The delegations from the US and Iran head to Islamabad on Friday, carrying a ceasefire that is already fraying, a Strait that is technically open and practically closed, and a negotiating agenda that would challenge even parties actually negotiating in good faith, which these groups are not. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
Even as Pakistan and Afghanistan gear up to meet in Doha on Saturday to broker a peace after days of fighting and air strike the Taliban government said that Afghanistan reserves the right to respond to Pakistani airstrikes on its land.
A Pakistan-based gangster posted a video on social media purportedly showing the killing of a police officer in Gurdaspur, near the Indo-Pak border. A terror outfit has claimed responsibility for the incident, prompting a thorough investigation by Punjab Police.
The Pakistani Taliban have sacked their official spokesman for issuing threats to Afghan Taliban, signalling internal fissures within the ranks of the terror outfit.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi announced that Kabul will send diplomats to India as part of efforts to improve bilateral relations. He assured New Delhi that Afghan soil will not be used for activities detrimental to India's interests.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed confidence in stronger India-Afghanistan ties following a visit to Darul Uloom Deoband, thanking the people for their warm welcome and indicating plans to send new diplomats to India.
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai reveals her mental health struggles after a marijuana session triggered flashbacks of her attack by the Taliban. She discusses anxiety, panic attacks, and her journey to seek therapy.
Violence has surged in Balochistan in recent years, with the number of fatalities in the province rising from 787 to 956 last year.
'Can a nuclear-armed nation sustain itself indefinitely under overt military rule without catastrophic consequences for itself and the region? History suggests otherwise.'
Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and setting up of 'mechanisms' to ensure lasting peace after days of violent clashes along the border that left several soldiers, civilians, and terrorists dead on both sides, officials said on Sunday.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has stated that it is willing to declare ceasefire if the Pakistan government withdraws from the US-led war on terror and forms a new foreign policy in accordance to the holy Quran and Sunnah.
'During the 5-day visit, Amir Khan Muttaqi would have, conceivably, bumped into our powerful security agencies one way or another and some interaction would have ensued, which, in turn, can lead to future dealings.' 'Indeed, this will be the one crucial template of the Indo-Afghan relationship that Pakistan will be monitoring closely,' points Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Naqvi assured Siriwiratnay that the visiting team players and officials were state guests in Pakistan.
Former US President Donald Trump claims he can quickly resolve the conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan, praising Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Asim Munir. Tensions remain high despite recent talks.
The attack came less than three months after a suicide bomber killed 12 people in a blast outside a district and sessions court building in Islamabad.
Pakistani Taliban have beheaded 12 soldiers captured during a recent attack on a security check post in the restive Bajaur tribal region and released a video showing their severed heads, a militant spokesman said on Friday.
Following Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan's Barmal district of Paktika province, which left 46 dead and six injured, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan on Wednesday summoned the Charge d'Affaires of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul.
A UN Security Council report indicates that Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was reportedly linked to a terror attack on the Red Fort in New Delhi. The report also highlights JeM's activities, including the establishment of a women-only wing and its presence in the region.
Pakistan and China have submitted a joint bid at the UN Security Council to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its suicide wing - Majeed Brigade - as a terrorist entity under the Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee.
Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire, testing the fragile peace between the two sides as officials from both countries held talks in Turkiye to find a lasting solution to cross-border militancy.
'Many senior Bangladeshis feel Bangladesh will fall into anarchy if the Jamaat becomes an important part of a future government or has disproportionate influence in the government.'
At least 19 soldiers and 45 militants have been killed in clashes in Pakistan's restive northwest, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowing to respond with full force against the terrorists. The Pakistan army reports clashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Sharif alleges terrorist leaders operate from Afghan soil and calls for repatriation of illegal Afghan residents.
The entry of other Arab countries in the mutual defence deal between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is not ruled out, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said, adding that 'doors are not closed' for such developments.
No group or individual claimed responsibility for the attack, but such strikes are usually carried out by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistani (TTP).
The Pakistani Taliban, which claimed responsibility for a botched car bombing in New York's Times Square in 2010, today denied any role in the bombings at the Boston Marathon in the US that killed three people and injured over 140.
Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) members on Monday to discuss opportunities in his country, especially in the mining sector. The Taliban, who now control Afghanistan, is seeking to repair its ties with New Delhi, and is hopeful of Indian public and private sectors increasing investments in the mining and power sector, and greater trade and commerce.
Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Tehrik-e-Taliban could target Indian installations near the border areas, said Aditya Mishra, Inspector General (Frontier) of the Border Security Force.
'For the region and for the world, the US working with both those nations is good news.'
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that the suicide bomber involved in the deadly Islamabad bombing was an Afghan national. The announcement follows a suicide bombing in Islamabad and another attack in South Waziristan.
Pakistan's former spy chief Faiz Hameed has been sentenced to 14 years in jail by a military court after being found guilty of violating the Official Secrets Act and engaging in political activities. This marks the first time a former ISI chief has been convicted.
The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has ruled out any negotiations with the government and claimed that it has taken control of most areas of the South Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan.
The US intelligence assessment highlights Pakistan's near-certain procurement of weapons of mass destruction-applicable goods from foreign suppliers, primarily through Chinese support.
In the movie, veteran star Sanjay Dutt portrays Chaudhary Aslam. The police officer was assassinated by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban's Mohmand chapter who claimed responsibility for carrying out a bomb attack on his car on the Lyari Expressway on January 9, 2014, in which two other police officers, his driver, and guard were also killed.
Pakistani Taliban commanders have stepped up anti-India rhetoric in the wake of tension between the two countries and offered their men and suicide bombers to fight alongside the armed forces in the event of hostilities on the eastern frontier.Militant commanders have called on Pakistan's security establishment to end military operations against the Taliban in the tribal areas, following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Islamabad will enter into an 'open war' with Kabul if the ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail, TOLO News reported.
Pakistan responded to what it called 'unprovoked' attacks by Afghan forces in border areas, destroying several Afghan border posts, training camps, and terrorist hideouts, security sources said on Sunday.
The Pakistani Taliban threatened on Tuesday to attack NATO supply trucks if they tried to resume supplies to troops in Afghanistan. Tahir Ali reports.
Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, after the banned TTP called off its ceasefire with the government in November 2022 and vowed to target security forces, police, and law enforcement agencies.
Security expert B Raman writes on the alarming rise of Taliban in Pakistan.
'The background for the Saudi-Pakistan agreement is the fact that the regional security order has collapsed due to the Israeli attack on Doha.' 'The Americans have largely abandoned their security guarantee for West Asia and the region has no choice but to look at alternatives.'
