Pakistan

The meeting followed Doha-mediated ceasefire discussions triggered by violent clashes between Pakistani and Taliban forces that killed dozens.

Rubio emphasized that the renewed outreach to Pakistan won't harm the US's longstanding ties with India, which he called "deep, historic, and important."

The Taliban denies accusations of sheltering insurgents and says Pakistan's military operations violate Afghan sovereignty.

"We have the option, if no agreement takes place, we have an open war with them," Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said in televised remarks from Pakistan. "But I saw that they want peace."

Pakistan's cabinet bans Tehreek-e-Labbaik after violent protests over Gaza, marking the party's second ban in four years amid accusations of terrorism.

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a fragile ceasefire after deadly border clashes, with Islamabad warning that any militant incursions from Afghan soil would violate the deal.

Afghanistan and Pakistan reached a ceasefire after a week of border clashes, as Kabul accused Islamabad of airstrikes killing civilians.

“I have heard that the vaccination is being used to make women infertile and reduce the population of Muslims,” Ali Sheikh, a mother of two in Karachi, told AP.

Threat analyst Israr Ahmed Rajput says the TLP terror group planned the protests to erode the government’s hard-won diplomatic credibility

Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani border posts late Saturday, with the country's ministry of defense saying this was in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan earlier in the week.