Syed Ahmed Raza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will begin its 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) journey on Sunday when they take on defending champions South Africa in the first of two Test matches at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. This will also be the first occasion since the inception of the ICC World Test Championship in 2019 that Pakistan will be playing their opening series of a WTC cycle at home. In the 2019-21 WTC, they began the cycle with a tour to Australia, while in 2021-23, with a championship tour of the West Indies. In the previous 2023-25 cycle, Pakistan started their campaign with a tour of Sri Lanka. Golden opportunityIn earlier WTC cycles, Pakistan finished fifth, seventh, and ninth, failing to win more than five matches in a single campaign. The team never came close to qualifying for the final. However, the upcoming cycle offers a favorable mix of opponents and venues, presenting a realistic chance for Pakistan to turn the tide.&nbsp;One of Pakistan&rsquo;s biggest advantages is the fixture list. Under the WTC format, each team plays six series, three at home and three away, while missing two opponents. For Pakistan, those two are India and Australia, two of the strongest sides in WTC history.&nbsp;Australia, the 2023 champions and 2025 runners-up, hold the best win/loss ratio at 2.750, followed by India at 1.631. Avoiding both significantly boosts Pakistan&rsquo;s chances of staying competitive on the points table.&nbsp;Home advantageAt home, Pakistan will host South Africa, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand &mdash; six Tests in total. The series against South Africa marks a tough opening challenge, but also a golden opportunity to build early momentum.Pakistan&rsquo;s record against both South Africa and New Zealand is stronger on home soil, and victories here could set the tone for the entire cycle.&nbsp;Away fixturesTheir away fixtures, against England, Bangladesh, and West Indies, pose varying levels of difficulty.&nbsp;The three-Test series in England is expected to be the toughest, but Pakistan have historically performed well there, with five Test wins since 2010, their best record among SENA countries.&nbsp;Bangladesh remains a favorable venue, with Pakistan having won eight of the nine Tests, while the West Indies could offer a balanced contest.&nbsp;Masood for maximizing home advantagePakistan captain Shan Masood, speaking to the PCB Digital, ahead of the South Africa series, emphasized a strong start to the new WTC cycle.&nbsp;&ldquo;The main goal is always to win the championship, but for us, it&rsquo;s about starting well &mdash; and facing the defending champions at home is a great opportunity,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Masood noted that the WTC serves as a true test of progress. &ldquo;It allows us to measure ourselves against the best. If we perform well, we&rsquo;ll know we&rsquo;re right up there.&rdquo;&nbsp;Highlighting the value of home advantage, he added, &ldquo;Teams that reach the final have always dominated at home. For us, it&rsquo;s about finding that blueprint and beginning strongly.&rdquo;&nbsp;Final wordWith a relatively shorter schedule of 13 Tests, the second lowest after Sri Lanka, Pakistan&rsquo;s unpredictability could turn into an asset. Fewer games mean less room for prolonged slumps, provided the team maintains consistency.

Cricket

This is the first occasion since the inception of the ICC World Test Championship in 2019 that Pakistan will be playing their opening series of a WTC cycle at home.

Pakistan eye final as WTC 2025-27 campaign begins against South Africa

COLOMBO: Pakistan will face traditional rivals India in their ICC Women&rsquo;s World Cup 2025 fixture at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, in what promises to be one of the tournament&rsquo;s most anticipated encounters. The match will start at 2:30 PM.&nbsp;Pakistan are seeking a strong comeback after their opening match defeat to Bangladesh, while India began their campaign with a win over Sri Lanka.&nbsp;For Pakistan, the contest provides an opportunity to register a historic first victory over India in the 50-over format and boost their hopes of progressing further in the tournament.&nbsp;The match comes amid heightened political tensions between the two countries. Officials indicated that, as seen during the men&rsquo;s Asia Cup last month, players may not exchange customary handshakes before or after the game.&nbsp;Both sides are under pressure, with India aiming to move closer to a semifinal spot and Pakistan determined to turn the tide against their arch-rivals in Colombo.&nbsp;Likely XIs&nbsp;Pakistan: Muneeba Ali, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Amin, Rameen Shamim, Aliya Riaz, Sidra Nawaz, Fatima Sana (C), Natalia Pervaiz, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu and Sadia Iqbal.&nbsp;India: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Goud and Shree Charani.

