The "breakthrough" in designating <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/masood-azhar-named-global-terrorist-how-it-will-affect-the-jem-chief-215077">Masood Azhar as a global terrorist </a>came during Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to China where the two sides agreed to withdraw their opposition to the latest move to blacklist the JeM chief, a media report said in Pakistan&nbsp;Thursday.

The UN's sanctions committee announced Wednesday the designation of Pakistan-based Azhar, leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), over its ties to Al-Qaeda.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/masood-azhar-named-global-terrorist-how-it-will-affect-the-jem-chief-215077">Masood Azhar named global terrorist: How it will affect the JeM chief?</a>

The US, France along with the UK had moved the proposal to designate Azhar as a "global terrorist" in the UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in February, just days after the deadly Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.&nbsp;

A veto-wielding permanent member of the UNSC, China was the sole hold-out in the 15-nation world body on the bid to blacklist Azhar, blocking four attempts since 2009 by placing a "technical hold" and asking for "more time to examine" the proposal.&nbsp;

Hours after sanctions were imposed on Azhar, the Express Tribune newspaper, quoting diplomatic sources, reported that Pakistan and China held extensive discussions before making a decision on the Azhar issue.&nbsp;

"It is believed that the breakthrough came during the recent visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China where both sides agreed to withdraw opposition to the latest move after realising that Islamabad's concerns were addressed," the report said.

Khan was in Beijing to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping from April 25 to 27. Apart from President Xi, the Pakistan prime minister met his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang as well as Vice President Wang Qishan.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday that China lifted its hold on the US, the UK and French proposal after a "careful study of the revised materials" it had to designate Azhar as a global terrorist.

The listing of Azhar means that he will now be facing a travel ban, assets freeze and arms embargo.&nbsp;

But the source told the paper that the listing does not mean the person should be detained. Another official claimed that authorities were "unaware" of Azhar's whereabouts.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, during the peak of India-Pakistan tensions following the Pulwama terror attack had admitted that Azhar was in Pakistan. He also mentioned that the JeM chief was "very unwell" to the extent that he cannot leave his house.

The report also claimed that Islamabad agreeing to the designation of Azhar as a global terrorist was a "paradigm shift" in the country's approach.&nbsp;

An official said prime minister Khan had made a public commitment that Pakistan's soil would not be used against any country.

However, he made it clear that Pakistan would go after these groups in a manner that the peace and security of the country was not affected.

The Washington Post reported that Azhar's sanctioning comes weeks after Washington said it was seeking to have him put on the UN blacklist.

In Washington, a senior US administration official told reporters that "after 10 years China has done the right thing by lifting its hold on this designation."

The official, who insisted on speaking anonymously, said Britain and France joined the US in putting pressure on China after the February 14 attack, and Beijing seems to have understood "that it is increasingly important that its actions on the international stage on terrorism matched its rhetoric."

The official said the Trump administration is watching to see if Pakistan Prime Minister Khan's commitment to crack down on militants in the country "will translate into irreversible steps to end terrorist and militant safe havens inside Pakistan."

Khan's government has ordered the takeover of assets and property of JeM and dozens of banned militant organisations that operate in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack by a JeM suicide bomber.

The "breakthrough" in designating Masood Azhar as a global terrorist came during Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to China where the two sides agreed to withdraw their opposition to the latest move to blacklist the JeM chief, a media report said in Pakistan Thursday.

The "breakthrough" in designating Masood Azhar as a global terrorist came during Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to China where the two sides agreed to withdraw their opposition to the latest move to blacklist the JeM chief, a media report said in Pakistan Thursday. The UN's sanctions committee announced Wednesday the designation of Pakistan-based Azhar, leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), over its ties to Al-Qaeda. Also read: Masood Azhar named global terrorist: How it will affect the JeM chief? The US, France along with the UK had moved the proposal to designate Azhar as a "global terrorist" in the UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in February, just days after the deadly Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers. A veto-wielding permanent member of the UNSC, China was the sole hold-out in the 15-nation world body on the bid to blacklist Azhar, blocking four attempts since 2009 by placing a "technical hold" and asking for "more time to examine" the proposal. Hours after sanctions were imposed on Azhar, the Express Tribune newspaper, quoting diplomatic sources, reported that Pakistan and China held extensive discussions before making a decision on the Azhar issue. "It is believed that the breakthrough came during the recent visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China where both sides agreed to withdraw opposition to the latest move after realising that Islamabad's concerns were addressed," the report said. Khan was in Beijing to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping from April 25 to 27. Apart from President Xi, the Pakistan prime minister met his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang as well as Vice President Wang Qishan. In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday that China lifted its hold on the US, the UK and French proposal after a "careful study of the revised materials" it had to designate Azhar as a global terrorist. The listing of Azhar means that he will now be facing a travel ban, assets freeze and arms embargo. But the source told the paper that the listing does not mean the person should be detained. Another official claimed that authorities were "unaware" of Azhar's whereabouts. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, during the peak of India-Pakistan tensions following the Pulwama terror attack had admitted that Azhar was in Pakistan. He also mentioned that the JeM chief was "very unwell" to the extent that he cannot leave his house. The report also claimed that Islamabad agreeing to the designation of Azhar as a global terrorist was a "paradigm shift" in the country's approach. An official said prime minister Khan had made a public commitment that Pakistan's soil would not be used against any country. However, he made it clear that Pakistan would go after these groups in a manner that the peace and security of the country was not affected. The Washington Post reported that Azhar's sanctioning comes weeks after Washington said it was seeking to have him put on the UN blacklist. In Washington, a senior US administration official told reporters that "after 10 years China has done the right thing by lifting its hold on this designation." The official, who insisted on speaking anonymously, said Britain and France joined the US in putting pressure on China after the February 14 attack, and Beijing seems to have understood "that it is increasingly important that its actions on the international stage on terrorism matched its rhetoric." The official said the Trump administration is watching to see if Pakistan Prime Minister Khan's commitment to crack down on militants in the country "will translate into irreversible steps to end terrorist and militant safe havens inside Pakistan." Khan's government has ordered the takeover of assets and property of JeM and dozens of banned militant organisations that operate in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack by a JeM suicide bomber.

Breakthrough in Azhar case struck during Imran Khan's China trip: Report

In this video of WION, watch First government briefing on Masood Azhar's listing. BJP credits PM Modi for UN listing of Masood Azhar. Watch the full video to know more.

First government briefing on Masood Azhar's listing

In this video of WION, watch Hardeep Singh Puri, Ex-Indian Envoy to UN reaction to Massod Azhar listing as a global terrorist. Watch the full video to know more.

Hardeep Singh Puri, Ex-Indian Envoy to UN reacts to listing of Masood Azhar as global terrorist

The United Nations' decision to list Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist was welcomed by the international community as well as India. In this segment of WION we ask: What does Masood Azhar's listing signify?

