PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration on Saturday confirmed an “anti-terror operation” after an international wire agency reported that drone strikes killed at least 11 people, including women and children, just hours before the Pakistani Taliban announced a three-day Eid Al-Fitr ceasefire.
The strikes targeted what officials described as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in the Katling area of Mardan district, following a TTP attack a day earlier that killed seven soldiers during an army operation elsewhere in the province.
“An anti-terror operation was conducted in the Katling mountainous area of Mardan district based on credible information about the presence of terrorists,” said Muhammad Ali Saif, spokesperson for the provincial government. “According to reports, this location was being used for the hideout and movement of terrorist elements.”
However, he added as per the information received later, there were some unarmed civilians around the scene of the incident as well.
“It is regrettable that unarmed people were killed in the operation, including women and children,” he added.
While the military has not commented publicly on the incident, police sources confirmed to AFP that three drone strikes were carried out on Friday night. It was only on Saturday morning, they said, that officials learned two women and three children were among the dead.
“In protest, local residents placed the bodies of the victims on the road,” a senior police officer told AFP, saying they were being described by locals as “innocent civilians.”
Another official said an investigation was under way to determine whether militants were present at the time of the strikes.
“It is too early to say whether the places affected were civilian areas or whether they were sheltering Taliban,” he said.
Shortly after reports of the casualties emerged, the TTP released a statement announcing a three-day ceasefire on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr.
“The leadership of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has decided that, on the joyous occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, a three-day ceasefire will be observed as a gesture to allow the people of Pakistan to celebrate in peace,” the group said in a statement.
It added that TTP fighters would refrain from operations on the last day of Ramadan, Eid day, and the day after Eid, but reserved the right to respond in self-defense if attacked.
The TTP, which announced a “spring offensive” earlier this month, has claimed responsibility for around 100 attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent weeks.
In Friday’s separate incident, seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in an hours-long gunbattle with Taliban fighters holed up in a house in the province.
The army later deployed helicopter gunships, killing eight militants, while six other soldiers were wounded, according to police sources.
According to an AFP tally, over 190 people — mostly security personnel — have been killed in militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan since the start of the year.
Last year was the deadliest in nearly a decade, with more than 1,600 fatalities nationwide, nearly half of them security forces, according to the Center for Research and Security Studies.
Islamabad blames the surge in attacks on militants using Afghan territory as a base, particularly the TTP, which Pakistan says enjoys sanctuaries across the border.
The Afghan Taliban-led government in Kabul denies this, and accuses Pakistan in return of harboring Daesh militants.
With input from AFP
Eleven dead in drone strikes in northwest ahead of Pakistani Taliban Eid ceasefire announcement
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Eleven dead in drone strikes in northwest ahead of Pakistani Taliban Eid ceasefire announcement
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration says an ‘anti-terror operation’ was launched on credible intelligence on Friday
- It confirms the killing of women and children during the action, regretting their loss of life in the operation
Pakistan stresses increasing trade, tourism cooperation with Bangladesh amid improving ties
- Deputy PM Ishaq Dar meets Bangladesh high commissioner to discuss ties, says Pakistan’s FO
- Islamabad, Dhaka have sought closer ties since ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in 2024
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday stressed the need to enhance cooperation in trade and tourism with Bangladesh, the Pakistani foreign office said, as Dhaka and Islamabad attempt to forge closer ties amid improving bilateral relations.
Pakistan and Bangladesh have improved their strained ties since August last year after former premier Sheikh Hasina fled to India, forced by a violent student-led protest. Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation but split in a brutal 1971 war, with Bangladesh drawing closer to India.
Bangladesh’s High Commissioner Iqbal Hussain Khan met Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, in Islamabad to discuss bilateral ties, the Pakistani foreign office said.
“Appreciating the positive trajectory of bilateral ties, he [Dar] emphasized the need to further expand cooperation- especially in trade, tourism, & people-to-people exchanges,” the foreign office said.
In February this month, Bangladesh and Pakistan started direct government-to-government trade with Dhaka importing 50,000 tons of rice from Islamabad, a sign of improving relations between the two.