Pakistan eye breakthrough against India in Women’s World Cup clash

ISLAMABAD: An arbitration may take place in case the Indian cricket team formally asks for the Asia Cup Trophy after refusing to accept it on Sunday night at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The team had decided not to accept the trophy from&nbsp;Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan&rsquo;s cricket board chief and the country&#39;s interior minister. The two South Asian neighbors fought a brief but intense war in May after India attacked Pakistan, accusing it of orchestrating a terror attack on its territory. Their cricket teams met three times amid visible tensions among players and spectators. &ldquo;I have been informed by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) that the Indian cricket team will not be collecting their awards tonight,&rdquo; broadcaster Simon Doull caught many by surprise when he first broke the news during a live coverage of the Pakistan-India match.&nbsp;&nbsp;Indian team&rsquo;s stand and BCCI&rsquo;s protestIndian Team captain Suryakumar Yadav said the decision not to accept the trophy was made collectively on the field and was not directed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or political authorities. Naqvi had walked away with the trophy after waiting for an hour to deliver it to the Indian team, which defeated Pakistan in the final match.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is something I&rsquo;ve never seen in cricket&mdash;a champion team being denied a trophy,&rdquo; Yadav told reporters. &ldquo;But our real trophies are the 14 players and the support staff who got us here. That&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;ll take home tonight,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Secretary Devajit Saikia congratulated the team and assured them&nbsp;that the board would lodge a formal complaint to get the trophy.&nbsp;&ldquo;There is an ICC conference scheduled in Dubai this November, and we will launch a very serious and strong protest against the actions of the ACC Chairman,&rdquo; Saikia said.&nbsp;&ldquo;We cannot accept a trophy from someone who represents a nation currently at odds with ours. But that does not mean the gentleman is entitled to walk away with the trophy and medals meant for our team. That is completely unacceptable.&rdquo;&nbsp;Naqvi&rsquo;s befitting response to ModiSoon after India defeated Pakistan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi likened the cricket victory to the military operation against Pakistan. &quot;Operation Sindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same &ndash; India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,&rdquo; Modi posted on X, formerly Twitter.&nbsp;Mohsin Naqvi responded sharply, saying, &ldquo;If war is your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan&rsquo;s hands. No cricket match can rewrite that truth. Dragging war into sport only exposes desperation and disgraces the very spirit of the game.&rdquo;&nbsp;What do the rules say?A senior official familiar with ICC procedures noted, &ldquo;This is unprecedented in cricket. Unless the ACC clarifies its position, the matter could escalate further at the ICC level.&rdquo;&nbsp;With no formal statement yet from the ACC or ICC, the fate of the 2025 Asia Cup trophy remains uncertain. Whether it will eventually be handed to India or withheld pending diplomatic and administrative resolution remains to be seen.&nbsp;For now, cricket&rsquo;s biggest regional prize sits unclaimed, a symbol of deeper tensions between the two countries both on and off the field.

Team India's refusal to collect the Asia Cup trophy from Pakistan’s Mohsin Naqvi leaves its fate unclear, with the ACC yet to confirm its next steps.

What happens to the Asia Cup trophy now?

DOHA: The United Arab Emirates edged past Oman 2-1 in the fourth round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Saturday. UAE now needs a draw against host Qatar on Tuesday to reach the finals for the first time since 1990.&nbsp;The loss ended Oman&rsquo;s chances of winning the three-team Group A and securing automatic qualification for a first World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. But the team can still finish second and advance to the fifth round.&nbsp;Oman, who drew 0-0 with Qatar on Wednesday, took the lead in the 12th minute when an Amjad Al Harthi shot was deflected in by defender Kouame Autonne at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.&nbsp;After holding on for most of the match, Oman&rsquo;s defense was finally opened up in the 76th minute when Marcus Meloni headed in an Ali Saleh cross at the far post.&nbsp;Seven minutes later, Caio Lucas delivered a cross from the left that eluded everyone to give the UAE the lead to the delight of 5,000 traveling fans.&nbsp;In Group B, Iraq defeated Indonesia 1-0 to move level on points with Saudi Arabia ahead of their meeting on Tuesday.&nbsp;Former Manchester United youth player Zidane Iqbal scored the only goal on 76 minutes with a low shot from the edge of the area.&nbsp;Iraq must defeat group leader Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Tuesday to qualify for a first World Cup since 1986, as the host has scored more goals, having beaten Indonesia 3-2 on Wednesday.&nbsp;The two losses mean Indonesia cannot qualify.

