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  • Punjab foils major terror plans as RAW-linked operative among 49 arrested

    Punjab foils major terror plans as RAW-linked operative among 49 arrested

    Punjab’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has claimed to have foiled major terror plans with the arrest of 49 suspected terrorists during a month-long province-wide crackdown. 


    The operation also included the arrest of a “dangerous operative” allegedly linked to India’s intelligence agency RAW.


    CTD officials identified the suspect as Mujtaba, who was arrested during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the provincial capital.


    A large quantity of explosives and maps of important buildings were also recovered, indicating plans to target sensitive installations in multiple cities.


    In a statement, a CTD spokesperson said the arrests were made after 425 IBOs across Punjab to pre-empt potential terrorist activity. During these operations, 427 suspects were also questioned.


    Thr 49 arrests were made across multiple districts, including Lahore, Sahiwal, Rawalpindi, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Jhelum, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Pakpattan, Khushab, Okara, Attock, Sheikhupura, and Vehari.


    As per the details of recovered arms, CTD  seized 16,480 grams of explosives, two hand grenades, 36 detonators, 58 feet of safety fuse wire, six improvised explosive devices (IEDs), pamphlets and magazines of banned organisations, SIM cards, mobile phones and cash.


    The spokesperson said that 44 cases had been registered against the arrested individuals, with further investigation ongoing to determine their networks and facilitators.


    Separately, CTD, with support from local police and other security agencies, conducted 6,131 combing operations across the province. During these operations, 243,546 individuals were checked, 599 suspects arrested, 568 FIRs registered and 477 recoveries made.


    Reaffirming its commitment to security, the CTD spokesperson said the department would continue action against terrorists and anti-state elements and urged citizens to report suspicious activity to the CTD Punjab helpline at 0800-11111.

  • PCB chairman orders halting all T20 World Cup preparations amid India-Bangladesh tensions

    PCB chairman orders halting all T20 World Cup preparations amid India-Bangladesh tensions

    Amid tensions between Bangladesh and India, and uncertainty over the former’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup due to security concerns, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has ordered to completely halt Green Shirt’s preparations for the tournament.

    Reports citing sources claimed that the PCB chief has told team management to wait for further instructions and prepare a contingency plan in case the country does not participate in the World Cup.

    The claims come after Pakistan reportedly threw its full support behind Bangladesh’s decision to skip T20 World Cup matches in India, offering to raise the matter with the International Cricket Council (ICC) if needed.

    According to reports, the PCB will stand by Bangladesh’s stance on player safety, calling the security concerns reasonable and valid.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan has also expressed interest in hosting Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches after the team refused to travel to India, highlighting its successful hosting of the Champions Trophy and the ICC Women’s Qualifier as evidence of its ability to host World Cup matches.

    It may be noted that tensions between Bangladesh and India started to rise when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) removed Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL) over Hindutva extremists’ threats rooted in violence against Hindus in and around Dhaka.

    In response, Bangladesh banned IPL broadcast in the country, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested the ICC to shift its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka.

    Reports added that the ICC had previously accepted security concerns as valid grounds when India refused to tour Pakistan for last year’s Champions Trophy, and similar reasoning should apply now.

    Pakistan, out of similar concerns, will also play all their matches in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament.

    For now, Bangladesh are due to play three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai as the ICC is yet to make a final decision on the matter.

    The opening match of the tournament is less than two weeks away on Feb 7.

  • White House calls $1 billion board of peace fee ‘misleading’ as Trump seeks wider global role

    White House calls $1 billion board of peace fee ‘misleading’ as Trump seeks wider global role

    The White House has said that reports that countries must contribute $1 billion to join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace are “misleading”. 

    “This simply offers permanent membership to partner countries who demonstrate deep commitment to peace, security, and prosperity,” the White House said on X.

    Trump initially unveiled the Board as part of phase two of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, aimed at ending Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The body was envisioned to oversee “governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilisation” in the enclave.

    However, letters written by Trump and posted on social media by two leaders invited to join the board, Argentinian President Javier Milei and Paraguay’s leader Santiago Pena suggested broader ambitions. 

    According to the letters, Trump said the board would seek to “solidify peace in the Middle East” and “embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict.”

    A draft charter sent to about 60 countries, seen by Reuters, also outlined an expanded role for the board. The Financial Times reported that the charter described it as “an international organisation that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict.”

    “Durable peace requires pragmatic judgment, common sense solutions, and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed,” the charter added, without directly referencing Gaza.

