Tensions escalated in Hunza, Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), as frustrated residents took to the streets in Gulmit on Thursday, decrying prolonged power outages and poor governance. Protesters blocked the strategic Karakoram Highway (KKH), a vital trade route linking Pakistan to China, to demand immediate action from authorities over the power crisis that has left the district in darkness for days.

The demonstration, which saw people from various backgrounds joining hands, highlighted widespread anger against the occupying administration. Protesters accused officials of deliberately depriving Hunza of its rightful share of electricity, exacerbating hardships for homes, businesses, and essential services. Speaking at the protest, Irfan Azad, President of the Balawaristan National Front for District Gilgit, urged unity between the people of POGB and POJK, calling for collective advocacy to amplify their voices against systemic neglect.

“This is not the first time we’ve protested against load shedding. Every time we take to the streets, we get temporary relief, but the problem always resurfaces,” said a protester. “It’s shameful that in the 21st century, we still fight for basic rights like electricity while facing exorbitant bills for a service we hardly receive.”

Despite Hunza’s significance as a major tourist destination and its strategic location, locals allege it has been routinely ignored in power distribution. The region’s infrastructure remains woefully inadequate to meet rising electricity demand, with little integration into the national grid. Protesters argue that this neglect reflects a broader pattern of marginalization by both federal and regional authorities.

The blockage of the Karakoram Highway disrupted traffic and trade, with vehicles stranded as demonstrators refused to clear the road. Some vehicles were permitted to pass through, but the disruption underscored the urgency of the crisis.

Dr. Mahrang Baloch, addressing the Pashtun National Jirga in Germany, delivered a scathing critique of Pakistan’s systematic oppression of Pashtuns and Balochs. Calling it an ongoing genocide, she called out the Paki establishment against waging a campaign of brutal suppression against ethnic communities, targeting their identity, culture, and existence.

While highlighting the dire state of affairs, Dr. Baloch expressed hope in the rise of grassroots movements like the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and the Baloch Unity Council. She described these organizations as critical forces in resisting Pakistan’s oppressive tactics, ensuring the survival and dignity of marginalized communities. “These movements are beacons of hope that will save their people from the clutches of this fascist Army,” she said.

Dr. Baloch also drew attention to the unjust detention of Pashtun leader Ali Wazir, a former member of Pakistan’s National Assembly, who has been repeatedly targeted for his vocal criticism of the Pak military’s heavy-handed policies in Pashtun and Baloch territories. “Ali Wazir is not just a role model for Pashtuns; he is an inspiration for all oppressed communities,” she remarked, urging international attention to her plight and the broader systemic injustices in Pakistan.

Her remarks reflect growing unity among Pashtuns and Balochs, who have long faced enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and cultural erasure at the hands of the Paki establishment. The Pashtun National Jirga itself stands as a testament to this emerging solidarity, amplifying voices that challenge the Pak Army narrative and demand justice for decades of oppression.

A violent escalation between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan Army has left dozens dead, with both sides trading accusations and civilian casualties mounting in the crossfire. The incident underscores the worsening instability along the volatile border, which has long been a flashpoint for violence fueled by Pakistan’s duplicitous policies toward terrorism.

The Taliban, now governing Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for striking “several points” within Pakistan in retaliation for Pak airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province earlier this week. According to the Taliban, these airstrikes targeted a refugee camp in the Barmal district, killing 46 people, including women and children. In contrast, Pak military reported “unprovoked heavy weapons fire” from the Taliban on its border outposts, which it claimed was part of an infiltration attempt.

Pak military asserted that counterfire killed over 15 militants and inflicted “significant losses” on Taliban forces. Yet the fallout from this skirmish raises serious questions about Pakistan’s conduct and credibility. Reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that key hospital departments in Paktika were severely damaged during this operation, adding a humanitarian dimension to an already dire situation.

The Pak Army, long nurturing extremist groups for strategic depth, now finds itself grappling with the very forces it helped empower. For decades, Paki establishment has been a key supporter of the Taliban, harboring its leaders and providing safe havens while simultaneously projecting itself as a victim of terrorism. This double game has not only destabilized Afghanistan but has now backfired spectacularly, with militant groups turning their guns on their former patrons.

Bannu police have arrested Haji Samad Khan, a prominent Pashtun activist and outspoken opponent of terrorism and violence in the region. The arrest has raised serious concerns about the Paki establishment’s treatment of voices advocating for peace in the troubled Pashtun belt.

Haji Samad Khan, a respected figure in the Pashtun community, has been a vocal critic of Army policies and militancy that have destabilized the region. His arrest is a part of a crackdown on Pashtun voices, particularly those who challenge the Punjabi Pak Army’s narrative on terrorism and its support for proxy wars.