Football

The United Arab Emirates defeated Oman 2-1 in Doha, moving within a draw of qualifying for their first World Cup since 1990. Marcus Meloni and Caio Lucas scored late to overturn Oman’s early lead.



UAE on verge of first World Cup appearance since 1990

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: A brilliant century from captain Nat Sciver-Brunt powered England to a commanding 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in their ICC Women&rsquo;s Cricket World Cup 2025 clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.&nbsp;Opting to bowl first, Sri Lanka&rsquo;s decision proved costly as England posted a formidable 253 for 9 in their allotted 50 overs.&nbsp;Sciver-Brunt led from the front with a superb 117 off 117 balls, studded with nine fours and two sixes. Tammy Beaumont (32) and Heather Knight (29) provided valuable support in building England&rsquo;s total.&nbsp;For Sri Lanka, Inoka Ranaweera stood out with impressive figures of 3 for 33, while Sugandika Kumari and Udeshika Prabodhani chipped in with two wickets apiece.&nbsp;In reply, Sri Lanka&rsquo;s chase never gained momentum as they were bowled out for 164 in 45.4 overs. Hasini Perera (35) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33) offered brief resistance, but England&rsquo;s disciplined bowling attack proved too strong. Sophie Ecclestone was exceptional, claiming 4 for 17 in her 10 overs, while Charlie Dean and Sciver-Brunt picked up two wickets each.&nbsp;The emphatic win lifted England to the top of the World Cup standings with six points from three matches, moving past Australia. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, remained in seventh place with just one point from their three outings.

England posted 253/9 as Nat Sciver-Brunt smashed 117 (117), while Sri Lanka managed just 164 in reply. Sophie Ecclestone starred with 4/17, sealing England’s 89-run win and top spot in the standings.

England crush Sri Lanka by 89 runs in Women’s World Cup

BELGRADE: Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic announced late Saturday he was quitting after his team lost to Albania 0-1 in their World Cup qualifier at home.&nbsp;&quot;This defeat should not have happened, and I accept responsibility. I&#39;m here to face the consequences,&quot; Stojkovic told a press conference after the match played in the southern town of Leskovac.&nbsp;&quot;I spoke with the president and secretary general of the Serbian Football Association.&nbsp;&quot;I have offered my resignation, they will make an announcement also, but I will not travel to Andorra and lead the team,&quot; he said, quoted by the state-run RTS broadcaster.&nbsp;He referred to Serbia&#39;s next World Cup qualifier against Andorra on Tuesday.&nbsp;Saturday&#39;s result was &quot;really poor, I did not expect this&quot;, the 60-year-old said, blaming himself for the loss.&nbsp;&quot;I have also spoken to the players and told them everything. It&#39;s not a tragedy when a coach leaves, and Serbia will always have a great supporter in me. I have led my country more than 50 times.&quot;&nbsp;The former midfielder, nicknamed Piksi, took over as Serbia coach in 2021.&nbsp;As a player he made 84 appearances for the former Yugoslavia between 1983 and 2001, and was one of the first top-tier European players to venture into Japanese football.&nbsp;Stojkovic was with J-League side Nagoya Grampus Eight between 1994 and 2001.&nbsp;After retiring as a player, Stojkovic was briefly chairman of Red Star Belgrade, before turning to coaching first Nagoya, and later Chinese side Guangzhou.&nbsp;Serbia are third in their group K, with England on top and Albania second.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Serbian media reported that Stojkovic could be replaced by former player and football manager Veljko Paunovic.&nbsp;Saturday&#39;s match has been moved from the capital Belgrade to Leskovac upon Serbia&#39;s request to UEFA over security fears.

Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic resigned after a 1-0 home defeat to Albania in a World Cup qualifier, accepting responsibility for the loss. The 60-year-old will not lead the team against Andorra on Tuesday.

