Pakistan vows to respond to militants with 'full force'

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (center) chairs National Security Committee in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 30, 2022. (Government of Pakistan)
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Updated 30 December 2022
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Pakistan vows to respond to militants with 'full force'

  • Development comes as the country witnesses a spike in militant attacks in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces
  • The National Security Committee says “enemies of Pakistan” will not be allowed to harm national interests of the country

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's National Security Committee (NSC) vowed on Friday to respond to militants challenging the writ of the state with "full force," describing them as the "enemies of Pakistan." 

The decision was made at a meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of the country's top body on foreign policy and national security to formulate a strategy to deal with a spike in militant attacks. 

The South Asian country has witnessed a sharp increase in militant attacks in 2022 after outlawed militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban, ramped up attacks in remote parts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. 

“The meeting expressed determination that terrorists are enemies of Pakistan,” a statement issued by PM Sharif's office said after the meeting, which had top civilian and military leaders, including services chiefs and heads of intelligence agencies, in presence. 

“The entire nation is united on one narrative against terrorism and terrorists. Those who challenge Pakistan will get a full force response.” 

 

 

During the meeting, intelligence chiefs briefed the participants about law and order, recent wave of militant attacks and ways to deal with it.  

“The meeting expressed an unequivocal opinion that Pakistan’s national interests shall not be compromised and no one shall be allowed to harm the country’s national security,” the statement read. 

Pakistan’s basic interests of survival, security and development would be protected with “great courage, consistency, and steadfastness,” the NSC resolved. 

The participants paid tribute to the sacrifices of the security personnel killed in militant attacks and extended condolences to their families.  

Pakistan's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar briefed the meeting on the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s relationship with the interim government in Kabul, while Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar briefed the forum on the overall economic situation, challenges and the measures taken so far to fix it.  

The NSC will again meet on January 2 to take more decisions in light of various proposals presented at Friday's meeting. 


Pakistan’s top court adjourns Zahir Jaffer’s appeal in Noor Mukadam murder case until May 19

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Pakistan’s top court adjourns Zahir Jaffer’s appeal in Noor Mukadam murder case until May 19

  • Jaffer, a Pakistani-American, was sentenced to death in 2022 for killing and beheading Mukadam
  • He filed an appeal in the Supreme Court in April 2023, seeking to overturn the punishment

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of an appeal filed by Zahir Zakir Jaffer, a Pakistani-American convicted of murdering the daughter of a former diplomat, until May 19, according to local media reports.

Jaffer was sentenced to death in 2022 for the brutal killing of 27-year-old Noor Mukadam, whose beheaded body was found in July 2021 at a residence in Islamabad’s upscale F-7/4 sector.

The case sparked nationwide outrage and became one of Pakistan’s most widely followed trials involving violence against women.

Last year, the Islamabad High Court upheld Jaffer’s death sentence, originally handed down by a sessions court. Subsequently, he filed an appeal in the Supreme Court in April 2023, seeking to overturn the punishment.

“The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of Zahir Jaffer’s appeal against his death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case until 19 May, following consensus from both parties,” Geo News reported.

Earlier in the day, a three-member bench led by Justice Hashim Kakar heard the case, alongside Justices Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Ali Baqar Najafi. Both defense lawyer Salman Safdar and prosecution counsel Shah Khawar appeared before the court.

The defense requested more time to file additional documentation. Justice Kakar reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the delay, while Justice Najafi advised the prosecution to formally respond only after the defense had submitted the application.

The appeal hearing was preceded by a social media post from Justice for Noor, an advocacy page on Instagram run by Mukadam’s friends.

The post maintained that the defense had attempted to delay court hearings in the past, though it also expressed faith in the country’s judicial system.

“Stand with us,” it urged its followers. “Stand for justice.”

The court adjourned the hearing until May 19, instructing both sides to come fully prepared.


