ISLAMABAD: In a first, the United States and Pakistan conducted a two-week counterterrorism exercise at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi, Punjab province, to address the “perpetual terrorism threat” faced by both nations, the military’s media wing announced on Wednesday.
Last year, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir met with US Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief General Michael Erik Kurilla in Washington where both military leaders emphasized the need to increase joint military training between the two countries.
The US and Pakistan have shared strong defense and security relations in the past, particularly during the Cold War after the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However, more recently, US officials criticized Pakistan for not sufficiently supporting their military efforts against the Taliban following the 9/11 attacks.
“The Infantry Rifle Company Exercise 2024 between Pakistan and the US has been conducted for the first time in the counter-terrorism domain,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. “The two-week-long exercise commenced on June 29, 2024, at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi.”
The statement noted that Pakistani and US troops participated in the exercise with “efficiency and zeal,” displaying the highest standards of professional excellence.
The exercise focused on marksmanship skills, urban warfare tactics and refining individual and collective expertise. The training aimed to improve drills and procedures while sharing vital counterterrorism experience.
The US State Department has reiterated its commitment to expanding security cooperation with Pakistan, with counterterrorism as top priority.
Matthew Miller, the department’s spokesperson, stated this week the two countries have a “shared interest” in combating regional security threats when asked if the US would support Pakistan if it conducts cross-border attacks against militant targets in Afghanistan.
US and Pakistan conduct first joint counterterrorism exercise to address ‘perpetual terrorism threat’
https://arab.news/8kgqh
US and Pakistan conduct first joint counterterrorism exercise to address ‘perpetual terrorism threat’
- The exercise was conducted at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pakistan’s Punjab province
- The US said this week the two countries have ‘shared interest’ in countering regional security threats
Pakistan’s KP to hold tribal council meetings from this weekend over concerns amid Bajaur military operation
- Province’s local elders, political parties and representatives, stakeholders will be part of councils, says KP chief minister
- Development takes place amid protests over deteriorating law and order situation in northwestern Bajaur district
PESHAWAR: The chief minister of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Ali Amin Gandapur, announced on Wednesday that the provincial government will hold a series of tribal council meetings or jirgas from August 2 to address people’s concerns, amid protests over the deteriorating law and order situation amid a fresh military operation in the restive Bajaur district.
Located in KP along the Afghan border, the northwestern Bajaur district has long experienced militant violence and multiple military operations, especially during the peak of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) insurgency.
Hundreds of protesters, including tribal elders and youth, rallied on Wednesday in Bajaur district to express concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the area, as the military launched an operation against militants that has left at least three civilians dead and seven injured, according to local representatives. Residents say they are opposing the latest offensive out of fear of displacement, as previous operations in the tribal belt, led to evacuations and long-term instability.
The unrest erupted following a three-day curfew imposed across 16 villages in Bajaur’s Loi Mamund tehsil, where the Pakistan Army began a counterterrorism operation codenamed “Sarbakaf” on July 29. The curfew, announced in a notification by the district’s deputy commissioner, aimed to “ensure public safety” amid intelligence reports of militant activity.
“I am starting jirgas [tribal councils] and from August 2, god willing, our jirgas will begin,” Gandapur said in a video message released by his office.
He added that at first, the jirgas will be held at the division level where all of the province’s local elders, political parties, political representatives, and stakeholders will sit together for consultations.
“The purpose of the consultations is to address the reservations and after these jirgas, we will hold a grand jirga in which we will give our policy, our plan and future strategy after sitting with all institutions,” the chief minister added.
The Pakistani military’s offensive triggered intense clashes with suspected militants, as local residents say the crossfire spilled into civilian areas, forcing many families to flee.
“The situation remains tense, and some families have already relocated to safer areas within the district,” Dr. Hamid ur Rehman, a provincial lawmaker from Bajaur affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told Arab News over the phone while confirming civilian casualties.
“The operation has been paused today, but there’s still fear in the air,” he added.
He said a provincial assembly session scheduled for August 1 would discuss the crisis.
Pakistan’s military did not respond to a request for comment from Arab News when this report was filed.
Nisar Muhammad, spokesperson for the provincial information department, said the government was “closely monitoring” the situation and had convened an apex committee meeting to review the security response.
“The curfew will be lifted in phases, depending on the ground situation,” he added. “Civilian safety is our priority.”
The escalation has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders.
Aimal Wali Khan, president of the Awami National Party, denounced the violence in a social media statement, saying, “The bloodshed in Bajaur must end.”
Malik Farman Ullah, a tribal elder, voiced frustration over the recurring violence in the region.
“Our people are exhausted from burying the dead,” he said. “We demand that militants and security forces keep their clashes away from civilian homes.”
The Bajaur operation comes amid renewed concerns about the TTP’s presence along the Afghan border and a broader uptick in militant violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The provincial administration, led by Gandapur, has called for greater provincial involvement in security decisions, emphasizing the need to balance counterterrorism with civilian protections.
