Army Chief Bipin Rawat speaks to Sudhir Chaudhary

On September 27, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will find herself in the same room as Pakistan’s new foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the SAARC foreign ministers’ annual meeting, customarily held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session. A perfunctory namaste will be all Qureshi gets.

Why is Pakistan so keen to talk to India even as it continues to mutilate the bodies of Indian jawans and unleash terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)? To answer that question, delve into the psychology of Pakistan – a mindset few Indian governments have read correctly. For years, Indian policymakers believed the conventional wisdom that Pakistan was run by the three As – Army, America and Allah.

America has since been replaced by China but the other two remain dominant forces in Pakistan. The army owns a third of Pakistan’s commercial real estate and several of the country’s businesses. Religious leaders too remain relevant. But there are two additional elements that hold sway in Pakistan.&nbsp;

First, the judiciary. It took centre-stage when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Iftikhar Chaudhry ended Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorship in 2008. The courts have since played cat and mouse with the army, defying it only to retreat later. Their complicity during the rigged Pakistan general election in July 2018 revealed the limits to their defiance. There have, however, been spasmodic displays of independence. The Islamabad High Court, for example, last week released former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam from the prison they had been incarcerated in to prevent them, on the army’s orders, from contesting the general election. That paved the way for the victory of the army’s favoured candidate Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The second new force to emerge in Pakistan is the in-house jihadi. The old Army-America-Allah triumvirate relied on outsourced jihadis. They gave the Pakistani army plausible deniability for acts of terror. That pretence is over. Pakistan’s Border Action Teams (BATs) work openly with LeT and JeM terrorists to kill, decapitate and mutilate the bodies of Indian soldiers on both the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB).

India’s Pakistan strategy has meanwhile oscillated between resolve and naïveté. The surgical strikes across the LoC, whose second anniversary falls on September 29, displayed resolve. Inviting an ISI team to visit the site of the ISI-sponsored terror attack on Pathankot betrayed extreme naïveté.

More recently, this inchoate policy saw the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) agree to a meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the UNGA session on September 29 and, 24 hours later, cancel the meeting. The flip-flop was therefore caused not by any change in circumstances but by the eruption of public outrage. A meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi would have signalled India’s indecisive attitude towards Pakistan’s continuing use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy. That would, in turn, encourage Pakistan’s renegade army to intensify terror attacks on Indian soil using its in-house jihadi factory. The outcome India needs is the opposite: to discourage the Pakistani army from carrying out terror attacks in India by imposing an unaffordable cost on it.

Between dialogue and war, there is a large space to achieve this outcome. Pakistan is desperate for a bailout from the International Monetary fund (IMF). Its economy is in a shambles. Foreign exchange reserves at $10 billion are barely enough to cover 60 days of imports. The Imran Khan government has discovered to its horror that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) favours Chinese companies at the expense of Pakistani firms, apart from burdening the country with unsustainable high-cost debt.

Meanwhile, the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has reported that, following Pakistan’s greylisting in June 2018, Islamabad’s steps to curb terror financing have been inadequate. Pakistani courts have instead allowed globally designated terrorists like Hafiz Saeed to carry on their charitable activities despite the fact that they are a known cover for terror groups.

FATF has given Pakistan up to September 2019 to clean up its act. If it does not, and on present evidence, it will not, it will be blacklisted. That would cripple Pakistan’s economy. Islamabad is banking on getting the three votes it needs to veto blacklisting by FATF. These three votes are from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE. If even one of these abandons Pakistan (two, Saudi Arabia and UAE, did when it was greylisted), Pakistan could find itself in a financial black hole.

Given that India holds all the aces and Pakistan none, it is important for the Modi government to follow the policy Modi himself had enunciated: “terror and talks don’t go together.” Pakistan’s strategy is unidimensional: seek talks with India to gain international respectability while continuing to sponsor terrorism in Kashmir. For Islamabad terrorism is not a means to an end. It is an end in itself. Low-intensity, low-cost proxy war against India justifies the army’s centrality in Pakistan and the financial perks that accompany it.

Ask the inhabitants of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) if the Pakistani army cares about Kashmiris. A visit to Muzaffarabad, the benighted capital of PoK, will provide a graphic answer. For the Pakistani army, Kashmiris, in J&amp;K and PoK alike, are fodder. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-rebooting-india-s-pak-strategy-2668336">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

On September 27, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will find herself in the same room as Pakistan’s new foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the SAARC foreign ministers’ annual meeting, customarily held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session.

On September 27, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will find herself in the same room as Pakistan’s new foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the SAARC foreign ministers’ annual meeting, customarily held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session. A perfunctory namaste will be all Qureshi gets. Why is Pakistan so keen to talk to India even as it continues to mutilate the bodies of Indian jawans and unleash terrorists from the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)? To answer that question, delve into the psychology of Pakistan – a mindset few Indian governments have read correctly. For years, Indian policymakers believed the conventional wisdom that Pakistan was run by the three As – Army, America and Allah. America has since been replaced by China but the other two remain dominant forces in Pakistan. The army owns a third of Pakistan’s commercial real estate and several of the country’s businesses. Religious leaders too remain relevant. But there are two additional elements that hold sway in Pakistan. First, the judiciary. It took centre-stage when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Iftikhar Chaudhry ended Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorship in 2008. The courts have since played cat and mouse with the army, defying it only to retreat later. Their complicity during the rigged Pakistan general election in July 2018 revealed the limits to their defiance. There have, however, been spasmodic displays of independence. The Islamabad High Court, for example, last week released former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam from the prison they had been incarcerated in to prevent them, on the army’s orders, from contesting the general election. That paved the way for the victory of the army’s favoured candidate Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The second new force to emerge in Pakistan is the in-house jihadi. The old Army-America-Allah triumvirate relied on outsourced jihadis. They gave the Pakistani army plausible deniability for acts of terror. That pretence is over. Pakistan’s Border Action Teams (BATs) work openly with LeT and JeM terrorists to kill, decapitate and mutilate the bodies of Indian soldiers on both the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB). India’s Pakistan strategy has meanwhile oscillated between resolve and naïveté. The surgical strikes across the LoC, whose second anniversary falls on September 29, displayed resolve. Inviting an ISI team to visit the site of the ISI-sponsored terror attack on Pathankot betrayed extreme naïveté. More recently, this inchoate policy saw the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) agree to a meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the UNGA session on September 29 and, 24 hours later, cancel the meeting. The flip-flop was therefore caused not by any change in circumstances but by the eruption of public outrage. A meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi would have signalled India’s indecisive attitude towards Pakistan’s continuing use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy. That would, in turn, encourage Pakistan’s renegade army to intensify terror attacks on Indian soil using its in-house jihadi factory. The outcome India needs is the opposite: to discourage the Pakistani army from carrying out terror attacks in India by imposing an unaffordable cost on it. Between dialogue and war, there is a large space to achieve this outcome. Pakistan is desperate for a bailout from the International Monetary fund (IMF). Its economy is in a shambles. Foreign exchange reserves at $10 billion are barely enough to cover 60 days of imports. The Imran Khan government has discovered to its horror that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) favours Chinese companies at the expense of Pakistani firms, apart from burdening the country with unsustainable high-cost debt. Meanwhile, the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has reported that, following Pakistan’s greylisting in June 2018, Islamabad’s steps to curb terror financing have been inadequate. Pakistani courts have instead allowed globally designated terrorists like Hafiz Saeed to carry on their charitable activities despite the fact that they are a known cover for terror groups. FATF has given Pakistan up to September 2019 to clean up its act. If it does not, and on present evidence, it will not, it will be blacklisted. That would cripple Pakistan’s economy. Islamabad is banking on getting the three votes it needs to veto blacklisting by FATF. These three votes are from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE. If even one of these abandons Pakistan (two, Saudi Arabia and UAE, did when it was greylisted), Pakistan could find itself in a financial black hole. Given that India holds all the aces and Pakistan none, it is important for the Modi government to follow the policy Modi himself had enunciated: “terror and talks don’t go together.” Pakistan’s strategy is unidimensional: seek talks with India to gain international respectability while continuing to sponsor terrorism in Kashmir. For Islamabad terrorism is not a means to an end. It is an end in itself. Low-intensity, low-cost proxy war against India justifies the army’s centrality in Pakistan and the financial perks that accompany it. Ask the inhabitants of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) if the Pakistani army cares about Kashmiris. A visit to Muzaffarabad, the benighted capital of PoK, will provide a graphic answer. For the Pakistani army, Kashmiris, in J&K and PoK alike, are fodder. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Pakistan seeks talks with India to earn respect while continuing to sponsor terrorism

Activists from the Christian minority in Pakistan say they are being persecuted, discriminated and forced to leave the country.

Now living in exile, these members of the Christian community participated at the ongoing 39th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and demanded the safety of minorities in Pakistan, and emphasised on the abolition of blasphemy law.

Noyal Malik, a human rights defender and member of the Pakistan Minorities Alliance, who now lives in Italy, said: "Not only Christians, all minorities in Pakistan are facing discrimination and getting persecuted. They are feeling unsafe and are leaving the country. We have participated at the United Nations and request the Pakistan government to provide security and safety to the minorities, which are being denied to them as of now."

"The minorities in Pakistan are paying a huge price for safeguarding their own identity. They are living in fear and have no freedom. We are being offered jobs of sweepers in Pakistan," he added.

Pakistan remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for Christians, as Muslims forcibly convert Christian girls to get them married.

Christian families have, in turn, suffered numerous attacks for refusing to allow their daughters to marry Muslims.

Noyal said, "Blasphemy Law is being used by Muslims for their personal benefit. If someone is accusing other person of blasphemy, the complainant should also be put behind bars till the allegation gets confirmed. People are misusing blasphemy for their personal rivalry and forced marriages. A person files a complaint without having any witness. Take the case of Asia Bibi, who has been languishing in the jail, whereas the complainant is roaming freely".

Sharoon Lazer, President of the Pakistan Minorities Alliance, who lives in Malta, said: "Christians in Pakistan are facing discrimination and persecution. They are not getting proper rights as a Pakistani national should get. People are forced to migrate from the country. Blasphemy Law is being misused widely against the minorities and they are not getting proper jobs in the government. If someone gets a change to get a job, the person gets removed by the mullahs".

Citing the example of Atif Mian, who was recently removed by Imran Khan's government, Lazer said, "Recently, a minority Ahmadi Muslim (Atif Mian) has been removed from a recently established economic council because of opposition from hard-line Islamists. Not only Christians, but other minorities like Hindus and Ahmadis are also facing a tough time."

Pakistani Christians living in Europe and UK recently held a protest march in Geneva to make the international community aware about their persecution. A poster campaign in front of the United Nations office also highlighted their plight.

Activists from the Christian minority in Pakistan say they are being persecuted, discriminated and forced to leave the country. Now living in exile, these members of the Christian community participated at the ongoing 39th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and demanded the safety of minorities in Pakistan, and emphasised on the abolition of blasphemy law.

Activists from the Christian minority in Pakistan say they are being persecuted, discriminated and forced to leave the country. Now living in exile, these members of the Christian community participated at the ongoing 39th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and demanded the safety of minorities in Pakistan, and emphasised on the abolition of blasphemy law. Noyal Malik, a human rights defender and member of the Pakistan Minorities Alliance, who now lives in Italy, said: "Not only Christians, all minorities in Pakistan are facing discrimination and getting persecuted. They are feeling unsafe and are leaving the country. We have participated at the United Nations and request the Pakistan government to provide security and safety to the minorities, which are being denied to them as of now." "The minorities in Pakistan are paying a huge price for safeguarding their own identity. They are living in fear and have no freedom. We are being offered jobs of sweepers in Pakistan," he added. Pakistan remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for Christians, as Muslims forcibly convert Christian girls to get them married. Christian families have, in turn, suffered numerous attacks for refusing to allow their daughters to marry Muslims. Noyal said, "Blasphemy Law is being used by Muslims for their personal benefit. If someone is accusing other person of blasphemy, the complainant should also be put behind bars till the allegation gets confirmed. People are misusing blasphemy for their personal rivalry and forced marriages. A person files a complaint without having any witness. Take the case of Asia Bibi, who has been languishing in the jail, whereas the complainant is roaming freely". Sharoon Lazer, President of the Pakistan Minorities Alliance, who lives in Malta, said: "Christians in Pakistan are facing discrimination and persecution. They are not getting proper rights as a Pakistani national should get. People are forced to migrate from the country. Blasphemy Law is being misused widely against the minorities and they are not getting proper jobs in the government. If someone gets a change to get a job, the person gets removed by the mullahs". Citing the example of Atif Mian, who was recently removed by Imran Khan's government, Lazer said, "Recently, a minority Ahmadi Muslim (Atif Mian) has been removed from a recently established economic council because of opposition from hard-line Islamists. Not only Christians, but other minorities like Hindus and Ahmadis are also facing a tough time." Pakistani Christians living in Europe and UK recently held a protest march in Geneva to make the international community aware about their persecution. A poster campaign in front of the United Nations office also highlighted their plight.

Minorities in Pak face persecution, discrimination: Activists

India has raised objections over Pakistan raising the Kashmir issue at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting, saying it is completely "unwarranted" for the grouping as well as its member countries to discuss matters related to India's internal affairs in any multilateral set up.

Pakistan raked up the Kashmir issue at the OIC Contact Group meeting held on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.

"We always note with regret that the matter which is very internal to Indian affairs was again discussed at the OIC," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told reporters in New York when asked about Pakistan raising the issue at the OIC meeting.

He said India rejects such references to a matter which is very internal to it.

"We have said in the past that OIC has no locus standi to comment on India's internal affairs" and it is completely unwarranted for OIC as well as its member countries to discuss matters related to India's internal affairs in any multi-organisation set up.

When asked about Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also raising the Kashmir issue in his bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Kumar said Islamabad has been doing this for a long time.

"It is not the first time they are raising the issue in their bilateral meetings. You would note that what they come up with is their side of the story. What they share and what they say has no acceptance anywhere in the international community," he said.

He said Pakistan has realised its "falsehood" and what it has been projecting had already been rejected by the international community.

On the possibility of any exchange between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the SAARC meeting, Mr Kumar said, "we have made it very clear that it is not bilateral meeting between India and Pakistan," and added that it is "difficult to predict if there will be a handshake" between the two.

Swaraj will be attending the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) and Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) meetings on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Swaraj held bilateral meetings with her counterparts from Germany, Bolivia, Armenia, Panama, Austria, Antigua and Barbuda, Chile, Iran and with Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

"A relationship like no other! EAM @SushmaSwaraj met the @PM_Nepal K.P Sharma Oli. Positive and friendly conversation on taking our relationship to an even higher trajectory,"&nbsp;Kumar tweeted.

