Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The 13th Pakistan-United States bilateral joint exercise &quot;Inspired Gambit-2026&quot; kicked off on Jan. 9 at the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) in Pabbi, the military said on Saturday. The two-week-long exercise brings together professional contingents from the armies of both countries to conduct training in the counterterrorism (CT) domain, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military&rsquo;s media wing. Officials from Pakistan and the United States attended the opening ceremony. The exercise aims to enhance mutual understanding and operational interoperability by sharing experiences in counterterrorism operations, according to the statement. Training focuses on urban warfare marksmanship, understanding each other&rsquo;s operational doctrines, and refining tactics, techniques, and procedures essential for effective CT operations. Joint exercises like Inspired Gambit play a key role in addressing evolving security challenges, improving professional military standards, and strengthening the capacity of both forces to operate in complex counterterrorism environments, it added.

Security

Officials from Pakistan and the United States attend the opening ceremony.


Pakistan, US begin two-week-long counterterrorism exercise

PARIS: Anti-government chants filled the streets of Iran&#39;s capital on Saturday night, as protesters pressed the biggest movement against the Islamic Republic in more than three years despite a crackdown under the cover of an internet blackout. Iran has blamed the United States for the demonstrations, which ignited in Tehran two weeks ago over economic hardship and have since spread nationwide with calls for ousting the clerical authorities. US &lsquo;ready to help&rsquo;Rights groups have reported dozens of deaths and expressed alarm on Saturday that authorities were intensifying the crackdown. Little information is filtering out after an internet shutdown, with monitor NetBlocks showing virtually no connectivity since Thursday. US President Donald Trump said his country was &quot;ready to help&quot; the movement, after warning Iran was in &quot;big trouble&quot; over its efforts to suppress the protests. &quot;Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!&quot; Trump posted on Truth Social Saturday. Possible military strikes&nbsp;According to the New York Times, Trump was recently briefed on options for possible military strikes. US officials, speaking to the Times anonymously, said Trump has not yet made a final decision about another intervention, after Washington joined Israel&#39;s 12-day war against the Islamic Republic in June. Crowds gathered again on Saturday in the north of the Iranian capital, setting off fireworks and banging pots as they shouted slogans in support of the ousted monarchy, according to video verified by AFP. Other videos, that AFP could not immediately verify, showed demonstrations in other parts of the capital where protesters shouted anti-government slogans. Shah&rsquo;s son calls for targeted protests&nbsp;Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran&#39;s deposed shah, urged Iranians to stage more targeted protests over the weekend. &quot;Our goal is no longer just to take to the streets. The goal is to prepare to seize and hold city centers,&quot; Pahlavi said in a video on social media. The demonstrations have posed one of the biggest challenges to the theocratic authorities who have ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution. &lsquo;Vandals&rsquo; doing Trump&rsquo;s bidding&nbsp;After initially calling for &quot;restraint&quot; and acknowledging economic grievances, they have since hardened their stance. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a defiant speech on Friday, lashed out at &quot;vandals&quot; doing Trump&#39;s bidding. Amnesty International said it was analysing &quot;distressing reports that security forces have intensified their unlawful use of lethal force against protesters&quot; since Thursday. Norway-based Iran Human Rights group has said at least 51 people have been killed in the crackdown so far, warning the actual toll could be higher. It posted images it said were of bodies of people shot dead in the protests on the floor of Alghadir hospital in eastern Tehran. &quot;These images provide further evidence of the excessive and lethal use of force against protesters,&quot; IHR said. Other images disseminated on social media and by Persian-language television channels outside Iran showed similarly large protests elsewhere in the capital, as well as in the eastern city of Mashhad, Tabriz in the north, and the holy city of Qom. In the western city of Hamedan, a man was shown waving a Shah-era Iranian flag featuring the lion and the sun. Iranian embassy in London&nbsp;The same flag briefly flew over the country&#39;s embassy in London after protesters reached the building&#39;s balcony, witnesses told AFP. On Thursday and Friday, an AFP journalist in Tehran saw streets deserted and plunged into darkness. &quot;The area is not safe,&quot; said a cafe manager as he prepared to close the shop around 4:00 pm. &lsquo;Enemy seeking to disrupt order&rsquo;&nbsp;Authorities say several members of the security forces have been killed, and state television aired images on Saturday of funerals for several members of the security forces killed in the protests, including a large gathering in the southern city of Shiraz. It also aired images of buildings, including a mosque, on fire. Iran&#39;s army said in a statement that it would &quot;vigorously protect and safeguard national interests&quot; against an &quot;enemy seeking to disrupt order and peace&quot;. Global leaders have urged restraint from Iranian authorities, with European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen saying Europe backed Iranians&#39; mass protests and condemned the &ldquo;violent repression&rdquo; against the demonstrators.&nbsp;

