Category: Pakistan

At least 216 prisoners escaped from Karachi’s Malir Jail Tuesday after 3.2-3.6 magnitude earthquakes caused panic and structural damage. Inmates broke cell doors and windows amid fears of building collapse. Police operations to recapture escapees resulted in one death and two officer injuries. About 80 have been recaptured while 130+ remain at large. Authorities offer reduced sentences for voluntary returns.READ FULL

Pakistan’s military alleges India damaged the Neelum Jhelum Hydropower project during Wednesday’s early morning strikes across the Kashmir border. Military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry questioned the legality of targeting water infrastructure under international war laws. The dam reportedly sustained structural damage during the attack.READ FULL

Pakistani security forces freed over 340 train passengers after a 30-hour hostage situation in Balochistan. The Baloch Liberation Army attacked the train on Tuesday, killing 27 off-duty soldiers. During the rescue operation, more than 30 terrorists were killed. The separatist group had targeted passengers from outside Balochistan province as part of their ongoing insurgency against what they claim is exploitation of the region’s resources.READ FULL

Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, recorded its highest-ever pollution reading of 1900 near the India-Pakistan border, leading authorities to implement emergency measures. The government ordered primary schools closed for a week, mandated 50% work-from-home for office employees, and banned rickshaws. Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb blamed winds carrying pollution from India for the crisis and called for bilateral talks. The smog situation typically worsens during cooler months.READ FULL

A suicide bomber on a motorbike rickshaw attacked a checkpoint near Mir Ali in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing eight people, including four police officers, and wounding five others. The attack, claimed by “Aswad ul-Harb,” comes amid rising insurgency since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan saw 29 suicide attacks in 2023, its deadliest year in a decade.READ FULL

Twenty coal miners were killed in a targeted attack in Pakistan’s Balochistan province late Thursday night. Around 40 heavily armed attackers, equipped with rocket launchers and grenades, fired at the miners’ lodgings for 30 minutes before fleeing. The incident occurred in Duki district, where separatist groups frequently target resource extraction projects, particularly those operated by foreign countries, including China.READ FULL

Six Pakistani soldiers and six militants were killed in a shootout in North Waziristan, while two more militants were eliminated in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Meanwhile, Islamabad remains under lockdown for a second day with suspended cell services and blocked entry points to prevent rallies supporting imprisoned ex-leader Imran Khan. Despite the restrictions, Khan’s supporters are attempting to reach the capital, while his party plans a rally in Lahore.READ FULL

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a bombing in southwestern Pakistan that killed two police officials. The attack occurred in Kuchlak town near Quetta, Balochistan’s capital. Analysts suggest this indicates increasing coordination between Islamic militants and separatist groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in the region. Balochistan has long faced insurgency, with separatist groups demanding independence from the central government. The recent attack highlights ongoing security challenges in the oil- and gas-rich province bordering Iran and Afghanistan.READ FULL

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan granted bail to 10 lawmakers from Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The MPs were among 30 party members detained last week after leading a rally in Islamabad. They faced charges under a new protest law and anti-terrorism act. Despite a sweeping crackdown on PTI since Khan’s 2023 arrest, the party won the most seats in the 2024 elections. The UN recently criticized Khan’s detention as lacking legal basis and politically motivated.READ FULL

Pakistan reported its first mpox case, while Sweden confirmed the first case outside Africa of a new, more dangerous strain. China announced screening measures for incoming travelers and goods. The WHO declared a public health emergency due to the mpox surge in Africa. The DR Congo reported nearly 16,000 potential cases and 548 deaths this year. Health authorities are working on vaccination and control measures.

Pakistan confirmed its first mpox case, following Sweden’s report of the first infection outside Africa involving a new, more dangerous strain. The WHO declared a public health emergency due to the mpox surge in Africa. Sweden’s case involved the Clade 1b subclade, which has caused a major outbreak in the DRC. China plans to screen for mpox at its borders. The WHO warns of potential further imported cases in Europe. afp

Five Pakistani soldiers were killed in a bomb attack on their vehicle in Kurram district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but the area is known for militant activity, particularly by the Pakistani Taliban. Attacks in Pakistan have increased since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants, which the Afghan Taliban government denies. Source AFP