World Headlines

PESHAWAR: At least 15 terrorists, including two armed suspects who were killed in an encounter with the police, were gunned down in different operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Rela­tions (ISPR) said 13 members of the “Indian proxy Fitna-al-Khawarij” — the state’s term for the banned Teh­reek-i-Taliban Pakistan — were killed in two separate engagements on January 13 and 14. In Bannu, the security forces effectively engaged the militants’ location and gunned down eight militants following an intense exchange of fire. The stat­e­ment read that an­other intelligence-based operation was conducted by the troops in Kurram, adding that five terrorists were killed in that operation. Meanwhile, two armed militants were killed and a policeman was injured in a shootout between the pol­ice and the militants in Dera Ismail Khan on Thursday. According to a police spok­esperson, the clash took place when the militants attacked the Khutti police check-post located within the limits of Dera Town police station on Wed­nesday night, triggering a fierce exchange of fire that left two attackers dead and a police constable injured. Despite record militant deaths, Pakistan saw a sharp escalation in militant violence in 2025, with terrorist attacks rising by 34 per cent and terrorism-related fatalities increasing by 21 per cent year on year, according to a report released by the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies. In a press conference last week, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry shared that law enforcement agencies of Pakistan — including the army, police, Federal Constabulary, and intelligence agencies — conducted a total of 75,175 IBOs in 2025. Breaking it down, he said 14,658 operations were conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 58,778 in Balochistan, and 1,739 in other regions of Pakistan. He added that 5,397 terror incidents took place in Pakistan in 2025, of which 3,811 were reported from KP (71pc), 1,557 from Balochistan (29pc), and 29 from other areas. Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2026

• Report claims Hibatullah Akhundzada ‘spooked’ by possibility of schism between his hardline base in the south, more pragmatic ministers in the capital• Zabihullah Mujahid ‘confirms’ existence of audio recording, but terms BBC claim ‘unfounded’ A STARK message from the Taliban supreme leader, warning of internal threats to the Islamic Emirate, has seemingly laid bare the long-speculated divide bet­ween Kandahar and Kabul, BBC News reported. An audio recording of a speech — delivered by Hibat­ullah Akhundzada at a seminary in Kandahar aro­und a year ago — contains what some are interpreting as confirmation of differences among top Taliban leaders. In the leaked clip, obtained by the BBC, Akhundzada can be heard saying that internal disagreements could eventually bring them all down. According to the investigation by BBC Afghan, two distinct groups have eme­rged within the Afghan Tali­ban, each presenting competing visions for how Afgh­anistan should be governed. One is entirely loyal to the Akhundzada-led Kandahar faction, who is driving the country towards his vision of a strict Islamic Emirate — isolated from the modern world, where religious figures loyal to him control every aspect of society. The second faction is made up of powerful Taliban members largely based in the capital Kabul, advocating for an Afghanistan which — while still following a strict interpretation of Islam — engages with the outside world, builds the country’s economy, and even allows girls and women access to an education they are currently denied beyond primary school. The question was always whether the Kabul group — made up of Taliban cabinet ministers, powerful militants and influential religious scholars commanding the support of thousands of Taliban loyalists — would ever challenge Akhundzada in any meaningful way, as his speech suggested. Then came a decision which would see the delicate tug of war between the most powerful men in the country escalate into a clash of wills. In late September, Akhun­dzada ordered the internet and phones to be shut off, severing Afghanistan from the rest of the world. But just three days later the internet was back, with no explanation of why. What had happened behind the scenes was seismic, insiders said. It was thought that the Kabul group had acted against Akhundzada’s order and switched the internet back on. According to one expert, this was nothing short of rebellion for a group that doesn’t brook dissent amongst its echelons. Consolidation in Kandahar Although Akhundzada was the lone power centre by the time the Taliban recaptured Kabul in 2021, his earlier lack of battlefield experience meant that his deputies — Sirajuddin Haqqani and Mullah Omar’s son Yaqoob — shepherded him through the period when the group was still consolidating its power. But once they came into power, the two powerful men were designated as mere ministers, and even a figure like Mullah Baradar — the co-founder of the Taliban movement — found himself handed the title of deputy PM. Akhundzada — having shunned the capital in favour of remaining in Kandahar, a base of power for the Taliban — began surrounding himself with trusted ideologues and hardliners, the BBC noted. The supreme leader, who had started out as a judge in the Taliban’s Sharia courts of the 1990s, quickly began announcing edicts without consultation with Kabul, and with little regard for public promises made before they took power, on issues like allowing girls access to education. Getting a meeting with him has also become increasingly difficult, as Akhundzada is said to be extremely reclusive. Photographing or filming him is forbidden and only two photos of him are known to exist. Reports suggest Akhundzada issues direct orders all the way down to local police units — bypassing ministers in Kabul. An observer argued that the “real authority has been transferred to Kandahar” but Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied this impression. “All the ministers have their power in their ministerial framework, undertaking daily works and making decisions — all the powers are delegated to them and they carry out their duties,” he told the BBC. In a subsequent tweet, he termed the BBC report “unfounded”. He did, however, implicitly confirm the existence of the audio recording cited as the basis for the report, only taking issue with its interpretation. “Statements by the leadership emphasising the importance of unity and cohesion, or minor matters in which opinions may differ, should never be interpreted as disagreement… there is no fear of discord,” Mujahid wrote on his X account. Kabul left fretting On the other side, the Kabul group — unofficially led by Mullah Baradar — wants to see an Afghanistan which moves towards the model of a Gulf state. They are concerned about the concentration of power in Kandahar, the nature and enforcement of virtue laws, how the Taliban should engage with the international community and women’s education and employment. But rather than being ‘moderate’, this faction is seen as being more pragmatic. Mullah Yaqoob is becoming increasingly popular with young Taliban members and some ordinary Afghans, while Sirajuddin Haqqani has managed to rebrand himself to near-mythical status among supporters. But despite all this, analysts and insiders repeatedly told the BBC that openly moving against supreme leader Akhundzada was unlikely. Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2026

