POLITICAL ISSUES
ISRAEL
1. Bhatti condemns Israeli film
Islamabad, Thursday, 13 September 2012
Minister in Charge for the Ministry of National Harmony and Adviser to Prime Minister Dr Paul Bhatti strongly condemned the making of a film by an Israeli filmmaker, containing blasphemous remarks against Islam that hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims worldwide.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

LIBYA
2. Pakistan condemns killing of US Ambassador in Libya
Islamabad, Wednesday, 12 September 2012
The Government of Pakistan strongly condemned the killing of US Ambassador Christopher Stephen and several other staff members in an attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

3. PM greets Libyan counterpart on his appointment
Islamabad, Wednesday, 19 September 2012  
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has greeted Dr. Mustafa Abushagur, on his appointment as Prime Minister of Libya.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
4. Pakistan calls for steps to establish Palestinian state, with Quds as capital
United Nations, Thursday, 27 September 2012  
Pakistan has called for the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, paving the way for a sovereign state of Palestine, with Al-Quds al Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

SAUDI ARABIA
5. Ambassador Naeem Khan, Saudi official discuss Pak community issues
Riyadh, Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Muhammad Naeem Khan held a meeting with Undersecretary, Governorate of Riyadh, Dr. Nasir bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawood and discussed various issues relating to the Pakistani community in Saudi Arabia.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

6. Ninth Session of Pak-Saudi joint ministerial commission meeting to be held tomorrow
Islamabad, Tuesday, 25 September 2012  
The 9th session of Pak-Saudi Joint Ministerial Commission meeting is scheduled to be held on 26 September which would discuss various avenues of cooperation in the fields including trade, agriculture, investment, power and energy and bilateral cooperation
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

7. Pak-Saudi JMC concludes
Islamabad, Wednesday 26 September 2012  
The 9th Session of Pak-Saudi Arabia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) concluded reiterating to further boost bilateral trade and investment relation between the two countries.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TUNISIA
8.Pak, Tunisia Joint Commission begins to explore ways for boosting cooperation
Islamabad, Wednesday, 19 September 2012
The two-day session of Pakistan-Tunisia Joint Commission with special focus on enhancing bilateral cooperation in various sectors of economy including trade, investment, energy, finance and agriculture began in Islamabad.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

9. Pakistan wants to further cement relations with Tunisia: Faisal Kundi
Islamabad, Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi has said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Tunisia and wanted to further cement these relations through enhanced parliamentary, economic and people to people contacts.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TURKEY
10. Turkish Premier reiterates support for Pakistan
Ankara, Friday, 28 September 2012
Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Pakistan needs political stability and consistency in policies to confront the challenges it was facing presently.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

11. Turkish President meets Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani
Ankara, Friday 29 September 2012
Turkish President Abdullah Gul warmly received Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, former Prime Minister and Senior Vice President of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Gilani conveyed the greetings of President Asif Ali Zardari to Abdullah Gul.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

12. Gilani meets Turkish Parliament Speaker, Deputy PM
Ankara, Friday 29 September 2012
Former Prime Minister and Senior Vice President of Pakistan People Party (PPP) Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani met Speaker of Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) Cemil Cicek. Gilani said that parliaments, as true representatives of the popular will, had a central role to play in nation building.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

ECONOMIC ISSUES
IRAN    
13. Iranian gas to start flowing from Dec 2014, NA told
Islamabad, Monday, 3 September 2012
The construction work on 750 (MMCFD) million cubic feet per day, Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, would start in December 2012, and Iranian gas would be available by December 2014, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain said.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

KUWAIT
14. Asim to visit Kuwait to discuss investment opportunities
Islamabad, Monday, 10 September 2012
Advisor to Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr. Asim Hussain would visit Kuwait to discuss opportunities about investment in oil and gas sector in Pakistan.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

SAUDI ARABIA
15. Bukhari stresses need to enhance people to people contacts with Saudi
Islamabad, Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Acting President of Pakistan Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari stressed the need for more people-to-people contacts with Saudi Arabia and further increase in bilateral trade relations.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TUNISIA    
16. Pak-Tunisia PTA likely to be finalized by December
Islamabad, Thursday, 20 September
Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Pakistan and Tunisia is expected to be finalized by the end of this year which would further enhance bilateral trade between the two countries.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TURKEY
17. Currency swap with Turkey in place: SBP
Karachi, Tuesday, 4 September 2012
The three-year bilateral Currency Swap Arrangement (CSA) between the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Central Bank of Republic of Turkey (CBRT) amounting to $ 1 billion in equivalent local currencies is being implemented.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
IRAN
18. Iranian President calls President Zardari
Islamabad, Saturday, 15 September 2012
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called President Asif Ali Zardari and expressed his condolences over the loss of lives due to fire incidents in Lahore and Karachi.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

SAUDI ARABIA
19. First batch of 133 “Hajj Moavineen” leaves for Saudi Arabia
Rawalpindi, Thursday, 13 September 2012
The first batch of 133 “Hajj Moavineen” left for Saudi Arabia with the mandate to provide complete guidance and maximum facilities to Pakistani pilgrims during the Hajj-2012.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

20. Pakistani art exhibition attracts large number of people in Jeddah
Jeddah, Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Saudi Princess Jawahar bint Majid bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah inaugurated a four-day Islamic Art exhibition, attracting a large number of people from all walks of life.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

21. PM greets King Abdullah on National Day of Saudi Arabia
Islamabad, Sunday, 23 September 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has extended his greetings and best wishes to  King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud on the occasion of Saudi national day which falls on September 23.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

22. Saudi Embassy marks 82nd National Day as PM Ashraf cuts cake
Islamabad, Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf cut a  cake along with Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Abdul Aziz Ibrahim Saleh Al-Ghadeer to celebrate the 82nd National Day of the Kingdom.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

23. Hajj operation going smooth; 29 Hajj flights reach Saudi without any delay: Ministry
Islamabad, Wednesday, 26 September 2012
The Hajj flight operation has been going smoothly and so far 29 hajj flights carrying over 10,595 pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia from various Pakistani cities without any delay.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

TUNISIA
24. IIUI signs MOU with Ezzitouna University, Tunisia
Islamabad, Thursday, 20 September 2012
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) and Ezzitouna University, Tunisia was held.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan

UAE
25. Pakistani business delegation from UAE calls on PM
Islamabad, Thursday, 6 September 2012
A Pakistani business delegation from UAE led by Mian Munir Hans, President PPP (UAE) called on Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and apprised him about the problems faced by Pakistani expatriates.
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