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Sunday, 8 February, 2026 | 19 Sha’ban, 1447
Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 215 | 8 Pages | Karachi Edition
MASTERMIND, FACILITATORS OF ‘INDIAN-SPONSORED’ ISLAMABAD IMAMBARAGH ATTACK LASSOED FROM KP: NAQVI
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INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS ISLAMABAD IMAMBARGAH SUICIDE ATTACK TRACED TO TERROR GROUPS BEING ‘FINANCED, DIRECTED’ BY INDIA AND OPERATING FROM AFGHAN SOIL CALLS INCIDENT A ‘TEST CASE’ FOR COUNTERTERRORISM EFFORTS, SAYS RAIDS CONDUCTED IN PESHAWAR AND NOWSHERA SUCCESSFULLY NEUTRALIZE KEY SUSPECTS
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SAYS FOUR FACILITATORS AND AFGHAN MASTERMIND ARRESTED IN KP RAIDS, LAUDING KP CTD AND POLICE FOR SWIFT JOINT OPERATIONS
SAYS PAKISTAN ACTING AS ‘DEFENSIVE WALL’ AGAINST SPILLOVER OF TERRORISM IN REGION, WARNING WEAKENING OF THIS BARRIER WOULD HAVE CONSEQUENCES BEYOND PAKISTAN’S BORDERS
Funeral prayers held for Tarlai Imambargah martyrs amid tight security ISLAMABAD
staff report
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ISLAMABAD
saleem Jadoon
EDERAL Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday accused India of “financing and directing” terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil, revealing that four facilitators of the Islamabad imambargah suicide attack— including the main mastermind—had been arrested during raids in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Operations were underway throughout the night to trace those behind the attack, and all individuals linked to the incident, including the mastermind, were apprehended by around 3 a.m.,” Naqvi said, highlighting
the joint efforts of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police. Speaking to the media in Islamabad, the interior minister praised all security agencies for their swift response, describing the incident as a “test case” for the country’s counterterrorism apparatus. “Following the blast, raids were conducted in Nowshera and Peshawar, during which four facilitators were arrested. The mastermind, an Afghan national, was also taken into custody,” he said. He said that an assistant sub-inspector of KP police was martyred during the raids, while others were injured.
Pakistan, Bangladesh explore expanded railway cooperation to strengthen bilateral ties LAHORE
staff report
Pakistani and Bangladeshi officials on Saturday discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the railways sector, focusing on technical collaboration, capacitybuilding, and broader institutional linkages, amid both sides’ determination to expand bilateral ties, according to a statement from Pakistan Railways. A spokesperson for Pakistan Railways said that Bangladesh’s Secretary for International Organizations, Farhad Islam, accompanied by High Commissioner to Pakistan Mohammad Iqbal Hussain Khan, visited the Pakistan Railways Workshop Division in Lahore. The visit comes as Islamabad works to rebuild relations with Bangladesh following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with both countries aiming to strengthen institutional connections and broaden cooperation. The Bangladeshi delegation was welcomed at Pakistan Railways headquarters and briefed on the organization’s overall functioning, technical capabilities, and ongoing projects, the ministry said. “The delegation was subsequently given a detailed tour of the Mughalpura Locomotive Workshop, where they were briefed on various stages of locomotive maintenance, rehabilitation, and manufacturing processes,” the statement added. “The distinguished guests described their visit as highly informative, productive, and encouraging, appreciating the technical expertise and professional competence of Pakistan Railways,” it said. Pakistan and Bangladesh were part of the same country until Bangladesh’s secession following the 1971 civil war, a historic event that long cast a shadow over bilateral ties.
Funeral prayers for the victims of the deadly terrorist attack on an imambargah in Islamabad’s Tarlai area were offered on Saturday amid stringent security arrangements at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra and Jamia-e-Sadiq. The prayers were led by Sheikh Muhammad Shifa Najafi, cleric of Imambargah Jamia-e-Sadiq, and were attended by a large number of mourners, including Inspector General of Police Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi. Imamia Scouts presented a ceremonial salute to the martyrs, while police maintained a heavy presence and enforced strict security measures. All participants were thoroughly searched before being allowed entry into the premises. Opposition Leader Allama Raja
“But the main mastermind is linked to Daesh and is in our custody,” he said, referring to the banned so-called Islamic State. Addressing a press conference, Naqvi said the attack was “planned, trained, and
Nasir, former adviser to the prime minister Nadeem Afzal Chan, and several political, religious and social figures were also present. Relatives of the martyrs participated in the prayers amid scenes of grief and sorrow. Addressing mourners before the funeral, Allama Raja Nasir said the community remained peaceful and united despite the tragedy. “This is not a Sunni-Shia issue. We will never forget this attack on the imambargah,” he said, adding prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. At least 32 people were killed and around 169 others injured when a suicide bomber targeted worshippers during Friday prayers at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra on the outskirts of the capital, according to officials and hospital authorities. Explosions and gunfire were reported as congregants gathered for Jumma prayers.
executed” by Daesh operatives based in Afghanistan, with foreign funding allegedly flowing in “directly in dollars.” “Let me be very clear: India is funding them….. (India) is giving them their targets.
