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Afghan Taliban carry out over 1,100 floggings, six public executions in past year

The Afghan Taliban flogged at least 1,186 people and carried out six public executions in Afghanistan during the the last year – March 2025 to March 2026. The official statements and data compiled by an Afghan television channel, and drawn from statements issued by the Taliban’s Supreme Court, indicate the continued application of corporal punishment in most parts of the country. The total excluded the final 12 days of July 11 to 22, implying that the actual number of floggings could be higher. These punishments took place across dozens of provinces, including Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Khost, Badakhshan, Ghor, Paktia, Paktika, Faryab, Laghman, Kapisa, Parwan, Uruzgan, Zabul, Kunar, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Kunduz, Baghlan, Takhar, Badghis, Farah, Nimroz, Logar, Jawzjan, Helmand, Sar-e-Pul, Daikundi and Bamiyan. Read More: Govt rejects Afghan Taliban’s claim of Pakistan breaking truce Taliban court statements showed an increase in the use of corporal punishment du...

China congratulates Pakistan on remote sensing satellite launch

China has extended warm congratulations to Pakistan on the successful launch of its new remote sensing satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, reaffirming their close bilateral cooperation in science and technology. In a statement issued Thursday, the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad commended Pakistan’s achievement following a tweet from Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, who celebrated the milestone. "May this satellite further strengthen our iron brother’s capabilities in land resource survey and disaster prevention and alleviation," the embassy said in response. Warmly congratulate the successful launch of a new remote sensing satellite for Pakistan from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China! May this satellite further strengthen our iron brother’s capabilities in land resource survey and disaster prevention and alleviation. https://t.co/1N7VzOUJEI — Chinese Emb Pakistan (@CathayPak) July 31, 2025 The launch is seen as a continuation of deepening strategic ties between the two countries, particularly under the umbrella of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which includes collaboration in space technology. Pakistan successfully launched its latest remote sensing satellite from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Centre (XSLC), said the foreign ministry. The launch was carried out by SUPARCO, Pakistan’s national space agency, in collaboration with the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and MICROSAT China. The ministry said the satellite would significantly enhance Pakistan’s capacity for high-resolution, round-the-clock Earth observation. It will support a range of areas, including disaster management, urban planning, environmental protection, agricultural monitoring, food security, climate change analysis, and water resource management. The satellite is part of an integrated Earth observation system and is expected to boost Pakistan’s socio-economic development and sustainability efforts. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar lauded the engineers and technical teams from SUPARCO and its Chinese partners for their “exemplary cooperation and unwavering commitment.” “This achievement reaffirms Pakistan’s standing in the community of spacefaring nations,” the Foreign Office statement said. Officials say the satellite will also improve early warning systems and help respond to environmental risks more effectively. 🇵🇰✨ Alhamdulillah! Another URAAN of Pakistan! With the successful launch of our 4th Earth Observation Satellite from XiChang, China, Pakistan Space Programme has once again soared to new heights. 🚀 Congratulations to the people of Pakistan! Today marks another proud moment for… pic.twitter.com/4s6iy7alsT — Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) July 31, 2025 Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal also congratulated the nation on the successful launch, calling it “another proud moment” for the country. In a post on his official X handle, he said the achievement reflects the dedication and excellence of SUPARCO’s team and marks a new milestone for Pakistan’s space programme.

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