


US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth last week sparked controversy among America's European allies by suggesting they had not pulled their weight during the two-decade war in Afghanistan. He repeated a joke he had made previously about the International Security Assistance Force, suggesting that the acronym ISAF stood for “I Saw Americans Fighting.” His remarks drew criticism from many European leaders, who pointed out the sacrifices made by their armed forces in Afghanistan. More than 1,100 non

• At annual counterterrorism dialogue, bloc slams recent attacks in Pakistan • Talks cover online extremism, terror financing • Both sides agree to boost cooperation at multilateral forums • FO cites exploitation of water resources by states, terrorists ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the European Union on Thursday expressed shared concern over the security threat emanating from Afghanistan at their annual counterterrorism dialogue. “Pakistan and the EU expressed concern at the security implications of

Violence is on the rise in Iran's border region with Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Iran war could shift the strategic balance for militant groups operating in the area.

Pakistan and the European Union (EU) have agreed to strengthen cooperation at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, to advance a coherent counterterrorism approach, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday. The agreement was reached during the 10th round of the Pakistan-EU Bilateral Counterterrorism Dialogue, held in Islamabad. The Pakistani delegation was led by Dr Fareha Bugti, director general (counterterrorism), while the EU side was headed by Anna

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday vowed that the federal government, which now runs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under governor’s rule, would make every effort possible to “bring back” progress to the province. He made the remarks while chairing a meeting of the provincial apex committee in Peshawar, where he arrived earlier in the day on his first visit to the province since the imposition of governor’s rule and the declaration of an emergency on Oct 11. The meeting, attended by Chief of Defence

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday vowed that the federal government, which now runs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under governor’s rule, would make every effort possible to “bring back” progress to the province. He made the remarks while chairing a meeting of the provincial apex committee in Peshawar, where he arrived earlier in the day on his first visit to the province since the imposition of governor’s rule and the declaration of an emergency on Oct 11. The meeting, attended by Chief of Defence

Iranian press review: Red carpet in Tehran for hijab-wearing students in Baku MEE correspondent on Thu, 10/22/2026 - 10:22 Meanwhile, UAE’s role in Netanyahu’s proposed alliance sparks backlash, rising armed attacks in Sistan and Baluchestan, and confusion over a land deal with Afghanistan fuels sovereignty fears Women walk past a mural depicting children as future scientists in Tehran on 3 February 2026 (AFP) Off Pro-establishment voices condemn hijab restrictions in Azerbaijan Conservative

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is addressing a meeting of the provincial apex committee to review the overall security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The premier arrived in Peshawar earlier in the day on his first visit to the province since the imposition of governor’s rule and the declaration of an emergency on Oct 11. Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, along with federal ministers and newly appointed provincial adviser

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is chairing a meeting of the apex committee to review the overall security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, state media reported on Thursday. The premier reached Peshawar earlier in the day in his first visit to the province since governor’s rule and emergency on October 11, according to sources in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The Centre imposed emergency and governor’s rule in KP on October 11, citing the PTI-led provincial government’s “deliberate disengagem

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached Peshawar on Thursday on his first visit to the province since governor’s rule and emergency were imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11, according to sources in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). PM Shehbaz is expected to chair the apex committee on terrorism during his visit, PMO sources said. The Centre imposed emergency and governor’s rule in KP on Oct 11, citing the PTI-led provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against te

The two sides turn to proxy groups after eight months of a conflict that has taken a heavy toll on civilians.

Russia’s FSB has detained a German national accused of serving as a mercenary for Ukraine. The individual, who has prior military experience in Afghanistan and Syria, reportedly joined the Ukrainian forces last November.

Pakistan has developed somewhat of a gluttony for all-rounders. And it makes sense. As cricket has evolved, we have increasingly been assessing players and performances based on utility, impact and numbers, instead of drawing decontextualised conclusions based on skill alone. It is important to be good, yes, as it always has been. But now, being good simply isn’t enough – the real question is: you may be good, but are you also useful? Of course, it all sounds a bit pedantic when you put it this

The road has been officially inaugurated, but China and the Taliban have very different views of its function.

