ISPR rejects 'highly dramatised, factually inaccurate' Indian documentary on Operation Sindoor

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday rejected an Indian documentary on so-called Operation Sindoor, accusing Indian content creators of distorting history and presenting a “highly dramatised, coloured and factually inaccurate” account of the military operation. In a statement, the military’s media wing said that more than a year after “Marka-e-Haq”, India had refused to face what it described as the reality of the conflict and instead sought to portray the outcome in a manner acceptable domestically. The ISPR said the documentary featured senior Indian political and military leadership and relied on selectively edited interviews, emotional narration and cinematic, Bollywood-style reconstructions to alter facts and rewrite the operational outcome. “For its lack of nuance and seriousness, the documentary can be characterised as a tragedy and a comedy at the same time,” the ISPR said. It said the documentary’s narrative contained “fundamental contradictions” that exposed what it called a belated attempt to manufacture a domestically palatable version of events. The ISPR particularly rejected what it described as an attempt to establish a deliberate link between an address by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir on April 16, 2025, and the Pahalgam incident of April 22, 2025. It said the documentary sought to create a conspiracy theory by linking the two events. More significantly, the ISPR pointed to what it described as a contradiction in India’s own account of the Pahalgam incident. It said India had subsequently claimed that the three alleged perpetrators of the incident were identified and eliminated on July 28, 2025, or 82 days after Operation Sindoor. “Yet the documentary presents so-called Operation Sindoor as the punishment for those responsible for Pahalgam,” the statement said, asking: “If the alleged perpetrators were eliminated on 28 July, India must explain, who it claims to have punished on 7 May 2025?” The ISPR also rejected the documentary’s claim of “100 percent mission success”, saying the assertion was inconsistent with what it called the operational record of the conflict.  It said during “Marka-e-Haq”, Pakistan’s armed forces thwarted Indian aggression and shot down eight military aircraft. It further said Pakistan subsequently conducted Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, employing Fatah precision-guided rockets and missiles, Pakistan Air Force precision munitions, long-range loitering munitions and precision artillery against 26 military targets. The ISPR said the targets included facilities used to target Pakistani citizens and entities allegedly involved in fomenting terrorism against Pakistan. The ISPR said the documentary itself undermined its claim of clear Indian dominance by featuring acknowledgements from Indian military leadership of extensive Pakistani missile, drone and air activity, sustained engagements along the Line of Control and the activation of Indian air-defence systems. “Such admissions are difficult to reconcile with its repeated portrayal of Pakistan being decisively defeated,” it said. The ISPR also challenged the documentary’s account of how hostilities ended, saying its own narration confirmed that the fighting ended following communication between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries and an agreed cessation of military action. It said this contradicted an attempt to portray Operation Sindoor as a unilateral Indian military triumph. “A cessation of hostilities, facilitated by US, cannot subsequently be repurposed as evidence of unconditional victory,” the statement said. Pakistan and India engaged in a four-day confrontation after the latter launched strikes inside the former on May 7, 2025 weeks after unknown militants targeted tourists in the Pahalgam area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. India had codenamed the operation as Operation Sindoor, which Pakistan countered by launching Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos on May 10, the very day when US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

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FO rubbishes India's 'baseless assertions' linking Pakistan to arrests of terror suspects

