Asfandyar Yahya

Salt once sparked wars, fueled revolts, and toppled rulers. What we now toss into fries was once the spark of revolutions. Today, Pakistan holds the world&rsquo;s second-largest salt reserves, a quiet giant beneath our feet.

Tell Me Why

Once a catalyst for wars and revolts, now quietly powers Pakistan’s vast salt reserves.

Salt Wars: How a pinch changed history

Web Desk

The United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on Iran early Saturday, sharply escalating tensions across the Middle East. President Donald Trump said the operation aimed to significantly degrade Iran&rsquo;s military capabilities and prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry said the country would defend its territory, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched retaliatory actions. Iranian officials said drones and missiles were fired toward Israel, and strikes were directed at US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The developments followed weeks of pressure by Washington on Tehran to accept limits on its nuclear program, alongside a visible US military buildup in the region. The pressure campaign unfolded as Iran has faced domestic unrest after nationwide protests. Iran&rsquo;s state-run IRNA reported that at least 40 people were killed at a girls&rsquo; school in southern Iran in the strikes. Separately, state media in the United Arab Emirates said one person was killed when shrapnel from an Iranian missile strike landed in the capital. France warns escalation must stopFrench President Emmanuel Macron said the current escalation posed a broad risk. &ldquo;The current escalation is dangerous for everyone,&rdquo; Macron said. &ldquo;It must stop.&rdquo; Saudi Arabia condemns regional violationsThe Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the kingdom &ldquo;condemns and denounces in the strongest terms&rdquo; what it described as Iranian aggression and violations of the sovereignty of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan. In a statement, Saudi Arabia said it stands in &ldquo;full solidarity&rdquo; with the affected countries and is prepared to place its capabilities at their disposal in support of any measures they may take. The statement also warned of &ldquo;grave consequences&rdquo; arising from continued breaches of state sovereignty and international law. Pakistan urges diplomacyPakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar received a call from Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. The two discussed the evolving situation in Iran and the wider region. According to the statement, Dar &ldquo;strongly condemned the unwarranted attacks against Iran&rdquo; and called for an immediate halt to escalation. He urged the urgent resumption of diplomacy to achieve what Pakistan described as a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis. Military posture and planningIsraeli officials said the operation followed months of joint planning with Washington. Ahead of earlier US-Iran talks in Geneva, the United States had expanded its military presence in the region, deploying additional aircraft, warships and troops as part of an effort to pressure Tehran diplomatically. US officials said the buildup added more than 10,000 American service members to the region. Trump addresses IraniansMore than an hour after the strikes began, Trump issued a public statement confirming US involvement in what he described as &ldquo;major combat operations.&rdquo; In a video message posted on social media, Trump said the decision was driven by broader concerns beyond Iran&rsquo;s nuclear program, citing decades of hostility since the 1979 revolution. He urged civilians to seek safety and later called on Iranians to challenge their leadership. &ldquo;When we are finished, take over your government,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;It will be yours to take.&rdquo; The message followed Trump&rsquo;s public frustration a day earlier over stalled negotiations aimed at limiting Iran&rsquo;s nuclear capabilities. Iranian retaliation and regional alertsBahrain said a missile attack targeted the headquarters of the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet. Witnesses in Kuwait reported hearing sirens and explosions, and blasts were also reported in Qatar, where the Al Udeid Air Base hosts thousands of U.S. personnel. Iraq and the United Arab Emirates temporarily closed their airspace, while warning sirens were heard in Jordan. In northern Israel, an apartment building was damaged and shrapnel fell in several areas, according to police and local media. Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said there were no significant direct hits, and emergency services reported no injuries from the missile barrages. Iranian-aligned Houthi officials in Yemen said the group intends to resume attacks on Red Sea shipping routes and on Israel. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the absence of a formal announcement by the group&rsquo;s leadership. Explosions reported in TehranIsrael confirmed launching strikes shortly after explosions were reported in Tehran early Saturday. One impact was reported near offices associated with Iran&rsquo;s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His location was not immediately known, and there was no public appearance reported in recent days. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the operation was conducted &ldquo;to remove threats.&rdquo; An official briefed on the planning said Iranian military facilities, symbols of government authority and intelligence-related sites were among the targets. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic details. Air-raid sirens sounded across Israel as authorities warned residents of potential incoming missile fire. - This live blog will continue to be updated with confirmed developments, official statements and casualty assessments as they emerge.

