Latest news with #anti-Pakistan
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
‘Not targeting patriotism': Kolkata Police's full statement on lawyer arrest after int'l backlash
Kolkata police on Sunday issued a detailed defence of its decision to arrest 22-year-old law student and influencer Sharmishtha Panoli, who has been accused of stoking communal hatred through a social media video. Facing flak from several quarters over the move, the force insisted that Panoli's arrest had nothing to do with her patriotism or anti-Pakistan stance, but stemmed from the use of abusive and divisive language that, it said, crossed legal boundaries. Show more 03:02 04:45 02:06 02:38 02:11 04:35 03:02 03:27 05:31 02:58 03:15 13:50 07:44 04:03 02:44 03:50 05:34 03:09 13:07 09:54 10:09 06:39 03:01 02:22 05:06 06:56 02:14 04:53
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Not targeting patriotism': Kolkata Police's full statement on lawyer arrest after int'l backlash
Kolkata police on Sunday issued a detailed defence of its decision to arrest 22-year-old law student and influencer Sharmishtha Panoli, who has been accused of stoking communal hatred through a social media video. Facing flak from several quarters over the move, the force insisted that Panoli's arrest had nothing to do with her patriotism or anti-Pakistan stance, but stemmed from the use of abusive and divisive language that, it said, crossed legal boundaries. Show more Show less
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
'Don't do unto others what you don't want done to you': Victor Gao warns India
Listen to article Vice President of the Center for China and Globalization Victor Gao said the Indus Waters Treaty must be respected in letter and spirit, and warned against using water as a tool of coercion. 'Never use the Indus River as blackmail against the people of Pakistan,' he remarked. 'Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you.' In an interview with an Indian news channel, he called for regional cooperation on water sharing and criticised any unilateral moves to divert shared water resources. He reaffirmed China's commitment to its 'iron-clad friendship' with Pakistan, stressing that Beijing will not tolerate any attempts to undermine Pakistan's legitimate interests, particularly with regard to the peaceful use of Indus River waters under the long-standing treaty with India. 'China and India need to come up with a protocol so that the waters of the Brahmaputra can be better managed,' he said, referring to recent concerns over India's river management policies. 'This becomes more important in light of Indian government's attempt to divert water from rivers to Pakistan.' He underscored the geographical reality that most major rivers in South Asia originate in Tibet, placing China in a strategic position in terms of regional water diplomacy. 'China is in the upper stream, India in the midstream. It is not appropriate for India to interfere unilaterally with shared waters,' he said. Gao expressed hope that China, India, and Pakistan would be able to engage in dialogue on equitable water sharing in both the western (Indus) and eastern (Brahmaputra) river systems. 'Only through mutual understanding and cooperation can the region ensure the sustainable and peaceful use of these vital resources,' he concluded. Read more: Victor Gao shuts down Indian General Bakshi over anti-Pakistan terrorism taunt The statement should be seen in the backdrop of India's recent decision to "hold in abeyance" the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a 1960 World Bank-mediated agreement governing the distribution of the Indus river system's resources. Under the treaty, Pakistan holds rights to the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while India controls the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers. Islamabad has warned that any attempt by India to divert or obstruct Pakistan's share of water would be treated as "an act of war," with a commitment to employ all elements of national power in response.
