Pakistan

Anti-corruption authorities in Bangladesh have seized approximately 10 kilogrammes of gold, worth around $1.3 million, from bank lockers belonging to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, officials said on Wednesday. Officials from the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue said the discovery was made after opening lockers that had been seized in September. “Following a court order, we opened the lockers and found about 9.7 kilogrammes of gold belonging to the former prime minister,” a senior CIC official told AFP, requesting anonymity. The haul included gold coins, bars and jewellery. Investigators said Hasina had failed to deposit some of the gifts she received while in office at the state treasury, known as the Toshakhana, as required by law. The National Board of Revenue is also probing alleged tax evasion and examining whether Hasina declared the recovered gold in her tax filings. Bangladesh has been in political turmoil since the end of Hasina’s rule, and violence has marred cam...

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday declared Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub a proclaimed offender in a case related to the October 4 protest.

Pakistan has noted with grave concern the latest findings by the United Nations Special Procedures experts regarding India’s illegal measures in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Participants of the National Security Workshop-27 (NSW-27) visited the General Headquarters (GHQ) where they received detailed briefings on Pakistan’s regional and internal security landscape and the prevailing national security environment.

Brazil’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a failed coup, after he exhausted all appeals. The brash former army captain, who fired up Brazil’s right and reshaped the country’s politics, is ending a divisive career jailed in a small room at police headquarters equipped with a TV, mini-fridge, and air-conditioning. Bolsonaro, 70, was convicted in September over a scheme to stop Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office as president after the 2022 elections, a plan that included a plot to kill the veteran leftist. Prosecutors said the scheme failed only due to a lack of support from military top brass. The Supreme Court rejected an appeal to his sentence earlier this month and ruled the judgment final. The court also ordered a military tribunal to decide whether Bolsonaro should be stripped of his captain’s rank. Bolsonaro had been under house arrest until Saturday, when he was detained at police headquarters in Brasilia...

Supreme Court Justice Ali Baqar Najafi on Wednesday released a seven-page additional note in the high-profile Zahir Jaffer case, upholding the death sentence awarded to the convict for the murder of 27-year-old Noor Mukadam.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday met with Iran’s top security official Ali Ardeshir Larijani in Rawalpindi, where he stressed the need for counter-terrorism cooperation between their countries. Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Secu­ri­­ty Council (SNSC), called on the army chief at the General Headquarters in the garrison city, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. Reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and stability, COAS Munir emphasised the “need for closer collaboration with Iran to combat terrorism”. “He also highlighted the growing importance of strategic cooperation in light of the evolving geopolitical situation,” the ISPR said. The military’s media affairs wing described Larijani as Iran’s NSA (national security adviser). Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir meets with Ali Ardeshir Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Secu­ri­­ty Council, at GHQ in Rawalpindi on Nov 26, 2025. — ISPR I...

The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday expressed “grave concern” over a United Nations (UN) report that observed systemic human rights violations in India-occupied Kashmir. UN experts on Monday raised the alarm over “serious human rights violations” in Indian-occupied Kashmir by the government of India in the aftermath of a terror attack in Pahalgam in April this year, for which Delhi blamed Islamabad without any evidence. A press release issued by the FO today said, “Pakistan notes with grave concern the latest findings by the United Nations Special Procedures experts regarding India’s illegal measures in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).” It said that the report “once again underscores the severe and systematic human rights violations endured by the Kashmiri people under Indian occupation”. It noted “with alarm” the UN experts’ observations that India’s actions had resulted in the “extensive arbitrary arrest and detention of nearly 2,800 individuals, including journalists, students, and...

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Wednesday denied media reports alleging that an accident was averted at the Islamabad airport as a foreign carrier narrowly avoided landing on a closed runway, saying that it was “standard and internationally practised safety measure”. The statement came after multiple media outlets reported on Tuesday that flight SV278 — operated by Saudia Airlines from Jeddah to Islamabad — narrowly avoided a “major disaster” as the air traffic controller timely prevented the pilot from landing the plane on the wrong runway. The flight was scheduled to arrive at the airport at 4:05pm, but landed with a delay of more than an hour at 5:13pm, according to the tracker flightradar24. In a statement issued today, the PAA said, “The recent go-around at Islamabad International Airport involving flight SV728 was a standard and internationally practised safety measure, executed precisely as per established protocols.” A go-around is a “safe, routine manoeuvre” that discontinues the landing app...

Spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets as South Africa thrashed India by 408 runs in the second Test on Wednesday to sweep the series and condemn the hosts to a record loss. It was South Africa’s first series win in India in 25 years, after bowling the home team out for a dismal 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati. India suffered their biggest Test defeat by runs and a fifth loss in seven home Tests, having been whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand last year. Off-spinner Harmer, 36, returned figures of 6-37 as South Africa clinched a Test series in India for only the second time, the first in 2000 under Hansie Cronje. “Winning a Test match and series in India is very special,” said left-arm quick Marco Jansen, who returned figures of 6-48 in India’s first innings after smashing a quickfire 93 with the bat. Jansen, named player of the match, added: “Very well done to everyone for putting their hand up and making this happen.” India lost the opening Test in Kolkata inside three days on a pitch with u...

Retired judge Yar Muhammad was sworn in on Wednesday as the caretaker chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan in a ceremony held at the Governor House. He was appointed for the role by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the GB Assembly completed its five-year tenure on Monday. According to the GB Order 2018, elections must be held within 60 days following the completion of the assembly’s tenure. GB Governor Syed Mehdi Shah administered the oath to Muhammad in a ceremony attended by federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and Safron Engineer Amir Muqam, other political figures, judges and local administration officials. During the ceremony, GB Services Department Secretary Usman Ahmed read out the notification for the appointment of the caretaker chief minister. Assembly’s tenure After the GB Assembly elections on Nov 15, 2020 across 24 constituencies, the PTI had formed the government in the region with Khalid Khurshid elected as the chief minister. However, following Khurshid’s disqualification in Ju...

New Delhi has asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is an “integral part” of India in response to Beijing’s claim over the territory as the two countries rowed over the detention of an Indian citizen at Shanghai Airport. On Tuesday, India had issued a demarche to China over the detention of Prema Wangjom Thongdok, a UK-based woman from Arunachal Pradesh, at the Shanghai airport. Thongdok had said immigration officials had held for 18 hours and “mocked” her by saying the region was not a part of India. China says Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing calls Zangnan, is a part of South Tibet — a claim India has repeatedly dismissed. Beijing has renamed places in the northeastern Himalayan state multiple times, prompting strong reactions from New Delhi. Responding to queries during a press briefing on Tuesday, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning had said that “Zangnan is China’s territory”. “The Chinese side has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ illegally set up by India,” she said. She further s...

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has departed for a two-day official visit to Bahrain from November 26 to 27.

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday lauded the “professionalism, resolve and commitment” demonstrated by the armed forces during Marka-i-Haq, stressing that it “enhanced” Pakistan’s global stature. The Pakistan Army had named the period of conflict with India, from the April 22 Pahalgam attack to the May 10 conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, as Marka-i-Haq in May. The army chief made the remarks while addressing the participants of the National Security Workshop–27 who visited the General Headquarters (GHQ), according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). “The professionalism, resolve, and commitment of the armed forces displayed during Marka-i-Haq [have] enhanced the global stature of Pakistan,” the army chief was quoted as saying. In his remarks, the army chief stressed that Pakistan was a “country of consequence and is destined to reach its rightful place in the comity of nations”. “Our greatest strength lies in national unity, and together, we sh...

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has launched a strong criticism of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders living abroad, accusing them of looting the country and now enjoying a lavish lifestyle by exploiting overseas Pakistanis.

Today marks a significant milestone in Pakistan’s history — the inauguration of the Islamabad–Lahore Motorway (M-2), the country’s first-ever motorway, opened on this day in 1997 by then prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, who now serves as the Quaid of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

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ISLAMABAD - Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday rejected the recently passed 27th constitutional amendment terming it a “threat” to democracy.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday said the November 11 suicide attack near the Islamabad district courts was planned and directed from Afghanistan, adding that security agencies arrested the key suspects within 48 hours.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said Pakistan was writing off the Afghan Taliban and had no further positive expectations from the group, amid consistently tense relations that show no sign of abating. Earlier today, Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, claimed that Pakistan had carried out overnight strikes in the neighbouring country. In a post on social media platform X, he said that Pakistan had “bombed” Khost province and carried out air strikes in Kunar and Paktika provinces. The military spokesperson rejected the allegations. Asked in an interview on Geo News show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ about whether Pakistan was denying carrying out any strikes or civilian casualties during the alleged strikes, the defence minister replied: “Both things are non-existent at this time. We do react and retaliate, but [targeting] civilians is not at all our manner. We have a disciplined force that has traditions and a code of conduct; we are not a ragtag group like the ...