Pakistan

LAHORE: People burst into celebrations after the armed forces early on Saturday responded to Indian war hysteria in a befitting manner and brought India to its knees. They celebrated the victory of the army after the ceasefire was announced in the wake of the US intervention. Earlier in the day, Lahore also faced the first missile attack on Saturday that struck the Sundar Industrial Estate and, according to law enforcement agencies, sank into the ground. No loss of life or injury was reported. People, however, were skeptical over Pakistan’s delayed response to India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ and aggressively asked for a befitting response. All the skepticism, however, evaporated when the army announced the launch of Bunyan-um-Marsoos and launched a powerful and well-coordinated military operation, targeting Indian military infrastructure. As the Pakistan Army came out, saying it had avenged the blood of the innocent kids martyred in missile and drone attacks, the people shared the pictures of army artillery truck...

TOBA TEK SINGH:A recklessly driven car struck a motorcycle on Canal Road in Faisalabad on Friday night, killing all three members of a family riding the motorcycle. Waris Ali (40) of Dhudhi Wala was riding the bike with his wife Sonia Bibi and their five-year-old son Subhan Ali as pillion riders when the collision occurred near the FCCI Secretariat bridge. The high-speed car collided with the bike head-on. Waris died on the spot, while his wife succumbed to her injuries at Allied Hospital. Their child is feared to have fallen into the canal, as only his shoes were found on the roadside. Rescue 1122 divers have been searching the canal since the night of the accident. Relatives blocked Canal Road for several hours, demanding the arrest of the underage driver, who is the son of a textile mill owner. Madina Town SP later assured protesters that the driver would be arrested soon, after which the protest was called off. In another accident occurred near Chak 396-GB, Rorranwali, in Tandlianwala tehsil, a motorcycle...

• Launches retaliation attack at military targets after three days of restraint • Brahmos, S-400 missile sites hit • Indian missiles fired at Shorkot, Rawalpindi, Chakwal shot down: ISPR • Six martyred in Gujrat amid shelling on LoC ISLAMABAD: After demonstrating restraint in the face of blatant Indian aggression since Wednesday, Pak­istan launched strikes early Satur­day morning targeting military installations in India and India-held Kashmir. The strikes were launched under operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos at 5:16am. “Bunyan-um-Marsoos” translates as a concrete structure or firm foundation. The missiles, launched by aircraft and ground-based systems, targeted multiple strategic and military sites of India, security sources and state media reported. According to the military’s media wing and Radio Pakistan, the targeted locations included S-400 missile system in Adampur; military intelligence’s training ce­n­tre in Rajouri and brigade hea­d­quarters in Uri; Adampur, Udha­mpur, Pathan­kot, Suratgarh, Sirsa, Bathin...

Veteran Pakistani actor Behroze Sabzwari has praised the Pakistan Armed Forces for their decisive retaliation to India’s recent unprovoked aggression following the Pahalgam incident.

Despite a ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India and the formal restoration of airspace operations, around 150 flights were cancelled across Pakistan on Sunday, aviation sources confirmed.

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs and Chairman of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora has strongly condemned the Indian drone attack near the revered Sikh holy site of Nankana Sahib, calling it a blatant violation of international laws, religious freedom, and human rights. Speaking at a press conference along with Lahore Press Club (LPC) President Arshad Ansari and prominent Sikh personalities including Sardar Bishan Singh, Satwant Kaur, Sardar Jaskaran Singh, and Kalyan Singh Kalyan, here at LPC on Saturday, the minister decried recent missile attacks on mosques and drone strikes on minority worship places, declaring these actions as part of a wider Indian conspiracy to malign Pakistan’s image and ignite religious tensions in the region. Sardar Arora said that Pakistan could never even imagine of targeting Sikh religious sites, and emphasised that the country’s bond with the Sikh community is founded on sincerity, reverence, and mutual respect. He categorically re...

DEBRIS is strewn across the runway and lounge of Sheikh Zayed International Airport after it was hit by a missile fired by India on Saturday.—Dawn RAHIM YAR KHAN: The Sheikh Zayed International Airport (SZIA) in Rahim Yar Khan district of Punjab — a landmark viewed as a symbol of friendship between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates — was struck by an air-to-surface missile fired by India in the early hours of Saturday, causing significant damage to its infrastructure, including the Royal Lounge used by the UAE president and his family. Deputy Commissioner Khuram Javed confirmed that India targeted the airport with both a missile and a drone. He said the airport is occasionally used by the Abu Dhabi royal family, as commercial flight operations have been suspended since 2023. The attack destroyed the Royal Lounge, and a 10-foot-wide crater was left at the apron area of the airport. The deputy commissioner also confirmed that the UAE embassy has been informed about the damage caused to the airport. Locals l...

• Two police vans set on fire • Five grenade attacks reported in Quetta • Blast near Sibi railway station QUETTA/ GWADAR: Unknown armed men snatched official weapons from the police and Levies force personnel on various highways of Noski and Mastung districts and also set on fire their two vehicles. Earlier, the armed men had blocked the highways at different points in the districts. Officials said armed men blocked the main road in Washbo area late on Friday night and intercepted two police vehicles patrolling in the area. They took the police personnel into custody and after snatching their weapons, burnt both vehicles. Reports suggested that the miscreants also blocked the Quetta-Taftan highway in Ahmedwal area of Noshki district. They intercepted four vehicles carrying gas from Taftan and took away four persons with them at gunpoint who belonged to Punjab. They also entered police and Levies stations and snatched their weapons. The armed men also blocked roads in the Dasht area of Mastung district and som...

