POLITICAL ISSUES
IRAN
1. Iranian Defence Minister held meeting with Pakistan PM and Army Chief
Islamabad, Tuesday, 19 January 2016   
In an effort to defuse diplomatic tension between Iran and Saudi-Arabia, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Raheel Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) held a meeting with Hossein Dehghan, Iranian Defence Minister and Ali Shamkhan, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council in Tehran.
Source: Dawn, Karachi; See also: Business Recorder, Karachi

IRAQ
2. Pakistan to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation with Iraq
Islamabad, Tuesday, 26 January 2016     
Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq led the Pakistan delegation to the 11th session of Parliamentary Union of OIC Member States (PUIC) held in Baghdad. In his meeting with the Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Ebadi, he stressed on the Iraqi leadership to further bilateral cooperation with Pakistan.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Daily Times, Lahore

KUWAIT
3. Emir of Kuwait lauded Pakistan efforts to de-escalate Iran-Saudi tensions
Islamabad, Wednesday, 27 January 2016   
During  a  recent  meeting  with Minister of  Information,  Managing  Director  of  Kuwaiti  News  Agency,  Editors of local media and members of Press Association, the Emir of Kuwait Ahmed al-Sabah appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in sorting the Iran-Saudi Arabia diplomatic row.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Business Recorder, Karachi

SAUDI ARABIA
4. Pakistan concerned over attack on Saudi embassy in Tehran
Islamabad, Monday, 4 January 2016   
Pakistan condemned the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran on 3 January by protesters angered by the execution of a Shia cleric by Saudi Arabia. It further expressed concern over the escalation of Saudi-Iranian tensions which could destabilize the region.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Dawn, Karachi; Business Recorder, Karachi 

5. Pakistan Saudi-Arabia agreed on strengthening bilateral ties
Islamabad, Thursday, 7 January 2016   
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Ahmed held a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other officials in Islamabad to deliberate over issues of mutual interest including the ongoing diplomatic row between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: The News International, Karachi; Daily Times, Lahore; Dawn, Karachi

6. Pakistan Prime Minister reaffirmed unconditional support to Saudi-Arabia
Islamabad, Monday, 11 January 2016   
In a meeting with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Salman al Saud at Nur Khan Base in Rawalpindi, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif underlined the historical, cultural and diplomatic ties between the two countries and reassured that Pakistan would extend unconditional support against any threat to Saudi sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Source: Dispatch News Desk, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Lahore; See also: Pakistan State Times, Karachi; Daily Times, Lahore

7. Pakistan PM paid a visit to Saudi-Arabia and Iran to defuse the diplomatic tensions, labelled it a ‘sacred mission’
Islamabad, Tuesday, 19 January 2016   
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, along with a high level delegation, visited Saudi Arabia and Iran on 18-19 January to settle the ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries after the hanging of a Shia cleric by Saudi Arabia.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Dawn, Karachi; Frontier Post, Peshawar; Business Recorder, Karachi

TURKEY
8. Riot Turkish National Police Delegation met Punjab CM
Islamabad, Sunday, 10 January 2016   
A high-level delegation of Turkish National Police held a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad to acknowledge former’s support in reform and training of Punjab police.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: The Express Tribune, Karachi

9. Terrorist attack in Istanbul condemned by Pakistan President
Islamabad, Tuesday, 12 January 2016   
President Mamnoon Hussain strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Square district on 12 January. The attack was carried out by a Syrian member of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and left 13 people dead.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Daily Times, Lahore; Business Recorder, Karachi; Daily Times, Lahore

10. Turkish President condemned the attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsada
Islamabad, Wednesday, 20 January 2016   
Turkish President Erdogan conveyed his grief over the terrorist attack at the Bacha Khan University in Charsada, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

ECONOMIC ISSUES
QATAR
11. Qatar Airways CEO called on Pakistan PM
Islamabad, Tuesday, 5 January 2016
The CEO of Qatar Airways Akbar Al-Baker stated that the airline was keen to enhance operational facilities in Pakistan.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Pakistan Observer, Karachi

SECURITY ISSUES
EGYPT
12. Pakistan-Egypt discussed regional security situation and need for enhanced defence cooperation
Islamabad, Wednesday, 27 January 2016   
A meeting was held between the Chairperson of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), Rashid Mahmood and Defence Minister of Egypt, Sedki Sayed in Egypt to discuss regional security scenario and prospects for enhancing military cooperation.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Pakistan Air Force Press Release, Islamabad

TURKEY
13. Meeting held between Turkish Defence Delegation and Pakistan Defence Secretary
Islamabad, Tuesday, 26 January 2016   
A meeting was held between Turkish defence delegation led by Hakan Ustem, Turkish Coast Guard Secretary Defence and Alam Khattak, Pakistan’s Secretary Defence in Rawalpindi to discuss issues relating to maritime cooperation and regional instability.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Dawn, Karachi

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
SAUDI-ARABIA
14. Residence permits of 950,000 Pakistanis renewed in Saudi Arabia
Islamabad, Monday, 18 January 2016   
The residence permits of 950,000 Pakistani employees were renewed in Saudi Arabia under the new rule, with a three-month renewal period.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Business Recorder, Karachi

TURKEY
15. Meeting held with Turkish delegation to discuss development of Islamabad on Turkish model
Islamabad, Wednesday, 27 January 2016   
Pakistan’s state minister for capital administration and development Tariq Chaudhary held a meeting with Ejder Saricicek and Adbul Orgen, Governor and Deputy Mayor of Koyna, a Turkish city to discuss the development plan of Islamabad city based on Turkish development model.   
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Dispatch News Desk, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Lahore; The News International, Karachi; Press Information Department, Government of Pakistan

COMPILED BY DIVYA MALHOTRA

Divya Malhotra is pursuing her M Phil degree at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.  Email

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats 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