Pakistani ship captain detained on suspicion of smuggling Iranian missile components faces US trial

This undated photograph released by the US military's Central Command shows what it is described as the vessel that carried Iranian-made missile components bound for Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Arabian Sea. (US Central Command via AP)
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Updated 28 February 2024
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Pakistani ship captain detained on suspicion of smuggling Iranian missile components faces US trial

  • The vessel is said to have started its journey from Pakistan and had advanced conventional weaponry for Houthi rebels
  • The US Central Command says it is the first seizure of Iranian-supplied weapons to the groups since their strikes began

RICHMOND: A Pakistani national who US officials say was the captain of a ship carrying Iranian-made missile components to Houthi rebels in Yemen was ordered Tuesday to remain behind bars as he awaits trial on charges of attempting to smuggle a warhead and other weapons, and lying to US Coast Guard officers as they boarded the boat.

Two Navy SEALs drowned while boarding the unflagged vessel in the Arabian Sea on Jan. 11 in the wake of continued Houthi attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
In court documents, federal prosecutors said the boat’s captain, Muhammad Pahlawan, refused to slow the ship when the US Navy began its boarding attempt and “shouted for the crew to burn the boat before the Navy could board it.”

The ship was described as a dhow.

“Rather than turn the engine off, however, Pahlawan told crewmembers not to stop the dhow while the Navy was approaching,” court documents stated. “In fact, Pahlawan tried to make the dhow go faster. Finally, another crewmember, not Pahlawan, stepped up to the engine and stopped the boat.”

US officials said Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers slipped into the gap created by high waves between the vessel and the SEALs’ combatant craft.

As Chambers fell, Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram jumped in to try to save him, according to US officials familiar with what happened. The SEAL who jumped in after the other operator in a rescue attempt was following protocol, according to court documents.

Efforts to find and rescue the two SEALs were unsuccessful and they were later declared dead by the Navy.

During a detention hearing in US District Court in Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday, FBI Special Agent Lauren Lee testified that Pahlawan initially said he was the boat’s engineer and that the captain had gotten off the ship. He also said he was not aware of any cargo on the ship, Lee said. She said he later contradicted himself, saying, “I am in command of the boat.”

Assistant US Attorney Troy Edwards Jr. argued that Pahlawan should remain in custody pending trial because he is a danger to the community and poses a serious risk of flight. Edwards said Pahlawan has no ties to the US and that the most serious charge against him — intentionally transporting a warhead knowing it would be used by Houthi rebel forces — constitutes a federal crime of terrorism and carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

The charge of making material false statements carries a maximum of five years in prison.

Pahlawan’s attorney, Assistant Supervisory Federal Public Defender Amy Austin, suggested that the interpreter used by US officials when they were questioning crew members on the boat may not have spoken Punjabi, Pahlawan’s language. Lee said she did not know which language the interpreter spoke, but she said Pahlawan answered questions posed to him by the interpreter during sometimes hours-long interviews.

During a search of the ship, US forces found and seized Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry, including critical parts for medium-range ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles, a warhead, and propulsion and guidance components, an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit. The agent said the items found are consistent with weaponry used by Houthi rebel forces in recent attacks on merchant ships and US military ships.

The affidavit quoted US Central Command, which stated that it was the first seizure of “Iranian-supplied advanced conventional weapons” to the Houthis since their strikes began in November.

The rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. They have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.

Three other crew members were charged with providing false information to US Coast Guard officers. They were also ordered detained following detention hearings Tuesday.

Specifically, the men lied about Pahlawan’s identity as captain, the weapons on board and the ship’s departure from Iran, court documents stated. The men had claimed their voyage’s origin was Pakistan.

Their attorneys have declined to comment.

Another 10 crew members are being detained under the federal material witness law. It allows courts to issue warrants for the arrest and detention of a person if their testimony is “material in a criminal proceeding,” and if it “may become impracticable to secure the presence of the person by subpoena.”

The FBI affidavit states that crew members had been in contact multiple times by satellite phone with a member of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.


