RAWALPINDI, DEC 14 /DNA/ – Thirteen khwarij belonging to Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khwarij were killed in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

On reported presence of khwarij, an intelligence based operation was conducted by the Security Forces in Mohmand District. During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and after an intense fire exchange, seven khwarij were sent to hell.

In another Intelligence based operation conducted in Bannu District, six more khwarij were effectively neutralised by Security Forces.

Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored kharji found in the area as relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision “Azm e Istehkam” (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.

Without naming anyone, the CM further stated: “Those supposed to protect us turn into out killers, and those raised to protect our mandate, stole it. Tell me then, what solution do we have?”

Shamim Shahid

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi asked PTI supporters on Sunday to “be ready” in case a call was made for a protest, adding that “we will together seize [our] Haqiqi Azadi (true freedom)” from the country’s current rulers.

Afridi’s intimation came during a PTI rally in Kohat, where he reminded the crowd that incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, had delivered the message from jail of “freedom or death”.

“So if we go this time around, we will either return in shrouds or after getting freedom,” he said, adding that Imran had given the responsibility of making decisions — be it about talks with the government or protests — to Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.*

The two leaders are part of the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) along with the PTI, which has also nominated them as the opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate.

“For my part,” Afridi said, “I met them and assured them of any kind of support.”

He added, “So whenever a call comes from them, you have to be ready. And we will together seize Haqiqi Azadi from them (country’s current rulers).”

The CM claimed that “all institutions and the government want to eliminate the PTI”.

Even the judiciary did not heed PTI’s grievances, he said.

Without naming anyone, the CM further stated: “Those supposed to protect us turn into out killers, and those raised to protect our mandate, stole it. Tell me then, what solution do we have?”

He said Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz had been issuing advice to him lately but she should focus on her province instead.

“I will listen to them now?” he remarked, adding that “our leader is Imran, and we will listen to only him. There will be only Imran’s policy and rule here”.

He said Maryam should focus on her province, where, according to a recent survey, police had turned out to be the most corrupt department in the country.

CM Afridi also urged the people to report corruption cases to authorities and his government in KP would take action on the complaints. He also asked the divisional and district administrations to keep their doors open and listen to public issues.

Provincial Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs, and Human Rights Aftab Alam Afridi lamented that Imran’s family and CM Afridi were not allowed to meet the incarcerated party chief.

DUBAI, DEC 14: Pakistan’s batting faltered as they suffered a 90-run defeat against India in the high-octane ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 clash at the ICC Academy on Sunday.

Chasing a modest 241-run target, Pakistan’s batting unit could muster 150 before being bowled out in 41.2 overs.

Middle-order batter Huzaifa Ahsan waged a lone battle for the Green Shirts with an anchoring half-century and remained their top-scorer with 70 off 83 deliveries, featuring nine fours and two sixes.

Pakistan got off to a cautious start to their pursuit, which saw them reach 21/0 in eight overs before Deepesh Devendran dismantled their top-order, dismissing Sameer Minhas (nine), Ali Hassan Baloch (zero) and Ahmed Hussain (four).

Opening batter Usman Khan, who held one end firmly during Devendran’s fiery spell, was eventually sent back by Kanishk Chouhan in the 14th over as Pakistan slipped to 30/4.

Ahsan then joined captain Farhan Yousaf (23) for a resilient 47-run partnership for the fifth wicket, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal in the 24th over as Vaibhav Suryavanshi gave India the much-needed breakthrough.

Following Yousaf’s dismissal, Ahsan put together one-sided partnerships with Hamza Zahoor (four), Abdul Subhan (six)and Mohammad Sayyam (two), until eventually falling victim to Chouhan in the 39th over.

Kishan Singh then inflicted the final blow on Pakistan’s pursuit by dismissing Ali Raza (six) and propelled India to a thumping victory.

For India, Devendran and Chouhan picked up three wickets each, followed by Kishan with two, while Khilan Patel and Suryavanshi made one scalp apiece.

In a match reduced to 49 overs per side due to rain, Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf’s decision to field first proved beneficial as India, who registered 433/6 against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their campaign opener, could only manage 240 before being bowled out in 46.1 overs.

The Men in Blue got off to a shaky start to their innings as Sayyam got their last match hero, Vaibhav Suryavanshi (five), caught and bowled in the fourth over with 29 runs on the board.

Suryavanshi’s dismissal, however, did not bother India much as a blistering 49-run partnership between captain Ayush Mhatre and Aaron George kept them on top.

The quickfire partnership was eventually broken by Sayyam in the 10th over as he got rid of the India captain with a short-pitched delivery. Mhatre remained a notable run-getter with a brisk 38 off 25 deliveries, laced with four fours and three sixes.

Following his dismissal, India lost two more wickets at regular intervals as Niqab Shafiq dismissed Vihaan Malhotra (12) and Vedant Trivedi (seven) cheaply to bring the total down to 113/4 in 19.5 overs.

Holding one end firmly, George then put together a crucial 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper batter Abhigyan Kundu before both fell victim to Abdul Subhan in the 32nd over.

George remained the top-scorer for India with 85 off 88 deliveries, smashing 12 fours and a six, while Kundu made a 32-ball 22.

Kanishk Chouhan then took the reins of India’s batting expedition and held their innings together with a run-a-ball 46 until eventually falling victim to Ahmed Hussain in the 45th over.

