Pakistan

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Saturday claimed that at least 133 members of the Afghan Taliban were killed and more than 200 injured in Pakistan’s retaliatory military action following what he described as unprovoked cross-border firing.

VISUALS broadcast by state media in the early hours of Friday show Pakistani forces destroying a Taliban position in the Kurram sector. — X / RadioPakistan and PTVNewsOfficial • Govt claims ‘heavy losses inflicted’ on Taliban units that attacked positions in Chitral, Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram and Bajaur sectors • Offensive dubbed ‘Operation Ghazab Lil Haq’; Tarar says two Pakistani soldiers martyred, three injured in line of duty • State media claims 58 Taliban fighters killed, over 100 injured in counterattacks; PAF hits targets in Afghanistan • Civilians in areas along the border injured by Afghan shelling • Those awaiting repatriation at border evacuated to safety; FO says ‘no quarrel’ with ordinary Afghans PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s sec­urity forces swung into action after Afghan Taliban fighters launched unprovoked attacks along the border between both countries under the cover of darkness, the government said on Thursday night. However, they received “an immediate and effective response” from Pakistan’s securit...

GENEVA: Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip seem aimed at creating “permanent demographic change”, UN rights chief Volker Turk said on Thursday. “Taken together, Israel’s actions appear aimed at making a permanent demographic change in Gaza and the West Bank, raising concerns about ethnic cleansing”, Turk said in a speech before the UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva. Turk pointed in particular to an ongoing, year-long Israeli military operation in the West Bank’s north that has caused the displacement of 32,000 Palestinians. Elsewhere in the West Bank, entire Bedouin herder communities have been displaced by increasing harassment and violence from Israeli settlers, including near Mikhmas to the east of Ramallah, and Ras Ein al-Auja, in the Jordan Valley, since the start of the year. In addition to roughly three million Palestinians, more than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements and outposts in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. Far-right minister ...

• Planning minister advocates measures to incentivise poverty reduction, sustainability, population stabilisation • Punjab minister for protecting rights of smaller provinces ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday highlighted structural fiscal challenges being faced by the federal government and called for comprehensive and forward-looking reforms in the Natio­nal Finance Commission (NFC) Award. Speaking at the concluding session of the Pakistan Governance Forum, the minister, however, clarified that the constitutional vertical distribution of resources between the federation and provinces was not under review. Mr Iqbal noted that from approximately Rs14 trillion in federal tax revenue and Rs5 trillion in non-tax revenue, around Rs8.2 trillion was transferred to the provinces under the NFC Award. After these transfers, he said, the federal government retained fiscal space of approximately Rs11.07tr against total expenditures of nearly Rs17.5tr. “Nearly 50 per cent of ...

BERLIN: At least 7,667 people died or went missing last year on migration routes around the world, but the true death toll is likely higher, the UN’s migration agency reported on Thursday. The figure was down on 2024 when almost 9,200 deaths were recorded, but the International Organi­sation for Migration (IOM) said numbers nonetheless reflected the “global scale” of the crisis faced by migrants. “The continued loss of life on migration routes is a global failure we cannot accept as normal,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. She argued for safer legal routes, adding: “These deaths are not inevitable.” Funding cuts for aid groups, crackdowns on humanitarian NGOs and limited access to data are making it more difficult to accurately track deaths, the UN agency said. Sea crossings such as the perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea from Africa to Europe remain among the deadliest routes for migrants, the report said. At least 2,108 people went missing while trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2025, and a...

ISLAMABAD: In a befitting response to industrialists’ claims about the erosion of the prime minister’s Rs4.04 per unit tariff relief package, the government on Thursday said it had provided Rs15 billion in free working capital to industry for 90 days and was now seeking to recover it through a Rs1.78 per unit fuel cost adjustment (FCA) in March. “This is not an additional cost. You were given a lower tariff. You enjoyed Rs15bn in free working capital for 90 days. Now cost recovery is being done through the FCA,” said Rehan Akhtar, representing the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) of the Power Division, at a public hearing at the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra). He was responding to a tirade by representatives of the business community from Karachi and Lahore — Rehan Javed, Tanveer Barry and Aamir Sheikh — who said the prime minister’s Rs4.04 per unit tariff reduction had been partly offset by a Rs1.78 per unit higher FCA for electricity consumed in January and recovered in March. Th...

