Jailed Indian National Kulbhushan <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-hidden-camera-or-recording-chip-found-in-chetnas-shoe-27916" target="_blank">Jadhav was programmed to stick to a script </a>and repeat whatever Pakistan has wrongly charged him with, during his meeting with mother and wife in Islamabad on December 25, as per media reports.

Despite meeting his family after 22 long months of captivity, Jadhav bizarrely greeted the two when brought face to face. &nbsp;

During his 40 minutes long meeting, Jadhav parroted the script handed over by Pakistan that he was indeed an Indian spy.&nbsp;

However, Jadhav&#39;s mother Avanti, who was initially stunned, soon understood what was happening and interrupted him asking to reveal the truth and not to parrot the script handed to him by his captors.&nbsp;

&quot;But why are you saying all this? You were doing business in Iran from where you were abducted. You must tell the truth,&quot; Avanti said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sushma-swaraj-speaks-on-jadhav-row-says-pakistani-claims-of-hidden-camera-absurd-27932" target="_blank">Sushma Swaraj speaks on Jadhav row, says Pakistani claims of hidden camera absurd</a>

The three were not allowed to speak in Marathi, and when Jadhav&#39;s mother tried to communicate in their regional language, he did not reciprocate.

From removing bangles, bindi and mangal sutra of Jadhav&#39;s wife to preventing his mother to speak in her mother tongue, Pakistani officials harassed the two before their 40 minutes meeting with him.

Chetankul Jadhav&#39;s shoes were also not returned as Pakistan claimed there was something metallic in them and they are being examined by forensic experts.

The Indian Parliament witnessed protests after Opposition condemned the way Pakistan humiliated the family of&nbsp;Jadhav in Islamabad.&nbsp;

Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday announced to address both the houses on the treatment of Jadhav&#39;s family in Pakistan. 
&nbsp;

Jadhav bizarrely greeted the two when brought face to face

Jailed Indian National Kulbhushan Jadhav was programmed to stick to a script and repeat whatever Pakistan has wrongly charged him with, during his meeting with mother and wife in Islamabad on December 25, as per media reports. Despite meeting his family after 22 long months of captivity, Jadhav bizarrely greeted the two when brought face to face. During his 40 minutes long meeting, Jadhav parroted the script handed over by Pakistan that he was indeed an Indian spy. However, Jadhav's mother Avanti, who was initially stunned, soon understood what was happening and interrupted him asking to reveal the truth and not to parrot the script handed to him by his captors. "But why are you saying all this? You were doing business in Iran from where you were abducted. You must tell the truth," Avanti said. Also read: Sushma Swaraj speaks on Jadhav row, says Pakistani claims of hidden camera absurd The three were not allowed to speak in Marathi, and when Jadhav's mother tried to communicate in their regional language, he did not reciprocate. From removing bangles, bindi and mangal sutra of Jadhav's wife to preventing his mother to speak in her mother tongue, Pakistani officials harassed the two before their 40 minutes meeting with him. Chetankul Jadhav's shoes were also not returned as Pakistan claimed there was something metallic in them and they are being examined by forensic experts. The Indian Parliament witnessed protests after Opposition condemned the way Pakistan humiliated the family of Jadhav in Islamabad. Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday announced to address both the houses on the treatment of Jadhav's family in Pakistan.

Kulbhushan Jadhav parroted script given by Pakistan during meeting with family, mother foils attempt: Reports

Pakistan has now said there was a metal object in Kulbhushan Jadhav&#39;s wife&#39;s shoes, news reports said Thursday.&nbsp;

The reports said Pakistan was claiming the object was either a hidden camera or a recording chip.

The shoes had earlier been sent for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-sends-shoes-of-jadhavs-wife-for-forensic-testing-27860" target="_blank">forensic testing</a>.&nbsp;

Jadhav&#39;s wife&#39;s -- Chetna -- shoes had been confiscated when she and her mother-in-law, Avanti, had gone to meet Kulbhushan in Islamabad on Monday.&nbsp;

The women had also been asked to change their clothes and were finally allowed to speak to Jadhav only through a glass panel.&nbsp;

India had raised strong objections to the manner in which the meeting finally took place.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said the &quot;cultural and religious sensibilities of family members were disregarded&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;Under the pretext of security precautions, the cultural and religious sensibilities of family members were disregarded. This included the removal of mangal sutra, bangles and bindi, as well as a change in attire that was not warranted by security,&quot; Kumar added.&nbsp;

He had also mentioned the shoes, saying,&nbsp;&quot;For some inexplicable reason, despite her repeated requests, the shoes of the wife of Jadhav were not returned to her after the meeting. We would caution against any mischievous intent in this regard,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

Chetna and Avanti had also been <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/killer-son-played-holi-with-blood-of-pakistanis-jadhavs-wife-mother-heckled-by-media-in-islamabad-27829">heckled</a> by the Pakistani media.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-foreign-office-thanks-media-for-jadhav-family-meet-coverage-27852" target="_blank">Pakistan foreign office </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-foreign-office-thanks-media-for-jadhav-family-meet-coverage-27852" target="_blank">thanks</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-foreign-office-thanks-media-for-jadhav-family-meet-coverage-27852" target="_blank"> media persons for covering Jadhav&#39;s family meet in &#39;responsible way&#39;</a>

Several MPs in India have created outrage and adopted anti-Pakistan slogans for their inappropriate behaviour with Jadhav&#39;s wife and mother during the meeting.&nbsp;

Indian MPs across the board have slammed Pakistan for &quot;harassing&quot;&nbsp;Jadhav&#39;s wife and mother.&nbsp;

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be making a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sushma-swaraj-to-speak-on-kulbhushan-jadhavs-family-meet-in-parliament-tomorrow-27861">statement</a> on the case in the Lok Sabha today.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Pakistan said the metal object was either a hidden camera or a recording chip

Pakistan has now said there was a metal object in Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife's shoes, news reports said Thursday. The reports said Pakistan was claiming the object was either a hidden camera or a recording chip. The shoes had earlier been sent for forensic testing. Jadhav's wife's -- Chetna -- shoes had been confiscated when she and her mother-in-law, Avanti, had gone to meet Kulbhushan in Islamabad on Monday. The women had also been asked to change their clothes and were finally allowed to speak to Jadhav only through a glass panel. India had raised strong objections to the manner in which the meeting finally took place. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said the "cultural and religious sensibilities of family members were disregarded". "Under the pretext of security precautions, the cultural and religious sensibilities of family members were disregarded. This included the removal of mangal sutra, bangles and bindi, as well as a change in attire that was not warranted by security," Kumar added. He had also mentioned the shoes, saying, "For some inexplicable reason, despite her repeated requests, the shoes of the wife of Jadhav were not returned to her after the meeting. We would caution against any mischievous intent in this regard," he added. Chetna and Avanti had also been heckled by the Pakistani media. Also read: Pakistan foreign office thanks media persons for covering Jadhav's family meet in 'responsible way' Several MPs in India have created outrage and adopted anti-Pakistan slogans for their inappropriate behaviour with Jadhav's wife and mother during the meeting. Indian MPs across the board have slammed Pakistan for "harassing" Jadhav's wife and mother. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be making a statement on the case in the Lok Sabha today.

Jadhav's wife's shoes contained metal object, says Pakistan

Jailed Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav was shocked to see his mother without her &#39;mangal sutra&#39; and &#39;vermillion,&#39; compelling him to ask about his father first, during the 40 minutes meeting with his family in Islamabad on December 25.&nbsp;

Thinking of something unfortunate might have happened while he was not around, Jadhav asked &#39;baba kaise hai&#39; (How is father), as informed by Sushma Swaraj in Parliament today. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The External Affairs Minister described the meeting as a propaganda by Pakistan, adding that an environment of fear was created for Jadhav&#39;s kin and both were made to look like widows.

&quot;Jadhav Ji&#39;s mother, who only wears a saree, was forced to wear salwar-kurta. Bindi, bangles and mangalsutras of both women were removed. Both the married women were made to like widows,&quot; Sushma said.

&quot;Kulbhushan Jadhav&#39;s mother was not allowed to speak in Marathi. Two Pakistani officials present in the meeting kept stopping her repeatedly, and when she continued, the intercom was switched off,&quot; she added.

Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition of Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad condemned Pakistan&#39;s misbehavior as one targeted towards Indians on the whole, and not just Jadhav and his family.

Jadhav thought something unfortunate might have happened while he was not around

Jailed Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav was shocked to see his mother without her 'mangal sutra' and 'vermillion,' compelling him to ask about his father first, during the 40 minutes meeting with his family in Islamabad on December 25. Thinking of something unfortunate might have happened while he was not around, Jadhav asked 'baba kaise hai' (How is father), as informed by Sushma Swaraj in Parliament today. The External Affairs Minister described the meeting as a propaganda by Pakistan, adding that an environment of fear was created for Jadhav's kin and both were made to look like widows. "Jadhav Ji's mother, who only wears a saree, was forced to wear salwar-kurta. Bindi, bangles and mangalsutras of both women were removed. Both the married women were made to like widows," Sushma said. "Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother was not allowed to speak in Marathi. Two Pakistani officials present in the meeting kept stopping her repeatedly, and when she continued, the intercom was switched off," she added. Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition of Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad condemned Pakistan's misbehavior as one targeted towards Indians on the whole, and not just Jadhav and his family.

'Baba kaise hai', asked Kulbhushan Jadhav on seeing his mother without 'mangal sutra' in Islamabad

Pakistan&nbsp;foreign office on Wednesday thanked the Pakistani media, for covering the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/killer-son-played-holi-with-blood-of-pakistanis-jadhavs-wife-mother-heckled-by-media-in-islamabad-27829" target="_blank">Kulbhushan Jadhav&#39;s family meeting in a very responsible way</a>.&nbsp;

The officials sent a thank you note to the media persons expressing their gratitude.

&quot;Extremely glad to have worked with a team of responsible media. Very much thankful for cooperation and tolerance from all of you today,&quot; the statement read.

&quot;Hats off to a great teamwork on both sides and you may see the result.&quot;

&quot;Our media has made Dr. Faisal trending on Twitter. Let&#39;s keep this mutual coordination and respect for all times and events to come,&quot; it further added.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/there-was-something-in-them-pakistan-answer-to-why-jadhavs-wifes-shoes-were-taken-27839">&#39;There was something in them&#39;: Pakistan&#39;s answer to why Jadhav&#39;s wife&#39;s shoes were taken</a>

Jadhav&#39;s Mother Avanti and wife Chetankul Jadhav reached Islamabad on Monday to meet him.&nbsp;

The Indian national met his family from behind a glass barrier at the Pakistan foreign ministry in Islamabad.

It was Jadhav&#39;s first meeting with his family, more than a year after he was arrested by the Pakistani Army over alleged espionage and spying activities in March last year.

The two were accompanied to the Pakistani ministry by Indian deputy high Commissioner JP Singh and three Indian foreign ministry officials.&nbsp;

Only Jadhav&rsquo;s family was allowed into the room where he was sitting, while Singh and other officials monitored the meeting from outside the room. 
&nbsp;

The officials sent a thank you note to the media persons expressing their gratitude.

Pakistan foreign office on Wednesday thanked the Pakistani media, for covering the Kulbhushan Jadhav's family meeting in a very responsible way. The officials sent a thank you note to the media persons expressing their gratitude. "Extremely glad to have worked with a team of responsible media. Very much thankful for cooperation and tolerance from all of you today," the statement read. "Hats off to a great teamwork on both sides and you may see the result." "Our media has made Dr. Faisal trending on Twitter. Let's keep this mutual coordination and respect for all times and events to come," it further added. Also read: 'There was something in them': Pakistan's answer to why Jadhav's wife's shoes were taken Jadhav's Mother Avanti and wife Chetankul Jadhav reached Islamabad on Monday to meet him. The Indian national met his family from behind a glass barrier at the Pakistan foreign ministry in Islamabad. It was Jadhav's first meeting with his family, more than a year after he was arrested by the Pakistani Army over alleged espionage and spying activities in March last year. The two were accompanied to the Pakistani ministry by Indian deputy high Commissioner JP Singh and three Indian foreign ministry officials. Only Jadhav’s family was allowed into the room where he was sitting, while Singh and other officials monitored the meeting from outside the room.

Pakistan foreign office thanks media persons for covering Jadhav's family meet in 'responsible way'

&nbsp;

<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Pakistan" pg="AS1_InlineMedia#AS1_https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/there-was-something-in-her-shoes-says-pakistan-about-confiscating-footwear-of-jadhavs-wife/articleshow/62262587.cms~Pakistan-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Pakistan">Pakistan</a>&nbsp;today rejected as &quot;baseless&quot; India&#39;s contention&nbsp;that&nbsp;Kulbhushan Jadhav&#39;s family was harassed&nbsp;and claimed that his wife&#39;s shoes were confiscated on security grounds as there was &quot;something&quot; in it.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Foreign-Office" pg="AS1_InlineMedia#AS1_https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/there-was-something-in-her-shoes-says-pakistan-about-confiscating-footwear-of-jadhavs-wife/articleshow/62262587.cms~Foreign Office-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Foreign-Office">Foreign Office</a>&nbsp;in a statement said that Pakistan does not wish to indulge in a &quot;meaningless battle of words&quot; and categorically rejects India&#39;s baseless &quot;allegations and twists&quot; about attitude of authorities during Jadhav&#39;s meeting with his wife and mother.

&quot;The Indian baseless allegations and twists, that come 24 hrs later, about the visit of the wife and mother of Commander Jadhav, a convicted terrorist and spy, who has confessed to his crimes, are categorically rejected,&quot; the statement said. 
 
&quot;If Indian concerns were serious, the guests or the Indian DHC should have raised them during the visit, with the media, which was readily available, but at a safe distance, as requested by India,&quot; it said. 
 
&quot;We do not wish to indulge in a meaningless battle of words. Our openness and transparency belie these allegations,&quot; it said. 
 
Responding to India&#39;s contentions that Jadhav&#39;s wife&#39;s shoes were not returned to her after the meeting, Foreign Office spokesman&nbsp;<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Muhammad-Faisal" pg="AS1_InlineMedia#AS1_https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/there-was-something-in-her-shoes-says-pakistan-about-confiscating-footwear-of-jadhavs-wife/articleshow/62262587.cms~Muhammad Faisal-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Muhammad-Faisal">Muhammad Faisal</a>&nbsp;told DawnNews that the shoes were confiscated on &quot;security grounds&quot;. 
 
&quot;There was something in the shoe (of Jadhav&#39;s wife),&quot; Faisal told the daily, adding that the shoe is being investigated. 
 
He said Jadhav&#39;s wife had been provided replacement shoes and all her jewellery was returned to her. 
 
The spokesman said that the fact is that Jadhav&#39;s mother &quot;publicly thanked Pakistan for the humanitarian gesture, which was also recorded by the media.&quot; 
 
&quot;Nothing more needs to be said on the issue,&quot; he said. 
 
India today accused Pakistan of violating mutual understandings on Jadhav&#39;s meeting with his family and said the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly-controlled interaction. 
 
India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. 
 
&quot;This included removal of mangal sutra, bangles and bindi, as well as a change in attire that was not warranted by security,&quot; it said.

During yesterday&#39;s meeting, whose pictures were released by Pakistan, Jadhav was seen sitting behind a glass screen while his mother and wife sat on the other side. They spoke through intercom and the entire 40-minute proceedings appeared to have been recorded on video.

India said that &quot;for some inexplicable reason, despite her repeated requests&quot;, Jadhav&#39;s wife&#39;s shoes were not returned to her after the meeting.

Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. 
 
New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in&nbsp;<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Iran" pg="AS1_InlineMedia#AS1_https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/there-was-something-in-her-shoes-says-pakistan-about-confiscating-footwear-of-jadhavs-wife/articleshow/62262587.cms~Iran-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Iran">Iran</a>where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the&nbsp;<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/International-Court-of-Justice" pg="AS1_InlineMedia#AS1_https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/there-was-something-in-her-shoes-says-pakistan-about-confiscating-footwear-of-jadhavs-wife/articleshow/62262587.cms~International Court of Justice-https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/International-Court-of-Justice">International Court of Justice</a> ,&nbsp;which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution.

