Current Final

Category: National

  • Our desire for peace should not be mistaken as weakness: PM Shehbaz

    Our desire for peace should not be mistaken as weakness: PM Shehbaz

    As Indian continues with its warmongering following the Pahalgam terror attack in held Kashmir, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Pakistan’s desire for peace should not be mistaken for weakness.

    “Pakistan is a peace-loving country, and peace is our preference and desire, but it should not be mistaken for our weakness,” he said while addressing the passing out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul.

    On New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), the PM said that any attempt to stop, reduce or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan under the agreement would be responded to with full force and might.

    “Nobody should remain under any kind of impression and confusion,” he said.

    The premier further said that without verifiable evidence, Pakistan was blamed by the neighbouring country. He said a transparent investigation into such tragedies should be conducted, reiterating Pakistan’s openness to international scrutiny.

    PM Shehbaz, while recalling India’s 2019 airstrike and Pakistan’s retaliation, said the country had already proven its military capability through a “measured yet resolute” response.

    Reaffirming Pakistan’s support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, he said, “Founder of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, rightly said that Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. Let there be no doubt… we shall continue to support the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people.”

    The premier also said that Pakistan had always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and underscored that as the world’s frontline state against terrorism, the country had rendered countless sacrifices.

    “We do not and shall not tolerate any kind of terrorism… of any hue and colour… and that has been demonstrated beyond any ray of doubt,” he added.

  • Pahalgam attack: Palestinian president ‘reaffirms support’ for India’s security, stability

    Pahalgam attack: Palestinian president ‘reaffirms support’ for India’s security, stability

    Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has in a letter to Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi reaffirmed unwavering support for the security and stability of India following the attack in held Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.

    Indian media reports quoted Abbas as condemning in his letter the “heinous attack”, expressing sorrow over the tragic shooting. The Palestinian president also extended heartfelt condolences to the country and the families of the victims of the attack.

    He prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attack, reports said.

    “We have followed with sorrow the news of the tragic incident that claimed lives of and injured dozens of innocent civilian tourists in the regions of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter read.

    “We pray for mercy and peace for the departed, a speedy recovery for the injured, and continued prosperity and well-being for India and its people. Please accept, Your Excellency, the expression of our deepest sympathy,” it added.

    Separately, the food shortage in Gaza has deteriorated as the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday warned it has depleted all its food stocks in war-ravaged Gaza, where the entry of humanitarian aid has been blocked by Israel since March 2.

    “Today, WFP delivered its last remaining food stocks to hot meals kitchens in the Gaza Strip. These kitchens are expected to fully run out of food in the coming days,” WFP, one of the main providers of food assistance in Gaza, said in a statement.

  • ‘They’ll figure it out themselves’: Trump on ‘1,000-year-old’ Pak-India tensions over Kashmir

    ‘They’ll figure it out themselves’: Trump on ‘1,000-year-old’ Pak-India tensions over Kashmir

    United States (US) President Donald Trump has downplayed concerns over mounting tensions between Pakistan and India, saying he was close to both countries and “they’ll figure it out themselves, one way or the other”.

    During an interaction with reporters on Friday, Trump was asked aboard Air Force One about crumbling relations between India and Pakistan as the fallout deepens from a deadly attack on civilians by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir.

    “There have been tensions on that border for 1,500 years so, you know, it’s the same as it has been,” Trump told reporters. “But they’ll get it figured out, one way or another.”

    Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947, with both claiming the territory in full but governing separate portions of it.

    Rebel groups have waged an insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

    Tensions have flared since Tuesday, when 26 male tourists were killed by gunmen in the Kashmir town of Pahalgam.

    Indian police say the three gunmen are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, a UN-designated terrorist organisation.

    A day after the attack, New Delhi suspended a water-sharing treaty, announced the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and withdrew visas for Pakistanis.

    Denying any involvement, Islamabad called attempts to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack “frivolous” and vowed to respond to any Indian action

    Officials said Friday that there was an overnight exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces at the Line of Control.

    “There’s great tension between Pakistan and India but there always has been,” Trump said.

  • Either our water or their blood will flow in Indus: Bilawal

    Either our water or their blood will flow in Indus: Bilawal

    Days after India unilaterally suspended the long-standing Indus Water Treaty (IWT) and threatened Pakistan with war, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has warned India against interrupting the country’s water supply, saying that Indus “is ours and will remain ours”.

    “Baharat has attacked Sindhu [Indus]. We have condemned the terrorist attack in held Kashmir…. but Modi has made false allegations against Pakistan,” Bilawal said while addressing a public gathering in Sukkur.

    “Standing beside the Sindhu River, I want to say to Baharat that the Indus is ours and will remain ours… either our water will flow through it or their blood,” the PPP chief thundered.

