PM, SAUDI CROWN PRINCE REAFFIRM DEEP ROOTED, STRATEGIC, AND FRATERNAL TIES
S TA F F R E P O R T
PR I M E Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s proactive role during recent tensions between Pakistan and India and its steadfast commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region and beyond During his meeting with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz in Makkah alMukarramah on Friday he underscored Pakistan s policy of responsible restraint in the face of Indian aggression emphasizing that sustainable peace in South Asia is achievable only through dialogue
The meeting reaffirmed the deeprooted, strategic, and fraternal ties between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended warm Eid greetings to King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and commended the Kingdom s hospitality and service to the pilgrims from around the world who are in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj The two leaders also held detailed discussions on the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza They stressed the imperative for the international community to fulfill its moral and legal obligations and reiterated their unwavering support for a just and durable resolution to the Palestinian
question, grounded in the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions Both leaders agreed to further elevate this strategic partnership in accordance with the shared vision of the leadership and the aspirations of the brotherly people of the two countries They reaffirmed their mutual commitment to deepening the multifaceted relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia PM attends luncheon hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as a special guest, attended a luncheon hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the Royal Court in Makkah alMukarramah on Friday according to Radio Pakistan The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia gave a special welcome to the Prime Minister and personally drove the Prime Minister to attend the luncheon Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud warmly
Pakistan condemns Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, urging accountability of Tel Aviv
“We urge the international community, particularly the United Nations and ceasefire mediators to take immediate action to hold Israeli occupying forces accountable and prevent further escalation the statement read
“Pakistan remains firmly committed to peace, justice, and the principles of international law ” On Thursday Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that the Lebanese army had dismantled more than 500 military positions and arms depots belonging to Hezbollah in the south of the country
“There can be no security or stability while Israel s daily violations persist parts of our land remain occupied and our prisoners are not freed, Salam added
Pilgrims were performing the last major ritual of the Haj the stoning of the devil on Friday as Muslims around the globe celebrated the beginning of Eidul Azha Pakistan will celebrate Eidul Azha tomorrow (Saturday) Starting before daybreak, the more than 1 6 million pilgrims taking part in the Haj threw seven stones at each of three concrete walls symbolising the devil in the Mina valley on the outskirts of the holy city of Makkah Droves of pilgrims had already set out from their camps and accommodations in the sprawling tent city in Mina before dawn taking advantage of the shade and cool temperature The ritual commemorates Prophet Ibrahim s stoning of the devil at the three spots where Satan tried to dissuade him from obeying God’s order to sacrifice his son Our experience in Mina was easy and simple We entered and within five minutes we had completed the stoning of the devil at the ‘Jamarat’,” said 34-year-old Wael Ahmed Abdel Kader from Egypt after carrying out the ritual at dawn Howakita a pilgrim from Guinea said the prospect of celebrat-
ing Eid in Makkah filled her with joy A day earlier, pilgrims converged on Mount Arafat, praying and reciting Quranic verses at the 70-metre rocky rise near Makkah where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave his last sermon Many climbed the mount despite the searing heat, though numbers had thinned by midday following official warnings for pilgrims to stay inside between 10am and 4pm (12pm and 6pm PKT) This year s Haj saw authorities implementing a range of heat mitigation efforts alongside a wideranging crackdown on illicit pilgrims resulting in noticeably thinner crowds and a heavy secu-
Impor ters face dollar shor tage and rising costs as exchange rates exceed official limits: repor t
nificant risks such as disinformation, fraud, harassment, invasion of privacy, and data breaches stresses the need for awareness in the digital space The PKCERT flagged a concerning rise in cyber incidents affecting children, particularly exposure to explicit content and online grooming These risks have been compounded by the rapid expansion of digital plat-
forms, which leave minors vulnerable to harmful interactions