India has raised objections over Pakistan raising the Kashmir issue at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting, saying it is completely "unwarranted" for the grouping as well as its member countries to discuss matters related to India's internal affairs in any multilateral set up.

India has raised objections over Pakistan raising the Kashmir issue at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting, saying it is completely "unwarranted" for the grouping as well as its member countries to discuss matters related to India's internal affairs in any multilateral set up. Pakistan raked up the Kashmir issue at the OIC Contact Group meeting held on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. "We always note with regret that the matter which is very internal to Indian affairs was again discussed at the OIC," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told reporters in New York when asked about Pakistan raising the issue at the OIC meeting. He said India rejects such references to a matter which is very internal to it. "We have said in the past that OIC has no locus standi to comment on India's internal affairs" and it is completely unwarranted for OIC as well as its member countries to discuss matters related to India's internal affairs in any multi-organisation set up. When asked about Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also raising the Kashmir issue in his bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Kumar said Islamabad has been doing this for a long time. "It is not the first time they are raising the issue in their bilateral meetings. You would note that what they come up with is their side of the story. What they share and what they say has no acceptance anywhere in the international community," he said. He said Pakistan has realised its "falsehood" and what it has been projecting had already been rejected by the international community. On the possibility of any exchange between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the SAARC meeting, Mr Kumar said, "we have made it very clear that it is not bilateral meeting between India and Pakistan," and added that it is "difficult to predict if there will be a handshake" between the two. Swaraj will be attending the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) and Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) meetings on Thursday. On Wednesday, Swaraj held bilateral meetings with her counterparts from Germany, Bolivia, Armenia, Panama, Austria, Antigua and Barbuda, Chile, Iran and with Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. "A relationship like no other! EAM @SushmaSwaraj met the @PM_Nepal K.P Sharma Oli. Positive and friendly conversation on taking our relationship to an even higher trajectory," Kumar tweeted.

Pakistan raising Kashmir issue at international forum 'unwarranted': India

A court in Pakistan on Wednesday summoned all the witnesses next month in the murder case of Indian national Sarabjit Singh, who was killed by his fellow prisoners in 2013.

Two Pakistani death row prisoners - Amir Sarfraz alias Tamba and Mudassar - in May 2013 attacked Sarabjit, 49, in the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore and killed him.

Lahore's additional district and sessions judge Muhammad Moin Khokhar, during the hearing of the case, expressed anger as none of the prosecuting witnesses appeared before the court to record their statement.

"Issuing notices to all the witnesses in the case for next hearing on October 5, the judge directed the prosecutor to ensure their presence (in the court)," a court official told PTI after the hearing.

He said that so far, two witnesses of the Kot Lakhpat Jail had recorded their statements.

"One of the witnesses in the previous hearing had told the court that Sarabjit Singh was brought to the Services Hospital in a critical condition. I wanted to record Singh's statement but the doctors stopped him, terming his condition very serious," the official said.

In the previous hearings, the judge had also admonished the jail authorities for not cooperating with the court.

A one-man judicial commission of Justice Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi of the Lahore High Court had initially investigated Sarabjit's murder case before the trial kicked off in the sessions court.

Naqvi recorded the statements of some 40 witnesses in the case and submitted its report to the government which is yet to make its findings public.

The one-man commission had also issued notices to Sarabjit's relatives through the foreign ministry to record their statements and produce any evidence they had regarding his death. However, Sarabjit's family did not record their statements, the officials had said.

Tamba and Mudassar, in their statements to the commission, had confessed to the crime and said they killed Sarabjit as they wanted to avenge the killing of people in Lahore and Faisalabad in bomb blasts allegedly carried out by the Indian national.

Both the alleged killers of Sarabjit were not present in the sessions court on Wednesday because of security reasons, according to their counsel Advocate Usman Waheed.

Sarabjit had been sentenced to death for alleged involvement in a string of bombings in 1990 in the country's eastern Punjab province.

His family, however, said: "He was the victim of mistaken identity and had inadvertently strayed across the border."

A court in Pakistan on Wednesday summoned all the witnesses next month in the murder case of Indian national Sarabjit Singh, who was killed by his fellow prisoners in 2013.

A court in Pakistan on Wednesday summoned all the witnesses next month in the murder case of Indian national Sarabjit Singh, who was killed by his fellow prisoners in 2013. Two Pakistani death row prisoners - Amir Sarfraz alias Tamba and Mudassar - in May 2013 attacked Sarabjit, 49, in the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore and killed him. Lahore's additional district and sessions judge Muhammad Moin Khokhar, during the hearing of the case, expressed anger as none of the prosecuting witnesses appeared before the court to record their statement. "Issuing notices to all the witnesses in the case for next hearing on October 5, the judge directed the prosecutor to ensure their presence (in the court)," a court official told PTI after the hearing. He said that so far, two witnesses of the Kot Lakhpat Jail had recorded their statements. "One of the witnesses in the previous hearing had told the court that Sarabjit Singh was brought to the Services Hospital in a critical condition. I wanted to record Singh's statement but the doctors stopped him, terming his condition very serious," the official said. In the previous hearings, the judge had also admonished the jail authorities for not cooperating with the court. A one-man judicial commission of Justice Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi of the Lahore High Court had initially investigated Sarabjit's murder case before the trial kicked off in the sessions court. Naqvi recorded the statements of some 40 witnesses in the case and submitted its report to the government which is yet to make its findings public. The one-man commission had also issued notices to Sarabjit's relatives through the foreign ministry to record their statements and produce any evidence they had regarding his death. However, Sarabjit's family did not record their statements, the officials had said. Tamba and Mudassar, in their statements to the commission, had confessed to the crime and said they killed Sarabjit as they wanted to avenge the killing of people in Lahore and Faisalabad in bomb blasts allegedly carried out by the Indian national. Both the alleged killers of Sarabjit were not present in the sessions court on Wednesday because of security reasons, according to their counsel Advocate Usman Waheed. Sarabjit had been sentenced to death for alleged involvement in a string of bombings in 1990 in the country's eastern Punjab province. His family, however, said: "He was the victim of mistaken identity and had inadvertently strayed across the border."

Pak court summons all witnesses in Sarabjit's murder case

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday reacted to India's decision of calling off talks with Pakistan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States. Qureshi noted that he can a say a lot over the incident but that would only add to the existing issues and hamper peace.&nbsp;

"I can say a lot but I don’t want to worsen the situation, we want peace. Only a few words can worsen the situation," Qureshi stated at the United Nations.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Qureshi also raised the issue of India's construction on the Kishanganga during his meeting with World Bank Chief Jim Yong Kim on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly session at the United Nations.

Qureshi presented Pakistan's position on the Kishanganga and Ratle projects, it said.

He told the World Bank Chief that India's construction of these projects represented a violation of the Treaty, which gave Pakistan exclusive rights to western rivers, news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: I can say a lot but I don’t want to worsen the situation, we want peace. Only a few words can worsen the situation: Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistan Minister of Foreign Affairs at UN after India cancelled meeting with Pakistan at UNGA. <a href="https://t.co/wHXQHdjmOH">pic.twitter.com/wHXQHdjmOH</a>
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Qureshi said Pakistan was not interested in politicising the issue, the statement said.

According to the statement, Kim said he understood Pakistan's position on the treaty and expressed the bank's desire to play a constructive role in resolving the matter at the earliest.

India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday reacted to India's decision of calling off talks with Pakistan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday reacted to India's decision of calling off talks with Pakistan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States. Qureshi noted that he can a say a lot over the incident but that would only add to the existing issues and hamper peace. "I can say a lot but I don’t want to worsen the situation, we want peace. Only a few words can worsen the situation," Qureshi stated at the United Nations. Meanwhile, Qureshi also raised the issue of India's construction on the Kishanganga during his meeting with World Bank Chief Jim Yong Kim on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly session at the United Nations. Qureshi presented Pakistan's position on the Kishanganga and Ratle projects, it said. He told the World Bank Chief that India's construction of these projects represented a violation of the Treaty, which gave Pakistan exclusive rights to western rivers, news agency PTI reported. #WATCH: I can say a lot but I don’t want to worsen the situation, we want peace. Only a few words can worsen the situation: Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistan Minister of Foreign Affairs at UN after India cancelled meeting with Pakistan at UNGA. pic.twitter.com/wHXQHdjmOH — ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2018 × Qureshi said Pakistan was not interested in politicising the issue, the statement said. According to the statement, Kim said he understood Pakistan's position on the treaty and expressed the bank's desire to play a constructive role in resolving the matter at the earliest. India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory. (With inputs from agencies)

Don't want to worsen situation: Qureshi on cancelled talks with India

A London-based think tank recently concluded that the primary hindrance for peace in Afghanistan is Pakistan.

Speaking at a seminar organised by The Democracy Forum (TDF), titled 'Afghanistan-the Challenges Ahead' on September 13, Lord Bruce, the President of the TDF said that Afghanistan's unique set of challenges reflects and reinforces the circumstances of its historical geography.

Bruce emphasised that the Durand Line is a source of tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and felt that despite continuing problems, the recent ceasefire and the US mission to Doha will instil some hope for a negotiated settlement.

Afghanistan's Ambassador Tayeb Said Jawad appreciated western countries for their help in Afghanistan and underscored that a practical strategic approach to peace in Afghanistan was vital, adding that there was a need to engage. Once the process began, Jawad opined that there would be rapid progress.

Meanwhile, Emily Winterbotham, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, stated that the recent escalation of attacks in Afghanistan suggested that there were no signs of the military campaign stopping.

She also mentioned Pakistan as a major obstacle to peace in Afghanistan due to its role in the conflicts and described Pakistan's approach in Afghanistan as unpredictable. According to her, the only positive development in Afghanistan was the consensus shifting to the need to talk between the US and the Taliban.

Christine Fair, another speaker, said that while she supports the US' decision to suspend aids to Islamabad, she also feared that Pakistan may cut off ground line of communications or use of airspace for the US, used to supply Afghanistan's national security forces. She also mentioned that Pakistan had disallowed Afghanistan port facilities, thereby hindering movement of goods through Pakistani territories.

She was also very critical about the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and said it was fomenting corruption.

Another speaker - Dr Antonio Giustozzi, a visiting professor at King's College in London felt that the peace process in Afghanistan was complicated and unlikely to come through diplomatic processes led by the US. He cautioned that not only the Taliban but the interest of other vested groups needed to be secured for the resolution of the Afghanistan problem.

Questions were raised on the role of India and Pakistan in Afghanistan, to which Winterbotham opined that Pakistan would not be happy with a peace process that would not allow it to have a strategic depth in Afghanistan.

Similarly, Fair stated that she had only contempt for those who respected the role of the Pakistan Army in geopolitical affairs, as professional armies did not wage coups or run countries behind the scenes. A heated discussion also ensued when a member of the audience accused Pakistan of being responsible for thousands of murders in the country through its support to the Haqqani and other terrorist groups.

The seminar was held at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, London.

A London-based think tank recently concluded that the primary hindrance for peace in Afghanistan is Pakistan. Speaking at a seminar organised by The Democracy Forum (TDF), titled 'Afghanistan-the Challenges Ahead' on September 13, Lord Bruce, the President of the TDF said that Afghanistan's unique set of challenges reflects and reinforces the circumstances of its historical geography.

A London-based think tank recently concluded that the primary hindrance for peace in Afghanistan is Pakistan. Speaking at a seminar organised by The Democracy Forum (TDF), titled 'Afghanistan-the Challenges Ahead' on September 13, Lord Bruce, the President of the TDF said that Afghanistan's unique set of challenges reflects and reinforces the circumstances of its historical geography. Bruce emphasised that the Durand Line is a source of tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and felt that despite continuing problems, the recent ceasefire and the US mission to Doha will instil some hope for a negotiated settlement. Afghanistan's Ambassador Tayeb Said Jawad appreciated western countries for their help in Afghanistan and underscored that a practical strategic approach to peace in Afghanistan was vital, adding that there was a need to engage. Once the process began, Jawad opined that there would be rapid progress. Meanwhile, Emily Winterbotham, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, stated that the recent escalation of attacks in Afghanistan suggested that there were no signs of the military campaign stopping. She also mentioned Pakistan as a major obstacle to peace in Afghanistan due to its role in the conflicts and described Pakistan's approach in Afghanistan as unpredictable. According to her, the only positive development in Afghanistan was the consensus shifting to the need to talk between the US and the Taliban. Christine Fair, another speaker, said that while she supports the US' decision to suspend aids to Islamabad, she also feared that Pakistan may cut off ground line of communications or use of airspace for the US, used to supply Afghanistan's national security forces. She also mentioned that Pakistan had disallowed Afghanistan port facilities, thereby hindering movement of goods through Pakistani territories. She was also very critical about the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and said it was fomenting corruption. Another speaker - Dr Antonio Giustozzi, a visiting professor at King's College in London felt that the peace process in Afghanistan was complicated and unlikely to come through diplomatic processes led by the US. He cautioned that not only the Taliban but the interest of other vested groups needed to be secured for the resolution of the Afghanistan problem. Questions were raised on the role of India and Pakistan in Afghanistan, to which Winterbotham opined that Pakistan would not be happy with a peace process that would not allow it to have a strategic depth in Afghanistan. Similarly, Fair stated that she had only contempt for those who respected the role of the Pakistan Army in geopolitical affairs, as professional armies did not wage coups or run countries behind the scenes. A heated discussion also ensued when a member of the audience accused Pakistan of being responsible for thousands of murders in the country through its support to the Haqqani and other terrorist groups. The seminar was held at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, London.

Pakistan, primary hindrance for peace in Afghanistan: Think tank

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat against Pakistan in what is said to be a virtual semi-final clash on Wednesday.

The winning team will set up a date with India, who reached the finals after thumping victories against Bangladesh and Pakistan.&nbsp;

Speaking after the toss, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza said, "We would like to bat first. Looks a good wicket to bat on. Last match we lost many wickets in the middle overs but number 6 and 7 batted so well."

"Hopefully, we get a good start. We have been struggling with the top order but hopefully, we'll do well today. Sarkar comes back into the side. We have quite a few changes. Shanto is not playing, Rubel is back into the side."

"Big loss is that Shakib is not playing as he fractured his finger, hence Mominul comes in. Fans have been supporting us right throughout the tournament," he added.

Pakistan, on the other hand, will not leave a single stone unturned to win the game against Afghanistan and lock horns with India for the third time in finals.&nbsp;

Talking about their strategy for today, Pakistani skipper Sarfraz Ahmed said, "The conditions get different later in the night. But if you have wickets in hand, you can chase whatever the target is. I have asked the batsmen to play positive cricket, hopefully we bat well today."

