German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier praised Pakistan’s “rising diplomatic profile in the resolution of regional and global disputes”, in a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari in Berlin on Friday.

President Zardari is currently on a three-day visit to Germany, having departed yesterday, as the two countries are set to mark the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

According to a statement posted by the president’s office, the two leaders also discussed challenges related to Afghanistan.

President Zardari said that while Pakistan “has no conflict with the Afghan people”, it would not allow terrorists to use Afghan soil to attack Pakistan’s citizens and violate its sovereignty.

Steinmeier appreciated Pakistan for facilitating the verification of 500 Afghans “destined to be repatriated to Germany”, it said, adding that he also commended Pakistan’s humanitarian assistance to “millions of Afghans” over more than four decades.

He also took a “significant interest” in the Makkah defence pact, which has been signed between Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia. In response, President Zardari said the pact was aimed at “ensuring regional security and provided a security alternative to regional conflicts, and it is not directed against any specific country”.

The German president expressed hope that the two countries would continue to engage with reinforced efforts in the fields of business and trade to promote “bilateral business, education collaboration and technological cooperation”.

For his part, President Zardari thanked Steinmeier for his invitation and the hospitality extended to him and his delegation. President Zardari further expressed his gratitude for Steinmeier’s acknowledgement of Pakistan’s “sincere mediation role” in the conflict between the United States and Iran, the statement said.

He said Pakistan viewed the resolution of conflicts through the lens of sustained dialogue and constructive negotiations, “for the sake of regional as well as global peace and stability”.

During the meeting, President Zardari also stressed the need to “realise the available potential for expanding existing political, economic and defence cooperation” between Pakistan and Germany, with “greater focus on economy and trade, emerging technologies, climate resilience, skills development, people-to-people and cultural exchanges”, the statement said.

The president said that Pakistan “highly values” Germany as a major European partner, and expressed admiration for German support towards women’s empowerment, social protection and human development.

Pakistan was prepared for expanding bilateral cooperation beyond traditional areas into “innovative and mutually beneficial collaboration” with Germany, in the areas of scientific development, healthcare and education, vocational training and technological advancement, trade and investment, agriculture, commerce and industry, and climate resilience, through enhanced government-to-government, business-to-business and expert-level interactions, the statement further quoted President Zardari as saying.

He said the visit reflected Pakistan’s “commitment to deepening its longstanding cordial, friendly relations with Germany and readiness to translate existing relations into a stronger, robust and mutually beneficial partnership through sustained constructive engagement”.

President Zardari invited the German president to Pakistan, who responded that he would consider a visit “at an appropriate time”.

Both presidents participated in delegation-level talks after their one-on-one meeting, according to the statement. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Sindh’s provincial ministers Sharjeel Memon and Jam Khan Shoro, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Germany Salman Sharif were part of the Pakistani delegation.

Earlier, President Zardari was given a guard of honour upon his arrival at the German Ministry of Defence, with Steinmeier also present on the occasion, the statement added.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Foreign Office (FO) said the president’s visit, scheduled for Oct 22-24, is “part of high-level exchanges between Pakistan and Germany”.

During his visit, he will also hold meetings with senior leadership and business leaders, with a “particular focus on economic and trade cooperation”, the FO said.

In September, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

During the meeting, Germany appreciated Pakistan’s mediation efforts in regional conflicts, especially in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab. The two sides also agreed to “get negotiations on peace for Ukraine going”, according to the German foreign office.

In June, a German delegation announced plans to bring about 30 German companies to Pakistan and link local businesses to European markets.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have completed the ratification processes for the Makkah defence pact while Turkiye was in the process of doing so, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said on Friday.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

The pact has gained significance amid Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, and Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said earlier this week that Pakistan was providing “whatever support is needed” to defend the kingdom.

Prior to that, the FO had emphasised that signing the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and committing military capabilities under it were executive functions under Pakistan’s national laws and Rules of Business and did not necessarily require parliamentary approval.

Answering questions after the weekly press briefing, the FO spokesperson said that “matters related to the agreement, its ratification and operationalisation remain under discussion by the three parties”.

This included discussions during the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, which recently met on Oct 5, he added.

