Pakistan parliamentary delegation, MWL chief discuss promoting girls’ education, combating Islamophobia

ISLAMABAD: A top Pakistani general on Sunday raised alarmed over risks to Asia-Pacific stability in the absence of regional crisis management frameworks, amid prevailing tensions between Pakistan and India.

Pakistan and India last month engaged in a worst standoff between them in decades that saw the neighbors attack each other with jets, missiles, drones and artillery, killing around 70 people on both sides before the United States brokered a ceasefire on May 10.

The conflict, triggered by an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam town that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, alarmed the world powers and raised fears that it could spiral into a full-blown war and bring the archfoes’ nuclear arsenals into play.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security meeting in Singapore, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman, said the recent India-Pakistan conflict underscored how crisis management frameworks remained “hostage to countries’ belligerence.”

“The recent standoff amply underlines significance of maintaining open channels of communications to avert crises as and when they erupt. Post-Pahalgam [attack], the threshold of an escalatory war has come dangerously low, implying greater risk on both sides, just not in the disputed territory, but all of India and all of Pakistan,” he said.

“In future, given the Indian policies and polities’ extremist mindset, absence of a crisis management mechanism may not give enough time to the global powers to intervene and effect cessation of hostilities.”

Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

Before the conflict, both nations unleashed a raft of punitive measures against each other, with India suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty that ensures water for 80 percent of Pakistani farms and Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian airlines. India has said the treaty would remain in abeyance.

Gen Mirza said New Delhi’s move to suspend the treaty is in “total defiance of the international laws, since it is an existential threat for the people of Pakistan.”

“If there is any effort to stop, divert or delay Pakistan’s share of water, as clearly spelt out by our National Security Committee, it could be considered as an act of war,” he added.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf announced on Sunday that the Makkah Route Initiative facility will be extended to other cities of the country for next year’s Hajj pilgrimage. 

The Makkah Route Initiative is designed to streamline immigration processes by enabling pilgrims to complete official travel formalities at their departure airports. Initially tested in Islamabad in 2019, the program was later expanded to Karachi, benefitting tens of thousands of Pakistani travelers. This saves pilgrims several hours upon arrival in the Kingdom, as they can simply enter the country without having to go through immigration again.

Yousaf met Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Pakistan’s religion ministry said on Sunday, to discuss Hajj 2025 arrangements in the Kingdom. 

“The scope of the Road to Makkah project will be extended to other cities of Pakistan for the next (2026) Hajj,” Yousaf was quoted as saying by the ministry. 

He thanked the Saudi government for introducing “innovations and new facilities” every year for the convenience of Hajj pilgrims, including those from Pakistan. 

“The best facilities of food, transport and accommodation are being provided to Pakistani pilgrims,” Yousaf said. 

As per the Pakistani religion ministry, Al-Rabiah said the Kingdom would provide the best possible facilities to Pakistani pilgrims at Mina and Arafah. 

“A large number of pilgrims come from Pakistan, it is an honor to serve them,” the Saudi minister was quoted as saying. 

This year, the Hajj rituals will commence on June 4, with the Day of Arafah on June 5, and Eid Al-Adha observed on June 6 in Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan on Saturday successfully concluded its 33-day pre-Hajj flight operation, with more than 115,000 pilgrims transported to Saudi Arabia ahead of this year’s pilgrimage.