Asfandyar Yahya

This week&rsquo;s Tell Me Why breaks down how Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear deterrence actually works by translating missile ranges into real strategic meaning, showing how geography, distance, and overlapping strike coverage shape regional stability. Rather than focusing on destruction, it explains deterrence as prevention, how short-, medium-, and long-range nuclear-capable systems together create a balance of fear that discourages full-scale war. Through clear mapping and narrative, the piece shows why missile range isn&rsquo;t about who can be hit, but about who never dares to strike in the first place.

Security

This weeks Tell me why breaks down how Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence actually works by translating missile ranges into real strategic meaning, showing how geography, distance, and overlapping strike coverage shape regional stability

Tell Me Why: Pakistan’s missile range keeps full-scale war at bay

MIAMI: US and Ukrainian envoys issued a joint statement on Sunday that hailed &quot;productive and constructive&quot; talks in Miami, but did not announce any apparent breakthrough in efforts to end the war with Russia. Top representatives of Ukraine and Russia, as well as Kyiv&#39;s European allies, have been in southern Florida over the past several days for a series of separate talks hosted by US President Donald Trump&#39;s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Despite a flurry of high-level meetings in recent weeks, there have been no clear signals of imminent resolutions to key hurdles on ending the nearly four-year war. The diplomatic blitz came after Washington last month presented a 28-point plan on the war that was widely seen as echoing the Kremlin&#39;s demands. It has since been redrafted following Ukraine and Europe&#39;s involvement, though its contents have not been publicly disclosed. &quot;Over the last three days in Florida, the Ukrainian delegation held a series of productive and constructive meetings with American and European partners,&quot; Witkoff and Ukraine&#39;s top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said in separate statements on X. They said a bilateral US-Ukraine meeting focused on developing and aligning positions on &quot;four key documents&quot; -- a &quot;20-point plan,&quot; a &quot;Multilateral security guarantee framework,&quot; a &quot;US Security guarantee framework for Ukraine&quot; and an &quot;economic &amp; prosperity plan.&quot; &quot;Particular attention was given to discussing timelines and the sequencing of next steps,&quot; they said, without announcing any further meetings. National security advisors from Kyiv&#39;s European allies &quot;also joined the discussions to align on a shared strategic approach between Ukraine, the United States, and Europe,&quot; the statements added. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev was also in southern Florida and believed to have met with the US delegation, which includes billionaire real estate developer Witkoff and Trump&#39;s son-in-law Jared Kushner. A video on Russian state media showed Dmitriev arriving in a motorcade to Witkoff&#39;s Shell Bay luxury golf club. The Kremlin on Sunday said recent proposed changes to the plan to end the war were a non-starter. Dmitriev &quot;should receive information about what has been developed by the Americans and Europeans&quot; in the plan and report that back to Moscow later, Kremlin&#39;s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state TV. Moscow, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, sees Europe as pro-war and argues its participation in the talks only hinders them. - War rages on -While little is known of the latest peace plans, Kyiv is likely to be expected to surrender some territory -- a prospect resented by many Ukrainians -- in exchange for US security guarantees. Though envoys from both Moscow and Kyiv were in town, the Kremlin had earlier ruled out three-way talks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier described the talks as &quot;constructive&quot; and said they were &quot;moving at a fairly rapid pace.&quot; He nevertheless cautioned that &quot;much depends on whether Russia feels the need to end the war for real.&quot; He also hailed this week as &quot;historic&quot; for Ukraine, thanking Europe for pledging $100 billion of funding over the next two years. Moscow&#39;s troops have been steadily advancing at the eastern front in recent months. Putin on Friday hailed the Russian army&#39;s territorial gains -- and threatened more in the coming weeks. Just over the week, &quot;Russia has launched approximately 1,300 attack drones, nearly 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and 9 missiles of various types&quot; against Ukraine, Zelensky said. Most of them have pummelled the Black Sea region of Odesa, where relentless strikes wrought havoc on ports, bridges and energy facilities, killing eight people Saturday. In the eastern Sumy region, Russian troops attempted a breakthrough in an area previously spared from an intense ground offensive. Russian forces forcibly moved 50 people from a local village, said Kyiv. &quot;Russian invaders have stolen five dozen civilian people, mostly elderly women, from a tiny Ukrainian village Grabovske, right across the state border in the Sumy region,&quot; Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said. Russia made no comment on the matter.

