PM Sharif warns predecessor allegations against intelligence officers ‘will not be tolerated’

The file photo shows Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaking on the floor of the National Assembly in Islamabad on April 4, 2023. (Photo courtesy: Twitter/NAofPakistan)
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Updated 08 May 2023
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PM Sharif warns predecessor allegations against intelligence officers ‘will not be tolerated’

  • During Sunday’s rally in Lahore, Khan blamed Major General Faisal Naseer for having prominent anchor Arshad Sharif killed
  • Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accuses Khan of attacking intelligence officers without proof ‘for sake of petty political gains’ 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday warned his predecessor and former premier Imran Khan against levelling allegations without proof at officers of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, after Khan accused a senior intelligence officer of having prominent anchor Arshad Sharif killed. 

Ever since his ouster from office in April 2022, Khan has repeatedly attacked Pakistan’s military and senior intelligence officers, most notably the Inter-Services Intelligence’s (ISI) director-general for counter intelligence , Major General Faisal Naseer, accusing them of colluding with the government and torturing his supporters. After suffering gunshot wounds at an anti-government rally in Pakistan’s Wazirabad city in November last year, Khan publicly accused Naseer of orchestrating the attempt on his life. The military has vehemently denied the accusations. 

Speaking to his supporters at a rally in Lahore on Sunday, Khan once again alleged Naseer was behind the attempt on his life last year. The former prime minister also held Naseer responsible for TV anchor Sharif’s killing, who was shot dead by Kenyan police in Nairobi last year in what they said was a case of “mistaken identity.”

The military has not responded to Khan’s latest accusations yet. 

Taking to Twitter, PM Sharif criticized the former prime minister for “routinely maligning and threatening” Pakistan’s military and its intelligence agency for the sake of “petty political gains.”

“His leveling of allegations without any proof against Gen Faisal Naseer and officers of our Intelligence Agency cannot be allowed and will not be tolerated,” Sharif wrote. 

Khan’s relations with the military soured while he was ousted via a parliamentary vote last year. In the months since former army chief Bajwa’s retirement in November, Khan’s criticism of the general has grown increasingly harsh and he has called for him to face court martial for plotting against his democratically elected government. 

In recent months, Khan has criticized the incumbent army chief General Syed Asim Munir as well, alleging that human rights violations against his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party leaders and supporters have increased since Munir’s appointment to the post. 

The former prime minister, who has threatened to take to the streets if the government does not abide by the Supreme Court’s orders to hold elections in Punjab by May 14, has announced a string of public gatherings in the coming days in several cities of Punjab.

Khan has said he will address supporters in anti-government public gatherings in Muridke, Ghakhar, Lala Musa, Gujjar Khan and Attock cities from Wednesday till Sunday. 


Police recover bodies of 2 kidnapped constables in northwest Pakistan amid surging militancy

Updated 14 April 2025
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Police recover bodies of 2 kidnapped constables in northwest Pakistan amid surging militancy

  • Constables Hameed Shah, Ashraf Dotani were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen from their homes in South Waziristan district, say police
  • In separate incident, seven laborers injured in bomb blast targeting under-construction building of Rescue 1122 in northwestern Tank district

PESHAWAR: The bodies of two kidnapped constables were recovered from a deserted area in northwestern Pakistan on Monday, a police spokesperson said, as the country struggles to contain surging militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. 

Constables Hameed Shah and Ashraf Dotani were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Wana town in South Waziristan district on Saturday, police spokesperson Habib Islam said. Members of the Dotani tribe chased the gunmen, trading fire with them. Three militants were killed while two, including a local tribesman and a girl, were injured during the clash. 

“The martyred personnel were kidnapped two days ago from their homes in Tui Khula, a locality on the outskirts of Wana, the main town in the district,” Islam told Arab News.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the incident, but suspicion is likely to fall on the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) outfit or the Pakistani Taliban. The TTP has carried out some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistani law enforcers since 2007. 

The banned unit has increased its attacks on Pakistani law enforcers since November 2022, when a fragile truce between the state and the TTP broke down. Pakistan blames neighboring Afghanistan for providing sanctuary to TTP militants, a charge Kabul vehemently denies. 

