Latest news with #SajjadHUSSAIN
eNCA
08-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Pakistan and India accuse each other of waves of drone attacks
India and Pakistan accused each other Thursday of carrying out waves of drone attacks, as deadly confrontations between the nuclear-armed foes drew global calls for calm. Pakistan's army said it shot down 25 Indian drones, while New Delhi accused Islamabad of launching overnight raids with "drones and missiles", and claimed it destroyed an air defence system in Lahore. The fighting comes two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on the Indian-run side of disputed Kashmir, which Pakistan denied. The South Asian neighbours have fought multiple wars over the divided territory since they were carved out of the sub-continent at the end of British rule in 1947. At least 45 deaths have been reported from both sides following a sharp escalation on Wednesday, when India launched missiles it said targeted "terrorist camps", and Pakistan retaliated with a barrage of artillery strikes. AFP | Rizwan TABASSUM "Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets... using drones and missiles," India's defence ministry said in a statement Thursday, adding that "these were neutralised". The defence ministry said earlier its military had "targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan", adding it had been "reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised". - Blasts heard in Lahore - Residents reported hearing the sound of blasts from the city, and aviation authorities briefly shut down operations at the main airport there and in the capital, Islamabad. Karachi airport was also closed and remained so on Thursday evening. Earlier, Pakistan's military said in a statement that it had "shot down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones" at multiple locations across the country. AFP | Sajjad HUSSAIN "Last night, India showed another act of aggression by sending drones to multiple locations," Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said from the army's headquarters in Rawalpindi, where a drone was downed. Crowds gathered at crash sites, some close to army installations, to gaze at the debris. Emergency responders who were called by the public to the scene in Rawalpindi urged the public "not to panic". "Let the authorities take care of it. Stay inside," said one emergency worker, 32-year-old Wajid, who only gave one name. Speaking after the Wednesday missile strike, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said New Delhi had a "right to respond" following the attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir last month, when gunmen killed 26 people, mainly Hindu men. New Delhi blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba -- a UN-designated terrorist organisation for the Pahalgam shooting, and the nations traded days of threats and diplomatic measures. Pakistan has denied any involvement and called for an independent investigation into the April 22 attack. - Global pressure - Pakistan's military said on Wednesday that five Indian jets had been downed across the border, but New Delhi has not responded to the claims. An Indian senior security source, who asked not to be named, said three of its fighter jets had crashed on home territory. Diplomats and world leaders have pressured both countries to step back from the brink. AFP | Aamir QURESHI "I want to see them stop," US President Donald Trump said Wednesday. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday in New Delhi, days after visiting Pakistan, as Tehran seeks to mediate. In Poonch, a town in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir that was bombarded on Wednesday, and bore the brunt of shelling by Pakistan, Madasar Choudhary said his sister saw two children killed by shells. "She saw two children running out of her neighbour's house and screamed for them to get back inside," said Choudhary, 29. "But shrapnel hit the children -- and they eventually died." Based on past conflicts, analyst Happymon Jacob -- director of the New Delhi-based Council for Strategic and Defence Research, said the latest would "likely end in a few iterations of exchange of long-range gunfire or missiles into each other's territory". But in an editorial on Thursday, the Indian Express wrote "there is no reason to believe that the Pakistan Army has been chastened by the Indian airstrikes". "India must be prepared for escalatory action" by Pakistan, it said. In a late Wednesday TV address to the nation, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned they would "avenge" those killed by Indian air strikes. AFP | Sajjad QAYYUM Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar warned Thursday that any Pakistan military action would be met with "a very, very firm response".
