Page 46 - Pakistan

'No passengers, no planes': Here's why Pak's newest airport is a mystery

With no passengers and no planes, Pakistan's newest and most expensive airport is a bit of a mystery. Entirely financed by China to the tune of USD 240 million, it's anyone's guess when New Gwadar International Airport will open for business. Located in the coastal city of Gwadar and completed in October 2024, the airport is a stark contrast to the impoverished, restive southwestern Balochistan province around it. For the past decade, China has poured money into Balochistan and Gwadar as part of a multibillion dollar project that connects its western Xinjiang province with the Arabian Sea, called the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC. Authorities have hailed it as transformational but there's scant evidence of change in Gwadar. The city isn't connected to the national grid electricity comes from neighboring Iran or solar panels and there isn't enough clean water. An airport with a 400,000 passenger capacity isn't a priority for the city's 90,000 people. This airport is no

Pak govt unveils 1 bn PKR master plan for renovation of temples, gurdwaras

The Pakistani government has prepared a 'master plan' for the renovation and beautifying of temples and gurdwaras in the country at a cost of PKR 1 billion. The decision was taken on Saturday in a meeting of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) here under its chief Syed Attaur Rehman. "Under a master plan, temples and gurudwaras will be decorated and development works will be done with a budget of PKR 1bn," said Rehman. "A huge amount of money is being spent on minority places of worship," he added. Rehman also said the ETPB received more than Rs 1 billion in revenue this year. The meeting was attended by members of the Hindu and Sikh communities from all over the country, as well as government and non-government members. Speaking about the ETPB development scheme that needs to be revised, board secretary Farid Iqbal told the members that after changing the scheme to increase the department's income, the trust properties are now being presented for development. "The departmen

Pakistani security forces kill 6 terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan security forces on Friday killed at least six terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in the country's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military's media wing said. According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was conducted on the reported presence of terrorists. The statement said that troops effectively engaged the militants and six of them were killed in the operation. The ISPR said that a sanitisation operation was conducted to eliminate any other militant found in the area as the security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country. The country witnessed a sharp increase in terror attacks in January 2025, surging by 42 per cent compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, a think-tank. The data revealed that at least 74 militant attacks were recorded nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities, includin

We have lost our credibility, need urgent economic reforms: Pak FM

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Thursday that Pakistan had lost its credibility as the country struggled to achieve economic stability. He was speaking at a Senate climate change committee meeting, where he discussed the country's climate financing challenges and its negotiations with international lenders, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. We have lost our credibility as a country, Aurangzeb stated, adding that urgent economic reforms were necessary to restore the trust. He revealed that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had committed USD 500 million, while Pakistan expects to secure USD 1 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) next week. The government is also working on issuing green panda bonds to attract further investment, he said. The green panda bonds are issued in Chinese yuan by a foreign entity and the proceeds from these are used for green projects or assets. Aurangzeb also announced a major shift in tax policy, stating that the Finance ..

FIRs registered over sharing fake Kumbh video from Pakistan, says DIG

FIRs have been registered against social media handles for posting a video from Pakistan claiming it to be of the Kumbh area

Concerned over Pak Army, ISI presence in Bangladesh: Army chief Dwivedi

Recently, the Pakistan army and ISI officials visited very sensitive areas near the Indian border, near the chicken's neck in Bangladesh

India has been victim of terror acts perpetrated by Pakistan: UN envoy

He also emphasised the democratic choice made by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the legislative Assembly elections

J&K locals stand in support of Indian Army after Pak open fire along LoC

Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army post along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch sector on Sunday around 11 AM, prompting an immediate retaliation from the Indian Army

Assam govt to move court against Gogoi's wife's 'links' with Pak: CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday welcomed Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi's planned legal action over the controversy surrounding his British wife, Elizabeth Colburn, and said the state government is also initiating legal proceedings. Responding to a post by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, Sarma reminded the opposition of its electoral losses, saying, "I wholeheartedly welcome legal action against me. In fact, the government of Assam is also initiating legal proceedings from today." Gogoi on Friday accused the BJP of attempting to defame him and his family, asserting that he would take appropriate legal steps. On Saturday, he penned a letter in Assamese addressed to his wife, which he shared on Facebook, assuring her that "truth shall prevail." "...as long as we hold office, we are bound by our oath to protect the nation's security. Therefore, I also advise the concerned MP to move court at the earliest so that at the very least, this issue can be discussed on