The number of people facing acute food insecurity in Afghanistan is set to rise above 19 million this winter, the United Nations warned on Tuesday. The food crisis gripping Afghanistan is projected to affect millions of young children in 2027, the United Nations’ humanitarian agency OCHA said. More than four million babies and children under six will need treatment for acute malnutrition next year, it warned. Between September and October, 15.9 million people – or nearly one in three Afghans –..

Adviser to the National Command Authority (NCA) and former director general of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) retired Lieutenant General Mazhar Jamil has warned of the “risky” outcome for South Asia and beyond of a “dangerous ideology” shaping the Indian military mindset. “Indian military thinking is being shaped by a dangerous ideology, which conflates mythology with national power. The outcome is very risky and delusional Indian military doctrines with a poor strategic sense of nuclear rea

The number of people facing acute food insecurity in Afghanistan is set to rise above 19 million during the forthcoming winter season, the United Nations warned on Tuesday. The food crisis gripping Afghanistan is projected to affect millions of young children in 2027, the United Nations' humanitarian agency OCHA said. More than four million babies and children under six will need treatment for acute malnutrition next year, it warned.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday encouraged members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to use national currencies for “mutual settlement” and establish other financial mechanisms to “offset international financial shocks”. He made the remarks while addressing the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe, where he arrived a day earlier. The CHG is the SCO’s second-highest decision-making body and provides guidance

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said the federal government was ready to invite all political parties and build consensus on counterterrorism. Speaking in the Senate, the PML-N leader also urged the opposition to “set other demands aside”. The PM’s aide’s remarks come after the Centre imposed emergency and governor’s rule in KP on October 11, citing the PTI-led provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. The de

CNN’s chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour will leave next year, after 43 years with the network, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Monday. The news channel has recently come under the ownership of Skydance, whose Chief Executive Officer David Ellison has faced criticism over his stewardship of CBS News. “After thinking carefully for several months … I’ve decided to separate from CNN, my partner of 43 fantastic years,” Amanpour said in a video statement, joking that it

Downing Street emphasises sacrifices of UK troops and reasserts ‘unwavering’ support for Ukraine amid softening US policy towards Russia UK politics live – latest updates Downing Street has criticised Pete Hegseth for downplaying the role of Nato allies in helping the US with combat operations in Afghanistan, saying Donald Trump’s defence secretary had been wrong to do so. The direct condemnation came as No 10 more carefully distanced itself from Trump’s increasing willingness to engage with R

Prime minister’s comments come as children’s commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza highlights ‘staggering’ inequalities in young people’s treatment across UK Cooper also claimed the Liberal Democrats were “winning the battle of ideas”. She explained: We are winning, leading and winning the battle of ideas in parliament. We’re the party that has been talking about electoral reform. We’re the party talking about a closer relationship with Europe. We’re the party that has been talking about fixing soci

Europe's increasingly pragmatic engagement with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers is exposing a fundamental contradiction between diplomatic non-recognition and political necessity. In an investigation for The New York Times, Pakistan and Afghanistan bureau chief Elian Peltier reveals how European governments are quietly expanding negotiations with the Taliban over migrant deportations, diplomatic representation and economic assistance. “Even though on paper European governments do not recognise the

Europe's increasingly pragmatic engagement with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers is exposing a fundamental contradiction between diplomatic non-recognition and political necessity. In an investigation for The New York Times, Pakistan and Afghanistan bureau chief Elian Peltier reveals how European governments are quietly expanding negotiations with the Taliban over migrant deportations, diplomatic representation and economic assistance. “Even though on paper European governments do not recognise the

An army major was martyred and four terrorists were killed during intelligence-based operations in Balochistan, the military’s media wing said on Monday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that security forces conducted a series of operations in areas of Shadi Kaur and Pasni in Gwadar, and Jattakabad in Kalat district, on the reported presence of multiple hideouts of Fitna al Hindustan. The state has designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al Hindustan to highlig

