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India Gazette
9 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
All-party delegation led by Baijayant Panda interacts with Gulf Research Center Chairman and Founder Abdulaziz Al Sager
Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], May 29 (ANI): The all-party delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, which is visiting several countries as part of the government of India's big diplomatic outreach in the wake of Operation Sindoor, interacted with Abdulaziz Al Sager, the Chairman and Founder of the Gulf Research Center, on Thursday. According to its official website, the Gulf Research Center was founded in July 2000 with a vision to conduct scholarly, high-quality research on all aspects of the wider Gulf region, including the six member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Iran, Iraq, and Yemen. During the delegation's engagements on Thursday, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday informed the Saudi officials that Pakistan is propagating terrorism and targeting Indian citizens, and urged them to bring Pakistan back to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List to curb terror financing. '27 lakh members of the Indian diaspora reside and work in the Kingdom of Saudi the delegation met, we told them how Pakistan is propagating terrorism and how Indian citizens are targeted. We told them that Pakistan should be brought back to the FATF Grey List. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a member of the FATF. They helped us in 2018,' Owaisi told ANI. He is part of a multi-party delegation led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Baijayant Panda under Operation Sindoor outreach to convey India's unified stance against terrorism and seek international support to hold Pakistan accountable. During his visit, Owaisi interacted with Saudi officials and highlighted Pakistan's false propaganda about India. He emphasised that India is home to over 14.5 crore proud Muslims, showcasing the country's rich Islamic heritage and esteemed scholars, thereby refuting Pakistan's claims of representing all Muslims. Owaisi said that the multi-party delegation met with Abdullah ibn Muhammad, head of Saudi Arabia's Shura Council, and Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Regarding concerns raised over the issue of talks between India and Pakistan, he added that talks were held after the Mumbai terror attack and the Pathankot attack. Still, they yielded no results and only losses. In a strong demonstration of India's united political front against terrorism, an all-party parliamentary delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday to strengthen diplomatic ties and explore avenues of cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia. Maj Gen Abdulrahman Alharbi, Chair of the India-Saudi Arabia Council Friendship Committee of the Shura Council, warmly welcomed the delegation. Owaisi is a member of the delegation, led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, also includes BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP Phangnon Konyak; BJP MP Rekha Sharma; AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi; Satnam Singh Sandhu MP; Ghulam Nabi Azad; and Ambassador Harsh Shringla. The delegation aims to brief international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader fight against cross-border terrorism while engaging with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria. The all-party delegation, consisting of seven groups led by one MP each, has been initiated to counter global misinformation and highlight India's zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. (ANI)
India Gazette
13 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Pakistan should be brought back to FATF Grey List": Asaduddin Owaisi in Riyadh
Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], May 29 (ANI): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday informed the Saudi officials that Pakistan is propagating terrorism and targeting Indian citizens, and urged them to bring Pakistan back to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List to curb terror financing. He is part of a multi-party delegation led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Baijayant Panda under Operation Sindoor outreach to convey India's unified stance against terrorism and seek international support to hold Pakistan accountable. During his visit, Owaisi interacted with Saudi officials and highlighted Pakistan's false propaganda about India. He said that the delegation apprised officials as well as the diaspora members from India about the terrorism propagated by Pakistan against Indian citizens. '27 lakh members of the Indian diaspora reside and work in the Kingdom of Saudi the delegation met, we told them how Pakistan is propagating terrorism and how Indian citizens are targeted. We told them that Pakistan should be brought back to the FATF Grey List. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a member of the FATF. They helped us in 2018,' Owaisi told ANI. He emphasised that India is home to over 14.5 crore proud Muslims, showcasing the country's rich Islamic heritage and esteemed scholars, thereby refuting Pakistan's claims of representing all Muslims. Owaisi said that the multi-party delegation met with Abdullah ibn Muhammad, head of Saudi Arabia's Shura Council, and Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Regarding concerns raised over the issue of talks between India and Pakistan, he added that talks were held after the Mumbai terror attack and Pathankot. Still, they yielded no results and only losses. 'It was a good meeting. They, too, had some concerns. They asked us what could be done about the talks. We told them we talked after 26/11, after Pathankot, but it yielded no result. Instead, we suffered a loss. So, all in all, we presented all of this before them. We told them about Pakistan's propaganda - we told them that around 14.5 crore Muslims live in India. And what they (Pakistan) say is absolutely wrong,' Owaisi said. Owaisi pointed out that despite receiving significant financial aid from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan's economy is not stabilising, and the funds are not being utilised for the welfare of the poor. Specifically, he mentioned that Saudi Arabia provided $2 billion in aid to Pakistan last year and a $3 billion loan in 2024. He compared Pakistan's defense budget, which is 2.6% of its GDP, to India's 1.9%, highlighting the disparity in military spending between the two nations. Owaisi discussed the recent Pahalgam terror attack and assured the Saudi officials that India is working to resolve such issues, while also exposing Pakistan's alleged role in promoting terrorism. 'We told them that Saudi Arabia gave Pakistan 2 billion USD in aid last year. In 2024, Saudi Arabia gave them a loan of 3 billion USD. We told them Pakistan's economy is not stabilising, and the money is not being used for the poor. We told them that Pakistan's defence budget is 2.6% of its GDP, whereas India's is 1.9%. The Ulemas in Pakistan are no match for the Ulemas in told them how work is being done in India, how Ulemas are working there, and how Pakistani propaganda is a lie. What they did in Pahalgam, we said that there are problems in our country as well, but we are trying to resolve this,' Owaisi said. In a strong demonstration of India's united political front against terrorism, an all-party parliamentary delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday to strengthen diplomatic ties and explore avenues of cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia. Maj Gen Abdulrahman Alharbi, Chair of the India-Saudi Arabia Council Friendship Committee of the Shura Council, warmly welcomed the delegation. This multi-party delegation includes BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma, Satnam Singh Sandhu, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and former diplomat Harsh Shringla. The multi-party delegations, consisting of seven groups led by one MP each, have been initiated to counter Pakistan's misinformation on terrorism and highlight India's zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. (ANI)
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First Post
16 hours ago
- Business
- First Post
The many ironies in Pakistan launching a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
Across major Pakistani cities, citizens endure crippling electricity outages, yet the government has allocated 2,000 MW of surplus electricity for bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data centres. Alongside this, there are issues related to FATF, too read more Pakistan, a nation grappling with chronic energy shortages, regulatory challenges, and financial scrutiny, has made headlines with its ambitious foray into cryptocurrency. Bilal Bin Saqib, the newly appointed Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Crypto and Blockchain, recently unveiled the nation's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, designed to hold digital assets as a sovereign reserve. While presented as a bold step towards embracing digital finance, the move is fraught with contradictions that border on irony. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lights out at home, but power for Bitcoin? Across major Pakistani cities, citizens endure crippling electricity outages, often extending beyond 12 hours daily. Amid this chronic energy crisis, the government has allocated 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity for bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data centres. This stark inequality points to the government's misplaced priorities, as ordinary Pakistanis grapple with high electricity bills and prolonged blackouts. The roots of this paradox lie in the country's energy infrastructure. Pakistan has significantly increased its electricity generation capacity, reaching approximately 42,131 MW by March 2024. This expansion includes coal, solar, and hydroelectric power plants, many financed under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative. However, the transmission and distribution infrastructure has not kept pace, leading to inefficiencies and frequent power outages. Furthermore, the energy sector is burdened by a circular debt exceeding $10 billion, resulting from a cycle of unpaid bills between consumers, distribution companies, and power producers. This financial strain hampers maintenance and upgrades of the grid, exacerbating power shortages despite surplus generation. Chinese-funded projects under