointment against the advice of security officials, and sacked the department&#39;s top civil servant Olly Robins on Thursday. But ex-civil servants have accused Dowing Street of scapegoating Robbins while opposition leaders have called for Starmer to quit, with accusations ranging from incompetence to wilful misleading of the public. Technology minister Liz Kendall told the BBC on Sunday that Starmer would not have appointed Mandelson had he known that he had not received the appropriate security clearance. Deputy prime minister David Lammy, who was foreign secretary when Mandelson was appointed to Washington, said the same in an interview with the Guardian published late Saturday.&nbsp;&lsquo;Made the right call&rsquo;Kendall said Starmer should remain in his job because he had &quot;made the right call&quot; on big issues, such as building closer relations with the European Union and limiting Britain&#39;s involvement in the US-Israel war on Iran. &quot;I think he is an honest man and a man of integrity who says it was a mistake to appoint him,&quot; she told Sky News. Lammy said it was &quot;inexplicable&quot; that the foreign office had kept Downing Street in the dark, telling the Guardian he had been &quot;shocked and surprised&quot; when he learnt what happened. Starmer, already widely unpopular with the British public due to several policy mis-steps, has faced repeated questions about his judgement for selecting Mandelson whose friendship with Epstein was well known.&nbsp;Mandelson&rsquo;s sacking&nbsp;He sacked Mandelson in September 2025 after new details emerged about the depth of Mandelson&#39;s ties to Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while facing sex-trafficking charges. UK police are investigating allegations of misconduct in office by Mandelson when he was a Labour minister more than 15 years ago. He was arrested and released in February. Mandelson has not been charged and denies criminal wrongdoing.

United Kingdom

Technology minister Liz Kendall says Starmer shall remain in his job because he has 'made the right call' on big issues, such as building closer relations with the European Union and limiting Britain's involvement in the Iran war.

UK ministers back Starmer amid fresh calls to quit

ISLAMABAD: The first Hajj flight under Road to Makkah project departed from Islamabad International Airport on Sunday, according to state-run Radio Pakistan. Pilgrims were seen off by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, along with senior officials, at the airport. Addressing the ceremony, Yousuf said Pakistan completed Hajj preparations within stipulated time with the support of the Saudi government, and the country is providing pilgrims with the best possible facilities.&nbsp;Road to Makkah project&nbsp;He highlighted that Road to Makkah project allows pilgrims to complete Saudi immigration and other formalities at their departure airport, making their arrival in Saudi Arabia smoother. This year, the initiative has been expanded to Lahore, in addition to Karachi and Islamabad, and is expected to benefit over 95,000 pilgrims. Pilgrims will also be provided with e-SIM cards, enabling them to remain in contact with their families in Pakistan. Other facilities include modern, comfortable tents and high-speed trains connecting Makkah and Madinah to ease travel. The minister expressed gratitude to Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, and Hajj Minister Tawfiq Bin Fawzan al-Rabiah for their support and guidance in facilitating the Hajj preparations.

Culture

Religious Affairs Minister Yousuf says Pakistan completed Hajj preparations within stipulated time with the support of the Saudi government, and the country is providing pilgrims with the best possible facilities.

