Category: 1. Pakistan

A search operation for tourists who went missing after rain-induced floods in Gilgit-Baltistan’s (GB) Babusar area concluded on Monday after 14 days, while their funeral prayers were held in absentia.

Pakistan has been grappling with severe flooding caused by cloudbursts, glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs) and intense monsoon rains since June. These extreme weather events have resulted in several deaths and injuries across the country, with the GB region among the hardest hit.

After deadly floods swept across GB’s Babusar area on July 21, the deaths of seven people had been confirmed but 12 remained missing. Besides the missing, the region’s death toll stands at 10.

In a statement today, GB government spokesperson Faizullah Firaq said, “The funeral prayers of the missing persons were offered in absentia in Babusar.”

He said that the search operation on Babusar Highway, which had continued for 14 days, has now ended. “All vehicles have been removed from the debris, but no trace of the missing persons could be found,” he said.

“[The] hopes of the missing persons being rescued in the flood-hit area have been dashed,” he added.

Last week, the GB government had intensified the search operations on Babusar Highway.

Diamer police, GB Scouts, Pakistan Army personnel, Rescue 1122 and local volunteers took part in the search efforts. Drone camps, modern equipment, sniffer dogs, technical mechanisms, heavy machinery and human resources were used for the operation.

5 family members rescued after 4 days in Ghizer

Separately, five members of a family trapped because of a flood four days ago in GB’s Ghizer district have been rescued and taken to a safe place, Ghizer’s Rescue 1122 said today.

According to Ghizer Rescue 1122’s media coordinator, Shakraiz, a lightning strike washed away the road connecting the flood-hit area on the evening of July 31, causing five members of a family to be stranded on the other side of a river in Gopus Khatam village.

“Today, the team rescued all the members and moved them to a safe place by boat,” Shakraiz told Dawn.com.

“Food was also delivered to other affected families during the operation. Sixty-two houses, water supply and electricity systems, along with health and education centres, were severely affected by the flood in the Ishkoman and Gopus valleys of Ghizer.”

According to local political leader Zafar Muhammad Shadamkhel, lightning struck at eleven places simultaneously, causing severe damage to houses, buildings, schools, roads and power plants. He added that 600 people have been deprived of drinking water.

On Thursday, cloudburst-induced floods in Ghizer and Hunza districts caused significant damage to the irrigation channel in Ghalapan village in upper Hunza’s Gojal, which provides water for over 50,000 forest trees, according to residents.

The next day, a glacier burst in GB’s Bagrot Valley had resulted in the death of one person, while his father was injured, according to the regional government’s spokesperson.

ISLAMABAD: Authorities have warned of potential aftershocks of a 5.1-magnitude earthquake that hit the Pakistani capital of Islamabad and several other cities in wee hours of Sunday, the Press Information Department (PID) said, urging citizens to remain vigilant.

The earthquake struck approximately 15 km east-southeast of Rawat, near Islamabad and Rawalpindi, at 12:10am on Sunday. The shallow earthquake, with a depth of 10 kilometers, caused tremors that were felt in Islamabad Capital Territory, Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Jhelum, Nankana Sahib, Jalalpur Bhatian, Wazirabad, Shahkot, Bhalwal as well as regions in Azad Kashmir.

Its epicenter lied near the Rawat Fault, a known active fault line in the seismically active Potohar Plateau, which is influenced by the tectonic interactions of the Indian-Eurasian plate boundary. The maximum shaking intensity, measured on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale, reached V, indicating moderate to strong shaking near the epicenter, the PID said, citing seismic and disaster management authorities.

The shallow depth of the earthquake contributed to the widespread tremors felt in nearby cities and towns, though the moderate intensity suggests limited potential for significant structural damage. Fortunately, no immediate reports of casualties or property damage have been received, and authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely.

“Seismologists anticipate minor aftershocks of up to magnitude 3.0 in the coming days, which is typical following an earthquake of this magnitude,” the PID said on Sunday.

Pakistan’s Rawat region is situated in a seismically active zone characterized by frequent small to moderate magnitude earthquakes, as evidenced by historical seismic activity associated with the Rawat Fault.

“Local authorities and disaster management agencies are actively assessing the situation and urge residents to remain vigilant for potential aftershocks,” the PID said.