Kohli, Rohit Test exits leave India facing uncertain new era

Updated 16 min 48 sec ago
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Kohli, Rohit Test exits leave India facing uncertain new era

  • Batting great Kohli and captain Rohit both retired from Tests in the past week
  • Shubman Gill has been left as front-runner to lead a new-look India in England

NEW DEHLI, INDIA: Indian cricket will enter an uncertain new era next week when selectors name a Test squad without all-time greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the first time in more than a decade.

Batting great Kohli and captain Rohit both retired from Tests in the past week, leaving Shubman Gill as the front-runner to lead a new-look India in England.

The retirement last year of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin leaves India without the backbone of the side that was formerly number one in the world Test rankings.

Top-order batsman Gill is favorite to be given the task of starting India’s rebuild with the five-Test England series, which begins on June 20 at Headingley.

“Gill looks like the heir apparent but his record overseas hasn’t looked too great,” veteran cricket journalist Ayaz Memon told AFP.

The 25-year-old Gill has scored 1,893 runs at an average of 35.05 in 32 Tests since his debut in 2020, with five hundreds.

But in 13 Tests away from home his average is only 29.50.

Gill is likely to move up the order to open alongside the 23-year-old Yashasvi Jaiswal, with big-hitting Shreyas Iyer in the frame to replace Kohli at the fall of the second wicket.

Others who could be charged with the almost impossible task of following in all-time great Kohli’s footsteps are Sarfaraz Khan, Rajat Patidar and Dhruv Jurel.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has also been mentioned as a future captain, but his current poor form and less-than-inspiring leadership of Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL are counting against his immediate elevation.

Leading pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah was Rohit’s deputy in Australia and led the team in two Tests, winning one, and was seen as another candidate for captain.

But Bumrah has only recently returned to action after suffering a back injury during the final Test at Sydney in January.

The five Tests in England are crammed into six weeks, meaning India will need to manage the workload of their pace attack by resting bowlers for one or more matches, effectively ruling Bumrah out of the captaincy debate.

Memon, who called Kohli’s retirement “a big moment in Indian cricket,” said there was enough strength in depth to fill the void left by Kohli, opener Rohit and Ashwin.

“There are senior pros like (Mohammed) Shami, if he is in form and selected, and (Ravindra) Jadeja,” said Memon.

“The new crop of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, maybe Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj look good.

“They could be looking for a young spinner, maybe Washington Sundar because Ashwin is not there.”

Off-spinner Ashwin called an abrupt halt to his international career after playing the second Test in Adelaide last year.

He ended his career with 537 wickets in 106 matches, eighth on the all-time list and behind only Anil Kumble for India, who had 619 dismissals.

India’s 1983 World Cup-winning all-rounder Sandeep Patil believes the new-look India could come out stronger after a period of transition.

“The two stalwarts, the two pillars of Indian cricket, have gone,” Patil, who was chief selector when Kohli became captain in 2015, told The Times of India.

“It is time to rebuild. It will be a challenge for the national selectors, but I am sure we will find a solution.

“If one player exits, the next one is ready.”


Pakistan says has introduced ‘historic’ new facilities for Hajj pilgrims

Updated 43 min 1 sec ago
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Pakistan says has introduced ‘historic’ new facilities for Hajj pilgrims

  • For the first time, Hajj pilgrims will have access to fully air-conditioned camps in Mina
  • New facilities part of effort to ensure smoother, more comfortable Hajj experience

ISLAMABAD: Director Hajj in Makkah, Azizullah Khan, said on Tuesday Pakistani pilgrims will this year enjoy “historic facilities” in Mashair, sacred sites used during the Hajj pilgrimage, including fully air-conditioned camps in Mina with sofa-cum-beds, and improved accommodation in Makkah.

Over the last few years, Saudi Arabia has launched mobile apps like Nusuk, Hajj Navigator, Tawakkalna and Asefny to streamline services, with the aim to make the Hajj experience smoother by offering real-time guidance and ensuring pilgrim safety.

For the first time, Pakistani Hajj pilgrims will have access to fully air-conditioned camps in Mina and be accommodated in top-of-the-line hotels and buildings in the Azizia and Batha Quraish neighborhoods.

