Category: 1. Pakistan

KABUL: Afghan officials said Pakistani drones struck homes in Nangarhar and Khost provinces late on Wednesday, killing three people and wounding seven, prompting the Taliban government to summon Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul on Thursday in protest.

In Khost’s Spera district, a southeastern border region adjacent to Pakistan’s North Waziristan, three children were killed and several others wounded when drones hit the home of Haji Naeem Khan, according to the province’s media chief. In Nangarhar’s Shinwar district, near Afghanistan’s eastern border with Pakistan, a spokesman said four sons and two wives of a man named Shahsawar were among those injured when his house was destroyed.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry and Pakistan’s military media wing did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained in recent years, with Islamabad accusing militants sheltering across the border of staging attacks inside Pakistan, while Kabul denies giving safe haven. The strikes in Nangarhar and Khost provinces came barely a week after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar joined his Chinese and Afghan counterparts in Kabul for a trilateral dialogue at which the three countries pledged to step up counter-terrorism cooperation, expand trade and extend the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan.

The Taliban foreign ministry said in a statement that it “strongly condemns the violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and the bombing of civilians … such irresponsible actions will inevitably have consequences”.

It said Pakistan’s ambassador, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, was handed a protest note during the meeting in Kabul.

Nizamani survived an attack on Pakistan’s embassy compound in Kabul in 2022 but has remained Islamabad’s top envoy despite repeated strains in ties.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has cleared the way for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to take over operations at the Islamabad International Airport, marking the first step in outsourcing the management of the country’s largest airports under government-to-government (G2G) agreements.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions (CCoIGCT), which decided to finalise arrangements with the UAE government through a G2G model for the transfer of operations of Islamabad International Airport under a framework deal. A negotiation committee, led by the prime minister’s adviser on privatisation, will finalise terms with input from the defence, finance, law and privatisation ministries.

The move underscores Pakistan’s efforts to attract foreign partners to upgrade infrastructure and improve efficiency at loss-making state assets. The government has already indicated plans to outsource operations of major airports to international operators as part of broader privatisation and investment reforms tied to its economic revival strategy.

Islamabad International Airport, inaugurated in 2018, has faced operational and financial challenges. Officials say outsourcing management through a G2G arrangement with the UAE will ensure higher service standards, operational expertise and greater investor confidence. The meeting was attended by the petroleum minister, prime minister’s adviser on privatisation, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa, federal secretaries and senior officials from relevant ministries.

ISLAMABAD: In a decisive move aimed at boosting the country’s economic and strategic ties with the Gulf, the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions (CCoIGCT) approved on Thursday a plan to hand over operations of Islamabad International Airport to the United Arab Emirates under a government-to-government (G2G) framework.

Chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the high-level meeting marked a significant shift in the management of one of the country’s key transport hubs, signalling Islamabad’s intention to leverage foreign expertise and investment to enhance operational efficiency.

A specialised negotiation team, led by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Privatisation Muhammad Ali and including senior officials from Defence, Finance, Law and Justice, and Privatisation ministries, will now finalise the terms of the agreement.

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“The government is committed to ensuring that this partnership serves Pakistan’s national interests while improving airport operations to international standards,” Ishaq Dar said during the meeting.

The arrangement aims to secure a smooth transition of management and strengthen Pakistan’s connectivity, critical for economic growth and regional co-operation.

Officials also highlighted that the deal fits into a broader strategy to deepen Pakistan’s relations with the UAE – a growing regional power and vital economic partner – amid increasing competition and economic challenges in the region. The CCoIGCT will oversee negotiations closely to ensure the agreement delivers on its promise of boosting Pakistan’s aviation sector and attracting foreign investment.

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday received a telephone call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed his condolences over the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by recent floods in Pakistan, Radio Pakistan reported.

Erdogan conveyed Turkiye’s solidarity with the people of Pakistan during this difficult time and offered full assistance in ongoing rescue and relief efforts. He reaffirmed that Turkey stands firmly by Pakistan in moments of crisis and is prepared to provide comprehensive support.

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PM Shehbaz thanked the Turkish president for his gesture, calling the conversation a reflection of the longstanding brotherly ties between the two nations. He noted that Pakistan and Turkiye have consistently supported one another in times of need.

The two leaders also reviewed progress in strengthening strategic and economic cooperation between their countries. They agreed to maintain close consultations and planned to meet on the sidelines of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization Leaders’ Summit in Tianjin, China.

ISLAMABAD:

Afghanistan on Thursday summoned Pakistan’s Ambassador in Kabul to lodge a formal protest against what it claimed were Pakistani military strikes in Nangarhar and Khost provinces, in a move indicating renewed tensions.

Afghan officials claimed the reported attacks resulted in the killing of three civilians and injuries to seven others, a move strongly condemned by the authorities in Kabul.

In its protest note, the Afghan Foreign Ministry denounced what it called Pakistan’s violation of Afghan airspace and the bombing of civilian areas near the Durand Line, describing the strikes as “a blatant breach of Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and a provocative act.”

The ministry further underscored that safeguarding Afghanistan’s sovereignty remains a red line for the Islamic Emirate, warning that “such irresponsible actions will inevitably lead to consequences.”