First Hajj flight under Road to Makkah project departs Pakistan's capital

ISLAMABAD: In a sharp political reaction, Indian Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misusing an official national address for partisan attacks, calling it &ldquo;a travesty of Democracy and the Constitution of India.&rdquo; In a strongly worded statement shared on X on Saturday, Kharge alleged that the prime minister&rsquo;s speech&nbsp;disproportionately criticized the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/rahul-gandhi-modi-compromised-by-epstein-files-sold-india-out" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Congress</a> while neglecting key issues such as women&rsquo;s representation,&nbsp;and claimed it violated the Model Code of Conduct already in force.<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" allowfullscreen="true" 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=2045543427056836836&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=322607743007a53857a0c77384a7dda48fb42d1e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> &ldquo;A desperate and frustrated PM&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bjp-accused-of-reshaping-indias-political-system-to-retain-power" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">@narendramodi</a>&nbsp;with nothing meaningful to show for the last 12 years, turned an official address to the nation, into a political speech, full of mudslinging, and outright LIES.&rdquo;&nbsp;&lsquo;Travesty of Democracy&rsquo;&nbsp;The Congress president, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said, &ldquo;The Model Code of Conduct is already in place and it was very clear how PM Modi misused official machinery to attack his opponents. This is a travesty of Democracy and the Constitution of India.&rdquo; Criticizing the Indian prime minister, he said, &ldquo;Modi ji mentioned Congress 59 times and women barely few times. That tells the country everything about his priorities. Women are not the BJP&rsquo;s priority. Congress is, because Congress stands on the right side of history.&rdquo; Taking the prime minister to task for the ruling BJP&rsquo;s poor record on women&#39;s rights, the opposition leader said, &ldquo;Congress has always supported women&rsquo;s reservation. We were the party that passed the Women&rsquo;s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 so that it would not lapse. The BJP could not get that Bill passed in the Lok Sabha. They brought another Bill in 2023 and the Congress Party supported that too. That Bill still exists. In fact, it was notified on 16th April, while the Lok Sabha was discussing these delimitation Constitutional Amendment Bills. This was done by the same Prime Minister. The fact that it took the BJP 3 years to notify their own bill, shows their commitment to India&rsquo;s Naari Shakti!&rdquo;&nbsp;&lsquo;STOP lying to the nation&rsquo;He said, &ldquo;Modi ji should STOP lying to the nation.&rdquo; The opposition leader demanded that Modi &ldquo;implement 33% reservation for women in the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats under the 2023 law.&rdquo; &ldquo;Stop mixing up the delimitation bills, i.e, the 3 Constitution Amendment Bills &nbsp;with the Women&rsquo;s Reservation Bill. Stop lying to the nation that this was an amendment to the Women&rsquo;s Reservation Bill &mdash; the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. It was NOT. This was purely a delimitation Bill, brought in to create further division and redraw the electoral map in a manner that can only benefit the BJP,&rdquo; Kharge demanded.&nbsp;&lsquo;Apologise to 140 Crore Indians&rsquo;&nbsp;Kharge&nbsp;demanded PM Modi to &ldquo;Apologise to 140 Crore Indians.&rdquo; &ldquo;Congress has always been pro-reform. Congress transformed Indian agriculture through the Green Revolution, strengthened dairy development through the White Revolution, created our Space sector, made India a Nuclear power, Liberalised the economy in 1991, 60 Crore ADHAAR cards were distributed before Modi ji took office. Congress passed RTI, RTE, Food Security Act, MGNREGA - which Modi ji repealed,&rdquo; he lamented.&nbsp;Garlanding rapists &nbsp;The Congress president said, &ldquo;The BJP has been anti-women in both action and attitude. They have no answers for Hathras. They have no answers for Unnao. They have no answers for the treatment of Haryana&rsquo;s women wrestlers. They have shielded rapists within their own party. They released the rapists in the Bilkis Bano case.&rdquo; &ldquo;They have garlanded criminals and rapists. The NCRB data itself shows that crimes against women are highest in BJP-ruled states,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;&lsquo;Nothing to offer&rsquo;&nbsp;Kharge said, &ldquo;After 12 and a half years in power, in the middle of an international crisis, high inflation, a deteriorating economy, sliding Rupee, and deep public distress, the Prime Minister had nothing to offer the nation except a political speech.&rdquo; &ldquo;Even with the Model Code of Conduct in place, he chose to blame the Opposition, especially Congress, for his own failures, his own betrayal, and his own apathy.&rdquo; The opposition leader accused the Indian prime minister of dividing the nation. &ldquo;BJP-RSS divides the nation. RSS supported the British against Indians and wrote mercy petitions to them. Every Indian knows that Modi Jis political masters &mdash; RSS are against WOMEN. They believe in Manusmiti, which encourages DIVISION, and NOT the Constitution of India,&rdquo; he said in his social media post.

India

Says, ‘a desperate and frustrated PM @narendramodi with nothing meaningful to show for the last 12 years, turned an official address to the nation, into a political speech, full of mudslinging, and outright LIES.’

