JUI-F, TTAP join hands in parliament

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Thursday held their first meeting with opposition leaders, agreeing to establish a united opposition and begin the process from parliament. The meeting, which was also attended by PTI leaders, brought together the JUI-F and Tehreek Tahafuz Aaine-Pakistan as part of efforts to build a broader opposition platform. Further consultations are expected, with sources saying a joint parliamentary party meeting of opposition parties will be convened on Friday. Fazl reached the opposition chamber along with a JUI-F delegation to meet Mahmood Khan Achakzai. Achakzai and Fazl later proceeded together from the opposition.  The opposition lobby to the opposition chamber, accompanied by PTI leaders. The JUI-F and the TTAP agreed to establish a united opposition, with the process to begin from parliament. Fazl made the announcement while speaking to the media alongside opposition leaders. “Today was the first sitting with the opposition. We have decided that a united opposition should be formed. This was the first meeting and there will be further consultations,” he said. Sources said the meeting also agreed that a joint parliamentary party meeting of opposition parties would be convened on Friday. The participants also discussed the health of PTI founder Imran Khan, according to sources. The opposition alliance would also hold a meeting with Fazl, sources said. Asked whether the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would also be included in the opposition alliance, Fazl said the PPP was part of the government and that they were discussing the opposition. He said an all-parties conference should also be discussed. Asked by a journalist whether the opposition parties would stand together on the streets as well or only in parliament, Fazlur Rehman quipped, “We recite Surah Fatiha and you have already reached Surah Nas.”

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Imran Khan will not confront military if freed, Zulfi Bukhari says

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan would not confront the military if freed, one of his closest aides told Reuters, portraying the army chief as able to extend a "healing ​hand" after a legal breakthrough this week. The comments, which came after the Supreme Court ordered Imran to be moved to Shifa International Hospital for treatment, appeared to mark a significant shift in the PTI's rhetoric. PTI supporters have for years rallied against the establishment after Imran was ousted from power through a vote of no-confidence. Read: Security beefed up at Islamabad's Shifa hospital as Imran transfer deadline nears But in an interview on Wednesday, Zulfikar Bukhari, a PTI spokesperson, sent one of the strongest signals so far that the party was ​willing to reconcile with the military, potentially easing one of the tensest stand-offs in recent political history, even as doubts remained whether Imran himself shared that wish. "If Imran ​Khan was released tomorrow, hypothetically, he wouldn't do anything that would effectively damage the country," Bukhari said, describing him as "magnanimous". "That doesn't mean you ⁠go loggerheads with the establishment, with the military leader," he said. "You control your own hurt. You curb your own pain. You swallow it for the betterment of your country." Bukhari called the Supreme Court ruling a "new ray of hope" and said PTI would comply with the court's instruction that its workers and leaders not gather outside ​the hospital. As of Thursday night, Imran had still not been transferred, and it was unclear if the government would resubmit a challenge that was rejected on technical grounds earlier today. Bukhari said there were no talks between PTI and the military. If the army chief woke up "one fine morning" and said: "Enough, I ‌need to show ⁠I'm the father of the nation at the moment", then he could "rub his healing hand on to the country", Bukhari said. "I would feel that every political prisoner would be out within 24 hours." Analysts cautioned that Imran's thinking may differ from that of the PTI leadership that has escaped arrest. It's unclear if "PTI's leadership have the capacity, so long as Imran is in jail, to present a common front in any potential engagement or negotiation with the state", ​said Michael Kugelman, a senior fellow at the ​Atlantic Council. PTI to go ahead with protests ⁠in September Party leaders last spoke with Imran eight months ago, said Bukhari, who is in self-imposed exile in Dubai. There have been no recent comments by Imran, who has been kept in what human rights groups have described as solitary confinement. Since he lost power in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022, Imran has faced multiple legal cases, including over state gifts, instigating violent attacks on military and state installations, and an accusation of an unlawful marriage. All convictions but one have been suspended or overturned, with appeals pending. He denies wrongdoing. Despite signs of a careful rapprochement, Bukhari said the PTI would still proceed ⁠with a ​nationwide march on September 27 regardless of whether Imran was transferred to hospital. It would demand implementation of his ​court-ordered treatment, access for his family, doctors, lawyers and party leadership, prompt hearings in his cases and, ultimately, his release. Read More: PTI decided to hold long march towards Islamabad on Sept 27 after consulting allies: K-P info minister Senior PTI leaders driven into hiding would participate or help organise the mobilisation, he added. "You'll probably see a lot of leadership ​come out of hiding," he said. "Even if you don't see them, you'll see them mobilising."

