QUETTA/PESHAWAR: Pakistan suffered the loss of 21 individuals, predominantly military personnel, following three separate militant assaults on police and security forces conveys in the western provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan on Friday, as confirmed by senior government functionaries and official statements.
The country has experienced an uptick in militant attacks since the year’s beginning, with a concentration of these violent incidents occurring in the two provinces along the Afghan border.
Despite the conclusion of nearly two decades of conflict following the withdrawal of international forces in August 2021, Afghanistan remains mired in crisis.
Pakistani officials have repeatedly asserted that the militants targeting their country operate from the neighboring state, urging the Taliban government in Kabul to prevent their territory from being used as a staging ground for such attacks.
“On 3 November 2023, 2 vehicles of security forces moving from Pasni to Ormara in [Balochistan’s] Gwadar District, were ambushed by the terrorists,” the army’s media wing, ISPR, said in a statement. “14 x soldiers embraced shahadat [martyrdom] in the unfortunate incident.”
Balochistan, where Pakistan and China are jointly undertaking infrastructure development and regional connectivity projects, has long been a battleground for a low-level insurgency.
Baloch nationalists argue they are fighting against the unfair extraction of the province’s resources by the federal government, an accusation Islamabad denies.
Baloch separatist groups have also expressed opposition to Pakistan’s decision to build a strategic port in Gwadar, where the recent attack took place, to gain economic advantage in the region and tap Central Asian markets.
Speaking to Arab News, the deputy commissioner of Gwadar, Major (r) Aurangzaib Badini, said the attack took place at 3pm near Pasni.
He informed the convoy was “ambushed by terrorists with an IED [improvised explosive device] blast and gunfire attacks.”
Pakistan’s caretaker interior minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the incident in a statement circulated by his office.
“The new wave of terrorism is a matter of concern,” he said, adding that Pakistan would continue to fight until the end of militant violence.
Earlier in the day, police and security forces also came under two separate attacks in Dera Ismail Khan district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, resulting in seven fatalities.
The area’s Regional Police Officer, Nasir Hussain Satti, told Arab News one of the blasts was set off by a bomb planted on a motorbike, which exploded near a police van in a congested neighborhood of the city.
“The powerful blast left six civilians dead and another 22 people, including two policemen, wounded,” he informed. “It was a planted device with initial investigations suggesting the use of eight to 10 kilograms of explosives.”
Footage released by Rescue 1122 officials shortly after the incident captured a chaotic scene, with ambulances transporting the injured to hospitals.
Mujtaba Ahmad, a property shop owner near the blast site, described the explosion as powerful enough to rattle the entire marketplace.
He informed most shops were closed for Friday prayers with many people inside mosques at the time of the blast, a factor that likely prevented further casualties and damage.
“Initially, when the explosion occurred, people didn’t know what had happened but they started running,” he continued. “When the cloud of dust settled after the blast, we saw people in blood and damaged motorcycles.”
The second blast, according to the police officer, took place in Takwarra, a small settlement on the outskirts of Dera Ismail Khan, targeting a security convoy which left soldier dead and another wounded.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s caretaker information minister Feroze Jamal Shah told Arab News the militant attacks during the day had led to precious loss of life, saying medical centers across the district were put on high alert after the explosions.
Expressing grief over the two incidents, he said the government would not bow to militants and continue to fight them.
“The blasts martyred several people and wounded 23,” he added. “We condemn both acts of terrorism in the strongest words. I have directed the district administration to provide best medical care to the wounded.”
Militant attacks in western Pakistan leave 21, including 15 security personnel, dead
https://arab.news/zsjdd
Militant attacks in western Pakistan leave 21, including 15 security personnel, dead
- Militants ambushed two vehicles of security forces moving in Balochistan’s Gwadar district, killing 14 soldiers
- Seven people also lost their lives and 23 injured in dual attacks on security convoys in Dera Ismail Khan district
Mumbai attacks: India questions Pakistan-born Canadian accused after extradition
- India accuses Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 66, of being one of the key plotters of the 2008 Mumbai attacks
- Pakistan has distanced itself from Rana, saying he hasn’t renewed his Pakistani-origin documents in two decades
NEW DELHI: Indian investigative agencies on Friday questioned a man they extradited from the United States and charged with being a “mastermind” of the deadly 2008 Mumbai siege.
India accuses Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 66, of being a member of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group, designated by the United Nations as a “terrorist” organization.
Rana, a Pakistan-born Canadian, has denied all charges — including waging war against India, conspiring to commit murder and acts of “terrorism.” He could face the death penalty if convicted.
