Latest news with #FareedKhan
Newsweek
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Karachi Port Attack Claims Debunked in India-Pakistan Conflict
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Amid heightened hostilities between India and Pakistan, unverified claims of an Indian naval strike on Karachi Port have flooded social media. The Karachi Port Trust quickly discredited the reports, attributing the posts to a hack of its official account. No official confirmation of an attack has been made, and Pakistan's government has not reported any damage to the port. The viral rumors emerged as both nations accuse each other of cross-border provocations, raising alarm across the region. Newsweek has reached out the Indian government for comment. Why It Matters Concerns about the potential for a nuclear exchange have intensified following the most serious cross-border violence in years. India launched "Operation Sindoor," striking alleged militant sites in Pakistan-controlled territory, after the deadly Pahalgam attack in Kashmir which killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists. Pakistan condemned the operation as an unprovoked act of aggression, sparking retaliatory action and a spike in regional tensions. With two nuclear-armed neighbors engaged in escalating military exchanges, even unverified reports—such as the Karachi Port strike claim—have the potential to rapidly inflame public sentiment and invite retaliatory responses. Supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami burn an effigy of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Indian flag during a demonstration to condemn Indian strikes in Pakistan and to show their support for Pakistan military, in Karachi, Pakistan,... Supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami burn an effigy of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Indian flag during a demonstration to condemn Indian strikes in Pakistan and to show their support for Pakistan military, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, May 9, 2025. More Fareed Khan/AP Photo What to Know On Friday, a series of social media posts claimed that India's naval forces had launched a strike on Karachi Port, citing alleged footage of explosions and damage. However, the Karachi Port Trust issued a statement declaring its social media accounts had been compromised. "Our account was hacked! Karachi Port is safe and secure!" KPT announced. The account was hacked ! Karachi Port is safe and secure ! — Karachi Port Trust Official (@official_kpt) May 9, 2025 Fake Visuals Circulate Several posts included an image purportedly showing the strike in progress. A fact-check by The Logical Indian traced the photo to a 2020 BBC story covering bombings in Gaza, confirming it was misused in the current context. Its show time — Vikrant Umesh Salunkhe (@Vikrant6667) May 8, 2025 U.S. Security Advisory The U.S. Consulate in Karachi has issued a security warning citing possible terrorist threats targeting Karachi Port, further compounding confusion around recent rumors. American personnel were advised to avoid the port area until further notice. Broader Conflict Heating Up This incident follows multiple reported skirmishes along the Line of Control in Kashmir. Pakistan's military has claimed its forces had engaged Indian troops along the western border. India has not officially confirmed the encounter but said it was monitoring "provocations." Meanwhile, reports of drone activity and shelling from both sides have intensified in recent days. What People Are Saying Karachi Port Trust wrote: "Our account was hacked! Karachi Port is safe and secure!" Pakistan Armed Forces statement: "We have launched multiple attacks in response to Indian aggression along the western border." Indian government statement: "Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military." What Happens Next With the potential for further escalation high, both India and Pakistan are under growing pressure to clarify their military positions and tamp down provocative rhetoric. International observers are watching closely for signs of diplomatic engagement or further confrontation.
Irish Examiner
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Pakistan denies Indian accusations of attacks on military bases
Pakistan has denied Indian accusations it has attacked military bases amid the growing conflict between the two neighbours. India's Headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff, a central coordinating arm for all Indian armed forces, said military stations in Jammu, Udhampur and Pathankot were targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. It said the attacks were repelled and no casualties were reported. Shesh Paul Vaid, the region's former director-general of police, said the Jammu Airport likely was also under attack and that some of the 50 loud explosions he heard likely were because 'our defence system is at work'. Jammu and Udhampur are close to the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. Pathankot is in India's Punjab state. Supporters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan party chant slogans during a rally to condemn Indian missile strikes in Pakistani areas, in Karachi (Fareed Khan/AP) Sirens were also heard in some parts of the region's main city of Srinagar, residents said. It was followed by a blackout in the city and other parts of the region. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement rejected the Indian claims that Pakistan launched attacks on Pathankot, Jaisalmer and Srinagar, saying 'these claims are entirely unfounded, politically motivated, and part of a reckless propaganda campaign aimed at maligning Pakistan'. It added that 'such actions not only further endanger regional peace but also reveal a disturbing willingness to exploit misinformation for political and military ends'. India fired attack drones into Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least two civilians, the Pakistani military said. India acknowledged it had targeted Pakistan's air defence system and accused its neighbour of attempting its own attack. Islamabad said it shot down several of the drones while India said it 'neutralised' Pakistan's attempts to hit military targets. It was not possible to verify all of the claims. The exchanges came a day after Indian missiles struck several locations in Pakistan, killing 31 civilians, according to Pakistani officials. New Delhi said it was retaliating after gunmen killed more than two dozen people, mostly Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month. India accused Pakistan of being behind the assault. Islamabad denies that. An Indian flag lies in front of a damaged shop following an overnight artillery shelling from Pakistan at Gingal village in Uri district, Indian controlled Kashmir (Dar Yasin/AP) Both sides have also traded heavy fire across their frontier in disputed Kashmir, and Pakistan claimed it killed scores of Indian soldiers. There was no confirmation from India. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to avenge the deaths in India's missile strikes, raising fears that the two countries could be headed toward another all-out conflict. Leaders from both nations face mounting public pressure to show strength and seek revenge, and the heated rhetoric and competing claims could be a response to that pressure. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Thursday to the Pakistani prime minister and India's External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, urging both sides to de-escalate the situation, the US State Department said. New Delhi, meanwhile, accused Pakistan of attempting 'to engage a number of military targets' with missiles and drones along the Line of Control that divides Kashmir and elsewhere along their border. 'The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations,' it said. At a news briefing, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday rejected India's claim that Islamabad carried out any attack in Indian Punjab. 'These accusations are an attempt to incite anti-Pakistan sentiment among the Punjabi Sikh population in India,' he said. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told parliament that so far, Pakistan has not responded to India's missile attacks, but there will be one. Later Thursday, Indian authorities ordered a night-time blackout in Punjab's Gurdaspur district, which borders Pakistan.
