Pakistan's dependence on proxy warfare backfires, fuels extremism within: Report

IANS | April 25, 2026 9:18 PM

Islamabad, April 25 (IANS) Pakistan considers proxy warfare as a cost-effective tool to pressurise India with an aim to inflict sustained, low-intensity damage that would drain India's resources, unsettle internal stability, and elevate disputes like Kashmir to the global stage. While conventional war carries the risk of escalation and defeat, proxy conflict offers a way to sustain hostilities without triggering the nuclear threshold that emerged after both countries developed nuclear capabilities, a report said on Saturday.

Pakistan’s illegal organ trade thrives amid poverty, corruption: Report

IANS | April 25, 2026 9:14 PM

Islamabad, April 25 (IANS) Pakistan’s illegal organ trade is primarily driven by financial incentives, with victim selection largely shaped by class. Extreme poverty in the country sustains a persistent supply-demand gap, as individuals in desperate circumstances are often willing to take significant risks in exchange for monetary compensation, particularly when the sums offered for organs appear relatively high, a report stated on Saturday.

Pakistan 'extremely problematic' partner, not reliable ally for US: Report

IANS | April 25, 2026 9:10 PM

Washington, April 25 (IANS) Pakistan should not be viewed as a mediator but as a deeply "problematic partner" whose privileged status as a major non-NATO ally warrants serious reconsideration. Despite Washington's political, economic and military engagements with Islamabad, Pakistan has repeatedly proved to be an unreliable strategic partner for the United States, a report said on Saturday.

Afghans waiting in Qatar for US visas can return home: Afghanistan Foreign Ministry

IANS | April 25, 2026 8:47 PM

Kabul, April 25 (IANS) The ruling Taliban regime in Afghanistan on Saturday asserted that there are no security threats in the country and no citizen is compelled to leave on account of security considerations. Responding to media reports suggesting that around 1100 Afghans awaiting US visa processing in Qatar may be relocated to the Congo, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, stated that the returnees can come back home with "full confidence" and "peace of mind".