ISLAMABAD: At least two policemen were injured after more than a dozen militants attacked a check post in the eastern Pakistani town of Mianwali on Monday, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi applauding security forces for foiling the assault.
Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks in recent weeks, including a series of coordinated attacks in southwestern Balochistan last month in which over 50 people were killed. Separatist militants seeking the resource-rich region’s secession have been targeting government forces and projects being developed as part of the $65-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Elsewhere in the country, particularly the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, religiously motivated groups like the Pakistani Taliban have also stepped up attacks, daily targeting security forces convoys and check posts, and carrying out targeted killings and kidnappings of security and government officials.
In the latest attack, up to 14 militants attacked the Qabool Khel police check post in Punjab’s Mianwali with rockets and hand grenades on Monday.
“Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has commended the police for foiling a terrorist attack on a check post in Mianwali,” state news agency APP reported. “He said that the police gave a befitting response to the terrorists who attacked under the cover of darkness.”
Islamabad blames the latest surge in militancy by the Pakistani Taliban on Kabul and says it has consistently taken up the issue of cross-border attacks with the Taliban administration, which denies allowing Afghan soil to be used for attacks.
The matter has led to clashes between the border forces of the two countries.
Pakistani Naila Kiani summits India’s highest Kanchenjunga peak, poses with national flag
Naila Kiani reached the summit of Kanchenjunga at 6:30am local time, becoming Pakistan’s leading female mountaineer with 12 ‘eight-thousanders’ to her name
The Dubai-based Pakistani climber stands on the threshold of joining a global elite of only 17 women who have conquered all 14 peaks above 8,000-meter height
ISLAMABAD: Dubai-based Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani has scaled 8,586-meter-high Kanchenjunga, the tallest peak in India, her organizer said on Friday, as the climber posed with a Pakistani flag at the summit.
Kiani has become the first Pakistani woman to scale 12 of the world’s 14 peaks above the height of 8,000 meters, according to Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), which arranges various expeditions.
Kiani, who stands on the threshold of joining a global elite of only 17 women who have conquered all 14 eight-thousanders, reached the Kanchenjunga summit early Friday, the Imagine Nepal expedition organizer said.
“At around 7:00 AM NPT [Nepal time], our incredible team of 10 climbers successfully summited Kanchenjunga (8,586m) — the world’s third-highest mountain,” Imagine Nepal said on Facebook.
“Naila Kiani reached the summit of Kanchenjunga at 6:30am local time, becoming Pakistan’s leading female mountaineer with 12 eight-thousanders to her name,” Alpine Club of Pakistan quoted Dawa Futi Sherpa, operations director at Imagine Nepal, as saying.
The Pakistani club said this was a “monumental milestone” in the history of Pakistani mountaineering and a moment of immense national pride.
“From the towering heights of Everest and K2 to the perilous slopes of Annapurna and Lhotse, her journey tells a powerful story of grit, resilience and an unshakable will,” the ACP said.
“This is not just a personal achievement— it is a symbol of empowerment for women in sports, a beacon of hope and inspiration for Pakistan, and a proud moment for every mountaineering enthusiast.”
Kiani has previously summited Mount Makalu (8,485m), Broad Peak (8,047 meters), Annapurna (8,091 meters), K2 (8,611 meters), Lhotse (8,516 meters), Gasherbrum 1 (8,068 meters), Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters), Nanga Parbat (8,125 meters), Mount Everest (8,849 meters), Manaslu (8,156 meters) and Cho Oyu (8,201 meters) mountains.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on Friday resolved to strengthen bilateral relations between both nations as they discussed the regional situation, the Pakistani foreign office said.
The development comes amid gradually de-escalating tensions in South Asia after India and Pakistan traded missile, drone and artillery strikes this month, killing around 70 people including civilians on both sides.
The situation had alarmed world powers and friendly countries, including Saudi Arabia, and prompted rigorous diplomatic efforts that realized into a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed archfoes on May 10.
