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Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Pakistan, US reaffirm commitment to peace
A telephonic conversation was held between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on June 20, 2025. Photo: File Listen to article Days after US President Donald Trump hosted Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday held a telephone conversation, reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing bilateral cooperation and promoting regional peace. During what officials described as a "warm and cordial" exchange, the prime minister conveyed his best wishes for the US president and lauded his "bold leadership". He particularly appreciated Secretary Rubio's diplomatic efforts in facilitating a ceasefire understanding between Pakistan and India, a move that helped avert a major crisis between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. "The prime minister welcomed President Trump's positive statements about Pakistan, calling them encouraging for lasting peace in South Asia," read a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan's willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue with India on all outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir, the Indus Waters Treaty, trade and counterterrorism. The two leaders also discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-Israel conflict. The prime minister stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to defuse the crisis and reiterated Pakistan's readiness to play a constructive role in any peace efforts. "The current situation is alarming, not just for the region, but for the entire world," he said. On the economic front, Shehbaz emphasized the need to build on President Trump's focus on trade. He called for greater cooperation in sectors such as investment, energy, rare earth metals, mining, and information technology. He noted that strengthening economic ties was key to mutual prosperity. Touching on security and counterterrorism, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to eliminate terrorism from the country, especially threats posed by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist outfits. Secretary Rubio commended Pakistan's ongoing counterterrorism operations and assured continued US support in combating these threats. The two leaders also reviewed the recent visit of Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to Washington, describing his talks with President Trump as "cordial and productive." They agreed on the need to translate this diplomatic momentum into tangible outcomes across multiple domains. Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized the importance of sustained high-level exchanges and renewed his invitation for President Trump to visit Pakistan. Shehab also expressed his desire to meet the US President. He also extended a separate invitation to Secretary Rubio for an early visit. Secretary Rubio thanked the prime minister for the conversation and expressed Washington's desire to expand cooperation across areas of mutual interest. He acknowledged Pakistan's efforts in maintaining the ceasefire with India and encouraged Islamabad to continue leveraging its ties with Tehran to support peace initiatives in the Middle East. The conversation, officials noted, signals a new chapter in Pakistan-US relations, with both sides expressing a firm intent to work together for regional stability and global peace.
Business Recorder
7 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
ME situation: Rubio telephones PM
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday expressed Pakistan's readiness to play a constructive role in international peace efforts amid growing concerns over the Iran-Israel crisis, during a telephone call initiated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office, Secretary Rubio rang up Prime Minister Sharif to discuss the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-Israel crisis. Sharif described the crisis as 'deeply worrying, not only for the region, but for the entire world,' and called for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. Rubio acknowledged Pakistan's strong relations with Iran and encouraged Islamabad to continue playing a constructive role in the ongoing peace efforts with Tehran. He reaffirmed Washington's commitment to working closely with Pakistan to promote both regional and global stability. During a warm and cordial conversation, Prime Minister Sharif conveyed his best wishes to US President Donald Trump and praised his bold leadership. He also lauded Secretary Rubio's proactive diplomacy, particularly his role in helping Pakistan and India reach a ceasefire understanding, which PM Sharif said averted a major confrontation between the two nuclear-armed states. Sharif welcomed President Trump's recent positive statements about Pakistan, calling them most encouraging' for lasting peace in South Asia. He reiterated Islamabad's readiness to engage in meaningful dialogue with India on all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, the Indus Waters Treaty, trade, and counter-terrorism. On security matters, PM Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to eliminate terrorism across the country, citing threats from terrorist groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and other militant outfits. In response, Rubio appreciated Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts and assured continued US cooperation to address shared security concerns. Sharif also