Sirajuddin Haqqani, feared and secretive Taliban figure, reveals face in rare public appearance 

Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani speaks to new Afghan police recruits during a graduation ceremony at the police academy in Kabul on March 5, 2022. (AFP)
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Updated 07 March 2022
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Sirajuddin Haqqani, feared and secretive Taliban figure, reveals face in rare public appearance 

  • Haqqani was photographed at the graduation ceremony of police recruits in Kabul on Saturday 
  • His name first echoed after 2008 attack on Kabul’s Serena Hotel that killed six, including a US national 

PESHAWAR: The name of Sirajuddin Haqqani, Afghanistan’s acting interior minister and the Taliban’s second-in-command, started echoing around the world in 2008 as a young commander of the most-feared Haqqani Network that was executing a series of deadly attacks on US-allied forces in Afghanistan.
The powerful Taliban commander has once again been in the headlines after he revealed his face in a rare public appearance in Kabul this week.
Haqqani was attending the graduation ceremony of the first batch of police recruits at the National Defense Police Academy in Kabul since the Taliban took over the reins of Afghanistan.
“I never came before the media, but today I am appearing in front of the media for you so that I can gain your trust and so that you know your value and importance,” Haqqani, who also goes by the name of Khalifa, said in his address.




Afghanistan's acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani inspects recruits at the police graduation ceremony at the National Defense Police Academy in Kabul, Afghanistan on March 5, 2022. (IEA)

During the address that lasted around 30 minutes, he reiterated the Taliban’s stand of not allowing the use of Afghanistan’s soil against any foreign state, and the interim government’s commitment to providing unhindered access to humanitarian organizations and their staff in Afghanistan.
While his younger brother, Anas Haqqani, frequently appeared on media since his release in November 2019 after spending over five years in American captivity in Afghanistan, Haqqani was never clearly seen in photos despite extensively traveling to areas under the Taliban’s control for most of the last 15 years. Even after the Taliban takeover in August, his face remained hidden from the world as cameras were not allowed at the events or meetings attended by him, while on other occasions, he was filmed from behind or his face was blurred in still images.




Afghanistan's acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and his younger brother Anas Haqqani are seen sitting together at the National Defense Police Academy in Kabul, Afghanistan on March 5, 2022. (IEA)

Born in December 1979, Haqqani is the second of the seven sons of the first wife of the late Taliban leader and founder of the Haqqani Network, Mawlawi Jalaluddin Haqqani. Jalaluddin’s eldest son, Nasiruddin Haqqani, commonly known to the family and the Taliban as ‘Doctor Nasir,’ was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Islamabad, Pakistan in 2013.
Sirajuddin Haqqani lost three other brothers in the Afghan war. Badruddin Haqqani, who is still described by the Taliban as one of their most capable strategists and who was famous for preparing suicide bombers and vehicle-based explosive devices, was killed in a US drone strike in North Waziristan, Pakistan in 2012.
Muhammad Haqqani was killed in a US drone strike in North Waziristan in February 2010, while their youngest sibling, Omar Haqqani, was killed in a US military operation in Khost province in Afghanistan in July 2008.
Besides Sirajuddin Haqqani, Abdul Aziz Haqqani and Anas Haqqani are the only living sons of Jalaluddin Haqqani from his Pashtun wife. His other wife, of Arab origins, has been living with her children in her home country for a long time.
Like all his siblings, Haqqani also received his early education from his father. In 1984, he enrolled at a religious seminary, Anjuman Uloom Al-Qur’an, in northwestern Pakistan at the age of five.
“After completing his religious education, he remained close to his father in most of his journeys during the Mujahideen’s fight against the USSR, which influenced him a lot,” Sheikh Muhammad Saqib, a close friend of Jalaluddin Haqqani and a trusted aide of Sirajuddin Haqqani, told Arab News.
“Among all the siblings, Khalifa resembles his late father the most in many qualities.”




Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani reviews new Afghan police recruits standing in formation during a graduation ceremony at the police academy in Kabul on March 5, 2022. (AFP)

Haqqani fought alongside the Taliban for the first time in 2003 and led his first attack against the US forces in Jawar, Khost in 2004. He was later appointed by the Taliban as the shadow governor for Khost province in 2006.
His name cropped up in the media for the first time after the January 2008 attack on Serena Hotel in Kabul, wherein six people were killed, including a US national.




Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani (C) and Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban Abdul Salam Hanafi (L) attend a graduation ceremony for new Afghan police recruits at the police academy in Kabul on March 5, 2022. (AFP)

Later he became one of the most wanted persons to the US and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) placed a reward of $10 million on his head.
Sirajuddin, like his father, added ‘Haqqani’ to his name for being a graduate of the famous Pakistani religious seminary, Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak near Peshawar.




Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani reviews new Afghan police recruits standing in formation during a graduation ceremony at the police academy in Kabul on March 5, 2022. (AFP)

In 2009, the Haqqani Network kidnapped US soldier Beaudry Robert ‘Bowe’ Bergdahl. Bergdahl was released in exchange for five Taliban commanders imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba in May 2014.
Journalist Mushtaq Yusufzai, who has interviewed Haqqani more than once, says Haqqani never accepted that his network was a separate group, but for him it was part of the Taliban.
“I interviewed him for the second time in 2009 and asked him why he was sought after by the Americans,” Yusufzai recalled. “’I must have hurt them badly’ was the reply by Sirajuddin Haqqani who was probably 28 at the time.”


