ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday warned the international community against the threat of Islamophobia, criticizing India’s Hindu nationalist government for sponsoring prejudice against Islam and encouraging hatred toward Muslims.
Addressing the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Khan said that the coronavirus pandemic gave the world an opportunity to bring humanity together, but the contagion was used to fan nationalism, increase global tensions, and give rise to racial and religious hatred and violence against vulnerable minorities in several places.
“These trends have also accentuated Islamophobia,” he said, adding that Muslims were continued to be targeted with impunity in many countries.
Calling India “the one country in the world where state sponsors Islamophobia,” the Pakistani prime minister maintained that “willful provocations and incitement to hate and violence must be universally outlawed.”
According to Indian newspapers and television channels, New Delhi’s delegate walked out of the hall as soon as Khan’s statement was broadcast by the world body.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani leader warned India against any aggression in his virtual address, urging the Security Council to play a role to avoid a “disastrous conflict” between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
The UNGA session this year is unique in a way that world leaders are not attending in person and instead are sending recorded video statements, which would be introduced by the respective country’s envoy, and then played in the assembly’s hall “as live.”
In his wide-ranging address, Khan noted that Pakistan’s foreign policy was aimed to have peace with the neighboring countries, including India, and settle all outstanding disputes through dialogue.
“I want to make it clear that any attempt by the fascist totalitarian RSS-led Indian government to aggress against Pakistan will be met by a nation that will fight for its freedom to the end,” he said.
The prime minister pointed out that there would be no durable peace and stability in South Asia until the Jammu and Kashmir dispute was resolved on the basis of international legitimacy. Kashmir “has been rightly described as a nuclear flash point,” he said.
Both the nuclear-armed neighbors have fought at least three full-fledged wars over the Himalayan Kashmir valley that they claim in full, though they only rule parts of it.
“In order to divert attention from its illegal actions and atrocities in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, India is playing a dangerous game of upping the military ante against Pakistan in a nuclearized environment,” the prime minister said.
“The government and people of Pakistan are committed to standing by and supporting their Kashmiri brothers and sisters in their legitimate struggle for self-determination,” he said.
Khan noted that Pakistan had exercised “maximum restraint” despite constant Indian provocations and cease-fire violations along the Line of Control and the working boundary, targeting “innocent civilians.”
“We have consistently sensitized the world community about a false flag operation and another ill-conceived misadventure by India,” he said.
Talking about the illicit financial flows from developing countries to rich countries and to offshore tax havens, the prime minister said the practice was leading to the impoverishment of the developing nations.
“Money that could be used toward human development is siphoned off by corrupt elites,” he said, adding that the quest for getting back the stolen resources was nearly impossible, given the cumbersome procedures.
“If this phenomenon is unaddressed, it will continue to accentuate the inequality between the rich and the poor nations, and eventually spark off a far bigger global crisis than the present migration issue poses,” he said.
“The rich states cannot hold forth on human rights and justice when they provide sanctuary to money launderers’ and their looted wealth,” he said while urging the assembly to build a global framework to stem the practice and ensure speedy repatriation of stolen wealth.
The prime minister said the COVID-19 pandemic had hit the developing countries hard and they would need fiscal space to recover from the crisis.
About Afghanistan, he said that Pakistan fully facilitated the process that culminated in the US-Taliban Peace Agreement on 29 February 2020.
“Pakistan is deeply gratified that it has fulfilled its part of the responsibility,” he said.
The prime minister also described Palestine as a “festering wound,” adding that Pakistan would continue to support a two-state solution with pre-1967 borders, and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of a united, contiguous and independent Palestinian state.
Indian delegate walks out as Pakistani PM accuses New Delhi of 'sponsoring' Islamophobia
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Indian delegate walks out as Pakistani PM accuses New Delhi of 'sponsoring' Islamophobia
- The Pakistani prime minister warns India against any aggression, urges Security Council to prevent ‘disastrous’ conflict
- Khan says the illicit financial flows from developing nations to rich economies detrimental to the developing world
Pakistan vows retaliation saying India fired missiles at five locations
- Military spokesman says Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Bagh, Kotli, Muzaffarabad cities hit, one killed in Bahawalpur, two in Kotli
- Indian military says nine sites targeted from where Apr. 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir had been planned
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military spokesman said on Wednesday India had fired missiles at five locations, vowing that the country would respond to the attacks at a “time and place of its own choosing.”
The development comes amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors in the aftermath of an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month in which 26 men were killed.
India, without providing evidence publicly, has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack in the hill station of Pahalgam and vowed to respond. Pakistan has denied involvement and several top officials have spoken since of intelligence that India was planning to attack.
“Five places, Kotli, Ahmedpur East, Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Muridke, have been attacked,” Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told local broadcaster Geo News.
“Two civilians have been killed in Kotli and one child has been killed and 12 injured in Ahmedpur East.”
