DNA News
Bessent says US will impose toughest ever sanctions on Iran, urges China to cooperate
WASHINGTON, AUG 20: The United States will impose “the toughest sanctions in history” on Iran, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday as he urged Beijing to cooperate with Washington. Bessent said he would hold a press conference on Monday to discuss details. “It is a one-two punch. We have the blockade (on Iran), and we are going to have the toughest sanctions in history,” Bessent told CNBC. “It is going to work in Iran and we are going to collapse this regime.” “It is time for our alliesRead More
President Zardari lauds outgoing Kazakh envoy’s role in strengthening bilateral ties
ISLAMABAD, AUG 20 /DNA/ – President Asif Ali Zardari has praised Ambassador of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Kistafin for his pivotal contributions to Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations during his five-year diplomatic tenure in the country. The President made these remarks while receiving the Ambassador for a farewell meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr. He noted that bilateral relations had made remarkable progress under Ambassador Kistafin’s watch, culminating in the historic State Visit of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Pakistan in February 2026—the first such visit by a Kazakh head of state in 23 years. The visit elevatedRead More
ASEAN Day celebrated in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD, AUG 20 /DNA/ – The 59th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was celebrated with great enthusiasm at a ceremony held in the federal capital on Thursday. Federal Minister for Culture, National Heritage, and Tourism, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The event was also attended by the Heads of Missions of ASEAN member countries, along with diplomats and prominent figures from various walks of life. A key highlight of the ceremony was a joint cake-cutting ritual, where theRead More
Fazl announces ‘united opposition’ after meeting Achakzai, Qaiser
ISLAMABAD, AUG 20: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Thursday announced a “united opposition” after meeting National Assembly opposition leader and Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai. The development came a day after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a key coalition partner in the centre, and the opposition parties had agreed to cooperate on legislative matters in parliament. The JUI-F chief, along with a delegation comprising Kamran Murtaza and Maulana Abdul Wasay, held an important meeting with TTAP chief Achakzai, PTI’s Asad Qaiser and Akhunzada Hussain YousafzaiRead More
CDA property transfer system being digitized to ensure transparency: NA told
ISLAMABAD, Aug 20: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Thursday informed the National Assembly that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had a formal mechanism for property transfers, which was being strictly followed to ensure transparency and prevent fraud. Responding to questions during question hour the minister said the CDA maintained proper records of residential and commercial plots and other property units, adding that no systematic fraud or illegality had been reported in the authority’s property transfer system. He, however, acknowledged that land-related cases, particularly those involving overseasRead More
New US carrier strike group arrives in Middle East: Military
WASHINGTON, AUG 20: A new US aircraft carrier strike group has arrived in the Middle East, the US military announced Thursday, after conditions aboard a long-deployed carrier provoked fresh criticism of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran. “The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in Middle East during a scheduled deployment after arriving in the CENTCOM theater yesterday,” Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US forces in the Middle East, said in a post on X.