Page 16 - Pakistan

EAM Jaishankar inaugurates exhibition 'human cost of terrorism' at UN

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday inaugurated an exhibition at the UN headquarters here, highlighting the human cost of terrorism and attacks perpetrated by terror groups, including by those based in Pakistan. The exhibition was inaugurated a day before Pakistan begins its Presidency of the UN Security Council for July on Tuesday. The exhibition titled The Human Cost of Terrorism' has been organised by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and highlights the devastating toll of heinous terrorist acts around the world, and the steps taken by the international community to combat terrorism. The exhibition will be on display at two locations in the UN headquarters from June 30 to July 11. From the 2006 Mumbai terror attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to the recent Pahalgam terror attacks, the exhibition highlights the numerous terror attacks perpetrated across the globe, names the terror outfits responsible for the attacks and ..

China, Pakistan lead bid to replace SAARC with new regional bloc: Report

The proposed bloc, discussed at a Kunming trilateral, aims to boost trade and connectivity among willing SAARC members

52 satellites for border, ocean watch: India ramps up defence surveillance

India's SBS-3 project aims to deploy 52 satellites by 2029 for sharper, real-time surveillance across borders and seas; move comes after key takeaways from Operation Sindoor

Pak national held in J-K identified as terrorist guide, probe underway

A Pakistani national arrested along the Line of Control (LoC) near Jammu and Kashmir's border districts of Poonch and Rajouri while attempting to infiltrate into India is a terrorist guide, officials said on Monday. Mohammed Arif was leading a group of four Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists into the Indian side when he was overpowered and arrested by alert Army troops on Sunday afternoon. The terrorists with him jumped from a steep cliff and returned to the Pakistani side with injuries, the officials said. Arif, a resident of Datote village in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), was arrested from the forward Hajura post in Gambhir area under the Army's Ace of Spades division, they added. Recapping the events of the day, they said vigilant troops, maintaining an aggressive surveillance posture in the rugged terrain, detected suspicious movement of a group of suspected terrorists attempting to exploit the difficult terrain and dense foliage in order to infiltrate. While Arif, in his late

2 suspected militants killed as police foils terror attack bid in Pakistan

Two suspected militants were killed when police foiled a major terror attack bid in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an official said on Monday. The counter terrorism department (CTD) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police eliminated the terrorists during an overnight intelligence based operation in Peshawar city's Urmar Payan neighbourhood, once home to one of the largest Afghan refugee camps, the official said. The CTD said the suspects, a suicide bomber and the handler, were planning a large-scale attack on a sensitive target in the city when its team carried out the raid. A significant cache of weapons, ammunition, a suicide vest, an SMG rifle, a pistol, and several rounds of live ammunition were recovered from their possession, the official said. He said Munir Ahmed, the suicide bomber, was being traced by intelligence services since November last year. The CTD official said Ahmed was a wanted fugitive from Nangarhar in Afghanistan and had crossed into Pakistan from Khost. The

Powering change: How Pakistan is crowdfunding its energy revolution

Across Pakistan, a grassroots energy revolution is reshaping the grid, and offering a possible model that could transform similar fast-growing, energy-poor countries in Asia and Africa

Pakistan closes key border crossing with Afghanistan amid security threats

Pakistan has temporarily closed a key border crossing with Afghanistan due to security threats, until further notice, officials said on Sunday. The Ghulam Khan border has been closed after Saturday's suicide attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan district and skirmishes in the province, bordering Afghanistan, a senior Pakistani security official said. "Following the attack, a curfew has been imposed in North Waziristan, and the border (Ghulam Khan) has been shut down for an unspecified period, he said. At least 13 security personnel were killed and three others injured in the suicide attack. Abidullah Farooqi, spokesperson for the Interim Afghan Government's Border Forces, confirmed the closure on Sunday, stating that Pakistani authorities have not provided a clear explanation for the move. Pakistani officials have merely instructed vehicles at the crossing to use alternative routes, Farooqi said in a statement. In a separate press release, the provincial administration

China rolls over $3.4 billion of commercial loans to Pakistan: Report

Beijing rolled over $2.1 billion, which has been in Pakistan's central bank's reserves for the last three years, and refinanced another $1.3 billion commercial loan

Third earthquake in 24 hours jolts Pakistan, no casualties reported

The earthquake of magnitude 3.8 on the Richter Scale occurred at a shallow depth of 15km, making it susceptible to aftershocks

Earthquake of magnitude 5.2 jolts Pakistan, no casualties reported

Pakistan is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, being crossed by several major faults

At least 1.2 mn Afghans forced to return from Iran, Pakistan this year: UN

At least 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to return from Iran and Pakistan this year, the UN refugee agency said Saturday, warning that repatriations on a massive scale have the potential to destabilise the fragile situation in Afghanistan. Iran and Pakistan in 2023 launched separate campaigns to expel foreigners they said were living in the country illegally. They set deadlines and threatened them with deportation if they didn't leave. The two governments deny targeting Afghans, who have fled their homeland to escape war, poverty or Taliban rule. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said that of the 1.2 million returning Afghans, more than half had come from Iran following a March 20 government deadline for them to leave voluntarily or face expulsion. Iran has deported more than 366,000 Afghans this year, including refugees and people in refugee-like situations, according to the agency. Iran's 12-day war war with Israel also has driven departures. The highest number of return

