Pakistan top parliamentary panel on national security calls meeting amid surge in militant attacks 

Pakistan top parliamentary panel on national security calls meeting amid surge in militant attacks 
A general view of the Pakistan's Parliament House during the presidential election in Islamabad on March 9, 2024. (AFP/File)
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Updated 17 March 2025
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Pakistan top parliamentary panel on national security calls meeting amid surge in militant attacks 

Pakistan top parliamentary panel on national security calls meeting amid surge in militant attacks 
  • Separatist militants last week hijacked train with over 400 passengers in southwestern Balochistan province
  • Pakistan military to hold in-camera briefing of parliamentary committee on country’s prevalent security situation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has convened a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security tomorrow, Tuesday, the National Assembly spokesperson has said, to discuss the prevalent security situation in the country amid a surge in militant attacks. 

The development follows a sharp rise in militant attacks last week in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province. The most prominent of these attacks was led by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) outfit last Tuesday, whose fighters stormed the Jaffar Express train in a remote mountain pass in Balochistan after blowing up train tracks. The militants held over 400 passengers hostage in a day-long standoff before the military rescued them. Pakistan security forces killed 33 insurgents, rescued 354 hostages before bringing the siege to a close on Wednesday, according to army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry. A final count showed 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five passengers had died in the attack.

At least five people, including three paramilitary soldiers, were killed on Sunday in a suicide blast in Balochistan’s Nushki district, the military said. 

“Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has convened an in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,” the National Assembly spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday. 

The meeting will be held at the National Assembly Hall on Tuesday at 1:30 pm, the spokesperson said, adding that the military would brief the committee on the country’s prevalent security situation. 

“Parliamentary leaders of all political parties present in parliament and their nominated representatives will attend the meeting,” the spokesperson said. “Cabinet members will also attend the national security meeting.”

Pakistan’s western provinces bordering Afghanistan and Iran have witnessed a surge in attacks since November 2022, after a fragile truce between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant outfit and the state collapsed. The TTP has carried out some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistan’s security forces and civilians since 2007 in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. 

Pakistan accuses the government in Afghanistan of sheltering TTP militants, allegations which have strained ties between the two neighbors and prompted strong denials from the Afghan Taliban. 

In oil-and-mineral-rich Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and least populated province, ethnic Baloch separatists have long accused the central government of denying locals of a share in the province’s resources. Islamabad and Pakistan’s military strongly reject the allegations. 

The military has a huge presence in Balochistan and has long run intelligence-based operations against insurgent groups such as the BLA, who have escalated attacks in recent months on the military and nationals from longtime ally China, which is building key projects in the region, including a port at Gwadar.

More than 50 people, including security forces, were killed in August last year in a string of assaults in Balochistan claimed by the BLA.


Azad Kashmir warns of flooding in river Jhelum as India releases water unannounced amid tensions

Azad Kashmir warns of flooding in river Jhelum as India releases water unannounced amid tensions
Updated 14 sec ago
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Azad Kashmir warns of flooding in river Jhelum as India releases water unannounced amid tensions

Azad Kashmir warns of flooding in river Jhelum as India releases water unannounced amid tensions
  • Jhelum river flows from Indian-administered Kashmir into Azad Kashmir and then Pakistan’s Punjab province
  • Suspension of Indus Waters Treaty means India can stop sharing crucial information on release of water

ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Saturday warned of flooding in river Jhelum after India’s unannounced discharge of additional water, amid surging tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. 

India announced this week it will suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty under which the two neighbors regulate the water share of six rivers in the Indus Basin. This decision was taken after New Delhi blamed Pakistan for being involved in an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists this week. Pakistan denies the allegations.

The Jhelum river flows from Indian-administered Kashmir into Azad Kashmir and then Punjab. Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty means India can stop sharing crucial information and data on the release of water from barrages/dams or on flooding.

“Due to India releasing more water than usual into the Jhelum River, there is moderate flooding,” a spokesperson of the Azad Kashmir government said in a press release on Saturday. 

The spokesperson urged residents to avoid visiting areas near the Jhelum river due to the rising water levels.

