PAKISTAN’S PARLIAMENT REJECTS INDIA’S PAHALGAM ATTACK ALLEGATIONS, VOWS DECISIVE RESPONSE TO ANY MISADVENTURE
SS A L E E M J A D O O N
E N AT E the Upper House of Pakistan s Parliament on Friday passed unanimously a resolution rejecting India s allegations linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) vowing a decisive response to any Indian misadventure Indian allegations are baseless and politically motivated and Pakistan is capable enough to give a swift and decisive response to any misadventure from across the border ” The resolution moved by
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, stated that Pakistan remains fully capable and prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any aggression including water terrorism or military provocation The attack in Pahalgam, a tourist hotspot in India-occupied Kashmir took place on April 22 wherein the gunmen opened fire on visitors killing at least 26 people all men from across India except one from Nepal and injuring 17 others Yesterday, during a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) in Islamabad the committee called on India to refrain from its
reflexive blame game and cynical, staged managed exploitation of incidents like Pahalgam to further its narrow political agenda The Senate emphasised that the killing of innocent civilians is contrary to the values upheld by Pakistan, according to the resolution It also “rejects all frivolous and baseless attempts to link Pakistan with the Pahalgam Attack of 22nd April 2025 in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir The Senate further condemned the
UN chief calls for ‘maximum restraint’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed to Pakistan and India to “exercise maximum restraint and to ensure that the situation and the developments which have taken place following the armed attack in Indian-Illegally Occupied Kashmir on Tuesday, does not deteriorate any further
attack or something like that then obviously there will be an all-out war
However, he expressed hope that the situation could still be resolved through negotiations
tensions between India and Pakistan saying that the world should be worried about the potential for a full-scale conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations The minister warned that tensions with India over a deadly shooting in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) could escalate into an all-out war in an interview with British Sky News
The warning follows the deadly gun attack in the IIOJK, where 26 tourists were shot dead at a scenic location in the Pahalgam area The victims included one Nepali national India s government has blamed Pakistan for the attack a claim that Islamabad vehemently denied and also termed as a “false flag operation” Asif stressed that Pakistan’s military was “prepared for any eventuality” amid growing diplomatic tensions We will measure our response to whatever is initiated by India It would be a measured response, he said If there is an all-out
When asked whether the global community should be concerned the defence minister responded in affirmative The clash between two nuclear powers is always worrisome If things get wrong, there could be a tragic outcome of this confrontation ” Meanwhile Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue those behind the attack to the ends of the Earth
When asked whether he blamed India for the shooting, Asif said: Yeah, absolutely They create these situations ” Despite the rising tensions he added: We should be solving our problems through negotiations
Earlier Asif said that Pakistan has absolutely nothing to do with it, as Pakistan rejects terrorism in all its forms and everywhere He said that India should investigate the Pahalgam incident as merely levelling allegations won’t absolve them of responsibility In a blatant response to the Pahalgam attack India announced the unilateral decision to suspend the six-decade-old Indus Water Treaty and
Indian authorities continued with its swept escalating moves following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam and have suspended all visas issued to Pakistani nationals directed the deportation of Pakistanis residing in India A day earlier,
The Secretary-General is obviously following the situation very closely and with very great concern,” his Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric said in response to a question at the regular noon briefing at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday According to media reports, about 26 people were killed in the gun attack that took place near Pahalgam, a tourist resort in the Indian Occupied Kashmir
India’s water aggression threatens regional peace: FO
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) on Friday described India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty a serious threat to regional peace and stability Addressing his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Friday, FO Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan informed journalists about India’s recent decision concerning the water-sharing agreement between the two countries
also taking other steps against Pakistan in the aftermath of an attack on tourists in the occupied territory To counter India s controversial measures taken by the government in New Delhi, the National Security Committee (NSC) warned that any move by India to divert the flow of water lawfully belonging to Pakistan will be “considered an act of war”
The NSC convened on Thursday warned: Any attempt to stop or divert the
The spokesperson stated that India cannot unilaterally revoke the Indus Waters Treaty, and any attempt by India to block Pakistan’s water will be treated as an act of war He added that the National Security Committee has given a strong response to India s actions, and all movement through the Wagah Border has now been suspended Furthermore, the number of Indian High Commission staff in Pakistan has been reduced to 30
flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty and the usurpation of the rights of lower riparian will be considered as an act of war and responded with full force across the complete spectrum of national power Pakistan decided to close all Indian land transit via Wagah Border closed its airspace for all commercial Indian aerial traffic and capped the Indian High Commission s staff to 30 persons among other key decisions
responsible for the attack Authorities have vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice
The blast marks the latest in a series of attacks on security forces in Balochistan which has been facing a rising tide of insurgent activities in recent months An improvised explosive device (IED) was planted along the route being used for the transportation of coal from the Marget coalfield which exploded when the bomb disposal wing of the Frontier Corps was busy with security clearance of the route Quetta Deputy Commissioner Saad bin Asad told Arab News Four soldiers of the BD wing were killed and three wounded in the attack,” he added No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but suspicion is likely to fall on militants groups who frequently target security forces ethnic Punjabi commuters and laborers in the restive province Separately, a statement from the Counter-Terrorism Department spokesperson said nine alleged militants, wanted by security forces in various terrorism cases were killed in a fire exchange in Pishin s Khanai Baba area It added that arms and ammunition were recovered from them Militant violence surged alarmingly in the country in March, with the number of militant attacks surpassing 100 for the first time since November 2014 according to a report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict
and Security Studies (Picss) The think tank reported 105 militant attacks during the month resulting in 228 fatalities including 73 security personnel 67 civilians, and 88 militants Additionally, 258 people were injured, comprising 129 security personnel and an equal number of civilians Pakistan ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025 with the number of deaths in terrorist attacks rising by 45 per cent over the past year to 1 081
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the Quetta blast and expressed condolences over the loss of life”, according
finance minister expressed his appreciation for VISA s contribution to the digitalisation of Pakistan s economy and the introduction of its various financial products He noted that VISA’s decision to triple
the size of its office in Pakistan and its collaboration with 1-Link and PayPak would significantly contribute to promoting financial inclusion e-commerce transaction security and payment gateways and facilitate remittances He assured of the government s full support to VISA in addressing any operational matters in Pakistan Following that, Minister Aurangzeb held a meeting with Christos Harpanditis,
latory and supervisory regime The review highlights that macroeconomic conditions improved considerably during CY24 as reflected by receding inflationary pressures and consequent significant monetary easing fiscal consolidation stable rupee-dollar parity, pick-up in economic activity, and improved external account balance In this backdrop, the financial sector growing by a decent pace of 17 8 percent maintained its operational and financial resilience during CY24
Amid turnaround in the macroeconomic environment, volatility in financial markets subsided The banking sector exhibited steady performance and maintained its financial soundness The
28bn NPL s swing into losses underscores the severe impact of circular debt and payment reconciliation issues plaguing Pakistan s power sector The CPPA-G adjustment suggests a retrospective liability or revenue clawback reflecting tightening oversight and settlement processes in governmentbacked contracts While the company
04
COMMENT
IN a significant development, the federal government has agreed to put the contentious Thori and Rainee canals project on hold until a consensus can be reached in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) This decision comes after weeks of protests in Sindh led by the legal fraternity and opposition parties, who vehemently opposed the project While this pause is a welcome step, the response from various stakeholders highlights the complexities of Pakistan’s political landscape
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah s recent statement questioning the utility of further protests in light of the government’s decision underscores the need for political unity at a time when the country faces numerous challenges Given the current economic and geopolitical pressures, it is imperative for Pakistan to present a united front rather than getting bogged down in divisive politics
The ongoing protests and sit-ins, particularly the one at Babarloi bypass in Khairpur demonstrate the deep-seated concerns of the people of Sindh regarding the canals project However, in the grand scheme of things this issue though important seems less pressing when compared to the broader challenges facing the nation With external threats and economic instability, Pakistan needs to prioritize unity and collective action over parochial interests
The chief minister s appeal to protesters to cease their agitation and unblock roads is pragmatic While peaceful protests are a fundamental right, public disruptions that hinder daily life are counterproductive It is essential for all stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue rather than resorting to measures that exacerbate the situation