Pakistan claimed that his wife's shoes were confiscated on security grounds as there was something in it

Pakistan today rejected as "baseless" India's contention that Kulbhushan Jadhav's family was harassed and claimed that his wife's shoes were confiscated on security grounds as there was "something" in it. The Foreign Office in a statement said that Pakistan does not wish to indulge in a "meaningless battle of words" and categorically rejects India's baseless "allegations and twists" about attitude of authorities during Jadhav's meeting with his wife and mother. "The Indian baseless allegations and twists, that come 24 hrs later, about the visit of the wife and mother of Commander Jadhav, a convicted terrorist and spy, who has confessed to his crimes, are categorically rejected," the statement said. "If Indian concerns were serious, the guests or the Indian DHC should have raised them during the visit, with the media, which was readily available, but at a safe distance, as requested by India," it said. "We do not wish to indulge in a meaningless battle of words. Our openness and transparency belie these allegations," it said. Responding to India's contentions that Jadhav's wife's shoes were not returned to her after the meeting, Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Faisal told DawnNews that the shoes were confiscated on "security grounds". "There was something in the shoe (of Jadhav's wife)," Faisal told the daily, adding that the shoe is being investigated. He said Jadhav's wife had been provided replacement shoes and all her jewellery was returned to her. The spokesman said that the fact is that Jadhav's mother "publicly thanked Pakistan for the humanitarian gesture, which was also recorded by the media." "Nothing more needs to be said on the issue," he said. India today accused Pakistan of violating mutual understandings on Jadhav's meeting with his family and said the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly-controlled interaction. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. "This included removal of mangal sutra, bangles and bindi, as well as a change in attire that was not warranted by security," it said. During yesterday's meeting, whose pictures were released by Pakistan, Jadhav was seen sitting behind a glass screen while his mother and wife sat on the other side. They spoke through intercom and the entire 40-minute proceedings appeared to have been recorded on video. India said that "for some inexplicable reason, despite her repeated requests", Jadhav's wife's shoes were not returned to her after the meeting. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iranwhere he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice , which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution.

Pakistan rejects India's contention that Kulbhushan Jadhav's family was harassed

Pakistan&#39;s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) tried to extract sensitive information from three Indian officials posted in the country by setting a honeytrap for them, media reports said Sunday.

The attempt however was foiled before any classified documents could be passed on, the reports added.&nbsp;

The three officials&nbsp;were recalled from Pakistan and questioned.

No wrongdoing is suspected on their parts and their identitites have not been revealed. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; 
The use of honeytraps to extract sensitive information has long been used by spy agencies around the world.

The media reports said the Indian officials realised early on what they were being led into, after which they decided to approach their seniors.

The senior officials immediately ordered the three men to return to Delhi.

The recalled officials worked in the language department of the Indian high commission in Islamabad and looked after the translation of official documents.

&nbsp;

The three officials, who worked in the language department of the Indian high commission in Islamabad, have been recalled

Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) tried to extract sensitive information from three Indian officials posted in the country by setting a honeytrap for them, media reports said Sunday. The attempt however was foiled before any classified documents could be passed on, the reports added. The three officials were recalled from Pakistan and questioned. No wrongdoing is suspected on their parts and their identitites have not been revealed. The use of honeytraps to extract sensitive information has long been used by spy agencies around the world. The media reports said the Indian officials realised early on what they were being led into, after which they decided to approach their seniors. The senior officials immediately ordered the three men to return to Delhi. The recalled officials worked in the language department of the Indian high commission in Islamabad and looked after the translation of official documents.

To extract sensitive information, Pakistan's ISI sets honeytrap for 3 Indian officials; attempt foiled

London mayor Sadiq Khan will be arriving in Mumbai tomorrow as part of his first official tour to three Indian cities to promote the British capital&#39;s resilience and strengths post-Brexit.

Apart from Mumbai, Khan would be visiting Delhi and Amritsar and then fly to Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi in Pakistan on his six-day tour to six cities.

As part of the Indian leg of the trade mission aimed at promoting new business links between India and London, the London mayor has a series of meetings planned with senior politicians, business leaders, regional leaders as well as Bollywood personalities.

His central message will be that the British capital remains open to Indian talent post-Brexit.

&quot;Following last year&#39;s EU referendum, it is far more important to get the message of London is open out far and wide and I will be taking that message to India and Pakistan,&quot; he said on the eve of his visit.

Khan would be taking the Jet Airways&#39; recently launched third direct London-Mumbai flight.

&quot;Jet Airways is doing their bit to ensure that the London-India relationship really takes off. The new flight comes as a major boost for the relationship between our two countries and an opportunity to not only deepen and expand our economic ties but to forge even closer social and cultural ties too,&quot; he said.

Mumbai-headquartered Jet Airways recently added a third direct flight between London and Mumbai, taking the total number of direct flights between London and India to four ? with two existing direct routes to Mumbai and one to Delhi.

Jet Airways&#39;s CEO, Vinay Dube, said it reflects the confidence the company has in the robustness of the UK market.

&quot;Whenever people in India think about travelling abroad, the very first city that comes to mind is London. At Jet Airways, we try and follow our customers, and want to play our part in bringing India and the UK closer together,&quot; he said.

&quot;The UK is very important to us. The mayor is going on a trade mission and there is a wide spectrum of travellers on this circuit who are flying Jet. Every aspect is growing,&quot; he said.

The mayor of London?will be accompanied by his Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal. Their packed itinerary in India will include discussions on business and investment, infrastructure and the environment as well as visas and other opportunities to work together more closely.

London mayor Sadiq Khan will be arriving in Mumbai tomorrow as part of his first official tour to three Indian cities to promote the British capital's resilience and strengths post-Brexit

London mayor Sadiq Khan will be arriving in Mumbai tomorrow as part of his first official tour to three Indian cities to promote the British capital's resilience and strengths post-Brexit. Apart from Mumbai, Khan would be visiting Delhi and Amritsar and then fly to Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi in Pakistan on his six-day tour to six cities. As part of the Indian leg of the trade mission aimed at promoting new business links between India and London, the London mayor has a series of meetings planned with senior politicians, business leaders, regional leaders as well as Bollywood personalities. His central message will be that the British capital remains open to Indian talent post-Brexit. "Following last year's EU referendum, it is far more important to get the message of London is open out far and wide and I will be taking that message to India and Pakistan," he said on the eve of his visit. Khan would be taking the Jet Airways' recently launched third direct London-Mumbai flight. "Jet Airways is doing their bit to ensure that the London-India relationship really takes off. The new flight comes as a major boost for the relationship between our two countries and an opportunity to not only deepen and expand our economic ties but to forge even closer social and cultural ties too," he said. Mumbai-headquartered Jet Airways recently added a third direct flight between London and Mumbai, taking the total number of direct flights between London and India to four ? with two existing direct routes to Mumbai and one to Delhi. Jet Airways's CEO, Vinay Dube, said it reflects the confidence the company has in the robustness of the UK market. "Whenever people in India think about travelling abroad, the very first city that comes to mind is London. At Jet Airways, we try and follow our customers, and want to play our part in bringing India and the UK closer together," he said. "The UK is very important to us. The mayor is going on a trade mission and there is a wide spectrum of travellers on this circuit who are flying Jet. Every aspect is growing," he said. The mayor of London?will be accompanied by his Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal. Their packed itinerary in India will include discussions on business and investment, infrastructure and the environment as well as visas and other opportunities to work together more closely.

London mayor Sadiq Khan to visit Mumbai tomorrow

The&nbsp;Pakistani Islamist group whose supporters clashed with the police over the weekend have decided to stop its week-long protest after the government agreed to its demands and the law minister resigned, its spokesman said on Monday.

&quot;Our main demand has been accepted,&quot; Ejaz Ashrafi, spokesman of the Tahreek-e-Labaik group, told Reuters. &quot;Government will announce the law minister&rsquo;s resignation and we will end our sit-in today.&quot;

Pakistan Law Minister Zahid Hamid submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi late on Sunday, media reports said.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/6-dead-200-injured-in-clashes-between-pakistan-police-protesters-25159" target="_blank">Islamabad: 6 dead, over 200 injured in clashes between Pakistan police, protesters</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-army-silent-as-islamists-police-clash-again-25183" target="_blank">Islamabad: Protesters, security forces clash again; army still not seen</a>

Hamid said he hoped his resignation would bring the crisis to an end.&nbsp;

&quot;In order to restore peace, I have made up my mind to step down,&quot; media reports quoted him as saying.

The protesters had accused Hamid of blasphemy after rules that required lawmakers to reference the Prophet Mohammed while taking their oaths were weakened.

The government had apologised, blaming the changes on clerical mistakes.

Hamid too had earlier apologised to the protesters.&nbsp;

Hamid, media reports said,&nbsp;was concerned about his safety after his ancestral home in Pasrur was attacked by protesters on Saturday.&nbsp;

The reports added that he wants the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership to make certain his name is cleared of the controversy after his resignation.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Hamid said he hoped his resignation would bring an end to the ongoing protests in Islamabad

The Pakistani Islamist group whose supporters clashed with the police over the weekend have decided to stop its week-long protest after the government agreed to its demands and the law minister resigned, its spokesman said on Monday. "Our main demand has been accepted," Ejaz Ashrafi, spokesman of the Tahreek-e-Labaik group, told Reuters. "Government will announce the law minister’s resignation and we will end our sit-in today." Pakistan Law Minister Zahid Hamid submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi late on Sunday, media reports said. Islamabad: 6 dead, over 200 injured in clashes between Pakistan police, protesters Islamabad: Protesters, security forces clash again; army still not seen Hamid said he hoped his resignation would bring the crisis to an end. "In order to restore peace, I have made up my mind to step down," media reports quoted him as saying. The protesters had accused Hamid of blasphemy after rules that required lawmakers to reference the Prophet Mohammed while taking their oaths were weakened. The government had apologised, blaming the changes on clerical mistakes. Hamid too had earlier apologised to the protesters. Hamid, media reports said, was concerned about his safety after his ancestral home in Pasrur was attacked by protesters on Saturday. The reports added that he wants the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership to make certain his name is cleared of the controversy after his resignation.

Pakistan law minister Zahid Hamid resigns, Islamist group to call off protest

The Islamist leader whose group clashed violently with Pakistani security forces and paralysed Islamabad for weeks said their sit-in was called off Monday after the law minister resigned, meeting their key demand.

&quot;On the assurance of the Chief of Army Staff, we are calling off the sit-in,&quot; Khadim Hussain Rizvi told the crowd of around 2,500 demonstrators from the Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah Pakistan (TLY), who have occupied the main highway leading into the capital since November 6.

Also watch: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-government-lifts-media-ban-6971" target="_blank">Pakistan government lifts media ban</a>

&nbsp;

The Islamist leader whose group clashed violently with Pakistani security forces and paralysed Islamabad for weeks said their sit-in was called off Monday after the law minister resigned, meeting their key demand

The Islamist leader whose group clashed violently with Pakistani security forces and paralysed Islamabad for weeks said their sit-in was called off Monday after the law minister resigned, meeting their key demand. "On the assurance of the Chief of Army Staff, we are calling off the sit-in," Khadim Hussain Rizvi told the crowd of around 2,500 demonstrators from the Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah Pakistan (TLY), who have occupied the main highway leading into the capital since November 6. Also watch: Pakistan government lifts media ban

Islamist leader calls off Pakistan protests after minister resigns

Pakistan&#39;s government has called in the army to restore order after clashes between police and protesters belonging to hardline religious groups killed six people and injured more than 200 others in the capital.

The police aided by paramilitary Rangers and Frontier Constabulary yesterday lunched a massive operation against activists of Tehreek-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah and Sunni Tehreek Pakistan religious groups who had blocked a key highway to Islamabad for nearly three weeks.

Police and paramilitary forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters to disperse them. However, the security forces pulled back after the crackdown turned deadly.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The protesters have been laying siege to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad for about three weeks demanding the removal of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whom they accuse of blasphemy</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The protesters have been laying siege to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad for about three weeks demanding the removal of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whom they accuse of blasphemy" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

At least six people were killed in clashes yesterday, Dawn reported. It also said that no security personnel was killed but at least nine senior police officers were injured including Rawalpindi city police chief Israr Abbasi.

According to health officials, more than 200 people, including at least 95 security personnel, were injured in the clashes and shifted to various hospitals.

The Interior Ministry last night issued a statutory regulatory order to authorize the deployment of the army to control the law and order situation in the capital.

Official sources said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa are expected to hold a meeting to discuss the situation after the government sought deployment of the army in the capital.

However, the army said it needed clarification on some points before moving in to control the situation.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-calls-on-army-to-restore-security-in-islamabad-after-violent-clashes-25132" target="_blank">Pakistan calls on army to restore security in Islamabad after violent clashes</a>

General Bajwa was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates and cut short his trip to reach the country last night.

Earlier, he spoke to Abbasi over telephone and suggested to handle the protests peacefully &quot;avoiding violence from both sides as it is not in national interest and cohesion.&quot;

Meanwhile, all news channels have been off-air and access to popular social media blocked since yesterday.

Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) representing electronic media condemned the action against media.

The protesters have been laying siege to the capital for about three weeks demanding removal of Law Minister Zahid Hamid for changes in a law related to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (finality of prohpethood) oath in the Elections Act 2017.

They alleged the action undermined Islamic beliefs and linked it to blasphemy. The government has already amended the law and restored the original oath but the hardline clerics refused to call of the protests until the minister is sacked.

The unrest also spread to several cities where protesters have blocked major roads, resulting in clashes with police. Dozens of people were injured in Karachi and at other places.

Minister of Interior Ahsan Iqbal chaired a high-level security meeting&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;night but failed to reach at any decision about further operation as senior officials of Islamabad administration and police warned to loss of human lives, according to sources in the interior ministry.

The protesters emboldened by failure of government upped the ante and demanded resignation of the government, according to report on Geo TV website.

There are reports that ruling Pakistan Muslims Leauge- Nawaz was discussing the option of removing law minister to pacify the protests. But it may be too late now. The minister is already under immense pressure after an attack yesterday at his residence in Pasroor area of Sialkot district in Punjab.

Opposition Tehreek-e-Insaf have also increased pressure on government and its secretary general Jehangir Tareen demanded resignation of interior minister for mishandling the operation.&nbsp;

The Pakistani government has called in the army to restore order

Pakistan's government has called in the army to restore order after clashes between police and protesters belonging to hardline religious groups killed six people and injured more than 200 others in the capital. The police aided by paramilitary Rangers and Frontier Constabulary yesterday lunched a massive operation against activists of Tehreek-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat, Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah and Sunni Tehreek Pakistan religious groups who had blocked a key highway to Islamabad for nearly three weeks. Police and paramilitary forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters to disperse them. However, the security forces pulled back after the crackdown turned deadly. The protesters have been laying siege to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad for about three weeks demanding the removal of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whom they accuse of blasphemy × At least six people were killed in clashes yesterday, Dawn reported. It also said that no security personnel was killed but at least nine senior police officers were injured including Rawalpindi city police chief Israr Abbasi. According to health officials, more than 200 people, including at least 95 security personnel, were injured in the clashes and shifted to various hospitals. The Interior Ministry last night issued a statutory regulatory order to authorize the deployment of the army to control the law and order situation in the capital. Official sources said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa are expected to hold a meeting to discuss the situation after the government sought deployment of the army in the capital. However, the army said it needed clarification on some points before moving in to control the situation. Also read: Pakistan calls on army to restore security in Islamabad after violent clashes General Bajwa was on a visit to the United Arab Emirates and cut short his trip to reach the country last night. Earlier, he spoke to Abbasi over telephone and suggested to handle the protests peacefully "avoiding violence from both sides as it is not in national interest and cohesion." Meanwhile, all news channels have been off-air and access to popular social media blocked since yesterday. Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) representing electronic media condemned the action against media. The protesters have been laying siege to the capital for about three weeks demanding removal of Law Minister Zahid Hamid for changes in a law related to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (finality of prohpethood) oath in the Elections Act 2017. They alleged the action undermined Islamic beliefs and linked it to blasphemy. The government has already amended the law and restored the original oath but the hardline clerics refused to call of the protests until the minister is sacked. The unrest also spread to several cities where protesters have blocked major roads, resulting in clashes with police. Dozens of people were injured in Karachi and at other places. Minister of Interior Ahsan Iqbal chaired a high-level security meeting on Friday night but failed to reach at any decision about further operation as senior officials of Islamabad administration and police warned to loss of human lives, according to sources in the interior ministry. The protesters emboldened by failure of government upped the ante and demanded resignation of the government, according to report on Geo TV website. There are reports that ruling Pakistan Muslims Leauge- Nawaz was discussing the option of removing law minister to pacify the protests. But it may be too late now. The minister is already under immense pressure after an attack yesterday at his residence in Pasroor area of Sialkot district in Punjab. Opposition Tehreek-e-Insaf have also increased pressure on government and its secretary general Jehangir Tareen demanded resignation of interior minister for mishandling the operation.

