Latest news with #Pakistan-specific
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Congress conspiring with Pakistan: Uttar Pradesh Dy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 1 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya slammed Congress, accusing it of demoralising the army and stating that it would have to pay a political price for the act. 'Congress is conspiring with Pakistan... From surgical strikes to 'Operation Sindoor', the statements of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge have hurt the sentiments of 140 crore people of the country,' Maurya told ANI on Sunday. 'This is the language that demoralises the army, and they do not realise that they will have to pay such a huge political price for using this language... It is our and our army's resolve that Operation Sindoor is not over yet,' he added. Meanwhile, Malook Nagar of Rashtriya Lok Dal has criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and other Opposition leaders for repeatedly questioning the government over the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. Nagar asked why the Opposition continues to raise questions related to Pakistan, and suggested that they should focus on the country as a whole instead. Nagar criticised Kharge for seeking clarity on US President Donald Trump's claim of brokering the cessation of hostilities, saying, 'The Opposition should prioritise national interests over Pakistan-specific queries.' 'The Pakistani Minister is crying about India destroying their camps, and the political leaders of India are questioning the mission's objectives.' Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday demanded a special session of Parliament concerning Operation Sindoor, alleging that the government had 'misled the nation' and instead of clarifying US President Donald Trump's assertions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'is on an election blitz, taking personal credit for the valour of the armed forces.' In a post on X, Kharge referred to remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff during an interview and demanded an independent expert committee's comprehensive review of the country's defence preparedness. Nagar defended Operation Sindoor, questioning AAP Leader Sanjay Singh's comments that allegedly insulted the mission's objective. 'Why does he keep repeating the same questions and insulting the mission? Love for the country should be the priority, not political power.', Nagar said. (ANI)
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Malook Nagar slams Opposition over ceasefire questions, defends Operation Sindoor
New Delhi [India], June 1 (ANI): Malook Nagar of Rashtriya Lok Dal has criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and other Opposition leaders for repeatedly questioning the government over the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. Nagar asked why the Opposition continues to raise questions related to Pakistan, and suggested that they should focus on the country as a whole instead. Nagar criticised Kharge for seeking clarity on US President Donald Trump's claim of brokering the cessation of hostilities, saying 'The Opposition should prioritise national interests over Pakistan-specific queries.' 'The Pakistani Minister is crying about India destroying their camps, and the political leaders of India are questioning the mission's objectives.' Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday demanded a special session of Parliament concerning Operation Sindoor, alleging that the government had 'misled the nation' and instead of clarifying US President Donald Trump's assertions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'is on an election blitz, taking personal credit for the valour of the armed forces.' In a post on X, Kharge referred to remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff during an interview and demanded a comprehensive review of the country's defence preparedness by an independent expert committee. Nagar defended Operation Sindoor, questioning AAP Leader Sanjay Singh's comments that allegedly insulted the mission's objective. 'Why does he keep repeating the same questions and insulting the mission? Love for the country should be the priority, not political power.' In a post on X, Sanjay Singh said, ' Do chutki sindoor ka mahatva aap kya jante hai Modiji? In Indian culture, women apply sindoor as a symbol of their husband's long life, respect and well-being. It reflects pride, dignity, and deep emotional meaning. But now, after pushing schemes like 'One Nation, One Election' and 'One Nation, One Leader', the Prime Minister appears to have launched 'One Nation, One Husband',' Singh said. Further, Nagar praised All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi, saying that he has proven himself to be a global leader rather than just a Muslim leader due to his recent statement. The AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who is part of an all-party delegation to Algeria, lambasted Pakistan on Saturday, calling it an 'epicentre of Takfirism.' Owaisi further reiterated his demand to put Pakistan back on the Grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). 'Terrorism survives on two things - ideology and money. Ideology, you know very well, you have seen the Black Decade even in South Algeria, you still have some problems. On that point, we are together. Once you bring Pakistan back in the Grey list (of FATF), we will see a decrease in terrorism in India. We'll see killings coming down,' said Owaisi. (ANI)
Express Tribune
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
A little garage with a big heart debuts Pakistan's emerging filmmakers