Opposition leader terms Modi’s address 'travesty of democracy, Indian Constitution' 

WASHINGTON: Blue Origin, the US space company of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, on Sunday will reuse a booster for the first time to launch its massive New Glenn rocket. The novel approach comes amid fierce competition between Bezos&#39;s firm and fellow tech titan <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/after-artemis-ii-nasa-looks-to-spacex-blue-origin-for-moon-landings" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Elon Musk&#39;s SpaceX</a>, and a successful outing Sunday could up the pace and lower the cost of future Blue Origin launches. At nearly 100 meters (about 328 feet) tall, the New Glenn is slated for liftoff from Florida&#39;s Cape Canaveral sometime between 6:45 am (1045 GMT) and 8:45 am. It will carry a communications satellite for the company AST SpaceMobile. The company has launched the New Glenn twice before, but only with new rocket boosters. It has launched its far smaller New Shepard rocket, primarily used for suborbital space tourism, with reused components before in a less technically challenging operation. In November, Blue Origin recovered a New Glenn booster for the first time, succeeding in the complex technical challenge that culminated with a controlled vertical landing on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. A previous attempt in January 2025 to recover the booster was unsuccessful after its engines failed to reignite during descent. The booster that will be used in Sunday&#39;s launch was refurbished after its previous flight. For this first reuse, the company replaced all of its engines and made a few other modifications. After liftoff, the rocket&#39;s two stages will separate at altitude. The upper stage will continue its journey carrying the satellite into space, while the booster will descend and attempt to land on a barge. The operation&#39;s performance will be closely watched, as the New Glenn is at the heart of Bezos&#39;s space ambitions. He is notably competing with Musk in NASA&#39;s Artemis lunar program, with their respective space companies both developing lunar landers for the US space agency. The United States is doubling down on efforts to return astronauts to the surface of the Moon in 2028, before the end of President Donald Trump&#39;s term and a deadline set by Chinese rivals.

This Blue Origin handout photo, obtained on April 17, 2026, shows Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket at Launch Complex 36 at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 12, 2026. (File photo: AFP)

The novel approach comes amid fierce competition between Bezos's firm and fellow tech titan Elon Musk's SpaceX, and a successful outing Sunday could up the pace and lower the cost of future Blue Origin launches.

Blue Origin set to launch rocket with reusable booster for first time

Web Desk/AFP

Middle East

'No free person would submit to injustice. We are not warmongers; we are peace-seekers and are only defending ourselves,' he said, according to Iranian state-run Press TV.

We are peace seekers, not warmongers, says Iranian president

LAGOS: Nigeria and Turkiye have struck a defense agreement to help Africa&#39;s most populous nation fight its 17-year-long insurgency, the Nigerian defense minister said on Saturday. &quot;We have agreed to move into training, production, and improving on our defense industry cooperation,&quot; Christopher Musa told Turkish media while on a trip to Antalya, according to the Anadolu agency. Musa stated that 200 members of the Nigerian Army&#39;s Special Forces would be sent to Turkiye for training. Nigeria&#39;s longstanding security woes have drawn the ire of the United States in recent months, with President Donald Trump claiming that the country&#39;s Christians face &quot;persecution.&quot; Both the Nigerian government and experts have rejected that argument, pointing out that the multi-religious country&#39;s overlapping conflicts kill Christians and Muslims alike. Yet the West African country has still managed to find common ground with Washington on defense, with the US deploying around 200 soldiers to the country and launching Christmas Day airstrikes on the northern state of Sokoto last year. Besides radical Islamists from Boko Haram and its rival splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province, Nigeria is also plagued by gangs of armed criminals known as bandits who pillage, kill and kidnap in the northwest. The country also has to contend with the worsening security crisis across the Sahel -- the vast region bordering the southern Sahara desert -- which has allowed militants to expand across West Africa. In an attempt to reduce its reliance on the US, Nigeria has sought to diversify its security partners. Musa&#39;s Turkiye trip comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu&#39;s visit in late January, the first by a Nigerian head of state in nine years. Turkiye is renowned for its inexpensive armed drones, which it exports in large numbers. &quot;Turkiye has improved dramatically regarding production of military hardware, and Nigeria is still developing,&quot; Musa said, adding that the two countries had agreed to produce some items together.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu witness the signing of nine agreements between Turkiye and Nigeria on January 27, 2026. (File photo: Anadolu Agency)

Africa

Nigerian defense minister says the two countries have agreed to work together to produce some defense items.

