ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asked Sunday if the international community was just standing by as Indian Hindu nationalism spread into Muslim-majority Kashmir, saying it was the same as appeasing Hitler.
His outrage on Twitter came as tensions simmered between the two countries over the divided Himalayan region after New Delhi last week rescinded years of autonomy enjoyed by the Indian-ruled part and gave full control to the central government.
Kashmir has been under virtual lockdown since shortly before the move, with a curfew across the region, and phone and Internet lines cut — ostensibly to prevent unrest.
Huge numbers of troops are patrolling the streets of major centers, and security forces used tear gas Friday to break up a demonstration against the government’s move by about 8,000 people.
Tensions also remain fraught in the mountainous Ladakh region, where a local activist told AFP dozens of protesters took part in rallies on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with at least 10 people injured by security forces using tear gas and sticks.
State police chief Dilbagh Singh said late Saturday that “not a single incident of violence was reported from anywhere” in Kashmir, although this conflicted with independent sources.
Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947.
They have fought two wars over the former kingdom, while an insurgency against New Delhi’s rule in Indian-administered Kashmir has claimed tens of thousands of lives in the past three decades.
Khan tweeted Sunday that the “ideology of Hindu Supremacy, like the Nazi Aryan Supremacy, will not stop” in Kashmir.
Describing the move as “the Hindu Supremacists version of Hitler’s Lebensraum,” he said it would lead to “the suppression of Muslims in India & eventually lead to targeting of Pakistan.”
“Attempt is to change demography of Kashmir through ethnic cleansing,” he tweeted. “Question is: Will the world watch & appease as they did Hitler at Munich?“
He referred specifically to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ultra Hindu nationalist volunteer movement considered the parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Khan also telephoned Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday “as part of his outreach to world leaders on the Kashmir situation,” a statement issued by his office said.
“Muslims of Kashmir must be able to use their legal rights and interests to be able to live in peace,” Rouhani was quoted as saying.
Officials said Khan would visit the Pakistan administered part of Kashmir this week to show solidarity.
Residents in Indian administered Kashmir, meanwhile, said they were struggling to celebrate the major Muslim festival of Eid Al-Adha because of the security crackdown.
A mother who gave her named as Razia said she tried to explain to her daughter that she would not be able to buy her clothes to mark the occasion, as her husband fretted about feeding the family.
“What sort of Eid is this?” asked the 45-year-old in Srinagar.
“We are not even allowed to move outside. My husband is a daily wage laborer but hasn’t made any money for the last eight days.”
A sheep trader at a Srinagar market, who gave his name as Maqbool, said the number of people buying sacrificial animals for the holiday was sharply lower and he had gone from “huge profits” to a “big loss” this year.
Indian premier Modi insisted last week the decision to strip Kashmir of its autonomy was necessary for its economic development, and also to stop “terrorism.”
He said with Kashmir now fully part of the Indian union, the region would enjoy more jobs and less corruption and red tape, adding that key infrastructure projects would be expedited.
Previously, under its constitutional autonomy, Kashmiris enjoyed special privileges such as the sole right to own land or take government jobs and university scholarships.
Islamabad has been infuriated by New Delhi’s moves and has expelled the Indian ambassador, halted what little bilateral trade exists and suspended cross-border transport services.
Pakistan PM says world inaction on Kashmir like appeasing Hitler
Pakistan PM says world inaction on Kashmir like appeasing Hitler
- Kashmir has been under virtual lockdown for the last several days with phone and Internet lines cut
- Khan is expected to visit Azad Kashmir this week to show solidarity with the people of Kashmir
PCB chief announces $100,000 reward for each player if Pakistan wins T20 World Cup
- Mohsin Naqvi made the announcement during his visit to Qaddafi Stadium, where the Babar Azam-led side has been practicing
- The Pakistan side is scheduled to travel to Ireland, England for T20 tours later this month, followed by the World Cup in June
ISLAMABAD: Mohsin Naqvi, chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has announced $100,000 reward for each player in case the national side wins the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup, the PCB said on Sunday.
Naqvi made the announcement during his visit to the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where the Babar Azam-led side began the national camp on Saturday, according to the PCB.