“Citizens are advised to follow standard earthquake safety protocols.”

The protocols include dropping down on one’s hands and knees to prevent the earthquake from knocking one down; covering body, particularly one’s head and neck, underneath a sturdy table or desk, or getting down near an interior wall if there is no shelter nearby until the shaking stops.

Sunday’s earthquake was the second one to hit the country this week.

A 5-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan early Saturday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported, with tremors felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Muzaffarabad, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi and several other Pakistani cities.

The quake hit at 2:03am on Saturday, with its epicenter located in Farkhār, Afghanistan at a depth of 122.6 kilometers.

India is a land of contradictions. According to the Global Firepower Index 2025, India has the world’s fourth most powerful Air Force after the US, Russia, and China, maintaining a formidable fleet of 2,229 aircraft, including over 500 fighter jets.

Despite these impressive numbers, India also has the unenviable position of having one of the highest aircraft accident rates during peacetime in Asia.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has lost five aircraft so far in 2025 in peacetime operations: three Jaguars, one Mirage-2000, and one Antonov An-32. IAF also lost some jets during the brief four-day war with Pakistan in May.

In fact, Pakistan, India’s archenemy, whose Air Force is ranked seventh on the Global Firepower Index, claims that it has consistently outperformed the IAF during the last three clashes.

While Pakistani claims must be taken not just with a pinch of salt but a handful of salt, it can’t be denied that Islamabad has scored a point or two over the IAF in the recent clashes.

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Indeed, notwithstanding its much smaller and debt-ridden economy and persistent political instability, Pakistan has been ‘consistently’ defeating its much larger, more prosperous, and stable neighbour in fighter jet acquisitions.

However, high aircraft losses during peacetime operations and a woefully slow defense acquisition process are not the only maladies afflicting the IAF. Another persistent issue, at least since the last three decades, has been the IAF’s small but highly publicized losses during such operations as Kargil (1999), Balakot (2019), and Operation Sindoor (2025).

But before we turn our attention to combat losses, first, let us unravel the IAF’s unbelievably high peacetime losses and slow defense acquisition policy compared with Pakistan’s swift fighter jet acquisitions.

IAF’s High Peacetime Losses

The IAF lost eight aircraft in 2024, another eight in 2023, five in 2022, 11 in 2021, and five in 2020, all of them during routine peacetime missions. Since 2020, India has lost 42 aircraft, losing more than seven aircraft every year.

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Between 2015 and 2024, India lost a total of 104 aircraft, or nearly six squadrons.

The IAF currently has a fighter squadron strength of 29, as against the sanctioned strength of 42. The IAF is short of 11 fighter squadrons.

However, India has lost aircraft equivalent to 14 squadrons (255 aircraft) during the last two decades. Apart from the expensive aircraft, the IAF has also lost priceless pilots during these crashes.

Between 2012 and 2021, India lost 73 IAF pilots in various crashes, averaging more than seven pilots every year. The figures for previous decades are even more shocking.

For instance, India lost 122 IAF pilots between 2002 and 2011, and a further 190 IAF pilots between 1992 and 2001.

In the decade before that (1982-1991), India lost a staggering 230 pilots, the highest figure in any decade since independence (not counting the decade between 1962-1971, when India fought three wars – 1962, 1965, and 1971 – and lost 333 IAF pilots).

According to a study by defense analyst Colonel Ajai Shukla (Retd.), between 1952 and 2021, India lost 1,305 pilots over the seven decades, an overwhelming majority of whom died during non-combat missions.

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According to Bharat Rakshak, a privately run digital platform that has meticulously compiled data on all IAF losses between 1948 and 2025, the IAF has lost a total of 1,804 aircraft (excluding helicopters), with the vast majority of these losses occurring during non-combat missions.

According to one analysis, of the 1,804 aircraft lost, only about 143 aircraft were lost during combat missions. This means that the IAF has lost only one in 12 aircraft during combat missions, and the remaining 11 during peacetime missions.

These numbers should shock any Air Force in the world. They’re even more shocking for a country that is the world’s fourth-largest economy and boasts of the world’s fourth most powerful air force.

Two Decades & Still Waiting: India’s MRFA Deal

To understand everything that is wrong with India’s slow defense acquisition policy, one should only look at India’s MRFA (Medium Role Fighter Aircraft) deal fiasco. First envisioned in 2001, the agreement has yet to be signed as of 2025.