In a separate incident, seven laborers were injured in the northwestern Tank district on Monday when a bomb blast targeted the under construction building of a prominent rescue emergency service, police said. 

Tank police spokesperson Younas Khan said the explosion struck an under-construction Rescue 1122 building located in Wazirabad area in Tank.

Rescue 1122 teams responded quickly, shifting the injured to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital for medical treatment, Khan said. Following the incident, a large contingent of police and security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace those responsible for the blast, he said.


Pakistan parliament adopts unanimous resolution against Israel’s ‘heinous wave of atrocities’ in Gaza

Updated 14 April 2025
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Pakistan parliament adopts unanimous resolution against Israel’s ‘heinous wave of atrocities’ in Gaza

  • Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar presents resolution seeking immediate Gaza ceasefire, resumption of aid to Palestinians
  • Gaza’s health ministry says at least 1,574 Palestinians have been killed since Mar. 18 when Israel resumed military attacks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly on Monday adopted a unanimous resolution condemning Israel’s “heinous wave of atrocities” in Gaza, expressing solidarity with Palestinian citizens and demanding an immediate ceasefire in the territory, state-run media reported. 
Gaza’s health ministry said on Sunday that at least 1,574 Palestinians have been killed since Mar. 18 when a shaky ceasefire between Hamas and Israel broke down, taking the overall death toll since the war began in October 2023 to 50,944.
The resolution was moved by Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar during a session of the lower house of parliament. The resolution noted that the latest Israeli offensive has resulted in the killing of over 1500 Palestinians, rebuking the destruction of complete civil infrastructure in Gaza including houses, hospitals, schools and places of worship. 
“The National Assembly on Monday adopted a unanimous resolution, once again strongly condemning the ongoing heinous wave of atrocities by the Zionist Israeli regime in Gaza,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 
The National Assembly expressed “unwavering solidarity” with the people of Palestine, reaffirming their inalienable right to self-determination and an independent motherland.
The resolution also expressed dismay at the international community’s failure to halt Israeli aggression, calling urgently for an immediate, permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. It also demanded uninterrupted and sustainable humanitarian assistance to besieged and beleaguered Palestinians in the territory.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the entire Pakistani nation stands united when it comes to Palestine. He pointed out that Pakistan has a unique distinction on its passport, which does not allow its holders to travel to Israel. 
Pakistan, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, has frequently criticized the Jewish state for its military operations in Gaza. Islamabad has also called for the resumption of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory and the need for a revival of negotiations leading to a two-state solution.
Islamabad consistently calls for an independent Palestinian state along the pre-1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.


Pakistan to vaccinate over 45 million children against polio in nationwide campaign in April

Updated 14 April 2025
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Pakistan to vaccinate over 45 million children against polio in nationwide campaign in April

  • Over 400,000 volunteers to participate in nationwide polio drive from Apr. 21-27, says health minister
  • Stresses cooperation among federal, provincial governments and global partners to eliminate polio

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will vaccinate over 45 million children against poliovirus in April in its second nationwide campaign against the disease this year, Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal said on Monday, as Islamabad intensifies efforts to rid the country of the infection. 

Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure and multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine — along with completing the routine immunization schedule for children under five — are crucial to building immunity against the virus. 

Pakistan, which has reported six polio cases so far in 2025, has planned three major vaccination campaigns in the first half of the year, with additional rounds scheduled for April and May.

“The second national polio campaign of the year is scheduled from Apr. 21 to 27 nationwide,” Kamal said while chairing a high-level meeting on polio eradication, which was attended by provincial health ministers.

“Over 400,000 trained polio workers will participate, aiming to administer polio vaccination drops to over 45 million children.”

Kamal lamented that Karachi’s sewage samples continued to test positive for poliovirus. The minister directed authorities to formulate a strategy for the nationwide polio campaign, highlighting that a “coordinated approach” was essential to completely eradicate the disease.

The minister stressed the importance of cooperation among federal and provincial governments, as well as international partners, to ensure the success of polio eradication efforts. 

Pakistan’s polio program, launched in 1994, has faced persistent challenges including vaccine misinformation and resistance from some religious hard-liners who claim immunization is a foreign conspiracy to sterilize Muslim children or a guise for Western espionage. Militant groups have also repeatedly targeted and killed polio vaccination workers.

