IN T E R-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday reiterated that “Indian state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan” was taking place since inception of the country and it was also responsible for Khuzdar school bus attack saying the attack in Balochistan had nothing to do with the Baloch identity, rather it was just India s provocation
DG ISPR Lt Gen Chaudhry was addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside the Interior Secretary Captain (retd) Khurram Muhammad Agha
The DG ISPR maintained that New Delhi had been involved in perpetrating terrorism across the country since the inception of Pakistan ”
was “celebrating” the attack in Khuzdar These are all Indian accounts affiliated with RAW and posting for BLA and Fitnah al Hindustan he said referring to the government-designated term for all terror outfits in Balochistan What kind of a country celebrates acts of terrorism?” Indian involvement in terrorism since inception of Pakistan In 2009 the Pakistani government handed a dossier containing irrefutable evidence of
On Wednesday, at least six people, including three students were martyred while over 40 others mostly students were injured when an explosives-laden vehicle targeted a school bus near Zero Point in Khuzdar on the Quetta-Karachi highway when it was transporting students at the Army Public School in Khuzdar Cantonment On Thursday the military top brass during the 270th Corps Commander Conference (CCC) had also pointed out India s involvement in the incident, vowing that the armed forces will prevent the country s peace from being compromised by “externally-sponsored terrorism ” Lt-Gen Chaudhry highlighted that the attack on the Chinese envoy in Karachi in Oct 2024 also had Indian backing The Indian social media accounts affiliated with the Indian intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) posted about the attack beforehand He added that the same thing happened during the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train in March when more than 400 passengers were taken hostage by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army terrorists
ISLAMABAD
said
Spokesperson
S helped
outbreak of
We
erupting,” Bruce said, referring to
“What’s very exciting and heartening is that America’s involvement and assistance made a difference in stopping that escalation She was responding to a question about the implications of the recent India-Pakistan conflict for US-India relations Bruce noted that while the ceasefire was welcome, the global community remains concerned about the unresolved nature of the underlying issues There has been a generational concern about violence and terrorism in that region particularly regarding India and Pakistan What the world hopes for is a long-term resolution to these problems, she added The remarks come in the aftermath of a major flare-up in April, when India launched “Operation Sindoor” following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir s Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead India s operation which targeted alleged militant infrastructure in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir prompted a forceful Pakistani retaliation Islamabad responded with a barrage of missile strikes on at least 26 military installations across India, causing significant damage and raising fears of uncontrolled escalation
“Before the Jaffer Express incident occurred they [the social media accounts] were asking followers to keep an eye on Pakistan today and tomorrow Lt Gen Chaudhry pointed out that the Indian media
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will embark on a high-level diplomatic tour from May 25 to 30 visiting Iran Türkiye Azerbaijan and Tajikistan to strengthen regional cooperation and express gratitude for support during Pakistan’s recent standoff with India, the Foreign Office announced Friday
The first leg of the tour will take him to Tehran on an official invitation from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian During the visit, PM Shehbaz will hold important meetings with President Pezeshkian and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei focusing on bilateral ties border security trade and evolving regional tensions Diplomatic sources indicate that Iran’s leadership will also brief the Pakistani side on ongoing Iran–US nuclear negotiations a matter of significant geopolitical concern In return PM Shehbaz is expected to thank Tehran for its diplomatic role during the recent Pakistan-India escalation, particularly acknowledging Iranian Foreign Minister Syed Abbas Araghchi s mediation efforts Following his stop in Iran the
premier will visit Türkiye and Azerbaijan where high-level discussions will be held with respective heads of state PM Shehbaz is expected to reaffirm Islamabad’s appreciation for their vocal support during the India-Pakistan conflict and explore broader strategic and economic cooperation
The final stop of the tour will be in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, where PM Shehbaz will attend the International Conference on Glaciers from May 29-30 The event will also provide a platform to discuss climate resilience and regional environmental collaboration
The Foreign Office emphasized that the tour will include
FBR SIGNALS SALES TA X ON RAW MATERIAL IMPORTS UNDER EXPORT FACILITATION SCHEME IN F Y26 BUDGET
TThe
the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program The tranche is the second under the newly signed 37month, $7 billion EFF agreement, which was finalized earlier this year to stabilize Pakistan’s economy amid rising external and fiscal pressures While the SBP s reserves saw a notable uptick net reserves held by commercial banks saw a marginal decline of $9 million, bringing their total to $5 202 billion The IMF disbursement also unlocked additional multilateral and bilateral inflows in line with the broader financing framework agreed with external creditors Notably the IMF also approved a Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) for Pakistan, which will provide $1 4 billion (SDR 1 billion) to support climate-resilient development and long-term sustainability initiatives Last week the IMF’s executive board praised Pakistan s commitment to reform and green-lighted both the EFF disbursement and the RSF program This dual-track support not only reinforces the government’s macroeconomic stabilization agenda but also signals growing international confidence in Pakistan s policy direction SBP Governor Jameel Ahmed had earlier projected that the central bank s reserves would continue to rise steadily and cross $14 billion by June 2025, driven by expected inflows from multilateral lenders friendly countries and improved current account dynamics With reserves now on an upward trajectory analysts say the outlook for Pakistan s external sector has improved considerably, although sustained fiscal reforms and prudent monetary policy will be key to maintaining stability beyond the IMF program Pakistan’s forex reserves jump above $16.6b after IMF disbursement; more inflows expected
explanation “I just came from the IMF lunch the FBR chairman and finance minister weren t even there Don t give us ex-
