Category: National

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has confirmed that the Simla Agreement, signed in 1972 between Islamabad and New Delhi to bilaterally resolve disputes regarding Kashmir, no longer remains in effect.

Speaking to a reporter on Thursday, the defence minister stated that the LOC should now be viewed as the Ceasefire Line again. “We have now returned to the 1948 position,” he added, referring to the UN-mediated cessation of hostilities in the first India-Pakistan war.

Asif explained that the Agreement was a bilateral accord between the two countries, with no involvement of the World Bank or any third party. 

The Simla Agreement was signed in 1972 between the two countries in the aftermath of the 1971 war by former Pakistani premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indian ex-premier Indira Gandhi. 

The agreement, inter alia, stipulated that neither party would take any action unilaterally, that the disputes between the two countries would be resolved bilaterally, and that the ceasefire line would become the LoC.

The defence minister said that due to India’s escalatory action Simla Agreement has lost its significance.

Commenting on the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), which had been unilaterally suspended by New Delhi following the April 22 militant attacks in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOKJ) in Pahalgam, Asif made it clear that no party can unilaterally withdraw from the Treaty. 

“All actions related to the treaty must be mutual. India sometimes releases 6,000 cusecs of water, sometimes 25,000. India cannot arbitrarily control the flow of water,” he said.

It should be mentioned here that Pakistan has declared that any attempts to divert or block its share of water will be considered “an act of war.”

The federal government of Pakistan has earmarked Rs600 million in the upcoming 2025–26 budget for the country’s first human-crewed space mission, marking a historic step in the country’s space ambitions. The mission is part of a broader Rs24 billion allocation proposed for SUPARCO, the national space agency.

Reports revealed that over Rs18 billion from the total will go toward the Multi-Mission Communication Satellite System. Additionally, Rs400 million has been proposed for a new Pakistan Lunar Exploration project, Rs1.8 billion for a Deep Space Astronomical initiative, and Rs1.7 billion for the Pakistan Optical Remote Sensing Satellite.

Beyond the space sector, the government also plans to allocate more than Rs500 million for the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), over Rs50 billion for the Cabinet Division, and Rs50 billion for constituency-based development schemes suggested by parliamentarians.

Infrastructure projects include Rs134.2 million for Islamabad’s development, Rs100 million for restoring the National Archives, and Rs650 million for constructing a Hajj Complex in Lahore.

Indian social media users are bashing their country’s all-party diplomatic delegation which is visiting 33 countries with the aim of justifying its illegal strikes in Pakistan last month. Indian social media users say that the delegation appears more focused on personal enjoyment than on effectively presenting New Delhi’s stance on the global stage.

The outrage was prompted by a video of delegation head, Indian National Congress’ Shashi Tharoor’s video in which he appears to be singing during a private get-together. 

Conversely, Pakistan’s delegation, led by Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is engaging world powers at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), highlighting India’s disinformation campaign and its attempts to destabilise regional peace in the aftermath of the recent military escalation with India.

Pakistan’s nine-member team includes well-known leaders such as former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, ex-Information minister Sherry Rehman, former defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, and ex-foreign secretaries Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua.

A social media user shared the video of Shashi Tharoor on X (formerly Twitter), which showed Tharoor singing a song in front of enthralled Indian diaspora members. In the caption, the user wrote, “This is the nautanki (drama) happening on tax-payers money. Shameless.”

“26 tourists have been killed in front of their wives, India has lost multiple fighter jets to Pakistan, Trump has bulldozed India’s longstanding policy to keep Kashmir a bilateral issue – But Shashi Tharoor & his delegation seem to have gone for a picnic” wrote Ashok Swain, professor at Uppsala University in Sweden.

Earlier, another video of India’s delegation member and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Rekha Sharma surfaced online where she was singing “Tu Manay Na” before at a dinner, reportedly held in Algeria.

“Our delegation going abroad sharpens India’s foreign policy through music. Believe it or not… These people were shameless and will remain shameless,” a netizen said. Another wrote, “26 people died in Pahalgam; none of the four terrorists have been caught. And the delegation sent on a world tour to spread a message of India’s stand on terrorism is enjoying singing songs and partying on taxpayer money.”

“This is what our MPs are doing abroad. One formal speech in front of the ANI mic. Modi, Modi, Modi in front of NRIs. Sightseeing & shopping. Dinner party with the ambassador. Antakshari, Karaoke etc & enjoy. Our Tax money spent well (sic),” wrote another user.

“They are the parliamentary delegation sent by the Modi government to enjoy a vacation in the name of spreading message of the action of India’s on Pakistan. Shamelessly singing and enjoying (sic),” one of the users wrote.

The young man who was seen being attacked in a viral clip in Karachi’s DHA area told a local court on Thursday that he has forgiven the assault suspect, businessman Salman Farooqi.

According to media reports, the hearing took place at the South Judicial Magistrate’s Court, where Sudheer appeared in person and confirmed that Salman Farooqi was involved in the incident.

Sudheer said he did not know earlier that he had been called to court and came only after his lawyer informed him the same day.

When the judge asked if anyone was forcing him to drop the case, Sudheer replied, “I have forgiven the accused. I have no objections to whatever decision the court may reach.”

The court noted that while Sudheer confirmed the identity of the attacker, he did not want to take the case forward.

The incident had taken place in Karachi’s Defence area, where Salman Farooqi was caught on camera physically assaulting Sudheer, who was on a motorcycle, while his sister was present.

The video quickly spread on social media and led to widespread criticism and demands for action.

Following the incident, Gizri Police Station registered a case against Salman Farooqi based on a complaint by eyewitness Muhammad Saleem. The charges included assault, issuing death threats, and public humiliation.

