Page 13 - Pakistan

Pakistani human rights lawyers jailed for 17 years over social media posts

A Pakistani court on Saturday sentenced two human rights lawyers to 17 years in prison each over social media posts the authorities claimed were hostile to the state and its security institutions. Judge Afzal Majoka announced the verdict a day after Zainab Mazari and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha were arrested in Islamabad, according to court documents. The couple appeared briefly via video link but boycotted the hearing, prompting the court to conclude the trial and deliver the verdict. Family and friends denounced the ruling. The couple denied all the changes. The court verdict said Mazari had posted multiple tweets in recent years that "portrayed the agenda" of the outlawed Baloch separatist group and Pakistani Taliban. The case stems from a complaint filed in August 2025 with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, alleging the couple used social media to malign the state and its security institutions. They were formally indicted last October and had repeatedly refused to

Pakistan PM accepts Trump's invitation to join 'Board of Peace' on Gaza

The "Board of Peace" was unveiled as part of phase two of the fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas to end the Israel-Gaza conflict, as reported by Al Jazeera

“Don't fuel terrorism in our neighbourhood”: EAM Jaishankar's blunt message to Poland

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday cautioned Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski against supporting or legitimising terrorism

Pakistan se azaadi: Why the gap with India will only keep widening

The hard fact is that the only area where Pakistan can narrow the gap with India is population. Its growth here is about twice as much as India's

Pakistan signs deal with Trump-linked crypto firm on $1 stablecoin

The announcement represents one of the first publicly announced tie-ups between World Liberty, a crypto-based finance platform launched in September 2024, and a sovereign state

2025 was a reckoning for 'experts' who claim to forecast the future

There's no shortage of forecasts for 2026, but 2025 shows why we should treat them with scepticism

Pakistan bets big on crypto: Here's why the rush is raising concerns

In December 2025, Pakistan allowed global exchanges Binance and HTX to receive preliminary approvals as the government accelerates crypto adoption

A restructured Army: IBGs cleared, 30 other organisational changes approved

Defence sources told Business Standard that four IBGs will be raised initially, with the focus on the Army's strike corps

Turkey in talks to join Saudi-Pakistan defence alliance, says report

The trilateral defense talks come in the wake of a cease-fire between Pakistan and India that ended a four-day military clash between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May

Suspected Pakistan drones spotted along LoC, IB in J&K: What we know | India-Pakistan

Security forces detected suspected drone activity along the International Border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts on Sunday evening.

Pakistan, US launch joint anti-terror exercise Inspired Gambit 2026

Pakistan and the US have started joint anti-terrorism military exercises at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Pabbi town of Punjab's Kharian district, the military's media wing said on Saturday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said that the 13th Pakistan-United States bilateral joint exercise, Inspired Gambit2026', commenced on Friday. The NCTC serves as a key facility for joint anti-terrorism exercises by Pakistan with international partners like China and the US. The two-week-long exercise is being conducted in the Counter Terrorism (CT) domain, involving contingents from the armies of Pakistan and the United States, the ISPR said. According to the ISPR, the exercise is aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and interoperability through the sharing of counter-terrorism experiences, while further refining tactics, techniques and procedures essential for effective CT operations. The ISPR said such joint training exercises are of vital ...

Why Pak minister believes cash-strapped nation won't need IMF in 6 months

Pakistan has depended on IMF loans for many years to manage its economy, repay debts and support foreign exchange reserves

Zero tolerance towards any threat to Pak's national security: Asim Munir

Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Thursday said that the Army was following a policy of zero tolerance towards any threat to national security. Munir visited Lahore Garrison, where he was given a comprehensive briefing on the formation's operational preparedness, training standards and key initiatives to enhance combat efficiency, according to a statement by the Army. During his address with the officers, the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field (CDF and COAS) emphasised upon Pakistan Army's zero-tolerance policy towards any threat to national security, reaffirming the institution's unwavering resolve to confront multifaceted challenges with focus, professionalism and determination, the Army said. Reiterating the Army's core mission, he noted that the Pakistan Armed Forces remain steadfast in safeguarding the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and internal stability, while fostering a culture of excellence, ...

Bangladesh expresses potential interest in JF-17 fighter jets: Pakistan

Pakistan and Bangladesh air chiefs held talks on "potential procurement" of JF-Thunder fighter jets by Dhaka as a mark of deepening defence ties between the two countries, the Pakistani military has said. However, Bangladesh has not yet confirmed whether such a plan exists. The JF-17 Thunder is a single-engine lightweight combat jet developed jointly by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Though Pakistan claims that the jet has proved its capabilities during the conflict with India, its effectiveness is not clearly known. Pakistan had extensively used Chinese-origin Chengdu J-10 fighter jets during the May 7-10 conflict with India, according to experts and military officials. A high-level defence delegation led by Chief of the Air Staff, Bangladesh Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, called on Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, at Air Headquarters, Islamabad, on .

Teenager apprehended in Punjab for sharing info with Pakistani handlers

A 15-year-old boy has been apprehended in Punjab's Pathankot for allegedly sharing information about sensitive locations with Pakistani handlers, police said on Tuesday According to police, the boy was radicalised on a social media platform. Police had received information that the boy was in contact with and was providing information concerning the country's security to Pakistan military officers, ISI and frontal organisations running terror modules in that country, Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Daljinder Singh Dhillon said. On the basis of this information, the boy was apprehended on Monday and questioned, the SSP told reporters in Pathankot. The SSP said the boy had lost his father, who resided in J-K, over an year back and suspected that he was murdered. Police investigations did not find that the boy's father was murdered but the boy suspected so and it affected his psyche, the SSP said. The boy visited many social media platforms and during this he fell in

Pak, Afghan agree to establish joint committee to reopen border

Pakistan and Afghanistan on Monday agreed to establish a 13-member joint committee of business leaders to hold formal negotiations for the opening of the border for trade. The border has been shut since October last year after the two sides clashed over the issue of militancy emanating from Afghanistan. The Express Tribune newspaper reported that the joint committee comprises six members from Pakistan and seven from Afghanistan. The Pakistani delegation will be led by Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi, Adviser to the President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), while the Afghan side will be headed by Mohammad Wali Amini. Speaking to the media, Kazmi said the primary objective of the talks is the immediate reopening of Pak-Afghan trade routes, the removal of obstacles in border management, and ensuring the continuity of bilateral trade. He added that a comprehensive and practical roadmap would be formulated to provide a lasting solution to the issues fa

India, Pakistan exchange lists of nuclear installations amid strained ties

The list exchange took place under the provisions of an agreement on the prohibition of attack against nuclear installations and facilities, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said

Pakistan witnesses drop in terror attacks since Afghan border closure

Since closing down its border with Afghanistan, Pakistan has recorded a significant drop in cross-border terrorist attacks and deaths related to violence. Pakistan shut its border on October 11 last year after clashes with Afghanistan, which were prompted by the allegations that Kabul was not doing enough to stop the use of its soil by terrorists. Dawn reported from the data collected by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), a local think-tank, that terrorist attacks went down by almost 17 per cent in December, preceded by 9 per cent decline in November, while terrorism-linked fatalities among civilians and security officials also fell in the last quarter of 2025, by nearly 4 per cent and 19 per cent each in November and December. However, the data of CRSS showed that with an almost 34 per cent surge in overall violence, the year 2025 went by as the most violent year for Pakistan in a decade. The comparative data for 2024 and 2025 reveals a sharp escalation in terror