AFP Asia

Bangladeshi traders on Sunday assessed heavy losses after a devastating fire tore through the cargo complex of the country’s main international airport, as the government opened an investigation into possible arson.Firefighters had brought the blaze under control and flight operations resumed late Saturday, airport executive director S. M. Ragib Samad told AFP, after thick black smoke swept across the runway, forcing authorities to briefly suspend flights.But Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s cargo complex — which stores fabrics, garment accessories, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and other imports — was left in ruins.The National Board of Revenue (NBR) said it had begun assessing the damage, with business groups warning that direct losses and subsequent impacts on trade could run into the millions of dollars.Bangladesh is the world’s second-biggest garment manufacturer, and textile and garment production accounts for about 80 percent of exports.”We have started our assessment,” NBR official Moshiur Rahman told AFP.The fire was intense, with 37 firefighting units and security forces battling the flames for hours.- ‘Resolute response’ -Smoke was still rising from the charred remains on Sunday. “The fire spread to every corner — I don’t know if any consignment could escape,” said one exhausted firefighter, whose uniform was greyed and hands blackened.”We were supposed to deliver the consignments to our clients today. All burnt to ashes, I guess,” said importer Anand Kumar Ghosh, who said he had lost 52 consignments.Moinul Ahsan, a senior official at the Directorate of Health, said four people had been taken to hospital with minor injuries.The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.But the government said it was aware of growing public concern following a string of major fires in recent days — including in Chittagong’s export processing zone and a chemical and garment factory in Dhaka, where 16 people were killed.The government said the security services were investigating all incidents “thoroughly”, and warned that “any credible evidence of sabotage or arson will be met with a swift and resolute response.””No act of criminality or provocation will be allowed to disrupt public life or the political process,” it said, urging calm.The South Asian nation of 170 million people has been in political turmoil since Sheikh Hasina was ousted as prime minister by a student-led revolt in August 2024, and is gearing up for hotly contested elections slated for February 2026.”If these fires prove to be acts of sabotage, and their aim is to sow panic and division, they’ll succeed only if we allow fear to overtake our reason and our resolve,” the statement added.”Bangladesh has faced many challenges before, and together we will face any threats to our new democracy with unity, calm and determination. We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

As fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated into rare, bloody combat this month, Islamabad pointed fingers at another adversary, accusing India of fuelling the conflict.Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that New Delhi had “incited” the Afghan Taliban, while his Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, described Kabul as acting like a “proxy of India”.Existential archrivals, Pakistan and India have fought repeated wars since partition cleaved the subcontinent at the end of British rule in 1947.They have also long swapped claims of stoking militancy in each other’s territory as part of alleged destabilisation campaigns.But in recent months, Islamabad has warily watched India cosy up to Taliban-governed Afghanistan, even as its own relations with Kabul sharply deteriorated.The diplomatic reconciliation culminated in the Taliban foreign minister’s arrival in New Delhion October 9 the first visit by a top Taliban leader since the hardliners returned to power in 2021.As India rolled out the red carpet for UN-sanctioned minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, explosions rocked Kabul as well as a market near the Pakistan border.Wahid Faqiri, an Afghan expert in international relations, said rapprochement between India and the Taliban had compelled Pakistan to react.By inviting the Taliban foreign minister for a week of talks, New Delhi aimed to “aggravate the ongoing tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan”, he said.While the October 9 explosions officially went unclaimed, the Taliban government accused Islamabad of an “unprecedented” incursion, and retaliated with its own offensive.The exchanges set in motion more than a week of deadly artillery barrages and drone strikes — the worst violence between the South Asian neighbours in years.After an initial truce collapsed, a second ceasefire was inked on October 19.- ‘Blaming its neighbours’ -One-time allies Afghanistan and Pakistan have had frosty relations since the withdrawal of US-led troops and return of the Taliban government.Initially, Islamabad struck an optimistic tone, with then-intelligence chief Lieutenant-General Faiz Hameed giving public assurances that “everything will be fine”.But Islamabad has since continuously accused the Taliban authorities of providing a safe haven to militant groups as deadly terror attacks in Pakistan surge.The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and its affiliates are behind much of the violence — largely directed at security forces.In October alone, over 100 security personnel and police officers were killed in attacks carried out by assailants from Afghanistan, a Pakistani security source told AFP.For two years now, the rising violence in Pakistan has also helped fuel a mass deportation campaign, with millions of Afghan migrants and asylum seekers blamed for driving up crime and pushed back across the border.Former Pakistani diplomat Maleeha Lodhi said the Taliban foreign minister’s trip to New Delhi may have been an “irritant, but wasn’t the motivation for the Pakistani reprisals”.”The principal driver for Pakistan’s ire and frustration with the Taliban authorities is their refusal to rein in TTP,” she said.Pakistan’s military has also accused New Delhi of supporting the TTP.India’s foreign ministry denies the charge, and instead accuses Pakistan of trying to evade responsibility for its domestic turmoil and security problems.”It is an old practice of Pakistan to blame its neighbours for its own internal failures,” it said.