What does Masood Azhar's listing signify?

Pakistan on Wednesday said it would "immediately enforce the sanctions" imposed by the UN on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/pakistan/jem-chief-masood-azhar-designated-as-a-global-terrorist-in-un-sanctions-list-215076">JeM chief Masood Azhar</a> and agreed to his listing after all "political references", including attempts to link him to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/masood-azhar-named-global-terrorist-how-it-will-affect-the-jem-chief-215077">Pulwama attack</a> were removed from the proposal.

In a major diplomatic win for India, the United Nations designated Pakistan-based Azhar as a "global terrorist" after China lifted its hold on a proposal by the US, the UK and France to blacklist him.

The US, the UK and France had moved the proposal to designate Azhar as a "global terrorist" in the UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in February, just days after the deadly Pulwama terror attack carried out by the JeM in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said Pakistan would "immediately enforce the sanctions" imposed on Azhar.

"Formal action will be taken on three counts: assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. That is the requirement...Pakistan is a responsible state and we will take appropriate action," he said.

The spokesman said Islamabad rejected earlier proposals to list Azhar as terrorist as those efforts had a political agenda and aimed at maligning Pakistan.

"Pakistan maintains that terrorism is a menace to the world...The UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee listing is governed by clear rules and its decisions are taken through consensus...Pakistan has always advocated the need for respecting these technical rules and has opposed the politicisation of the committee," Faisal said.

"Earlier proposals to list Azhar failed to generate the requisite consensus in the Sanctions Committee as the information did not meet its technical criteria...These proposals were aimed at maligning Pakistan...And were thus rejected by Pakistan," he said, noting that "the current listing proposal has been agreed after all political references, including removal of attempts to link it with Pulwama".

Faisal asserted that the UN decision "will not impact the struggle of Kashmiris and Pakistan would continue to support them".

Pakistan will continue to extend diplomatic, moral and political support to the Kashmiris, he said.

The spokesman said the recent listing proposal was presented on the basis of considerations beyond the listing parameters. As a result, a technical hold was placed by China, Islamabad's all-weather ally, to bring it in line with the listing criteria.

A veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, China was the sole hold-out in the 15-nation body on the bid to blacklist Azhar, blocking attempts by placing a "technical hold" and asking for "more time to examine" the proposal.

Faisal said the current decision was based on consensus and Pakistan's concerns were addressed after consultations with China.

He also rejected the UN's move as a "victory for India and validation of its stance" as projected by the Indian media.

Claiming that Indian media reports were "misleading", Faisal said the decision by the UNSC was in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to not allow any terror group to operate in Pakistan.&nbsp;

Pakistan on Wednesday said it would "immediately enforce the sanctions" imposed by the UN on JeM chief Masood Azhar and agreed to his listing after all "political references", including attempts to link him to the Pulwama attack were removed from the proposal.

Pakistan on Wednesday said it would "immediately enforce the sanctions" imposed by the UN on JeM chief Masood Azhar and agreed to his listing after all "political references", including attempts to link him to the Pulwama attack were removed from the proposal. In a major diplomatic win for India, the United Nations designated Pakistan-based Azhar as a "global terrorist" after China lifted its hold on a proposal by the US, the UK and France to blacklist him. The US, the UK and France had moved the proposal to designate Azhar as a "global terrorist" in the UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee in February, just days after the deadly Pulwama terror attack carried out by the JeM in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said Pakistan would "immediately enforce the sanctions" imposed on Azhar. "Formal action will be taken on three counts: assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. That is the requirement...Pakistan is a responsible state and we will take appropriate action," he said. The spokesman said Islamabad rejected earlier proposals to list Azhar as terrorist as those efforts had a political agenda and aimed at maligning Pakistan. "Pakistan maintains that terrorism is a menace to the world...The UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee listing is governed by clear rules and its decisions are taken through consensus...Pakistan has always advocated the need for respecting these technical rules and has opposed the politicisation of the committee," Faisal said. "Earlier proposals to list Azhar failed to generate the requisite consensus in the Sanctions Committee as the information did not meet its technical criteria...These proposals were aimed at maligning Pakistan...And were thus rejected by Pakistan," he said, noting that "the current listing proposal has been agreed after all political references, including removal of attempts to link it with Pulwama". Faisal asserted that the UN decision "will not impact the struggle of Kashmiris and Pakistan would continue to support them". Pakistan will continue to extend diplomatic, moral and political support to the Kashmiris, he said. The spokesman said the recent listing proposal was presented on the basis of considerations beyond the listing parameters. As a result, a technical hold was placed by China, Islamabad's all-weather ally, to bring it in line with the listing criteria. A veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, China was the sole hold-out in the 15-nation body on the bid to blacklist Azhar, blocking attempts by placing a "technical hold" and asking for "more time to examine" the proposal. Faisal said the current decision was based on consensus and Pakistan's concerns were addressed after consultations with China. He also rejected the UN's move as a "victory for India and validation of its stance" as projected by the Indian media. Claiming that Indian media reports were "misleading", Faisal said the decision by the UNSC was in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to not allow any terror group to operate in Pakistan.

Will immediately enforce sanctions imposed on JeM chief Masood Azhar, says Pakistan

In a major diplomatic victory for India on Wednesday, Jaish-e-Mohammad founder and Pakistani citizen Masood Azhar has finally been listed as an international terrorist by the United Nation Security Council's 1267 committee. China, earlier on Wednesday, removed its hold on the listing of Masood Azhar, the man behind several terror attacks in India.

JeM chief Masood Azhar designated global terrorist by UN

Terrorist Masood Azhar was designated a global terrorist by the UN Security Council in a huge diplomatic win for India. China, which had blocked moves to blacklist Masood Azhar four times, finally dropped its objections.

JeM Chief Masood Azhar Designated Global Terrorist In UN

The Minister of the State in the PMO Jitender Singh speaks exclusively to Wion

India's Envoy to UK Syed Akbaruddin speaks exclusively to WION. He tells that the listing was supported by many countries, its a win for India and years of pressure and Diplomatic efforts have paid off. he, however refused to share backroom chats on what Pakistan had to say about the listing

India's Envoy to UN Syed Akbaruddin speaks exclusively to WION

A decision on whether Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar will be listed as a global terrorist by the United Nations will be known on May 1 as the world body’s Sanctions Committee holds a crucial meeting, amid indications that China could lift its hold on the proposal to blacklist Azhar.

Masood Azhar listing: All eyes on China, will Beijing lift technical hold?

China is likely to release its technical hold at the UN, paving the way for Masood Azhar- responsible for Mumbai and Pulwama attacks, among others- to be declared a global terrorist.

Pakistan to detain Masood Azhar after UNSC listing: Sources

In a bid to bolster its capabilities to tackle threats emanating from hackers, mostly from China and Pakistan, India is all set to have Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) by next month, headquartered in the capital.