In 2024, Pakistan reported an alarming 74 polio cases. Along with Afghanistan, it remains one of the only two countries where polio is still endemic.


Pakistan, Morocco kick off joint counterterror exercise to promote military ties

Updated 14 April 2025
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Pakistan, Morocco kick off joint counterterror exercise to promote military ties

  • Exercise’s third edition aimed at refining professional skills of both armies, says Pakistan military’s media wing
  • Pakistan enjoys cordial relations and cooperation in trade, defense and other sectors with various Arab nations

ISLAMABAD: The armies of Pakistan and Morocco kicked off the third edition of their joint bilateral military exercise on Monday, the Pakistani military’s media wing said, stressing that the drill was aimed at enhancing professional skills of their soldiers and promoting defense relations between the two countries. 

Pakistan enjoys cordial ties and strong defense relations with Arab countries, which often causes them both to engage in frequent training exercises, defense production collaborations and counter-terrorism intelligence sharing. 

“Opening Ceremony of 3rd Pak-Morocco Joint Bilateral Military Exercise-2025 was held between the Armies of Pakistan and Morocco in counter terrorism domain at Special Operations School, Cherat,” the Inter-Services Public Relations, (ISPR) the army’s media wing, said in a statement. 

Cherat is a hill station located northwestern Pakistan’s Nowshera district. 

Pakistan’s Special Services Group and the Moroccan Army’s special forces are taking part in the exercise, the statement confirmed. 

“The exercise is aimed at refining professional skills through joint training and harnessing historic military to military relations among the friendly countries,” the ISPR said. 

The bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Morocco is marked by cordial ties and historic fraternity, according to Pakistan’s foreign office. 

In November last year, Moroccan Air Force Inspector Major General Mohammed Gadih expressed his interest in collaborating with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in the aerospace sector. 

During his visit, the Pakistani air chief reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing military ties with Morocco through joint training programs, including those at the basic and tactical levels, for Moroccan Air Force personnel.


Pakistan Navy inducts offshore patrol vessel with advanced stealth features and weapons in fleet

Updated 14 April 2025
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Pakistan Navy inducts offshore patrol vessel with advanced stealth features and weapons in fleet

  • PNS Yamama’s induction to enhance navy’s seaward defense, protect sea lines of communication, says Pakistan Navy
  • Offshore patrol vessel to ensure protection of maritime infrastructure, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy inducted a fourth offshore patrol vessel (OPV) named PNS Yamama in its fleet on Monday, describing it as a ship equipped with modern stealth features and sophisticated weapons that enables it to function in a multi-threat environment. 

PNS Yamama was constructed at the Damen Shipyard in Romania. The multi-purpose ship is equipped with modern stealth features, the latest command and control systems, and sophisticated weapons and sensors, the navy said in a statement. A ceremony to officially induct the OPV was held at the Jinnah Naval Base in the southwestern town of Ormara in the presence of government officials, local dignitaries and senior Pakistan Navy officers.

“As the fourth in the series, the induction of this state-of-the-art ship significantly enhances Pakistan Navy’s capability to ensure seaward defense, protect sea lines of communication and maintain order at sea,” the statement said. 

The development highlights Pakistan Navy’s enhanced reach on the western seaboard, providing flexibility in its fleet operations, enhancing maritime security and its ability to contribute to regional peace and stability, it added. 

PNS Yamama’s induction would also ensure protection of vital maritime infrastructure, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion-dollar Chinese infrastructure project that connects Pakistan’s Gwadar city to China’s Xinjiang province. 

Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf highlighted the precarious geo-strategic environment in the Indian Ocean, stressing the need for a potent naval force to counter emerging traditional and non-traditional challenges, the statement said. 

“He reiterated that the addition of PNS Yamama to the PN fleet would significantly enhance Pakistan Navy’s capability to safeguard the maritime frontiers of Pakistan and reinforce its commitment to ensuring safety and security in international waters,” it said. 

Besides inducting various warships in its fleet, Pakistan Navy has held several joint exercises with friendly nations in recent years in a bid to enhance joint operational capabilities and strengthen regional security.