ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday granted bail to former Prime Minister Imran Khan and one of his senior aides in the ‘cipher case’ in which he is charged with leaking state secrets.
Khan is serving a three-year sentence at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in a separate ‘Toshakhana’ case in which he was convicted in August of not declaring assets earned from the sale of state gifts during his 2018-22 tenure as prime minister. He denies any wrongdoing and says the charges, as well as those related to the cipher case, are politically motivated and intended to keep him and his PTI party out of general elections in February.
In a message sent to reporters, the PTI announced that Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Khan’s foreign minister during his tenure as PM, had been granted bail by the top court.
“PTI has always maintained its position on the nature of this bogus trial,” the PTI said.
However, Khan’s bail in the cipher case does not mean he will be freed, as he is convicted in the Toshakhana case, and is remanded in police custody in the case of a £190 million settlement with a property tycoon called the Al-Qadir trust case. He also faces dozens of other cases, ranging from terrorism to attempted murder.
“The Supreme Court has granted bail to both Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case, but it is too early to say anything about their actual release from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi,” Qureshi’s lawyer Taimur Malik told Arab News.
“The National Accountability Bureau has already taken custody of Imran Khan in the Toshakhana and Al-Qadir Trust cases, so his bail has to be secured in these cases too for his release.”
Malik said Qureshi had secured bail in all cases registered against him, and there was now no “apparent” reason to keep him in jail.
“Shah Mahmood Qureshi will be released from jail if he is not arrested in any other case,” he added, referring to recent instances in which new cases were filed against PTI supporters and Khan aides after they got bail in another.
A copy of the Supreme Court’s order seen by Arab News states that the court found “no sufficient incriminating material” Khan disclosed the contents of the diplomatic cable to the public, either directly or indirectly, in the interest or for the benefit of a foreign power, nor did he disclose information relating to any of the defense installations or affairs.
The order said there wasn’t sufficient material evidence to indicate Khan had disclosed a secret official code to the public at large.
“The discretion exercised by the high court in denying bail to the petitioners is found to have been exercised perversely, that is, against the weight of the material available, on record of the case, which warrants interference by the court,” the order read.
The cipher saga relates to an alleged diplomatic correspondence between Washington and Islamabad that Khan says was proof that his ouster as PM in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in April 2022 was part of a US conspiracy to remove him. Washington has repeatedly denied Khan’s accusations.
Weeks before his ouster, Khan had waved a letter to a crowd during a public rally last year, claiming it was a cipher from a foreign nation calling for the end of his government. Khan later revealed that country to be the US and said the secret diplomatic letter spoke of dire consequences if he continued to get closer to Russia. The government at the time of PM Shehbaz Sharif said Khan’s actions amounted to leaking state secrets and using them for political gains.
A special court was formed on Aug 21 under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, to adjudicate the case. The hearings have been held in Adiala jail, without access granted to media and family members at most proceedings.
Pakistan Supreme Court grants bail to Imran Khan in state secrets case
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Pakistan Supreme Court grants bail to Imran Khan in state secrets case
- Not clear if Khan would be released as he has multiple arrest warrants issued against him in several other cases
- Khan is serving three-year jail sentence for corruption, faces slew of legal challenges since being ousted from PM office
Pakistani delegation prepares to visit world capitals in diplomatic push following India standoff
- Head of delegation Bilawal Bhutto Zardari says contentious issues like disputed Kashmir, terrorism, water should be resolved
- Pakistan Peoples Party chairman laments India “weaponizing” water, calls it “both unfortunate and extremely dangerous”
ISLAMABAD: A high-level delegation set up by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to present Pakistan’s position and advocate for the country in world capitals following a recent military conflict with India is receiving briefings from top foreign office officials and would carry a “message of truth and peace,” the head of the team said on Wednesday.
Sharif announced the diplomatic group last week and said it would be headed by Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is a former foreign minister.
Speaking to media on Wednesday, Bhutto Zardari said his team had received a briefing from the ministry of foreign affairs on the recent standoff with India and a ceasefire brokered by the US, as well as on contention issues like the Kashmir dispute, terrorism, and India’s unilateral move to suspend the Indus Water Treaty.
“We are very thankful to the Foreign Secretary and the entire team here for briefing us. We hope that when we go forward with Pakistan’s message, a message of truth and peace, people will be willing to listen,” Bhutto Zardari said.
“We have always aimed to ensure that not only between India and Pakistan, but also throughout the entire region, flashpoints, whether it is the long-standing issue of Kashmir or terrorism, are addressed.”
As a victim of terrorism itself, Pakistan was “committed to seeing it dealt with and eliminated,” Bhutto Zardari said.
Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India are high after they struck a ceasefire on May 10 following the most intense military confrontation in decades.
Both countries accuse the other of supporting militancy on each other’s soil — a charge both capitals deny.
The latest military escalation, in which the two countries traded missile, drones and artillery fire, was sparked after India accused Pakistan of supporting militants who attacked dozens of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, killing 26. Islamabad denies involvement.