He stayed there for two hours and held a detailed discussion with Pakistan players on the strategy of upcoming games.
“This reward is nothing compared to Pakistan’s victory,” Naqvi was quoted as saying.
“I hope you will raise the green flag. Play without any pressure and compete hard. God willing, victory will be yours.”
The Pakistan side is scheduled to travel to Ireland and England for T20 tours later this month.
The tours will help the side prepare for the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in the United States and the West Indies in June.
IMF says its mission will visit Pakistan this month to discuss new loan
- Pakistan last month completed a short-term $3 billion program, which helped stave off sovereign default
- But the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed the need for a fresh, longer-term program
KARACHI: An International Monetary Fund mission is expected to visit Pakistan this month to discuss a new program, the lender said on Sunday ahead of Islamabad beginning its annual budget-making process for the next financial year.
Pakistan last month completed a short-term $3 billion program, which helped stave off sovereign default, but the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed the need for a fresh, longer-term program.
“A mission is expected to visit Pakistan in May to discuss the FY25 budget, policies, and reforms under a potential new program for the welfare of all Pakistanis,” the IMF said in an emailed response to Reuters.
Pakistan’s financial year runs from July to June and its budget for fiscal year 2025, the first by Sharif’s new government, has to be presented before June 30.
The IMF did not specify the dates of the visit, nor the size or duration of the program.
“Accelerating reforms now is more important than the size of the program, which will be guided by the package of reform and balance of payments needs,” the IMF statement said.
Pakistan narrowly averted default last summer, and its $350 billion economy has stabilized after the completion of the last IMF program, with inflation coming down to around 17 percent in April from a record high 38 percent last May.
It is still dealing with a high fiscal shortfall and while it has controlled its external account deficit through import control mechanisms, it has come at the expense of stagnating growth, which is expected to be around 2 percent this year compared to negative growth last year.
Earlier, in an interview with Reuters, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the country hoped to agree the contours of a new IMF loan in May.
Pakistan is expected to seek at least $6 billion and request additional financing from the Fund under the Resilience and Sustainability Trust.
Pakistan PM extends condolences over death of Saudi poet Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsen
- Prince Badr, affectionately known as the ‘word engineer,’ was a legendary figure in the contemporary Saudi poetry
- His influence on art form was felt across the Gulf, while his eloquent verses left indelible mark on hearts and minds
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday extended his heartfelt condolences to Saudi Arabia’s Royal Family on the death of eminent Saudi poet, Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsen, saying his legacy would continue to inspire generations to come.
The prince, affectionately known as the “word engineer,” was a legendary figure in contemporary Saudi poetry whose influence in the art form was felt across the country and the wider Gulf region, where his eloquent verses and poignant prose left an indelible mark on the people’s hearts and minds.
A pioneer in the popularization of Saudi poetry among Arab audiences, Prince Badr’s verses were immortalized in songs by many esteemed Arab artists, including Talal Maddah, Mohammed Abdu, Kadim Al-Sahir and Assala. His patriotic words and songs struck a deep chord with Saudis in particular.
In a post on X, Sharif said Prince Badr’s most popular song on Saudi Arabia’s National Day would always remind the world of his profound love for his country.
“His contributions to contemporary poetry in the Arabian Peninsula were truly remarkable and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come,” the Pakistan premier said.
“May his soul rest in peace and may his words forever resonate in the hearts of poetry lovers around the world.”
Prince Badr was born on April 2, 1949, and his journey as a poet and cultural figure began at a young age. He studied in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UK and the US as he took his early steps on the path to becoming a significant figure in Arab literature.
As president of the Saudi Society for Culture and Arts, he played a crucial role in fostering artistic expression and influencing the development of poetry organizations in the Kingdom. In recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field, King Salman honored Prince Badr with the prestigious King Abdulaziz Medal in 2019.
Soon after, the Kingdom’s Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission announced plans to collect and publish his complete literary works to commemorate his enduring legacy and celebrate the profound impact he had on the Saudi creative movement during a five-decade career.