Stojkovic quits as Serbia coach after World Cup qualifier defeat

Muhammad Imad Abbas

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is on an official seven-day visit to India, emphasizing the potential of Iran&rsquo;s Chabahar Port as a vital trade link between India and Afghanistan.&nbsp;The visit, delayed earlier due to visa clearance issues, marks the first official trip by an Afghan interim minister to India since the Taliban takeover. Previously, India&rsquo;s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited Kabul in January 2021 during former president Ashraf Ghani&rsquo;s tenure.&nbsp;Addressing a press conference at the Afghanistan Embassy in New Delhi, Muttaqi underlined the significance of Chabahar Port, calling it a &ldquo;good option for trade.&rdquo; He urged both India and Afghanistan to &ldquo;remove obstacles&rdquo; to its full utilization, noting that &ldquo;US sanctions have complicated operations.&rdquo;&nbsp;Chabahar is not a new trade idea for Afghanistan. Successive governments have explored it as an alternative route connecting Afghanistan to global markets through Iran, bypassing Pakistan. Yet, questions remain over whether it can become a reliable trade corridor that benefits Afghan traders and strengthens regional ties.&nbsp;Why Chabahar matters for India?Located along Iran&rsquo;s southeastern coast on the Gulf of Oman, Chabahar holds strategic importance for India. It lies just 550 nautical miles from Gujarat&rsquo;s Kandla port and offers New Delhi a direct trade corridor to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Europe, circumventing Pakistan.&nbsp;Since 2016, India has invested heavily in the project, spending nearly half of its allocated 4 billion Indian rupees. A year ago, India signed a 10-year agreement with Iran&rsquo;s Ports and Maritime Organization to manage and develop the port through India Ports Global Limited (IPGL).&nbsp;The initiative is part of India&rsquo;s broader vision to integrate Chabahar into the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), linking India to Russia via Iran. Originally proposed in 2003 as a counterbalance to Pakistan&rsquo;s Gwadar Port, developed under China&rsquo;s Belt and Road Initiative, the Chabahar project has faced repeated delays due to sanctions and bureaucratic hurdles.&nbsp;Challenges facing the projectDespite India&rsquo;s commitment, challenges persist. Afghan experts say Kabul remains skeptical of India&rsquo;s reliability as a partner.&nbsp;&ldquo;Afghanistan continues not to see India as a dependable ally because New Delhi has traditionally remained distant from Kabul,&rdquo; said Zia Ur Rehman, a Pakistan-based expert on Afghan affairs, speaking to Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;He added, &ldquo;India&rsquo;s renewed interest in Afghanistan is driven by geopolitical signaling aimed at maintaining influence along Pakistan&rsquo;s western border.&rdquo;&nbsp;India&rsquo;s caution stems from its fraught history with the Taliban. The hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar in 1999 and the 2008 Kabul embassy bombing, both linked by India to Taliban elements, continue to shape New Delhi&rsquo;s approach.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Afghan traders remain reluctant to abandon the shorter and cheaper trade routes through Pakistan. &ldquo;Chabahar increases transport costs, and those dealing in perishable goods cannot afford delays of several days,&rdquo; said Qudrat Ullah, a local trader speaking to Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;Sanctions and strategic setbacksComplicating matters further, the Trump administration&rsquo;s decision to revoke the US sanctions waiver on Chabahar has disrupted India&rsquo;s plans. The exemption, granted in 2018, allowed India to operate freely at Iran&rsquo;s Makran coast despite broader sanctions on Tehran.&nbsp;&ldquo;This move will disrupt New Delhi&rsquo;s strategic and economic ambitions in Iran and Central Asia,&rdquo; said Rehman, adding that the decision exposes Indian operators at Chabahar&rsquo;s Shahid Beheshti terminal to punitive action under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA).&nbsp;As Afghanistan&rsquo;s acting foreign minister pushes for renewed cooperation, India faces a delicate balancing act, navigating strained regional dynamics, economic sanctions, and a skeptical Kabul, all while striving to keep its Chabahar ambitions afloat. NOTE: $1 was equal to ₹88.72 (Indian Rupees) at the time of publishing of this article.

India

Experts warn India’s Chabahar ambitions face major setbacks after the Trump administration revoked sanctions waivers, exposing Indian operators to punitive action and disrupting New Delhi’s strategic trade and connectivity plans in Iran and Central Asia.

