Category: South East Asia

Pakistan court extends former premier Khan’s pre-arrest bail on terrorism charges

A Pakistani court on Thursday extended former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s pre-arrest bail for one week in a terrorism case over a speech, his lawyer said, shortly after the former premier appeared in court in person amidst tight security. Khan’s lawyer and political aide Babar Awan told Reuters bail had been granted until Sept. 1, after which they will apply […]

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Afghanistan must not be used as terror launch pad: Singh at SCO

India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said Afghanistan should not be used as a launch pad for terror activities in the region, and called for national reconciliation and stability in the country. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Wednesday, he said Afghan territory must not be used to “intimidate or attack any country […]

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Zawahiri’s death still under investigation by IEA: Mujahid

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said Thursday that Washington’s claim they killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahir in Kabul is still only an allegation and that the IEA’s investigation is ongoing. “Zawahiri’s death is still a claim and efforts are going on for this case and his death report is not yet finalized,” said Mujahid. Speaking […]

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Pakistan Politics With Imran Khan

Politics in Pakistan is again creating turmoil. Media reports said: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s close aide and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, Shahbaz Gill’s room at Parliament Lodges was raided by police contingents in the presence of Gill who was brought to the location amid strict security measures. The police team led by the senior superintendent of police (SSP) found […]

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Pakistan A Victim Of Tug Of War Among Super Powers – OpEd

This year Pakistan is celebrating Independence Day 14th August, when the clouds of imminent default are getting thicker. While the people have complete faith in the economic resilience on the country, a lot needs to be done on war footings. To carve out its future strategy, a dispassionate review of nearly three-quarters of a century has to be done, find […]

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Targeted Killings: Kashmir Fights Back – OpEd

The killing of three Pakistan backed Lashkar-e-Taiba [LeT] terrorists [including self-styled LeT commander Lateef Rather] in the Waterhail area of Budgam district in Central Kashmir is indeed a major success for the security forces and J&K police. What makes this operation all the more special is that despite being undertaken in a populated area, security forces neutralised these terrorists without […]

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UN Security Council members split over ban on Taliban officials’ travel

Members of the United Nations Security Council remained divided Monday over whether to exempt some of Afghanistan’s Taliban officials from a travel ban, diplomatic sources said. Under a 2011 Security Council resolution, 135 Taliban leaders are subject to a sanctions regime that includes asset freezes and travel bans. Thirteen of them benefited from an exemption from the travel ban, renewed […]

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Pakistan charges former leader Imran Khan under terrorism act

Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister, has been charged under the country’s anti-terrorism act, the latest chapter in a tense struggle for power with Pakistan’s current government since his ouster. Sunday’s move came a day after Khan addressed a rally and criticized top police officials and a judge for the arrest of his chief of staff. Police said in a […]

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Roadside bombing kills 2 policemen in northwestern Pakistan

A roadside bombing on Friday killed two policemen in a former militant stronghold in northwestern Pakistan, police said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Bajur, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. The district’s police chief, Abdus Samad Khan, said the bomb was remotely detonated. A search for perpetrators was underway, he added. Bajur has […]

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Exclusive: U.S. commits to Afghan asset talks despite frustration with Taliban

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration will press ahead with talks on releasing billions of dollars in Afghanistan’s foreign-held assets despite the late al Qaeda leader’s presence in Kabul and foot-dragging by the Taliban and Afghan central bank, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation. The decision to pursue the initiative to help stabilize Afghanistan’s collapsed economy underscores growing […]

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