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Over 60 Dead, Mostly Police In Pakistan Mosque Blast

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Over 60 people, most of them police, were killed in a blast at a mosque inside a highly sensitive Pakistan police headquarters on Monday, prompting the government to put the country on high alert.

The attack happened during afternoon worship in the provincial capital of Peshawar, close to former tribal areas along the Afghan border where militancy has been steadily rising.

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A frantic rescue mission was underway overnight at the mosque, which had an entire wall and some of its roof blown out by the possible suicide attack.

Many policemen are buried under the rubble,” said Peshawar police chief Muhammad Ijaz Khan, who estimated between 300 and 400 officers usually attended prayers.

Efforts are being made to get them out safely,” he added.

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Bloodied survivors emerged limping from the wreckage, while bodies were ferried away in ambulances.

“It’s an emergency situation,” Muhammad Asim Khan, a spokesman for the main hospital in Peshawar, told AFP.

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The death toll continued to rise as more bodies were pulled from the debris, rising to 61 killed with more than 150 wounded.

As darkness fell, several men were still trapped in the wreckage, visible through cracks in the concrete.

We have given them oxygen so that they don’t have problems in breathing,” said Bilal Ahmad Faizi, a spokesperson for the rescue organisation 1122.

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At least 20 of the killed police officers were later buried after a prayer ceremony with coffins lined up in rows and draped in the Pakistani flag.

They were laid to rest with a guard of honour, a police official told AFP.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, amid a worsening security situation in the country.

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The police headquarters in Peshawar is in one of the most tightly controlled areas of the city, housing intelligence and counter-terrorism bureaus, and is next door to the regional secretariat.

Provinces around the country announced they were on high alert after the blast, with checkpoints ramped up and extra security forces deployed, while in the capital Islamabad snipers were deployed on buildings and at city entrance points.

“Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement.

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Officers said the blast came from the second row of worshippers, with investigators were probing the possibility of a suicide attack.

Shahid Ali, a policeman who survived, said the explosion took place seconds after the imam started prayers.

I saw black smoke rising to the sky. I ran out to save my life,” the 47-year-old told AFP.

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“The screams of the people are still echoing in my mind.”

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The drastic security breach came on the day United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had been due to visit Islamabad, although the trip was cancelled at the last minute due to bad weather.

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Pakistan is also preparing to host an International Monetary Fund delegation on Tuesday as it works towards unlocking a vital bailout loan to prevent a looming default.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned the blast as “abhorrent” and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken extended his condolences for the “horrific attack”.

AFP

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Four Places In The World Without Traffic Lights

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In a world where traffic lights are an essential part of road management, a few countries and regions stand out for functioning without them. These places rely on alternative systems ranging from police officers and roundabouts to cultural driving habits to manage traffic. Here’s a closer look at the nations and areas where traffic lights are absent.

Bhutan

Bhutan is famously known as the only country in the world that operates entirely without traffic lights. Even in its capital city, Thimphu, which has witnessed growing traffic due to urbanisation, automated signals have never been adopted. Instead, traffic management is handled by police officers who stand at major intersections, directing vehicles with hand signals.

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In 1995, when a set of traffic lights was briefly installed in Thimphu, public complaints led to their swift removal, as locals felt the system clashed with the country’s traditions and culture of cooperation. Bhutan’s reliance on human-directed traffic reflects both its small population and strong sense of civic responsibility.

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Vatican City

Vatican City, the world’s smallest sovereign nation, also operates without any traffic lights. With an area of just 44 hectares and a population of around 800 people, the city-state does not require traffic signals to regulate movement. Roads inside the Vatican are short and few, and traffic is mostly managed by signage and the Vatican’s own police force. However, just outside the Vatican’s walls, in Rome, traffic lights are abundant, highlighting the contrast between the bustling Italian capital and the tranquil governance of the Holy See.

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Niue

In the South Pacific, Niue, one of the world’s smallest island nations, also has no traffic lights. With a population of less than 2,000 people and very limited vehicle traffic, there is little need for automated signals. Roads are quiet, and driving is relaxed, with motorists often waving to one another as they pass.

The absence of traffic lights in Niue is less a necessity than a reflection of the island’s lifestyle, where community trust and minimal congestion make formal traffic control unnecessary.

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Tekesi County, China

A unique example of urban planning without traffic lights can be found in Tekesi County, Xinjiang, China. The county town was designed based on the ancient Bagua (Eight Trigrams) symbol from Taoist philosophy. Its distinctive circular and radiating street layout relies on roundabouts to direct vehicles.