Ahmedpur East is a historic city located in the Bahawalpur District of southern Punjab, while Muridke is also located in Punjab. Bagh, Muzaffarabad and Kotli are in Azad Kashmir, which is part of the disputed Himalayan region governed by Pakistan.
Speaking separately to ARY News, Chaudhry said Pakistan had scrambled jets in response to the Indian attacks, adding that no Indian planes had entered Pakistan’s airspace.
“Let me say unequivocally that Pakistan will respond at a time and place of its own choosing to this cowardly attack, this heinous provocation will not go unanswered,” the military spokesman added.
Shortly after, a security official who declined to be named said the Pakistan Air Force had shot down two Indian planes. The army has not officially confirmed this.
According to an Indian government statement, its armed forces launched “Operation Sindoor,” hitting nine sites in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir from where it said the Pahalgam attack had been “planned and directed.”
No Pakistani military facilities had been targeted, the statement added.
Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since 1947. Both rule it in part and claim it in full.
Pakistan Ulema Council urges pilgrims to abide by Hajj code of conduct
- More than 112,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj under government, private schemes this year
- The code of conduct highlights sacredness of the Hajj period, aims to ensure hassle-free experience
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), a body of Pakistani clerics and religious scholars, urges Pakistani Hajj pilgrims to comply with the Hajj code of conduct and not to engage in any violation of rules during the annual pilgrimage, it said on Tuesday.
This year’s annual pilgrimage will take place in June, with nearly 89,000 Pakistanis expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme and 23,620 Pakistanis through private tour operators. The total quota granted to Pakistan was 179,210, which could not be met.
The Hajj code of conduct urges pilgrims to refrain from disputes, and embody dignity and humility throughout the pilgrimage, according to the PUC. It highlights the sacredness of the Hajj period and the significance of sincere intention solely for the pleasure of Allah.
“Every Pakistani leaving for Hajj should comply [with] Saudi Arabia’s code of conduct and relevant instructions, and stay away from violating the requirements and regulations of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior,” PUC Chairman Tahir Ashrafi said in a statement, following his meeting with Pakistani Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yusuf.
In the last few years, some Pakistani nationals have been found to be involved in violations of the code, including chanting political slogans. In 2022, the Madinah police had arrested at least five Pakistani nationals for “abusing and insulting” then Pakistani information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and minister for narcotics control Shahzain Bugti at the Prophet’s Mosque in the city.
Religious Affairs Minister Yusuf was due to leave for Saudi Arabia later on Tuesday to inspect arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims.
“Serving the pilgrims is our goal,” he was quoted as saying by the PUC.
More than 17,000 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have reached the Saudi holy city of Madinah via over 70 flights on their way to perform the annual pilgrimage, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry.
Pakistan launched its Hajj flight operation on April 29 which will continue till May 31. Pilgrims will continue to leave for Madinah during the first 15 days of the operation and afterwards, they will land in Jeddah and travel directly to Makkah.
Lahore’s ‘Roses of Humanity’ art installation honors Gaza children killed in Israeli strikes
- Israel’s 18-month war on Gaza has killed more than 52,000 people, many of them women and children
- The installation features thousands of fabric roses, each representing a child whose life was cut short
ISLAMABAD: The Alhamra Arts Council in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore has opened an immersive art installation for visitors to honor the memory of children killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, highlighting the devastating human toll of the war.
Israel’s 18-month offensive against Hamas has killed more than 52,000 people, many of them women and children, and displaced more than 90 percent of Gaza’s population, Palestinian officials say. The Israeli military has also blockaded aid to the Gaza Strip since March.
In remembrance of the innocent lives lost in Gaza, the Lahore-based Labour & Love social enterprise, in collaboration with The Fundraisers BBS, has set up the installation at the Ustad Allah Bux Gallery, encouraging reflection on the situation in Gaza,
The installation features thousands of hand stitched fabric roses, each one representing a child whose life was cut short, transformed into a symbolic garden of remembrance, enveloped in evocative soundscapes, gentle fragrance and thoughtful lighting design.
“A total of 15,000 fabric roses represents the number of children reported killed in Gaza by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as of June 2024 a number that, heartbreakingly, has since grown,” said Nuria Iqbal, who curated the installation.
“Together, these roses form a radiant tribute to humanity, reminding us that dignity flourishes when we are seen, heard and held in compassion.”
The installation will be on display at the gallery from May 18.
Iqbal shared that each of the roses was crafted from discarded fabric, once cast aside and now reborn in beauty, symbolizing the forgotten lives of the children of Gaza.
“The varied colors and textures of the fabric reflect the rich diversity of creation and the strength of unity amidst difference,” she added.
The development comes at a time when Hamas has dismissed as pointless ceasefire talks with Israel, accusing it of waging a “hunger war” on Gaza where famine looms, as the Israeli military prepares for a broader assault.
