Latest news with #Lashkar-e-Taiba
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Harbhajan, Pathan brothers pull out of IND vs PAK WCL match amid Pahalgam backlash; fixture set to be cancelled: Report
The India vs Pakistan match at the World Championship of Legends (WCL 2025) is reportedly set to be cancelled, with some players having already pulled out from the fixture. According to RevSportz, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan have already pulled out of the India vs Pakistan WCL match. The decision also comes after the Indian WCL team players were criticised by fans for playing against Pakistan, especially after the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Harbhajan Singh and the Pathan brothers have pulled out of the India vs Pakistan WCL match.(ANI/PTI) The Indian WCL team were recently at the receiving end of criticism of fans after it was revealed that Shahid Afridi would be part of the Pakistan team too. The Indian captain Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan were also involved in social media war with the likes of Afridi over his anti-India remarks. The Pahalgam terror attack saw 26 civilians get killed by armed terrorists near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. The attack's responsibiity was initially claimed by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, with missile strikes on terrorism-related infrastructure and facilities of Pakistan-based militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan across the border. Even Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling and drone attacks, which was foiled by India. Although there has been no official update on the match, it is scheduled for July 20, and is set to begin at 9:00 PM IST. It will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham. According to reports, even other Indian players are expected to withdraw from the upcoming fixture. But there hasn't been any other confirmation yet. Also, the BCCI doesn't have any control over the participation of Indian players at the WCL, since it is an independent tournament and doesn't fall under their jurisdiction.
News18
18 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Weeks Before Crackdown On TRF, India's Vikram Misri Provided Dossier To US & UN Teams
Last Updated: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri presented irrefutable evidence tracing TRF's command structure and operational ties to the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan's intelligence services In the wake of the brutal Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, India escalated its diplomatic offensive against cross-border terrorism, pointing the global spotlight on an increasingly dangerous proxy group: The Resistance Front (TRF). The attack, one of the worst in recent years, left 26 civilians dead and reignited concerns about Pakistan-backed insurgent networks operating under new guises. Less than a month later, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri personally spearheaded the delivery of a well-documented dossier to both the United States State Department and the UN Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee, presenting irrefutable evidence tracing TRF's command structure and operational ties to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan's intelligence services. According to Hindustan Times, Misri, during his official visit to Washington DC from May 27 to May 29, submitted the dossier in a bid to build international consensus for designating TRF as a global terror group. The same documents were also shared with United Nations officials, asking for Sheikh Sajjad Gul—the elusive TRF leader and long-time LeT operative—to be listed under the UN's terror sanctions regime. The response from the United States was both swift and resolute. Four days before the formal notification on Thursday, India was informed of the TRF designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity. As Business Standard reported, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited recent attacks—most notably the Pahalgam massacre—as key reasons behind the designation. He underscored Washington's commitment to holding such actors accountable and to pursuing justice for victims of terrorism around the world. Back in India, the move was welcomed as a major diplomatic win. The Ministry of External Affairs described the designation as 'timely and important", and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar lauded the step as a 'strong message" from the US against terrorism. The Indian government emphasised that the international community must adopt a 'zero tolerance" approach when it comes to dealing with terrorism, especially when state complicity is involved, as in the case of Pakistan. The TRF came into prominence in 2019, following the revocation of Article 370, and has often been projected as a 'homegrown" insurgent group. However, extensive investigations by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) debunk that narrative. According to The Economic Times, NIA's findings show that TRF has been functioning as a digital-first extension of LeT under the covert direction of Pakistani handlers. Online communication cells facilitated planning and coordination with militants in Kashmir while being operated remotely from Pakistan. The dossier presented by India reportedly includes evidence linking Sheikh Sajjad Gul not just to multiple terror attacks, but also to a broader effort led by LeT to fragment its identity and create newer, India-centric aliases like TRF. As per Business Standard, Gul was once imprisoned in India but managed to cross over to Pakistan, where he leveraged LeT's infrastructure and patronage to organise TRF under the guidance of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Despite Pakistan's denials, digital forensic evidence and cross-border communications logs included in the dossier indicate direct coordination between TRF's online operations and LeT's hierarchy in Rawalpindi. In the broader context, India's urgent and multi-pronged diplomacy—via direct evidence, global alliances, and sustained pressure—reflects a maturing counterterrorism strategy. Rather than merely condemning attacks, New Delhi is pushing for institutional accountability and international action. The TRF's designation marks a step forward in isolating not just the foot soldiers of terror, but the infrastructure and ideologues that incubate them. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pakistan claims terror network 'dismantled', denies LeT link to Pahalgam attack
Pakistan on Friday (July 18, 2025) claimed that it "dismantled" the terrorist network and any effort to link the Pahalgam terror attack with the defunct Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was against the reality. The Foreign Office made the remarks in a statement, a day after the U.S. designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT, as a "foreign terrorist organisation" and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for its involvement in the Pahalgam attack. "Pakistan has effectively and comprehensively dismantled concerned outfits, arrested and prosecuted the leadership, and deradicalised its cadres,' the statement said. Stating that the investigation into the Pahalgam attack is "still inconclusive," it said, "any linkage with LeT, a defunct organisation banned in Pakistan, belies ground realities". The statement said Pakistan condemns terrorism in all forms and manifestations, has zero tolerance against terrorism, and it is the cornerstone of its policy to cooperate internationally against terrorism. The TRF claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, but later backtracked as tensions soared between India and Pakistan.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Nervous Pakistan Denies LeT Link, Calls Probe Inconclusive After US Brands TRF As Terror Group