In this critical juncture, Pakistan’s leaders must rise above political differences and work towards a common goal of national stability and progress The recent decision to halt the canals project is a step in the right direction but it is crucial that all parties involved work towards a lasting solution through dialogue and consensus-building
As the nation navigates these challenging times unity and cooperation will be key to overcoming the hurdles ahead It is time for Pakistan s political leadership to put national interests above provincial concerns and work collectively towards a brighter future
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late)
Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Instant blame, absent proof
IN the immediate aftermath of the tragic terror attack in Phalagam, Indian media outlets once again leaped to a familiar and predictable conclusion: Pakistan is to blame Without any formal investigation verified evidence or official inquiry headlines and talking heads were already pointing fingers across the border This knee-jerk reaction isn t new it s an old well-worn script that continues to undermine the potential for truth, accountability, and regional peace For Pakistan, this latest accusation is viewed as yet another chapter in India’s routine blame game After every incident of violence in Indian-administered Kashmir a default narrative emerges regardless of the circumstances or the complexity of local dynamics Pakistan is swiftly, almost ritualistically, named as the prime suspect The events in Phalagam, though tragic, are being used to repeat this pattern once again What makes this repetition particularly concerning is the systemic disregard for any alternative explanations There is no consideration of internal factors local grievances political alienation or even possible intelligence and security lapses on the Indian side The Kashmir region has long been a volatile area, shaped by decades of unrest, deeprooted socio-political tensions, and a complex interplay of regional politics Yet these factors are often dismissed in favor of a singular external culprit
This rush to assign blame is not just irresponsible it s also dangerous It prevents meaningful introspection and deflects attention from critical questions Why was there a security breach in Phalagam? What were the lapses in intelligence gathering? Were there warning signs that were ignored? An immediate external attribution prevents Indian authorities and the public from engaging in this necessary self-examination Instead the focus is shifted toward an easy target
The role of the Indian media in this cycle cannot be overstated Within minutes of the news breaking, anchors and commentators were already laying the groundwork for Pakistan’s culpability This alignment with the government’s unverified stance illustrates how sections of the Indian media have increasingly become an uncritical mouthpiece rather
than an independent watchdog Responsible journalism demands waiting for facts asking hard questions and holding all sides accountable Sadly this standard appears to have been abandoned in favor of sensationalism and jingoistic fervor Moreover, the political timing of the accusations cannot be ignored With US Vice President JD Vance currently on an official visit to India the narrative conveniently provides an opportunity to reinforce India s geopolitical messaging about Pakistan being a sponsor of terror This amounts to an opportunistic exploitation of a tragedy to score diplomatic points and cement foreign policy agendas It transforms a human tragedy into a rhetorical weapon a
boardrooms and
ministries are routinely ignored, but
done on the streets get mercilessly
A
illustration of this is within the international
where common
harming
labourers and the environment are
Legislations such as ag-gag laws in the USA and Canada, which prohibit the undercover filming of activity on farms, only serve to protect corporate secrecy This is not characteristic of the West alone In Pakistan land developers and corporations are given the liberty to destroy landscapes and displace populations This becomes particularly disturbing in the matter of water Water pollution is both a constant reality and a deep injus-
TodayÊs trag edy in Phalagam should be a moment of reflection not reaction It should inspire an honest reckoning with the realities of the Kashmir conflict, the role of media in shaping
tice In Pakistan, clean drinking water is becoming a privilege rather than a right When the state permits or facilitates the pollution of public water it is breaching its responsibility under the doctrine of public trust which dictates that essential natural resources should be preserved for the benefit of all This is not merely an environmental problem It’s a human rights problem We don’t need to look far to realize the stakes Globally underprivileged and indigenous communities are the first and worst affected by environmental injustice From the water poisoning crisis in Flint to oil pollution in the Amazon and boil-water advisories in First Nations in Canada, the trend is unmistakable: those with the least control bear the most risk, often for the gain of those with the most Pakistan is no different They live in rural and slum areas alongside chemical-filled drains with no clean water no trees and with increasing temperatures that transform houses into ovens They don t have a recognized status as victims of crime in the traditional legal system It’s time that we redefine our concept of justice Destruction of the environment is not a technical failure or an unfortunate side-effect It is usually the result of conscious choices by governments corporations and systems It is not an accident It is a crime And until Pakistan begins to accept it as one, both humans and the earth will continue to suffer
The writer is a lawyer and can be reached at nayabtarar@gmail com
