Latest news with #NawazSharif
Business Recorder
8 hours ago
- Health
- Business Recorder
Nawaz leaves for London for medical check-up
LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif left for London on Sunday for a medical check-up, party sources confirmed. Sharif departed from his residence in Jati Umra and boarded a special flight from Lahore's Old Airport. According to party insiders, the former premier will remain in the UK, during which he is expected to undergo a comprehensive medical examination. Nawaz Sharif is likely to stay in London for two weeks and will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha in London.
Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Nawaz leaves for London on special plane
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday left for London on a special plane. According to family sources, the PML-N president will celebrate Eidul Azha with his sons in the United Kingdom during the two-week visit and will also get his medical examination conducted during the stay. Nawaz is visiting London after seven months. The former PM was scheduled to spend his Ramazan in Saudi Arabia but had cancelled the trip on his doctors' advice. The PML-N chief remained in London from October 2019 to October 2023 in what could be described as a self-imposed exile. Upon his return to the country after formation of a PML-N led coalition government Nawaz was acquitted of the charges of corruption.
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
PM says issues facing Balochistan will be resolved
QUETTA: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Saturday said the issues faced by the people of Balochistan would be resolved amicably and funds would be made available for the development and progress of the largest province. Addressing a grand Jirga of Balochistan here, he said all provinces were like brothers and would equally share resources of the country. The federal government was spending Rs 70 billion on the solarisation project in Balochistan, he said, adding Rs 150 billion would be diverted for the building of highway N25 in Balochistan. These funds would be acquired from the amount which the government was collecting after the lowering down of prices of petroleum products in the international market. India has intensified 'terrorism campaign' inside Pakistan through proxies, says PM Shehbaz The prime minister said the government would allocate Rs 1000 billion for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) this year and 25 percent or Rs 250 billion from the fund would be for projects in Balochistan. He said federal funds were the right of people of Balochistan and every penny would be spent transparently on the progress and prosperity of the province. As chief minister of Punjab, he said, he has allocated ten percent quota for the students of Balochistan in different schemes of Punjab including laptop schemes and scholarships in the foreign and provincial educational institutions. In the past, Rs two billion were allocated for a heart hospital in Balochistan, he continued. He recalled that Punjab had agreed to give part of its funds from the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to Balochistan in view of its development needs as the province had a larger area. In today's value, the funds diverted to Balochistan amounted to Rs 160 billion, he explained. The NFC award was signed in Lahore in 2010 after three days of discussions among the national leadership including President Asif Ali Zardari, the then prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Nawaz Sharif, he added. He said in the tenure of Nawaz Sharif lot of development projects were undertaken in Balochistan and President Zardari initiated Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan. He said the elders of Balochistan decided to become part of Pakistan under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Talking about incidents of terrorism in Balochistan, he said terrorists were blood thirsty and were against the progress of Pakistan and were undertaking heinous acts at the behest of foreign elements. He said terrorists in Balochistan were foreign agents who had resorted to barbarity but they would not be tolerated by the government and armed forces of Pakistan. He assured that social and economic justice would be delivered to the people of Balochistan. Referring to the latest incidents in Sorab, he said the country could not make progress without peace. Talking about conflict with India, he said on the midnight of May 6 and 7 and May 10 India attacked Pakistan but with the grace of Allah, the armed forces of Pakistan bravely defeated the enemy, who will remember its failure forever. He thanked people of Pakistan for showing unity and standing with the Pakistan army shoulder to shoulder during the conflict. As prime minister he was witness to all the events of the short duration war, he said adding as a brave and sagacious leader Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir led Pakistan armed forces to a victory against India and made the nation proud and the success was akin to avenging the events of 1971. He said now the enemy was scared and the friendly countries were more confident after success of Pakistan. He recalled that Pakistan conducted six nuclear explosions in response to five detonations of India in 1998, adding Nawaz Sharif was leader of the nation on that momentous occasion, which fortified the defence of Pakistan. Field Marshal Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir, Acting Governor Balochistan Governor Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti and high ranking military and civil officials attended the event. