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Pakistan army details response to three major Balochistan attacks

Pakistan army

RAWALPINDI: Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary said that security forces and law enforcement agencies killed 54 militants following three major attacks in the southwestern province of Balochistan over the past four days, during which 42 security personnel were killed.

At a news conference, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said the attacks targeted civilians, police and security forces in separate incidents across the province.

According to Chaudhry, the first attack occurred near the Mangi Dam pumping station outside Quetta, where four civilians and nine police personnel were martyred. He said security forces responded by killing 15 militants.

He said a second attack in Ziarat left 18 police personnel martyred, while security forces killed additional militants during ongoing operations in the area.

The third attack targeted a security convoy, martyring 10 security personnel. Chaudhry said 14 militants were killed in the subsequent military response.

The military said operations were also carried out in Kharan and Dalbandin, where additional militants were killed.

Chaudhry accused India of supporting militant groups involved in the attacks and alleged that Afghan nationals made up a majority of the attackers.

 He also accused Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities of providing support to militant groups operating against Pakistan. India has repeatedly denied Pakistani allegations that it backs militant activity inside the country.

He said operations against militants and their alleged facilitators would continue and vowed that Pakistan’s armed forces would pursue those responsible.

Diljit Dosanjh took nominal fee for ‘Sutlej,’ director reveals

Diljit Dosanjh

MUMBAI: Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh did not charge his usual acting fee for the historical drama Sutlej, according to the film’s director, who said the star accepted only a nominal payment to fulfill contractual requirements.

In a previously recorded interview that has resurfaced on social media, director Honey Trehan said Dosanjh was deeply committed to portraying Sikh human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and viewed the role as a responsibility rather than a commercial project.

Trehan said the film’s limited budget would not have allowed the production to hire Dosanjh at his standard market rate. According to the director, the actor never asked for payment and accepted only a token amount because a formal contract required compensation.

The director also said Dosanjh had long wanted to make a film about Khalra’s life. Trehan told him he had already completed research on the subject and secured the rights from Khalra’s family, after which the actor immediately agreed to take on the role.

Sutlej, released on July 3, is based on the alleged 1995 abduction and subsequent events involving Khalra. The film was removed from the streaming platform ZEE5 two days after its release, prompting discussion online, though no official explanation for its removal has been announced.

Wasim Abbas opens up about divorce from Saba Hameed

Wasim Abbas

ISLAMABAD: Veteran actor Wasim Abbas has confirmed for the first time that he and fellow actor Saba Hameed are divorced, saying the couple had been living separately for the past 14 years before their 29-year marriage was legally dissolved.

In a recent interview, Abbas said the separation was amicable and that the two continued to maintain a cordial relationship despite ending their marriage. He said they worked together on various projects after separating and occasionally met as friends.

Abbas said there was no bitterness between them and that he would be willing to work with Hameed again if offered a suitable role. He added that neither had spoken negatively about the other in public and that they had always prioritized mutual respect.

Reflecting on the divorce, Abbas said he did not regret the decision, explaining that the emotional bond necessary to sustain the marriage had faded over time. He also noted that the couple did not have children together.

Asked about remarriage, Abbas said he did not consider his second marriage entirely wrong at the time, but in hindsight believed it may not have been the right decision.

He added that he currently has no plans to marry again, saying he is now a grandfather and is content with his family life.

Hameed has not publicly commented on Abbas’ remarks.

Aamir Khan’s intimate wedding features custom ruby ring

Aamir Khan

MUMBAI:  Aamir Khan and Gauri Spratt were married in a private registered ceremony at the actor’s Pali Hill residence in Mumbai on July 6, with only close family members in attendance.

The couple opted for a low-key celebration instead of a lavish celebrity wedding, keeping the event private and family-focused.

Much of the attention centered on Spratt’s custom-designed wedding ring, created by luxury jewelry brand Qween. The ring features a natural cabochon-cut ruby sourced from Madagascar, set in a crown-inspired gold design surrounded by 40 natural diamonds.

According to the jeweler, it took nearly three months to source the ruby, while the ring required more than 256 hours of craftsmanship involving 131 artisans.

Reports said Khan had previously commissioned another bespoke ring for Spratt featuring a rare aquamarine gemstone from Brazil, also surrounded by 40 natural diamonds.

For the ceremony, Spratt wore an embroidered pastel lehenga by Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee instead of a traditional red bridal outfit. She paired the ensemble with a sheer dupatta, polki jewelry with emerald accents, understated makeup and a fishtail braid adorned with white flowers.

The couple’s sons also took part in the ceremony. Khan’s son, Azad Rao Khan, and Spratt’s son, Quinn, served as ring bearers, adding a personal touch to the intimate family celebration.

Pakistan’s economy shows signs of improvement, Finance Minister says

Pakistan's economy

ISLAMABAD:  Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Wednesday that the country’s key economic indicators have improved under the new fiscal year’s budget, citing lower inflation, stronger foreign exchange reserves and increased investor confidence.

Aurangzeb made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from S&P Global Ratings, where the two sides discussed Pakistan’s economic outlook, sovereign credit profile and the government’s reform agenda.

