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ISLAMABAD: The Bangladesh interim government has decided to request an international investigation into the killing of political activist Sharif Osman Hadi. It plans to propose that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) conduct the investigation, as announced by the Chief Adviser&rsquo;s Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, on Thursday. Alam said the decision had already been taken, and the proposal would be made to the OHCHR &ldquo;at the earliest opportunity,&rdquo; the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency reported. &ldquo;The interim government remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring full justice in this case and will extend all possible cooperation to such an investigation,&rdquo; Shafiqul&nbsp;Alam said when asked whether an international inquiry would be pursued. The government did not specify a timeline for submitting the formal request to the UN human rights office. Bangladesh has been under interim administration following political upheaval that led to the departure of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. The caretaker government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as chief adviser, has pledged to hold free and fair elections.

Bangladesh

Authorities said the proposal would be made at the earliest opportunity, underlining the interim administration’s pledge to cooperate fully with an international human rights investigation into the killing.

Bangladesh to seek UN probe into Hadi killing case

DHAKA: The leader of Bangladesh&#39;s largest religious party and prime ministerial hopeful Shafiqur Rahman has contested three elections and lost. This time, he hopes to finally win. Voters in the Muslim-majority nation will head to the polls on Thursday for the first time since a 2024 uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina, who in her 15 years as prime minister crushed religious movements. Now, Rahman, a 67-year-old doctor and preacher, hopes his 11-party alliance could deliver him victory, worrying critics and minorities who fear a muslim-majority win could come at their expense. &quot;I stand for moral renewal in society,&quot; Rahman vowed in election promises. If successful, the former political prisoner could form the first religious party government in constitutionally secular Bangladesh. Dressed entirely in white, including a flowing white beard, he cuts a distinctive figure on the campaign trail &mdash; where his Jamaat-e-Islami party has put forward only male candidates. &quot;Good governance is the foundation of stability, peace and prosperity,&quot; he said, pledging rule-based and corruption-free leadership. Ex-prime minister Hasina, who is close to the Hindu-nationalist government of neighboring India, went after muslim supporters and cracked down on extremists, killing numerous people and arresting hundreds. Since her fall, key religious leaders have been released from prison. &#39;Locks&#39; and brooms Born in 1958 in the northeastern district of Moulvibazar, Rahman has been a longtime party activist, running first for parliament in 1996, then again in 2001 and 2018. His wife, Ameena Shafiq, is also a doctor, who was selected for one of the seats in parliament reserved for women in 2018. Their two daughters and son are also doctors. As party member and then leader, or &quot;Ameer,&quot; Rahman&#39;s determined push for power has sparked concern. Bangladesh has long been led by powerful women, including Hasina and her longtime rival, the late three-time prime minister Khaleda Zia. Comments Rahman made last year about women&#39;s employment, saying he wanted to encourage stay-at-home mothers, provoked a backlash. &quot;We don&#39;t want to lock women at home &mdash; we don&#39;t have enough money to buy the locks,&quot; he said at a rally. In January, broom-waving women in Dhaka marched on the streets to symbolically &quot;sweep&quot; him away after a social media post from Rahman had argued women being &quot;pushed out of home in the name of modernity&quot; was &quot;nothing but another form of prostitution.&rdquo; Rahman later claimed he had been &quot;hacked&quot; and the post was deleted. In carefully worded statements since, he has sought to reassure women. But some remain skeptical. &quot;You have to make your position clear regarding women who do not want to be directed by men, and those who belong to other faiths,&quot; said Tajnuba Jabin, who quit the National Citizen Party &mdash; formed by student leaders who spearheaded the uprising &mdash; when it allied with Rahman&#39;s party for the polls. &quot;Talk of women&#39;s rights sounds hollow unless you have a clear position,&quot; she told AFP. &#39;Inclusive&#39; Rahman is leading a coalition of religious groups, largely ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood, who sense their biggest opportunity in decades. The party&#39;s student wing has swept victories in university polls across the country of 170 million people, including in Dhaka University, which is often seen as a bellwether for a national vote. Salahuddin Muhammad Babar, editor of the right-wing newspaper Naya Diganta, said Rahman was &quot;inclusive and accommodative, which are his greatest strengths.&quot; The prospect of him being prime minister has nevertheless shaken minority communities. Around 10% of Bangladesh&#39;s population are non-Muslim, most of them Hindu. Rahman has sought to ease fears, insisting that the rights of minorities would be protected &quot;regardless of caste or creed,&quot; and put one Hindu candidate on the party slate. He has also struck a conciliatory tone on foreign policy, calling for a &quot;balanced&quot; relationship with India. But Rahman&#39;s Jamaat-led coalition also includes hardliners who have demanded restrictions on cultural activities they consider against their religion, including music and theatre festivals, women&#39;s football matches and kite-flying celebrations. More violent elements have smashed Sufi shrines, and even exhumed a Sufi leader&#39;s body and set it on fire.

