Current Final

Category: National

  • Cross-border fire in Bajaur kills four civilians

    Cross-border fire in Bajaur kills four civilians

    Four civilians were killed after artillery and mortar fire from across the border hit a house in the Tabesta Letai area of Salarzai in Bajaur District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated on Sunday.

    In a post on X, Tarar wrote: “The Afghan Taliban regime deliberately targeted the civilian population through artillery/mortar fire from across the border in Tabesta Letai, Salarzai area of KP’s Bajaur district.”


    He added: “Four innocent civilians have embraced shahadat (martyrdom) while one five-year-old child is seriously injured as a house was hit in this attack.”

    Separately, Pakistan carried out overnight strikes in Kandahar Province, targeting “terrorist hideouts and military infrastructure” as the military continued operations against the Afghan Taliban, state-run broadcaster Pakistan Television Corporation reported on Sunday, citing security sources.

    Sharing an operational update, Tarar wrote: “On night March 14/15, Pakistan Armed Forces targeted military installations including terrorist hideouts of Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij.”

    He added that in these attacks, Pakistan’s forces also destroyed technical support infrastructure and equipment storage facility, in Kandahar, that was being used by Afghan Taliban and terrorists against innocent Pakistani civilians.

    Tarar further stated: “A tunnel that housed technical equipment of Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij was also destroyed in Kandahar.”

    He also wrote that similarly, in Chitral Sector, a terrorist jump off point at Badini Post of Afghanistan was destroyed through ground forces.

    Providing figures in the update, the minister stated that 684 Afghan Taliban personnel had been killed so far, while more than 912 had been injured.

    He added that 252 posts had been destroyed, while 44 posts were captured and destroyed. According to the minister, 229 tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery guns had also been destroyed.
    Tarar further wrote that “73 terrorists and terrorist support infrastructure locations across Afghanistan [have been] effectively targeted by air.”

    He also stated: “Attached video shows precision engagement by Pakistan on those installations and terrorist camps which directly / indirectly support terrorism from Afghan soil. No civilian population or infrastructure was targeted as falsely propagated by Afghan regime officials and media.”

    The minister also commented on the incident that took place in Bajaur, stating: “This cowardly and heinous deliberate targeting of civilians by Afghan Taliban regime in cohorts with terrorists organisation Fitna al Khawarij is not only a grevious violation of international law and basic human values but is also reflective of their deep frustration and desperation while facing heavy setbacks on multiple fronts by the armed forces of Pakistan through targeted attacks on terrorists and support infrastructures as part of operation Ghazab lil-Haq.”

  • KP CM’s aide faces backlash for calling Kohat drone ‘suspicious’, not naming Taliban

    KP CM’s aide faces backlash for calling Kohat drone ‘suspicious’, not naming Taliban

    Shafi Jan, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Information and Public Relations, faced criticism after referring to a drone intercepted over Kohat as “suspicious” without naming the Afghan Taliban.

    In a post on X, Shafi Jan wrote: “The police’s special team took timely action and neutralized a suspicious drone using an anti-drone system, the police said. The on-duty special police squad noticed the flight of a suspicious drone in the area and immediately acted. Using anti-drone technology, the team jammed the drone’s signals, causing its motor to stop and forcing it to fall to the ground, DPO Kohat Shahbaz Elahi stated.”

    The incident occurred amid repeated cross-border drone activity linked to the Afghan Taliban. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), two children were injured in Quetta, while one civilian was hurt in Kohat and another in Rawalpindi.


    The statement said the attacks appeared intended to spread fear among the public and reflected what it described as the Afghan Taliban’s terrorist mindset.

    The ISPR further said that while the Afghan Taliban attempt to portray themselves as victims to gain international sympathy, they continue to target civilians through proxies and drone attacks.

    “Pakistan’s people and its Armed Forces are absolutely clear about the true nature and intentions of the terrorist militia-for-hire that rules Afghanistan,” the statement added.

    Shafi Jan’s description of the drone as “suspicious” prompted strong reactions online. One user wrote, “They were not suspicious; they came from Afghanistan, which the Afghan Taliban government openly announced. But how dare you even mention their name?” 

    Another commented, “No city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, big or small, is safe, not even at the village level. Therefore, pay special attention to terrorism in your province.”