Middle East

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a speech on Friday, lashed out at ‘vandals’ doing Trump's bidding; Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran's deposed shah, urged Iranians to stage more targeted protests over the weekend.

Fresh protests in Iran as internet blackout persists

MONTREAL: Prime Minister Mark Carney will begin a state visit to China on Tuesday, the first in eight years for a Canadian leader, with the aim of discussing trade and rebuilding ties after years of diplomatic tensions. Chinese President Xi Jinping invited Carney last October during a meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which Carney described as a &ldquo;turning point&rdquo; in the two nations&rsquo; strained relationship. The Jan. 13-17 trip seeks to &ldquo;strengthen cooperation in the areas of trade, energy, agriculture and international security,&rdquo; a Carney spokeswoman told AFP. &lsquo;Huge step forward&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a huge step forward,&rdquo; said Gordon Houlden, a former Canadian diplomat and director of the University of Alberta&#39;s China Institute. Houlden told AFP that if &ldquo;some of the commercial problems that are affecting our exports had a political origin, then solving the political origin may, or should, have some positive effect on the trade.&rdquo; The last Canadian leader to visit China was Justin Trudeau in December 2017. Ties withered in 2018 after the arrest of a senior executive from Chinese tech giant Huawei on a US warrant in Vancouver and China&rsquo;s retaliatory detention of two Canadians on espionage charges. China has also been accused of interfering in Canadian elections in recent years. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Second-largest trade partner</h2>Carney will meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and business leaders to advance trade negotiations, focusing on efforts to attract new investors and secure strategic partnerships. In the face of protectionism and attacks from US President Donald Trump, he will also seek to develop new markets to lessen Canada&rsquo;s economic dependence on its neighbor to the south. China is currently Canada&#39;s second-largest trade partner, with bilateral trade reaching $118.7 billion Canadian dollars ($85.3 billion) in 2024. &ldquo;This visit is important because China is obviously an inescapable superpower,&rdquo; Guy Saint-Jacques, Canada&rsquo;s ambassador to China from 2012-2016, told AFP.<h2 style="line-height: 2;"> </h2><h2 id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2;">&lsquo;The elephant in the room&rsquo;&nbsp;</h2>He said a deal on Chinese energy supplies and electric vehicles was a possible outcome from the talks. But &ldquo;the elephant in the room,&rdquo; he mentioned, is the thorny issue of tariffs. Since the summer of 2024, Ottawa and Beijing have clashed on trade, with Canada imposing tariffs on electric vehicles and Chinese steel, while Beijing has retaliated with levies on agricultural products, including canola. Economic objectives vs security priorities&nbsp;&ldquo;Whatever agreements Canada has with China will be scrutinized in Washington and might have implications&rdquo; for three-way talks with Washington and Mexico on a free trade agreement, set to be renegotiated this year, said Vina Nadjibulla, vice president of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Carney&#39;s challenge is &ldquo;going to be to advance economic objectives while not sacrificing our national security and economic security priorities,&rdquo; she added. After his trip to Beijing, Carney is scheduled to travel to Qatar for a bilateral visit and then head to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos.

Americas

The Jan. 13-17 trip seeks to ‘strengthen cooperation in the areas of trade, energy, agriculture and international security,’ a Carney spokeswoman told AFP; bilateral trade reached $118.7 billion Canadian dollars ($85.3 billion) in 2024.