Pilgrims will receive a specially designed bag containing the Pakistani flag, a QR code for identification, and relevant information. A mobile app will provide access to Hajj group information, training schedules, flight details, accommodation details, and live maps and locations during the pilgrimage.

“For the first time in history, Hujjaj will have sofa-cum-beds instead of mattresses while tents are upgraded with gypsum board walls and air coolers have been replaced with air conditioners,” Khan told Radio Pakistan, adding that elevated luggage storage racks had also been introduced to enhance comfort.

“Dedicated sections are overseeing food, health and transport related arrangements round the clock for maximum facilitation of the pilgrims,” he said, adding that 99 percent of pilgrims who had arrived in Saudi Arabia had received Nusuk cards.

The cards are an essential Hajj permit, not just an ID, for pilgrims traveling to Makkah and the holy sites. It facilitates movement and ensures the well-being of Hajj pilgrims by managing logistics and administration. The card also allows pilgrims to access information about their Hajj mission, schedules, and allows for communication with their mission. Additionally, it enables receiving alerts, evaluating services, and filing observations.

Compulsory Hajj training has been made available for all pilgrims in Pakistan, starting from Jan. 18, 2025, with details accessible through the “Pak Hajj 2025 Mobile App.” 

For the government Hajj scheme, the option of three easy installments has been introduced for the first time. 

All Hajj-related financial transactions have also been digitized, ensuring transparency and accountability. 

Pakistan’s Hajj medical mission includes a hospital each in Makkah and Madinah, along with two dispensaries in Madinah and nine in Makkah, all fully functional. 

A Monitoring Cell has been established to address potential issues faced by private pilgrims and provide support to them. Various specialized units, including a Wheelchair Desk, have been set up to cater to the needs of different groups of pilgrims. 


Pakistan PM prioritizes tax net expansion, vows crackdown on evaders

Updated 13 May 2025
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Pakistan PM prioritizes tax net expansion, vows crackdown on evaders

  • Tax reform has been a central condition of Pakistan’s ongoing $7 billion IMF loan program
  • Pakistan expects its tax-to-GDP ratio to reach 10.6% by the end of the current fiscal years

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday declared the expansion of Pakistan’s tax base as his administration’s foremost priority, emphasizing the need to take decisive action against tax evaders and the officials who enable them.

Sharif’s remarks came during a high-level meeting in Islamabad focused on enhancing tax collection and broadening the tax net, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Tax reform has been a central condition of Pakistan’s ongoing $7 billion loan program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has asked Islamabad to boost revenue collection.

“Expanding the tax net is the government’s top priority,” Sharif said. “We want to reduce the tax rate to ease the burden on the common man.”

“Individuals and sectors capable of paying taxes but currently outside the tax net must be brought within it,” he added. “Comprehensive action should be taken against tax evaders, and strict accountability must be ensured for officials and personnel who assist them.”

The government has implemented several measures to strengthen the tax collection mechanism, including the digitization of tax monitoring systems and the deployment of track-and-trace technology in key industries.

According to the PM Office, the introduction of these systems in cement plants nationwide has led to significant increases in tax revenue, while the sugar sector saw a 35% rise in tax receipts between November 2024 and April 2025.

Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio, historically among the lowest in the region, stood at 8.8% in the 2023-24 fiscal year.

However, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb projected it would reach 10.6% by June 2025, marking progress toward the government’s target of 13% by the conclusion of the IMF’s 37-month Extended Fund Facility.

The meeting tax collection, attended by key cabinet members and senior officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), also addressed the need for timely resolution of pending tax litigation and the completion of digital monitoring systems in sectors such as cement and tobacco by June.

“By the grace of God, the national economy is stabilizing and progressing,” Sharif said. “Everyone must fulfill their responsibilities for the country’s development.”