New Delhi blamed the LeT group — as well as intelligence officials from New Delhi’s arch-enemy Pakistan — for the 2008 Mumbai attacks when 10 gunmen carried out a multi-day siege of the country’s financial capital.
Nine of the attackers died in the siege, while one captured alive was tried and hanged.
India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA), which accuses Rana of being the attack’s “mastermind,” took him into custody under heavy guard after he arrived in a special flight to the capital New Delhi on Thursday evening.
“Rana will remain in custody for 18 days, during which the agency will question him in detail in order to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the deadly 2008 attacks,” NIA said.
Rana, who served in the Pakistani army’s medical corps, faces 10 criminal charges including conspiracy, murder, commission of a “terrorist” act, and forgery.
Rana, who has denied the charges, is accused by India of helping his long-term friend, David Coleman Headley, who was sentenced by a US court in 2013 to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to aiding LeT militants, including by scouting target locations in Mumbai.
Rana is accused of playing a smaller role than Headley, but India maintains he is one of the key plotters.
He was flown to India after the US Supreme Court this month rejected his bid to remain in the United States, where he was serving a 14-year sentence related to another LeT-linked attack.
India released a photograph of Rana arriving in Delhi, taken from his back, dressed in a brown jumpsuit and guarded by NIA officers.
India also accused Pakistan of direct involvement in the Mumbai attack and Rana of having connections with its intelligence agencies, charges Islamabad denies.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali said that Rana “did not apply to renew Pakistani documents over the past two decades.”
Most parts of Pakistan to experience heatwave conditions from tomorrow— Met Office
- Day temperatures likely to remain 06 to 08°C above normal in southern Pakistan, says Met Office
- Says rising temperatures in northern areas may increase the melting of snowfall from Apr. 14-18
ISLAMABAD: Most parts of the country are likely to experience heatwave conditions from tomorrow, Apr. 13, Pakistan’s Meteorological (Met) Department said this week as it warned citizens to take precautionary measures to stay safe.
In a press release issued on Friday, the Met Office predicted that a high-pressure system is likely to grip the upper atmosphere from Apr. 13, due to which heatwave conditions may develop in most parts of the country.
It said these conditions are expected to change into “severe heatwave conditions” in southern Pakistan from Monday, Apr. 14.
“Day temperatures are likely to remain 06 to 08°C above normal in southern half (Sindh, southern Punjab and Balochistan) from 13th to 18th April,” the weather department said.
It added that day temperatures are likely to remain 04 to 06°C above normal in central and upper Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during the same period.
The PMD urged children, women and senior citizens to take precautionary measures against the heat such as avoiding exposure to direct sunlight during the day and remaining hydrated.
“Farmers are advised to manage their crop activities (wheat harvesting) keeping in view the weather conditions and take care of their livestock as well,” it said.
The Met Office said that rising temperatures in Pakistan’s northern areas may increase snowfall melting from Apr. 14-18.
“All concerned authorities are advised to remain “ALERT” and take necessary measures to avoid any untoward situation due to heatwave conditions,” it added.
Pakistan has witnessed frequent, erratic changes in its weather patterns, including floods, droughts, cyclones, torrential rainstorms, heatwaves and the slow-onset threat of glacial melting, in recent years that scientists have blamed on human-driven climate change.
In 2022, unusually heavy rains triggered floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting economic losses of around $30 billion and affecting at least 30 million people.
Pakistan thanks Saudi Arabia for granting permission for 10,000 additional Hajj pilgrims
- Ishaq Dar says Prince Faisal bin Farhan helped secure the permission after they spoke over the phone this week
- Pakistan will begin its Hajj operations on April 29 when the first flight will take local pilgrims to Saudi Arabia
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also serves as foreign minister, said on Friday Saudi Arabia had granted special permission for an additional 10,000 Pakistani nationals to perform Hajj this year, following his recent phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
Saudi authorities allocate fixed Hajj quotas to Muslim-majority countries to manage the annual pilgrimage, which draws over two million worshippers from around the world to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
Pakistan has been allotted a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2025. According to Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, around 90,000 of them are expected to perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme.
“Grateful to my Dear Brother and Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HH Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud @FaisalbinFarhan for arranging special permission for additional 10,000 Pakistanis to perform Hajj this year, following my telephonic conversation with him on 9th April 2025,” Dar said in a post on social media.
