Page 12 - Pakistan

Self-reliance in UAVs, C-UAS strategic imperative for India: CDS Chauhan

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said recent conflicts globally have demonstrated how drones can "shift tactical balance disproportionately", and asserted that self-reliance in UAVs and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) is a "strategic imperative" for India. In his address at an event held at Manekshaw Centre here, Gen Chauhan also said Operation Sindoor has shown why indigenously developed Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and C-UAS "built for our terrain and our needs are crucial". A day-long workshop on 'Indigenisation of Critical Components Currently Being Imported from Foreign OEMs in the Areas of UAV & C-UAS' is being hosted by Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff (HQ-IDS), in collaboration with the think-tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. The event comes against the backdrop of recent India-Pakistan hostilities, including Operation Sindoor, which highlighted the strategic importance and operational effectiveness of UAVs and C-UAS, the Defence

Man held in Bangladesh for suspected ties to Pak-based militant group

Md Foysal reportedly travelled to Afghanistan via Pakistan and recruited others for extremist activities

UK lifts 5-year ban on Pak's national carrier PIA ahead of privatisation

The UK imposed a ban on PIA in 2020 after one of its aircraft crashed into a Karachi street, resulting in the death of nearly 100 people

Audit finds $21 mn financial irregularities in Pakistan Cricket Board

An audit report has found financial irregularities to the tune of more than rupees 6 billion ($21 million) and governance issues within the Pakistan Cricket Board dating back two years. The Auditor General of Pakistan's report for the 2023-24 financial year was published in The News and highlighted the non-recovery of outstanding sponsorship worth rupees 5.3 billion ($18.6 million) as the major discrepancy identified. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is the third person in four years to lead the sport's national administration, following Ramiz Raja and Zaka Ashraf. He is also a government minister. The report also questioned the rupees 63.39 million ($220,000) the PCB spent on meals for police and law enforcement personnel assigned for the security of foreign teams during international matches in Pakistan. The auditors said providing security was the responsibility of governments, and disagreed with the PCB's explanation that visiting international teams were given extra safety guarantees

Pakistan FM Ishaq Dar to attend SCO foreign ministers' meet in China

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit China on Monday to attend the foreign ministers' meeting of the SCO bloc. The Meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs (CFM) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will be held in Tianjin on July 15. Dar was invited by his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi for the meeting. Besides Dar, the foreign ministers of other SCO member states -- China, Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will attend the meeting. The CFM is the third-highest forum in the SCO format and focuses on the issues in international relations, as well as foreign and security policies of the SCO. It approves the documents, including declarations and statements, etc, that are to be presented for the consideration of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) as well as the decisions to be adopted by the CHS. Dar, also the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts on

Pak, Russia sign agreement to revive Pakistan Steel Mills project

Pakistan and Russia have signed an agreement to restore and modernise the Pakistan Steel Mills project, marking a new chapter in cooperation between the two countries, according to media reports. China was also in the race for getting the contract for the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) project that was originally built with Soviet assistance. The agreement to revive the PSM in Karachi was signed at the Pakistan Embassy in Moscow on Friday, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. The project aims to restart and expand steel production, marking a new chapter in bilateral cooperation, the APP said. Special Assistant to Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan, who is currently on a visit to Russia, said, "Reviving the PSM with Russia's support reflects our shared history and commitment to a stronger industrial future." The PSM was originally built with assistance from the former Soviet Union in 1971, and had remained a lasting symbol of Pakistan-Russia ties, a statement issued by

Pak looks to formulate stricter regulations for foreign satellite operators

Pakistan has been delaying the launch of satellite-based internet services as authorities look to invite more players into the field and formulate stricter regulations for foreign satellite operators, according to a media report. The role of satellite-linked communication systems came under sharp focus after the recent India-Pakistan and Iran-Israel conflicts, prompting authorities in Pakistan to formulate new guidelines for companies in the business of satellite internet. The Dawn newspaper reported that following the expiration of the temporary no-objection certificate (NOC) for Starlink in March, all foreign satellite operators are now required to submit new applications under the newly drafted Satellite Communications Regulations. The regulations are being finalised by the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB), based on industry feedback gathered during a recent roundtable discussion. A senior official from the Ministry of IT and Telecom emphasised the need for ...

Supporting Pakistan alone not offence under BNS section 152: Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court has observed that merely expressing support for Pakistan, without referring to any specific incident or mentioning India by name, does not prima facie constitute an offence under section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The said penal provision deals with acts endangering the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India. "Considering the submissions of the learned counsel for the parties and after a perusal of the records, it is not in dispute that while posting the aforesaid post through his Instagram ID, the applicant had not mentioned anything which shows disrespect towards our country. "Merely showing support to Pakistan, without referring to any incident or mentioning the name of India, will not prima facie attract the offence under section 152, BNS," Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal said while allowing the bail plea of one Riyaz. The applicant's counsel submitted that the said social media post of the applicant did not lower the dignity and ..