The advisory also pointed out that women face frequent cyber harassment identity theft and image-based abuse issues that are further intensified by broader societal inequalities These threats continue to be a significant concern in the online space affecting the safety and privacy of women Furthermore the PKCERT warned that many social media posts are specifically designed to provoke strong emotions such as anger, fear, or shock encouraging users to react quickly or share content without thoroughly considering its implications
The advisory highlighted the role of social media platforms algorithms which prioritize content that triggers intense emotional reactions to keep
users engaged for longer periods, even if the information is misleading or inaccurate
To help mitigate these risks the PKCERT recommended that social media users adopt strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication to protect their accounts The advisory also advised against sharing real-time location information and suggested that apps be updated regularly to enhance security
In order to combat the spread of misinformation and propaganda, the PKCERT encouraged users to crosscheck information shared on social media platforms and to remain skeptical of viral trends The advisory emphasized the importance of verifying the accuracy and reliability of content before sharing it widely
EIGHT DISCOS GEPCO, QESCO, MEPCO, SEPCO, HESCO, PESCO, TESCO, AND HAZECO HAVE FILED
n g (LSM) has contracted by 1 9% so far this fiscal year, continuing a negative streak that began more than
The weak performance in agriculture is attributed to asharp decline in major crop
Pakistan acted with maturit y during recent conflict with India following Pahalgam attack
MULTAN
s ta f f r e p o r t
Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Friday that Pakistan was a responsible nuclear power acted with maturity during the recent conflict with India following the Pahalgam attack Speaking to the media after inaugurating a bakery at Old Shujabad Road, Yusuf Raza Gilani praised the joint role of the military and civil leadership for exercising patience to de-escalate the situation on borders He noted that Pakistani nation responded unitedly to the war threats especially after India attempted to unilaterally block water supplies to the country Highlighting the government s principled stance, Gilani said that Pakistan had immediately called for a neutral investigation into the Pahalgam incident, but India arrogantly refused to accept the proposal He emphasized that defensive steps taken by Pakistan were appreciated globally Gilani reiterated that both Pakistan and India were declared nuclear states and warned that any misadventure would trigger chaos and destruction in the region Referring to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s recent visit to the United States, he said Bilawal presented a positive image of Pakistan to the US administration Gilani claimed that Bilawal effectively countered India s false narrative in US circles by proving that Pakistan was a peace-loving country with no expansionist agenda, working to promote regional stability He also recalled the sacrifices made by his forefathers in creation of Pakistan, saying the legacy of dedication continues today through his efforts aimed at placing the country on the path of progress and prosperity
per 40kg, shrinking wheat’s contribution to GDP by nearly 25% a loss not captured in volume-based data
Inflation has shown signs of improvement but remains above ideal levels The LSE Lab projects average inflation at 8 37% for FY25 which exceeds the government s estimate of 7 5% and is considerably higher than the IMF s projection of 5 1% Although the exchange rate has stabilised thanks to tighter monetary policy and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) interventions energy costs driven by higher government taxes continue to fuel inflation contributing roughly 4 percentage points
Economists warn that the current strategy of containing inflation may be undermining economic growth In particular, tighter policy has choked agricultural activity at a time when the sector is expected to offset losses in manufacturing “While price stability is necessary it should not come at the cost of output from the only productive sector still showing resilience, the LSE Lab noted Another long-standing structural issue is the current account deficit, which has historically widened any time GDP growth exceeds 5% Imports surge as economic activity rises often outpacing exports and creating unsustainable trade imbalances Though remittances have provided some buffer they are not a dependable long-term solution In the current global trade environment, with heightened tariff risks and protectionist shifts, relying on exports for growth is becoming more challenging The LSE Modelling Lab recommends shifting towards investment-led growth This would involve easing the import of capital goods while curbing nonessential consumer imports thus enabling local industries to enhance production capacity without destabilising the external account Such a shift, they argue, is crucial for realigning the country’s growth trajectory In conclusion Pakistan’s economy appears to be navigating a fragile recovery Inflation is cooling but structural weaknesses remain deeply embedded Without strong policy support for agriculture and manufacturing, and a renewed focus on sustainable investment, the prospects for inclusive and long-term growth will remain elusive
