CIA chief to meet Israeli, Qatari officials on Monday for hostage deal talks: Axios

Published December 18, 2023

CIA Director Bill Burns is set to meet Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and the head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency in Warsaw to discuss a potential new deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, Axios reported, citing two US and Israeli officials.

Live Gaza Invasion

Branded Content

Putting better health in more hands: Reckitt Pakistan unveils Saaf Sehatmand Pakistan in partnership with Aga Khan Foundation

Powered by Dettol and Harpic, the flagship platform begins in schools to provide safe drinking water, rehabilitated toilets, handwashing facilities and hygiene education.

28 years of McDonald’s Pakistan: celebrating the local partners behind the Golden Arches

The milestone highlighted the structural evolution of the company's local procurement model.

Etihad Town Sialkot delivers Possession ahead of time

The project was delivered within just 1.5 years against a 3-year payment plan, while commercial possession had already been handed over to customers in January 2026.

Most Popular

Pakistani national charged with defrauding US Postal Service of $126m

Fighting Pakistan go down to Vietnam in final ASEAN Cup match

PM Shehbaz met Trump at reception banquet on UNGA sidelines

‘Why the need for all this drama’: DG ISPR lampoons India's 'neutralised Pakistani terrorist' claims, presents him before media

Hasan Nawaz's fighting 96 against India in vain as Pakistan settle for Asian Games cricket silver

Risks ahead

PM Shehbaz urges shift from economic stabilisation to growth, job creation and export promotion

Govt raises petrol price by Rs3.26 per litre, reduces high-speed diesel rate by Rs1.01 per litre

Some institutions have become hurdles to performance: Naqvi

Latest Stories

SBP seen holding tight policy as mid-term inflation target appears out of reach

UN agency says over 60pc of citizens unable to afford healthy diet in Pakistan

Pakistan calls on UN to guarantee right of self-determination to Kashmiris, Palestinians

Houthis say Saudi aircraft carried out strikes on Sanaa, claim attack on Aramco facility south of Riyadh

Onus on state to protecting minors from online exploitation, harmful content, IHC told

Israeli forces help settlers seize olive groves in occupied West Bank

Opinion

Pakistan’s Russian dilemma

Muhammad Amir Rana

Russia is likely to remain cautious about deepening its cooperation with Pakistan.

Updated 04 Oct, 2026

The court that could not see

Justice (retd) Syed Mansoor Ali Shah

04 Oct, 2026

Mao’s legacy

Muhammad Ali Siddiqi

04 Oct, 2026

Beyond Oct 7

Muna Khan

Updated 03 Oct, 2026

Avoiding transparency

Ahmed Bilal Mehboob

Editorial

Updated 04 Oct, 2026

Yemen offensive

The best option, therefore, is for Muslim and Arab states to help restore the Saudi-Houthi ceasefire.

04 Oct, 2026

Growth transition

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent call to move from stabilisation to growth, job creation and export ...

04 Oct, 2026

Protection at risk

THE recent warning from UNHCR should alarm donor governments. Nearly 8.3m refugees and other forcibly displaced...

Updated 03 Oct, 2026

Talks, at last

The government’s constant threats to suspend KP’s elected dispensation over a political protest have escalated hostilities considerably. In that context, both sides did well to start talking.

Updated 03 Oct, 2026