Europe

United States and Ukraine envoys issued joint statements hailing Miami talks as productive, yet did not announce any apparent breakthrough

US, Ukraine hail 'productive' Miami talks but no breakthrough

WASHINGTON: US Justice Department officials on Sunday denied redacting the Epstein files to protect President Donald Trump as criticism mounted over the partial and heavily-censored release of documents. Victims of Jeffrey Epstein have expressed anger after a cache of records from cases against the late sex offender were released Friday with many pages blacked out and photos censored. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday defended the Justice Department and a decision to remove an image of several group photos including at least one showing Trump. &quot;There were concerns about those women and the fact that we had put that photo up,&quot; Blanche, a former personal lawyer to the president, told NBC&#39;s &quot;Meet the Press.&quot; &quot;So we pulled that photo down. It has nothing to do with President Trump.&quot; When asked if any material was redacted to due to political sensitivities -- which would be illegal -- Blanche replied &quot;absolutely,&nbsp;positively&nbsp;not.&quot; Democratic lawmakers on Sunday accused Trump himself of defying a law ordering the release of all files on Epstein, who amassed a fortune and circulated among rich and famous people. &quot;It&#39;s all about covering up things that, for whatever reason, Donald Trump doesn&#39;t want to go public, either about himself (or) other members of his family, friends,&quot; Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin said on CNN&#39;s &quot;State of the Union.&quot; The tranche of materials released Friday included photographs of former president Bill Clinton and other famous names such as pop stars Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. The Justice Department said it was protecting Epstein&#39;s victims with the blackouts.But the many redactions -- and allegations of missing documents -- only added to calls for justice in a case that has fueled conspiracy theories from Trump&#39;s right-wing base. - Republican: &#39;Selective concealment&#39; -Republican congressman Thomas Massie, who has long pushed for complete release of the files, on Sunday joined in with the Democrats&#39; demands. &quot;They&#39;re flouting the spirit and the letter of the law. It&#39;s very troubling the posture that they&#39;ve taken. And I won&#39;t be satisfied until the survivors are satisfied,&quot; he told CBS&#39;s &quot;Face The Nation.&quot; A 60-count indictment that implicates well-known people was not released, Massie charged. &quot;It&#39;s about the selective concealment,&quot; he said. Senator Rand Paul, a fellow Republican and frequent critic of Trump, warned during an appearance on ABC&#39;s &quot;This Week&quot; that any material not revealed &quot;will just plague them for months and months more.&quot; Trump tried to block the disclosure of the files linked to Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. The president finally bowed to mounting pressure from Congress -- including members of his own party -- and signed the law compelling publication of the material. Trump was once a close friend of Epstein, regularly attending parties together, but he cut ties with him years before his arrest and faces no accusations of wrongdoing. - Accomplice in jail -At least one released file contained dozens of censored images of naked or scantily clad figures, while previously unseen photographs of disgraced former prince Andrew show him lying across the legs of five women. Other pictures show Clinton lounging in a hot tub, part of the image blacked out, and swimming alongside a dark-haired woman who appears to be Epstein&#39;s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell, Epstein&#39;s former girlfriend, remains the only person convicted in connection with his crimes, and is serving a 20-year sentence for recruiting underage girls for the former banker, whose death was ruled a suicide. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic House minority leader, said on &quot;This Week&quot; that justice officials must provide written explanation to Congress within 15 days about why they withheld any documents. &quot;It does appear, of course, that this initial document release is inadequate,&quot; Jeffries said.

Americas

US Justice Department officials denied redacting the Epstein files to protect President Donald Trump as criticism mounted

