Tag: Tashkent

  • BBZ is going to India next month for the Shanghai Cooperation Org

    BBZ is going to India next month for the Shanghai Cooperation Org

    In a major diplomatic development, Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will be visiting India to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which is set to take place on May 4-5 in Goa, India, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch has confirmed.

    The minister is going to India at the invitation of the country’s External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

    Pakistan is currently preparing for the meeting.

    It is pertinent to mention that Bilawal’s visit to India will be the first by a Pakistani foreign minister in nearly 12 years. In 2011, the then-top Pakistani diplomat, Hina Rabbani Khar, now Bhutto-Zardari’s deputy in the foreign ministry, visited India.

    If Bilawal’s visit goes as per plan, it is likely that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit India too for the summit, reports Express Tribune.

    ​Bilawal also attended the last meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers held in July last year in Tashkent.

    The SCO is a regional political and security bloc whose members include Russia, China, India and Pakistan.

  • Bilawal Bhutto avoids handshake with Indian foreign minister

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met and held meetings with his counterparts from Afghanistan, China, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan at the Shanghai Coopera­tion Org­anisation’s (SCO) Council of For­eign Ministers’ meeting. However, it has been reported that Bilawal and Indian FM Dr S. Jaishankar avoided handshake and the two ministers sat away from each other.

    Bilawal attended the SCO meeting (July 28th to 29th) in Tashkent and this is where both he and Jaishankar came together since the Pakistani foreign minister took charge.

    It is pertinent to mention that the SCO meeting is being held in connection with the preparations for the SCO Heads of State meeting scheduled to be held in September.

    On the international platform, Bilawal said that there are no plans of any meetings between Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers (PM) in September, adding that “both India and Pakistan are part of the SCO and the two countries are only engaged in the context of the broad-based activities of the organisation”.

    The foreign minister said: “India is our neighbouring country. While one can decide on a lot of things, one cannot choose its neighbours, therefore, we should get used to living with them.”

    Bilawal recalled that after 2019, constructive dialogue with India became difficult, while statements based on Islamophobia by Indian officials are further creating hurdles in dialogue.

    ‘What is our fault if Khan failed to boost ties with US?’

    Reacting to Imran Khan’s criticism that said Pakistan and the United States (US) relation has weakened during the tenure of the coalition government, the foreign minister said, “There is no truth in Imran Khan’s claims.”

    “Khan tried to strengthen relations with Washington when he was in power,” he said and asked, “What was their fault if he failed to boost ties with the US?”

  • ‘World ka gold medal b ayega’: Talha Talib wins Pakistan first ever medal in World Weightlifting Championship

    ‘World ka gold medal b ayega’: Talha Talib wins Pakistan first ever medal in World Weightlifting Championship

    Pakistan’s young weightlifter Talha Talib has won the country’s first ever medal at the World Weightlifting Championship on Friday by winning a Bronze at the snatch event in the 67kg category.

    In a message on Twitter after his victory, Talib said he hoped to win a gold medal for the country soon too. While he also thanked everyone who supported him.

    The 22-year-old weightlifter from Gujranwala managed to create history for Pakistan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

    He lifted 143kg in his first attempt in the snatch event in the 67kg competition. His following attempts of lifting 146kg and 147kg were unsuccessful, but the lift of 143kg in the first attempt was enough for him to secure a medal for Pakistan.

    Last year, Talha won the Bronze medal in same category at the Asian Championship. The performance earned him a place at Tokyo Olympics, where he finished fifth.

    The performance at the Olympics brought him into the limelight and the country’s sports authorities assured him full support for future events.

    Several notables, including Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Government of Punjab Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti, congratulated the athlete on accomplishing the feat.

  • Pakistan, Uzbekistan to make film on first Mughal emperor Zaheer-ud-din Babar: PM Khan

    Pakistan, Uzbekistan to make film on first Mughal emperor Zaheer-ud-din Babar: PM Khan

    Prime Minister Imran Khan announced on Thursday that Pakistan and Uzbekistan will jointly make a film on the first Mughal emperor, Zaheer-ud-din Babar, in order to let the youth know about the connection between the two countries.

    As per reports, this decision has been made to educate the young people of both the countries of the shared heritage between the two nations.

    “[It] is extremely exciting that we have decided now to make a film on the first of the great Mughals, Zaheer-ud-din Babar,” the premier said in a joint presser with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

    PM Khan said that the Mughal dynasty ruled India for three centuries, adding that the region at that time was considered as “one of the richest” places in the world.

    “I think the young people in Uzbekistan and Pakistan must know this connection that stayed for hundreds of years between this part of the world and our part of the world.”

    “We hope that this will be the beginning of a strong cultural exchange between the two countries. As our countries get closer, I will introduce cricket to the people of Uzbekistan,” said the prime minister.

    Speaking on the occasion, President Mirziyoyev threw weight behind PM Imran’s opinion, adding that the youth of Uzbekistan should know about the heritage of Babar’s dynasty.

    “We should say that this is just the beginning. I look forward to visiting Pakistan in order to see those very places that have the touch of our ancestors and to see the life in Pakistan and people of Pakistan,” said the Uzbek president.