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Saturday stressed that the threats faced by Pakistan were no longer confined to conventional warfare and highlighted the need for preparedness across multiple domains. He was addressing officers at the Command and Staff College here. Joined by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal and Attaullah Tarar, Balochistan Corps Commander Lt Gen Rahat Naseem Ahmed Khan, and DG ISPR Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Prime Minister outlined a comprehensive vision for national resilience. 'Pakistan's threats are no longer limited to traditional warfare,' said PM Sharif. 'Our military, political, and economic institutions must be equally prepared to face hybrid challenges, from border security to economic sabotage.' He paid tribute to the Pakistan Armed Forces for their valour and professionalism, citing the response to the Pulwama incident as an example of national strength. 'While India targeted innocent civilians, our Air Force responded with precision, striking seven high-value targets,' he said, adding that the incident proved Pakistan's operational readiness on land and in the air. The Prime Minister strongly criticised India's propaganda and its attempt to weaponize events like the Pulwama attack. He emphasised that Pakistan responded firmly, diplomatically and militarily. 'India tried to make water a weapon, but we have drawn a red line. Pakistan will never allow its water rights to be violated,' he added. He praised the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar for their strategic foresight, asserting that Pakistan's armed forces and people stand united against any aggression. 'The recent tensions have only boosted the morale of our nation and forces,' he remarked. He noted that when he assumed office for 16-month tenure, the country was facing severe challenges, but none were insurmountable. 'Our focus remains on the economy, reforms, and counterterrorism,' he said. He pointed to significant achievements since the beginning of economic reforms in March 2024. 'Tax revenue has increased by 28% compared to last year. The introduction of a faceless assessment system at Karachi Port has improved transparency. Inflation has dropped from 38% to single digits. The Pakistani rupee is now stable,' he added. Shehbaz Sharif also emphasized the government's zero-tolerance policy on corruption, crediting tough decisions and anti-smuggling measures for economic stabilization. 'We are introducing modern technologies, including crypto regulation and blockchain, to align Pakistan with the global financial landscape,' he announced. He reaffirmed Pakistan's strong ties with countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Qatar, and the Gulf states. 'Our strategic friendships have endured every test. These nations stood by us in our most difficult times,' he said. The Prime Minister called for collective national effort and hard work to join the ranks of great nations. 'Success comes from perseverance. Together, we will transform Pakistan into a model for the world,' he declared. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
CDS speaks out on Op Sindoor—from nuclear to losses & disinformation to Chinese role
'At independence, Pakistan was ahead by many metrics; today, India leads in GDP, social harmony, and development. That progress reflects a long-term strategy. Diplomatic outreach has occurred—such as the PM's 2014 invitation to Nawaz Sharif—but reciprocation is lacking. In such cases, strategic disengagement is itself a considered response,' he said. He also spoke on India-Pakistan relationship and rejected the idea of 'strategic aimlessness'. New Delhi: Underlining that India retained full operational clarity and autonomy during Operation Sindoor regardless of broader geopolitical currents, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said what unfolded was a non-contact, multi-domain conflict involving both kinetic and non-kinetic elements which exemplifies the future of warfare. Addressing military leaders from across the world at the IISS-organised Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in a closed door session Friday, he said the military is seen as a rational actor when it comes to nuclear escalation and added that nuclear escalation in undeclared wars was illogical. He said that prolonged mobilisation without combat imposes a significant cost. 'That's why India disengages swiftly post-operations. Prolonged wars hinder national development—something adversaries may aim to disrupt,' he said talking about the short and swift conflict. Importantly, in his address, the CDS noted that while Pakistan may have leveraged Chinese commercial satellite imagery, there is no proof of real-time targeting support. This is significant because the CDS has said that what was available to Pakistan was commercial satellite pictures and not any active Chinese military inputs. 