ISLAMABAD — A Pakistan court has sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his close aide, former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, to 10 years in jail in a case related to the leaking of state secrets. The special court set up in a prison in Rawalpindi on Tuesday announced the sentence in the cipher […]
Asia
Pakistan, Iran agree to ‘de-escalate’ tensions after tit-for-tat attacks
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan and Iran have agreed to “de-escalate” tensions after an exchange of missile and drone attacks this week raised fears of further instability in the region, Islamabad said. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and the foreign minister of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, spoke via phone on Friday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a […]
Pakistan launches airstrikes in Iran day after Balochistan attack
ISLAMABAD — Retaliating to Iranian airstrikes on two bases belonging to the Jaish al-Adl militant group inside Pakistani territory, Islamabad has launched airstrikes in the neighbouring Iran. According to the local reports, Pakistan Air Force has conducted airstrikes on Baluch separatist camps inside Iran. The airstrikes by Pakistani Army came a day after Iran claimed […]
Pakistan strongly condemns Iran’s ‘violation of its airspace’ killing two children
LAHORE — Pakistan on Wednesday issued a strongly worded condemnation of Iran’s ‘violation of its airspace’, during which Tehran claimed to have targeted two bases belonging to the Jaish al-Adl militant group. It also warned the neighbouring country that such actions can have ‘serious consequences’. Iran on Tuesday launched attacks in Pakistan, targeting what it […]
Imran Khan challenges rejection of his nomination papers from 2 seats
LAHORE — Pakistan’s jailed former premier Imran Khan on Friday approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the rejection of his nomination papers on two National Assembly seats in the run-up to the general elections. Khan, 71, filed two separate petitions in the LHC challenging the decisions of the returning officers (ROs) and the appellate […]
Foreign Office expresses regret over Pakistan ‘bashing’ in former Indian diplomat’s book
ISLAMABAD — The Foreign Office on Thursday termed a recent book by a former Indian diplomat as part of Pakistan ”bashing” ahead of the elections in India. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch was responding to a question about a book by former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria. She said that she had […]
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina secures fourth straight term as her party wins two-thirds majority in general elections
DHAKA — Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday secured a record fourth straight term as her Awami League party won two-thirds of the seats in the general elections marred by sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition BNP and its allies. Hasina’s party won 200 seats in the 300-seat parliament while counting […]
Eight terrorists killed in clashes with security forces in Pakistan
KARACHI — At least eight terrorists were killed in clashes with the security forces in two separate incidents in Pakistan, the army said on Sunday. During the conduct of an intelligence-based operation on the night of December 30-31, five terrorists “were sent to hell” following intense clashes between troops and the militants, according to the […]
Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar’s residence attacked in Lahore
LAHORE — The residence of Saqib Nisar, former chief justice of Pakistan, in Lahore was targeted in a grenade attack on Wednesday evening, resulting in injuries to two policemen. Nisar, recounting the incident via phone to a private TV channel said, “My family members and I were sitting in the drawing room when a powerful […]
6.2 magnitude earthquake struck China, 111 killed
BEIJING — At least 111 people were killed after a massive earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck China’s Gansu province, authorities said on Tuesday. According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake occurred at 11.59 p.m. on Monday night and had a focal depth of 10 km, reports Xinhua news agency. The […]