ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani navy detected an Indian submarine off the Pakistani coast and prevented it from entering its waters, the army said in a statement on Thursday.
This is the fourth time Pakistan has said it had foiled an attempt by an Indian vessel to enter its waters.
“Indian Navy deployed its submarine against Pakistan with ulterior motives,” ISPR, the Pakistan army’s media wing, said. “However, yet again through continuous vigilance and professionalism Pakistan Navy has foiled Indian Submarine’s attempt of entering into Pakistani waters.”
The statement said Pakistan had anticipated the possibility of an Indian unit trying to enter Pakistan waters for reconnaissance and information gathering “during prevailing security environment and ongoing Pakistan Navy Exercise SEASPARK-22.”
“Therefore, strict monitoring watch and stringent vigilance procedures were enforced. Resultantly, Pakistan Navy Anti-submarine warfare unit took the lead and prematurely intercepted and tracked the latest Indian submarine Kalvari on 01 March 2022,” ISPR said.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since the two gained independence from the British in 1947 and have shared a fractious relationship over the disputed Kashmir region.
In February 2019, tensions rose dramatically as they sent combat planes into each other’s territory. In August that year, New Delhi revoked the special status for the portion of Kashmir that it controls, scrapping a constitutional provision that allows the state of Jammu and Kashmir to make its own laws.
Pakistan Navy says blocked Indian submarine from entering its waters
https://arab.news/g89d6
Pakistan Navy says blocked Indian submarine from entering its waters
- This is the fourth time Pakistan has said it has foiled an attempt by an Indian vessel to enter its waters
- India and Pakistan have fought three wars and share a fractious relationship over disputed Kashmir
Pakistan, UK launch £10 million higher education partnership
- Pak-UK Education Gateway second phase expands climate research, scholarships, university exchanges
- First phase was launched in 2018 and delivered 165 partnerships, 2,000 joint studies and £5 million in grants
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the British Council have launched the £10 million second phase of the Pak-UK Education Gateway, the HEC said on Monday, a joint initiative aimed at deepening collaboration between universities in both countries on research, mobility and higher-education reform.
The program, funded equally by the HEC and the British Council, builds on a partnership launched in 2018 and seeks to strengthen institutional ties between Pakistani and British universities, focusing on shared challenges including climate change, skills development and economic growth.
Education cooperation has become an increasingly important pillar of broader Pakistan-UK relations, as both countries look to expand academic mobility, research collaboration and international recognition of qualifications at a time when higher-education systems face pressure to respond to climate risks, labor-market shifts and funding constraints.
“This £10 million partnership is set to deepen collaboration between UK and Pakistani universities on critical issues like Climate Change and Mobility. A true system-to-system commitment,” the HEC said in an X post.
According to the British Council and HEC, the first phase of the Pak-UK Education Gateway supported 165 institutional partnerships, generated around 2,000 joint research papers and awarded £5 million in research grants. Officials say the second phase aims to build on that foundation as part of a longer-term effort to internationalize Pakistan’s higher-education sector.
“Education is the building block of growth and prosperity. Our work on education in Pakistan supports people throughout their lives: from helping reform education policy at the school level, to our strong partnership in higher education,” British High Commissioner Jane Marriott said in a statement.
“This next phase builds on our already strong relationship, and will unlock opportunities to help both our higher education sectors thrive.”
Opportunities under the second phase include increased funding for scholarships, joint research grants and faculty exchanges, alongside a Start-Up Challenge Fund to support Pakistan-UK university collaborations pursuing commercial opportunities and access to new markets.
The program will also focus on leadership and governance reforms within Pakistan’s higher-education system, including quality assurance, improved campus accessibility for people with disabilities, and greater participation of women in senior leadership roles. It further aims to expand opportunities for Pakistani students to study UK-accredited courses without leaving their home cities, alongside a commitment to mutual recognition of qualifications.
Pakistan’s Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the initiative had already delivered concrete results since its launch in 2018, calling education “the bridge that connects people, cultures, and futures.”
Acting HEC Chairperson Nadeem Mahbub described the Gateway as a system-to-system partnership rather than a stand-alone program, noting that it had benefited institutions and students in both countries.
