Category: 1. Pakistan

• FM Araghchi, senior ministers to accompany Iranian president.
• This marks Pezeshkian’s first official visit to Pakistan as president.
• Iranian president visiting Pakistan at PM Shehbaz’s invitation.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to arrive in Islamabad on Saturday (tomorrow) for a two-day state visit to Pakistan, the Foreign Office said on Friday.

In a statement, the FO said the Iranian president is visiting the country at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“Dr Pezeshkian will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister of Iran Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, senior ministers, and other high-ranking officials,” the statement added.

During his stay, Pezeshkian will meet President Asif Ali Zardari, and hold delegation-level talks with PM Shehbaz Sharif.

This marks Pezeshkian’s first official visit to Pakistan as the President of Iran.

PM Shehbaz last visited Iran on May 26, 2025. The visit is expected to further strengthen the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran.

According to the Political Adviser to the Iranian President, Mehdi Sanai, official meetings and discussions with “cultural and business elites” were planned during the president’s visit.

“The relations between the two countries encompass political, economic, religious, and cultural dimensions,” he had said in a X post on July 30.

The development of provincial and border cooperation, as well as increasing trade from the current $3 billion, are among the objectives of the visit, the adviser concluded.

Pezeshkian will be the second Iranian president to visit Pakistan within two years. The visit was originally scheduled for the final week of July.

In April 2024, Ebrahim Raisi paid a three-day official visit to Pakistan — just a month before his death in a helicopter crash.

Earlier in May, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif undertook a two-day bilateral visit to Iran as part of his regional tour to friendly countries aimed at expre¬ssing gratitude for their support during the conflict with India.

During the two-day visit, the premier met Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the Iranian president.

The meetings focused on Pakistan-Iran relations, particularly the promotion of trade and regional connectivity, besides covering regional issues, with appreciation for Iran’s efforts to maintain peace in the region during the war imposed on Pakistan by India.

Both sides also discussed the strengthening of strategic ties between the two countries, as well as the immediate cessation of Zionist oppression in Gaza and achieving a sustainable and lasting ceasefire.

He had previously visited Iran in May 2024 to attend the memorial ceremony of former president Raisi. 

Five cops were martyred after bandits of the Katcha area attacked a police checkpoint in Rahim Yar Khan, a statement from the Punjab police said on Friday.

For decades, dozens of bandit gangs armed with sophisticated weaponry have operated with impunity in northern Sindh as well as southern Punjab. Kidnappings for ransom, extortion rackets that cripple local businesses, brutal killings and looting people on the major highways have become a daily reality.

According to a statement from the office of the Inspector General of Punjab, almost 40 bandits, using rocket launchers and grenades, attacked the Sheikhani police picket in the Katcha area, situated between Chowk Sewetra and Chowk Mahi near the Guddu-Kashmore Road on Thursday night.

“During the attack, policemen of Elite Force, including Muhammad Irfan, Muhammad Saleem and Nukhail of Bahawalnagar, together with Khalil and Ghazanfar of Rahim Yar Khan, were martyred,” the statement said, adding that a bandit was also killed when the police retaliated.

Following the sudden attack, police started a search operation against the bandits in the area, it added.

Inspector General (IG) Punjab Police Dr Usman Anwar took notice of the incident and sought a report from the regional police officer, Bahawalpur.

“IG Usman also instructed the Rahim Yar Khan District Police Officer, Irfan Ali Sammon, to immediately arrest the bandits involved in the attack,” the statement added.

The funeral prayers of martyred policemen will be offered at Rahim Yar Khan police lines at 2:30 pm today, it added.

Last month, different dacoit gangs of the Katcha area, through their social media posts and videos, had directly challenged the writ of the police and claimed that they would target them. As seen in the videos, the dacoits were equipped with the latest, sophisticated weapons, per the statement.

Per the statement, the bandits had recently attacked stone-carrying trucks near the Hajipur area to extort money from the owner of the trucks. Similarly, area locals complained that several bandit gangs still had complete control over different islands of the Indus River.

In March, three people were shot at and killed by dacoits in the Jamaldin Wali area of tehsil Sadiqabad near the Indus River to avenge the murder of a YouTuber dacoit.

In January, three members of the Hindu community from Chowk Sawetra area near Bhong were allegedly kidnapped by dacoits of Katcha area.

Pakistan on Thursday announced the successful launch of its new remote sensing satellite in collaboration with China.

Officials described the achievement as a significant milestone and expressed hope that it would support disaster management, food security, urban planning, and environmental protection.

The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, the national space agency of Pakistan, announced the successful launch of a remote sensing satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China.

According to Radio Pakistan, a state broadcaster, the satellite will provide high-resolution, round-the-clock imaging, significantly strengthening Pakistan’s capabilities in urban planning, infrastructure development, disaster management and mitigation, agricultural monitoring, food security, environmental protection, deforestation tracking, climate change analysis, and water resource management.