• Judgement observes Section 175 can be invoked for enforcement of any provision of tax ordinance • Ruling refers to use of word ‘enforcement’, implying that a ‘breach’ has occurred • Courts can’t contradict if language of legislation is ‘unequivocal’, Justice Farooq holds ISLAMABAD: The Federal Consti­tutional Court (FCC) ruled on Thursday that tax authorities can conduct raids and searches of taxpayers’ premises under Section 175 of the Income Tax Ordinance (ITO) 2001, even in the absence of any pending proceedings against them. Headed by Justice Aamer Farooq, a three-judge FCC bench rejected a plea moved by M/s Sceptre Pvt Ltd against a Dec 24, 2025, Sindh High Court decision that had validated a tax raid on the petitioner’s premises. The petitioner had challenged the raid conducted by tax authorities under Section 175. It said the section should be applied in case of ongoing proceedings, adding that a notice under Section 176, requiring certain documents and information, could not form the basis for a rai...

• Premier visits martyred officer’s family; Daanish school to be renamed after Lt Col Gul Faraz • Formally launches Rs38 billion Ramazan package, says amount increased to Rs13,000 MANSEHRA/ISLAM­ABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday vowed that the government would go to any extent to eradicate terrorism from the country and those involved in militancy would not go unpunished. During his visit to the residence of Lt Col Shahzada Gul Faraz in Mansehra to offer condolences, the PM assured the officer’s family of the government and the Pakistan Army’s full support. “We, the federal government and the Pakistan Army, are with you and will never leave you alone, as Lt Col Shahzada Gul Faraz Tanoli is our pride and embraced martyrdom while gallantly commanding forces against the country’s enemies,” he assured the family members. The PM said that Lt Col Shahzada Gul Faraz laid down his life while safeguarding the country, setting an example of bravery and courage. “The entire nation and I are proud of our ma...

Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban, after the neighbouring country opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations across the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday. In response, leaders across the political spectrum were united in their stance, lauding the country’s armed forces and asserting that any aggression from Kabul would be responded to firmly. President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan will not compromise on peace and territorial integrity. “Our armed forces’ response is comprehensive and decisive. Those who mistake our peace for weakness will face a strong response — and no one will be beyond reach,” he warned. In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the people and armed forces of Pakistan were always ready to protect the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. “There will be no compromise on the defence of the beloved homeland and every aggression will be met with a befitting reply,” he said....

Defending champions India thrashed Zimbabwe by 72 runs in their Super Eights T20 World Cup match on Thursday, a result that guaranteed South Africa a place in the semi-finals. India posted a mammoth 256-4 and then restricted Zimbabwe to 184-6 in Chennai to make their clash with West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday a winner-takes-all decider for the last semi-final berth. South Africa hammered the West Indies by nine wickets earlier in Ahmedabad. At Chennai’s MA Chidambaram stadium, opener Abhishek Sharma blasted 55 and Hardik Pandya an unbeaten 50 as India piled up the second highest total in the history of the tournament after being invited to bat first. “I think we wanted to leave everything behind. We didn’t think too much about what we did in the league stage or in the last game in Ahmedabad,” said India captain Suryakumar Yadav. “With contributions from the top order right down to number seven, I think there was hardly anything missing in our performance. He said they had not thought about what is now a knoc...

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Modi's public allegiance to Netanyahu puts him at odds with widespread contempt over the ongoing war in Gaza

72 Taliban operatives killed in Op 'Ghazab Lil Haq'; Multiple Afghan posts, arms depot destroyed

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Widens taxman's powers; halts IHC proceedings in missing persons case

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Demands Imran's release, national anti-terror strategy

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