New Delhi’s Chabahar ambitions face hurdles amid Afghan FM’s India visit

TALLINN: Italy beat Estonia 3-1 in Saturday&#39;s 2026 World Cup qualifier in Tallinn before a Group I fixture with Israel which will be flanked by pro-Palestinian demonstrations.&nbsp;Goals from Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui and Pio Esposito were enough for Italy to move three points ahead of Israel in second place, which offers a play-off spot for qualification to the finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico.&nbsp;Gennaro Gattuso&#39;s team are on 12 points, six behind group leaders Norway who have a goal difference which is 19 superior to Italy&#39;s and are all-but guaranteed a place at the World Cup.&nbsp;Estonia, who scored through Rauno Sappinen in the 76th minute thanks to Gianluigi Donnarumma dropping a cross at his feet, have three points and cannot qualify.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m very pleased, we&#39;re on the right track. The boys showed desire and professionalism,&quot; said Gattuso.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re progressing match after match, but often the second game (in the international break) is the one which causes us more difficulty.&quot;&nbsp;The Azzurri might be without Kean for Tuesday&#39;s match with Israel as the Fiorentina striker hobbled off the field with an ankle problem shortly after curling in his sixth goal in four games for his country in the the fifth minute.&nbsp;Kean&#39;s striker partner Retegui doubled Italy&#39;s lead in the 38th minute, making up for failing to score from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark.&nbsp;And Inter Milan forward Esposito made sure of the points two minutes before Donnarumma&#39;s howler with his first international goal, drilling home Leonardo Spinazzola&#39;s cross from the left.&nbsp;Italy have a game in hand on both third-placed Israel and Norway and can effectively secure second in the group in Udine next week, but the match is destined to be a sideshow.&nbsp;Only 5,000 tickets have been sold for the fixture, meaning that the Bluenergy stadium is set to have huge patches of empty seats while potentially thousands more protest elsewhere in the city.&nbsp;The demonstrations will be in response to Israel&#39;s military operation in the Gaza Strip. During massive strike action in support of the Palestinians earlier this month, demonstrators went to the Italian national team&#39;s training centre in Florence to demand the match be called off.&nbsp;Udine&#39;s mayor Alberto Felice De Toni has also asked for the match to be postponed over fears of potential violence in the small city, in Italy&#39;s far north-east.

Italy defeated Estonia 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier with goals from Kean, Retegui, and Esposito. The win moved Italy to second place before their next match against Israel, set amid planned demonstrations in Udine.

Italy beat Estonia in World Cup qualifier before Israel clash

LOS ANGELES: Actress Diane Keaton, known for her Oscar-winning performance in 1977&#39;s &quot;Annie Hall&quot; and her role in &quot;The Godfather&quot; films, has died at age 79.&nbsp;Details were not immediately available and Keaton&#39;s loved ones have asked for privacy, a family spokesperson told People, which confirmed that the actress died on Saturday in California.&nbsp;Keaton was a frequent collaborator of director Woody Allen, portraying the titular character in &quot;Annie Hall,&quot; the charming girlfriend of Allen&#39;s comic Alvy Singer.&nbsp;The film also garnered Oscars for best picture, best director and best original screenplay, cementing Keaton&#39;s place as one of the industry&#39;s top actresses and an offbeat style icon as well.&nbsp;The actress made her mark co-starring in eight Allen movies, from &quot;Play It Again, Sam&quot; (1972) to &quot;Manhattan&quot; (1979) and &quot;Manhattan Murder Mystery&quot; (1993).&nbsp;In &quot;The Godfather&quot; films, she played Kay Adams, the girlfriend and eventual wife of Al Pacino&#39;s Michael Corleone.&nbsp;Apart from the Allen cannon, fans adored her portrayal as Steve Martin&#39;s wife in 1991 comedy &quot;Father of the Bride,&quot; as the nervous and doting couple plan an extravagant wedding for their daughter.&nbsp;Late in her career, Keaton starred in two movies about aging women: &quot;Book Club&quot; (2018), with its message that love has no age, and &quot;Poms&quot; (2019), the story of a terminally ill woman who moves to a retirement community to die, but winds up forming a cheerleading squad.&nbsp;A BAFTA and Golden Globe winner, Keaton scored Oscar nominations three other times for best actress, for &quot;Reds,&quot; &quot;Marvin&#39;s Room&quot; and &quot;Something&#39;s Gotta Give.&quot;&nbsp;In 2017, she was honored with a Life Achievement Award by the American Film Institute, which called Keaton &quot;unconventional, iconoclastic and left-of-center.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;I feel so lucky to have spent any time with this marvelous woman, and I&#39;m heartbroken that she is gone,&quot; said actress Andie MacDowell, who starred in &quot;Unstrung Hero&quot; (1995), one of a handful of films Keaton directed.