At the peak of the four-day conflict, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir had also visited Pakistan, which followed his surprise stop in New Delhi for talks with Indian officials.
“Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
“The leaders reviewed aspects of the deep and brotherly relations between the two countries, reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in all fields, and discussed current regional developments.”
India struck Pakistan on May 7, accusing Islamabad of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people on April 22. Islamabad denies the charge.
Pakistan and India have fought multiple wars, including two of them over the disputed region of Kashmir, since their independence from British rule in 1947. Both rule the region in part but claim it in full.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share close diplomatic and strategic relations. The Kingdom has extended significant support to Pakistan during prolonged economic challenges faced by Islamabad in recent years, including external financing and assistance with International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programs.
Saudi Arabia has also contributed to global peacemaking efforts by hosting talks and mediating prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of lives in multiple landslides in China, expressing solidarity with Beijing.
At least four people were killed and 17 others were still missing in the debris after landslides hit a rural area in China’s southwestern Guizhou province, according to Chinese state media.
Two bodies were found in Changshi township on Thursday, and two others in the nearby Qingyang village, where a landslide had buried 19 people from eight households in wee hours of Thursday.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives due to landslides in Guizhou, China. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” Sharif said in a post on X.
Most of Guowa township, where Qingyang is located, had lost power after the landslides, a local newspaper reported. A resident told state media that it had rained all night.
A drone video of the area showed a large swathe of brown earth that cut through the green slope of the hilly terrain.
“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people and government of China during this difficult time and pray for the safe recovery of the missing,” Sharif added.
China and Pakistan are key strategic and economic allies.
Since 2013, Beijing has also invested tens of billions of dollars in energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major segment of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.
The corridor will connect China to the Arabian Sea and help Pakistan expand and modernize its economy through a network of roads, railways, pipelines and ports built in the country with Chinese loans. A flagship of the Chinese corridor is a deep-sea port at Gwadar in Balochistan.
Beijing has also repeatedly rolled over sovereign loans to Pakistan in order to help Islamabad meet its external financing needs, whenever its foreign reserves have been critically low.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s leading fashion designer, Amir Adnan, says he is eager to open stores and manufacturing facilities in the Arab world, praising Saudi Arabia’s evolving openness and deep cultural sophistication.
In an interview with Arab News this week, he hailed the Arab world’s appreciation for tradition and detail and expressed a desire to re-enter the Middle East market with a more immersive presence.
Adnan shared his observations about the Middle East at a time when Saudi Arabia is undergoing a cultural transformation under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030.
The initiative has opened the Kingdom to global music acts, fashion events, cinema and high-profile platforms like Riyadh Season and the Red Sea International Film Festival, as part of efforts to position it as a regional hub for arts and tourism.
“The Arab world is brilliant, and I’m so happy that it is opening up,” the Pakistani designer, who has previously operated stores in Dubai, said. “Given the opportunity, I would love to go and open up stores over there and have a whole setup over there. We would love to have an office.”
Born in Lahore to a bureaucrat father and a mother from Dhaka’s royal Nawab family, Adnan launched his eponymous brand in 1990 and is credited with modernizing the traditional sherwani. His designs have shaped Pakistani formalwear for more than three decades.
Reflecting on his experience of doing business in the United Arab Emirates, he said Arabs had a distinct appreciation for craftsmanship.
“They appreciated every stitch, every cut, every patch, every fabric, every color combination... they’re very keen observers.”
Renowned Pakistani fashion designer Amir Adnan gives a tour of his studio during an interview with Arab News in Karachi on May 21, 2025. (AN Photo)
He also appreciated the historical and intellectual legacy of the Arab world.
“They introduced medicine. They had the first hospital. They gave us algebra, calculus [and] astronomy. So, where did that come from? It’s their sophistication.”