Palestinian MP accuses Israel and India of conspiring together against Pakistan’s sovereignty

Updated 5 sec ago
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Palestinian MP accuses Israel and India of conspiring together against Pakistan’s sovereignty

  • Sheikh Mamoun Asaad Al-Tamimi was speaking at the National Press Club in Islamabad during a ‘Meet the Press’ event
  • Says Pakistan’s ‘victory’ in recent military confrontation with India was a success for the entire Muslim ummah

ISLAMABAD: Palestinian lawmaker Sheikh Mamoun Asaad Al-Tamimi on Wednesday accused Israel and India of working in tandem to undermine Pakistan’s sovereignty, alleging that both nations viewed Pakistan’s nuclear capability as a threat to their regional ambitions.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Islamabad during a “Meet the Press” event, Al-Tamimi claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, encouraged by Israeli leadership, had attempted to provoke war with Pakistan.
“Modi and Netanyahu are deeply troubled by Pakistan’s nuclear strength. On Israel’s instigation, Modi tried to impose war on Pakistan but they were met with a response they never anticipated,” he said.
Al-Tamimi was referring to exchanges of drones, missiles, and artillery strikes between the two arch-rivals between May 7-10 before a ceasefire was announced. After India struck first on May 7, Pakistan vowed retaliation, saying it had downed six Indian fighter jets.
The two nations also hit each other’s military bases, airfields and other army facilities with missiles.
The Palestinian MP said Israel expected Pakistan’s leadership to be divided and weak in the face of Indian airstrikes.
“But Pakistan’s military and political leadership responded with unity and strength. This is not just a Pakistani victory, it is a victory for the entire Muslim ummah,” he said.
Al-Tamimi’s remarks come amid ongoing violence in Gaza, which he described as a humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel launched an air and ground offensive in Gaza in October 2023 in which at least 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to health authorities in the coastal enclave.
“Israel has placed Gaza under siege ... There is now an acute shortage of food and medicine. If the blockade continues, two million Palestinians could die of hunger within a year,” Al-Tamimi warned.
He also drew parallels between the struggles in Gaza and disputed Kashmir, claiming both were victims of occupation and global neglect.
“The war in Gaza has unmasked everyone. Western media portrays Israel as a victim, but this war has exposed the truth. The silence of the international community is deafening.”
Calling for global protests, Al-Tamimi urged people, particularly in Pakistan, to demonstrate outside US embassies in solidarity with the people of Gaza:
“The world must pressure Israel to end its brutal campaign.”
During the press meet visit, NPC President Azhar Jatoi recalled the club’s early support for Gaza, including rallies and awards for over 150 journalists who highlighted the Palestinian cause. Secretary Nayyar Ali added that Pakistani journalists would continue speaking up for Gaza on all platforms.


Pakistan defends 20 percent defense budget hike, cites need to counter India’s ‘war craze’

Updated 12 min 28 sec ago
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Pakistan defends 20 percent defense budget hike, cites need to counter India’s ‘war craze’

  • Pakistan’s FY2025–26 budget has allocated Rs2.1 trillion ($7.5 billion) to defense, up from Rs1.8 trillion last year
  • Increase comes weeks after brief but intense military flare-up in May with India, triggered by a militant attack 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday defended its decision to raise defense spending by 20 percent in the new fiscal year, citing the need to strengthen missile defenses and counter what it described as a permanent state of hostility from India following the latest military standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

The remarks came during a press conference in London, where a high-level Pakistani delegation led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is lobbying Western governments to support Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, regional stability, and water security. The delegation includes senior lawmakers, including Khurram Dastgir Khan, a former defense minister and ruling Pakistan Muslim League party member.

Pakistan’s FY2025–26 budget has allocated Rs2.1 trillion ($7.5 billion) to defense, up from Rs1.8 trillion last year. The increase comes weeks after a brief but intense military flare-up with India in May, triggered by a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, which denies the allegations. 