Film & TV

Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton, famed for “Annie Hall” and “The Godfather,” has died at 79 in California. The versatile star earned multiple Oscar nominations and a Life Achievement Award for her iconic career.

Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton dead at 79

GAZA CITY: A top Hamas official told AFP Saturday that the release of 48 mostly Israeli hostages held by Palestinian in Gaza would begin on Monday morning. &quot;According to the signed agreement, the prisoner exchange is set to begin on Monday morning as agreed, and there are no new developments on this matter,&quot; Osama Hamdan said in an interview with AFP. Hamas on the ground have not yet notified the movement&#39;s leadership about the logistics of the hostages&#39; handover, Hamdan added. Following the return of the captives from Gaza, Israel will proceed with the release of about 2,000 Palestinian detainees from its prisons, according to the terms of the first stage of a ceasefire deal signed by the two parties under US mediation. Hamdan said that the list of Palestinian prisoners slated for release was still under negotiation. Hamas&#39;s &quot;prisoners office has said that, so far, the process has not been finalized. Israel is still refusing to release certain names. However, the negotiating delegation is making every effort to secure their release,&quot; the official said, adding that the final list would be ready on Saturday night or by Sunday morning &quot;at the latest&quot;. Hamdan further highlighted that under the agreement, five entry points for humanitarian aid are expected to be opened, and said that the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt will reopen &quot;for individuals in both directions starting next Wednesday&quot;. Italy said that the Rafah crossing would reopen on Tuesday under the supervision of an EU monitoring mission, with a police presence from Italy, Spain and France.

Middle East

Hamas official Osama Hamdan said the hostage-prisoner exchange will begin Monday, involving 48 hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian detainees. Negotiations continue over final names, and Rafah crossing is set to reopen next week.