Pakistan warns of fresh monsoon spell from Aug. 5 as rain death toll surges to 288

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Pakistan warns of fresh monsoon spell from Aug. 5 as rain death toll surges to 288

  • Met department warns of flash floods in Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Azad Kashmir and Galliyat regions
  • PMD warns river flows are likely to increase up to medium level due to upcoming monsoon rains in country

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Meteorological Department (PMD) warned on Wednesday that a fresh monsoon spell from August 5 onwards is likely to trigger heavy rains and flash floods in several parts of the country, as the death toll from rain-related incidents since June 26 surged to 288.

Torrential rains have continued to wreak havoc across Pakistan since late June, killing 288 people in total as per data shared by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The rains have killed 136 children in total and injured 691 people.

The Met Department also warned of flash floods in the northern regions’ local streams. These areas include Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Tank, Dera Ghazi Khan, Murree, Galliyat and Azad Kashmir.

“A fresh monsoon activity with isolated heavy falls is expected to start from Aug 5,” the PMD said in its daily weather report.

It warned that river flows are likely to increase up to the medium level under the influence of the upcoming monsoon spell.

Authorities in Punjab issued a flood alert on Wednesday, warning of rising water levels in the Chenab, Jhelum and Sutlej rivers, with possible urban flooding in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Lahore over the next 48 hours.

The provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) urged residents in low-lying or riverbank settlements to follow precautionary guidelines and cooperate with local officials during evacuations.

Pakistan, which ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, has witnessed increasingly erratic weather events in recent years.

In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, while a third of the country was submerged by devastating floods in 2022 that killed more than 1,700 people, affected over 30 million and caused an estimated $35 billion in damages.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has repeatedly directed authorities to intensify rescue operations in flood-affected areas of the country.


Pakistan central bank surprises by holding key rate steady at 11%

Updated 15 min 36 sec ago
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Pakistan central bank surprises by holding key rate steady at 11%

  • Decision comes as IMF slashes growth forecast to 3.6% for FY26, well below Pakistan’s target
  • The government says the economy has stabilized, but analysts warn growth remains fragile

KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank left its key interest rate unchanged at 11% on Wednesday, saying the inflation outlook had worsened a little due to energy price fluctuations, surprising analysts who had expected another cut.

In a Reuters poll this week, all 15 analysts said they expected the SBP to ease, with nine forecasting a 50-basis-points cut, four predicting a deeper 100-basis-points reduction and two projecting a smaller 25-basis-points cut.

The decision came as Pakistan pushes reforms under a $7 billion IMF program and a contractionary budget to curb deficits.

In its Economic Outlook Update on Tuesday, the IMF cut its growth forecast for the fiscal year ending June 2026 to 3.6%, well below the government’s 4.2% target.

“The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) ... noted that the inflation outlook has somewhat worsened in the wake of higher than anticipated adjustment in energy prices, especially gas tariffs,” the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said in a statement.

The panel also noted that the trade deficit was expected to widen further in the fiscal year ending June 2026 amid a pickup in economic activity and a slowdown in global trade.

“Given this macroeconomic outlook and the emerging risks, the MPC considered today’s decision as necessary to ensure price stability,” it said.

The SBP had held rates in June after a 100-basis-points cut in May that resumed easing following a March pause. Since June 2024, it has lowered its policy rate by 1,100 basis points from a record 22% as price pressures receded.

Headline inflation slowed to 3.2 % in June and is projected at 3.5%–4.5% in July, within the SBP’s 5.5%–7.5% target range for the fiscal year ending June 2026.

The government says the economy has stabilized, but analysts warn growth remains fragile and global commodity price swings could still add pressure on prices and external balances.


Pakistan, US navy ships hold joint drills in North Indian Ocean

Updated 30 July 2025
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Pakistan, US navy ships hold joint drills in North Indian Ocean

  • PNS Shamsheer and USS Fitzgerald conduct exercises to boost interoperability, maritime coordination
  • Drills follow Pakistan-India military standoff in May that raised regional security and maritime tensions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Shamsheer and United States Ship (USS) Fitzgerald conducted an exercise in the North Indian Ocean to enhance interoperability and strengthen maritime cooperation, the Pakistan Navy said on Wednesday.

The exercise follows a military stand-off between Pakistan and India in May, which also made the naval forces of the two countries adopt a hostile posture, though it did not lead to any exchange of fire at sea.

Pakistan and the US navies have a long history of joint maritime cooperation through drills, bilateral training missions and multinational operations like AMAN and CTF-150.

These engagements have focused on maritime security and coordinated responses to regional threats, reflecting a strategic partnership in maintaining stability in the Arabian Sea.

“PNS Shamsheer and USS Fitzgerald conducted a passage exercise in the North Indian Ocean, underscoring the maritime cooperation between the two navies,” the Pakistan Navy said in a post on X. 