Top Afghan diplomat in India quits after $2 million gold smuggling reports
- Zakia Wardak was reportedly stopped last month on arrival at Mumbai airport, carrying 25 kilograms of gold
- The Afghan consul-general was not arrested because of her diplomatic immunity, but the gold was confiscated
NEW DELHI: Afghanistan’s top diplomat in India resigned days after she was reportedly caught by airport authorities smuggling nearly $2 million worth of gold into the country.
Zakia Wardak, the Afghan Consul-General in India’s financial capital Mumbai, posted a statement on social media platform X announcing her resignation.
Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi shut down in November, more than two years after the Taliban returned to power in Kabul following the collapse of the Western-backed government, leaving Wardak as the country’s most senior representative in India.
“It is with great regret that I announce my decision to step away from my role at the Consulate and Embassy in India, effective May 5, 2024,” Wardak said Saturday.
Indian media reports said Wardak was last month stopped by financial intelligence authorities at Mumbai airport on arrival from Dubai — along with her son — carrying 25 kilograms of gold.
She was not arrested because of her diplomatic immunity, the reports said, but the gold — worth around $1.9 million — was confiscated.
Wardak’s resignation leaves thousands of Afghan nationals, including students and businessmen, without any consular representation in India.
Most foreign nations — including India — do not officially recognize Afghanistan’s Taliban government, but acknowledge them as the de facto ruling authority.
In many Afghan missions, diplomats appointed by the former government have refused to cede control of embassy buildings and property to representatives of the Taliban authorities.
Wardak said in the statement that she had “encountered numerous personal attacks and defamation” over the past year.
Such incidents “have demonstrated the challenges faced by women in Afghan society,” she added, making no explicit reference to the gold allegations.
The Taliban authorities have full control of around a dozen Afghan embassies abroad — including in Pakistan, China, Turkiye and Iran.
Others operate on a hybrid system, with the ambassador gone but embassy staff still carrying out routine consular work such as issuing visas and other documents.
Most countries evacuated their missions from Kabul as the Taliban closed in on the Afghan capital in August 2021, although a handful of embassies — including Pakistan, China and Russia — never shut, and still have ambassadors in Kabul.
At OIC summit, Pakistan expresses concern over Israel’s ‘brutal’ military onslaught in Gaza
- Pakistan’s Deputy PM Ishaq Dar expresses full support for Palestine’s inclusion as a United Nations member
- Dar urges OIC member states at Banjul Summit to push for immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Palestine
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday expressed his deep concern over Israel’s “brutal military onslaught” in the West Bank and Gaza, state-run media reported, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine.
Dar was speaking at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit being held against a backdrop of widespread anger over Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The Jewish state has killed nearly 35,000 Palestinians and caused massive destruction of hospitals, schools and residential neighborhoods in the densely populated area.
The Pakistani deputy prime minister arrived in Gambia on Wednesday to present his country’s perspective on a wide range of issues, including the war in Gaza and the rights situation in Indian-administered Kashmir.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Sunday expressed Pakistan’s deep concern over Israel’s ongoing brutal military onslaught against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
“In the backdrop of the genocide of Palestinians and atrocities of Israeli forces, he urged the OIC Member States to work together for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”
Dar also expressed Pakistan’s support for Palestine’s admission as a full member of the UN, demanding the resumption of the process for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
The Pakistani deputy prime minister called for the creation of a viable, contiguous and sovereign state of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders.
Dar also spoke on an uptick in Islamophobic sentiments and incidents in different parts of the world, particularly since the outset of Israel’s war in Gaza last year in October.
He urged the OIC to formulate a joint strategy to work with global social media platforms to harmonize their content regulation policies for blasphemous, anti-Islamic and Islamophobic content.
“Dar also strongly condemned the surge in anti-Pakistan rhetoric and Islamophobic narratives by India’s political leaders during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections which threatened the regional stability,” the APP said.
He urged the OIC to work collectively to address the existential threat of climate change, which caused catastrophic floods in Pakistan in 2022 that killed over 1,700 people and affected over 33 million in total.
Dar met The Gambia’s president and his counterparts from Turkiye and Azerbaijan to discuss enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