“The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement reflects the shared commitment of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye to strengthening collective defence and cooperation for regional security and stability,” Khan said.

He further noted that each country followed its own constitutional and legal procedures to approve and ratify international agreements.

“Pakistan and [the] Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have already completed their ratification processes, while Turkiye is undertaking the requisite procedures in accordance with its domestic legal framework,” he said.

Turkiye submitted the Makkah defence pact to its parliament for ratification earlier this week.

The spokesperson highlighted Pakistan’s continued commitment to the letter and spirit of the agreement, which he said “is defensive in nature, consistent with the UN Charter, and aimed at promoting regional peace, security and stability”.

Answering a follow-up question regarding Article 2 of the pact, which states that an attack on one party would be considered an attack against all parties, Khan stressed again that the agreement was “essentially defensive in nature” and consistent with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which provides the right to self-defence”.

“The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement reflects the shared commitment of all three parties, primarily to strengthening collective defence, deterrence, and regional stability,” he said.

He added, “It is not directed against any particular country. It provides a framework for collective assistance in the event of external armed aggression against any party.”

According to Khan, the “nature and extent” of any such assistance would be determined collectively by the three countries as the situation arose, “following an objective assessment of the circumstances”.

To another question, he clarified that there were “no hidden provisions” in the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

“We endorse the text released in the media from the Turkish Parliament. There are no hidden provisions; the agreement is explicit and clear in its provisions and articles,” he said.

Regarding the potential invocation of the agreement in response to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson reiterated that “This matter has to be decided by the three partner countries in accordance with the agreement.”

He also expressed Pakistan’s concern over the recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and its implications for regional peace and security.

“Our position has been clear and consistent,” Khan said. “We support Yemen’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and believe that a lasting solution to the conflict can only be achieved through dialogue and a negotiated political settlement … At the same time, we unequivocally condemn attacks against Saudi Arabia and reaffirm our commitment to the Kingdom’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security.”

He stressed that Pakistan remained supportive of any meaningful diplomatic engagement that could contribute to “ending hostilities and achieving a durable political settlement”.

Earlier this month, the FO said that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye had agreed to deploy military forces and capabilities rapidly in the kingdom, following an emergency meeting of the SPDC formed under their joint defence agreement in Riyadh.

While the statement did not specifically name any threat, the development came against the backdrop of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in the Yemen conflict.

The foes have traded strikes since the Houthis seized all of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and took control of the Bab al-Mandab strait in a lightning offensive in September.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday set the illustrative price for wheat at Rs4,500 per maund for 2027, raising the procurement price set last year by Rs1,000.

“In view of the increase in production costs, the price had been raised by Rs1,000 per maund compared to last year,” a statement by the PM’s Office (PMO) said.

It quoted the premier as saying that the decision was taken with the guidance of President Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and in consultation with the chief ministers of Punjab and Sindh.

The PMO statement added that the prime minister’s decision was aimed at “promoting agriculture sector in the country, protecting farmers’ economic interests and increasing wheat production next year”.

Moreover, the statement quoted PM Shehbaz as saying that the government’s objective behind increasing the proposed wheat procurement price was to provide relief to farmers amid rising production and fuel costs, as well as inflation pressure.

“Providing farmers with an incentive to cultivate wheat is among the key objectives of the decision,” the prime minister said.

He expressed hope that the new proposed price would help farmers cover their production costs and earn profit.

“Over the past years, farmers have faced financial difficulties due to inflation and rising agricultural expenses while Pakistan has also had to import wheat in the last two years,” he said, adding that the decision to increase the illustrative price would prove to be an important step forward in “strengthening the country’s food security, encouraging local production, and bringing stability to the agriculture sector”.

“The government expects that the determination of the proposed price will generate greater interest among farmers in wheat cultivation, resulting in ample sowing of wheat in the upcoming season and brighter prospects for increased national production.

“This step taken by the prime minister will prove to be an important milestone in the efforts to improve the economic well-being of farmers, stabilise the agricultural economy and make the country more self-reliant in meeting its nutritional needs. It is hoped that 2027 will bring positive results for Pakistan’s agricultural sector and its farmers,” the PMO statement said.