Islamabad: 6 dead, over 200 injured in clashes between Pakistan police, protesters

Pakistan&#39;s government called on the powerful military to deploy in the capital Islamabad Saturday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/policeman-dead-over-100-injured-as-islamist-sit-in-paralyses-islamabad-25091">after deadly unrest broke out when police moved to dislodge an Islamist protest that has brought the city to a near-standstill</a>.&nbsp;

At least one person was killed and and 190 injured -- some 137 of whom were security personnel -- when police moved in to disperse the demonstration earlier Saturday, sparking fierce clashes. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets but the demonstrators blocked roads and burned police vehicles around the site of the sit-in. As the violence intensified, protests sprouted in the major cities of Lahore and Karachi, as well as smaller towns across the country.&nbsp;(Also Read: <a href="http://http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/all-roads-leading-to-sharifs-residence-closed-25133">All roads leading to Nawaz Sharif&#39;s residence closed</a>)

Authorities had been attempting to clear a small protest by the little-known hardline group called Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah Pakistan (TLYRAP) that has blocked a main highway into Islamabad since November 6, causing hours-long traffic snarls and enraging citizens.&nbsp;

It was not clear how many protesters remained in the streets of the capital late Saturday. There had been roughly 2,000 as the operation began, but AFP reporters said dozens more were arriving throughout the day.

Police and paramilitary forces retreated following the clashes, with the Islamabad Capital Territory authorities making the request for the army to step in soon after.

An interior ministry order said the federal government had authorised the deployment of &quot;sufficient troops&quot; to &quot;control law and order&quot; in the city until further notice.

There was no immediate comment from military officials.

The demonstrations have threatened the beleaguered Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government ahead of a general election due to be held next year.&nbsp;

Analysts and critics accused it of bungling its response, which authorities hesitating for days over fears of violence as the city&#39;s commuters seethed in the traffic choked streets.

The TLYRAP are demanding that Pakistan&#39;s law minister Zahid Hamid resign over a hastily-abandoned amendment to the oath that election candidates must swear.

Demonstrators have linked it to blasphemy -- a highly contentious issue in Muslim Pakistan -- and claim the oath was softened to enable the participation of Ahmadis, a long-persecuted Islamic minority sect.

Alarmed residents 
 
Earlier, police in Karachi said some 200 protesters had blockaded a major road in the southern port, with at least nine people injured -- including three with gunshot wounds -- brought to hospital, according to doctors.

Markets and shops were closing in the megacity, Pakistan&#39;s commercial hub, as alarmed residents stayed inside while hardline clerics urged more people to take to the streets.

An AFP journalist in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, said Mall Road, the main artery in the eastern city, had been closed by police due to protests, while a deployment of paramilitary rangers was being sought by city officials. Smaller rallies were reported in other towns across the country.

Earlier in the day Pakistan&#39;s powerful military chief phoned the prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to urge the situation be handled &quot;peacefully&quot;.

General Qamar Javed Bajwa called for both sides to avoid violence &quot;as it is not in national interest&quot;, army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said on Twitter.&nbsp;

Pakistan&#39;s media regulator barred local TV channels from broadcasting live images from the scene, though protesters were still using Facebook Live and other social media to galvanise support across the country.

&#39;Explosive&#39; situation 
 
The protesters come from the Barelvi sect of Islam that has strong ties to Sufism, a mystical branch of the religion that is seen as moderate.

However the execution in 2016 of Barelvi follower Mumtaz Qadri -- who assassinated liberal Punjab governor Salman Taseer over his stance on the country&#39;s blasphemy laws -- led members of the group to take a more hardline stance against any moves to reform the legislation.

&quot;These people already had a grudge against the government and the government just provided them the opportunity to vent out their anger,&quot; said political analyst Hasan Askari.

The demonstrators had vowed to die for their cause.&nbsp;

But weeks of inaction from authorities sparked the wrath of Pakistan&#39;s judiciary, with the Supreme Court issuing a blistering statement earlier in the week and the Islamabad High Court threatening to hold government officials in contempt &nbsp;over the official response.

The chaos in the capital comes as the government is facing severe challenges.

The Supreme Court had already dealt a blow to the PML-N by ousting its leader, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, over a graft investigation in the summer. Finance minister Ishaq Dar, also embroiled in corruption allegations, has taken indefinite medical leave.

Analysts said the government had allowed a minor issue to grow into a headline-grabbing and potentially dangerous situation.

Even before Saturday&#39;s clashes the sit-in had cost the life of an eight-year-old child whose ambulance could not reach a hospital in time due to the blocked roads.

&quot;Politically driven procrastination has its own costs and this is what the government is paying,&quot; analyst Imtiaz Gul told AFP, adding that the situation was &quot;explosive&quot;.

The Pakistani government has called on the powerful military to deploy in the capital Islamabad after violence broke out Saturday when security forces attempted to disperse an Islamist sit-in, the interior ministry said

Pakistan's government called on the powerful military to deploy in the capital Islamabad Saturday after deadly unrest broke out when police moved to dislodge an Islamist protest that has brought the city to a near-standstill. At least one person was killed and and 190 injured -- some 137 of whom were security personnel -- when police moved in to disperse the demonstration earlier Saturday, sparking fierce clashes. Security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets but the demonstrators blocked roads and burned police vehicles around the site of the sit-in. As the violence intensified, protests sprouted in the major cities of Lahore and Karachi, as well as smaller towns across the country. (Also Read: All roads leading to Nawaz Sharif's residence closed) Authorities had been attempting to clear a small protest by the little-known hardline group called Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah Pakistan (TLYRAP) that has blocked a main highway into Islamabad since November 6, causing hours-long traffic snarls and enraging citizens. It was not clear how many protesters remained in the streets of the capital late Saturday. There had been roughly 2,000 as the operation began, but AFP reporters said dozens more were arriving throughout the day. Police and paramilitary forces retreated following the clashes, with the Islamabad Capital Territory authorities making the request for the army to step in soon after. An interior ministry order said the federal government had authorised the deployment of "sufficient troops" to "control law and order" in the city until further notice. There was no immediate comment from military officials. The demonstrations have threatened the beleaguered Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government ahead of a general election due to be held next year. Analysts and critics accused it of bungling its response, which authorities hesitating for days over fears of violence as the city's commuters seethed in the traffic choked streets. The TLYRAP are demanding that Pakistan's law minister Zahid Hamid resign over a hastily-abandoned amendment to the oath that election candidates must swear. Demonstrators have linked it to blasphemy -- a highly contentious issue in Muslim Pakistan -- and claim the oath was softened to enable the participation of Ahmadis, a long-persecuted Islamic minority sect. Alarmed residents Earlier, police in Karachi said some 200 protesters had blockaded a major road in the southern port, with at least nine people injured -- including three with gunshot wounds -- brought to hospital, according to doctors. Markets and shops were closing in the megacity, Pakistan's commercial hub, as alarmed residents stayed inside while hardline clerics urged more people to take to the streets. An AFP journalist in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, said Mall Road, the main artery in the eastern city, had been closed by police due to protests, while a deployment of paramilitary rangers was being sought by city officials. Smaller rallies were reported in other towns across the country. Earlier in the day Pakistan's powerful military chief phoned the prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to urge the situation be handled "peacefully". General Qamar Javed Bajwa called for both sides to avoid violence "as it is not in national interest", army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said on Twitter. Pakistan's media regulator barred local TV channels from broadcasting live images from the scene, though protesters were still using Facebook Live and other social media to galvanise support across the country. 'Explosive' situation The protesters come from the Barelvi sect of Islam that has strong ties to Sufism, a mystical branch of the religion that is seen as moderate. However the execution in 2016 of Barelvi follower Mumtaz Qadri -- who assassinated liberal Punjab governor Salman Taseer over his stance on the country's blasphemy laws -- led members of the group to take a more hardline stance against any moves to reform the legislation. "These people already had a grudge against the government and the government just provided them the opportunity to vent out their anger," said political analyst Hasan Askari. The demonstrators had vowed to die for their cause. But weeks of inaction from authorities sparked the wrath of Pakistan's judiciary, with the Supreme Court issuing a blistering statement earlier in the week and the Islamabad High Court threatening to hold government officials in contempt over the official response. The chaos in the capital comes as the government is facing severe challenges. The Supreme Court had already dealt a blow to the PML-N by ousting its leader, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, over a graft investigation in the summer. Finance minister Ishaq Dar, also embroiled in corruption allegations, has taken indefinite medical leave. Analysts said the government had allowed a minor issue to grow into a headline-grabbing and potentially dangerous situation. Even before Saturday's clashes the sit-in had cost the life of an eight-year-old child whose ambulance could not reach a hospital in time due to the blocked roads. "Politically driven procrastination has its own costs and this is what the government is paying," analyst Imtiaz Gul told AFP, adding that the situation was "explosive".

Pakistan calls on army to restore security in Islamabad after violent clashes

Pakistan&#39;s embattled Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has been relieved of his duties after the ailing politician, declared a proclaimed absconder by a court in the Panama Papers case, requested leave for three months.

Dar, 67, had arrived in London nearly a month ago and has been seeking treatment of an undefined heart complication at a Harley Street hospital.

He can avail a maximum of three-month leave and should resume duty by&nbsp;February 21&nbsp;otherwise he could be permanently relieved of charge, according to rules.

However, sources said that the development may eventually bring to an end Dar&#39;s almost four-and-a-half-year stint as the finance minister.

Dar sent a three-page letter to the Prime Minister&#39;s Office&nbsp;on Monday&nbsp;seeking leave of absence. In it, he narrated his health condition, saying that his surgeon had asked him to avoid international air travel.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Sources said the development may eventually bring to an end Dar&#39;s almost four-and-a-half-year stint as finance minister</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Sources said the development may eventually bring to an end Dar's almost four-and-a-half-year stint as finance minister" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

He said his medical tests in UK showed &quot;diffuse coronary heart disease and possible ischemic heart disease&quot;.

In his letter to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Dar said that he wishes to seek &quot;relief for now from looking after the three divisions&quot; that he has been heading for nearly four years.

The government issued two notifications yesterday after Prime Minister Abbasi approved Dar&#39;s leave application.

&quot;The prime minister has been pleased to allow leave of absence to Ishaq Dar... With immediate effect,&quot; said one of the notifications issued by the Cabinet Secretariat.

The second communique announced the decision to withdraw the portfolios of Finance and Economic Affairs Division from Dar.

Prime Minister Abbasi will look after the finance minister&#39;s duties until a replacement is found.

In his letter, Dar said that he had been running the affairs of the ministry via email, WhatsApp etc since October 27, and asked for leave without pay.

Dar was indicted on&nbsp;September 27&nbsp;in a corruption case linked to the Panama Papers case, but he continued to serve as finance minister amid strong criticism from Opposition parties.

An accountability court had on November 14 issued non- bailable arrest warrants for the finance minister because of his repeated failure to appear before it. On November 21, the accountability court declared him a &#39;proclaimed absconder&#39;.

Dar is accused of amassing assets of an approximate value of Rs 831.7 million ? disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Dar had assumed the responsibilities of Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation in the Cabinet of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in June 2013.

He continued as the Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs in the Cabinet of Abbasi but the new premier separated Statistics and Privatisation from the Finance Ministry.

Dar&#39;s son is married to a daughter of Sharif.

The National Accountability Bureau had registered three cases of corruption and money laundering against Sharif, his family members, and Dar in the Islamabad Accountability Court, weeks after the Supreme Court order ousted Sharif.

Dar had advised Abbasi to constitute an advisory committee to look into economic issues in his absence.

The likely members of the economic advisory committee suggested by Dar include Shaukat Tarin, who served as finance minister under the PPP government, and Dr Ishrat Husain, who was governor of the State Bank during the regime of Pervez Musharraf regime.

Two other names being floated include Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan.

Talking to a private TV channel, Minister for Inter- Provincial Coordination Riaz Pirzada yesterday demanded resignation of Dar.

Earlier, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance had also made a similar demand.&nbsp;

Dar, 67, has been in London for nearly a month seeking treatment of an undefined heart complication

Pakistan's embattled Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has been relieved of his duties after the ailing politician, declared a proclaimed absconder by a court in the Panama Papers case, requested leave for three months. Dar, 67, had arrived in London nearly a month ago and has been seeking treatment of an undefined heart complication at a Harley Street hospital. He can avail a maximum of three-month leave and should resume duty by February 21 otherwise he could be permanently relieved of charge, according to rules. However, sources said that the development may eventually bring to an end Dar's almost four-and-a-half-year stint as the finance minister. Dar sent a three-page letter to the Prime Minister's Office on Monday seeking leave of absence. In it, he narrated his health condition, saying that his surgeon had asked him to avoid international air travel. Sources said the development may eventually bring to an end Dar's almost four-and-a-half-year stint as finance minister × He said his medical tests in UK showed "diffuse coronary heart disease and possible ischemic heart disease". In his letter to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Dar said that he wishes to seek "relief for now from looking after the three divisions" that he has been heading for nearly four years. The government issued two notifications yesterday after Prime Minister Abbasi approved Dar's leave application. "The prime minister has been pleased to allow leave of absence to Ishaq Dar... With immediate effect," said one of the notifications issued by the Cabinet Secretariat. The second communique announced the decision to withdraw the portfolios of Finance and Economic Affairs Division from Dar. Prime Minister Abbasi will look after the finance minister's duties until a replacement is found. In his letter, Dar said that he had been running the affairs of the ministry via email, WhatsApp etc since October 27, and asked for leave without pay. Dar was indicted on September 27 in a corruption case linked to the Panama Papers case, but he continued to serve as finance minister amid strong criticism from Opposition parties. An accountability court had on November 14 issued non- bailable arrest warrants for the finance minister because of his repeated failure to appear before it. On November 21, the accountability court declared him a 'proclaimed absconder'. Dar is accused of amassing assets of an approximate value of Rs 831.7 million ? disproportionate to his known sources of income. Dar had assumed the responsibilities of Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation in the Cabinet of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in June 2013. He continued as the Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs in the Cabinet of Abbasi but the new premier separated Statistics and Privatisation from the Finance Ministry. Dar's son is married to a daughter of Sharif. The National Accountability Bureau had registered three cases of corruption and money laundering against Sharif, his family members, and Dar in the Islamabad Accountability Court, weeks after the Supreme Court order ousted Sharif. Dar had advised Abbasi to constitute an advisory committee to look into economic issues in his absence. The likely members of the economic advisory committee suggested by Dar include Shaukat Tarin, who served as finance minister under the PPP government, and Dr Ishrat Husain, who was governor of the State Bank during the regime of Pervez Musharraf regime. Two other names being floated include Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Miftah Ismail, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan. Talking to a private TV channel, Minister for Inter- Provincial Coordination Riaz Pirzada yesterday demanded resignation of Dar. Earlier, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance had also made a similar demand.

Embattled Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar given 3 months leave

Protesters from a hardline religious group blocked the main highway into Islamabad for the sixth day running Monday, virtually locking down the Pakistani capital and causing commuter fury as authorities hesitated to act.

The roughly 2,000 protesters are demanding the resignation of the federal law minister over a hastily-abandoned amendment to the oath election candidates must swear, a change the demonstrators have linked to blasphemy.

The protesters have camped for nearly a week on a flyover connecting Islamabad with the neighbouring garrison city of Rawalpindi, along which thousands of people commute every day to work in the capital.

Young men armed with clubs are searching anyone approaching the protest site and refusing to let vehicles pass, pelting those who come near with stones.&nbsp;

&quot;I have been stuck up on the road for (the) last one and a half hours because of this mess,&quot; said Adnan Iqbal, an employee of a pharmaceutical firm who spoke to AFP from the traffic jam where he was late for work.

The protesters, members of the Tehreek-i-Labaik Yah Rasool Allah Pakistan religious group, acted after the government introduced an amendment which altered some wording in the oath where candidates avow that the Prophet Mohammed was the last prophet.

The change was made inadvertently, said the government, which quickly reversed it through another amendment.

But the rightwing group insisted it softened that part of the oath and so would allow Ahmadis, a long persecuted Islamic minority sect, to take it.

Ahmadis were legally declared non-Muslims in Pakistan decades ago for their belief in a prophet after Mohammed. They are denounced as heretics by hardliners who describe their beliefs as blasphemy.

&quot;The protesters have baseless demands. Authorities should deal (with) them with force and move them away from the road,&quot; said Fayyaz Hussain, another commuter who had been struggling to reach his office for two hours Monday.

Authorities were shying away from employing force despite the palpable anger of commuters and days of traffic delays.

&quot;Use of force is no option at the moment,&quot; senior Islamabad official Shoaib Ali told AFP, adding that the priority was negotiations. 
Protesters, meanwhile, vowed to stay put.

&quot;Either the minister resigns or we are killed or arrested: we will not leave this place,&quot; Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri, one of the group`s leaders, told AFP at the protest site.&nbsp;

Blasphemy is a highly contentious issue in deeply Muslim Pakistan, where it carries the death penalty, and even unproven allegations have prompted mob lynchings and other murders.

