POLITICAL ISSUES
EGYPT
1. Prime Minister felicitates Premier of Egypt
Islamabad, Monday, 30 July 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has congratulated Dr Hesham Kandil on assumption of the office of Prime Minister of Egypt. In his message of felicitations, Ashraf said that he is confident that the fraternal relations that between Pakistan and Egypt will continue to flourish in the years ahead.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

IRAN
2. Ahmadinejad for full potential to strengthen Pak-Iran ties
Islamabad, Monday, 16 July 2012
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad emphasized for utilizing full potential of cooperation between Iran and Pakistan to achieve desirable results.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

3. Raja Zafar-ul-Haq emphasizes Iran’s role to solve crisis in Syria
Islamabad, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
A senior Pakistani lawmaker said that Iran can play a positive role for restoring peace in Syria. Senator Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq of Pakistan Muslim League-N said those countries can play key role to resolve crisis in Syria which are interested in security of the Arab state.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

4. Iranian Envoy meets Rehman Malik
Islamabad, Tuesday, 31 July 2012  
Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan, Ali Raza Haghighian met Interior Minister Rehman Malik and discussed matters related to mutual ties. Talking to Ambassador, the Minister said Pakistan has always given importance to its ties with brotherly country Iran and they want to further strengthen them.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

ISRAEL
5. Pakistan urges action to address Israeli non-compliance of UNSC Mideast resolutions
United Nations, Thursday, 26 July 2012
Stressing the need for Israel’s withdrawal from the Palestinian occupied territories, Pakistan has urged the U.N. Security Council to consider “appropriate steps” to address non-compliance of its resolutions aimed at the Middle East peace.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

OMAN
6. Pakistan to further strengthen ties with Oman: PM
Islamabad, Monday, 9 July 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that Pakistan desired to further strengthen bilateral ties with Oman in all spheres. He made these remarks while talking to the outgoing Ambassador of Oman to Pakistan, who paid a farewell call on him at the PM House here. He said Pakistan and Oman enjoyed close relations and had similar view on regional and international issues.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

SAUDI ARABIA
7. Pakistani, Saudi leadership discuss regional, international situation
Jeddah, Monday, 16 July 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf had an audience with King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and discussed bilateral relations, situation in the region and international issues. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Muhammad Naeem Khan and other officials while Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz , Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al Faisal, and Saudi ambassador to Pakistan Ibrahim Abdul Aziz  al-Ghadeer and other high officials represented the Saudi side.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

8. Pakistan, S. Arabia play positive role for maintaining peace in region
Islamabad, Tuesday, 17 July 2012  
Former Ambassador Khalid Saleem said visit of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to Saudi Arabia will help boost cooperation between the two countries. Talking to Pakistan Television, he said positive role of Saudi Arabia including Gulf States is necessary for durable peace in the region.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

9. Saudi minister, ambassador discuss proposals to deepen Pak-Saudi ties
Riyadh, Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Ambassador of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia Muhammad Naeem Khan held a meeting with Saudi Minister of Commerce and Industries Dr. Tawfiq bin Fauzan Al-Rabiah and discussed proposals for deepening economic and trade relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The two dignitaries agreed to hold the next round of Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in Islamabad in September this year.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

10. Pakistan enjoying strong relations with Saudi Arabia: President Zardari
Islamabad, Sunday, 29 July 2012
President Asif Ali Zardari has said that Pakistani government is working to strengthen the Pakistan-Saudi relations in all areas. In an interview with a Saudi newspaper Okaz, President Zardari said these relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are gaining a strategic nature because of its depth of historical and Islamic considering that the two countries have deep Islamic bonds.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

SYRIA
11. Russia, China Veto Resolution on Syria; Pakistan abstains
United Nations, Thursday, 19 July 2012
Russia and China vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have imposed UN sanctions on the Syrian government aimed at pressuring it into implementing a peace plan to halt the 17-month-old conflict in Syria. Pakistan and South Africa abstained on the resolution.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

12. UNSC extends Syria observers’ mission; Pakistan helps build consensus on draft
United Nations, Friday, 20 July 2012
The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution to extend the U.N. observer force in Syria for a final 30 days, after Pakistan helped bridge the differences over the way forward to deal with the Syrian crisis.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TURKEY
13. Speaker Turkish Parliament due tomorrow
Islamabad, 16 July 2012
Speaker Turkish Parliament Cemil Cicek along with a four-member delegation will arrive on a three-day visit to Pakistan. The Turkish Speaker will be visiting Pakistan on the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart Dr Fehmida Mirza.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

14. Turkey-Pakistan ties deeply embedded in peoples’ hearts, minds
Islamabad, Wednesday, 18 July 2012  
Speaker of the Grant Turkish National Assembly, Cemil Cicek has said that relations between Turkey and Pakistan were historic and deeply embedded in peoples’ hearts and minds of Turkish people.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

15. Pakistan to strengthen multifaceted ties with Turkey: President
Islamabad, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan highly values its fraternal relations with Turkey and is keen to strengthen the multifaceted relations which have transcended to government and public levels during his meeting with the Speaker of Turkish Grand National Assembly, Cemil Cicek.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