The IAF first floated the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender to procure 126 new warplanes from foreign vendors in 2007. The move came after the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, a planned indigenous replacement for the IAF’s aging fleet of Soviet-era MiG-21s, faced delays in development.

The contest initially featured six fighter aircraft: Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16, Mikoyan MiG-35, and Saab Gripen. By 2012, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale emerged as final contenders, with Rafale winning the competition.

However, the deal stalled due to disagreements over production in India. India officially withdrew the 126-aircraft MMRCA tender in July 2015. Instead, in 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to France, announced that India would purchase 36 Rafales in fly-away condition.

To many, it looked like the end of India’s MMRCA deal. However, in 2018, MMRCA was reincarnated as Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) deal when the government issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the procurement of 114 fighter jets.

This tender is loosely termed as ‘MMRCA 2.0’. The new fighters are expected to replace the aging MiG-21s, Mirage 2000s, and Jaguars. In April 2019, it was announced that the estimated acquisition cost of the warplanes is US$18 billion.

In 2025, nearly 24 years after the deal was first envisioned, India has yet to issue the new tender for the contract.

India’s Tejas Program: Four Decades In-The-Making

Not just the foreign fighter jet acquisition program, even India’s indigenous fighter jet development project is suffering from similar delays. The LCA Tejas project was first envisaged in the 1980s.

Four decades later, India has been able to induct just 38 LCA Tejas Mk-1 fighter jets. The planned induction of upgraded Tejas Mk-1A, initially scheduled for March 2024, is running behind schedule.

This delay has put the IAF in a vulnerable position, where it is operating just 31 fighter jet squadrons, as against the sanctioned strength of 42 fighter jet squadrons. After IAF retires the last two squadrons of MiG-21 Bisons in September, the IAF strength will further come down to just 29 squadrons.

The combination of HAL’s inability to deliver on time, coupled with inordinate delays in the MRFA tender, means that the IAF is operating with its lowest strength since 1965.

PAF Beating India In Fighter Jet Acquisitions

Ironically, despite being a larger economy, it is Pakistan that has consistently beaten India in acquiring the latest fighter jets for the last seven decades.

Commenting on Pakistan’s competitive edge in terms of air power, former IAF Air Marshal Anil Chopra writes: “For a long time, military-controlled Pakistan has looked ahead and taken preemptive decisions. Starting in 1954, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) acquired 102 much superior U.S.-built F-86F ‘Sabre.’ Around the same time, India got the Dassault Ouragans (Toofani). The Indian Air Force (IAF) acquired the Dassault Mystère IV a few years later.”

“In 1961, Pakistan, as a major non-NATO ally, received F-104 Starfighters from the USA under the Mutual Assistance Program. The IAF responded by purchasing the Soviet MiG-21, which entered service in 1964.”

Similarly, in 1981, the USA cleared F-16 sales to Pakistan as part of an aid package. India signed for Mirage 2000 in 1982.

PAF inducted the first JF-17 squadron in February 2010, vis-à-vis IAF inducting LCA Mk1 in January 2015. PAF already has close to 150 of these homegrown fighters. India has built around 38 LCA.

Furthermore, Chopra writes, the first batch of JF-17C Block 3 aircraft was inducted into the PAF in March 2023. India’s LCA Mk1A will be inducted soon. India signed up for the Rafale in 2016, and Pakistan responded with the purchase of J-10CE, signing the deal in 2021.

Pakistan might maintain a competitive edge over India even in fifth-generation fighter jets. According to reports, it has ordered 40 Chinese J-35A stealth fighter jets, and is expected to receive its first deliveries in early 2026.

On the contrary, India’s indigenous AMCA program is at least a decade away, and it has not yet signed a deal for acquiring a foreign fifth-generation fighter jet.

Experts believe that India’s institution-based democratic setup might be hurting its defense acquisition process, as any deal has to pass scrutiny of many independent bodies, often at loggerheads with each other. Whereas in Pakistan, the Army reigns supreme and can steamroll any opposition to fat defense deals.

From Kargil To Op Sindoor

Much has been written about the IAF’s combat losses during Op Sindoor. Pakistan claims it shot down six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales. The IAF has acknowledged combat losses but has not provided any details on the make or number of aircraft lost.