"They have a good batting line-up. We'll try to get them out early and chase it down later. Junaid Khan comes in for Mohammad Amir," he added.&nbsp;

Teams: 
Pakistan (Playing XI): Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Afridi

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Mominul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat against Pakistan in what is said to be a virtual semi-final clash on Wednesday. The winning team will set up a date with India, who reached the finals after thumping victories against Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat against Pakistan in what is said to be a virtual semi-final clash on Wednesday. The winning team will set up a date with India, who reached the finals after thumping victories against Bangladesh and Pakistan. Speaking after the toss, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza said, "We would like to bat first. Looks a good wicket to bat on. Last match we lost many wickets in the middle overs but number 6 and 7 batted so well." "Hopefully, we get a good start. We have been struggling with the top order but hopefully, we'll do well today. Sarkar comes back into the side. We have quite a few changes. Shanto is not playing, Rubel is back into the side." "Big loss is that Shakib is not playing as he fractured his finger, hence Mominul comes in. Fans have been supporting us right throughout the tournament," he added. Pakistan, on the other hand, will not leave a single stone unturned to win the game against Afghanistan and lock horns with India for the third time in finals. Talking about their strategy for today, Pakistani skipper Sarfraz Ahmed said, "The conditions get different later in the night. But if you have wickets in hand, you can chase whatever the target is. I have asked the batsmen to play positive cricket, hopefully we bat well today." "They have a good batting line-up. We'll try to get them out early and chase it down later. Junaid Khan comes in for Mohammad Amir," he added. Teams: Pakistan (Playing XI): Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Afridi Bangladesh (Playing XI): Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Mominul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman

Asia Cup: Bangladesh elect to bat in virtual semi-final clash against Pakistan 

India has postponed the scheduled inspection of its two hydropower projects on the Chenab river by Pakistani experts following the fresh tension in bilateral ties and cancellation of foreign ministers' meeting in New York, according to a media report here Wednesday.

The Indian authorities postponed the inspection by Pakistani experts and said that it would not be possible due to the local-body elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Dawn news quoted a source as saying.

After the bilateral talks on the Indus Waters Treaty last month in Lahore, India rejected Pakistan's objections on the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydropower projects on the Chenab river and invited Pakistani experts to visit the sites to address their concern.

The experts were scheduled to inspect the two hydropower projects by October but India cancelled it, citing some local issues, the report quoted the source as saying.

"It seems to be a fallout of the recent tension emerging with the cancellation of the talks by India as other issues are normally affected in a larger context in such situations," the senior official, on condition of anonymity, said.

India called off the meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, citing the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and the release of the postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

The source said the Indian delegation had agreed to get the two projects inspected by Pakistani experts this month.

"Through a letter, India confirmed October 7 to 11 for the inspection of the projects by a three-member Pakistani team headed by the Indus Water Commissioner," he said.

India said that since the administration of the respective districts in Kashmir would be busy holding the local-body elections till October 5, the inspection would only be possible from October 7 to 11, the source said.

"But now the Indian authorities have postponed the scheduled inspection, stating it wouldn't be possible due to holding of Panchayat elections in the state by the respective district administrations. They didn't give us new dates as they just stated to coordinate with Pakistani authorities soon," he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Waters Mehr Ali Shah expressed disappointment over the postponement and said that when something is mutually agreed at the state level, it should not be delayed or deferred on petty issues.

"Postponement of our visit for inspection of India's two hydropower projects at Chenab basin is an element of surprise for us despite the fact that the delegation, which visited Lahore and held meeting with us last month, had agreed to allow us inspection of the same in the last week of the ongoing month. Later, they confirmed October 7 to 11. But they further postponed this schedule," Shah said.

"We request our counterparts to fulfil their commitment they had made during their visit to Lahore last month," he said.

The talks on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in Lahore last month was the first official engagement between India and Pakistan since Imran Khan became Prime Minister on August 18.

India and Pakistan signed the IWT in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.

The water commissioners of Pakistan and India are required to meet twice a year and arrange technical visits to projects' sites and critical river head works.

The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers.

India has postponed the scheduled inspection of its two hydropower projects on the Chenab river by Pakistani experts following the fresh tension in bilateral ties and cancellation of foreign ministers' meeting in New York, according to a media report here Wednesday.

India has postponed the scheduled inspection of its two hydropower projects on the Chenab river by Pakistani experts following the fresh tension in bilateral ties and cancellation of foreign ministers' meeting in New York, according to a media report here Wednesday. The Indian authorities postponed the inspection by Pakistani experts and said that it would not be possible due to the local-body elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Dawn news quoted a source as saying. After the bilateral talks on the Indus Waters Treaty last month in Lahore, India rejected Pakistan's objections on the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydropower projects on the Chenab river and invited Pakistani experts to visit the sites to address their concern. The experts were scheduled to inspect the two hydropower projects by October but India cancelled it, citing some local issues, the report quoted the source as saying. "It seems to be a fallout of the recent tension emerging with the cancellation of the talks by India as other issues are normally affected in a larger context in such situations," the senior official, on condition of anonymity, said. India called off the meeting between Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, citing the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and the release of the postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani. The source said the Indian delegation had agreed to get the two projects inspected by Pakistani experts this month. "Through a letter, India confirmed October 7 to 11 for the inspection of the projects by a three-member Pakistani team headed by the Indus Water Commissioner," he said. India said that since the administration of the respective districts in Kashmir would be busy holding the local-body elections till October 5, the inspection would only be possible from October 7 to 11, the source said. "But now the Indian authorities have postponed the scheduled inspection, stating it wouldn't be possible due to holding of Panchayat elections in the state by the respective district administrations. They didn't give us new dates as they just stated to coordinate with Pakistani authorities soon," he said. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Waters Mehr Ali Shah expressed disappointment over the postponement and said that when something is mutually agreed at the state level, it should not be delayed or deferred on petty issues. "Postponement of our visit for inspection of India's two hydropower projects at Chenab basin is an element of surprise for us despite the fact that the delegation, which visited Lahore and held meeting with us last month, had agreed to allow us inspection of the same in the last week of the ongoing month. Later, they confirmed October 7 to 11. But they further postponed this schedule," Shah said. "We request our counterparts to fulfil their commitment they had made during their visit to Lahore last month," he said. The talks on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in Lahore last month was the first official engagement between India and Pakistan since Imran Khan became Prime Minister on August 18. India and Pakistan signed the IWT in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory. The water commissioners of Pakistan and India are required to meet twice a year and arrange technical visits to projects' sites and critical river head works. The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers.

India postpones Pak experts' inspection of two hydropower projects in J&K: Report

Pakistan and Bangladesh will lock horns on Wednesday, in what will be a virtual semi-final, to decide who will meet India in the 2018 Asia Cup finals.

Both the teams have lost comprehensively to India while beating Afghanistan in the Super four stage.&nbsp;

If seen the recent forms, Bangladesh have the winning momentum on their side, having beaten the Afghans in their last game. Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah did the job with the bat then, and Mustafizur Rahman starred with the ball.

Kayes, who was brought in only in the second half of the tournament as Bangladesh looked for replacements for the injured Tamim Iqbal, impressed in his first outing, hitting an unbeaten 72, while Mahmudullah scored a crucial 74 and, together, they lifted their team from 87/5.

Bangladesh will look to continue their performance in this crunch clash, and a lot will depend on the experienced shoulders of Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have their own issues to sort. A sub-par fielding performance in their last outing ensured that India reached the target of 238 earlier than expected and with nine wickets hand.

The start has been a problem for them too, as Fakhar Zaman, one of the lynchpins of this batting line-up, has struggled to get going and has managed scores of 24, 0, 0, and 31 in the tournament so far.

Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, and Sarfraz Ahmed have performed decently. &nbsp;Haq has two half-centuries, Azam has one, and Ahmed enjoyed some batting time in the middle in his last outing, against India, with his patient 44.

It's only Shoaib Malik, who has risen to the occasion and has contributed heavily to the team's cause with 9*, 43, 51* and 78. Pakistan will bank big on their most experienced cricketer.&nbsp;

The bowling also has not looked at its best since their first group-stage match against Hong Kong.

Mohammad Amir hasn't picked up a wicket in the tournament yet while Usman Shinwari and Hasan Ali have been expensive in phases.&nbsp;

Shaheen Afridi has impressed in the two ODIs that he has played. The bowlers will have to strike against a potent Bangladesh middle order to reach the finals.&nbsp;

Probable squad

Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Shakib Al Hasan (vc), Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Ariful Haque, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nazmul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Hider, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c &amp; wk), Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Amir, Shadab Khan, Imam ul Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Asif Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Nawaz, Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Usman Shinwari, Shaheen Afridi

Pakistan and Bangladesh will lock horns on Wednesday, in what will be a virtual semi-final, to decide who will meet India in the 2018 Asia Cup finals. Both the teams have lost comprehensively to India while beating Afghanistan in the Super four stage.

Pakistan and Bangladesh will lock horns on Wednesday, in what will be a virtual semi-final, to decide who will meet India in the 2018 Asia Cup finals. Both the teams have lost comprehensively to India while beating Afghanistan in the Super four stage. If seen the recent forms, Bangladesh have the winning momentum on their side, having beaten the Afghans in their last game. Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah did the job with the bat then, and Mustafizur Rahman starred with the ball. Kayes, who was brought in only in the second half of the tournament as Bangladesh looked for replacements for the injured Tamim Iqbal, impressed in his first outing, hitting an unbeaten 72, while Mahmudullah scored a crucial 74 and, together, they lifted their team from 87/5. Bangladesh will look to continue their performance in this crunch clash, and a lot will depend on the experienced shoulders of Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan. Pakistan, meanwhile, have their own issues to sort. A sub-par fielding performance in their last outing ensured that India reached the target of 238 earlier than expected and with nine wickets hand. The start has been a problem for them too, as Fakhar Zaman, one of the lynchpins of this batting line-up, has struggled to get going and has managed scores of 24, 0, 0, and 31 in the tournament so far. Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, and Sarfraz Ahmed have performed decently. Haq has two half-centuries, Azam has one, and Ahmed enjoyed some batting time in the middle in his last outing, against India, with his patient 44. It's only Shoaib Malik, who has risen to the occasion and has contributed heavily to the team's cause with 9*, 43, 51* and 78. Pakistan will bank big on their most experienced cricketer. The bowling also has not looked at its best since their first group-stage match against Hong Kong. Mohammad Amir hasn't picked up a wicket in the tournament yet while Usman Shinwari and Hasan Ali have been expensive in phases. Shaheen Afridi has impressed in the two ODIs that he has played. The bowlers will have to strike against a potent Bangladesh middle order to reach the finals. Probable squad Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Shakib Al Hasan (vc), Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Ariful Haque, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nazmul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Hider, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c & wk), Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Amir, Shadab Khan, Imam ul Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Asif Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Nawaz, Fahim Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Usman Shinwari, Shaheen Afridi

Asia Cup: Pakistan-Bangladesh lock horns to set up date with India in finals

The trade potential between India and Pakistan stands at USD 37 billion, according to a World Bank report which said that continued political tensions and lack of normal trade relations between the two nations have cast a shadow over cooperation efforts within South Asia.

The report 'A Glass Half Full: The Promise of Regional Trade in South Asia', which was released on Monday, has highlighted among key factors, the long list of product restrictions in bilateral trade. India and Pakistan continue to maintain long, sensitive lists of items on which no tariff concessions are granted.

The lack of normal bilateral trade relations between the two countries affects the formation or deepening of regional value-chains in various high-value trading sectors, Dawn newspaper reported quoting the report.

Pakistan has a list of 936 items and almost 17.9 per cent of tariff lines that apply to imports from all South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) countries.&nbsp;

India maintains a list of 25 items (0.5 per cent of tariff lines), which includes goods such as alcohol, firearms, etc.

However, it has a much longer, 64-item list, (almost 11.7 per cent of tariff lines) for Pakistan and Sri Lanka, but which effectively applies only to Pakistan, because India applies a smaller sensitive list to Sri Lanka as part of a separate India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement.

Items on the Indian sensitive list can be imported at the most-favoured-nation tariffs from any SAFTA country, including Pakistan, because India accorded Pakistan the status in 1996, soon after the accession of the two countries to the World Trade Organisation.&nbsp;

However, Pakistan has not granted India the most-favoured nation's status or non-discriminatory market access.

In addition, the preferential access granted by Pakistan on 82.1 per cent of tariff lines under SAFTA is partially blocked in the case of India because Pakistan maintains a negative list comprising 1,209 items that cannot be imported from India.&nbsp;

In practice, many of these items are exported from India to Pakistan through a third country, usually the United Arab Emirates.

The report says another barrier to bilateral trade is the proliferation of NTMs (non-tariff measures), some of which take the form of non-tariff barriers, such as port restrictions.

Pakistan allows only 138 items to be imported from India over the Attari-Wagah land route. Furthermore, cargo trucks from either side cannot move beyond their border zones, which means that goods must be trans-loaded at the border, adding to the time and cost of trading.

Another factor impeding bilateral trade in goods and services, as well as FDI, is the encumbered visa regime that India and Pakistan have created for each other, which restricts the mobility of people between the two countries.

Continued political tensions and lack of normal trade relations between India and Pakistan have cast a shadow over cooperation efforts within South Asia, contributing to the lack of progress in the regional cooperation agenda of SAARC and SAFTA, the report said.

The trade potential between India and Pakistan stands at USD 37 billion, according to a World Bank report which said that continued political tensions and lack of normal trade relations between the two nations have cast a shadow over cooperation efforts within South Asia.

The trade potential between India and Pakistan stands at USD 37 billion, according to a World Bank report which said that continued political tensions and lack of normal trade relations between the two nations have cast a shadow over cooperation efforts within South Asia. The report 'A Glass Half Full: The Promise of Regional Trade in South Asia', which was released on Monday, has highlighted among key factors, the long list of product restrictions in bilateral trade. India and Pakistan continue to maintain long, sensitive lists of items on which no tariff concessions are granted. The lack of normal bilateral trade relations between the two countries affects the formation or deepening of regional value-chains in various high-value trading sectors, Dawn newspaper reported quoting the report. Pakistan has a list of 936 items and almost 17.9 per cent of tariff lines that apply to imports from all South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) countries. India maintains a list of 25 items (0.5 per cent of tariff lines), which includes goods such as alcohol, firearms, etc. However, it has a much longer, 64-item list, (almost 11.7 per cent of tariff lines) for Pakistan and Sri Lanka, but which effectively applies only to Pakistan, because India applies a smaller sensitive list to Sri Lanka as part of a separate India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. Items on the Indian sensitive list can be imported at the most-favoured-nation tariffs from any SAFTA country, including Pakistan, because India accorded Pakistan the status in 1996, soon after the accession of the two countries to the World Trade Organisation. However, Pakistan has not granted India the most-favoured nation's status or non-discriminatory market access. In addition, the preferential access granted by Pakistan on 82.1 per cent of tariff lines under SAFTA is partially blocked in the case of India because Pakistan maintains a negative list comprising 1,209 items that cannot be imported from India. In practice, many of these items are exported from India to Pakistan through a third country, usually the United Arab Emirates. The report says another barrier to bilateral trade is the proliferation of NTMs (non-tariff measures), some of which take the form of non-tariff barriers, such as port restrictions. Pakistan allows only 138 items to be imported from India over the Attari-Wagah land route. Furthermore, cargo trucks from either side cannot move beyond their border zones, which means that goods must be trans-loaded at the border, adding to the time and cost of trading. Another factor impeding bilateral trade in goods and services, as well as FDI, is the encumbered visa regime that India and Pakistan have created for each other, which restricts the mobility of people between the two countries. Continued political tensions and lack of normal trade relations between India and Pakistan have cast a shadow over cooperation efforts within South Asia, contributing to the lack of progress in the regional cooperation agenda of SAARC and SAFTA, the report said.