Senior Navy officer Rear Admiral Mohit Gupta will be the first head of the DCA.

"We are working to raise the Defence Cyber Agency in May itself. The work has almost been completed. A new building has been hired in the national capital which will act as the headquarters of the formation," sources in the Defence Ministry told ANI here.

As agreed upon by the Defence Ministry and the three services, the cyber agency would be headed by Rear Admiral Gupta.

The Navy is expected to announce his formal appointment anytime, sources said.

DCA is one of the three agencies along with the Special Forces and Space to be set up as per the clearance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Combined Commanders' Conference in Jodhpur last year.

The DCA will include a lot of existing capability with the armed forces for tackling threats in the cyber domain and will also have the elements of DRDO working in it, sources said.

While the Cyber agency is ready to be launched with its headquarters in New Delhi, the setting up of the Space agency will take some time as the structure for it is still being discussed.

The Special Forces agency would be headed by a Major General rank officer of the Army and is likely to come up at Agra, which already has a Para brigade and the wherewithal to airlift Special Forces operatives in large numbers as the base co-exists with an IAF transport aircraft squadron specialising in these operations.&nbsp;

One of the top Army officers, Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen MM Naravane had recently stated that the units of the Cyber agency will be spread across the country.

''There will be units or cells or dedicated officers at every headquarter to deal with the aspect of cybersecurity,'' he had said.

According to defence sources, almost on a daily basis, efforts are made by hackers, especially from Pakistan and China to break into the military systems to steal information and create disruption.

The tri-services Integrated Defence Staff is also holding an exercise with NTRO, RAW, National Security Council and DRDO where cyber attacks would be launched on critical military infrastructure and the authorities concerned would thwart them using their tools and skills in the domain.

In a bid to bolster its capabilities to tackle threats emanating from hackers, mostly from China and Pakistan, India is all set to have Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) by next month, headquartered in the capital.

In a bid to bolster its capabilities to tackle threats emanating from hackers, mostly from China and Pakistan, India is all set to have Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) by next month, headquartered in the capital. Senior Navy officer Rear Admiral Mohit Gupta will be the first head of the DCA. "We are working to raise the Defence Cyber Agency in May itself. The work has almost been completed. A new building has been hired in the national capital which will act as the headquarters of the formation," sources in the Defence Ministry told ANI here. As agreed upon by the Defence Ministry and the three services, the cyber agency would be headed by Rear Admiral Gupta. The Navy is expected to announce his formal appointment anytime, sources said. DCA is one of the three agencies along with the Special Forces and Space to be set up as per the clearance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Combined Commanders' Conference in Jodhpur last year. The DCA will include a lot of existing capability with the armed forces for tackling threats in the cyber domain and will also have the elements of DRDO working in it, sources said. While the Cyber agency is ready to be launched with its headquarters in New Delhi, the setting up of the Space agency will take some time as the structure for it is still being discussed. The Special Forces agency would be headed by a Major General rank officer of the Army and is likely to come up at Agra, which already has a Para brigade and the wherewithal to airlift Special Forces operatives in large numbers as the base co-exists with an IAF transport aircraft squadron specialising in these operations. One of the top Army officers, Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen MM Naravane had recently stated that the units of the Cyber agency will be spread across the country. ''There will be units or cells or dedicated officers at every headquarter to deal with the aspect of cybersecurity,'' he had said. According to defence sources, almost on a daily basis, efforts are made by hackers, especially from Pakistan and China to break into the military systems to steal information and create disruption. The tri-services Integrated Defence Staff is also holding an exercise with NTRO, RAW, National Security Council and DRDO where cyber attacks would be launched on critical military infrastructure and the authorities concerned would thwart them using their tools and skills in the domain.

India to soon get Defence Cyber Agency; headquarters to be in Delhi

A Pakistani journalist was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday.

The journalist Amanullah Gharoka, who was the chairman of a press club, was travelling to a village in Parova area bordering South Waziristan when some unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike, fired at him, killing him on the spot, police said.

The attackers fled the scene immediately after committing the crime.

The local press club condemned the killing of the journalist and strongly deplored the failure of police in combating the increasing target killing incidents in the area. 
&nbsp;

A Pakistani journalist was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. The journalist Amanullah Gharoka, who was the chairman of a press club, was travelling to a village in Parova area bordering South Waziristan when some unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike, fired at him, killing him on the spot, police said.

A Pakistani journalist was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. The journalist Amanullah Gharoka, who was the chairman of a press club, was travelling to a village in Parova area bordering South Waziristan when some unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike, fired at him, killing him on the spot, police said. The attackers fled the scene immediately after committing the crime. The local press club condemned the killing of the journalist and strongly deplored the failure of police in combating the increasing target killing incidents in the area.

Journalist shot dead in northwest Pakistan

Describing Pakistan as China's "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-conducted-asat-test-because-they-face-threats-from-other-nations-in-space-us-commander-to-senate-committee-209715">proxy space power</a>", a top Indian Army general on Tuesday said there is an urgent need to reshape India's space policy in view of the enhanced threat perceptions from the two neighbouring countries.

Lt General Taranjit Singh, DGPP, Indian Army, while delivering the spotlight speech on the second day of the 5th ORF Kalpana Chawla Annual Space Policy Dialogue, said India should tap the advanced technology of space to meet its national security challenges.

The potential of space technology should be used for not only military logistics but also for weapons, missiles deployments in vast geography like ours, he was quoted as saying by an Observer Research Foundation release.

Singh told the participants of the dialogue that in view of the enhanced threat perceptions from both China and Pakistan, there is an urgent need to restructure and reshape the nation's space policy.

The restructuring is needed in view of the changed security concerns because of the activities of both China and Pakistan, Singh said.

"Pakistan is the proxy space power of China," he said, adding that the recent meeting of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during the BRI conference in Beijing, has reiterated this point.

He pointed out that China has integrated its space programme with its security and military requirements and it has enhanced the PLA's capabilities.

Singh said the launch of niche quantum satellite by China for communication has given it an edge and so there is a need for fast developing such niche satellites by India too.

He also said China's ASAT capability has enhanced India's fears over its space assets.

Earlier, Sivathanu Pillai, Distinguished Fellow, ISRO, also felt protecting and sustaining space assets has become a big challenge not only for India but also for other space nations.

He felt this can be done only through space control and servicing the 1,700 active satellites in space to prolong its life.

Describing Pakistan as China's "proxy space power", a top Indian Army general on Tuesday said there is an urgent need to reshape India's space policy in view of the enhanced threat perceptions from the two neighbouring countries.

