ISLAMABAD, Apr 15: Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, on Wednesday paid a visit to the Institute of Asian and African Studies of Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU).

During the visit, Ambassador Tirmizi met with Dr. Aleksey Maslov, Director of the Institute. The Ambassador was briefed about the Institute’s prestigious history and its current educational programmes.

The prospects for cooperation, with a specific focus on the development of Pakistan studies and the establishment of student exchange programs between Pakistani and Russian academic institutions were discussed.

Ambassador Tirmizi also met with the students of the Institute of Asian and African Studies and delivered a talk on current developments in the Middle East and Pakistan’s role in mediation between Iran and United States of America.

The session concluded with an interactive question and answer session, where the Ambassador answered quires of students in detail on geopolitics and Pakistan foreign policy.

This visit underscores the commitment of both Pakistan and Russia to strengthening academic ties and fostering a deeper understanding between the next generation of both the countries.

Ansar Mahmood Bhatti

ISLAMABAD: A high-level Pakistani delegation led by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, along with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, arrived in Tehran on Wednesday as part of Islamabad’s intensified efforts to broker a lasting peace between the United States and Iran.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the delegation is visiting Iran to support ongoing mediation aimed at transforming the fragile two-week ceasefire into a permanent agreement. Iranian officials confirmed that Tehran and Washington continue to exchange messages through Pakistani mediators.

The visit comes ahead of a likely second round of US-Iran talks, with sources indicating the next session could be held either in Islamabad or Riyadh by the end of next week. Pakistan has emerged as a central facilitator in the peace process following its successful role in securing the initial ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as part of his three-nation tour (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye) from April 15 to 18. The visit focuses on strengthening bilateral ties and promoting regional peace and stability in the Middle East.

Makkah Region Deputy Governor Prince Saud bin Mashaal bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliki, and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmed Farooq welcomed the Prime Minister and his delegation at the airport.

Pakistan’s proactive diplomatic role underscores its growing influence as a trusted mediator between conflicting parties in the region.

TEHRAN, APR 15 /DNA/ – Field Marshal Asim Munir, NI(M), HJ, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) & Chief of Defence Force (CDF), along with Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi and a delegation, arrived in Tehran today as part of ongoing mediation efforts, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed.

The high-level visit underscores Pakistan’s continued diplomatic role in facilitating dialogue and de-escalation in the region. While specific details of the mediation were not immediately disclosed, sources indicate the discussions aim to address outstanding points of contention between regional states, building on previous rounds of engagement brokered by Pakistan.

Field Marshal Asim Munir and Mr. Naqvi are expected to hold meetings with senior Iranian civilian and military leadership during the visit. The delegation’s presence reflects Pakistan’s commitment to leveraging its diplomatic channels to promote peace, stability, and constructive engagement among brotherly nations.

Further updates regarding the outcomes of the talks are anticipated upon the conclusion of the delegation’s engagements in Tehran.

MONITORING REPORT 

LONDON: A BBC undercover investigation has alleged that a network of immigration advisers, paralegals and associated intermediaries has been helping migrants fabricate asylum claims in the UK by falsely presenting themselves as gay, charging thousands of pounds for false narratives, staged evidence and interview coaching.

At least three law firms – one of these owned by Pakistanis – has been accused by the BBC of fabricating the asylum claims through illegal means:  Law & Justice Solicitors and Connaught Law. Law and Justice is owned by Michael Oluyemi Makinde and Connaught Law is owned by Nauman Javid, Sheryar Khan, Zehra Tamkan and Awais Javed.

According to the BBC investigation, the abuse centres on migrants, particularly from Pakistan and Bangladesh, whose student, work or tourist visas are close to expiring and who are then allegedly advised to seek asylum on the basis of sexual orientation – as being gay or lesbian.

Using undercover reporters posing as international students from Pakistan and Bangladesh, the BBC said it tested whether immigration advisers would encourage false sexuality-based asylum claims. It reported finding multiple individuals willing to discuss fake claims, suggest supporting evidence and quote fees for handling such cases. Among the findings were allegations that Connaught Law firm quoted up to £7,000 for a fabricated claim and described the chances of refusal as “very low”, while another adviser allegedly offered to arrange fake supporting letters, photographs and even a supposed sexual partner to back up an asylum application.

The BBC undercover reporter made an appointment with Aqeel Abbasi, a senior legal adviser at Connaught Law, which has its offices in Central London on Gray’s Inn Road. Abbasi told the BBC reporter that he could help him stay in the country and appeared to be willing to direct him on how to fabricate evidence for a fake claim. He promised that the chance of refusal by the Home Office was “very low”.

He said his fee would be £7,000 and, once that had been paid, his office would contact the undercover reporter to guide them through the process and the kind of evidence required. This would include advising him on “where to go or what specific actions to take”.

The legal adviser also suggested the undercover reporter would need to find someone willing to pretend to be his male/gay partner. When the reporter said he had a wife in Pakistan, Abbasi was quick to suggest a cover story to explain this, by saying that things were “more open” in the UK than Pakistan and that he now had a male partner.

“We will prepare a statement for you, and once you read it, you will understand exactly how it is,” said Abbasi. A significant part of the investigation focused on Worcester LGBT, a support organisation for gay and lesbian asylum seekers which holds monthly meetings attended by large numbers of migrants from across the country. The BBC traced the undercover reporter’s route to the group through Mazedul Hasan Shakil, a paralegal at Law & Justice Solicitors, an immigration firm based in Birmingham and London, who is also described as founder and chairman of Worcester LGBT.  The reporter received a call from a woman identified as Tanisa (Shakil’s associate), who, in Urdu, allegedly became much more direct about using a “gay case” as the only realistic route to stay in Britain.

When told the reporter was not gay, Tanisa replied: “There is nobody who is real. There is only one way out in order to live here now and that is the very method everyone is adopting.” The BBC identified her as Tanisa Khan, an adviser linked to Worcester LGBT. The broadcaster then described an initial meeting in Forest Gate, east London, which took place in Tanisa’s home. According to the report, she laid out a plan to fabricate an asylum claim on the grounds of same-sex orientation, warning that the applicant would have to memorise a false story convincingly for Home Office interviews. The report said she offered to obtain a letter from someone claiming to have had sexual relations with the applicant and said she would fully prepare him for the Home Office process. She charged £2,500, with additional costs if the claim failed and went to appeal. The BBC also said she suggested that if the reporter later brought his wife from Pakistan to Britain, she too could make a false asylum claim by pretending to be lesbian.

WASHINGTON, APR 15 /DNA/ – Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, commenced his engagements for the day at the World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings 2026 by participating in the 15th Ministerial Meeting of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action (CFMCA), held under the theme “Climate Action as an Engine of Growth, Jobs and Competitiveness.”

In his intervention, the Finance Minister underscored Pakistan’s evolving climate resilience, noting that during the devastating floods of 2022, the country had to immediately seek international support. In contrast, he highlighted that when a similar disaster struck in 2025, Pakistan was able to mobilize relief through its own resources reflecting the strengthened fiscal buffers built over the intervening period.

Senator Aurangzeb outlined key measures undertaken to green Pakistan’s financial architecture, including the issuance of Green Taxonomy Guidelines by the State Bank of Pakistan. He informed participants that Pakistan currently has approximately 8,000 MW of installed solar capacity and is pursuing an ambitious target of sourcing 90 percent of its energy from renewables within the next decade.

The Finance Minister expressed appreciation to Pakistan’s international partners for their continued support in advancing climate finance initiatives, specifically acknowledging the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) extended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Country Partnership Framework with the World Bank Group.