Indo-Pak trade potential stands at $37 billion: World Bank

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the government is "ready to talk to everyone" over the Kashmir issue, while asserting that terrorism in the Valley is "Pakistan-sponsored".

After a meeting of the Central Zonal Council here, he told reporters, "I think the (Kashmir) matter will be resolved. We are ready to talk to everyone. As far as terrorism is concerned, all security agencies are working in coordination."

"Terrorism in Kashmir is Pakistan-sponsored," he said.

The government Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, barely 24 hours after agreeing to the engagement, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.

About the issues raised in the zonal council meeting, the home minister said out of 22 points, 20 have been resolved, adding in the last four years, in 12 meetings, 680 issues were discussed of which 428 were resolved.

At the meeting, progress of implementation of recommendations made at the last meeting -- on need to increase density of roads and upgrading existing roads, assistance required to combat Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and modernisation of police forces were discussed, an official release issued here said.

Singh said it has been the objective of the present government to strengthen the institution of zonal councils as well as the inter-state council to promote and maintain a good federal atmosphere of cooperation among states and the Centre.

Besides Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand Chief Ministers Yogi Adityanath and Trivedra Singh Rawat respectively, the meeting was attended by representatives from Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh as well.

The Central Zonal Council comprises Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. The council's meeting aims at addressing common concerns of the participating states and settling cross-border concerns, if any.

Five Zonal Councils -- central, western, northern, southern and eastern -- were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.&nbsp;

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the government is "ready to talk to everyone" over the Kashmir issue, while asserting that terrorism in the Valley is "Pakistan-sponsored".

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the government is "ready to talk to everyone" over the Kashmir issue, while asserting that terrorism in the Valley is "Pakistan-sponsored". After a meeting of the Central Zonal Council here, he told reporters, "I think the (Kashmir) matter will be resolved. We are ready to talk to everyone. As far as terrorism is concerned, all security agencies are working in coordination." "Terrorism in Kashmir is Pakistan-sponsored," he said. The government Friday called off a meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in New York, barely 24 hours after agreeing to the engagement, citing the brutal killings of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad releasing postage stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani. About the issues raised in the zonal council meeting, the home minister said out of 22 points, 20 have been resolved, adding in the last four years, in 12 meetings, 680 issues were discussed of which 428 were resolved. At the meeting, progress of implementation of recommendations made at the last meeting -- on need to increase density of roads and upgrading existing roads, assistance required to combat Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and modernisation of police forces were discussed, an official release issued here said. Singh said it has been the objective of the present government to strengthen the institution of zonal councils as well as the inter-state council to promote and maintain a good federal atmosphere of cooperation among states and the Centre. Besides Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand Chief Ministers Yogi Adityanath and Trivedra Singh Rawat respectively, the meeting was attended by representatives from Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh as well. The Central Zonal Council comprises Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. The council's meeting aims at addressing common concerns of the participating states and settling cross-border concerns, if any. Five Zonal Councils -- central, western, northern, southern and eastern -- were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

Government is 'ready to talk to everyone' over Kashmir issue: Rajnath Singh

As India and Pakistan get ready to make the country statements at the United Nations general assembly, India has sent a stern message to Islamabad on Kashmir.&nbsp;

Calling Pakistan's reference to Kashmir at UNGA an "annual itch" for Pakistan, India's permanent representative to UN Syed Akbaruddin while speaking to WION said, "India is part of the mainstream of global community, if someone else wants to fritter away the time and have an annual itch, it is their choice."&nbsp;

He said UNGA is a global forum is that it provides "everybody an opportunity" and that opportunity "can either be used to broaden friendships, strengthen collaborations or to follow tracks that have no resonance.. each country has to do something that finds resonance. "

The sentiment was echoed by the head of the UN division in MEA Dinesh Patnaik who said India has been handling Pakistan raising Kashmir every year and "this is not the first time this is happening". He said &nbsp;Pakistan wants to "act solo and is not multilateralist. They want to bring issues that are not part of multilateral agenda. This is not the first time they do this. Whenever they have done it in past we have tackled it. This is nothing new"

India will strongly raise the issue of terrorism and call for an early resolution on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism or CCIT. &nbsp;Syed Akbaruddin while answering WION's question on terror said,' terrorism by its definition is a threat to the nation-state. Theoretically, these are state actors that threaten civil society. All in the comity of nation tackle it collectively. Its a growing and perennial threat."

India has been calling for a common definition of terror through the comprehensive convention on international terrorism. The treaty which India had proposed way back in 1996 calls for criminalizing all forms of terrorism and terror safe havens. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pitched for it during his address at the 69th session of the UNGA in September of 2014.

India will focus on many things from climate change to peacekeeping. On Climate change, Akbaruddin said, "India has a good story to tell". He also talked about the "challenges and stresses" multilateralism is facing" India is multilateralist by orientation and tradition"

India is being represented by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the 73rd session of UNGA. She will be having over 30 bilateral meetings with her counterparts from different nations and take in meets such as SAARC FMs meeting, IBSA Meeting, NAM meets on Palestine, G4 meet on the reformation of UNSC on the sidelines of UNGA. The external affairs minister will end her week-long visit to new york by making the country statement for India on 29th September which according to India's permanent representative will "give a broad picture of what India is doing and how India supports multilateralism".

As India and Pakistan get ready to make the country statements at the United Nations general assembly, India has sent a stern message to Islamabad on Kashmir. Calling Pakistan's reference to Kashmir at UNGA an "annual itch" for Pakistan, India's permanent representative to UN Syed Akbaruddin while speaking to WION said, "India is part of the mainstream of global community, if someone else wants to fritter away the time and have an annual itch, it is their choice.

As India and Pakistan get ready to make the country statements at the United Nations general assembly, India has sent a stern message to Islamabad on Kashmir. Calling Pakistan's reference to Kashmir at UNGA an "annual itch" for Pakistan, India's permanent representative to UN Syed Akbaruddin while speaking to WION said, "India is part of the mainstream of global community, if someone else wants to fritter away the time and have an annual itch, it is their choice." He said UNGA is a global forum is that it provides "everybody an opportunity" and that opportunity "can either be used to broaden friendships, strengthen collaborations or to follow tracks that have no resonance.. each country has to do something that finds resonance. " The sentiment was echoed by the head of the UN division in MEA Dinesh Patnaik who said India has been handling Pakistan raising Kashmir every year and "this is not the first time this is happening". He said Pakistan wants to "act solo and is not multilateralist. They want to bring issues that are not part of multilateral agenda. This is not the first time they do this. Whenever they have done it in past we have tackled it. This is nothing new" India will strongly raise the issue of terrorism and call for an early resolution on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism or CCIT. Syed Akbaruddin while answering WION's question on terror said,' terrorism by its definition is a threat to the nation-state. Theoretically, these are state actors that threaten civil society. All in the comity of nation tackle it collectively. Its a growing and perennial threat." India has been calling for a common definition of terror through the comprehensive convention on international terrorism. The treaty which India had proposed way back in 1996 calls for criminalizing all forms of terrorism and terror safe havens. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pitched for it during his address at the 69th session of the UNGA in September of 2014. India will focus on many things from climate change to peacekeeping. On Climate change, Akbaruddin said, "India has a good story to tell". He also talked about the "challenges and stresses" multilateralism is facing" India is multilateralist by orientation and tradition" India is being represented by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the 73rd session of UNGA. She will be having over 30 bilateral meetings with her counterparts from different nations and take in meets such as SAARC FMs meeting, IBSA Meeting, NAM meets on Palestine, G4 meet on the reformation of UNSC on the sidelines of UNGA. The external affairs minister will end her week-long visit to new york by making the country statement for India on 29th September which according to India's permanent representative will "give a broad picture of what India is doing and how India supports multilateralism".

Talking about Kashmir at UNGA is Pakistan's annual itch: India

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-opposition-holds-imran-khan-responsible-diplomatic-debacle-india-167264">Pak opposition holds Imran Khan responsible for 'diplomatic debacle' with India</a>

Pakistan's two major opposition parties have questioned the "haste" shown by Prime Minister Imran Khan in making efforts to mend ties with India and held him responsible for the "diplomatic debacle", saying he should have done his "homework" before approaching India for a meeting.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/govt-has-taken-right-decision-army-chief-bipin-rawat-india-cancelling-indo-pak-talks">Govt has taken right decision: Army Chief Bipin Rawat on India cancelling Indo-Pak talks</a>

Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat has said the "government has taken the right decision" in cancelling the meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-votes-incumbent-yameen-expected-cement-grip-power-167251">Maldives votes, incumbent Yameen expected to cement grip on power</a>

The Maldives voted on Sunday in an election in which hardline President Abdulla Yameen is expected to cement his grip on power but which opposition and international groups have criticised for a lack of transparency and suppression of dissent.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ready-war-choose-walk-path-peace-pakistan-army-167221">'Ready for war' but choose to walk </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ready-war-choose-walk-path-peace-pakistan-army-167221">path</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ready-war-choose-walk-path-peace-pakistan-army-167221"> of peace: Pakistan Army</a>

The Pakistan Army on Saturday said it is "ready for war" but chooses to walk the path of peace in the interest of its people, comments which came in response to Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat's remark that "stern action" is needed to "avenge" the brutal killing of Indian soldiers.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/irans-khamenei-accuses-us-backed-gulf-arab-states-carrying-out-attack-military-parade-167253">Iran's Khamenei accuses US-backed Gulf Arab states of carrying out attack on </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/irans-khamenei-accuses-us-backed-gulf-arab-states-carrying-out-attack-military-parade-167253">military</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/irans-khamenei-accuses-us-backed-gulf-arab-states-carrying-out-attack-military-parade-167253"> parade</a>

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused US-backed Gulf Arab states of carrying out a shooting attack on a military parade that killed 25 people, almost half of them members of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards.

Pak opposition holds Imran Khan responsible for 'diplomatic debacle' with India Pakistan's two major opposition parties have questioned the "haste" shown by Prime Minister Imran Khan in making efforts to mend ties with India and held him responsible for the "diplomatic debacle", saying he should have done his "homework" before approaching India for a meeting.

Pak opposition holds Imran Khan responsible for 'diplomatic debacle' with India Pakistan's two major opposition parties have questioned the "haste" shown by Prime Minister Imran Khan in making efforts to mend ties with India and held him responsible for the "diplomatic debacle", saying he should have done his "homework" before approaching India for a meeting. Govt has taken right decision: Army Chief Bipin Rawat on India cancelling Indo-Pak talks Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat has said the "government has taken the right decision" in cancelling the meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan. Maldives votes, incumbent Yameen expected to cement grip on power The Maldives voted on Sunday in an election in which hardline President Abdulla Yameen is expected to cement his grip on power but which opposition and international groups have criticised for a lack of transparency and suppression of dissent. 'Ready for war' but choose to walk path of peace: Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army on Saturday said it is "ready for war" but chooses to walk the path of peace in the interest of its people, comments which came in response to Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat's remark that "stern action" is needed to "avenge" the brutal killing of Indian soldiers. Iran's Khamenei accuses US-backed Gulf Arab states of carrying out attack on military parade Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused US-backed Gulf Arab states of carrying out a shooting attack on a military parade that killed 25 people, almost half of them members of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The Government of Pakistan on Friday reacted to India's move to call off the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of both the countries. Pakistan government stated that India's reason to cancel the meeting was 'unconvincing'.

India on Friday called off the meeting between Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi that was supposed to take place in New York, United States later this month on the sidelines of annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) session.&nbsp;

The move came after the bodies of three Jammu and Kashmir cops were found in the region on Friday. The soldiers were allegedly abducted and killed by a Pakistan-backed terrorist organisation. India also stated that the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/true-face-imran-khan-revealed-says-mea-after-calling-talks-pak-167000">true face of Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has been revealed</a> in the wake of the brutal killings.&nbsp;

''Since yesterday's announcement of the meeting of foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, two deeply disturbing developments took place. Latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan entities and the recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists,'' Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Friday.

Pakistan government rejected India's claim stating that India had announced the bilateral talks much ahead of the "disturbing developments." It described India's comments on Pak PM Imran Khan, "against all norms of civilised discourse and diplomatic communication."

"The reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the Foreign Ministers' meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing," read an official statement.

"Firstly, the alleged killing of BSF soldier took place two days prior to the Indian announcement of its agreement to hold the bilateral meeting," the statement read.

"When the allegations of Pakistan's involvement first appeared, the Pakistan Rangers clearly conveyed to BSF through official channels that Pakistan had nothing to do with it. Pakistan Rangers also extended help in efforts to locate the soldier's body. These facts were known to the Indian authorities and a part of the Indian media also reported that Pakistan had refuted its involvement. Yet, this motivated and malicious propaganda continued. Pakistan takes this opportunity to categorically reject these allegations once again. Our authorities would be prepared to conduct a joint investigation to establish the truth," it said.

Reiterating the significance of dialogue, the Pak government stated that it "has always desired peaceful and good-neighbourly relations with India, on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, and mutual benefit. In our view, dialogue and diplomacy are the only constructive way forward for the two countries to address mutual concerns, rebuild trust, resolve longstanding disputes, and establish durable peace in South Asia. For its part, Pakistan will persist in its quest for peace and development. But, as we have consistently emphasised, our approach will continue to be guided by the aforementioned principles and the dictates of national dignity."

Friday's incident angered India after which the government decided to call off the upcoming meeting with Pakistan.

In a letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had sought a meeting between foreign ministers Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UNGA.&nbsp;

The Indian government had said that the two leaders will meet at a mutually convenient date and time. But, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar made it clear that "the coming meeting was not a resumption of the dialogue process".

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

The Government of Pakistan on Friday reacted to India's move to call off the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of both the countries. Pakistan government stated that India's reason to cancel the meeting was 'unconvincing'.

