Page 3 - Bilawal Bhutto

Pak yet to decide on India's invitation to Bilawal to attend SCO meet

Pakistan is yet to decide on India's invitation to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Goa, foreign ministry sources said on Wednesday. All SCO members are expected to attend the meeting of foreign ministers in May to be hosted by India which has taken over the rotating presidency of the SCO in 2022-2023. Sources in the foreign ministry confirmed that the invitation has been received but no decision has been taken if the foreign minister would travel to India. Responding to a text message sent by PTI to Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch asking if her office would issue a statement on the matter, she simply responded: "No." Launched in Shanghai in June 2001, the SCO has eight full members, including its six founding members, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017. It is for the first time that India has been given the .

Indo-Pak ties see new low; FM Bhutto's outburst dashes hope for engagements

Pakistan's ties with India, nearly frozen since 2019, touched a new low this year when Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari made an "uncivilised" outburst against the Indian leadership, dashing any hope for the resumption of early engagements between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Pakistan had downgraded its diplomatic relations with India, reducing the presence of diplomatic staff in the Indian capital, and severed trade links following New Delhi's decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. The only positive development recorded since then has been the restoration of a crucial ceasefire agreement on the highly volatile Line of Control (LoC) in February 2021, which kindled a frail feeling for more such steps in days to come. The ensuing months, however, showed that it was yet another mirage. This year saw no improvement in bilateral ties as India accused Pakistan of cross-border infiltration and re-activation of terror-launching pads near the Lo

US Dy Secy discusses Pak's efforts to recover from floods with FM Bilawal

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman met Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and discussed Pakistan's ongoing efforts to recover from the devastating floods. Pakistan witnessed unprecedented monsoon rains over the summer that put a third of the country underwater, damaged two million homes and killed more than 1,700 people. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman met Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and they discussed Pakistan's continuing efforts to recover from the devastating floods, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Wednesday. They also discussed the upcoming International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan to be held in Geneva on January 9, 2023, Price said. During the meeting, Sherman also expressed condolences for Pakistani lives lost in recent terrorist attacks, even as they committed to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation between the two nations. They also spoke about economic, energy, and environmental .

Pakistan at UN pleads for help with floods after 'cameras have gone'

Pakistan's unprecedented floods in the summer killed more than 1,700 people, inundated third of the nation and cut the nation's growth by half

UP BJP leader announces Rs 2-crore reward for beheading Bilawal Bhutto

As the BJP staged nationwide protests against Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's objectionable remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a local party leader in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday said he would give Rs 2-crore reward to anyone beheading the Pakistani foreign minister. Manupal Bansal, a member of zila panchayat of Baghpat, made the announcement while addressing a protest gathering at the collectorate here. "Main ailaan kartaa hoon ki jo uss mantri Bilawal Bhutto kaa dhar se saar alag karegaa, 2 crore kaa inaam mai doongaa (I declare that I will give a reward of Rs 2 crore to anyone who will behead minister Bilawal Bhutto)," Bansal said. His announcement was followed by slogans of 'Manupal Bansal zindabad' by the crowd. Later speaking to PTI, Bansal said he stood by his statement. "Yes, I have made that statement today. If they are saying such things about our prime minister, whom we respect a lot, then we are not going to tolerate such a person. We are having tremendous attachment with

Pakistan rejects India's criticism of Bilawal Bhutto's uncivilised outburst

Pakistan on Saturday rejected India's criticism of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's "uncivilised" outburst against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that it showed New Delhi's "growing frustration". The Pakistani minister resorted to a personal attack against Prime Minister Modi and slammed the RSS after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar described the neighbouring country as the "epicentre of terrorism" during his visit to New York to attend UN events. On Friday, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in New Delhi said that Bilawal's "uncivilised outburst" seemed to be a result of Pakistan's increasing inability to use terrorists and their "proxies". In a strong condemnation, Bagchi said Bilawal's frustration would be better directed towards the masterminds of terrorist enterprises in his own country that has made terrorism a part of its state policy. "Pakistan is a country that glorifies Osama bin Laden as a martyr, and shelters terrorists like ..

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J&K BJP holds protests against Bilawal Bhutto's remarks on PM Modi

BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit staged a protest here on Saturday against Pakistan Foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto over his personal remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP workers raised slogans against Bhutto and demanded an apology from him. The protest was taken out from the party's office in Jawahar Nagar area here. "This march is part of the country-wide protests by BJP against Bhutto's shameless comments against our beloved prime minister. This protest is against Pakistan which is a terror state," party's Kashmir media incharge, Manzoor Ahmad, told reporters. The party said the protests will continue till Bhutto tenders an apology. "This is a protest against the Pakistan government. We appeal it to hang Bhutto and until he apologies to the people of India, protests will continue," party activist Mohammad Yusuf Dar said. Bhutto made the comments following India's External Affairs minister S Jaishankar's sharp attack on Pakistan over its support to terrorism at the United