Middle East

A live blog tracking fast-moving developments after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, including regional military responses, airspace closures, airline disruptions, official statements, and international diplomatic reactions as events unfold in real time.

US, Israel strike Iran; regional escalation prompts retaliation warnings across

TEHRAN: At least 40 people were killed on Saturday in a strike on a girls&#39; school in southern Iran, state media said Saturday, after Israel and the United States launched attacks.&nbsp;&quot;The death toll from the Minab girls&#39; elementary school has reached 40,&quot; state television said, adding that 45 more people were wounded in the alleged strike in Hormozgan province.

Asia

Israeli and US strikes hit a girls’ elementary school in Minab, southern Iran, killing at least 40 people and wounding 45 others, according to Iranian state media.

Israeli strikes hit school in southern Iran, kill 40 students

ISLAMABAD: Airlines across Asia, Europe and the Middle East suspended or rerouted flights on Saturday after US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered widespread airspace closures and security alerts across the region.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, said it halted services to several Gulf destinations, citing deteriorating regional conditions.&nbsp;&ldquo;PIA&rsquo;s flights to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Doha and Kuwait have been suspended due to the changing situation,&rdquo; the airline said in a statement.&nbsp;Multiple governments moved to restrict civilian air traffic after Iran closed its airspace and retaliatory activity spread across neighboring states. Pakistan, T&uuml;rkiye, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates all announced at least partial airspace closures within hours of the strikes.&nbsp;Airlines suspend regional operations&nbsp;Turkish Airlines said it cancelled flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan until March 2.&nbsp;&ldquo;Flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman are suspended for today,&rdquo; spokesman Yahya &Uuml;st&uuml;n said.&nbsp;Qatar&rsquo;s civil aviation authority announced a temporary closure of the country&rsquo;s airspace, prompting Qatar Airways to suspend all departures and arrivals from Doha.&nbsp;The airline said it &ldquo;confirms the temporary suspension of its flights to, and from, Doha due to the closure of Qatari airspace.&rdquo;&nbsp;Air France said it was suspending flights to Dubai and Riyadh, expanding earlier cancellations that included Tel Aviv and Beirut.&nbsp;&ldquo;Due to the security situation at the destination, the airline has decided to cancel its flights scheduled for February 28 and March 1 to and from Tel Aviv,&rdquo; the company said, adding that the suspension would be extended.&nbsp;Russia&rsquo;s aviation authority said all commercial flights to Israel and Iran were cancelled &ldquo;until further notice,&rdquo; affecting multiple Russian carriers.&nbsp;Air India announced a blanket suspension of Middle East operations.&nbsp;&ldquo;In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended,&rdquo; the airline said in a statement.&nbsp;British Airways said it would not operate flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 4 and confirmed the cancellation of a scheduled service to Amman.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are closely monitoring the situation and have taken the operational decision to cancel our flights,&rdquo; the airline said.&nbsp;Swiss International Air Lines said it suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until March 7 and cancelled scheduled services between Zurich and Dubai.&nbsp;&ldquo;As numerous airspaces are closed as a result of the current situation, we are cancelling these flights,&rdquo; the airline said.&nbsp;The Lufthansa Group said it cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil and Tehran until March 7, and temporarily halted services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;&ldquo;These measures are due to the current situation in the Middle East,&rdquo; the group said.&nbsp;Air Alg&eacute;rie said it cancelled flights scheduled for Saturday to Amman, Dubai and Doha, according to a statement released to local media.&nbsp;Norwegian budget carrier Norwegian Air said it suspended flights to and from Dubai through March 4.&nbsp;&ldquo;We will then assess if it&rsquo;s possible to resume flights,&rdquo; communications director Charlotte Holmbergh said.&nbsp;Widespread airspace closures&nbsp;Iran&rsquo;s Civil Aviation Organization said the country&rsquo;s airspace was closed nationwide &ldquo;until further notice.&rdquo; Israel also shut its skies to civilian traffic, Transport Minister Miri Regev said.&nbsp;Iraq closed its airspace entirely, while the United Arab Emirates said it was implementing a &ldquo;partial and temporary&rdquo; closure. Syria&rsquo;s Civil Aviation Authority said southern air corridors near the Israeli border were closed for 12 hours.&nbsp;Jordan&rsquo;s military said its air force was conducting defensive drills to protect national airspace, later stating that two ballistic missiles were intercepted. Kuwait announced a full airspace closure, with its military saying it had &ldquo;engaged incoming missiles.&rdquo;&nbsp;Flight tracking service FlightAware reported that by early afternoon GMT, more than 11,000 flights had been delayed worldwide and over 900 flights cancelled, reflecting the broad impact of the regional escalation on global air travel.

