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ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Faheem Ashraf&rsquo;s late salvo rescued Pakistan against Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday. Pakistan won their T20 opening encounter against the Dutch by 3 wickets and 3 balls remaining. &nbsp; From Pakistan Sahibzada Farhan scored 47, Saim Ayub 24, and Faheem Ashraf 29.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-6" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-6&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2020064432043487609&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=393ffcf903aaafb51ab8d42de17b83db68fc8b42&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 899px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2020064432043487609"></iframe></div></div>From the Dutch side Aryan Dutt and Paul van Meekeren bagged two wickets each. Earlier, Pakistan restricted Netherlands to 147 in 19.5 overs, in their opening T20 World Cup encounter in Colombo. Dutch skipper Scott Edwards was the top scorer with 37 runs off 29 balls with a strike rate of 127.58. Bas de Leede contributed 30 runs off 25 deliveries, while Michael Levitt impressed with 24 runs from just 15 balls, including three boundaries and a six. Extras added three more to the total. Pakistan&rsquo;s bowlers were led by Salman Mirza, who claimed three wickets for 24 runs in 3.5 overs. Mohammad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub picked up two wickets apiece, while Shaheen Shah Afridi chipped in with a wicket. Shadab Khan bowled economically, conceding just 26 runs in four overs. Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first against Netherlands in their opening match of the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026, being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Cricket

 Netherlands innings saw Scott Edwards, the Dutch captain, lead from the front with a top score of 37 off 29 balls at a strike rate of 127.58; in reply, from Pakistan Sahibzada Farhan scored 47, Saim Ayub 24, and Faheem Ashraf 29.  

Faheem Ashraf’s late salvo rescues Pakistan against Netherlands

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Security sources have reported significant progress in the investigation of the suicide blast outside Islamabad mosque that left 32 people martyred on Friday. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies conducted raids and arrests in Peshawar and Nowshera. The operations were carried out based on technical and human intelligence. Four facilitators of the suicide attacker have been arrested, along with the Afghan mastermind of <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-condemns-mosque-blast-orders-probe" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">the attack</a>. According to security sources, the planning, training, and indoctrination for the attack were carried out in ISIS Afghanistan. Under the patronage of the Afghan Taliban, ISIS and other terrorist organizations pose a major threat to regional and global peace. During the operations, one person was martyred and three others were injured. Security sources confirmed that further intelligence-based operations against terrorists are ongoing. On Friday,&nbsp;City officials said the attacker attempted to enter the Imambargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra mosque in the Tarlai area but was stopped at the main gate, where the explosion occurred. The blast struck as worshippers gathered for Friday prayers, when mosques across the country are typically filled. &ldquo;According to the Islamabad administration, the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber who was stopped at the mosque&rsquo;s gate,&rdquo; officials said, adding that at least 31 people were killed and 101 others injured. State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudry said the attacker had been identified and claimed the blast was sponsored by &ldquo;Indian- and Afghanistan-based terrorist groups.&rdquo; He told reporters that the bomber had a travel history to Afghanistan prior to the attack. &ldquo;These terrorists operate in two shapes: those who grow beards and misuse religion, and others like the BLA who weaponize ethnicity. Both are funded in dollars, not ideology,&rdquo; Chaudry said. Rejecting any religious justification for the attack, Chaudhry added: &ldquo;How can anyone use the name of religion to kill people standing before Allah? No Muslim can do this.&rdquo;

Security

During the operations, one person was martyred and three others were injured; security sources confirmed that further intelligence-based operations against terrorists are ongoing.

Four facilitators of Islamabad mosque attacker, Afghan mastermind arrested: Security sources 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Canada held the 6th round of bilateral political consultations, with both sides expressing satisfaction over the steady growth of relations, according to a statement from Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued on Saturday. The ministry said the consultations highlighted recent substantive interactions between Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and Canada&rsquo;s Foreign Minister, which had provided strategic guidance and momentum to the partnership.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2020017400490652164&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=393ffcf903aaafb51ab8d42de17b83db68fc8b42&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 899px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2020017400490652164"></iframe></div></div>Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen ties. Recognizing untapped potential in the relationship, Pakistan and Canada expressed readiness to improve the implementation of existing agreements and explore new avenues for cooperation.&nbsp; The statement emphasized the importance of strengthening trade and economic cooperation, including greater support for business communities, facilitation of trade delegations, and enhanced institutional linkages.&nbsp;Areas of cooperation&nbsp;Key areas for cooperation identified during the consultations included trade and investment, agriculture and agri-tech, mining and minerals, energy, climate change, artificial intelligence and information and communications technology, skilled workforce development, education and research, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.&nbsp; Both sides underscored the central role of investment in achieving sustainable and mutually beneficial growth and agreed to encourage the private sector to explore emerging opportunities. The two sides also exchanged views on the evolving global and regional environment and discussed key multilateral issues of mutual interest.&nbsp; They agreed to maintain regular consultations, expressing confidence that sustained engagement would lead to new progress in the bilateral partnership.