ItÊs time that we redefine our concept of justice Destruction of the environment is not a technical failure or an unfor tunate side-effect It is usually the result of conscious choices by governments, corporations, and systems It is not an accident It is a crime And until Pakistan begins to accept it as one , both humans and the ear th will continue to suffer
Out of school
water, save lives
NAyAb TArAr
dower This development reflects a broader understanding of Islamic principles of justice (adl) and compassion (rahmah) where each case must be evaluated on its own facts In my review of Elisi Giunchi s book Adjudicating Family Law in Muslim Courts, back in 2016, I observed: “In order to protect the interests of women in Pakistan local courts have liberally interpreted MPL along with the provisions of the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act 1939 ( DMMA ) and MFLO Courts have extended the definition of cruelty under DMMA to include mental torture as well, and also made evidence produced by the relatives of the wife admissible Besides courts have usually refused the return of dower in cases of khula where the dissolution was sought due to some fault of the husband In recent cases, courts have also held that wife s life spent with her husband has economic value and the duration of marriage should also be taken into account while deciding the issue of the return of dower in cases of khula For example the Peshawar High Court has given various judgments in favor of the wives in cases involving the return of dower In 2013 YLR 2616 (Peshawar Abdul Rashid v Shahid Parveen), the Court held that the life spent by a wife with her husband could be deemed consideration for khula In 2012 MLD 1576 (Peshawar) Nasir v Rubina it was held that the period of wedlock the birth of the children and the second marriage of the husband could preclude the return of dower in case of khula The developing trend in the case law shows that in the future, courts will be more inclined towards equating the services rendered by a wife for her husband in economic terms This will further help in reducing the financial burden of dissolution of marriage on wives In 2020 C L C 1874 Farhat Imam v Sajid Nafeez, the Peshawar High Court reaffirmed this evolving view, ruling that a woman’s right to retain her dower would remain unaffected
if she could prove other grounds like cruelty This progressive stance was supported by precedent from Habib-ur-Rehman v Additional District Judge, Lahore (1984 SCMR 1430), where cruelty and emotional detachment were accepted as valid reasons for khula protecting the woman’s financial rights The Supreme Court of Pakistan further expanded on this interpretation in Tayyeba Ambareen v Shafqat Ali Kiyani (2022) The Court held that mental torture is a legitimate ground for khula and emphasized that the severity of the husband’s actions must be evaluated carefully This acknowledgment of psychological suffering marks an important development in understanding the lived experiences of women in unhappy or abusive marriages The Lahore High Court, too, has adopted
family law In classical jurisprudence the expectation was straightforward: if the wife initiated khula without any fault on the part of the husband she would return the dower However, a growing body of juristic opinion and contemporary judicial interpretation now asserts that if the husband’s behaviour such as cruelty, neglect, or infidelity was the reason for the wife seeking separation then it would be unjust to expect her to forfeit the
The recent judgments by the Lahore and Peshawar High Cour ts reflect a commendable shift towards protecting womenÊs rights in
Will hawks get to sacrifice American interests for Israeli ambitions?
Rubio and Waltz are ac tively working to derail the talks with Iran They believe that America should immediately move towards a war with Tehran, attack its nuclear sites, and possibly its oil refineries
S o h e
Amay be jeopardized by individuals within his own inner circle
As he began to once again occupy the White House in January, Trump purged his administration of numerous individuals he felt had not served him during his first term including prominent figures like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton But his replacements –Marco Rubio and Michael Waltz – are equally, if not more, inclined to advocate for policies that could lead to costly and destructive conflicts
The U S says it has three main rivals in the world: China Russia and Iran So far Trump has
program These new indirect discussions only address Iran s nuclear activities Trump pulled out of a nuclear agreement signed in 2015 during his first term because he believed it should also include limitations on Iran’s military and foreign policy It is believed that Pompeo and Bolton had a central role in the creation of this conviction of the president Sources have told the Tehran Times that Rubio and Waltz are actively working to derail the talks with Iran, which are nearing a third round They believe that instead of pursuing dialogue and a potential diplomatic solution, America should immediately move towards a war with Tehran attack
In their endeavors the two top officials are also getting rid of any lower-ranked figure that objects to their warmongering Dan Caldwell, a Marine Corps veteran advising the Secretary
