POLITICAL ISSUES
BAHRAIN
1. Bahrain PM holds meeting with Pakistan Commerce Minister; calls Pakistan his home
Islamabad, Wednesday, 28 September 2016   
In a meeting with Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Dastagir Khan in Manama, Prime Minister of Bahrain Salman Al Khalifa underscored importance of ties with Pakistan and further emphasized on the need for more frequent high-level bilateral meetings.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Dispatch News Desk, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Lahore

EGYPT
2. Egyptian envoy discusses Kashmir issue with NSA; iterates support for Pakistan 
Islamabad, Friday, 23 September 2016   
Egyptian Ambassador Sherif Shaheen expressed concern over recent developments in Kashmir and appreciated Pakistan’s response to the situation during a meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Nasser Khan in Islamabad.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Radio Pakistan, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad  

IRAN
3. Iran-Pakistan discuss bilateral ties; consider new trade prospects       
Islamabad, Thursday, 22 September 2016   
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held separate meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on 23 September on sidelines of UNGA meeting in New York to discuss bilateral relations. While exploring new avenues of cooperation, Rouhani lauded China Pakistan Economic Corridor project and expressed interest in getting aboard. 
Source: Dawn, Karachi; See also: The Express Tribune, Karachi

PALESTINE
4. Pakistan reiterates support for Palestine; condemns Israel
Islamabad, Tuesday, 20 September 2016   
Foreign Affairs Adviser to Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz reinstated Pakistan’s support for Palestine’s Right to self-determination and condemned Israel’s policies, during the annual meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Committee on Palestine on 20 September in New York.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Daily Times, Lahore

SAUDI-ARABIA
5. PIA and Saudi airlines coordinate to bring back stranded Pakistani workers
Islamabad, Saturday, 17 September 2016   
Approximately 300 unpaid Pakistani workers, who were sacked by the bankrupt construction companies in Saudi Arabia, were brought back to Rawalpindi on17 September on PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) and Saudi aircrafts.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: The News International, Karachi

6. Saudi Arabia’s National Day celebrated in Pakistan
Islamabad, Saturday, 24 September 2016   
On the occasion of 86th National Day of Saudi Arabia, Convener of Pakistan Saudi Arabia’s Parliamentary Friendship Group Sehar Kamran highlighted strong fraternal ties and parliamentary relations with Saudi Arabia.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Radio Pakistan, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad 

TURKEY
7. Turkey wants to join China-Pakistan economic corridor: Nihat Zeybekci
Islamabad, Monday, 5 September 2016   
At a business summit in Hangzhou, China on 3 September, Turkish Economic Affairs Minister Nihat Zeybekci expressed interest in joining China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project aimed at enhancing connectivity for trade and business.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad   

8. Turkey condemns terrorist attacks at District court and mosque
Islamabad, Monday, 19 September 2016   
Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry criticized the suicide attack at District court in Mardan city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on 2 September that left 12 dead and the suicide bombing at a mosque in Mohmand district of Federally Administered Tribal Areas FATA on 16 September that resulted in 23 casualties. 
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Radio Pakistan, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad    

DEFENCE ISSUES
IRAN
9. Iran naval ships pay port visit; bilateral issues discussed between navies       
Islamabad, Tuesday, 27 September 2016   
Four Iranian naval ships paid a three-day port visit to Karachi where operational training activities, sports activities and discussions between naval personnel to enhance maritime collaboration were organized.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Dawn, Karachi

TURKEY
10. Turkish Commander visits Pak; conferred with military award
Islamabad, Wednesday, 21 September 2016   
Commander of the Turkish Land Forces Saleh Zaki Colak held meetings with various Pakistani dignitaries including Defence minister Muhammad Asif, Army Chief Raheel Sharif and National Security Advisor Nasser Janjua to discuss matters of mutual interest. Commander was also conferred with Nishan-i-imtiaz award by Pakistani President during a special investiture ceremony at the President’s House.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: The Frontier Post, Peshawar

11. Pak-Turkey discuss joint defence production avenues
Islamabad, Wednesday, 28 September 2016   
Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Production Tanveer Hussain met Turkish Minister for National Defence Fikri Isik on sidelines of “Defense Exhibition ‘ADEX-2016” in Baku, Azerbaijan to deliberate over matters relating cooperation in defence production.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad 

ECONOMIC ISSUES
BAHRAIN
12. First Pak-Bahrain Business moot held on 25 September
Islamabad, Sunday, 25 September 2016   
Pakistan embassy in collaboration with Commerce ministries of both nations organized the “First Pak-Bahrain Business Conference” in Manama on 25 September to explore business opportunities.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Radio Pakistan, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad   

IRAN
13. Pak-Iran trade on a rise due to sanction relief; bank relations to be resumed
Islamabad, Wednesday, 7 September 2016   
In an interview with Iran’s official news agency IRNA, Pakistani envoy Asif Durrani highlighted that MoU to restore banking facility between two nations is underway and bilateral trade between the two nations would reach US$5 Billion in next four years, in wake of sanction removal.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: The Frontier Post, Peshawar

TURKEY
14. Pak-Turkey business round table held in Islamabad
Islamabad, Friday, 2 September 2016   
Chairman of Turkey’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) Omer Vardan discussed avenues for furthering bilateral trade and investment with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar during “Pakistan-Turkey Business Round-table conference” organized by Punjab Board of Investment and Trade in Lahore on 2 September.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Times of Islamabad, Islamabad

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
15. Pakistan University to offer new academic courses in Middle eastern countries
Islamabad, Friday, 23 September 2016   
Pakistan’s Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has announced admission-schedule for over 50 online academic courses including PhD program for overseas Pakistanis, particularly those living in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman and Bahrain.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: The Frontier Post, Peshawar       

SAUDI ARABIA
16. Saudi government’s Hajj arrangements applauded
Islamabad, Wednesday, 14 September 2016   
Minister for Religious Affairs Muhammad Yousaf lauded the Hajj arrangements made by Saudi King Salman and his officials this year, at a formal dinner hosted in his honour in Mecca.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad 

TURKEY
17. Pak-Turkey to enhance cultural diplomacy
Islamabad, Friday, 2 September 2016   
Pakistan envoy Sohail Mahmood met with President of Yunus Emre Institute Seref Ates in Ankara to discuss matters relating cultural diplomacy and encourage greater people-to-people contacts in the form of exhibitions and cultural events.  
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

COMPILED BY DIVYA MALHOTRA

Divya Malhotra is a PhD candidate 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