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Mint
7 days ago
- Climate
- Mint
Pakistan: Storms trigger floods, landslides in POK, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; 10 dead
Atleast four women and a man died in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, while three in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lost their lives after storms hit the region, news agency AFP quoted the State Disaster Management Authority. Apart from this, two people also died in Pakistan's Punjab province. While the majority of the deaths were caused by collapsing walls and roofs, major damages were caused by destructive windstorms that raged across central and northern Pakistan. According to The Dawn, severe rain and windstorms killed seven people in PoK, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while over two dozen others sustained injuries. A senior government official in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Haroon Rasheed, added that one person is still missing. He added that 12 houses and a mosque were destroyed in one village. Quoting Rescue 1122, The Dawn mentioned that a passenger van overturned due to rain and dust storm on Ghazi-Lawrencepur Road in Attock, resulting in the death of one passenger. Four children were injured when the wall of their house collapsed in Rehmo village of Attock district following a windstorm. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the extreme conditions may persist through 31 May, with the upper and central Punjab districts including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad, facing the highest risk. According to the National Disaster Management Authority, as quoted by AFP, the stormy weather is expected to continue in northern and central parts of Pakistan until Saturday. Rising temperatures in April and May are becoming more common in Pakistan. In April, the temperatures reached near-record levels—as high as 46.5 Celsius (116 Fahrenheit) in parts of Punjab. Citing the soaring temperatures, the schools in Punjab and southwestern Balochistan provinces have closed early for summer vacations.
NDTV
27-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Pak Raises India Conflict With Iran. Ayatollah Khamenei's Measured Response
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Iran and Pakistan are mending relations after airstrikes a year ago, driven by shared concerns over Gaza. PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasized peace talks with India, while Iran's Khamenei praised Pakistan's stance on Palestine, urging Muslim unity amid conflicts. New Delhi: A year after they conducted airstrikes in each other's territory, Iran and Pakistan appear to be burying the hatchet as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir visit Tehran and meet the Iranian leadership. The key factor bringing the countries together is Gaza, devastated in the aftermath of Israel's brutal counterstrike to the Hamas attacks in October 2023. While Pakistan brought up its recent conflict with India and Kashmir, Iran's leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in public remarks, has only said Iran hopes disputes between India and Pakistan are resolved. The Gaza Unity Factor According to a report in The Tehran Times, Khamenei has acknowledged that Pakistan has not joined the countries normalising ties with Israel in "a blatant betrayal of the Palestinian cause" despite Western pressure. "While there have been temptations for Islamic countries to engage with the Zionist regime in recent years, Pakistan has never succumbed to these temptations," he said during a meeting with the Pakistani Prime Minister. He said the Palestine issue is the foremost concern of the Islamic world. "The situation in Gaza has reached a point where ordinary people in Europe and the United States are protesting their governments, yet unfortunately, some Islamic governments stand alongside the Zionist regime under these circumstances," he said. The Dawn reported that Israeli actions have caused untold misery for the people of Gaza. "It is high time that the international community used its influence to bring a lasting ceasefire in Palestine. Pakistan stands by its brothers and sisters in Iran to promote peace, progress and prosperity," he said. Pak's Kashmir Push, Iran's Reply During his meeting with Khamenei, Sharif brought up the India-Pakistan conflict after New Delhi carried out airstrikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 innocents dead. The Pakistan Prime Minister appreciated Iran's "positive role" during the conflict. During a joint press conference with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Sharif said Pakistan is ready to talk with India "to find solutions" to "longstanding problems", including Kashmir, water-sharing and trade. "We are ready to talk, for the sake of peace on water issues with our neighbour. We are ready to talk to promote trade and also, counter-terrorism. We wanted peace, we want peace and we will work for peace in the region through talks, on the table, and resolve our outstanding issues," Sharif said, according to a report in The Dawn. "But if they accept my offer of peace, then we will show that we really want peace, seriously and sincerely." Iran's response was measured. "We are delighted with the end of conflicts between Pakistan and India and hope that the differences between the two countries will be resolved," Khamenei said on X. Iranian state media IRNA reported that President Pezeshkian voiced Iran's support for a durable ceasefire between India and Pakistan, calling for dialogue to resolve disputes and promote peace. A Thaw In Iran-Pakistan Ties Last year, Iran carried out airstrikes in Pakistan's border province of Balochistan to target the Jaish al-Adl group, which has targeted Iranian border guards in the past. A Sunni Salafi organisation, Jaish al-Adl is a terrorist group that wants the independence of Sistan and Baluchistan province in Iran. Pakistan retaliated with airstrikes in Iran, targeting militant outfit Baloch Liberation Front. Against this backdrop, the Pakistan Prime Minister's Tehran visit marks a thaw in ties. A global threat assessment report by the US' Defense Intelligence Agency has said, "Pakistan and Iran have taken steps, including high-level meetings, to deescalate tensions after the two countries conducted unilateral airstrikes on each other's territory in January 2024 in response to cross-border terror attacks." Khamenei said in a post on X that relations between Iran and Pakistan have always been "warm and brotherly". "Pakistan's commendable stance during the war Saddam imposed on Iran is a clear example of these brotherly relations," he said. Calling for a unity of Muslim nations, the Iran leader added, "At a time when the world's warmongers have many incentives to create conflicts and wars, the only way to ensure the security of the Islamic Ummah is the unity of Muslim nations." How Is India Balancing Iran Ties On May 9, when the conflict between India and Pakistan was still on, India hosted Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi for the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting and reviewed bilateral ties. During this meeting, co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Mr Araghchi, both sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and called for enhanced regional cooperation to combat the threat. Dr Jaishankar also briefed the Iranian minister on Operation Sindoor. Earlier, in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, Iran had offered to mediate between India and Pakistan. "India and Pakistan are brotherly neighbours of Iran, enjoying relations rooted in centuries-old cultural and civilizational ties. Like other neighbours, we consider them our foremost priority. Tehran stands ready to use its good offices in Islamabad and New Delhi to forge greater understanding at this difficult time," he said. India has consistently mentioned that its conflict with Pakistan is a bilateral issue. The government has also made it clear to the US, and other countries offering mediation that there is only one matter left to be discussed -- the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan handing over terrorists. The Geopolitical Backdrop India has maintained a neutral stance on the Gaza conflict, which has emerged as the uniting factor for Pakistan and Iran. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said India has "always supported a negotiated two-State solution, towards establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognized borders, living side by side in peace with Israel". India had strongly condemned the October 2023 attacks in Israel and also the loss of civilian lives in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and called for a ceasefire and sustained humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. Pakistan's outreach to Iran also comes against the backdrop of Iran's tussle with the US amid their talks on Tehran's nuclear programme. The US is India's key defence partner and New Delhi will be assessing the geopolitical math closely before making any move.
