Japan extends 350m yen grant for Pakistan’s human resource development

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August 11, 2026

Japan extends 350m grant to strengthen Pakistan government’s administrative capacity

ISLAMABAD: Japan has extended grant aid worth 350 million Japanese Yen for the implementation of the Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) FY 2026 Programme to strengthen the administrative capacities of the Government of Pakistan.

The JDS Program, which was launched in 2018, offers highly capable Pakistani government officers the opportunity to pursue Master’s and Ph.D. degrees at leading Japanese universities. These officers are selected from those involved in planning and implementing social and economic development policies.

A formal signing ceremony was held in Islamabad, where Notes Verbale were signed and exchanged between AKAMATSU Shuichi, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, and Muhammad Humair Karim Kidwai, Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Government of Pakistan.

Through the JDS Program, JICA has so far dispatched more than 100 government officers to Japan. To date more than 80 scholars have successfully completed their studies and returned to Pakistan, contributing their enhanced knowledge and skills to the country’s development.

On this occasion, Japan’s Ambassador AKAMATSU Shuichi highlighted that the program is built on a simple but powerful belief — that investing in people is the most sustainable investment a nation can make. “When we support a young civil servant to pursue a Master’s or doctoral degree at a leading Japanese university, we are not simply funding an academic qualification. We are helping to shape a future leader — someone who will return to Pakistan with new knowledge, new perspectives, and a deepened understanding of Japan, its people, its culture, and its values,” he added.

The ambassador noted that it is these human bridges — built one scholar at a time — that sustain and strengthen the longstanding friendship between our two nations. He added that Japan deeply values its relationship with Pakistan, and the JDS Program is one of the most personal and enduring ways we invest in that relationship.

Highlighting the importance of the project, Chief Representative of JICA Pakistan Office SHINOZAKI Yusuke said that: “I sincerely hope that the JICA’s cooperation through this project will support the Government of Pakistan to enhance institutional capacity, thereby contributing to Pakistan’s sustainable development.” He added the third phase aims to continue strengthening the capacities of Pakistani government officials and further deepen the longstanding partnership between Japan and Pakistan. He also stated that this initiative indirectly meet one of the priority objectives of JICA’s country assistance policy which is balanced and stable regional development by supporting human resource development.

Also read:PM Shehbaz expresses sorrow over Colombia earthquake deaths

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PM Shehbaz expresses sorrow over Colombia earthquake deaths

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TNT Monitoring Desk

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August 11, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed profound sorrow over the tragic loss of lives and widespread devastation caused by a powerful earthquake in Colombia.

In a statement on his X timeline, the prime minister conveyed heartfelt condolences to Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella, the people of Colombia, and the bereaved families.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured and all those affected by this tragedy. Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people of Colombia in this difficult hour,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said.

The powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia near the municipality of San José del Palmar in Chocó department, causing widespread destruction.

The calamity resulted in more than 100 deaths, dozens of injuries, and the collapse of over 60 buildings across several major cities, prompting President De La Espriella to declare a national state of emergency, according to the media reports.

Colombia sits along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire and records thousands of mostly minor earthquakes each month.

Northwestern University seismologist Suzan van der Lee said the quake’s powerful magnitude, inland location and strike-slip motion may have amplified damage in populated valleys despite its considerable depth.

Also read:More than 100 killed after strongest quake this century hits western Colombia

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Dar, Kuwaiti FM discuss bilateral ties, regional situation

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TNT Monitoring Desk

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August 10, 2026

Dar, Kuwaiti FM discuss bilateral ties, regional situation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar spoke with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, during which they discussed bilateral and regional matters of mutual interest.

Foreign Minister Jarrah, during the conversation late Sunday night, felicitated the Deputy Prime Minister Dar on the recent signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

They also exchanged views on the regional situation, including Occupied East Jerusalem, besides agreeing to remain closely engaged.

The two leaders discussed Pakistan-Kuwait bilateral relations and other matters of mutual interest, including follow-up to Foreign Minister Jarrah’s recent visit to Pakistan and further enhancing cooperation and investment in key sectors.