The finance minister said economic reforms and fiscal policies had led to continued improvements in Pakistan’s economic performance. He added that a lower fiscal deficit, a record primary budget surplus and improved debt management had strengthened the country’s fiscal sustainability.

According to a statement, the S&P delegation acknowledged the government’s commitment to economic reforms, fiscal discipline, debt sustainability and macroeconomic stability.

Officials also briefed the delegation on ongoing reforms in taxation, the energy sector, state-owned enterprises, privatization, governance and public financial management, saying the measures were aimed at strengthening the economy and improving international investor confidence.

Court extends physical remand in alleged kidnapping and rape case

Court extends

LAHORE: A local court on Wednesday extended by five days the physical remand of four men arrested in connection with the alleged kidnapping and rape of two foreign women, allowing police more time to continue their investigation.

The suspects — Raza Dar, Sikandar Khan, Hassan Raza and Sajid Ali — were produced before Judicial Magistrate Azhar Mahmood after the expiry of their previous remand.

During the hearing, prosecutors requested an additional nine days of police custody, saying investigators still needed to recover a laptop, a vehicle and a weapon allegedly linked to the case.

Lawyers representing Sikandar Khan and Sajid Ali argued that their clients had not been named in the original police complaint and were arrested later based on supplementary statements.

They denied the allegations and claimed the two men had been implicated while the principal suspect had not yet been brought before any court.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court granted police a five-day extension of the suspects’ physical remand.

The allegations have not been proven in court, and the investigation is ongoing.

COAS Asim Munir says Pakistan will crush cross-border terrorism

COAS Asim

ISLAMABAD: Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, said Wednesday that cross-border terrorism would be “crushed with the full might of the state,” vowing that Pakistan’s armed forces would continue operations against militant groups and their facilitators.

Speaking to graduating officers of the National Security and War Course at the National Defence University, Munir said the military remained fully aware of what he described as attempts by hostile intelligence agencies to destabilize Pakistan through proxy groups.

He said Pakistan’s armed forces, backed by the nation, would ensure the dismantling of terrorist sanctuaries and the elimination of those providing support to militant groups.

Munir also stressed the importance of strategic foresight and institutional professionalism in addressing evolving security challenges, saying institutions such as the National Defence University play a key role in preparing future military and civilian leaders to confront hybrid and conventional threats.

He added that wars are won through “faith, unity and discipline,” rather than rhetoric or political slogans, and expressed confidence in the operational readiness and morale of Pakistan’s armed forces.

Trump warns Iran of more military strikes

Trump warns

ANKARA:US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened fresh military strikes against Iran, saying the United States could launch another attack “tonight” while renewing his insistence that Tehran must never obtain a nuclear weapon.

Speaking alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a news conference at the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said the United States had carried out heavy strikes against Iran the previous night and warned that additional military action remained possible.

Trump accused Iran of deception during nuclear talks, saying Tehran had repeatedly misled U.S. negotiators.

He also criticized the nuclear agreement reached under former President Barack Obama, calling it a bad deal and repeating his longstanding claim that it provided Iran with significant financial benefits.

The US president said Washington’s objective remained preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, adding that he believed progress had been made toward that goal.

Trump also accused Iranian leaders of making contradictory public statements after negotiations, alleging they denied discussions that had taken place.

Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and denies seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

Trump’s ‘Islamic Republic of Japan’ remark goes viral

Trump

ANKARA: US President Donald Trump appeared to misspeak while discussing Iran on Wednesday, referring to the country as the “Islamic Republic of Japan” during remarks on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.

Speaking alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump said the “Islamic Republic of Japan” had fired 111 missiles at the USS Abraham Lincoln before appearing to continue his remarks about Iran, prompting widespread attention online.

Video of the comments quickly circulated on social media, where users pointed to the apparent verbal mix-up between Iran and Japan.

The remarks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following recent US military strikes on Iranian targets.

Trump also said he was dissatisfied with Iran’s actions, accused Tehran of launching drone attacks on US naval assets and warned that the United States could carry out additional strikes as early as Wednesday night.

The White House did not immediately comment on the apparent misstatement.

Egypt asks FIFA to investigate referees after Argentina defeat

Egypt asks

ZURICH:  Egypt’s football federation said it has filed a formal complaint with FIFA over the officiating in its World Cup round-of-16 loss to Argentina, alleging serious refereeing and video review errors that affected the outcome of the match.

The federation said it had asked FIFA to investigate French referee François Letexier and the video assistant referee (VAR) officials and requested that they be removed from the remainder of the tournament.

According to the federation, the match officials applied inconsistent standards, declined to review several key incidents and made clear errors that contributed to Egypt’s elimination. It called on FIFA to conduct a full investigation.

The complaint follows widespread criticism from Egyptian players, coaching staff and some supporters over several controversial decisions during the match, including the disallowing of an Egyptian goal after a VAR review and the decision not to award fouls or a penalty in incidents involving captain Mohamed Salah.

Head coach Hossam Hassan also protested several decisions during the game and was shown a yellow card by the referee.

Argentina came from behind to defeat Egypt 3-2, securing a place in the World Cup quarterfinals.

FIFA had not publicly responded to the Egyptian federation’s complaint at the time of publication.