ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province is making arrangements to facilitate people in safely traveling to a remote district where sectarian violence has killed more than 130 people in recent weeks, a government spokesperson said on Friday.
Kurram, a northwestern district of around 600,000 people in KP, has been rocked by tribal and sectarian clashes since Nov. 21 when gunmen attacked a convoy of Shia passengers, killing 52.
The attack sparked further violence and road closures in the district and its capital Parachinar, restricting access to medicine, food and fuel in the area as casualties surged to 136.
A grand jirga, or council of political and tribal elders formed by the KP government, on Wednesday brokered a peace agreement between the warring Shia and Sunni tribes after weeks of efforts.
“Travel and security arrangements are being made for the convoy [of passengers] leaving on Saturday,” Muhammad Ali Saif, who speaks for the KP government, said in a statement.
The clashes had resulted in the closure of the only road connecting Parachinar with the provincial capital of Peshawar. Local media reported that the convoy would leave on Saturday amid stringent security by police and Frontier Constabulary (FC).
Under the peace agreement, both sides have agreed on the demolition of bunkers and the handover of heavy weapons to the authorities.
“Both sides will give a coordinated plan of action within 15 days for the collection of weapons,” Saif said. “The bunkers already existing in the area will be dismantled within a month.”
After the demolition of bunkers, according to the official, any party that launches an attack will be considered a “terrorist” and action will be taken against it.
Another point of the peace agreement said that a fine of Rs10 million ($35,933) would be imposed on those who violate the terms of the deal by using weapons against each other. It said that families who had been displaced due to the clashes in recent weeks would be rehabilitated.
Land disputes in the volatile district would be settled on a priority basis with the cooperation of local tribes and the district administration, according to the peace agreement. Opening of banned outfits’ offices would be prohibited in the district, while social media accounts spreading hate would be discouraged via collective efforts backed by the government.
Pakistan province makes arrangements for safe travel to violence-hit Kurram district
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Pakistan province makes arrangements for safe travel to violence-hit Kurram district
- More than 130 people have died in the remote district since Nov. 21 in clashes over land, sectarian disputes
- On Wednesday, a council of tribal elders brokered a peace deal between warring tribes after weeks of efforts
Pakistan condemns Israeli attack on Baptist Hospital in Gaza
- Israeli military says took steps to reduce harm to civilians before it struck compound, saying it was used by Hamas to plan attacks
- Health officials at hospital evacuated patients after call from someone who identified himself as Israeli security shortly before attack
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday condemned the bombing of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza by Israeli forces on Palm Sunday, calling it part of a pattern of targeting medical facilities, which constituted a “flagrant violation” of international humanitarian law.
The Israeli military said in a statement it had taken steps to reduce harm to civilians before it struck the compound, which it said was being used by Hamas fighters to plan attacks. Hamas rejected the accusation and called for an international investigation. Health officials at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital evacuated patients after a phone call from someone who identified himself as Israeli security shortly before the attack.
The hospital - an institution run by the Anglican Church in Jerusalem - was no longer operational, according to Gaza's health ministry. No casualties were reported in the strike.
“That it occurred on Palm Sunday, a sacred occasion for Christians, underscores Israel’s blatant disregard for religious sanctity and civilian lives,” the Pakistani foreign office said.
“Israel’s relentless assaults have crippled Gaza’s healthcare system, depriving critically ill patients of vital medical care. Coupled with the blockade on humanitarian aid, these actions reflect a deliberate strategy to prolong suffering and entrench conflict.”
Pakistan demanded an immediate end to Israel’s “ongoing atrocities,” saying they had resulted in the indiscriminate killing of innocent and unarmed Palestinians, including women and children, and the “systematic destruction” of civilian infrastructure.
“Pakistan calls for an immediate halt to the hostilities by Israeli occupying forces and reiterates its support for the two-State solution, with a viable, independent and sovereign State of Palestine on pre-June 1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital,” the statement added.
“Pakistan urges the international community to take decisive action to hold Israel accountable and protect Palestinian civilians from further violence.”
Sunday's strikes came as Hamas leaders began a fresh round of talks in Cairo in a bid to salvage a stalled ceasefire agreement with Israel, as Egypt, Qatar, and the United States attempted to bridge gaps between the sides.
Media footage widely showed significant destruction in and outside the hospital compound's church, and patients who could not leave.
The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem said the warning to evacuate the hospital came 20 minutes before the strike that destroyed the two-storey genetic laboratory, and damaged the pharmacy and emergency department buildings and other surrounding structures.
"We call upon all governments and people of goodwill to intervene to stop all kinds of attacks on medical and humanitarian institutions," the church said in a statement.
The Palestinian foreign ministry and Hamas condemned the attack, saying Israel was destroying Gaza's healthcare system. Israel says Hamas systematically exploits civilian structures, including hospitals, which the group denies. Israeli forces have carried out numerous raids on medical facilities in Gaza.