Voters in the Muslim-majority nation will head to the polls on Thursday for the first time since a 2024 uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina, who in her 15 years as prime minister crushed religious movements.

Bangladesh religious party leader eyes power after decades in politics

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the cancellation of her scheduled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/lahore-reclaims-its-sky-as-basant-returns-after-two-decades" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Basant-related engagements</a>, including a major official event in Lahore, following a deadly suicide blast at a Shiite Imambargah in Islamabad.&nbsp;&ldquo;In the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-condemns-mosque-blast-orders-probe" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Islamabad tragedy</a>, I am cancelling all my Basant-related activities that were scheduled for tomorrow,&rdquo; Sharif said in a post.&nbsp;She added, &ldquo;The mega Basant show at the Liberty Square also stands cancelled.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2019789804121235457&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e0e07450beb7a6cf411979d4f55f4636fc22cf37&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2019789804121235457"></iframe></div></div>She stressed that the decision was taken in light of the national security situation and called for unity against militancy.&nbsp;&ldquo;It is imperative that the nation remains united against the Khwarji [terrorists] menace and their &lsquo;sympathisers&rsquo;, shows them no mercy, and stands shoulder to shoulder with our Armed Forces in defense of the country,&rdquo; she wrote, concluding with, &ldquo;Pakistan Zindabad.&rdquo;&nbsp;The announcement followed a suicide blast at the Imambargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra mosque in Islamabad&rsquo;s Tarlai area during Friday prayers. At least 31 people were killed and 169 wounded, according to officials, with the toll expected to rise as several injured remain in critical condition.&nbsp;In a separate statement, the Punjab chief minister outlined emergency measures ordered by her government to assist victims. &ldquo;25 fully equipped emergency ambulances have been dispatched to Islamabad for the victims of the Imambargah blast,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;She added that &ldquo;all hospitals across Rawalpindi District have been placed on high alert, with surgical teams, anesthetists, orthopedic and neurosurgical specialists on standby.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to her post, &ldquo;blood banks are fully staffed, and operation theatres are fully equipped to ensure prompt and effective medical care for the injured,&rdquo; while the commissioner and deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi had been directed &ldquo;to extend every possible assistance.&rdquo;&nbsp;Expressing grief over the attack, Sharif said she was &ldquo;deeply saddened by the tragic blast at an Imambargah in Islamabad.&rdquo;&nbsp;She added, &ldquo;My heart goes out to the victims and their families during this painful time. Prayers for the swift recovery of the injured, and may Allah grant patience and strength to all those affected. Ameen.&rdquo;&nbsp;The blast occurred amid heightened security challenges in Pakistan and cast a shadow over Basant, the spring kite-flying festival that had just returned to Lahore after authorities lifted a ban in place for more than two decades for a limited three-day period.&nbsp;While Basant festivities continued across the city, Sharif&rsquo;s decision made clear that official government celebrations and her personal participation would not go ahead, reflecting the somber national mood following the Islamabad tragedy.

Security

Maryam Nawaz Sharif, chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, cancels her Basant activities and a Lahore event after an Islamabad suicide blast, while mobilizing emergency medical support.