from his position because he was opposed to a war with Iran He claims he was not responsible for leaks that were used as a justification for his purge A war with Iran risks being incredibly costly in terms of lives and dollars, and instability in the Middle East ” Caldwell told a prominent American reporter during an interview “So you could see catastrophe both in the form of a global depression potentially and the deaths of a lot of Americans in that region and here in the wake of a war with Iran Iran has said that in case of any attacks on its interests, it would deliver a devastating response Back in March the Tehran Times was told that the country s armed forces had loaded their missiles onto launchers Figures like Rubio and Waltz work more for the interests of Israel than the United States They have extremely deep ties with Zionists and AIPAC It was even revealed recently that Waltz used to work directly for Israel’s military ” said Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi an expert on North American affairs The two officials want Washington to fight a war for Israel which would have devastating consequences for both the United States and the world, he added For now, the hardline and hawkish faction within Trump’s administration, known for their bellicose rhetoric, has not succeeded in persuading Trump to initiate a war with Iran the expert stated However there is no guarantee that this will remain the case During the president s first term Pompeo persuaded him to assassinate top Iranian military general Qassem Soleimani, a move that resulted in the first attack on an American base since WWII and caused dozens of American soldiers stationed in Iraq to become “brain-dead” according to U S media reports The assassination also failed to impact Iran s ties with regional Resistance forces in any meaningful way While taking his oath this January, Trump said he was planning to become the president of “peace” But that may largely depend on whether he would be able to change course this time around
in Muslim societies
Traditionalists who tried to over throw Pope Francis wait for their moment at the conclave
For a long time, a sector of the Church directed and financed from the US attempted to depose the Vatican leader in order to impose its own identity-based ideology
ON the morning of August 26, 2018 while the Pope was visiting Ireland with the usual entourage of journalists and Vatican staff the bomb dropped Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, a former Vatican envoy in Washington between 2011 and 2016 and a heavyweight within the Curia, accused the Pontiff in an 11-page letter of having covered up the abuses of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and demanded his resignation The violent tone of that letter and the accusations it contained were the culmination of a campaign that had begun a few years earlier within the Holy See to overthrow a Pope they considered too progressive a heretic even The attempted schism was directed and financed from the United States where Donald Trump was spending his first term in the White House and in search of a cultural and ideological narrative capable of flourishing on the JudeoChristian roots of the Western world And the Vatican from that perspective could not be governed by a Pope who was an environmentalist tolerant of homosexuality, an anti-capitalist, and, above all, extremely belligerent toward the anti-immigration policies that characterized Trump’s first presidency There have always been tensions and internal struggles in the history of the Roman Catholic Church Unity and avoiding schism were an obsession But never in contemporary history had a Pope been so violently targeted And, above all, it was completely unusual for the Pontiff ’s enemies to come from the traditionalist sector supposedly the keeper of the essence of Catholicism Until then such battles had been fought only by far-right groups like the Society of St Pius X, founded by the rebel French archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, who was excommunicated in 1988 after ordaining four priests without Rome’s permission The symptoms had been clear for some time Steve Bannon Donald Trump s chief advisor before his fall from grace, a sort of Elon Musk avant la lettre, settled into the penthouse of the Hotel De Russie on the luxurious Via del Babuino From there he began receiving Italian and European leaders who viewed the Pope unfavorably: from Matteo Salvini to Trump himself Ban-
Francis kept up the fight to the bitter end On Februar y 10, in fact, he sent a letter to the U.S. bishops (195 dioceses) denouncing the Trump administration’s program of mass depor tations
There is a neoconser vative movement that began in the 1980s. And the Vice President of the United States, J. D. Vance, is one of its exponents They have a long-term strategy to return to a cer tain traditionalism that will not end with the conclave, no matter what
non attempted to open a sort of school of populism on the outskirts of Rome, increasing the pressure through sympathetic media The American Cardinal Raymond Burke became the political arm of this new movement within the Vatican, and together with other cardinals such as the excellent theologian Gerhard Müller, they began to hatch a plan to expose Francis’s alleged lack of intellectual preparation It began early in the summer of 2013 when it was already clear that many U S bishops didn t recognize him as one of their own, notes Massimo Faggioli, a professor in the department of theology and religious sciences at Villanova University in Philadelphia American conservatives thought that after John Paul II and Benedict XVI their destiny was forever marked by neoconservatism And the Pope didn t allow it That was his sin, he adds In the United States, there are approximately 72 3 million baptized people almost a quarter of the population But the influence of Catholics has grown in recent years A third of the members of Congress practice that faith, according to a study by the Pew Research Center Vocations to one of the richest churches in the world have fallen more than anywhere else and pedophilia scandals with the now-famous Boston case wreaked havoc However the obsession with the Vatican of the new White House occupants and neoconservative power circles has continued to grow One of the impressions that always haunted Bergoglio was that Benedict XVI s resignation in 2013 despite having been a gesture of generosity and humility had opened a rift in the Church that the conservative sector seized upon to wage its struggle The fiction that was established was that if there were two men dressed in white strolling through the Vatican gardens why not close ranks around the more conservative one? Ratzinger an excellent theologian though not skilled in personal relationships never accepted
