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Two members of Quetta’s Hazara community were killed and three others injured when gunmen opened fire on their vehicle as they returned from the Hazarganji market. The attack triggered protests, drew condemnation from Balochistan’s chief minister and revived concerns over the persistent security threat facing the community.
A police official, Muqaddar Khan, was killed after being picked up by unknown assailants in Peshawar’s Hassankhel area, with his body later recovered by authorities. The killing, alongside a separate fatal shooting in Mattani, revived concerns about law and order on the outskirts of the provincial capital.
Islamabad was placed under a third consecutive day of high alert, with the Red Zone sealed, major roads closed and over 18,000 security personnel deployed across the capital and adjoining routes. The operation disrupted traffic and public transport on a wide scale, turning the city’s security lockdown into one of Pakistan’s biggest domestic headlines of the day.
Pakistan Navy rescued 18 crew members, including foreign nationals, from a distressed merchant vessel in the North Arabian Sea and brought them to Karachi for medical care and repatriation. The operation highlighted Pakistan’s growing maritime emergency role amid heightened regional concern over shipping safety.
Heavy security ahead of US-Iran talks in Islamabad left parts of Rawalpindi and the capital cut off, forcing commuters to walk and residents to scramble for water, food and medicines. Police said thousands of personnel and hundreds of special pickets were deployed as roads, transport services and some markets faced restrictions.
Pakistan has launched a one-day, one-window Hajj facilitation system at 10 camps nationwide, allowing pilgrims to complete training, vaccination, documentation and travel formalities in a single visit. The move is aimed at easing costs, reducing delays and simplifying pre-departure arrangements for around 119,000 applicants.
Security forces killed six suspected militants in Mastung’s Kirdgab area after acting on intelligence that armed men were trying to block a highway. Weapons were seized and some suspects reportedly fled into nearby mountains, underscoring the continuing security challenge in Balochistan.
At least 20 Pakistanis are feared missing after a migrant boat carrying about 120 people capsized off Italy, with 32 rescued and two bodies recovered. Pakistani authorities are still verifying identities, and the disaster has renewed scrutiny of human-smuggling routes used by migrants from Punjab.
Heavy rain and storms across Punjab have killed three people and injured 17 in multiple districts, with most casualties linked to collapsing roofs, unsafe structures and electrocution risks. The report also noted a separate M-3 motorway bus crash near Nankana that killed three more people and injured 26 amid the broader spell of dangerous weather.
Five policemen were injured after an IED fixed to a roadside motorcycle exploded near a police patrol in Lakki Marwat. The attack has renewed concern over rising militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where police units remain frequent targets.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms have pushed Balochistan’s death toll to 11, while flood warnings and emergency alerts have spread to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Authorities are racing to protect vulnerable communities as dangerous weather is forecast to continue through April 9.
Sindh has formally barred schools and private operators from increasing van fares, with the provincial government saying student transport charges must stay unchanged despite higher fuel costs. The move is aimed at protecting parents from fresh financial pressure while authorities prepare compliance checks and support measures for operators.