IIOJK facing severe environmental decline, exper ts urge ac tion
COMMENT
Water wars
TH E sole remnant for India of the Pehelgam false flag attack has been the holding in abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty, but this sole achievement has been truly painful It is not so much what India can do now, as what it can do in the future that is giving Pakistani policymakers sleepless nights, because holding it in abeyance meant that India thought it had the freedom to construct anything it wanted on the Indus Waters, even if it meant violating any rights of a lower riparian state in this case Pakistan By carrying out such projects India may try to change the ground situation and claim that the IWT should be revised It could then carry out further changes while prolonging negotiations, and perhaps shift the focus of the Indo- Pak relationship from Kashmir, as at present, to the IWT
Perhaps the mistake that India has made is that the Modi government did not realize the centrality of the issue to Pakistan While the Kashmir issue is dear to Pakistani hearts, it should be remembered that there have been three wars between the countries, but there have also been so many decades of peace An armed peace, no doubt, but still peace However, water is a matter of survival Kashmir is a dispute, but there is no dispute where the Indus waters are involved It is therefore a prediction more than anything else that PPP chief and former foreign minister Builawal Bhutto Zardari who is leading a parliamentary delegation abroad Addressing the Middle East Institute a leading think tank in Washington said that India was preparing for nuclear war In Islamabad addressing a high-level meeting on the issue, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said this was an act of water aggression
You don’t play around with a peasant’s irrigation water Both sides of the water are rife with stories of murders committed over water disputes The disputes would have been over a couple of minutes extra by one peasant, and the murder would typically have been committed with an axe Here, as Mr Bhutto Zardari warned, the two sides have nuclear weapons While using them against each other would certainly make the region an unlivable nuclear wasteland, it will plunge the world into a nuclear winter Is the world willing to pay this price to keep Narendra Modi s ego massaged?
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late)
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami
Astark legal anomaly in Pakistan places it among 50 countries out of 190, as given in a 2024 World Bank Group report, where women are denied the equal right to grant nationality to their foreign spouses This discriminatory law is now at the heart of a growing crisis as Pakistan s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan, initiated in 2023, has resulted in the deportation of more than 850,000 Afghans by April 2025, leaving Pakistani women, their Afghan husbands and families in precarious situations Behind the staggering number of deportations are thousands of human stories: families uprooted lives undone and rights denied Among those deported and others still facing the threat of deportation, are Afghan husbands of Pakistani women; men who have lived, worked, and raised families in Pakistan for years, but who remain legally invisible in the eyes of the state They were never granted the simple right to stay not because they posed a threat or lacked roots here but because our citizenship law does not allow Pakistani women to confer citizenship on their spouses on equal terms as it allows Pakistani men Under Section 10 of the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951, a foreign woman married to a Pakistani man is eligible to apply for Pakistani citizenship However this right is not extended to foreign men married to Pakistani women The provision specifically states that a woman who has been married to a citizen of Pakistan shall be entitled to be registered as a citizen of Pakistan with no mention of foreign husbands This silence reflects a legal framework that continues to view nationality through a male-dominated lens denying Pakistani women equal standing in matters of family and citizenship Such disparity directly violates Article 25 of the Constitution which guarantees equality before the law It also places Pakistan in breach of its obligations under international law, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) both of which affirm the right to family life and equal treatment in nationality laws It also stands in conflict with Pakistan s own constitutional promises Article 35 obliges the State to protect the family, marriage, the mother, and the child Yet the current law leaves families vulnerable, not protected Article 31 encourages Islamic values in lawmaking while Article 227 requires conformity with Islamic injunctions both of which emphasise justice fairness and the sanctity of family values contradicted by this discriminatory provision Historically, the courts played a significant role in shaping how Section 10 was understood, often in-
