Latest news with #IndianIllegallyOccupiedJammu
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
New rail line links IIOJK to Indian network: Modi vows not to stop IIOJK development after attack
NEW DELHI: India is committed to efforts to develop its restive territory of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday, accusing neighbour Pakistan of seeking to destroy livelihoods there with April's deadly attack on tourists. He was speaking on his first visit to the Himalayan region since attackers targeted Hindu tourists in the popular Pahalgam area, killing 26 men, triggering hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbours that ended in a ceasefire last month. 'The atmosphere of development that emerged in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir will not be hindered by the attack… I will not let development stop here,' Mr Modi said in remarks after inaugurating infrastructure projects. Key among these was a US$5 billion (S$6.4 billion) rail link between the IIOJK Kashmir Valley and the rest of India, which has been more than 40 years in the making and features the world's highest railway arch bridge. Others include highways, city roads and a new medical college. India has accused Pakistan of backing the April attack, a claim denied by Islamabad, and they engaged in four days of fierce fighting in May before agreeing to a ceasefire. Pakistan aimed to disrupt the livelihoods of the poor in IIOJK, who rely heavily on tourism, Mr Modi said, adding that he would face down any obstacle to regional development. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry rejected Mr Modi's remarks on June 6 and said it remained steadfast in its 'principled support' for the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. 'Claims of development… ring hollow against the backdrop of an unprecedented military presence, suppression of fundamental freedoms, arbitrary arrests, and a concerted effort to alter the region's demography in violation of international law,' it said. In May, Islamabad said a just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute was essential to ensure lasting peace in the region, known for its snow-capped mountains, scenic lakes, lush meadows and tulip gardens. The region, which drew more than 3 million visitors in 2024, is at the heart of the hostility between the old foes, both of which claim it in full, but rule it in part and have fought two of their three wars over it. India also accuses Pakistan of supporting Islamist militants battling security forces in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, but Islamabad denies the accusation. Trains run in the IIOJK Kashmir Valley but the new link is its first to the wider Indian railway network. Apart from boosting the regional economy, it is expected to help revive tourism, which plummeted after the April attack.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Only ceasefire between Pakistan, India represents true victory, says Bilawal
Only a lasting ceasefire between Pakistan and India represents true victory, said former Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday. On May 7, India launched airstrikes on Pakistani targets to 'avenge last month's killing of 26 people by gunmen in Pahalgam town', about 89km east of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Pakistan denied any involvement in the attack. In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) at the United Nations headquarters, Zardari, also the chairman of Pakistan People's Party, said that there is no 'real victory' until the final ceasefire. 'I think the very easy answer to who won this war is who's lying to their people? Whose media was lying to their people? Whose government was lying to their people during the conflict and after the conflict? It took one month for the Indian government to admit that we downed their planes. Why were they hiding this fact from their people? Because the truth is they lost. As our initial self-defense for their unilateral violation of our sovereignty, we downed six Indian jets and they refused to admit it up until literally yesterday. We've achieved a ceasefire. That's important. I think that's the true victory,' said Zardari. IMF warns Pakistan-India tensions could threaten reform, fiscal goals Pakistan and India announced on May 10 that they had agreed on an immediate ceasefire, but Zardari admitted that it is a fragile ceasefire. 'This is, I think, a fragile ceasefire. In order for this to be a lasting ceasefire, we appeal to the international community to play its role because Pakistan has said that they're willing to talk. There's only one country that says they're not willing to talk and that's India. So obviously that's not a sustainable situation. And therefore, it is our effort to engage the international community for them to play their role to establish peace, which must include resolving the issue of Kashmir, resolving India's water dispute that India has now started illegally and having a proper conversation about terrorism,' said the former foreign minister. Zardari stated that both parties are most likely to resolve their disputes through dialogue. 'I think the most important and the most sort of possible achievement would be for us to start a dialogue. Dialogue and diplomacy has to be the start for us to address any and all issues. So Pakistan is willing to talk with India. We want peace, but peace is not possible, as you say, until we engage in a dialogue. Of course, I believe as we relied or there was the international community's involvement in achieving our ceasefire. Therefore, it's reasonable to believe that if the international community plays its role in a similar way, perhaps, we will able to establish perpetual peace, at least in South Asia,' he said.