cuses he said refusing to proceed with any Revenue Division matters in the chairman s absence Qamar also directed the Revenue Division to enhance and automate the tax refund system stressing that timely refunds were critical for exporters and manufacturers and noting continued complaints of double taxation and policy inconsistencies within the FBR KCCI also presented budget proposals to the committee, expressing concern over the shift of exporters from the Final Tax Regime (FTR) to the Normal Tax Regime (NTR) under the Finance Act 2024 KCCI leaders urged reversal of the move warning that the new policy threatened the competitiveness and sustainability of Pakistan s export sector Additionally, KCCI called for the restoration of zero-rating on local supplies, arguing that it would help reduce input
costs and support industrial growth The proposals received a sympathetic response, with Qamar acknowledging persistent grievances from the business community and calling for a taxpayerfriendly approach “The FBR must eliminate malpractice simplify procedures and establish a fair transparent taxation framework to restore trust Qamar remarked adding that the Revenue Division should hold direct consultations with the KCCI to address key issues The Committee also considered The Parliamentary Budget Office Bill 2025 introduced by MNA Rana Iradat Sharif Khan and decided to form a Sub-Committee for detailed review and recommendations The bill aims to establish an independent Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) to enhance legislative oversight of fiscal policy through expert non-partisan
analysis Qamar endorsed the initiative noting that the PBO would improve fiscal accountability and policymaking by equipping lawmakers with robust analytical and economic tools “This is long overdue An independent PBO will empower Parliament to scrutinise budgets effectively and strengthen governance he said The committee also heard a pre-budget analysis from a senior economist, and decided to defer a scheduled presentation by the oil refining industry regarding sales tax reforms to its next meeting The committee approved the minutes of its previous two sessions Members in attendance included Omar Ayub Khan (via Zoom) Rana Iradat Sharif Khan Dr Nafisa Shah, Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Syed Sami ul Hassan Gilani, Sharmila Faruque, Muhammad Jawed Hanif Khan, Arshad Vohra, Usman Mela and others
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
“Having miserably failed in the so-called Operation Sindoor the terror proxies of Hindustan have been tasked to accentuate their heinous attacks of terrorism in Balochistan and elsewhere Let me be absolutely clear here, the people of Pakistan will not let them succeed
“Pakistan and its people, particularly in Balochistan, reject this nefarious design The state has the capacity and the will to dismantle these networks and bring the perpetrators and their handlers to justice Such actions will have consequences
He said in the past couple of years having suffered immense casualties in their attempts against hard targets, Fitnah al Hindustan has resorted to hitting soft targets, wayfarers, labourers working on development projects, infrastructure and machinery to paint a picture of loosening control of the State
Much against the tradition and culture of the Baloch these terrorists have stooped so low that innocent school children have now been targeted I assure you that the State, in collaboration with the provincial governments and the state apparatus, will defeat them
“These Indian-sponsored terrorists have no place in Pakistan and our national discourse We have commitment to bring an end to this violence Our resolve is firm and our response will be decisive They will not succeed Lt Gen Chaudhry then spoke about the Indian attacks on Pakistan on May 6 and 7, which were carried out by New Delhi after blaming Islamabad for Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir on April 22
“Never in modern history have you seen any nation any media celebrating the killing of children and women the way India is celebrating This is the low moral fibre and level that the current Indian political elite has brought the society to He said that one of the proxies of the Fitnah al Hindustan on May
World Bank backs Pakistan’s power sec tor reforms with $55m
nation is ready to attack from the western border and we will become India s practical and military arm
He said that RAW made BLA issue this press release
“because they are unable to deter the state of Pakistan They attack but the resolve of Pakistani people has not diminished ” “Will we be deterred by the Fitnah al Hindustan with such press releases and cowardly actions? Absolutely not Never he said
He further said Instead of refraining from their oppression of minorities or finding a solution, India is carrying out terrorist activities in Pakistan and the region ” “They are externalising internal issues and when anyone asks for evidence they do not have evidence Who is the state sponsor of terrorism and the epicentre of destabilisation in this region? he questioned
The DG ISPR also called out the Indian media for spreading propaganda and said: The Indian media is not free but controlled by the state, he said, adding that those who were questioning media freedom in Pakistan were now aware of how free it was, compared to the “conditions of media in a so-called democracy India ” ‘Terrorists who laid down arms confessed to links with India Speaking about terrorists who had laid down arms before the State the DG ISPR said: There were some brave ones who stood up and surrendered because they realised that they were not there to fight India s war They [surrendered terrorists] come and tell us how India was involved ”
He highlighted the case of Adeela Baloch a former militant who had surrendered herself to the authorities She was exploited and blackmailed by the Fitnah al Hindustan to become a suicide bomber Lt Gen Chaudhry said, adding that India was exploiting young women from Balochistan In response to a question about a policy to counter Fitnah al Hindustan, the DG ISPR replied: “I would say that our one-liner policy is that the nation this iron wall we fought in a gallant and exemplary manner against the Indian military aggression on the night of May 6 and 7 and you saw it again on May 10
This steel wall needs to be in unison and turned against the forces of terrorism The DGR ISPR further
said: We need to understand certain facts Why did the Indians feel the need to resort to this military escalation? One of the very important reasons was that all elements of national power over the last two years have gelled together ” He went on to say that Pakistan had begun “squeezing the space for terrorists to operate” and that in the first five months of this year 203 terrorists had been killed in Balochistan alone Illegal Afghans are being pushed out and actions are being taken against the crime-terror nexus In Balochistan, illegal trade routes are being shut down to stop funding for these terrorists,” DG ISPR added
Answering another question the DG ISPR vehemently criticised the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and its leader Dr Mahrang Baloch saying that the media needed to unmask the group and its membership