    Bilawal said the struggle to protect the river would continue till India withdrew its decision, adding that the PPP stood with Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on the issue.

    Emphasising that existence of people of Pakistan was linked to the Indus, he said the people have had the river for thousands of years. “We are the heirs of this river, and we will protect it,” the PPP chief said and added that every Pakistani would become an ambassador of the Indus and protect it.

    On the canals issue, the chairman PPP congratulated the people, saying that it was the success of their peaceful struggle that the federal government had decided that no canals would be made without consensus in the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

    He noted that the CCI included representatives from both the federal government and all provinces, and before this agreement, decisions about building new canals could have been approved by majority vote, even without public consent.

    “But we are grateful to PM Shehbaz Sharif, who listened to your concerns, and now the majority parties in the council have agreed that no new canals will be constructed without your consent,” Bilawal said.

    Bilawal concluded by announcing that PPP will hold a grand public gathering in Mirpurkhas on May 1.

  • Indian airlines to lose millions after Pakistan shuts its airspace: report

    Indian airlines to lose millions after Pakistan shuts its airspace: report

    With Pakistan having imposed tit-for-tat diplomatic measures, including shutting down its airspace for Indian planes, India fears that it will cost airlines millions in losses. Carriers now face longer durations and higher fuel consumption for westward international flights taking off from northern India.

    According to details, after India’s 2019 border violation of entering Pakistan, Pakistan closed its airspace on February 26, 2019, leading to losses of around ₹700 crore INR amid to operational complications that came with longer routes, which many of their flights were forced to take.

    With routes closed in 2019, most flights witnessed their durations rise by at least 70–80 minutes, with Air India’s flights from Delhi to Chicago having to stop in Europe for refuelling.

    In July 2019, Pakistan eventually fully opened its airspace for overflying.

    According to data provided by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation at the time, the collective loss of Indian airlines due to the airspace closure by June was estimated to be more than ₹550 crore INR.

    The figure, according to industry insiders, rose to ₹700 crore INR by mid-July of that year, when Pakistan completely removed the restrictions.

    Pakistan’s retaliatory action will affect Indian carriers’ flights to Central Asia, the Caucasus, West Asia, Europe, the UK, and North America, a leading Indian English outlet has claimed while reviewing the recent Indian flight paths of multiple international flights departing from Delhi.

    The media report quoted industry insiders as stating that, as airlines from other countries can continue to overfly Pakistan, they may gain a cost advantage over Indian airlines on the affected routes.

    Analysts suggest that Air India will be severely affected, as it operates most west-bound international routes, including those to North America.

    On Thursday, Air India took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce that it will take an alternate route following the closure of Pakistani airspace for India.

    “Due to the announced restriction of Pakistan airspace for all Indian airlines, it is expected that some Air India flights to or from North America, UK, Europe, and Middle East will take an alternative extended route. Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen airspace closure that is outside our control. We would like to reiterate that at Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains top priority,” the airline wrote on X.

  • VIDEO: Indian soldier trains guns at Modi govt

    VIDEO: Indian soldier trains guns at Modi govt

    An undated video of an Indian soldier accusing Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi of ignoring the worsening conditions faced by soldiers across the country has surfaced online.

    In the viral video, the soldier asserts that the Indian PM has rendered them powerless and without support in their own country.

    He goes on to express frustration over the media’s silence on the plight of soldiers, stating, “When you (Modi) went to Pakistan, every news channel in India covered your visit… we don’t have a free or living media.”

    The soldier questioned, “If the Indian government could not provide them justice, would he ask for it from the Pakistan government?”

    Lashing out at the government’s leadership, the soldier argued that if Indian Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Modi cannot govern the country effectively, soldiers could take charge and do it better. “Amit Shah is controlling the whole Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and paramilitary,” the soldier accused.

    “Any soldier who speaks the truth is just thrown in jail. You went to meet Donald Trump, but you don’t meet us to hear our grievances,” he added.

  • Pakistan responds to Indian aggression… with memes

    Pakistan responds to Indian aggression… with memes

    Amid all the warmongering by India following the terrorist attack in the Pahalgam area of held Kashmir Tuesday, Pakistanis are having a field day over the internet, responding to Indian statements and threats with, well, memes.

    Read More: Pakistan strikes back: Shuts down Wagah, trade, airspace for Indian airlines

    As Indians take to social media to threaten Pakistan with war despite Islamabad’s categorical denial of any involvement in cross-border terror, netizens on this side of the border are taking a different route, joking, laughing and posting endless memes as they watch the situation unfold.

    Here are some of our favourite ones:

  • Pahalgam attack: Indian government breaks silence, admits security lapse

    Pahalgam attack: Indian government breaks silence, admits security lapse

    In a rare admission, the Indian government has acknowledged a serious security lapse in the recent Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives, including those of tourists.