terpreting it through a lens that prioritised state control and immigration concerns over constitutional equality In Sharifan v Federation of Pakistan (1998 PLD 59) the Lahore High Court justified Section 10(2) by emphasising the potential risks of unregulated immigration and invoking the status of women under private international law Rather than questioning the gender disparity, the court treated the limitation on Pakistani women’s ability to confer citizenship as a necessary safeguard However over time judicial approaches began to shift In 2006 the Federal Shariat Court in the Suo Moto Case No 1/K of 2006 reinterpreted the provision through the lens of constitutional rights and Islamic principles of equality, declaring Section 10(2) to be in violation of Articles 2A and 25 The Court urged that the law be amended within six months to reflect constitutional and religious commitments to non-discrimination yet nearly two decades later that directive remains unimplemented Recent cases have also reaffirmed the discriminatory nature of the provision In 2016, the Lahore High Court in Mrs Rukhsana Bibi v Government of Pakistan (2016 PLD 857) declared that excluding foreign husbands lacked rational justification and was “arbitrary and unconstitutional ” More recently in 2023 the Peshawar High Court in Mst Naureen Masood v Government of Pakistan (Writ Petition No 2469-P of 2022) struck down NADRA s requirement that foreign spouses provide valid passports and visas to obtain Pakistan Origin Cards (POCs) The court recognised the undue hardship this placed, particularly on Afghan husbands who often could not obtain documentation from a country they fled decades ago It held that such a rigid application of the rules violated constitutional protections of due process and family unity In a landmark step, the Sindh High Court in 2024 went even further Rather than striking down Section 10(2), the Court used the doctrine of “reading in” to interpret the law as gender-neutral inserting “or man” wherever woman appeared It observed that if the drafters had foreseen constitutional developments toward gender equality they would not have excluded women from transmitting citizenship The judgment was an effort to uphold constitutional values without nullifying the statute altogether Yet despite these significant judicial interventions the law remains unchanged Political hesitation bureaucratic inertia and enduring patriarchal attitudes have prevented tangible reform A misplaced fear that allowing foreign husbands citizenship rights will open the door to mass immigration, particularly from Afghanistan, prevails as part of the narrative However, this fear ignores reality: the men at stake here are not recent arrivals They are established members of the community husbands and fathers who have built their lives in Pakistan The denial of citizenship to these foreign husbands of Pakistani women appears to stem more from a reluctance to grant Pakistani women equal standing with men in
Hypnotising reels
Aby the
with the IAF, and caused
IAF as three French Rafales
dur-
Su30-MKI and 1 Russian MiG-29 were taken down Pakistan also damaged the S400 defense system of the Indian military Pakistan has provided radar proofs and voice chats of the pilots as evidence to international media The PL-15E missile, with a combination of PAF skills and the AI power in collaboration, did wonders on the battlefield The range of AI-powered missiles is almost 124 miles and proved as a turning point during conflict No doubt Chinese arms and tech was a game changer during the Operation Bunyanum Marsus The patterns of cyber-attacks can be de-
tected eliminated and saved for future detection by AI, and it can save Pakistan from major digital problems India claims that Pakistan used AI in the “Operation Swift Retort” and was helped by China and that the PAF had AI technology back in 2019 in reply to the Indian Balakot bombing Later in 2020 The PAF s Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Computing (CENTAIC) started a Cognitive Electronic Warfare (CEW) for using Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning in the decision making and warfare support systems That confirmed that Pakistan possessed AI technologies in the traditional fields of security and warfare and India also started to compete in the same race of acquiring AI technology for the air force Pakistan in collaboration with China has also announced a budget to establish Sino-Pak Centre of Artificial Intelligence (SPCAI) which will work for academia in Austria and China as well The Pakistan Army in 2022 opened its Cyber a Command in which the Army Centre of Emerging Technologies is assumed to have AI as its primary research interest, among the states in recent world order
The writer is a freelance columnist
The patterns of cyber-attacks can be detected, eliminated and saved for future detection by AI, and it can save Pakistan from major digital problems India claims that Pakistan used AI in the „Operation Swift Retor t‰ and was helped by China, and that the PAF had AI technology back in 2019 in reply to the Indian Balakot bombing.
