Category: 1. Pakistan

Around 50 militants stormed a police post in Bannu, Pakistan, killing one cop and 3 terrorists. The area has seen a surge in such attacks in recent months.

One law enforcement personnel and three terrorists were killed when a group of nearly 50 militants ambushed a police checkpost in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials said on Sunday.

Heavily armed terrorists attacked the Fateh Khel police checkpost in the Bannu district late Saturday night, police said.

According to DIG Bannu, a group of 40 to 50 terrorists had attacked the checkpost.

Police retaliated, and in the exchange of fire, one policeman and three attackers were killed, and the rest managed to flee. Two police constables were also injured in the attack.

Also Read: Pakistan woman deported after Pahalgam attack to get visitor visa: Centre

Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and paid tribute to the slain policeman.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Over the past few months, several areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — including Bannu, Peshawar, Karak, Lakki Marwat, and Bajaur — have seen a series of militant attacks.

Last week, six law enforcement personnel were injured in a quadcopter attack on the Miryan police station in Bannu.

In July, three terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation in Bannu, while another died in an encounter with police in the Malakand district.

Get the latest headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, UK, Bangladesh, and Russia get all the latest headlines in one place with including Tsunami Warning Liveon Hindustan Times.

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The goal of ‘Uraan Pakistan’ is to make Pakistan a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2035, said Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal. In a step toward that ambition, an agreement was reached on Sunday between the Ministry of Planning and China’s Development Research Center (DRC) to enhance economic cooperation.

The understanding was formalized during a meeting between Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Lu Hao, President of China’s Development Research Center (DRC) and Center for International Knowledge on Development (CIKD).

Uraan Pakistan is a national initiative aimed at transforming Pakistan into one of the world’s leading economies by prioritizing innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability. Guided by the 5Es Framework, it focuses on five critical areas: exports, digital transformation, environment and climate change, energy and infrastructure development, and equity and empowerment. The initiative seeks to diversify the economy and enhance Pakistan’s global market position through export growth.

Through joint research, training programs, and expert exchanges, China will assist Pakistan in strengthening its economic foundations.

Read: Govt releases detail of Rs17tr Uraan Pakistan

Lu Hao expressed confidence in Pakistan’s strategy to become an export-oriented economy.

“Strong economic cooperation between Pakistan and China is the key to national development,” said Ahsan Iqbal.

“CPEC has transformed the everlasting friendship into an economic and social partnership beyond political cooperation,” he stated.

Iqbal emphasized Pakistan’s intent to draw lessons from China’s economic growth and reforms. “Pakistan is eager to learn from China’s economic and reform successes,” he said. “China’s scientific planning is a guiding light for long-term and sustainable economic development.”

Speaking about the domestic economic outlook, Iqbal said the government’s “Uraan Pakistan” initiative is aimed at stabilizing and growing the national economy. “Through the Uraan Pakistan program, the national economy is moving toward stability,” he said. “The goal of ‘Uraan Pakistan’ is to make Pakistan a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2035,” the Minister added.

He noted encouraging signs from the economic front. “International institutions are confirming the positive indicators of the Pakistani economy,” he said. “The policy rate has decreased from 23% to 11%,” he added.

Referring to market performance, the Minister stated, “The Pakistan Stock Exchange has surpassed 140,000 points.”

Highlighting trade potential with China, Iqbal said, “China imports approximately $2 trillion annually, whereas Pakistan’s share in it is extremely small.” He stressed, “Pakistan wants to promote trade and exports with China.”

He further said, “Gaining access to Chinese markets is an important economic objective.”

Concluding, the Minister pointed out challenges faced in the past. “In the past, political instability and disruptions in policy continuity affected the development process,” he said.

The office of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday issued a firm denial of reports attributing remarks to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, in which the latter allegedly urged Gandapur to resign if he fails to restore peace in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

A spokesperson for the CM reaffirmed the provincial government’s allegiance to the PTI founder, stating, “Whenever Imran Khan desires, Chief Minister Gandapur will step down”. However, he insisted that there is no authoritative source confirming that Imran issued any such directive regarding resignation.

The rebuttal comes a day after media reports claimed Imran urged Gandapur to resign over perceived failures in governance, and law and order. These reports suggested the former prime minister believes someone else should be given a chance to lead the province.

Read: Gandapur hosts first peace jirga with tribal elders

The K-P government reiterated that the provincial administration represents Imran Khan’s political vision. “We are guided by his trust,” the spokesperson said, noting that Gandapur has publicly described his position in the K-P government as “a trust bestowed by Imran”.

