POLITICAL ISSUES
Iran
1. Pakistan’s Senate chairman to visit Tehran
Islamabad, Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Chairman of the Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari would leave for Tehran on a four-day visit during which he would meet President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, and Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and discuss relations and regional issues.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

2. Pak-Iran relations to further flourish: Nayyar Bukhari
Islamabad, Monday, 6 August 2012
While addressing the Majlis Shura Islami (Iranian Parliament) Chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari has said that Pakistan-Iran relations will continue to flourish in the years to come.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

3. President Zardari to attend NAM Summit in Tehran
Islamabad, Monday, 27 August 2012
President Asif Ali Zardari would lead the Pakistani delegation to the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Tehran.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

4. Foreign Minister stresses NAM’s principles of peaceful co-existence, territorial integrity
Tehran, Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar stressed to follow the founding principles of NAM based on peaceful co-existence, respect for human rights, and territorial integrity of all states to ensure enduring peace and development in the world.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

5. President arrives to represent Pakistan at the NAM Summit
Tehran, Wednesday, 29 August 2012
President Asif Ali Zardari arrived to attend the NAM Summit where he would present Pakistan’s vision for a new and reinvigorated NAM; besides he would hold bilateral meetings with leaders of Iran and India.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

6. FM Khar meets counterparts of Iran, Kuwait, Sudan, Cuba, Eritrea
Tehran, Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar met the foreign ministers of Iran, Kuwait, Sudan, Cuba and Eritrea on the sidelines of the NAM Ministerial Meeting and discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and international matters of mutual interest.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

7. Pakistan, Iran vow to expeditiously pursue joint mega projects
Tehran, Thursday, 30 August 2012
Leaders of Pakistan and Iran reaffirmed their commitment to expeditiously complete work on the several joint mega projects, including the multi-billion dollar Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, electricity transmission lines and road links
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

Palestine
8. Mideast peace linked to resolution of Palestine issue: PM
Islamabad, Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said Pakistan has consistently extended unequivocal support to the cause of Palestine.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

Saudi Arabia
9. FM Hina Rabbani meets Saudi and Turkish Foreign Ministers
Jeddah, Monday, 13 August 2012
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar who arrived to attend extra-ordinary meeting of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), OIC being held in Mecca, held meetings with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu and Deputy Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Abdul-Aziz bin Abdullah and discussed regional and international situation.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

10. President Zardari arrives in Saudi Arabia to attend OIC Summit
Jeddah, Monday, 13 August 2012
President Asif Ali Zardari arrived to attend the fourth extra ordinary Summit of OIC convened by King Abdullah in the holy city of Mecca to discuss the challenges facing the Muslim Ummah and to further strengthen unity and solidarity of Ummah.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

Syria
11. Pakistan urges Syrian govt, opposition to exercise restraint: Khar
Tehran, Thursday, 9 August 2012
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said Pakistan urges both the Syrian government and the opposition groups to exercise restraint for the safety and security of the civilian population.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

Turkey
12. Special Envoy conveys Zardari’s message to Turkish President
Ankara, Saturday, 11 August 2012
Special Envoy and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan called on Turkish President Abdullah Gul and delivered a special message from President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

UAE
13. Malik in Abu Dhabi, met with foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah
Islamabad, Sunday, 12 August 2012
Interior Minister Rehman Malik met with Foreign Minister of the UAE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zaid al Nayan and discussed with him the matters relating to mutual interest and regional issues.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

14. Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with UAE: Kaira
Islamabad, Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the UAE has always supported Pakistan in difficult times and the relations between the two countries would be stronger in future.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

ECONOMIC ISSUES
Iran
15. Bukhari, Salehi for boosting Iran-Pakistan trade
Islamabad, Friday, 3 August 2012
Chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari who is on a visit to Mashhad, held a meeting with Governor-General of Khorason-e-Razavi Dr Mehmood Salehi and discussed matters of mutual interests, including bilateral relations, regional and global affairs and ways and means to bolster the ties between the two countries.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

16. Pakistan offers wheat, textile export to Iran: Bukhari
Islamabad, Monday, 6 August 2012
Chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari has emphasized the significance of boosting economic relations between Iran and Pakistan, stating that Pakistan offers many items for exporting into Iran including wheat and textile.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

17. Raja Pervez Ashraf urges boost in trade with Iran
Islamabad, Saturday, 11 August 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that Islamabad will go ahead with its multibillion dollar projects with Iran, calling for immediate steps to lift the ceiling of the bilateral trade to $10 billion.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

Turkey
18. Pakistan, Turkey must take steps to achieve $ 2 billion trade target: PM
Islamabad, Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that Pakistan values its close and time-tested friendship with Turkey and was strongly committed to further deepen, broaden and strengthen this partnership in every field.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
Iran
19. Pak-Iran relations rooted in historical, cultural, religious commonalities: PM
Islamabad, Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that Pakistan’s relations with Iran are deeply rooted in historical, cultural and religious commonalities.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

20. PM condoles with Iranian President
Islamabad, Saturday, 11 August 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in a message of condolence to President of Iran has expressed his sympathies with the victims of earthquake that struck Tabriz.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan; See also 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