The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday rubbished what it said were "baseless assertions" by the Indian home minister linking Pakistan to the recent arrests of terror suspects. Earlier today, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said that security agencies arrested more than 200 "terror operatives" allegedly linked to ​Pakistan, thwarting potential "subversive attacks" around the country's Independence ‌Day last week, in one of the largest such crackdowns in years. A multi-state ​operation against what Shah said was a terror ​group, which he accused the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of backing, ⁠was carried out across 14 Indian states on August ​12, three days before India celebrated its 80th year ​of freedom from British colonial rule. Shah ​said agencies had ​recovered pistols, ⁠live cartridges and grenades allegedly bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings and crude bombs. Modi govt destroyed the ISI-backed terror group Shahzad Bhatti Network ahead of Independence Day and thwarted its plans for subversive attacks by arresting more than 200 operatives. Indian security forces ripped apart the network by launching coordinated operations across… — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 17, 2026 Questioned about the allegations, FO Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said: "Pakistan strongly rejects the allegations made by India’s Home Minister, attempting to link Pakistan with certain arrests in India," adding that such propaganda was yet another demonstration of India’s "malicious campaign against Pakistan" to divert attention from its domestic security challenges and to blame Pakistan for narrow domestic political gains. "At home, India is a repressive state, brutally oppressing its minorities and silencing dissent. Externally, India is exporting terror and abetting terrorists," Andrabi stated. He further said that "unfounded Indian insinuations" could not divert international attention away from India’s state-sponsored terrorism, targeted assassinations, and subversion in foreign territories, adding that Pakistan had repeatedly shared evidence of India’s involvement in terrorism and destabilising activities in Pakistan. Read: Terrorism, narratives and Indo-Pak tension "The convicted and serving Indian naval commander, Kulbhushan Jadhav, is undeniable proof of India’s direct involvement in subversion and terrorism in Pakistan," the spokesperson noted. 🔊PR No.2️⃣1️⃣8️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Statement by the Spokesperson 🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/MeM52jK0CJ — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 17, 2026 He stated that Pakistan had urged the international community to reject baseless Indian allegations and hold India accountable for its state-sponsored terrorism in the region. This is not the first time that India has accused Pakistan of fomenting terror. Pakistan has also similarly accused India of funding and supporting terrorist groups in the country. Last month, while responding to Indian allegations of cross-border terrorism in a recent meeting of the United Nations Security Council, First Secretary Ansar Shah had said that "the baseless assertion regarding terrorism is in fact an effort by India to conceal its sponsorship and financing of terrorism against Pakistan. India's terrorist proxies, the TTP, BLA and Majeed Brigade have killed thousands of civilians and law enforcement personnel, including women and children on our soil". Read More: Pakistan rejects India's UNSC remarks on IWT, terrorism as 'futile attempt' to distort facts "India's involvement in extraterritorial executions, including in North America, is also well known. India is not a victim of terrorism. It is a sponsor of terrorism," Shah had added. Right of Reply by First Secretary Ansar Shah In Response to Remarks by Indian Representative At the Security Council High-Level Open Debate (22 July 2026) ******* President, 2. Pakistan is compelled to take the floor again to respond to India’s misleading statement, which is a… pic.twitter.com/AqbjPsz8qg — Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) July 23, 2026 "India is also a perpetrator of state terrorism, including in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir – whose population is being denied its right to self-determination in gross violation of numerous resolutions of the Security Council," Shah had further said.    

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GSR, CCTV offer new clues in Wafflix owner Mir Raza’s murder

Crucial CCTV footage and a forensic report on Monday shed new light on the murder of Mir Raza Ali, the young owner of the popular dessert brand Wafflix, revealing the timeline of the discovery of his body, the arrival of police and an Edhi ambulance, and the presence of gunshot residue (GSR) on his body. Ali, 25, was allegedly kidnapped from PECHS before his body was found in bushes near a wedding hall in Gulistan-e-Johar on July 29. The case had initially been surrounded by uncertainty over whether he had been murdered or died by suicide. However, the findings of the second post-mortem consolidated his family’s longstanding claim that he had been murdered. The police probe is facing constant scrutiny by the public because of earlier lapses that were also admitted by the Sindh police chief. According to the footage, a nursery employee was the first to spot Ali’s body at 11:52am on July 29 and alerted the police. Two motorcycle-riding policemen reached the scene first, followed by a police mobile. Investigative sources said the head moharrir of Gulistan-e-Jauhar and other police officials were present at the scene, along with a policeman operating the search device. However, the former station house officer of Gulistan-e-Jauhar did not reach the scene despite being informed. An Edhi ambulance arrived at 12:50pm and left with the body at 1:46pm. The Crime Scene Unit (CSU), however, had not reached the site even after more than two hours, meaning crime-scene evidence could not be collected, sources said. The footage also showed that no dead body was present at the site a day earlier. On July 28, when Ali was reported missing, the nursery employee had watered the area but did not see anything unusual. لاش ملنے کے مقام کے قریب واقع مسجد پر نصب کیمرے کی سی سی ٹی وی فوٹیج بھی تفتیشی حکام کو موصول ہوگئی مزید پڑھیے:https://t.co/rHRhDYsxMO#MirRazaAli #Wafflix #ExpressNews pic.twitter.com/EfpanTEmsC — Express News (@ExpressNewsPK) August 17, 2026 Investigators conducted geo-fencing around the spot where the body was found and reviewed additional CCTV footage, sources added. Meanwhile, following the exhumation of Ali’s body, a medical board collected 13 samples and sent them to the University of Karachi’s Forensic and Industrial Laboratory for analysis. The laboratory has now submitted its report. Read: Mir Raza murder probe widens as two more officers join According to sources, results for four samples were available, while the remaining nine had deteriorated because of decomposition. The report confirmed the presence of gunshot residue (GSR) on both hands, the waist and chest of the deceased. Investigators believe the presence of GSR on both hands suggests that Ali may also have fired a pistol. They suspect he may have opened fire in self-defence after sensing a threat. Further CCTV footage showed that Ali was walking past a wedding hall on July 28. At 4:37pm, a camera at the hall recorded the sound of a gunshot. Hearing the sound, the hall guard came outside and searched the surrounding area with a torch. Seconds later, another CCTV camera captured Ali walking again, sources said.

