Balochistan

As Pakistan braces for its upcoming general elections, a series of nine grenade attacks rocked several areas in Balochistan and Quetta, targeting election offices of candidates and polling stations. The incidents occurred on Tuesday, adding to the escalating tensions surrounding the electoral process.

Pakistan said Wednesday that Iran carried out an air strike on its territory that killed two children, after Tehran launched attacks in Iraq and Syria against what it called "anti-Iranian terrorist groups".

Pakistan denounced the strike, near the nations' shared border late on Tuesday, as "completely unacceptable", saying it was unprovoked.

At least 20 people were killed and dozens injured when a shallow earthquake hit southwestern Pakistan in the early hours of Oct. 7, with rescuers trying to reach coal miners reportedly trapped underground.

Pakistan's president conferred Pakistan's top civil awards upon two Turkish dignitaries at a special ceremony in Istanbul on Aug. 15.

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Arif Alvi conferred Sitara-e-Imtiaz upon Selami Kılıç and Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam upon Prof. Celal Soydan in recognition of their outstanding services to Pakistan.

A Pakistani journalist living in exile in Sweden has been missing for nearly a month, stoking fears that his disappearance is tied to his reporting on Balochistan, a press rights group said on March 31.    

Sajid Hussain went missing on March 2, according to police.    

Authorities in Pakistan have announced they are closing their border with Iran, where the coronavirus continues to spread, AFP reported.

"We have closed our border with Iran because of the reports of coronavirus there," said Ayesha Zehri, a senior government official in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan's province, which borders Iran." .

Snowfall, rain and floods in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan have killed 43 people, the Associated Press reported.

Turkish foreign minister on Jan. 11 extended condolences to his Pakistani counterpart over a deadly terror attack inside a mosque in Pakistan, a diplomatic source said.

A powerful explosion ripped through a mosque in southwest Pakistan during Friday evening prayers, killing a senior police officer and at least 11 others, police said.

The bombing also wounded 11 other worshipers in the city of Quetta, the capital of the restive Baluchistan province, said local police chief Mohammad Ajmal.

Although the administration of Pakistan is not ready to accept the fact, the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) - a local research organisation or think-tank - has mentioned in its latest report that the Islamic State (IS/ISIS/ISIL) militant group is alarmingly increasing its presence in the country.