Current Final

Tag: India

  • ‘There will be war’: Sheikh Rasheed says no other way with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

    ‘There will be war’: Sheikh Rasheed says no other way with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has said that talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) cannot move forward, reports Geo Urdu.

    Sheikh Rasheed told the Senate cabinet committee that talks with the banned TTP could not proceed, adding that the conditions imposed by the banned organisation were not acceptable and the ceasefire was broken by the banned organisation itself.

    Rasheed further said that a delegation has gone for talks but there are reports that the talks will not be successful. He also said that there will be a war with the banned TTP and that there is no other way to deal with the banned outfit.

    The interior minister further said that the TTP are present in the border area of ​​Afghanistan, some new groups have also joined them and are also in touch with India and Afghanistan.

    Rasheed said that security forces foiled a major catastrophe that could have occurred in Noshki and Panjgur while terrorists killed in Islamabad belonged to the same banned organisation.

    Rasheed on Thursday, while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, said that there was a link between Baloch militant groups and the banned TTP, as well as other militant groups, to carry out terror attacks in Pakistan.

    Rasheed further revealed, “the banned TTP has started extortion in Peshawar.”

  • ‘Pakistan is our strategic partner’: US responds to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks

    ‘Pakistan is our strategic partner’: US responds to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks

    The United States (US) has responded to Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the Indian parliament, Lok Sabha, that the policies adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have brought Pakistan and China closer.

    The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price refused to “endorse” such a statement on Washington’s behalf and said, “Pakistan is our strategic partner.”

    “I’ll let Pakistanis and the PRC (People’s Republic of China) speak for themselves about their relationship. These remarks will certainly not be endorsed by me,” Price said during a regular press briefing.

    The US said it values its relationship with Pakistan while emphasising that there was no requirement, as far as Washington was concerned, for other countries to choose between the US and China.

    “We’ve made the point all along that it is not a requirement for any country around the world to choose between the United States and China,” Ned Price told reporters when asked if Pakistan and China have become closer because “they feel abandoned” by the US.

    Rahul, while speaking in Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on President’s address during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament on Wednesday, said, “India’s single most important strategic goal has been to keep China and Pakistan apart but what you have done has only brought them together.”

  • Banned Baloch organisations have the support of ISIS and TTP: Sheikh Rasheed

    Banned Baloch organisations have the support of ISIS and TTP: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, said that there was a link between Baloch militant groups and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as well as other militant groups, to carry out terror attacks in Pakistan.

    Rasheed further said that the Afghan Taliban acted as a bridge for conversation with TTP.

    “The Taliban tried to converse with TTP and make them understands things but the result turned out differently. Instead of negotiations, we are witnessing an increase in terrorism.”

    Rasheed said, “The banned TTP has begun demanding extortion in Peshawar.” He also said that the TTP may have been involved in the Naushki and Panjgur attacks on security forces.

    The Interior Minister stated that the Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA) was not capable of carrying out the attacks in Naushki and Panjgur, but that TTP could be behind those attacks. He further added that this was his own analysis.

    Sheikh Rasheed said that terrorists have contacts in India and camps in Afghanistan.

    He added that Daesh (ISIS) and other militant organisations are also increasing terrorism in the country.

    When asked by anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada how the Afghan Taliban were allowing all the contacts between Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and these militant groups, which were posing a threat to the security in Pakistan, Sheikh Rasheed said: “These groups are connected through phones. We have given a high alert. There is a great increase in terrorism and the situation can go to any side.”

    The interior minister said that TTP now has the latest weapons, all of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) weapons are with them. Those weapons are also being sold, smuggled in Afghanistan and coming to Pakistan as well.

    Rasheed said that terrorists enter from Afghanistan to carry out attacks in Pakistan and go back, as happened recently in two major attacks on security forces; terrorists went back to Afghanistan after conducting attacks.

    On February 3, it was reported that two separate terrorist attacks have been successfully repulsed by the Pakistan Army in Balochistan’s Panjgur and Noshki areas.

