• PM Shehbaz says two-week ceasefire between US-Iran holding.
• Pakistan’s leadership worked tirelessly to make talks possible: PM.
• Expresses gratitude to US, Iran for accepting Pak’s invitation.
  

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that Pakistan remains fully engaged in efforts to resolve pending issues between the United States and Iran, commending the political and military leadership for their role in hosting the historic talks in Islamabad.

Islamabad emerged as key mediator in the US-Iran war after PM Shehbaz mediated a two-week ceasefire between the two side on April 8. Delegations from Washington and Tehran then arrived in Islamabad and held negotiations for over 20 hours at his invitation over the last weekend. However, the negotiations could not result in an agreement.

Addressing the federal cabinet, the prime minister said that Pakistan played an important role in bringing the United States and Iran to the table after around 47 years, noting that both delegations visited Pakistan at Islamabad’s request.

He said the talks marked the first time the two sides had engaged in direct, face-to-face dialogue at such a level, with discussions continuing for 21 hours.

PM Shehbaz added that Pakistan’s leadership worked tirelessly to make the negotiations possible.

The prime minister also expressed gratitude to the US and Iran for accepting Pakistan’s invitation, saying both delegations appreciated the country’s hospitality and acknowledged its constructive role.

He maintained that Pakistan’s efforts had helped sustain the two-week ceasefire, while attempts were ongoing to resolve outstanding issues.

He said that Pakistan was able to step in as a mediator and contribute positively to regional stability at a time when the global economy was reeling from the conflict.

The Islamabad talks lasted around 21 hours and marked the first direct US-Iran meeting in over a decade, as well as the highest-level discussions since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, included President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The Iranian delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The negotiations aimed at ending six weeks of fighting that has killed thousands of people across the Gulf and throttled vital supplies of energy and sparked fears of a wider regional conflict.

The conflict in the Middle East began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched a joint bombing campaign against Iran.

The scope quickly expanded as Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz and launched attacks against Israel and US bases in the Middle East.

The war has buffeted global financial markets and caused thousands of civilian deaths, mostly in Iran and Lebanon.

In view of the ongoing ninth and tenth class examinations, the Chairman of the Karachi Matric Board, Ghulam Hussain, has issued directives for examination centres regarding female students.

According to the instructions, female students appearing in exams will not be required to remove their burqas or abayas at any examination centre.

The chairman stated that no complaints of cheating have been received involving female candidates; such measures are unnecessary.

He further warned that strict action would be taken if any examination centre is found forcing female students to remove their burqa or abaya during the exams.

The chairman also directed that no male invigilators should be appointed at examination centres designated for female students.

The annual examinations for 9th and 10th-grade students began across the city last Friday. As many as 385,000 students are appearing for the examinations.

Authorities have promised strict monitoring. Section 144 has been imposed around examination centres to maintain order, mobile phones are completely banned, and even nearby photostat shops stay shut to prevent any chance of cheating.

However, the matriculation examinations have been plunged into controversy, with widespread allegations of paper leaks, bribery, and severe administrative failures disrupting students’ ability to sit exams fairly.

Phil Garner, a three-time All-Star baseball lifer passed away at age 76 in The Woodlands, Texas, on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

Garner, a three-time All-Star infielder, led as the manager of the Astros to their first World Series appearance.

Garner was battling with pancreatic cancer for over two years, according to his son Ty, in a statement issued by the Pittsburg Pirates.

“Phil never lost his signature spark of life. He was so well known for his love for baseball, which was with him until the end,” said Garner’s son Ty.

Phil Garner gave baseball 16 years of his career playing for the Oakland Athletics (1973-76), then moving to Pittsburgh Pirates (1977-81), Astros (1981-87), Los Angeles Dodgers (1987) and San Francisco Giants (1988).

Pirates chairman Bob Nutting paid a tribute to Garner, saying, “Phil Garner was a fierce competitor, a respected leader, and a cherished part of the Pirates family.”

“His contributions to the 1979 World Series championship team will forever be part of Pirates history. We always appreciated welcoming Phil back to Pittsburgh, and it was evident how deeply this city, this team, his teammates, and our fans meant to him,” added Nutting.

Garner made All-Star teams with Oakland in 1976 and Pittsburgh in 1980 and 1981.

As a player, he made appearances in 150 games and had an .800 OPS for Pittsburgh during the Pirates’ 1979 World Series championship season.

He posted a .417 in the National League Championship Series sweep of the Reds and batted .500 in the World Series, helping the Pirates overcome a 3-1 hole to beat the Orioles.

Garner spent a decade and a half managing in the big leagues, posting a 985-1,054 record with the Milwaukee Brewers (1992-99), Detroit Tigers (2000-02), and Astros (2004-07).

He held the Brewers’ franchise record for most managerial wins until Craig Counsell overtook him in 2002.