NBTV

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan sign landmark defense pact, any attack on one seen as attack on both

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 07:26:13 +0000

On Wednesday, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a groundbreaking ‘Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement.’ This pivotal accord ensures that aggression towards one nation will be perceived as an assault on both, elevating their joint deterrence capabilities and fortifying the long-standing military and security collaboration between the two nations.

This significant agreement emerges amid the Middle East’s turbulent climate, where protracted conflicts have stirred fears of widespread instability, emphasizing the Gulf states’ urgent need for fortified security and defense alliances. This Riyadh accord highlights both nations’ intent to transform deep-rooted military relations into an unwavering security pledge.

The treaty was inked during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to Riyadh, where a landmark meeting took place with Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman at the prestigious Al-Yamamah Palace. In the company of senior ministers and military leaders, the two dignitaries celebrated what Sharif’s office described as a “historic and strategic” bond, while delving into significant regional matters.

The joint declaration emphasized that any form of aggression directed at either country will be treated as an attack on both, showcasing the bilateral drive to fortify defense collaboration and contribute towards regional and global peace.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have sustained robust political, military, and economic connections for decades. With over 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates residing in the Kingdom, the largest diaspora sending remittances home, Saudi Arabia has been a reliable ally, consistently providing financial aid during Pakistan’s economic predicaments. Their defense collaboration has encompassed training, arms deals, and joint military maneuvers.

By formalizing this alliance into a mutual defense pact, analysts assert that the relationship is now on equal footing with other significant strategic partnerships within the region.

Zelenskyy calls for a European air defense system as Russian strike wounds 13 in Ukrainian city

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:56:38 +0000

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces bombarded the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia with rockets overnight, wounding 13 people, including two children, officials said Tuesday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged European leaders to make the continent safe by building an ambitious air defense umbrella.

With the war grinding on since Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than 3½ years ago, there has been no let-up in Russian strikes on civilian areas of Ukraine and its army’s push on the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.

A peace settlement appears to be no closer despite months of U.S.-led peace efforts. U.S. President Donald Trump’s ultimatums and deadlines for Putin to engage with proposals to stop the fighting have passed without obvious consequences.

Just over the past two weeks, Zelenskyy said on Telegram, Russia has launched more than 3,500 drones, more than 2,500 powerful glide bombs and almost 200 missiles at targets inside Ukraine.

Russian glide bombs, usually dropped by jets at high altitude and far behind the front line, and drone swarms are a major challenge for Ukrainian defenses. Glide bombs aren’t very accurate, but they leave big craters, and Ukraine has no effective countermeasure against them.

Russian drones also recently landed on Polish soil, prompting NATO to beef up the alliance’s European air defenses as tensions with Moscow mounted.

“Now is the time to implement the joint protection of our European skies with a multilayered air defense system. All the technologies for this are available,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram. “We need investments and desire, we need strong actions and decisions from all our partners.”

In Zaporizhzhia, the Russian barrage struck more

“We hadn’t yet recovered from enemy strikes on Aug. 30. We are currently repairing those buildings, those windows, but now the enemy has added more work for our municipal workers,” Fedorov said.

In response, Ukraine has developed its own long-range drones that have hit deep inside Russia, damaging installations vital for Russia’s war effort.

Recent strikes have included oil refineries, depots and terminals. Russia remains the world’s second-largest oil exporter, but a seasonal rise in demand and sustained Ukrainian drone strikes have caused gasoline shortages in recent weeks.

Ukraine’s General Staff said Tuesday that the armed forces struck an oil refinery in the Saratov region of western Russia during the night. Explosions and a fire were reported at the facility, the General Staff said on its Facebook page.

Floodwater recedes in Punjab, leaving a trail of destruction

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:50:09 +0000

Ravaging floods in Punjab have begun to retreat, revealing a haunting scene of destruction, with homes and structures left in shambles. Yet, for numerous reasons, the challenging path to restoration has not commenced.

The floods have unleashed terrifying ruin across Punjab, with Lahore especially impacted, seeing 26 localities in five tehsils affected. A staggering 82,952 people have suffered losses, and 36,658 have been displaced from their homes.

In Alipur, the devastation extends to several villages, notably Lashari, Chanjan, Maysar, and Chandia. Regions such as Khan Garh Doimah, Sitpur, Lati Madi, Choki Gabol, and Azmatpur have been severely impacted, while areas like Gulwan Doim, Choki Gabol, Mari, and others remain submerged.

Even though the water at Minchanabad on the Sutlej River is receding, restoration has yet to begin. Life in Bahramka Hathar, one of the affected villages, has not returned to normalcy.

In and around Minchanabad, more than 15 villages remain inaccessible by road, as floodwaters persist at depths of five to seven feet, devastating hundreds of acres of farmland.

The situation has deteriorated in Uch Sharif and Ahmed Pur Sharqia as well, where 36 localities in Uch Sharif face demolished homes and thousands of acres are affected.

