US discusses tariffs, critical minerals, immigration with Pakistan

Neelum Valley, Pakistan: Rabia Bibi, a glittering red dupatta pulled over her eyes, wasn’t about to let the threat of war with India stop her wedding in a remote valley in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

“In our childhood the situation was also like this but we are not afraid. Nor will we be,” the 18-year-old told AFP after being carried in a flower-garlanded “doli” carriage.

“We want peace, so our life does not get affected,” said the bride, radiant in gold bangles, bejeweled bridal headpiece and richly embroidered scarlet robe.

At the ceremony — preceded by the sacrifice of a chicken — groom Chaudhry Junaid, no less resplendent in his elaborate sherwani coat and red-and-gold turban, was also defiant.

“People are anxious and worried, but even so, we haven’t canceled any traditional ceremonies,” the 23-year-old chef said.

Tensions between the nuclear-armed arch-rivals have soared since India accused Pakistan of backing a shooting that killed 26 civilians on the Indian side of disputed Kashmir on April 22.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “full operational freedom” to respond to the attack.

The two sides have traded gunfire for more than a week on the heavily militarised border and Pakistan on Saturday conducted a “training launch” of a missile to prove its “operational readiness.”

Islamabad last week warned they had “credible intelligence” that India was planning imminent strikes.

International pressure has been piled on both New Delhi and Islamabad to de-escalate.

On the Pakistani side, emergency drills have been carried out in playing fields, residents have been told to stock up on food and medicine, and religious schools have shut.

In Indian-run Kashmir, a vast manhunt seeking the gunmen continues across the territory, while those living along the frontier are moving further away — or cleaning out bunkers fearing conflict.

India and Pakistan, which both claim Kashmir in full, have fought several wars over the Himalayan territory since the end of British rule in 1947.

Ordinary Kashmiris living on both sides of the divided Muslim-majority region are often the first victims caught in the crossfire.

In a checkpoint-free corner of the picturesque Neelum Valley, a tourist epicenter that was shut down last week, Indian territory is the other side of the river that winds through the mountainous region.

Residents told AFP they had been urged by the Pakistani authorities to remain vigilant because of the threat of a possible military confrontation.

In another village, mechanical engineer Shoaib Akhtar was also getting married.

“This is the happiest occasion of our lives, and we won’t let anything ruin it,” said Akhtar, the 25-year-old groom surrounded by family.

“Right now, I’m getting married and that’s what matters most. If war comes, we’ll deal with it when it happens,” he added.

“We are happy, and if India has some issues, we don’t care,” Bibi said.

“We stand firm and will fight for our interests and our nation.”

ISLAMABAD: In a country where conservative social norms often discourage casual dating, nearly 190 Pakistanis gathered in Islamabad on Saturday for a rare singles meet-up offering a more open, yet culturally respectful, route to finding a life partner.

Organized by Muzz, the world’s largest Muslim marriage app with over 15 million members, the event launched a series of matchmaking gatherings across Pakistan under the banner “Baat Pakki,” an Urdu phrase used when families agree to a marriage match. Muzz told Arab News it has over 2 million users in Pakistan. 

A chaperone was mandatory for every participant, reflecting cultural sensitivities and ensuring seriousness.

“The goal of the event today was to help people of mixed ages to be able to meet each other,” Shahzad Younas, CEO of Muzz, told Arab News.

“The job of the team here … is to help people mingle and make sure that hopefully by the end of the event, everyone has talked to everyone who’s potentially compatible with them,” he added.

Attendees were divided into three age groups — 22 to 30, 30 to 40 and 40-plus — with an adjoining lounge for family members. Icebreaker questions and Muzz staff helped start conversations at each table.

Singles first met within their age group before being introduced to others, aiming for broad interaction during the four-hour gathering.

The event was unique in a country where marriages are traditionally arranged by families or through professional matchmakers known as “Rishta Aunties,” who connect prospective families but rarely allow singles to meet independently before a match is proposed.

“Involving parents makes the process more transparent,” said Nazleen Javed, 65, who attended with her daughter. “Matchmakers are fake. See if you are coming with mother, your lie gets caught. A mother cannot lie, and the blessings of parents are different.”

Others valued the chance to break away from rigid traditions.

“This way is better because you can see, talk and get a feel of the person,” said Noreen Khan, who came with her son. “Children have to spend their lives together. They should have some freedom to meet and speak to each other.”

Maheen, 27, said she had long been uncomfortable with conventional arranged marriage practices.

“I am not fond of the traditional way [of matchmaking] wherein the boy’s family visits your house and you, holding the tray, enter the room and they are looking at you, picking out faults,” she said.

“You [should be able to] talk to each other one-on-one, face-to-face, without the fear of rejection,” she continued. “That’s why I am here.”

Fariha Khan, 36, who works in the NGO sector in Peshawar, appreciated the diversity of participants.

“People from different cities and castes met here. That hesitation around differences was reduced today.”

Saad Waheed, 28, a mechanical engineer, admitted feeling uneasy at first after arriving at the event.

“I was a little bit hesitant … because I needed a chaperone and it felt very strange to me,” he said. “But in the long run, it makes sense. It means that everyone that’s here is serious about what they have signed up for.”

Waheed also maintained matrimonial apps often felt impersonal to him.

“Single events like these offer a chance to make friends, which is a more natural way of meeting a partner.”

Nayab Nazir, Muzz’s marketing lead for Pakistan, said participants can later review the profiles of those they met through the app.

“I go back home, and if I have liked, let’s say, five people at the event, I can actually go and look at all those five profiles and connect directly instead of having a third person in between.”

Founded in 2015, Muzz has increasingly adapted its approach for Pakistan’s cultural context.

“We actually found that by inviting the mums it just helped make sure everyone was more serious,” Younas, the company’s CEO, said.

“It helps reduce the taboo of going to a singles event effectively,” he added. “A lot of mums can meet each other. They can see lots of people in one place in just a few hours.”