Islamabad 26 Mar 2017 (Daily Dawn) Pakistan's retired Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif is likely to assume in April the command of a yet-to-be-formed Saudi-led, 39-country Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism (IMAFT), which is being dubbed as a ‘Muslim Nato’. The government had issued a no-objection certificate for Gen Sharif to join the alliance...

NEW YORK 24 Mar 2017 (APP): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has praised Pakistan’s valuable contribution to international peace and security at a glittering Pakistan Day reception in New York. “Pakistan plays an important role at the UN,” Guterres said while briefly speaking to Pakistani journalists at the largely-attended reception hosted by Pakistan UN Ambassador Maleeha...

Islamabad Daily Dawn 24 Mar 2017 Two days after Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz claimed that the Interior Ministry had in 2010 empowered the then ambassador of Pakistan in Washington, Hussain Haqqani, to directly issue diplomatic visas to Americans without clearance of relevant authorities, a document reveals the authorisation originated...

New York 24 March 2017 (QNA) The State of Qatar stressed its important role in supporting the international efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change as it has initiated the establishment of the Global Drylands Alliance, which seeks to combat desertification and drought and conserve environment and thus contribute to the efforts of the...

Islamabad 23 March 2017 President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain, on the occasion of Pakistan Day, conferred 46 Military and 50 Civil Awards upon various personalities from different walks of life for their meritorious services in different fields. The awards were conferred in a special Investiture Ceremony held here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday. The awards...

Islamabad 23 March 2017 (APP) President Mamnoon Hussain Thursday terming Pakistan’s defence as “impregnable” said the country’s conventional and nuclear capabilities were meant to ensure global and regional peace. Addressing at the Pakistan Day parade here at the Shakarparian Parade Ground, the President said the country’s defence was strong and expressed resolve to make every...

Manila 23 March 2017 (PNA) The Philippines posted a budget surplus of Php 2.22 billion in January 2017 after revenues expanded higher than expenditures due to collection reforms. Data released by the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) on Thursday showed that revenues rose by 10 percent year-on-year to Php 200.3 billion while expenditures went up...

Doha 21 March 2017 (QNA) Emir of State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in recognition of his efforts in enhancing ties between the two countries decorated with AlWajbah Medal to Guido De Sanctis, ambassador of Italy to State of Qatar on Tuesday at the Emiri Diwan. Italian Ambassador to Qatar called on Emir...

Brussels 23 Mar 2017 (QNA) State Minister for Foreign Affairs Soltan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met today with Dirk Achten, Secretary-General, Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during his visit to Belgium. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, means of boosting and developing them, in addition to a number of regional...

Geneva 21 March 2017 (NHRC) The Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) organized a training course on human rights mechanism for the network at the Palais Wilson in Geneva. In his inaugural address, Sultan Bin Hassan Al-Jamali, Executive Director of the Network stressed...