The Pakistani designer, who studied at Karachi’s Institute of Business Administration, said that despite globalization, Arabs remain deeply rooted in their culture.
“If they had given away their culture and, you know, become totally somebody else, I would not feel so good about them. But I love the Arab people because they hold on and they respect their culture.”
Adnan said the fusion of Pakistani craftsmanship with Arab tastes could lead to meaningful collaborations, ranging from fashion to social development.
“They love our fabrics. They love our stitches. They love our handicraft. All we need to do is just convert our garments to blend into their culture,” he said. “I would go there and mix my ability to suit their requirements.”
Renowned Pakistani fashion designer Amir Adnan speaks with Arab News at his studio in Karachi on May 21, 2025. (AN Photo)
Beyond commerce, he also envisions joint creative workshops and cultural exchanges.
“We would like to work with their artisans, learn their skills and teach them ours,” he said.
The Pakistani designer believes that fashion should be seen beyond economics.
“Besides just the work and the economics of it, it is also liberation of mind,” he said. “In fact, we’ll be able to incorporate a lot of their craft and their skills into our mainstream work.”
Looking ahead, Adnan said he hopes to establish a full-fledged base in the Kingdom.
“Hopefully, one day, we’d be able to do that — set up an office over there and a whole workshop over there and even start manufacturing there… and take care of all the Arab world.”
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani foreign office (FO) on Friday criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on denying water to Pakistan from rivers flowing through India as well as economic and military consequences for Islamabad, saying they violated “the norms of responsible statecraft.”
Modi said on Thursday Pakistan will not get water from rivers over which India has rights, and that Pakistan’s army and economy will have to “pay a heavy price for every terrorist attack,” upping the rhetoric in a standoff over water access.
India last month said it was suspending the Indus Waters Treaty in a slew of measures after the killing of 26 people in an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, a charge Pakistan dismisses.
In its response to Modi’s comments at an event in Rajasthan, the Pakistani foreign office said such statements not only reflect a “deliberate attempt to mislead the public but also violate the norms of responsible statecraft.”
“Resorting to threats and boasting about military action against a sovereign nation is a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law,” it said.
“This dangerous approach undermines regional peace and stability.”
Any move to stop Pakistan accessing the water would have a devastating impact. The Indus treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, guarantees water for 80 percent of Pakistan’s farms from three rivers that flow from India. The nuclear-armed neighbors have already clashed in their worst military fighting in nearly three decades before agreeing to a ceasefire on May 10.
Islamabad maintains the treaty is legally binding and no party can unilaterally suspend it, with its Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan saying that Pakistan is willing to talk about or to address any concerns India may have.
The foreign office said Pakistan remains a consistent and proactive partner in the global fight against militancy and any insinuation seeking to associate Pakistan with “acts of terrorism is factually incorrect and patently misleading.”
“It is a tactic often employed to divert attention from India’s own internal challenges, particularly its repressive policies [in Kashmir],” it said on Friday.
India and Pakistan share a troubled relationship since they got independence from British rule in 1947, and have fought three wars, two of them over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part.
India accuses Pakistan of backing armed separatists in Kashmir. Pakistan denies this and says it only offers diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris.
Pakistan’s prime minister and military have also accused “Indian terror proxies” of involvement in a suicide bomb blast on an army school bus in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province that killed five people, including three children, on Wednesday. India rejected the allegation.
Both nations have retaliated since the April attack by halting trade, closing borders and suspending most visas.
The Pakistani foreign office urged the Indian leadership to exercise restraint, saying such escalatory statements only exacerbate tensions.
“India should demonstrate maturity by resolving outstanding disputes through peaceful dialogue and diplomacy,” it said.
“Pakistan remains firmly committed to peaceful coexistence, regional stability, and constructive engagement. However, our desire for peace should not be misconstrued as weakness... Any misadventure or aggression will be met with a resolute and proportionate response. Pakistan has demonstrated its resolve in the past and will do so again, if required.”