However, the IAF has also suffered combat losses in two more recent clashes with Pakistan.

In 2019, India lost a MiG-21 Bison in an aerial clash with the PAF, and its fighter pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by Pakistan. The IAF claimed that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was able to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 before losing his own aircraft; however, Pakistan denied these claims.

Earlier in Kargil (1999), the IAF lost three aircraft as part of Operation Safed Sagar, which supported the Indian Army in flushing out Pakistani intruders from the Kargil sector. The losses occurred in the initial phase of air operations, between May 27 and 28, 1999, due to enemy surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and ground fire in the high-altitude, rugged terrain.

On May 27, a MiG-27 flown by Flt Lt Nachiketa, from No. 9 Squadron, was on a strike mission in the Batalik sector. The aircraft suffered an engine flameout, likely due to mechanical failure exacerbated by the high-altitude conditions. Nachiketa was captured by Pakistani forces and became a prisoner of war (POW). He was repatriated on June 3, 1999, after eight days in captivity.

On the same day, Sqn Ldr Ajay Ahuja, flying a MiG-21M from No. 17 Squadron, was tasked with locating the downed MiG-27 pilot (Nachiketa). While conducting a search over enemy positions in the Batalik sector, his aircraft was hit by a Pakistani shoulder-fired FIM-92 Stinger missile. Ahuja was captured and killed by Pakistani troops or irregulars on the ground.

The IAF also lost a Mi-17 Helicopter the next day.

The Kargil (1999), Balakot (2019), and Op Sindoor (2025) were entirely different missions, fought under very different circumstances, and no generalizations could be made between the three. However, it remains a fact that the IAF suffered combat losses in all three missions despite winning the bigger battle.

The Counter Point: Combat Losses Never Define Victory Or Defeat

However, despite the combat losses suffered by the IAF, an argument could be made that, historically, victory or defeat has never been defined by counting combat losses.

In the recent US operations against the Houthis militia, the U.S. Navy lost three F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jets. However, no one is making an argument that the US mission failed simply because the US lost three fighter jets.

Senior award-winning Indian journalist Prakash Nanda writes: “Records from the now-defunct U.S. Army Air Forces indicate that at least 100,000 planes were destroyed during World War II. The U.S. is said to have lost 65,164 airplanes in combat, training accidents, and other incidents between December 1941 and August 1945 while destroying 40,259 enemy aircraft during the war.”

In other words, in World War II, Americans lost more planes than they destroyed of the enemy. But ultimately, it is they who won, not America’s enemies, Nanda argued in an article for the EurAsian Times earlier.

Similarly, Nanda argued that during the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. lost 28 fixed-wing aircraft in combat and 12 in non-combat situations. Additionally, 23 U.S. helicopters were lost, with 5 in combat and 18 in non-combat situations. In total, the US was reported to have lost 75 aircraft, with 63 U.S. aircraft and 12 allied aircraft.

During the 1999 air campaign over Serbia, the US and NATO forces lost two fighter planes. One was a USAF F-16C fighter jet, and the other was a cutting-edge F-117 Nighthawk stealth attack aircraft. Both were shot down by the Serbian air defense systems.

But does anyone argue that the US lost these wars?

Ultimately, victory or defeat is defined not by combat losses but by who achieved their war goals.

Seen from this perspective, one can argue that despite its combat losses, the IAF did deliver results in all three missions.

In Kargil, the IAF bombed heavily defended enemy positions, and ultimately, India was able to free the Kargil heights from Pakistani intruders.

In Balakot, the IAF was able to penetrate deep inside Pakistan, despite the PAF being on high alert. And in Op Sindoor, India was able to bomb nine terror camps deep inside Pakistan in precision air strikes.

The PAF was on high alert and was anticipating an attack, but it still failed to stop the IAF precision strikes. Again, on May 10, the IAF attacked as many as 11 frontline Pakistani air bases in precision strikes.

So, irrespective of who lost how many jets, it is undeniable that the IAF fulfilled its mission tasks.

Regarding Pakistan beating India in ordering a fifth-generation aircraft, Islamabad might have gotten off-the-shelf Chinese jets; however, India is making significant strides in developing indigenous defense platforms.

