Pakistan | News

Asif Ali Zardari has approved a summary to cancel the Pakistan Day parade and all related events scheduled for March 23, 2026, citing the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and prevailing austerity measures.

• Islamabad maintains ex-Nato base targeted, presence of ammo dump confirmed by footage, secondary explosions • Afghan officials claim large numbers of casualties at ‘rehab centre’ • Taliban spox confuses ‘Omid Camp’ with Omid Hospital • Beijing seeks to ensure safety of personnel, interests in region • UN calls for probe; EU urges restraint ISLAMABAD: Following “targeted” overnight airstrikes in Kabul and Nangarhar, Pakistan on Tuesday maintained that it had targeted ‘Camp Phoenix’ — a former US military base currently being used by Afghan Taliban forces — even as Afghanistan claimed a drug rehabilitation centre had been bombed instead. According to Information Minister Atta Tarar, an ammunition storage facility was among the targets hit in the Afghan capital. However, reports emanating from Kabul said that a drug treatment centre known as ‘Omid Camp’ was targeted, with Afghan officials claiming hundreds dead and injured as a result. The UN called for a swift and independent investigation, the EU urged both ...

The government on Tuesday said it will not hold the Pakistan Day parade and other ceremonial events on March 23 in light of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and the resulting austerity measures announced by the government. Pakistan Day — observed on March 23 every year — commemorates the passing of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stated that in the backdrop of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and the consequent austerity measures announced by the government, it was decided that the Pakistan Day parade and associated ceremonial events shall not be held on March 23. “The day shall, however, be commemorated with dignity and reverence through a simple flag‑hoisting ceremony at appropriate levels,” the statement said. “This measure is being taken to ensure that the resilience and unwavering commitment of the nation to the ideals of Pakistan Day remain aligned w...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Tuesday rejected the Afghan Taliban claim of Pakistani forces striking a Kabul hospital, saying they used an old image to allege recent casualties in a clear case of deliberate disinformation aimed at misleading public perception.

The government of Pakistan has decided to cancel the traditional Pakistan Day military parade scheduled for March 23, 2026, citing the ongoing Gulf oil crisis linked to tensions involving Iran, the United States, Israel, and several Arab nations.

Pakistan voerde maandagnacht een aanval uit op Kaboel, de hoofdstad van Afghanistan. De strijd tussen beide buurlanden laaide eind februari opnieuw op.

A crude oil tanker transporting supplies to Pakistan has successfully passed through the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz despite heightened tensions in the region, according to a Bloomberg report.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Mudassir Ali Tipu, has expressed gratitude to the Iranian government for ensuring smooth transit trade between the two countries during challenging times.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday rejected allegations by the Afghan Taliban regime that Pakistan targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, describing the claim as “entirely baseless.

Islamabad - Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach during the ongoing tensions in the Middle East has drawn appreciation from Iran, highlighting Islamabad’s attempt to maintain a balanced foreign policy in a highly sensitive regional environment.

WASHINGTON: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for three months, with all 15 members — including Pakistan — voting in favour. The mandate will now run from March 16 to June 17, marking a departure from UNAMA’s customary one-year renewal amid differences among council members over the duration of the extension. Explaining its vote, Islamabad said it supported the extension because UNAMA played a vital role in promoting “peace, security and stability in Afghanistan,” warning that the country faces an “exponential rise in the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.” Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, stated: “Pakistan supports UNAMA in promoting peace, security and stability in Afghanistan which confronts multiple challenges, particularly the increasing threat of terrorism, human rights, narcotics and diminishing humanitarian ...

The Foreign Office of Pakistan has reiterated that Pakistan and China maintain a strong and trusted partnership, dismissing speculation surrounding recent diplomatic interactions between the two countries.