IOL News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Pakistan and India accuse each other of waves of drone attacks
A woman stands outside a house destroyed by Pakistani artillery shelling at the Salamabad village in Uri, about 110kms from Srinagar, on May 8, 2025. Image: Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP India and Pakistan accused each other Thursday of carrying out waves of drone attacks, as deadly confrontations between the nuclear-armed foes drew global calls for calm. Pakistan's army said it shot down 25 Indian drones, while New Delhi accused Islamabad of launching overnight raids with "drones and missiles", and claimed it destroyed an air defence system in Lahore. The fighting comes two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on the Indian-run side of disputed Kashmir, which Pakistan denied. The South Asian neighbours have fought multiple wars over the divided territory since they were carved out of the sub-continent at the end of British rule in 1947. At least 45 deaths have been reported from both sides following a sharp escalation on Wednesday, when India launched missiles it said targeted "terrorist camps", and Pakistan retaliated with a barrage of artillery strikes. "Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets... using drones and missiles," India's defence ministry said in a statement Thursday, adding that "these were neutralised". The defence ministry said earlier its military had "targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan", adding it had been "reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised". Blasts heard in Lahore Residents reported hearing the sound of blasts from the city, and aviation authorities briefly shut down operations at the main airport there and in the capital, Islamabad. Karachi airport was also closed and remained so on Thursday evening. Earlier, Pakistan's military said in a statement that it had "shot down 25 Israeli-made Harop drones" at multiple locations across the country. "Last night, India showed another act of aggression by sending drones to multiple locations," Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said from the army's headquarters in Rawalpindi, where a drone was downed. Crowds gathered at crash sites, some close to army installations, to gaze at the debris. Emergency responders who were called by the public to the scene in Rawalpindi urged the public "not to panic". "Let the authorities take care of it. Stay inside," said one emergency worker, 32-year-old Wajid, who only gave one name. While India's overall military capability significantly exceeds that of Pakistan, the two forces have similar nuclear capabilities. Image: Graphic News Speaking after the Wednesday missile strike, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said New Delhi had a "right to respond" following the attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir last month, when gunmen killed 26 people, mainly Hindu men. New Delhi blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba — a UN-designated terrorist organisation for the Pahalgam shooting, and the nations traded days of threats and diplomatic measures. Pakistan has denied any involvement and called for an independent investigation into the April 22 attack. Global pressure Pakistan's military said on Wednesday that five Indian jets had been downed across the border, but New Delhi has not responded to the claims. An Indian senior security source, who asked not to be named, said three of its fighter jets had crashed on home territory. Diplomats and world leaders have pressured both countries to step back from the brink. "I want to see them stop," US President Donald Trump said Wednesday. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday in New Delhi, days after visiting Pakistan, as Tehran seeks to mediate. In Poonch, a town in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir that was bombarded on Wednesday, and bore the brunt of shelling by Pakistan, Madasar Choudhary said his sister saw two children killed by shells. "She saw two children running out of her neighbour's house and screamed for them to get back inside," said Choudhary, 29. "But shrapnel hit the children — and they eventually died." Residents gather as police personnel inspect a site cordoned off with barricade tapes after an alleged drone was shot down in Karachi on May 8, 2025. Image: Rizwan TABASSUM / AFP
The Citizen
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Pakistan tests missile weapons system amid India standoff
Pakistan has made clear it will respond with force to any aggression by India. An Indian paramilitary soldier stands guard along a street in Srinagar on 3 May 2025. Tensions between the nuclear-armed arch-rivals have soared since India accused Pakistan of backing a shooting that killed 26 civilians on the Indian side of the disputed territory on April 22. Picture: Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP Pakistan's military said it carried out a 'training launch' of a surface-to-surface missile weapons system on Saturday, further heightening tensions with India after last month's deadly attack in disputed Kashmir. New Delhi has blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on tourists last month in Indian-administered Kashmir, sparking a fresh stand-off between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Pakistan conducts 'training launch' of missile system Pakistan's military said on Saturday it conducted a 'successful training launch of the Abdali Weapon System', a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometres. 'The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile's advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features,' Pakistan's military said in a statement. It did not say where the test took place. The missile training launch comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has given his military 'full operational freedom' to respond to the attack in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists. Pakistan has denied any involvement in the attack and called for an independent probe. ALSO READ: Pakistani YouTuber charged with blasphemy over controversial perfume launch This week Islamabad warned of an imminent air strike from its neighbour, and has repeatedly made clear it will respond with force to any aggression by India. Calls for de-escalation of Pakistan-India standoff International pressure has been piled on both New Delhi and Islamabad – who have fought several wars over the disputed Kashmir region – to de-escalate. Neighbouring China has urged 'restraint', with the European Union warning on Friday that the situation was 'alarming'. In an interview with Fox News, US Vice President JD Vance called on India to respond to the attack in a way 'that doesn't lead to a broader regional conflict'. He also urged Pakistan to 'make sure that the terrorists sometimes operating in their territory are hunted down and dealt with'. 