Hamas official says hostages release to begin on Monday morning

Muhammad Usman Amin

Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI/PESHAWAR: Afghanistan has requested Pakistan to halt its &ldquo;heavy counteraction&rdquo; after the Pakistan Army launched a strong and sustained response to unprovoked cross-border firing from Afghan forces, security sources told Pakistan TV Digital.&nbsp;According to the sources, Afghan troops carried out unprovoked firing late Saturday night across multiple points along the Pak-Afghan border, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baramcha in Balochistan, allegedly to facilitate the infiltration of Khawarij formations, a faction Islamabad identifies as Indian-sponsored proxies of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).&nbsp;Pakistan Army positions responded with full force using artillery, tanks, and aerial assets, effectively targeting Afghan military posts and militant hideouts.&nbsp;&ldquo;A strong and decisive response from the Pakistan Army against Afghan forces is ongoing. Afghan forces are in a state of panic due to the intense retaliation,&rdquo; security sources said. &ldquo;Several Afghan posts have been abandoned as a result of heavy losses.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Afghan soldiers fled, leaving behind multiple bodies at their posts following Pakistan&rsquo;s effective and intense response.&rdquo;&nbsp;Security sources confirmed that Afghanistan has formally requested Pakistan to halt its counteraction, as Pakistani forces continue to target positions linked to Khawarij and Daesh elements operating from Afghan territory.&nbsp;The sources further revealed that Pakistani forces employed a combination of precision artillery and drone strikes to destroy multiple Afghan posts. &ldquo;The Army&rsquo;s timely and decisive action has neutralized key militant hideouts under the protection of Afghan authorities,&rdquo; one official added.&nbsp;District administration officials confirmed that several missiles were fired from the Afghan side targeting civilian areas across the border, prompting Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;measured but powerful&rdquo; military response to protect its citizens.&nbsp;Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned Afghanistan&rsquo;s unprovoked firing, calling it a &ldquo;blatant violation of international law.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s brave forces have shown, with an immediate and effective response, that any provocation will not be tolerated,&rdquo; Naqvi said.&nbsp;&ldquo;Our forces are vigilant, and Afghanistan is being answered brick for brick. The fire and blood being played out from Afghanistan have links to our perennial enemy,&rdquo; he added, referring to India.&nbsp;&ldquo;Afghanistan will be given a strong, decisive response, just as India was, so it will not dare cast a covetous eye toward Pakistan,&rdquo; the minister warned.&nbsp;Defence analyst Hassan Khan told Pakistan TV that the current Afghan behavior reflected a deep betrayal of Pakistan&rsquo;s long-standing support.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan hosted millions of Afghans for decades. Now, their behavior has completely changed,&rdquo; Khan said. &ldquo;Afghanistan is harbouring and providing hideouts to groups like the TTP, BLA, and Majeed Brigade. Their forces are now giving cover to Fitna al-Khawarij to harm Pakistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;Another analyst, Agha Iqrar, stressed that Pakistan must reassess its Afghan strategy.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Afghan Taliban are not only hosting, harbouring, and funding TTP and Fitna al-Khawarij, but more than 42 militant groups are operating from Afghan soil,&rdquo; he noted. &ldquo;Pakistan must take decisive action and redefine its Afghan policy.&rdquo;&nbsp;Taliban officials in Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktia, Khost, and Helmand confirmed to AFP that clashes were ongoing along several points of the border.&nbsp;The escalation follows two days after a deadly terrorist attack on the Police Training School in Dera Ismail Khan, in which six policemen, including trainees, embraced martyrdom. According to ISPR, the members of &ldquo;Fitna al-Khawarij&rdquo; rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the facility but were eliminated after an intense firefight.&nbsp;In the wake of the rising tensions, Saudi Arabia and Iran have both called for restraint and dialogue.&nbsp;The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in a statement by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said:&nbsp;&ldquo;The Kingdom is following with concern the tensions and clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. We urge both sides to exercise self-restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritize dialogue and wisdom to preserve regional stability.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Saudi Arabia reaffirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at strengthening peace and prosperity for the two brotherly Pakistani and Afghan peoples.&rdquo;&nbsp;Meanwhile, Iran&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed similar concern, urging both countries to resolve their differences peacefully.&nbsp;&ldquo;Iran is closely monitoring developments and calls on both sides to engage diplomatically to prevent further escalation,&rdquo; an Iranian spokesperson said in Tehran. &ldquo;Peace and cooperation must prevail over confrontation.&rdquo;&nbsp;Security officials in Islamabad reiterated that Pakistan remains resolute in defending its sovereignty.&nbsp;&ldquo;Any future aggression or attempt to aid terrorist infiltration will be met with a strong and immediate response,&rdquo; one senior source emphasized.

Security

Islamabad’s security sources say Pakistan Army’s strong and coordinated retaliation destroyed multiple Afghan border posts, forcing Afghan troops to flee amid mounting casualties. The clashes follow recent militant attacks in Dera Ismail Khan linked to Afghan-based groups.

