Pakistan

India, Pakistan naval ships collide in Arabian Sea; Delhi lodges protest

India said the Pakistani naval unit approached at high speed and manoeuvred unsafely before the collision in international waters; no major damage was reported

Borderline case: Cosmetics from Pakistan breach Indian mkt, raise eyebrows

Drugs regulator says beauty creams from across the border are not registered, and contain excessive, toxic heavy metals

Unauthorised Pakistan-made creams sold in India: What happened?

Two Pakistan-made beauty creams flagged by India’s drug regulator for excessive heavy metals were found listed on major Indian shopping platforms. Some were even labelled “Made in India”.

No military response discussed under Mecca pact over attacks on Saudi: Pak

The joint defence agreement signed last month stipulates that an armed attack on any one of ​the three countries will be regarded as an attack ​on all of them.

Pakistan calls Makkah pact defensive alliance, rules out expansion

Pakistan on Thursday termed the trilateral defence agreement with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye as a "defensive alliance" to ensure regional security primarily through deterrence and ruled out any quick expansion of the pact. Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Makkah on August 7. The pact establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against all three. The trilateral agreement was primarily a "defensive alliance to ensure regional security primarily through deterrence," Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said at the weekly press briefing. His remarks came two days after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said that an unprovoked aggression against any member state, or a spillover of the Yemen conflict into Saudi Arabia, could activate the collective-defence provisions of the agreement. The minister's warning came afte

Pakistan pledges to honour security pact if Saudi Arabia attacked

"We're bound by the terms and conditions of this pact and, God willing, we'll honor this pact if there's aggression. There should be no ambiguity about this," Pakistan's Defense Minister said

Pakistan warns Houthi attack on Saudi could activate joint defence pact

Pakistan said there should be "no ambiguity" that an attack on any one of the three members of the newly formed Makkah Defence Alliance would be treated as an attack on all, as he warned that the pact could become operative following Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's remarks on Tuesday come hours after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi forces launched a wave of missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting cities and economic and energy infrastructure and injuring at least 73 civilians. The minister said any unprovoked aggression against a member state, or a spillover of the Yemen conflict into Saudi Arabia, would activate the collective-defence provisions of the agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in Makkah last month. "There should be no ambiguity; there is no need for any clarity that this is a joint defence agreement," Asif said in an interview with Geo TV channel. Pakistan would honour its commitments to Saudi Arabia under the .

Pakistan will remain a threat for the times to come, says former CDS

India's former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan (retired) said on Saturday that China, on the other hand, is a long-term challenge

No solitary confinement for Imran Khan, wife: Pak HC tells jail authorities

A Pakistan high court on Tuesday directed jail authorities to ensure that former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are not kept in solitary confinement. The 73-year-old cricketer-turned-politician and his wife are currently detained at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, serving lengthy prison sentences in corruption and related cases. Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro announced the verdict while holding the petitions challenging the alleged solitary confinement of Khan and Bibi as maintainable. The court also directed that Khan's family members be allowed to meet him as permitted under jail rules and ordered authorities to make arrangements for telephone conversations between him and his sons. The IHC directed the Adiala jail authorities to provide Khan with newspapers and books daily and ensure that he receives medical facilities in accordance with jail rules. The Adiala jail superintendent was directed to ensure implementation of the court's ...

Pakistan says more Muslim nations keen to join Mecca Defense Pact

Bangladesh is the latest country to express interest in joining the pact, signed on Aug. 7, which stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three nations will be considered an attack on them

When rivals appeal for Imran

Given how arrogant and self-loving Imran is, he may not be capable of introspection even in the isolation of Adiala jail. The harsh truth is that he played the same game when it suited him