“We have just witnessed how, after a terrorist incident, two nuclear countries were on the warpath. This makes it even more important for us to address the issue of terrorism,” Bhutto Zardari said.
“We should not only talk about it but also work toward finding a solution. Our goal should be to rid this region of terrorism. And if, God forbid, such a problem arises in the future, there should never be a situation where two nuclear-armed countries are pushed toward war.”
After the tourist attack, Delhi “put in abeyance” its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which governs usage of the Indus river system. The accord has not been revived despite the rivals agreeing on a ceasefire last week following the conflict.
Islamabad said after India suspended the treaty that it considered “any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan” to be an “act of war.”
About 80 percent of Pakistani farms depend on the Indus system, as do nearly all hydropower projects serving the country of some 250 million.
Bhutto Zardari lamented that India was “weaponizing” water, calling it “both unfortunate and extremely dangerous.”
“The people of Pakistan want peace, and I believe the majority of Indians also desire peace between our two nations. But that peace will not be possible unless we resolve the issues of Kashmir, terrorism, and the water dispute that India has initiated,” he said.
“At this moment, Pakistan is clearly saying that we want peace, we want dialogue, while India lags behind on this path.”
Three children among five killed in school bus attack in Pakistan’s southwest
- Around 40 students were on bus headed to army-run school, administrator of Khuzdar where attack took place says
- Pakistan military blames assault on “Indian terror proxies,” New Delhi has not yet commented on the accusations
KARACHI: The Pakistani military said on Wednesday five people including three children were killed in a militant attack on a school bus in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, with a government official saying the bus had been en route to an army-run school.
Around 40 students were on the bus headed to a military school and several had been injured, Yasir Iqbal, the administrator of Khuzdar district told media.
The attack took place in Khuzdar, the military said, blaming “Indian terror proxies.”
“As per the initial reports, three innocent children and two adults have embraced martyrdom and multiple children have sustained injuries,” the army’s statement said.
Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India are high after they struck a ceasefire on May 10 following the most intense military confrontation in decades.
Both countries accuse the other of supporting militancy on each other’s soil — a charge both capitals deny.
The latest military escalation, in which the two countries traded missile, drones and artillery fire, was sparked after India accused Pakistan of supporting militants who attacked dozens of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, killing 26. Islamabad denies involvement.
“After having miserably failed in the battlefield, through these most heinous and cowardly such like acts [attacking school bus], Indian proxies have been unleashed to spread terror and unrest in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa,” the army said, referring to two Pakistani provinces.
New Delhi has not yet commented on the accusations.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army, which in March blew up a railway track and took passengers from a train hostage, killing 31.
Southwestern Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area, but smallest by population and most impoverished. The region of some 15 million people is home to key mining projects and a deep seaport that China is building, but has been roiled by a decades-old insurgency.
“Targeting innocent children is a barbaric act, those responsible deserve no leniency,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement, describing the attack as a “vile conspiracy to destabilize the country.”
Wednesday’s attack was reminiscent of one of the deadliest militant attacks in Pakistan’s history when over 130 children were killed in a military school in the northern city of Peshawar in 2014. That attack was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban group.
With inputs from Reuters
In Pakistan, people don’t run with bulls, they race them in spectacular style
- Bull racing, Punjabi style, captures the raw energy of village life and is a world away from floodlit Pakistani cricket and hockey stadiums
- Bull racing has deep roots in Attock district of Punjab province where is more than just a sport but part of region’s living heritage
MALAL, Pakistan: Bulls are yoked together by thick wooden frames in a sun-scorched field of rural Pakistan, while behind them, holding onto nothing more than ropes and his honor, is a man on a plank.
Hundreds of spectators whoop and cheer as the animals begin to hurtle down a track, whipping up a storm of dust and imminent danger.
This is bull racing, Punjabi style.
The traditional sport captures the raw energy of village life and is a world away from the floodlit cricket and hockey stadiums found in many Pakistani cities.
Bull racing has deep roots in the Attock district of eastern Punjab province. It is more than just a sport there, it is a part of the region’s living heritage.
In the village of Malal, one of bull racing’s most vibrant hubs, hundreds of people gather every year to witness the spectacle. Jockeys crouch behind the animals on a plank, gripping onto some reins and relying on experience and instinct to triumph.
But there’s always a chance for chaos as it’s common for the bulls to throw the jockey off his platform and drag him through the dirt.
“This isn’t just entertainment, it’s tradition,” said Sardar Haseeb, whose family has been holding races for generations. “We take pride in our animals. Farmers and landowners raise their bulls year round just for this moment. People are willing to pay high prices for a winning bull. It becomes a symbol of pride.”
The bull race creates a festive atmosphere, complete with dancing and banknotes thrown into the air — a celebratory practice normally seen at weddings.
The scent of freshly fried sweets rises from hot pans to lure the crowds. Stallholders prepare roasted chickpeas and other delicacies. The hustle and bustle becomes a source of income for enterprising locals, who benefit from the cultural event.
More than 100 bulls competed in the event that Haseeb hosted, with people traveling from across Pakistan to be part of the race.
Among the competitors was farmer Muhammad Ramzan.