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Dar, Brazilian FM discuss US-Iran mediation, stress importance of dialogue for global peace

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the United States and Iran with Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira as the latter stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for global peace and security, the Foreign Office said on Thursday. During a telephone call with FM Dar, Vieira commended Pakistan’s “constructive role” and efforts toward mediation between the US and Iran, the FO said in a post on X. The Brazilian diplomat also congratulated Dar on Pakistan’s signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 received a telephone call from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E. Ambassador Mauro Vieira. The Brazilian Foreign Minister commended Pakistan’s constructive role… pic.twitter.com/9lASFpa2VH — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 20, 2026 FM Dar thanked Vieira for his remarks and praised Brazil’s role in advancing South-South cooperation and its commitment to international peace and stability. The two ministers underscored the importance of maintaining high-level contacts and close coordination at the United Nations and other multilateral forums and reaffirmed their support for multilateralism, dialogue and diplomacy. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments and agreed to remain closely engaged to further strengthen Pakistan-Brazil relations. نائب وزیر اعظم اسحاق ڈار اور برازیل کے وزیر خارجہ کا ٹیلی فونک رابطہ۔ برازیل کے وزیر خارجہ کا عالمی امن اور سلامتی کے لیے مذاکرات اور سفارت کاری کی اہمیت پر زور۔ برازیل کے وزیر خارجہ کی امریکہ، ایران تناظر میں ثالثی کے لیے پاکستان کے تعمیری کردار کی تعریف۔ برازیل کے وزیر خارجہ کی… pic.twitter.com/cudjYLGt4H — PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) August 20, 2026 The two ministers also invited each other to visit their respective countries, with FM Dar inviting Vieira to Pakistan and the Brazilian foreign minister inviting Dar to Brazil. Read: Envoy for enhanced trade between Pakistan, Brazil Both sides agreed to remain in close contact and work toward further expanding bilateral ties. Brazil was the first nation in South America to recognise Pakistan in 1948, and to establish an embassy in  Karachi, 70 years ago. Since that time, interactions between the corresponding governments and civil groups have intensified and increased in frequency.

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Minor boy assaulted, killed

A 10-year-old boy was allegedly abducted, sexually assaulted and killed after he went out to buy ice in the Dhuddi Wala area, police said on Wednesday. The body of Muhammad Bilal was recovered from a vacant plot in the area and handed over to his family after a post-mortem examination. Police registered a case under sections relating to kidnapping, murder and rape and detained several suspects for questioning. According to the first information report (FIR), Muhammad Parvez, 39, a resident of Rehmanpura, Chak 215-RB, told police that his 10-year-old son, Muhammad Bilal, went out at around 5pm on August 16 to buy ice but did not return home. The family searched for him in the surrounding areas and contacted relatives but could not locate him. The FIR stated that unidentified persons allegedly abducted the boy, sexually assaulted him and killed him by attacking his neck with a sharp-edged weapon before dumping his body in a vacant plot belonging to Sohail Akhtar. The body remained concealed among kikar trees, which had grown to a height of around 10 feet, and was not discovered immediately. Police were alerted after a citizen spotted the body while passing by the area. Police officials, including SI Iqbal, DSP Sadar Shahid Gujjar and SHO Sadar Muhammad Ali Khan, reached the scene and shifted the body to a hospital for post-mortem examination. After completing medico-legal formalities, police handed over the body to the family and registered a case under Sections 363, 302 and 376(3) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Bilal was later buried at his ancestral graveyard amid the presence of hundreds of mourners. Police detained several people considered suspicious for questioning. Police said Bilal went missing on August 16 after leaving home to buy ice. His family did not initially report his disappearance to police, and the authorities were informed after his body was discovered.