Also read:Tarar hails Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Türkiye defence pact as historic milestone

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Tarar hails Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Türkiye defence pact as historic milestone

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TNT Monitoring Desk

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August 10, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has praised the historic defense pact among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, describing it as a matter of immense pride for both the Pakistani people and the entire Muslim Ummah, APP reported.

During an exclusive talk with media Tarar expressed his profound gratitude to the Almighty for the blessed agreement, noting that this partnership among the three brotherly nations is a special blessing for the global Muslim community.

The minister underscored that the entire nation is celebrating the Makkah Accord with great fervor. He pointed out that the flags of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye are proudly displayed across the country, and the public is overwhelmed with joy by this landmark development.

He commended the crucial role played by the country’s leadership including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their dedicated efforts in signing the agreement.

Through this trilateral partnership, Tarar noted that Pakistan has finally achieved a prestigious status it has dreamed of for a long time.

He remarked that Allah has blessed Pakistan with the profound honor and responsibility of being the defender and protector of the Harmain Sharifain.

The minister congratulated the Pakistani nation on this monumental achievement, emphasizing that the three countries will now move forward together in accordance with this milestone pact.

Also read:Bangladesh forecasts rain, thunderstorms across several regions

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Monsoon plantation drive launched in Islamabad to boost city’s green cover

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TNT Monitoring Desk

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August 9, 2026

Monsoon plantation drive launched in Islamabad to boost city’s green cover

ISLAMABAD: A monsoon tree plantation drive under the banner “Together for a Greener Tomorrow” was launched, aiming to expand the federal capital’s green cover and foster long-term environmental sustainability.

Under the initiative of Defence Housing Authority, around 50,000 indigenous and fruit-bearing saplings will be planted to bolster local environment system.

The launch event witnessed enthusiastic participation from school and university students, youth volunteers, and civil society representatives, who actively planted saplings to mark the inauguration of the campaign.

Highlighting the critical importance of afforestation, participants emphasised that large-scale tree plantation is essential to safeguard Pakistan against the severe adverse impacts of global climate change. They noted that Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate-induced environmental disruptions, making immediate and sustained ecological action imperative.

“Trees serve as a crucial natural shield against environmental pollution and play a pivotal role in purifying the air. Increasing tree cover is vital to mitigating extreme weather patterns and securing a safer, healthier environment for future generations,” the speakers at the event viewed.

They stressed that tree plantation must not be treated as a one-day event, but rather as a continuous national obligation, highlighting that post-plantation care, nourishment, and protection of saplings are just as crucial as the initial planting process.

Urging the younger generation to lead environmental preservation efforts, organizers and participants called for collective societal action, emphasizing that every individual must contribute toward building a clean, green, and climate-resilient Pakistan.

Calling the saplings an asset for future generations, the speakers said that afforestation was need of the hour for a green and healthy Pakistan and that the plantation drive was meant to achieve the very objectives by promoting the establishment of an eco-friendly and green society.

Also read:Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has spread beyond bones, son Hunter says

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Islamabad lights up in celebration of Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye defence agreement

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TNT Monitoring Desk

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August 8, 2026

Islamabad lights up in celebration of Pakistan-Saudi-Turkiye defence agreement

ISLAMABAD: the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad has been decorated with coloured lights, LED screens and the national flags of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to commemorate the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement signed by the three countries on Friday.

According to state-run news agency APP, the Constitution Avenue is lined with digital displays of the three flags, while government buildings, including Parliament House, have been illuminated for the occasion.

LED screens installed at prominent points along Constitution Avenue and elsewhere in the city are carrying messages on the historical ties, mutual cooperation and shared defence commitments among the three countries.

The prominent displays reflect the strategic significance of the Makkah Agreement and the cementing of ties between Islamabad, Ankara, and Riyadh.

The festive atmosphere is being hailed as a beautiful manifestation of brotherhood, mutual trust, and a shared vision for defense cooperation.

