Page 30 - Pakistan

Pakistan drone shot by BSF at Punjab border; third incident in 4 days

A Pakistani drone carrying suspected narcotics has been shot down by the Border Security Force along the International Border in Punjab's Amritsar, an official said on Tuesday. The incident took place on Monday around 8:30 pm in Chhana village of the district, a BSF spokesperson said. This is the third such incident in the past four days at the Punjab front. "Troops of 183rd battalion deployed at border heard buzzing sound of suspected flying object/drone entering from Pakistan into Indian territory in the area falling near Chhana village in Amritsar district," the spokesperson said. "As per drill, the troops tried to intercept the suspected flying object by firing. Bullet hit the drone due to which it fell down on the ground," the spokesperson said. A quad copter carrying about 2.5 kgs of suspected narcotics was later recovered from the incident area, he said. On October 16, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carrying drugs was similarly neutralised at this front. In the interven

Confident of Pakistan's commitment, ability to secure nuclear assets: US

The US is confident of Pakistan's commitment and ability to secure its nuclear assets, the State Department has said, days after President Joe Biden dubbed the country "one of the most dangerous in the world" as it has "nuclear weapons without any cohesion". The US has always viewed a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to US interests, State Department's Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Monday. Biden's remarks, made at a Democratic Party congressional campaign committee reception here on Thursday, were rejected by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as "factually incorrect and misleading" as Islamabad summoned the US Ambassador to lodge an official demarche. "(The US is) confident of Pakistan's commitment and its ability to secure its nuclear assets," Patel told reporters at a news conference. "The US has always viewed a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to US interests. More broadly, the US values our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan. We enjoy a

Pak may exit FATF's grey list during watchdog's Oct 20-21 plenary: report

Pakistan is likely to exit the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) this week after it was placed in the infamous category since 2018 for failing to check money laundering and terrorist financing, a media report said on Monday. Pakistan was included in the increased monitoring list in June 2018 for deficiencies in its legal, financial, regulatory, investigations, prosecution, judicial and non-government sector to fight money laundering and combat terror financing considered serious threat to global financial system, the Dawn newspaper reported. The Paris-based global watchdog on money laundering and terrorist financing said that the first FATF Plenary under the two-year Singapore Presidency of T. Raja Kumar will take place on October 20-21. Pakistan has made high-level political commitments to address these deficiencies under a 27-point action plan. But later the number of action points was enhanced to 34. The country had since been vigorously working with FATF and i

5 terrorists gunned down by Pak Counter Terrorism Dept in Balochistan

The Pakistan Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and intelligence agencies on Sunday gunned down five terrorists in Balochistan's Mastung district.The operation was jointly conducted by CTD, and intelligence agencies and they recovered arms and ammunition from terrorists' hideouts, reported Geo News.At least three officials conducting the operation were also injured.According to CTD's spokesperson, the operation was jointly conducted with intelligence agencies in Mastung during which five terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with the personnel, reported Geo News.The spokesperson for CTD added that arms and ammunition were recovered from the terrorists' hideout. The department shared that the killed terrorists were planning attacks on forces and pilgrims.Balochistan is in conflict with Pakistan Government since 1947. The cause of conflict along with ethnicity includes economic and political exclusion.Balochistan is the largest province by geographical area in Pakistan, ...

Pak with N-weapons 'one of the most dangerous nations in the world': Biden

US President Joe Biden has said Pakistan is one of the most dangerous nations in the world as it has nuclear weapons without cohesion. He made the remarks while addressing a Democratic Party congressional campaign committee reception on Thursday. And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion," Biden said. The US president's remarks at the reception of the governing party were made in the context of the changing geopolitical situation globally. The West has expressed concern over the safety and security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons. Many in the West are worried that Pakistan's nuclear weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists or jihadi elements. "Ever since May 1998, when Pakistan first began testing nuclear weapons, claiming its national security demanded it, American presidents have been haunted by the fear that Pakistan's stockpile of nukes would fall into the wrong hands. That fear now includes th

Terrorism will not be allowed to flourish again in Pak, asserts PM Sharif

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed on Friday that terrorism won't be allowed to flourish again in the country, as he chaired a meeting attended by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and other heads of intelligence agencies. Friday's high-profile meeting, also saw the participation of defence minister Khawaja Asif, interior minister Rana Sanaullah, and foreign affairs minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, according to Dunya News TV report. The situation in the Swat Valley and the issues related to negotiations with the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were discussed in the meeting, following which the officials from the security agencies presented their recommendations to Sharif, the report said. Security issues related to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the western borders were also reviewed in the meeting, it said. Earlier, Prime Minister Sharif and Gen. Bajwa held a separate one-on-one meeting and discussed matters pertaining to nation

UK announces additional GBP 10 mn aid for flood relief efforts in Pakistan

The UK on Friday announced an additional GBP 10 million humanitarian assistance for flood relief efforts in Pakistan, bringing the country's total contribution to GBP 26.5 million. According to Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority, the unprecedented floods that have submerged huge swathes of the country have so far killed nearly 1700 people and destroyed or damaged 2 million houses. As many as 546,000 people are living in relief camps. The disaster has also damaged 12,716 km of roads and 22,000 schools. In total, 745 health centres have been damaged or destroyed. The British High Commission here said in a statement that the UK will provide a further GBP 10 million of humanitarian aid to Pakistan for flood relief efforts, bringing Britain's total contribution to GBP 26.5 million. Of the total aid, GBP 21.5m has been allotted to the relief efforts in the areas worst hit by the flooding. The remaining GBP 5m will go directly to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) ...