Canada's Carney plans to talk trade, relations during China visit

MUMBAI: India is aggressively seeking trade deals to open markets for exporters and soften the blow of steep US tariffs, as efforts to secure an agreement with Washington remain elusive.&nbsp;Relations between Washington and New Delhi plummeted in August after President Donald Trump raised tariffs to 50 percent, a blow that threatens job losses and hurts India&#39;s ambition of becoming a manufacturing and export powerhouse.&nbsp;That pressure, experts say, has pushed New Delhi into a rapid diversification drive beyond its biggest market.&nbsp;India signed or operationalized four trade agreements last year, including a major pact with Britain &mdash; the fastest pace of deal-making it has seen in years &mdash; and is now eyeing fresh deals.&nbsp;Negotiations are underway with the European Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, Mexico, Chile and the South American Mercosur trade bloc, either for new deals or to expand existing agreements.&nbsp;If successful, India would have trade arrangements with &quot;almost every major economy,&quot; said Ajay Srivastava, from the New Delhi-based Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).&nbsp;Srivastava said 2025 was &quot;one of the most active years&quot; for trade agreements, which he said aimed to &quot;spread risk&quot; rather than to pivot from Washington.&nbsp;&#39;Expand its destinations&#39;Washington&#39;s punishing tariffs aimed at stopping India&#39;s purchases of Russian oil &mdash; which it says finances Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine &mdash; have driven New Delhi&#39;s desire to grow other markets.&nbsp;&quot;The strategy was a reaction, as I read it, to what Trump did,&quot; trade economist Biswajit Dhar told AFP. &quot;This has now become an imperative for India to actually expand its destinations.&quot;&nbsp;Major deals will help labor-intensive sectors hurt by tariffs.&nbsp;India&#39;s apparel export promotion council projects that the UK trade deal could help double garment exports to Britain over the next three years.&nbsp;The gains from a potential EU agreement could be even bigger.&nbsp;European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, expected to visit New Delhi later in January, has said it would be the &quot;largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world&quot;.&nbsp;Although the two sides missed a deadline to conclude talks by the end of 2025 &mdash; reportedly over disputes related to steel and auto exports &mdash; Indian negotiators remain optimistic.&nbsp;German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit India and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, holding talks on &quot;intensifying cooperation in trade and investment&quot;, Modi&#39;s office said in a statement.&nbsp;Smaller agreements also matter.&nbsp;Trade between Oman and India totaled less than $11 billion last financial year, but a December deal with Muscat offers &quot;a gateway to the broader Middle East and Africa markets&quot;, and a template for a wider &quot;Gulf engagement strategy&quot;, analysts at Nomura suggested.&nbsp;And while a free trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand added little to Indian export growth, it secured $20 billion in foreign investment, increased visa access and showed Washington that New Delhi is willing to compromise.&nbsp;&quot;The New Zealand FTA makes concessions on agricultural produce like apples, even though farmers here may have concerns,&quot; said an Indian commerce ministry official, who declined to be identified.&nbsp;&quot;Who says we can&#39;t be flexible?&quot;&nbsp;&#39;Eggs in one basket&#39;&nbsp;India&#39;s goods exports rose a surprising 19 percent in November 2025, reversing an October decline.&nbsp;While the surge was helped by electronics shipments &mdash; still exempt from US tariffs &mdash; marine product exports also posted gains.&nbsp;&quot;Diversification has certainly happened,&quot; KN Raghavan, of the Seafood Exporter Association of India said.&nbsp;&quot;We have increased exports to the EU and China,&quot; he said, adding they were the top markets after the United States.&nbsp;But exporters caution that alternative markets cannot fully replace the United States, with Raghavan saying a US deal is &quot;paramount&quot;.&nbsp;That remains in limbo.&nbsp;India&#39;s imports of Russian oil fell sharply in December to 1.2 million barrels per day from 1.8 million per day in November, according to Kpler trade data.&nbsp;It is unclear if that will be enough for Trump.&nbsp;Pankaj Chadha, chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council, said diversification had become a necessity to lessen dependence on the &quot;biggest and the most lucrative&quot; market.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s better not to put all your eggs in one basket,&quot; he said.