Europe

Americas

Pakistan International Airlines suspends Middle East flights as regional airspace closures follow US and Israeli strikes on Iran, with major global airlines cancelling routes amid escalating tensions and widespread disruption across Gulf and neighboring countries

Pakistan, global airlines halt Middle East flights after US, Israel strike Iran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has &quot;strongly condemned&quot; the &quot;unwarranted attacks&quot; against Iran on Saturday.&nbsp; A post shared by Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X on Saturday stated: &quot;DPM/FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar received a call from FM of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi. They reviewed the evolving situation in Iran and the wider region.&quot;<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-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 770px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027698224249901202&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=c4adfe28f371d8383619bdeef82ca5026e275958&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&quot;DPM/FM strongly condemned the unwarranted attacks against Iran and called for an immediate halt to escalation through urgent resumption of diplomacy to achieve a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis,&quot; it added.&nbsp;

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan's DPM/FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar received a call from FM of Iran Seyed Abbas Araghchi; they reviewed the evolving situation in Iran and the wider region, said a statement from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Pakistan 'strongly condemns unwarranted attacks' against Iran 

Paris: Countries in the Middle East and around the world voiced fear of a regional conflagration after the United States and Israel carried out long-feared strikes on Iran on Saturday. Russia: Talks a &#39;cover&#39;&nbsp;Russia called on its citizens to leave Iran, with former president Dmitry Medvedev saying that talks with the United States had just been a &quot;cover&quot;. &quot;The peacekeeper is at it again,&quot; Medvedev, now the chair of Russia&#39;s security council, said in a post on X. &quot;The talks with Iran were just a cover. Everyone knew that. So who has more patience to wait for the enemy&#39;s sorry end now?&quot; he added. Qatar: &#39;secure&#39;&nbsp;Qatar, which hosts a US military base, initially said it was secure after the US and Israeli attacks on neighbouring Iran but was monitoring developments closely. An official later told AFP that Qatari defence systems had intercepted an Iranian missile, and the defence ministry said it had repelled &quot;a number of attacks&quot;. EU: &#39;perilous&#39;&nbsp;The European Union warned the situation in the region was &quot;perilous&quot; and called for civilians to be protected in any ensuing conflict. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, on X, urged &quot;all parties to exercise restraint&quot;, stressing it was &quot;critical&quot; to &quot;ensure nuclear safety&quot; after the US indicated Iran&#39;s nuclear sites were in its crosshairs. EU&#39;s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, who said the situation was dangerous, announcing the withdrawal of the bloc&#39;s non-essential personnel from the region. UK: avoid &#39;wider conflict&#39;&nbsp;The UK government feared the strikes could blow up into a broader Middle East conflict, and urged its citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE to find shelter. &quot;We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,&quot; a government spokesperson said, adding that the UK&#39;s &quot;immediate priority&quot; was the safety of its citizens in the region. Shah&#39;s son: &#39;final victory&#39; near&nbsp;Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran&#39;s last shah and a leading critic of Tehran, said that &quot;we are very close to final victory&quot; following the strikes. &quot;I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran,&quot; Pahlavi -- who lives in exile in the Washington area -- said in a message to Iranians. Jordan: protect skiesJordan&#39;s military said its air force was at work on Saturday to protect the kingdom and its people while the strikes were ongoing. A military official later said that two ballistic missiles targeting the kingdom&#39;s territory &quot;were successfully intercepted by Jordanian air defence systems&quot;. Ukraine: Iran at fault&nbsp;Ukraine argued that the Iranian government&#39;s &quot;violence against its own people and other countries&quot; had triggered the US and Israeli attacks against Tehran. &quot;The reason for the current events is precisely the violence and arbitrariness of the Iranian regime, in particular the murders and repressions against peaceful protesters, which have become particularly large-scale in recent months,&quot; the foreign ministry said in a statement. France: safety a priority&nbsp;France, which has several military bases in the Middle East, notably in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, said that Paris&#39;s priority was the safety of its citizens. &quot;Obviously our priority in these sort of cases is the protection of our nationals, the protection of our forces in the region and the monitoring of the situation in real time, which we are doing,&quot; Alice Rufo, a deputy defence minister, told France 2 television. African Union: stability at risk&nbsp;The African Union called &quot;for restraint, urgent de-escalation and sustained dialogue&quot; after the strikes, warning that conflict could risk harming people on the continent. &quot;Further escalation risks worsening global instability, with serious implications for energy markets, food security, and economic resilience -- particularly in Africa, where conflict and economic pressures remain acute,&quot; said the pan-African body&#39;s head, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf.

Countries across the World have voiced serious concerns over a regional conflict after US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran

World warns against Mideast war as US, Israel strike Iran

LONDON: The UK government expressed the fear Saturday that the military strikes pitting the United States and Israel against Iran could blow up into a broader Middle East conflict. &quot;We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,&quot; a government spokesperson said. They said that the UK&#39;s &quot;immediate priority&quot; was the safety of its citizens in the region. The spokesperson also said that the UK has &quot;a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we have recently bolstered. We stand ready to protect our interests.&quot; A government source noted, however, that Britain was not involved in the US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was understood to be chairing an emergency meeting of his key cabinet ministers during the day. Separately, the British government, in a message on X, urged its citizens in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates to &quot;immediately shelter in place&quot; because of reported missile attacks on sites in those countries.

UK PM Keir Starmer said that Britain was not involved in the US-Israel attack on Iran and that it stands to protect its interests in the region.

