Four nuclear-armed nations—China, Russia, India, and Pakistan—have joined forces alongside six other influential states to challenge Washington's dominance and unilateral hegemony in global geopolitics.

At least 14 people were killed and another 18 injured in a suicide bombing outside a police station in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attack took place on Sunday (August 2) in the Kabal area of Swat District. According to Regional Police Officer Fida Hussain, the casualties include five police officers, eight civilians, and the suspected suicide bomber. At the time of the blast, a gathering of local residents in support of the police was underway in the area. However, it could not be immediately confirmed whether the gathering was the primary target of the attack. Police stated that operations have been launched to identify and arrest accomplices involved in the bombing. Meanwhile, the banned militant group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack. Following the incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed profound grief, offered condolences to the families of the victims, and directed authorities to bring those responsible to justice swiftly. Militant attacks have surged in Pakistan’s border regions in recent months, with security forces and police personnel frequently targeted. While the Pakistani government has blamed the Afghan Taliban for the security situation, Kabul has consistently denied the allegations.(Source: Reuters)

Renowned British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, popularly known as "Nimsdai," and nine other climbers have all been killed in an avalanche on Broad Peak, one of the world's highest mountains located in northern Pakistan. Despite adverse weather conditions, rescue teams are making maximum efforts to recover the bodies, according to the latest reports. On Saturday (August 1), Purja’s expedition company, Elite Exped, confirmed the tragic news. In a statement, Elite Exped stated that the mountaineering world has lost one of its finest climbers while expressing deep condolences to the families of all the victims. "Words cannot alleviate the pain of this unimaginable loss," the statement read. The 10-member climbing team went missing in an avalanche while ascending Broad Peak in Pakistan last Thursday. Recovery helicopters were initially grounded due to adverse weather conditions. On Friday, rescuers located the bodies of four members and successfully retrieved three of them. On Saturday, search operations for the remaining members resumed with the assistance of military helicopters. Irfan Arshad Khan, President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said, "The deaths of these brave climbers, drawn from different countries by the call of the mountains, are an irreparable loss to the global mountaineering community." He paid tribute to the Pakistani military, civilian rescue personnel, and Sherpas participating in the operation. "While the beauty of the mountains inspires us, such tragedies remind us of the immense risks involved in expeditions across the rugged peaks of the Himalayas and Karakoram," he added. Local police official Tahir Khan stated that the body of Omani mountaineer Nathira Al Harthy is being sent to Islamabad. Meanwhile, the bodies of American climber Mallory Gayet and Nepal's Bahadur Gurung have been placed at a hospital in Skardu, the main city of Pakistan's northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. In a statement, Gayet's family said, "Mallory was a vibrant person deeply loved by her family and friends. We will miss her terribly." Legacy of Nirmal PurjaThe expedition was led by Nirmal Purja, a Nepal-born former British soldier widely known as "Nimsdai." In 2019, he set a world record by conquering all 14 of the world's highest peaks in just 189 days. His extraordinary feat was chronicled in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. Honoring his memory, Purja’s organization noted that he was a man who inspired millions through his courage and humility, remaining steadfast in his belief that human potential far exceeds our imagination. Meanwhile, Mallory Gayet was attempting to summit her first 8,000-meter peak in Pakistan. According to the Moving Mountains website, the expedition was also set to be the final mountain journey for Sakhi, a guide, geographer, and high-altitude photographer who had successfully climbed several major global peaks. Experts note that climbing expeditions in northern Pakistan frequently encounter such tragedies due to avalanches, ice and rock falls, extreme altitudes, and rapidly changing weather patterns. Broad Peak, situated in northern Pakistan near the Pakistan-China border, is one of the world's 14 "eight-thousanders" (peaks exceeding 8,000 meters in height).