As tensions rise, the federal and provincial governments face growing pressure to restore stability without repeating past cycles of violence in the tribal belt.
Pakistan approves Hajj Policy 2026, will receive applications from Aug. 4
- Pakistan says quota for Hajj pilgrims is 179,210, out of which 129,210 quota has been reserved for government scheme
- Religious affairs minister says estimated cost of government’s Hajj scheme will range from [$4,049.93 to $4,236]
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf announced on Wednesday that the federal cabinet has approved the country’s Hajj Policy 2026, with Islamabad set to receive applications for the pilgrimage under the government scheme from Aug. 4.
Speaking to reporters at a news conference, Yousaf said currently the quota for Pakistani pilgrims is 179,210. However, he said a response from the Saudi government is awaited in this regard.
He said out of the total pilgrims’ quota, 129,210 seats have been allocated for the government scheme and the rest for private tour operators.
“Today, by the grace of Allah, the federal cabinet has approved the Hajj Policy 2026,” Yousaf said. “We will start to receive Hajj applications under the government scheme from the first week of August, from the fourth.”
Yousaf pointed out that under the government Hajj scheme, pilgrims can avail either a long Hajj package of 38–42 days or a short package that consists of a duration of 20–25 days.
He said Hajj applicants must be Muslim Pakistani passport holders, with a passport valid until Nov. 26, 2026.
“Children under 12 will not be allowed to perform Hajj this year,” the minister said.
He said as per the government scheme, Hajj applicants must submit their Hajj dues in two installments. Yousaf said the estimated cost of the government’s Hajj package will range from Rs1,150,000 to Rs1,250,000 [$4,049.93 to $4,236], subject to final agreements with service providers.
He said the first installment payment will be accepted at designated banks across Pakistan from Aug. 4.
“Due to Saudi Arabia’s timelines, selection will be on a first-come, first-serve basis,” Yousaf clarified.
Receiving a Saudi-approved vaccine is mandatory for all intending pilgrims, the minister said, adding that Makkah Route Initiative facilities will continue to be provided to pilgrims at Pakistan’s Islamabad and Karachi airports.
Yousaf said a monitoring team from Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs will oversee the overall Hajj operations to maintain the quality of services.
Saudi Arabia had approved a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Pakistan this year as well. A large portion of the private Hajj quota for 2025 remained unutilized due to delays by tour operators in meeting payment and registration deadlines, while the government fulfilled its full allocation of over 88,000 pilgrims.
Private operators attributed the shortfall to technical issues, including payment processing problems and communication breakdowns.
Pakistan vows to intensify Gaza ceasefire call at upcoming UNGA session
- The 80th session of the UN General Assembly will be held in September in New York
- Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan will send two aid consignments to Gaza via Egypt, Jordan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that Pakistan would join other countries in calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, criticizing Israel for its military operations in the Middle East.
The 80th session of the UNGA will open on Tuesday, September 9, while the first day of the high-level General Debate will begin on Tuesday, September 23.
All eyes will be on the upcoming UNGA as French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognize Palestinian statehood during the summit, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States.
“And at the upcoming [United Nations General Assembly] session in September, we will strongly present Pakistan’s position and join voices with all those countries calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and subsequently, for securing the rights of the Palestinian state,” Sharif said in an address to members of the federal cabinet.
“Pakistan’s voice will not only be aligned with those countries, but it will also be an energetic one.”
His statement comes amid renewed calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Israel has killed over 57,000 Palestinians in the territory since October 7, 2023.
Several countries, including international rights organizations and charity institutes, have raised alarm at the outbreak of diseases and starvation in Gaza amid the worsening conditions there.
The Pakistani premier criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza, saying that such barbarity has “never been witnessed before.”
Sharif said he had issued directives to the chairman of Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to immediately dispatch two consignments of relief items for Gaza.
He said the relief items will be sent via Egypt and Jordan.
“God willing, preparations will be completed soon and these food aid consignments will take off at the earliest possible time,” he added.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar took part this week at a high-level UN summit co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on the two-state solution in the Middle East.
Dar pushed for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and called on other countries to recognize Palestine as an independent nation at the conference. He also demanded Palestine be recognized as a member of the UN.
German biathlete Dahlmeier dies after mountaineering accident
- Accident occurred around Monday afternoon at an altitude of 5,700 meters in Hushe Valley in Gilgit-Baltistan
- A recovery operation to ewaxuw Dahlmeier was launched but ultimately called off on the evening of July 29
PESHAWAR: German double Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died after a mountaineering accident in Pakistan, her management and local authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
The accident occurred around noon on Monday, at an altitude of approximately 5,700 meters at Laila Peak, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said on Tuesday.
Dahlmeier was climbing with her mountaineering partner when she was struck by a sudden rockfall in the Hushe Valley, part of the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. Poor weather conditions prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching the site.
Two teams of expert climbers from Germany and the United States deployed to search her confirmed that she had died, regional government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said.
“Laura Dahlmeier died on 28 July in a mountain accident on Laila Peak (6,069 meters) in Pakistan’s Karakoram range,” her management said in a statement.