The United States has officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) for orchestrating the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians in April 2025. But what followed was a familiar script from Pakistan. Islamabad's foreign ministry questioned the US decision, claimed the probe is 'inconclusive,' and rejected any Lashkar link, despite TRF claiming responsibility and being banned under India's UAPA since 2023. Pakistan, which once called TRF "non-existent", now says LeT is "defunct" and that it has dismantled terror outfits. This comes even as TRF continues to operate from Pakistani soil, backed by digital propaganda and arms. India's longstanding push for TRF's international designation has exposed Pakistan's double game on terrorism, calling itself a "frontline anti-terror state" while sheltering global terror outfits.#pakistan #india #pahalgamattack #trf #theresistancefront #pakistanterror #trfbanned #pahalgamattack #lashkaretaiba #terrorproxy #terrorism #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
China must keep India's red lines in mind
Recent developments in India-China relations, including high-level meetings, suggest that ties are on the mend after prolonged estrangement caused by the bloodletting at Galwan in 2020. The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the 16th BRICS summit at Kazan on October 23, 2024, gave new direction to ties. The resumption of patrolling and grazing activities in eastern Ladakh at the remaining friction points paved the way for disengagement. During recent visits to China for SCO meetings, both Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar have spoken of the need for early de-escalation in the border areas to facilitate normalisation of ties. The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra this year after a gap of five years has been well-received across India. Yet several key issues remain to be addressed, such as direct flights, stationing of journalists, business visas and the issue of upper riparian river waters data. Initial statements from China after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam had disappointed India. At the SCO defence ministers' forum in June, Rajnath Singh held firm in rejecting any document that failed to condemn cross-border terrorism. In a positive turnaround, the BRICS Joint Declaration issued following the summit meeting in Brazil, attended by PM Modi, specifically condemns the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. It censures terrorism, rejects safe havens and calls out the double standards in countering terrorism. This is the first time that a BRICS statement has specifically condemned any terrorist attack in J&K. This vindicates Modi's proactive stance on combating terrorism as well as the dispatching of all-party delegations to sensitise key nations about Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and Operation Sindoor. It should be recalled that the horrendous 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack had failed to find a place in the then BRIC Countries' Leaders Joint Statement the following year. There was only a generic condemnation of 'terrorism in all its forms and manifestations'. It was in the BRICS Leaders Declaration of September 2017 that mention was made of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad for the first time. This shows that India and China can reach a consensus on terrorism as part of a broader multilateral context. It may instil confidence at the bilateral level. In the past, China has placed technical blocks on listing Pakistan-based terrorists at the UN. However, the forthcoming SCO summit declaration may not reflect the BRICS formula on terrorism, given Pakistan's membership of the grouping. Going by the statements made by the Indian leadership in recent months, it is evident that peace and tranquillity on the border remain integral to the normalisation of ties. It took years to rebuild ties after the border war in 1962. Subsequent developments, unfortunately, belied early hopes of forging a mutually beneficial trade and economic partnership or maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas. Frequent tensions have only served to reinforce negative perceptions of one another. In recent years, the adverse balance of trade with China and the lack of reciprocal market access have shaped public and political opinion in India. Fresh concerns have recently arisen over restrictions placed by China on the export of rare earth magnets for EVs to India, wind turbines and electronics, besides tunnel boring machines and certain high-value fertilisers. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the Communist Party of China (CPC) had a jaundiced view of India. Jawaharlal Nehru was maligned as an 'imperial lackey'. China failed to appreciate India's civilisational ethos and the value attached to peace and non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi's pacifist teachings stood in sharp contrast to Mao Zedong's advocacy of class struggle and violent means to bring about change. The CPC's Marxist lens, unfortunately, disregarded the teachings of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, which were part of China's heritage. They provided a better civilisational connect with India. Even today, Chinese assessments betray deep suspicion about India's ties with the US. Beijing views the Quad as an 'exclusive clique' that seeks to contain China. Recently, China convened a trilateral meeting with Pakistan and Bangladesh during the China-South Asia Cooperation Forum in Kunming. China's expanding footprint in South Asia lacks transparency and plays a role in widening the existing fault lines. China's 'all-weather friendship' with Pakistan has soured bilateral ties with India. The strategic cooperation with Pakistan, including in the defence and nuclear fields, is a case in point. As Operation Sindoor unfolded, Chinese analysts undertook misinformation campaigns to question India's military success and cast aspersions on its equipment and tactics. India's non-participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Beijing's three Global Initiatives is for a valid reason. The CPEC, a flagship project of the BRI, traverses Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and violates India's sovereignty. Lack of consultation and transparency in regard to China's growing presence in the region, including the Indian Ocean, is cause enough for misgivings. Equality and mutual respect should form the bedrock of bilateral relations. Respect for core concerns cannot be one-sided. China frequently seeks reaffirmation from India of the One China principle with regard to Taiwan and Tibet. The presence of the Dalai Lama in India and the succession question are viewed by Beijing as sensitive issues. Yet, Beijing has failed to reciprocate on India's core interests, whether on Jammu & Kashmir or its nexus with Pakistan. On the question of equality, it is noteworthy that China considered itself an equal of the US in the 1950s and 1960s at a time when the Chinese economy was but a fraction of what it is today. The moot question is whether China is willing to follow the same logic today in dealing with others, regardless of asymmetries in power. Perceptions matter. They play a major role in India-China relations. The positive signs in India-China relations are encouraging. The deep deficit of trust, however, calls for sustained efforts. The two sides must move forward with realistic expectations. The road ahead is arduous. Yet, forging a stable and cooperative relationship between the two Asian neighbours is a goal worth pursuing. The writer is a former ambassador and director general of the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Views are personal
