Category: 1. Pakistan

On 15 August 2025, Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Company Ltd launched the Pakistan Navy’s (PN) third Hangor-class air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped submarine (SSP) from the Shuangliu Base in Wuhan, China.

The launch ceremony of the submarine, designated PNS/M Mangro, was presided by numerous Chinese and Pakistani officials, among them the PN’s Deputy Chief of Naval Projects, Vice Admiral Abdul Samad and other high-ranking officers. 

This is the second Hangor-class SSP launch in 2025, following the launch of PNS/M Shushuk in March, while the lead boat, PNS/M Hangor, was launched in April 2024. Thus far, all of the boats constructed in China have been built at Wuhan. 

The Hangor-class is a variant of CSOC’s S26, the export version of the Yuan-class submarine used by the People’s Army Liberation Navy (PLAN). 

Like its PLAN counterpart, the S26 was offered with a Sterling AIP system. In general, AIP systems allow conventional submarines to operate underwater without surfacing for oxygen (snorkeling) for extended periods of time, possibly weeks at a time. The PN’s three Agosta 90B submarines utilize the French MESMA AIP system to achieve similar capabilities.

The PN’s Hangor-class submarine has a displacement of 2,800 tons, length of 76 m, a cruising speed of 10 knots, and draught of 6.2 m. It is equipped with six torpedo tubes, which can deploy heavyweight torpedoes (HWT) and anti-ship cruising missiles (ASCM). 

Pakistan ordered eight S26P submarines from China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company Ltd (CSOC) in 2015. Under the contract, four of the boats were to be built by Karachi Shipyards and Engineering Works (KSEW) through the transfer of technology and material kits from CSOC. 

KSEW cut the steel of its first Hangor-class submarine in December 2021 and laid the keel for its second boat in February 2024. Originally, the PN was to receive all eight boats by 2028, but delays stemming from both the pandemic and supply-side restrictions from Germany (specifically its block on re-selling MTU diesel engines to China) pushed the procurement timelines farther. 

That said, at the start of 2025, the PN Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Naveed Ashraf, revealed that the PN will receive its first Hangor-class submarine “very soon,” but did not offer a timeline or a clear date as to when. However, considering how PNS/M Hangor has been undergoing its sea trials since mid-2024, its induction into the PN fleet could be a matter of months. Overall, one can expect the PN to receive its first four Chinese-built boats in several years, but the KSEW-built versions may come later than anticipated, potentially by the early 2030s, due to delays. 

Once all eight boats are inducted, the PN will operate a fleet of at least 11 AIP-equipped submarines, giving it one of the largest subsurface fleets of this nature in Asia. However, this would be the baseline as the PN will induct additional AIP-equipped submarines through its forthcoming shallow water attack submarine (SWATS) program and a future original submarine program.

HYDERABAD:

A Karachi based journalist was found shot dead in his car parked outside an eatery on Hyderabad road in Sanghar district late on Saturday night. SSP Sanghar Abid Baloch told the press that Khawar Hussain Bajwa’s body was found on his car’s driving seat. He was associated with Dawn News channel.

The police later also found a pistol, which the deceased was holding in his right hand, and a bullet casing from the car. According to the SSP, the bullet entered through his right side temple and exited from the left. Baloch said it will be early to conclude the cause of his death, adding that a broader investigation has been started before drawing any conclusion.

The staff of the hotel, Mirchi 360 Sanghar, informed the police that Bajwa twice entered their premises to use washroom and then returned to his car. A hotel’s guard told the police that after noticing that the deceased had not placed any order and yet the car was still parked outside their hotel, he approached the vehicle and saw blood oozing from his head.

He later called the manager and other staff who contacted the local police. A CCTV camera installed at the hotel shows the reporter entering and leaving. However, there was no camera in the direction of his vehicle which could have helped in the investigation.

Bajwa was alone in his car and he entered and left the hotel alone as well. DIG Nawabshah Faisal Bashir Memon has confirmed that the pistol found from his vehicle was licensed in the name of the deceased. His Sanghar based brother in law Zubair Ali in his version recorded with the police stated that they were clueless about his visit to their city on Saturday even though he always used to inform them before coming to Sanghar.

His postmortem was conducted at Civil Hospital Sanghar.

Ali informed that Bajwa’s US based brother and parents are likely to arrive in Pakistan on August 18 after which his body will be taken from the hospital for burial in Sanghar. The brother in law said he came to know about his death through a friend who gave him a call and told about the incident. The police and medico legal officials are yet to share the initial findings of the postmortem report.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and sought a detailed report from the Inspector General of Police.

Governor Tessori conveyed heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family, calling the journalist’s death a “great tragedy for journalism and society.” Provincial ministers, members of the journalist community, friends, and relatives have also expressed shock and grief over the incident. They prayed for the departed soul and for strength to the family in bearing this irreparable loss.

Published on: August 18, 2025 4:09 AM

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday praised Pakistan’s intelligence agencies for their critical role during the recent conflict with India, claiming they had early access to enemy plans and even obtained video footage of six Indian aircraft being shot down.

The recent confrontation between the two neighbouring countries, triggered by the Pahalgam attack, marked one of the most serious escalations in decades, pushing the nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of full-scale war. The conflict resulted in civilian casualties on both sides before diplomatic efforts managed to defuse tensions.

During the exchange, the Pakistan Air Force shot down six Indian aircraft, including a French-made Rafale fighter jet. A senior French intelligence official later confirmed the loss of at least one Rafale—marking the aircraft’s first known combat downing.

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Speaking at a seminar organised by the Professor Waris Mir Foundation at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, Naqvi said, “Our intelligence agencies’ role was so important… we knew whatever they planned, what aircraft they would use.” He added, “Within minutes, we received video footage of all six planes which were shot down.”