Trump administration denies cover-up over redacted Epstein files

VILA-Real: Barcelona wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal guided the Catalan giants four points clear at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 win at 10-man Villarreal on Sunday.&nbsp;Brazil international Raphinha won and converted an early penalty before Villarreal&#39;s Renato Veiga was sent off before half-time for a late lunge on teenager Yamal.&nbsp;The 18-year-old slotted home Barca&#39;s second midway through the second half, as Hansi Flick&#39;s side restored their advantage on Real Madrid, second, and won an eighth consecutive league game.&nbsp;Villarreal are fourth after Atletico Madrid moved ahead of them with a 3-0 win at Girona earlier on.&nbsp;Flick launched into an impassioned defence of Raphinha on Saturday after he was not included in FIFA&#39;s &#39;The Best&#39; team of the year earlier in the week, and the winger quickly repaid his coach.&nbsp;Raphinha produced an all-action display at Villarreal&#39;s Estadio de la Ceramica, where the match was played instead of in Miami, after La Liga&#39;s plans to take this game to the United States were scrapped in October.&nbsp;Barca were poor defensively and struggled in their build-up play, but the quality of wingers Raphinha and Yamal and their goalkeeper Joan Garcia&#39;s outstanding performance decided an entertaining encounter.&nbsp;Jules Kounde blocked Villarreal striker Ayoze Perez&#39;s shot before Raphinha drew a foul from Santi Comesana to win a penalty at the other end.&nbsp;The winger dispatched it confidently and nearly added the second with a superb effort from distance which crashed back off the bar.&nbsp;Kounde deflected a cross into his own net as Villarreal fought back, but the goal was disallowed for offside in the build-up.&nbsp;Barca stopper Joan Garcia saved from Tajon Buchanan after an Alejandro Balde mistake as Villarreal almost levelled.&nbsp;The visitors&#39; job was made easier by Veiga&#39;s needless red card for an ugly, late lunge on Yamal before the interval.&nbsp;The champions got their second goal after a scramble in the box, with Frenkie de Jong teeing up Yamal to fire home after 63 minutes.&nbsp;Joan Garcia made stunning saves to deny Rafa Marin and Georges Mikautadze to help Barca end 2026 with three points and a third clean sheet in their last three games across all competitions.&nbsp;Kounde went off hurt before the end, potentially adding to Flick&#39;s problems at the back following Andreas Christensen being diagnosed with a partially torn knee ligament.&nbsp;Barca finish the year in better shape than rivals Real Madrid, who beat Sevilla 2-0 on Saturday, but still with plenty of their own concerns to worry about.

Football

Raphinha and Lamine Yamal powered Barcelona to a 2-0 win at 10-man Villarreal, moving four points clear atop La Liga, extending an eight-game winning run as Flick’s side overcame defensive struggles with late Yamal goal.

Barca's Raphinha, Yamal strike in Villarreal win

ABU DHABI: French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he had given the official go-ahead to replace his country&#39;s flagship, the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.&nbsp;That vessel, the only nuclear-powered carrier outside the US Navy, entered service in 2001 following more than a decade of construction.&nbsp;&quot;In line with the last two military programming laws, and after a thorough and comprehensive review, I have decided to equip France with a new aircraft carrier,&quot; Macron said, speaking during a visit to French troops in the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;The decision to give the final go-ahead was made this week, he added.&nbsp;&quot;In an age of predators, we must be strong in order to be feared,&quot; Macron said.&nbsp;France first launched studies into replacing the Charles de Gaulle in 2018, with preliminary work beginning two years later.&nbsp;The announcement of the official start of construction comes despite a budgetary deadlock gripping the European Union&#39;s second-largest economy.&nbsp;Criticism in France, including from military chief General Fabien Mandon, had focused on whether other more pressing areas should be prioritised amid fears of a European war with Russia.&nbsp;This official launch will make it possible to sign all of the contracts necessary for the project, Macron&#39;s office said.&nbsp;Also nuclear-powered, the new carrier will be far larger than the current flagship.&nbsp;It will displace nearly 80,000 tons and be around 310 metres long, compared with 42,000 tons and 261 metres for the Charles de Gaulle.&nbsp;With a crew of 2,000, it will be able to hold 30 fighter jets.&nbsp;While the future ship will still be dwarfed by the 11 vast supercarriers of the US Navy, which each displace more than 100,000 tons, only China and Britain&#39;s Royal Navy currently operate similarly sized carriers, all of which are conventionally powered.&nbsp;Focus on drug traffickingMacron was speaking during a visit to the UAE to celebrate Christmas with French troops and to discuss bilateral ties with the Gulf state, with Paris hoping for more cooperation in its fight against drug trafficking.&nbsp;Macron met Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday, with the French leader posting on X that they had discussed how to strengthen their strategic partnership, particularly for &quot;stability in the Middle East&quot;.&nbsp;The UAE is a major buyer of French military hardware and Paris is reportedly considering turning to Abu Dhabi to rescue its troubled future fighter jet programme with Germany on the brink of pulling out.&nbsp;The French president traditionally celebrates the end-of-year holidays with troops deployed abroad, of whom there are more than 900 in the UAE.&nbsp;Some of their work focuses on the war against drug trafficking, with France hoping for more Emirati cooperation.&nbsp;Major traffickers are believed to have found refuge in the UAE, in Dubai in particular, and some are thought to have built up substantial real estate portfolios there.&nbsp;The French delegation includes Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, who last month called on the UAE to extradite some 15 suspected drug traffickers wanted by France.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron authorises a larger, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to replace the Charles de Gaulle, signalling defence priorities amid budget pressures during a UAE visit focused on security ties and anti-drug cooperation.