Pakistan could reconsider strategy for Afghanistan under Taliban: FM Bhutto

Pakistan could reconsider its strategy for dealing with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said, as he expressed disappointment over their failure to prevent the banned TTP from conducting cross-border terrorist attacks in his country. Addressing a UN event in New York Bilawal said: "Pakistan will not tolerate cross-border terrorism by the TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) or other terrorist groups, like the BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army). He said that Pakistan could reconsider its strategy for dealing with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, but it could not afford to disengage with Kabul, the Dawn newspaper reported. Separately, in his address to a commemoration event to honour the victims of the December 16, 2014, terrorist attack on the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar, Bilawal said that Kabul's Taliban rulers had failed Pakistan's hope and expectation of constraining the TTP from conducting cross-border terrorist attacks. The TTP militant

Sufi council condemns Pak FM Bilawal Bhutto's comments on PM Modi

All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council chairman Naseeruddin Chisti on Saturday condemned Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto's remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the language he used downgraded the position of not only his portfolio but also of his entire nation. "I strongly condemn the venomous language used by the Pakistani foreign minister against our prime minister and our motherland," he said. "Bilawal Bhutto has forgotten that terrorist Osama bin Laden did not die, but was killed in Pakistan by American forces right under the nose of the Pakistani government," Chisti added. Chisti said Pakistan should bear in mind that Indian Muslims are far more secure and in a much better condition than their Pakistani counterparts. Bhutto should not compare India with his unstable country because the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all, he added. The All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council is a body of spiritual heads of various dargahs of the ...

BJP to hold nationwide protests today over Bhutto's 'derogatory' remarks

Describing Bhutto's remark as "highly derogatory", BJP said the remarks were given to divert global attention from Pakistan's collapsing economy, lawlessness and anarchy in Pakistan

New low, even for Pakistan: India on Bilawal's comment on PM Modi

"Pakistan FM's uncivilised outburst seems to be a result of Pakistan's increasing inability to use terrorists and their proxies," Bagchi said

Pak FM Bilawal Bhutto launches vituperative personal tirade against PM Modi

Pakistans Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari veered off into a personal vituperative tirade against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi using extreme, unparliamentary language

EAM Jaishankar slams Pakistan for raking up Kashmir issue in UNSC

India strongly hit back at Pakistan on Wednesday after it raised the Kashmir issue in the UN Security Council, asserting that a country that hosted slain al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and attacked a neighbouring Parliament does not have the credentials to sermonize" in the power UN organ. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the credibility of the UN depends on its effective response to the key challenges of our times, be it pandemics, climate change, conflicts or terrorism. We are obviously focused today on the urgency of reforming multilateralism. We will naturally have our particular views, but there is a growing convergence at least that this cannot be delayed any further, said Jaishankar, who is chairing India's signature event on reformed multilateralism. While we search for the best solutions, what our discourse must never accept is the normalisation of such threats. The question of justifying what the world regards as unacceptable should not even arise. That certain

East Pakistan 1971 debacle a military failure, says Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has termed the East Pakistan debacle in 1971 a "colossal military failure," in a veiled jibe at the former Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, who termed it a "political failure." Bilawal made these comments at the Nishtar Park rally, which was organised to mark the 55th Foundation Day of his Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). On the occasion, the PPP chairman revisited the history of his party and recounted the achievements of its founder, his grandfather, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto took over the government, the people were broken and had lost all hope, he was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper. But he rebuilt the nation, restored the confidence of the people, and finally brought our 90,000 troops back home who had been made prisoners of war due to military failure'. Those 90,000 soldiers were reunited with their families. And that all was made possible due to politics of hope... of unity... and inclusion," he ...

US defends move to approve F-16 jet fleet sustainment programme to Pak

The US on Tuesday defended its decision to approve a USD 450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan, saying it is "our obligation" to provide military equipment to ensure that the planes are maintained and sustained to bolster Islamabad's capability to deal with "clear" terrorist threats. Early this month, the Biden administration reversed the decision of the previous Trump administration to suspend military aid to Islamabad for providing safe havens for the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network, and approved the F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a visit to the US, has questioned the rationale behind Washington's USD 450 million F-16 security assistance to Pakistan. "This is a sustained program for F-16s that Pakistan has long had. These are not new, this is sustaining what they have. We've a responsibility and obligation to whomever we provide military equipment to, that it's ...

US, Pakistan discuss importance of managing 'responsible' ties with India

The importance of managing a "responsible relationship" with India and addressing the debt issue with China so that Pakistan can recover more quickly from the impact of the devastating floods were the key focus of the talks between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. During the meeting at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department on Monday, Blinken also said US and Pakistan will continue to work closely on counterterrorism issues. In our discussion today, we talked about the importance of managing a responsible relationship with India, and I also urged our colleagues to engage China on some of the important issues of debt relief and restructure so that Pakistan can more quickly recover from the floods, Blinken said at an event here to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of US-Pakistan relations. Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from ...

Pakistan FM calls for urgent assistance to countries facing multiple crisis

Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for urgent assistance to more than 50 developing countries trapped in multiple crises.

Constructive dialogue with India has become difficult after 2019: Pak FM

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that a constructive dialogue with India has become difficult after 2019, according to a media report on Saturday

India to attend SCO FM meet; Bilawal, Wang Yi, Jaishankar to meet in person

Coming week in Uzbekistan, EAM S Jaishankar will be sharing the table with his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Foreign Ministers meeting