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India.com
an hour ago
- Politics
- India.com
Trump Reiterates Claim Of Ending India-Pakistan Conflict, Says ‘We Did That Through Trade'
United States President Donald Trump reiterated his claim on Monday (local time) that he stopped the escalation of the recent India-Pakistan conflict after the Pahalgam terror attack. Trump made these remarks during his meeting with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte. "We have been very successful in settling wars, India, Pakistan... India, by the way, Pakistan would have been a nuclear war within another week, the way that was going. It was going very badly," Trump stated. He pointed to his strategy of using trade as leverage, stating, "We did that through trade. I said, we are not going to talk to you about trade, unless you get this thing settled, and they did." In June, Trump told reporters on Air Force One, "You know, I did something that people don't talk about, and I don't talk about very much, but we solved a big problem, a nuclear problem potentially with India and with Pakistan." "I spoke to Pakistan, I spoke to India, they have really great leaders, but they were going at it, and they could have gone at it nuclear," he added. Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for stopping hostilities between India and Pakistan after New Delhi's effective response to Islamabad's aggression following precision strikes on terror infrastructure. However, India refuted the claims made by the US President, reiterating its policy that India and Pakistan bilaterally address any matter related to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. "As you are aware, we have a long-standing national position that any issues pertaining to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed. As you are aware, the outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian Territory by Pakistan," the Ministry of External Affairs stated. The MEA further stated that the "issue of trade" did not come up between Indian and US leaders since the commencement of 'Operation Sindoor' and the cessation of hostilities. "From the time OPERATION SINDOOR commenced on 7th May till the understanding on cessation of firing and military action on 10th May, there were conversations between Indian and US leaders on the evolving military situation. The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions," MEA further stated. India launched Operation Sindoor early on May 7 and hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed. India repelled subsequent Pakistani military aggression and pounded its airbases. India and Pakistan agreed to a cessation of hostilities following a call made by Pakistan's DGMO to his Indian counterpart.
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"We did that through trade": Trump reiterates claim of ending India-Pak conflict
Washington DC [US], July 15 (ANI): US President Donald Trump reiterated his claim on Monday (local time) that he stopped the escalation of the recent India-Pakistan conflict after the Pahalgam terror attack. Trump made these remarks during his meeting with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte. 'We have been very successful in settling wars, India, Pakistan... India, by the way, Pakistan would have been a nuclear war within another week, the way that was going. It was going very badly,' Trump stated. He pointed to his strategy of using trade as leverage, stating, 'We did that through trade. I said, we are not going to talk to you about trade, unless you get this thing settled, and they did.' In June, Trump told reporters on Air Force One, 'You know, I did something that people don't talk about, and I don't talk about very much, but we solved a big problem, a nuclear problem potentially with India and with Pakistan.' 'I spoke to Pakistan, I spoke to India, they have really great leaders, but they were going at it, and they could have gone at it nuclear,' he added. Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for stopping hostilities between India and Pakistan after New Delhi's effective response to Islamabad's aggression following precision strikes on terror infrastructure. However, India refuted the claims made by the US President, reiterating its policy that India and Pakistan bilaterally address any matter related to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. 'As you are aware, we have a long-standing national position that any issues pertaining to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by India and Pakistan bilaterally. That stated policy has not changed. As you are aware, the outstanding matter is the vacation of illegally occupied Indian Territory by Pakistan,' the Ministry of External Affairs stated. The MEA further stated that the 'issue of trade' did not come up between Indian and US leaders since the commencement of 'Operation Sindoor' and the cessation of hostilities. 'From the time OPERATION SINDOOR commenced on 7th May till the understanding on cessation of firing and military action on 10th May, there were conversations between Indian and US leaders on the evolving military situation. The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions,' MEA further stated. India launched Operation Sindoor early on May 7 and hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed. India repelled subsequent Pakistani military aggression and pounded its airbases. India and Pakistan agreed to a cessation of hostilities following a call made by Pakistan's DGMO to his Indian counterpart. (ANI)
India.com