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New provinces debate set for parliament today

The National Assembly and Senate will meet today (Monday) after a prolonged recess to take up important legislation, including a proposed unanimous resolution on the Makkah Peace Accord and a detailed discussion on the creation of new provinces. According to the agendas issued by the two houses, a total of 17 bills will be presented for approval, with 10 bills scheduled for consideration in the Senate and seven in the National Assembly. The Senate has a 69-point agenda, which includes consideration of several pieces of legislation. Among the bills listed for approval is the Election Act (Amendment) Bill. The upper house will also take up the Anti-Rape Investigations and Trial (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Imports and Exports (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The agenda also includes the Science and Technology Zones Authority (Amendment) Bill, the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill and the Service Tribunals (Amendment) Bill. Apart from legislation, both houses are expected to take up matters of wider national and political importance, including a proposed unanimous resolution concerning the Makkah Peace Accord. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7- a collective security pact dictating that an armed attack on any single member nation will be considered an attack on all three. The issue of creating new provinces is also expected to generate detailed debate, with lawmakers likely to discuss the constitutional, administrative and political implications of establishing new federating units. Addressing the Pakistan Economic Summit 2026 in Islamabad on July 31, Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi called for creating additional administrative units or provinces to overhaul the country's outdated governance system. The statement sparked a strong reaction, with leaders of various parties speaking both against and in support of Naqvi's point of view.

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Goods transporters defer strike for 40 days as talks succeed