The roughly 2,000 protesters are demanding the resignation of the federal law minister

Protesters from a hardline religious group blocked the main highway into Islamabad for the sixth day running Monday, virtually locking down the Pakistani capital and causing commuter fury as authorities hesitated to act. The roughly 2,000 protesters are demanding the resignation of the federal law minister over a hastily-abandoned amendment to the oath election candidates must swear, a change the demonstrators have linked to blasphemy. The protesters have camped for nearly a week on a flyover connecting Islamabad with the neighbouring garrison city of Rawalpindi, along which thousands of people commute every day to work in the capital. Young men armed with clubs are searching anyone approaching the protest site and refusing to let vehicles pass, pelting those who come near with stones. "I have been stuck up on the road for (the) last one and a half hours because of this mess," said Adnan Iqbal, an employee of a pharmaceutical firm who spoke to AFP from the traffic jam where he was late for work. The protesters, members of the Tehreek-i-Labaik Yah Rasool Allah Pakistan religious group, acted after the government introduced an amendment which altered some wording in the oath where candidates avow that the Prophet Mohammed was the last prophet. The change was made inadvertently, said the government, which quickly reversed it through another amendment. But the rightwing group insisted it softened that part of the oath and so would allow Ahmadis, a long persecuted Islamic minority sect, to take it. Ahmadis were legally declared non-Muslims in Pakistan decades ago for their belief in a prophet after Mohammed. They are denounced as heretics by hardliners who describe their beliefs as blasphemy. "The protesters have baseless demands. Authorities should deal (with) them with force and move them away from the road," said Fayyaz Hussain, another commuter who had been struggling to reach his office for two hours Monday. Authorities were shying away from employing force despite the palpable anger of commuters and days of traffic delays. "Use of force is no option at the moment," senior Islamabad official Shoaib Ali told AFP, adding that the priority was negotiations. Protesters, meanwhile, vowed to stay put. "Either the minister resigns or we are killed or arrested: we will not leave this place," Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri, one of the group`s leaders, told AFP at the protest site. Blasphemy is a highly contentious issue in deeply Muslim Pakistan, where it carries the death penalty, and even unproven allegations have prompted mob lynchings and other murders.

Pakistan: Religious group blocks main Islamabad highway for 6th day, locks down capital

&nbsp;An anti-corruption court in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/domestic-and-international-flights-affected-due-to-smog-in-paks-punjab-province-24138">Pakistan</a> on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistans-finance-minister-ishaq-dar-faces-arrest-6438">Finance Minister Ishaq Dar</a>, media reported, after the veteran politician failed to turn up for several court hearings.

The warrant comes at an awkward time for Pakistan, which wants to raise in excess of $1 billion on international debt markets through a Sukuk and a Eurobond in coming months and wants to woo international investors.

Dar, who has been charged with amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income, has for three weeks missed court hearings conducted by the anti-graft agency the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), prompting a judge to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant, the English-language Dawn newspaper and other media reported.

Dar, who is receiving medical treatment in London and now faces arrest upon his return to Pakistan, has pleaded not guilty.

A spokesman for the NAB was not immediately available for comment.

The charges against Dar followed an investigation into the finances of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted in July after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not declaring a small salary from his son&#39;s off-shore company.

The finance minister is one of Sharif&#39;s closest political allies and Dar&#39;s son has married Sharif&#39;s daughter. Both men deny any wrongdoing.

Dar has rejected growing calls to resign amid a worsening economic outlook for Pakistan, which is battling to stave off a balance of payments crisis amid dwindling foreign currency reserve and a widening current account deficit.

An anti-corruption court issued the warrant after Ishaq Dar failed to turn up for a number of hearings

An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, media reported, after the veteran politician failed to turn up for several court hearings. The warrant comes at an awkward time for Pakistan, which wants to raise in excess of $1 billion on international debt markets through a Sukuk and a Eurobond in coming months and wants to woo international investors. Dar, who has been charged with amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income, has for three weeks missed court hearings conducted by the anti-graft agency the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), prompting a judge to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant, the English-language Dawn newspaper and other media reported. Dar, who is receiving medical treatment in London and now faces arrest upon his return to Pakistan, has pleaded not guilty. A spokesman for the NAB was not immediately available for comment. The charges against Dar followed an investigation into the finances of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted in July after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not declaring a small salary from his son's off-shore company. The finance minister is one of Sharif's closest political allies and Dar's son has married Sharif's daughter. Both men deny any wrongdoing. Dar has rejected growing calls to resign amid a worsening economic outlook for Pakistan, which is battling to stave off a balance of payments crisis amid dwindling foreign currency reserve and a widening current account deficit.

Pakistan court issues arrest warrant for finance minister: Media

Pakistan on Friday blocked off roads into Islamabad, the capital, as an Islamist party that backs strict blasphemy laws staged a sit-in on a key highway, demanding the resignation of a minister it blames for changes to an electoral oath.

Dozens of Pakistanis are on death row, convicted of having insulted Islam&rsquo;s prophet, a charge that carries a mandatory death sentence, although no executions have been carried out.

More than 500 supporters of the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan party, or Movement of the Prophet&rsquo;s Followers, chanted slogans as speakers addressed them from atop a cargo truck, pledging their lives to protect Pakistan&rsquo;s blasphemy laws.

The protesters demanded the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whom they hold responsible for the law change, and denounced him as a blasphemer.

&ldquo;Immediately appear before us and beg for forgiveness,&rdquo; said one speaker.

Two high court lawyers who joined the sit-in said they would work to advance Labaik&rsquo;s agenda in the courts. &ldquo;He (Hamid) has insulted the blasphemy laws, the punishment for which is death,&rdquo; said one of the lawyers.

Pakistan&rsquo;s interior ministry did not immediately answer telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment.

The ruling Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) unexpectedly set off a firestorm last month after voting through the alteration of the oath, among seemingly small changes to the nation&rsquo;s electoral law. The changes prompted accusations of blasphemy from religious parties and the government retreated, apologising in parliament for what it called a &ldquo;clerical&rdquo; mistake.

But the apology did not satisfy Tehreek-e-Labaik, triggering the sit-in, as the culmination of a march of nearly 400 km (249 miles) from the eastern city of Lahore.

The party rose to prominence in September, after placing third in a by-election in Lahore, edging out a major opposition party to pick up 6 percent of the vote. Last month, it gained nearly 8 percent in a by-election in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

While Tehrik-e-Labaik is unlikely to break out of single digits in coming votes, its rapid rise could present a challenge for the PML-N.

On a bridge overlooking the highway demonstration site, drivers of trucks halted by blockades erected by city authorities complained about cargo delivery delays.

One commuter unable to take public transport to work told Reuters his business had suffered. &ldquo;I run a tailoring shop and can&rsquo;t go to work today,&rdquo; said Mohammad Altaf. &ldquo;I have lost a day&rsquo;s earnings.&rdquo;

Dozens of Pakistanis are on death row, convicted of having insulted Islam?s prophet, a charge that carries a mandatory death sentence, although no executions have been carried out.B

Pakistan on Friday blocked off roads into Islamabad, the capital, as an Islamist party that backs strict blasphemy laws staged a sit-in on a key highway, demanding the resignation of a minister it blames for changes to an electoral oath. Dozens of Pakistanis are on death row, convicted of having insulted Islam’s prophet, a charge that carries a mandatory death sentence, although no executions have been carried out. More than 500 supporters of the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan party, or Movement of the Prophet’s Followers, chanted slogans as speakers addressed them from atop a cargo truck, pledging their lives to protect Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. The protesters demanded the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid, whom they hold responsible for the law change, and denounced him as a blasphemer. “Immediately appear before us and beg for forgiveness,” said one speaker. Two high court lawyers who joined the sit-in said they would work to advance Labaik’s agenda in the courts. “He (Hamid) has insulted the blasphemy laws, the punishment for which is death,” said one of the lawyers. Pakistan’s interior ministry did not immediately answer telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment. The ruling Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) unexpectedly set off a firestorm last month after voting through the alteration of the oath, among seemingly small changes to the nation’s electoral law. The changes prompted accusations of blasphemy from religious parties and the government retreated, apologising in parliament for what it called a “clerical” mistake. But the apology did not satisfy Tehreek-e-Labaik, triggering the sit-in, as the culmination of a march of nearly 400 km (249 miles) from the eastern city of Lahore. The party rose to prominence in September, after placing third in a by-election in Lahore, edging out a major opposition party to pick up 6 percent of the vote. Last month, it gained nearly 8 percent in a by-election in the northwestern city of Peshawar. While Tehrik-e-Labaik is unlikely to break out of single digits in coming votes, its rapid rise could present a challenge for the PML-N. On a bridge overlooking the highway demonstration site, drivers of trucks halted by blockades erected by city authorities complained about cargo delivery delays. One commuter unable to take public transport to work told Reuters his business had suffered. “I run a tailoring shop and can’t go to work today,” said Mohammad Altaf. “I have lost a day’s earnings.”

Pakistan blocks roads as blasphemy law supporters protest

A speeding bus carrying over 100 passengers fell into a ravine killing at least 24 people and injuring 69 others in Pakistan&#39;s Punjab province, police said today.&nbsp;

The overloaded bus was going from Kohat to Raiwind when the accident took place in Kallar Kahar town last night.

&quot;The passengers were going to Raiwind to attend an annual religious congregation,&quot; said Muhammad Afzal, the Station House Officer of Saddar Police Station.

Confirming that 24 people had been killed, Afzal said that all the passengers belonged to Kohat area, the Dawn News reported.

Thirteen of the injured were rushed to Rawalpindi because of their serious condition while many injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, the report said.

The cause of the accident was not known but apparently overloading was the reason as it was carrying around 100 passengers, the police said.

The bus originally was to go to Raiwind via Islamabad- Lahore Motorway but it opted for another route. &quot;The motorway is closed after&nbsp;10 pm&nbsp;due to smog and overloaded buses are fined on the motorway because of which the driver opted to go through Grand Trunk Road,&quot; Afzal said.

&quot;The driver was unfamiliar with this area and he was driving the bus at high speed. The bus fell into the ravine while it was passing through a slope,&quot; he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives and sought a report of the accident.

He also ordered the authorities to provide immediate medical treatment and relief to all those injured in the accident.

Road accidents are common in Pakistan. Most of them are caused by careless driving, bad roads, and faulty vehicles.

In April 2014, some 15 people were killed in a bus crash in Kallar Kahar, the same area where last night&#39;s accident had occurred.

The overloaded bus was going from Kohat to Raiwind when the accident took place in Kallar Kahar town last night

A speeding bus carrying over 100 passengers fell into a ravine killing at least 24 people and injuring 69 others in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said today. The overloaded bus was going from Kohat to Raiwind when the accident took place in Kallar Kahar town last night. "The passengers were going to Raiwind to attend an annual religious congregation," said Muhammad Afzal, the Station House Officer of Saddar Police Station. Confirming that 24 people had been killed, Afzal said that all the passengers belonged to Kohat area, the Dawn News reported. Thirteen of the injured were rushed to Rawalpindi because of their serious condition while many injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, the report said. The cause of the accident was not known but apparently overloading was the reason as it was carrying around 100 passengers, the police said. The bus originally was to go to Raiwind via Islamabad- Lahore Motorway but it opted for another route. "The motorway is closed after 10 pm due to smog and overloaded buses are fined on the motorway because of which the driver opted to go through Grand Trunk Road," Afzal said. "The driver was unfamiliar with this area and he was driving the bus at high speed. The bus fell into the ravine while it was passing through a slope," he said. Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives and sought a report of the accident. He also ordered the authorities to provide immediate medical treatment and relief to all those injured in the accident. Road accidents are common in Pakistan. Most of them are caused by careless driving, bad roads, and faulty vehicles. In April 2014, some 15 people were killed in a bus crash in Kallar Kahar, the same area where last night's accident had occurred.

24 killed, 69 injured as bus falls into ravine in Pakistan

Government employees working on contract basis in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) staged a protest in Muzaffarabad demanding clearance of their monthly emoluments.

It has been several months that these employees have not received their salaries.

Blaming Islamabad for its discriminatory policies against them, the protestors, who are working in health, education and other government sectors in PoK, have been demanding regular jobs.

&quot;One of our colleagues who had not received the salary for the past 8 months died because of illness. In July 2017, the government assured us to provide regular salaries as it was passed in the assembly. But, we have not received our salaries,&quot; said Syda Sarvar Abbasi, a woman protester.

&quot;In Pakistan&#39;s all four provinces the workers are getting regular salaries, but here, we have not received our pay for the past 8 months,&quot; she added.

Shamim Bibi, another woman protester said, &quot;Whenever we come to protest, they give us 3-4 months&#39; salary. We don&#39;t want salaries. We demand regular jobs. We have been doing all sort of work. In July 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared that our jobs should be made regular and the Government will give our salaries. Now, we will go to Supreme Court of Pakistan, which will decide our fate&quot;.

Another protestor questioned why were they being punished and for what reason.

Blaming the politicians, the protester said, &quot;They (politicians) have increased their salaries manifold whereas our salaries are very less&quot;.

Tall promises have been made by the Pakistani establishment to bring development in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, but, the corrupt administrative system has made it one of the most backward regions under its rule.

Pakistan occupied Kashmir, has a Prime Minister and a President but is ruled from Islamabad.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan is the chairman and chief executive of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council that manages all affairs related to PoK.&nbsp;

Government employees working on contract basis in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) staged a protest in Muzaffarabad demanding clearance of their monthly emoluments.

Government employees working on contract basis in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) staged a protest in Muzaffarabad demanding clearance of their monthly emoluments. It has been several months that these employees have not received their salaries. Blaming Islamabad for its discriminatory policies against them, the protestors, who are working in health, education and other government sectors in PoK, have been demanding regular jobs. "One of our colleagues who had not received the salary for the past 8 months died because of illness. In July 2017, the government assured us to provide regular salaries as it was passed in the assembly. But, we have not received our salaries," said Syda Sarvar Abbasi, a woman protester. "In Pakistan's all four provinces the workers are getting regular salaries, but here, we have not received our pay for the past 8 months," she added. Shamim Bibi, another woman protester said, "Whenever we come to protest, they give us 3-4 months' salary. We don't want salaries. We demand regular jobs. We have been doing all sort of work. In July 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared that our jobs should be made regular and the Government will give our salaries. Now, we will go to Supreme Court of Pakistan, which will decide our fate". Another protestor questioned why were they being punished and for what reason. Blaming the politicians, the protester said, "They (politicians) have increased their salaries manifold whereas our salaries are very less". Tall promises have been made by the Pakistani establishment to bring development in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, but, the corrupt administrative system has made it one of the most backward regions under its rule. Pakistan occupied Kashmir, has a Prime Minister and a President but is ruled from Islamabad. The Prime Minister of Pakistan is the chairman and chief executive of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council that manages all affairs related to PoK.

Anti-Pak protest by PoK government employees in Muzaffarabad

India-Afghanistan relations have come a long way in a short span of time. Arguably, no two other South Asian countries have a comparable strong bonding as these two. Not only is Afghanistan today seeking greater engagement with New Delhi, something which Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani re-emphasised during his recent visit to India but even the US is calling upon India to play a larger role there (as is evident in Washington DC&rsquo;s recently unveiled Afghanistan and India policies).

Given that India&rsquo;s contribution so far has been largely in the areas of developmental work and somewhat limited in defence matters, it is evident that both the Trump administration and Kabul are expecting New Delhi to ramp up Indo-Afghan defence cooperation even if it leaves Pakistan rattled. India is unlikely to put its military boots on the ground there, but short of that, the sky appears to be the limit.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Afghanistan had opposed the entry of Pakistan into the United Nations, and also that Kabul had not officially recognised the Durand Line which divides Afghanistan from Pakistan and serves as the de facto border.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Afghanistan had opposed the entry of Pakistan into the United Nations, and also that Kabul had not officially recognised the Durand Line which divides Afghanistan from Pakistan and serves as the de facto border." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Such is the current euphoria, admittedly justifiable, that few would remember or want to remember that the two nations had not seen eye to eye on many issues critical to New Delhi in the recent past. This, despite the emotional Kabuliwala, connect, the fact that Afghanistan had opposed the entry of Pakistan into the United Nations, and also that Kabul had not (it still has not) officially recognised the Durand Line which divides Afghanistan from Pakistan and serves as the de facto border.

The first real indication came during the 1965 India-Pakistan war. New Delhi had then raised the pitch to counter Pakistan&rsquo;s call for people&rsquo;s right to self-determination in Jammu &amp; Kashmir and even Nagaland. It said that Pakistan must then agree to self-determination in East Pakistan, Balochistan and &#39;Pakhtoonistan&rsquo;. Kabul ought to have been happy with that remark given that it believes that the Pakhtun-dominated regions had wrongly gone to Pakistan as a result of the Durand divide. Yet, Afghanistan did not back India during the war.