There was no response from Pakistan on either the summoning of the envoy or the reported strikes across the border last night.

Afghan officials in Nangarhar claimed that two drone strikes hit the house of a man in Shinwar district of Nangarhar province last night. Nangarhar Deputy Governor Maulvi Azizullah Mustafa said Afghanistan was committed to peace and stability, good relations with neighboring countries, and a neutral stance in international affairs, and such actions will affect regional stability.

The development comes amid renewed friction between Islamabad and Kabul over cross-border militancy. Pakistan has long accused the Afghan Taliban of providing sanctuary to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has intensified attacks inside Pakistan after the Taliban returned to power in Kabul.

Islamabad has carried out occasional cross-border strikes, insisting they target militant hideouts across the porous frontier. However, Kabul has consistently protested such actions, terming them violations of sovereignty.

Tensions between the two neighbours escalated earlier this year after Pakistan closed key border crossings following a spike in attacks, while Afghanistan retaliated with restrictions on trade and movement.

The latest episode underscores the fragile state of bilateral ties despite recent pushes by the two sides to sort out their issues.

There have been frequent high-level exchanges between Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent months, but those contacts seem to have failed to make serious headway on the issue of security.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar recently travelled to Kabul to attend a trilateral meeting along with the Chinese and Afghan Foreign Ministers.

In a bilateral meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, Dar conveyed Pakistan’s strong reservations over the lack of progress on TTP. He told his Afghan counterpart that the recent surge in terrorist attacks was linked to safe havens of TTP and other groups.

The Afghan foreign minister was supposed to travel to Islamabad earlier this month, but the visit was called off at the last minute after the UNSC could not give him travel exemptions over objections raised by the US.

The two sides were working to sort out the issue and rescheduled the visit, but given the latest hiccup, it is not certain if Muttaqi will travel to Pakistan anytime soon.

PESHAWAR:

Senior Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader and Malakand district emir, Mufti Kifayatullah, passed away on Thursday. He was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Islamabad after sustaining injuries in a shooting incident at his residence in Batkhela.

According to police and party sources, Kifayatullah was critically injured a few days ago when his son allegedly opened fire inside the family home. He was initially shifted to a hospital in Peshawar and later transferred to Islamabad for treatment, where he took his last breath.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed grief over the death of the senior party leader, calling his demise a great loss for the party.

In a statement, he said, “Mufti Kifayatullah’s services for the party and his commitment to the cause of religion and politics will always be remembered. May Allah grant him the highest place in Jannah and give patience to the bereaved family.”

Earlier this week, the tragic incident claimed the lives of Kifayatullah’s son and daughter, while his wife was also left seriously wounded.

Acting on the directives of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, the main opposition party’s chairman stepped down from four National Assembly standing committees as the country’s politics takes new twists and turns.

The PTI chairman quit four key committees in the lower house of parliament. He was serving on the committees for Law and Justice, Human Rights, Information Technology, and the House Business Advisory.

At least 18 PTI lawmakers, including Barrister Gohar, have resigned from the NA bodies so far.

The move comes as part of the former ruling party’s political strategy, which also includes boycotting upcoming by-elections scheduled for the coming months.

The PTI lawmakers started quitting the NA committees after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in July and August disqualified a large number of PTI leaders over their alleged involvement in the May 9, 2023, riots.

Besides Barrister Gohar, PTI lawmaker Faisal Amin Gandapur — brother of KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur — Shaharyar Afridi, Junaid Akbar Khan, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Amir Dogar, and others have tendered their resignations from the NA bodies.

MNAs Ali Asghar, Sajid Khan, Shahid Khattak, Faisal, and Asif Khan submitted their resignations from various NA committees yesterday.

Asghar stepped down from the Cabinet, Privatisation, and Planning committees, while Sajid Khan resigned from the Overseas, National Heritage, and Kashmir-related committees, declaring he would even vacate his assembly seat if instructed by Khan.

Faisal left the Economic Affairs, Food Security, and Parliamentary Task Force committees.

Khattak announced he was withdrawing from all standing committees, while Asif resigned from the Education, National Heritage, Culture, and Information and Broadcasting committees.

Separately, Junaid relinquished his position as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, submitting his resignation to the party’s chief whip, Dogar, in line with the PTI political committee’s directive. Party sources confirmed that the National Assembly Speaker, Ayaz Sadiq, has received the resignations of Faisal and Ali.

PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas also resigned from all NA standing committees. He sent his resignation to NA Speaker Sadiq a day earlier.

Meanwhile, Imran also instructed PTI leaders to quit the Judicial Commission, terming the party’s participation in it as ineffective, sources said.

Barrister Gohar and Senator Ali Zafar are part of the commission.

The PTI had also announced that it will boycott the upcoming by-elections in constituencies of party members disqualified in the May 9 cases, declaring those individuals its “true representatives.”

Several constituencies are up for grabs as the ECP recently disqualified several lawmakers belonging to the PTI following their convictions in cases related to the May 9 riots.

The ruling allies — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — had announced they would jointly contest the upcoming by-elections nationwide.