Pakistan ready for composite dialogue with India, says DPM Dar
Addressing a news conference in New York, Dar emphasised the dialogue will not be limited to the issue of terrorism alone. He reiterated Pakistan has been the biggest victim of terrorism and noted that the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a meeting with him, acknowledged Pakistan's sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.
The foreign minister said, during this bilateral meeting, the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute was also raised, emphasising that 'permanent peace is not possible in the region without resolution of this dispute'. He recalled that the US President Donald Trump had also raised the Kashmir issue multiple times.
As regards to the IWT, Dar said Pakistan's stance is very clear. He said the IWT is binding and no single party can terminate or amend it. He firmly stated that any attempt to divert or block Pakistan's share of water would be unacceptable.
India's defence minister rejects Trump's ceasefire claim
India suspended the treaty on April 23, 2025; one day after the Pahalgam incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, blaming Pakistan for the attack without any evidence. Pakistan firmly denied any involvement in the attack.
Pakistan has repeatedly shared its stance that if India blocks Pakistan's strategic waters, it will be considered an act of war, since millions depend on these waters for agriculture and hence food security is directly linked with uninterrupted water flow.
In a move that directly clashes with international norms, and IWT's own clauses, India pulled out of treaty unilaterally, a move that is being acknowledge worldwide as politically motivated.
The treaty was signed in 1960 and the World Bank is a facilitator, often dubbed a protector, whenever any disagreement occurs on this water-sharing deal.
Responding to a question, the deputy prime minister made it clear that Pakistan has no plan to recognise Israel. He demanded immediate ceasefire in Gaza and delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.
He reaffirmed Pakistan's unwavering support for the establishment of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital.
Describing his US visit as successful, FM Dar said Pakistan has also raised voice for reforms in the UN Security Council emphasising that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should be given due representation in the world body.
On relations with the neighbouring Muslim countries, Dar highlighted Pakistan's outreach to Afghanistan, with a view to enhancing regional connectivity through rail and trade corridors to Central Asia.
Pakistan's relations with Iran have also greatly improved, he said.
'I am fully satisfied with the role Pakistan played in enhancing its relations With Iran,' the foreign minister added.
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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (R), flanked by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, speaks during a press conference after a Cabinet meeting in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on July 30. — AFP Listen to article Canada plans to recognize the State of Palestine at a meeting of the United Nations in September, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday, ratcheting up pressure on Israel as starvation spreads in Gaza. The announcement came after France said last week it would recognize a Palestinian state and a day after Britain said it would recognize the state at September's UN General Assembly meeting if the fighting in Gaza, part of the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel, had not stopped by then. Carney told reporters that the reality on the ground, including starvation of people in Gaza, meant "the prospect of a Palestinian state is literally receding before our eyes." "Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza," he said. Carney said the planned recognition was based in part on repeated assurances from the Palestinian Authority, which represents the State of Palestine at the UN, that it was reforming its governance and is willing to hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas "can play no part." The announcements by some of Israel's closest allies reflect growing international outrage over Israel's restrictions on food and other aid to Gaza in its war against Hamas, and the dire humanitarian crisis there. A global hunger monitor has warned that a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding in the enclave. The Gaza health ministry reported seven more hunger-related deaths on Wednesday, including a two-year-old girl with an existing health condition. The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza said the Israeli military killed at least 50 people within three hours on Wednesday as they tried to get food from UN aid trucks coming into the northern Gaza Strip. Israel and its closest ally, the US, both rejected Carney's statements. "The change in the position of the Canadian government at this time is a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages," the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made similar comments after the French and British announcements. A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said President Donald Trump also sees recognition of the State of Palestine as wrongly "rewarding Hamas." US Senate rejects bids to block arms sales to Israel Two resolutions that would have blocked arms sales to Israel in response to civilian casualties in Gaza were blocked in the US Senate on