    Some reactions focused on the technological threat, saying, “These drones have reached Islamabad—this is the state of Afghanistan’s drones, who don’t even have such special technology. We should learn from the Iran-Israel war and further improve our own technology.” 


    Others criticized government action, writing, “Why don’t you go to funerals anymore? Ever since you’ve been in government, you’re scared of terrorists. What revolution will you bring?”

  • Operation Ghazab lil-Haq: 663 militants killed, 70 Afghan targets hit

    Operation Ghazab lil-Haq: 663 militants killed, 70 Afghan targets hit

    Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has said in a post on X that Pakistan successfully targeted 70 terrorist-linked installations across Afghanistan during Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, including logistic bases and camps.

    According to Tarar, 663 militants were killed, over 887 injured, 249 posts destroyed, 44 captured, and 224 tanks, armoured vehicles, and artillery guns destroyed. 


    He added that Pakistan precisely targeted installations that directly or indirectly support terrorism, and no civilian populations or infrastructure were affected, countering claims made by Afghan officials.

    The drone incidents near Rawalpindi, which occurred after the strikes, were also highlighted by the military. Several rudimentary drones allegedly launched from Afghanistan were intercepted before reaching their intended targets. Debris from the downed drones injured four civilians: two children in Quetta, one person in Kohat, and another in Rawalpindi.

    “These attacks were aimed at inducing fear in the public and remind us of the terrorist mindset which drives the Afghan Taliban,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. The statement added that while the Afghan Taliban “project victimhood to garner global sympathy,” they “actively target civilians through their terrorist proxies and their drones.”

    The information ministry earlier said that the drones belonged to Fitna al-Khawarij, a term used by the state for militants linked to the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) Pakistan. The ministry added that no military or other infrastructure was hit, and only minor damage occurred due to debris. Claims by Afghan officials of successfully striking military installations were dismissed.

    Reports quoted security sources that the overnight airstrikes targeted terrorist hideouts and support infrastructure, including camps, logistic bases, and installations linked to the 313 Corps in Kabul. Airfield oil storage sites and adjacent logistics infrastructure were also destroyed.

    Pakistan Airports Authority clarified that operations at Islamabad International Airport were not disrupted, calling reports of airspace closure “baseless.”

    President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the drone attacks carried out yesterday, describing them as aimed at civilian areas in Pakistan, according to a press release from the president’s media wing. 

    “The illegitimate regime of Afghanistan, installed by terror and brute force, continues to renege on its commitments not to provide safe sanctuaries to terrorist groups and now has the audacity to provoke a major military power of the Islamic world,” the statement quoted President Zardari as saying. 

    It added that the Afghan terrorist regime “crossed a red line by attempting to target our civilians” despite Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the Gulf region and West Asia, warning that it had brought “grave consequences” on itself.


    The ISPR reiterated that Operation Ghazab lil-Haq will continue until the Afghan Taliban address Islamabad’s core concerns regarding terrorism originating from Afghan soil. “Pakistan’s Armed Forces stand steadfast in the fight against terrorism and its manifestations, like the drone attacks by Afghan Taliban,” the statement added.

  • PTI seeks Imran Khan’s hospital transfer, signals movement after Eid

    PTI seeks Imran Khan’s hospital transfer, signals movement after Eid

    Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday warned the federal government against what they described as “criminal negligence” in the medical care of former prime minister Imran Khan, indicating the party could launch a large-scale movement for his release after Eid.

    Addressing a press conference, PTI leaders repeated their demand for Imran Khan’s immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital, stating that further delay could lead to serious consequences. 

    They maintained that the party had made several attempts to secure medical treatment for Khan but the government had rejected those requests.

    Speaking at the press conference, Sohail Afridi, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, warned that the party will not accept such conduct and added that PTI was prepared to launch a movement for Khan’s release. 

    He reminded the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led ruling coalition had said that the party had temporarily slowed its political activities in respect for the holy month of Ramadan.

    CM Afridi also raised concerns about the PTI founder’s health and the cases filed against him, which he termed politically motivated.

    “The PTI founder is not an ordinary citizen; he is a former prime minister of Pakistan, and the government has both a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that he receives proper medical treatment.

    The government’s refusal to allow access to his personal doctors and family members is a blatant violation of basic human rights and legal protocols,” he stated.

