PM Khan directs envoys to promote Pakistan's soft image abroad

Prime Minister Imran Khan attended the concluding session of a two-day envoys conference in Islamabad and directed the foreign office and envoys posted abroad to promote a soft image of Pakistan through proactive economic diplomacy. (Photo courtesy: PTI)
Updated 29 December 2018
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PM Khan directs envoys to promote Pakistan's soft image abroad

  • Two-day Envoys Conference on Economic Diplomacy held at Foreign Office
  • PM Khan constitutes new foreign affairs advisory council with special focus on economics

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the foreign ministry and envoys posted across the globe to promote a soft image of Pakistan around the world through proactive economic diplomacy.
PM Khan was addressing the concluding session of the two-day Envoys Conference on Economic Diplomacy on Friday evening in Islamabad.
“He (PM Khan) emphasized that concerted efforts should be undertaken to protect the interests of overseas Pakistanis, in particular working class Pakistanis,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement about the conference. 
The Conference was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and the Board of Investment to deliberate ways to enhance foreign direct investment and trade, particularly exports. 
Pakistan’s Ambassadors to Japan, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, UAE, Turkey, UK, Spain, Italy and Germany made presentations at the Conference.

“Efforts should be intensified for exploring new markets for Pakistani products in Africa and Latin America,” Khan said while addressing the conference. 
The PM recently constituted a new foreign affairs advisory council with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the chair to make foreign policy more vibrant and able to meet regional and international geo-strategic and economic challenges.
“In order to dispel the impression of our Foreign Policy being mostly security centric and less directed towards economic issues, experts having relevant experience in international economics have been made part of the advisory council,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The Advisory Council, through its deliberations and recommendations, will help take stock of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy and make recommendations for achievement of our Foreign Policy goals,” the statement added.


UN Security Council calls on states to help Pakistan bring Balochistan attackers to justice

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UN Security Council calls on states to help Pakistan bring Balochistan attackers to justice

  • Security officials say counterterrorism operations have killed 197 separatist militants over three days
  • Security Council calls such acts of militant violence criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of motivation

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday condemned coordinated attacks in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan, urging all countries to actively cooperate with Islamabad in bringing the perpetrators to justice, as security officials said 197 separatist militants had been killed in counterterrorism operations over the past three days.

The attacks, claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), targeted security installations and government facilities across multiple districts in the province, killing more than 50 people, including 22 members of the security forces, Pakistani authorities said.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused BLA militants of acting as “Indian proxies” and receiving logistical support from Afghanistan, allegations that both New Delhi and Kabul deny.

“The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks across multiple locations in Balochistan province, Pakistan, on 31st January 2026,” the Council said in a statement circulated by its president, James Kariuki.

“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice,” it said. “They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of Pakistan in this regard.”

The statement said the attacks resulted in the deaths of Pakistani nationals, among them five women and three children.

“The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and the people of Pakistan, and wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured,” it added.

A Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said “follow-up and sanitization operations against these terrorists are still ongoing,” adding that 36 Baloch civilians had also “fallen victim to the barbarity of these terrorists.”

He also confirmed the exact death toll on both sides, saying 36 “Baloch citizens who have fallen victim to the barbarity of these terrorists.”

The Council reiterated that such acts of militant violence are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of motivation.

Pakistan is currently serving as a non-permanent Security Council member for the 2025-26 term.