The LCA Tejas, except for its GE-sourced engine, is an entirely Indian project. Furthermore, India has made significant progress in developing domestic radars and aircraft munitions, such as BrahMos and Astra. Slowly, but steadily, India is progressing towards ‘self-reliance’ in defense.

The outsized influence of the Pakistani Army might make it easier for Islamabad to strike defense deals; however, the same army has also pushed Pakistan into political instability multiple times.

Pakistan, despite its vastly important geo-strategic position, is a debt-ridden country, totally dependent on China for its survival.

Lastly, the PAF’s competitive edge over the IAF in terms of advanced fighter jets has not translated into a single victory for Islamabad over New Delhi in the last seven decades.

On the other hand, the IAF, despite its slow acquisition process, horrible accident rate during peacetime, and combat setbacks, has delivered results whenever a task was given to it.

• Sumit Ahlawat has over a decade of experience in news media. He has worked with Press Trust of India, Times Now, Zee News, Economic Times, and Microsoft News. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Media and Modern History from the University of Sheffield, UK. 
• THIS IS AN OPINION ARTICLE. VIEWS PERSONAL OF THE AUTHOR. 
• He can be reached at ahlawat.sumit85 (at) gmail.com

• Dozen MoUs, deals signed as both sides vow to take bilateral trade to $10bn
• Dar welcomes ‘positive momentum’ towards free trade agreement
• Iranian president meets Zardari, army chief before wrapping up his two-day visit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran on Sunday agreed that peace and prosperity in their border regions hinged on effectively combating terrorism, as both countries renewed their commitment to increase annual bilateral trade to $10 billion.

The consensus was rea­ched during a bilateral meeting at the Prime Mini­ster’s House in Islamabad and later emphasised at a joint press conference by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian Presi­dent Masoud Pezeshkian. “The development of economic and trade ties will be achieved through peace, stability, and tranquillity,” Mr Pezeshkian said, underscoring that terrorism remains a key obstacle to mutual prosperity.

“Given the threats from terrorist groups in border areas, both sides emphasised the need to increase cooperation to ensure border security and safeguard the peace and well-being of citizens in border cities,” the Iranian president added.

The nearly 900-kilometre border between the two countries has long faced security threats from proscribed groups, such as Jaish al-Adl and the Balochistan Liberation Army. Persistent issues, including terrorism, smuggling, and mutual accusations of harbouring militants, have periodically strained ties.

PM Shehbaz acknowledged that security was paramount for progress in bilateral relations. “There will be zero tolerance for all forms of terrorism. If anyone falls victim to terrorism in Iran, it is the same as someone being affected by terrorism in Pakistan,” he said.

“For peace and development in our region, and along our hundreds of kilometres-long shared border, we must cooperate against terrorism and take effective steps to eliminate the scourge of terrorism once and for all,” the PM added.

While the two leaders voiced their commitment to deepening cooperation, specific operational details were reportedly discussed in President Pezeshkian’s meeting with Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. Neither side issued a state­ment on the meeting by the time of publication.

Later in the evening, Mr Pezeshkian met senior Pakistani military leaders, including Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Babar Sidhu, and ISI chief Lt Gen Asim Malik at the presidency before the dinner reception hosted by President Asif Ali Zardari. A naval representative was also in attendance.

$10 billion trade target

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to raising annual bilateral trade to $10 billion — a target first set during the late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Pakistan in April 2024.

“We can easily, in a short time, increase the volume of trade from the current $3 billion to the projected goal of $10 billion,” Mr Pezeshkian said during the joint media conference.

PM Shehbaz echoed the sentiment. “We also jointly hope that the $10bn trade target is achieved at the earliest,” he said.

Official estimates place current bilateral trade at approximately $2.8bn.

Trade has been constrained by a range of factors, including international sanctions on Iran, security concerns along the border, inadequate infrastructure, and limited economic complementarity.

Diplomatic and political fluctuations, often shaped by broader geopolitical tensions, have also affected the implementation of trade agreements.

While neither leader offered a clear roadmap to resolve these issues, both underscored a shared political will to continue engaging on them.

“Our delegations will take these discussions forward very soon,” the PM said.