    PTI leader Junaid Akbar Khan pointed to what he called a wider political crackdown, referring to the disqualification of PTI senators and actions taken against party workers. 


    He also mentioned developments in relations with the Taliban administration in Afghanistan, saying the situation was becoming increasingly complex.

    He added that continued mistreatment was increasing tensions that the current administration might struggle to manage, while obstacles in the way of Khan’s medical treatment were unacceptable.

    Senior PTI leader and lawyer Babar Awan described the secrecy around Imran Khan’s medical condition as a criminal act. He warned that if any harm came to him due to the absence of proper care, those responsible would not be able to avoid accountability.

    Awan stated that the party’s demand for transparency regarding Khan’s medical condition was non-negotiable.

    Former finance minister Taimur Jhagra said that PTI remained the only political force standing with the Constitution and argued that the government’s conduct was increasing the gap between the public and state institutions.


    Meanwhile, MNA Shahid Khattak said the party was not politicising the matter but was concerned about the risk of lasting damage to the PTI founder’s health.

  • Pakistan intensifies strikes on Taliban amid border tensions

    Pakistan intensifies strikes on Taliban amid border tensions

    Pakistan’s armed forces carried out overnight airstrikes against Taliban targets and terrorist infrastructure on Friday, destroying training camps, ammunition depots, and other support facilities across Afghanistan, reports quoted security sources as saying.

    “Pakistan’s Armed Forces have carried out successful airstrikes inside Afghanistan as part of the ongoing Operation Ghazab Lil Haq,” the sources confirmed. 

    Strikes reportedly hit the headquarters of the Afghan Taliban 313 Corps, the Tarawo terrorist training camp in Kandahar, an oil storage facility, and the Sher-e-Nau terrorist camp in Paktia province.

    Operations along the Pak-Afghan border in North and South Waziristan also destroyed multiple Taliban posts and forced militants to abandon positions, reports quoted sources.

    The operation was launched following unprovoked firing from across the border, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of providing space to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). UN monitoring reports over the past two years have noted TTP activity in eastern Afghanistan, though the Taliban deny offering support.

    In a separate development, Pakistan security forces shot down three rudimentary drones on Friday, allegedly deployed by militants linked to Afghan Fitna-al-Khawarij, in the Kohat district. 


    Authorities said the crude drones posed a potential security threat, and debris from the downed devices injured two civilians, who were shifted to a hospital for treatment. Reports quoted security sources as saying that the militants were backed by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan administration.

    Amid the ongoing military operations, Pakistan is engaging diplomatically with Beijing over the border tensions. Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar recently held a call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. He said Islamabad and Beijing “cherish a long-standing strategic partnership, founded in mutual trust and deep respect,” and that both countries share common views on Afghanistan.

    China’s ambassador to Kabul, Zhao Xing, and the special envoy Dr Yue Xiaoyong has been shuttling between Pakistan and Afghanistan to mediate and encourage both sides to return to the negotiating table. 

    According to China’s foreign ministry, the most urgent task is to prevent the fighting from expanding. Beijing’s ambassador to Kabul, Zhao Xing, met Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi this week, during which Afghan officials reiterated their commitment to improving security and protecting Chinese nationals in Afghanistan.

    Andrabi clarified that a visiting delegation reportedly holding talks with the Afghan Taliban was not part of any official effort, though he confirmed Dr Yue’s visit to Pakistan to discuss shared concerns, particularly terrorism emanating from Afghanistan. He also said he had no information regarding any Turkish delegation reportedly mediating between Islamabad and Kabul.

  • PMDC allows 19 medical, dental colleges to raise fee by up to Rs2.1 million

    PMDC allows 19 medical, dental colleges to raise fee by up to Rs2.1 million

    The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has allowed 19 private medical and dental colleges to increase their annual tuition fee up to Rs2,147,483, according to a notification issued by the council.

    The decision follows recommendations from the Committee on Medical Education formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The council said requests from 20 other institutions seeking a fee increase were deferred due to missing documentation and other procedural requirements.

    Last year, the PMDC had set the maximum annual fee for private medical and dental colleges at Rs1.8 million, with a permitted annual increase of five per cent. For the current academic year, the tuition fee including ancillary charges had been capped at Rs1.89 million with the same five per cent annual increase.