Goods trucks remain parked at the Torkham border’s terminal since its closure amid tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.—Photo by the writer • From $1.3 billion in FY24-25, bilateral trade has fallen to a little over $350 million in FY25-26 • Traders call for balancing security and commerce needs PESHAWAR: The sprawling terminal at Torkham, built at the cost of several billion rupees, wears a deserted look as a protracted conflict continues to overshadow trade ties between Pakistan and Afg

Four terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Kalat district while a security personnel member was martyred in a targeted attack, the military’s media wing said on Monday. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that security forces are conducting a series of operations in areas of Shadi Kaur, Tehsil Pasni, District Gwadar, and Jattakabad, District Kalat, on the reported presence of multiple hideouts of Fitna al Hindustan. The state has de

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Sunday that if the opposition was willing to fight against terrorism and engage with the Centre on a plan, governor’s rule and emergency imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could end. He made these remarks while speaking to the media in Karachi, where he was visiting the Karsaz Monument on the 19th anniversary of the Karsaz bombing. His statement comes a week after the Centre imposed governor’s rule and emergency in KP, citing the provincial government’s

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Sunday that if the opposition was willing to fight against terrorism and “we agree on a plan”, governor’s rule and emergency imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could end. He made these remarks while speaking to the media in Karachi, where he was visiting the Karsaz Monument on the 19th anniversary of the Karsaz bombing. His statement comes a week after the Centre imposed governor’s rule and emergency in KP, citing the provincial government’s “deliberate

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Sunday that if the opposition was willing to fight against terrorism and “we agree on a plan”, governor’s rule and emergency imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could end. He made these remarks while speaking to the media in Karachi, where he was visiting the Karsaz Monument on the 19th anniversary of the Karsaz bombing. His statement comes a week after the Centre imposed governor’s rule and emergency in KP, citing the provincial government’s “deliberate

Security forces have killed eight “India-sponsored” terrorists during three intelligence-based operations conducted in the Quetta, Nushki and Khuzdar districts of Balochistan, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. The IBOs took place on Oct 17 (Saturday) on the “reported presence of terrorists belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Hindustan”, the military’s media affairs wing said in its press release. The state refers to designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al Hindustan to

The issues of Dawn of Aug 18 till Aug 24, 1947 were dominated by the announcement of the Radcliffe Commission award, setting the formal boundaries of the dominions of Pakistan and India, while communal violence, and efforts to quell it on both sides, also featured prominently on the pages. In more welcome news, the bureaucracy in the nascent state rolled up their sleeves to take up the task of nation-building — which remains a work in progress, mind you — while congratulations continued to pour

Last week, the government of Pakistan imposed emergency rule and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The Pashtun-majority province, which shares a long border with Afghanistan, has been deeply shaped by events across the frontier. KP’s instability escalated during the 1980s, when Gen Ziaul Haq’s dictatorship, backed by American and Saudi funding, transformed Pakistan into a launching pad for anti-Soviet Afghan Islamist insurgents. After the Soviet withdrawal in 1988, Pakistan aligned wit

THE civil-military relationship in Pakistan has never been ideal. Despite recent conciliatory efforts and the policy of accommodation adopted by the coalition government, concerns within security-focused circles persist about the handling of several government affairs. For now, though, there is little chance of an escalation in civil-military tensions involving the federal and provincial governments; the last hitch was the PTI government, which was ousted through governor’s rule and emergency. T

AS reports continue to do the rounds of possible Russian mediation to resolve the differences between Pakistan and Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, the Foreign Office has underscored that successful dialogue requires commitment from Kabul to end cross-border terrorism. This demand is neither new nor unreasonable; it highlights the point that talks and support for anti-Pakistan terrorist groups cannot go hand in hand. On Friday, the FO said that while it was not aware of any formal Russian mediation in

Security forces have responded to unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban forces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Kurram sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, state broadcaster PTV News reported on Saturday. PTV News and state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), which cited security sources, said the Afghan Taliban forces opened fire to “facilitate terrorists”. The army responded using heavy weapons, destroying several Afghan Taliban posts and forcing their personnel to flee from there, PTV

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday clarified that his party’s remarks regarding the country’s security situation were directed at policies, not institutions, and termed the allegations levelled against him by federal ministers as character assassination. A day earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, without naming anyone, had claimed that a “head of a party” was “extremely upset” about not being appointed the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The remarks cam