Direct private trade between the countries restarted in November 2024, when a container ship sailed from Pakistan’s Karachi to Bangladesh’s Chittagong. It was the first cargo ship in decades to sail directly between the two nations.
In recent months, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus have met on the sidelines of international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly in New York and the D-8 Summit in Cairo.
These interactions have been described as cordial, with both leaders expressing a desire to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Met office forecasts 25% above-normal monsoon rain for Pakistan this year
- Punjab’s disaster management agency says it has made arrangements to deal with the risk of flooding
- Pakistan has witnessed extreme weather like heatwaves, droughts and devastating floods in recent years
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is likely to experience 25 percent more rainfall than average during the upcoming monsoon season, officials said on Tuesday, with the country’s most populous province, Punjab, rolling out preparedness measures to address urban flooding and other climate-related emergencies.
The warning comes as Pakistan continues to suffer the effects of increasingly frequent and intense weather events, including heatwaves, droughts and devastating floods. Although the country contributes less than one percent to global carbon emissions, it remains among the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world.
Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Ali Kathia visited the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) headquarters in Lahore to assess forecasts and coordination efforts ahead of the seasonal rains.
“This year’s monsoon rainfall is expected to be 25 percent above normal levels,” officials said during a briefing. “The heaviest rains are forecast for the month of August.”
During the visit, Chief Meteorologist Zahir Babar provided a detailed overview of the seasonal outlook and flood forecasting mechanisms, while emphasizing the importance of early warnings in major cities like Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Gujranwala to minimize urban flood impacts.
Kathia said all necessary arrangements have been completed to manage the risk of flooding during the monsoon.
He stressed that a joint response plan must be implemented by all concerned departments to deal with cloudburst events and urban flooding.
Pakistan experienced catastrophic monsoon rains in 2022 that submerged large parts of the country, killing nearly 1,700 people and causing damage to homes, farmland and infrastructure exceeding $35 billion, according to government and UN estimates.
Officials also reviewed the flood early warning system for hill torrents and the control room operations for real-time monitoring of river flows under the Flood Forecasting Division.
Kathia praised the Meteorological Department’s coordination and technical preparedness, calling the working relationship between the PMD and PDMA Punjab “excellent.”
Pakistan, UAE voice concern over Israel-Iran war as Trump seeks ‘end’ to nuclear threat
- UAE and Pakistan stress urgent need to support efforts for regional peace and stability
- Trump says reporters will ‘find out’ where the situation is headed in the next two days
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates expressed deep concern over Israel’s escalating war with Iran, the foreign office said on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump said he wanted a “real end” to Iran’s nuclear program and warned of potential new developments in the coming days.
The exchange between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, took place over a phone call, according to the official intimation.
The war between Iran and US ally Israel, which began on Friday when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, has alarmed a region already on edge since Israel’s military assault on Gaza began in October 2023.
Iran launched its own retaliatory missile attacks, targeting dozens of strategic sites in Israel, as civilian casualties mounted on both sides. There has been no sign of de-escalation so far, with both sides continuing to strike military and economic targets, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
“Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar received a call from the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” the foreign office of Pakistan said in a social media post.
“The two leaders discussed the evolving regional situation in the wake of Israel’s military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” it added. “They expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions and underscored the urgent need to support efforts for ensuring regional peace and stability.”
Earlier, Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from a Group of Seven summit in Canada.
He said he may send US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to Iran for talks, but added, “it depends on what happens when I get back.”
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple,” he continued, adding that he wanted a “real end” to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with Tehran “giving up entirely” on any weapons program.
The US president also warned residents in Tehran to evacuate amid fears of further escalation, but remained vague about Israel’s next steps in the conflict.
“You’re going to find out over the next two days,” he said. “Nobody’s slowed up so far.”
