ISLAMABAD:
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that around 50 foreign journalists had arrived in Pakistan for the “Islamabad talks”.
“Journalists from several countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany and Korea, have submitted visa applications to cover the talks,” he told state broadcaster PTV.
Tarar noted that yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that visas on arrival would be available for journalists from Iran and the United States, adding that journalists from all over the world were coming to Pakistan to cover.
“The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has provided all necessary facilities for journalists under one roof at the Jinnah Convention Centre,” Tarar said. “High-speed internet connectivity, printers, computers and screens have been installed, and all facilities necessary to carry out journalistic tasks have been made available.”
Furthermore, the minister said that Islamabad’s Red Zone was close to the centre, making it easier for journalists to carry out their coverage.
“Effort has been made to provide all facilities at one place so that journalists do not face any difficulty in reporting,” Tarar said. “We welcome foreign journalists who come to report,” he added.
Earlier, Tarar, in a post on
He said: “All necessary measures have been taken to help local and foreign journalists in the best possible way.” The center was set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, he said, adding: “We will take good care of them.”
Meanwhile, journalists wandering around the Jinnah Convention Center pass the time with a bite to eat.
The convention center often hosts awards ceremonies and other large productions; now hosts a legion of reporters and producers to cover the main event.
The press is well prepared for long negotiations. There’s plenty of free coffee available, plus a curry and barbecue buffet for lunch and dinner.
Ministry of Information staff are available for any technical and logistical support, and the center’s main hall is adorned with diplomatic décor: huge banners boast of the “Islamabad Talks” with the flags of the United States, Pakistan and Iran arranged in the center.
Likewise, a large banner on the convention floor advertises #IslamabadTalks for those interested in social media. Right in front of the display there is a bench of sofas for tired journalists.
A day earlier, Dar said that delegates and journalists from participating nations coming to the peace talks will be given a visa upon arrival in Islamabad.
He said, “Pakistan welcomes all delegates, including journalists from participating countries, traveling in connection with the Islamabad Talks 2026. To this end, all airlines are requested to allow boarding to all such persons without a visa. Pakistani immigration authorities will issue them a visa upon arrival.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi then clarified that the visa-on-arrival system applies only to delegates and journalists from participating countries, specifically Iran and the United States. “This mechanism, expanded for the duration of the talks, does not cover third-country nationals,” he added.
The government has introduced these facilities as senior figures from the United States and Iran prepare to hold historic talks in Islamabad today, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif describing the high-stakes negotiations as a “defining moment” for peace.