    In a press release, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said “both attacks have been successfully repulsed while inflicting heavy casualties to terrorists”.

    According to the ISPR, terrorists were in contact with their handlers in Afghanistan. They said that after the Taliban’s takeover, we were told that attacks from the war-torn neighbour will stop but they have increased.

  • ‘Modi could visit Pakistan in a month’: Mian Mansha hints at backdoor diplomacy with India

    ‘Modi could visit Pakistan in a month’: Mian Mansha hints at backdoor diplomacy with India


    Business tycoon Mian Muhammad Mansha claims that he is aware of backchannel diplomacy being pursued by India and Pakistan.

    Talking to the Lahore Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, Mansha said that there should be “no permanent enemies” and the two arch-rivals should work to resolve their differences.

    “If the economy does not improve, the country may face disastrous consequences. Pakistan should improve trade relations with India and take a regional approach to economic development. Europe fought two great wars but ultimately settled for peace and regional development. There is no permanent enmity.”

    He further insisted that the two countries need to resolve their issues and increase trade.

    “If things improve between the two neighbours, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi could visit Pakistan in a month,” said Mansha.

  • India set to launch its own digital currency, tax crypto assets

    India set to launch its own digital currency, tax crypto assets

    India’s central bank plans to launch the digital version of the rupee in the coming fiscal year, according to Indian finance minister. The 2022-2023 financial year of India will begin on April 1.

    “Introduction of a central bank digital currency will give a boost, a big boost to the digital economy,” Nirmala Sitharaman said while delivering India’s annual budget. “Digital currency will also lead to a more efficient and cheaper currency management system.”

    The minister did not give any technical details about the currency but said it will involve block chain and other technologies.

    If India launches its digital currency, it will become one of the world’s largest economies to implement Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

    India’s decision comes after China began CBDC experiments in different cities. The United States and the Bank of England are exploring the prospects for their own economies.

    Nirmala Sitharaman also said that India will impose a tax of 30% on income from cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.

  • PIA plane denied permission to land in India

    PIA plane denied permission to land in India

    Patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council and Member of National Assembly, Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, in a video message has said that rumours regarding the cancellation of “Faith Tourism Initiative” are false, and the programme has been postponed, but not cancelled.

    The news reports regarding refusal of the Indian government, regarding the request of landing PIA plane at Jaipur International Airport, have been making rounds since morning. Ramesh, while clarifying the news, said, “Our request for PIA landing reached India on January 24; they only had one day after it, and then it was a holiday on 26, and yesterday was 27 so they said they require some time for clearance.”

    “We accept your faith tourism programme and it is a good proposal and we welcome it,” was India’s official response according to Dr Ramesh Kumar.

    Dr Ramesh added that he is hopeful that he will get the clearance next week.

    “This initiative is highly welcomed by both Pak/Indian Governments,” he said in a tweet.

    The programme was initially planned to take Pakistani nationals to India on a four-day tour from January 29-February 1, 2022, for Pilgrimage of Hazrat Nizamudin Aulia (R.A.) Delhi and Hazrat Moinudin Chishti (R.A.) Ajmer ,along with a visit of Taj Mahal Agra, Pink city Jaipur and city tour of Delhi.

  • Twitter receives record number of govt requests to remove content, including India’s

    Twitter receives record number of govt requests to remove content, including India’s

    Twitter has revealed that a record number of requests have been made from several governments around the world to remove content from the social media platform between January and June 2021.

    According to the platform, 95 per cent of the demands came from five countries which include Japan, Russia, Turkey, India and South Korea.

    The company said that in July 2021, it had seen a surge in government demands to take down content posted by journalists and news outlets.

    In a report, they said that 43,387 legal demands for the removal of content from 196,878 accounts were made in the six months. It is the largest number of such requests in a reporting period since Twitter started releasing its transparency reports in 2012.