UK fears US-Iran conflict spiralling into Mideast war

ISLAMABAD: Claims circulating on Afghan and Indian media platforms that a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down over Afghanistan during Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory strikes have been rejected by Pakistani authorities and debunked by independent reporting. The claim, first attributed to officials of the Afghan Taliban government and amplified by Indian media outlets, alleged that Afghan forces downed a Pakistani jet in Nangarhar province and captured its pilot alive. Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry categorically denied the reports. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s a false claim. Totally untrue,&rdquo; Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said, dismissing assertions of any aircraft loss or pilot capture. No Pakistani authority has reported the loss of an aircraft since the launch of Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory operation and no independent international media organization has verified the claim. Officials said the allegation relied entirely on statements from Afghan Taliban sources and unverified social media amplification. Critically, no physical evidence has emerged to support the narrative. No crash debris, wreckage site, or images of a captured pilot have been produced. Analysts note that in modern conflict environments, verified aircraft losses are typically documented quickly through satellite imagery, geolocated footage, or third-party confirmation. None of which exists in this case. Several videos circulated online as purported evidence of the jet&rsquo;s downing were also found to be misleading. Officials said the clips were either old, unrelated footage from Afghanistan or taken from entirely different incidents. An image shared by TOLO News showing a crashed aircraft was also flagged as false context. The image corresponds to a Russian aircraft incident in T&uuml;rkiye in 2021 and has no connection to Pakistan or the current conflict, according to officials familiar with the matter. Independent media outlets monitoring the escalation did not corroborate the Afghan claims. Reports citing journalists on the ground and defense observers found no evidence supporting the assertion of a Pakistani jet being downed. The absence of verification by organizations such as AFP further undercut the credibility of the claim. Pakistani officials described the episode as part of a broader, coordinated disinformation effort following Pakistan&rsquo;s retaliatory strikes inside Afghanistan. &ldquo;For the past two days, hundreds of fake or misleading videos and claims have circulated,&rdquo; an official said, adding that the jet narrative fits a recurring pattern of propaganda following battlefield setbacks. VerdictThe claim that a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down in Nangarhar and its pilot captured is false. No aircraft loss has been confirmed, no physical or visual evidence exists and the material circulated online has been shown to be recycled or unrelated. AdvisoryOfficials urged the public to avoid sharing unverified battlefield claims and to rely on official statements and credible international reporting, warning that disinformation campaigns intensify during periods of conflict.

Security

Claims circulating on Afghan and Indian media platforms that a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down over Afghanistan during Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes have been rejected by Pakistani authorities and debunked by independent reporting.

Fact Check: Claims of Pakistani jet downed after retaliatory strikes false