India

Experts says the pressure from the United States to stop buying Russian oil has pushed New Delhi into a rapid diversification drive beyond its biggest market.


India eyes new markets with US trade deal limbo

ISLAMABAD: The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation held its 22nd extraordinary session in Jeddah on Saturday, adopting two resolutions condemning Israel&rsquo;s recognition of the Somaliland region as an independent state and addressing Israel&rsquo;s continued actions against the Palestinian people. Pakistan&#39;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar participated in the meeting. He was received on arrival by OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha and Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the OIC, Ambassador Fawad Sheron. According to an OIC statement, the council adopted a resolution rejecting Israel&rsquo;s recent announcement recognizing the Somaliland region as an independent and sovereign state, calling it a violation of international law and a threat to regional peace and stability. The resolution reaffirmed the OIC&rsquo;s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.<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" 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=2010062083786715388&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=0795deb701a021fe1e1d859408547f1f842b0f87&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> In his address, Secretary General Taha said the extraordinary session was convened at a &ldquo;very delicate and sensitive time&rdquo; to discuss developments affecting Somalia&rsquo;s sovereignty. He said the meeting reflected the shared concern of member states and the need for a unified Islamic position in line with the OIC Charter, international law, and relevant United Nations resolutions. The secretary general said the session followed an earlier extraordinary meeting of the OIC executive committee held on Jan. 1 at the organization&rsquo;s headquarters, underscoring the urgency of the issue. The council also adopted a second resolution on the situation in Palestine. Taha stressed the need to compel Israel, the occupying power, to move to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. He called for a comprehensive and permanent cessation of hostilities, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, prevention of the displacement of Palestinians, and facilitation of the return of displaced persons to their homes. The meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers was preceded by a preparatory session among senior officials. Earlier in the day, Dar inaugurated the new chancery building of the Consulate General of Pakistan in Jeddah.

The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation adopted two resolutions condemning Israel’s recognition of the Somaliland region as an independent state and Israel’s continued actions against the Palestinian people.

OIC adopts resolutions condemning Israel, backing Somalia and Palestine

JOS: Gunmen have released a group of people they kidnapped in central Nigeria who were traveling for a Muslim religious event, the brother of one of the victims told AFP on Saturday. On December 21, 2025 unidentified attackers abducted 28 people, including women and children, in Plateau state while they were traveling to a Maulud gathering to mark the birth of the Prophet Mohammed. Kidnappings for ransom are common in the West African country. But the abduction in Plateau state came after a spate of mass kidnappings in November that drew international scrutiny over the country&rsquo;s grim security situation. &ldquo;Yesterday night, an official of the State Security Service called and told us that our people have been rescued,&rdquo; said Ibrahim Musa, a brother of one of the victims. Musa told AFP he and others &ldquo;are eagerly waiting to receive our people&rdquo; once they are handed over by security forces to their families. The Plateau abduction occurred on the same day authorities secured the release of 130 schoolchildren &mdash; the last batch of more than 250 snatched from their Catholic boarding school in north-central Niger state. It was unclear how the Plateau travelers were freed. Paying ransoms is technically illegal in Nigeria, though the government is often suspected of doing so. Neither the police nor the State Security Service &mdash; also known as the Department of State Services &mdash; immediately responded to a request for comment. US President Donald Trump has latched onto the insecurity in Nigeria, focusing on the killing of Christians and putting Abuja under diplomatic pressure. In late December, the US launched strikes on what it and the Nigerian government said were militants linked to the ISIS group. Nigeria&rsquo;s myriad armed conflicts kill people across religious lines, and some experts have warned Trump&rsquo;s focus on Christian victims may inflame communal tensions.

Africa

Gunmen have released a group of people they kidnapped in central Nigeria who were traveling for a Muslim religious event, the brother of one of the victims told AFP on Saturday.