Nigeria strikes defense deal with Turkiye

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan joined 11 other countries in strongly condemning Israel&rsquo;s decision to appoint a diplomatic representative to Somalia&rsquo;s breakaway region of Somaliland, calling the move a violation of Somalia&rsquo;s sovereignty and territorial integrity.&nbsp;According to a joint statement shared by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-condemns-israeli-recognition-of-somaliland-presses-oic-on-kashmir" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Bangladesh, Algeria, Palestine, Turkiye, Indonesia, Pakistan and Kuwait rejected Israel&rsquo;s announcement and termed it a &ldquo;flagrant violation&rdquo; of the unity and sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia.<div><div style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 899px; 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=2045568971655811491&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=102cf827e7dfc0f36b6c5c110a72d2bc7c0238e7&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Israel had announced on Wednesday the appointment of Michael Lotem as its first non-resident ambassador to Somaliland, marking a further step in its engagement with the self-declared republic.&nbsp;The joint statement said the ministers firmly opposed all unilateral measures that undermine the unity of states or infringe upon their sovereignty, while reaffirming their full support for Somalia&rsquo;s unity, territorial integrity and legitimate state institutions as the sole representatives of the Somali people.&nbsp;They warned that such actions violated international law, the United Nations Charter and the Constitutive Act of the African Union, and could create a dangerous precedent threatening stability in the Horn of Africa and wider regional peace and security.&nbsp;The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had also condemned Israel&rsquo;s move earlier this week, reiterating support for Somalia&rsquo;s internationally recognised government and its legitimate institutions.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tahir Andrabi, speaking at the weekly briefing on Thursday, January 15, 2026. (File photo: MOFA)

Joint statement says the countries oppose all unilateral measures that undermine the unity of states or infringe upon their sovereignty, while reaffirming their full support for Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity.

Pakistan among 12 countries condemning Israel’s envoy appointment to Somaliland

BEIRUT: After the ceasefire in Lebanon took hold, Samah Hajoul headed back to her apartment in south Beirut -- but only long enough to grab fresh clothes, feeling safer in her tent as she wonders whether the truce will last.&nbsp;&quot;I am afraid to return to my home because the situation is not stable yet,&quot; the displaced mother of four told AFP from her campsite on the capital&#39;s seafront.&nbsp;The ceasefire, which entered its second day Saturday, has granted many people the chance to check on their homes. Hajoul found her apartment lightly damaged, with broken windows, but was only there to &quot;bathe the children and get summer clothes&quot; as temperatures started to rise.&nbsp;&quot;We do not feel safe to return, for fear that something might happen at night and I would not be able to carry my children and flee with them,&quot; she added.&nbsp;Like many other displaced residents, Hajoul was waiting to &quot;see what happens&quot; at the end of the 10-day truce before deciding whether to go back.&nbsp;&quot;If the ceasefire is consolidated, we will return to our homes,&quot; she said.&nbsp;In the heavily bombed suburbs, neighborhoods were still largely empty on Saturday, aside from those making quick visits to their homes, according to an AFP correspondent.&nbsp;Among them was Hassan, 29, who only picked up a few things before returning to a school turned government shelter.&nbsp;Hassan, who only gave his first name, pointed to &quot;tension&quot; surrounding Israeli strikes in the south and Iran&#39;s announcement it was again closing the Strait of Hormuz, rattling the ongoing ceasefire in the broader war.&nbsp;With both Israel and Hezbollah accusing each other of breaching the truce in Lebanon, Hassan said &quot;there is no indication that there is a solution&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;We are afraid that if we return to the suburbs we will lose our place in the school to which we were displaced.&quot;

After the ceasefire in Lebanon, displaced residents briefly returned to damaged homes for essentials but still feel unsafe. Many are waiting through the 10-day truce, fearing instability and possible renewed conflict before deciding to return permanently.

Articles by Pakistan TV