    Sinead McSweeney, Twitter’s vice president of global public policy and philanthropy, said, “We’re facing unprecedented challenges as governments around the world increasingly attempt to intervene and remove content. This threat to privacy and freedom of expression is a deeply worrying trend that requires our full attention.”

    Previously, Twitter faced high-profile tussles with governments from India to Nigeria over content moderation and regulation.

  • ‘Got a message from Pakistan PM to include Navjot Sidhu in Punjab cabinet’: Capt Amarinder Singh

    ‘Got a message from Pakistan PM to include Navjot Sidhu in Punjab cabinet’: Capt Amarinder Singh

    India’s former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh during a press conference said that during his tenure as CM, he received a message from Pakistan asking him to reinstate Navjot Singh Sidhu in the Punjab cabinet.

    Soon after dropping Sidhu from his cabinet, he had received a call from a mutual acquaintance from Pakistan, Amarinder told reporters.

    “I got a message that Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan has sent a request that if you can take Sidhu in your cabinet,” said Amarinder without taking names. “I will be grateful. He is an old friend of mine. If he does not work, you can remove him.”

    Navjot Singh Sidhu arrived in Pakistan to attend the oath-taking ceremony of PM Imran Khan in August 2018.

    Sidhu at the time said that he had come to Pakistan as a goodwill messenger and “with a message of love” to become a part of Khan’s happiness.

     Navjot Singh Sidhu again returned to Pakistan to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor in Nankana Sahib, in November 2018.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Amarinder was also present during the inauguration of the Karatpur Corridor.

  • Bride calls off marriage after groom slaps her for dancing with her male cousin

    Bride calls off marriage after groom slaps her for dancing with her male cousin

    A bride canceled her wedding after her husband-to-be slapped her for dancing with her male cousin during their wedding function in the Indian state, Tamil Nadu.

    The incident happened when the couple was dancing together and the bride’s cousin held their hands and joined them in the dance too.

    The groom was infuriated when her cousin put his hands on their shoulders during the dance. The groom pushed the bride away from her cousin.

    The family of the bride claimed that the groom slapped her in the presence of everyone when she was going up on the stage with the groom. The bride immediately called off her wedding over his intolerable attitude.

    Afterward, she got married to her relative who was present at the wedding function on the same scheduled date and time but at a different venue.

    However, the groom lodged the complaint against the bride’s family in Panruti all-women police station and demanded INR 700,000 as compensation which was spent on the wedding expenditures.

  • ‘Onus lies on India to take steps for constructive dialogue’: Pakistan

    ‘Onus lies on India to take steps for constructive dialogue’: Pakistan

    Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, during a weekly media briefing, said, “On multiple occasions, the prime minister and the foreign minister have expressed our position on this matter (dialogue). But India has vitiated the environment — the conditions are not there. We have repeatedly said that the onus lies on India to take necessary steps for an environment conducive for constructive dialogue.”

    Recently, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had said that India was not averse to the possible demilitarisation of the Siachen Glacier provided Pakistan accepted the 110-km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) that separates the positions of both Pakistan and India.

    FO spokesperson was asked about Pakistan’s reaction to any possibility of India’s demilitarisation of the Siachin Glacier.

    “Pakistan has a policy, which is derived from the principle of a friendly neighbourhood. We want peace and friendship in our neighbourhood, good relations with all including India,” the FO spokesperson said.

    “But you have seen how the developments have unfolded in our region; you have witnessed the very hostile Indian attitude especially during the last couple of years and since the illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, in IIOJ&K, the situation has further deteriorated and in this context, we have to see how we can move forward,” he added.

    Talking about law firm Stoke White submitting a report based on over 2,000 testimonies taken between 2020 and 2021, providing extensive evidence to the Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Unit documenting how Indian military and civil leadership were responsible for the torture, kidnapping, and killing of activists, journalists and civilians, he added: “It is self-evident that India can no longer escape international and legal censure for its rampant human rights violations in IIOJ&K, and we call upon the international community, particularly the United Nations and international human rights and humanitarian organisations to hold India accountable.”