“The exercise featured a series of professional naval engagements aimed at enhancing interoperability,” it added. “These interactions reaffirm the shared commitment of both navies to maritime security and regional stability.”

The PNS Shamsheer is a guided-missile frigate commissioned by the navy in December 2009.

It was built in China and has a strong track record in maritime security, participating in regional patrols, anti-piracy operations multinational exercises and bilateral drills.

The USS Fitzgerald is a guided-missile destroyer commissioned in October 1995 under the US Seventh Fleet.

The navy drill between Pakistan and the US comes at a time when the two countries are also in the process of rejuvenating their political and economic relationship.

The exercise is part of Pakistan’s broader strategy to strengthen naval partnerships and reinforce its presence in the region amid ongoing strategic rivalries.


UN credibility at stake over Palestine, Kashmir, says Pakistan speaker, as he backs multilateralism

Updated 30 July 2025
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UN credibility at stake over Palestine, Kashmir, says Pakistan speaker, as he backs multilateralism

  • Ayaz Sadiq was speaking at the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva
  • He warned the UN risked the fate of the League of Nations if multilateralism was undermined

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker (NA) Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has warned that the credibility of the United Nations system is under threat, according to an official statement on Wednesday, as he called for a return to multilateralism to address long-standing conflicts in places like Palestine and Kashmir.

Speaking at the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Sadiq said the international system was being undermined by populism, unilateralism and the politicization of humanitarian principles.

He stressed the need for diplomacy and institutional reform to restore global trust in the system.

“The world has witnessed enough bloodshed,” Sadiq told parliamentary leaders from around the globe. “It is time for new thinking, time to embrace pluralism, time to respect diversity and time for a new beginning.”

Citing the UN Security Council’s failure to resolve protracted disputes around the world, he said peaceful conflict resolution must now be treated not only as a legal obligation, but a strategic imperative.

Coercion and unilateral action, he added, cannot deliver sustainable peace.

Sadiq evoked Geneva’s historic role as the heart of diplomacy, recalling that the city had been the birthplace and graveyard of the League of Nations.

He maintained today’s multilateral institutions risk a similar fate if they continue to be undermined by narrow nationalism and hegemonic politics.

The NA speaker praised the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2788, led by Pakistan during its recent presidency, which calls for strengthening global mechanisms for peaceful dispute settlement through mediation, arbitration, judicial action and diplomatic engagement.

Turning to the global economy, he said over 100 developing countries are facing debt distress or liquidity crises, highlighting what he described as systemic shortcomings in the international financial and trade architecture.

Sadiq called for urgent reforms to build a fairer, development-oriented global financial system that supports the Global South, enhances economic resilience and reduces inequality.

He also reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding call to reform and democratize the UN Security Council, making it more representative, accountable and transparent.

Only such reform, he added, can help restore trust in multilateralism and enable the global system to meet the challenges of the 21st century.


Climbers attempt rescue of German biathlete injured on Pakistan mountain

Updated 30 July 2025
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Climbers attempt rescue of German biathlete injured on Pakistan mountain

  • Germany’s Laura Dahlmeier was struck by falling rocks at 5,700 meters on Laila Peak
  • The Olympian is a seven-time biathlon world champion and certified mountain guide

KHAPLU, Pakistan: A team of foreign climbers were on Wednesday due to launch a rescue mission for German double biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier, days after she was seriously injured by a rockfall on a Pakistani mountain.

The accident happened around midday on Monday at an altitude of 5,700 meters on Laila Peak in the Karakoram range, according to a statement from her team on her official social media sites.

Her climbing partner was able to sound the alarm after reaching safety.

“It was determined that a helicopter rescue is not possible,” Areeb Ahmed Mukhtar, a senior local official in Ghanche district, where the more than 6,000 meter (19,700 feet) mountain is located, told AFP.

“The conditions at the altitude where she was injured are extremely challenging, and a team of foreign climbers will launch a ground rescue mission today,” he added.

Shipton Trek & Tours Pakistan, which organized the expedition, confirmed the ground rescue by a team of four that includes three Americans and a German mountaineer.

The 31-year-old was “hit by falling rocks,” her team said on Tuesday, adding no one had yet been able to reach her due to the danger of further rockfalls and the site’s “remoteness.”

A helicopter managed to fly over the location and rescuers saw that “the experienced mountaineer is at least seriously injured,” it said.

“No signs of life were detected.”

Muhammad Ali, a local disaster management official, told AFP that weather conditions have been “extremely harsh” in the region for the past week, with rain, strong winds and thick clouds.

Dahlmeier, an experienced mountaineer, had been in the region since the end of June and had already ascended the Great Trango Tower.

The International Biathlon Union said in a statement it was “thinking of Dahlmeier and her family, hoping for good news to emerge soon.”

She has won seven world championship gold medals, and at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang she became the first female biathlete to win both the sprint and the pursuit at the same Games.

Dahlmeier retired from professional competition in 2019 at the age of 25.

She went on to become a commentator on biathlon events for German broadcaster ZDF, and also took up mountaineering.

She is a certified mountain and ski guide and an active member of the mountain rescue, according to her team.