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Islamabad awaits Tehran’s ‘revised’ peace plan

ISLAMABAD: Initial proposals exchanged between Iran and the United States via Pakistan have failed to break the deadlock, as Islamabad now awaits a revised set of proposals from Tehran, seeking an end to the war that has already disrupted oil supplies and threatened the global economy.

Amid growing uncertainty, the messages from both Iran and the US are mixed.

US President Donald Trump posted a mocked-up image of himself holding a gun and wearing aviator sunglasses on his Truth Social platform, alongside a warning for Iran.

“NO MORE MR. NICE GUY,” the text on the image reads, alongside an image of the American flag.

Trump also had a message for Iran in an early morning post, writing, “Iran can’t get their act together. They don’t know how to sign a non-nuclear deal. They better get smart soon! President DJT.”

Despite Trump’s posturing, indications are that backchannels are still active to prevent a worst-case scenario.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, for the first time, gave more details of Pakistan’s mediation efforts and indicated that a response from Tehran was awaited.

The prime minister told the cabinet that Iran’s Foreign Minister, after traveling to Islamabad twice and then to Oman and Russia, spoke to him.

“I spoke with him (Araghchi) on the phone, and he assured me that detailed meetings had been held and that, after consultations with the leadership, a response would be given as soon as possible,” Shehbaz added, without divulging further details.

The prime minister’s remarks suggested that a detailed response from Tehran on how to end the war has yet to be received.

Amid a fragile Gaza ceasefire and worsening humanitarian crisis, Pakistan told the UN Security Council that it stands for universal respect for international law and pacific settlement of disputes and remains actively engaged in advancing diplomatic pathways towards peace and stability in the Middle East.

“The root cause of instability in the Middle East remains the unresolved question of Palestine and the continued Israeli occupation of the Arab lands,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permannt representative of Pakistan to the UN, said in a debate on the situation in the Middle East.

“Not the expansionist ambitions; not the illegal wars, it is the vacation of occupation, for realization of a Palestinian state, the two-State solution, that is the only viable framework for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace”, he added.

In his remarks, Ambassador Asim Ahmad, the Pakistani envoy, said more than 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes since the ceasefire’s announcement, underscoring both the scale of the crisis and the sensitivity of the situation. “It is essential to fully respect and consolidate the ceasefire, and ensure sustained, unhindered and scaled up humanitarian assistance.”

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Pakistani Students’ UK Visa Delays Raised by Azam Nazeer Tarar with British High Commissioner

Azam Nazeer Tarar with UK High Commissioner

ISLAMABAD: British High Commissioner Jane Marriott called on Federal Minister for Law & Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar. The meeting discussed Pakistan-UK bilateral relations, matters of mutual interest and ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, the Federal Minister raised the issue of delays in UK visas for Pakistani students and conveyed the Government of Pakistan’s concern to the British High Commissioner.

Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar said that hundreds of Pakistani students were facing difficulties due to delays in visa processing, with a risk that the delays could result in the loss of their academic year. He stressed the need to remove obstacles faced by Pakistani students seeking education abroad and facilitate them in this regard.

The Federal Minister briefed the British High Commissioner that, on the directives of the Prime Minister, a committee under his chairmanship was working to improve the legal and institutional framework concerning Pakistani students studying abroad.

He further informed the High Commissioner that, on the Prime Minister’s directives, the committee had finalized its recommendations on the matter, and work was underway to further improve the legal and institutional framework for Pakistani students pursuing education abroad.

The Federal Minister said that the legal and institutional framework for Pakistani students seeking education abroad was being improved to develop an effective mechanism for addressing the issues faced by students.

British High Commissioner Jane Marriott assured the Federal Minister that the issue of delays in visas for Pakistani students would be addressed.

The meeting also discussed further strengthening educational linkages between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, as well as enhancing institutional cooperation and engagement between the two countries.

Minister of State for Law, Justice and Human Rights Barrister Aqeel Malik was also present during the meeting.

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Naqvi Sets September 30 Deadline for Completion of Islamabad Safe City Expansion

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, accompanied by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, visited the Islamabad Safe City Headquarters on Friday and chaired a special meeting to review progress on the Safe City Expansion Project, directing officials to complete the ambitious initiative by September 30.

During the briefing, officials informed the minister that overall work on the expansion project has reached 85 percent completion. Installation of the new surveillance network is also 85 percent complete, while 415 kilometres of optical fibre have been laid to support the upgraded system. Work on the data centre, cyber architecture, and cybersecurity infrastructure has also reached approximately 80 percent completion.

Expressing satisfaction over the pace of work, Naqvi stressed that the remaining tasks must be completed within the stipulated timeframe.

He said the government’s vision is to transform the Islamabad Safe City into a modern, smart, and world-class institution comparable to those in developed countries.

The interior minister said the technologically advanced Safe City system would significantly strengthen public safety through enhanced surveillance, effective monitoring, and rapid emergency response capabilities.

He noted that the project would play a vital role in improving law enforcement efficiency and ensuring better security for residents of the federal capital.

Naqvi also assigned officials the task of completing the state-of-the-art Fusion Centre within the next three months, describing it as a critical component of the upgraded Safe City network.

He further directed the relevant authorities to finalise the Safe City Bill at the earliest and present it before the National Assembly without delay to provide the legal framework necessary for the project’s long-term operation and expansion.

The meeting was attended by the Federal Secretary for Interior, the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), senior Safe City officials, and other relevant officers, who briefed the minister on the progress and future roadmap of the expansion project.

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PM Shehbaz, high-level delegation perform Umrah; pray for country’s progress

MAKKAH AL-MUKARRAMAH: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, along with his high-level delegation, performed Umrah here on Friday.

He was accompanied by his delegation including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi.

The door of Khana Kaaba was opened specially for the prime minister and his delegation.

Following the completion of the Umrah rituals, the prime minister, field marshal, and other members of the Pakistani delegation offered special prayers for the progress and prosperity of the country, the safety and unity of the Muslim Ummah, and for regional and global peace.

The prime minister arrived in Jeddah on Thursday evening for a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Besides meeting with his Saudi counterpart, he will also pay a visit to the Roze-e-Rasool (PBUH) in Madinah.