ISLAMABAD: Daesh has claimed a bomb explosion targeting police in Pakistan’s turbulent southwest that killed three policemen and wounded more than a dozen.
A bomb planted on a parked motorcycle on Tuesday targeted a passing bus carrying 40 policemen in Mastung city of impoverished Balochistan province, where security forces have been battling sectarian, ethnic and separatist violence for decades.
In a statement late Tuesday, Daesh’s regional Khorasan chapter, which often carries out attacks on security forces in Pakistan and Afghanistan, claimed its “soldiers” targeted the “apostate” police.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in violence in its regions bordering Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, with Islamabad accusing its western neighbor of allowing its soil to be used for attacks against Pakistan — a claim the Taliban denies.
In Balochistan, separatist violence has intensified, including an attack last month by ethnic Baloch militants on a train carrying 450 passengers, which sparked a two-day siege and left dozens dead.
Daesh is also active.
The group has claimed responsibility for attacks on religious minorities, targeted killings of religious scholars, and assaults on security officials.
In July 2023, the group claimed a suicide bombing at a political party gathering that killed more than 54 people, including 23 children.
More than 200 people, mostly security officials, have been killed in attacks since the start of the year by armed groups fighting the government in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, according to an AFP tally.
Daesh claims Pakistan bomb blast killing three policemen
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Daesh claims Pakistan bomb blast killing three policemen
- The incident occurred in the country’s restive southwestern Baochistan, wounding more than a dozen
- Daesh has also carried out attacks on civilians and security forces in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the past
Peace in South Asia to remain ‘a dream’ until Kashmir dispute is resolved— ex-Pakistan FM
- Tensions between New Delhi, Islamabad soar after India’s strikes in Pakistani territory kill 31
- Any sovereign nation would have no choice but to respond, says Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari this week said peace in South Asia will remain “but a dream” unless India and Pakistan resolve the issue of Kashmir, as tensions soared between the two nuclear-armed neighbors following India’s missile strikes in Pakistani territory.
Bhutto-Zardari’s comments follow surging tensions between India and Pakistan after the former conducted missile strikes into the latter’s territory late Wednesday night, which Pakistan said killed 31 and injured 57. The Indian government said it struck nine Pakistani “terrorist infrastructure” sites involved in planning a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. The assault took place on the tourist hill station of Pahalgam in the part of Kashmir governed by India, with 26 men killed.
The Pakistani military said six locations across its territory — Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Sialkot, Shakargarh in the eastern province of Punjab and Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir — were targeted. Azad Kashmir is the part of the disputed Kashmir valley that is administered by Pakistan. In response, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had said five Indian planes and one combat drone that had attacked Pakistan were shot down, naming three Rafales and an MiG-29 and Su-57 each.
India and Pakistan have fought two out of three wars over the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir. Both countries claim the territory in full but administer only parts of it. India accuses Pakistan of arming separatist militants in the part of Kashmir it governs, which Pakistan denies. Islamabad says it only extends moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir.
“This [Kashmir] is a disputed territory,” Bhutto-Zardari, who is also the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, a key government coalition ally, told Arab News during an exclusive interview on Wednesday.
“This is a dispute that India took to the United Nations. And until we get to the root cause, until we find a solution to the Kashmir question, until then I believe that peace in South Asia will be but a dream.”
Bhutto-Zardari said Pakistan had called for a credible, international probe into the Pahalgam attack. However, he rejected India had leveled unfounded allegations at Pakistan “without any supporting evidence.”
“All over the world it is known you’re innocent until proved guilty,” the PPP leader said. “Accuse me of a crime but produce the evidence and at least have a trial.”
He criticized the Indian government for becoming “judge, jury and executioner,” adding that its military strikes had targeted innocent civilians and children.
“They violated Pakistan’s sovereign territory,” the former foreign minister said. “Any sovereign nation on the planet would have no choice but to respond in such a circumstance.”
Pakistan has vowed that it has the right to respond to India’s military strikes as per international law. During his address to the nation on Wednesday night, Sharif warned India it would have to “pay the price” for striking Pakistan. His office said earlier on Wednesday that the country’s top national security body had authorized its armed forces to take “corresponding actions” in response to Indian strikes.
Pakistani parties rally in Karachi to protest India’s missile strikes
- Sindh chief minister leads rally featuring participation from PPP, ANP, MQM-P and JI parties
- Political parties’ leaders praise Pakistan’s armed forces for retaliating to Indian missile strikes
KARACHI: In a rare display of unity, major Pakistani political parties rallied in the southern port city of Karachi on Wednesday to vehemently protest India’s missile strikes that killed 31 people and injured 57.
In the sharpest military escalation in more than two decades between the nuclear-armed rivals, the Indian government said it struck nine Pakistani “terrorist infrastructure” sites involved in planning a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. The assault took place on the tourist hill station of Pahalgam in the part of Kashmir governed by India, with 26 men killed.
The Pakistani military said six locations across its territory — Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Sialkot, Shakargarh in the eastern province of Punjab and Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir — were targeted. Azad Kashmir is the part of the disputed Kashmir valley that is administered by Pakistan. In response, Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said five Indian planes and one combat drone that had attacked Pakistan were shot down, naming three Rafales and an MiG-29 and Su-57 each.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah led the rally at the Karachi Press Club, which featured participation from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) parties.
“Within just ten minutes, Pakistan was blamed without any investigation,” Shah told participants of the rally, referring to India’s accusations that Islamabad was involved in the Pahalgam attack.