'Message to the world' Analysts in Pakistan told AFP the missile launch was a warning shot. 'It clearly indicates that we have resources to counter India. This is not a message only for India but the rest of the world that we are well-prepared,' said Hasan Askari Rizvi, a military analyst. ALSO READ: Suicide bombing at Pakistan's 'University of Jihad' kills four On Friday, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir presided over a meeting of his top commanders about the 'current Pakistan-India standoff', a military statement said. Munir 'underscored the critical importance of heightened vigilance and proactive readiness across all fronts'. Since the attack – the deadliest in Kashmir on civilians in years – India and Pakistan have exchanged tit-for-tat diplomatic barbs and expulsions, and shut border crossings. The two sides have exchanged gunfire for nine consecutive nights along the militarised Line of Control, the de facto border, according to Indian defence sources. Muslim-majority Kashmir, a region of around 15 million people, is divided but claimed in full between Pakistan and India. Rebels on the Indian side have waged an insurgency since 1989, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan. India regularly blames its neighbour for backing gunmen behind the insurgency. Islamabad denies the allegation, saying it only supports Kashmir's struggle for self-determination and regularly denounces rights abuses in the region. NOW READ: Indian doctor rape protests escalate into political clashes
IOL News
24-04-2025
- General
- IOL News
Tens of thousands bid farewell to Pope Francis as he lies in state
Pope Francis, an energetic reformer who inspired widespread devotion from Catholics but riled traditionalists, died on April 21, aged 88, just a day after greeting delighted worshippers after Easter Mass. Image: Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP Tens of thousands of mourners queued to say their last goodbyes to Pope Francis at St Peter's Basilica on Wednesday, as the body of the late Argentine pontiff began three days of lying in state. By the afternoon, the wait to enter the church was more than four hours, as the long line of pilgrims and tourists wishing to pass by the pontiff's open coffin circled the vast St Peter's Square. "We wanted to say thank you to one of the most humble popes," said Portuguese medical student Francisca Antunes, 21, after leaving the basilica with a friend. "It felt really good to be in there," she told AFP. Roman pensioner Simonetta Marini, 67, said the crowds attested to widespread admiration for Francis, whose human touch and defence of the world's underdogs helped steer the Catholic Church towards a more inclusive, compassionate path. "I came to say a last goodbye to a great man. He stood for the people," Marini said. Francis, an energetic reformer who took over as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics in 2013, died on Monday aged 88. His death, after a stroke, came nearly a month after he was released from hospital where he spent five weeks being treated for pneumonia. Dressed in his papal vestments - a red chasuble, white mitre and black shoes - and with a rosary laced between his fingers, the pope's body has been laid out in a red-lined wooden coffin. For three days, it will rest on a low bier before the Altar of the Confession underneath the soaring dome painted by Michelangelo, before being closed at 8pm Friday evening ahead of Saturday's funeral. Vincenza Nocilla, a 67-year-old retired nurse, left her home in Formia, south of Rome, at 4:00 am to be among the first to see the pontiff. She said it was "really moving" but noted, however, that "they don't let you stay long, you walk by, say a quick goodbye and go". A retired Irish couple said it was a "priority" to come see Francis while on holiday in Rome, and hailed his efforts to tackle clerical sexual abuse. "He was a great man, a great advocate for the poor, the underprivileged and those who suffered at the hands of his flock," said Cliodhna Devlin. The Vatican said that because of the large turnout it was considering keeping the basilica open past its scheduled closing time at midnight. Hours before, a colourful procession of cardinals, clergy and Swiss Guards escorted Francis's coffin from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, where he lived during his 12-year papacy, to St Peter's, as the basilica's bells tolled. Scores of world leaders and dignitaries plan to attend Saturday's funeral, including US President Donald Trump, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, Argentine President Javier Milei and Spain's royal couple. Up to 170 foreign delegations are expected, the interior ministry said. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday led the tributes during a special joint session of parliament in Rome, before going herself to see the pope lying in state. In parliament she described Francis as a "determined" man who nevertheless made others feel at ease. "With him you could talk about everything. You could open up, and tell your story without filters or fear of being judged," Meloni said, adding that the last thing he told her was never to lose her sense of humour. After the funeral, Francis's coffin will be taken to his favourite church, Rome's papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where it will be interred in the ground and marked by a simple inscription: Franciscus. Authorities have ramped up security for the funeral, with the weekend already due to be busy because of a public holiday tomorrow. A spokesman for Italy's civil protection unit, Pierfrancesco Demilito, told AFP it was impossible to predict the expected crowds, but estimated "several hundred thousand at least". Italy has declared five days of national mourning - longer than the three days observed for Polish pope John Paul II in 2005, but less than the week declared for Francis by his native Argentina. The Philippines, one of the world's most populous Catholic-majority countries, also declared four days of national mourning. Thoughts for the deceased pope came from as far afield as East Timor, which Francis visited last year, with the rector of Dili's largest Catholic seminary, Miguel Arcanjo da Costa, calling Francis "a diamond for us". "We hope that the next pope is like him." After the funeral, all eyes will turn to the process to choose Francis's successor. Cardinals around the world are returning to Rome for the conclave, which should begin no less than 15 days and no more than 20 after a pope's death. Only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. Cardinals have already met twice, in so-called general congregations - the first time on Tuesday morning, where they set the funeral date, and again Wednesday afternoon.
