Author: EchoAsiaNews

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to attend the first leaders’ meeting of the US-initiated Gaza Board of Peace in Washington on February 19, sources familiar with the matter said. The development follows an invitation extended by US President Donald Trump to Pakistan to join the Gaza Board of Peace, an offer confirmed by the Foreign Office (FO) on January 18, 2026. However, sources said a final decision on the prime minister’s participation in the high-level meeting — to be chaired by the US president at the Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace — will be taken in the coming…

Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s defence minister, arrived in Riyadh this week to represent Islamabad at the World Defense Show, a major five-day international defence exhibition expected to host more than 700 defence and security exhibitors from around the globe. The event, organized by the Kingdom’s General Authority for Military Industries and running from February 8–12, aims to showcase cutting-edge military hardware, live demonstrations, and opportunities for industry collaboration. Pakistan’s state media, citing Pakistan Television News (PTV), reported that Asif arrived on an official invitation from the Saudi government and was welcomed by senior Saudi officials and Pakistan’s ambassador to Riyadh, Ahmed…

Beijing on Sunday condemned a deadly suicide bombing and shooting at a Shi’ite mosque in Islamabad, describing the incident as “deeply shocking” and pledging support for Pakistan’s efforts to safeguard national security and stability. The statement from the Chinese foreign ministry came after one of the worst militant attacks in the capital in years. The attack occurred on Friday afternoon at the Khadija Tul Kubra Imambargah, a Shi’ite mosque in the Tarlai Kalan area, as worshippers gathered for Friday prayers. Witnesses said the attacker opened fire at the mosque’s gates before detonating a suicide vest, killing at least 31 people…

Pakistan’s participation in its scheduled February 15 T20 World Cup match against India remains in focus, but the situation is evolving as sources suggest ongoing dialogue with cricket authorities. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has denied claims that it directly approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) to reopen talks about playing the match, dismissing such reports as inaccurate and spread by foreign media. PCB spokesperson Amir Mir stated that Indian media narratives about discussions with the ICC were “fiction” and emphasized that patience would clarify how and who initiated any communications. The national cricket team had earlier announced it would…

Barrister Gohar Ali, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has strongly rejected remarks made by Information Minister Atta Tarar, in which he linked the party to the recent surge in terrorist incidents. Gohar described the statement as irresponsible and divisive, especially at a time when the nation is mourning victims of terrorism. The controversy began after Atta Tarar made the remarks during a press conference in Lahore alongside religious scholars, held to express solidarity following the deadly suicide attack at an Islamabad imambargah. Referring to former prime minister Imran Khan’s past proposal to resettle Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters, Tarar suggested that…

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and allied opposition groups are holding nationwide protests and a wheel-jam and shutter-down strike today, 8 February 2026, to mark the second anniversary of the controversial 2024 general elections and to voice ongoing grievances over alleged poll rigging. Leaders from PTI and its allied party Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) officially announced the plan for peaceful nationwide protests and silent strikes, urging supporters to participate without violent disruption. The protest agenda also places emphasis on calling for improved medical access and transparency regarding the health of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan, a central rallying issue for the party’s base.…

Recent developments show that President Trump is refusing to apologize for a racially offensive video that was posted on his social media platform and then deleted after widespread backlash. Trump claims he did not watch the entire video before it went live and says he won’t apologize because he believes he did nothing wrong. He and the White House have shifted blame onto a staff member, calling the upload an error rather than a deliberate act. The video in question included a depiction of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama using racist imagery, something that civil…

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that members of Congress will be allowed to review unredacted versions of government documents related to Jeffrey Epstein starting Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. The decision follows criticism from lawmakers who said previously released files were too heavily redacted and did not provide full transparency. According to the Justice Department, the review will include millions of pages of documents that were earlier made public in redacted form under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law passed in late 2025 to ensure the disclosure of unclassified records linked to Epstein’s criminal cases and related investigations.…

Western sanctions are significantly intensifying economic pressure on Russia, pushing its economy toward a potentially unsustainable situation as inflation rises, oil revenues decline and borrowing costs remain high, a senior European Union sanctions envoy said, according to multiple reports. David O’Sullivan, the EU’s special envoy on sanctions, said in a recent interview that measures imposed by the EU and its allies are having a “significant impact” on Russia’s war-focused economy. Western sanctions, enacted in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have targeted key sectors including energy, finance and trade, curbing Moscow’s ability to generate revenue for its military operations. O’Sullivan…

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing mounting political pressure as controversy deepens over his decision to appoint former Labour Party elder statesman Peter Mandelson as the United Kingdom’s ambassador to the United States, following revelations connected to Mandelson’s relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to multiple reports. On Friday, the Metropolitan Police executed search warrants at two properties linked to Mandelson, located in the Wiltshire region and the Camden area of north London, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. Police said no arrests have been made, but the…