ISLAMABAD: The Reg­istrar Office of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has returned a petition seeking the release of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan on parole, citing multiple procedural objections. The plea was filed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur through senior advocate Latif Khosa. The petition, which sought Mr Khan’s release under parole, was dismissed for not fulfilling basic legal requirements. The Registrar Office objected that the plea was not filed by the aggrieved individual himself and failed to name Mr Khan as a party in it. Additionally, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) — the prosecuting authority in the case in which Mr Khan is serving the sentence — was not listed as a respondent. The registrar also noted that the full addresses of involved parties were missing, and raised concerns over the legal standing of a third party seeking such relief on behalf of a convicted individual. Returns petition for not fulfilling basic legal requirements Following t...

MOSCOW: After European leaders backed a US plan for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine and threatened Russia with “massive” sanctions if it failed to comply, the Kremlin accused European countries on Saturday of making contradictory and confrontational statements. “We hear many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying. Ukraine and European leaders agreed on Saturday to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire on May 12 with the backing of US President Donald Trump, threatening Presi­dent Vladimir Putin with new “massive” sanctions if he failed to comply. The announcement was made by the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Poland and Ukraine after a meeting in Kyiv, after which they held a phone call with Trump. The US leader, who wants a rapid peace, has not commented publicly on the course of action. “So all of us here, together with the US, are calling Putin...

A state disaster management authority official shows area-wise losses on a map amid India’s missile attacks in AJK.—Photo by the writer MUZAFFARABAD: In yet another night of devastation along the Line of Control (LoC), Indian troops resorted to intense artillery shelling past midnight on Saturday and continued firing in intervals until noon, leaving 13 more civilians martyred— including a three-year-old girl — and over 55 others wounded across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the latest casualties raised the death toll to 30 since Indian missile strikes targeted two cities in AJK, followed by heavy and indiscriminate shelling in several border areas. Officials said the shelling intensified after Fajr prayers, targeting civilian population with heavy guns, causing massive damage. In Poonch district, three people were killed in Chaffar village of Abbaspur tehsil. The victims were identified as Areesha, 26, her three-year-old daughter Hadia, and Rehman Ja...

LAHORE: After Pakistan and India agreed to a ceasefire facilitated by the US, water experts have urged the federal government to take up with Washington the unilateral suspension of the Ind­us Waters Treaty by India following the Pahalgam attack. “They (our government) must take up this issue with the US authorities immediately to ensure withdrawal of the illegal unilateral decision of holding the treaty in abeyance by India on April 24,” advised Jawaid Latif, a former member (water) of the Water and Power Development Authority. “I think it is the right time to raise this issue with immediate effect,” he told Dawn. According to him, India may withdraw its decision covertly in confidential meetings with Pakistan during mediation by the US, as it would avoid announcing this publicly for face-saving. The 1960 treaty regulates the sharing of water from the rivers. Under the treaty, India has the right to use water from the eastern rivers Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, with some discharges to Pakistan downstream. Pakistan...

RAWALPINDI: Pakis­tan reopened its airspace for all types of flig­hts on Saturday as tensions eased with India following a ceasefire agreement. The two neighbouring nations closed their airspaces multiple times since Wednesday, when India launched missiles into Pakistan, triggering a series of hostilities. On Saturday evening, the Pakistan Airport Aut­hority (PAA) announced that the airspace has been fully restored for all types of flights and issued a fresh notice to airmen (NOTAM). “All airports in the country are available for normal flight operations,” a spokesman for PAA said. He requested passengers to contact the airline for the latest flight schedule. However, the normalisation of flight operations is expected to take time as passenger aircraft and other equipment were shifted to safe locations as a precaution during escalating tensions between Pakistan and India. Officials have said the aircraft are being brought back to the operational area for routine operations. The Pakistan International Airlines...

PM calls Pak-India ceasefire historical victory n Shehbaz Sharif says agreement made for the benefit of everybody Thanks US, Saudi Arabia, China, Turkey, Qatar and UK Peaceful negotiations with India to solve longstanding issues including Indus water, Kashmir Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos was against hatred,.

ISLAMABAD - Many world leaders and international organisations widely welcomed the ceasefire understanding between Pakistan and India, lauding the diplomatic efforts that led to the de-escalation and emphasizing the need for lasting peace in South Asia.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan late Saturday night said that it had not violated any ceasefire agreement reached with India hours earlier.

ISLAMABAD - After days of rising tensions, missile and drone strikes, and near-daily warnings from both sides of further escalation, a flurry of quiet diplomacy appears to have averted a deeper crisis between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and India on Saturday agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire, hours after Pakistan launched an operation to exercise its right of self-defence following the Indian missile attacks.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan early Saturday a robust response to blatant Indian aggression under “Operation Bunyan un Marsoos” (Iron Wall), symbolising national unity and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the homeland.

ISLAMABAD - Though a sudden ceasefire between the nuclear powers (Pakistan and India) was declared after a fourth day of strikes and counter strikes, this brief episode would be remembered as a ‘Great victory of Pakistan’ in history.