Punjab CM cancels her Basant activities, Lahore event after Islamabad blast

TEHRAN:&nbsp;Iran said Friday it expected to hold more negotiations with the United States, hailing a &quot;positive atmosphere&quot; during a day of talks in Oman but warning against threats after Washington raised the spectre of new military action. With an American naval group led by an aircraft carrier in Middle Eastern waters, US and Iranian delegations held talks in Muscat mediated by the Gulf sultanate without publicly meeting face-to-face. Shortly after the talks concluded, the US announced new sanctions against shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran&#39;s oil exports. But it was not clear if the move was linked to the talks. The talks were the first between the two foes since the United States joined Israel&#39;s war with Iran in June with strikes on nuclear sites. They also come just under a month after Iranian authorities launched a crackdown on protests that left thousands dead, according to rights groups. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led Iran&#39;s delegation in Muscat, said talks &quot;focused exclusively&quot; on the Iranian nuclear program, which the West believes is aimed at making an atomic bomb but Tehran insists is peaceful. The US delegation, led by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump&#39;s influential son-in-law Jared Kushner, had also wanted Tehran&#39;s backing for fighter groups, its ballistic missile program, and treatment of protesters on the agenda. According to US news website Axios, the talks featured a direct meeting between Witkoff, Kushner, and Araghchi, but there was no official confirmation from either side. &quot;In a very positive atmosphere, our arguments were exchanged, and the views of the other side were shared with us,&quot; Araghchi told Iranian state TV, adding that the two sides had &quot;agreed to continue negotiations, but we will decide on the modalities and timing at a later date&quot;. Speaking to the official IRNA news agency, he expressed hope that Washington would refrain from &quot;threats and pressure&quot; so that &quot;the talks can continue.&quot; There was no immediate comment from the American delegation in Muscat. &#39;Destabilising power&#39;&nbsp;In a symbol of the potential for US military action, Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command, whose area of responsibility includes the Middle East, was present at the talks, according to images published by the Oman News Agency. Multiple sessions of talks in the morning and afternoon saw both sides shuttling to and from the residence of Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, who said on X, &quot;we aim to reconvene in due course.&quot; The foreign ministry of US ally Qatar expressed hope the talks would &quot;lead to a comprehensive agreement that serves the interests of both parties and enhances security and stability in the region.&quot; The White House has made clear it wants the talks to rein in Tehran&#39;s ability to make a nuclear bomb, an ambition the Islamic Republic has always denied. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Friday that Iran should stop being a &quot;destabilising power&quot;, citing its nuclear programme and support for &quot;terrorist&quot; groups. Barrot also called on &quot;groups supported by Iran&quot; to exert &quot;the utmost restraint&quot; in the event of any military escalation involving the Islamic Republic. &#39;Maximum pressure&#39;&nbsp;Trump initially threatened military action against Tehran over its crackdown on protesters last month and even told demonstrators, &quot;help is on its way.&quot; Regional powers, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, urged the United States not to intervene, calling on Washington and Tehran to instead return to talks. But Trump&#39;s rhetoric in recent days has focused on reining in the Iranian nuclear program, and the US has maneuvered a naval group led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln into the region. Iran has repeatedly vowed it will hit back at US bases in the region if attacked. The new sanctions to curb Iran&#39;s oil exports come with Trump &quot;committed to driving down the Iranian regime&#39;s illicit oil and petrochemical exports under the administration&#39;s maximum pressure campaign,&quot; State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

Central Asia

Americas

Iran says it expects further talks with the United States after indirect Oman negotiations, focused on the nuclear issue, as Washington warns of military options and both sides signal cautious openness to continued diplomacy efforts.

