Page 29 - India Pakistan Relations

Political mafia' spreading lies about counter-terrorism operation: Pak Army

The Pakistan Army on Monday said that an organised political mafia was spreading misinformation about a planned new counter-terrorism operation, Azm-e-Istehkam', aimed to flush out militants and foster economic growth and stability. Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi talked about various pressing issues, including the launch of the operation. A massive illegal, political mafia rose to sabotage the operation and the first move of that mafia was to make the operations controversial through false and fake arguments, he said. Referring to Pakistan's earlier major military operations, Operation Zarb-e-Azb and Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, which resulted in large-scale displacements, a reporter inquired if similar displacements would occur during the current operation, Azm-e-Istehkam. This is not a military operation but a comprehensive counter-terrorism initiative aimed at fostering economic growth and stability," he said. He referred to the .

Important to draw right lessons from Kargil war, not repeat mistakes: CDS

CDS Gen Anil Chauhan on Thursday hailed the heroics of Indian bravehearts in the Kargil conflict and said besides recalling memories of a war, it is also important to look at its aftermath and draw the "right lessons" for the future. Speaking at an event held here to mark the 25th anniversary of the Kargil war, he also said "We must not repeat the same mistakes". War and warfare are evolving at a very, very rapid pace. Their character and nature are changing rapidly because of transformation in technology and ongoing geopolitical flux, he said. "The memories of sacrifices made by our soldiers must become a part of our national folklore, as indeed it has become with the Kargil war," Gen Chauhan said. Saga, bravery and fortitude must continue to inspire future generations of the youth as well as soldiers who join the Indian armed forces, the CDS said. Besides recalling memories of war, it is also important to look at its aftermath and draw useful lessons for the future, he said.

Security forces kill two terrorists along LoC in infiltration bid in J&K

Two terrorists were killed as security forces foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Thursday, officials said. Alert security forces foiled the infiltration bid in the Keran sector of the north Kashmir district, they said. Two terrorists have been killed in the exchange of firing. The operation is on, they said.

BSF intercepts 125 drones from Pakistan in 2024, seizes drugs and weapons

The Border Security Force has intercepted 125 drones this year along Punjab's border with Pakistan, marking a notable rise from 22 drones intercepted in 2022 and 107 in 2023

Days after launch, Pakistan's 'reinvigorated' anti-terror op loses vigour

Pakistan's opposition parties have opposed the recently announced 'Azm-i-Istehkam' national counter-terrorism campaign, claiming that it will weaken the country instead of securing it

Exchange of fire reported along LoC in Kashmir's Poonch; no casualty

A brief exchange of fire was reported along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, official sources said on Saturday. The firing from across the border was reported on a forward Indian post in Krishna Ghati sector late Friday night, prompting retaliation by the army troops guarding the LoC, the sources said. They said there was no casualty in the firing, which lasted for a brief period. The vigil was intensified to ensure that there is no infiltration by terrorists into this side, the sources said, adding a search of the area is underway.

Indus Water Treaty: Pak delegation in Jammu to inspect two power projects

A Pakistani delegation arrived here on Sunday evening as part of Neutral Expert proceedings to inspect two hydroelectric power projects in Jammu and Kashmir under the Indus Water Treaty, officials said. This is the first visit by a Pakistani delegation to Jammu and Kashmir in more than five years under the dispute settlement mechanism of the 1960 Treaty. India and Pakistan signed the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory of the pact which sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two sides on the use of waters of a number of cross-border rivers. A three-member Pakistan delegation inspected the Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai hydroelectric power projects under the provisions of the IWT for the last time in January 2019, before the ties between the two countries froze following the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The officials said the visiting experts including Pakistanis wil

Support direct discussion between India, Pakistan on matters of concern: US

The United States has said it supports direct discussions between India and Pakistan but the pace, scope and character of talks should be determined by the two neighbouring countries. Responding to a question at his daily news conference on Thursday, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said the US values its important relationships with both India and Pakistan. "As we have said, we support direct discussions between India and Pakistan, but the pace, scope and character should be determined by those two countries, not by us," he said. Responding to another question, Miller said the US and Pakistan have a shared interest in combating threats to regional security. "We partner with Pakistan on security through our high-level counterterrorism dialogue, including several counterterrorism capacity building programmes, and we support a series of US-Pakistan military-to-military engagements," he said. "We are in regular communication with Pakistani leaders as a part of our partner

Unknown gunmen kill key Pakistani ISI man behind 2018 Sunjwan attack

Retired Pakistan army brigadier Amir Hamza's case is the latest in a series of killings of Pakistanis linked to ISI-controlled terrorist attacks in India

India vs Pakistan: Who has more nuclear bombs and what is China up to?