The Government of Pakistan on Friday reacted to India's move to call off the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of both the countries. Pakistan government stated that India's reason to cancel the meeting was 'unconvincing'. India on Friday called off the meeting between Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi that was supposed to take place in New York, United States later this month on the sidelines of annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) session. The move came after the bodies of three Jammu and Kashmir cops were found in the region on Friday. The soldiers were allegedly abducted and killed by a Pakistan-backed terrorist organisation. India also stated that the true face of Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has been revealed in the wake of the brutal killings. ''Since yesterday's announcement of the meeting of foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, two deeply disturbing developments took place. Latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan entities and the recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists,'' Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Friday. Pakistan government rejected India's claim stating that India had announced the bilateral talks much ahead of the "disturbing developments." It described India's comments on Pak PM Imran Khan, "against all norms of civilised discourse and diplomatic communication." "The reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the Foreign Ministers' meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing," read an official statement. "Firstly, the alleged killing of BSF soldier took place two days prior to the Indian announcement of its agreement to hold the bilateral meeting," the statement read. "When the allegations of Pakistan's involvement first appeared, the Pakistan Rangers clearly conveyed to BSF through official channels that Pakistan had nothing to do with it. Pakistan Rangers also extended help in efforts to locate the soldier's body. These facts were known to the Indian authorities and a part of the Indian media also reported that Pakistan had refuted its involvement. Yet, this motivated and malicious propaganda continued. Pakistan takes this opportunity to categorically reject these allegations once again. Our authorities would be prepared to conduct a joint investigation to establish the truth," it said. Reiterating the significance of dialogue, the Pak government stated that it "has always desired peaceful and good-neighbourly relations with India, on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, and mutual benefit. In our view, dialogue and diplomacy are the only constructive way forward for the two countries to address mutual concerns, rebuild trust, resolve longstanding disputes, and establish durable peace in South Asia. For its part, Pakistan will persist in its quest for peace and development. But, as we have consistently emphasised, our approach will continue to be guided by the aforementioned principles and the dictates of national dignity." Friday's incident angered India after which the government decided to call off the upcoming meeting with Pakistan. In a letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had sought a meeting between foreign ministers Sushma Swaraj and Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UNGA. The Indian government had said that the two leaders will meet at a mutually convenient date and time. But, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar made it clear that "the coming meeting was not a resumption of the dialogue process". (With inputs from ANI)

Pakistan calls India's reasons to cancel foreign ministers' meeting 'unconvincing'

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-slams-indias-arrogant-and-negative-response-his-call-resumption-peace">Imran Khan slams India's 'arrogant' and 'negative' response to his call for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-slams-indias-arrogant-and-negative-response-his-call-resumption-peace">resumption</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-slams-indias-arrogant-and-negative-response-his-call-resumption-peace"> of peace dialogue</a>

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday slammed India for calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers of the two nations, which was scheduled to be held in New York later this month. Khan tweeted he was disappointed at the ''arrogant'' and ''negative'' response from India to his call for the resumption of the peace dialogue.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-playing-hands-pakistan-ravi-shankar-prasad-167130">Rahul Gandhi is playing into the hands of Pakistan: Ravi Shankar Prasad</a>

Hours after Rahul Gandhi mounted a fresh attack on Narendra Modi and called the prime minister a 'thief for the alleged corruption in the Rafale deal, BJP hit back at the Congress president and described his comments as ''deplorable''.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-asks-pm-speak-former-french-presidents-allegations-167116">Rahul Gandhi asks PM to speak up on former French president's allegations</a>

A day after former French president &nbsp;Francois Hollande dropped a bombshell by telling a French journal that the Indian government proposed Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence as the India partner for the 36 Rafale jet deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi asked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify if what the Hollande is saying is true or false.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunmen-kill-25-including-12-revolutionary-guards-attack-iran-military-parade-167119">Gunmen kill 25, including 12 Revolutionary Guards, </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunmen-kill-25-including-12-revolutionary-guards-attack-iran-military-parade-167119">in</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunmen-kill-25-including-12-revolutionary-guards-attack-iran-military-parade-167119"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunmen-kill-25-including-12-revolutionary-guards-attack-iran-military-parade-167119">attack</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunmen-kill-25-including-12-revolutionary-guards-attack-iran-military-parade-167119"> on Iran military parade </a>

Gunmen fired on a military parade in southwestern Iran on Saturday, killing 25 people, half of them members of the Revolutionary Guards, state news agencies reported, in one of the worst attacks ever on the elite force.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/islamic-state-group-claims-responsibility-iran-parade-attack-167131">Islamic State group claims responsibility for Iran parade attack​​​​​​</a>

Islamic State group has claimed the responsibility of&nbsp;Iran army parade attack&nbsp;which claimed the lives of 24 people on Saturday.

Imran Khan slams India's 'arrogant' and 'negative' response to his call for resumption of peace dialogue Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday slammed India for calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers of the two nations, which was scheduled to be held in New York later this month.

Imran Khan slams India's 'arrogant' and 'negative' response to his call for resumption of peace dialogue Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday slammed India for calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers of the two nations, which was scheduled to be held in New York later this month. Khan tweeted he was disappointed at the ''arrogant'' and ''negative'' response from India to his call for the resumption of the peace dialogue. Rahul Gandhi is playing into the hands of Pakistan: Ravi Shankar Prasad Hours after Rahul Gandhi mounted a fresh attack on Narendra Modi and called the prime minister a 'thief for the alleged corruption in the Rafale deal, BJP hit back at the Congress president and described his comments as ''deplorable''. Rahul Gandhi asks PM to speak up on former French president's allegations A day after former French president Francois Hollande dropped a bombshell by telling a French journal that the Indian government proposed Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence as the India partner for the 36 Rafale jet deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi asked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify if what the Hollande is saying is true or false. Gunmen kill 25, including 12 Revolutionary Guards, in attack on Iran military parade Gunmen fired on a military parade in southwestern Iran on Saturday, killing 25 people, half of them members of the Revolutionary Guards, state news agencies reported, in one of the worst attacks ever on the elite force. Islamic State group claims responsibility for Iran parade attack Islamic State group has claimed the responsibility of Iran army parade attack which claimed the lives of 24 people on Saturday.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday slammed India for calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers of the two nations, which was scheduled to be held in New York later this month.

Khan tweeted he was disappointed at the ''arrogant'' and ''negative'' response from India to his call for the resumption of the peace dialogue.&nbsp;

In a Tweet on Saturday, Khan wrote,"Disappointed at the arrogant and negative response by India to my call for the resumption of the peace dialogue. However, all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture".

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Disappointed at the arrogant &amp; negative response by India to my call for resumption of the peace dialogue. However, all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1043432600046632960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-calls-indias-reasons-cancel-foreign-ministers-meeting-unconvincing-167062">Government of Pakistan had earlier described</a>&nbsp;India's move to call off the meeting between the foreign ministers as of&nbsp;the two countries as 'unconvincing'.

India on Friday called off the meeting between Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistan counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi that was supposed to take place in the New York, United States later this month on the sidelines of annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) session.&nbsp;

The move came after the bodies of three Jammu and Kashmir cops were found in the region on Friday. The soldiers were allegedly abducted and killed by a Pakistan-backed terrorist organisation. India also stated that the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/true-face-imran-khan-revealed-says-mea-after-calling-talks-pak-167000">true face of Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has been revealed</a>&nbsp;in the wake of the brutal killings.&nbsp;

''Since yesterday's announcement of the meeting of foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, two deeply disturbing developments took place. Latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan entities and the recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists,'' Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Friday.

Pakistan government rejected India's claim stating that India had announced the bilateral talks much ahead of the "disturbing developments." It described India's comments on Pakistan PM Imran Khan, "against all norms of civilised discourse and diplomatic communication."

"The reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the foreign ministers' meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing," read an official statement.

"Firstly, the alleged killing of BSF soldier took place two days prior to the Indian announcement of its agreement to hold the bilateral meeting," the statement read.

(With inputs from ANI)

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday slammed India for calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers of the two nations, which was scheduled to be held in New York later this month.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday slammed India for calling off the meeting between the foreign ministers of the two nations, which was scheduled to be held in New York later this month. Khan tweeted he was disappointed at the ''arrogant'' and ''negative'' response from India to his call for the resumption of the peace dialogue. In a Tweet on Saturday, Khan wrote,"Disappointed at the arrogant and negative response by India to my call for the resumption of the peace dialogue. However, all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture". Disappointed at the arrogant & negative response by India to my call for resumption of the peace dialogue. However, all my life I have come across small men occupying big offices who do not have the vision to see the larger picture. — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) September 22, 2018 × The Government of Pakistan had earlier described India's move to call off the meeting between the foreign ministers as of the two countries as 'unconvincing'. India on Friday called off the meeting between Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistan counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi that was supposed to take place in the New York, United States later this month on the sidelines of annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) session. The move came after the bodies of three Jammu and Kashmir cops were found in the region on Friday. The soldiers were allegedly abducted and killed by a Pakistan-backed terrorist organisation. India also stated that the true face of Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has been revealed in the wake of the brutal killings. ''Since yesterday's announcement of the meeting of foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, two deeply disturbing developments took place. Latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan entities and the recent release of series of 20 postal stamps by Pakistan glorifying terrorists,'' Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Friday. Pakistan government rejected India's claim stating that India had announced the bilateral talks much ahead of the "disturbing developments." It described India's comments on Pakistan PM Imran Khan, "against all norms of civilised discourse and diplomatic communication." "The reasons cited by the Indian side for the decision to cancel the foreign ministers' meeting, within 24 hours of its public confirmation, are entirely unconvincing," read an official statement. "Firstly, the alleged killing of BSF soldier took place two days prior to the Indian announcement of its agreement to hold the bilateral meeting," the statement read. (With inputs from ANI)

Imran Khan slams India for calling off talks 

The UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution Friday aimed at toughening the UN response to peacekeeper misconduct following a string of failures by the blue helmets to protect civilians.

UN peacekeeping missions are facing a damaging wave of allegations of sex abuse and of failing to come to the aid of civilians caught up in violence, notably in the Central African Republic and South Sudan.

The United States presented the measure to improve peacekeeping performance but faced major resistance from Russia, which found it harsh toward troop-contributing countries.&nbsp;

The resolution is intended to reinforce measures such as repatriating peacekeepers, replacing units and withholding UN payments for soldiers involved in misconduct -- penalties that have irked troop contributors.&nbsp;

The measure "welcomes" special investigations set up by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to look into significant peacekeeping failures and stresses that the findings of these probes should be transparent.&nbsp;

At a council meeting last week, Pakistan, one of the top three troops contributors to peacekeeping, spoke out against a public "name-and-shame" approach to call out countries whose troops failed in their mission.

The United States, which is the number one financial contributor to the UN's $6.9 billion peacekeeping budget, has moved to cut funding and raised concern about the performance of missions.

A council diplomat described negotiations on the text as "very tough" and said there had been changes to the original draft that strongly pressured troop-contributing countries.

The United Nations has 96,000 peacekeepers serving in 14 missions worldwide.

Guterres has vowed to toughen the UN response to sexual abuse committed by the blue helmets and has appointed a victims' advocate to oversee the handling of cases.

His predecessor Ban Ki-moon took the unprecedented step of firing the commander of the mission in the Central African Republic over his handling of dozens of cases of sex abuse and misconduct by the peacekeepers.

Ban also sacked the head of the mission in South Sudan following a report that showed peacekeepers failed to respond to appeals for help from aid workers who came under attack at a nearby hotel compound. 
&nbsp;

The UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution Friday aimed at toughening the UN response to peacekeeper misconduct following a string of failures by the blue helmets to protect civilians.

The UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution Friday aimed at toughening the UN response to peacekeeper misconduct following a string of failures by the blue helmets to protect civilians. UN peacekeeping missions are facing a damaging wave of allegations of sex abuse and of failing to come to the aid of civilians caught up in violence, notably in the Central African Republic and South Sudan. The United States presented the measure to improve peacekeeping performance but faced major resistance from Russia, which found it harsh toward troop-contributing countries. The resolution is intended to reinforce measures such as repatriating peacekeepers, replacing units and withholding UN payments for soldiers involved in misconduct -- penalties that have irked troop contributors. The measure "welcomes" special investigations set up by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to look into significant peacekeeping failures and stresses that the findings of these probes should be transparent. At a council meeting last week, Pakistan, one of the top three troops contributors to peacekeeping, spoke out against a public "name-and-shame" approach to call out countries whose troops failed in their mission. The United States, which is the number one financial contributor to the UN's $6.9 billion peacekeeping budget, has moved to cut funding and raised concern about the performance of missions. A council diplomat described negotiations on the text as "very tough" and said there had been changes to the original draft that strongly pressured troop-contributing countries. The United Nations has 96,000 peacekeepers serving in 14 missions worldwide. Guterres has vowed to toughen the UN response to sexual abuse committed by the blue helmets and has appointed a victims' advocate to oversee the handling of cases. His predecessor Ban Ki-moon took the unprecedented step of firing the commander of the mission in the Central African Republic over his handling of dozens of cases of sex abuse and misconduct by the peacekeepers. Ban also sacked the head of the mission in South Sudan following a report that showed peacekeepers failed to respond to appeals for help from aid workers who came under attack at a nearby hotel compound.

UN moves to toughen response to peacekeeper misconduct

Pakistan's peace overture was negated by India in a "usual belligerent manner", said Pakistan President Arif Alvi expressing disappointment over India's decision to call off the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of two countries.

Alvi tweeted, "Sad to see India backing off from FM level talks. Mutual reservations could have been placed on the table. Kashmiris face only disappointment on #InternationalDayOfPeace PM @ImranKhanPTI's outstanding peace overture negated in their usual belligerent manner"

The now-cancelled meet was scheduled to take place between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York.

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Sad to see India backing off from FM level talks. Mutual reservations could have been placed on the table. Kashmiris face only disappointment on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalDayOfPeace?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InternationalDayOfPeace</a> PM <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a>'s outstanding peace overture negated in their usual belligerant manner
— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArifAlvi/status/1043150379930845184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The decision of calling off the meeting came hours after security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir were kidnapped and brutally killed on Friday.

Terror attacks against policemen in the state have been rampant in recent times.

On August 29, four policemen were killed when they were indiscriminately fired upon by a group of terrorists in Shopian's Arhama.

On August 22, three policemen were gunned down in three separate attacks by terrorists. Two of the attacks took place in Pulwama district, with one policeman killed in Kulgam.

Pakistan's peace overture was negated by India in a "usual belligerent manner", said Pakistan President Arif Alvi expressing disappointment over India's decision to call off the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of two countries.