The state has taken action against the BYC and their space has been squeezed, he said He said that India s military escalation was a necessity to create space for their proxy groups in the region, but stated that Pakistan did not disengage a single soldier from its counterterrorism force Did we take even one soldier out? No Because we knew they would operate in unison He added that India was growing frustrated and desperate, stating that the country s media was howling about Balochistan It is clear that this is not a war of the Baloch, it is a war against Indian terror
proxies who are killing children for money Once they know it then they get worried ” DG ISPR said ACTED AS A RATIONAL PLAYER IN SCENARIO WITH INDIA’
DG ISPR reiterated that Pakistan was the rational player in the scenario with India and stated that the Pahalgam attack took place due to “India’s own oppression in Kashmir”
“Their response was totally irrational illogical and unilateral Lt Gen Chaudhry said Pakistan is approaching
Pakistan must settle with Afghanistan first
DE P U T Y PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that any upgrading of relations with Afghanistan would require ‘due diligence’ and consultation with all stakeholders before it could take place His Chinese counterpart, Wang Li, announced in the presence of Mr Dar and their Afghan counterpart, Maulana Amir Khan Muttaqi, that the two countries would exchange ambassadors Pakistan like the rest of the world does not recognize the Taliban government and exchanging ambassadors may not mean de jure recognition but would certainly be de facto recognition Before such a step could take place, there would have to be a significant improvement in the countries relations Mr Wang stuck his neck out because of the development he also announced on Tuesday: that Afghanistan was to be included in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
On one level this was perhaps inevitable After the US withdrawal China moved in not just because it wanted to retain access to the mineral exploration rights it had, but also because it had to integrate Afghanistan into its One Belt One Road initiative Indeed, the projects initially identified are both essentially providing transit By road, there is to be a highway from Peshawar to Kabul From there it becomes possible to access the Central Asian road network and thence to Europe Then there is a trans-Afghanistan railway Linked to Peshawar at its eastern end, and to Hairatan at the other (which links to Central Asia, and this Europe), it becomes possible for a train carriage to carry cargo from Urumqi in Xinjiang to John o Groats in the UK Thus, apart from any mineral wealth it may have Afghanistan would prove a crucial part of the OBOR Another element which had to be factored in was the Pakistan-India standoff By coming aboard the CPEC at this point Afghanistan was showing support for Pakistan, negating all its previous dickerings with India It should also be noted that China gave Pakistan a positive signal by expanding CPEC at this juncture
It should be understood that participation in projects like CPEC require the sort of trust that exists between China and Pakistan Pakistan and India do not enjoy that level of trust, and though the basis to build it is certainly present, it will require much effort, because relations need to be sorted out While China and Afghanistan have reached an understanding over the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, Afghanistan and Pakistan must reach agreement on the BLA the TTP and the Med Brigade or the CPEC proposal will crashland before it takes off
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
TW
H a s t h e We s t p h a l i a n m o d e l b e co m e o b s o l e te ?
i N a m u l l a H m a rwat
teach History of International Relations since 1648 to undergraduate students at the Department of Political Science and International Relations in the University of Management and Technology L ore The purpose of this course is to help students understand the context of the Treaty of Westphalia which gave birth to a modern international system in which states treat each other like sovereign entities The Treaty of Westphalia signed in 1648 brought peace to Europe in the aftermath of the Thirty Years War fought between Catholics and Protestants from 1618 till 1648 within the Holy Roman Empire and across the European continent, through a set of principles that became the basis of the modern international system One key principle adopted in the Treaty of Westphalia for peace within Europe was the principle of sovereignty It was collectively acknowledged that states would not intervene in each other s affairs Thus the principle of nonintervention in the Treaty of Westphalia became the main pillar for the maintenance of peace across Europe Today, when we look at the international system, there are almost 195 states All of them believe in the principle of sovereignty a principle set by Europeans in the Treaty of Westphalia for the attainment of peace It would not be wrong to say that today s international system is based upon the Westphalian model in which all the states, no matter big or small, cherish the idea of sovereignty and consider that the principle of sovereignty should not be compromised when they are interacting in the global arena for the attainment of their interests Norms developed in the shape of sovereignty in the wake of the Treaty of Westphalia deserve credit because those norms not only back then when they were introduced in a particular context helped attain peace but later on helped maintain order and peace across the world in different points in time However in today’s inter-connected world where states are facing collective problems in the shape of climate
change and there is a need for responsible collective response the same principles of the Westphalian model are becoming an obstacle as every state under the cover of sovereignty is approaching the collective issue as per her convenience and is finding leeway to prioritize individual interest over collective interest, again by taking shelter in Westphalian norms in the shape of sovereignty In the name of sovereignty which is a Westphalian norm being enjoyed by all the states some of the states are least concerned about how the problems bigger than themselves in the shape of climate change should be addressed Their policies are driven by the pursuit of their vested interests and those policies are justified through the cover of Westphalian norms in the shape of sovereignty A case in point is the lack of consensus existing among states on how we need to address the issue of climate change Though the issue of climate change is right in front of all the states and is affecting all the states in unimaginable ways both in the North and South; however, no collective consensus is developing as every state is sovereign and no one can make a state accountable for what it does thanks to
s ov e r e i g n t y w h i c h a r e t h e d e f i n i n g f e a t u r e s o f t h e c u r r e n t i n t e r n a t i o n a l s y s t e m , wo n Ê t h e l p u s r e s o l v e c o l l e c t i v e i s s u e s o f
t o d ay Ês wo r l d . We n e e d t o r e i nv i g o r a t e t h e c u r r e n t i n t e r n a t i o n a l
s y s t e m w i t h n o r m s t h a t p r e f e r c o l l e c t i v i t y ov e r ex cl u s i v i t y.