Express Tribune
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Pakistan will never accept Indian hegemony, says Field Marshal Munir
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir has reaffirmed Pakistan's firm stance on regional sovereignty, saying that Pakistan will never accept India's hegemony. This reiteration of resolve came days after Pakistan inflicted a drubbing on India in a military confrontation between the two countries which was triggered by New Delhi's reckless and provocative missile strikes on civilian infrastructures inside Pakistan. Speaking during a special wide-ranging session with vice chancellors, principals, and senior faculty members of various universities, Field Marshal Munir stressed the crucial role of educators in shaping the country's future generations. However, the focus of his wide-ranging address remained Pakistan's unwavering position on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and broader regional concerns, particularly with India. Read more: Pakistan's military dismisses Indian water threat as 'insane thinking' 'Pakistan will never accept Indian hegemony,' said the army chief, drawing a firm line on issues ranging from water rights to the Kashmir dispute. 'Water is Pakistan's red line, and we will not allow any compromise on this basic right of 240 million Pakistanis,' he added. India has announced 'holding in abeyance' the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), an agreement brokered by the World Bank between Islamabad and New Delhi in 1960 to share the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries. Under the deal, Pakistan was given the right on three rivers, namely Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab, while India was granted the right on the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers. Pakistan, which is heavily dependent on waters from three rivers allotted to it under IWT, has declared that any move to stop or divert its share of water will be considered 'an act of war' and that it will use the full spectrum of national power to protect its water share.
Business Recorder
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
FO slams Indian PM's ‘inflammatory' remarks, warns against water weaponisation
The Foreign Office on Wednesday issued a sharp rebuke of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent statements, condemning what it called an 'inflammatory monologue' that ignored India's 'internal repression of minorities' and 'historical revisionism.' In a strongly worded press release, Islamabad accused Modi of threatening to weaponise water—a 'shared, treaty-bound resource'—calling it a 'troubling departure from international norms.' Pakistan condemns Modi's 'reckless provocation' The statement noted the 'stark contrast between India's conduct in the region and its declared global ambitions,' adding, 'A leadership truly in pursuit of international respect might first look inward, and seek to cleanse its conscience before issuing threats to others.' The Foreign Office also alleged that India's government was linked to 'extraterritorial assassinations and foreign subversion,' while maintaining an 'illegal occupation' of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir marked by 'systematic repression.' 'It is ironic that such a state now attempts to claim the mantle of victimhood,' the statement said. Pakistan further criticised India's domestic climate, accusing Modi's ideological followers of normalising 'mob violence,' promoting 'hate campaigns,' and targeting religious minorities. 'Such acts may serve domestic optics but cannot withstand international scrutiny,' it argued, warning that these policies undermine India's credibility as a 'responsible regional power.' The statement concluded by urging India to uphold 'the core principles of international order,' including respecting sovereign rights and treaty obligations. 'Jingoism may stir applause on the campaign trail, but it undermines long-term peace and stability,' it said, advising India's youth to reject 'the politics of fear' and embrace 'dignity, reason, and regional cooperation.'
Business Recorder
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
FO slams Indian PM's ‘inflammatory' remarks, warns against water weaponization
The Foreign Office on Wednesday issued a sharp rebuke of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent statements, condemning what it called an 'inflammatory monologue' that ignored India's 'internal repression of minorities' and 'historical revisionism.' In a strongly worded press release, Islamabad accused Modi of threatening to weaponize water—a 'shared, treaty-bound resource'—calling it a 'troubling departure from international norms.' Pakistan condemns Modi's 'reckless provocation' The statement noted the 'stark contrast between India's conduct in the region and its declared global ambitions,' adding, 'A leadership truly in pursuit of international respect might first look inward, and seek to cleanse its conscience before issuing threats to others.' The Foreign Office also alleged that India's government was linked to 'extraterritorial assassinations and foreign subversion,' while maintaining an 'illegal occupation' of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir marked by 'systematic repression.' 'It is ironic that such a state now attempts to claim the mantle of victimhood,' the statement said. Pakistan further criticized India's domestic climate, accusing Modi's ideological followers of normalizing 'mob violence,' promoting 'hate campaigns,' and targeting religious minorities. 'Such acts may serve domestic optics but cannot withstand international scrutiny,' it argued, warning that these policies undermine India's credibility as a 'responsible regional power.' The statement concluded by urging India to uphold 'the core principles of international order,' including respecting sovereign rights and treaty obligations. 'Jingoism may stir applause on the campaign trail, but it undermines long-term peace and stability,' it said, advising India's youth to reject 'the politics of fear' and embrace 'dignity, reason, and regional cooperation.'