Himanta questions Gaurav Gogoi, wife's ties with Pakistani advisor

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma continued to question Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi's British wife Elizabeth Colburn's links with Pakistan, alleging on Saturday that the "network is now emerging as far more significant and deeply entrenched than initially thought". He shared screenshots of old posts on X by Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, an advisor of the Pakistan Planning Commission and a former colleague of Colburn, and claimed that the relationship between the Gogois and the Pakistani national appeared to be deeply rooted'. Sarma had also targeted the Jorhat MP over the issue, demanding answers from Gogoi over the allegations of ISI links, "leading young individuals to the Pakistan embassy for brainwashing and radicalisation, and the refusal to take Indian citizenship for the past 12 years", referring to Colburn's nationality status. He had also alleged that Gogoi had raised questions in Parliament on sensitive defence matters after his marriage to the British citizen, a charge termed b

F-35 for India? Pakistan fumes as Trump announces fighter jet deal

Pakistan has urged the global community to assess regional security risks, warning that it could disrupt the military balance and stability in South Asia

Asia-Pacific example of peace, not arena for geopolitical games: China

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun criticised the move from US President Donald Trump's administration paving the way to provide India with F35 stealth fighters

Tahawwur Rana's extradition could expose Pak's role in 26/11 attacks

The extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana from the US would help probe agencies expose the role of Pakistani state actors behind the dastardly attack that left 166 people dead, sources said on Friday. In a major move, US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "one of the plotters and very evil people of the world" Rana to face justice in India. Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. India is working on the logistics of Rana's surrender and extradition from the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said. The sources said that Rana's early extradition would help probe agencies expose the role of Pakistani state actors behind the 26/11 terror attack and may shed new light on the ...

Neighbourhood watch: What does hosting Champions Trophy mean for Pakistan?

Battling economic and political crises, Pakistan hopes the Champions Trophy will be the balm the country desperately needs

Turkish Prez Erdogan urges India, Pak to resolve Kashmir issue by dialogue

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said that the Kashmir issue should be resolved through dialogue between India and Pakistan, with due consideration for the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. President Erdogan, who is in Pakistan on a two-day visit, made the comments after holding one-on-one and delegation talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The leaders also witnessed the signing ceremony of 24 agreements and a Memorandum of Understanding between the two sides. Following this, they read statements to the media, expressing resolve to strengthen their bilateral ties, during which Erdogan also talked about the Kashmir issue. The Kashmir issue should be addressed according to the UN resolution through dialogue and keeping in mind the aspirations of the people of Kashmir, Erdogan said. Our state and our nation, as in the past, stands in solidarity with our Kashmiri brothers today, he added. India has repeatedly emphasised that the Union Territories of Jammu and

Indian Army refutes ceasefire violation reports, says LoC situation stable

The Army also acknowledged recent incidents, including stray cross-LoC firing and a suspected IED blast

Who Is Paul Kapur, Trump's pick for Assistant Secy of State for South Asia?

Indian-origin Paul Kapur is a widely respected scholar, having authored several influential books and academic papers on South Asian security

Pak troops violate J-K ceasefire, suffer losses as Indian Army retaliates

Pakistani troops on Wednesday violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing on Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a befitting response by the Indian Army, security officials said. The extent of damage on the Pakistan side was not known immediately but the officials said the enemy forces suffered heavy casualties. The Indian Army neither confirmed nor denied the information. The ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the Krishna Ghati sector came a day after two Indian Army personnel including a captain were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion triggered by suspected terrorists near the LoC in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu district. The ceasefire violation along the LoC is very rare ever since India and Pakistan renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021. The officials said Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on a forward post in the Tarkundi area along the LoC, prompting a strong

IMF praises Pakistan PM's actions to strengthen economy through reforms

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday expressed support for decisive actions by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government for the betterment of Pakistan's economy. Pakistan and the IMF last year signed a USD 7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) loan programme to help the cash-strapped country tackle its balance of payment issue while implementing tough conditions. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, who met Sharif during the prime minister's visit to the United Arab Emirates, in a post on X said: I am encouraged by their strong commitment to Pakistan's IMF-supported reforms and support their decisive actions to pave the way to higher growth and more jobs for Pakistan's youthful population. The comments come amid the IMF team's visit to Pakistan to scrutinise the judicial and regulatory system as part of the ongoing USD 7 billion programme to address governance and corruption vulnerabilities. According to a statement from the PM Office, the premier held a ...

I was nearly sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan: Mark Zuckerberg

On the Joe Rogan Podcast, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke on stricter content controls and the growing regulatory pressures on technology firms worldwide