Foreign Affairs

Hold 6th round of Bilateral Political Consultations; both countries reaffirm their commitment to further deepen ties.

 Pakistan, Canada pledge to identify new avenues for cooperation 

ISLAMABAD: The Indian National Congress on Saturday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a recent US executive order that removed an additional 25% tariff on certain Indian imports. Congress spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed, in a post on X, said the order, signed by US President Donald Trump, allows the United States to reimpose the tariff if India resumes importing Russian oil, directly or indirectly.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2019981308030853155&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=393ffcf903aaafb51ab8d42de17b83db68fc8b42&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 758px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2019981308030853155"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;The executive order signed by President Trump to remove the extra 25 percent tariff imposed due to Russian oil imports states that the tariff could be reinstated if India resumes such imports,&rdquo; she wrote. Dr Mohamed accused the Prime Minister of yielding to pressure from the US president. &ldquo;PM @narendramodi has succumbed to the pressure of President Trump. Who is America to decide whether we should buy oil from Russia, a country that has been our all-season friend!&rdquo; she added. The Congress criticism refers to Section 4 of the order, which gives the US President the authority to recommend reinstating the 25% duty on Indian goods if India resumes imports of Russian oil. In a separate post, Dr Mohamed also highlighted India&rsquo;s trade balances:&nbsp;&ldquo;With our biggest trading partners UAE, Russia &amp; China, we have a trade deficit. The only major trading partner with whom we have a trade surplus is the US. After the new trade deal, even with the US we will have a trade deficit! What a fall for India&rsquo;s economy!&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2020013789857607848&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=393ffcf903aaafb51ab8d42de17b83db68fc8b42&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2020013789857607848"></iframe></div></div> <div class="fr-embed"></div>

India

Says PM Modi has ‘succumbed to the pressure of President Trump and compromised our sovereignty. Who is America to decide whether we should buy oil from Russia or not, a country that has been our all season friend!’

Congress criticizes Modi over US tariff conditionality on Russian oil

ISLAMABAD: Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) Ivars Ijabs on Friday said the European Union wants Bangladesh&rsquo;s upcoming national election to be free, fair, and peaceful, according to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) News. He made the remarks at a briefing at the Sylhet Press Club, attended by Press Club President Muktabis Un Nur and EU-EOM Press Officer Eberhard Laue. Ijabs said the EU-EOM will observe the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-army-chief-calls-for-neutrality-ahead-of-2026-general-election" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Feb. 12 election</a> in line with the principles of independence, impartiality, and non-interference, but will not certify the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bangladesh-election-commission-says-poll-preparations-complete" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">election </a>results.&nbsp;Around 200 observers&nbsp;He said around 200 observers are involved in the mission, including long-term observers deployed across all 64 districts, as well as analysts, diplomats and a delegation from the European Parliament. The chief observer said the mission will assess the participation of women, young people, and vulnerable groups in the electoral process, as well as the role of traditional and social media in helping voters make informed choices. The EU-EOM began its work in late Dec. 2025 and is the first full-scale European Union election observation mission in Bangladesh since 2008.

Bangladesh

Says around 200 observers are involved in the mission, including long-term observers deployed across all 64 districts, as well as analysts, diplomats and a delegation from the European Parliament.

