Tarar says Pakistan facilitated 50 foreign journalists for Islamabad Talks

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday said that around 50 foreign journalists had arrived in Pakistan to cover the high-profile “Islamabad Talks”, as the government rolled out extensive arrangements to facilitate international media.

Speaking to state broadcaster Pakistan Television Corporation, the minister said journalists from countries including China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany and Korea had submitted visa applications to report on the talks. He added that global media presence in Islamabad was continuing to grow as the negotiations gained international attention.

Tarar noted that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had announced visa-on-arrival facilities for journalists from Iran and the United States, enabling smoother entry for those covering the diplomatic engagement. He said journalists from across the world were now reaching Pakistan to report on the talks.

To support coverage, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has established a Media Facilitation Centre at the Jinnah Convention Centre, where journalists have been provided with essential resources under one roof. Tarar said the facility includes high-speed internet, computers, printers and screens, ensuring reporters can carry out their work without disruption.

He added that the centre’s proximity to Islamabad’s Red Zone — where key meetings are taking place — allows easy access for media personnel. “An effort has been made to provide all facilities in one place so that journalists do not face any difficulty in coverage,” the minister said, welcoming foreign reporters arriving for the event.

Earlier, in a post on X, Tarar reiterated that the Media Facilitation Centre had been set up specifically to support both foreign and local journalists covering the talks, assuring that all arrangements were in place for their convenience.

Inside the convention centre, the atmosphere reflects the scale of the event, with large numbers of reporters and producers stationed for extended coverage. The venue, typically used for major ceremonies, has been transformed into a media hub, complete with workstations, rest areas and logistical support staff from the ministry.

Journalists have also been provided with meals and refreshments, including coffee and buffet services, as they await developments from the negotiations. The main hall has been adorned with banners of the “Islamabad Talks”, alongside the flags of Pakistan, the United States and Iran, while signage promoting #IslamabadTalks is prominently displayed.

A day earlier, Dar had announced that delegates and journalists from participating nations would be granted visas on arrival in Islamabad. He directed airlines to allow boarding of such individuals without prior visas, stating that immigration authorities would issue visas upon arrival.

However, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi clarified that the facility applies only to delegates and journalists from participating countries — namely Iran and the United States — and would remain limited to the duration of the talks.

The government has introduced these measures as senior officials from Washington and Tehran gather in Islamabad for what Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has described as a “make or break moment” for regional peace, with global attention firmly fixed on the outcome of the negotiations.