- ‘Solidarity’ – The bonhomie between New Delhi and Kabul was initially “difficult to justify” in India due to the dominant public perception of Islam as contrary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popular Hindu nationalism, said Praveen Donthi, an analyst at International Crisis Group (ICG).The absence of women journalists at an initial press conference during Muttaqi’s visit also sparked strong criticism, but public opinion shifted, Donthi said, when the Taliban minister expressed “solidarity” with India over an April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.That attack in the flashpoint Kashmir region precipitated a four-day war between the nuclear-armed foes, with New Delhi accusing Islamabad of backing the terrorists.The Afghan minister’s solidarity may have bought him some fans in India, but it aggravated Islamabad, with the joint statement describing the disputed region as “Jammu and Kashmir, India” — suggesting Indian sovereignty.At the end of the Afghanistan-India exchange, New Delhi announced it would upgrade its diplomatic mission in Kabul to a fully fledged embassy.That represented another stepping stone towards the Taliban government’s ultimate goal of formal international recognition, a move only Moscow has made and that analysts say remains far off for India.For now, the rekindling is a significant win for the Taliban authorities, and a pointed shift in the complex India-Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. 

India’s longest-running film celebrates 30 years in the same cinema on Monday, a Bollywood romance so beloved that fans know it simply by its acronym “DDLJ”.First released on October 20, 1995, “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, or “The Brave Hearted Will Take the Bride” has been running daily at Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir theatre since its debut.”I have seen it about 30 times… and I will continue watching it,” said Mohammad Shakir, 60, smiling as he bought another 40 rupee ($0.45) ticket.The film, which catapulted Shah Rukh Khan to superstardom and redefined modern Hindi romance, still weaves its magic.Every day at 11:30 am, audiences gather for a nostalgic escape and to relive the story of young love defying tradition.”The weekday crowd typically consists of college students and young couples,” said cinema head Manoj Desai.”On Sundays, you will find around 500 people, even after 30 years.”It has been running for more than 1,500 weeks, far outstripping the five-year run of action-thriller “Sholay”, or “Embers”, at another Mumbai theatre.- ‘Goosebumps’ -The film explores the clash between liberal values of second-generation Indians abroad and the conservative values of their parents.Its climax — when the heroine runs alongside a moving train into her lover’s arms — still draws whistles, cheers and applause.”This is the goosebump moment,” Desai said. “The father letting his daughter go, saying she won’t find a better partner to spend her life with.”Some fans have made “DDLJ” part of their lives — one woman has been coming for 20 years.”We don’t charge anything from her — we pay for the ticket,” Desai said. “Where will you get a patron like this?”Even younger audiences remain captivated. “In our generation today, we often see transactional relationships,” said 23-year-old Omkar Saraf, who hadn’t been born when the film was released.”But in this film, the hero crosses all boundaries to win his love with no expectations,” he said.”We have watched it on television, on our mobiles, but the big screen gives us goosebumps.””DDLJ” has even shaped real love stories for some.One couple watched it while dating and invited Desai to their wedding.”They went abroad for their honeymoon — and came back to watch the movie,” Desai said.- ‘Cultural monument’ -The film’s screening was almost discontinued in 2015, but an uproar meant the fan favourite remained in its daily time slot at the Maratha Mandir, according to the Hindustan Times. The theatre itself has also changed little, its vintage charm intact with counters serving steaming cups of tea and deep-fried samosa snacks.Its location near Bombay Central Station adds to its story, as travellers often catch a show before heading to their destinations.Those include visitors from abroad.”The film is like Romeo and Juliet, with a happy ending,” said Kelly Fernandez, a tourist from Spain who had wanted to see a Bollywood movie.”Even though we didn’t understand the language, we enjoyed the music, dance and costumes.”Film critic Baradwaj Rangan sees the film’s endurance as a love letter to an India grappling with old and new values.”It represents a certain point in Indian culture, and that is why it is still loved,” Rangan told AFP, saying it “perfectly captured” the friction between two generations.”The film has become a kind of cultural monument,” Rangan said. “I think it is going to be playing forever.”

