Police say two Pakistani Taliban commanders killed in northwest

Pakistani security personnel take position outside an Agriculture Training Institute after an attack by Taliban militants in Peshawar on December 1, 2017. (AFP/File)
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Updated 04 February 2023
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Police say two Pakistani Taliban commanders killed in northwest

  • The slain militants were wanted in connection with the killing of five police officers and were involved in attacks on checkpoints
  • The operation came days after a suicide bomber attacked a mosque within a police compound in the city of Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Pakistani police killed two commanders from a militant group in the country’s northwest, a local officer said Saturday.

Pakistan has increased its operations against militants after a surge in violence by the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, particularly in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The TTP ended its cease-fire with the government in November, ordering its fighters to carry out attacks across the country.

Regional police officer Muhammad Ali Gandapur said the slain TTP fighters were wanted in connection with the killing of five police officers and were also involved in attacks on security checkpoints.

The government had a bounty of $7,259 on the two men.

Police arrested four fighters and recovered gunpowder, hand grenades, electronic detonators and Kalashnikov rifles in the same intelligence operation in Hund village, Swabi district.

The operation came days after a suicide bomber attacked a mosque within a police and government compound in the city of Peshawar, the provincial capital, killing 101 people and wounding at least 225. The attack was one of the deadliest in years in the volatile region.

 


Pakistan deputy PM visits UAE for official talks, including with Etisalat

Updated 23 January 2026
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Pakistan deputy PM visits UAE for official talks, including with Etisalat

  • Ishaq Dar arrives from Davos after attending the World Economic Forum
  • Visit includes Etisalat meeting amid long-running PTCL privatization dispute

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Friday on an official visit following his participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos, the country’s foreign ministry said.

Pakistan and the UAE maintain close political and economic ties, with Abu Dhabi providing critical financial support to Islamabad in recent years through deposits, loans and investment commitments as Pakistan navigates a fragile economic recovery.

“During his stay, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will hold official meetings, including with the management of Etisalat,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The planned meeting with Etisalat comes against the backdrop of a long-running dispute over the privatization of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. (PTCL).

The UAE-based telecom group has withheld a final payment of about $800 million linked to its 2005 acquisition of a 26 percent stake in PTCL, citing delays in the transfer of properties included in the deal, a position disputed by Pakistan.

The issue has resurfaced in recent years as Pakistan seeks to revive investor confidence, advance privatization plans and stabilize its finances under an International Monetary Fund-supported program.

The foreign ministry said Dar will also hold meetings with other UAE officials during his visit.