    Two diplomatic sources told an international news agency that the invitations included a charter that outlined the board’s wider mandate. One diplomat described it as “a ‘Trump United Nations’ that ignores the fundamentals of the UN charter.

    A senior US official told an international wire service that an expanded role for the board remains “aspirational” and added that it was not intended to replace the UN.

    For now, the Trump administration has said the board will initially focus on Gaza. On Friday, Trump announced Tony Blair, former UK prime minister, would serve as a founding executive member alongside Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Other founding members include Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management; World Bank Group President Ajay Banga; and Robert Gabriel, US deputy national security adviser.

    Many of these figures were also named to a separate “Gaza executive board,” which will oversee a technocratic committee of Palestinians, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), expected to handle day-to-day governance in Gaza.

    The 11-member executive board includes Blair, Kushner, Witkoff, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatari diplomat Ali Al Thawadi, UN Middle East peace coordinator Sigrid Kaag, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al-Hashimy, and Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabay.

    Beyond Argentina and Paraguay, Turkiye and Egypt have confirmed their leaders, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi  were invited to join the wider board of peace. 

    The initial announcement sparked outrage in the Middle East for excluding Palestinians from the “Board of Peace”.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposed the Gaza executive board, saying its composition “was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy,” though his office did not specify what exactly it opposed.

  • ‘It will be done!’: Trump reiterates need to acquire Greenland amid ‘Russian threat’

    ‘It will be done!’: Trump reiterates need to acquire Greenland amid ‘Russian threat’

    United States (US) President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated his plans to annex Greenland, accusing Denmark of failing to address what he described as a “Russian threat”.



    Greenland, though sparsely populated, is strategically significant due to its location between North America and the Arctic, offering early-warning capabilities for missile defence and monitoring of regional shipping routes.


    “NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland.’ Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.


    “Now it is time, and it will be done!!!” he added.


    The White House and Denmark’s foreign affairs ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but Trump’s post came amid escalating tensions with European allies following his insistence that the US should acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. 


    He has repeatedly said he will settle for nothing less than ownership of the island, a position firmly rejected by both Danish and Greenlandic leaders, who say the territory is not for sale and does not want to become part of the US.


    Trump’s latest comments follow strong pushback from Denmark Prime Minister (PM) Mette Frederiksen, who said Europe would not be pressured into concessions through trade threats.


    He was referring to Trump’s threat of fresh wave of tariffs on European allies unless he is allowed to purchase Greenland amid growing presence of China and Russia, making Greenland critical to US security interests.


    European officials counter the claim by noting that the island is already covered under NATO’s collective security pact.


    “Europe will not be blackmailed,” Frederiksen wrote on Facebook, adding that Denmark was willing to cooperate but not seeking conflict.


    “It is all the more important that we stand firm on the fundamental values that created the European community.”


    Earlier, Trump warned he would impose new tariffs on eight US allies – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK) starting February if they oppose his proposed takeover of Greenland.


    In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the eight European countries said Trump’s tariff threats risked triggering a “dangerous downward spiral” in transatlantic relations.


    They expressed “full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland” and warned that using trade measures against allies undermined NATO unity.


    The countries said they remained committed to strengthening Arctic security as NATO members and stressed their willingness to engage in dialogue based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.


    President Trump has said the proposed tariffs could begin at 10% and later rise to 25%, remaining in place until a deal is reached. He warned that opposing countries were creating a “very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet”.


    Trump has also previously suggested the US could obtain Greenland “the easy way or the hard way” and has not ruled out the use of force remarks that have drawn widespread criticism across Europe.


    European leaders continue to stress that respect for sovereignty remains central to international law.

  • 12 detained in India for offering Friday prayers in a house

    12 detained in India for offering Friday prayers in a house

    Uttar Pradesh police in India have detained 12 people in Bareilly’s Mohammadganj village for offering Friday prayers at a private house without administrative permission, Indian media reports have said.

    According to reports, authorities took the action as a preventive measure to maintain law and order following a local tip-off.

    “No prior permission was taken from local administration for conducting the congregational prayer at the site. Considering the possibility of disturbance to peace, preventive action was taken against 12 individuals,” sub-inspector Anees of Bisharatganj police station told the Times of India.

    SP (North) Anshika Verma told an Indian media outlet, “We received a tip-off that a house has been turned into a mosque and a madrassa. This was illegal. Those involved were told not to repeat such an activity without proper permission.”

    The house, which usually remains locked, reportedly belongs to a woman named Resham. Her husband, Haseen Khan, died a few years ago, and she along with her two children currently work in another state, according to locals.

