Stories by Baqir Sajjad Syed

Baqir Sajjad Syed is the Foreign Affairs and National Security Correspondent for Dawn. His career of over 25 years spans print and broadcast journalism. He is a former UN Reham al-Farah Fellow and held a Pakistan Fellowship at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, DC. He tweets @baqirsajjad

Makkah accord moves towards mly cooperation

• Army chiefs of Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia meet in Riyadh to discuss collective defence • Trilateral meeting agrees to

Published 27 Sep, 2026 07:24am

What comes after Riyadh meeting between the Pakistani, Saudi and Turkish military chiefs?

The meeting points to how quickly the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement is transitioning to an operational phase.

Published 26 Sep, 2026 05:23pm

Makkah defence pact chiefs hold urgent talks in Riyadh

Discussions come amid Houthis’ missile, drone attacks on Saudi territory

Published 26 Sep, 2026 04:59am

Ex-corps commander named for Makkah alliance top job

• Secretariat in Riyadh will provide institutional framework for coordination among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye

Published 24 Sep, 2026 07:04am

Who is retired Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood, the first secretary general of the Makkah Defence Alliance?

His immediate task in Riyadh will be to help build the institutional machinery of the alliance that is still in its early stages.

Published 23 Sep, 2026 06:34pm

Iran shows willingness to return to negotiating table

Naqvi meets Pezeshkian, Momeni to "discuss mediation process"; Iran is "grateful" to Pakistan’s political, military leadership for peace efforts.

Updated 22 Sep, 2026 07:44am

‘Shrinking space for diplomacy raising risks in South Asia’

Growing reliance on hard power, emerging technologies creating new challenges, says Lt Gen (retd) Mazhar Jamil.

Updated 19 Sep, 2026 08:02am

Pakistan ‘prefers dialogue over coercion’ to address Houthi threat

FO terms situation around the Red Sea chokepoint "exceptionally serious"; says Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Riyadh is operational, some forces already deployed.

Updated 18 Sep, 2026 07:32am

Pakistan, India trade blame after ships collide in Arabian Sea

FO issues demarche to New Delhi’s charge d’affaires; accuses Indian vessel of ‘aggressive’ manoeuvres close to Pakistani ship

Published 17 Sep, 2026 07:04am

Islamabad, Beijing activate joint border commission

The mechanism provides a framework for addressing border issues, including inspections, joint surveys, boundary markers, cross-border facilities and incidents.

Updated 17 Sep, 2026 07:24am

Makkah pact not operational yet, still being firmed up: FO

• Islamabad rules out strikes on Houthi targets for now • New Foreign Office spokesperson distinguishes trilateral pact from

Published 11 Sep, 2026 07:01am

Asim Iftikhar named 34th foreign secretary

FM Dar announces appointment on X after PM Shehbaz approves posting

Published 10 Sep, 2026 06:56am

The diminishing office of foreign secretary

Formally, the foreign secretary remains the bureaucratic head of the country’s diplomatic machinery and the senior-most career diplomat.

Updated 10 Sep, 2026 08:04am

PMDC instructs medical, dental colleges not to admit Afghan students for 'current academic session'

Policy decision was conveyed by the council to public and private medical institutions across the country earlier this month.

Updated 08 Sep, 2026 11:43pm

Pakistan faces uphill GSP+ battle

“The government will need to take steps towards improving the situation, which will also be very important in the reapplication process,” he says.

Updated 07 Sep, 2026 11:08am

Maj Gen Faisal Naseer to head Nacta

The appointment is for a period of three years and is effective immediately, with standard terms and conditions and until further orders.

Published 05 Sep, 2026 04:01am

Govt transfers ISI’s internal wing chief Maj Gen Faisal Naseer to Nacta

He has been appointed the national coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Authority.

Updated 05 Sep, 2026 07:36am

No thaw until Kabul acts against terrorists: FO

"Progress in Pak-Afghan relations hinges on verifiable, written assurances from the Afghan side that their territory will not be used for terrorism against Pakistan," FO spokesperson says.

Updated 03 Sep, 2026 07:23am

Pakistan treads carefully as US tightens Iran sanctions

“About trade with Iran, Pakistan is following international law, and our bilateral trade agreements with Iran,” FO says.

Updated 28 Aug, 2026 09:12am

Fresh efforts at mediation revive hopes for US-Iran climbdown

Diplomatic sources point to "softer than expected" sanctions, say Islamabad taking the lead in conveying messages from Tehran to Washington, and vice versa.

Published 26 Aug, 2026 07:45am