IMF mission expected to visit flood-hit Pakistan next month: Official

An IMF team is expected to visit Pakistan early in November to start the next review of the country's current economic programme, a senior official of the global lending body has said. In its last review in August, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the 7th and 8th tranches of USD 1.17 billion, of its USD 7 billion Pakistan programme which was signed in 2019. The global lender said that it would send a mission in November to Pakistan after the annual meetings as part of preparations for the next review, IMF's Director of the Middle East and Central Asia, Jihad Azour was quoted by Dawn newspaper on Thursday. At a media briefing in Washington, Azour extended support to the flood-hit country. We accelerated some of our disbursements to help Pakistan deal with recent shocks, such as the increase in prices of foods and commodities, he said. Hopefully, we will be fielding a mission in November, after the annual meetings, to Pakistan to start the process for the next review,"

Pakistan govt will hang Imran if he launches long march: Minister

The Pakistan government will hang former Prime Minister Imran Khan upside down if he launches his long march in Islamabad, warned Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan.

'No good relations with Pak at cost of India's integrity,' says MoS Lekhi

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi on Thursday ruled out any talks with Pakistan at the cost of India's integrity

Shaheen Afridi is 90% ready for T20 World Cup: PCB Chairman Raja

Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi is 90 per cent ready for the upcoming T20 World Cup but his availability will depend on how he plays in the two warm-up games in Australia, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja said. The 22-year-old Afridi is set to join the national team in Australia on Saturday after completing his rehabilitation programme for a knee injury under the supervision of the PCB Medical Advisory Committee. He will be available for selection for the warm-up games against England and Afghanistan on October 17 and 19 respectively. "I have spoken to him we are in touch with his doctors and the feedback we have got is he is 90 percent ready," Raja said. "But knee injuries can be delicate and technical and we have to see if he feels any soreness after playing the warm-up games. On his part he says he is ready and I think we are also ready." Pakistan will begin their campaign against India on Oct 23 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. "I will say this that the mechanics of the Wo

Pakistan continues to be the source of terrorist activities: MoS Lekhi

India said on Thursday that it desired normal relations with all its neighbours, including Pakistan, and advised Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere, including by taking "credible, verifiable and irreversible actions" to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross border terrorism against it. Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi said this while addressing the 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Astana, Kazakhstan. "Pakistan is the global epicentre of terrorism and continues to be the source of terrorist activities including in India. Pakistan continues to make no investment in human development but provides their resources for creating and sustaining infrastructure of terrorism, she said. Addressing the summit which was attended by several world leaders including Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Lekhi said India desired normal relations with all its neighbours, including ..

Imran Khan claims someone else pulled strings of power during his tenure

Former Pakistan prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan claimed that someone else pulled the strings of power during his tenure and that he was all but a figurehead

Flood-hit Pakistan gives nod to buy 6.2 mn mosquito nets from India

Pakistan government gave a nod to procure 6.2 million mosquito nets from India, in a bid to protect the public from vector-borne diseases after the last month's devastating floods

Swat attack: Protesters end sit-in after talks with Pakistan authorities

Family members of a van driver, who was killed in the recent attack on a school bus in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, ended their day-long sit-in on Tuesday after talks with the government

Moody's downgrades 5 Pakistani banks' ratings; maintains negative outlook

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the long-term deposit ratings to Caa1 from B3 of five Pakistani banks

Remittances from overseas Pakistani workers decrease 10.5% in September

Remittances sent by overseas Pakistani workers decreased 10.5 per cent in September 2022 on a month-on-month basis, the State Bank of Pakistan has said

Pak to purchase 6 mn mosquito nets from India to contain malaria: Report

Pakistan's health ministry on Tuesday approved the purchase of over 6 million mosquito nets from India, as the country scrambles to contain the spread of malaria and other vector-borne diseases due to the unprecedented floods, according to a media report on Tuesday. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is using financial resources provided by Global Fund to acquire the nets for Pakistan, according to Geo.tv. The WHO officials said they are planning to obtain mosquito nets as early as possible and are hopeful that these would be obtained by next month via the Wagah route, the report said. More than 1,700 people were killed, 33 million displaced and a third of the country was submerged under water in the worst floods to hit Pakistan, brought about by unprecedented rains since mid-June. In September, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that a surge in diseases like malaria can cause a "second disaster." Last week, the WHO warned of 2.7 million malaria cases in 32 districts in .

Swiss cricket: Newest kid on the block has a strong subcontinent flavour

Among the players, those from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Jamaica

Pak's Rizwan claims ICC Men's Player of the Month award for the first time

Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan on Monday claimed the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for September 2022 for the very first time.