One killed, 10 wounded in grenade attack on pro-army rally in Pakistan

Security officials cordoned off area following an explosion in Quetta, Pakistan on May 14, 2025. (Photo courtesy: Screengrab/X/@OSINTWarfare)
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Updated 14 May 2025
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One killed, 10 wounded in grenade attack on pro-army rally in Pakistan

  • About 150 people in cars, motorcycles in Quetta were celebrating Pakistan's retaliatory strikes against India
  • No group immediately claimed responsibility but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist Baloch Liberation Army

QUETTA: A suspected militant on a motorcycle threw a hand grenade at participants of a pro-army rally in southwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, killing at least one person and wounding 10 others, police and hospital officials said.

The attack occurred in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, said local police chief Mohammad Malghani.

He said about 150 people in cars and on motorcycles were heading to a hockey ground in the city for a government-organized event to celebrate the military’s recent retaliatory strikes inside India when the man threw a grenade at them.

Wasim Baig, a spokesman at the Civil Hospital, said at least two of those wounded were in critical condition.

No group immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist group that has waged a years-long insurgency in the province.

Pro-army rallies have been held across Pakistan since Sunday, when the United States brokered a cease-fire between Pakistan and India, which were engaged in one of their most serious confrontations in decades.


Kuwait-backed digital bank to enter Pakistan with $100 million investment

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Kuwait-backed digital bank to enter Pakistan with $100 million investment

  • Finance adviser Khurram Schehzad describes the development as sign of rising investor confidence
  • It comes as Pakistan seeks foreign investment particularly from Gulf nations to bolster its economy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Adviser Khurram Shehzad on Friday said Kuwait Investment Authority–backed Raqqami Islamic Digital Bank (RIDB) was set to invest $100 million in the South Asian country by launching operations in February this year.

The bank will be Pakistan’s first fully digital Shariah-compliant bank, according to its website. It offers online financing, savings, and payments to individuals and small-medium enterprises, with a focus on financial inclusion for underserved segments.

The development comes as Pakistan seeks foreign investment, particularly from Gulf nations, to bolster its economy and stabilize its finances. In 2024, the State Bank of Pakistan had issued a no-objection certificate to RIDB.

“Kuwait Investment Authority–backed Raqqami Bank set to launch in Pakistan with a $100 million investment,” Schehzad said in a post on X. “This is a strong vote of confidence in Pakistan’s improving economic outlook and reform momentum.”

Schehzad said Raqqami was backed by the State of Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund, a development he described as a sign of rising investor confidence in Pakistan.

It also underscores strengthening investment ties between Pakistan and Kuwait, particularly in the financial and digital economy sectors, he added.

Earlier in January, Bank Islami launched Pakistan’s first Shariah-compliant QR payment gateway enabling real-time online payments allowing customers to pay instantly from their bank accounts and enabling merchants to receive payments securely through a smooth checkout experience.