Friday, May 22nd, 2026
A Steadfast Friend: Pakistan’s Enduring Stand for Palestine
by Muhammad Mohsin Iqbal For more than seventy long years, the people of Palestine have carried a burden that no nation should ever bear. From the narrow streets of Gaza, where families huddle amid rubble, to the hills of the West Bank, where ancient olive groves are uprooted by the day, an entire population has known the daily ache of dispossession, the sting of humiliation, and the quiet grief of watching children grow up without a true home. Mothers bury their sons under skies lit by flares; fathers search throughRead More
First Gaza flotilla activists arrive in Turkey after Israel deportation
ANKARAC, MAY 22: Israel said on Thursday it had deported all the foreign activists seized by its forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, as the first group arrived in Turkey following global outcry over their treatment in custody. Hundreds of activists from countries around the world were placed in detention in Israel after they were intercepted at sea Monday while making the latest in a string of attempts to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory. Turkish foreign ministry sources said 422 activists, including 85 Turkish nationals, were flown from southernRead More
Atif Sheikh demands FTR reinstatement for exporters
ISLAMABAD, MAY 22 /DNA/ – Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), has officially, as part of the Proposals for the Federal Budget 2026-2027, strongly advocated for the immediate reinstatement of the Final Tax Regime (FTR) for exporters of goods. The apex trade body, in its budget proposals, has highlighted that the previous withdrawal of the FTR has severely hindered the export sector by introducing critical operational bottlenecks, he added. Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh stressed that the removal of FTR has resultedRead More
ICCI hosts Philippines ambassador to promote business linkages
ISLAMABAD, MAY 22 /DNA/ – Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Pakistan, Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, visited the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and held an interactive session with the business community to discuss opportunities for enhancing bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation between Pakistan and the Philippines. The Ambassador described the Philippines as an attractive investment destination and an important gateway to ASEAN markets due to its strategic location in Asia. Through a detailed presentation, he highlighted the Philippines’ economic strengths, stating that the countryRead More
Saudi outlet publishes unapproved ‘final draft’ of US-Iran deal, claims it could be announced within hours
RIYADH, MAY 22: Saudi network al-Arabiya publishes what it claims is the “final draft” of a Pakistani-mediated “possible” US-Iran agreement to end the war. It says the deal could be announced within hours, but also acknowledges it is “pending approval” by both sides. The agreement would take effect immediately it is officially announced by both sides, the report says, citing unnamed sources. The reported draft agreement does not explicitly mention key US demands, including the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program and export of its stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium, limiting its ballistic missilesRead More
PM Shehbaz to visit China from May 23 to 26, confirms FO
ISLAMABAD, MAY 22: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to China from May 23-26, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said on Friday. Addressing a weekly press briefing, the spokesperson said the premier is visiting the brotherly country at the invitation of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. During the visit, PM Shehbaz will hold key meetings with Chinese leadership, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, Andrabi added. The prime minister will also chair a Pakistan-China Business-to-Business Conference and attend a reception ceremonyRead More