Iran expects more US talks after 'positive atmosphere' in Oman

GENEVA: A senior US official on Friday criticised the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-urges-new-nuclear-treaty-after-russia-agreement-ends" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">last nuclear treaty </a>between Russia and the United States for <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/last-usrussia-nuclear-treaty-ends-in-grave-moment-for-world" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">failing to include Beijing</a>, speaking at the United Nations a day after the New START deal expired.&nbsp;&quot;In a nutshell, New START was flawed,&quot; said Thomas G. DiNanno, US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, pointing out that it had not covered all nuclear weapons, &quot;and it didn&#39;t include China&quot;.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters in Geneva before addressing the Conference on Disarmament, he said US President Donald Trump &quot;has been pretty clear that he wants a better agreement&quot;, and &quot;clarified again last night that he wants a new treaty&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;He&#39;s been crystal clear. He&#39;s been consistent on it too, since his first administration,&quot; DiNanno said.&nbsp;&quot;So we&#39;ll see how it plays out.&quot;&nbsp;Asked if China had agreed to anything, DiNanno said: &quot;We&#39;re always willing to talk to them.&quot;&nbsp;China said on Thursday it would not join nuclear talks &quot;at this stage&quot; after the treaty&#39;s expiry that day triggered fears of a new global arms race.&nbsp;Campaigners have warned that the expiry, which ended decades of restrictions on how many warheads Russia and the United States deploy, could encourage China to expand its own arsenal.&nbsp;The New START treaty ended at the turn of the calendar on February 5, after Trump did not follow up on Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin&#39;s proposal to extend warhead limits in the agreement for one year.&nbsp;Russia and the United States together control more than 80 percent of the world&#39;s nuclear warheads, but arms agreements have been withering away.&nbsp;New START, first signed in 2010, limited each side&#39;s nuclear arsenal to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads -- a reduction of nearly 30 percent from the previous limit set in 2002.&nbsp;It also allowed each side to conduct on-site inspections of the other&#39;s nuclear arsenal, although these were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic and have not resumed since.&nbsp;The Conference on Disarmament negotiating forum, which is comprised of 65 member states and meets in Geneva.

China

A senior US official says the expired New START nuclear treaty is flawed for excluding China, as Washington pushes for a new deal and Beijing refuses talks, raising fears of a renewed global arms race.

New START nuclear treaty 'was flawed': senior US official

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan committed to providing landlocked Uzbekistan access to its warm water seaports during a two-day state visit by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, according to a joint declaration issued by the Foreign Office on Friday. The Uzbek president and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks covering bilateral relations and regional security issues during the February 5-6 state visit. Pakistan pledged to make available its seaports for Uzbek transit cargo and provide access to its road network for trade and transit requirements. It aims to enhance regional connectivity and economic integration between the two countries. The leaders also pledged to support each other&#39;s sovereignty and territorial integrity while advancing cooperation in areas including trade, culture and defense. Both sides expressed satisfaction with relations developed over 34 years since establishing diplomatic ties, citing shared historical and cultural bonds. The visit marked the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, established during PM Sharif&#39;s February 2025 visit to Uzbekistan. The mechanism provides top-level oversight of bilateral cooperation. Trade and connectivity The leaders agreed to reach a $2 billion bilateral trade target by 2029. Uzbekistan was the first Central Asian nation to sign transit and preferential trade agreements with Pakistan, according to the statement. Both countries welcomed the Framework Agreement signed in July 2025 for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway Project, endorsing the Termiz-Kharlachi route. They committed to completing the project&#39;s feasibility study. The sides agreed to establish joint management of economic zones in both countries to facilitate industrial cooperation and exports to third markets, including the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe. Cultural and defense cooperation The leaders signed an agreement on preserving and promoting the scientific, educational and architectural heritage of the Baburid dynasty. They agreed to expand tourism cooperation through direct flights between Tashkent and Islamabad and Lahore, and to activate a Tourism Working Group. Both nations expressed readiness to maintain dialogue on security and defense, agreeing to continue joint military exercises and training programs. They pledged cooperation between law enforcement agencies to combat terrorism, separatism, extremism and drug trafficking. Regional issues According to the statement, the two leaders called on Afghanistan to dismantle terrorist organizations operating from its territory, citing regional security concerns and the importance of stability for the railway project&#39;s implementation. Both sides expressed support for Palestinian self-determination and an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders. Uzbekistan voiced support for Pakistan&#39;s rotating chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization for 2026-2027 and congratulated Pakistan on chairing the organization&#39;s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure for 2025-2026 and the Economic Cooperation Organization for 2026-2027. Meanwhile, Pakistan commended Uzbekistan for hosting the 43rd UNESCO General Conference session in Samarkand in 2025. Both nations pledged to deepen cooperation across trade, security and regional connectivity.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and President of Uzbekistan exchange protocol to improve the bilateral trade to $2 billion annually. (PMO)

Economy

As Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev concludes Islamabad visit, Pakistan pledges seaport access, boosts connectivity, sets ambitious trade targets, and deepens strategic cooperation across security, economy, and culture.