    The council later decided that future fee revisions would consider the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Colleges were also allowed to submit applications seeking additional increases if they provided justification for higher operational costs.

    According to the notification, the institutions allowed to increase fees include CMH Medical College Kharian, Shahida Islam Medical and Dental College Lodhran, Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College Lahore and Rawalpindi, Central Park Medical College Lahore, Niazi Medical and Dental College Sargodha, University Medical and Dental College Faisalabad and Al Aleem Medical College Lahore.

    Other institutions granted permission include Multan Medical and Dental College, FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry Lahore, Rehman Medical and Dental College Peshawar, Suleman Roshan Medical College Tando Adam, HBS Medical and Dental College Islamabad, Abbottabad International Medical Institute, Independent Medical College Faisalabad, Islamabad Medical and Dental College, University College of Medicine and Dentistry Lahore and Azra Naheed Medical and Dental College Lahore.

    The PMDC has said applications from 20 colleges were deferred after the institutions failed to submit required documents, including audit reports.

    Meanwhile, 72 medical and dental colleges did not apply for any increase in fees.

    Parents of medical students have called on the PMDC to clarify the notification, saying it does not explain whether the approved fee will be final or if colleges may add additional charges under other categories.

  • PM Shehbaz assures Saudi Arabia of support in meeting with Mohammed bin Salman

    PM Shehbaz assures Saudi Arabia of support in meeting with Mohammed bin Salman

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on Thursday evening, conveying Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support” to Saudi Arabia as tensions in the Middle East continue amid Iranian missile and drone strikes in the Gulf region. 

    According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the two leaders held a restricted meeting during the prime minister’s one-day visit to the kingdom. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir were also present.

    The statement said that Shehbaz conveyed his regards and best wishes to Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and acknowledged the Kingdom’s support for Pakistan.

    “At the outset of the meeting, Shehbaz conveyed his respectful regards and best wishes to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and expressed appreciation for the kingdom’s longstanding support to Pakistan,” the PM Office said.

    The prime minister also expressed Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support” for Saudi Arabia during what the statement described as challenging times.

    Both leaders exchanged views on developments in the region and agreed to work together for regional peace and stability.

    “The prime minister assured His Royal Highness that Pakistan would always stand firmly with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and strive for their mutual desire for peace in the region,” the statement added.

    Officials said the visit was part of Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement as tensions between Iran and Gulf states continued to rise.
    The trip took place on the same day Saudi authorities reported intercepting missiles and drones launched from Iran.

    The visit followed a phone call a day earlier between Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during which the two leaders discussed the regional situation.

    Reports quoted diplomatic sources as stating that Pakistan had increased contacts with regional capitals amid concerns that continued strikes on Gulf states could lead to a wider conflict.

    According to officials familiar with the discussions, Islamabad has urged Tehran to avoid targeting Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, warning that such actions could escalate tensions.

    Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated that the prime minister’s visit was part of coordination between the two countries on issues related to regional peace and security.

    “The Prime Minister’s visit should be seen in the broader context of Pakistan’s efforts to advocate and facilitate an early cessation of hostilities and violence in the region, with the aim of paving the way for dialogue and diplomacy,” Andrabi said.

    He added that Pakistan had condemned attacks against Iran but also denounced Iranian strikes on Gulf countries.

    “As you know, Pakistan had condemned the unwarranted attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Andrabi said.

    “At the same time, Pakistan also strongly condemned the attacks by Iran against the brotherly countries of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, and stands in solidarity with all these countries,” he added.


    The spokesperson also expressed concern over attacks targeting other regional states including Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

    Officials said Pakistan had maintained communication with several regional capitals while Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held discussions with his Iranian counterpart and remained in contact with officials in Gulf states, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    Andrabi said Pakistan was encouraging restraint and maintaining communication between regional capitals.

    “Our principal position on issues regarding sovereignty, international law and the UN Charter, and on dialogue and diplomacy, is respected in regional capitals,” he said.


    “This allows us to maintain channels of communication between the relevant capitals.”

  • US permanently shuts down Peshawar consulate: report

    US permanently shuts down Peshawar consulate: report

    The United States (US) has announced plans to permanently close its consulate in Peshawar, according to a report by The Independent. The consulate is the US’ closest diplomatic mission to the Afghan border and served as a primary operations and logistics hub during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan.

