Pakistan’s twin-city: army hub, logistics gateway, and historic garrison town
Pakistan and Lebanon are expanding defense cooperation as both countries discuss regional security and the evolving Middle East conflict. The talks, held in Rawalpindi, focus on training, professional exchanges, and stronger military links, with Lebanon’s army chief acknowledging Pakistan’s forces’ operational excellence.
A nine-year-old Australian girl, Hania Ahmed, has been killed and her father and brother injured after Pakistani police opened fire on a rental car, mistaking it for robbers in Chakwal, Punjab. Authorities say officers intervened during a robbery, and an officer has been arrested. Australia demands a transparent investigation.
Protests linked to the JAAC have escalated as elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir proceed in three phases amid a nationwide crackdown. Officials report clashes and casualties, while JAAC demands political reform and abolition of reserved refugee seats. International observers call for access and transparency as media restrictions intensify.
Former captains from around the world have urged Pakistan’s government to permit an independent health assessment of Imran Khan, reinstate weekly family visits, and ensure timely medical treatment following a Supreme Court order transferring him to a private hospital. The move follows concerns over his health and treatment since his imprisonment.
Twenty-one former international cricket captains have appealed to Pakistan’s leadership to ensure an independent medical assessment for Imran Khan, allow weekly family visits, and provide treatment as ordered by the Supreme Court. The calls come after Khan’s brief hospital visit and ongoing questions about his health while in custody.
A fire has killed 14 newborns in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences’ mother-and-child unit in Islamabad. An interim inquiry has found poor fire safety, delayed emergency calls and absent supervisory staff. The prime minister has suspended officials, ordered criminal proceedings and approved compensation for the bereaved families.
Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan remains in prison on corruption charges. His sons Suleiman and Kasim Khan have voiced concerns about his treatment and security in prison during media interviews broadcast during a Pakistan-England Test, while officials weigh potential tensions over the tour.
Imran Khan remains in solitary confinement as his health deteriorates; family and lawyers say he has faced prolonged isolation, limited visits, and inadequate medical care. Courts have ordered hospital evaluation, but Khan is returned to prison after brief checks; supporters insist charges are politically motivated.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement among Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is being translated into an operational framework. Ministers and chiefs of staff are meeting in Istanbul to discuss interoperability, defence cooperation and potential expansion, including a possible role for Egypt. Observers say the pact aims to deter aggression and coordinate military planning in a volatile region.