noted with satisfaction the recent meeting in Washington between President Trump and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, describing it as cordial and productive. On economic ties, Sharif emphasised the need to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy, mining, rare earth metals, and information technology. He highlighted the potential for mutually beneficial partnerships, in line with President Trump's focus on expanding global trade. Both sides agreed that ongoing dialogue must translate into tangible outcomes across all sectors. Prime Minister Sharif called for more frequent high-level engagements and reiterated his invitation to President Trump for an official visit to Pakistan. He also invited Secretary Rubio to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience, expressing hope for a visit in the near future. Rubio thanked the prime minister for taking his call and expressed a strong desire to strengthen US-Pakistan cooperation across all areas of mutual interest. He further appreciated Pakistan's efforts to uphold the ceasefire with India and encouraged its continued engagement in peace efforts related to Iran. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
See - Sada Elbalad
14 hours ago
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
PM Shehbaz Speaks with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Taarek Refaat Prime Minister's Office Press wing Islamabad: 20 June, 2025 Press Release: Prime Minister speaks with the U.S. Secretary of State Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, this evening. During their warm and cordial conversation, the Prime Minister conveyed his best wishes for President Donald Trump. He praised the President for his bold leadership and appreciated Secretary Rubio's proactive diplomacy that played a pivotal role in helping Pakistan and India to arrive at a ceasefire understanding and averting a major catastrophe between the two nuclear armed states. The Prime Minister added that President Trump's positive statements about Pakistan were most encouraging for a durable peace in South Asia, which could only be made possible by initiating meaningful dialogue between Pakistan and India. In this context, he reaffirmed Pakistan's willingness for talks with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu & Kashmir, the Indus Water Treaty, trade and counter-terrorism. The situation in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-Israel crisis, was also discussed, where the Prime Minister emphasized on the need to find a peaceful resolution to this grave crisis, through dialogue and diplomacy. He stated that Pakistan was ready to play a constructive role in any effort for peace in the current situation, which was deeply worrying, not only for the region, but for the entire world. While recalling President Trump's focus on trade, the Prime Minister stated that Pakistan and the U.S. needed to work together to advance mutually beneficial cooperation across a wide range of areas, including trade, investment, energy, mining, rare earth metals, and IT. On security and counter-terrorism, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to deal with the menace of terrorism from the entire country, particularly the threat from BLA, TTP and other militant groups. In this regard, Secretary Rubio appreciated Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts and assured Pakistan of full cooperation by the U.S. in countering all such threats. The Prime Minister noted, with great satisfaction, the most cordial and productive discussion between President Trump and Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, in Washington, earlier this week. Both the Prime Minister and Secretary Rubio agreed that talks between their two countries must now be translated into tangible actions, across all areas. The Prime Minister also stressed upon the need for frequent high-level engagements to build upon this positive momentum in Pakistan-U.S. bilateral relations. In this regard, he reiterated his invitation to President Trump to undertake an official visit to Pakistan and said that he too, was looking forward to meeting President Trump at his earliest convenience. The Prime Minister also reiterated his invitation to Secretary Rubio to visit Pakistan, at an early date. Thanking the Prime Minister for receiving his telephone call, Secretary Rubio shared his desire to enhance bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the U.S., across all areas of shared interest. He also appreciated Pakistan's resolve to uphold the ceasefire understanding with India, as well as its sustained efforts for peace in the region. In this context, he encouraged Pakistan, which enjoys excellent ties with Iran, to continue playing its role in the ongoing peace efforts with Iran. He further noted that the U.S. was committed to working closely with Pakistan to promote regional as well as global peace and stability. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
Business Recorder
17 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