Pakistan condemned attacks on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi militia last week as the conflict in the Middle East threatens to expand. In a statement, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry warned that any Houthi threat to Pakistani maritime interests in the Red Sea could be met with the "lawful use of force." Pakistan enjoys a trade and security relationship with Saudi Arabia, and Pakistani-flagged vessels frequent Saudi ports in the Red Sea. Last September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense agreement that contains a "collective security" clause, meaning attack on one country is considered an attack on both. After the Houthis launched missiles at southern Saudi Arabia last week, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry expressed its "unwavering commitment" to the security pact. At the same time, Pakistan also has ties with Iran, and has been a key mediator between Tehran and Washington to end the Iran war. Any military act against the Iran-backed Houthis could place Islamabad in one of the most complicated foreign policy situations it has faced in years. Pakistan's tightrope between Saudis and IranHistorically, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have shared close military and strategic relations. Pakistani military generals and advisers have aided the kingdom for decades. Farea Al-Muslimi, a Yemen expert at London-based think tank Chatham House, told DW that Pakistani troops are already in Yemen in support of the Saudis, "carrying out security and training-related duties alongside Saudi forces." A Pakistani official DW spoke to categorically denied this claim. Nevertheless, if Houthi attacks on oil tankers and commercial shipping escalate in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia could turn to Pakistan for help. "Pakistan is one of Riyadh's closest defense partners, and their mutual defense pact makes such a request plausible. Having also come under Iranian attack, Saudi Arabia may increasingly look to Islamabad for military assistance if it feels under growing security pressure," Michael Kugelman, senior fellow at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, told DW. However, Pakistan's improving ties with Iran and its mediation to end the US-Iran conflict could complicate any Pakistani military role on Saudi Arabia's behalf.  Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embrace after signing a defense agreement in September 2025 "Pakistan and Iran have a complicated relationship based on the calculation of tactical gains by either side. In any case, Pakistan has warned Iran several times that in case of conflict it will support Saudi Arabia," Ayesha Siddiqa, a Pakistani military analyst and senior fellow at King's College London, told DW. After a period of unprecedented tensions in 2024, when Iran and Pakistan exchanged cross-border missile strikes, the neighbors have since rebuilt diplomatic relations and strengthened cooperation against militant groups operating along their shared border. "Limited military support for Saudi Arabia would not necessarily rupture Pakistan's ties with Iran. But at a time when Islamabad is trying to present itself as a neutral mediator, expanding arms support to Riyadh could deepen Tehran's suspicions and undermine Pakistan's diplomatic role," Kugelman said. How much support can Pakistan give?If Saudi Arabia seeks assistance, analysts say Pakistan's contribution would most likely focus on protecting Saudi interests rather than joining offensive operations. "The preference would be for defensive engagement, as expanding operations in the Red Sea may prove too risky," said Siddiqa. Such an approach could include intelligence sharing, air-defense cooperation, maritime surveillance and protecting critical Saudi infrastructure, allowing Pakistan to support Riyadh without joining offensive operations. "Despite its deep military ties and mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan is unlikely to provide arms or troops. Islamabad is focused on preventing regional escalation and preserving its role as a mediator in the Iran conflict, making any military support for Riyadh politically risky and potentially damaging to its ties with Tehran," said Kugelman. Will Saudi Arabia escalate?Saudi Arabia has exercised considerable restraint since winding down its large-scale military campaign in Yemen. However, repeated attacks on oil infrastructure and commercial shipping may eventually force Riyadh to respond more aggressively. "Continued Houthi attacks on Saudi vessels could prompt Riyadh to abandon its restraint and launch a military response," said Al-Muslimi. King's College analyst Siddiqa said it is not clear that Saudi Arabia currently has the capacity to fight a prolonged sub-conventional war against the Houthis. "While it may intensify air strikes, more bombardment alone is unlikely to achieve the objective of making the kingdom more secure," she said.  The analysts agreed Islamabad will likely back maritime security and freedom of navigation while avoiding direct strikes on Houthi targets amid the looming US-Iran conflict. But if the Red Sea conflict escalates, staying neutral may become increasingly difficult as pressure from Riyadh and Tehran grows. "The trajectory of the conflict with Iran will shape Saudi Arabia's tolerance for Houthi attacks," said Kugelman. "If the current pause between the US and Iran holds, Riyadh is likely to wait out the attacks rather than escalate. But Saudi Arabia will continue to view Pakistan as a key security partner because Houthi attacks are unlikely to stop, even if the Iran conflict ends," he added.

A prevailing stereotype among Indian youth was that they were merely engrossed in social media or lacked a sustained attention span. However, the unprecedented protests organized by Gen-Z youth under the banner of the "Cockroach Janata Party" (CJP) against the NEET question paper leak allegations have completely shattered that perception. Faced with continuous demonstrations and protests by Gen-Z activists, the country's Education Minister, Dharmendra Prasad, was ultimately forced to resign. This historic struggle by the youth is no longer confined within India's borders; its waves and acclaim have rippled across neighboring countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan. The most striking and candid reactions, however, have come from arch-rival Pakistan. On social media, Pakistani youth have lauded the extraordinary unity of Indian students while laying bare the dismal picture of their own political culture, according to a report by India Today. A key feature of this Indian movement was its digital campaign strategy. Discarding conventional political manifestos, youth were organized on the streets through social media memes, Instagram reels, and short videos. They played a vocal role by directly documenting and broadcasting videos of law enforcement crackdowns on the protesters. Mockingly dismissing allegations of Pakistani funding behind the movement, Pakistani content creator Bilal Hasan remarked, People are saying Pakistan funded this movement! We don't even have the money to run our own country; how are we going to give them money? Critiquing his own country's political reality and the ethical stance of its public, he lamented with a sigh: "Police are baton-charging students in India, but in our country, people are simply abducted. If someone is Baloch, no one even knows whether they are alive or dead. Here, people sell themselves out for just a plate of biryani." A section of Pakistani youth noted that deep-seated divisions along Punjabi, Pashtun, Sunni, and Shia lines make it difficult in their country to forge the kind of cohesive unity seen among Indian youth. Furthermore, many opined that the severe suppression of freedom of speech in Pakistan, coupled with the historical impact of the ban on student unions during General Zia-ul-Haq's regime, continues to alienate the younger generation from politics. Crossing all barriers and borders to express solidarity with India's Gen-Z protesters, Bilal Hasan highlighted the deep spiritual bond between the two nations, saying, "At the end of the day, we understand each other deeply. After all, we are children of the same partition." Meanwhile, youth communities in Sri Lanka and Nepal have openly praised the bravery of India's Gen-Z on social media. Popular Sri Lankan cartoonist Avantha Artigala illustrated in a cartoon how the Indian government is struggling to handle protesters labeled as "cockroaches."  Avinash Mishra, a content creator from Kathmandu, Nepal, remarked that India's struggle is reminiscent of the youth-led movements in Nepal in 2025.