The nine nuclear-armed nations of the world, including the US, Russia, France, China, India and Pakistan, continued to modernise their nuclear arsenals in 2023, says a recent SIPRI report

Modi 3.0: Jaishankar to prioritise China border issue, Pak terror solution

Ahead of assuming charge on Tuesday after being sworn in as the country's foreign minister for the second time on Sunday, he noted that both the neighbouring countries present unique challenges

What will coalition govt mean for Modi 3.0 foreign policy? Experts weigh in

Narendra Modi is expected to take oath as Prime Minister for the third time on June 8 with the help of National Democratic Alliance coalition partners

What is the 1999 Lahore Declaration that Nawaz Sharif says Pak violated?

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif admitted that Islamabad had violated an agreement with India, co-signed by him and ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999

India would have progressed much faster with safer borders: Ajit Doval

India would have progressed at a much faster pace if its borders had been more secure, defined and not in "adversarial dispossession", National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said, underlining that the country's power has grown immensely in the last 10 years. Delivering the Rustamji Memorial Lecture organised by the Border Security Force (BSF) on its 21st investiture ceremony, Doval said India's economic progress would have been much faster if "we had more secure borders". "In the foreseeable future, I don't think our borders are going to be as secure as we will require for our fast economic growth. So, the responsibility on border guarding forces has become very, very heavy. They have got to remain on alert 24X7 in perpetuity. They have got to see that our national interests and country are protected," he said. Borders are important because that is the limit which "defines our sovereignty", he said. "Jameen par jo kabja hai wo apna hai, baki to sab adalat aur kachehri ka kaam hai, us

Trade with Pak key poll issue; will benefit farmers: Amritsar traders

For the traders and industry in Amritsar, resumption of trade with Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah land route is a key poll issue. They say reviving cross-border trade will also benefit farmers, transporters and labourers. The volume of trade between India and Pakistan through the land route used to be around Rs 5,000 crore per annum before the bilateral trade ties were suspended in 2019. Resuming trade with Pakistan will not only boost the economy of Amritsar but it will also create more employment opportunities, the traders said. The local industry has made it clear to the candidates of all major political parties that the revival of trade was necessary for the betterment and development of Amritsar. Amritsar along with 12 other parliamentary constituencies of Punjab will go to polls in the final round of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections on June 1. "The government must resume trade with Pakistan because in Amritsar there is no manufacturing industry," said Amritsar-based ..

PoK unrest: As strike enters the fourth day, why are people up in arms?

One police officer was killed and over 100 people, mostly policemen, injured in violent clashes between security forces and protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Saturday

LS polls: 49 drones recovered along India-Pak border since MCC enforcement

Forty-nine drones have been either shot down or recovered from along the India-Pakistan international border by the BSF in the 60 days of the Model Code of Conduct being in force for the ongoing general election in the country, latest data show. Separately, the total recovery of these largely Chinese-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), originating from Pakistan and entering India's Punjab territory and a few in Rajasthan, has seen an about 13 times rise since 2022 in the January-May period. The MCC, or the Model Code of Conduct, came into force on March 16, the day the Election Commission held a press conference here to announce a seven-phase election in the country. The dataset, prepared by the Border Security Force (BSF), the unit that guards the 2,289 km India-Pakistan international border, and analysed by PTI, shows that a total of 49 drones, or UAVs, were either shot down or recovered by the security agencies from March 16 till date. The maximum recoveries, 47, were made in

Pakistan's newly appointed Dy Prime Minister Dar to visit China next week

Pakistan's newly-appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will embark on a three-day official visit to China on May 13, during which he will meet top Chinese leaders and comprehensively review bilateral relations, including the upgradation of the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. Dar, who is also the foreign minister, will co-chair the 5th Pakistan-China Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday. "The two sides will comprehensively review Pakistan-China bilateral relations including economic and trade cooperation; high-level exchanges and visits; upgradation of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and future connectivity initiatives," the statement said. The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is opposed by India as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Dar and Wang will

BSF personnel opens fire on Pakistani drone along border in J-K's Samba

BSF personnel opened fire on Friday night to shoot down a Pakistani drone near the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, officials said. Troops of the Border Security Force (BSF) detected the movement of the drone from the Pakistan side late in the night and fired nearly two dozen rounds, they said on Saturday. The drone, however, was flown back to the Pakistani side, the officials said. They said a search operation was launched in Narayanpur in the Ramgarh sector on Saturday morning to sanitize the bordet outpost area to ensure the drone did not drop any weapons or narcotics.

Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande reviews security arrangement along LAC in Ladakh

General Manoj Pande, the Chief of Army Staff, carried out a comprehensive review of the overall security situation along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh on Friday.The COAS was given a detailed briefing about the force's combat readiness at the headquarters of the Fire and Fury Corps in Leh."General Manoj Pande, #COAS visited the Fire and Fury Corps to review the security situation & preparedness in #Ladakh," the Army posted on X."#COAS was given a detailed update by the Commanders on the prevailing situation and ongoing Operational Preparedness. #COAS complimented the Officers and the troops for their professionalism, unwavering commitment & dedication to duty," it added.Meanwhile, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan chaired the Parivartan Chintan 2.0 meeting On May 9.Deliberations were held between Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee Sub-Committees on the way forward towards theaterisation and creation of efficient and effective forces capable of ...