“A recovery operation was launched but ultimately called off on the evening of 29 July.”
Her representatives added that Dahlmeier most likely died instantly, while her mountaineering partner was unharmed.
“It was Laura Dahlmeier’s express and written will that in a case like this, no one should risk their life to recover her,” they said.
“It was her wish to leave her body behind on the mountain in this case. This is also in line with the wishes of her relatives.”
Faraq said the regional authorities would respect any decision by her family.
The provincial government spokesperson also identified the climbing partner as Marina Eva Krauss.
Krauss successfully descended to base camp and is reported to be in good health, he added.
The 31-year-old Dahlmeier retired from biathlon in 2019, aged 25, a year after becoming the first female biathlete to achieve a sprint and pursuit double at the same Olympics.
OLYMPIC TRIBUTE
“Laura made history at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics as the first female biathlete to win sprint and pursuit gold at the same Games edition. She will be remembered forever,” the President of the International Olympic Committee Kirsty Coventry said.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation expressed deep sorrow at the news.
“She was more than an Olympic champion — she was someone with heart, attitude and vision,” it said in a statement on X.
Dahlmeier, who was born in the Bavarian ski town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, was also honored by the premier of her home state, Markus Soeder, who said “she was ambitious and successful, yet always remained humble and close to her homeland.”
The International Biathlon Union also expressed its condolences.
“Laura’s energy and passion for life touched so many around the world. Her legacy, both within biathlon and beyond, will never be forgotten and will continue to inspire countless athletes and adventurers for generations to come,” it said.
Divorced daughters entitled to father’s pension, rules Pakistan’s top court
- Supreme Court says daughters deserve pension irrespective of whether their divorce occurred before or after father’s demise
- Rights activists welcome the ruling, say will ensure women are not left destitute if widowed or divorced after father’s death
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top court on Wednesday ruled that divorced daughters are entitled to their father’s pension irrespective of whether their divorce occurred before or after his death, calling for a review of pension regulations that it said were built on patriarchal assumptions and negative stereotypes about women.
The 10-page verdict was authored by Justice Ayesha Malik, who upheld a Sindh High Court ruling in favor of a woman named Sorath Fatima, the daughter of a deceased employee of Sindh’s Road and Transport Department. After Fatima’s father passed away in 2002, her mother received his pension until she also died in 2012.
As an unmarried daughter, Fatima initially received the pension, which was ceased by the provincial government after she got married. However, following her divorce in August 2022, Fatima requested the resumption of the pension, which was rejected by the Sindh government. It issued a circular that stated that a daughter who got divorced after her father’s demise is not entitled to his pension. Fatima challenged the decision at the Larkana bench of the Sindh High Court, which ruled in her favor.
The Sindh government challenged the high court’s decision at the Supreme Court, which dismissed the appeal and said that a divorced daughter’s right to pension is not dependent on the timing of her divorce.
“We find that the [Sindh government’s] circular, which imposes restrictions unsupported by the Act or the Rules, is void ab initio, unconstitutional, and of no legal effect,” the judgment read.
It added that the timing of the pensioner’s death cannot lawfully be used to extinguish a surviving daughter’s right to claim the pension.
“Accordingly, this civil petition, having no force, is dismissed and leave refused,” the verdict read.
The judgment said it is deeply concerning, in the context of family pension, that the admissibility of pension to a surviving daughter continues to depend entirely on her marital status.
The judgment added that this dependency model revealed that there was a systematic bias that treats a daughter as a dependent, with her financial dependency shifting from parent to spouse.
“This assumption not only perpetuates the stereotypical mindset about women being dependent members within the family structure but also fails to recognize women as individuals or autonomous individuals who may have the capacity to be financially independent,” the judgment read.
The verdict added that women have independent rights and are autonomous and should be entitled to family pension where financial needs are established.
The court said as a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Pakistan is required to abolish discriminatory laws and practices that impair women’s enjoyment of rights on an equal footing with men.
The Supreme Court noted that it was important to revisit the law surrounding pensions in Pakistan.
“The Rules should be reconsidered to remove marital status as a condition for entitlement,” it said. “What we require is a need-based and dignity-affirming framework,” the judgment added.
‘COMMENDABLE JUDGMENT’
Women’s rights activists welcomed the ruling as a progressive step toward dismantling patriarchal norms, saying it reinforces divorced women’s right to financial security and reflects a growing judicial sensitivity to gender equality.
“I appreciate the Supreme Court’s decision, as granting a divorced woman entitlement to her father’s pension can help her lead a dignified life and achieve financial stability,” Farzana Bari, a prominent rights activist and academic, told Arab News.
Another rights activist, Samar Minallah, said the ruling would make a significant difference in advancing the rights of women in Pakistan.
She added that the ruling reinforces the idea that a daughter remains an integral part of her family, similar to a son.
“The ruling recognizes the financial rights of women, ensuring they are not left destitute, once widowed or divorced after the father’s death,” Minallah noted.