ConTInued on page 03
‘Terror resurgence’: Tarar accusation sparks fierce pTI backlash LAHORE
staff report
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday blamed the PTI for the resurgence of terrorism in Pakistan, prompting a sharp response from the party, which insisted that the spike in attacks is a direct consequence of the governance of the PML-N and its allied parties. Tarar made the remarks while addressing a press conference alongside religious scholars in Lahore, underlining solidarity and unity in the wake of Friday’s suicide attack at an Islamabad imambargah. When asked whether the blast indicated a failure of security agencies, Tarar firmly rejected the suggestion. “No, not at all,” he said, emphasizing that Pakistan’s security institutions are internationally recognized as models of effectiveness, recalling the safe recovery of abducted passengers during the deadly Jaffar Express attack with minimal casualties. The minister also referenced the May 2025 Pak-India conflict, stating, “The enemy was brought to its knees, sought mediation, and said ‘I’m sorry’.” He added that while Friday’s terrorist attack in the outskirts of Islamabad—despite the presence of the Safe City system and full deployment of se-
curity forces—was tragic, it was not a security lapse. “I did not want to politicize this, but recall Operation Radd-ulFasaad and Zarb-i-Azb, when suicide bombings had stopped and peace was restored in Karachi and elsewhere in the country,” he said. Tarar indirectly criticized former -premier Imran Khan’s policies, saying, “Then, a government came… someone said ‘these are peaceful people and our brothers, we should have talks with them,’ and they were settled in settled areas.” He added, “That same thinking of Taliban Khan—we are paying for that today.” The minister continued that the state had previously acted decisively against terrorists, expelling and neutralizing them, and
had “ended terrorism.” “Ab yeh jo dehshatgardi waapis ayi hai, iss kay peechay PTI hai (The PTI is behind this resurgence of terrorism),” Tarar quipped, smiling. PTI responds sharply The PTI strongly rejected the minister’s remarks. In a post on X, the party’s official account said: “A day after a horrific terror attack, the information minister chose to joke, recite a hateful rhyme, and smile at a press conference. It’s yet another reminder of how little regard they have for the people of Pakistan.” In a separate post, the PTI added: “They have been in government for four years, yet the way this joker is smiling while blaming the PTI shows what kind of people the government has been handed over to.”
Kites and victory cries fill Lahore skies as festival returns after long ban LAHORE
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Extravagantly colored kites dueled above Lahore and cries of victory rang out from rooftops on Friday, as the city celebrated the lifting of an 18-year ban on a spectacular three-day traditional Punjabi kite-flying festival. The Basant, a festival marking the onset of spring, was banned in 2008 after deaths and injuries to motorcyclists and pedestrians from stray kite strings — sometimes coated with metal to make them more fearsome in mid-air battles. The ban was lifted last year due to public demand, and this year’s festival kicked off at midnight with Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari flying the first kite. Families and friends crammed through the night onto the rooftops of the Walled City and other neighborhoods, flying kites, beating drums and shouting out “bo-kata!,” or “hacked!,” the victor’s cry after severing an opponent’s string. Abdul Aziz, 57, a self-described kite-flying addict, had been bereft during the ban. “Today, when I dropped the first kite in air, I felt as if there was a space in my life that was now filled.” Sharmeen Mehmood, 55, an avid kite-flyer since she was 10, said the action had been at its most exciting in the darkness, slowing down with dawn as rooftop revelers sought some rest and the wind eased off, but expected to pick up again later. The government has banned metallic or chemicalcoated killer strings. Kites and strings must bear individual QR codes so they can be traced, and motorcyclists must attach safety rods to their bikes to fend off stray thread. Some 4,600 producers registered with the authorities to sell kites and strings. District government spokesperson Haris Ali told Reuters that rooftops with 30 or more revelers must also be registered, and dozens of roofs had been declared off-limits after inspections. The festival has been somewhat overshadowed by a suicide bombing in Islamabad on Friday that killed at least 31 people. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said in a post on X that the concert at Liberty Square in Lahore on Saturday as part of the Basant celebrations had been canceled because of the attack.
