Pakistani airstrikes targeted multiple suspected hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban inside neighboring Afghanistan early on Monday, killing at least eight people and drawing return fire from the Afghan Taliban, officials said. The latest escalation is likely to further increase tensions between Islamabad and Kabul. The Pakistani strikes came two days after insurgents killed seven soldiers … Read more
On March 11, Pakistan’s head of mission in Kabul, Ubaid ur Rehman Nizamani, traveled to Kandahar for a meeting with Governor Mullah Ali Hanafi (also known as Muhammad Shirin Akhund). The meeting ended amicably, with Hanafi congratulating the Pakistani envoy over the holding of elections. This was the first statement by any Taliban leader on … Read more
Pakistan’s new federal cabinet, which was announced recently, is made up of technocrats, seasoned politicians, and a few new names of people who are not affiliated with any political party. The new cabinet appears to be the outcome of a compromise reached by key stakeholders, including the military, and political parties in power to find … Read more
Pakistanis’ access to X (formerly known as Twitter) continues to be restricted despite a Sindh High Court order to restore the microblogging site’s services. The disruption coincided with protests following the February 8 general election and allegations of vote rigging. Authorities have not publicly stated a reason for the ongoing restrictions. Due to the lack … Read more
A few days ago, an Indian news agency, Press Trust of India (PTI), reported that Indian security agencies had intercepted a ship that was bound for Karachi from China at Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva Port. The ship was stopped because it was suspected to be carrying a “dual-use consignment” that could find its way into Pakistan’s … Read more
At midnight on March 1, a message popped up on my mobile phone: “Another house just collapsed in front of my eyes.” The message was from a friend who works with the Helping Hand Foundation, a non-government organization in Gwadar. Other messages and calls from family and friends that followed had me worried. A 30-hour-long … Read more
Assistant Superintendent of Police Sheher Bano Naqvi in Lahore, Pakistan, has earned widespread praise for her courageous act of saving the life of a woman accused of blasphemy last week. She has been hailed in Pakistan and abroad for putting her life in danger to save a woman from an angry mob, which targeted the … Read more
Kareem Baksh Sohrabi was in Jannat Bazaar, a bustling hub in the coastal region of Gwadar, Pakistan, when the rain started pouring down on February 27. Seeking shelter from the downpour, he took refuge in a nearby shop, hoping the rain would soon pass. But it didn’t. It kept raining relentlessly, and soon, the entire … Read more
Lawmakers in Pakistan’s National Assembly have elected Shehbaz Sharif for a comeback term as the country’s prime minister, as allies of imprisoned former Premier Imran Khan in parliament shouted in protest, alleging rigging in last month’s election. Sharif held the same office from April 2022 to August 2023, and is the younger brother of three-time … Read more
In February, India stopped the flow of the Ravi River into Pakistan, claiming its exclusive right to use its water under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). The treaty was signed in 1960 with the mediation of the World Bank, giving Pakistan rights to three western rivers – the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab – while India … Read more