Show y sacrifice
Pakistan is not letting go of the IW T issue
Invisible empire
Unmasking the under world ’s grip
Treach every continent and sector human trafficking, the arms and narcotics trade, counterfeit medicines cyber fraud money laundering and even the illegal wildlife trade It is a vast interconnected ecosystem of illicit commerce shielded by political complicity and public apathy Alarmingly, society is becoming increasingly desensitized to its presence Criminal figures once feared are
I n d i a
now normalized even revered Pablo Escobar is a Netflix legend Dawood Ibrahim is whispered about like royalty In Pakistan local gangsters once hunted by the state are now cultural icons, their stories dramatized, their names sung in local ballads When crime ceases to be taboo and becomes a badge of identity it is not just the law that breaks it is society’s moral spine What makes the modern incarnation of organized crime especially insidious is its symbiosis with the state Across the globe and particularly in South Asia the demarcation between criminal and political actors has blurred In India and Pakistan, syndicates no longer merely bribe politicians; they are part of the political machinery The book Mafia Raj published by Stanford University Press presents a sobering case study on how land mafias, contract killers, resource looters, and extortion rings have entrenched themselves in governance They do not operate despite the system they operate within it Elected officials civil servants and even elements of law enforcement are often complicit if not wholly captured Pakistan offers a case study in how organized crime embeds itself into a nation s governance structure From the drug-smuggling routes forged in the wake of the SovietAfghan war to the multi-million-dollar extortion rackets in Karachi and the thriving black markets of Balochistan criminal economies are deeply rooted A 2024 newspaper report titled Organised Crime Challenges lays bare the realities: Karachi s political parties are entwined with armed wings that once ran parallel systems of justice; Quetta’s smuggling syndicates operate with impunity protected by both tribal hierarchies and compromised law enforcement The state s failure to dismantle these structures is not due to ignorance it is the consequence of deliberate compromise and institutional decay Yet, even more troubling than the state’s
failure is society s quiet acquiescence The lines between fear, loyalty, and admiration have blurred beyond recognition Our television dramas, film industries, and social media platforms routinely romanticize underworld figures Criminality has become fashionable Al Capone s legacy is not one of terror but of style Bollywood s portrayal of figures like Haji Mastan and Manya Surve paints them as rebels with a cause In Pakistan, underworld bosses are no longer merely tolerated they are elected, photographed with ministers and even invited to negotiate peace When crime morphs into culture it ceases to be an aberration it becomes aspiration This glorification is not without consequences Children in slums and middle-class homes alike do not dream of becoming doctors engineers or rights activists they imitate the confident walk the threatening tone and the gun-slinging arrogance of fictional dons Dialogue like Don ka intezaar to gyarah mulkon ki police kar rahi hai (The police of 11 countries are waiting for the Don) has gone from punchline to prophecy Pop culture has become complicit in reshaping public memory distorting morality and feeding the myth of the benevolent outlaw
at t a c k s o n m i n o r i t i e s i n I n d i a o r fo r re a s o n s t h at p ro te s to r s co n s i d e r co n d e m n a b l e
Meanwhile technology has only supercharged organized crime s evolution Cryptocurrencies, the dark web, and encrypted communications apps have birthed a new breed of criminal: borderless anonymous and untraceable Cyber syndicates from Nigeria s Yahoo Boys to Russian ransomware cartels now operate transnationally often targeting developing nations like Pakistan, whose cybersecurity infrastructure is underfunded and outdated Weapons, drugs, and even endangered species change hands through encrypted channels faster than state agencies can respond In the face of such digital agility conventional law enforcement appears antiquated and ill-equipped Our response? Fragmented, politicized, and woefully inadequate Pakistan s Federal Investigation Agency, Anti-Narcotics Force, and National Accountability Bureau all suffer from credibility issues chronic underfunding or politicization Anti-money laundering efforts spurred more by FATF s pressure than national will have seen some progress, but systemic corruption continues to erode enforcement efforts Political patronage of criminal figures is neither rare nor hidden it is flaunted Investigations stall files disappear and whistleblowers face career ruin or worse In such a climate the honest police officer or bureaucrat is not celebrated they are isolated, silenced, or transferred But despair is not destiny Several nations have shown that with concerted effort and political courage organized crime can be tackled Italy’s anti-mafia crusade in the 1990s spearheaded by prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino demonstrated the power of judicial independence and witness protection Colombia’s use of intelligence coordination, financial monitoring, and international partnerships led to the fracturing of powerful cartels Even Georgia plagued by post-Soviet mafia influence managed significant