Describing Pakistan as China's "proxy space power", a top Indian Army general on Tuesday said there is an urgent need to reshape India's space policy in view of the enhanced threat perceptions from the two neighbouring countries. Lt General Taranjit Singh, DGPP, Indian Army, while delivering the spotlight speech on the second day of the 5th ORF Kalpana Chawla Annual Space Policy Dialogue, said India should tap the advanced technology of space to meet its national security challenges. The potential of space technology should be used for not only military logistics but also for weapons, missiles deployments in vast geography like ours, he was quoted as saying by an Observer Research Foundation release. Singh told the participants of the dialogue that in view of the enhanced threat perceptions from both China and Pakistan, there is an urgent need to restructure and reshape the nation's space policy. The restructuring is needed in view of the changed security concerns because of the activities of both China and Pakistan, Singh said. "Pakistan is the proxy space power of China," he said, adding that the recent meeting of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during the BRI conference in Beijing, has reiterated this point. He pointed out that China has integrated its space programme with its security and military requirements and it has enhanced the PLA's capabilities. Singh said the launch of niche quantum satellite by China for communication has given it an edge and so there is a need for fast developing such niche satellites by India too. He also said China's ASAT capability has enhanced India's fears over its space assets. Earlier, Sivathanu Pillai, Distinguished Fellow, ISRO, also felt protecting and sustaining space assets has become a big challenge not only for India but also for other space nations. He felt this can be done only through space control and servicing the 1,700 active satellites in space to prolong its life.

'Need to reshape India's space policy amid increased threat perception from China, Pakistan'

As the north prepared for the battle of Winterfell, people in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi were surprised to see Tyrion Lannister serving flatbread at a local restaurant. 
 
Waiter Rozi Khan has taken social media in his homeland - where 'Game of Thrones' has a strong following - by storm for his uncanny resemblance to U.S. actor Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister in the HBO fantasy series. 
 
Until a few months ago, the 26-year-old had never heard of Dinklage. But his life changed when the son of the restaurant owner he works for spotted the resemblance and posted his picture on Facebook.&nbsp; 
 
"In the beginning, they started calling me Peter Dinklage. After that I saw his show, and then slowly, slowly I became famous," Khan told Reuters. 
 
The resemblance goes beyond facial features: both men are also 4 feet 5 inches (135 cms) tall. 
 
"My wish is to work in movies. And my other wish is that I should meet Peter Dinklage," Khan added.&nbsp; 
 
The eighth and final season of the wildly popular Game of Thrones concludes on May 19.

As the north prepared for the battle of Winterfell, people in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi were surprised to see Tyrion Lannister serving flatbread at a local restaurant.

As the north prepared for the battle of Winterfell, people in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi were surprised to see Tyrion Lannister serving flatbread at a local restaurant. Waiter Rozi Khan has taken social media in his homeland - where 'Game of Thrones' has a strong following - by storm for his uncanny resemblance to U.S. actor Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister in the HBO fantasy series. Until a few months ago, the 26-year-old had never heard of Dinklage. But his life changed when the son of the restaurant owner he works for spotted the resemblance and posted his picture on Facebook. "In the beginning, they started calling me Peter Dinklage. After that I saw his show, and then slowly, slowly I became famous," Khan told Reuters. The resemblance goes beyond facial features: both men are also 4 feet 5 inches (135 cms) tall. "My wish is to work in movies. And my other wish is that I should meet Peter Dinklage," Khan added. The eighth and final season of the wildly popular Game of Thrones concludes on May 19.

Pakistan's 'Tyrion Lannister' longs to fight in battle of Winterfell

China and Pakistan have signed an agreement on space exploration, marking a new phase in space science cooperation including manned missions between the all-weather allies.

The agreement was signed on April 27 during the visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to China for the 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF), the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said in a statement.&nbsp;

The space agreement will serve as a high-level foundation for cooperation in space science and exploration. Both nations will conduct scientific and technological experiments, astronaut training, along with manned space applications and achievement transformation, official media quoted the CNSA statement as saying on Monday.

The space agreement between China and Pakistan also comes close on the heels of India's successful Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile test last month.

The test made India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. China had conducted such a test in January 2007 when its anti-satellite missile destroyed a weather satellite.

Under the agreement, the CNSA and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission will establish a China-Pakistan space committee chaired by top officials from both sides to address future collaborative issues.&nbsp;

China has advanced space programme with successful manned missions besides exploration missions to Moon. China is also building its space station which was expected to be ready by 2022. It has also unveiled plans to send spacecraft to Mars and Jupiter.

"The newly-signed space exploration agreement between China and Pakistan on manned space missions manifests their more profound cooperation on the peaceful use of outer space," state-run Global Times quoted experts as saying.

Since Pakistan is China's all-weather friend, China is willing to provide know-how to foster Pakistan's technological development on the use of outer space, Lan Jianxue, an associate research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Monday.

"China-Pakistan space cooperation will help Pakistan in terms of satellite&nbsp; 
monitoring of natural disasters and agricultural production, land and resources surveying, and waste handling in a microgravity environment," Lan said, adding that China will also benefit from the cooperation, including for commercial applications of space technology, investment security and counter-terrorism.

In 2018, China sent two Pakistan satellites into orbit. The PRSS-1, Pakistan's first optical remote sensing satellite, and the PakTES-1A, a smaller observation craft, were both lifted into space by China's Long March-2C carrier rocket.

"The current agreement signifies that their cooperation is not limited to infrastructure and resources, it also concerns technology and innovation," Lan said.&nbsp;

China and Pakistan have signed an agreement on space exploration, marking a new phase in space science cooperation including manned missions between the all-weather allies.

China and Pakistan have signed an agreement on space exploration, marking a new phase in space science cooperation including manned missions between the all-weather allies. The agreement was signed on April 27 during the visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to China for the 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF), the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said in a statement. The space agreement will serve as a high-level foundation for cooperation in space science and exploration. Both nations will conduct scientific and technological experiments, astronaut training, along with manned space applications and achievement transformation, official media quoted the CNSA statement as saying on Monday. The space agreement between China and Pakistan also comes close on the heels of India's successful Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile test last month. The test made India the fourth country in the world after the US, Russia and China to acquire the strategic capability to shoot down enemy satellites. China had conducted such a test in January 2007 when its anti-satellite missile destroyed a weather satellite. Under the agreement, the CNSA and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission will establish a China-Pakistan space committee chaired by top officials from both sides to address future collaborative issues. China has advanced space programme with successful manned missions besides exploration missions to Moon. China is also building its space station which was expected to be ready by 2022. It has also unveiled plans to send spacecraft to Mars and Jupiter. "The newly-signed space exploration agreement between China and Pakistan on manned space missions manifests their more profound cooperation on the peaceful use of outer space," state-run Global Times quoted experts as saying. Since Pakistan is China's all-weather friend, China is willing to provide know-how to foster Pakistan's technological development on the use of outer space, Lan Jianxue, an associate research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Monday. "China-Pakistan space cooperation will help Pakistan in terms of satellite monitoring of natural disasters and agricultural production, land and resources surveying, and waste handling in a microgravity environment," Lan said, adding that China will also benefit from the cooperation, including for commercial applications of space technology, investment security and counter-terrorism. In 2018, China sent two Pakistan satellites into orbit. The PRSS-1, Pakistan's first optical remote sensing satellite, and the PakTES-1A, a smaller observation craft, were both lifted into space by China's Long March-2C carrier rocket. "The current agreement signifies that their cooperation is not limited to infrastructure and resources, it also concerns technology and innovation," Lan said.