“My bull came in fifth place and I’m thrilled,” he said. “It left 95 others behind.”
‘Heartbroken’ Malala calls on world leaders to end Israel’s ‘genocide’ in Gaza
- Nobel Peace Prize winner draws attenion to starving children, demolished schools and hospitals, blocked humanitarian aid in Gaza
- The war, now in its 20th month, has killed over 53,000, left Gaza in ruins and its population facing a worsening hunger crisis
KARACHI: Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai on Wednesday said she was “heartbroken” by starving children, demolished schools and hospitals, blocked humanitarian aid and displaced families in Gaza, calling on world leaders to push Israel to end its ‘genocide’ in the besieged enclave.
Israel’s ground and air offensive, launched in October 2023, has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and killed more than 53,000, according to Gaza health authorities. Israeli strikes have killed more than 500 people in the past nine days alone as its military campaign has intensified, Gaza medics say.
The war, now in its 20th month, has left Gaza in ruins and its population facing a worsening hunger crisis. It has strained Israel’s relations with much of the world and those with its closest ally, the United States, now appear to be wavering.
“It makes me sick to my stomach to see Israel’s cruelty and brutality in Gaza. I am heartbroken seeing thousands of starving children, demolished schools and hospitals, blocked humanitarian aid and displaced families,” Malala wrote on X.
“Our collective humanity calls for global and immediate action. I call on every world leader to put maximum pressure on the Israeli government to end this genocide and protect civilians.”
Malala’s statement came as Britain announced it was suspending trade talks with Israel and summoning its ambassador over “egregious policies” in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament he, along with the leaders of France and Canada, was “horrified” by Israel’s military escalation, repeating calls for a ceasefire.
The three nations had warned on Monday of “concrete actions” against Israel if it did not stop military operations in Gaza and lift restrictions on aid.
In addition to suspending trade talks, Britain announced sanctions against a number of individuals and groups in the Israeli-occupied West Bank over alleged violence against Palestinian residents.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has also asked for a review of the EU-Israel trade deal, according to Dutch news agency ANP.
EU sanctions on violent Israeli settlers have been prepared but have so far been blocked by one member state, Kallas said, without naming the country.
“External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction,” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein posted on X.
The United Nations said no humanitarian aid had been distributed yet in Gaza, although Israel eased its 11-week-old blockade on Monday.
“Israeli authorities are requiring us to offload supplies on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom crossing and reload them separately once they secure our team’s access from inside Gaza,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
He said four trucks of baby food were dropped off on the Palestinian side of the border on Monday, and that a few dozen trucks of flour, medicine, nutrition supplies and other basic items entered Gaza on Tuesday.
Israel’s military said 93 UN aid trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday via Kerem Shalom “after a thorough security inspection.”
– With inputs from Reuters
Pakistan reports two new polio cases, bringing 2025 tally to 10
- Pakistan, Afghanistan last two countries in the world where polio remains endemic
- Pakistan reported 74 cases of polio in 2024, raising alarm bells over a fresh breakout
KARACHI: Pakistan’s polio eradication program said on Wednesday two new cases of the wild poliovirus had been detected in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bringing the tally of 2025 cases to 10.
The new cases have emerged ahead of the government launching a third nationwide campaign to vaccinate children under the age of five, scheduled from May 26 to June 1. The campaign will target over 45.4 million children across 159 districts, including high-risk areas of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the new cases have been detected.
Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of 5 are essential to provide children high immunity against the disease.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed two new cases of wild poliovirus in District Lakki Marwat and District Bannu, South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the body said in a statement.
“With these latest detections, the total number of confirmed polio cases in Pakistan in 2025 has risen to 10, five from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four from Sindh, and one from Punjab.”
The statement said while polio vaccination campaigns continued nationwide, with two already held in 2025, certain areas, particularly in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, faced challenges such as restricted access and difficulties in conducting house-to-house vaccination drives.
“These access and operational hurdles leave thousands of children, particularly in South KP, at risk of exposure to poliovirus as a result of missed opportunities for vaccination,” the statement said.
Due to ongoing access constraints and community concerns, children in UC Bakhmal Ahmad Zai (Lakki Marwat) missed out on vaccination opportunities during the February and April 2025 immunization campaigns, resulting in immunity gaps.
In UC Saintanga, Tehsil Wazir (Bannu), no comprehensive campaign had been implemented since October 2023. Limited access, shortage of female vaccinators, and gaps in monitoring had contributed to immunity gaps, leaving children at continued risk of poliovirus transmission.
“The Pakistan Polio Eradication Program is actively engaging with all stakeholders to address operational and access challenges and to enhance the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in these high-risk areas. An intensified vaccination schedule is being implemented to interrupt virus transmission and protect children from lifelong paralysis,” the polio program added.
In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 polio cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries in the world where polio remains endemic.
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994 but efforts to eradicate the virus have since been undermined by vaccine misinformation and opposition from some religious hard-liners who say immunization is a foreign ploy to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western spies.
Militant groups also frequently attack and kill members of polio vaccine teams and security guards protecting them.
