Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Pakistan diplomat defends Taliban

Top Pakistan diplomat defends Taliban

PAKISTAN has sought to defend the Taliban, saying the hardline group - which has taken over Afghanistan - has “delivered on its promises".

Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Asad Majeed Khan, said on Thursday (16) that the security situation in Afghanistan is “in control” under the new regime which, he said, is “making (the) right noises and right gestures”.


“The Taliban agreed not to attack US troops and not to take over Kabul as long as American boots remained in Afghanistan. They honoured their commitments”, Khan said, blaming deposed president Ashraf Ghani’s “sudden disappearance” for the chaos during the final stages of foreign troops’ withdrawal.

It is in the interest of the international community to engage with Afghanistan to avert an exodus of refugees, a situation which would affect not just its immediate neighbourhood, but also countries far away, the ambassador told a webinar organised by the Stimson Center.

The world should also engage with Afghanistan in the interest of its people, he said, adding, “the Taliban are Afghans too”.

According to the diplomat, “threats and cautions” did not historically work on the Taliban and this meant working together is the way forward.

“Engagement with Afghanistan does not necessarily mean a recognition of the Taliban regime,” Khan said, without elaborating.

On US secretary of state Antony Blinken’s assertion that some of Pakistan’s interests in Afghanistan conflicted with those of America, Khan said Islamabad and Washington “are on the same page” in terms of regional security, peace and counter-terrorism efforts.

“Afghanistan has been a burden on the US-Pakistan relations and the two countries can now move on as their interests are aligned," Khan said.

He dismissed as “India’s creation” reports that Pakistan forces were involved in operations against groups resisting the Taliban in the Panjshir region of Afghanistan.

Admitting there has been a spike in terror attacks within Pakistan, Khan sought to blame “foreign countries of the region” for all the trouble, without naming them.

He, however, did not answer a question on Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s reported assertion that the Taliban “have broken chain of slavery”, which was seen as an endorsement of the actions of the hardline group.

More For You

Covid inquiry begins probe into care home deaths

FILE PHOTO: A mother and daughter sit atop the Covid memorial wall on September 9, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Covid inquiry begins probe into care home deaths

THE Covid inquiry has started examining how the pandemic affected care services for older and disabled people, with families describing the crisis as one of the worst failures of the pandemic.

Nearly 46,000 care home residents died with Covid in England and Wales between March 2020 and January 2022, with many deaths happening in the first weeks of the outbreak.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer and Glastonbury condemn anti-Israel chants by Bob Vylan

Keir Starmer speaks to members of the media during a visit to RAF Valley, on Anglesey in north-west Wales, on June 27, 2025. PAUL CURRIE/Pool via REUTERS

Starmer and Glastonbury condemn anti-Israel chants by Bob Vylan

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer and Glastonbury organisers said on Sunday (29) they were appalled by on-stage chanting against the Israeli military during a performance at the festival by Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.

During their show on Saturday (28), the duo chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in reference to the Israel Defense Forces, the formal name of the Israeli military.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan floods

A flooded street near Station Road after heavy rainfall in Hyderabad, Pakistan, on June 27, 2025.

Getty

Pakistan reports 45 deaths from flash floods and rain in monsoon onset

AT LEAST 45 people have died in Pakistan over the past few days due to flash flooding and heavy rainfall since the beginning of the monsoon season, according to disaster management officials on Sunday.

The highest number of deaths was reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. There, 21 people were killed, including 10 children.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK Weather Alert: June Heatwave to Hit 34°C, Breaking Records

The UK is bracing for potentially one of the hottest June days on record

iStock

UK set for one of the hottest June days with highs of 34°C

Key points

  • Temperatures may hit 34°C in Greater London and Bedfordshire
  • Amber alert in place across five regions due to health risks
  • Wimbledon’s opening day to be hottest on record
  • Risk of wildfires in London labelled “severe”
  • Scotland and Northern Ireland remain cooler

Hottest June day in years expected as second UK heatwave peaks

The UK is bracing for potentially one of the hottest June days on record, with temperatures expected to reach 34°C on Monday (30 June). The ongoing heatwave, now in its fourth day, is most intense across the South and East of England, particularly in Greater London and Bedfordshire.

Although there is a small chance of temperatures hitting 35°C, they are unlikely to surpass the all-time June record of 35.6°C set in 1976.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India flight crash
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Getty Images

Probing all angles in Air India crash, including sabotage: Minister

INDIA’s junior civil aviation minister said on Sunday that all possible angles, including sabotage, were being looked into as part of the investigation into the Air India crash.

All but one of the 242 people on board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner were killed when it crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. Authorities have identified 19 others who died on the ground. However, a police source told AFP after the crash that the death toll on the ground was 38.

Keep ReadingShow less