In 1996, authorities cancelled the installation of traffic lights in order to preserve the Bagua system, making Tekesi a rare modern settlement that manages traffic without signals. The design has since become both a cultural attraction and a point of pride for residents, who see it as a symbol of harmony and balance.

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Nigerian Student Wins ‘Top In World’ Cambridge IGCSE English Award

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A Nigerian student, Kenechukwu Oluwanifemi Uba, has emerged the “Top in World” candidate in the November 2024 Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language (Speaking Endorsement).

Uba, a pupil of Caleb International College, Magodo, Lagos, received the Outstanding Cambridge Learners Award for her performance, which was recognised by Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

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This was contained in a statement signed by the Spokesperson to the Proprietor and Founder, Caleb Group of Schools and University, Prof. Elvis Otobo, and made available to The PUNCH on Friday.

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The certificate, signed by the Group Managing Director of International Education at Cambridge, Rod Smith, was presented during a ceremony organised by the British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment at the Civic Centre, Lagos.

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Speaking on the achievement, the Proprietor/CEO of Caleb Group of Schools and University, Dr. Oladega Adebogun, said the recognition reflected the school’s values of integrity, perseverance and innovation.

“We are overjoyed by Kenechukwu’s outstanding performance.

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“Her success embodies our core values of integrity, perseverance, and innovation. We invest heavily in cutting-edge teaching methods—from flipped classrooms to AI-driven language labs—so that every student can discover their potential and lead with confidence,” Adebogun said.

Uba expressed gratitude to her teachers, classmates and family, noting that preparing in the school’s language lab helped build her confidence.

“From the moment I joined Caleb, I felt inspired by teachers who challenged me to think deeply and by peers who encouraged me to persevere. Preparing for the speaking endorsement in our state-of-the-art lab sharpened my confidence. This recognition belongs to everyone—my mentors, my classmates, and my family,” she said.

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Caleb International College described the award as proof of its commitment to raising globally competitive students through advanced learning facilities and strong character development programmes.

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Iran Has Executed At Least 841 People This Year — UN

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At least 841 people have been executed in Iran since the start of the year, the UN said Friday, decrying “a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of state intimidation”.

The United Nations’ human rights office said there had been a “major increase in executions” by Tehran during the first half of 2025.

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Iranian authorities have executed at least 841 people since the beginning of the year,” spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

“The real situation might be different,” she added. “It might be worse, given the lack of transparency.”

In July alone, she said, Iran had executed at least 110 individuals — twice the number of people executed in July 2024.

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The high number of executions indicates a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of state intimidation, with disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities and migrants,” Shamdasani added.

She cited the executions of Afghan nationals, and of Baluch, Kurdish, and Arab citizens.

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In the first six months of the year, at least 289 people were executed for drug-related offences.

Shamdasani said the pattern witnessed across multiple countries showed that when their governments perceive threats to their grip on public order, they become increasingly repressive and less tolerant of dissent.

– Hangings before children –

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The spokeswoman in particular criticised the staging of public executions in Iran. The rights office documented seven such cases since the beginning of the year — some reportedly in front of children.

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Public executions add an extra layer of outrage upon human dignity… not only on the dignity of the people concerned — the people who are executed — but also on all those who have to bear witness,” she said.

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“The psychological trauma of bearing witness to somebody being hanged in public, particularly for children, is unacceptable.”

The UN human rights office said there were serious concerns over due process in capital punishment cases.

What we are particularly worried about is that a lot of these death sentences are imposed based on vague laws,” the spokeswoman said, such as charges of enmity against God.

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Shamdasani said that 11 individuals were currently facing “imminent execution” in Iran, including six charged with “armed rebellion” due to alleged membership of the exiled opposition People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran (MEK).

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The other five had been sentenced to death over their participation in large-scale protests in 2022, she said. Iran’s supreme court last week confirmed the death sentence against workers’ rights activist Sharifeh Mohammadi, she added.

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The UN rights office was urging Iran’s government “not to implement the death penalty against these and other individuals on death row”, Shamdasani said.

The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and irreconcilable with human dignity,” she added.

“It creates an unacceptable risk of executing innocent people. It should never be imposed for conduct that is protected under international human rights law.”

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UN human rights chief Volker Turk is calling on Tehran to impose a moratorium on the application of capital punishment, as a step towards abolition.
AFP

 

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