Talks between the Pakistan Goods Transport Association and the federal and provincial governments succeeded on Sunday, with transporters announcing that they would defer their nine-day nationwide strike for 40 days and resume operations. Pakistan’s freight network had remained at a standstill as goods transporters continued their wheel-jam strike for a ninth day, disrupting the movement of imports, exports and essential supplies and, according to them, causing more than Rs50 billion in economic losses. The transporters have been demanding implementation of the axle-load regime, changes to the customs SRO and withholding tax mechanism, and daily determination of fuel prices, among other issues. Read: Goods transporters to continue wheel-jam strike The decision to defer the strike was taken after an agreement was reached at a high-level meeting chaired by Sindh Governor Syed Mohammad Nihal Hashmi at the Governor House. Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, Sindh Minister for Labour, Human Resources and Social Security Saeed Ghani, Punjab Transport Minister Bilal Akbar, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, secretary communications, inspector general of motorway police, National Highway Authority chairman and other officials attended the meeting. A delegation of the Pakistan Goods Transport Association was led by its president Malik Shahzad Awan. Speaking at a press conference after the talks, Governor Hashmi said both sides had listened to each other’s positions with “open hearts” and reached an agreement. He said both sides had expressed their resolve to make sacrifices in the interest of the country, adding that the region was facing extraordinary circumstances. Communications Minister Khan thanked the Sindh governor and said the government was addressing the transporters’ outstanding demands. He said some demands had been resolved during the meeting, while committees had been formed to address the remaining issues. Read: Talks fail as goods transporters vow to continue strike Khan said federal ministers, Karachi Mayor Wahab and Sindh Minister Ghani had extended their support during the negotiations, while the Punjab transport minister had helped resolve several issues. He said work on a new motorway from Sukkur to Hyderabad and Karachi would begin this year, describing it as “good news” for the country. Addressing the presser, Association president Awan said the interests of Pakistan remained a priority for all sides. He said some demands had been resolved immediately, while the government had assured the transporters that other issues would be resolved within 15 to 20 days after approval by the cabinet. Awan said the strike had continued across the country for nine days over demands submitted to the federal and provincial governments. He said the prime minister had formed a special committee headed by Khan to address the transporters’ concerns. Awan said the strike had been called over several issues, including daily determination of petroleum product prices and withholding tax, after the government failed to respond to their demands. He said most of the demands concerning the Punjab government would also be addressed. Awan said the axle-load law would be implemented “100 per cent” in accordance with the law and that the transporters would cooperate with the government on the matter. He said the decision to defer the strike had been taken in the broader national interest following assurances from the federal and provincial governments and consultations with the transporters’ 50-member committee. Read More: Goods transporters begin nationwide indefinite strike “The strike is not being ended but deferred for 40 days,” he said, warning that the transporters would be within their constitutional right to resume protests if the government failed to fulfil its commitments. Karachi Mayor Wahab said the Sindh government would address matters falling within its jurisdiction, while some demands required amendments to the law and others would be resolved in coordination with the Karachi Port Trust. Wahab and Sindh Minister Ghani assured the transporters that the parking issue would be addressed. The government has sought 15 days to resolve the issue of fixing petroleum product prices on a daily basis. A committee will also be formed to address issues relating to toll taxes and 10-wheeler vehicles.

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Pakistan, seven others condemn Israel’s rejection of Gaza roadmap

Pakistan and seven other Islamic countries on Sunday condemned Israel’s declared rejection of the Road Map for completing the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, as endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, as well as its rejection of Palestinian statehood. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said Israel’s positions amounted to a direct repudiation of the Comprehensive Plan, jeopardised its implementation and fundamentally undermined collective efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace. They said Israel’s rejection confirmed that it now bore responsibility for obstructing efforts to bring peace to Gaza and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Joint Statement The Foreign Ministers of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt condemn the… pic.twitter.com/lVwR0oK98Z — وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الأردنية (@ForeignMinistry) August 16, 2026 The ministers said the Road Map, which had been accepted by Palestinian factions, was the conclusion of extensive efforts by mediators including Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, the United States, the High Representative of Gaza and the Board of Peace. They described the Road Map as a vital milestone for the decommissioning of weapons alongside the withdrawal of Israeli forces, deployment of the International Stabilization Force, transfer of administrative authority to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and reconstruction of the territory, as stipulated in the Comprehensive Plan. The ministers said rejecting the Road Map constituted an explicit refusal to proceed with the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and directly threatened efforts by President Trump to end the war in Gaza and establish conditions for lasting peace. They stressed the importance of sustained and active US engagement to ensure and enforce Israel’s full compliance with the commitments and arrangements envisaged under the Comprehensive Plan and its Road Map, and to prevent further obstruction of their implementation. The ministers said Israel bore “direct and full responsibility” for any consequences resulting from its continued rejection, obstruction, delay or non-compliance, including any deterioration of the situation on the ground and disruption of efforts to end the war in Gaza. They reaffirmed the urgent need for the full and immediate implementation of the Comprehensive Plan to address the grave humanitarian situation, ensure security and stability for all in Gaza, and pave the way for reconstruction, recovery and a just and lasting peace grounded in the Palestinian right to self-determination and statehood in accordance with international law. Read: Netanyahu rejects Gaza plan, in new break from Trump The ministers categorically rejected any attempt to deny or foreclose Palestinian statehood, including through unilateral actions. They said a just, lasting and comprehensive peace could only be achieved through implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. They said any attempt to deny or foreclose Palestinian statehood directly undermined the prospects for peace, security and stability throughout the region. The ministers also underscored the continued role of the Board of Peace and called on all parties to support its efforts to implement the Road Map and advance the second phase of President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan. They further called upon the Board of Peace, with the active support and engagement of the United States, to take immediate and concrete measures within its mandate to uphold the integrity of the Comprehensive Plan and prevent any party from obstructing its implementation. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas, taking fresh distance from Trump as he faces razor-tight elections. Read More: Board of Peace urges Israel, Hamas to fulfil obligations under Gaza ceasefire framework After more than a week of gradually escalating criticism of the plan, Netanyahu explicitly opposed it in the face of pushback from his right-wing base. "Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu said, referring to a plan signed off on by Hamas in late July. The Israeli military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting. Netanyahu described Trump, with whom he has also had a growing break on Iran, as "our greatest friend in the White House" -- but quickly made clear he was willing to challenge him. He said Israel was raising its objections to the Gaza plan with the United States. "They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters," he said. Netanyahu until recently campaigned on the strength of his relationship with Trump, who since his first term has taken unprecedented steps to back Israel, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem. Trump joined Netanyahu in late February in attacking Iran. But the two diverged when Trump sought a ceasefire with Iran in April as the war sapped his popularity at home and sent oil prices soaring.      

