Pakistan, Afghanistan trade fire as Islamabad prepares to host US-Iran talks

Afghanistan and Pakistan have traded heavy fire, both sides said, days after they announced a temporary pause in fighting, escalating tensions in the volatile region as Islamabad prepares to host talks between the US and Iran. The border clashes came on Sunday, the day Pakistan hosted regional powers to discuss de-escalation in the war in […]

Read More

How do Pakistan and Taliban Afghan militaries stack up as tensions flare?

Cross-border fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan intensified overnight, with both sides claiming heavy losses and the Pakistani defence minister saying his country was in an “open war” with its neighbour. As tensions persist, here is a look at how Pakistan dwarfs Afghanistan’s military forces and arsenals, according to data from the London-based International Institute for […]

Read More

Pakistan claims it killed 274 Taliban fighters; Afghanistan says 55 Pakistani soldiers dead

Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy air and ground strikes on Friday, with both sides reporting sharply different casualty figures in what Pakistani officials described as “open war” along their volatile frontier. Pakistani air strikes hit 22 Afghan military targets, killing 274 Taliban officials and militants, military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told reporters. At least 12 […]

Read More

Afghans mourn villagers killed in Pakistani strikes

BIHSUD: Afghans gathered around a mass grave Sunday to bury villagers killed in overnight air strikes by Pakistan, which said its military targeted militants. The overnight attacks killed at least 18 people and were the most extensive since border clashes in October, which left more than 70 dead on both sides and wounded hundreds. “The […]

Read More

Can Pakistan Break the Connectivity Barrier to Central Asia?

In early February, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym Jomart Tokayev conducted the first state visit to Islamabad in 23 years, followed by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Both leaders were awarded Pakistan’s highest civilian honour, the Nishan-e-Pakistan, highlighting the symbolic importance of these engagements. Pakistan’s access to the Indian Ocean has further enhanced its position in Eurasian geoeconomics, […]

Read More

Pakistan PM Sharif to seek clarity on troops for Gaza in US visit, sources say

ISLAMABAD: Before Pakistan commits to sending troops to Gaza as part of the International Stabilization Force it wants assurances from the United States that it will be a peacekeeping mission rather than tasked with disarming Hamas, three sources told Reuters. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to attend the first formal meeting of President […]

Read More

Pakistan Appoints New Ambassadors to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran

Pakistan has announced a fresh wave of diplomatic appointments, naming new ambassadors to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Iran as part of a broader reshuffle of its foreign missions. A total of 19 ambassadors and consuls general have been appointed to represent Pakistan in 17 countries worldwide, including key regional partners in Central Asia and the Middle […]

Read More

China condemns Islamabad mosque attack, pledges support for Pakistan

China condemned an attack on a Shi’ite mosque in Islamabad, pledging support on Sunday for the Pakistan government’s efforts to “maintain national security and stability”. China is “deeply shocked” by Friday’s attack, the foreign ministry said in a statement. An attacker opened fire at the gates of the mosque before setting off a suicide bomb […]

Read More

Kazakhstan–Pakistan Rapprochement and Central Asia’s Southward Turn

Kazakhstan’s growing engagement with Pakistan signals more than a routine diplomatic exchange – it reflects a broader recalibration of Central Asia’s external economic and strategic orientation. In an article published on Eurasianet, independent and freelance researcher Saima Afzal argues that Astana’s outreach to Islamabad underscores a deliberate southward turn, as Central Asian states seek new […]

Read More

Pakistan’s ‘affordable’ China-developed jet: a victim of its own success?

Bloomberg Pakistan says it has fielded requests for its JF-17 fighter jet from five countries in recent months – a surge of interest that could overwhelm its capacity to jointly produce the jet with China. In the past month, Iraq, Bangladesh and Indonesia have expressed interest in acquiring the JF-17 Thunder, according to Pakistan’s Armed […]

Read More