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump met Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Thursday afternoon, in a high-stakes encounter that could affect how the US leader seeks to shape the South American country’s political future. Machado, who fled Venezuela in a daring seaborne escape last month, is competing for Trump’s ear with members of Venezuela’s government and seeking to ensure she has a role in governing the nation going forward. The lunch meeting marks the first time the two have met in person. “I know the president was looking forward to this meeting, and he was expecting it to be a good and positive discussion with Miss Machado, who is really a remarkable and brave voice for many of the people of Venezuela,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a briefing. She said Trump’s earlier assessment of Machado, in which he said she did not command the respect in Venezuela to govern it, stands. After the US captured Venezuela’s longtime leader, Nicolas Maduro, in a snatch-and-grab operation this month, various opposition figures, members of Venezuela’s diaspora and politicians throughout the US and Latin America have expressed hope that Venezuela will begin the process of democratisation. But for now, Trump has said he is focused on economically rebuilding Venezuela and securing US access to the country’s oil. The day after the Jan 3 operation, he expressed doubts that Machado had the backing needed to return to the country and govern, telling reporters: “She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country.” Trump has on several occasions praised Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela’s interim president, saying in an interview on Wednesday: “She’s been very good to deal with.” A Nobel for Trump? One potential topic of conversation for Thursday’s White House meeting was the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to Machado last month, a snub to Trump, who has long sought the award. Machado has suggested she would give the prize to the US president for having deposed Maduro, though the Norwegian Nobel Institute has said the prize cannot be transferred, shared or revoked. Asked if he wanted Machado to give him the prize, Trump said: “No, I didn’t say that. She won the Nobel Peace Prize.” Pressed on what he would do if she brought the prize nonetheless, he responded: “Well, that’s what I’m hearing. I don’t know, but I shouldn’t be the one to say. “I think we’re just going to talk.” Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2026