With inputs from Reuters
Police register case after dozen suspects attack KFC in Rawalpindi over Gaza war
- Last week, KFC and Domino’s Pizza outlets were attacked in cities of Karachi and Lahore also
- Police have described the assaults as being motivated by anger over Israel’s latest war in Gaza
ISLAMABAD: Police said on Tuesday a case for “rioting and abusive behavior” had been filed after around a dozen people attacked a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant with sticks, abusing staff and customers while referring to the war in Gaza.
Last week, KFC and Domino’s Pizza outlets were attacked in the cities of Karachi and Lahore also, causing some damage but no injuries, with police describing the assaults as being motivated by anger over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Boycott campaigns have hit Western brands in many Muslim countries since the start of the war in October 2023, spearheaded by the BDS Movement, a global, Palestinian-led campaign advocating for non-violent pressure on Israel to respect Palestinian rights under international law. The movement calls for the boycott of certain companies and organizations that it says have invested in Israel or donate to its military and are directly profiting from its economy.
While not officially on the BDS boycott list, KFC has faced backlash from pro-Palestinian advocates in many countries who believe the brand’s operations in Israel contribute to the conflict, but the company maintains it is non-political and denies supporting the Israeli military or government.
“A case of rioting and abusive behavior at a branch of a fast-food chain in the Cantt area has been registered,” Rawalpindi police said in a statement.
“The case was filed under the complaint of the branch manager at the Cantt police station. The involved suspects have been identified after the case was registered.”
The statement said 10-12 individuals armed with sticks entered the branch and started using abusive language toward staff members and customers.
In videos of the episode widely shared on social media, the ransackers can be heard referring to the killings of “innocent women and children” in Gaza as they beat the main counter of the fast-food chain as well as chairs and tables with sticks and shout at people to leave.
“The suspects will be arrested and brought to justice. Police personnel have been deployed at branches of international food chains,” the police statement added.
“Lawlessness, rioting, and misconduct with citizens will not be tolerated under any circumstances. A clear message has been sent that anyone violating the law and engaging in rioting will be dealt with firmly.”
The previous attacks in Karachi and Lahore were widely blamed on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) religious-political party, known to lead violent protests in the country, most prominently in support of blasphemy laws and to call on the government to cut diplomatic ties with Western nations where Qur’an desecrations have taken place and caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) made.
However, TLP spokesperson Rehan Mohsin Khan distanced the party from the attacks and told Arab News last week that while TLP’s stance on the Palestine issue was “clear,” violent protests were “not part of our policy.”
“If one or two members of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan were present among the protesters out of their love for Gaza, it does not mean that it was the policy of the party or we support violence,” he said.
“We are in favor of peaceful protests, and we are trying to pressure the Pakistani government to officially boycott all these products.”
High-level IFC delegation in Pakistan to identify ‘viable opportunities’ for investment
- Investment in infrastructure, energy, transport, public finance, and privatization top discussions
- PM Sharif has vowed to reduce dependence on foreign loans and seek more direct investment
KARACHI: Top officials from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) are visiting Pakistan this week to explore the market and engage with key government stakeholders on identifying “viable opportunities” for investment,” the finance ministry said in a statement.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government has vowed to reduce dependence on foreign loans in the coming years and seek more direct investment.
The country in 2023 nearly defaulted on the payment of its foreign debts until it was rescued by a last-gasp $3 billion bailout loan from the IMF. Last year, Islamabad secured a new $7 billion loan deal from the international lender.
Since then, the country’s economy has started improving, with inflation dropping to 0.7 percent year-on-year in March 2025, the lowest in sixty years and a sharp contrast to the 38 percent peak experienced in May 2023. Aggressive interest rate cuts by Pakistan’s central bank, removal of energy subsidies in line with fiscal reform, increased inflows through remittances and exports and stabilization efforts under Pakistan’s economic framework supported by global partners have all come together to support the stabilization efforts.
At Monday’s meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Linda Rudo Munyengeterwa, IFC Global Director for Public Private Privatization & Corporate Finance, reiterated the international financial institution’s commitment to “supporting the country’s macroeconomic reform, investment, and privatization initiatives.”
“The delegation conveyed that they had come to Pakistan with an open mind, intending to explore the market and engage with key government stakeholders to identify potential areas for investment,” the finance ministry said in a statement.
“IFC’s extensive global experience across various sectors, including infrastructure, energy, transport, public finance, and privatization, was highlighted as a valuable asset that could be leveraged to support Pakistan’s development agenda.”
The delegation emphasized their readiness to partner with Pakistan in “exploring viable opportunities for collaboration and investment,” the statement added.
Recognizing the fiscal challenges in managing public finances and meeting the country’s expanding development needs, Aurangzeb stressed the importance of utilizing the expertise and financial resources of international institutions like the IFC through public-private partnerships.
“He affirmed that such collaborations could facilitate the implementation of essential reforms and enhance efforts to develop efficient energy, transport, and infrastructure systems in response to the demands of a growing population,” the statement added.
The IFC delegation also called on Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari in Islamabad on Monday and discussed “promoting private investment in the energy sector through Public Private Partnership models,” Radio Pakistan reported.