The special decorations across Islamabad’s major thoroughfares have drawn significant public attention, with citizens expressing immense joy over the growing trilateral cooperation and praising the city’s breathtaking displays in honor of the historic defense pact.

Also read:Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey sign joint defence pact in Mecca amid regional tensions

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Raza Rabbani opposes creation of new provinces, calls for constitutional reforms

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TNT Monitoring Desk

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August 5, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani on Wednesday opposed proposals to create new provinces on administrative grounds, arguing that Pakistan’s governance challenges stem from constitutional and institutional failures rather than the country’s existing federal structure.

In a statement, Rabbani said the failure of the system of governance, if any, was not a consequence of Pakistan having four provinces but was the result of repeated derailment of the democratic process, shrinking political space for elected representatives, centralization of powers in Islamabad and weakening of constitutional institutions.

He said governance had also suffered due to constitutional amendments introduced by military rulers, experimentation with multiple systems of governance since 1947, policymaking outside Parliament, failure to hold free, fair and transparent elections, violations of the Constitution, disregard for the separation of powers, rule by law instead of the rule of law and denial of provincial autonomy.

Calling these issues “just the tip of the iceberg,” Rabbani said Pakistan was created as a federation through the unanimous accession of its federating units and that the country’s strength lay in its ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity.

He maintained that provinces established on historical and constitutional realities could not be divided on the basis of administrative considerations, warning that reopening such a debate at the current juncture could deepen existing internal fault lines.

The former Senate chairman said any move to bifurcate the federating units could strengthen militant movements in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country, encourage extreme nationalist forces, sharpen linguistic and ethnic divisions and raise disputes over the distribution of natural resources.

Instead of creating new provinces, Rabbani called for strict adherence to the Constitution, including upholding its supremacy, ensuring the rule of law, implementing provincial autonomy, respecting the constitutional separation of powers and devolving political, administrative and financial authority to elected local governments in accordance with Article 140-A of the Constitution.

He warned that pursuing the path of dividing federating units could engulf the federation in further political instability and aggravate existing security and governance challenges.

Also read:Kashmir issue will remain alive until resolution, says Amir Muqam

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PM Shehbaz vows full support for welfare of Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK

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TNT Monitoring Desk

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July 2, 2026

PM Shehbaz Vows Full Support for Welfare of Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed his commitment to utilizing all available resources for the welfare and prosperity of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, APP reported.

The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting with Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Engr Amir Muqam, who called on him at the PM House.

Minister for Public Affairs Unit Rana Mubashir Iqbal, Minister of State for Power Abdul Rehman Khan Kanju, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Talha Barki also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, they discussed the overall political situation in the country.

PM directed the authorities concerned to expedite the public service agenda and ensure that resolving public issues remained the top priority.

Also read:US, Iran talks conclude in Doha, focused on Strait of Hormuz

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PPP announces candidates for all AJK constituencies ahead of 2026 elections

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TNT Monitoring Desk

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June 28, 2026

PPP announces candidates for all AJK constituencies ahead of 2026 elections

ISLMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has announced candidates for all constituencies for the 2026 elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, according to party sources.

As per a press release, the parliamentary board has been empowered to scrutinize candidates and award party tickets for the elections.

A board’s meeting has been scheduled for June 27, 2026, at 2:00 pm at Zardari House in Islamabad.

For constituencies in Bagh, Sudhnoti, and Poonch, the party awarded tickets to Sardar Qamar Zaman, Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, Sardar Amjad Yousaf, Sardar Saud Sadiq, Sardar Yaqoob, Sardar Muhammad Abid Khan, and Sardar Faheem Akhtar Rabbani.

For Neelum Valley and Muzaffarabad, including Mian Abdul Waheed, Sardar Javed Ayub, Syed Bazil Naqvi, Sardar Mukhtar Ahmad Khan, Mubashir Munir Awan, Ashfaq Zafar, and Dewan Ali Chughtai, party surces said.

