ISLAMABAD: Four Pakistani soldiers, including an army captain, and two militants were killed in separate gunfights in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Tuesday, amid a wave of militant violence in the South Asian country.
The northwestern Pakistani province, which borders Afghanistan, has been the scene of a number of attacks on police, security forces and anti-polio vaccination teams in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, a fire exchange took place between security forces and militants in the restive North Waziristan district and two militants were killed in its wake, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
Captain Muhammad Osama bin Arshad, who was leading troops and fought gallantly, was also killed in the intense gunfight.
“Sanitization operation is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area,” the ISPR said in a statement.
Hours later, three Pakistani soldiers were killed in a gunbattle in the South Waziristan district, according to the ISPR. Both districts have been former strongholds of the Pakistani Taliban.
Pakistan witnessed a spike in militant violence in its two western provinces, KP and Balochistan, since the Pakistani Taliban called off their fragile truce with the government in November 2022. The group has intensified its attacks in recent months.
Last week, three people were killed and five others were injured in a remote-controlled roadside blast in KP’s Mardan district, according to police.
A policeman and a paramilitary soldier were killed after militants attacked a check-post in KP’s Khyber district this month, while in June, seven Pakistani soldiers, including an army captain, were killed in a roadside blast in the Lakki Marwat district of the province.
Islamabad has blamed the surge in violence on militants operating out of neighboring Afghanistan. Kabul denies the allegation and says rising violence in Pakistan is a domestic issue of Islamabad.
Army captain among four soldiers killed in gunbattles with suspected militants in northwest Pakistan
https://arab.news/wfc3a
Army captain among four soldiers killed in gunbattles with suspected militants in northwest Pakistan
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been scene of several attacks on police, security forces and anti-polio vaccinators in recent weeks
- The gunbattles took place in North and South Waziristan districts, which have been former strongholds of Pakistani Taliban
JazzCash signs deal with Binance in UAE to explore regulated crypto adoption in Pakistan
- MoU focuses on awareness and development of compliant virtual-asset solutions in Pakistan
- Pakistan introducing licensing regime for crypto firms as it formalizes digital-asset oversight
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani financial-technology platform JazzCash has signed a memorandum of understanding with global cryptocurrency exchange Binance in the United Arab Emirates to explore cooperation on virtual-asset use and education in Pakistan, the company said on Wednesday.
The agreement sets a framework for discussions on awareness campaigns and future digital-asset products that would comply with Pakistan’s emerging crypto regulations. The move signals growing engagement between global blockchain companies and Pakistani fintechs as authorities shift toward formal licensing of the sector.
Pakistan has spent the past year drafting rules to regulate the fast-expanding market for digital coins and tokens, requiring virtual-asset service providers to obtain government approval. Officials say the transition is aimed at curbing money-laundering and terror financing risks, boosting transparency and encouraging responsible innovation.
“JazzCash has always championed technologies that expand financial access while promoting secure and inclusive participation in the digital economy," JazzCash Chief Executive Officer Murtaza Ali said.
“By entering into this exploratory MoU with Binance, we are advancing our efforts to understand how global digital-asset trends can support Pakistan’s evolving regulatory landscape. We aim to engage responsibly, support regulatory progress, and advance opportunities that build trust, transparency and innovation for our customers.”
The MoU does not establish a commercial partnership, but marks one of the most high-profile engagements between Pakistan’s fintech sector and a global crypto exchange as the country moves toward regulated digital-asset adoption.
Binance welcomed the cooperation, framing it as part of Pakistan’s shift toward regulated digital-asset activity.
"With regulatory frameworks like [Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority] PVARA paving the way, this collaboration represents a significant step toward expanding financial inclusion and empowering more people to access the benefits of blockchain technology in a secure and compliant environment," Binance Chief Marketing Officer Rachel Conlan said.
Earlier this month, Binance executives met Pakistani finance officials to discuss digital-payments reform, blockchain-skills training and the potential for Web3-linked jobs. Pakistan also set up the Pakistan Crypto Council and formed PVARA this year to license and supervise crypto-asset service providers.