Wednesday, although they garnered more support than similar measures earlier this year. Read: UAE begins Gaza water pipeline project The two resolutions were introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent aligned with Democrats. They failed by 73 to 24 and 70 to 27 in the 100-member chamber in voting late on Wednesday night. Similar measures, also introduced by Sanders, failed by 82-15 and 83-15 in April. A decades-long tradition of strong bipartisan support for Israel in the US Congress means resolutions to stop weapons sales are unlikely to pass, but backers hope raising the issue will encourage Israel's government and the US administration to do more to protect civilians. All of the votes for the resolutions came from Democrats, with all of President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans opposed. Sanders said in a statement he was pleased that a majority of the Democratic caucus had backed the effort. Netanyahu is a disgusting liar. Children are starving to death. The United States cannot continue to supply his racist government with hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid that is used to kill innocent people. — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 30, 2025 "The tide is turning. The American people do not want to spend billions to starve children in Gaza," Sanders said. "The Democrats are moving forward on this issue, and I look forward to Republican support in the near future." Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was one of the Democrats who opposed the Sanders-backed resolutions in April but voted for them this time. Shaheen said in a statement that Israel has a right to defend its citizens, but added: "it is clear that the Government of Israel has not conducted its military operations in Gaza with the necessary care required by international humanitarian law. It is also clear that the Government of Israel has failed to allow adequate humanitarian assistance into Gaza, resulting in unbelievable suffering." The resolutions would have blocked the sale of $675 million in bombs and shipments of 20,000 assault rifles. US special envoy Steve Witkoff is due to travel to Israel on Thursday to discuss Gaza. Trump said this week he expected centers to be set up to feed more people in the enclave. The State of Palestine has been a non-member observer state of the UN General Assembly since 2012, recognized by more than three-quarters of the assembly's 193 member states. Jonathan Panikoff, former deputy US national intelligence officer on the Middle East, said recognition of Palestine is intended "to increase pressure on Israel to compel it to return to a two-state paradigm." But he said Canada's announcement is "unlikely to be anything more than symbolic and risks undermining their relationship with a longtime ally in Israel." French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke with Carney before Canada's announcement, said the recognition of Palestine will "revive a prospect of peace in the region." Read more: Britain warns Israel it will recognise Palestinian state as Gaza starvation spreads Israeli security cabinet member Zeev Elkin said on Wednesday that Israel could threaten to annex parts of Gaza to increase pressure on Hamas, eroding Palestinian hopes of statehood on land Israel now occupies. Mediation efforts to secure a 60-day ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas ground to a halt last week. 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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that reestablishing Jewish settlements in Gaza was "closer than ever," calling Gaza "an inseparable part of the Land of Israel." Aid going in but not enough A 2-year-old girl being treated for a build-up of brain fluid died overnight of hunger, her father told Reuters on Wednesday. "Doctors said the baby has to be fed a certain type of milk," Salah al-Gharably said by phone from Deir Al-Balah. "But there is no milk. She starved. We stood helpless." The deaths from starvation and malnutrition overnight raised the toll from such causes to 154, according to the Gaza health ministry, including at least 89 children, since the war's start, most of them in recent weeks. Israel said on Sunday it would halt military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and designate secure routes for convoys delivering food and medicine. 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Business Recorder
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Canada plans to recognize Palestinian state, raising allies' pressure on Israel
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Carney said the planned recognition was based in part on repeated assurances from the Palestinian Authority, which represents the State of Palestine at the U.N., that it was reforming its governance and is willing to hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas 'can play no part.' The announcements by some of Israel's closest allies reflect growing international outrage over Israel's restrictions on food and other aid to Gaza in its war against Hamas, and the dire humanitarian crisis there. A global hunger monitor has warned that a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding in the enclave. The Gaza health ministry reported seven more hunger-related deaths on Wednesday, including a two-year-old girl with an existing health condition. The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza said the Israeli military killed at least 50 people within three hours on Wednesday as they tried to get food from U.N. aid trucks coming into the northern Gaza Strip. Israel and its closest ally, the U.S., both rejected Carney's statements. 