China, Pakistan sign agreement on space exploration, manned missions

Modernizing madrasa education is a thorny issue in Pakistan, a deeply conservative Muslim nation where religious schools are often blamed for the radicalisation of youngsters but are the only education available to millions of poor children.

Pakistan’s new government, facing pressure from global powers to act against militant groups carrying out attacks in India and Afghanistan, has vowed major reforms and Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised the South Asian nation will no longer tolerate such outfits operating on its territory.

Critics of the madrasa education system say, children who attend such schools, where they spend most of the day memorising the Holy Quran, are often ill-equipped for the modern world and some madrasas act as breeding grounds for militant outfits.

“The government of Pakistan ... has decided that these madrasas will be mainstreamed,” spokesman Gen. Asif Ghafoor told reporters at military headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

“An Islamic education will continue to be provided but there will be no hate speech,” Ghafoor added, saying that religious schools will come under the purview of the ministry of educations and incorporate other subjects into their syllabus.

Ghafoor said Pakistan would pay for the madrasas by diverting cash to education from the cost of anti-terrorism security operations, which are less necessary because militant attacks have sharply declined in recent years.

Pakistan has been eager to show that it has severed links with militant groups that have in the past carried out attacks in neighbouring Afghanistan and India.

Last month, the government announced it had taken control of 182 religious schools and detained more than 100 people as part of its biggest push against banned groups.

Security services have kept a close eye on madrasas associated with radicalising youths and feeding recruits to Islamist militant outfits that have killed tens of thousands of people in the South Asian country since 2000.

“The benefit will be that when children grow and leave these institutions they will have the same career opportunities that those coming from a private school have,” Ghafoor said.

“We want to end violent extremism in Pakistan and that will only happen when our children have the same education and opportunities.”

He added that madrasa legislation would be presented in parliament in another month and that would be followed by a finalised syllabus, appointment of teachers and allocation of finances.

Modernizing madrasa education is a thorny issue in Pakistan, a deeply conservative Muslim nation where religious schools are often blamed for the radicalisation of youngsters but are the only education available to millions of poor children.

Modernizing madrasa education is a thorny issue in Pakistan, a deeply conservative Muslim nation where religious schools are often blamed for the radicalisation of youngsters but are the only education available to millions of poor children. Pakistan’s new government, facing pressure from global powers to act against militant groups carrying out attacks in India and Afghanistan, has vowed major reforms and Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised the South Asian nation will no longer tolerate such outfits operating on its territory. Critics of the madrasa education system say, children who attend such schools, where they spend most of the day memorising the Holy Quran, are often ill-equipped for the modern world and some madrasas act as breeding grounds for militant outfits. “The government of Pakistan ... has decided that these madrasas will be mainstreamed,” spokesman Gen. Asif Ghafoor told reporters at military headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. “An Islamic education will continue to be provided but there will be no hate speech,” Ghafoor added, saying that religious schools will come under the purview of the ministry of educations and incorporate other subjects into their syllabus. Ghafoor said Pakistan would pay for the madrasas by diverting cash to education from the cost of anti-terrorism security operations, which are less necessary because militant attacks have sharply declined in recent years. Pakistan has been eager to show that it has severed links with militant groups that have in the past carried out attacks in neighbouring Afghanistan and India. Last month, the government announced it had taken control of 182 religious schools and detained more than 100 people as part of its biggest push against banned groups. Security services have kept a close eye on madrasas associated with radicalising youths and feeding recruits to Islamist militant outfits that have killed tens of thousands of people in the South Asian country since 2000. “The benefit will be that when children grow and leave these institutions they will have the same career opportunities that those coming from a private school have,” Ghafoor said. “We want to end violent extremism in Pakistan and that will only happen when our children have the same education and opportunities.” He added that madrasa legislation would be presented in parliament in another month and that would be followed by a finalised syllabus, appointment of teachers and allocation of finances.

Pakistan to bring 30,000 madrasas under its control to ‘mainstream’ education

Pakistan Army on Monday admitted the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/iran-calls-upon-pakistan-to-take-concrete-action-against-terrorists-operating-from-its-soil-202307">presence of terrorists</a> and Jihadi elements in its country, saying that there is a need to "do a lot" to curb terrorism.

"We have proscribed violent extremist organisations and Jihadist groups and we have been taking action against them," said Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor at a press conference here on Monday.

Major General Ghafoor said that there is a need to "do a lot" to curb terrorism as Islamabad so far has "suffered losses. We have lost millions of dollar due to terrorism." "There is still a lot to do against terrorism," he added.

He also admitted that previous <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-taking-no-action-on-terror-talks-of-brotherhood-but-sends-terrorist-afghan-nsa-202827">governments failed to curb terrorism</a> and due to which Pakistan lost its "millions of dollars."

"The state was busy conducting kinetic operations and every law enforcement agency was busy in that. Which is why we were not able to strategise against these (banned) organisations the way we are doing today," Ghafoor said.

Major General Ghafoor also blamed India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for allegedly funding Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a human rights movement of the Pashtun community against Pakistani security establishments for violating their human rights.

"On the PTM website, they have got a number that states the number of funds they have collected from Pashtuns around the world. But tell us how much money you got from the NDS (Afghan National Directorate of Security) to run your campaign. How much money did RAW give you for the first dharna in Islamabad," he asked.

Major General Ghafoor's remark assumes significance as India has clarified that any talks with Islamabad will be possible only when Pakistan takes concrete actions against terrorists operating from its land.

India has toughened its stand following February 14 Pulwama terrorist attack by Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) on the convoy of CRPF in which 44 jawans were killed.

The two countries were close to having a dangerous confrontation following Balakot airstrikes of February 26, when the Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft crossed the Line of Control to attack JeM's training camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.

Talking about the confusion over the number of IAF pilots captured after India conducted pre-emptive airstrikes deep in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, he said: "Initially, we got information through the proper channel. Then on the ground, I personally found that only one person had been captured and I sent out the correction myself. How is it that you are ready to accept one of our statements, and not the other one?"

In a veiled threat to India, Major General Ghafoor asked New Delhi not test Pakistan's "resolve." "We have not retaliated in the past because we want peace," he said.

Pakistan Army on Monday admitted the presence of terrorists and Jihadi elements in its country, saying that there is a need to "do a lot" to curb terrorism. "We have proscribed violent extremist organisations and Jihadist groups and we have been taking action against them," said Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor at a press conference here on Monday.