Demystif ying the economic impact of an Indo-Pak War
N e i t h e r c o u n t r y c a n a f f o rd wa r
powers would have to begin applying diplomatic means to contain the situation deflecting their focus and resources from global cooperation in climate health and technology
The price of conflict in South Asia is simply too high; history is clear on this India needs to appreciate the fact that its provocations in inflaming regional tensions will cost it economically far more than Pakistan and therefore its national security should be based on economic security regional interaction and strategic diplomacy – not in reckless militarism
Thirst tactics
both nations desperately need for long-term development Any spurts in violence are sure to cause spikes in global markets affect trade routes throughout the region and, most of all, raise the alarm of investors around the world, as both of the countries are key players in South Asia The slightest whiff of a nuclear flashpoint to the war would unsettle the energy markets and the geopolitical alliances Those global
While nationalism prospers in the short term, the long term cost of war is economic regression, social fragmentation, and a lost generation Both are at a time of great domestic challenges poverty inequality climate threats and can ill afford conflict In a world where all countries depend on one another real power comes from economic fortitude working together, and judicious international behaviour Though peace is a difficult thing, it remains the most profitable policy
The author is a graduate of economics from BUITEMS and a Researcher at BTTN Quetta
Beastly joy
Azha around the corner, it is time to remember that we must treat our sacrificial animals with the love and care they deserve The religious festival is observed with great enthusiasm across Pakistan every year and children generally have a great time by being around these sacrificial animals In doing so, however, they sometime cross
Lagging
FO R decades US foreign policy in the Middle East has been a patchwork of ideals entanglements and occasionally outright illusions US presidents alternated between moral grandstanding and military adventurism, often to disappointing or even disastrous ends Now under Donald Trump first in his initial term and again in his return to office the USA appears to be undergoing a recalibration The hallmark of this shift is a form of transactional diplomacy that prioritizes outcomes over optics, deals over doctrines, and leverage over legacy Critics often reduce this approach to cynicism But that view underestimates the strategic logic underpinning it Trump s vision as inconsistent as it may sometimes appear is rooted in a broad rejection of ideological excess and a renewed focus on national interest For a region as complex as the Middle East, where aspirations of democracy and peace have frequently collided with sectarianism and authoritarian durability this realism may be overdue Trump s framework is not born of isolationism Instead, it reflects a hard-nosed appraisal of what the USA can reasonably accomplish and what it should stop pretending it can In contrast to the moralizing impulses of previous administrations particularly Barack Obama s Trump s approach is refreshingly unromantic It acknowledges that US influence is not unlimited, that alliances must be reciprocal, and that protracted diplomatic theatre often substitutes for actual progress
Consider the Obama Administration’s handling of the Arab Spring The former president s rhetorical embrace of democratic movements from Cairo to Damascus was inspiring in principle but disastrous in practice The vacuum left by toppled autocrats was filled not by liberal democracies but by chaos civil war and resurgent authoritarianism Trump by contrast has avoided grand proclamations about reshaping the region focusing instead on containment deterrence, and deal-making
This pivot has particular resonance when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the third rail of American Middle East policy Successive administrations Democratic and Republican alike have been ensnared by
A recalibration of realism: Trump’s transactional turn in the Middle East
process: initiatives, summits, roadmaps, and resolutions that rarely move the needle Trump, by contrast, has framed the issue less as a diplomatic quagmire to be managed and more as a transactional dilemma to be resolved From this vantage point peace isn t the product of symbolism or speechmaking but of mutually beneficial agreements backed by tangible pressure
During his first term, Trump granted Israel unprecedented political gifts: the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem recognition of the Golan Heights and support for the Abraham Accords These moves reinforced US alignment with Israel but also drew attention to a critical dilemma what happens when the recipient of such support gives little in return?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bolstered by Washington’s gestures doubled down on maximalist policies that sidelined peace prospects and inflamed tensions in Gaza Syria and beyond There were reports of Israeli interference in US domestic politics and an apparent reluctance to match US support with diplomatic flexibility In Trump’s second term there are signs that patience may be running thin
Here lies the essence of Trump s evolving strategy: friendship with Israel does not equate to unconditional backing If the USA is to remain a credible force in the region, it must retain its ability to act as an honest broker That credibility is undermined when strategic partners act with impunity For Trump rebalancing this dynamic is not an act of betrayal but a necessary correction Just as significant is the shifting calculus with Saudi Arabia The Kingdom has long maintained that no durable peace in the Middle East is possible without addressing Palestinian grievances Trump often caricatured as indifferent to such concerns now seems to acknowledge the
to be embracing a more pragmatic understanding: prosperity in the Middle East is contingent on more than arms deals and anti-Iran alliances It requires dignity and economic agency for Palestinians, and it requires buy-in from regional powers who are no longer content with US platitudes Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have
‘ A r m y b o w i n g a t M o d i j i ’
s f e e t ’
A s of now, India’s armed forces swear allegiance to the constitution, not to any person or politic al authorit y
The honourable deputy chief minister of the BJP-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh, Jagdish Devda, has informed the nation how the armed forces are ‘bowing at Modi ji’s feet’