Launched by SUPARCO in collaboration with the China Electronics Technology Group Corp. and MICROSAT China, the satellite represents a cornerstone of an integrated Earth observation system.

It is set to support sustainable socioeconomic development and improve the quality of life across the country.

The satellite was developed through cooperation between SUPARCO, the China Electronics Technology Group Corp., and MICROSAT China.

It successfully entered its designated orbit and will provide high-resolution Earth imagery.

According to officials, the satellite will help Pakistan monitor crops, manage water resources, respond to natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, and better understand the impacts of climate change. The data is also expected to support infrastructure development and national planning.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Pakistani scientists on the successful launch of the remote sensing satellite.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal called it a proud moment and highlighted its connection to development initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

SUPARCO Chairman Mohammad Yousaf Khan said this was the beginning of a more advanced Earth observation system that will contribute to Pakistan’s long-term sustainability and growth.

The launch marks another step in Pakistan’s ongoing space cooperation with China.

It follows the successful launch of the PRSC-EO1 satellite earlier this year and builds on previous satellite missions such as PRSS-1, launched in 2018. Officials believe the new system will improve early warning capabilities and help protect vulnerable communities from climate-related threats.

• India submits Gandapur’s quote as FATF evidence.
• Gandapur says India twisting remarks to smear Pakistan.
• KP CM to write FATF over Kashmir issue.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has vowed to expose India’s role in sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan and the region, a day after New Delhi submitted his recent remarks to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as evidence against Islamabad.

The Indian government has used Gandapur’s statement to back its allegations that Islamabad supports terrorist elements, officials of the global anti-money laundering watchdog confirmed.

“We arrest the Taliban, but our own institutions get them released, claiming they are their people” — a statement that drew criticism at home and is now being used by New Delhi to push for Pakistan’s re-listing on FATF’s grey list.

In a statement, the KP CM said India submitted his statement to the global anti-money laundering watchdog “out of the context”.

“India has always been involved in terrorism in Pakistan and the region,” the KP CM said, adding that he was writing a letter to FATF to expose Indian actions in Kashmir.

He said the people and forces of Pakistan were making unprecedented sacrifices to uproot terrorism from the country.

“My message to Modi [Indian prime minister] is that we are united to defend Pakistan,” Gandapur said, warning that India was attempting to get Pakistan grey-listed again by “constructing a false narrative.”

Indian authorities have argued that this public admission by a provincial chief minister shows that Pakistan’s institutions continue to aid and protect terrorist elements.

The FATF officials said India framed the statement as a formal “charge sheet” against Pakistan, particularly highlighting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a region gravely affected by terrorism and militancy.

Pakistan was taken off the FATF grey list in 2022, giving it a clean bill of health on terrorist financing and boosting its reputation among lenders — essential for Pakistan’s crisis-hit economy.

The FATF’s grey list — in which Pakistan was placed from 2018-2022 —places a country under increased monitoring until it has rectified identified flaws in its financial system.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 1st Aug, 2025) As August begins, a wave of patriotic fervor sweeps across Pakistan from the mountainous valleys of Chitral to the bustling shores of Gwadar.

Streets are adorned with green and white colours, homes light up with the national flag, and children excitedly prepare for Independence Day celebrations.

Yet behind the vibrant festivities lies a profound and turbulent history of sacrifice, resilience, and vision that led to the creation of Pakistan on August 14, 1947.

Pakistan’s independence remains a landmark event not only in South Asia but also in global history. It was the culmination of decades of struggle by Muslims of the Indian subcontinent who, after centuries of political dominance, found themselves marginalized under British colonial rule and overshadowed by rising Hindu majoritarianism in post-1857 uprising.

“The creation of Pakistan was a turning point in world history,” said Dr Muhammad Younas Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Studies Department at Islamia College Peshawar, in an interview with APP. “It signified the assertion of a nation’s right to live with dignity, free from domination and discrimination.”

Following 1857 uprising, Muslims faced systematic exclusion from civil services, education, and land ownership. The British Raj increasingly aligned with Hindu elites, accelerating the decline of Muslim socio-economic and political status.

In this bleak period, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan emerged as a visionary reformer. Through his educational movement and the founding of Aligarh College in 1877, Sir Syed launched intellectual reawakening of Muslims in India.

His establishment of the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference in 1886 provided a vital platform for promoting modern education and fostering unity among Muslims.

“Sir Syed’s efforts bridged the gap between Muslims and the British, countered negative propaganda, and laid the groundwork for political consciousness, of Muslims ” Dr Younas explained.

As Muslim awareness grew, the political struggle took shape with the formation of the All India Muslim League (AIML) in 1906. The League became the voice of Muslims, demanding separate electorates and safeguards for their political identity.