The chief minister accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he referred to as the “Butcher of Gujarat,” for orchestrating the recent events to divert attention from domestic issues.
“India rejected these gestures for peace and instead launched nighttime attacks on six separate locations, resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians,” he noted.
He lauded Pakistan’s armed forces for giving a befitting response to Indian military strikes.
“The Pakistan Air Force shot down five Indian aircraft and a drone,” Shah said. “We held back only to avoid escalation; otherwise, not a single Indian jet would have survived.”
Monem Zafar, the chief of the JI’s Karachi chapter, agreed with Shah that the rally was a demonstration of political unity amid the crisis.
“The message to India and Modi is that the entire Pakistani nation strongly condemns this attack,” he said. “The nation stands with the Pakistan Army for the protection of the country.”
Zafar called on the nation to observe the coming Friday as a “Day of Resolve” to demonstrate national support for the armed forces.
Erdogan conveys Turkiye’s solidarity to Pakistan PM amid crisis with India
- Erdogan tells Shehbaz Sharif he supports Pakistan’s “calm” policies amid crisis
- Pakistan military says Indian strikes on Wednesday night killed 31, injured 57
ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone on Wednesday with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to convey his solidarity after India hit Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir with missiles, the Turkish presidency said.
Pakistan, which has strong ties with Turkiye, said it had shot down five Indian aircraft and vowed to retaliate further, in the worst clash between the nuclear-armed neighbors in more than two decades.
During the call, Erdogan told Sharif that Turkiye supported what he called Pakistan’s “calm and restrained policies” in the crisis, his office said in a statement.
Erdogan also said he found “appropriate” Islamabad’s call for an investigation into a militant attack that triggered the crisis. The militants killed 26 people in Indian Kashmir in the attack on April 22. Pakistan denies Indian accusations that it was linked to the attack.
“Erdogan stated that Turkiye was ready to do what it can to prevent the tensions from escalating, and that his diplomatic contacts in that regard would continue,” it said.
Turkiye has previously condemned India’s attack and called on both sides to act with common sense. Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry said the latest military action by India created the risk of an “all-out war.”
Ankara also maintains cordial ties with India.
Pakistan blocks 16 Indian YouTube channels, 32 websites for spreading ‘propaganda’
- Pakistani telecom authority says action taken to “safeguard” national security
- Development takes place after Indian strikes overnight killed 31 civilians in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said on Wednesday it has blocked 16 Indian YouTube channels and 32 Indian websites for spreading “anti-Pakistan propaganda” and disseminating false information following Indian military strikes inside Pakistani territory that killed 31 people.
The move, part of PTA’s move to combat disinformation, comes after a sharp military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals. The Indian government said it struck nine Pakistani “terrorist infrastructure” sites on Wednesday night, alleging that they were involved in planning a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. The assault took place on the tourist hill station of Pahalgam in the part of Kashmir governed by India, with 26 men killed.
“The PTA has blocked 16 Indian YouTube news channels, 31 YouTube video links and 32 websites for disseminating false information and anti-Pakistan propaganda,” the authority said.
“The blocked content was found to be spreading misleading and harmful narratives aimed at manipulating public perception and undermining national unity.”
The PTA said it had taken the action to “safeguard” national security and “protect” Pakistan’s digital ecosystem.
The authority said PTA is committed to maintaining a “safe, secure, and trustworthy” Internet environment for telecom users, adding that online content will continue to be actively monitored for material that threatens Pakistan’s national interests.
The development is a similar response to India blocking access to social media accounts of Pakistani actors and cricketers on May 3.
In April, India banned more than a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly spreading “provocative” content following the April 22 attack. The banned platforms included the YouTube channels of Pakistani news outlets Dawn, Samaa TV, ARY News, Bol News, Raftar, Geo News and Suno News.
Pakistan launches first Shariah-compliant ‘Green Sukuk’ to attract eco-friendly investment
- Green Sukuk to fund renewable energy, clean transportation and climate-resilient projects, says finance ministry
- Pakistan says will hold auction for inaugural Green Sukuk issue, ranging from $71.4 million to $107.1 million
KARACHI: Pakistan’s finance ministry announced the launch of its first ever “Green Sukuk” financial instrument on Wednesday, saying it was aimed at attracting investments in environmentally sustainable projects.
The Green Sukuk is a Shariah-compliant financial instrument specifically designed to fund environmentally sustainable projects such as renewable energy, clean transportation and climate-resilient infrastructure, the ministry said. By merging Islamic finance principles with environmental objectives, Green Sukuk provides a unique investment avenue that appeals to ethically minded investors, it added.
“The Government of Pakistan is proud to announce a major milestone in the nation’s sustainable finance journey with the launch of its first Green Sukuk,” the ministry said. “The Green Sukuk marks a pivotal step in aligning Pakistan’s financial markets with global best practices in green financing.”
The ministry said an auction would be held for the Green Sukuk’s first issuance, with the total amount of funds to be raised expected to be between $71.4 million (Rs20 billion) and $107.1 million (Rs30 billion). The statement said the Pakistan Stock Exchange would play a role in promoting the instrument to investors.
The Green Sukuk program was prepared with the support of Pakistan’s Meezan Bank Limited, Bank Alfalah Limited, Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan Limited and Bank Islami Pakistan Limited, it said.
The finance ministry said the initiative was aligned with Pakistan’s Vision 2028 goal of transitioning toward an interest-free economy. The Green Sukuk would attract a “broader investor base, deepen our financial markets and accelerate the country’s transition” to a resilient economy, the statement said.