Pakistan opens seaports to Uzbekistan, strengthens regional connectivity push

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh&#39;s Election Commission said on Friday that all preparations for the country&#39;s general elections and referendum scheduled for Feb. 12 have been completed, with the largest security deployment in the nation&#39;s history in place. &quot;Now there is no preparation left except for the voters to go to the polling stations and exercise their right to vote,&quot; Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker told the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency in an interview. Sarker said ballot papers have reached 116 constituencies, with the remaining to be delivered by Friday. EC Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said ballots had to be reprinted in some areas following last-minute court orders reinstating candidates, causing minor delays. Security arrangements include deploying 900,000 law enforcement personnel, with the army remaining in the field for seven days before and after the polls, and Ansar paramilitary forces for eight days. Some 1,050 executive magistrates will operate mobile courts from Feb. 8 to 14, BSS reported. The 13th Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) elections will see 2,034 candidates contesting across 300 constituencies, though voting in Sherpur-3 has been cancelled following the death of a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate. According to BSS, the commission has registered 127.7 million voters for the polls and referendum, with voting to be held at 42,779 polling stations nationwide.&nbsp; Fifty-one parties are contesting, alongside over 250 independents, while more than 800,000 officials and around 56,000 observers will oversee the process.&nbsp; Over 1.5 million voters, including expatriates, have registered for postal voting.

Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker (Photo by BSS/File)

With ballots largely distributed and extensive security in place, authorities say the Feb. 12 vote will involve millions of voters, thousands of candidates and unprecedented monitoring.

Bangladesh Election Commission says poll preparations complete

ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Feb. 5 used strong language in the Upper House of the Indian parliament, Rajya Sabha, while speaking during the motion of thanks on the President&rsquo;s Address, targeting what he described as &ldquo;ghuspaithiya&rdquo; (infiltrators) and accusing political opponents of shielding them at the expense of citizens&rsquo; rights.&nbsp;According to a post by Hindutva Watch on X, Modi claimed that while developed countries deport &ldquo;illegal citizens,&rdquo; in India, pressure was being exerted on courts to protect &ldquo;ghuspaithiyas.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2019672416478278043&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=209257b8a3a5226bf2a1a4f14b062bb8e8284cd7&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>He alleged that such infiltrators were stealing the rights of the country&rsquo;s youth, taking away their livelihoods, and grabbing land belonging to Adivasi communities.&nbsp;Indian media reported that Modi took a direct dig at the regional political party,&nbsp;Trinamool Congress (TMC), during his speech in the Upper House, saying &ldquo;some are trying their best to protect infiltrators.&rdquo;&nbsp;He argued that people living under what he described as ineffective governance faced an uncertain future, while those in power focused on political gains.&nbsp;Serious threat&nbsp;Modi alleged that infiltration posed a serious threat to livelihoods, land rights, and public safety, particularly for tribal communities.&nbsp; He warned that young citizens were being deprived of opportunities because policies, he said, prioritized &ldquo;infiltrators&rdquo; over citizens. Drawing a comparison with other nations, he said that developed and prosperous countries were serious about removing infiltrators, whereas in India, courts were being approached to save them. Quoting Modi, Indian media reported him as saying that those advocating for infiltrators were &ldquo;snatching away the rights of my country&rsquo;s youth, taking away their livelihoods, snatching away the land of the tribals&rdquo; and creating dangers for the lives of &ldquo;our sons and daughters.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;Special Intensive Revision dispute&nbsp;Modi further criticized TMC leaders, saying they spoke on many issues but failed to acknowledge their own shortcomings.&nbsp; He said people in West Bengal were suffering and accused the state government of approaching courts to protect infiltrators because it only cared about power.&nbsp;The remarks came a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee argued in person before the Chief Justice of India, taking the Special Intensive Revision dispute to the country&rsquo;s highest court.

