Ashura to fall on July 6
The announcement was made by Committee Chairman Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabeer Azad following a meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Quetta. Officials from the Pakistan Meteorological Department and the national space agency, SUPARCO, were also in attendance.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
India I-Day: Black Day observed in AJK
Protesters belonging to Pasban-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir shout slogans as they march on a road in Muzaffarabad. PHOTO: NNI Kashmiris across both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and around the world marked India's 78th Independence Day on Friday as Black Day, staging protests and rallies to denounce New Delhi's forcible and illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. The coordinated observance - called by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and endorsed by pro-freedom groups — unfolded under sweeping restrictions in IIOJK and against the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Reports from Srinagar described an unprecedented security presence, with heavily armed troops patrolling streets, manning checkpoints, and blocking key intersections. Authorities, fearing large-scale demonstrations in support of Pakistan and against Indian rule, imposed movement restrictions and intensified surveillance. The entire city feels like a fortress. Even small gatherings are being dispersed, said media reports. According to APHC leaders, the clampdown is part of a long-standing strategy to "suppress peaceful political dissent" in the region. "Black Day is a reminder to the world that the Kashmir dispute remains unresolved and our demand for self-determination is non-negotiable," an APHC spokesperson said in a statement. The observance extended far beyond the valley. In cities including London, Brussels, Washington D.C., and Toronto, Kashmiri diaspora communities and their supporters staged rallies carrying black flags, placards, and banners calling for an end to Indian occupation. The protestors said the demonstrations aimed to break the international silence over human rights abuses in IIOJK and press for a United Nations-supervised plebiscite. Pakistan's political leadership also marked the day with statements reaffirming solidarity with the Kashmiri people. The annual Black Day observance dates back to October 27, 1947 - the day Indian troops entered the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir following its illegal accession to India.
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Chehlum, Urs of Data conclude under tightened security
The Chehlum of Imam Hussain (RA) and the concluding ceremonies of the Urs of Data Ali Hajveri, widely known as Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA), were observed across Punjab on Friday under extensive security arrangements. Authorities confirmed that all processions, majalis, and Urs gatherings concluded peacefully, with no major incidents reported. This year, the 20th of Safar in the Islamic calendar coincided with both the Chehlum and the third and final day of the Urs celebrations in Lahore. Over 37,000 police officers and personnel were deployed across the province to ensure security at 644 majalis and 392 mourning processions. In Lahore alone, 44 majalis and 14 processions were held, guarded by over 12,000 officers. DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran personally inspected the route of the main Chehlum procession from Haveli Alf Shah in the inner city. Security forces sealed connecting streets, stationed snipers on rooftops, and monitored routes via real-time CCTV provided by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority. Walk-through gates, 6,753 metal detectors, and 926 checkpoints were set up for screening. Women officers were deployed for women and children, while plainclothes personnel monitored crowds. "Maintaining peace and protecting every citizen is our mission," Kamran said, urging public cooperation during sensitive occasions. Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar praised the "excellent security arrangements" and commended the CCPO Lahore, DIG Operations, and senior officers for their coordination. He noted that law enforcement agencies had been on high alert for several days, implementing measures against one-wheeling, aerial firing, and other violations during both the religious observances and Independence Day celebrations earlier in the week. Police reported 277 arrests and 249 cases during the crackdown, including 162 arrests for one-wheeling and 13 for aerial firing. Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, who also chairs the Punjab Cabinet Committee on Law and Order, visited the Home Department's central control room to review live monitoring. He was joined by Acting Chief Secretary Punjab Ahmad Raza Sarwar, Home Secretary Dr. Ahmad Javed Qazi, and other senior officials. Rafique reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring peace, protecting lives and property, and guaranteeing complete religious freedom. He said authorities had engaged scholars and community leaders from all sects throughout Muharram to promote unity and harmony. The Acting Chief Secretary added that all relevant departments - including police, Rescue 1122, and traffic authorities - remained on high alert until the safe return of mourners and devotees. The Home Secretary said a zero-tolerance policy was being enforced against sectarian hate speech, with the provincial cyber-patrolling cell monitoring and taking action against violators. Special arrangements were made in Lahore for thousands of devotees attending the Urs. Control rooms at provincial and district levels ensured continuous coordination among security and administrative agencies. Officials credited the joint efforts of Punjab Police, the Home Department, district administrations, and religious leaders for the peaceful conclusion of both events.
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Rekindling trust
In a world where alliances are increasingly transactional, the counterterrorism partnership between Pakistan and the United States remains an evolving, if at times uneasy, example of strategic necessity. Whereas public discourse is usually preoccupied with episodes of tension (drone attacks, trust gaps and changing regional priorities), the cooperation, particularly in recent years, has become increasingly professional, mature and outcome-oriented. With old threats being replaced by new ones, the US-Pakistan counterterrorism (CT) cooperation is important not only to South Asian stability, but to world security architecture as well. A recent example of this longstanding collaboration was the January 2025 joint operation that resulted in the arrest of Sharifullah, the ISIS-K mastermind of the lethal August 2021 Kabul airport bombing. Not the arrest but the manner in which it was done was important. The Pakistani intelligence services, working in close liaison with their US counterparts, monitored then captured a high-value target without incurring political blowback and without leaking the operation. This achievement, which was celebrated by the US Department of Justice, was not so much about symbolism but rather competency, coordination and trust. And this trust seems to be on an upward curve. Centcom Commander Gen Michael Kurilla, who has retired recently, praised Pakistan as a "phenomenal partner" in the war against ISIS-K in July 2025, and was himself honoured with the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, the highest military award of Pakistan. This act, however ceremonial, amounts to a conscious resetting of relations — a shift in the mode of suspicion to a mode of common strategic outlook. But what has changed? To begin with, the two countries have apparently adjusted expectations. The pre-9/11 doctrine of "with us or against us" that previously put a strain on bilateral relations has been replaced by a more realistic, decentralised system of collaboration. Examples of this change include institutions such as the National Intelligence Fusion & Threat Assessment Centre (NIFTAC), in Pakistan, which is a locally based response that is integrated with international cooperation, especially with the American and allied intelligence organisations. Second, terrorism as such has evolved. The recurrence of Taliban in power in Afghanistan has formed new security gaps, and these gaps are easily taken advantage of by groups such as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS-K. They are not local actors only but transnational ones that recruit and fund globally. That is why the US not only requires Pakistan as a geographic ally but also as an operational one. Drones cannot do away with ideological insurgencies, they require boots on the ground, informants on the field and information provided by local agencies. Of course, the road ahead is not without bumps. The perennial issue of strategic mistrust, particularly when it comes to Afghanistan and regional power dynamics with India and China, will always shadow Pak-US ties. Moreover, Pakistan faces internal political instability and resurging domestic militancy, which can dilute the focus of its CT machinery. But to let these obstacles overshadow progress would be short-sighted. It is also crucial that this partnership does not become overly securitised. Counterterrorism cooperation should be complemented by economic and developmental collaboration, particularly in Pakistan's tribal and border regions. Ultimately, Pak-US CT cooperation is not a vestige of a long forgotten war-on-terrorism; it's a living, breathing necessity shaped by evolving threats and mutual dependencies. If 2025 is any indicator, it seems both sides have begun to move past suspicion and toward strategic maturity. For a world teetering on new fronts of asymmetric warfare, it's not just reassuring — it's essential.
