POLITICAL ISSUES
EGYPT
1) President expressed desire for further expansion of Pak-Egypt ties
Islamabad, Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Talking to the outgoing Egyptian Ambassador Said Hindam in Islamabad, President Mamnoon Hussain called for more business interaction, cultural exchange and defence ties to strengthen bilateral relations.
Source: Pakistan Observer, Islamabad; See also: Pakistan Today, Lahore; Daily Capital, Islamabad

IRAN
2) Iran to expand relations with Pakistan
Islamabad, Thursday, 13 August 2015
During his one-day visit to Pakistan, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif emphasized on greater economic, energy and security ties between the two neighbours.
Source: Dawn, Islamabad; See also: The Express Tribune, Karachi

3) Pakistan-Iran for joint efforts against terrorism
Islamabad, Thursday, 13 August 2015
Prime Minister's National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif discussed the prospects of enhanced cooperation to combat extremism and terrorism.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

JORDAN
4) Pakistan President underlined importance of ties with Jordan
Islamabad, Friday, 21 August 2015
During the formal felicitation of the ambassador-designate Shafatullah Shah, President Mamnoon Hussain stated that Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with Jordan and highlighted keenness to enhance defence ties with Jordan.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: The News International, Karachi

SAUDI ARABIA
5) Terrorist attack at Saudi Arabia mosque condemned by Pakistan
Islamabad, Thursday, 6 August 2015
Pakistan strongly condemned the terrorist attack at a mosque in the southern city of Abha, Saudi Arabia which left 15 dead and many more injured.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad ; See also: Business Recorder, Karachi

TURKEY
6) Turkish President meets Prime Minister during stopover
Islamabad, Saturday, 1 August 2015
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held a meeting with President Erdogan during his stop over at Nur Khan Airbase and discussed Islamic State militants and the need to enhance cooperation in various sectors.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: The Express Tribune, Karachi; Daily Pakistan, Lahore

ECONOMIC ISSUES
IRAN
7) Pakistan requested Iran to lift rice, Kinno import ban
Islamabad, Thursday, 27 August 2015
Iran was requested to withdraw its ban on imports of rice and kinno. The ban led to 76 per cent decline in value of Pakistan’s exports to Iran from US$ 182 million in 2010 to US$ 43 million in 2014.
Source: Dawn, Karachi

QATAR
8) Qatar gas to assess Pakistan preparedness before signing long-term LNG deal
Islamabad, Tuesday, 18 August 2015
A delegation of Qatar Gas, which is the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) company agreed to visit Islamabad for assessing the feasibility of a long-term LNG supply agreement between the two nations.
Source: Dawn, Karachi; See also: The News International, Karachi

TURKEY
9) Pakistan, Turkey and Iran officials meeting for ECO train to be held soon
Lahore, Friday, 14 August 2015
Proposal for Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) train, between Turkey and Pakistan via Iran, was put forward in a meeting presided over by Pakistan Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique at Turkish Railways headquarters. The next round of meeting between the railway officials of the three countries would be held in Pakistan.
Source: The Express Tribune, Karachi; See also: Dawn, Karachi

10) Turkish Minister assured more Turkish investment in energy sector
Islamabad, Friday, 21 August 2015
In his meeting with visiting Pakistan delegation led by Punjab Minister Sher Ali Khan, Turkish Minister for Forestry and Water Veysel Eroglu assured more Turkish investment in Pakistan’s vital sectors such as energy and mining.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad ; See also: The Express Tribune, Karachi

SECURITY ISSUES
QATAR
11) Qatar Armed forces Chief visited Naval Headquarters
Islamabad, Tuesday, 18 August 2015
Major General of the Qatar Armed Forces Shaheen Al­Ghanim paid a visit to the Naval Headquarters in Pakistan to discuss issues of mutual interest including maritime security situation and operational developments in the Indian Ocean.
Source: Daily Times, Lahore; See also: The Nation, Lahore; Daily Pakistan, Lahore

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
KUWAIT   
12) 241 Pakistanis imprisoned in Kuwait
Islamabad, Monday, 10 August 2015
Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz informed that 241 Pakistanis were imprisoned in various jails in Kuwait, out of which 175 has been accused of drug trafficking.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad ; See also: Business Recorder, Karachi

QATAR
13) Qatar in talks to host Pakistan Twenty20 League
Islamabad, Wednesday, 26 August 2015
The head of the Qatar Cricket Association, Gul Khan stated that there was a high chance of Doha hosting the Pakistan Twenty-20 tournament in February 2016.
Source: The Express Tribune, Karachi; See also: Dawn, Karachi; Newsweek, Lahore

SAUDI ARABIA
14) 139 buildings hired to accommodate Pakistani Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia
Islamabad, Thursday, 13 August 2015 
Saudi Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony informed that the ministry had made appropriate arrangements to accommodate 71,684 Pakistani hujji.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad; See also: Daily Times, Lahore

UAE
15) Anchorperson Moeed Pirzada arrested in Abu Dhabi, released on bail
Islamabad, Monday, 10 August 2015
Anchor Moeed Pirzada was indicted for forging documents while he was in the UAE to visit his ailing father on 4 August. He was later released on bail and is likely to be allowed to leave for Pakistan within few weeks.
Source: Dawn, Karachi; See also: Business Recorder, Karachi

COMPILED BY DIVYA MALHOTRA

Divya Malhotra is pursuing her M. Phil degree in School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.  Email

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND. Editor, MEI@ND: P R Kumaraswamy