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Pakistan

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Pakistan
Pakistan
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Pakistan. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Capital
Islamabad
Head of State
President Asif Ali Zardari
Head of Government
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
In August 2019, newspapers in Ahmedabad headline Kashmir’s lost special status, as local journalists face pressure to pledge not to ‘disturb peace’. Photo: Reuters
India

Journalists in Indian Kashmir face censorship as police demand ‘peace’ pledges

Journalists face summons and pressure to vow not to ‘disturb peace’ following reports on state profiling of religious institutions.

United States

Opinion | Why isn’t Trump learning from past foreign policy mistakes?

SCMP Highlights

Malaysian road rage video goes viral, Pakistan’s arms deals: 7 Asia highlights

Video | More than a dozen killed in Pakistan mall fire

Investigators blamed the market’s layout and the presence of flammable materials for keeping the deadly fire burning.

More than 60 people remain missing after a massive fire tore through a shopping centre in Karachi, Pakistan on January 17, 2025. The blaze burned over the weekend, with 14 confirmed fatalities. Gul Plaza houses 1,200 shops, many carrying flammable goods.
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23 dead, over 60 missing after massive fire destroys Pakistan shopping centre

Police say the market’s layout and presence of flammable materials such as carpets and blankets kept the blaze going throughout the weekend.

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India

Why India is losing ground over Bangladesh and Myanmar to regional rivals

Pakistan and China have been drawing closer to Bangladesh and Myanmar in areas such as defence and trade at India’s expense, analysts say.

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Middle East

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia plan defence deal to counter chaos in Middle East

Iran’s neighbours are worried that the US’ increasingly erratic behaviour may pose a risk to regional power balance and trade, analysts say.

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A protester waves the Iranian flag outside UN headquarters in New York during a Security Council meeting on Iran on Thursday. Photo: AFP
International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Pakistan’s arms deals cleared for take-off as orders soar for JF-17 jets

The jets, co-produced with China, proved their worth during the India-Pakistan tensions, when they destroyed an S-400 air defence system.

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United States

US halts visas for 75 countries indefinitely; China not on the list

Trump administration pauses immigrant visa processing from January 21, affecting applicants worldwide while exempting key visa categories.

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Iran

Trump vs Iran: Gulf allies fear US ‘help’ may unleash chaos

Qatar and Saudi Arabia are urging against military action, even as the US president teases that ‘help is on its way’.

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Iraqis burn an image of US President Donald Trump on Tuesday during a rally held in Basra in solidarity with Iran’s government. Photo: Reuters
India

Opinion | Is India fuelling an arms race in Asia or closing a deterrence gap?

The challenge for New Delhi is to solve its deterrence shortfall without letting competition harden into permanent confrontation.

Indian soldiers take part in a military drill during a media tour ahead of India’s Independence Day, near the Line of Control that divides India and Pakistan at Sunderbani, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on August 12, 2025. Photo: AP
China's military weapons

Chinese arms exporters may be the big winners in any Pakistan-Saudi JF-17 talks

But observers also expressed doubts over a reported potential deal proceeding, citing US security concerns and potential F-35 sales.

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Bangladesh

India-Bangladesh talks over Ganges waters may turn murky over politics, UN pact

Bangladesh’s election, Hasina’s presence in India and Dhaka’s signing of the UN water convention could complicate the 1996 Ganges agreement.

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US-Venezuela conflict

China’s Wang Yi accuses US of playing ‘international policeman’ in Venezuela

Chinese foreign minister decries US bullying tactics as he meets Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar a day after military strikes on Caracas.

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A Venezuelan flag is held up during a protest in Argentina calling for a democratic transition, after the US military strikes on fellow South American nation Venezuela. Photo: Reuters
Central Asia

‘We miss our parents’: Afghanistan-Pakistan border closure leaves thousands in limbo

The colonial-era Durand Line has been largely closed since the October clashes that killed more than 70 people.

A Taliban security personnel stands guard near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing at the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province on Monday. Photo: AFP
India

India’s military upgrade to counter regional threats gathers pace

While US$30 billion of defence packages for weapon buys and others have been approved, the pace of roll-out is worrying, analysts say.

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Video | Pakistan brewery exporting after near 50-year ban

The country’s oldest brewery, Murree, is shipping beer overseas, including to Japan and Britain, following the end of a long-standing export ban.

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Extreme weather

Asia’s year of costly climate disasters spurs calls for ‘decisive action’

With Asia accounting for four of the world’s six costliest weather disasters in 2025, experts urge investment in climate resilience.

A commuter wades through floodwaters from Cyclone Ditwah in Chennai on December 2. Flooding in India and Pakistan has killed over 1,860 people and caused up to US$6 billion in damages in 2025, according to a new report. Photo: AFP
China's military weapons

China-Pakistan jet deal with Libyan group ‘may help expand Beijing’s influence’

The agreement will supply the Libyan National Army with 16 fourth-generation JF-17 fighters.

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SCMP Highlights

Fujian enters service, J-10C impresses: 10 China military developments in 2025

From hardware on show at China’s military parade to anti-drone systems, here are some of the year’s most notable People’s Liberation Army stories.

SCMP Highlights

Philippines’ Chinese tourism woes, police officer goes viral: 7 Asia highlights

From India’s anxiety over US-Pakistan deals to South Korea’s visa policy debate, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Chinese tourists from Beijing enjoying Cambugahay waterfalls in Siquijor, Central Visaya, Philippines. Photo: SCMP / James Wendlinger
India

India’s partial visa suspension signals unease over Bangladesh’s recent unrest

India halted visa services from its Chittagong mission after violent protests, underscoring its concern over security and stability.

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Protesters chant slogans around a fire in Dhaka on December 18 after the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, whose killing triggered unrest in the Bangladeshi capital and other parts of the country, including attacks on media offices, authorities said. Photo: AFP
China’s military

J-16s vs Rafales: Chinese air force puts jets to the war-game test

State broadcaster offers a look at a PLA exercise simulating an air combat scenario between Chinese and foreign forces.

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Australia

Bondi Beach attack sparks global misinformation crisis, and AI-driven hate

A leading counterterrorism expert warns that ‘agentic AI’ and political point-scoring are fuelling a toxic symbiosis between extremists.

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Bangladesh

Bangladeshi politician’s threat targeting India’s northeast deepens row

His claim of Delhi’s election interference comes days after a leader of the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh was shot in Dhaka.

Hasnat Abdullah (centre), a leader of the National Citizen Party, speaking at a rally in Dhaka on Saturday. Photo: EPA
India

India wary as US backs Pakistan with F-16 upgrades and mineral projects

Analysts say New Delhi faces an ‘uncomfortable truth’ as Washington and Beijing find rare common ground on stability in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (left) and army chief Syed Asim Munir (right) meet US President Donald Trump in Washington in September. Photo: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Office/AFP
Australia

‘Terrified’ Sydney man with same name misidentified as Bondi gunman

After an online photo was shared thousands of times with ‘terrible’ comments, the young man pleaded for ‘help to stop this propaganda’.

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India-Pakistan tensions

Opinion | How Pakistan’s rising confidence could shape a cooperative South Asia

If Gulf investment, Chinese strategic interest and Pakistani willingness align, the region could shift from confrontation to collaboration.

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