LONDON: The US and Israeli strikes against Iran could severely disrupt the global supply of crude oil and send prices soaring to levels not seen in years. AFP looks at the risks. Major producer Iran remains just inside the world&#39;s top 10 oil producers even though its output has fallen sharply since the 1970s, hit in particular by rounds of US sanctions. &quot;In 1974, Iran was the third-biggest producer in the world after the US and Saudi Arabia, and ahead of Russia, producing some six million barrels per day,&quot; Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, chief analyst at Global Risk Management, told AFP. Today, Iran produces about 3.1 million barrels per day, according to the oil-producing cartel OPEC, of which Iran is a member. This remains a significant amount, and the Islamic republic is believed to hold the world&#39;s third-largest crude reserves, cementing its strategic importance. Additionally, Iran&#39;s oil industry is in far better shape than that of Venezuela, another country hit by years of US sanctions. Strait of Hormuz The main risk to the oil market remains a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has frequently threatened to paralyse. This waterway is by far the main shipping route connecting the wealthy oil-producing countries of the Middle East to the rest of the world. Approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil passed through it daily in 2024, equivalent to nearly 20 percent of global liquid oil consumption, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). The strait is particularly vulnerable owing to its narrow width, around 50 kilometres (30 miles), and its shallow depth, which does not exceed 60 metres (200 feet). &quot;Even a doubt about security in the Strait would prompt many vessels, for insurance reasons, to face difficulties transiting, as premiums would rise sharply,&quot; said Rasmussen. According to Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen, &quot;only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates possess meaningful bypass infrastructure&quot;. The route could transport a maximum of 2.6 million barrels daily, noted the EIA. Highly profitable oil Iranian crude is relatively easy and cheap to extract, with production costs as little as $10 per barrel, making it particularly profitable, Rasmussen said. Only Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates enjoy similarly low production costs. By comparison, major Western producers like Canada and the United States typically face costs of $40 to $60 per barrel. With such low costs, Iran gains disproportionately from high global prices, a crucial factor for an economy heavily reliant on oil revenues. US sanctions imposed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution have left Iran with few export options -- especially after Trump revived a &quot;maximum pressure&quot; policy on Tehran upon his return to the White House. Last year, Washington targeted Chinese &quot;teapot&quot; refineries, which operate independently of state-owned oil companies, accusing them of buying Iranian crude. China, however, continues to buy Iranian oil at below-market prices. Iran exports between 1.3 and 1.5 million barrels daily, with more than 80 percent of the total bound for Chinese refineries owing to US sanctions, according to Hansen. Impact on Iran neighbours Iran&#39;s neighbours, from Gulf states to Turkey and Pakistan, fear an Iranian response since their hosting of US military sites places them in the firing line. They &quot;know they are vulnerable because the Iranians have enough basic intermediate-range missiles that allow them to strike vital points&quot; in the worst-case scenario, noted Pierre Razoux, director of studies at the Mediterranean Foundation for Strategic Studies. At-risk infrastructure includes hydrocarbon hubs as well as electrical power and seawater desalination plants, he added. Soaring oil prices, meanwhile, risk a return to soaring inflation, hurting the global economy. Crude reaching $100 per barrel for the first time since the start of Russia&#39;s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 could also hurt Trump in the midterm elections at the end of the year, especially as he has promised American voters cheap energy.