India.com
25-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
Pakistan in fear after Operation Sindoor, announces major changes in its..., says this about India
Pakistan has long been under the global spotlight for its alleged leniency or quiet support toward terrorism, a charge most strongly echoed by its neighbours, India and Afghanistan. After facing a major setback at the hands of India during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has announced plans to increase its defence budget. The operation was launched in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 Indians and one Nepali national. Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan's Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced that the country's defence budget will see an increase in the upcoming 2025–26 fiscal year. He emphasized that although the government is working to reduce the economic pressure on ordinary citizens, boosting defence expenditure is crucial to protect the nation's sovereignty. 'It is our national duty to provide the armed forces with whatever they need in this budget to bolster their capacity and defend our country in the future,' the minister said. 'It has been proven that we have a dangerous neighbour (India) who attacked us in the night, but we gave them a befitting response,' Pakistan's Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal was quoted as saying by The Dawn. Furthermore, he stated that the country must 'remain ready to respond if they attack again'. This decision comes in the wake of recent tensions with India, particularly after India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty agreement. While talking about Pakistani water security, Iqbal stated that the country will fast-track water projects, including the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams. Iqbal stated that securing Pakistan's water resources is a top priority. 'The PM has sent over a thousand agricultural engineers to China for training, who will complete their training this year and bring about an agricultural Green Revolution 2.0,' Pakistan's Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, reported The Dawn. He added, 'We aim to develop our own seeds and modernise our dairy and livestock sectors.' Additionally, Iqbal mentioned that the budget includes funding for an internship program for engineers. However, the minister also clarified that Pakistan has only 1 trillion rupees available for the development budget to implement all these plans. He said, 'Our ministers had requested 3 trillion rupees to complete ongoing projects, but due to this shortfall, we are putting lower-priority projects on hold and will focus on completing high-priority plans as quickly as possible.' It is noteworthy that earlier this month, Ahsan Iqbal had announced that Pakistan's federal budget would be presented on June 2. However, the finance minister's advisor, Khurram Shehzad, stated on Friday that the budget will now be presented on June 10, with the Economic Survey to be released one day earlier.
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First Post
22-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Pakistan PM Sharif hopes for talks with PM Modi, proposes Saudi Arabia as ‘neutral' venue
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hoped with talks between India and Pakistan and suggested Saudi Arabia as a neutral venue for the possible discussions with PM Modi. read more Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that Saudi Arabia could serve as a 'neutral' venue for talks between Pakistan and India on critical issues, The Dawn reported. The Pakistani Prime Minister expressed hope that Saudi Arabia could be a neutral country acceptable to both sides for hosting talks. Speaking to reporters, he said that while China could be considered a possible venue for India-Pakistan talks, he ruled it out as a neutral option, stating that India would never agree to it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His remarks came after Donald Trump offered to mediate between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, following his announcement that the United States had brokered a ceasefire to ease tensions. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed a parliamentary committee that the decision to halt military operations was made bilaterally between India and Pakistan. This was in response to opposition MPs who raised concerns over President Trump's repeated claims that Washington played a role in de-escalating the conflict. This is a developing story.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pakistan army chief Asim Munir promoted to field marshal, highest military rank in country
NEW DELHI: Pakistan government on Tuesday promoted its army chief General Asim Munir to the rank of field marshal , Geo News reported. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. A statement issued by the prime minister's office said that PM Shehbaz met President Asif Ali Zardari and took him into confidence regarding this decision, Pakistani media outlet The Dawn reported. This comes after Indian armed forced launched a precision strikes on nine terrorist spots on Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under ' Operation Sindoor .' Following this, Indian armed forces thwarted Pakistan's attempt to carry out drone and missile strikes across LoC and International Borders. After several days of confrontation along the Line of Control (LoC), both nations agreed to a ceasefire on May 10. India clarified its position, stating that whilst military operations would cease, there would be no diplomatic discussions with Islamabad. (This is a developing story)