Pakistani and Afghan officials began talks in Qatar on Saturday to defuse tensions, a senior Taliban official said, after at least 10 people were killed in Pakistani airstrikes following a brief truce.Kabul had accused Islamabad of violating a 48-hour ceasefire, which briefly put a stop to nearly a week of cross-border clashes that killed dozens of troops and civilians on both sides.Security sources in Islamabad said the latest strikes in the Afghan border areas targeted a militant group linked to the Pakistani Taliban, in retaliation for an attack on Pakistani paramilitary troops.Afghanistan’s Prime Minister Hassan Akhund said “the discussions are indeed underway,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on X, in a readout of Akhund’s talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.Both Akhund and Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have spoken with Anwar, who appears to be acting as a mediator in the crisis and “emphasised the need to resolve the issue through diplomatic means”, according to the Taliban readout.Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the talks in Doha aimed to “end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border”.Islamabad’s delegation includes Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and intelligence chief General Asim Malik, state TV reported.The Afghan delegation was being headed by defence chief Mohammad Yaqoob, the Taliban defence ministry said on X. Qatar has not commented on its role as host, though Pakistan’s foreign ministry thanked Doha for its “mediation efforts”.- ‘Still afraid’ -Security issues are at the heart of the tensions, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of sheltering militant groups led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — a claim Kabul denies.The cross-border violence flared on October 11, days after explosions rocked Kabul during an unprecedented visit by the Taliban’s foreign minister Amir Muttaqi to India, Pakistan’s rival.The Taliban then launched a deadly offensive along parts of its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong response.Ahead of the talks, a senior Taliban official told AFP that Pakistan had bombed three locations in Paktika province late Friday, and warned that Kabul would retaliate.A hospital official in Paktika told AFP that 10 civilians, including two children, were killed and 12 others wounded. Three cricket players were among the dead.Zabihullah, the Taliban spokesman, wrote on X that their forces had been ordered to hold fire “to maintain the dignity and integrity of its negotiating team”.Saadullah Torjan, a minister in Spin Boldak in Afghanistan’s south, said: “For now, the situation is returning to normal.””But there is still a state of war and people are afraid.”Iran, a neighbour to both countries, offered to help defuse tensions. In a call between the Iranian and Afghan foreign ministers, Tehran warned that the tensions “threaten to undermine the stability of the entire region”, according to state news agency IRNA.

Pakistani and Afghan officials were due to meet in Qatar Saturday to seek a path back to calm, a day after Islamabad launched air strikes that killed at least 10 Afghanis following a brief truce.Kabul accused Islamabad of violating the 48-hour ceasefire, which had paused nearly a week of cross-border clashes that killed dozens of troops and civilians on both sides.The latest strikes targeted what Pakistan security sources said was a militant group linked to the Pakistani Taliban in the Afghan border areas. It followed an attack that killed seven Pakistani paramilitary troops in North Waziristan, a district in Pakistan’s northwest, on Friday.Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the talks in Doha aimed to “end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border”.Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and intelligence chief General Asim Malik were part of the delegation, state TV reported.The Afghan delegation would be led by defence chief Mohammad Yaqoob, who had reached the Qatari capital, the Taliban defence ministry said on X. Qatar has not commented on its role as host, though Pakistan’s foreign ministry thanked Doha for its “mediation efforts”.Ahead of the talks, a senior Taliban official told AFP that Pakistan had bombed three locations in Paktika province late Friday, and warned that “Afghanistan will retaliate”. But Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on X that their forces had been ordered to hold fire “to maintain the dignity and integrity of its negotiating team”.A hospital official in Paktika told AFP that 10 civilians, including two children, were killed and 12 others wounded, in the Pakistani strikes Friday.Three cricket players in a domestic tournament were among the dead, the Afghanistan Cricket Board said.  “There is an atmosphere of fear and panic today,” said Anwar Bidar, a freelancer from Urgun. “I hope for a temporary ceasefire in the coming days, but experience has shown us that Pakistan regularly attacks border regions and will continue to do so.”- ‘Still afraid’ -Security issues are at the heart of the tensions, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of sheltering militant groups led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — a claim Kabul denies.”Equally disconcerting is the use of Afghan soil for terrorism in Pakistan,” Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir said at a military parade on Saturday.Munir added that “proxies have sanctuaries in Afghanistan” and were “using Afghan soil to perpetrate heinous attacks inside Pakistan”. Defence minister Asif went further, accusing Kabul of acting as “a proxy of India” and “plotting” against Pakistan.In response, Afghan deputy interior minister Mullah Mohammad Nabi Omari said: “We neither brought the TTP here, nor supported them, nor did they come during our time.”The cross-border violence flared on October 11, days after explosions rocked Kabul during an unprecedented visit by the Taliban’s foreign minister Amir Muttaqi to India, Pakistan’s rival.The Taliban then launched a deadly offensive along parts of its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong response.Saadullah Torjan, a minister in Spin Boldak in Afghanistan’s south, said: “For now, the situation is returning to normal.””But there is still a state of war and people are afraid.”Iran, a neighbour to both countries, offered to help defuse tensions. In a call between the Iranian and Afghan foreign ministers, Tehran warned that the tensions “threaten to undermine the stability of the entire region”, according to state news agency IRNA.

