Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Pakistan court grants bail to activist Imaan Mazari-Hazir

Some 3,000 people attended that rally in the capital Islamabad, where both Mazari-Hazir and Wazir gave speeches condemning the harassment of Pashtuns

Pakistan court grants bail to activist Imaan Mazari-Hazir

A Pakistan court bailed a prominent human rights activist and a former lawmaker on Monday, their lawyer said, after they were detained for protesting against enforced disappearances.

Lawyer Imaan Mazari-Hazir and politician Ali Wazir were arrested under anti-terror laws last week after appearing at a protest by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), which fights for the rights of ethnic Pashtuns.


Some 3,000 people attended that rally in the capital Islamabad, where both Mazari-Hazir and Wazir gave speeches condemning the harassment of Pashtuns and calling on state forces to end an alleged shadowy policy of secret detention.

Rights monitors say Pakistan authorities have a long-standing practice of holding dissenters without due process, whilst broad anti-terror laws are also used to choke off political opposition.

Lawyer Zainab Janjua told AFP Monday that Mazari-Hazir "should be released today".

Wazir was also granted bailed but will be produced before another Islamabad court in a separate case related to the protest, she said.

PTM was launched to fight against what it says are military excesses committed during anti-terrorism operations in the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where most Pashtuns live.

The military denies the accusations.

Founded in 2018, the group is notable for its direct verbal attacks on a military establishment that plays a dominant role in national politics.

Pakistan's Pashtun heartlands were once plagued by violence and militancy, though army operations have dramatically improved security both there and across the country in recent years.

But the PTM claim these operations came at a heavy price, with soldiers using enforced disappearances and targeted killings against civilians.

Locals have staged a series of protests against the increased violence and have demanded better protection from the state.

However, strict media blackouts have kept news and images of peaceful PTM rallies off TV screens and out of newspapers nationwide.

(AFP)

More For You

Starmer faces revolt as welfare bill vote sparks Labour uproar

Keir Starmer speaks during a reception for public sector workers at 10 Downing Street in London on July 1, 2025. (Photo by CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer faces revolt as welfare bill vote sparks Labour uproar

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer faced the most serious test of his leadership on Tuesday (1) as his government’s flagship welfare reforms came under fierce attack from within his own party.

The day was marked by emotional speeches, last-minute concessions, and a deep sense of division among Labour MPs, many of whom said the proposed changes would push vulnerable people into poverty

Keep ReadingShow less
Lucy Letby

Letby, from Hereford in western England, was charged in 2020 after a series of deaths in the hospital's neo-natal unit.

Three senior hospital staff arrested in Lucy Letby case probe

POLICE on Tuesday said they had arrested three senior staff members at the hospital where nurse Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies. The arrests were made on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

The investigation was launched in 2023 at the Countess of Chester Hospital (CoCH) in northwest England, following Letby’s conviction and life sentence for killings that took place between 2015 and 2016.

Keep ReadingShow less
food-delivery-getty

Uber Eats and Deliveroo will tighten ID checks, including facial verification, to curb illegal migrant work after UK government pressure. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Food delivery platforms to step up ID checks after migrant work abuse reports

FOOD delivery companies Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have agreed to strengthen security measures, including facial verification checks, to prevent irregular migrants from working through their platforms, following criticism from the UK government.

The announcement came after the Labour government summoned the three firms for a meeting in response to a report by The Sun which exposed how some migrants were bypassing rules and working illegally in the gig economy sector.

Keep ReadingShow less
David Joseph

Joseph has chaired several BRIT Awards shows and was an executive producer of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning 2015 documentary Amy.

David Joseph named new CEO of the RSA

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS (RSA) has announced the appointment of David Joseph CBE as its next chief executive officer. He will take over the role in September, succeeding Andy Haldane.

Joseph previously served as chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK for 17 years. During his time at the company, he oversaw its transformation into a global exporter of British music and worked with several major international artists.

Keep ReadingShow less
Labour Rift Deepens as MPs Prepare for Crucial Welfare Bill Vote

People take part in a protest against disability welfare cuts on June 30, 2025 in London. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

MPs to vote on welfare bill amid Labour divisions

DOZENS of Labour MPs are expected to vote against the government’s welfare reforms despite recent concessions aimed at easing opposition.

The government had initially planned to tighten eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (Pip) but later said the stricter rules would only apply to new claimants from November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less