In fact, Kabul had registered an official protest against the Indian forces for targeting Peshawar and Kohat. This may be explained away on the pretext that Afghanistan considered the two as being its part. But then it had until then done nothing to forcefully present its case before the international community.

More importantly, Afghanistan had not criticised Pakistan&rsquo;s aggression which were codenamed Operation Gibraltar and Operation Grand Slam and whose aim was to secede Kashmir from India. Some media reports of the day had quoted Afghan king Zahir Shah (in Foreign Affairs Records) as placating Pakistan&rsquo;s Zulfikar Ali Bhutto: &ldquo;I as a king, give you assurance, I as a Muslim give you assurance, I as an Afghan give you assurance, that we are with you and we will never betray you.&rdquo; Kabul later denied the statement, but the damage had been done.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Pakistan&rsquo;s penchant to damage India&rsquo;s relations with Afghanistan and play mischief to achieve that end, something that it continues to indulge in even today.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pakistan?s penchant to damage India?s relations with Afghanistan and play mischief to achieve that end, something that it continues to indulge in even today." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

In an interview, senior Indian diplomat Chinmaya Gharekhan had said that Afghanistan &ldquo;never sided with India in India&rsquo;s disputes with Pakistan&hellip; on issues like Kashmir, we have not had any support from Afghanistan&rdquo;.

It must be said here that given Pakistan&rsquo;s penchant to damage India&rsquo;s relations with Afghanistan and play mischief to achieve that end - something that it continues to indulge in even today -&nbsp;it may have &lsquo;manufactured&rsquo; the statement purportedly given by the king. Yet, it&rsquo;s a fact that Kabul was less than favourable to New Delhi on the latter&rsquo;s position on Kashmir.

It is possible that the Indian dismay would have been addressed had the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri made his scheduled visit to Afghanistan after the Tashkent meet which brought about an end to the 1965 war. Unfortunately, that was not to be as he died soon after the Tashkent Declaration.

In those days, 1965 was the only &lsquo;bright&rsquo; spot in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, because soon after, especially from the early 1970s, the Afghans began to be increasingly alarmed by Pakistan&rsquo;s high-handedness in East Pakistan and even the Baloch region. Although Kabul officially maintained silence over the Pakistani Army&rsquo;s atrocities in what later became Bangladesh, the ruling dispensation recognised the general Afghan anger over the developments.

What was worse from Afghanistan&rsquo;s viewpoint was the heavy-handedness which Pakistan displayed against the Baloch population. Kabul and New Delhi, although not the greatest of friends then, nevertheless began coming closer through, the increased Soviet influence in Afghanistan. Ironically, it was that very influence, to counter which the US entered the scene and made Pakistan a key counter-balance to the Soviet-backed regimes, which led to complications in the bilateral. Towards the end of 1980s and the early 1990s with the Soviets out and the Taliban gaining ground, India-Afghanistan ties hit a new low, only to recover years later.

Afghanistan soon realised to its dismay that the ouster of the Taliban regime had brought more problems than it had solved, in the form of militancy. The Mujahideen were out of work and had turned against their patrons - the US - but continued to be backed by Islamabad. The militant&#39;s groups, now carrying various names, began to target not just Afghanistan but also India and others in South Asia. India-Afghanistan ties should have taken off after this realisation had dawned on Kabul, but did not.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Hamid Karzai consistently attacked Pakistan for patronising terror elements that hit his country and India too.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Hamid Karzai consistently attacked Pakistan for patronising terror elements that hit his country and India too." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

This was primarily because of two reasons. The first is that the US continued to generously support Pakistan, and Afghanistan had to humour Pakistan because it heavily depended on the US for all kinds of aid. The second is that the new regime in Kabul fell for Pakistan&rsquo;s assurance of being a true friend. In 2011, then President Hamid Karzai had called Pakistan a &ldquo;twin brother&rdquo; and claimed that it had suffered from terrorism &ldquo;more than us&rdquo; and that India suffered from terrorist attacks &ldquo;only occasionally&rdquo;.

The fact that Karzai called India a &ldquo;great friend&rdquo; did nothing to please New Delhi after his pro-Pakistan remarks. It didn&rsquo;t take him a lifetime to revise his opinion. By 2014, when he was no longer President, he was consistently attacking Pakistan for patronising terror elements that hit his country and India too. This was then the beginning of Kabul getting real close to India. To be fair to Karzai, towards the last months in office, he had begun to speak out openly against Pakistan-sponsored terror in the region.

Like his predecessor, President Ghani began his tenure with overtures to Islamabad, worrying New Delhi which had begun to see light at the end of the India-Afghanistan bilateral tunnel. He went to Pakistan, received a 21-gun salute at the airport, and visited the Pakistani military headquarters - a gesture that was seen as bending-over-backwards to the powerful army there and thus roundly criticised. But he too was soon to be disabused of his optimism. In subsequent months, he realised Pakistan&rsquo;s games, and turned into Islamabad&rsquo;s trenchant critic and forged what is now termed as a historic relationship with India.

Given this short history, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the robust India-Afghanistan bilateral has much to thank Pakistan for its duplicity in combating terrorism in the South Asian region. But the relationship cannot rest on the negativity over Islamabad; it needs fresh positive doses to prevent any more disruptions.

The India-Afghanistan relationship cannot rest on the negativity over Islamabad; it needs fresh positive doses to prevent any more disruptions

India-Afghanistan relations have come a long way in a short span of time. Arguably, no two other South Asian countries have a comparable strong bonding as these two. Not only is Afghanistan today seeking greater engagement with New Delhi, something which Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani re-emphasised during his recent visit to India but even the US is calling upon India to play a larger role there (as is evident in Washington DC’s recently unveiled Afghanistan and India policies). Given that India’s contribution so far has been largely in the areas of developmental work and somewhat limited in defence matters, it is evident that both the Trump administration and Kabul are expecting New Delhi to ramp up Indo-Afghan defence cooperation even if it leaves Pakistan rattled. India is unlikely to put its military boots on the ground there, but short of that, the sky appears to be the limit. Afghanistan had opposed the entry of Pakistan into the United Nations, and also that Kabul had not officially recognised the Durand Line which divides Afghanistan from Pakistan and serves as the de facto border. × Such is the current euphoria, admittedly justifiable, that few would remember or want to remember that the two nations had not seen eye to eye on many issues critical to New Delhi in the recent past. This, despite the emotional Kabuliwala, connect, the fact that Afghanistan had opposed the entry of Pakistan into the United Nations, and also that Kabul had not (it still has not) officially recognised the Durand Line which divides Afghanistan from Pakistan and serves as the de facto border. The first real indication came during the 1965 India-Pakistan war. New Delhi had then raised the pitch to counter Pakistan’s call for people’s right to self-determination in Jammu & Kashmir and even Nagaland. It said that Pakistan must then agree to self-determination in East Pakistan, Balochistan and 'Pakhtoonistan’. Kabul ought to have been happy with that remark given that it believes that the Pakhtun-dominated regions had wrongly gone to Pakistan as a result of the Durand divide. Yet, Afghanistan did not back India during the war. In fact, Kabul had registered an official protest against the Indian forces for targeting Peshawar and Kohat. This may be explained away on the pretext that Afghanistan considered the two as being its part. But then it had until then done nothing to forcefully present its case before the international community. More importantly, Afghanistan had not criticised Pakistan’s aggression which were codenamed Operation Gibraltar and Operation Grand Slam and whose aim was to secede Kashmir from India. Some media reports of the day had quoted Afghan king Zahir Shah (in Foreign Affairs Records) as placating Pakistan’s Zulfikar Ali Bhutto: “I as a king, give you assurance, I as a Muslim give you assurance, I as an Afghan give you assurance, that we are with you and we will never betray you.” Kabul later denied the statement, but the damage had been done. Pakistan’s penchant to damage India’s relations with Afghanistan and play mischief to achieve that end, something that it continues to indulge in even today. × In an interview, senior Indian diplomat Chinmaya Gharekhan had said that Afghanistan “never sided with India in India’s disputes with Pakistan… on issues like Kashmir, we have not had any support from Afghanistan”. It must be said here that given Pakistan’s penchant to damage India’s relations with Afghanistan and play mischief to achieve that end - something that it continues to indulge in even today - it may have ‘manufactured’ the statement purportedly given by the king. Yet, it’s a fact that Kabul was less than favourable to New Delhi on the latter’s position on Kashmir. It is possible that the Indian dismay would have been addressed had the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri made his scheduled visit to Afghanistan after the Tashkent meet which brought about an end to the 1965 war. Unfortunately, that was not to be as he died soon after the Tashkent Declaration. In those days, 1965 was the only ‘bright’ spot in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, because soon after, especially from the early 1970s, the Afghans began to be increasingly alarmed by Pakistan’s high-handedness in East Pakistan and even the Baloch region. Although Kabul officially maintained silence over the Pakistani Army’s atrocities in what later became Bangladesh, the ruling dispensation recognised the general Afghan anger over the developments. What was worse from Afghanistan’s viewpoint was the heavy-handedness which Pakistan displayed against the Baloch population. Kabul and New Delhi, although not the greatest of friends then, nevertheless began coming closer through, the increased Soviet influence in Afghanistan. Ironically, it was that very influence, to counter which the US entered the scene and made Pakistan a key counter-balance to the Soviet-backed regimes, which led to complications in the bilateral. Towards the end of 1980s and the early 1990s with the Soviets out and the Taliban gaining ground, India-Afghanistan ties hit a new low, only to recover years later. Afghanistan soon realised to its dismay that the ouster of the Taliban regime had brought more problems than it had solved, in the form of militancy. The Mujahideen were out of work and had turned against their patrons - the US - but continued to be backed by Islamabad. The militant's groups, now carrying various names, began to target not just Afghanistan but also India and others in South Asia. India-Afghanistan ties should have taken off after this realisation had dawned on Kabul, but did not. Hamid Karzai consistently attacked Pakistan for patronising terror elements that hit his country and India too. × This was primarily because of two reasons. The first is that the US continued to generously support Pakistan, and Afghanistan had to humour Pakistan because it heavily depended on the US for all kinds of aid. The second is that the new regime in Kabul fell for Pakistan’s assurance of being a true friend. In 2011, then President Hamid Karzai had called Pakistan a “twin brother” and claimed that it had suffered from terrorism “more than us” and that India suffered from terrorist attacks “only occasionally”. The fact that Karzai called India a “great friend” did nothing to please New Delhi after his pro-Pakistan remarks. It didn’t take him a lifetime to revise his opinion. By 2014, when he was no longer President, he was consistently attacking Pakistan for patronising terror elements that hit his country and India too. This was then the beginning of Kabul getting real close to India. To be fair to Karzai, towards the last months in office, he had begun to speak out openly against Pakistan-sponsored terror in the region. Like his predecessor, President Ghani began his tenure with overtures to Islamabad, worrying New Delhi which had begun to see light at the end of the India-Afghanistan bilateral tunnel. He went to Pakistan, received a 21-gun salute at the airport, and visited the Pakistani military headquarters - a gesture that was seen as bending-over-backwards to the powerful army there and thus roundly criticised. But he too was soon to be disabused of his optimism. In subsequent months, he realised Pakistan’s games, and turned into Islamabad’s trenchant critic and forged what is now termed as a historic relationship with India. Given this short history, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the robust India-Afghanistan bilateral has much to thank Pakistan for its duplicity in combating terrorism in the South Asian region. But the relationship cannot rest on the negativity over Islamabad; it needs fresh positive doses to prevent any more disruptions.

India-Afghanistan relationship seeks to prosper through all ups and downs

Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Islamabad on Thursday morning, ahead of a crucial hearing in a graft case.

Sharif will appear before an accountability court on November 3 in connection with the corruption references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The NAB had earlier&nbsp;approached the Airport Security Force (ASF) seeking access to former premier&#39;s flight to execute his bailable arrest warrants.

The accountability court had recently started the trial of Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (retd) Safdar in corruption references filed by NAB.

On Tuesday, the&nbsp;court ordered Pakistan&#39;s financial regulatory agency to freeze the company shares of Sharif and his two sons in the Panama Papers case.

Sharif, who was charge-sheeted by the court last week in all three NAB references, did not turn up at the court since he is in Saudi Arabia; however, his lawyer Khawaja Haris attended the hearing.

Sharif will appear before an accountability court on November 3 in connection with the corruption references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Islamabad on Thursday morning, ahead of a crucial hearing in a graft case. Sharif will appear before an accountability court on November 3 in connection with the corruption references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The NAB had earlier approached the Airport Security Force (ASF) seeking access to former premier's flight to execute his bailable arrest warrants. The accountability court had recently started the trial of Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain (retd) Safdar in corruption references filed by NAB. On Tuesday, the court ordered Pakistan's financial regulatory agency to freeze the company shares of Sharif and his two sons in the Panama Papers case. Sharif, who was charge-sheeted by the court last week in all three NAB references, did not turn up at the court since he is in Saudi Arabia; however, his lawyer Khawaja Haris attended the hearing.

Nawaz Sharif arrives in Islamabad, crucial hearing in corruption case tomorrow

Nawaz Sharif arrives in Islamabad for crucial hearing in corruption case

US President Donald Trump has&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41008116" rel="noopener" target="_blank">drawn battle lines</a>&nbsp;in South Asia that are likely to have a ripple effect across Eurasia: a stepped-up war against the Taliban in Afghanistan; a tougher approach toward Pakistan&rsquo;s selective support of militancy; and closer cooperation with India &mdash; moves that are likely to push Islamabad closer to China and Russia.

There is little doubt that Trump had few good choices some 16 years into an Afghanistan War in which the Taliban and other militant groups are holding their ground, if not making advances, buffeted by Pakistani policies that are rooted in the fabric of the country&rsquo;s military and society. Similarly, there is little doubt that Pakistan&rsquo;s convoluted relationship to militancy poses serious challenges to US foreign policy in South Asia, as well as a global effort to contain political violence.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Pakistan&rsquo;s convoluted relationship to militancy poses serious challenges to US foreign policy in South Asia, as well as a global effort to contain political violence.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pakistan?s convoluted relationship to militancy poses serious challenges to US foreign policy in South Asia, as well as a global effort to contain political violence." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Nonetheless, President Trump could find that his newly announced South Asia policy will fail to achieve his goal of an &ldquo;honorable and enduring outcome worthy of the tremendous sacrifices&rdquo; made by the United States. The silver lining is that Pakistan may temporarily engineer a stay of execution but ultimately will find itself in a cul-de-sac from which there is no escape.

Despite refusing to disclose details of his strategy in Afghanistan, the US president made clear in a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/08/21/545038935/watch-live-trump-s-address-on-afghanistan-next-steps-for-u-s-engagement" rel="noopener" target="_blank">speech on August 21 outlining his South Asia policy</a>&nbsp;that he hopes an increased US military presence will force the Taliban to come to the negotiating table. Yet achieving that would require the kind of military and political engagement in Afghanistan that Trump seems unwilling to embrace.

US media reported that Trump envisioned only a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-expected-to-announce-small-troop-increase-in-afghanistan-in-prime-time-address/2017/08/21/eb3a513e-868a-11e7-a94f-3139abce39f5_story.html?utm_term=.5b49c9a86f55" rel="noopener" target="_blank">modest increase of several thousand troops</a>&nbsp;in a country wracked&nbsp;by corruption and whose military is largely incapable of standing its ground on its own.&nbsp;Political and security analysts&nbsp;<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/troop-surge-wont-save-afghanistan_us_59492e26e4b0f7875b83e5f8" rel="noopener" target="_blank">suggest&nbsp;</a>that it would take a far greater commitment to militarily turn the tables on the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Moreover, President Trump&rsquo;s exclusive focus on defeating insurgents militarily or bombing them into submission ignores the broader economic, social and political problems that fuel militancy in Afghanistan and drive Pakistan&rsquo;s support for the Taliban and a selection of other groups. &ldquo;We are not nation building again. We are killing terrorists,&rdquo; Trump said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Announcing a tougher approach toward Pakistan, the president insisted that the South Asian nation&rsquo;s partnership with the US would not survive if it continued to harbor and support groups that target the United States.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Announcing a tougher approach toward Pakistan, the president insisted that the South Asian nation?s partnership with the US would not survive if it continued to harbor and support groups that target the United States." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Announcing a tougher approach toward Pakistan, the president insisted that the South Asian nation&rsquo;s partnership with the US would not survive if it continued to harbor and support groups that target the United States. Adding fuel to the fire, the president emphasised Washington&rsquo;s strategic partnership with India, calling on it to support the administration&rsquo;s policy with increased Indian economic assistance to Afghanistan. In doing so, Trump challenged a pillar of Pakistani policy toward Afghanistan: limiting Indian influence in the country at whatever cost.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="417" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.gettyimages.com/embed/472846416?et=pY4s7E5vRhBt7ZbGNg6ApA&amp;tld=com&amp;sig=xRhiWN37SB1iTMNo7vrZi22uHSIrEOURxL_UXpCkJWU=" width="594"></iframe>

<a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/472846416" target="_blank">Embed from Getty Images</a>

CHINESE AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN SOUTH ASIA

Trump&rsquo;s approach to South Asia puts to the test two assumptions: that Pakistan will want to preserve its partnership with the US at whatever cost and that it has few alternatives. The president could well find that at least in the short term those assumptions are incorrect.

