Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

US troops’ stay in Pakistan temporary: Minister

US troops’ stay in Pakistan temporary: Minister

PAKISTAN on Tuesday (31) ruled out the possibility of allowing the long-term presence of US troops coming from Afghanistan in Islamabad, saying the American forces' stay in the country would be for a limited period.

Interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad's response came after pictures of US troops at Islamabad airport circulated on social media, sparking rumours about a possible long-term presence of American forces on Pakistani soil.


The minister told the Dawn newspaper that the foreigners came to Pakistan after evacuation from Afghanistan and their stay would be for a limited period and they were issued transit visas ranging from 21 to 30 days.

He rejected the claim that the government was booking hotels for Americans in the federal capital, the report said.

As many as 2,192 individuals entered Pakistan from the Torkham border while 1,627 had come to Islamabad by air, Ahmad said, adding that “a small number” of people came from the Chaman border.

Many people travelled between Pakistan and Afghanistan through the Chaman border on a daily basis. Many Afghans entered Pakistan from this border and returned to their country, he said, adding that it was “a normal activity”.

Ahmad said the issuance of visas to those coming from Afghanistan was not a money-making exercise and that no target had been set to generate funds through this activity.

He pointed out that a normal visa fee was being charged from these people while visas on arrival were being issued free of cost. Asked as to what was the status of individuals crossing into Pakistan from Torkham and Chaman borders, he said none of them had been given refugee status.

Speaking at a press conference earlier, the interior minister referred to Thursday's (26) suicide attack outside Kabul airport and said, “We feared a huge influx of migrants, but it did not happen.”

He said Pakistan would fulfil its duty of national security and its international expectations, asserting that Islamabad had played a historic role in the Afghan peace process.

No other country has rendered sacrifices for peace in Afghanistan more than Pakistan. Peace and stability in Afghanistan were linked with peace and stability in Pakistan, he said.

Almost all Pakistanis had been evacuated from Afghanistan, Ahmad said, adding that around 30-40 Pakistanis were still in Afghanistan, but they were not interested in coming back to the country because they had their families there.

The minister said that the Taliban had assured the Pakistan government that the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) would not be allowed to use the Afghan territory for terrorist activities against Pakistan.

Pakistan would fulfil its responsibilities related to national security besides meeting all its international obligations as a responsible nation, he said.

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