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Armed men kill female TikToker with 1.3m followers outside home in Taxila

A 28-year-old female TikToker with 1.3 million followers was allegedly called out of her home by phone and then shot dead in the limits of the Taxila Police Station, while her younger sister was seriously injured after the firing and a subsequent vehicle accident, it emerged on Saturday. The motorcycle-riding attackers fled the scene after the incident. Police registered a case on the complaint of the deceased woman’s father, Fazal, and began an investigation from different angles. Read: Two TikTokers held for 'killing' rival According to the first information report (FIR), on the evening of August 14, the deceased, 28-year-old Shamsu Bibi alias Ayesha, left home in a vehicle with her 15-year-old sister Asmiya Bibi and brother Nematullah. On the way, motorcycle-riding suspects allegedly targeted the vehicle and opened fire. The TikToker sustained serious bullet wounds, while the vehicle went out of control and crashed during the firing. The woman died inside the vehicle, while her younger sister was seriously injured and shifted to Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences for medical treatment. In the FIR, the deceased’s father stated that his daughter had been active on TikTok for approximately three to four years and had around 1.3m followers on her social media account. According to the complainant, the deceased had financial dealings with individuals named Kausar and Javed alias Shaheen, and she had allegedly received death threats over demands for repayment of money. The complainant told police that before the incident, a man named Kashi had called his daughter and asked her to leave the house. The motorcycle-riding attackers allegedly opened fire on the vehicle while it was on the way. Read More: Woman killed while filming TikTok video in Karachi, says police Police have also included the names mentioned in the FIR and the allegations made by the complainant in the investigation. However, the final role of the nominated or suspected individuals will be determined based on the investigation and evidence. According to sources, police have collected available evidence from the crime scene and begun securing it for forensic examination. The deceased woman’s vehicle is also an important part of the investigation. Investigators are attempting to determine the position of the attackers and the nature of the incident through bullet marks on the vehicle, the direction of the firing and other material evidence. Possible shell casings and other evidence recovered from the scene may also be subjected to forensic analysis to match them with the weapon used. Police are also working to obtain CCTV footage from the route of the incident and surrounding areas to trace the suspected motorcycle, the movement of the attackers and possible escape routes before and after the incident. Mobile phone records, call data, the deceased’s last contacts and details of relevant numbers may be important in verifying the claim that she was called out of her home. Her social media accounts and recent interactions may also be examined as part of the investigation to determine whether she had faced any threats, disputes or suspicious contact before the incident. Police will investigate the alleged financial dealings, the relationship between the parties and possible financial records to determine the motive for the killing. The statements of the brother and injured sister, who were in the vehicle with the deceased, are also being considered highly important to the investigation. The injured sister’s statement will be recorded if her condition permits, while information will also be obtained from other eyewitnesses and people present near the scene to compile circumstantial evidence. Police have conducted the post-mortem examination of the deceased and handed over her body to the heirs. Evidence concerning the firing, injuries and cause of death will be incorporated into the case in light of the post-mortem and forensic reports.

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