Pakistani authorities have been urging pilgrims to respect Saudi laws and customs during their stay in the Kingdom in the mandatory Hajj training workshops organized ahead of departure.
The country will begin its Hajj operations on April 29 when the first government-arranged flight will carry pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
Hajj rituals are expected to take place between June 4 and June 9 this year, depending on the sighting of the moon.
Pakistan’s T20 league kicks off in Rawalpindi with a glittering opening ceremony
- Fans filled the stadium for musical performances ahead of Islamabad-Lahore opener
- PCB begins offering Urdu commentary on streaming platforms to expand outreach
ISLAMABAD: The 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) began on Friday with a vibrant opening ceremony in Rawalpindi, as fans packed the stadium for a night of music and cricket ahead of the tournament opener between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars.
The glitzy launch featured performances by major Pakistani artists including Abida Parveen, Ali Zafar, Abrar-ul-Haq, Natasha Baig and the Young Stunners, marking the first time the PSL’s opening event was held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
“The stage is set — now we’re just waiting for you!” the official PSL account posted on X, calling the event “a celebration of cricket” as the season got underway.
Islamabad United, three-time champions, won the toss and opted to field against defending champions Lahore Qalandars in the first match of the 34-game tournament.
The six-team competition will continue through May 18, with matches scheduled in Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore and Multan.
In a move to broaden accessibility, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to provide full-match Urdu commentary on various streaming platforms, aiming to reach more than 75 million users nationwide.
PCB CEO Salman Naseer said the initiative would help extend the PSL’s reach to a wider audience, describing the 10th season as a milestone in the league’s journey.
Launched in 2016, the PSL has grown into Pakistan’s premier domestic T20 competition.
The league is expected to expand from six to eight teams after the 2025 edition, as part of its long-term development plan.
Pakistan PM ends ‘monumental’ Belarus visit as both sides sign defense, trade and environmental pacts
- Shehbaz Sharif says Belarus will welcome over 150,000 skilled Pakistani workers for ‘nation-building’
- He also calls for a direct air link between both countries along with deeper mining and agricultural ties
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday concluded what he called a “monumental” two-day visit to Belarus, during which both countries signed a series of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) aimed at boosting cooperation in defense, commerce, environmental protection and other key sectors.
Sharif held talks with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk to review bilateral ties, as delegation-level talks were also held between the two sides encompassing discussions on bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international issues.
According to state media, Pakistan and Belarus signed a cooperation accord between their interior ministries along with a roadmap for military-technical collaboration between 2025 and 2027.
Agreements were also inked on defense cooperation, environmental protection, postal services, trade development, business support and coordination between trade bodies, the Associated Press of Pakistan said.
“A monumental day in Pakistan-Belarus ties,” Sharif said in a post on social media while sharing details of his visit.
“Highlights of our talks included the agreement to send over 150,000 highly skilled Pakistani workers to contribute to nation-building efforts in Belarus; enhanced cooperation in agriculture and food security; and potential joint ventures in the manufacturing of electric buses and agricultural machinery — steps that will help transform our enduring bond of friendship into a lasting partnership.”
Pakistan has in recent months intensified efforts to expand economic cooperation with a number of countries in and around the region, aiming to leverage its location as a transit hub for trade and earn foreign exchange.
Addressing a ceremony in Minsk, Sharif said Belarus was a leader in equipment manufacturing for the mining sector and Pakistan stood to gain from closer industrial cooperation.
“There is no reason why we shouldn’t benefit from your experience,” he continued, pointing to Pakistan’s vast mineral resources.
He also emphasized the value of establishing a direct air link between the two countries and thanked Lukashenko for his willingness to welcome skilled Pakistani labor.
Sharif also spoke of strengthening Pakistan’s agriculture sector with mutual cooperation, saying 65 percent of the country’s population lived in rural areas.
“We need your expertise,” he said. “We need to have joint ventures between Belarus and Pakistani companies to manufacture agricultural equipment in Pakistan so we can offer to the farmers at very economical rates, both companies from Belarus and Pakistan, they will have win-win situation.”
In recent years, trade between Belarus and Pakistan has ranged from $50 to 65 million annually, though recent official visits have raised hopes for increased commercial exchange.
Later, Sharif met with Belarusian parliamentary leaders and agreed to deepen inter-legislative cooperation.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has concluded his two-day official visit to Belarus and left for home,” the Government of Pakistan said in a social media post toward the end of the day. “He was seen off at Minsk International Airport by Prime Minister Alexander Turchin, Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov and officials of the Pakistani embassy.”