Tru m p d o e s n o t kn ow w h e t h e r h e’ l l h u g M o d i fo r p h o to o p s, o r p u n c h h i m fo r d e ny i n g re
both of which India faces today
According to media reports Canada has invited the political heads of Australia South Africa Brazil and even Ukraine, but not India A good guess is that pesky Khalistanis pressured the Canadian PM not to invite Modi But can Sikhs, who are just 2 1% of Canada’s population, wield such disproportionate clout? It is believed that many (if not most) of them are not in favour of violence or of Khalistan Or is it that Canada s police and security don t want messy and TV-magnified anti-Modi demonstrations at the venue? The Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group, consisting of the US, the UK and its three white country cousins – Australia, Canada and New Zealand – were mighty cut up with India after the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar the Khalistani separatist leader in Canada Like the UN Security Council there is a closed door cabal of a handful of nations the intelligence agencies of which are authorised to eliminate their enemies, wherever they be Other than the CIA and MI-6, as well as FSS (Federal Security Service), Russia’s successor of its deadly KGB, there is darling Israel’s Mossad But others are a strict no-no This could be a signal by G7 to Modi to start behaving more diplomatically and within his station in life
This may explain why India had absolutely no country on its side, when it attacked terrorist bases deep inside Pakistan – after the unpardonable slaughter of 26 innocents at Pahalgam, Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir Only two arms suppliers Russia and France made some interesting noises but the remaining 70 countries of the world that Modi has visited (in some cases many many times) remained mute spectators
It appears strange as they had assiduously supported India s innumerable international resolutions against terror Obviously, our foreign office miscalculated, busy as it is in converting every Indian mission abroad into an extension camp for core Hindu values They keep sharp watch on the many brilliant minds among the NRIs and OCIs lest they speak a bit too much in favour of democracy secularism or constitutional propriety Off then go their heads (Indian visas) if the conscientious OCIs doth speak too true Shopkeepers, big businessmen, street-smart dealmakers and even truck drivers labourers and sweepers of Indian origin abroad – legit or otherwise – have no such worries from our missions as most are smitten by the infallible leader and swear by him Never in Indian history have Indian missions abroad been viewed so strangely – like the Chinese or the Russian ones – despite the superb quality of most Indian diplomats and our long tradition of being a plural democracy They are after all being cajoled into this by their former tribal chief who acts more and more cranky since he was catapulted to the foreign minister s hot seat He was selected precisely because he knows his flock and can ensure – a la Amit Shah – that there ain t no conscientious dissenters in this vast global network, that now spews whatever boss-man wants Orders are orders –even if they mean glib-talking about Adani’s dubious deals in say Kenya or Bangladesh – the backlash for
One of the biggest irritants that hapless diplomats face nowadays is to work in tandem with the overseas Hindu Right and the Friends of India organisations to round up Indians and fill stadiums when Modi visits Nothing thrills him more than to address them in massive numbers – amidst wild cheers Never mind that the expensive jamboree with Trump at Houston in 2019 has more than backfired and the 2023 event in Sydney was a starkly visible flop
Of course several specific money-ony Indian social groups go into raptures at the very sight of the big man But what about the impression left behind among the citizens and ruling groups in those countries? In many, Indians are usually accused of ghettoising and only chasing wealth with little participation in community activities and in integrating Foreigners there are as delighted as (say) Bangaloreans would be if a Bangladeshi ruler addressed huge numbers of legitimate visa-holding Bangladeshis there Think of the backlash – because our external affairs ministry has stopped doing so It looks stumped when it gets zero friends for any worthy cause Indians were usually viewed in western countries as a peaceable hardworking lot – unlike those from the Middle East Monotheistic foreigners looked on as Hindus worshipped their multitude of gods – with Hare Krishna being the most prominent Hinduism was seen as a less pronounced or disruptive foreign religion Not any more