Nigerian gunmen free kidnapped Muslim religious travellers

WASHINGTON: The US State Department on Saturday urged Americans in Venezuela to leave the country &ldquo;immediately,&rdquo; citing risks from armed militias searching vehicles for US citizens at roadblocks. &ldquo;The security situation in Venezuela remains fluid,&rdquo; the department said in a security alert, one week after the country&rsquo;s leader, Nicolas Maduro, was captured by US forces in a lightning raid. &ldquo;As international flights have resumed, US citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately,&rdquo; it said, warning of armed militias, called colectivos, searching cars for Americans or evidence of US support.<figure class="fr-media"> </figure>

The US State Department on Saturday urged Americans in Venezuela to leave the country “immediately,” citing risks from armed militias searching vehicles for US citizens at roadblocks.

US urges Americans to leave Venezuela 'immediately' due to risk

<div id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2;">ISLAMABAD: US and allied forces carried out &ldquo;large-scale&rdquo; strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria on Saturday, the US military said, in the latest response to an attack last month that left three Americans dead.</div> Washington said a lone gunman from the militant group carried out the Dec. 13 attack in Palmyra &mdash; home to UNESCO-listed ancient ruins and once controlled by jihadist fighters &mdash; that killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter. &ldquo;The strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria&rdquo; and were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched &ldquo;in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra,&rdquo; US Central Command said in a statement on X, using an acronym for the jihadist group.<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; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010089772120002721&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin&sessionId=cee458877eb6fbabc6f4aea1b886e701fa5b9975&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 224px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> The United States and Jordan carried out a previous round of strikes as part of the same operation last month, hitting dozens of Islamic State group targets. The Palmyra attack was the first such incident since the overthrow of Syria&rsquo;s longtime ruler, Bashar al-Assad, in December 2024. The US personnel who were targeted were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the international effort to combat the Islamic State group, which seized swaths of Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2014. The jihadists were ultimately defeated by local ground forces backed by international airstrikes and other support, but the group still has a presence in Syria, especially in the country&rsquo;s vast desert regions. US President Donald Trump has long been skeptical of Washington&rsquo;s presence in Syria, ordering the withdrawal of troops during his first term but ultimately leaving American forces in the country. The Pentagon announced in April that the United States would halve the number of US personnel in Syria in the following months, while US envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said in June that Washington would eventually reduce its bases in the country to one.

US and allied forces carried out the strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria, the US military said. The strikes targeted ISIS throughout Syria and were launched 'in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra,' says US Central Command.

US announces 'large-scale' strikes against IS in Syria

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has placed esports at the center of its international youth engagement strategy, with Chairman of the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Youth Program (PMYP) Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan using a series of high-level meetings in the United Kingdom to promote esports as a global career pathway for Pakistani youth. According to an official statement issued by the Press Information Department, Khan&rsquo;s UK engagements focused on connecting Pakistan&rsquo;s young population with the rapidly expanding global esports and digital economy, while strengthening international partnerships in skills development, innovation, and policy design. A key meeting was held with British Esports President Chester King, where both sides explored collaboration on esports policy development, curriculum design, digital skills training, and institutional strengthening. The discussions also included plans for joint esports tournaments and international events aimed at giving Pakistani youth exposure to global competition and professional networks. &ldquo;Esports is no longer just entertainment; it is a fast-growing global industry offering real career opportunities in digital skills, innovation, and entrepreneurship,&rdquo; Khan said, according to the statement. The PMYP chairman emphasized the need for structured knowledge exchange and policy guidance to support Pakistan&rsquo;s emerging esports ecosystem, noting that international collaboration is essential for aligning local talent with global industry standards. He invited King to visit Pakistan to participate in upcoming national esports initiatives. The statement added that potential cooperation with the British Council was also discussed, particularly in integrating game development, esports management, and broader digital skills into youth-focused programs under the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Youth Program. Beyond esports, Khan highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s wider youth empowerment agenda during his UK visit. He outlined flagship initiatives such as the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Youth Laptop Scheme, under which more than 600,000 laptops have been distributed, and specialized training programs in artificial intelligence, data science, and blockchain. He also cited the Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme, which has disbursed Rs64.4 billion [$230 million] to over 120,000 young entrepreneurs, with a focus on women, technology startups, agriculture, and small and medium-sized enterprises. During a visit to the Muslim Hands Open Kitchen in Hounslow, Khan praised the organization&rsquo;s humanitarian work, calling it &ldquo;a powerful example of Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to serving humanity beyond borders.&rdquo; He noted that the project has received recognition from national and international bodies, including the British government. &ldquo;The Open Kitchen projects a positive image of Pakistan across the United Kingdom and Europe, rooted in compassion, discipline, and sustained service,&rdquo; he said. Khan concluded that esports, digital innovation, and community service together form a modern framework for youth empowerment, positioning Pakistan&rsquo;s young population to compete, collaborate, and contribute on the global stage.