According to the party’s candidate list, Afsar Shahid will contest from LA-1 Mirpur-I, Qasim Majeed from LA-2 Mirpur-II (Chakswari), Yasir Sultan from LA-3 Mirpur City, Chaudhry Sohaib Arshad from LA-4 Khari Sharif, and Chaudhry Pervez Ashraf from LA-5 Bhimber-I (Barnala).

In the Kotli Division, Malik Zafar has been nominated for LA-8, Javed Iqbal Bhadhanvi for LA-9, Chaudhry Yasin for both LA-10 and LA-12, and Chaudhry Akhlaq for LA-11.

The party also announced candidates for refugee constituencies, including Chaudhry Asif Gujjar from LA-35 Gujranwala, Chaudhry Ahsan Ismail Gujjar from LA-36 Sialkot, Shaheen Kausar Dar from LA-37 Narowal-Shakargarh, Raja Shahid Iqbal Advocate from LA-38 Gujrat-Wazirabad, Chaudhry Fakhar Zaman from LA-39 Jhelum-Rawalpindi-Attock, Aamir Abdul Ghaffar Lone from LA-40 Karachi, Ghulam Abbas Mir from LA-41 Lahore, Javed Butt from LA-43 Rawalpindi, Muhammad Rashid Islam Butt from LA-44 Rawalpindi-Islamabad-Attock, and Abdul Majeed Khan from LA-45 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The announcement marks the formal launch of the PPP’s campaign for the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections.

Also read:NDMA issues nationwide alert as pre-monsoon rains raise flood, landslide risks

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NDMA issues nationwide alert for heavy rain, flash floods and GLOF risks

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TNT Monitoring Desk

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June 21, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a nationwide weather alert, warning that thunderstorms, strong winds, heavy rainfall, urban flooding and glacier related flood risks could affect several parts of Pakistan over the next 12 to 24 hours, with vulnerable mountainous regions facing an elevated threat of flash floods, landslides and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), APP reported.

As per the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC), the forecast weather pattern is consistent with the seasonal outlook issued three to four months ago.

The NDMA said it has been continuously providing advance warnings and risk assessments to relevant federal, provincial and district authorities to ensure timely preparedness and effective response measures ahead of potential emergencies.

The alert forecasts rain accompanied by thunderstorms, windstorms and dust storms in most parts of the country.

In Punjab and Islamabad, rainfall is expected in Rawalpindi, Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Talagang, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha, Gujar Khan, Gujrat, Jhelum, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Lahore, Faisalabad, Khushab, Jhang, Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Kasur, Okara, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan.

In Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, thunderstorms and rainfall are likely in Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, Hunza, Ghanche, Shigar, Neelum Valley, Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Bagh, Kotli, Poonch, Hattian, Mirpur and Bhimber.

The NDMA has also issued a separate alert regarding the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir. Authorities warned that GLOF incidents could trigger sudden flooding, landslides and debris flows in vulnerable mountainous areas.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rainfall with thunderstorms is expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Peshawar, Kohat, Parachinar, Karak, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Waziristan.

Balochistan is also likely to receive thunderstorms and rain in Turbat, Kech, Awaran, Khuzdar and Zhob, while parts of Sindh, including Jacobabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Khairpur, Dadu, Ghotki, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Shaheed Benazirabad and Karachi, may experience strong winds, dust storms and rainfall at isolated locations.

The NDMA said district administrations and relevant agencies are maintaining continuous monitoring of vulnerable areas and have been directed to remain on high alert.

Rescue and emergency response teams have also been instructed to ensure readiness for any developing situation.

Tourists and travelers have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel during periods of intense rainfall and to check weather forecasts and road conditions before visiting northern regions, where road closures due to flooding, landslides and debris flows remain a possibility.

The authority urged citizens to stay updated through the official “Pak NDMA Disaster Alert” mobile application and to immediately contact local administration and rescue services in case of any emergency.

The NDMA has directed all provincial and district authorities to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures to mitigate the impact of the expected weather system.

(With APP)

Also read:PM Shehbaz, Field Marshal Asim Munir arrive in Switzerland for U.S.-Iran peace talks

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