    Afser Khan, a resident, said the village does not have a mosque and the nearest one is situated three kilometers away. “Old people normally find it difficult to travel that far, particularly in this cold weather. For their convenience, prayers were offered in that house. This dispute has been created unnecessarily,” Khan said.

    Tejpal Singh, another resident, however said the house was operating as a mosque and a madrassa. He along with a few others recorded videos and informed police.

    Additional police force has been deployed in the village, and senior officers said they are monitoring the situation closely.

  • SHO, police officials face investigation for sexual assault of minor girl

    SHO, police officials face investigation for sexual assault of minor girl

    Authorities in Jacobabad are investigating allegations that seven police officials, including the Station House Officer (SHO), sexually assaulted a minor girl. 

    A woman claimed that the SHO, the head clerk, and five other police officials raped her granddaughter.

    Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar has taken notice of the case and asked the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to submit a report. 

    An investigation team, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Thul, has been formed to look into the allegations.

    This case comes to the light shortly after another incident in Karachi. In the Gulshan-e-Maymar area, a 17-year-old girl was kidnapped and gang-raped, police said. The victim, who works as a domestic help, told a private media outlet that “some influential men abducted her and took her to an unknown location, where they subjected her to sexual and physical assault.”

    She added that when she and her family went to the police station to lodge a complaint, the SHO initially refused to register the First Information Report (FIR).

    Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho took notice of the case and ordered the suspension and demotion of the area SHO for delaying the registration of the FIR. 

    A case was later registered at the Gulshan-e-Maymar police station on the complaint of the victim’s brother.

  • ‘Have you and Babar made up?’: Steve Smith on run-taking controversy

    ‘Have you and Babar made up?’: Steve Smith on run-taking controversy

    Steve Smith has addressed the controversy surrounding his on-field disagreement with teammate Babar Azam during a Big Bash League (BBL) match.

    Commentator Isha Guha asked Smith about the incident on Sunday during a pre-match discussion before Sydney Sixers’ latest game. “Have things been sorted out between you and Babar Azam?” she questioned.

    Smith responded with a laugh, saying, “We’ve spoken to each other. Babar batted well that night. We talked about golf, as you would have seen on screen.” He then shifted focus to the upcoming match, adding, “The pitch looks good, hoping to do well in this match too.”

    The controversy erupted during the match against Sydney Thunder on the previous Friday, when Smith refused a single to Babar Azam as the two opened for Sydney Sixers.

    Babar failed to score on three consecutive balls in the 11th over, before driving to long-on off the last ball of the over. Smith then smashed the Sydney Thunder bowler for four consecutive sixes in the next over, while Babar got bowled out on the first ball after returning to strike.

    When Babar got out, he hit the boundary rope with his bat in frustration.

    According to reports, Smith told Babar in the 10th over that he would face the first ball of the power surge over. Smith went on to score 32 runs in that over, but Babar reportedly showed no signs of celebration.

    Australian media reports claim Babar felt disrespected by Smith’s behavior during the match and grew visibly angry. After the game ended, the Pakistani star stayed in the Sydney Sixers changing room and refused to meet anyone.

    Babar joined the Sydney Sixers for the ongoing season. The former Pakistani captain has accumulated 202 runs in 10 matches with two fifties, maintaining a strike rate of 104.12 and an average of 25.25.

  • Government awards Rs206.5 million in cash prizes to athletes, Arshad Nadeem gets Rs152 million: report

    Government awards Rs206.5 million in cash prizes to athletes, Arshad Nadeem gets Rs152 million: report

    The government presented detailed figures to parliament showing Pakistani athletes received Rs206.5 million in cash rewards during the fiscal year 2024-25.

    According to reports, olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem received the largest share with Rs152 million, while his coach Salman Iqbal Butt got Rs10.6 million, official documents show. 

    World Snooker Championship winner Muhammad Asif took home Rs2.5 million for his victory. Ahsan Ramzan earned Rs500,000 for winning bronze at the Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship.

    The government gave Muhammad Asif an additional Rs500,000 for his gold medal at the SAARC Snooker Championship, while Muhammad Naseem Akhtar received Rs100,000 for his bronze medal at the same event.

    Athletes who competed in the South Asian Regional Table Tennis Championship collectively received Rs1.45 million in prize money.

    Pakistan’s Special Olympics World Winter Games medalists shared Rs3.05 million in rewards for their achievements.

    The government distributed Rs1.75 million among national players who won medals at the Asian Junior Squash Championship. Athletes who competed in the World Under-23 Individual Squash Championship received Rs7.5 million in total.