The League’s significance deepened in 1913 when Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, initially a member of the Indian National Congress, joined its ranks.

Disillusioned with Congress’s disregard for Muslim concerns, Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah soon emerged as the principal architect of the Pakistan Movement.

A pivotal moment came in 1930 with Dr.

Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s historic Allahabad Address, where he envisioned a separate homeland for Muslims in the northwest of British India. Three years later, Chaudhry Rehmat Ali coined the term “Pakistan,” crystallizing the idea into a concrete goal.

The independence movement gained momentum as the Muslim League opposed the Nehru Report and advanced the Two-Nation Theory, asserting that Hindus and Muslims were distinct nations with irreconcilable differences. Mr. Jinnah’s famous 14 Points, presented in 1929, became a manifesto for Muslim political rights.

The tide turned decisively after the passing of the Pakistan Resolution on March 23, 1940, in Lahore. The resolution formally demanded an independent state for Muslims, setting the stage for final negotiations.

By 1945-46, the Muslim League had garnered overwhelming support across Muslim-majority provinces, winning all Muslim seats in the central assembly.

“Mr. Jinnah’s leadership during this period galvanized a population yearning for identity, freedom, and security,” Younas told APP.

In June 1947, he said Lord Mountbatten announced the partition plan, dividing British India into two sovereign states ties Pakistan and India. Punjab and Bengal were split, and referendums in NWFP (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sylhet, and tribal areas confirmed Muslim-majority regions’ desire to join Pakistan.

On August 14, 1947, Pakistan emerged as a new nation due to an outcome of relentless political negotiation, grassroots mobilization, and unyielding commitment by countless leaders and ordinary citizens.

Today, as children like Anaya Bibi, a fifth-grade student, prepare for flag-hoisting ceremonies in Peshawar’s civil secretariat, the essence of the independence struggle resonates deeply.

“I bought 50 green badges and stickers for my brothers and friends,” she said excitedly, eager to attend the flag hoisting ceremony at the Civil Secretariat on August 14. “We all want to see the flag rise high.”

Independence Day is not only a celebration of freedom but also a solemn tribute to the sacrifices made by leaders like Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Dr Allama Muhammad Iqbal and countless unsung heroes. It’s a reminder of the promise of Pakistan is a land for Muslims to live in peace, equality, and justice.

As the nation gears up for its 78th Independence Day, it remains a time to honor the past, celebrate unity, and renew the pledge to build a prosperous and strong Pakistan for generations to come.

APP/fam/1020

KARACHI/SINGAPORE: Pakistan’s largest refiner Cnergyico will import 1 million barrels of oil from Vitol in October, its Vice Chairman Usama Qureshi told Reuters on Friday, marking the country’s first-ever purchase of US crude following a landmark trade deal.

The West Texas Intermediate light crude cargo will be loaded from Houston this month and is expected to arrive in Karachi in the second half of October, Qureshi said.

“This is a test spot cargo under our umbrella term agreement with Vitol. If it is commercially viable and available, we could import at least one cargo per month,” he said, adding that the shipment was not meant for resale.

The deal follows months of multiple negotiations which first began in April, he said, after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose 29 percent tariffs on imports from Pakistan.

Qureshi said Pakistan’s finance and petroleum ministries encouraged local refineries to explore US crude imports after the April tariff announcement.

Vitol did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside of office hours.

On Thursday, Pakistan hailed a trade deal struck with the US, its top export market, and said the agreement would increase investments. The White House said on Thursday the US will charge a 19 percent tariff on imports from Pakistan.

A key China ally, Pakistan has been warming up to Trump after he threatened tariffs. It has credited US diplomatic intervention for ending recent hostilities with neighboring India and nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Oil is Pakistan’s biggest import item and its shipments were valued at $11.3 billion in the year ended June 30, 2025, accounting for nearly a fifth of the country’s total import bill.

The import deal will help Pakistan diversify its crude sourcing and reduce reliance on Middle Eastern suppliers, who account for nearly all of its oil imports.

“Gross refining margin is on par with Gulf grades, and no blending or refinery tweaks are required,” Qureshi said.

Cnergyico can process 156,000 barrels of crude per day and operates the country’s only single-point mooring terminal near Karachi, enabling it to handle large tankers unlike other refiners in Pakistan.

The company plans to install a second offshore terminal to allow larger or more frequent shipments, and to upgrade its refinery over the next five to six years, Qureshi said.

The refiner, which has been operating at an average refinery run rate of 30 percent to 35 percent due to tepid local demand, is betting on growth in demand for oil products.

“We expect run rates to rise as domestic demand strengthens and local production is prioritized over imported fuels,” Qureshi said.

Trump said on Wednesday the US would also cooperate with Pakistan to develop the South Asian country’s “massive oil reserves,” without providing further details.