‘Can’t believe he’s gone’: Azad Kashmir family mourns newlywed killed by cross-border shelling

Updated 3 min 37 sec ago
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‘Can’t believe he’s gone’: Azad Kashmir family mourns newlywed killed by cross-border shelling

  • Usama Ishrat, 22, was killed in district Bagh due to cross-border attacks less than two weeks after getting married
  • Border residents of Kashmir region bear the brunt of heavy gunfire whenever India-Pakistan tensions escalate 

BAGH, AZAD KASHMIR: The walls of late Usama Ishrat’s modest two-room house in Azad Kashmir are pocked with gaping mortar holes, impossible to miss for anyone visiting the family. Shards of glass still cling to a nearby window, a stark reminder of the devastation unleashed by Indian shelling last week.

Residents living near the border in the disputed Kashmir region — administered in parts by bitter rivals India and Pakistan — have long borne the brunt of cross-border fire whenever tensions escalate.

The latest flare-up, from Wednesday to Saturday, saw both sides trade drones, missiles, fighter jets and artillery fire. In just four days, May 8 to 11, at least 31 people were killed and 123 injured across various districts of Azad Kashmir, according to official figures.

Among the dead was 22-year-old Usama Ishrat, a cashier at a local store in Bagh district. The eldest of six siblings, Ishrat had been married only days earlier, on April 26 — less than two weeks before his life was cut short by shelling on Friday.

“I married him off with great joy,” a grief-stricken Shakeela Khanum, Ishrat’s mother, told Arab News. “He was married for just 13 days. With henna still on, the bride and groom got separated like this.”

Usama Ishrat’s mother Shakeela Khanum, speaks during an interview with Arab News outside his home in a border town of Bagh district, in Pakistan’s Azad Kashmir region, on May 10, 2025. (AN Photo) 

Ishrat Mehmood, the father, recalled that the attack took place at dawn on Friday, while he was standing outside his house. As mortar shells rained down, he fell and blacked out. He regained consciousness when his daughter collapsed beside him, and rushed her inside, only to find that his other two daughters had also been wounded.

That’s when he heard his daughter-in-law’s screams.

“I thought, ‘Maybe she got hit too.’ When I went there, I saw my son was drenched in blood,” he added.

Mehmood said his wounded son, bleeding from a large head injury, appeared to look at them once before passing away.

“A little bit of his brain had come out from here,” Mehmood said, gesturing toward his head. “He was martyred right there on the spot.”

Ehsam, Ishrat’s 12-year-old brother, picked up the pillow where Usama drew his final breath. His hand was immediately stained with dried blood. The pillow and its cover had already been separated. When the cover was unfolded, parts of what still appeared to carry the remnants of Ishrat’s brain matter could be seen.

“My brother’s brain…parts of it are still on this,” Ehsam said.

Top view of the house of Usama Ishrat killed during cross-border escalation in a border town of Bagh district, in Pakistan’s Azad Kashmir region, on May 10, 2025. (AN Photo)

From the next room, Ishrat’s wife could be heard sobbing. Her family had arrived to take her back as she prepared for “iddah,” the mourning period women in Islam are required to observe following the husband’s death or in the event of a divorce.

The attack had also wounded Khanum, who said a splinter had injured her leg.

“Don’t know, a fragment or something is still inside,” she said. “Today, I am feeling it is still inside. I didn’t even try to get it out.”

Two of her daughters are being treated at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.

The world breathed a sigh of relief when US President Donald Trump announced Washington had brokered a ceasefire between the two hostile neighbors on Saturday. After initial accusations of violations by both sides, the ceasefire continues to hold.

But for Ishrat’s family, the damage has been done.

Ajmal Zulfiqar (right) stands at the grave of his deceased cousin Usama Ishrat, killed during cross-border escalation in a border town of Bagh district, in Pakistan’s Azad Kashmir region, on May 10, 2025. (AN Photo)

“I want to say this to the whole world that they agreed to a ceasefire between themselves,” Ajmal Zulfiqar, his cousin, told Arab News. “But our beloved is gone. He is not going to come back.”