'India, by contrast, relied on indigenous systems like Akash, achieving success through effective system networking, integrating both domestic and foreign radars into a cohesive defence structure,' he said. He also spoke about the disinformation warfare unleashed by the Pakistani military and noted that '15 percent of operational time was spent countering fake narratives, underlining the need for a dedicated information warfare vertical'. 'India's strategy emphasized fact-based communication even at the cost of slower responses. Initially, two women officers served as spokespeople while the senior leadership was engaged in operations. Only after the 10th May did the DGMOs brief the media,' he said. The CDS also spoke on losses and said 'no war is without cost—but what matters is how one responds. India responded effectively within three days, without further escalation' On the issue of automation and robotics, Gen Chauhan warned that reducing the human cost of war may increase the likelihood of conflict escalation. 'When fewer lives are at risk, decision-makers may act more aggressively. This shift presents serious ethical and strategic challenges,' he said. The CDS noted that the modern warfare is undergoing a complex convergence—of tactics, domains (land, air, sea, cyber, space), time frames and strategies. On the issue of cyber operations, he said it played a limited role. 'While there were some denial-of-service attacks, India's air-gapped military systems remained secure. Public platforms faced minor disruptions, but operational systems were unaffected,' he said. Regarding space and satellite intelligence, he reiterated that commercial access is available to all. 'India relied on its own capabilities, while adversaries may have sought help from allies—but real-time coordination remains unconfirmed.' Gen Chauhan pointed out that India's focus on indigenous platforms, like Akash, and self-reliant networking infrastructure has paid off. Integration of diverse radars into a unified air defence system was a key success, he underlined. Turning to the Indian Ocean Region, particularly the northern Bay of Bengal, where geography and geopolitics constrain India's movement north (due to China) and east (due to Myanmar), he said the sea becomes India's strategic outlet. 'Though continental, India functions like an island nation, with its island territories providing depth. New concerns have emerged, but the view is expanding southward to secure broader maritime interests,' he said. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: What's a National Security Strategy & why CDS Gen Chauhan feels India doesn't need one on paper
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
If we get hostility in return...: Chief of Defence Staff spells out Pak strategy
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan underscored that India's current policy against Pakistan was of strategic disengagement as New Delhi received nothing but hostility from Islamabad despite diplomatic at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier defence and security summit, General Chauhan said that despite Pakistan being ahead of India in many metrics after Independence, India was now ahead on all fronts - from the economy to human the India-Pakistan relationship, we are not operating without a strategy. When we gained independence, Pakistan was ahead of us on every metric: social, economic, GDP per capita. Today, India is ahead on all fronts: economic performance, human development, and social harmony, despite our greater diversity," General Chauhan said. He underlined that India had reached out to Pakistan several times, like in 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited then-premier Nawaz Sharif to his oath ceremony after the BJP's win in the Lok Sabha next year, PM Modi made a surprise stop in Lahore to meet Sharif and wish him on his birthday."Diplomatically, we have reached out like in 2014 when the PM invited Nawaz Sharif. But it takes two hands to clap. If all we get in return is hostility, then disengagement may itself be a sound strategy for now," he OPERATION SINDOOR AND AKASH SYSTEMadvertisementSpeaking on Operation Sindoor, the Chief of Defence Staff pointed out how indigenous platforms like the Akash missile system were used effectively to neutralise attacks from the same breath, he highlighted that integrated radars, built into a cohesive network across India, proved to be crucial."We have not only used indigenous platforms like the Akash missile system effectively, but we have also built our own networking infrastructure for air defence without relying on foreign vendors. We have integrated radars from multiple sources into a cohesive network across India and that was crucial," General Chauhan Akash missile system was pivotal in thwarting Pakistan's sustained drone and missile attacks during Operation Sindoor, India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack, earlier this month. In retaliation, Indian forces targeted 11 key Pakistani military sites, including the Nur Khan air base, which is just 10 km from the Army Watch