With the rapid growth of ostentatious, overwhelming
Swaminarayan and associated temples everywhere, and the ‘big bang’ that follows the older quieter temples like those of Ganesh or Vishnu or Devi have been beaten into obscurity No one pondered over the impact of extra-loud assertions on foreign soil of a religion that is increasingly being viewed as aggressive and intolerant of the world s two biggest religions Hindu bashing has just begun and, god forbid, may get worse
The friendly Indian, in fact, the sentimental South Asian community that banded together is now split into fierce groups – which does not enhance a nation s popularity Loud protests by a vocal and powerful diaspora that takes umbrage at locals or at other brown people for the slightest insult further alienate foreigners about Indians Anti-Indian demonstrations are on the rise – against attacks on minorities in India or for reasons that protestors consider condemnable These were usually viewed by Indian diplomats as an occupational hazard But nowadays the sound and ferocity with which each is shouted down by an undiplomatic foreign minister – to please his new Hindu extremist party, its members and the boss – again startles the more diplomatic diplomats Not a single country or major leader has escaped
Majid Nabi burfat
Netanyahu admits arming criminal groups in G aza
UNRWA spokesperson condemned the situation as a human abattoir blaming the Israeli military and its allies for creating dangerous aid conditions AID DISTRIBUTION SITES CLOSED
The US-backed group behind the chaotic aid distribution programme in Gaza has said all its sites are closed and has advised people to stay away from the hubs for their safety reported Al Jazeera
His comments follow public accusations by former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who earlier criticised the secretive strategy An Israeli official quoted by the Associated Press identified one such group as the Popular Forces led by Rafah clan leader Yasser Abu Shabab
The group has been linked to Israelisupported aid distribution centres run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial entity operating under military protection
The acknowledgement marks Israel’s first public confirmation of its relationship with these groups which humanitarian organisations have accused of criminal activity and stealing aid meant for civilians suffering under the blockade
“It’s not going down well within Israel ” said Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut reporting from Amman These are criminal gangs being armed with Israeli weapons There was no cabinet-wide consultation Chris Gunness, former
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which began distributing aid last week, said in a Facebook post that details about reopening would be announced later Operations at the group s aid distribution hubs were halted earlier this week following days of deadly violence at the sites, in which Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian aid seekers Two sites distributed aid on Thursday
The GHF’s approach has been fiercely criticised by humanitarian organisations including the United Nations But the US and Israel have pushed aid groups to work with it, claiming that aid distributed by prior, long-established distribution networks was diverted to Hamas PALESTINIANS OBSERVE EID Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank observed Eid alAdha on Friday, marking one of Islam s most sacred festivals amid ongoing conflict and deepening humanitarian challenges Across Palestinian towns and cities worshippers gathered for morning
son Yurii Ihnat Russia s Ministry of Defense said it had also intercepted and destroyed 174 Ukrainian drones from Thursday evening to early Friday morning and had destroyed three Ukrainian Neptune-MD guided missiles over the Black Sea BEIJING S ta f f C o r r e S p o n d e n t China called on Friday for steps to improve bilateral ties with Canada, saying there were no deepseated conflicts of interest, following a spike in trade tensions with many of Beijing’s Western trade partners this year China is willing to work with Canada to put ties on a healthy
where