WH E N the then German president Paul Von Hindenburg, died in August of 1934, Adolf Hitler combined the posts of president and chancellor He thus became Fuhrer head of both the state and of the armed forces Until then German soldiers were required to take the following oath: I swear loyalty to the Constitution and vow that I will protect the German nation and its lawful establishments as a brave soldier at any time and will be obedient to the President and my Superiors
Hitler now created a new oath: I swear by god this sacred oath that I will render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer of the German Reich and people, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and will be ready as a brave soldier to risk my life at any time for this oath
Never mind that one fall out of this change was that German soldiers often excused whatever atrocities they committed as acts deriving from their oath of loyalty to the Fuhrer
In our own time Donald Trump was heard to say during his first term as president of the United States how he would like to have the same kind of loyalty from his Generals as Hitler had from his His subsequent denial that he had said so flew rather in the face of the fact on record Here at home flush with the chastisement meted out to Pakistan the un-
rather potentially ominous The honourable deputy chief minister of the BJP-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh Jagdish Devda, has informed the nation how the armed forces are bowing at Modi ji’s feet” Once again, subsequent sophistries on behalf of the minister have persuaded few To Modi ji s credit there is nothing on record thus far to say that he requires the sort of personal allegiance from the armed forces as has been alluded to by the minister Nor, on the other hand, has he taken any cognisance of the unconstitutional and degrading aspersion cast by the erring minister both on the armed forces and on him by default One imagines that had Jawaharlal Nehru been in his place, the said sycophant minister would have had his ears pulled pronto in public rebuke and rejection
We recall that Nehru once wrote an anonymous article in The Modern Review 1937 castigating himself for his dictatorial predilections Modi ji has of course often been heard to refer to himself in the third person, as royals were wont to do Savour his frequently declared “Modi ki guarantee” as a gold standard of credibility – rather like Caesar s pronouncement in Shakespeare s play Julius Caesar When Caesar says do this, it is done Nor has his tenure been above desiring executive sway (inevitably meaning his own) over institutional mechanisms, to the detriment of the Constitutional injunction about the separation of powers
As to the army he has in the past used such epithets as mere jawan (my soldiers) even if as an expansive paternalistic metaphor The question that must worry the law-abiding citizen is whether the fawning deputy minister ’s hyperbole may go uncorrected
As of now India s armed forces swear allegiance to the constitution not to any person or political authority It is to be hoped that Modi ji will ensure that such allegiance continues to be the authorising legitimation of the life of our soldiers The deputy chief minister’s gaffe is too serious a matter to be bypassed
Badri Raina taught at Delhi
TH E new education policy 2020 is being implemented gradually Apart from other things, it has focused on Indian knowledge systems and Indian traditions The changes that pertain to History have deleted the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal rule from the text-books A good seven centuries of history stands relegated into absentia This is a pretty long period by any standards “While NCERT had previously trimmed sections on the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate including detailed account of dynasties like Tughlaqs Khaljis Mamluks and Lodis and a two-page table on Mughal emperors achievements as part of its syllabus rationalization during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022-23, the new textbook has now removed all references to them,” says and article in The Economic Times All references to the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal rulers have been deleted from 7th standard text-books In addition references in other books to Muslim rule stand deleted What also stands deleted is the reference to post-Mumbai (1992-93 violence), post-Gujarat violence (2002) the references to Nathuram Godse (Gandhi’s killer) being a trained pracharak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS the ban on RSS in the aftermath of Gandhi s assassination among others While the Kumbh Mela finds a place, the stampede that caused the death of many devotees and at the New Delhi rail station stampede have no mention All this began with the Covid-19 period when the pretext offered was reducing the burden on students followed by rationalisation , which meant deletion of portions that caused discomfort to the Hindu Nationalist ideology For demonisation of Muslims and spreading hate against them and the Mughals have been presented as major villains of our history Some earlier kings like Allauddin Khilji have also been on the hammer of the Hindutva narrative So far, the demonisation of Muslims was structured around temple destruction by Muslim kings, which has been contested by rational historians The spread of Islam by Muslims kings using their sword was another pillar of this This point is totally off the mark as conversions to Islam took place due to social interaction with Muslim Arab traders to begin with Later, many low castes embraced Islam to escape the tyranny of the caste system The ideology of Hindutva has gone to the extent of presenting this period as a dark period when the Holocaust against Hindus
In the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition, the poet Fahmida Riyaz wrote “Arre Tum bhi Ham Jaise Nikale, Ab Tak Kahan Chhupe the Bhai’ (Ohh! you have also turned out like us, where were you hiding so far)
The changes that per tain to Histor y have deleted the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal rule from the tex t-books
took place No doubt the era of kingdoms is full of war for political reasons Kings always wanted to expand their regime and in the process many people were killed To call it holocaust is totally off the mark Their (Hindutva) narrative actually takes off from the communal historiography introduced by the British to pursue the policy of divide and rule In this, all the motives of kings are related to religion and kings are presented as symbols of religious communities
The Hindu communal historiography took this further by claiming that Muslims and Christians were foreigners who have tormented Hindus The Muslim communal historiography presented the other side of the coin where Muslims are regarded as rulers and Hindus as subjects They presented that Muslims are the logical rulers of this land
