ISLAMABAD: In light of the ongoing Gaza crisis, the government of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province has directed all its public education institutions to exempt Palestinian students from tuition fees, waive hostel charges and provide stipend scholarships, a senior official confirmed on Thursday.
According to the Palestinian diplomatic mission in the country, over 300 of these students are currently enrolled in universities across Pakistan, including 50 in Sindh’s public education institutions.
It added that historically more than 50,000 Palestinian nationals had graduated from Pakistani institutions of learning. However, many of those who are currently pursuing their education in the country are gradually finding it difficult to cover their expenses following Israel’s intense bombardment of Gaza which has killed over 10,000 people in a little more than a month and totally destroyed the area.
“Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh Justice (r) Maqbool Baqir has decided to exempt Palestinian students studying in the government-run education institutions of Sindh from tuition fee and hostel charges while directing the authorities to provide them scholarships in view of the crisis in Palestine,” Abdul Rasheed Channa, media consultant to the Sindh chief minister, told Arab News over the phone.
“A total of 50 Palestinian students are studying in the province, most of them in medical and engineering universities,” he added.
A notification sent by the provincial authorities to public education institution, which is available with Arab News, describes this as an urgent matter that needs to be accorded top priority.
Channa said the implementation of the directives had already started as different universities had informed the students about it.
A document circulated by the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Jamshoro, Sindh, notified that its management had decided to waive off tuition fees and hostel charges and provide stipends to 13 Palestinian students.
Pakistan’s Sindh province offers financial assistance to Palestinian students amid Gaza crisis
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Pakistan’s Sindh province offers financial assistance to Palestinian students amid Gaza crisis

- Over 300 Palestinian students, including 50 in Sindh, are currently enrolled in Pakistani universities
- The decision to waive off tuition and provide scholarships was taken by the interim chief minister
Deputy PM Dar reaffirms Pakistan’s push for ‘composite dialogue’ with India as ceasefire holds

- Military-to-military communication continues, but there is no contact at the political level, Dar tells reporters
- He says meeting with US Secretary Rubio was cordial and he invited him to visit Pakistan for further dialogue
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is open to a composite dialogue with India to address all outstanding disputes, including Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said, according to state media on Tuesday, as a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbors continues to hold.
Dar’s comments came after an intense four-day military standoff between the two countries, triggered by a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists in April. India blamed Pakistan for the assault, a charge Islamabad denied while calling for an impartial international probe.
The escalation ended on May 10 with a ceasefire brokered by the United States, which said at the time that both countries had agreed to engage at a neutral venue to resolve their differences.
While Pakistan welcomed the prospect of such talks, offering to enter wide-ranging negotiations to defuse tensions and normalize ties, India publicly declined any political engagement. Dar was asked during a news conference in New York whether there had been any follow-up on that offer during his recent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, which he said had taken place in a cordial environment.
“Military-to-military communications are taking place [between Pakistan and India],” he told the media, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan, “but there is no contact on the political side.”
“Pakistan is ready for dialogue with India,” he continued. “We seek a composite dialogue that includes Kashmir as well as other issues, including the Indus Waters Treaty.”
Dar reiterated Pakistan’s concerns over India’s unilateral suspension of the IWT, which governs water sharing between the two countries and has been considered a vital pillar of regional stability since its signing in 1960.
India suspended the treaty on April 23, one day after the militant attack in Kashmir. Pakistan warned that disrupting access to rivers would be viewed as “an act of war.”
Dar told the media his country’s defense preparedness was “strong and vigilant.”
He also spoke about Pakistan’s bilateral ties with the US, saying he had invited Secretary Rubio to visit Islamabad.
The deputy PM noted that his country’s diplomatic efforts also extended to neighboring Afghanistan and Iran, with a focus on enhancing regional connectivity through trade and transport corridors.
Pakistan PM grants Rs5 million cheque for MMA fighter Shahzaib Rind after payment controversy

- Rind had criticized government for not living up to its promise of providing him $17,655 monetary reward
- Shehbaz Sharif meets Rind’s father at PM House, expresses best wishes for fighter in upcoming competitions
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif granted a cheque for Rs5 million [$17,655] for Pakistani mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Shahzaib Rind on Tuesday, the premier’s office said days after the athlete criticized the government for not fulfilling its commitment of providing him monetary reward and support.
Rind took to social media platform X on July 23 to say that Sharif had promised him a sum of Rs5 million [$17,630] and Rs80 million [$282,080] to support the athlete’s training camp and upcoming fights last year. In a video message, the MMA fighter had said Sharif promised him the rewards after he beat Indian fighter Rana Singh at the Karate Combat 45 competition in Dubai last year.
However, the Pakistani fighter said the government did not fulfill its promise to him. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar apologized to Rind on Twitter last week, promising him that the prime minister would resolve the issue soon.
Sharif met Rind’s father Khair Muhammad at the Prime Minister’s House on Tuesday during which he presented the cheque to him, Sharif’s office said.
“During the meeting, the prime minister expressed his best wishes for Shahzaib Rind in his upcoming competitions,” the statement said.
Rind, who hails from the impoverished southwestern Balochistan province, won his first martial arts title in 2011 after claiming victory in a provincial-level competition. His first national title came in 2019 when he triumphed at the National Games in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
During the two-and-a-half years of an undefeated Karate Combat career, Rind has fought fighters from North America, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, France and India.
Government says Pakistan to expand shipping capacity by 600% under maritime overhaul

- Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim Authority sign funding deals to modernize national fleet with energy-efficient vessels
- New initiative aims to cut freight costs, conserve foreign exchange and promote clean, climate-friendly maritime practices
KARACHI: Pakistan plans to expand its national shipping fleet by 600% over the next three years under a sweeping new initiative to modernize its maritime sector, cut sea freight costs, and reduce dependence on foreign vessels, the country’s maritime minister said on Tuesday.
The announcement came after a signing ceremony where officials from the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Port Qasim Authority (PQA) inked separate agreements with the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) to finance the fleet expansion and upgrade program.
“This initiative reflects our broader vision to modernize the maritime sector, boost operational efficiency and introduce advanced technologies across all institutions,” Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said according to an official statement.
Chaudhry said the expansion would focus on integrating energy-efficient and climate-smart vessels into the state-run fleet to align with Pakistan’s national climate goals.
He said the plan is aimed at conserving foreign exchange and enabling compliance with global environmental standards.
Officials from KPT and PQA said the upgraded fleet would enhance Pakistan’s trade connectivity and reduce the environmental impact of sea transport by lowering fuel consumption and emissions.
Pakistan is stepping up efforts to strengthen port infrastructure to support international trade. The Maritime Affairs Ministry recently announced plans to expand Gwadar Port’s capacity, including the introduction of new shipping lines and a direct ferry service between Gwadar and the Gulf countries, set to improve freight and passenger connectivity with the Gulf region.
Pakistan has also offered access to its southern ports to Central Asian countries, positioning itself as a gateway for regional transit commerce under broader corridor agreements and transit trade frameworks.
Pakistan, Kuwait agree to boost high-level exchanges, deepen ties in trade and defense

- Pakistan’s deputy PM meets Kuwaiti foreign minister to discuss ties in energy and multilateral diplomacy
- Islamabad eyes Gulf labor exports to boost remittances, which hit $38.3 billion during the last fiscal year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya agreed to increase high-level official exchanges to strengthen bilateral relations and bolster cooperation in trade, investment and defense, Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement on Tuesday.
The two ministers met on the sidelines of the International Conference on the Two-State Solution at the United Nations in New York.
Pakistan has been seeking to enhance economic and strategic partnerships with Gulf nations, including efforts to export more skilled human resources to the region in a bid to boost remittances, which reached a record $38.3 billion in the last fiscal year.
“The two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen Pakistan-Kuwait relations, with a focus on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, energy, food security and defense,” the foreign office said. “They also discussed close collaboration at multilateral fora, including at the UN and OIC [Organization of Islamic Cooperation].”
“Both sides agreed to undertake high-level exchanges in the near future to deepen bilateral engagement,” it added.
Dar and Al-Yahya also expressed concern over continued Israeli aggression against Palestinians and the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling for a just and lasting resolution.
They voiced hope that the outcomes of the UN conference would contribute meaningfully toward the realization of the two-state solution.
Earlier this year, Pakistan and Kuwait held the fourth round of Bilateral Political Consultations in Kuwait in May, where senior officials reviewed cooperation in trade, labor and consular affairs.
Prior to that, in February, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al‑Ahmad Al‑Sabah and pledged to transform bilateral relations into a robust economic partnership, while also coordinating positions on regional issues including the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The two sides are also trying to enhance collaboration in defense training, cybersecurity and military joint exercises.
Pakistan welcomes Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire, hopes for peaceful resolution via diplomacy

- Thailand, Cambodia agreed to ceasefire on Monday after days-long fighting killed at least 35, displaced over 270,000
- Pakistan’s foreign office hopes for resolution of conflict through regional cooperation between the two neighbors
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Tuesday welcomed the Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire after days of fighting, hoping the two sides would resolve their outstanding issues through diplomacy and regional cooperation.
The foreign office’s statement followed Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement of an “unconditional ceasefire” between Thailand and Cambodia on Monday. Talks between the two neighboring countries were held at Ibrahim’s official residence in Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya. Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet both attended the meeting, along with the ambassadors of China and the United States.
Fighting over a border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia broke out last week, killing at least 35 people and displacing more than 270,000 from both sides of the border. Ibrahim said Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a ceasefire effective at midnight on Monday (17:00 GMT) while a meeting between the military commanders of both nations will follow on Tuesday.
“Pakistan welcomes the successful conclusion of the special meeting hosted by Malaysia on the Cambodia-Thailand situation,” the foreign office said in a statement. “We appreciate the spirit of dialogue and express hope for a peaceful resolution through diplomacy and regional cooperation.”
Thailand and Cambodia have wrangled for decades over border territory and been on a conflict footing since the killing of a Cambodian soldier in a skirmish late in May. The development led to a troop buildup on both sides and a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand’s fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.
Both countries accused each other of starting the fighting last week, that within hours increased from small arms fire to heavy artillery and rockets, and Thailand’s unexpected scrambling of an F-16 fighter jet to carry out airstrikes.
Pakistan had also engaged in a military conflict with its nuclear-armed neighbor India in May. Both countries pounded each other with fighter jets, artillery fire, drones and missiles before that killed over 70 on both sides of the border before agreeing to a ceasefire brokered by Washington on May 10.