Pakistan

Pakistan witnesses 27% increase in terror attacks in May, says report

Militancy-driven violence spiked 27 per cent in Pakistan last month compared to the preceding month, showing the deep prevalence of terrorism-linked threats to the country, according to a think tank report. Militant and terror groups regained momentum during May after a brief period of relative decline, said a monthly security assessment released on Monday by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). According to the report, the country witnessed 128 terrorist attacks during May, compared to 101 attacks in April, representing a 27 per cent increase. In May, 71 civilians, 68 security personnel and six members of peace committees were killed, while 147 civilians, 35 security personnel and three peace committee members were injured. The report showed that compared to April, civilian fatalities increased from 37 to 71, representing a 92 per cent rise, while security personnel fatalities surged from 28 to 68, marking a 143 per cent increase. The report also show

Rubio thanks Pakistan for West Asia peace efforts after meeting counterpart

Rubio said both leaders 'agreed upon the importance of working together to further strengthen a meaningful partnership for better security'

China supports 'active mediation' by Pakistan between US, Iran: Wang Yi

China has said it supports the "active mediation" by Pakistan and other countries between the US and Iran in the ongoing West Asia conflict. "Regarding the current situation, the key is the negotiation between the United States and Iran because they are the major parties concerned," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters here Tuesday. "We support the active mediation by Pakistan and other countries. Before we came here, I met with (Field) Marshal (Asim) Munir of Pakistan. We also support efforts made by the United States and Iran, respectively," Wang said. China is the president of the UN Security Council for the month of May and hosted a Council debate on 'Upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centred international system'. Wang presided over the opening session of the debate on Tuesday morning and met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during his visit to UN headquarters. "As we have been saying, it takes more than one

'Not acceptable to us': Pakistan rejects Trump's Abraham Accords push

Pakistan's DefenceMinister Khawaja Asif has said that he was not in favour of Islamabad joining the Abraham Accords to normalise relations with Israel. His comments came after US President Donald Trump asked countries involved in the peace talks with Iran to sign on to the Abraham Accords, which deal with establishing diplomatic, economic and security ties between Israel and Arab nations. "Personally, I don't think we should join any such accord which clashes with our fundamental ideologies," Asif said during an interview on a talk show with Samaa TV on Monday night. Among the negotiators, the UAE and Bahrain are already members of the Accords, and Trump expects Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt and Jordan to sign up. Pakistan's defence minister also talked about his country's long-standing position to not accept Israel until the Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital is established. "We have a very clear stance that it is not ...

20 killed, 70 injured in blast targeting shuttle train in Pak's Balochistan

A powerful explosion ripped through a railway line in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Sunday, injuring at least 20 people, authorities said. A train suffered partial damage in the blast, while 10 vehicles parked in the area were also damaged, police said. The impact of the explosion shattered the windows and glass panels of nearby buildings, Geo News reported. The explosion occurred on Sunday near Chaman Phatak railway station in Quetta. At least 20 people sustained injuries in the blast, rescue officials said. Following the incident, an emergency was declared in government hospitals across Quetta, with doctors and medical staff summoned to handle the situation. Railway authorities said the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was stopped at Quetta Railway Station after the blast as a precautionary measure, the report added. Babar Yousafzai, the spokesperson to the home minister, said that all relevant institutions have been placed on high alert following an explosion in the city. H

Asim Munir, Iran foreign min hold talks in Tehran to end West Asia conflict

Pakistan's Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has held talks with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to end the West Asia conflict and establish lasting peace in the region, the Iranian government said on Saturday. Munir flew to Tehran on Friday for a crucial visit to expedite efforts for a peace deal between the US and Iran, said the Pakistan Army, adding that the visit was "part of ongoing mediation efforts". Munir was received in Tehran by Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi -- believed to be close to Munir -- was already in Tehran and engaging in talks with top Iranian officials when the field marshal arrived, according to the Army. According to a statement posted in social media by Iran's government, Munir met Araghchi in Tehran to "discuss diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing further escalation and promoting peace, stability, and security in West Asia". Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that talks bet

India to launch 'smart border' project to curb infiltration, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the government will launch a "smart border" project in the next year to make the 6,000 km fronts with Pakistan and Bangladesh impenetrable and ensure that the "conspiracy" to change the demography of the areas is defeated. Delivering the annual Rustamji Memorial lecture hosted by the Border Security Force (BSF) here, the minister also reiterated that the government will find each and every infiltrator from the country and send them outside India. K F Rustamji was the first director general of the BSF after it was raised in 1965. "I want to assure BSF troops that we will launch this smart border project in the 60th year of its raising and we will make the Pakistan and Bangladesh borders impenetrable," Shah said. The Modi government, Shah added, has decided to create a "strong security grid" along the Pakistan and Bangladesh fronts in the next one year. The "smart border" will be aided by technology, drones, radars and smart cameras which

Pakistan conveys revised Iranian peace proposal to US amid fragile truce

Fragile ceasefire remains under strain as Tehran, Washington continue to differ over nuclear programme and Strait of Hormuz

Best of BS Opinion: Can middle powers prevent transactional geopolitics?

