PESHAWAR: A raid on a suspected militant hideout in northwestern Pakistan early on Tuesday morning killed five anti-terrorism commandos and two militants, the police said.
According to police spokesman Imtiaz Khan, a blistering firefight erupted when the commandos tried to raid a house in the Chilas district, 460 kilometers (285 miles) north of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which borders Afghanistan.
The fighting lasted several hours, Khan said. Along with the two militants killed, a cache of weapons and explosives was recovered, he added. It wasn’t immediately known which militant group was involved in the firefight. The Pakistani Taliban — the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP — are active in the province.
Pakistan alleges that militants from the outlawed TTP have found safe havens in Afghanistan. A UN report released last week says that more than 6,000 Pakistani militants are hiding in Afghanistan, the majority of them from the TTP, which has also aligned with the Daesh group based in Afghanistan.
The UN report said the TTP and the IS affiliate pose a serious threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan. In 2018, the group set fire to 14 schools for girls in the area; police arrested more than 35 militants suspected of involvement in the attack.
Police: 5 Pakistani commandos killed in early morning raid
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Police: 5 Pakistani commandos killed in early morning raid
- A blistering firefight erupted when the commandos tried to raid a house in the Chilas district in northwest of Pakistan
- A UN report released last week says that more than 6,000 Pakistani militants are hiding in Afghanistan
Punjab tells court 17 killed during Basant kite-flying festival this month
- Report by provincial authorities says electrocution, rooftop falls among leading causes
- Festival was revived this year after nearly two decades of ban over safety concerns
ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government on Wednesday informed the Lahore High Court 17 people were killed in Lahore during the Feb. 6–8 Basant kite-flying festival, which was revived this year after nearly two decades of restrictions.
Basant, a traditional Punjabi spring festival marked by rooftop kite flying, was banned in Punjab after repeated fatalities linked to metallic or chemically treated kite strings, electrocution from power lines, rooftop falls and injuries to motorcyclists.
The provincial government revived the festival this year under regulatory measures that included restrictions on hazardous kite string and enforcement protocols aimed at preventing injuries.
“It is respectfully submitted that during kite flying festival 2025, 17 casualties have been reported in District Lahore due to electrocution (3), falling down from rooftop (12) and trees (2),” according to a supplementary report submitted in compliance with a court order dated Feb. 17.
The supplementary report was filed by provincial authorities in response to proceedings initiated by the Judicial Activism Panel against the Province of Punjab. Further hearings in the matter are expected before the Lahore High Court.
The government had banned metallic or chemical-coated killer strings for the Basant festival this year.
Kites and strings had to bear individual QR codes so they could be traced and motorcyclists had to attach safety rods to their bikes to fend off stray thread.
Some 4,600 producers registered with authorities to sell kites and strings, while rooftops with 30 or more revelers also had to be registered and dozens of roofs were declared off-limits after inspections.