Pakistan and Kuwait sign agreement to enhance defence cooperation

Pakistan and Kuwait on Thursday signed an agreement to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation, including in areas such as training, capacity building and border management. The 'Protocol Agreement-2026' was signed during a meeting between Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and a high-level Kuwaiti delegation led by Defence Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Al-Sabah at the Ministry of Defence in Rawalpindi. The delegation was accompanied by Kuwait Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces Lt Gen Khalid Al-Shriaan. According to an official statement, the two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, with particular focus on bilateral defence relations, security cooperation and further strengthening defence ties. The new agreement significantly enhances the existing military cooperation framework established under the 'Defence Cooperation Agreement-2023', it said. "Under the new agreement, the Armed Forces of Pakistan will extend assistance to the Armed Forces of Kuwait in divers

Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan's sons say his life at risk in prison

Kasim and his brother Sulaiman Isa also urged the international community to pressure Pakistan for human rights violations against its former premier

14 infants killed in fire at major hospital in Pakistan's Islamabad

Fourteen infants were killed on Wednesday after a fire broke out in a gynaecology ward of a major hospital in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, authorities said. The fire occurred at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the largest public hospital in the capital. In a statement, the Islamabad administration said fourteen newborns were killed when the fire broke out on the third floor of the hospital's mother and child ward. PIMS Spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil told the Dawn newspaper that 15 babies were in the ward. "At least one baby was saved by a doctor," she said. The administration statement said rescue teams were rushed to the scene, with six fire brigade vehicles and four ambulances taking part in the rescue operation. "The fire was immediately brought under control," it said, adding that an inquiry committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner general had been formed to investigate the incident. Earlier, media reports said that 15 infants were killed in t

Bangladesh open to join Saudi Arabia-Pakistan-Turkiye defence alliance

Bangladesh is open to joining the recently formed defence alliance between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, two junior ministers have said, while stressing that any decision would be guided by the country's national interests. Signed in Makkah on August 7, the pact establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three. "Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade," newly appointed state minister for foreign affairs Humayun Kobir said. In an interview with the Bangla service of state-run BSS on Friday, Kobir said the government was pursuing a "Bangladesh First" policy and a balanced foreign policy with national interests at its core, which might lead Dhaka to join the ..

Iran says Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir to visit Tehran on Monday

Pakistan has taken on a mediator role in negotiations between Iran ‌and the US aimed at ​ending the war which ​began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February

Pakistan unique in systematic, sustained use of terrorism: Jaishankar

For any relationship to work, it has to meet the test of "mutual interest", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday in the context of the current state of ties between India and Bangladesh. The external affairs minister also described Pakistan as a "unique" country in the world as there is no other nation that uses "terrorism so systematically" and in a sustained manner to attack and put pressure on a neighbour. Jaishankar made the remarks at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum. "What I can tell you is, for any relationship to work, it has to meet the test of mutual interest. It has to work for us," he said while declining to respond to a question on Dhaka's demand to India to extradite former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Jaishankar's remarks came amid continuing uncertainty over Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's much-anticipated visit to India. It is learnt that both sides are continuing to hold back-channel talks to explore the possibility of the trip

Pakistan to deploy army in Rawalpindi for 'sensitive security duties'

Pakistan government has approved the deployment of the army for six months in Rawalpindi at the request of Punjab's home department for "sensitive security duties". "The federal government, exercising the powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan, is pleased to authorise the deployment of three companies of the Pakistan Army for sensitive security duties in Rawalpindi," according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control on Friday. It said that the decision was taken "to avoid any undesirable situation as well as to respond effectively in any unforeseen situation as per the requirement of the district administration". Article 245 of the Constitution pertains to the deployment of armed forces in aid of civil power.

Munir, power, and paranoia

At some point, Pakistani dictators begin to show paranoia. That's the strategic reality most relevant to India since the late '50s. Munir's case is worse, like some sudden acrophobia

Best of BS Opinion: Asim Munir, power, and paranoia

Today's opinions examine the Saudi-Turkiye-Pakistan defence pact, leadership challenges at the Tata group, Asim Munir's growing powers and the political potency of negative branding