India

Warns young citizens are being deprived of opportunities because of policies that, according to him, prioritize ‘infiltrators’ over citizens.

 Modi targets TMC, claims ‘infiltrators’ stealing rights of youth, tribals 

ISLAMABAD: A suicide bombing outside a mosque on the outskirts of Pakistan&rsquo;s capital martyred at least 31 people and injured more than 100 during Friday prayers, according to the Islamabad city administration, in the deadliest attack in the capital in more than a decade. &nbsp;City officials said the attacker attempted to enter the Imambargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra mosque in the Tarlai area but was stopped at the main gate, where the explosion occurred. The blast struck as worshippers gathered for Friday prayers, when mosques across the country are typically filled.&nbsp;&ldquo;According to the Islamabad administration, the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who was stopped at the mosque&rsquo;s gate,&rdquo; officials said, adding that at least 31 people were killed and 101 others injured.&nbsp;State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudry said the attacker had been identified and claimed the blast was sponsored by &ldquo;Indian- and Afghanistan-based terrorist groups.&rdquo; He told reporters that the bomber had a travel history to Afghanistan prior to the attack.&nbsp;&ldquo;These terrorists operate in two shapes: those who grow beards and misuse religion, and others like the BLA who weaponize ethnicity. Both are funded in dollars, not ideology,&rdquo; Chaudry said.&nbsp;Rejecting any religious justification for the attack, Chaudhry added: &ldquo;How can anyone use the name of religion to kill people standing before Allah? No Muslim can do this.&rdquo;&nbsp;Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the site and later prayed at the mosque in solidarity with the victims. Police and law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area, launching search and investigation operations as hospitals across the capital were placed on high alert.&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, calling for swift justice.&nbsp;&ldquo;The perpetrators of the blast must be identified and brought to justice,&rdquo; the prime minister said in a statement.&nbsp;He expressed &ldquo;deep sorrow and grief&rdquo; over those martyred, conveyed condolences to the bereaved families, and directed Naqvi to conduct a full investigation immediately.&nbsp;Sharif also instructed that the injured receive the best possible medical treatment, asking the health minister to personally oversee their care.&nbsp;President Asif Ali Zardari described the bombing as &ldquo;a crime against humanity,&rdquo; saying the nation stood &ldquo;shoulder to shoulder with the affected families in this hour of grief.&rdquo;&nbsp;Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also condemned the attack, calling it &ldquo;a heinous crime against humanity and a blatant violation of Islamic principles.&rdquo;&nbsp;In a post on X, he said, &ldquo;Pakistan stands united against terrorism in all its forms.&rdquo;&nbsp;The explosion marked the deadliest attack in Islamabad since September 2008, when a suicide truck bombing at the Marriott Hotel killed 60 people. Yellow crime scene tape surrounded the blast site on Friday, with shoes, torn clothing and shattered glass scattered across the ground.&nbsp;The attack comes amid intensifying security challenges in Pakistan&rsquo;s northern and southern regions. Islamabad has said militant groups in Balochistan, as well as the Pakistani Taliban and other armed groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have used Afghan territory as safe havens to launch attacks.&nbsp;International condemnationThe attack drew swift condemnation from around the world. The United States denounced the bombing, calling violence against civilians and places of worship &ldquo;unacceptable.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;On behalf of the United States, I offer our sincere condolences to those injured and to the families and loved ones of those killed by this attack,&rdquo; US Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires Natalie A. Baker said, adding that Washington continues to support Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts to advance peace and security.&nbsp; The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio &zwnj;Guterres &ldquo;condemns &zwnj;in &zwnj;the ⁠strongest terms&rdquo; Friday&rsquo;s &zwnj;attack, &zwj;a UN spokesperson said in a statement. &nbsp;British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said she was &ldquo;outraged and heartbroken,&rdquo; adding, &ldquo;Such violence is abhorrent. We stand with Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;The United Arab Emirates said it &ldquo;strongly denounces these criminal acts&rdquo; and reiterated its rejection of &ldquo;all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism aimed at undermining security and stability.&rdquo;&nbsp;Saudi Arabia likewise condemned the bombing, stressing its &ldquo;firm rejection of targeting places of worship&rdquo; and affirming solidarity with Pakistan.&nbsp;Condemnations and messages of support were also issued by France, the European Union, Russia, China, T&uuml;rkiye, Iran, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Czechia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Romania.&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin, in letters addressed to President Zardari and PM Sharif, said the killing of worshippers during a religious ceremony was &ldquo;yet another testament to the barbaric and inhumane nature of terrorism,&rdquo; and reaffirmed Russia&rsquo;s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Pakistan against terrorism.&nbsp;Responding to the outpouring of international support, PM Sharif said: &ldquo;I am grateful for the strong messages of sympathy and support that we have received from across the globe. The perpetrators of this heinous crime will be brought to justice with full force, and their nefarious designs will never be allowed to succeed.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The brave Pakistani nation stands united at this time,&rdquo; he added, &ldquo;and we remain fully committed to our resolve to defeat terrorism, as we always have.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"> </div>