The later trajectory of this logic did assist the British to divide our composite land into India and Pakistan Savarkar articulated that there are two nations in this country and Jinnah went on to demand a separate country for Muslims, Pakistan Pakistan fell into the trap of Muslim communalism right from the word go and as far its text-books are concerned they presented the beginning of Pakistan with Mohammad bin Qasim in the Eighth Century Today their history books have totally deleted any reference to Hindu rulers The hate which Muslim communalism spread against Hindus peaked with their school texts removing all the references to Hindu kings and culture In a way India during the past three decades has been walking in the footprints of Pakistan The mirror image of Pakistan s trajectory is being copied probably to the last comma This point was highlighted by Pakistan s poet Fahmida Riyaz In the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition, she wrote “Arre Tum bhi Ham Jaise Nikale Ab Tak Kahan Chhupe the Bhai’ (Ohh! you have also turned out like us where were you hiding so far) Prior to Hindutva ideology coming to total control of Indian education, the RSS shakhas (morning drills) were spreading the communal version of society through multiple mechanisms like its shakha bauddhis, Ekal Vidyalayas and Shishu Mandirs In due course, mainstream media and social media also came to its service As such culture is a continuously evolving process During the period of History under the hammer of Hindutva a lot of social changes took place Apart from the architecture, the
M A HossAin
TBangladesh leader threatens to resign
Chinese President Xi Jinping has underscored the importance of promoting high-quality cultural and ethical development to provide robust spiritual support for building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent instruction which was conveyed at a national conference on Friday that honored champions
called for continued efforts to enrich the cultural lives of the people and foster wellrounded personal development alongside coordinated progress in cultural-ethical development across both urban and rural areas He also urged deeper reform and innovation, broader public participation and the establishment of a long-term, collaborative mechanism for advancing cultural-ethical development Addressing Friday s event Cai Qi a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, stressed the need to leverage high-quality cultural-ethical progress to pool strength for advancing Chinese modernization
of the powerful
Nationalist Party (BNP) rallied in Dhaka, holding large-scale protests against the interim government for the first time Yunus has promised polls will be held by June 2026 at the latest but supporters of the BNP seen as the frontrunners in highly anticipated elections that will be the first since Hasina was overthrown demanded he
a
“If the government fails to meet public expectations it will be difficult for the BNP to continue extending its support ” senior BNP leader Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain told reporters Thursday
Iran, US to hold new round of nuclear talks in Rome
TEHRAN ag e N C i e s
Iranian and US negotiators meet in Rome on Friday for a fifth round of nuclear talks after a public disagreement over Tehran s uranium enrichment The talks which began in April are the highest-level contact between the foes since the United States quit the 2015 nuclear accord during President Donald Trump’s first term Since returning to office Trump has revived his maximum pressure campaign on Iran backing talks but warning of military action if diplomacy fails Iran wants a new deal that would ease sanctions which have battered its economy
The last round of talks in the Omani capital Muscat ended with a public spat over enrichment
US envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington could not authorise even one per cent enrichment a position Tehran called a red line, citing its rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty Ahead of Friday’s talks Iran s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said fundamental differences remained with the United States, while adding that Tehran was open to its nuclear sites undergoing more inspections
“We will not have an agreement at all if the United States wants to prevent Iran from enriching uranium Araghchi added Friday s talks in the Italian capital come ahead of a June meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog, the Vi-
enna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the October expiry of the 2015 accord
The deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, aimed to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb a goal Western countries accused it of pursuing, though Tehran denies it
In return for curbs on its nuclear programme Iran had received relief from international sanctions But the accord was torpedoed in 2018 when Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States Iran responded by ramping up its nuclear activities
It is now enriching uranium to 60pc far above the deal s 3 67pc cap but below the 90 percent needed for weapons-grade material
Experts in Tehran said Iran was unlikely to back down
“It’s quite simple; if the US expects Iran to halt nuclear enrichment
deal ” said Mohammad Marandi a political scientist who was once an adviser on the nuclear issue
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran says the country s nuclear industry employs 17,000 people, similar to other countries where uranium is enriched for civilian use The Netherlands Belgium South Korea Brazil and Japan enrich (uranium) without possessing nuclear weapons, its spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said Iran’s enmity with Israel, whose main backer is the United States has been a constant backdrop to the talks
In a letter to the United Nations Araghchi wrote: We believe that in the event of any attack on the nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Zionist regime, the US government will also be involved and bear legal responsibility ”
COAVS brings together national,
LAHORE
S TA F F R E P O R T
The funeral for Lahore Police s martyred Constable Ammar Aqib Ali was offered at Qila Gujjar Singh Police Lines on Friday Constable Ammar Aqib Ali was posted at the Investigation Wing of the Factory Area Police Station
The constable sustained severe injuries from high-voltage electric wires during a raid when the suspect Asif resisted arrest Despite receiving treatment at the burn unit of Jinnah Hospital he succumbed to his injuries
The funeral was attended by CCPO Bilal Siddique Kamyana DIG (Investigations) Zeeshan Raza, DIG (Operations) Muhammad Faisal Kamran, SSP (Investigations) Muhammad Naveed and other senior officers The CCPO along with a smartly turned-out contingent of Lahore Police paid homage to the martyred constable and laid a floral wreath on his coffin CCPO Kamyana expressed condolences to the bereaved fam-