It added that the prime minister expressed gratitude to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for her cooperation in the consultative process for the decision, as well as to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah for his cooperation.

The proposed price of Rs4,500 is still Rs500 less than the price demanded by farmers.

Last month, the Pakistan Kissan Ittehad demanded a Rs5,000 per 40kg support price for wheat, warning that farmers may not sow wheat for the next season if the government delays announcing crop policies.

The association had maintained that the farmers were unable to afford balanced fertiliser use because they were not recovering production costs.

In early October, Sindh CM Murad had approved the release of government wheat at the rate of Rs12,500 per 100kg bag from Oct 15 in order to stabilise flour prices and ensure its availability in the province.

On Oct 13, PM Shehbaz chaired the first National Agricultural and Food Security Council meeting and reaffirmed that the government wanted farmers to get a fair price for wheat and consumers to have affordable wheat.

During the meeting, he declared that wheat was available in abundant quantities to meet domestic needs, and vowed no leniency for hoarders.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday that 10 India-sponsored terrorists were killed in separate engagements as security forces thwarted their attempts to “undermine the writ of the state” in Balochistan’s Gwadar district.

In a statement, the military’s media affairs wing said: “On Oct 22, Indian-sponsored terrorists of Fitna al Hindustan attempted to carry out terrorist activities in district Gwadar, in the general areas of the Gabd Border Crossing and Gwadar city.”

The state has designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al Hindustan to highlight India’s role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan.

“By targeting these locations, terrorists sought to harm the very people they claim to represent and wanted to obstruct the development and prosperity of Balochistan. To protect residents and clear the area, security forces launched clearance operations in and around Gwadar city,” ISPR said.

It said that in separate engagements, security forces foiled the terrorists’ designs and “their bid to undermine the writ of the state and spread their misconstrued agenda”.

“In the ensuing exchanges of fire, ten terrorists, including one female terrorist, were sent to hell. During the terrorist attacks one civilian embraced shahadat (martyrdom) and [a] few vehicles were damaged. Operations were concluded without any loss to security forces, restoring order and writ of the state,” it said.

The statement further said that the coercion of a Baloch woman into the attack was “a crime not only against the state but against the hurmat (respect) of Baloch women”.

“It exposes the terrorists’ cynical exploitation of Baloch women as an instrument of propaganda, intended to inflame public sentiment and lend false sanctity to their campaign. Such tactics are contrary to Baloch and Islamic traditions, which hold women in the highest honour. The people of Balochistan have consistently rejected those who shed blood in their name, and they will see through this deception as well,” it said.

The statement said that the counterterror campaign would continue at full pace.

“Security forces and law enforcement agencies remain resolute in eliminating foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” it said.

The ISPR statement comes a day after security sources said that security forces killed three terrorists and foiled an attack on an unoccupied construction company camp in Gwadar.

Balochistan has witnessed an increase in terrorist activities in recent years, prompting security forces to intensify counter-terrorism operations.

Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir said earlier on Friday the armed forces will continue the counterterrorism campaign against Indian-sponsored terrorist groups “to the fullest”, vowing to “hit them hard wherever they are”.

Earlier this week, ISPR said an army major was martyred and four terrorists were killed during intelligence-based operations in Balochistan.

The number of terrorist attacks in the province increased by seven per cent from 83 in July to 89 in August, according to data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

As per the report, Balochistan was declared the province “most affected” by terrorism.

Following the latest operations by security forces in Gwadar, President Asif Ali Zardari commended the security forces for foiling the terrorists’ attempts.

“The president also expressed deep sorrow and grief over the martyrdom of a citizen in a terrorism incident,” the statement issued by the Presidency said.

It further quoted President Zardari as saying that efforts to disrupt peace and stability in Balochistan could not shake the people’s resolve for development and prosperity in the province.

He stressed the importance of peace for the protection of the rights and interests of people of Balochistan and said that “using the honour of Baloch women for political interests is condemnable”.

An insulin product used by patients with Type 1 diabetes is in short supply in Pakistan after its German manufacturer halted supplies while upgrading its products, Parliamentary Secretary for Health Nelson Azeem said on Friday.