State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudry says the Islamabad mosque suicide blast is sponsored by terrorist groups based in Afghanistan and India, targeting worshippers during Friday prayers.

Suicide blast outside Islamabad mosque leaves 31 martyred, sparks global condemnation

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the skies above Pakistan&rsquo;s cultural capital are once again alive with color. As midnight passed into Thursday, fireworks flared across Lahore. Kites began lifting from rooftops, and music echoed through the narrow streets of the Walled City. By dawn, the message was unmistakable: Basant, once a defining symbol of Lahore&rsquo;s spring, had returned openly, officially, and under the watchful eye of the state. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/2f944219-e304-4aeb-ae82-623b092b71ee.jpg" style="width: 605px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> The three-day festival, beginning Feb. 6, marks a turning point for a city that has long associated kite flying with its identity, yet has seen the celebration pushed into the shadows following years of bans and safety concerns. This year, the revival is neither symbolic nor tentative. It is public, regulated, and visibly embraced by the provincial government. Across Lahore, the transformation was immediate. Main roads, underpasses, and traffic circles were decorated with bright banners and large kite-themed installations.&nbsp;<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/94b0046a-9b63-4a63-8b17-71305e14ce7f.jpg" style="width: 605px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> In older neighborhoods, rooftops were adorned with lights, strings, and spools, while entire blocks seemed to pause their daily routines in anticipation of the festivities. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz acknowledged the occasion shortly after midnight, describing Basant as a cultural inheritance rather than a mere event, and extended greetings to citizens as the festival began. Traditional kite markets, including Mochi Gate, Delhi Gate, Shah Alam Market, and Anarkali, remained busy late into the night as families and young buyers stocked up on supplies. Vendors said interest was cautious in the early days, but demand surged once people became convinced the government-backed revival would proceed as announced. Liberty Chowk emerged as a focal point of the celebrations, repurposed into a public gathering space illuminated with lights and oversized kite displays. Families, couples, and groups of friends gathered there, signaling a notable shift: Basant was no longer confined to private rooftops but had returned to shared civic life. As evening fell, the city&rsquo;s rooftops reclaimed their historic role as the heart of Basant.&nbsp; Strings of lights connected neighboring homes, grills were fired up, and relatives gathered for shared meals under open skies. Folk music drifted across districts, punctuated by cheers and the familiar cry of triumph when a kite string snapped mid-air. Women prepared traditional yellow and white clothing adorned with floral jewelry, while children and elders sorted kites with an ease learned over generations. For many Lahoris, these rituals had never disappeared &mdash; only paused. Yet for a younger generation, the experience was entirely new. Many teenagers and young adults were celebrating Basant for the first time, encountering a festival they had previously known only through family stories and old photographs. Their enthusiasm blended discovery with inherited nostalgia, giving the revival a renewed emotional charge. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister made an unannounced visit to Liberty Chowk and later to Mochi Gate. Moving through the crowd with minimal security, she interacted with residents, posed for photographs, and addressed safety concerns directly. During the visit, she stopped a motorcyclist who was riding without a safety rod, a newly enforced requirement, and explained that the measure was designed to prevent injuries and could be installed free of charge at designated points. She reiterated that motorcycles were not banned during Basant, but warned that vehicles lacking safety equipment would be impounded. Officials and residents alike viewed the visit as a calculated political gesture, reinforcing the message that the festival&rsquo;s return was both sanctioned and here to stay.<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/129a53d5-6723-4beb-b8be-1324f2107e8f.jpg" style="width: 570px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> According to Malik Faizan Ahmed, legal adviser to the Kite Flying Association, the scale of public participation has altered the political calculus surrounding Basant. &ldquo;The response has been so strong that reversing this decision would now be extremely difficult for any future government,&rdquo; he said, adding that the festival has regained broad social acceptance. Administratively, the celebrations are unfolding under strict controls. The Punjab Home Department has designated February 6-8 as &ldquo;Safe Basant&rdquo; and has imposedcertain restrictions to regulate public order. Metallic and nylon kite strings remain banned, motorcycles must be fitted with safety rods, and emergency services have been placed on high alert. More than 10,000 police personnel have been deployed across Lahore, supported by checkpoints, surveillance systems, and zero-tolerance enforcement.&nbsp;Authorities insist the objective is not to restrict, but to ensure the festival&rsquo;s sustainability beyond this year. For Lahore, a city shaped as much by memory as by movement, Basant&rsquo;s return is more than seasonal festivity. It is a reclamation of public space, cultural confidence, and the simple act of looking up together.

