Pakistan

Pakistan, Afghanistan clashes enter 3rd day as diplomatic efforts intensify

Diplomatic efforts gathered pace late on Friday as Afghanistan said its foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, spoke by telephone with Saudi Arabia's Prince Faisal bin Farhan about reducing tensions

When Af is left to Pak: A weak leadership and a muddled foreign policy

If the Pakistanis think they can do better than the Americans, an Indian partisan can again say, go ahead, make my day

Afghan Taliban open to talks after Pakistan bombs Kabul, Kandahar

Targets in the capital Kabul and the city of Kandahar, where Taliban leaders are based, were hit, signalling a stark rupture in ties between the Islamic neighbours

China expresses concern, urges Pakistan-Afghanistan to reach ceasefire soon

China on Friday called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to work out a ceasefire while expressing concern over the escalation of the conflict between the two countries. China is closely following the developments of the situation in the conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing here, responding to questions on the current conflict between the two countries. Pakistan and Afghanistan are close neighbours, and both are neighbouring countries of China. As a neighbour and friend, China is deeply concerned about the escalation of the conflict and deeply saddened by the casualties caused by the conflict, Mao said. She said China supports combating all forms of terrorism and calls on both sides to exercise calm and restraint, properly resolve their differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation, and realise a ceasefire as soon as possible to avoid more suffering. The de-escalation serves the fundamental interests o

Kabul, Kandahar hit as Pakistan declares 'open war' against Afghanistan

Pakistani officials said they carried out retaliatory strikes under 'Operation Ghazab lil Haq' on Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar in the early hours of Friday

Over 130 Afghan Taliban fighters killed in response to border attacks: Pak

Pakistan launched a retaliatory operation in response to the alleged border attacks by the Afghan Taliban, saying it has killed over 130 Taliban fighters. Operation Ghazab lil Haq commenced late Thursday night after the Afghan Taliban allegedly launched attacks on several border posts. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that the operation was underway, saying that the armed forces are currently delivering a strong response to aggression from the Afghan Taliban. Providing an update on the operation, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that at least 133 Afghan Taliban operatives were killed and more than 200 were injured. "Afghan Taliban defence targets in Kabul, Paktia, and Kandahar were targeted, with the possibility of further casualties," he said, adding that at least 27 posts of the Afghan Taliban regime were destroyed, and nine other posts were captured. The minister further informed that two corps headquarters, three brigade headquarters, two ammunition depots, one

Pakistan strikes Kabul, other provinces hours after Afghan retaliation

Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul and two other Afghan provinces early Friday, Afghanistan's government spokesman said, hours after Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack on Pakistan in the latest escalation of violence between the volatile neighbours that made a Qatar-mediated ceasefire appear increasingly shaky. At least three explosions were heard in Kabul, but there was no immediate information on the exact location of the strikes in the Afghan capital, or of any potential casualties. Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistan also carried out airstrikes in Kandahar to the south and in the southeastern province of Paktia. Afghanistan said its military launched its attack across the border into Pakistan late Thursday in retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas Sunday, and claimed to have captured more than a dozen Pakistani army posts. Pakistan's government, which had described last Sunday's airstrikes as an attack on militants ...

Afghan forces hit military targets in Pakistan to retaliate for airstrikes

Afghan military authorities say they have begun carrying out strikes against Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes days ago. A statement issued by the media office of Afghanistan's military corps in the east said "heavy clashes" had begun Thursday night "in response to the recent airstrikes carried out by Pakistani forces in Nangarhar and Paktia" provinces. There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan and no immediate information on casualties. On Sunday, Pakistan's military carried out strikes along the border with Afghanistan, saying it had killed at least 70 militants. Afghanistan rejected the claim, saying dozens of civilians had been killed, including women and children.