Despite his leadership post, Gandapur has reportedly been unable to meet Imran, who is currently incarcerated at Adiala Jail. The spokesperson attributed that to the lack of enforcement of court-ordered visitation rights.

On jirgas and military operation

Highlighting government initiatives, the spokesperson underscored the launch of regional tribal jirgas aimed at combating terrorism and restoring stability in the province. These jirgas form part of a broader, community-led strategy for improving law and order.

A day earlier, the provincial government had initiated a series of regional jirgas aimed at restoring peace in the tribal districts. During the first jirga, held at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, participants urged the federal government to facilitate a delegation comprising representatives from the K-P government and tribal elders to engage in dialogue with Afghanistan.

Chaired by CM Gandapur, the jirga unanimously stated that military operations and the displacement of local populations were unacceptable under any circumstances.

The tribal elders presented several key recommendations during the meeting. They emphasised that restoring peace was essential for any meaningful development, noting that stability would accelerate progress across the region. They also made it clear that no individual or group had demanded — nor been granted — control over the province’s mineral resources or any other assets, reaffirming their collective resolve to safeguard local resources.

ISLAMABAD: Waiters weave through the busy restaurant floor, hurriedly taking orders from famished customers and making room for plenty of others who amble into the busy Xander’s gourmet café in Islamabad. It has been a little over three months since the restaurant opened for business in Pakistan’s capital. The steady stream of customers suggests it’s here to stay.

This is the story of several restaurants from Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi that have opened their outlets in Islamabad in recent years and found success in the capital. These include Xander’s, Hot N Spicy, Red Apple, Caffe Praha, Student Biryani and others.

These people bring much-needed diversity to the city’s culinary landscape. The southern port city is home to the Memon, Bohra, Punjabi, Pashtun, Baloch, Bengali, Malbari, Sindhi and a large community of MuHajjirs–people who migrated from India at the time of partition. Each group has contributed distinct flavors to Karachi’s ever-evolving palate with their own signature dishes.

But while Karachi has always been famous for its mouthwatering biryani, slow-cooked beef stew popularly known as nihari and the haleem, a thick, savory porridge of meat, lentils, and wheat, Islamabad’s residents did not find the same delight in the capital city’s version of these dishes.

Hence it comes as no surprise that Karachi’s prominent eateries that tried their hand in Islamabad have gotten impressive results so far. Take for instance Red Apple, a Karachi-based restaurant food chain popular for its paratha rolls and barbecue items, that started in Karachi in 1996 and now has 25 branches in total in the city.  

“Three years ago, we launched in Islamabad and Lahore and within that period, have opened seven branches across Islamabad and Rawalpindi,” Hamza Channa, the general manager of Red Apple’s F-6 branch in Islamabad, told Arab News.

“There was no good roll paratha here. So Red Apple brought a good roll paratha and barbeque,” he said, adding the restaurant chain has the potential to open 20 outlets in the capital city.

Xander’s, another Karachi-based eatery, describes itself as a modern gourmet café that serves simple and flavorful meals to customers. The cafe has been operating in Karachi for the past 14 years and found success with three outlets there before it expanded into Islamabad three months earlier.

Khasham Zaman, a businessman who has savored meals at both Xander’s outlets in Karachi and Islamabad, said the arrival of Karachi-based restaurants in the city is narrowing the gap in fine-dining experience in the capital.

“There is still room for improvement in the quality of the food, but I think they are doing exceptionally well,” Zaman told Arab News.

“I have tried Xander’s both in Karachi and after that in Islamabad. It’s a new addition and it’s fantastic.”

Another Karachi-based eatery that has gained popularity in Islamabad is Caffe Praha. After operating in the southern city since 2019, Praha, which offers its customers the experience of relishing coffee and cakes at its outlets that it says are styled after Prague’s street cafés, opened for business in Islamabad on June 26.

For popular food vlogger “Guy Knows Food,” the popularity of new food chains opening in Islamabad has less to do with taste and more with “aesthetic appeal.”

“It is really easy for Karachi’s restaurants to enter Islamabad’s food market because consumers here have really low expectations when it comes to restaurants,” the vlogger told Arab News.

“They usually just focus on the aesthetic and/or location of the restaurant and are not concerned about actual fundamentals, like food or service or choice of ingredients, or its sourcing even.”

