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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has dismissed Indian media reports claiming changes to the Pakistani passport for the removal of the clause banning travel to Israel.

As per the details, the info ministry has rejected the reports as “completely baseless and laughable”, saying no such move has been discussed or is even being considered by the government.

The propaganda started when Indian news channel Republic TV alleged that Islamabad had removed the clause from passports that declared them invalid for travel to Israel.

Exposing the false reporting by Indian media, the ministry said that Pakistan’s position on Israel has always been crystal clear.

“Pakistan has never recognised Israel, and there is absolutely no question of military cooperation […] Our support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination is firm and principled, it has never wavered,” the ministry said, adding that Republic TV’s story was not picked up by any credible regional or international media outlet.

Calling out what it described as a “habit of spreading lies”, the ministry said that this kind of propaganda was “Indian godi media’s” new normal. “We will continue to speak the truth and stand by justice, peace and the rights of the Palestinian people,” it added.

While the foreign ministry and the directorate general of immigration and passports also clarified that the passport had not been changed in any way as the long-standing clause remained printed, this is not the first time Republic TV has ended up with an egg on its face due to fabricated reports.

Earlier this month, the channel claimed that Pakistan was preparing to send 20,000 troops to Gaza under the supervision of Western countries and Israel. The claim, however, was also denied by Pakistani officials.

China has announced plans to include a Pakistani astronaut in its upcoming space station missions, according to state news agency Xinhua on Thursday. 

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) stated during a press conference that two Pakistani astronauts will train alongside their Chinese counterparts under this project, with one of them scheduled to participate in a short-term spaceflight mission as a payload specialist.

According to CMSA spokesperson Zhang Jingbo, China and Pakistan signed a cooperation agreement in February of this year, which marked the official start of the astronaut selection process. Similar to China’s own astronaut recruitment process, the selection process will be divided into three stages: preliminary, second-round, and final.

Pakistan is now conducting the preliminary stage, and China will host the next two stages. According to Zhang, preparations for the second round are already underway, including creating training materials, assembling equipment, and setting up logistical support.

“Two Pakistani astronauts will undergo training alongside Chinese astronauts, and one of them will be selected to participate in a short-duration spaceflight mission as a payload specialist,” Zhang said. 

“During the mission, the astronaut will not only participate in the crew’s routine work but also conduct scientific experiments on behalf of Pakistan.”

Chinese publication Global Times also confirmed that “China is currently selecting astronauts from Pakistan, with one expected to take part in a short-duration space mission at an appropriate time.”

Zhang emphasized that since its inception, China’s manned space program has upheld the principles of peaceful use, equality, mutual benefit, and shared development.

Pakistan has seen a rise of almost 60 percent in violations against journalists in the past 12 months, Freedom Network’s Annual Impunity Report 2025, supported by International Media Support (IMS) has stated.

The report highlights a worsening climate for press freedom and journalist safety under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government.

The findings show that at least 142 cases of attacks and violations against journalists were recorded, a sharp rise compared to the previous year. The report says that after the February 2024 general elections, media environment became more hostile, making almost every region unsafe for journalists.

During the first year of the current government, at least 36 legal cases were filed against 30 journalists under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Most cases were registered in Punjab. PECA was amended in early 2025, making punishments tougher for journalists and raising public concern.

“The government is using the law to suppress free expression and target critical voices,” said Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak. “Pakistan cannot afford to silence its media.”

The report covers violations from November 2024 to September 2025. Punjab and Islamabad were found to be the most dangerous places for journalists, each accounting for 28 percent of the total violations. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir also reported cases, while none came from Gilgit Baltistan.

Television journalists faced the most attacks, followed by those in print and digital media.

Security forces in Bajaur have killed four terrorists, including a top Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.

According to the military’s media wing, the movement of a group of terrorists was detected by security forces as they attempted to infiltrate through the Pak-Afghanistan border.

“Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted Khawarij’s attempt to infiltrate,” read a statement issued by ISPR, adding that as a result of precise and skillful engagement, four militants, including a high-value target Amjad alias Mazahim, were sent to hell.

The statement said that the killed TTP commander was second-in-command to Noor Wali, and was the head of Rehbari Shura of Indian proxy Fitna al-Khwarij. He was highly wanted by Pakistani law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and the government had also issued on his head a bounty amounting Rs5 million for perpetuating numerous terrorist activities inside Pakistan.

“Sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored Kharji found in the area as a relentless counterterrorism campaign under vision Azm-e-Istehkam by security forces, and LEAs will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” the ISPR statement read.

The military’s media wing further said that the TTP leadership, while residing in Afghanistan, is orchestrating infiltration attempts into Pakistan to project an impression of domestic presence and to raise the diminishing morale of terrorists amid effective security operations by Pakistan.

“It is once again reiterated that the interim Afghan government must take concrete measures to ensure that Afghan soil is not used by kharji proxies to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan. It also validates our stance that Afghan soil is continuously being used as a safe haven by khwarij belonging to Fitna al-Khwarij against Pakistan,” the ISPR said.

“The security forces remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers,” the statement concluded.

It may be noted that the operation and subsequent come while Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in peace talks in Türkiye.

The talks follow week-long clashes between the two neighbours earlier this month amid Islamabad’s repeated demands against Afghan support, and the use of Afghan soil, for terror activities in Pakistan.