Page 5 - Pakistan Army

Pakistan's benchmark share index trades at record high, breaches 72,000

The index has surged 75.5% over the past year and is up 11.5% year-to-date

Iran Prez Raisi, Pak army chief Munir discuss stability, border security

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir discussed regional peace, stability and border security, months after the two neighbours carried out tit-for-tat air strikes against alleged terrorist hideouts on rival lands. Gen Munir called on Raisi, the first head of state of any country to visit Pakistan after the February 8 general elections, and emphasised the need for improved coordination against the terrorists, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army said. General Munir described the Pakistan-Iran border as the border of peace and friendship, emphasising the need for improved coordination along the border to prevent terrorists from jeopardising the longstanding brotherly relations between the two neighbouring countries, it said. The statement said that the discussion between the two dignitaries focussed on matters of mutual interest, notably regional peace, stability, and border security. "Both sides concurre

Even Pak politicians want PM Modi as their country's leader: MP CM Yadav

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that even politicians in Pakistan say they wish their country had a leader like him. He also alleged that India got divided due to the seeds sown by the Congress. Yadav was addressing gatherings on Friday evening during the campaigning in Hoshangabad Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh. He claimed that the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) also want to become part of India as there is a crisis of survival in the neighbouring country. "Pakistan's leaders, including (former PM) Nawaz Sharif, are continuously saying that they wish Narendra Modi was there (in Pakistan). If you are a leader, then you should be such that even your enemy praises you. This leader (Modi) is making us proud," Yadav said in one of his addresses. He slammed the Congress, saying that there was a "stigma on the forehead" of the party of dividing the country into Bharat and Pakistan. "There was no BJP or Jan

US sanctions 3 China firms for providing ballistic missile tech to Pak

The US has imposed sanctions on three China-based companies and one from Belarus for supplying missile-applicable items for Pakistan's ballistic missile programme, including its long-range missile programme, the State Department has said. The name of the companies are Xi'an Longde Technology Development, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade and Granpect Co. Ltd from China and Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant from Belarus. These entities have engaged in activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery, including any efforts to manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport, transfer or use such items, by Pakistan, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Friday. Miller said the US is committed to strengthening the global nonproliferation regime by taking action to disrupt procurement networks supporting proliferation activities of ...

Pakistan security forces kill 7 terrorists in restive KP province

Pakistani security forces have killed seven terrorists trying to infiltrate the country's border with Afghanistan in the restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday, the military said. The security forces detected a movement of the seven terrorists near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Spinkai area of Ghulam Khan in the tribal district of North Waziristan, the ISPR, the military's media wing, said. The infiltrators were surrounded, effectively engaged and after an intense fire exchange, all seven territories were killed, it added. A large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives was also recovered from the killed terrorists. Pakistan has consistently been asking the Taliban-led interim Afghan government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border. After the killing of the seven terrorists, the military again urged the interim rulers to fulfil their obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for perpetrating acts of terrorism .

3 kids killed in landmine blast in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

At least three children were killed on the spot and one injured in a landmine explosion in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, police said. The tragic incident occurred in Wanna town of the tribal South Waziristan district on the third day of Eid. The children were on their way to watch a volleyball match between two local teams in the Mandokai area when one of them stepped on a landmine triggering a huge blast, a district police officer said. Three children died on the spot and one was critically injured. The injured child was provided immediate treatment at a local hospital before being shifted to a district hospital in Dera Ismail Khan. It was not immediately clear who planted the landmines in the area. However, South Waziristan is a hotbed for militants.

Militants kill 11 in Pak's Balochistan province in latest terror attacks

At least 11 people, nine of them from Punjab province, were shot dead by militants in Pakistan's restive Balochistan in two separate incidents, authorities said on Saturday, as the region witnessed a surge in terror attacks in recent days. Nine of the deceased were travelling in a bus on the National Highway from Quetta to Taftan when they were stopped by unknown militants, who pulled them out of the bus and killed them later, an official said. The bodies of these nine men were later found with bullet wounds in the nearby mountainous areas near a bridge, he said. The bus was going from Quetta to Taftan when armed men stopped it and after identifying passengers took the nine men to the mountainous areas, he added. The victims were from Wazirabad, Mandi Bahauddin, and Gujranwala in Punjab province. In a separate incident, a car was fired upon on the same highway in which two passengers were killed and two others injured. Condemning the attacks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought

Pakistan set to repay $1 bn against Eurobond to reduce stock of debt

Pakistan is set to repay a foreign debt worth USD 1 billion against a 10-year Eurobond maturing in the middle of this month which will reduce the stock of the debt acquired through the selling of bonds in international markets to below USD 7 billion. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) told The Express Tribune that it was ready to repay the bond anytime and was waiting to receive instructions to do so from the finance ministry. The move will reduce the stock of the debt acquired through selling Eurobonds and Sukuks (bond-like instruments used in Islamic finance) in international markets to below USD 7 billion. This has enhanced the country's capacity to repay all the upcoming maturing foreign debt on time. Following the repayment of USD 1 billion in April, Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves will experience a decline. However, the anticipated International Monetary Fund (IMF) tranche of USD 1.1 billion, likely to be received by the end of April, is expected to restore the reserves ba

Did not denotify Gen Bajwa during his role as Army chief, says Imran Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan on Saturday said that he did not de-notify former Army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa despite his actions during the removal of PTI government in 2022 felt like a betrayal', according to a media report. Khan, 71, who was ousted from power in April 2022 via the opposition's no-confidence motion, had blamed Gen Bajwa for playing a vital role against his government. Speaking to journalists in an informal conversation during the hearing of the Toshakhana reference in Adiala Jail, Khan said: "Although General Bajwa's actions felt like a betrayal, we [the then PTI government] refrained from convening a committee to confront him. During the conversation, Khan once again called for negotiations for the betterment of the country. It's for the betterment of Pakistan, so convince me for negotiations. If I could meet Gen Qamar Bajwa twice following the removal of our government, then I could meet anyone. Right now, it is not about me, but is abou

2 Pakistan soldiers killed as armed men open fire on security personnel

Unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate fire on a Pakistan Army bomb disposal team near the port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, killing two soldiers and injuring four others. The bomb disposal team of the Pakistan Army was busy clearing landmines in the Ankara Dam area of Gwadar district when gunmen opened fire on them on Sunday, the Dawn newspaper reported on Monday. Two security personnel were killed and four others injured in the attack in the Ankara Dam area on Sunday, officials said. The firing incident took place some 25km from the port city [Gwadar], which claimed two lives and injured four others, said Gwadar SSP Mohsin Zohaib, adding that after the incident, the bodies and the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital. Security forces have launched a search operation in the area to trace the attackers. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has, in the past, claimed most of the attack

Zardaris supersede Sharifs with most legislators from same family in Pak

The Zardaris have overtaken the Sharifs to hold the record for having the most number of lawmakers from a family in Pakistani politics after President Asif Ali Zardari and slain former premier Benazir Bhutto's youngest daughter Aseefa was elected unopposed as a member of Parliament. Aseefa, who is set to become the First Lady, had filed a nomination for the National Assembly seat NA-207 from the Shaheed Benazirabad (formerly Nawabshah) area of Sindh province for the bye-election scheduled for next month. According to a notification issued by the Returning Office of the area, Aseefa was elected unopposed after three candidates who had filed papers against her withdrew their names from the contest. The three candidates were Abdul Rasool Brohi, Amanullah and Mairaj Ahmed. It left her with no challenger and she was declared a winner in her maiden electoral contest Friday. The seat was vacated by her father, Asif Ali Zardari after he was elected as the president. With her victory, the

Pak flag carrier suspends crew member after being detained in Canada

Pakistan's ailing flag carrier PIA has suspended a crew member after she was briefly detained by Canadian customs authorities along with two others for carrying the passport of an unrelated person, according to a media report on Saturday. The incident comes as Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) grapples with flight attendants' disappearances amid a crew shortage. Hina Sani was detained along with two other crew members who were also on duty with her on flight PK-789 from Lahore to Toronto, the Dawn newspaper reported. However, the three crew members were later freed and allowed to travel back to Pakistan following investigations. Later, the PIA management suspended Sani and announced it would take further action in line with the Canadian customs' investigation report, the report said. It is against international law to carry someone else's passport while travelling abroad. PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez Khan said the airline management was in touch with the Canadian authorities

Misery for Pak public as petrol price likely to rise by PKR 10 per litre

According to industry officials, the price of petrol is poised to inflate by nearly PKR 10 per litre due to a surge in international crude prices