A large fire swept through the cargo terminal of Bangladesh’s main international airport in Dhaka on Saturday, forcing authorities to suspend all flights, officials said.The main airport terminal was not affected, but thick black clouds of smoke swept across the runway.Fire Service spokesperson Talha bin Zasim said 37 firefighting units were battling the blaze, which broke out in the afternoon and later drew in reinforcements from the security forces.Airport authorities did not immediately answer telephone calls but The Daily Star newspaper, quoting airport officials, said that flights had been diverted to other airports.With firefighters tackling the blaze, the airport was expected to resume operations within hours.Moinul Ahsan, a senior official at the Directorate of Health, said at least four people had been taken to hospital with minor injuries.The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.

Pakistan and Afghan officials were due to meet in Qatar on Saturday, a day after Islamabad launched air strikes that killed at least 10 people in Afghanistan and broke a ceasefire that had brought two days of calm to the border.The strikes targeted what Pakistan security sources said was a militant group linked to the Pakistani Taliban in the Afghan border areas, following an attack that killed Pakistani paramilitary troops in North Waziristan, a district in Pakistan’s northwest.Kabul accused Islamabad late on Friday of violating the truce, which had briefly paused nearly a week of cross-border clashes that killed dozens of troops and civilians on both sides.”The talks will focus on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif and intelligence chief General Asim Malik were part of the Doha delegation, state TV reported.The Afghan Taliban’s defence ministry confirmed on social media platform X that a delegation led by defence minister Mohammad Yaqoob had reached the Qatari capital.A senior Taliban official told AFP that “Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika”, a province in Afghanistan’s east, warning that “Afghanistan will retaliate”.However, Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Saturday that, while Kabul held the “right to respond to these violations”, its forces had been ordered to refrain from undertaking new military operations “in order to maintain the dignity and integrity of its negotiating team”.A provincial hospital official told AFP on condition of anonymity that 10 civilians, including two children, were killed and 12 others wounded in the latest strikes.The Afghanistan Cricket Board told AFP three players participating in a domestic tournament in the region were among the dead, revising down an earlier toll of eight. It also announced its withdrawal from next month’s Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan.A senior Pakistani security official told AFP that its forces had carried out “precision aerial strikes” targeting the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, a faction linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad blames for Friday’s North Waziristan attack.- ‘Still afraid’ -Security issues are at the heart of the tensions, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of sheltering militant groups led by the TTP — a claim Kabul denies.”Equally disconcerting is the use of Afghan soil for terrorism in Pakistan,” Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir said at a military parade on Saturday.Munir said that “proxies have sanctuaries in Afghanistan” and were “using Afghan soil to perpetrate heinous attacks inside Pakistan”. Defence minister Asif went further, accusing Kabul of acting as “a proxy of India” and “plotting” against Pakistan.In response, Afghan deputy interior minister Mullah Mohammad Nabi Omari said: “We neither brought the TTP here, nor supported them, nor did they come during our time.”The cross-border violence flared on October 11, days after explosions rocked Kabul during an unprecedented visit by the Taliban’s foreign minister to India, Pakistan’s regional rival. The Taliban then launched a deadly offensive along parts of its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong response.Islamabad said the truce was to last 48 hours after it began on Wednesday, but Kabul said the ceasefire would remain in effect until Pakistan violated it.Mujahid, the Taliban government spokesman, said its forces had been ordered not to attack unless Pakistan violated it.Saadullah Torjan, a minister in Spin Boldak in Afghanistan’s south, said: “For now, the situation is returning to normal.””But there is still a state of war and people are afraid.”

