Pakistan delivers ‘final message’ to Taliban: Act on security concerns or face regime change

 

Pakistan delivers ‘final message’ to Taliban: Act on security concerns or face regime change

Pakistan has issued a “final message” to the Afghan Taliban leadership: comply with its security demands and pursue reconciliation, or face Islamabad’s support for alternative political forces capable of challenging the regime in Kabul, according to a News18 report.

Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have begun re-establishing contact with key Afghan political and opposition leaders, among them former presidents Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani, National Resistance Front leader Ahmad Massoud, ex–vice president Abdul Rashid Dostum, as well as figures aligned with the Afghanistan Freedom Front and remnants of the former Northern Alliance.

The ultimatum, conveyed through Turkish mediators, follows months of stalled negotiations and growing frustration in Islamabad over the Taliban’s refusal to rein in Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and stop cross-border attacks.

The development comes shortly after Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India, a diplomatic outreach that Pakistani officials reportedly view as a strategic shift away from Islamabad.

With ties deteriorating, Pakistan now sees the Taliban government’s stance as both a security threat and a geopolitical setback. Consequently, officials have begun exploring closer engagement with anti-Taliban political figures and resistance networks, both within Afghanistan and abroad.

What has Pakistan offered to the Taliban? 

Islamabad has signaled it is willing to provide political room, security guarantees, and even office space inside Pakistan for Afghan opposition figures, a move that suggests preparations for a more coordinated anti-Taliban bloc.

According to the report, these assurances are also being extended to exiled Afghan women leaders, civil society activists, and pro-democracy groups who continue to call for an inclusive and representative political system in Afghanistan, whether through a Loya Jirga or future elections.

What are Pakistan's demands? 

Despite three rounds of negotiations, first facilitated by Qatar and later by Turkey, talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have stalled, with no breakthrough in sight. A tentative ceasefire arrangement discussed in the earlier stages has also not progressed following the unsuccessful round in Istanbul.

Throughout the process, Islamabad has kept its core expectations unchanged. Pakistan has sought decisive action against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the transfer of key militant figures wanted for major attacks, clear assurances to prevent further escalation along the Durand Line, and the establishment of a limited buffer zone to curb cross-border militant movement. Additionally, Pakistan has pressed for improved trade ties and broader bilateral cooperation as part of the overall security framework.

Kabul's stance

However, Afghanistan’s Taliban government has pushed back against these demands, particularly the proposals concerning the handover of TTP militants and the creation of a buffer zone near the border. Islamabad sees this resistance as untenable, especially amid a surge in militant strikes on its troops and installations.

Pakistan’s latest outreach to anti-Taliban political forces represents its most significant strategic shift since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Officials say the move is driven by security imperatives and the need to protect regional stability.

Turkey meet, Syrian operative, Pak handlers: NIA maps global terror network behind Delhi blast

 

Turkey meet, Syrian operative, Pak handlers: NIA maps global terror network behind Delhi blast

Investigators probing the November 10 Delhi car blast are uncovering a complex web of international links, radicalisation, and overseas meetings involving the alleged suicide bomber, Dr Umar un Nabi, and several other accused.

According to a report by TOI, Umar, along with Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganai and Dr Muzzafar Rather, had travelled to Turkey in 2022, where they met a Syrian terror operative, which is believed to have taken place on the directions of their Pakistan-based handler, Ukasha.

While agencies are still trying to find what was discussed in that meeting, investigators believe it may have played a key role in shaping the terror plot that later unfolded in Delhi.

Muzammil, who was arrested by NIA Thursday with three other accused, Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather, Dr Shaheen Saeed and Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay, is expected to be interrogated by NIA to take forward the probe into international linkages of the conspiracy.

Turkey visit and missed meeting with Pakistani handler

According to intelligence inputs, the three doctors stayed in Turkey for nearly 20 days. Their original plan was to meet Ukasha, who is believed to operate along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. But the meeting never happened. Instead, Ukasha allegedly told them to meet a Syrian national, who acted as his representative.

According to the investigators, Muzaffar travelled to Afghanistan via the UAE after Turkey and is believed to have joined al-Qaida. Umar also wanted to go to Afghanistan but was instructed by Ukasha to return to India for what he reportedly described as “bigger plans” of the Jaish-e-Mohammed. Umar followed the instruction.

Soon after he came back, he joined Al-Falah University in Faridabad, where he allegedly set up a terror module and began gathering explosives for future attacks.

Telegram instructions and radicalisation material

According to the report, Umar, Muzammil and Adeel were in constant touch with three Pakistan-based handlers, Faisal, Hashim and Ukasha, through Telegram. These handlers allegedly sent them instructions, radical content and even bomb-making videos.

NIA said on Thursday that the three doctors arrested and Shopian cleric Mufti Irfan were part of a wider conspiracy and were preparing for multiple coordinated strikes. Their arrests have given investigators more clarity on the organisational structure, foreign connections and the role of overseas handlers.