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday reiterated that the Centre was “compelled” to impose emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the provincial government’s lack of cooperation in countering terrorism. The Centre imposed emergency and governor’s rule in KP on Oct 11, citing the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. The decisions were also endorsed by the Parliament this week amid protests by the opposition. On Saturday, PM S

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday reiterated that the Centre was “compelled” to impose emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the provincial government’s lack of cooperation in countering terrorism. The Centre imposed emergency and governor’s rule in KP on Oct 11, citing the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. The decisions were also endorsed by the Parliament this week amid protests by the opposition. On Saturday, PM S

Shaheen Shah Afridi has been one of the casualties of Pakistan cricket’s brutal game of captaincy musical chairs. But at a stage in his career when he has much to prove, the left-arm pace spearhead has the One-day International (ODI) captaincy firmly in his grasp, with the 2027 World Cup looming on the horizon. Unlike in 2024, when he was removed as Pakistan’s T20 captain after just one series in charge, the country’s cricket board appears to have committed to giving Shaheen a longer run as lead

State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry on Saturday rebuked Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for reportedly seeking his “share” in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s governance following the imposition of governor’s rule and an emergency in the province. Addressing the media in Jaranwala, Chaudhry emphasised that the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule in KP was not a political move aimed at strengthening the PML-N’s presence in the province by dismissing the PTI-le

IN times like this, we need people who tell hard truths while insisting that the present state of our politics is not permanent. On the one hand, White House aide Stephen Miller says that “we live in a world that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power”, and on the other, philosopher Hannah Arendt says that “out of the barrel of a gun grows the most effective command, resulting in the most instant and perfect obedience. What never can grow out of it is power

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is among the 10 countries bearing the brunt of the global hunger crisis, with climate-related disasters, economic hardship, displacement and shrinking humanitarian funding pushing vulnerable communities deeper into food insecurity, according to a new report released by international humanitarian organisation Action Against Hunger. The report, Ten Largest Global Food Crises, released on Friday in connection with World Food Day, warns that an estimated 10.6 million people in Pa

• Demands verifiable mechanism to end terrorist attacks from Afghan soil • FO says no formal Russian mediation initiative currently under discussion • Warns India that any future aggression will be met with a stronger response ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday said that talks with Afghanistan could not be unconditional, while rejecting suggestions that Islamabad was unwilling to engage with its neighbour and saying it would welcome sincere efforts by friendly countries to help resolve the

Russia has close ties with the Taliban and is courting Islamabad, but analysts say its leverage remains uncertain.

Accused war criminal announces venture with video on Instagram of him walking along beach and working out Accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith has launched a brand, saying he needs the income to support his family and fund his legal expenses after being charged with murdering or ordering the murders of five unarmed detainees while deployed in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. Roberts-Smith launched the label with a video of him walking along a beach on the Gold Coast and working out on Insta

IRGC says forces ready while US in ‘shaky’ position Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Thursday its forces have established a "strong defensive front" and are prepared to confront threats across the country, including on land, at sea and in the air. Meanwhile, “the enemy is in a shaky position and makes new claims each time to cover up this situation,” Major-General Mostafa Izadi, deputy commander-in-chief of the IRGC was quoted as saying by Iran's Fars News Agency. Izadi a

Acute malnutrition and hunger in Afghanistan have reached the highest levels ever recorded, with 15.9 million people facing acute food insecurity and conditions set to worsen in the coming months, according to a global hunger monitor report released on Thursday. UN agency heads have called for emergency support to stem the crisis, as a separate report details serious human rights violations from public floggings to a new ban on demonstrations. Record acute malnutrition levels for the Aug-Oct per

US judge bars Trump from punishing rights groups for liaising with ICC MEE staff on Thu, 10/15/2026 - 15:47 Democracy for the Arab World Now, founded by the late Middle East Eye columnist Jamal Khashoggi, filed a lawsuit in July US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio participate in a Shield of the Americas event during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York City, on 22 September 2026 (Reuters/Kylie Cooper) Off A federal judge this week blocked the Trum