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PM Shehbaz, Qatari emir express satisfaction at 'positive progress' of US-Iran talks, agree to sustain momentum

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a phone call with the Qatari emir on Wednesday, during which he said the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the “positive progress” made in the first round of technical talks between the US and Iran in Switzerland and agreed to sustain this momentum. “Had a warm and most cordial telephone conversation with my dear brother, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, emir of the State of Qatar, this afternoon,” PM Shehbaz posted on X. He added that he thanked the Qatari emir for his country’s “steadfast support for the peace efforts that culminated in the historic Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding ”, which was signed by the US and Iran on June 18. “We expressed satisfaction at the positive progress made during the first round of technical talks in Bürgenstock and agreed on the importance of sustaining this momentum through continued dialogue and diplomacy,” he wrote. PM Shehbaz also thanked the Qatari emir ...
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CDF Munir, Libyan military leader stress importance of strengthening bilateral defence ties

Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and the Libyan armed forces’ deputy commander-in-chief held a meeting on Wednesday, and the two sides emphasised the importance of strengthening bilateral defence ties, according to a statement by the military’s media affairs wing. The meeting was held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar was presented a guard of honour by a smartly turned-out tri-services contingent upon arrival, a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. It added that during his meeting with Field Marshal Munir, matters of mutual interest, regional security dynamics, defence cooperation and avenues for enhanced military-to-military collaboration were discussed. “Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral defence ties and expanding cooperation in areas of professional military training and security,” the statement said. It further stated that Fiel...
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Why Modi’s strategy to isolate Pakistan backfired

Speaking from the negotiation room at a Swiss resort, US Vice President JD Vance reflected on the complex realities of South Asian diplomacy. Referring to his Indian wife and Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, he remarked : “I have joked that I have two very, very important people in my life — an Indian and a Pakistani. The Indian is my wife, and the Pakistani is Field Marshal Munir.” Field Marshal Munir’s engagement with senior international figures, including his role alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in welcoming foreign delegations to Islamabad, has become a visible feature of Pakistan’s expanding diplomatic role, from South Asia to the Middle East. This trajectory runs counter to India’s efforts to isolate Pakistan following the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam attack. New Delhi reportedly sent 59 politicians to 32 countries to shore up international support, yet Pakistan came out of the four-day war with its regional and international standing inta...
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40 drown in France as people seek relief from Europe's heatwave

40 people have drowned in France over recent days as they sought to cool down to escape record heat, the prime minister said on Tuesday, ​as a heatwave swept across much of Europe. Britain, Italy, Switzerland and Spain were also sweltering in extreme heat, with record temperatures in some regions disrupting schools and transport ‌networks. Europe is warming at more than twice the global average, according to the World Meteorological Organisation, making such prolonged heat episodes increasingly likely. Children cool off in the Trocadero Fountain next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris as temperatures rise during a heatwave affecting a large part of France, June 22. — Reuters Heat alert across France Much of France is under severe heat alert and set to experience temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, Meteo France said, with temperatures of up to 43°C expected in some parts of western France. The country has just recorded ...
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The regional geo-strategic landscape in West Asia post the Iran war

Following months of all-out conflict that began on February 28, 2026, the United States and Iran have transitioned to a de-escalation phase. On June 17, Presidents Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding to end the war, establishing a 60-day ceasefire extension to negotiate the final terms of a deal. Pakistan served as a key mediator throughout the process. Following the signing and despite a rocky start, the first round of high-level talks concluded in Bürgenstock, Switzerland on Monday, June 22, with the two sides agreeing on a roadmap towards a final deal within 60 days, along with communication lines to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and a deconfliction cell to end fighting in Lebanon. Mediators Pakistan and Qatar described the outcome as reflecting encouraging progress, with technical talks set to continue through the rest of the week at Bürgenstock. Most observers and experts describe the overall process as a considerable (if still f...
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Five moments from the Burgenstock summit that got people talking

All eyes were on Burgenstock over the weekend as high-level delegations from the United States, Iran, Qatar and Pakistan descended upon the idyllic Swiss hamlet to iron out the details of the Islamabad Memorandum. The US team of Vice President JD Vance, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, came face-to-face with the Iranian team comprising chief negotiator and parliamentary speaker, Bagher Ghalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a rare meeting outside of Islamabad. The talks were hosted and mediated by the Pakistani team of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, along with a Qatari delegation led by Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. The media circus unfolding above Lake Lucerne managed to capture moments f...
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A decade of chaos: Britain prepares for 7th prime minister after Starmer announces resignation

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday he would quit, paving the way for the country to have its seventh leader in 10 years. The chaos dates back to the Brexit referendum, 10 years ago to the day on Tuesday. In the years since the vote, Britain has tried to forge its own path but struggled to boost its low-growth economy, hamstrung by high debts and a growing welfare bill, at a time of growing geopolitical volatility. June 2016: UK votes for Brexit, PM Cameron quits Britons cause a global shock by voting 52-48 per cent to leave the European Union, ending a more than 40-year union and plunging the country into its biggest political crisis since World War Two. Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron resigns and the party chooses Theresa May to succeed him. June 2017: Snap election gamble backfires Riding high in opinion polls and seeking a bigger majority in parliament to push Brexit legislation through, May calls a snap election. The Conservatives lose their majori...
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