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Islamabad: Lyari, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Karachi, has long been a working-class bastion with a significant Baloch population. Over the decades, the area has seen dramatic transformations, evolving from a community of dock workers and football enthusiasts to a hotbed of violent gang wars. Lyari’s Dual Identity Lyari has always had a dual identity. For its residents, it is the “mother” of Karachi—a historic settlement known for its hardworking population, boxers, and football players. For the rest of Pakistan, especially during the 1990s and 2000s, Lyari became synonymous with heavily armed gangsters. The area earned nicknames like “Mini Brazil” and “Karachi’s Wild West” due to its violent underworld. The Roots of Gang Wars The gang conflicts in Lyari trace back to th...

Dhaka: On August 5, 2024, Bangladesh witnessed the dramatic fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, forcing the former Prime Minister to flee to India for her safety. While it was widely assumed that Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would fill the political vacuum, the reality on the ground suggests a very different trajectory. Students and Islamic Alliance Reshape Bangladesh Politics Following Hasina’s ouster, student leaders who had spearheaded the movement aimed to establish a Bangladesh under a stricter Islamic ideology. The National Citizen Party (NCP), formed in February 2025 with support from Muhammad Yunus, has allied with Jamaat-e-Islami’s political wing, Amar Bangladesh (AB) party, and the National Songwriters’ Movement to form a coalition named Gonotantrik Sang...

Dhaka: Aminul Haque Polash, a former Bangladeshi intelligence officer and diplomat, has revealed shocking details about Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government since August 2024. Polash, who went into exile after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, claims that Yunus’ publicly projected saintly image conceals a very different reality. Polash spoke to News18 about his decade-long experience in Bangladesh’s national security and foreign service, exposing Yunus’ alleged financial manipulations, hidden power networks, and political ambitions. “The world sees a humble Nobel laureate working for rural women, but behind the scenes, his operations tell a completely different story,” Polash said. Exile for Safety Polash explained that after Yunus’ interim government took...

For decades, India’s defence sector heavily relied on Russia, which supplied fighter jets, submarines, tanks, and missiles. However, in recent years, India has reduced this dependence, forging stronger defence partnerships with countries like Israel and France. Now, Israel plans to shift a significant portion of its defence manufacturing to India, marking a historic collaboration. India-Israel Defence Collaboration Tel Aviv: India and Israel are elevating their defence partnership beyond the traditional buyer-seller relationship. According to reports, Israel is exploring the possibility of manufacturing advanced weapons directly in India under the “Make in India” initiative. This includes high-tech drones and other advanced military platforms. Last month, India’s Defence Secretary...

Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated once again, as Israel’s army (IDF) has warned that Tehran has resumed large-scale production of ballistic missiles. The announcement came during a briefing in the Israeli parliament, signaling growing concerns over Iran’s military capabilities. Background: June Conflict Earlier this year, in June, Israel and Iran engaged in a 12-day military confrontation. During this period, Israel targeted Iran’s missile facilities in a series of airstrikes. In response, Iran launched hundreds of missiles, demonstrating its striking power. At that time, Israel and Western allies believed that Iran’s missile capabilities had been significantly degraded. Current Developments According to the Israeli news portal Ynet, a senior IDF official told par...

Bangkok/Phnom Penh: Just months after a deadly five-day conflict in July, tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have once again exploded into open warfare. Thailand on Monday launched massive airstrikes on multiple Cambodian military sites, triggering fresh fighting along the border and effectively shattering the ceasefire deal that former US President Donald Trump claimed to have negotiated earlier this year. Thailand Says Airstrikes Were in Retaliation; Cambodia Rejects the Claim A spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army said the strikes were a direct response to Cambodian artillery and mortar fire that killed one Thai soldier and injured two others early Monday. Major General Winthai Suvari stated that Thai forces targeted “weapons support locations” near the Chong Aan Ma Pass, a...

Tehran: India and Pakistan—two nations with a long history of hostility, military conflicts, and diplomatic friction—have come together on the same platform for a joint military exercise in Iran. Despite deep tensions and the sharp escalation following a four-day border clash in May this year, their armed forces participated side by side in a counterterrorism drill under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The 2025 SCO-led counterterrorism exercise was held in Sahand, Iran. Both Indian and Pakistani contingents trained on the same ground, though experts caution against interpreting this as a sign of improving bilateral relations. They describe it instead as an “institutional obligation” that both nations, as SCO members, are required to fulfill. The Exercise in IranThe joint...

London: The UK government has taken a decisive step against Khalistani terrorist activities, imposing sanctions on a British Sikh businessman accused of funding the extremist group Babbar Khalsa. The move marks the first use of the country’s domestic counter-terrorism powers to disrupt the financing of Khalistani terrorism. The British Treasury announced on Thursday that Gurpreet Singh Rehal, associated with the Punjab Warriors sports investment firm, could have his assets frozen and be disqualified from serving as a director due to suspected links with organizations involved in promoting terrorism in India. The measures also target support for the extremist group Babbar Akali Lehar. Government ResponseUK Finance Minister Lucy Rigby stated, “We will not tolerate the misuse of the UK ...

Washington: Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official, has strongly criticized the U.S. Trump administration’s approach toward Pakistan, calling it strategically unjustified. Speaking to ANI, Rubin stated that there is no rationale for maintaining friendly ties with Islamabad and suggested that the country should be officially designated as a state sponsor of terrorism. Rubin expressed particular disapproval of Pakistan’s newly appointed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Field Marshal Asim Munir, visiting the White House in June. He argued that instead of being welcomed with honors, Munir should have faced arrest for his role in promoting terrorism. Pakistan Should Be Declared a Terror SponsorRubin said, “There is no strategic rationale for U.S. friendship with Pakistan. It should be of...

Washington/New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin returned to Moscow after a highly successful visit to India, his first since the outbreak of the Ukraine war. Analysts say the visit has put U.S. President Donald Trump under scrutiny at home, as India-Russia ties strengthen despite American pressure. Former Pentagon official Michael Kugelman stated that India had initially tried to distance itself from Russia, but U.S. actions under Trump inadvertently strengthened the New Delhi-Moscow partnership. Kugelman told NDTV that this visit marked a renewed phase of strategic cooperation between India and Russia. “Over the past four years, this is the first time Putin has visited India. India has supported calls for peace in Ukraine, but the conflict has pushed Russia closer to China,” ...