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ISLAMABAD: While the international community strives to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030, Pakistan appears to already be breaching some extreme temperature thresholds despite its minimal contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report.

The Pakistan Meteo­rol­o­gical Depar­tment (PMD), in a special summary of observations, reported that the nation experien­ced several temperature extremes during the rece­ntly concluded month of March.

The report noted that the country’s average nighttime minimum temperature was the second-highest on record.

“The country-level nig­ht­time (minimum) temperature of 14.7 C was warmer by +2.7°C than the countrywide average of 12.0°C and ranked 2nd highest,” the PMD stated. The highest record of 15.0°C was reported in 2022.

Furthermore, the natio­nal mean temperature for the month was the fifth highest ever recorded.

“The national mean temperature of 21.6°C was warmer than the country-average of 19.3°C with an anomaly of +2.3°C and ranked 5th highest,” the report said.

Daytime temperatures were also significantly warmer. “The daytime (maximum) temperature of 28.5°C at country-level was also warmer with a positive anomaly of +2.0°C,” it said.

The PMD reported specific regional extremes, noting that the hottest day of the month was observed in Mithi and Shaheed Benazirabad in Sindh on March 10, when the temperature reached 40.5°C.

Mithi also proved to be the warmest place overall, with a mean monthly maximum temperature of 36.8°C.

In contrast, the coldest temperature of the month was recorded in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, at -2.0°C on March 3.

The hill station of Kalam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the coldest place on average, with a mean monthly minimum temperature of 2.5°C.

The weather patterns also included above-average rainfall.

The national area-weighted rainfall was 38.9 millimetres, a positive departure of 24 per cent for March. Malam Jabba in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa experienced the heaviest single-day rainfall of 74mm on March 31 and was also the wettest place for the month with a total of 315 mm.

The PMD added that climatic indicators showed a neutral condition, with neither a La Nina nor an El Nino weather pattern currently active.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2026

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The Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) on Sunday announced that Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams in Karachi were being rescheduled and would now commence on April 10.

The BSEK had earlier announced that SSC annual examinations would be held from April 7 to May 2 in the Karachi Division.

A press release issued by the BSEK on Sunday said citing the board’s controller of examinations that the board was currently transitioning from a manual to a digital system. “Therefore, the software application was overloaded and faced temporary disruption. The IT team is working to resolve the issue,” the press release said.

In view of the situation, the SSC examinations were being rescheduled to begin on April 10, 2026 to ensure that they were conducted in an “organised … and transparent manner,” the press release said.

It further said that a revised examination schedule would be issued soon, while students were to sit their exams at centres already allotted to them.

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LAKKI MARWAT: Police registered on Sunday a first information report (FIR) against unidentified suspects for the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in the Langerkhel Hathi Khan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district.

The FIR, registered on behalf of the girl’s father at the Lakki city police station, invokes Sections 302 (intentional murder), 364-A (kidnapping/abducting a minor) and 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to the FIR, the girl had gone missing on April 3 (Friday), following which her family began searching for her. It said that the girl’s body was found in a reed forest located around two kilometres away from her village.

It quoted the complainant as saying that the girl’s “half-naked body was found on Sunday”.

Aliullah, 32, father of the victim, told police in his preliminary report that during a search, they found the half-naked body of his daughter in the nearby forest on Sunday. The body was taken to the Government City Hospital where a lady doctor confirmed that she was raped, he stated.

The FIR said Additional Station House Officer Fatehullah Khan reached the hospital after receiving information about the arrival of the girl’s body. It also quoted him as saying that a lady doctor confirmed after medical examination that the girl was raped before she was murdered.

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• Araghchi denies rejecting Pakistan as venue for talks
• Dar discusses UN resolution with Bahrain FM, calls Egyptian counterpart
• Ghalibaf says sustainable security in region Iran’s priority, offers bilateral arrangements

ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday pushed back at reports that Iran was unwilling to travel to Islamabad for future talks with the US, underscoring that Tehran’s position hinged on the terms and conditions of any negotiations.

“Iran’s position is being misrepresented by the US media. We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad,” Mr Araghchi said in a post on X.

“What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us,” he further said.

His remarks came a day after a report by The Wall Street Journal said Iran had declined to participate in talks in Islamabad, citing objections to US demands and suggesting Pakistan’s efforts had stalled.

Responding to Mr Araghchi, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar responded quickly, writing: “Truly appreciate your clarification, my Dear Brother @Araghchi.”

The exchange helped keep alive a fragile diplomatic track that Islamabad has been facilitating through backchannel contacts between Washington and Tehran. Officials say Pakistan has been relaying messages while building support for talks through parallel engagements with regional and global partners.

Mr Araghchi’s clarification came at a time when momentum for negotiations had slowed, with Tehran yet to formally signal readiness for talks despite reported exchanges through intermediaries.

Pakistani officials say Islamabad has remained in contact with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Mr Araghchi to encourage participation. Diplomatic outreach continued on Saturday, with Mr Dar holding separate calls with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. According to official readouts, the discussions focused on regional developments, the need for de-escalation and support for dialogue.