CPEC have added substantial capacity to Pakistan's power sector. While these projects have increased generation, they come with high capacity payments, obligating Pakistan to pay for electricity regardless of actual consumption. This arrangement contributes to elevated electricity tariffs and financial stress on the energy sector. Balancing on FATF's tightrope Further complicating matters is Pakistan's fraught relationship with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global watchdog against money laundering and terrorist financing. Historically, Pakistan has frequently oscillated in and out of FATF's grey list, indicating heightened scrutiny and ongoing compliance issues. Pakistan was first placed on the FATF grey list in 2008, then removed in 2010 after demonstrating progress. However, it was re-listed in 2012, removed again in 2015, and placed back on the grey list in 2018 due to strategic deficiencies in counter-terrorist financing. In October 2022, Pakistan was removed from the FATF grey list after significant improvements in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing frameworks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Now, Pakistani authorities claim to be developing a 'comprehensive, FATF-compliant regulatory framework for digital assets.' One must question the practicality of this promise, given the country's shaky track record in financial transparency. Digital currencies, inherently difficult to track, may inadvertently exacerbate the nation's existing vulnerabilities in money laundering and illicit finance. A sovereign wallet—or safe haven for questionable funds? Central to Pakistan's crypto push is the establishment of a national bitcoin wallet to hold state-controlled digital assets. According to Saqib, this reserve would signify Pakistan's confidence in decentralized finance rather than speculation. Yet, skepticism abounds about the potential misuse of this wallet. The transparency challenges intrinsic to cryptocurrency provoke concerns about the national wallet possibly becoming a repository for illicit funds. Given Pakistan's existing FATF compliance struggles, critics suggest that without rigorous oversight, the strategic bitcoin reserve could unintentionally attract illicit financial activities.
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First Post
20 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Asim Munir shook hands with known terrorist after Pak made him Field Marshal: Indian delegation in Riyadh
Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who is part of the all-party delegation led by the BJP MP Baijayant Panda, said, 'When this person (Asim Munir) was made a Field Marshal in Pakistan, a US-designated terrorist called Mohammad Ehsan was sitting right beside the Field Marshal' read more A man carries a portrait of Pakistani army chief General Syed Asim Munir, during a rally to express solidarity with Pakistan's armed forces, in Islamabad. This week, Munir became only the second in the country's history to be elevated to Field Marshal. AFP The Indian delegation in Riyadh said on Thursday that Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir 'shook hands' with a US-designated terrorist during a past event, adding that there is evidence that the neighbouring country is involved in terrorism. Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who is part of the all-party delegation led by the BJP MP Baijayant Panda, said, 'Pakistan must be brought back to the FATF grey list. That is where we will be able to control this terror financing of all these terrorist organisations. When this person (Asim Munir) was made a Field Marshal in Pakistan, a US-designated terrorist called Mohammad Ehsan was sitting right beside the Field Marshal. There are photographs of him shaking hands with this field marshal.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD #WATCH | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi says, "...Pakistan must be brought back to the FATF grey list. That is where we will be able to control this terror financing of all these terrorist organisations. When this person (Asim Munir) was made a Field… — ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2025 Owaisi has been on a street to slam Islamabad for backing and harbouring terrorists. Earlier this week, Munir, who has been raised to the ranks of Field Marshal , hosted a 'victory' dinner for the government where he presented a picture supposedly depicting his army's actions against India under Operation Bunyanum Marsoos to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Talking about this and mocking the duo, Asaduddin said, 'Yesterday, the Pakistani Army chief gifted a photo to the Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif…these stupid jokers want to compete with India, they had given a photograph of a 2019 Chinese Army drill claiming it is a victory over India. This is what Pakistan indulges in. Nakal karne ke liye akal chahiye'…inke pass akal bhi nahi hai (it takes brains to copy… and they don't even have that).'
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Anti-Terror Outreach: India And Saudi Arabia Keen To Work Together
| Anti-terror Outreach: India and Saudi Arabia keen to work together, India asks Saudi to back Pakistan's FATF Grey-listing. n18oc_indiaNews18 Mobile App -