Pakistan Army on Monday admitted the presence of terrorists and Jihadi elements in its country, saying that there is a need to "do a lot" to curb terrorism. "We have proscribed violent extremist organisations and Jihadist groups and we have been taking action against them," said Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor at a press conference here on Monday. Major General Ghafoor said that there is a need to "do a lot" to curb terrorism as Islamabad so far has "suffered losses. We have lost millions of dollar due to terrorism." "There is still a lot to do against terrorism," he added. He also admitted that previous governments failed to curb terrorism and due to which Pakistan lost its "millions of dollars." "The state was busy conducting kinetic operations and every law enforcement agency was busy in that. Which is why we were not able to strategise against these (banned) organisations the way we are doing today," Ghafoor said. Major General Ghafoor also blamed India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for allegedly funding Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a human rights movement of the Pashtun community against Pakistani security establishments for violating their human rights. "On the PTM website, they have got a number that states the number of funds they have collected from Pashtuns around the world. But tell us how much money you got from the NDS (Afghan National Directorate of Security) to run your campaign. How much money did RAW give you for the first dharna in Islamabad," he asked. Major General Ghafoor's remark assumes significance as India has clarified that any talks with Islamabad will be possible only when Pakistan takes concrete actions against terrorists operating from its land. India has toughened its stand following February 14 Pulwama terrorist attack by Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) on the convoy of CRPF in which 44 jawans were killed. The two countries were close to having a dangerous confrontation following Balakot airstrikes of February 26, when the Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft crossed the Line of Control to attack JeM's training camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Talking about the confusion over the number of IAF pilots captured after India conducted pre-emptive airstrikes deep in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, he said: "Initially, we got information through the proper channel. Then on the ground, I personally found that only one person had been captured and I sent out the correction myself. How is it that you are ready to accept one of our statements, and not the other one?" In a veiled threat to India, Major General Ghafoor asked New Delhi not test Pakistan's "resolve." "We have not retaliated in the past because we want peace," he said.

Pakistan admits to presence of terrorists in its territory, says need to 'do a lot' to curb them

The development comes even as the UK last week was optimistic that Azhar will soon be declared a global terrorist by the United Nations.

China likely to remove hold on UN listing of Masood Azhar as global terrorist

Something very significant is underway in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imf-delegation-arrives-in-pakistan-to-hold-talks-on-bailout-package-214460">Pakistan</a>, the government in Islamabad would like you to believe.

A small group of foreign journalists, Reuters correspondents included, was given Pakistan's new narrative by Prime Minister<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/prevent-imf-bailout-to-pakistan-to-repay-chinese-debt-208726"> Imran Khan</a>, its army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and other top government officials and generals during a visit to the country earlier this month.

Some of the comments of the officials were for publication, others were not, but the message remained consistent.

In summary, Pakistan says it is tired of conflict, opposed to extremism, open for peace talks and clamping down on corruption. It also insists it is run by politicians, with the military partnering rather than dominating.

That all sounds good. There is just one problem - around much of the world many with a close understanding of the situation remain highly sceptical.

In New Delhi, the view even beyond the more hawkish elements in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is that the world has seen and heard these kinds of promises before, only for Pakistan-backed Islamist groups to attack India. That is just what India says happened on Feb. 14, when a suicide bombing killed 40 paramilitary police in India-controlled Kashmir and brought the two nuclear powers close to war.

&nbsp;This was underlined by comments to Reuters from Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar for this article.

"Pakistan should take immediate, credible, irreversible and verifiable action against terrorists and terror organisations operating from territories under its control," he said.

"Pakistan follows an identical script after every terror attack in India where 'action' is taken to deflect the international pressure before returning to the normal situation of providing support and sanctuary to terror groups in the territories under their control."

Certainly, Pakistan's positive talk has no chance of resonating in India while Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party continues to stir up patriotic fervour during the nation's 39-day general election, which ends May 19. Votes are counted May 23.

NEEDING FRIENDS

Islamabad urgently needs friends.

Pakistani officials say India has been lobbying to get it put on the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force, which monitors whether countries are doing enough to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing. If that happened it could lead to sanctions, cripple Pakistan's banking relations and badly hurt its trade.

The country is also close to securing its 13th bailout by the International Monetary Fund since the 1980s as it tries to tackle large budget and current account deficits, and faces a soaring inflation rate triggered by high oil prices and a weak Pakistani rupee.

But Pakistani officials claim the changes they are talking about are much more than a cosmetic makeover to head off the IMF.

Khan's government says it is suing for peace on all fronts.

In Afghanistan, Islamabad has been key in getting the Taliban around the table for talks with the Americans.

And Khan, in the face of rising tensions following bloody attacks by militant groups, visited Tehran and agreed last week to set up a joint rapid reaction force for the border area with Iran.

Since taking office in August, Khan has also consistently offered talks with Modi, and Pakistani officials are hopeful that the Indian leader will eventually say yes if he wins a second term in office.

NORTHERN IRELAND LESSONS

The Pakistan authorities insist they are cracking down on armed militant groups on its soil, saying extremism is the biggest threat it faces. Officials talk of a Northern Ireland-style peace and disarmament process, plus state regulation of the 32,000 madrasas, or Islamic schools, in the country that can easily become breeding grounds for militants.

"For the future of the country - forget outside pressure - we will not allow armed militias to operate," Khan told the journalists. And the government has "the total support of the Pakistani army and intelligence services in dismantling them", he added.

Not only that, but its military chiefs insist they report to the prime minister - rather than the other way around as is often assumed by foreign diplomats and the media.

The military chiefs say they want to bring 100 million Pakistanis out of grinding poverty, and that engineering a big increase in spending on education is critical to that.

During the trip, the journalists were taken to an impressively modern-looking army school complex and, separately, a rehabilitation centre for teenagers showing militant tendencies. Those were both in the Swat Valley, which was overrun by the Taliban and other militant groups only 11 years ago.

The image of unity, though, was shaken only a few days after the trip when Khan announced a major reshuffle of his cabinet, including the replacement of his finance minister Asad Umar, who had been at the helm of the IMF talks, and the appointment of retired Brigadier Ijaz Shah as Pakistan's new interior minister. Shah, former spy chief and close ally of the country's last military ruler, has long been accused of deep ties to militant groups.

Given such moves, it isn't difficult to find specialists in Pakistan policy who still believe that the army pulls the strings. A senior security source in Pakistan told Reuters the government was taking "no serious action" against anti-India militant groups.

"The cabinet shuffle in Pakistan is a setback for the image of 'new' Pakistan," said TCA Raghavan, who was India's high commissioner in Pakistan in 2013-2015. "It shows an inability to carry even the cabinet along on the economy."

He also said the appointment of Shah was a setback for any reset. "Poachers don't turn gamekeepers easily," he said.

