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Pakistan
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Pakistan

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Pakistan
Pakistan
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Pakistan. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Capital
Islamabad
Head of State
President Asif Ali Zardari
Head of Government
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
An Iranian walks next to an anti-US mural in a street in Tehran, Iran, on May 4. Photo: EPA
War and conflict

Letters | History shows the high cost and low yield of war as conflict resolution

Readers discuss the imperative of dialogue to end the Iran war, the growth and diversity of Chinese products and Hong Kong’s efforts to deter smoking.

US, Israel war on Iran

US strikes Iranian tanker amid reports Washington and Tehran near deal

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Indonesia

‘I started crying’: Indonesian captain’s wife in agony over pirate attack

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Asean

Opinion | Asia must unite to avert an Iran war food crisis

The energy and fertiliser shocks come amid crucial planting windows for Asia’s farmers, exposing the region’s dire dependencies.

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A farm worker sprays fertiliser on a paddy field at Sabak Bernam, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on April 1. Conflict in the Middle East has driven up prices of energy, fertiliser and food production. Photo: EPA
China's military weapons

Will new Saudi-Pakistan defence pact give Chinese arms risk-free exposure?

Islamabad’s elevated stature in Middle East security could make it ‘the operational face of Chinese defence systems’ via regional deployment.

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China-Middle East relations

Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi to visit China days ahead of Donald Trump

Foreign Minister Araghchi will arrive on Wednesday and hold talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Beijing has announced.

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China's military weapons

Has China given the first sign it’s ready to export J-35A fighter to Pakistan?

State media shows J-35A model bearing AVIC logo rolling out of the hangar, the English lettering hinting it is an export model.

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A J-35A fighter jet appeared on Chinese state television on May 1, fuelling speculation it is a variant set for export to Pakistan. Photo: CCTV
Diplomacy

Strait of Hormuz woes, US-Nato ‘crisis’: 7 global relations reads

From a possible Trump-Iran joint venture to Russia-China talks, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in April 2026.

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump says US will ‘guide’ ships out of Hormuz, as vessels attacked

US to launch new mission dubbed ‘Project Freedom’ as Tehran signals interference would be seen as a ceasefire violation.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Trump says he’s reviewing new Iran proposal to end war

The president also has floated a new plan to reopen the Hormuz, after the US warned shipping firms against paying Iran for safe passage.

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A man stands in the water as ships line the horizon in the Strait of Hormuz in April. Poto: ISNA via AP
US, Israel war on Iran

Iran will not accept ‘imposed’ peace, Trump not satisfied with negotiations

US lawmakers are pressuring the President to resolve the war, while Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is attempting to ease the war’s toll on Iran’s economy.

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A woman walks past an anti-US billboard depicting US President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Trump says hostilities in Iran ‘terminated’ ahead of war powers deadline

Trump administration argues war in Iran has ended due to ceasefire, allowing White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval.

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China's military weapons

Pakistan commissions first Chinese submarine in ‘historic milestone’ for navy

President and naval chief attend ceremony in Sanya for the advanced Hangor-class vessel as the two countries step up defence cooperation.

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Science

China’s Tiangong space station to double in size as Nasa phases out ISS

Plans are under way to add three more modules to the Chinese facility but no timeline has been released to complete the work.

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The Tiangong space station will eventually comprised six modules. Photo: CMSA
International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Pakistan’s IMF-backed recovery under pressure as Iran-US mediation stalls

While Islamabad continues to push for peace, the war threatens to erode its foreign exchange reserves and make financing harder to secure.

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A trader monitors share prices at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in Karachi, Pakistan, on Monday. Photo: EPA
US, Israel war on Iran

Trump warns Iran blockade could last months, sending oil soaring

Brent crude jumps to US$126 as the US president declares Iran is ‘choking like a stuffed pig’.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | US-Iran ceasefire can’t paper over fires in the Strait of Hormuz

The US blockade is war by another name and must end. Two other things must change for the Iran ceasefire to become genuine diplomacy.

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Science

China’s thalassaemia jab raises hope for common inherited blood disorder

Original therapy integrating stem cell tech and gene editing could treat a blood disorder with 350 million carriers worldwide.

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Professor Chen Jia (centre), the brain behind the development of the CS-101 therapy. Photo: Handout
US, Israel war on Iran

Trump and Iran trade red lines as Putin enters the diplomatic crossfire

Message via Pakistan outlines terms on nuclear work and Strait of Hormuz, as Moscow signals support and Washington considers next move.

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Belt and Road Initiative

Pakistani president’s visit seeks to bolster ‘full spectrum’ of ties with China

Asif Ali Zardari’s visit also comes at a time when Islamabad is seeking to play a key role in ending the US-Israeli war on Iran.

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China-India relations

Could Russian missiles help India counter its arch-rival’s Chinese weapons?

‘Force multiplier’ could allow New Delhi to target Pakistani support planes such as surveillance and refuelling aircraft.

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The missiles are fired from a Russian-made Su-35. Photo: Handout
China-Middle East relations

Iran’s foreign minister returns to Pakistan after Trump cancels envoys’ trip

Tehran pursues urgent regional coordination as US president orders his negotiators to stay home.

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Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, left, meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
China-Middle East relations

Iran digs in as US envoys Kushner and Witkoff head to Pakistan for more talks

Trapped in the Persian Gulf, ship crews run low on food, water – and mental health reserves.

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India

India-Germany defence road map ‘good template’ for wider EU cooperation

Deeper defence ties are expected to boost India’s maritime modernisation efforts and Europe’s security role in the Indo-Pacific, experts say.

US, Israel war on Iran

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt: the Middle East’s new power brokers?

‘Fear of US abandonment’ is helping forge a new Middle East – but don’t expect an Islamic Nato just yet.

(From left) Foreign Ministers Badr Abdelatty of Egypt, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Ishaq Dar of Pakistan and Hakan Fidan of Turkey meet to discuss regional de-escalation in Islamabad, Pakistan, on March 29. Photo: Turkish Foreign Ministry/Reuters
War and conflict

Opinion | Blinding the world with lies makes peacemaking an impossible task

From Iran to the Horn of Africa, disinformation is killing diplomacy. Mediators need facts, not state-sponsored fictions.

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A satellite image shows smoke rising from an oil refinery in Tuapse, Russia, on Monday after an overnight strike claimed by Ukraine’s military. Photo: Planet Labs PBC/Reuters
China-India relations

Why China won’t like India’s latest defence deal with South Korea

After Lee Jae Myung’s recent visit to New Delhi touting expanded bilateral cooperation, Beijing is likely to be uneasy, analysts say.

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United States

US says direct talks are on, Iran says no: confusion over Pakistan meeting

Trump sends Witkoff and Kushner; meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry denies US discussions even as Araghchi arrives in Islamabad.

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