In his conversation with Al Zayani, Mr Dar highlighted the Pakistan-China five-point initiative aimed at promoting peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East region. Mr Dar “underscored the urgent need for de-escalation and emphasised the importance of dialogue and diplomacy”, the Foreign Office said in a statement. Bahrain is one of the Arab countries that has maintained a relatively more aggressive posture on the war.

The Bahraini minister appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, the statement said and noted that both sides had agreed to remain in close contact.

The conversation took place as a development is unfolding at the United Nations Security Council, where a Bahrain-backed resolution on maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz has been delayed. The vote, initially planned for Friday and later Saturday, has now been postponed until next week amid a lack of consensus.

“Both sides also exchanged views on multilateral efforts, including at the UNSC, and agreed to remain in close contact,” the Foreign Office said.

Pakistan is a non-permanent member of the UNSC.

Diplomats say divisions among major powers have stalled progress. Russia and China have raised objections to language that could be seen as authorising the use of force, while France has also expressed concerns. Without at least nine affirmative votes and no veto from permanent members, adoption remains uncertain.

The delay in voting also reflects disagreements at the UNSC over how to address tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, which is being selectively regulated by Iran.

The Foreign Office, in its statement on Mr Dar’s conversation with the Egyptian foreign minister, said, “They discussed the latest regional developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts, underscoring the importance of dialogue and de-escalation.”

Despite these challenges, officials say the back and forth between Tehran and Islamabad indicates that the channel for potential US-Iran talks remains open, though progress will depend on bridging gaps over the terms of engagement.

Regional powers

Also, Speaker of Iran’s Consultative Assembly Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told Al Jazeera Arabic that Tehran was open to “bilateral, multilateral diplomacy with neighbours”.

He said the countries of the region could secure their interests through “bilateral and multilateral security agreements without foreign interference. The main drivers of insecurity in the region must be removed, and security must be built without the US and Israel.”

He said this was Israel’s war, while the resulting security breakdown and losses had affected the entire world.

Maintaining the region’s sustainable security was not only in the interests of its countries, but also Iran’s priority, he added.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2026

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The United Arab Emirates on Saturday condemned what it described as “riots, acts of vandalism, and assaults” outside its embassy and the residence of its head of mission in Damascus.

In a statement, the UAE’s foreign ministry called on Syria to uphold its obligations to secure the embassy and its staff, investigate the incident and hold the perpetrators to account.

A Reuters reporter saw dozens of protesters gathering outside the UAE’s embassy in Damascus at midday on Friday, including some chanting “the Zionist embassy”.

A Syrian security official told Reuters that the incident occurred after some participants split off from a larger pro-Palestinian demonstration being held at the nearby Umayyad Square and tried to storm the embassy.

“Internal security forces prevented them from doing so and dealt with the situation,” the official said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Syria’s foreign ministry did not directly refer to the incident but said in a statement on Friday evening that it took a “firm and unwavering stance” against any attack on or attempt to approach embassies and diplomatic missions.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office (FO) condemned the vandalism, stating, “Such acts violate the sanctity and security of diplomatic missions, which are protected under international law, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and undermine the norms governing peaceful diplomatic engagement between states.”

It added that Pakistan reiterated its commitment to the principles of international law and diplomatic norms, emphasising the importance of “maintaining peace, stability and mutual respect among nations”.

Demonstrations have taken place across Syria since the Israeli parliament passed a law making death by hanging a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military courts of deadly attacks.

The UAE normalised relations with Israel in the 2020 Abraham Accords, though diplomatic relations have been strained by Israel’s hard-right turn since then.

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ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan has decided to return $3.5 billion in debt to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before the end of this month, a senior Pakistani official said on Friday.

The official described the move as a cost the country was willing to bear to uphold “national dignity,” even as it is set to significantly draw down foreign exch­ange reserves.

The official disclosed that Abu Dhabi had sought the immediate return of the amount.

“The amount will be returned as soon as possible,” the official said, adding that “national dignity could not be compromised for financial considerations”.

These funds were part of external financing support extended by the UAE in 2019 to help stabilise Pakistan’s balance of payments.

The official said the dec­i­sion had ended the uncertainty surrounding the deposits placed through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, which had been rolled over multiple times since 2019. In recent months, the extensions had become as shorter as month long, reflecting Emirati unease over the continuation of the arrangement.

Under its ongoing International Monetary Fund programme, Pakistan is required to secure around $12.5bn in rollovers from three key partners — China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — to maintain reserve levels and meet external financing needs. The UAE deposits were, therefore, a critical part of this arrangement.

The latest available data shows Pakistan’s central bank reserves at about $16.3bn. A payment of $3bn from the reserves would reduce these holdings sharply by 18 per cent, significantly lowering the external buffer and import cover.

Other officials acknowledged that the return of the funds would have implications for reserve levels but said the decision was taken in view of evolving bilateral considerations and the UAE’s demand for immediate settlement.

Economic analysts say the return of the funds could increase pressure on the rupee and complicate Pakistan’s position under the IMF programme if not offset by fresh inflows. However, officials did not indicate any immediate arrangement for replacement financing.