EU seeks free, fair, peaceful Bangladesh election: Chief observer

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Friday that Washington held &quot;very good talks&quot; on Iran after the two sides held an indirect dialogue in Oman. Iran, for its part, said it expected to hold more negotiations with the United States, hailing a &quot;positive atmosphere&quot; during a day of talks in the Gulf sultanate. With an American naval group led by an aircraft carrier in Middle Eastern waters, US and Iranian delegations held talks in Muscat mediated by Oman without publicly meeting face-to-face. Shortly after the talks concluded, the US announced new sanctions against shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran&#39;s oil exports. But it was not clear if the move was linked to the talks. The talks were the first between the two foes since the United States joined Israel&#39;s war with Iran in June with strikes on nuclear sites. &quot;We likewise had very good talks on Iran,&quot; Trump told reporters on board Air Force One en route to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, adding, &quot;we&#39;re going to meet again early next week.&quot; However, as Iran warned against further threats after Washington raised the specter of new military action, Trump said: &quot;If they don&#39;t make a deal, the consequences are very steep.&quot; Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led Iran&#39;s delegation in Muscat, said talks &quot;focused exclusively&quot; on the Iranian nuclear program, which the West believes is aimed at making an atomic bomb but Tehran insists is peaceful. The US delegation, led by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump&#39;s influential son-in-law Jared Kushner, had also wanted Tehran&#39;s backing for fighter groups, its ballistic missile program and treatment of protesters on the agenda. &quot;In a very positive atmosphere, our arguments were exchanged, and the views of the other side were shared with us,&quot; Araghchi told Iranian state TV, adding that the two sides had &quot;agreed to continue negotiations.&quot; Speaking to the official IRNA news agency, Araghchi expressed hope that Washington would refrain from &quot;threats and pressure&quot; so that &quot;the talks can continue.&quot; &#39;Destabilizing power&#39; Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command, was present at the talks, according to images published by the Oman News Agency. Multiple sessions of talks in the morning and afternoon saw both sides shuttling to and from the residence of Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi. The foreign ministry of US ally Qatar expressed hope the talks would &quot;lead to a comprehensive agreement that serves the interests of both parties and enhances security and stability in the region.&quot; The White House has made clear it wants the talks to rein in Tehran&#39;s ability to make a nuclear bomb, an ambition the Islamic Republic has always denied. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Friday that Iran should stop being a &quot;destabilizing power,&quot; citing its nuclear program and support for &quot;terrorist&quot; groups. Barrot also called on &quot;groups supported by Iran&quot; to exert &quot;the utmost restraint&quot; in the event of any military escalation involving the Islamic Republic. &#39;Maximum pressure&#39; Trump initially threatened military action against Tehran over its crackdown on protesters last month, which rights groups say killed thousands, and even told demonstrators, &quot;help is on its way.&quot; Regional powers, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, urged the United States not to intervene, calling on Washington and Tehran to instead return to talks. As a consequence, Trump&#39;s rhetoric in recent days has focused on reining in the Iranian nuclear program, and the US has maneuvered a naval group led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln into the region. Iran has repeatedly vowed it will hit back at US bases in the region if attacked. The new sanctions to curb Iran&#39;s oil exports come with Trump &quot;committed to driving down the Iranian regime&#39;s illicit oil and petrochemical exports under the administration&#39;s maximum pressure campaign,&quot; State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

Americas

Middle East

Iran says it expects to hold more negotiations with the US, hails a "positive atmosphere" during a day of talks in the Gulf sultanate; US announces new sanctions against shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran's oil exports, it is not clear if the move is linked to the talks.