Pakistan&rsquo;s relationship to militancy is engrained in a deeply-rooted, zero-sum-game approach toward India within the military, as well as empathy for Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism that is woven into the fabric of the security forces, parts of the government bureaucracy and significant segments of society.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Pakistan&rsquo;s relationship to militancy is engrained in a deeply-rooted, zero-sum-game approach toward India within the military, as well as empathy for Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Pakistan?s relationship to militancy is engrained in a deeply-rooted, zero-sum-game approach toward India within the military, as well as empathy for Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Islamabad&rsquo;s use of militant groups to counter India in Afghanistan and Kashmir, as well as an antidote to nationalist insurgents in the restive province of Baluchistan, is tacitly endorsed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/central_south_asia/pakistani-news-china-pakistan-india-south-asian-world-news-97581/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">China&rsquo;s repeated vetoing</a>&nbsp;of the designation of Masood Azhar, an anti-Indian militant, former mujahideen fighter in the 1980s, and Islamic scholar who graduated from a Deobandi madrassa &mdash; Darul Uloom Islamia Binori Town in Karachi &mdash; that is the alma mater of numerous Pakistani militants.

With an investment of more than $60 billion in Pakistani infrastructure and energy that would turn the country into a key node &mdash; if not the crown jewel of its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/central_south_asia/one-belt-one-road-china-india-trade-news-61521/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">One Belt, One Road initiative</a>&nbsp;&mdash; China is a logical escape for a government and military that lacks the political will to confront its own demons. Similarly, Russia, long eager to gain access to warm water ports and expand its influence in Central and South Asia, is certain to see opportunity in further estrangement between Pakistan and the US.

Closer ties to China and Russia may offer Pakistan a temporary escape from dealing with structural problems. Ultimately, however, Islamabad&rsquo;s relationship to militancy is likely to also complicate its relations with Beijing and Moscow amid escalating violence in Baluchistan and no end in sight to the insurgency in Afghanistan. A series of devastating attacks in Baluchistan over the past year that has targeted Pakistani cadets, decimated the legal profession in the capital Quetta, and targeted Chinese nationals as well kidnappings and drive-by shootings&nbsp;pose a serious obstacle to China&rsquo;s strategic ambition&nbsp;to extend its maritime power across the Indian Ocean and turn the sleepy Baloch fishing port of Gwadar into a gateway to its troubled northwestern province of Xinjiang.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>China has too much at stake for Pakistan&rsquo;s selective support of militancy to ultimately get in the way of achieving its geopolitical goals vested in its One Belt, One Road initiative.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=China has too much at stake for Pakistan?s selective support of militancy to ultimately get in the way of achieving its geopolitical goals vested in its One Belt, One Road initiative." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Pakistan has, moreover, in the past year&nbsp;turned a&nbsp;<a href="https://mideastsoccer.blogspot.sg/search/label/Pakistan?updated-max=2017-06-05T14:37:00%2B08:00&amp;max-results=20&amp;start=10&amp;by-date=false" rel="noopener" target="_blank">blind eye to Saudi funding</a>&nbsp;of anti-Shia, anti-Iranian militants&nbsp;in Baluchistan, including Pakistani cleric Maulana Ali Muhammad Abu Turab, who remains a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology &mdash; a government advisory body tasked with ensuring that legislation does not contradict Islamic law &mdash; despite having been designated a global terrorist by the US Treasury.

China has too much at stake for Pakistan&rsquo;s selective support of militancy to ultimately get in the way of achieving its geopolitical goals vested in its One Belt, One Road initiative. As a result, Pakistan&rsquo;s refusal to confront its demons could, in the final analysis, leave it out in the cold: its relationship with the US severely damaged; India strengthened by closer cooperation with Trump administration; and China and Russia demanding that it do what Washington wanted in the first place.

Pakistan is likely to have fewer options and no escape routes once Beijing and Moscow come to the conclusion President Trump has already articulated.

&nbsp;

The views expressed in this article are the author&rsquo;s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer&rsquo;s editorial policy.

Photo Credit:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/secdef/">Jim Mattis</a>

This <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/donald-trump-afghanistan-policy-speech-pakistan-india-policy-news-headlines-97120/">article</a> was originally published on&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=http://www.fairobserver.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1503723352966000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHmFLLQ4MoeLQPQr96cx59taj9n4w" disabled="disabled" href="http://www.fairobserver.com/" target="_blank">Fair Observer</a>.&rdquo;

Trump challenged a pillar of Pakistani policy toward Afghanistan: limiting Indian influence in the country at whatever cost.

US President Donald Trump has drawn battle lines in South Asia that are likely to have a ripple effect across Eurasia: a stepped-up war against the Taliban in Afghanistan; a tougher approach toward Pakistan’s selective support of militancy; and closer cooperation with India — moves that are likely to push Islamabad closer to China and Russia. There is little doubt that Trump had few good choices some 16 years into an Afghanistan War in which the Taliban and other militant groups are holding their ground, if not making advances, buffeted by Pakistani policies that are rooted in the fabric of the country’s military and society. Similarly, there is little doubt that Pakistan’s convoluted relationship to militancy poses serious challenges to US foreign policy in South Asia, as well as a global effort to contain political violence. Pakistan’s convoluted relationship to militancy poses serious challenges to US foreign policy in South Asia, as well as a global effort to contain political violence. × Nonetheless, President Trump could find that his newly announced South Asia policy will fail to achieve his goal of an “honorable and enduring outcome worthy of the tremendous sacrifices” made by the United States. The silver lining is that Pakistan may temporarily engineer a stay of execution but ultimately will find itself in a cul-de-sac from which there is no escape. Despite refusing to disclose details of his strategy in Afghanistan, the US president made clear in a speech on August 21 outlining his South Asia policy that he hopes an increased US military presence will force the Taliban to come to the negotiating table. Yet achieving that would require the kind of military and political engagement in Afghanistan that Trump seems unwilling to embrace. US media reported that Trump envisioned only a modest increase of several thousand troops in a country wracked by corruption and whose military is largely incapable of standing its ground on its own. Political and security analysts suggest that it would take a far greater commitment to militarily turn the tables on the Taliban in Afghanistan. Moreover, President Trump’s exclusive focus on defeating insurgents militarily or bombing them into submission ignores the broader economic, social and political problems that fuel militancy in Afghanistan and drive Pakistan’s support for the Taliban and a selection of other groups. “We are not nation building again. We are killing terrorists,” Trump said. Announcing a tougher approach toward Pakistan, the president insisted that the South Asian nation’s partnership with the US would not survive if it continued to harbor and support groups that target the United States. × Announcing a tougher approach toward Pakistan, the president insisted that the South Asian nation’s partnership with the US would not survive if it continued to harbor and support groups that target the United States. Adding fuel to the fire, the president emphasised Washington’s strategic partnership with India, calling on it to support the administration’s policy with increased Indian economic assistance to Afghanistan. In doing so, Trump challenged a pillar of Pakistani policy toward Afghanistan: limiting Indian influence in the country at whatever cost. Embed from Getty Images CHINESE AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN SOUTH ASIA Trump’s approach to South Asia puts to the test two assumptions: that Pakistan will want to preserve its partnership with the US at whatever cost and that it has few alternatives. The president could well find that at least in the short term those assumptions are incorrect. Pakistan’s relationship to militancy is engrained in a deeply-rooted, zero-sum-game approach toward India within the military, as well as empathy for Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism that is woven into the fabric of the security forces, parts of the government bureaucracy and significant segments of society. Pakistan’s relationship to militancy is engrained in a deeply-rooted, zero-sum-game approach toward India within the military, as well as empathy for Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism. × Islamabad’s use of militant groups to counter India in Afghanistan and Kashmir, as well as an antidote to nationalist insurgents in the restive province of Baluchistan, is tacitly endorsed by China’s repeated vetoing of the designation of Masood Azhar, an anti-Indian militant, former mujahideen fighter in the 1980s, and Islamic scholar who graduated from a Deobandi madrassa — Darul Uloom Islamia Binori Town in Karachi — that is the alma mater of numerous Pakistani militants. With an investment of more than $60 billion in Pakistani infrastructure and energy that would turn the country into a key node — if not the crown jewel of its One Belt, One Road initiative — China is a logical escape for a government and military that lacks the political will to confront its own demons. Similarly, Russia, long eager to gain access to warm water ports and expand its influence in Central and South Asia, is certain to see opportunity in further estrangement between Pakistan and the US. Closer ties to China and Russia may offer Pakistan a temporary escape from dealing with structural problems. Ultimately, however, Islamabad’s relationship to militancy is likely to also complicate its relations with Beijing and Moscow amid escalating violence in Baluchistan and no end in sight to the insurgency in Afghanistan. A series of devastating attacks in Baluchistan over the past year that has targeted Pakistani cadets, decimated the legal profession in the capital Quetta, and targeted Chinese nationals as well kidnappings and drive-by shootings pose a serious obstacle to China’s strategic ambition to extend its maritime power across the Indian Ocean and turn the sleepy Baloch fishing port of Gwadar into a gateway to its troubled northwestern province of Xinjiang. China has too much at stake for Pakistan’s selective support of militancy to ultimately get in the way of achieving its geopolitical goals vested in its One Belt, One Road initiative. × Pakistan has, moreover, in the past year turned a blind eye to Saudi funding of anti-Shia, anti-Iranian militants in Baluchistan, including Pakistani cleric Maulana Ali Muhammad Abu Turab, who remains a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology — a government advisory body tasked with ensuring that legislation does not contradict Islamic law — despite having been designated a global terrorist by the US Treasury. China has too much at stake for Pakistan’s selective support of militancy to ultimately get in the way of achieving its geopolitical goals vested in its One Belt, One Road initiative. As a result, Pakistan’s refusal to confront its demons could, in the final analysis, leave it out in the cold: its relationship with the US severely damaged; India strengthened by closer cooperation with Trump administration; and China and Russia demanding that it do what Washington wanted in the first place. Pakistan is likely to have fewer options and no escape routes once Beijing and Moscow come to the conclusion President Trump has already articulated. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy. Photo Credit: Jim Mattis This article was originally published on Fair Observer.”

Will Trump's closeness with India push Pakistan towards China and Russia?

&nbsp;United States President Donald Trump wants to cut off all military aid to Pakistan as he thinks that the Washington is being ripped off by Islamabad.

As per Foreign Policy report, US&nbsp;is considering to increase troop levels up to 15, 000 in Afghanistan as part of the new strategy, which also would change the US&nbsp;relationship with Pakistan significantly.

The report quoted a White House official as saying that &quot;the President thinks we&#39;re being ripped off by Pakistan. The president wants to cut off all military aid to Pakistan. That&#39;s part of the strategy&quot;.

The report further said the Pentagon has already frozen support to Islamabad under the coalition support fund, which provides payments to Pakistan for supporting counterterrorism operations.

This move is being considered due to Pakistan&#39;s constant support to insurgent group Taliban. However, US&nbsp;wants to ensure the survival of the Afghan government by ending the war in the country by negotiating with the Taliban.

This move is triggered by Pakistan&#39;s insufficient actions against the Haqqani network, an insurgent group based in Afghanistan, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said.

Currently, around 8400 US.soldiers are deployed in Afghanistan.

Terming Afghanistan issue as &#39;a mess&#39; that he took over from the previous administration; Trump had said that his administration is getting close to a decision on an updated strategy for the war in Afghanistan.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis had also hinted that President Trump is &quot;very close&quot; to making a decision on the strategy.

&quot;We&#39;re sharpening each one of the options so you can see the pluses and minuses of each one so that there&#39;s no longer any new data you&#39;re going to get. Now [he can] just make the decision,&quot; Mattis said.

Earlier, reports had emerged that the US&nbsp;administration may consider outsourcing the war management in Afghanistan to a private firm. (ANI)

This move is reported;y being considered due to Pakistan's constant support to insurgent group Taliban

United States President Donald Trump wants to cut off all military aid to Pakistan as he thinks that the Washington is being ripped off by Islamabad. As per Foreign Policy report, US is considering to increase troop levels up to 15, 000 in Afghanistan as part of the new strategy, which also would change the US relationship with Pakistan significantly. The report quoted a White House official as saying that "the President thinks we're being ripped off by Pakistan. The president wants to cut off all military aid to Pakistan. That's part of the strategy". The report further said the Pentagon has already frozen support to Islamabad under the coalition support fund, which provides payments to Pakistan for supporting counterterrorism operations. This move is being considered due to Pakistan's constant support to insurgent group Taliban. However, US wants to ensure the survival of the Afghan government by ending the war in the country by negotiating with the Taliban. This move is triggered by Pakistan's insufficient actions against the Haqqani network, an insurgent group based in Afghanistan, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said. Currently, around 8400 US.soldiers are deployed in Afghanistan. Terming Afghanistan issue as 'a mess' that he took over from the previous administration; Trump had said that his administration is getting close to a decision on an updated strategy for the war in Afghanistan. US Defense Secretary James Mattis had also hinted that President Trump is "very close" to making a decision on the strategy. "We're sharpening each one of the options so you can see the pluses and minuses of each one so that there's no longer any new data you're going to get. Now [he can] just make the decision," Mattis said. Earlier, reports had emerged that the US administration may consider outsourcing the war management in Afghanistan to a private firm. (ANI)

Trump wants to 'cut all military aid to Pakistan', thinks Washington is being 'ripped off' by Islamabad: Report

Pakistan&#39;s apex court today stayed the execution of the schizophrenic man convicted in 2002 for murdering a cleric, Pakistan daily, the Dawn, reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The hearing of the case will resume in the second week of November after the hanging was postponed on the basis of convict Imad Ali&#39;s mental illness.

&nbsp;

After Ali&#39;s wife submitted a review petition, the Supreme Court issued notices to Advocate General Punjab, Prosecutor General Punjab and Attorney General, seeking their comments on the issue, the daily reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

According to the daily, however, the SC had already rejected a plea as his lawyers said Ali is unfit to be executed since he is unable to understand his crime and punishment.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The hearing of the case will resume in the second week of November

Pakistan's apex court today stayed the execution of the schizophrenic man convicted in 2002 for murdering a cleric, Pakistan daily, the Dawn, reported. The hearing of the case will resume in the second week of November after the hanging was postponed on the basis of convict Imad Ali's mental illness. After Ali's wife submitted a review petition, the Supreme Court issued notices to Advocate General Punjab, Prosecutor General Punjab and Attorney General, seeking their comments on the issue, the daily reported. According to the daily, however, the SC had already rejected a plea as his lawyers said Ali is unfit to be executed since he is unable to understand his crime and punishment. (WION)

Pakistan's top court stays hanging of mentally ill convict?

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan yesterday accused Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of pursuing his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi&rsquo;s interests in the country after the government cracked the&nbsp;whip on his supporters, news agency Press Trust of India reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

At least 100 supporters of Khan&#39;s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were arrested on Sunday.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;About 450 people entered Islamabad today,&quot; Pakistan&#39;s interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was quoted as saying by Iran&#39;s television network, Press TV Iran.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;Police intercepted them but most of them ran away, many leaving their cars behind. Police arrested more than 100 of them,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

According to media reports, police resorted to&nbsp;force and used tear-gas and baton to stop the PTI activists from reaching Bani Gala residence of Khan in Pak&#39;s capital, Islamabad. However, no PTI worker suffered serious injuries.

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the PTI chief lashed out at the government saying: &ldquo;When Nawaz Sharif went to London for whatever kind of surgery, he on the hospital bed first telephoned Modi instead of his mother or children.&rdquo;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Addressing a press conference outside his Bani Gala residence here, he was referring to Sharif&rsquo;s open heart surgery at a London hospital in May, news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A day after Pakistan information minister Pervaiz Rashid was sacked over the recent &ldquo;leaked&rdquo; media report about a rift between the civilian and military leaderships on support to militancy, Khan took a jibe at the Nawaz Sharif government.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;Nawaz is following Modi&rsquo;s &lsquo;interests&rsquo; in Pakistan. Nawaz is behind the security leaks story which defamed the armed forces. Actually, his and Modi&rsquo;s agenda is same,&rdquo; Khan was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He claimed that &quot;everybody knows&quot; that the sacked minister cannot leak sensitive information to the media on his own.

