Author: MM Report

MM Report DHAKA: A Bangladesh commission investigating disappearances during the rule of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina said on Monday that at least 287 people were presumed killed. The commission said some corpses were believed to have been dumped in rivers, including the Buriganga in the capital, Dhaka, or buried in mass graves. Formed after Hasina was toppled by a mass uprising in August 2024, the government-appointed panel said it had examined 1,569 abduction cases, with 287 victims presumed dead. “We have identified a number of unmarked graves in several places where the bodies were presumably buried,” Nur Khan Liton,…

MM Report SYDNEY: Usman Khawaja was set to retire from all international cricket after the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 4 January, bringing the curtain down on a 15-year career that reshaped the image of Australian cricket as much as it delivered runs at the highest level. At 39, the left-handed opener prepared to step away as Australia’s first Muslim and Pakistan-born Test player, having amassed 6,206 runs and 16 centuries in the longest format of the game. Khawaja’s career was often defined by resilience as much as elegance at the crease. Born in Islamabad and…

MM Report KARACHI: A video circulated widely on Telegram on Thursday intensified already fragile regional tensions after a local commander from Afghanistan’s Wardak province claimed responsibility for shooting down an Indian drone inside Afghan territory. The commander, identified as Khalilullah, appeared in the video delivering a defiant message that was directed not only at India but also at Afghanistan’s own rulers, underscoring a widening circle of dissent in the country’s volatile security environment. Speaking directly to the camera, Khalilullah said Afghans would not tolerate what he described as foreign interference or covert activities carried out on their soil. Meanwhile, some…

MM Report SA’ANA: A senior Yemeni military official claimed that the United Arab Emirates had made covert contact with the Houthi leadership, urging it to carry out missile strikes on the Saudi city of Neom, a flagship project promoted by Riyadh as the centerpiece of its economic future. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official described the alleged approach as a “sensational and dangerous proposal”, saying the Emirati side had offered a package of political recognition, substantial financial support and military cooperation in return for attacks on Saudi territory. According to the claim, the offer included formal acceptance of the…

MM Report DHAKA: Bangladesh’s former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. She passed away while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. A two-time prime minister and one of the most influential figures in Bangladesh’s political history, Khaleda Zia had been hospitalized for more than a month with multiple health complications. Her death marks the end of a defining chapter in the country’s politics, coming just months before crucial national elections scheduled for February 2026. Her passing also comes at a politically significant moment. Her son, Tarique…

MM Report DHAKA: Dhaka witnessed a significant gathering of minority community leaders this week, as the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) convened a roundtable discussion to address the political representation of religious minorities in the country. The meeting, chaired by the council’s general secretary, Monindra Kumar Nath, brought together activists, community representatives, and policymakers who voiced their concerns over the ongoing marginalization of minority communities in national politics. During the discussion, participants underlined the urgent need for structural reforms to ensure that minorities are given a meaningful role in the country’s political process. At the heart of their…

India’s foreign policy, critics argue, has fallen short of expectations, with lofty promises undermined by limited economic, military, and diplomatic influence MM Report NEW DEHLI: The year 2025 has proved to be the most challenging period of the century for India, marked by foreign policy failures, strategic miscalculations and diminishing diplomatic influence, according to an assessment published by the Indian newspaper The Hindu. In a year-end analysis, the newspaper said India’s foreign policy fell short of expectations, with promises unfulfilled and ambitions constrained by a lack of real economic, military and diplomatic leverage. It argued that symbolic diplomacy, personal relationships…

Pakistan and Libya sealed a strategic defence agreement, including the sale of 16 JF‑17 fighter jets and 12 Super Mushak trainers, signaling a deepening military partnership (Catchline) MM Report BENGHAZI: Pakistan finalized a major arms agreement with the Libyan National Army (LNA), valued at more than $4 billion and potentially up to $4.6 billion, during a high‑level discussions between Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and LNA deputy commander‑in‑chief Saddam Khalifa Haftar The negotiations, which Pakistani sources said were sensitive and tightly held, brought to an informal dialogue between the two militaries. A preliminary copy of the agreement, reviewed…

Army Chief Asim Munir is reportedly preparing a high-stakes US visit to negotiate a resolution through dialogue, though Pakistan’s position is non-negotiable MM Report ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership jointly resolved not to send troops to Palestine, reaffirming a position that officials described as firm and unyielding amid mounting international pressure. Highly placed sources told Metro Morning that Islamabad had faced what they characterized as an Israeli-backed attempt to implicate the country in the ongoing conflict, but that the government had rejected any suggestion of involvement. According to these sources, Pakistan had communicated its stance clearly to Washington and…

MM Report ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided at both the civilian and military levels that it will not send troops to Palestine, senior government sources have said, dismissing what they described as an Israeli-backed attempt to implicate Islamabad in the conflict. Highly placed sources told Metro Morning that Pakistan has clearly conveyed its position to the United States and its allies, stating that it will remain disengaged until a genuine peace process is in place. According to the sources, Pakistan has made it explicit to friendly countries that its armed forces cannot, under any circumstances, be part of an operation against…