    The US State Department informed Congress of its intention to close the consulate, stating that the move would save $7.5 million annually without affecting US national interests in Pakistan. 

    “The move has been under consideration for more than a year since the Trump administration began downsizing nearly all federal agencies and is not related to the Iran war,” the report said.

    The joint US-Israeli war against Iran, which began on February 28, led to protests in multiple cities. Following an incident in Karachi that resulted in 11 deaths, the US Consulate in Karachi temporarily suspended operations.

    According to the notification, the State Department will spend $3 million on closing the Peshawar consulate. More than half of this amount will cover the relocation of armoured trailers that had served as temporary office space, while the rest will go toward moving equipment, furniture, and the consulate’s motor pool fleet to the US Embassy in Islamabad and the consulates in Karachi and Lahore.

    The Independent noted that the consulate had been a key point for overland travel into Afghanistan and a contact location for American citizens in northwestern Pakistan, as well as Afghan nationals seeking US assistance. 

    The notification also stated that consular services would be handled by the embassy in Islamabad, roughly 184 kilometres from Peshawar.

    “The closure would not adversely affect the mission’s ability to advance core US national interests, assist US citizens, or to conduct adequate oversight of foreign assistance programs because all of those functions would continue to be performed by US Embassy Islamabad,” the report said.

    Earlier this month, the US State Department had ordered non-emergency personnel and their families to leave consulates in Karachi and Lahore due to security concerns following the protests. The consulate in Peshawar had temporarily suspended operations in line with the advisory.

  • PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi to replace Kamran Tessori as Sindh governor

    PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi to replace Kamran Tessori as Sindh governor

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has decided to appoint PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi as the Governor of Sindh, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Tuesday.

    The PMO stated that Shehbaz met Hashmi at PM House and forwarded a summary to President Asif Ali Zardari for approval.

    Reports about the removal of incumbent Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) have been circulating on social media for several days.

    Relations between the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and MQM-P, both federal government allies, have been strained in recent months, particularly since the Gul Plaza incident. The PPP had raised concerns about Tessori’s role as governor in 2024.

    In April 2024, the PPP accused Tessori of “creating a political divide and further widening the gap between urban and rural areas of Sindh” and requested his removal by the PML-N-led federal government.

    Reports of a possible replacement emerged in August 2024, prompting MQM-P to threaten leaving the coalition. In December 2025, MQM-P leadership dismissed speculation about Tessori’s removal.

    After the 2024 general elections, PPP and PML-N agreed on a coalition government at the Centre, with PPP securing the posts of president, Senate chairman, and National Assembly deputy speaker, while PML-N retained the right to appoint governors in Sindh and Balochistan.

    Hashmi previously served as a PML-N senator following his election in March 2015. He was disqualified in February 2018 after a controversial speech in May 2017, in which he warned:

    “Those who are scrutinising them [Sharif and his sons], we will not spare you. Those grilling [the family] … [be warned that] we will arrange the day of judgment for you. You are making the life of the prime minister difficult; the Pakistani nation will make it difficult for you to live.”

    The speech prompted the PML-N to ask him to resign from the Senate and revoke his party membership. The then-Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar took suo motu notice. Eight months later, the Supreme Court convicted Hashmi of contempt of court, sentencing him to one month in jail and disqualifying him from holding public office for five years.

  • 641 Afghan Taliban operatives killed in Operation Ghazab lil-Haq

    641 Afghan Taliban operatives killed in Operation Ghazab lil-Haq

    Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that 641 Afghan Taliban operatives have been killed and more than 855 injured since the launch of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq.

    In an update shared on his X account, Tarar said that the operation was launched last month after Afghan Taliban forces opened fire at multiple locations along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, prompting a military response from Pakistan.

    He said that security forces targeted positions used by Afghan Taliban operatives during the course of the operation.

    According to the minister, 243 check posts used by the group have been destroyed so far, while 42 others were captured and later demolished by Pakistani forces.

    Tarar stated that 219 tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery guns were also destroyed during the operation.

    He further said Pakistani forces carried out air operations targeting sites across Afghanistan.

    “Sixty-five locations across Afghanistan were effectively targeted by air,” Tarar said.

    Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have increased in recent weeks after cross-border firing and mortar shelling were reported along several sectors of the frontier, leading to military exchanges between the two sides.