In the West Bank, scenes at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem showed thousands participating in early morning prayers amid a heavy Israeli security presence Photos from Gaza show families embracing beside tents while in the West Bank, children clutched sweets and balloons after prayers CEASEFIRE TALKS Meanwhile, Hamas official Khalil alHayya said the group had not rejected a US-proposed ceasefire but had asked for amendments to ensure an end to the war Talks with mediators are ongoing Yesterday, at least 43 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, medical sources report, as a controversial aid group backed by the United States and Israel prepares to reopen two distribution centres after a brief suspension The GHF announced on Thursday that it would resume limited operations, reopening two aid centres in Rafah following a full-day closure attributed to “maintenance and repair work ” The group urged Palestinians to follow access routes designated by the Israeli military which has warned that areas surrounding the centres could be treated as combat zones The GHF’s temporary closure followed multiple deadly incidents in recent days in which Israeli forces reportedly opened fire on Palestinians attempting to
access aid According to Gaza s Ministry of Health, at least 27 people were killed and around 90 wounded early Tuesday near a GHF site in Rafah Similar incidents occurred on Sunday and Monday with more than 60 reported deaths and hundreds injured
The Israeli military has denied targeting civilians at the distribution sites, claiming soldiers only used warning shots against individuals not adhering to designated access routes or those posing a perceived threat GHF has also dismissed reports of mass casualties at its facilities as outright fabrications
However, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed receiving 179 casualties from Sunday’s attack alone with 21 declared dead on arrival
The organisation noted that women and children were among the victims most suffering gunshot or shrapnel wounds
The intensifying violence has sparked international condemnation United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an independent investigation into the killings of aid seekers demanding that those responsible be held accountable The United Kingdom echoed the call, with Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer describing the incidents as “deeply disturbing” and criticising Israel s aid delivery mechanisms as inhumane ISRAEL’S WAR ON GAZA
The total death toll from Israel s war on Gaza has risen to 54,418 killed and 124,190 injured since October 7, 2023, the ministry said Al Jazeera reported Israel has killed 4 149 Palestinians and injured 12 149 since breaking twomonth-old ceasefire on March 18 this year Israel s atrocities have displaced around 90% of Gaza s estimated 2 million residents, created a severe hunger crisis, and caused widespread destruction across the territory
peacefully Community leaders have also called for vigilance against those who try to disturb the peace The unity shown by all communities here is an example for the whole country said Imam Salahuddin of the local mosque We must stay alert against divisive forces and work together to keep harmony alive The villagers hope that the administration will continue to protect their religious sites and bring the culprits to justice swiftly “We want justice but we also want peace ” said Ayesha Khan
tween the two countries ” Li said Li s talks with Carney followed a highly-anticipated phone call between US President Donald Tr u m
Thursday, which Trump said led to a very positive conclusion” and offered hope the trade war between the world’s two largest economies might start to de-escalate As the effects of trade frictions start to make their way into the already soft Chinese economy Beijing has stepped up engagement w ith o th er co u n tr ies to allev iate f r ictio n d es p ite earlier retaliation In March, Beijing announced tariffs on over $2 6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products in retaliation for Ottawa’s
CM MARYAM ORDERS FOOLPROOF SECURIT Y ARRANGEMENTS FOR EID
systems
NEW YORK MAYOR MEETS PAKISTAN’S CRYPTO MINISTER TO DISCUSS WEB3 COLL ABORATIONS
Security forces on Friday killed two India-sponsored terrorists, Fitna al Hindustan in Kolpur
Balochistan On 06 June 2025 Security Forces conducted an intelligence based operation in general area Kolpur, Kachhi District of Balochistan, on reported presence of terrorists belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Hindustan ” said a handout issued by the ISPR During the conduct of operation, own forces effectively engaged the Fitna al Hindustan terrorists’ location, and after an intense fire exchange, two Indian sponsored terrorists were sent to hell the statement added Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the Fitna
Nawaz Sharif offers Eid prayers in London, prays for Pakistan’s development
such elements now stands fully exposed before the public
Reaffirming his commitment to the people, the federal minister declared, Whether it s an earthquake, flood, or terrorism, I have always stood with the people and will continue to do so no matter the challenge ” The event witnessed a large turnout of locals despite it being a public holiday a testament to the public s trust and engagement The solarisation project is a major step toward ensuring an uninterrupted power supply to the hospital, aimed at improving healthcare services for the people of Shangla