Responding to a matter raised by MNA Syeda Amna Batool in the National Assembly, Azeem said there had been no shortage until June, with stocks available until September. However, supplies from Germany were disrupted in October, leading to the current shortage.

“The impact of the shortage is being felt not just here, but across Asia, as well as in Australia and Europe,” Azeem said. “The product will be available as soon as international supplies are restored.”

The secretary further said alternative insulin products with the same dosage and mode of action were readily available in Pakistan and that patients could switch to them on their doctors’ recommendation.

“The product is manufactured in Germany. It is an issue that we are trying to resolve,” he said.

However, Batool expressed concern about the difficulties patients could face in switching treatments. She said the alternatives were at least 20 per cent more expensive and that many patients did not have access to doctors.

“Currently, around 34.5 million people in Pakistan have Type 1 diabetes, including children,” she said. “Alternatives are not readily available. Has the health ministry or the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) ensured their easy availability?”

Azeem asserted the German manufacturer had previously supplied 3,500 kits, but supplies had now fallen to 1,000 kits and could decline further during the year-long upgrade process.

He said the health ministry had asked distributors importing the product to arrange supplies, but acknowledged that this would be difficult because the manufacturer had halted production.

On Tuesday, authorities had denied reports of a widespread insulin shortage in the country, saying that only one brand was unavailable.

“Insulin glulisine (Apidra, Sanofi) is currently unavailable due to international supply constraints. Alternate rapid-acting analogues within the same pharmacological class, specifically insulin aspart (NovoRapid, Novo Nordisk) and insulin lispro (Humalog, Eli Lilly), are readily available nationwide,” health ministry spokesperson Sajid Shah had said, adding that all other primary insulin classes remained fully accessible across Pakistan.

In August 2025, the Pakistan Medical Association raised alarm over “an unprecedented” and severe shortage of essential medicines across the country and warned that the crisis threatened the lives of millions of patients.

According to the association, at least 80 important medicines were unavailable, with 25 having no substitutes. These drugs included life-saving medications for diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart disease and psychiatric disorders.

Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir has said the armed forces will continue the counterterrorism campaign against Indian-sponsored terrorist groups “to the fullest”, vowing to “hit them hard wherever they are”, the military’s media wing said on Friday.

CDF Munir made the remarks during a visit to the Corps Headquarters in Peshawar, where he was briefed on the security situation, ongoing counterterrorism operations, border management measures and the operational preparedness of formations deployed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Upon arrival at the headquarters, CDF Munir was received by the Peshawar Corps commander.

During his visit, he lauded the morale and professionalism of the armed forces and directed them to maintain “vigilance and the highest standards of operational readiness to effectively counter threats”.

ISPR added that CDF Munir vowed that the armed forces would “continue the campaign against Indian-sponsored terrorist outfits to the fullest and hit them hard wherever they are”.

He also paid tribute to the martyred security personnel, affirming that “with the support of the people, Pakistan will surely inflict total defeat on the terrorists and their perverted ideology”.

A day earlier, CDF Munir attended a meeting of KP apex committee held at the Governor House, where the province’s overall security situation was reviewed. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who chaired the meeting, said that the federal government, which now runs KP under governor’s rule, would make every effort possible to “bring back” progress to the province.

According to a recent report from the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan recorded a sharp 83 per cent increase in violence-linked fatalities during the third quarter of 2026, reversing a declining trend reported in the first and second quarters as terrorism and counter-terrorism deaths surged nationwide.

Balochistan and KP remained the epicentres of violence, jointly accounting for 98pc of all fatalities during the period. Balochistan recorded 829 deaths, nearly 59pc of the national total, while KP reported 556 fatalities, accounting for more than 39pc. The increased terrorist activity has prompted security forces to intensify counter-terrorism operations.

A day earlier, four policemen, including two officials, were martyred and two terrorists were killed during an exchange of fire in KP’s Karak.

On October 19, an army major was martyred and four terrorists were killed during intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Balochistan.

A day before that, security forces killed eight “India-sponsored” terrorists during IBOs conducted in the Quetta, Nushki and Khuzdar districts of Balochistan.