At least 90 flights have been cancelled at airports across Pakistan due to the closure of Middle Eastern airspace following escalating tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Bangladesh clinched a three-match series against Pakistan 2-1 as the Green Shirts faced a narrow defeat in the third one-day international (ODI) match at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday. Chasing a total of 291 runs, Pakistan’s batters fell short by 11 runs as a fighting 106-run knock by Salman Agha went in vain. Green Shirts lost early wickets as openers Sahizada Farhaan and Maaz Sadaqat went back to the pavilion after scoring just six runs each. Debutant Saad Masood scored 38 runs, while captain Shaheen Afridi added 37 runs to the scoreboard. Bangladesh’s Taskin Ahmed’s heroic 4-wicket haul was impressive as he also took the key wicket of Salman Agha, who was looking unswerving to outdo the winning mark. Mustafizur Rehman also grabbed three wickets, while Nahid Rana managed to secure two. Winning the toss, the visitors decided to bowl first in the series decider. Bangladesh’s openers provided a sturdy start to the innings with Tanzid Hasan scoring his maiden ODI century, which also...

The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday rejected a statement made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs criticising Pakistan’s cross-border action in Afghanistan, stating that the statement was “absurd, unwarranted” and “shamefully hypocritical”. The development comes as Pakistan continues with Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which was launched in late February following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. A day earlier, the Indian MEA’s spokesperson Shri Randhir Jaisal claimed that Pakistan’s strikes in Afghanistan had led to “death of several civilians”, terming it an “act of aggression”. In response, the FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi rejected the claim, stating that the remarks against Pakistan’s “legitimate, targeted and precise actions against terrorist hideouts and support bases inside Afghanistan are not only absurd and unwarranted but also shamefully hypocritical”. The spokesperson maintained that India’s “active support and sponsorship” for terrorist groups operating from Afghan ...

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Afghan counterpart Amir ​Khan Muttaqi in a phone call ‌that disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan should be resolved through dialogue and consultation, not ​force, the foreign ministry said in ​a statement published on Friday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in a phone call that disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan should be resolved through dialogue and consultation, not force, the foreign ministry said in a statement published on Friday. Wang urged both sides to remain calm and exercise restraint, hold face-to-face talks as soon as possible, seek an immediate ceasefire and address differences through dialogue, according to the statement. The further use of force would only complicate the situation and intensify tensions, Wang said. “China is willing to continue to make active efforts to help achieve reconciliation and detente between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” said Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong on X, sharing the call’s details. The ministry’s statement came after Pakistan on Friday targeted terror camps and associated infrastructure in Afghanistan. Wang and Muttaqi also exchanged views on the situation in Iran, the statement said. Wang told Muttaqi, according to the sta...

Pakistan and Germany have signed a grant agreement worth €18 million aimed at promoting hydropower and renewable energy projects in the country’s northern areas.

Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 128 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in the rain-affected second ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday. Maaz Sadaqat was the stand-out performer of the game, blasting a rapid 75 for Pakistan before picking up three wickets. Chasing a revised target of 243 in 32 overs after a two-hour rain and hailstorm delay, Bangladesh collapsed for 114 in 23.3 overs despite a brief counterattack from Litton Das. Bangladesh had already been in trouble before the weather halted play. Tanzid Hasan fell early for one, caught at backward square leg off Shaheen Shah Afridi, while Saif Hassan departed for 12 after offering a catch to short mid-off off Mohammad Wasim Jr. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was bowled by Shaheen for a duck, leaving the hosts reeling at 27 for 3 in 6.3 overs when a sudden thunderstorm accompanied by hail forced the players off the field. When play resumed, Litton attempted to revive the chase with a series of boundaries, including two six...

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Friday that Pakistan successfully targeted terrorist affiliated locations in Afghanistan overnight. In a post on X, he said, “It is pertinent to mention that on the night of 12/13 March 2026, Pakistan successfully targeted terrorists’ affiliated installations in Afghanistan.“ He said that terrorists and their support infrastructure, including logistic bases, and camps, were targeted. His post also showed the strikes, with the minister saying that Pakistan “precisely targeted only those installations which directly/indirectly support terrorism from inside Afghanistan and terrorist camps”. “No civilian population or civilian infrastructures were targeted as falsely propagated by Afghan regime officials and media,” he asserted. The statement by the minister came hours after security sources said that in overnight strikes against terrorists and Afghan Taliban targets, the armed forces destroyed training camps and support infrastructure in Afghanistan. “Pakistan’s Armed...