Before Thursday’s arrests, the NIA had already detained Amir Rashid Ali, a plumber from Pampore, and Jasir Bilal Wani from Qazigund. Amir helped buy the vehicle used in the Delhi blast and was aware of Umar’s suicide plan.

Investigators say Umar visited Pampore a week before the purchase, arranged money and travelled back to Haryana with Amir. Amir stayed with him for nearly a week, bought the car in his name and returned to Kashmir just days before the explosion.

Meanwhile, Jasir is accused of providing technical support for terror strikes by trying to convert drones into rocket-like weapons. All the accused were initially held by the Jammu & Kashmir Police, whose investigation began with the discovery of Jaish posters in Nowgam.

Japanese man living in Bihar shares a powerful concept he learnt in India

 

Japanese man living in Bihar shares a powerful concept he learnt in India

A Japanese man who has been living in Bihar for a while now has shared a thoughtful post on the spiritual philosophy of Dharma Yoga.

Describing Dharma Yoga as "one of the most powerful concepts" he has learnt in India, Nozomu Hagihara shared a video on Instagram where he spoke about how his time in the country has helped him understand that yoga is not limited to physical postures, but is a way of life grounded in ethics, awareness, and compassion.

"One of the most powerful concepts I've learned from this country is Dharma Yoga. Dharma Yoga is not just about the physical practice on the mat - it's about living yoga off the mat. It emphasises living with integrity and compassion in everyday life, guided by the ethical principles of the Yoga Sutras, especially the Yamas (restraints) and Niyamas (observances)," Hagihara said in his post.

Furthermore, he listed five values that it teaches us to embody: Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (moderation), and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness).

He explained that Dharma Yoga "reminds us that yoga is not about flexibility of the body, but flexibility of the heart - to live with awareness, kindness, and purpose."

The video has drawn appreciation for its cross-cultural message and deep respect for Indian philosophy.

Many viewers praised Hagihara's understanding of Indian spirituality. "You are amazing! So inspirational! Thank you for your love for India," one user commented. Another wrote, "I believe India has a wealth of knowledge that often goes unnoticed."

According to his bio, Nozomu Hagihara works as a social activist in Bihar.

5 Suspects Arrested, Publicly Paraded Day After Bhopal Cafe Vandalism

 

5 Suspects Arrested, Publicly Paraded Day After Bhopal Cafe Vandalism

A day after a group of masked men armed with swords, rods, and sticks barged into a cafe in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, smashing furniture and glass, police arrested five suspects involved in the attack and later took them out in a public procession. 

The attack, which was carried out late in the night and captured on CCTV, showed a large group of masked men armed with swords, rods, and sticks entering the Magic Spot Cafe in Misrod. In less than two minutes, the group vandalised the counter, glass panels, furniture, display units, and machines before fleeing. 

A young man and woman present inside the cafe managed to escape just moments before the attackers entered.

The Misrod police took the arrested suspects in a procession through the main market, starting from the very cafe they vandalised. 

Officers said the public parade was intended to send a clear message that acts of terror and violence will not be tolerated in the capital.

CCTV footage showed the men walking in a coordinated formation, carrying out the attack, and exiting without attempting to steal anything.  

The police said that the preliminary investigation rules out robbery as a motive. "The attackers did not attempt to take anything. They came with the sole intention of vandalising the cafe. The entire act lasted less than two minutes," DCP Zone-2 Vivek Singh told NDTV. Police believe the attack was linked to a personal rivalry between two groups of students of a private college. 

The trigger was an earlier clash on November 16 in Katara Hills, where a youth named Yogi was allegedly beaten by Abhishek Rajput and his friends. Abhishek is reportedly a friend of one of the cafe partners. This earlier dispute, for which an FIR had already been registered, appears to have escalated into Tuesday night's retaliation.

Cafe owner Saksham Giri had lodged a First Information Report (FIR) naming five individuals, including Yogi, Nikhil and Abhishek, along with several unidentified persons. Police have arrested two of the individuals named in the complaint and detained three more for questioning.

The cafe owner said he shared the CCTV footage widely across multiple groups, which helped in identifying several of the attackers. "I do not personally know any of the assailants, nor do I have any enmity with anyone," Saksham told NDTV. 

"The attack caused a loss of nearly two and a half to three lakh rupees to my cafe," he added. 

Given the seriousness of the crime, joint teams from Misrod, Baghsewania and Katara Hills police stations worked on the investigation. They scanned the CCTV footage from nearby areas, mapping possible escape routes and examining past altercations among the individuals involved.

Sources confirmed that police are also questioning the three partners of Magic Spot Cafe, as one of them is known to be associated with a person involved in the earlier clash. Officers say all possible angles – rivalry, retaliation, and any internal dispute – are being verified.

The case has been registered at Misrod police station, and several teams are working to trace the remaining suspects.