As per the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan has rights to the western rivers— Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab— for irrigation, drinking, and non-consumptive uses like hydropower. India controls the eastern rivers— Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej— for unrestricted use but must not significantly alter their flow.

India can use the western rivers for limited purposes such as power generation and irrigation, without storing or diverting large volumes. Experts, like Hassaan F. Khan from Tufts University, argue that India lacks the infrastructure to divert large amounts of Indus waters.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday warned attempts to reduce or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty would be “responded to with full force.”

“Our valiant armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity against any misadventure as clearly demonstrated by its measured yet resolute response to India’s reckless incursion in February 2019,” he said.


Pakistani who wounded ex-PM Khan in 2022 attack sentenced to life

Pakistani who wounded ex-PM Khan in 2022 attack sentenced to life
Updated 3 min 10 sec ago
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Pakistani who wounded ex-PM Khan in 2022 attack sentenced to life

Pakistani who wounded ex-PM Khan in 2022 attack sentenced to life
  • Naveed Ahmad was arrested after he opened fire on Khan in Wazirabad in November 2022 during a rally
  • Khan is currently serving prison sentences for corruption, revealing official secrets and violating marriage laws

LAHORE: A Pakistani man who shot and wounded former Prime Minister Imran Khan and killed one of his supporters in 2022 was convicted and sentenced Saturday to life in prison, his lawyer said.

The attacker, Naveed Ahmad, was arrested shortly after he opened fire on Khan in Wazirabad, a city in Punjab province, wounding him in the leg.

Khan was traveling in a convoy of vehicles on his way to a rally in Islamabad in November 2022, after he was ousted in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April that year.
He is currently serving prison sentences for corruption, revealing official secrets and violating marriage laws.


Fifteen militants, two soldiers killed in military operations in Pakistan’s northwest

Fifteen militants, two soldiers killed in military operations in Pakistan’s northwest
Updated 27 April 2025
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Fifteen militants, two soldiers killed in military operations in Pakistan’s northwest

Fifteen militants, two soldiers killed in military operations in Pakistan’s northwest
  • Pakistani security forces carried out three separate raids in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
  • PM Sharif praises security forces for successful operations, pays tribute to the dead soldiers

ISLAMABAD: Two soldiers and 15 militants were killed as Pakistani security forces launched three separate operations in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said on Saturday.

Pakistani militant network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has intensified attacks in the region in recent years. Pakistan refers to TTP fighters as “khwarij,” a term rooted in Islamic history for an extremist sect that rebelled against authority and declared other Muslims to be apostates.

“On 25-26 April 2025, fifteen khwarij were killed in three separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province,” the ISPR said in a statement.

The operations were conducted in Karak, North Waziristan and South Waziristan districts.

In Karak, eight militants were killed during an intelligence-based operation.

“In an another operation conducted in North Waziristan District, four khwarij were killed by the security forces,” the statement continued. “However, during the intense fire exchange, two brave sons of soil, Lance Naik Usman Mohmand (age: 28 years, resident of District Charsadda) and Sepoy Imran Khan (age: 26 years, resident of District Kurram) having fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat [martyrdom].”

The ISPR said that in South Waziristan’s Gomal Zam area, three more militants were killed. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the dead militants, who, according to the statement, were involved in “numerous terrorist activities.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for the successful operations and paid tribute to the soldiers who died.

“The entire nation stands with the security forces in the fight against terrorism,” he said in a statement circulated by his office.

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant violence, particularly in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and southwestern Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.

Islamabad accuses TTP factions operating from Afghanistan of fueling unrest, a charge the Afghan Taliban denies.


Trump-backed financial firm partners with Pakistan Crypto Council to boost blockchain adoption

Trump-backed financial firm partners with Pakistan Crypto Council to boost blockchain adoption
Updated 54 min 16 sec ago
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Trump-backed financial firm partners with Pakistan Crypto Council to boost blockchain adoption

Trump-backed financial firm partners with Pakistan Crypto Council to boost blockchain adoption
  • Pakistan has signaled plans to announce comprehensive cryptocurrency legalization policies soon
  • Country’s finance chief says such partnerships will open new doors for investment and innovation

KARACHI: World Liberty Financial (WLF), a decentralized finance platform backed by US President Donald Trump, signed a letter of intent with Pakistan’s Crypto Council on Saturday to advance blockchain innovation, stablecoin adoption and decentralized finance (DeFi) integration across the South Asian country.

