Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated into deadly clashes along their border over the weekend. Taliban claimed that its forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in overnight operations, following what it described as repeated violations of its territory and airspace by Islamabad.

Speaking at a press conference, Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces had captured 25 Pakistani army posts, with “58 soldiers killed” and 30 others wounded, reported the Associated Press.

The exchange of fire dealt a big blow to both sides, significantly more to Pakistan, as per the Taliban. Mujahid said nine Afghan soldiers were killed during the clashes on Saturday, adding that the military action sparked by a blast on Afghan soil was halted at midnight after diplomatic intervention from Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The attack that started it all

Afghan authorities say the latest flare-up came after two strikes earlier in the week, which they attribute to Pakistan. The first blast hit before 10 PM on Thursday in Kabul’s Abdul Haq Square, close to several ministries and the national intelligence agency, while the second occurred in the eastern province of Paktika.

The Afghan statement described the pair of strikes as “unprecedented, violent and heinous,” and warned that the Pakistani army would face consequences if the situation worsened.

However, the Afghan ministry did not supply details about the alleged targets, on what the source of the bombing was or how the strikes were carried out so deep in the territory without being intercepted.

Notably, Pakistan has a history of carrying out cross‑border strikes into Afghanistan to target alleged militant hideouts; Islamabad claims Afghanistan-based militants conduct attacks inside Pakistan and that it must act to protect its people, a charge Afghan officials deny.

The alleged strikes come as the Taliban make their first diplomatic visit to India since returning to power in 2021. Experts say closer ties between India and Afghanistan could be viewed with suspicion in Islamabad, which is concerned about potential destabilising effects on Pakistan’s western borders.

Pakistan’s ‘no compromise’ response to strikes

Pakistan’s government condemned what it called “provocations by Afghanistan” along the border and said it would respond to any threat to its defence.

“There will be no compromise on Pakistan’s defence, and every provocation will be met with a strong and effective response,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, accusing Afghan authorities of letting their territory be used by “terrorist elements.”

A senior Pakistani security official (speaking on condition of anonymity) told AP that Afghan forces opened fire in multiple northwestern border districts in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province – including Chitral, Bajaur, Mohmand, Angoor Adda and Kurram.

He further added that Pakistani troops returned fire with heavy weaponry near Tirah and across the frontier in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

At a news conference, Pakistani army spokesman Ahmad Sharif was asked whether the military had carried out strikes inside Afghanistan to target leaders of the banned Pakistani Taliban group but he did not present a direct answer rather said that “nevessary measures” to safegaurd Pakistani people “will be taken.”

Pak-Afghanistan border crossings closed

Fierce clashes prompted closures at major border crossings. Torkham, one of two principal trade routes between the countries, did not open at its usual time of 8 AM on Sunday, and officials said both Torkham and Chaman crossings were shut after overnight fighting, reported news agency AFP.

The closures disrupt trade and movement for communities on both sides of the border.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share a 2,611-kilometre (1,622‑mile) frontier, commonly referred to as the Durand Line; Afghanistan has never formally recognised it.

Relations have been tense since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering militants who carry out attacks in Pakistan, an assertion Afghan authorities reject.

Intelligence inputs suggest that terrorists are waiting at various launch pads across the border to infiltrate into the Valley

The BSF has heightened its vigil along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir ahead of the winter as there is a possibility of increased infiltration attempts from across the border, a senior officer said on Sunday.

Intelligence inputs suggest that terrorists are waiting at various launch pads across the border to infiltrate into the valley, the Border Security Force (BSF) officer said.

“Generally, it has been seen that there are increased attempts of infiltration before the winters. Keeping that in mind, we have put our jawans and officers on alert and have heightened our vigilance on the border,” Additional Director General of BSF, Satish S Khandare told reporters on the sidelines of Wular 2.0 Marathon in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

“It is difficult to give an exact number, but the reports we have is that our neighbouring country is making some launchpads across the border,” he added.

The BSF officer said the danger of terrorists infiltrating into our country from across always remains, but the BSF and the Army is alert and prepared on the border to deal with the situation and thwart such attempts. “We are fulfilling our responsibilities very well,” he said.

Scores of participants, including youth and women, took part in the three race categories—5 km, 10 km, and 21 km of the marathon.

“This is the second edition of the marathon. The BSF conducted the marathon last year as well. This is a part of our efforts to have good relations with the people living near the LoC and border,” the BSF ADG said.

