ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed 30 militants in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the military said on Tuesday, amid a surge in militant violence in the restive region that borders Afghanistan.
Pakistan has struggled to contain a surge in militancy in the country, particularly in KP, since a fragile truce between the Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Islamabad broke down in November 2022.
The TTP and other militant groups have frequently targeted security forces convoys and check-posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in recent months.
The militants were killed during an intelligence-based operation in Sararogha area of KP’s South Waziristan district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Kharji [militant] found in the area,” the ISPR said in a statement.
The development came days after unidentified men kidnapped a traders’ union president and two Pakistan Customs officials in the district, according to local administration. While no group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, TTP was suspected of involvement in it.
Islamabad has frequently blamed the surge in militant activities on Afghanistan, accusing it of sheltering and supporting militant groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny involvement and insist that Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.
The South Waziristan district, which borders Afghanistan, had been a stronghold of the TTP before successive military operations drove the militants out of the region more than a decade ago. Pakistan says TTP fighters have regrouped in the restive region in recent years.
Pakistani forces kill 30 militants in restive province bordering Afghanistan
https://arab.news/z3bz6
Pakistani forces kill 30 militants in restive province bordering Afghanistan
- The deaths occurred during an intelligence-based operation in the volatile South Waziristan district
- The development follows kidnapping of a traders’ union president and two Pakistan Customs officials
Saudi Arabia preparing for strategic economic pact with Pakistan, Saudi envoy says
- The statement follows the signing of a bilateral defense agreement in Sept. to enhance joint deterrence
- Both nations also agreed on an economic framework to prioritize energy, industry, mining and other projects
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia is preparing to sign a strategic economic pact with Pakistan to further strengthen ties between the two brotherly nations, the Saudi ambassador to Pakistan said on Tuesday, months after both countries signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA).
The statement by Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki came during his interaction with Arab News on the sidelines of the launch of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center’s (KSrelief) Ramadan food assistance program for deserving Pakistanis.
It followed a landmark defense pact between the two countries, signed in Sept. last year, under which Islamabad and Riyadh pledged that aggression against one would be treated as an attack on both.
The move was widely viewed as formalization of longstanding military cooperation into a binding commitment, while both countries agreed a month later to launch an economic cooperation framework to strengthen trade and investment ties.
“Three months ago, we signed, you know, the Strategic Mutual Defense agreement. Today, god willing, we will be preparing for another, you know, strategic plan for the economy of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” the Saudi ambassador told Arab News, adding the economic plan would be signed “soon.”
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan agreed to launch the economic cooperation framework to strengthen trade and investment ties during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh in Oct. last year.
A joint statement issued after Sharif’s meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed said the framework would include several strategic, high-impact projects, prioritizing energy, industry, mining, information technology, tourism, agriculture and food security.
“This framework represents an extension of both countries’ efforts to strengthen their fraternal relations and reaffirms their shared vision toward building a sustainable partnership across various economic, trade and investment fields,” the joint statement said in Oct.
The two countries have already signed a memorandum of understanding for an electricity interconnection project.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have enjoyed close relations for decades but have moved to broaden their cooperation in recent years. In 2024, the two countries had also signed 34 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth $2.8 billion across multiple sectors.
The KSrelief Ramadan food assistance program, launched on Tuesday, aimed to distribute 27,000 food baskets to support 192,500 vulnerable individuals in 30 districts across Pakistan.
Each food package includes 80 kilograms of wheat flour, 5 liters of cooking oil, 5 kilograms of sugar, 2 kilograms of dates, and 5 kilograms of gram pulse, according to the charity. The contents are calculated to sustain an average household for the entire month of Ramadan.
“The project reflects the Center’s broader humanitarian mandate to alleviate suffering, enhance resilience, and support vulnerable communities,” the Saudi charity said.
“KSrelief reaffirms its continued commitment to addressing food security challenges in Pakistan.”