Artists play traditional drums next to a hoarding with portraits of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) party leaders, as vendors sell kites to mark Basant Festival in Lahore on February 4, 2026. (Photo by Arif ALI / AFP)

Culture

Lahore welcomes the regulated return of Basant after nearly two decades, as government-backed celebrations revive kite flying across rooftops and public spaces, combining nostalgia, civic life and strict safety enforcement.

Lahore reclaims its skies as 3-day Basant festival returns after two decades

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan armed forces killed 24 khwarij (terrorists) in two separate engagements in the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. &nbsp;&nbsp;This was stated by Pakistan military&rsquo;s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-security-forces-kill-216-terrorists-in-balochistan-operation-military" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">ISPR</a>), in a statement released on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;The ISPR press release stated: &ldquo;On 4-5 February 2026, twenty-four khwarij belonging to Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khwarij were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.&rdquo;&nbsp;On the reported presence of terrorists, an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-security-forces-kill-41-terrorists-in-operations-ispr" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">security forces</a>&nbsp;in Orakzai District, the ISPR said.&nbsp;&nbsp;During the conduct of the operation, troops effectively engaged the terrorists&#39; location, and after an intense fire exchange, 14 terrorists were killed.&nbsp;Another intelligence-based operation by security forces was conducted in Khyber District, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/12-indianbacked-militants-killed-in-clearance-operation-after-terrorists-attack-in-police-station-banks-pakistan-army" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">ISPR</a>&nbsp;said.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the ensuing fire exchange, 10 more terrorists were effectively neutralized.&nbsp;Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists found in the area as a relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under the vision &ldquo;Azm e Istehkam&rdquo; (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country, the ISPR said. PM lauds security forces&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the professional capabilities of the officers and personnel of the security forces for killing 24 terrorists during the operations, said a press release issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office on Friday. &ldquo;We will continue the war against the menace of terrorism until its complete eradication from the country,&rdquo; said the prime minister. &ldquo;Under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam, the entire nation, including myself, stands shoulder to shoulder with the security forces in our unwavering resolve to foil the nefarious designs of the terrorists,&rdquo; the prime minister said.&nbsp;President pays tribute&nbsp;Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for successful IBOs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said a press release issued by the President&rsquo;s Secretariat on Friday.&nbsp; &ldquo;The killing of twenty-four Khawarij in effective operations against terrorist elements is a commendable achievement,&rdquo; said the president. &ldquo;The war against terrorism caused by external interference is continuing successfully,&rdquo; President Zardari said. &ldquo;The war against the menace of terrorism will continue until its complete eradication from the country,&rdquo; said the president of Pakistan.

ISPR says, ‘On 4-5 February 2026, twenty-four khwarij belonging to Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khwarij were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.’

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