Shah's office did not respond to a request for comment, but in an interview with the BBC after his appointment, he said he was a civilian politician who retired from the army a long time ago.

One other ministerial change was the moving of information minister Fawad Chaudhry to the less high-profile post of science and technology minister.

It was Chaudhry who had been the journalists' main guide for the visit.

So, if it really is transforming, Pakistan clearly has a lot of convincing still to do. One trip for foreign journalists is only a start.

Something very significant is underway in Pakistan, the government in Islamabad would like you to believe. A small group of foreign journalists, Reuters correspondents included, was given Pakistan's new narrative by Prime Minister Imran Khan, its army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and other top government officials and generals during a visit to the country earlier this month.

Something very significant is underway in Pakistan, the government in Islamabad would like you to believe. A small group of foreign journalists, Reuters correspondents included, was given Pakistan's new narrative by Prime Minister Imran Khan, its army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and other top government officials and generals during a visit to the country earlier this month. Some of the comments of the officials were for publication, others were not, but the message remained consistent. In summary, Pakistan says it is tired of conflict, opposed to extremism, open for peace talks and clamping down on corruption. It also insists it is run by politicians, with the military partnering rather than dominating. That all sounds good. There is just one problem - around much of the world many with a close understanding of the situation remain highly sceptical. In New Delhi, the view even beyond the more hawkish elements in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is that the world has seen and heard these kinds of promises before, only for Pakistan-backed Islamist groups to attack India. That is just what India says happened on Feb. 14, when a suicide bombing killed 40 paramilitary police in India-controlled Kashmir and brought the two nuclear powers close to war. This was underlined by comments to Reuters from Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar for this article. "Pakistan should take immediate, credible, irreversible and verifiable action against terrorists and terror organisations operating from territories under its control," he said. "Pakistan follows an identical script after every terror attack in India where 'action' is taken to deflect the international pressure before returning to the normal situation of providing support and sanctuary to terror groups in the territories under their control." Certainly, Pakistan's positive talk has no chance of resonating in India while Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party continues to stir up patriotic fervour during the nation's 39-day general election, which ends May 19. Votes are counted May 23. NEEDING FRIENDS Islamabad urgently needs friends. Pakistani officials say India has been lobbying to get it put on the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force, which monitors whether countries are doing enough to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing. If that happened it could lead to sanctions, cripple Pakistan's banking relations and badly hurt its trade. The country is also close to securing its 13th bailout by the International Monetary Fund since the 1980s as it tries to tackle large budget and current account deficits, and faces a soaring inflation rate triggered by high oil prices and a weak Pakistani rupee. But Pakistani officials claim the changes they are talking about are much more than a cosmetic makeover to head off the IMF. Khan's government says it is suing for peace on all fronts. In Afghanistan, Islamabad has been key in getting the Taliban around the table for talks with the Americans. And Khan, in the face of rising tensions following bloody attacks by militant groups, visited Tehran and agreed last week to set up a joint rapid reaction force for the border area with Iran. Since taking office in August, Khan has also consistently offered talks with Modi, and Pakistani officials are hopeful that the Indian leader will eventually say yes if he wins a second term in office. NORTHERN IRELAND LESSONS The Pakistan authorities insist they are cracking down on armed militant groups on its soil, saying extremism is the biggest threat it faces. Officials talk of a Northern Ireland-style peace and disarmament process, plus state regulation of the 32,000 madrasas, or Islamic schools, in the country that can easily become breeding grounds for militants. "For the future of the country - forget outside pressure - we will not allow armed militias to operate," Khan told the journalists. And the government has "the total support of the Pakistani army and intelligence services in dismantling them", he added. Not only that, but its military chiefs insist they report to the prime minister - rather than the other way around as is often assumed by foreign diplomats and the media. The military chiefs say they want to bring 100 million Pakistanis out of grinding poverty, and that engineering a big increase in spending on education is critical to that. During the trip, the journalists were taken to an impressively modern-looking army school complex and, separately, a rehabilitation centre for teenagers showing militant tendencies. Those were both in the Swat Valley, which was overrun by the Taliban and other militant groups only 11 years ago. The image of unity, though, was shaken only a few days after the trip when Khan announced a major reshuffle of his cabinet, including the replacement of his finance minister Asad Umar, who had been at the helm of the IMF talks, and the appointment of retired Brigadier Ijaz Shah as Pakistan's new interior minister. Shah, former spy chief and close ally of the country's last military ruler, has long been accused of deep ties to militant groups. Given such moves, it isn't difficult to find specialists in Pakistan policy who still believe that the army pulls the strings. A senior security source in Pakistan told Reuters the government was taking "no serious action" against anti-India militant groups. "The cabinet shuffle in Pakistan is a setback for the image of 'new' Pakistan," said TCA Raghavan, who was India's high commissioner in Pakistan in 2013-2015. "It shows an inability to carry even the cabinet along on the economy." He also said the appointment of Shah was a setback for any reset. "Poachers don't turn gamekeepers easily," he said. Shah's office did not respond to a request for comment, but in an interview with the BBC after his appointment, he said he was a civilian politician who retired from the army a long time ago. One other ministerial change was the moving of information minister Fawad Chaudhry to the less high-profile post of science and technology minister. It was Chaudhry who had been the journalists' main guide for the visit. So, if it really is transforming, Pakistan clearly has a lot of convincing still to do. One trip for foreign journalists is only a start.

Pakistan says it's on the road to major change, but the world is sceptical

Muslims fear adverse reaction after Sri Lanka terror attack.

Easter Massacre: Muslims fear backlash

Two security personnel were killed and two others were injured following an IED blast at a check post in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, sources said.

The explosives, which were planted close to the check post in Sheva tehsil of North Aaziristan District bordering Afghanistan, went off when the levies personnel reported for duty, eye witnesses said.

The deceased, identified as Ameer Zaman and Abdul Wali, were local residents, they said.

Two security personnel were killed and two others were injured following an IED blast at a check post in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, sources said. The explosives, which were planted close to the check post in Sheva tehsil of North Aaziristan District bordering Afghanistan, went off when the levies personnel reported for duty, eye witnesses said.

Two security personnel were killed and two others were injured following an IED blast at a check post in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, sources said. The explosives, which were planted close to the check post in Sheva tehsil of North Aaziristan District bordering Afghanistan, went off when the levies personnel reported for duty, eye witnesses said. The deceased, identified as Ameer Zaman and Abdul Wali, were local residents, they said.

IED blast kills two security personnel in Pakistan

Watch Gravitas full segment and know what has been the most trending and important stories of the day. Watch this video to know more.

Watch: WION Gravitas, 26th April, 2019

The US has imposed sanctions on Pakistan after Islamabad refused to take back its citizen deportees and visa over-stayers from America, warning that it may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning from its senior officials.