Must engage with Pak for lasting peace, says ex-RAW chief

Jammu and Kashmir was the focus of discussion on the second day of the Khushwant Singh Litfest here today during various sessions delving into diverse cultural issues. Former RAW chief AS Dulat’s latest book, “The Spy Chronicles”, was deliberated upon at a session. Jyoti Malhotra, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune, and Dulat categorically stated that the nation never had a clear-cut policy or vision to address the challenges that Jammu and Kashmir presented in the past few decades.

Dulat said reposing faith in the Abdullah family after showing the door to Maharaja Hari Singh was always fraught with challenges. “There have been so many turning points down the line but Delhi could never take Jammu and Kashmir into its fold. Peace in Jammu and Kashmir will not be permanent unless we engage with Pakistan,” he added.

At another session, a discussion on journalist Harinder Baweja’s book, “Inking a memoir”, was held. There was an emphatic narrative that Jammu and Kashmir’s “Dil Ki Doori” must not become “Dilli Se Doori”. In conversation with former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Baweja minced no words while saying that the seemingly high number of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir would always be a superficial expression of peace. She added that initiatives like Operation Sindoor would not resolve the problem.

Baweja emphasisied that there was no need to demonise Kashmiris because a big section of the population knows that it was being used by the Pakistan forces to put Jammu and Kashmir on the boil. She termed the Tiranga Yatra across Jammu and Kashmir in recent times as a telling statement that spoke volumes about the national mindset of people.

A session on “Harvesting hope through science and service” delved into MS Swaminathan’s life as viewed by author Priyamvadha Jayakumar, who has penned book, “The Man Who Fed India”. Swaminathan, acclaimed as the father of the green revolution, abandoned his medical career midway to become an agriculture scientist after seeing the devastating Bengal famine that killed millions. “This was like a clarion call to him, prompting him to leave his two-year medical career and take up agriculture. The agriculture warrior acclaimed globally transformed the destiny of India by playing a pivotal role in ending food insecurity,” said the young writer, who laid bare rare insights into his life.

“Though there are several books on Swaminathan, none looks at him from the point of view of an agriculture scientist,” she said while dwelling on what prompted her to pen this book. Asked about the failure of the successive governments to confer Bharat Ratna upon Swaminathan, she said that conferring the highest award was a political decision and the Narendra Modi government did it before the 2024 elections. On being denied the honour for so long, she said, “It didn’t make a difference to Swaminathan, as for whom genuine love of farmers was all that mattered.”

The failure to constitute a national commission for farmers, as professed by Swaminathan, also found expression in her book. Priyamvadha admitted that some ideas remain on paper and it was due to lack of political will that the panel could not take shape.

Noted writer and columnist Shobha reflected on how no one wanted to talk about the intimate side of relationships while recalling her association with Khushwant Singh, whom she had worked with in her career as a journalist. That scenario, however, has changed though she termed today’s young generation as self-absorbed and too much into themselves. She also vouched for the re-release of Rekha’s “Umrao Jan” while averring that the latest flick “Saiyaara” has bought the younger generation back to the power of romantic love and passion. She also termed another flick “Man Marziya” as incredible.

The top court rejects Commandant SK Jain’s appeal against AFT’s order, holding that Tribunal’s decision to substitute the GCM’s view was proportionate and did not warrant any interference

The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) is empowered under the Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007, to substitute the findings of a General Court Martial (GCM) if the findings are excessive, illegal or unjust, the Supreme Court has ruled.

“Thus, under Section 15(6) (a) & (b) of the 2007 Act, the Tribunal (AFT) is empowered to substitute the finding of (General) Court Martial which includes the disciplinary proceedings under the Act and also to interfere with the sentence if the same is found to be excessive, illegal or unjust and to mitigate the punishment awarded,” A Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Alok Aradhe said.

The Bench upheld the AFT’s decision to set aside a GCM’s order to dismiss SK Jain—a Commandant of the Northern Command Vehicle Depot, Udhampur—for corruption, illegal possession of ammunition, and unexplained cash holdings and substitute it with compulsory retirement with pensionary benefits.

A GCM held the appellant Commandant guilty on these charges and sentenced him to dismissal from service in 2009.

The AFT acquitted him of corruption in 2012 on the ground that the evidence of bribery was insufficient. It also set aside his conviction under the Arms Act.