    During a closed-door all-parties meeting, a senior leader from the ruling party reportedly told opposition members, “If everything was fine, why would we be sitting here? Clearly, mistakes were made, and we need to figure out where things went wrong.”

    This crucial meeting was called to brief opposition leaders following the tragic attack in Pahalgam. According to India Today, the discussion quickly turned to heated questions about the lack of security.

    Opposition leaders demanded answers: “Where were the security forces? Where was the CRPF?”

    Sources revealed that the government admitted local authorities had failed to alert security agencies before opening the Baisaran area in Anantnag district, a region that remains closed until the start of the Amarnath Yatra in June.

    This lapse in coordination, critics say, may have paved the way for the deadly attack.

  • Pakistan strikes back: Shuts down Wagah, trade, airspace for Indian airlines

    Pakistan strikes back: Shuts down Wagah, trade, airspace for Indian airlines

    A day after India took extreme measures in light of its allegations against Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack, Islamabad on Thursday struck back, imposing its own restrictions besides reacting to New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty.

    A statement issued after a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) under the chair of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, said that water was a vital national interest of Pakistan, a lifeline for its 240 million people, and any attempts to block or divert the water allocated to the country under the treaty would be considered “an act of war”.

    Islamabad also declared the military, air force and navy advisers at the Indian High Commission as persona non grata, ordering them to leave the country immediately but not later than April 30. The statement also announced limiting the number of staffers at the Indian High Commission in the federal capital to 30.

    The statement announced suspending all trade relations with India, even through a third country; and added that Pakistani airspace had been closed for Indian airlines.

    Additionally, the statement said that in light of India’s disregard of international conventions, the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and global obligations, Pakistan could also exercise the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India, including but not limited to Simla Agreement in abeyance, till India desisted from its manifested behaviour of fomenting terrorism inside Pakistan, transnational killings, and non-adherence to international law as well as the UN Resolutions on Kashmir.

    All visas issued to Indian citizens under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), except for those granted to Sikh pilgrims, have been declared null and void, the statement read, adding that Indian nationals currently in Pakistan on such visas have been instructed to leave the country within 48 hours.

    Separately, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) following the meeting, expressed concern over the loss of tourists’ lives in held Kashmir.

    It termed the Indian action unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible and devoid of legal merit, observing that Pakistan unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. “In the absence of any credible investigation and verifiable evidence, attempts to link the Pahalgam attack with Pakistan are frivolous, devoid of rationality and defeat logic,” the statement read.

    The PMO’s statement further said that Kashmir remained an unresolved dispute between Pakistan and India as recognised through multiple UN resolutions.

    “Pakistan continues to support the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The continued Indian state oppression, abrogation of statehood, and political and demographic gerrymandering have persistently led to an organic backlash from the people of IIOJK, which perpetuates cycles of violence.”

  • ‘Funny’ or ‘inappropriate’? Internet divided on Punjab speaker’s interaction with Hina Butt

    ‘Funny’ or ‘inappropriate’? Internet divided on Punjab speaker’s interaction with Hina Butt

    A video of Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan engaging in a casual exchange with Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Hina Parvez Butt has made rounds on social media, with internet users reacting to it.

    During the Punjab Assembly session on Tuesday, Hina Butt, on behalf of the House, read out a resolution commending the Punjab Police for thwarting the attacks in Punjab and the border area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) launched by terrorists on March 2.

    “I want a definition from her [Hina Parvez Butt], who is the terrorist?” a member of the Punjab Assembly asked.

    In response, while she was defining the term “terrorist” with her face turned towards the members of the Assembly, Ahmad Khan interjected, “Hina, address me… I want you to look at me properly,” prompting laughter from the lawmakers.

    The Speaker’s comment left Hina Butt momentarily taken aback. After a short pause, Ahmad Khan added, “Obviously, once the member is speaking here, you have to do what I’m saying [SIC].”

    “Honourable Speaker, thank you,” she replied.

    Social media users were quick to react to the video, with some users calling it “funny”, others suggesting it was “inappropriate.” 

    One user in a post on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “Highly inappropriate for someone holding the office of the Speaker.”

    Another user asked, “How can such a conversation take place in sacred institutions like the prestigious Punjab Assembly?”

    “I am from the Speaker’s own constituency and have known him since childhood. He is a very decent person — there’s nothing like what people are suggesting in the comments. He said that in a light-hearted, joking manner,” wrote another user.

    One of the users wrote, “Earlier, the same guy appreciated Hina Parvez Butt’s dressing.”

    Ahmad Khan had earlier during the Punjab Assembly session commented on Hina Butt’s light green dress. “Hina, you have raised the question for Kasur. I am thankful you are wearing a good dress today,” the Speaker had said when she inquired of the Parliamentary Secretary about the lack of transport service between Lahore and Kasur.