3 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Why Pakistan Is Watching Imran Khan's Sons Like It Once Watched Benazir Bhutto
New Delhi: When power is stripped away, who carries the flame forward? The question echoes in Pakistan's charged political landscape. At a time when Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi houses a former prime minister (Imran Khan) behind its stone walls and iron bars, a wave brews outside. The call for resistance has been raised again by his party (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf). This time, the murmurs grow louder for who might step forward. In drawing rooms and digital spaces, people speak of two young men living far from the heat of Pakistani politics, their faces known more from photographs than podiums. Qasim and Suleman, Khan's sons. For years, they remained at a distance both geographically and politically. Britain shaped their upbringing. Their mother's world shaped their privacy. Even when their father held the highest office in the land, their names never touched political headlines. But something shifted. In the last few weeks, voices close to them suggest the two brothers now want to be seen and heard. They have spoken, they have given interviews and they have questioned why their father has been cut off from them. Some around them have said they first plan to travel to the United States. There, they hope to speak about the rights being denied back home. From there, they intend to come to Pakistan. The anticipation grows. Those close to the family say their arrival would mark a moment of emotional strength for the movement. Their presence, they believe, would stir something in the ranks of supporters who have stood confused and scattered in the absence of their leader. They speak of a new energy, something dormant reawakening. They say the supporters would gain fresh courage from the sight of their leader's blood walking beside them. The government, on its part, has begun issuing warnings. Those in power have said the brothers could be arrested if they participate in any protests within the country. That signal alone sent ripples through Opposition circles. Some ask why sons cannot fight for their father. Others ask whether their passports would even allow entry and whether the airport would become a border too far. People in political circles say this is intimidation, nothing more. Yet the threat feels real. Some believe that even from abroad, the brothers can play a role. They can speak where others are silenced. They can reach out to policymakers who will not pick up calls from Pakistani politicians. They belong to a world where influence wears suits, not shalwar kameez. And they have a surname that echoes through Pakistan's alleys and courtrooms. The whispers are no longer about whether they will step in. They are about how far they will go. Those within their father's party speak of a new movement set to begin in August. They say the sons are ready to walk into the storm. The former prime minister's sister has already stood at the gates of Adiala, defiant and unbowed. Now, eyes turn to the sons. Some say this moment was always coming. That family steps in when institutions fail. Observers say the protests can only succeed if the people rise every day – not once and not briefly, but as a pulse that does not fade. A political storm cannot come and go like summer rain. It must linger. Across Pakistan, parallels are drawn. They say former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto walked this path when her father was taken from her. They recall Maryam Nawaz building her place brick by brick after her father fell. They speak of political inheritance as a fire passed down, not as entitlement, but as duty. In drawing rooms in Islamabad, they ask if history is being rewritten again. In villages across Punjab, they ask if the sons will come. In the United Kingdom, policy watchers wonder if the boys of cricket's icon will now step into politics' bloodsport. There are no clear answers yet. Only speculation and only waiting. But one thing is certain. The story of Pakistan's dynasties is far from over. And a chapter, long delayed, may finally begin with the sons of a jailed leader stepping into their father's shadow.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Borrowers blackmailed, threatened: Cyber police ask Google to take down 9 loan apps
The Pimpri-Chinchwad cyber police have asked Google Play Store to take down nine mobile applications offering instant small loans, which were found to employ predatory tactics, including online blackmail and extortion of the victims. These apps, which primarily targeted daily-wage earners and even college students, were found to be part of a larger network with links to cyber criminals operating from China. The Pimpri-Chinchwad cyber police got in touch with Google Play Store specifically after a case in which Pakistani phone numbers and threats involving morphed nude images were used to coerce victims into repaying disproportionately high amounts, police said. The investigations revealed that a large number of victims from low-income groups were lured by the promise of quick, no-paperwork loans, which were mostly in the range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000. Once the loan amounts were transferred to the borrowers, the nightmare began. Borrowers were allegedly harassed with incessant calls and if payments weren't made immediately. The cyber criminals operating these loan apps did not stop the harassment even after recovering thrice or four times the loan amount. As the helpless victims stopped payment, the cyber criminals began issuing threats, in many cases from numbers with Pakistan codes. In some cases, fake nudes digitally altered from the victims' social media profiles were used to intimidate them. In some cases, these fake nude photos were sent to the contacts of the victims to further humiliate and pressure them. