Nick Clegg today warned that flood-hit Pakistan will need aid for years to come as he saw the devastation for himself.

A suicide bomber struck a checkpoint near a military complex reportedly linked to Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme today, killing seven people as the army pressed ahead with a major anti-Taliban offensive in the northwest.

A Pakistan air force jet crashed during a routine training flight in southern Pakistan today, but no one was hurt.

A Pakistani military plane carrying 17 people, including the head of the air force, has crashed in a remote region of north-western Pakistan, a senior Air Force official said today.

Pakistan’s air force is on high alert and on full combat readiness and troops have moved into strategic positions on a war footing, officials said today as tensions with neighbouring India escalated.