Faheem, bowlers help Pakistan edge past Netherlands in T20 World Cup opener COLOMBO
staff report
Faheem Ashraf’s cameo of 11-ball 29 ensured Pakistan survived a late scare to achieve the 148-run target with three balls to spare against Netherlands in the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday afternoon. With 29 required from the final two overs, Faheem clobbered three sixes and one four off the penultimate over which fetched 24 runs, before hitting one over covers in the final over to seal the win with three wickets in hand Earlier, Pakistan opening batters provided their side with a brisk start as Saim Ayub departed after a quick-fire 24 off 13 balls aided by four fours and a six. Top-scorer Sahibzada Farhan fell three runs short of his ninth T20I fifty, scoring 47 off 31, hitting four fours and two sixes. Pakistan were 61-2 after the powerplay and cruising at 98-2 after 11 overs. However, the Green Shirts lost five wickets for the next 16 runs, slipping to 114-7 after 16.1 overs. For Netherlands, Aryan Dutt and Paul van Meekeren bagged two wickets each. After being put in to bat, Netherlands were dismissed for 147 in 19.5 overs, with captain Scott Edwards top-scoring with a 29-ball 37 that included four boundaries. The Dutch got off to a decent start as they scored 31 in 4.1 overs, led by opener Michael Levitt’s quick-fire 24 off 15 balls (three fours,one six), while Bas de Leede contributed 30 off 25 with four fours. Mohammad Salman Mirza (3.5-0-24-3) provided Pakistan with the breakthrough, after which the spinners kept the scoring in check through the middle overs. With Netherlands on 127-4 in 15.5 overs, Abrar Ahmed (4-023-2) sparked a late collapse by removing Edwards. From there, Netherlands slumped to 147 all out, losing their last six wickets for 20 runs with Saim taking two wickets in his only over, while Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed one and Salman Mirza added two more to wrap up the innings. Scores in brief: Pakistan beat Netherlands by three wickets at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo Netherlands 147 all out, 19.5 overs (Scott Edwards 37, Bas de Leede 30, Michael Levitt 24, Colin Ackermann 20; Mohammad Salman Mirza 3-24, Saim Ayub 2-7, Abrar Ahmed 2-23, Mohammad Nawaz 2-38)
govt decides to redesign ‘security architecture’ to guard mineral-rich Balochistan ISLAMABAD
monitoring
The government has decided to raise a special force and strengthen its intelligence network to safeguard mineral-rich Balochistan and its borders with Iran and Afghanistan, a provincial official said on Saturday. The development follows days after Canadian mining giant Barrick Mining Corporation announced it would “immediately” conduct a comprehensive review of all aspects of the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper-gold project in Balochistan. Barrick’s decision came in the wake of coordinated attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) across several districts last Saturday, which left 31 civilians and 17 security personnel dead. Authorities said they had killed 216 militants in subsequent operations. “In light of the terrorist events, the provincial government, in tandem with security forces, is redesigning the entire security architecture,” Shahid Rind, an aide to Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti for media and
political affairs, told Arab News. “This includes raising a dedicated Frontier Corps for the mineral-rich region and securing both borders with Iran and Afghanistan,” he added. The Balochistan government also plans to expand its intelligence network and work closely with mining companies operating in the province. “The Balochistan government is extremely serious about foreign investment in the province and considers Reko Diq as the flag-bearer of foreign investment,” Rind said. “We will do whatever is necessary to maintain that.” The recent surge in attacks has reportedly alarmed international investors, particularly Barrick, which is developing one of the world’s largest copper and gold mines at Reko Diq. “As we stated in our public documents, Barrick is undertaking a review of all aspects of the Reko Diq project, including the project’s security arrangements, development timetable, and capital budget,” a Barrick
spokesperson told Arab News. In a Feb. 5 statement issued alongside its fourth-quarter financial results, Barrick said the Reko Diq project “continued to advance site works in Q4, although in light of a recent increase in security incidents, management is currently reviewing all aspects of the project. The review will begin immediately, and an update will be provided once it is completed.” Barrick owns a 50 percent stake in Reko Diq, alongside three Pakistani federal stateowned enterprises holding 25 percent, with the Balochistan government owning the remaining 25 percent. The project is expected to begin production in 2028 and is central to Pakistan’s strategy for boosting mineral exports and attracting foreign investment to its underdeveloped mining sector. Despite heightened threats in Balochistan, development linked to the project continues elsewhere in the country. Barrick is preparing to invest in Pakistan’s port infrastructure, including Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Ltd. (PIBT) at Port Qasim in Karachi, which will host dedicated facilities
to ship Reko Diq’s output. Last week, Barrick’s Pakistani subsidiary, Reko Diq Mining Company, signed an export agreement with PIBT to export
800,000 tons of copper and gold concentrate through the terminal in the first phase, doubling the volume in the second phase, according to PIBT officials.