Leghari appreciated the role of the IFC in introducing modern technology for investment in the energy sector.
“Demand and pricing are our major problems, and we are thankful for IFC’s guidance for sustainable solutions,” Radio Pakistan reported the minister as telling the IFC delegation.
“Appreciating the IFC’s technical expertise and global experience, the Minister said the government is committed to provide a conducive environment to investors.”
The report said the IFC expressed its willingness to support the power ministry’s digital meterization policy and offered to assist in policy formulation and reforms.
The delegation presented examples of successful models in Brazil, Peru, Colombia and India where increased investment, integration of renewable energy and open access had been promoted.
“It is important for Pakistan to learn from international experiences for the right strategy,” the report said. “The meeting agreed that cooperation will be further promoted in the future and joint efforts will be implemented in various energy projects.”
Gulf nations among 20 in Pakistan for army ‘team spirit’ exercise
- Director General Military Training opened 60-hours long patrolling exercise on Monday
- Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Belarus, Egypt, China, Turkiye, US attending exercise
ISLAMABAD: The 8th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit Exercise 2025 kicked off at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi this week, Radio Pakistan reported, with participation by 20 countries.
Director General Military Training opened the 60-hours long ‘patrolling exercise’ on Monday, aiming to enhance military-to-military cooperation.
A total of 20 friendly countries and military observers are participating in the exercise, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Belarus, China, US, Egypt, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Germany, Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, South Africa and Thailand.
“Pakistan Army Team Spirit is a mission-specific and task-oriented professional military exercise organized annually in Pakistan,” Radio Pakistan said.
“The exercise calls for highest standard of physical fitness, mental agility, robustness and professional military expertise for quick decision making in varied situations during conduct of challenging missions in a near real environment.”
The exercise is meant to help hone “basic soldierly attributes and interoperability through the sharing of innovative ideas and mutual best practices.”
US weapons abandoned in Afghanistan were used in Pakistan train hijacking last month — report
- Militants held hundreds of passengers hostage in southwestern Pakistan last month, killing 31 soldiers, staff and civilians
- Pakistan has voiced its concerns over presence of advanced US weapons in Afghanistan, which Washington wants returned
ISLAMABAD: Militants used weapons abandoned by US forces in Afghanistan during a deadly train hijacking last month in southwestern Pakistan, a report by international newspaper “The Washington Post” said on Monday.
Pakistan has voiced its concerns over the presence of advanced US weapons in Afghanistan which Washington has sought to be returned by Kabul’s Afghan Taliban rulers. Islamabad has urged the United Nations to recover these weapons, warning that militant groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) were gaining access to them.
BLA militants stormed the Jaffar Express train in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province last month, holding hundreds of passengers hostage. The military said it killed 33 militants in a rescue operation that lasted over 24 hours. It said the hijacking killed 31 soldiers, staff and civilians.
As per the report, Pakistani officials gave The Post access to dozens of weapons in May that they said were seized from captured or killed militants. After months of inquiries, The Post said the US Army and the Pentagon confirmed that 63 weapons shown to reporters had been provided by the US government to Afghan forces.
“After the March 11 train attack by Baloch militants, which claimed at least 26 lives, Pakistani officials provided serial numbers for three US rifles allegedly used by the attackers,” the report said. “At least two came from US stocks and had been provided to Afghan forces, according to records obtained by The Post through the Freedom of Information Act.”
Of the 63 weapons shown by Pakistani officials, the post said most were M16 rifles, alongside several, more-modern M4 carbine models. It said Pakistani officials also displayed a handful of PVS14 night-vision devices, which are used throughout the American armed forces but could not be independently verified as former US government property.
It said these weapons left behind by American forces found themselves in the hands of militants after being traded along Pakistan’s porous border with Afghanistan at illicit weapons bazaars.
The Post cited a 2023 report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, which estimated in 2023 that when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, over $7 billion in American military equipment was still in the country.
The report said SIGAR concluded the US military had an uneven record of keeping track of weapons provided to the Afghans, which was exacerbated by its “abrupt and uncoordinated” withdrawal in 2021.
The report said SIGAR estimated more than a quarter-million rifles were left behind by US forces during their withdrawal from Afghanistan, enough to arm the entire US Marine Corps as well as nearly 18,000 night-vision goggles.
“Just after the Taliban takeover, the latest night-vision devices were sold at a scrap rate,” Raz Muhammad, a Pakistani weapons trader, was quoted by The Post.
The report quoted a Pakistan Army major, Zaheer Hassan, as saying that insurgents have paired night vision and thermal equipment with small drones to attack troops with more precision.
“The battle has become much more dangerous,” Hassan said, according to The Post.
Pakistan’s foreign office said this month that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio agreed during a telephonic conversation with Pakistan’s deputy prime minister on the need to resolve the issue of US Military equipment left behind in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has struggled to contain surging militancy in its western regions that border Afghanistan in recent years, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of sheltering and supporting militant groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny involvement and insist that Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.