With floodwaters in the Sutlej wreaking havoc across 67 localities of Minchanabad, a significant 56,374 people across a 76 km river stretch have been affected, and over 20 villages lack land access even today.

In Chishtian, 47 localities have been engulfed by floods, leading to destroyed homes and mass displacement of people.

In Shujaabad, the village of So Mun has been decimated, with hundreds of homes reduced to ruins, leaving thousands homeless.

Arifwala too bears witness to widespread devastation; many of its villages are destroyed, homes crumbled to dust.

Adding to the chaos, the motorway near Jalalpur Pirwala is inundated, forcing the closure of the M-5 highway.

Arab, Muslim leaders urge review of Israel ties after Qatar attack

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:29:14 +0000

Arab and Muslim leaders called for a review of ties with Israel after emergency talks in Doha on Monday following last week’s deadly strike on Hamas members in the Qatari capital.

The Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation joint session, which brought together nearly 60 countries, sought to take firm action after Israel’s attack on Qatar-hosted Hamas officials as they discussed a Gaza ceasefire proposal.

A joint statement from the summit urged “all States to take all possible legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people”, including “reviewing diplomatic and economic relations with it, and initiating legal proceedings against it”.

Qatar’s fellow Gulf nations the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, along with Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, were among those present that recognise Israel.

The leaders of the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, which signed the Abraham Accords recognising Israel five years ago to the day, did not attend Monday’s talks, sending senior representatives instead.

The statement also urged member states to “coordinate efforts aimed at suspending Israel’s membership in the United Nations”.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will arrive in Qatar on Tuesday, after pledging “unwavering support” for Israel’s goal of eradicating Hamas during a visit to the country.

The attack strained ties between Washington and key allies in the Gulf, raising concerns over US security guarantees in a region housing major US assets including a major military base in Qatar.

The State Department said Rubio would “reaffirm America’s full support for Qatar’s security

Prime Minister Shehbaz calls for close ties in meeting with Emir of Qatar

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 12:57:12 +0000

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad reached a significant consensus to sustain their close alliance, considering the escalating regional circumstances.

Recently, the Prime Minister had a pivotal meeting with the Emir and delivered a vehement condemnation of the Israeli attack on a residential neighborhood in Doha, fervently mourning the tragic loss of lives.

He passionately reiterated that the Pakistan-Qatar relations are deeply rooted, historic, and resilient, expressing hope for an even more robust partnership in the days ahead.

Stressing the urgency, he declared that Israeli aggression in the Middle East must cease without delay, underscoring the critical need for unity within the Muslim Ummah in response to these provocations. He also lauded the convening of an emergency summit among Arab and Islamic nations.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz affirmed Pakistan’s endorsement of Qatar’s proposal for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council, in response to the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.

Expressing gratitude, the Emir of Qatar commended Prime Minister Shehbaz for his presence at the summit, acknowledging his visit to Doha on September 12, and thanked him for expressing staunch solidarity with Qatar.

Accompanying the Prime Minister were eminent figures such as Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Atta Tarar, and Adviser Tariq Fatemi.

Prior to this, in a powerful address at the Arab-Islamic Emergency Summit, Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized that Israel’s actions have violated the sovereignty and security of Qatar, a brotherly nation. He insisted that Israel be held accountable for its war crimes against humanity, affirming Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with Qatar.

He further articulated the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, asserting that Israel must face justice for its atrocities. He added that Pakistan supports the proposal to suspend Israel’s membership in the United Nations and demands an urgent supply of humanitarian aid for Gaza’s civilians.

Kuldeep, Axar, and Abhishek steer India to a decisive win over Pakistan ; no handshakes

admin — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:21:18 +0000

Spinners led by Kuldeep Yadav helped India beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the Asia Cup on Sunday as the neighbours met on the cricket pitch for the first time since a military conflict between them in May.

Kuldeep returned figures of 3-18 and along with fellow spinner Axar Patel kept Pakistan down to 127-9 in a key Group A T20 clash in Dubai.

India lost two wickets after a fiery 31 off 13 balls from opener Abhishek Sharma, but skipper Suryakumar Yadav hit an unbeaten 47 to achieve the target with 25 balls to spare.

Suryakumar, who turned 35 on Sunday, put on 56 runs with left-hander Tilak Varma, who hit 31 before being bowled by Saim Ayub.

The captain stood firm and hit the winning six as Indian fans celebrated at a stadium, which had a lot of empty seats, and the players from both teams went off without handshakes.

India resisted calls to boycott the match between the nations, who have not played in any bilateral series since deadly attacks in Mumbai in 2008 were blamed on Pakistan militants.

The hostilities in May this year left more than 70 people dead in missile, drone and artillery exchanges, before a ceasefire.

The conflict was triggered by an April 22 attack on civilians in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing — a charge Islamabad denies.

Suryakumar, in the presentation, said India took the match against Pakistan as “just another game” and dedicated the win to the Indian army.