Ali Shaath • Ex-deputy planning minister vows to clear debris in three years; Belfast-educated civil engineer will chair 15-member body• Prioritises urgent temporary shelter over rebuilding; defies UN estimates with seven-year restoration timeline• Secures dual endorsement from Hamas, Mah­moud Abbas JERUSALEM: Ali Shaath, the Palestinian former government official chosen to administer Gaza under a US-backed deal, has an ambitious plan that includes pushing war debris into the Mediterranean Sea and rebuilding destroyed infrastructure within three years. The appointment of the civil engineer and former deputy planning minister on Thursday marked the start of the next phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza. Shaath will chair a group of 15 Palestinian technocrats tasked with governing the Palestinian enclave after years of occupation by Israel. Under Trump’s plan, Israel has withdrawn from nearly half of Gaza but its troops remain in control of the other half, a wasteland where nearly all buildings have been destroyed. Trump has floated turning Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. Shaath will face the uncertain task of rebuilding the territory’s shattered infrastructure and clearing an estimated 68 million tonnes of rubble and unexploded ordnance even as Israel and Hamas continue to trade fire. After past rounds of fighting with Israel, Palestinians in Gaza used war rubble as foundational material for the historic marina in Gaza City and for other projects. In an interview with a Palestinian radio station on Thursday, Shaath suggested a similar approach. “If I brought bulldozers and pushed the rubble into the sea, and made new islands, new land, I can win new land for Gaza and at the same time clear the rubble,” he said, suggesting the debris could be removed in three years. He said his immediate priority was the provision of urgent relief, including forging temporary housing for displaced Palestinians. His second priority would be rehabilitating “essential and vital infrastructure,” he said, followed by reconstruction of homes and buildings. “Gaza will return and be better than it used to be within seven years,” he said. According to a 2024 UN report, rebuilding Gaza’s shattered homes will take until at least 2040, but could drag on for many decades. Rebuilding Gaza Ali Shaath, born in 1958, is originally from Khan Younis in southern Gaza. He previously served as the deputy minister of planning in the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, where he currently resides. In that role and others, he oversaw the development of several industrial zones in the West Bank and Gaza. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast. Shaath’s upbeat assessment of the timeline for rebuilding Gaza is almost certain to face challenges as mediators struggle to agree terms on disarming Hamas, which refuses to give up its weapons, and deploying peacekeepers in the enclave. It was unclear how Shaath’s committee would proceed with rebuilding and gaining permissions for the import and use of heavy machinery and equipment — generally banned by Israel. Israel, which cites security concerns for restricting the entry of such equipment into Gaza, did not respond to requ­ests for comment on Shaath’s appointment and plans. Shaath said the Palestin­ian committee’s area of jurisdiction would begin with Hamas-controlled territory and gradually increase as Israel’s military withdraws further, as called for in Trump’s plan. “Ultimately, the (committee’s) authority will encompass the entire Gaza Strip 365 square kilometres from the sea to the eastern border,” he said in the radio interview. Support from Hamas, Abbas The formation of Shaath’s committee has won support from Hamas, which is holding talks on Gaza’s future with other Palestinian factions in Cairo. Senior Hamas official Bas­sem Naim said the “ball is now in the court of the mediators, the American guarantor and the international community to empower the committee”. Palestinian President Mah­moud Abbas also voiced support for the committee, which he said would run Gaza through a “transitional phase”. “We reaffirm the importance of linking the institutions of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Gaza, and avoiding the establishment of administrative, legal and security systems that entrench duality and division,” Abbas said. Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2026

• Court hears dispute between Centre, province over anti-drugs legislation• Plea moved by federal govt argues presence of provincial law may ‘add to legal complications’ ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitu­tional Court (FCC) was told on Thursday that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s having its own narcotics law, in addition to the Control of Narcotics Substances Act (CNSA) 1997, would only undermine the federal government’s anti-drug efforts and might add to legal complications. The arguments were advanced by the federal government before a two-judge FCC bench comprising Justices Ali Baqar Najafi and Muhammad Karim Khan Agha. The bench was hearing a petition jointly moved by the federal government and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) seeking to set aside the KP Control of Narcotics Substances Act 2019. The controversy revolves around whether a province can enact a parallel narcotics law in the presence of Section 71 of the CNSA 1997 — a move that the petitioners argue “undermine the federal government’s authority to legislate”. Filed against the backdrop of KP’s parallel legislation, despite the CNSA 1997 already being in effect, the petition asked the FCC to interpret the executive powers of both the federal and provincial governments under the Constitution. The petition argued that the federal government played a vital role in controlling and eliminating the narcotics threat in the country, particularly in the processing and trafficking of heroin and charas. It stated that the federal government had already taken effective measures to combat all aspects of the multifaceted drug problem since long. ‘Not a dispute’ During the hearing, Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, representing the KP government, argued that the matter did not represent a dispute between the federal and provincial governments, as the law was duly enacted by the KP Assembly. In response, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Chaudhry Aamir Rehman questioned how a provincial law could repeal a federal legislation. He added that once a province established its own force or agency to implement such a law, a dispute between the federal and provincial governments was bound to erupt. The FCC adjourned further proceedings until next week. ‘Comprehensive law’ The petition expressed the concern that the provincial law repealed the CNSA 1997 within KP to the extent of cultivation, possession, sale, purchase, delivery, and transportation of narcotics. It termed the KP law a “mala fide” and “colourable” exercise of power, seeking its declaration as illegal. It stated that licensing authority for import, export, internal transport, manufacturing, and transshipment of narcotic drugs fell within the purview of the federal government under the CNSA 1997. The provincial law, the petition contended, would create grave legal and constitutional chaos, including duplication of special courts, overlapping jurisdiction, and conflict of authority with other law enforcement agencies. This, the plea added, could lead to a legal and constitutional crisis. The petition argued that the CNSA 1997 was a comprehensive law applicable across Pakistan to curb the menace of narcotics as airports, dry ports, seaports, and land borders fell under the exclusive control of the federal government, which exercised its jurisdiction through the ANF. It contended that as narcotics trafficking was not only a cross-border offence but one with regional and international implications, only a federal agency could effectively deal with the menace, as the jurisdiction of provincial force extended only within its frontiers. The petition further argued that in the presence of a federal law enacted by parliament within its legislative competence under Articles 90 and 142 and Entries 3, 26, 27, 32, and 58 of the Federal Legislative List, any provincial law would be contradictory and thus void. Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2026