Pashtun activists and rights groups have condemned the arrest, accusing the Pak authorities of escalating its hostility toward the Pashtun people.

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a grassroots movement advocating for the rights of Pashtuns, has repeatedly called out the Paki establishment of suppressing their demands for justice, accountability, and an end to Army-sponsored violence in the Pashtun regions. The PTM has also highlighted how the Pashtun community has borne the brunt of years of military operations, drone strikes, and terrorist activities, leaving thousands displaced and marginalized.

In a nation that claims to uphold secularism, the horrifying treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh paints a starkly different picture. A wave of anti-Hindu violence has yet again shattered any illusions of minority safety under Muhammad Yunus’s government. In three separate incidents of barbarism, Hindus have been murdered, raped, and forced into religious conversions, exposing the systemic failure—and complicity—of the Bangladeshi state.

The latest horror unfolded in Dubachail village, Brahmanbaria district, where Dipal Chakraborty, a Hindu man, was brutally murdered and his body hung from a tree in front of his home. Despite clear signs of foul play, the local police shamefully labeled the incident a suicide, further humiliating the victim’s family and shielding the perpetrators.

In yet another vile act, a young Hindu girl, Simu Mahanta, was abducted, raped, and forcibly converted to Islam. Such atrocities against Hindu women have become alarmingly common, with no visible efforts by the government to curb the menace. Instead, the administration’s silence has emboldened these predators, who operate with impunity.

Adding to this cascade of horrors, another Hindu man in Madaripur was found dead under suspicious circumstances, further stoking fears of targeted violence against the community. These incidents are not isolated—they are part of a well-established pattern of systematic persecution aimed at erasing Hindu identity in Bangladesh.

Muhammad Yunus’s government has not just failed to safeguard its minorities; it has actively enabled their suffering. The police and local administrations have become puppets in the hands of Islamist forces, whitewashing heinous crimes and suppressing evidence to shield the perpetrators. This criminal negligence is not just incompetence—it is a deliberate strategy to appease extremist factions and maintain political power at the expense of innocent lives.

The world must wake up to the horrors unfolding in Bangladesh and call for immediate action against a government that has long abandoned its duty to protect its most vulnerable citizens.

Hafiz Abdul Rahman Makki, the brother-in-law of Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed and deputy chief of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), passed away on Friday due to a heart attack in Lahore.

According to reports, JuD, Makki, who had been suffering from health issues in recent days, was receiving treatment for high diabetes at a private hospital in Lahore. As per sources, JuD he suffered a cardiac arrest early Friday morning and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Makki, who had kept a low profile since his conviction in 2020 for terror financing, was sentenced to six months in prison by an anti-terrorism court.

Makki, a key terrorist in organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was heavily involved in providing financing for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, which left 166 innocents dead. Nine terrorists were killed in counter-terror operations, and one terrorist, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was captured alive.

In addition to his role in the Mumbai attacks, Makki was also wanted by Indian security agencies for his involvement in the 2000 Red Fort attack, where six LeT terrorists stormed the fort and opened fire on security forces.

Makki’s terror group, LeT, was also involved in the 2018 killing of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari, the editor-in-chief of Rising Kashmir newspaper, and his two security guards.

In 2023, Makki was designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which placed him under sanctions, including an assets freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo. The UNSC, in its resolution, stated, “The Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities approved the addition of the entry specified below to its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 2610 (2021) and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.”

Makki had kept a low profile since being sentenced in 2020 for terror financing. He had been serving a six-month sentence handed down by an anti-terrorism court.

In a statement, the bigoted fundamentalist terrorist sympathiser organisation, Pakistan Mutahida Muslim League (PMML) described Makki as a staunch advocate of Pakistan’s ideology, mourning his passing.

Christmas turned into a day of devastation for the Christian community in Chittagong, Bangladesh, as radical Islamists unleashed terror by setting 16 homes ablaze. The attack occurred while families were away at church celebrating the holy day, leaving their homes vulnerable to this act of sheer brutality.

This incident is yet another grim reminder of the precarious situation faced by religious minorities in Bangladesh. Despite repeated assaults on minority communities, the Bangladeshi government has failed to rein in radical Islamist elements, allowing them to operate with near-impunity. This laxity has emboldened extremists, resulting in a sustained pattern of violence and persecution against Christians, Hindus, and other minority groups.

The repeated failure of the Bangladeshi government to address the growing influence of radical Islamists has drawn widespread criticism. Observers have noted that successive administrations have turned a blind eye to the plight of minorities, often prioritizing political appeasement over justice and equality. This inaction not only violates the constitutional promise of protection for all citizens but also erodes the country’s secular foundations.

The international community has long urged Bangladesh to uphold its commitments to human rights and minority protection, yet the ground reality remains grim.