Trump says US talks with Iran 'very good,' more negotiations expected

PARIS: France&#39;s financial crimes prosecutors told AFP Friday they had opened a preliminary investigation into influential former minister Jack Lang and his daughter Caroline after revelations in the Epstein files. The pair will be investigated for &quot;laundering of aggravated tax-fraud proceeds&quot; over their suspected financial ties with late US financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the office said. Lang, a prominent figure who has held a series of ministerial roles in previous governments, is facing pressure to resign from his current post as head of a leading French cultural institute over his links to Epstein. France&#39;s foreign minister said Friday he had summoned the 86-year-old ex-minister to a weekend meeting. Lang is the most high-profile French figure caught up in the latest US release of documents linked to the financier, who killed himself in 2019 while in prison facing charges of sex trafficking underage girls. A mere mention in the files does not imply wrongdoing. French media reports said Lang, who heads the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, repeatedly appealed to Epstein for funds or favors, while his daughter&#39;s name appears in the company files of an offshore company co-owned with the disgraced US tycoon. Caroline Lang, a film producer, resigned on Monday as head of the Independent Production Union. Lang, who spent nearly 20 years as culture minister and education minister in different governments, has denied any knowledge of Epstein&#39;s crimes, despite the financier&#39;s conviction in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution. On Wednesday, Lang refused to step down as president of the IMA, a cultural hub focused on the Arabic-speaking world. Pressure has increased, however, and the foreign ministry &mdash; which provides half of the institute&#39;s budget &mdash; has ordered him to a meeting. &quot;He has been summoned by the ministry and will be received on Sunday,&quot; Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told AFP on a visit to Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. Speaking later from Beirut, Barrot added: &quot;The first elements emerging from these files are new and extremely serious&quot; and would require in-depth examination. But his priority, he said, was to ensure the proper running of the institute. The 12.3 million euros ($14.5 million) it receives annually from the foreign ministry accounts for half the IMA&#39;s budget. Calls to resign&nbsp;The financial crimes investigation will now increase the pressure on Lang. Lang did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment, but his lawyer, Laurent Merlet, said Sunday&#39;s meeting with Barrot was merely one with his supervisory authority. &quot;The purpose is to understand his side of the story,&quot; he said, rejecting the notion that the Epstein files proved any &quot;close bonds of friendship.&quot; A source in Lang&#39;s circle said he was in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh on Friday. Politicians &mdash; even within Lang&#39;s Socialist ranks &mdash; have said he should step down. Socialist party leader Olivier Faure urged Lang to &quot;think about resigning to protect the institution he presides.&quot; A source in the president&#39;s office said Lang should be &quot;thinking about the institution&quot; he has headed since 2013. The IMA&#39;s board of directors &mdash; made up in equal measure of ambassadors from Arab countries and figures chosen by the foreign ministry &mdash; appointed him and has renewed his tenure three times.

Europe

Lang is the most high-profile French figure caught up in the latest US release of documents linked to the financier, who killed himself in 2019 while in prison facing charges of sex trafficking underage girls.

France opens probe of ex-minister Lang after Epstein revelations

NUUK: Canada and France, which both oppose US President Donald Trump&#39;s claim to Greenland, opened consulates in the Danish autonomous territory&#39;s capital on Friday, in a show of support for the local government. Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has insisted that Washington needs to control the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island for security reasons. Last month backed off threats to seize Greenland after striking a &quot;framework&quot; deal with NATO chief Mark Rutte to ensure greater US influence. A US-Denmark-Greenland working group has been established to discuss Washington&#39;s security concerns in the Arctic, but details have not been made public. While Denmark and Greenland have said they share Trump&#39;s security concerns, they have insisted that sovereignty and territorial integrity are a &quot;red line&quot; in the discussions. Canada and France formally opened the new consulates in Nuuk, the island&#39;s capital. &quot;This is a very important day for us as a country, because we&#39;re opening our consulate here in Nuuk, Greenland,&quot; said Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand at the inauguration ceremony, before hoisting her country&#39;s flag over the consulate building to applause from a 76-person Inuit delegation. &#39;Victory for Greenlanders&#39; &quot;It&#39;s a victory for Greenlanders to see two allies opening diplomatic representations in Nuuk,&quot; said Jeppe Strandsbjerg, a political scientist at the University of Greenland. &quot;There is great appreciation for the support against what Trump has said.&quot; French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to open a consulate during a visit to Nuuk in June, where he expressed Europe&#39;s &quot;solidarity&quot; with Greenland and criticised Trump&#39;s ambitions. The newly appointed French consul, Jean-Noel Poirier, had previously served as ambassador to Vietnam. &quot;The first item on the agenda will be to listen to Greenlanders, to hear them, to let them explain in detail their position, and from our side to confirm to them our support, as much as they and the Danish side want,&quot; Poirier told AFP before leaving Copenhagen for Nuuk. Poirier arrived in the Greenlandic capital on Friday, but does not yet have an office. Canada announced in late 2024 that it would open a consulate in Greenland to boost cooperation. That decision &quot;came as Canada was choosing to strengthen its Arctic strategy when Trump&#39;s return was expected,&quot; French researcher and Arctic expert Mikaa Blugeon-Mered told AFP. The opening of the consulates is &quot;a way of telling Donald Trump that his aggression against Greenland and Denmark is not a question for Greenland and Denmark alone, it&#39;s also a question for European allies and also for Canada&quot;, Ulrik Pram Gad, Arctic expert at the Danish Institute of International Studies, told AFP. &quot;The consequences are obviously not just Danish. It&#39;s European and global,&quot; said Christine Nissen, security and defence analyst at the Europa think tank. At the beginning of the week, Canadian icebreaker Jean Goodwill docked at the port of Nuuk, where it has since conducted a joint exercise with a Danish inspection vessel. Recognition According to Strandsbjerg, the two consulates &mdash; which will report to the French and Canadian embassies in Copenhagen &mdash; will give Greenland an opportunity to &quot;practice&quot; independence, as the island has long dreamt of cutting its ties to Denmark. The decision to open diplomatic missions is also a recognition of Greenland&#39;s growing autonomy, Nissen said. &quot;In terms of their own quest for sovereignty, the Greenlandic people will think to have more direct contact with other European countries,&quot; she said. That would make it possible to reduce Denmark&#39;s role &quot;by diversifying Greenland&#39;s dependence on the outside world, so that it is not solely dependent on Denmark and can have more ties for its economy, trade, investments, politics, and so on&quot;, echoed Pram Gad. Greenland has had diplomatic ties with the European Union since 1992, with Washington since 2014 and with Iceland since 2017. Iceland opened a consulate in Nuuk in 2013, while the United States, which had a consulate in the Greenlandic capital from 1940 to 1953, reopened its mission in 2020. The European Commission opened an office in 2024.

