ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari this week rejected the regional election in the internationally disputed Jammu and Kashmir region administered by India, calling on the international community to hold New Delhi accountable for alleged international rights violations in the area.
The three-phased regional election started in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, with voters casting their ballots for the first time in a decade and in a new political setting after the Indian government stripped the region of its autonomy.
The election will be held in stages until Oct. 1 to elect a 90-member local assembly instead of remaining under the direct rule of New Delhi. The result will be announced on Oct. 8.
“President Asif Ali Zardari has categorically rejected the election for the Legislative Assembly of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that these polls are no substitute for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.
Indian-administered Kashmir is part of the larger Kashmiri territory, which has been the subject of international dispute since the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
Both countries claim Kashmir in full and rule in part. Indian-administered Kashmir has, for decades, witnessed outbreaks of separatist insurgencies to resist control from the government in New Delhi.
Speaking to a delegation of migrants from Indian-administered Kashmir, Zardari said such an election is unacceptable to the people of Kashmir and called upon the international community to hold the Modi government accountable for the alleged human rights violations in the area.
“He further urged the need to take concrete steps toward conducting a plebiscite in line with relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions,” the state broadcaster said.
Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to provide moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir.
Indian-administered Kashmir has been without a local government since 2018 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party brought down a coalition government elected in 2014, forcing the assembly to dissolve.
A year later, Modi’s government repealed Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted the region its semi-autonomy and downgraded it from a state to a federally controlled territory.
Pakistan president rejects election in Indian-administered Kashmir
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Pakistan president rejects election in Indian-administered Kashmir
- Asif Ali Zardari calls on international community to hold India accountable for alleged rights violations in Kashmir
- Election will be held in stages until Oct. 1 to elect 90-member assembly to represent internationally disputed area
Pakistan Airports Authority reports ‘historic’ twin-engine aircraft landing in Lahore
- Twin-engine aircraft are usually larger, heavier and require better airport infrastructure, navigation systems to land
- Pakistan Airports Authority says landing reflects its commitment to enhance aviation sector, strengthen infrastructure
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced on Saturday that the New General Aviation Aerodrome achieved a significant milestone when it handled the landing of a twin-engine aircraft.
A twin-engine aircraft has two engines that provide it redundancy and increased performance compared to single-engine counterparts. These aircraft range from small twin-engine propeller planes to large commercial jetliners. The presence of multiple engines enhances safety by allowing the aircraft to continue flying in the event of an engine failure.
However, twin-engine aircraft are usually larger, heavier and more complex than single-engine planes. They require advanced airport infrastructure such as better runways, navigation systems and air traffic coordination.
“The New General Aviation Aerodrome, Lahore achieved another significant operational milestone today with the successful landing of a twin-engine aircraft, following the recent arrival of a single-engine aircraft,” the PAA said in a statement.
It said the flight was also boarded by Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed, the director general of the PAA. The move reflected “strong institutional confidence” in the aerodrome’s safety standards, operational capability, and overall readiness, it added.
“The landing was conducted with exceptional precision and professionalism, demonstrating the aerodrome’s robust operational framework, technical preparedness, and effective airside coordination in accordance with contemporary aviation requirements,” the PAA said.
It said the landing represented a “major advancement” in Pakistan’s general aviation sector and underscores the PAA’s commitment to enhancing regional aviation capacity, strengthening infrastructure and promoting excellence in aviation development.