Earlier, at the bilateral talks, he had emphasised the need to convene the long-delayed 22nd meeting of the Pakistan-Iran Joint Economic Commission at the earliest. The 21st meeting of the Commission was held in 2022.

Proposals discussed during the talks included facilitating barter trade, increasing export quotas for rice, fruits, and meat, operationalising cross-border markets, and removing trade barriers.

Border market development remains a key focus. Although the two countries agreed several years ago to establish six such markets, only three have become operational so far.

“The development of transit routes – railway routes and sea routes – the expansion and equipping of border markets, the facilitation of trade, and the establishment of joint free economic zones are critical needs in the relationship between the two countries, and we had constructive discussions on these issues,” Mr Pezeshkian said.

Among the documents exchanged after Sunday’s talks was a “joint ministerial statement on the intent to finalise (the) Free Trade Agreement.”

On the sidelines of the visit, a business forum was also held.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed the “positive momentum” toward finalising the FTA, calling it a potential catalyst for strengthening bilateral trade.

12 agreements and MoUs

Pakistan and Iran signed and exchanged 12 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to enhance cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas. The documents covered trade, transit, science and technology, tourism, agriculture, cultural exchange, maritime safety, and judicial cooperation.

The agreements include collaboration on plant quarantine, joint use of the Mirjaveh-Taftan border crossing, ICT, tourism cooperation for 2025-27, and a joint ministerial statement on finalising a Free Trade Agreement.

“We reached agreements in political, economic, commercial, and cultural fields, and signed documents to facilitate and promote cooperation in commerce, culture, tourism, transportation, and scientific and educational exchanges,” Mr Pezeshkian said.

He left for Iran after the reception at the Presidency.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2025

MUZAFFARABAD: Former Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister and Regional President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi, was arrested by Mirpur police on Sunday for allegedly disturbing public order, sparking protests by party workers in several areas.

Mr Niazi was taken into custody near the shrine of Baba Shadi Shaheed in Bhimber district while returning from Samahni to Bhimber city—constituency of incumbent AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq—to lead another rally as part of PTI’s mobilisation campaign for the August 5 protests, called by the party’s incarcerated founder Imran Khan.

Mr Niazi had spent Saturday night in Mirpur but, anticipating his arrest, left his accommodation via a back exit and used someone else’s vehicle to reach Samahni.

There, he led a rally from Pir Galli to Samahni from 2pm to 4pm, urging people to participate in large numbers in the upcoming protest against both the “unlawful arrest” of Mr Khan and India’s abrogation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s special status six years ago.

According to Mr Niazi’s press secretary, Habib Ahmed, a large contingent of police led by SSP Mirpur Khurram Iqbal intercepted his entourage and detained him.

Mr Niazi was among several PTI leaders—including former President Dr Arif Alvi—who were booked on November 24 last year at Karachi Company police station in Islamabad under seven sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, two provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act, and one clause of the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Ordinance.

His nephew, Advocate Sardar Moteeb, told Dawn that Mr Niazi had secured protective bail from the Islamabad High Court on July 13, which was further extended on July 26 until August 17.

“Despite this, Islamabad police had new arrest warrants issued based on additional charges,” he said.

Eyewitnesses said that apart from AJK policemen, the arresting party included nearly 20 plainclothed officials, reportedly from Islamabad police.

However, DIG Mirpur region Dr Liaqat Ali clarified to Dawn that Mr Niazi was taken into custody on the orders of the Mirpur deputy commissioner under Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

“Given his health condition, he has been kept at the Industrial Area rest house in Mirpur, which has been declared a sub-jail by the deputy commissioner,” he added.

The DIG also rejected reports that two PTI activists accompanying Mr Niazi were also arrested.

Soon after news of Mr Niazi’s arrest spread across the region, PTI workers staged protest demonstrations in various areas, blocking roads and burning tyres.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued from the United States, where he is currently on a private visit, PTI regional information secretary and former minister Chaudhry Maqbool Gujjar condemned what he called the “uncalled-for arrest” of Mr Niazi on “frivolous charges,” accusing Prime Minister Haq of betrayal.

“Anwarul Haq owes his return to the AJK Assembly after a decade to PTI’s platform and Imran Khan’s personal campaigning. It’s shameful that the same man is now ordering crackdowns on party workers who are peacefully demanding Khan Sahib’s release,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2025