The agreement, signed in Islamabad, comes as Pakistan looks to formalize its crypto economy amid rising interest in blockchain technologies.

Pakistan is already among the world’s fastest-growing crypto markets, ranking near the top in global adoption rates, with an estimated $300 billion in annual crypto transactions and around 25 million active users.

The government has signaled plans to announce comprehensive cryptocurrency legalization policies soon, building on its wider digital economy ambitions fueled by a largely young population and growing mobile penetration.

“Pakistan’s youth and technology sector are our greatest assets,” Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, who is currently in Washington and attended the ceremony through video link, said, according to a government statement. “Through partnerships like this, we are opening new doors for investment, innovation and global leadership in the blockchain economy.”

The WLF delegation also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and several federal ministers during the visit.

The partnership outlines cooperation on areas such as regulatory sandboxes for blockchain product testing, tokenization of real-world assets, expansion of stablecoin applications for remittances and trade and advisory support on blockchain infrastructure and regulatory trends.

Pakistan’s proactive stance follows its broader push to position itself as a hub for digital finance innovation, with 64 percent of its population under the age of 30.

Rising mobile broadband access, a booming freelance economy and increasing government interest in blockchain have accelerated the country’s Web3 adoption.

Bilal Bin Saqib, CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council, said the collaboration with WLF was aimed at empowering Pakistan’s young population and integrating the country more deeply into the future of global finance.

WLF leadership praised Pakistan’s “energy, vision and talent,” calling it one of the most exciting places in the world to build decentralized finance ecosystems.


Pakistan requests extra 10 billion yuan on China swap line, says finance minister

Pakistan requests extra 10 billion yuan on China swap line, says finance minister
Updated 26 April 2025
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Pakistan requests extra 10 billion yuan on China swap line, says finance minister

Pakistan requests extra 10 billion yuan on China swap line, says finance minister
  • Muhammad Aurangzeb says Pakistan aims to diversify its lending base by issuing panda bond
  • He expects IMF board to approve first loan review, climate resilience disbursement early next month

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has put in a request to China to augment its existing swap line by 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said, adding he expected the country would launch a Panda bond before year-end.

Pakistan has an existing 30 billion yuan swap line already, Aurangzeb told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group spring meetings in Washington.

“From our perspective, getting to 40 billion renminbi would be a good place to move toward ... we just put in that request,” Aurangzeb said.

China’s central bank has been promoting currency swap lines with a raft of emerging economies, including the likes of Argentina and Sri Lanka.

Pakistan has also made progress on issuing its first panda bond — debt issued on China’s domestic bond market, denominated in yuan. Talks with the presidents of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) — the two lenders who are in line to provide credit enhancements for the issue — had been constructive, he said.

“We want to diversify our lending base and we have made some good progress around that — we are hoping that during this calendar year we can do an initial print,” he said.

Meanwhile, Aurangzeb expected the IMF executive board to sign off in early May on the Staff Level Agreement on its new $1.3 billion arrangement under a climate resilience loan program as well as the first review of the ongoing $7 billion bailout program.

Getting the green light from the IMF board would trigger a $1 billion payout under the program, which the country secured in 2024 and has played a key role in stabilizing Pakistan’s economy.

Asked about the economic fallout from the tensions with India following the killing of 26 men at a tourist site earlier this month, Aurangzeb said it was “not going to be helpful.”

The attack triggered outrage and grief in India, along with calls for action against neighbor Pakistan, whom New Delhi accuses of funding and encouraging terrorism in Kashmir, a region both nations claim and have fought two wars over.

After the attack, India and Pakistan unleashed a raft of measures against each other, with Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian airlines and suspending trade ties, and India suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty that regulates water-sharing from the Indus River and its tributaries.

Trade flows between the two countries had already fallen off sharply following past frictions and totalled just $1.2 billion last year.

Aurangzeb estimated growth around 3% in the current financial year which ends in June 2025, and in the 4-5% range next year, with a view to hitting 6% thereafter.