He described Karachi’s range of food options as “absolutely amazing,” saying that restaurants based in the city are proof of that.

“Even Karachi’s restaurants don’t maintain the same quality of food and service here as they know that Islamabadi consumers won’t be too concerned,” he said.

“They can get away with it.”

Mahira Khan, however, absolutely relishes both the taste and experience that Praha offers. 

“As they are advertising from Prague to Islamabad, I was expecting the same kind of touch, [that is] European food,” she said, sipping her Peach Mojito.

“And yes, the food was exactly what I was expecting.”

BAGH: Police on Sunday arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) chapter President and former AJK prime minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi in connection with the riots that took place on May 9, 2023.

According to officials, arrest warrants had been issued for Niazi in a case related to the May 9 violence.

The former AJP premier was taken into custody when he arrived in Samahni to deliver a speech at a PTI rally.

Mirpur Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Liaquat Chaudhry said that the PTI leader was detained under Section 16 of the MPO, 1960.

“The arrest was made on the orders of the deputy commissioner,” the DIG added.

Hundreds of cases were lodged after PTI supporters, protesting the party founder Imran Khan’s arrest, staged protests across the country in May 2023. They allegedly vandalised the military installations and state-owned buildings, besides attacking the Lahore corps commander’s residence.

The riots broke out after the arrest of Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case. Several PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after their arrests, while many remain behind bars.

The deposed prime minister, who was ousted from power via the opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022, has been behind bars since August 2023 as he was facing a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism.

Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz among others handed 10-year jail term

A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad last week sentenced several PTI leaders, including National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul and others to 10 years in prison each in connection with a case registered in the aftermath of the May 9 mayhem at the Civil Lines Police Station.

In its verdict, the special ATC sentenced 108 individuals of the total 185 accused, which also includes Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, who has been handed 10 years imprisonment.

The court also acquitted former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi and Khayal Kastro in the May 9 case.

In the second case registered at the Civil Lines Police Station, the anti-terrorism court sentenced 28 out of the 32 accused and acquitted four individuals.

A total of 107 people were named in the case, of which 32 were tried. Among those acquitted are Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi and Khayal Kastro.

In another case related to the May 9 violence registered at Ghulam Muhammadabad Police Station, the court sentenced 60 individuals, while seven of the 67 accused were acquitted.

The court also handed down a three-year jail term to Junaid Afzal Sahi in the aforementioned case.

BAGH: Former Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s AJK President Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi was arrested from Samahni, police confirmed on Sunday.

The former AJP premier was taken into custody when he arrived in Samahni to deliver a speech at a PTI rally.

Mirpur Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Liaquat Chaudhry said that the PTI leader was detained under Section 16 of the MPO, 1960.

“The arrest was made on the orders of the deputy commissioner,” the DIG added.

Hundreds of cases were lodged after PTI supporters, protesting the party founder Imran Khan’s arrest, staged protests across the country in May 2023. 

They allegedly vandalised the military installations and state-owned buildings, besides attacking the Lahore corps commander’s residence.

The riots broke out after the arrest of Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a graft case. Several PTI leaders and workers were released on bail after their arrests, while many remain behind bars.

The deposed prime minister, who was ousted from power via the opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022, has been behind bars since August 2023 as he was facing a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism.

Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz among others handed 10-year jail term

A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad last week sentenced several PTI leaders, including National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul and others to 10 years in prison each in connection with a case registered in the aftermath of the May 9 mayhem at the Civil Lines Police Station.

In its verdict, the special ATC sentenced 108 individuals of the total 185 accused, which also includes Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, who has been handed 10 years imprisonment.

The court also acquitted former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi and Khayal Kastro in the May 9 case.

In the second case registered at the Civil Lines Police Station, the anti-terrorism court sentenced 28 out of the 32 accused and acquitted four individuals.

A total of 107 people were named in the case, of which 32 were tried. Among those acquitted are Fawad Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi and Khayal Kastro.

In another case related to the May 9 violence registered at Ghulam Muhammadabad Police Station, the court sentenced 60 individuals, while seven of the 67 accused were acquitted.

The court also handed down a three-year jail term to Junaid Afzal Sahi in the aforementioned case.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran have signed agreements in the fields of politics, economy, culture and other vital sectors, Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday, as Tehran and Islamabad eye raising their bilateral trade to $10 billion.

Pezeshkian arrived in Pakistan’s capital on Saturday on a two-day state visit to increase bilateral trade and strengthen relations between the two countries.