Parag Jain, who led Pakistan desk, appointed as new R&AW chief for 2 years

Parag Jain, a senior IPS officer with decades of R&AW experience and expertise on the Pakistan desk, has been appointed as the new chief of India's external intelligence agency for a two-year term

13 security personnel killed in suicide bombing in Pak's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

At least 13 security personnel were killed and 24 others injured in a suicide attack on Saturday in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, security sources said. A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle belonging to the Bomb Disposal Unit early this morning in Khaddi area of North Waziristan district, the sources added. Among the 24 injured are 14 civilians, including women and children, with several said to be in critical condition. A curfew was imposed in the area at the time of the incident due to ongoing military movement, the sources said. Security agencies launched a rescue operation following the explosion. The militant group Usud al-Harb, a sub-faction of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, has claimed responsibility for the attack, they added. This incident is being described as one of the deadliest in North Waziristan in recent months and has raised serious concerns about the security situation in the

US' Rubio, Pak PM acknowledge importance of working together for peace

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday acknowledged the importance of working together to promote peace and stability in the region. Rubio dialled Sharif to discuss the Middle East situation. "The two leaders acknowledged the importance of working together to promote a durable peace between Israel and Iran and maintaining regional stability," said Tammy Bruce, US State Department Spokesperson. Both leaders "agreed to continue working together to strengthen Pakistan-US relations, particularly to increase trade", said a statement released by the Pakistan government. Commenting on the current situation in the Middle East, Sharif asserted that Pakistan will continue to play a constructive role in establishing peace in the Middle East. Sharif also praised US President Trump's "courageous and decisive leadership, which led to a ceasefire between Iran and Israel." He also thanked Secretary Rubio for the key role of the United States in the Indo-Pak

DRI seizes Pak-origin goods worth ₹9 crore under 'Operation Deep Manifest'

In a significant enforcement action, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized goods worth Rs 9 crore under 'Operation Deep Manifest', targeting illegal imports of Pakistani-origin goods routed through Dubai. The operation has thus far led to the seizure of 39 containers carrying 1,115 metric tonnes of goods in blatant violation of import policy conditions and prohibitions imposed by the government on direct or indirect import or transit of Pakistani-origin goods, the finance ministry said in a statement on Thursday. One of the partners of an importing firm was arrested on Thursday, it added. Following the Pahalgam terror attacks, the government imposed a comprehensive ban, effective May 2, 2025, on the direct or indirect import or transit of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan. Previously, such goods were subject to 200 per cent customs duty. Despite these stringent measures, some importers attempt to bypass the government policy by misdeclaring the origi

Watch: Rajnath Singh exposes acts of terrorism during SCO meet

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a strong message on the need for collective action against terrorism and regional instability during his address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

White House puts Pak's military elite back on top with Trump-Munir meet

Munir and Pakistan's civilian leaders praised Trump for helping secure an India-Pakistan ceasefire and even nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, thanking him repeatedly for his role

DU panel's decision to drop PG papers on Islam, Pakistan, China sparks row

A Delhi University panel's decision to drop proposed postgraduate Political Science papers on Islam, Pakistan, and China has failed to find consensus among the members. While some called it ideological censorship, those who supported the decision termed it a step towards making the syllabus "India-centric" and free from bias. In its meeting on Wednesday, DU's Standing Committee for Academic Matters directed the removal of four elective papers -- Islam and International Relations, Pakistan and the World, China's Role in the Contemporary World, and State and Society in Pakistan. A fifth paper, Religious Nationalism and Political Violence, will be reviewed in the next meeting on July 1. Opposing the decision, committee member Professor Monami Sinha said such changes undermine critical thinking and reflect a push to dilute controversial but academically relevant content. "We argued that it is imperative to study Pakistan and China in detail. Ignoring these geopolitical realities would

Pak politicians, others ask govt to review Trump's Nobel Prize nomination

Several Pakistani politicians and notable figures have asked the government to reconsider its decision to recommend President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize after the US bombed Iran's three nuclear sites. The government, in a surprise move on Friday, announced that it would nominate Trump for the prestigious award due to his peacemaking efforts during the recent India-Pakistan conflict. A letter of recommendation, signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, has already been sent to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Norway. But the decision came under scrutiny after the US bombed Iran's Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites, joining Israel to dent Tehran's nuclear programme. The Dawn newspaper reported that some leading politicians demanded the government review its decision in light of the latest development. Veteran politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who heads the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), demanded that the government rescind its ...

Pak to hold National Security Committee meeting after US strikes on Iran

The Pakistan government will hold an emergency meeting of its top security body on Monday to discuss the regional situation after the US airstrikes on Iran's three nuclear facilities. The National Security Committee (NSC) is the highest forum for security deliberations in the country, and its meeting is chaired by the Prime Minister. The country's top civil and military leadership, including Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, are part of the committee. Sources in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) told the Dawn newspaper that the NSC meeting will be held on Monday evening. Munir, who recently returned from a trip to the US, will brief the committee on the details of his meeting with US President Donald Trump. The US strikes on Iran's three nuclear sites - Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz - came a day after Pakistan's announcement to recommend Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. Pakistan condemned the US strikes in Iran. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a phone call with Iranian Pres