However, invoking its statutory powers, the AFT convicted him under Section 63 of the Army Act, saying his conduct amounted to “an act prejudicial to good order and military discipline’ and reduced his punishment from dismissal to compulsory retirement with pensionary benefits.

The top court rejected Jain’s appeal against the AFT’s order, holding that the AFT’s decision to substitute the GCM’s view was proportionate and did not warrant any interference.

Writing the judgment for the Bench, Justice Aradhe said, “The Tribunal has exercised its discretion under Section 15(6) of the 2007 Act in a manner which is both just and proportionate, balancing the disciplinary needs of service with fairness to the individual. The Tribunal has acted strictly within the statutory framework. The aforesaid exercise of discretion, therefore, does not call for any interference in this appeal. The Tribunal did not commit any error in rejecting the petition for review filed by the appellant.”

Noting that Section 15(6) of the 2007 Act empowered the AFT to substitute the finding of GCM and awarding a sentence afresh, the top court said, “In the instant case, the Tribunal in exercise of its power under Section 15(6) of 2007 Act, on the established fact of recovery of ammunition from the possession of the appellant, has taken a lenient view in favour of the appellant and has modified the punishment from dismissal to compulsory retirement with all pensionary and retiral benefits.”

Commends all ranks for their steadfast commitment, exceptional professionalism, and unwavering dedication

Army’s Northern Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma reviewed the operational preparedness of the troops deployed in Rajouri district, officials said on Sunday. The General Officer Commanding-in-chief, Northern Command, visited the forward areas of the border district on Saturday, the officials said.

Lt Gen Sharma reviewed the operational preparedness in the current security environment, the Army’s Northern Command said in a post on X. During his interaction with the troops, it said the Northern Commander commended all ranks for their steadfast commitment, exceptional professionalism, and unwavering dedication in maintaining a high level of preparedness.

He emphasised the importance of operational readiness, innovative training methods and rapid operational response to address the evolving security challenges for assured mission accomplishment, the Army said.

Meanwhile, in another development, Northern Command is conducting a tri-service Multi Domain Operations exercise with an aim to test preparedness for war fighting in other than conventional domains to include space, electromagnetic, cyber and cognitive.

“During this two-sided exercise, troops will exploit niche technologies and new generation equipment in a networked environment to refine war-fighting strategies alongside sister services and national agencies for future wars. The exercise aims to give impetus to jointness, innovation and atmanirbharta to ensure high levels of operational readiness and decisive edge over adversaries,” the statement read.

Muktsar woman has kept ethos of Sikhism alive abroad | She has joined Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Saskatchewan

Rajbeer Kaur Brar (35), who hails from an agrarian family of Thandewala village near here, has become the first turbaned woman constable to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Saskatchewan, Canada.

An MSc (IT) graduate from Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Chandigarh, Rajbeer moved to Canada after her marriage in 2016.

From working at a Walmart store to briefly serving in the Canadian Reserve Army, her determination finally paid off last year when she was selected for the RCMP. Having completed her training, she is now posted at Milestone, Saskatchewan.

Her husband, Satvir Singh, a mechanical engineer from Machaki Mal Singh village in Faridkot, works as a truck driver in Canada.

“When the RCMP officials handed over her uniform, they told her that she was the first turbaned woman in the force. We later confirmed it by searching online. She has kept the ethos of Sikhism alive abroad,” said her proud brother Beant Singh Khalsa, who is into dairy farming.

In 1991, Baltej Singh Dhillon became the first RCMP officer to wear a turban. Baltej, now a senator in Canada, remains a role model for many turbaned police officers in the Maple country.

General Manoj Naravane, former Chief of the Army Staff, during a session on the concluding day of the Khushwant Singh Literature Festival at Kasauli in Solan district on Sunday. Tribune Photo

Congress leader says Punjab accord failed due to Longowal’s insistence on deadline

Former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar today blamed senior Army officers for messing up Operation Bluestar due to inept planning and poor execution.

During a session on “Reassessing Rajiv Gandhi’s legacy for India’s future” on the concluding day of the Khushwant Singh Literature Festival being held at Kasauli in Solan district, Aiyar shared various insights into the late Prime Minister’s governance.

“We can’t win in Tamil Nadu without the support of Dravidian forces and these forces seek a separate nation,” said Aiyar while dwelling upon the insurgent times that had hit the nation in the 1980s.