Responding to questions about the sharp rise in defense allocations in Pakistan’s 2025–26 federal budget announced on Tuesday, Dastgir said the increase was proportional and necessary given the country’s limited resources and regional threat perception.

“Pakistan has proven that they [India] spend 10 times more than us every year. We are $7.5 billion. Probably last year they spent $77 billion on their defense in a year,” the Pakistani lawmaker said.

“Despite that, we have seen that the skill of Pakistan and the equipment that Pakistan has, by using it well, we have defeated our 10 times bigger enemy. It has forced it to retreat.”

Dastagir was referring to exchanges of drones, missiles, and artillery between the two archenemies between May 7-10 before a ceasefire was announced. After India struck first on May 7, Pakistan vowed retaliation, saying it had downed six Indian fighter jets. 

The two nations also struck each other’s military bases, airfields and other army facilities. 

India, which allocated roughly $77 billion to defense in 2024 according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute data, has called the May clashes a result of cross-border militant activity, a charge Islamabad denies.

Dastgir argued that Pakistan’s defense posture remained reactive and restrained. 

“There will be more discussion on this, on the permanent war-craze from India that is being imposed on us,” he said.

He emphasized that Pakistan must optimize its constrained budget to reinforce deterrence. 

“We have to make the best use of our limited resources. One thing is clear — that we have to strengthen our grounded defenses against the Indian missiles,” Dastagir added.

“So, by looking at the economy of Pakistan, we will make the best use of this budget. And the strength of Pakistan will be further enhanced and renewed.”

The comments reflect Islamabad’s effort to reframe its increased defense spending as a measured response to external threats, rather than a departure from regional stability commitments. The government has also pledged to continue talks under the aegis of international partners to avoid escalation.

The Pakistani delegation is expected to continue its tour with visits to Brussels where it will once more present Islamabad’s case for de-escalation, resumption of water treaty obligations, and progress on the decades-old Kashmir dispute.


Trump nominee for South Asia secretary backs Pakistan security cooperation ‘where beneficial for US’

Updated 11 June 2025
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Trump nominee for South Asia secretary backs Pakistan security cooperation ‘where beneficial for US’

  • Paul Kapur says will continue to promote “longstanding US security interests with India and Pakistan”
  • Kapur is professor at the US Naval Postgraduate School, visiting faculty member at Hoover Institution

ISLAMABAD: Paul Kapur, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs, said this week he would pursue security cooperation with Pakistan “where beneficial to US interests.”

Kapur was speaking during a confirmation hearing before the US Senate on Tuesday.

“On Pakistan, if confirmed, I will pursue security cooperation where beneficial to US interests, while seeking opportunities for bilateral collaboration in trade and investment,” Kapur said in his testimony. 

“South Asia recently avoided a costly conflict, with the [US] Vice President and Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio intensely engaged on the issue. If confirmed, I will continue to promote longstanding US security interests with India and Pakistan through the pursuit of peace and stability, and the fight against terrorism.”

Kapur is, as of 2025, a professor at the US Naval Postgraduate School. He is a visiting faculty member at the Hoover Institution and has taught at Claremont McKenna College. He was also a visiting professor at Stanford University.

In 2025, Kapur was nominated as the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs by the second Trump administration, succeeding Donald Lu.

Pakistani observers are carefully watching Kapur’s appointment as he wrote in his book ‘Jihad as Grand Strategy’ that jihad was a major part of Pakistan’s grand strategy, and not just a “political instrument” it used. He has claimed that the utilization of jihad by Pakistan is an intentional government strategy.


US warns against attending UN conference on Israel-Palestinian two-state solution

Updated 11 June 2025
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US warns against attending UN conference on Israel-Palestinian two-state solution

  • Two close allies France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting the gathering next week in New York
  • It aims to lay out parameters for roadmap to Palestinian state while ensuring Israel’s security

PARIS/WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s administration is discouraging governments around the world from attending a UN conference next week on a possible two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, according to a US cable seen by Reuters.