'The change in the position of the Canadian government at this time is a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages,' the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made similar comments after the French and British announcements. UK plans to recognise Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes action A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said President Donald Trump also sees recognition of the State of Palestine as wrongly 'rewarding Hamas.' U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is due to travel to Israel on Thursday to discuss Gaza. Trump said this week he expected centers to be set up to feed more people in the enclave. The State of Palestine has been a non-member observer state of the U.N. General Assembly since 2012, recognized by more than three-quarters of the assembly's 193 member states. Jonathan Panikoff, former deputy U.S. national intelligence officer on the Middle East, said recognition of Palestine is intended 'to increase pressure on Israel to compel it to return to a two-state paradigm.' But he said Canada's announcement is 'unlikely to be anything more than symbolic and risks undermining their relationship with a longtime ally in Israel.' French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke with Carney before Canada's announcement, said the recognition of Palestine will 'revive a prospect of peace in the region.' Israeli security cabinet member Zeev Elkin said on Wednesday that Israel could threaten to annex parts of Gaza to increase pressure on Hamas, eroding Palestinian hopes of statehood on land Israel now occupies. Mediation efforts to secure a 60-day ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas ground to a halt last week. In Gaza, resident Saed al-Akhras said the recognition of Palestine by major powers marked a 'real shift in how Western countries view the Palestinian cause.' 'Enough!' he said. 'Palestinians have lived for more than 70 years under killing, destruction and occupation, while the world watches in silence.' Families of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza appealed for no recognition of a Palestinian state to come before their loved ones were returned. 'Such recognition is not a step toward peace but rather a clear violation of international law and a dangerous moral and political failure that legitimizes horrific war crimes,' the Hostages Family Forum said. Netanyahu said this month he wanted peace with Palestinians but described any future independent state as a potential platform to destroy Israel, so control of security must remain with Israel. His cabinet includes far-right members who openly demand the annexation of all Palestinian land. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that reestablishing Jewish settlements in Gaza was 'closer than ever,' calling Gaza 'an inseparable part of the Land of Israel.' A 2-year-old girl being treated for a build-up of brain fluid died overnight of hunger, her father told Reuters on Wednesday. 'Doctors said the baby has to be fed a certain type of milk,' Salah al-Gharably said by phone from Deir Al-Balah. 'But there is no milk. She starved. We stood helpless.' The deaths from starvation and malnutrition overnight raised the toll from such causes to 154, according to the Gaza health ministry, including at least 89 children, since the war's start, most of them in recent weeks. Israel said on Sunday it would halt military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and designate secure routes for convoys delivering food and medicine. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the United Nations and its partners had been able to bring more food into Gaza in the first two days of pauses, but the volume was 'still far from enough.' The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led attacks on communities and military bases in southern Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed, including more than 700 civilians, and another 251 taken as hostages to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 60,000 people and laid waste to much of the territory, the Gaza health ministry says.
Business Recorder
6 hours ago
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Dar to inaugurate Data Urs on Aug 13
LAHORE: The three-day annual Urs celebrations of the revered saint, Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hajveri (RA), will take place from August 13 to 15. The Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan Senator Ishaq Dar will inaugurate the Urs celebrations in which devotees from across the country and different parts of the world would participate. The Auqaf Department has allocated funds for langar (free communal meal) and various other events, underlining the significance of the celebrations. Auqaf Secretary Wednesday chaired a meeting, to review arrangements for the Urs, which will officially begin at Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh's shrine on August 13. To ensure the safety of participants, special security measures will be ensured, including the installation of CCTV cameras, a central control room, and LCD screens strategically placed around the venue to monitor the festivities. Special security arrangements included installation of security and closed circuit cameras, establishment of a separate control room; LCD's will also be installed by the police department for the protection of pilgrims. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