Six Pakistan high court judges allege intelligence agencies' interference

In an unprecedented move, six judges of the Islamabad High Court sought intervention by the Supreme Judicial Council against the alleged interference in the working of the judiciary by Pakistan's powerful intelligence agencies. A letter signed by six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges demanded the SJC initiate a judicial convention against such interference in judicial affairs. The six judges who signed the March 25 dated letter include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz. The letter also advocated adopting a stance to ensure the judiciary's independence through the convention. The SJC is the highest body authorised to take action against judges of high and supreme courts. We are writing to seek guidance from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with regard to the duty of a judge to report and respond to actions on part of members of the execut

Pak targets suspected Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan, tensions rise

Pakistani airstrikes targeted multiple suspected hideouts of Pakistani Taliban inside Afghanistan early Monday, two days after insurgents killed seven soldiers in a suicide bombing and coordinated attacks in the northwest, two security officials said. There was no immediate comment by Pakistan's military, and the Taliban government in Afghanistan denounced the strikes, which are likely to further increase tension between the neighboring countries. Two Pakistani security and intelligence officials said the airstrikes were carried out in Khost and Paktika provinces bordering Pakistan. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media on the record. The officials provided no further details, and it was unclear whether jets went deep inside Afghanistan. The Pakistani Taliban also confirmed Monday's strikes in a statement. Chief Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement that Pakistan's airstrikes in Barmal disti

Perform or perish: Pakistan PM Shehbaz tells new cabinet members

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said a deep surgery is required to pull the cash-strapped country out of the economic crisis and urged his Cabinet members to either perform or perish. The prime minister inducted 19 members into his Cabinet earlier in the day, ending the tenuous wait for the completion of government formation in the country. Addressing the maiden cabinet meeting, Shehbaz said Pakistan is facing massive challenges and a deep surgery is required to pull the country out of the economic crisis. Taking stock of the issues and problems affecting the economy and the country, the prime minister asked his Cabinet members to perform or perish, saying that the time is now or never. Shehbaz said the government should take difficult decisions and that too without wasting any time. Deep surgery is needed as antibiotics will not work, he said. Shehbaz said bringing inflation under control is the biggest challenge, however, the government together with the provinc

44 yrs after hanging, Pak SC says Bhutto's trial didn't follow due process

Lahore High Court had sentenced Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to death on March 18, 1978, on charges of ordering the assassination of Ahmed Reza Kasuri, a founding member of the PPP

Maryam Nawaz's selection as Punjab CM a 'milestone' in Pak politics: US

The selection of Maryam Nawaz as the chief minister of the Punjab province is a milestone in Pakistani politics, the US has said, asserting that it looks forward to cooperating with Islamabad on integrating women more fully into the country's political life. Maryam, the 50-year-old daughter of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, took oath as the first-ever woman chief minister of Pakistan's most populous and politically crucial Punjab province last week. Her (Maryam Nawaz Sharif) selection as chief minister is a milestone in Pakistani politics, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference on Monday. Maryam is considered the political heir to 74-year-old Nawaz Sharif, the three-time former prime minister. We look forward to cooperating with Pakistan more broadly on integrating women more fully into the country's political life, in the economy, including through the US-Pakistan Women's Council, civil society, and other ...

Pakistan's army still firmly in command despite national election rebuke

The military, which has ruled Pakistan directly or indirectly for most of its modern history, is set to make all important decisions on foreign policy and security for the country's new government

Cash-strapped Pakistan says IMF conditions for $1.2 billion tranche met

Pakistan has met the IMF's benchmarks for maintaining the status quo in the energy sector in an outcome that may help to get the next loan tranche of USD 1.2 billion, officials said, ahead of the visit of the global lender's review mission to the cash-strapped country. The Ministry of Energy officials said they have met the end-December targets related to containing the flow of circular debt below Pakistani Rs 385 billion, timely increase in the electricity prices, and slowing the increase in line losses, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The IMF would review the implementation of these targets during the loan negotiations under the second review of the USD 3 billion bailout package. The IMF's review mission might visit Islamabad by the end of this month or early next month, provided the government formation at the federal and provincial levels is complete. Citing sources, the paper said that against the condition to restrict the flow of the circular debt to Pakistani Rs 385