UNHCR-IOM Update: Iranian Border Crossings Are Not Refugee Arrivals
A new UNHCR-IOM report tracks Iranian crossings into Pakistan through Aug. 6, while UNHCR cautions that border movement does not equal permanent departure or asylum.
Pakistan
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Pakistan rejects Amnesty probe call over Kabul rehab-center strike
Pakistan rejected Amnesty’s call for an independent probe into a March 16 Kabul strike. UNAMA verified at least 269 civilian deaths and 122 injuries.
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Afghan Returns Pass 1 Million as U.N. Plans for More Arrivals
More than 1 million returns to Afghanistan were recorded by August 1, while a U.N. plan prepares for nearly 2.7 million additional arrivals through December.
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Qatar-backed Doha statement urges halt to attacks on Afghan cities
A multinational Doha statement urged renewed Afghan negotiations, a comprehensive ceasefire and an immediate end to attacks on cities amid mounting civilian harm.
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Pakistan Issues New Foreign-Media Rules as Press Groups Warn of Restrictions
Pakistan has issued new guidelines formalizing reporting requirements for foreign media organizations, drawing warnings that civilian and security agencies could use the rules to restrict reporting outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
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Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia Sign Mutual-Defense Deal as Yemen Fighting Escalates
Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual-defense agreement on Aug. 7 as Iran-backed Houthi forces reportedly attacked in Yemen’s Marib province and regional pressure mounted on Gulf states and shipping.
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Flooding Kills at Least 82 Across India, Pakistan and Afghanistan as Assam Impact Widens
At least 82 people died during a week of heavy rain and flooding across India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Assam authorities reported 36 deaths and more than 650,000 people affected across 11 districts.
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Pakistan Requires Approval for Foreign Reporting Outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi
Pakistan’s new Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines formalize registration and accreditation for foreign journalists and require prior government approval for reporting outside three major cities.
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Pakistan Issues Foreign-Media Rules on Aug. 6, Drawing Censorship Criticism
Pakistan’s government has issued new guidelines governing foreign media organizations, formalizing reporting requirements outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Press-freedom advocates warn the framework could give authorities greater leverage over independent reporting.
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Pakistan Issues New Foreign-Media Rules, Drawing Press-Freedom Criticism
Pakistan has issued new guidelines formalizing reporting and permission requirements for foreign media organizations and journalists working outside Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. Press-freedom groups warn the rules could restrict independent reporting and expose journalists to administrative retaliation.
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UN Says Nearly 500 Afghan Civilians Killed in Afghanistan-Pakistan Fighting
Months of fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan have killed nearly 500 Afghan civilians, the United Nations said, as a sharp escalation since February deepens humanitarian and regional-security risks.
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Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan Sign Mutual-Defense Pact Amid Iran War
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed an agreement on August 7 stating that an attack on one country would be treated as an attack on all three, as Gulf security tensions rise.
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Pakistan Tightens Foreign-Media Rules Before Aug. 10 Pakistan-Administered Kashmir Vote
Pakistan has circulated new foreign-media registration and reporting-clearance rules days before the final phase of legislative elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, drawing criticism from press-freedom groups and a defense from the Information Ministry.
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Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia Sign Mutual-Defense Deal Amid Regional War
Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual-defense agreement on Aug. 7 as Saudi Arabia seeks broader security partnerships amid the wider war involving Iran and Gulf states.
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UNHCR Warns on July 22 of Renewed Displacement Risks Across the Middle East and South Asia
A UNHCR population-movement map dated July 22 says renewed Afghanistan-Pakistan hostilities are creating new internal displacement while the wider region’s humanitarian systems face rising protection needs and possible cross-border movement.
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UN and Partners Launch $529.2 Million Afghanistan Return Plan on May 19
The United Nations and partner organizations launched a $529.2 million plan in Kabul to support 2.7 million Afghans projected to return from Iran and Pakistan in 2026.
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Pakistan Government Issues Foreign Media Guidelines on Aug. 6, 2026; CPJ Warns of Added Restrictions
Pakistan has formalized reporting requirements for foreign media outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, prompting warnings from press-freedom advocates.
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Pakistan Rejects U.N. Finding of Nearly 500 Afghan Civilian Deaths on July 31, 2026
Pakistan’s military rejected a U.N. assessment that cross-border operations killed nearly 500 Afghan civilians and wounded more than 1,000.
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Pakistan’s Swat Bombing Intensifies Dispute With Afghanistan
A suicide bombing at an antimilitant rally in Pakistan’s Swat Valley has intensified a disputed security row with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities.
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What the U.N.’s New Afghanistan Reports Show About Civilian Harm and Restrictions
UNAMA’s July 28 reports documented civilian casualties, arrests of women and service restrictions in Afghanistan as Pakistan rejected the casualty findings.
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Afghan returns from Pakistan top 600,000 as expulsions resume
UNHCR recorded 616,600 total Afghan returns from Pakistan through July 18 as Pakistan resumed expulsions and the U.N. sought $529.2 million.
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Pakistan bombing kills at least 14 at anti-militant rally
A suicide bombing at an anti-militant rally in Pakistan’s Swat Valley killed at least 14 people and wounded more than two dozen, officials said.