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By: Maarij Farooq The convening of the World Urban Forum 13 in Baku marked more than a routine gathering of policymakers, urban planners, and development experts, it signaled a renewed global urgency to rethink how cities are built, governed, and sustained in an era of rapid transformation. Organized under the auspices of UN Habitat, the Forum has long served as the premier international platform for dialogue on urbanization. Yet the Baku edition carried particular weight, arriving at a time when cities are grappling with converging pressures, climate change, migration, technological disruption, and widening socio economic disparities. At its core, the…

ISLAMABAD : Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong on Wednesday underscored the significance of China’s newly unveiled Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, describing it as a comprehensive roadmap for sustained growth, technological advancement and global cooperation. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the envoy said the plan, alongside the Government Work Report 2026, reflects Beijing’s long-term vision and policy direction amid evolving global economic dynamics. GROWTH TARGETS The ambassador said the new five-year framework sends a “clear, positive and confident signal” to the international community, reaffirming China’s commitment to stable and predictable…

ISLAMABAD :The 1,320-megawatt Sahiwal Coal-Fired Power Plant ensured uninterrupted electricity supply throughout the holy month of Ramazan, meeting the sharp rise in national demand through close coordination between government authorities and the enterprise. From February 18 to March 20, millions of households across Pakistan relied on steady power to carry out religious and daily activities. Ensuring a stable electricity supply during this period was vital for maintaining social harmony and supporting nationwide observances. This year, however, the energy landscape posed exceptional challenges. Regional security tensions, volatility in international energy markets, and domestic logistical constraints, particularly the shortage of railway wagons…

Pakistan Embassy in Beijing today celebrated the National Day in a befitting manner. A flag-hoisting ceremony was held which was attended by members of the Embassy, Pakistani diaspora and their families. Ambassador of Pakistan to China, H.E. Mr. Khalil Hashmi, hoisted the national flag and spoke on the occasion. Messages of the President, the Prime Minister, and the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan were read out during the ceremony. Ambassador Khalil Hashmi extended his felicitations to the Pakistani community in China. He underscored the continuing significance of the three cardinal principles outlined by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah—Unity, Faith, and…

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Monday attended the China-Kenya Business Forum in Nairobi, where he reaffirmed China’s commitment to expanding trade with Kenya and the wider African region. Han said that in April last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kenyan President William Ruto jointly agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a China-Kenya community with a shared future for the new era, setting the direction for the long-term development of relations. The Chinese vice president put forward three proposals to strengthen bilateral ties. First, to consolidate strategic mutual trust. China stands ready to strengthen alignment between its development strategies and…

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met with Jonathan Powell, the British prime minister’s national security adviser, in Beijing on Monday. The two sides exchanged views on the situation in Iran, the Ukraine crisis and other issues. Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s historic and successful visit to China in January has received positive responses from both countries and the international community. This shows that building a long-term, consistent and comprehensive strategic partnership between…

Every morning, 70-year-old Wang Helai and his wife stroll along the newly restored Longquan River trail near their home in Hebei Province’s Xiongan New Area. What was once a fragmented, littered dry channel is now a clear waterway lined with greenery. After the walk, they head straight to the community cafeteria in their compound, where meals are tailored for seniors and offer discounts for those over 60. Their daughter, who runs a nearby gym, often volunteers in the community. For the family, education, healthcare, shopping, and recreation are all within a 15-minute radius. This seamless “15-minute life circle” captures how…

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has called for efforts to build the Xiongan New Area in north China’s Hebei Province into an innovation hub in the new era and a model of promoting high-quality development. Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspected the Xiongan New Area on Monday, where he also chaired a symposium on further advancing the high-quality construction and development of the new area. He emphasized the need to firmly uphold Xiongan New Area’s primary functional positioning as the major recipient of functions relieved from…

Pakistan Day was marked across the country on Monday with traditional zeal and patriotic fervour, albeit with simple ceremonies in line with austerity measures announced by the government in light of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis. Pakistan Day, observed on March 23 every year, commemorates the passing of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire. Last week, the federal government announced austerity measures to cope with the situation that emerged due to the US-Israel war on Iran, which has led to a global…

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a strong warning in response to what he described as “reckless statements and irresponsible threats” against Iran, saying the country is prepared to respond decisively. In an official message, Pezeshkian said that repeated threats to eliminate Iran or “wipe it off the map” demonstrate the frustration of its adversaries, particularly the United States. He emphasized that such language would not weaken Iran, but instead reinforce national unity and resilience. “The enemy’s threats make us stronger and more united,” he said, adding that Iran would not remain passive in the face of escalating rhetoric. The…