From the rise of transactional geopolitics to oil shock risks and Pakistan's strategic missteps, BS Opinion examines the global uncertainties shaping politics and business

People-to-people contact key to breaking Pakistan deadlock: RSS's Hosabale

People-to-people contact is key to breaking the deadlock with Pakistan and there should always be a window for dialogue, top RSS functionary Dattatreya Hosabale said on Tuesday. In an interview with PTI Videos, Hosabale said Pakistan's military and political leadership have lost India's confidence and it is time for civil society to lead the way. "The security and self-respect of a country have to be protected and the government of the day should take care of it. But at the same time, we need not close the doors. We should always be ready to engage them in a dialogue," he said. The RSS general secretary termed people-to-people contact the key in breaking the deadlock between the two countries and said that it "should be tried more and more now". While the government has been silent on track-two diplomacy, several intellectuals, including opposition leaders, have long advocated civil society engagement. "This is the one hope I think, because I believe strongly that ultimately the c

Nations must reflect: India on China backing Pakistan during Op Sindoor

India on Tuesday said that reports of China supporting Pakistan during Operation Sindoor corroborate what was known earlier and it is for nations that consider themselves responsible to reflect whether supporting attempts to protect terrorist infrastructure affects their standing. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswalstated this while responding to a question on Chinese official media reports that admitted to Beijing providing technical support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor carried out by India in May 2025 to avenge the Pahalgam terror attacks. "We have seen these reports that corroborate what was known earlier. Operation Sindoor was a precise, targeted and calibrated response to the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, aimed at destroying state-sponsored terrorist infrastructure operating out of Pakistan and at its behest," Jaiswal said at the press briefing. "It is for nations who consider themselves responsible to reflect whether supporting attempts to protec

Pakistan parked Iranian military planes on its airbases to avoid US strikes

Pakistan, which is playing mediator to end the US-Iran war, allowed Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields to shield them from American airstrikes, CBS News reported here quoting US officials. The report also claimed that Iran had also parked its civilian aircraft in neighbouring Afghanistan to protect it from US airstrikes. Reacting to the report, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called for a complete re-evaluation of Pakistan's role as a mediator to end the US-Iran war that broke out on February 28 and has been put on pause since April 8. "If this reporting is accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of the role Pakistan is playing as mediator between Iran, the United States and other parties," Graham, the Senator from South Carolina, said in a post on X. "Given some of the prior statements by Pakistani defense officials towards Israel, I would not be shocked if this were true," Graham said. The CBS report, quoting unnamed US officials, said that Iran has

ISI-linked module planned attacks on Delhi temple, dhaba and military camp

Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI had allegedly planned attacks on a historic temple in Delhi, a popular dhaba on the Delhi-Sonipat highway and a military camp in Haryana through operatives linked to the Shahzad Bhatti module, sources said on Friday. According to the sources, the revelations emerged during the interrogation of nine alleged operatives of the module arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell under their 'Gang Bust Operation 2.0' from multiple states. Investigators found that one of the accused had conducted reconnaissance of a historic temple in Delhi and sent photographs of the premises to Pakistan-based handlers through social media platforms, the source said. The module had allegedly planned to target police personnel and paramilitary forces deployed at the temple and carry out firing to create panic and disruption, he said. The source also added that the accused were also tasked with carrying out a grenade attack on a popular 'dhaba' on the Delhi-Sonipat highway,

US shuts consulate in Pak's Peshawar citing safety of diplomatic personnel

The US has announced the phased closure of its consulate in Peshawar, citing a commitment to the safety of its diplomatic personnel. "The US Department of State is announcing the phased closure of the US Consulate General in Peshawar. Responsibility for diplomatic engagement with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will transfer to the US Embassy in Islamabad," a US State Department spokesperson said in a statement here on Tuesday. "This decision reflects our commitment to the safety of our diplomatic personnel and efficient resource management," the statement said, adding that the US administration's policy priorities in Pakistan remain steadfast despite the change in physical presence in Peshawar. The State Department spokesperson said the US will continue to engage meaningfully with the people and officials of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to foster economic ties, promote regional security, and advance the interests of the American people. "The Department, through the US Mission to Pakistan, remains dedica

Disquiet on the Eastern Front: Great Nicobar base key to maritime defences

Historically, and instinctively, India has seen threats emerging from the west and the north, from Pakistan and China

Best of BS Opinion: India feels diplomatic squeeze from W. Asia conflict

From Iran diplomacy and artificial intelligence risks to Great Nicobar strategy and Pakistan policy, today's Best of BS Opinion highlights key strategic and economic debates shaping India's outlook

Failed isolation: Three pillars supporting India's Pak policy have fallen

On social media, Pakistanis, even many of those unfriendly to the military-led establishment, which has reasserted its control over the country, are rejoicing

Iran's foreign minister Araghchi lands in Pakistan again after Russia talks

Araghchi's latest stop follows a series of high-level engagements across multiple countries, including Russia and Oman