US-Denmark-Greenland working group has been established to discuss Washington's security concerns in the Arctic, but details have not been made public.



In show of support, Canada, France open consulates in Greenland

DHAKA: The leader of Bangladesh&#39;s largest religious party and prime ministerial hopeful Shafiqur Rahman has contested three elections and lost. This time, he hopes to finally win. Voters in the Muslim-majority nation will head to the polls on Thursday for the first time since a 2024 uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina, who in her 15 years as prime minister crushed religious movements. Now, Rahman, a 67-year-old doctor and preacher, hopes his 11-party alliance could deliver him victory, worrying critics and minorities who fear a muslim-majority win could come at their expense. &quot;I stand for moral renewal in society,&quot; Rahman vowed in election promises. If successful, the former political prisoner could form the first religious party government in constitutionally secular Bangladesh. Dressed entirely in white, including a flowing white beard, he cuts a distinctive figure on the campaign trail &mdash; where his Jamaat-e-Islami party has put forward only male candidates. &quot;Good governance is the foundation of stability, peace and prosperity,&quot; he said, pledging rule-based and corruption-free leadership. Ex-prime minister Hasina, who is close to the Hindu-nationalist government of neighboring India, went after muslim supporters and cracked down on extremists, killing numerous people and arresting hundreds. Since her fall, key religious leaders have been released from prison. &#39;Locks&#39; and brooms Born in 1958 in the northeastern district of Moulvibazar, Rahman has been a longtime party activist, running first for parliament in 1996, then again in 2001 and 2018. His wife, Ameena Shafiq, is also a doctor, who was selected for one of the seats in parliament reserved for women in 2018. Their two daughters and son are also doctors. As party member and then leader, or &quot;Ameer,&quot; Rahman&#39;s determined push for power has sparked concern. Bangladesh has long been led by powerful women, including Hasina and her longtime rival, the late three-time prime minister Khaleda Zia. Comments Rahman made last year about women&#39;s employment, saying he wanted to encourage stay-at-home mothers, provoked a backlash. &quot;We don&#39;t want to lock women at home &mdash; we don&#39;t have enough money to buy the locks,&quot; he said at a rally. In January, broom-waving women in Dhaka marched on the streets to symbolically &quot;sweep&quot; him away after a social media post from Rahman had argued women being &quot;pushed out of home in the name of modernity&quot; was &quot;nothing but another form of prostitution.&rdquo; Rahman later claimed he had been &quot;hacked&quot; and the post was deleted. In carefully worded statements since, he has sought to reassure women. But some remain skeptical. &quot;You have to make your position clear regarding women who do not want to be directed by men, and those who belong to other faiths,&quot; said Tajnuba Jabin, who quit the National Citizen Party &mdash; formed by student leaders who spearheaded the uprising &mdash; when it allied with Rahman&#39;s party for the polls. &quot;Talk of women&#39;s rights sounds hollow unless you have a clear position,&quot; she told AFP. &#39;Inclusive&#39; Rahman is leading a coalition of religious groups, largely ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood, who sense their biggest opportunity in decades. The party&#39;s student wing has swept victories in university polls across the country of 170 million people, including in Dhaka University, which is often seen as a bellwether for a national vote. Salahuddin Muhammad Babar, editor of the right-wing newspaper Naya Diganta, said Rahman was &quot;inclusive and accommodative, which are his greatest strengths.&quot; The prospect of him being prime minister has nevertheless shaken minority communities. Around 10% of Bangladesh&#39;s population are non-Muslim, most of them Hindu. Rahman has sought to ease fears, insisting that the rights of minorities would be protected &quot;regardless of caste or creed,&quot; and put one Hindu candidate on the party slate. He has also struck a conciliatory tone on foreign policy, calling for a &quot;balanced&quot; relationship with India. But Rahman&#39;s Jamaat-led coalition also includes hardliners who have demanded restrictions on cultural activities they consider against their religion, including music and theatre festivals, women&#39;s football matches and kite-flying celebrations. More violent elements have smashed Sufi shrines, and even exhumed a Sufi leader&#39;s body and set it on fire.