Journalism is at war with fake news: Global Director BBC News
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Building resilience against disinformation and fake news is vital as Journalism is at war with fake news in the digital age said Jonathan Munro Global Director and Deputy Chief Executive of BBC News He was speaking at a seminar titled Tackling
KU arranges seminar on role of students in polio eradication
ISLAMABAD
The Department of International Relations of the University of Karachi in collaboration with UNICEF organized a seminar titled
Futures: The Role of
Eradication in Pakistan at the
awareness among
about polio eradication, vaccination, and the crucial role of routine immunisation Students from the departments of international relations, political science and mass communication actively participated in the session which featured a distinguished panel of experts from the polio programme and academia
Disinformation in a Global Age: A Conversation with BBC Leadership held at the Department of Mass Communication of National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) on Thursday The seminar was organized with support of not-forprofit Global Neighbourhood for Media Innovation Dr Zafar Mahmood Principal and Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities (S3H) chaired the seminar Dr Ashfaque Hassan Khan Director General of
people Social media in particular created panic,” he said “We are not just dealing with fake news anymore We are confronting a wellweaponized global disinformation ecosystem It is organized powered by AI and pushed by algorithms
often fall short By allowing NBMFCs to participate in the ACAG scheme the SECP aims to enable their reach and effectiveness in addressing the housing needs of marginalized communities This regulatory relaxation not only enhances the ability of NBMFCs to offer tailored, accessible financing solutions for home ownership but also strengthens SECP’s broader agenda of inclusive economic growth through expanded access to financial services
KU VC condoles death of ex-facult y member
ISLAMABAD S TA F
The former faculty member of the University of Karachi and the ex-vice chancellor of the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Lyari University Professor Dr Akhtar Baloch passed away after a prolonged illness at a private hospital on Friday The KU mourns the passing of a distinguished former faculty member of the Department of Political Science, the former Chairperson of the Department of Public Administration and former VC of BBSU
Born on August
promoted
and
on November 11 2005 On January 18 2015 he assumed the role of Vice Chancellor of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University Lyari He retired from the KU s Public Administration Department on August 06, 2019 Dr Baloch leaves behind his grieving wife, three daughters, and a son In response to this loss, the KU’s Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi expressed deep sorrow remembering Dr Baloch as a kind-hearted and compassionate educator
THREE TERRORISTS KILLED, SIX FLEE AS CTD CONDUCTS IBO IN MIANWALI
LAHORE/BANNU
S
TH R E E terrorists were killed and six others managed to escape during an intelligencebased operation (IBO) conducted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) near Mianwali’s Rehmanikhel area according to a CTD statement on Friday
The CTD in a statement said that an IBO was conducted following the reports of terrorists presence in the area
However, the terrorists opened fire on the police as soon as they took sight of them In an exchange of fire the terrorist killed three of their own while the remaining six escaped The police found rifles three hand grenades, bullets, and explosives near the slain terrorists A search operation was underway to
arrest the terrorists who had escaped the statement said adding that the teams had set up a blockade near Rehmanikhel
The process of identifying the slain terrorists was underway, the statement continued It added that the terrorists who were targeted had completed their planning for carrying out major attacks on police posts
Separately Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police in a statement said that unidentified miscreants carried out unsuccessful attacks on Fatehkhel chowki in Bannu district and Takia post in Bara tehsil of Khyber district, adding that both attacks were repelled by the police’s immediate response A young man was injured in an exchange of fire in Bannu the statement said KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said police foiled the attacks with professionalism and courage, adding that the evil elements in society will be brought to their end
Three most-wanted terrorists arrested in Karachi
KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T Sindh Rangers and CTD police arrested three most-wanted terrorists linked to Fitna-al-Khawarij in a joint operation in Mehran Town, Korangi Arms, ammunition, and explosives were seized from the suspects The arrested individuals Naimatullah alias Abid Noor alias Mani and Sabirullah alias Daniyal are reported to be members of Fitna-al-Khawarij commander Roman Raees s group and the Islam Deen Group They were sent to Karachi to carry out extortion, target
killings, and attacks on security forces During interrogation Naimatullah revealed he joined the Mufti Noor Wali-led Fitna-al-Khawarij in 2018 received military training in Barmal Afghanistan, and participated in operations in Waziristan He was arrested in 2019 during an operation in Wana and jailed After release, he was re-arrested in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2021 but resumed militant activities upon release He and his associates returned to Karachi to conduct terrorist activities under the direction of Fitna-alKhawarij commanders The investigation is ongoing
Indus Water Treaty a settled matter, cannot be suspended unilaterally: Shibli Faraz
the treaty into doubt The Indus Waters Treaty is a settled matter Pakistan has never sought its amendment, and we will not allow any unilateral alteration to its terms, Faraz said, urging the Pakistani government to adopt a vigilant and calculated approach to India’s provocations “India is clearly seeking to harm Pakistan’s interests through subversive legal and strategic maneuvers he added The Indus Waters Treaty brokered by the World Bank in 1960, governs the distribution of the Indus River system between Pakistan and India It is considered one of the most successful water-sharing agreements in the world and has survived multiple conflicts between the two nuclear-armed neighbors Senator Syed Ali Zafar echoed Faraz s concerns stating that the treaty is irrevocable under international law Quoting provisions of the United Nations Charter, Zafar asserted that Pakistan is legally empowered to defend its water rights, including through “forceful dismantling of any illegal structures built by India to divert or obstruct river flows guaranteed to Pakistan ” Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry commended Pakistan s swift diplomatic and strategic response to what he described as India s aggression, highlighting the country s unified stance on the issue