    Taekwondo athletes earned Rs11.5 million for winning various medals at the Asian Open World Taekwondo Championship.

  • Celebrities speak out on devastating Karachi Gul Plaza fire tragedy

    Celebrities speak out on devastating Karachi Gul Plaza fire tragedy

    Pakistani celebrities have taken to social media to express grief and anger following the deadly fire at Gul Plaza in Karachi on Saturday, which has claimed at least 14 lives, including a firefighter, with dozens still missing.

    Actress Aiman Khan shared her heartbreak on Instagram Stories, writing, “I am heartbroken by the Gul Plaza incident. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones.”

    Her sister, actress Minal Khan, penned a lengthy note reflecting on Karachi’s systemic failures. 

    “Karachi is a strange orphan – loved in words, abandoned in action. It has too many guardians and none that truly care,” she wrote. “A mayor, ministers, boards, administrators – everyone in charge, yet no one responsible. This is the provincial capital, the economic spine of the country, and still it is treated like a burden neither the province nor the center wants to claim. When tragedy strikes, fingers are pointed, statements are issued, and then silence returns.”

    She described the personal connection many Karachiites have with Gul Plaza. “Gul Plaza was never just a building. It lives inside every Karachite’s home. The toys we played with as children, the plates we still eat from, the everyday things that quietly shaped our lives – so many of them came from there. Watching it burn feels like watching a piece of our own childhood, our own memories, turn to ash.”

    Minal concluded with a stark warning: “This wasn’t just a fire. It was a reminder – painful and unforgiving – of what happens when a society becomes numb, when safety becomes optional, when human life becomes a statistic. We mourn the dead, but we must also mourn ourselves, because somewhere along the way, we all failed them.”

    Actress Rabia Kulsoom and her husband wrote, “Deeply saddened by the fire incident at Gul Plaza Karachi. Prayers for all the victims and their families. May Allah give them and all the shop owners the strength to overcome this loss.”

    Sajal Aly expressed her sorrow, saying, “Heartbroken to see what happened at Gul Plaza. My prayers are with the families who lost their loved ones no words are enough for such loss.” Her sister Saboor Aly simply wrote, “Allah Reham.”

    Model and host Nadia Hussain shared haunting images and video clips from the site, showing ashes and debris scattered across the burned building. 

    “This unbelievable, horrific tragedy has left all Karachiites in utter despair, grief, and complete shock,” she wrote. “A fire could not be put out in time that caused the deaths of so many people and losses worth crores and crores. Where were the proper firefighting trucks? Why was the fire burning for more than 24 hours?”

    Cricketer Haris Rauf highlighted the broader systemic issues exposed by the tragedy. “The tragedy exposed our collective failure to protect lives. Inadequate fire safety, delayed rescue, and a system that failed its people! The cost? Precious lives, lost. Families torn apart. Dreams unfulfilled. The helplessness is suffocating. How many more lives will it take for us to act? For us to care? The grief is overwhelming, the anger is justified,” he wrote.

    The blaze broke out at one of Karachi’s oldest shopping malls on MA Jinnah Road on Saturday night, January 17, 2026, and continued burning for more than 24 hours.

  • ‘Who installed 4G there?’ CM Bugti questions internet towers in remote areas

    ‘Who installed 4G there?’ CM Bugti questions internet towers in remote areas

    Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Sarfraz Bugti on Friday raised concerns over the presence of internet towers in sparsely populated areas of the province, warning that such infrastructure could be ‘exploited for activities against the state’.


    Addressing a presser in Quetta, CM Bugti said he was surprised to see internet facilities in areas with little to no population, including Sangan.


    “When I fly over in a helicopter, 4G services are running there. Who put them up, and why?” he asked, adding that such facilities could be misused by militants against the state and law enforcement agencies.



    The chief minister also announced a Rs3 billion project to lay fibre optic cables across schools, colleges, universities and hospitals throughout the province.


    He said the initiative aims to expand internet access for the public while ensuring that its usage remains monitored.


    Briefing the media on the security situation, CM Bugti said the Frontier Corps (FC) neutralised 12 terrorists during a recent operation in Kharan town.


    He said the militants were killed while attempting to loot banks, adding that around 15 to 20 individuals had tried to enter banking facilities in the town.


    According to Bugti, one civilian sustained injuries during the operation and is currently under treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH).


    He further stated that four of the militants were killed on the spot by law enforcement personnel at three separate locations.


    The attackers attempted to break ATMs and flee with cash, with some managing to steal Rs3.4 million from one bank, he added.