Macron, on UAE visit, announces new French aircraft carrier

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari met with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid at Baghdad Palace on Sunday to discuss bilateral relations, according to an official statement released by the presidential office. President Zardari received a guard of honor upon arrival.&nbsp;The two leaders held a one-on-one meeting followed by delegation-level talks.&nbsp;The Iraqi president also hosted a lunch for President Zardari and his delegation. <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-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2002717186293649785&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=2a023e6f76d61186cbf97d6719bfb28dcce18fc1&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div><div class="fr-embed"> </div> President Zardari congratulated the Iraqi president on the country&rsquo;s recent parliamentary elections. He said Pakistan supports Iraq&#39;s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity. The leaders reviewed bilateral relations and noted recent high-level exchanges, including the ninth session of the Pakistan-Iraq Joint Ministerial Commission. The Pakistani president said that current trade levels do not reflect the potential of Pakistan-Iraq relations. He cited opportunities in trade, investment, agriculture, defense production, information technology, construction and pharmaceuticals. He called for stronger business engagement, trade delegations and direct banking channels. Pakistan offered to support Iraq&#39;s reconstruction through skilled and semi-skilled workers under an existing agreement. President Zardari said Pakistan could also provide support in medical services, financial expertise and digital governance. He requested improved facilitation for Pakistani pilgrims visiting Iraq and urged finalization of an agreement on pilgrim management. He said Pakistan will work with Iraq to prevent illegal entry and overstay by Pakistani nationals. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/2db3a606-c358-4724-828a-ddfb0400a592-69645-e1766323612113-696x309.jpg" alt="69645-e1766323612113-696x309.jpg" style="width: 805px;" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">The two leaders held a one-on-one meeting followed by delegation-level talks. (APP)</figcaption></figure> Both presidents agreed to cooperate against extremism, terrorism and narcotics trafficking. They said they will coordinate at the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Iraqi president said he appreciated Pakistan&#39;s role in the Islamic world and its support for Palestinians. Zardari was accompanied by Senators Sherry Rehman and Saleem Mandviwala, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Sindh Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, former Senate Chairman Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari and Pakistan&#39;s ambassador to Iraq.

Foreign Affairs

President Asif Ali Zardari arrives in Baghdad, meets Iraqi President, reaffirms support for Iraq, expands trade and security cooperation, and seeks improved facilitation for Pakistani pilgrims.

