Blaze News - Pakistan

As India and the United States move toward implementing a tenuous trade agreement, the Modi government is once again confronting an old political fault line: farmers. Nowhere is this tension sharper than in Punjab, though protests have now spread beyond the state into Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, where memories of the massive 2020-21 farm protests remain raw and politically consequential. Those protests forced Prime Minister Modi to repeal three controversial farm laws that were widely seen as a backdoor to agricultural liberalisation without adequate safeguards. The current trade negotiations have already begun reopening those wounds, with farmer groups staging demonstrations and strikes. At the heart of farmers' anxieties is a familiar fear: exposure to global markets without adequate state protection creates immense wealth for some, while simultaneously deepening existing inequalities and hardships for vulnerable populations. Liberalisation in Indian agriculture over the p...

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government on Thursday raised questions over the alleged purchase of a 19-seat luxury jet, which the Punjab government plans to include in its newly proposed airline. The Punjab government’s apparent acquisition of a high-end Gulfstream business jet has drawn scrutiny after an official job advertisement seeking a pilot specifically trained on the aircraft surfaced, offering rare confirmation of a major purchase that authorities have not publicly acknowledged. Open-source aviation tracking and posts by strategic affairs observers indicate that the provincial government has acquired a 2019-manufactured Gulfstream GVII-G500, a long-range luxury aircraft typically used by heads of state and corporate executives. The jet, bearing manufacturer serial number 72022 and previously registered in the United States as N144S, has been observed operating VIP flights for Punjab in recent days. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said a day ago it was intended for Air Punja...

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah claimed on Wednesday that during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) November 2024 protest, party founder Imran Khan initially agreed to hold talks and not protest at D-Chowk but later withdrew, adding that it was a missed opportunity for his release. In November 2024, PTI supporters left Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for Islamabad, demanding the restoration of the party's electoral mandate, the release of detained party members and the reversal of the 26th Amendment. However, the protest in the federal capital was brought to an end after the government launched a major operation to prevent protesters from reaching D-Chowk, forcing the senior party leadership to “escape” the scene. In an interview on programme 'Capital Talk' on a private news outlet, Sanaullah revealed that the government, including Interior Minister Naqvi, had made an offer to Imran, proposing that the party hold its planned November 2024 sit-in at Sangjan...

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has allowed the re-export of Afghan transit trade consignments, that had remained stuck for months at Chaman and Quetta, through Karachi's ports. The main border crossings with Afghanistan have remained closed to regular trade and transit since October 10, 2025, following deadly clashes along the frontier after Kabul failed to stem terrorist attacks in Pakistan originating from its soil. On Oct 16, the FBR officially suspended all Afghan Transit Trade operations from Karachi’s ports. All gate passes for Afghan transit consignments were cancelled and clearance of such cargo was halted at Karachi Port and Port Qasim. Read: K-P urges talks to revive Afghan border trade Although a ceasefire was discussed in talks hosted by Qatar and Turkiye, trade has not resumed since then. More than 10,000 Pakistani and Afghan traders, along with transit trade shipments, were reportedly stranded at Karachi port, resulting in losses amounting to billions of rupees. H...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen the deep-rooted fraternal relations between Pakistan and Qatar. The prime minister held a telephone conversation with the Qatari amir, during which both leaders exchanged views on regional and international developments. They also reiterated their commitment to working together to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, this afternoon. During their warm and cordial conversation, the two leaders extended heartiest felicitations to each other on the… pic.twitter.com/6rCatqNj7v — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) February 17, 2026 “During their warm and cordial conversation, the two leaders extended heartiest felicitations to each other on the blessed occasio...

The Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Tuesday said it killed four suspected terrorists belonging to the banned Fitna-al-Hindustan group in a successful raid at a house in Karachi's Shah Latif Town. A press release from the department said the raid took place during the night between Monday and Tuesday and resulted in the recovery of heavy weapons, explosives and other dangerous materials. "The raid was conducted based on information provided by detained suspects. However, the operation quickly escalated when the suspects opened fire on the police and launched a grenade attack, triggering an intense exchange of fire." Two policemen were injured, including Head Constable Muhammad Yousuf and Constable Muhammad Junaid. They were immediately transported to Agha Khan Hospital for medical treatment. "In the retaliatory fire, four terrorists were also injured. Despite being taken to the hospital, they later succumbed to their injuries," the CTD press release s...