Pakistan faces 44.7% poverty while neighbours progress, reveals World Bank

Neighbouring countries like China, Bangladesh, and Nepal have managed to make meaningful progress in poverty alleviation through targeted strategies, industrial growth, and social reforms

Insurgents shoot 9 people after offloading them from a bus in Balochistan

Insurgents shot and killed nine passengers from Punjab after offloading them from a passenger bus in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Friday, according to authorities. The incident took place on the national highway in the Zhob area of the province, said Assistant Commissioner Zhob Naveed Alam. The armed insurgents checked ID cards of passengers and offloaded nine of them from the bus going from Quetta to Lahore, and shot them dead. All nine belonged to different parts of the Punjab province, Alam said. We have moved the nine bodies to the hospital for post-mortem and burial procedures, he said. This is not the first time that insurgents have targeted people belonging to the Punjab province and passenger buses plying on different highways in Balochistan. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but in the past, ethnic Baloch terrorist groups carried out such targeted attacks against the people of Punjab. Meanwhile, insurgents also carried out three other terrori

Pak actress Humaira Asghar Ali found dead: Body discovered weeks later

Pakistani Actress Humaira Asghar Ali, 32, known for ARY's reality show 'Tamasha Ghar' and the 2015 film 'Jalaibee', was found dead in her Karachi home under tragic circumstances

Pak govt stepping up efforts to sell cash-strapped PIA by 2025-end: Report

Pakistan's government is firming up efforts to sell Pakistan International Airlines by the end of 2025, following a botched bid to sell the loss-making national flag-carrier last year, according to a media report on Wednesday. The Privatisation Commission board on Tuesday declared four local parties, including three associated with the cement business, eligible for bidding for the acquisition of the airline, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. In its previous attempt, the government had set the minimum price at Rs 85.03 billion with a Rs 45 billion negative balance sheet; however, it only managed to secure an offer of Rs 10 billion. The Privatisation Commission board, which met under the chairmanship of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali, approved the pre-qualification of four interested parties for the divestment of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL), according to a press statement. The board reviewed recommendations of the ...

Turkish FM, defence minister to meet Pak PM, look to boost defence ties

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defence Minister Yasir Guler are in Pakistan to hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on issues of mutual interest, including defence industry cooperation. The two arrived here on Wednesday on an official visit. Radio Pakistan reported that during their official engagements, important issues of mutual interest will be discussed. The visit reflects the close and brotherly ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, rooted in shared history, culture, and mutual trust, it reported. Sources said that among other engagements, the two would also hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on bilateral ties, regional issues, and defence industry cooperation. Turkiye has strong ties with Pakistan and expressed solidarity with it during the military conflict with India in May, which angered India but Istanbul has continued efforts to bolster ties with Islamabad.

CDS warns against Pak-China-Bangladesh collusivity for security interests

Possible convergence of interest among China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh may result in serious implications for India's stability and security dynamics, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said on Tuesday. In an address at a think-tank, Gen Chauhan, delving into the May 7-10 military conflict between India and Pakistan, said it was perhaps for the first time that two nuclear weapon states were directly engaged in hostilities. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), referring to Beijing-Islamabad collusivity, said Pakistan has acquired almost 70 to 80 per cent of its weapons and equipment from China in the last five years. He said Chinese military firms have commercial liabilities in Pakistan. The top military officer said economic distress in the countries in the Indian Ocean region has given "outside powers" to leverage their influence which could create vulnerabilities for India. "There is a possible convergence of interest we can talk about between China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh th

CDS warns of strategic implications for India in the neighbourhood

General Anil Chauhan highlights the strategic implications for India, citing potential convergence of interests among China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in the evolving geopolitics of South Asia

Trump secures 2nd Nobel Peace Prize nomination - this time from Israeli PM

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu cites Trump's role in brokering the Abraham Accords as key to West Asian diplomacy

Armed men hijack 3 oil tankers, abduct 7 crew members in northwest Pakistan

Unidentified armed men hijacked three oil tankers and abducted seven crew members in northwestern Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, police said. The incident took place in the Tuchi bridge area near Marwat Canal in Bannu district, which borders north Waziristan, District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Khan Kulachi said. He said the convoy was intercepted while it was coming from north Waziristan and a total of three oil tankers were seized. An FIR has been registered at the Baka Khel police station and a search operation is underway, he added. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the hijacking and abduction, and no ransom demands have been made, the DPO said. Last week, at least one person was killed and three others injured after armed men opened fire on a jirga in Bannu. Earlier this month, a police officer was shot dead by unknown gunmen near his house in Ghoriwala town of the district.

CPI slams reports linking Youtuber Jyoti Malhotra to Kerala govt event

The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday strongly condemned reports that YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has been arrested on espionage charges, was invited by the Kerala government for promoting tourism in the state. "The Communist Party of India strongly condemns the BJP's attempt to drag the Kerala government into the Jyoti Malhotra espionage case to cover up its own grave failures on national security," CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar said in a statement. Kumar said it was outrageous to suggest that a state government was responsible for a YouTuber's travel to Pakistan when passport issuance, visa clearance, and intelligence monitoring are all under the control of the Union government. "Did the Kerala government approve her visits to Pakistan? Did it place her in contact with ISI handlers in Delhi? This is a desperate and politically motivated deflection," he said. He added that the BJP has a long list of embarrassments involving its members linked to "espionage and terrorism." "Dhruv

'Pakistan in no hurry to recognise Taliban govt, will act in self-interest'

Pakistan is in no hurry to recognise the Afghan Taliban government, and any decision will be made keeping the country's interest in mind, officials here have said. The remarks came days after Russia became the first country to officially recognise the Taliban's rule. Moscow's decision, some observers feel, may be a prelude to other regional countries finally embracing the Taliban. However, officials in Pakistan told The Express Tribune newspaper that the decision of Russia was not a surprise, as Moscow for some time had indicated they would reconcile with the fact that the Taliban were now in charge and there was no other option but to accept their rule. The Russian decision also stems from the fact that greater engagement with the Taliban government would help address the terrorist threat and advance its geostrategic interests. We, of course, will take a decision keeping in view our interest. I can tell you there is no hurry, said a Pakistani official when asked whether Islamabad

Best of BS Opinion: Post-Op Sindoor, India must plan five years ahead

Today's articles revolve around the idea of succession, whether it's the US Federal Reserve's chief, a Pak army chief, or the Dalai Lama