16. Relations with Turkey go beyond governments: PM
Islamabad, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that mechanism of High Level Cooperation Council between Pakistan and Turkey is geared towards further strengthening the bilateral cooperation and increasing its scope to the benefit of peoples of both countries.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

17. High Level Cooperation Council to further cement Pak-Turk friendship: Fehmida
Islamabad, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza said that the establishment of the “High Level Cooperation Council” was indeed a right step in the right direction.  
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

UAE
18. Envoy urges consular section staff in UAE to follow strict vigilance about passport identity fraud
Islamabad, Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Ambassador to United Arab Emirates Jamil Ahmed Khan paid a surprise inspection visit to the Pakistan embassy’s consular section and monitored the systems in place against any incident of passport identity fraud. The ambassador’s inspection was in view of the recent incident of fraud of computerized identity cards and passports in Lahore.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

ECONOMIC ISSUES
IRAN
19. Markets to be set up in Baluchistan to boost Pak-Iran bilateral trade: Kakar
Islamabad, Thursday, 12 July 2012
Pakistan People’s Party leader Bismillah Khan Kakar has said that markets will be established in Baluchistan for boosting trade with Iran.  Talking to VOA, he said that Pakistan and Iran have lot of trade opportunities and markets will increase bilateral trade and job opportunities for peoples of both countries. He said Pakistan is exporting fruits and vegetables to Iran from Quetta.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

20. Pak-Iran Joint Committee discusses cooperation in oil, gas sectors
Islamabad, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
A meeting of the Pakistan-Iran Joint Committee on Oil, Gas and Energy was held to discuss bilateral cooperation in oil and gas sectors. The Iranian team was headed by Deputy Minister for Internal Affairs to Minister for Petroleum, Dr. Ahmad Khalidi and Pakistani team was headed by Additional Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Abid Saeed.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TURKEY
21. Bokhari urges enhanced Pak-Turk trade, investment relations
Islamabad, Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Chairman Senate Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari urged enhanced trade and investment with brotherly country of Turkey.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
BAHRAIN
22. Bahrain’s National Guard commander greets PM
Islamabad, Thursday, 5 July 2012
Bahrain’s Commander of National Guard, Lieutenant General Mohammed Bin Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa has sent a message of greetings to Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on assumption of the office of country’s chief executive.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

23. Bahrain ambassador calls for polio-free Muslim Ummah
Islamabad, Tuesday, 17 July 2012
As the three day national polio campaign continues across the country, Bahrain’s Ambassador to Pakistan Mohammed Ebrahim Mohammad Abdul Qadir put his weight behind the effort by calling for an Ummah free of the scourge of polio.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

SAUDI ARABIA
24. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia two countries but one nation: PM
Islamabad, Monday, 2 July 2012
Ambassador of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abdul Aziz Bin Ibrahim Bin Salih Al-Ghadeer called on Raja Pervez Ashraf and congratulated him on assuming the office of Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

25. Governor of Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk province phones PM Ashraf
Islamabad, Monday, 23 July 2012
Governor of Tabuk province of Saudi Arabia, Prince Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz phoned Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and conveyed his greetings on the advent of Ramadan. He said that Prime Minister’s meeting with his majesty King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz was extremely good and the King considered Pakistan his second home. The Saudi Prince said that King Abdullah would visit Pakistan by the end of this year.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

26. Prince Fahad bin Sultan exchanges Ramadan greetings with President Zardari
Islamabad, Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Prince Fahad bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Tabuk called the President Tuesday evening and conveyed Ramadan greetings. Reciprocating the gesture the President also conveyed his felicitations and best wishes on the commencement of the Holy month of Ramadan to the Prince Fahad bin Sultan, the Royal family and the people of Saudi Arabia.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

SYRIA
27. Foreign Office issues travel advisory for Pakistanis to travel Syria
Islamabad, Saturday, 21 July 2012
Foreign Office has imposed travel advisory on Pakistanis travelling to Syria and advised them not to travel to Syria in view of deteriorating security situation.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TURKEY
28. Pakistani cultural heritage mesmerizes Turkish delegates
Islamabad, Thursday, 19 July 2012
Turkish Parliamentary delegation led by Cemil Cicek, Speaker of Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey visited Lok Virsa (National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage).
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

UAE
29. Pak-UAE ties to further strengthen in days ahead: UAE ambassador
Islamabad, Thursday, 26 July 2012
United Arab Emirates envoy to Islamabad Essa Abdulla Al-Basha Al-Noaimi said that brotherly ties between Pakistan and UAE would be further cemented in days ahead for enabling the two countries enhance their cooperation in various fields.  
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

30. Ambassador Jamil inaugurates Pakistani Fashion Boutique in Abu Dhabi
Islamabad, Saturday, 28 July 2012
Pakistan’s ambassador to United Arab Emirates (UAE) Jamil Ahmed Khan inaugurated an exhibition of Pakistani fashion boutique in Abu Dhabi
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

Compiled By Paulami Sanyal

Paulami Sanyal is pursuing research at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.  Email

As part of the policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spellings and date format to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND. Editor, MEI@ND P R Kumaraswamy