Cinema 73, a community space in Karachi where friends, strangers and city sounds come together to celebrate cinema. Cinema 73 is housed in a small garage, outside a home in Seaview Apartments. Though it is open, you feel incubated inside of it, held within the warm square of its projector light. At a recent screening called 'Short Stay,' which featured short films by five emerging, independent filmmakers from Pakistan, some people crowded around the screen, on the floor, others took the half-dozen chairs while the rest stood at a slight distance from the movies' shifting images. Unlike a 'real' or traditional cinema setting, the focal point of such a screening is not a dominating display of the screen demanding all your attention or an ordered seating chart telling you exactly where to sit, but the way in which a community negotiates space, and unites in the congregational appreciation of locally-made art. Motorcycles whir close by, generators are brought to life in the far-off distance and the wind carries the dim sounds of people chatting in a nearby park. Still, you are arrested by the images playing out in front of you. The screening then, is not a refuge from the outside world as another theatre-going experience might be, but rather, is made by the larger world, and by one's complete deference to it. The graffiti on the cinema's walls, the broken ceiling jutting out, the red and black sign out front: all of these things become a kind of container of life – both, the actual life transpiring around you and also the life that is reflected back to you in film. Hemmed in by the intimacy of the space, you are still whisked away to other worlds, transported to the masculine office-space of Catfish (Abdullah Shahid and Zohaib Bilal), for example, the danger-laced universe of Sandstorm (Seemab Gul) and the urgent, cascading interior landscape present in Clayhorse (Abdullah Khan). Life moves, changes shape, endlessly shifts and surprises on the cinema's graffiti-splattered walls. The real and imagined are embroidered together—the final tapestry made even more alive by the Pakistan-specific sights and sounds the films themselves contain. At this particular screening on Friday, February the 21st, we were also given small, white flashcards on which to write our thoughts, which the cinema's overseers said they would scan and send to the filmmakers. This introduced another layer of conversation—the possibility of a back-and-forth despite the filmmakers not being present in town, that further expanded the space's small, cozy physicality. Depending on where you sat—whether closer to the screen on the floor or outside so that the entryway itself became a screen, framing not only the films but their captive audience too, you had a different cinematic experience, a different ceiling at which to gaze. Sky spliced in with concrete. A stereo-speaker made almost invisible by the believability of film. Trees casting large shadows on the wall, engaged in their own little drama. Anything and everything can be theatre, it all seemed to say, as long as there's a willing audience for it.
Express Tribune
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
'Misleading' mention in US-India statement 'surprises' Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday rejected a reference to Pakistan in the joint statement issued after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with US President Donald Trump, expressing surprise over what it described as "one sided and misleading" allegations. Modi on Thursday held wide-ranging talks with Trump at the White House. In the joint statement, the two sides reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world. "They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qa'ida, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," read the joint statement. Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved. They called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks, and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks. The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors. "We consider the Pakistan-specific reference in the 'India-US Joint Statement of February 13, 2025 as one-sided, misleading and contrary to diplomatic norms," Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters at his weekly briefing. "We are surprised that the reference has been added to the Joint Statement notwithstanding Pakistan's counterterrorism cooperation with the United States," he added. He said such references cannot cover up India's sponsorship of terrorism, subversion and extrajudicial assassinations in the region and beyond; nor can they shift international attention from the stark reality of India being a safe haven for the perpetrators of hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities. The joint statement, according to the spokesperson, failed to address non-compliance of India with the UNSC resolutions which is the key source of tension and instability in the region and to take cognizance of the grim human rights situation in the Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). Regrettably, this is tantamount to abdication of international responsibility. "The international community recognises Pakistan's efforts and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. As a country that has enormously suffered from terrorism, Pakistan would continue to contribute constructively to the regional and global efforts to promote peace and stability in the region," he said. He said Pakistan remains committed to bring the fight against terrorism to its logical conclusion by eliminating this scourge from its soil. "Pakistan also remains committed to continue with counter terrorism efforts to address the issue of terrorism including acts of terrorism perpetrated by foreign elements." During Modi's visit, President Trump signaled further deepening of defense ties with India, including the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets. The spokesperson, however, said Pakistan was deeply concerned over the planned transfer of advanced military technologies to India. "Such steps accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability. They remain unhelpful in achieving the objective of a durable peace in South Asia," he added. "We urge our international partners to take a holistic and objective view of the issues of peace and security in South Asia and refrain from endorsing positions that are one-sided and divorced from ground realities." Despite criticizing the joint statement, the Foreign Office spokesperson said Pakistan considers relationship with the US important. "It's a multi-dimensional relationship, rooted in history, with decades-long history of cooperation. It's a very dense relationship and we remain committed to continuing to work with the new administration for the further consolidation and growth of Pakistan-US relations," he said.