As the US and Israel launch "preventative" strikes on Iran, a major oil producer, oil markets will are set to receive shocks. 

How will US, Israeli strikes on Iran affect oil markets?

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad&#39;s foreign ministry said on Saturday that claims by Afghan military and police of downing a Pakistani jet and capturing a pilot were &quot;totally untrue&quot;. &quot;That&#39;s a false claim. Totally untrue,&quot; ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi told AFP. Information Ministry rebuts fake newsMeanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday rebutted false reports claiming a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down in Nangarhar, Afghanistan and its pilot captured.<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-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 698px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027651563183853750&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=c4adfe28f371d8383619bdeef82ca5026e275958&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>The official Twitter handle of Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for exposing fake news released a statement on its X handle on Saturday, addressing false reports about a Pakistani fighter jet allegedly being shot down in Nangarhar, Afghanistan. According to the ministry, Afghan news agencies and certain Indian media outlets, including Khaleej Times, circulated claims that the Ministry of Defense of the so-called Islamic Emirate reported Afghan forces had downed a Pakistani jet and captured its pilot alive. No jet shot down&nbsp;The ministry provided official counter-facts, stating that no Pakistani jet was shot down and no aircraft loss has been reported by the Pakistan Armed Forces. Independent international media outlets and defense monitoring agencies have not verified the claims. It further noted that no visual proof, debris, wreckage, or evidence of a captured pilot has been presented. Coordinated disinformation campaign&nbsp;The viral videos circulated as &ldquo;evidence&rdquo; were either old or unrelated, and an image shared by TOLO News showing a fallen jet was actually from a Russian aircraft incident in Turkey in 2021. The ministry described the reports as part of a coordinated disinformation campaign linked to the India&ndash;Afghan propaganda ecosystem, emphasizing that no credible defense analysis supports the claim that Afghan forces have the operational capability suggested. The statement urged the public not to rely on unverified battlefield claims and to cross-check information with official Pakistani authorities and credible international agencies, while avoiding the sharing of recycled or misleading content.

Afghanistan

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting rebuts false reports claiming a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down in Nangarhar, Afghanistan.

Pakistan says Afghanistan jet crash claim 'totally untrue' 

ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan has issued a travel advisory urging its nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran for their safety and security, said an advisory issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. Pakistani citizens currently in Iran are advised to remain cautious, minimize non-essential movement, and stay in regular contact with Pakistani diplomatic missions.<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" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 875px; 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=2027632681362854112&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=c4adfe28f371d8383619bdeef82ca5026e275958&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2027632681362854112"></iframe></div></div>The Embassy of Pakistan in Tehran and its consulates in Zahidan and Mashhad have provided landline and mobile contact numbers for assistance.

The Government of Pakistan has issued a travel advisory urging its nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran for their safety and security, said an advisory issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.