&nbsp;

&ldquo;Rashid is a darbari (courtier) and he did what Nawaz told him to do so.&quot; &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;The whole state machinery is being used to save a corrupt Prime Minister. I will not accept a &lsquo;suspect&rsquo; as Prime Minister of Pakistan. As long as I am alive I will not go after Nawaz Sharif&rsquo;s corruption,&rdquo; the 64-year-old political leader told the press.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Khan went on to say that there was no difference between Pervez Musharraf&rsquo;s dictatorship and Sharif&rsquo;s democracy. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Islamabad police said they recovered five Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol, six magazines, a bulletproof vest, alcohol and three tear gas shells from PTI leader Amin Gandapur&rsquo;s car outside Bani Gala.

&nbsp;

&#39;Mass protests no danger to democracy&#39; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

A lockdown has been announced by&nbsp;Khan&#39;s PTI&nbsp;in a bid to create pressure on Sharif to resign over Panama Papers&#39; revelations about his family&#39;s offshore wealth.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

While talking to international news agency Reuters, Khan&nbsp;dismissed accusations that the November 2 shutdown in Islamabad can lead to a military coup.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;How can a democrat want the military to come in?,&quot; Khan&nbsp;was quoted as saying by Reuters as he dismissed allegations that he wanted the&nbsp;army to topple Sharif.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;He has to answer. He can&#39;t hide behind `democracy in danger`.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Khan&nbsp;has pledged to bring a million people out on roads to &quot;protest against corruption&quot;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

However, the Pakistan government has accused Khan of endangering democracy by attempting to draw Pakistan`s powerful military into a political dispute, Reuters reported.

&nbsp;

In a bid to foil the protests, the government has already blocked provincial roads to the capital and arrested around 1,000 Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf workers so far.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters, PTI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The opposition leader also accused Pakistan Prime Minister of leaking sensitive information which defamed the armed forces

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan yesterday accused Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of pursuing his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi’s interests in the country after the government cracked the whip on his supporters, news agency Press Trust of India reported. At least 100 supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were arrested on Sunday. "About 450 people entered Islamabad today," Pakistan's interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was quoted as saying by Iran's television network, Press TV Iran. "Police intercepted them but most of them ran away, many leaving their cars behind. Police arrested more than 100 of them," he added. According to media reports, police resorted to force and used tear-gas and baton to stop the PTI activists from reaching Bani Gala residence of Khan in Pak's capital, Islamabad. However, no PTI worker suffered serious injuries. Meanwhile, the PTI chief lashed out at the government saying: “When Nawaz Sharif went to London for whatever kind of surgery, he on the hospital bed first telephoned Modi instead of his mother or children.” Addressing a press conference outside his Bani Gala residence here, he was referring to Sharif’s open heart surgery at a London hospital in May, news agency PTI reported. A day after Pakistan information minister Pervaiz Rashid was sacked over the recent “leaked” media report about a rift between the civilian and military leaderships on support to militancy, Khan took a jibe at the Nawaz Sharif government. “Nawaz is following Modi’s ‘interests’ in Pakistan. Nawaz is behind the security leaks story which defamed the armed forces. Actually, his and Modi’s agenda is same,” Khan was quoted as saying. He claimed that "everybody knows" that the sacked minister cannot leak sensitive information to the media on his own. “Rashid is a darbari (courtier) and he did what Nawaz told him to do so." “The whole state machinery is being used to save a corrupt Prime Minister. I will not accept a ‘suspect’ as Prime Minister of Pakistan. As long as I am alive I will not go after Nawaz Sharif’s corruption,” the 64-year-old political leader told the press. Khan went on to say that there was no difference between Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorship and Sharif’s democracy. Meanwhile, Islamabad police said they recovered five Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol, six magazines, a bulletproof vest, alcohol and three tear gas shells from PTI leader Amin Gandapur’s car outside Bani Gala. 'Mass protests no danger to democracy' A lockdown has been announced by Khan's PTI in a bid to create pressure on Sharif to resign over Panama Papers' revelations about his family's offshore wealth. While talking to international news agency Reuters, Khan dismissed accusations that the November 2 shutdown in Islamabad can lead to a military coup. "How can a democrat want the military to come in?," Khan was quoted as saying by Reuters as he dismissed allegations that he wanted the army to topple Sharif. "He has to answer. He can't hide behind `democracy in danger`." Khan has pledged to bring a million people out on roads to "protest against corruption". However, the Pakistan government has accused Khan of endangering democracy by attempting to draw Pakistan`s powerful military into a political dispute, Reuters reported. In a bid to foil the protests, the government has already blocked provincial roads to the capital and arrested around 1,000 Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf workers so far. (WION with inputs from Reuters, PTI)

Sharif pursuing Modi's interests in Pakistan: Imran Khan

Pakistan&#39;s legendary former captain and batsman Hanif Muhammad, who held the record for the longest innings in Test cricket, passed away today after a prolonged battle with lung cancer. 
 
A spokesman for the Aga Khan Hospital, where he was being treated, confirmed that Hanif had passed away at the age of 81. 
 
&quot;He was in Intensive Care Unit and on a ventilator for respiratory problems and passed away today,&quot; he said. 
 
Hanif, had earlier in the day, been declared clinically dead for around six minutes before he was revived back to life. 
 
Hanif&#39;s son Shoaib Muhammad had first announced from the hospital on various television channels that his father had passed away after losing a protracted battle with various ailments. But few minutes later it was clarified that Hanif was still alive. 
 
&quot;His heartbeat had stopped for six minutes but the doctors managed to revive his heartbeat back,&quot; Shoaib said. 
 
But after a few hours, Shoaib also confirmed that his father was no more. 
 
&quot;He fought hard with his ailments and he was very sick for the last few years since he was diagnosed with lung cancer four years back,&quot; Shoaib told PTI. 
 
&quot;Our family is distraught but we only ask his fans and supporters to pray for him that God grant him a place in heaven. He was in a lot of pain the last few weeks but didn&#39;t give up such was his fighting nature,&quot; Shoaib, himself a former Test batsman, said. 
 
Hanif was admitted to the hospital on July 30 after respiratory problems and was then put on a ventilator and shifted to intensive care unit. 
 
Hanif was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013 and went to London for surgery and returned home well but his condition deteriorated in time as the cancer spread in his body. 
 
Hanif was a member of Pakistan&#39;s first touring Test squad that went to India in 1954-55 and went on to play 55 Tests scoring a memorable 337 runs against the West Indies in 1957-58. It remains the longest innings in Test history (and stood as the longest in all first-class cricket for over 40 years). 
 
In his 55-Test career, Hanif amassed 3915 runs at an average of 43.98, including 12 hundreds. In a first-class career spanning 238 matches, Hanif scored 17059 runs at an average of 52.32. 
 
(PTI)&nbsp; 
 
 
&nbsp;

He fought hard with his ailments and he was very sick for the last few years since he was diagnosed with lung cancer four years back

Pakistan's legendary former captain and batsman Hanif Muhammad, who held the record for the longest innings in Test cricket, passed away today after a prolonged battle with lung cancer. A spokesman for the Aga Khan Hospital, where he was being treated, confirmed that Hanif had passed away at the age of 81. "He was in Intensive Care Unit and on a ventilator for respiratory problems and passed away today," he said. Hanif, had earlier in the day, been declared clinically dead for around six minutes before he was revived back to life. Hanif's son Shoaib Muhammad had first announced from the hospital on various television channels that his father had passed away after losing a protracted battle with various ailments. But few minutes later it was clarified that Hanif was still alive. "His heartbeat had stopped for six minutes but the doctors managed to revive his heartbeat back," Shoaib said. But after a few hours, Shoaib also confirmed that his father was no more. "He fought hard with his ailments and he was very sick for the last few years since he was diagnosed with lung cancer four years back," Shoaib told PTI. "Our family is distraught but we only ask his fans and supporters to pray for him that God grant him a place in heaven. He was in a lot of pain the last few weeks but didn't give up such was his fighting nature," Shoaib, himself a former Test batsman, said. Hanif was admitted to the hospital on July 30 after respiratory problems and was then put on a ventilator and shifted to intensive care unit. Hanif was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013 and went to London for surgery and returned home well but his condition deteriorated in time as the cancer spread in his body. Hanif was a member of Pakistan's first touring Test squad that went to India in 1954-55 and went on to play 55 Tests scoring a memorable 337 runs against the West Indies in 1957-58. It remains the longest innings in Test history (and stood as the longest in all first-class cricket for over 40 years). In his 55-Test career, Hanif amassed 3915 runs at an average of 43.98, including 12 hundreds. In a first-class career spanning 238 matches, Hanif scored 17059 runs at an average of 52.32. (PTI)

Pakistani cricket legend Hanif Mohammad passes away after long battle with cancer

Turkey, a close ally of Pakistan, today hoped that the Kashmir issue would be resolved through dialogue, while backing Islamabad&#39;s stance to send an Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) team to the Valley to probe the alleged human rights violations. 
 
&quot;Turkey fully supports Pakistan&#39;s position on Jammu and Kashmir,&quot; Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a joint press conference here with Pakistan prime minister&#39;s advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz. 
 
Cavusoglu said Turkey is an active member of the OIC contact group of Kashmir and attends its meeting. Hopefully its next meeting would be held in September, he said. 
 
&quot;I would like to ask the secretary general of the OIC to mobilise the contact group and send an observer mission. We believe this issue (Kashmir) can be solved through dialogue,&quot; he said. 
 
Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue at the UN, and demanded sending a fact finding team to the valley to probe the alleged human rights violations there.&nbsp;Forty-nine people have been killed in Kashmir in clashes since security forces killed Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on July 8. 
 
Cavusoglu, who is in Pakistan on an important visit after a failed military coup, thanked Islamabad for being the first country to denounce the coup attempt.&nbsp;He said Turkey was taking steps against those involved in the coup staged by supporters of US-based influential Turkish cleric Fetullah Gulen. 
 
He said Gulen&#39;s organisations pose a risk or threat to the security and stability of every country. 
 
&quot;This terrorist organisation has a global network of schools, business associations and cultural organisations. In the past, we supported them but we didn&#39;t know they had a hidden agenda, that they were trying to take over power in Turkey through such attempts,&quot; he said. 
 
He said that Pakistan and Turkey supported each other against terrorism.&nbsp;On his part, Aziz pledged Pakistan&#39;s unequivocal support for a democratic, peaceful and stable Turkey under the dynamic leadership of President Tayyip Erdogan. 
 
He noted with satisfaction that both sides have agreed to continue to tackle the menace of terrorism and defeat the scourge. The two sides also exchanged views on situation in Afghanistan and the need for a lasting political solution. 
 
Aziz said the two countries share similar views on the migration crisis and the plight of Syrian refugees. He said Pakistan and Turkey host the largest refugee population in the world. 
 
(PTI)

Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu extended his support in a press conference in Islamabad

Turkey, a close ally of Pakistan, today hoped that the Kashmir issue would be resolved through dialogue, while backing Islamabad's stance to send an Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) team to the Valley to probe the alleged human rights violations. "Turkey fully supports Pakistan's position on Jammu and Kashmir," Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a joint press conference here with Pakistan prime minister's advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz. Cavusoglu said Turkey is an active member of the OIC contact group of Kashmir and attends its meeting. Hopefully its next meeting would be held in September, he said. "I would like to ask the secretary general of the OIC to mobilise the contact group and send an observer mission. We believe this issue (Kashmir) can be solved through dialogue," he said. Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue at the UN, and demanded sending a fact finding team to the valley to probe the alleged human rights violations there. Forty-nine people have been killed in Kashmir in clashes since security forces killed Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on July 8. Cavusoglu, who is in Pakistan on an important visit after a failed military coup, thanked Islamabad for being the first country to denounce the coup attempt. He said Turkey was taking steps against those involved in the coup staged by supporters of US-based influential Turkish cleric Fetullah Gulen. He said Gulen's organisations pose a risk or threat to the security and stability of every country. "This terrorist organisation has a global network of schools, business associations and cultural organisations. In the past, we supported them but we didn't know they had a hidden agenda, that they were trying to take over power in Turkey through such attempts," he said. He said that Pakistan and Turkey supported each other against terrorism. On his part, Aziz pledged Pakistan's unequivocal support for a democratic, peaceful and stable Turkey under the dynamic leadership of President Tayyip Erdogan. He noted with satisfaction that both sides have agreed to continue to tackle the menace of terrorism and defeat the scourge. The two sides also exchanged views on situation in Afghanistan and the need for a lasting political solution. Aziz said the two countries share similar views on the migration crisis and the plight of Syrian refugees. He said Pakistan and Turkey host the largest refugee population in the world. (PTI)

Turkey backs Pakistan's stand on Jammu and Kashmir

India&#39;s home minister will travel to Pakistan next week for a one-day regional meeting, New Delhi said today, as tensions flare between the nuclear-armed rivals over unrest in disputed Kashmir. 
 
Rajnath Singh will attend a meeting of home ministers from countries belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Islamabad, but will not hold a one-on-one with his Pakistani counterpart, the Indian foreign ministry said. It comes days after India lashed out at Pakistan, accusing its neighbour of fanning violent protests in Indian-administered Kashmir that have claimed more than 50 lives this month.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;There is no such proposal (for a bilateral meeting),&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi. &quot;We want a peaceful, cooperative relation with Pakistan. We are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues with Pakistan, but in an atmosphere free of terror and violence,&quot; he said, without specifying which issues would be raised in the August 4 meeting. 
 
The SAARC group includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. In a surprise move last December, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif with a view to restarting a stalled dialogue. But planned peace talks were postponed after seven Indian soldiers died when an air base came under attack in January, which New Delhi blamed on a banned Pakistan-based group. 
 
Indian-administered Kashmir has seen massive protests since the killing on July 8 of popular young rebel leader Burhan Wani in a gunfight with soldiers. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the rivals won independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Rajnath Singh will attend a meeting of home ministers from countries belonging to SAARC in Islamabad

India's home minister will travel to Pakistan next week for a one-day regional meeting, New Delhi said today, as tensions flare between the nuclear-armed rivals over unrest in disputed Kashmir. Rajnath Singh will attend a meeting of home ministers from countries belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Islamabad, but will not hold a one-on-one with his Pakistani counterpart, the Indian foreign ministry said. It comes days after India lashed out at Pakistan, accusing its neighbour of fanning violent protests in Indian-administered Kashmir that have claimed more than 50 lives this month. "There is no such proposal (for a bilateral meeting)," foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi. "We want a peaceful, cooperative relation with Pakistan. We are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues with Pakistan, but in an atmosphere free of terror and violence," he said, without specifying which issues would be raised in the August 4 meeting. The SAARC group includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. In a surprise move last December, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif with a view to restarting a stalled dialogue. But planned peace talks were postponed after seven Indian soldiers died when an air base came under attack in January, which New Delhi blamed on a banned Pakistan-based group. Indian-administered Kashmir has seen massive protests since the killing on July 8 of popular young rebel leader Burhan Wani in a gunfight with soldiers. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the rivals won independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full. (AFP)

Indian home minister to visit Pakistan as tensions flare

It was early afternoon when we made a quiet exit from our hotel in Islamabad from the back door. 
 
We had an interview lined by with head of a Kashmiri terrorist group, Abdullah, whose real name is Ghulam Rasool. He had killed over a 100 people and was held in jail in Kashmir. But then he became unwell and was admitted in hospital from where he escaped. 
 
It was almost lunch time and we saw him finish his prayer. In the meanwhile, our equipment was checked and we were frisked into this small home in a poor neighbourhood. Lunch was served, a full chicken in each plate. I asked him what his ultimate goal was. When will he stop? He said that the day the whole world turned Islamic he would. I knew Ghulam Rasool was going to be doing what he is doing for the rest of his life, killing more people in what he believed was his work for his God. 
 
Impact of terrorism 
 
The sharp rise in terrorism around the globe has put the countries on edge, and it seems the more the governments are doing to tackle the menace the more the terrorists are getting bolder. Terrorism continues to remain unbeatable, at least for now. 
 
Terror claimed more than 32,600 lives in 2014, according to the Global Terrorism Index 2015. The index compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace, a global think tank, also showed a staggering 80 per cent increase in deaths caused by terrorism over the previous year. In the past one year, there have been 1,195 terrorist attacks across the globe, with Bangladesh cafe violence being the most recent one. From Pakistan to Nigeria, seven countries are locked in dangerous conflicts or full&shy;scale wars involving terrorism. 
 
What drives people to terror? 
 
Terrorist organisations may receive massive fundings from vested interests but it is surprising how they are able to deploy human resources at such sustainable levels. A few reasons can be found in the social, economic and political factors. A country has been at war for so long that the people there know nothing but only war as a way of life. 
 