Express Tribune
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
FO rejects 'one-sided and misleading' joint statement by India and US
Listen to article Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) on Friday dismissed the joint statement issued by India and the United States as 'one-sided, misleading, and contrary to diplomatic norms.' The statement, released following a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House, accused Pakistan of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks and alleged that the country of 'supported extremism.' At a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan responded to the allegations, stating, 'We consider the Pakistan-specific reference in the Indo-US joint statement of Feb 13 as one-sided, misleading and contrary to diplomatic norms.' He expressed surprise that the reference was included, given Pakistan's extensive counter-terrorism cooperation with the US. Khan further pointed out that such references could not conceal India's role in fostering terrorism, subversion, and extrajudicial killings in the region. 'These attempts cannot divert international attention from India being a safe haven for perpetrators of hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities,' he said. The spokesperson also criticised the statement for failing to address India's non-compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, which Khan argued is a key source of regional instability. He added that the statement overlooked the "grim human rights situation" in Jammu and Kashmir. "Regrettably, this is tantamount to abdication of international responsibility," he said, stressing that the international community acknowledges Pakistan's efforts and sacrifices in fighting terrorism. As a nation severely impacted by terrorism, Pakistan remains committed to regional and global efforts to promote peace and stability, Khan affirmed. 'We will continue to contribute to the fight against terrorism and remain dedicated to eliminating this scourge,' he added. The FO spokesperson also raised concerns about the United States' increasing military sales to India. He warned that the transfer of military technology to India would worsen the military imbalance in South Asia, undermining regional stability. "Such steps are unhelpful in achieving durable peace in South Asia,' he said, urging international partners to adopt a more objective and comprehensive view of the region's security situation. Trump announces US approval for extradition of Mumbai attack suspect Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday that the US had approved the extradition of a suspect in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 166 people. Speaking alongside Indian Prime Minister Modi at the White House, Trump stated, "I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and one of the very evil people of the world, having to do with the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack." Trump did not name the individual at the time, but the joint statement later identified him as Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-origin Chicago businessman and Canadian citizen. Rana, who had previously been sentenced to US federal prison for providing support to the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, is expected to face justice in India for his involvement in the attacks. The joint statement also called on Pakistan to 'bring to justice those accused of extremist attacks against India and prevent its territory from being used for extremism.' Pakistan has consistently denied accusations of supporting extremism. The US Supreme Court recently rejected Rana's appeal against his extradition, and he is now set to be handed over to Indian authorities. During the press conference, Trump was also asked about the issue of Sikh separatists in the US, a matter India views as a security threat. Trump did not provide a direct answer, but noted that the US and India work together on crime issues. This issue has become a point of tension in US-India relations, particularly since 2023, as India has reportedly targeted Sikh separatists in the US and Canada. The US has accused an Indian intelligence officer in connection with a foiled plot in the US, a situation that India is still investigating.