PM Shehbaz speaks with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this evening, the Prime Minister's Office said on Friday. During their warm and cordial conversation, MP Shehbaz conveyed his best wishes to President Donald Trump. He praised the President for his bold leadership and appreciated Secretary Rubio's proactive diplomacy that played a pivotal role in helping Pakistan and India to arrive at a ceasefire understanding and averting a major catastrophe between the two nuclear-armed states. The prime minister added that President Trump's positive statements about Pakistan were most encouraging for a durable peace in South Asia, which could only be made possible by initiating meaningful dialogue between Pakistan and India. PM Shehbaz asserts Pakistan's 'right to act in self-defense' in call with US Secretary of State In this context, he reaffirmed Pakistan's willingness for talks with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu & Kashmir, the Indus Water Treaty, trade and counter-terrorism. The situation in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-Israel crisis, was also discussed, where the prime minister emphasised the need to find a peaceful resolution to this grave crisis through dialogue and diplomacy. He stated that Pakistan was ready to play a constructive role in any effort for peace in the current situation, which was deeply worrying, not only for the region but for the entire world. While recalling President Trump's focus on trade, the Prime Minister stated that Pakistan and the U.S. needed to work together to advance mutually beneficial cooperation across a wide range of areas, including trade, investment, energy, mining, rare earth metals, and IT. On security and counter-terrorism, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to deal with the menace of terrorism from the entire country, particularly the threat from BLA, TTP and other militant groups. In this regard, Secretary Rubio appreciated Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts and assured Pakistan of full cooperation by the U.S. in countering all such threats. The prime minister noted, with great satisfaction, the most cordial and productive discussion between President Trump and Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, in Washington, earlier this week. Both the Prime Minister and Secretary Rubio agreed that talks between their two countries must now be translated into tangible actions, across all areas. The prime minister also stressed the need for frequent high-level engagements to build upon this positive momentum in Pakistan-U.S. bilateral relations. Trump praises Field Marshal over ceasefire with India In this regard, he reiterated his invitation to President Trump to undertake an official visit to Pakistan and said that he, too, was looking forward to meeting President Trump at his earliest convenience. The prime minister also reiterated his invitation to Secretary Rubio to visit Pakistan at an early date. Thanking the prime minister for receiving his telephone call, Secretary Rubio shared his desire to enhance bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the U.S. across all areas of shared interest. He also appreciated Pakistan's resolve to uphold the ceasefire understanding with India, as well as its sustained efforts for peace in the region. In this context, he encouraged Pakistan, which enjoys excellent ties with Iran, to continue playing its role in the ongoing peace efforts with Iran. He further noted that the U.S. was committed to working closely with Pakistan to promote regional as well as global peace and stability.
Hindustan Times
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Baloch Liberation Army takes responsibility for attacks on Pakistani military
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has asserted responsibility for various attacks directed at Pakistani military forces in Hoshab and Kolwah regions. The group claims that these operations incorporated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and confrontations, reportedly resulting in the deaths of five Pakistani army members. In another incident, the BLA announced the capture and later execution of an alleged Military Intelligence (MI) agent named Khizir. They stated that Khizir was apprehended in Zehri, Khuzdar, and executed following a trial conducted by the "Baloch National Court," after allegedly confessing to his intelligence-gathering activities in various districts during his interrogation. Additionally, another "pro-independence" Baloch insurgent group, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), has taken credit for two distinct attacks. The first involved a hand grenade strike aimed at the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Khuzdar. The second incident took place near Habib Hotel in Wadh, where a truck carrying precious stones from Dalbandin to Karachi was attacked. The explosion affected the truck's engine and tires, but no casualties have been reported thus far. Previously, BLA fighters conducted five separate assaults on the Pakistani army in Zamuran and Panjgur, leading to the deaths of four Pakistani army personnel. During these operations, the army's surveillance equipment was disabled, while BLA fighter Riaz, also known as Aman, was reported killed, according to a statement from Jeeyand Baloch, the BLA spokesperson. Earlier, Allah Nazar Baloch, the head of the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), had accused the Pakistani military of fabricating and promoting the narrative regarding ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-F) to undermine nationalist movements by exploiting religious sentiments, as reported by The Balochistan Post (TBP). Nazar alleged that the ideological basis of ISIS-K is a constructed narrative orchestrated by Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military's media wing. He stated that the intent is to sway public opinion against national liberation movements by wrongly labelling them as proxies for foreign entities, according to TBP.