Pakistan's peace overture was negated by India in a "usual belligerent manner", said Pakistan President Arif Alvi expressing disappointment over India's decision to call off the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of two countries. Alvi tweeted, "Sad to see India backing off from FM level talks. Mutual reservations could have been placed on the table. Kashmiris face only disappointment on #InternationalDayOfPeace PM @ImranKhanPTI's outstanding peace overture negated in their usual belligerent manner" The now-cancelled meet was scheduled to take place between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York. Sad to see India backing off from FM level talks. Mutual reservations could have been placed on the table. Kashmiris face only disappointment on #InternationalDayOfPeace PM @ImranKhanPTI's outstanding peace overture negated in their usual belligerant manner — Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) September 21, 2018 × The decision of calling off the meeting came hours after security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir were kidnapped and brutally killed on Friday. Terror attacks against policemen in the state have been rampant in recent times. On August 29, four policemen were killed when they were indiscriminately fired upon by a group of terrorists in Shopian's Arhama. On August 22, three policemen were gunned down in three separate attacks by terrorists. Two of the attacks took place in Pulwama district, with one policeman killed in Kulgam.

Pak's peace overture negated by India in 'usual belligerent manner': Pak President Arif Alvi 

A Pakistani law student has emerged as a women's rights crusader after she was stabbed 23 times in a busy street only to see her alleged attacker walk free, igniting outrage across the deeply patriarchal country.

Khadija Siddiqui, 23, survived the frenzied attack in broad daylight outside her sister's school on a busy thoroughfare in the teeming eastern city of Lahore, Pakistan's cultural capital, in May 2016.

Her sister was also injured as she tried to defend her, and the brazen attack only ended when her driver managed to pull the assailant off and rush Siddiqui to hospital, where she was admitted to intensive care with her neck slashed, her arms wounded, and a deep injury to her back.

Siddiqui named her attacker as Shah Hussain, a classmate whom she had rejected romantically. He was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison in July 2017.

But Hussain, the son of a prominent Lahori lawyer, appealed the decision -- and in a shock judgement released on June 4, the Lahore High Court acquitted him on all carges.&nbsp;

The decision was greeted with an uproar in Pakistan, where hundreds of women are murdered and attacked by men each year, with many struggling to get justice in a sluggish court system that advocates say is often slanted against them.&nbsp;

"I was shocked," Siddiqui, who spent three weeks in hospital after the attack and whose back still pains her, told AFP. "But unfortunately it was true."&nbsp;

Siddiqui's long struggle to put her attacker behind bars had already drawn attention from women's rights campaigners, but when Hussain walked free it unleashed a wave of anger.&nbsp;

"I am heart broken, speechless, shattered after hearing what our judiciary system did to you @khadeeeej751 - But do not give up , keep fighting, and we shall overcome this together," tweeted actress Urwa Hocane.&nbsp;

Hamza Ali Abbasi, another TV personality and activist, commented: "We must all unite & be Khadija's voice & leave no stone unturned to get her justice against this barbarian! #WeAreWithKhadija".&nbsp;

The hashtag was trending in Pakistan within hours of the acquittal.&nbsp;

The reaction intensified when the court's judgement was released, with critics accusing it of "victim-blaming" after it poked holes in Siddiqui's credibility.&nbsp;

The judgement questioned why she did not name Hussain as her attacker immediately, despite testimony saying she had fallen unconscious and noted that at one point prior to the assault she had written a letter proposing marriage to him.

The outcry was so great that Pakistan's Supreme Court has now taken up the case and will hold hearings later in the summer, it announced&nbsp;Wednesday.

Hashmi, Hussain's father, has told AFP that his child is innocent. "My son is a brilliant student," he said. "How can he be a criminal?"

Siddiqui's case highlights how Pakistan's judicial system fails women, says Hina Jilani, a leading lawyer and human rights activist.

The young law student is lucky in that she received high-profile support and it came to the Supreme Court's attention, Jilani says -- but that is rare.

"There is a prejudice against women," she argues.

Pakistan is deeply conservative, and violence against women remained "pervasive and intractable" in 2017, according a yearly report by the country's Human Rights Commission.

It documented thousands of reported violent incidents including rapes, assaults, sexual harassment, acid attacks, murders, and even four examples of "stove burning" -- understood to be when a woman is taken into a kitchen, covered in kerosene and set alight then the perpetrators claim she was burned by the stove.

The real figures, the commission said, are likely to be much higher.

Many cases of violence against women are not reported to authorities. In rural areas such cases often bypass the formal justice system and are dealt with by village "jirgas" or councils, often in a manner that is punitive for women.

But even for those cases which do enter the court system, the conviction rate is "below one percent", says Rabeea Hadi, an activist with the Aurat Foundation, a women's rights watchdog.

In cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse, it is "almost zero", adds Anbreen Ajaib, the executive director of another women's rights group, Bedari.

Siddiqui says women, including herself, are often pressured to drop their cases, and can face blackmail and harassment.&nbsp;

But she is determined to see hers through, and says the attention it has received has prompted many women to contact her to say they, too, are encouraged to stand up for themselves.

"I have been told by the prosecutors... that I'm probably the first woman who is fighting so hard to get justice," she told AFP, sounding calm and confident.

"It has proved that if women fight, they can turn things around, so they should never give up... they should not tolerate injustice, violence and blackmail."

Khadija Siddiqui, 23, survived the frenzied attack in broad daylight outside her sister's school on a busy thoroughfare. She named her attacker as Shah Hussain, a classmate whom she had rejected romantically

A Pakistani law student has emerged as a women's rights crusader after she was stabbed 23 times in a busy street only to see her alleged attacker walk free, igniting outrage across the deeply patriarchal country. Khadija Siddiqui, 23, survived the frenzied attack in broad daylight outside her sister's school on a busy thoroughfare in the teeming eastern city of Lahore, Pakistan's cultural capital, in May 2016. Her sister was also injured as she tried to defend her, and the brazen attack only ended when her driver managed to pull the assailant off and rush Siddiqui to hospital, where she was admitted to intensive care with her neck slashed, her arms wounded, and a deep injury to her back. Siddiqui named her attacker as Shah Hussain, a classmate whom she had rejected romantically. He was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison in July 2017. But Hussain, the son of a prominent Lahori lawyer, appealed the decision -- and in a shock judgement released on June 4, the Lahore High Court acquitted him on all carges. The decision was greeted with an uproar in Pakistan, where hundreds of women are murdered and attacked by men each year, with many struggling to get justice in a sluggish court system that advocates say is often slanted against them. "I was shocked," Siddiqui, who spent three weeks in hospital after the attack and whose back still pains her, told AFP. "But unfortunately it was true." Siddiqui's long struggle to put her attacker behind bars had already drawn attention from women's rights campaigners, but when Hussain walked free it unleashed a wave of anger. "I am heart broken, speechless, shattered after hearing what our judiciary system did to you @khadeeeej751 - But do not give up , keep fighting, and we shall overcome this together," tweeted actress Urwa Hocane. Hamza Ali Abbasi, another TV personality and activist, commented: "We must all unite & be Khadija's voice & leave no stone unturned to get her justice against this barbarian! #WeAreWithKhadija". The hashtag was trending in Pakistan within hours of the acquittal. The reaction intensified when the court's judgement was released, with critics accusing it of "victim-blaming" after it poked holes in Siddiqui's credibility. The judgement questioned why she did not name Hussain as her attacker immediately, despite testimony saying she had fallen unconscious and noted that at one point prior to the assault she had written a letter proposing marriage to him. The outcry was so great that Pakistan's Supreme Court has now taken up the case and will hold hearings later in the summer, it announced Wednesday. Hashmi, Hussain's father, has told AFP that his child is innocent. "My son is a brilliant student," he said. "How can he be a criminal?" Siddiqui's case highlights how Pakistan's judicial system fails women, says Hina Jilani, a leading lawyer and human rights activist. The young law student is lucky in that she received high-profile support and it came to the Supreme Court's attention, Jilani says -- but that is rare. "There is a prejudice against women," she argues. Pakistan is deeply conservative, and violence against women remained "pervasive and intractable" in 2017, according a yearly report by the country's Human Rights Commission. It documented thousands of reported violent incidents including rapes, assaults, sexual harassment, acid attacks, murders, and even four examples of "stove burning" -- understood to be when a woman is taken into a kitchen, covered in kerosene and set alight then the perpetrators claim she was burned by the stove. The real figures, the commission said, are likely to be much higher. Many cases of violence against women are not reported to authorities. In rural areas such cases often bypass the formal justice system and are dealt with by village "jirgas" or councils, often in a manner that is punitive for women. But even for those cases which do enter the court system, the conviction rate is "below one percent", says Rabeea Hadi, an activist with the Aurat Foundation, a women's rights watchdog. In cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse, it is "almost zero", adds Anbreen Ajaib, the executive director of another women's rights group, Bedari. Siddiqui says women, including herself, are often pressured to drop their cases, and can face blackmail and harassment. But she is determined to see hers through, and says the attention it has received has prompted many women to contact her to say they, too, are encouraged to stand up for themselves. "I have been told by the prosecutors... that I'm probably the first woman who is fighting so hard to get justice," she told AFP, sounding calm and confident. "It has proved that if women fight, they can turn things around, so they should never give up... they should not tolerate injustice, violence and blackmail."

Pakistan student stabbed 23 times fights to see her attacker jailed

Bare feet kicking a soccer ball down a potholed alley has become a common sight in Lyari,&nbspone&nbspof Pakistan's&nbsppoorest&nbspand crime-infested slum&nbspareas.

The Karachi neighbourhood has often made headlines over the last 15 years for spates of gang violence that have killed hundreds of people.

However, it is also widely known for its love for soccer and the game's star players.

With the&nbspWorld&nbspCup&nbsp-&nbspone&nbspof the biggest sporting events in the&nbspworld&nbsp- set to kick off in Russia later this week, the notorious hub of drug abuse is now awash with flags of Germany, Brazil, Spain and Argentina flying over ramshackle buildings.

Portraits of Brazilian striker Neymar and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo have been painted onto the walls of Lyari, known as Pakistan's mecca of football.

While sport in Pakistan usually means cricket and occasionally hockey, in Lyari the two most popular sports are football and boxing.

But gang wars, drugs and politics have damaged the sporting reputation of the neighbourhood that has produced some of Pakistan's more prominent soccer players, like Abdul Ghafoor, Musa Ghazi and Turab Ali.

Brazilian coach Romildo Pereira Sanches, who visited Karachi in 2017, was very impressed by the talent on display in Lyari, but Pakistan, which became Asia's worst soccer team when they plummeted to an all-time low of 201st in the FIFA rankings in 2015, has never qualified for theWorld&nbspCup&nbspfinals.

For the soccer fans of Lyari, they will have to choose another nation to root for when the tournament kicks off on Thursday (June 14).

Sport in Pakistan usually means cricket and occasionally hockey, in Lyari the two most popular sports are football and boxing

Bare feet kicking a soccer ball down a potholed alley has become a common sight in Lyari,&nbspone&nbspof Pakistan's&nbsppoorest&nbspand crime-infested slum&nbspareas. The Karachi neighbourhood has often made headlines over the last 15 years for spates of gang violence that have killed hundreds of people. However, it is also widely known for its love for soccer and the game's star players. With the&nbspWorld&nbspCup -&nbspone&nbspof the biggest sporting events in the&nbspworld - set to kick off in Russia later this week, the notorious hub of drug abuse is now awash with flags of Germany, Brazil, Spain and Argentina flying over ramshackle buildings. Portraits of Brazilian striker Neymar and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo have been painted onto the walls of Lyari, known as Pakistan's mecca of football. While sport in Pakistan usually means cricket and occasionally hockey, in Lyari the two most popular sports are football and boxing. But gang wars, drugs and politics have damaged the sporting reputation of the neighbourhood that has produced some of Pakistan's more prominent soccer players, like Abdul Ghafoor, Musa Ghazi and Turab Ali. Brazilian coach Romildo Pereira Sanches, who visited Karachi in 2017, was very impressed by the talent on display in Lyari, but Pakistan, which became Asia's worst soccer team when they plummeted to an all-time low of 201st in the FIFA rankings in 2015, has never qualified for theWorld&nbspCup&nbspfinals. For the soccer fans of Lyari, they will have to choose another nation to root for when the tournament kicks off on Thursday (June 14).

Football World Cup fever grips one of Pakistan’s poorest areas

&nbsp;A soldier and two terrorists were killed in an encounter in the Panar forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district today, officials said. 
 
"Two terrorists have been killed in an ongoing operation in Panar forest area of Bandipora district (in north Kashmir)," a defence spokesman said in Srinagar.

He added that a soldier also lost his life in the operation.

Further details are awaited, the spokesman said.

He added that a soldier also lost his life in the operation

A soldier and two terrorists were killed in an encounter in the Panar forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district today, officials said. "Two terrorists have been killed in an ongoing operation in Panar forest area of Bandipora district (in north Kashmir)," a defence spokesman said in Srinagar. He added that a soldier also lost his life in the operation. Further details are awaited, the spokesman said.

Soldier, 2 terrorists killed in encounter in J&K's Bandipora

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/us-secretary-of-state-mikepompeo-says-north-korea-sanctions-to-remain-until-complete-denuclearisation-144374">US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says North Korea sanctions to remain until complete denuclearisation</a>

Tough sanctions will remain on North Korea until its complete denuclearisation, the US Secretary of State&nbsp;Mike&nbsp;Pompeo said on Thursday, apparently contradicting the North's view that the process agreed at this week's summit would be phased and reciprocal.

<a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-governments--informal-ban-on-indian-workers-is-a-cause-for-concern-for-india---144365">Maldives government imposes 'informal ban' on work permits to Indians</a>

In a development that can further deteriorate the already fractured relationship between India and &nbsp;Maldives, Male has imposed an informal ban on work permits to Indians.&nbsp;The ban was imposed three months ago.

<a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/un-report-on-jk-is-fallacious-tendentious-and-motivated-india-144344">UN report on J&K is fallacious, tendentious and motivated: India</a>

India today rejected the&nbsp;United Nations report which called&nbsp;for an inquiry into abuses in "Indian-administered Kashmir" as well as "Pakistan-administered Kashmir".

<a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/jk-terrorists-abduct-indian-army-soldier-from-pulwama-144334">J&K: Terrorists abduct Indian Army soldier from Pulwama</a>

&nbsp;

Terrorists have abducted an Indian Army soldier from&nbsp;Kalampora area in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir(J&K).The soldier named&nbsp;Aurangzeb belongs to&nbsp;&nbsp;4 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry and was posted&nbsp;to&nbsp;44 Rashtriya Rifles.

