Pakistan says keen to buy more oil from Russia, build new steel mill

ISLAMABAD: The bodies of eight Pakistani nationals killed last week in Iran arrived in Bahawalpur in the early hours of Thursday, the local administration confirmed, before being sent to their native villages for burial.
The men, who worked as auto repair technicians, were killed in Mehrestan County in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, which borders Pakistan, in an attack claimed by the Baloch National Army (BNA), a separatist group operating in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province.
Pakistani officials said the bodies were flown back from Iran aboard a military aircraft to facilitate urgent burials.
“The bodies of the eight Pakistanis martyred in Sistan, Iran, arrived at Bahawalpur Airport and were dispatched to their respective hometowns,” the district administration of Ahmedpur Sharqia said in a brief statement.
The attack triggered diplomatic activities between the neighboring states of Pakistan and Iran.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during a televised address to the federal cabinet on Tuesday, hoped Tehran would immediately arrest the killers and bring them to justice.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi also condoled the killing of the Pakistani nationals in a phone call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday, assuring him of “full cooperation” in bringing the perpetrators to justice, according to the foreign office in Islamabad.
Thousands of Pakistanis, many from underprivileged backgrounds, cross into Iran for informal work in construction, agriculture and repair services. The killings have raised concerns about the safety of these migrant workers in Iran’s border region, which has long been volatile due to insurgent activity.
Baloch separatists in Pakistan have also waged a low-intensity insurgency in southwestern Pakistan for nearly two decades, accusing the central government of resource exploitation without local benefit.
Islamabad denies the allegations and says it is committed to inclusive development in the province.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday warned that United Nations peacekeeping efforts were at a crossroads, strained by widening geopolitical rifts and financial pressures, even as they remain one of the most cost-effective means of maintaining international stability and require urgent multilateral support.
The remarks were made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during the closing session of a high-level peacekeeping preparatory meeting co-hosted by Pakistan and the Republic of Korea in Islamabad.
UN peacekeeping, a flagship effort to help countries navigate the path from conflict to peace, deploys over 70,000 personnel worldwide. Pakistan has long been one of its top troop contributors, with over 235,000 personnel having served in 48 missions over the past six decades.
“The threat to multilateralism, rising unilateralism and financial pressures are straining the sustainability and effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations, underscoring the urgent need to revitalize multilateral cooperation and adapting peacekeeping to a rapidly evolving global landscape,” Dar said.
“The Security Council must provide unified and consistent support to all peace operations,” he added. “Mandates must be clear, focused and grounded in field realities.”
Dar also called for greater inclusion of troop-contributing countries in mission design, better resourcing aligned with mandates, accountability for attacks on peacekeepers and stronger regional partnerships, including with the African Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Over the two-day conference, participants explored the use of advanced technologies, such as drones, counter-improvised explosive device (IED) systems and simulation-based training, to enhance the safety and performance of peacekeepers.
Dar said credible deterrence and accountability were necessary to protect personnel in increasingly complex and hostile environments.
He also paid tribute to the 4,423 peacekeepers from over 130 countries who have lost their lives in the line of duty, including 181 Pakistanis.
Dar reiterated Pakistan’s support for the UN Charter and the need for peacekeeping to be part of a broader political strategy that addresses the root causes of conflict.
He emphasized that without inclusive political solutions, peacekeeping can only offer temporary relief.