Some terrorists come from poor economic backgrounds or in certain cases the would&shy; be terrorists are subjected to class differences or social discrimination leading them to join extremist organisations. The poor and illiterate, it is said, are easy to radicalise. 
 
However, in the case of the Dhaka cafe attack, there were terrorists from affluent backgrounds with good education who had joined hands with terror organisations such as the ISIS. Closer home, Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Muzaffar Wani, who was killed by security forces in Kashmir on Friday, belonged to a relatively well&shy;-off family. His father is a retired school principal, and Wani himself was a good student who secured 90 per cent in his class X examination in 2010. 
 
Effects of radicalisation 
 
The impact of radicalisation is so deep that it sometimes blurs blood ties. Twin brothers in Saudi Arabia recently killed their mother after she tried to stop them from joining Islamic State in Syria. The twins were arrested trying to flee across the border to Yemen. 
 
Is education a factor? 
 
Many people around the world have been surprised by the trend of educated people getting into terrorism. The question is what drives such educated individuals to extremist organisations? Is their religion playing a role in all this? Education, per se, has nothing to do with it. There is nothing to get surprised by the fact that most of the attackers in Bangladesh massacre were educated men. In the Nazi Germany, the perpetrators of holocaust were decently educated. In India also, there is the Godmen culture, especially among the Hindus. A large chunk of the so &shy;called godmen&rsquo;s followers often comes from the upper middle class and educated families. They have complete faith in the godmen they follow. So much so that the followers of one of the godmen have preserved his body with the belief that one day he would come alive. 
 
A psychologist&rsquo;s perspective 
 
Psychologist Dr Harish Shetty says: &ldquo;Man&rsquo;s search for meaning has been a perennial quest since mankind evolved. Many found meaning in harakiri, martyrdom and other culturally sanctioned &lsquo;suicide homicide&rsquo; complex during the last few centuries. The terminologies change depending from which side one views the act. Freedom fighters or terrorists are the descriptive denominators. 
 
In an era where peace and technology have overwhelmed religious doctrines, certain sections feel threatened and are rebelling against this sweeping change in the garb of religion.&rdquo; Globalisation, Dr Shetty says, is viewed as a religious doctrine or an ideology that undermines the control of powerful religious heads. &ldquo;A small section of people falls prey to this indoctrination and finds a new meaning in life. Freedom fighters kill the oppressor and the so&shy;called terrorists today suffer from the same core belief &mdash; kill the perceived enemy or those who are the extensions. 
 
So hit out at those who are enemies and die for the cause. Martyrdom is not new and death in war is the new intoxication, going down fighting is a new high by the dominant ideologies.&rdquo; &ldquo;Dying for such a cause may be viewed with disgust in the dominant ideologies. Meaning in life is a psychosocial pursuit and an altruistic desire...as Freud described...such killings may suffer from similar intrinsic psychosocial needs,&rdquo; Dr Shetty adds. 
 
Government&rsquo;s role 
 
Maybe the governments should spend more in researching and understanding the factors that attract the common citizens towards terrorism. They should take steps to reduce the number of people being influenced by extremist thoughts. Use of force or fighting a war, for that matter, may be required to ensure a nation&rsquo;s security but it is also important to find ways to stop people from going astray. 
 
Terrorists are just terrorists 
 
Religion may not be the reason but could merely be an effective tool to turn individuals into terrorists. On another trip to Lahore, I met Syed Salahuddin, the head of Hizbul Mujahideen, a Kashmiri&shy; led terrorism outfit. He said he had become a terrorist after his family was killed after he challenged a political party in elections and the police did not protect him and his family. 
 
Religion seems to be a common thread in many of the global wars today but we need to go past the usual paradigm and see how some individuals may be using Islam to kill people. For us, terrorists are just terrorists. And they have to be stopped. 
&nbsp;

Combating terror : Countries need to identify factors behind terrorism to take on the scourge effectively

It was early afternoon when we made a quiet exit from our hotel in Islamabad from the back door. We had an interview lined by with head of a Kashmiri terrorist group, Abdullah, whose real name is Ghulam Rasool. He had killed over a 100 people and was held in jail in Kashmir. But then he became unwell and was admitted in hospital from where he escaped. It was almost lunch time and we saw him finish his prayer. In the meanwhile, our equipment was checked and we were frisked into this small home in a poor neighbourhood. Lunch was served, a full chicken in each plate. I asked him what his ultimate goal was. When will he stop? He said that the day the whole world turned Islamic he would. I knew Ghulam Rasool was going to be doing what he is doing for the rest of his life, killing more people in what he believed was his work for his God. Impact of terrorism The sharp rise in terrorism around the globe has put the countries on edge, and it seems the more the governments are doing to tackle the menace the more the terrorists are getting bolder. Terrorism continues to remain unbeatable, at least for now. Terror claimed more than 32,600 lives in 2014, according to the Global Terrorism Index 2015. The index compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace, a global think tank, also showed a staggering 80 per cent increase in deaths caused by terrorism over the previous year. In the past one year, there have been 1,195 terrorist attacks across the globe, with Bangladesh cafe violence being the most recent one. From Pakistan to Nigeria, seven countries are locked in dangerous conflicts or fullscale wars involving terrorism. What drives people to terror? Terrorist organisations may receive massive fundings from vested interests but it is surprising how they are able to deploy human resources at such sustainable levels. A few reasons can be found in the social, economic and political factors. A country has been at war for so long that the people there know nothing but only war as a way of life. Some terrorists come from poor economic backgrounds or in certain cases the would be terrorists are subjected to class differences or social discrimination leading them to join extremist organisations. The poor and illiterate, it is said, are easy to radicalise. However, in the case of the Dhaka cafe attack, there were terrorists from affluent backgrounds with good education who had joined hands with terror organisations such as the ISIS. Closer home, Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Muzaffar Wani, who was killed by security forces in Kashmir on Friday, belonged to a relatively well-off family. His father is a retired school principal, and Wani himself was a good student who secured 90 per cent in his class X examination in 2010. Effects of radicalisation The impact of radicalisation is so deep that it sometimes blurs blood ties. Twin brothers in Saudi Arabia recently killed their mother after she tried to stop them from joining Islamic State in Syria. The twins were arrested trying to flee across the border to Yemen. Is education a factor? Many people around the world have been surprised by the trend of educated people getting into terrorism. The question is what drives such educated individuals to extremist organisations? Is their religion playing a role in all this? Education, per se, has nothing to do with it. There is nothing to get surprised by the fact that most of the attackers in Bangladesh massacre were educated men. In the Nazi Germany, the perpetrators of holocaust were decently educated. In India also, there is the Godmen culture, especially among the Hindus. A large chunk of the so called godmen’s followers often comes from the upper middle class and educated families. They have complete faith in the godmen they follow. So much so that the followers of one of the godmen have preserved his body with the belief that one day he would come alive. A psychologist’s perspective Psychologist Dr Harish Shetty says: “Man’s search for meaning has been a perennial quest since mankind evolved. Many found meaning in harakiri, martyrdom and other culturally sanctioned ‘suicide homicide’ complex during the last few centuries. The terminologies change depending from which side one views the act. Freedom fighters or terrorists are the descriptive denominators. In an era where peace and technology have overwhelmed religious doctrines, certain sections feel threatened and are rebelling against this sweeping change in the garb of religion.” Globalisation, Dr Shetty says, is viewed as a religious doctrine or an ideology that undermines the control of powerful religious heads. “A small section of people falls prey to this indoctrination and finds a new meaning in life. Freedom fighters kill the oppressor and the socalled terrorists today suffer from the same core belief — kill the perceived enemy or those who are the extensions. So hit out at those who are enemies and die for the cause. Martyrdom is not new and death in war is the new intoxication, going down fighting is a new high by the dominant ideologies.” “Dying for such a cause may be viewed with disgust in the dominant ideologies. Meaning in life is a psychosocial pursuit and an altruistic desire...as Freud described...such killings may suffer from similar intrinsic psychosocial needs,” Dr Shetty adds. Government’s role Maybe the governments should spend more in researching and understanding the factors that attract the common citizens towards terrorism. They should take steps to reduce the number of people being influenced by extremist thoughts. Use of force or fighting a war, for that matter, may be required to ensure a nation’s security but it is also important to find ways to stop people from going astray. Terrorists are just terrorists Religion may not be the reason but could merely be an effective tool to turn individuals into terrorists. On another trip to Lahore, I met Syed Salahuddin, the head of Hizbul Mujahideen, a Kashmiri led terrorism outfit. He said he had become a terrorist after his family was killed after he challenged a political party in elections and the police did not protect him and his family. Religion seems to be a common thread in many of the global wars today but we need to go past the usual paradigm and see how some individuals may be using Islam to kill people. For us, terrorists are just terrorists. And they have to be stopped.

Factors that drive people to take up arms

A flock of pigeons take off from a Lahore roof top at dawn, rising above the city&#39;s Mughal-era minarets before disappearing out of sight. 
 
Rather than being viewed as pests, these birds are champions of endurance who evoke a passionate following across Pakistan. 
 
&quot;It is a love affair,&quot; says Akhlaq Khan, a famous octogenarian pigeon-fancier and author of the only book on the subject in Pakistan. &quot;You don&#39;t see anything there, no difference between the birds,&quot; he says, cradling a plump bird with a white body and coloured head.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;But I can tell the worth of each bird by looking at the eyes and feathers.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
On his rooftop in a leafy district of Pakistan&#39;s cultural capital, hundreds of birds are cooing in massive light blue cages in the sweltering Punjabi summer. 
 
In film and folklore, pigeons, or &#39;kabootar&#39; are associated with love letters destined for harems and for military orders sent to champion warriors by kings of yesteryear. 
 
&quot;Flying breeds in India were introduced by the Mughals,&quot; says Khan referring to the Muslim dynasty that ruled the subcontinent from the early 16th century till the mid-19th. 
 
Pigeon followers broadly class the birds into those known for their competitive flying ability, and those prized for their looks. 
 
Mughal emperor Akbar was renowned for his passion for pigeons, and, according to one scholar of the court &quot;had 20,000 birds of different types&quot;, said Khan. 
 
Millions of fans across the country are enthralled by low and high altitude flying competitions, and races in which opponents attempt to distract each others&#39; birds, etc. 
 
It is a rare pastime that brings together people from different social backgrounds - experts are often illiterate and the owners are rich. A good pigeon can be valued at hundreds of dollars, equivalent to several months salary for many Pakistanis.&nbsp; 
 
Bird cages and enthusiasts can be found on rooftops in the old districts of cities across the country. 
 
Pakistani pigeons and experts have also been taken by Arab royals for tournaments in the Gulf. 
 
For so-called &#39;high-flying&#39; pigeons, the rules are simple: at dawn, each team of seven or eleven pigeons take off from their perches, spend the day flying out of sight, and when they return at nightfall, the flight time of each pigeon is added up and an average is calculated. 
 
The winning team is the one which has the longest average flight time after a total of seven or eleven flights held every two days. 
 
&quot;We fly pigeon around 5 in morning after stamping them, and if the pigeon comes back around 4 to 5 in the evening we consider them good,&quot; explains Syed Mehtab Shah, a participant in the Bahrain Cup, one of a number of tournaments organised in spring and autumn. 
 
&quot;I love beating my competitors, it brings me joy and fame,&quot; explains the pigeon-fancier from Islamabad, surrounded by several friends who have come to see his pigeons land one evening following an endurance flight. 
 
The conversation halts as two birds, which spent the day flying at 3,000 metres and are recognisable by the pink paint daubed under their wings, come in to land.&nbsp; 
 
Grabbing binoculars, the audience admire the birds` precision landing, which was guided by flags.The best champions, capable of flying for more than 12 hours without food or drink in exhausting heat, are showered with luxurious treatment often reserved for humans. The pigeon masters, known as &#39;ustads&#39;, give their birds long massages with a damp towel and special concoctions to boost performance.&nbsp; 
 
In his book, Khan reveals his diet plans for the winged athletes: crushed almonds, cardamom and Indian lotus seed powder, as well a &#39;water of life&#39; laced with cumin, pepper and other spices.&nbsp; 
 
He speaks too of the benefits of port and whisky, illegal in Pakistan, precious saffron and ginseng. 
 
There is no governing body regulating pigeon racing, so other less natural ingredients can creep in to the diet.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Anabolic steroids, calcium tablets and sometimes sedative tablets are used&quot;, says Waqar Haider, a student of Akhlaq Khan, from Rawalpindi. 
 
The victors can take home mobile phones, motorcycles and even cars - proving a winning bird in hand can be worth more than several in the proverbial shrubbery. 
 
In this way, the story of love became a story of money. &quot;It fell into disrepute because people started gambling,&quot; explains Khan. 
 
And it has become necessary to deal with the inevitable jealousy. 
 
Haider&#39;s wife spends long hours peeling almonds and cooking for her husband&#39;s guests during each competition.&nbsp; 
 
She concedes shyly: &quot;He spends more time with his birds than with me.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Pigeon racing brings together people from different social backgrounds since experts are often illiterate and the owners rich

A flock of pigeons take off from a Lahore roof top at dawn, rising above the city's Mughal-era minarets before disappearing out of sight. Rather than being viewed as pests, these birds are champions of endurance who evoke a passionate following across Pakistan. "It is a love affair," says Akhlaq Khan, a famous octogenarian pigeon-fancier and author of the only book on the subject in Pakistan. "You don't see anything there, no difference between the birds," he says, cradling a plump bird with a white body and coloured head. "But I can tell the worth of each bird by looking at the eyes and feathers." On his rooftop in a leafy district of Pakistan's cultural capital, hundreds of birds are cooing in massive light blue cages in the sweltering Punjabi summer. In film and folklore, pigeons, or 'kabootar' are associated with love letters destined for harems and for military orders sent to champion warriors by kings of yesteryear. "Flying breeds in India were introduced by the Mughals," says Khan referring to the Muslim dynasty that ruled the subcontinent from the early 16th century till the mid-19th. Pigeon followers broadly class the birds into those known for their competitive flying ability, and those prized for their looks. Mughal emperor Akbar was renowned for his passion for pigeons, and, according to one scholar of the court "had 20,000 birds of different types", said Khan. Millions of fans across the country are enthralled by low and high altitude flying competitions, and races in which opponents attempt to distract each others' birds, etc. It is a rare pastime that brings together people from different social backgrounds - experts are often illiterate and the owners are rich. A good pigeon can be valued at hundreds of dollars, equivalent to several months salary for many Pakistanis. Bird cages and enthusiasts can be found on rooftops in the old districts of cities across the country. Pakistani pigeons and experts have also been taken by Arab royals for tournaments in the Gulf. For so-called 'high-flying' pigeons, the rules are simple: at dawn, each team of seven or eleven pigeons take off from their perches, spend the day flying out of sight, and when they return at nightfall, the flight time of each pigeon is added up and an average is calculated. The winning team is the one which has the longest average flight time after a total of seven or eleven flights held every two days. "We fly pigeon around 5 in morning after stamping them, and if the pigeon comes back around 4 to 5 in the evening we consider them good," explains Syed Mehtab Shah, a participant in the Bahrain Cup, one of a number of tournaments organised in spring and autumn. "I love beating my competitors, it brings me joy and fame," explains the pigeon-fancier from Islamabad, surrounded by several friends who have come to see his pigeons land one evening following an endurance flight. The conversation halts as two birds, which spent the day flying at 3,000 metres and are recognisable by the pink paint daubed under their wings, come in to land. Grabbing binoculars, the audience admire the birds` precision landing, which was guided by flags.The best champions, capable of flying for more than 12 hours without food or drink in exhausting heat, are showered with luxurious treatment often reserved for humans. The pigeon masters, known as 'ustads', give their birds long massages with a damp towel and special concoctions to boost performance. In his book, Khan reveals his diet plans for the winged athletes: crushed almonds, cardamom and Indian lotus seed powder, as well a 'water of life' laced with cumin, pepper and other spices. He speaks too of the benefits of port and whisky, illegal in Pakistan, precious saffron and ginseng. There is no governing body regulating pigeon racing, so other less natural ingredients can creep in to the diet. "Anabolic steroids, calcium tablets and sometimes sedative tablets are used", says Waqar Haider, a student of Akhlaq Khan, from Rawalpindi. The victors can take home mobile phones, motorcycles and even cars - proving a winning bird in hand can be worth more than several in the proverbial shrubbery. In this way, the story of love became a story of money. "It fell into disrepute because people started gambling," explains Khan. And it has become necessary to deal with the inevitable jealousy. Haider's wife spends long hours peeling almonds and cooking for her husband's guests during each competition. She concedes shyly: "He spends more time with his birds than with me." (AFP)

Where dreams take flight: Pakistan's pigeon racers

islamabad

Islamabad, News on Islamabad, stories on Islamabad, articles on Islamabad, Islamabad stories at Wion, Islamabad news, Islamabad latest news