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Inflaming the region for votes
EDITORIAL: It is not the first time that an Indian election campaign has found itself tangled in jingoism. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi's latest tirade, delivered from the Rajasthan stump, drops the pretence of statesmanship altogether. His reckless allegations against Pakistan are not just baseless – they are, in fact, incendiary. And as the Pakistani Foreign Office rightly noted, they are designed to stoke regional tensions for narrow political gains. This is politics at its most dangerous. To posture for votes by peddling distortions about a neighbouring nuclear-armed state is not just irresponsible – it is profoundly destabilising. That Modi chooses to speak in the language of war while the subcontinent teeters on the edge of environmental, economic, and demographic stress says less about Pakistan and more about the disarray within India itself. We are meant to believe, once again, that the source of India's unrest lies across the border. But who, truly, has gained from the politics of terror in South Asia? Pakistan has spent the better part of two decades fighting the fallout of extremism – at great human and economic cost. Thousands of lives have been lost, and billions drained from a struggling economy, precisely because the country made the difficult choice to take on militant groups. India, on the other hand, has found it politically convenient to weaponise the language of counterterrorism not against terrorists, but against Pakistan itself. Indeed, it is India whose record of fomenting instability in the region is now the worst kept secret in intelligence circles. From the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to documented support for anti-Pakistan elements in Afghanistan, New Delhi's hand in destabilising its neighbours has long been visible to those who care to look past the official denials and media fog. Even within its own borders, the Indian government has exploited 'terror' to justify the brutal suppression of dissent in Kashmir, silence political opposition, and demonise its Muslim minority. That Modi's rhetoric comes as elections approach should surprise no one. The formula is tired but effective: portray Pakistan as the eternal enemy, conflate Muslims with terrorism, wrap it all in the tricolour, and let the news anchors do the rest. If that creates a diplomatic crisis or ignites military tensions, so be it – provided the next headline reads 'Modi Strong on Security.' But this time, Pakistan has not let the accusation go unchallenged. The Foreign Office's sharp response has made it clear that any attempt to turn political theatre into military adventurism will be met in kind. Pakistan does not seek conflict. It has extended the hand of dialogue time and again, only to be met with silence or sabre-rattling. But this desire for peace should never be confused for weakness. As history has shown, when tested, Pakistan has responded with discipline, resolve, and precision. There is a deeper danger here, however, that goes beyond India and Pakistan. When the largest democracy in the world uses the language of war to distract from its own failures – economic discontent, rural unrest, the crumbling promise of 'Make in India,' and the brutalisation of minorities – it creates a model for others to follow. Authoritarian populism dressed up as nationalism does not stop at one border. It is not just Pakistan that must stay vigilant. The region as a whole – already fragile – cannot afford another round of posturing from Delhi. Nor can the international community continue to indulge India's double game: acting as a responsible global actor abroad while playing with fire at home. Modi's comments are not the mark of a confident state. They are the symptoms of political insecurity. And the more India tries to distract from the truth – of repression in Kashmir, of internal unrest, of economic underperformance – the louder its leaders shout across the border. Pakistan's position remains principled: peace, dialogue, and mutual respect. But if challenged, it will respond with strength. And in the end, it is those who toy with fire for the sake of applause who get burned. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Reset with Kabul
Listen to article Pakistan's relationship with the Taliban government in Afghanistan appears to be on the mend after hitting its lowest point a few months ago. While several points of contention remain between the two countries, Afghanistan appears to have put sincere efforts into ensuring that its soil was not used against Pakistan during the recent tensions with India. To supplant India, China also appeared in the picture with offers of trade and infrastructure development to the Taliban. In return, Beijing's main demand has been for the Taliban government to make peace, or at least play friendly, with Islamabad. Since the recent trilateral forum in Kabul, Pakistan and Afghanistan have made significant efforts to publically downplay their differences and make statements to express interest in improving relations. Most notably, after years of refusing to take stern action against the TTP, citing their many ideological similarities, the Afghan Taliban have effectively told their 'guests' that their self-proclaimed jihad against Pakistan is illegitimate because only the emir can issue a call for jihad, and in Afghanistan, the emir is the Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. The Taliban government is also learnt to have made sincere efforts - perhaps for the first time since retaking power - to capture and detain anti-Pakistan terrorists, including Afghan nationals. All of these moves are not occurring in a vacuum. After years of official isolation, several countries have been moving towards reopening diplomatic ties with the Afghan government, including through the appointment of ambassadors and the reopening of embassies. While many are still dragging their feet or formally recognising the Taliban government, the appointment of an ambassador is de facto recognition, as the envoy must present their credentials to the host nation's head of state. But official or not, the biggest beneficiaries of improved ties with Pakistan and other countries are the long-suffering Afghan people.