<a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-sc-withdraws-directive-allowing-musharraf-to-file-nomination-papers-after-he-fails-to-appear--144362">Pakistan SC withdraws directive allowing Musharraf to file nomination papers after he fails to appear</a>

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday withdrew a conditional permission for former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to contest elections after he failed to appear in court.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says North Korea sanctions to remain until complete denuclearisation Tough sanctions will remain on North Korea until its complete denuclearisation, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday, apparently contradicting the North's view that the process agreed at this week's summit would be phased and reciprocal. Maldives government imposes 'informal ban' on work permits to Indians In a development that can further deteriorate the already fractured relationship between India and Maldives, Male has imposed an informal ban on work permits to Indians. The ban was imposed three months ago. UN report on J&K is fallacious, tendentious and motivated: India India today rejected the United Nations report which called for an inquiry into abuses in "Indian-administered Kashmir" as well as "Pakistan-administered Kashmir". J&K: Terrorists abduct Indian Army soldier from Pulwama Terrorists have abducted an Indian Army soldier from Kalampora area in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir(J&K).The soldier named Aurangzeb belongs to 4 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry and was posted to 44 Rashtriya Rifles. Pakistan SC withdraws directive allowing Musharraf to file nomination papers after he fails to appear Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday withdrew a conditional permission for former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to contest elections after he failed to appear in court.

Pakistan on Thursday rejected India's protest against its move to alter the status of territories occupied by Islamabad in Kashmir, saying New Delhi's claim over the region has no legal basis.

India this week had lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution (13th Amendment) Act, 2018, which abolished occupied Kashmir's Councils's administrative and financial powers, reducing it to an advisory body.&nbsp

The Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that Pakistan categorically rejects India's protest and its "fallacious and baseless claim" over Kashmir as an integral part of India.&nbsp

"The Indian claim has no legal basis and continues to be contradicted by the situation on ground since the last seven decades. The entire state of Jammu & Kashmir is a 'disputed' territory," it said.&nbsp

The FO said that the disputed status of Kashmir was enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, which stipulated that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir will be determined through the democratic method of a transparent, free and fair plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations to ascertain the wishes of the Kashmiris.&nbsp

These resolutions, pledging the right to self-determination to the people of Kashmir, are accepted by India, Pakistan and the international community, it said.&nbsp

"Instead of making frivolous protests and issuing legally untenable and uncalled for statements, India should take steps to...Fulfil its international obligations and expedite resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the UN Security Council Resolutions," said the FO.

India this week had lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution (13th Amendment) Act, 2018, which abolished occupied Kashmir's Councils's administrative and financial powers, reducing it to an advisory body

Pakistan on Thursday rejected India's protest against its move to alter the status of territories occupied by Islamabad in Kashmir, saying New Delhi's claim over the region has no legal basis. India this week had lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution (13th Amendment) Act, 2018, which abolished occupied Kashmir's Councils's administrative and financial powers, reducing it to an advisory body. The Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that Pakistan categorically rejects India's protest and its "fallacious and baseless claim" over Kashmir as an integral part of India. "The Indian claim has no legal basis and continues to be contradicted by the situation on ground since the last seven decades. The entire state of Jammu & Kashmir is a 'disputed' territory," it said. The FO said that the disputed status of Kashmir was enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, which stipulated that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir will be determined through the democratic method of a transparent, free and fair plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations to ascertain the wishes of the Kashmiris. These resolutions, pledging the right to self-determination to the people of Kashmir, are accepted by India, Pakistan and the international community, it said. "Instead of making frivolous protests and issuing legally untenable and uncalled for statements, India should take steps to...Fulfil its international obligations and expedite resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with the UN Security Council Resolutions," said the FO.

Pak rejects Indian opposition to 'AJK Constitution'

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday withdrew a conditional permission for former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to contest elections after he failed to appear in court.

Musharraf had filed his nomination from the northern district of Chitral after the court last week allowed him to contest the July 25 general election but made it conditional on his appearance before it on June 13 in a case linked to his lifelong disqualification by the Peshawar High Court in 2013.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar yesterday rebuked the former army chief for "cowardice", taunting him for not appearing in court and had told him to appear by 2 pm today.

During the hearing, his counsel Qamar Afzal informed the court that Musharraf, 74, was determined to return but it was not possible for him to come immediately.

''I have spoken to Musharraf, he asks for more time. He plans to come to Pakistan but due to Eid holidays and illness, he can't travel immediately,''&nbspAfzal said.

It prompted the chief justice to adjourn the hearing for an indefinite period, saying the next hearing will be held when the petitioner was ready for it.

Alright, we'll adjourn the court hearing till indefinite time period, will hold it on your wish,&nbspthe judge observed.

But he ordered to withdraw the conditional permission for Musharraf to contest elections.

Earlier today, Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) said on Twitter that preparations for his return were in the final stage.

It was not clear why the plan was changed within hours after it was announced.

Musharraf has been living in Dubai since March 2016, and is wanted in several cases.

He is facing a high-profile treason case and has been declared an absconder due to his persistent failure to appear before the special trial court set up to try him.

The former president was indicted in March 2014 on treason charges for imposing an emergency in the country which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 other judges.

A conviction for high-profile treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Musharraf has sought adequate security from the government for his return to appear in court in the treason case.

Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, has been declared a fugitive in the Benazir Bhutto murder case and Red Mosque cleric killing case.

In April 2013, the Peshawar High Court had disqualified him for life, holding him ineligible to contest elections. It also dismissed his appeal against his disqualification.

Musharraf had filed his nomination from the northern district of Chitral after the court last week allowed him to contest the July 25 general election

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday withdrew a conditional permission for former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to contest elections after he failed to appear in court. Musharraf had filed his nomination from the northern district of Chitral after the court last week allowed him to contest the July 25 general election but made it conditional on his appearance before it on June 13 in a case linked to his lifelong disqualification by the Peshawar High Court in 2013. Chief Justice Saqib Nisar yesterday rebuked the former army chief for "cowardice", taunting him for not appearing in court and had told him to appear by 2 pm today. During the hearing, his counsel Qamar Afzal informed the court that Musharraf, 74, was determined to return but it was not possible for him to come immediately. ''I have spoken to Musharraf, he asks for more time. He plans to come to Pakistan but due to Eid holidays and illness, he can't travel immediately,''&nbspAfzal said. It prompted the chief justice to adjourn the hearing for an indefinite period, saying the next hearing will be held when the petitioner was ready for it. Alright, we'll adjourn the court hearing till indefinite time period, will hold it on your wish,&nbspthe judge observed. But he ordered to withdraw the conditional permission for Musharraf to contest elections. Earlier today, Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) said on Twitter that preparations for his return were in the final stage. It was not clear why the plan was changed within hours after it was announced. Musharraf has been living in Dubai since March 2016, and is wanted in several cases. He is facing a high-profile treason case and has been declared an absconder due to his persistent failure to appear before the special trial court set up to try him. The former president was indicted in March 2014 on treason charges for imposing an emergency in the country which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 other judges. A conviction for high-profile treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. Musharraf has sought adequate security from the government for his return to appear in court in the treason case. Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, has been declared a fugitive in the Benazir Bhutto murder case and Red Mosque cleric killing case. In April 2013, the Peshawar High Court had disqualified him for life, holding him ineligible to contest elections. It also dismissed his appeal against his disqualification.

Pakistan SC withdraws directive allowing Musharraf to file nomination papers after he fails to appear

Four Border Security Force (BSF) personnel lost their lives and three others sustained injuries in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Chambliyal sector of Samba in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

Among the deceased were two BSF jawans, one Assistant Commandant and one Sub-Inspector, who were killed during the shelling while they were out and retaliating.

Earlier in May, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had spoken to each other on the issue of ceasefire violations and terrorist activities and agreed to fully implement the ceasefire understanding of 2003, to ensure that ceasefire will not be violated by both sides.

Both the DGMOs had reviewed the prevailing situation along the Line of Control and International Boundary in Jammu and Kashmir, according to an official statement.

In a tweet, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid expressed his condolence over the incident. 
 
"In Ramgarh Jammu sector of IB , 4 BSF personnel were martyred including one Asstt Commandant & 5 injured due to firing from across. Our heart goes to those who lost their dear ones," he said.

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In Ramgarh Jammu sector of IB , 4 BSF personnel were martyred including one Asstt Commandant & 5 injured due to firing from across. Our heart goes to those who lost their dear ones.
— Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) <a href="https://twitter.com/spvaid/status/1006698176097673216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from Agencies)

Both the DGMOs had reviewed the prevailing situation along the Line of Control and International Boundary in Jammu and Kashmir, according to an official statement.

Four Border Security Force (BSF) personnel lost their lives and three others sustained injuries in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Chambliyal sector of Samba in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Among the deceased were two BSF jawans, one Assistant Commandant and one Sub-Inspector, who were killed during the shelling while they were out and retaliating. Earlier in May, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had spoken to each other on the issue of ceasefire violations and terrorist activities and agreed to fully implement the ceasefire understanding of 2003, to ensure that ceasefire will not be violated by both sides. Both the DGMOs had reviewed the prevailing situation along the Line of Control and International Boundary in Jammu and Kashmir, according to an official statement. In a tweet, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid expressed his condolence over the incident. "In Ramgarh Jammu sector of IB , 4 BSF personnel were martyred including one Asstt Commandant & 5 injured due to firing from across. Our heart goes to those who lost their dear ones," he said. In Ramgarh Jammu sector of IB , 4 BSF personnel were martyred including one Asstt Commandant & 5 injured due to firing from across. Our heart goes to those who lost their dear ones. — Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) June 13, 2018 × (With inputs from Agencies)

Jammu and Kashmir: 4 BSF personnel killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan

In present uncertain financial and political situation, it is certain that Pakistan Government will seek foreign aid and loans for survival.

According to informed sources in Islamabad, the government wants to acquire financial strength before the July 25 general elections.

Sources quoted economic pundits in the government as suggesting that the current account deficit can be stabilised by using rapidly dwindling foreign currency reserves.

There is growing speculation that the government will have to seek a loan package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the elections, for the second time since 2013, amid fears of being faced with a balance of payments crisis.

Caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar told a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday that the government has to finance this trade deficit gap of USD 25 billion.

The announcement came hours after the State Bank of Pakistan devalued the rupee by 3.7 per cent, the third devaluation since December. It is also saddled with a heavy public debt - 70 per cent of GDP, according to Akhtar - along with a yawning fiscal deficit.

The economy grew by 5.8 per cent during 2017-18, missing a government target by two per cent, according to documents from the finance ministry. Plagued for years by a Taliban insurgency, it has been battling to get its shaky economy back on track and end the energy crisis crippling industry.

The growth in GDP comes amid structural reforms, an improved energy sector and China's ambitious multi-billion dollar infrastructure project - the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor - linking its western province of Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan. However, fears remain about Pakistan's ability to repay the Chinese loans, with much of their terms shrouded in secrecy.

The Pakistani rupee slumped 3.8 per cent against the dollar on Monday before slightly recovering in what appeared to be the third currency devaluation in seven months by the central bank amid a balance of payments crisis.

&nbsp;

The rupee drop threatens to squeeze consumers, coming just days before Eid-ul-Fitr and ahead of the July 25 general election.

The apparent devaluation shows signs of vulnerability in the country's nearly USD 300 billion economy, as dwindling foreign reserves and a widening current account deficit trigger speculation about going back to the International Monetary Fund for loans for the second time since 2013.

In December and March, the rupee was devalued, each time by about five percent by the central bank. Pakistan's economy is expected to expand by close to six percent this year, the fastest pace in more than a decade, but a widening of the current account deficit has brought new worries.

The current account deficit now stands at USD 14 billion, around 5.3 percent of gross domestic product, an SBP official said.

The economic outlook has been hurt by the fast depletion of foreign currency reserves, which now stand at just over USD 10 billion.

Pakistan is currently in discussions with China for loans to ease pressure on its foreign currency reserves. Over the weekend, the shortage of foreign currency widened the spread at which the rupee is traded in the open market and the interbank market to four rupees.

The Supreme Court on Monday summoned the governor of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and federal finance secretary to explain what steps were being taken for encouraging people to declare their foreign bank accounts and assets accumulated abroad.

Earlier, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar expressed displeasure over the non-appearance of the SBP governor and the finance secretary.

The chief justice observed that the court was dealing with an important case and the SBP governor and the finance secretary did not bother to attend the proceedings.

Justice Umar Atta Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan were the other members on the bench. Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Pasha and a director of the SBP were present in the court.

Rejecting the suggested of an additional attorney general to postpone hearing for after the Eidul Fitr holidays, the bench sought appearance of both the SBP governor and finance secretary after two hours. Later, the bench adjourned hearing for Tuesday.

During Monday's hearing, Chief Justice Nisar regretted that every newborn in Pakistan was under huge loans due to wrong policies of the governments. "Dams are not being built, standard of education is going down, garbage is being disposed of into sea but people are allowed to take their money abroad unchecked," lamented the chief justice.

To a court query, the FBR chairman disclosed that Rs100 billion had been paid to tax filers under the head of sales tax return, however disbursement of Rs105 billion was still pending.

Chief Justice Nisar also expressed concern over decreasing exports and rampant smuggling in the country. FBR chief Pasha sought permission to give an in-camera briefing to the judges on the issue of smuggling, which was allowed by the chief justice.

The views expressed in the above article are that of Mr. M. Sarwar, Chief Editor, The Nation.

