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Dhaka: Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has strongly condemned the recent spate of attacks targeting religious minorities in Bangladesh, accusing the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus of perpetrating atrocities against non-Muslims. Hasina, now based in India after being forced to leave Dhaka in August 2024, described the current administration as illegitimate and claimed it is using its unlawful authority to carry out heinous acts, including setting people on fire. The criticism comes in the wake of two brutal mob lynchings of Hindu youths within a single week. On Wednesday night in the village of Hosen Danga in Rajbari district, a 29-year-old Hindu man, Amrit Mandal, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged extortion. Earlier, on 18 December, 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, a ...

Dhaka: The return of Tarique Rahman, son of the former Prime Minister Zia, has injected fresh energy into Bangladesh’s election atmosphere, stirring both excitement and anxiety across the political spectrum. With Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina absent from the scene, Rahman and his party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), appear well-positioned to make a strong electoral push in the upcoming February elections. Rahman is being eyed by his party as the next Prime Minister. However, the surge of BNP’s popularity is causing unease within Jamaat-e-Islami. According to an intelligence assessment reported by CNN-News18, Jamaat leaders fear that a BNP majority government could sideline their party, ending their longstanding role as political kingmakers. Once considered strategic partners, J...

ISLAMABAD: Exactly a decade ago, on 25 December 2015, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore, catching the world off guard. That day, he had breakfast in Kabul, lunch in Lahore, and dinner back in Delhi—a whirlwind journey that would temporarily shift the India-Pakistan narrative. A Historic Yet Brief EncounterAt the time, Pakistan’s Prime Minister was Nawaz Sharif, elder brother of the current PM Shahbaz Sharif. Modi accepted Sharif’s invitation to a private ceremony at his residence, sending shockwaves through diplomatic circles. The warmth, familial meeting, and symbolic gestures between the two leaders created hope that decades of hostility between the two nations might finally see an end. However, those hopes were short-lived. Within months, terroris...

ISLAMABAD: Mir Yaar, a prominent Baloch separatist leader and representative of the exiled Baloch government, paid tribute to former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 101st birth anniversary. Known for his staunch opposition to the Pakistani government and military, Mir Yaar frequently honors Indian leaders on social media, highlighting Vajpayee’s enduring legacy. Tribute from BalochistanOn Thursday, Mir Yaar shared a photograph of Vajpayee, one of the founding members of India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and wrote:"On 25 December 2025, the people of the Balochistan Republic join millions around the world in commemorating the birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was an extraordinary leader whose life was defined by honesty, dignity, and unwavering commitment...

ISLAMABAD: The appointment of Aasim Munir as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) has sparked intense debate across the country’s political and religious spheres. The post, created through a controversial constitutional amendment, grants Munir unprecedented powers, including lifelong legal immunity for actions taken while in office. Religious Challenge to Munir’s AuthorityMufti Taqi Usmani, affiliated with Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), has openly criticized Munir’s expanded powers. According to Mufti Usmani, the immunity granted to Munir under the 27th constitutional amendment is illegitimate from an Islamic perspective. He declared that Munir’s powers are haram (Islamically prohibited) and questioned the government’s endorsement of such authority....

WASHINGTON/BEIJING: China’s aerospace industry continues to make rapid strides in research, development, and innovation. The country has already deployed fifth-generation fighters, including the J-20 and J-35, and claims to be developing sixth-generation combat aircraft. A recent Pentagon report submitted to the U.S. Congress reveals that China is preparing to export at least three of its fighter jets, including the J-35, the fourth-generation J-10C, and the JF-17 — a fighter jointly developed with Pakistan. Interest in Chinese Fighters Soars in Muslim CountriesDespite extensive development of advanced stealth aircraft, the Pentagon report notes that Pakistan has not purchased the J-35, contrary to repeated claims in Pakistani media. While the J-35A is designed for carrier operations, n...

DHAKA: Amid escalating political unrest in Bangladesh, a major development unfolded on Thursday as BNP leader Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, returned to Dhaka after 17 years abroad. Accompanied by his wife and daughter, Rahman landed at Dhaka Airport, emerging as the most influential political figure ahead of the February 2026 general elections, with expectations mounting that he could become the country’s next Prime Minister. The ‘Dark Prince’ LabelTarique Rahman, 60, son of Khaleda Zia and former President General Ziaur Rahman, earned the moniker ‘Dark Prince’ due to multiple serious allegations during his mother’s tenure in power. In 2007, he was arrested amid an anti-corruption drive under the military-backed interim government. He was granted b...

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has announced that Sheikh Hasina’s party, the Awami League (AL), will not be allowed to contest the upcoming national elections in February 2026. The announcement was made on Wednesday in Dhaka by Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the Chief Advisor, who emphasized that the ban on the party will remain in place. This marks the first time since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971 that the Awami League has been completely excluded from the electoral process. The decision comes just a day after several U.S. lawmakers urged Bangladesh to hold an “inclusive and fair election.” Background of RestrictionsThe interim government had imposed restrictions on the Awami League in May this year. Previously, in October 2024, the party’s in...

DHAKA: With the February 2026 general elections approaching, the interim government of Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh is showing signs of serious instability. A fresh wave of resignations has hit Yunus’ cabinet, with State Minister for Home Affairs Khoda Bakhsh Chowdhury stepping down under pressure from extremist groups. The resignation has been formally accepted by the President, according to an official government notification. Observers note that these resignations are not politically motivated but are a direct result of coercion by extremist factions, indicating a weakening grip of the Yunus administration. The unrest intensified after the assassination of extremist leader Sharif Usman Hadi, which triggered open threats and calls for accountability from radical organizations. Abdulla...

ISLAMABAD/RAVALPINDI: Pakistan’s oldest and largest alcohol producer, Mari Brewery, has achieved a landmark success: after more than 50 years of domestic restrictions, the company has received approval to export its products abroad. The announcement has boosted production at the brewery’s factory near Rawalpindi, an unusual sight in a Muslim-majority country where the sale, purchase, and consumption of alcohol are heavily restricted. A Legacy of ResilienceMari Brewery was established in 1860 during British India to cater to colonial officers and soldiers. Following the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the government introduced stringent regulations on alcohol, particularly during Zulfikar Bhutto’s era. Despite decades of legal constraints, the brewery survived, maintaining a niche elite cu...