ISLAMABAD: Police in Pakistan’s federal capital announced on Wednesday they managed to avert a “major disaster” after recovering detonators and other equipment used to make suicide jackets in an intelligence-based operation on the outskirts of Islamabad.
The operation was conducted ahead of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which marks the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala where the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), a revered figure in Shia Islam, was martyred.
Muharram also witnesses religious processions across Pakistan, prompting relevant authorities to devise elaborate security measures to prevent any disturbances.
“Islamabad police averted a major disaster in the federal capital,” the police announced in a social media post. “During an intelligence-based operation, hand grenades, detonators and suicide jacket materials were recovered from the Sangjani police station area.”
“In view of security during Muharram, intelligence-based operations are being conducted daily in Islamabad,” the post added.
Sharing further details, the police said some suspects opened fire and fled upon seeing the police team arriving in their area.
The law enforcement officials cordoned off the place and began a search with additional reinforcements.
“From the scene, the police took possession of Kalashnikovs, hand grenades, detonators, wires and suicide jacket materials,” the social media post on X said. “The bomb disposal squad was called, and the explosives were defused.”
It added that a first information report of the incident had been registered by the counter-terrorism department (CTD).
The authorities have also formed teams to search for the suspects, and the operation is ongoing.
“Further investigation is underway,” the social media post added.
Pakistan’s federal capital has witnessed deadly suicide bombings in the past, though such incidents have not been recorded in recent years.
The country has witnessed a surge in militant violence since November 2022 when an armed network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, called off a fragile ceasefire with the government and resumed targeting civilians and security forces.

ISLAMABAD: Despite a humiliating first-round exit from the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, the Pakistan cricket team have qualified for the next edition of the tournament to be held in 2026, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday. 
Pakistan crashed out of the T20 World Cup 2024 held last month in the United States and West Indies after successive losses to the United States and India. The green shirts’ victories over Group A teams Canada and Ireland were not enough to take it to the Super Eights stage of the tournament. 
The 2026 edition in Sri Lanka and India will once again be a 55-match affair, with the tournament to be played in the same format, with four groups of five, before two Super Eights groups, semifinals and a final to crown the next champion.
“Despite missing out on the Super Eights, Babar Azam’s men meanwhile secured their place at the next edition thanks to their T20I ranking (7th), alongside New Zealand (6th) and Ireland (11th),” the ICC said on its website. 
The global cricket governing body said Sri Lanka and India take up the first two spots for the next World Cup since they are hosts of the tournament. The next 10 spots were determined by Super Eight qualifiers at the 2024 edition, and ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings at the 30 June cut-off date.
Thanks to their strong first-round play and entry to the Super Eights, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies all secured 2026 T20 World Cup spots, ICC said. 
The USA, who defeated Pakistan in a shock upset in the World Cup to steal a second-round spot in Group A, have also qualified for the next World Cup.
“The final eight teams for the 2026 edition will be decided by regional qualifiers, in a similar pathway to that of 2024 qualifying,” the ICC said. 
The number of qualification spots per region is to be confirmed, though.