Pakistan detached from reality, living in 'la la land': India at UNHRC

Anupama Singh, India's representative, reiterated India's long-standing position that Jammu and Kashmir 'was, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India'

Cricket could rescue far more than just Imran Khan's political fate

His sudden dominance of his country's politics was in no small degree a consequence of the all-powerful military eventually putting a hand on the electoral scales in his favour

'Pak PM would have died': Trump's new claim over India-Pakistan conflict

During the state of union address, Trump claimed he saved Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and prevented a nuclear war between India and Pakistan

India strongly condemns Pakistan's airstrikes on Afghan territory

India on Sunday strongly condemned Pakistan's fresh airstrikes on Afghan territory that resulted in civilian casualties. New Delhi described the strikes as another attempt by Pakistan to "externalise its internal failures", and reiterated its support for Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "India strongly condemns Pakistan's airstrikes on Afghan territory that have resulted in civilian casualties, including women and children, during the holy month of Ramadan," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "It is another attempt by Pakistan to externalise its internal failures. India reiterates its support for Afghanistan's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence," he said in response to media queries on the issue. Pakistan said the airstrikes were carried out to target at least seven militant hideouts in Afghanistan in retaliation for the recent rebel attacks in the country. Islamabad claimed that at least 70 terrorists were killed in t

Pak strikes militant hideouts near Afghan border after surge in attacks

Pakistan said that it had carried out strikes along the border with Afghanistan, targeting hideouts of Pakistani militants it blames for recent attacks inside the country. Islamabad did not say in precisely which areas the strikes were carried out or provide details. There was no immediate comment from Kabul. In comments before dawn Sundya, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar wrote on X that the military conducted what he described as "intelligence-based, selective operations" against seven camps belonging to the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, and its affiliates. He said an affiliate of the Islamic State group was also targeted in the border region. In October, Pakistan has also conducted strikes deep inside Afghanistan to target militant hideouts.

Trump claims, again, that he stopped India-Pak war with 200% tariff threat

India has repeatedly stated that the ceasefire following the 2025 military escalation was reached bilaterally, without any third-party intervention

A START for multilateralism: Nuclear proliferation needs a global treaty

The US and Russia currently account for 90 per cent of all nuclear weapons. But there are now a total of nine nuclear-armed states, which collectively account for 12,241 warheads as of January 2025

USTR's India map draws attention as Delhi, Washington announce trade pact

As New Delhi and Washington announced details of the bilateral interim agreement framework on trade, a map of India issued by the US Trade Representative's office on Friday drew attention. The map, posted by US Trade Representative on the social media site X, showed the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, as Indian territory. Similarly, the Aksai Chin region, claimed by China, is also shown as part of the Indian territory, a significant messaging by the US. On previous occasions, maps of India have been shown with a demarcated line to portray the PoK and Aksai Chin region. But the map of India issued by the USTR shows the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including these two areas, as an integral part of India. New Delhi has consistently underscored that the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. India also asserts that Aksai Chin is an integral part of its terri

Series of fires in Karachi raise alarm, authorities probe foul play

A spate of fire incidents in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi, following last month's deadly Gul Plaza shopping mall blaze, has raised alarm among authorities, who are also examining the possibility of foul play, officials said on Saturday. At least five fire outbreaks were reported from different parts of the city on Friday, while an explosion damaged a pipeline of a main water pumping station in Dhabeji, disrupting water supply to millions of residents. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Zubair Nazir Sheikh said law enforcement agencies and fire service officials were closely monitoring the situation and probing the causes of the fires, including the possibility of foul play. The renewed concern follows the January 17 inferno at the Gul Plaza shopping mall in the Saddar commercial area, which completely gutted the building and claimed at least 79 lives. It took two days to bring the blaze under control, while a week-long rescue operation led to the recovery of dozens of bodie

MEA trashes Pakistan's claims of Indian link to Islamabad mosque bombing

India on Friday categorically rejected Pakistan's allegations of an Indian link to the suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad that killed at least 31 people. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), describing the attack as "condemnable", said it is unfortunate that, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric, Pakistan chose to "delude" itself by blaming others for its home-grown ills. At least 31 people were killed and 169 others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in Islamabad. The powerful explosion took place at Khadijah al-Kubra mosque-cum-imambargah in the Tarlai area of Islamabad, police said in a statement. "The bombing at an Islamabad mosque earlier today is condemnable and India condoles the loss of life it has caused," the MEA said. "It is unfortunate that, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric, Pakistan should choose to delude itself by blaming others for its

31 killed, over 169 injured in suicide bombing at Shia mosque in Pakistan

The explosion occurred at the Khadijatul Kubra mosque-cum-imambargah, which caters to the Shia denomination, in the Tarlai area of Islamabad

Pak must create 30 mn jobs in 10 yrs to avoid instability: World Bank chief

Banga said Pakistan's population dynamics mean employment creation will remain a binding constraint on growth over the long term, rather than a secondary policy goal