His dismissal exposed India’s batting tail, which was effortlessly levelled by Ali Raza and Subhan.

For Pakistan, Sayyam and Subhan took three wickets each, followed by Niqab with two, while Ali and Ahmed chipped in with one scalp apiece.

KARACHI, DEC 14 /DNA/ – Pakistan Navy reaffirmed its operational readiness and war fighting capability through a successful Live Weapon Firing (LWF) of FM-90(N) ER Surface-to-Air Missile in the North Arabian Sea.

During the firepower demonstration, Pakistan Navy ship successfully engaged highly manoeuvrable aerial targets, thereby reaffirming Pakistan Navy’s war fighting capability and combat potential. Commander Pakistan Fleet, Rear Admiral Abdul Munib, witnessed the LWF at sea onboard Pakistan Navy Fleet unit.

Commander Pakistan Fleet commended officers and men involved in the firing for their commitment and professionalism. He reiterated Pakistan Navy’s unwavering resolve to ensure the seaward defence of Pakistan and to safeguard national maritime interests under all circumstances.

Frankfurt, Dec 14 (AFP/APP): Defence giants are drawing battle lines as Germany rearms, with the old guard arguing for traditional heavy weaponry while start-ups push for more modern kit such as AI-enabled drones.

                  Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to create Europe’s strongest conventional army with outlays of hundreds of billions of euros, accelerating a build-up that began after Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

                  The rush to rearm, mirrored across Europe, has been fuelled by pressure from US President Donald Trump for NATO allies to spend more on defence as well as worries about American commitment to the continent’s security.

                  But where these funds should flow is hotly debated.

                  A crop of German tech defence start-ups argue the Ukraine war — much of it now contested in the skies with unmanned aerial vehicles — has shown that relatively inexpensive, mass-producible equipment like drones powered by artificial intelligence will be key for future conflicts.

                  So far, some argue, too much spending has focused on time-tested but expensive weaponry such as tanks and armoured vehicles, which are vulnerable to being targeted by the new, cheaper airborne armaments.

                  “Clearly there’s been an overly strong focus on traditional platforms,” Gundbert Scherf, one of the heads and founders of German defence technology company Helsing, told AFP.

                  “Spending patterns have to change as the world around us changes.”

                  Scherf, whose Munich-headquartered start-up was founded in 2021 and supplies strike drones to the Ukraine military, sees signs that attitudes are shifting.

                  “I am hoping we are going to see the spending pattern change from a 99 percent focus on traditional systems and one percent on autonomous systems, to a more even balance.”

                  Helsing, backed by Spotify founder Daniel Ek’s investment firm and reportedly worth 12 billion euros ($14 billion), recently carried out successful tests with the German military, striking targets multiple times.

RAWALPINDI, Dec 14 (APP/DNA): The construction work on Kachehri flyover and related underpasses is gaining momentum as major base beds solidification, guide beams and pile work are near to complete. The timely completion of the project is the crucial target for the government.

A major phase was completed with the casting of the first deck slab on the 567-metre Iftikhar Janjua Underpass, making it the first fully roofed structure among the ongoing projects. Guide beams at the site are now fully complete, while 648 of total 840 piles have been driven, with work continuing on the rest.

At the busy Kachehri Chowk, progress is steady on both the 878-metre flyover and the 530-metre underpass. All 101 piles for the flyover are done, four out of eleven pile caps have been cast, and reinforcement work for the pier shafts is going on around the clock. The underpass has its guide beams on both sides fully completed.

At Jinnah Park, the 531-metre flyover has all 24 piles and 5 pile caps finished, with steel fixing for piers underway with full speed. About 70 metres of the 258-metre retaining wall are built, and most bed and lean concrete work is complete.

The adjacent 480-metre Jinnah Park Underpass has seen 300 metres of guide beams completed, 391 out of 446 piles completed, 140 metres of capping beam, and 120 metres of NJ barrier steel fixing.

The project aimed to connect Islamabad Express Highway with the GT Road, Peshawar Road through old Airport Road, making it a signal free route.

Rana Qamar Ali, Executive Engineer (EXEN) of the Punjab Highways Department, confirmed APP that the first full deck slab and over 70 percent completion of girders on the longest flyover have shifted work into high gear. “This will transform Rawalpindi’s traffic flow in the coming months,” he said.
The projects are part of a major urban infrastructure drive by the Punjab government under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, targeting the city’s worst traffic issues.

Once finished, they will end chronic jams at Kachehri Chowk, Iftikhar Janjua Road and Jinnah Park cross over, cut commute times and create smooth and congestion-free routes. The mega project involves five junctions at main Kachehri Chowk being worked with flyovers and underpasses, Iftekhar Janjua Road, Jinnah Park, Qasim Market on Peshawar Road and remodeling of Ammar Chowk.

Approved by the Provincial Development Working Party, the combined projects cost over Rs13.3343 billion.395.

ISLAMABAD, DEC 14 – Nadra has introduced an important measure to further strengthen the security of citizens’ family trees.

Nadra has made it mandatory to include photographs of children aged 3 to 10 years on the B-Form. Fingerprints of children aged 10 to 18 years will also be collected.

However, photographs will not be required on the B-Form for children up to 3 years of age.

According to Nadra, the birth of a child must be registered with the Union Council within one month. The objective of this step is to prevent the inclusion of any unrelated person in the family tree.