E-Sports

Islamabad promotes esports, digital innovation, and youth empowerment in the UK, highlighting global collaboration, career opportunities, and community service as key drivers for the next generation.

Pakistan pitches esports as youth career path in high-level UK talks

ISLAMABAD: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya on Saturday said the Maharashtra government under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had canceled 224,000 allegedly fake birth certificates issued to Bangladeshi nationals and announced plans for a &ldquo;special campaign&rdquo; to identify and deport undocumented migrants following local body elections.&nbsp;Speaking to the Indian news agency IANS, Somaiya said: &ldquo;Maharashtra is the first state where Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has canceled 224,000 fake birth certificates of Bangladeshi citizens.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added that a statewide drive would begin after Jan. 16 to identify Bangladeshi nationals living &ldquo;illegally&rdquo; in Maharashtra.&nbsp;&ldquo;A special drive will be launched after the elections to identify each and every one of them and deport the Bangladeshi nationals,&rdquo; Somaiya said, adding that authorities would scrutinize Aadhaar cards, ration cards, voter identity cards, and birth certificates, according to local media reports.&nbsp;The remarks follow similar statements earlier this week by Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on action against undocumented migrants.&nbsp;Somaiya also criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of opposing investigations for political reasons.&nbsp;&ldquo;Mamata Banerjee does not show any concern about the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh. She sees the vote bank before the upcoming assembly elections,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Her vote bank includes people of Bangladeshi origin. All this comes out, so she does not want to allow any investigation to proceed.&rdquo;&nbsp;He further alleged that Bangladeshi nationals had settled in large numbers in West Bengal and Assam. &ldquo;Today in these states, Bangladeshi citizens decide the leadership,&rdquo; Somaiya said, without providing evidence.&nbsp;Somaiya also targeted the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Chief, Asaduddin Owaisi, and regional political rivals in Maharashtra. &ldquo;Owaisi&rsquo;s party is saying that they want to make Mumbai a Muslim city,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The BJP leader also criticized opposition candidates for their campaign practices, accusing them of promoting what he described as &ldquo;extremism.&rdquo;&nbsp;Citing demographic changes in Mumbai, Somaiya noted that the city&rsquo;s Muslim population had increased from 8.8% in 1947 to 24.8% at present.&nbsp;&ldquo;Bharatiya Janata Party will not tolerate any compromise on repatriation of Bangladeshi citizens,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Somaiya&rsquo;s remarks come amid rising tensions between India and Bangladesh, particularly following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.&nbsp;Bangladeshi officials allege that New Delhi has long meddled in their domestic politics, operating behind the scenes and influencing political outcomes.&nbsp;Dhaka has expressed concern that the Indian system is increasingly replacing Bangladesh&rsquo;s electoral process, casting shadows over upcoming elections. For Bangladesh, such statements from Indian political leaders underscore fears over sovereignty, democratic integrity, and activist safety, reflecting a marked deterioration in bilateral relations since Hasina&rsquo;s exit.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya announces statewide drive to identify and deport 224,000 Bangladeshi nationals, escalating India-Bangladesh tensions amid concerns over electoral interference and activist safety.

India threatens ‘special mission’ to deport 224,000 Bangladeshi nationals

Aleena Zara Malik

Global media often frames conspiracy theories in Pakistan as cultural or even biological, while treating the same beliefs in Western societies as political or social phenomena. In this episode of Debunkistan, we challenge that double standard. Using data from the US, UK, and Europe, this episode breaks down why conspiracy thinking is a human response to uncertainty, mistrust, and broken information systems, not a national DNA marker.

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