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Fact check: Viral video of girl hitting sixes in men's tape ball match is doctored

Multiple users, a majority of whom appear to be cricket fans based on their past posts, have been sharing a video across social media platforms since August 18, 2026, claiming it shows a girl hitting sixes in a men’s tape ball match. However, the video is AI-generated. On August 18, a social media user who appears to be a cricket fan shared a video on Facebook showing a girl hitting sixes in a men’s tape ball match. “Check the shot,” the caption read. The post racked up 75 million views. The same user shared a close-up angle of the same video as well, which garnered 5.4m views. On TikTok, a user shared the same clip with the caption: “Huge six by Mehak Pindi Wali.” The post gained 10.9m views. Another TikTok user also posted the clip, calling the six “unbelievable”. It accumulated 262,000 views. The video also gathered attention on X, where an account that shared it garnered 190,000 views. “You must have seen boys hitting sixes in tape-ball cricket. Today, take a look at the sixes hit by ‘Mehak Pindi Wali’ as well,” the caption read. Several other cricket fan accounts on Instagram, YouTube, X, and TikTok also shared the clip, as seen here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively gaining 405,000 views. Separately, similar clips of the girl in different outfits and angles were shared on TikTok, as seen here, here, here, here, and here; collectively gaining 5.7m views. Methodology A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to high virality and keen public interest in local cricket. A keyword search was conducted to verify whether any credible Pakistani or international media outlets had recently reported on a young girl gaining attention for her performance in a tape ball cricket match, but it yielded no results. A reverse image search was conducted to trace the origin of the viral clip, which yielded a video shared by the TikTok account TapeBall Voice on August 2, 2026. @tapeballvoice2 Big Deal 😲🤝🏏 Hassan Penda Join US Brand Rawalpindi #tapeballcricket #hassanpenda #viralfyp #viral1million ♬ original sound - TapeBall Voice It featured all the elements visible in the viral video: the second batter, the wicketkeeper, the pitch, and the lights. However, the batter on the crease in the August 2 clip has been replaced by a girl in the visuals circulating online. The video was subsequently analysed using AI-detection tools. While several AI detection tools did not flag the video, Hive Moderation found it to be 54.6pc AI-generated. Meanwhile, NVIDIA gave the video a synthetic score of 33.3pc, greater than the threshold of 30pc, adding that the clip was likely synthetic or AI-generated. Fact-check status: False The claim that a viral video shows a girl hitting sixes in a men’s tape ball match is false. The clip is AI-generated. This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan — a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.

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Syrian foreign minister to visit Pakistan on Aug 19-20 amid regional tensions

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani will undertake an official visit to Pakistan from 19-20 August at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Wednesday. The visit comes in the backdrop of recent Israeli airstrikes that hit an airbase in northwestern Syria. The MoFA statement said that Al-Shaibani "will be accompanied by a high-level official delegation" and that "during the visit, the two sides will hold in-depth discussions across the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, review avenues for further enhancing bilateral cooperation, and exchange views on regional and international developments". The statement noted that the visit marks an "important step towards further enhancing Pakistan-Syria relations and advancing cooperation between the two countries". 🔈 PR No. 2️⃣2️⃣1️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Curtain Raiser: Visit of the Foreign Minister of the Syrian Arab Republic to Pakistan 🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/oZJ7vDebu6 — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 19, 2026 Earlier, MoFA strongly condemned the “unprovoked attack” by Israeli occupation forces on "Abu al-Duhur Airbase in Idlib, Syria". In a statement, MoFA said the attack was a “flagrant violation of international law” and warned that such “provocative actions” could further undermine regional peace and stability. Read: Pakistan condemns ‘unprovoked’ Israeli attack on Syrian airbase Pakistan expressed its “unwavering solidarity” with the Syrian people and reiterated its “full support” for Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, peace and prosperity. Islamabad also called on the international community to play its role in ending “repeated violations of international law” by Israeli forces. 🔈 PR No. 2️⃣2️⃣0️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Pakistan Strongly Condemns Israeli Attacks against Syria 🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/vK6l4QFOpF — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 19, 2026 Eight Israeli airstrikes hit an airbase in northwestern Syria early on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, in what the US envoy for the region called an "unnecessary escalation". Syria's state-run Ekhbariya, citing a military source, said the attack struck the runway and storage facilities at the Abu al-Duhur base, while a separate military source and a civilian who lives near the base said there were no casualties.

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ATC rejects Aleema's plea for int'l forensic

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi on Tuesday rejected a plea filed by Aleema Khan seeking an international forensic audit of a USB containing video evidence related to the November 26 protest case. ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah announced the reserved verdict, dismissing the application. Arguments on the plea had been concluded by both sides on August 11, following which the court reserved its judgment. During the proceedings, special prosecutor Zaheer Shah raised objections against the request, which were accepted by the court.

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