He lauded Rajiv Gandhi for signing various historical accords for bringing peace in states witnessing insurgency. However, he rued that the Punjab accord failed due to Longowal’s insistence on a deadline that was fraught with complications. In Kashmir, insurgency began with the failure of the accord with Sheikh Abdullah.

He added, “Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed the party’s interest in national interest which at times angered his senior colleagues. His vision of keeping national interest over the party’s interest helped in holding elections in strife-torn Punjab and other northeastern states”

Aiyar lauded Rajiv Gandhi’s vision for empowering women, besides reaching out to a periphery society comprising SC/ST communities. While reflecting on the current scenario, he said, “Today, the country’s frontiers are burning. The BJP has destroyed Punjab while Kargil and Ladakh are burning.”

He was unsparing in his criticism as he went on to say, “The Supreme court is so supreme that first it condemns violence involving the Babri masjid and then awards the very same property to those who destroyed it.”

Aiyar referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Manipur three years after insurgency and said that instead of engaging with people, the latter delivered a lecture that had nothing relevant. He also vent ire at the Greater Nicobar Development Project for causing environmental despair.

Bollywood actor Amol Palekar, who made his presence felt at the fest last evening, reflected on the silent censorship hitting the art and cinema, which, he opined, had become a new challenge.

The devastating effect of the construction of highways by reckless chipping of hills and how it was causing environmental upheaval in Himachal was also highlighted at a riveting session on “Echoes of heritage-myth and culture in Himachal” by writer Raaja Bhasin.

Various other sessions on “Freedom defiance and first draft of history”, “Navigating AI in the world’s largest democracy”, “Unquiet legacies brave future” and “India’s clean energy journey” saw riveting discussions by a gamut of writers like Barsali Bhattacharyya, Jyotsna Mohan, Chander Mohan, Nandini Murali, cine star Pooja Bedi and Sandeep Bhammer.

Khushwant Singh’s son Rahul Singh extended a vote of thanks to the dignitaries for stimulating sessions, which made the fest a resounding success. The three-day literature fest concluded on a high note on improving relations with Pakistan, as per the vision of Khushwant Singh as reflected in his acclaimed novel, Train to Pakistan.

His comments come after Trump speaks by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Russia that he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Moscow doesn’t settle its war there soon — suggesting that he could be ready to increase the pressure on Vladimir Putin’s government using a key weapons system.

“I might say, ‘Look: if this war is not going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Israel. “The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly, Russia does not need that.”

Trump said, “I might tell them that if the war is not settled — that we may very well.” He added, “We may not, but we may do it. I think it’s appropriate to bring up.”

His comments came after Trump spoke by phone earlier on Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Trump said he mentioned possibly sending Tomahawks during that conversation.

“Do they want to have Tomahawks going in that direction? I don’t think so,” Trump said of Russia. “I think I might speak to Russia about that.” He added, “Tomahawks are a new step of aggression.”

His suggestions followed Russia having attacked Ukraine’s power grid overnight, part of an ongoing campaign to cripple Ukrainian energy infrastructure before winter.

Moscow also expressed “extreme concern” over the US potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Putin himself has previously suggested that the United States supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine will seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington.

For his part, Zelenskyy described his latest call with Trump as “very productive”, and said the pair had discussed strengthening Ukraine’s “air defence, resilience, and long-range capabilities”, along with “details related to the energy sector”.

Trump in recent weeks has taken a notably tougher tact with Putin, after the Russian leader has declined to engage in direct talks with Zelenskyy about easing fighting.

Last month, Trump announced that he now believes Ukraine could win back all the territory lost to Russia — a dramatic shift from the Republican’s repeated calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

But the US president, at least so far, has resisted Zelenskyy’s calls for Tomahawks. The weapon system would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory and put the sort of pressure on Putin that Zelenskyy argues is needed to get the Russians to seriously engage in peace talks.

Trump said aboard Air Force One of the war: “I really think Putin would look great if he got this settled” and that “It’s not going to be good for him” if not.

Israel said on Sunday that it expected all living hostages held in Gaza to be released on Monday in its breakthrough ceasefire deal with Hamas, as Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held in Israel and a surge of aid into the famine-stricken territory.

“In a few hours, we will all be reunited,” Israel’s military chief of staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump planned to visit Israel and Egypt on Monday to celebrate the ceasefire announced last week in the two-year war.