Pakistan, Iraqi president pledge deeper cooperation during Baghdad talks  

MIAMI: The Kremlin on Sunday denied that three-way talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States were on the cards, as diplomats gathered in Miami for talks on ending the conflict.&nbsp;A day earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said that Washington had mooted the trilateral format, which would mark Moscow and Kyiv&#39;s first face-to-face negotiations in half a year, but expressed scepticism that they would lead to progress.&nbsp;&quot;At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge, it is not in preparation,&quot; Russian President Vladimir Putin&#39;s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters, according to Russian news agencies.&nbsp;After revealing the US three-way proposal, Zelensky told journalists on Saturday that he was &quot;not sure that anything new could come of it&quot;, and urged the United States to step up pressure on Russia to end the war.&nbsp;But the Ukrainian leader struck a more upbeat note on Sunday, adding that &quot;constructive&quot; talks between US, European and Ukrainian negotiators were &quot;moving at a fairly rapid pace&quot;, while cautioning that &quot;much depends on whether Russia feels the need to end the war for real&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;Unfortunately, the real signals coming from Russia remain only negative: assaults along the frontline, Russian war crimes in border areas, and continued strikes against our infrastructure,&quot; Zelensky posted on X.&nbsp;Russian envoy in townRussian envoy Kirill Dmitriev arrived on Saturday in Miami, where Ukrainian and European teams have also been gathering since Friday for the negotiations, mediated by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump&#39;s son-in-law Jared Kushner.&nbsp;Dmitriev &quot;will return to Moscow, make his report, and we will discuss what to do next&quot;, Uskakov said.&nbsp;The top Kremlin aide also told Russian journalists Sunday that he had &quot;not seen&quot; the revised US proposal to end the conflict.&nbsp;Washington last month stunned Ukraine and its European allies by presenting a 28-point plan to end the war widely seen as caving in to the Kremlin&#39;s key demands, which has since been redrafted following Kyiv and Europe&#39;s involvement.&nbsp;While little is known of the latest version, Kyiv is likely to be expected to surrender some territory -- a prospect resented by many Ukrainians -- in exchange for US security guarantees.&nbsp;Moscow&#39;s troops have been steadily advancing at the eastern front in recent months, with Putin on Friday hailing the Russian army&#39;s territorial gains -- and threatening more in the coming weeks.&nbsp;Putin-Macron call?The last time Ukrainian and Russian envoys held official direct talks was in July in Istanbul, which led to prisoner swaps but little else in the way of concrete progress to stop the fighting.&nbsp;Russian and European involvement in Miami marks a step forward from before, when the Americans held separate negotiations with each side in different locations.&nbsp;But the extremely strained relations between the two sides after nearly four years of Europe&#39;s bloodiest conflict since World War II have cast doubt over the prospect of direct Ukraine-Russia talks.&nbsp;Moscow, which sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, also argues that European involvement in the talks only hinders the process.&nbsp;According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in an interview published Sunday, Putin however expressed his willingness to talk with France&#39;s Emmanuel Macron on the conflict.&nbsp;Macron held several calls with Putin in the run-up to and during the early months of the conflict, in an attempt to press the veteran Kremlin leader on the war.&nbsp;Putin has &quot;expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with Macron&quot;, Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti.&nbsp;&quot;Therefore, if there is mutual political will, then this can only be assessed positively.&quot;&nbsp;In response, Macron&#39;s office said Putin&#39;s stated willingness to talk was &quot;welcome&quot;, but stressed that any discussion with Moscow would be conducted &quot;in full transparency&quot; with Zelensky and European allies.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Zelensky said on X that &quot;over the past week, Russia has launched approximately 1,300 attack drones, nearly 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and 9 missiles of various types against Ukraine&quot; with the Odesa region and the south of the country &quot;hit particularly hard&quot;.&nbsp;Moscow on Saturday claimed the capture of two villages in the northern Sumy and eastern Donetsk regions, while Ukraine said it had destroyed two Russian fighter jets in the occupied Crimean peninsula.

Kremlin denies talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. in Miami. Ukrainian President Zelensky remains skeptical but optimistic about ongoing U.S.-European-Ukrainian discussions. Russian envoy Dmitriev reports back to Moscow, signaling continued tensions.

Kremlin denies three-way US-Ukraine-Russia talks in preparation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan defeated India by 191 runs to win the ACC Men&rsquo;s Under-19 Asia Cup final on Sunday, successfully defending a total of 347 for 8 at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.&nbsp; The victory marks Pakistan&#39;s first Under-19 World Cup title in 13 years.&nbsp; After posting 347-8 in their 50 overs, Pakistan&#39;s pace attack dismantled India&#39;s chase, bowling them out for just 156 in 26.2 overs to claim a strong&nbsp;victory. Pakistan&#39;s batting foundation Pakistan&#39;s substantial total provided the platform for victory, with their batsmen capitalizing on favorable conditions to post a difficult&nbsp;target of 348 runs. India&#39;s collapse India&#39;s chase never gained momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals. Ali Raza led the bowling attack with 3 wickets, while Abdul Subhan and Mohammad Sayyam claimed 2 wickets&nbsp;each. Vaibhav Suryavanshi showed brief resistance with 26 runs off 10 balls. He hit three 6s before falling to Ali Raza. Aaron George scored 16 runs at a loss of 9 balls, before Mohammad Sayyam dismissed him. The middle order offered little resistance. Captain Ayush Mhatre managed only 2&nbsp;runs before Ali Raza removed him. Vedant Trivedi, Vihaan Malhotra, and Abhigyan Kundu combined for just 23 runs as Pakistan&#39;s bowlers maintained pressure. Khilan Patel provided late fireworks with 19 runs including two 6s, but the outcome was never in doubt. Deepesh Devendran&#39;s unbeaten 36 off 16 balls came too late to affect the result. Pakistan bowlers&#39; onslaught Pakistan&#39;s pace attack exploited the conditions effectively. Ali Raza finished with figures of 6-0-38-3, while Abdul Subhan claimed 2-13 from 8 overs, including one maiden. Mohammad Sayyam and spinner Huzaifa Ahsan took 2 wickets each. The bowling performance marked a stark contrast to India&#39;s tournament form, as Pakistan executed their plans with discipline and precision. 13-year wait ended&nbsp; Since 1989, Pakistan has never won an outright U19 Asia Cup. The team claimed the 2004 and 2006 ICC U19 World Cups. In 2012, they shared the Asia Cup title with India after a tied final.