Rory McIlroy and centuries of history blended beautifully as the Ryder Cup winner tackled a “special” golf course this week in the Indian capital, teeming with wildlife and usually hidden from view.Nestled in the heart of New Delhi, a city of nearly 30 million people, Delhi Golf Club (DGC) is a green sanctuary steeped in history.Its lush fairways wind past centuries-old Mughal-domed tombs and weathered monuments, offering a surreal blend of elite sport and crumbling heritage.For most of the public, glimpsing this extraordinary mix — home to the 18-hole Lodhi Course and the nine-hole Peacock Course — is usually only possible by peering through its entrance gates.”I actually said to the boys on the 17th tee, it was hard to believe how old these buildings are, these monuments,” said McIlroy’s Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry, who led after the opening round of the DP World India Championship on Thursday with an eight-under-par 64.”It’s pretty cool.”On the course, elaborate tombs of the city’s past rulers poke through tangled trees that are home to peacocks, troops of monkeys and mongooses.”It’s really, really special,” said Tommy Fleetwood, another Ryder Cup hero from Team Europe, returning to the venue for the first time since 2016.”Golf around the world is so cool, getting to explore different places, different courses, different histories wherever we are,” he added.”This is one of those really cool places.”- ‘Age of glory’ -The inaugural $4 million India Championship, which concludes on Sunday, has attracted a stellar field.Prime among them is five-time major winner McIlroy, who is making his debut in India.Kapil Dev, president of the Professional Golf Tour of India, has called the tournament “a landmark moment for Indian golf”.Central to that is the DGC, which was founded in the 1930s and later reshaped by British planners.Club history recounts how colonial officers, after the capital of British-ruled India shifted to Delhi, pushed through the forests using elephants to map the course through the overgrown ruins.The tight, tree-lined fairways interweave with a treasure trove of archaeological remnants.More than a dozen historical monuments dot the course, including the striking 17th-century Lal Bangla tombs and others of the 15th century Lodhi dynasty.”Tee off on a trail of history,” the club history purrs.”Here lie the end of dynasties, the relics of mighty empires, ruins which bear testimony to an age of glory.”Club president Raj Khosla spoke about the “magnificent scenic beauty” and “uniqueness of a wonderful course” interweaved with monuments.Swedish golfer Simon Forsstrom, pausing on the 14th tee to admire a red sandstone tomb behind him — a miniature echo of the Taj Mahal — was equally impressed.”I think this is the only one with old monuments that are historic. I haven’t seen these at any other course,” he told AFP.”You stand up high next to the monument, it’s a fun experience.”For all its grandeur, the DGC is not India’s oldest course.That distinction belongs to the 18-hole Royal Calcutta Golf Club, founded in 1829 and reputed to be the oldest outside Britain.

Pakistan launched air strikes inside Afghanistan late Friday, killing at least 10 people and breaking a ceasefire that had brought two days of calm to the border, Afghan officials told AFP.The 48-hour truce paused nearly a week of bloody border clashes that killed dozens of troops and civilians on both sides.”Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika” province, a senior Taliban official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Afghanistan will retaliate.”Ten civilians were killed and 12 others wounded in the strikes, a provincial hospital official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that two children were among the dead.The Afghanistan Cricket Board told AFP that three players who were in the region for a tournament were killed, revising down an earlier toll of eight.It also said it was withdrawing from the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series involving Pakistan, scheduled for next month.In Pakistan, a senior security official told AFP that forces had “conducted precision aerial strikes” in Afghan border areas targeting the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, a local faction linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — the Pakistani Taliban.Islamabad said that same group had been involved in a suicide bombing and gun attack at a military camp in the North Waziristan district that borders Afghanistan, which left seven Pakistani paramilitary troops dead.- ‘Heavy price’ -Security issues are at the heart of the tensions, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harbouring militant groups led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — the Pakistani Taliban — on its soil, a claim Kabul denies.The cross-border violence had escalated dramatically from Saturday, days after explosions rocked the Afghan capital Kabul, just as the Taliban’s foreign minister began an unprecedented visit to India, Pakistan’s longtime rival.The Taliban then launched an offensive along parts of its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong response of its own.When the truce began at 1300 GMT on Wednesday, Islamabad said that it was to last 48 hours, but Kabul said the ceasefire would remain in effect until Pakistan violated it.Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif accused Kabul of acting as “a proxy of India” and “plotting” against Pakistan.”From now on, demarches will no longer be framed as appeals for peace, and delegations will not be sent to Kabul,” Asif wrote in a post on X. “Wherever the source of terrorism is, it will have to pay a heavy price.”Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said its forces had been ordered not to attack unless Pakistani forces fired first.”‘If they do, then you have every right to defend your country'”, he said in an interview with the Afghan television channel Ariana, relaying the message sent to the troops.- ‘Mixed feelings’ -Before the latest strikes, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said 37 people were killed and 425 wounded on the Afghan side of the border, calling on both sides to bring a lasting end to hostilities.In Spin Boldak, the scene of intense fighting, hundreds of people attended funerals on Thursday, including for children whose bodies were wrapped in white shrouds.”People have mixed feelings,” Nematullah, 42, told AFP. “They fear that the fighting will resume, but they still leave their homes and go about their business.”But on Friday, residents described scenes of normalcy.”Everything is fine, everything is open,” Nani, 35, told AFP.”I’m not afraid, but everyone sees things differently. Some say they’re going to send their children elsewhere as the situation isn’t good, but I don’t think anything will happen,” said Nani, who did not give a surname.Calm had also returned to Kabul, where new explosions rang out shortly before the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday.Nobody claimed responsibility for the blasts, but Pakistani security sources said they had undertaken “precision strikes” against an armed group in the Afghan capital.

