A fresh controversy has erupted after Farhatullah Babar, former adviser to Pakistan’s ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, claimed that the 26/11 Mumbai attacks were a reaction to Zardari’s ‘no first use’ nuclear weapons offer to India. According to Babar’s book The Zardari Presidency: Now It Must Be Told, the offer was made during an interview with Indian journalist Karan Thapar in November 2008. He suggests Pakistan’s military establishment retaliated through the terror assau

In a move that has sparked outrage and concern, Pakistani authorities denied entry to 12 Hindu pilgrims who were part of a 1,932-member Sikh Jatha traveling to Pakistan to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The group crossed the Attari–Wagah border on Tuesday for the annual pilgrimage, but the 12 Hindu devotees were stopped at the immigration counters despite being initially cleared for travel. According to reports, their passports even bore immigration stamps before Paki

Pakistan has offered Bangladesh the use of its Karachi port for exporting jute and other goods, marking a significant geopolitical move amid deteriorating India-Bangladesh relations. The offer comes shortly after India banned the import of jute products through land routes, a major blow to Bangladesh’s export sector. The development was formalized during the Pakistan-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting in Dhaka, held after a gap of nearly 20 years, signaling a thaw in relatio

Islamist groups in Bangladesh are mobilising for a massive rally in Dhaka on November 15, demanding that the Ahmadiyya Muslim community be officially declared “non-Muslim,” following Pakistan’s precedent. The rally, organised by the International Majlis Tahaffuz Khatme Nabuwwat and supported by Hefazat-e-Islam, has invited clerics from Pakistan, India, and Saudi Arabia, including leaders from Darul Uloom Deoband. The event has escalated fear within the small Ahmadiyya community, which n

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has sharply criticised the United Nations, saying the global body has become increasingly ineffective and paralysed by internal divisions. Speaking in New Delhi at the release of a commemorative postage stamp marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, Jaishankar said the organisation’s decision-making has failed to reflect the realities of its membership or the priorities of the modern world. He emphasised that meaningful reforms are

In a major geopolitical development, Taliban-ruled Afghanistan has decided to restrict Pakistan’s access to cross-border river water by constructing a dam on the Kunar River. The directive came from Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, who ordered the Ministry of Water and Energy to begin construction “as fast as possible.” This move comes just weeks after deadly border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan that claimed hundreds of lives and amid heightened tensions followin

In a major embarrassment for the Maryam Nawaz-led Punjab government, Imperial College London has publicly denied claims that it plans to open a campus in Lahore, Pakistan. The announcement of the alleged collaboration had been made just days earlier by the provincial administration, stating that a campus and a 300-bed hospital would be established at the Nawaz Sharif IT City, with a foundation stone-laying ceremony planned for November. The claim was amplified by Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz, Minis

Heavy fighting has erupted once again between Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters along the volatile border separating Pakistan and Afghanistan, leaving dozens dead and escalating one of the most serious confrontations between the two sides since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The clashes, centered around Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, have plunged relations between Islamabad and Kabul to a new low, with both governments trading accusations over who initiated the latest round

Paul Kapur, a noted American academic and expert on South Asian security, has been appointed as the new Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia in the United States government. Known for his hardline stance against Pakistan’s military establishment, Kapur’s appointment marks a significant shift in Washington’s regional approach, especially amid renewed tensions in South Asia. His selection comes as the US seeks to redefine its engagement with both India and Pakistan whil

British Member of Parliament and Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has ignited a storm of criticism after describing the multicultural Soho Road locality in Birmingham as “a slum” and “one of the worst integrated places” in the United Kingdom. His remarks, made earlier this year during a Conservative Association dinner, have triggered a strong backlash from residents, community leaders, and political figures who denounced the comments as divisive and racially insensitive.

The United States has approved the supply of AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) to Pakistan, marking a new phase in defence cooperation between the two countries. The US Department of War announced the inclusion of Pakistan as one of several international buyers under a recently modified arms contract with Raytheon, the American defence manufacturer responsible for producing the missile systems. According to the department’s notification, Raytheon received

Eight civilians were killed on Wednesday after Pakistan’s security forces opened fire during the third consecutive day of violent protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The unrest, led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), has seen widespread demonstrations across Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Mirpur, where locals accuse Islamabad of denying them fundamental rights for decades. According to local sources,

Pakistan cricket has plunged into fresh controversy after former captain Shahid Afridi publicly urged Mohsin Naqvi to step down as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Afridi’s call comes in the aftermath of the Asia Cup, which was marred by chaos both on and off the field. He argued that Naqvi, who also holds the position of Pakistan’s Interior Minister and serves as president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), is unable to devote the ne

At least 30 civilians, including women and children, lost their lives in a devastating airstrike carried out by the Pakistan Air Force on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the early hours of Monday. The incident took place at around 2 am when fighter jets dropped eight LS-6 bombs on Matre Dara village in Tirah Valley. The strikes triggered widespread destruction, leaving residents in shock and grief. Disturbing visuals from the site showed bodies, including chil

Saudi Arabia’s decision to sign a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Pakistan has stirred debates across South Asia and the Middle East. The pact, which promises that an attack on one country will be treated as an attack on both, resembles a NATO-style commitment. For Pakistan, struggling with economic and diplomatic challenges, this deal is seen as a significant political win and a potential deterrence against India. Yet, beneath the surface, exper

At the Doha emergency summit attended by leaders from over 40 Muslim countries, the idea of an Islamic Nato gained momentum, with Pakistan aggressively pitching for an Arab-Islamic task force. The meeting followed Israel’s strike in Qatar and brought together Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and others under one forum. Pakistan, represented by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Is

The emergency Arab-Islamic summit held in Doha on Monday has triggered renewed calls for a NATO-style military alliance of Muslim nations. The push, spearheaded by Egypt, comes in the wake of Israel’s strike in Doha that killed Hamas operatives and a Qatari officer. While leaders differed on concrete action against Israel, the summit may have set in motion the groundwork for an Arab-Islamic defense pact. Egypt,

The International Cricket Council has turned down the Pakistan Cricket Board’s request to remove veteran referee Andy Pycroft from the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 after the controversial no-handshake episode in the India-Pakistan clash. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Asian Cricket Council, had alleged that Pycroft instructed Pakistan captain Salman Agha at the toss not to engage in a handshake with India’s Suryakumar Yadav, sparking outrag

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially addressed the controversy surrounding the handshake row during the Asia Cup 2025 clash between India and Pakistan. Following India’s 7-wicket victory, captain Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates did not exchange handshakes with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha or the opposing team. This move sparked outrage from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which lodged a formal complaint with the Asian

Asia’s military landscape in 2025 presents a scale that is both staggering and deeply significant for the balance of world power. Stretching from nuclear powers with global ambitions to smaller states entrenched in historical rivalries, the continent fields some of the largest armies on Earth. The presence of such massive forces goes beyond sheer numbers of soldiers. It represents power projection, deterrence, and the tensions that shape Asia’s political and security environment. Acc