On the other hand, Finance Ministry, through a post on X, said it was “continuously monitoring and managing Pakistan’s external flows in order to ensure stable foreign exchange reserves”.

“The government of Pakistan remains committed to fulfilling all its external obligations,” it added.

The post referred to “speculation and commentary in some section of the media regarding the government of Pakistan’s external flows”, saying that it may be noted that the finance ministry was “continuously monitoring and managing external flows in order to ensure stable foreign exchange reserves”.

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ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan-led initiative to facilitate US-Iran talks has been held up, with Tehran yet to formally respond to proposals for dialogue despite back channel exchanges in recent days, a senior official told Dawn on Friday.

The official, who was speaking on background, said some ground had been covered, with messages relayed between Washington and Tehran, but the absence of a clear Iranian signal has slowed momentum at this critical stage.

“It is surprising that despite the obliteration of significant naval, air force, and other military and civilian infrastructure, Iran has not responded positively to calls for negotiations,” the official, who is familiar with the discussions, said.

He said both Pakistan and China had urged Iran to engage, but “Tehran has so far not conveyed its readiness to take part in the dialogue.”

He added that Pakistani leaders, despite Tehran not giving a reply, have remained in contact with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in an effort to revive the process persuading them to accept American offer of talks.

Pakistan has positioned itself as a facilitator in this process, leveraging its ties with US, its working relationship with Iran, and its strategic partnership with China. This initiative is being spearheaded by Army Chief and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir.

The official said that besides messages between the two sides, Pakistan was simultaneously building support for the prospective talks through parallel engagements with Gulf countries, Turkiye and Beijing. He underscored the challenge of convincing Arab countries, who remain staunchly opposed to Iran and are maintaining a harsh line against it, for not opposing de-escalation.

A framework for potential negotiations has already been discussed, and all sides have indicated Islamabad as a possible venue.

“Once Iran consents, negotiations are expected to take place there,” the Pakistani official said stressing that Iran’s go ahead was the only remaining element before the talks get underway. He claimed that US had even indicated that Vice President J.D. Vance could lead its delegation.

Yet, he feared, developments inside Iran were complicating decision making there. He said key decisions were now being shaped by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with authority further diffused after strikes in which senior political and military figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were martyred. This fragmentation, he suggested, was making it harder for Tehran to take a clear negotiating position.

Iranian position

When contacted an Iranian official in Tehran, meanwhile, pointed to a different set of constraints. The official, who too spoke on background, said the terms conveyed by Washington were unacceptable. “The conditions, or the 15-point proposal, put forward by the United States are too difficult to accept,” the official said, describing the situation as “highly complex.”

The Iranian official denied reports that Iran had refused to participate the dialogue in Islamabad, after a Wall Street Journal reported Iran “officially told mediators that it is unwilling to meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days and considers US demands unacceptable”.

He said Iran’s immediate focus is on the war and not negotiations. Moreover, he cited deep mistrust of US intentions. “Recent US deployments to the region do not align with its stated intentions of pursuing talks, and therefore Iran has zero confidence in US,” he said.

As part of its planning for potential ground operations against Iran, US has deployed specialised military hardware and personnel in the region. Most notably, 18 A-10C Thunderbolt II “Warthog” close air support aircraft, designed specifically for providing low altitude protection for ground troops, have been moved to Middle East. Pentagon has also positioned USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Arabian Sea, placed the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit and thousands of additional Marines on ready mode, besides moving large numbers of heavy lift transport aircraft including C-17s and C-5s along with aerial tankers towards the theater.

These movements coincide with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to paratroopers already involved in the operation and internal planning for two high risk ground assaults, including potential special forces raids or temporary occupation of Iranian islands in the Strait of Hormuz for seizing of highly enriched uranium.

Security concerns are also weighing on Tehran’s calculus. The Iranian official recalled that former Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, who was to be part of the negotiating team, was targeted few days back, similarly, former Secretary Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, who was pursuing an initiative for de-escalation, was assassinated.

“There are serious concerns that anyone participating in negotiations could also be targeted,” the worried Iranian official underlined.

Nevertheless, the official praised Pakistan for its efforts saying “Pakistani leaders were undoubtedly doing their best for cessation of hostilities.”

The initiative reflects Pakistan’s attempt to act as a middle power facilitator, using its access to multiple sides to keep channels open in a conflict that has disrupted energy flows, threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and raised fears of a wider regional war.

Diplomats say the window for talks is narrow and fragile. They emphasize that while both sides have exchanged messages indirectly, the gap between US demands and Iranian expectations remains wide.

Pakistan’s immediate priority in this situation, another diplomat said, was to sustain the contacts and prevent a complete breakdown. He said whether or not that could translate into formal negotiations will depend on decisions in Tehran and Washington, where military developments continue to shape the pace and direction of diplomacy.

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Header image: In this file photo, a staff member removes the Iranian flag from the stage after a group picture with foreign ministers and representatives of the US, Iran, China, Russia, Britain, Germany, France and the European Union during Iran nuclear talks at the Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria in July 14, 2015. — Reuters/ File

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