High Commissioner Tipu Usman unveils people-centred consular reforms for British Pakistanis

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day brought messages of goodwill from two major international partners, with the United States and Russia extending warm greetings to the Pakistani people and expressing hopes for continued peace, prosperity and stronger bilateral ties. US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker and the US diplomatic mission in Pakistan conveyed their Independence Day wishes to Pakistanis on Friday, marking the country’s 79th year as an independent nation. In its message, the US Embassy recalled the long history of relations between the two countries, noting that the United States was among the early countries to recognise Pakistan after its creation in 1947. The embassy said that Pakistan-US friendship had grown stronger over the decades, highlighting the enduring ties between the two countries and their peoples. “Over the past 80 years, the friendship between Pakistan and the United States has grown stronger,” the message said, while extending wishes for peace, happiness and prosperity to the people of Pakistan. The greeting comes as Islamabad and Washington continue to maintain engagement across several areas, including trade, investment, security, education and people-to-people ties. Russia highlights Pakistani resilience Russia’s ambassador to Pakistan also extended Independence Day greetings, describing the occasion as a reflection of the courage, determination and strong national spirit of the Pakistani people. In his message, the Russian envoy praised the resilience demonstrated by Pakistanis and expressed confidence that cooperation between Moscow and Islamabad could continue to expand. The ambassador said both countries would work together to strengthen mutual understanding and broaden their partnership in areas of shared interest. The message underscored Moscow’s interest in developing closer relations with Islamabad at a time when Pakistan is seeking to expand its diplomatic and economic partnerships. Messages arrive amid wider diplomatic engagement The messages from Washington and Moscow came as Pakistan marked Independence Day with nationwide celebrations, flag-raising ceremonies and tributes to the country’s founding leaders and those who sacrificed for independence. For Pakistan, such diplomatic messages carry significance beyond traditional greetings. They reflect the country’s longstanding relationships with major global powers and its continuing efforts to maintain engagement with partners across different regions. As Pakistan entered its 80th year since independence, the messages from the United States and Russia shared a common theme: a desire for peace, prosperity and stronger cooperation. While the two countries have different strategic relationships with Islamabad, their Independence Day messages highlighted the importance of continued engagement and mutual understanding. For Pakistanis celebrating the day, the greetings added an international dimension to the occasion, with both Washington and Moscow signalling their desire to see Pakistan move forward with stability, prosperity and deeper partnerships.

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday granted transit pre-arrest bail to Noreen Niazi, sister of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016. The court directed Niazi to approach the relevant Islamabad court by August 20 for further legal proceedings. Her protective relief will remain effective until that date. Justice Arshad Ali heard Niazi’s petition. Her legal team included Ali Zaman, Amir Zeb and Barrister Sarwar Muzaffar Shah. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) registered the case in Islamabad on July 27. Niazi has been accused of making allegedly derogatory and inflammatory remarks about state institutions during a podcast and in video clips later circulated on social media. Her lawyers rejected the allegations and maintained that she had been falsely implicated. They argued that the case was politically motivated and that the authorities had not presented substantial evidence linking her to the alleged offences. The defence further claimed that attempts were being made to arrest and harass Niazi. The lawyers said the statements cited in the case had been taken out of context and wrongly interpreted. In its order, the PHC observed that the request for transit bail deserved consideration. The court subsequently granted interim protection subject to bail bonds of Rs80,000 and two sureties. Niazi later spoke to reporters and said she became aware of the case after arriving in Peshawar. She claimed that remarks she had made privately were allegedly passed on to authorities and subsequently became the basis of the case. She also alleged that several cases had been registered against members of Imran Khan’s family. Niazi questioned the allegations against her, saying she had never visited Peshawar and therefore had no involvement in matters concerning the province. The case emerged after the NCCIA summoned Niazi on July 20 over allegations involving the dissemination of what the agency described as false, offensive and inflammatory content concerning state institutions. The action followed the circulation of a video interview in which Niazi discussed the Pakistan-India military confrontation of last year. She made allegations about the circumstances surrounding the conflict and questioned the motives behind it. She also made claims involving Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israel and US President Donald Trump.

Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of eight mountaineers following the devastating avalanche on Broad Peak, while the search continues for two missing climbers. Another victim has been identified, but the body remains trapped in an area that rescuers have so far been unable to reach. Speaking to the media, the President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan described the incident as one of the deadliest accidents in the history of Broad Peak. He said a total of 11 climbers are believed to have been caught in the avalanche, triggering a large-scale rescue operation. He said the first phase of the operation began immediately after the incident. On the opening day, rescuers recovered the bodies of two climbers and also found partial human remains believed to belong to another victim. According to the Alpine Club, the first two recovered victims were a Nepalese mountaineer and a female climber from Oman. Rescue operations were carried out under extremely difficult weather and terrain conditions at high altitude. The Pakistan Army assisted the mission by providing helicopters to transport rescue teams and airlift the recovered bodies from the remote mountain. The aerial support played a key role in speeding up the recovery process. The Alpine Club president said that during the latest phase of the operation, the bodies of four Nepalese climbers and one Chinese mountaineer were successfully recovered and transported from the mountain. He added that rescuers have also identified another climber’s body. However, it is located in an inaccessible area, making immediate recovery impossible because of dangerous terrain and the continued risk of avalanches. Search teams are still looking for the remaining two missing climbers. Rescue officials said every effort is being made to locate them despite severe weather, snow-covered slopes and difficult mountain conditions. The tragedy has shocked Pakistan’s mountaineering community and highlighted the dangers faced by climbers attempting to scale some of the world’s highest peaks. Broad Peak, located in the Karakoram mountain range, is one of Pakistan’s tallest mountains and attracts climbers from around the world each year.