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PESHAWAR: At least three militants were killed late Friday night after heavily armed gunmen mounted an attack on a police training center in Dera Ismail Khan, triggering an intense firefight, according to a law enforcement official.

The attack came a day after reports of airstrikes in the Afghan capital, Kabul, that reportedly sought to target Noor Wali Mehsud, the Pakistani Taliban chief.

The militant group, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the assault, saying a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at the gate of the training center before others entered the facility.

Initial reports from the area also mentioned explosions followed by an exchange of heavy fire.

“As of now, three terrorists have been killed in the ongoing firefight,” Yaqoob Khan, police spokesman in the area, told Arab News over the phone. “The operation is still underway, and more information will be shared once the situation becomes clear.”

He said militants attacked the facility with heavy weapons, adding that a large contingent of police and security forces rushed to the scene upon receiving information.

Imran Khan, another police official, said the training center is located in Ratta Kulachi, a locality on the outskirts of the city.

He informed that additional police personnel had been deployed and the area had been cordoned off.

Pakistan has frequently blamed the Afghan Taliban for harboring TTP militants, saying the group launches cross-border attacks against its security forces and civilians, though Kabul has denied the allegation.

Earlier on Friday, the Afghan defense ministry accused Pakistan of violating its airspace and bombing a border town, warning of consequences.

Separately, the Pakistani military vowed to do “whatever is necessary” to defend the country’s territorial integrity, saying it wanted the Afghan administration to ensure its soil was not used for attacks against Pakistan, calling it “a fair and just demand.”

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Privatization Commission has cleared a key procedural step in the sale of its majority stake in the First Women Bank Limited (FWBL) to a United Arab Emirates (UAE) entity, recommending a reference price to the federal cabinet for approval, the finance ministry said on Friday.

The move comes as Islamabad pushes ahead with long-delayed asset sales under its broader economic reform and fiscal stabilization agenda.

Established in 1989, the FWBL was conceived as a development-oriented financial institution to promote women’s economic participation and financial inclusion.

It was set up to address the limited access women had to formal banking channels and to provide them with tailored credit, savings and entrepreneurship services.

“The Privatization Commission (PC) Board, in its 240th meeting held under the chairmanship of Mr. Muhammad Ali, Chairman, Privatization Commission, has recommended a Reference Price for the privatization of First Women Bank Limited (FWBL) to the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions (CCoIGCT),” the statement said.

“This decision marks an important step toward finalization of the Government-to-Government (G2G) process,” it added.

“FWBL, incorporated in 1989, is 82.64 percent owned by the Government of Pakistan and is currently being negotiated with the nominated entity of the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions Act, 2022.”

The bank, whose mandate centered on empowering women through access to credit, savings and entrepreneurship opportunities, has seen its profitability decline in recent years, with its growth trajectory under strain.

The government moved to divest its stake in the institution earlier this year amid consistent pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under a $7 billion loan program to reduce the state’s footprint in the economy.

“Successful completion of the process would not only attract fresh foreign direct investment into the country but also enhance investor confidence in Pakistan’s broader privatization program,” the statement said.