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shivaji Pawar said, 'We had been receiving multiple complaints about fraud and extortion from people who had sought small instant loans from phone-based apps. Most of the people who were targeted through these apps were daily-wage earners, people from low-income groups and even college students who were in need of small loans with immediate effect. It has come to light that these apps were downloaded from Google Play Store.' As the team led by Assistant Inspector Praveen Swami started looking into the origin of these apps, it came to light that none of them were registered with any institutional framework of the Government of India. Subsequently, Swami and Inspector Ravikiran Nale initiated multiple communications with Google Play Store to take down as many as nine fraudulent apps. 'According to our information, five applications have been taken down and correspondence regarding four more is ongoing,' Pawar said. An officer, who is part of the probe, said, 'The operators of these apps are like digital loan sharks but employing tactics such as online blackmail and extortion. These apps offer small amounts to the most financially vulnerable — for example students trying to pay rent, daily-wage workers covering emergency expenses — and then trap them in a cycle of fear and extortion. For example, using phone numbers of Pakistan codes left the victims fearful that people from Pakistan were involved. But the fact is these are cyber criminals operating from India with backing from masterminds in China and Singapore. None of the apps were registered with any official lending institutions and have masked their origins with shell companies operating mostly from fake addresses. We urge people to avoid downloading suspicious financial apps and to report any cases of online harassment linked to such applications.' Investigation had recently revealed that repeated harassing calls from Pakistani numbers, threats to circulate morphed nude images to contacts and extortion for exorbitant loan recoveries were among the coercive tactics used by a cyber criminal targeting hundreds of people who had taken small loans through various mobile apps. The accused, a Tamil Nadu native residing in Mumbai, was arrested in the case and was found to have links to international operatives based in Singapore and China. Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More
Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Govt plans to expand Hajj quota
The federal government is finalising a new Hajj policy that will request an expanded quota of 255,000 pilgrims for Pakistan next year, up from this year's 189,000. The policy, which is being prepared in consultation with stakeholders and will soon be tabled before the cabinet, also aims to explore the resumption of Hajj travel by sea and extend Saudi Arabia's "Road to Makkah" immigration facility to more Pakistani airports. The developments were shared during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Religious Affairs on Monday. The panel met under the chairmanship of Malik Amir Dogar at the Parliament House, where Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf gave a comprehensive briefing on this year's Hajj arrangements. He said this year's pilgrimage was "one of the most successful in recent memory", adding that the Saudi government and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had congratulated the Pakistani authorities for the well-executed operations. "For the first time, Pakistan received an 'Excellence Award' from the Saudi government for its outstanding Hajj management," he told the committee. He added that Pakistani pilgrims were provided with air-conditioned facilities at key ritual sites including Arafat. Yousaf said a new Hajj policy is being formulated under the instructions of the prime minister and in line with Saudi guidelines, and would soon be presented before the federal cabinet. Members of the committee were invited to share suggestions for the new policy. He added that the Saudi authorities had already issued their updated Hajj policy on 12th Dhul Hijjah. Regarding registration for Hajj 2025, the minister revealed that over 455,000 people had already signed up. "Pakistan's previous quota was 189,000 pilgrims. Next year, we hope to receive an expanded quota of 255,000, for which we've submitted a request to the Saudi authorities," he added. The committee also discussed reducing Hajj costs by offering installment-based payment options, resuming travel by sea routes and limiting the use of luxury accommodations. Without mahram During the session, the committee also discussed the Saudi government's recent policy allowing women to perform Hajj and Umrah without a mahram (male guardian). While the minister confirmed that no Pakistani pilgrims were assigned to any Indian company - clarifying that a firm named "Asia Bhart" was mistaken for an Indian entity due to its name - a member raised religious concerns. The committee subsequently decided to seek the opinion of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on the permissibility of women travelling without a mahram for pilgrimage under Islamic teachings.