With input from Reuters
Pakistan plans rail link to Reko Diq by 2028 as PM sets up committee for project
- Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, plans production in three years
- PM Sharif says extending railway connectivity will boost the mining and mineral sector in Balochistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to upgrade its railway infrastructure and extend the network to Reko Diq, a massive copper and gold mining project in southwestern Balochistan province, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday instructed officials to set up an inter-ministerial committee for the project.
The move aims to support future cargo and transport needs, particularly as Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, is set to begin production within three years.
The mine is being developed by Barrick Gold, which holds a 50 percent stake, with the remaining share held jointly by Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments. The company has projected the project will generate up to $74 billion in free cash flow over its expected 37-year lifespan.
“The Prime Minister directed that Reko Diq be connected to the railway network by 2028,” Sharif’s office said in a statement circulated after the meeting. “The Prime Minister instructed the formation of an inter-ministerial committee to explore financing options for the upgrade and expansion of the railway system.”
“The committee will present concrete proposals regarding the financing required for the development of Pakistan Railways and its extension to Reko Diq,” it added.
Calling railways a “backbone” of Pakistan’s economy and communications network, the prime minister said it was an affordable, fast and environmentally friendly mode of transport.
He added extending rail connectivity to Reko Diq would boost the mining and minerals sector in Balochistan and create new employment opportunities for residents in the province.
The mineral-rich but underdeveloped province of Balochistan is vital to Beijing’s $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship Pakistan arm of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.
However, while the province is viewed as vital for Pakistan’s economic future, it remains marred by separatist violence, posing serious challenges to the implementation of large-scale infrastructure and mining projects.
The railway network, despite being a key mode of transport for the province’s widely dispersed population, has also come under threat from militant attacks.
Earlier this year, armed separatists took a passenger train hostage in Balochistan, triggering a military rescue operation in which security forces said all the militants were killed.
Pakistan army chief lauds overseas Pakistanis’ economic role during US visit
- Field Marshal Asim Munir meets Pakistani community members in Washington
- He calls for collaboration with diaspora to support Pakistan’s development
KARACHI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir appreciated the economic contributions of overseas Pakistanis during an interaction with the community members from his country in Washington DC, according to a statement from the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), on Tuesday.
Munir is currently visiting the United States to strengthen bilateral military and strategic ties. This marks his second visit to the US since assuming charge as army chief in November 2022. His first visit was in December 2023, during which he met senior American civilian and military officials.
Pakistan and the United States have shared a defense relationship dating back to the Cold War era. Over the decades, Washington has worked closely with Pakistan’s military leadership and civilian governments on issues ranging from regional stability and counterterrorism to cooperation in Afghanistan.
“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), is on an official visit to United States,” the ISPR said. “During the visit, the COAS interacted with the Overseas Pakistani community in Washington DC. The COAS received a warm reception and welcome from the overseas Pakistanis, who gathered in large numbers to meet with the Chief of Army Staff.”
“During the interaction,” the statement added, “the COAS expressed his deep appreciation for the vital and most significant role being played by overseas Pakistanis for being ambassadors of Pakistan. He acknowledged their contributions to Pakistan’s economy, and global reputation by contributing actively through remittances, investments and higher achievements in other domains.”
The ISPR said members of the diaspora shared their experiences and suggestions during the engagement.
Munir emphasized the importance of continued cooperation with overseas Pakistanis, calling for collaborative efforts to address common challenges and support Pakistan’s development.
The participants of the gathering applauded the armed forces of Pakistan for the “outstanding performance” during the recent military standoff with India.
The interaction concluded with a “renewed sense of purpose and commitment,” the military said, adding that both sides pledged to work together toward a more secure and resilient Pakistan.
According to media reports over the weekend, supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan held a protest outside the Pakistan Embassy in Washington on Saturday, citing Munir’s presence in the US capital and calling for “restoration of democracy” in their home country.
Khan has been in prison since August 2023 following his arrest on corruption charges. He has consistently denied wrongdoing and claims the legal cases against him are politically motivated to keep him out of Pakistan’s political arena.
His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has accused the military of orchestrating his government’s ouster through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022.
PTI also alleged the move was carried out under pressure from the United States, a claim denied by all parties involved.