The State Department on Friday said that consular <a href="https://www.wionews.com/pakistan/gunmen-kill-woman-polio-vaccinator-in-pakistan-213471">operations in Pakistan</a> remain unchanged as of now but as a result of such a sanction mentioned in a Federal Register notification dated April 22, the US may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning with its senior officials.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/pakistan/pak-is-one-of-the-bris-earliest-and-most-enthusiastic-proponents-imran-khan-213669">Also read:&nbsp;Pakistan BRI's earliest and most enthusiastic proponents: PM Imran Khan</a>

Pakistan is the latest to join the list of 10 nations that have been imposed with sanctions under a US law according to which countries refusing to take back deportees and visa over-stayers will be denied American visas.

Notably, eight of these countries have been slapped with such visa sanctions under the Trump administration. Two of them Ghana and Pakistan have been included in the list this year.&nbsp;

The other countries include Guyana in 2001, the Gambia in 2016, Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, and Sierra Leone in 2017, Burma and Laos in 2018.

Under Section 243 (d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of State is required to discontinue granting immigration or non-immigrant visas to a nation upon receiving notice from the Homeland Security Secretary that the country has denied or is unreasonably delaying accepting a citizen, subject, national or resident of that country.

The State Department tried to downplay the impact of the sanctions on Pakistan.&nbsp;

"Consular operations in Pakistan remain unchanged, a State Department Spokesperson told PTI when asked about the federal register notification.

This is a bilateral issue of ongoing discussion between the US and Pakistani governments and we are not going to get into the specifics at this time,&nbsp;the spokesperson added.

Former Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, feels that this will make things difficult for Pakistanis.

''This measure will create hardship for Pakistanis who want or need to travel to the US and could have been avoided if Pakistani authorities had not ignored American requests to respect their legal requirements for deportation,'' Haqqani told PTI, days after the federal register notification.

He said that Pakistan's refusal to accept it's citizen deported from the US is not new.&nbsp;

''Pakistan's refusal to accept every Pakistani citizen deported from the US is not new. It seems that the US is no longer willing to overlook a wide range of official Pakistani behaviour. Bonhomie has been replaced by sanctions and restrictions based on Islamabad's policy decisions,'' Haqqani said.

While the law in this regard has been under existence since 1996, it is only in last several years that there had been increasing demand from lawmakers towards its enforcement against countries that had refused to accept deportees and visa over-stayers.&nbsp;

In the last few years, India has been taking such deportees on special planes at regular intervals.

The Trump administration after coming to power had said that it will strictly enforce such provisions by denying visas to people from those countries that refuse it accepting deportees and visa over-stayers.

While section 243 (d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act was used only twice before 2017, the Trump Administration has been effective in using this provision on many countries, including Pakistan.

However, the State Department federal register notification indicates that the number of visa denial under this sanction is far less.&nbsp;

Since the law was modified to cover non-immigrant visas in 1996, 318 visa applicants have been affected, the notification said.&nbsp;

During this same time period, tens of millions of aliens have received non-immigrant visas including, collectively, millions of applicants from the 10 countries affected, the notification said.

The Federal Register notification said that there is no set formula, though, notably State has never issued a blanket refusal for visas from the country in question.

For some countries, sanctions begin by targeting officials who work in the ministries responsible for accepting the return of that country's nationals with escalation scenarios that target family members of those officials and potentially officials of other ministries and then other categories of applicants if initial sanctions do not prove effective at encouraging greater cooperation on removals by the targeted government, the notification said.&nbsp;

The US has imposed sanctions on Pakistan after Islamabad refused to take back its citizen deportees and visa over-stayers from America, warning that it may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning from its senior officials.

The US has imposed sanctions on Pakistan after Islamabad refused to take back its citizen deportees and visa over-stayers from America, warning that it may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning from its senior officials. The State Department on Friday said that consular operations in Pakistan remain unchanged as of now but as a result of such a sanction mentioned in a Federal Register notification dated April 22, the US may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning with its senior officials. Also read: Pakistan BRI's earliest and most enthusiastic proponents: PM Imran Khan Pakistan is the latest to join the list of 10 nations that have been imposed with sanctions under a US law according to which countries refusing to take back deportees and visa over-stayers will be denied American visas. Notably, eight of these countries have been slapped with such visa sanctions under the Trump administration. Two of them Ghana and Pakistan have been included in the list this year. The other countries include Guyana in 2001, the Gambia in 2016, Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, and Sierra Leone in 2017, Burma and Laos in 2018. Under Section 243 (d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of State is required to discontinue granting immigration or non-immigrant visas to a nation upon receiving notice from the Homeland Security Secretary that the country has denied or is unreasonably delaying accepting a citizen, subject, national or resident of that country. The State Department tried to downplay the impact of the sanctions on Pakistan. "Consular operations in Pakistan remain unchanged, a State Department Spokesperson told PTI when asked about the federal register notification. This is a bilateral issue of ongoing discussion between the US and Pakistani governments and we are not going to get into the specifics at this time, the spokesperson added. Former Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, feels that this will make things difficult for Pakistanis. ''This measure will create hardship for Pakistanis who want or need to travel to the US and could have been avoided if Pakistani authorities had not ignored American requests to respect their legal requirements for deportation,'' Haqqani told PTI, days after the federal register notification. He said that Pakistan's refusal to accept it's citizen deported from the US is not new. ''Pakistan's refusal to accept every Pakistani citizen deported from the US is not new. It seems that the US is no longer willing to overlook a wide range of official Pakistani behaviour. Bonhomie has been replaced by sanctions and restrictions based on Islamabad's policy decisions,'' Haqqani said. While the law in this regard has been under existence since 1996, it is only in last several years that there had been increasing demand from lawmakers towards its enforcement against countries that had refused to accept deportees and visa over-stayers. In the last few years, India has been taking such deportees on special planes at regular intervals. The Trump administration after coming to power had said that it will strictly enforce such provisions by denying visas to people from those countries that refuse it accepting deportees and visa over-stayers. While section 243 (d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act was used only twice before 2017, the Trump Administration has been effective in using this provision on many countries, including Pakistan. However, the State Department federal register notification indicates that the number of visa denial under this sanction is far less. Since the law was modified to cover non-immigrant visas in 1996, 318 visa applicants have been affected, the notification said. During this same time period, tens of millions of aliens have received non-immigrant visas including, collectively, millions of applicants from the 10 countries affected, the notification said. The Federal Register notification said that there is no set formula, though, notably State has never issued a blanket refusal for visas from the country in question. For some countries, sanctions begin by targeting officials who work in the ministries responsible for accepting the return of that country's nationals with escalation scenarios that target family members of those officials and potentially officials of other ministries and then other categories of applicants if initial sanctions do not prove effective at encouraging greater cooperation on removals by the targeted government, the notification said.

US imposes sanction on Pakistan after Islamabad refuses to take back deportees

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