“We stand with the victims of the families of the Pahalgam terror attack and we express our solidarity,” Suryakumar said. “We want to dedicate today’s win to the armed forces.”

President Zardari states Pakistan and China will continue to enhance cooperation in defense production and aviation

admin — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 13:38:58 +0000

On a vibrant Sunday, President Asif Ali Zardari energetically reaffirmed that Pakistan and China will persist in expanding their collaboration in both defence production and aviation.

This partnership is set to further deepen their robust all-weather strategic cooperative alliance, as highlighted by an official statement from the President’s Secretariat.

During his comprehensive 10-day journey to China, Zardari passionately emphasized this intention while visiting the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

This esteemed conglomerate in aerospace and defence specializes in designing and producing a vast range of military and civilian aircraft, including the formidable J-10C fighter jets. These aircraft played a critical role when Pakistan employed them during a heightened tension with India in May.

These jets are credited with the vital task of intercepting India’s fighter jets, notably the Rafales, amidst a four-day episode that culminated in a ceasefire on May 10.

Today, the President’s Secretariat grandly announced that: “On the 128th day since the ceasefire with India, President Asif Ali Zardari, constitutionally serving as the supreme commander of the armed forces of Pakistan, made a significant visit to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.”

Live Recording of Nepal unrest | Police vs Protestors |Youth of Gen-z

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 14:33:50 +0000

Nepal unrest: Gen Z ousts PM; ex-PM’s wife dies in house fire

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 08:48:18 +0000

Just under 24 hours after an eruption of police gunfire led to the tragic deaths of 19 people outside the parliament, Nepal’s Prime Minister, K P Sharma Oli, stepped down from his post on Tuesday.

His resignation came as protests against deep-seated corruption and harsh censorship measures intensified, spiraling into the most violent disorder the serene Himalayan nation had experienced in years.

In a bid to restore calm, the Nepalese army declared it would assume control over preserving law and order from 10 p.m. onward.

Rajyalaxmi Chitra kar, the wife of former Nepal Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, has died after suffering fatal burn injuries when protesters allegedly set her residence on fire in Kathmandu’s Dallu area, Indian media reported Tuesday.

By Tuesday afternoon, protesters stormed the federal parliament building inside the Singha Durbar complex, shattering windows and setting fires in multiple chambers. Flames rose as young demonstrators danced and chanted. “This building never worked for us,” said Mira Thapa, a 20-year-old student waving a Nepali flag. “Burning it down means we can build something new.”

The fury spread to the homes of senior politicians. Foreign minister Arzu Rana Deuba, wife of former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, was dragged from her residence and beaten by a mob. “They kept shouting that we had stolen their future,” she later told aides. Deuba was also assaulted. Deputy PM and finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel was chased through the streets by protesters who kicked and struck him. Former PM Jhalanath Khanal’s wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, was killed after protesters torched their home.

Officials at the Civil Service Hospital in Kathmandu confirmed by evening that the toll had risen to 22, with more than 300 injured in clashes and stampedes across the city.

CM Sindh slams those spreading rumours during monsoon

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 07:32:19 +0000

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, on a luminous Thursday, cautioned that following the recent deluge in Karachi, numerous ‘opportunists’ have emerged, sowing the seeds of rumors far and wide. He articulated that the entire nation lies in the grip of floodwaters. While acknowledging errors is admissible, he strongly remarked that undue criticism is unwarranted.

Addressing the media at the hallowed grounds of Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi, CM Shah passionately declared that Pakistan exists because of the relentless toil of Quaid-e-Azam, and it is now our solemn duty to embrace his cherished tenets of faith, unity, and sacrifice to transform the country into a genuine Islamic welfare state.

On this commemorative day, he reflected on the legacy of our venerated leaders, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, whose indomitable spirit fortified the nation’s defense and nuclear endeavors.

Touching upon the devastating flood scenario ravaging the country, Shah emphasized that Sindh, along with all other regions, bears the brunt. Our ultimate aim is to safeguard human lives and fortify barrages and embankments. He implored the citizenry, particularly those residing in katcha areas, to adhere to governmental directives to avert casualties.

He shared that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has delineated precise measures to dispense swift relief, declare agricultural and environmental exigencies, and initiate a flash appeal for international aid.

In response to the clamor over urban inundation in Karachi, the Sindh CM reiterated that the flooding impacts the entire nation; stressing errors is permissible, yet unsubstantiated accusations are not. ‘Following the rains, an influx of seasonal frogs is propagating deceitful rumors,’ he cautioned, urging that these divisive elements must abstain from inciting ethnic or political schisms, reminding all of the nation’s past sacrifices due to such strife.

Shah concluded by commending the relentless efforts of the administration and elected representatives, who stood steadfast on the streets throughout the rains and floods, honoring their obligations. Although deficiencies persist, progress is underway. The circulation of falsehoods must cease immediately.