The government wants to acquire financial strength before the July 25 general elections

In present uncertain financial and political situation, it is certain that Pakistan Government will seek foreign aid and loans for survival. According to informed sources in Islamabad, the government wants to acquire financial strength before the July 25 general elections. Sources quoted economic pundits in the government as suggesting that the current account deficit can be stabilised by using rapidly dwindling foreign currency reserves. There is growing speculation that the government will have to seek a loan package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the elections, for the second time since 2013, amid fears of being faced with a balance of payments crisis. Caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar told a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday that the government has to finance this trade deficit gap of USD 25 billion. The announcement came hours after the State Bank of Pakistan devalued the rupee by 3.7 per cent, the third devaluation since December. It is also saddled with a heavy public debt - 70 per cent of GDP, according to Akhtar - along with a yawning fiscal deficit. The economy grew by 5.8 per cent during 2017-18, missing a government target by two per cent, according to documents from the finance ministry. Plagued for years by a Taliban insurgency, it has been battling to get its shaky economy back on track and end the energy crisis crippling industry. The growth in GDP comes amid structural reforms, an improved energy sector and China's ambitious multi-billion dollar infrastructure project - the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor - linking its western province of Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan. However, fears remain about Pakistan's ability to repay the Chinese loans, with much of their terms shrouded in secrecy. The Pakistani rupee slumped 3.8 per cent against the dollar on Monday before slightly recovering in what appeared to be the third currency devaluation in seven months by the central bank amid a balance of payments crisis. The rupee drop threatens to squeeze consumers, coming just days before Eid-ul-Fitr and ahead of the July 25 general election. The apparent devaluation shows signs of vulnerability in the country's nearly USD 300 billion economy, as dwindling foreign reserves and a widening current account deficit trigger speculation about going back to the International Monetary Fund for loans for the second time since 2013. In December and March, the rupee was devalued, each time by about five percent by the central bank. Pakistan's economy is expected to expand by close to six percent this year, the fastest pace in more than a decade, but a widening of the current account deficit has brought new worries. The current account deficit now stands at USD 14 billion, around 5.3 percent of gross domestic product, an SBP official said. The economic outlook has been hurt by the fast depletion of foreign currency reserves, which now stand at just over USD 10 billion. Pakistan is currently in discussions with China for loans to ease pressure on its foreign currency reserves. Over the weekend, the shortage of foreign currency widened the spread at which the rupee is traded in the open market and the interbank market to four rupees. The Supreme Court on Monday summoned the governor of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and federal finance secretary to explain what steps were being taken for encouraging people to declare their foreign bank accounts and assets accumulated abroad. Earlier, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar expressed displeasure over the non-appearance of the SBP governor and the finance secretary. The chief justice observed that the court was dealing with an important case and the SBP governor and the finance secretary did not bother to attend the proceedings. Justice Umar Atta Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan were the other members on the bench. Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Pasha and a director of the SBP were present in the court. Rejecting the suggested of an additional attorney general to postpone hearing for after the Eidul Fitr holidays, the bench sought appearance of both the SBP governor and finance secretary after two hours. Later, the bench adjourned hearing for Tuesday. During Monday's hearing, Chief Justice Nisar regretted that every newborn in Pakistan was under huge loans due to wrong policies of the governments. "Dams are not being built, standard of education is going down, garbage is being disposed of into sea but people are allowed to take their money abroad unchecked," lamented the chief justice. To a court query, the FBR chairman disclosed that Rs100 billion had been paid to tax filers under the head of sales tax return, however disbursement of Rs105 billion was still pending. Chief Justice Nisar also expressed concern over decreasing exports and rampant smuggling in the country. FBR chief Pasha sought permission to give an in-camera briefing to the judges on the issue of smuggling, which was allowed by the chief justice. The views expressed in the above article are that of Mr. M. Sarwar, Chief Editor, The Nation.

Pakistan's economy in limbo ahead of general elections

Pakistan today summoned <a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-4-bsf-personnel-killed-in-ceasefire-violation-by-pakistan-143986">India's Acting Deputy High Commissioner</a> alleging ceasefire violation by India along the Line of Control(LoC).

At least 4 BSF personnel were killed as Pakistan opened fire in the Chambliyal sector of Samba on Wednesday morning. Three other soldiers were injured during the unprovoked firing on the border.

BSF's Kamal Nath Choubey said ceasefire is always a bilateral decision, we have always maintained the sanctity of ceasefire but Pakistan has violated it.&nbsp;

"We are always prepared, ceasefire or no ceasefire there is no let up in border surveillance," Choubey added.

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Jammu: Wreath laying ceremony of BSF's Assistant Commandant Jitendra Singh, Sub Inspector Rajneesh Kumar, ASI Ramniwas and Constable Hansraj Gurjar who lost their lives today in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Chambliyal sector of Samba. <a href="https://t.co/RCUPHxtnEL">pic.twitter.com/RCUPHxtnEL</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1006795904895127552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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India and Pakistan DGMOs had agreed to stick to the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries three weeks ago, despite that firing along the border has continued unabated.

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid expressed his condolence over the incident.

During the firing on Wednesday, &nbsp;two BSF soldiers, one assistant commandant and one sub-inspector were killed.

<iframe allow="autoplay encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kfMupKXp03Q" width="560"></iframe>

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid expressed his condolence over the incident.

Pakistan today summoned India's Acting Deputy High Commissioner alleging ceasefire violation by India along the Line of Control(LoC). At least 4 BSF personnel were killed as Pakistan opened fire in the Chambliyal sector of Samba on Wednesday morning. Three other soldiers were injured during the unprovoked firing on the border. BSF's Kamal Nath Choubey said ceasefire is always a bilateral decision, we have always maintained the sanctity of ceasefire but Pakistan has violated it. "We are always prepared, ceasefire or no ceasefire there is no let up in border surveillance," Choubey added. Jammu: Wreath laying ceremony of BSF's Assistant Commandant Jitendra Singh, Sub Inspector Rajneesh Kumar, ASI Ramniwas and Constable Hansraj Gurjar who lost their lives today in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Chambliyal sector of Samba. pic.twitter.com/RCUPHxtnEL — ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2018 × India and Pakistan DGMOs had agreed to stick to the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries three weeks ago, despite that firing along the border has continued unabated. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid expressed his condolence over the incident. During the firing on Wednesday, two BSF soldiers, one assistant commandant and one sub-inspector were killed.

Pakistan summons India's Deputy High Commissioner after firing along LoC

Pakistan's Supreme Court today gave former military ruler Pervez Musharraf a deadline until tomorrow afternoon to present himself in the court in the lifetime disqualification case against him, wondering how can a commando be so afraid to return to his country.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar, who is heading a three-judge bench hearing Musharraf's appeal against his 2013 disqualification by the Peshawar High Court, warned that if the former president does not show up in court by 2 pm tomorrow, a decision would be taken in the case according to law, the Dawn reported.

Last week, the apex court had allowed Musharraf, 74, to file nomination papers to contest the July 25 general elections on the condition that he would appear in person before the court on today in Lahore to attend the hearing in the case. 
Although Musharraf's nomination papers for Chitral's NA-1 seat were submitted earlier this week, the former dictator did not appear in court today despite SC orders that his national identity card (CNIC) and passport were unblocked in order to facilitate his travel.

"The Supreme Court is not bound to Musharraf's terms," justice Nisar said today.&nbsp

"We've already said that if Musharraf returns, he will provided with security. We are not bound to provide a written guarantee."

"If Pervez Musharraf is a commando, he should show us by returning, instead of continuously parroting that he will return like a politician," he said.

"Why does Musharraf need protection, what is he so afraid of?" he said.

"How can a commando be so afraid? Musharraf would say that he has evaded death many times but he was never afraid," he said.

"If Musharraf has Parkinsons how will he show his fist?" he asked. "Musharraf should face the Constitution, the law, the nation and the courts," he asserted.

Musharraf, the former Pakistan Army chief, began his military service in 1964 as a commando of the Northern Light Infantry. He also participated in the 1971 war as a company commander in a commando battalion.

In 2013, Musharraf was declared ineligible to contest elections for life by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) in view of the 2009 judgement in which 2007 emergency was declared illegal.

In his appeal, Musharraf had pleaded before the Supreme Court to set aside the high court order, stating that in it he was condemned unheard without due process of law.

Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, has been declared a fugitive in the Benazir Bhutto murder case and Red Mosque cleric killing case.&nbspHe has sought adequate security from the government for his return from the UAE.&nbsp

Musharraf, the former Pakistan Army chief, began his military service in 1964 as a commando of the Northern Light Infantry.

Pakistan's Supreme Court today gave former military ruler Pervez Musharraf a deadline until tomorrow afternoon to present himself in the court in the lifetime disqualification case against him, wondering how can a commando be so afraid to return to his country. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar, who is heading a three-judge bench hearing Musharraf's appeal against his 2013 disqualification by the Peshawar High Court, warned that if the former president does not show up in court by 2 pm tomorrow, a decision would be taken in the case according to law, the Dawn reported. Last week, the apex court had allowed Musharraf, 74, to file nomination papers to contest the July 25 general elections on the condition that he would appear in person before the court on today in Lahore to attend the hearing in the case. Although Musharraf's nomination papers for Chitral's NA-1 seat were submitted earlier this week, the former dictator did not appear in court today despite SC orders that his national identity card (CNIC) and passport were unblocked in order to facilitate his travel. "The Supreme Court is not bound to Musharraf's terms," justice Nisar said today. "We've already said that if Musharraf returns, he will provided with security. We are not bound to provide a written guarantee." "If Pervez Musharraf is a commando, he should show us by returning, instead of continuously parroting that he will return like a politician," he said. "Why does Musharraf need protection, what is he so afraid of?" he said. "How can a commando be so afraid? Musharraf would say that he has evaded death many times but he was never afraid," he said. "If Musharraf has Parkinsons how will he show his fist?" he asked. "Musharraf should face the Constitution, the law, the nation and the courts," he asserted. Musharraf, the former Pakistan Army chief, began his military service in 1964 as a commando of the Northern Light Infantry. He also participated in the 1971 war as a company commander in a commando battalion. In 2013, Musharraf was declared ineligible to contest elections for life by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) in view of the 2009 judgement in which 2007 emergency was declared illegal. In his appeal, Musharraf had pleaded before the Supreme Court to set aside the high court order, stating that in it he was condemned unheard without due process of law. Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, has been declared a fugitive in the Benazir Bhutto murder case and Red Mosque cleric killing case.&nbspHe has sought adequate security from the government for his return from the UAE.

If Musharraf is a commando, he should show us by returning: Pak Supreme Court

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/us-has-dropped-war-games-in-korean-peninsula-ready-to-change-the-world-says-trump-after-meeting-kim-143832">'</a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/us-has-dropped-war-games-in-korean-peninsula-ready-to-change-the-world-says-trump-after-meeting-kim-143832">US</a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/us-has-dropped-war-games-in-korean-peninsula-ready-to-change-the-world-says-trump-after-meeting-kim-143832"> has dropped war games in Korean Peninsula, ready to change the world,' says Trump after meeting Kim</a>

US President Trump praised North Korean leader Kim Jong-un calling him "very talented" and a "special person" as he addressed a press conference after an exhilarating day of high-level diplomacy on Tuesday.

<a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/spiritual-leader-bhaiyyuji-maharaj-shoots-himself-dead-143835">Spiritual leader turned minister Bhaiyyuji Maharaj shoots self</a>

According to reports, self-styled guru and Hindu spiritual leader Bhaiyyuji Maharaj allegedly shot himself today. He was rushed to Indore's Bombay Hospital where he was declared dead.&nbsp

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/facebook-launches-user-review-potential-bans-for-advertisers-143891">Facebook launches user review, potential bans for advertisers</a>

Facebook Inc said on Tuesday it would allow users to review businesses that advertise on the social network and possibly ban those that receive the most negative feedback.

<a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/delhi-minister-begins-hunger-strike-as-cm-others-wait-to-meet-143853">'Dharna without reason' says L-G's office as Kejriwal continues sit-in</a>

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues, who spent the night at the lieutenant governor's office, today dug in their heels with Health Minister Satyendar Jain beginning an indefinite hunger strike to press for their demands.

<a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/pakistani-supreme-court-rejects-7-year-old-zainab-killers-appeal-143883">Pakistani Supreme court rejects 7-year-old Zainab killer's appeal</a>

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday rejected an appeal against the death sentence of a man convicted of raping and murdering a seven-year-old girl in the eastern city of Kasur, a crime which shocked the country at the beginning of the year and triggered protests in several cities nationwide.

&nbsp

'US has dropped war games in Korean Peninsula, ready to change the world,' says Trump after meeting Kim US President Trump praised North Korean leader Kim Jong-un calling him "very talented" and a "special person" as he addressed a press conference after an exhilarating day of high-level diplomacy on Tuesday. Spiritual leader turned minister Bhaiyyuji Maharaj shoots self According to reports, self-styled guru and Hindu spiritual leader Bhaiyyuji Maharaj allegedly shot himself today. He was rushed to Indore's Bombay Hospital where he was declared dead. Facebook launches user review, potential bans for advertisers Facebook Inc said on Tuesday it would allow users to review businesses that advertise on the social network and possibly ban those that receive the most negative feedback. 'Dharna without reason' says L-G's office as Kejriwal continues sit-in Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues, who spent the night at the lieutenant governor's office, today dug in their heels with Health Minister Satyendar Jain beginning an indefinite hunger strike to press for their demands. Pakistani Supreme court rejects 7-year-old Zainab killer's appeal The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday rejected an appeal against the death sentence of a man convicted of raping and murdering a seven-year-old girl in the eastern city of Kasur, a crime which shocked the country at the beginning of the year and triggered protests in several cities nationwide.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;rejected an appeal against the death sentence of a man convicted of raping and murdering a seven-year-old girl in the eastern city of Kasur, a crime which shocked the country at the beginning of the year and triggered protests in several cities nationwide. 
 
On&nbsp;Feb. 17, Imran Ali, 23, was given four death sentences and one life term in jail for kidnapping, rape, murder and terrorism following a four-day trial. 
 
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court that heard the case said that "the crime shocked the whole of society", that Ali had confessed to the crime and the prosecution had provided solid evidence, including CCTV footage and the convict's DNA, which matched a sample taken from the victim's body. 
 
"The court said he doesn't deserve any leniency," Ishtiaq Chaudhry, the lawyer representing the girl's family, told EFE. 
 
Ali can still seek clemency from the country's President, Mamnoon Hussain. 
 
Mohamed Amin, father of the victim, Zainab, told EFE that he was satisfied with the ruling, although he still hoped that he would "be hanged publicly so our daughters are safer from such heinous crimes in the future." 
 
The case of Zainab Amin shocked the country, triggering a wave of violent protests that left two dead, and led to nationwide demonstrations. 
 
Amid the national outcry for accountability, the police acknowledged that in the last year in Kasur alone, at least 11 children had been raped, nine of whom were murdered. 
 
Pakistan recorded at least 17,862 cases of child sexual abuse between 2013-17 - with the victims including 10,620 girls and 7,242 boys - according to a joint report by the Ministry of Human Rights and the non-profit organization Sahil, presented to Parliament in February.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday rejected an appeal against the death sentence of a man convicted of raping and murdering a seven-year-old girl in the eastern city of Kasur, a crime which shocked the country at the beginning of the year and triggered protests in several cities nationwide. On Feb. 17, Imran Ali, 23, was given four death sentences and one life term in jail for kidnapping, rape, murder and terrorism following a four-day trial. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court that heard the case said that "the crime shocked the whole of society", that Ali had confessed to the crime and the prosecution had provided solid evidence, including CCTV footage and the convict's DNA, which matched a sample taken from the victim's body. "The court said he doesn't deserve any leniency," Ishtiaq Chaudhry, the lawyer representing the girl's family, told EFE. Ali can still seek clemency from the country's President, Mamnoon Hussain. Mohamed Amin, father of the victim, Zainab, told EFE that he was satisfied with the ruling, although he still hoped that he would "be hanged publicly so our daughters are safer from such heinous crimes in the future." The case of Zainab Amin shocked the country, triggering a wave of violent protests that left two dead, and led to nationwide demonstrations. Amid the national outcry for accountability, the police acknowledged that in the last year in Kasur alone, at least 11 children had been raped, nine of whom were murdered. Pakistan recorded at least 17,862 cases of child sexual abuse between 2013-17 - with the victims including 10,620 girls and 7,242 boys - according to a joint report by the Ministry of Human Rights and the non-profit organization Sahil, presented to Parliament in February.

Pakistani Supreme court rejects 7-year-old Zainab killer's appeal

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