that role But some oversights and the influence of his personal secretary, Georg Gänswein who was at odds with Francis caused some slip-ups The height of tension came five years ago with the publication of a book that the Pope Emeritus was
CORPORATE CORNER
innovation in the region
The Consulate General of Japan in Karachi, in collaboration with the Tokyo Foundation, successfully conducted a book handover ceremony at the Main Campus of NED University of Engineering and Technology The event marked the donation of 65 books under the READ JAPAN PROJECT by the Tokyo Foundation, an initiative aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of Japan’s rich culture literature and politics worldwide Consul General of Japan in Karachi, Mr HATTORI Masaru, officially presented the books to NED University The carefully curated collection provides a valuable insight into Japanese history culture philosophy and more Speaking at the ceremony Consul General HATTORI Masaru highlighted the importance of academic and cultural exchange in strengthening bilateral ties between Japan and Pakistan He expressed hope that these books would serve as a resource for students researchers and faculty members
with diverse interests in Japan
Vice Chancellor Dr Noman Ahmed thanked the Tokyo Foundation for their generous gift of knowledge, expressing hope that students will use this opportunity to learn about Japan and strengthen future Japan-Pakistan bilateral relations Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Tufail added that the books provide insights into Japan s societal system, development journey, and values I hope that everyone here will make good use of these books for the benefit of others who are not here
Daraz Pakistan has entered into a strategic partnership with Unity Retail, Pakistan s leading e-commerce enablement platform, to simplify and digitise logistics operations for major brands across the country This collaboration marks
The Tokyo Foundation’s READ JAPAN PROJECT clearly demonstrates Japan s commitment to promoting cultural diplomacy and mutual understanding by providing access to reliable, high-quality Japanese books to academic institutions worldwide The event concluded with an appreciation from NED University representatives who acknowledged the significance of this contribution in enhancing their academic resources and fostering a greater appreciation of Japanese studies among students
between
PM SHARIF DIRECTS LIVE BROADCAST FOR PIA PRIVATIZ ATION PROCESS
Attari
the Indus Waters Treaty, and
sion of Pakistani
However the
Launched in
Fawad Khan’s Abir Gulaal to remain unreleased after
the
industry with reports now confirming that Fawad
s upcoming Bollywood film Abir Gulaal will not be released in India This decision comes in the wake of a deadly attack in Pahalgam, occupied Kashmir, which left over 24 people dead and heightened the political climate between the two nations The Indian government has accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism in connection with the attack, though Pakistan has strongly denied any involvement Following this incident the film s release initially scheduled for May 9 has been cancelled Growing calls for a boycott of the film, particularly after the attack, have put pressure on the
film s distribution in India In addition to the cancellation of the film’s release, two songs from Abir Gulaal including the track “Khudaya Ishq ” were reportedly removed from YouTube the official platform of the film s production house, A Richer Lens Entertainment, and music label Saregama Music While the teaser for “Khudaya Ishq” and the official movie trailer remain on YouTube the music videos have been taken down leaving fans and media questioning the status of the film Sources from India s Information Ministry have confirmed to The Indian Express that the film will no longer see a theatrical release in the country although no formal statement has been issued by the film s director Aarti S Bagdi, or the production house
Both lead actors of the film, Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor,
publicly condemned the attack on social media Khan expressed his sorrow on Instagram writing I am deeply saddened by the horrific attack in Pahalgam My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this tragic time ” Kapoor too took to social media sharing her shock and grief: I am at a loss for words after seeing the attack on innocent people in Pahalgam My prayers are with the families of those affected ” However despite their heartfelt messages the film faced mounting opposition from several Indian film bodies The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has been particularly vocal, calling for a complete boycott of Pakistani artists and technicians in the Indian film industry In a statement the FWICE reiterated its stance saying Given the ongoing threats to national security and the recent attacks, we reaffirm our directive from 2019, which calls for no cooperation with Pakistani artists ” The organization specifically singled out Abir Gulaal condemning the involvement of Fawad Khan and further threatening disciplinary action against anyone involved in the production Ashok Pandit, a prominent figure in the Indian film industry and chief advisor to FWICE described the situation as an act of war He stated These repeated attacks over the years show the gravity of the situation