The diplomatic demarche, sent on Tuesday, says countries that take “anti-Israel actions” following the conference will be viewed as acting in opposition to US foreign policy interests and could face diplomatic consequences from Washington.

The demarche, which was not previously reported, runs squarely against the diplomacy of two close allies France and Saudi Arabia, who are co-hosting the gathering next week in New York that aims to lay out the parameters for a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel’s security.

“We are urging governments not to participate in the conference, which we view as counterproductive to ongoing, lifesaving efforts to end the war in Gaza and free hostages,” read the cable.

President Emmanuel Macron has suggested France could recognize a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territory at the conference.

French officials say they have been working to avoid a clash with the US, Israel’s staunchest major ally.

“The United States opposes any steps that would unilaterally recognize a conjectural Palestinian state, which adds significant legal and political obstacles to the eventual resolution of the conflict and could coerce Israel during a war, thereby supporting its enemies,” the cable read.

This week Britain and Canada, also G7 allies of the United States, were joined by other countries in placing sanctions on two Israeli far-right government ministers to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring the Gaza war to an end.

“The United States opposes the implied support of the conference for potential actions including boycotts and sanctions on Israel as well as other punitive measures,” the cable read.

Israel has repeatedly criticized the conference, saying it rewards Hamas for the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the latest Gaza war, and it has lobbied France against recognizing a Palestinian state.

The US State Department and the French Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 


US CENTCOM chief calls Pakistan ‘phenomenal partner’ in ongoing counterterrorism fight

Updated 11 June 2025
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US CENTCOM chief calls Pakistan ‘phenomenal partner’ in ongoing counterterrorism fight

  • Pakistan and the United States have a long, if at times turbulent, history of counterterrorism cooperation
  • Pakistani officials last year arrested and extradited a Daesh militant accused of planning 2021 bombing in Kabul

KARACHI: The head of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael Kurilla, this week praised Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counterterrorism efforts, citing continued operations against militant groups and active intelligence-sharing between the two countries.

Pakistan and the United States have a long, if at times turbulent, history of counterterrorism cooperation dating back to the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks. Islamabad was a key partner during the US-led war in Afghanistan, and over the years has captured and handed over numerous Al-Qaeda operatives to US authorities.

In a more recent high-profile case, Pakistani officials last year arrested and extradited a Daesh militant accused of planning the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul, which killed 13 American service members and more than 160 Afghan civilians during the US military withdrawal.

“They’re in an active counter-terrorism fight right now and they have been a phenomenal partner in the counter-terrorism world,” Kurilla said during a testimony before the House Armed Services Committee in Washington on Tuesday.

Kurilla pointed to recent Pakistani operations targeting Daesh (ISIS-Khorasan), particularly in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

“Through a phenomenal partnership with Pakistan, they have gone after Daesh Khorasan (Daesh) killing dozens of them through a relationship we have with them providing intelligence. They have captured at least five Daesh Khorasan (Daesh) high value individuals,” he said.

“So, we are seeing Pakistan with limited intelligence that provided them go after them using their means to do that and we’re seeing an effect on Daesh (Daesh).”

Kurtis added that both Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban were conducting parallel operations against Daesh along the border.

Kurilla also noted the close personal coordination between military leaders, recalling that Pakistan’s army chief had informed him directly of a major capture.

“Field Marshal Asim Munir called me to tell me they had captured one of the Daesh-K individuals,” he said.

While Pak-Us relations have often been strained by mutual mistrust — particularly over drone strikes, militant sanctuaries, and geopolitical alignment — security cooperation between the two militaries has persisted, especially in the intelligence domain.

Pakistan and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to counterterrorism cooperation during a bilateral dialogue held in Washington in May. The talks focused on threats from groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Daesh, both of which remain active in the region.

Another round of counterterrorism talks is scheduled to take place later this month between Islamabad and Washington as part of broader efforts to rebuild ties and coordinate on shared security priorities.

US officials have increasingly acknowledged Pakistan’s role in containing regional terrorist threats, even as Islamabad faces internal challenges from a resurgent TTP and growing political and economic instability.