“The soldiers showed great devotion to duty by remaining alert IG Hameed said adding that the morale of the youth was high and they were determined to continue the struggle until terrorism was eradicated The IG paid tribute to the bravery of KP police and announced cash rewards and certificates of appreciation Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to the forces for foiling the attack on a police post in Bannu and the killing of three terrorists in Mianwali In a statement, he said that the Bannu police personnel bravely confronted the terrorists and foiled the attack He congratulated KP Police personnel for foiling the nefarious intentions of the terrorists emphasising that the KP police were fighting the war against terrorism with courage The country is proud of the brave sons of the KP police”, Naqvi said Speaking about the Mianwali inci-
dent, Naqvi said that CTD personnel bravely fought the terrorists Naqvi said he was proud of the CTD s professional skills adding that the team deserved praise for bringing down the terrorists Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities over the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022 vowing to target security forces police and law enforcement agencies personnel CM Maryam Nawaz Lauds CTD Over Killing 3 Terrorists in Mianwali Meanwhile Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz lauded the Counter-Terrorism Department over success of operation against terrorists in Mianwali She paid tribute to the CTD team and congratulated them for consigning to hell three terrorists She reaffirmed the Punjab government’s resolve to “stamp out terrorism” saying this dream would be
Three abducted men killed by terrorists for ‘spying’ in Tirah Valley
Three young men were abducted and brutally executed by suspected terrorists on charges of espionage in the volatile Tirah Valley of Khyber tribal district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Friday
The victims – identified as Ibrahim, son of Masoor, Samad, son of Piyo Khan and Naveed son of Sher Ghulam – belonged to the local Malik Din Khel tribe The three were abducted by suspected terrorists on Thursday according to sources Their bodies were found dumped in an open field early Friday morning They were apparently shot execution style The bodies were found by local tribesmen who later shifted them to the victims homes The grisly discovery whipped up fear and panic among local tribesmen who called on the government and security forces to take immediate action and restore law and order in the scenic Tirah Valley, where the Mangal Bagh-led banned Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) terrorist group once held sway Bagh along with his loyalists had fled to the Afghan province of Nangarhar which border Tirah Valley, in 2010 after a series of military operations and growing resentment among local population against his vigilantism
Bilawal consults PM Shehbaz ahead of global push to counter India’s narrative
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday to seek strategic direction for leading a diplomatic delegation tasked with presenting Pakistan’s stance on recent India-Pakistan tensions in major world capitals According to a press release issued by the Prime Minister s Office the meeting was also attended by PPP senior leaders Senator Sherry Rehman and former Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar Deputy Prime Minister and current Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar Minister for Climate Change Dr Musaddiq Malik Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi were also present The consultation comes days after the federal government nominated Bilawal to lead a high-level diplomatic mission with
the mandate to counter Indian narratives globally and highlight Pakistan’s commitment to peace in the wake of the recent cross-border escalation Speaking at the meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan s stance that it seeks peace in the region but reserves the right to defend itself against any form of aggression “I hope that under your leadership this delegation will present Pakistan s position and narrative to the world in a comprehensive and effective manner, the Prime Minister told Bilawal Bilawal expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him, stating that the mission is of national importance and transcends political affiliations This is not about party politics; this is about Pakistan I am honored to be entrusted with this diplomatic responsibility, he said The high-level delegation, which includes Senator Sherry Rehman Hina Rabbani Khar former Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua
former Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, Faisal Subzwari, Dr Musaddiq Malik and Engineer Khurram Dastgir is expected to visit Washington London Paris and Brussels The delegation will meet government officials, think tanks, and media organizations to expose what Pakistan calls India’s “disinformation campaign” and its attempts to destabilize regional peace The initiative follows a USbrokered ceasefire between Pakistan and India earlier this month after a brief but intense military exchange that included missile strikes and drone operations Pakistan maintains that India’s actions in Kashmir and its cross-border tactics constitute aggression and must be addressed on global platforms Sources say the delegation will focus on conveying Pakistan s perspective on recent events, including India’s alleged use of “false flag” operations its refusal to engage diplomatically and its targeting of civilians during recent military actions
storm
KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T A
Meteorologists noted that warm sea surface temperatures are fueling the system’s growth It could develop into a depression within 36 hours and if conditions remain favorable strengthen further by May 24 or 25
financiers, and sponsors behind such terrorist acts
The UNSC urged all member states to cooperate actively with the Government of Pakistan in investigating the attack and bringing those responsible to justice Terrorism, irrespective of motivation, location, or perpetrator, remains criminal and unjustifiable,” the council emphasized, reaffirming the obligation of all countries to