Afghanistan urges Pakistan to halt ‘heavy counteraction’: security sources

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Donald Trump to broker peace in Ukraine like in &quot;the Middle East&quot; during a phone call Saturday, saying if Trump could stop one war, &quot;others can be stopped as well&quot;. The call came a day after Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine&#39;s energy grid, knocking out power to parts of the capital Kyiv and nine other Ukrainian regions. Diplomatic efforts to end Russia&#39;s invasion of Ukraine have slowed in recent months, in part because global attention has shifted to Israel&#39;s two-year war with Palestinian group Hamas, Kyiv says. Trump, who announced the first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, met Russian President Vladimir Putin for talks in August but failed to extract any kind of peace deal. &quot;I had a call with US President Donald Trump. A very positive and productive one,&quot; Zelensky said on Facebook, congratulating Trump for his &quot;outstanding&quot; ceasefire plan in the Middle East. &quot;If a war can be stopped in one region, then surely other wars can be stopped as well, including the Russian war,&quot; Zelensky added, calling for Trump to pressure the Kremlin into negotiations. Relations between the two leaders have warmed dramatically since February, when they sparred during a now infamous televised meeting at the White House. Trump has since grown more hostile towards Moscow while expressing sympathy for Ukraine. In September, he wrote on Truth Social that Kyiv should try to &quot;take back&quot; all its occupied territory with Europe&#39;s and NATO&#39;s help. US First Lady Melania Trump said Friday she had secured the release of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia after establishing an extraordinary back channel of communication with Putin. Strikes cut powerRussian attacks on Ukraine killed at least five people on Saturday and cut power to parts of Ukraine&#39;s southern Odesa region, according to Ukrainian officials. Two of the people died inside a church in Kostyantynivka when it was hit by a strike, according to local authorities. In Russia&#39;s border region of Belgorod, a truck driver was killed by a Ukrainian strike, according to local officials. Moscow has targeted Ukraine&#39;s energy grid each winter since it invaded in 2022, cutting power and heating to millions of households and disrupting water supply in what Kyiv says is a brazen war crime. Russia denies targeting civilians and says Ukraine uses the energy sites to power its military sector. Ukrainian drone attacks meanwhile killed two people in Russia, according to regional officials. Both countries have accused each other of frustrating progress towards a peace deal in recent months. Russia blames Kyiv and its European allies for the impasse, accusing them of undermining peace negotiations with Washington. Ukraine and Europe accuse Russia of playing for time so it can seize more Ukrainian territory. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a &quot;special military operation&quot; to demilitarise the country and prevent the expansion of NATO. Kyiv and its European allies say the war is an illegal land grab that has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian and military casualties and widespread destruction. Millions of Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes since 2022, while Russia now occupies around a fifth of Ukrainian territory -- much of it ravaged by fighting.

Americas

Asia

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed &ldquo;strong reservations&rdquo; over elements of the India-Afghanistan Joint Statement issued on October 10 in New Delhi and the accompanying remarks by the Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mutaqqi, the foreign office said, terming them contrary to international law and regional stability.&nbsp;According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Pakistan conveyed its strong objections to Afghanistan&rsquo;s diplomat in Islamabad, Sardar Ahmad Shekib, through the additional foreign secretary.&nbsp;The ministry said that the reference to Jammu and Kashmir as part of India in the joint statement was &ldquo;a clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions&rdquo; and disregarded &ldquo;the legal and internationally recognized disputed status of the territory.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The statement is highly insensitive to the sacrifices and sentiments of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their just struggle for the right to self-determination,&rdquo; MOFA said.&nbsp;Pakistan also strongly rejected the Afghan interim foreign minister&rsquo;s remarks suggesting that &ldquo;terrorism was Pakistan&rsquo;s internal problem.&rdquo; The foreign office termed the statement misleading and contrary to ground realities.&nbsp;It emphasized that Islamabad has repeatedly shared credible evidence with Kabul regarding the presence of Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan, factions identified as Indian-sponsored proxies of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), operating from Afghan soil with external support and conducting cross-border attacks inside Pakistan.&nbsp;The development comes amid heightened tensions following a deadly terrorist assault on the Police Training School in Dera Ismail Khan on the night of October 10&ndash;11. The attack, claimed by elements linked to Fitna al-Khawarij, resulted in the martyrdom of six policemen and injuries to several others. Pakistani security agencies have since reiterated their stance that such groups receive facilitation from across the border.&nbsp;&ldquo;It was underscored that deflecting the responsibility of controlling terrorism towards Pakistan cannot absolve the Interim Afghan Government of its obligations to ensure peace and stability in the region,&rdquo; the statement read.&nbsp;MOFA further noted that Pakistan has hosted nearly four million Afghans for over four decades out of goodwill and humanitarian concern. With improving conditions in Afghanistan, Islamabad reiterated its stance that unauthorized Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan should return to their homeland, while emphasizing that Pakistan continues to issue medical and study visas on humanitarian grounds.&nbsp;Reaffirming its commitment to regional peace and cooperation, Pakistan said it remains desirous of a &ldquo;peaceful, stable, regionally connected, and prosperous Afghanistan.&rdquo; However, the statement concluded that Islamabad &ldquo;expects the Interim Afghan Government to take concrete steps to prevent its territory from being used by Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan terrorist elements against Pakistan.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

Islamabad says it has shared evidence with Kabul on Indian-sponsored militant groups operating from Afghan soil and reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir’s disputed status, reaffirmed by UN resolutions, cannot be altered by political statements or alliances.

Articles by Syed Ahmed Raza