“The war is over,” Trump asserted to reporters as he departed, adding he thought the ceasefire would hold. He said he would be “proud” to visit Gaza.

Living hostages expected first

Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said all 20 living hostages were expected to be released at one time to the Red Cross, then driven to a military base to reunite with families or, if needed, immediately to a hospital.

After the hostages are freed, Israel would release about 2,000 Palestinian detainees and receive the 28 hostages believed to be dead.

An international task force will start working to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the hostages and the missing. Officials have said the search for their bodies, possibly under rubble, could take time.

“The reality is, some of the hostages we may never get back,” US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose name was booed repeatedly Saturday night at a weekly rally for the hostages in Tel Aviv, said in a statement that Monday would be a “path of healing.” Many Israelis have accused him of drawing out the war for political aims, which he has denied.

Timing has not been announced for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. They include 250 people serving life sentences in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge.

A Palestinian official said a Hamas delegation was in Cairo speaking with mediators about the list of prisoners.

The official said Hamas is pressing for the release of Marwan Barghouti, the most popular Palestinian leader and a potentially unifying figure, along with several others serving life sentences. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. There was no immediate comment from Israel, which views Barghouti as a terrorist leader.

Israel has warned Palestinians in the West Bank against celebrating after the releases, according to a prisoner’s family and a Palestinian official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss it. Israel’s military did not immediately respond to questions.

Preparing a surge of aid

The Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza said the amount of aid entering was expected to increase Sunday to around 600 trucks per day, as stipulated in the agreement.

“Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said.

He said the UN has a plan for the next two months to restore basic medical and other services, bring in thousands of tons of food and fuel and remove rubble.

Egypt said it was sending 400 aid trucks into Gaza on Sunday for screening by Israeli troops. AP footage showed dozens of trucks crossing the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing. The Egyptian Red Crescent said the vehicles carried medical supplies, tents, blankets, food and fuel.

The United Nations has said it has about 170,000 metric tons of food, medicine and other aid ready to enter.

The fate of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli- and US-backed contractor that replaced the UN aid operation in May as the primary food supplier in Gaza, remained unclear.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, which has the equivalent of 6,000 trucks of aid waiting in Egypt and Jordan, also had no clarity on its role. A spokesperson for the agency known as UNRWA, Jonathan Fowler, said the organisation has enough food in its warehouses for Gaza’s entire population for three months.

Preparations for Trump’s visit

Trump, who pushed to clinch the ceasefire deal, was expected to arrive on Monday morning in Israel. He will meet with families of the hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, according to a schedule released by the White House.

Trump will continue to Egypt, where the office of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has said he will co-chair a “peace summit” on Monday with regional and international leaders. Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority, will attend, Mahmoud al-Habbash, a judge and adviser to Abbas, said.

The longer-term fate of the ceasefire remains murky. Key questions about the governance of Gaza and the post-war fate of Hamas, including its proposed disarmament, have yet to be resolved.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on X that he had instructed the military to prepare to begin destroying the network of tunnels built by Hamas under Gaza “through the international mechanism that will be established under the leadership and supervision of the U.S.” once the hostages are released.

How that will be achieved with Israeli forces having pulled back within Gaza was not immediately clear.

Gaza residents return to rubble

Palestinians streamed back to areas vacated by Israeli forces. Satellite photos taken Saturday and analysed by the AP showed a line of vehicles travelling north to Gaza City.

Palestinian flags stood out against the dust-covered ruins. Mohamed Samy said he immediately went to check his home in Jabaliya.

“It was flattened, just like everything else in Jabaliya,” Samy said. It was an empty plot of land. “It was like the building never even existed in that place. I questioned my sanity.”

Armed police in Gaza City and southern Gaza patrolled the streets and secured aid trucks in areas where Israel’s military had withdrawn, residents said. The police force is part of the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.

The ministry said in a statement it would allow members of armed gangs not involved in the killing of Palestinians to turn themselves in as early as Monday to “repent and be pardoned.”  First responders searched previously inaccessible areas for bodies under rubble. Health officials said 233 had been brought to hospitals since Friday, when the truce went into effect. Some were only bones.

Yasser el-Bureis, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, said his family had finally retrieved the remains of two cousins.

“For five months, we didn’t manage to recover the bodies,” he said.

2 years of war

The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage.

In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90 per cent of its 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.