Pakistan launched strikes on Afghan soil late Friday, killing at least 10 people and breaking a ceasefire that had brought two days of calm to the border, officials told AFP.The 48-hour truce had paused nearly a week of bloody border clashes that killed dozens of troops and civilians on both sides.”Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika” province, a senior Taliban official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Afghanistan will retaliate.”Ten civilians were killed and 12 others wounded in the Pakistani strikes, a provincial hospital official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that two children were among the dead.The Afghanistan Cricket Board told AFP that eight players who were in the region for a tournament were killed.The cross-border violence had escalated dramatically from Saturday, days after explosions rocked the Afghan capital Kabul, just as the Taliban’s foreign minister began an unprecedented visit to India, Pakistan’s longtime rival.The Taliban then launched an offensive along parts of its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong response of its own.When the truce began at 1300 GMT on Wednesday, Islamabad said that it was to last 48 hours, but Kabul said the ceasefire would remain in effect until Pakistan violated it.Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif accused Kabul of acting as “a proxy of India” and “plotting” against Pakistan.”From now on, demarches will no longer be framed as appeals for peace, and delegations will not be sent to Kabul,” Asif wrote in a post on X, before news of the fresh strikes emerged. “Wherever the source of terrorism is, it will have to pay a heavy price.”Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said its forces had been ordered not to attack unless Pakistani forces fired first.”‘If they do, then you have every right to defend your country'”, he said in an interview with the Afghan television channel Ariana, relaying the message sent to the troops.- ‘Concrete and verifiable’ -Security issues are at the heart of the tensions, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harbouring militant groups led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — the Pakistani Taliban — on its soil, a claim Kabul denies.”Pakistan has repeatedly shared its concerns” related to the presence of militant groups operating from Afghan soil, Pakistani foreign office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said in a weekly press briefing Friday.”Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable actions against these terrorist elements by the Taliban regime.”Just before the truce ended, seven Pakistani paramilitary troops were killed in a suicide bombing and gun attack at a military camp in the North Waziristan district that borders Afghanistan, an administration official told AFP.A faction of the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.Earlier on Friday, Afghans in the frontier town of Spin Boldak — where the fighting had been particularly intense — described scenes of normalcy.”Everything is fine, everything is open,” Nani, 35, told AFP.”I’m not afraid, but everyone sees things differently. Some say they’re going to send their children elsewhere as the situation isn’t good, but I don’t think anything will happen,” said Nani, who did not give a surname.- ‘Mixed feelings’ -The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said 37 people were killed and 425 wounded on the Afghan side of the border, calling on both sides to bring a lasting end to hostilities.An AFP correspondent in Spin Boldak said they saw hundreds of people attending funerals on Thursday, including for children whose bodies were wrapped in white shrouds.”People have mixed feelings,” Nematullah, 42, told AFP. “They fear that the fighting will resume, but they still leave their homes and go about their business.”Calm had also returned to Kabul, where new explosions rang out shortly before the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday.Nobody claimed responsibility for the blasts, but Pakistani security sources said they had undertaken “precision strikes” against an armed group in the Afghan capital.Sources in Afghanistan suggested that Pakistan was behind at least one of the blasts and that they were air strikes, but the government has not formally accused Islamabad.