ISLAMABAD: Five militants and a Pakistani policeman were killed in three military operations in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani army said on Monday.
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.
In a joint intelligence-based operation, three militants were gunned down in KP’s Mohmand district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army’s media wing. However, an exchange of gunfire with militants left Police Constable Abrar Hussain dead.
“During the conduct of the operation, terrorists’ hideout was also busted and a cache of arms, ammunition and explosives was recovered,” the ISPR said in a statement.
In the second operation in Dera Ismail Khan, security forces killed Sifatullah alias Mullah and injured three other militants.
“Sifatullah was involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area including facilitation of suicide bombing attack in Daraban on 12 December 2023 and was highly wanted by law enforcement agencies,” the ISPR said.
Another militant was killed in a gunfight in the North Waziristan district, according to the army.
In a statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed security forces for the successful operations and paid homage to the police constable killed in the Mohmand district.
“The Pakistani nation stands by its security forces until the menace of terrorism is completely eradicated from the country,” he said.
Pakistan initially 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.
In a major attack in KP’s Bannu, ten soldiers were killed when militants launched a coordinated assault on a military cantonment on July 15.
Islamabad has blamed the recent surge in attacks on militants operating out of neighboring Afghanistan. Kabul denies the allegations and says rising violence in Pakistan is a domestic issue for Islamabad.
Five militants, one policeman killed in three military operations in Pakistan’s northwest — army
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Five militants, one policeman killed in three military operations in Pakistan’s northwest — army
- Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen a number of attacks on police, security forces and anti-polio vaccinators in recent weeks
- Islamabad has blamed the recent surge in attacks on militants operating out of neighboring Afghanistan, Kabul denies the allegation
Pakistan, Indonesia sign MoUs to expand cooperation as Islamabad seeks to ease trade imbalance
- Pakistan offers to send doctors and medical experts to support Indonesia’s expanding health needs
- Indonesian president highlights close foreign policy coordination with Pakistan, including on Gaza
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Indonesia signed seven memoranda of understanding on Tuesday to deepen cooperation in trade, education and health, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying Islamabad aimed to narrow a $4.5 billion bilateral trade imbalance heavily tilted in Jakarta’s favor.
The agreements were concluded during Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s two-day visit to Pakistan, his first trip to the country since taking office and the first by an Indonesian head of state in seven years.
Subianto, who arrived on Monday, held detailed talks with Sharif before the signing ceremony.
“Our discussion has been extremely productive,” Sharif said at a joint media appearance. “More than 90 percent of our current imports from Indonesia are palm oil. We have discussed how to take corrective measures to balance this through Pakistan’s agri-exports, IT-led initiatives and other areas.”
Sharif earlier noted Pakistan’s bilateral trade with Indonesia stood at around $4.5 billion, with the imbalance overwhelmingly in Jakarta’s favor.
Subianto thanked Pakistan for what he called an exceptionally warm welcome, noting his aircraft had been escorted by Pakistan Air Force JF-17 fighter jets.
He said the meeting had produced agreements across several fields, including trade, agriculture, education and science and technology.
The Indonesian president also welcomed Pakistan’s offer to help his country address critical shortages of medical professionals.
“Indonesia has vast needs for doctors, dentists and medical experts, and Pakistan’s support in this regard is strategic and critical,” he said.
Sharif noted Pakistan would be ready to send doctors, dentists and medical professors to assist Indonesia’s plans to expand its medical colleges and universities.
He added that Islamabad would “work closely and diligently” with Jakarta to achieve the targets set during the visit.
Subianto said both countries were also coordinating closely on foreign policy, particularly on developments in Gaza, and reaffirmed Indonesia’s support for a two-state solution.
He invited Sharif to visit Jakarta to deepen cooperation under the new agreements.
Pakistan and Indonesia marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, with both leaders saying the visit would help lift relations to what Sharif called “a much higher level” in trade, development and people-to-people links.