Pakistan and Iran have remained at odds over instability along their shared, porous border that even led to a missile exchange between them last year. Both countries, however, were quick to move to ease tensions.

Iran and Pakistan have attempted to forge closer economic and investment ties through border markets and trade links in recent years.

“My deep belief is that we can easily, in a short time, increase the volume of our trade relations from the current $3 billion to the projected goal of $10 billion,” Pezeshkian told reporters during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and high-level delegations from both countries in attendance.

“We reached good agreements in the political, economic, commercial, and cultural fields during this visit,” he said.

The Iranian president said Islamabad and Tehran had signed “important documents” that would facilitate and promote bilateral ties in commercial, cultural, tourism, transportation and scientific and educational exchanges between the two nations.

“The development of transit routes, railroad and sea routes, the development and equipping of border markets facilitating trade and the establishment of joint free economic zones, are serious needs in the relations between the two countries,” Pezeshkian noted.

“And we had constructive discussions on those issues.”

Pakistan and Iran routinely trade blame for not tackling militancy in their shared border areas. The Iranian president said the issue had come up in talks between both sides.

“Also, given the threats from terrorist groups in border areas, increasing cooperation between the two countries to ensure border security and the peace and comfort of citizens in border cities was emphasized,” he said.

The Iranian president condemned Israel for its military operations in Palestine, Syria and other areas of the Middle East, calling for the cessation of hostilities in Gaza.

Sharif welcomed the Iranian president to Pakistan and said the two sides held fruitful discussions on culture, religion, history and geography.

He condemned Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June, saying there was no justification for the attacks. Both leaders also called for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza.

Both countries exchanged 12 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for bilateral cooperation in diverse fields, Pakistani state media reported.

The agreements included collaboration in science, technology and innovation, cooperation in information and communications technology, exchange programs for culture, art, tourism, youth, mass media and exports, cooperation in meteorology, climatology and related hazards, maritime safety and firefighting, judicial assistance in criminal matters, product certification, inspection and testing, and tourism cooperation.

The Pakistani prime minister hoped the memoranda of understanding signed between Pakistan and Iran would “soon” convert into agreements.

“Mr. President, today we have signed many MoUs and it is my prayer and your wish that these MoUs become agreements very soon,” Sharif said.

“And it is your wish and mine too that we achieve the target of $10 billion in trade as soon as possible,” he added.

He said Iran and Pakistan had the same stance when it came to “terrorism,” adding that both countries were opposed to it.

Sharif vowed that Pakistan and Iran, through partnership and cooperation, would take steps against militants to ensure peace in their border areas.

In a meeting with President Pezeshkian later, PM Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Iran after it fought “Israel’s aggression” in their 12-day war in June. He also thanked Iran for its strong support to Pakistan during a Pakistan-India military standoff in May, according to Sharif’s office.

During the talks, both sides also exchanged views on important regional and global developments.

“The Prime Minister thanked the Iranian leadership for Iran’s vocal and active support for the innocent Palestinian people, who have been suffering brutal aggression at the hands of Israeli security forces,” Sharif’s office said in a statement, calling for an immediate end to “Israeli barbarity” against innocent people of Gaza who were being “forced to starve.”

“Both leaders urged the international community to act swiftly to resolve this crisis.” 

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Updated On: Sun, 03 Aug 2025

17:50:51 PKT

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The federal government has decided to accept Hajj applications from unregistered pilgrims this year.

This move comes after concerns emerged over a lower-than-expected number of applications from already registered individuals.

Sources reveal that although around 450,000 people had registered earlier, the Ministry of Religious Affairs fears that the allocated quota of 125,000 pilgrims might not be fully utilized.

To avoid falling short, the ministry has decided to give unregistered citizens a chance to take part in the sacred journey.

Applications from already registered pilgrims, under the government scheme, will be accepted from Monday, August 4, to Friday, August 9.

Meanwhile, those who missed out on Hajj through private schemes this year will be prioritized for next year’s pilgrimage.

Read also: Govt to start receiving applications for Hajj 2026 from Monday

Unregistered individuals can submit their applications from August 11 to August 16. These will be received on a first come, first served basis, so applicants are advised to get a move on and apply as soon as the window opens.

The Hajj program offers two options. For the 38 to 42-day Hajj, a payment of PKR 500,000 must be made upfront. For the shorter 20 to 25-day package, the first installment of PKR 550,000 is required.