Voters in the Muslim-majority nation will head to the polls on Thursday for the first time since a 2024 uprising toppled Sheikh Hasina, who in her 15 years as prime minister crushed religious movements.

Bangladesh religious party leader eyes power after decades in politics

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the cancellation of her scheduled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/lahore-reclaims-its-sky-as-basant-returns-after-two-decades" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Basant-related engagements</a>, including a major official event in Lahore, following a deadly suicide blast at a Shiite Imambargah in Islamabad.&nbsp;&ldquo;In the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pm-sharif-condemns-mosque-blast-orders-probe" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Islamabad tragedy</a>, I am cancelling all my Basant-related activities that were scheduled for tomorrow,&rdquo; Sharif said in a post.&nbsp;She added, &ldquo;The mega Basant show at the Liberty Square also stands cancelled.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2019789804121235457&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=e0e07450beb7a6cf411979d4f55f4636fc22cf37&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2019789804121235457"></iframe></div></div>She stressed that the decision was taken in light of the national security situation and called for unity against militancy.&nbsp;&ldquo;It is imperative that the nation remains united against the Khwarji [terrorists] menace and their &lsquo;sympathisers&rsquo;, shows them no mercy, and stands shoulder to shoulder with our Armed Forces in defense of the country,&rdquo; she wrote, concluding with, &ldquo;Pakistan Zindabad.&rdquo;&nbsp;The announcement followed a suicide blast at the Imambargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra mosque in Islamabad&rsquo;s Tarlai area during Friday prayers. At least 31 people were killed and 169 wounded, according to officials, with the toll expected to rise as several injured remain in critical condition.&nbsp;In a separate statement, the Punjab chief minister outlined emergency measures ordered by her government to assist victims. &ldquo;25 fully equipped emergency ambulances have been dispatched to Islamabad for the victims of the Imambargah blast,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;She added that &ldquo;all hospitals across Rawalpindi District have been placed on high alert, with surgical teams, anesthetists, orthopedic and neurosurgical specialists on standby.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to her post, &ldquo;blood banks are fully staffed, and operation theatres are fully equipped to ensure prompt and effective medical care for the injured,&rdquo; while the commissioner and deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi had been directed &ldquo;to extend every possible assistance.&rdquo;&nbsp;Expressing grief over the attack, Sharif said she was &ldquo;deeply saddened by the tragic blast at an Imambargah in Islamabad.&rdquo;&nbsp;She added, &ldquo;My heart goes out to the victims and their families during this painful time. Prayers for the swift recovery of the injured, and may Allah grant patience and strength to all those affected. Ameen.&rdquo;&nbsp;The blast occurred amid heightened security challenges in Pakistan and cast a shadow over Basant, the spring kite-flying festival that had just returned to Lahore after authorities lifted a ban in place for more than two decades for a limited three-day period.&nbsp;While Basant festivities continued across the city, Sharif&rsquo;s decision made clear that official government celebrations and her personal participation would not go ahead, reflecting the somber national mood following the Islamabad tragedy.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif, chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, cancels her Basant activities and a Lahore event after an Islamabad suicide blast, while mobilizing emergency medical support.

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