The comments from Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim on Tuesday followed Israel’s approval of a military plan involving the long-term “conquest of the Gaza Strip,” according to an Israeli official.
The former Gaza health minister said the world must pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to end the “crimes of hunger, thirst, and killings.”
UK may restrict students from countries, including Pakistan, with high asylum claims
- The move follows the ruling Labour Party’s poor performance in last week’s local elections
- Of 108,000 asylum claims in Britain last year, 16,000 were from people with student visas
LONDON: The British government may restrict visa applications from students living in countries that are considered most likely to claim asylum in a move designed to bring down annual net migration, a government official said.
The move comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party was punished in local elections in England last week by voters angry over issues, including illegal immigration.
The government is expected next week to publish a policy document, known as a white paper, which will set out how the government plans to reduce net migration, which reached 728,000 people in the year to June last year.
“Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system,” the Home Office said in a statement.
High levels of legal migration have long dominated Britain’s political conversation and were one of the major drivers for the Brexit referendum in 2016.
Out of the 108,000 people who claimed asylum in Britain last year, 16,000 had student visas, government data shows. The government does not provide a breakdown of the nationalities of those who had student visas, who went on to claim asylum.
But the government said people from Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka were the most likely to claim asylum in Britain after arriving on a work, student, or a visitor visa.
In the aftermath of the party’s poor local election results last week, some Labour members of parliament urged the government to do more to take a more decisive approach on issues such as bringing down net migration.
Jo White, who represents a group of lawmakers in previously Labour heartlands known as the “Red Wall,” said the government should stop “pussyfooting around.”
Pakistan PM briefed on preparations against ‘threat’ from India on visit to ISI headquarters
- Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir
- Islamabad denied the charged and both countries have since exchanged gunfire, taken diplomatic measures against each other and expelled citizens
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday visited the headquarters of Pakistan’s premier Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency where he was briefed on the country’s preparations against a “conventional threat” from India, Sharif’s office said, amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists on April 22. Islamabad has rejected the charge and both countries have since exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, taken diplomatic measures against each other, expelled citizens and ordered the border shut.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth” and there have been fears that India may carry out limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the border with Pakistan. The Pakistan military has conducted two missile tests since the standoff, with Islamabad saying it had “credible intelligence” that India was planning to attack Pakistan.
Sharif’s office said his visit to the ISI headquarters entailed a detailed briefing on the prevailing security environment, with a particular focus on preparedness for conventional threat in the light of India’s “increasingly aggressive and provocative posture along Pakistan’s eastern border,” regional developments and the evolving threat matrix, including conventional military options, hybrid warfare tactics and militant proxies.
“The prime minister and accompanying dignitaries underscored the imperative of heightened national vigilance, seamless inter-agency coordination, and reinforced operational readiness to deter and decisively respond to any violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Sharif’s office said.
“The leadership reaffirmed Pakistan’s unambiguous resolve to defend the homeland against all threats— conventional or otherwise.”
India’s interior ministry has asked several states to conduct mock security drills on May 7 to ensure civil preparedness, a government source told Reuters. They did not say which states or mention Pakistan.
The drills will include air raid warning sirens, evacuation plans and training people to respond in case of any attacks, added the source, who asked not to be named.
Separately, Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated his country’s National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center (NIFTAC) Headquarters. It integrates over 50 federal and provincial departments and agencies into a unified intelligence and threat management architecture supported by a centralized national database. At the sub-national level, the platform is linked to six provincial intelligence and threat assessment hubs, including those in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to ensure seamless coordination between the federation and provinces.
“This integrated framework is designed to harmonize intelligence gathering, analysis, and operational responses across multiple domains,” Sharif’s office said. “By leveraging the full spectrum of institutional capabilities, NIFTAC will enhance national preparedness, optimize resource utilization, and enable a coherent and timely counterterrorism response.”
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militancy in its northwest by religiously motivated militant groups like the Pakistani Taliban. The South Asian country has also been faced with a decades-long insurgency by Baloch separatists in its southwest, which has intensified in recent months.
On Tuesday, seven Pakistani army soldiers were killed when their vehicle was targeted by an improvised explosive device in the southwestern Balochistan province, Pakistan’s military said in a statement.
Sharif was accompanied by federal ministers and services chiefs at Tuesday’s inauguration of the NIFTAC headquarters, which will coordinate Pakistan’s national counterterrorism strategy. He commended all stakeholders involved in operationalizing this vital capability and described NIFTAC as a quintessential national platform for collaborative threat assessment and response.
“Dismantling the nexus between terrorism, illicit networks, and external sponsorship requires robust and efficient institutional mechanisms,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
“[NIFTAC] will play a pivotal role in uprooting terrorism and its support structures from the country.”