Cricket

Pakistan Under-19 defeated India in the Asia Cup final, dominating with a 347-run total and a clinical bowling performance.

Pakistan demolish India by 191 runs to win U19 Asia Cup 

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir underscored the need for national unity, rejection of extremism, and adherence to the writ of the state, saying that no individual or group has the authority to declare jihad in any Islamic state.&nbsp;He made these remarks during his address at the National Ulema and Mashaikh Conference held in Islamabad on Dec. 10, according to the details shared by PTV on Sunday. <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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 722px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2002667282426908833&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e0d8b861ad4673be6b7289b636bec3e477aecac6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Field Marshal Munir spoke at length on the challenges facing Pakistan, including terrorism, national security, regional developments, military preparedness, and the importance of knowledge.&nbsp;The conference was attended by religious scholars and clerics representing various schools of thought from across the country.&nbsp;The army chief said Pakistan had been bestowed with the responsibility of being &ldquo;protector of the holy sites,&rdquo; adding that there was a deep ideological and historical linkage between the State of Madinah and the State of Pakistan.&nbsp;He noted that both were established on the foundation of the Kalima during the holy month of Ramazan.&nbsp;He said nations that abandoned their intellectual and scholarly heritage and the power of the pen eventually declined, stressing the importance of knowledge and thought leadership for national progress.&nbsp;Referring to counter-terrorism operations, Field Marshal Munir said Pakistan had witnessed divine assistance during Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos. He reiterated that the state alone had the authority to issue decrees related to jihad, warning against the misuse of religious narratives.&nbsp;The army chief also expressed concern over terrorism targeting innocent civilians, including women and children, alleging that such acts were being carried out with the backing of Afghan Taliban elements. He said formations linked to &ldquo;Fitna al-Khawarij&rdquo; operating from Afghanistan included a significant number of Afghan nationals.&nbsp;Field Marshal Munir said Afghanistan would have to choose between supporting extremist elements and maintaining relations with Pakistan, adding that terrorism posed a serious threat to regional stability.&nbsp;The army chief concluded by calling for collective efforts to counter extremism, safeguard national security, and promote unity based on Pakistan&rsquo;s ideological foundations.

Army chief says Pakistan has been bestowed with the responsibility of being 'protector of the holy sites.'

CDF calls for unity against terrorism, stresses state’s authority on jihad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan U-19 posted a strong total of 347 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs against India Under-19 in the final of the ACC Men&rsquo;s Under-19 Asia Cup at the ICC Academy Ground on Sunday.&nbsp;After India won the toss and elected to field, Pakistan were anchored by a commanding innings from Sameer Minhas, who scored 172 off 113 balls, hitting 17 fours and nine sixes. It was the highest individual score of the innings and the backbone of Pakistan&rsquo;s total.<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: 874px; 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=2002663550934999237&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e0d8b861ad4673be6b7289b636bec3e477aecac6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2002663550934999237"></iframe></div></div>Hamza Zahoor gave Pakistan a brisk start with 18 off 14 balls before being dismissed early. Usman Khan contributed 35, while Ahmed Hussain added 56 to provide stability through the middle overs. Captain Farhan Yousaf scored 19. Pakistan lost wickets in quick succession towards the end, but unbeaten contributions from Niqab Shafiq (12) and Mohammad Sayyam (13) helped push the total close to 350.&nbsp;For India, Deepesh Devendran was the most successful bowler, claiming 3 for 83, while Khilan Patel and Henil Patel took two wickets each. Pakistan&rsquo;s innings ended at 347 for 8, setting India a challenging target in the final.

Sameer Minhas is the start for the Greenshirts with 172 runs off 113 balls, hitting 17 fours and nine sixes.

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