The minister revealed that intelligence agencies received detailed information about India’s plans well in advance, including sensitive intelligence and operational documents.

“We used to have every single detail of India’s decisions and papers in advance. Later, when their aircraft were shot down, it was decided that until we had evidence, we would not announce how many planes had been downed. We needed field proof—and believe me, within minutes, the evidence was with us. We have videos of six Indian aircraft that were shot down.”

Naqvi attributed part of Pakistan’s success during the conflict to divine intervention. “India fired seven missiles at one of our major bases, which contained valuable assets. Everyone was worried, but not a single missile landed inside the base—some fell before reaching, some outside, and some to the side,” he recounted.

He added that when Pakistan retaliated, its missiles struck an Indian oil storage depot without causing civilian casualties. “This was purely Allah’s help,” he said.

He also praised Pakistan’s military leadership, particularly Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. Naqvi recalled a meeting with a visiting Saudi delegation that included military and government officials. The Field Marshal, he said, told them, “India is like a shining Mercedes, but we are like a dumper truck loaded with stones. Now imagine what happens when the two collide.”

Highlighting the unique unity within Pakistan’s leadership, Naqvi said, “For the first time in Pakistan’s history, the Army, Air Force, and Navy devised a joint strategy and fought the war under one plan.” He contrasted this with India’s fractured command structure, where military chiefs reportedly operated independently.

Read: PM deploys ministers to oversee K-P flood relief as toll hits 323

Naqvi also named Ajit Doval and Amit Shah as the true masterminds behind the Indian government’s escalation. “These are the two men behind it all, and they will drown India as well as Modi,” he warned.

He emphasised domestic political unity amid the crisis: “On Pakistan’s side, all political parties stood united… everyone was in contact and supportive.” According to Naqvi, Pakistani leaders outperformed the Indian delegation’s attempts to lobby internationally, noting, “Our PPP Chairman outweighed them.”

The minister also accused India of sponsoring terrorism within Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, and claimed India used the war to suppress Kashmiris. He commended the resilience shown by the Prime Minister and national leadership in responding firmly, saying they defied pressure not to retaliate.

The seminar also featured addresses by Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani and Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan.

BUNER: Pakistani rescuers dug homes out from under massive boulders on Sunday as they searched for survivors of flash floods that killed at least 344 people, with more than 150 still missing.

Since Thursday, torrential rains across the country have caused flooding, rising waters and landslides that have swept away entire villages and left many residents trapped in the rubble.

Most of the deaths, 317, were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where monsoon rains that are only expected to intensify in the days ahead drove flooding and landslides that collapsed houses.

More than 150 people are missing in hardest-hit Buner district, where at least 208 people were killed and “10 to 12 entire villages” were partially buried, officials told AFP.

“They could be trapped under the rubble of their homes or swept away by floodwaters,” said Asfandyar Khattak, head of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

“Separately, in Shangla district, dozens of people are also reported missing,” Khattak added.

“There is no electricity or mobile signal in Buner, as power lines and mobile towers were damaged,” he added.

The spokesman for the province’s rescue agency told AFP that around 2,000 rescue workers were involved across nine districts, where rain was still hampering efforts.

“The operation to rescue people trapped under debris is ongoing,” said Bilal Ahmad Faizi.

“The chances of those buried under the debris surviving are very slim,” he added.

AFP journalists in Buner saw half-buried vehicles and belongings lying strewn in the sludge, with mud covering houses and shops.

A grave digger, Qaiser Ali Shah, told AFP he dug 29 burial places in the last two days.

“I have also dug six graves for children. With each grave, it felt as though I was digging it for my own child,” he told AFP.

“For the first time, my body simply refused to carry me through. That’s why today I apologized and said I cannot do this work anymore.”

Flooded roads hampered the movement of rescue vehicles, as a few villagers worked to cut fallen trees to clear the way after the water receded.

“Our belongings are scattered, ruined and are in bad shape,” shopkeeper Noor Muhammad told AFP as he used a shovel to remove mud.

“The shops have been destroyed along with everything else. Even the little money people had has been washed away,” he added.

The provincial government has declared the severely affected mountainous districts of Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra and Battagram as disaster-hit areas.

“We were trapped in our homes and could not get out,” another Buner resident, Syed Wahab Bacha, told AFP.

“Our entire poor community has been affected… This road was our only path, and it too has been washed away,” he added.

On Saturday, hundreds gathered for mass funerals, where bodies wrapped in blood-stained white shawls were laid out on the village ground.

Fallen trees and straw debris were scattered across nearby fields, while residents shovelled mud out of their homes.

Pakistan’s meteorological department has forecast “torrential rains” with monsoon activity “likely to intensify” from Sunday onwards.

The monsoon season brings South Asia about three-quarters of its annual rainfall, vital for agriculture and food security, but also brings destruction.

“The intensity of this year’s monsoon is around 50 to 60 percent more than last year,” said Lt. Gen. Inam Haider, chairman of the national disaster agency.

“Two to three more monsoon spells are expected until the first weeks of September,” he told journalists in Islamabad.

Landslides and flash floods are common during the season, which usually begins in June and eases by the end of September.

The torrential rains that have pounded Pakistan since the start of the summer monsoon have killed more than 650 people, with more than 920 injured.

Pakistan is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change and is contending with extreme weather events with increasing frequency.

Monsoon floods in 2022 submerged a third of the country and killed around 1,700 people.

Another villager in Buner told AFP on Saturday that residents had spent the night searching through the rubble of their former homes.

“The entire area is reeling from profound trauma,” said 32-year-old schoolteacher Saifullah Khan.

“I helped retrieve the bodies of the children I taught. I keep wondering what kind of trial nature has imposed on these kids,” he said.