However, despite the victim’s statement, the South Judicial Magistrate’s court on Thursday rejected the bail applications of both Salman Farooqi and Owais Hashmi. The court ordered that both accused be sent to jail on judicial remand while also directing the investigating officer to submit a progress report at the next hearing.

Hours after over 200 inmates escaped from Malir District Jail on Monday night, a mother of one of the escapees handed her son over to the police.

“My son reached home at 3:00 am after escaping from jail. When I asked him whether he had been released, he told me that he was among several inmates who escaped due to the tremors,” said the mother, who later handed him back to the police.

“We didn’t have the fare to come to the jail, so we walked here on foot. It’s better to be released legally rather than to escape jail,” she said, speaking to media.

When asked about the case in which her son was arrested, she alleged that he had been in jail for the past six months on “false theft” allegations. “On the basis of my son’s picture with his friend, he was sentenced,” she added.

According to police officials, the jailbreak occurred when multiple earthquakes caused cracks in the barracks walls of the overcrowded prison, which reportedly houses between 3,500 and 4,000 inmates.

Around 80 prisoners have reportedly been recaptured, while more than 130 remain at large as security forces continue efforts to bring the fugitives back into custody.

Speaking to reporters earlier on Tuesday, Sindh’s Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar stated that none of the escaped prisoners were hardcore criminals, noting that most were involved in petty crimes.

Describing the incident as one of the most serious jailbreaks in recent years, the minister said the escape took place when between 700 and 1,000 inmates gathered near the main gate following the evacuation.

Meanwhile, rescue officials reported that three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel sustained injuries during the ensuing stampede and chaos, while one inmate died. The injured officers have been shifted to a private hospital for immediate treatment.

Speaking to the media, Siraj, one of the rearrested prisoners, said, “When the quake hit, everyone started breaking the gates. Many ran off. I was arrested in a weapons case and went into hiding after escaping.”

The internet is praising Islamabad Police for the swift action which resulted in the arrest of the prime suspect in the murder of 17-year-old TikTok star Sana Yousaf within 20 hours of the crime. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the arrest and recovery of the murder weapon.

Sana was shot dead inside her home in the G-13 sector of Islamabad on Monday. The suspect, known by this alias Kaka, was traced and taken into custody during a late-night operation in Faisalabad. Police say he had a personal connection with the victim, and initial investigations confirm that the motive behind the brutal killing was a personal grudge.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the police in a post on X (previously Twitter): “Well done Islamabad Police. Sana Yousaf murder case traced, accused arrested and weapon recovered within 20 hours.” He added that the masked suspect was arrested just an hour before his statement, and the recovered the pistol used to shoot Sana and her iPhone. The suspect has also confessed to the crime.

Well Done Islamabad Police. Sana Yousaf murder case traced, accused arrested and weapon recovered within 20 hours

The incident occurred yesterday in Islamabad when a young girl was murdered by a masked accused. The accused has been arrested just an hour back. Police has… pic.twitter.com/jmQx9xAlhm

— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) June 3, 2025

The arrest has sparked strong reactions on social media, with many praising the Islamabad Police and demanding strict punishment.”Well done, ICT Police,” many users wrote. 

Others also voiced similar sentiments, calling it a job well-done by Islamabad Police and urging that the suspect be made an example so that such acts are not repeated. 

Comments poured in with messages like “good work, really appreciated” and “Islamabad police, you are our pride.” Many praised the quick response, calling it “an excellent response” and showing confidence in the authorities’ performance.

Sana Yousaf, originally from Chitral, was a rising star on TikTok with over 800,000 followers and nearly half a million on Instagram. Her videos often featured lip-syncing to Pakistani, Indian, and Pashto songs. Her last post, shared just hours before her death, showed her celebrating her birthday with friends at a local restaurant.

Police say the investigation is going on and further developments will be shared once the suspect is formally presented in court.

In a major security breach and the biggest jailbreak in recent years, hundreds of inmates reportedly escaped from Malir Jail on Monday night. While some fugitives have been recaptured, many remain at large.

Jail Superintendent Arshad Shah, speaking to the media early Tuesday, confirmed that over 80 escapees have been apprehended so far. A search operation is currently underway to locate and arrest the remaining prisoners.

According to Superintendent Shah, the jailbreak occurred when inmates from Circles 4 and 5 were moved out of their barracks as a safety measure during tremors felt in the area.

“More than 600 prisoners were outside their cells at the time. Amid the chaos, 216 managed to flee,” he said, adding that over 135 prisoners have yet to be recaptured, and search efforts are ongoing.

Describing the incident as one of the most serious jailbreaks in recent years, Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar stated that the escape occurred when between 700 and 1,000 inmates gathered near the main gate following the evacuation.

He told reporters that nearly 100 prisoners forced open the gate and fled. “Around 46 have been caught, and we expect the rest will be rearrested soon,” he added.

Lanjar said that all escaped inmates have been identified, and targeted raids are underway at their residences and adjoining areas. He confirmed the Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had been briefed about the situation.

Sindh’s home minister maintained that while preliminary reports suggested structural damage, it was later confirmed that the escape was carried out through the main gate, ruling out the claim of any wall collapse.

Hinting at possible staff negligence, the minister said an inquiry committee, including officers from the police and other relevant agencies, would be formed. “Strict disciplinary action will be taken against those found responsible,” he added.

Meanwhile, following the escape, rescue officials reported that three Frontier Cops (FC) personnel sustained injuries in the ensuing stampede and chaos. They have been shifted to a private hospital for immediate treatment.

“When the quake hit, everyone started breaking the gates. Many ran off. I was arrested in a weapons case and went into hiding after escaping,” said Siraj, one of the rearrested prisoners, while speaking to the media.